Tag: 3DS

‘Batman: Arkham Origins Blackgate’ Announced For 3DS And Vita

by Derek Kraneveldt

Along with today’s announcement of Batman: Arkham Origins, Warner Bros. Interactive announced a very exciting portable spinoff.

Very little information was announced about this side project, but we do know that it’s being developed by Armature Studios, a relatively new developer… made up largely of ex Retro Studios employees (creators of the Metroid Prime trilogy). Batman: Arkham Origins Blackgate will release for 3DS and Vita on the same day as its console sibling (October 25th). It’s said to be a 2.5D Super Metroid / Castlevania style action game. That sounds absolutely amazing.

Look for more news from both games in the coming weeks. We couldn’t be more excited!

Side scrolling Batman makes for a good time.
Side scrolling Batman makes for a good time.

Take A First Look At ‘Lego Marvel Super Heroes’!

by Derek Kraneveldt

Earlier this year, Lego and Marvel announced Lego Marvel Super Heroes. The Lego series of video games really needs no introduction; titles like Lego Batman, Lego Indiana Jones, and Lego Harry Potter have been pleasing kids, adults, and fans for years.

This Fall, the hat tips towards Marvel fans. Marvel Lego Super Heroes will release on Xbox 360, Playstation 3, Wii U, Vita, 3DS, and PC later this year. GameTrailers today released the first gameplay video for the title, which unsurprisingly looks fantastic.

Watch the footage below, and let us know what you think!


Source: GameTrailers

‘Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D’ Launches On May 24th!

by Derek Kraneveldt

Via an extremely short (and unorthodox) press release, Nintendo today announced the official release date for their upcoming 3D remake, Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D.

 

The anticipated release is a 3D reimagining of the 2010 Wii platformer, Donkey Kong Country Returns. The game garnered critical acclaim, and was an extremely faithful contemporary adaptation of the classic Donkey Kong Country style.

 

3DS owners, you’ve got just over two months to wait at this point; Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D will launch on May 24th. Watch the trailer for the game below, and let us know if you’ll be picking it up!

 

2013 Is The Year Of Luigi: Huge Wii U And 3DS Announcements!

by Derek Kraneveldt

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again; it is a phenomenal time to be a Nintendo fan.

 

Just three weeks ago we were treated to a fantastic Nintendo Direct presentation, and the things we saw on that day alone were more than enough to make us believe that we’d have a good year. It seems as though that presentation was just the tip of the iceberg, as today’s follow up revealed things we NEVER would have expected.

 

2013 has been hailed as the year of Luigi, and it’s about freaking time. If you have 30 minutes to spare, watch today’s presentation below! If not, all the details are outlined in the press release, just scroll down!

 

Enjoy, and let us know what you think!

 

 

REDMOND, Wash.–(BUSINESS WIRE)– After decades of playing second fiddle to the No. 1 video game hero, Luigi is getting some love from Nintendo. Nintendo has named 2013 the “Year of Luigi,” thanks to the numerous appearances that Mario’s timid, green-clad twin brother will be making in games this year. In a Nintendo Direct video, Nintendo provided details about games on the way that feature Luigi, as well as information about more than two dozen upcoming games, including content for Wii U and Nintendo 3DS across packaged and digital formats.

 

“Luigi is just the green tip of the iceberg of all the great news we have to share with Nintendo fans this year and beyond,” said Reggie Fils-Aime, Nintendo of America’s president and COO. “We’re showing how Nintendo 3DS and Wii U continue to be a source of fun, entertainment and great surprises.”

 

To view the Nintendo Direct in its entirety, visit http://www.nintendo.com/nintendo-direct. Today’s announcements included:

 

The Year of Luigi

 

  • Luigi’s Mansion: Dark Moon: The game that kicks off the Year of Luigi launches March 24 and will include additional multiplayer modes beyond the previously revealed Hunter Mode. Up to four players with their own Nintendo 3DS systems can team up via local wireless, pair up in Download Play or connect over the Internet to escape each floor within the time limit in Rush Mode and search for the hidden ghost dogs in Polterpup Mode (up to four game cards may be required).

 

  • Mario & Luigi: Dream Team: A new installment in the Mario & Luigi role-playing series is coming to Nintendo 3DS this summer. The game takes place inside the mind of a sleeping Luigi, who is a powerful, brave hero in his dreams.

 

  • New Super Luigi U: To continue the fun of New Super Mario Bros. U for Wii U, Nintendo is letting Luigi take over in new downloadable content that is coming in the Year of Luigi that provides alternate versions of the game’s more than 80 stages. Players can freely change between the New Super Luigi U and New Super Mario Bros. U stages. These Luigi-focused stages provide a whole new level of game-play challenge and will be available for purchase as a single download.

 

  • Fore!: Luigi and his Mushroom Kingdom neighbors are teeing up once again in Mario Golf: World Tour. The Nintendo 3DS game includes both simple controls and a deeper experience for golf fans, plus courses that range from traditional to those inspired by the Mushroom Kingdom. The game launches this summer.

 

Nintendo 3DS

 

  • Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D: The smash-hit Wii game is getting a portable 3D makeover that makes the already-amazing layered graphics pop. The game launches this summer, but an exclusive 3D video is available now in the Nintendo eShop for Nintendo 3DS.

 

  • Turning Over a New Leaf: Animal Crossing: New Leaf launches in North America on June 9. It is the definitive version of Animal Crossing, with new features and general improvements across the entire game, including new species of animal neighbors, new ways to customize your house and town, and a new main street shopping area and model home showcase.

 

  • Animal Style: Style Savvy: Trendsetters is getting the Gracie Grace line of clothes, inspired by the fashion-forward giraffe from the Animal Crossing series. Owners of Style Savvy: Trendsetters can download the trendy free clothes via SpotPass. Additional fashions are planned to arrive via SpotPass, including in-game fashions based on the popular Japanese brand Liz Lisa.

 

  • The Chase Begins: LEGO® City Undercover: The Chase Begins launches April 21. The game is set two years prior to the action of the Wii U game, and follows the first case of rookie cop Chase McCain in a still-growing and -developing LEGO City.

 

  • Downloadable Games: Nintendo announced a number of new games coming to the Nintendo eShop for Nintendo 3DS, including Mario and Donkey Kong: Minis on the Move (coming soon), Dillon’s Rolling Western: The Last Ranger(coming April 11), HarmoKnight from Game Freak (demo available March 14, full game on March 28) and Kersploosh! (coming March 7).

 

  • Spreading Like Fire Emblem: Two new downloadable maps are now available for purchase at the Outrealm Gate on the world map in Fire Emblem Awakening. For $2.50, the Champions of Yore 3 map lets players battle against legendary characters such as Marth, Roy and Ike. Players who have already purchased the Champions of Yore map pack can now access this new map to earn a new playable character named Michaiah and a special skill that will increase all of a character’s stats by two points. The Golden Gaffe map is the first in a second set of three maps, and is also now available for $2.50. It pits players against a group of very wealthy enemies, and is a great way to earn gold. Nintendo plans to release fresh downloadable content in the weeks and months ahead to keep the adventure going with more playable characters and class types. The Champions of Yore 1 map is available as a free download through March 6.

 

  • Virtual Console: Two classic Game Boy Color games from Natsume, Harvest Moon and Legend of the River King, are on their way to the Nintendo 3DS Virtual Console in the coming months.

 

  • Buy and Register Nintendo 3DS XL, Get a Free Game: As a special promotion for people who have not yet purchased a Nintendo 3DS XL system, anyone who registers a Nintendo 3DS XL and either Luigi’s Mansion: Dark Moon orPokémon Mystery Dungeon: Gates to Infinity between March 21 and April 30 will receive a code to download one of these five great games for free from the Nintendo eShop for Nintendo 3DS: Super Mario 3D Land, Professor Layton and the Miracle Mask, Art Academy: Lessons for Everyone!, Star Fox 64 3D or Freakyforms Deluxe: Your Creations, Alive! For more information, visit http://club2.nintendo.com/3ds-xl-promo.

 

  • Nintendo eShop Sale: Nintendo 3DS owners can now buy and download select games from the Nintendo eShop at a discounted price for a limited time. These include BIT.TRIP SAGA from Aksys Games; Crashmo, Sakura Samurai: Art of the Sword and Ketzal’s Corridors from Nintendo; Fractured Soul from Endgame Studios; and Mutant Mudds from Renegade Kid. One game will be available at the reduced price each week. Visit http://www.nintendo.com to see the full schedule.

 

  • Castlevania Demo: A demo of Konami’s Castlevania: Lords of Shadow: Mirror of Fate hits the Nintendo eShop for Nintendo 3DS on Feb. 28. The full digital game download launches on March 5.

 

Wii U

 

  • Zelda Miiverse Community: Nintendo is launching a Miiverse community dedicated to The Legend of Zelda series today, letting fans discuss the past, present and future of this timeless franchise.

 

  • LEGO® City Comes to Life: LEGO City® Undercover launches March 18. Nintendo revealed some new sections of the game, including LEGO City Airport, Kings Court and Paradise Sands.

 

  • City Mapping: The Wii Street U powered by Google application is now available as a free download for a limited time from the Nintendo eShop for Wii U. The application taps into the Google Maps service and allows users to get a 360-degree view of locations around the world using the Wii U GamePad.

 

  • Razor’s Update: A new, free update to Ninja Gaiden 3: Razor’s Edge later this month includes one new costume each for Ryu Hayabusa, Ayane, Momiji and Kasumi, as well as 25 new Ninja Trials missions.

 

  • Third-Party Games:

 

    • BIT.TRIP Presents… Runner2: Future Legend of Rhythm Alien from Gaijin Games is coming to Wii U in February. It features narration by Charles Martinet, and a demo is planned for the Nintendo eShop soon.

 

    • This month, Zen Pinball 2 from Zen Studios introduces a number of pinball tables, including Marvel Pinball and Plants vs. Zombies Pinball. The game will be available as a free download in the Nintendo eShop for Wii U with additional tables available for purchase.

 

    • Soon Two Tribes will release Toki Tori 2, a puzzle/platforming game that will support off-TV game play on the Wii U GamePad. A level editor will be released at a later date.

 

    • Need for Speed Most Wanted U from EA is arriving on Wii U on March 19 as the first third-party title to incorporate Miiverse functionality into the game play. Exclusive features include a new Co-Driver mode for local co-op play, Off-TV mode to play on the Wii U GamePad and the Ultimate Speed Pack included at no additional charge. The Ultimate Speed Pack includes 25 additional High Speed Races and Speed Runs, five of the world’s fastest production cars and more than 70 new speed-themed milestones, plus stacks of additional rewards and unlocks.

 

    • The Walking Dead: Survival Instinct from Activision is coming to Wii U on March 26 with a unique style of game play that blends first-person action with resource management for a focus on surviving the undead nightmare.

 

    • Injustice: Gods Among Us from Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment launches on April 16. The game includes Off-TV play and lets players battle as some of their favorite heroes and villains, like Batman, The Flash, Superman, The Joker, Lex Luthor and Wonder Woman.

 

Coming to Wii U and Nintendo 3DS

 

  • Capcom’s Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate launches for both Wii U and Nintendo 3DS on March 19. A Wii U player can connect with up to three Nintendo 3DS players to create a hunting party. People can play the game on Wii U and then transfer their data to the Nintendo 3DS to continue the hunt. A demo will be available in the Nintendo eShop on both platforms on Feb. 21.

 

  • Disney Infinity from Disney Interactive is coming to Wii U and Wii this summer. For the first time, players will use real-world interactive figures to activate original, story-driven adventures in the game worlds, also known as “Play Sets.” At any time, players can also access their personal “Toy Box” and use the items to create one-of-a-kind Disney adventures featuring any combination of characters, environments and items across all franchises featured in the game. Disney Infinity will also be available on Nintendo 3DS.

 

Amazing, right?

 

LuigiBrawl

‘Luigi’s Mansion: Dark Moon’ Releases March 24th!

by Derek Kraneveldt

It’s been over 11 years since the much beloved (and often overlooked) classic Luigi’s Mansion vacuumed its onto our shelves (and into our hearts). I was just 11 years old when the game released, and I can still remember playing far too long into the night, even when I had school the next morning.

 

As much as I’d have loved to see a sequel for Nintendo’s latest home console (the Wii U of course, imagine the gamepad acting as a large, real life Game Boy Horror), I’ll take what I can get, and that’s Luigi’s Mansion: Dark Moon for the 3DS.

 

 

Nintendo today revealed the release date for Luigi’s upcoming adventure, and it’s a lot closer than you might think! Dark Moon will hit shelves just two days before 2K’s Bioshock Infinite, on March 24th, 2013.

 

I almost feel like tracking down my old GameCube in anticipation for this. I can’t imagine Dark Moon being anything but wonderful. Are you planning to pick it up?

 

DarkMoon

Pocket Monsters Go Polygonal With ‘Pokémon X And Y’

by Derek Kraneveldt

Via a special Nintendo Direct early this morning (my time anyways), Nintendo announced the next generation of the Pokémon series.

Pokemon X and Pokemon Y will hit 3DS handhelds worldwide (for once) THIS October. Watch the announcement trailer below!

Now, I’ve skipped out on the last couple generations on Pokémon titles, but there’s no way I’d miss this for the world. These latest titles look wonderful if only for the fact that after what feels like a million years, we’re getting a 3D Pokémon RPG (plus the protagonist looks just a little bit like Egoraptor).

How about an MMO next Nintendo? Please?

‘New Super Mario Bros. 2’ Players Have Collected Over 300 Billion Coins! Free DLC To Celebrate!

by Derek Kraneveldt

Well this is neat. Nintendo has just announced that New Super Mario Bros. 2 players have collected over 300 billion coins worldwide! That’s enough for every single person on Earth to gather 43 coins! It’s a huge number, and a huge achievement for all players, and of course for the big N too!

To celebrate, Nintendo is doing something very cool. Available now, free to all NSMB2 players is a brand new Coin Rush pack featuring courses from Super Mario Bros. and Super Mario Bros. 3. The new pack is fittingly called the Gold Classics Pack, and will remain free until February 1st, when it shoots up to the staggering price of $2.50.

Way to go players, and thanks Nintendo! Here’s the info:

  • This retro-inspired pack pays homage to iconic Super Mario Bros.™ and Super Mario Bros. 3 courses from the NES™ era and has been injected with the coin-fueled fun of Coin Rush mode.
  • To celebrate the collection of 300 billion worldwide coins, this course pack is available free for a limited time !
  • Free Download between 11/27/2012 – 1/31/2013
  • Starting 2/1/2013, it will be $2.50

Excited? Are you still playing New Super Mario Bros. 2? Anyone get to a million coins!?

Yahoo! ‘New Super Mario Bros. 2’ Gets 2 New DLC Packs!

by Derek Kraneveldt

Just a few weeks ago we showed you some of the DLC that was coming for Nintendo’s New Super Mario Bros. 2. The initial Coin Rush packs were awesome, and Nintendo promised us more down the pipeline. Looks like that pipe was pretty short, as today Nintendo released two more!

Each new pack can be yours for just $2.50, and Nintendo was nice enough to release a video highlighting each and giving you a score to aim for! Check them out below!

 Is anyone else extremely excited that Nintendo finally knows that DLC exists?

Is Nintendo Getting Serious About Downloads? Revamping eShop To Include More Full Games!

by Derek Kraneveldt

This can only be good news, and straight from the big N!

Today we welcomed Nintendo into the 21st century as New Super Mario Bros. 2 welcomed its first few pieces of DLC. Sunday’s pod had the first information about this, and on Tuesday we followed up with all the details. Those coin rush packs are now available for purchase!

That isn’t todays big news however. Nintendo has announced that this holiday season there will be a heavy focus on the eShop and revamping its catalogue. They’ve announced that more FULL 3DS titles will be hitting the virtual shelves this month, and that more are in the pipeline for the future!

Nintendo also revealed several more original titles and Virtual Console games that are set to hit the store in the coming months!

From the press release:

“The Nintendo eShop demonstrates Nintendo’s commitment to providing consumers with unique digital content through a combination of creativity and convenience,” said Scott Moffitt, Nintendo of America’s executive vice president of Sales & Marketing. “The variety and quality of games coming this year is unmatched, from new entries in established franchises to original properties.”

The following content is scheduled to launch in the Nintendo eShop in 2012:

ORIGINAL GAMES

  • NightSky launches Oct. 25. NightSky is an action-puzzle game that offers an ambient game-play experience with cerebral challenges that fill uniquely designed, picturesque worlds. Each of these worlds is broken into different areas in which the player must maneuver a sphere by using realistic physics to advance.
  • Crashmo launches Nov. 22. Players can embrace the laws of gravity and challenge themselves with a whole new kind of action-puzzle play in this exciting sequel to the critically acclaimed Pushmo. New gravity mechanics and gadgets like floating blocks, doors and move switches await, testing players’ skills as they push, pull and slide each puzzle’s colorful blocks in order to climb to the top. Just be careful where those blocks are moved—unsupported blocks will come crashing down.Crashmo contains lots of puzzles to test your brains, and enhanced puzzle-creation and -sharing features mean that even when all the puzzles are cleared, the fun never has to stop.
  • Fluidity: Spin Cycle arrives on Dec. 27, letting players tilt, turn and even rotate their Nintendo 3DS system 360 degrees to maneuver a puddle of water named Eddy through a maze-like, magical world. Change from liquid to a block of ice or a steam cloud to solve fun, gravity-defying puzzles and defeat Goop monsters. Fluidity: Spin Cycle features a new storybook setting to explore that spans the ages, from a lost world full of dinosaurs to the modern world and beyond.
  • Three original games from LEVEL-5 and several well-known Japanese collaborators will launch in the Nintendo eShop for Nintendo 3DS before this holiday season. The first of these games, SUDA 51’s LIBERATION MAIDEN, is set 100 years in the future, when the president of Japan boards her Liberator, Kamui, and fights to free her country one region at a time. AERO PORTER by Yoot Saito and Yasumi Matsuno’s CRIMSON SHROUD are also slated for release by the end of the year.
  • Get ready to unleash pedestrian-tossing pandemonium with Grace and Savannah in Tokyo Crash Mobs, a fast-paced action-puzzle game coming to the Nintendo eShop for Nintendo 3DS in early 2013. Players will need lightning-fast reflexes and an eye for strategy to survive the three chaotic weeks that lie ahead for our heroines, as they take on anyone and anything that gets in their way.

RECENT NINTENDO 3DS HITS AVAILABLE FOR DOWNLOAD

  • Super Mario 3D Land, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D, Star Fox 64 3D and Mario Kart 7 will become available for purchase from the Nintendo eShop on Oct. 18 at a price of $39.99 each. Additional Nintendo 3DS software currently only available at retail stores will become available in the Nintendo eShop in the future.

VIRTUAL CONSOLE

  • Mario Golf (launches Oct. 11)
  • Castlevania: The Adventure (launches Oct. 25)
  • Ninja Gaiden (launches Nov. 8)
  • Zelda II – The Adventure of Link (launches Nov. 22)
  • Wario Land II (launches Dec. 20)
  • Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels (launches Dec. 27)

Can you imagine if every 3DS game had a day one digital edition?

‘New Super Mario Bros. 2’ DLC Coming This Thursday!

by Derek Kraneveldt

Nintendo and DLC are two words that probably have never been used in the same sentence together. Now they can be! As Jonathan pointed out on Sunday’s pod, Nintendo is about to enter this decade.

This Thursday, for the low price of $2.50 a piece, you’ll be able to breathe some new life into your copy of New Super Mario Bros. 2. Each DLC pack contains 3 courses for coin rush mode. Nintendo also noted that more packs are on the way!

This is really new for Nintendo, and I couldn’t be more excited. Bring on the DLC!

From the press release:

While normal Coin Rush Mode offers players three levels chosen at random, the ones in the add-on pack are the same three in the same order every time. That gives players the ability to test themselves against one another on an even playing field.

“Nintendo fans have really enjoyed the fun and competition of Coin Rush Mode, recently surpassing more than 100 billion total coins collected worldwide,” said Scott Moffitt, Nintendo of America’s executive vice president of Sales & Marketing. “These new packs offer completely new levels that fit into the New Super Mario Bros. 2 world, but offer new challenges that will keep players coming back for more.”

The packs being released on Oct. 4 include:

  • Gold Rush Pack: Fun new courses that give novice players the best chance to collect lots of gold, and veterans the chance to set even higher Coin Rush records.
  • Coin Challenge Pack A: The New Super Mario Bros. 2 website will track the rankings based on the scores for this pack, enabling players to measure their scores against other tallies from around the world in these more open courses.
  • Nerve-Wrack Pack: Intense new courses designed for veteran players looking for new challenges.

These packs can be purchased with the following procedures: Players who are connected to a wireless Internet connection must first activate SpotPass in the game and receive a notification from New Super Mario Bros. 2.* After receiving the notification, the next time the player enters Coin Rush Mode**, a Shop icon will appear in the game. Players who have accessed the shop can then read information about the packs, including descriptions, difficulty ratings and the required storage space. As long as players have enough funds in their Nintendo eShop balance, they can then tap and purchase the packs they want all within the game.

Excited? You should be! Think about the possibilities now that Nintendo has learned that DLC exists!

‘Code of Princess’ Gets A US Trailer & Release Date

by Shane O'Hare

Atlus just popped a stiff trailer for the US release of the hyper stylized hack and slasher for the 3DS, and after watching it I got stiff too. Watch and be stiff with me.

It actually looks…really fun! Code of Princess comes October 9th! More info on the game can be found at the official website HERE. While you’re preordering the game you can get an accurate statue of the lead character!

Sadly this is Japan only…I can still dream though, can’t I?

The ‘Scribblenauts Unlimited’ Object Editor Looks Like Insanity Unleashed!

by Jonathan

I’m pretty jazzed after this morning’s WiiU press conference, so I’ve been looking at trailers trying to plan out my purchase strategy. 5th Cell’s Scribblenauts Unlimited is an easy first day buy and is also coming out for the 3DS. If you’ve played any games in the Scribblenauts series, you know how much fun they are, and Unlimited looks like it’s going to improve on everything… EVERYTHIIIIIIIING!

Now, Nintendo has revealed the Objects Editor… which seems like it’s going to be complete insanity. What do you think?

And don’t forget that the WiiU version has 2-player co-op, dawg. It’s going to get gangster this holiday. You’re invited to the party.

Another Giant Swarms Onto The Portal of Power

by MoreLikeAndy

Even with no release date, Skylanders Giants is poised to take all of our money. Still in need of two more Skylanders to complete my collection, Toys For Bob wants to tease us all with another character reveal.

This time, we have Swarm. If you are into bios:

SWARM
Bring the Sting!
Element: AIR
Character Type: Giant
Bio: Swarm was once a prince from a proud race of mysterious insect warriors that had built their entire civilization inside a giant honeycombed pyramid. Growing up as one of the 9,000 members of the royal family, he was never permitted to leave the hive. But unlike his brethren, there was a magical quality to Swarm that caused him to grow much larger than the rest of his kind. No longer able to fit amongst the rest of his colony, the young prince broke the long standing tradition and stepped out into the open world – where his size and strength would be put to good use in the legendary battle between the Giants and the Arkeyans.

Check out the vignette of Swarm in action and start making that list now of what Skylanders Giants you need to get when the game release date is announced.

 

Everybody’s Gaming For The Weekend Of July 6th, 2012!

by MoreLikeAndy

Another week on the East Coast, another hot ass week. Perfect time to stay in the nice cool air-conditioned house and play some of this week’s recommendations.

 

Spelunky (XBLA – 1200 MS Points. Original version free on PC)

Tired of Super Meat Boy or Trials Evolution and want another game to kick you in the balls? Well Spelunky has got you covered this weekend. 2D platforming with rouge-like style is perfect for punishing you while getting caught in the repeating cycle of playing the same level over and over. This ends up being a good thing for Spelunky since there is so much to see that the only way to see everything is to risk exploring the levels and hope you survive long enough to find all the secrets. Just don’t dawdle too long or the ghost will one-hit kill you.

 

Theatrhythm: Final Fantasy (3DS – $39.99)

Somehow, making a Final Fantasy rhythm game actually works. It helps that the music Square Enix decided to put into Theatrhythm is the original music selected from Final Fantasy to Final Fantasy 13 and not some sort of new style remixes that mix it with speed metal. Ugh. With all the action that happens beneath the notes you must press on screen, it’s a shame that you can never take your eyes off the notes long enough to enjoy the visual masterpiece playing out during the song. Curious as to see what characters people put in their teams.

 

McPixel (Pc, Linux, OSX – $9.99)

I could try to explain this game but all you really need is the trailer to see just how insane McPixel is:

Going into this thinking that logic will help you solve the puzzles in the required 20 seconds will be your undoing. Usually the most stupid answer is the right choice.

Pokemon Black & White Version 2 Gets US Release Date

by Shane O'Hare

That’s right boys and girls. You get the chance to return to the Unova region. Two years after the events in the first B&W. October 7th!

Though the game is played only in 2D, 3DS owners get some nifty additional perks.

If they are playing on Nintendo 3DS, players can transfer Pokémon they have caught with Pokémon Dream Radar into their Pokémon Black Version 2 and Pokémon White Version 2games (visible in 2D only). Pokémon Dream Radar lets players use several different features of the Nintendo 3DS system, including the Nintendo 3DS camera, motion control and augmented-reality technology, to discover and catch Pokémon. The game includes hard-to-find Pokémon such as the new Therian Formes of Legendary Pokémon Tornadus, Thundurus and Landorus.

For more deets check out the official website 

Everybody’s Gaming For The Weekend – 6/22/2012

by MoreLikeAndy

I wasn’t satisfied with starting one new feature this week at Geekscape. So to keep myself busier than I should be, I created ‘Everybody’s Gaming For The Weekend.’

Essentially, this will be a weekly feature that will contain games that I am going to play every weekend. What I want to try to do with this feature is to not only show you some games you might be missing out on, I also want to get our community (THAT’S YOU) involved. It would be nice to see what everyone is currently playing. Hopefully, this will spark conversation among us.

Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance Demo

After last night’s Nintendo Direct announced that Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance demo was live on the eShop, I finally thought I would dip into the world since my initial try with the first Kingdom Hearts left me motion sick. I am not sure if I’m going to be lost in the story since I have no knowledge of the universe. Only one way to find out.

Marvel Pinball: Avengers Chronicles

I mentioned this wonderful pinball add-on  earlier in the week for Pinball FX2 (Marvel Pinball on PSN) and I need to play more of this. Although I am not a trophy/achievement hunter, something about Marvel Pinball: Avengers Chronicles makes me want to get them all. That, and I want to get the highest score possible so I pose a challenge to anyone on my PSN friends list.

Pocket Planes

Finally getting over my slight addiction to Tiny Tower last year, NimbleBit decide to introduce a new addiction. Everyone I follow on Twitter is buzzing about Pocket Planes and from what I gathered, this is Tiny Tower with planes. I wonder if I can buy John McClane in-game to be my airport security chief?

I might try to fit some GAMER and Diablo III time in just to see what kind of adjustments went into the OSX version of the game. That’s what I’m gaming for the weekend. What about you?

Postgame Analysis of Tonight’s Nintendo Presser aka Where’s My Zelda 3DS?

by Jonathan

Nintendo is a sensitive company, some say the heart of the video game industry. That’s pretty apparent when you factor in that they obviously scheduled their North American Nintendo Direct press conference for midnight EST tonight to steer clear of all those hardcore Nintendo fans who were also watching Game 5 of the NBA Finals… RIGHT?!? Well, that one didn’t go into overtime… or even into a Game 6. Regardless, I’m STILL going to provide a little “postgame” as I address the positives and negatives of Nintendo’s presser.

If you want to watch the entire Nintendo Direct press conference for yourself, here it is:

– Let’s start with the “Who Gives a Damn?”

The new Nintendo 3DS XL will be released on August 19th for $199.99

It comes with a new 4.88 inch top screen (up from 3.5 inches) and a bottom screen of 4.18 inches (from the original 3). Let me tell you why I don’t care.

Because if you’re the kind of Nintendo nerd like me who watches an online streaming press conference… you already own a 3DS and you have for a year (or at least since the “games” came out in November). On top of that, the idea of a bigger 3DS really defeats the point of a portable system. I look at the kids playing their Nintendo DS XLs at our local meet-ups (yeah, I go to 3DS meet-ups… fuck you) and they look like they’re playing Angry Birds on an iPad. I don’t want a bigger 3DS. I’m not 90 years old. A 3DS XL is the equivalent of those enormous remote controls they sell to old people at Bed Bath and Beyond. No. Gracias.

The biggest missed opportunity here is that they didn’t take the time to add a second analog pad (ie. what the hardcore Nintendo gamers wanted). Whoops!

Namco Bandai is teaming with Project Sora for a new Smash Bros. game

This game will be for the 3DS and WiiU. And you’ll probably get to beat the crap out of PacMan. I’ll say it right now. I don’t like the Smash Bros. games. I could care less. I’m sorry. But I’m not a 16 year old Asian kid playing in a sweaty tournament in the basement of a Motel 6 out off the 60 freeway. If you kids want to watch a bunch of button mashing ridiculousness while yelling at each other about how close that last save was (umm… there are a LOT of saves in these games) then knock yourself out. No. Actually knock yourself out… with a human fist. Then you’d actually feel something for once.

Let’s be clear: Fighting games are for gamers who were too afraid to play contact sports. First Person Shooters are for gamers who at one time tried contact sports but were embarrassingly awful at them.

The New Super Mario Bros. 2 3DS game available August 19th will have paid DLC

Nintendo drew a line on DLC… but it looks like that line is starting to bend towards breaking. The new Fire Emblem game will supposedly have some DLC as well. Not cool, Nintendo. New Super Mario Bros. 2 is already looking like a thinner version of the original with the Golden Shower Coin Grab Mode a not that fun attempt to add Street Pass features to the game. That WILL get old fast. Please prove me wrong and make this game as substantial as the original DS title. But something about the sound of “future DLC” and “day and date downloadable and retail title” have me worried.

And no DLC on games like Mario Kart!?! I know. You’re sick of me bitching on Geekscape about wanting downloadable tracks for Mario Kart. It HAS to happen one day. It HAS to.

New Pokemon Stuff

Sorry, Pokemon fans. I got to this part of the press conference, my wife entered the room and realized what I was watching and I felt like a complete loser. I turned it off because I couldn’t care less about the Pokemons. I know that at one time I had TWO Mewtwos and was the elite trainer on my block (and easily the oldest) but that was 13 years ago. That ship has sailed for me and you’d already cost me any chance of having sex tonight. I had to bail.

By the way. Huge surprise. There’ll be new Pokemon stuff.

– Okay. So what was The Good?!?

Animal Crossing 3DS is coming and it will have Streetpass

Great. A bunch of strangers can visit my town and threaten to chop down all my trees via Streetpass. I’m cool with it. There’ll also be tarot card readings. I knew that this game (especially Tom Nook) was evil and Satanic but now it’s starting to all come to light. I skipped City Folk on the Wii but sign me up for this one. You had me at Streetpass. And Satanism.

Kingdom Hearts: Dream Drop Distance has a demo NOW on the eShop

I still want to call this game Kingdom Hearts: Egg Drop Soup. In any event, it’s coming and it’s coming soon. You can wet your appetites already. Say what I will about Nintendo and their eShop but these demos have been great and they’ve been treating them in a fantastic way. Keep them coming.

Professor Layton is finally coming to your 3DS

Professor Layton and the Mask of Miracle was a Japanese 3DS launch title. So why haven’t we seen it in the States yet? Has localization really taken this long? Whatever the puzzle may be, I’m glad it’s finally solved. We’ll be seeing this game in November (news to which my wife responded with “Merry Christmas!”). I’m already giving thanks.

New Titles Coming to the 3DS Virtual Console

The big ones are that Legend of Zelda is coming July 5th for Non-Ambassadors (jerks… I’ve been playing it for months!) and that Super Mario Land will have a price drop to $2.99 through the end of June. Also, new games will be arriving once a week this summer, including Kid Icarus: Of Myths, Wario Land: Super Mario Land 3, Sonic Blast and Sonic Labyrinth (which 5 people played).

– Now for The Inexcusable…

STILL NO WORD ON A 3DS SPECIFIC ZELDA TITLE! COME ON!!!!

WTF. It didn’t happen at E3. It didn’t happen tonight (which we could have guessed). But this is something that Nintendo has been hinting at for months. We loved the 3DS port of Ocarina of Time (it’s easily the best version of the game) but that’s a game that’s 13 years old now. I know that it wasn’t a Nintendo 64 launch title and we had to wait a while for that too but does the 3DS have that kind of time? Do portables have the same lifespans as consoles? This is something that has to have a 2013 release date on it or it runs the risk of becoming yesterday’s news (especially if the WiiU sports a console Zelda title).

Skyward Sword was a complete fetch quest of a game. It’s really one of the worst of the series and I’d only list it as playable for it’s motion controls, final dungeon and final fight scene. A 3DS port of Majora’s Mask would only stop the bleeding for a month or two. A new interpretation of Link to the Past would be interesting. But really, what any Zelda and 3DS fan wants is a true 3DS designed Zelda game. And not something like Spirit Tracks or the other DS title. Those were fun but got buried in their own backtracking (although using the Wind Waker art direction was great). Give us something that uses the system properly, 3DS, Streetpass, camera and all. We’re waiting, Nintendo. Make it happen. The clock on this system started ticking when you announced the 3DS XL.

Feel the Beat in the New Theatrythm Final Fantasy E3 Trailer!

by Josh Jackson

Square Enix has released a new trailer showing off the many tunes of the rhythm/RPG hybrid, Theatrhythm: Final Fantasy.

Showing off a plethora of tunes throughout the history of the series, choosing between party members across each game and beating monsters to the music looks like more fun than it has any right to be. And with music as memorable and legendary as the Final Fantasy catalogue, chances are if you’ve ever thought of picking up an OST, this just might be the game for you.

Don’t believe me? Check out the trailer and comment about how right I was.

Kingdom Hearts 3D’s E3 Trailer Released

by Josh Jackson

Kingdom Hearts will be back in the hands of gamers in only a few more months. With E3 upon us, Square Enix has given us another small taste of this highly anticipated game.

Showing series protagonists Sora and Riku in action within such worlds as Tron Legacy and The Three Musketeers as well as bringing in new friends along with old enemies, there’s sure to be plenty of twists and turns thrown in with the familiar Kingdom Hearts formula.

Below is the press release from Square Enix, and check out the trailer while you’re here!

Heroes of the series, Sora and Riku make a triumphant return in KINGDOM HEARTS 3D [Dream Drop Distance]. Explore the unique story lines and gameplay styles of each character as they take on the Mark of Mastery exam and uncover the mysteries of the Sleeping Worlds. This is the first in a series of new gameplay videos, so stay tuned for the next installment.

KINGDOM HEARTS 3D [Dream Drop Distance] will be available in North America on July 31, 2012 on the Nintendo 3DS™ system.

http://youtu.be/KbNe9d800SA

Mega Man Legends 3 is 100,000 Strong… Now What?

by Josh Jackson

Almost one year ago, Capcom found itself at war with its fans when it cancelled Mega Man Legends 3 despite much demand. In fact, many would argue that the company itself was the first to fire shots when it blamed the fans for the cancellation, despite the fact that these same people were actively helping with development. When pressed on the issue, asking what more they could have done besides make the game for them, this is how Capcom famously replied via its Euro Twitter account:

As it turns out, there were plenty of developers outside of Capcom who were willing to continue with the making of the now infamous title, including CyberConnect and Mega Man father Kenji Inafune, with no response. In what would be later slaps in the face to fans of the Blue Bomber, Capcom even neglected to put Mega Man X in the re-release of Marvel vs Capcom 3, once again citing a lack of fan demand despite X leading all of the published fan polls, ahead of many of the characters who actually made the cut.

Obviously, fans weren’t happy, but there was one group who decided to do something about it. Taking a cue from fan movements such as Operation Rainfall, a Facebook movement titled 100,000 Strong for Bringing Back Mega Man Legends 3 emerged, quickly amassing tens of thousands of members to prove to Capcom that the game does have an audience, and at the very least, all these fans want is the Prototype version, a glorified paid demo that was designed to gague interest in the first place.

Well, it finally happened. A few weeks ago, the group hit their goal and as of this writing, have surpassed it with about 107,000 fans asking for the game they were promised. Gamers are still joining the Dev Room to prove that they will continue to participate. So now the ball is in Capcom’s court. Aside from Mega Man, the company that used to be known for pleasing fans by porting over risky titles in the West like Phoenix Wright, has done nothing to discourage their rage, especially after milking fans for finished content and charging extra money to download the ending to their games. Frankly, with their reputation sinking in the eyes of many gamers, now couldn’t be a more oppritune time to listen to the them.

The solution? Announce Mega Man Legends 3 at E3.

At this point, what choice do they have? Why not throw in Professor Layton vs Phoenix Wright and MAYBE Ace Attorney Investigations 2 for good measure? I mean, look at it this way. Operation Rainfall, the community that banded together and demanded that Nintendo bring three titles to the North American Wii market, got their wishes answered when Xenoblade was released in April and The Last Story was announced for a summer release. Honestly, I’ll be shocked if Pandora’s Tower, the third title of this holy trinity, isn’t playable on the show floor.

Point being, if Nintendo can release three titles after receiving requests from a group of about 12,000, (which isn’t bad by any stretch of the imagination,) it would be the ultimate in dickish moves for Capcom to ignore almost ten times the amount of people asking for the release of just ONE game. Hell, we’ll be happy with the Prototype which was supposed to have been finished already.

Since this series of controversies hit what was once one of my favorite developers, Capcom has all but lost me as a customer, and I know I’m not alone. E3 will be a turning point for the company and I’ll be eagerly anticiapting what they have to announce. Because going forward, this will shape the perception of a company that once prided itself on accepting fan interaction and feedback, but since then has backhanded us with broken promises, nickel and dime business practices and alienating those who are lining their pockets. So Capcom, do the right thing. Release Mega Man Legends 3. Because there are 100,000 people who want it… and many of which like myself will be done with you if we don’t get it.

Nintendo Reveals New Features to Conquer in Pokémon Conquest

by Jonathan

I’ve played zero Pokemon in over 10 years so I think I’ll just let the Nintendo press release speak for me in this instant. I know that this new Pokemon title is a bit of a curiosity… but aren’t they all? The fans seem to all have their favorites. Are there any that have been unanimous duds (but still probably sold a jillion ka-zillion copies)?

Anyway, here’s Nintendo:

Following last month’s announcement of Pokémon Conquest, Nintendo has revealed even more details about the new features available in the game, which launches for the Nintendo DS family of systems on June 18. Players can look forward to exploring the Ransei region and interacting with Pokémon in an entirely new way as they take on the role of a young Warlord who is linked with a Pokémon. Together they must set out to recruit Warrior allies to strengthen their growing kingdom. Developed by TECMO KOEI GAMES Co., Ltd., the game can also be played on the Nintendo 3DS system in 2D mode.

New information includes the following:

Story: To save the Ransei region from Nobunaga, a powerful Warlord who is trying to take over Ransei, players must conquer different kingdoms to strengthen and grow their own kingdom. There are 17 kingdoms in total to conquer. Conquering all 17 kingdoms and ultimately uniting the kingdom will awaken the Legendary Pokémon and save the land from destruction. Story mode is organized by episodes. Players unlock episodes as they progress and each episode features a different playable Warlord and victory conditions.

Army Mechanics: Players can grow their army by recruiting defeated Warlords and their Pokémon. After a kingdom is conquered, players will also have access to the kingdom facilities such as training grounds, shops to buy items and mines for money. Players can also strengthen their army by linking with Pokémon. Warlords can have various linked Pokémon and switch between them before battle to strategically prepare for the type of battle they are about to engage in.

Battle Mechanics: Players will encounter a wide range of battlefields as they progress through the game. Each of the 17 kingdoms has a different type-themed battlefield. For example, in the fire-themed kingdom of Ignis, players can battle around lava flows, lava beds and fire spouts. Strategically using water-type Pokémon to navigate through this battlefield will help players conquer this kingdom. Additionally, players can use the kingdom training grounds to train their army or find wild Pokémon and link with them. After battling with a Warlord, the game automatically registers them. Using the built-in local wireless features of Nintendo DS, players can use their registered armies to battle with friends who also own the game.

Warlords and Pokémon: Each Warlord has a special ability that can change the tide of battle. For example, Warlord Oichi has the ability to heal all the Pokémon in a player’s army. Also, like Pokémon, Warlords have types that will determine how well they link to particular Pokémon. Some Warlords will have the ability to choose from and link with several different kinds of Pokémon.

For more information about Pokémon Conquest, visit http://www.pokemon.com.

KINGDOM HEARTS 3D: Dream Drop Distance Gets American Release Date

by Shane O'Hare

The giant of a series, Kingdom Hearts, is coming to the 3DS this July 31st. Players will take up the roles of Sora and Riku, and will be able to switch characters on the fly using the new Drop Gauge System. Square Enix has said this will add a new element of strategy to the game. Check out the trailer below (Turn on Closed Captioning for English Subtitles) and the new character models!

Looking Back At The 3DS Launch: What Did We Expect?

by Josh Jackson

Time sure does fly, doesn’t it? We’re only a few days away from the one year anniversary of the 3DS. Since it launced, the handheld has sold millions of units, even outpacing the original DS during the same amount of time. Not bad at all considering the DS is on track to be the best selling gaming platform of all time. But I remember sitting in front of the computer trying to churn out reviews for the games at or near launch. Not many were great.

In fact, most of them were outright bad. The internet was filled with predictions of doom, saying that Nintendo was destined to fail, the 3DS was horrible and that the launch was compared, (laughably,) to the Virtual Boy. When the company is known for incredible titles like Mario and Zelda, who could argue otherwise when all they gave us was Steel Diver, (a DS tech demo,) a dumbed down Pilotwings and a sequel to Nintendogs, a game that was never going to have “hardcore” gamers lined up at the door to play. I’m not going to sit here and say the launch was great, but really, gamers… what else did you expect?

Over the last few console generations, I can’t remember a launch that was pulled off well. For all of the complaints over the 3DS, is it really worse than say… the PS3? Where aside from about two games, had nothing good to play for about two years? Or how the original DS blew our minds with… a mini game collection where you molested a faceless woman, a poor controlling port of Mario 64 and the revolutionary Yoshi’s Touch and Go? All game of the year candidates, I know. Last I heard, the PS3 is doing pretty well for itself now, and the DS is considered one of the greatest handhelds of all time.

Nothing says high quality launch like scraping scorpions off of a woman's back!

On the flip side, let’s look at the PSP and Wii. I remember Adam Sessler on X-Play claiming that the DS was living in a “PSP World” during their Polarium review. Game Informer said Nintendo could learn how to launch a system from Sony, because of the PSP’s amazing launch of over 20 games. Most of them were ports, but they looked pretty, so who cares? Anyway, fast forward to today, and aside from Monster Hunter and a ton of Square Enix spinoffs, what is there to play on the PSP again? Mostly poorly controlling ports pretending to be console games, remade or updated versions of old classics and the occaisional gem once every year or so. And while I don’t share the opinion, many gamers feel the Wii was an overall letdown. But who would have guessed that when it launched? It had so many fun, unique ways to use the motion controls. And it launched with a Zelda title. Freakin ZELDA!

Let’s not pretend that the PS2 launched with Metal Gear Solid 3, Final Fantasy X or Shadow of the Colossus. I remember being forced to buy Madden at launch because that and SSX were the only games that didn’t look like complete ass. And while the PS1 is one of the most fondly remembered consoles, I know this wasn’t because of it’s earth shattering launch of Jumping Flash and Battle Arena Toshinden.

The highlight of the Playstation's launch days.

Besides, it’s not like the 3DS’ opening months weren’t available for everyone to see either. I was shocked at how many people who bought it were acting surprised that there weren’t any new high profile games for early adopters. I mean, seriously? It’s not like they promised Mario Kart, Pikmin 3 and Super Smash Bros at launch. We knew what we were getting at the time, and to me, there were really only three reasons to get it at or on March 27th.

One would be to experience the new technology from day one, being able to watch it evolve. Secondly, being that one “cool guy” who had the newest gadget. The third reason would be to buy it knowing it would suck, just to be that person who wants to sound smart by complaining about a system that you knew you wouldn’t like to begin with.


That’s not to say that Nintendo didn’t make some huge mistakes with the system in the beginning, and the quick price drop was an admission of guilt to me. First, they focused too much on the 3D and not on the games. Sure, I get that the average consumer would be attracted to the 3D concept since it was all the rage at the time, (or at least more so than now,) but they never told us why we needed it as opposed to a DSi, which was $80 cheaper. Which brings me to their other mistake, the cost was way too high. Gamers knew it wouldn’t have much to play in the beginning. Parents would see the DSi next to it and likely go for the cheaper alternative. So how could it have ever sold without its own identity and without games to justify the higher price? Of course, we all know how that went, and I ended up with a ton of free games as an apology thank you for my early purchase. You’re welcome Nintendo.

The 3DS Ambassador program. Also known as the "Please don't trade it in towards a Vita initiative."

It just goes to show that launches don’t define a console’s life. Today, 3DS owners are much happier. The claims of the 3DS being the next Virtual Boy have been replaced with excitement over the next Kingdom Hearts. Those who begged for a solid Nintendo offering have long finished Super Mario 3D Land and are firing away online with Kid Icarus. The cheaper price definitely doesn’t hurt things.

My point is that next time a system launches, whether it’s the Vita, WiiU or Playstation 5000, know that the launch doesn’t define the system. Developers are just starting to sink their teeth into what these new systems are capable of, and the best titles are always yet to come. And next time, save the theories of armageddon to Nostradamus and just enjoy your games.

Hulu Plus coming to the Nintendo 3DS!

by Steven Kunz

The Nintendo 3DS is becoming more of a media device, which seems to be an indication of where future video game platforms are moving towards. In terms of Nintendo platforms, the Wii has Netflix streaming and Hulu Plus has recently become available as a free app for the system. (Each one requires a subscription to use, although you can stream on multiple devices once you are a subscriber to Netflix or Hulu Plus) The 3DS also has Netflix and Nintendo Video which downloads 3D video clips from different partners like CollegeHumor, 3Net, and Variety. By the end of this year, the 3DS will have Hulu as another media app available for download

Hulu Plus is currently being developed as an app for the Nintendo 3DS, and is slated to be available sometime before the end of the year. While other platforms have an app for Hulu Plus, I wonder if the 3DS app will just be for streaming content, or will it take advantage of the 3DS’ Streetpass and Spotpass capability?

If I might be allowed to speculate, I would say that the 3DS app should focus on streaming, but allow access to exclusive content for 3DS users with the Spotpass updates and Streetpass feature, regardless of whether they pay for a subscription. This way, not only will it give potential users another reason to subscribe, but it keeps you accessing the app consistently, which is really important in the longevity of Hulu Plus’ 3DS integration in my opinion.

At this time, there is no other information other than it’s announcement, so I guess we will have to wait and see. Either way, good to see the 3DS becoming versatile in delivering content to it’s users.

Source: http://mashable.com/2012/02/16/hulu-plus-wii/

Pushmo – A Nintendo eShop Game Retrospective

by Steven Kunz

Pushmo was the first original eShop game that caught my attention. Pyramids and Freakyforms did not interest me at the time(Though I plan on reviewing them later), so when Pushmo was released, I immediately bought it. It was my first impulse purchase, and it was one I have not regretted at all.

The story of Pushmo begins when you, a round sumo-like character named Mallo, visit a place called Pushmo Park. You meet with the inventor, Papa Blox, who shows you how Pushmo works. Pushmo, according to the game’s eShop page, “are incredible puzzle-like climbing toys” in which you can push and pull individual blocks, forming a path to the top. Suddenly, a young punk has trapped several kids in different Pushmos across the park, and it’s up to Mallo to rescue all the children who are trapped. What’s interesting about the story is that in the main game, there are 180 Pushmos, each with a kid trapped inside. That means this single punk took 180 separate kids in the park and trapped them in gigantic convoluted structures. In any other world, he would have been arrested for kidnapping and endangering the welfare of a minor, but in Pushmo Park, he is left to roam free and continue to wreck havoc on the lives of little children.

In all seriousness, the story does give you context on why you should solve every puzzle in this family-friendly adventure. The visual aesthetics also support this family-friendly nature. The world is colorful and vibrant and the character designs are simple and EXTREMELY cute to look at. The 3D also works well, with the illusion of depth achieved when you push and pull sections of the Pushmo forward. The world of Pushmo is not only a world that is full of positivity and life, but it also looks great as well.

The music and sounds also show off a very bright and happy environment, with sets of levels getting their own theme music. You have tutorials, regular levels, murals, and Nintendo-themed murals to get you through the game. However, there are no other stage themes. You’ll hear the same song repeat in each level in a single set, which is slightly disappointing since the tracks are very good. However, the appeal disappeared right when I reached the last set of stages.

The game play is where Pushmo shines. The goal is to rescue children trapped in the Pushmo, and since they are usually stuck at the top, you have to scale the gigantic puzzle until you reach the goal. When you get past the beginning stages, you are introduced to two new elements that complicate the puzzles: The manhole and the pullout switch. The manhole lets you enter and exit from one manhole to the other as long as they are exposed and of the same color while the pullout switch lets you push all blocks of a same color out when you step on it. It’s important to know when and where to use manholes and switches, especially the switches as you don’t need to hit every switch. If you’re overzealous in pushing and pulling blocks and activating switches, you’re likely to block your path. This is especially true near the end. You can also rewind time by holding the L button, so you can go back and fix your mistakes. Finally, by holding R, you can see the entire Pushmo from afar so you can plan your next step, or if you just want a full view of the Pushmo.

The mechanics are simple but refined. Forming a path to reach the goal is easy to do, and the game builds from that by steadily increasing the complexity of the puzzles as you play. When the manhole and switch are introduced, you have to think a few steps ahead, mainly to see if using a switch or manhole will move you forward or completely trap you. However, you only get into this mindset near the endgame, as the beginning puzzles and some of the midgame puzzles are very easy. It feels like once you begin the endgame, it suddenly spikes in difficulty without warning. I’m assuming that since I’m an adult, I’m able to see things two to three steps ahead. If you’re a child, you might perceive this increased slope in difficulty more easily. For me, I went from breezing through the game to spending twenty minutes solving one part of the puzzle so I can move onto the next part. The difficulty never reached the point where I stopped playing out of frustration. Being able to solve a hard puzzle definitely yields a sense of pride and I felt much more eager continuing to play. The game is rewarding. Though there is a sudden spike in difficulty near the end, it just made want to beat the puzzles even more.

In terms of replayability, the only levels I wanted to replay were the mural levels. The tutorials were just tutorials, and the regular levels felt more like expanded tutorials in the beginning, but the murals were entertaining at least. It was interesting and satisfying to see what shape each Pushmo was as well as climbing on top of a giant lemon soda, or alternatively, Mario.

There are also user-created Pushmos, which are incredible.  It’s amazing to see how creative some people are in making levels.  I tried a couple out and they were just as difficult as the end-game Pushmos and extremely fun like the mural levels. In order to receive user-created Pushmo, you go to the Pushmo Studio in the main menu, click on an empty square in the stage selection, and press the “READ QR CODE” button. You position your 3DS so that the QR code is within the frame on the top screen, and if done correctly, the game will recognize the QR code and download the new Pushmo for you to save and play.

As for making Pushmos, I never got the hang of it, but then again, I’m not very good at creating my own levels in any game/level maker. For those creative and determined enough, the level creator will certainly occupy a lot of your time, as well as playing some of the user-created Pushmos. I definitely recommend keeping an eye on the internet for some great levels.

All in all, I have to say that Pushmo is definitely worth the $6.99 that it is worth and more. There are some minor issues with the music, but that is just nitpicking on what is deservedly a fantastic game, and one that I would definitely call an eShop classic. The gameplay is solid, there are plenty of entertaining puzzles and the user-created Pushmos and level creator will ensure plenty of game time depending on your level of creativity with the level maker and patience with the end-game puzzles. This is one game that everyone with a 3DS has to download.

Multiplayer Modes Galore in Kid Icarus: Uprising

by MoreLikeAndy

Being ever so skeptical of any multiplayer on a handheld system, Super Street Fighter IV on the 3DS won me over in hopes that multiplayer online would start to become a thing we could all praise on a handheld platform.

Hopefully following up with that success, Nintendo released some info today on the multiplayer modes that will be in the upcoming 3DS title, Kid Icarus: Uprising, releasing on March 23rd. If what I’m reading below is true, I can’t wait to mix it up in Free-For-All mode.

Here is the original press release from Nintendo:

Nintendo News

Multiple Multiplayer Modes Revealed in Kid Icarus: Uprising Game for Nintendo 3DS

Nintendo has revealed new details on the different multiplayer modes in Kid Icarus: Uprising, which will launch exclusively for the Nintendo 3DS system on March 23. More than 25 years after the launch of the original Kid Icarus game for NES, Kid Icarus: Uprising brings the action and adventure of this beloved series to new heights. Modes and features in the new game include:

  • Light vs. Dark: Team up with other players in Light vs. Dark multiplayer mode, in which two teams of three are pitted against one another. The ultimate goal is to empty the opposing team’s health meter, which transforms the last defeated team member into an angel. The team who defeats the opposing team’s angel wins. This unique multiplayer mode tests players’ ability to work as a team while keeping the match exciting as the focus constantly shifts from dealing out damage to protecting the team angel.
  • Free-for-All: In this mode, up to six players (including CPU players) combat each other in a winner-takes-all match. Winners are determined by high score, heavily influenced by both the number of kills and the number of deaths.
  • Match Set-up: Both Light vs. Dark and Free-for-All multiplayer modes are playable through local wireless play or online for players with broadband Internet access. CPU players will fill out the roster if there are fewer than six players in a match. Duration of the match, CPU difficulty, weapons and team handicaps are all customizable prior to beginning a multiplayer battle.
  • Weapons and Weapon Fusion: The wide variety of weapons a player has collected in single-player mode can be used during multiplayer matches. Players can also earn additional weapons as rewards in multiplayer play. Players can choose set combinations of weapons and powers before entering into a match. This provides further incentive for players to continue collecting different and more powerful weapons as they play through the single-player campaign. Players can also fuse weapons together at the Arms Altar. Fusing two weapons will result in a single, more powerful weapon that retains some of the key benefits of each, giving players the ability to customize weapons to match their play style. Fused weapons can also be used in multiplayer matches.
  • StreetPass: Through the StreetPass functionality of the Nintendo 3DS hardware, players have the ability to share one of their weapons with other Kid Icarus: Uprising owners. The selected weapon is turned into a Weapon Gem. Shared Weapon Gems can be converted into real weapons by paying Hearts. Players can also fuse Weapon Gems together by paying Hearts to create a more powerful Weapon.

Consumers who pre-order Kid Icarus: Uprising via GameStop, Best Buy and Amazon.com will receive a bonus download code for the 3D Classics: Kid Icarus game, a re-mastered 3D version of the NES original. The download code will be given to customers who pre-ordered Kid Icarus: Uprising at the time of the actual game purchase. Retailers may require a deposit for pre-orders. Kid Icarus: Uprising will carry a suggested retail price of $39.99 in the United States.

Kid Icarus: Uprising launches across North America on March 23. For more information, please visit http://kidicarusuprising.nintendo.com.