System: Nintendo Wii U
Release Date: August 4, 2013
Developer: Nintendo EAD Group No. 4, Monolith Soft
Publisher: Nintendo
Author: Jack
There seem to be two branching philosophies various game developers employ for their secondary and tertiary takes on intellectual properties.
The first take is the “disparate” sequel, where designers conjure up an intriguing gameplay concept and slap a brand well-ingrained in the public conscious onto it, majorly or even wholly changing core gameplay from a sequel’s preceding entry. While many consider this a less-than-affable way of spreading new ideas by exploiting referential IPs, it’s a path that’s lead to more than its fair share of iconic and revolutionary games (Resident Evil 4, Grand Theft Auto III, Jak II, and Dynasty Warriors 6 all being great examples).
The second and more oft-used take is the “retread” sequel, where the original strengths in a game are rehashed and expanded upon, with a sprinkling of nuance-extrapolation here, and a dazzle of fresh-gameplay-motifs-wrapped-around-the-same-core-gameplay there. Sequels made in this vein, in large, try to refine a presented idea with sheer heuristic redaction, letting time and outside perspective lend itself in the design and development process. Retread sequels often attract a fair degree of criticism; in many cases, retreads aren’t perceived to have strayed far enough from the origin, and while some games feel like they do just need more pure content iterated out, a lot of the time it just feels like we’re hopelessly doing the same thing a year later, a foot taller.
The work of Nintendo’s development teams has fallen into both camps, sometimes to aplomb, and sometimes to obscurity; they’ve (by popular consensus, mind you me) succeeded and failed with re-imaginings Super Mario 64 and Star Fox Adventures, and respectively waxed and waned with retreads Animal Crossing: New Leaf and New Super Mario Bros. 2.
So, where does Pikmin 3 fit into all of this?
Knytt Underground isn’t new to consoles. Last year, Ripstone Games published the title on the PlayStation 3 and PS Vita.
So if you’ve already picked up Knytt Underground on a PlayStation platform, is there any reason to consider the newly announced Wii U version? Short answer: yes.
For one thing, off-TV place will be supported. And Knytt Underground’s Infinity Hype update, in development for the PC, is also coming to Wii U – and it will be a console exclusive.
In an interview soon to be published on Nintendo Everything, Ripstone creative director Phil Gaskell told us:
“Since launching Knytt Undergound Nifflas has been hard at work on an update called Infinity Hype which features even more quests, room, and secrets. It makes an already huge game even bigger! On consoles the Infinity Hype update will be exclusive to WiiU.”
Software
1. Mario & Luigi: Dream Team
2. Zelda: Link’s Awakening DX
3. Mario Golf
4. Pokemon Dream Radar
5. Animal Crossing: New Leaf
6. Super Mario Bros.
7. Zelda: Oracle of Season
8. Zelda: Oracle of Ages
9. SteamWorld Dig
10. Super Mario Bros.
11. Sakura Samurai: Art of the Sword
12. Kirby’s Dream Land 2
13. Brain Age Express: Sudoku
14. Super Mario Land
15. The Legend of Zelda
16. Mario and Donkey Kong: Minis on the Move
17. Shantae
18. Pokedex 3D Pro
19. Fire Emblem: Awakening
20. Shin Megami Tensei IV
Videos
1. Mii Plaza New Features Trailer
2. Mario & Luigi: Dream Team Launch Trailer
3. Mario & Luigi: Dream Team Sleeping Problems Video
4. Mario & Luigi: Dream Team Comedy Trailer
5. Mario & Luigi: Dream Team Teaser Trailer
6. Pokemon Rumble U Gameplay Trailer
7. Pokemon X/Y Developer Roundtable Gameplay
8. Zelda: Wind Waker HD 6/11/13
9. StreetPass Relay Point Trailer
10. Flipnote Studio 3D Samples
11. New Super Luigi U Trailer 6/11/13
12. Nintendo Direct 8/7/13
13. Super Mario World Trailer
14. Why You Want Wii U
15. Pokemon X/Y Gameplay 7/14
16. The Wonderful 101 Prologue Trailer
17. Scribblenauts Unmasked Announcement Trailer
18. Mario & Luigi: Dream Team 6/11/13
19. New Super Mario Bros. U Trailer
20. Pikmin 3 Introduction Trailer
Source: 3DS eShop
With a 2000 EarthBound 64 cancellation interview having just been published, there’s no better time to look back at some of the game’s screenshots. Images are still up on one of Hobo Nikkan Itoi Shinbun’s old pages, and you can find the full set above.
This week’s video additions to the Wii U and 3DS eShops are as follows:
Wii U
Pikmin 3 Accolades Trailer
Pikmin 3 – Get to Know Miiverse and the KopPad
Animal Crossing Plaza Trailer
Galaga Trailer
Heavy Fire: Black Arms 3D Trailer
Wii U Stories: The Haskins Family
Wii U Stories: The Jones Family
Wii U Stories: The Vanorsby Family
Wii U Stories: The Wright Family
3DS
Heavy Fire: Black Arms 3D Trailer
Donkey Kong Trailer
Mario & Luigi: Dream Team Sleeping Problems Video
Mario & Luigi: Dream Team Comedy Trailer
Mario & Luigi: Dream Team Teaser Trailer
Source: Wii U/3DS eShops
Software
1. DuckTales Remastered
2. Art Academy: SketchPad
3. Donkey Kong
4. EarthBound
5. Pikmin 3
6. Super Mario World
7. Cloudberry Kingdom
8. Nano Assault Neo
9. Galaga
10. Trine 2: Director’s Cut
11. Harvest Moon
12. Super Metroid
13. Mega Man X
14. Super Mario Bros.
15. Spin the Bottle: Bumpie’s Party
16. Kid Icarus
17. Mega Man 2
18. Metroid
19. Kirby Super Star
20. Mario Bros.
Videos
1. Nintendo Direct 8/7/13
2. DuckTales Remastered 6/11/13
3. Pikmin 3 – Get to Know the Explorers
4. Pokemon Rumble U Gameplay Trailer
5. The Wonderful 101 Direct
6. Zelda: Wind Waker HD 6/11/13
7. Pikmin 3 – Get to Know the Pikmin Types
8. Pikmin 3 Trailer 6/11/13
9. The Wonderful 101 Trailer (Director’s Cut)
10. Pikmin 3 – Get to Know the Gameplay Basics
11. The Wonderful 101 Trailer 6/11/13
12. EarthBound Launch Trailer
13. Scribblenauts Unmasked Hero Creator Trailer
14. Deus Ex: Human Revolution – Director’s Cut
15. Romance of the Three Kingdoms IV Wall of Fire Trailer
16. Spin the Bottle: Bumpie’s Party Trailer
17. Cloudberry Kingdom Trailer 6/11/13
18. Disney’s Planes Trailer 6/11/13
19. Dungeons & Dragons: Chronicles of Mystara Trailer
20. Nano Assault Neo Trailer
Source: Wii U eShop
Fish On 3D and Funfair Party Games are coming to the 3DS eShop this week, according to listings on the eShop. Pages on the Wii U store indicate that the two titles will be out on Thursday. Pricing is set at $9.99 and $19.99 respectively.
Nintendo may be to blame for Call of Duty: Ghosts’ late Wii U announcement.
Ghosts was officially confirmed in May. It wasn’t until July that Activision made the shooter official for Wii U.
According to Emily Rogers, who is often spot on with Nintendo rumors, Activision was waiting for some sort of approval for Nintendo – resulting in the delay.
Forgot to share this: Reason for Activision delaying Wii U announcement for Ghosts is because they were waiting on something from Nintendo.
— Emily Rogers (@Emi1yRogers) August 20, 2013
From what I understand, Activision waited for Nintendo to give them an 'approval' on something. That delayed announcement of Wii U version.
— Emily Rogers (@Emi1yRogers) August 20, 2013
Rogers also says that when it comes to last year’s Black Ops II announcement – another late Call of Duty confirmation for Wii U – the news was withheld until Nintendo’s September conference in order to create buzz.
Delaying Blops 2 announcement was a different situation. That was strategically delayed to create buzz at Nintendo's September conference
— Emily Rogers (@Emi1yRogers) August 20, 2013
Platinum Games has updated its Wonderful 101 blog with an eighteenth post. You can find it here. Today’s update covers Wonder-White.
