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Animal Crossing New Leaf: Nintendo's stealth mobile game

In this age of cheap, ubiquitous mobile phone and tablet games, you can't help but wonder what Nintendo would make if the company were ever to enter the space. That future seems unlikely considering Nintendo's investment in Wii U and 3DS hardware, but that doesn't mean there isn't software that could be brilliant in the mobile space. In fact, there's a fantastic mobile game Nintendo has right now -- it's just that it lives on the Nintendo 3DS.

Animal Crossing: New Leaf is the latest in a franchise extending back to 2002 on the … Read more

Consumer spending on iOS games outpaces 3DS, Vita

An increasing number of people are deciding to dedicate their cash to Apple's iOS rather than traditional gaming handhelds, according to a new study.

A joint study performed by research firms IDC and App Annie found that during the first quarter of 2013, total spending on iOS App Store games outpaced that of dedicated handhelds such as Nintendo's 3DS and PlayStation Vita. It was the first time that iOS games outpaced the traditional devices. In the fourth quarter, iOS was slightly behind gaming handhelds in total spending.

For now, Google Play is still a distant third, tallying about … Read more

How to fix Nintendo

The bad news keeps stacking up for Nintendo.

The Wii U console was greeted with yawns when it was released in November 2012. Sales numbers for the console look increasingly dire, and support from third-party software publishers seems to be wavering (EA's next-gen Frostbite graphics engine apparently doesn't even work on the Wii U). And now comes word that Nintendo won't have a formal press conference at this year's E3 show.

Is Nintendo's low profile at E3 a retreat, or a change in strategy? Whatever the answer, it seems perfectly indicative of Nintendo's current … Read more

Exclusive: Zelda 3DS 'feels totally different,' needs to be played in 3D

The Nintendo 3DS has already been through a lot. The first-ever glasses-less 3D portable console didn't have the most glamorous of launches when it hit the market more than two years ago. Tainted by an underwhelming batch of debut software, controversial 3D effect, and a disappointing battery life, the 3DS didn't have a whole lot going for it out of the gate.

If that wasn't enough of a burden, the 3DS was also forced to follow up the original DS, a predecessor that is approaching worldwide sales of 154 million units combined. It's the best-selling portable console of all time.

But in the 25 months since its release, the 3DS has made significant strides. A focus on the platform's online store and a hardware refresh with a much bigger screen and better battery have begun to right the ship. Most importantly, a bevy of compelling software has been made available -- though some have criticized the company's continual recycling of classic games. … Read more

As Nintendo's Fils-Aime touts 3DS, he sidesteps Wii U's woes

Nintendo of America President Reggie Fils-Aime was more than willing to talk about his company's mobile device, the 3DS, in a recent interview. But when it came to the Wii U, he was reportedly awfully quiet.

Speaking to GamesIndustry.biz in an interview published Wednesday, Fils-Aime said that 3DS game sales in the U.S. have "surpass[ed] 20 million units" since the portable's launch in 2011. He was even more excited to point out that digital sales for the platform have accounted for 11 percent of all 3DS software sales.

"So far in 2013 … Read more

Nintendo releases a bevy of new and old games on its 3DS

Nintendo announced Wednesday that it will be releasing a boatload of new games on its 3DS handheld console.

Not only will there be a host of Super Mario Bros spinoffs, but the game maker also is launching Yoshi's Island, Donkey Kong Country, and The Legend of Zelda series. Based on the games Nintendo is choosing to release, it seems the company is tipping its hat to the Game Boy days of the '90s but tossing in a modern 3D twist. … Read more

Nintendo hit with $30.2M in damages over 3D patent suit

Nintendo was found liable of infringing on glasses-free 3D technology in a lawsuit that wrapped up today.

A New York federal jury concluded that the game maker used features of a patent developed by Seijiro Tomita in its handheld 3DS gaming device, according to Reuters. The jury awarded Tomita $30.2 million in compensatory damages.

"We are thankful to the jurors for their diligence and hard work," Tomita's attorney Joe Diamante told Reuters. "It has been a honor to represent Mr. Tomita and to protect his invention."

Tomita, who is a former Sony employee, said … Read more

Edit your images on Intel-based Apple Mac computer

The MS Paint app, available within the Windows operating system, is one of the simplest and most-used apps for editing and creating pictures. Unfortunately, Microsoft never developed a version for Mac computers. PaintDS for Mac is a notable alternative for this problem.

Available as free to try without a pass code, you can use all the features of the application but only with .bmp files and in 30-minute sessions. The installing process of PaintDS for Mac is as simple as actually using the app. After downloading the .dmg file, open it and drag and drop the app into your applications … Read more

Deathly din: How Dead Space 3 sounds are made

If you want the best Dead Space 3 experience, it's nearly necessary to turn off the lights and crank up the sound. Do you ever think about where those bloodcurdling noises originate, though?

To get a better understanding of the scary sounds in Dead Space 3, The Creators Project went behind the scenes at Visceral Games, developer of DS3. It's a fascinating glimpse into the hard work that goes into creating those heart-pumping noises that many people may take for granted (or not really think about at all) when they're busy wiping out a pack of Necromorphs. … Read more