I woke up this morning expecting some Smash news. We got a whole lot more than that, huh?
First, the stuff I expected. Even though it’s not a surprise thanks to last week’s leaks, Shulk got a reveal trailer for Smash on 3DS/Wii U. Shulk’s sword-fighting style would be boring, except that his Monado blade can cycle through modes, allowing him extra speed, jump height, launch power, or defense. His trailer has multiple Xenoblade references that only like a hundred people are going to understand.
If you want to understand Xenoblade, but don’t want to have to buy an overpriced Gamestop copy of the game, the good news is that it’s coming to 3DS…but not the 3DS you have now.
Nintendo revealed the “New 3DS” today. The hardware comes with a faster CPU, more RAM, better stereoscopic 3D, two new shoulder buttons, swappable face-plates, micro-SD card support and a control-nub on the right side to act as almost a Gamecube controller’s C-stick. Load times, download times, and games will all be faster, and like Xenoblade, there will be exclusive games.
The New 3DS will also have built in NFC functionality. This will come into play with Nintendo’s Amiibo. Prices for Amiibo have been confirmed at 12.99 each, and they are currently up for pre-order on Amazon. Amiibo is confirmed to work with Smash on both systems, but other confirmed games include Mario Kart 8, Captain Toad, Yoshi’s Woolly World, and Mario Party 10. A 3DS NFC reader will be sold, but NFC reading is built into the Wii U gamepad and, as mentioned, the New 3DS. The New 3DS seems to line up perfectly with Nintendo’s new strategy of courting the hardcore, since the big attention grabbing games coming for the new console are Smash Bros and Xenoblade.
Here’s Nintendo’s Japanese Direct in full, which includes more tidbits of footage for games such as Bravely Second.
And here’s a new Smash 4 trailer that, if you squint, accidentally confirms Ganondorf’s return.
