PURENINTENDO.

COM

ISSUE #5 APRIL 2012

magazine

E3 2012 Preview

Kirby Turns 20
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DKC Returns and Metroid Prime Art

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E3 2012 Preview E3 2012 is just around

Xenoblade Chronicles Review

the corner and we look at all the possibilities for Nintendos big show.

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WELCOME/CONTENTS

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WELCOME/ CONTENTS APR 2012

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20th Anniversary for Kirby Character Profile: Captain Olimar and the Pikmin What to expect from Nintendo at E3

We take a look back at the last 20 years of Kirby games from Kirbys Dreamland to Kirbys Air Ride to Kirbys Return to Dreamland.

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Video Game Art: Donkey Kong Country Returns Video Game Art: Metroid Prime Xenoblade Chronicles Review Kid Icarus Uprising Review

E3 2012 Preview E3 2012 is just around

the corner and we look at all the possibilities for Nintendos big show.

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Upcoming Games (Wii/3DS) Lets Talk: Wii U Price Top News of the past 2 months

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Xenoblade Chronicles Review

MESSAGE FROM

THE EDITOR
Welcome, to the 5th issue of Pure Nintendo magazine. It has been a long time in the making, but it is finally here. With our months off we have been working on a few things. Not only has Justin worked hard on the new design but a new distribution method. For the first time ever you will be able to purchase a physical copy of Pure Nintendo magazine. That is right! You can now smell, feel,

EDITOR: James Higginbotham EMAIL: james@purenintendo.com WEBSITE: purenintendo.com

As you can tell we spent the time revamping the magazine to make it better and are now offering a print copy for the first time. We are always looking for ways to make Pure Nintendo magazine better for everyone to enjoy.
and touch everything Pure Nintendo. Mmmmmm smells freshly squeezed. You can purchase your Pure Nintendo magazine copy at: http://purenintendo.com/magazine/ I really hope you enjoy our 5th issue of Pure Nintendo magazine and our E3 2012 preview. If anyone has any questions, comments, input, for Pure Nintendo magazine; feel free to email us at magazine@ purenintendo.com.

magazine contact
Published by Pure Nintendo - purenintendo.com

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magazine team
Editor-iN-CHiEF: Justin Sharp e. justin@purenintendo.com HEad Editor: James Higginbotham e. james@purenintendo.com LaYoUt Editor: Justin Sharp e. justin@purenintendo.com

distribution
Pure Nintendo magazine is published on a bi-monthly basis. digitaL: issUU.Com/PUrENiNtENdo sCribd.Com/PUrENiNtENdo PriNt: magCLoUd.Com bUY/ViEW oNLiNE: http://purenintendo.com/magazine/

writers
Katelyn Sharp e. katie@purenintendo.com Eli Courey e. eli@purenintendo.com Kevin Klein e. kevin@purenintendo.com Ben Stitzer e. ben@purenintendo.com

004

20th ANNIVERSARY FOR KIRBY

20Th ANNIvERSARy FOR KIRBY

REPORTER: Katelyn Sharp EMAIL: katie@purenintendo.com BLOG: purenintendo.com the Kirby video game series was created by masahiro sakurai (creator behind super smash bros. and Kid icarus: Upsiring) and developed by HAL Laboratory. His first appearance was in Kirbys dream Land, in 1992. Kirby was originally named Popopo, and his model was created as a blob placeholder sprite during the development. masahiro sakurai started to prefer Kirbys placeholder design over the original concept. the game was originally titled twinkle Popopo, but then changed to Kirby of the stars which eventually turned into Kirbys dream Land. originally, sakurai meant Kirby to be a game for beginners. Kirby has been featured in comic books, his own television show, and also appears in all the super smash bros. games. and this summer, a compilation disc for Wii will be released to celebrate Kirbys 20th. Kirbys Dream Land, was released in Japan in april 1992. a simple game, consisting of only five levels, it introduced the main protagonist Kirby, main antagonist King dedede, and Kirbys ability to inhale enemies and objects. the game features a second adventure, known as the Extra game, which features stronger enemies. As Kirbys first appearance was on the monochrome screen of the game boy, his true color could not be represented in-game. sakurai intended Kirby to be pink. However, shigeru miyamoto had envisioned him as yellow. because of this ambiguity, Nintendo of america was left with some confusion when the game was ported to the West. the american box art features Kirby entirely white in color. Kirbys Adventure, was released in the U.s. in may 1993. it introduced the concept of copying the abilities of enemies, and as one of the last games created for the Nintendo Entertainment system, featured astonishing graphics and sound that pushed the hardwares capabilities to the limit. it was re-released in 2002 on the game boy advance, re-titled Kirby: Nightmare in dream Land, featuring greatly updated graphics and sound. after Kirbys adventure, the Kirby series received

a number of side games. Kirbys Pinball Land, released in November 1993, is a pinball game featuring Kirby as the pinball. Kirbys dream Course, released in the U.s. in February 1995, is a unique golf-based game which features an isometric graphic design. Kirbys avalanche, released in February 1995 only in the U.s. and Europe, is a puzzle game known to be a cloned version of the Japanese game Puyo Puyo (which was probably why Kirby says poyo in the anime. Kirbys Dream Land 2, released in the U.s. in march 1995, continued using the ability-copying idea, but lowered the number of abilities to seven. the game introduced three animal companions: rick the Hamster, Coo the owl, and Kine the ocean Sunfish. Pairing up with any of these three alters how Kirbys abilities work. also introduced was gooey, a dark-colored blob-like creature, who could be found in a bag. the game was to be remade for the game boy Color as Kirbys dream Land 2 dX, but was cancelled. Kirbys Block Ball, released in November 1995 in the U.s., is a variation of the game breakout, featuring multiple levels, some of Kirbys copy abilities, and various enemies in unique boss battles. Kirby Super Star, known as Hoshi no Kirby super deluxe in Japan and Kirbys Fun Pak in Europe, was released in the U.s. in september 1996. Kirby super star is composed of eight

separate games, and features several characters and abilities which have not appeared since in the series. the game features Helpers, which can be created by sacrificing the ability currently in use, to help the player dispatch enemies. Kirbys Toy Box, released in 1996, was a Kirby mini-game series and was released via the st.giga satellite broadcasting system for the Nintendo satellaview. these mini-games were not released simultaneously but were each given a unique broadcast date. mini-game titles included: arrange ball, ball rally, baseball, Cannonball, guru guru ball, Hoshi Kuzushi, Pachinko, and Pinball.

Kirbys Star Stacker, released in 1997, is a puzzle game which involves touching two or more similar blocks together that have Kirbys animal friends on them. the game received a sequel on the super Famicom in 1998 in Japan as Kirby no Kirakira Kizzu. Kirbys Dream Land 3, released in November 1997 in the U.s., is a direct sequel to Kirbys dream Land 2, as it features the return of rick, Coo and Kine, as well as the introduction of Nago the Cat, Pitch the bird and Chuchu the blob. similar to Kirbys dream Land 2, Kirbys dream Land 3 features a few copy abilities which are modified when Kirby pairs up with one of his friends. also reintroduced was gooey, who can now be played as a second character. Kirbys dream Land 3 was originally going to be released on game boy, but was stopped and rereleased oo the super Nintendo due to ending problems. Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards, was released on the Nintendo 64 in the U.s. in June 2000. the game features a unique compound ability system that allows two of the seven abilities in the game to be merged together, making a new compound ability. It was the first game to have 3D graphics in the Kirby series. Kirby Tilt n Tumble became one of Nintendos first motion-sensor-based games in august 2000. Players are instructed to tilt the game boy Color to move Kirby on the screen. Quickly flicking the game boy Color upwards would make Kirby jump into the air. Kirby tilt n tumble is currently the only Kirby game to have a special cartridge color (transparent pink) in the U.s. Kirby Air Ride was released in the U.s. in october 2003, on the gameCube. it is a racing game which deviates greatly from usual Kirby titles, although still featuring series staples including enemies and copy abilities. Kirby & the Amazing Mirror was released in october 2004 on the game boy advance. it is the second game released on that system, following Kirby: Nightmare in dreamland. it features Kirby in a maze format, unique to the series. also unique was the in-game phone, which can be used to summon up to three additional copies of Kirby to fight enemies and solve puzzles. Kirby: Canvas Curse, released on the Nintendo ds in North america on June 13, 2005.

Unlike most previous Kirby games, the player does not directly control Kirby with a directional pad, analog stick, face buttons, or shoulder buttons. instead, Kirby is a helpless ball, and can only move when he gains momentum; the player paints paths with the stylus to direct his movement. Kirby: Squeak Squad released in late 2006, on the Nintendo ds, which revived traditional Kirby game play and dabbled in the use of the touch screen to store several items and copy abilities in Kirbys stomach. Kirby Super Star Ultra, released on september 22, 2008 for the Nintendo ds in North america. it is a remake of Kirby super star. in addition to the nine games from Kirby super star, seven new games have been added. it features updated graphics, pre-rendered cut scenes, and a map on the touch screen. Kirbys Epic Yarn was released for the Wii in 2010, it was actually an entirely different project from an untitled game originally planned to be released on the Nintendo gameCube, which finally resurfaced with an altered design and motif. Kirbys Epic Yarn began development as an original title by goodFeel called Fluff of Yarn, but was given the Kirby license at Nintendos proposal. Kirby Mass Attack, released for the ds on september 19, 2011. the game features multiple copies of Kirby in touch screen-based gameplay reminiscent of titles such as Lemmings. Kirbys Return to Dream Land (previously titled Kirby Wii) was released in North america on october 24, 2011, returning to the traditional Kirby gameplay and allowing up to four players to play simultaneously as meta Knight, King dedede and Waddle-dee.

CHARACTER PROFILE CAPTAIN OLIMAR & THE PIKMIN

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ChARACTER PROFILE

CAPTAIN OLIMAR
REPORTER: Katelyn Sharp EMAIL: katie@purenintendo.com BLOG: purenintendo.com

ABOUT OLIMAR
Captain olimar is the main character in Pikmin and Pikmin 2, he is a tiny extraterrestrial from the planet Hocotate. if youve never played Pikmin before, its a 3d, top-down, strategy game, with the player controlling Captain olimar from a third-person perspective. olimar is followed by the Pikmin, whom he directs. the story begins with a comet hitting Captain olimars ship, the s.s. dolphin, and causes him to crash on an uncharted planet. there he meets three kinds of Pikmin, (red, blue, and yellow) which may see him as some kind of super Pikmin because of the red tracking beacon on his helmet. With the Pikmins help, olimar retrieves his ships parts and rebuilds his ship. Pikmin 2 features the same basic idea with some new multiplayer modes, three new Pikmin colors (white, purple and bulbmin), caves, more beasts and bosses, and an unlimited amount of days allowed in single-player mode. the Pikmin Planet is assumed to be Earth, although, the game is speculated to have taken place on a post-apocalyptic Earth where humans have died out, due to the unknown species, and debris that humans would use.

CAPTAIN OLIMARS STATS

measures 1.9cm tall and 3.9cm tall with his space suit on. He has three short brown tufts of hair and wears a beige spacesuit with red gloves and life-support backpack. He also wears a clear round helmet with a red tracking beacon on it. He directs Pikmin with a whistle, and can throw them on enemies and items. He plucks Pikmin sprouts from the ground to replenish the Pikmin numbers, or can do so by whistling for them after obtaining the Pluckaphone. olimar can launch a punch attack to weaken enemies, or a three punch combo after obtaining the rocket Fist. olimars name is derived from mario, and in Japanese, olimar is an anagram of mario.

Pikmin is headed to Wii out our E3 2012 U Check

Preview to find out more.

PAGE 8

DID YOU KNOW?

Blue Pikmin can save other types of Pikmin from drowning and you dont have to collect all the ships parts to beat the game. Olimars ship, the S.S. Dolphin, is a reference to the Nintendo GameCubes codename, Project Dolphin. Olimar was supposed to make a cameo in Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga. He was to come in and taste the players coffee and to call Mario Marlio (a reference to their names being an anagram in Japanese) and somehow mistake Luigi for a beast. Unfortunately, the scene was cancelled for the final version of the game.

CHARACTER PROFILE CAPTAIN OLIMAR & THE PIKMIN

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AND ThE PIKMIN

Yellow Pikmin Has ears and can be thrown very high and can carry bomb rocks. In Pikmin 2 they are resistant to electricity. Blue Pikmin Has gills and can walk in water without drowning. Red Pikmin Can withstand fire and are strong fighters.

EASTER EGGS
If you hold down on the D-pad the Pikmin will pick you up, and take you to one of the Onions. When you are put in, you will hit the bottom of the Onion, and a light will appear from the large flower on the ship. It will rise into the air, and explode into a burst of light. At the end of the game after you gather all of the ship parts, and Olimar blasts off, you will see several different colors of Onions: purple, brown, orange, black, pink, green, and cyan. If you enter a cave you have not completed yet and collect all the treasure, wait on the treasure salvaged screen for exactly three minutes, fifty seconds, and you will hear Totakas song. This song has been hidden in many Nintendo games dating back to the SNES game, Mario Paint. Once you have found all five colors of Pikmin, take out twenty of each color. When they are all out they will sing the theme song, Ai No Uta, which was used in the Japanese commercials for the first game. Whenever a Spray pops out of an egg or frozen enemy you can get two Sprays by having the captain run into the spray and then switch to the other captain.

OTHER PIKMIN
White Pikmin are much smaller and are immune to poison as well as being poisonous themselves. They move faster and can see things buried underground. Unlike the other Pikmin it has red eyes and a pink flower. Purple Pikmin are bigger and heavier. They have a pink flower and little hairs on their head. They can carry more and cause more damage to enemies.

pikmin 2 items

gamE & WatCH PiKmiN

some of the many collectible items to appear in Pikmin 2 are an old game & Watch and a duracell battery. as you play through the game there are even more common household items youll collect and some not-so-common. What new items will we get to collect when Pikmin 3 comes out? and will we get to play cooperatively with our friends? Find out in our next issue when we finally get to reveal the next Pikmin game!

FEATURE E3 2012 PREVIEW

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I BELIEVE IT WILL BE NINTENDOS BIGGEST AND BEST SHOW YET.

JUSTIN SHARP EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

FEATURE E3 2012 PREVIEW

009

Feature > E3 2012 Preview

WhAT TO EXPECT FROM NINTENDO AT E3 2012

REPORTER: Justin Sharp EMAIL: justin@purenintendo.com BLOG: purenintendo.com

ExPECTATIONS ARE SKY HIGH AS NINTENDO GOES INTO E3 2012

Nintendo has historically been silent in the final month leading up to E3 but in this case, theyve been secretive ever since E3 2011. Its been 11 months since their E3 2011 press conference and we have very little in the way of new information which has caused a flurry of high expectations and simultaneously a high amount of speculation. What can we expect from E3 2012 and what does Nintendo need to show off in order to steal the show?

PIKMIN AND MORE AT E3 2012

Can it be? Has it really been almost a year since Nintendo first unveiled the Wii U at E3 2011? believe it. its 11 months to the day since Nintendo first detailed the Wii Us tablet controller and innovative new gameplay demos. but thats pretty much all we got, demos. sure, some of them were really exciting like the Zelda Hd demo and some of the tech demos showing off the controllers capabilities, but we have yet to see a full game running on the final hardware. there are so many unanswered questions about the Wii U and Nintendo has been largely silent on details since last years reveal. We know for a fact the system will be the most powerful Nintendos ever released and

around the world. add in the fact that we finally get to see Nintendo games/ characters in Hd and we have the makings of the most exciting E3 ever for Nintendo fans. in order to preview what Nintendo will/could have in store for us at their press conference on June 5, we need to go back 6 years to E3 2006-the year the Wiis launch lineup and key games were unveiled to the public. Whenever a Nintendo system is approaching its launch date, the E3 just prior is usually the most exciting. third party developers have had a significant amount of time to develop their games, the hardware for the system is in its final stages and getting ready for production, and there are plenty of surprise announcements. there were a number of surprises when the Wii was shown in 2006 including Excite truck, Wii sports, super mario galaxy, red steel, and a Wii version of Zelda: twilight Princess. E3 2012, by all appearances, looks to be wide open for Nintendo to take. both sony and microsoft have said they wont show their next systems at the show, so all eyes will be on Nintendo.

will come out by the end of the year

Continued on Page 10

FEATURE E3 2012 PREVIEW

Confirmed/Rumored Wii U and 3DS Games for E3

Aliens: Colonial Marines Assassins Creed III Wii U Batman: Arkham City Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 Untitled Battlefield Darksiders II Untitled Dirt Dragon Quest x: The Five Awakening Races Untitled F1/Formula One Killer Freaks from Outer Space Lego City Stories LucasArts MMO Medal of Honor Warfighter Metro: Last Light Monolith Wii U Project Ninja Gaiden 3: Razors Edge Pikmin 3 Project CARS Project Nova Untitled Raving Rabbids Rayman Legends 3DS Untitled Super Mario game Untitled Super Smash Bros. sequel Untitled Tekken Tom Clancys Ghost Recon Online Untitled Legend of Zelda

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Animal Crossing Bravely Default: Flying Fairy Disney Epic Mickey: Power of Illusion Dragon Quest Heroes: Rocket Slime Fire Emblem: Awakening Heroes of Ruin Kingdom Hearts 3D Dream Drop Distance LEGO Batman 2: DC Super Heroes Luigis Mansion 2 Monster Hunter 3G New Super Mario Bros. 2 Paper Mario Pokemon Black 2/White 2 (DS) Professor Layton and the Mask of Miracle Skylanders Giants Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed Theatrhythm Final Fantasy Untitled Legend of Zelda

NINTENDO NEEDS TO ENFORCE THEIR COMMITMENT TO ONLINE ENABLED GAMES RIGHT OUT OF THE GATE.
JUSTIN SHARP EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Just like that 2006 show, Nintendo has a lot riding on their press conference. media and the public alike are wondering just how games will take advantage of the Wii U controller in its final form and what the online infrastructure will look like. Will we be able to use multiple Wii U tablets with certain games? How far is the wireless range for the Wii U controller? there are so many questions that have yet to be

answered which means Nintendo will have a lot to talk about.

What do we know?
Nintendo has been very secretive about what exactly will be shown at E3 2012, but we do know a few facts. First, Pikmin Wii U will be shown off---finally! this has been rumored for many E3s and anticipated by fans of the series since Pikmin 2 came out all the way back in 2004. shigeru

miyamoto himself confirmed this fact in a recent interview. second, in that same interview miyamoto also confirmed Nintendo would be showing off a Mario game that is based on the E3 2011 mario game. it doesnt look like it will a new mario galaxy game, but more along the lines

of New super mario bros. and recently, Nintendo registered the domain name supermario4.com so speculation has led people to think it could be a spiritual successor to super mario bros. 3 or super mario World--well see. third, Nintendo has confirmed they will show the Wii U and the controller in their final

form which suggests there will be some improvements. this is a natural assumption as Nintendo themselves said last year the hardware wasnt final yet. Fourth, Nintendo said not to expect any information on pricing for the Wii U or a launch date. they said they will be releasing that information at a later date after E3. Fifth, Nintendo will be showing off several 3DS games including New super mario bros. 2, Luigis mansion 2, and animal Crossing 3ds. also, several third parties have confirmed they will be showing off their Wii U games including assassins Creed iii, ghost recon online, aliens Colonial marines, darksiders ii, and batman arkham City. theres a huge list of rumors out there on what could be at E3 2012, and we have those summarized in our rumor roundup section. as far as confirmed news for Nintendo at E3 2012, this is all we have so far.

What do we expect?
Weve gone over what we know for sure will be at Nintendos press conference, but what surprises might Nintendo have up their sleeves? Using our past experience at E3, Nintendo will definitely want to show off everything they can about the Wii U hardware, but i think they will focus mostly on announcing games and showing off the gameplay. im not sure if they will have live demonstrations of the Wii U wirelessly on stage because of concerns of interference that they experienced when showing skyward sword in 2010. if they do have live demonstrations, which i hope they do, theyll probably opt to show the controller tethered to avoid interference. i also expect well see another major Nintendo franchise represented for the Wii U. We know Pikmin and mario will be there, but i believe at least one other major franchise will be present that pushes the system graphically. i think metroid would be well suited to showcase the systems capabilities but a star Fox or F-Zero game could work nicely too.

Just like at E3 2006, i believe Nintendo will try to ensure a broad scope of genres are represented at the launch of the Wii U. Nintendo came out of left field and announced Excited Truck so i would expect some sort of surprise racing game. Nintendo has also gone on record saying they want to have a game like Wii sports at the launch of the Wii U. i dont think this means a direct Wii sports/resort sequel, but merely says they want a compilation game that shows off the capabilities of the Wii U much like Wii sports did for the Wii. i think we should expect the game to be multiplayer and i think at least one of Nintendos first party reveals will be a major push for them into the online arena. Whether its a racing game, Wii sports like game, or another game entirely; Nintendo needs to enforce their commitment to online enabled games right out of the gate with the Wii U. Regardless of specific announcements, i truly expect Nintendo to announce a plethora of first-party and third-party games both for the Wii U and the 3ds. i think it will be very similar to E3 2010 where Nintendo revealed game after game and crammed about 30 new game announcements into their presentation (and these were big games like donkey Kong Country returns and Kirbys return to dream Land). Expect to see Luigis mansion 2 portrayed in a major way and i predict well see our first glimpse of the new Zelda game on the 3ds.

Rumor Roundup
ten to eleven Nintendo published retail games to be shown for Wii U at E3 as well as some 3rd party games. around 70 Wii U games are currently in development from a variety of publishers Nintendo will be publishing/releasing four Wii U games of their own before the end of 2012 Nintendo is considering pricing Wii U lower than they want to big wave of 3ds and Wii U software this holiday season Nintendo has at least three new franchises in development for the Wii U, coming from various studios Medal of Honor Warfighter reported to be coming to Wii U Wii U tablet to be used as a universal remote Nicalis & 8-bit are co-developing a game for 3ds & Wii U to be released this year. the 3ds version is already playable. square Enix may have worked some sort of deal with Nintendo to share a character that hasnt been seen in a long time for a game project Custom 3-core CPU, amd gPU derived from r700 series, and one other huge surprise tony Hawk name drops Wii U as possible future platform for series a source suggesting console release will be several weeks earlier than November 28, 2012 Wii U likely to have dedicated Youtube app Lucas Arts Wii U MMO listed on E3 2012 floor plan Focus on social game play

Rumored Wii U Games

Level 5 * Professor Layton Chronicles Activision * tony Hawk Pro skater HdComplete (activision) (Launch) * goldeneye 007: reloaded (activision) (Launch) * World of Warcraft (activision) (Launch) Capcom * resident Evil: the mercenaries bio ops (Capcom) * okamiden Hd (Capcom) (Launch) Electronic Arts (EA) * boom blox Wii U (Ea) * NFL blitz touchdown (Ea) * burnout: rush Hour (Ea) (Launch) * shank 2 (Ea) (Launch) * Crysis (Ea) (Launch) Gaijin Games * bit trip runner 2 (gaijan games) (Launch) Namco Bandai * Tank! Tank! Tank! (Namco bandai) * meteos (Namco bandai) * Pac-man battle royal (Namco bandai) (Launch) Nexon * dragon Nest (Nexon) Nintendo * big brain University (Nintendo) (Launch) * super mario strikers Unlimited (Nintendo) (Launch) * Fluidity: toxic (Nintendo) (Launch) Sabarasa * Protocol (sabarasa) (Launch) SEGA * rodea the sky soldier (sEga) * renegade ops 2 (sEga) * Phantasy star online 2 (sEga) (Launch) * sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 2 (sEga) (Launch) Spicy Horse * big Head bash (spicy Horse) (Launch) Square Enix * demons score (square Enix/ Epic) * Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles Wii U (square Enix) Telltale Games * the Walking dead (telltale games) (Launch) Ubisoft * Ubiart Presents: sketchtarium * red steel 2: Locked and reloaded (Ubisoft) * i am alive (Ubisoft) (Launch) Valve * Counter-strike: Global Offensive (Valve) (Launch) * dota 2 (Valve)

Its up to Nintendo now

Nintendo has been so silent on new information for the Wii U this past year its really built up high expectations for the press conference. i think both non-Nintendo fans and Nintendo fans alike are champing at the bit for new information and like i said earlier, all eyes will be on Nintendo. if they announce what theyve planned and what we expect, i believe it will be Nintendos biggest and best show yet.

012

VIDEO GAME ART DONKEY KONG COUNTRY RETURNS

vIDEO GAME ART

DKC RETURNS
REPORTER: Justin Sharp EMAIL: justin@purenintendo.com BLOG: purenintendo.com

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VIDEO GAME ART DONKEY KONG COUNTRY RETURNS

vIDEO GAME ART

DKC RETURNS CONT.

REPORTER: Justin Sharp EMAIL: justin@purenintendo.com BLOG: purenintendo.com

VIDEO GAME ART METROID PRIME

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vIDEO GAME ART

METROID PRIME
REPORTER: Justin Sharp EMAIL: justin@purenintendo.com BLOG: purenintendo.com

xENOBLADE CHRONICLES REVIEW

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XENObLADE REvIEW
REPORTER: Justin Sharp EMAIL: justin@purenintendo.com BLOG: purenintendo.com

PREPARE FOR AN EPIC JOURNEY ExCLUSIVELY ON THE WII

Monolith Soft, for Nintendo fans, is most well-known for the Baten Kaitos games on the Gamecube and Disaster Day of Crisis for the Wii which never made a release Stateside. But now theyre back with a vengeance on the Wii with what could be their best game yet. We thought it wouldnt happen but Xenoblade has finally come to North America and it couldnt have come at a better time. If youre like me, youve been waiting for an epic game that will tie you over until the Wii U, or until the Last story comes out this summer. With all the hype surrounding Xenoblade and the campaign that was led to bring the game stateside, i wondered if it would live up to the expectations. For the most part, Im not a typical rPg fan; however, Xenoblade Chronicles is one of my favorite rPgs since tales of symphonia on the gamecube or Chrono trigger on the sNEs -- yeah, its that good. the core storyline involves two, massive titans locked in a timeless conflict on an endless ocean. one is called the bionis and is more organic in its shape, and the other is called the mechonis which is more robotic in nature. one day only the lifeless bodies of the titans remained and life began to form. many civilizations began to form over time on the bionis. one such race, called the Homs, came under attack by the mechons (machine inhabitants of the mechonis). in the battle of sword Valley, the Homs finally prevailed with the help of a mystical blade called the monado. one year later, a certain Hom named Shulk, is researching the Monado. As was found out at the battle of sword Valley, the blade is very powerful but also very dangerous. If used incorrectly, it can cause great destruction to the user of the blade and anyone in its vicinity. Shulk knows this and never touches the blade until a surprise mechon attack on his home town, Colony

9, necessitates the use of the sword. the plot is very intricate and has a lot of depth to it as you progress through the game. the story is told through a series of cutscenes that are very well directed and have pretty good voice acting. Like all games, some characters sayings can get old after awhile but theres good humor throughout and the cutscenes never run longer than necessary. the gameplay is very akin to games like World of Warcraft or any other action rPg where you can engage an enemy in real-time. simply approach any enemy on the field and choose to lure, battle, or avoid them altogether. the game also employs a nice targeting system that will show you what a monsters level is before you attack---a very handy thing in some of the later areas. shulks move set is very well balanced and contains moves to heal, deal damage, and even topple or break enemies. Even though the combat isnt turn-based, its still very strategic--possibly more so than turn-based combat. Youll constantly be checking your HP, selecting series of moves to perform in a row, healing party members, and moving around the enemy to inflict the most damage on areas where they are weak. the combat system is quite complex but they give you a really nice tutorial every time you unlock a new feature in the combat. its very easy to get used to and master as you progress through the game.

as with most rPgs, there are main story quests and there are tons of side quests. the more side quests you do, the odds are youll get more and more advanced gear for your characters so its definitely worth it. all the standard items such as swords, rifles, shields, gauntlets, and boots can be upgraded but you can also level up each of your characters skills/arts. You can also forge gems that can further augment your items/characters by boosting your speed, HP, or critical hit percentage. Xenoblade Chronicles really excels at creating a well-balanced, fun combat system and an incredibly detailed overworld to explore. the world is teaming with tons of different enemies to encounter and features some of the best music of any game in its genre. its by far one of the best looking Wii games out there and one of the best games of this generation.

Xenoblade Chronicles gets a score of

9.7/10
xENOBLADE CHRONICLES REALLY ExCELS AT CREATING A WELL-BALANCED, FUN COMBAT SYSTEM...
JUSTIN SHARP EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

GAME REVIEW KID ICARUS UPRISING

020

GAME

REVIEW
KID ICARUS UPRISING

25 YEARS LATER, PIT IS BACK AND READY FOR ACTION

a variety of upgrades, collectables and challenges that will keep you coming back for more. the game also offers the challenge of playing the game at a higher intensity. intensity is the right word when describing the top difficulty in the game. remember how intense and hard the original Kid icarus was? Well take that and double that to match the intensity Kid icarus: Uprising can reach. To top off the replay cake; Uprising offers a pretty entertaining online mode. the online is simple in the sense of lack of variety, but offers some high-octane fun.

Kid icarus: Uprising was probably one of the most anticipated 3ds games in the world, more anticipated than mario Kart 7 or even super mario 3d Land. ok, all of that is my opinion but even with all the hype, Kid icarus: Uprising does not disappoint. the return of our friendly guardian angel, Pit, brings lots of action and laughs. Kid icarus: Uprising offers a lighthearted take on the end of the world. Pit is thrust into a battle to save the world from the evil medusa once again. through the journey the goddess of Light, Palutena, provides support, like the power of flight, for the hero. Uprisings story can be completed around a dozen, entertaining hours, but it brings you back for more. Uprising offers

3DS Kid
Icarus Uprising
If youre looking for a fastpaced action game with intense gameplay, Kid Icarus Uprising is the game for you.

8.5/10

UPCOMING RELEASES

021

UPCOMING RELEASES
Upcoming games for Wii/3DS

3DS Mario Tennis Open

Mario serves up fun again with this 3DS entry in the popular tennis Super Mario game. Play locally or online with up to 3 friends. PLAYERS: 1-4 PRICE: $39.99 RELEASE DATE: May 20, 2012

3DS Rayman Origins

Rayman Origins on the 3DS has been delayed several times, but the wait should be worth it for those who havent played this imaginative platformer. PLAYERS: 1 PRICE: $29.99 RELEASE DATE: Jun 05, 2012

DS Pokemon Conquest
Pokemon Conquest is a first in the Pokemon series that combines Pokemon with a turn-based strategy twist not too unlike Advance Wars. PLAYERS: 1-2 (Local wireless) PRICE: $29.99 RELEASE DATE: Jun 18, 2012

3DS RollerCoaster Tycoon 3D

RollerCoaster Tycoon 3D is the latest installment in the series and the first portable version of the game. PLAYERS: 1 PRICE: $29.99 RELEASE DATE: June 19, 2012

3DS/Wii LEGO Batman 2: DC Super Heroes

Heroes from the DC Universe join up with the Caped Crusader to root out evil in LEGO Batman 2: Super Heroes. PLAYERS: 1-2 PRICE: 3DS: $39.99, Wii: $49.99 RELEASE DATE: Jun 19, 2012

Wii The Last Story

One of the most anticipated Wii games this year which will dazzle RPG fans and features 6-player online cooperative/competitive multiplayer. PLAYERS: 1-6 (online) PRICE: $49.99 RELEASE DATE: Jun 19, 2012

3DS Heroes of Ruin

Our vote for Best RPG of E3 2011 and the first online co-op RPG for the 3DS to feature voice chat. It also has some of the best graphics of any 3DS game. PLAYERS: 1-4 (Local, Online) PRICE: $39.99 RELEASE DATE: Jun 26, 2012

Wii New Play Control! Pikmin 2

More than 3 years after the first NPC Pikmin released on the Wii, fans will get their chance to play the sequel this June with enhanced motion controls. PLAYERS: 1-2 PRICE: $29.99 RELEASE DATE: Jun 29, 2012

LETS TALK WII U PRICE

022

Wii U Price
Its been almost a year since the Wii U was shown, and with continued tweaks to the hardware since then, has Nintendo been able to get the cost of the system down to a reasonable price in time for launch?

NINTENDO MAY BE WILLING TO TAKE A LITTLE HIT ON THE WII U PRICE

JAMES HIGGINBOTHAM HEAD EDITOR

LETS TALK
Since our last Lets Talk article, there hasnt been a whole lot of new information about the Wii U. Sure, weve gotten a couple confirmations of Pikmin and Mario being shown off for the system at E3 but there really hasnt been some big news on the new features of the controller and/or the system itself. One of the big lingering questions on most peoples mind is how much is the Wii U going to cost and more importantly, how much is the controller going to be? And can I only buy it with the system? Nintendo is in a little bit of a bind when it comes to the Wii U price at launch. on one hand, the big N will be launching this new technology (Wii U controller) along with a new powerful system. Here is where Nintendo enters their bind. With the Ps3, and 360 systems hovering around $200 - $300, consumers may have a tough time justifying the Wii U at a higher price point than the Ps3 or 360. Let us not think how consumers will feel if the Ps3 and 360 receive another price drop this holiday season.

WII U PRICE
REPORTER: James Higginbotham EMAIL: james@purenintendo.com BLOG: purenintendo.com

Welcome to our next Lets Talk feature

Nintendo mulling over the idea of making the Wii U price lower than they want it to be. Nintendo may be willing to take a little hit on the Wii U price in order to avoid the issue they had with the 3ds price drop just 5 months after it came out. When Nintendo released the Wii, they were the only company to make money on their new system. sonys Ps3, and microsofts Xbox 360 both lost their companys money at launch. Do not be fooled by the call for doom from Nintendos financial drop at their recent investor meeting. Yes, Nintendo lost some money over the last year, but they had a toN of money to lose. it all comes down to how much of a risk does Nintendo want to make. if the Wii U comes out, with better graphics, and a controller that becomes what we think it may be. they have every right to release a machine with a price tag of $350 - $400. the problem will be; will consumers be willing to purchase another system at that high a price range? i do not believe Nintendo could take that risk. in fact, i do not believe any of the companies can take such a high price range for their new systems. Consumers are changing, and i feel they are not willing to toss down a lot of money for a new system. that is why i believe Nintendo will shoot for a $300 price range but do not be surprised if the Wii U comes in at $250.

Price at launch - $250? $300?

so what price will the Wii U be at its launch? many people agree that the Wii U will probably retail for around $300. i will have to agree with that price. i would also not be surprised if the Wii U retailed for even less than $300. one rumor concerning the Wii U had to do with

Nintendo is pushing their system to the limit

With Nintendos new hardware, theyre not only pushing games in 1080p full HD, theyre displaying the content on your TV and streaming content wirelessly to the Wii U Controller. With that kind of technology, were expecting a price point indicative of that new technology but also at an affordable price.

>

024

TOP NEWS

TOP NEWS OF THE PAST 2 MONTHS

February 27, 2012

Pokemon Black 2 and Pokemon White 2 Announced

purenintendo
featured rumor
Set against the backdrop of the American Revolution in the late 18th century, Assassins Creed III introduces a new hero, Ratohnhak:ton, of Native American and English heritage. Adopting the name Connor, he becomes the new voice for justice in the ancient war between the Assassins and Templars. March 12, 2012 FEBRUARY 5TH 2012 AND MAY 5TH 2012

Nintendo announced, for the first time in the history of the Pokemon series, direct sequels to a major generation game. The game will feature many new Pokemon formes as well as new cities to explore in the Unova region. Pokemon Black 2 and White 2 will release June 23 in Japan and this Fall in North America and Europe. March 5, 2012

NINTENDO/RETRO WORKING ON STAR FOx FOR THE WII U?

this is strictly a rumor at this point, but as we pointed out in our indepth Wii U article, star Fox would be perfect for the Wii U. this rumor popped up again recently but this time retro studios was tied to the game. Just one more month until we find out for sure. Be sure to check back for our E3 issue next month.

Epic Batman: Arkham City for Wii U is not a direct port

Assassins Creed III officially announced for Wii U

SAN FRANCISCO March 5, 2012 Assassins Creed III will hit store shelves on October 30, 2012, encouraging gamers to experience the American Revolutionary War not written about in history books. The largest project in Ubisofts history also introduces a new hero for the ages.

the others. Rein didnt say much more about the game except it has a fantastic use of the touch controller. March 22, 2012

Vigil Games confirms Darksiders II for Wii U launch

Virgil Games has confirmed that Darksiders II will be one of the launch titles for the Wii U. While Dalton couldnt give specific examples, when the Wii U version was originally going to be shown it featured the ability to change equipment on the fly. March 22, 2012

During GDC last week Epic showed off a video montage of some of their games. After the video was shown, Epic Games Mark Rein stated that he has seen Batman on the Wii U and the game will not be a direct port of

Epic Mickey: Power of Two Confirmed for the Wii

The game will have jump in and out co-op with Oswald. The game will also have full voice acting which is the first time in Disney history Oswald will have a voice. April 5, 2012

believes that anyone who has played Pikmin games in the past will enjoy playing. April 20, 2012

featured news

New Super Mario Bros. 2 (3DS) coming to Kingdom Hearts NA in August 3D Dream Drop Distance coming During the latest Nintendo Direct to North Ameri- live stream, Nintendo confirmed ca July 31
SQUARE ENIx is pleased to announce that KINGDOM HEARTS 3D Dream Drop Distance will be APRIL 27 2012

RAYMAN LEGENDS LEAKED TRAILER SHOWS WII U FEATURES

Rayman Legends was unofficially announced when a trailer leaked for the game that showed off Wii U exclusive features including NFC functionality where figurines could alter the gameplay. Ubisoft acknowledged the leak and said the controller was not the final version and the video was meant for internal purposes only.

the previously announced 2D Mario game as New Super Mario Bros. 2 and will be released this August. available on the Nintendo 3DS system in North America on July 31, 2012. April 5, 2012 April 20, 2012

coming to NA
Pikmin 2 will get the motion control upgrade the first Pikmin received nearly 3 years ago.

3DS Firmware update coming 4/25, Folders

The new 3DS firmware update will allow for games, videos, and applications to be put into folders for better organization. 60 items in all can be put into one folder and each folder can be named. The update will also bring a patch for Mario Kart 7. This patch will fix some shortcuts and cheats. April 20, 2012

Epic Mickey: Power of Illusion announced for the 3DS

Epic Mickey: Power of Illusion for the 3DS is very different than its Wii counterpart. The game is 2D and resembles the Sega Genesis classic Castle of Illusion.

for the price of $169.99. May 1, 2012

Kirby 20th AnApril 20, 2012 New 3DS Color Next month well have all the niversary Wii Announced Miyamoto connews from Nintendos E3 2012 firms Pikmin Wii Compilation An- The Midnight Purple Nintendo Press Conference live from the show. U and new Mario nounced 3DS will be released on May 20 for Wii U at E3 During the Nintendo Direct, NinWANT YOUR NEWS OR ART tendo confirmed a Wii compilation Nintendo has this to say: In a FEATURED HERE? disc with classic Kirby games will
recent interview, Mr. Miyamoto confirmed that a new Super Mario Bros. game for the Wii U system will be shown at this years E3 Expo -- he also confirmed that a new Pikmin game will be shown at the E3 Expo in June. He be released in honor of the 20th anniversary of the series. April 24, 2012

April 30, 2012

Nintendo Confirms E3 2012 Media Presentation for June 5 9am PST

New Play Control: Pikmin 2

Send us an email with an custom Nintendo art youve created or any news tips, article suggestions, or questions to the editors. Wed love to hear from you.

Email: magazine@purenintendo.com

Issue 6 Preview

the Pikmin are back.