Nintendo of Europe has released an official video showing the transfer process between a 3DS and 3DS XL. You can take a look at it below.
So normally when we see patents from Nintendo, they have to do with bicycles to ride while playing Wii or footballs you can pretend to throw while pretending to be Brett Favre playing pretend quarterback in a pretend football game. This time, however, some (relatively) neat and potentially useful features for the 3DS have been patented.
1) System Updates via Download Play
The first patent filed would allow you to download system updates from another 3DS that has more contemporary firmware than you simply by checking a box before playing a game via download play. This is especially useful for kids who can’t access the internet on their device, or others who perhaps don’t have or have trouble connecting to the internet on the 3DS.
2) Hidden Storage of Download-Play Titles
Patent number 2 relates to download play as well, but this time it’s regarding the games. The idea is that, when you’re done playing a game via Download Play with someone, the data is actually continually stored on your 3DS in the background so that next time you want to play, you need not re-download the whole thing. Of course, I doubt you’ll be able to access the game short of actually playing with someone who owns it, but some games have terribly long download times (cough Plants vs. Zombies), so this will definitely come in handy if it’s ever implemented.
No word on whether these will ever happen or even if they’re actually in the works, but here’s to hoping!
On this week’s episode: Rhythm Thief, 8-Bit Summer, the Wii U exoerience and the Nintendo 3DS Photo Showcase.
Square Enix has published a schedule of Theatrhythm Final Fantasy’s DLC for the next three weeks (including today). Each song costs $.99.
The schedule is as follows:
July 12, 2012
1. “Somnus” (FINAL FANTASY Versus XIII)
2. “Desperate Struggle” (FINAL FANTASY XIII)
3. “Sarutabaruta” (FINAL FANTASY XI)
4. “Battle” (FINAL FANTASY VI)
July 19, 2012
1. “Fight On!” (FINAL FANTASY VII)
2. “Etro’s Champion” (FINAL FANTASY XIII-2)
3. “Battle Theme” (FINAL FANTASY XI)
4. “Battle 1” (FINAL FANTASY III)
July 26, 2012
1. “A contest of Aeons” (FINAL FANTASY X)
2. “The Archylte Steppe” (FINAL FANTASY XIII)
3. “The Sanctuary of Zi’Tah” (FINAL FANTASY XI)
4. “Crystal Cave” (FINAL FANTASY III)
Source: Square Enix PR
Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed launches in North America on November 20 and Europe on November 16. SEGA hasn’t said when the Wii U version will be available.
A brand new reward is available on the European Club Nintendo site. For 5,000 stars, members can order a new Mario Kart 7 trophy.
There are three choices available. Users can choose from the Leaf (12 x 10cm), Shell (12 x 9cm), and Special (12 x 10cm) trophies. More details can be found here.
Epic Games has finally clarified its stance with Unreal Engine 4 on Wii U once and for all.
According to vice-president Mark Rein, the technology isn’t intended for the console. But Rein said that it “is going to be supremely scalable”, making third-party ports possible.
He concluded by noting how “Unreal Engine 3 is a really good fit for that platform.”
Rein said:
“We have Unreal Engine 3 running on Wii U. You saw games at the Nintendo press conference again this year – a fantastic demo by our friends at Warner Bros. showing Arkham City running on Wii U. And Aliens: Colonial Marines is coming on Wii U, that’s also Unreal. There’s, I’m sure, several others. Mass Effect was announced for it as well. So we’re certainly playing a role there with Unreal Engine 3. I’ll state that I don’t think it’s our intention to bring Unreal Engine 4 to Wii U, but Unreal Engine 4 is going to be supremely scalable. We’ll run on mobile phones and on a wide variety of things, so if a customer decides they want to port an Unreal Engine 4 game to Wii U, they could. But Unreal Engine 3 is a really good fit for that platform.”
Epic Games’ senior PR manager Dana Cowley added, “beyond the PC, we haven’t confirmed any other platforms for Unreal Engine 4.”
Nintendo president Satoru Iwata has said that the company considered adding in a second Circle Pad for the 3DS XL.
Even though it was possible, Iwata believes that this wasn’t a realistic option. If another Circle Pad was built-in, it would have resulted in a larger piece of hardware. Nintendo wanted to increase the screen sizes and improve the battery life while maintaining a unit that is relatively small.
Iwata acknowledged that some consumers may be disappointed with the decision. It was nonetheless “a call we had to make”, and he is ultimately “quite happy with the product we’re able to offer.?”
“When we looked at the design of the 3DS XL we had to look at various factors, one was battery life, one was the overall size of the unit, and we had to make some trade-offs. The choice, if we were going to include the second analogue stick, was to reduce the size of the batters or make the unit much bigger.
“What we wanted to do was have a bigger screen in comparison with the overall size of the system, so had various discussions and had to make trade-offs and this is the outcome.
“Attaching a second analogue stick is possible but it would have made the system even bigger and, though it perhaps puts a burden on people that really want that second stick, it’s a call we had to make and these people will have to live with it.
“This [the lack of a second stick] isn’t my main focus when I look at the 3DS XL, it’s one point we had to cover, but for me personally I’m quite happy with the product we’re able to offer.?”
