Nintendo

These Are the Very Best Pokémon Trainers in the United States

/> After two straight days of fierce competition, 24 Pokémon trainers have been chosen to represent the United States in the 2011 Pokémon Video Game World Championships. Behold our best hope for 2011 Pokémon domination! It all went down at the 2011 Pokémon Video Game U.S. National Championships in Indianapolis, Indiana this weekend. The top…

By Mike Fahey Published July 12, 2011

Remembering the Little Game Boy That Could, But Only Just

Commenter GiantBoyDetective seems like an off person to be picking up the tiny little Game Boy Advance Nintendo completely killed with the release of the DS, but he’s pretty huge, so we’ll let him have his say in today’s Speak Up on Kotaku. Let’s suggest some GBA games! Looking back I realize that the Game…

By Mike Fahey Published July 12, 2011

The Wii’s Last Great RPG Gets an Early Mark

Wii RPG Xenoblade Chronicles, originally not due out in Europe until September, is having its release slid up not by a few days, but by a few weeks. It’ll now be out on August 19. Developed by Monolith, Xenoblade Chronicles was released in Japan last year. There are currently no plans for a North American…

By Luke Plunkett Published July 12, 2011

Don’t Expect the Latest BioShock on Wii U Anytime Soon

Despite appearing on stage at E3 to talk up the Wii U, BioShock designer Ken Levine has now told IGN this about the console: “Just to be clear, there are no plans. I’m not saying it can’t happen, but we have no plans to do any games for that platform.” Oh. [IGN]

By Brian Ashcraft Published July 12, 2011

The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Portal Gun

Proving once again that everything plays better when you add Portal, the folks at Dorkly arm Zelda’s hero with a little cutting-edge tech, courtesy of Aperture Science. The ensuing madness knocks the pig right out of Ganon.

By Mike Fahey Published July 11, 2011

The Pea Shooters and Samurai of the Wii’s Rhythm Heaven

We checked out the upcoming Wii version of music-infused Rhythm Heaven at E3, but we weren’t able to let you listen to it because it’s was so loud. This time around we’re in the relative quiet of Nintendo’s New York offices, where Stephen Totilo tried his hand at stabbing peas with a fork and slicing…

By Brian Crecente Published July 11, 2011

Nintendo Actually Delivers on European 3DS Video Service

Nintendo’s 3D video service for the 3DS goes live in Europe on July 13 joining Japan with region specific content. Meanwhile, there is still no solid release date for America, though it is scheduled for this summer.

By Sam Winstrom Published July 11, 2011

What Happens When a Stupid Person Burns a DS Lite?

We’ve already seen some idiots deep fry a PSP and then try to eat it. Now, let’s look at photos taken by—I assume—a less stupid person. Less stupid, only because he doesn’t try to actually eat the burnt DS Lite, but still pretty stupid! Burning electronics is never a good idea, considering the toxins released…

By Brian Ashcraft Published July 11, 2011

CultureTotal Recall

In 1983, Donkey Kong Nearly Died

As we celebrate what’s (probably? maybe?) Donkey Kong’s 30th birthday, let’s today take a look at the 1983 court case which nearly brought a premature end to Nintendo’s big ape. Our story begins in 1982, with the first of many idiotic decisions made by Universal Studios. The studio’s president at the time, Sid Sheinberg, had…

By Luke Plunkett Published July 11, 2011

Donkey Kong Turned 30 Yesterday—or Did He?

Researching the exact birthday for a tribute to the 30th birthday of Donkey Kong, Patrick Scott Patterson of the Arcade Examiner came up with conflicting information. Absent official word from Nintendo, he thinks the big ape—and therefore Mario (né Jumpan)—turned 30 yesterday, July 9. “Some sources specifically state the date as July 9, 1981,” Patterson…

By Owen Good Published July 10, 2011

Princess Zelda In Repose

Princess Zelda kicks back to relax in R.J. Palmer’s new fan art commission. Follow this artist here on Tumblr to check out more of their work. Artist Note: “Princess Zelda in repose. Done for commission. You can email me about commissions at [my site].” Princess in Repose by R.J. Palmer (deviantART) (CGHUB) (Facebook) Via: grimchild…

By Michael McWhertor Published July 8, 2011

Nintendo Might Send you Demos, Even if you Didn’t Ask for Each One

Since the dawn of time, game demos have been a largely proactive experience. You hear about them, and you have to go out and get them yourself. Nintendo might have a better idea. During a recent Q&A session with investors, company president Satoru Iwata said, “When Nintendo would like to ask users to try a…

By Luke Plunkett Published July 8, 2011

Retired Sony Engineer Says 3DS Copied His Patent

The Nintendo 3DS uses glasses-free 3D technology that infringes on a patent held by a former Sony engineer, according to a lawsuit filed two weeks ago. Seijiro Tomita, the founder of Tomita Technologies and holder of a glasses-free 3D patent, alleges that neither Nintendo nor Nintendo of America have appropriate licensing to use his invention…

By Owen Good Published July 7, 2011

Just Jam, Qix, and Fortified Zone Are Part of This Complete Nintendo Download

This week’s Nintendo Download is here, bringing with it a double dose of overpriced Game Boy classics and a load of other things you’ve probably never heard about. Let’s get right to it, shall we? When I first heard that the Nintendo 3DS would allow gamers to download and play classic Game Boy titles, the…

By Mike Fahey Published July 7, 2011

Why Won’t These Legend of Zelda Characters Talk To Us?

Today’s Speak Up on Kotaku actually involves speaking up, as commenter Tengen Toppa Duck Face laments over the lack of voice acting in the latest Zelda game. To be totally honest, I’m really disappointed that (The Legend of Zelda) Skyward Sword doesn’t feature any voice acting. In my opinion, Skyward Sword will be the best…

By Mike Fahey Published July 7, 2011

Too Many Shooters Would Make Nintendo Sad

Looking at the company’s back catalogue, and the fact it had to get an American studio in to do a first-person Metroid series, it’s clear Nintendo is not a big believer in the West’s genre of choice. A point Nintendo president Satoru Iwata addressed during a recent investor Q&A session in Japan. While acknowledging that…

By Luke Plunkett Published July 7, 2011

A Collection of Wiis Gathering Dust

As more and more seasoned gamers let their consoles fall by the wayside, the jingoism “my Wii is gathering dust” became common. These Wii controllers? They’ve literally gathered dust. They’re part of a neat feature on Wired examining the whens and whys people stopped using their Nintendo Wii, mostly from gamers who just never really…

By Luke Plunkett Published July 7, 2011

Nintendo Says Netflix Viewing on Wii U Controller is “Theoretically” Possible

Credit to Forbes for pressing Nintendo of America’s president, Reggie Fils-Aime, on the take-it-anywhere capabilities of the Wii U’s touch-screen controller. In an interview, Forbes’ David M. Ewalt asked Fils-Aime whether it was possible to watch streaming video on the controller. “The messaging comes right from the console. So the programming would need to originate…

By Owen Good Published July 6, 2011

Hey! Don’t Forget to Download Your Free Copy of Excitebike for Nintendo 3DS!

Nintendo 3DS owners in North America, here’s your reminder to grab the handheld’s June eShop system update, which nets you a free download of the 3D remake of NES classic Excitebike. That free download offer expires July 7.

By Michael McWhertor Published July 6, 2011