Tag: Pikmin

10 New Amiibo Released This Week. We Unbox All Of Them

by Josh Jackson

The past seven days have been big for amiibo collectors out there. After over a year of anticipation, the Super Smash Bros line is finally complete with the release of Cloud, Corrin and Bayonetta. If that wasn’t enough, three new Inklings hit the scene day and date with Splatoon 2, while the Pikmin themselves made their solo debut in plastic form today, lining up with the release of Hey! Pikmin on the 3DS.

As if the addiction wasn’t apparent enough, we’ve gathered all ten and have unboxed them for your viewing pleasure. Check out the video below to see them up close, and let us know which ones are your favorites in the comments! Don’t forget to subscribe! 

Here Are The Highlights From Today’s Nintendo Direct!

by Natalie Kipper

This afternoon, a good portion of the gaming community tuned in to the latest Nintendo Direct presentation. For just a second shy of 11 and a half minutes, Nintendo bombarded fans with news of upcoming games for both the Switch and the 3DS. On the off chance you missed it, perhaps you had adult things to do or were napping, you can find the entire Nintendo Direct just below this sentence.

https://youtu.be/b0eA0AKk6wY

 

The video covered a ton of content so rather than go through it piece by piece, let’s take a look at the heavy hitters!

The headliners were ARMS and Splatoon 2. In the ARMS segment of the video (that I think kind of dragged on a bit), viewers were introduced to a new combatant, the Eastern culture-flavored Minmin. Along with Minmin, fans got a glimpse at different fighting strategies, such as equipping two different weapon types, as well as additional modes of play, like the 2-versus-2 matches. More information was also released about what makes each fighter different. Minmin, for example, can deflect projectiles with a timed kick as well as make use of a powered-up dragon arm to unleash extra damage. ARMS has a release date of June 16.

Out of all the games shown, I think Splatoon 2 is the one likely to produce the most buzz. The game’s segment showcased new gameplay mechanics, like reviving a teammate. The new mode shown was called Salmon Rush and focused on acquiring orbs dropped by enemies upon defeat. It looks like the big boss baddies yield the orbs needed to complete the main objective for the level. Splatoon 2 will ship on July 21 on the Nintendo Switch with an additional Direct leading up to the game’s release.

The Pikmin series makes its inaugural voyage to the Nintendo 3DS in Hey! PIKMIN. Players can expect the same alien-tossing and puzzle-solving they love but in a side-scrolling format. And for those amiibo maniacs out there (we are looking at you, Jonathan!), a special Pikmin amiibo will be sold the same day as the game’s release, July 28.

Speaking of amiibo, twelve additional figures are scheduled to be released this summer. First, The Legend of Zelda gets three more versions of Link on June 23. Those versions are Majora’s Mask, Twilight Princess, and Skyward Sword. And on July 21, there are amiibo for the three Super Smash Bros. fighters, Cloud, Corrin, and Bayonetta. There will be two versions of each of those three characters. Also coming in July are three Splatoon 2 amiibo, featuring an Inkling Girl, Inkling Boy, and you guessed it, an Inkling Squid.

One game I am particularly excited about is Ever Oasis, heading to the Nintendo 3DS on June 23. It is an Action-RPG by Koichi Ichii, the brain behind the Mana series. Nintendo will reveal more about this title as we get closer to June.

What announcements got your blood pumping? Let us know in the comments!

‘Pikmin’ Comes To The 3DS! But It’s Not What You Think…

by Josh Jackson

Since the original Nintendo DS launched over 10 years ago, Pikmin always seemed like it would be a natural fit for the touch screen, (which was proven on the Wii U with Pikmin 3.) It may have taken a decade to land on handheld platforms, but Olimar and his army of adorable carrots are finally coming to the 3DS. Except… It’s nothing like what any of us would expect.

Trading in its real time strategy game play for what can only be described as an action focused 2D platformer, Pikmin for the Nintendo 3DS looks to turn what we know about the series on its head. Alternating between the fire resistant red Pikman, the high flying yellow Pikmin that laugh off the dangers of electricity, or the blue Pikmin, which are the only type that can survive in water, Olimar will use them to attack, solve puzzles, and fight bosses as he works his way towards the end of each stage.

Not much is known about the game outside of its reveal trailer, such as whether or not the other Pikmin variants like the white, purple, pink or rock Pikmin will make an appearance, but I’m approaching this one cautiously at the moment. What we’ve seen looks good so far, but we only have to look to last year’s Chibi Robo: Zip Lash to find a sequel where an established game was converted to a 2D platformer for the sake of wider appeal, only for it to lose much of what made it special in the process. Let’s hope Olimar and his crew avoid this pitfall.

Thoughts on the new Pikmin? Are you excited about the new direction, or would you prefer the classic style to return? Sound off below and let us know!

Wait, What? ‘Pikmin 4’ Is Happening, And Nearly Complete?

by Derek Kraneveldt

Briefly: I love Pikmin.

I was absolutely floored that Pikmin 3 ever happened. Nintendo has a lot of properties that haven’t received new titles in years, and I didn’t know that Pikmin sold well enough to warrant another title any time soon.

Well, apparently Pikmin 4 is happening, and it may be closer than we think.

In a just-released interview with Eurogamer (held back in July), Miyamoto revealed news of the next Pikmin game:

“It’s actually very close to completion,” Miyamoto said. “Pikmin teams are always working on the next one.”

Sure, it’s just a single sentence, but it’s a sentence that makes me so happy.

Nintendo confirmed that the title was in fact. in development, but would not comment on a platform or release date.

Excited? What do you hope to see in the next game? Sound out below!

Pikmin

Nintendo Video To Launch ‘The Legend Of Zelda’, ‘Pikmin’ Originals

by Derek Kraneveldt

Briefly: Just catching up on some news after this weekend’s fantastic Comikaze Expo, and this piece definitely caught my eye.

Nintendo has announced plans to debut an awesome lineup of new shows for the Fall season. Five series have been announced, including shorts based on The Legend of Zelda and Pikmin (which also reminds me that I still need to pick up Pikmin 3).

Here’s Nintendo’s description of the new shows (including Pendleton Ward’s fantastic Bravest Warriors):

– The Legend of Zelda: The Misadventures of Link: This original series of comedic shorts shows Link, the series’ star, in a new and hysterical light. His surroundings will be familiar to fans of the series, since the shorts are based on The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker HD game for the Wii U console.

 

– Pikmin Nature Documentaries: These “nature documentaries” explore the wonderful world of the tiny Pikmin. The animations, highlighted by dramatic voiceover work, are a tongue-in-cheek take on safari nature shows.

 

– Bravest Warriors: The latest hit show created by Pendleton Ward, the mind behind Adventure Time, follows four teenage heroes-for-hire as they warp through galaxies to save adorable aliens and their worlds using the power of their emotions. The series is produced by Frederator Studios and launched on the Cartoon Hangover channel on YouTube. New episodes of Bravest Warriors will appear every Friday on Nintendo Video.

 

– Wildheart Riukiu: This new series of 3D shorts comes from the creator of Meat or Die, which has already amassed more than 5 million views on Nintendo Video. Wildheart Riukiu incorporates charming 16-bit graphics with some not-so-charming, but hilarious, characters. Think ninja puppets.

 

– Bee and PuppyCat: A Cartoon Hangover Shorts fan favorite, this two-part series by Natasha Allegri follows Bee, an out-of-work 20-something who has a life-changing collision with a mysterious creature she names PuppyCat.

I’ve never opened up Nintendo Video in the almost-year that I’ve owned my 3DS. I’ll definitely be checking these out though. Which show are you most excited for? Sound out below!

MisadventuresofLink

Captain Olimar and Pikmin Appear at Red Bull Flugtag 2013

by J.C. Marquez

The Red Bull Flugtag event always draws the most creative, wackiest, and bravest people whose idea of dressing up in costumes and falling off a ledge with a failure of a flying device seems like a good time. The following entry meets all those requirements and then some.

Participants dressed up as Captain Olimar and a couple of Pikmin attempt to fly in a large Winged Pikmin model. The key word here is ‘attempt’.

New Nintendo Direct Leads us Into the Summer

by Josh Jackson

Another Nintendo Direct has come and gone, and while there wasn’t too much information relating to new games, we did get details on some of the big titles gamers have been waiting angrily patiently for.

Below are the highlights of the conference. Make sure to check back for more detailed information throughout the day.

–Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Games coming to the Wii U and 3DS. Featuring many new events, most notably races that combine events into one arcade style Dream Event.

–Sonic Lost World coming exclusively to Wii U and 3DS.

-A large amount of Game Gear titles coming soon to the 3DS eShop. Knuckles Chaotix was not spotted…

-Nintendo Japan announced Yakuza 1-2 HD for the Wii U. No word on a Western release.

–Oracle of Seasons and Ages will be discounted to $4.99 each until June 20th. Release date is May 30th.

–Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D details new world 9. Each level inspired by one of each previous stage.

–Animal Crossing Mii Plaza puzzle and Swapnote available now. Videos discussing the game will be on Nintendo’s YouTube page leading to its June 9th release.

–Game and Wario features a variety of mini games for both single and multiplayer. Releasing on June 23rd for $39.99.

–Resident Evil: Revelations will have Game Pad, Pro Control and off TV support. New infernal difficulty, online features and characters, Hunk and Rachel, added to Raid Mode. Coming May 21st.

–New Super Luigi 2 seems to give each character unique abilities like Luigi’s flutter jump from Mario 2. Mario replaced by Nabbit, who can’t power up but can’t get hurt. Releasing on June 20th as DLC for $19.99 or as a stand alone retail game or $29.99 on August 25th.

–The Wonderful 101 is (FINALLY!) coming to Wii U on September 25th.

–Pikmin 3 stars three new characters, Alph, Charlie and Brittany, who are collecting fruit for their starving planet. The game will use a variety of GamePad functions to help scout stages and re-watch playthroughs. Uses Wii Remote Plus, Pro Controller and off TV play both with the pad and with the Wii Remote using the pad as a monitor. Still scheduled for August 4th.

-Last and most importantly, Best Buy will exclusively house playable E3 demos for the Wii U in the U.S. and Canada, letting consumers experience the new games for themselves.

So that’s about it. While I wish there was more info on new games, I guess that’s what E3 is for. And at least we finally know when Wonderful 101 is coming out! Now onwards to E3.

Geekscape 283: The WonderCon Preview, GI Joe, Luigi’s Mansion and More!

by Jonathan

I go a bit nuts on the show this time around, letting everyone know who is Number 1 or will be very soon! Geekscape has an agenda and we’re going to play it to the end! WonderCon is this weekend and you know we’ll be representing on the floor at Booth 953! I talk comics books and what DC books you can afford to drop from your pull lists! ‘Luigi’s Mansion: Dark Moon’ on the 3DS brings me tons of ghostly fun! Shawn Madden drops by to say that ‘GI Joe: Retaliation’ is Triple A Plus Plus! My wife calls up to calm me down and Linder, our new British listener, calls in to talk gardening… and I roll with it! Because gardening rules! PLUS! It’s horn-blowing time!

 

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 55:55 — 22.4MB)

WiiU Press Conference Wrap Up: System Arriving Nov. 18th In Two Bundles And More!

by Jonathan

The Nintendo Wii U press conference just ended and there was a slew of huge announcements (and a few not so huge ones). The big facts are that the system will arrive on Sunday, November 18th (start planning your camp out now) and that it will come in two bundles:

A Basic Set will come in white for a suggested retail price of $299.99.

There’ll also be a Deluxe Set, which includes higher storage capacity (32GB), additional accessories and the new Nintendo Land™ video game, will be offered in black at a suggested retail price of $349.99. Europe is getting ZombieU as a packaged in title. I hope that’s the same for the US.

The other big announcements were the free inclusion of non-subscription online WiiU TVii and Wiiverse (or whatever their online component is called) and the expansion of Nintendoland. New Super Mario Bros. U will be a launch game and has some amazing features like an interconnected world map and mini-game challenges throughout the main game that will take the first New Super Mario Bros. for the Wii’s “divorce mode” to another level. Good luck having any Bros after this…

The Nintendoland additions of Pikmin and Metroid-themed games definitely have me excited along with the fact that you can play around in Nintendoland at launch. Nintendo TVii doesn’t seem to offer anything new on the programming side, with Netflix, Amazon TV and HuluPlus seemingly already a part of it, but the fact that you can personalize the experience for each person in the household and switch between accounts on the new Gamepad is awesome. It also has some DVR capabilities and social media sharing that’s available at the touch of a finger.

The Gamepad also keeps cheaters honest by allowing two friends in the same room to be able to play together without using a split-screen, each player with their own screen. The gameplay seemed to work awesome in Activision’s live display of Call of Duty: Black Ops 2, which also allows a player to use the Gamepad to configure their gaming experience and weaponry on the fly.

Here is the full press release from Nintendo:

REDMOND, Wash.–(BUSINESS WIRE)– Nintendo today revealed full details about how the new Wii U™ home console and its groundbreaking touch-screen Wii U GamePad controller can revolutionize not only video game play but also the way people find and watch TV and video content. The new HD system will offer entirely new ways for consumers to play games and enjoy their favorite programming when it launches in the Americas on Nov. 18. During the launch window, more than 50 games will be available for Wii U, which will be offered in two different colors and configurations. The Basic Set will be offered in white at a suggested retail price of $299.99, while the Deluxe Set, which includes higher storage capacity, additional accessories and the new Nintendo Land™ video game, will be offered in black at a suggested retail price of $349.99.

At a special Wii U preview event in New York, Nintendo also unveiled Nintendo TVii, an application that will let Wii U owners in the United States and Canada find, watch and engage with their favorite video entertainment in fun new ways. Using the GamePad controller, Nintendo TVii lets viewers seamlessly explore available video content from a variety of sources – including live TV, their TiVo DVR and video-on-demand services such as Netflix – all in one easy-to-use interface.

Additionally, Nintendo shared new information about dozens of games on the way for Wii U, including Nintendo Land, New Super Mario Bros.™ U, LEGO® City: Undercover, BAYONETTA 2, The Wonderful 101™, Capcom’s Monster Hunter™ 3 Ultimate and Activision’s Call of Duty®: Black Ops II. New Super Mario Bros. U offers unprecedented ways for friends and families to play together and explore Mario’s world using the GamePad. Nintendo Land, which will be available as a standalone game or included with the Wii U Deluxe Set, is a virtual theme park featuring a lineup of 12 playable attractions based on Nintendo’s greatest game worlds, including The Legend of Zelda™, Metroid™, Mario™, Animal Crossing™ and Donkey Kong™. As an added bonus for consumers, a Chase McCain LEGO minifigure will come as a special pre-order bonus for those who pre-order a copy of LEGO City: Undercover at participating retailers while supplies last. All of these games will instantly immerse players in a variety of new game-play experiences that are available only on Wii U.

“The wait is almost over — in just 66 days, Wii U will arrive with the strongest lineup of launch software in Nintendo history,” said Nintendo of America President and COO Reggie Fils-Aime. “With the integrated second screen of the included GamePad and features that instantly enhance the way people play games, watch video and interact with each other, consumers will see how Wii U delivers a completely unique experience and a remarkable value right out of the box. The new system also creates extraordinary new possibilities for game developers, bound only by the limits of their imaginations.”

The Wii U Basic Set includes a white Wii U console with 8 GB of internal storage, one white GamePad controller, AC adapters for both the console and controller, a sensor bar and an HDMI® cable. In the Wii U Deluxe Set, components are black. This bundle includes all elements from the Basic Set, as well as the Nintendo Land game, increased console storage capacity of 32 GB, a console stand, GamePad charging cradle and a stand that allows users to place the GamePad vertically on a table. Consumers who purchase the Deluxe Set also will be enrolled in the Deluxe Digital Promotion, which lets Wii U owners receive points for each digital download and redeem those points for future downloadable content from the Nintendo eShop. The promotion is currently planned through 2014.

Both configurations offer a wealth of one-of-a-kind entertainment experiences, including an online gaming community called Miiverse™ and the new Nintendo TVii application. Using the touch screen on the GamePad controller, Nintendo TVii users will be able to browse programming from sources they subscribe to, including cable and satellite channels, Netflix, Hulu Plus, Amazon Instant Video, YouTube and even their recorded TiVo shows – all from a single starting point.

The selection of third-party games on the way for Wii U will include some of the industry’s biggest names and most beloved franchises. Activision is set to bring several of its leading properties to Wii U during the launch window, including Call of Duty: Black Ops II, Skylanders Giants™ and TRANSFORMERS PRIME™. Other third-party games coming soon to Wii U include Assassin’s Creed® III, ZombiU™, Rayman Legends® and Just Dance® 4 from Ubisoft, Madden NFL 13 and Mass Effect™ 3 from Electronic Arts, Scribblenauts™ Unlimited and Batman: Arkham City™ Armored Edition from Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment and Disney Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two from Disney Interactive.

“The integrated second screen of the GamePad creates new possibilities for how games can be played, and further reflects the innovation Nintendo has poured into the Wii U,” said Eric Hirshberg, Activision Publishing’s CEO. “We’re excited for our fans to experience the biggest franchises, like Call of Duty: Black Ops II, Skylanders Giants and Transformers Prime, in new ways made possible on Wii U.”

So what part of this has all of you excited? Who’s camping out with me?

E3 2012 Continues! The “Geekscapepod” For June 6th, 2012!

by Jonathan

E3 2012 continues! Sony’s press conference snoozes! The Nintendo WiiU innovates! The return of the Pikmin! Is Star Wars 1313 the Star Wars we’ve wanted for so long? New trailers for Django Unchained and Wreck-It Ralph! New directors for Captain America 2! Is a Justice League movie coming soon? First Class 2 and Black Panther movie rumors and goodbye Mr. Ray Bradbury!

Find it on iTunes

And check out my very limited E3 photo gallery!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 32:56 — 20.2MB)

E3 2012 – Geekscape Goes Hands On With Pikmin 3 And The WiiU!

by Jonathan

I’m going to put fuller thoughts into the podcast later today but, without the presence of Team Ico’s “The Last Guardian” or “GTA 5”, Nintendo’s WiiU was my main focus at E3 this year. And when Nintendo’s press conference started with the short clip of Miyamoto’s office and little Pikmin running around I lost my damn mind. Just ask Brian Walton. He was sitting right next to me and I was literally screaming. Not one of my prouder moments, but fuck it, I’m getting Pikmin 3!

When the convention doors opened, I b-lined it for Nintendo and stood in line for Pikmin 3. Unlike last year, I only had to wait through two people to get my chance with Pikmin 3 and the new WiiU tablet controls. Really, Pikmin is still Pikmin and I’m 100% okay with that. The Wii-mote controls handle just like Pikmin 1 & 2 do on the current Wii and the first batch of the game that I played was an exploration/collection run through a small map. The biggest boost is the graphics. The game looks gorgeous. The plant leaves and other environmental elements look photo realistic and the animations are smooth. Controlling is really easy and I could actually stay on top of my team of Pikmin a lot more fluidly with the Wii-mote. And the Rock Pikmin are a great addition for delivering damage to enemies and breaking down barriers quickly. The new elements of having your Pikmin also build bridges and other items is fantastic as well.

The new friends I made at E3…

I also got to play through the boss battle, commanding my Pikmin to take down a giant armored caterpillar. I handled this one like a Nintendo vet, first using the Rock Pikmin to shatter the boss’ exterior and then using my Red Pikmin to cling to him and dispense some damage. I know that only two players had stepped up before me… but you’re reading the words of a writer who wrecked that boss in record time. I throttled him.

I slaughtered this thing… SLAUGHTERED IT.

The Wii-U tablet ads a lot to the game. Not only can you control your reticle using the tablet’s gyroscope and accelerometer, but the tablet’s display screen doubles as an overworld map that helps you keep track of your various Pikmin scattered around the map. I found the tablet to be lightweight and really easy to use. Having a map of the entire area at my finger tips also helped the game a lot. You don’t have to go into sub-menus  now in order to access your inventory or select commands. It made the entire experience much more fluid. I hope this is a Day 1 release.

On the other hand is Tank! Tank! Tank!, a competitive port of a popular Japanese arcade game that left the person next to me asking “is this a downloadable title?” Yeah. I agree. Between the graphics and the thin gameplay, there’s not a whole lot here. It is cool to use the camera on the Wii-U pad to take a photo to use as your avatar, but the game itself feels like something you would have played on the PS1. You literally pilot a tank against 3 other characters, or cooperatively work with them to take out enemies, while blasting a ton of junk and picking up power ups. The graphics weren’t great, the game wasn’t that unique and if it wasn’t for the controls, and the fact that I could play and pilot through my Wii-U pad screen instead of share a screen with the other players, I’d say it was completely forgettable.

Tank! Tank! Tank! kinda tanked tanked tanked…

Beyond that, I played around with a graphics display demo called Wii-U Panorama, which showcased the 360 degree graphics capability of the system. I watched pre-filmed demos of real world locations and events and could turn the Wii-U pad in 360 degree directions to get better vantage points on everything I was seeing. It was graphically impressive, but I don’t see anyone buying this unless there’s a way to add your own footage (I don’t possibly see how). I do hope it comes packaged with the system, because it’ll make it a lot easier to explain the technology to house-guests who heard about the Wii-U on the local news.

Okay, those are my hands on thoughts. I didn’t get to visit NintendoLand in my short time but I did experience a few more things. Check out my Geekscapepod Podcast later today with some further thoughts on E3, etc. and keep checking the site for my thoughts on the mech battler Hawken and Star Wars 1313!

Pikmin 2 Is Finally Coming To The Wii June 10th! A Celebration Is In Order!

by Jonathan

Pikmin 2 is one of the greatest games of the Gamecube era. Actually, I think it’s one of the greatest games of all time. And now it’s coming to the Wii as part of the Nintendo Selects series (along with a few more titles getting new retail prices and packaging).

When Nintendo went motion control in 2006 with the Wii, this is probably the game that gamers wanted ported over. It was an obvious choice. When Captain Olimar was playable in Super Smash Bros. Brawl, gamers started getting excited about the possibility. Pikmin 1 was soon ported over, but as great as it is, it’s no Pikmin 2. And now with Pikmin 3 potentially getting announced at E3 in a few weeks, it seems the right time to get gamers re-aquainted to the Captain, his co-pilot Louie and their new plant helper friends (but man when you let them die… there is no greater agony to your soul)!

I’m looking forward to June 10th. This is great, great news. Hopefully Pikmin 3 is something I can StreetPass with… or maybe it’ll be a WiiU title! Here’s the full press release, with news on Mario Power Tennis and new prices for Super Smash Bros. Brawl and Donkey Kong Country Returns:

Nintendo is adding two great games to the Nintendo Selects value collection for the Wii console on June 10 with Mario Power Tennis and Pikmin 2, a Nintendo GameCube classic making its U.S. debut on Wii. Nintendo Selects games are available at a suggested retail price of $19.99.

Separately, two of the best-selling Wii games of all time will be getting new prices: Super Smash Bros. Brawl and Donkey Kong Country Returns each will be available at a suggested retail price of $29.99. The value pricing provides shoppers with a great way to expand their game collections with some of the hottest Wii games around.

Pikmin 2 has updated controls optimized for the Wii console as players help brave Captain Olimar and his assistant, Louie, salvage treasures and return them to their home planet. In addition to the original red, blue and yellow Pikmin from the first game, players can also take command of purple and white Pikmin, creating a wealth of new strategic options. Additionally, Pikmin 2 features a frantic, two-player split-screen multiplayer battle mode, for which additional accessories are required and are sold separately.

Mario Power Tennis lets players power up their tennis game by swinging the Wii Remote to smack powerful forehands and backhands. Players can take on the role of their favorite Mushroom Kingdom characters and play on imaginative courts not possible in the real world, including a court littered with Mario-style power-ups. As players win tournaments, clear minigames or challenge Gimmick Courts, they unlock new characters, courts and challenges. Up to four players can compete in wild multiplayer action.

The fan-favorite Super Smash Bros. Brawl features dozens of characters from numerous Nintendo games and franchises in a battle royale. Up to four players can battle in the same room or over a broadband Internet connection. To date the game has sold nearly 5.5 million in the United States alone.

Donkey Kong Country Returns is a new take on the classic platforming, barrel-blasting and banana-hoarding franchise. The game features the first simultaneous cooperative game-play mode for the series, allowing both novice and skilled players to play the game together. Players run, jump, climb and defeat enemies through diverse environments until they retrieve Donkey Kong’s stolen banana hoard. The game has sold more than 2.5 million in the United States.

Other games in the Nintendo Selects collection include Super Mario Galaxy, Mario Strikers Charged, Punch-Out!!, Super Paper Mario, Wii Sports, The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, Animal Crossing: City Folk and Mario Super Sluggers.