Ubisoft will be releasing the Rayman Legends Challenges App later this week (at least in Europe). Michel Ancel discussed the upcoming download with ONM, stating:

“This is a way for people to share their experiences. It’s a social thing, something potentially endless that they can play over and over again. We are releasing new challenges every day and every week, so the competition is always really exciting.”

How did the Rayman Legends Challenges App come about? Well, for one thing, the team was inspired when they saw gamers trying out the original Wii U demo and uploading playthroughs.

Senior Game Manager Michael Micholic said:

“When we released the demos last year we saw how people were competing by posting YouTube videos of their times in various levels. This is really our chance to facilitate some of the competition out there and see who’s the best. It’s also a way fore everyone who was disappointed about having to wait to play a part of the game now.”

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Nintendo hasn’t talked about them much specifically, but yes, Pikmin 3 will include white and purple Pikmin.

Both types made their debuts in Pikmin 2 and were discovered by Olimar underground. Purple Pikmin are heavier than other Pikmin and can execute stronger attacks. White Pikmin, meanwhile, can damage enemies with poision when eaten. They themselves are immune to poison and are very fast.

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It has been less than 24 hours since the dust settled on THQ’s latest auction results. Nordic Games, a company that hasn’t been known for game development, picked up the rights to Darksiders, Red Faction, and more.

While speaking with Eurogamer, Nordic Games Group owner and CEO Lars Wingefors admitted that the company won’t be developing Darksiders III, but would be very much interested in working with an outside studio.

Wingefors said:

“We are not a developer. We should not create a sequel. We need to find the best creative team to look into a sequel. We will look into various options to make sequels. In the last 24 hours we have been approached by people who seem to know that product very well. However, if those discussions lead anywhere, I don’t know.”

One studio Nordic could work with is the newly-formed Crytek USA. Crytek founded the subsidiary after THQ was forced to shut down Vigil Games, the developer behind the first two Darksiders.

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Nintendo has updated the Wii Karaoke U application in Japan, bringing the download to version 1.2.0.

Three key elements are featured in the update. Users can now experience Wii Karaoke U off-screen, dress their Miis in new costumes, and display lag checking.

Screenshots of the update are posted above.

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Earlier this month, we mentioned a new Kickstarter campaign going by the name “Road Redemption”. The Road Rash-esque project would be considered for Wii U, but hadn’t been officially confirmed for the platform.

Developer Dark Seas Games has now revealed that it will in fact be releasing Road Redemption for Wii U along with the previously announced PC, Mac, and Linux versions.

Project spokesperson Daniel Balazs said:

“The Wii U userbase values great gameplay and unique experiences. We believe that the Wii U is a great fit for Road Redemption.”

Dark Seas Games feels strongly about the Wii U’s technical abilities and GamePad, noting that “it has great potential for local multiplayer gaming without the need for a splitscreen.”

Balazs added:

“Nintendo has reached out to independent game developers by wholeheartedly embracing the Unity 4 gaming engine for Wii U development. This was definitely a factor in our decision since we are already working with Unity 4 for the PC, Mac, and Linux versions of Road Redemption. We are proud to add the Wii U to the list of Road Redemption’s platforms, and we plan to release Road Redemption on Wii U shortly after releasing on PC, Linux, and Mac. We’re bringing Road Redemption to Windows PC, Mac, Linux, and now the Wii U. We’re building it, from the ground up, to be an amazing experience on mouse, keyboard, and gamepads.”

You can find a few more details here and the official Kickstarter page here.

This has been a busy week for Nintendo maintenance. All of the company’s digital stores were down for a good portion of the afternoon/evening yesterday, but the downtime isn’t stopping there.

Nintendo is also planning maintenance for the Wii U eShop on Thursday between 5 PM PT and 7 PM PT. The Big N could be using the time to push out the Wii U’s big update, which is now rumored to arrive on the same day.

Image & Form is bringing the intriguing-looking 3DS game SteamWorld Dig to the 3DS eShop. Thus far, the studio has had a very positive experience working with Nintendo, according to CEO Brjann Sigurgeirsson.

Speaking with Cubed3, Sigurgeirsson said:

“Working with Nintendo on SteamWorld Dig has been very nice so far. They promptly answer our questions, and are both very professional and personal. I do think they’ve evolved, and their tools and processes are easier to work with. Obviously we are also better at asking for their help than before. When we made SteamWorld Tower Defense, we were very aware of the huge difference between tiny Image & Form and enormous Nintendo. But they’re naturally friendly people who do all they can to help.”

Could SteamWorld Dig make its way to the Wii U eShop as well? Sigurgeirsson seems to think that it could work:

“Well, the step is not that huge. Both consoles are D-pad-friendly, and Nintendo is taking measures to make it easier to port 3DS titles to Nintendo Wii U.”

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