According to author David Craddock, who is about to release a book about Blizzard North, reveals that a small team made a proposal for “Diablo Junior” following the release of Diablo II.

Junior would have been a prequel created for the Game Boy Color and/or Game Boy Advance as a single-player title. There were plans to release three cartridges, much like Pokemon. Each would feature a unique hero and items that could be traded across the different versions.

Craddock notes that the project was ultimately shelved “because of the steep production costs associated with developing handheld games.”

“Following Diablo 2’s release, Blizzard North split into two teams … kind of. One team immediately started in on D2’s expansion set, Lord of Destruction. The other team went into spitball mode, kicking around ideas for a new IP. But several other developers ventured into groups of two or three and put together proposals for smaller projects. One of those was given the working title Diablo Junior, a game tentatively planned for the Game Boy Color and/or the Game Boy Advance, depending on market share and other business-y factors. Diablo Junior was intended as a single-player-only prequel to the original game. Taking a page from Pokémon’s book, the team wanted to release three cartridges, each packing a different hero in the warrior-rogue-sorcerer vein as well as items that players would have to trade for in order to collect. Heroes started in a unique town before heading into dungeons and wilderness zones. Diablo Junior was ultimately put out to pasture (absent of cow levels, I’m sure) because of the steep production costs associated with developing handheld games.”

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Iwata talks all about handheld gaming, threat of smartphones, and more

Posted on 12 years ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in 3DS, DS, GBA, General Nintendo, News | 0 comments

Nintendo president Satoru Iwata has fielded a number of questions relating to handheld gaming – competition in particular. Head past the break for his comments on what it would take for his company to stop making dedicated gaming handhelds, the threat of smartphones, how the two platforms differ, and more.

Neat Metroid Fusion Easter Egg: GameCube cameo

Posted on 12 years ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in GameCube, GBA, News | 0 comments

Nintendo Easter Eggs never cease to amaze me. This latest one, despite being a smaller nugget (and perhaps known for awhile), is still pretty darn neat.

Basically, the GameCube has a cameo appearance in Metroid Fusion. It’s embedded in at least one of the game’s exhaust fans.

Take a look below:

Can you spot it in the image? If not, head past the break to see its location!

Shin’en shows off its prototype GBA racer

Posted on 12 years ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in GBA, News, Videos | 0 comments

A couple of months ago, Shin’en dished out some information on a never-released futuristic racing game featuring 3D polygons. The studio has now released a short video of the prototype in action – you can find it above.

Source

Shin’en discusses canned GBA racer with 3D polygons

Posted on 13 years ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in GBA, News | 0 comments

Shin’en is one of the most dedicated and technically capable Nintendo developers, and they’ve been making games for many, many years now. We’ve seen the company pull off some impressive visuals on the Game Boy Advance, DS, WiiWare, and 3DS.

When the GBA was still alive and kicking, Shin’en was working on a racer that incorporated 3D polygons. Shin’en boss Manfred Linzner feels that the studio’s prototype was “amazing”, but it was shelved “because we had too much retail work to do at that time.”

According to Linzner:

“We had a racing game on GBA that used 3D polygons. We still have that prototype – and it’s amazing – but it was never finished because we had too much retail work to do at that time.”

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GamesMaster selects the top 250 greatest gaming moments

Posted on 13 years ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in 3DS, DS, GameCube, GBA, General Nintendo, News, Wii | 0 comments

Last month, GamesMaster released its 250th issue. For its May 2012 edition, the magazine celebrated the accomplishment by compiling a list of the top 250 greatest gaming moments.

We have the list below, but you can pick up the the latest issue now and read about why GamesMaster made each selection. And beware of spoilers – even though most of these games have been out for years, some of these moments do mention important happenings such as character deaths.

ONM ranks the top 100 games for Nintendo systems

Posted on 13 years ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in 3DS, DS, GameCube, GBA, News, Wii | 0 comments

The Official Nintendo Magazine has offered its opinion on the top 100 games made for Nintendo systems.

We’ve posted the first ten entries below. The entire list can be found after the break.

100. Super Monkey Ball (GameCube)
99. Little King’s Story (Wii)
98. Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 2 (GameCube)
97. DJ Hero (Wii)
96. Trauma Center (DS)
95. Prince of Persia: Sands of Time (GameCube)
94. Conker’s Bad Fur Day (N64)
93. Killer Instinct (SNES)
92. GTA: Chinatown Wars (DS)
91: Pushmo (eShop)
90. Beyond Good & Evil (GameCube)

3DS sells five million in Japan

Posted on 13 years ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in 3DS, DS, GBA, News, Wii | 0 comments

The 3DS has sold over five million units in Japan. Nintendo shared the news in an announcement earlier today.

Nintendo’s latest portable is the first system to reach this milestone in 52 weeks. Two other handhelds from the Big N, the DS and GBA, accomplished the feat in 56 and 58 weeks receptively.

Here’s a chart comparing the sales trends for the GBA, DS, Wii, and 3DS:

Thanks to 4Him for the tip!

Source

Famitsu readers choose the top 50 Nintendo games

Posted on 13 years ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in DS, GameCube, GBA, News, Wii | 0 comments

Famitsu hosted a survey on their website between December 7 and December 11. Readers were asked to select the top fifty games of all time.

Here’s how they voted:

1. Super Mario Bros. NES
2. Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time N64
3. Super Mario 64 N64
4. Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past SNES
5. Mother 2 SNES
6. Xenoblade Wii
7. Legend of Zelda NES
8. Super Mario RPG SNES
9. Smash Bros. Melee GC
10. Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword Wii
11. Fire Emblem – Seisen no Keifu SNES
12. Famicom Mukashi-banashi Famicom-DiscDrive
13. Super Mario Kart SNES
14. Famicom Tantei Club Part II Famicom-DiscDrive
15. Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker GC
16. Fire Emblem – Monsho no Nazo SNES
17. Legend of Zelda – Links Awakening GB
18. Super Mario World SNES
19. Super Mario Sunshine GC
19. Smash Bros. Brawl Wii

Famitsu readers choose the most tear-jerking games

Posted on 13 years ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in 3DS, GBA, News, Wii | 0 comments

Famitsu readers have weighed in on the games that made them cry the most. Here’s how they voted:

01. [PS2] Final Fantsay X
02. [PSP] Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII
03. [PS2] Okami
04. [PS2] Clannad
05. [PS2] Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater
06. [360] Steins;Gate
07. [DC] Air
08. [PS1] Final Fantasy VII
08. [GBA] Mother 3
10. [PSP] Final Fantasy Type-0
10. [PS2] Little Busters: Converted Edition
12. [PS1] Final Fantasy IX
12. [PS3] Nier Replicant
14. [Wii] 428: Fuusaisareta Shibuya de
15. [PS2] Tales of the Abyss
16. [PS3] Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots
16. [PS3] Final Fantasy XIII
16. [PS2] Tales of Legendia
16. [PS2] Ico
16. [PS2] Shadow of the Colossus