Category: Nintendo News

People who look for consistency and patterns in Nintendo’s thinking often come up with absolutely nothing beyond a Mii in a hot dog costume, but Reddit user Natzore has discovered something of actual worth.

Looking through the past schedules for Nintendo Direct presentations, it seems Nintendo has been quick in the past to follow up a Nintendo Direct Mini with a full-fat Nintendo Direct, rather than just letting them sit as they are. 

Take a look over the table below from the Nintendo Switch subreddit; it details all the instances of this pattern to date:

Of course, Nintendo have often bucked even their own trends, so this is certainly not hard evidence, however the strange absence of larger games such as Bayonetta 3, Yoshi, Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus, and Fire Emblem in yesterday’s presentation does seem unusual.

Do you think there’s anything to this research, or is it entirely unfounded? Let us know in the comments below.

We have to say we’re really looking forward to getting our hands on Detective Pikachu when it lands on the 3DS on 23rd March, 2018. In the game you will take on the role of young Tim Goodman and explore with his talkative partner Pikachu. Yes it is weird that Pikachu now talks – and who expected that accent, either? 

Tim and this gruff, coffee-drinking Pikachu have teamed up to investigate the disappearance of Tim’s father. Look for clues, talk to witnesses, and uncover the secrets of Ryme City.  A special Detective Pikachu amiibo is in the works, too. This amiibo features a sleuthing Pikachu that’s larger than the standard amiibo, and when used with your game, it can unlock short videos that may contain helpful hints for your investigation.

If all that has you hot under the collar, then check out the new trailer above to see more action from the game itself. Sure, 3DS games look kinda pixelated these days, but it sure does look like a whole heap of fun.

Let us know if you plan to pick this up in March with a comment below.

Back in December we reported that Switch had reached 10 million global sales in its first nine months, while this is undoubtedly great news for Nintendo you might imagine that this impressive number was mostly down to North American sales where Nintendo traditionally does best.

It seems that sales in Europe have been really impressive for Nintendo Switch also. French outlet Le Figaro recently reported that Nintendo Switch shifted 911,000 units in 2017, which is amazing when you think that Wii U only managed to sell 832,000 units during its entire lifespan in France.

In other European news, Nintendo Italy announced via a press release that the console has become the fastest selling console of all time in its region. Nintendo Italy’s general manager, Andrea Persegati attributes this success to the platform’s outstanding range of software which has really connected with Italian consumers. The Switch sales have now overtaken sales of the Wii in that region, which is impressive when you think about how successful that console was in its day.

Let us know what you think about the Switch’s success in Europe with a comment below.

In an lengthy interview with the French publication Les Numériques, Nintendo France MD Philippe Lavoué has stated that the company remains ambivalent towards Virtual Reality and 4K resolution support.

Both of these technologies are being exploited by Nintendo’s rivals; Sony has released its own VR headset and has included 4K support in the new PS4 Pro, while Microsoft’s Xbox One X also has 4K output.

However, Lavoué has added to previous statements from Nintendo that it is not currently investing any time or money into either technology:

If you look at VR headsets, I doubt they can appeal to the mainstream. Consumers are not patient with entertainment if you’re not able to deliver an all-inclusive package.

As far as 4K is concerned, is it useful to invest in a technology that has not been adopted by the majority? Where are 4K TVs now? Is it a good idea to invest in a technology before consumers do? We can’t invest in everything. And what novelty would we bring compared to our competitors?

If we do the exact same thing than everyone else, we’re bound to die because we are smaller than them. With the Switch, we offer different uses, adapted to players’ pace of life. Its advantage is being able to fit into your daily life.

Lavoué has a point on both counts; the current generation of VR headsets are expensive and require users to clear a lot of space before they can be used; even then, the player remains connected via a jungle of wires. New wireless headsets with 4K displays have just been announced, but it remains clear that this is not the kind of tech that casual gamers are going to purchase.

4K television sales are on the rise, but they remain expensive and the majority of homes will have 1080p screens. This will naturally change over time – just as people shifted from SD to HD during the Wii era – but at present, Nintendo clearly doesn’t feel the need to jump on this bandwagon (and we’re not sure the Switch will ever be capable of 4K gaming, not without a considerable tech upgrade).

Are you disappointed by Lavoué’s comments, or do you applaud Nintendo’s sensible stance on these topics? Let us know with a comment.

Nintendo France’s Managing Director Philippe Lavoué has taken part in an extensive interview with Les Numériques regarding topics such as the console’s performance in that region and the degree of third-party support for the machine.

On the latter topic, Lavoué reveals that third-party games accounted for 26 percent of total Switch software sales in France during 2017, with Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle performing best with 150,000 copies sold. 

In comparison, FIFA 18 sold 73,000 physical copies in France but Lavoué insists that it was simply a “test case” for the publisher and that we should expect “more announcements on the Switch” in the future. Lavoué says that EA is expected to “double down” this year thanks to the 2018 World Cup, and the Switch’s portability will be instrumental in pushing the FIFA brand.

While many of us will have been anticipating at least one more FIFA on Switch – if not a yearly release for the lifespan of the console – it will be interesting to see which other titles the publisher plans to bring to the machine. The robust sales of Switch won’t have been lost on EA, nor will the fact that some of its rivals are profiting handsomely for supporting Nintendo’s machine early. 

What EA games would you like to see come to Switch? Let us know with a comment.

Official development for Nintendo 64 may have ended over 15 years ago, but that hasn’t stopped the impassioned modding community from keeping its library of memorable 64-bit hits alive with new updates and improvements. Rare’s influential shooter, GoldenEye 007, remains a huge fan favourite, so of course one talented user has created a mod that turns its Bond-based cast into Mario, Luigi and the rest of the Nintendo gang.

StupidMarioBros1Fan from GoldenEye Vault put this brilliant little mashup together, which enables you to play through both the single-player story and local multiplayer with all your favourtie characters from the Mushroom Kingdom. Ever wanted to run around Archives with dual PP7s while dressed as Mario? It’s time to turn that dream into a reality.

You can play it right now too, as long as you’ve got an EverDrive 64 flashcart. Just download the patch from here onto your cart, plug it in and Mario multiplayer with mines and slaps is yours. What do you guys make of this amazing mod? We’re already hankering for some retro splitscreen action…

Less than a year into its life cycle and it’s safe to say Nintendo’s hybrid console is going from strength to strength. Its library of games is expanding and with a new online infrastructure set to arrive sometime in 2018, the handheld/tabletop wonder is set to mega evolve yet again.

There is, however, one glaring omission in Nintendo’s plan and it’s one we really want to see addressed in the next 12 months: apps and third-party software. With Switch’s user base growing at an impressive rate, this really is the time for Nintendo to build on that momentum and give it the depth of multimedia it’s always deserved. So we’ve gathered together some of our most wanted apps that would be right at home on your Home screen.

A bespoke internet browser

So, technically, Switch does have an internet browser of sorts already coded into its OS, but it’s not one designed for normal browsing. Nintendo currently uses a version of Access’ NetFront Browser NX, a low-memory usage software that’s ideal for handheld devices, smart TVs in in-car displays. 

What we really need is a bespoke browser that’s far more powerful and built with regular surfing and access in mind. Whether this would be a partnership with an existing piece of software (such as Mozilla Firefox) or a completely new app (which would give Nintendo far more control and remove the need for licensing) remains to be seen, but the groundwork is already there in your device.

Facebook

Much like the previous entry, you can actually access your Facebook page from your Nintendo Switch, but it’s more of a technical bypass to a hidden feature rather than a full-blown app. So rather than being locked to a back-end browser that’s not optimised for general use, Switch would benefit hugely from an official Facebook program.

It’s an easy sell, too. Social media sharing for your screenshots (and your videos) is already coded into Switch, which means a certain level of co-operation with the likes of Facebook and Twitter already exists. So what could be better than playing Super Mario Odyssey, hitting the Home Button and instantly jumping into your timeline?

Twitch

As of writing, you can stream gameplay live to Switch or record clips through third-party software but it requires you to connect a capture card to your Switch and into a decent enough PC. It’s doable, but it’s still a constant reminder of just how well other platforms have woven almost instantaneous broadcasting into their systems.

There are plenty of potential platforms to include – and we’ll cover a second shortly – but Twitch is the easily the most popular. The toxicity found in some parts of its community, and the antics of some of its biggest stars could potential scupper such a partnership, but even an app that simply supports broadcasting would be a huge leap forwards.

Discord

Since Nintendo Switch doesn’t support voice chat of any kind, users have had to find alternative means (most of which involves using headsets that support both wired connections and wireless functionality to your PC or smart device). But it’s just not good enough – if Ninty isn’t going to provide a bespoke service, then it really needs to open up the doorway to third-party apps.

Discord is fast becoming the go-to platform for text-based and VoIP chat on PC, so there’s a strong argument to see it supported on Switch. What better way to link up with your friends than on your server, switching between games and apps without ever breaking the conversation? The alternative is a potential use of VoIP via a Nintendo app, but that doesn’t sound like a very user friendly experience.

Crunchyroll

If you love your anime, then you almost certainly know about the wonders of Crunchyroll. For those still looking bemused at their screen, it’s essentially Netflix for anime and includes some of the biggest series including Bleach, Naruto Shippuden and many more.

While the likes of Netflix does have a decent (and rapidly growing) library of Japanese animation, Crunchyroll is on another level. And, considering the strong crossover with all the JRPG and the Japanese-developed games already on Switch, the Venn diagram of Switch/Crunchyroll users has a huge crossover. It might struggle against Netflix’s mainstream dominance, but it suits Switch down to a tee.

YouTube

We mentioned another streaming service, and here it is: the all powerful YouTube. It seems a given at this stage considering the sheer influence of the platform; plus, the stage for it has already been set by other video apps. NicoNico, for instance, is a Japan-exclusive program, and is effectively a region-specific alternative to YouTube.

Then there’s the US-only launch of Hulu. The streaming service’s arrival on a western version of Switch was a watershed moment back in November 2017, and its instant popularity proves there’s a huge market for video consumption on Nintendo’s new console. The only real roadblock is Nintendo Creators Program, which could potentially lock out the ability to stream on YT.

Twitter

There’s no way we could include a list of apps for Nintendo Switch and not include the world of tweets, likes and GIF overloads. Twitter has become as much a part of our digital lives as Facebook, perhaps more so in recent years, so its inclusion is going to be on everyone’s wish list.

Much like FB, Twitter already has a certain level of connectivity with Switch thanks to the ability to share your screenshots with your followers. Our only concern would be getting a version suitably optimised for Switch – other versions on platforms such as iOS have been notoriously buggy in the past, so we’d want Twitter to hold off until it’s nailed one for Nintendo.

Hulu

Okay, so this one’s a bit cheeky as it’s already out in the US, but for us Europeans we’ve yet to experience the wonder of video streaming on our Joy-Con friendly console. It’s seeded well in the US due to its support for live sports, pro wrestling and other content, but there’s still plenty of other programming that would work well outside North America.

Whatever the form it might take, the fact it already exists is cause for celebration. Imagine being able to watch sports, episodes of your TV show and access live broadcast streams in between matches of Splatoon 2 or DOOM? Switch may not have been envisioned as a multimedia device, but an app such as Hulu could HELP transform it into one. 

Netflix

Okay, so if we’re including Hulu and Crunchyroll then there’s no way we can leave out the granddaddy of streaming services. Netflix is already available on almost every device out there, so it stands to reason that the other Big N will have its sight set on one of the fastest selling and most ‘in vogue’ consoles on the market.

There’s a good chance most of you reading this already access Netflix on some form of portable device, be it a smartphone or tablet, but imagine being able to access all of Switch’s incredible games and Netflix’s library from the same place? And, just like YouTube and Amazon Instant Video, Netflix has already featured on Wii U, so the relationship and the concept is already there for the taking.

A proper Activity Log

This might seem like a strange one, but hear us out: if there’s one app we used almost as much as our actual games on 3DS, it was the humble Activity Log. Without any form of achievement/trophy system, there was a tangible joy to tracking your game stats to see which one was in gold, silver or bronze position.

There is technically an in-game time tracker coded into your personal Switch profile, but it’s pretty crude as it a) takes 10 days to present its data and b) it rounds off your progress to the nearest five hour mark. It’s worked well enough for the time being, but much like Switch’s online infrastructure and eShop, it needs a serious overhaul to make it far more in-depth and reactive.

So you’ve heard what we think, but which apps do you want to see on Nintendo Switch? Are there any you disagree with, or anyone we’ve missed completely – let us know below and get the conversation flowing…

We’d all probably love to have a job at Nintendo these days, but back in the 1950s – when Ninty was a manufacturer of playing cards (specifically, a popular Japanese game called ‘hanafuda’) – things were a little different. Decades before its move towards video games, the firm was going through some internal struggles, which led to its third president, Hiroshi Yamauchi, transforming the company with a raft of new reforms.

Those reforms, which were brought to light in a recent article by Kotaku (and expanded upon in the book The History of Nintendo: 1889-1980), saw Yamauchi close some factories down in an attempt to centralise Nintendo’s output. The company’s labour union wasn’t happy about this upheaval, eventually leading to it to go on hunger strike in protest. Yamauchi refused to back down, and eventually the protest fizzled out.

It’s a odd little piece of Nintendo history, but it shows you just how much the company has changed over the years. But what do you make of it? And has anyone actually played ‘hanafuda’, because now we’re intrigued…