Breaking Down Nintendo's 3DS XL

The rumors were real. The announcement wasn't made at this year's E3, to the surprise of some, but sure enough Nintendo did have a new revision of its portable 3DS hardware to unveil – the Nintendo 3DS XL, shipping to stores around the world in just a matter of weeks. As with any new hardware announcement, there are lots of details to absorb regarding this XL upgrade. So we've compiled them all together here, along with some snazzy visuals, to help you better understand how the 3DS XL is different than the original 3DS.

The Basics

With any new product launch, it's best to first understand the basics. When will we be able to buy it? How much will it cost? And what different versions will be sitting on the store shelves? Let's address those questions first:

The Size Comparison

OK, so those were the basics of when and how to buy. But why would we want to? Is the 3DS XL really all that much larger than the standard 3DS? Let's take a look:

The Games' Visual Comparison

Fine, fine, so the 3DS XL looks larger. But how does that actually translate into gameplay? How much bigger can we expect the viewing area to be? Here are some examples for that issue:

The Hardware Details

Alright, so we'll assume you're convinced about the visuals. But what about the rest of the hardware? The 3DS had issues to address beyond screen size. Here are some other cosmetic changes that have been made:

In Conclusion, and Other Details

The 3DS XL is a fairly straightforward up-sizing of the original 3DS hardware, bringing Nintendo's latest portable back to generally the same dimensions as the DSi XL from 2010. The images above should give you a good sense of what you'll be buying – if you decide to buy – and how it'll be different that what you may be used to already.

Beyond what we illustrated above, there are a few other details to note. There will be no AC adapter included in the box for Japanese and European purchasers. The stylus has shifted to insert on the side of the system instead of the back – and it's no longer a "telescoping" model. There will be a System Transfer utility to bring all of your games, save data, StreetPass Mii Plaza puzzle pieces and more straight over to the new system so you won't lose any progress you've made on your first 3DS. The XL will now come with a 4GB SD card instead of the 3DS's standard 2 GB card. The difference will be noticeable, though not perfect. Check out our feature analyzing 3DS, Wii and HD game sizes for a better picture on what kind of space you might need.

The new system's 1:1 pixel mode should make original DS cartridges, DSiWare games and 3DS Virtual Console titles more crisp and clear when compared to the "blurry" effect the first 3DS applies to those game's visuals. And, if you've encountered trouble with low battery life, Nintendo promises that the 3DS XL will last longer on a single charge than the original 3DS as well – between 3.5 and 6.5 hours, compared to the 3-5 hour time span estimated for good old 3DS Normal.

So what do you think? Are the upgrades enough that you'll fork over the cash for a new system? Or were you holding out on buying a 3DS from the start? Let us know how the details for the XL stack up in your mind through the comments box below.

Source : ign[dot]com

E3 2012: PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale Coming to Vita

After lots of rumors, Sony officially confirmed PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale for the PlayStation Vita today. The news and info about crossplay (PS3 users can play Vita users and vice versa) came at the PlayStation E3 press conference. It was demoed live, with two players battling on Vita while two others used a PS3.

Source : http://www.ign.com/articles/2012/06/05/e3-2012-playstation-all-stars-battle-royale-coming-to-vita

Did THQ Lay Off Employees Today?

Rumors are circulating on Twitter that THQ laid off employees at its San Diego studio today. This comes on the heels of the news that THQ no longer holds the the official Ultimate Fighting Championship license, as EA officially announced a multi-year, multi-title deal with the sports franchise. THQ was asked for comment about the layoffs, but only responded with a press release about the "transition of the ultimate fighting championship videogame rights," so it's unclear if the rumors are true or have anything to do with today's licensing news.

Tomorrow, 6/5 THQ will hold an investor meeting call prior to the Nintendo Press Conference, so hopefully this will be cleared up then. Stay tuned for more details as they're made available.

Source : http://www.ign.com/articles/2012/06/05/did-thq-lay-off-employees-today

Forte Denies MacGruber 2

A couple weeks ago, rumors were circulating that writer-director Jorma Taccone was developing MacGruber 2 with star Will Forte and co-writer John Solomon. However, Forte recently pumped the breaks on that idea during a press conference for That's My Boy.

"As for MacGruber 2, it's very much in the works. We're just... no, I'm kidding. Jorma mentioned it," Forte said according to Ain't It Cool News. "He was really tired one morning giving an interview, and he said something stupid about it. Believe me, we would love -- we had so much fun doing that. We're proud of it, and we jokingly talk about the sequel all the time. But I don't think anybody in their right mind would give us any money for it. If somebody gives us money for it --"

Interjected Andy Samberg, "I'll give you a thousand bucks right now."

"There is going to be a MacGruber 2 then," Forte said. "Funded by Andy Samberg."

"On a flipcam."

So there you have it. Unless Andy Samberg makes good on his word, it sounds like we'll have to keep on waiting for that MacGruber sequel. Nevertheless, Forte went on to express his gratitude to everyone who's embraced the first film and suggested that there may be "one alternate universe in a series of parallel universes" where MacGruber 2 gets made. Unfortunately, that's probably not our universe he's talking about.

Source : http://www.ign.com/articles/2012/06/04/forte-denies-macgruber-2

Report: New Castlevania Game Coming to 3DS

This week is just brimming with rumors, from the revised Wii U controller to the Star Fox/Metroid crossover. Adding to the pile is a rumor that has gained some steam recently - that a new Castlevania game, called Castlevania: Mirror of Fate, is being developed for 3DS.

As reported by Paul Gale Network, as well as a variety of other sources, the game is purportedly a 2D adventure that stars two different playable characters and features co-op play. The game apparently strives to make creative use of the 3DS’s cameras, with the forward-facing camera acting as some sort of mirror and the outward facing one being utilized for a new puzzle-solving mechanic.

If it's as good as Dawn of Sorrow (above), count us in.

A Wii U version was apparently also in development, but has since been canned in favor of a sequel to Castlevania: Lords of Shadow. The rumored Lords of Shadow 2 will reportedly be cross-platform, coming to Wii U, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Vita. The Wii U version will supposedly support 3DS connectivity, and will be an upgraded port of the PS3 and Xbox 360 build.

For more juicy rumors and exciting revelations leading up to E3, keep it locked on IGN.

Source : http://www.ign.com

Iron Man 3: What Takes Him to China?

New purported plot details for Iron Man 3 reveal the role China plays in the Marvel sequel. Just in case these rumors prove true then consider this a SPOILER warning.

We've known for awhile that Infernal Affairs and House of Flying Daggers star Andy Lau was going to be in Iron Man 3. Now this Andy Lau fan site points out a video report from China's Apple Daily that claims Lau will play a friend of Tony Stark's in China who will help him in his battle against the Mandarin.

The report further claims Iron Man has come to China to rescue a friend's daughter who was kidnapped in America and brought overseas. Chinese actresses Bingbing Fan is said to have been cast as Lau's wife and Yang Mi as his assistant.

The Mandarin (Ben Kingsley's not-so-secret villain role) has reportedly been altered from his comic book roots so as to not harm the Chinese image. (Iron Man 3 is a Chinese co-production.)

Iron Man 3 begins shooting in North Carolina before moving on to Beijing and Shanghai. The movie will reportedly see Iron Man fly over the Great Wall of China, the National Palace Museum and various landmarks in Shanghai.

Thanks to Latino Review and CBM for the head's-up!

Source : http://www.ign.com/articles/2012/05/19/iron-man-3-what-takes-him-to-china

Ask Us Questions On Feedback! Ads By Google » Blog Tags Today's Most Popular Videos »

Tons of rumors are pouring in from gaming outlets all over the world, like rumors that Internet Explorer will be added to Xbox or rumors about Beyond Good & Evil 2 being a next gen title.  Next week on Feedback we're going to be discussing the rumors, the speculation and the hype leading up to 2012's E3. Have you heard any rumors that you would like us to discuss? Do you have any questions about what we expect to see at the convention? Ask us anything! The time is now!


Source : http://www.g4tv.com/thefeed/blog/post/723677/ask-us-questions-on-feedback/