Multiplatform
North America:
1. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D (Nintendo, 3DS)
2. L.A. Noire (Rockstar, PS3)
3. L.A. Noire (Rockstar, X360)
4. BioShock 2 (2K Games, PS3)
5. Just Dance 2 (Ubisoft, Wii)
Japan:
1. Zelda no Densetsu: Toki no Ocarina 3D (Nintendo, 3DS)
2. Steins;Gate (Kadokawa Shoten, PSP)
3. Steins;Gate – Limited Edition (Kadokawa Shoten, PSP)
4. Meruru no Atelier (Gust, PS3)
5. Tennis no Oji-Sama Gyutto! Dokidoki Survival Umi to Yama no Love Passion (Konami, DS)
UK:
1. Zumba Fitness (505 Games, Wii)
2. L.A. Noire (Rockstar, X3600
3. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D (Nintendo, 3DS)
4. Wii Fit Plus with Balance Board (Nintendo, Wii)
5. L.A. Noire (Rockstar, PS3)
Nintendo Wii
North America:
1. Just Dance 2 (Ubisoft)
2. Zumba Fitness (Majesco)
3. Mario Kart Wii (Nintendo)
4. Wii Fit Plus with Balance Board (Nintendo)
5. Lego Pirates of the Caribbean (Disney)
Japan:
1. Wii Fit Plus with Balance Board (Nintendo)
2. Billy’s Boot Camp: Wii de Enjoy Diet! (Rocket Company)
3. Mario Kart Wii (Nintendo)
4. Wii Party (Nintendo)
5. Fitness Party (Namco Bandai)
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. Michael Jackson: The Experience (Ubisoft)
Nintendo 3DS
North America:
1. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D (Nintendo)
2. Dead or Alive: Dimensions (Tecmo Koei)
3. Super Street Fighter IV: 3D Edition (Capcom)
4. Pilotwings Resort (Nintendo)
5. Lego Pirates of the Caribbean (Disney)
Japan:
1. Zelda no Densetsu: Toki no Ocarina 3D (Nintendo)
2. Biohazard: The Mercenaries 3D (Capcom)
3. One Piece Unlimited Cruise SP (Namco Bandai)
4. Fish Eyes 3D (Marvelous)
5. Pac-Man & Galaga Dimensions (Namco Bandai)
UK:
1. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D (Nintendo)
2. Pilotwings Resort (Nintendo)
3. Nintendogs + Cats: Golden Retriever & New Friends (Nintendo)
4. Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon: Shadow Wars (Ubisoft)
5. Rabbids 3D (Ubisoft)
Nintendo DS
North America:
1. New Super Mario Bros. (Nintendo)
2. Scribblenauts (Warner Bros)
3. Pokemon White Version (Nintendo)
4. Sonic Classic Collection (Sega)
5. Pokemon Black Version (Nintendo)
Japan:
1. Tennis no Oji-Sama Gyutto! Dokidoki Survival Umi to Yama no Love Passion (Konami)
2. Pocket Monsters Black (Nintendo)
3. Pocket Monsters White (Nintendo)
4. Dragon Quest Monsters Joker 2: Professional (Square Enix)
5. Love Plus+ (Konami)
UK:
1. Art Academy (Nintendo)
2. Let’s Draw! (Majesco)
3. Pokemon White Version (Nintendo)
4. New Super Mario Bros. (Nintendo)
5. Lego Pirates of the Caribbean (Disney)
Could Europe really end up receiving the trio of recent Wii RPGs? Xenoblade Chronicles is out in September, while Nintendo of France’s Director of Marketing Matthew Minel has provided some encouraging words for those hoping that The Last Story and Pandora’s Tower will be brought over as well. In an interview with Gamekyo, Minel said:
“We’re in the US, so we can’t speak about The Last Story… We hope it’ll be released. We are only allowed to say ‘hope’… Hope is promising… just like with Pandora’s Tower.”
Minel apparently topped off that last statement with an enormous smile. If The Last Story and Pandora’s Tower get localized, I’m moving to Europe!
It appears that Monolith Soft’s next title is for Wii U. The company’s job solicitation page was updated earlier today, stating that they are hiring staff for a game that will be created for Nintendo’s upcoming console. Other than that, we don’t have any additional information. With any luck, perhaps Nintendo of America will localize a Monolith Soft game… whenever it’s finally ready to be released, that is!
Thanks to Thomas N for the tip!
D3 brought a number of “Simple” titles to DSiWare under the “@Simple” brand. The company is preparing another of series of games, this time scheduled to arrive on the eShop. D3 will be labeling the titles as “@Simple DL Series”.
More details can be read below.
– Volume one: new entry in the “Misshitsu kara no Dasshutsu” (Escape From the Sealed Room) survival escape series
– Called Mysterious Kumadonaru Burger
– Escape from a burger chain named Kumadonaru Burger
– “Kuma” – bear in Japanese
– Three gameplay stages
– Use items to escape
– Use the 3DS microphone to interact with the world
– Touch controls or button controls
– Releasing June 29 in Japan
– ¥500
This information comes from Shigeru Miyamoto…
“We’re not going to sit here and say that our goal is to become the number one online gaming company, because that’s not our goal. But, understanding that the types of experiences our consumers like to play do often contain elements to them that can be improved or may even require an online connection and also knowing that the system is going to have a browser I think suggests that obviously internet and internet connectivity is going to be very important for the system.
For example, there are opportunities to take advantage of online to expand a local, same-room multiplayer experience by connecting that to the internet and making new types of play that way. Also by having the smaller screen, being able to go online and perhaps see what game your friend is playing or see what TV they’re watching, I think there’s a lot of possibilities for how you could use that. Certainly internet functionality is something that will be important for the system.
We have introduced Miis to the world and everyone will hopefully have their own Mii, so obviously I think there’s possibilities along those lines there. And I will say that this is a system that will have a great deal of appeal for its online connectivity. A key word for Nintendo in the online sphere has been creating an experience that’s comfortable for all players, so we’ll still look at that and stick to our idea of trying to create an online experience that’s welcoming to everyone.”
Nintendo has started to take online gaming more seriously, but it will never be their number one priority. Still, it sounds like the Big N is a bit more serious this time. They’re working with publishers and developers to implement their own networks, though I’m wondering how Nintendo will handle their own online functionality.
David Jaffe says he loves Nintendo, but that doesn’t mean he won’t make a harsh prediction about the company’s future. The Twisted Metal developer predicts that the Wii U will turn out to be around 50% less successful than Nintendo’s current console. Jaffe explained in a recent interview:
“I don’t think it will do anywhere near as well as the Wii did. This is no disrespect to anybody. This is just a Jaffe scenario, me playing Michael Patcher for a moment. I think there’s a large enough percentage of people who bought the Wii as something other than a gaming device, and turned it into the fad that it was. Most of that percentage is going to go away now. I don’t think enough of them have become ‘gamers’. They tried [the Wii], now they’re onto something like free-to-play MMOs and then they’ll move onto something else. How many of them got converted into actual gamers? I don’t think a large portion. Then if you look at families, a lot of kids want iPads, iPhones and iPods now. And a large portion of the people who would’ve been interested in traditional Nintendo stuff, beyond core gamers, are just as happy playing Storm in a Teacup on iPad versus a new 3D Mario. Between those two audiences going away and the number of choices core gamers already have on the other systems – which, let’s be honest, a lot of them like super-amazing graphics on their 3D TVs and stuff like that – a lot of people are going to be better served going to the competition. It doesn’t mean the Wii U isn’t going to work, but I think the perfect storm of interest that worked for the Wii won’t happen again, because there’s enough competition speaking to those interests at a cheaper cost. I think the Wii U is going to be less successful than the Wii, probably 50% less successful. I don’t think you’re going to see the Wii U at #1 in the next console generation. But I also thought the PSP was going to kick the shit out of the DS, so I don’t know. I’m not trying to be mean to Nintendo. I grew up with Nintendo and I love them. That’s just my guess.”
Ninja Gaiden III: Razor’s Edge is will into development for Wii U. Actually, Team Ninja localization manager Peter Garza says that the title is already 30% complete. As Team Ninja has said previously, Razor’s Edge is being heavily influenced by the controls in the DS title, Dragon Sword.
“There was a DS version, so we have some experience with touch controls and it [Dragon Sword] seemed to be fairly well received. So, now we have the chance to give this full console experience with those controls on the Wii U. We’ve actually started development on it but we don’t have anything set. We’re just playing with it. We’re looking forward to emerging of Ninja Gaiden 3 gameplay and visuals with Dragon Sword touch commands. That’s where we’re thinking now. Honestly, we’re just playing with it, so it might change–that’s the focus right now.”
Another topic of discussion for all versions of Ninja Gaiden III is the title’s level of violence. Garza took a few moments to comment on that as well.
“What does it mean to cut someone with a sword, both physically and mentally? You’ll notice sequences when time slows down, the camera will zoom in. That’s the representation of the sword going into the body, getting caught in the bones and the muscles of the enemy, and you have to really push through the meat of the body to finish the cut. We call that steel on bone.”
