Posted on 6 years ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in News, Wii, Wii U | 5 Comments

It’s not unexpected for developers to abandon a few ideas while making games. For Retro Studios, the team was able to take some elements abandoned for Donkey Kong Country Returns and implement them into its direct sequel, Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze.

One feature scrapped from Returns but included in Tropical Freeze is the game’s dynamic 3D camera. Retro was forced to cut the idea due to a lack of time, but managed to save it for the Wii U title.

Retro Studios president Michael Kelbaugh told ONM this month:

“As a game developer, I’ve felt that you always leave something on the drawing board that you wish you could have got in and you’re always tormented by the thought, ‘Wouldn’t it be cool if we have included…?’ I really believe, however, that those thoughts inspire future games and ideas that you use on the next game. For example, the dynamic 3D camera we used in Tropical Freeze was something we wanted to work into Donkey Kong Country Returns. We didn’t have the time, so we implemented it into Tropical Freeze instead.”

Thanks to joclo for the tip.

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More: Donkey Kong Country Returns, Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze, interview, Michael Kelbaugh, Retro Studios, top

Posted on 6 years ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in 3DS, News | 4 Comments

Pokemon X/Y makes a number of changes to the core Pokemon experience fans have become accustomed to. One of these modifications pertains to the Exp. Share item.

This time around, Exp. Share is a key item. All Pokemon participating in a battle also receive 100 percent of the experience while the creatures who are left out still earn 50 percent.

Game Freak director Junichi Masuda spoke about the new approach to experience sharing while speaking with Game Informer this month. He said:

There are so many Pokemon living in the Kalos region, you can encounter a different Pokemon just about every time you go into the tall grass. We wanted players to try raising lots of Pokemon, which is why we changed how the Exp. Share item worked. Of course, we also made it so players could turn off the Exp. Share and still enjoy the game if they wanted to.

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More: Game Freak, interview, Junichi Masuda, Pokemon X, Pokemon Y

Posted on 6 years ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in 3DS, General Nintendo, News | 1 Comment

Brownie Brown founder Shinichi Kameoka left the company, now known as 1-UP Studio, and went on to form “Brownies” in March of last year.

Kameoka described 2013 as a “very blessed year of development and releases” while speaking with 4Gamer last month. Before leaving Brownie Brown, he worked on Fantasy Life Link for Level-5, and then helped create “Shooting Hero” – Brownie’s debut title on iOS.

As for 2014, Kameoka teased that Brownies is working on “a little epic adventure”. While there’s no sort of guarantee that it will wind up on a Nintendo system, we’re certainly hoping the possibility exists given Kameoka’s previous projects.

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More: Brownie Brown, Brownies, Fantasy Life Link, interview, Japan, Shinichi Kameoka

Posted on 6 years ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in News, Wii U | 17 Comments

Well before Super Mario 3D World launched, Nintendo made it clear that online play wouldn’t be included. It does feature Internet-enabled elements like ghost Miis and Miiverse support, but direct multiplayer is only available locally.

Shigeru Miyamoto previously said that online play “simply wasn’t the focus for us this time around.” He also mentioned how Nintendo wanted to make “something that people could experience fully while playing comfortably with others who were nearby them”.

Super Mario 3D World producer Yoshiaki Koizumi echoed similar thoughts while speaking with Game Informer this month. He also revealed an interesting tidbit: the staff over at EAD Tokyo have been experimenting with online play “since the days of Super Mario Galaxy”. But for Super Mario 3D World, the team decided to place the focus on gaming with others nearby.

Koizumi’s comments in full:

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More: interview, Super Mario 3D World, Super Mario Galaxy, top, Yoshiaki Koizumi

Posted on 6 years ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in 3DS, News | 3 Comments

Dengeki recently had the opportunity to interview Tomoya Asano, producer of Bravely Default and Bravely Second. The Japanese outlet asked about SP Drinks, Bravely Second’s development status, and more. Asano also revealed at one point that he hopes “to release a game for the Bravely series at least once a year.”

You can find Asano’s comments below. All translations come courtesy of Siliconera.

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Posted on 6 years ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in General Nintendo, News, Wii U | 0 comments

Nintendo’s vice president of corporate affairs, Cindy Gordon, has told Fox News that the company is “feeling really good about our ability to compete” with Wii U. Gordon believes Nintendo is offering the highest variety and value, and its console is the top choice for families this year.

Gordon’s comments in full:

“We’re feeling really good about our ability to compete. We’re standing apart offering variety and value. There’s no question that we are the best offering for families this year and that Nintendo is the best choice for family gaming.”

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Posted on 6 years ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in News, Wii U | 99 Comments

At this point, you’d be hard-pressed to find someone who would have expected Dark Souls II on Wii U. But a few comments from producer Takeshi Miyazoe aren’t exactly encouraging.

EDGE asked Miyazoe if publisher Namco Bandai had ever considered the game for Wii U. He gave a simple no, and then laughed when the publication asked why. He went on to explain, “It was more of a company decision,” before concluding, “I think the audience for the Wii U is a lot different from the audience for Dark Souls.”

Check out this excerpt from EDGE’s recent article:

Asked whether From Software and Namco ever considered a Wii U port, Miyazoe bluntly replies: “No.” When asked why, he explodes with laughter. “Wii U never came up, and we never doubted that (decision) either,” he says. “It was more of a company decision, so I wasn’t the one that decided this, but I think the audience for the Wii U is a lot different from the audience for Dark Souls.”

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Posted on 6 years ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in 3DS eShop, News | 2 Comments

In August, Genius Sonority released the third Denpa Men title on the Japanese 3DS eShop. We haven’t heard much about a western launch, but president Manabu Yamana tells us that the company is interested in bringing the game out overseas.

Yamana said in a soon to be published interview:

Yes, if it is possible, I’d like to release The Denpa Men 3 in North America and Europe.

We’ve seen three Denpa Men titles in a relatively short timespan – a trio of games in less than two years. Genius Sonority may want to continue the series, but if the studio does so, expect a change in game style.

If there is to be another continuation of The Denpa Men series, I would like to change the game style thoroughly as the first three titles of The Denpa Men series were of the same format and style.

More: Genius Sonority, interview, Manabu Yamana, The Denpa Men, The Denpa Men 3, top

Posted on 6 years ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in News, Wii U | 0 comments

The latest addition in the Iwata Asks series focuses on the Fit Meter, a device used in conjunction with Wii Fit U. You can check out the full discussion here. The interview features Nintendo president Satoru Iwata as well as various developers that assisted with the Fit Meter’s development.

More: interview, Iwata Asks, top, Wii Fit U

Posted on 6 years ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in General Nintendo, News | 5 Comments

Hideki Kamiya has a habit of working on original projects rather than sequels. As an example, he created Devil May Cry but wasn’t involved with the sequel. Platinum Games is also developing Bayonetta 2 without Kamiya, even though he directed the first one.

Kamiya explained to Famitsu recently that it’s not a matter of him not wanting to work on sequels. Rather, working on brand new titles allows him to create “new entertainment”. Kamiya mentioned how Viewtiful Joe and Okami may not have been made if he worked on Devil May Cry 2, while The Wonderful 101 may never have existed if he decided to direct Bayonetta 2.

“It’s not that I don’t want to make sequels – I really do! But considering the nature of my position, I don’t really get a chance to. Somebody needs to offer new entertainment to gamers and do the work of sowing seeds that can later grow to be strong pillars. It sounds a little overblown, but I’ve come to believe that is my purpose. If I had been involved with Devil May Cry 2, then Viewtiful Joe and Okami might never have been made. If I was directing Bayonetta 2, then I wouldn’t have been able to make The Wonderful 101.”

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More: Famitsu, Hideki Kamiya, interview, top