Kotaku has a mix of comments from Zelda producer Eiji Aonuma pulled from his session at the New York Comic Con and a follow-up interview. His remarks cover changes for Zelda, returning to cel-shading, why Link isn’t as well known as Mario, and more. Kotaku also followed up with Aonuma about the Majora’s Mask connection in Zelda: A Link Between Worlds.

All of Aonuma’s comments are posted below. You can also check out Kotaku’s piece here.

Nintendo Download (10/17/13, Europe)

Posted on 11 years ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in News, Podcast Stories | 1 Comment

This week’s European Nintendo Downloads are as follows:

Wii U retail

Hot Wheels World’s Best Driver – €39.99 / £29.99 (available Oct. 18)
Sonic Lost World – €49.99 / £39.99 (available Oct. 18)

You can also receive download codes for the additional level available in the Deadly Six Edition and five Black Bomb colour powers if you purchase Sonic Lost World from Nintendo eShop on your Wii U between 00:01 (UK time) on October 18th and 23:59 (UK time) on October 26th. Before purchasing you must first register your Wii U console with your Club Nintendo account**, then log in to Club Nintendo after purchasing and check the banners to claim and redeem your free download codes on or before 31st December 2013. You can find out how to register Wii U in Club Nintendo.

Wii U VC

Urban Champion (US version) – €4.99 / £3.49
Clu Clu Land (US version) – €4.99 / £3.49

3DS retail

Sonic Lost World – €39.99 / £34.99 (available Oct. 18)
Game Festival 2 – €24.99 / £19.99

3DS VC

City Connection – €3.99 / £3.59

DSiWare

Cute Witch! Runner – €1.99 / £1.79 / 200 points

Special offers

SteamWorld Dig – €7.19 (£6.39) until 20/10/13, 23:59 local time. Was €8.99 (£7.99).
Aqua Moto Racing 3D – €5.99 (£5.39) until 31/10/13, 23:59 local time. Was €9.99 (£8.99).

Permanent price reduction

Planet Crashers 3D – €4.99 (£4.49). Was €9.99 (£8.99)

Source: Nintendo PR

Miyamoto: Nintendo looking to bridge the gap between 2D/3D Mario players with Super Mario 3D World

Posted on 11 years ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in News, Podcast Stories, Wii U | 0 comments

Over the years, Nintendo has created two distinct categories of Mario games: 3D titles like Galaxy, and 2D releases such as New Super Mario Bros.

The Big N attempted to blend the two gameplay types with Super Mario 3D Land. This is now being taken a step further with Super Mario 3D World, according to Shigeru Miyamoto.

When ONM asked if Super Mario 3D World is trying to appeal to all types of Mario fans, Miyamoto responded:

“Yes, with the Mario games you have the 2D side-scrolling games and you have the Mario Galaxy games, which are the 3D titles. People tend to prefer one of those over the other. What we tried to do with Super Mario 3D Land, and what we’re trying to do with Super Mario 3D World is to create a type of three-dimensional Mario game that bridges that gap. We’re trying to do that more with Super Mario 3D World, in particular with the gyro controls, and to try and do that in a way that will enable fans of both to really enjoy playing Mario.”

Thanks to joclo for sending this our way.

Aonuma explains inclusion of selfies in Zelda: Wind Waker HD

Posted on 11 years ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in News, Podcast Stories, Wii U | 1 Comment

The ability to take selfies is a small, but addmittedley neat feature in Zelda: Wind Waker HD. How’d the idea come about?

Zelda producer Eiji Aonuma gave IGN a rather simple answer. Taking selfies is commonplace these days, and even he gets involved with such photos from time to time.

And so Aonuma asked the director of Zelda: Wind Waker HD to include the functionality. While the idea initially seemed like it would be too difficult, selfies eventually made their way into the final game.

According to Aonuma:

Aonuma says Link Between Worlds is more of a “new title” than a sequel, game has hints, hand-holding not fun

Posted on 11 years ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in 3DS, General Nintendo, News, Podcast Stories, Wii U | 4 Comments

Polygon caught up with Zelda producer Eiji Aonuma following his speaking session at the New York Comic Con yesterday.

Aonuma delivered some very intriguing answers, in which he said that A Link Between Worlds can be considered more of a “new title” than a sequel, revealed that there are hints in the game, and spoke about how the team set out “to make it a game where it would be fun to get stuck and be lost.” He also acknowledged, “we kind of have a bad habit of hand-holding, trying to make things easier for everyone. But more and more, I start to think that that kind of isn’t actually that fun.”

The full Q&A roundup is posted below. You can also check out Polygon’s full piece here.

Aonuma says questions about Majora’s Mask will be answered by beating A Link Between Worlds

Posted on 11 years ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in 3DS, News, Podcast Stories | 5 Comments

It’s common knowledge that Nintendo was considering two Zelda games for the 3DS following Ocarina of Time 3D. First, there was the possibility of doing something new with A Link to the Past. Nintendo’s other idea was to remake Majora’s Mask.

We now know that the first idea was chosen, as Nintendo will be coming out with Zelda: A Link Between Worlds next month – a sequel to A Link to the Past. But what about that Majora’s Mask remake? Or even something new that ties into the N64 title?

Eiji Aonuma was once again asked to “make Majora’s Mask” during the fan portion of his speaking session at New York Comic Con today, and gave a rather cryptic response. While we don’t have the direct quote, IGN’s Jose Otero did relay his general comment:

“One of the more interesting things that he indicated though at the end during the fan questions, someone asked him about Majora’s Mask… he basically said finish this game and that may answer your question.”

That’s pretty darn interesting, don’t you think? Now the question is, do his words imply that there could potentially be news about a remake? Or something entirely new with Majora’s Mask? Since the full question/answer isn’t available, it’s a bit ambiguous. We’re not sure if he was specifically asked about Majora’s Mask 3D or something brand new, like a sequel.

Source

Details from Aonuma’s Zelda speaking session at New York Comic Con

Posted on 11 years ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in 3DS, News, Podcast Stories | 0 comments

Eiji Aonuma is currently in the process of hosting his “speaking session” at the New York Comic-Con. We’re rounding up details from the event below, courtesy of tweets from IGN’s Jose Otero and Nintendo of America.

– Talking about #WindWaker HD. Mr. Aonuma wants to thank fans for their amazing submissions to the WindWaker Fan Art Contest.
– Zelda: A Link Between finished roughly a week ago
– Item shop. You’re able to rent all of the items from the start of the game. Buying them costs a lot of money.
– Item show is at Link’s old house. Or at least it looked that way.
– Link traveled to “lower world” and back. Showed a new collectible called a Maimai.
– Bottom screen zooms in on map. Returning Maimai’s to the Mother Mainai upgrades your items. Upgraded bow fires three arrows at once.
– Smaller dungeons that house treasure can be found as well as standard dungeons.
– Rupees are easier to find in this Zelda and in bigger amounts. Smaller dungeon at the end had a Silver rupee worth 100.
– Mr. Aonuma is talking about new features like the item rental system, free-flowing dungeons and wall merge.
– Aonuma is now going into inspiration and early development. Showing an original bitmap from ALttP.
– Mr. Aonuma is showing fans some prototype maps and screenshots as he discusses the making of a 3D top down #Zelda game.

Now we’re taking a look at two characters that inhabit these two worlds, Hilda from Lorule and Zelda from Hyrule. pic.twitter.com/Zgj0poTjLT
— Nintendo of America (@NintendoAmerica) October 11, 2013

– “Lower world” equals Lorule. And it has it’s own princess named Hilda.
– Yuga is the name of the enemy in the trailer that turned people into paintings.
– Something related to Majora’s Mask is in ALBW.

Source 1, Source 2

Masuda on Pokemon’s popularity, coming up with new Pokemon, no plans for DLC/microtransactions, more

Posted on 11 years ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in 3DS, General Nintendo, News, Podcast Stories, Wii U | 0 comments

VG247 managed to get a few Pokemon-related comments out of Game Freak’s Junichi Masuda as part of a new interview. Masuda was quizzed on the franchise’s continuing popularity, creation of new Pokemon, DLC and microtransactions, possibility of a Pokemon game for Wii U and MMORPG, and more.

For a full roundup of Masuda’s comments, read on below.

Wii U hardware sales see 685% rise in the UK thanks to Zelda: Wind Waker HD

Posted on 11 years ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in News, Podcast Stories, Wii U | 2 Comments

The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker HD has contributed to a large Wii U sales increase in the UK. Last week, sales of the system rose by 685 percent, Nintendo says.

Nintendo UK head of consumer marketing James Honeywell told MCV:

“We have long believed that software sells hardware and it’s great to see that reaffirmed this week with an uplift of Wii U hardware sales to coincide with the launch of The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker HD.”

Nintendo did not dish out any specifics on the console’s sales, but that percentage is nonetheless encouraging.

Source

Aonuma on writing lines for King of Red Lions in Wind Waker, Zelda’s form, and Tingle

Posted on 11 years ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in General Nintendo, News, Podcast Stories, Wii U | 0 comments

Here’s a bit of trivia that people often forget/are unaware of when it comes to The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker: series producer Eiji Aonuma actually wrote the lines for the King of Red Lions.

Aonuma’s son had just been born when Wind Waker was in development. This influenced the way he wrote the part for King of Red Lions, as he wanted his son to play the game and therefore ended up writing the role in “a self-important manner that children would understand.”

Aonuma spoke about this topic, Zelda’s form/appearance in the game, and Tingle in a 4Gamer interview. You can find some of these comments below, and even more translated quotes over at Zelda Informer.