Nintendo has released another firmware update for the 3DS. By grabbing today’s download, your system will be upgraded to version 6.1.0-11.
Admittedly, the newest firmware is less exciting than the one released earlier this month. Nintendo’s official notes say that the update provides the following:
“Further improvements to overall system stability and other minor adjustments have been made to enhance the user experience.”
The new 3DS firmware is available in both North America and Europe. Note that you’ll need to update your system in order to access the eShop.
Another round of Fantasy Life Link details are now available, thanks to the new trailer Level-5 released earlier today. Read on below for the new additions that are being added to the 3DS game.
– Online multiplayer lets players link up together with friend codes
– Chat with other players with a touch screen keyboard on the bottom screen or canned messages
– StreetPass feature puts other people’s avatars in your town
– More hairstyle and face parts for additional avatar variation
– Customize the avatar in the middle of the game if you feel it needs a makeover
– Take pictures with a new screenshot function
– Max character level up from 100 to 200
– Skill levels up by 20
– Parameters can be boosted to 100
– New dependability stat for companion characters has been added to Link too and if this stat is high the companion gets a big boost
– The best title you can earn in Fantasy Life Link! is “god”
– New pet bird and pet dragon options along with dogs and cats
– Can exchange the pet you currently have
– Pets also have the dependability stat and if this is high they can use more powerful special attacks
– New items including furniture to collect
– Can build a villa to lounge in and explore a brand new island
Some troubling news dropped in for Atlus during the wee hours of the morning earlier today. Index Corporation, Atlus’ parent company, filed for bankruptcy in Japan.
Following the news, Atlus confirmed that the development and release of its current games – Dragon’s Crown, Shin Megami Tensei IV DLC, and Etrian Odyssey: The Millennium Girl – are unaffected for now.
“The PlayStation 3/PlayStation Vita versions of Dragon’s Crown, both the retail and digital download versions, are set to be released on July 25 as it was originally scheduled. We apologize for worrying our users.”
“Multiplayer and save data sharing functionality for Dragon’s Crown is conducted via the PlayStation Network. Because of this, multiplayer services are guaranteed.”
“Additionally, downloadable content that’s currently in development for Shin Megami Tensei IV, as well as the retail and demo releases for Etrian Odyssey: The Millennium Girl are set to proceed for the time being.”
Meanwhile, the official Persona series PR Twitter account apologized to those concerned about the company and said, “we want you to believe that. Atlus will live forever!”
The tweet in full:
“Good evening. We’re sorry to worry everyone. We are working very hard in order to bring fun games to everyone, and we want you to believe that. Atlus will live forever!”
Source 1, Source 2
The third Zero Escape game is not yet in production, according to creator Kotaro Uchikoshi.
Uchikoshi told GamesRadar that he has the title’s story “developed in my head, but it hasn’t really gone into production yet.”
Uchikoshi couldn’t say when the team will begin making the new Zero Escape. However, Uchikoshi did say, “maybe in the near future we can proceed.”
The story itself I pretty much have developed in my head, but it hasn’t really gone into production yet. There’s no promises yet, but maybe in the near future we can proceed. This is all from the fact that I was invited to GDC to speak, and that we were nominated for best narrative. That sort of led to the users’ voice saying, “We want the next one,” and that is pushing it. Thanks to the users, the company has pushed forward with thinking to the next level of actual development, but there’s no promises just yet.
Website tracks real-time public information about CCTV cameras, transit schedules, socioeconomic data, tweets, crime rates, and more on three major European cities, charts it to a map.
Click on that image above to get a better look at what’s going on here, but I’ll do my best to describe it:
Ubisoft has launched a Watch_Dogs promotional website called “WeareData” that plots a ton of publicly available information about various areas of various European cities (Berlin, London, and Paris) being the ones available at this moment) to a map available for all to see. The map show live tweets posted from locations, crime rates, average income, locations of public transit stations, CCTV cameras… and a whole lot more! Check it out yourself here.
Nintendo did something completely different for this year’s E3: allowing fans to sample some of its upcoming games at Best Buy locations. The outreach payed off, as the events were a huge success.
J.C. Rodrigo, senior product marketing specialist in Nintendo of America’s product development department, talked about Nintendo’s involvement at Best Buy while speaking with Polygon:
“We’ve wanted to do that for a long time. We really wanted to make sure we [brought] our experiences [to] the hands of people who want to try our stuff, as much as we could. We had lines like crazy at each particular location.”
Rodrigo also said that fans seemed to wonder why Nintendo hadn’t tried something like this before.
Not holding an E3 briefing didn’t lessen the company’s presence at the trade show. And in fact, Nintendo had more work to take care of than ever before due to its three-pronged marketing approach.
“You had the sales and marketing briefing for the people that needed to hear that information; you had the Nintendo Direct for people that really needed to know, generally, what was happening and what we’re coming out with; and then you [had] the sampling at the Best Buy [stores] that got that information out as well. So if you look at it from the content perspective and who needed to know, everyone got what they needed to know — just in different ways.”
Rodrigo also echoes similar statements made by Nintendo executives over the past few weeks:
“Software sells hardware, and focusing on the software is exactly what we’re doing.”
E3 2013 is well behind us, but interviews from the show continue to appear. Today, USGamer published its discussion with Donkey Kong Country Tropical Freeze producer Kensuke Tanabe, director Risa Tabata, and Retro Studios’ Michael Kelbaugh. The group talked about the new additions to the game and what is now possible thanks to Wii U, Tropical Freeze’s unannounced character, difficulty and more.
Look below for the full interview.
Fire Emblem: Awakening’s demo is missing on the European 3DS eShop. A notice on the store (UK, Germany, etc.) says that it was temporarily removed, but should be back soon.
Apparently the demo is crashing for some users – an issue resulting from the latest 3DS update, maybe?
This week’s Japanese eShop update is as follows:
3DS
Downloadable Titles
Gekiyaba Runner (2 Fast 4 Gnomz) – 300 yen
3D Ecco the Dolphin – 600 yen
Super Little Risu (Squirrel) 3D (Super Little Acorns 3D) – 500 yen
Shin Sekaiju no Meiky? Millennium no Sh?jo (Etrian Odyssey Untold: The Millennium Girl, retail title) – 5,300 yen (from 6/27)
Digimon World: Re:Digitize Decode (retail game) – 5,480 yen (from 6/27)
Rhythm Kait? R Napoleon no Isan (Rhythm Thief & the Emperor’s Treasure, retail title) – 2,600 yen
Card Fight!! Vanguard Ride to Victory!! DEMO – FREE
Hitsuji no Shaun Vol. 5 (Shaun the Sheep Vol. 5, 3 videos per volume) – 200 yen
Virtual Console
Mario Tennis GB (Game Boy Color) – 600 yen
Wii U
Downloadable Titles
Injustice: Kamigami (Hero) no Gekitotsu (Injustice: Gods Among Us, retail title) – 6,780 yen (from 6/27)
F1 Race Stars Powered Up Ediion (retail title) – 7,140 yen
Virtual Console
Seiken Densetsu 2 (Secret of Mana, Super Famicom) – 800 yen
Final Fantasy VI (Super Famicom) – 900 yen
Video Content
Toriko Gourmet-ga Battle videos
Videos for Virtual Console and downloadable titles
Youkai Watch preview videos
Game & Wario contest videos (draw a mantis as quickly as possible)
Pikmin 3 Direct
