Breaking news: Satoru Iwata is having a birthday today. Nintendo’s head honcho turned 53 years-old.
Iwata has been a busy man with the recent Nintendo Directs. Here’s hoping he was able to enjoy his birthday!
There are lots of Wii U apps on the way – especially for the Japanese Wii U console. Panorama View, Google Maps, and Nico Nico were previously announced for the system. In addition to these programs, Demae-Can and YNN services will be coming to Wii U in 2013.
The Demae-Can app acts as a TV delivery service. YNN, on the other hand, provides video content including anime, sports, and movies. Neither app can be used without a membership.
Nintendo of Europe has discounted two titles on the 3DS eShop. As part of the “Video Game Hero Sale”, Donkey Kong is now available for 25% off while Donkey Kong Jr. is experiencing a 30% discount.
This week’s Nintendo Download includes the following featured content:
Nintendo eShop on Wii U™
EA SPORTS FIFA Soccer 13 – Demo Version – EA SPORTS delivers award-winning game play, including the Player Impact Engine, HD graphics and more than 500 officially licensed clubs. Innovations that use the Wii U GamePad put you on the pitch and in the action. Lift and look through the GamePad touch screen to aim the ball on set pieces and penalty kicks, then put the perfect curve on your shot and let it fly. Plus, connect and interact with friends online by inviting them to play or messaging them in real-time using touch-screen typing. Broadband Internet access is required for online play.
Nintendo eShop on Nintendo 3DS™
Scribblenauts™ Unlimited – Venture into a wide-open world where the most powerful tool is your imagination. Help Maxwell solve robust puzzles in seamless, free-roaming levels by summoning any object you can think of. Leverage the StreetPass™ functionality of the Nintendo 3DS system to see the creative solutions to puzzles by players in your area. And for the first time, learn the backstory of Maxwell’s parents, 41 siblings (including his twin sister Lily) and how he got his magical notepad. Scribblenauts Unlimited is also available at retail stores.
Capcom will be re-releasing Resident Evil: The Mercenaries 3D in Japan on December 13. It’s basically the same as the original version, but this time around, players will be able to start a new game. You may remember that when Mercenaries 3D originally launched, there was quite an uproar regarding the difficulty in deleting save data.
There’s only one other differences in this new version, as far as I can tell – Capcom has removed the Resident Evil: Revelations demo.
Resident Evil: The Mercenaries 3D Best Price! will be hitting retail on December 13 for 2,990 yen. A digital version will go up on the 3DS eShop on December 27 for 2,600 yen.
Square Enix will be featuring five console/handheld titles at this year’s Jump Festa.
The company’s lineup is as follows:
Dragon Quest X (Wii U) – video
Dragon Quest VII (3DS) – playable, video
Kingdom Hearts 1.5 HD ReMIX (PS3) – playable, video
Chosoku Henkei Gyrozetter (3DS) – video
Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII (PS3/360) – video
You can keep track of Square Enix’s Jump Festa activities on the official page here
Arc System Works has a new River City Ransom title in the works. Famitsu has a first look at the downloadable entry this week.
Players will control of the series’ main rival Riki in Riki Densetsu. He used to be a star player for his school’s soccer team, but was issued a suspension after a revenge beat-down. You see, Riki wasn’t pleased that half of his own team was attacked by a rival school before one of their big matches. As a result, he decided to get some revenge.
Riki is now a complete delinquent. In the game, he’ll take on a Mushamonzen which is led by Okada.
Screenshots posted in Famitsu imply that Riki Densetsu will be a typical River City Ransom. It features side-scrolling gameplay and IP’s classic art style for characters.
Riki Densetsu will be released on December 12 for the Japanese 3DS eShop for 800 yen.
If your Wii U breaks, you’ll have to pay a pretty penny to get the thing fixed.
The system itself costs $175 to repair. Slightly less – but still expensive – is the GamePad at $85. For what it’s worth, the console repair charge is for the Deluxe model.
Zen Pinball 2 will be officially heading to the North American and European Wii U eShops later this month. Interestingly, it will be free to download. The game includes free trials of each table, and there are lots of purchasable tables as well.
Wii U owners can expect Zen Pinball 2 to contain features including the plunger on the touch screen, rotating camera views, accessing information via the dot matrix, and Free View control by tilting the Wii U GamePad.
There is a full lineup of features posted below.
