The first Nintendo Direct of 2015 took place this morning and A LOT of information and news was dropped on fans in one, fast-paced 45 minute stream. Let Girls on Games help you get down to brass tacks by rounding up all that info and giving it back to you in one small, easy-to-digest post.
Four’s Company
Not only will we be getting the new 3DS XL on February 13th, we’ll be getting options! 4 different designs for the new 3DS XL were announced this morning, all set for the handheld’s release on February 13th.
First, we’ve got the basics, New Red and New Black. Those will be joined by a Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate LE bundle (Gamestop (US) /EB Games (CAN) exclusive) and the gorgeous Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask LE bundle. How are we supposed to choose?!
Everyone Loves Amiibo
Nintendo ain’t no fool, they know fans are tripping over themselves trying to get their hands on Amiibos. So, to get us even more riled up they’ve announced TWO new lines of the figures, each to be released shortly.
Coming March 20th is the Super Mario-themed set featuring Mario, Luigi, Peach, Yoshi, Toad and Bowser. While some of these characters have already been released in previous series, this will see them in new poses and sporting a shiny red stand (instead of black).
Each Amiibo will retain functionality with previous games, as well as meshing with Mario Party 10 by unlocking game boards and in-game characters. NOTE: If you’re gonna want to play Mario Party 10 with existing Super Smash Bros. Amiibos you’ll have to clear their existing data first. Ouch!
Toad will also be compatible with Captain Toad Treasure Tracker where a new gamemode called “Hide and Seek” will be unlocked upon his purchase and activation.
Super Smash Bros. will be getting a bit more crowded on April 24th with the release of the Robin, Lucina, Wario, Charizard, Ness and Pac-Man Amiibos. Aside from leveling each in Smash Bro. fashion, Amiibos from the Fire Emblem family will also be compatible with Codename: STEAM (available May 15th), when you will be able to call upon the fantasy heroes to fight alongside you as a guest character.
Bigger, Faster, Stronger
The new 3DS XL model isn’t just pretty, it’s the whole package. The new handheld has received a serious hardware and design overhaul, much to the pleasure of fans who have been clamouring for upgrades for a while.
To start, the actual 3D functionality. Nintendo knows most people play with the 3D turned off, so in an effort to fix that they’ve included new face-tracking technology in the 3DS’s camera. This will allow for a smoother experience as well as a wider field of vision. Fans of precision will be happy to hear of the inclusion of a C-Stick that will make movement easier and generally add more control while navigating. And lastly (but most importantly), the little handheld’s processing power has been greatly improved. That means a smoother experience, faster load times, non-laggy home menu and wiggle room for developers.
Games, Games, Games
New games, old games, everyone loves games and Nintendo is happy to provide!
They announced today that downloadable Wii games will now be available to buy and play on the WiiU, directly from the eShop (no Wii Mode required). Starting titles are: Super Mario Galaxy 2, available now, with Punch-Out and the Metroid Prime Trilogy that will be released on January 22nd and January 29th respectively. Each game will be price at $9.99 for their first week available and then $19.99 after that.
As for everything else, check out the lists below!
New 3DS & Original 3DS:
- Fire Emblem TBD – TBD
- The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask – February 13th
- Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate – February 13th
- Xenoblade Chronicles – April 2nd
- Puzzle & Dragon Z/ Puzzle & Dragon Super Mario Bros. Bundle – TBD (March)
- Pokemon Shuffle – February (TBD)
- Codename: STEAM – March 13th
- Ace Combat Assault Horizon Legacy+ – February 13th
- Etrian Mystery Dungeon – TBD
- Story of Seasons – TBD (March)
- Fossil Fighters: Frontier – March 20th
- IronFall: Invasion – TBD
- Gunman Clive 2 – TBD
Wii U:
- Splatoon – TBD (May)
- Hyrule Warriors, Majora’s Mask DLC – February 5th
- Kirby and the Rainbow Curse – February 20th
- Mario Party 10 – March 20th
- Xenoblade Chronicles X – TBD
- Elliot Quest – TBD
- Project Treasure – TBD
Cross-buy:
- Mario Vs. Donkey Kong: Tipping Stars – TBD
BYOC (Bring Your Own Charger)
And in what was inarguably the oddest moment whole presentation, it was revealed that the new 3DS XL will NOT ship with an A/C adapter of it’s own. Instead, you’ll have to use an existing charger from either a Nintendo DS/DS XL, 3DS/3DS XL or 2DS. So make sure you hold on to that.