Nintendo DS

Ah, rumors. They creep and whine like werewolves awaiting the release that only the full moon can provide. Nevertheless, they can be hard to ignore, especially when said rumors involve the possibility of a new Castlevania game for the Nintendo 3DS. The game, supposedly titled Castlevania: Mirror of Fate, is allegedly being developed by Mercury Steam, the developer behind 2010's Castlevania: Lords of Shadow for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 (English source).

Dave Cox, Konami's Head of Product Planning and Development, dripped a little more blood into the water when he changed his Twitter profile pic to something a little more shaggy:



So either Cox has picked up a case of lycanthropy, or Castlevania news may be forthcoming. Hopefully we'll find out more at E3 next month.

Are you a fan of Nintendo's Star Fox series? Maybe you've had a chance to enjoy Star Fox 64 3D (and if you haven't, you ought to--it's good). Either way, give yourself a few minutes to read 11 Amazing Star Fox Facts and Secrets by Thomas East over at Official Nintendo Magazine.

For instance: Did Peppy Hare really perform a barrel roll in Star Fox 64? Did he really?

Find out!

Image © Nintendo

If you've ever rubbed your chin over the prospect of utilizing some of the infamous glitches that make it easier to cheat and win at Mario Kart 7, you can just fuhgeddaboutit. The latest Nintendo 3DS system update, which brings its software up to version 4.1.0-8, fixes the bugs that let you play Wuhu Loop, Maka Wuhu, and GBA Bowser Castle 1 in an...unorthodox manner.

You won't be able to play Mario Kart 7 online until you update your software, so get to it. And if you want to improve your chances at victory, try putting in some actual practice ("Awwww!").

How to Perform a System Update on Your 3DS
Mario Kart 7 Review

Image © Nintendo

Hasta la Vista, Aqua Blue Nintendo 3DS: we hardly knew ye. Okay, that's not true. You've been around for about a year. Nevertheless, it's time for you to go to bed. Now that the Nintendo 3DS is available in a veritable rainbow of candy colors (including the recently announced Midnight Purple) one of the original 3DS hues, Aqua Blue, is slated to fade into the sunset.

Don't worry. The Nintendo 3DS has other, bluer alternatives. Consider the sexy Cobalt Blue system:



Despite the alternatives, are you still sad to see ol' Aqua Bluey go away?

Images © Nintendo

Did you enjoy Kid Icarus: Uprising? You should have, it's a pretty sweet game. You might want to make it last, though. According to the game's director, Masahiro Sakurai, Kid Icarus: Uprising isn't likely getting a sequel.

"[W]e pushed a lot into [Kid Icarus: Uprising] in order to let people have this short yet deep experience, but the novelty of that would likely grow thin in the next game," Sakurai told IGN in an email interview. "For now, my thought is that perhaps we'll see someone else besides me make another Kid Icarus in another 25 years."

Aw.

It doesn't mean we won't see the Kid around for another 25 years, mind: it just means that we probably won't see another game quite like Uprising, and Sakurai probably won't be at the helm. Either way, it doesn't seem like Pit is destined to show up as often as Mario or Link.

IGN's interview also features some very interesting insight into Uprising's localization. Sakurai's primary concern was that English-speaking audiences be entertained by the game's dialogue. "The Japanese version is definitely very comedic too," he said. "It's something that takes advantage of the nuances of Japanese conversation, and not all of it works directly in English. We had NOA handle the localization, and I told them to change the meaning and content as much as they want - that I wanted conversations that sound natural and enjoyable to a native speaker."

Given that the funny and clever script for Uprising is definitely one of the game's strong points, it's safe to say that the localization team delivered on Sakurai's wishes.

Image © Nintendo

Well, you'd expect any game based on the "Adventure Time" animated series to be an odd duck, and it already looks as if WayForward's handiwork is set to deliver. The game, which is officially titled Adventure Time: Hey Ice King! Why'd You Steal Our Garbage?!" is set to hit both the Nintendo 3DS and the DS this Fall.

Here's the box art. It's subject to change, but let's hope it never does:



Ah, but what good is an adventure game that doesn't have a compelling story? Good thing Why'd You Steal Our Garbage?! has us covered:

"Finn and Jake wake up one morning to find their trash stolen by the Ice King. Jake couldn't care less about half-eaten bananas, crumpled up burrito wrappers, and old chicken diapers - but when they find out the Ice King is using their stolen goods to construct a Garbage Princess, the heroes embark on a fantastical adventure to teach him a lesson!"

This should be...different!

Image © WayForward

Sony's follow-up to the PSP, the PS Vita, is meant to be the Nintendo 3DS's direct competitor--but thus far, sales are a bit lacking. The handheld launched in Japan last December, and hit Western retail in February, but sales numbers dropped off sharply after its debut.

Legendary game designer Shigeru Miyamoto has a few ideas why, and he shared his insight with Edge Online while in Paris earlier this week. Simply put, the Vita needs games. "It's obviously a very hi-spec machine, and you can do lots of things with it," Miyamoto said, "but I don't really see the combination of software and hardware that really makes a very strong product."

Of course, sales of the Nintendo 3DS likewise stagnated following its February/March 2011, a problem that was rectified when Nintendo dropped the handheld's price and released a batch of must-have software.

Miyamoto acknowledged the 3DS's slow start as well. "When we launched the 3DS hardware we didn't have Super Mario 3D Land, we didn't have Mario Kart 7, we didn't have Kid Icarus: Uprising," he said. "We were striving to have all of these ready for the launch, but we weren't able to deliver them at that time.

"We were kind of hoping that people would, nevertheless, buy into the product, find 3DS hardware promising, but looking back we have to say we realise the key software was missing when we launched the hardware."

In other words, all these years later, game systems are still defined and sold by their software. With smartphones, function comes first, and games are secondary. With dedicated game systems, it's the other way around. Sales of the Vita aren't going to pick up until Sony gets those must-haves out the door.

Despite what people may think, though, Sony does have its hands on a lot of compelling franchises that will reverse the Vita's fortunes in time. The system has a lot of potential, and it's not dead yet. It just needs to find its footing. And, heck, one exclusive Monster Hunter game is all it'll take to get the machine back on its feet in Japan. It's good to see that Miyamoto recognizes all of this, and isn't simply trashing Sony for its misfortunes.

Barely a year ago, people were writing off the 3DS as a dead animal. Now, it's selling at a very healthy pace. No reason why the PS Vita shouldn't be in better shape a year from now.

Image © Sony

Are you a distinguished member of Club Nintendo? Don't feel left out if you aren't--it's easy to join. But if you're already signed up and you're lording over a virtual pocket of virtual coins, consider spending some on some downloadable DSi and 3DS games, courtesy of Nintendo and the Month of May.

Art Style: PictoBits for the Nintendo 3DS is a great choice for puzzle game fans, and retro game enthusiasts in general. It's yours for 150 Coins.

If retro isn't your style--oh wait, if retro isn't your style, than the Urban Champion 3D Classics remake for the Nintendo 3DS won't suit you, either. Nevertheless, this simple brawling game might be your thing if you're in the market for easy punching on the go. 150 Coins.

The remaining two games, Snowpack Park and Eco Shooter: Plant 530 are WiiWare games that are also available for 150 Coins.

All four games will be available as Club Nintendo rewards until May 31, so take your time deciding--but not too long! Visit the Club Nintendo Rewards site for more information.

Image © Nintendo

The Nintendo 3DS is getting some new threads for springtime. On May 20, you'll be able to buy the new "Midnight Purple" 3DS, and gosh, it looks pretty.

Midnight Purple will join four other colors in the 3DS rainbow, including Aqua Blue, Cosmo Black, Flame Red, and Pearl Pink. Incidentally, Midnight Purple will also be available at the same time as Mario Tennis Open, so you can play in style.

Have you ever bought a second version of a system you already own simply because you prefer the latter's new color?

Image © Nintendo

Goodbye Cruellest Month, hello May. April was a busy month here at About Nintendo (3)DS: I wrote a guide on how to deal with motion sickness, I opened up my new Previews section, and I wrote up some reviews as well. Here's what you can find!

REVIEWS

Kid Icarus (3D Classics)
Nicktoons MLB 3D


PREVIEWS

Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed
Luigi's Mansion 2
Pokemon Black/White Version 2
Pokemon Conquest

MISC.

How to Deal With Motion Sickness Caused by Video Games
What is a Casual Game?