The next Smash Bros. is “a big priority” for Namco Bandai, says Tekken producer Katsuhiro Harada. He also indicated that his Tekken Tag Tournament 2 team will likely he assisting in the Wii U and 3DS projects even though they’re currently occupied with their own title.

Harada said:

“Obviously it’s a big priority for the company, so company-wide there are a lot of people involved with that particular project. Not just from Tekken but a lot of our franchises. Although our main core staff is busy with Tekken Tag tournament 2 and trying to finish that up, I do think we’ll support the initiative in some kind of capacity.”

As far as characters in the new Smash Bros. games are concerned, Harada noted:

“That question was one of the most frequently asked questions we got when we announced the project. Especially from abroad. The fans, rather than asking about Tales or Gundam, or some of our other franchises, the fans abroad saw Tekken as one of the key words and took off on that. We’re not really sure at this moment but when thinking of the playerbase who is playing Smash Bros, maybe Tekken characters is something they wouldn’t want, so I’ve been pulling back on that a bit. But I don’t know.”

Now that there’s an actual Smash Bros. team being assembled, we’ll start to hear about the Wii U/3DS games on a more regular basis. If we’re lucky, maybe Nintendo will have something to show at next year’s E3.

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More GamePad uses planned for Tank! Tank! Tank!

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

Based on what we’ve seen thus far, Tank! Tank! Tank! hasn’t truly taken advantage of the Wii U GamePad. The controller has mainly been used as a monitor.

Having said that, it sounds like the team is working on adding in more in-depth functions and features. That assumption is based on new comments from Namco Bandai’s Kunito who also discussed some of the brand new content being included in the Wii U title as it makes the transition from arcades to the new console.

Kunito told IGN:

“We’ve added more tanks and weapons, and we’re going to add more maps and a new mode for solo players. We’re really keen to add a campaign mode so that while you can still enjoy the group play from the original arcade version, if you’re on your own you can play through missions. The Wii U GamePad is a very unique device, and we are trying to use its unique functions in a new way. I think in the near future we’ll be able to release some information about how we want to use the Wii U GamePad, but for now we’re just using it as a monitor.”

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ESRB updates (7/9/12)

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

Skylanders Giants (Wii U) – E10+
Skylanders Giants (Wii) – E10+
Dogfight 1942 (Wii) – T

Hey, it’s our first Wii U ESRB sighting! The rating comes early given the fact that the console (and game itself) won’t be released until the holidays, but this is a nice little reminder that it isn’t too far off.

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First free-to-play game confirmed for Wii U

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

Wii U has its first free-to-play game… kind of. It doesn’t have a name yet, but Virtual Toys’ mysterious multiplatform title will be released on Nintendo’s new console.

According to the company:

“Our strategy for the future in the F2P business is not only to be there just because we want to be in the F2P area, but also because we want to make games that are quite ahead what you can find in the market right now. In that way we’ve developed a new title which is technologically and graphically state-of-the-art in F2P games. This game is multiplatform (PS3, PS Vita, Wii U, PC, browser…)(…) And also in terms of gameplay it’s a different and unique experience in consoles or PC. It’s a really, really big project.”

We have no idea what this game will be like or how it’ll turn out, but at least it’s clear that free-to-play titles are accepted on Wii U. That a big plus over the Wii – something like this would have never been possible on the system.

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Ubisoft Announces Impressive Comic-Con Lineup

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

SAN FRANCISCO — JULY 9, 2012 — Today, Ubisoft® announced its staggering Comic-Con International: San Diego lineup, which includes a diverse sampling of titles, like Assassin’s Creed® III, The Expendables 2 Videogame, Just Dance® 4 and Marvel Avengers Battle For Earth. In addition to hands-on time with some of the most widely anticipated titles, fans will also have access to several panels featuring Ubisoft titles over the course of the convention.
Fans will be able to check out Assassin’s Creed III, the only title available at Ubisoft’s booth (#5345), from July 12–15 in the Exhibition hall of the San Diego Convention Center. Fans who pre-order Assassin’s Creed III will receive an exclusive Assassin’s Creed III T-shirt.

Supposed 3DS XL competitor looks like a Wii U GamePad

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

Say hello to the JXD S5100. It’s a handheld system made by Chinese company Jin Xing. It features an ARM A9, 512mb of rom space, a Power VR GPU, a 5 inch 800×480 resolution screen, 4GB of flash memory, HDMI support, and an Android 2.3.4 OS.

Interestingly, the JXD S5100 is apparently being marketed as a device that can compete with the 3DS XL. But as you can see, it’s more comparable to a GamePad – at least in terms of looks – than the Wii U controller.

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Indie devs open up on Wii U

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

Some of the Wii U’s earliest indie developers have weighed in on the console. Staffers from Gaijin Games (Runner 2), Broken Rules (Chasing Aurora), Two Tribes (Toki Tori 2), and Pwnee (Cloudberry Kingdom) recently commented on what’s it’s like working with Nintendo, thoughts about the company’s approach to digital offerings and online, how their own games came to be on the new system, and more.

Head past the break for the full roundup of remarks.

15 minutes of Injustice: Gods Among Us footage

Posted on 13 years ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in Videos, Wii U | 0 comments

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Third-party Wii U games will be playable at Gamescom 2012

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

Nintendo has said it won’t be attending Gamescom this year. Sadly, that means it won’t be showing off its Wii U games at the show. There is a small bright spot for the upcoming console, however, as some third-party Wii U titles will apparently be playable.

No word yet on which third-parties will have their games on display. Given its commitment to the system thus far, Ubisoft could be a big presenter at the expo.

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