Super MBTA World!

Source

3DS: Super Mario 3D Land and Mario Kart 7 release dates!

It's official - Super Mario 3D Land will hit NA shelves on November 13th, and Mario Kart 7 will arrive Dec. 4!

3DS: 3d Video capture update expected in November

Here's another hot bit of news from the 3DS event last night - It's been announced that an update is coming this November to add 3D video capture functionality, as well as some added bonuses for those who've completed the StreetPass games:

This update will allow individuals to capture 3D footage and view it on their 3DS handhelds. The November update will apparently also include new experiences for 3DS owners who have completed all the StreetPass challenges in StreetPass.

I am very glad I replaced the 2gig SD card with an 8gig card in my 3DS.

3DS: Monster Hunter 4 announced!

More news from the 3DS event - Seems Capcom is already hard at work on Monster Hunter 4... for the 3DS. Infact, things are already far enough along to where Capcom has released a "concept clip".

Let's have a look:



So now this is 2 MH titles coming for the 3DS, and so far, none have been announced for the PS Vita (I do expect that to change down the line). This should give the 3DS a pretty hefty boost in Japan.

Meanwhile, I keep telling myself I really need to re-visit this series. I haven't really touched MH since beta-testing the original on the PS2.

HEADS UP: Zelda: Four Swords Adventure dated!

Hot from Nintendo's 3DS event over night, we've got a release date for the free DSi Ware game The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventure

Between Sept. 28 and Feb. 20, 2012, players can download a DSiWare version of The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Anniversary Edition, free of charge.

Right around the corner! Now if only I could find someone locally to play this with...

The 3DS Virtual Console

...or "How I was reminded how much I love Nintendo" & Current Gaming

Ahh the 3DS Ambassador Program... Feels good, doesn't it? I'm still kind of soaking it all in, but holy crap Nintendo dropped a pile of games in our laps! Sure, they aren't new, and most of us "old folks" have probably played most of them countless times. But I just had a realization. For the first time ever - I'm able to play the pillars of the NES game library, on the go, *LEGALLY*. (I'm also going to argue that they were also free. Some may say they had paid for these games already with the original launch price, but I disagree. Launching with an amazing port of Super Street Fighter 4 made me a *very* happy camper, and I still have no regrets in buying the system at launch.)

Super Mario Bros., Metroid, Zelda... I think it's fair to say that Nintendo really tried to make an effort for the fans. They had to have realized that most of the early launch purchases were made by the die hard, long term Nintendo loyalists. And what better way to make sure there was minimal butthurt with the early price drop? Nice work, Nintendo.

Anyway, now that I've gotten that out of my system... WINTER IS COMING... *cough*choke*... sorry... (Yeah, I'm a little late to the game but I've just finished both watching the first season of Game of Thrones, and reading the book. Holy crap. I'll leave it at that.) ... Let's talk about what I'm playing right now.

Once again, Target loves putting Xbox 360 games on sale or in the hidden discount bin, and as such I've picked up Dragon Age 2 and Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm 2 for cheap.

DA2 has been pretty damn fun, and my wife also really enjoys just watching it. The long and the short of it is - Mass Effect with dragons and swords (and that's not a bad thing!). I'm starting to really warm up to Western RPGs which has been an interesting change from the tried and true JRPG formula.

Naruto has been one of my favorite ongoing anime series for some time, and honestly - the North American versions of the games have sucked ass. In the past they've removed characters, and limited you to the English Dubbed voices - But with Ultimate Storm 2 that's a thing of the past. At last - Japanese voices with English Subs! Found this little bad boy deep in the discount bin with a price I couldn't pass up. This game pretty much plays like an interactive version of the series up to the whole Pain and destruction of Konoha arc. If you're a fan, you'll probably love it.

Anyway, Time to dive into A Clash of Kings...

VIDEO: Super Mario Brothers X Portal

Are you ready for something simply awesome this morning? Yeah, i thought so. Here is an amazing video (thanks Greg!) showing a hack of Super Mario Brothers with elements of Portal mixed in. Enough talk - LOOK! Way too cool...

HEADS UP: Nintendo 3DS Ambassador rewards start tomorrow!

Hey everyone - just wanted to give you all a quick reminder that tomorrow (9/1/2011) 3DS early adopters will be able to download the free NES titles.

Here is how to claim them:

1. From the Nintendo 3DS HOME menu, select the Nintendo eShop icon.

2. Scroll left and select "Settings / Other."

3. Scroll down and select "Account Activity" to view a list of transactions.

4. The NES game will be listed here once it is available to download. Tap "Software Info," and then "Redownload" to begin the download process.

I can't wait!

VIDEO: New Zelda: Skyward Sword trailer!

Nintendo has released a new trailer for The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword just before the start of this year's Comic-Con. Let's have a look:



The visual style of this game strikes me as almost being half Wind Waker, half OoT. And of course we get a good look at some gnarly looking bosses. All in all, this is looking like a proper Zelda title.

I guess it's time I actually get a Motion Plus WiiMote, eh?

AWESOME: Netflix app comes to the Nintendo 3DS *TODAY*

Wooo! Kotaku just let this news slip - the 3DS Netflix application hits the US eShop today!

Starting today, Nintendo 3DS owners across the United States and Canada can download a free application that allows Netflix members to watch TV episodes and movies streaming from Netflix with an Internet connection.

The 3DS will also also soon have access to "an additional library of select movies" that can be viewed in 3D movies, Nintendo says.

The new Netflix application, available for free on Nintendo's eShop, displays movies and TV episodes in 2D on the system's upper screen. "Users will soon have access to an additional library of select movies that can be viewed in 3D without the need for special glasses," according to the press release.

This is REALLY cool news - As far as I knew, Netflix had yet to give us anything more specific than "this summer", but here we are.

I cannot wait to try this out!

COOL: Nintendo fan site "idrawnintendo"

I was just directed to this neat fanart blog called idrawnintendo by a gent named Zac Gorman.

He's created several really fun and cool Nintendo-related drawings that will totally appeal to the older Nintendo fans. Here's a great example:

Here is another fun one:

Please check out the rest of his blog! I think you all may really enjoy it!
(Thanks for the tip @eliza_evans!)

REVIEW: Custom Nintendo 3DS case by whataboutki

So earlier in the month, I was alerted to these nifty custom (and hand made!) Nintendo 3DS cases made by a gent in New Zealand by the handle of whataboutki. He's set up a little shop on Etsy (here is a link to his shop - go look!!!).

As soon as I set eyes on one that was fashioned after a NES control pad, I knew that I needed to quickly part with my $20usd plus $5usd for shipping for it.

So, after placing my order and waiting patiently (coming from half way around the world, I could NOT complain), my 3DS case arrived today.

And let me tell you, I really couldn't be happier. It's simple, it's unique, and best of all - it went towards a worthy cause. As I came to understand after i placed my order, whataboutki was making and selling these cases as a means to bring in some income after the major earthquake in Christchurch, NZ caused him some hardship.

I'm really impressed with the fine stitching, not to mention the quality of the design on the actual cloth. There's even a pouch for your AR cards in the case! And of course, whataboutki has *many* super nerdy designs in his shop - you'd be hard pressed to run into someone else with the exact same case.

Overall, this case is easily on par with, and in many ways surpasses any commercial 3DS case on the market today. It's not the sort of item you should expect to arrive overnight, but I feel it's well worth the wait to stand out among the crowd. Please visit whataboutki's Etsy shop, and if you find something that tickles your fancy - BUY IT!

This is the first product to officially get the Pixelated Palace Seal of Approval:

It's a 10/10 - 5 stars - A+ - however you like your ratings, this is the best of the best. Do not hesitate to buy one!

UPDATE: It's been brought to my attention that whataboutki's girlfriend has a large part in making these cases as well. Fantastic work, the both of you! I know my friends will be super jealous!

AWESOME: Dragon Quest X a possible Wii U title?

Kotaku is running an interesting story right now - It seems SquareEnix is pondering releasing Dragon Quest X on both the Wii and Wii U:

Square Enix boss Yoichi Wada answered questions about the game at an investors' meeting today in Tokyo.

When asked if Dragon Quest X will be released on the Wii U, Wada reportedly replied, "We are thinking that we must release the game for both the Wii and Wii U. We're currently at the point of looking at how we can make it a Wii U launch title."

A move like this would ensure the Wii U sells like crazy in Japan from the get go (and if it's anything like Dragon Quest IX, it'll keep rpg fans busy for some time).

OFFICIAL: Star Fox 64 3D to hit retail 9/11/2011

According to Eurogamer:

The 3DS remake of Nintendo's classic Star Fox 64 barrel rolls into UK stores on 9th September.

That's two days before US gamers get it, but a couple of months after its 17th July Japan date.

I wonder why there's such a lag time between the Japanese release and the NA/EU release. My first reaction was that it may be due to localization, but it's a port of StarFox 64 which i figure already has localized scripts - so who knows. At least this gives me plenty of time to get through Zelda: OoT 3D.

Zelda: OoT 3D and other things

So Zelda: OoT 3D has been released at last - and I think it was worth the wait. I picked up my copy Sunday morning as my local Target opened (more on this later), and have been making my way through the early stages of the game. While the core game itself should hold no surprises for anyone who's played it in the past, the graphical and audio overhauls made to this title are very impressive (here is a link with some pictures comparing the original release to the 3DS release. pretty sweet, eh?)

The touch screen makes dealing with your inventory a snap (not to mention the persistent map - VERY handy). Basically this may be an old title, but if you own a 3DS this is a must-have.

Zelda: OoT 3D brings with it a small discussion about video game street dates. Prior to 6/19/2011, my local target had the game on the shelf with a price tag. When I saw this I thought to myself "my what good luck!", however I was denied the sale and the copies were pulled and set aside for the 19th.

However - I find it awful curious that my Target had a small handful of copies (5-7 if i remember correctly) prior to the Sunday release, but when it came to open on 6/19/2011 - they only had a single copy on the shelf. At the end of the day I got my copy, but I really feel bad for anyone who got to the store after me looking for a copy. It seems pretty clear to me that Target was willing to break the street date for it's employees, thus giving them first crack at the stock.

Oh well... onto the next Temple!

OFFICIAL: Wii U will not play DVD/BluRay

Direct from Nintendo - The Wii U will not support playback of DVD or BluRay disks.

Wii U does not have DVD or Blu-ray playback capabilities.

The reason for that is that we feel that enough people already have devices that are capable of playing DVDs and Blu-ray, such that it didn't warrant the cost involved to build that functionality into the Wii U console because of the patents related to those technologies.

Makes perfect sense to me. Nintendo has always been out to create a game machine, not a home video player. Why bother with the added expense of licensing DVD and BluRay technologies when everyone should already have a device to do just that already?

Wii U will not use friend codes!

Oh this is fantastic news - MTV has the story:

Blunt was on hand at E3, demonstrating "Ghost Recon Online" for the Wii U. The game is definitely focused on the multiplayer experience, so I asked him why he thought the Wii U would be a good fit, since Nintendo consoles traditionally aren't very online capable.

There's a few things on that. The first is the ability for individuals to make accounts. Rather than a machine having an account, each individual user has an account."

So I asked him, "Equivilent to a gamertag on Xbox Live?" "Yeah, exactly," he said.

He continued, saying that friend codes are no longer required for adding friends:

"Also the ability to easily find friends. Rather than using friend codes, which we've had in the past, we're able to connect players in a much easier way, which allows us to have a community that's playing together in the game."

This is fantastic news!

VIDEO: Mario Party 9 E3 2011 trailer

Oh good, it looks like Mario APrty 9 (unlike 8) will actually have a proper 16:9 mode!

VIDEO: Animal Crossing (3DS) E3 2011 trailer

Here's the E3 trailer for the latest entry in the Animal Crossing series for the 3DS.

Dear Nintendo - If this title doesn't leverage the 3DS' online capabilities, there will be many angry fans. That said... I think my wife suddenly needs a 3DS.

VIDEO: Zelda Wii U Tech Demo

To be crystal clear - this is only a tech demo. Nintendo has not as of yet announced a Zelda title for the Wii U. This video clip is only to demonstrate how powerful the Wii U is and it's potential with a Zelda title.

Let's have a look!