Build your own N3DS Bundle!

It's not long now till the N3DS hits and retailers are starting to tout their offers. But most of these are for the XL and involve handing over your old system or buying a game that's not all that related to the new system. Nintendo store has a different offer for you.

What they are offering are custom bundles for the new system. First you pick which colour you would like. Then you get to choose from 9 different face-plates and finally you get a free "Super Mario 3DS Figurine Stand" all for £159, So head on over to the Nintendo Store and check out the options.

Obviously this doesn't cover the rather pretty Monster Hunter 4 XL or beautiful Majora's Mask XL and its currently unknown if these bundles also come with chargers as with all their other N3DS orders.

Abe's Take
This is a nice little bonus off for those who like Mario as the stand is rather impressive.

So about that Direct rumour

Sorry for the delay all but the entire staff was wiped out by chest infections for the last week. Ah internet will you ever stop with the rumours and falsehoods... Of cause you wont because outside of naked ladies and flame wars it's pretty much what your was made for (It wasn't).

So we got a Direct on the 14th and it was good (less so if you are a US fan who dosen't like the XL) and half the fake leak was kinda right. We got release dates for the N3DS, Monster Hunter, Codename S.T.E.A.M., Majora's Mask and Kirby. We also got to see new bonus content for Captain Toad and S.T.E.A.M. but instead of DLC these was Amiibo based. Finally there was also a new Fire Emblem announced but for 3DS (not Wii U).

What we did get was rather good, although rather light on the Wii U side of things. A big-ish surprise was Wii Virtual Console, Even though most game shops still stock Wii games certain titles like Metriod Trilogy and Pandora's Tower are hard to find and often cost a good limb to buy. There is some disappointment that these aren't HD up-scales but none of the other VC games received any work outside of controller updates so that's not really an issue. 

Abe's Take

The article itself was a big hit for us as we hit something like 1,587 unique views from all over the world but seeing as the leak turned out to be false the milestone feels... Cheapened and we regret this is how we got there. Unless we're all surprised on the 27th that is (doubt it) we're sorry.

Rumour: Nintendo Direct Leaked?

Well this is unusual. Nintendo is usually the least leaky games company out there. Usually it's just rumours based on trademarks and overheard conversations, with leaks only appearing when third parties are involved like at E3 or other trade shows.

 But today seems to be different as it appears a photo detailing an upcoming Direct's (on the 27th) contents. Normally we tend to give these a pinch of salt but it does line up with other rumours, things we know and recent actions by Nintendo. Of cause being an image off the interwebs (dug up by GKUK team member Himaru) its worth taking with a pinch of salt but be warned if true, there be spoilers ahead!

UPDATE: As commenters have pointed out there are some issues with the name of S.T.E.A.M the official title is Code Name: S.T.E.A.M. On the doc it's Project. However a quick look online and seem a fair few people refer to it as Project. Another theory is that the page copy pasted from another document and thrown through google translate and that caused the name change and might mean "???er Mario" could be Mario Maker. wouldnt be the first time an Nintendo working title to become its actual name (Hyrule Warriors and Smash Bros for Wii U/3Ds)  

Original post: The list details apparently upcoming games for the 3DS, Wii U AND "New" 3DS. I'll break down the list for those who don't want to crick their neck (flipping the image portrait screws up the page layout some what.)

On the 3DS side of things we have

• Lost in Blue - Last Hope  (gameplay trailer)
• Metroid 3D (Teaser Trailer)
• Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate (gameplay trailer + Release date
• Project S.T.E.A.M (DLC mission gameplay)
• Shin Megami Tensei - Devil Survivor 2 (gameplay trailer)
• Majora's Mask 3D  (gameplay)

New 3DS

• Bayonetta - Jeanne's showdown (gameplay)
• Dr Kawashima's NEW brain training (gameplay)
• "new" Okami (Trailer+Release)
• "new" Last Story (trailer+Release)
• "new" Xenoblade Chronicles (trailer+Release)

Wii U gets a bit harder to read as the image isn't centred.

• Captain Toad (DLC)
• Fire Emblem - Grima's Revenge (Teaser Trailer)
• Kirby and The Rainbow Curse (Amiibo details/Gameplay)
• ????er Mario Wii U (Gameplay+Release)
• ?????ox Wii U (Gameplay Trailer+ Release)
• Super Smash Bro's (Mewtwo trailer)

So lets dive in to the New 3DS details, This gives the leak the most credibility as Nintendo has stated sending emails out to a select few (in Europe) so they can BUY Ambassador New 3DS systems. Judging from the fact that the "new" games have release dates I think it's safe to assume they will be launch games for the new system and rather ironically appear to be ports of Wii games (admittedly 3 Wii games I wanted to play but nether got). The other two are surprises an new Bayonetta exclusive to Nintendo's handheld (will sure to annoy those who still protest about Bayonetta 2 on Wii U) would certainly help cerement the new system as "for gamers" and not the masses but also show Nintendo's commitment to the franchise and "hardcore" games. However an new Brain Training N3DS game would counter the "core gamersas it was the King of Casual games on DS.

The Wii U front offers some interesting mysteries. First Fire Emblem, the title suggest this may be a direct sequel to FE: Awakening 2013's break out 3Ds hit and first Fire Emblem to do even remotely well in the west, However it could also be an HD remaster and expansion (similar to Monster Hunter's G/ultimate games), This makes a fair amount of sense as the FE devlopers are currently working on Project S.T.E.A.M. 

 The second (smallest) mystery is Kirby's Amiibo support, We've known that the Kirby Smash Bro's figures would do something in the pink poofs (that's not offensive right?) new game but we have no clue. I would imagine it'd be in line with Mario Kart/Hyrule Warriors support I.E. unlocking stuff. 

 The Third Mystery is what is this mysterious Mario game (that isn't a Bro's game) with a working title? A quick answer would be Paper Mario but it's unlikely Nintendo would give an exact release date and announce it at the same time of a "full game". On the other hand one rumour that has floated around for the last year or so. An HD remake of Mario 64 with co-op, new levels and new powers.

The final mystery is a lot easier - Star Fox U, which we know WILL be playable at E3 2015 and will come out before Zelda U.

The 3DS front has a couple of surprises. A new Metriod 3D being the biggest, Miyamoto has said before the 3DS would be the perfect system for a new side scrolling Samus adventure and a smaller (more personal) surprise was an new Lost in Blue game. Lost in Blue on the DS was the catalyst that made me seek out survivalist games ( sadly nothing has come as close as the Lost in Blue did).

Abe's Take

Overall this leaks games seem legit and makes a lot of sense to me with what Nintendo has been doing and rumours we have heard before, Time will tell if it's true. As i said it dose line up with other things we have heard (MH4U's Producer will be in th EU whilst this Direct will air).

Zelda U to feature side quests.

Outside of a few occasional missions most side quests in Zelda games are usually tied to the main quest line. Unless we're talking about Majora's Mask (GK-UK's favourite Zelda) which was filled to the brim with side missions.

But it seems Zelda U (would really like a name, so I can stop calling it that) will inherit that trait from MM. Game developer legend Shingeru Miyamoto "Their may even be times where you forget what your goal is because you're doing other things on the side," Miyamoto explained in an interview with iJustine. "There may be times where you go into one big, long dungeon or there may be times where you're headed to a dungeon, and you're doing other things along the side."

Abe's Take
Whilst certainly a welcome addition to the increasingly impressive looking U exclusive some "fans" are crying foul. Claims that Nintendo are "pulling a Skyrim, by trying to hide a week plot under a mountain of side quests". 

I find these "fans" complaints invaild and rather a testiment to Bethesda's world building skills. That the very world is more interesting than any "event". Zelda games aren't really known for their plot but rather the quality of gameplay, so to suggest Nintendo is some how lessening that by adding more game is... Comical at best.

We're back, also destiny leak!

Well we're back, sorry for the long absence but I returned from work one day to discover my PC work area had been transformed into a festive winter wonderland (including artificial snow) with the PC buried behind a wall of gifts and decorations. It was lost to me but now that winter wonderland has thawed and we return with news!

So it seems that Bungie had some super secret meeting about their future plan for destiny but a blurry picture has managed to squirm it's way free and judging from how fast Bungies ban hammer landed on the forum users who posted the image we can assumes its fairly accurate.

It's hard to see in the picture (curse JPEG) but its seem the next expansion "House of wolves" will hit March 15th and will add the same amount of content as "Deep Below" but interestingly that's not the end as the 2 pack "Expansion Pass" suggests. 

On Destiny's first birthday not only is a GOTY (game of the year) edition being released, which will feature the first 2 expansions but also another content pack (not an expansion) called "Plague of Darkness" which will apparently feature  several strikes, one raid, 3 new sub classes, 2 new weapons types, an brand new patrol area "Hive Ship" and 12 story missions. Which sounds rather meaty when compared to the 3 missions, 1 strike and 1 raid of the first two "expansions".

the following March (2016) will see them return to the smaller packs with the launch of "Expansion Pack 3" which appears to be Vex based.  The following summer Destiny's forth and final "expansion" pack  "Forge of Gods" launch, which if the pattern hold will be Cabel focused. Which leads us to the late 2016/early 2017 release date for Destiny 2.

Abe's Take

Whilst this looks like a fair amount of content the (insultingly named) expansion packs are very light on content for their £20 price tag. So what are they going to charge for the (true) expansion "Plague of Darkness"? I cant help but feel it'll rhyme with Smorty Smounds. We found both Destiny and (more so) its first DLC insultingly light on content but "PoD" sounds a lot better

I wouldn't be surprised to find that the 4 "expansions" was in fact originally Add-ons or Mission packs and Activision decided that they could charge more for expansions.