Author: Jessica Dillon

Fire Emblem Direct

Earlier this afternoon Nintendo treated us all to even more information about upcoming releases, this time centered around the Fire Emblem series.

The first news came in the form of an announcement for Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia, which is a  3DS remake of the second game in the series, Fire Emblem Gaiden. Echoes is set to launch May 19, 2017 and amiibo of the games two main characters will launch the same day as a 2-pack. Second, Nintendo announced that a mainline Fire Emblem will be returning to home consoles for the first time since Radiant Dawn on the Wii, the Nintendo Switch title is in the works and planned for a 2018 release and no other information was shown. After that, the teaser for Fire Emblem Warriors from the Switch conference was shown with some additional footage. The game was confirmed for a Fall 2017 release and will also be launching on the New 3DS at the same time. The game was also confirmed to be in the hands of the same team behind Hyrule Warriors. Finally, a mobile game by the name of Fire Emblem Heroes was announced that will focus on strategic gameplay and includes characters from all across the series. Heroes will be available on Google Play store February 2, with no date slated for iOS but will be available in the future for Apple products.

So, four  Fire Emblem games were in the spotlight today. Android users will be able to play Heroes next month, followed by Echoes’ release in May, Warriors will hit during Fall, and finally next year we’ll be treated to a full mainline game on the Switch. There is a lot of excitement in the Fire Emblem community, and rightfully so. Nintendo showed off some great material and have created even more excitement for the Switch console.

Splatoon 2

Another one of the announcements from the recent Switch conference was Splatoon 2. We were shown small clips of Splatoon gameplay in the Switch reveal footage, but it was assumd the game was a re-release of the original. Set for a Summer 2017 release it seems Nintendo wants to turn the series into a big summer and fall event with how they present content and in-game events.

The first Splatoon released at the end of May 2015, and for about a year the game was given free content updates and several in game weekend events were held. Splatoon 2 will start with all the content of the first game as well as new content, and then continue the path of the first game with regular free updates and in-game events. This means that the game will have tons of new weapons, maps, and game types for players to enjoy. The Summer releases really frame the series as a big seasonal event and Nintendo definitely emanated that feeling with the first game so Splatoon 2 is sure to be just as fun.

With the addition of mobile play on the Switch, multiplayer games on the console are going to see an all new age of possibilities. Splatoon was a surprisingly successful Wii U release that captured the hearts of gamers who wanted a purely fun driven multiplayer experience. Splatoon 2 is going to continue that same fun driven experience, while also allowing players to carry their experience with them so it should be an all new experience no gamer has had, which is very exciting.

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild

The upcoming entry in the iconic Legend of Zelda series has gone through a long development process, but we are finally nearing the release date and getting the final pieces of pre-launch information for Breath of the Wild. The recent Nintendo Switch conference confirmed that Breath of the Wild as a launch title for the Switch that’s hitting stores March 3rd. This is a great time for fans as there is now enough information to make educated guesses about upcoming features and story points, but little enough that the mystery is still lingering in the air.

Breath of the Wild is an open-world Legend of Zelda title that will provide various items and equipment designed to help you travel what seems to be the ruins of the former Hyrule kingdom. Link now has to use different armors and clothes for various climates, weapons and armor break and players will be able to cook food and make discoveries completely disconnected from the main story of the game. The recent conference also provided new information about the story, and we were treated to scenes of Gorons, Zoras, and Ritto showing a wide variety of friendly faces in the open world. We also finally saw the new design for Zelda herself, and found the game will feature full voice acting in a first for the series. This has generated a huge amount of excitement as fans loved what they saw of the epic story unfolding in Breath of the Wild. This entry is also bringing several changes to the classic formula including the removal of Link’s iconic green tunic and hat and there will be no barriers keeping players from trying to go straight into dungeons intended for the closing chapters of the gameplay.

When the Switch releases in March it is highly likely that a large majority of those picking up the console will be taking home Breath of the Wild as well. It was also confirmed to release on Wii U the same day. After the delays, several teasers, and years of development it’s finally time for the next entry in one of the most well known series to entertain us and draw us all back into the beautiful world that is the Legend of Zelda.

Super Mario Odyssey

 

The Nintendo Switch conference turned out to be a huge success for Nintendo and has riled up a lot more excitement for the new console. Several games were announced that Nintendo fans have been very excited for, one of which was Super Mario Odyssey.

Since some teaser footage was shown in the Switch reveal trailer a few months ago fans have been speculating exactly what this game is, as it looked as if it was from the same vein as Super Mario 64 and Super Mario Sunshine. The conference confirmed these suspicions and fans couldn’t be happier. In the Mario line of games 64 and Sunshine are considered some of the most well done and beloved games, and to top off the excitement for Odyssey the same minds behind those previous games are putting this one together as well. The game was said to feature a story about Mario going on a journey through foreign lands to save Princess Peach. There was also a few glimpses of Mario’s hat with large eyes, indicating his hat may play a similar role as FLUDD in Sunshine by offering supporting dialogue and filling a companion role.

This is a big deal for a lot of long-time Nintendo fans as a Super Mario Sunshine 2 or similar title has been a long requested game by many. While we didn’t see some series show up like Smash Bros, Metroid or Star Fox Nintendo is definitely hearing what fans want and trying to deliver those experiences, so this announcement brings hope for a lot of series that have gone untouched for years. The game is currently slated for a holiday 2017 launch, but there are titles set to launch all throughout the year to  keep things interesting on the Switch.

Nintendo Switch Pre-orders Launch

It was a huge night last night for the gaming world as Nintendo unveiled features about their newest console. While we didn’t get any Pokemon news quite yet we can see the franchise entering onto the console very soon. The Switch is set to come out March 3 and is slated to cost $299.99 USD.

The console is a home and handheld hybrid that can switch between modes using a dock that connects to your Tv. If the Switch is on the Dock it’s like any home console but, if it’s taken off it becomes a mobile TV or handheld that you can take with you on the go. The Switch will feature app integration and a new online service from Nintendo that will be a paid platform much like it’s competitors.

As for games, we saw lots of fan favorites making a comeback. A new Mario game was announced that is made by the creator of Super Mario 64 and Super Mario Sunshine. We are getting a sequel to Xenoblade and a new Bomberman game. On top of that the new Zelda game, Breath of the Wild, was given the same release date as the console and for the first time ever has full voice acting.

What do you think are you excited to own Nintendo’s newest home console?

Nintendo Switch Stream

For those waiting for the announcements about Nintendo’s new console, the Switch, tonight is the night of the new stream giving us the last wave of info before the console’s release. Tonight at 11 P.M. EST Nintendo will be live streaming at least an hour of information about the console that has yet to be released. Hopefully, there will be launch titles and price points, but we’ll all be finding out shortly.

Be sure to make your final purchase decisions during tonight’s stream and set your Switch preorders as quickly as possible as there is a high possibility of a limited quantity release of the console. Preorders for the Switch are starting tomorrow morning and given the general trend of limited Nintendo products in recent years there may be lines and no guarantee of getting your preorder if there are limited quantities.

You can catch the presentation here. Be sure to let me know what you think in the comments below.

Poochy and Yoshi’s Wooly World Coming To 3DS

Yoshi’s Wooly World was a popular Wii U title released in October of 2105 that delivered something fans of Yoshi’s Island had been waiting for. The game features a unique design choice of presenting the world and characters as made of yarn and also utilizes this in interesting ways in the gameplay. More exciting news comes as Nintendo has announced that on February 3rd a 3DS port of Yoshi’s Wooly World will release, called Poochy and Yoshi’s Wooly World, and it will have new content as well.

The 3DS version will continue amiibo support, and a bundle with the new Yarn Poochy amiibo will be available for $49.99 USD. The game will contain all the content from the original Wooly World release as well as some added bonuses. There will now be time trials that put players in control of Poochy for extra challenges. There are also added stop motion cutscenes to explain the story of Poochy and Yoshi in their world made of yarn.

For those who opted out of a Wii U, this port is a great addition to the 3DS library. For fans of the Yoshi series, this is a great spotlight for Poochy that many will enjoy, especially with their new Yarn Poochy amiibo. The game will run the usual $4o USD without the amiibo bundle, so if you haven’t picked up Yoshi’s Wooly World yet, be on the lookout in February to try it out on your 3DS!

Pokemon Noodles To Warm You Up This Season

We know that things have started to get a little more than chilly outside this month. Parts of the southern half of America are currently covered in snow and others are rushing to work in full cold resistant attire. To help out with the weather we wanted to introduce a fun Pokemon product for you and your family to enjoy. Complete with cute packaging that anyone is sure to love.

In Japan, you usually can find a wide variety of character themed foods like candy and gummies. Luckily for us Pokemon lovers, they also have some variations of soup for us to enjoy. These soups come with noodles and only take 3 minutes a piece to make. They are also a unique treat compared to the cup of noodles we have in America with two unique flavors that you may not have experienced before.

The noodles come in both soy sauce flavor and seafood flavor with real ingredients added in. They can be purchased off of Amazon in a set of 4 for around $20 USD currently.  The noodles themselves are extremely popular overseas and will make a wonderful winter snack for Pokemon fans everywhere.

 

 

 

Switch Information Round-Up

As many of you may know this week it is finally time for Nintendo to give details on their newest console, the Switch. While we don’t know a lot about the product so far some information seems to have made it out to the general public about the product along with plenty of rumors to go with it. So, what do we know so far about the console?

The Switch will be a portable and stationary console at the same time. This means you can plug it into a stand and play it on your tv or you can take it around town with you. That being said it does feature detachable controllers you use to play the machine and Skyrim is slated to come to the machine as well. This points to the Switch being much more powerful than the Wii U and has opened the door to a huge amount of third party support.

Additionally, there are a lot of interesting rumors surrounding the Switch such as game launches. Currently, there is a rumor of a Pokemon game similar to Sun and Moon eventually showing up. An upgraded version of the popular game Splatoon is all but promised upon launch of the console in March. The online experience for Nintendo consoles is also supposed to greatly improve for this generation.

 

Pokemon Snap Launches On Wii U

Fans of the classic game Pokemon Snap are celebrating this week as a virtual console launch has finally come forth. Yesterday the game formally launched on the e-shop and can now be played using your Wii U home console. The current price of the game runs at $9.99 USD which is far less than its initial release. Of course, you will occasionally see it drop during sales if you are looking for the best bargain on the E-shop.

Pokemon Snap was originally for the Nintendo 64 home console. The game’s objective was to run through a pre-set path throughout several different environments and capture portraits of Pokemon. With each course came a new way to unlock the next one by interacting with the Pokemon in the environment.  Professor Oak would supply you with tools like the poke-flute to unlock additional courses and Pokemon in the game as you got more points for taking clear photos.

If your feeling rather nostalgic and still have your Nintendo 64 then head over to Amazon. The cartridge version of the game will run your around $15 USD right now. While this is a bit steep compared to the digital version you will have a physical copy that won’t take up room on your console.

Hopefully, we can see more releases like Snap on the E-shop; Pokemon Channel anyone?