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UK and Japan 3DS “Ambassadors” Get Their Free Games On Friday, Includes Zelda: Minish Cap

Sam Naylor — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 14:38:19 +0000

Those who bought their 3DS consoles before the price drop in the UK and Japan will be getting a slew of free GameBoy Advance games on Friday.

The full list of free games is as follows, as revealed by a “Spotpass” notification on regional Nintendo 3DS consoles:

Super Mario Advance 3: Yoshi’s Island, Mario Kart: Super Circuit, Metroid Fusion, WarioWare Inc. Mega Microgames, Mario vs. Donkey Kong, Wario Land 4, Kirby & The Amazing Mirror, Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones, Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap, and F-Zero: Maximum Velocity.

Wario Land 4, Kirby & The Amazing Mirror, Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones, Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap, and F-Zero: Maximum Velocity are all new reveals, so get all excited about those, why don’t you. I know Justin Berube is jizzing his pants with glee as he reads this. Especially as one of the best Zelda games is appearing- Minish Cap. If you’ve not played it get on that, yo.

Via Joystiq

Nintendo Reports 108 Billion Yen ($1.4 Billion) Pretax Loss

Sam Naylor — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 15:32:53 +0000

Yesterday we reported that Nintendo could report a pretax loss of 100 Billion Yen, but the Japanese company has actually posted a ¥107.9 billion ($1.4 billion) pretax loss, topping even Nikkei’s forecast.

After Income Tax Nintendo’s annual loss was 70 Billion Yen ($923.4 million), which compared with last year’s loss of ¥2.01 billion ($26.5 million) is a gigantic amount.

Sales revenue fell 40.6% to ¥215.7 billion ($2.84 billion), falling ¥147.4 billion ($1.9 billion) from last year’s figure. The figures show that the loss is largely due to poor sales, as costs remained mainly similar over the period. The drop in sales was felt worst in the United States market.

The full report can be found here (careful, it’s a PDF).

Via EDGE

Currency conversions are approximate, rounded up and correct at time of writing.

For more on the issue, check our Point-Counterpoint on the Fate of Nintendo.

The Real “Indiana Jones” Plays Uncharted 3 In Japanese Commercial

Garrett Hartman — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 20:40:31 +0000

You’ve got to hand it to the Japanese. Their ability to get A-list US actors to star in commercials is both entertaining and surreal. And who wouldn’t like to see Indiana Jones (Harrision Ford) playing Uncharted 3?

Of course it’s not groundbreaking and Ford is without his trademarked fedora but you get the idea.

Harrison seemed to be having a difficult time. Perhaps someone from Sony could have turned his controller on.

Comparing the Uncharted series to Indiana Jones is definitely not new (duh) check out this Italian Uncharted 2 commerical where a familiar theme song pipes in about halfway through.

I’m not sure if this one is official, but it sure was enjoyable.

Nintendo 3DS New Info Online Presentation Happening Friday

Justin Berube — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 14:25:46 +0000

Nintendo has just posted a site that reveals that this Friday they will be streaming a 3DS New Information Presentation online. This pre-recorded presentation will be hosted by Satoru Iwata and cover several details that were not covered during Nintendo’s last 3DS conference last month. Supposed topics include Mario Kart 7 online details, the November Firmware update (that should include video recording), and maybe more info on the Free Game Boy Advance Ambassador games.

This presentation will be streaming starting at about 7:00 AM EST on the 21st. For a link to where it will be streaming be sure to go to the official site.

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 upcoming 3DS presentation!

TGS 2011: PS Vita Japanese Release Date Scheduled for December 17

Garrett Hartman — Wed, 14 Sep 2011 06:53:10 +0000

At the 2011 Tokyo Game Show press Conference, Sony confirmed the PS Vita Japanese Release date for December 17th.

The prices discussed (in yen of course) are ¥24,980 for the Wifi version and ¥29,980 for the 3G enabled unit. Wireless phone carrier NTT DoCoMo will be the Japanese 3G provider.

Release dates for North America or Europe were not discussed, but were previously mentioned for early 2012.

SEGA Japan Invents New Robot Cat – Creepiest. Thing. Ever.

Stephanie Gutowski — Wed, 06 Jul 2011 01:00:23 +0000

I thought the robot house pet thing died in the late nineties, but Japan apparently believes there’s still something to be gained from inventing more synthetic animals with eyes that will never look upon you with love– which brings us to Yume Neko Smile (“Dream Cat Smile.”) This is Sega’s latest attempt to imitate a living, breathing thing with a pile of plastic and a touch of blood magic. The only explanation I have for these things being completely sold out at the Japan Trend Shop is that Japanese people are hot for mechs, no matter how creepy and soulless their pitch-black eyes may be. This cat screams when you grab its tail and goes limp when you hold its scruff, proving once again that Japan is running out of cats and must fabricate more in order to save the world.

Just look at this thing. Don’t you dare try to tell me that this robot cat won’t be a host for Skynet.

Slash Gear reviewed Yume Neko Smile and praised it for its authenticity, but I’m not falling for that. It’s still just a fancy box of AA batteries wearing a cat suit.

“It’s strange: you can hear the motors whirring, the sounds are pretty obviously electronic recordings, and there’s no warm body beneath the polyester fur, but your senses conspire to reduce you to treating Yume Neko as if she were alive.” -Chris Davies, Slash Gear

What the hell, man? Why don’t you go ahead and pledge your allegiance to the Decepticons and hand us all over now before the rest of the world catches on?

Why, Japan? You make all these apocalyptic animes, and then you give birth to this thing. Not only is it a terrifying golem of destruction, it’s just not cuddly enough. More fluff, less creep, and then maybe I’ll think about buying it… and handing it over to John Connor.

Nintendo Has Sold A Million 3DS Units in Japan

Brandon Fenty — Tue, 14 Jun 2011 02:28:33 +0000

Oh Hai! The Nintendo 3DS has now hit 1 million units sold in Japan. The system accomplished the feat in just 13 weeks; however, when you stack that up against the DS and even the DS Lite, the results are interesting. The DS Lite hit 1 million units in 8 weeks, and the original DS in just 4 weeks. Also, the handheld lost its lead as top-selling portable to the PSP in April and still lagged behind into May. Overall, then, the 3DS may not be performing as well as Nintendo hoped. With the launch of Ocarina of Time 3D this coming weekend, however, you can be sure that the Big N will be moving a lot more of their newest handheld.

Stay tuned to RipTen for more on Nintendo and the latest 3DS titles.

via [Andriasang]

Cosplay Spotlight: Terra Branford (Final Fantasy VI)

Stephanie Gutowski — Tue, 12 Apr 2011 00:48:05 +0000

Dissidia [duodecim] may not be the best game in the world (nor does it’s title make a lick of sense), but it certainly does give way to some smokin’ cosplay. She’s had a face lift since she debuted on the SNES in Final Fantasy VI and she’s gone onto become on of the most iconic FF heroines of all time. Long before Lightning (grumblepuss), Yuna (dress-up Barbie), or Tifa(Tits McGee), there was a hero in a league of her own. There was Terra.

What could be better than one Terra? How about two Terras? Tali of American Cosplay Paradise and Haruki of Cure Cosplay both possess the grace and talent to play the part convincingly. The Dissidia variant is an elegant combination of Yoshitaka Amano’s original art and the character sprite from Final Fantasy VI. The careful details in the embroidery and accessories make Haruki appear as though she just stepped out of the game itself. I could spend a great deal of time simply admiring the craftsmanship… so I will. Have some photos.

I do magic and stuff.

"Get this mutha#$%^ing Ultros off my mutha#$%@ing boat."

Tali, on the other hand, took a few creative liberties that I absolutely adore. She opted to use three-dimensional flowers and included a lot of texture to help create a vibrant, beautiful costume. While it might not be one hundred percent accurate according to fanboy standards, it’s a stunning take on the character and it leaves no doubt in your mind as to who she’s portraying.

Mmm. Ruffles.

SOMEONE GIVE HER A PHOENIX DOWN.

Good thing you saved.

Now, if you’ll excuse me I’ve got an evil laughing mage to kill.

Know of a great video game costume that’s worthy of the spotlight? Send a Twitter tip to @RipTen @SigmaRue or @DaveOshry. There may be a cookie in it for you.

Japan Crisis Gets N4G Fanboys To Stop Arguing and Give To Charity

Dave Oshry — Sat, 19 Mar 2011 04:57:17 +0000

It seems as if the impossible as happened. The hardened hearts of one of the world’s most virulent gaming communities has been softened by the recent crisis in Japan, and it’s warmed our trolling souls.

RipTen is one of the outlets that helped build N4G (News 4 Gamers) way back when and our articles still contribute to the constant flow of their aggregated gaming stories daily. While the N4G community has become widely known as a place home to console fanboy flamewars and trolling the likes of which hasn’t been seen even in Orgrimmar – it seems that this recent catastrophe has brought out the best in them, as they have started to dig deep and give to Japan relief efforts.

N4G’s community manager, the lovely Cathlin Sentz, better known as “Cat” has taken it upon herself to get the community involved with the relief effort, and the response has been surprisingly and overwhelmingly positive.

Here is what she had to say:

Hey, N4Gers! A rather serious post for you here, though one I think we can all tackle with vigor. The devastation in Japan is difficult for most of us to imagine, but what we have seen and heard makes us want to help however we can. For most of us, so far from the disaster, we won’t ever feel like we can do enough.

Below you will find a list of organizations that are active in Japan disaster relief. We aren’t advocating any of these charities over another, but have sought to provide you with a respectable list – please do your own research so you can give responsibly!

We, N4G, have donated $3000 to MSF (Medicins Sans Frontieres/Doctors Without Borders) on behalf of the N4G community. MSF currently has several teams in Northern Japan, with more teams on the way. Their doctors, nurses and support staff work alongside the Japanese disaster authorities to provide aid in the wake of the earthquakes and tsunami.

Thank you to all of you for being a part of N4G, we’re grateful for this opportunity to give with you.

Medicins Sans Frontieres/Doctors Without Borders) http://www.msf.org/msf/dona…

Japanese Red Cross Society http://www.jrc.or.jp/englis…

UNICEF http://www.unicefusa.org/

Save the Children http://www.savethechildren….

International Medical Corps http://www.internationalmed…

Direct Relief International http://www.directrelief.org…

AmeriCare http://www.americares.org/

World Vision http://www.worldvision.org/…

Convoy of Hope http://www.convoyofhope.org…

International Rescue Committee http://www.rescue.org/

Not moments after this post went up, comments started pouring in with people vowing to donate. Some of the comments below are even from well known trolls, so it seems that not all hope is lost! There is still compassion left in even the most hardened of gamers.

If you’d like to donate to the relief effort, please feel free to click on one of the links to the charities above.

Also, if you’d like to thank N4G and/or Cat for their donation – feel free to do so via Twitter. @N4G and @Cathlin

So you see guys, N4G isn’t all bad.
Now excuse me while I go post this stunning PS3 vs. 360 screenshot comparison!!

NCSoft Gives $6.3 Million to Japan Relief Effort

Sam Naylor — Fri, 18 Mar 2011 16:44:20 +0000

MMO giant NCSoft has given the equivalent of one month’s sales, 500 Million Yen, to the relief effort taking care of those affected by last week’s earthquake and tsunami in Japan.

Senior Executive Sung Joon Park said:

“In order to support those who have suffered from the earthquake and to help restoration, we decided to donate 500 million Yen, which corresponds to one month of sales… We’ll maintain the service with the minimal electricity and personnel. Maintaining daily life is also important; therefore, we plan to uphold the service.”

500 Million Yen corresponds to “4.5 million Euros/3.9 million GBP/6.3 million USD,” which is a staggering amount of money. Hats off to NCSoft for this generous donation.

Square Enix Shut Down Servers to Save Power

Sam Naylor — Sun, 13 Mar 2011 17:59:55 +0000

Square Enix have shut down a number of their servers for at least a week following the earthquake in Japan in a bid to save power for those who need it.

Japanese authorities have advised that as much power be saved as possible and as such Square Enix have closed the severs for Final Fantasy XIV, Final Fantasy XI and PlayOnline:

The services will be temporarily suspended for at least a week starting on Mar. 13, 2011 3:00 (PDT). We will provide an update regarding the reinstatement of the service as additional information becomes available. In connection with the temporary suspension of services, players will not be billed for any PlayOnline service throughout the April billing cycle. Additional information regarding this matter will also be posted as it becomes available.

Check Out Nintendo’s Japanese 3DS Launch Video

Justin Berube — Sun, 27 Feb 2011 02:42:53 +0000

The Nintendo 3DS has finally launched in Japan and Nintendo has just shared a video of some of the launch line madness. Please enjoy the video below and be sure to take this as a BIG warning. If you want a 3DS, pre-order today!

I wish I had one of those little 3DS bags! Heck, I wish I had a 3DS!

Want to stay up to date on the latest Nintendo and 3DS news, information, events, editorials, and more? Follow me on Twitter @KingNintendoFan or Like Me on Facebook. Be sure to let me know what you think about this launch video!

Source

R.U.S.E. Gets New Faction DLC

Bryce Wilson — Wed, 16 Feb 2011 00:25:11 +0000

For any of the players who asked for Japan to be added as a faction to Eugen Systems semi-popular RTS game R.U.S.E., well your wish has been answered.

The new ‘Pack of the Rising Sun’ downloadable content gives you the ability to control the Japanese Army in both solo or multiplayer modes. 28 new units and three new exclusive singleplayer operations titled Gold for the Brave, Ostfriesland and For the Honour await people when they download the new add-on.

Check it out and let us know what you think below in the comments or on Twitter – @DrjftGaming.

New Shogun 2 Trailer Shows the Art of War

Matthew Sims — Fri, 11 Feb 2011 17:52:05 +0000

Shogun 2, the latest strategy title from Creative Assembly, is shaping up to be a monster of a sequel. The new trailer basically confirms that as we have Shogun, masks with Wilford Brimley mustaches, and lots o’ death. Here’s the official synopsis of the trailer straight from the game’s creators:

The trailer sees 16th century Japan divided between warring clans and focuses on the struggle between two mighty Japanese families. The Takeda besiege the castle of their opponent Tokugawa. Both clans send forth their champions in a brutal test of skill, with one the ultimate victor.

Well there you go, guess the only thing left is to watch the trailer, enjoy!

Yakuza 4 Demo Drops on February 15th for PS Plus Users, 22nd for Everyone

Matthew Sims — Wed, 02 Feb 2011 18:30:49 +0000

The Yakuza 4 demo is hitting the PlayStation Marketplace on February 15th. The demo will feature all four playable characters to allow players a glimpse of the all the different fighting styles present in the game.

The seems awfully generous of Sega doesn’t it? Well don’t count your lucky stars just yet. The demo is exclusive to PlayStation Plus users for a week. What’s that you say? You didn’t buy PlayStation Plus? Well you’ll have to wait an extra week. That’s not really that bad, right?

Yakuza 4 lets players experience what its like to become part of the underbelly of Japan and become somebody in a world of nobodies. Be sure to check out the demo February 15th to prepare your skills for the full game hitting stores March 15th.

You can see the full press release below:

SAN FRANCISCO (February 2, 2011) – SEGA of America today announced that the playable demo for Yakuza 4 will be available exclusively to PlayStation® Plus users on February 15, 2011 and then to all PlayStation® Network users on February 22,2011.

The Yakuza 4 demo will allow players to try out all four playable characters with each of their distinct fighting styles. This is just a taste of what to expect from Yakuza 4, the game that lets you experience what it is like to be a part of the Japanese underworld. If you want to explore the more exciting parts of Tokyo and give yourself one last chance of becoming somebody in a world of nobodies, Yakuza 4 is the game you’re waiting for.

Yakuza 4 will hit North American retail shelves on the PlayStation®3 compute entertainment system on March 15, 2011.

For more information about Yakuza 4, please visit http://www.sega.com/games/yakuza-4/. For assets, please visit www.sega-press.com.

Sony NGP (PSP2) Reveal Video in HD

Garrett Hartman — Sat, 29 Jan 2011 20:58:04 +0000

Remember where you were when Sony revealed the NGP last week? I do. I was asleep in bed. For those of you who missed it, we have it here in HD.

Here it is, thanks to the official US PlayStation Blog. Enjoy

Oooooh, ahhhhh. Want one? Us too.

Sony Announces ‘Playstation Suite’ for Android Devices

Matthew Sims — Thu, 27 Jan 2011 07:30:43 +0000

Sony has announced at the Playstation Meeting 2011, that it is taking bold new direction for mobile gaming and smartphones. The technology aims to emulate PSone and PSP games on a mobile phone platform. The platform is set to be a “neutral framework” and every title will be “Playstation Certified.”

I’m sure what this means is that we will see completely new titles that are optimized to run on this Android specific framework other than simply Playstation 1 and PSP ports. The NGP (PSP2) will be able to play these games as well, possibly even sharing data with users playing on smartphones. The Playstation Store will also be made available to Android users when the PS Suite hits Android devices later this year. Only time will tell if this idea works as well as it does inside my head.

New PSP2 Details Surface From Japan – Including 3G Wireless Support

Dave Oshry — Sun, 23 Jan 2011 19:37:53 +0000

A Japanese newspaper has spilled some new details on Sony’s upcoming handheld gaming device – including the carrier that will provide it with 3G wireless support.

According to the paper, this 3G service will be provided by NTT DoCoMo – Japan’s biggest wireless provider. This means that gamers will be able to play online games and download firmware updates and movies wirelessly without a wi-fi connection. Apparently it will not make calls however (but hey, that’s what the PSPhone is for!)

The paper also reports that the new system will have an OLED touch screen. Also of interest is the fact that they state Sony has developed an all new processor for managing the PSP2′s high-res visuals. (Tegra 2 eat your heart out)

Source: Andriasang

Street Fighter Producer Denied 3DS Pre-Order

Dave Oshry — Sun, 23 Jan 2011 17:37:47 +0000

Oh-No-San! It looks as if even Street Fighter producer and Blanka-phile Yoshinori Ono can’t get his hands on a coveted Nintendo 3DS!!

Seriously? Capcom can’t get him one? The hell sort of world are we living in!?

According to Andriasang: Ono-san was at the 3DS launch event in Europe when pre-orders started back in Japan. Unfortunately, that means he missed his chance to place his!

He then Tweeted this:

Loosely translated – that says something like: “Oh, what misfortune – I may have to line up on launch day!”

The only thing that could make this worse for Ono is if Tekken producer and arch nemesis Katsuhiro Harada got a 3DS first and rubbed it in his face. #Bwahaha

Japanese 3DS Event Details and Game Lineup Revealed

Justin Berube — Tue, 28 Dec 2010 18:27:14 +0000

Nintendo has previously revealed that they will be holding events in Japan to allow the general public to demo their new 3DS handheld gaming system. The first of these events will be known as Nintendo World 2011 (not to be confused with the store in New York). Well, Nintendo has finally revealed details about which games will be demoed at the event which runs from January 8th, 2011 to January 10th, at the Makuhari Messe convention center in Japan.

Here is the list of playable titles at the event:

Hideo Kojima’s Metal Gear Solid Snake Eater 3D The Naked Sample (auto demo) (Konami)
Winning Eleven 3D Soccer (Konami)
Super Street Fighter IV 3D Edition (Capcom)
Resident Evil Revelations (Capcom)
Samurai Warriors Chronicle (Tecmo Koei)
Dead or Alive Dimensions (Tecmo Koei)
Ridge Racer 3D (Namco Bandai)
Professor Layton and the Miracle Mask (Level-5)
Nintendogs + Cats (Nintendo)
Kid Icarus (Nintendo)
Legend of Zelda Ocarina of Time 3D (Nintendo)
Steel Diver (Nintendo)
Pilot Wings Resort (Nintendo)
AR Games (Nintendo)
Nintendo 3DS Camera (Nintendo)

These titles will be shown in a video format:

Hideo Kojima’s Metal Gear Solid Snake Eater 3D The Naked Sample (auto demo) (Konami)
Winning Eleven 3D Soccer (Konami)
Super Street Fighter IV 3D Edition (Capcom)
Resident Evil Revelations (Capcom)
Resident Evil Mercenaries 3D
Samurai Warriors Chronicle (Tecmo Koei)
Dead or Alive Dimensions (Tecmo Koei)
Ridge Racer 3D (Namco Bandai)
Professor Layton and the Miracle Mask (Level-5)
Super Monkey Ball 3D (Sega)
Kingdom Hearts 3D (Square Enix)
Gundam The 3D Battle (Namco Bandai)
Tales of the Abyss (Namco Bandai)
One Piece Unlimited Cruise SP (Namco Bandai)
Cubic Ninja (AQ Interactive)
Tobidasu Puzzle Bobble 3D (Square Enix)
Pro Baseball Famisuta 2011 (Namco Bandai)
Animal Resort (Marvelous Entertainment)
Xevious (Namco Bandai/Nintendo)
3D Beauty Clock (Bijin Tokei)
Nintendogs + Cats (Nintendo)
Kid Icarus (Nintendo)
Legend of Zelda Ocarina of Time 3D (Nintendo)
Steel Diver (Nintendo)
Pilot Wings Resort (Nintendo)
Star Fox 64 3D (Nintendo)
Paper Mario (Nintendo)
Animal Crossing (Nintendo)
Mario Kart (Nintendo)
AR Games (Nintendo)
Mii Plaza (Nintendo)

Nintendo will also be demoing the following on stage at various points during the show. These on stage demos will also be displayed on the official Nintendo World 2011 event page.

Nintendo 3DS introduction showing Mii de Asobu (“Play as Mii”), and AR Games (All three days at 11:00. Each day will have a different celebrity guest.)
“Nintendo Music Live” (All three days at 12:30)
3DS game introduction featuring Metal Gear Solid Series (1st day at 13:45)
3DS game introduction featuring Super Street Fighter IV 3D Edition/Yoshinori Ono (2nd day at 13:45)
3DS game introduction with Level-5/Akihiro Hino (3rd day at 13:45)
3DS game introduction featuring Kid Icarus/Masahiro Sakurai (1st day at 15:00)
3DS game introduction featuring Resident Evil Series (2nd day at 15:00)
3DS game introduction featuring Nintendogs + Cats (3rd day at 15:00)

Nintendo World 2011, as well as the other Nintendo 3DS media briefings happening all over the world next month, will without a doubt bring a ton of new Nintendo 3DS information. So stay tuned as January will be a big month for Nintendo 3DS fans.

Want to stay up to date with the latest Nintendo and Nintendo 3DS news and information? Follow me on Twitter @KingNintendoFan or Like Me on Facebook. Be sure to let me know what Nintendo 3DS titles you are looking forward to seeing and playing the most!

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