The Wii U generation had a lot of potential but its life was cut short in the end due to the lackluster sales of the system. One thing that was never expanded upon was the ability to play with not just one, but two GamePads at the same time – allowing players to come together for some dual-screen action.

While Nintendo acknowledged that it was possible, many have been left wondering why nothing ever came of this feature. In a recent interview with the YouTube channel MinnMax, former Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aimé has elaborated on this. yes, technically multiple GamePads could communicate with a Wii U, but other factors such as the system’s install base, lifespan, and no unique games or ideas for such a feature played a part. Here’s the full exchange:

Min Max: When you first revealed the Wii U, everybody was asking you – can we use multiple Wii U GamePads? And eventually, it was interesting, because the messaging just came out and you [Nintendo] all said “yeah, yeah, absolutely you can, here we go”…and it was never asked again, and it was never implemented as far as I know…what was that like from your perspective?

Reggie: Well, what was interesting is that with the Wii U, there was a full development plan for all of the interesting interactions and all of the interesting capabilities that the system could do, and so in that case, technically could multiple GamePads communicate with a Wii U? Answer was “yes”, but the install base never got large enough that that type of implementation made sense. And most importantly the company didn’t create a game where you needed another GamePad in order to have a great experience, the development just never proceeded and the lifespan of the Wii U ended up being so short, that it just never came to pass. ..in order for those initiatives to come to life (at least from Nintendo’s perspective) there needs to be a game that drives that implementation that enables the player to see why you would need a second GamePad as an example, and that game creation process is just so critical.

So – there you go, it comes down to the low install base, lifespan and also the usual case of needing a game that properly utilised the feature in order for it to be supported. If you would like to learn more about Nintendo’s Wii U generation, Reggie’s new book offers even more insight:

Would you have liked to have seen this feature rolled out? Were you supporting Nintendo yourself during the Wii U generation? Leave a comment down below.

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<p>The post Reggie Explains Why The Nintendo Wii U Didn’t Utilise Dual GamePad Support first appeared on harchi90.</p>

Bowser, Mario’s longtime archnemesis, is getting his very own and very large Lego set. The newly announced set features a giant Bowser construction that can be manipulated like an angry, fire-breathing puppet.

This new Lego Bowser set contains 2,807 pieces and will retail for $270 when it launches on October 1. And while this isn’t the first time we’ve seen Bowser in the Super Mario Lego themethis new and bigger brick-built figure is quite impressive.

Lego says the figure was designed to be like a puppet, adding features that let you move Bowser’s head while also being able to open and close his mouth. Another neat touch: The build’s legs are built in a way that, when picked up, they move inward and simulate a jumping animation. And the Bowser figure is able to stand freely, with no stand or tower.

You can see this new massive Bowser in action in a video released by Lego today.

As pointed out in the video, this Bowser is mainly built from non-character-specific or specially-created pieces, which is nice. While I know Lego has reached a point where it’s fairly easy for them to create any specific brick or block they need, I still prefer when the company shows off fantastic parts usage and builds stuff using mostly standard or already-existing pieces. It feels more authentically Lego to me.

While this new Bowser looks great and can freely stand on your desk or bookshelf, it’s not just a fancy display set. Bowser can interact with the other Super Mario sets. So if you already own a Mario or Peach figure, you can use them to defeat Bowser, complete with original sound effects. Even better, Bowser comes with a destructible playset, so kids can recreate truly epic boss fights against the iconic villain.

Now, if only we could convince Nintendo and Lego to finally release some official Mario and Luigi minifigs, I’d be a very happy Lego fan.

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<p>The post New Giant Lego Bowser Set Out October For $270 first appeared on harchi90.</p>

Like the video game with three endings, or the final boss fight that never ends, E3 refuses to die. Now the video game events world is doubling-down on it. ReedPop—organizers of PAX, New York Comic Con, and Star Wars Celebration—announced Thursday it will take over planning the annual summer gaming showcase, and relaunch it with a “return to form” in 2023. That move raises the stakes of an impending showdown with rival event Summer Game Fest held by Game Awards host Geoff Keighley.

E3’s new planners are pitching “exclusive access to the future of gaming” at the overhauled event, and say the event will bring back publishers, developers, journalists, content creators, manufacturers, buyers, and licensors while also highlighting digital showcases and featuring “in -person consumer components.”

“For years, we’ve listened, heard, and studied the global gaming community’s feedback,” Kyle Marsden-Kish, ReedPop Global VP of Gaming in charge of the event, said in a press release. “E3 2023 will be recognizably epic—a return to form that honors what’s always worked—while reshaping what didn’t and setting a new benchmark for video game expos in 2023 and beyond.”

E3 hasn’t taken place as a live event since the global pandemic began back in early 2020. It sort of returned as a digital-only event in 2021, but was then MIA again altogether this past June. Instead, the void was filled by Geoff Keighley’s Summer Game Fest online showcase which also hosted an in-person “Play Days” event for media, developers, and influencers, in downtown LA near where E3 would normally have been held.

Traditionally a big week-long gaming news blowout event kicked off by major showcases from Sony, Nintendo, and Microsoft, E3 has stumbled in recent years as big players have pulled out and opted to deliver announcements on their own terms via blog posts and livestreams. Keighley, who used to host the E3 Coliseum, loudly parted ways with the event prior to its cancellation in 2020, criticizing its planning on the way out. Keighley was then rejected from co-streaming E3 branded events in its digital-only return in 2021. At the end of his Summer Game Fest showcase last month, he announced the event would return the following year, a subtle shot at E3 which at the time still hadn’ t announced any solid plans.

But E3 was in trouble even prior to this, with the number of publishers and studios in attendance severely dwindling over time. The event also opened itself up to the general public Around this time, but without providing the sort of fan experiences gaming conventions like GamesCom and PAX have been known for. Then in 2019 the event accidentally doxxed over 2,000 journalists who had previously attended.

E3’s new planners are promising a “streamlined and secure media registration” this time around, with new information on who will actually be attending the event to come in the months ahead. In addition to making E3 relevant again, ReedPop will also have its work cut out for it when it comes to public safety in the era of the “forever plague” A PAX East enforcer died earlier this year after catching covid following the event.

More recently, the LA Convention Center where E3 2023 will be held hosted the 2022 Anime Expo. Organizers for the event originally sought to loosen covid safety restrictions last month before fan backlash forced them to backtrack on the changes. On July 1, the event was so overcrowded the building Fire Marshall started turning attendees away.

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<p>The post Star Wars Celebration Company ReedPop Taking Over Planning E3 first appeared on harchi90.</p>

Back in April, we reported on a rumour that there was an upcoming 18+ Super Mario LEGO set that would be “the biggest yet”, with a total of 2,807 pieces — almost 800 more than the NES, and 150 more than the Question Mark block set.

That rumour has now been confirmed as The Mighty Bowser, who will tower over LEGO Mario and LEGO Luigi at a total of 32cm (12.5in) in height.

The Mighty Bowser comes with a host of interesting inclusions, from “new-for-October-2022” bricks that replicate King Koopa’s spikes to a fireball launcher and a button that controls his head and neck movements. You will also be able to post his arms and fingers.

“Adding LEGO Super Mario The Mighty Bowser really is a blast from the past for many adult fans of LEGO. He might be the big boss, but he still brings back a warm feeling of nostalgia to adult Super Mario fans worldwide. Just as defeating Bowser was always the ultimate challenge in the Super Mario games, here we’re challenging fans to build the King of the Koopas from nearly 3,000 pieces. We know they’re up to the task and will be chomping at the bit to get their hands on this great new addition to the Super Mario line.”
— Carl Merriam, Senior Designer, LEGO Super Mario

Other features include:

• A hidden POW block
• Two towers for Bowser to knock over
• The ability to combine the set with a LEGO Super Mario Starter Course
• An Action Tag that will allow Mario, Luigi, or Peach to battle Bowser

We’re hoping that there will be some cool secrets to find, like the other sets have!

The Mighty Bowser costs $269.99 and releases on October 1st, 2022.

Please note that some external links on this page are affiliate links, which means if you click them and make a purchase we may receive a small percentage of the sale. Please read our FTC Disclosure for more information.

Will you be adding Bowser to your collection? Tell us in the comments.

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<p>The post LEGO Confirms Rumors With New 18+ Bowser Set, Which You Can Actually Fight first appeared on harchi90.</p>

It’s not a Switch Pro but it’ll do. Just in time for the ink shooter’s September launch, Nintendo is releasing a Splatoon 3-themed Switch OLED on August 26. It’ll go for $360, and if you haven’t already upgraded to the newer model, now might be the time, at least if you can manage to get your hands on one.

the special edition Splatoon 3 Switch features squid-themed art from the game on the back and two flashy Joy-Con controllers—one purple/blue and one yellow/green—both with their own game art and white underbellies. It also comes with a graffiti art dock that includes more lightly traced art and a single splash of yellow paint in the bottom corner. They could have gone all out with the squid stuff, but the low-key black-and-white scheme of the main unit and dock really make the Joy-Cons pop. If only you could buy them separately.

Meanwhile, a Splatoon 3-themed Switch Pro Controller ($75) and carrying case ($25) both launch alongside the game on September 9. I still prefer the existing Splatoon 2 Pro Controller, but the rest of the package is a big stylistic upgrade over the previous Splatoon bundle.

In the face of a ceaseless swirl of Switch Pro rumors, Nintendo revealed the OLED model last summer. While it was a big letdown for the internet at the time, I bought one during its autumn launch and was immediately won over. The slightly bigger screen size makes a big difference in handheld mode, and I’m continually amazed at how beautiful games like Xenoblade Chronicles look with the deeper, more vibrant colors.

Despite ongoing component shortages, Switch OLEDs appear to be easier to get ahold of these days (at the time of writing both are currently in stock at several retailers). Time will tell if the same can be said for the Splatoon 3 special edition version. Limited pre-orders for a Xenoblade Chronicles 3 collector’s edition recently crashed Nintendo’s websiteand even now scalpers are trying to sell them ahead of release for huge markups on Ebay.

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As its sequel looms, the crossover tactics hit Mario + Rabbids: Kingdom Battle is currently free on Nintendo Switch. It’s available to Nintendo Switch Online subscribers through July 12, Nintendo announced this week.

If you haven’t played Kingdom Battle yet, you’re missing out on one of the best tactical games for Nintendo’s hybrid console. First released in 2017, the game is a joint production with Ubisoft, and marries Nintendo’s biggest mascots (Mario and friends) with Ubisoft’s smallest (a bunch of mostly toothless rabbits).

Though it was mocked before release for being a phoned-in crossover, Kingdom Battle turned out to be a savvy grid-based strategy game in the vein of XCOM…except, instead of extraterrestrial threats, you had warp pipes and bright colors. It was also a delightful homage to one of the biggest franchises in gaming history. From Kotaku‘s review: “Almost everything in the game is a reference to something in the wider Mario universe, from the music to the weapons to the enemies. Somehow, none of it feels forced.”

This October, Ubisoft and Nintendo will release a sequel, Mario + Rabbids: Sparks of Hopefor the Switch. Sparks of Hope will maintain what made its predecessor so great while also introducing a few core changes. For one thing, it’s doing away with a grid-based system entirely, which should allow for freer movement. Early gameplay footage also indicates you’ll no longer need to keep Mario on your team either, addressing a sore sticking point for fans of the first game.

A week probably isn’t enough time to play through all of Kingdom Battleeven for the most devoted players. the howlongtobeat.com database pegs an average run at about 27 hours and a completionist one at 46 hours. There’s also the matter that Kingdom Battle is only free to those who’ve signed up for Nintendo’s $20/a year Nintendo Switch Online service. But hey, that’s what seven-day trials are for.

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<p>The post Kingdom Battle Is Free On Switch Right Now first appeared on harchi90.</p>

Nintendo is reportedly experiencing supply chain disruptions in Japan again. According to a new report from Nikkei, the company is currently experiencing a “frustrating” sales slowdown – shifting 33% fewer units in April – June compared to a year ago. Famitsu data reveals Switch unit sales totaled around 840,000 in the latest quarter.

A Nintendo spokesperson told Nikkei how “the shortage of chip materials” was having an impact on Nintendo’s production line. This period (April – June) was about a 10% decline compared to 2020.

Nintendo is also supposedly having issues procuring parts for Bluetooth wireless communications components (used in controllers and the main units) as well as analog chips for controlling currents. There are apparently negotiations underway to secure the required parts, but Nintendo’s spokesperson said: “the outlook is uncertain”.

The Japanese company is currently competing for parts against other game companies (like Sony, which is also experiencing supply chain disruptions). Then there are tech companies like – smartphone manufacturers and even car companies who require these vital components.

Nintendo was aiming to sell 21 million Switch units before the year ending March 2023, but that’s not factoring in the latest round of shortages – with the company now expected to revise its net profit forecast of 340 billion yen ($2.5 billion) for the current fiscal year.

According to Nintendo’s official data, more than 107 million Switch have been sold as of March 31, 2022. The company’s software line up for the remainder of 2022 currently includes titles like Xenoblade Chronicles 3, Splatoon 3 and Bayonetta 3.

This news follows on from an update last week – suggesting Nintendo was stockpiling materials and doubling spending on supplies:

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<p>The post Nintendo Supply Chain Disruptions See Switch Sales Fall By 33% In Japan first appeared on harchi90.</p>

A Nintendo fan on the Famicom Boards has discovered the Switch OLED reveal trailers for North America and Japan were recently set to private on the company’s official YouTube channels.

It’s seemingly been enough to fuel a new round of “Switch Pro” rumours – with some anticipating…or at least hoping for a big reveal. Former Nintendo of America employee Kit Ellis has now chimed in via social media, stating how it probably means “nothing” and is likely tied to licensing – with this week marking one year of the OLED model:

Kit Ellis – “These major videos typically have music or actors which are licensed for use for a year, then need to be renewed or taken down. Switch OLED was announced a year ago tomorrow. This is most likely nothing.”

It’s also been noted how the same Switch launch trailers can still be viewed in the UK and other countries like Australia.

Prior to Kit’s comment, GameXplain speculated a private video could be an attempt to clear up the “YouTube algorithm” in order to focus on something else tied to the Switch branding. It was also mentioned how Apple had done something similar in recent times – pulling older iPhone videos ahead of the latest reveal.

One other thing worth noting is Nintendo’s current supply chain issues in Japan. In a new report from Nikkei earlier today, it was revealed how there had been a 33% drop in system sales due to these ongoing struggles. A Nintendo spokesperson also mentioned how the company was having difficulties procuring the necessary parts to manufacture new systems:

If we hear any updates, we’ll let you know. What do you think Nintendo might be up to with these trailers? Tell us below.

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<p>The post Nintendo Sets Switch Trailers To Private, But It’s “Most Likely Nothing” first appeared on harchi90.</p>

Nintendo Switch Online subscribers across Switch, Switch lite, and Switch OLED have a new mario surprise Unlike the “free” N64 and Sega Genesis games, this new mario surprise is not locked behind the Expansion Pack tier of the subscription service, which is to say the premium tier of the subscription service. That said, you do need to be a subscriber. If you’re on any of the aforementioned trio of consoles but don’t have a Nintendo Switch Online subscription, you’re out of luck.

The new surprise comes in the form of Super Mario Oddysey icons. Why is this a surprise? Well, when Nintendo started releasing free icons every month for subscribers earlier in the year, Super Mario Odyssey was one of the first games featured. and unlike Animal Crossing: New Horizons, it wasn’t promised to return every month. Yet, a few months later, it’s back, which is a surprise because Nintendo has been pairing Animal Crossing: New Horizons with a different game every month, and it currently has a metric ton of games and series it can still pick from, which is why it’s strange it’s already gone back to Super Mario Odyssey. Thankfully, the icons are different than the ones previously offered, at least so far. Each week for the remainder of the month new icons will be cycled in, and they should be all Super Mario Odyssey-themed until next month. Whether they will be new, only time will tell.

As for the Animal Crossing: New Horizons offering this month, it features characters with a July birthday, continuing the pattern that’s been set from the start of this promotion, which is to dish out Animal Crossing characters in relation to when their birthday is.

For more Nintendo coverage — including not just the latest on Nintendo Switch, but everything else under the Nintendo umbrella, like Switch Online — click here or, alternatively, peruse the relevant and recent links right below:

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<p>The post Nintendo Switch Online Subscribers Get Mario Surprise first appeared on harchi90.</p>

Over the past week, the gaming world has been obsessed with an indie shooter coming to Xbox, treating it with the fervor (and wildfire social media metrics) of a forthcoming AAA tentpole. But here’s the weird part: This game’s already out. It’s been playable on multiple platforms for years.

You may have heard of Hypercharge: Unboxeda wave-based shooter that casts you as an action figure pitted against a ton of other action figures—big Toy Story vibes here. Developed and self-published by Digital Cybercherries, Hypercharge does a lot with a little, marrying both first- and third-person shooting with base-building elements in childhood-inspired environments. It’s also multiplayer, sporting both online and, in a sadly rare but much appreciated boon, local co-op.

By most accounts, Hypercharge is pretty damn good, sporting a “very positive” (91%) rating on Steam. Here’s a brief summary via Kotaku‘s Zack Zwiezen, who wrote positively about the game two years ago:

The basic gameplay loop has you break out of your toy packaging and then you search around a map for tokens, which you use to buy defenses and upgrades to help protect your energy stations. After a few minutes, a wave of enemies attacks. You fight them back, and then get another few minutes to search for more loot and build more defenses. It’s not a terribly new or fresh spin on this type of gameplay, but what is here is solid. Guns feel good, enemies react when you shoot them, and movement is fast and snappy.

Though it was first released in early access five years ago, Hypercharge saw a full release for Switch and PC in 2020. But you wouldn’t immediately glean that from the game’s official feeds, which could easily be read by a casual observer to indicate the game isn’t out yet. On Twitter specifically, Hypercharge has picked up the sort of buzz typically reserved for big-budget games, thanks to what appears to be a shrewdly engineered digital marketing strategy.

right now, Hypercharge‘s Twitter page laser-focuses on Xbox to the exclusion of the other platforms it’s playable on. The current banner photo specifically calls out “Xbox players,” urging prospective players to vaguely “sign up” for…something. (Click through, and you’ll learn it’s a newsletter.) The pinned tweet—a post that stays at the top of a Twitter account’s feed, regardless of the chronological order of posts—refers solely to the “Xbox Series S.” the bio is a call to action for “Xbox players” with no mention of other platforms, as is textbook for pretty much every other game with a social media presence; if you want links to Hypercharge‘s Steam or Nintendo eShop storefront pages, you’ll have to first click through a Linktree.

Video clips about Hypercharge‘s gameplay have gone mega-viral a few times over the past few months in the wake of a marketing pushseemingly launched in the spring, to build buzz for a potential Xbox release. just this weekend, one such clip picked up more than 13 million views, thanks in part to cross-feed shares by popular gaming personalities with large followings, like esports commentator Jake Lucky. (Lucky’s accompanying text could also be read as if Hypercharge is a yet-to-be-released game: “These 5 dudes are trying to make an indie game where you play as an action figure in a toy store…and it’s sick.”)

This strategy—essentially treating Hypercharge as if it’s a totally new game—makes sense, seeing as the game hasn’t exactly taken off on existing platforms. According to Steam-tracking database Steamcharts, Hypercharge‘s all-time max concurrents is less than a thousand players. And while official metrics aren’t publicly available for Nintendo’s storefronts, c’mon.

It’s unclear just how much the studio anticipated the recent buzz. Representatives for Digital Cybercherries did not respond to a request for comment in time for publication.

But intentional or not, the dividends are apparent. Digital Cybercherries says more than 20,000 people signed up for the newsletter last week. That’s in addition to the videos that pick up millions of views, and the relatively high level of engagement on its social media posts, which regularly garner thousands of likes. Of course, this level of attention regrettably has drawbacks. Last week, the studio released a statement calling out the toxicity it’s received regarding the lack of a specific release date.

Speaking personally, and maybe I’m just a sucker, but the past few weeks of buzz are…totally working on me? Hypercharge is not the sort of game I’d play on Switch (not enough technical horsepower) or PC (no gaming rig for me). But I’d totally play it on Xbox—where I typically play local co-op games, which are, and I’m just reiterating how much of a bummer this is, few and far between these days.

A week ago, I thought Hypercharge was just another shooter. Now, it’s charged to the top of my “gimme gimme gimme” list. Hypercharge is broadly slated for an Xbox release early next year, according to The Verge‘s Tom Warren, with the window open for a launch on Xbox Game Pass, Microsoft’s enormously popular games-on-demand service. Let’s see if the buzz can hold ’til then.

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<p>The post Why Everyone Is Obsessed With A Game About Toys first appeared on harchi90.</p>