Nes homebrew section updated

March 30th, 2015, 21:01 Posted By: wraggster

A massive update to the NES homebrew section. No less than 52 new downloads added! Enjoy :-)
http://www.nesworld.com/article.php?...ta=neshomebrew

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N64 homebrews section availble

March 30th, 2015, 21:00 Posted By: wraggster

Well I've finally moved over the N64 homebrew section from 64scener to NESWORLD and added a new release to celebrate it :-)More stuff to come, like the Wolfenstein and Doom ports...
http://www.nesworld.com/article.php?...ta=n64homebrew

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Gateway 3.1.1 ultra public beta

March 30th, 2015, 21:00 Posted By: wraggster

Today we are back with another update: GATEWAY 3.1.1 ULTRA PUBLIC BETA.
This version fixes a minor bug where the GW3D version tag was not always displayed while in EmuNAND.
Some speculated this was due to fake microSD cards but it turns out this was not the case.
Furthermore today we bring support for launching the Gateway menu for New 3DS users up to firmware 9.2 through the use of the “Cubic Ninja” game!
Owners of a retail copy of “Cubic Ninja” from the USA, EUR or JAP region will be able to use the Gateway 3DS cartridge with New 3DS and enjoy all the cool features as usual!
The installation for the Cubic Ninja launching method works as follows:
* Make sure WiFi is configured and working on your New 3DS (You will only need this once)
* Make sure Gateway 3.1.1 Launcher.dat is placed on the New 3DS microSD card
* Start “Cubic Ninja”
* Go to “Create” menu option
* Select “QR Code”
* Select “Scan QR Code”
* Scan the Gateway Cubic Ninja QR code found in the Downloads section for you region
* After a brief wait, a Cubic Ninja savegame will be installed
* And the Gateway menu will be launched
After this one time installation you can invoke Gateway menu as follows:
* Start “Cubic Ninja”
* Go to “Create” menu option
* Select “QR Code”
* Gateway menu should appear
We also noticed the multirom menu is not working properly on New 3DS 8.1.0J, and community members confirmed
so far that updating EmuNAND to latest firmware fixes this issue as a temporary workaround.
Another pending issue we are working on fixing is the broken “head tracking” functionality
in Gateway mode on New 3DS. However, some clever community members discovered an easy
temporary workaround until we develop a proper fix for this issue: Simply close your New 3DS
lid while in Gateway mode to put the console in sleep mode, re-open the lid and head tracking
should be working again as expected.
Last but not least: We have received a decent amount of feedback with regards to
incompatibility with certain specific versions of “Zelda: Ocarina of Time”.
We are still working on improving compatibility; expect more news soon!
NOTE: Support for launching the Gateway menu through Cubic Ninja or Zelda Ocarina of Time on the Classic 3DS is not implemented yet.
If we get enough interested users we will consider implementing it for the Classic 3DS too.
And as always, ENJOY!


http://www.gateway-3ds.com/

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Game Boy camera gun prints when you shoot

March 30th, 2015, 20:10 Posted By: wraggster

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Inexpensively replace a worn out n64 joystick

March 29th, 2015, 00:01 Posted By: wraggster

The Nintendo 64 is certainly a classic video game system, with amazing titles like Mario Kart 64 and Super Smash Bros that are still being played across the world today. But, like finding new parts for a classic car, finding an original controller that doesn’t have a sad, wobbly, worn-out joystick is getting to be quite the task. A common solution to this problem is to replace the joystick with one from a Gamecube controller, but the kits to do this are about $20USD, and if that’s too expensive then [Frenetic Rapport] has instructions for doing this hack for about $2.
The first iteration of using a Gamecube stick on an N64 controller was a little haphazard. The sensitivity was off and the timing wasn’t exactly right (very important for Smash Bros.) but the first kit solved these problems. This was the $20 kit that basically had a newer PCB/microcontroller that handled the Gamecube hardware better. The improvement which drove the costs down to $2 involves modifying the original PCB directly rather than replacing it.
While this solution does decrease the cost, it sacrifices the new potentiometer and some of the easier-to-work-with jumpers, but what was also driving this project (in addition to cost) was the fact that the new PCBs were becoming harder to get. It essentially became more feasible to simply modify the existing hardware than to try to source one of the new parts.
Either way you want to go, it’s now very easy to pwn your friends in Smash with a superior controller, rather than using a borked N64 controller you’ve had for 15 years. It’s also great to see hacks like this that come together through necessity and really get into the meat of the hardware. Perhaps we’ll see this controller ported to work with other versions of Super Smash Bros, too!



http://hackaday.com/2015/03/27/inexp...-n64-joystick/

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Play 'Super Mario 64' in your browser now

March 28th, 2015, 23:48 Posted By: wraggster

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'The Legend of Zelda' Wii U version pushed out of 2015

March 28th, 2015, 23:47 Posted By: wraggster

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Snes headphones cry for bluetooth has been answered

March 27th, 2015, 00:08 Posted By: wraggster

A year and a half ago we ran a post about a SNES controller modified into a pair of headphones. They were certainly nice looking and creative headphones but the buttons, although present, were not functional. The title of the original post was (maybe antagonistically) called: ‘SNES Headphones Scream Out For Bluetooth Control‘.
Well, headphone modder [lyberty5] is back with a vengeance. He has heeded the call by building … and guess what, they are indeed Bluetooth! Not only that, the A, B, X and Y buttons are functional this time around and have been wired up to the controls on the donor Bluetooth module.

To get this project started, the SNES controller was taken apart and the plastic housing was cut up to separate the two rounded sides. A cardboard form was glued in place so that epoxy putty could be roughly formed in order to make each part completely round. Once cured, the putty was sanded and imperfections filled with auto body filler. Holes were drilled for mounting to the headband and a slot was made for the Bluetooth modules’ USB port so the headphone can be charged. The headphones were then reassembled after a quick coat of paint in Nintendo Grey. We must say that these things look great.


http://hackaday.com/2015/03/26/snes-...been-answered/

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Who is Nintendo's saviour DeNA?

March 26th, 2015, 23:53 Posted By: wraggster

On Tuesday March 17th, Nintendo president Satoru Iwata surprised a gathering of press with a major announcement about the future of its business.

“In recent years, with the spread of smart devices, we’ve increasingly heard a variety of opinions on the future of the dedicated video game system business, and in particular relatively pessimistic ones,” he said, adding that issues impacting the performance of 3DS and Wii U has sparked analysts “to suggest that dedicated game systems too may be consumed by smart devices since the latter has already been said to have consumed a variety of dedicated devices such as digital music players, cameras and car navigation systems.”
Iwata doesn’t agree with that analysis, to the point that he announced the NX – a dedicated console that will be revealed next year. But, he does view smart devices as the next generation of the TV and said: “It would be a waste not to use these devices.”
Nintendo said it would be developing mobile games. It is something some critics and analysts have longed lobbied the company to do. Yet the economics of mobile gaming is something that has never sat well with Nintendo.
Mobile games rarely cost more than a £1 – Nintendo would have to sell a lot of Super Mario iOS to generate significant money – which is why so many mobile developers have adopted the free-to-play (or ‘free-to-start’ as Iwata calls it) model. Perhaps Mario runs out of energy after a few levels, and gamers will either have to wait until he’s refreshed, or pay some money to buy him a power-up. Or perhaps fan will have to pay micro-transactions to access extra monsters in Pokémon.
It would work, but would it go down well with Nintendo’s die-hard fans? Or, more to the point, how well would it sit with parents, who are already wary of mobile gaming’s ‘free’ business model?
It’s something Iwata is clearly concerned about. In subsequent interviews, he has suggested that Nintendo may have to come up with entirely new business models.
And this is perhaps where Nintendo’s new friend can come into play. The Japanese smartphone giant: DeNA.

"Nintendo can help with our global expansion.
Its IP will bring the best gaming experience to
players around the world."

Tomoyuki, Akiyama, DeNA

Nintendo has partnered with DeNA to launch its smartphone games platform, and as part of the deal Nintendo has taken a ten per cent share in the firm, while DeNA has taken a 1.24 per cent share in Nintendo.
DeNA is one of the biggest mobile games companies in the world. It employs some 2,000 people and generated almost $1.8bn last year – primarily from mobile games. Meanwhile, almost $2bn was consumed by DeNA mobile games in 2013. It is on the Tokyo Stock Exchange and even owns a Japanese baseball team.
It wasn’t always a mobile games business, however. It began life in operating online actions, before moving into online retail, then mobile auctions, mobile advertising, mobile social networks and then finally entering the gaming space.
It launched a platform called Mobage – a bit like Xbox Live for mobile – which has over 30m users.
“DeNA shifted its business focus to mobile as early as in 2004 - three years before the iPhone - and built its expertise,” says global corporate communications chief Tomoyuki Akiyama.
Akiyama says there are three key strengths to DeNA, including its metrics-driven operation, the ability to “develop mobile-optimised service for small screens and ‘in-between time’ and technology that is able to handle massive data traffic.”
But it’s not all about technology and analytics. DeNA knows a thing or two about publishing and making games. It released Kaito Royale, a mobile hit in Japan, and it’s published Rage of Bahamut and Blood Brothers, which have topped the App Store and Google Play charts in the West.





DeNA also has ambitious goals of its own.
“We want to be the world’s No.1 mobile internet company,” says Akiyama. “Mid-term, we want to establish our position as a mobile gaming leader, and to launch multiple new non-gaming businesses for sustained growth.”
It’s the global element that is key to DeNA. The mobile market has become saturated in Japan, but the company’s attempts to launch globally have had mixed results. It has a Western presence, and has invested in developers, but not to much success. Although it’s learned some valuable lessons.
“We found out what does and doesn’t work for users in the West,” continues Akiyama. “The difference includes lower revenue per user, higher drop-out rate and the different competitive landscape.
He adds: “Nintendo can help with this global expansion.
“Its IP will help bring the best gaming experience to over a billion mobile users globally. We will also continue to share knowledge between our offices around the world.”
It’s not the only thing Nintendo can help with. DeNA admits there are challenges in the mobile space, including intensifying competition, worsening discoverability for apps and increased user-acquisition cost – all of which, Akiyama says is something Nintendo can help solve, because it has the games and the software to help DeNA rise above its competitors and get the visibility it wants worldwide.

"We want to be the world's No.1 mobile internet company."

Tomoyuki Akiyama, DeNA

Of course this all sounds great for DeNA. But what about Nintendo?
Listening to Akiyma, DeNA sounds nothing like Nintendo. This is a company that talks about metrics, user acquisition and technology. These are not the sort of buzz words typically mouthed by Nintendo executives, who prefer to use words like ‘creativity’ and ‘fun’. Nintendo is run by creators; it’s why it often makes brilliant games, but not always astute business decisions.
Yet it’s because DeNA sounds like the antithesis of Nintendo that this partnership could work. Iwata says that: “DeNA’s strength is its world-class internet service construction and operating know-how.” And says that the two will work together “to construct a bridge between mobile and dedicated game hardware.”
DeNA can build something that Nintendo has repeatedly struggled to do: an online network that keeps gamers engaged with both the company and its games. Nintendo may not make billions from Mario Kart on Android, but if it can convince a fraction of those gamers to go and buy Mario Kart 7 on 3DS or Mario Kart 8 on Wii U, it could prove to be a lucrative initiative.
The potential of smartphones is huge for Nintendo – especially as many of these mobile gamers arethe ones that bought into Wii and DS just a few short years ago. But the real exciting element of this move might actually be DeNA, and the role it can play in finding Nintendo a place in the modern games industry.


http://www.mcvuk.com/news/read/who-i...r-dena/0147216

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Mustachioed nintendo virtual boy gone augmented reality

March 26th, 2015, 00:03 Posted By: wraggster

Some people just want to watch the world burn. Others want to spread peace, joy and mustaches. [Joe Grand] falls into the latter group this time around. His latest creation is Mustache Mayhem, a hack, video game, and art project all rolled into one. This is a bit of a change from deconstructing circuit boards or designing electronic badges, but not completely new for [Joe], who wrote SCSIcide and Ultra SCSIcide for the Atari 2600 back in the early 2000’s.

Mustache Mayhem is built into a Nintendo Virtual Boy housing. The Virtual Boy itself was broken, and unfortunately was beyond repair. [Joe] removed most of the stock electronics and added a BeagleBone Black, Logitech C920 webcam, an LCD screen and some custom electronics. He kept the original audio amplifier, speakers, and controller connector. Angstrom Linux boots into [Joe’s] software, which uses OpenCV to detect faces and overlay mustaches. Gameplay is simple: Point the console at one or more faces. If you see a mustache, press the A button on the controller! The more faces and mustaches on-screen at once, the more points, or “mojo” the player gets. The code is up on Github, and can be built with Xcode targeted to the Mac, or directly on the BeagleBone Black.
[Joe’s] goal for the project was to make a ridiculous game that looks like it could have come out in the 90’s. He also used Mustache Mayhem as a fun way to learn some new skills which will come in handy for more serious projects in the future.
We caught up with [Joe] for a quick interview about his new creation.
How did you come up with the idea for Mustache Mayhem?
I was selling a bunch of my video game collection at PRGE (Portland Retro Gaming Expo) a few years ago and had a broken Virtual Boy that no one bought. A friend of mine was at the table and said I had to do something with it. I thought “People wear cosplay and walk around at conventions, so what if I could do something with the Virtual Boy that you could walk around with?” That was the seed.
A few months later, Texas Instruments sent me the original production release of the BeagleBone Black (rev. A5A). Eighteen months after that I actually started the project. The catalyst was to do something for an upcoming Portland, OR art show (Byte Me 4.0), which is an annual event that shows off interactive technology-based artwork. I wrote up a little description and got accepted. I had less than 2 months to actually get things working and it ended up taking about a month of full-time work. It was much more work than I expected for such a silly project. I originally was going to do something along the lines of walking around in a Doom-like perspective and shooting people when their faces were detected.
That would be pretty darn cool. How did you get from Doom to Mustaches?
I saw a TI BeagleBoard demo called “boothstache” which drew mustaches on faces and tweeted the pictures. I thought that doing something non-violent with mustaches would be more suitable (and funny) to actually show my kids. I also secretly wanted to use this project as a way to experiment with Linux, write some code, and learn about face detection and image processing with OpenCV, which I plan to use for some actual computer security research in the future. Mustache Mayhem turned out to be a super cool project and I’m really happy with it. I sort of feel guilty spending so much time on it, since it’s basically just a one-off prototype, but I just got so obsessed with making it exactly as I wanted.
You mentioned on your website that Mustache was “designed to challenge the paradigms of personal privacy and entertainment.” What exactly did you mean there?

Many people post images (and all sort of other personally identifiable information) of themselves online without thinking about the ramifications. I noticed that players willingly put their faces in front of the camera to see what they’d look like with a “virtual mustache.” I can’t really blame them, because mustaches are pretty cool, but if I can use a single-board Linux machine to detect faces, think about what cities, states, and nation-states can do/are doing on a much larger scale. The statement is sort of an underlying theme for people to think more carefully about their personal privacy and how it is or isn’t okay to sacrifice it in the name of having fun.
What was your favorite part of the project?
I loved the freedom of being able to create whatever I wanted to just for the hell of it. I have a real affinity for retro/classic gaming, so it was fun to try to make the game look like it could have belonged in the 90s (when the Virtual Boy was originally released). Being able to use the stock Virtual Boy controller was another highlight, since it made the game look more complete and less of hack (from outside appearance).
Did you have to figure the protocol out from scratch?
Nope, and that saved me a lot of time. I found a document online about the Virtual Boy controller pinout and interface, so I used that as a starting point. It didn’t take long to write the code to communicate with the controller (which uses a synchronous serial interface and basically just shifts out a bunch of bits with each one corresponding to a button on the controller).
Did your run into any unexpected challenges?
This was my first time really working in-depth with Linux. I ran into all sorts of trouble with configuring the system, compiling various packages, and generally just forcing it to do what I wanted it to do. This was purely a limitation of my own skills. Without the huge amount of open source tools and resources for both Linux and the BeagleBone Black, I would have been completely screwed. I’m a hardware guy, so this was truly a trial by fire.
A more significant unexpected challenge was realizing that the batteries I selected (Energizer L91 Lithium AA primary cells) couldn’t handle the power requirements (~7W) of the system. This was a major oversight on my part and I didn’t notice the problem until opening night of the art show when I started getting seemingly random shutdowns of the unit. I couldn’t believe my eyes. It was like a bad dream and reminded me of the stress while filming Prototype This when the cameras were rolling and everyone was looking at you.
How did you get around it for the show?
I thought that the batteries were just running low (and, technically, they were), so I switched over to using the stock Virtual Boy wall wart. Unbeknownst to me, that was also underpowered for my design. The system shutdown twice that night, but luckily attendees still got to experience the wonder of Mustache Mayhem.
After the show, I figured out the root cause of the problem: When running on batteries (the Virtual Boy controller uses six AAs in series), the system voltage was already sagging down to 7V (from a nominal 10.2V) before the game even started. As soon I started the game (which enabled the webcam), the voltage dropped below the 7V minimum limit of my DC/DC converter, causing the system to shutdown. With the wall wart (10V, 850mA), its output under load was actually a triangle (!) wave. On occasion, this would also cause the DC/DC converter to shutdown. It’s amazing nothing got damaged in the process. For most of my development, I had the USB connection plugged in (for network access to the BeagleBone Black from my computer), which supplements the main power, so I never noticed the poor performance of both the wall wart and batteries.
I ultimately hacked the Virtual Boy AC adapter pack (that connects to the back of the Virtual Boy controller) to fit a standard 2.1mm barrel jack and used a high-quality CUI 12V, 2.5A supply. The output under load is totally clean and stable with no noise whatsoever. I wasn’t able to find any battery chemistry in a AA package (or a pack that can fit into the space of the Virtual Boy battery holder) that will handle the high-current drain of the system while staying above 7V and don’t want to change my DC/DC converter to one with a lower minimum input voltage. So, for now, I’m stuck with wall power. I’m OK with that, though.
We want to thank [Joe] for taking the time to talk with us. We don’t know what he’ll be working on next, but we’re sure it will be a [Grand] Idea!


http://hackaday.com/2015/03/25/mustache-mayhem/

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Nintendo And DeNA Have Been In Talks Since 2010

March 26th, 2015, 00:01 Posted By: wraggster

Nintendo and DeNA recently announced a partnership by which the two companies would collaborate to develop smartphone games using Nintendo properties and also create Nintendo’s new membership program. Since then, a summarized version of their presentation has been shared on Nintendo’s investor site and reveals when talks of the partnership between the two companies first began.Nintendo president Satoru Iwata says he first met DeNA CEO Isao Moriyasu in 2010, when the latter approached Nintendo with a proposal to use their properties in mobile games. Moriyasu’s enthusiasm for such a collaboration caused Nintendo to continue talks with him beyond that first meeting.“At some point in the past, I realized that there would be great potential for global synergy by combining the efforts of the two companies, as we would face dynamic environmental changes,” Iwata said to analysts and the press. “Since then, in addition to my discussions with Mr. Moriyasu, key persons from both companies have been discussing these possibilities.”Moriyasu adds that specific plans regarding an alliance between Nintendo and DeNA only began in Summer 2014.“We had numerous meetings where I myself talked to many Nintendo members in person,” Moriyasu said. “The more we talked, the stronger I believed each company’s strengths could complement one other. I started to wonder how huge of an impact we would make globally as one team.”One of the reasons that DeNA were keen on a partnership with Nintendo is because competition in the mobile games space has intensified and it has become increasingly difficult to get games noticed. Moriyasu says he believes recognized I.P. is the most effective way to make your game stand out, so an alliance with Nintendo, who own some of the most recognized I.P. globally, made sense.
Read more at http://www.siliconera.com/2015/03/25...k3i7xxiXu4E.99

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More than one year after it started, Twitch Plays Pokémon catches all 151 monsters

March 25th, 2015, 23:47 Posted By: wraggster

Social experiment-meets-endurance test Twitch Plays Pokémon has finally completed its Pokédex, a year after it first went live.
Launched back in February 2014, the live Twitch broadcast allowed viewers to input commands into a modified version of 1996 Game Boy title Pokémon Red.
The stream, which attracted over 121,000 simultaneous viewers at its peak and 1.16 million participants in total, and spawned a number of copycats and viral memes, took 16 continuous days to beat the game’s ‘final’ bosses, The Elite Four.
However, a dedicated group of watchers kept hammering away at the herculean task of catching all 151 Pokémon and thus filling out the game’s Pokédex.
They were given a little bit of help – the game was modified to make all 151 original monsters catchable (rather than requiring players to trade with Pokémon Blue owners as it did in 1996), legendary Pokémon – which players normally get one shot at – were set to respawn, and the player character AIIIAAB was given the ability to purchase the title’s Master Ball item, which instantly catches any Pokémon.
The final Pokémon to be caught was Red/Blue’s infamous psychic cat creature Mewtwo, who Pokémon fans may recognise as the subject of original spin-off film Pokémon: The First Movie from 1998.

http://www.mcvuk.com/news/read/more-...nsters/0147178

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Nintendo 3DS Firmware Update Lets You Save Home Menu Layouts

March 24th, 2015, 21:33 Posted By: wraggster

image: http://www.siliconera.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/3dsxl_thumb.jpg

Nintendo have pushed a new firmware update for the Nintendo 3DS out, and this one actually adds a few new features. Specifically, it lets you save 8 versions of your Home Menu layout. Here’s a full list of the changes:Version 9.6.0-24U change log:Changes to HOME Menu:

• A Home Menu Layout setting has been added to HOME Menu Settings. Users can save and load up to 8 layouts of the HOME Menu with different theme and software icon arrangements

Changes to Theme Shop:

• Additional categories have been added under “View More” for easier navigation of the Theme Shop

Improvements to system stability and usability:

• Further improvements to overall system stability and other minor adjustments have been made to enhance the user experience

For Nintendo 3DS, Nintendo 3DS XL, and Nintendo 2DS Systems Only:

• Changes to HOME Menu Settings: amiibo Settings has been added to HOME Menu Settings. amiibo Settings allows users to register an amiibo owner and nickname, delete data written to an amiibo by supported software, or reset an amiibo. This feature will require a peripheral device scheduled to launch in 2015.

The update is available now via the Nintendo 3DS Settings application.
Read more at http://www.siliconera.com/2015/03/24...jZ3ICEdMJPO.99

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There's a bizarre Wii U controller designed to train surgeons

March 23rd, 2015, 21:24 Posted By: wraggster

A Wii U eShop developer plans to release what may be the most bizarre Wii Remote peripheral yet.
The Wii U laparoscopic controller is a specially-designed peripheral that holds two Wii Remotes and two Nunchuks.Grendel Games developed the device to work with its adventure puzzle game Underground, using technology intended as a way of training doctors in laparoscopy, otherwise known as keyhole surgery.How to assemble your laproscopic controller.

The studio also designed the educationalVirtual Endosuite, software which actually lets you practice surgical scenarios. It's nothing like Surgeon Simulator.Underground replicates the movements used when operating on a patient, with two mechanical arms on either side of the screen that allows players to interact with the environment.In the game you play as Sw4nk, a robot butler who has to gather resources and then construct a safe path through hazardous areas for his owner to follow.In doing so, Grendel has said that players are also being "subconsciously" trained in the skills that needed to operate via keyhole surgery - you're just doing it in a safe environment, and not armed with anything that could slice open anyone's spleen.Watch a trailer below to see how it works.The eShop game is already available in the UK, but will launch in North America next week, on 2nd April.

http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/20...train-surgeons

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Digital version of Xenoblade Chronicles 3D won't fit onto the standard 3DS memory car

March 23rd, 2015, 21:08 Posted By: wraggster

There will be an added hurdle for New 3DS owners to navigate if they want to purchase the digital version of Xenoblade Chronicles 3D.
Nintendo has admitted that those still using the SD card that shipped with their device won’t actually have enough room to download the game in the first place.
“The download version of Xenoblade Chronicles 3D does not fit on the microSD card included with New Nintendo 3DS and New Nintendo 3DS XL systems,” Nintendo says in a footnoteon its official site. “An 8GB or larger microSD card is required to download this game from Nintendo eShop.”
Users who don’t want to buy the physical game, then, will need to get their hands on a new SD card and, as previously reported, a small screwdriver to remove the handheld’s rear section to swap out the card.
Xenoblade Chronicles 3D will be the first game to be released exclusively for the New 3DS and not be compatible with older versions of the hardware. The original version of the title was released for Wii in 2010.

http://www.mcvuk.com/news/read/digit...y-card/0147033

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Pokemon Shuffle reaches 2.5m downloads

March 23rd, 2015, 21:02 Posted By: wraggster

Free-to-play 3DS game Pokémon Shuffle has been downloaded more than 2.5m times since launching just over a month ago.
The match-three game – which lets gamers play five sessions per day – was announced earlier this year amongst a slew of seemingly contrary announcements regarding Nintendo’s stance on mobile games. It hit 1m downloads just over three weeks ago.
Given the success of Pokémon Shuffle, it’s a good bet Nintendo will take what it has learned from this title when approaching new titles for smart devices. Its first mobile titleis due this year.

http://www.mcvuk.com/news/read/pokem...nloads/0147037

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Iwata on Wii U price, free-to-play and that Zelda TV series on Netflix

March 23rd, 2015, 21:02 Posted By: wraggster

Nintendo boss Satoru Iwata has admitted that price has played a big factor in Wii U’s failure.
The platform holder last week confirmed that it has a new console in development, thus effectively marking the beginning of the end for the ever-struggling Wii successor.
“I think, to be honest, we were in a difficult situation,” Iwata told Time. “Because for the home console our biggest market opportunity was in the overseas markets in the US and Europe, but because of the valuation of the yen and the exchange rates into dollars and euro, it made it a difficult proposition for us to capitalise on that, because of the cost that we were forced to sell the system at.”
Over a year ago Iwata said that a Wii U price cut was “not an option”, and while there has been some unofficial pricing activity on old stock of the Basic 8GB SKU the console has to this day retained its eye-watering £280 retail price point – even as the likes of PS4 and Xbox One have been cut to similar levels across the High Street.
Iwata also admitted to his dislike of the term ‘free-to-play’ (he’s previously seemed to favour ‘free-to-start’) because he – and many others – think it’s a tad disingenuous.
“I have come to realize that there is a degree of insincerity to consumers with this terminology,” he argued. “The thing that concerns me most is that, in the digital age, if we fail to make efforts to maintain the value of our content, there is the high possibility for the value to be greatly reduced as the history of the music industry has shown.
“On the other hand, I have no intention to deny the Free-to-start model. In fact, depending on how we approach this model, we may be able to overcome these problems.”
And remember that story about a live-action Zelda TV series in production at Netflix? Well, you’d probably best forget it.
“As of now, I have nothing new to share with you in regard to the use of our IPs for any TV shows or films,” Iwata insisted. “But I can at least confirm that the article in question is not based on correct information.”


http://www.mcvuk.com/news/read/iwata...etflix/0147056

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Custom Zelda GameCube is a Mini Treasure Chest

March 20th, 2015, 22:12 Posted By: wraggster

With Hylian numbers showing joystick ports and with an amazing painting of Link on top, artist Vadu Amka's repainted custom The Wind Waker GameCube really looks like some ancient artefact found at a remote dig site.

It was completed in three months and the artist even managed to put a Hylian shield on the controller as a Start button.
Too bad the item is not for sale, but it still looks stunning! Take a closer look:

http://www.kotaku.co.uk/2015/03/20/c...treasure-chest

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Over 60 games added to Nintendo's European Stars Catalogue

March 20th, 2015, 22:08 Posted By: wraggster

UK and European Nintendo owners are now able to redeem their ill-fated Stars to claim free games.

Nintendo announced the planned closure of Club Nintendoearlier this year, bringing with it the end of its existing loyalty program. Any unused Stars that users have accrued will be lost by the end of September.
Last month the US Stars catalogue was bolstered by the addition of a wide selection of downloadable games that could be claimed with the virtual currency, but the European pickings have until now remained slim.
However, Eurogamer reports that over 60 titles have now been added to the European Catalogue. The selection includes, NES Remix (2,600 Stars), NES Remix 2 (5,600) and each of the Wii Sports re-releases (also at 5,600 Stars a piece) on Wii U.
3DS options include Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones (3,900), Pullbox (3,400) and Mario Tennis (2,800).

http://www.mcvuk.com/news/read/over-...alogue/0146970

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What is Nintendo’s new console and what does it mean for Wii U?

March 19th, 2015, 21:32 Posted By: wraggster

Despite Wii U's decidedly underwhelming life, Nintendo thankfully isn’t abandoning the home console market just yet. Ninty's President and CEO, Satoru Iwata, has announced that “As proof that Nintendo maintains strong enthusiasm for the dedicated game system business, let me confirm that Nintendo is currently developing a dedicated game platform with a brand-new concept.” Codenamed the NX, we'll be getting more information on the console next year.
Whether this dedicated gaming platform will take the same form as our current disc based set-ups is unclear. The fact that the NX ties in so tightly with Nintendo’s new online membership service means that connection is now key for the company. While the Wii U was mentioned as a part of the new offering, another console is obviously going to be Nintendo’s priority.

“Unlike the Club Nintendo membership service that Nintendo has been operating, the new membership service will include multiple devices and create a connection between Nintendo and each individual consumer regardless of the device the consumer uses,” said Iwata. “This membership will form one of the core elements of the new Nintendo platform that I just mentioned.”
It will be interesting to see whether this means that the axed rewards program of Club Nintendo is being replaced with something like PlayStation Plus or whether a new gaming platform all together is being teased. Could Nintendo’s new offering be a under TV streaming service in the vein of the Vita TV?
Given that the NX will become part of the Nintendo console family as well as the key new additions of PCs and smartphones, it’s safe to say that whatever we hear next year, Nintendo isn’t ignoring the fact that it’s been frustratingly behind the times when it comes to online connectivity. This can only be a good thing when it comes to playing our favourite games on more screens than ever before but it's Wii U that will potentially pay the price.

http://www.gamesradar.com/what-ninte...it-mean-wii-u/

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