Nintendo News: Nintendo Download Highlights New Digital Content for Nintendo Systems

This week’s Nintendo Download includes the following featured content:

• Nintendo eShop
  • Wario Land: Super Mario Land 3– The “8-bit Summer” series continues with this video game classic. After being kicked out of the last castle by his rival, Mario, Wario is scheming to steal a golden statue. Help him collect treasure by smashing into objects and foes. (For Nintendo 3DS)
  • Planet Crashers– An unknown evil has emerged from the darkest corner of the galaxy with plans to snuff out the sun. Journey to the other side of the galaxy and prevent the unimaginable from happening. (For Nintendo 3DS)
  • Mole Mania– Also joining the “8-bit Summer” lineup this week is MoleMania. Join Muddy Mole in a race to defeat the evil farmer, Jinbe. Work your way through each puzzle by pushing, pulling or throwing black balls to defeat or trap enemies. (For Nintendo 3DS)
• A Month of Mario
  • Super Mario Bros.– Nintendo has kicked off “A Month of Mario" to celebrate the upcoming launch of New Super Mario Bros. 2. Through Aug. 19, one classic Mario game per week will become available in the Nintendo eShop at a discounted price. Starting today through Wednesday, Aug. 1, Mario and Luigi’s first great adventure, Super Mario Bros., is available at a special price of $3.99. (For Nintendo 3DS)
• Game of the Weekend
  • Colors! 3D– This weekend’s featured title is Colors! 3D, a powerful painting application that caters to everyone from serious artists to aimless doodlers. For a limited time, download this title from the Nintendo eShop at a discounted price of $3.99. Offer is valid from 9 a.m. Pacific time on Friday, July 27, through 9 p.m. Pacific time on Sunday, July 29. (For Nintendo 3DS) 

Discounted Mario Titles In The Nintendo eShop

Nintendo of America has declared the four weeks preceding the August 19th launch of New Super Mario Bros. 2 as the Month of Mario. To celebrate the launch of this new game, which is playable on the Nintendo 3DS and Nintendo 3DS XL, Nintendo is making one Mario game per week available at a discount in the Nintendo eShop. Fans who can’t wait to get their thumbs on New Super Mario Bros. 2 will have four classic Mario adventures to enjoy before launch day.

Each classic Mario game will enjoy a one-week run at a discounted price. The games, prices and dates of each discount are as follows:

July 26  - Aug. 1 Super Mario Bros. $3.99
Aug. 2 – Aug. 8  Super Mario Land $2.99
Aug. 9 – Aug. 15 Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins $2.99
Aug. 16 – Aug. 22 Mario’s Picross $2.99

Nintendo Gives Away Special Edition Donkey Kong In Japan

The “cement factory” stage, cut from the original NES version of Donkey Kong, has been included in the special edition.
Screengrab: Wired

Nintendo will give Japanese customers a free copy of Donkey Kong for Nintendo 3DS for buying the digital versions of New Super Mario Bros. 2 or Demon Training, it said Friday.
The summer-long campaign is designed to spread awareness of Nintendo’s new push for 3DS games being sold in physical form as well as digitally.

The free copy of Donkey Kong is notable due to its inclusion of an extra stage that was removed from the original 1983 version of the game for the Famicom. This so-called “original edition” has never been sold, although it was included as a freebie for European customers who bought the Mario 25th anniversary red Wii in 2010.

One surprising tidbit from the Nintendo downloading FAQ: Download codes for digital games must be redeemed within 150 days of purchase (or launch date, whichever comes last) or they expire.
Nintendo of America has not given any word about similar promotions. New Super Mario Bros. 2 will be released in the U.S. on August 19.

Nintendo's 3DS XL comes with less glare, better 3D performance

Nintendo's 3DS XL might be larger than its predecessor, but the gaming handheld also comes with a few improvements that might make using it a tad bit more enjoyable.

In a recent question-and-answer session with Nintendo chief Satoru Iwata, Takashi Murakami, part of Nintendo's research and engineering department, said that he had been working on reducing the glare in the 3DS XL "for quite some time." And it appears those efforts proved fruitful.

New Super Mario Bros. U (WiiU) - HD Off-Screen Gameplay

BitBlock has managed to capture some great footage of New Super Mario Bros U from this years Comic Con, which has been taking place in San Diego.

Real Mario Kart Trophies from Club Nintendo

Nintendo Europe is now offering real life, physical, Mario Kart trophies on Club Nintendo. A trophy will set you back a whopping 5000 stars. You’ll be able to purchase a Shell, Leaf and Special cup trophy that is 12cm by 10cm. Hopefully Nintendo of America will announce a similar promotion

Nintendo Wii U Likely To Be Priced Lower Than £249 In The UK, In Line With Retailer Recommendations

The new Nintendo game console, the Nintendo Wii U, will almost certainly cost less than £249 in the UK when it releases later this year.
WiiURelease.net, a leading updates website for the Nintendo Wii U, revealed that the console was “99% likely” to go on sale in the UK for a sub-£250 Recommended Retail Price following calls from retailers in the country that are keen to avoid a slump in sales similar to the one that affected the Nintendo 3DS.
WiiURelease.net quoted unnamed sources in the UK retail industry as saying that Nintendo had “all but agreed” to listen to retailer’s advice when it came to pricing their new console.
Dan Lim, chief editor of WiiURelease.net, explained that UK retailers were likely to be delighted with the outcome.
“It’s very important that Nintendo doesn’t go down the route of the 3DS, which saw retailer-led discounts both before and after the console went on sale, due to its high price. Should the move be confirmed, it’s absolutely the right thing to do as far as we’re concerned."
“People want to play games and they want access to the latest consoles, but with the current state of the economy they can only do so if the hardware is sensibly priced,” stated Dan.
Dan added that he was really impressed with everything he’d seen from the Nintendo WII U so far, and expressed hopes that a ‘sensible’ retail price would lead to it becoming a big hit in the UK:
“It’s got a great mix of traditional titles and insanely addictive mini-games, so we’re sure that it’s going to take off once it’s released.”
WiiURelease.net reported that the news follows earlier comments by Nintendo of America’s director Reggie Fils-Aime, who revealed earlier this month that he expects the launch price of the Wii U will “pleasantly surprise” consumers.
Nikkei, the Japanese newspaper, also reported that the consoles UK price was likely to be around the 30,000 Yen mark, which converts into approximately £250, lending further weight to WiiURelease.net’s claims.
This followed an earlier blunder by Amazon, which initially listed the Wii U for pre-order sales at just £199, a move that it was later forced to cancel.
WiiURelease.net added that Nintendo have yet to announce a release date for the Wii U, although it was almost certainly going to happen in the fourth quarter of this year.
About WiiURelease.net
WiiURelease.net is a popular news and updates website dedicated to all the latest happenings and rumors surrounding the Nintendo Wii U console. Updated weekly with all the latest gossip and official statements from Nintendo as they happen, and packed with previews of future title for the console, WiiURelease.net has become the most popular resource for thousands of Nintendo fans from across the world. For more information, check out their website at http://www.WiiURelease.net.

The Last Story North American Release Date Confirmed

The Last Story has been given a North American release date - August 14th. If you pre-order The Last Story from Amazon.com, EB Games Canada or GameStop, you’ll receive a bonus soundtrack CD, – pictured above – which features seven tracks from the game’s score. Xseed revealed that all launch copies of The Last Story will be limited edition, and will retail for a suggested price of $49.99 MSRP.

Monster Hunter 4 Contains Multiple Villages

Capcom has revealed that Monster Hunter 4 for the Nintendo 3DS will feature multiple villages for you to visit and explore. Instead of having a single village which acts as a base, the game features a caravan that not only turns into a camp, but it also allows you to travel to other settlements scattered throughout the game. Each one of these villages has its own chief, and apparently its own culture. Each village will also have their own unique facilities that you won’t be able to find anywhere else. Monster Hunter 4 will be released in Japan next Spring.

Luigi’s Mansion: Dark Moon Features Online Connectivity

Nintendo hasn’t revealed whether Luigi’s Mansion: Dark Moon will feature online connectivity but the European box art of the game, which was apparently leaked on NeoGaf, displays the Nintendo Network icon. This confirms that the upcoming Nintendo 3DS title will feature online connectivity of some sort. Perhaps the game will have an online multi-player mode or will offer downloadable content.

Heroes Of Ruin Demo Available On North American eShop, And More

Nintendo of America has announced that the demo for Heroes of Ruin will be available on the Nintendo 3DS eShop today. The retro gamers amongst you will be able to download The Legend of Zelda, originally released on the NES console in 1987, and NES Open Tournament Golf, which was originally released in 1991.

Nintendo Plans for 3DS Home Connectivity

Nintendo's consoles could know when you come home.

A recently published patent application reveals Nintendo's plans for a system where the Wii detects Nintendo 3DS units in their proximity.

When returning home with a 3DS, the Wii (U)-connected television screen would announce the user's arrival and display the number of steps the user has taken since last leaving the house. Alternatively, the console's indicator light could flash. The system works by periodically checking for 3DS wireless communication. If the portable system has been out of communication for a set time, the home console considers that the user has left the house.

The system could also detect pedometer cheating, whereby users shake the system quickly to rack up their step count. If the count seems impossibly high for the amount of time that has passed, it will be considered cheating. Nintendo doesn't say whether there will be any penalty for doing this; it is strictly used to help decide whether the person has left the house.

While this feature has not been made available on the Wii, no special 3DS-Wii connectivity features have been utilized. The example drawing shows a DS system, which does not include an accelerometer for pedometer capabilities, but it is common for early patent diagrams to include previous system designs, a fact that is also true for many of the Wii U patent applications. It is possible that the function will appear on the Wii U, with its improved communication features. The application also provides for the possibility of notifying other devices, such as PCs and mobile phones.

The home console can download updates intended for the handheld. When the user returns home, the console sends updates to the 3DS, which is a feature previously mentioned as a possibility for the Wii U. Some possible updates mentioned include user-generated maps for racing games and contest results.

The application lists Yoshikazu Yamashita as the inventor. Yamashita has worked on games such as the Wii Sports series, the Flagship-developed Zelda games, and the Pikmin series. The patent was filed for on Dec. 10, 2010 in Japan and Oct. 5, 2011 in the US. It was published on Jun. 21, 2012.

GALLERY