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62 CommentsDrink and Revive: The rise of Barcade
By Simon Parkin on Feb 26, 2013 02.26.13
The video game — a homeless invention — flourished in the drinking context. A year after Computer Space's arrival Al Acorn, one of Atari's first employees, was called to Andy Capp's Tavern in Sunnyvale, California where a Pong location test machine had malfunctioned. On arrival Acorn opened the coin box to issue himself free credits for testing, only to be showered with coins. The game had proved so popular that the coin mechanism was seized. Atari soon began to use drinking establishments as impromptu venues for ruthless live user testing. A new arcade game would be stationed in a popular bar and, if it failed to exceed a set amount of earnings over the week, would be promptly dropped from production. In the late 1970s and early 1980s, video games lived or died on their ability...
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8 CommentsEuropean Wii Shop to pull Donkey Kong Country titles
By Megan Farokhmanesh on Nov 17, 2012 11.17.12
Donkey Kong Country, Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest and Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble! will be removed from the European Wii Shop Channel by Nov. 25, according to an image from one Twitter user. Daan Koopman, who goes by the handle @NintenDaan, tweeted the image yesterday. It includes a message sent via the Wii, which states that all three titles will no longer be available for purchase. The message does not include a reason why, or if the removal is permanent. There is no indication yet whether or not other regions will be included in the pull. Donkey Kong Country was originally developed by Rare for the Super Nintendo in 1994. Both sequels saw subsequent releases in 1995 and 1996, respectively.
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3 CommentsSecond Donkey Kong tournament to be held Nov. 16 through 18 in Denver
By Alexa Ray Corriea on Oct 29, 2012 10.29.12
The Kong Off Donkey Kong tournament will hold its second annual event Nov. 16 through 18 in Denver, Colo., reports Arcade Heroes. The event will be held at 1up arcade and bar, and will award $2,000 to the player with the highest Donkey Kong score at the end of the three day tournament. The event is free to the general public, with VIP access available for $45 for those who want to avoid waiting in lines. Participants include last year's Kong Off winner and Donkey Kong world record holder Hank Chien "The Dr. of Kong," former Donkey Kong world record holder Steve Wiebe, Donkey Kong Jr. champion Mark Kiehl and former Donkey Kong champion Billy Mitchell, whose dethroning by Wiebe was the subject of the documentary King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters . Attendees who wish to play against...
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30 CommentsRetro Studios isn’t far-fetched for a Zelda game, says Miyamoto
By Megan Farokhmanesh on Oct 28, 2012 10.28.12
During a recent interview with several Spanish media outlets, Shigeru Miyamoto revealed that optioning Retro Studios for a Legend of Zelda game isn't far-fetched — in fact, it's "entirely possible," Miyamoto told Game Reactor. Retro Studios, a subsidiary of Nintendo, is responsible for games such as Metroid Prime, Donkey Kong Country Returns and Mario Kart 7. According to Miyamoto, Retro is qualified to do the job, but the studios would have to stay closely in touch with Nintendo. However, the studio's focus on developments with less dependence would probably not be the best for Zelda, Miyamoto said. The designer, producer and director also talked more about the soon-to-be-released Wii U. The Miiverse, the Wii U's social networking app will promote handwritten chats. According to...
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3 CommentsNintendo sending 3DS vouchers for Donkey Kong: Original Edition
By Dave Tach on Oct 16, 2012 10.16.12
Nintendo 3DS owners who purchased Crosswords Plus and Art Academy: Lessons for Anyone! have begun to receive download vouchers for Donkey Kong: Original Edition, according to Nintendo World Report. In a promotion that began last October, Nintendo offered a download of Donkey Kong: Original Edition to Club Nintendo who purchase and register the games before January 6, 2013. According to Nintendo, Donkey Kong: Original Edition is "a special version of Donkey Kong with content never before seen in the U.S. and is not available for purchase." Donkey Kong: Original Edition will also be free for purchasers of Professor Layton and the Miracle Mask, Style Savvy: Trendsetters, and Paper Mario Sticker Star. We've reached out to Nintendo to confirm that the download vouchers are being sent,...
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3 CommentsDonkey Kong: Original Edition free with 3DS eShop purchase of Art Academy or Crossword Plus
By Alexa Ray Corriea on Oct 01, 2012 10.01.12
Donkey Kong: Original Edition is available for free to Club Nintendo members who purchase and register Art Academy: Lessons for Everyone! or Crossword Plus through the 3DS eShop by January 6th, 2013, Nintendo announced today. This downloadable version of the game includes content previously released only in Japan and is compatible with both the 3DS and 3DS XL systems. Donkey Kong: Original Edition is not available for individual purchase. Art Academy, which instructs players in painting and drawing techniques, and word puzzle compilation Crossword Plus are available today for $29.99 each at retail and digitally.
'New Super Mario Bros. 2' started with course design first, mechanics second, creators say
By Michael McWhertor on Jul 24, 2012 07.24.12
In the latest "Iwata Asks" Q&A, Nintendo president Satoru Iwata interviews the talent behind New Super Mario Bros. 2 — Masaki Ishikawa, Yusuke Amano and Takashi Tezuka — on designing the upcoming Nintendo 3DS game. According to Amano, Nintendo game designers started by designing more than 80 courses for Mario to conquer before they'd settled on any of New Super Mario Bros. 2's fundamental gameplay elements. Amano tells Iwata that a group of designers from various departments within Nintendo called the "Mario Cram School" created all-new 2D Mario levels first, then "other staff were called in to turn it into an actual product." "I heard Tezuka-san believes that the course design plays a key role in determining the fundamental elements of 2D Mario games, so he opened the cram school...
'New Super Mario Bros. 2' digital purchase will net buyers 100 Club Nintendo coins
By Alexa Ray Corriea on Jul 20, 2012 07.20.12
Purchasing New Super Mario Bros. 2 digitally on the Nintendo 3DS eShop will earn players twice as many Club Nintendo coins as buying a physical copy, Club Nintendo announced. Players must link their 3DS to their Club Nintendo account, download the game, and complete a registration survey by September 20th to claim 100 coins. Registering retail copies of the game will only net buyers 50 coins. Members can trade in coins for exclusive goods or collect them throughout the year to achieve Platinum or Gold player status. In Japan, Demon Training is also running a similar promotion. Nintendo is offering double the amount of Nintendo Coins for digital purchases as well as a free download of Donkey Kong for Virtual Console. New Super Mario Bros. 2 will be the first Nintendo game to be released...
Insert Coin(s) video game bar expands from Vegas to Minneapolis
By Dave Tach on Jul 20, 2012 07.20.12
Insert Coin(s), a video game bar nestled in the heart of old Vegas on Fremont St., is expanding to Minneapolis. At Insert Coin(s), customers can order drinks with names like "Punch Out!" and "Starman" while playing console games or refurbished arcade cabinets featuring classics like Tapper and Donkey Kong. Co-founder Chris LaPorte's passion for gaming lead him from the brackets of the EVO fighting game championships to a bar that, unlike a typical Vegas club, it's devoid of the kind of gaming that Vegas is known for. LaPorte's vision doesn't end at Minneapolis. He'd like to see an Insert Coin(s) in cities across the U.S., and he also plans to tap into the e-sports market. "Picture this: a tournament between one Insert Coin(s) in Vegas and the other in Minneapolis," LaPorte told...
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14 CommentsWith Wii U, Nintendo hopes to redefine multiplayer gaming
By Brian Crecente on Jul 02, 2012 07.02.12
Never count Nintendo out. The more than 120-year-old Japanese company always seems to manage to surprise and delight both fans and naysayers. In 2006, the company managed to extricate itself from last place in the video game arms race with the release of the Wii. The best-selling console bucked common wisdom that held that video game machines evolved like computers, primarily through improved graphics and processing power. Instead, Nintendo focused on changing the way people played games, making it more natural for anyone to pick up a controller and play. The coming generation of game consoles is shaping up to be one dedicated to blurring the lines between video games and the rest of entertainment. Consoles already allow you to view movies, watch TV, browse the internet and...
