Numerous users are reporting lock-up issues with Need for Speed: Most Wanted U. One instance, sent our way by reader Chris Becker, appears to have resulted from accessing the home menu while in-game. Not all players are experiencing lock-ups, but it looks like this could be a problem worth looking into.

Lock-ups are most definitely not anything new for the Wii U, unfortunately. Still, system users seem to be encountering issues more frequently compared to some of the console’s more-recent games.

In the past, European Wii U and 3DS owners could only purchase mature titles at night. There had been issues relating to German law, making it impossible to download such content during the day time.

The situation has, fortunately, since changed. Nintendo has confirmed that Wii U and 3DS users can now buy and download mature content at any time of the day.

A message from Nintendo reads:

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Retailers in the UK have been reducing the Wii U’s price in hopes of attracting new consumers. Unfortunately, the move hasn’t done much to boost sales.

ShopTo is one such retailer that initiated a price change “to test the market and assess the impact of a price change for a short period of time”, according to purchasing director James Rowson. But as Rowson told MCV, the price cut “has resulted in a smaller than desired increase in sales at this stage”.

MCV also cited one “top buyer at one of the UK’s biggest games retailers” who said that it is “looking to reduce [Wii U space] slightly but must admit [Nintendo’s] silence on strategy is deafening at the moment. They’ve got to do something otherwise it is GameCube all over again.”

Nintendo doesn’t seem too concerned at this point. A spokesperson relayed upcoming plans to discuss the company’s slate of software for the rest of 2013.

“We’ll be speaking to our retailers directly over the next few weeks to take them through our plans for building Wii U momentum over the course of 2013. We have a strong and broad line-up of software launching this year and we look forward to updating – and exciting – our partners over the coming weeks.”
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Square Enix has trademarked “Fantasy Village” in Japan – not to be confused with Level-5’s Fantasy Life 3DS title. The name was filed in relation to video games.

So what might this be? Some kind of Final Fantasy sim title? Something else?

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Luigi Takes the Spotlight in a New Spooky Adventure Exclusively for Nintendo 3DS

REDMOND, Wash.–(BUSINESS WIRE)– When there are ghosts that need capturing, puzzles that need solving and haunted mansions that need exploring, who is the best little brother for the job? Luigi, that’s who! Luigi may be afraid of, well, everything, but that fear isn’t going to stop him when the Dark Moon has shattered and he is the only one who can retrieve the missing pieces. Launching exclusively for Nintendo 3DS on March 24, Luigi’s Mansion: Dark Moon is the sequel to 2001’s much-loved Luigi’s Mansion and features more mansions, more ghosts and more Luigi!

Luigi’s Mansion: Dark Moon marks the beginning of the Year of Luigi. The yearlong celebration for Mario’s green-clad younger brother also includes the launch of Mario & Luigi: Dream Team and Mario Golf: World Tour for Nintendo 3DS, as well as the New Super Luigi U downloadable content for New Super Mario Bros. U on Wii U.

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This week’s North American Nintendo Downloads are as follows:

3DS retail

Luigi’s Mansion: Dark Moon – $39.99 (available March 24)
Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Gates to Infinity – $39.99 (available March 24)

Wii U download

Zen Pinball 2 – free download, purchase tables

3DS DLC

Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Gates to Infinity – Poke Forest dungeon – free until April 30, $2 onward

3DS sales

Pokedex 3D Pro – $9.99
Mutant Mudds – $5.99

3DS download

Lola’s Math Train – $3.99
50 Classic Games 3D – $4.99

Wii VC

The Path of the Warrior: Art of Fighting 3 – 900 points

Source: Nintendo PR

Yet another game has been announced for the Wii U eShop. Blood of the Werewolf – previously confirmed for the PlayStation Network, Xbox Live Arcade, and PC – is also coming to Nintendo’s digital platform. Scientifically Proven Entertainment is bringing the action platformer to the eShop in June.

Here’s a roundup of known information thus far:

– Play as Selena, one of the last of the Wolf Clan
– Selena’s parents taught her to keep her abilities a secret
– Both parents are refugees from the werewolf genocide in Europe
– Fearing that their enemies would follow them to America, Selena’s father Nicolae taught her to fight
– Selena killed her first prey at 13, which is tradition for the Wolf Clan
– She receives the Wolf Clan Signal that she wears on her side
– Selena married Marko who is another Wolf Clan member
– The two move from the city to a small farm house away from others
– Selena eventually gave birth to her son Nickoli
– There was peace for awhile, but as the game opens, Selena comes hope and see that Marko has been brutally murdered and her son is missing
– Takes place over a single full moon night as Selena heads through the city controlled by the three major houses; Frankenstein, Jekyll, and Dracula
– Encounter and overcome many minions, obstacles, and bosses to find the last of the wolf line
– “brutal white knuckle experience”
– Working on unique GamePad features
– Leaderboard and friend tracking elements
– Level maps, and “secret area” indicators

Blood of the Werewolf is just the start of Scientifically Proven Entertainment’s Wii U eShop plans. CEO Nathaniel “Than” McClure spoke about the developer’s future projects with Nintendo Life:

Yes. We are working on an awesome tower defence game called Get Off My Lawn. You will play as an old man trying to keep the rascally trouble making neighbourhood kids off of your lawn throughout the year by utilizing a multitude of seasonal lawn ornaments.

We are also working on a sequel of sorts to Firefighter. It will be an Unreal Engine-driven, episodic action-packed shooter. As a player you will fear for your life in the same familiar fashion as the big cinematic shooters but driven by some new unique mechanics — the destructive fire enemy and the ever changing, choice-driving, destructible environments. The first person mechanics are the same as what you are used to, but the harrowing life and death experience in the face of a 1500 degree wall of fire or a collapsing city tower is something totally unique and new. The Wii U and its dual-screen ability on the GamePad make it a perfect fit. We think you will love it.

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After getting a figma last year, Link from The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword will now be receiving a larger Real Action Heroes thanks to Medicom.

The 30 cm model features Link’s full garb and real cloth clothing. Heck, there’s even an alternative angry face.

RAH Link will be released in Japan this November for 20,790 yen. Pre-orders open on March 24.

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