The UK’s top 50 best-selling boxed games of 2014 have been revealed. As revealed in the latest issue of MCV, FIFA 15, Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare and Grand Theft Auto 5 were the UK’s top three best-selling games last year, with new IPs Destiny and Watch Dogs following at numbers 4 and 5 respectively.
With the way things are shaping up, it looks like Nintendo will experience a perfect storm for a huge month in February. This week, Nintendo announced that the New Nintendo 3DS XL model will hit the shelves on February 13. This includes two new special editions. Also, The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask 3D hits the shelves on February 13. What else is on the horizon? A new wave of Amiibo figurines will hit the shelves in the same month. The Amiibo craze has really caught on; and the added attraction for the New Nintendo 3DS XL is that the new portable console model will have Amiibo compatibility. With all of these factors coming together, February should be a great month for Nintendo.
Those who have purchased and registered Super Smash Bros for Wii U and 3DS on Club Nintendo will soon receive two soundtrack CDs including tracks taken from the two games. While we have known most of the tracks included in the Super Smash Bros. Double CD Soundtrack, the full tracklist had yet to be revealed.
Nintendo recently released an extended gameplay trailer for Kirby and the Rainbow Curse, a new upcoming touch-play platform game for the Kirby franchise. One exciting new feature is that the game will be compatible with Nintendo’s Amiibo figurine line. The Amiibo figurines of Kirby, Meta Knight and King Dedede are all compatible with the game. The game will allow players to scan the Amiibo figurines once per day to get a special power-up for one stage. Kirby can gain an unlimited Star Dash Power. Meta Knight gives Kirby an attack bonus with a Meta Knight Mask. King Dedede gets grants Kirby a defense bonus and additional hitpoints through a gift hat. The game offers additional compatibility between the Amiibos and first-party Wii U games– a great feature. However, Nintendo is still only scratching the surface of the potential Amiibos can offer. Nintendo should be offering much more through the Amiibo line.
Nintendo Amiibo fever is in full swing. The train has left the station, and there is literally no stopping it. Retailers are now carrying store exclusive Amiibo figurines. Target specifically is carrying its own store exclusive Amiibo figurine featuring Rosalina & Luma (they are packaged together as one figurine). According to Amiibo Inquirer, so much chaos ensued to pre-order the Rosalina & Luma figurine last month, that Target had to actually cut off pre-orders. The incorporation of toys-to-life by Nintendo was a brilliant strategy. 2014 and 2015 could go down as major comeback years for Nintendo. From a business perspective, the availability of exclusive figurines in other stores is a brilliant strategy.
A few months ago, when Nintendo officially revealed its amiibo figures, it’s been confirmed that eventually all Super Smash Bros. for Wii and 3DS fighters would be released as amiibos.