Namco Bandai’s Smash Bros., 3DS XL And Tons More Nintendo News

Apparently Nintendo’s semi-regular Nintendo Direct events are where fans should wait for exciting news, as tonight’s brought plenty to get everybody talking.

We have the first details on the next Smash Bros., a collaboration between Project Sora (Kid Icarus:Uprising) and, uh, Namco Bandai. Of course, the game is being overseen by the always present Masahiro Sakurai. Due to the Namco Bandai collaboration, apparently the game isn’t years off.

Also, Nintendo confirmed the rumored re-design 3DS (something I’d shot down on the podcast, but looks like I’m wrong on that one), now called the 3DS XL. The machine sports a 90% larger screen, a 4GB memory card, improved battery life, and there won’t be an AC adaptor in the box because...cost savings? The machine will be available on August 19 for $200.

Otherwise? Let’s run down the list.

• Professor Layton and the Miracle Mask is coming to the 3DS in November
• There’s a Kingdom Hearts Dream Drop Distance demo now available on the eShop
• Zelda (NES), Kirby Pinball Land(Game Boy), Wario Land (Game Boy) all coming to Virtual Console
• There will be two Virtual Console games released per week throughout July
• Fire Emblem: Awakening coming to 3DS in 2013
• Animal Crossing for 3DS was shown, complete with StreetPass folks
• There will be DLC stages released for New Super Mario Bros. 2

fuck yeah professor layton!

sweet! I don't have to look at the direct feed thing now.

Why no second stick on the 3ds redesign?

@mrpandaman said:

Why no second stick on the 3ds redesign?

so they can sell you a redesigned accessory specific to the redesigned 3DS.

@mrpandaman said:

Why no second stick on the 3ds redesign?

Did they seriously say no AC adapter? As though anyone buying this is just upgrading? That can't be right. Also, you forgot to mention that Super Mario Land (I think?) is 2.99 as of right now through some date in June.

Picross, Nintendo. Instant purchase from me. Professor Layton is good, too.

I don't understand why Japan gets a white one and we only get red and blue. The white looks so good!

Damn it Nintendo, I held off buying a 3DS until after your handheld presser. Thanks for that, dicks.

I'm surprised they went for the larger redesign and not a smaller one.

Actually no I'm not. They needed to address battery life issues, and making more obvious-to-the-average-joe improvements like a big screen while also fitting in a larger battery makes a ton of sense.

Why exactly was this stuff not at E3?...

I don't understand your strategy Nintendo. Why talk about all the cool shit after E3?

What are the details on the next smash bros?

Awww, why Namco? why not Retro?

No Pushmo 2, aw man.

No AC adapter? What the Hell? I mean, wow! that is stupid. Wow. sigh.

@TheHT said:

@mrpandaman said:

Why no second stick on the 3ds redesign?

so they can sell you a redesigned accessory specific to the redesigned 3DS.

because they apparently hate the thing and don't wanna give in and confuse their market with a stick that is standard on one model of their device but not on others so developers would end up unsure how to develop their games as well.

they didnt include a 2nd circle pad. jesus christ are they stupid

Nintendo, it suppose to be smaller, not bigger. And what happen to a second stick?

It's going to be the same resolution right? So all the games are gonna just look worse. Size isn't everything. That's w hat she said.

It's bigger, but they couldn't find room for that second circle pad. They have a televised event, basically an hour long ad for your shit and you can't fit in a picture and a few words on this. What the fuck?

The 3DS charger is the same as the DSIs, so I wonder if the point of this new one is to sell to people who have a DSI or to up-sell existing 3DS owners. From experience I can tell you there is currently no way to transfer system level information between two 3DSs. I had my launch 3DS die on me in the first month, swapped it at Nintendo of Canada headquarters and they didn't have any way of transferring my friends list / street pass / AR games stuff to the new system, anything on the SD Card of course transfers fine though.

A lot of good news, but it sucks that Fire Emblem joins the 2013 games that should be out in 2012!

Nintendo USA says that the AC adapter is in the package for the US. That was only for Japan that no AC adapter was in the package.

AC adapter is included in America.

Second analog pad would be pointless and just split the userbase.

Nintendo, stop fucking this up. XD

Seriously, though, these games are all cool. Well, maybe not KH or Fire Emblem, but they might be cool. I may buy a 3DS this year.

@Cybexx said:

The 3DS charger is the same as the DSIs, so I wonder if the point of this new one is to sell to people who have a DSI or to up-sell existing 3DS owners. From experience I can tell you there is currently no way to transfer system level information between two 3DSs. I had my launch 3DS die on me in the first month, swapped it at Nintendo of Canada headquarters and they didn't have any way of transferring my friends list / street pass / AR games stuff to the new system, anything on the SD Card of course transfers fine though.

Except... they released a system update allowing you to transfer your complete data between 3DSs... But yeah, if your system is just DEAD, you're fucked.

Namco Bandai? Really? Ugh. I groan in distaste of that news. Does that mean we can expect a "true version" of the next Smash Bros. game to come out a year later? And for a different console? They seem good at that.

@Blargonaut said:

@Cybexx Lose all my Street Passes? Fuck that noise!

You CAN transfer system information.

@Leeroisaid:

No AC adapter? What the Hell? I mean, wow! that is stupid. Wow. sigh.

Only in Japan, apparently. It comes with one in the US.

Now I'm kinda mad a bought a 3DS a few months back.

I think the Kirby Wii Collection was news too, don't think it had heen announced for outside of Japan.

@Milkman: @JeanLuc: Nintendo has some weird ideas with spacing announcements. Either Nintendo doesn't regard E3 as some sort of catch-all mega show or Nintendo is stubborn in doling out specific information on their specific time tables. Maybe they want some sort of continuous news conga line as they have been showing these Nintendo Directs on a frequent yet measured basis.

So they come out with a new design for the 3DS that re-tools the body shape, but doesn't add a second circle pad. Does that mean there now needs to be a new circle pad pro design as well?

Why wasn't this at E3? Oh well. Since Namco is helping with the next Smash, it wont surprise me if Pacman will be in the game. Also happy about NSMB 2 will have DLC.

ill prob buy a 3ds now

@EchoForge said:

@mrpandaman said:

Why no second stick on the 3ds redesign?

I guess because if developers began to make games that used the two sticks, it would alienate owners of the original system. Though as someone who doesn't own a 3DS at all, I'd much rather have one with 2 sticks/circle pads.

@Slaker117 said:

So they come out with a new design for the 3DS that re-tools the body shape, but doesn't add a second circle pad. Does that mean there now needs to be a new circle pad pro design as well?

I can imagine there's maybe an issue with splitting the userbase, but.... yeah. It's dumb.

That said though.... the new system looks kinda nice. I'll maybe continue the tradition of upgrading my DS every two years and get it next year.

@Blargonaut said:

@Cybexx Lose all my Street Passes? Fuck that noise!

You could move over your original 3DS' SD card if you care that much.

Oh wow, Nintendo really surprised me with this stream. Was expecting it to be all old news but there were a couple of surprises in there! Sold on the 3DS XL!

I'm also wondering about the dual sticks. I thought it was mainly for the upcoming Monster Hunter. I guess that they just dont care. Or we'll see Circle Pad Pro XL!

No AC Adapter is a really weird decision. "Oh I just bought this new device and brought it home! Oh wait..it's dead."

Also, am I the only one who finds XL'ing portable systems...strange? What happened to the pockets and micros?

Sakurai involvement = garbage Smash game. This automatically makes PSASBR better. Unless Sakurai is merely a figurehead with no say; then there's a chance.

There will be an AC adapter with the US release. The 3DS doesn´t need a second analog. The 3DS XL is just bigger, don´t buy it if you own a 3DS. Proffesor Layton is fucking awesome. Animal Crossing is fucking awesome. Fire Emblem is fucking awesome. Kingdom Hearts is fucking awesome. Be happy 3DS owners. Your game library just got a whole lot better. Fuck everyone who says this isn´t a good day for Nintendo.

@DeF said:

@TheHT said:

@mrpandaman said:

Why no second stick on the 3ds redesign?

so they can sell you a redesigned accessory specific to the redesigned 3DS.

because they apparently hate the thing and don't wanna give in and confuse their market with a stick that is standard on one model of their device but not on others so developers would end up unsure how to develop their games as well.

Exactly. It's not getting a second circle-pad for ages... if ever. People said the PSP was going to get one every time it got redesigned and it never did. Why fragment the market? It's not holding the system back ... the 3DS library is great now.

@Axelhander said:

Sakurai involvement = garbage Smash game. This automatically makes PSASBR better. Unless Sakurai is merely a figurehead with no say; then there's a chance.

So in other words, no Smash Bros. game has ever been good? Since he's been the main force behind every single one of them. Oh, and Kirby and Meteos.

It's two in the goddamn morning, I'm too tired to be trolled.

@PandaBear said:

@DeF said:

@TheHT said:

@mrpandaman said:

Why no second stick on the 3ds redesign?

so they can sell you a redesigned accessory specific to the redesigned 3DS.

because they apparently hate the thing and don't wanna give in and confuse their market with a stick that is standard on one model of their device but not on others so developers would end up unsure how to develop their games as well.

Exactly. It's not getting a second circle-pad for ages... if ever. People said the PSP was going to get one every time it got redesigned and it never did. Why fragment the market? It's not holding the system back ... the 3DS library is great now.

I would also argue that the only real reason someone would want the other stick is for shooters (3rd or 1st). Sure, a 3rd person adventure game (Mario Galaxy Portable?) would go great with a second stick, but I don't think very many of those are going to get made for the 3DS that aren't made by Nintendo themselves. So...why bother putting another stick on? Though, I would also say why bother making the 3DS bigger, too.

How would adding a second analog stick split the user base any differently than the already existing circle pad pro does? Any games hoping to support a second stick would have to offer a control option for users that don't have the second stick.