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3DS

3DS-Focused Nintendo Direct Coming This Wednesday

by Alex Culafi - April 15, 2013, 7:19 am EDT
Total comments: 61 Source: (Nintendo of America)

Rev your engines, 3DS owners!

A new Nintendo Direct focusing on Nintendo 3DS will be broadcasted this Wednesday, April 17 at 7 a.m. PT/10 a.m. ET, as announced by Nintendo of America. UPDATE: The Nintendo 3DS Direct was also confirmed for Europe, too, at 3 p.m. GMT, which is the same time as the North American one.

Though no specifics were revealed, it has been stated that the showing is "focused on the latest information on Nintendo 3DS."

Talkback

KisakiProjectApril 15, 2013

Uhm...that's not the console we need a direct for :(

Art_de_CatApril 15, 2013

Can't wait, love hearing more about the 3DS!!!

CericApril 15, 2013

Quote from: KisakiProject

Uhm...that's not the console we need a direct for :(

And Seconded.

In before Broodwars does a Batman impression.

Last year Nintendo was criticized for having a lousy E3, so now they're (apparently) saving most of their Wii U stuff for E3, and we complain that they're holding too much back. Reggie's right, we are insatiable.

AdrockApril 15, 2013

Tease Metroid and let the two month boner until E3 begin.

BlkPaladinApril 15, 2013

This ND will probally get the MiiVerse patch addressed, with some games to garish the presentation. The Wii U stuff will probally be covered at the Investor Meeting next week since they are going to have to talk about what they are going to do turn things around. Or like in January have a ND that just shows off Wii U stuff for the summer including the WW progress.

CericApril 15, 2013

Quote from: NWR_insanolord

Last year Nintendo was criticized for having a lousy E3, so now they're (apparently) saving most of their Wii U stuff for E3, and we complain that they're holding too much back. Reggie's right, we are insatiable.

The difference here is:
Last E3 was a CONSOLE LAUNCH.
This E3 we have a whole gaming community drastically wanting to know why the WiiU even has a right to exist and whether their investment was really worth anything or was like speculating in the Greek Economy.

Its like everyone buying Natural Gas Water Heaters and the Natural Gas Pipes that were installed can't fill the demand for Natural Gas so now people are mad because they only occassionally get hot showers and the Gas Company is waiting to an arbitary time to calm their fears.

Quote from: Adrock

Tease Metroid and let the two month boner until E3 begin.

If they are making a Metroid game that's exactly the kind of thing they should wait for the E3 press conference to reveal. They already teased Mario and Mario Kart and Monolith's new game, and they teased Zelda the previous year; they need to hold on to something to be a bombshell "one more thing" at E3.

Quote from: Ceric

Quote from: NWR_insanolord

Last year Nintendo was criticized for having a lousy E3, so now they're (apparently) saving most of their Wii U stuff for E3, and we complain that they're holding too much back. Reggie's right, we are insatiable.

The difference here is:
Last E3 was a CONSOLE LAUNCH.
This E3 we have a whole gaming community drastically wanting to know why the WiiU even has a right to exist and whether their investment was really worth anything or was like speculating in the Greek Economy.

Its like everyone buying Natural Gas Water Heaters and the Natural Gas Pipes that were installed can't fill the demand for Natural Gas so now people are mad because they only occassionally get hot showers and the Gas Company is waiting to an arbitary time to calm their fears.

Last year was a console launch, but this year they're going up against TWO console launches, and they need to bring their A game if they want to get any attention. At this point, E3 is less than two months away, so I doubt any reveals are going to have enough of an effect on sales between now and then to offset the effect Nintendo could have with a monster blowout press conference.

Ian SaneApril 15, 2013

Just last week there was discussion about the possibility of Nintendo pulling an Excitebots and announcing a release date for one of their upcoming Wii U games.  That was kind of a pipe dream but if that was going to happen it would be during a Nintendo Direct around this time.  The fact that this is focusing on the 3DS squashes any realistic chance of that.  This will likely be the last we hear from Nintendo before E3 and anything at E3 is usually a few months off.  I can't see Nintendo announcing a release date at E3 for a game due to come out only a few weeks later.

The Wii U needs games but they either exist or they don't.  Nintendo can't just pull one out of their butt.  If they had something ready they would almost certainly announce it and release it.  And with the Wii U release schedule the way it is I can't see them doing an Excitebots-style last minute announcement because they would gain so much from having a longer pre-release hype period to reassure Wii U owners.

If you had a system that wasn't selling as expected and a big release drought and an anxious userbase and you had something almost ready that could have its release date announced already why wouldn't you do it?  They obviously can't do it or they're really clueless in regards to PR.

Pixelated PixiesApril 15, 2013

Things that would make me happy:

1. Nintendo introduce a 'gifting' option for the 3DS eShop.
2. Nintendo announce downloadable tracks for Mario 3D Kart
3. Nintendo announce plans to release a 3DS lite.

Things that would make Nintendo a lot of money.

1. Nintendo introduce a 'gifting' option for the 3DS eShop.
2. Nintendo announce downloadable tracks for Mario 3D Kart
3. Nintendo announce plans to release a 3DS lite.

Things that are unlikely happen:

1. Nintendo introduce a 'gifting' option for the 3DS eShop.
2. Nintendo announce downloadable tracks for Mario 3D Kart
3. Nintendo announce plans to release a 3DS lite.

broodwarsApril 15, 2013

Quote from: Ceric

Quote from: KisakiProject

Uhm...that's not the console we need a direct for :(

And Seconded.

In before Broodwars does a Batman impression.

Well, it IS the Nintendo Direct we deserve, but not the one we need.  :P:

Overall, my reaction to this is overall just pure indifference.  It'll probably just be about known upcoming games like Project X-Zone, Soul Hackers (which would have just released), Mario & Luigi: Dream Team, etc. I agree that we'll probably see some housekeeping announcements like the 3DS Miiverse and whatnot.  They're not going to make any huge announcements now when E3's only a few months away.

UncleBobRichard Cook, Guest ContributorApril 15, 2013

Metroid isn't what I would consider the "one more thing" title that would get everyone's attention...  Other M was so hated on and the Prime series hardly tore up the sales charts...

TJ SpykeApril 15, 2013

Quote from: Pixelated

3. Nintendo announce plans to release a 3DS lite.

Before the 3DS XL was announced, this was discussed and it was pointed out that it would be very difficult to make the 3DS any smaller without making the screens smaller too. There just isn't much space to get rid of.

Pixelated PixiesApril 15, 2013

Quote from: UncleBob

... and the Prime series hardly tore up the sales charts...


Perhaps not, but it tore up my heart.  ::)

broodwarsApril 15, 2013

Quote from: UncleBob

Metroid isn't what I would consider the "one more thing" title that would get everyone's attention...  Other M was so hated on and the Prime series hardly tore up the sales charts...

I would have to disagree with that assessment.  I remember working at EA during that particular E3, and when Other M came up as the "one more thing" my entire QA bay lost its ****.  It also made numerous "most anticipated" lists in the lead-up to its release (most notably Gametrailers' Top 10 Most Anticipated Games of the Year).  Sure, we didn't know then how bad the game would end up being, but I can tell you from personal experience that that game got people excited.

As for the Prime series, I don't know why Prime 3 never really caught on, but Prime 1 was a million seller on the GameCube, which was impressive for its time and the install base of the GameCube.  If Nintendo announced a Prime 4 as their "One more thing", it would at least get people interested in the possibility of buying a Wii U.

I figure at this point Nintendo can really only end their show on the new Zelda game; the new presumed Xenoblade game; or a new Metroid game, if they want to end their show with a bang.  Mario's pretty destined to be a start of the show presentation, so that just leaves those unless Nintendo has a new or resurrected IP in the works.

Or Nintendo could just do something like launch some Nintendo Land fireworks again.  Because that worked out so well last time.  ;)

UncleBobRichard Cook, Guest ContributorApril 15, 2013

Other M *was* a great "one more thing" title.

But the game is so hated now that "Other M 2" (which is what everyone is going to be worried about) would make a bad "one more thing" game.

broodwarsApril 15, 2013

Quote from: UncleBob

Other M *was* a great "one more thing" title.

But the game is so hated now that "Other M 2" (which is what everyone is going to be worried about) would make a bad "one more thing" game.

I think it would depend on whose name was in the trailer.  I think if Sakamoto's name was in it or Team Ninja's (though I still contend that they performed their job with Other M admirably given the design they were ordered to use), yeah there would probably be a great deal of skepticism.  However, if instead we saw...say...Retro Studios' name on it or Next Level Games, people could possibly get excited again.  It would certainly help if the "Other M" name was completely ditched altogether.

Pixelated PixiesApril 15, 2013

I love Next Level Games as much as the next guy, but I kind of hope they aren't given Metroid.

CericApril 15, 2013

"Other M" brand is too tarnished to be anything but a bad endorsement.  If they use that we will truly know beyond a shadow of a doubt that Big N's marketing team just doesn't get it.

shingi_70April 15, 2013

I'm connfused about the Wii U not getting any press before E3. Its not like they're aren't games that could be released between now and E3. This waiting for a big blwout could backfire depending on what the others show.

Ian SaneApril 15, 2013

Metroid was exactly the sort of game that would typically go over well with the type of people that follow E3.  But the series is tainted by Other M.  They can announce a new Metroid but unless they outright acknowledge Other M and how this won't be anything like it, the best response they'll get will be reserved optimism.  We all want a new GOOD Metroid but we're going to have to wait and see if we get one.  The series needs a comeback to establish Other M as a one-off misstep, instead of a new direction for the series.

FjurbanskiApril 15, 2013

Hmm. It's a difficult decision, because people reeeeeally want Wii U news right now, but I think they're doing the right thing. They need to save Wii U news for E3. And if they get all the 3DS news out of the way, then they can partly ignore it during E3. Then the don't have to take up that much time talking about the 3DS at E3 and can have more focus on the Wii U than they'd get normally.


It sucks either way, but that's the position they're in now. The lesser of two evils.

AdrockApril 15, 2013

Quote from: NWR_insanolord

If they are making a Metroid game that's exactly the kind of thing they should wait for the E3 press conference to reveal.

They teased a bunch of Wii U games. Nintendo could tease a 3DS Metroid then drop the bomb dot com on a Wii U Metroid at E3.

I still contend that Other M wasn't a bad game; it was bad for a Metroid game. The game suffered in areas Nintendo's games normally suffer in (characterization and plot), except they actually went out of their way to try with Other M. The gameplay, while the worst in the series, was still pretty good. We've gone over the issues many times before. It wasn't perfect, but it wasn't even remotely close to terrible.

ymeegodApril 15, 2013

Give me Bravely Default :0.

Also kinda want a dates for Professor Layton vs. Ace Attorney, Ace Attorney 5, and Shin Megami Tensei 4.  Still upset we didnt' get Miles Edgeworth (WII) so maybe a port of that game too while I'm making my wishlist.

house3136April 15, 2013

This is most likely for Nintendo to make any official announcements ahead of their 3DS press event.

For Wii U, I feel Nintendo is holding off a ND until they can confirm the system update that is supposedly coming this month. I certainly don’t think they should announce any new projects ahead of E3, though. Regardless of whether Nintendo wants to address the Wii U situation, Iwata will have to in next weeks financial briefing and shareholders Q&A. If Nintendo still can’t even set release dates for Pikmin 3, W101, Game & Wario, or Wii fit U in the next two months for a “blow out” at E3, it’s going to do nothing more than cause skepticism among current and future Wii U owners.

Here’s what will happen at the Q&A:
Shareholder: Wii U sales are poor, what is your plan to fix this; what games do you have for the system?

Iwata: We have a very robust lineup of games planned for the second half of the year geared to pick up momentum on Wii U and secure a profit this term. However, we cannot give any specific details about any future projects. 

Shareholder/Public: But isn’t this exactly what you have said, and failed to procure, for the first half of the year?

Iwata: Please understand.



Luigi DudeApril 15, 2013

Quote from: broodwars

As for the Prime series, I don't know why Prime 3 never really caught on, but Prime 1 was a million seller on the GameCube, which was impressive for its time and the install base of the GameCube.  If Nintendo announced a Prime 4 as their "One more thing", it would at least get people interested in the possibility of buying a Wii U.

Prime 3 was also a million seller.

http://www.nintendo.co.jp/ir/pdf/2008/080425e.pdf

Metriod Prime 3: Corruption - 1.31 million

And these sales were from the end of March 31st 2008, when the game was over 6 months old, so those were all sold at full price as well.  For all we know the sales could be quite higher since this was the last time Nintendo released numbers for the game.

xcwarriorApril 16, 2013

Just want a Mario Golf release date, and hey here's a crazy thought, announcing more Game Boy/Game Boy Color /Game Boy Advance games that will be released on the eshop soon!

And Miiverse added to 3DS. That would be enough for me.

Everything else is a bonus.

Metroid Other M 2.

Believe.

has sufficiently lowered expectations

UncleBobRichard Cook, Guest ContributorApril 16, 2013

Let me clarify a few things:
1) I liked the Prime series.  I have three copies of one, a copy of two, a copy of three and a copy of the Trilogy.  And Hunters.  And Pinball.
2) I liked MOM.  Really enjoyed it - probably even more so than the Prime series.

With that said, Prime's sales were good.  Heck, they were *great* by most standards.  But, by Nintendo standards...  Nintendo regularly has titles that sell 5 million or more copies.  A million selling title is fine - but isn't something to sing home about for Nintendo.

A "One more thing..." for Wii U/E3 needs to be something huge and amazing.

Like Pokemon Wii U.  Full-fledged  X/Y follow-up, only for Wii U.  Online play, exclusive Pokemon, crazy challenges, etc., etc.

SixthAngelApril 16, 2013

Bring on the Directs.  E3 doesn't mean jack for announcements anymore. Most of any companies' smaller games just get buried under the weight of the few incredibly telegraphed big announcements anyway.

Quote from: UncleBob

Let me clarify a few things:
1) I liked the Prime series.  I have three copies of one, a copy of two, a copy of three and a copy of the Trilogy.  And Hunters.  And Pinball.
2) I liked MOM.  Really enjoyed it - probably even more so than the Prime series.

With that said, Prime's sales were good.  Heck, they were *great* by most standards.  But, by Nintendo standards...  Nintendo regularly has titles that sell 5 million or more copies.  A million selling title is fine - but isn't something to sing home about for Nintendo.

A "One more thing..." for Wii U/E3 needs to be something huge and amazing.

Like Pokemon Wii U.  Full-fledged  X/Y follow-up, only for Wii U.  Online play, exclusive Pokemon, crazy challenges, etc., etc.

Metroid may not be huge overall, but it is huge for the kind of people they need to appeal to in their press conference. Mainstream stuff can come earlier or in Nintendo Directs.

UncleBobRichard Cook, Guest ContributorApril 16, 2013

I'd actually argue the other way around.  Nintendo Directs aren't covered by the mainstream media, nor are they televised.  E3 is.  The general audience is more likely to hear about something out of E3 than a Nintendo Direct.

CericApril 16, 2013

Quote from: UncleBob

Let me clarify a few things:
1) I liked the Prime series.  I have three copies of one, a copy of two, a copy of three and a copy of the Trilogy.  And Hunters.  And Pinball.
2) I liked MOM.  Really enjoyed it - probably even more so than the Prime series.

With that said, Prime's sales were good.  Heck, they were *great* by most standards.  But, by Nintendo standards...  Nintendo regularly has titles that sell 5 million or more copies.  A million selling title is fine - but isn't something to sing home about for Nintendo.

A "One more thing..." for Wii U/E3 needs to be something huge and amazing.

Like Pokemon Wii U.  Full-fledged  X/Y follow-up, only for Wii U.  Online play, exclusive Pokemon, crazy challenges, etc., etc.

Honestly I take a Pokemon Z which was the Console version of X/Y so I could play the game with my son.

the asylumApril 17, 2013

All I need is new F-Zero, on ANY system, and I'm happy.

TJ SpykeApril 17, 2013

Quote from: xcwarrior

Just want a Mario Golf release date, and hey here's a crazy thought, announcing more Game Boy/Game Boy Color /Game Boy Advance games that will be released on the eshop soon!

It's been almost 2 years since Nintendo said GBA games would not come to the 3DS eShop, I wonder when people will stop expecting it to happen?

Fatty The HuttApril 17, 2013

Quote from: TJ

Quote from: xcwarrior

Just want a Mario Golf release date, and hey here's a crazy thought, announcing more Game Boy/Game Boy Color /Game Boy Advance games that will be released on the eshop soon!

It's been almost 2 years since Nintendo said GBA games would not come to the 3DS eShop, I wonder when people will stop expecting it to happen?

True, and Iwata reiterated today that GBA games would be coming to Wii U VC.

UncleBobRichard Cook, Guest ContributorApril 17, 2013

Quote from: TJ

Quote from: xcwarrior

Just want a Mario Golf release date, and hey here's a crazy thought, announcing more Game Boy/Game Boy Color /Game Boy Advance games that will be released on the eshop soon!

It's been almost 2 years since Nintendo said GBA games would not come to the 3DS eShop, I wonder when people will stop expecting it to happen?

TJ SpykeApril 17, 2013

Quote from: UncleBob

Quote from: TJ

Quote from: xcwarrior

Just want a Mario Golf release date, and hey here's a crazy thought, announcing more Game Boy/Game Boy Color /Game Boy Advance games that will be released on the eshop soon!

It's been almost 2 years since Nintendo said GBA games would not come to the 3DS eShop, I wonder when people will stop expecting it to happen?

http://www.engadget.com/2011/07/28/nintendo-3ds-price-drops-from-249-to-169-august-12th-current/

"By the end of 2011, Nintendo will provide Ambassadors with 10 Game Boy Advance Virtual Console games. These include games like Yoshi's Island™: Super Mario™ Advance 3, Mario Kart™: Super Circuit, Metroid™ Fusion, WarioWare™, Inc.: Mega Microgame$ and Mario vs. Donkey Kong™. These games will be available exclusively to Ambassadors, and Nintendo currently has no plans to make these 10 games available to the general public on the Nintendo 3DS in the future."

1. That doesn't say GBA, just those ten specific games.
2. Saying they have "no plans" is nowhere near the same thing as saying they weren't going to do it.

UncleBobRichard Cook, Guest ContributorApril 17, 2013

http://www.zeldainformer.com/news/no-mother-earthbound-releases-according-to-nintendo-customer-support

Quote:

I can see why you want to see the Mother/Earthbound series released in the Americas, but at this time we have no plans to release them in this market, either on disc or via download.

"no plans" ≠ "not happening"

TJ SpykeApril 17, 2013

The fact that almost 2 years later they have not even HINTED at releasing them or any other GBA game on the eShop should also help kill people still thinking it will happen. I would be interested in GBA games coming out on 3DS, but it seems clear to me that there is little chance of it happening and the chance drops even more the more time passes.


UB, the big difference is that in the past both Iwata and Reggie said they know how much gamers wanted EarthBound and Reggie even hinted it could happen.

UncleBobRichard Cook, Guest ContributorApril 17, 2013

TJ: It was twenty years since Nintendo last released a Mother/Earthbound title in the states and that hasn't killed people's hopes of it happening.  A mere two years is nothing.

I'm sure if you asked Reggie about GBA titles as downloads on the 3DS, you'd probably get a similar generic response of "We know that fans want this, but at this time, we have no plans to announce."

"No plans" isn't even the most honest of things.  I'm pretty sure that up until a few days before the DS Lite was announced, Nintendo was denying that they were releasing a redesign of the DS...

UncleBobRichard Cook, Guest ContributorApril 17, 2013

01/25/2006
http://www.joystiq.com/2006/01/25/ds-redesign-pushes-back/

Quote:

According to DSAdvance, when Yarton was asked for some hard facts on the potential redesign, he replied,"That's been rumoured, I don't know for how long, but we haven't got any plans at the moment. Nothing I know of."

01/26/2006
http://www.joystiq.com/2006/01/26/nintendo-announces-ds-lite/

Quote:

Nintendo just emailed us the following announcement of the redesign of the Nintendo DS (dual screen) handheld.

TJ SpykeApril 17, 2013

Except I JUST said that Nintendo had at least hinted at it before now. And EB did not really get a lot of mainstream attention until Smash Bros. came out.

Until there are at least hints of it happening, people should stop acting like GBA games will ever come out on 3DS.

And it was only the head of Nintendo of Europe who denied DS Lite, and it would be a shocker if he even knew about the DS Lite before Iwata announced it (so as far as he knew, there was no re-design coming).

UncleBobRichard Cook, Guest ContributorApril 17, 2013

You're right.  I'm sure the head of the third largest branch of Nintendo had NO idea a new hardware design was coming out a day before NCL announced it. :D

TJ SpykeApril 17, 2013

Nintendo of Europe, especially until a few years ago, has been generally clueless about things. And people in power being kept out of the loop is not new. The biggest example I can think of is Harry Truman not knowing about the building of the atomic bomb until he became president (and he had been the vice president).

AdrockApril 17, 2013

STOP TAWKING ABOUT POLITIX.

UncleBobRichard Cook, Guest ContributorApril 17, 2013

...I swear, I don't get paid enough for this...

TJ SpykeApril 17, 2013

It wasn't politics, it was about history (specifically something that happened 67 years ago). And it wasn't even politically related.

AdrockApril 17, 2013

Quote from: TJ

It wasn't politics, it was about history (specifically something that happened 67 years ago). And it wasn't even politically related.

Good God, Lemon... It was a joke...

TJ SpykeApril 17, 2013

It was in response to UncleBob's comment, in-case he was thinking about giving me a warning.

AdrockApril 17, 2013

http://i.imgur.com/KHqZyDJ.jpg

Fatty The HuttApril 17, 2013

Sorry, kids, I am siding with TJ on this one. People need to get over the fact that GBA games are coming to Wii U, not 3DS. I think Nintendo knows this is a selling point for Wii U and 3DS doesn't need that selling point at this..erm..point.

Pixelated PixiesApril 17, 2013

What makes you think GBA games will come to Wii U rather than 3DS?

Fatty The HuttApril 17, 2013

Quote from: Pixelated

What makes you think GBA games will come to Wii U rather than 3DS?

It has been announced at least twice, most recently in today's Nintendo Direct by Iwata.

TJ SpykeApril 17, 2013

Quote from: Pixelated

What makes you think GBA games will come to Wii U rather than 3DS?

Fatty mentioned it, but Iwata himself announced it in TWO separate Nintendo Directs. One was in today's ND, and the first was in January when Iwata announced the Wii U Virtual Console.

UncleBobRichard Cook, Guest ContributorApril 17, 2013

It's been announced that GBA games are coming to Wii U.

It has never been announced that GBA games are never coming to the 3DS.  Contrary to how any one individual may have interpreted what "no plans" means.

Fatty The HuttApril 17, 2013

UncleBob, I thought I was clear on this. I have heard the arguments from both sides. I have made my ruling.
I will now hear arguments as to costs, if counsel wishes to proceed.
Mr. Spyke?

Pixelated PixiesApril 17, 2013

Wow. Ok.

I must have completely missed that stuff. That's perhaps the dumbest thing I've ever heard, lol. Nintendo, why you so crazy?

Quote from: TJ

Nintendo of Europe, especially until a few years ago, has been generally clueless about things. And people in power being kept out of the loop is not new. The biggest example I can think of is Harry Truman not knowing about the building of the atomic bomb until he became president (and he had been the vice president).

That is a ridiculous comparison. I'm not even sure where to begin arguing with it. It's definitely stupid, though.

UncleBobRichard Cook, Guest ContributorApril 17, 2013

It's not stupid. It's advanced.

The DS Lite is the MEGATON.  Like the nuclear MEGATON.

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