In an interview with Game Informer, Zelda producer Eiji Aonuma had a chance to speak about non-Nintendo titles. He told the magazine that he didn’t play a ton of games in the past, but has changed that. Aonuma played the likes of Far Cry, The Witcher, and The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim in research for Breath of the Wild, but passed on Grand Theft Auto due to it being a bit too violent for his tastes.

Aonuma told Game Informer:

“In the past I didn’t play many video games. But then I realized, this isn’t right, I have to. So nowadays, I actually play a lot of overseas titles.”
“While playing those games, I do find some ideas, but it’s not that it connects directly to Zelda to where I would take something and use it in Zelda, but it’s more of something I keep in the back of my head while developing the game.”

More: Eiji Aonuma, interview, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild

Zelda: Breath of the Wild Deluxe Edition guide pre-orders massively reduced on Amazon

Posted on 7 years ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in News, Switch, Wii U | 14 Comments

Update (2/20): This appears to have sold out now. Other two versions are still up with a 40 percent discount.

Original (2/19): The Deluxe Edition guide for Zelda: Breath of the Wild started out at a pretty hefty $80 on Amazon. However, the retailer has now reduced the price in a big way.

You can pick up a copy of the most complete guide for just $47.99. It’s a 40 percent discount, dropping from the original asking price of $80.

Nab the guide from Amazon here.

More: Amazon, pre-order

Link’s green tunic is in Zelda: Breath of the Wild

Posted on 7 years ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in News, Switch, Wii U | 26 Comments

Nintendo of France is continuing its Q&A video interview series with Eiji Aonuma, producer of the Zelda franchise. For today’s question, he was asked if Link’s tunic will be present in Breath of the Wild.

Aonuma started out by talking about the clothing system and how you can change what Link is wearing whenever you like. Clothing can be obtained from chests, shops, and special events (latter is probably for story events or sidequests). He also points out how Link’s blue uniform is also worn by Princess Zelda. Aonuma then closed out by confirming that yes, Link’s well-known green tunic is in the game.

Aonuma and Shigeru Miyamoto kept quiet as to whether the tunic would be present when asked last June. Most fans likely had expected it to be present somehow though. Had it not been included at all, that would have been very surprising.

Thanks to LuigiBlood for the help with this post.

Source

More: Eiji Aonuma, interview, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild

New high-res artwork and official English names of some Zelda: Breath of the Wild characters

Posted on 7 years ago by Matt(@OnePunchMaz) in Images, News, Switch, Wii U | 26 Comments

The official Japanese website for The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild was updated today with profiles of some of the characters that appear in the game. Other than Link and Zelda and the generic Bokoblin and Guardian enemies, there are also profiles for three of the characters that were first seen in the latest trailer shown at the Switch reveal last month. We already got some info on them in Famitsu a couple of weeks ago and their profiles on the website don’t really reveal anything new, but we do get some nice high-resolution artwork of them, plus their official English names (or at the very least, the official romanization of their Japanese names). The Goron warrior is known as Daruk, the Rito archer is called Revali and the Zora girl is known as Mipha. Check out the artwork in the gallery below:

Source

More: The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild

UK software sales (Week ending 02/18/2017) – Wii U/3DS charts

Posted on 7 years ago by Matt(@OnePunchMaz) in 3DS, News, Wii U | 0 comments

This week’s Wii U/3DS-specific UK software sales are as follows:

Wii U

1. Minecraft: Wii U Edition – Nintendo
2. Super Mario 3D World – Nintendo
3. New Super Mario Bros. U + Luigi U – Nintendo
4. Mario Kart 8 – Nintendo
5. Star Fox Zero – Nintendo
6. Just Dance 2017 – Ubisoft
7. Lego Dimensions – Warner Bros. Interactive
8. Paper Mario: Color Splash – Nintendo
9. Mario Party 10 – Nintendo
10. Pokken Tournament – Nintendo

3DS

1. Pokemon Sun – Nintendo
2. Pokemon Moon – Nintendo
3. Super Mario Maker – Nintendo
4. Dragon Ball Fusions – Bandai Namco Entertainment
5. Poochy & Yoshi’s Woolly World – Nintendo
6. New Super Mario Bros. 2 – Nintendo
7. Mario Kart 7 – Nintendo
8. Tomodachi Life – Nintendo
9. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D – Nintendo
10. Animal Crossing: New Leaf – Nintendo

Source: Chart-Track

More: Chart-Track, charts, sales, UK

UK software sales (Week ending 02/18/2017)

Posted on 7 years ago by Matt(@OnePunchMaz) in 3DS, News, Wii U | 0 comments

This week’s UK software sales are as follows:

Individual formats

All formats

Source 1 Source 2

More: Chart-Track, charts, sales, UK

Famitsu’s most wanted games (2/19/17)

Posted on 7 years ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in 3DS, News, Switch, Wii U | 0 comments

It’s time for the latest Famitsu‘s most wanted games chart. New entries include Fire Emblem Echoes and The Great Ace Attorney 2.

Head past the break for the full chart. All votes were cast between February 2 and February 8.

More: Famitsu, Famitsu's most wanted

Nintendo’s Bill Trinen on why Zelda: Breath of the Wild is getting DLC and the mixed reaction

Posted on 7 years ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in News, Switch, Wii U | 209 Comments

Nintendo announced an Expansion Pass for The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild last week. Those who buy it upon release on March 3 will have access to a few items, but the real content will be delivered in the summer and the holiday season with additions such as a new hard mode, new dungeon, and a new original story.

Some fans were taken aback by the DLC announcement. The reaction has been mixed, as is evident through the likes to dislikes ratio from the news shared on Nintendo’s YouTube page.

Nintendo’s Bill Trinen stopped by the latest episode of IGN’s Nintendo Voice Chat podcast this week to chat more about Switch. During the show, he was asked about his response to the Zelda DLC reaction. That prompted him to explain Nintendo’s approach, and Trinen shared an in-depth answer as to why Nintendo is deciding to create DLC for Breath of the Wild.

He said:

More: Bill Trinen, interview, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, top

Nintendo considered making Link 25-30 years old in Zelda: Twilight Princess, Wolf Link design talk

Posted on 7 years ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in GameCube, News, Wii, Wii U | 11 Comments

A few years ago, Nintendo and Dark Horse brought out The Legend of Zelda: Hyrule Historia. The book showed a bunch of concept art from the series, including Twilight Princess. There were many interesting designs depicted for characters such as Link. In some of the drawings, Link looked quite a bit older than his final version in the game. Now we have an idea about the potential age Nintendo was thinking about.

Nintendo artists Yusuke Nakano and Satoru Takizawa spoke about designing Link for Twilight Princess in the new Zelda: Art & Artifacts book. Nakano touched on how Nintendo considered making the character “twenty-five… maybe even thirty.” The intent was “making him quite sturdy”

Also worth mentioning, when designing Wolf Link, Takizawa noted how Nintendo thought about giving him a wolf cut hairstyle, “which would have given him a more wolfish look.”

Here’s the full transcript about Link’s design in Twilight Princess:

More: interview, Satoru Takizawa, The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess HD, top, Yusuke Nakano

Pre-order updates (2/19/17)

Posted on 7 years ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in 3DS, News, Switch, Wii U | 0 comments

Below are the latest Nintendo products that can be currently pre-ordered at retailers:

* Save 20 percent on pre-orders with Amazon Prime or Best Buy’s GCU. 20 percent off pre-orders on Amazon Canada as well. On Amazon UK, it’s £2 off.

United States

Switch

Zelda: Breath of the Wild – Amazon, Best Buy, GameStop
Zelda: Breath of the Wild Expansion Pass (new) – Amazon
Super Bomberman R – Amazon, Best Buy, GameStop
1-2-Switch – Amazon, Best Buy, GameStop
The Binding of Isaac: Afterbirth+ – Amazon, GameStop
Skylanders Imaginators – Amazon, GameStop
Just Dance 2017 – Amazon, Best Buy, GameStop
Has Been Heroes – GameStop
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe – Amazon, Best Buy, GameStop
Puyo Puyo Tetris – Amazon, GameStop
LEGO City Undercover – Amazon, GameStop
Disgaea 5 Complete – Amazon
Arms – Amazon, Best Buy, GameStop
Splatoon 2 – Amazon, Best Buy, Splatoon
NBA 2K18 – Amazon, Best Buy
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim – Amazon, Best Buy
Fire Emblem Warriors – Amazon, Best Buy
Super Mario Odyssey – Amazon, Best Buy, GameStop
Xenoblade Chronicles 2 – Amazon, Best Buy
FIFA – Amazon, Best Buy
Minecraft: Switch Edition – Amazon, Best Buy
Redout – Amazon, GameStop
Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2 – Amazon, Best Buy
Minecraft: Story Mode – The Complete Adventure – GameStop

Switch add-ons

Switch Pro Controller – Best Buy, GameStop
Joy-Con (L/R) – Gray – Amazon
Joy-Con (L) – Gray – Amazon
AC adapter – Amazon

Switch accessories

Switch Hybrid Cover – Amazon
Switch Game Traveler Deluxe System Case – Amazon
PDP Nintendo Switch Elite Player Backpack – Amazon
PDP Nintendo Switch Starter Kit – Amazon
PDP Nintendo Switch Premium Console Case – Zelda Edition – Amazon
PDP Nintendo Switch Secure Game Case – Mario Edition – Amazon
PDP Nintendo Switch Secure Game Case – Zelda Edition – Amazon
PDP Nintendo Switch Official Play & Charge Car Adapter – Amazon
PDP Nintendo Switch Starter Kit – Mario Icon Edition – Amazon
PDP Nintendo Switch Premium Zelda Chat Earbuds – Amazon
PDP Nintendo Switch Joy-Con Gel Guards – Red – Amazon
PDP Nintendo Switch Joy-Con Gel Guards – Blue – Amazon
PDP Nintendo Switch Joy-Con Gel Guards – Gray – Amazon
PDP Nintendo Switch Joy-Con Armor Guards (2) Pack – Red – Amazon
PDP Nintendo Switch Joy-Con Armor Guards (2) Pack – Blue – Amazon
PDP Nintendo Switch Premium Console Case – Amazon
PDP Nintendo Switch Deluxe Game Case – Amazon
PDP Nintendo Switch Premium Console Case – Zelda Edition – Amazon
PDP Nintendo Switch Zelda Collector’s Edition Screen Protection & Skins – Amazon
PDP Afterglow LVL 1 Chat Communicator for Nintendo Switch – Amazon
PDP Nintendo Switch Starter Kit – Link’s Tunic Edition – Amazon
PDP Nintendo Switch Premium Console Case – Mario Edition – Amazon
HORI Game Card Case 24 (Zelda Breath of the Wild Version) – Amazon
HORI Tough Pouch (Black) – Amazon
HORI Game Card Case 24 – Amazon
HORI Compact Playstand – Amazon

Wii U

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild – Amazon, Best Buy, GameStop
Zelda: Breath of the Wild Expansion Pass (new) – Amazon
Darksiders Warmastered Edition – Amazon

3DS

Story of Seasons: Trio of Towns (pre-order for capybara plushie) – Amazon, Best Buy, GameStop
Mario Sports Superstars – Amazon, Best Buy, GameStop
Runbow Pocket Deluxe Edition – New 3DS only – Amazon, GameStop, Best Buy
Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia – Amazon, GameStop
Fire Emblem Warriors – Amazon, GameStop

Systems

Pikachu New 3DS XL – GameStop

amiibo

Zelda: Breath of the Wild – Link (Rider) – Best Buy, GameStop
Zelda: Breath of the Wild – Link (Archer) – Best Buy, GameStop
Zelda: Breath of the Wild – Zelda – Best Buy, GameStop
Zelda: Breath of the Wild – Bokoblin – Best Buy, GameStop
Zelda: Breath of the Wild – Guardian – Best Buy, GameStop
Fire Emblem Echoes – Alm & Celica – Best Buy

Accessories

Retro Fighters Pro NES Controller to NES Classic Edition Adapter – Amazon

Books

The Legend of Zelda: Art & Artifacts – Amazon
Pokemon Sun/Moon: Alola Region Collector’s Edition Pokedex & Postgame Adventure Guide – Amazon
Pokemon Sun/Moon: Alola Region Edition Pokedex & Postgame Adventure Guide – Amazon
Zelda: Breath of the Wild Collector’s Edition guide – Amazon (save $16)
Zelda: Breath of the Wild guide – Amazon (save $10)
Zelda: Breath of the Wild Deluxe Edition guide (new) – Amazon (save $32)
The Legend of Zelda: Legendary Edition, Vol. 3 – Amazon
The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, Vol. 1 – Amazon
The Legend of Zelda: Legendary Edition, Vol. 4 – Amazon
The Art of Splatoon – Amazon
The Legend of Zelda: Legendary Edition, Vol. 5 Amazon

Other

Zelda 30th anniversary concert album (new) – Amazon
Zelda: Breath of the Wild: Link Nendoroid (Deluxe Version) – Amazon
Zelda: Breath of the Wild: Link Nendoroid – Amazon