Update News
Nintendo Direct 02-13-2014
REDMOND, Wash.--(February 13, in
the year of our Lord 2014)-- Nintendo detailed major
announcements for its Wii U home console and Nintendo 3DS
portable system in the first Nintendo Direct of 2014. Launch
dates and details for multiple games were revealed, including
new characters in Super Smash Bros. for Wii U and Nintendo 3DS,
and Mario Kart 8 for Wii U. Nintendo also announced specifics
about the addition of Game Boy Advance games to the Wii U
Virtual Console service. NES Remix 2 is also on the way,
complete with a Luigi-themed surprise. And a pair of games
coming to the Nintendo eShop on Nintendo 3DS – Steel Diver: Sub
Wars and Rusty’s Real Deal Baseball – demonstrate unique new
ways for players to acquire add-on content.
Wii U News
Mario Kart 8: For the first time ever in any game, all of
Bowser’s seven Koopalings are playable characters. Players with
a taste for being bad can get ready to challenge gravity on the
race track with Iggy, Larry, Lemmy, Ludwig, Morton, Roy and
Wendy. The game launches in stores and in the Nintendo eShop on
May 30.
Super Smash Bros. for Wii U: Little Mac, the hero of the
Punch-Out!! boxing games, will make his first appearance as a
playable character in the upcoming Super Smash Bros. game. The
game will launch in stores and in the Nintendo eShop on Wii U
and Nintendo 3DS in 2014.
Game Boy Advance Games: Portable classics will start making
their way to the Wii U Virtual Console in April, starting with
fan favorites such as Metroid Fusion, Mario & Luigi: Superstar
Saga and Yoshi’s Island: Super Mario Advance 3. Additional games
will follow every month.
Nintendo eShop on Wii U
NES Remix 2: This second installment of the mashup of classic
Nintendo games features challenges from later NES games like
Super Mario Bros. 3, Kirby’s Adventure and Metroid. Just like
NES Remix, the sequel includes stages from the original games
with new challenges, as well as modified stages that introduce
new elements. The game is scheduled to be available April 25 for
$14.99. Best of all, players can unlock a free bonus game:
Super Luigi Bros.: This is a full game based on a challenge from
NES Remix. It contains all the levels from the original Super
Mario Bros. game, only now it stars Luigi and requires players
to navigate familiar levels in an unheard-of way – by running to
the left! The game even incorporates Luigi’s signature high
jump. It’s a fun new spin on a classic game.
Child of Light: In this RPG from Ubisoft, players take on the
role of young Princess Aurora, who is on a quest to retrieve
three sources of light from the evil queen. She must fight
monsters and solve puzzles to progress. She is assisted by her
firefly companion Igniculous, who can heal party members during
battles and write messages in light to interact with other
players. The game is scheduled to launch April 30 for $14.99.
Nintendo 3DS News
Yoshi’s New Island: Yoshi gets to bash and thrash his
environment by throwing around Mega Eggdozers and Metal
Eggdozers. Yoshi also can transform into a variety of objects,
such as a jackhammer or a submarine, both of which can be
manipulated using the Nintendo 3DS gyro controls. A certain type
of star even transforms him into Super Yoshi, giving him the
ability to fly through the sky or run along walls and ceilings.
Players who are having trouble completing a level might see the
appearance of Flutter Wings, which let Yoshi fly through the
air. Yoshi’s New Island is scheduled to launch March 14 in
stores and in the Nintendo eShop on Nintendo 3DS.
Mario Golf: World Tour: In addition to previously announced
multiplayer features, the game will also include the Castle
Club, a single-player clubhouse area that offers a variety of
areas to help players hone their skills. The Castle Club
includes golf courses, tournaments, training areas, shops,
locker rooms and a café. A training area lets them focus on
specific aspects of their game, such as putting. Players can
customize their Mii characters using items sold at the shop,
including clubs, golf balls and clothing. Different combinations
of gear can affect a player’s performance. Mario Golf: World
Tour is scheduled to launch May 2 in stores and in the Nintendo
eShop on Nintendo 3DS.
Kirby: Triple Deluxe: Kirby has always had the power to inhale
his enemies and take on their abilities. Each copy ability can
let him do a variety of actions and moves, depending on which
buttons are pressed. The game includes a huge number of
collectibles for players to find, from hidden 8-bit keychains to
Sun Stones. The game takes advantage of the StreetPass feature
to deliver better items to players. Kirby: Triple Deluxe is
scheduled to launch May 2 in stores and in the Nintendo eShop on
Nintendo 3DS.
Professor Layton and the Azran Legacy: The game includes the
series’ famous mind-bending puzzles as well as collectible items
and scavenger hunts that can be shared via StreetPass. The game
launches Feb. 28 in stores and in the Nintendo eShop on Nintendo
3DS.
Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate: Hunt alongside friends online in the
most dynamic Monster Hunter game ever. Capcom’s action RPG is
coming to North America in early 2015 with more content and
options than ever before.
Nintendo eShop on Nintendo 3DS
INAZUMA ELEVEN: AVAILABLE NOW! In this soccer-themed RPG,
players help their team go from underdogs to champions by
training, learning new skills and recruiting the best players
around. High-tension soccer battles require players to marshal
all their teammates’ special moves, from flaming tornado kicks
to mind-bending acrobatics. The INAZUMA ELEVEN franchise has
passionate fans in Japan and Europe, and it makes its North
American debut today. The game is now available for download for
$19.99.
Pokémon Battle Trozei: This fast-paced Pokémon puzzle game has
players matching Pokémon to clear them while battling and
collecting other Pokémon. The game includes every single known
Pokémon – more than 700 of them – from Pokémon Red and Pokémon
Blue to Pokémon X and Pokémon Y. Caught Pokémon can be used by
players during battles to help them and will even grow in
strength and inflict greater damage the more they are used. The
game also features four-player co-op play, and is scheduled to
be available March 20 for $7.99.
Rusty’s Real Deal Baseball: Ex-pro baseball player and dog Rusty
Slugger owns a sports shack. He’s broke with 10 puppies to feed,
so he offers a variety of baseball mini-games for sale, themed
around the simple pleasures of baseball. Players can bat, pitch,
catch and even umpire. The initial software containing a part of
the first mini-game is free, but players can purchase additional
mini-games in a unique way: by haggling to lower the real-world
price for each downloadable game. Additional games start at $4
apiece, but giving Rusty items or listening to his problems
might improve his mood and motivate him to offer steep
discounts. The game is scheduled to launch in April.
WEAPON SHOP de OMASSE: This is the fourth and final game in what
is known in Japan as the GUILD01 series, which has delivered
games like LIBERATION MAIDEN and CRIMSON SHROUD to the Nintendo
eShop. In comedian Yoshiyuki Hirai’s tribute to classic
role-playing games, players are tasked with managing a weapon
shop inside an RPG. Players tap the touch screen in time with
music to forge their weapons. Optimal timing and forge
temperatures lead to better weapons for heroes to take on
quests. The stronger the weapons, the more successful the
heroes. The game is scheduled to be available Feb. 20 for $7.99.
FFG Coverage
Level-5's press release