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    March 2015 Week 5 Nintendo News
    Topic Started: Mar 30 2015, 02:18 AM (63 Views)
    Brendan
    Member Avatar
    Pokémon Trainer
    Gunman Clive 2 Developer Talks About a Possible Wii U Port and a Potential Third Entry

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    Gunman Clive was one of those fun little games that had all the right ingredients of a success. A creative and interesting art style, tight gameplay inspired by classic side scroller games such as Mega Man, plenty of replayability, and a cheap price point helped it to stand out from the pack and gain a following. Its successor, Gunman Clive 2, was the epitome of a properly done sequel. Surpassing its predecessor in every way possible by building upon the solid foundation that had been laid. The popularity of these two games begs the question, though: will it ever become a trilogy? According to the series creator, Bertil Hörberg, it definitely could be.

    Nintendo news site, Nintendojo, recently conducted an interview with Bertil on the Gunman Clive games and his plans for the future as a developer. Naturally, the discussion eventually fell on sequel plans and he had this to say:

    "I don't know. It won't be any time soon but I'm not against the idea of another sequel in the future. If I do create a Gunman Clive 3 or continue the series even further I think I will shake up the formula a bit more and do something a bit different. Gunman Clive 2 started as a very straightforward sequel with basically just more levels. I think it grew to be a bit more ambitious than that in the end, but it still follows the first game very closely in terms of the core gameplay and structure. Honestly I don't really know where to go from here thematically. In Gunman Clive 2 I tried to make everything feel grander and more dramatic. He's already been to space and traveled around the world, fought dinosaurs and giant robots, so I don't know how I'd top that to make his next adventure feel like a clear step up again."

    It may be quite awhile before we see another Gunman Clive, but nonetheless, at least the door is being left open. Plus, if there ever is to be a Gunman Clive 3, it sounds as if it'll go in a unique direction. Meanwhile, Wii U fans have reason to be hopeful, too, as Bertil mentioned that a Wii U port might happen:

    "My plan was to start with the platforms the first game was on (iOS, Android & Steam), as I want everyone who played that to be able to get the sequel, and then move on to Wii U and possibly other consoles. But we'll see how many versions I'm able to do before I want to move on to a new game, so I'm not promising anything definite yet. The 3DS version made up for the vast majority of the total sales for Gunman Clive, but I don't feel I can disregard the other platforms after one game, and it shouldn't be too much work to port it. As I mentioned though, I haven't gotten very far yet and it's going pretty slowly still."

    It makes sense that ports would be made first for the original platforms, but here's to hoping that it'll eventually make the transition to HD.

    Mysterious Murasame Castle's Takamaru Was Considered For Super Smash Bros.

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    It's been a pretty awesome week for all Smash Bros. fans, all told. A short video has made its way to our screens with an announcement from Masahiro Sakurai, stating that the new Mewtwo DLC for Smash Bros. Wii U/3DS would be on its way "pretty soon".

    As always, Nintendo has more surprises for its fans, with Sakurai also sharing some more interesting news. Apparently, Takamaru from The Mysterious Murasame Castle was considered as a fighter for the incredible Smash Bros. franchise, but did not make the cut due to his unfamiliarity with Nintendo fans. It's a shame, but understandable: Takamaru is virtually unknown outside of Japan because the game he starred in never got released in the west.

    Standard-Sized New Nintendo 3DS Photos Emerge On FCC Website in North America

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    It's still a sore subject for many North American residents, but tongues have been set wagging last week as photos of a decidedly standard-sized New 3DS have been found on the FCC website. Does this mean that a US release for the smaller handheld is finally on the cards? Well, not entirely.

    The Federal Communications Commission regulates all kinds of telecommunications technologies, and it's standard practice for games companies to submit new devices for approval, in order to ensure safe and fair usage before they're allowed to release in North America. In September of last year, Nintendo put forward applications for both of their new consoles, which feature the NFC technology and online capabilities seen in many other mobile devices.

    With the confidentiality embargo having lifted last week, newly released documents show that the standard New 3DS model, currently unavailable in the United States, was indeed put forward for testing at the time. Of particular note is the alternate face button colour scheme that matches both the amiibo and "new" branding, which fans have jokingly dubbed the "Skittles" variant.

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    A fully translated operations manual is also among the released files, featuring depictions of an American wall outlet, the 1-800 Nintendo support number, and the inevitable usage of the word "color". The files can all be found here.

    While this isn't confirmation of a NA release by any means it reinforces belief that Nintendo has at least made it an option, and that the possibility still stands.

    The Racing Days Are Over For SEGA’s 3DS eShop Drifter, Initial D: Perfect Shift Online

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    Although SEGA's Initial D: Perfect Shift Online never drifted our way in the end, the 3DS eShop title based on the long-running manga series still experienced a solid performance in Japan, with more than 500,000 downloads.

    SEGA has now announced it will end the services for Initial D Perfect Shift Online at the end of June. Players will still be able to play the game in offline mode when 30th June has passed, but if they delete any data it cannot be recovered.

    Following the success of the original, there was information of a sequel being in the works recently, fittingly titled, Initial D Perfect Shift Online 2nd Stage. The second stage will reportedly feature gameplay similar to the first with plenty of customization, new scenarios and content. The sequel was scheduled for Japan's winter, but news on it has been skim since. Click on the link below to see Closed Beta footage of Initial D: Perfect Shift Online:

    Initial D: Perfect Shift Online (3DS eShop) Closed Beta Footage

    Collector Cases for amiibo Secure Kickstarter Funding

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    For collectors and those that enjoy getting a little more out of key Nintendo releases, amiibo have been a revelation. Keeping them safe and in good condition is a challenge though, along with the decision of whether to unbox them, keep them in their packaging or to unpack carefully for the best of both worlds.

    There are some carrying bags and cases available, but one entrepreneur has successfully funded a Kickstarter campaign for custom "Collector Cases". These are made with durable plastic that resists falls and impact, and have been designed to fit the amiibo toys and their packaging.

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    Currently, the campaign still has 12 days to run, should you want to check it out, but it's already passed its goal. The exciting world of amiibo cases just got real.

    These could be useful for collectors, undoubtedly, and they're both basic and affordable.

    Bravely Second Jobs Revealed and Theatrhythm Dragon Quest Reviewed in Last Week's Famitsu

    Finally: last week's Famitsu has made up for the last couple of disappointing releases when it comes to juicy Nintendo news. While we still haven't heard when Bravely Second: End Layer will make it outside of Japan, that hasn't stopped Famitsu from feeding Japanese gamers more and more information on the sequel to one of the 3DS's best role­playing games. Luckily, last week's Famitsu features a four page spread, along with reviews of Theatrhythm Dragon Quest, Tengami, and Rodea the Sky Soldier.

    Fair warning: some light spoilers for Bravely Second: End Layer are below.

    Previews

    Bravely Second: End Layer

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    Bravely Second's spread focused on unlockable jobs in the upcoming title. The original title, Bravely Default, had a whopping 23 jobs the four playable characters could switch between, and it appears Bravely Second isn't straying far from its predecessor's tree. Famitsu confirmed at least five jobs in the game, two new and three returning favorites.

    First up is the Wizard job. Bravely Default had a half dozen magic jobs, but a Wizard wasn't one of them. Wizards use spirit magic in Bravely Second, and what makes them different from a black or red mage is their special "modification" ability. Modification allows Wizards to manipulate the properties of spells, such as its physical properties or area of effect. This job is unlocked by defeating a black sorceress from the Kingdom of Glanz named Ayame.

    The Chariot job is also a new one to the series. Chariots are diverse physical attackers capable of using all types of weapons and come equipped with the ability to use three weapons at once. Yeah, you read that right. Three weapons at once. When players beat Ku Kurin, a half man and half horse sworn to serve Ayame, the job becomes available.

    Fans of the Pirate, Swordmaster, and Performer (or Super Star) jobs will rejoice to hear all three return in Bravely Second: End Layer. For those with shoddy memories, Pirates wield axes and lower enemies' defenses, Swordmasters have powerful counterattack abilities, and Performers fill a support or bard type role. In an interesting twist, it appears Bravely Second and its predecessor share the same bosses protecting the Asterisk, which is an item conferred to the player after defeating said boss, which unlocks the job. Hayreddin Barbarossa returns with the Pirate Astrick, as does Nobutsuna Kamiizumi and Praline á la Mode for the Swordsmaster and Performer Asterisk, respectfully.

    Of course, there was a bit more non-­job related information floating around in Famitsu. Hold onto your pants because it appears that in Bravely Second: End Layer, players can create stuffed animals of a monster called a Kapukapu, which may be called a Chomper in English. Players do so by participating in a mini­game requiring the cooperation of all four party members. A special currency, called "Kapu" in Japanese, is then used to buy better Kapukapu making equipment or used to exchanged for other currencies. Furthermore, doing well in the mini­game unlocks music, and we all know how good Bravely Default's music was.

    Reviews

    Theatrhythm Dragon Quest - 10/8/9/8

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    Are you a fan of Dragon Quest music? Well, Famitsu has some good news. Theatrhythm Dragon Quest, the spiritual sequel to the 3DS's superb Theatrhythm Final Fantasy, received a platinum award from Famitsu this week, which is high praise. All four Famitsu reviewers adored the game's art style, stating "along with characters you know and love and cute graphics, the dazzlingly famous music will carry you to blissful satisfaction." Wow. Maybe this is a good time to note that Japan is obsessed with Dragon Quest, quite a bit more than other countries are. Another reviewer appreciated the game's varied difficulty levels: "I loved how with different difficulty levels, as well as being able to disable features like the Slide Trigger, nearly anybody can play and enjoy the game."

    However, not everything is peaches and rainbows with Theatrhythm Dragon Quest. Aiuchi, one of the reviewers, cited certain mechanics were difficult to see at times, adding frustration to an otherwise superb game. Aiuchi suggested that players may get used to the eye strain with time.

    Tengami - 8/7/8/7

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    Tengami is a game sporting a pop­up book art­style. Tengami tasks the player with traveling through Japanese fairytales, and for the most part the reviewers enjoyed their time with it. "The game has a great Japanese atmosphere thanks to the graphics and sound," one reviewer noted, "but the characters were a bit small and I was always getting annoyed by the slow movement speed." Another found the GamePad inadequate to play the game with, while another reviewer made liberal use of the hint system to get through the game.

    Rodea the Sky Soldier - 8/7/8/7

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    Rodea is a Wii U and 3DS game best described as being similar to NiGHTS into Dreams. It's a flying action game which uses either system's stylus to control the player character. The reviewers said the game required quite a bit to get used to, but "once you get the hang of it the feeling of freedom and exhilaration is amazing." "Fighting against giant enemies and the large scale of everything in the game feels good," another reviewer added. However, the reticle, energy meter, and cursor are all bunched together and make it hard to control, "which is especially bad in the 3DS version."

    The game releases outside of Japan next fall.

    And that's it for last week's cover of Famitsu. Hopefully, this marks the beginning of more dense Nintendo coverage in Japan's most popular gaming magazine.

    The Legend of Zelda for Wii U No Longer Set for 2015 Release

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    In a blow to Nintendo fans anticipating The Legend of Zelda for Wii U as one of the biggest releases of 2015, series producer Eiji Aonuma has released a development update stating that a 2015 release is no longer the "number one priority". Though worded carefully, it all but confirms a delay into 2016.

    In the video update Aonuma-san explains that new ideas and the scale of the project have prompted the decision, with the end goal being to produce the best game possible. The aim is to "make it the ultimate and most complete Zelda game", with its large world and fresh approaches of vital importance.

    You can see the video by clicking on the link below:

    Zelda Development Update - 27/3/2015 (Wii U)

    In addition to confirmation that The Legend of Zelda on Wii U is no longer planned for a 2015 release, Nintendo has also announced that the game won't be shown at E3 this year. The following additional note has been posted by Eiji Aonuma on Miiverse:

    "As I said in the video, we would like to take this time so we can bring you a very special experience, by making the ultimate Zelda game. Since we'd like to focus on developing the game we've decided to not show the game at this year's E3. Thank you for your continued support, and I hope you'll look forward to the game!"

    New Nintendo 3DS Region-Free Exploit Now Tweaked to Work on North American and European Systems

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    Not so long ago, hackers had found an exploit to make Japanese New Nintendo 3DS systems region-free. Notably the creators ensured that it wouldn't support illegal ROMS or homebrew, but only play legitimate cartridges. It was, ultimately, a niche way for region-free gaming on the New Nintendo 3DS, and was seen by some as a chance for North American enthusiasts to enjoy the smaller model.

    The exploit has now been tweaked, however, to support European and North American New Nintendo 3DS systems too. Again, it gives extra options for dedicated owners that want to play imported carts, for example. Along with a screenshot mod it also, apparently, allows players to run fan-translation patches, which is about as niche as it gets!

    It's an intriguing project, but in a sign of its intentions and Nintendo's ongoing security it has plenty of limitations. As before a copy of Cubic Ninja is required to make it work and it only supports out-of-date firmware 8.1.0/9.1.0/9.2.0. No online gaming or eShop access is possible due to the need to avoid system updates.

    It remains a niche exploit, then, but it's interesting to see the efforts some go to in order to enjoy region-free gaming, with legitimate cart copies, on Nintendo's latest hardware. Click here to access cell9’s NTR CFW region-free firmware for New 3DS.
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    My 3DS friend code: 1134-7907-6403

    Please PM me your 3DS friend code so I can add you.
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