Nintendo Stories May 3, 2021
Android phones can use a Nintendo Switch Joy-Con as a remote camera shutter — here’s how
It’s been four years since the debut of Nintendo’s Switch console, a flexible device that just keeps evolving. Recently, it was highlighted that the Nintendo Joy-Con controller has a useful trick on Android devices — it can be used as a remote shutter button for the camera.
Nintendo Stories March 3, 2020
Mario Kart Tour picks up online multiplayer on Android on March 8
Mario Kart Tour may not be exactly the game we came to love on Nintendo’s consoles, but it’s still a ton of fun and has become a hit. Now, Mario Kart Tour is adding support for online multiplayer!
Nintendo Stories September 20, 2019
After Hours: Twitter tests hiding replies in the US, Minecraft character creator, more
Twitter tests a new way to keep conversations healthy in the U.S. Meanwhile in gaming news, Minecraft picks up a Character Creation tool, and the Nintendo 3DS emulator Citra is reportedly coming to Android.
Nintendo Stories July 9, 2019
Nintendo’s Dr. Mario World arrives on Android for free [Video]
The latest in Nintendo’s growing collection of mobile games is Dr. Mario World, a puzzle game for Android and iOS. This new spin on the classic 90s game is now available on the Play Store, a day earlier than expected.
Nintendo Stories May 23, 2019
I’ve been a fan of Mario Kart for years, with probably hundreds of hours under my belt on the Wii, 3DS, and even Switch versions of the game. Needless to say, I was pretty excited when Nintendo announced last year that it would be bringing an official Mario Kart game to mobile devices in the form of “Tour.” Sadly, after trying out the closed beta for a while, I’m left with a game that’s nothing but a time-killer that’s just a shell of the racing game I’ve loved.
Nintendo Stories February 24, 2019
[Update: Android Q build running] One developer is attempting to bring Android to the Nintendo Switch
It’s pretty crazy what kind of hardware can run Android, and almost more so what talented developers can get to run Google’s platform. Now, one developer is trying to bring Android to the Nintendo Switch, because why wouldn’t someone try that?
Nintendo Stories March 9, 2018
After a teaser and some early users reports earlier today, Google has officially announced a new event for Google Maps in celebration of Mario Day.
Google teases March 10th ‘Mario Day’ event on Maps as it starts popping up for some users
Google Maps often ties in with pop culture for special events or easter eggs, and apparently, there’s another one on the way.
Nintendo Stories February 1, 2018
Nintendo will bring ‘MarioKart Tour’ to mobile devices sometime in the next year
MarioKart is one of the best parts of any Nintendo console, but aside from some arcade games, the property has never really expanded to other platforms. Now, though, Nintendo is announcing a change to that with its next mobile game, “MarioKart Tour.”
Nintendo Stories January 25, 2018
Nintendo is shutting down ‘Miitomo’ social network/game on May 9th
Nintendo had a great year in 2017 on top of the success of its Switch console, but rewind just a year or two and the company wasn’t in a very good place. To supplement its struggling console business, Nintendo finally started experimenting with smartphone apps, and its first, “Miitomo,” is now shutting down.
Nintendo Stories December 5, 2017
The Nvidia Shield TV is an awesome streaming box for entertainment, but it’s arguably better used for gaming. Between Android games and GeForce Now, the Shield is a great platform for gamers. In China, though, the Shield is getting even better with a selection of Nintendo titles.
Nintendo Stories November 20, 2017
Nintendo’s Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp, first expected in March, coming to Android this week
The Android version of Nintendo’s Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp will be released on Wednesday, the company has announced. It was first expected back in March …
Nintendo Stories September 13, 2017
Nintendo Switch Online app updated to make voice chat less horrible
I absolutely love gaming on my Nintendo Switch, but I’ll be the first to admit Nintendo’s solutions for anything that involve online connectivity is absolutely terrible. That’s especially true with voice chat, but the company is making that a little better with its most recent app update.
Nintendo Stories July 19, 2017
As an avid user of the Nintendo Switch, one of its few sore points has been the lack of improved online functionality. Playing games is one thing, but being able to chat with your teammates adds a lot to the experience. Today, Nintendo has finally released its Nintendo Switch Online companion app for Android devices.
Nintendo Stories May 25, 2017
Pokémon fans have long been waiting for an official game to make its way to the App Store. Last week seemingly out of nowhere, the company announced it would be releasing a new game, titled Magikarp Jump. Having been released in select countries earlier this week, it is available now in the US and rest of the world.
Nintendo Stories February 2, 2017
Nintendo’s Fire Emblem Heroes arrives today on Android as expected
Nintendo’s latest mobile game Fire Emblem Heroes has today hit the Google Play store as expected. As with Super Mario Run, it’s a freemium game, but in theory at least you can unlock all the features for free through game play.
Nintendo Stories February 1, 2017
Animal Crossing may be the last Nintendo Android game this year as company states 2-3 games/year
We learned yesterday that Nintendo’s Animal Crossing – originally expected to make it onto Android devices in March – has been delayed until later in the year. If you were hoping for any further games from the company this year, though, you may be disappointed …
Nintendo Stories January 18, 2017
Following the release of Super Mario Run earlier this year on iOS, Nintendo today announced that the game will come to Android this March. The company also announced its next mobile game, Fire Emblem Heroes. After previously teasing it, the company today made Fire Emblem Heroes official and revealed the game will come to Android on February 2nd.
Nintendo Stories December 28, 2016
Initially announced and released as an iOS first in mid-December, Super Mario Run now has a Google Play Store listing. While not immediately available, users can pre-register and be alerted when the game is available to download.
Nintendo Stories September 7, 2016
Shortly before announcing the iPhone 7, Apple revealed that Nintendo would be launching the first official Mario title on mobile. Since it was announced at an Apple event, many falsely assumed that it was an iOS exclusive. Nintendo rather said it would be on iOS first, and now, Kotaku has obtained confirmation from Nintendo that the game will indeed be coming to Android in the future…
Nintendo Stories May 3, 2016
Many Nintendo fans were disappointed when the company chose to launch a new game Miitomo for its first move into mobile, rather than the popular Super Mario series. The company later revealed that it will be bringing existing Nintendo game franchises to iOS later this year, but again, no sign of Mario. Instead, we can expect Animal Crossing and Fire Emblem.
Engadget notes that Nintendo president Tatsumi Kimishima has offered some explanation for the decision.
Nintendo Stories April 27, 2016
Having already released its first mobile game Miitomo, a bespoke social networking game, Nintendo is now teasing the next round of games headed to mobile devices. Notably, unlike Miitomo, these are going to be versions of existing successful Nintendo franchises: Animal Crossing and Fire Emblem.
Although Animal Crossing is not quite on the same podium as Super Mario, it is still major first-party intellectual property for Nintendo to release on non-Nintendo consoles for the first time. The new smartphone and tablet titles are expected to be released later this year, around October.
Nintendo Stories March 29, 2016
Nintendo’s first Android game Miitomo will launch in US & other countries on March 31
Update: The Miitomo app is now available on the Play Store.
The game is already available in Japan— that’s how Jeff managed to go hands-on in our first look video earlier this month— but today Nintendo confirmed that its first smartphone game, Miitomo, will officially arrive in the US on March 31st.
The game isn’t exactly bringing over any of Nintendo’s very popular first party franchises to Android devices, but it does feature known Mii characters and, as we noted in our review, the release feels very much like a Nintendo title:
When you first start Miitomo, it’s immediately recognizable as a Nintendo title. It feels like someone took my Nintendo Wii and shrunk it down to fit inside of my iPhone 6s. The music and sound effects, most notably, are of the characteristic Nintendo style. The Miis themselves look just like the Miis on the game-maker’s handheld and home consoles. The writing — witty, with just a hint of corniness thrown in for good measure — is classic Nintendo.
Nintendo noted in its press release today that Miitomo was downloaded over a million times in the first three days after launch in Japan and it also managed to become the #1 most downloaded free app in both the App Store and Google Play.
While Nintendo didn’t mention other countries by name today, it did say that “several other countries” will receive the title on the 31st alongside users in the US.
Check out our review of the game on our sister site 9to5Mac from earlier this month to get a first look before it officially arrives in the US and other countries on the 31st.
Nintendo Stories March 24, 2016
First look at gameplay from the upcoming Pokémon Go Android game
After announcing a deal in September to produce a Pokémon Go games with Nintendo and Alphabet-owned Niantic, the Pokémon people are today showing a little more about how gameplay will work and giving us a first look at the title coming to both Android and iOS devices.
The game uses augmented reality features to blend real world objects and locations with the gameplay, and the company today gave the run down and a look at how exactly that will work:
Nintendo Stories March 4, 2016
Nintendo Stories February 3, 2016
Nintendo: Our second mobile game will feature a ‘very familiar’ character
When Nintendo first announced that it would finally be launching a smartphone game, it’s safe to say, many of us children of the 90’s got a little excited. Sadly, we got excited too soon. Excitement turned to bemusement once the company revealed it would be launching a weird game called Miitomo, which wasn’t exactly a game, but rather a social network.
Following its disappointing Q4 results, Nintendo has confirmed that its second title would include a “very familiar character”, and won’t be another social network attempt. It did, however, stop short of confirming exactly which character we’re going to see.
Nintendo Stories September 14, 2015
Google celebrates the birthday of Super Mario Bros. w/ new Easter egg [Video]
It was the birthday of Super Mario Bros. yesterday, and Google is celebrating with a new Easter egg in search. It’s not as extravagant as some other permanent jokes (like the infamous “Do a barrel roll”), but it’s pretty cute nonetheless.
Head over to Google and search for “Super Mario Bros” and then check out the right hand side of the page. Right below the box art and screenshots, you’ll find a familiar question mark box. Of course, clicking it will get you 200 points.
Check out the video below:
Nintendo Stories September 7, 2015
This YouTuber got Game Boy Advance games running on Android Wear [Video]
We told you almost a year ago that one developer had managed to get Game Boy Color games running on Android Wear, but now someone has managed to do one better. In a recently-uploaded video shared by “Hacking Jules“, we can see Game Boy Advance games running on an LG G Watch — the oldest of the Android Wear. As usual, we in the Android community don’t need rhyme or reason for our tinkering…
As we can see in the below video, the emulator that this one particular user got running on his or her Android Wear watch is “My Boy!”, which can be found on the Play Store for just about $5. It’s pretty hilarious seeing the old Mario Kart for GBA played on a watch with a screen as tiny as this. For all intents and purposes, it’s completely unplayable. The controls completely cover the screen, and your finger would cover it more.
Nonetheless, check out the video below:
Nintendo Stories August 21, 2015
9to5Toys Lunch Break: Beats Studio Wireless Headphones $229, Garmin nuvi GPS $149, more
Keep up with the best gear and deals on the web by signing up for the 9to5Toys Newsletter. Also, be sure to check us out on: Twitter, RSS Feed, Facebook, Google+ and Safari push notifications.
Beats Studio Wireless Headphones in titanium color: $229.99 shipped (Orig: $380)
Refurbished Garmin nuvi 2699LMT HD 6” GPS with Lifetime Maps & HD Traffic: $149.99 shipped with promo code POI (Orig: $270)
Jawbone UP Fitness Tracker (4 color choices): $25 shipped (Orig: $50)
Refurbished ARRIS SURFboard SB6121 DOCSIS 3.0 Cable Modem: $39.99 shipped (Orig: $99.99)
In today’s best game/app deals, over at Amazon you can grab the hybrid SmaAcc Vertical PS4 Stand w/ Cooling Fans + Dual Charger Station for $19.99 shipped using code JCPO6UZU during checkout. That’s $5 under the current best price and the lowest we can find. The official PS4 vertical stand from Sony will run you $20 Prime shipped on its own without he extra goodies.
It’s your last chance to hit the Mac Game Store Back-to-School sale offering up to 80% off a massive selection of Mac titles. One standout of the many, is Borderlands 2 Complete Edition for $29.99, which includes the GOTY edition of the game and the plethora of DLC that released for it.
Move over Super Smash Bros., the Pokémon tournament fighter is coming to Wii U in the Spring
SLICK’s motorized mount takes the bumps out of your GoPro videos
Beyerdynamic takes its pro-audio pedigree to the streets with these new custom headphones
Nintendo Stories June 23, 2015
Partly-owned-by-Nintendo The Pokémon Company has today launched its very first Android app on the Play Store, called Pokémon Jukebox. As you might expect, this isn’t one the five actual game titles that we should expect to see from Nintendo before March 2017, but it is an official offering from The Pokemon Company and it’s available right now. With Pokémon Jukebox, you can play hundreds of sounds from a huge catalog of Pokémon games. But sadly, while the app itself is free, actually using Jukebox is far from cheap… expand full story
Nintendo Stories June 1, 2015
Update: The WSJ is reporting that Nintendo has denied the suggestion:
There is no truth to the report saying that we are planning to adopt Android for NX
Nintendo has been keeping quiet about its plans for its NX games console, due to launch next year, but a report in Nikkei claims that the system will run Android.
The report suggests Nintendo is planning the shift away from its own operating system as a means of bringing more games developers on board after the Wii U was left with almost no non-Nintendo titles available for it … expand full story
Nintendo Stories May 8, 2015
We learned back in March that Nintendo would finally be creating games for smartphones and tablets, featuring Mario and other popular characters – though not in their original games. Today brings a mix of bad and good news …
The bad news is that Nintendo announced in its financial results presentation that it is planning to release just five games by March 2017.
Regarding the number of the titles, you may want to know that we will release approximately five titles by the end of the next fiscal year, which is the end of March 2017.
The company says that while it recognizes this will be seen as a small number, there are good reasons behind the decision … expand full story
Nintendo Stories April 1, 2015
9to5Toys Last Call: Moto X 2014 (unlocked) $360, Moto 360 $200, Amazon free app – Quell Reflect, more
Keep up with the best gear and deals on the web by signing up for the 9to5Toys Newsletter. Also, be sure to check us out on: Twitter, RSS Feed, Facebook, Google+ and Safari push notifications.
Nintendo Stories March 31, 2015
9to5Toys Last Call: LG G3 (unlocked) $320, QNAP 2-Bay NAS $149, Galaxy Note 3 (unlocked) $294, more
Keep up with the best gear and deals on the web by signing up for the 9to5Toys Newsletter. Also, be sure to check us out on: Twitter, RSS Feed, Facebook, Google+ and Safari push notifications.
Nintendo Stories November 28, 2014
TechCrunch points to a newly published patent filed by Nintendo that shows the company is interested in bringing Game Boy titles to mobile devices through emulation technology. Many emulators exist online to mimic old consoles and allow gamers to play back catalogs of games converted to ROM files on Macs and PCs, and Nintendo could possibly do the same to officially bring titles to mobile devices without much heavy lifting in terms of rewriting the games: expand full story
Nintendo Stories May 27, 2014
After a long battle with YouTubers, Nintendo is ready to compromise. The house that Mario built is ready to play nice with content creators and will soon launch a YouTube affiliate program. According to a pair of tweets from the official Nintendo of Japan Twitter account, the company will share revenue with content producers who make approved gameplay videos under its new YouTube-friendly setup. Nintendo has yet to announce any further details, such as content requirements or when the program will go live, so everyone may not be welcomed. However, it’ll also be interesting to see how this new initiative coincides with the upcoming release of Mario Kart 8, which just so happens to have a YouTube upload feature built directly into the game.
Nintendo Stories May 12, 2014
Two of Valve’s most recognizable games are now available for the Android-powered NVIDIA Shield, after being teased last week to several online publications. The above crowbar — a tool that is used throughout Half-Life 2 — was sent to AndroidPolice‘s Michael Crider, depicting both an NVIDIA Shield device and the lambda, which represents the Half-Life series.
Besides Half-Life 2, Valve also released Portal for Android today. Both games are on sale at the Play Store for $9.99, though they are only compatible with the NVIDIA Shield. expand full story
Nintendo Stories February 14, 2013
Google rolled out the official YouTube app for Wii U in November, allowing users to browse channels and categories from the GamePad and view the video in 1080p on their TVs. Today, as previously announced, Google is rolling out its new Google Maps and Street View solution for Wii U owners with the Wii Street U app available now on the Wii U eShop. The app allows users to view street view and 360 degree content and easily navigate Google Maps using the Wii U GamePad:
With Wii Street Utm powered by Google, you can step into Google Street View with an immersive experience that will make you feel like you’re actually there! View a 360 degree Google Maps Street View of locations all over the world using the Wii Utm GamePad controller’s motion controls. Jumping to a location is easy—just use the GamePad touch screen to type in an address or location and start exploring, or instantly travel to over 70 fascinating, hand-picked locations around the globe.
A video of the app in action is below: expand full story
Nintendo Stories November 22, 2012
YouTube app now available on Nintendo Wii U
YouTube recently rolled out an app to the Nintendo Wii Shop Channel for Wii users, and today it announced on the Official YouTube Blog that the app is now available for Wii U owners. While it appears you won’t be able to watch actual video from the GamePad, you will be able to search, flip through subscribed channels and categories, and view any video in 1080p on the big screen. The YouTube app is available as a free download from the Nintendo Wii U main menu.
Nintendo Stories March 31, 2012
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rznYifPHxDg]
Love this. And it is not “just for Nintendo.” It is for everyone.
(Also, notice the “Google Store”? That might not be a joke.)
Nintendo Stories November 9, 2011
Nintendo president Satoru Iwata declared Apple and iOS as the “enemy of the future” back in 2010. Not only was he right, according to new estimates for the U.S. portable game software by revenue from Flurry Analytics, 2011 seen Nintendo’s grip on the market slide even further as iOS and Android games triple their marketshare from 20% in 2009 to 60% during 2011.
The graphic above shows U.S. revenue for Flurry’s portable gaming category- a category that now includes Nintendo DS, Sony PSP, iOS, and Android. As you can see, iOS and Android have together taken the lead from Nintendo with 58% of revenues in comparison to last year’s 34%. In comparison, Nintendo DS held 57% during 2010, while dropping to just 36% in 2011. Total US revenue jumped from $2.7 billion in 2009 to $3.3 billion in 2011.
When comparing combined game revenues of the two veterans– Sony and Nintendo– with the combined revenues of the two new guys– Apple and Google– 2011 will be the first year where the emerging platforms dominate with iOS and Android estimated to take in $1.9 billion in comparison to the DS and PSP’s $1.4 billion. That accounts for a $200 million drop for Sony and Nintendo and $1.1 billion increase for iOS and Android from 2010. Perhaps investors were right to urge Nintendo to begin developing iOS titles.
As for Nintendo, the company who captured approximately two-thirds of the market in 2009 has seen their “enemy of the future” demote them to just a third of the market. Sony clearly has some catching up to do, but is hard at work on highly anticipated new handheld devices for 2012. expand full story
