Retro City Rampage blows by 3DS in February, Steam sale today

January 25th, 2014, 23:49 Posted By: wraggster

Retro City Rampage will begin its old-school, urban crime spree on 3DS in February, developer VBlank Entertainment tweeted today. "No specific date yet," VBlank said, but it did share the price and file size: $10 and 16MB.

To hype up the February 3DS announcement, the Steam version of Retro City Rampage has been updated and is today's Daily Deal, 80 percent off ($3). The update enhances some of the visuals and weapon actions, allows jumping in the middle of actions, throws in some new key bindings and more.

"Another big update," VBlank wrote in the patch description. "Lots of changes/tweaks. The upcoming 3DS version's received a lot of updates, so the PC version gets them too! More to come still!"

http://www.joystiq.com/2014/01/24/re...am-sale-today/

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One video, three hours, every NES title screen

January 25th, 2014, 23:43 Posted By: wraggster


Draw the curtains, smash your phone and tell your boss that you've contracted ebola, because thanks to YouTube user "NicksplosionFX," you're going to spend the next three hours reliving the games of the late 80s and early 90s via pixelated title screen montage.

http://www.joystiq.com/2014/01/25/on...-title-screen/

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New Smash Bros. screen shows changes to edge-grab system

January 25th, 2014, 23:36 Posted By: wraggster

Ledges are important in the Super Smash Bros. series. Falling off of them? Bad. Grabbing onto them? Could save your life. Trying to grab one while your opponent hogs it in their invincibility state so you fall to your death? Infuriating. Thankfully, a new screen out of the Super Smash Bros. Miiverseshows off some upcoming changes to the edge-grab system.

In previous games, players could hog a stage's edge, preventing opponents from making a return, but it looks as though this has changed. In the picture, we can see Link grabbing for a ledge while Mario looks to be getting repelled. "There are many changes being made to attack and defense options for grabbing edges," game director Masahiro Sakurai wrote. "In this picture, Link is actually trumping Mario's grab."

Sakurai noted a few other changes as well. Air time and accumulated damage will determine a player's period of invincibility while hanging on an edge, and grab controls will no longer be affected by damage being above or below 100 percent. This may all sound like nitpicky things to fuss over, but details like these can make or break a fighting game's balance. Besides, you'll probably appreciate it when you're the one clawing desperately back onto a ledge.

http://www.joystiq.com/2014/01/25/ne...e-grab-system/

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Play a round of Spin The Bottle's first content update on February 13

January 25th, 2014, 23:35 Posted By: wraggster

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One of the rarest games in the world just landed on eBay

January 23rd, 2014, 23:35 Posted By: wraggster

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Conception 2 hits North America on April 15, spawns new trailer

January 23rd, 2014, 23:29 Posted By: wraggster

Conception 2: Children of the Seven Stars will launch April 15 in North America. Atlus recently gave players a glimpse at the seven eligible heroines in the 3DS and Vita game, and offered a teaser trailer for baby-making RPG today.Conception 2 has players assuming the role of a young Disciple with powers gifted to him by a Star God, who must birth monster-fighting kiddos to save the world by befriending the aforementioned heroines.

The trailer includes brief looks at how Conception 2's combat system looks in action, using footage from the 3DS version. First-run editions of the game will include a 10-track album by composer Masato Kouda of Devil May Cry and Monster Hunter fame, which features the song heard in the trailer.

http://www.joystiq.com/2014/01/22/co...s-new-trailer/

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'Nintendo was dead to EA very quickly' after Wii U launch, source claims

January 23rd, 2014, 23:09 Posted By: wraggster

An anonymous source has supposedly told one website that EA’s relationship with Nintendo was crippled shortly after the launch of Wii U.
"Nintendo was dead to us very quickly," an ‘EA source’ toldCVG when asked about the publisher’s sudden change of heart following Wii U’s arrival.
"It became a kids IP platform and we don't really make games for kids. That was pretty true across the other labels too. Even the Mass Effect title on Wii U, which was a solid effort, could never do big business, and EA like Activision is only focused on games that can be big franchises".
The publisher had FIFA, Madden, Need for Speed and Mass Effect ready for the system’s launch but has since seemingly abandoned the system, despiteprotestations to the contrary.
However, all the positive PR noises in the world can’t mask the fact that none of EA’s future titles are currently earmarked for Nintendo’s struggling machine.

http://www.mcvuk.com/news/read/ninte...claims/0127102

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Time is running out for Nintendo Wii U

January 23rd, 2014, 23:07 Posted By: wraggster

The UK games industry still has faith in Nintendo, but told MCV that drastic action is needed to save Wii U.
The biggest names at games retail – talking under the condition of anonymity – say a significant price cut and a bundle with upcoming blockbuster Mario Kart 8 will help alleviate short-term issues surrounding Wii U.
Nintendo issued a profit warning after sales of its console fell significantly short of target. 2.8m Wii Us were sold worldwide last year, missing its quota by 6.2m.
“A sub-£200 machine will help, and Mario Kart is desperately needed to reach the fans,” said the games boss of one of the UK’s biggest retailers. “We also need something revolutionary that makes use of the second screen and has mainstream appeal, which is easier said than done.”
The top buyer at one online games store added: “There is only one real last chance for Wii U and it is Mario Kart 8. It could still be the game that sparks interest in Wii U, but it would need to be combined with a more mass market retail price.”
A games exec at a mass market outlet added: “£199 and Mario Kart 8. Simple.”
Despite the poor numbers, UK trade figures believe Nintendo has a plan.
Xbite boss Steve Thomas said: “Nintendo will have something up its sleeves that again will add a new dimension to gaming.”

http://www.mcvuk.com/news/read/time-...-wii-u/0127107

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US Nintendo eShop update: Mighty Bomb Jack, Life Force

January 23rd, 2014, 21:53 Posted By: wraggster

Nintendo has added two NES games to its Virtual Console service as part of its weekly US eShop update.
Platformer Mighty Bomb Jack is now available on Wii U and shoot-em-up Life Force joins the 3DS' Virtual Console lineup. Nintendo will also discount 3DS JRPG Shin Megami Tensei IV and 3DS action platformer Fractured Soul on eShop over the next few weeks.
Here's the full official list:

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Yoshi's New Island gets 3DS release date

January 23rd, 2014, 20:56 Posted By: wraggster

3DS platformer Yoshi's New Island will launch in Europe on 14th March, Nintendo has revealed.It means that Mario's egg-spitting dinosaur pal will arrive here in Europe on the same day as in North America, both as a physical release and a digital download.Pre-order the game and Nintendo UK has said you'll get a Yoshi Egg Game Case. There's no word on which retailers will offer the trinket, although GAME usually partners with Nintendo on such things.

http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/20...s-release-date

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Gateway 3DS 2.0 multiROM teaser

January 23rd, 2014, 02:09 Posted By: wraggster

Hello loyal Gateway 3DS fans! (you know who you are)

Today we will briefly take a break from our intense development cycles to present you with our latest progress on the MultiROM functionality for the Gateway 3DS 2.0 release. But first a few words from the team.

As you might have noticed, our milestones have been slipping a bit lately. The original release date for 2.0 was planned early january, but certain events have thrown a wrench into our schedule.

We are still investigating individual brick incidents reported by legitimate Gateway 3DS users. So far, many isolated brick incidents that were blamed on us have been debunked in one way or another and turned out to be associated with use of the clones modified versions of our official release files.

Now, without further ado; enjoy this quick teaser video of the upcoming Gateway 3DS ROM selection menu. As you might be able to tell we're doing our best to tightly integrate this with the existing system and make the task of switching to a different game a pleasant and fast experience for all Gateway users.



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

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Nintendo: Time to Break Open The Piggy Bank

January 23rd, 2014, 00:06 Posted By: wraggster

Virtue CFO Asif Khan believes Nintendo must use its ample cash to buy its way back to relevance - perhaps an investment in Oculus?
[h=3]Nintendo[/h]nintendo-europe.com


Just last week, Nintendo pre-announced a horrendous sales miss for their fiscal year ending March, 2014. This has led to a flurry of blog posts, articles and tweets about Nintendo's impending death. As I have said before in my articles, Nintendo is not going to die. However, this recent Wii U sales data does have me concerned as a fan of the company as well as an investor.
Nintendo's ADR, NTDOY, is the third largest holding in the Virtue LLC portfolio that I manage and I have repeatedly stuck my neck out defending the company in myGame Trader articles and also when talking to my family, friends, and colleagues. The magnitude of the sales miss announced last week, and the drastic reduction in Nintendo's estimates has me questioning a number of things going on at the company.
Were their sales expectations wishful thinking or did they actually believe these numbers could be hit?
When a company misses their own sales projection by over 60 percent, it is toeing the dangerous line of misleading investors. Either the management team is full of eternal optimists or they did not see the writing on the wall. Whatever the case may be, it is clear that management needs to change. I am not saying that Iwata must resign, rather that the whole team at Nintendo must change how they view their business and the industry as a whole because they have proven to be out of touch.
"Nintendo has a great opportunity to take a minority stake in Oculus VR, or buy the whole dang company"

Just how long can Nintendo keep its head in the sand with respects to mobile?
It is obvious that Nintendo can not and should not make its own phone, but why not try to monetize legacy content in an environment with hundreds of millions of smartphones in the pockets of people around the world? I understand that 3DS has been much more successful than the Wii U, but I believe that releasing NES titles for mobile is not going to cannibalize sales of the 3DS as much as some inside and outside the company may believe. Nintendo has an opportunity to create a tiered system for releasing their content, where some virtual console titles will be made available on mobile phones and the new AAA Nintendo titles will still be made exclusively for 3DS/Wii U. The current walled garden philosophy isn't going to cut it. Super Mario 3D World was one of the most critically acclaimed games of 2013, yet the Wii U sales still were pathetic. The idea that software sells hardware does not seem to be working, so why not sell some older software on proven hardware platforms that are still growing?
How long can planned obsolescence, incremental innovation, and proprietary intertwining of an ecosystem continue before consumers become disenfranchised and bored with the brand?
This is not just a question for Nintendo, but now seems like a great time for them to address it. The Wii U is severely underpowered when compared to the PS4, Xbox One, and upcoming Steam Machines. In a market with so many high quality choices, why does Nintendo perpetually gravitate towards being a low cost, lower tech option? The NES and SNES were not nearly as guilty of this and they remain some of the best selling consoles of all time. I dream of a day when Nintendo actually makes a machine with a lot of horsepower. We can call it the Mega Nintendo Entertainment System! The planned obsolete Wii U hardware led them to lose support from EA, which I think was a serious factor in the sales miss this holiday. There are very few consumers in Europe that are going to buy a game machine that doesn't play FIFA, as is the case with Madden here in the US. Nintendo must do a better job of creating an ecosystem that 3rd party developers want to be a part of, or else they will eventually suffer the same fate as Sega.
Why not acquire growth and innovation?
Nintendo has a mountain of cash, which allows them to take risks and fail from time to time. This is why they have been around since 1889 and have been able to adjust to market trends. Virtual Boy was a complete flop, but it was an attempt at doing something new and exciting. I had a chance to see Oculus VR's Rift Crystal Cove prototype at this year's CES, and it was a mindblowing experience. Clearly VR is a user interface that is very close to being ready for prime time, and Microsoft and Sony are putting up barriers to Oculus. Nintendo has a great opportunity to take a minority stake in Oculus VR, or buy the whole dang company. Either way, this is an example of how Nintendo could acquire innovation and show that they are still a brand that can wow people. Even if they don't acquire the whole company, supporting and developing games that use Oculus VR's innovative tech would be a great way to differentiate Nintendo from Sony and Microsoft.
If that is too crazy of an idea, why not acquire Sega or Capcom? One of the main problems Nintendo has is their development cycles are so long that they never seem to have enough quality titles available. Expanding their development teams to include Sega and Capcom is something they can easily do with their balance sheet and would be accretive to earnings within a few years. Instead of sitting on a pile of money, Nintendo should do something to grow the company before it starts bleeding cash.
Why not license existing brands out to film/TV studios in an effort to achieve profitability and improve brand recognition in key demographics?
"Wii U is not Dreamcast, and Nintendo could continue at this pathetic pace for 20 more years before going bankrupt"

Nintendo has made movies in the past, and they have had TV shows, but they currently aren't doing either. Nintendo could easily monetize their brands by licensing content to Disney, Sony or anyone else in Hollywood that wants to make money. It is a low cost, high return effort on their part and would help them get out of the hole they are in financially. At the same time, it could reinvigorate their brand in the eyes of an age group that has no recollection of the NES. Put simply, bring back the cereal, Nintendo!
Are they even trying?
The fact that I could put forth all these ideas for how to grow the company's earnings organically or through partnerships and acquisitions shows that there is a way out for Nintendo. Wii U is not Dreamcast, and Nintendo could continue at this pathetic pace for 20 more years before going bankrupt. Part of me feels like this whole generation is a "kick the can down the road" move on the part of Nintendo. 3DS and Wii U are evolutionary products, not revolutionary. Perhaps Nintendo already has its next product in the works and it will address a number of my concerns above. Maybe this recent sales miss is the kick in the behind the company needed to change course.
What I know for certain is that Nintendo still makes some of the best games in the world, it has some of the most recognizable characters in the world, and millions of fans worldwide. Not every decision at a video game company should be about profits and losses, but when a company has three straight years of losses and misses sales by an egregious 60 percent something has to change. The status quo will not work anymore, Nintendo. I have not sold any of my shares because I still believe that the company can turn this around, but it needs to realize that 2014 is a lot different than 2006.
When I bought the stock in 2010, in was with a 3-5 year time horizon. After this recent sales miss, I have realized that it will take close to 6 more years before we know if Nintendo really is going to turn it around or not. It remains the cheapest stock that I own on a number of valuation metrics, but companies are usually cheap for a reason. Nothing is going to appear undervalued when things are going well, and it is very apparent that things are not going well at Nintendo. Something has to change.

http://www.gamesindustry.biz/article...the-piggy-bank

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Gamecube Robot is More Than Meets The Eye

January 23rd, 2014, 00:04 Posted By: wraggster


[Joshua] had his old Gamecube kicking around. Rather than let it gather dust, he took it into the machine shop at Harvey Mudd College and used its body as the shell of a mobile robot. With a bit of thought, it turns out that you can fit quite a lot inside the rather small Gamecube case. [Joshua] started with a couple of R/C plane style brushless outrunner motors. These motors generally give more torque and spin slower than their inrunner counterparts. Several thousand RPM was still too fast to directly drive the LEGO tires though. He needed a gear reduction.
Gears and tight spaces usually send people running for the SDP/SI website. We’ve used SDP/SI parts before, and have found that they make incredibly accurate gears and assemblies. Things can get pricey, however, when you’re buying two of everything. In search of a solution a bit more within his college-student-budget, [Joshua] looked at radio control servos. R/C servos have some rather strong output gears, especially the metal gear variety. Even with strong gears, parts do break in crashes, so replacement gear sets are available and cheap. [Joshua] settled on gears made for Hitec servos. His next problem was finding a pinion gear for his motors. That turned out to be easy, as 64 pitch gears commonly used in RC cars mesh with metric servo gears. The final results are great. His robot has tons of torque and plenty of speed to zip around. The only thing it’s missing is a brain. Videos after the break.

http://hackaday.com/2014/01/21/gamec...meets-the-eye/

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Original Phoenix Wright trilogy getting bundled for 3DS

January 23rd, 2014, 00:01 Posted By: wraggster

Capcom is to release the first three Phoenix Wright games on 3DS.
Gematsu reports that the SKU will be called Ace Attorney 123: Wright Selection and will be released in Japan on April 14^th priced at ¥3,990 (£23).
Included on the cart will be Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney, Ace Attorney: Justice For All and Ace Attorney: Trials And Tribulations, all of which will support the console’s 3D screen.
Also included will be an English script as well as a limited edition release that includes a CD of some description.
Don’t forget that Professor Layton Vs Phoenix Wright is already down for a European 3DS release at the end of March.

http://www.mcvuk.com/news/read/origi...or-3ds/0127040

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How Can Nintendo Recover?

January 22nd, 2014, 23:51 Posted By: wraggster

"Nintendo's revenue and profits are tumbling faster than Mario into a bottomless pit. Company executives recently suggested the next-generation Wii U console would sell 2.8 million units between April 2013 and March 2014 — significantly below the 9 million units predicted in previous estimates. Contrast that with Sony's PlayStation 4 and Microsoft's Xbox One, which sold 4.2 million and 3 million units, respectively, in their first six weeks of release. In lowering its hardware and software estimates, Nintendo also expects to take a loss by the end of its fiscal year in March. Nintendo's attempt to carve a niche for itself as an ecosystem for casual gamers has also run into a massive obstacle in the form of smartphones and tablets, which quickly developed into popular gaming platforms. Nintendo isreportedly considering a 'new business model,' according to Bloomberg, with its CEO telling a gathering of reporters in Osaka: 'Given the expansion of smart devices, we are naturally studying how smart devices can be used to grow the game-player business. It's not as simple as enabling Mario to move on a smartphone.' While Nintendo could probably made some good money off legacy gamers by bringing its (much loved) portfolio of older titles to iOS, Android, and other platforms, that move to mobile might further weaken its hardware sales. So what do you think? If you were in charge of Nintendo, how would you turn it around?
http://games.slashdot.org/story/14/0...ntendo-recover

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Cut the Rope: Triple Treat Noms its way on to Nintendo 3DS

January 22nd, 2014, 23:33 Posted By: wraggster

ZeptoLab and Activision cut Om Nom free of his rope so he can further his exploration of consoles.
Cut the Rope creator, ZeptoLab has teamed up with Activision to launch Cut the Rope on the Nintendo 3DS.
The new version, Cut the Rope: Triple Treat combines the previous BAFTA Award-winning adventures of Om Nom, including Cut the Rope: Experiments, and Cut the Rope: Time Travel in an all-new 3D experience.
The new game is packed full of 650 levels, containing more than 50 hours worth of candy-nomming gameplay. It also boasts the precision control of the Nintendo 3DS stylus, online leaderboards, in-game achievements, stereoscopic 2D visuals during gameplay and animated Om Nom stories.
Misha Lyalin, CEO of ZeptoLabs, previously spoke about Cut the Rope’s performance on consoles and mentioned that it may also be comeing to the Xbox One and PS4 platforms.

http://www.mobile-ent.biz/games/nint...ndo-3ds/042779

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Mighty Bomb Jack leaps to Wii U Virtual Console this week

January 22nd, 2014, 21:54 Posted By: wraggster

An unexpected blast from the past hits the Wii U Virtual Console on Thursday in the form of NES cult classic Mighty Bomb Jack.

Originally based on an arcade game of the same title, Mighty Bomb Jack is a relatively standard NES-era platformer. The game's protagonist uses the titular bombs as his main weapon, but most of the game focuses on precise jumping, seeking hidden treasure and that particular brand of video game weirdness you only see in Japanese games translated to English during the late 1980s.

Nintendo did not announce Mighty Bomb Jack's upcoming re-release, leaving it instead for fans to find on the Virtual Console. As a result, we can't say for certain what price will be attached to the game, though if it falls in line with most other Virtual Console NES releases Mighty Bomb Jack should feature a $5 price tag.

http://www.joystiq.com/2014/01/21/mi...ole-this-week/

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Pokemon Bank launched in 'certain Asian countries'

January 22nd, 2014, 21:51 Posted By: wraggster

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Ace Attorney GBA trilogy awaits retrial on 3DS

January 22nd, 2014, 21:46 Posted By: wraggster

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Activision bringing Cut the Rope: Triple Threat 3-game pack to 3DS

January 22nd, 2014, 21:36 Posted By: wraggster

Activision Publishing has announced plans to bring the Cut the Rope series to the Nintendo 3DS in "early 2014." Cut the Rope: Triple Treat combines three games in the ZeptoLabs franchise: the original mobile release and its expansions Cut the Rope: Experiments and Cut the Rope: Time Travel.

Cut the Rope is a single-player physics-based puzzle series where players must devise the best way to make a piece of candy fall into an adorable little monster's mouth. Basically, it's a game about healthy eating habits, as written by small children. According to an announcement press release, Triple Treat features over 650 levels, in-game achievements and leaderboards.

Since first arriving on the competitive mobile scene, Cut the Rope has struck big with players, surpassing 3 million downloads soon after its 2010 launch. Originally published by the EA-owned Chillingo, Cut the Rope's expansions and sequel were subsequently self-published by ZeptoLabs.

http://www.joystiq.com/2014/01/22/ac...ame-pack-to-3/

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