Nintendo News, Videos & Reviews

Japanese report code names Nintendo's next handheld: MH

By Owen S. Good on May 24, 2016 05.24.16

A report on Yahoo!'s Japanese-language finance site mentions Nintendo's plans for a new handheld device and even gives it a codename, but it isn't clear if this is a 3DS successor or a piece of hardware attached to its next console. This unit, described in the report as a "next-gen handheld game device," is codenamed MH. It could be a stand-alone unit, a unit that cooperates with the NX but is sold separately, or the unit that controls the console. Or something else altogether. In October, the Wall Street Journal reported that the NX would include "at least one mobile unit that could either be used in conjunction with the console or taken on the road for separate use." And a patent application published at the end of last year pointed to a new handheld, which featured an elliptical...

Yooka-Laylee story details and new screens arrive ahead of demo launch

By Allegra Frank on May 20, 2016 05.20.16

Playtonic Games have debuted a new look at Yooka-Laylee, its upcoming platformer and Kickstarter success story, on its website. In a blog post, the developer wrote that it was finally ready to show off the game's "final form." A handful of new screenshots accompany the first hints at Yooka-Laylee's story. The game will take place "inside the work halls of a baneful business, as the buddy-duo seek out the magical Pagies required to explore the mysterious Grand Tomes," Playtonic explained. The titular chameleon and bat will have to stop the appropriately named Capital B from stealing and transforming all of the books in the world into cash. Along the way are collectibles to grab and puzzles to clear, in keeping with the game's biggest influence, Rare's Banjo-Kazooie series. Playtonic...

Issue 19

May 25, 2016

Designing Mirror’s Edge: The making of a franchise

By Phil Kollar

Go behind the scenes with DICE on the creation of Mirror’s Edge and Mirror’s Edge Catalyst.

Watch Zero Escape creator Kotaru Uchikoshi play Super Mario Maker

By Nick Robinson on May 18, 2016 05.18.16

There are few games that better fit the label "cult classic" than Kotaru Uchikoshi's Zero Escape series. First, there was 999: Nine Hours, Nine Persons, Nine Doors, a Nintendo DS visual novel that gained a following in the West almost entirely from a combination of word of mouth and a few strong reviews from critics. Its follow-up, Zero Escape: Virtue's Last Reward, was a similar story — it was well-loved by those who played it, and for a time, it seemed like progress on a a third Zero Escape game had stalled completely, largely for budgetary reasons. Now, a few years later, the third Zero Escape game is on its way: Zero Time Dilemma, a continuation of the series due out this June featuring a cast of new and returning characters and an all-new, cinematic 3D art style. On a recent trip...

Nintendo proposes changes to the company's purpose as business broadens

By Allegra Frank on May 18, 2016 05.18.16

Nintendo will propose an amendment to its official charter next month as the company continues to diversify its business model. In a notice issued by president Tatsumi Kimishima, Nintendo detailed an intention to update the company's stated purpose, adding ventures like eating establishments, computer software and health devices to the mix. The board of directors will meet June 29 to approve the amendment, which outlines new and edited provisions for Nintendo's business. The noted changes are: manufacturing and selling medical devices and computer software, investing in "eating establishments" and licensing the rights to Nintendo's intellectual property. If approved, these provisions will come as additions to Nintendo's current business focus. That includes selling playing cards,...

Watch how Super Mario 64 is teaching millions the nitty-gritty of game design

By Allegra Frank on May 16, 2016 05.16.16

YouTuber pannenkeok2012 uploaded a new video in his series of Super Mario 64 programming lessons yesterday. Watch above to learn how the random number generator (RNG) works in the classic Nintendo 64 game, making Bob-ombs blink and determining the speed of coin drops. To those not well-versed in computer science or game design, the lesson may be informative — or inscrutable. But pannenkoek2012 has already racked up more than 43,000 views on the new video. The user's channel is full of similarly educational pieces, all of which are highly technical in nature. That doesn't stop them from attracting thousands of views, however. In January, a video showing how to collect a star in Super Mario 64 without fully pressing the A button racked up over one million views. Unlike the RNG video,...

Yo-Kai Watch 2 launches in the U.S. this September

By Owen S. Good on May 16, 2016 05.16.16

Yo-Kai Watch 2 is launching in the United States on Sept. 30 on the Nintendo 3DS, Nintendo announced this morning. Widely considered a direct answer to Pokémon, Yo-Kai Watch 2 will do a very Pokémon thing by launching with two editions: Fleshy Souls and Bony Spirits, both featuring rare Yo-Kai only found in each game. Yo-Kai aren't monsters, they're invisible beings who inhabit the game's world, akin to gremlins who play pranks and disrupt normal life. To support Yo-Kai Watch 2's launch, which will go head-to-head with Final Fantasy 15's release, Hasbro will add new items to its Yo-Kai Watch toy line. They include a "Yo-Kai Watch Model Zero," which resembles the one worn by protagonist Nate in season 2 of the accompanying anime. That season will premiere on Disney XD this summer,...

Atlus' Citizens of Earth removed from eShop as exploit is discovered

By Owen S. Good on May 14, 2016 05.14.16

Another game has been removed from the Nintendo eShop after a 3DS exploit was found to make use of it. Atlus' Citizens of Earth was taken from Nintendo's digital store on Friday evening, Atlus USA said on its Facebook page. Though its post did not mention any exploit as the cause, this exploit surfaced yesterday shortly before the takedown. There isn't anything unique in Citizens of Earth that the exploit targets; in fact, the hackers said the title was selected because it was included in the Humble Friends of Nintendo Bundle, and so presumably there are numerous copies on users' devices (more than 150,000 bundles were sold). Furthermore, this is a secondary exploit, so a user must have an existing homebrew entry hack through another game or app to use it. The exploits allow users to...

Review | More
Fallout 4
- Platforms: PS4, Xbox One, Win
- Publisher: Bethesda Softworks
- Developer: Bethesda Game Studios
- Release Date: 2015-11-10
Review | More
Destiny: The Taken King
- Platforms: PS4, Xbox One, PS3, 360
- Publisher: Activision
- Developer: Bungie
- Release Date: 2015-09-15
Review | More
Super Mario Maker
- Platforms: Wii U
- Publisher: Nintendo
- Developer: Nintendo EAD Group No. 4
- Release Date: 2015-09-11
Review | More
Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain
- Platforms: PS3, 360, Xbox One, PS4, Win
- Publisher: Konami
- Developer: Kojima Productions
- Release Date: 2015-09-01

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Monster Hunter Generations nails down a July release date

By Allegra Frank on May 12, 2016 05.12.16

Monster Hunter Generations will be out on Nintendo 3DS July 15, Capcom confirmed in a press release. Earlier this year, the company announced that fans of the action series could expect the game to come stateside this summer. In honor of the release, Nintendo will release a special handheld based on the game. Fans can now pre-order the blue New Nintendo 3DS XL featuring a Monster Hunter Generations insignia and other detailing for $199.99. It won't include the game, however. Monster Hunter Generations will be sold separately, as will its Fire Emblem-themed downloadable content. That will give players the chance to use weapons based on Marth, one of the best known heroes from Nintendo's role-playing games. For Monster Hunter newbies, Capcom will also release a...

Watch Cibele creator Nina Freeman build a stage in Super Mario Maker

By Nick Robinson on May 11, 2016 05.11.16

Watch in 60 fps on YouTube | Subscribe to Polygon on YouTube Nina Freeman has had quite a year. After joining Gone Home developer The Fullbright Company in 2015 as a level designer to work on their upcoming game Tacoma, she also released Cibele, her semi-autobiographical game about a girl who meets a young man in an online role-playing game. In January, Freeman was named as part of Forbes' annual 30 Under 30 in Games list. We caught up with Freeman during this year's Game Developers Conference, where Cibele won the Independent Game Festival Nuovo Award, and asked her to create a Super Mario Maker stage for our Devs Make Mario series. The resulting stage is called "Mario & Boo's Mall Date," a level she says is partially inspired by a Mario Maker stage she discovered last year called "...

Style Savvy: Fashion Forward will let you dress like Mario this summer

By Allegra Frank on May 11, 2016 05.11.16

Stye Savvy: Fashion Forward, the third game in Nintendo's fashion-themed franchise, is coming to retail on Aug. 19. Nintendo quietly announced the game's stateside launch date in a press release. The Nintendo 3DS game will include amiibo functionality, allowing players to scan their figures to unlock outfits inspired by Nintendo characters like Mario and Samus. These pieces — just the latest example of gaming's intersection with high fashion — represent a tiny amount of the more than 19,000 clothing items stylists will have access to in Fashion Forward. The third entry in the boutique ownership simulation series is the second Style Savvy game to hit 3DS. Style Savvy: Trendsetters came West in 2012. Nintendo released Fashion Forward in Japan and other territories in 2015. Last week,...

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Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney 6 takes to the stand stateside this fall

By Allegra Frank on May 11, 2016 05.11.16

Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney — Spirit of Justice is coming West later this year. Capcom will release the Nintendo 3DS game, the sixth starring the titular lawyer, as an eShop exclusive this September. The company hasn't given a specific release date beyond the September launch window; it first confirmed a Western release at last year's Tokyo Game Show. Instead, Capcom offered up a new English-language trailer for the game, which fans can check out above. Joining Phoenix Wright in his latest courtroom drama is his fellow defense attorney Apollo Justice, as well as other colleagues. The game will take place in the fictional land of Khura'in, a mystical kingdom that will require Phoenix and Apollo to get in touch with their spiritual sides — since its court system typically uses...

Nintendo 2DS gets another price cut

By Owen S. Good on May 11, 2016 05.11.16

Not even a year after cutting the price to just under $100, the Nintendo 2DS is getting another price drop. Beginning May 20, Nintendo's entry-level handheld will be $79.99, the company announced this morning. The new $79.99 offering will still include a download code for Mario Kart 7, as past SKUs have. The Nintendo 2DS debuted in October 2013 at $129.99 and its price dropped to $99.99 in August 2015. It's meant to be a lower-cost introduction to the 3DS line of games, and more usable for younger gamers. The Nintendo 2DS handheld plays all of the 3DS and DS libraries, just without the 3D effect of its 3DS siblings. It's also a single "slate" as opposed to the unfolding clamshell of the 3DS lines. It still has two screens, a touch screen, and all the other controls of a 3DS. The 2DS...

Take a closer look at Pokémon Sun and Moon's new monsters

By Allegra Frank on May 10, 2016 05.10.16

Five more Pokémon have joined the series' cast of 722, thanks to this morning's reveal of Pokémon Sun and Moon's starters and, more mysteriously, the legendaries on the boxes' covers. Stateside, we got a trailer that briefly showed off the fire, water and grass-types that trainers will have to choose from on Nov. 18, when the Nintendo 3DS games launch. (Japanese fans were treated to an even longer look at the Generation 7 Pokémon titles.) Picking a starter Pokémon might be the most important decision a trainer makes in-game. But how does one choose? Helpfully, The Pokémon Company has since updated the games' website with deeper descriptions of the three newbies. With the increased information, we're here to help players start building their team of Pokémon so they can be ready when the...

Meet Pokémon Sun and Moon's starters in new trailer before November's launch (update)

By Allegra Frank on May 10, 2016 05.10.16

Pokémon Sun and Pokémon Moon will launch Nov. 18, The Pokémon Company confirmed. After series producer Junichi Masuda teased the news late last week, the studio debuted the trailer above — which also gives a first look at gameplay and its starter Pokémon through the official Pokémon YouTube channel. The three starter Pokémon keep to the usual grass, fire and water-type trio. This time around, trainers will have a choice between Rowlet, a grass/flying-type owl, Litten, a fiery kitten and Popplio, a water-type seal. Also seen in the video is a brief look at gameplay, along with the games' cover stars. While these Pokémon don't yet have names, it's not hard to imagine the lion- and bat-esque monsters being Sun and Moon's legendaries. The Nintendo 3DS games, out this holiday season, were...

Will we ever get an Elite Beat Agents sequel? We asked the creator

By Nick Robinson on May 09, 2016 05.09.16

It's been nearly ten years since Nintendo and iNiS released Elite Beat Agents on Nintendo DS. The game, an English-language sequel to the Japan-only Osu! Tatakae! Ouendan!, was well-received by critics and quickly ascended to cult classic status among fans of rhythm games. While its predecessor got a sequel in 2007 in the form of Osu! Tatakae! Ouendan 2, EBA wasn't as lucky, and to date, it remains the first and only game in the series to release stateside. Recently, we caught up with Ouendan and Elite Beat Agents creator Keiichi Yano — also responsible for the equally quirky, obscure and well-loved PlayStation 2 rhythm game Gitaroo Man — to ask him when, if ever, we'll see another game in the series. "I have a great relationship with Nintendo," Yano said, hinting that that the...

Free update brings Super Mario to Minecraft: Wii U Edition

By Owen S. Good on May 09, 2016 05.09.16

Minecraft: Wii U Edition is getting a free update on May 17 that brings various Super Mario-themed features into the game, Nintendo announced today. The update precedes the on-disc release for the game, which will be June 17 for $29.99. The Super Mario Mash-Up Pack will be included on that version of the game, too. Minecraft: Wii U Edition has been a downloadable title only since its launch in December. With the Super Mario Mash-Up pack, players will get 40 new skins that bring characters such as Luigi, Bowser, the Koopalings and more into Minecraft's pixelated style. A set of item textures and 15 pieces of Super Mario music will help players build their own Super Mario themed worlds, and one pre-made world is included with the update. Nintendo said the content draws on the entire...

First Pokémon Sun and Moon info is coming next week

By Allegra Frank on May 06, 2016 05.06.16

New information about Pokémon Sun and Pokémon Moon will be revealed on May 10, producer Junichi Masuda confirmed. The reveal is planned for 8 a.m. PT., and Masuda's teasing that it's "big news to everyone in the world." Several official Pokémon Twitter accounts retweeted Masuda's announcement, including the North American one. In a blog post, Masuda neglected to say whether the news would come in the form of a livestream and offered no further hints. Regardless, it's the first time fans will learn more about Pokémon Sun and Pokémon Moon since they were announced for a worldwide holiday release. The Pokémon Company revealed the logos and release date for the Nintendo 3DS games in February, after a trademark application hinted that they were the next titles in the franchise. In April,...

Super Punch-Out!! joins the 3DS Virtual Console's SNES library

By Allegra Frank on May 05, 2016 05.05.16

Nintendo updated its Virtual Console selections today, with both New Nintendo 3DS and Wii U receiving notable additions. Super Punch-Out!! is up for download on the 3DS eShop, while Style Savvy is available on Wii U, Nintendo said in a press release. Super Punch-Out!! is the latest SNES game to make it to the 3DS Virtual Console, and the first since mid-April. Unfortunately for owners of older 3DS hardware, SNES games are only playable on New Nintendo 3DS. The 1994 SNES sequel to the secret-filled, NES favorite Mike Tyson's Punch-Out!! is also available on the Wii U Virtual Console and has been since 2013. Super Punch-Out!! aside, Wii U owners can also pick up Style Savvy for Nintendo DS today; that game comes to the console's Virtual Console while leaving Nintendo 3DS fans hoping...

Nintendo's E3 pre-show will be focused on The Legend of Zelda for Wii U

By Allegra Frank on May 05, 2016 05.05.16

Nintendo will host its annual E3 pre-show conference on June 14 at 9 a.m. PT, the company announced today. But this year, instead of a news-filled Nintendo Direct, the presentation is dedicated solely to the next The Legend of Zelda game. The E3 livestream, dubbed Nintendo Treehouse Live, will be a daylong demo of The Legend of Zelda on Wii U. Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aime will host, according to a press release. The livestream will be broadcast on Twitch, YouTube and Nintendo's own E3 website. That's in keeping with a previous announcement that Nintendo's only playable game on the E3 show floor will be The Legend of Zelda on Wii U. Nintendo recently announced that it would show off its next gaming platform, codenamed NX, later this year instead of at E3. The Legend...

I can't stop playing Pocket Card Jockey, the 3DS Solitaire horse-racing game

By Griffin McElroy on May 04, 2016 05.04.16

Watch on YouTube | Subscribe to Polygon on YouTube Pocket Card Jockey is a game about playing Solitaire to make race horses go fast, a cocktail which is absolutely inscrutable, punishing and potentially even more difficult than actual horse racing. Also, I absolutely cannot stop playing it. It's got some sticky hooks — which you'd expect, considering it was made by Pokémon series developer Game Freak — and a surprising amount of skill and strategy to it as well. Also, you can adopt a horse named Fire Boy, which Nick and I do in the video posted above. Godspeed, Fire Boy.

Lego Star Wars: The Force Awakens features new adventures not seen in the film

By Michael McWhertor on May 04, 2016 05.04.16

The Lego video game adaptation of Star Wars: The Force Awakens will feature a handful of new adventures not seen in J.J. Abrams' film, publisher Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment announced today. When Lego Star Wars: The Force Awakens arrives this June, players will be able to take Han Solo, Chewbacca, Poe Dameron, C-3PO and other characters on missions that tie into the events of Episode VII. Lego Star Wars: The Force Awakens, publisher Warner Bros. says, will also include original dialogue from the film's cast: Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Adam Driver, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Max Von Sydow and more. Here are the six new adventures players will be able to experience in Lego Star Wars: The Force Awakens, which can be previewed in the trailer above. Rathtar Hunting -...

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