This information comes from a Nintendo spokesperson…
“Both the controller and the console will be sold as one unit. You won’t be able to buy the controller alone.”
Well, that does kind of sound odd to me. The tech demos at this point have only featured one tablet controller, but does this mean we won’t see any multi-tablet games in the future?
Planet Crashing Opportunities Will Be Plentiful This Year As Planet Crashers 3D Joins Planet Crashers For Social/Mobile From Sister Company UTV True Games
Los Angeles – Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) Booth #5500 – June 7, 2011- UTV Ignition Games today announced at the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3), that Planet Crashers 3D is currently in development and will be available for Nintendo 3DS™ in early 2012. Based on the original Planet Crashers IP that is coming to mobile and browser-based platforms later this year through Ignition’s sister company, UTV True Games, this Nintendo 3DS-specific version combines classic quest-oriented gameplay with light-hearted RPG combat. Planet Crashers 3D also introduces competitive multiplayer modes and endless character customization that freshens the beloved genre.
According to Katsuya Eguchi, Wii U discs will be able to store 25 gigabytes of data. As we reported a few weeks ago, that’s triple the size of Wii and Xbox 360 discs. The number is also comparable to the Blu-ray discs that Sony use for the PlayStation 3.
Update: UTV Ignition will no longer be publishing Fractured Soul 3D. See this story.
Available This Fall, Original IP Adds Another Dimension To Side-Scrolling Platformers As It is Played Across Both 3DS Screens At Once
Los Angeles – Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) Booth #5500 – June 7, 2011- UTV Ignition Games today announced at the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3), that Fractured Soul 3D is currently in development and will be available for Nintendo 3DS™ in early 2012. A fast-paced action platform game, Fractured Soul 3D is an all-new IP that retains the familiarity of classic platformers, but adds a unique twist – it is played across both screens of the Nintendo 3DS at once. This unique feature forces players to switch between the two screens regularly to dodge incoming bullets, outsmart enemies, and ultimately complete each level. Additionally, the title features spectacular new 3D effects and other exclusive features.
In Fractured Soul 3D, players take on the role of interplanetary rogue, Jake DeSaul – a man with a checkered and mysterious past who must confront his demons in his desperate plight to escape an eerie and malevolent space station. As they progress through each level, the boundaries between dream and reality continue to blur as Jake faces a lifetime of regrets, hopes, dreams, and what might have been in his efforts to reconcile himself with his past.
In order to help Jake, players must blast their way through 20 exciting and brain bending platform levels spread across five distinct worlds – each offering a unique challenge including inverted gravity, damage, wind, ice, and underwater. Additionally, there are four shoot ’em up levels that also make use of the screen switching. Each level is timed and ranked to encourage replayability.
Source: UTV Ignition PR
Did you know that Pikmin is 10 years old this year? Well, it is, and Shigeru Miyamoto actually wanted to launch a new title in the franchise for Wii. However, after spending some with Nintendo’s new console and the system’s graphics, he decided to move development to the console instead. It apparently could be released sooner rather than later.
Miyamoto on casual games for 3DS
– nintendogs + cats was made before Mario
– This was unusual for Nintendo
– Miyamoto: as long as nintendogs is out there, casual gamers will have something to play
– Built-in 3DS features such as Face Raiders were made more for casual experiences and they’re included with the system so you have experiences to enjoy when you buy the system
– Nintendo focusing more on traditional experiences with 3DS
– This is the area that Miyamoto is putting his energy into for now
– Developers making casual games that will be revealed when development is more complete
– Likely releasing early 2012
– Far along in development
– Miyamoto jokes about the lack of Pikmin, says no one can ask questions about it
– Miyamoto made the game because he wanted to
– Developed by Next Level Games (Punch-Out!! Wii)
– Miyamoto’s team isn’t overseeing the game, although he’s become personally responsible
– Exclusive Luigi’s Mansion 2 video shown at the roundtable
– Trailer shows: Luigi dancing in front of an old car, talks to E Gadd, E Gadd gives him a DS scanner
– Map on the touch screen
– Many secrets in the game
– X button: action button
– Gyro-sensor support
– Ice mansion level shown
– Help Toad find ghosts that only show up in mirrors
– Game is a mix of action and puzzles
– For male/female gamers
– Flashlight has a new strobe function, flash it at ghosts
– Nintendo still working on the final name for the game
– Game is a return to a more traditional Mario world
– The Galaxy games allowed Yoshiaki Koizumi to think about what Mario is really about
– Koizumi wanted to make the most Mario-like 3D Mario game ever
– Dash: X or Y button can be used
– Game automatically controls camera angles
– Has the moves from Super Mario 64
– Flagpole at the end of levels now instead of stars
– Airship level showed off at the developer roundtable
– Boss battle at the end of the level
– Stomp on him to make him go into his shell
– He’ll spin around the area after that
– There’s a secret in the E3 levels that involves a hurdle
– Game has side-scrolling levels
– Another level: Zelda-themed stage
– The level is top-down, floor pattern comparable to A Link to the Past
– Use the fireball suit to light up four torches with fireballs
– Has Zelda chimes, spikes, and fixed perspective, and more
– Exploration plays a big role in the game
– Use the sword to find items
– Spirit resides in Link’s sword
– Spirit is named Fi or Fye
– Demo area is the second place players will find themselves in
– Takes place in a desert
– 5 pieces hidden
– Monmas: new race (tentative name)
– Monmas talk about a key they have for a temple nearby
– Demo shows first-person mode being used, Wii Remote allows you to point to parts of the ground and the sword acts like a metal detector
– Metal gauntlets let Link dig objects up
– Second part of the demo is in the Siren world
– Go through the game trying to forge the Master Sword
– Siren power makes the world turn into an alternate reality of sorts
– Must collect items to leave the Siren world
– Collect teardrop items to progress
– Link is unarmed in this world since he used his sword to get there
– Guardian can kill you with one hit
– Guardians can be put to sleep
– Once the meter expires, the guardians will return
– Pick up teardrop items to refill the meter
– Do different things in the Siren world than you would in the regular world
– Environments in the game leading up to the dungeons are comparable to the actual dungeons
– New puzzles and other things to do if you leave an area and come back later
– Going back to different areas multiple times is very important in the game
– Eiji Aonuma: Skyward Sword is “a game you can play for a very long time. Understanding the map is going to make the game very interesting to play”
– Knowledge of environments will help you since you’ll be visiting them numerous times
– 60 FPS
– Miyamoto wanted to call the game Super Mario Kite since he loves gliding
– Hanggliders are on every bike
– Retro Studios involved with the game to design tracks
