As Polygon reported yesterday, Nintendo president Satoru Iwata said that the company will not have a traditional press conference at the E3 2013 trade show. Instead, the company will focus on smaller events. Whether this is a sound strategy or not remains to be seen. What’s certain is that is creates a perception problem for Nintendo. Its major competitors, Microsoft and Sony, are going large with events to promote upcoming console hardware. By not having a competing presser, many pundits believe that the company looks weak, whether that’s a … more

It looks like the only noteworthy game shipping this week is Injustice: Gods Among Us. Comic-book fanboys and fighting-game aficionados will definitely want to keep their eyes on this one. One of my videogame writer friends was raving about the game last night, saying that it’s lots of fun and comparable to the most recent Mortal Kombat game. As a mark from DC Comics (Nightwing rules!) and one of the people that actually enjoyed Mortal Kombat vs DC Universe, I’m excited for this…but really, I’m excited for any … more

I was surprised and thrilled to see that The Legend of Zelda: Hyrule Historia topped The NY Times best-seller list for “hardcover advice & misc.” The book is a collaboration between Nintendo and Dark Horse Books. It tells the history of The Legend of Zelda franchise, outlines the official canon, and is illustrated by tons of fantastic concept art. Hyrule Historia features contributions from Shigeru Miyamoto, Eiji Aonuma, and Akira Himekawa. Here’s the Amazon.com description:

Dark Horse Books and Nintendo team up to bring you The Legend of Zelda: Hyrule

… more

After 12 months of heated battle, the results are in! Here are the 10 best-selling videogames according to the NPD Group. This list counts for console games sold at retail in the United States.

1. Call of Duty: Black Ops II
2. Madden NFL 13
3. Halo 4
4. Assassin’s Creed III
5. Just Dance 4
6. NBA 2K13
7. Borderlands 2
8. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3
9. LEGO Batman 2: DC Super Heroes
10. FIFA Soccer 13

There are several fascinating takeaways here. First, it’s awfully impressive that there are two Call of Duty games on … more

Artist Casey Edwards is selling prints of Super Mario Bros. characters decked out like X-Men. The complete set runs $30 and consists of four prints that feature two characters each. Here’s the lineup:

• Mario as Wolverine
• Princess Peach as Phoenix
• Luigi as Cyclops
• Yoshi as Rogue
• Donkey Kong as Colossus
• Diddy Kong as Nightcrawler
• Blue Toad as Angel
• Yellow Toad as Jubilee

The art is…more

2012 was a rough year for the console gaming business. A lot of people believe that mobile devices and the vast improvement in the quality of mobile games are the key reasons for the decline in console game sales. Others believe that the current generation is simply long in the tooth and new hardware is needed to kickstart the console business. Some believe that the three major console companies haven’t done enough with digital distribution and relying on the boxed-disc model has hurt sales. Whatever the reason, sales figures are … more

Any of you buy a Wii U? What games are you picking up for your new console? In addition to Nintendo’s major release, there are several games set to entertain you over Thanksgiving weekend. PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale is a super-fun brawler that brings numerous iconic videogame characters together. Agent 47 makes his return in Hitman: Absolution. Fans of cartoon adventures will want to check out Rise of the Guardians, while those with a predilection for military games will want to check out History Legends of War: … more

It’s an absolutely loaded week for game releases, with heavy hitters like WWE 13 and Assassin’s Creed III hitting store shelves. The latter is accompanied by Assassin’s Creed III: Liberation, which serves as a companion quest for the PlayStation Vita. But wait, there’s more! Need For Speed: Most Wanted might have a recycled name, but it (allegedly) brings all-new racing-action to the table. Ragnarok Odyssey brings the world of the hugely popular Ragnarok Online to the Vita. A group of Konami classics gets the compilation treatment in Zone of … more