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New Video Game Releases: Feb. 6 – Feb. 12

Garrett Hartman — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 18:00:28 +0000

Finally, the type of Rock’em Sock’em release week that is fun to write about. While maybe not the Superbowl of release weeks, with so many big and varied releases, it could easily be mistaken for a busy November release week. Let’s take a look at a few of the notable releases of this week.

Kingdoms of Amalur Reckoning is a single-player action role-playing game put together by a dream team including executive designer Ken Rolston (lead designer of The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind and The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion), story writer R.A. Salvatore (celebrated fantasy writer), artist Todd McFarlane (creator of Spawn and famous comic book artist) and Big Huge Game owner Curt Shilling (Hall of Fame MLB pitcher and gaming enthusiast). With a team like this and great early reviews, you’d be fool not to pick it up for PC, PS3 and Xbox 360.

The Darkness II revisits the ongoing saga of possessed mobster Jackie Estacado from 2007′s hit The Darkness. Promising interesting new gameplay tweaks, such as the ability to quad wield and increased use of darklings, this is indeed a promising release to look for on PC, 360 and PS3.

For gamers looking for more Batman there is Gotham City Imposters. While not featuring the Gotham’s Caped Crusader, the game will be played from the perspective of two teams each trying to kill the other: one with people dressed like Batman and the other with people dressed like The Joker. Players will be able to customize their costumes, gadgets and other aspects of the game with 8 player action that takes place with an over-the-top visual style. Gotham City Imposters releases this week on XBLA, PSN and PC.

Shank 2 sees the return of avenging assassin Shank. Once again Shank is forced to go on the offensive as those closest to him come under atteck. Using an arsenal including dual handguns, chainsaws, machetes, plus all-new weapons and a brand new set of moves to protect those close to him, his enemies don’t stand a chance. Shank 2 releases this week on XBLA,PC and PSN.

Pick of the Week: I am a big fan of 2007′s The Darkness. At the time it had breathtaking graphics, an offbeat style and gameplay mechanics to make it both unique and satisfying. At the same time, it would be hard to overlook the pedigree of the team that put together Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning. It’s a close one, but Reckoning by a nose - Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning

Below is the full list of new releases.

PlayStation 3

Dance Magic
Fallout: New Vegas – Ultimate Edition
Gotham City Impostors (PSN)
Jak and Daxter Collection
Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning
Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning CE
Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm Generations
Shank 2 (PSN)
The Darkness II
The Darkness II LE
The House of the Dead III (PSN)
The Simpsons Arcade Game (PSN)

Xbox 360

Dance Magic
Fallout: New Vegas – Ultimate Edition
Forza Motorsport 4: February American Le Mans Series Pack (DLC)
Gotham City Impostors (XBLA)
Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning
Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning CE
Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm Generations
Shank 2 (XBLA)
The Darkness II
The Darkness II LE

Wii

NADA

Gotham City Impostors
Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning
Shank 2
The Darkness II
The Darkness II LE

3DS

Balloon Pop 2
Resident Evil: Revelations

Jewel Link Chronicles: Mountains of Madness

PSP

NADA

Free Arceus Is Now Available To Pokémon Black and White Players

Justin Berube — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 02:30:28 +0000

A free Arceus is now available to Pokémon Black and White players via the Pokémon Global Link. To obtain the Pokémon with the highest combined base stat total in the history of the series, log into the Pokémon Global Link and enter the Password: “ARCEUSVOTE”. From there, follow the instructions on how to get Arceus from the Dream World to Pokémon Black or White games.

This promotion will be available until May 1st, 2012.

Want to stay up to date on the latest Nintendo news, information, editorials, and more? Follow me on Twitter @KingNintendoFan or Like Me on Facebook. Be sure to let me know what you think about this Arceus giveaway!

Source

Rumor: Nintendo Condsidering Name Change for Wii U

Sam Naylor — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 19:45:23 +0000

Sources close to Nintendo are suggesting that the company is reconsidering the Wii U‘s name.

CVG reports that after public confusion about the difference between the DS and 3DS, Nintendo are in talks with a view to a Wii U name change. It’s no wonder, really- given that Nintendo had to resort to adverts that stated ‘It’s not a DS, it’s a 3DS.’

With the new console using the same grey-on-white colour scheme as the Wii, as well as the single leter difference between the names, it’s easy to see why this is happening. Hopefully this rumour is a true one, and we get a decent name that Nintendo will be able to sell.

Mewtwo is Back, Available for Black & White in February

Sam Naylor — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 19:00:56 +0000

That’s right, one of the most iconic and famous Pokémon ever designed will be making his way to Pokémon Black & White in February.

For a “limited time” starting on February 12th this year, Mewtwo will be available via the Nintendo WiFi download service. More details on his move set will be released closer to the release date.

Before you even start to imagine about thinking it, I want to debunk the idea that the first gen Pokémon were better. I want to, but I just can’t. Charizard and Mewtwo alone are cooler than most of the modern cast- though I’m not saying there aren’t some brilliant designs these days either.

New Video Game Releases: Jan. 16 – Jan. 22

Garrett Hartman — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 17:00:17 +0000

The desolate winter season of new releases continues with such a sparse release week that if I were to not include DLC, would only have a total of three measly releases.

The big release this week is ScaryGirl on XBLA. Based on Nathan Jurevicius’ Scarygirl graphic novel, Scarygirl presents a wondrous adventure into a distinctive and beautifully bizarre world. Main character Scarygirl is an abandoned child with a tentacle arm who dresses like a pirate. Joining with friends such as Blister the giant octopus and Bunniguru the mystical, kung-fu rabbit she sets out on an off-beat adventure.

The other full game releases include Jungle Speed for the Wii and What’s Your Type? for the DS. Jungle speed is a twitchy, fast-paced card game while What’s Your Type? is an interesting game that helps you predict you and your friends’ personalities, using a combination of proven scientific methodologies.

This week we get DLC for major games like Gears of War 3, Saints Row The Third and Gran Turismo 5. Gears of War 3 gets the Fenix Rising Map Pack. Gran Turismo 5 gets two new DLC packs with the Car Pack 3 and the Spped Test Pack. Saints Row fans can go Genki crazy with the Genki Bowl VIII or go cheap with the free CheapyD Pack.

Pick of the Week: An Easy Pick actually. ScaryGirl wins almost simply by default. It’s off-beat style and interesting story should captivate gamers more so than anything else this week – ScaryGirl

PlayStation 3

Gran Turismo 5 Car Pack 3 (DLC)
Gran Turismo 5 Speed Test Pack (DLC)
Saints Row: The Third – Genki Bowl VII (DLC)
Saints Row: The Third – CheapyD Pack (DLC)

Xbox 360

Gears of War 3: Fenix Rising Map Pack (DLC)
Saints Row: The Third – Genki Bowl VII (DLC)
ScaryGirl (XBLA)

Wii

Jungle Speed

Saints Row: The Third – Genki Bowl VII (DLC)
Saints Row: The Third – CheapyD Pack (DLC)

3DS

NADA

What’s Your Type?

PSP

NADA

New Video Game Releases: Jan. 9 – Jan.15

Garrett Hartman — Sun, 08 Jan 2012 20:55:09 +0000

Now that we’re past the holiday season, we can start to look for an increase in both the quantity and quality of new releases. While the end of January no doubt holds promise, we are unfortunately saddled with a mediocre release week.

Arguably the biggest mutliplat release this week is Choplifter HD. An update of the successful 80′s Sega arcade and Master System hit. Choplifter HD distinguishes itself from other games in the genre as the focus is more directed at rescuing. Choplifter HD will be available on XBL, PSN, and PC.

Another title to look for is Amy, an innovative survival horror title from the original creator of the 90′s classic Flashback. Amy takes place in an apocalyptic future populated by zombies, demons and other unsavory types. The cooperative gameplay featured in Amy is a deep and unique system that requires players to strategize in order to protect Amy and keep both characters alive. Amy releases this week on both PSN and XBL.

Pick of the Week: The original Choplifter serves as one of those 80′s arcade classics that is still playable today and this HD modern update looks to be both entertaining and addicting. Meanwhile, Amy has more than a few features that make it unique and a pedigree you can’t deny – Amy

Check out the full list of this week’s releases below:

PlayStation 3

Amy (PSN)
Choplifter HD (PSN)
Deadliest Warrior: Ancient Combat
National Geographic Challenge!

Xbox 360

Amy (XBLA)
Choplifter HD (XBLA)
Deadliest Warrior: Ancient Combat

Wii

Carmen Sandiego Adventures in Math: The Case of the Crumbling Cathedral (WiiWare)

Choplifter HD

3DS

Crush 3D
My Pet Puppy 3D

What’s Your Type?

PSP

NADA

You Lot Have Bought Over 4 Million Nintendo 3DS Units

Sam Naylor — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 17:15:58 +0000

Sales of the Nintendo 3DS have passed the 4 million mark in North America, no doubt thanks to the Christmas period.

Similarly the system’s Super Mario 3D Land and Mario Kart 7 have both shot to the million sales mark, the fastest selling titles in the franchises so far.

Scott Moffitt, Nintendo of America’s executive VP of sales and marketing, ‘said’:

“One of the strongest software lineups in our history helped Nintendo have a great holiday season and to close 2011 with a full head of steam.”

Nintendo sold over 12 million hardware units in 2011 (in the US): 4 million 3DSs, 4.5 million Wiis, and 3.4 million DSs. It’s an impressive figure and shows that there’s life in the old girl yet, no matter how much they ignore Call of Duty.

Via Shacknews

New Pokémon DS Title Announced: Pokémon + Nobunaga’s Ambition

Justin Berube — Sat, 17 Dec 2011 02:37:18 +0000

A new Pokémon title has been announced at the Jump Festa trade show in Japan. Pokémon + Nobunaga’s Ambition (a crossover game) is a classic DS title and is a collaboration between The Pokémon Company (behind Pokémon) and Koei (the makers of Nobunaga’s Ambition).

Most people are likely familiar with Pokémon, but not Nobunaga’s Ambition. Nobunaga’s Ambition is a turn based strategy RPG and has been around since the days of the NES and takes place during Feudal Japan.

There isn’t much other information out there, such as how this game will work, but this is certainly different. No word yet on a release outside of Japan.

Source

Free Mamoswine Available To Pokémon Black and White Players

Justin Berube — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 04:00:12 +0000

A free Mamoswine is now available to Pokémon Black and White players. This Mamoswine comes at Level 34 and has the Ability Thick Fat! To obtain this beast be sure to log into the Pokémon Global Link website. Then enter the code “POKEMONDOTCOM” in the Promotions area. At that point further instructions will be given on how to obtain this Mamoswine!

Nintendo Announces North American Q1 2012 Lineup

Justin Berube — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 15:46:24 +0000

Nintendo’s Q1 2012 North American game lineup has finally been announced! Check out the Big N’s First Party lineup across all their platforms below!

3DS
Circle Pad Pro (February 7th, 2012) (GameStop Exclusive)
Kid Icarus: Uprising (March 23, 2012)

3DS eShop
Sakura Samurai: Art of the Sword (Q1)
Dillon’s Rolling Western (Q1)
Kirby’s Block Ball (Q1)

Wii
Rhythm Heaven Fever (February 13, 2012)
PokéPark 2: Wonders Beyond – (February 27, 2012)
Mario Party 9 – (March 11, 2012)

For even MORE Q1 2012 release dates from Third Party publishers across all of Nintendo’s platforms, be sure to read the official Press Release below.

NINTENDO UNVEILS DEEP AND DIVERSE SOFTWARE LINEUP FOR EARLY 2012

New Kid Icarus, Pokémon, Rhythm Heaven and Mario Party Games Are on the Way

REDMOND, Wash., Dec. 13, 2011 – As some people hunker down for a long winter’s nap, Nintendo is getting things fired up. The first quarter of 2012 offers great new installments in popular franchises for both the Nintendo 3DS™ system and the Wii™ console. Nintendo has something for everyone, from family fun to three-dimensional adventure.

On the Nintendo 3DS system, Capcom’s Resident Evil® Revelations launches on Feb. 7. In a new chapter of the hit survival-horror franchise, players fight a new enemy and virus in 3D without the need for special glasses. METAL GEAR SOLID® 3D Snake Eater from Konami arrives in the first quarter of 2012. The game is a re-interpretation of METAL GEAR SOLID 3: Snake Eater, and offers a rich jungle world with customizable stealth and camouflage options. On March 23, the epic odyssey Kid Icarus™: Uprising soars into stores and lets players help the winged warrior Pit fight Medusa and her Underworld Army.

The Nintendo eShop for Nintendo 3DS will also be busy with a variety of downloadable offerings. Dillon’s Rolling Western™ brings tower-defense strategy and touch-screen driven action to the Old West. Armadillo ranger Dillon defends pioneer villages against waves of attacking rock monsters using gun towers, defensive structures and his own exciting attack abilities. In Sakura Samurai: Art of the Sword™, players travel to ancient Japan and guide a young warrior as he battles waves of enemy soldiers. Players must identify the enemy’s attack, dodge and counter-attack with the mystical Sakura Sword to win the battle. The critically acclaimed VVVVVV and NightSky from Nicalis, mind-bending action of Mighty Switch Force from WayForward and immersive 3D visuals of Mutant Mudds™ from Renegade Kid™ round out a diverse selection of downloadable games.

Nintendo is also introducing an optional accessory that gives Nintendo 3DS owners a second analog stick to control compatible games. The Circle Pad Pro will launch in the United States on Feb. 7. It will be sold through GameStop stores and online at http://www.gamestop.com at a suggested retail price of $19.99. The Circle Pad Pro is a comfortable cradle that holds the Nintendo 3DS system while adding an analog Circle Pad on the system’s right side. The attachment also adds additional shoulder buttons to give it a feel more akin to traditional console controllers. It is designed as an optional accessory and is compatible with Resident Evil Revelations and METAL GEAR SOLID 3D Snake Eater.

On the Wii console, Rhythm Heaven™ Fever arrives on Feb. 13 at a suggested retail price of $29.99 in the United States. The game asks players to test their rhythm in more than 50 easy-to-learn, tough-to-master minigames to prove they’ve got the groove. Two weeks later on Feb. 27, PokéPark™ 2: Wonders Beyond lets players take on the role of Pikachu™ and his Pals — Oshawott™, Snivy™ and Tepig™ — as they try to make it through PokéPark and discover the secrets of a mysterious new world. On March 11, Mario™ and friends reunite for a new party game adventure in Mario Party™ 9, which introduces new game-play elements to the series such as boss battles and vehicular travel across a wide assortment of stages.

Below is a partial list of upcoming games for Nintendo systems. Note that game titles and launch dates are subject to change.

Nintendo 3DS

2K Play
Nicktoons MLB 3D – March

Capcom
Resident Evil® Revelations – Feb. 7

Konami Digital Entertainment, Inc.
METAL GEAR SOLID® 3D Snake Eater – Q1
Pro Evolution Soccer 2012 – January

NAMCO BANDAI Games America Inc.
TEKKEN 3D Prime Edition™ – February
Tales of the Abyss® – Feb. 14

Nintendo
Kid Icarus: Uprising – March 23

Published by SEGA® of America
Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games™ – Feb. 14

SEGA® of America
CRUSH™3D – Q1

Ubisoft
NCIS The Video Game (Based on the TV Series) – March 6
Horses 3D – March 6
Funky Barn – Q1
Rayman® Origins – Q1

Nintendo eShop

Collecting Smiles
Colors! 3D – Q1

Nicalis
VVVVVV – Q1
NightSky – Q1

Nintendo
Sakura Samurai: Art of the Sword – Q1
Dillon’s Rolling Western – Q1
Kirby’s Block Ball™ – Q1

Renegade Kid
Mutant Mudds – Q1

Shin’en Multimedia
Fun! Fun! Minigolf TOUCH – Q1
Jett Rocket Super Surf – Q1

WayForward
Mighty Switch Force – Q1

Zen Studios
Zen Pinball – Q1

Wii

2K Sports
MLB 2K12 – March 6

GameMill Entertainment
Country Dance™ Special Edition – Feb. 1

Konami Digital Entertainment, Inc.
Karaoke Joysound – Q1

Nintendo
Rhythm Heaven Fever – Feb. 13
PokéPark 2: Wonders Beyond – Feb. 27
Mario Party 9 – March 11

WiiWare™

Nicalis
La Mulana – Q1

Nintendo DS™ Family

2K Sports
MLB 2K12 – March 6

ATLUS
Shin Megami Tensei®: Devil Survivor™ 2 – February

GameMill Entertainment
Silverlicious™ – March 20
Xia Xia™ – March 20
Gogo’s Crazy Bones™ – March 20

Mentor Interactive
Chess for Kids – Feb. 14
NARABA: The Labyrinth of Light – Feb. 21
NARABA: The Mysterious Palace – Feb. 21

Nintendo DSiWare™

Cosmigo
Box Pusher – Q1

Cypronia
Cake Ninja – Q1

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

About Nintendo: The worldwide pioneer in the creation of interactive entertainment, Nintendo Co., Ltd., of Kyoto, Japan, manufactures and markets hardware and software for its Wii™ home console, Nintendo 3DS™ and Nintendo DS™ family of portable systems. Since 1983, when it launched the Nintendo Entertainment System™, Nintendo has sold more than 3.8 billion video games and more than 610 million hardware units globally, including the current-generation Wii, Nintendo 3DS, Nintendo DS, Nintendo DSi™ and Nintendo DSi XL™, as well as the Game Boy™, Game Boy Advance, Super NES™, Nintendo 64™ and Nintendo GameCube™ systems. It has also created industry icons that have become well-known, household names such as Mario™, Donkey Kong™, Metroid™, Zelda™ and Pokémon™. A wholly owned subsidiary, Nintendo of America Inc., based in Redmond, Wash., serves as headquarters for Nintendo’s operations in the Western Hemisphere. For more information about Nintendo, please visit the company’s website at http://www.nintendo.com.

New Video Game Releases: Dec. 12 – Dec. 18

Garrett Hartman — Sun, 11 Dec 2011 21:41:51 +0000

Welcome to another sleepy week of December releases. One that, unless you like Gears 3 or interested in playing a real life guitar, there is little to see here.

The biggest (and only) multiplatform release this week is Rocksmith which becomes available for PC gamers. Meanwhile, Rocksmith (The Complete Real Guitar Kit) releases for the PS3 and Xbox 360.

Gears of War fans get a nice little early present as the Gears of War 3: Raam’s Shadow DLC becomes available for the Xbox 360 this week. Included in this DLC is six new multiplayer characters, a new weapon set named “Chocolate”, new achievements, and over 3 hours of singleplayer gameplay. The story takes place before the first Gears of War, with gamers playing as the infamous Locust General Raam.

Pick of the Week: If I wanted to learn how to play the guitar, (or had the time and patience to learn) I’d probably be interested in the Rocksmith Real Guitar Kit. As it is I’m a big fan of Gears of War and I can’t wait to get my hands on the Gears of War 3: Raam’s Shadow DLC.

Check out the full list of this week’s releases below:

Xbox 360

Gears of War 3: Raam’s Shadow DLC
Joe Danger: Special Edition (XBLA)
Marvel Pinball: Vengeance and Virtue
Rocksmith (The Complete Real Guitar Kit)

PlayStation 3

Rocksmith (The Complete Real Guitar Kit)

Wii

NADA

Aqua Mania
Rocksmith
X3: Albion Prelude

3DS

Doctor Lautrec and the Forgotten Knights

I ♥ Geeks!
Kids Learn Spelling and Grammar: A+ Edition

PSP

NADA

New Video Game Releases: Dec. 5 – Dec. 11

Garrett Hartman — Sun, 04 Dec 2011 20:51:12 +0000

Another pre-Christmas December week means another quiet and sparse week of releases. If not for the release featuring a true video game icon, this week would be considered a complete wash. Let’s look at the highlights, or lack thereof, for this week.

Yep you’ve guessed it, the most high profile release this week is the anticipated Mario Kart 7 for the 3DS. Although it releases today (not technically in my covered release week), I left it off last week and it is definitely worth a mention.

If you are into the whole dance game phenomena then you have certainly heard of the Just Dance series. Just Dance 3 continues where it’s predecessors left off with new songs and this time allowing a quartet of dancers. While it released in November for the Wii and Xbox 360, this week at long last includes the release for the PS3.

Released to critical acclaim for the SNES in 1994, Final Fantasy VI was a landmark title for the role-playing genre and is now considered to be one of the greatest video games of all time. In 1999, Sony’s PlayStation was the lucky recipient of a slightly modified port. Now, via PSN, Final Fantasy VI is available for both the PS3 and PSP.

Pick of the Week: There are quite a few things to consider this week. For one thing, my girlfriend is a big fan of the Just Dance series and consequently, I am definitely a fan of the results. Let’s face it, pretty much anything that helps girls to tone up deserves praise, but you will never find me playing it.

Final Fantasy VI is a great game and deserves the praise heaped upon it through the years. Unfortunately, it may seem a little dated to many gamers.

Although I don’t have a 3DS and will probably never purchase another portable system, I can’t deny that I put in more hours of play into Mario Kart Wii than I did in any other game for Nintendo’s motion control system - Mario Kart 7.

Check out the full list of this week’s releases below:

PlayStation 3

4-in-1 Action Pack
Final Fantasy VI (PSN)
Just Dance 3
The Adventures of Tintin: The Game

Xbox 360

Defense Grid: Your Monster
The Adventures of Tintin: The Game

Wii

Drawsome Tablet
Fortune Street
Oregon Trail
The Adventures of Tintin: The Game

Defense Grid: Your Monster
Field of Glory: Decline and Fall
The Adventures of Tintin: The Game

3DS

F1 2011
Mario Kart 7
Nano Assault
Oregon Trail
Outdoor Unleashed Africa 3D
Outdoor Unleashed Alaska 3D
The Adventures of Tintin: The Game

7 Wonders: Treasures of Seven
Face Racers: Photo Finish

PSP

Final Fantasy VI (PSN)

New Video Game Releases Nov. 28 – Dec. 5th

Garrett Hartman — Sun, 27 Nov 2011 19:53:56 +0000

With many gamers just getting over the Thanksgiving glut and surviving the rush of Black Friday, we find ourselves in the sleepy pre-christmas release doldrums. Which is not to say there no releases nor that they are not worth a look, but pickings sure are slim.

The release of PS2 classics Sly Cooper and the Thevius Raccoonus, Sly 2: Band of Thieves and Sly3 : Honor Among Thieves should excite gamers on this sleepy release week. The Sly Cooper series is renown for solid platforming and gameplay which inspired inFAMOUS. You’ll find Sly available for download on the PSN.

Back in the 1980′s there was a force for good who looked over the Universe and fought for good. Five space explorers pilot five colossal robotic lions which, when needed, combined into the the unbeatable robotic warrior Voltron. Relive the classic anime (not the craptastic remake) in Voltron: Defender of the Universe on the PS3 and Xbox 360.

Pick of the Week: Quite an easy one for me. I’ve played the Sly Cooper series before. Plus, I was a child in the 80′s and thus understand the awesomeness of Voltron - Voltron: Defender of the Universe pawns imitator Power rangers all day every day.

Check out the full list of new releases below:

PlayStation 3

National Geographic Challenge!
Puddle (PSN)
Sly Cooper and the Thievius Raccoonus (PSN)
Sly 2: Band of Thieves (PSN)
Sly 3: Honor Among Thieves (PSN)
Voltron: Defender of the Universe (PSN)

Xbox 360

National Geographic Challenge!
Puddle (XBLA)
Voltron: Defender of the Universe (XBLA)

Wii

JAWS: Ultimate Predator
National Geographic Challenge!

NADA

3DS

Face Racers: Photo Finish
Jaws: Ultimate Predator
Nano Assault

DaGeDar
Fit It
Jungle School

PSP

NADA

RipTen Review: Professor Layton and the Last Specter (DS)

Justin Berube — Sun, 06 Nov 2011 19:00:40 +0000

When the first Professor Layton game came out for the DS back in 2008, I didn’t think much of it. I bought the game but didn’t really play it at first. I thought maybe this might have been an example of Nintendo just publishing a mediocre third party title overseas. However, after playing Professor Layton and the Curious Village I quickly found out how wrong I was and the first game left me hungry for more.

Professor Layton and the Last Specter is the fourth game in the highly successful Professor Layton franchise but it also marks a new beginning, as it’s the start of a new prequel trilogy. In short, Professor Layton and the Last Specter is the Star Wars Episode I of the Layton games and tells the tale of Hershel Layton becoming further acquainted with Luke Triton.

I won’t ruin the story here, but it starts off with Professor Layton receiving a mysterious letter from his friend, Clark Triton, asking for his assistance in a nearby town. It’s not long before Hershel Layton finds out that the town is being attacked by a mysterious specter at night and he decides to get the bottom of it.

If you have never played a Professor Layton title before, the premise is simple. The game has an overarching story with multiple mysteries. Using only the touch screen, players will walk around town interacting with many characters and the environment looking for more information in order to get to the bottom of the plot. Just about every character in the game will want the player to solve a puzzle of some sort, though solving them all isn’t required to beat the game.

Puzzles in the game include brainteasers, math problems, tests of logic, and more things that require critical thinking. The puzzles in all of the Layton games, including the Last Specter, are the main gameplay element and they end up actually being a ton of fun. Some of the puzzles are more interactive than others (slide puzzles, and marble mazes for example) and others just require the player to think hard and make a choice.

Many of the puzzles will likely stump players but Professor Layton and the Last Specter has that covered! Hidden in the environment throughout the game are Hint Coins. If a puzzle proves to be extremely difficult a Hint Coins can be used to unlock up to four hints for each puzzle. These hints will generally lead the player in the right direction at first, but then get more descriptive if more than one hint is needed. This makes harder puzzles a little less frustrating and will help string players along. Hint coins can’t be abused though since there are only a limited amount of them found throughout the game.

The game also has a scoring system known as Picarats. If a player gets a puzzle correct on their first try they will earn the max amount of Picarats. If it happens in two tries they will get a lesser amount of Picarats, and if on the third or later try the lowest amount of Picarats is rewarded. The sum of total Picarats earns you unlocks bonuses for use outside of the main game.

The story in Professor Layton in the Last Specter also, at key moments, has voice acting as well as full-animated cutscenes. Outside of that the plot is mostly text, but don’t let that fool you as there are plenty of cutscenes and they look and sound great.

This Layton title also has three minigames (with multiple stages) that slowly unlock as you help specific people in the town with their puzzles. These include a Toy Train, Fish, and the Puppet Theater.

In the Toy Train mini game the player must lay the track in order for a train (or trains) to make it to every station and then reach the goal. The Fish requires the player to bounce a fish around a tank in order to collect coins. The fish’s trajectory can be changed via pre-placement of a limited number of bubbles. And finally the Puppet Theater requires the player to pick a correct phrase for multiple characters to say during a puppet show. Picking the wrong phrase won’t work and there are many phrases that are slowly given to the player throughout the course of the main Layton adventure!

Nintendo Bringing Game Demos To North American Malls For The Holidays

Justin Berube — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 14:27:35 +0000

Nintendo is planning to showcase their holiday lineup across all their platforms in North American Malls starting this month! For information on where you can sample the hottest Nintendo games, including select locations that will demo The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword early, be sure to read the official Press Release below!

NINTENDO MALL PROGRAM PUTS SOME ZIP IN FAMILY SHOPPING TRIPS

Nintendo and Cast of Characters to Showcase Great Video Games for the Holidays

REDMOND, Wash., Nov. 3, 2011 – Whether your feet are aching from a long day of shopping or you just need some advice about what to buy that video gamer on your holiday list, Nintendo has you covered. Nintendo is visiting malls nationwide to give families hands-on time with great Nintendo games during the busy holiday shopping season, plus a chance to meet some of Nintendo’s favorite characters. Like cookies, presents and visits with relatives, the Nintendo mall program has become something of an annual tradition since 2006. Nintendo estimates that last year more than 850,000 people got some hands-on time with Nintendo games.

Nintendo will be at two dozen malls from Nov. 21 to Dec. 18, prime time for holiday video game sampling. Shoppers will be able to spend time checking out all the coolest games for the Nintendo 3DS™, Wii™ and the Nintendo DS™ family of systems. In advance of the mall program, 10 select malls will also get a special preview of the upcoming epic game for the Wii console, The Legend of Zelda™: Skyward Sword, which will make a 10-day appearance from Nov. 11 to Nov. 20.

“Nintendo has something for everyone on your holiday gift list,” said Scott Moffitt, Nintendo of America’s executive vice president of Sales & Marketing. “Shoppers can stop by to test-drive games, meet Nintendo characters or just to take a break from their gift hunting and have some fun.”

On weekends visitors also may have a chance to interact with various Nintendo characters like Mario™, Luigi™, Donkey Kong™, Kirby™ and Pikachu™.

Nintendo 3DS games available to play at the mall program include Super Mario 3D Land™, Mario Kart™ 7, The Legend of Zelda™: Ocarina of Time™ 3D, Pokémon™ Rumble Blast, Star Fox 64™ 3D, Tetris® Axis, nintendogs™ + cats, Skylanders Spyro’s Adventure™ from Activision Publishing Inc. (also available for Wii) and Super Street Fighter® IV 3D Edition from CAPCOM.

Wii games available to play at the mall program include The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword, Kirby’s Return to Dream Land™, Mario Kart™ Wii, New Super Mario Bros.™ Wii, Super Smash Bros.™ Brawl, Donkey Kong Country™ Returns, Wii Play™: Motion, Wii Sports Resort™, Just Dance® 3 from Ubisoft and Zumba® Fitness 2 from Majesco Entertainment.

Games for the Nintendo DS family of systems available to play at the mall program include Kirby™ Mass Attack, Fossil Fighters: Champions™, Professor Layton and the Last Specter™ and Bejeweled™ 3 from PopCap.

The complete list of malls on the Nov. 21-Dec. 18 program is as follows. Malls marked with an asterisk will also participate in The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword preview program Nov. 11-20. The complete list can also be found at http://www.nintendo.com/whatsnew.

Annapolis in Annapolis, Md.
Barton Creek Square in Austin, Texas
Castleton Square in Indianapolis
*Chandler Fashion Center in Chandler, Ariz.
Danbury Fair in Danbury, Conn.
*Dolphin Mall in Miami
*Eden Prairie Center in Eden Prairie, Minn.
Fox Valley in Aurora, Ill.
Garden State Plaza in Paramus, N.J.
Houston Galleria in Houston
King of Prussia in King of Prussia, Pa.
Natick Mall in Natick, Mass.
Perimeter Mall in Atlanta
*San Francisco Centre in San Francisco
*Southcenter in Seattle
*SouthPark in Strongsville, Ohio
*The Parks at Arlington in Arlington, Texas
*Topanga in Canoga Park, Calif.
*Twelve Oaks in Novi, Mich.
Tyrone Square Mall in St. Petersburg, Fla.
Valley Fair in Santa Clara, Calif.
Washington Square in Portland, Ore.
Wolfchase Galleria in Memphis, Tenn.
*Woodbridge Center in Woodbridge, N.J.

Remember that Wii and Nintendo 3DS feature parental controls that let adults manage the content their children can access. For more information about this and other features, visit http://wii.com or http://www.nintendo.com/3ds.

A New Pokémon Musical is Available at The Global Link

Justin Berube — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 22:56:09 +0000

A new Pokémon Global Link Password has been revealed. To unlock a new Musical in Pokémon Black or White Version just enter this code into the Promotions area on the Pokémon Global Link Site: NPMUSICAL

Source

Nintendo Announces New York Comic Con Lineup

Justin Berube — Thu, 06 Oct 2011 02:24:45 +0000

Nintendo’s New York Comic Con lineup has been announced! The following titles will be playable at Nintendo’s booth at this years event located in the Javits Center in Manhattan from October 13 to the 16th:

Nintendo 3DS
• Super Mario 3D Land
• Mario Kart 7
• The Legend of Zelda™: Ocarina of Time™ 3D
• Star Fox 64™ 3D
• Tetris®: Axis
• Pokémon Rumble Blast
• Shinobi™ by SEGA®
• Sonic Generations™ by SEGA

Wii
• The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword
• Fortune Street™
• Kirby’s Return to Dream Land™
• Skylanders Spyro’s Adventure™ by Activision Publishing Inc.

Nintendo DS
• Dragon Quest Monsters: Joker™ 2
• Professor Layton and the Last Specter

Nintendo will also have other events planned. Not part of Comic Con, but happening nearby at Stage37 at 508 West 37th Street on October 15th from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., will be the Pokémon Gaming Lounge where Pokémon fans will be able to play Pokémon Rumble Blast for the Nintendo 3DS. Other activities will also be located at the Pokémon Gaming Lounge including a Pokémon Photo Booth, giant Pokémon AR Markers (for the Pokédex 3D), Pokémon giveaways, and more. Additionally Pikachu is said to be making an appearance! (I don’t think you’re allowed to catch him though.)

Nintendo is also set to have a special screening of The Professor Layton and the Eternal Diva, a movie based on the Professor Layton series which will be out soon in North America. Fans attending New York Comic Con can catch this at room 1B01 of the Javits Center on October 14th at 8:00 p.m.! Trust me, this is probably the best video game movie that I have ever seen so you don’t want to miss out if you’re a Layton fan!

For more information on any of these events be sure to check out the official Press Release below!

NINTENDO TO SHOWCASE STRONG HOLIDAY GAME LINEUP AT NEW YORK COMIC CON

Special Events for Pokémon Rumble Blast and Professor Layton and the Last Specter Highlight Consumer Experience

REDMOND, Wash., Oct. 5, 2011 – When gaming and pop culture fans gather for the annual New York Comic Con – taking place Oct. 13-16 at the Javits Center in Manhattan – they’ll get a firsthand look at the wealth of exceptional video games and systems offered by Nintendo this holiday season. Show attendees will get a chance to play games such as The Legend of Zelda™: Skyward Sword for the Wii™ console as well as Super Mario™ 3D Land and Mario Kart 7™ for the Nintendo 3DS™ system. They’ll also be invited to take part in special activities to celebrate the upcoming release of the first Pokémon™ game created exclusively for the Nintendo 3DS system, Pokémon™ Rumble Blast, which arrives Oct. 24, and Professor Layton and the Last Specter™, which launches Oct. 17 for the Nintendo DS™ family of systems.

Pokémon fans can participate in an expanded interactive experience at the nearby Pokémon Gaming Lounge on Oct. 15 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., located at Stage37 at 508 West 37th Street (one block from the Javits Center). Pokémon Gaming Lounge visitors will enjoy hands-on game play with the Pokémon Rumble Blast game prior to its Oct. 24 launch and participate in a wide array of activities highlighting the imaginative fun of the Pokémon franchise. Pokémon Rumble Blast is an action-packed Pokémon adventure and the first Pokémon game for Nintendo 3DS. The game lets players battle against more than 600 Toy Pokémon in full 3D without the need for special glasses. Planned activities include a Pokémon photo booth, oversized Pokémon AR Markers for the Pokédex™ 3D application, special appearances by Pikachu, Pokémon giveaways while supplies last and other fun Pokémon activities. The Pokémon Gaming Lounge will be free and open to the public.

On Oct. 14, Nintendo will host an exclusive screening of Professor Layton and the Eternal Diva, an animated feature film based on the fan-favorite series of puzzle-based mystery games and distributed by VIZ Media. Beginning at 8 p.m. in Room 1B01 of the Javits Center, the event will include appearances by costumed characters, trivia contests and a chance for fans to play the Professor Layton and the Last Specter game, the fourth installment in the Professor Layton puzzle adventure series. This game is the earliest story in the series and tells the tale of the case that made Layton famous. Nintendo will also give special recognition to the winner of the Professor Layton and the Last Specter Quiz Challenge, a contest that was recently conducted via Twitter. The screening event will be open exclusively to registered New York Comic Con attendees with a valid conference pass.

Games that are scheduled to be playable at Nintendo’s New York Comic Con booth (#1538) include:

Nintendo 3DS
• Super Mario 3D Land
• Mario Kart 7
• The Legend of Zelda™: Ocarina of Time™ 3D
• Star Fox 64™ 3D
• Tetris®: Axis
• Pokémon Rumble Blast
• Shinobi™ by SEGA®
• Sonic Generations™ by SEGA

Wii
• The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword
• Fortune Street™
• Kirby’s Return to Dream Land™
• Skylanders Spyro’s Adventure™ by Activision Publishing Inc.

Nintendo DS
• Dragon Quest Monsters: Joker™ 2
• Professor Layton and the Last Specter

For more information about Nintendo, visit http://www.nintendo.com.

About Nintendo: The worldwide pioneer in the creation of interactive entertainment, Nintendo Co., Ltd., of Kyoto, Japan, manufactures and markets hardware and software for its Wii™ home console, Nintendo 3DS™ and Nintendo DS™ family of portable systems. Since 1983, when it launched the Nintendo Entertainment System™, Nintendo has sold more than 3.7 billion video games and more than 600 million hardware units globally, including the current-generation Wii, Nintendo 3DS, Nintendo DS, Nintendo DSi™ and Nintendo DSi XL™, as well as the Game Boy™, Game Boy Advance, Super NES™, Nintendo 64™ and Nintendo GameCube™ systems. It has also created industry icons that have become well-known, household names such as Mario™, Donkey Kong™, Metroid™, Zelda™ and Pokémon™. A wholly owned subsidiary, Nintendo of America Inc., based in Redmond, Wash., serves as headquarters for Nintendo’s operations in the Western Hemisphere. For more information about Nintendo, please visit the company’s website at http://www.nintendo.com.

RipTen Review: Kirby Mass Attack (DS)

Justin Berube — Sun, 02 Oct 2011 16:00:25 +0000

Kirby is back again in one of the last major titles for the Nintendo DS. Kirby Mass Attack is a 2D side-scrolling platformer that controls exclusively by using the DS touch screen. While this may sound limiting to those that didn’t play Kirby’s last vastly different touch-screen-only DS game, Canvas Curse, I can assure you that it works wonderfully.

The story in Kirby Mass Attack is very basic. Kirby was napping when the evil Necrodeus cast a spell on him. This split Kirby into 10 weaker Kirbys. Necrodeus then defeated all the Kirbys except for one that managed to escape. The lone Kirby then notices that his Heroic Heart is floating above him and they decide to defeat Necrodeus to save Dream Land and to find a way to restore Kirby back to normal.

The main draw here is that the player can now control up to ten Kirbys at once during gameplay, all through the use of the touch screen. More Kirbys are earned by eating fruit scattered throughout the levels. Once the player has eaten enough fruit, Kirby then gains an ally in the form of another one of himself, up to 10.

The controls are simple but work wonderfully. Tapping and holding anywhere on the touch screen will allow Kirby, or Kirbys, to walk in that direction. Double tapping and holding will cause Kirby to run. Kirby can jump and smash things as well by simply flicking him in the desired direction. See an enemy? Tap it or flick Kirbys at it to get them to attack. The more Kirbys the player has, the more damage they will do.

Kirby doesn’t have his copy ability or flying ability in this title due to being weakened by Necrodeus, but the Kirby mass can still kind of float. The player can tap and hold around the Kirby mass and they will all gather up. It’s then possible to draw a line and the entire mass will float, slowly, over the drawn line. The controls may take some getting used to, but once everything is figured out, it feels wonderful.

During gameplay if a Kirby takes damage, he will turn blue. If he is hurt again, or just hurt big time to begin with, he will turn into an angel. That angel will continue to float up off the screen but can be saved if another Kirby latches on and pulls it back. Kirby Mass Attack features an overworld that allows the player to select from different stages. As the player progresses, more stages then become available. It’s quite similar to Super Mario Bros. 3.

All of the non-boss stages in Kirby Mass Attack also have medals hidden within them. Collecting these optional medals will unlock various goodies, including a music player, fun mini-games (more on those later), and more. Trying to get medals adds replay value to the game since many stages have branching paths, and the medals encourage players to go back and see more of the title.

Also adding to replay value is the checklist. The checklist is kind of like Kirby Mass Attack’s private achievement system. Completing various tasks in game will automatically check off a new item on the checklist. Some tasks are stage specific while others will require you to kill certain enemies amongst many other things. Some of the checklist items may be too difficult for some, which is welcome in my opinion for a Kirby title. Fortunately, they aren’t required to enjoy the full amount of what the game has to offer.

One final thing adding to the replay value of the main game are Stars. After completion of each stage, it’s possible to earn no stars (if a Kirby was lost), a bronze star (no lost Kirbys), a silver star (no Kirbys turned into angels), or a gold star (no damage taken). And yes, one of the things on the checklist is to beat every stage with all gold stars. I found it fun trying to master each level to finish off that item on the checklist.

The level design in Kirby Mass Attack is great. As mentioned earlier, many stages have branching paths, and the Medals encourage the player to go check out all the paths in order to collect them. Additionally, many stages feature special gameplay elements that are unique to, or just featured in, a small number of levels.

Outside of the main game are the unlockable mini-games. Many of these games are basic but great for a portable device. The simple ones include a whack-a-mole-style game, a memory-style game, a strange racing game, and a semi-RPG game. All of the mini-games are pumped full of Kirby characters and cameos, and each game keeps track of high scores.

There are, however, two mini-games that clearly stand above the rest. Kirby Brawlball, a pinball game, and Strato Patrol EOS, a top-down shooter. Kirby Brawlball is a fun little pinball title that can be can be controlled using the L or R buttons instead of the touch screen. It has four unique bosses and is just plain fun. Strato Patrol EOS is also very fun and features several stages. More Kirbys can also be earned in Strato Patrol EOS, causing a ton of firepower to be seen on screen.

Overall, Kirby Mass Attack is a must-have game for DS and 3DS owners. It may be one of the last DS titles, but it is a darn good game that really encourages players to go back and complete it. It took me a little under 24 hours to accomplish everything (though I’m not sure if my time in the mini-games was added to that), and I enjoyed every minute of it. Don’t think for a second that since the 3DS is out that original DS games can’t compete, because Kirby Mass Attack is still one of the best new games you can play on either system.

Here’s The Rundown:

+ Great level design
+ Fun mini-games
+ Amazing replay value
- Some players may dislike the touch-screen-only controls

To keep up with my latest reviews and more Follow me on Twitter @KingNintendoFan or Like Me on Facebook.

Kirby Mass Attack was developed by HAL Laboratory and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo DS. The game was released in North America on September ^19th, 2011, with an MSRP of $29.99. The copy used in this review was purchased by and played to completion by the reviewer.

Pokémon Black & White Banette Dream World Password Available Now

Justin Berube — Thu, 29 Sep 2011 00:32:27 +0000

Pokémon Black and White players can now obtain a Banette from the Pokémon Dream World for use in their game! To obtain this Banette players need to log into the Pokémon Global Link Website, then proceed to the Promotions section located on the lower right side of the screen. Once in Promotions there will be a list of many of the many currently available Promotions. Click Banette and enter this password, NPCHARACTER, at the bottom. After that there will be instructions on how to claim the Banette.

There are also other promotions going on right now that can give Pokémon Black and White fans access to various C-Gear Skins for use in game. The Spring Deerling one ends really soon! I’ve compiled a list of all available promotion passwords for all the Pokémaniacs out there! Enjoy!

Muna – PGLDR34M
Pikachu – PikachuCGear
Minccino – PGLWELCOME
Poison Jab – NPCGEAR
Zoroark – ZoroarkMonth11
Spring Deerling – JJW2X97D
Banette – NPCHARACTER

Nintendo Dates Several North American Titles Across All Platforms

Justin Berube — Tue, 13 Sep 2011 06:06:53 +0000

Nintendo of America has just revealed several release dates for upcoming first party titles for all of their platforms. Check out the list below!

Wii
Fortune Street – December 5th, 2011

3DS
Super Mario 3D Land – November 13th, 2011
Mario Kart 7 – December 4th, 2011

DS
Fossil Fighters Champions – November 14th, 2011