The Blog

Nintendo and LEGO have been enjoying a very successful collaboration over the last several years. They’ve partnered on multiple LEGO sets featuring Mario characters, and now we have word that there might be another one on the way.

The set in question can be seen above, and is called “Super Mario World: Mario & Yoshi”. As you can see, it features the iconic image of Mario riding Yoshi, as seen in the SNES game Super Mario World. According to the box, this would be a 1,215 piece set. It appears to include a crank at the bottom, which would presumably cause Mario and Yoshi to move when turned. It’s also rumored that the set will cost $130.

As of now, this set has not been officially announced by LEGO or Nintendo. However, the boxart was shared by LEGO leaker @fateful_lego on Instagram, and a glimpse at the finished build was also caught by Twitter user @dveese at San Diego Comic-Con. All signs point to this being the real deal, but we’ll have to wait and see. Stay tuned!

Bandai Namco has shared the launch trailer for ONE PIECE ODYSSEY a couple days before its scheduled release. This trailer was shared via their Southeast Asia YouTube channel and features subtitles and text in Indonesian. This two minute trailer shows off some new gameplay footage and character dialogue from the upcoming RPG, based on the popular anime series. It also features a look at the contents of the Deluxe Edition of the game.

Players will be set in Straw Hats Crew’s quest to discover the secrets of the legendary island of Waford, and get back their powers, taken by Lim, a mysterious young girl with an apparent dislike of pirates. Adio and Lim will accompany them on this journey through Waford and the various places of their past.

The Nintendo Switch version of ONE PIECE ODYSSEY includes the Reunion of Memories additional scenario that can be played after clearing the main game, as well as extra outfits for the Straw Hat Crew such as the Traveling outfits and the Sniper King’s Traveling Outfit. In addition, the City of Water outfits will be making their debut on the Nintendo Switch version.

ONE PIECE ODYSSEY is set to release on 26th July 2024 for Nintendo Switch.

INTI CREATES recently announced that “Card-en-Ciel,” is set to launch on Oct. 24th, 2024 worldwide. A departure from previous INTI CREATES titles, Card-en-Ciel is a turn-based card-battling RPG with roguelite dungeons.

The Muse characters in Card-en-Ciel each sing a song, 50 in total. Enjoy songs from the fictional game universes as if they were the real theme songs, battle themes, and endings, all created in the style and genres of the appropriate eras.

This time, we’re featuring some real songs from the real game, “Gunvolt Chronicles: Luminous Avenger iX*! The Muse of Hope, Lola (Mayu Mineda) sings the battle track “Beyond Probability,” and Isola (Miku Ito) sings her character song, “Full Throttle Cheer” while we introduce the cards available from the world of iX!

In Card-en-Ciel, you’ll control the “gaming chair detective” Neon as he battles through these dungeons, each based on a different fictional game in the Card-en-Ciel universe. Battles take place on a 3 by 6 grid, giving players the option to use their cards for attacks, movement, or Special Skills. Each victory will allow the player to collect a new card to put in their deck right away and add to their collection later.

The game features a full story that develops as you conquer the dungeons, complete with full English and Japanese voice options! All character cards in the game, over 300, will also be voiced in both languages! Plus, the game’s soundtrack will include 50 songs.

Nintendo has revealed the next round of Fire Emblem Heroes content, and they’ll be available between July 26th, 2024 at 12:00am PT and August 15th, 2024 at 11:59pm PT. You can find out who they are, along with their stats and skills by watching the new trailer up above.

The new heroes featured in this trailer are Heiðrún (Healing Nectar) and Eikþyrnir (Quieting Strength). These two characters will also be featured in a brand new event with a 5 Star Focus Appearance Rate of 8%.

Last but not least, you can also choose a Focus Hero from the event to summon for free after your 40th consume, up to 2 times.

Compile Heart has shared the official opening movie from their upcoming game, Madou Monogatari: Fia and the Mysterious School. The video is about a minute and a half long, introducing the game’s characters and setting. The opening also features the game’s theme song, “Asoventure”, sung by Japanese artist Kiminone.

Madou Monogatari: Fia and the Mysterious School will launch for Nintendo Switch on November 28th, 2024 in Japan.

With former Compile developers returning, Madou Monogatari: Fia and the Mysterious School is an RPG featuring the untouched worldview and familiar characters of the Madou Monogatari series, in all of its nostalgic glory. After several decades, lease look forward to a new chapter in the Madou Monogatari series.

An ancient school of sorcery. Where students study true magic and cultivate their ambitions. Fia, a girl who aims to be a great sorcerer, leaves her hometown and enrolls in an ancient school of sorcery once attended by her grandmother in order to study sorcery. Surrounded by strict but humorous instructors, and chaotic but amusing classmates, Fia will study sorcery and develop her abilities.

Recently, LEGO announced The Legend of Zelda Great Deku Tree 2-in-1 Set, which is being released September 1st, 2024. This is a 2,500 piece set which can be used to construct one of two different tree designs, either from Ocarina of Time or Breath of the Wild. It’s also the very first LEGO set incorporating the Legend of Zelda video game series.

In a new post shared on LEGO’s official site, they spoke with Wes Talbott and Austin William Carlson, the designers of the Great Deku Tree set. It turns out that both designers are huge Zelda fans, with the N64’s Ocarina of Time being their initial introduction to the world. They say that they chose the Great Deku Tree for their subject because it’s “big and beautiful, and it’s also a recurring character”, having appeared in several Zelda games in different incarnations. Talbott also says that they worked closely with Nintendo in order to decide what outfits and accessories to include with the set and minifigures.

Zelda series producer Eiji Aonuma also popped in to give a statement about his excitement for the upcoming set:

An official new t-shirt inspired by Earthbound has been announced. This is a collaboration with clothing manufacturer WAREHOUSE in honor of Earthbound’s 30th anniversary. It’s the “Tessie Watching Club” short sleeve t-shirt, which will be available for sale beginning on August 1st, 2024.

The shirt features an outline of the mysterious sea creature Tessie from Earthbound, along with the Bubble Monkey riding on top of Tessie’s head. Surrounding the image are the words “Tessie Watching Club. When the wind blows, watch for Tessie.” Earthbound fans will remember Tessie fondly for providing Ness and friends with a ride across the water. The idea behind this product was to design an official t-shirt for the Tessie Watching Club that appears in the game.

Click here for more images and information on how the shirt will be made. It will be available in Small, Medium, Large, and XL, via the Mother Project’s official online store in Japan.

The free-to-play action game Battle Crush has just shared a video promoting its new shop items for Season 1, Week 5. Check out all the new goodies in the video above.

Summer is here, and so are our adorable #swimsuit costumes!👙 Calixers are hitting the battlefield in cool swimsuits to beat the heat💦 Dive into the update and make a splash with your new look! 🌊

BATTLE CRUSH offers a thrilling action battle brawler where players fight to be the last one standing on ever-shrinking battlefields, filled with enemies. You will be able to pick a champion from various playable characters, known as Calixers, ranging from gods to mythological creatures and other urban legends to dominate the arena and overwhelm your enemies. Put your skill set to the test through different Calixers that offer unique play styles to choose from. Strike down your foes and be crowned victorious in the heat of an epic battle!

Two new waves of user profile icons are now available for Nintendo Switch Online members. There are two new batches going up this week. The first is a set based on Nintendo World Championships: NES Edition, and the second comes from Nintendo Switch Sports. Both games will have new sets of icons rotating weekly until August 14th, 2024.

This icons included in these waves feature various iconic NES games, as well as some Switch Sports athletes. As per usual, the character icons themselves are 10 Platinum Points, while the borders and backgrounds are 5 Platinum Points a piece. The current waves will be available until July 31st, 2024.

A brand new wave of Splatoon 3 merchandise has been revealed, all inspired by the game’s cooperative “Salmon Run” mode. Beginning today, these items will be available at Nintendo pop-up stores in Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto, and Toyama Civic Plaza EXPOCITY. Some of the new merch that’s up for grabs includes:

• Recliner Chair - 8,250 Yen
• Agura Chair - 9,350 Yen
• T-shirt - 5,280 Yen
• Long Sleeve T-shirt - 6,600 Yen
• Body Bag - 6,380 Yen
• Cap - 6,270 Yen
• Bucket Hat - 5,720 Yen
• Salmon Roe Gold Ball - 1,980 Yen

Other Salmon Run themed items include a cooler box, a hoodie, a mesh basket, and even a cushion that looks like a life raft. If you’re really determined, you could get yourself an entire Salmon Run themed wardrobe and decorating kit here!

Click here to peruse the entire collection of new Salmon Run merch. You can order it online via Nintendo of Japan’s web site, or find it at a Nintendo store in Japan. We’ll have to wait and see if any of these items come stateside, or if you’ll need to find a site to import them from.

Nintendo is clearly very excited about the addition of basketball to Nintendo Switch Sports. Basketball was added to the game as a free update earlier this month, and they’ve been featuring it in some new promos and ads.

Today, Nintendo of Japan shared a brand new commercial for the game. The commercial shows off the game’s basic mechanics, as well as how it works when using the motion-sensing Joy-Cons. You can watch the full video up above.

Grab your headband—it’s time to dribble, shoot, and score! The Nintendo Switch Sports game just received a brand-new update: Basketball! There are a few ways to play once your game is updated:

• Two-on-Two (single player, local* and online** multiplayer): Who’s up for a quick pick-up game? Show off your dunking skills while alternating between defense and offense.
• Three-Point Challenge (single player): Try to sink long-distance shots as you channel your inner all-star.
• Three-Point Contest (local multiplayer): Take on your friends to see who can hit the most treys**.
• Five-Streak Battle (local multiplayer*): The first player to make five consecutive baskets in 60 seconds wins!

You might recall that earlier this year, Nintendo had to cancel their planned Nintendo LIVE events due to a series of violent threats sent to them. The man was later arrested, and he explained that he sent the threats after becoming frustrated over losses in Splatoon 3. After going to trial, the man in question has now been sentenced to one year in prison (four years suspended).

The judge who determined the sentencing made the following statement: “The defendant’s motive for committing the crime as a way to relieve stress after growing irritated with online gameplay was selfish, and the manner in which he committed the crime was persistent and malicious .”

In addition, testimony was heard from a Nintendo employee, who said, “It reminded me of the Kyoto Animation arson and murder case, and I was terrified.” For those who don’t know, this is in reference to an arson attack on an animation company in Kyoto, not far from Nintendo’s own headquarters.

Hopefully, this is the last we hear about the defendant, and no other incidents like this occur in the future. You can click here to read more details from the transcriptions of the case’s court proceedings.

Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes received a small update earlier this month, but now we know that there are much bigger things planned for the near future. A post on the game’s official Twitter account reveals that an announcement concerning new content is scheduled for sometime next week.

According to the post, we can expect to hear about a new patch, as well as Story Expansion DLC. To learn what exactly these new updates entail, we’ll have to wait a little longer. Stay tuned!

The No. 1 funded Kickstarter game of 2020, Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes is a JRPG from legendary game developers Yoshitaka Murayama’s (Suikoden I & II) and Junko Kawano (Suikoden I & IV) which takes the turn-based strategy game experience to the next level. Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes features a finely crafted six-character battle system, meticulously created 2D sprites and 3D backgrounds, a riveting story with over 100 playable characters and engaging gameplay designed to bring players a modern take on classic JRPGs.

Francisco Goya’s “Saturn Devouring His Son” is one of the most famous and influential paintings of all time. Originally created with oil paint on Goya’s own walls, it has now been recreated by a Nintendo fan using the SNES game, Mario Paint. Aren’t the wonders of modern technology incredible?

This recreation comes from artist Cat Graffam, or @catherinegraffam on TikTok. In a recent TikTok video they shared, you can see a truncated version of what was undoubtedly a painstaking process, recreating the famous painting using only the official Super SNES mouse and the Mario Paint software.

Check it out below, and maybe you’ll be inspired to create a Mario Paint masterpiece of your very own!

@catherinegraffam I recreated Goya's 'Saturn Devouring His Son' in Mario Paint for the SNES with an SNES mouse. More like Mario Pain!! (This video is from last year btw, I just updated the intro). Desktop wallpaper is available for patrons! Shop + all links > linktr.ee/catgraffam Music: Hungry Baby by Ayesha Erotica #artistoftiktok #mariopaint #digitalart #goya #arthistory ♬ original sound - Cat Graffam

Rockstar has had a long and somewhat rocky relationship with Nintendo consoles. After getting their start on the N64 with games like Body Harvest, most of their bigger titles ended up on competing platforms for various reasons. Now, a former Rockstar employee has revealed that handheld versions of The Warriors and Bully were once in the works for Nintendo’s Game Boy Advance and DS respectively.

This tidbit comes to us from Time Extension, who recently interviewed an anonymous former Rockstar employee. According to the source, a GBA version of The Warriors was extremely close to completion, but was canceled at the last minute. Read more below:

The source also said that a Nintendo DS version of the open world game Bully was in the works, though it wasn’t nearly as far along as The Warriors was. It sounds like this version would’ve been a top-down adaptation, similar to Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars, which did see release on the DS. According to Time Extension, they weren’t able to fully confirm this port’s existence, so you should maybe take this reveal with a grain of salt.

The days of simplified handheld ports of console games are behind us now that the Switch has combined portable and home platforms. We may never see what these Rockstar adaptations really looked like, but it’s fun to imagine them! If you still want your fix, you can always go back and play Bully on the Wii.