nintendo

Nintendo shuts down Miitomo, but plans to expands mobile line

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Nintendo shuts down Miitomo, but plans to expands mobile line 1

Miitomo, Nintendo’s planned smartphone app, has been shut down.

There wasn’t a specific reason for the shutdown, but it’s likely because no one uses the app. While it’s nice to have a smartphone app for everything, some apps are just not necessary- at all. Miitomo was launched with over 10 million users in the first month but then dropped over time.

Nintendo will still have a mobile extension of their company. The new president, Shuntaro Furukawa, said he’s interested in making more mobile games and make it a big business.

We’ll have to see what Nintendo’s plans are in the future for mobile gaming. The president wants to expand it to capture mobile gamers that are fans of Nintendo. He wants to make it turn into a huge, 100 billion yen platform.

Nintendo Switch Online price, launch titles, cloud saves, and more details

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Nintendo Switch Online price, launch titles, cloud saves, and more details 2

Nintendo has revealed some pricing details of their Nintendo Switch Online platform launching this September 2018.

It’ll come with a large library of 20 games, 10 of which have been announced. It’ll also have cloud saves, special deals, and other goodies for subscribers.

Here’s a brief summary of what to expect so far.

Pricing will be as follows:

  • One month (solo): $3.99
  • Three months (solo): $7.99
  • Twelve months (solo): $19.99
  • Twelve months (Family): $34.99

There aren’t any 1 or 3-month plans for the Family Membership because these accounts allow up to 8 accounts total which can be spread out worldwide.

Cloud saves will be much-improved and won’t have that horrible save disaster the Switch previously had. Now the cloud platform should be working 100%. No more data wiping! That’s something to be excited about.

And the library of games will have an online feature to play with friends. They can also watch your screen and you can watch theirs and take turns. Screen sharing will also be available s well. Voice chat will be done with an app on smartphones. All games will work offline as well. So far, 10 games have been announced:

  • The Legend of Zelda
  • Ice Climber
  • Balloon Fight
  • Donkey Kong
  • Soccer
  • Tennis
  • Dr. Mario
  • Mario Bros.
  • Super Mario Bros.
  • Super Mario Bros. 3

Nintendo is behind it he online marketplace, but now they hope to claim a market share with their online platform. Switch owners won’t be able to play games without an online payment plan after September 2018. More details to be revealed.

We’ll have to see how this plays out. Stay tuned for updates.

See UPS’s Toy-Con-Trainer made with Nintendo Labo

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See UPS's Toy-Con-Trainer made with Nintendo Labo 3

Nintendo Labo has finally launched last week and its course for global domination has begun.

Labo is Nintendo’s cardboard approach to have players create their own cardboard creations using the Switch to code them if necessary. It’s like Nintendo’s form of the Raspberry Pi. Guess who jumped on ship? UPS.

They’ve decided to show off their own creation- the Toy-Con-Trainer on its Twitter account.

It shows off a custom carry case designed to move each of Labo’s individual toys- just like a logistics company would. The Toy-Con-Trainer was designed by UPS themselves, so it’s not officially a Nintendo product. Fans have already requested the blueprints for the build so they can build it themselves. Third-party support for the Labo? Probably.

Labo comes in two kits- the Robotic Kit which allows you t interact with sister robots using the Switch. The other is the Variety Pack which features a bunch of awesome things like a fishing rod. Users can create their own peripheral using the Toy-Con Garage if they don’t want to follow a guide. There will also be a competition for players who want to create their own toys.

Nintendo also revealed prices for replacement parts which allows you to buy single parts instead of the whole set.

Sega Ages first lineup of games announced for the Switch

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Sega Ages is coming to the Switch!

Sega has up and gone ahead announced their first lineup of games for their Sega Ages collection for the Switch.

We wrote about this previously and in short, the Sega Ages is a program where Sega brings their classic games over to a multitude of platforms. They did this for the 3DS as well and it was done successfully. Now, their first batch of games for the Switch has been announced.

We’re looking at Alex Kidd, Phantasy Star, Thunder Force IV, Sonic, and Gain Ground. These games included some goodies already and personally I know I’ll be getting Phantasy Star and Sonic (duh). Out of the list, those two were fond memories even though I was totally a Nintendo kid growing up.

This release of Sega Ages will bring over some titles to the West that weren’t available previously. It’ll roll out in Summer 2018 and will be handled by M2, which did the same games for the 3DS. Sega Ages is perfect for fans who liked Sega stuff and weren’t able to play them or just want to relive the classic games without buying an actual Sega console. In terms of Sonic the Hedgehog, some special elements from the 3DS would be added, such as the Spin Dash attack and the Mega Play version. In Thunder Force IV, players will get the Styx Mode and online leaderboards. In Phantasy Star, you’ll get additional options such as difficulty and walk speed.

Sega Ages originally came to fruition back on the Sega Saturn in 1996 in Japan. Then it came to the West with some awesome titles like Space Harrier, OutRun, and After Burner II. It’s nice to see this coming to the Switch. Now it’s a constant thing for Nintendo fans. It’s difficult to avoid getting some Sega on your Nintendo.

Players will be able to get ahold of this sometime in the Summer. Sit tight for updates.

Photo: Wikidpedia.

Nintendo removes user reviews for its games on its official pages

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Nintendo removes user reviews on its official pages for its games.

Nintendo recently added a new option for players to leave reviews on Nintendo Switch games directly on their home site.

however, they quickly removed it shortly after. The feature to leave user reviews was only available for about 5 days after its launch. Customer reviews for the console still exist, but the games reviews are gone.

Only a small blurb of info is still available in the remnants of what was once user-generated content on their site:

“Customer reviews have been taken offline as we evaluate this feature and its functionality. We currently have no estimated date on when an update will be provided. We appreciate the positive response and thank the reviewers who provided such thoughtful commentary on the games.”

Nintendo said it’s just a “trial” in a statement to Polygon and that it may be revamped and returned, but there’s no guarantee as of now. This has many players annoyed and itching for a new review system where they can simply type out their thoughts rather than use preselected tags and categories for the game.

Does Toad wear a hat? Mario Odyssey producer answers the question.

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Toad isn't wearing a hat.

Super Mario Odyssey producer Yoshiaki Koizumi has finally answered the long-debated question- does Toad from Mario wear a hat? Or is the giant mushroom part of his head?

In a video recently released by Nintendo, Koizumi answers a bunch of questions about SMO. Some of them address whether or not Mario has a bellybutton, Mario’s personal relationships, and whether or not Toad’s wearing a hat.

Check out the video here on Twitter.

In the video, he states the following:

“So that, as it turns out… is actually Toad’s head. I’m going to have to leave it to all of you to figure out exactly how that works out. Maybe there’s something inside.”

And there it is. it’s not a hat. Case closed. Hands down. Sessions adjourned.

Image via MarioWiki.

Nintendo won’t reveal who’s behind the Labo

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Nintendo Labo is coming soon.

The Nintendo Labo has been a pretty good success based on word around the web.

One questionable thing about Nintendo’s new interactive cardboard toy is that no one (other than Nintendo) is who exactly is developing the software for this product.

Kotaku has been prodding them with questions regarding the software development for the Labo, but even during the latest showcase, they stated that Nintendo has declined to answer any questions about the people developing the software for the toy.

Although this isn’t unlike Nintendo, since they’ve been quiet about this whole project since the start. They haven’t revealed anything about the teams or devs behind the Labo yet.

The only thing that makes this a weird thought is that it’s already out and released. It’s not like it’s still in development- it’s already availble for pre-order. This sort of information isn’t usually concealed after a game or product release.

The Labo Variety Kit and the Labo Robot Kit both roll out in a few months. Perhaps then Nintendo will shed some information. Right now, if you’re einterested in Labo, you can grab the Toy-Cons on preorder right now from their store.

Image via Nintendo.

Say “hello” to the Nintendo Labo – their newest product (and it’s not a console)

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Nintendo's new Toy-Con is aiming for a more interactive experience with games.

Nintendo just announced their newest toy (not console) called the Nintendo Labo.

It’s an interactive experience for kids- as the Japanese giant would like to call it. It’s basically a bunch of cardboard pieces, rubber bands, and strings that can be put together to create a real-world object. It works kind of like a 3D puzzle, but it’s capable of a lot more and has functionality beyond just something you slap together.

You can also use the Nintendo Switch with it and even plug in the Joy-Con controllers as well. They slot right into the Labo’s pieces which allows you assemble a sort of cheap augmented reality (AR) machine. It’s actually pretty cool and I’d totally like to try it out (even if it’s not marketed for adults).

Nintendo has released their teaser trailer for the Labo and some models showcased included a fishing rod, a miniature piano, and even handlebars to a motorcycle. You’re not supposed to build it and run around with it- you can actually use these objects to help you “interact” with games. You can even go the other way around by building toys that are actually powered by the Joy-Con controllers.

So far, two different versions of the Labo have been announced. There’s the Toy-Con (hah) Variety Kit (set 1) and the Toy-Con Robot Kit (set 2). The first set comes with two remote control cars, a house, a piano, a motorbike, and a fishing rod. The second set comes with pieces to build a strap of some sort that you can attach to your back. There’s also a Customization Set which includes stickers, stencils, and tape that lets you pretty-up your creations.

Nintendo Labo will be available for a special event in San Franciso and New York City. You can sign up for it here. The catch is you need to be a kid that’s 6-12 years old (which is probably none of you).

The Labo will retail for $69.99 and will be available for sale 4/20/18. Overall, this is pretty cool and I’m interested to see how this pan out for interacting with games. Get more info here.

Netflix on Nintendo Switch – is it finally happening?

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Netflix will be coming to the Switch- but when?

In case you didn’t know, the Nintendo Switch still doesn’t have any Netflix support.

America’s favorite streaming provider is still “exploring the opportunity” to build an app for the Switch. Polygon reports this from a Netflix rep and confirms that they don’t have any confirmable plans at this time. It’s still in the air.

Netflix tweeted a tweet over the weekend that pretty much just restated what the rep announced. Their CS account, @netflixhelps, tweeted that “there are currently no plans for Netflix on Nintendo Switch.” The tweet has been removed since then.

The Switch currently only has support for Netflix’s major competitor- Hulu. Nintendo hasn’t said anything about the integration. Hulu continues to be the only streaming option on the Switch, which was launched without any streaming support.

According to various comments about the case, the Switch will get Netflix soon enough. The question is when. Many customers already have access to Netflix across many platforms, including older Nintendo consoles like the Wii and Wii U. It should only be a matter of time before Switch users can start streaming their favorite shows and movies on Nintendo’s newest console.