[Let’s Talk] This week’s big Nintendo news
Posted on 8 years ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in General Nintendo, Let's Talk, Switch, Wii U | 76 Comments
In just a matter of minutes, Nintendo made major announcements about the NX, the new Zelda game, its E3 2016 plans, and next mobile titles on Wednesday. Now that the dust has settled, it’s take to look back on the news and talk about it all.
Here’s a recap of everything:
– NX: not releasing this holiday as many expected, but will instead launch globally in March 2017; unveiling later this year
– Zelda: the new game is coming to both NX and Wii U; delayed to 2017 for a simultaneous launch on both platforms
– E3 2016: no NX at E3, Zelda will be the only playable title
– Mobile: Fire Emblem and Animal Crossing games coming this fall; the latter will connect “with the world of Animal Crossing for dedicated gaming systems”
Now it’s time to talk about the big news! How’s everyone absorbing the various announcements? I think for me, the most surprising thing is that Zelda is the only playable Nintendo game at E3. We’ve never really seen anything like that before. I do sort of wonder why Paper Mario: Color Splash isn’t going to be there, and we won’t be seeing anything on 3DS which seems slightly odd as well.
That Pikachu-themed Pokken Tournament controller is coming to North America
Posted on 8 years ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in News, Wii U | 8 Comments
A few days ago, HORI pulled back the curtain on a special Pikachu version of its Pokken Tournament controller for Japan. We weren’t sure at the time if it would be sold in North America, but now we have a clear answer.
A GameStop source tipped us off that the controller is now listed in the retailer’s database as “Wii U Pokken Pro Pad Pikachu”. Furthermore, it seems that pre-orders have opened. You can put down $5 at your local store to reserve the controller. It hasn’t appeared online as of now, but that should change at some point in the future.
GameStop lists a tentative May 7 release date in its database for the Pikachu version of the Pokken Tournament controller, though that can mean anything (not at all final). It’ll cost $29.99 at launch – just like the standard version.
More: Bandai Namco, Hori, Pokken Tournament, top
New My Nintendo rewards live in North America and Europe
Posted on 8 years ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in General Nintendo, News | 14 Comments
A new set of My Nintendo rewards are now available in both North America and Europe. They’re all discounts, spread across platinum and gold.
Here’s the full lineup:
North America
– 15% off Luigi’s Mansion: Dark Moon (600 platinum)
– 15% off Super Mario Galaxy 2 (300 platinum)
– 15% off Pikmin 3 (300 platinum)
– 15% off Dr. Luigi (230 platinum)
– 15% off Mini Mario: Minis on the Move (150 platinum)
– 30% off Triforce Heroes (100 gold)
– 30% off Tomodachi Life (80 gold)
– 30% off Wonderful 101 (70 gold)
– 30% off DKC Tropical Freeze (50 gold)
– 30% off Metroid Prime Trilogy (50 gold)
Europe
– 10% off Fire Emblem Fates (20 gold)
– 20% off Captain Toad (600 Platinum)
– 40% off Captain Toad (100 gold)
– 20% off Animal Crossing: New Leaf (600 Platinum)
More: My Nintendo, top
New Splatoon amiibo revealed, including Squid Sisters figures
Posted on 8 years ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in News, Wii U | 40 Comments
Nintendo has revealed a new set of amiibo planned for Splatoon. On July 8, fans can pick up figures based on the Squid Sisters (Callie and Marie) as well as new colors for Inkling Girl, Inkling Boy, and Inkling Squid.
Here’s a trailer:
Note that the Squid Sisters won’t be sold individually in North America. Instead, they’ll be distributed in a double pack. Likewise, the Orange Squid amiibo is only coming via a 3-pack.
A small note by the way: Splatoon Koshien 2017 (tournament) has been confirmed, but details haven’t been shared just yet. We only know that the finals will be held in February at Game Party Japan 2017.
Thanks to the bunch of you for sending this in.
Update: Now “2017” – Nintendo press site says Zelda Wii U is due out in March 2017
Posted on 8 years ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in News, Wii U | 74 Comments
Update (4/29): Bumped to the top. Nintendo has updated the press site, which now simply shows “2017” instead of “March 2017”.

Original (4/27): Nintendo made several announcements earlier today, including the news about the new Zelda game being delayed to 2017. However, the company didn’t say when the title will be launching specifically.
If Nintendo’s press site is anything to go by, we’ll be seeing the new Zelda next March. Since the NX version is launching simultaneously, that version would arrive at the same time. It’d definitely make sense to have Zelda out for NX’s launch – I feel like that’s the big point behind this latest delay.
More: top, Zelda Wii U
Limited Run Games exploring North American Fatal Frame: Maiden of Black Water retail release
Posted on 8 years ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in News, Wii U | 45 Comments
Limited Run Game has been receiving a bunch of attention as of late. The company has been giving digital titles a retail release that never made it out physically in small runs. However, their efforts have mainly been limited to PlayStation platforms thus far.
Some interesting news did surface on Limited Run Games’ Twitter account recently that could very well appeal to some Nintendo fans. In an interaction with a gamer on Twitter, it was mentioned that they are “trying to work towards a Fatal Frame 5 release” – Fatal Frame: Maiden of Black Water, in other words.
The tweet is as follows:
@Grimsie42 We're trying to work towards a Fatal Frame 5 release. 🙂
— Limited Run Games (@LimitedRunGames) April 28, 2016
Fatal Frame: Maiden of Black Water did get a physical version in Europe, but North American players weren’t offered the same opportunity. If Limited Run Games does somehow manage to work with Nintendo on this, that’d be a huge win for the company as well as for fans of the series.
Kimishima on 3DS focus plus NX software lineup, profitability, missing the holidays
Posted on 8 years ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in 3DS, News, Switch | 166 Comments
Nintendo just put up the Q&A portion of its latest investors briefing. An official translation will likely be posted next week, but Cheesemeister has provided a summary for some of the topics discussed.
In what’s been translated, Nintendo president Tatsumi Kimishima touched on how Nintendo will be focusing on 3DS in the near-term. For NX, he touched on the need to build up NX’s software lineup, profitability (what that means for pricing), and how Nintendo will be missing the holiday season. Head past the break for the translation.
Q: It seems the great reduction in the Wii U hardware sales forecast is influenced by the timing of the NX release, but how about 3DS?
A: This fiscal year, the 3DS has big titles as previously presented, and in sufficient quantity. Both hardware and software will make large contributions to sales. Also, while Wii U sales are forecast to drop to 800,000 units, the upside is that we can focus on the 3DS.
More: Tatsumi Kimishima, top
Axiom Verge a possibility for NX launch
Posted on 8 years ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in News, Switch | 9 Comments
Axiom Verge is making its way to Wii U soon, but that might not be the only Nintendo platform it ends up on. The game’s developer recently made a comment suggesting that a port could come to the NX as well.
The full statement reads:
I got a piece of good news today that indicates I might be able to have Axiom Verge ready for NX at launch…but basically that was as far as my source even knew. So I still have no idea what the system is like and still am reading sites like this to try and guess.
We’ll have to see what happens over the next several months. Hopefully by the end of the year we’ll have a clearer idea about which games will end up on NX.
More: Axiom Verge, indie, top
Rumor: Retro’s NX game not Metroid or Donkey Kong, out next year
Posted on 8 years ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in General Nintendo, News | 58 Comments
Emily Rogers has returned with some new speculation about Retro Studios’ new project. As one would expect, this new title would be on NX.
Rogers wrote on Twitter a short while ago that the title in question isn’t Metroid, Donkey Kong Country, or Diddy Kong Racing 2. She adds that the project is planned for 2017.
Below are Rogers’ tweets:
Rumor part 2: Not Diddy Kong Racing 2 either. It sounds more like a new IP.
— Emily Rogers (@ArcadeGirl64) April 29, 2016
If I get any updates on this, I'll let you all know.
— Emily Rogers (@ArcadeGirl64) April 29, 2016
More: Retro Studios, top
SEGA attempted to neogiate with Capcom and Bandai Namco on Wii VC games, also considered 3DS
Posted on 8 years ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in 3DS eShop, News, Wii Shop Channel | 9 Comments
SEGA was a strong proponent of the Wii Virtual Console back in the day. The company also has quite a number of titles up on the eShop. It sounds like SEGA wanted to work with other companies like Capcom and Bandai Namco on VC titles, but things sadly never came together.
SEGA told Yosuke Okunari in a recent interview:
“During the Wii Virtual Console days, we worked with other developers and were able to port games that were on Megadrive and other Sega systems. Those were all made on our side. However, negotiations with some publishers, like Capcom and Bandai-Namco, didn’t go through. We did consider negotiating again when the 3DS came along, but business-wise, nothing really came together.”