According to the numbers, iOS is now the leading platform for consumer spending on mobile games, overtaking “gaming-optimized handhelds” like the 3DS. Google Play is accelerating fast, however, and while still lags behind iOS, is predicted to exceed traditional gaming spend by the end of the current quarter.

App Annie blames seasonality for most of the slump that Sony and Nintendo are seeing, but warns that ad-revenue isn’t included in its numbers. That could mean even more of a gulf is opening, considering many Android titles follow the so-called freemium model where a free download is offset by in-game marketing.

For traditional platforms, the DS and DSi saw the biggest proportional slump, with App Annie suggesting that gamers are shifting over to 3DS instead. However, that’s not to say the 3DS gaming spend is much more reassuring, almost halving between Q4 2012 and Q1 2013.

Games represent around 40-percent of downloads in both the iOS App Store and Google Play store, the research company says, and are the number one motivator to store growth. In total, spending on games across iOS and Android amounted to nearly 3x that of gaming-optimized handhelds in the three month period.

The disparity is only likely to become more pronounced now that Google has waded fully into mobile gaming. At I/O this week, the company unveiled Google Play Games Services, a cross-platform rival to Apple’s Game Center which leverages Google+ for social leaderboard sharing, among other things.

Google is yet to fully address arguably one of the biggest issues facing Android game studios, however, that of software piracy. Some developers have complained of a 95-percent piracy rate for their Android titles, with users reluctant to pay even $0.99 for a game.

VIA: TUAW

Nintendo’s refurbished store may offer better deals compared to other resellers. Prices start at $99.99 for a Nintendo DSi XL and $129.98 for a Nintendo 3DS. The systems are fully functional, but Nintendo warns users that there could be “minor blemishes” on the system. All refurbished products come with a one-year warranty, the same warranty it offers for its new products, just in case you have an issue with the system later on.

Nintendo is looking to keep its sales in the family, because while it can’t stop people from purchasing used systems over new systems, it can stop people from purchasing used systems from other companies. In order to make its refurbished products more enticing, not only is Nintendo offering its refurbished products with all of its original gear, but its also throwing in a charging cradle and an AR Card Pack for free.

The Nintendo 3DS has been successful in the market, despite the huge decline that the portable gaming console industry has been seeing. It sold over 31 million units so far and has been said to be the “best portable gaming console” to date. Its no surprise considering all of the major titles that have been released onto its platform, including a remastered Super Mario Brothers and Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, as well as an upcoming remaster of the portable Pokemon franchise.

[via Nintendo]

That four million figure had itself been a compromise, with Nintendo downgrading expectations for Wii U sales by 27-percent. However, what the company believed was reasonable interest in the console in the run-up to the holiday period had made the 4m unit figure seem reasonable.

Unfortunately, that wasn’t the case in 2013, with a poor games roadmap blamed. “Wii U was not able to maintain the initial sales momentum after the beginning of 2013″ Nintendo said today, “due to a delay in the development of subsequent software titles.”

Overall, though, Nintendo managed to squeeze out a profit from its full-year finances [pdf link], with net profits of 7.1bn yen ($71.3m), though still an operating loss of 36.41bn yen ($366m). While hardly impressive, perhaps, they’re still a vast improvement over 2012′s numbers, where Nintendo recorded a 43.2bn yen loss.

Elsewhere, the 3DS glasses-free 3D handheld also missed its predicted sales, with 14m sold. Nintendo now expects to sell 18m in the next full financial year, along with 9m Wii U units.

It remains to be seen whether Nintendo will re-consider its stance on a price-cut for the Wii U, something the firm said, back in January, would not take place. Meanwhile, Sony has already announced the PlayStation 4, its next-gen console, and Microsoft is expected to reveal the new Xbox, colloquially known as the “Xbox 720“, within the next few months.

The NPD group didn’t release specific sales data, however according to GameSpot, the number 1 game, BioShock Infinite, sold 878,000 copies in March. Luigi’s Mansion: Dark Moon, which came in 6th place, sold 415,000 copies according to Nintendo. The sales figures for all of the games on the list include the standard edition of the games, collector’s edition, game of the year editions, and bundles, however, games that were purchased in hardware bundles (like the Nintendo 3DS/Luigi Mansion bundles) were not counted.

Total industry sales for March reached $992.5 million. While the sales figure is impressive, it is still a 10% decline year-over-year from March 2012. A majority of the sales were generated by the video games themselves, totaling $602.4 million. However, NPD Group analyst Liam Callahan says that the $992.5 million the game industry made only accounts for about half of what the market really spent in March. He says,

“When you consider our preliminary estimate for other physical format sales in March such as used and rentals at $190 million, and our estimate for digital format sales including full game and add-on content downloads including microtransactions, subscriptions, mobile apps, and the consumer spend on social network games at $670 million, we would estimate the total consumer spend in March to be just under $1.9 billion.”

The month of March turned out to be extremely beneficial to game publisher Take-Two Interactive, who published both BioShock Infinite as well as NBA 2K13. The sales it achieved with both games were the highest sales for any individual company monitored by the NPD Group since it began tracking sales in 1995. Also while sales in the game industry declined 10%, new game launches for last March were still 40% higher than March 2012. Hopefully we see the momentum of March continue on throughout April in the NPD Group’s next report.

[via IGN]

At first, the bundle was only limited to Japan, but then UK retailer, ShopTo, launched a pre-order for the bundle. The bundle is priced at 189.85 pounds, which is around $290. It says that if you pre-order the bundle before June 12th, you’ll get it on June 14th, the day when Animal Crossing: New Leaf will be released for the 3DS in Europe. The listing for the bundle was previously removed, but then reinstated later on, alongside a confirmation from Nintendo that it is the real deal.

The limited edition Animal Crossing 3DS XL features icons from the Animal Crossing games, including cherries, little homes, and the staple Animal Crossing leaves (which, in the game, magically transforms into your furniture). However, for those of you who prefer a physical copy of your games, you may be disappointed. The bundle only comes with the digital copy of Animal Crossing: New Leaf, pre-installed onto the device, and not the physical cartridge.

Nintendo has yet to confirm if the bundle will be making its way elsewhere, but it should mention it sometime during its Nintendo Direct conference tomorrow. Animal Crossing: New Leaf will be making its way to North America on June 9th, 5 days before it reaches Europe. This game did phenomenally well in Japan, selling over 2 million units in under 2 months, and selling 3 million copies so far.

In this game, instead of just playing a character who has just moved into town, you will be playing the mayor of said town. This game features all of the classic features we love about Animal Crossing, and then some. You are now able to customize your pants, shoes, hats, and accessories. You can hang furniture on your walls, you can swim in the Ocean, and you can customize more aspects of your town than before. You will spend hours and hours customizing your faux animal/human life.

What you’re working with here is the same environment – that’s not the same as a re-issue of the game: don’t get it twisted. Instead we’ve got what would essentially be like jumping in on the Death Star with a new Star Wars game. It’s the same, but different.

Here you’re getting a new set of mechanics, a new way of looking a the environment, and in the end: a whole new game. This game will be a top-down adventure which Nintendo says will reinvigorate the 2D world. You will still be getting a full 3D experience, on the other hand, and the fun you’ve had with the Zelda franchise thus far will burst forth upon your fingertips with the greatness that is the future of this game.

This game will introduce your ability to turn Link into a drawing, too!

When you flip yourself into a drawing on the wall of a dungeon with this new game, you’ll be exploring the environment in a whole new way. While the bulk of this game does exist inside the top-down 2D way of looking at things, you’ll find that the height of objects throughout the game will be creating a whole new way of running around. Watch out for windows!

Have a peek at the brand new 3D video in your eShop on the 3DS and see a preview courtesy of Nintendo above as well!

[via MTV News]

Mario Party will be heading to the 3DS in the winter, which could mean late 2013 or early 2014. The game will include 81 new mini-games that will test your speed, concentration and luck, and the game will also take advantage of the 3DS’s various hardware features. Some of the mini-games use AR cards, amongst other unique things.

As for Mario and Luigi: Dream Team, the game will have you visiting an island for what was planned to be a relaxing vacation. However, Princess Peach is kidnapped (go figure) and is pulled into a fantasy dream world. The only way to make your way into the dream world is when Luigi sleeps on special pillows that have magical powers. Gamers will be able to start playing the game on August 11 in North America, July 12 in Europe, and July 18 in Japan.

The Yoshi’s Island sequel will feature some of the same art concepts and gameplay as featured in past installments, with Yoshi being tasked to protect Baby Mario by using deadly eggs on enemies, as well as ground stomps and other maneuvers that any Yoshi Island gamer will be familiar with. The official title of the game and its release date will be announced later in the future.

Donkey King Country Returns 3D will simply be a remake of the Wii game with the same name (only without the 3D). This time around, however, Nintendo added a new mode that features an adjusted game balance. This is because portable gamers tend to play in shorter sessions than home Wii console gamers, so the game is catered around that. Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D will launch on May 24.

The new version of Mewtwo was revealed on Pokemon Smash, a Japanese TV show, and is said to share many similar traits with Mewtwo. Unfortunately, the TV show didn’t expand on anything else about the new Pokemon, like how it was created, if it will be more darker than Mewtwo, and how players will be able to catch it. Nonetheless, this new variation of Mewtwo has many players excited and eager to play the games when they come out.

Pokemon X and Y have an anticipated October 2013 release date for the Nintendo 3DS. They completely revamp the Pokemon hand-held series by transforming the Pokemon universe into a 3D world. Of course, with each generation of Pokemon games comes another generation of new Pokemon. The three new starter Pokemon include Froakie (water-type), Chespin (grass-type), and Fennekin (fire-type). There will also be two new legendary pokemon. Xerneas, the blue legendary Pokemon, will represent Pokemon X, and Yveltal, the red legendary Pokemon, will represent Pokemon Y.

The games will launch worldwide at the same time, so that players from all around the globe can play and battle each other from the getgo. This way “Pokemon fans across the globe can discover the secrets of Pokemon games and can collect, battle, and trade with each other immediately,” says Pokemon Company’s CEO Tsunekazu Ishihara. The game is set to release in 6 months, so we can expect even more Pokemon to be teased in the future.

[via Neoseeker]

Project X Zone takes over 50 characters throughout the SEGA, Capcom, and Namco Bandai universes and brings them altogether in “dream scenarios”. The storyline revolves around a stolen ancient treasure known as the “Portalstone”. Due to a rift in space and time, characters from the all of these gaming universes are able to crossover and join forces to return everything back to normal.

In Project X Zone, you are able to create your dream team of various classic characters from your favorite games. These characters are able to create special attacks and combo attacks with each other thanks to the “Cross Active Battle System”. The game will also feature some of the best, nostalgic music from all the games across Namco Bandai, SEGA, and Capcom’s music library.

You can mix and match characters between various games like the Xenogear/Xenosaga series, Street Fighters, Devil May Cry, Resident Evil, .Hack//Sign, and more. The various combinations of teams you can come up with are almost endless. You will be able to purchase the game for $39.99 June 25th for the Nintendo 3DS. If you’re looking for other great Nintendo 3DS games to play, be sure to check out Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate as well. If you’re thinking about purchasing a Nintendo 3DS/XL, be sure to check out our Nintendo 3DS XL review.

[via Namco]

The update takes Nintendo 3DS users to system version 5.0.0-11U, with Nintendo promising that its improvements and features “streamline and enhance” the gaming experience. The biggest feature is the ability to transfer the saved data from the retail version of a game to the downloaded version when purchased, allowing gamers to go digital without compromising their saved states.

In line with the previous feature is use Sleep Mode to download games and apps in the background with the Nintendo eShop running. Closing the system cover will fire up Download Later, and the items will download in the background. In addition, those who aren’t running the latest release prior to this update will also see a handful of new features.

Users will see Folders for easier organization, and will get the Nintendo eShop, where content can be accessed. 3D films and stop-motion videos can be recorded, and more puzzles are included with StreetPass Mii Plaza. Users can update via the System Setting on their device, going to Other Settings, and then finally System Update.

[via Nintendo]

Inventor Seijiro Tomita is a former Sony employee in possession of a patent related to technology for displaying 3D media without using 3D glasses, the main feature of Nintendo’s 3DS. According to Tomita, Nintendo used this tech with its gaming device, leading to the lawsuit. The proceedings took place at the U.S. District Court in Manhattan.

Not surprisingly, Nintendo contested the claim, with its defense attorney Scott Lindvall arguing that the company didn’t utilize “key aspects” of the inventor’s patent. A 2003 meeting cited by Tomita, which tooks place with Nintendo employees, was only one of many that the video game giant had with 3D technology vendors, according to Lindvall.

The jury ultimately sided with Tomita, however, awarding him substantial compensatory damages for the infringement. Such a verdict was praised by Tomita’s attorney Joe Diamante: “We are thankful to the jurors for their diligence and hard work. It has been a [sic] honor to represent Mr. Tomita and to protect his invention.”

[via Reuters]

Capcom is releasing Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate only 3 months after its release in Japan. It says that its working together with Nintendo to reduce the delay of its games being ported to the U.S., something that has bothered gamers for a while. It also hopes that by partnering up with Nintendo to release a Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate Wii U Bundle and a Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate Nintendo 3DS bundle, it could help increase sales for the game and increase its popularity with people who try it out. Ryozo Tsujimoto, producer of Monster Hunter, said, “With Wii U, which is online compatible, and with 3DS with its portability, releasing both of them together, we’re giving opportunity and options to consumers to really pick up the version they want and the one that suits them. By doing that we might be able to actually have a breakthrough. That’s definitely our intention.”

A new feature that Capcom and Nintendo are trying out is the new cross-platform compatibility between Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate on the 3DS and the Wii U. Gamers will be able to transfer their save files between the two devices. That way they can play on the big screen while they’re at home, and then play on their portable 3DS while they’re on the go. It’s a nifty feature, but the downside is having to purchase two versions of the same game.

Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate adds on some new features that players have been asking for in previous games. There is now a better camera system, and players will also be able to auto-lock onto their targets. If the game is well-received by gamers in the U.S., Capcom will put more effort into bringing Monster Hunter 4 to the U.S. as quickly as possible. Monster Hunter 4 is slated to be released in Japan sometime during the summer, and will be exclusive to the Nintendo 3DS.

[via EuroGamer]

By now, Dragon Quest VII should be at well over a million sales. It was also speculated that thanks to the launch of Dragon Quest VII: Warriors of Eden, Nintendo 3DS sales also increased to about 45,000 above average. On the Famitsu charts, Animal Crossing: New Leaf came behind Dragon Quest with 90,652 sales, making its total number of sales 2,857,599. It is followed by Fantasy Life and New Super Mario Bros. 2, with 12,244 and 9,099 sales respectively. All of these are Nintendo 3DS games, showcasing the huge popularity of the portable gaming system, at least in Japan.

Dragon Quest VII comes fully loaded with over 100 hours of gameplay, as well as a variety of mini-games if you want to take a break from the main story line. You’ll definitely get your money’s worth when buying the game. It retails for about 6090 yen in Japan, or $65.66. Dragon Quest VII might not make it over to the United States this year. It took Square Enix 13 months to port over Dragon Quest VI, and 7 months to port over Dragon Quest V. Considering how much more added gameplay is included in the remake of Dragon Quest VII, I would consider the time frame of Dragon Quest VI’s port to be more relevant here.

Also, alongside the Dragon Quest news, Square Enix has announced that beta testing for its revamped Final Fantasy XIV MMO is going to take place on February 25th. Considering what a train wreck the first released version of the game was, who knows whether or not Square Enix can revive it, but Square certainly is trying. Square Enix also announced the final game of the Final Fantasy XIII series, Lightning Returns:Final Fantasy XIII, last month to provide a conclusion to the saga.

[via Geeky Gadgets]

Best Buy told Game Informer that it isn’t likely to receive the game until Wednesday, February 6, while GameStop said its shipments might not come in until Friday, February 8. Of course, it’s impossible to check with all GameStop and Best Buy stores, but the GameStop stores we called up they told us the same thing: no shipments until later this week. One GameStop employee said that the games may arrive by Wednesday, but Friday is probably the safer bet.

All of this, it seems, can be blamed on some kind of shipping error. We aren’t entirely sure what’s preventing these stores from receiving their copies of the game, but the problem is big enough that its retail release is now being pushed back a couple of days in some areas. In any case, there are probably still some stores receiving the game today, so if you’ve been hankering for some Fire Emblem action, call up the game stores around you and see if they’ve got it available.

There’s always the digital release too, with the game available right now through the 3DS eShop. It’s a shame to hear about these delays, as Fire Emblem: Awakening is being lauded as one of the best games on the 3DS. Did any of you manage to secure a copy of Fire Emblem: Awakening today, or are you hearing similar things from the store you pre-ordered it at?

There are still some surprises in store for the end of the year, however. Nintendo had been predicting net sales of 810bn yen for the full year ending March 31, 2013, with net income of 6bn yen ($66m). However, in an odd shift of fortunes, Nintendo now says it expects sales of just 670bn yen, a 17.3-percent reduction, despite also predicting more than double the net income.

In fact, Nintendo says it foresees 14bn yen ($154m) in net income by the end of the year, helped in no small part by the waverings of the currency exchange market. That’s an impressive rise from the 43bn yen loss in the year-ended March 31 2012.

As for elsewhere in the company’s range, Nintendo sold 12.7m Nintendo 3DS units and 3.5m Wii units, bringing the lifetime sales of each to 29.84m and 99.38m respectively. Nintendo DS sales halved versus the same period a year ago, to 2.5m units.

More in Nintendo’s full report [pdf link] and updated forecasts [pdf link].

The Pokémon Company’s CEO Tsunekazu Ishihara offered this statement. “The worldwide launch of Pokémon X and Pokémon Y this October allows players to begin their adventures at the same time. Now, Pokémon fans across the globe can discover the secrets of Pokémon games and can collect, battle, and trade with each other immediately.”

Fans can check out some sneak peak content for the games at Pokemon.com, where a video has been posted. In the video, gamers get a look at the games, as well as the new starter Pokemon. Nintendo also promises that there’s a glance of the newest Legendary Pokemon, as well as footage of the game play. Simply head over to the website, and the video pops up and starts playing automatically.

GAME FREAK’s Video Game Director Junichi Masuda also praised the games. “We brought Pokémon into an entirely new dimension and we’re incredibly excited to bring Pokémon X and Pokémon Y to fans. The stunning visuals, a completely redesigned environment, game scenario, music, and communication features will bring smiles to the faces of video game players around the world.”

[via Nintendo]

His brother Bryton quickly recognized the images for what they were and took the device to their father, telling him that it contained porn. Mark, upon learning this, immediately called GameStop, and, we’re guessing, gave them an earful. He said in a 9 News interview, “You can’t un-see this. He’s five years old. Maybe when he’s 18 or 20 maybe he won’t know anything about it but he’s not going to forget about it tomorrow.”

As a result, GameStop sent the family a new Nintendo 3DS, as well as a handful of games. It then issued a statement that is is looking into the situation. “We have a rigorous quality control process in place to ensure that existing content is removed from all devices before they are re-sold. Out of millions of transactions each year, ones like this happen very rarely.”

Of course, this isn’t the first time devices have been sold with porn on-board. Back in October, for example, a girl discovered porn on her refurbished cell phone, an issue for which RadioShack, which sold it, was sued. The moral of the story? When giving your child a refurbished gadget, it might be a good idea to scan through the device first to make sure everything is kosher.

[via CNET]

Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Gates to Infinity marks the series’ debut on the 3DS portable gaming device, and Nintendo promises that the new game will have “vibrantly detailed 3D graphics” and will come with more than 20 Mystery Dungeons that change every time they’re entered. The developer touts that “nearly limitless adventure awaits players”.

Furthermore, players can actually become Pokemon characters themselves. You can choose from five popular Pokémon, including Pikachu, Snivy, Oshawott, Tepig, or Axew. Then, you can journey your way through different dungeons, and battle and befriend other Pokémon characters, as well as collect different types of treasures.

The changing dungeons are the game’s top selling points, since they change their form every time a player enters, which means that items and treasure within a Mystery Dungeon will change location every time you re-enter it. Gamers will be able to purchase Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Gates to Infinity at retail stores or on the Nintendo eShop.

If you’ve been a lifelong Mario fan, then this DLC is definitely for you. It takes levels from the old NES-era Mario games and remakes them for New Super Mario Bros. 2‘s Coin Rush mode. Officially dubbed the “Gold Classics Pack,” the DLC pack contains three courses inspired by levels in the original Super Mario Bros. and Super Mario Bros. 3. The first course in the pack brings together the first two levels of Super Mario Bros., while the second course will be familiar to those of us who played Super Mario Bros. 3 non-stop when we were kids. For the third course in the pack, we’re going back to Super Mario Bros. for a romp through Bowser’s castle, ending with a battle against the meanest Koopa the Mushroom Kingdom has ever seen.

Nintendo has already won major points by revisiting classic Mario level, but even better is the fact that this DLC will be free through January 31, 2013. Once February arrives, the DLC will cost $2.50, which really isn’t bad when you consider how much some publishers like to charge for DLC. Nintendo president Satoru Iwata revealed the DLC in a new Nintendo Direct Mini stream, which also you tells you how to go about downloading the Gold Classics Pack. Check out the video below.

The DLC is available starting today, so have at it. At the very least, make sure you use SpotPass to nab the DLC before it becomes a paid download on February 1, 2013. What do you think of this latest DLC offering for New Super Mario Bros. 2 – is it nice to see classic levels re-imagined, or were you hoping for something different?

Super Mario 3D Land – which currently has a street price of around $36.99, or a few dollars less than Nintendo’s official estimates – puts the popular plumber inside a 3D platform world. Rather than coming on a separate cartridge, however, it will be preloaded into the 3DS itself.

Nintendo actually saw an uptick in 3DS sales in its most recent financial quarter, though that was down to the newer, larger 3DS XL than a surge of interest in the original model. Both feature the same glasses-free 3D system, which uses a special stereoscopic panel on the top display for what Nintendo argues is a more immersive gaming experience.

Of course, most attention is on Nintendo’s Wii U at the moment, the company’s next-gen console which went on sale in the US over the past weekend. That, Nintendo hopes, will turn around the slump it has seen in home gaming, with Wii sales drooping over the past few quarters.

The Flame Red Nintendo 3DS bundle will go on sale this Friday, November 23, priced at $169.99.

Nonetheless, while it was a six month period of losses, those losses weren’t quite as dramatic as in previous years. Net loss was roughly half of what Nintendo suffered a year ago, while operating income – although still a loss of 29,159 million yen ($365m) – was still better than the 57,346 million yen loss in 2011.

Still to come is the Wii U, though Nintendo does point out that production costs for the console – which entered mass production in September – will have an impact on profits too. The company now expects to make just 6,000 million yen ($75m) in net income for the full fiscal year ending March 31 2013, rather than 20,000 million yen, based on a fall in predicted operating income and ordinary income.

The Wii U will go on sale in the US on November 18, priced from $299.99. The console features a new, tablet-style GamePad controller and smart TV functionality.

Never fear, US 3DS owners – you’ll be getting these games too, just not today. Nintendo says that all four of the titles listed above will be launching on the US eShop on October 18, and each will set you back $40. True, you could probably find each one of those games for less at a brick and mortar store, but if you want to download from the comfort of your home, it’ll have to be at full price.

All of these are must-haves for 3DS owners, though some of them aren’t particularly new. While Mario Kart 7 and Super Mario 3D Land offer players entirely new experiences, Star Fox 64 3D and Ocarina of Time 3D are (obviously) remakes of the famous N64 games. That said, both have been given a graphics boost on the 3DS, along with some added features – an improved multiplayer mode in Star Fox 64 3D, along with the Master Quest and Boss Rush modes in OoT 3D – so they’re still worth checking out.

Hopefully these are the first in a long line of Nintendo retail releases on the eShop. We’ve had plenty of older Nintendo games pop up on the eShop, but retail 3DS games are an entirely different beast. If Nintendo keeps this up, we have a feeling that our wallets will be running on empty more often than they usually are.

That’s because all three of these DLC packs add levels for Coin Rush mode, so if you purchase them, you’ll have a lot of coin collecting in your future. The first had been dubbed “Gold Mario Go! Go! Pack” and will add three new Coin Rush levels. This is the easiest of the three DLC packs, which all apparently vary in difficulty. It also has a total of 30,000 coins for you to collect, so even though this is easy, you’ll have a lot of work ahead of if you want to collect every single one of those coins.

The second, “Challenge the Record A Pack,” will post your top scores on Nintendo’s website, so we’re also seeing Nintendo experiment with the idea of leaderboards with this DLC offering. There are three time trial levels to conquer in this pack, though there isn’t any word on the difficulty or number of coins. The third and final pack is called “Survival Panic Pack,” and features three levels once again. As you may have already guessed, this is the most difficult of the three, so expect some frustration when it comes to completing the levels contained in it.

There isn’t any word on western release dates yet, but all three DLC packs will be available in Japan on October 2. Each will cost 200 yen, which is right around $2.50, so Nintendo is keeping the price low with these DLC packs. Keep it tuned here to SlashGear for more information, as we’ll update you once Nintendo starts talking release dates for the US and Europe!

[via Nintendo]

Hardware sales took the biggest hit, tumbling a whopping 39% to come in at $150.6 million. Looking at the software side of things, Darksiders II managed to take the top spot on the chart for the month, but NPD later confirmed to GamesIndustry International that the game only sold 247,000 copies in its first week and a half – Darksiders II was released in the US on August 14, and NPD’s cutoff date for the month was August 25.

That has to be a bittersweet moment for struggling publisher THQ. On the one hand, it must be nice to see Darksiders II take the top spot, but it’s almost certain that THQ was counting on more sales than Darksiders II managed to pull in. It may not be all doom and gloom though, as it’s important to keep in mind that NPD’s numbers don’t figure in Steam or international sales. Wedbush analyst Michael Pachter says that worldwide sales of Darksiders II may have climbed as high 1 million by now, but also pointed out that THQ needs to sell in the area of 2 million copies to break even on the game.

“I think that the sales are below what they had hoped for,” Pachter said. “I presume it sold around 500,000 globally in the first two weeks (the NPD cutoff was Aug 25), so it’s probably over 1 million now, but my understanding is that breakeven is greater than 2 million units, so it’s not likely to get much higher than that.” Pacher continued by saying that we should give Darksiders II another month to see if its sales improve. Have a look at the full NPD top 10 software list for the month of August:

1. Darksiders II (360, PS3, PC)
2. New Super Mario Bros. 2 (3DS)
3. Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance (3DS)
4. NCAA Football 13 (360, PS3)
5. Lego Batman 2: DC Super Heroes (360, PS3, PC, Wii, DS, 3DS, Vita)
6. Sleeping Dogs (360, PS3)
7. Transformers: Fall of Cybertron (360, PS3)
8. Batman: Arkham City (360, PS3, PC)
9. Call of Duty: Black Ops (360, PS3, PC, Wii, DS)
10. The Amazing Spider-Man (360, PS3, Wii, DS, 3DS)

Sadly, if Darksiders II sales don’t pick up, we may not see another release in the franchise. THQ has been struggling in a big way lately, and new president Jason Rubin has made it clear that he has no problem whatsoever cutting projects and franchises that aren’t performing in line with company expectations. While it’s great to see Darksiders II rank as the top-selling game for August, that may not be enough for a publisher that has no choice but to cut initiatives that aren’t bringing in cold hard cash. Let’s just hope that Darksiders II is more successful than these NPD numbers (and Pachter’s analysis) lead us to believe.

[via GamesIndustry International]

Announced back in June, Nintendo made some waves when it first unveiled the 3DS XL. A few thought it was too soon for a 3DS redesign, and the lack of a second thumb pad on the 3DS XL left many scratching their heads. Nintendo intended the larger screens the be star of this latest 3DS iteration from the start though, with the 3DS XL sporting a 4.88-inch top display and a 4.18-inch bottom display. For comparison’s sake, the original 3DS has a top screen that comes in at 3.53-inches and a bottom screen at 3.02-inches, so 3DS XL owners are working with a 90% increase in screen size.

Of course, Nintendo has been touting that fact ever since the 3DS XL was announced. Sadly, resolution isn’t getting a bump along with the screen size, which has led to some complaints. Users did get a boost with the included SD card, however, as Nintendo opted include a 4GB SD card with the 3DS XL instead of the original’s 2GB card. That will undoubtedly come in handy for those who frequent the eShop, but since SD cards are dirt cheap these days, you probably won’t have to worry about running out of storage.

For what you’re getting with this package, you don’t have to pay that much extra. The original 3DS currently has a price tag of $170, meaning that you’ll only be paying $30 more for a 3DS XL. Not too bad, and that price alone is sure to move some units. If you’re interested in the handheld, have a look at our review of the handheld before you buy, and be sure to check out our story timeline below for posts leading up to the launch of the 3DS XL!

According to Enterbrain research, Nintendo sold 193,441 units on July 28 and July 29 2012. Software sales were similarly brisk, it’s believed, with New Super Mario Bros. 2, also released at the same point, hitting 430,185 copies in the first two days.

In contrast, Nintendo sold 170,000 units of the DSi in the same length of time back when that console launched in Japan. Original Nintendo 3DS sales were more brisk, however, with the company apparently getting through 400,000 units in the first 24hrs of availability.

That interest quickly waned, though, with Nintendo forced to slash the price of the 3DS in order to make it a compelling proposition for gamers, developers and retailers. The company claims it does not make a loss on each 3DS XL, unlike the 3DS, however.

Altogether, net sales helped reduce Nintendo’s gushing out of cash, with operating losses dropping from 50.2m yen a year ago to 9.7m yen ($124,000) in the most recent period. Operating income rose – though still amounted to a loss – to 10.3bn yen ($138m).

While the 3DS helped turn things around some, the company admits that it still makes a loss because of the negative margin on each unit. It’s not mentioned whether the same is true for the larger 3DS XL – previous comments from Nintendo execs suggested it did not suffer the same issue – though Nintendo is counting on it to rescue sales outside of Japan were the original 3DS has still lagged.

“Moreover, Nintendo will globally start to sell digitally distributed packaged software of the “Nintendo 3DS” system when “New Super Mario Bros. 2” is launched. The software will be sold in both packaged and digital download formats. By enabling users to choose from the two sales methods, Nintendo will attempt to further expand the “Nintendo 3DS” sales” Nintendo

As for the Wii U, that gets its usual “the savior is coming” namecheck, though is still not expected to go on sale until the 2012 holidays.

Though software didn’t fare as bad as hardware did, it still did pretty terrible. In June 2011 software sales rang in at $461 million, but last month that figure took a 29% dive to $328 million. Accessories, on the other hand, actually grew year-over-year last month, climbing 4% to $169.8 million.

But wait! Before you start saying that we’re headed directly for another video game crash, keep in mind that NPD only tracks data for physical hardware, software, and accessories sales, meaning that everything else isn’t included in these figures. In fact, NPD analyst Anita Frazier says that when the company’s estimates for things like digital software purchases, DLC purchases (which includes money spent on microstransactions and subscriptions), rentals, used sales, and social game spending are all tallied up, consumers spent an estimated $1.36 billion on video games in June.

Looking at the top 10 software list for June, we see that Lego Batman 2 took the top spot, followed by Ghost Recon: Future Soldier in second place. Diablo III landed a third place ranking, while Max Payne 3 and NBA 2K12 rounded out the top five. Take a look at the full top ten list, but remember that this list only covers physical media sales:

1. Lego Batman 2: DC Super Heroes – 360, Wii, PS3, PC, DS, 3DS, Vita
2. Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon: Future Soldier – PC, PS3, 360
3. Diablo III – PC
4. Max Payne 3 – PC, 360, PS3
5. NBA 2K12 – PC, 360, PS3, Wii, PS2, PSP
6. Batman: Arkham City – PC, 360, PS3
7. Pokemon Conquest – DS
8. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 – 360, Wii, PS3, PC
9. Battlefield 3 – PC, 360, PS3
10. The Amazing Spider-Man – 360, PS3, Wii, DS, 3DS

Finally, the Xbox 360 finished off the month with 257,000 units sold, while Nintendo says that the 3DS sold 155,000 units, the DS 150,000, and the Wii rounded out the bottom with 95,000 sales. Sony has not yet commented on how many PS3s, PSPs, and Vitas were sold last month.

[via VG247]

You might also be surprised to hear Iwata say that for future Nintendo consoles and handhelds, 3D will likely only be a minor selling point. He reckons that the excitement of having glasses-free 3D (and indeed, the idea of 3D in general) is waning a bit in consumers, and that video games aren’t only about what you see on the screen:

I think it’s an important element, it makes graphics more impactful, it proves a sense of immersion that 2D doesn’t have, so I would say generally that 3D is better than 2D. It’s nice to have good graphics but not necessarily on their own, so I don’t think we’ll present [3D graphics] as one of the key features of our consoles but will probably stick with 3D as one of the minor elements of our consoles in the future.


Even if 3D isn’t going to be the major selling point in Nintendo consoles moving forward, Nintendo has proven in the past that it’s capable of coming up with new ideas that excite gamers. One only needs to look at the Wii’s motion controls to see that. Nintendo is hoping for a repeat of the Wii’s success with the Wii U and its tablet-like controller, but whether or not consumers will bite remains to be seen.

Oh, and for the record, even though Iwata admits that the smartphone gaming scene has changed the way we play and make portable games, he thinks there’s still room for smartphones and dedicated handhelds to exist alongside one another so long as the handheld manufacturers can deliver worthwhile exclusives. If the company can do that, then he thinks Nintendo will have a “chance to survive” in 2012′s portable gaming arena.

Nintendo hopes to keep the successes rolling with the introduction of the 3DS XL (which launches on August 19), a new version of the handheld with larger screens and a longer battery life. The company is also hoping that upcoming first party titles like New Super Mario Bros. 2, Paper Mario, and Luigi’s Mansion will help make 2012 a bit more successful than 2011 was.

“The game lineup for Nintendo 3DS last holiday season was one of the strongest in our history,” says Scott Moffitt, Executive Vice President of Sales and Marketing at Nintendo of America. “We’re poised to top it this year. Every week, gamers will have the best franchises in the world in a glasses-free 3D experience that can’t be found anywhere else. Add Wii U into the mix and it’s a great time to be a Nintendo fan.”

Nintendo also announced that sales of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D rose past 1 million in June, making it the third 3DS title to sell one million copies.

The big N has a huge holiday season coming up, with the planned launch of the Wii U happening at some point closer to the end of the year. The Wii U has been making Nintendo’s investors a little bit nervous, and the company knows that it can’t afford another stale launch like the one it experienced with the 3DS. Couple that with the launch of the 3DS XL next month, and Nintendo’s plate is pretty full heading into the holiday season. Can the company pull it off? Only time will tell, but as long as Mario is on the scene, then things can’t turn out too bad.

Rovio’s Executive Vice President of Games, Petri Järvilehto, says the team reworked all the games for HDTVs and consoles: “There are new cinematics, extras and other entertaining content. In addition all of the existing material has been uprezzed and re-treated for the high-resolution and big screen.” Backgrounds have also been animated, and there are several lighting modes as well.

Angry Birds, Angry Birds Season, and Angry Birds Rio will be sold on one disc (or cartridge in the 3DS’ case), although there’s no mention of Angry Birds Space, or if the Trilogy will include the extra free levels found on iOS and Android. The company says that there are those with consoles perfectly content with a “casual” gaming experience, and that’s exactly who Rovio is targeting with this release.

The games will also support Kinect, PlayStation Move, and StreetPass. There’s no firm release date, but Rovio says it should be available to purchase in time for the all important holiday season.

[via IGN]

The first observation is that the 3DS XL naturally has a huge screen, all the better to see your games with. Both displays are said to have undergone improvements though, with the 3D mode looking better to the eyes, and even 2D is said to look better than the normal 3DS. Viewing angles have also been improved.

Meanwhile, ergonomics play an important role, with the larger physical size and rounded corners giving hands more real estate to grasp, resulting in a better grip. The 3DS XL is reportedly lighter than its predecessor, and while the unit appears to be matte, there’s a coating that gives the illusion of a metal chassis.

It seems like the French have been charmed by the larger unit overall, but is it enough to get consumers to splurge all over again? Time will tell. The 3DS XL will be released on August 19th in the United States and cost $200.

[via Kotaku]

Kids like my young cousin Nolan are apt to play the Nintendo 3DS – and the 3DS XL I’m sure, because they’re in the car, on the bus, or in-between places quite often without being behind the wheel. Being a passenger in a vehicle for hours at a time during your normal weekday (or weekend, for that matter) lends itself easily to the idea that you’d love to be playing a video game in that span of time.

Above: Nintendo reveals the Nintendo 3DS XL as well as a grab bag of new games for both the 3DS and LX.

The Nintendo 3DS XL has a power button, X A B Y buttons, directional pad, 3D switch, home/start/select buttons, and a single circle pad. This is what Nintendo calls simplified. A child could understand this interface, and combined with the operating system’s user interface appearing as a bunch of gigantic and simple buttons, it’s clear that the segment of users Nintendo is aiming at here is very young adults.

Some of the games that have been revealed for this system thus far, Pokemon Black/White and New Super Mario Bros 2, for example, show that Nintendo certainly does have a taste for its own super-successful lines of young adult-aimed games. Games such as Castlevania: Lords of Shadow, on the other hand, speak to an older audience. LEGO Lord of the Rings and Scribblenauts Unlimited have been introduced for the platform as well, on the other hand, this once again lending to the idea that the age target for this system (the XL, just as it is with the 3DS) is truly right down in the child segment.

A bigger 3DS? What makes it so “XL”?

It’s all about screen size. Nintendo’s regular 3DS has a 3.53-inch top display and a 3.02-inch lower display, which the XL model enlarges to 4.88- and 4.18-inches respectively. That means a bigger casing to suit, with the 3DS XL measuring 6.1 x 3.7 x 0.87 inches versus the 5.3 x 2.9 x 0.83 inches of the 3DS.

Nintendo has a track record for making larger versions of its handhelds. The last-gen DSi spawned an LL/XL follow-up of its own, keeping the same clamshell aesthetic but boosting the size of the display. Nintendo’s target audience back then was adults and older users who might want the mobile gameplay convenience of a portable but find the regular DSi too squint-inducing.

This time around, Nintendo isn’t pointing directly at the elderly. Instead, it’s pitting the 3DS XL at anyone who wants “more real estate” for their gameplay, as well as for those who use the console for Netflx and Nintendo Video streaming. Of course, it also means you’ll get a more impressive glasses-free 3D experience.

Glasses-free 3D? How does that work?

Most people are familiar with 3D based on special glasses – whether they’re the flimsy pair you pick up in the foyer at the movie house, a more expensive active-shutter set for home use, or even the old fashioned red/blue-lensed cardboard pair – but the 3DS XL uses a different technology called autostereoscopics. A special lens on top of the upper screen, called a parallax barrier, basically splits the picture between the two eyes, allowing the 3DS XL to show each eye something slightly different.

A control on the side of the display adjusts the 3D effect to suit the viewer, and if you want you can switch it off altogether and use it in 2D mode instead.

Is it really better than the 3DS?

That’s a tricky one. Although the screens are larger – the top panel being slightly bigger than the display on the Samsung Galaxy S III, albeit in landscape orientation – the resolution of each hasn’t been increased over the regular 3DS. So, the upper still runs at 800 x 240 (though it’s effectively 400 x 240 per eye, since each eye only sees half of the pixel columns), and the lower runs at 320 x 240.

Although it ought to ensure broad game compatibility with existing 3DS titles, it does mean that 3DS XL gamers aren’t getting any more detail from the new model: they just see things bigger. If you have problems seeing regular 3DS games then that magnification might be everything you need for comfort, but if you were hoping for a more graphically-competitive challenge to Sony’s PS Vita then you’ll be disappointed.

Sadly Nintendo hasn’t used the extra chassis size to add in a second analog pad, and since the 3DS XL is bigger than the regular version, it probably won’t fit into the Circular Pro Pad accessory already on sale in some locations. Still, Nintendo does increase the standard size of SD card buyers get, bundling a 4GB rather than 2GB chip. Those in Japan or Europe won’t get an AC adapter bundled with the 3DS LL, though those in North America will.

Although the screens are larger and more power-hungry, that also means more space for a bigger battery. So, the 3DS XL is rated for between 3.5 and 6.5 hours of native 3DS games, or 6 to 10 hours of DS games. In contrast, the regular 3DS lasts 3 to 5 hours of native titles or 5 to 9 hours of DS titles.

Okay, so when can I get one?

If you’re in Japan or Europe you’ll be able to pick up the 3DS LL/XL first. The new handheld goes on sale on July 28, priced at ¥18,900 in Japan. That will be followed by North American availability on August 19, priced at $199.99.

The top panel will run at 240 x 800 resolution, while the lower screen will run at 240 x 320. That means the 3DS XL is far from HD gaming on the move, but it should make for a more usable console for those with poor eyesight or the elderly.

Aesthetically there have been some changes, with the black bezel around the display being ditched in favor of a case-color surround, and the corners of the handheld being more rounded. Still no native second circle pad, but the buttons under the touchscreen have been redesigned, and you still get the useful 3D effect adjustment control on the side.

In Japan, the Nintendo 3DS LL will go on sale on July 28, priced at 18,900 yen ($235), and available in white, silver/white, and red/black. Meanwhile the Nintendo 3DS XL will follow on in the US on August 19, priced at $199.99 and available in red and blue.

Speaking to IGN about the 3DS, Miyamoto said, “I really feel like I’m satisfied with the 3DS hardware as it is. I feel like it’s the best for this generation,” and also revealed that the company is currently brainstorming the sequel: “What we’re thinking about right now is probably going to be for a future generation of handheld.”

The legendary gaming figure did stress, however, that the current 3DS still has life left in it yet, saying that there’s more than can be done with the hardware, especially with 3D gaming. In the meantime, the Wii U is expected to be released this holiday season, although pricing hasn’t yet been announced. The system will take advantage of a 6-inch controller touchscreen combination, adding a new dynamic that can be taken advantage of in games.

Specifications beyond that are unclear, and it’s not certain whether Nintendo will be changing any other specifications of the 3DS bar screen size. It’s also unstated as to whether both top and bottom screens will be upscaled, or if only the stereoscopic 3D panel will be boosted.

Nintendo has a track-record of supersizing its gaming handhelds, with the Nintendo DSi XL being a scaled-up iteration of the original DSi. The Japanese company billed it as ideal for older gamers keen to get involved in the “brain-training” titles fashionable at the time.

The news would be only part of Nintendo’s E3 announcements this week. Over the weekend, Nintendo revealed a slight redesign of the Wii U tablet, along with a new Wii U Pro Controller and the social network Miiverse.

[via Geek; via Andriasang]

So, confirming earlier speculation, Konami has made it official. Castlevania: Lords of Shadow – Mirror of Fate will be similar to the namesake title that launches on consoles back in 2010. There will be a very robust combat mechanic, and it appears to hang on to the series roots with a sidescrolling platformer presentation.

Although the Castlevania franchise is now 25 years old and has lived on every major platform since the NES, it still remains largely a niche franchise, something that has allowed it to keep its unique storylines and aesthetic appeal through to this day. The 3DS desperately needs strong third-party support, and it needs that support to include ambitious games that push the 3DS to its limits. A Castlevania game could do that.

[via Pikimal]

That leak comes courtesy of a Dutch website called n1ntendo. The site claims to have received information directly from an internal Konami schedule for what the company plans to unveil at E3. Konami is the long-time publisher of the Castlevania series. The producer and director of Castlevania: Lords of Shadow are reported to be involved with this installment.

Although the Castlevania franchise is now 25 years old and has lived on every major platform since the NES, it still remains largely a niche franchise, something that has allowed it to keep its unique storylines and aesthetic appeal through to this day. The 3DS desperately needs strong third-party support, and it needs that support to include ambitious games that push the 3DS to its limits. A Castlevania game could do that.

[via Joystiq]

In fact, it’s been nearly two months since the last title was added to the digital download platform. So what’s up with that? Nintendo has issued a response to this question that many players have, and it pointed to the fact that it now has many digital download platforms and it’s a chore to keep up with all of them. “Each week Nintendo makes available a mix of Nintendo eShop, Virtual Console, WiiWare and Nintendo DSiWare games,” Nintendo said.

It continued, “Combined, these services currently provide gamers with hundreds of fun and interesting downloadable games to choose from. There is no preset schedule as to how many games will become available in a given week, but many more are on the way via all of these digital-delivery systems.” So, not much of an answer unfortunately. However, there is good news – the classic Game Boy title Kirby’s Block Ball will be released on Thursday.

[via 3DS Buzz]