Nintendo takes a pop at the PS4 and Xbox One

Shots fired

President of Nintendo America Reggie Fils-Aime has been making jibes at the PS4 and Xbox One, saying they are too similar and don't offer the kind of exclusives you get with a Wii U.

The gloves are off. Despite being a lot less successful than the Sony or Microsoft consoles, Fils-Aime suggests the Wii U is in a better position in terms of what it offers the average gamer.

"If you look at the other two competitive platforms, fundamentally, what's the difference?" said File-Aime in an interview with Recode.

"I'd much rather be where Nintendo is, with a differentiated platform, differentiated set-up experiences that we can provide uniquely to the consumer."

He suggested that the other two top consoles offer little to make them stand out on their own.

"Either by themselves doesn't have a lot of exclusive content. They have a lot of shared content. Look at it from the standpoint of, what don't they have? They don't have our games. They don't have Mario and Zelda."

While the Wii U is not going to challenge the PS4 for worldwide sales figures any time soon, these bold words are well-timed.

A recent Nintendo earnings call revealed the six month period from April-September 2014 period saw Wii U sales double year-on-year. Actual sales were a relatively modest 1.1 million, but it's a dramatic improvement over the 460,000 units shifted in the same period in 2013.

We can't see this upswing continuing to the extent that the Wii U starts competing directly with the Xbox One and PS4 in terms of numbers, but the earnings call also revealed that Nintendo is back in the black once again.

After repeated reports over the last year or so that Nintendo is in dire straits, it earned a £82/$132 million profit over the last six-month period. Maybe Mario's not in as much danger as we thought.

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Nintendo reveals why it won't launch the new 3DS in US and UK until 2015

The New Nintendo 3DS isn't here for Christmas

Nintendo has explained why the New Nintendo 3DS has launched in Japan, but won't come to the UK, US and Europe until 2015.

The New Nintendo 3DS could be an obvious Christmas smash hit in the US and Europe, but Nintendo has decided to ditch that potential in favour of a later launch for the new handheld.

During a recent financial briefing, Nintendo President Satoru Iwata explained that in Japan, where the New 3DS has recently launched, 3DS sales slowed significantly while the US and Europe don't yet need the new model.

"The overseas markets are different from the Japanese market in both their stages of popularisation of Nintendo 3DS and their market characteristics," Iwata explained.

"Neither of the cumulative sales figures of Nintendo 3DS in the U.S. nor Europe is more than that in Japan despite, based on the historical performance, bigger sales potential. In short, Nintendo 3DS is still at an earlier stage of popularisation in these two markets."

So either we in the West haven't bought enough 3DS handhelds to date, or are still buying too many, depending on which way you approach it.

By comparison, Iwata makes it sound like the original 3DS is on its last legs in Japan.

"In Japan, the total number of sales of Nintendo 3DS has reached nearly 17 million in the three and a half years since its launch. It is almost the same as the lifetime sales of GameBoy Advance released in 2001, which implies that it is reasonable that the sales of Nintendo 3DS have been temporarily slow moving in the Japanese market. This is one of the reasons we needed to bring New Nintendo 3DS/3DS XL to the market this year."

Australia is to get the new handheld this year too, but the rest of us still have a while to wait.

The main differences between the current 3DS and the New 3DS include much better battery life, interchangeable front plates and a second analogue stick.

3D performance has also been improved, letting you see the effect from a wider angle, and the New 3DS has a faster processor than the original.

As part of the financial call in which we learned about the New 3DS disappointment, Nintendo also announced the 3DS series has sold 45.4 million units to date, which is pretty impressive.

Via TechnoBuffalo

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Nintendo is building a sleep tracker, but you won't actually wear it

Zzzzzzz

Nintendo's mysterious 'quality of life' project is finally beginning to take shape, with the company announcing that it's working on a sleep-tracking device.

But what's most interesting about this product is that it isn't a wearable. Nintendo's gizmo is designed to work independently; it doesn't need to touch your body, it'll have very little waiting time, and apparently requires minimal setup.

The device, announced by Nintendo CEO and president Satoru Iwata in an investor briefing, uses radio waves to monitor a user's heart rate, movement, respiration and fatigue. It then fires that data over to servers for analysis.

The device is being built in collaboration with RedMed, a US manufacturer of technology for people with sleep disorders. Users will receive frequent updates about their quality of sleep, which will be sent to smart devices and dedicated Nintendo gaming platforms.

We won't be seeing it for some time though, as Nintendo is planning to launch its Quality of Life program in 2016.

"We expect the QOL-improving platform to provide us with new themes which we can then turn into games that operate on our future video game platforms too," said Iwata. "Once we have established such a cycle, we will see continuous positive interactions between the two platforms that enable us to make unique propositions."

The Wii Fit franchise was Nintendo's first foray into health, and proved a massive success for the company. But with a market now flooded with Fitbits, Jawbones and the likes, it'll be harder to stand out.

However, let's not forget that Nintendo has taken a variety of forms in its long lifetime, venturing into playing cards, love hotels, food, and even a taxi service, before it started making games. So we have faith that it can pull off health tech too.

Via Yahoo News

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Kirby Triple Deluxe (for Nintendo 3DS)

Pros Plenty of content and multiple hidden items to find. A variety of game modes.

Cons Very easy to play through and beat. Bottom Line Kirby Triple Deluxe is an excellent side-scrolling platformer for the 3DS starring a smiling pink fluff ball who, given the chance, would consume you, your home, and your entire world in one breath. It's fun!

By Will Greenwald

I have seen the face of destruction. An unknowable horror that consumes all. A soulless void that only knows hunger for all around it. It's called Kirby, and the more I see it the more I fear it. The latest harbinger of this eldritch destroyer is Kirby Triple Deluxe ($34.99) a Nintendo 3DS game that's as cutesy and cuddly on the surface as every Kirby game before it, and every bit as horrifying underneath it. It's also extremely well designed, very easy to win, and packed full of content that almost, but doesn't quite, rival the Kirby Super Star compilations for the Super NES and Nintendo DS.

Kirby's Adventure
Kirby Triple Deluxe has several modes, but the main story is the centerpiece. You play Kirby, a pink snowball that can consume anything and assume its power. King Dedede, the dopey penguin regent of Dreamland, is kidnapped by an insect sorceress and Kirby has to climb a beanstalk powered by dreams, unlocking more and more worlds on it by collecting stones powered by the sun. It's that kind of game, that when summarized sounds like it consists of 80 percent sugar and 20 percent LSD.

Underneath the cutesy surreality is a very accessible platformer with a few simple puzzle elements for finding hidden items. Kirby can run, jump, float, and swallow enemies to get new powers. There are ten powers in total, but Kirby can only use one at a time. He can swing a sword, breathe fire, ring a bell, throw feathers, become a wheel, and more. The different power sets are surprisingly deep, and each power has several different skills that can be used with different button combinations. For example, if Kirby swallows an archer enemy and gets the arrow skill, he can launch a single arrow by tapping the attack button, charge up the arrow for a more powerful shot by holding the attack, button, and camouflage himself behind a cardboard disguise and shoot an arrow along the ground by holding down and tapping the attack button. This depth becomes particularly welcome in the Kirby Fighters mode, described below.

Kirby can also eat magical fruit which gives him the Hypernova power, letting him consume entire screens of obstacles. It is freaking terrifying. Several puzzles focus on Hypernova, requiring Kirby to move blocks around or open pipes by finding the right position to use his power. One such puzzle involves Kirby sucking everything in the background up through a pipe like a crazy straw. When I played, a single Waddle-dee enemy was sucked up. He clung to the rubble, desperate to survive, until he was pulled in with the rest of the background into the oblivion of the destroyer's hunger. It chilled me to the bone. Also, Kirby swallows giant enemy snakes that are easily 20 times larger than he is, and that's just visually horrifying. Like watching a mouse devour an anaconda with one bite. It is something that, in a world not driven by the darkest, unknowable forces beyond the minds of man, simply should not be.

Levels and Mechanics
The main adventure consists of six worlds with several stages in each. The stages themselves are fairly lengthy, broken up into multiple segments for different challenges and puzzles. The segmentation, and the fact that each new area serves as its own checkpoint if you die, makes the gameplay feel very accessible and unintimidating.

The side-scrolling action uses a 2.5D perspective, and makes excellent use of the Nintendo 3DS' 3D effect (though is just as playable with the 3D mode disabled or on a Nintendo 2DS). Nearly every level and every boss fight has some hazard or puzzle that uses the background or foreground, like snowballs and skiers that fly in from cliffs behind Kirby to attack him or a paintbrush-wielding witch who obscures parts of the battlefield with paint splotches on your screen. They're fun and immersive effects that make the levels seem more active and lively.

The levels themselves are easy to complete, but to progress in each world you need to collect a certain number of sun stones that are weight well-hidden or require beating a slight challenge. These individual challenges can occasionally get difficult, but the game in general is very easy. If you're hoping to find the incredibly tricky hidden coins or Luigi levels of New Super Mario Bros. U, you should look elsewhere. You can also search for and collect digital keychains of sprites from previous Kirby games, which you can then look at later in a gallery mode. If you don't want to search for keychains, you can also buy random ones using the 3DS Play Coins you collect by walking around with your 3DS.

Other Modes and Conclusion
Besides the main adventure, Kirby Triple Deluxe has two additional game modes: Kirby Fighters and Dedede's Drum Dash. Kirby Fighters pits your Kirby, with any power you want, against other Kirbies with different powers. Since each power set has multiple moves, this becomes a fun, lightly engaging fighting game instead of just a glorified pseudo-boss rush. Dedede's Drum Dash is a rhythm game that involves hitting drums (and not getting hurt) in time with the soundtrack. These two modes are not particularly deep, but they're fun extras. There's also an additional surprise you can unlock when beating the game, that adds a bit more, very welcome content to the game.

Kirby Triple Deluxe is an excellent Kirby game, which isn't surprising for a series that has never really had a misstep (yes, I even enjoyed Kirby's Dream Course). It's very easy, even with the hidden items, so you shouldn't expect much challenge from the game, even if you go looking deep for it. It's a fun, fluffy little platformer that, despite the horrific implications of Kirby's existence, is worth a look for any fan of other Kirby games, or side-scrolling Mario games, or any other accessible, unintimidating run-and-jump titles.

View the original article here

Kirby Triple Deluxe (for Nintendo 3DS)

Pros Plenty of content and multiple hidden items to find. A variety of game modes.

Cons Very easy to play through and beat. Bottom Line Kirby Triple Deluxe is an excellent side-scrolling platformer for the 3DS starring a smiling pink fluff ball who, given the chance, would consume you, your home, and your entire world in one breath. It's fun!

By Will Greenwald

I have seen the face of destruction. An unknowable horror that consumes all. A soulless void that only knows hunger for all around it. It's called Kirby, and the more I see it the more I fear it. The latest harbinger of this eldritch destroyer is Kirby Triple Deluxe ($34.99) a Nintendo 3DS game that's as cutesy and cuddly on the surface as every Kirby game before it, and every bit as horrifying underneath it. It's also extremely well designed, very easy to win, and packed full of content that almost, but doesn't quite, rival the Kirby Super Star compilations for the Super NES and Nintendo DS.

Kirby's Adventure
Kirby Triple Deluxe has several modes, but the main story is the centerpiece. You play Kirby, a pink snowball that can consume anything and assume its power. King Dedede, the dopey penguin regent of Dreamland, is kidnapped by an insect sorceress and Kirby has to climb a beanstalk powered by dreams, unlocking more and more worlds on it by collecting stones powered by the sun. It's that kind of game, that when summarized sounds like it consists of 80 percent sugar and 20 percent LSD.

Underneath the cutesy surreality is a very accessible platformer with a few simple puzzle elements for finding hidden items. Kirby can run, jump, float, and swallow enemies to get new powers. There are ten powers in total, but Kirby can only use one at a time. He can swing a sword, breathe fire, ring a bell, throw feathers, become a wheel, and more. The different power sets are surprisingly deep, and each power has several different skills that can be used with different button combinations. For example, if Kirby swallows an archer enemy and gets the arrow skill, he can launch a single arrow by tapping the attack button, charge up the arrow for a more powerful shot by holding the attack, button, and camouflage himself behind a cardboard disguise and shoot an arrow along the ground by holding down and tapping the attack button. This depth becomes particularly welcome in the Kirby Fighters mode, described below.

Kirby can also eat magical fruit which gives him the Hypernova power, letting him consume entire screens of obstacles. It is freaking terrifying. Several puzzles focus on Hypernova, requiring Kirby to move blocks around or open pipes by finding the right position to use his power. One such puzzle involves Kirby sucking everything in the background up through a pipe like a crazy straw. When I played, a single Waddle-dee enemy was sucked up. He clung to the rubble, desperate to survive, until he was pulled in with the rest of the background into the oblivion of the destroyer's hunger. It chilled me to the bone. Also, Kirby swallows giant enemy snakes that are easily 20 times larger than he is, and that's just visually horrifying. Like watching a mouse devour an anaconda with one bite. It is something that, in a world not driven by the darkest, unknowable forces beyond the minds of man, simply should not be.

Levels and Mechanics
The main adventure consists of six worlds with several stages in each. The stages themselves are fairly lengthy, broken up into multiple segments for different challenges and puzzles. The segmentation, and the fact that each new area serves as its own checkpoint if you die, makes the gameplay feel very accessible and unintimidating.

The side-scrolling action uses a 2.5D perspective, and makes excellent use of the Nintendo 3DS' 3D effect (though is just as playable with the 3D mode disabled or on a Nintendo 2DS). Nearly every level and every boss fight has some hazard or puzzle that uses the background or foreground, like snowballs and skiers that fly in from cliffs behind Kirby to attack him or a paintbrush-wielding witch who obscures parts of the battlefield with paint splotches on your screen. They're fun and immersive effects that make the levels seem more active and lively.

The levels themselves are easy to complete, but to progress in each world you need to collect a certain number of sun stones that are weight well-hidden or require beating a slight challenge. These individual challenges can occasionally get difficult, but the game in general is very easy. If you're hoping to find the incredibly tricky hidden coins or Luigi levels of New Super Mario Bros. U, you should look elsewhere. You can also search for and collect digital keychains of sprites from previous Kirby games, which you can then look at later in a gallery mode. If you don't want to search for keychains, you can also buy random ones using the 3DS Play Coins you collect by walking around with your 3DS.

Other Modes and Conclusion
Besides the main adventure, Kirby Triple Deluxe has two additional game modes: Kirby Fighters and Dedede's Drum Dash. Kirby Fighters pits your Kirby, with any power you want, against other Kirbies with different powers. Since each power set has multiple moves, this becomes a fun, lightly engaging fighting game instead of just a glorified pseudo-boss rush. Dedede's Drum Dash is a rhythm game that involves hitting drums (and not getting hurt) in time with the soundtrack. These two modes are not particularly deep, but they're fun extras. There's also an additional surprise you can unlock when beating the game, that adds a bit more, very welcome content to the game.

Kirby Triple Deluxe is an excellent Kirby game, which isn't surprising for a series that has never really had a misstep (yes, I even enjoyed Kirby's Dream Course). It's very easy, even with the hidden items, so you shouldn't expect much challenge from the game, even if you go looking deep for it. It's a fun, fluffy little platformer that, despite the horrific implications of Kirby's existence, is worth a look for any fan of other Kirby games, or side-scrolling Mario games, or any other accessible, unintimidating run-and-jump titles.

View the original article here