Nintendo is sure hitting The Legend of Zelda hard this year. First came the announcement that Link, the main character in The Legend of Zelda game,s would appear in Mario Kart 8 for Wii U. Then today Nintendo announced a The Legend of Zelda Majora's Mask 3DS remake is on the way for its handheld system in 2015. News of The Legend of Zelda Majora's Mask 3DS remake hit during the latest Nintendo Direct. The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask originally appeared on the Nintendo 64 in the late 1990s. The 3DS version has … [Read more...]
Disney Planes: Fire and Rescue Takes Off on Nintendo Wii U, Wii
Lest you forget that Disney's all about franchise tie-ins, a Disney Planes: Fire and Rescue video game has taken flight on Nintendo Wii U and the original Nintendo Wii. The animated film Disney Planes: Fire and Rescue released on Blu-ray Disc yesterday (we'll have a review shortly). The Wii U Disney Planes: Fire and Rescue video game is based on the movie but expands on it somewhat through the interactive medium. In the game, it's fire season in Piston Peak Park and there are simply too many emergency calls for one … [Read more...]
Hands-On with Skylanders Trap Team Kaos Doom Challenge
Toys for Bob created the Skylanders franchise, giving gamers and Activision's accountants millions of reasons to be thankful. Last year's outing, Swap Force, introduced a creative new way to play the game under the guidance of Vicarious Visions. This year's game, Skylanders Trap Team, includes the new ability to trap more than 40 different mini-bosses in a portable trap. But Toys for Bob had one more trick up their collective sleeve, one I got to experience for myself last week. On a visit to Toys for Bob HQ, I had … [Read more...]
Penguins of Madagascar Exclusive to Wii U, Wii and 3DS
Who said the only exclusive games for Nintendo platforms were first-party? For months that's seemed to be the case at launch, but a new Nintendo-only game is on the way in November from a third-party publisher. Little Orbit, a little-known publisher with a licensing agreement with DreamWorks Animation, announced plans to make the Penguins of Madagascar exclusive to Wii U, Wii and 3DS. The game will ship simultaneously for all three platforms on Nov. 25. The timing isn't just to hit the holiday shopping season, … [Read more...]
Activision Unveils Skylanders Trap Team, Release Date Oct. 5
Activision struck first in the "toys to life" genre, creating with Skylanders game both a cottage industry and an innovative way for parents to spend quality time gaming with their kids. With news imminent about the next Disney Infinity, Activision once again drew first blood, unveiling today a totally new direction for the toys-to-life scene: Skylanders Trap Team. Last fall Skylanders Swap Force captivated my household (parents and kids alike) with its ability to mix and match figures. Between that innovation and … [Read more...]
Nintendo Unveils Wii mini Console, Ships Nov. 17 for $99
With gamers focused on the next-gen PS4 and Xbox One release dates this month, Nintendo has taken a surprisingly last-gen turn today, unveiling a Wii mini console for the North American market. The original Wii was a cultural phenomenon, and although most people who would consider buying a Wii Mini already have the original system, you can never discount the gotta-have-it-all consumers in the gaming community. Especially when the Wii mini console will cost just $99.99. Oh, and it ships Nov. 17. You can pre-order the … [Read more...]
EA to Pay “Tens of Millions” to Current and Former Student Athletes
In a class-action lawsuit brought against game publisher Electronic Arts seemingly decades ago, student athletes asked for compensation related to the money EA made selling college sports-related games. Today, that lawsuit has finally closed, as EA has agreed to pay tens of millions of dollars to current and former student-athletes. The "EA to Pay" settlement, which we'd love to see the NCAA try to ban for "player compensation," resolves EA's liability in a lawsuit brought by former UCLA basketball star Ed … [Read more...]
Nintendo 2DS Unveiled in Red and Blue, Coming in October
You know that 3DS that's just now starting to sell well? Well, Nintendo has a new cousin for it on the way this fall, having announced today that the Nintendo 2DS will ship in October. The Nintendo 2DS, which will come in both red and blue colors, will hit retail on October 12. The Nintendo 2DS is an entry-level portable gaming system that plays all Nintendo 3DS and Nintendo DS games, but in 2D. The Nintendo 2DS launches the same day as Pokémon X and Pokémon Y (hello, cross-promotion) for a suggested retail price of … [Read more...]
Six New Skylanders Swap Force Toys: Hands-On
On the eve of Gamescom, I had the opportunity to get hands-on with an updated build of Skylanders: Swap Force to see (and dynamically swap) some new characters. The approachability of the overall game is in line with the franchise’s young-gamer roots, but the new ability to swap the top and bottom halves of real-life toys to create new on-screen characters adds a level of gameplay depth the franchise hasn’t yet seen. In some respects, Skylanders Swap Force is growing up alongside the young gamers who made it a hit. But … [Read more...]
Nintendo Files Lawsuit Against Wii Hacker, 3DS Hacker
Now that the 3DS is a hot commodity, Nintendo has put its game face on, filing a lawsuit today against the owner of a website known for its Wii, 3DS and Wii U hack expertise. Nintendo of America Inc. filed its lawsuit in the Southern District of Florida against the owner of HackYourConsole.com, a site that Nintendo claims "blatantly promotes and sells unauthorized Nintendo games along with devices and services that circumvent the security in the Nintendo DS system and the Wii console." Going after the Wii U hacker … [Read more...]
