Released on 25-Nov-2011

To celebrate the 25th anniversary of The Legend of Zelda and to mark this occasion, Nintendo is releasing a special 25th Anniversary limited edition Nintendo 3DS, marked with the Hyrule emblem and golden-coloured embellishments. This limited edition console will come bundled exclusively with a copy of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D which was specifically created for the Nintendo 3DS!

Fully re-mastered from the original Nintendo 64 title, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D is packed with stunning 3D graphics and visual delights for fans, both familiar and new to the critically acclaimed title. As part of the bundle your copy of the game will contain, a special dual sided sleeve; on the front the classic game sleeve design appears but on the reverse there is the limited edition golden coloured sleeve. This dual sided special sleeve is only available as part of The Legend of Zelda 25th Anniversary bundle.

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D takes the Nintendo 64 classic - one of the most critically acclaimed games ever made - and returns it to the Nintendo 3DS system with the added depth and realism of stunning, glassesfree 3D visuals. In this game, Link sets off on a legendary journey through time to stop Ganondorf, the Gerudo King of Thieves who is seeking the Triforce, a holy relic that gives its holder ultimate power. The graphical upgrades and three-dimensional depth breathe new life into the expansive world of Hyrule. An improved and intuitive interface, coupled with the easier navigation offered by playing in a world with 3D visuals, give players better control as they solve puzzles, travel through time and explore this immersive world. Whether you're a first-time player or a regular visitor to Hyrule, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D is a new adventure for everyone.

Legend of Zelda: The Ocarina of Time on Nitnendo 3DS Features:

• Amazing 3D visuals and a complete graphical overhaul bring one of gaming's most beloved and celebrated franchises to life, putting the awe-inspiring world in the palm of your hand for you to explore whenever you like
• The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D retains the analog control of the original with the Circle Pad on Nintendo 3DS, but greatly improves ease of use with a touch-based inventory system. Switching items has never been simpler or quicker.
• Players can also use the first-person shooting (camera-controlled) feature utilizing the gyro sensor.

Nintendo 3DS

This isn’t just another DS model – the Nintendo 3DS is a whole new console with more power, better graphics and improved control over the previous DS consoles.

Play games and watch films in 3D on the Nintendo 3DS top screen without the need for 3D glasses! And with an added analogue stick combined with the touch screen you’ll be more precise than ever, even as you’re blown away by the gorgeous 3D graphics.

The Nintendo DS was an evolution in handheld consoles – now experience the 3D revolution with Nintendo 3DS.

Included in Hardware:

• Nintendo 3DS system
• Nintendo 3DS charging cradle
• Nintendo 3DS AC adapter
• Nintendo 3DS stylus
• SD Memory Card (2GB)
• AR Card(s) (view the cards using the outer cameras to play supported AR games)
• Quick-Start Guide
• Operations Manual (including warranty)

Characteristic Features:

• 3D screen, enabling 3D view without the need for special glasses and the ability to adjust or turn off 3D effect with the 3D Depth Slider.
• Stereo cameras that enable users to take 3D photos that can be viewed instantly on the 3D screen.
• New input interfaces including the Circle Pad, motion sensor, gyro sensor
• SpotPass, a feature that lets Nintendo 3DS detect wireless hotspots or wireless LAN access points and obtain information, game data, free software, videos and so on for players even when the system is in sleep mode.*
• StreetPass, a feature that lets Nintendo 3DS exchange data automatically with other Nintendo 3DS systems within range, even in sleep mode once this feature is activated by the user. Data for multiple games can be exchanged simultaneously.
• Convenient features that users can access without stopping game play such as the HOME menu, Internet Brower, Notifications, etc.
• Plenty of built-in software such as the Nintendo 3DS Camera, Nintendo 3DS Sound, Mii Maker, StreetPass, Mii Plaza, AR Games, Activity Log, Face Raiders, etc.
• Nintendo eShop where users can view trailers, software rankings and purchase software.
• System Transfer which enable users to transfer already purchased software from one Nintendo 3DS system to another. DSiWare purchased for the Nintendo DSi or the Nintendo DSi XL can also be transferred into a Nintendo 3DS system.**
• Compatibility functions where both new software designed for Nintendo 3DS and most software for the Nintendo DS family of systems can be played.
• Parental Controls which enable parents to restrict game content by ratings as well as use of specific wireless connectivity, 3D functionality, etc.

• Nintendo 3DS sales reach 6.68 million

  Nintendo has expressed hope that sales of its 3DS console are back on track after reaching 6.68 million units at the end of September.

  Although the figure is below the company's expectations, it is ahead of the data for the device's predecessor the DS during the same period, reports MCV.

  Sales of the 3DS, which allows users to experience an innovative way of playing new and exciting games, increased during August as a result of a substantial price cut.

  Nintendo has also forecast strong sales during the festive period, with the reduced cost and an improved software line-up expected to attract customers.

  This comes after the Japanese technology firm announced the launch of a new coral pink 3DS console, created to mark the upcoming release of Nintendogs + Cats.

  Set to hit stores on November 18th, the new title will see the portable pooch accompanied by an adorable female friend to play with.

  Published: 04/11/2011

• Nintendo 3DS to introduce 3D video recording in December

  Nintendo 3DS to introduce 3D video recording in December

  Nintendo 3DS owners will be able to use their consoles to make their own 3D movies from next month onwards.

  On December 8th 2011, gamers will be able to download the latest firmware update for the console, adding a host of new features and functions for the popular handheld.

  Most prominent is the ability to shoot and save up to ten minutes of 3D video using the system's in-built cameras, while creative users can even put together stop-motion animations.

  Meanwhile, the StreetPass Mii Plaza will be bolstered by a range of new content, with extra puzzles for the Puzzle Swap game and all-new areas for StreetPass Quest.

  The update will also make it possible for owners of more than one Nintendo 3DS system to completely transfer all data, including downloaded games, between the two systems.

  Nintendo 3DS was released in March 2011 and has seen a surge in popularity thanks to a recent price reduction, plus the launch of games such as Super Mario 3D Land and the new Mario Kart 7.
  

  Published: 29/11/2011

• GAME : 3DS update Round-up

  
  

  GAME : 3DS update Round-up

  If there's one thing the latest generation of consoles has taught us, it's that newly purchased gaming systems aren't the finished article when you first take them out of their shiny wrapping. Not to say they 're lacking anything fundamental, far from it in fact, but system updates now mean it's possible for platform holders like Nintendo to dramatically improve a console's functionality and boost the user experience post-launch.

  

  December's free 3DS system update is a prime example, introducing fresh game content, social features and hardware functionality to the console. Here, GAME runs you through all the major new additions.

  
  

  3D Filming!

  One of our favourite new features is the ability to make ten minute long 3D videos with just a few simple button presses. Icons on the 3DS touch screen allow you to select or fine-tune different recording features such as the 3D effect, altering the sharpness and brightness of your video, and choosing whether to film in regular colour, black and white or sepia. The quality of the recordings we've made so far is surprisingly good, although you obviously have to see them in person to get the full 3D effect.

  While the basic ability to record in 3D is a cool feature in itself, special praise is reserved for the three Trick Shot modes. Interval Shot takes still snaps at your choice of intervals, between every half a second and 60 seconds, before playing them in a rapid slideshow.

  Frame Pick, which essentially enables you to create stop-motion animations, is similar to Interval Shot except it lets you capture images of a physically manipulated object whenever you choose, creating the illusion of movement when the series of pictures is played as a continuous sequence.

  Meanwhile, Clip Link enables you to record various video segments which are then mashed together in the same video file. There's no doubt that budding animators and movie makers will spend a lot of time playing around with these simple to use but rewarding new video recording features.

  
  

  New Plaza updates

  The system update also introduces a range of new features for Mii Plaza, the place where 3DS owners can view the Mii characters they've met via StreetPass (which automatically swaps the Miis and gameplay profiles of players who pass each other on their travels). These include a follow-up to the free, in-built 3DS RPG-style game StreetPass Quest, and new 3D puzzles of famous Nintendo characters to complete by collecting pieces from other players.

  

  
  

  You now receive congratulatory messages in the Mii Plaza for achieving goals such as meeting a certain numbers of Miis or ones from different countries (which are displayed on a new StreetPass Map showing the locations of all the Miis you've encountered), or by working your way through StreetPass Quest 2. There are 78 accomplishments to get in total and a congratulatory message for each. They also unlock up to 35 different tunes to listen to in a new Mii Plaza Music Player.

  The new Puzzle Panel pieces we've collected so far are for Donkey Kong Country Returns and Legend Of Zelda: Ocarina Of Time 3D. The puzzles themselves are larger than the originals, with 24 pieces to collect instead of 15, including four pink pieces which can only be collected via StreetPass (others can be purchased with Play Coins, a virtual currency accumulated by carrying your 3DS around with you like a pedometer).

  
  

  New Street Pass Quest

  StreetPass Quest 2, in which you control a team of fighters made up of your friends' Miis, challenges players to save three fictional family members kidnapped by slimy monsters and placed in separate cages. It contains branching paths as well as brand new enemies, and even lets players make parties of Miis to carry out team attacks using weapons or magic. The game also offers players the chance to collect a total of 57 hats for their Miis, compared to the original game's 16, but the title's only accessible if you've completed the first one twice.

  
  

  Download Demos

  Additionally, the 3DS system update paves the way for players to download demos of 3DS games, although none have been made available yet, as well as making it easier to browse and pay for games and content in the Nintendo eShop. Players can now transfer games purchased from the eShop, as well as account funds and save data including photographs and audio files, from one 3DS system to another too.

  
  

  Summary

  All in all, the 3DS system update is an impressive release, adding great new hardware functionality, amusing new game content and cool new social features. It has been almost nine months since release and our 3DS feels like a fresher piece of kit than ever before, all of which leaves us eagerly awaiting the next major system update.

  

  Published: 14/12/2011

• New Eurosport content arrives for Nintendo 3DS

  New Eurosport content arrives for Nintendo 3DS

  Sports fans can now download special 3D content from Eurosport via their Nintendo 3DS consoles.

  Nintendo has teamed up with the broadcaster to launch a free Eurosport video player application via the 3DS eShop, with new videos to be released on a weekly basis from December 15th 2011 onwards.

  Content will include two to three-minute clips from the popular Watts show, which mixes footage of high-calibre action with amusing sporting bloopers from around the world.

  Laurent Fischer, managing director for marketing and PR at Nintendo of Europe, said: "We are always striving to bring fun and exciting new content to our fans and this new partnership with Eurosport will do just that."

  Nintendo 3DS owners already have access to all sorts of 3D clips via the Nintendo Video application, which offers content from the likes of Red Bull Media House and Aardman Animations.

  Furthermore, a firmware update released earlier this week lets users record their own 3D movies of up to ten minutes in length.
  

  Published: 16/12/2011

• 3DS owners get free Wi-Fi access at 5000 UK hotspots

  Online gaming on the go just got a lot easier, as Nintendo has announced that the 3DS now has access to over 5000 free wireless internet hotspots across the UK. The locations include popular fast food outlets McDonalds, Burger King, KFC and Subway, as well as Ibis and Etap hotel chains.

  Firing up your 3DS in any of the hotspots will enable the console to automatically detect and open the connection. Features available over Wi-Fi on the 3DS include downloading game content via SpotPass, browsing and downloading new game content and, of course, using the web browser.

  "The access points are largely located in popular restaurants and hotels - places where Nintendo 3DS owners are likely to want, and to unwind in," explained Laurent Fischer, Nintendo's European director of marketing and PR. "We also urge all Nintendo 3DS owners to also take advantage of the latest System Update which has brought an array of new features and enhancements, including 3D video capture."

  The 3DS is out now, in case you hadn't noticed.

• Nintendo agrees 3DS connection deal with free-hotspot.com

  Nintendo 3DS owners will be able to enjoy online gaming at a much wider range of locations thanks to a new agreement between Nintendo and free-hotspot.com.

  The gaming giant has struck a deal with the free wi-fi network provider to allow 3DS users to automatically connect their console to more than 5,000 hotspots across 21 European nations.

  It means gamers will be able to easily browse the web on the 3DS systems at fast food restaurants such as McDonald's, Burger King, KFC and Subway, as well as at a number of leading hotel chains.

  Doing so provides users with access to a wide range of online content, including downloadable software from the Nintendo eShop or 3D videos via the free Nintendo Video app.

  Nintendo's Laurent Fischer said: "The access points are largely located in popular restaurants and hotels - places where Nintendo 3DS owners are likely to want to unwind in."

  Having also recently agreed a separate connectivity deal with Boingo Wireless covering many leading UK airports, Nintendo is ensuring it has never been easier to take their 3DS consoles online.

  Published: 02/02/2012

• Nintendo 3DS - Great Games Coming Soon

  
  

  The Nintendo 3DS has been with us for just over a year now - where does the time go? - and in that time it's really started to come into its own. With an array of features and controls that can't be found anywhere else, the latest games for this handheld feature some classic Nintendo icons as well as creating some new ones, and show that you can have console-quality gaming on the go, and that 3D is here to stay!

  

  Mario Tennis Open

  Mario once again proves that he's as adept at sports as he is with a plunger in a game that offers tactical tennis fun previous unseen on a handheld. With a choice of traditional controls or the use of touchscreen and gyro sensors, Mario Tennis Open offers players a chance to really maek use of what the 3DS can do. It also takes advantage of Nintendo's StreetPass, letting you play online with friends or with other players in the local area, as well as the chance to upgrade your player. Whether it's a friendly game or a fight to the championship, Mario Tennis Open and 3DS are a perfect match.

  

  Heroes of Ruin

  Heroes of Ruin is the first RPG designed specifically for the 3DS, and takes unique advantage of the handheld's interactive features. You can quest alone or with other players both locally or online using drop-in, drop-out gameplay. There are extra daily challenges online to earn rewards, you can meet and trade with other players using the 3DS social features, and even buy in-game items using StreetPass. And on top of all this, the game itself is fun and immersive, coming from the strong RPG pedigree of Square Enix.

  

  Luigi's Mansion 2

  The original Luigi's Mansion was a launch title for the GameCube back in 2001 and has become something of a cult classic. This follow-up promises more of the same, sending Luigi back into a haunted mansion to capture ghosts using his "Poltergust 5000" vacuum cleaner. Promising a more puzzle-based approach than it's predecessor, Luigi's Mansion 2 also makes use of the gyroscopic controls to move Luigi around the mansion, and will finally deliver the 3D ghost-chasing that they didn't quite manage for the original!

  

  Azada

  There aren't many games that suit a transfer from PC to 3DS, but Azada is just that. Following the misadventures of hapless magician Titus, this is a series of mini-games, hidden object games and escape the room puzzles. This may seem like a simpler, older style of gameplay, but it's one that suits the on-the-go nature of the 3DS and seems a suitable follow-up title for fans of Professor Layton and other puzzle games.

  

  Animal Crossing

  Another Nintendo franchise gets a 3D facelift as Animal Crossing arrives on the 3DS. The use of 3D is said to be subtle, giving a new depth and detail to the animal village, with the bigger changes coming in the form of how much more you can do within the game itself. Customisation has been enhanced for both your player and your home, allowing for more choice in type of house, furniture and clothing. For fans of the series looking to move from DS to 3DS, this "a bit more of everything" approach is really all the reason you need!

  Published: 08/05/2012

• Limited edition Zelda 3DS anniversary bundle coming soon

  Limited edition Zelda 3DS anniversary bundle coming soon

  Nintendo is offering players a perfect new way to celebrate the 25th anniversary of The Legend of Zelda via the launch of a new Nintendo 3DS console bundle.

  The new limited edition package is out on November 25th 2011 will include a specially decorated black 3DS console that features the iconic Hyrule crest, as well as stylish golden embellishments.

  Also included is a copy of the critically acclaimed The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D, complete with an exclusive double-sided gold-coloured sleeve.

  The game has proven to be one of the Nintendo 3DS' most popular titles thus far, presenting a remastered version of the classic Nintendo 64 title with stunning new graphics and improved controls.

  Celebrations of Zelda's 25th birthday this year have so far included an orchestral concert in London and the release of the free downloadable title The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Anniversary Edition via DSiWare.

  The centrepiece of the festivities will be the highly anticipated launch of The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword on Wii next week.

  Published: 09/11/2011

• A Brief History of Handheld Gaming

  
  

  

  This week saw the long-awaited UK release of the PlayStation Vita, the most powerful handheld gaming console ever. Despite a size that fits snugly into your palms, it's a muscular beast of a machine capable of giving its PS3 big brother a run for its money where graphics and processing oomph are concerned. But how did we get here? How did gaming on the go become such a big deal?

  The simple answer is that it's always been a big deal. Even way back in the early 1980s, when the best games were on giant arcade cabinets and the best home gaming had to offer was the bleeping blocks of the Atari 5200, Nintendo was cleaning up with its Game & Watch series of handheld LCD games. Simple in the extreme, they were a cultural phenomena - and Nintendo's first runaway gaming success.

  They were so popular, in fact, that their creator, Gunpei Yokoi, couldn't leave the idea of portable gaming alone. As well as designing classic games such as Donkey Kong and Metroid, he is best known as the father of the GameBoy.

  

  Launched in 1989, this chunky beige brick with a tiny monochrome screen was nothing short of a revolution. Gamers snapped the system up, along with portable versions of hit console games, movie tie-ins, the first entries in the evergreen Pokemon franchise and a certain little game called Tetris. Bundled with the GameBoy, the Russian puzzle classic helped to define handheld gaming as the natural home of simple yet addictive one-more-go game design. It also pioneered the world of multiplayer, using a link cable to allow two GameBoy owners to battle against each other.

  The GameBoy was such an enormous hit - shifting well over 100m units in its lifetime - that other electronics companies tried to ride the bandwagon. Atari released the Lynx, the first handheld with colour graphics, but it struggled to match Nintendo's efficient tech, draining its batteries at inconvenient speed.

  

  More challengers emerged from Japan, such as the TurboExpress, but it would be Nintendo's long-standing rival, Sega, that put up the best fight. The Game Gear launched in 1991, and shrewdly used the same technology as the popular Master System home console, allowing hit games to be quickly ported to the handheld. Although it never outsold the GameBoy, the Game Gear put up a solid challenge.

  GameBoy and Game Gear battled for handheld supremacy throughout the 1990s, with other - often technically superior - portables such as the Neo Geo Pocket and WonderSwan barely making a dent in their dominance. Nintendo's lead was so assured that they waited until 1998 before upgrading the GameBoy's grey and black screen to a colour model.

  

  As the 21st century rolled around, however, the home console experience was becoming so sophisticated that the handhelds were starting to look outdated. Nokia tried to capitalise on the rise of mobile phones with the ill-fated N-Gage, a clumsy hybrid of phone and console that failed to capture the public's imagination.

  It was Nintendo, once again, in 2004 that changed the landscape. The Nintendo DS at first appeared to be an act of supreme folly. Boasting two screens - much like some of the Game & Watch titles of yesteryear - as well as a stylus for touchscreen interaction, it was like nothing else around. And, as with the original GameBoy, Nintendo kept the DS fresh by constantly revising and relaunching the machine in different configurations - smaller, larger, and with more features.

  

  With Sega having long since abandoned the hardware market, the challenge to the DS came from a new rival: SONY. Having exploded into gaming with the PlayStation, SONY's take on handheld gaming was sleek, powerful and designed for the hardcore gamer on the go. The PSP, or PlayStation Portable, certainly made the cheerful DS look like a toy but, much like the Game Gear, it was never quite able to topple Nintendo from its throne, even with cult hits such as Monster Hunter making the system a must-have in Japan.

  

  Which brings us to 2012, where once again Nintendo and SONY are battling for the palm of your hand. Nintendo's 3DS continues the design approach of the original DS, with left field technical innovation and a breezy pick-up-and-play approach. The PS Vita, as we've seen, is the PSP on steroids, a desirable bit of beautiful entertainment technology that pushes the boundaries of what can be done in a small space.

  Looking from dazzling titles like Uncharted: Golden Abyss, all the way back to the rudimentary two-button Game & Watch experience, it's hard to believe only thirty years separate them and yet it feels as though handheld gaming is only just getting up to speed. Imagine where we'll be in 2042!

  Published: 22/02/2012

• The Legend Of Zelda: Ocarina Of Time - Review

  
  

  

  Ocarina of Acclaim

  Chances are you'll have heard of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. Originally released on the N64 in 1998, it's been cropping up regularly at the top of Best Game of All Time lists ever since and with very good reason. Now it's been beautifully remade in full 3D, with updated controls as well as a new graphical lick of paint. Whether you've got fond memories from last time or you're new to the world of Hyrule, Ocarina of Time is easily the best game currently out on the 3DS. Not only is it one of the best games ever made, it's a better version of one of the best games ever made.

  Ocarina of Time stars Link, the evergreen hero of the Zelda series, on a quest to save the world that spans seven years, nine huge, puzzle-filled dungeons and a massive open world that you can wander around at will. It's an epic undertaking, offering tens of hours of gameplay to sink your teeth into.

  One of the rather old-fashioned things about Ocarina of Time is its reluctance to tell you what to do. Instead of always pointing you in the right direction, it often leaves you time to explore, which is a great thing but it does mean that you'll sometimes be unsure of where to go next.

  

  Under Hyrulian Skies

  There's a neat way around this in the form of Sheikah Stones, giant one-eyed stones that offer you 'visions of the future' that heavily hint at solutions to trickier puzzles or how to get to the location you need to visit next. They're entirely optional though, so if you don't want to have anything spoiled for you then you can still work everything out for yourself. That said, they can cut out the odd half-hour of aimless searching, or help you overcome some of the roadblock puzzles that you'll encounter in the fiendish dungeons.

  The key then is to enjoy the journey and lose yourself in the world, rather than worry about where your next objective is. Hyrule is a rich place that's full of secrets, bonus items, strange characters and things to collect and discover. Riding your horse, Epona, around Hyrule Field is a beautiful experience in itself - especially when you have no set destination in mind.

  The game's updated graphics do much to immerse you in its beautiful world. The 3D really jumps out at you, though it's useful to be able to turn it off to concentrate better on what you're doing in the depths of the dungeons. Combat is a particular highlight the game's lock-on system, which was pioneering thirteen years ago, still holds up brilliantly. Circling a foe with sword drawn in 3D is really tense and engaging. Outside, meanwhile, motes of glittery dust float through the air and picturesque vistas stretch off into the far distance.

  

  Still has the Touch

  Touchscreen controls do a lot for the game too, making it easier to view maps and switch between items and equipment. You can also aim things like the bow and arrow by tilting the 3DS around, which is both great fun and surprisingly accurate (although it does rather interfere with the 3D effect).

  One thing that Ocarina of Time could really do with is an auto-save feature instead you have to save manually each time in the pause menu. It doesn't affect the game at all, but it does mean that if you switch the DS off by mistake, or run out of power before saving, then you'll end up very annoyed with yourself. Other than that though, there's really nothing to complain about.

  This still holds up as one of the very best things that Nintendo - or any other developer for that matter - has ever made.

  GAME's Verdict

  The Good

  • The pinnacle of gaming remade in stunning 3D.
  • The new hint system makes the game accessible to all players.

  The Bad

  • No auto-save feature.
  • Gyroscopic functions interfere with the 3D effect.

  Published: 22/06/2011

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