Category: Nintendo News

Nintendo’s quest for mobile success has had its ups and downs to date. It’s enjoyed a modest share of (pocket) monster profits from Pokémon GO, while it has released three main games / apps of its own. The two most recent have had varied success, but Nintendo has confirmed a notable landmark for one in particular.

It’s confirmed that Super Mario Run has passed 200 million downloads, with over 90% of those outside of Japan. It’s also highlighted an increase in players following the recent major update (and discount). Nintendo does admit, however, that monetising the game (through its one-off purchase) is still an issue, as the game has “not yet reached an acceptable profit point”.

Nintendo states that it is, however, “on track” with its profit targets for Fire Emblem Heroes, with promotions and updates also leading to an increase in active users. The company is also keen to point out that sales (through microtransactions) are gradually improving outside of Japan.

Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp seems to be off to a strong start in Australia, too, and that’s an IP with undoubted potential for success on Mobile ahead of its late November global release. Overall, driven by Super Mario Run and Fire Emblem Heroes, Nintendo reported revenue of 17.9 billion Yen (approx $158 million) from mobile in its Q2 financial report.

It’s interesting to see the steady evolution of Nintendo’s efforts on Mobile; it still has the target of releasing 2-3 titles each year.

For now we await the global release of Pocket Camp – do you think it’ll be a success?

It’s nearly Halloween / All Hallows’ Eve / mild vandalism night, so that means everything is spooky. Well, if you want it to be, or you could hide upstairs with all the lights out until the trick or treaters are all gone – your call.

Anyway, it’s a time for scary games. Or those with grisly themes. Or cute ones with outfits, they work too. A nice thing about Halloween and gaming is that you can make of it what you please, and that’s especially the case when playing games on Nintendo hardware. And so we’re kicking off with a list of 3DS games that are ideal for playing on the year’s spookiest night; worry not, a Switch list will arrive tomorrow before the sun sets…

So, here are ten games to consider if you fancy a bit Halloween gaming on the 3DS. Our only rule was no Virtual Console, just because…

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A dark and undeniably creepy entry in the iconic franchise, and those are aspects of its design that contribute to it having a sizeable and loyal following of fans. In past years it’s featured in Nintendo’s marketing around Halloween, and no wonder; it’s a stone-cold classic that shines on 3DS.

Aside from arguments about naming conventions this one is easy to pick. It’s unlikely to scare you but rather charm you silly, as Luigi creeps through multiple mansions while being as comical and frightened as ever. Critically acclaimed and commercially successful, this represented a coming of age for developer Next Level Games before it was then thrown a hospital pass with Metroid Prime: Federation Force. Really, Nintendo, that was mean.

We’d argue that the 3DS version is particularly appealing, though the HD option on Wii U is also solid; it was originally designed with the handheld in mind and the 3D and tight environments suit it nicely, especially with a Circle Pad Pro or New Nintendo 3DS c-stick handy. Of course both this and its successor are coming to the Switch soon, but Capcom didn’t have them ready in time for Halloween because, well, it’s Capcom.

A perfect alternative to gaming designed to scare players. It’s cute and fun as you virtually dress up and enjoy the occasion in your town, and this title has an undeniable charm that means we give it the nod once again. That said, we’re assuming the game still does the cool seasonal stuff; this writer’s scared to go back to his long abandoned town for fear of repercussions from the animals.

A fantastic recent arrival on the 3DS, it’s a reimagining of the Game Boy classic that very much goes its own way. It serves up varying environments and monsters, of course, along with the isolation and exploration that we’ve become accustomed to in most of our adventures with Samus. It’s deliciously atmospheric and well suited for a Halloween night.

A bit of a curveball for you. Those with Virtual Console purchases or a SNES / NES Mini may be considering retro Castlevania games, but we think this MercurySteam title deserves a bit of love and credit. Made by the same studio that brought us Metroid: Samus Returns it’s not hard to spot similarities in style and approach, plus it makes fantastic use of the 3D effect.

It arrived last year and likely fell off the radar, this is an updated version of a PSP remake of the original (if that makes sense), with an extra four chapters also added. It delivers its own narrative-driven spin of mature horror on the 3DS, with pixel-based visuals combining with fantastic audio design (wear a pair of headphones for this one) and some puzzles thrown in.

This is a franchise that has been well served on the 3DS, with spin-offs, main series entries and remasters. The most recent release in the West is Shin Megami Tensei IV: Apocalypse, and depending on your region a couple of the other releases are currently on eShop discounts. These games are largely stylish RPGs full of demons and drama – perfect for Halloween.

Kotaro Uchikoshi’s Zero Escape series has deservedly earned a cult following, even if wrapping up the trilogy was more difficult than was once expected. Twisted narratives and tricky puzzles are staples of the series, but it is recommended you start from the beginning. Therefore you should kick off with DS game 999: Nine Hours, Nine Persons, Nine Doors (playable with backwards compatibility on 3DS), then Virtue’s Last Reward and finally Zero Time Dilemma.

We keep bringing this one up every year because, frankly, it’s an easily forgotten gem on the 3DS eShop. Part of a series of download-only Level-5 games in the ‘Guild’ series, our reviewer memorably described it as ‘Pacific Rim meets The Goonies’. Sweet storytelling, charming visuals and a relaxing experience may give you the alternative Halloween you crave.

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So, those are ten games / series that we think should be on your radar for Halloween. Let us know of your favourite 3DS games for the spooky holiday in the comments below, and keep an eye out for our upcoming Switch list.

It’s been one of the more eagerly anticipated download releases on the Nintendo Switch and now has a final release date – Rocket League will arrive on 14th November in Europe / North America and, as expected, it’ll cost $19.99USD on the eShop (with regional equivalent prices).

On Switch it’ll have the notable bonus of the smash hit title being playable on the go, of course, and on top of that there’ll be free Nintendo-themed cars based around Mario, Luigi and Samus’ Gunship. Just a few days ago the game also featured on Nintendo Minute, with some looks at the way gameplay is shaping up on the diminutive system.

Switch players are promised the full experience, all told, with those additional add-ons of unique cars and some unlockable Customisation items.

Are you planning to rev up for the release on 14th November?

It’s been a good day, as anticipated, for Nintendo. It unveiled its Q2 financial results that confirmed what was widely believed – that the Switch has started well. With the new system joined by optimism around Nintendo Mobile and also the anticipated Pokémon bump for 3DS in the Holiday season, share value climbed. The raw numbers also tell a positive story, with Switch sales estimates getting substantial increases.

Still, you don’t need to be an industry analyst to know that Nintendo left some Switch sales on the floor due to stock issues in the early days. The situation is starting to ease, but in the first few months the system was very hard to find in various territories; speaking to the media following Nintendo’s financial reports company President Tatsumi Kimishima acknowledged this. The Wall Street Journal (paywall) reports that Kimishima-san apologised for that situation and admitted that the company had been over-cautious. He reiterated, however, that logistical issues were being overcome to get enough systems into stores.

Thanks to our component suppliers, who even opened up new production lines for the Switch, our ability to ship the console has improved drastically.

Looking ahead, Kimishima-san apparently spoke optimistically about the company’s business, including the goal of Mobile titles like Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp winning over more consumers that would then shift over to Switch. He stated that the company will aim to strengthen the console’s appeal further into 2018.

We will introduce more ways to have fun with the Switch next year, and we expect those will further strengthen demand for the Switch.

Some believe that the Switch, with the necessary manufacturing issues resolved, could truly take off in the next financial year. Hideki Yasuda, an analyst at Ace Research Institute, is quote by WSJ as saying he thinks “at least 25 million” Switch systems could be sold in the next financial year starting on 1st April 2018.

It’s certainly been a strong year so far for Nintendo; here’s hoping that positive momentum will continue.

Story of Seasons: Trio of Towns is a relatively recent arrival in PAL territories, but has been keeping 3DS players busy in North America since the Spring. Now XSEED games has outlined details on the first paid DLC to come to the title in the North American region, along with a free update and 3DS theme.

Due on 9th November at a price of $7.99USD, the ‘New Neighbors Pack’ will include new outfits and story content along with two additional romance candidates; the official blurb is below.

In addition to new friendship events, winter outfits, NPC dialogue, and story content, the upcoming STORY OF SEASONS: Trio of Towns “New Neighbors Pack” DLC introduces two new romance candidates: Stephanie the contest MC, and Woofio the contest judge in the dog suit. This includes new friendship and romance events for these characters.

There will be a free update with a few goodies, too, including “various gameplay improvements as well as four new outfits, which include Lest and Frey’s attire from Rune Factory 4“. A 3DS HOME Theme will also go on sale for $1.99USD.

We’ll likely have to wait a little while to see these extras in Europe, but if you’re in North America and have the game let us know if you’ll be tempted to pick up the New Neighbors Pack.

The ability to change Mario’s outfit in Super Mario Odyssey is one of the many reasons we love this video game to bits. We’re not saying we dislike the character’s iconic dungarees, you understand – they’re timeless, darling – but it’s nice to have the option to change things every once in a while.

If you couldn’t agree more but are finding it tricky to fill out your wardrobe then you might want to search around in the back of your cupboard to find those amiibo things that were all the rage 18 months ago. 

Some of them unlock costumes in the game – although before you reach for your pitchfork and flaming torch, it should be said that none of these are locked to amiibo. If you have the perseverance, you can acquire them without using any plastic figures whatsoever.

Without any further ado, here are the costumes you can unlock with your amiibo.

Dr. Mario (Smash Bros.)

Unlock: Doctor Headware and Doctor Outfit

Mario – Gold Edition (Super Mario)

Unlock: Gold Mario Cap and Gold Mario Outfit

30th Anniversary Mario – Classic Color and Modern Color (Mario series)

Unlock: Classic Cap and Classic Outfit

Diddy Kong (Super Smash Bros.)

Unlock: Diddy Kong Hat and Diddy Kong Suit

Luigi (Super Mario Series and Smash Bros.)

Unlock: Luigi Cap and Luigi Suit

Wario (Super Mario Series and Smash Bros.)

Unlock: Wario Cap and Wario Suit

Waluigi (Smash Bros.)

Unlock: Waluigi Cap and Waluigi Suit

Mario Wedding Outfit (Super Mario Odyssey)

Unlock: Mario’s Top Hat and Mario’s Tuxedo

Bowser Wedding Outfit (Super Mario Odyssey)

Unlock: Bowser’s Top Hat and Bowser’s Tuxedo

Peach Wedding Outfit (Super Mario Odyssey)

Unlock: Peach’s Veil and Peach’s Wedding Dress

It’s almost Halloween, a time of year where lots of candy is consumed and people dress up terribly in the hope of scaring / amusing others. ]

If you’re wisely choosing to stay indoors this year then you may wish to indulge in a spooky game, and our friends over at iRetrogamer have put together a video which highlights some of interactive entertainment’s spookiest abodes.

While the video is quite light in Nintendo titles, it does showcase the iconic Luigi’s Mansion – the perfect game to play at Halloween. Let us know if you have any happy memories of busting ghosts on your GameCube, or if you recall any of the other games mentioned in the clip.

If you’re one of the many people who purchased Super Mario Odyssey last week then chances are you’re already gripped by the desire to find as many Power Moons as possible. These collectable items are key to the game’s longevity, and are hidden away all over each of its varied worlds.

The trouble is, the map doesn’t actually tell you where they are. Sure, the locations of some will pop up at certain points but the vast majority don’t get marked on the map until you either ask a friendly Toad to point them out (for a 50 coin fee) or use an amiibo – the latter being a much better option, even if many players totally overlook it.

We’re loathe to call this a “hint” because Uncle amiibo – the robot who makes this process possible – is easy enough to find on each level. Chat with him and he’ll ask if you want to tap an amiibo character. Do this, and he’ll send that amiibo off into the level to find the location of a Power Moon. The catch is that it takes five minutes for the location to be confirmed, but on the upside you can tap up to three amiibo at any one time. Return to Uncle amiibo when the time has elapsed and he’ll update your map. You can then send three amiibo back out into the level to find more.

Using this method, it’s possible to unearth the locations of many Power Moons in a short space of time. Given that many Nintendo fans have an aversion to amiibo it’s quite possible that they will unfairly ignore this mechanic, but it’s another way Nintendo is making those NFC-enabled figures valuable. We honestly don’t know where we’d be without it in our quest to find all the Power Moons. It should also be noted that certain amiibo give you bonuses in game – so be sure to try all of yours out.