Monster Hunter 4 Coming To Nintendo 3DS

Enjoy the trailer for the upcoming Monster Hunter 4, for the Nintendo 3DS. This looks AMAZING. I might have to pick up the 3DS just to play this game. I've gotten a good distance into Monster Hunter Portable 3rd for the PSP, but my god man, these are hard games!

Press release below:

Capcom Co., Ltd. is pleased to announce its plans to release "Monster Hunter 3 (Tri) G" and "Monster Hunter 4" (tentative title) for the Nintendo 3DS system.


The "Monster Hunter" series are hunting action games which take players on a hunt for huge monsters inside a world rich with nature. The games introduced a new kind of communication style, and created a "Monster Hunter craze" through cooperative play focused on hunting monsters with friends. Ever since the first game was released in 2004, our fan base has grown, and the "Monster Hunter" series has sold 18 million copies total.


By releasing the newest "Monster Hunter" on the Nintendo 3DS, we aim to further strengthen the brand by captivating Nintendo 3DS users, and adding to the existing fan base.


"Monster Hunter 3 (Tri) G", scheduled for release on December 10th, 2011, utilizes "Monster Hunter 3 (Tri)" (Released on Nintendo Wii®, August 2009) as its base, and will contain new elements that take advantage of the Nintendo 3DS and its capabilities. Not only will players be able to enjoy the feeling of depth from the 3D perspective, but the game will take advantage of the system's wireless functionality. In addition to the familiar controls, a customizable touch panel will also make controlling the game even smoother than before. Finally, G rank quests, new monsters, equipment, and new supporting characters will be included in order to satisfy long-time players, as well as those who are new to the franchise.


Making games multiplatform is a basic strategy, and Capcom has strengthened the "Monster Hunter" franchise, as well as other popular brands, by using it. Capcom will continue to meet the player's expectations through superior developmental knowhow and research, and by choosing hardware that benefits our games the most.

Source: Capcom.co.jp

Nintendo Weekly Update - Week Of August 28th

Castrum - Here's your weekly Nintendo systems release list. Nothing much this week of note:

WiiWare

• Trenches Generals (Fishing Cactus, 1-2 players, 700 Wii Points): A side-view tower defense game in which you defend your bunker using an assortment of soldiers and your very own trench.

3DS eShop

• Pac-Man (Game Boy) (Nintendo, 1 player, $3.99): When we were your age, we had to play Pac-Man with a scrolling maze, in black and white. And we liked it!

DSiWare

• House M.D. - Blue Meanie (Legacy Interactive, 1 player, $7.99/800 DSi Points): Yes, they're still doing these episodic House games on DSiWare. It wasn't a hallucination.
• GO Series Fishing Resort (Gamebridge, 1 player, $1.99/200 DSi Points): A simple, touch-controlled fishin' game.

Source: Joystiq

Next Professor Layton Game To Include Bonus RPG, Tetris Coming To 3DS

Castrum - Professor Layton and the Last Specter, slated for release October 17th on the DS, also comes with a bonus RPG, Professor Layton's London Life, which unlike the original Japanese release does not need to be unlocked.

In addition to this, a new Tetris game is coming to the 3DS on October 7th, called Tetris: Axis (swastika tetris anyone?), which features the usual accoutrements of multiplayer, gimmick functionality and what-not.

Source: Joystiq

Legend Of Zelda: Skyward Sword Getting A Shiny Gold Bundle

Castrum - Skyward Sword is getting a fancy golden bundle at launch, which comes with the above (the game, a music CD with performances from the Zelda 25th Anniversary concert, and a special Wii Remote Plus). The bundle will cost $69.99, whereas the game itself is still just $49.99.

Note that, in order to play Skyward Sword, you are required to have either a Wiimote Plus or the MotionPlus add-on, so for anyone who hasn't yet jumped on the bandwagon, this would be a good time to do so.

Source: Joystiq

Nintendo Weekly Update - Week Of August 21st

Castrum - Here's your weekly Nintendo systems update for the week of August 21st:

WiiWare

• Demo: Kyotokei (Microforum, 1 player, 0 Wii Points): A side-scrolling shooter in the vein of Ikaruga.

Virtual Console

• The Ignition Factor (SNES, 1 player, 800 Wii Points): Put out fires and rescue people in this top-down action game.

3DS eShop

• Gargoyle's Quest (Game Boy) (Capcom, 1 player, $3.99): A combination of platforming and role-playing, starring Firebrand, the Red Devil from Ghosts 'n Goblins.

DSiWare

• Let's Create! Pottery (Infinite Dreams Inc., 1 player, $4.99/500DSi Points): Create and decorate virtual pottery, then sell it.
• Magical Whip: Wizards of the Phantasmal Forest (Agetec, 1 player, $1.99/DSi Points): A single-screen action game in which you capture monsters by whipping them.
• Calculator (Cinemax, 1 player, $1.99/200DSi Points): It ... does look like a really nice calculator.

Not really anything here I could care about. I miss the days of re-released NES/SNES awesomeness that we had way back in 2007.

Source: Joystiq

3DS Games Being Delayed Due To Lack Of Install Base

Castrum - Looks like those poor 3DS sales are creating a vicious cycle whereby publishers are putting off releasing games on the system, thereby perpetuating the perception that there's no reason to buy into it. The most recent of these cases now is Natsume's latest Harvest Moon game for 3DS, which has been pushed back to October. Expect more of these to come.

Source: Kotaku

Nintendo Surprise-Announces Another Game

Castrum - Though I should be used to Nintendo doing this by now, it always annoys me when I think I have my end-of-the-year buying plan readied and then they announce a game's release two months later:

Nintendo's announcement of its PAX offerings includes a surprise bit of news. Kirby Wii has officially had its name changed to Kirby's Return to Dream Land, and it's been given a release date of October 24.

http://www.joystiq.com/2011/08/23/kirby-returns-to-dream-land-on-oct-24-after-a-stop-at-pax/

Super Mario Land 2 And Metroid 2 Coming To 3DS

Castrum - Can't say I bothered with either of these, but it's good to see decent games wind up on 3DS' store:

According to the Official Nintendo Magazine UK, Super Mario Land 2: Six Golden Coins and Metroid 2: The Return of Samus will be released on the eShop by the end of 2011. No set date has been announced yet.

http://www.gameinformer.com/b/news/archive/2011/08/21/mario-metroid-eshop.aspx

Mega Man X2 Coming To Virtual Console

Castrum - One of my favorite games of all-time, Mega Man X2, is coming to Virtual Console. If it wasn't for the massive amount of money/games I lost due to Nintendo tying my Wii downloads just to my broken Wii, I might actually be excited:

The ESRB has rated Mega Man X2 for Wii, meaning it's coming to the Virtual Console in North America at some unknown time. Traditionally, Mega Man releases hit the North American Virtual Console after releasing in Japan, but surprisingly there's been no word yet on a release there.

http://www.joystiq.com/2011/08/20/mega-man-x2-receives-rating-for-wii-virtual-console/

Nintendo Weekly Update - Week Of August 14th

Castrum - This is your weekly Nintendo systems update for this week:

WiiWare

• Flight Control (Firemint, 1-4 players, 500 Wii Points): Guide airplanes to runways so they can land without smashing into every other plane.

3DS eShop

• 3D Classics: Urban Champion (Nintendo, 1 player, $4.99): Experience Nintendo's first, most awkward fighting game in 3D. Try to knock your opponent into a manhole, but keep cool if the cops drive by.

DSiWare

• Build-a-lot (Mumbo Jumbo, 1 player, price unknown): Buy, build, and renovate houses to earn as much as you can.
• Blockado: Puzzle Island (Bitfield, 1 player, $4.99/500 DSi Points) Shift blocks to move a treasure chest in this puzzle game.
• Zoonies - Escape from Makatu (Kiloo, 1 player, $4.99/500 DSi Points) A cartoony platformer in which Leo, the lion (obviously), flees from the shaman Makatu while trying to find his family.

http://www.joystiq.com/2011/08/18/nintendoware-weekly-urban-champion-flight-control/

Star Fox 64 3DS Trailer

Castrum - Maybe once this comes out I'll have a reason to buy a 3DS:

Super Mario 3DS And Mario Kart 3DS Gameplay

Castrum - Both of these look quite promising. Super Mario 3DS is like a mini version of Super Mario Galaxy, and Mario Kart 3DS looks like a portable Mario Kart Wii:

http://kotaku.com/5832095/lets-play-super-mario-3d-land--mario-kart-7/gallery/1

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Legend Of Zelda: Skyward Sword Out On November 20th

Castrum - Looking forward to this one, though it might conflict with Skyrim:

It would have been a blue Christmas without a new Zelda title under our Christmas Wii, but Nintendo comes through in the nick of the time, announcing a November 20 release date for The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword.

http://kotaku.com/5831703/the-legend-of-zelda-skyward-sword-takes-flight-in-november

Nintendo Tells North America To Take It Like A Bitch

Castrum - Nintendo once again proves why hardcore gamers hate them so much:  

The games some American Wii owners have been pleading with Nintendo to release in the United States are finally being translated to English and released... in Europe.

In a body blow as devastating to American Wii loyalists as the one that floored King Hippo, Nintendo of Europe announced today that they'll follow up the European August release of role-playing game Xenoblade Chronicles with 2012 releases of action game Pandora's Tower and acclaimed (from-the-father-of-Final-Fantasy) RPG The Last Story.

All three games were made and released in Japan. All three are thought to be pretty good. All three have not been released in America, despite fan pleas, petitions and a letter-writing campaign that involved sending meat to Nintendo of America headquarters.

http://kotaku.com/5831815/nintendo-of-america-you-are-really-smart-or-mean

Nintendo Introduces New "Nintendo Selects" Titles

MjolnirX - Nintendo, anxious to recover from its formerly lagging sales and on the heels of its recent dramatic 3DS price drop, has announced a new line-up of hit games called "Nintendo Selects". The games can be likened to Playstation's Greatest Hits or Xbox's Platinum Hits. And just like the aforementioned, they will scream "I was too cheap to buy this game when it first came out and now I'm paying for it with this terribly-cheap box art". My game cabinets' collective screams are deafening.

Nintendo Selects will be sitting at the very reasonable $20 mark:

ONE OF US

New additions:

Super Paper Mario - 85

Mario Strikers Charged - 79

Punch-Out!! - 86

Super Mario Galaxy - 97

Old hats:

Animal Crossing: City Folk - 73

Mario Super Sluggers - 69
Wii Sports - 76

Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess - 95

3DS Sales Go Through The Roof

Castrum - With the 3DS' recent massive price drop of $80, sales have shot up greatly in Japan:

Between August 8 and 14, Nintendo sold 214,821 reduced priced 3DS units, marking the console's second highest week since the 371,326 units sold during launch week. 

Still can't say I'm getting one, but at least now the PS Vita will likely drop in price at or near launch to compete.

http://kotaku.com/5831221/did-that-3ds-price-cut-help

Nintendo Patenting Single-Player MMOs

Castrum - It would appear Nintendo has decided to corner the market on Single-Player games that can optionally become Multiplayer:

Back in 2010, Nintendo filed a patent application for something called a "massively single-playing online game," something whose interactions don't take place in real time and what sounds a little Animal Crossing-ish (above).

According to GameSpot, which found the filing, the MSO(?) would be an environment where players' actions and choices affect the world they and everyone else inhabit. Economic systems are a good example, one Nintendo used in the filing.

I call Patent Trolling.

http://kotaku.com/5830500/nintendo-seeks-to-patent-the-massively-singleplayer-online-game

Blast From The Past - Early '90s Gaming Hysteria

Castrum - I'm just glad my parents weren't stupid enough to buy into this lunacy:

Also, note the horrifically-terrible haircuts. Ah, the '90s.

Kokopolo, An Interesting DSiWare Game

Castrum - This looks like it could be fun:

http://kotaku.com/5829387/a-shoot+em+up-no-this-is-a-chase+em+up

The 3DS Is A Shoddy Piece Of Crap

Castrum - So it would seem that certain 3DSes are actually having their paint chip and peel off after extended usage. Guess hardware bullshit is the name of the game these days.

http://kotaku.com/5828584/more-nintendo-3ds-dpad-woes