Nintendo’s North American website seems to have been updated recently with a new feature. Wii U and 3DS owners can now pre-order the digital versions of various games, including Super Smash Bros. for Wii U.
Fans can pre-order games by filling out a simple form. On release day, Nintendo will email consumers their code.
Those who sign in with their Nintendo Network ID will be able to save information for future orders. Additionally, games can be sent directly to Wii U/3DS systems.
Here’s the initial lineup of titles that can be pre-ordered from Nintendo’s website:
Wii U
Super Smash Bros.
Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker
3DS
Fantasy Life
Pokemon Art Academy
Pokemon Omega Ruby
Pokemon Alpha Sapphire
German website ntower was recently given the opportunity to speak with Junichi Masuda and Shigeru Ohmori from Game Freak. Both staffers talked more about Pokemon Omega Ruby/Alpha Sapphire.
If you don’t want to sit through the entire thing, here’s a summary that ntower shared with us:
– Project started on 11.21.2012
– Hoenn is a place full of life. Pokémon with special abilities are sitting in the grass and you can see them on the overworld map. There are also Pokémon at the beach, etc.
– Some places did change, even the story has been changed a bit
– There are going to be trainer battles underwater. Special battle animations like a slower movement of Pokéballs are going to make this a special occasion.
– PSS/PokéMonAmi/Supertraining will all be present in the remakes
– Pokémon X / Y will be compatible with ORAS, but there will be no patch to make the primal evolutions available in X and Y. The same goes for the new mega evolutions.
– You remember the trumpets? Yeah, they are going to be present in the Remakes, but not as much as before.
– The origin of the trumpets lies in Masudas past, since he was part of a marching band in Highschool.
– You will be able to do much more once you have finished the story of ORAS, like flying around with Mega Latias and Mega Latios. Secret bases, contests, hunting legendary Pokémon and other stuff will keep you busy.
– Figuring out the origins of the Mega Evolution will be a big part of the story.
– Multi-Nav is going to be on your touchscreen and will show different things, like Pokémon in your current area or a map. It also shows what your friends do in their games.
Pokemon X and Pokemon Y introduced trainer customization for the first time. Although it was far from extensive, it was certainly a great addition to the series. Players could dress themselves in various hats, boots, dresses, and more.
Unfortunately, Game Freak has decided against bringing back trainer customization for Pokemon Omega Ruby/Alpha Sapphire. The studio’s Junichi Masuda explained why this is so to USGamer:
“In terms of the customization of the trainer, that was really kind of a special thing for the Kalos region, which featured this kind of motif of France and really focused on this beauty and fashion aspect, which is why it was a prominent feature in that game. For this game, we’re focusing on adventuring elements, so we don’t have the actual free customization of the trainer, but you’ll see the items you use throughout the game visually represented; for example, when you’re underwater, you’ll have this little mouthpiece that lets you breathe. So there’s some cool stuff for how your trainer changes clothes and puts on accessories throughout the game.”
“It’s really meant to give unique traits of personalities to the different regions. So with the secret bases, for example, they’re really popular in the Hoenn region. Everything we come up with always tie back into the themes of the games we’re working on, so with the original Ruby and Sapphire we had the theme of richness or abundance, which is in the name of the region: The ‘Ho’ part means richness or abundance in Japanese, and ‘enn’ means bonds, like the bonds between people and their Pokémon, for example. So it’s just reflecting the theme of the individual regions.”
Aplus has a pair of new 3DS titles in development. Killca Drive and 6×1?Unlimited are both due out sometime within the next few months.
Killca Drive features turn-based card battles, and cards are collected before fighting. The game will offer a story – set in the near future where a new card game called Killca Drive is taking Japan by storm – and multiplayer modes. It will be possible to trade cards with other players and fight friends using local wireless connectivity.
Killca Drive is due out in Japan this winter. Aplus’ other 3DS title 6×1?Unlimited is also slated for the same release window.
Game Informer recently caught up with Pokemon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire producer Junichi Masuda and director Shigeru Ohmori. The two were touched on slew of different topics, including the lack of Pokemon games on the 3DS Virtual Console, how Pokemon are chosen for Smash Bros. the possibility of revisiting the idea of extensions for previously-released titles, and more.
You’ll find a few excerpts from Game Informer’s interview below. Head on over here for the full discussion.
