Ice Climber on the 3DS Virtual Console now has download play multiplayer in Japan via an update for 3DS Ambassadors.
As of right now, no other Virtual Console game on 3DS has the ability to do this. It is not currently known if or when other games will get similar treatment, though multiplayer capability for the NES games was promised in future updates when the Ambassador program was announced.
Neon Alley, a 24-hour anime service from Viz Media in the vein of Netflix, will be coming to game consoles this fall.
The service will include entirely dubbed and uncut episodes of shows (and entire films) from various distributors including Viz Media, Aniplex USA, and Tai Seng. It will debut at $6.99 per month and offer limited commercial interruption.
As of right now, a list of consoles the service will debut on is unconfirmed.
Whether or not you think you've heard of Jason Paige, you have heard Jason Paige. Paige, among other things, is known as the original singer of the Pokémon anime's theme song, a tune many of us may connect directly to the Pokémon series, or perhaps to some of our childhoods in general. We talked with Paige to discuss his career, his experience as a singer for the show, and whether he himself is a fan of video games. You can learn more about Jason Paige at his official website, his ReverbNation page, or on YouTube.
How did you get the original job 14 years ago? What was the experience like?
I got the job through a music house that I had sung other jingles for. I was singing about 100 jingles every year and this was just another demo for an unknown Japanese TV show. After haggling over multiple possibilities, the tag line "gotta catch 'em all" was settled on. Once the TV show became a success, millions of video tapes were sold, dozens of products/toys were invented. Many of these included sound bites of the theme. Watches, room greeters, etc. There was soon a rush to record a full-length version of the theme for the 2.B.A. Master album. I recorded the extended theme and the song "Viridian City" prior to receiving a contract on good faith that it would cover the dozens of known uses that I had yet to be compensated for. When a contract was finally presented it covered none of these additional uses and little compensation for the CD as well. Long story short, after over two years and six attorneys to help me bring claims against the seven companies whose products my voice appeared on, I was forced to take a settlement that was equal to far less than what the original contract offered.
That experience was painful and somewhat tragic. Mostly because there's no precedent for what it's worth. There aren't cases much like this. Let me ask you, what would a jury decide on this question: What percentage of the success of Pokémon from that point on can be attributed to the voice of theme song? One percent? 1/1000 of one percent? The phenomenon went on to make millions each year. Whenever any cash register went off from a pokésale, a little "gotta catch 'em all" went through someones mind. When I do the math it brings me to tears. Not.
How did you react to the fan reaction to your work?
My reaction to the fans reaction is ever-changing. Initially, my fans were between the ages of 3 and 15, and now they're between the ages of 3 and 30. I'm always flattered when someone is moved by my voice and vocal performance, and also by the Pokémon phenomenon. Some people's childhoods were and are filled with Pokémon events. When you look at the amount of times the song has been played, it is staggering. Every time is three minutes with me blasting melodies and lyrics into your ears connecting you with whatever your memory of Pokémon is. Ultimately, when I'm announced at events and people find out I sing the song and are fans or haters, I'll sing a snippet.
Did it lead to anything?
It led to many things. The recognition of my voice is a major credit in my resume, that, alongside the other things that I've done that have been broadcast at such high levels… it's one of many jobs. Everything you do leads to something—leads to many things—this has also led to many things for other people, obviously, and the company of Pokémon. Directly related, it also led to my releasing the Pokémon Ron Paul theme song; it led to me beat-boxing the Pokémon dust-up, it led to me singing it for my friends, [at] parties for little kids. And it also led to many people hating the song.
Do you play video games?
Back in the day, I [played] Missile Command and Donkey Kong. And actually, I had an Intellivision system; that was one of the first home video game systems—Atari and Intellivision. So those were my video games back in the day. It's only right that I should have inspired another modern video [game] craze.
What do you think of the show?
I think the show's great! I think—more so of the whole empire than the show—is a… there's many different tentacles that you can latch onto, from the cards to the video aspect—the cartoons, the live shows—[to] the games, the online community. It's a phenomenon. It's almost a… I don't know what it actually would be called. Maybe even a subculture of sorts, because there are conventions and stores and gatherings and tournaments… people spending their lives in this subculture, as much as any other subculture. In this case, millions and millions of people having lots of their lives affected by it. So absolutely, it is a great thing in the universe, and I'm glad to have been a pivotal part of it.
How has your career been since original role?
My life has been pretty much the same… I've been a rock star beforehand, I've been a rock star since. And I will continue to be a rock star as long as they'll let me! [I'm] the same rock star that everybody is, expect I have my voice distributed through multiple means of public media and mass media, but then again, so does everybody now, on YouTube and in their own way, projecting themselves throughout the digital universe, with great success, from their bedrooms and their webcams. Maybe even greater than the success of Pokémon is [Charlie] as he bit his brother's finger. I mean, that's a rock star right there, and he doesn't even know it. I have had relative successes in my life as other ways, so whatever success you attribute to the Pokémon theme song can be attributed to other things that I've done in my life.
Have people identified you on the street or at conventions?
People have not identified me on the street or conventions because they don't know who I am. I'm the voice of a song that has no face, until now, and most of that's because of my resentment of the lawsuit, I think, just because I have not approached even parodying it […] In the first few years, I didn't take advantage of the opportunities to perform at dozens of events, I'm sure—I can't even imagine how many thousands and thousands of place there would have been for me to perform the Pokémon theme song, back in the first few years of Pokémon mania. And even now, perhaps there are places—I have not sought them out—but you might see me singing it somewhere in the future, since I'm singing the parody of it for my Libertarian choice in Ron Paul.
Have you released albums or held concerts?
Yes. I perform four days a week at Bar Vermont, north of Hollywood Boulevard, and "For the Record: Boogies Nights," (the fifth in a series) a concert of songs from the soundtrack and themes from the movies of Paul Thomas Anderson (Boogie Nights and Magnolia). It's really effing cool. I have performed in many other incarnations and concerts, from everybody from Michael Jackson, to my own one-man show… I'm building a list of deceased people who I've sung with: Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston, Luther Vandross, Jani Lane… Jim Henson—I sang backgrounds on the Muppet Movie and it was behind an original track of Henson singing.
Toki Tori will be coming to 3DS Virtual Console as a Game Boy Color title, as reported by developer Two Tribes' Twitter account.
The game is a puzzle platformer in which a chick, named Toki Tori, goes on a quest to save his younger siblings, still inside of eggs. The game was also remade as a WiiWare title in 2008, though since the tweet references Virtual Console, this version will likely not be the one released on 3DS.
As of this writing, no release date has been specified, though Two Tribes states that the game is coming "very soon."
Mario Tennis and Electroplankton Rec-Rec are now available for download on Club Nintendo as the July downloads.
Mario Tennis is an iteration of the tennis series on the Nintendo 64, available on the Wii as a virtual console title for 150 coins. You can read Matthew Blundon's recommendation here.
The other title, Electroplankton Rec-Rec, is one of the ten musical programs originally released as Electroplankton on Nintendo DS. Originally releasing at $1.99, Rec-Rec will be available for Club Nintendo members this month for 100 coins.
Today, June 30, is the last day to earn Platinum or Gold status on Club Nintendo in North America.
In previous years, getting a set number of coins within the year could net users items like calendars, a Super Mario Bros. statue, or a pin collection. To get gold status (which gets users a smaller item like a calendar), users need to earn 300 coins in a given year. To get the larger reward, 600 coins need to be earned. Rewards will be announced at a later date.
Any coins earned can still be spent, so one is not forced to maintain 600 coins in his or her account so long as 600 coins were earned during the year. However, coins expire after two years, so any coins earned prior to July 1, 2010 will disappear if not used by today. Counters for these values are found on the Club Nintendo website.
Lastly, it should be noted that larger Club Nintendo changes are going into effect tomorrow. Coins offered for surveys will change. For instance, Nintendo Selects titles will drop in value from 50 coins to 20 coins, 3DS post-play surveys will reduce from 20 coins to 10, and more.
The deadline is midnight Pacific Time, but Club Nintendo users are urged not to wait until the last minute since the increased server load may make registration difficult as the deadline approaches.
Medal of Honor: Warfighter may be headed to 3DS, as reported by a recently removed Game Informer listing.
The website originally listed the title for 3DS, despite the publisher only fully confirming releases on PS3, PC, and Xbox 360. The listing, however, has since been removed. Game Informer also incorrectly listed the upcoming Tomb Raider title for Wii U, so the validity is in question.
Did you like this episode's game selections? Let your fellow listeners know in TalkBack! Think you've got a better choice? Then send it my way and your request might be on the next episode of Radio Trivia: Podcast Edition! Heck, throw in a question and specific songs if you want. Just remember, it has to be a game found on a Nintendo system in North America (unless we say otherwise)!
The Fatal Frame IP is now co-owned by Nintendo, as reported by Rely On Horror.
After recently updating its copyright status, it has been revealed that in addition to co-owning Fatal Frame (also known as Project Zero), Nintendo also has full ownership of Spirit Camera: The Cursed Memoir on 3DS, a spin-off of the franchise.
The two most recent console iterations of the series were also Wii exclusives - Zero: Mask of the Lunar Eclipse in 2008 and Project Zero 2: Crimson Butterfly Wii Edition, set to release next week. The former was only released in Japan, and the latter is getting a European localization, however a North American release is still up in the air.
Here is a list of the revealed Pokémon Conquest passwords thus far. To access them, go to the menu on the main overworld map and select the password option. After the password is confirmed, push the in-game time forward a month and the Pokémon should appear somewhere on the map. These passwords come from Serebii, and can only be used on North American versions of the title.
I really need to play this game. I mean, it's right there on my 3DS, and I enjoyed the first GBA one soooo much.
For me, it was like any other RPG. I always go into it begrudgingly, expecting a slow start, and as I play through the game, it goes from 30 minute blocks at a time to two hour blocks at a time as I get into it. Pressing A on the 3DS icon is always the hardest step.
Despite my colorful history with the Fire Emblem franchise, I never got around to playing Sacred Stones. Considering I started around the time Radiant Dawn came out on the Wii, I’d heard for a while about how merciful the game was compared to other, more brutal Fire Emblem games, and I had missed the boat on getting it when it initially released. In addition, I had seen everything in Sacred Stones described as less memorable and of lower quality, be it the class system, the story, or what have you.
The first thing I noticed in Sacred Stones is an “easy” option, which supposedly spells out many of the game's mechanics, along with providing an easier overall difficulty. I decided to go straight into hard mode—not because I'm good at Fire Emblem (I'm not at all), but because I wanted to see everything the game had to offer.
It's traditional Fire Emblem for the most part—a strategy RPG with a fantasy-military setting and lots of plot surrounding the relationships of each and every character. The draw of Fire Emblem is that, in almost every entry in the series, when you lose a unit, they either die or are "wounded" and show up only in necessary plot points. There are hit points, random number generators for stat boosts between levels, and a neat rock-paper-scissors system involving axes, lances, and swords (i.e., lances>swords>axes>lances). But if you want to know more about Fire Emblem as a series, that's on you. This whole article is just about Sacred Stones.
Although the combat in Sacred Stones is the same stuff present in the other games, its easiness comes into play outside combat. You can enter shops at any time, so stockpiling weapons isn't an issue (as it was with Shadow Dragon, in some cases). Rather than keep the ability exclusive to missions and the occasional arena, Sacred Stones has two dedicated grinding areas you can visit without limit. For players invested in class promotion, these locations must be an absolute dream. In my opinion, the difficulty of Sacred Stones is determined by how much you use these places to level units up. Even so, I did notice fewer times in which I had to restart chapters than in other Fire Emblem games, and I usually play on the lowest difficulty.
Despite its lower level of difficulty, the game is still a load of fun, and I think story is actually much better than in many of the other Fire Emblem games. Because Sacred Stones is shorter than many of the newer Fire Emblems (with the exception Shadow Dragon, and possibly one more), there are fewer plot lines to deal with, and the main story is much shorter and easier to follow than in other games, especially if you're new to Fire Emblem or RPG storytelling. From beginning to end, it's fairly engaging, albeit a bit simplistic—there's war, attempted conquest, and an ancient evil. It sure is Fire Emblem.
If anything, my biggest issue with the title is that it doesn't introduce anything new. Much of the music and art is unmemorable (though with excellent animation, as per usual in Intelligent Systems games), and the mechanics and class layouts hold few surprises. It's just more Fire Emblem, with brisker pacing, more explanation, and additions intended to make the game less brutal for newcomers (I'm looking at you, Seth!).
It's not the worst Fire Emblem I've played (and in my book, the worst Fire Emblem was still a rather enjoyable experience), but it is certainly not one of the best either. If you haven't played Fire Emblem, this is likely the best place to start (something the excellent RFN RetroActive can attest to). If you have played a game or two in the series before, Sacred Stones is still worth experiencing despite its low difficulty, but at the end of the day, it's just more Fire Emblem.
Fire Emblem: Awakening is going to be released during 2013 in North America and Europe, as reported during the recent Nintendo Direct presentations.
Although the existance of DLC has been confirmed, it should be noted that the presentation made no note of the "Awakening" subtitle, instead just listing "Fire Emblem" by itself over a black screen.
A more specific release date has not been revealed yet.
This is the third of our three monthly Pokémon Black and White 2 previews, intended to compile the mass of information on the game showing up each month since April. Since we're covering everything since the end of May, you would be doing yourself a disservice not to take a look at the two other hearty previews (April, May). Without further ado, let’s finish up the pre-release information.
We’ve seen two Kyurem forms and three for Thundurus, Tornadus, and Landorus, but Game Freak just had to grace us with one last one— the Resolution form of Keldeo. Compared to the original form, it has a large blue horn, a longer mane, more defined leg markings, shortened appendages on the side of its head (perhaps what was originally there formed the horn), and blue, orange, and green appendages on the top of its head. Beyond that, we don't know much about the new form, but we have learned that to get it players need Terrakion, Virizion, and Cobalion within the forest near Sangi Town (a new area!). Thanks to a recent update from the official website, we know Keldeo changes form once it knows the move Secret Sword.
Next, we got some new information regarding the new Kami forms, which have special abilities, unlike the original Sacred Beast forms. Tornadus knows Regenerator, Thundurus knows Volt Absorb, and Landorus knows Intimidate. Furthermore, it's come to light that a new item called the Reflecting Mirror can cause the beasts to change forms. The item is obtained by taking the Landorus captured in Pokémon Dream Radar to a specific part of Unova. Of course, this implies Landorus may have the only form exclusive to Dream Radar, and the previously thought to be exclusive Tornadus and Thundurus may have some availability outside the upcoming eShop application.
Speaking of Pokémon Dream Radar: We finally have a full grasp of how the AR game works. To play, you need to find areas like clouds that could hide Pokémon. A Pokémon then appears, and you need to shoot it with your capturing beam until a bar fills at the top of the screen. As of now, it seems Pokémon transferred into Black and White 2 from Dream Radar could be level 60, which might suggest transferring is only available for those who have beaten the game already. Of course, this could only apply to specific Pokémon, or the showcasing trailer could have just shown a battle with Landorus' new form off, making 60 not representative at all. Finally, Porygon appears in Dream Radar.
I think the most surprising part of this month was the reveal of new features this close to release.
The first of these two, Fes Mission, could replace the Entralink Missions in Black and White. In Fes Mission, players partake in various missions with friends. Players can unlock a special mission by showing a Meloetta to someone in Castelia City. The mission, called "A Great Berry Search Adventure," tasks you with finding berries in Unova, and lasts three minutes. Another, "Search for Audino,” presumably tasks you with searching for Audino. In a cool twist, there is the ability for up to 100 people to play at one time, with missions obtained at the EntraLink.
The other new feature is called Join Avenue, which is part of a shopping center and allows the player to build with friends by connecting with them. The extent of the system is currently unknown, but an early screenshot shows the player putting up a stand in a shop. Could it be a money making feature? Maybe even an extension of the home furnishing originally seen in Platinum version? On one CoroCoro page, the player is shown buying a "Gambare A Lunch," which increases EVs when consumed by a Pokémon. As it turns out, the contents of a shop vary depending on who's running it, and inventory can range from a collection of berries to items that increase EVs or how fast eggs hatch.
The previously revealed movie making PokéWood feature was also detailed further. An episode of Pokémon Smash revealed that there are numerous scenarios players can make movies based on, and that when inside a scenario, specific moves are used to allow a scene to carry out in one of multiple ways. One instance shows a water-type move used against Mecha Tyranitar, further suggesting the activity—despite involving scripts and green screens—will still offer an experience similar to that of battling. In addition, Pokémon are available for rental in these scenarios, and after the movie is made, the player can then watch the dramatized version of their actions
Next up, we have some details on the new version-exclusive content in the upcoming sequels, a returning staple of the series. Although we have no idea if this is the complete list (it likely isn't), Black 2 will have Magby, Magmar, Magmortar, Buneary, and Lopunny exclusively; White 2 will have Elekid, Electabuzz, Electivire, Skitty, and Delcatty. Further exclusivity comes in the return of Black City and White Forest. Presumably, those who owned Black originally will be able to visit Black City in the sequels. We also know each game has its own exclusive cave; the one in Black 2 is water-based, while the one in White 2 is magma-based. Could this suggest the appearance of Groudon and Kyogre in the upcoming games? I certainly hope so.
I would also suggest cities that differed between Black and White before will likely remain so. With that said, cities have been confirmed to undergo major changes for Black and White 2 from Black and White. If anything, this offers a bit of hope for the sequels being far different from the originals than any "Gray Version" could ever be.
Previously, two new gym leaders (Homika and Shizui) were shown for Black and White 2. While Shizui has no new notable details, Homika had quite a bit of coverage. We know the badge distributed to the player for beating her is the Toxic badge, and that the city where she’s fought is the new Tachiwaki City. She is also the second gym leader in the game, and has a Koffing.
Lastly, for those with Pokémon SoulSilver, HeartGold, Platinum, Pearl, or Diamond, Generation IV Pokémon can be transferred into the new games.
With that last bit out of the way, it's time for the super-fun part. Because this is the last preview of Black and White 2, I figure we need to go all out and analyze three new trailers, rather than just one. Well, two are short and none of them reveal as many bombshells as the previous two previews, but let’s see if the power of over-analysis can change that.
In this first commercial, not much happens until the 0:15 mark, at which point the male protagonist is blown away inside a building housing a warehoused airplane below. With all the turns and twists and a strange propeller where the player is blown back, it seems like we're looking at a gym. Maybe the pilot standing there is a trainer (unless that's a police officer), and the wind is part of a gym puzzle, but if this is something like a redesigned gym in Mistralton City, I have a feeling this is far from the only renovation. At the 0:19 mark, we get our biggest news: N is returning, as is Ghetsis. N stands next to his Zekrom (this is in Black 2, by the way), and Ghetsis stands next to a Kyurem. Not only does this suggest N's legendary Pokémon may have something to do with this (predicted in the first preview!), but also that Ghetsis might have a new legendary Pokémon of his own. In the Japanese text, it says N was told by his Pokémon that Kyurem was in trouble. Right after, we see the same scene play out in White 2, where N has his Reshiram out.
The other commercial focuses on the female protagonist at the start. At the 0:05 mark, we see a Pikachu building. At the 0:20 mark, the male protagonist runs through Join Avenue. It certainly seems busy, and it seems reminiscent of the underground in Goldenrod City from Pokémon Gold and Silver. Unfortunately, that's all we could pick up.
Last but not least, we have new trailer that went up on the Nintendo Channel in Japan. For the first two minutes, there is some footage of PokéWood, Fes Mission, and Join Avenue. At 2:07, we see the player can receive medals, which can be unlocked through various circumstances, such as having a certain number of battles or catching certain Pokémon. Immediately after, a boat can be briefly seen. Although this may be repurposed from the first game to travel somewhere like Unity Tower, I do remember there are more detailed islands on the new Unova map than before, and I bet this boat might go to one of them. The player then walks into an open area containing a big arch. It seems new, but there isn't enough information to discern what it is, as far as I can tell. At 2:15, we see Akuroma standing in what seems to be a lab or control room of some sort. More interesting is that he's standing on top of a Team Plasma logo. If you needed any more proof that he was connected to Team Plasma, there you go. In addition, in shortened versions of these trailers, a flying boat can be briefly seen. For what purpose, we have no idea, but I wouldn't be surprised if it was the same boat as in the animated trailer.
With that, take a look at this picture. As it turns out, Team Plasma looks to be separated into a newer and older faction. This is pretty crazy, because I thought it would be as simple as a renovation upon a uniform to keep things fresh. It looks like this could be an interesting dynamic when the game comes out. Personally, I think Akuroma will be the boss of the newer faction, and Ghetsis of the older.
After this, we see an example of Tornadus caught and transferred from Dream Radar into Black and White 2. At 3:20, we get to my favorite part of the trailer, which shows off the new forms of Tornadus, Thundurus, and Landorus in action. Notice how Landorus has no experience points and is at level 60. This could be a freshly transferred Pokémon. And lastly, we get the two previously discussed commercials.
That's all for now from our Pokémon previews. Expect us to go dark on Pokémon news briefly when this launches on June 23 in Japan, for the simple sake of avoiding spoilers for you and for us (Note: This also accounts for us missing some stuff from the last day or two). There is always more Pokémon content on the way, however, and those of us in North America, Australia, and Europe can expect Pokémon Black and White 2 to hit stores later this year.
Club Nintendo's 3DS/DS 18 Game Card Case might never come back in stock, as reported by Nintendo Consumer Support Advisor Marc Boese.
The news was obtained when GoNintendo reader Whatami asked when future shipments could be expected, which led to the following response:
"Thanks for contacting us about the Nintendo DS/3DS 18 Game Card Case. Please note that this reward was produced in limited quantities, so it is unlikely that we’ll be getting more in stock. I will, however, document your interest in this particular reward on the record of feedback for this item. If additional supplies become available again in the future, we’ll be sure to update the Rewards section of Club Nintendo (https://club.nintendo.com/rewards.do). Since we'll be unable to alert you if this happens, we ask that you check back periodically."
There is no word on whether similar rewards may be equally as limited in quantity.
Is it still worth it to give the first one a shot even if the new one is coming out soon? I mean, from afar, the series doesn't seem like something where continuity is a big issue.
Released in 2005, perhaps the most apt description of Ouendan is spiritual precursor to Elite Beat Agents (also made by iNiS). For the unfamiliar, the games are rhythm-based titles for DS in which players watch a comic-book story scene play out while tapping and dragging on numbered circles with the stylus. The circles must be tapped in sequence to the music in rhythm as well as in order (hence the numbers). If that sounds confusing, well, here's a video of it in action.
A short story plays out every time a song is played. The Ouendan are essentially a cheerleading squad who wear black gakuran school uniforms and use their cheering abilities to boost morale and improve the situation of any given. Usually humorous in nature, these small scenarios include situations like helping someone create original pottery, and a student trying to study for school despite distractions. If the player does well (accomplished through hitting circles at the perfect time), the story progresses in the favor of the character, all the way through finishing the song and achieving victory. If the player misses beats or doesn't hit them with accuracy, the stranger is shown progressively failing at the situation, up until the point the song itself is failed.
The biggest draw of the series is certainly its music. As opposed to the western-only Elite Beat Agents—which boasts a soundtrack of classic pop songs like “ABC” by The Jackson 5 and “September” by Earth, Wind, and Fire—Ouendan, released only in Japan, focuses on Japanese pop, featuring songs like my personal favorite in the game, Linda Linda by The Blue Hearts. Perhaps unfortunately, every song in the series is within the game via cover artists, though almost all sound like new, neat twists on the originals, rather than Guitar Hero-like abominations.
My opinion: Although Elite Beat Agents has a soundtrack with more catchy songs than can be counted on two hands, Ouendan (and its sequel, Moero! Nekketsu Rhythm Damashii: Osu! Tatakae! Ouendan 2) slightly edges it out. Despite having a few stinkers, the over-the-top style of the Japanese pop just seems to fit the game a bit better than the usually toned back nature of American pop. With that said, though, EBA’s version of “Jumpin' Jack Flash” is, without a doubt, the best song in the entire series. Still, Ouendan offers a slightly better overall experience in this regard.
The difficulty in Ouendan, however, is not superior. While EBA provided a more gradual difficulty curve as the game progressed, Ouendan offers difficulty that practically doubles on Normal mode after the first two sets of songs. Even on the easier setting, the pacing in difficulty is not good. For some, this can be overlooked quite easily, but it is worth mentioning nonetheless.
Although the game was only released in Japan, those of you who import (or find it in other ways) should have no trouble falling into the motions, as playing the game isn't reliant on knowing Japanese. With that said, if you are interested in playing Ouendan and only know English, I heavily recommend you play Elite Beat Agents to at least get the tutorial stuff out of the way (although, that game is excellent, so you should play it anyway).
Ouendan, if you get the opportunity, is a game you really need to play. It offers the same gameplay as Elite Beat Agents with a slightly superior soundtrack, and, despite minor flaws, still stands among the best in the DS library.
The latest issue of CoroCoro further details Pokémon Black and White 2.
Foremost, it details Keldeo's "Resolution Form," which looks mostly similar to the original Keldeo with the exception of a long blue horn, a longer mane, and some other small details. To change the form of Keldeo, the player needs to have Terrakion, Virizion, and Cobalion in the forest near Sangi Town. Its appearance appears to change when it learns Sacred Sword. Keldeo's Resolution Form is 48.5kg and 1.4m.
Version differences were also touched upon. A staple in Pokémon games, version-exclusive creatures make a return. So far, Magby, Magmar, Magmortar, Buneary, and Lopunny have become confirmed exclusives for Black 2, while Elekid, Electabuzz, Electivire, Skitty, and Delcatty are exclusive to White 2. In addition, a certain cave differs between versions—one is water-based, while the other is magma-based. Black City and White Forest also return from Black and White.
The recently revealed Join Avenue and Fes Mission features also have updated information. One Fes mission can be activated in Castelia City if the player shows someone a Meloetta. The mission, called "A Great Berry Search Adventure," has the player searching for berries in Unova, and lasts three minutes. Another mission is called "Search for Audino."
Not much has been revealed regarding Join Avenue, but CoroCoro shows an image of the player at a shop where an item is being sold. Called "Gambare A Lunch," the item increases the EVs of a Pokémon.
The next bit of information concerns Pokémon Dream Radar, with the reveal that Dream Orbs found in the game can be used to power up your capture device, and that Porygon will be found in the game.
On the same topic, an item has finally been fully confirmed that can change the forms of Tornadus, Thundurus, and Landorus from their Sacred Beast forms to their Incarnation forms. Called the Reflecting Mirror, it can only be found by taking a captured Landorus from Dream Radar to a specific area of the game. The beasts also gain new abilities in their new forms: Tornadus has Regenerator, Thundurus has Volt Absorb, and Landorus has Intimidate.
Further minor details were also shown. Perhaps the most notable: the return of PokéTransfer, allowing all the previous DS games to transfer Pokémon to Black and White 2. Next, Elesa's gym changes from its appearance in Black and White to that of a fashion show. And lastly, there's further confirmation that cities have vastly changed since Black and White.
Pokémon Black and White 2 release in Japan on June 23.
My money is still on it coming out in 2012 in NA and Europe.
I pray you're right, Neal. My damn Fire Emblem itch hasn't been scratched in a good 3 years now. It's just...when would it release? If Wii U and Paper Mario are November most likely, NSMB is August (and it sure as heck isn't coming out before then), and Luigi's Mansion/Pokemon will probably be October, do you think they would release it in September with very little notice? Unfortunately, there is no way to predict either way, as FE games have launched in NA at all parts of the year.
Game director Shigeru Miyamoto stated that it was a matter of keeping the frame rate up while controlling so many specific Pikmin at any given time.
"So in the case of Mario Kart, we did have online multiplayer, and that's something that... You have to be very careful that you don't drop frames as you're trying to sync up with other players over what could be a very great physical distance, over the internet. But in the situation of Pikmin, for example, since you would have lots of individual, small creatures, the Pikmin, whose every movement and location is going to be really important in the game, it would be very difficult to sync up over an internet connection," said Miyamoto.
Pikmin 3 is expected to release during the Wii U launch window later this year.
After months of waiting, pining, and speculation, North American 3DS owners will have the chance to play the thirteenth game in the Fire Emblem series, FE: Awakening.
Though an original game in the turn-based strategy series, Awakening reportedly borrows elements from previous entries, while offering improvement in other areas. Perhaps the most notable inclusion in Awakening is its new "dual" system, which acts as a refinement to the rescue commands of the past. Initially, rescuing was used to effectively move units around the map, but at the cost of lower stats and greater susceptibility to attack. In Awakening, units can join forces, and receive stat boosts for doing so. Additionally, attacks can be conducted with both joined party members at once, as can dual blocks, which have the ability to occasionally negate enemy attacks. Even if two units aren't doubled, they can perform dual attacks and blocks if they simply stand adjacent to each other.
Plenty of versatility exists within the dual system. Units receive different stat boosts depending on who's doubling up on who: using a general can offer a defense boost to another player, while a sword master can buff fellow units with a speed increase. Units can also trade items, and the player can drop, swap, and change the position of characters at will.
Apart from its deep new feature, though, the game is still Fire Emblem, and, supposedly, still hard as nails. With three difficulties (and an unlockable fourth for those especially skilled few), Normal, Hard, and Lunatic, the game is said to challenge even the most weathered of series veterans to some extent over a 40-chapter campaign. The ultimate difficulty tier, Lunatic, reportedly requires near-perfect mastery of the mechanics, and the risk of immediate and utter defeat.
In past iterations of the series, grinding acted as something of a difficulty softener, making the challenge more manageable to the uninitiated. Such grinding is almost entirely absent in Awakening, which features a far more limited number of skirmishes available between chapters. Another alteration comes in the return of the generation system, a feature prevalent in the Japan-only Fire Emblem: Seisen no Keifu. The premise: when female units build a strong enough bond with a partner, their children later become recruitable as soldiers. The mechanic is especially deep since which two parents originally partnered up influences the skills of the children.
Perhaps the coolest thing in Awakening is its position as the first 3DS game in Japan with paid downloadable content. Among that content (offering new characters priced between 250 and 400 yen) is Marth (who was originally free for a month), Roy, Leaf, Alm, Micaiah, Erika, Celice, Ephraim, and Elincia.
Returning from the seventh Fire Emblem game (released on the Game Boy Advance in 2003, and the first Fire Emblem to come to both Europe and North America) is the "My Unit" class, which allows the player to use an avatar of him or her self within the game, and offers the ability to marry and have a (recruitable) child. Of course, players can also expect plenty of new classes to choose from in Awakening.
Like its predecessors, Awakening is built around a narrative of war and relationships. Fire Emblem-focused site Serenes Forest summarizes the plot of the game:
"The story focuses on the trials of Krom, the prince of the Holy Kingdom of Iris, and his companions during a turbulent era. When the neighboring nation of Perezia starts acting suspiciously, Krom commands the vigilante force to keep his country at peace. Soon, he encounters an unholy force plaguing the lands and a masked swordsman claiming to be the Hero King of legends."
Of course, from the presence of downloadable content, Awakening looks to include many crossovers from throughout the series.
The title features a dynamic music system, which shifts in correspondence to the player’s position on a map, as well as in battles. For instance, as a battle starts, the relatively calm, piano-focused track for a given map would quickly shift to a more intense percussion and bass version of the same arrangement.
Following the divisive graphical style of Shadow Dragon and its Japan-only follow-up, Awakening combines smoother 3D sprites in battle with simple yet traditionally charming units on the map. In the case of character designs, the game somewhat adheres to those of past entries, but carries a slightly more anime look.
Although a release date hasn't been pinpointed, the game could come out this year. With three major Nintendo releases coming out and the game not being featured at the recent software showcase, though, I would place my chips on Awakening hitting stores early 2013.
Keldeo's new Pokémon form has been officially confirmed on the cover of latest issue of CoroCoro.
Although not much is aesthetically altered in the legendary Pokémon (as far as can be discerned, anyways), Keldeo now has a longer mane as well as a new blue horn.
As of right now, no further information is known, but more should surface in the next few days as CoroCoro leaks.
Keldeo might be receiving a new form in Pokémon Black and White 2.
The discovery was made when, on a merchendise advertisement, Keldeo was listed as being in its "usual form." This would suggest that Keldeo would have more than one form in Black and White Version 2.
Serebii also suggested that these claims could be supported by hints made in CoroCoro magazine, with the legendary Pokémon being engulfed in light during battle and that its "special power" to be revealed in the next issue.
Pokémon Black and White 2 comes out in Japan on June 23.
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