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The Legend of Zelda, NES Open Hit eShop
July is officially here, which means that Nintendo’s “8-bit summer” program will be swinging into full gear. Every week, the company will release two Virtual Console titles (in addition to the usual selection of eShop goodies) onto the eShop, beginning with this week’s re-release of The Legend of Zelda and NES Open. Fans can purchase either title for $4.99, the same cost as on Wii’s download service.
Unfortunately, early adopters may notice that both of these games were already given away as part of Nintendo’s Ambassador’s program, which may put a slight damper on their excitement for the promotion. But fear not, as a number of other classics– including Wario Land and Kirby’s Pinball Land— will soon be joining the service. Expect to see the latter in next week’s eShop update.
In other eShop-related news, the demo for Square Enix’s upcoming action-RPG, Heroes of Ruin, is now available to download. Fans can get a small taste of the game, which our own Andy Hoover seemed to enjoy back at this year’s E3, before it goes on sale in North America on July 17. (Europeans, meanwhile, can laugh at us while they enjoy the full version of the game, which they’ve had for nearly a month now.)
And if that wasn’t enough to satiate your eShop cravings, Nintendo has announced its second “game of the weekend.” This week, 3DS owners can snag Sakura Samurai: Art of the Sword for $4.99, a savings of roughly $2 which can go toward purchasing an overlooked gem like Balloon Kid (nudge, nudge).
Source: Nintendo
Nintendo: 3DS and Wii U to Have Unified eShop Accounts
In a bit of good news for those worried that their eShop purchases will be tied to a specific console, it seems that a unified eShop account system is indeed in the works for 3DS and Wii U. According to an email exchange with an inquisitive customer, Nintendo customer service representative, David Marshall, had the following to say regarding the accounts:
“A unified account system will be implemented later this year with the launch of the Wii U. Eventually this same account system will be made compatible with Nintendo 3DS systems. At this time we have no additional details to offer and nothing to indicate how or if this will work outside the United States and Canada.”
While there are no further details on just how these accounts will work, we’ll no doubt hear more about them (likely in a Nintendo Direct, as that seems to be Nintendo’s preferred method of unveiling new information) closer to Wii U’s launch, which will go on sale around the world this holiday season.
Source: Nintendo World Report
Capcom Still Undecided on Localizing Monster Hunter 3G
Fans still hoping to see Monster Hunter 3G, the 3DS version of the critically-acclaimed Monster Hunter Tri, get localized may very well want to turn their sights to Monster Hunter 4, as it seems Capcom has no plans to bring the game overseas. David Gibson, who has recently gained some notoriety by claiming that Monster Hunter 3G would not be localized, has once again stated on Twitter that Capcom will not be bringing the title to North America, though there may still be a chance that the company changes its mind in the future. The full tweet reads as follows:
“MH 3G in USA – any time I ask Capcom, its the same answer…no plans but possible, would think now with MH 4 coming ‘spring 2013’ it helps”
This continued uncertainty surrounding the fate of Monster Hunter 3G doesn’t bode well for its chances of a US release, but so long as this decision doesn’t affect the worldwide release of Monster Hunter 4, I suppose it’s acceptable. Still, Capcom hasn’t exactly been batting a thousand with its fan relations of late, what with the cancellation of Mega Man Legends 3 still fresh in many people’s minds, and this latest decision may just be the proverbial straw that breaks the camel’s back for some gamers.
Source: Twitter (via Capcom Unity)
Prizes Revealed for Gold and Platinum Club Nintendo Members
Fans who have achieved either gold or platinum status on Club Nintendo can now redeem their free prizes. This year, platinum members have the choice of receiving either a limited edition poster set or some swanky Mario playing cards, while gold members are limited to an exclusive Club Nintendo calendar, as per tradition.
Interestingly, both gold and platinum members now also have the option to forgo the physical rewards completely and instead choose a select game to download. These titles include Super Mario Kart and The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask for Wii, and Metroid II: Return of Samus and Mario vs. DK: Minis March Again! for 3DS. The offer expires on July 31, so eligible members should redeem their gifts while they still can.
Source: Club Nintendo (via IGN)
From what I remember, Super Mario Kart (SNES version) was never available for download on the Wii – will this be a one-time off available only to gold + platinum members, or will this choice title eventually make its way to all Wii owners? I feel that, especially with the popularity that Mario Kart still enjoys to this day, it would be of benefit to witness the brilliance of where the series began all these years ago.
As noted by the Internet in general, there have been many key titles missing from Nintendo’s own library on its service, suggesting almost that it had lost interest in it. Foolish, especially seeing the download rates the competitors have achieved with everything from basic arcade games to media tie-ins. Digital downloading appears to be a big part of the future, yet Nintendo seemed not to put enough coal in the engine to let its service run half the course over the past generation, never mind the finish line.
And Capcom – well, knowing both their history of employee abu . . . mistreatment to the point of exhaustion, and likewise, the exhaustion of almost all of their key franchises at one point in time or another, is it really a surprise that -people- come last in their decision making process? I’m sure that if someone could show the benefit (re: cash-making opportunity) of localizing the game, they would be first on-board. You know, something along the lines of Operation Rainfall. That being said, does that same level of support exist as it did for the prior project? One would almost have to hope so, seeing as the series in general is enjoying the number “3” behind its name – then again, the wide-spread support for Operation Rainfall was rather distinguished, and setting the benchmark that high for releasing State-side content may be a curse rather than a promise seeing as how it sets the bar so high.
Super Mario Kart has actually been on Wii’s Virtual Console since 2009, so anyone can download it. It costs 800 points, just like every other SNES game on the service.
(It was also one of the first games that Club Nintendo offered as a reward back when it added downloadables to its catalog, so that takes away a bit of its specialness in this case. :P)
As for Monster Hunter 3G, it’s definitely a shame that Capcom probably won’t be bringing it overseas, but considering the fact that it doesn’t have online multiplayer (which was a huge part of Monster Hunter Tri’s appeal), I don’t think it’s that big of a loss personally. :X
Super Mario Kart is currently available for download on the Wii. Great game!