Nintendo

Nintendo’s 2009 Launch Schedule Includes Punch Out

Nintendo announced its “Launch Schedule of Primary NINTENDO Products by Region (Jan. 2009～)” for Japan, The United States and Europe. There’s hardware, there’s software, there’s Nintendo, and there’s Giant Reggie Face. Japan • Nintendo DS DS Uranai Seikatsu 2009/1/15 Mario and Luigi RPG 3!!! 2009/2/11 Rittai Picross 2009/3/12 Tomodachi Collection(Temp.) 2009 Famicom Wars DS2(Temp.) 2009…

By Brian Ashcraft Published January 30, 2009

Let’s Break Down Nintendo’s Biggest Selling DS Games (Let’s!)

Nintendo has released the financial findings for its Nintendo DS games sold last year. Included are the numbers for the April 1 – December 31, 2008 financial period as well as the breakdown for Japan and overseas. What’s more, there are new life-to-date totals for the games. Here’s the breakdown: Brain Age: Train Your Brain…

By Brian Ashcraft Published January 30, 2009

Has “Something Big Gone Wrong” At Nintendo?

Respected analyst Hiroshi Kamide thinks so. Following Nintendo’s announcement last night of a cut in profit forecasts, Kamide thinks the revision was made because the company know “something big has gone wrong”. “Today’s revision suggests that the roaring pace of Wii growth that we’ve seen until now may be over”, Kamide told The Times. “The…

By Luke Plunkett Published January 29, 2009

Are People Still Buying The Game Boy Advance?

Not really. But that doesn’t stop Nintendo from releasing Game Boy Advance hardware and software sales data. No surprise that Game Boy hardware and software sales are tanking. Here’s the raw data: Hardware • Japan Apr. – Dec. ’07: 110,000 units Apr. – Dec. ’08: 60,000 units Life-to-date: 16,950,000 units • The Americas Apr. –…

By Brian Ashcraft Published January 29, 2009

Wii/DS Sales Down In Japan, DS Approaching 100 Million In Lifetime Sales

Nintendo also released the hardware sales for the April 1, 2008 to December 31, 2008 as well as life-to-date totals. Wii and DS hardware sales are down domestically in Japan, but up internationally. Good news: The handheld is approaching the 100 million sales mark. Nintendo DS • Japan Apr. – Dec. ’07: 5,640,000 units Apr.…

By Brian Ashcraft Published January 29, 2009

Nintendo Sales Up, Profits Down, Financial Forecast Revised

Nintendo has just released its financial statement for the nine-month period ending December 31, 2008. In short, sales were up, but profits down. Compared to the same period last year, net sales were up 16.7 percent to the equivalent of US$17.07 billion. Net profit, however, dropped 17.9 percent to the equivalent of $2.36 billion. According…

By Brian Ashcraft Published January 29, 2009

Boom Blox 2 Announced, Coming This Spring

It’s try, try again for EA and Steven Spielberg tonight, with the publisher announcing BOOM BLOX Bash Party for the Wii, due sometime this Spring. Coming so soon after the first game, Bash Party’s focus is on polishing the experience and offering new features, such as new blocks, new tools, new actions, new multiplayer modes…

By Luke Plunkett Published January 29, 2009

Bask In Mario & Luigi RPG 3 Trailer Ecstasy

.html As an irrationally huge fan of Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga for the Game Boy Advance, a return to form for the third entry, simply titled Mario & Luigi RPG 3 has me giddy. Go ahead and dig for any references of Baby Mario and Baby Luigi in this trailer. You won’t find ’em,…

By Michael McWhertor Published January 28, 2009

You’re Running Out Of Excuses To Not Buy A Korg DS-10

The Korg DS-10 synthesiser, for all its inherent brilliance, hasn’t been widely available in the US. That’s about to change. Mega-retailer GameStop will soon be stocking the program, and are now accepting preorders. They’ll start selling it on February 9, and what’s more, will be selling it for only $30, a saving of 50% off…

By Luke Plunkett Published January 28, 2009

Former Sony Boss Says Nice Things About Nintendo

Nobuyuki Idei helmed Sony from 1999 to 2005. He was named one of the “Worst Managers of 2005” by Business Week. (Congrats!) But today, he’s not talking about that, but Nintendo. In a Financial Times piece about consolation in the electronics industry, Idei gave high marks to the Nintendo Wii and its motion controls for…

By Brian Ashcraft Published January 28, 2009

Well, Of Course There Are Secret Islamic Messages Hidden In This DS Game

Does the Crave DS game “Baby Pals” really say “Islam is the light” when you give your tot a bath? Of course not. That’s ridiculous. Doesn’t stop WTNH from reporting it, though! Like the more widely-publicised issue surrounding the Little Mommy Cuddle and Coo doll – from which the baby’s audio sample is presumably taken…

By Luke Plunkett Published January 28, 2009

Toribash, The Turn-Based, 3D Ragdoll Fighter Coming To WiiWare

When Toribash eventually lands on Nintendo’s WiiWare service, it may take whatever cake is reserved for “most oddball strategic 3D ragdoll fighter.” We’re pretty sure there’s cake dedicated for such a thing. If you’re not familiar with Toribash, the above clip may not exactly make apparent what it is. But it is a tactical fighting…

By Michael McWhertor Published January 27, 2009

Kate Winslet, Golden Globe Winner, Finds Wii Sports Boxing Hilarious

Celebrities! They’re just like us! With the exception of the fact that they’re still regularly playing Wii Sports boxing, that is. Take Kate Winslet, for example, Wii Sports aficionado and winner of two Golden Globes. Winslet, wearing Narciso Rodriguez, tells E! that she was actually playing some Wii Sports tennis when she learned of her…

By Michael McWhertor Published January 27, 2009

Nintendo President Satoru Iwata Keynoting GDC 09

Each year, one of the three big console manufacturers gets an opportunity to dazzle Game Developers Conference attendees with a fabulous keynote speech. 2009 is Nintendo’s year, with president Satoru Iwata returning to the stage. Iwata will kick off GDC 09 with an address titled “Discovering New Development Opportunities,” scheduled to delight the dev-heavy crowd…

By Michael McWhertor Published January 27, 2009

Russell Grant’s Astrology Brings Star Power To The DS

For centuries, people have looked to the stars to find meaning. Soon they’ll be able to just open up their Nintendo DS, as Deep Silver announces Russell Grant’s Astrology for Europe. Hitting the UK in the 2nd quarter of 2009, Russell Grant’s Astrology is more than just your daily horoscope. It’s your key to living…

By Mike Fahey Published January 27, 2009

Nintendo Introduces Wii Fit Body Check Channel

Forget boring old corporate calisthenics! Nintendo today announces that three of Japan’s biggest companies — NEC, Panasonic and Hitachi — are getting their Wii Fit on with the “Wii Fit Body Check Channel.” The “Wii Fit Body Channel” provides users advice based on their Wii Fit data as well as the data from walking DS…

By Brian Ashcraft Published January 27, 2009

Where Ever Do Japanese Engineers Want To Work

Last November, Japan’s Nikkei Human Resources Inc (Nikkei HR) asked the country’s engineers about which companies they’d most want to work for. Here are the results of the top six: 1. Toyota Motor Corp (Previous Rank 2) 2. Honda Motor Corp (Previous Rank 1) 3. Panasonic Corp (Previous Rank 5) 4. Nintendo Co Ltd (Previous…

By Brian Ashcraft Published January 26, 2009

GameStop Employees In Fat Suits And The Ballad Of Ralph

The only thing better than being a low-paid retail employee, is being a low-paid retail employee coerced into wearing a fat suit in order to help promote fitness games at Los Angeles GameStops. As part of their ongoing campaign to promote physical fitness and Nintendo products, GameStop employees in Los Angeles were forced to don…

By Mike Fahey Published January 26, 2009

The Legend of Princess: If Zelda II Went 16-Bit

Joakim “Konjak” Sandberg, developer of the gorgeous IGF nominaated Noitu Love series, has released a one-level “love letter to Zelda” called The Legend of Princess. It’s the unofficial sequel to Zelda II we’ll never get. This stunning, two-dimensional, arcadey hack and slash represents a potentially frightening alternate reality scenario, one in which the sidescrolling sequel…

By Michael McWhertor Published January 26, 2009

Ubisoft Celebrates 25 Years Of Turtle Power WIth New TMNT Game

In celebration of the 25th anniversary of Eastman and Laird’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Ubisoft unveils a brand-new video game based on the turtles, with no movie, TV show, or comic strings attached. The new Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles game is being developed by Game Arts of Super Smash Bros. Brawl fame, with a release…

By Mike Fahey Published January 26, 2009