Dungeons & Dragons: Chronicles of Mystara Release Date Announced


 

Capcom has announced that Dungeons & Dragons: Chronicles of Mystara will be arriving on the Wii U eShop next month. Chronicles of Mystara is a compilation of both Tower of Doom and Shadow Over Mystara which had originally released in the early 1990′s. Chronicles of Mystara will feature HD visuals, drop-in and out multiplayer co-op, customisable house boards, Gamepad support and more. On June 18th you can pick up your copy of Dungeons & Dragons: Chronicles of Mystara on the Wii U eShop for $14.99.

Concept: Nintendo Smartphone


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The folks over at T3 have rendered up a rather amazing if not inspiring image/video of what a Nintendo Smartphone would look like. Although the 3DS has risen from the depths to become a successful portable console it’s bigger brother Wii U is unfortunately going through some difficult times with low system sales in North America and mixed third party support. With Nintendo having such a strong presence in the portable market for quite some time now it only seems right to dive into the Smartphone market. In the video posted below the Nintendo Smartphone features many of the unique social and gaming aspects of the Wii U along with the idea of an adaptor that can be used to turn the Nintendo Smartphone into a controller for the Wii U and off TV play.

This idea makes a lot of sense considering many thought the Wii U Gamepad was a stand alone console that could be taken anywhere with them. By Nintendo creating a Smartphone that can interact with the Wii U it could eliminate the need two create two console by creating an all in one gaming device. This would not only be an exciting new endeavour for the company but also a fantastic way to pull all Nintendo’s resources into one product to create the most sleek, unique and practical device possible. Take a look at the video below and bask in this sleek and sexy rendering of the Nintendo Smartphone.

 

Review: Pro Controller U


Pro Controller U

Everyone loves a little retro inspired gear in their gaming collection but does retro always mean it’s good? Interworks Limited has created a retro inspired classic controller Pro for use with Wii and select Wii U titles such as Virtual Console games and Wii U games that support the Classic Controller Pro. It should be mentioned that the Pro Controller U’s title alone and design can create some serious consumer confusion as it not only looks like a Wii U Pro Controller but has as name that appears to suggest it is a controller that can be used with Wii U games. This is a classic example of a controller that has all the right ideas in all the wrong places.

The Pro Controller U features an otherwise sturdy design with some very interesting features not seen in other Wii/Wii U controllers. The bottom face of the controller features the D-pad and classic Famicom inspired buttons and even takes the shape of the Famicom/SNES controller while maintaining the Xbox 360 inspired form factor throughout the rest of its body. What makes this controller unique is it’s ability to act as a Wii remote using the built in IR sensor located on the back of the controller. Players can simply move the Pro Controller U around like a Wii remote to navigate the Wii and Wii U interface. Wii games that do not require a nunchuck can be played using the Pro Controller U. On the back of the controller you will find two toggle options. The first is a normal or custom tilt sensor used to help orientate the pointer hand and the second is a toggle switch to go from the Wii remote to the Classic Controller Pro. During testing the Wii remote feature worked best when the tilt sensor was set to custom however it appears that the toggle between the Classic Controller Pro and Wii remote didn’t matter much as the Wii remote option remained on consistently when switching between the two options.

Pro U 2

The top of the controller features two speakers which work with select supported Wii games and your classic +, – and home buttons and a power button just below. Situated at the top are two analog sticks that are responsive and sturdy. As mentioned above this controller does give the impression that it works with Wii U games and non more apparent the the fact that both analog sticks feature the click button when pressing down on them much like the Wii U Pro Controller. It’s an interesting addition considering that the Wii Classic Controller Pro does not have a click button nor do Wii games support this feature. While running through some Super Metroid on the Wii U Virtual Console the D-pad was quite responsive however the X, Y, A, B buttons at times required a bit of forced pressure to create a response during gameplay. The rear R, L, ZR and ZL triggers responded well during play in Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate. The triggers have a click like feel rather then a cushioned pressure sensitive control found on other controllers.

The battery life on the Pro Controller U lasted a good ten hours during the first play sessions. The controller comes with USB cable which can be plugged in the bottom of the controller and charged via the Wii or Wii U USB ports or if you have USB wall plug adaptor it can be plugged directly in the the wall adaptor and charged through a wall plug. After charging the controller fully and leaving it on standby for just a few days it had a completely drained battery. It’s unclear as to how this happened which poses some concerning questions to overall battery consistency and stability. The Pro Controller U which can be purchased through ThinkGeek for $39.99 is a fair shot at what could have been an otherwise fantastic all in one controller. The simple fact is that its name, look and select features play off as a Wii U Pro controller when it simply is not. If you own a Wii then this is a fantastic option worth considering for your classic games and select Wii games. On the other side of things it’s safe to say those looking for a traditional controller that works with your Wii U/Wii games for just $10 more are better suited buying Nintendo’s first part Wii U Pro Controller.

Pro

- Solid form factor

- All in one controller

- Great retro look

Cons

- Bottons not always responsive

- Questionable battery life

- Misleading name and functionality

Score

Score

Three New Main Characters Announced for Pikmin 3


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Nintendo announced three new main characters for the upcoming Pikmin 3. The once main character Oliver has now been replaced by three new characters named Alph, Brittany and Captain Charlie. The characters have been sent out on a mission to save their planet which is facing it’s doomsday due to a lack of food. When Alph, Brittany and Captain Charlie are traveling they crash land onto a planet filled with Pikmin. They use the Pikmin to help collect fruit while exploring the new planet. They will be able to bring the fruit back to their ship to be used on their home planet. Look out for Pikmin 3 when it launches on Wii U in North America on August 4th.

Wonderful 101 Release Date Announced


The Wonderful 101 logo

 

During todays Nintendo Direct, Mr. Iwata announced that the much anticipated Wii U exclusive The Wonderful 101 will arrive on Wii U September 15 in North America. Mr. Iwata did not provide new details on the game but did state that new details will arrive between now and the launch of the game. Here is a break down of the story and features of the game.

 

Earth is under attack from an invasion of enormous aliens, and the only thing that can protect the planet is a group of unlikely, yet mighty, heroes with special abilities. Unfortunately, the aliens are too powerful for the heroes to fight individually. They must join forces and work together to defeat their common enemy. These uniquely different

heroes can morph into powerful weapons to crush the invaders or turn into objects like a giant fist or bridge to interact with and traverse the environments.

  • Players must explore each stage to find helpless citizens and recruit them to join their army of heroes. The more heroes you gather, the greater your Special Morph Powers will be.
  • Players can use the Wii U GamePad’s touch screen to command heroes such as Bonzai Man, Vending Machine Man and even Toilet Bowl Man. Heroes can also morph into gelatin to guard themselves from enemy attacks.
  • Players can also use the GamePad to explore areas unseen on the TV screen and solve puzzle elements.
  • PlatinumGames, known for hit titles like Bayonetta and MadWorld, has partnered with Nintendo to apply its unique talent to the development of one of the first games for Wii U.

New Super Luigi U Release Date and Box Art Revealed


NSL Box Art

2013 is the year of Luigi and following in the celebration is a new DLC version of the popular New Super Mario Bros U titled New Super Luigi. This new version of the game will feature Luigi, blue toad, yellow toad and in place of Mario we have the pesky Nabbit  as playable characters. Nabbit has different abilities then Luigi and Toad and will only be available in multiplayer mode. Nabbit can be chosen for those who may find the game a tad difficult as he is unable to be hurt by enemies. The game will feature 82 updated levels offering a completely different experience from the original version. New Super Luigi was previously announced as a DLC update to the original title. For players who do not own New Super Mario Bros U but are interested in New Super Luigi will be able to pick up a retail copy of the game on August 25 for $29.99. Owners of the original copy of the game can pick the game up digitally on June 20 for $19.99.

New Game & Wario Trailer and Release Date


 

Nintendo has released a new Game & Wario trailer show below. The game will feature a variety of skill based multiplayer puzzles that are sure to create competitive fun. Nintendo of American has confirmed that Game & Wario will be released in North American on June 23 in both retail form and digitally on the Wii U eShop. Game & Wario will be priced at a respectable $39.99 in stores and on the Wii U eShop.

Zelda Oracle Games Arrive on 3DS eShop May 30th


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For those not aware two classic Game Boy Color games The Legend of Zelda Oracle of Ages and Oracle of Seasons will be arriving on the 3DS eShop on May 30th. Both games can be played separately but to achieve the best experience it is recommended  they are played together.  The games feature a link system that unlocks additional content that you would otherwise not have access to such as a different final boss. Both games will cost $5.99 each however Nintendo wants you to get your hands on both and to do so they are lowering the cost of each of game from $5.99 to $4.99 from May 30th to June 20th. So for less then ten dollars you can have two fantastic and classic Game Boy Color games.

Nintendo Partner with Sega for Sonic Lost World


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During todays Nintendo Direct Mr. Iwata announced that Nintendo is teaming up with Sega to bring a brand new action adventure platforming game that is set to launch exclusively on Wii U and 3DS. Mr. Iwata did not give anymore hints about the game but a single image was shown which is pictured above. More information on this upcoming game will be revealed prior to this years E3 show.

Three Kirby Games Will Arrive Next Week on Wii U eShop


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If your a Kirby fan like us then we have some good news for you. Starting next week three new Kirby titles are set to release on the Wii U eShop. According to Nintendo’s website Kirby’s Dream Course, Kirby Super Star and Kirby’s Dream Land 3 will arrive on the Wii U eShop in North America on May 23. Each of the games will run you $7.99 unless you have one of the previous Wii versions in which you will only pay anywhere from $1 to $1.50 each. If the wait is simply to overbearing then today is your last day to pick up the classic Kirby’s Adventure on the Wii U eShop for only .30 cents.