Category: Nintendo

These just arrived at D-pad Joy HQ: Cloud, Bayonetta and Corrin amiibo!

by Daragh Payne, posted in Nintendo, Posts

We’ve just had the final Super Smash Bros. amiibo turn up at the door. So, yes, that’s Cloud, Bayonetta and Corrin.

Our first impressions are good, they all feature highly-detailed models. The faces, as with most of the other more human-looking characters, aren’t amazing, but the level of detail on the costumes for each of them is impressive. There’s no doubt the figures have improved since the launch of the amiibo range.

Here’s a quick look at each of them:

Cloud Strife – Final Fantasy 7

cloud-amiibo.jpg

Corrin – Fire Emblem Fates

Corrin

Bayonetta – Bayonetta 1

bayonetta.jpg

It’s worth pointing out that each of the figures cost £10.99/$12.99 (before scalpers inflate the price), so for the money, the models are excellent. Each of the figures has a second version too: Cloud from Final Fantasy 7: Advent Children, Bayonetta from Bayonetta 2 on Wii U, and the male Corrin from Fire Emblem Fates.

Are you planning on picking any of them up – while you can, that is?

The infamous Blue Shell in Mario Kart isn’t going anywhere – “Sometimes life isn’t fair”

by Nitchigamer, posted in Nintendo, Posts

In a new interview, Kosuke Yabuki, the director of Mario Kart 7 and Mario Kart 8, has made it clear that the feared Blue Shell won’t be leaving the Mario Kart games anytime soon.

Takeaways:

  • In an interview with Eurogamer, Yabuki said: “Something I personally really consider is the human emotion element of the play experience. So for example playing Mario Kart – if you have something that feels unfair or makes you feel frustrated or makes you angry… As far as possible we want to avoid those feelings of frustration.”
  • Yabuki also discussed how he doesn’t want players to get too annoyed with the game: “Ultimately, in the longer term, although everyone might feel on one particular day that they’re so frustrated that they’re not going to play any more Mario Kart today – keeping the experience enjoyable enough so that you might feel like that today, but the next day, the next week, you’ll still go back to Mario Kart and still enjoy it.”
  • Would he ever remove the Blue Shell from the game though? Probably not: “We have tried – or we are trying – to see what the game’s like without the blue shell. When we’ve experimented without the blue shell, actually it feels like something’s missing. Like there’s something not quite enough in the game. So for now we’ve kept it in.”
  • He finished by saying: “You know, sometimes life isn’t fair. Sometimes in life you have something where you feel that’s not right, and that’s frustrating.”

There you go, Nintendo has even made sure that, like life, sometimes their games aren’t fair either. Maybe that’s a realistic message for us all!

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‘Nintendo Switch Online’ smartphone app launches for Android and iOS

by Nitchigamer, posted in Nintendo, Posts

Nintendo has released its mobile app for Switch owners on both iOS and Android devices. It’s part of their new online service called… wait for it… ‘Nintendo Switch Online’. Straight to the point.

Takeaways:

  • The app provides specific information about the game you’re playing. SplatNet 2 is the first of these, created specifically for Splatoon 2. It allows you to see gear, battle stats and more.
  • You can also send online play invitations with the app to people on your Switch’s friend list. From there you can voice chat with them.
  • The app allows you to send invites via social networks too.
  • The app is available for download but you can’t yet sign in. Nintendo is most likely still getting it ready for Splatoon 2 this Friday.
  • Online play for the Switch will be available for free until 2018.

It’ll be interesting to see if the service holds up with the rush of new Splatoon 2 players. Also, will gamers appreciate using their phone for voice chat instead? Time will tell!

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Fancy a Splatoon anime? Well it’s coming this year

by Sally Mettson, posted in Nintendo, Posts

Another day, another video game being turned into an anime… This time it’s Splatoon. The game is getting a web anime based on the manga serialisation.

Takeaways:

  • Announced by Japanese magazine CoroCoro, the series will be shown on their YouTube page.
  • CoroCoro already has a manga serialisation of Splatoon in its magazine, so we assume it’ll follow that.
  • It’s coming on the 12th August. That’s probably sooner than you expected, no?

Splatoon has gone from success to success since the first game released on the Wii U back in 2015. It just so happens that the second game in the series is out this Friday on the Nintendo Switch. We’ll be letting you know our thoughts on that too.

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Crash Bandicoot N.Sane Trilogy finally gets beaten in the UK charts by Final Fantasy XII

by Nitchigamer, posted in Nintendo, Posts

Crash Bandicoot N.Sane Trilogy has finally been beaten in the UK charts, and it took a small series called Final Fantasy to do it.

Takeaways:

  • The Crash Bandicoot N.Sane Trilogy dropped to third place after two weeks at the top.
  • Square Enix came in at number one with Final Fantasy XII: The Zodiac Age – the PS4 remaster of the 2007 PS2 game.
  • This is Square’s first number one since Deus Ex: Mankind Divided topped the ‘All Formats Top 40’ in 2016.

You can see the top ten below:

  1. FF12: Zodiac Age
  2. COD: Infinite Warfare
  3. Crash Bandicoot N.Sane Trilogy
  4. Overwatch
  5. GTA 5
  6. Forza Horizon 3
  7. Minecraft: Xbox Edition
  8. WipEout
  9. Horizon
  10. Injustice 2

The common theme here folks? Remasters of old games are doing pretty well in the UK at the moment…

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The smaller New Nintendo 3DS has been discontinued

by Nitchigamer, posted in Nintendo, Posts

Nintendo is ending production of the smaller model of the New Nintendo 3DS. It began doing so yesterday in Japan.

Takeaways:

  • The New Nintendo 3DS is being discontinued, but the larger model, the XL, will continue to be produced.
  • The New Nintendo 3DS was smaller and more portable than the XL and was known for its changeable faceplates.
  • Nintendo of Europe has confirmed that the New Nintendo 3DS had been discontinued over here as well.
  • The New Nintendo 3DS was never sold in North America – only in special bundles and promotions.

Don’t fret though. That still leaves us with the, ahem, new, New Nintendo 2DS XL (out 28th July, minus the 3D) and the New Nintendo 3DS XL with its larger screens.

Trailer: Shakedown: Hawaii is Retro City Rampage on steroids

by Nitchigamer, posted in Nintendo, Posts

Shakedown: Hawaii, an open world action game coming to Nintendo Switch, 3DS, PS4, PS Vita and Steam this year, is looking mighty fine indeed.

If you had the luxury of playing indie title Retro City Rampage, you’ll know what to expect here. Although, the 16-bit sequel is upping the ante with a huge map (four times the size of Retro City Rampage), lots of mini-games, the ability to acquire properties and businesses in the city, and much more. You can check out the full reveal trailer below.

Trailer: Have you ever wanted to play Mario Kart in VR?

by Nitchigamer, posted in Nintendo, Posts

Well, it might be coming sooner than you think. Mario Kart Arcade GP VR is releasing in Japanese arcades tomorrow. The game is played through the use of a virtual reality headset and in a first-person perspective.

Items, such as the classic shells and bananas, are thrown by making hand movements – the game registers this via an attachment to the player’s wrist.

Could this be the future of Mario Kart?

Sports Direct buys a quarter of GAME

by Sally Mettson, posted in Nintendo, Posts

Everyone’s favourite Sports Direct has bought a quarter of GAME. That’s 44m shares in other words – a lot of money right there.

Takeaways:

GAME had this to say: “We look forward to working collaboratively with Sports Direct to explore the clear opportunities that a constructive partnership and collaboration can deliver for all stakeholders in the gaming, live events and rapidly growing esports markets in which it operates.”

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Switch gets its first video app for Japan – it’s called NicoNico

by Nitchigamer, posted in Nintendo, Posts

The Nintendo Switch is getting its first video app this week in Japan: it’s called ‘NicoNico’. It’s a video-sharing platform that resembles YouTube, basically.

Takeaways:

  • NicoNico is a Japanese video-sharing platform and the app for the Switch is out this week.
  • You’ll be able to grab the new app in Europe and North America if you have a Japanese Switch account – it’s easy to set up.
  • This is the first time we’ve seen any kind of support for the Nintendo Switch with new applications – does this mean we can expect Netflix and an internet browser in the not too distant future as well? We hope so.

You can watch the trailer, which shows NicoNico running on the Switch, below. Will you be trying to download the app later this week?

WWE 2K18 announced for Switch

by Nitchigamer, posted in Nintendo, Posts

WWE 2K18 is now coming to the Switch as well as the PS4 and Xbox One later this year. It’s been a long time…

Takeaways:

  • Cover Superstar Seth Rollins announced the news himself and confirmed that WWE 2K18 is coming to the Switch.
  • WWE 2K15, WWE 2K16 and WWE 2K17 didn’t make it to the Wii U, so it’s a long-awaited return to a Nintendo platform.
  • No release date was stated, but it’s out on October 17th for the PS4 and Xbox One – will the Switch release be later on?

You can watch Rollins below:

Let’s just hope the Switch version gets the same treatment as the others.

Castlevania on Netflix gets a second season

by Nitchigamer, posted in Nintendo, Posts

If you spent the weekend (some of it) watching the new Castlevania anime series on Netflix and have now realised there are no episodes left to watch… Fret not. A second season has been confirmed.

Takeaways:

  • Eight new episodes have been ordered by Netflix, double the length of the brisk first season.
  • The show is produced by Adi Shankar, who is also working on a new Assassin’s Creed anime.
  • Castlevania stars The Hobbit’s Richard Armitage as Trevor Belmont, with Graham McTavish as the ominous Dracula.

It’s good to see that the show already has a future and some life to it. Here at D-pad Joy we liked what we saw so far. Did you manage to check it out?

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