Nintendo is bringing back the Japanese Splatoon Koshien 2018 tournament for a third consecutive year. Today, the first details were announced.

Rules for the tournament are as follows:

– Turf War
– All weapons by release of each tournament
– All gear
– 8 initial stages in pool, randomly chosen

Per usual, eight different locations across Japan will be hosting individual tournaments beginning September 24 and up through December. Then on February 10 and February 11, the big final event will be held.

Winners will receive a gold trophy. Additionally, they’ll be given an exclusive packaged Splatoon 2 game.

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Update (8/20): The Super Mario Odyssey Collector’s Edition guide is currently $6.39 off on Amazon. Amazon Canada has it off for $19.92.

Original (8/15): Prima is continuing its relationship with Nintendo for another big guide. When Super Mario Odyssey launches at the end of October, it will be accompanied by a new guide.

The guide will come in two versions. Amazon lists a standard release as well as a collector’s edition (Amazon Canada here and here). The former is 320 pages and paperback while the latter is 336 pages and hardcover.

In terms of what the guide offers, that’s a bit of a mystery right now. It will obviously include gameplay information and tips, but Amazon’s description hasn’t updated. We’ll keep an eye on the listings for any future news.

Thanks to Wagner C for the tip.

More: Prima, Super Mario Odyssey

Fire Emblem Warriors fans can look forward to some important news soon. On Twitter, it was confirmed today that new characters will be revealed next week.

Cordelia and Female Robin were the last characters announced for Fire Emblem Warriors. We should be getting reveals for multiple characters in a few days as well.

Fire Emblem Warriors is launching very soon in Japan, as it’s out on September 28. Nintendo has only said that a western release is planned for this fall.

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More: Fire Emblem Warriors, Koei Tecmo, Omega Force, Team Ninja

A new video from GiantBomb shows a bunch of footage from the upcoming Switch game Cat Quest. Watch the gameplay video below.

Two of Zordix’s Switch racers are receiving physical releases. Over on EB Games Australia, the retailer lists Aqua Moto Racing Utopia and Snow Moto Racing Freedom for the console.

The fact that both of these games are heading to Switch isn’t news. However, what we didn’t know before is that both will be offered at retail.

The boxart for Aqua Moto Racing Utopia is above. Snow Moto Racing Freedom’s packaging can be seen below.

Source 1, Source 2

More: Aqua Moto Racing Utopia, Bigben Interactive, boxart, Snow Moto Racing Freedom, Zordix

Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle has a huge musical talent on board in Grant Kirkhope. Kirkhope worked on many N64 classics back in the day, including Banjo-Kazooie. He’s also more recently been involved with the likes of Yooka-Laylee.

In this month’s issue of GamesMaster, Kirkhope talked about his approach to making music for Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle. Instead of trying to emulate Nintendo’s style with Mario music, he instead “had to try to come up with some kind of way of getting that crazy Rabbids thing into this Mario game – and a little bit of me in there as well”. The game may start out sounding a bit “Nintendo-ish”, but later evolves, and Kirkhope believes that players will be surprised as they reach the end.

Kirkhope told GamesMaster:

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More: Grant Kirkhope, interview, Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle, top, Ubisoft

UK retailer GAME is planning a pre-order bonus for Pokemon Ultra Sun and Pokemon Ultra Moon. If you reserve the game, you’ll be given a free Rowlet, Litten or Popplio figurine. Note that the figurine will be randomly selected.

You can pre-order Pokemon Ultra Sun/Ultra Moon on GAME here. Both launch on November 17.

Thanks to joclo for the tip.

More: GAME, pre-order, UK

Miitomo has been updated with more content. Users will find returning stages with more items.

“Fun in the sun! Summertime Style” is the returning theme. The stages provide the following:

– Demon ninja hood
– Demon ninja armor
– Ninja bomber jacket
– Deadly blossom hairband
– Deadly blossom ninja suit
– Kunai necklace
– Shuriken
– Ninja dog scarf (set)
– Ninja dog outfit (set)
– Arabesque bandana
– Scrollwork jacket

The returning stage will be available until August 22 at 6 PM PT / 9 PM ET.

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A video went up last week showing the first 30 minutes from Nights of Azure 2. A second gameplay is now available showing another half hour of footage. Check it out below.

More: Gust Corporation, Koei Tecmo, Nights of Azure 2

THQ Nordic sent out the opening animation for Battle Chasers: Nightwar last week. At the end of the video, a message appears stating that the Switch version of the game will be launching “slightly later”.

So here’s something interesting. Airship Syndicate posted an update about the Switch version on Kickstarter, and suggested that there may not actually be a delay. While the team has “hit a few issues that are slowing things down,” a delay is not officially set in stone. And if it does happen, the Switch version likely won’t be pushed back too significantly. The Kickstarter post adds “we’re doing everything in our power to make the October 3rd launch date”.

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More: Airship Syndicate, Battle Chasers: Nightwar, Gamescom 2017, THQ Nordic