Nintendo of Europe Media Summit
London event gives dates for Super Mario Galaxy 2, Metroid: Other M and friends.
25th February 2010 – Nintendo of Europe today held a summit for European media in London, at which it showcased a number of games scheduled for launch on Wii and Nintendo DS in the first half of this year. Highlights of the day included hands-on experiences of – and confirmation of launch dates for – two anticipated games: Super Mario Galaxy 2 and Metroid: Other M.
• Super Mario Galaxy 2, the sequel to the smash-hit galaxy-hopping original, embraces the gravity-defying, physics-based exploration from the first game, but is loaded with entirely new features including new galaxies to challenge and delight players. On some stages, Mario can pair up with his dinosaur friend Yoshi who can use his tongue to hold items in his mouth and spit
them back at enemies. Players can also have fun with new items such as a drill that lets our hero tunnel through solid rock. Super Mario Galaxy 2 will launch across Europe on 11th June 2010.
• Metroid: Other M, is the incredible new Metroid game developed for Wii through a collaboration by Nintendo and the world-renowned Team Ninja. The game looks at the classic franchise from a new perspective: While much of the game is reminiscent of 2-D side-scrollers, players can switch the perspective into 3-D at any time as they explore the twisting passages of a derelict space station and delve deep into a cinematic, never-before-told story of bounty hunter Samus Aran’s past. This new approach uses a new control scheme in which players use the Wii Remote controller held sideways to battle enemies and navigate the expansive, gorgeous environments in classic Metroid fashion, then aim at the screen with the Wii Remote pointer to blast foes in first-person and hunt the world for clues and hidden passages. Other M will launch across Europe in Q3 2010.
• Monster Hunter Tri, an epic action game for Wii launches across Europe on 23rd April 2010. The game lets players customise their character, armour and weapons in order to protect a town from majestic monsters as it rebuilds following a devastating earthquake. It was confirmed today to European players that online play will be available for all players with broadband Internet access at no additional cost. Online text chat is fully functional and online voice chat is enabled using the Wii Speak microphone.
• In a unique partnership with Square-Enix, Nintendo of Europe will publish Dragon Quest IX: Sentinels of the Starry Skies when the game arrives in summer 2010. Dragon Quest IX has sold more than 4.15 million copies in the Japanese market. Nintendo and Square-Enix will now work together to bring this title to the Nintendo DS consumer base Europe
• Sin and Punishment: Successor of the Skies, the breakthrough shooter game for Wii from developer Treasure, will launch across Europe on May 7th 2010. The game features non-stop action with two playable characters and international online leaderboards to track high scores. Utilising the Wii Remote pointer functionality, the game offers unprecedented precision in the shooter genre.
• FlingSmash for Wii will test players’ Wii Remote skills as they bounce a ball-like hero through countless side-scrolling stages, combining the precision of racket sports with the unpredictable fun of pinball. Playable only with the Wii MotionPlus accessory, the game will launch this summer.
• Also on show today was the new Nintendo DSi XL hand-held system which launches across Europe on March 5th 2010. The screens of the Nintendo DSi XL are 93 percent larger than those of the Nintendo DS Lite model, providing a more vivid and engaging play experience. The screens of the Nintendo DSi XL also feature a wider viewing angle, letting friends and family members join the fun. The new Nintendo handheld is launching in two colours – wine red and dark brown, with a glossy sheen on top and matt finish on the underside that provides excellent grip when resting on a table or other surface during gameplay. The new console also comes pre-loaded with two Nintendo DSiWare software: Dr Kawashima’s: Little Bit of Brain Training: Arts Edition and Dictionary 6 in 1 with Camera Function, as well as the Nintendo DSi Browser, which enables you to easily access the internet where ever a wireless Internet connection is available. Nintendo DSi XL will also come with an additional larger pen-like stylus that allows for a more comfortable grip and enhanced ease of use when playing games that utilise the Nintendo DS touch screen.
• It was also announced today that WarioWare: Do It Yourself will launch for the Nintendo DS family of products on April 30th 2010, providing consumers with brand new content that can be enjoyed on any Nintendo DS system, but that demonstrates the enhanced experience available with the Nintendo DSi XL. WarioWare: D.I.Y. Showcase which will become available on WiiWare on April 30th 2010 is a standalone product containing more than 70 new microgames that are interoperable with the WarioWare: D.I.Y. game for the Nintendo DS family of products. Players that own both games can transfer content between the two, and can even play user-created microgames on their television using WarioWare: D.I.Y. Showcase.
• Also playable today was Nintendo’s Photo Dojo which is due to become available on Nintendo DSiWare this spring and is poised to be the cult hit of 2010. The game first asks players to pose for 13 pictures and input 10 sound effects. Once that’s done, the player becomes the main character in a hilarious side-scrolling fighting game. Create up to eight characters and do battle alone or against a friend on a single Nintendo DSi or Nintendo DSi XL system.
-ENDS-
For further information, please contact the Nintendo Press Office on:
Email: Nintendopressoffice@redconsultancy.com
Tel: 0845 259 1325
About Nintendo:
The worldwide pioneer in the creation of interactive entertainment, Nintendo Co., Ltd., of Kyoto, Japan, manufactures and markets hardware and software for its Wii™, Nintendo DS™ and Nintendo DSi™ systems. Since 1983, when it launched the Nintendo Entertainment System™, Nintendo has sold more than than 3.3 billion video games and more than 558 million hardware units globally., including the current-generation Wii, Nintendo DS and Nintendo DSi, as well as the Game Boy™, Game Boy Advance, Super NES™, Nintendo 64™ and Nintendo GameCube™. It has also created industry icons that have become well-known, household names such as Mario™, Donkey Kong™, Metroid™, Zelda™ and Pokémon™. A wholly owned subsidiary, Nintendo of Europe, based in Grossostheim, Germany, was established in 1990 and serves as headquarters for Nintendo's operations in Europe.