Could this be the first of many Nintendo releated E3 leaks? Well I certainly hope so, as the Entertainment Software Rating Board has just posted an E-for-Everyone rating for a brand new game titled “Zelda Universe.” The only description of the game is that it includes “violence”. With Nintendo preparing to show off its new console, dubbed Project Cafe, at this years E3 it isn’t too hard to imagine that this will be an online software title for the new format. What does everyone think?
The composer behind the critically acclaimed The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D and The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword has been revealed to be none other than Super Mario Galaxy composer Mahito Yokota. The news was revealed during the latest Iwata Asks segment and will inevitably be well received by the Zelda community as the soundtracks for the Super Mario Galaxy games were nothing short of amazing.
Do you fancy doing something ultra productive today? Well here’s a stunning Legend of Zelda – Puppet Ganon for you all to assemble! All the instructions are available to download via the PDF. I’m adamant that this will look super awesome adorning your room. Good luck and let me know if you decide to download and assemble it. Any photos would be appreciated!
Believe it or not Sega cancelled the fantastic looking Sonic Generations for the Nintendo Wii due to the systems graphical constraints. Sonic Team believe that the game “wasn’t a good fit” for Sega’s concept of “reimagining the series’ classic zones in vivid, high-definition graphics.” Clearly this will come as a disappointment for many considering the huge Sonic fan base on the Nintendo Wii. Do you think Sega was right to cancel Sonic Generations for Wii?
“The primary goal for the console versions of Generations was reimagining the series’ classic zones in vivid, high-definition graphics. The Wii hardware wasn’t a good fit for that concept, so we abandoned development on that, and decided that for our Nintendo audience, we would make a fresh start with a N3DS version of Generations.”
- Takashi Iizuka, Sonic Team
Eiji Maeda, senior analyst for SMBC has told Japanese gaming bible Famitsu that he expects Nintendo to attract the most attention at this years E3 event. To be honest this won’t be too difficult as Nintendo has already announced that it’s showing off its highly anticipated successor to the Nintendo Wii at the event along with a plethora of games. Nintendo will also be revealing some brand new 3DS titles along with upcoming games such as Kid Icarus and Super Mario 3D. We should also see a lot more of The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword for Wii.
“Nintendo is definitely the company attracting the most attention at E3 this year, their Wii successor in particular. The Wii was a success because of the make-people-smile aspect of it that is such a key part of Nintendo’s goals, so it’s likely the new system will follow similar lines,” Maeda said. “Networking and online communication has become a vital part of any home system, and I think they will offer some kind of new service related to that. The Wii presented a comparatively large number of hurdles to getting online, and I think Nintendo will try to up the percentage of connected consoles with the new system.”
“Nintendo aims to sell 16 million 3DS systems in 2011, and they’re going to need to introduce titles that can bring them toward that goal,” he said. “Some of the titles they’ve announced, like Mario, Mario Kart and Animal Crossing, will pretty much have to come out within this year, and the 3DS’s E3 presence will likely revolve around those titles. It’ll be a platform for Nintendo to re-emphasize the 3DS’s abilities.”
- Eiji Maeda
British news publication The Guardian recently received the opportunity to sit down with Shigeru Miyamoto and question him about all things Nintendo 3DS. The best news from the interview is that Super Mario 3D is still on track for this year, but it seems as though Mario Kart 3D has slipped to a 2012 release. We will find out more about these titles at E3 in a couple of weeks. Anyway, here’s a number of choice extracts from the surprisingly in-depth interview for your reading pleasure.
“Now, we are focusing more on games for the 3DS – we want to release lots of games for it this year.”
“The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time will be released in June, Starfox this summer and Super Mario 3D, which is completely original, is coming this year. I am involved with these titles and Mario Kart.” Which, alas, implies that Mario Kart for the 3DS won’t be ready until 2012.
“Starfox uses the gyro-sensor and the joystick; the combination is the key to its gameplay. Because it’s 3D, you have the depth in the screen, so you can aim perfectly.”
“Super Mario 3D will be a combination of Super Mario Galaxy and Super Mario 64, although that doesn’t exactly convey what it is like – if you play it at E3 you will see what I mean.
“For example, when floors are floating in space, in 2D, it’s difficult to judge distances, but in 3D, it is easy to.”
“If I tell you everything, I won’t be able to talk about anything at E3. But the power-ups you mention are what you think you are. And you probably know what is going to happen using those characters already.”
“[Zelda: Ocarina of Time] ran at 20fps on the Nintendo64, but on the 3DS, it runs at 30fps, so there is extra smoothness of movement. The graphics, too, have been strengthened: you can feel the immersiveness of its world in 3D. Plus, the touchscreen lets you place items wherever you want them to be.
“In the original, it was really difficult, say, to change into your boots in the water dungeon, but now it’s easy. And in the original, it could be confusing when, say, using the bow, whether you were supposed to push the stick up or down to aim it – but now we have the gyro-sensor on the 3DS, it’s easy.”
Nintendo 3DS eShop: “Even if you download games via eShop, we will create games that are meaningful and valuable for the 3DS. We would like to create download games that are meaningful and always there with you.
“It’s not that I’m dictating methods to the third parties: they need to be open to the eShop as well, but I’m speaking for Nintendo.”
“The main software, we would create for packaged games. But if there are any meaningful ideas for download – if it was something that worked when it was always there [on the 3DS], then maybe. I think, for me, a download game would be something anyone could play and that is comfortable to play. So it’s not really about forcing a game into the hardware.”
“I’m not really involved with Spot Pass – more with Street Pass. But there will be several software updates. As soon as the server is ready, it will be done. For Spot Pass, without you knowing, things like films will be coming to you.” What other key things will the update bring? “The browser and the eShop.”
- Shigeru Miyamoto
To celebrate the launch of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D in Australia EB Games are giving away a special edition box set. The lavish golden box set comes with an authentic Zelda themed Ocarina along with a song sheet to practise your melodies. This should certainly make up for the delayed release of the game in Australia. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time is released in Europe, June 17th, North America, June 19th and Australia, June 30th.
We all knew it was coming and now Nintendo Power has officially confirmed it; Sonic Generations is heading to the Nintendo 3DS sometime later this year. The game is set to be released on the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and the Nintendo 3DS. Sadly Sega has neglected the Nintendo Wii this time around for undisclosed reasons. Maybe we should hold out hope for a new and improved version to be released next year for Nintendo’s Project Cafe.
With this years E3 conference soon upon us online gaming publication IGN have posted their personal E3 predictions. Whilst there are plenty of interesting discussions regarding what the different platform holders will showcase at the event, IGN are still on the fence regarding whether or not The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword will become a Nintendo Wii 2 launch title. Are you guys thinking it will remain on the Wii, or will it be moved to Project Cafe? Alternatively it could feature on both consoles like The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess. Whatever Nintendo decides to do let’s hope they make the right decision.
Nintendo’s got a tough decision to make with Skyward Sword. On one hand the company has set this precedent before, when Twilight Princess was shifted from the GameCube to be a Wii launch title. On the other hand, we won’t see the new Nintendo system till 2012, which means the Wii is looking at a pretty barren release schedule this fall if Skyward Sword gets taken out of the mix. This one could definitely go either way.
- IGN
Japanese magazine publisher Enterbrain has predicted that the Nintendo 3DS will be the best-selling console in Japan this year. Whilst sales are rather slow at the current moment, Enterbrain believe that Japanese consumers will be snapping up the console once Nintendo unleashes its impressive array of first party titles for the console. Enterbrain has estimated a total of 2,868,000 3DS unit sales before the end of the year, compared to 2,378,000 PSP units.
