http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/ Worldwide Nintendo Coverage 24-7-365 en-us Copyright Fri Sep 10 12:21:46 PDT 2010, Nintendo World Report http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/img/nintendoWorldReportLogo.png http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/ 2010-09-10T10:04:08.01549 http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/review/24004 <p>Solve this puzzle: Does twice the Luke equal twice the fun?</p> <p><p>Professor Layton and the Unwound Future, the third and final game of the first Professor Layton trilogy, is finally out in North America nearly two years after the game's Japanese release. This newest title is much like the <a href="http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/review/16048">first</a> <a href="http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/review/19845">two</a> iterations, so if you've played one of the other games, then you should know what to expect.</p><p>For the uninitiated, the Professor Layton series is all about point-and-click exploration, strong storytelling, and most of all, puzzles. The puzzles drive the story, and are usually part of some weird plot conceit that explains why all of the characters throw puzzles at you every time you talk to them.</p></p> <p><a href="http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/review/24004">read more...</a></p> Neal Ronaghan <nospam@nintendoworldreport.com> 2010-09-10T10:04:08.01549 review/24004 2010-09-10T10:04:08.01549 http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/news/24003 <p>The Wii has its lowest sales month since launch, but Mario just keeps on selling software.</p> <p><p>The August NPD numbers have been released, and Nintendo once again yields the top console sales spot to Microsoft. While the recently-redesigned Xbox 360 sold the most systems overall, the Wii finished August in third place with sales of 244,300, with the Nintendo DS finishing second with 342,700. The Wii finished the tracking period with its lowest month of hardware sales since its 2006 launch.</p><p>On the software side, Madden NFL 11 was unsurprisingly the top game of the month, taking the top two spots on the chart. Super Mario Galaxy 2 finished in third, roughly 770,000 units behind second-place Madden NFL 11 for PlayStation 3. Its sales of 124,600 were enough to push it ahead of Mafia II for the Xbox 360. New Super Mario Bros. Wii and Wii Fit Plus continued to be big software sellers on the platform, taking the sixth and tenth spots respectively. New Super Mario Bros. for DS outpaced its console big brother for the month, moving 110,400 units to earn the fifth spot.</p></p> <p><a href="http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/news/24003">read more...</a></p> Jon Lindemann Matthew Blundon <nospam@nintendoworldreport.com> 2010-09-10T05:49:12.40577 news/24003 2010-09-10T05:49:12.40577 http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/news/24002 <p>Producer Motohide Eshiro talks about how the upcoming game will feature returning developers and brand new ones.</p> <p><p>Capcom recently made the Japanese site for Ace Attorney Investigations 2 (known as Gyakuten Kenji 2 in Japan) live. In the debut blog post, Motohide Eshiro, the producer of the previous game, explains how the sequel came about and apologizes for taking so long to produce the sequel.</p><p>Ace Attorney Investigations 2 will be at Tokyo Game Show in some capacity next week following its recent reveal.<br></p><p>Below is a translation of the blog post from NWR Japanese Corespondent Matt Walker:<br></p></p> <p><a href="http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/news/24002">read more...</a></p> Neal Ronaghan Matt Walker <nospam@nintendoworldreport.com> 2010-09-10T01:53:48.063171 news/24002 2010-09-10T01:53:48.063171 http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/blog/24001 <p>Watch as Neal dodges actually talking about games due to embargoes!</p> <p><p>If you've followed the site or the game industry for a while, you might know that occasionally there are bombastic and over-the-top press events. Activision usually hosts these, but other companies are also known to hold them as well.<br></p><p>Activision's latest shindig involved Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock, GoldenEye 007, and Blood Stone. Held in San Francisco at the DNA Lounge, the event featured a ground floor packed with Guitar Hero setups, and a second level with plenty of GoldenEye and Blood Stone representation.</p></p> <p><a href="http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/blog/24001">read more...</a></p> Neal Ronaghan <nospam@nintendoworldreport.com> 2010-09-09T19:52:07.416044 blog/24001 2010-09-09T19:52:07.416044 http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/news/24000 <p>The previously announced Dead or Alive game for the 3DS receives a new title.</p> <p><p>This week's issue of Famitsu has new information regarding Dead or Alive 3DS, which now has a new name: Dead or Alive Dimensions.</p><p>In addition to this new title, the article confirms several features, including the return of classic characters such as Kasumi, Ayane, and Hayate. It also marks the return of Raidou, a character first seen in the original Dead or Alive title for the Sega Saturn, as well as Ayane's father and Kasumi and Hayate's father. The article also notes that this is the first new Dead or Alive title since 2005's Dead or Alive 4 for the Xbox 360, being developed once more by Team Ninja and directed and produced by Yousuke Hayashi.</p></p> <p><a href="http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/news/24000">read more...</a></p> Pedro Hernandez <nospam@nintendoworldreport.com> 2010-09-09T08:36:02.894402 news/24000 2010-09-09T08:36:02.894402 http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/news/23999 <p>Monster Hunter spin-off stays at the top, while Nintendo takes the second and third spots.</p> <p><p>In this week's Media Create sales charts, Capcom's Monster Hunter Diary Poka Poka Ailu Village for the PSP remains at the top spot with 88,405 copies sold for a total of 344,480 copies sold. Nintendo, however, captured the second and third spots with two Wii titles. Wii Party came in at second with 55,837 copies sold for a total of 915,570 copies sold. Metroid: Other M debuts in the third place with 45,398 copies sold in its first four days of sales. Metroid titles typically fare relatively poorly in Japan, and Nintendo's advertising push was unable to break the trend.<br></p> <p><a href="http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/news/23999">read more...</a></p> Pedro Hernandez <nospam@nintendoworldreport.com> 2010-09-08T21:54:07.883975 news/23999 2010-09-08T21:54:07.883975 http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/review/23997 <p>The gameplay soars, but the story is stuck on the ground.</p> <p><p>The Wii has received some notable RPG titles in the last few years, such as Namco Bandai's Tales series, while&nbsp;<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: arial,sans-serif; line-height: normal; border-collapse: collapse;">Wii owners in western markets wait for news&nbsp;regarding the latest two major JRPGs, Monado (titled Xenoblade in Japan) and The Last Story in order to</span>&nbsp;diversify the Wii's catalog of role-playing games. Just recently, however, the console received Marvelous Entertainment's Arc Rise Fantasia. It delivers a quality gameplay experience, but the quality of its story is problematic.</p></p> <p><a href="http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/review/23997">read more...</a></p> Pedro Hernandez <nospam@nintendoworldreport.com> 2010-09-08T12:17:09.263515 review/23997 2010-09-08T12:17:09.263515 http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/news/23996 <p>The latest Mega Man downloadable title is too big for Nintendo's service.</p> <p><p>At PAX, Capcom revealed that they wanted to release Mega Man Universe on WiiWare as well as the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, but the service's size restrictions prevented them from doing so. They are not able to do bring the game to WiiWare at this time.</p><p>Mega Man Universe is a classic Mega Man game featuring different characters, including three variations of Mega Man (Rock Man, Mega Man and Bad Box Art Mega Man) as well as Ryu from Street Fighter and other yet to be confirmed characters. The game was never announced for a WiiWare release, but is coming to Xbox Live and the Playstation Store in Spring 2011.</p></p> <p><a href="http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/news/23996">read more...</a></p> Pedro Hernandez <nospam@nintendoworldreport.com> 2010-09-08T08:38:05.447351 news/23996 2010-09-08T08:38:05.447351 http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/news/23995 <p>For a minimal fee, players can export most Rock Band 2 songs to the third game.</p> <p><p>Harmonix's John Drake confirms that Rock Band 3 will allow players to export songs from Rock Band 2 for a fee, similar to how Rock Band 2 allowed song export from Rock Band. The feature will work for all three console versions. Pricing and details have yet to be announced, but as before some songs may not be exportable due to licensing issues.<br></p><p>In addition to this, Drake explains that while regular songs will be priced at $2, content made for Rock Band 3's Pro Mode will probably be more expensive due to the songs featuring a lot more elements the team had to work on.</p></p> <p><a href="http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/news/23995">read more...</a></p> Pedro Hernandez <nospam@nintendoworldreport.com> 2010-09-08T08:29:06.0054 news/23995 2010-09-08T08:29:06.0054 http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/news/23994 <p>Famitsu reveals details on the sequel to the Ace Attorney spin-off.</p> <p><p>This week's Famitsu reveals that a sequel to Ace Attorney Investigations is in the works. Scans have surfaced in advance of the magazine's publication date showing the title "Gyakuten Kenji 2" for DS on the contents page. The feature pages from the issue have also found their way online, but currently the only source is a <a href="http://www.nintendoeverything.com/49721/">blurred scan</a> from which it is difficult to extract any information.&nbsp; <br></p><p>It is expected that Gyakuten Kenji 2, Turnabout Prosecutor, as the Ace Attorney Investigations series is known in Japan, will be playable at Tokyo Game Show next week. <br></p> <p><a href="http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/news/23994">read more...</a></p> Pedro Hernandez <nospam@nintendoworldreport.com> 2010-09-08T08:15:34.360522 news/23994 2010-09-08T08:15:34.360522 http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/news/23993 <p>The creators of The Conduit will be working on the latest Marvel title.</p> <p><p>In an interview with <a href="http://the-conduit.ning.com/">The Conduit Portal</a>, the Creative Director of The Conduit 2 confirmed that High Voltage Software have a team currently working on the Captain America game. <br></p><p>Titled Captain America: The First Avenger, Sega will be giving them more freedom when creating this title for the Wii compared to their last Marvel project, Iron Man 2. Other details will be released when the full interview goes live.</p><p></p></p> <p><a href="http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/news/23993">read more...</a></p> Pedro Hernandez <nospam@nintendoworldreport.com> 2010-09-08T08:04:22.018251 news/23993 2010-09-08T08:04:22.018251 http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/news/23991 <p>Artists gather to present their vision of Nintendo's mascot in honor of his 25th anniversary.</p> <p><p>The "La Central de Diseno de Matadero" museum in Madrid, Spain will be holding a special Super Mario exhibit in honor of the plumber's 25th anniversary. Titled "Once Upon a Super Mario," artists from all over the world will present their vision of Mario and his colorful universe.</p><p>"We have tried to capture the spirit of Mario's imaginary world," said Miguel Espada and Juan Santa Cruz, members of espadaysantacruz studio, the team behind the exhibition.</p><p>In addition to the "Once Upon a Super Mario" exhibit, a special event called "Miyamoto's Way" will honor the plumber's creator through interactive panels and play some of his games. Finally, visitors will be able to render their vision of the character using Art Academy for the DS. The drawings will then be part of a collection of drawings that will be hung from the ceiling.</p></p> <p><a href="http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/news/23991">read more...</a></p> Pedro Hernandez <nospam@nintendoworldreport.com> 2010-09-07T17:36:56.655379 news/23991 2010-09-07T17:36:56.655379 http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/news/23990 <p>The Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 version that comes with new copies of NBA Elite 11 will have online play, though.</p> <p><p>There will be no online support for NBA Jam on Wii, according to a Twitter post from EA Sports Community Manager Alain Quinto.</p><p>This follows the development team's comments about how they would only have online if they could get it working well. Various progress reports said they couldn't get it running at 60 frames per second, which is something Creative Director Trey Smith was adamant about maintaining in online play.</p><p>The Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 version of the game, which comes with new copies of NBA Elite 11, will feature online play, along with exhibition and the classic campaign.</p></p> <p><a href="http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/news/23990">read more...</a></p> Neal Ronaghan <nospam@nintendoworldreport.com> 2010-09-07T17:11:41.699437 news/23990 2010-09-07T17:11:41.699437 http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/news/23989 <p>It is a Smash Bros.-like mode featuring Star Wars characters.</p> <p><p>The Wii version of Star Wars: The Force Unleashed 2, developed by Red Fly Studios, will feature an exclusive multiplayer mode that plays a lot like Nintendo's Super Smash Bros. series. Up to four players can choose from eight Star Wars characters, including some hailing from The Clone Wars.<br><br>Like in Nintendo's series, the objective is to be the last one standing. Stages will change throughout the course of the battle as well as obstacles will appear. The game only features local play.<br><br></p> <p><a href="http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/news/23989">read more...</a></p> Pedro Hernandez <nospam@nintendoworldreport.com> 2010-09-06T18:41:17.771921 news/23989 2010-09-06T18:41:17.771921 http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/news/23987 <p>Take a trip to the old west, or turn a parrot into a burgeoning farm.<br></p> <p><p></p><p>This week in Nintendo downloads, we have five new games: one Virtual Console game, two WiiWare titles, and three Nintendo DSiWare releases.</p><p>The only WiiWare downloadable title for the week is Fenimore Fillmore "The Westerner" from Revistronic. &nbsp;This 1,000 Wii Point ($10) download is an adventure game that takes place in the old west. The game features a story that pits cowboys vs. ranchers and contains many colorful characters.</p><p>The lone Virtual Console release this week is Samurai Showdown III, originally a Neo Geo release from 1995. &nbsp;The game features one-on-one fighting and a beautiful graphic art style with classic Japanese imagery. &nbsp; The game is available now for 900 Wii Points ($9).</p></p> <p><a href="http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/news/23987">read more...</a></p> Andy Goergen <nospam@nintendoworldreport.com> 2010-09-06T18:34:09.271014 news/23987 2010-09-06T18:34:09.271014 http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/pr/23988 <p>Labor Day Weekend Draws People of All Ages to Los Angeles for Final Round of First-Ever Nationwide Wii Tournament</p> <p><p>Summer wasn't the only thing drawing to a close over Labor Day weekend as Nintendo hosted the final championship of its Wii Games: Summer 2010 nationwide competition. Approximately 200 finalists from around the country - joined by family, friends and spectators of all ages - gathered in Redondo Beach, Calif., to get up and get playing with motion-controlled video games for the Wii™ system. Tournament play included games such as<em> Wii Sports Resort™, Wii Fit™ Plus, New Super Mario Bros. ™ Wii</em> and <em>Mario Kart™ Wii. </em></p></p> <p><a href="http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/pr/23988">read more...</a></p> <nospam@nintendoworldreport.com> 2010-09-06T13:40:40.399599 pr/23988 2010-09-06T13:40:40.399599 http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/news/23986 <p>High Voltage's first-person shooter sequel won't be hitting stores in 2010, but it is getting Classic Controller support.</p> <p><p>Conduit 2 isn't coming out until 2011 according to a fact sheet released by developer High Voltage Software.</p><p>Along with that announcement, it was revealed that the game will support the Classic Controller and Classic Controller Pro in addition to the Wii Remote and Nunchuk setup from The Conduit and the sequel's addition of Wii MotionPlus. Conduit 2 features 12-player online play, four-player split-screen co-op and competitive multiplayer, and a continuation of the story that started in 2009's The Conduit.</p></p> <p><a href="http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/news/23986">read more...</a></p> Neal Ronaghan <nospam@nintendoworldreport.com> 2010-09-06T10:36:42.73054 news/23986 2010-09-06T10:36:42.73054 http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/news/23985 <p>The fifth Bit.Trip title has the Commander shooting stuff in space.</p> <p><p>At the Destructoid Live PAX event, Gaijin Games revealed the first gameplay footage of Bit.Trip Fate, the fifth game in the WiiWare exclusive Bit.Trip series. This time around the game will be a shooter in which players must guide Commander Video by shooting all the obstacles and enemies on screen. The title will retain the retro look the series is known for as well as a chip tune soundtrack by Minusbaby, which is available for purchase now on <a href="http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/gaijingames5">CD Baby</a>.</p></p> <p><a href="http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/news/23985">read more...</a></p> Pedro Hernandez <nospam@nintendoworldreport.com> 2010-09-06T09:27:19.930513 news/23985 2010-09-06T09:27:19.930513 http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/pr/23984 <p></p> <p><p>Sept. 6, 2010</p> <p><span>You've earned a day off. No matter what kind of labor keeps you busy on most Mondays, today is the perfect day to just relax and enjoy yourself. To help put you in the leisurely spirit, this week's new downloadable games for Wii™ and Nintendo DSi™ systems offer welcome diversions for everyone under the sun. Mosey into an atypical Old-West adventure with <i>Fenimore Fillmore "The Westerner"</i> for the WiiWare™ service. Live out your secret samurai fantasies with the NEOGEO classic <i>SAMURAI SHOWDOWN III</i>, now available on the Virtual Console™ service. For some fun on the go, the Nintendo DSiWare™ service now lets you test your tile-matching skills with <i>Simply Mahjong</i>, interact with rare birds in <i>My Exotic Farm</i>, or get your six-string kicks with <i>Music on: Acoustic Guitar</i>.<br></p> <p><a href="http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/pr/23984">read more...</a></p> <nospam@nintendoworldreport.com> 2010-09-06T08:36:07.049708 pr/23984 2010-09-06T08:36:07.049708 http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/rfn/23983 <p>Metroid: Other M is finally here, and the podcast crew is all over it.</p> <p><p>As you know, three of the four RFN crew are big Metroid fans, so it should be no surprise that this week's episode jumps right into a half-hour round of impressions and critique of Other M, with more to come soon. James was zoned out during the Other M talk, but we pull him back in for an update on his RPG saga, this time with Tales of Innocence, a Japan-only DS title with impressive presentation. Greg also has a recommendation for the WiiWare version of And Yet It Moves, while Jonny is lukewarm but satisfied with Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands.<br></p> <p><a href="http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/rfn/23983">read more...</a></p> Jonathan Metts Jon Lindemann James Jones Greg Leahy <nospam@nintendoworldreport.com> 2010-09-05T14:37:47.657384 rfn/23983 2010-09-05T14:37:47.657384 http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/news/23981 <p>Sales continue to decline as the Obon holiday effect wears off.</p> <p><p>While Capcom’s Monster Hunter Diary: Pukapoka Ailu Village debuts atop the Japanese sales chart this week, all eyes are on Pokemon Black and Pokemon White as pre-orders continue to pick up steam. With both games due for release later this month, if Nintendo can meet demand the pair could represent the biggest-ever opening sales week for a Pokemon title in Japan.</p><p>In the meantime, new games continue to flood the top 20. Capcom managed to bring the new PSP Monster Hunter Diary game to the summit this week, seeing it debut with sales of just over 256,000. In a distant second is another new PSP title, Ace Combat X2: Joint Assault, with sales of 57,000.<br></p> <p><a href="http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/news/23981">read more...</a></p> Jon Lindemann Matthew Blundon <nospam@nintendoworldreport.com> 2010-09-05T07:39:00.896474 news/23981 2010-09-05T07:39:00.896474 http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/news/23980 <p>An unofficial survey reveals that Japan is excited for RPG titles on 3DS.</p> <p><p>In a survey conducted by Japanese gaming website, 4Gamer.net, players were asked what 3DS title they were looking forward to. Out of the 21,810 responses they received, many players answered that they were looking forward to Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest 3DS, despite the fact that neither title has been shown in any form. <br></p><p>Final Fantasy, however, topped Dragon Quest, despite the latter's popularity in the country. The first Nintendo title in the list is The Legend of Zelda, followed by Metal Gear Solid, both titles that were shown at E3 this past June in the form of tech demos.<br></p> <p><a href="http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/news/23980">read more...</a></p> Pedro Hernandez <nospam@nintendoworldreport.com> 2010-09-04T12:02:12.586184 news/23980 2010-09-04T12:02:12.586184 http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/newscast/23978 <p>Nathan reveals his darkest deer-related secrets in this week's Metroid-filled newscast.<br></p> <p><p>Three quarters of the Newscast crew have played Metroid: Other M, and thus a large portion of the opening half-hour of the show deals with our thoughts and impressions of the game.&nbsp; Neal defends the game, Zach bitches about the game, and Andy is somewhere in the middle.</p><p>Meanwhile, Andy talks about his upcoming review of Ivy the Kiwi?, Nathan regales us with tales of "capturing" deer, and Neal talks about the newest game in the Taziverse in Galactic Taz Ball.</p><p>The weekly WiiWare and DSiWare releases are covered, as well as the Virtual Console release of the past two weeks.</p></p> <p><a href="http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/newscast/23978">read more...</a></p> Andy Goergen <nospam@nintendoworldreport.com> 2010-09-04T11:46:02.705834 newscast/23978 2010-09-04T11:46:02.705834 http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/news/23979 <p>Hollis believes that the remake is motivated by profits rather than passion.</p> <p><p>In an interview with Official Nintendo Magazine, original GoldenEye 007 and Perfect Dark designer and producer, and former Rare employee Martin Hollis talks about Activision's Wii remake. <br><br>He believes that the real reason for the game's existence is profit rather than passion, and doubts that the new title will do justice to the beloved N64 title. "I imagine it is a business decision isn't it? This name is valuable, let's use it. I find it hard to picture Activision's top management being excited about the original and wanting to do it justice. In fact, I find it hard to imagine them being excited about any game. It's my perception that they are trying to be EA, only more so. I think they are doing a fine job at that." - Hollis told the publication. <br></p> <p><a href="http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/news/23979">read more...</a></p> Pedro Hernandez <nospam@nintendoworldreport.com> 2010-09-04T11:01:18.847004 news/23979 2010-09-04T11:01:18.847004 http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/news/23977 <p>Nintendo will be promoting a random Wii Party by including it in their next TV advertisement.</p> <p><p>In honor of the release of Wii Party next month, Nintendo is holding a special contest. Players who participate and are chosen will have star in a TV ad for Wii Party. The <a href="http://wiiparty.nintendo.com/castingcall/form.html">entry form</a> asks players questions about their ideal party, which includes why Nintendo should promote it, who would they invite and even their favorite food. &nbsp;<br><br>The contest starts on September 3 and will end on September 10. The contest is open for players within the United States.</p></p> <p><a href="http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/news/23977">read more...</a></p> Pedro Hernandez <nospam@nintendoworldreport.com> 2010-09-04T10:48:03.344822 news/23977 2010-09-04T10:48:03.344822 http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/review/23974 <p>Nintendo's answer to Hudson's My Aquarium struggles to stay afloat.</p> <p><p>Way back in 2008, Hudson released My Aquarium exclusively for the WiiWare service, and to many people's surprise, it turned out to be a huge success. Fast forward to almost two years later and along comes Nintendo's answer to My Aquarium, AquaSpace. While AquaSpace appears to have a lot more going for it, such as the inclusion of Mii characters, it ultimately fails to challenge My Aquarium as the best fish tank simulator on WiiWare.</p><p>The goal of AquaSpace is simple as you design and decorate your very own fish tank. The game gives you full customization of your aquarium, ranging from its look to the fish that will inhabit it. To no surprise, AquaSpace is more of an interactive screensaver than a game. Of course, designing and decorating your own fish tank can be very time consuming, but the intention is to pop the game on and have it playing on your television while you entertain a party or while you relax.</p></p> <p><a href="http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/review/23974">read more...</a></p> Matthew Blundon <nospam@nintendoworldreport.com> 2010-09-03T13:31:47.143155 review/23974 2010-09-03T13:31:47.143155 http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/news/23973 <p>Imagine really fast vertical Tetris combined with Operation.</p> <p><p>Nintendo's Japanese website has been <a href="http://www.nintendo.co.jp/wii/wiiware/w3kj/technique/index.html">updated</a> with a page for a new Nintendo-published WiiWare title.</p><p>Surinuke Anatousu, developed by Nintendo and Keys Factory, is a single player puzzle game where you direct a Tetris-like shape of varying configurations and sizes through gaps in the approaching wall by moving and rotating it in three dimensions. The gaps vary in size and shape, and power-ups can cause your shape to change in size. Four control schemes are supported, Wii Remote + Nunchuk, Wii Remote (horizonally), Classic Controller, and Classic Controller Pro.</p></p> <p><a href="http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/news/23973">read more...</a></p> Karlie Yeung <nospam@nintendoworldreport.com> 2010-09-03T13:21:55.100951 news/23973 2010-09-03T13:21:55.100951 http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/news/23972 <p>The company's recent merger will allow "greater synergy" and strengthen the foundation of Atlus in Japan and the United States.</p> <p><p>Atlus recently sent out an e-mail that contained a quote from Shinichi Suzuki, the president and CEO of Atlus USA, and should alleviate any worries about the future of the company following the announcement that Atlus Co. Ltd. was being absorbed into Index Holdings, the parent company of Atlus.</p><p>"We want to assure our fans and affiliates that Atlus remains in operation and will continue, as always, to support our beloved community with the finest quality game experiences possible," Suzuki said. "The Atlus-Index merger allows us to achieve greater synergy among the Index group companies and further strengthens the foundation of Atlus, both in Japan and here in the United States."</p></p> <p><a href="http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/news/23972">read more...</a></p> Neal Ronaghan <nospam@nintendoworldreport.com> 2010-09-03T11:26:17.603131 news/23972 2010-09-03T11:26:17.603131 http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/blog/23971 <p></p> <p><p>Lost in Shadow, a Wii-exclusive puzzle/platformer from Hudson Soft, is looking like one of the coolest games coming out soon. Now you can show your interest by "liking" the <a href="http://www.facebook.com/lostinshadow">game's fan page on Facebook</a>... and for each person who does, Hudson will donate ten cents to Child's Play Charity. Doesn't sound like much, but with over 1,000 fans already active, it means hundreds of dollars are already on the table. There's also a contest for anyone who likes the page and changes their profile picture to something with a lot of shadows in it... check out the link for details, and be sure to like the page while you're there to help a great charity!</p></p> <p><a href="http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/blog/23971">read more...</a></p> Jonathan Metts <nospam@nintendoworldreport.com> 2010-09-03T11:20:01.312158 blog/23971 2010-09-03T11:20:01.312158 http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/news/23967 <p>Kirby's Epic Yarn and Golden Sun: Dark Dawn accompany the pack on Nintendo's October Japanese release schedule.</p> <p><p>Nintendo has revealed October's game release schedule for Japan, and included in the list is a surprise, Super Mario Collection Special Pack.&nbsp; The package was revealed at a Nintendo retailer briefing today and includes a Wii version of Super Mario All-Stars, a booklet titled "Super Mario History 1985 - 2010, " and a CD with Mario game music tracks spanning from Super Mario Bros. to Super Mario Galaxy 2.&nbsp; The booklet covers the past 25 years of Mario series history and includes previously unreleased development materials.&nbsp; The limited edition will be released on October 21, about five weeks after the September 13 quarter-century anniversary of Super Mario Bros, for a cost of 2500 yen ($30).<br></p> <p><a href="http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/news/23967">read more...</a></p> Aaron Kaluszka Matt Walker <nospam@nintendoworldreport.com> 2010-09-02T01:05:04.257571 news/23967 2010-09-02T01:05:04.257571 http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/radiotrivia/23966 <p>Nathan joins the 'cast for some game music goodness. No crickets.</p> <p><p>Did you like the third game? Let your fellow listeners know in TalkBack! Think you've got a better choice? <b>Then <a href="/mail/11">send it my way</a> and your request might be on the next episode of Radio Trivia: Podcast Edition!</b>&nbsp; Heck, throw in a question and specific songs if you want.&nbsp; Just remember, it has to be a game found on a Nintendo system in North America (unless we say otherwise)!</p></p> <p><a href="http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/radiotrivia/23966">read more...</a></p> Michael "TYP" Cole <nospam@nintendoworldreport.com> 2010-09-01T19:48:33.995706 radiotrivia/23966 2010-09-01T19:48:33.995706 http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/news/23965 <p>The next game from the guys who made Henry Hatsworth won't be coming out this year.</p> <p><p>Majesco confirmed today that Monster Tale isn't coming out until early 2011.</p><p>Originally slated for a December 2010 release, the game is listed by some retailers as coming out on March 15, 2011.</p><p>Monster Tale is a DS game developed by DreamRift, a studio made up of members of the team who made Henry Hatsworth and the Puzzling Adventure. Like Hatsworth, it combines two genres and makes use of the system's dual screens. In Monster Tale's case, it combines a Metroidvania adventure with a virtual pet simulator. You can check out <a href="http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/impressions/23400">our E3 impressions</a> for more about the game.<br></p> <p><a href="http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/news/23965">read more...</a></p> Neal Ronaghan <nospam@nintendoworldreport.com> 2010-09-01T18:48:15.324933 news/23965 2010-09-01T18:48:15.324933 http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/review/23962 <p>Not quite the wipeout many people were expecting.</p> <p><p>Based off of the popular ABC television show of the same name, Wipeout: The Game for DS is, in essence, a rather simple minigame collection aimed primarily at younger demographics. The game has a lot in common with the television series, most notably that the main goal of both of them is to run through obstacle-filled courses without ‘wiping out’ along the way.</p><p>The game is fairly easy to understand in terms of controls. The directional pad is used to control the movement of your character, while pressing the Y button will allow them to sprint. The B button is used to allow your character to duck, whereas the X button enables them to jump. Holding the A button will allow the character to block projectiles and objects thrown at the player in the Sucker Punch and Butt Kicker obstacles.</p></p> <p><a href="http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/review/23962">read more...</a></p> Matthew Blundon <nospam@nintendoworldreport.com> 2010-09-01T11:36:53.259432 review/23962 2010-09-01T11:36:53.259432 http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/review/23955 <p>It's mahjong, what did you expect?</p> <p><p>3D Mahjong is shockingly the first <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mahjong_solitaire">mahjong game</a> available for DSiWare in North America. It offers everything you'd expect from a mahjong game on the DS, with 50 different tile layouts and touch screen controls, but finicky control and a sense of aimlessness make the game a serviceable but bland experience.</p><p>The game is controlled exclusively on the touch screen, and both screens offer a different view on the layout of tiles. The controls work, but sometimes you have to select a tile multiple times before the game registers it. You have to be very deliberate with your movements, which can slow down the pace of the game considerably.</p></p> <p><a href="http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/review/23955">read more...</a></p> Neal Ronaghan <nospam@nintendoworldreport.com> 2010-09-01T11:25:08.874716 review/23955 2010-09-01T11:25:08.874716 http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/pr/23953 <p>Nintendo Visits Union Square to Find Out Who's Better at Solving Puzzles - Ladies or Gents?</p> <p><table class="bwtablebottommargin" id="t6412473_1" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr><td class="bwcellpaddingleft0 bwverticalaligntop bwtextalignleft" colspan="1" id="t6412473_1_0_9800" rowspan="1"><p class="bwcellparagraphmargin"> <b>WHAT:</b> </p> </td> <td colspan="1" rowspan="1"> &nbsp; </td> <td colspan="1" rowspan="1"> &nbsp; </td> <td colspan="1" rowspan="1"> &nbsp; </td> <td colspan="1" rowspan="1"> &nbsp; </td> <td colspan="1" rowspan="1"> &nbsp; </td> <td class="bwcellpaddingleft0 bwverticalaligntop bwtextalignleft" colspan="1" id="t6412473_1_0_1360800" rowspan="1"> <p class="bwcellparagraphmargin"> Nintendo is hosting a puzzle challenge to help celebrate the launch of <a target="_blank" href="http://cts.businesswire.com/ct/CT?id=smartlink&amp;url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.professorlaytonds.com%2F&amp;esheet=6412473&amp;lan=en-US&amp;anchor=Professor+Layton+and+the+Unwound+Future%E2%84%A2&amp;index=1&amp;md5=6e5b5a8fafa5fd0dc6dc5ccf844e0771" shape="rect"><i>Professor Layton and the Unwound Future</i>^<i>™</i></a>, a new hand-held game created exclusively for the Nintendo DS^™ family of systems. On Sept. 7, visitors to San Francisco’s Union Square shopping center are invited to take part in Professor Layton’s “Ladies vs. Gents” Puzzle Challenge. Actors dressed as though they stepped out of the game and into the present will invite consumers to enter a classic red, British-style telephone booth – a nod to the game’s London setting – and play through a fun and challenging selection of the new game’s puzzles at this free event. Men’s and women’s scores will be tallied and compared throughout the day to determine which gender has the top puzzle-solving chops. Similar events will be held in Boston, Chicago and Philadelphia to give men and women around the country an early look at the game and a chance to rack up points for their gender. </p></p> <p><a href="http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/pr/23953">read more...</a></p> <nospam@nintendoworldreport.com> 2010-08-31T13:15:36.134549 pr/23953 2010-08-31T13:15:36.134549 http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/pr/23952 <p>Classic Game Play, Immersive Graphics and Revealing Storyline Power New Metroid Game for Wii</p> <p><p>REDMOND, Wash., Aug. 31, 2010 - Samus Aran, protagonist of <a href="http://www.nintendo.com/" target="_blank">Nintendo</a>'s <i>Metroid™</i> series, is already known as one of the most iconic heroines in video game history. Now, with the launch of<i> <a href="http://metroid.com/" target="_blank">Metroid™: Other M</a></i> for the Wii™ system today, players are about to discover more about this enigmatic bounty hunter than ever before. Combining crisp action, immersive graphics and multifaceted controls, this latest entry in the legendary Metroid franchise marks a return to classic form that will captivate fans and newcomers alike.</p></p> <p><a href="http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/pr/23952">read more...</a></p> <nospam@nintendoworldreport.com> 2010-08-31T12:49:25.293442 pr/23952 2010-08-31T12:49:25.293442 http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/news/23946 <p>With the game's imminent release, we give you one more batch of clips.</p> <p><p>Recently, Japan received a third 30-second commercial, full of story teasing and the re-emergence of the mysterious female scientist. Japan Correspondent Matt Walker has the translation for you.</p><center><object height="385" width="640"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/fDJ1-OA18Ek?fs=1&amp;hl=en_US"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/fDJ1-OA18Ek?fs=1&amp;hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" height="385" width="640"></object></center><p>Additionally, the English version of the action-heavy "Story Trailer" has been posted by Nintendo, with a quick look at the members of the Federation's 07th Platoon.</p></p> <p><a href="http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/news/23946">read more...</a></p> Aaron Kaluszka Matt Walker <nospam@nintendoworldreport.com> 2010-08-30T23:25:17.902937 news/23946 2010-08-30T23:25:17.902937 http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/review/23945 <p>It's not great for a Metroid game, but there is some fun to be had... after the credits roll.</p> <p><p>I beat Metroid: Other M on Saturday night and instantly sat down to write a very negative, raw, emotional review of what had turned out to be a very disappointing game. The next day, however, I sat down with it again and discovered that, bizarrely, it actually improves immensely once you load up your completed game. So, I binned the old review and played some more. And what I found was wonderful, so I have to try this review again. And the more I thought about the story and the pacing of Other M, famously lambasted by other media outlets, I came to realize that, really, none of us should be surprised by the direction the series has gone. We’ll get to that in a minute, but first, let’s talk about this newest game in Samus’s long-running adventures.</p></p> <p><a href="http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/review/23945">read more...</a></p> Zachary Miller <nospam@nintendoworldreport.com> 2010-08-30T22:00:59.31326 review/23945 2010-08-30T22:00:59.31326 http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/news/23944 <p>A new documentary has the game's directors talking about its development.</p> <p><p>A recently-released mini-documentary entitled "Metroid: Other M - The Challenge of Project M" features three of the driving forces behind Metroid: Other M discussing its development.&nbsp; Series creator Yoshio Sakamoto, D-Rockets' Director of Presentation Ryuzi Kitaura, and Team Ninja's Yosuke Hayashi detailed their participation in, and philosophy regarding, the Other M project.</p><p><b>Part I</b></p><center><object height="385" width="640"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/KsJlNhSx0SI?fs=1&amp;hl=en_US"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/KsJlNhSx0SI?fs=1&amp;hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" height="385" width="640"></object></center><br></p> <p><a href="http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/news/23944">read more...</a></p> Jon Lindemann <nospam@nintendoworldreport.com> 2010-08-30T20:48:02.799276 news/23944 2010-08-30T20:48:02.799276 http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/blog/23941 <p>Kirby's Epic...Trousers?</p> <p><p>A recent preview of Kirby’s Epic Yarn (or Epic Yam, as we like to call it) in Nintendo Power, showcased the story and background behind Kirby’s latest adventure. It turns out that the sorceror Yin-Yarn is out to cause mayhem by turning Dream Land's inhabitants into Yarn. Kirby, being the only one who can try to take action, ends up angering the sorceror, and is sucked into the sock around Yin-Yarn's neck, leaving Kirby in Patch Land. The article included this screenshot from the game's story.<br></p> <p><a href="http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/blog/23941">read more...</a></p> Karlie Yeung <nospam@nintendoworldreport.com> 2010-08-30T17:11:16.005981 blog/23941 2010-08-30T17:11:16.005981 http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/blog/23933 <p></p> <p><p>Longtime readers might recall when my Xbox 360 died back in December.&nbsp; I wrote what might be the <a href="http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/blog/20488">least dramatic moment-by-moment retelling of a death in human history</a>.&nbsp; Over a month later, I wrote a follow-up blog post about the <a href="http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/blog/20831">absolutely insane events</a> that followed.<br></p><p>The short version is as follows:<br></p><p>1. The Xbox died in early December.<br>2. I shipped it a few days later.<br></p> <p><a href="http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/blog/23933">read more...</a></p> James Jones <nospam@nintendoworldreport.com> 2010-08-30T16:20:03.666027 blog/23933 2010-08-30T16:20:03.666027 http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/news/23940 <p>The Shin Megami Tensei and Trauma Center developer will no longer operate as an independent developer/publisher.</p> <p><p>Japanese developer and publisher Atlus Co., Ltd. has been dissolved by parent company Index Holdings, which originally acquired the company on October 30, 2007. The parent company will continue to release games under the Atlus brand, merged with their mobile subsidiary Index, and Atlus will no longer operate as an independent entity. Atlus will no longer be listed on the Japanese stock exchange following the merger on October 1, and Index has the possibility of using Atlus IP for cell phone titles.<br></p> <p><a href="http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/news/23940">read more...</a></p> Karlie Yeung James Jones <nospam@nintendoworldreport.com> 2010-08-30T12:56:47.594925 news/23940 2010-08-30T12:56:47.594925 http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/news/23939 <p>It's a quiet week, with all titles fitting on one Nintendo Points card, should you choose to redeem it so.</p> <p><p>This week brings us only one WiiWare and three DSiWare games, covering fewer subjects than the usual list of far and wide venues. We're only going to Elastic Land, space, notebooks, and keyboards this time.<br></p><p>If you're desperate for a new WiiWare title, your only option is Tales of Elastic Boy - Mission 1. Said to take full advantage of the Wii Remote controller, you use the pointer to control Elastic Boy's stretchable arms. With a physics engine at the core, this particular superhero's arms can stretch out for use as projectiles to smash enemies. Or you could just jump on them. Lexis Numerique are bringing this title to everyone for 600 Points ($6). <br></p> <p><a href="http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/news/23939">read more...</a></p> Karlie Yeung <nospam@nintendoworldreport.com> 2010-08-30T12:54:40.769481 news/23939 2010-08-30T12:54:40.769481 http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/pr/23938 <p></p> <p><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="595"><tbody><tr><td><p>August 30, 2010</p> <p>Newly available on the WiiWare™ service, <i>Tales of Elastic Boy – Mission 1 </i>truly stretches the possibilities for console adventure. On the Nintendo DSiWare™ service, you'll discover epic space battles in<i> Cosmos X2</i>, create customized notes with<i> myNotebook: Pearl</i>™, and learn to play timeless melodies with <i>Music on: Learning Piano</i>. Whether you're headed back to school or simply flipping another calendar page, these new offerings will help freshen up your gaming regimen as you head into fall.<br></p> <p><a href="http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/pr/23938">read more...</a></p> <nospam@nintendoworldreport.com> 2010-08-30T09:54:26.775269 pr/23938 2010-08-30T09:54:26.775269 http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/news/23936 <p>Get ready for the third entry in the series when it hits this year.</p> <p><p>Golden Sun: Dark Dawn is coming out on November 29, according to a recent press release from Nintendo.</p><p>This comes after the game's suspicious absence in Nintendo's fall release date press release. <br></p><p>The game takes place 30 years after the events of the first two Golden Sun games, and follows a new groups of heroes who have to save the changed world. It will feature all of the conventions of the earlier games, with magical Djinns that can help you inside and outside of battle.<br></p></p> <p><a href="http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/news/23936">read more...</a></p> Neal Ronaghan <nospam@nintendoworldreport.com> 2010-08-30T09:25:18.923935 news/23936 2010-08-30T09:25:18.923935 http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/pr/23937 <p></p> <p><p>The dawn of a new entry in the renowned Golden Sun™ video game series has nearly arrived in North America. Nintendo has announced that Golden Sun: Dark Dawn for the top-selling Nintendo DS™ family of portable game systems will launch on Nov. 29.</p><p>Offering a planet-sized world of adventure to explore and conquer, Golden Sun: Dark Dawn puts the raw power of the elements in players' hands. Each of the game's playable characters is capable of carrying Djinn, spirits that imbue their owner with unique and powerful abilities. Players can collect more than 70 unique Djinn, granting them the ability to summon mighty deities who unleash devastating attacks that fill both Nintendo DS screens. Djinn powers can also be used to navigate puzzling dungeons and overworld environments that will have players flinging fireballs to burn away obstacles, freezing water to raise platforms, or summoning whirlwinds to create bridges out of floating objects.</p></p> <p><a href="http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/pr/23937">read more...</a></p> <nospam@nintendoworldreport.com> 2010-08-30T09:22:06.266706 pr/23937 2010-08-30T09:22:06.266706 http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/news/23935 <p>The two models of the DSi are set to take a price plunge in just a few weeks.</p> <p><p>Nintendo has announced plans to drop the prices of the Nintendo DSi and Nintendo DSi XL systems on September 12. The DSi will fall from $169.99 to $149.99, and the DSi XL will fall from $189.99 to $169.99. The DS Lite will remain at an MSRP of $129.99.</p><p>This drop comes as Nintendo plans to unveil the pricing and availability of the upcoming Nintendo 3DS within the next month. No details have been revealed regarding the Nintendo 3DS as of yet, but after the system's launch, Nintendo will have DS systems at five different price points.</p></p> <p><a href="http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/news/23935">read more...</a></p> Andy Goergen <nospam@nintendoworldreport.com> 2010-08-30T09:17:55.555898 news/23935 2010-08-30T09:17:55.555898 http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/pr/23934 <p>Latest versions of best-selling portable video game system in history to be priced at $149.99 and $169.99.</p> <p><p>REDMOND, Wash., Aug. 30, 2010 - Nintendo is dropping the suggested retail price of its Nintendo DSi™ and Nintendo DSi XL™ video game systems. Effective Sept. 12, the new suggested retail price of the Nintendo DSi system will be $149.99, while the new suggested retail price for the Nintendo DSi XL system will be $169.99. The Nintendo DS™ Lite model will remain at a suggested retail price of $129.99. The Nintendo DS family of video game systems is the best-selling in the history of the U.S. and worldwide. The new prices offer consumers tremendous value for their money while providing access to the best portable video game experiences possible.</p></p> <p><a href="http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/pr/23934">read more...</a></p> <nospam@nintendoworldreport.com> 2010-08-30T09:15:51.422106 pr/23934 2010-08-30T09:15:51.422106 http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/news/23931 <p>The $70 package includes the game, a figurine, a behind-the-scenes DVD, and more.</p> <p><p>Disney Epic Mickey is getting the collector's edition treatment according to a recent listing by Toys R Us.</p><p>The package, retailing for $70, includes a copy of Disney Epic Mickey for Wii, a 5-inch Mickey figure, a DVD with behind-the-scenes footage and more, a stylized Wii Remote faceplate, and a pair of Wii console skins.</p><p>The listing also gives the game a November 15 release date, but it is unknown if that is just a placeholder date or the real deal. It is also unknown is this collector's edition is exclusive to Toys R Us or not.</p></p> <p><a href="http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/news/23931">read more...</a></p> Neal Ronaghan <nospam@nintendoworldreport.com> 2010-08-29T18:05:51.4035 news/23931 2010-08-29T18:05:51.4035 http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/pr/23930 <p>Songs being mixed for the game's soundtrack spin to the tune of over 1.5 billion online video views.</p> <p><p>SANTA MONICA, CA – August 26, 2010 – When the party starts on October 19, budding beat chemists, singing sensations and all of their friends will experience over 100 of the biggest tracks from the hottest artists, remixed exclusively for DJ Hero® 2, including Eminem’s “Not Afraid,” Lady Gaga’s “Bad Romance,” David Guetta’s “Memories” feat. Kid Cudi, Lil’ Wayne’s “Lollipop” feat. Static Major, and Dizzee Rascal &amp; Armand Van Helden’s “Bonkers,” Activision Publishing, Inc. (Nasdaq: ATVI) announced today.&nbsp; Cranking up the soundtrack to “the most innovative and immersive music experience of 2009,”* the full list of 105 speaker-blaring tracks and club-shaking anthems that will be transformed into over 80 unique mixes for DJ Hero 2 reads like a who’s who of music industry giants.</p></p> <p><a href="http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/pr/23930">read more...</a></p> <nospam@nintendoworldreport.com> 2010-08-29T17:57:38.317654 pr/23930 2010-08-29T17:57:38.317654