This week’s batch of games give players another classic Game Boy game to add to their collection and also provides a free DLC of sorts to those who were smart enough to download a particular game back in December. Take a look at this week’s titles below.

3DS eShop
Game & Watch Gallery 2 (Nintendo, $3.99)

This Game Boy port of the classic Game & Watch portable system gives players even more classic mini-games to play with. Featuring Parachute, Helmet, Chef, Vermin, and Donkey Kong, the game includes both the original Game & Watch mini-games and updated versions starring Mario and his friends. Why not let Mr. Game & Watch show how much fun old handhelds once were?

Mighty Switch Force! New Edition (WayForward, $5.99)

Mighty Switch Force! was released back in December to favorable reviews, and now those who picked up the game can download five additional levels free of charge. This unique platformer truly makes great use of the 3DS’s graphics and involves making blocks appear or disappear to give you some footing in your pursuit of wanted criminals. This new version also comes with some updates including enhanced 3D effects and a “retry” option.

DSiWare
Snakeoid Deluxe (CINEMAX, $4.99/500 pts)

Snakeoid Deluxe will remind you a lot of past arcade titles including Snake and Arkanoid (hence the name!) The game involves controlling a snake with your stylus to make it bounce balls back up to the top screen to destroy bricks and pick up power-ups. Featuring three different modes – arcade, challenge, and unlimited – the game might also teach you how flexible some snakes can be.

Nintendo’s press conference is happening in just two weeks! We’ll be there covering it and live-blogging it as it happens, but if you’d also like to see all the action take place live on your screen, Nintendo has you covered too.

The all-access press conference begins Tuesday, June 5 at 9 a.m. PDT and will be streamed on Nintendo’s E3 website. It will also be televised on MTV2 and Spike TV networks. Throughout the week, Nintendo will also be updating its Facebook page with announcements and will be live tweeting via its @Nintendo Twitter account. Videos and trailers will be posted on Youtube as well.

While Nintendo will let you feel like you’re at E3, we’ll be there providing you previews and impressions of everything the big N announces that week. Have anything in particular you’d like coverage on? Let us know.

Source: Nintendo

A QA tester at TT Games, the makers of various Lego titles, tweeted a picture of a Wii U tablet controller that looks a whole lot different from what we saw at last year’s E3.

As you can see from the image to the right, the controller now has analog sticks that have replaced the 3DS Circle pads. The Select and Start buttons have been moved from the bottom of the controller to below the face buttons on the right side. There also now seems to be two additional square-shaped buttons below the D-pad and next to the power button. Click on the image for more detail and compare it to last year’s model below.

Source: Twitter

Vampires and Kirby. What do these two have in common? Well before you say they both have done their share of sucking in the past, how about also being the stars of this week’s Nintendo Downloads?

3DS eShop
Kirby’s Block Ball (Nintendo, $2.99)

Kirby’s Block Ball is one of those games that let players do something more than simply suck in their enemies with the pink puffball. Think of the game as Nintendo’s version of Breakout, so not only will you be moving a paddle around to bounce brick-breaking balls around, but you’ll also find Kirby-themed power-ups like Maxim Tomatoes and absorb enemy powers.

Rayman Origins (Ubisoft, DEMO)

If you haven’t tried out Ubisoft’s platforming gem, you can now download the game’s demo for free. With over 60 levels, nostalgic Rayman controls, and lush graphics, you just may be sold on adding this game to your collection.

DSiWare
Chronicles of Vampires: The Awakening (Teyon, $4.99/500 pts)

Vampires merely set the tone for this game, so don’t expect any gushy love story. In fact, this hidden object game will have you traveling to 20 different locations in order to stop a sinister plot from happening and destroying the living world.

Starting today, players who want to partake in online Mario Kart 7 races need to download the free patch for the game released a couple of days ago on Nintendo’s eShop. The Mario Kart 7 Version 1.1 patch removes three notable shortcut exploits in the Maka Wuhu, Wuhu Loop, and Bowser Castle 1 race tracks when the game is played online. These glitches allow players to skip entire laps or get transported too far ahead, giving them an edge over their competition, forcing many to either join in on the shortcut or wind up in last place.

This update is the first one of its kind Nintendo has rolled out since it announced plans to do so earlier this year. In Japan, the next batch of games to be patched include Kingdom Hearts Dream Drop Distance and New Love Plus. Its latest 3DS firmware update now allows Nintendo to update individual software over the internet, something its competitors have been doing for years.

Heroes of Ruin impressed us with its mission-based gameplay at PAX East last month, but the game is also coming with some features that are not too common on the 3DS including voice chat and a fluid drop-in-drop-out campaign mode.

This bustling RPG encourages players to play it with others and will come with daily Spot Pass challenges, Street Pass item trading, and other features that will make you reconsider playing it solo. Check out our preview to learn more about the game and watch the trailer below to see some of these multiplayer features in action.

Revealed at last month’s Nintendo Direct webcast, Pokémon AR Searcher, now known officially in the US as Pokémon Dream Radar, will let players use their 3DS cameras to search for Pokémon in the real world. The game is an AR shooter that will also give players access to new Pokémon like the recently revealed Sacred Beast Formes of Tornadus, Thundurus, and Landorus and transfer them to their games.

Pokédex 3D Pro is another upcoming eShop title that will give 3D owners a full working Pokédex with information on the over 600 species of Pokemon.

These two titles will coincide with the release of Pokémon Black and White Version 2 and be released this fall in the US. Available only on the 3DS, these two titles will give 3DS owners an advantage even though the upcoming Pokémon sequels are actually DS titles. No price was announced, but do recall that the current Pokédex 3D was offered at no cost to 3DS owners when it first launched last year.

In Kingdom Hearts: Dream Drop Distance, Sora won’t be joined by his old pals Donald and Goofy, but will have to rely instead on the help of various Dream Eaters in battle. Each Dream Eater has unique powers and abilities and you can recruit over 50 unique colorful creatures during your adventure.

Square Enix wants to give players a few new friends when starting their game and will be providing special augmented reality cards to unlock two special Dream Eaters for those who pre-order Dream Drop Distance. One AR card will randomly unlock one of the three rare Dream Eaters: Ursa Circus, Sudo Neku or Meowjesty. The second AR card unlocks R&R Seal Dream Eater, and the last AR card unlocks a 360° viewing stand.

Kingdom Hearts: Dream Drop Distance will be available on July 31.

Are you a Nintendo Ambassador? Did you wait several hours in the blistering cold for your shiny Aqua Blue 3DS over a year ago? If you did, you better give it a tight hug tonight as it looks like Japan is ending production of that color sometime soon as indicated on its Japanese product website.

No reason was indicated as to why Nintendo is ending production of that specific color or whether this will also impact US sales, but with six other colors to choose including the new Midnight Purple 3DS, players still have a wide selection to choose from. Like I said, if you own an Aqua Blue 3DS, hold it tight. It may soon be extinct.

Source: Nintendo

Let’s compare the Mario Tennis series to, well, a game of tennis. While the rules are the same regardless of what match you play, you won’t always be playing on the same court or against the same opponent. Mario Power Tennis, for example, introduced gimmicky features that were more harmful than helpful, but the game’s familiar controls were still there. Going back to their roots, Camelot and Nintendo have once again joined forces to give players a great tennis title, but they might have stripped it down a little too much.

Mario Tennis Open’s new control system is perhaps the best in the series. While its predecessor emphasized the Power Shot that was flashy but often distracting, the shooting seen here is much more toned down and a lot more sophisticated. The different face buttons on the 3DS each correspond to a specific shot – slices are performed with B, topspin with A, lobs require you to press A then B, and so forth – and they also correspond to a colored panel on the touchscreen. During a match, the space where a ball is heading will sometimes flash one of these colors indicating that a Chance Shot can be performed. If you hold or tap the correct button or panel, your shot will be powered up and exaggerated, making it difficult for the opponent to predict where it’s going and also stunning him if he manages to hit the ball. You don’t always have to activate a Chance Shot or match the shot with the colored space that appears on the court, so this also adds a level of strategy to the game, letting you mix up your offense to keep your opponent guessing.

Chance Shots offer a balanced addition to the traditional game of tennis, and their presence doesn’t overpower any particular character either. You still need to rely on your own skills to win matches, but each character also has his or her own unique characteristics like in past games. Balls hit by tricky characters like Boo and Bowser Jr. will have unpredictable trajectories, and Power characters like DK and Bowser have two of the strongest serves in the game.

Your own Mii characters also can partake in matches and be dressed up in various costumes and gear that you unlock playing through the game’s Tournament mode. Each item has special properties that change your Mii’s abilities and will affect how he or she moves and shoots on the court. My main complaint is that an item’s stats are shown as a pie diagram that makes it difficult to see how much an item differs from another unless that difference is pretty significant. I could definitely sense a difference giving my Mii a different racket, but I feel like this Creation mode is mostly there for players who care more about what their Miis will look like instead of how they will play.

When not busy fidgeting with their Mii’s wardrobe, players can compete in Singles and Doubles Tournaments that each consists of eight different cups with three matches apiece. The first few matches start out ridiculously easy and take mere minutes to finish, but the final cups really do test your tennis skills. Aside from a sense of accomplishment, you don’t get much for winning every cup in the game. Characters only need to beat one cup to gain the special Star status that powers up their overall abilities and grants them access to the game’s four final cups, so the only real reason you’d replay Tournament mode is to collect the over 200 pieces of equipment the game offers.

If you don’t plan on using your Mii in a match, there’s really no reason to care about these items. Also, just because you unlock an item in Tournament mode doesn’t mean you automatically own it. Rackets cost money, and the only way to earn coins is to play through the other two modes the game offers: Exhibition and Special Games mode. Exhibition mode is essentially a free play mode that lets players decide on the difficulty of their opponents and the length of their games.

Special Games mode, however, is a lot more fun than the ones seen in past Mario Tennis titles. Games like Ring Shot test your speed and aiming skills outside a traditional game of tennis, and clearing through their four different difficulty modes unlocks hidden characters like Baby Peach and Dry Bowser – so again you may ask what the point of playing through Tournament mode was. Two of my favorites include Ink Showdown that has you returning balls and globs of ink and Galaxy Rally, a game that has you keeping a rally going while avoiding disappearing platforms on the opposite side of the court. I was also very impressed with Super Mario Tennis and how it blends tennis controls with Mario’s classic side scrolling adventure.

Likewise, there is nothing like playing an intense final match and hearing orchestrated music blaring from your speakers. It’s these added touches – even the crisp 3D graphics –that truly make the game a joy to play on the 3DS. The game also offers a Dynamic View mode that lets you tilt your handheld to give you a behind-the-shoulder camera angle with gyro controls. This optional mode also makes your character automatically head towards the ball, so it’s definitely geared towards beginners and younger players. Open also has a Street Pass feature that lets you play a game of Ring Shot or a quick match against players that you run into. More characters will also be available to download via QR code scanning, further capitalizing on all the features the 3DS has to offer.

Like its predecessors, Open is also a multiplayer game. Local matches fortunately only need one game cartridge, and give up to four players the chance to play together and select from a full roster of characters. You can also play with your Friend List buddies over Wi-Fi, or search for random players too taking advantage of the same Nintendo Network that launched with Mario Kart 7, but the lack of a Community mode makes Open’s online offerings a lot less impressive. There is a monthly leaderboard that tracks your ranking, and you get medals for every opponent you defeat. I experienced next to no lag during most of my matches, and since the game pairs you up with equally skilled opponents – I assume determined by the medals they have – in your region, lag shouldn’t be a problem most of the time. Matches are short, so the game’s online experience may be fun, but it’s also rather brief.

What you get when you combine the various characters with the game’s user-friendly controls is a very polished game, but it’s a shame there’s not enough content on the actual cartridge to make the most of all these great additions. I spent almost 15 hours completing the game, unlocking all characters, and giving most of them Star status, but I started wondering what else I could do aside from collecting shirts for my Mii. Online matches are great, but are over too quickly. Don’t get me wrong – Open is a lot of fun, but I just wish there was more to the game than just increasing your Mii’s wardrobe.

With graduations and a few parental holidays quickly approaching, Nintendo wants you to share your favorite handheld with your family. But if you don’t want to let them borrow it for one minute, (they might not give it back after all,) you can now purchase one for them at a lower price without having to rummage through dusty stacks of used hardware at GameStop.

Starting May 20, prices for both the DSi and DSi XL systems will be dropped to $99.99 and $129.99 respectively. This new price will also separate them even more from the $169.99 price tag of the 3DS, so if gamers don’t mind foregoing newer titles and 3D graphics, these two “classic” handhelds will do them just fine.

With a library of over 2,000 games, both packaged and downloadable titles, there’s no reason why you wouldn’t want to gift them to your loved ones. That is, make sure they like to game, of course.

This week we’re getting a double dose of Sega Virtual Console goodness, and one of these games had only been available in Japan until now. American Wii users can finally get to experience the classic Genesis game Monster World IV, while handheld owners can relax with some Sudoku or a game about twins with super powers – no, not the Wonder Twins.

3DS eShop
Sudoku by Nikoli (Hamster Corporation, $4.99)

If you constantly spend your morning commutes fidgeting with the newspaper finishing up your Sudoku puzzles, Sudoku by Nikoli may be for your. The game offers 50 different puzzles with two different modes to get your brain working: a structure Stage Clear mode and a Random Mode. At tens cents a puzzle, does it beat lugging a newspaper around?

DSiWare
Paul’s Shooting Adventure 2 (Agetec, ICM Japan, $1.99/200 pts)

While I did say this game isn’t about the Wonder Twins, Paul and his brother have powers that let them turn into enemy weapons. Using their special abilities, the two must stop an alien invasion from wrecking havoc on their world. The game features two player co-op play so you too can play alongside your brother.

Wii Virtual Console
Wonder Boy in Monster Land (Sega, 900 pts)

First released on arcades back in 1987, Sega is letting Wii owners experience one of their earliest action RPG titles. Taking on the role of Wonder Boy, players will travel through twelve linear levels, defeating enemies and purchasing weapons and equipment along the way. The game has seen several ports to PC, Genesis, and now Virtual Console. Clearly fans like their Wonder Boy.

Monster World IV (Sega, 900 pts)

It may have taken Monster World IV 18 years since its 1994 Sega Genesis release date to reach US shores, but the game is now available for everyone to enjoy. In this final chapter in the Monster World series, players will accompany Arsha on her adventures to become a master genie and help spirits that call to her from beyond. The game has been so popular, that a fan translation even exists!

Bird Mania 3D is about a little blue bird named Mojo whose friends left him behind after they decided to migrate to Africa. He’s now on a mission to catch up to them and enjoy the warm weather. That’s about all you’re going to get when it comes to a story, and the game itself repeats itself each time you die. But before your dismiss this eShop title, look at its price tag and read on.

The game is all about scoring high and quick reflexes. Using the 3DS’s Circle Pad and face buttons, you need to move Mojo up and down as he flies (scrolls) continuously on the top screen and steer him clear of obstacles like treetops, bees, and evil birds. One hit from anything will cause your little bird to fall to his doom. You can further increase your score by collecting stars in his path or by ramming into enemies with the shoulder button. Each baddie you take down increases your multiplier and the points you get. I told you scores were a big deal in this game!

That being said, I do wish the game offered online leaderboards. You are basically competing against yourself each time you get a new high-score, and while that’s okay, it would have made a lot more sense if you could see how others fared or how long they lasted. I mean, isn’t scoring what this game is all about? To remedy the lack of any online implementation, the game does offer 20 difficult achievements that will test your skills dodging trees.

Don’t take me wrong, Bird Mania 3D is a joy to play. The colorful graphics and the catchy music really let you concentrate on your session, which could end in just a few seconds if you’re too distracted. While the 3D effect is good, it hurt my eyes a little the farther into the game I got and the faster the screen started scrolling. I also found the touchscreen controls to be so much better than using the D-pad or Circle Pad, which felt a bit stiff. Sliding my stylus up and down and seeing how fluidly Mojo reacted really made guiding him a lot easier this way.

The Blast Factor: Just $1.99, Bird Mania 3D is one of the cheapest games on the eShop right now – but don’t confuse cheap for bad here. While it lacks depth (and online leaderboards,) Bird Mania 3D’s simple and addicting gameplay will inform you that some migrating birds do get left behind and that some games still care about how high you score.

Adding a fifth color to its handhelds’ ever-growing color palette and evoking memories of the GameCube and Game Boy Advance, Nintendo is releasing a Midnight Purple version of its 3DS on May 20. This release coincides with the launch of Mario Tennis Open.

Midnight Purple was actually shown at E3 prior to the system’s launch, but it will finally make its way onto store shelves this month. If you have still yet to purchase a 3DS, you’ll have plenty of options to choose from as this color joins the handheld’s other color choices including Cosmo Black, Aqua Blue, Flame Red, and Pearl Pink.

Let’s hope Nintendo future plans to sell individual colored parts of their handheld so current 3DS owners can change up their look without having to buy a whole new system. This (most likely) won’t happen, but I guess that’s what purple protective covers are for.

This morning you may have seen the leaked trailer for Rayman Legends showing off the Wii U’s snazzy Near Field Communication features, but who wants to play with a small tablet when you can have a whole coffee table?

Charles Lushear of custom design studio The Boho Workbench in Venice Beach, California has designed a Nintendo-chic piece of furniture that also doubles as a giant NES controller. The table measures 42″ x 18.25″ x 18″ and comes in four different varieties.

The controller table is made to order and can be crafted out of composite or hardwood materials. It also comes with a removable glass top for when you’re not playing games and optional USB capabilities. You can choose to give your table full NES controller functions or simply order a nonfunctional, but still very kickass, one.

You can purchase an old NES controller for about $5 on eBay. But because this isn’t just any old controller (it’s also a table,) ordering one will set you back about $3,500 depending on what you add to it.

Lushear is also researching adding in Wii capability. Let’s hope his project gives the Wii U tablet a run for its money too.

Source: etsy

Super Smash Bros. Brawl is one hefty game. Not only did it receive a rare perfect score from the Japanese magazine Famitsu, but it contains enough music, characters, and nostalgia to act as a playable anthology of Nintendo’s history. At last year’s E3, series creator Masahiro Sakurai announced plans on a sequel, but what else could he possibly add to the game to make it even better?

As he told IGN in an interview, Sakurai knows he can’t just simply expand the volume of the next Super Smash Bros. title, because it’s already big enough as it is.  ”I intend to change direction a little as we go,” Sakurai said. “The key to that’s going to be its dual support for 3DS/Wii U.”

The next Super Smash Bros. game may still have a ways to go, but fans can definitely expect to see some new gameplay features not seen in the series before. How this will impact the actual fighting style of the game or its characters is still unknown – even to Sakurai.

“I’m really just getting started on this so it’s going to take time, but I’ll come up with something that uses that link as the game’s central axis, so I hope you’re looking forward to it.”

Source: IGN

Nintendo has reported its first annual loss in the company’s history. Following a lackluster response to its 3DS handheld and a seemingly dry year for its ageing Wii console, the company was met with an operating loss of 37.3 billion yen for the 2011 fiscal year. That’s about $459.54 million.

Lowering the price of the 3DS handheld was, in fact, a smart move on the company’s part as the big N forecasts a much better 2012. 3DS sales are a lot better than they were in the past, stronger titles like Animal Crossing and New Super Mario Bros. 2 will be making their way to the handheld this year, and the upcoming release of the Wii U will help Nintendo make even more money.

How much money, you may wonder? For 2012, Nintendo is predicting an operating profit of 35 billion yen ($431.20 milion.) Not too shabby of a bounce back.

Though the Wii version of the game has been out everywhere else since 2009, New Play Control! Pikmin 2 will finally be coming to US shores this June, according to a scanned copy of the May issue of Nintendo Power.

Pikmin 2 follows the story of Captain Olimar who returns to his home world of Hocotate after his treasure-hunting adventures in the first game only to discover his employer is still in debt. Sent back to the mysterious planet, Olimar is joined by his partner Louie, who together must ransack treasures like bottlecaps, batteries, and other things we might consider junk. They befriend small plant-like creatures called Pikmin that help them pick up different objects, fight off enemies, and create pellets that make more Pikmin for Olimar to control.

The added Wii motion controls make the sadistic act of throwing Pikmin a simple flick of the wrist. You can also aim at the screen to direct your army of Pikmin where to go.

It’s great Nintendo is letting more players discover the joy of Pikmin, especially since they are working on the third game in the series for Wii U. Great timing, eh?

The 3DS firmware update Satoru Iwata mentioned during last week’s Nintendo Direct broadcast is now available worldwide.

Today’s update lets you create and name folders for storing your 3DS games, apps, and videos on your Home menu. This is also great for grouping and organizing similar items or for storing the ones you don’t usually use like that redundant Health & Safety Information icon. You can’t customize them too much or change their icon or color, so your menu might get filled with blue folders if you have lots of things to organize (or to hide.)

You could say the theme of today’s update is organization as the eShop interface has also been redesigned a bit and now includes two rows of icons. Additionally, this update will let Nintendo patch games such as the Make Wuhu lap glitch in Mario Kart 7. These patches will come at a later date.

As you might have read from our preview from PAX East, Mario Tennis Open looks likes it will be the most robust installment the series has seen. Featuring classic modes like tournaments and exhibitions, Open plays like a great game of tennis, but the addition of mini-games, character customization, and online matches makes this a 3DS title definitely worth looking out for.

A new trailer was recently released showing off the game’s Customization mode that lets you dress up your Miis with over 200 items and equipment that changes the way they play. You can make your Miis match the skills of the available characters by giving them shirts and hats resembling them (or even full costumes,) or you can mix and match outfits to create your own unique player.

The Japanese website for the game also just launched featuring videos of all the available characters and the different modes. Even if you don’t know Japanese, be sure to check out videos of your favorite characters in action and get a sneak peek at the various courts too.

Mario Tennis Open comes out May 20.

While last night Iwata may have revealed new games and updates coming to Japan this summer, this morning Nintendo of America confirmed that the US isn’t to be forgotten.

New Super Mario Bros. 2 is set to launch for 3DS this August as well. As reported earlier, it will be a classic side-scrolling game featuring classic Mario characters. The game was created with pick-up-and-play in mind for players of all levels. It will also mark the return of Raccoon Mario!

American Wii owners will also get to celebrate Kirby’s 20th anniversary with a special disc featuring a collection of classic and fan-favorite Kirby games. More will be revealed later on, but because Japan is getting some new Kirby goodies, this may perhaps involve Club Nintendo too.

Finally, as we confirmed last night, 3DS owners will be getting a firmware update on April 25 letting players organize their files in folders. This update will also allow the ability to “update” select software such as Mario Kart 7. It sounds like Nintendo finally wants to be able to patch its games, and the shortcut-exploiting glitches of Maka Wuhu will be the first to go.

There is no word yet on future content or software already revealed to be released in Japan, but I’m sure once those titles like Pokemon Black and White 2 launch, their respective announcements will follow.

Nintendo President and CEO Satoru Iwata presented another Nintendo Direct live broadcast tonight giving us upcoming Nintendo software news and special announcements.

Kirby turns 20 this year, and the Wii will offer “memorial” Kirby games this summer for its anniversary. Japanese Club Nintendo members will also receive new goodies.

Just Dance 2 will be hitting Japanese shores and will be a bit more “culturalized” to fit in with Japanese audiences.

The Nintendo eShop will also release two titles that will complement the upcoming Pokémon Black and White 2 including an updated Pokédex 3D and a game called AR Searcher that will let players catch Pokémon in the real world and transfer them to their game!

Next, Iwata listed some upcoming games coming to Japan. These include Guild 01, Dragon Quest Monsters: Terry’s Wonderland 3D, Etrian Odyssey IV, Little Battler eXperience Explosive Boost, Taiko Drum Master: Chibi Dragon and the Mysterious Orb, Rune Factory IV. Whether they will be coming to US shores is unknown.

A teaser trailer of the upcoming Namco Bandai, Sega, and Capcom crossover RPG game Project X Zone was shown. Nothing much was revealed aside from what’s already on the website, (which isn’t much!)

Mario Tennis Open’s Mii customization was also explained. Players will be able to give their Miis over 200 items and different abilities depending on what they are wearing. The game comes out in the US next month.

Aside from a few other Japanese titles, Iwata also mentioned that the 3DS would be getting an update next week letting 3DS owners organize up to 60 items into one folder. The 3DS will also be getting a “patch” that will affect Kingdom Hearts 3D, New Love Plus, and Mario Kart 7, fixing some of its shortcut glitches. DLC for a few games like Kid Icarus Uprising and Theatrythm Final Fantasy will also be coming out in the coming months.

Iwata revealed the full name for the upcoming Animal Crossing title will be Animal Crossing: Tobidasu. “Tobidasu” could be translated as “Pop Out” or “Jump Out” or “Fly Out.” The game is coming out in the fall.

Finally, Iwata announced a new Mario title coming out in Japan in August titled New Super Mario Bros. 2, featuring classic sidescrolling gameplay like in the first game and the return of Raccoon Mario.

The 3DS firmware update also arrives in the US on April 25. Most of the Japanese games Iwata announced were set for Japan, with no American release date, so the chance of them getting localized is slim.

The World Ends With You came out in the US back in 2008. Its catchy soundtrack and unique dual-screen battle system made it stand out from most DS games released at the time. Since then, fans have been wanting a sequel, and it sounds like the game’s co-creator Tetsuya Nomura was listening.

Rhyme, one of the characters from TWEWY, makes a cameo appearance in Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance, another one of Nomura’s games. In an interview in the latest issue of Nintendo Dream, he states that the team decided to give Rhyme lines and a voice actor ”with the future of The World Ends With You series in mind.”

What’s more, Nomura also finished the interview by further hinting at a sequel and saying, ”Regarding The World Ends With You, I can’t say anything right now… (laughs). But there probably is something.”

Considering the original game did a great job implementing gameplay on both DS screens, its sequel could do an even better job with the 3DS’s added features. The game could let players trade battle pins, have Street Pass battles, and so much more. We’ll just have to wait and sit tight for more updates!

Via: Andriasang

Nintendo today confirmed its plans to unveil new Pikmin and Super Mario. titles at this year’s E3 in June.

The last Pikmin game came out back in 2004 on the Gamecube and was released again in 2009 with updated Wii motion controls. Eurogamer states that Miyamoto waited to move the third game to the Wii U “because he thought the franchise would be especially suited to HD visuals.”

Also confirmed by Nintendo is that their newest Super Mario Bros. title will, in fact, be based on the playable Wii U tech demo showcased at last year’s E3. The game plays very much like New Super Mario Bros. Wii, but the added tablet controller gives players more gameplay options and touch-screen controls.

Stay tuned for more news about E3 in the coming weeks.

Taking place two years after the events in the first two games, Pokémon Black and White 2 will let players revisit the Isshu region, which was recently engulfed by a mysterious sheet of ice. Players will discover new Pokémon , meet new people and gym leaders, and explore brand new locations.

The games are set to release in Japan on June 23 and are expected to hit US shores this fall.

Mario Tennis first appeared on the Nintendo 64, and while it doesn’t frequent consoles as much as its other Mario titles do, it’s still one of my favorite series. Its latest installment, Mario Tennis Open, is heading for the Nintendo 3DS next month, and it actually may be better than its predecessors.

Like with past Mario Tennis games, Tournament mode lets you play through various brackets, both singles and doubles, while Exhibition mode lets you play free matches against computers, local wireless buddies, or strangers over wi-fi. That’s right. Open will take advantage of the wi-fi capabilities of the 3DS that made Mario Kart 7 so successful without the fuss of Friend Codes. Your selection of characters still remains strong as past favorites like Mario, Daisy, fand Yoshi return. Each character is divided into categories such as power, technique, speed, tricky, and defense, giving each one different strengths and weaknesses on the courts. Fans of the series can rest assured; Boo is still as tricky as ever.

Once you’re on the courts, you’ll notice the way you play the game has been simplified, or perhaps, redefined from Mario Power Tennis. In fact, it feels a bit more like the original N64 version as your gimmicky power shots are no more. Instead, the area where the ball will land will light up in different colors corresponding to your touchscreen. The colors simply refer to the different types of shots you can do by either pressing the required buttons or tapping the screen. You can also change the complexity of the touchscreen’s layout or simply disregard it. Tapping the move lets you do them quickly, but using the buttons lets you charge them up.

Aside from the main competitive modes, Open includes mini-games too. Ring Shot requires you to lob, slice, or perform a topspin hit to capture rings on the field. Ink Showdown has you hitting globs of ink before they stain your screen making it harder to see. The next one, Galaxy Rally, requires you to collect star bits on the other side of the net. Sounds easy, but as soon as the ball hits the other side, parts of the floor disappear. You could also say these mini-games act also like a practice mode for the main game as they will train the basic skills you’ll need to win tournament cups.

The last mini-game also trains your skills, but it combines the retro goodness of the original Super Mario Bros. game with simple racquet ball mechanics. Your wall is actually a side-scrolling screen of the first level in the original NES game. Using your different shots, your goal is to hit as many things on the screen as possible to increase your score. It’s actually harder than it looks!

Finally, the game’s Clubhouse mode lets you customize your Mii characters by giving them different items to equip that change their attributes. Items can be purchased with the coins you get from playing matches with computer or friends. Open also includes Street Pass integration that features your Miis, but details on how it’s implemented or what it entails wasn’t available to disclose.

Open’s default camera shows you a top-down view of the court, but if tilt your 3DS up in front of you, you’ll enter Dynamic View mode where the camera is right behind your character. This is optional, of course, but touches like these let it be more than just another Mario Tennis game, touches like gyroscopic controls, wi-fi, and Mii customization.

Get ready to serve in 3D when Mario Tennis Open releases on May 20.

Nintendo has announced plans to bring Pokémon & Nobunaga’s Ambition over to our shores on June 18. Titled Pokémon Conquest and developed by Tecmo Koei, the game is a crossover title blending the structure of the Nobunaga’s Ambition turn-based strategy games with elements and characters of the Pokémon universe.

Pokémon Conquest takes place in Rinsei, a world that mimics feudal Japan and contains many Japanese historical figures like feudal leader and general Oda Nobunaga. Players will take the role of a young Warlord who is linked with a Pokémon and must recruit other warriors and Pokémon to help strengthen their kingdom. Battles are not only turn-based, but will also incorporate Pokémon game-elements such as type advantage and disadavtages.

“Pokémon fans are always interested in playing in new environments and experiencing new adventures,” said Scott Moffitt, Nintendo of America’s executive vice president of Sales & Marketing. “Pokémon Conquest gives them an entirely new way to enjoy this beloved series, with exciting new settings, fierce battles and nearly 200 Pokémon to team up with.”

If you have yet to register for Penny Arcade Expo (PAX) East or are having second thoughts about going to the biggest gaming expo on the east coast, you better make up your mind fast as Friday and Sunday passes for this weekend’s event are quickly disappearing.

“Only a few hundred Friday passes left. Probably sell out in a 2-3 days at this rate,” announced the official Twitter account for PAX, the three-day event that had sold out its three day passes a couple of months ago.

PAX East and its west coast cousin PAX Prime are one of the only occasions fans can play some big-name games before they are released. Here’s a quick list of some of the games, demos, and previews the big developers and publishers will be showcasing this weekend.

Square Enix (Booth 850)

Sleeping Dogs, Theatrhythm Final Fantasy, Quantum Conundrum, Heroes of Ruin, Wafku, Risen 2: Dark Waters

Microsoft (Booth 524)

Crimson Dragon, Deadlight, Dust: An Elysian Tail, Trials Evolution, Minecraft: Xbox 360 Edition, Fable: Heroes, Kinect Sports: Season  Two, Kinect Star Wars, Steel Battalion: Heavy Armor

Nintendo (Booth 412)

Mario Power Tennis Open, Spirit Camera: The Cursed Memoir, Kid Icarus: Uprising, Mario Kart 7, Resident Evil Revelations, Ketzal’s Corridors, Sakura Samurai: Art of the Sword, Pushmo, Dillon’s Rolling Western

2K Games (Booths 924, 936, 1036)

Borderlands 2, Spec Ops: The Line, XCOM: Enemy Unknown, Civilization V: Gods & Kings

Rockstar (Booth 912)

Max Payne 3

Sega (Booths 448, 548)

Hell Yeah, Sonic 4 Episode 2, Jet Set Radio, Virtua Fighter 5: Showdown, Virtua Tennis Challenge, Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing, House of the Dead 4, Aliens Colonial Marines

Ubisoft (Booth 824, 836)

Assassin’s Creed III (footage,) Far Cry 3, Mad Riders, Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Future Soldier, Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Online, I Am Alive, Babel Rising, Monster Burner, MotoHeroz, Prince of Persia Classic HD

Reverb Publishing (Booth 808)

Girl Fight, Wheels of Destruction, Black Knight Sword, Bang Bang Racing, JAM Live Music Arcade, Primal Carnage (booth 1167,) Deadliest Warrior: Ancient Combat, Shoot Many Robots (booth 612,) Dungeon Defenders, Jeremy McGrath’s Offroad, Country Dance All Stars,

Paradox Interactive (Booth 368)

War of the Roses, The Showdown Effect

Perfect World (Booth 736)

Neverwinter, Blacklight: Retribution, RaiderZ

Don’t forget too that aside from these studios, other, lesser known, developers will be there as well, so be sure to check them out. You never know what indie game will be the next Journey!

Have you ever searched for destinations using Google Maps but were upset that the resolution was too high or that places looked too real? Ever wanted them to look like a 1986 video game?

Today Google announced Google Maps 8-bit, a map searching tool for the Nintendo Entertainment System that enables the NES to connect to Google using over “100,000 servers.”

“Our engineering team in Japan understood the importance of maps on retro game systems,” said Google Maps software engineer Tatsuo Nomura. “With the power of Google’s immense data centers, and support from Nintendo and Square Enix, we were able to overcome the technical and design hurdles of developing 8-bit maps. Today, we’re excited to announce the result: a version of Google Maps for NES, with beautiful low-res graphics, simple and intuitive controls, and a timeless soundtrack.”

While it will be available in the Google App store soon, everyone can try out the 8-bit version of Google Maps now by going to Google Maps and starting your “Quest.”

If you were having doubts about getting Renegade Kids’ Mutant Mudds on your 3DS, you’re in luck. A demo for the game is now available on the eShop. The game is a pixelated masterpiece that brings you back to the past when platformers were simple and just plain fun.

Also available for the 3DS is ARC Style:  Soccer 3D, a simple soccer game that offers team customizations and local wireless matches.

Other downloads include 90′s Pool, available for 3DS and DSiWare, and a Wii demo for peculiar game about gnomes, 2 Fast 4 Gnomz. Nintendo Video is also premiering OK Go’s latest 3D music video “Skyscrapers.”

We’ve all the heard rumors that Warren Spector’s Epic Mickey 2 would be coming later this year with a slew of improvements, but a recent tweet from France’s Official Nintendo Magazine confirms that “a 3DS version” of the game titled Epic Mickey 2: Power of Illusion will be “presented” next week.

La présentation d’Epic Mickey 2 aura lieu la semaine prochaine. Une version 3DS, Power of Illusion, plus “classique” en 2D est aussi prévue.

There’s an Epic Mickey 2 presentation next week. A 3DS version called Power of Illusion, and a “classic” 2D game are expected to be shown.

Whether this means the sequel to the Wii-exclusive game will be headed to the 3DS or whether this is just one additional version aside from its console counterpart is still unknown. We’ll keep you posted as more information comes to light.

For over a decade, the Mario Party franchise has been delivering quintessential party games that continue its familiar twist on the traditional board game experience. Each game has given players new worlds, mini-games, and characters to choose from, but none has truly changed the way you play it – until now. Your fate might still depend on the roll of the dice, but Mario Party 9 is a refreshingly different type of party.

As always, Bowser has come up with some plan to suck up all the stars in the sky, so it’s Mario and company’s job to get them back. Instead of taking turns and individually moving across each game board, however, you and your friends will ride together on a giant vehicle along a path to the finish line. Each map has various themed challenges, spaces, and events for you to encounter. Despite traveling together, this is still a competition, and the player with the most number of mini-stars by the end of the journey wins.

This new joint travel system eliminates Mario Party’s classic items and booby traps, but it adds a new type of strategy too. Each turn lets your character be the captain of the vessel, putting him in charge of rolling the dice and letting him pick up any mini-stars scattered across the board. Of course, your turn can also lead you into danger, but various numbered dice let you sabotage your opponent’s next turn if you plan ahead and play the game wisely –that is, if you have any special dice. You can only get these items when you land on spaces randomly because, well, Mario Party still isn’t as strategic a game as it could be. As in past titles, the unpredictability and the randomness of the dice can still change the entire outcome of a game in one turn. Land on a Bowser space, and half your mini-stars can be gone in an instant. It’s not a pretty sight, but sometimes the odds won’t be in your favor.

Each game board is divided into two parts, with a mini-boss in the middle and a boss battle at the end. These battles are essentially extended mini-games, but their dramatic presentation and the classic cast of Mario bosses you’ll face add to their uniqueness. While you will always have to face a boss, actually getting to play one of the 80 new mini-games may never happen as you need to land on mini-game spaces to play them. While some of these mini-games, such as flipping cards or selecting correct fishing lines, will depend on luck, most will thankfully require skill tapping the Wii remote’s face button rather than gimmicky motion controls.

As its name suggests, Mario Party is meant to be played with a group of people, preferably, a party of four. While you can individually set your AI opponents’ difficulty and handicap, playing against a group of three computers is not as fun as playing with friends or family. In fact, if you remove other people from the experience, what you’re left with is a frustrating and seemingly unfair game that will test your patience with each roll of the dice. Plus, its lack of an online mode severely limits its replayability if you play it alone. Should you tackle Solo mode, which is essentially the game’s single player story mode, you might question your sanity every time you to don’t win.

I was pleasantly surprised Mario Party 9 does a much better job of incorporating classic Mario sounds and characters than its predecessors did. Battling Spike from Super Mario Bros. 3, for example, while listening to an arranged version of the Hammer Bros. theme song just feels good. Other nice touches involve the charming details in mini-games and in the various themed maps. Still, these graphics are mediocre at best but suit the playful nature of the series just fine. At least some of its soundtrack is catchier, albeit just as repetitive, than before.

If you do play it with a group of friends, however, Mario Party 9 is a blast. Aside from its Free Play option that lets you play any mini-game whenever you want, there is also a set of longer mini-games that are surprisingly robust. Goomba Bowling won’t put Wii Sports to shame, but it’s just as fun. The real gem, though, is an addictive two-player puzzle game that can take up to an hour to finish. Each time you finish a game board or play a mini-game, you also get special points that can be used to purchase more content such as a new map, vehicles, and music, so you have some incentive to keep at it.

The Blast Factor: You can spend a few hours playing the game by yourself and unlocking a couple of new characters, but there’s nothing else for you to do unless you have company. Another single player mode lets you play a handful of mini-games from a different camera angle, but once you finish these off, there is really no point in playing them again. Hopefully you’re buying Mario Party 9 and bringing it home to a full house. Otherwise, your fun will end when you land on a Bowser space three times in a row.

During the build up to last year’s E3 in June, everyone wanted to know about the new Nintendo console. What would it do? What would it look like? What would it be called? Then we got our look at it. The Wii U.

Meh.

While the system itself was cool, if not gimmicky (read our hands on preview from the show here), but pretty much everything agreed that the name needed to be changed, and it looks like Nintendo may actually be looking at that possibility.

The rumor suggests that Nintendo is worried that the Wii U name would confuse potential customers in the same way that the 3DS did. Apparently some people weren’t sure just what the 3DS was. Word is we could get a new name by this year’s E3.

Last night, word broke that the legendary creator of Mario and Zelda, Shigeru Miyamoto had told Wired that he would be stepping down from his current position and focusing on smaller projects.

“What I really want to do is be in the forefront of game development once again myself,” Miyamoto, 59 told Wired. “Probably working on a smaller project with even younger developers. Or I might be interested in making something that I can make myself, by myself. Something really small.”

Nintendo has repeatedly denied the reports that the man known as “Japan’s Walt Disney” would be stepping down, issuing a press release telling Reuters that “This is absolutely not true,” said a Nintendo spokesperson “There seems to have been a misunderstanding. He has said all along that he wants to train the younger generation. He has no intention of stepping down. Please do not be concerned.”

The writer of the original Wired report stands by the piece though, tweeting that “Shigeru Miyamoto’s comments in the Wired story speak for themselves. Wired and I stand by this report.”

The original Legend of Zelda came out when I was two, and I still remember sitting in front of the TV as my mom and brother (and eventually me) navigated through dungeons and dished out Hyruleian justice master sword style. I can trace my love of gaming to those moments being amazed by Link’s quest.

It’s only fitting then that after 25 years and a lot of gaming, I’ve finally got that same feeling back – and it’s another Zelda game.  With incredible production values, bold new mechanics and a wonderous sense of exploration; The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword feels an awful lot like falling in love with gaming again. Each time I booted it up, I found something new that I made it not only the best Wii title or the best motion controlled game but the best Zelda in franchise history – and that’s truly saying something.

Nintendo’s bold design choices start with the story of Skyward Sword.  This is the origin story fans have been clamoring for years for that Nintendo wouldn’t give us. Skyward Sword gives us a look at a Hyrule from times gone by, with Link and Zelda as childhood friends. Of course, before long, something terribly wrong happens and Link must go on a quest to save not only his friend, but the world.  It may not seem like a huge change from the established Zelda formula – that is until you take into account just how well it’s all presented.

Skyward Sword is easily the most cinematic Zelda experience to date, and even though there’s still no voice acting, Nintendo has done a magnificent job crafting a thrilling and remarkable tale that’s not only engrossingly epic, but decidedly intimate.  This is accomplished through a mix of taking the emphasis off of the simple plot and on to the game’s interesting cast of supporting characters and letting their emotion come through. Thanks to brilliant pacing, imaginative framing and some of the most well done cutscenes in recent memory, this is a Zelda title that you’re going to find it hard not to be engrossed in and its one that sets a new standard for Nintendo.

The Wii motion plus adds a great deal to Skyward Sword

After 25 years, we’ve all come to know what to expect from a Zelda game, but Skyward Sword challenges that too.  The incorporation of the Wii motion plus controller will change the way you want to play Zelda from here on in. Suddenly, it’s not about just timing and getting a good jump start on your opponents, but making good, conscious decisions how how and when to attack your opponents.  The motion plus enables you to watch your opponents and study just where you should be attacking them. You’ll watch their motions, their patterns and strategize as to the best plan to take them out, but be warned, your enemies can do the same to you.

The true genius of incorporating the motion plus into Skyward Sword is that it never once felt gimmicky and lends itself extremely well throughout the entire experience.  From throwing bombs, to swimming and even gliding through the sky, the Wii Motion Plus feels incredibly natural, like it was made to be used with the Zelda series all along. This isn’t just a game that uses motion controls well – it’s the game that perfects them. Unlike other motion games, I never stopped to wonder what the game would be like with standard controls since I was having so much fun. I often got the feeling that this was the first time that the promise of the Wii and motion control is general had been fully delivered on.

Skyward Sword’s incredible sense of pacing also plays a big part in just how great it is. In previous Zelda games, it was all about the dungeons, and everything before it was just a prelude to the heart of the action. While the dungeons still represent the main portions of the game, Skyward Sword manages to spread out a good portion of the action so it never feels like you’re just traveling to get to the “good parts” again.  There’s also a great sense of exploration here that’s been missing from previous Zelda games, which will require you to go back into areas you’ve already been through to complete certain sections, though it never feels like you’re backtracking as you’re constantly given new tasks and new abilities to try out.

Visually, Skyward Sword is somewhere between the cartoonish visuals of the Windwaker and the darker tones of Twilight Princess. Nintendo seems to have finally admit the limitations of the Wii console and have this created a visual style that’s not only extremely engrossing, but also a great fit for the title.  The entire game has a storybook feel to it that makes the game feel incredibly more epic.

The Blast Factor: When Nintendo introduced the Wii, and motion control to the world, it made some hefty promises. Now, nearly six years later, with The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword, those promises have been delivered on.  This isn’t just the best Zelda game or the best Wii game, it’s also the first game that makes motion controls make sense. With its incredible production values, new gameplay ideas and most importantly heart, The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword is simply one of the best games I’ve ever played.

It’s been a rough year for Nintendo’s 3DS handheld system. After a lackluster launch, disappointing sales and a hefty price drop, things must look pretty grim for the system right? Well, not really when you take it in context.

Surprisingly, the 3DS is set to surpass the original DS in terms of first year sales.  The original DS console sold 2.37 million units in its first year, the 3DS is currently less than a million units from breaking that mark. With two major game launches and the Christmas holiday coming up, the 3DS seems poised to break that record.

“With a massive lineup of software on the way and the first-year sales record of Nintendo DS in its sights, Nintendo 3DS enters its first holiday season with a full head of steam,” said Nintendo America marketing boss Scott Moffitt.

Still need a reason to buy a 3DS? Check out our review for the best game on the platform, Super Mario 3D Land.

Everyone’s heard the old adage “if you want something done right, you better do it yourself.” Nintendo, running out of options for its embattled 3DS system as the Holiday season quickly approaches, seems to finally have understood that as Super Mario 3D Land is not only the most impressive game on the handheld, but it could spark a revival for it. Aspiring 3DS developers take note — this is how you truly take advantage of the console’s power.

Of course, Super Mario 3D Land starts off like almost every Mario game before it; Princess Peach has been kidnapped by Bowser and its up to Mario to save her. The key here is that when she got kidnapped, she was checking on a special tree in the castle courtyard which contained the leaves that give Mario the Tanooki suit. It’s a simple story really, one that you’d expect from the franchise but it’s told via charming cut-scenes that really take advantage of the system’s 3D capabilities. In between worlds, Mario will receive photos from the Princess, detailing her predicament. These letters could be the most impressive use of the 3DS screen yet; they pop with color and vibrance.

From a gameplay standpoint, 3D Land is everything you’d expect from a Mario game — but it’s also so much more. Interestingly, it’s tough to figure just what Mario game it borrows from the most. It feels an awful lot like Super Mario 64 or Sunshine, but it also borrows a lot from NES classic Super Mario 3. Super Mario 3D Land feels like Nintendo picked the best pieces of the entire Mario history and blended them together seamlessly.  The level design is incredible and perhaps most interestingly encourages users to experiment and explore. Take one of the castles found early in the game, there’s an unassuming torch that most will just run past, but interacting with it will prove valuable in your quest. Sure you could just go from one end of the level to the other, but you’ll be missing a good portion of the experience.

On that same note though, that sense of exploration could annoy some. The goal of most Mario games has always been get from point A to point B, and for the first few worlds I did just that. Sure, I would get the occasional star coin on my way, but I was never too concerned with getting them. It was quite a shock then when later in the game I found that I needed fifty of those coins to even advance through the game. As a result, I went through the game…each level and collected the coins. While this backtracking may seem a bit annoying to some, it was here, with all of the “Aha moments” that I truly fell in love with Mario’s latest adventure. By going off the beaten path you truly get an appreciation for the amount of work Nintendo put into the game.

To be honest, for a game in such an established franchise, Super Mario 3D Land is quite the deceiving experience. It’s easiest to think of it this way; this is a game with two different sides. The first is world 1-8, almost laughably easy, you’ll get a lot of extra 1-ups (by world two I had 60 or so without even really trying) and move fast, but then after world 8 (yeah, there’s more than eight worlds), things change drastically. The platforming is tougher and you’re going to have to have to be incredibly precise in your jumps and timing. Telling you about these worlds would be a major spoiler, so you’re going to want to experience them yourself, but just be ready for the swift shift in gameplay.

Super Mario 3D is a game that is meant to be played using the system’s 3D capabilities, in fact you could go as far as to say that this is the first game for the handheld that truly takes advantage of the 3D, without it getting in the way. Using the 3D effects, you’ll be able to experience Mario’s world in a way you’ve never done. Here, it’s easier to judge the distance between blocks, jumps and it even helps get a better feel for the level design. There are certain sections (mostly near the end) that are nearly impossible to pass without using the 3D, but what’s great is that not only can you adjust the game’s 3D using the slider on the system, but during certain sections a simple press of the d-pad will adjust the d-pad even further. There is one portion of the game where the 3D does seem to get in the way though — in each world, there are binoculars somewhere and looking through them will enable you to survey the map using the 3DS’ gyroscope and if you’re one of those that gets headaches when not staring at the 3D dead on be warned, you’re going to want to turn it off before using them.

What would a Mario game be without power-ups? In Super Mario 3D Land, you’ll of course have the standard mushrooms, power stars and fire flowers, but the game introduces a few new(ish) items to the game as well.  The most prevalent of course is the returning Tanooki tail, which allows Mario to flutter and float in the air (no, it doesn’t do everything it did in Mario 3). There’s also a new boomerang suit, which allows Mario to toss a boomerang at his enemies. While it was helpful, I found myself shying away from the boomerang suit when I could in exchange for the fireflower, which itself is improved and can take out multiple enemies at once.

For a 3DS game, Super Mario 3D Land is easily the best looking on the system. Everything from the shading to the wonderful animations and crisp textures makes for an incredible sense of production. The world of Super Mario 3D Land is a bright and colorful one filled with breathtaking visuals and they all fit in the palm of your hand. The sound is just as charming as you’d expect from a Mario game, and the soundtrack is a mix of classic tunes and new mixes that are so catchy it’s damn near impossible to get them out of your head.

Most charming about the game though is the sheer level of fan service it packs. The game is full of references to previous Mario games, from the Toad House from Super Mario 3 to having to cross a bridge and jump on a switch to defeat Bowser and send him to a fiery pit below.  It’s not just Mario games that get nods here; there’s a much talked about Zelda inspired world early on in the game, and there’s  even a few instances where standing on a certain spot in a hidden room makes the Zelda discovery noise. Perhaps most impressive is just how all of this, the fan service, the excellent production values, and the fun gameplay work together to create one impressive and unforgettable experience.

The Blast Factor: Super Mario 3D Land illustrates a very important point — never count Nintendo out. After nearly ten months, a ton of disappointing games and a massive price drop, the 3DS not only has it’s first must have game, but it has one that defines the system and what it can do. Super Mario 3D Land may not be perfect, but it is the most impressive 3DS game to date, and one of the best Mario games in a long time.

Wipe up your drool, though I don’t blame you for it.

This new Zelda 25th Anniversary themed 3DS has been confirmed for release in the UK on November 25. The pack features a slick black design with Zelda inspired graphics and comes with a copy of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D.

As of now, Nintendo has not commented if they plan to bring the limited edition console to the United States.

First person shooters have been scarce on Nintendo’s last few home consoles, but that’s a problem that looks to be fixed with the Wii U. Satoru Iwata addressed the issue of third party shooters coming to the company’s next platform recently on a conference call with investors, saying that many are already in development.

“In fact, a number distributors and game developers have recognized our efforts and have already started working on upcoming titles in many horizons,” said Iwata. “In addition, I think we will establish a global environment where we will not repeat the same mistake where large games do not go out after six months after the launch of the console. ”

At this year’s E3, Nintendo promised a number of different third party titles including Aliens: Colonial Marines and Dead Space.

The Nintendo Wii has a reputation of not being for the “core gamer.” Save for a few games, the system’s library is full of party titles and mini game collections; but it was never supposed to be that way according to Nintendo President Satoru Iwata.

“There was a misunderstanding that Nintendo was dedicated to such games at some stage of the lifespans of the Wii and the Nintendo DS,” Iwata said in an interview with IGN. “We have made efforts to develop video games that are in tune with various consumer tastes; however, we have not been able to gain adequate consumer understanding regarding our intentions, while in the common perception there are no or few core users playing Nintendo platforms, which is not the case.”

Iwata has been talking about the creation of the Wii, while trying to contain fears that the Wii U is in development trouble.