Category: Game Releases

Nintendo Labo combines the magic of Nintendo Switch with the fun of DIY creations

Introducing Nintendo Labo, a new line of interactive build-and-play experiences designed to inspire kids and those who are kids-at-heart. Building on the 129-year history of Nintendo, which is rooted in innovative entertainment and game-play experiences, Nintendo Labo continues the company’s mission of putting smiles on people’s faces.

Together with the Nintendo Switch system (sold separately), the Nintendo Labo kits provide the tools and technology to MAKE fun DIY creations, PLAY games with your creations and DISCOVER how the magic of Nintendo Switch technology shapes ideas into reality.

With each Nintendo Labo kit, kids can transform modular sheets of cardboard – specially designed to interact with the Nintendo Switch console and Joy-Con controllers – into creations called Toy-Con. From a piano to a motorbike, a robot and more, each Toy-Con comes to life when combined with Nintendo Switch in different ways. As you build, you will have fun discovering how the technology works, and might even invent new ways to play with each Toy-Con!

For example, you can build a functioning 13-key piano that brings your musical creations to life once the Nintendo Switch console and Right Joy-Con controller are inserted. As you play, the IR Motion Camera in the Right Joy-Con detects which keys are pressed and translates them into unique notes that are heard through the console. You can even take control of your very own motorbike by constructing a functioning set of handlebars, with a Joy-Con inserted in each side and the Nintendo Switch console cradled in the middle. Simply hit the ignition button, turn the right handle to engage the accelerator and watch your adventure unfold on the Nintendo Switch screen, as you race to new destinations.

“Nintendo Labo continues our longstanding mission of making people smile by surprising them with new experiences,” said Reggie Fils-Aime, Nintendo of America’s President and COO. “It is an exciting evolution of the Nintendo Switch platform – one designed to inspire curiosity, creativity and imagination in people of all ages.”

With Nintendo Labo, building is just as much fun as playing. Every Toy-Con creation presents exciting challenges and varying degrees of complexity, making each one a unique experience. Building Toy-Con is especially fun with family and friends, as you collaborate and share each other’s Nintendo Labo experiences. Once built, you can customize your Toy-Con creations with your own markers, stickers and paint to give them a personal touch – the only limit is your imagination!

Nintendo Labo launches on April 20 with two kits: the Variety Kit and the Robot Kit. With the Variety Kit, you can create many different Toy-Con, including two Toy-Con RC Cars, a Toy-Con Fishing Rod, a Toy-Con House, a Toy-Con Motorbike and a Toy-Con Piano. With the Robot Kit, you can build an interactive robot suit with a visor, backpack and straps for your hands and feet, which you can then wear to assume control of a giant in-game robot. Both kits include everything you need to assemble your Toy-Con creations, including the building materials and relevant Nintendo Switch software. The Variety Kit will be available at a suggested retail price of $69.99, and the Robot Kit will be available at a suggested retail price of $79.99. A special Customization Set that includes fun stencils, stickers and colored tape will also be available to purchase on April 20 at a suggested retail price of $9.99.

Each Nintendo Labo kit packs plenty of value, with a range of ways to make, play and discover in each kit:

Variety Kit ($69.99MSRP*)

• Toy-Con RC Car: Insert the Left and Right Joy-Con into your newly built RC Car and control its movement using touch screen controls on the Nintendo Switch console. The HD Rumble feature in the Joy-Con controllers will cause vibrations that move the car in the direction you choose. Materials to construct two RC Cars are included.
• Toy-Con Fishing Rod: Construct the Fishing Rod with an active, rotating reel that is attached by string to a cradle holding the Nintendo Switch console. Catch one of many exotic fish shown swimming on the Nintendo Switch screen by casting your Fishing Rod and unwinding the reel to lower the hook. Once you feel a vibration from the Joy-Con inserted in the reel, you must tug the Fishing Rod upward and crank the reel quickly to try and complete the catch!
• Toy-Con House: By inserting various assembled blocks into openings in the sides and bottom of the House, you can interact with, play games with and feed a cute creature on the front-facing Nintendo Switch screen. Each differently shaped block is detected by the IR Motion Camera on the Right Joy-Con inserted on top of the House.
• Toy-Con Motorbike: Insert each Joy-Con into an assembled set of handlebars to drive a motorbike on the Nintendo Switch screen. Pressing the ignition button starts the engine, while twisting the right handle activates the throttle. Leaning your body or turning the handlebars left and right controls the motorbike.
• Toy-Con Piano: After assembling a beautifully crafted 13-key piano and inserting the Nintendo Switch console and Joy-Con, you can experiment with your own musical creations by pressing different keys. You can even insert different assembled knobs to create new sound effects and tones!

Robot Kit ($79.99MSRP*)

• Toy-Con Robot: Create a wearable Robot suit, and insert the Left and Right Joy-Con into the designated slots on the backpack and visor to assume control of the robot, which is shown on the TV when the Nintendo Switch console is docked. Enjoy a variety of fun game-play experiences, including Robot mode, in which you can destroy in-game buildings and UFOs.

For more information about Nintendo Labo, visit https://labo.nintendo.com. You can view a special introductory video about Nintendo Labo here.

*Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price. Actual price may vary.

Games Rated:

It’s Lola Pop vs. Misango in the next Party Crash!

If you’ve been keeping some of the fighters at arm’s length, now is a good time to try them out! The next Party Crash has been confirmed for the ARMS™ game.

Event Time: Friday, 1/19 [1:00 a.m. PT] – Monday, 1/22 [1:00 a.m. PT]

Featured Fighters: Lola Pop versus Misango!

Party Crash is a limited-time Party Match event with special rules. By playing these matches you can increase your Lab Level, which then grants you in-game cash and special badges. You can also get bonus multipliers by using featured characters and weapons. We hope you give it a try!

If you don’t currently own ARMs you can learn more about the game at the official website.

Game Rated:

Cartoon Violence

Three classic Nintendo 3DS games are now only $19.99 each

Starting on Feb. 5, Super Mario 3D Land and The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds, two of the most acclaimed Nintendo 3DS games of all time, and Ultimate NES Remix, a wildly fun mashup of classic NES games starring classic Nintendo characters, are joining the Nintendo Selects library and will be available at a suggested retail price of only $19.99 each.

The Nintendo Selects library features a wide variety of games for various Nintendo systems, which can each be purchased for the suggested retail price of only $19.99. In addition to the newly added Super Mario 3D Land, The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds and Ultimate NES Remix games, other games in the library include classics like Animal Crossing: New Leaf – Welcome amiibo, Kirby: Triple Deluxe, Mario & Luigi: Dream Team and Luigi’s Mansion: Dark Moon. For a full listing of games in the Nintendo Selects library, visit https://www.nintendo.com/nintendo-selects.

“For people that received a Nintendo 3DS or Nintendo 2DS system as a holiday gift, these three games are ideal ways to start their gaming library,” said Doug Bowser, Nintendo of America’s Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing. “We’re excited to offer these must-have games for a new, low price.”

In Super Mario 3D Land, players run, jump and power up with Mario through multiple colorful worlds. The game is a fun combination of 3D gameplay combined with the more traditional linear designs of classic 2D Super Mario games.

Set in the world of the classic Super NES game The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds continues the adventure of the legendary hero of Hyrule. In this critically acclaimed tale, Link can transform into a living painting to cross into a dark parallel world, travel along walls and solve challenging puzzles.

Fans who love retro games and the NES Classic Edition system will also love Ultimate NES Remix, which features rapid-fire challenges and mashups from some of the most recognizable games on the Nintendo Entertainment System. Players take on creative and nostalgic challenges from classic games like Super Mario Bros. 3, Metroid, The Legend of Zelda and Punch-Out!!

Anyone looking to play these games on a shiny new system can pick up one of the many systems in the Nintendo 3DS family:

• A white-and-red Nintendo 2DS system pre-loaded with the New Super Mario Bros. 2 game is available at a suggested retail price of $79.99.*
• A blue-and-black Nintendo 2DS system pre-loaded with the Mario Kart 7 game is available at a suggested retail price of $79.99.
• A white-and-orange New Nintendo 2DS XL system that plays all Nintendo 3DS games in 2D is available at a suggested retail price of $149.99.
• A black-and-turquoise New Nintendo 2DS XL system is also available at a suggested retail price of $149.99.
• The space-themed New Galaxy Style New Nintendo 3DS XL is available at a suggested retail price of $199.99.

Remember that Nintendo 3DS family of systems features parental controls that let adults manage the content their children can access. For more information about other features, visit https://www.nintendo.com/3ds.

*Nintendo 2DS plays Nintendo 3DS games in 2D only

Games Rated:

Make the most of your Nintendo Switch

You can have fun wherever, whenever with your Nintendo Switch system. Here are a few features that can help you get the most fun possible out of your system!

Easy-peasy digital downloads

The Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch is a one-stop shop for entertainment. You can find games that can be purchased digitally and downloaded directly onto your system, like Super Mario Odyssey™ and ARMS™. The Nintendo eShop is also the place to find free game demos for some of the hottest games for Nintendo Switch, including Pokkén Tournament™ DX, Snipperclips™—Cut it out, together!, and Just Dance 2018.

Free rewards program

You can get an annual birthday discount, reward offers, and more with the My Nintendo rewards program. Earn points when you buy digital games for your Nintendo Switch system, then redeem those points for cool My Nintendo rewards like digital content and discounts. A Nintendo Account is required to start using My Nintendo. For help creating a Nintendo Account, click here. For a list of current available rewards, click here.

In-game extras with amiibo

You can tap compatible amiibo™ figures and cards (sold separately) to score all sorts of in-game perks in compatible games like new characters, game modes, outfits, power-ups, or more. In The Legend of Zelda™: Breath of the Wild game, you can tap a Wolf Link amiibo figure to make Wolf Link appear in the game. Or, you can tap a Zelda 30th Anniversary series amiibo figure to get helpful in-game items…or even a treasure chest! It’s easy to tap amiibo figures and cards with the NFC touchpoint that is built into the right Joy-Con™ controller.

Multiplayer fun for friends and family

Gearing up for family game night? You can connect up to eight Joy-Con controllers to one Nintendo Switch system and compatible games, so all four players can play in their preferred play style and get in on the action with games like Mario Kart 8™ Deluxe. The 1-2-Switch™ game gets players off the couch and into a world of wild face-to-face games. Most games in 1-2-Switch have you looking directly at the other player and not at the TV screen! Each game uses different features of the Joy-Con controller, such as motion control, HD Rumble, or the IR Motion Camera. For intense ink-splatting action, you can check out the Splatoon™ 2 game’s local and online* multiplayer modes. Want to organize a serious tournament? Up to 10 docked Nintendo Switch systems can connect via wired LAN (additional accessories required; sold separately).

Top Picks and #Nindies

Not sure which game to play next? Turn to the Game Store on Nintendo.com to explore our curated lists of games, like the Nintendo Switch top pick games of 2017. The #Nindies Hits list puts a spotlight on some of the hottest indie games available on Nintendo Switch.

Nintendo Switch news feed

The world of video games moves fast! Luckily, the Nintendo Switch news feed can keep you in the loop. You can keep up to date on the latest game releases, videos, special offers, and more. In-game events like Splatfest (Splatoon 2) and Party Crash (ARMS) are listed on the news feed as well. If you want to check it out, just click on News from the HOME Menu.

*Nintendo Account required. Online services and features. including online gameplay, are free until the paid Nintendo Switch Online Service launches in 2018.

Additional accessories may be required for multiplayer mode. Games, system, and some accessories sold separately.

Games Rated:

New Nintendo 2DS XL Pikachu Edition launches in stores on Jan. 26

On Jan. 26, an adorable New Nintendo 2DS XL system featuring Pikachu’s iconic face launches in stores at a suggested retail price of $159.99. The New Nintendo 2DS XL Pikachu Edition system is just as electric as the Pokémon itself, with an eye-catching yellow design featuring a stylized close-up of Pikachu’s face. This special edition system is a must-have for Pokémon fans! As with all Nintendo 2DS systems, the New Nintendo 2DS XL Pikachu Edition system plays Nintendo 3DS games in 2D.

“The New Nintendo 2DS XL Pikachu Edition is a charming addition to the Nintendo 3DS line-up that is sure to delight Pokémon fans of all ages,” said Doug Bowser, Nintendo of America’s Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing. “With a massive library of games, the Nintendo 3DS family of systems continues to deliver one-of-a-kind experiences for every type of gamer.”

There’s even more in store for Pokémon fans in 2018. Announced earlier today, the new video game Detective Pikachu will launch on March 23 in stores, in Nintendo eShop on Nintendo 3DS and at Nintendo.com at a suggested retail price of $39.99.

In this new adventure, players team up with a witty, tough-talking Pikachu to uncover clues, solve mysteries and encounter familiar faces from the Pokémon world. For the first time in a video game, this Pikachu can communicate with the player. With the help of Pikachu’s surprising voice, players can interact with other Pokémon in a whole new way as they embark on an adventure through the streets of Ryme City.

Also launching on March 23 is a special edition Detective Pikachu amiibo figure. This extra-large amiibo can unlock cutscenes if tapped in the Detective Pikachu game, revealing a combination of hilarious content that might also provide a hint. This same content can be accessed in the game without the amiibo, but tapping the amiibo will allow players to unlock content more quickly. The Detective Pikachu amiibo figure will be available at a suggested retail price of $29.99.

Fans who can’t get enough Pokémon can also download the classic 2D Game Boy Color game Pokémon Crystal when it launches in Nintendo eShop on Nintendo 3DS on Jan. 26 for only $9.99. The game, an expanded version of the popular Pokémon Gold and Pokémon Silver games, was the first in the Pokémon franchise to allow players to choose between a boy or girl playable character, and was the first game to introduce animations during Pokémon battles. The Nintendo 3DS version of the game is updated with wireless battling and trading, and is compatible with the Pokémon Bank app (annual service charge applies). Pokémon Crystal is now available for pre-purchase in Nintendo eShop on Nintendo 3DS.

For more information about the New Nintendo 2DS XL Pikachu Edition system, visit https://www.nintendo.com/2ds/buynow#new-nintendo-2ds-xl-pikachu. For more information about Detective Pikachu, visit https://www.nintendo.com/games/detail/detective-pikachu-3ds.

Remember that the Nintendo 3DS family of systems features parental controls that let adults manage the content their children can access. For more information about other features, visit http://www.nintendo.com/3ds.

Games Rated:

Comic Mischief
Mild Cartoon Violence