GameStop - Buy 2, get 1 free on used Wii games

August 1st, 2013, 13:25 Posted By: wraggster

Looks like Gamestop are offering buy 2 get one free on all Nintendo Wii Games, worth a try if you are adding to your collection.

http://www.gamestop.com/browse/ninte...8-xu0,1317e-8a

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F-Zero X Climax mod by Brod

August 1st, 2013, 13:43 Posted By: wraggster

Brod has released his F-Zero X Climax mod in this thread at EmuTalk. Head over there and give him some feedback. Here are some notes on the release:

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New Hacks Added

August 1st, 2013, 13:46 Posted By: wraggster

The following Hacks have been submitted and approved to the database (in submitted order oldest to newest):

• Super Pika Land (Complete)(Super Mario Land)(GB)
• Pokemon Mystical Version (Complete)(Pokémon Ruby)(GBA)
• Oreffezeps (Improvement)(Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars)(SNES)
• Super Pixel Bros. (Complete)(Super Mario Bros.)(NES)
• Castlevania - Pencilvania (Spoof)(Castlevania)(NES)
• Castlevania - Red Scale (Improvement)(Castlevania)(NES)
• Castlevania - Dracula’s Revenge (Improvement)(Castlevania)(NES)
• Castlevania - Fan Edition (Improvement)(Castlevania)(NES)
• Castlevania III - Ressurection Hack (Improvement)(Castlevania III: Dracula’s Curse)(NES)
• Castlevania II - Vengence on Hell (Improvement)(Castlevania II: Simon’s Quest)(NES)
• Castlevania - Shadows (Improvement)(Castlevania)(NES)
• Ninja Gaiden - Virgin Edition (Improvement)(Ninja Gaiden)(NES)
• Castlevania Extreme (Improvement)(Castlevania)(NES)
• Castlevania - Slumber Of Darkness (Improvement)(Castlevania)(NES)
• Castlevania - Curse Of Suffering (Improvement)(Castlevania)(NES)
• Rockman II GX VER (Complete)(Mega Man II)(NES)
• Mega Man IV: Ridley X Hack 4 (Complete)(Mega Man IV)(NES)
• Mega Man V - RidleyX Hack 1 (Complete)(Mega Man V)(NES)
• Mega Man V - RidleyX Hack 2 (Complete)(Mega Man V)(NES)
• Mega Man V - RidleyX Hack 3 (Complete)(Mega Man V)(NES)
• RedGreen version (Complete)(Pokémon Blue)(GB)
• Pokemon Expert Emerald (Complete)(Pokemon Emerald)(GBA)
• Kid Icarus - Retold (Improvement)(Kid Icarus)(NES)

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GBA Utility Tools

August 1st, 2013, 13:56 Posted By: wraggster

Nickname: Gamer2020 (This is the name I usually use on the internet.)
Project Name: GBA Utility Tools
From: USA
Division: APP
Platform: GBA
Original Enter: Yes
Support Motion: No
In a past NEO Compo this project won in the top 10: No

Description:

This is a program for the GBA that has some useful functions for the GBA. The GBA is limited in what it can do but it can do some things. In the future I am hoping to add more to this program than it currently has.

Screenshots:

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GATEWAY 3DS FAQ Update

August 1st, 2013, 14:09 Posted By: wraggster

29/07/2013
First units to ship this week !
And a quick note to update our FAQ regarding the use of the "blue" card and recent title releases:

Can the blue card run DS home brew ?
YES :- The bundled blue ds card, is in essence a standard DS cart capable of both DS backups and home brew for DS mode, tested to work on 6.1

Is the blue card required for every power cycle ?
No :- Our custom Gateway Installer DS app is only required to be run once to setup and thereafter any time the console is used in DS mode.

Does Gateway support all games:
No :- Animal Crossing uses unique NAND based save hardware in the cart, support will be added through a GW firmware update. Mario (released last week) is forcing 5.1 update. We have prioritised work on supporting all such future releases. Stay tuned.

Please NOTE the FAQ update was specifically speaking about our bundled BLUE DS card not the Gateway RED 3DS card ! as mentioned the Blue DS card is a standard DS card for DS mode. Gateway works on (4.1 -> 4.5) only for now.
http://www.gateway-3ds.com/index.html

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no$sns v1.5

August 1st, 2013, 14:14 Posted By: wraggster

via http://www.aep-emu.de/

Nocash has released a new version of his SNES/SFC emulator/debugger for Windows.

Quote:
Hi, I´ve just released version 1.5 of the no$sns SNES emulator/debugger:
http://nocash.emubase.de/sns.htm

The biggest news is improved rendering: The emu is now preserving the original SNES pixel aspect ratio, supports fullscreen mode, and hardware acceleration for display stretching should be now working on most PCs (big thanks to Dwedit and lidnariq for testing a dozen of beta versions with opengl rendering on several different computers and OSes). Note: The new HW acceleration is disabled by default (on older can computers it can be getting useless slow). Best pick the rendering mode that works best for (if they are working, then DirectDraw and OpenGL should be fastest and smoothest).

Other news are a new help engine (that works with newer windows versions), a bunch of bugfixes and details, including exotic stuff like better SFC-Box emulation, support for copyprotected ´bootlegs´, and support for an odd multicart mapper. Plus more pinouts and MAD-1/MAD-R logic tables (thanks to SkinnyV for running a lot of MAD-R tests). Btw. the http://nocash.emubase.de/fullsnes.htm doc is also updated.


30 Jul 2013) - fullscreen, aspect ratio, better/faster zooming, bugfixes/details


Code:
30 Jul 2013 - no$sns v1.5
* help: added note on starting multiple hdma´s midframe in different scanlines
* bugfix: mirror SRAM from 700000h to F00000h, but NOT to F08000h (thanks byuu)
* midframe hdma: init "snes_hdma_not_pause_flgs" during vblank (super ghouls)
* help: cleaned up memory/dma chapters, added basic LoROM/HiROM mapping chapters
* emu: added support for rare LoROM games with more than 32K SRAM (eg. Dezaemon)
* help: added cx4 pinouts (thanks qwertymodo) and cx4 memory map (thanks byuu)
* commandline: looks in current directory before ´slot´ directory (for lidnariq)
* video/zoom: fullscreen option (toggle via context menu; by right mouse button)
* video/zoom: software: supports odd ratios, mmx-based horizontal blur/resample
* video/zoom: opengl: SwapBuffers, SubImage2d, DblBuffer, PixFmtScoring, Speedup
* gui: created own help engine (instead of microcrap´s suicidal windows .hlp)
* game window: displays current zoom factor in caption (during sizing)
* game window: optionally square pixels, or real PAL/NTSC pixel aspect ratios
* game window: allows free sizing (with snapping near N*100% zoom factors)
* sfcbox: removed dummy OSD font (real SFC-Box character set is dumped now)
* controls: divides snes-mouse resolution by game-window-zoom-factor
* icon: simplified snes button/logo icon, at 12x12,16x16,32x32,48x48 pix sizes
* help/emu: sfcbox: added io-port-mirrors and values for unknown/unused io-bits
* help/emu: sfcbox: osd character zoom, osd background/outline styles
* help/emu: sfcbox: cpu hd64180 traps (most) invalid hd64180 opcodes
* help/emu: gsu mirrors/openbus, gsu multiply speed, r15+irq on stop opcode
* a22i: added argonaut gsu assembler (via .argonaut and .native/.nocash syntax)
* emu: avoids break on nested event-handling within hdma (for buggy kof2000)
* cartloader: clips corrupt sram/xram/flash header values to reasonable sizes
* cartloader: fixed crash upon missing cx4 bios (thanks epguy35 for bugreport)
* help: added GSU-1 and GSU-2 pinouts (based on GSU schematics drawn by magno)
* help: added pinouts for SA-1 chip, BSX-FLASH connector, partial BSX-EXT port
* help: added MAD-R logic table+more MAD-1 details (thanks SkinnyV for dumping)
* help/emu: added some new nss details (vsync, mirrored/unused bits)
* help: added some new xband keyboard details (thanks to Benjamin Eriksson)
* help/emu: added copy-protected bootlegs (bitswap, constant, and alu/flipflop)
* help/emu: added super20hab (korean multicart with 20 small nes-port games)

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Nintendo breaking down developer barriers on Wii U

August 1st, 2013, 23:37 Posted By: wraggster

Console giant on opening its doors to indies

Nintendo platforms are more accessible to indie developers than ever, says the company’s business development manager.
Speaking to Joystiq, Dan Adelman admitted Nintendo had a reputation for being difficult to approach in the past, but it was now putting in more effort to make the firm easier for indies to approach.

One way the it is trying to attract developers to release games on its hardware is through the Web Framework, a HTML5 development platform devs can use to code for Wii U.
Nintendo has also removed the necessity to become an authorised developer on its platforms, and wants titles from all kinds of game creators.
"Historically, Nintendo has seemed kind of hard to approach, kind of like there's a closed system where if a developer already knows somebody at Nintendo or has some kind of 'in,' they're in, but otherwise there's no way to interface with the company," said Adelman.

http://www.develop-online.net/news/4...riers-on-Wii-U

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Analysis: Can Nintendo turn Wii U sales around this Christmas

August 2nd, 2013, 00:26 Posted By: wraggster

Sales of Nintendo’s Wii U have been well below even the bleakest of expectations.
The latest financial report from the platform holders says that, across Europe, Wii U has sold a lowly 10,000 consoles. And so it comes as no surprise that the likes of Morrisons and Asda have decided to cease stocking the machine.
The biggest flaw for Wii U has been in its software. Third-party support has been lacklustre, and has so far largely consisted of games that were previously available on rival formats months before Wii U was even released.

Meanwhile, the three main launch titles have failed to resonate with consumers. Nintendo Land was viewed as just another party game compilations, despite Nintendo’s efforts to establish it as the next Wii Sports.

ZombiU’s adult nature meant the game did not appeal to Nintendo’s traditional family audience. Also as a shooter, it was in direct competition with bigger brands on Xbox 360 and PS3, such as Halo and Call of Duty.

Finally, New Super Mario Bros U performed below its expectations. The first two New Super Mario Bros games on DS and Wii have sold a combined 56.5 million games around the world, a truly astonishing figure. However, the 3DS and Wii U versions together have sold just 8.5 million copies. The diminishing returns of this franchise suggests Nintendo may want to retire the series for the time being, especially as last year’s game was the fourth New Super Mario Bros game in the last six years.

In its first seven months on sale, Wii U has sold just 3.61m consoles and 14.44m games (an attach rate of four games to every console, which suggests Wii U has obtained a loyal following that’s willing to buy games). That hardware number is a hugely disappointing figure. But Nintendo believes it can turn things around this Christmas by releasing games based on its biggest IP and by increasing its marketing efforts.

We take a look at these games and analyse, based on historical data, whether Nintendo is right to feel it can improve Wii U’s performance.


Pikmin 3 – Out Now

The critically acclaimed Pikmin was created by Shigeru Miyamoto and is a cult favourite amongst Nintendo fans. However, the series is not a big seller, at least by Nintendo standards. The original Pikmin (including the Wii re-release) has sold 1.25m games around the world, while its sequel Pikmin 2 only fared slightly better.
Pikmin 3 has received plenty of critical acclaim, and its early performance in the charts has been decent. The game has also been marketed well and the series certainly has untapped potential. However, Nintendo should not been relying on this game to turn around the console’s sales.


Donkey Kong Country Returns: Tropical Freeze – Winter 2013

Historically, Donkey Kong Country is amongst Nintendo’s biggest selling franchises. The original 1994 SNES game was a big success for its time, with 9m games sold around the world.
The franchise never quite hit those heights again, although the 2010 revival – Donkey Kong Country Returns – did go on to sell 5m units in just over three months around the world. Hardly Wii Fit or Mario Kart Wii numbers, but impressive nonetheless.
Tropical Freeze is likely to form part of the conversation amongst consumers tempted to pick Wii U up, but it is unlikely to be a system seller in its own right.


The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker HD – October 2013

Listing a HD remake as a reason to buy a console may seem like a move of desperation. But Wind Waker has many things going for it.
For starters, despite being a critical darling and a cult Nintendo game, the original Wind Waker sold below what is expected of a Zelda game (4.6m units around the world). This was primarily due to the fact it was released on GameCube, which had a very low install base (just over 1m in the UK). Therefore there are many Zelda and Nintendo fans that have not played this game.
Wind Waker also looks dramatically different in HD, which may attract some of those 4.6m gamers that enjoyed the original.
Yet, as this is a remake and not a new Zelda game. It is unlikely Wind Waker HD will be a compelling reason on its own to buy a Wii U.



Super Mario 3D World – December 2013

This is Nintendo’s biggest Q4 game for Wii U, and for good reason. The 3DS original – Super Mario 3D Land – is the best selling 3DS game in the world. In the UK, it has sold over half a million copies and worldwide it has shifted 8.3m games.
Some critics have bemoaned the game’s lack of ambition, with fans calling for something more akin to Nintendo’s Super Mario Galaxy series. Yet, the Galaxy series (which consisted of two Wii games) has not quite had the commercial success to match its critical acclaim. Super Mario Galaxy 2 sold just under 7m units. Not a bad figure by any means, but below what was achieved by Super Mario 3D Land.
3D Land, with its fixed camera but three-dimensional gameplay, has managed to merge the gameplay styles of Galaxy with the New Super Mario Bros series, which is perhaps why it has had a broader appeal. It was also a critical success with a 90 Metacritic score.
Super Mario 3D World is by far Nintendo’s most important Wii U game this Christmas, and if it lives up to its original, should persuade many consumers to pick up the console.


Wii Fit U and Wii Party U – Q4 2013

Nintendo is also trying to broaden its audience this Christmas with two more casual-orientated titles. Wii Party U is the sequel to the 8m-selling Wii Party. But the real potential seller is Wii Fit U. The first two Wii Fit games have sold a combined 43.5m games worldwide (Wii Fit: 22.67m, Wii Fit Plus: 20.88m), so hopes are understandably high for this new game.
However, it’s not clear if that Wii Fit audience still exists. Mainstream gamers that this franchise appealed too are not as brand loyal as core fans, and the fitness genre has been in significant decline since Wii Fit first hit the headlines back in 2008.
Both Wii Fit U and Wii Party U may be successful over the festive period, but it is unlikely they will have quite the same impact on Wii U as they did on Wii.



Sonic and third-party

Out of the few third party titles coming to Wii U this Christmas, it is the more family friendly products that will likely perform best. Disney Infinity, Just Dance 2014 and Skylanders should do ok, but it is the Sonic franchise that holds the most potential.
Wii U is getting two exclusive Sonic games this Christmas – Sonic: Lost World and Mario & Sonic at the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games. The Sonic series isn’t as strong as it once was, but the character is still a gaming icon, and the existence of these two games should help sell a few Wii U consoles during Q4.

Better Marketing

A better marketing campaign is going to be crucial if Nintendo wants to turn Wii U around. Nintendo had tried previously to position Wii U as a core gaming device. But that is unlikely to work this Christmas faced with big competition from Sony and Microsoft.
Nintendo must be aggressive in its marketing messages, promoting all of its big franchises, whilst also advertising Wii U as a proper alternative to PS4 and Xbox One. A more affordable, family friendly alternative with new Mario, Sonic, Zelda and Donkey Kong games to play.
The marketing campaign must also do a better job of explaining what Wii U is and why it is different to Wii, as well.
The noises coming out of Nintendo Japan, plus MCV’s brief conversations with the Nintendo UK team, suggests we won’t be disappointed in this area.

Should Wii U have a price cut?
Getting the price right on console hardware can prove crucial when trying to reach the mass-market. But price discounting is not effective without decent software to back it up.
When Nintendo heavily cut the 3DS in price back in 2011, just six months after launch, sales did pick up. However, it wasn’t until the release of Super Mario 3D Land and Mario Kart 7 that sales improved drastically.
Meanwhile, when Asda cut the price of Wii U by £100 three weeks ago, this resulted in just 250 extra console sales compared with the week previously. Amazon followed suit the following week, which caused a further 667 console sales. This shows that the price cut did have an impact, but we’re hardly talking big increases here.

"When Asda cut the price of Wii U by £100,it only resulted in an extra 250 sales."

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Nintendo is trying to make what people want, not art - Iwata

August 2nd, 2013, 01:22 Posted By: wraggster

Wii U maker's president says creators need to change their ideas if they aren't resonating with the audience
[h=3]Nintendo[/h]nintendo-europe.com


Nintendo may have a reputation for marching to the beat of its own drum, but company president Satoru Iwata said the company's creative mindset depends on being completely adaptable to what works for the audience. In an interview with Toyo Keizai Onlinetranslated by Kotaku, Iwata said whatever clicks with the audience trumps the developer's original plans.
"Nintendo developers are extremely insatiable when it comes to whether what they make resonates with customers or not." Iwata said. "They'll do anything to achieve it. Both (Shigeru) Miyamoto and I repeatedly say, 'It's not like we are making pieces of art, the point is to make a product that resonates with and is accepted by customers.'"
He added, "Creating is like an expression of egoism. People with a strong energy to create something have a 'this is the strength I believe is right' sort of confidence to start from. Their standpoint is that this is the right thing to do, so this must be what's good for the customer as well. But the final goal of a product is to resonate with and be accepted by people. You can't just force your way through. By saying, 'The point is to be accepted,' I mean, if you go to a customer with your idea and you realize they don't understand it, it's more important that they do and you should shift your idea."
Iwata acknowledged that the Wii U has struggled of late and customers haven't quite understood it, but the company isn't about to shift that particular idea just yet.
"It's difficult to say, 'The Wii U is a system that does such-and-such,' in a simple manner, and understanding it takes time." Iwata said. "While we unfortunately had a period in the first half of 2013 where releases were sparse and hardware sales have lulled, I don't think that the concept and potential of the Wii U have been rejected."
Analysts would seem to agree with Iwata. Colin Sebastian and Doug Creutz have both told investors recently that while Wii U sales have been sluggish, the true test for the system will be its performance this holiday season, when it is expected to have a much stronger lineup of available software.

http://www.gamesindustry.biz/article...-not-art-iwata

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Nintendo to enable eShop game purchases via PCs and smartphones

August 2nd, 2013, 01:37 Posted By: wraggster

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Original Nintendo TV on Ebay

August 2nd, 2013, 01:50 Posted By: wraggster

A tv with a built in Nes, awesome

This is an Original Sharp Nintendo TV. I bought this is January of 1990, but it is dated 1989. I bought it at K-Mart and it was the last one. It came with two original controllers, manual, remote, and the TV control door which had been taken off. I have misplaced the remote and the TV control door, but would send them to the winning bidder if and when I find them. I am still looking.
The condition of this TV/game console is very good. It plays well and sounds good, we bought it for a bedroom TV, so really never used the gaming part, and was only played a few times. All four feet are excellent and no cracks or chips. TV case has a small scrape on the bottom right of the cabinet not very visible, see picture. Screen glass is very good as is the rest of the TV case. Game door is fine and working. I powered it up and played Bases Loaded II, as you can see in the pictures. It is rare to get one of these gaming TV's in such good shape, fewer people are selling them. This is your chance to get a very good system. It has been in an environmentally controlled conditions, with no smoke or pet damage. I take very good care of things.
Included: Two original controls, they appear new. One pair of original Rabbit ears, they came with it. Bases Loaded II game, power cord, intact and like new condition and of course the TV Console.
I will ship using a packaging store which insures $99.00 and will ship on weekdays immediately. If the bid goes to or over $500 I will ship Free, no International and not to Alaska and Hawaii. Payment expected in 3 days and no returns.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Original-Nintendo-TV-/141026554825?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item20d5d6 73c9

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Iwata: Nintendo is not making pieces of art

August 4th, 2013, 18:25 Posted By: wraggster

Making games that strike a chord with gamers is far more important than any pretence about creating high art.
That’s the opinion of Nintendo boss Saturo Iwata who has delivered a big blow to the Tenth Art advocates.
"Nintendo developers are extremely insatiable when it comes to whether what they make resonates with customers or not,” Iwata said in an interview with Toyo Keizai Online, as reported by Kotaku.
“They'll do anything to achieve it. Both [Shigeru] Miyamoto and I repeatedly say, 'It's not like we are making pieces of art, the point is to make a product that resonates with and is accepted by customers.'
"Creating is like an expression of egoism. People with a strong energy to create something have a 'this is the strength I believe is right' sort of confidence to start from. Their standpoint is that 'this is the right thing to do, so this must be what's good for the customer, as well.'
“The final goal of a product is to resonate with and be accepted by people. You can't just force your way through.”
And a thousand admirers of The Wind Waker wept…

http://www.mcvuk.com/news/read/iwata...of-art/0119599

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(Wii) U are not alone - specialist retail backs console

August 4th, 2013, 18:29 Posted By: wraggster

UK supermarkets are ready to drop Wii U unless Nintendo can drastically turn sales around.
But specialist retailers, including market leader GAME, have vocally backed the struggling console.
Asda and Morrisons both told MCV this week that they have no plans to stock Wii U or its games in the near future ­– although Asda will support the machine online.
Tesco continues to stock Wii U but warns that it will only support it “to the levels that its market performance dictates.” In better news, Sainsbury’s has vowed to keep selling the console.
Wii U has struggled since its debut last November. But Nintendo hopes to boost sales over Christmas with the help of its blockbuster IP: Mario, Donkey Kong and Zelda.
And specialists and online retailers have backed Nintendo to turn it around.
“We fully support all Nintendo products, including Wii U. We’ve just seen very strong release performances of Pikmin 3 and New Super Luigi U and Nintendo’s digital offering is also going from strength-to-strength,” GAME CEO Martyn Gibbs told MCV.
“Nintendo has proven time and again that they are experts in the market. The incredible growth of the 3DS over recent years is testament to that and we are looking forward to their plans for developing Wii U over peak and through 2014.”
HMV’s Phil Browes told MCV that the retailer hasn’t finalised its Q4 space plans yet, but says that Wii U is currently in the range. And The Hut is already working on ‘multiple initiatives’ to help boost Wii U sales this Xmas.
Meanwhile, ShopTo purchasing director James Rowson said: “We are in no doubt that Nintendo will remedy the poor hardware sales with excellent new titles for peak and into next year.”
A Nintendo spokesperson said: “As we’ve seen with 3DS, software sells hardware, and with titles such as Zelda: The Wind Waker HD and Super Mario 3D World this year, as well as Pikmin 3 and New Super Luigi U having reached No.2 and No.6 in the charts, we’re looking forward to the year ahead on Wii U.”

http://www.mcvuk.com/news/read/wii-u...onsole/0119592

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Ghostlight will release Devil Survivor 2 on DS... provided enough people pay upfront

August 4th, 2013, 18:30 Posted By: wraggster

Devil Survivor 2 on DS will be released in the UK on the condition that consumers pay up front for its manufacture.
That’s how publisher Ghostlight is pitching a new solution that will allow it to publish DS title Devil Survivor 2.
“We’re now offering the game for pre-order on the Ghostlight store,” the company explained. “However the game will only get manufactured if we can get enough pre-orders to cover our manufacturing costs. If not everyone will be refunded.
“Anyone pre-ordering the game will have the option to include their name in the manual and also as a bonus, pre-ordered units will feature a special gold coloured Devil Survivor logo on the inlay.”
Interesting. There are two ways of looking at this:
1. Retail has long been criticised for its unwillingness to gamble on anything other than triple-A. It’s good that a publisher isn’t letting that stop it from releasing a game for which there is a clearly a market, albeit a relatively small one. And retail is just shooting itself in the foot here – these are exactly the sorts of issues a digital future will help bypass. If games retail doesn’t adapt to serve all demographics then its demise will only be hastened. Crowdfunding is yet another threat to bricks and mortar and pushing publishers and developers toward that model is ultimately self-defeating.
2. Crowdfunding has removed the culture of accountability from business and this is a dangerous step towards introducing that model into physical games publishing. Surely Ghostlight should be the ones footing the bill, not consumers? And as an operating publisher it surely has all the infrastructure and money in place to do so. After all, when it first hinted at a plan to get Devil Survivor 2 into shops back in March it only mentioned issues with retail, not problems with funding the manufacture of the game. And what’s the problem with releasing the game with online retailers? After all, online retail has been the reserve of the more specialist console and handheld gamer for some time now.
Ultimately, though, no-one is forcing consumers to do anything. If enough buy into Ghostlight’s plan then that in itself is all the validation we need, right?

http://www.mcvuk.com/news/read/ghost...pfront/0119590

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Breath of Fire 2 headed to Wii U Virtual Console

August 4th, 2013, 19:54 Posted By: wraggster

Breath of Fire publisher Capcom has announced that the series' classic second instalment will be relaunched on Wii U Virtual Console.The 1994 game will appear on Nintendo's retro download service "in the coming months", Capcom said in a blog post.Capcom's announcement comes just a day after its divisive news that it had revived the iconic series with a new instalment exclusively for PC, tablets and smartphones.Breath of Fire 6 will be an online version of the role-player designed for touchscreen devices. It's due to launch in Japan in 2014, and may or may not be released elsewhere.

http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/20...irtual-console

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New StreetPass games make $4 million in a month

August 4th, 2013, 19:55 Posted By: wraggster

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The Legend of Zelda CGI movie that never was

August 4th, 2013, 19:58 Posted By: wraggster


A pitch reel from Imagi Animation Studios for a CGI The Legend of Zelda film, proposed in early 2007 and subsequently turned down, has made its way online. It was supervised, shot and edited by animator Adam Holmes, who thankfully posted it to his online portfolio for us all to see – well, not here. Embedding has been disabled on the video.

Imagi Animation Studios, formed in 2000, is the outfit that produced TMNT, the studio's first major feature release. Two years later, Imagis followed up TMNTwith Astro Boy, which reportedly lost money on its initial $65 million production budget.

http://www.joystiq.com/2013/08/02/th...as-never-made/

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Super Mario Bros. Crossover 3.0 gets Ninja Gaiden in your goombas

August 4th, 2013, 19:58 Posted By: wraggster

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1,800 pre-orders will get Devil Survivor 2 published in PAL region

August 4th, 2013, 19:59 Posted By: wraggster

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Rune Factory 4 delayed, but 'will definitely be worth the wait'

August 4th, 2013, 20:05 Posted By: wraggster

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Miyamoto: Pikmin 3's hidden memos lead to a secret code

August 4th, 2013, 20:05 Posted By: wraggster

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VBA GX unofficial - GBA Emulator for Gamecube and Wii

August 4th, 2013, 20:32 Posted By: wraggster

new from megalomaniac:

Code:
08/01/2013: ( Unofficial Version 0.0.1 release by megalomaniac )
--------------------------------------------------------------
based on VBA GX 2.2.8 source by tantric
http://code.google.com/p/vba-wii/source/checkout
svn r561

[NGC]
- WKF support added
. load roms from FAT formatted SD card in WKF slot
. no write support: save settings and progress to other device
- NTSC widescreen (480i/480p autodetect)
. default video display setting for gamecube
. change setting in video menu if you dont like it
- EXIT Menu button now defaults to "reboot" not PSOload
. WKF users: hit pin29 switch to avoid DRE on reboot

[NGC/Wii]
- IDE-EXI support added
. load roms from HDD
. SlotA or SlotB selectable device
. write support not yet added, save settings and progress to other device
- Settings.xlm updated to allow selection for new devices
. added devices include IDE-EXI and WKF
. settings.xml cannot be saved to these devices

Thanks emu_kidid for borrowed swiss WKF & IDE-EXI code

Download attached

via http://www.gc-forever.com/forums/vie...a807215ec3315f

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Submit News and Releases Here and Contact Us for Reviews and Advertising Here

VBA GX unofficial - GBA Emulator for Gamecube and Wii

August 4th, 2013, 20:32 Posted By: wraggster

new from megalomaniac:

Code:
08/01/2013: ( Unofficial Version 0.0.1 release by megalomaniac )
--------------------------------------------------------------
based on VBA GX 2.2.8 source by tantric
http://code.google.com/p/vba-wii/source/checkout
svn r561

[NGC]
- WKF support added
. load roms from FAT formatted SD card in WKF slot
. no write support: save settings and progress to other device
- NTSC widescreen (480i/480p autodetect)
. default video display setting for gamecube
. change setting in video menu if you dont like it
- EXIT Menu button now defaults to "reboot" not PSOload
. WKF users: hit pin29 switch to avoid DRE on reboot

[NGC/Wii]
- IDE-EXI support added
. load roms from HDD
. SlotA or SlotB selectable device
. write support not yet added, save settings and progress to other device
- Settings.xlm updated to allow selection for new devices
. added devices include IDE-EXI and WKF
. settings.xml cannot be saved to these devices

Thanks emu_kidid for borrowed swiss WKF & IDE-EXI code

Download attached

via http://www.gc-forever.com/forums/vie...a807215ec3315f

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FCE Ultra GX unofficial - Nes Emulator for Gamecube/Wii

August 4th, 2013, 20:39 Posted By: wraggster

new from megalomaniac:

Code:

08/01/2013: ( Official Version 0.0.1 release by megalomaniac )
--------------------------------------------------------------
based on FCE Ultra GX 3.3.4 source by tantric
http://code.google.com/p/fceugc/source/checkout
svn r607

[NGC]
- WKF support added
. load roms from FAT formatted SD card in WKF slot
. no write support: save settings and progress to other device
- NTSC widescreen (480i/480p autodetect)
. default video display setting for gamecube
. change setting in video menu if you dont like it
- EXIT Menu button now defaults to "reboot" not PSOload
. WKF users: hit pin29 switch to avoid DRE on reboot

[NGC/Wii]
- IDE-EXI support added
. load roms from HDD
. SlotA or SlotB selectable device
. write support not yet added, save settings and progress to other device
- Settings.xlm updated to allow selection for new devices
. added devices include IDE-EXI and WKF
. settings.xml cannot be saved to these devices

Thanks emu_kidid for borrowed swiss WKF & IDE-EXI code

Code:

[NGC/Wii] - please delete your settings file from SD / USB / SAMBA or SD GECKO card before first boot
[NGC] - the config file "settings.xml" can only be saved and loaded to/from SD Gecko


IDE-EXI and WKF: see below
FIRST BOOT OF THIS VERSION:
1. if found, browser will default to display contents from SD Gecko slot
else browser will default to device manager menu
2. Go to "Settings"
3. Configure settings options for Load Device
4. "Go Back"
5. "Go Back"
6. EXIT

SECOND BOOT
1. if found, browser will default to display contents from PREFERRED LOAD DEVICE
else browser will default to device manager menu

download attached

via http://www.gc-forever.com/forums/vie...hp?f=13&t=1442

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FCE Ultra GX unofficial - Nes Emulator for Gamecube/Wii

August 4th, 2013, 20:39 Posted By: wraggster

new from megalomaniac:

Code:

08/01/2013: ( Official Version 0.0.1 release by megalomaniac )
--------------------------------------------------------------
based on FCE Ultra GX 3.3.4 source by tantric
http://code.google.com/p/fceugc/source/checkout
svn r607

[NGC]
- WKF support added
. load roms from FAT formatted SD card in WKF slot
. no write support: save settings and progress to other device
- NTSC widescreen (480i/480p autodetect)
. default video display setting for gamecube
. change setting in video menu if you dont like it
- EXIT Menu button now defaults to "reboot" not PSOload
. WKF users: hit pin29 switch to avoid DRE on reboot

[NGC/Wii]
- IDE-EXI support added
. load roms from HDD
. SlotA or SlotB selectable device
. write support not yet added, save settings and progress to other device
- Settings.xlm updated to allow selection for new devices
. added devices include IDE-EXI and WKF
. settings.xml cannot be saved to these devices

Thanks emu_kidid for borrowed swiss WKF & IDE-EXI code

Code:

[NGC/Wii] - please delete your settings file from SD / USB / SAMBA or SD GECKO card before first boot
[NGC] - the config file "settings.xml" can only be saved and loaded to/from SD Gecko


IDE-EXI and WKF: see below
FIRST BOOT OF THIS VERSION:
1. if found, browser will default to display contents from SD Gecko slot
else browser will default to device manager menu
2. Go to "Settings"
3. Configure settings options for Load Device
4. "Go Back"
5. "Go Back"
6. EXIT

SECOND BOOT
1. if found, browser will default to display contents from PREFERRED LOAD DEVICE
else browser will default to device manager menu

download attached

via http://www.gc-forever.com/forums/vie...hp?f=13&t=1442

Join In and Discuss Here

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Snes9xGX unofficial - Snes Emulator for Gamecube and Wii

August 4th, 2013, 20:42 Posted By: wraggster

new from megalomaniac:



08/01/2013: ( Unofficial Version 0.0.1 release by megalomaniac )
--------------------------------------------------------------
based on Snes9xGX 4.3.2 source by tantric
http://code.google.com/p/snes9x-gx/source/checkout
svn r721

[NGC]
- WKF support added
. load roms from FAT formatted SD card in WKF slot
. no write support: save settings and progress to other device
- NTSC widescreen (480i/480p autodetect)
. default video display setting for gamecube
. change setting in video menu if you dont like it
- EXIT Menu button now defaults to "reboot" not PSOload
. WKF users: hit pin29 switch to avoid DRE on reboot

[NGC/Wii]
- IDE-EXI support added
. load roms from HDD
. SlotA or SlotB selectable device
. write support not yet added, save settings and progress to other device
- Settings.xlm updated to allow selection for new devices
. added devices include IDE-EXI and WKF
. settings.xml cannot be saved to these devices

Thanks emu_kidid for borrowed swiss WKF & IDE-EXI code

Code:

[NGC/Wii] - please delete your settings file from SD / USB / SAMBA or SD GECKO card before first boot
[NGC] - the config file "settings.xml" can only be saved and loaded to/from SD Gecko


IDE-EXI and WKF: see below
FIRST BOOT OF THIS VERSION:
1. if found, browser will default to display contents from SD Gecko slot
else browser will default to device manager menu
2. Go to "Settings"
3. Configure settings options for Load Device
4. "Go Back"
5. "Go Back"
6. EXIT

SECOND BOOT
1. if found, browser will default to display contents from PREFERRED LOAD DEVICE
else browser will default to device manager menu

Download Attached

Join In and Discuss Here

Submit News and Releases Here and Contact Us for Reviews and Advertising Here

Snes9xGX unofficial - Snes Emulator for Gamecube and Wii

August 4th, 2013, 20:42 Posted By: wraggster

new from megalomaniac:



08/01/2013: ( Unofficial Version 0.0.1 release by megalomaniac )
--------------------------------------------------------------
based on Snes9xGX 4.3.2 source by tantric
http://code.google.com/p/snes9x-gx/source/checkout
svn r721

[NGC]
- WKF support added
. load roms from FAT formatted SD card in WKF slot
. no write support: save settings and progress to other device
- NTSC widescreen (480i/480p autodetect)
. default video display setting for gamecube
. change setting in video menu if you dont like it
- EXIT Menu button now defaults to "reboot" not PSOload
. WKF users: hit pin29 switch to avoid DRE on reboot

[NGC/Wii]
- IDE-EXI support added
. load roms from HDD
. SlotA or SlotB selectable device
. write support not yet added, save settings and progress to other device
- Settings.xlm updated to allow selection for new devices
. added devices include IDE-EXI and WKF
. settings.xml cannot be saved to these devices

Thanks emu_kidid for borrowed swiss WKF & IDE-EXI code

Code:

[NGC/Wii] - please delete your settings file from SD / USB / SAMBA or SD GECKO card before first boot
[NGC] - the config file "settings.xml" can only be saved and loaded to/from SD Gecko


IDE-EXI and WKF: see below
FIRST BOOT OF THIS VERSION:
1. if found, browser will default to display contents from SD Gecko slot
else browser will default to device manager menu
2. Go to "Settings"
3. Configure settings options for Load Device
4. "Go Back"
5. "Go Back"
6. EXIT

SECOND BOOT
1. if found, browser will default to display contents from PREFERRED LOAD DEVICE
else browser will default to device manager menu

Download Attached

Join In and Discuss Here

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Insecticide (02-08-2013) (VB Game)

August 4th, 2013, 20:49 Posted By: wraggster

via http://pdroms.de/

Chris Read aka atari2600land continues working on his 2D fighting game Insecticide. It’s easy to kill a bug, but how about when you’re a bug yourself? Strap yourself into a bug’s shoes and fight to the death. Are you strong enough to perform insecticide?



Changes:


- no changelog found


http://www.atari2600land.com/banana/ic.html

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MCMC (NDS Demo)

August 4th, 2013, 20:51 Posted By: wraggster

via http://pdroms.de/

MCMC by The Royal Elite Ninjas Inc. released at Assembly 2013.

http://pouet.net/prod.php?which=61639

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GCN MemCard Recover 0.1 released

August 4th, 2013, 20:53 Posted By: wraggster

GCN MemCard Recover is a utility that can recover files from corrupted or reformatted GameCube memory cards.
Usually, when a GCN memory card is corrupted, only the file system or header is unusable. Similarly, when a memory card is formatted, only the file system blocks are erased. The data area is left intact. By searching for specific patterns within the data area, files can usually be recovered.

http://wiibrew.org/wiki/GCN_MemCard_Recover

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New Hacks Added

August 4th, 2013, 20:55 Posted By: wraggster

The following Hacks have been submitted and approved to the database (in submitted order oldest to newest):

• James Pond 2 - Expert Edition (Complete)(James Pond 2: Codename: RoboCod)(GEN)
• Super Mario Omega (Complete)(Super Mario World)(SNES)
• The Second Reality Reloaded (Complete)(Super Mario World)(SNES)
• Super Pika Land Ultra: Vanilla Version (Complete)(Super Mario World)(SNES)
• Super Pika Land Ultra:Chocolate Version (Complete)(Super Mario World)(SNES)
• Super Mario World - Secret Of The 7 Golden Statues (Complete)(Super Mario World)(SNES)
• Super Mario World - Master Quest 8 : The Final Que (Complete)(Super Mario World)(SNES)
• Super Mario World - The After Years (Ultra) (Complete)(Super Mario World)(SNES)
• Super Mario Universe (Complete)(Super Mario World)(SNES)
• Super Mario Starlight Remix (Complete)(Super Mario World)(SNES)
• Super Mario Infinity - Mystery Of The Magic Wand (Complete)(Super Mario World)(SNES)
• Super Mario World - Master Quest 4 Redrawn (Complete)(Super Mario World)(SNES)
• Super Mario World - Master Quest 6 - The Adventure (Complete)(Super Mario World)(SNES)
• Super Mario World - Master Quest 2 (Complete)(Super Mario World)(SNES)
• Super Mario World - Master Quest 1 (Complete)(Super Mario World)(SNES)
• An SMW Central Production (Complete)(Super Mario World)(SNES)
• Super Mario World - Expansion Deluxe (Complete)(Super Mario World)(SNES)
• Super Mario Place (Complete)(Super Mario World)(SNES)

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Neo2 Pro Manager v1.32 released [23th.July 2013]

August 4th, 2013, 20:59 Posted By: wraggster

The Neo2 Pro Manager v1.32 released [23th.July 2013]
more info: http://www.neoflash.com/forum/index....ic,7645.0.html

* The v1.32 can support SMS4 / MD / N64 / SNES / PC-Engine / SEGA MKIII / NeoGeo MagicKey (use neo_kit_kernal) / NeoFlash2(pro) / Neo3-SD etc. devices.
* Fixed the SMS4 can't support special symbol with the nds cart title name like "/" & ":" when try to dump the NDS cart.
* Fixed the issue of when try to backup Neoflash cart SRAM save data to PC, can't create the backup file.(note: please don't save to Driver C
* Now can detect the NEO3-SD cart and show in the bottom status line, but need to use "Menu Write" function to write the data to it in the "Memory" section still.
* Added the SNK magickey menu update files in the Kernal_Kit section,and support auto verify after update finished.
* In the PC-E section, changed the "USA" option to "USA-TG16", to avoid make USA user confuse.
* Fixed the PC-E save cart backup/restore the PC-E game save data function.
* Supported the different myth cart type detect and show in the bottom status line.
* Update the below myth menu to the last version:
SNES Myth menu for SNES update to v0.60
NeoN64Menu for N64 update to v2.6b5
NeoMythMenuDX for MD update to v2.93
thanks: ChillyWilly , mic_ , conle , sanni and all friends

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Shunyuan's HLE audio plugin v1.8.1

August 4th, 2013, 21:53 Posted By: wraggster

via http://www.aep-emu.de/

Shunyuan updated his soundplugin for N64 emulators.
The release/diskussion thread at pj64-emu.com could be found here.

Quote:
Shunyuan´s HLE audio plugin v1.8.1
---------------------------------
HLE audio plugin v1.8.1
---------------------------------
HLE audio plugin is written by Shunyuan with features:

* audio plugin spec #1.2 for pj64-2.0, spec #1.1 for other emulators
* XAudio2, DirectSound8 and No Sound driver support.
* XAudio2 upmix to 5.1 or 7.1
* prebuffer stream audio
* HLE interface
* LLE interface
* audio thread to update sound buffer
* tested with project64 1.6, project64 2.0, project64 2.1,
1964 svn r146, 1964_ultrafast 3.0, and mupen64 5.1.
* debug OSD
* auto sync game to audio
* dynamic plugin interface
* Lua interface to tweak per game settings


Special thanks:
CXD4 for his LLE RSP plugin, source of rsp_interface here.

adnd nintendo1889 for testing and push me to improve the audio quality of this plugin every time.

--------
Note:
--------
From 2013/04/23 to 2013/05/17

I have implemented all the features that I need, so there won´t be a new release in short time.
Thanks for people that help me to develop and debug this plugin.


------------
Lua script to tweak per game settings
------------

Code:

-- -------------
-- HleAudio.lua
-- --------------
-- *Note* don´t change the file name, and this file must be at the same place as HleAudio dll
--

-- --------------------
-- predefined function:
-- --------------------
-- SetPlaybackSetting( SettingID, Value ) ==> return none
-- GetPlaybackSetting( SettingID ) ==> return int

-- --------------------
-- predefined constant
-- --------------------

K_TRUE = 1;
K_FALSE = 0;

K_MIN_QUEUE_SIZE = 4;
K_MAX_QUEUE_SIZE = 16;

K_MIN_BLOCK_SIZE = 2048;
K_MAX_BLOCK_SIZE = 8192;

K_FixedAudioTiming = 1; -- pj64 2.x setting (read only)
K_SyncViaAudio = 2; -- pj64 2.x setting (read only)
K_HighQualityAudio = 3; -- N64 game audio frequency > 22 KHz (be careful with this setting)
K_NoSyncGameToAudio = 4; -- force HleAudio don´t sync game to audio
K_SmallAiLen = 5; -- force HleAudio to report small unplayed DMA size
K_BigAudioChunk = 6; -- audio chunk bigger than 4 KB (Top Gear Rally)
K_QueueSize = 7; -- HleAudio audio queue size (default: 8, be careful with this setting)
K_BlockSize = 8; -- HleAudio audio block size (calculate from AI_DACRATE_REG, be careful with this setting)

--
-- OnRomOpen:
-- override HleAudio playback setting in this function
-- (this function will be called by HleAudio when rom open)
--
-- in: RomName
-- game name in rom header, you can get this name from pj64 rom infromation
--
-- out: none
--
function OnRomOpen(RomName)

-- How to use:
-- (1) check rom name
-- (2) adjust settings

if RomName == "RIDGE RACER 64" then
SetPlaybackSetting(K_SmallAiLen, K_TRUE);
end

if RomName == "TOP GEAR RALLY" then
SetPlaybackSetting(K_BigAudioChunk, K_TRUE);
SetPlaybackSetting(K_SmallAiLen, K_TRUE);
end

if RomName == "Kirby64" then
SetPlaybackSetting(K_SmallAiLen, K_TRUE);
SetPlaybackSetting(K_NoSyncGameToAudio, K_TRUE);
end

if RomName == "PAPER MARIO" then
SetPlaybackSetting(K_SmallAiLen, K_TRUE);
end

if RomName == "SMASH BROTHERS" then
SetPlaybackSetting(K_SmallAiLen, K_TRUE);
SetPlaybackSetting(K_NoSyncGameToAudio, K_TRUE);
end

if RomName == "A Bug´s Life" then
SetPlaybackSetting(K_SmallAiLen, K_TRUE);
end

-- debug only, output message to debugger, you can use Lua to output debug log to text file
PrintPlaybackSetting();
end

------------
Bug Report
------------

Please post your bug report with following information:

(1) OS & System spec
Windows 7 - 32 bit, 4 GB RAM

(2) emulator spec
Project64 2.1

(3) Plugin version
HleAudio 1.7.1

(4) Game and setting
RR64 (USA)
Sound Driver=XAudio2
Playback Rate=48000
Fixed Audio Timing=0
Sync To Audio=0
VI Refresh Rate=2200
AI couter per byte=500

(5) bug description
audio speep-up (too fast)
....

(6) Did this bug exist in previous version of HleAudio?


(7) Audio Record (optional, but very useful)
download link

--------
Then I will try to fix the bug if possible.


--------
History:
--------
v1.8.1
* fix synctax error of Lua script
* fix official pj64 1.6 can´t use Lua script to tweak per game settings.
(no more need pj64 1.6 HleAudio fixed version)
* fix missing audio of Top Gear Rally

v1.8
* Open Lua interface to tweak per game settings
(official pj64 1.6 doesn´t support this feature because it won´t call audio plugin ´RomOpen´ function, use pj64 1.6 HleAudio fixed version instead)

v1.7.1u9
* Fix audio slow down for A Bug´s Life.
* Add DirectSound hardware acceleration option UI
(default is off, for Vista and Win7 you need ALchemy, 3D SoundBack or Xear3D EX to take advantage this feature)

v1.7.1u8
* Fix Super Smash Bros sound delay for PJ64 2.x
* Fix Super Smash Bros sound crackles for PJ64 1.6

v1.7.1u7
* Fix Paper Mario sound crackles
(Counter Factor=1, VI refresh rate=2200, AI count Per byte=500,Fixed Audio Timing=0, Sync using Audio=0)

v1.7.1u6
* work around the Kirby64 SP DMA read error for project64

v1.7.1u5
* add UI to select output device
(useful if you have multiple sound cards or install DSP plugin such as DFX audio enhancer)

v1.7.1u4
* playback rate support 192 KHz
* playback bits support 24 bits (now support 16 ~ 24 bit playback)
* fix no audio of Top Gear Rally (USA)
(AI Count Per Byte=500, Fixed Audio Timing=1, Sync To Audio=0)

v1.7.1u3
* fix no audio for Killer Instinct Gold (USA) 1.2

v1.7.1u2
* support XAudio2 upmix for 5.1 sound card , need to enable at configuration dialog.
(if you don´t have a 5.1 sound card like me, try SRS Audio SandBox)

v1.7.1u1
* fix XAudio2 crash at pj64 1.7.0.50b23
* fix audio speed up issue reported by nintendo1889
* fix pj64 1.7.0.50b23 compatibility error reported by Goldlink11

v1.7.1
* fix no audio after restore game state
* fix audio speed up of Mystical Ninja Starring Goemon
* fix cannot change sound driver after end emulation
* fix compatibility issue of pj64 1.7.x

v1.7
* dynamic interface for project64 2.x and other emulators, now HleAudio will provide interface 1.2 to pj64-2.0,
and provide interface 1.1 to other emulators.
* add XAudio2 driver support
* add No Sound driver support
* remove the redundant initialization and checking from HLE emulation

v1.6.2
* improve the audio quality when "Fix Audio Timing" and "Sync to Audio" options off
* improve the frame rate for N64 games of 32 KHz audio
* release the source code of rsp_interface

Now you can turn "Fix Audio Timing" and "Sync to Audio" on or off, both ways work.

v1.6.1
* add OSD to show the plugin internal data in real time
(need RivaTuner Statistics Server to display OSD)
* implement auto sync game to audio feature for otehr emulators. Now N64 games with 32 KHz audio
such as Zelda OOT, Bomberman 64, F-Zero X should sound better without crackles on 1964, mupen64, pj64 1.6.

v1.6
* change interface to Zilmar´s common audio plugin spec, version #1.2,
because only project64 2.x emulator core supports "Sync using Audio" feature
* integrated with Project64 setting manager (no data yet).

v1.5
* integrated with project64 2.0 "Fix Audio Timing" & "Sync using Audio" option
- now Bomberman 64, Zelda OOT, Resident Evil 2 sound crackles should be fixed
- when these two options are enabled.
* fix the bug sometimes no audio when playing more than one rom
* fix the noises when enter plugin settings
* fix the sound crackles of RR64

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SoftGraphic graphic plugin v1.5

August 4th, 2013, 21:54 Posted By: wraggster

via http://www.aep-emu.de/


SoftGraphic a Nintendo 64 Graphics Plug-In has been updated.

Quote:






SoftGraphic graphic plugin v1.5


----------------------------

SoftGraphic HLE plugin v1.5

----------------------------

SoftGraphic is a software rendering HLE graphics plugin that uses

MESS rdp core as rendering engine. No special RSP is needed.

It is slow and you need a fast CPU to get a decent frame rate.



-------

Noteice

-------

This plugin uses angrylion's rdp to render graphics, the credit of

graphics rendering should goto MAME team and angrylion.



source of rdp_interface here



--------

History:

--------

v1.5

* rewrite D3D9 driver with shaders

* support PJ64 save to bitmap

* add 2xSai, Super2xSaI, SuperEagle and TV mode filter



v1.4

* add D3D9 driver support

* add UI to enable/disable D3D9 bilinear filter.



v1.3

* rewrite DirectDraw code to improve frame rate

* add full screen support

* add resolution 1024 x 768



v1.2

* use multi-thread rendering to improve frame rate



v1.1

* add UI to enable/disable filter to improve frame rate



v1.0

* first implementation

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Gearboy Git (2013/08/04)

August 4th, 2013, 22:08 Posted By: wraggster

via http://www.emucr.com/

Gearboy Git (2013/08/04) is compiled. Gearboy is a Nintendo Game Boy emulator written in C++. The emulator is focused on readability of source code, but nevertheless it has good compatibility. A lot of effort has gone into this in order to follow OOP and keep it as simple as possible.

Gearboy Features:
- Accurate CPU emulation, passes cpu_instrs.gb from blargg's tests.
- Accurate instruction timing, passes instr_timing.gb from blargg's tests.
- Memory Bank Controllers (MBC1, MBC2, MBC3 with RTC, MBC5) and ROM + RAM cartridges.
- Accurate LCD controller emulation. Background, window and sprites, with correct timings and priorities.
- Mix frames: Mimics the LCD ghosting effect seen in the original Game Boy.
- Sound emulation using SDL Audio and Gb_Snd_Emu library.
- Basic Game Boy Color support.
- Integrated disassembler. It can dump the full disassembled memory to a text file or access it in real time.
- Compressed rom support (ZIP deflate).
- Multi platform. Compiles and runs on Windows, Linux, Mac OS X and iOS.
- Uses OpenGL for rendering on all platforms.
- Uses Qt framework for Mac, Windows and Linux. Uses Cocoa Touch for iPad, iPhone and iPod touch.
- Visual Studio 2010 project provided for Windows. Netbeans 7.2 project provided for Linux and Mac OS X. Xcode project for iOS.

Gearboy Git Changelog:
* Update README.md
http://www.sendspace.com/file/3cewzz

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Dolphin tev-fixes3 Git 3.5-1716

August 4th, 2013, 22:18 Posted By: wraggster

via http://www.emucr.com/

Dolphin tev-fixes3 Git 3.5-1716 is compiled. Dolphin tev-fixes3 is a branch of Dolphin. Dolphin is the first Gamecube emulator able to run commercial games! Dolphin is a great Gamecube(NGC) and Wii emulator. It has a partial Wii support and plays most Gamecube games. Dolphin has been changed SVN to Git recently.

Dolphin tev-fixes3 Git changelog:
* PixelShaderGen: Fix some potential floating point rounding issues in the tev combiner compare code.

http://www.sendspace.com/file/yx4ypa

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Nestopia Git (2013/08/01)

August 4th, 2013, 22:30 Posted By: wraggster

via http://www.emucr.com/

Nestopia Git (2013/08/01) is compiled. This project is a fork of the original Nestopia source code, plus the Linux port. The purpose of the project is to enhance the original, and ensure it continues to work on modern operating systems.

Nestopia Supported Platforms:
* Windows
* Linux
* FreeBSD
* OpenBSD
* NetBSD
* libretro

Nestopia Git changelog:
* Added Overscan Masking (unix)

http://www.sendspace.com/file/8a6za0

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Nintemulator SVN r22083

August 4th, 2013, 22:52 Posted By: wraggster

via http://www.emucr.com/

Nintemulator SVN r22083 is compiled. Nintemulator is a work in progress multi-system emulator. Plans for emulated systems are NES, SNES, N64, GB/GBC, GBA, NDS.

Nintemulator SVN Changelog:
r22083
Cleaning up various CPU cores. I was being a very messy boy

http://www.sendspace.com/file/cqi8jc

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WinDS PRO 2013.8

August 4th, 2013, 23:04 Posted By: wraggster

via http://www.emucr.com/

WinDS PRO 2013.8 is released. WinDS PRO is a Nintendo DS & GameBoy Advance emulator package. This have NO$Zoomer, NO$GBA, NO$MOOZ, NOZ, myZOOM, NGZoom, NO$GBA 2X, iDeaS, DeSmuME, VBA Link & VBA-M.

WinDS PRO 2013.8 Changelog:
- DeSmuME JIT 4699 x64
- DeSmuME JIT 4699 x86
- USRCHEAT.dat 07-22-2013
- WinDS PRO Apps 1.6.1

http://www.sendspace.com/file/j1qi8o

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DeSmuME SVN r4699

August 4th, 2013, 23:21 Posted By: wraggster

via http://www.emucr.com/

DeSmuME SVN r4699 is compiled. DeSmuME is an open source Nintendo DS(NDS) emulator for Linux, Mac OS and Windows. DeSmuME supports save states, the ability to increase the size of the screen and it supports filters to improve image quality. DeSmuME also supports microphone use on Windows and Linux ports, as well as direct video and audio recording. The emulator also features a built-in movie recorder.

DeSmuME SVN Changelog:
r4699
winport: - upgrade SVN utils to 1.8.1.24570 (SubWCRev);
---------------------
r4698
new boot: - fix command "get secure area" from DS card to RAM;



http://www.sendspace.com/file/tak5wb

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DS-Rom Organizer v5.6.0.0

August 4th, 2013, 23:25 Posted By: wraggster

via http://www.emucr.com/


DS-Rom Organizer v5.6.0.0 is released. DS-Rom Organizer is a tool for Windows that is designed for making management and organization of your Nintendo DS Games easier. It allows you to easily store your games in the application, view all of its information, organize the way you want, and even get them transferred over to your “Device” with the press of 1 button.

To make management easy, many different features have been implemented into DS Rom Organizer to enhance your experience:
- Flexible Layout. Create it your own way.
- CD / DVD / HD / ISO Burning
- Black List
- Custom Favorites
- Auto Save Queue
- Multi Threaded
- Auto program updater.
- Skins
- Organize your game lists the way you want in as many lists desired
- Sort or filter based on game data (such as name, number, size, country, etc)
- Multi Select
- Auto Website checker
- Supports nds, zip, 7z and rar
- Ability to view game information
- Official game database updated Daily
- Verify your games to make sure they will work properly
- Game Trimming to get rid of empty space in your games
- Save Game backup for your precious save files
- All Kinds of Device options.
- Multi Language
- Import / Edit games that are not recognized by the official game database
- Import Covers/Images/Info files straight into the Database. No more 1000’s of files all over the place
- And much more!

DS-Rom Organizer v5.6.0.0 Changelog:
Fixed - Images and NFO for NDS and 3DS files.

http://www.sendspace.com/file/rgiyv2

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20-30 more indie games coming to Wii U in 2013

August 5th, 2013, 21:35 Posted By: wraggster

The Wii U eShop is expected to play home to an additional 20-30 indie games by the end of 2013, according to Nintendo of America's indie outreach specialist.
Speaking to Joystiq, NOA business development manager Dan Adelman discussed the steps Nintendo is taking to ensure more indie developers release games on the Wii U eShop.
"Historically, Nintendo has seemed kind of hard to approach, kind of like there's a closed system where if a developer already knows somebody at Nintendo or has some kind of 'in' they're in, but otherwise there's no way to interface with the company," he said.
"I think we're putting a lot of effort into changing that and making ourselves more accessible, so I really want to make sure that people realise that it's actually pretty easy now - and we're trying to make it easier - to work with us and release games on our systems."
During the Wii's lifespan Nintendo was regularly criticised by indie developers for being too difficult to work with. Nintendo placed a 40MB cap on WiiWare games, a restriction labelled "horrible" by Super Meat Boy studio Team Meat.
For Wii U, Nintendo has revised its policies to make developing for the system easier, Adelman said. "Our guiding philosophy is that if you're able to make games on Nintendo platforms, we want to help make sure that you can do that on our systems.
"Our primary consideration is an ability to make a game. You don't have to have a record of published titles, or have to have worked at a large company in the past. If you're actively working on a game, that should be sufficient."
Last November, Trine studio Frozenbyte said Wii U was "more indie friendly" than PS3 and Xbox 360 thanks to the flexibility it offers developers in terms of pricing and free patches.
And this June, Nathan Vella, president of Sword & Sworcery studio Capybara Games, said Nintendo was attempting to make up for lost time by reaching out to smaller developers.

http://www.computerandvideogames.com...wii-u-in-2013/

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Splinter Cell: Blacklist Wii U won't include offline co-op

August 5th, 2013, 21:37 Posted By: wraggster

Splinter Cell: Blacklist producer Liu Jun, has revealed that the Wii U version will not include an offline co-op mode.
During an interview with Nintendo Life, Jun confirmed that the team were unable "to delve into this feature", as they wanted to release the PS3, Xbox 360 and Wii U titles at the same time.
Despite lacking offline co-op, Jun believes that "Nintendo gamers will be really excited to get the game at the same time as other consoles."
Jun goes on to say that the Wii U version is the only one that allows you to truly experience first-hand how OPSAT works for Sam. The GamePad acts as the player's version of Sam's OPSAT, allowing you to see "how it feels to actually operate it."
The Wii U version will receive all DLC that the PS3 and Xbox 360 versions get, Jun also confirmed.
A video showing the first 15-minutes of Splinter Cell: Blacklist was released last week, ahead of the Splinter Cell: Blacklist release date of August 20 in North America, August 22 in EMEA territories and August 23 in the UK.
In our most recent Splinter Cell: Blacklist preview we said: "Some missions see you steadily creep through a darkened dock like old Sam, while some let you rampage through a Middle-Eastern village in broad daylight. Crucially, both Sam's feel true to Splinter Cell."
http://www.computerandvideogames.com...offline-co-op/

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This week's UK eShop releases: Spin the Bottle, Galaga

August 5th, 2013, 21:39 Posted By: wraggster

Nintendo has detailed this week's UK eShop releases for Wii U and 3DS.
Highlights include Spin the Bottle: Bumpie's Party on Wii U, and Galaga on the system's Virtual Console.

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Nintendo has sold 654.12 million consoles in the last 30 years

August 6th, 2013, 23:53 Posted By: wraggster

654.12m. That amazingly high figure is the number of consoles that Nintendo has sold in the last 30 years.
That number breaks down into two parts, GoNintendoreports.
Firstly, Nintendo has sold 268.97m home consoles – that includes sales of the NES (Famicom), SNES (Super Famicom), N64, GameCube, Wii and Wii U.
Secondly, Nintendo has sold 385.15m handheld consoles – that includes all variants of the Game Boy, Game Boy Advance, DS and 3DS.
In addition, Nintendo has sold 2.195bn console games and 1.907bn handheld games.
The figures come as part of a financial release from the company that included a personal pledge from Nintendo president Saturo Iwata promising a return to form for the company.
“Nintendo posted an operating loss for the fiscal year ended March 31^st 2013,” he stated. “However, we strive to regain ‘Nintendo-like’ profits for the fiscal year ending March 31^st 2014 by providing many people with fascinating games and services.
“We continue to make brand-new and unique proposals and make efforts for the growth of the home entertainment industry with a mission that is to pleasantly surprise people and put smiles on the faces of everyone Nintendo touches.”

http://www.mcvuk.com/news/read/ninte...-years/0119717

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Mind Candy unleashing new Moshi retail game

August 7th, 2013, 00:15 Posted By: wraggster

Moshi Monsters will return to retail this October in a reinvention of its hit DS titles.
Katsuma Unleashed for 3DS and DS focuses on a single Moshi Monsters character, and abandons the mini-game formula for platforming action. It is being developed by UK studio Sumo Digital.
Mind Candy believes the game’s new direction will broaden the Moshi Monsters audience beyond its core nine to 12 year-old demographic.
“Moshi Monsters is the No.1 licensed brand in the UK and Katsuma is one of our most popular characters,” head of marketing Andy Matjaszek told MCV.
“We’ve completely moved away from the previous two titles and we’re excited to have Sumo Digital on board with the development. “This isn’t necessarily your younger brother’s Moshi Monsters game: it’s an adventure so big that we have needed to add the third dimension.
“We hope our fans fall in love with Katsuma Unleashed and that it performs as well, if not better than our previous offerings.”

http://www.mcvuk.com/news/read/mind-...l-game/0119709

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Nintendo 3DS update brings you more Mii Plaza pals with StreetPass Relay

August 7th, 2013, 01:02 Posted By: wraggster

Though StreetPass has proven to be extremely popular, you're much less likely to directly cross a fellow Nintendo 3DS user stateside than in the console's home country of Japan. But thanks to a new update, you'll now be able to pick up Mii avatar buddies via StreetPass Relay. When a 3DS user crosses a Nintendo Zone hotspot, their data is automatically stored and passed on to another 3DS owner who hits the same relay point. You'll find them in North America at Best Buy, Simon malls, Future Shop and AT&T WiFi hotpots located in Starbucks, McDonald's and Barnes & Noble. That'll help you scoop up friends to play new Mii Plaza games Mii Force, Flower Town, Warrior's Way and Monster Manor. They sold to the tune of $4 million in their first month, meaning you should have more potential players than ever hanging around your gate.

http://www.engadget.com/2013/08/06/n...eetpass-relay/

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Nintendo boss 'strives' for return to form by March 2014

August 7th, 2013, 01:16 Posted By: wraggster

Nintendo president Satoru Iwata says the firm will bounce back from a tumultuous early 2013 with "Nintendo-like profits" by the end of its current fiscal year.
Nintendo has struggled with Wii U's underperformance at retail globally, which it blamed on "the release of few key first-party titles ... to strongly drive the hardware sales".
In the firm's latest annual report, Iwata says the firm is "striving" to return to strong profits by the end of its current fiscal year ending March 2014 by way of its impending line-up of strong software releases.
"Nintendo posted an operating loss for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2013," admitted Iwata. "However, we strive to regain 'Nintendo-like' profits for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2014 by providing many people with fascinating games and services."
He went on, "We continue to make brand-new and unique proposals, and make efforts for the growth of the home entertainment industry with a mission that is to pleasantly surprise people and put smiles on the faces of everyone Nintendo touches."
While Wii U sales during Nintendo's first financial quarter (ending June 30) totalled just 160,000 units worldwide, software sales in the quarter came in at just over one million, taking lifetime software sales for the console to 14.44 million. That means the current Wii U attach rate is at about four games for each console - an encouraging sign, and one which suggests the Wii U install base is predominantly core gamers.
Nintendo's financial performance was also encouraging, with net profits of 8.6 billion yen (£57m / $88m), thanks largely to the strong performance of Nintendo 3DS. Hit that link for full details.
http://www.computerandvideogames.com...by-march-2014/

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Nintendo Direct event taking place this Wednesday

August 7th, 2013, 01:18 Posted By: wraggster

Nintendo is to host a Nintendo Direct broadcast this Wednesday, August 7.
The company says global president Satoru Iwata and European boss Satoru Shibata will use the livestreamed event to provide updates on Wii U and 3DS software for 2013.
The Nintendo Direct broadcast will be streamed from the Nintendo Direct website tomorrow at 3pm UK Time (4pm CEST / 7am PT).
Last week, Nintendo announced that worldwide Wii U sales totalled just 160,000 units in the first financial quarter ended June 30, with software sales coming in at just over one million.
Notable first party Wii U titles set for release in the remainder 2013 include The Wonderful 101, The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker HD, Wii Party U, Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze, Wii Fit U and Super Mario 3D World.
3DS performed better in Nintendo's last quarter, moving 1.4 million units and just over 11 million software units.
Nintendo's major 3DS titles still scheduled for release this year include Pokemon X & Y and The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds.

http://www.computerandvideogames.com...his-wednesday/

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SNES Pilotwings magic coming to Smash Bros 4

August 7th, 2013, 01:23 Posted By: wraggster

For others who may never have had the pleasure, the stage you see below is from the legendary SNES game Pilotwings, specifically the third island in the game and the first time you get to try out the hang glider.

Here's the really exciting bit, though - that screenshot wasn't taken in Pilotwings. You can sort of tell, the island's more detailed than the blocky Mode 7 island in the SNES game.
No, this screenshot was taken from the upcoming fourth Super Smash Bros game, coming to Wii U and 3DS.
The screen was posted on the official Smash Bros site today with no further explanation. It was also posted on Miiverse with game director Masahiro Sakurai commenting: "This island looks familiar."
Too right it does, mate. Too right it does.
http://www.computerandvideogames.com...-smash-bros-4/

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Wii U not on Bethesda's short-term radar

August 7th, 2013, 01:53 Posted By: wraggster

Wii U owners hoping for a little Bethesda-brand steampunk/open world/pseudo-historical/massively multiplayer whatever may want to start grazing other pastures, as Nintendo's console is nowhere to be seen on the publisher's horizon.

"None of the game's we've announced are being developed for the Wii U, so it's guaranteed that none of those games are coming to Wii U," Bethesda VP of PR and marketing Pete Hines told us at QuakeCon, with regards to The Elder Scrolls Online, Wolfenstein: The New Order and The Evil Within. "Will any future ones come out? I can't say for sure, in our near-term focus it's not on our radar."

"It's largely a hardware thing," Hines said, explaining that Bethesda's mantra is to "make the games that we want to make, on whatever platforms will support them as developed." Giving an example, he said that The Elder Scrolls Online"likely would have" been released on Xbox 360, but that it "just wasn't possible" due to hardware limitations. Specifically referencing future announcements for the Wii U, Hines said that "it remains to be seen what the future holds."

This differs from the Wii U publishing reservations we've heard of from other companies, in that Bethesda's decision is based on hardware limitations, rather than the Wii U's lackluster performance at retail. EA, for instance, isn't bringing this year's installments of FIFA or Madden to Nintendo's platform due to the limited size of the console's installed user base. Similarly, Ubisoft was so confident that the Wii U would be unable to support the kind of sales it needed for Rayman Legends, that it delayed the game's release and extended its availability to other platforms.

http://www.joystiq.com/2013/08/06/wi...rt-term-radar/

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Iwata striving to regain 'Nintendo-like' profits by March 2014

August 7th, 2013, 20:47 Posted By: wraggster

Console firm reorganises hardware and software divisions as it adapts to HD development

Nintendo is striving to make a return to “Nintendo-like” profits by the end of March 2014.
In the its annual report, company president Satoru Iwata said the firm had reorganised its development divisions to improvement efficiency in hardware and software creation.

The firm has previously admitted that it was struggling to adapt to HD game development for the Wii U, causing a number of delays to its release slate.
He also said Nintendo was increasingly looking at join development with external studios.
Iwata highlighted other initiatives including the Nintendo Web Framework for Wii U development and the expansion of its digital business as part of its plans to strengthen its competitiveness in the medium-to-long term.

http://www.develop-online.net/news/4...-by-March-2014

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Professor Layton vs Phoenix Wright coming to Europe; Wind Waker HD and others dated

August 7th, 2013, 21:18 Posted By: wraggster

Nintendo has at last confirmed a European release for Professor Layton vs Phoenix Wright on 3DS.
No firm release date was given other than early 2014.
A few other details were also confirmed in the Nintendo Direct broadcast this afternoon, a highlight of which was a European release date of October 4^th for The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker HD.
Also revealed was a fresh promotion for 3DS owners called ‘Welcome a Friend’. Running in Europe between now and September 7^th, those who register a copy of Animal Crossing: New Leaf will be able to gift a free download of the game to any of their friends who register a 3DS.
Speaking of Animal Crossing – available now on Wii U is something called Animal Crossing Plaza, a free download that allows users to import photos and QR codes created in the 3DS game and share them with others.
Pokemon Rumble U and Sonic Lost World have been given a European release dates, too – August 15^th and October 18^th respectively. The Pokemon title is also getting 18 NFC figures released in the US exclusively via GameStop.
There were some 3DS confirmations, too. A digital version of cult platformer Super Mario Bros 2 is available now, as is Wild West steampunk outing SteamWorld Dig: A Fistful of Dirt. The Korg M01D synthesiser will be released some time this autumn.

http://www.mcvuk.com/news/read/profe...-dated/0119785

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Platinum praises 'perfectionists' Nintendo over Bayonetta 2 partnership

August 7th, 2013, 21:28 Posted By: wraggster

Nintendo has been praised by new partner Platinum games over its partnership to bring Bayonetta 2 to Wii U.
“Working with Nintendo, one thing that comes out of that is that we're not able to cover up weaknesses in the core gameplay by making the graphics prettier or adding cutscenes, or whatever,” Platinum producer Atsushi Inaba told Gamasutra.
“The concern, first and foremost, is the core of the game and the quality of the gameplay. They really have our back in that sense. And that's actually a little bit unnerving, working with people who are such perfectionists in that sense.
“They know a lot about games, and they've been really great to work with. Our relationship so far with Nintendo hasn't been very long, but so far it's been a great experience. Not to say that we won't have some serious fights over things later, but so far it's been good.”
Platinum Games director Yusuke Hashimoto added that Nintendo has involved itself in the game’s development, but not in a way that hindered the studio’s vision.
“In certain terms, there have been instances where there's been feedback Nintendo brought to the game – where we come up with something and they'll be able to play it and provide it with feedback that we've been able to use,” he insisted.
“You tend to get tunnel vision when you're working on a game, so when suddenly this volley of advice lands from the outside, honestly, it's refreshing. And all of the things we want to do in the game, they're not standing in our way, in that sense.
“But it's almost as if they are a very critical player that can sit back and give us great advice on how we're creating the game. Really, Nintendo has been more as an observer, and really good to just let us do our work, but to point out some minor things throughout the course of development.”
Bayonetta 2 was revealed as a surprise Wii U exclusive back in September 2012. Inaba later stated that the game would not exist at all were it not for Nintendo’s involvement.

http://www.mcvuk.com/news/read/plati...ership/0119780

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Nintendo Wii U Deluxe with $50 Best Buy Gift Card

August 7th, 2013, 22:12 Posted By: wraggster

Those skittish about buying an Xbox 360 in the wake of its coming replacement can go a little more future-proof with Nintendo's 2012 console. The drawback of the Wii U, though, is that the software lineup is distressingly thin, and third parties aren't doing much to thicken it up. At least the long-awaited Pikmin 3 is out now, and reinforcements are on the way. Most Wii U games (but not Pikmin 3) are $50 or less, so the gift card should help you kickstart your library. It's also worth noting that the console comes with Nintendo Land.

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Nintendo...99208400050000

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Nintendo still selling Wii U at a loss

August 8th, 2013, 01:09 Posted By: wraggster

Mario maker confirms it is still recording a loss for each unit of hardware sold
[h=3]Nintendo[/h]nintendo-europe.com


Those holding out hope for a Wii U price cut to combat system launches from Microsoft and Sony may want to brace for disappointment. A Nintendo representative confirmed for GamesIndustry International today that the company's hardware is still being sold at a loss.
Earlier this week, Nintendo's annual report cited Wii U hardware sales as a major factor in the company's 36.4 billion yen ($387 million) operating loss. In the same document, Nintendo president Satoru Iwata promised investors the company will "strive to regain 'Nintendo-like' profits" in the current fiscal year.
Selling hardware at a loss is a decidedly un-Nintendo-like practice. Iwata made headlines last October when he first revealed the company would be losing money on each Wii U sold. However, the following month Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aime downplayed the significance of the profit shortfall, saying "as soon as we get the consumer to buy one piece of software, then that entire transaction becomes profit positive."
The Wii U launched in November with a white $250 basic set as well as a black $300 deluxe bundle. However the basic set has largely been dropped, with retailers like Best Buy, Walmart, and Target only stocking the more expensive version of the hardware in their online storefronts. Nintendo disputed reports in June that the basic set was being recalled.
http://www.gamesindustry.biz/article...ii-u-at-a-loss

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Donkey Kong, Super Mario Bros. 3 bound for Virtual Console

August 8th, 2013, 01:14 Posted By: wraggster

Nintendo of America has named four more classic games headed to the Wii U and 3DS Virtual Consoles in the coming months.
August 15 will see the arrival of the original NES Donkey Kong on the 3DS Virtual Console - the game that kickstarted the career of two of Nintendo's most iconic mascots, Mario and DK.
Tecmo Bowl will arrive on the handheld in September, Nintendo confirms, but retro gamers are likely to be more excited at the arrival of Super Mario Bros. 3, coming "soon" to both the Wii U and 3DS VC stores.
Wario Land 3, originally a Game Boy Color release, is also headed to 3DS "soon".
Earlier today Nintendo confirmed a long list of indie titles that Wii Ugamers can look forward to later this year.
18 games were shown in an indie showcase trailer, all of which are coming from European and Australian studios alone, without counting those in development in America.
http://www.computerandvideogames.com...rtual-console/

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Nintendo sues Wii & DS hacking website

August 8th, 2013, 01:16 Posted By: wraggster

Nintendo is suing a Florida-based website that its says sells unauthorised Nintendo games and hacking devices for Wii and DS.
Nintendo says that Hackyourconsole.com "blatantly promotes and sells unauthorized Nintendo games along with devices and services that circumvent the security in the Nintendo DS system and the Wii console."
The homepage of the site features claims of being an "official distributor" of various DS flash carts - including the well-known R4 cart - typically used to play pirated game software.
"The operator of HackYourConsole.com has developed a global business focused on selling unauthorized copies of Nintendo games and game-copying devices (such as the R4 device) used to circumvent the technological protection measures contained in the Nintendo DS family of hand-held systems," said Nintendo.
"The website operator, for a fee, also provides services to hack and modify the Wii console and allow the play of illegal software."
It goes on, "HackYourConsole.com also claims to be an authorized distributor for the yet-to-be-released 3DS Gateway cards. The Gateway device is promoted as operating similar to the R4 game copier for the Nintendo DS, which facilitates the play of illegally downloaded games.
"Game copying devices, such as the R4, severely undermine the sales of video games created by thousands of developers."
Nintendo has lead an aggressive assault on game piracy since the DS was plagued with the sale of popular flash carts that caused widespread piracy on the platform.
Last November, after numerous attempts by Nintendo to control R4 sales, the Japanese Ministry of Economy finally declared all R4 cards illegal in Japan.
A recent court case in the region ruled that two sellers of R4 flash cards must pay Nintendo and 49 other game developers nearly $1 million in damages.
The R4 has been illegal in the UK since 2010, when a ruling from the High Court in London deemed that - since it must circumvent Nintendo's security systems before it can work - it's not a legal device.

http://www.computerandvideogames.com...cking-website/

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Nintendo launches Wii U Animal Crossing Plaza

August 8th, 2013, 01:18 Posted By: wraggster

Nintendo has revealed the Animal Crossing Plaza, an online Wii U community for fans of 3DS title New Leaf which is available for download now.
The limited-time service, which runs to the end of 2014, allows users to "post about your favourite animal neighbours, who wander the Animal Crossing Plaza".
http://www.computerandvideogames.com...rossing-plaza/Players can import images they took in Animal Crossing: New Leaf on 3DS as well as custom design QR Code patterns from their SD Cards, and organise them in albums.
Players can select their favourite animals in the Animal Crossing Plaza to post about those specific animals or view posts only about them.
In its Nintendo Direct broadcast today, Nintendo also announced an EU promotion allowing New Leaf owners to gift a free copy of the game to their friends.

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Zelda: Wind Waker HD release date is October 4 in Europe

August 8th, 2013, 01:19 Posted By: wraggster

The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker HD will be available for Wii U on October 4, 2013 across the UK and Europe, Nintendo has confirmed.
The HD update was shown again during the Nintendo Direct stream today, in which Nintendo president Satoru Iwata detailed some of the changes Nintendo has made to the original game.

More game videos from CVG:


[ Theatre mode ]

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Zelda: A Link Between Worlds hits Europe in November

August 8th, 2013, 01:20 Posted By: wraggster

The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds, the upcoming 3DS adventure previously known as A Link To The Past 2, will launch in Europe in November.
The sequel to the SNES classic was revealed during a Nintendo Direct broadcast in April. It was already scheduled to hit the US in November, but was only previously confirmed for release in Europe "toward the end of this year".


A Link to the Past 2 was renamed A Link Between Worlds during this year's E3, when a new trailer for the game was also released.
Today Nintendo also moved to explain the significance of the game's logo, which represents one of its key plot points:

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Sonic Lost World release date confirmed

August 8th, 2013, 01:25 Posted By: wraggster

Nintendo has confirmed a Sonic Lost World release date of October 18 in Europe and October 22 in the US.
The Wii U and 3DS announcement was made by global president Satoru Iwata during today's Nintendo Direct broadcast.
Each version of the game will offer unique features. The Wii U edition will have exclusive Colour Powers controlled with the GamePad by tilting, touching and aiming. It will also be playable using only the GamePad screen and will include a two player support mode. Check out more Sonic Lost World Wii U gameplay.
The 3DS edition of the title will offer exclusive Special Stages and Colour Powers. Check out the first Sonic Lost World 3DS gameplay.
Lost World is the first title in a three-game Sonic deal announced in May by Nintendo and Sega. An Olympics 2014 game is the second.

http://www.computerandvideogames.com...ate-confirmed/

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Let's Play Spin the Bottle: Bumpie's Party Wii U

August 8th, 2013, 01:29 Posted By: wraggster

Spin the Bottle: Bumpie's Party is yet another corridor-heavy third-person shooter with snap-to cover and an apocalyptic storyline. Okay, that's all lies. It's actually a party game that uses the Wii U GamePad while ignoring the television entirely.It's a creepy/sexy party game, too - or at least it is when Oli, Ellie, Bertie and Martin play it. You sit around accepting motion-controller-based challenges and looking awkward whenever Ian Higton's glorious camera lens lingers over your face. Then you really hope that it isn't your turn next.This is all the work of Copenhagen-based KnapNok Games and the team's buddies at the Swedish indie studio Redgrim. It's available for up to eight players and it's released tomorrow! Check the video out below. It includes a gratuitous shot of the mechanic's joint behind the Eurogamer offices.

http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/20...es-party-wii-u

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Bethesda turns its back on Wii U for now

August 8th, 2013, 23:36 Posted By: wraggster

Elder Scrolls Online and Dishonored publisher puts decision down to technical limitations

Bethesda has admitted that it has no intention of bring its titles, such as open world adventure series Elder Scrolls, to Nintendo’s Wii U for the time being.
Speaking to Joystiq at QuakeCon, the Skyrim and Dishonored publisher said the reasons for this were down to hardware limitations, and not the console’s market reach, which it has been struggling to boost for months.

“None of the game's we've announced are being developed for the Wii U, so it's guaranteed that none of those games are coming to Wii U,” said Bethesda VP of PR and marketing Pete Hines regards to the Elder Scrolls Online, Wolfenstein: The New Order and The Evil Within.
“Will any future ones come out? I can't say for sure, in our near-term focus it's not on our radar.”
Hines said that Bethesda’s intention is to “make the games that we want to make, on whatever platforms will support them as developed”.

http://www.develop-online.net/news/4...-Wii-U-for-now

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Iwata: Nintendo IP won't go multiplatform

August 8th, 2013, 23:38 Posted By: wraggster

Nintendo president vows to keep company's roster of big-name franchises to itself

Don’t expect Mario, Zelda or Donkey Kong to appear on non-Nintendo platforms anytime soon.
That’s the message from Nintendo president Satoru Iwata, who says that while the move may be of short-term benefit it would not be in the long-term interests of the platform holder.

"If I was to take responsibility for the company for just the next one or two years, and if I was not concerned about the long-term future of Nintendo at all, it might make sense for us to provide our important franchises for other platforms, and then we might be able to gain some short-term profit," he toldCVG.
"However, I'm really responsible for the long-term future of Nintendo as well, so I would never think about providing our precious resources for other platforms at all.
"What I believe is that Nintendo is a very unique company, because it does its business by designing and introducing people to hardware and software - by integrating them, we can be unique. And because we have hardware and software developers in the same building, they stimulate each other," he said.

http://www.develop-online.net/news/4...multi-platform

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Wii U game gets third-party cross-platform play

August 8th, 2013, 23:40 Posted By: wraggster

Nintendo shares users for co-op and multiplayer modes in Cubemen 2

Cubemen 2 on the Wii U will support cross-platform play with iOS, Windows, Mac, and Linux users.
The news, announced by Cubemen publisher Nnooo, is the first time Nintendo has allowed cross-platform play with something other than a Nintendo device.

“I’m really proud to be able to announce this,” said Nic Watt, Creative Director at Nnooo.
“We’ve spent the last few months working with both Nintendo and 3 Sprockets, the game’s developer, to make this a reality.”
3 Sprockets is targeting a release date sometime in late 2013 or early 2014, but has already launched on other platforms.

http://www.develop-online.net/news/4...-platform-play

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Mario and Luigi skins included in Rayman Legends on Wii U

August 9th, 2013, 00:01 Posted By: wraggster

The Wii U version of Rayman Legends will offer an extra goodie for Nintendo fans.
Ubisoft has announced that players will after 20 minutes be able to unlock Mario and Luigi skins for the characters Rayman and Globox respectively.
Hopefully the move will help pacify the many who Nintendo fans who decided that Ubisoft’s decision in February to take the game multi-platform and ditch its previous Wii U exclusivity was some form of betrayal of Nintendo’s machine.
Rayman Legends arrives on Xbox 360, PS3, Wii U, Vita and PC on August 30^th.

http://www.mcvuk.com/news/read/mario...-wii-u/0119857

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US Nintendo eShop update: Ducktales, Mario & Luigi

August 9th, 2013, 00:37 Posted By: wraggster

Here's the latest list of new digital content available from today on the US Wii U and 3DS eShops.
Fans of the classic NES DuckTales can now download WayForwards' remake, DuckTales Remastered for Wii U.
And leading the way on 3DS this week is Nintendo's latest RPG, Mario & Luigi: Dream Team.
Here's the full list:
Nintendo eShop on Nintendo 3DS
Mario & Luigi: Dream Team - Mario and Luigi embark on the adventure of their dreams in a hilarious action RPG that combines the real world with the wild landscapes of Luigi's imagination. In Luigi's dreams, anything is possible - legions of Luigis morph into forms like a bouncy tower or a wrecking ball. You can even poke a sleeping Luigi to alter events in his dream world. Mario & Luigi: Dream Team is available Aug. 11.
Nintendo eShop on Wii U
DuckTales: Remastered - DuckTales: Remastered is a beautiful reimagining of one of the most cherished 8-bit titles of all time. Embark on an authentic Disney adventure, as Scrooge McDuck and his three nephews travel to exotic locations throughout the world in their quest to retrieve the five legendary treasures. The game is available Aug. 13.
Spin the Bottle: Bumpie's Party - Turn off your TV, get your friends and family together, sit in a circle around the Wii U GamePad and play Spin the Bottle: Bumpie's Party. Look at each other, do silly challenges, have fun and get a little closer.
Virtual Console on Wii U
Romance of the Three Kingdoms IV Wall of Fire - It's the Second Han Dynasty and China is on the verge of collapse. Infighting among the court families and the emergence of powerful warlords dominate the landscape. The struggle for power has brought an era known as the Three Kingdoms. As a ruler during these difficult times, it's up to you to unify a country torn apart by rebellion.
Nintendo eShop Sale
escapeVektor - The award-winning and critically acclaimed escapeVektor is on sale for 50 percent off starting today through 9 a.m. PT Aug. 22 in the Nintendo eShop on Nintendo 3DS. Grab this fast-paced, retro-styled arcade game and help Vektor escape the evil CPU.
Also new this week:

• Smash Bowling 3D (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo 3DS)
  
• SteamWorld Dig (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo 3DS)
  
• Tangram Style (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo 3DS)

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Wii U debuts third-party cross-platform support with Cubemen 2

August 9th, 2013, 00:44 Posted By: wraggster

3D strategy game Cubemen 2 will be the first Wii U title to support cross-platform play with something other than another Nintendo product.Cubemen 2.

Players will be able to play the Wii U version of Cubemen 2 with their friends who own the PC, Mac, Linux or iOS versions of the same game, publisher Nnooo has announced.While the Wii U version of Cubemen 2 isn't due until "late 2013 / early 2014," the strategy title came out earlier this year on its other platforms where the community has generated over 4000 user-created levels that will be available for Wii U players. Additionally, it will support up to six-player multiplayer in both co-op and competitive modes. The game contains five game modes such as Capture-the-Flag, Territory and Rescue. For more information, check out Cubemen 2's official site."We're excited to be working closely with Nnooo and Nintendo to bring a new dynamic to a Nintendo platform," said developer 3 Sprockets director Seon Rozenblum. "We're bringing the gaming community together, offering true cross-platform play and user generated content across multiple platforms and devices and we are ecstatic to be including the Wii U in our lineup for Cubemen 2."The Wii U previously featured cross-platform support with the 3DS version of Monster Hunter 3: Ultimate, but that was another Nintendo system and it was limited to local play. Cubemen 2, however, marks the first time the Kyoto-based company has linked support with some of the most popular platforms around, which could mark the start of a huge trend if it takes off.

http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/20...with-cubemen-2

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Report: Pokemon X and Y to include 'mega evolutions'

August 9th, 2013, 00:49 Posted By: wraggster

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Rex Rocket blasting to Wii U

August 9th, 2013, 00:57 Posted By: wraggster

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What does "success" look like to Nintendo?

August 10th, 2013, 22:19 Posted By: wraggster

We talk about the Wii U being a failure - but assessing Nintendo by wider industry standards ignores the company's unique position
[h=3]Nintendo[/h]nintendo-europe.com


Here's a great Nintendo conspiracy theory which I offer for free to any swivel-eyed forum wonk who wants it: the Wii U is selling terribly badly right now, and suffering from a software drought that's impressive even by Nintendo's standards. It also transpires that the console is still being sold at a loss, with the company taking a hit on every unit of hardware sold (even despite the weakened Yen). Now, let's add two and two together to make whatever number we fancy, and decide that Nintendo actually has fully-fledged Zelda and Mario Kart games for the Wii U sitting in a darkened room somewhere in Kyoto, but is waiting for the hardware to be profitable before unleashing them. There you go! One Internet-forum ready conspiracy theory. Use it as you wish, although in a peculiar twist on the notion of Creative Commons, I'd really rather if you didn't attribute it to me.
This is the kind of daft thinking that, while unquestionably in the realms of the silly, almost starts to make sense when we're talking about Nintendo. This is not a company that really fits with the rest of our industry. It plays by very different rules - in fact, it's at its most successful when it completely ignores what everyone else is doing and goes off on a tangent, both creatively and commercially. The firm's lowest ebb, commercially (though by no means creatively) speaking, was arguably the GameCube - I'm ignoring outright failures like the Virtual Boy here, obviously - a console that was quite lovely in many ways, but which simply didn't offer enough to distinguish itself from the competition. It was square and it had a slightly different controller, but functionally there wasn't much to choose between a GameCube and a PS2 (or latterly an Xbox), so it foundered. A generation later, Nintendo ruled the roost with a console that looked and acted nothing like a PS3 or Xbox 360.
"Pundits who engage with Nintendo do so at grave peril - this isn't a company whose motives can be gauged in the same way as other firms in the games business"

This is, in large part, why making predictions about Nintendo is a fool's game. Pundits who engage with Nintendo do so at grave peril - this isn't a company whose motives, thought processes and reactions can be gauged in the same way as other firms in the games business. It's also not a company whose market is terribly well understood by most games business commentators and analysts. In fact, I often wonder if Nintendo's market is terribly well understood by Nintendo itself, at least outside Japan.
I don't mean to make Nintendo sound like some kind of mysterious black box whose workings can only be hinted at, never understood. It is nothing of the sort. It is, however, radically different from any other company in the games industry. Unlike Sony or Microsoft, Nintendo is a pure game company whose platform strategy features no broader objectives or ulterior motives - it simply wants to make money from each game console it launches. Unlike any game publisher (and Nintendo remains pretty much the world's largest game publisher, a factor we should never overlook when thinking about their strategy), Nintendo is a hardware company - its entire philosophy is founded on the notion of creating hardware and software in a somewhat symbiotic, complementary process, on owning and controlling a platform for which it then releases its world-beating game software.
If those differences are obvious, then others, perhaps, are not. For one thing, Nintendo has a long-term outlook that's quite unusual in the games business. It does not answer to shareholders and investors to the same extent that other games companies must, thanks to a combination of large shareholdings by individuals and organisations connected to senior management or to the Yamauchi family, and general passivity on the part of Japanese institutional investors. It is sitting on an enormous pile of cash, easily enough to fund years of loss-making activities, or indeed the launch of an entire new console platform. It could launch new platforms several times over before the accountants started breaking a sweat, in fact, which sets Nintendo apart from much of the rest of the industry - and crucially, makes it into a very different proposition from early 2000s SEGA, for whom the Dreamcast truly was the last roll of the dice.
"Nintendo could launch new platforms several times over before the accountants started breaking a sweat, which sets it apart from much of the rest of the industry"

Like many others, I am a proponent of the argument that as a consequence of those and various other cultural differences, Nintendo doesn't actually act like a game company - it acts like a toy company. It evaluates the performance of its products and the necessity of tweaking its strategy from the standpoint that these products are expensive toys, a seemingly minor difference of perspective that ultimately yields very different decision making. I've also argued before that Nintendo views IP quite differently to other platform holders - where Microsoft, for example, sees Halo as an IP that can be deployed to help launch and sell a platform, Nintendo views Mario, Zelda, Pokemon and their ilk as the company's crown jewels, with platforms being built to support those and other franchises, not vice versa. The notion of rushing out a Mario game to support the launch of a console is largely alien to Nintendo, for whom a failed console launch is better than a failed Mario game, in the long term.
What this all means, and why it's all particularly relevant right now, is that "failure" means something different to Nintendo than it does to the rest of the industry. We're talking in terms of the Wii U being a failure right now - and right now, it is, on anyone's terms. It had a damp launch that even the excellent ZombiU couldn't rescue, has stumbled through the first half of 2013 and has just posted jaw-droppingly poor figures for sell-through in the second calendar quarter of the year. Wii U is a failure right now, by the standards of the games industry and, to some extent, by the standards of Nintendo.
To some extent. That's important, because while the rest of the world may see what happens from now as last-ditch rescue attempts by a company with its back to the wall, I don't think that Nintendo itself harbours too many doubts about its ability to make the Wii U into a viable platform for its games. As my daft conspiracy theory illustrated, so far Nintendo has barely brushed the Wii U with its key franchises. Indeed, the extent of the company's enormous focus on the 3DS this year has arguably left the Wii U genuinely neglected, which is simultaneously a case of dropping the ball (a new console launch needs support) and of quite sensibly making hay while the sun shines (the 3DS is a money-printing machine right now).
If there are people in Nintendo HQ right now thinking, "Wii U can languish for a bit - when we release really big software for it, people will pick one up at that point," then they may be a little bit arrogant but they do have over 20 years of history to look at and conclude that they're absolutely correct. In the end, Wii U at its very worst will probably sell GameCube level numbers, perhaps even Nintendo 64 level numbers, because those numbers represent the people who are happy to go out and buy a Nintendo console in order to play Nintendo's biggest and most beloved games, even if third-party support is utterly lacking and the console isn't getting mass-market traction. They're the core Nintendo fans, and there are a whole lot of them - many of them the kind of people who play on other game systems most of the time, but wouldn't dream of missing out on each generation's Zelda, Mario or on any of the other quirky, beautifully crafted games Nintendo releases.
"Nintendo's launches are toy launches, not the setting out of decade-long grand visions for home entertainment, and a failed toy can always be replaced by a successor next year"

If we're asking, "what does failure look like for Nintendo," we might equally flip the question and ask what success looks like. Few people in the games business would call the N64 or the GameCube a success story, yet from Nintendo's point of view, both consoles made enormous amounts of money and helped to launch or cement the reputation of some of the company's most beloved and enduring games. Would Nintendo like to sell over 100 million units of the Wii U, as it has with the Wii? Of course it would. Will it throw up its hands in abject despair if it only sells 30 million units? Absolutely not. 30 million units with a great tie ratio is still a hugely profitable console - and while the markets may abhor the notion of a company's market share declining in this way, Nintendo is far less in thrall to stock price than most companies in this industry.
Whenever I see someone proclaiming the death knell of a Nintendo console (usually accompanied by a statement on the inevitability of their move to working on iOS games or the likes), I'm always reminded of a comment Satoru Iwata made to me in an interview after the unveiling of the Wii controller at TGS several years ago. I asked him what Nintendo would do if the public didn't take to the Wii, and the whole risky idea flopped. He quite comfortably responded that Nintendo would just go back and try something new. The finances support it, and more importantly, the company philosophy supports it - Nintendo's launches are toy launches, not the setting out of decade-long grand visions for home entertainment, and a failed toy can always be replaced by a successor next year. Yet "failure" and "success", it transpires, are relative metrics. If we're going to be using the word "failure", we need to start asking what "failure" is, what "success" looks like - and assessing companies and products according to what they are and how they act, not according to some imaginary contest that makes for better media narrative than it does corporate strategy.

http://www.gamesindustry.biz/article...ke-to-nintendo

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Sega hopeful Sonic exclusives will boost Wii U sales

August 12th, 2013, 00:42 Posted By: wraggster

Sega Europe president Jurgen Post remains hopeful that the three Nintendo exclusive Sonic games will help boost Wii U sales.
During an interview with MCV Post discussed the recent three-game deal with Nintendo, as well as his concerns regarding the Wii U's slow start.
Post says that Sonic is a good fit for Nintendo, as "historically Sonic games have always sold very well on Nintendo platforms." According to Post, Sega and Nintendo have always worked well together, noting that "the first game Sonic debuted on after we stopped making hardware was a Nintendo platform."
It was reported yesterday that the Wii U is selling at a loss, as retail giantAsda in the UK has suspended Wii U stock.
When asked if the Wii U's slow start is a concern, Post admitted it is, but remains hopeful that Sonic can turn it around. Claiming that Sonic: Lost World "might just be our best Sonic game yet", Post is confident that its release will help boost sales of the console.
Post holds hope for the console, particularly after Nintendo's E3 presentation, saying he thinks it help "people think that things might change."
He goes on to point out that the mention of the 3DS price drop at E3 could point to a price drop for the Wii U.
The Wii U sold just 160,000 units globally in Nintendo's first financial quarter. Nintendo CEO Satoru Iwata accepted the blame for the poor Wii U sales earlier this year, and has now pledged to "strive to regain 'Nintendo-like' profits" in the current fiscal year.

http://www.computerandvideogames.com...t-wii-u-sales/

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Nintendo announces new type of Pokémon evolution for X and Y

August 12th, 2013, 00:48 Posted By: wraggster

Nintendo has announced the biggest change to Pokémon's evolution mechanic since the series' inception.Select monsters in the upcoming 3DS games Pokémon X and Y will now be able to undertake a limited-time Mega Evolution during battle, unlocking powerful new forms with altered stats and types.Initial reaction to the new feature - leaked yesterday in early copies of Japanese magazine CoroCoro (thanks, Serebii) - has been mixed. The biggest bugbear among fans is that it bears more than a passing resemblence to the mechanics of Pokémon's longtime rival Digimon.But there are differences - only specific Pokémon breeds will be able to Mega Evolve and only if they are in possession of the correct rare item which unlocks the ability.For example, fully-evolved third-gen starter Blaziken will need Blazikenite - an item not usually found within the game. Nintendo will be distributing it free via Wi-Fi (along with Blaziken's unevolved form Torchic) for a limited time after X and Y's launch.Another big series shake-up is the ability to train your Pokémon outside of battle via Super Training - touchscreen games with your squad that can raise their base stats. Your critters can also now train via themselves with Core Training, unlocked with training bags earned while Super Training.

http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/20...on-for-x-and-y

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Metroid-inspired Ghost Song gets Wii U stretch goal

August 12th, 2013, 00:58 Posted By: wraggster

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Squids Odyssey propels itself at 3DS and Wii U eShop this fall

August 12th, 2013, 01:00 Posted By: wraggster

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Mario & Luigi: Dream Team review - sometimes a snooze

August 12th, 2013, 01:01 Posted By: wraggster

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RollerCoaster Tycoon 4 heading to Wii U this December

August 12th, 2013, 01:05 Posted By: wraggster

I've been looking at the information from Red Coin Games to see if this is the real deal. It certainly seems legitimate, with the official Twitter account confirming the game's existence earlier today. They haven't tweeted out a link to the trailer or the platform info just yet, but the YouTube info details where the game will release.

Also worth noting, Chris Sawyer is now working on the project. He's the original creator of the RollerCoaster Tycoon franchise. Thanks to SnowyDay for the heads up!

https://twitter.com/redcoingames

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Iwata dismisses Wii U price concerns, says software is the issue

August 12th, 2013, 19:57 Posted By: wraggster

The Wii U’s full retail price of between £250 and £300 is not the reason for its market struggles.
That’s according to Nintendo president Satoru Iwata who told CVG that the comparatively higher sales of the more expensive Premium SKU disprove the theory.
"If the price is actually an issue then there is some contradiction between the current sales balance between the Basic and Premium versions of the Wii U," the exec argues.
"The Basic version should have sold a lot, but the fact of the matter is that people are buying more of the Premium version. So the issue is not there."
So what does Iwata blame for the console’s stuttering start?
"I understand that the real issue is the lack of software,” he believes. “The only solution is to provide the mass-market with a number of quality software titles."
Although Nintendo UK still insists that it doesn’t set RRPs for its hardware in the UK, the Wii U Premium retails full-price at £300 and the Wii U Basic at £250.
There have been discounts, most notorious of which was Asda’s decision to cut the Basic to £150 not just once but twice – the supermarket’s subsequent decision to remove the Wii U from its shelves completely last month was therefore not a huge surprise.
An official price cut for the hardware remains unlikely, with Nintendo confirming last week that it still sells the machine at a loss. PS4 and Xbox One will launch later this year priced at £350 and £430 respectively.

http://www.mcvuk.com/news/read/iwata...-issue/0120002

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3DS owners get tired of searching for StreetPasses, build their own Nintendo Zone

August 12th, 2013, 21:39 Posted By: wraggster

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Refurbished 3DS XL handhelds available from Nintendo starting at $169

August 12th, 2013, 21:40 Posted By: wraggster

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Mighty Switch Force 2 headed to Wii U

August 12th, 2013, 21:48 Posted By: wraggster

A HD version of 3DS eShop game Mighty Switch Force 2 is in development for Wii U.
That's according to Nintendo Everything, which says it 'received confirmation' from developer WayForward.
The studio offered not even a vague release window, saying that the port is "kind of a back burner project right now".
This comes after a Mighty Switch Force 2 listing for Wii U cropped up on the PEGI ratings board website.
Mighty Switch Force is a 2D platform/puzzle hybrid that has players searching through obstacle-filled levels to track down Hooligans within a time limit.
Mighty Switch Force 2 hit the 3DS eShop in June 2013.
The sequel is similarly played, but with a slightly differing premise: the player takes on the role of a firefighter to track down and put out fires in maze-like 2D stages.
The first Mighty Switch Force was released for 3DS via the eShop in December 2011, before being ported to Wii U in HD form a year later under the revised title, Mighty Switch Force! Hyper Drive Edition.

http://www.computerandvideogames.com...aded-to-wii-u/

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Nintendo to flaunt indie support at GDC Europe

August 12th, 2013, 21:50 Posted By: wraggster

Nintendo's commitment to indie developers will be the central theme of its presence at GDC Europe next week in Cologne, Germany.
The platform holder will host two sessions designed to show how indie game developers can create unique software experiences for Wii U.

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Commodore 64 VC library removed from Wii in NA?

August 12th, 2013, 22:56 Posted By: wraggster

Reader PaperLink64 emails in to let us know that the entire Commodore 64 Virtual Console library has up and vanished from the Wii Virtual Console in North America. I haven't had a chance to check this out myself. Can anyone else out there confirm/deny this news?

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Ball and Flag (08-08-2013) (NES Game)

August 12th, 2013, 23:09 Posted By: wraggster

via http://pdroms.de/nintendoentertainme...-2013-nes-game
Lionel Barasc aka lbarasc currently works on his second NES homebrew game named Ball and Flag. You are a ball in a random labyrinth and you have to retrieve a flag before time expires.

http://forums.nesdev.com/viewtopic.php?f=22&t=10353

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Newo Tokyo 1.0

August 12th, 2013, 23:11 Posted By: wraggster

Newo Tokyo is a Demo / ScreenSaver / Illustration. A demonstration program. A random path is generated from 9000 dots and is followed by the camera. Press A to randomize the colours. Press 2 to take a screenshot. Right Arrow to change line width.

http://wiibrew.org/wiki/Newo_Tokyo

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[NDS] BAGASMI Roulette

August 12th, 2013, 23:36 Posted By: wraggster

via http://www.neoflash.com/forum/index....ic,7657.0.html

Nickname: BassAceGold
Project Name: BAGASMI Roulette
From: Canada
Division: Game
Platform: NDS
Original Enter: Yes
Support Motion: No
Open Source: Kinda (interpreter source linked below, script pasted below)
In a past NEO Compo this project won in the top 10: No


BAGASMI Roulette is a simple text based roulette game scripted using BAGASMI http://www.neoflash.com/forum/index....ic,7644.0.html.

This game is played with a group of people, where you can pass your DS around.

Essentially, There is a revolver with 6 chambers and 1 chamber contains a bullet. You fire this revolver by pressing the A button. If you fire and the chamber is empty, you are safe. The game continues by passing the DS to the next person (who then fires the gun, and so on and so forth) until the chamber with the bullet is fired--in which case, whoever fired the bullet loses.

It's a simple time wasting game, or perhaps an entertaining drinking game!


Script code here:
Code: [Select]
[Console 1]


_start:
;clear console
CLRS

;since the game is just starting, we can skip right to the beginning
JUMP GameStart

;game over text
GameOver PRINT "*BANG!* You lost.\n"

;initialize our revolver, jump with jump back flag initialized
GameStart JUMP Reload, #0

;then print out the game instructions
PrintText NOP
PRINT "\n~BAGASMI Roulette!~\n"
PRINT "Press A to shoot.\nPress B to exit.\nSelect to clear console.\n\n"

;loop to keep game running
GameLoop NOP

;store current key presses in register 0
GETKEY $R0

;Check if B button (#2) is newly pressed to exit script
CHKKEYNEW $R0, #2, Exit

;Check if Selected (#4) is pressed to clear the console
CHKKEYNEW $R0, #4, ClearScreen, #0


;if A button (#1 value) is newly pressed, check to see if shot is legit
CHKKEYNEW $R0, #1, CheckChamber, #0

VSYNC

;otherwise, continue game loop
JUMP GameLoop



;exit the script
Exit HALT

;clear screen
ClearScreen CLRS
JUMP PrintText



;check if chamber was empty or not
CheckChamber NOP
;if our shot is equal to the chamber that is loaded,
;then the game resets for another go
IFEQ shotCounter, chamber, GameOver

;otherwise, increase the shot counter, and try again
INCR shotCounter

;let the user know they are safe
PRINT "*CLICK* Safe!\n"

JMPBK



;loads a single shot into a random chamber
Reload NOP
;pick a random chamber from 0 - 6 (6 chambers)
RANDM chamber, #6

;reset the shot counter
SET shotCounter, #0

JMPBK



;Set up our six shooter here
chamber DATA #0
shotCounter DATA #0

Binary Download Here: https://www.dropbox.com/s/0hcq2nl8hj...I-Roulette.zip

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Ball and Flag NES game

August 12th, 2013, 23:37 Posted By: wraggster

via http://www.neoflash.com/forum/index....ic,7659.0.html

Nickname: lbarasc
Project Name: Ball and Flag
From: France
Division: Game
Platform: NES
Original Enter: Yes
Support Motion: No
Open Source: soon
In a past NEO Compo this project won in the top 10: No

This is my little game for NES. I am very happy because this is my first compo for Neo Coding.

The game :

You control a ball in a labyrinth. you must find a flag before time expires.
I add bombs in the game to destruct blocks. You earn one bomb each completed level.
At the beginning the game is easy no more blocks, keep the bombs for harder levels.
Blocks are added for each level, the game could be quickly hard.

Control the ball with the gamepad, launch bombs with A button.

Run perfectly in emulator like Nestopia or VirtuaNES.

Run with graphical bug on Everdrive N8.
Not tested on Powerpak.

Check screenshot

Please download the ROM and play it.

Gameplay video on Youtube


Original dev forum
http://forums.nesdev.com/viewtopic.php?f=22&t=10353

My blog about famicom and dev
http://powerfamicom.tumblr.com/

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Gateway 3ds firmware spoof multi region

August 12th, 2013, 23:45 Posted By: wraggster



As promised here is the proof ! Our latest alpha build showing off BOTH "Firmware spoofing" and "Multi-Region" !! In the next few days we will be moving into private beta and then release. For now, the video showing: 1) Firmware Spoofing 2) Eu console booting Jap exclusive 3) Kor console booting Eu backup. ENJOY ! Gateway 3DS is committed to 100% game compatibility.

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Luigi puts the 'L' in Chicago's public transit system

August 13th, 2013, 02:42 Posted By: wraggster


Has Nintendo of America fallen on hard times? Why else would the company make one of its most beloved characters (or, at the very least, the brother of one of its most beloved characters) take Windy City public transit? Oh, that's right, the gaming giant has decked out the "L" train with ads for its new Super Luigi U title. The mustachioed plumber is riding the Brown Line in this Twitter shot, so be sure to be on the lookout for suspicious looking dinosaurs in the area (if you see something, say something). No word on whether he'll be making house calls today.

http://www.engadget.com/2013/08/12/caption-contest/

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Shunyuan's HLE audio plugin v1.8.1

August 13th, 2013, 11:05 Posted By: wraggster

via http://www.aep-emu.de/

Shunyuan updated his soundplugin for N64 emulators.
The release/diskussion thread at pj64-emu.com could be found here.

Quote:
Shunyuan´s HLE audio plugin v1.8.2
---------------------------------
HLE audio plugin v1.8.2
---------------------------------
HLE audio plugin is written by Shunyuan with features:

* Zilmar´s audio plugin spec #1.2 for pj64-2.0, spec #1.1 for other emulators
* XAudio2, DirectSound8 and No Sound driver support.
* XAudio2 upmix to 5.1 ~ 7.1
* prebuffer stream audio
* HLE interface
* LLE interface
* audio thread to update sound buffer
* tested with pj64 1.6, pj64 1.7, pj64 2.x,
1964 svn r146, 1964_ultrafast 3.0, and mupen64 5.1.
* auto sync game to audio
* dynamic plugin interface
* Lua interface to tweak per game settings


Special thanks:
CXD4 for his LLE RSP plugin, source of rsp_interface here.

and nintendo1889 for testing and push me to improve the audio quality of this plugin every time.

--------
Note:
--------
From 2013/04/23 to 2013/05/17

I have implemented all the features that I need, so there won´t be a new release in short time.
Thanks for people that help me to develop and debug this plugin.


------------
Lua script to tweak per game settings
---------------

view the Lua script here:

------------
Bug Report
------------

Please post your bug report with following information:

(1) OS & System spec
Windows 7 - 32 bit, 4 GB RAM

(2) emulator spec
Project64 2.1

(3) Plugin version
HleAudio 1.7.1

(4) Game and setting
RR64 (USA)
Sound Driver=XAudio2
Playback Rate=48000
Fixed Audio Timing=0
Sync To Audio=0
VI Refresh Rate=2200
AI couter per byte=500

(5) bug description
audio speep-up (too fast)
....

(6) Did this bug exist in previous version of HleAudio?


(7) Audio Record (optional, but very useful)
download link

--------
Then I will try to fix the bug if possible.


--------
History:
--------
v1.8.2
* Fixed Excitebike 64 sound crackling
(Counter Factor=1, Fixed Audio Timing=0, Sync using Audio=0)
* add new settings for Lua script

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Dolphin Git 3.5-1758

August 13th, 2013, 11:10 Posted By: wraggster

via http://www.emucr.com/

Dolphin Git 3.5-1758 is compiled. This is the trunk of Dolphin Project. Dolphin is the first Gamecube emulator able to run commercial games! Dolphin is a Gamecube, Wii and Triforce (the arcade machine based on the Gamecube) emulator which supports many extra features and abilities not present on the original consoles. It has a partial Wii support and plays most Gamecube games.

Dolphin Git changelog:
- [Android] Use a HashMap in PrefsFragment.java instead of two CharSequence arrays.
- [Android] Seems like InputConfigFragment.java also had explicit list indexing. Removed it from here too.
- [Android] Remove unnecessary explicit indexing of entries in a List within AboutFragment.java
- Software Renderer: Show each backend's display name instead of its short name in the config dialog.
- ShaderGen: Optimize out most function calls for uid generation.
- LightingShaderGen: Use macro magic instead of snprintf. Should fix performance problems.
- ShaderGen: Static inline everything.
- PixelShaderGen: Optimize shader uid data order.
- VertexShaderGen: Optimize shader uid data order.

http://www.sendspace.com/file/1nmof0

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NesEmu2 Git (2013/08/12)

August 13th, 2013, 11:12 Posted By: wraggster

via http://www.emucr.com/

NesEmu2 Git (2013/08/12) is released. NesEmu2 is an nes emulator supporting more accuracy and better compatability than the original nesemu.

NesEmu2 Git Changelog:
* Update README.md
Added link to nesemu2 site.

http://www.sendspace.com/file/uevcyq

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Nintemulator SVN r22375

August 13th, 2013, 11:16 Posted By: wraggster

via http://www.emucr.com/


Nintemulator SVN r22375 is compiled. Nintemulator is a work in progress multi-system emulator. Plans for emulated systems are NES, SNES, N64, GB/GBC, GBA, NDS.



Nintemulator SVN Changelog:
r22363
SFC: Finally fixed Super Mario World! Graphics are screwy though, must investigate
---------------------
r22360
SFC: Refactoring before I start debugging and find out what is wrong with Super Mario World

http://www.sendspace.com/file/0nxfxs

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DeSmuME SVN r4716

August 13th, 2013, 11:17 Posted By: wraggster

via http://www.emucr.com/

DeSmuME SVN r4716 is compiled. DeSmuME is an open source Nintendo DS(NDS) emulator for Linux, Mac OS and Windows. DeSmuME supports save states, the ability to increase the size of the screen and it supports filters to improve image quality. DeSmuME also supports microphone use on Windows and Linux ports, as well as direct video and audio recording. The emulator also features a built-in movie recorder.

DeSmuME SVN Changelog:
r4716
fix HLE BitUnPack and clarify historical crc16 bugs.
---------------------
r4715
clarification to chipId in retail slot-1 device
---------------------
r4714
clean up fake bios definition (add some asm comments and merge old codepaths); fix SWI3 patch on arm7; fix disassembler to be able to view arm7 bios (bios protection logic had crept in to interfere)
---------------------
r4713
fix SWI HLE fail to boot from firmware regression from r4705
---------------------
r4712
refactor slot-1 to object oriented interface; clean up and clarify a lot of firmware boot process and card-eject handling stuff. I probably broke some things, but I'm in the mood lately to tidy it up as soon as anyone notices
---------------------
r4711
fix linux build
---------------------
r4710
core: - remove old boot code

http://www.sendspace.com/file/0knn50

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Nintendo targets new audiences with fresh IP

August 13th, 2013, 23:50 Posted By: wraggster

Platfrom holder Nintendo believes The Wonderful 101 can draw in new fans to Wii U.
The firm hopes to reignite excitement behind its ailing console with a mixture of new titles supported by Nintendo’s franchises.
The Wonderful 101 is developed by Platinum Games and has received positive previews from the press. It has also been on display at UK events including MCM Manchester and Hyper Japan.
“It’s not a niche game and so it has the potential to transcend to a wider audience, which I think is an opportunity for both console and the game brand,” said Nintendo UK product manager Danielle Robinson.

http://www.mcvuk.com/news/read/ninte...esh-ip/0120077

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How one publisher is asking fans to fund the manufacture of a DS game

August 13th, 2013, 23:55 Posted By: wraggster

Earlier this month, Ghostlight launched an unusual appeal to help bring DS RPG Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Summoner 2.
The UK publisher stated that if it could generate 1,800 pre-orders for the game through its online store, it would be able to afford the manufacturing costs.
It’s a campaign reminiscent of the wave of Kickstarter and other appeals that have spread across the internet for the past 18 months. But Ghostlight’s PR man Ross Brierley says the difference is that this project, unlike most crowd-funding initiatives, is not being funded from scratch.
“We have the game ready and we’ve localised it,” he explains. “Unfortunately with the 3DS being out for a while now, the DS is coming to the end of its life and there’s just not much shelf space for DS games – quite understandable.
“So we couldn’t get enough orders for retail. But we’ve done all the hard work and people are asking for it, so we would like them to be able to play it. As long as we can cover our costs for the manufacturing, we can get it out to them.”
Given the state of the market right now, it may seem easy to blame problems like this on economics but another publisher explained to MCV that DS manufacturing costs are genuinely still quite high, even this late into the handheld’s lifecycle.

"We've done all the hard work and people are asking for
Devil Summoner 2. As long as we can cover our costs
for the manufacturing, we can get it out to them."

Ross Brierley, Ghostlight

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Nintendo of America begins selling refurb 3DS and DSi hardware

August 14th, 2013, 00:31 Posted By: wraggster

The American arm of Nintendo has introduced a new way for consumers to get their hands on a cut-price 3DS.
The NoA site has begun selling refurbished 3DS consoles. Prices start at $119.99 for a standard 3DS and $169.99 for the 3DS XL.
Refurbed DSi’s are available for $99.99.
“Some Nintendo Products are now available as Authentic Nintendo Refurbished Products only from Nintendo,” the official blurb reads. “These products have been cleaned, tested, and inspected to meet Nintendo’s high standards. They come with our standard one-year warranty – the same as brand new products.
“Although Authentic Nintendo Refurbished Products may have minor cosmetic blemishes, they are guaranteed to be fully functional. We think you will find the standards for Authentic Nintendo Refurbished Products are VERY high.”

http://www.mcvuk.com/news/read/ninte...rdware/0120066

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Gamestop defends Xenoblade price tag, Metroid Prime Trilogy being restocked

August 14th, 2013, 01:21 Posted By: wraggster

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Zelda: Link Between Worlds comparison vid shows overworld changes

August 14th, 2013, 01:23 Posted By: wraggster



It's a Hyrule of life: Time changes everything. Here's a new GameXPlain video comparing SNES classic The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past with footage of 3DS follow-up A Link Between Worlds, showing some of the ways the games' overworlds are similar and not so.

Beyond predictable things like different enemy placements, touched-up environments, and aspect ratios, it's interesting to note some of the more structural ways in which Hyrule has changed. For example, where once there were rivers in the dark world, now there are great big chasms of nothingness - and there's a bridge missing for that matter.

As Nintendo discussed in a , A Link Between Worldstakes place in the same world as A Link to the Past, but is set a long time after the original game - which would explain the changes. While the overworlds remain similar, the dungeons are very much different, featuring new puzzles centered around new mechanics. Nintendo showed Link's power to transform into a wall etching, able to cross over gaps and slip between cracks in walls. Nintendo boss Satoru Iwata also teased the presence of a shadow triforce in A Link Between Worlds, as evidenced by the game's logo.

Zelda's return to the same-but-not-quite-the-same Hyrule of A Link Between Worlds is scheduled for sometime this November.

http://www.joystiq.com/2013/08/13/li...ch-ch-changes/

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Nintendo's Skylanders-style Pokémon figurines reach the UK

August 15th, 2013, 13:51 Posted By: wraggster

Nintendo's range of Skylanders-esque Pokémon is now available at UK retailer GAME.The figurines are used with Wii U downloadable spin-off Pokémon Rumble U, which launches as an eShop download this week.Nintendo was previously unsure whether the toys would make the leap to the UK. Today - the day of the game's release - is the first we've heard of the offer.Each figurine costs £3.99 and comes in a random Gacha Ball pack - so you won't know which you've bought until you open it.A GAME-exclusive special edition of Pokémon Rumble U is also available. It includes a download code for the game, a poster, one standard figurine and a limited edition character.The standard range of toys is shown below. There are also a number of secret "shiny" versions of certain monsters, and legendary critters Black Kyurem or White Kyurem for inclusion in the special editions.

http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/20...s-reach-the-uk