Nintendo Considering Online Play and DLC for Future Zeldas

Eiji Aonuma talks extra content and multiplayer

Zelda games are single-player epics: one elf questing to prevent the resurrection of a giant evil and destruction of the world. But if Eiji Aonuma can make it work, we may one day see a Zelda game with online functions.

Speaking to GameInformer, Mr Aonuma said he's constantly thinking about how people play together and how best to fit that into the Legend of Zelda world. He's not necessarily thinking of a straight multiplayer option either: stating he's interested in the idea of communication between players, Mr Aonuma gave the example of players playing separately, with the decisions made influencing each other's games.

When asked about potential download content for next year's Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword, Mr Aonuma replied "obviously, we have thought about DLC, and we are thinking about it." A Zelda game with post-release additional content would be a bold step for Nintendo, but would surely please many fans of the green-clad elf.

The days of Zelda games being offline solo pursuits may be numbered.

Marvel vs Capcom 3 Could Come to Wii

Ryota Niitsuma, the producer of Marvel vs Capcom 3, has said that Capcom are not ruling out a Wii release. He also notes that a Capcom vs SNK 3 game has not been ruled out either.

When asked why there was no Wii version of the game, Niitsuma said “Well, with that, we felt now it’s time to do a Vs game on Xbox 360 and PS3. It was just a matter of deciding we wanted to work with those consoles. There’s no mindset, personally, within Capcom where we want to go out of our way to avoid Wii or do it only on Wii this time. It’s just the flow of development.”

When pressed, he added that “we can’t get into any specifics, but all I can is that the game we made right now, as it is, it’s for Xbox 360 and PS3. We want to see how it does and maybe see where we’ll take it from there.”

Sounds like he’s avoiding the point a little, and I think this is a good grounds to believe that the game will come to the Wii in some form. At least, we hope so.

Niitsuma has also said that Capcom are not against making a Capcom vs SNK 3 game, or even a Capcom vs Disney one following Disney’s purchase of Marvel. “We’ll see how this does and then we can start talking about doing other things. The potential is there,” he said, “but we just want to concentrate on this first.”

Strap On Your Headset for Conduit 2

Of all the many promised improvements for Conduit 2, the overhauled multiplayer mode is the one we're most keenly awaiting. With the addition of splitscreen local multiplayer the offline side should be covered, but the original title lacked in the online department, so the latest batch of information on Conduit 2's Internet play should be welcomed by many.

Whilst the Wii Speak room microphone is still supported in the sequel, it will also make use of PDP's recently announced Headbanger Wii headset for increased vocal clarity whilst shooting strangers. You'll be able to shout at those newly-dead bodies too, as Conduit 2 will let you talk to anyone in-game whether they're on your friends list or not. Should you meet a worthy opponent you can add them to your Allies List, which allows you to battle against a regular group of players without the need for Friend Codes, though you can still add friends manually using their codes if you so desire.

The weapon and map voting has also been overhauled, promising a lot more variety than the previous title, though naturally that remains to be seen.

Wii Successor May Have 3D Support

E3 almost came and went without any news about a Wii successor. Thankfully Japan's Nihon Keizai Shumbun was on the prowl. The financial paper managed to get some hints about Nintendo's next system straight from the person who probably knows best, Nintendo CEO Satoru Iwata.

As part of a feature covering 3D games in its Thursday morning edition, the paper asked Iwata if Nintendo would be bringing 3D support to Wii. Iwata's response was, "If you display a 3D image, the image quality becomes extremely bad, so we'd probably do it with the next system. We're thinking that the timing should be once the 3D television adoption rate crosses the 30% mark."

That's probably a ways off given that 3D televisions are only now arriving to the market. But it does seem like a strong hint that a future Nintendo console could have 3D support.

Actually, this looks like a sure thing given Iwata's stance on 3D. Iwata expressed great support for 3D games, telling the paper, "In the future, 3D will become the mainstream of gaming."

E3: Golden Eye 007 Wii Multiplayer Gameplay

Multiplayer demo gameplay from the E3 gameshow floor of Golden Eye 007 Wii

E3: The Legend of Zelda: The Skyward Sword

Reggie Fils-Aime kicked off Nintendo’s show with the main thing everyone wanted to see: Zelda on Wii. Arriving in 2011, The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword looked absolutely gorgeous. The video began with a number of Link incarnations spanning the years before settling on the new Link. Falling between the super cartoony look of Wind Waker and the more realistic depiction found in Twilight Sword, new Link is accurately proportioned but remains bright and colorful.

The biggest revelation about Skyward Sword would have to be its use of Wii Motion-Plus. After taking stage with a clever video segment, Shigeru Miyamoto set forth demonstrating the new Zelda in action. Like Twilight Princess the Wiimote itself is used for sword play, but the main new difference is the Nunchuck’s new usage as your shield control. Miyamoto demoed Link’s ability to deflect enemy attacks and even send projectiles back where they came from. He then went on to show several items including a new whip and a beetle that Link can pilot to explore areas or retrieve objects with. There were a few technical issues when Miyamoto broke out the bow and arrow, but he assured the crowd when they got their hands on the demo they’d see it was a fluke. Overall the game looked very pretty and delivered on the trademark Zelda charm.

E3: Nintendo announces 3DS, games

Nintendo just unleashed the beast: 3DS!

Satoru Iwata took to the stage, holding the new unit aloft dramatically. It has a 3.5 inch widescreen display, and will be full 3D without the need for the glasses, a point reiterated constantly.

The 3DS features a 3D depth slider, that can minimise or maximise the 3D experience the top screen offers (the bottom screen is still touch-sensitive). As expected, the unit boasts improved graphics, and also has a 'slide pad', essentially an analog stick.

As if that wasn't impressive enough, the 3DS has two cameras, allowing you to take photos and view them in 3D. This functionality extends beyond static images however, as Iwata was proud to announce that 3DS is capable of showing 3D ready Hollywood movies from Disney, Warner Brothers and Dreamworks, referencing the movies How to Train Your Dragon and Tangled, which he stated was the first time such content could be shown without glasses.

Iwata then mentioned the following list of games and franchises in development for the console:

-Project Sora, which encompasses Kid Icarus Uprising

-3D Nintendogs + Cats

-DJ Hero

-Kingdom hearts

-Saints Row

-Madden

-Resident Evil title

-Assassins creed

-Ridge Racer

-Metal Gear Solid

-Golden Sun

More news to come about the 3DS in the next few days.

Nintendo Wii HiFi? E3 2010

According to French site GameBlog.fr, Nintendo’s next console will be dubbed “Wii Hi-Fi” (not Wii HD) and is set for a reveal during the company’s E3 conference next week.

Claims from the French site say that the new machine will reach Xbox 360 levels of visuals make a very clear ping on our radars.

Here’s what GameBlog.fr are citing (translated into English) as the main differences between the Wii and whatever the follow-up will be:

•It should be on par with the 360
•It should not be called Wii 2 but Wii HiFi
•It will be very online-oriented this time
•Community aspects will be a big component
•It should be out around November 2011

Naturally, this is all hearsay and rumours just now, we’ve certainly not heard anything on this ourselves but if it’s true it’s basically what we’d expect Nintendo to do next, anyway.

Hopes are high for the big reveal of a new Zelda title from the Japanese company next week.

Conduit 2 Supports Wii MotionPlus

We've been holding onto the knowledge for weeks now, but SEGA has finally, officially, revealed that the High Voltage Software-developed Conduit 2 will feature support for Wii MotionPlus.

The sequel to last year's Wii-exclusive first-person shooter will work without the controller attachment, but owners/users of the Wii MotionPlus peripheral will gain enhanced control effects including more responsive movement and direction tracking for when the pointer leaves the screen.

We've had an early look at the game more than a month ago, but it will be playable at this year's Electronic Entertainment Expo in SEGA's booth next week.

Nintendo 3DS more powerful than Wii?

IGN.com are reporting that Nintendo’s upcoming successor to their DS; the 3DS will be more powerful than the Wii.

Yep, according to the rumours, Nintendo’s new handheld will not only be more powerful than the other handhelds on the market but also more powerful (graphically at least) than the biggest selling console of this current generation; the Wii.

IGN claim to have info from several developers that the 3DS performance capabilities are closer to the Xbox 360 and PS3 than any other gaming device currently on the market.

So, what can we make of this rumour?

We’ll no doubt have more info to play with at E3 but for now I’m going to remain sceptical about the 3DS.

GoldenEye remake for Wii outed?

THE RUMOURED REMAKE of Golden Eye gets more leaks but the original UK developer Rare is out of the equation.

The game that sold a zillion N64's, Nintendo's killer Halo game and the only decent Bond game ever made looks like it will be hitting the Wii. Anonymous sources at Gonintendo sent over an alleged Activision survey with mock ups of Daniel Craig's silhouette replacing the ageing Pierce Brosnan.

"Golden Eye for Nintendo 64 was the game that defined a genre. Now, after 13 years of gaming innovation, the legend is re-imagined," said the accompanying blurb. "Developed from the ground up for the Wii, Golden Eye takes advantage of the latest technology to deliver the same intense experience."

Even if this is fanboy plus Photoshop, something, somewhere is going on for Activision and Golden Eye. Activision registered the Goldeneyegame.com domain name a few months ago and put a request for CVs out last year looking for an animator on a Bond Franchise game.

Sadly the brilliant developer Rare confirmed it wouldn't be working on the title, so our hopes were dashed a little. But Rare never looked like a contender anyway. The Vole bought Rare in 2002 and has it lined up to produce a slew of Xbox Natal games.