The information below comes from Eiji Aonuma. In addition to the quotes below, he said that the Skyward Sword team did not make the Zelda Wii U demo. However, Satoru Takizawa, art director of Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, was deeply involved.
“You probably remember that when we introduced the GameCube, we showed a somewhat realistic Zelda demo. And what we actually created was the cel-shaded Wind Waker. So when we show a graphic demo, people think, ‘Oh, this is what the next Zelda will look like,’ but that’s not necessarily the case. I’m on one of the committees that oversaw the general steering and direction. We talked to each other a lot about several elements, one of which was, ‘How exactly will the HD graphics work?’ In doing concepts for that … we used Zelda assets quite often to examine, OK, how real will we make this look?”
One of the features of the Zelda Wii U demo allowed the inventory/weapons to be displayed on the controller. These elements could also be moved to the television. But Aonuma says that he’d like to bring much more to the table when an actual Zelda game for Wii U is made:
“I’d like to do things that are more surprising than that.”
This information comes from Super Mario producer Yoshiaki Koizumi…
“As a developer at Nintendo, I had some information about the new system, but I didn’t really have all of the information prior to the announcement at our presentation. I only knew some of the things that were considered to be safe. …We’re always asking ourselves questions like this as we’re researching new games, about the opportunities presented by the hardware. When I think about the two screens being used at the same time, it seems like an interesting opportunity to allow us to create a console game where two people are playing at the same time but can’t see each others’ screens. It’s certainly an interesting approach, but I have to clarify that it’s not something that we’re working on just yet.”
Here’s an additional nugget from Koizumi: Like his idea above, Koizumi was working on a feature in The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask that connected the Nintendo 64 and original black-and-white Game Boy systems to play on two screens. Obviously, that idea never made it into the final product. Koizumi wouldn’t share additional details, only saying that “The information’s going to be shared at some point, but I don’t think today’s the time.”
This information comes from a Nintendo of Europe press email…
“A key date for your diary – Tuesday 19th July 2011.
We would love you to join us on 19th July 2011 for an exclusive Nintendo 3DS event. More will be revealed next week, but trust us when we say you won’t believe your eyes!
Hope to see you there.”
Could this be at all related to Nintendo Video for 3DS? The service is scheduled to go live this summer. Perhaps Nintendo will introduce the video application to the media just like what we saw with the eShop and introduce it to the rest of the world a few days later.
Rumor has it that the two other “pieces” of the Japanese Wii RPG puzzle have shown up in Europe. The Last Story and Pandora’s Tower are both apparently at the Japan Expo in Paris. The Last Story is supposedly playable in English while Pandora’s Tower is represented in Japanese. Still, if true, the fact that both these titles are at the show is a very positive sign that the games will be released in Europe.
Other titles playable at the event include:
3DS
Super Mario
Mario Kart
Kid Icarus: Uprising
Star Fox 64 3D
Luigi’s Mansion 2
Metal Gear Solid: Snake Eater 3D
Resident Evil: Revelations
Resident Evil: The Mercenaries 3D
Wii
Kirby Wii
Rhythm Heaven Wii
Xenoblade Chronicles
Platinum – Mario & Friends Pin Badge Collection
• Official Club Nintendo collection of 25 commemorative pins representing the world of Super Mario Bros.™
• The pins come packaged in six specially created puzzle-like boxes that can be arranged to represent Mario, Goomba, and Mushroom!
• Measures approx. 9.75” H x 9.5” W x 1.5” D (box set) and 1.38” D (each pin)
Gold – Club Nintendo Original Calendar – 2012
• Desk calendar for 2012 with a built-in display stand
• Each month is represented with a two-sided calendar page full of specially designed artwork from some of your favorite Nintendo games!
• Measures approx. 4.5” H x 5.75” W
* Images shown are of the 2011 calendar. The 2012 calendar will have all new designs and artwork.
– Calling All Pirates! Set Sail for Exciting Adventures with ‘One Piece: Unlimited Cruise Special’ Coming Exclusively On Nintendo 3DS –
CERGY-PONTOISE, FRANCE – 30 June 2011 – NAMCO BANDAI Games Europe S.A.S. today announced that animated TV series One Piece is set to come to life in astonishing 3D on Nintendo 3DS™ with a new series of One Piece: Unlimited Cruise games. Join Monkey D. Luffy and the Straw Hat Pirates as they embark on a search for the ultimate treasure in these all-new game original quests. Combat, adventure, and drama await with One Piece: Unlimited Cruise SP scheduled for release in November 2011 exclusively for Nintendo 3DS.
In One Piece: Unlimited Cruise SP, the motley crew of Straw Hat Pirates find themselves aboard the Thousand Sunny Ship, the ship of 1,000 seas, as they set sail to a variety of mysterious islands and begin their fantastic adventures.
Multiplatform
North America:
1. Child of Eden (Ubisoft, X360)
2. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D (Nintendo, 3DS)
3. Your Shape: Fitness Evolved (Ubisoft, X360)
4. Just Dance 2 (Ubisoft, Wii)
5. Call of Duty: Black Ops (Activision, X360)
Japan:
1. Steins;Gate (Kadokawa Shoten, PSP)
2. Zelda no Densetsu: Toki no Ocarina 3D (Nintendo, 3DS)
3. ToHeart 2: Dungeon Travelers (Aqua Plus, PSP)
4. GoldenEye 007 (Nintendo, Wii)
5. Meruru no Atelier (Gust, PS3)
UK:
1. Zumba Fitness (505 Games, Wii)
2. L.A. Noire (Rockstar, X360)
3. Wii Fit Plus with Balance Board (Nintendo, Wii)
4. L.A. Noire (Rockstar, PS3)
5. Just Dance 2 (Ubisoft, Wii)
Nintendo Wii
North America:
1. Just Dance 2 (Ubisoft)
2. Zumba Fitness (Majesco)
3. Just Dance (Ubisoft)
4. Mario Kart Wii (Nintendo)
5. Wii Fit Plus with Balance Board (Nintendo)
Japan:
1. GoldenEye 007 (Nintendo)
2. Billy’s Boot Camp: Wii de Enjoy Diet! (Rocket Company)
3. Wii Fit Plus with Balance Board (Nintendo)
4. Mario Kart Wii (Nintendo)
5. Wii Party (Nintendo)
UK:
1. Zumba Fitness (505 Games)
2. Wii Fit Plus with Balance Board (Nintendo)
3. Just Dance 2 (Ubisoft)
4. Lego Pirates of the Caribbean (Disney)
5. Just Dance (Ubisoft)
Nintendo 3DS
North America:
1. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D (Nintendo)
2. Resident Evil: The Mercenaries 3D (Capcom)
3. Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon: Shadow Wars (Ubisoft)
4. Super Street Fighter IV: 3D Edition (Capcom)
5. Pilotwings Resort (Nintendo)
Japan:
1. Tales of the Abyss (Namco Bandai)
2. Zelda no Densetsu: Toki no Ocarina 3D (Nintendo)
3. Biohazard: The Mercenaries 3D (Capcom)
4. One Piece Unlimited Cruise SP (Namco Bandai)
5. Pac-Man & Galaga Dimensions (Namco Bandai)
UK:
1. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D (Nintendo)
2. Resident Evil: The Mercenaries 3D (Capcom)
3. Pilotwings Resort (Nintendo)
4. Nintendogs + Cats: Golden Retriever & New Friends (Nintendo)
5. Rabbids 3D (Ubisoft).
Nintendo DS
North America:
1. New Super Mario Bros. (Nintendo)
2. Pokemon White Version (Nintendo)
3. Mario Kart DS (Nintendo)
4. Pokemon Black Version (Nintendo)
5. Cars 2 (Disney)
Japan:
1. Tennis no Oji-Sama Gyutto! Dokidoki Survival Umi to Yama no Love Passion (Konami)
2. Pocket Monsters White (Nintendo)
3. Pocket Monsters Black (Nintendo)
4. Dragon Quest Monsters Joker 2: Professional (Square Enix)
5. Fire Emblem: Shin Monshou no Nazo Hikari to Kage no Eiyuu (Nintendo)
UK:
1. Let’s Draw! (Majesco)
2. Lego Pirates of the Caribbean (Disney)
3. Art Academy (Nintendo)
4. Pokemon Black Version (Nintendo)
5. Pokemon White Version (Nintendo)
Iconic Role-Playing Series Launches on Nintendo 3DSTM on the 10th of November 2011 across EMEA and Australasia
PARIS, FRANCE – 30 June 2011 – At the Japan Expo event today, NAMCO BANDAI Games Europe announced that acclaimed role-playing series launches for the first time on Nintendo 3DS with Tales of the Abyss™ on the 10th of November 2011.
Tales of the Abyss™ for Nintendo 3DS™ is based on the critically-acclaimed PlayStation®2 role playing game of the same name. Delivering full 3D support and use of the dual screens, Tales of the Abyss offers a new gameplay experience and brings players closer to the action.
Some of the world’s most dedicated Nintendo fans now have the opportunity to receive special gifts from Nintendo of America. Starting today, members of the Club Nintendo™ customer loyalty program who reached Gold or Platinum status in the most recent program year (July 1, 2010 – June 30, 2011) can visit http://club.nintendo.com and log into their accounts to claim an exclusive gift free of charge.
Platinum-level Club Nintendo members are eligible to receive an eye-popping set of 25 commemorative pins that pay tribute to the Mario™ franchise. Featuring classic characters and power-ups from the Mushroom Kingdom, the pins come packaged in unique puzzle-like boxes that can be arranged to form an image of Mario, a Goomba or a Mushroom. Gold-level members, meanwhile, are eligible to receive a special 2012 desk calendar illustrated with colorful artwork from a variety of beloved Nintendo franchises and games.
Club Nintendo offers special promotions and awards Coins to consumers who register and provide feedback about eligible Nintendo products. Coins can then be redeemed for exclusive Nintendo merchandise. Members who earn 300 Coins within each program year are awarded Gold status. Members who earn 600 Coins within each program year are awarded Platinum status. For more information about how to join Club Nintendo and earn rewards, visit http://club.nintendo.com.
Source: Nintendo PR
