Many of us have been following 3DS Buzz since before the system itself was launched, including myself. When the opportunity for the site to grow came along, I was fortunate enough to be plucked from the ether to have a thoroughly enjoyable time helping to bring the latest and greatest 3DS updates to you lovely lot. And what updates they’ve been! From a console that launched with no browser, no eShop and a launch lineup lacking in some big names, the Nintendo 3DS is now expanding monthly into new directions, with big titles and forgotten franchises alike finding a new home on that stereoscopic screen of splendour.

It’s been a pleasure to serve!

Every day has thrown up a new surprise and a new reason to remind us all why 3DS ownership really is the cat’s pyjamas. I’ve been fortunate enough to write for a warm and engaging community who have more than accepted my penchant for piratical references and outright silliness, and to know that so many of you have been out there reading the words of myself and my fellow writers has been consistently humbling and gratifying.

It’s surreal in a way to think that from tomorrow onwards I’ll no longer be contributing to the site, let alone excitedly conveying to you all what the titular ‘buzz’ about the 3DS actually is. But as a fan of the system, it’s been an amazing privilege not only being on the forefront of the system’s growth, but relaying it to all of you and seeing the discussions it fosters in turn.

It’s the sincerest hope of us all that you’ll continue to find new friends, play more games and continue talking about the state of play for that eccentric little handheld that could. Rest assured that though I’ll no longer be writing for you, I’ll still be gaming alongside you in earnest; perhaps soon I’ll see you on the circuit in Mario Kart 7, lose disastrously to your ace serves in Mario Tennis Open, help you hoover up some spectres in Luigi’s Mansion 2 or doom my entire squad to your tactical moxie in Fire Emblem: Awakening. Which I’m so bad at, by the way, I made a wonky webcomic about it.

Talking of which, I’m off writing for a corporate magazine alongside my contributions to PopBucket soon (two other writing gigs I somehow muddled my way into), but there’s no reason not to keep in touch. My peculiarity and associated doodlings can be found in abundance over on Twitter, should you in any way wish to subject yourself to the burblings of a madman.

As the focus of 3DS Buzz changes, it falls to you, our ever-stoic community, to keep the spirit of 3DS discussion alive. I reiterate that it’s been a tremendous honour furnishing you with 3DS news and discussion over the years, and this will forever be a role I’ll look back on with fondness, pride and a sense of the warm fuzzies that you, yes you, helped put there.

Now, enough of this soppiness! There’s a mansion to vacuum, an army to march to embarrassing oh-snap-hit-the-Home-menu-and-don’t-save-that doom, the princess of Hyrule to save, plenty of online racers to jostle for the lead with… and that’s before we get to Pokémon X and Y, Fantasy Life, the localisation of Bravely Default, the courtroom drama of Ace Attorney 5…

Something tells me that we’re only just getting started!

I would say that I’m more proud that I put 3DS Buzz together, a website which was visited by 300,000 people in one month. That’s twice as many people as you can see here:

Sadly reporting news on 3DS Buzz no longer makes enough money to support itself. The reason is that Google has started sending people searching for 3DS information to very well established websites with a handful of pages relating to the 3DS, like Amazon, instead of independent websites which are dedicated to the subject.

But 3DS Buzz isn’t going away, it is just changing.

Our forums are still as active as ever and they are a lovely place to hang out and kill some time. They are going to become the main focus of 3DS Buzz, and as the site will now be all about chatting, the name “3DS Buzz” makes more sense! It’s as if it was the plan all along… but no, it wasn’t.

My goal with 3DS Buzz was simply to make the best 3DS resource on the Internet. I could never do that on my own. I had so much help that I don’t know where to begin talking about it. There were writers that went way beyond the call of duty to help entertain and inform us all. Forum members who wanted to actively help to make it a better place. Facebook users who shared our stuff. Editors of the 3DS Wiki who gave up their time to make a useful resource for other people.

3DS Buzz isn’t going away, so today I’m just going to pay this tribute to the writers who have been keeping us updated on the latest 3DS news for the past 3 years. Here’s a rundown of the top contributing writers and how many posts they each contributed.

Adam Sparks – 115

Ben Bertoli – 111

Feld0 – 98 (Community manager and the guy who got 3DS Buzz mentioned on every major gaming website for the first time)

James Day – 96

Jordan Bayes – 163 (Who stayed on right until the bitter end)

Jorge Fernandez – 347 (One of the first group of 3 writers)

Luke Kemp – 185 (Editor)

Sam Walking – 234 (Current community manager)

Stuart Young – 178 (One of our first writers)

Tony White – 770 (The most prolific writer and stayed with us until the end)

Will Wood – 232

All of them have been lovely and talented people who have been great to work with.

I’ve only written 150 posts myself. My main contribution to 3DS Buzz has been organising stuff, promoting it and coding stuff. So it’s only fitting that my final post includes something I’ve coded to look back over the 3,000 articles which have been posted. You can see it here (if it doesn’t cash the servers).

I hope to see you in the forums and at my new website Game ‘n’ Match.

And thank you for reading 3DS Buzz. Without you we would never have got this far.

Special Editions

When Nintendo announced they were bringing the special edition Pikachu 3DS XL to the states I was both excited and aggravated  Why aggravated? Because I had just received a blue 3DS XL for Christmas. I was holding out for a special edition and none had been announced. With the recent reveal of the Animal Crossing special edition 3DS XL I can only hope that Nintendo of America brings more wonderful pieces of hardware to the world outside Japan. That Charazard version is pretty hot. GET IT!?

eShop Gems

The eShop was another part of the 3DS that got off to a slow start. Even though it took a while to get going it’s now a driving force for Nintendo’s funky handheld. Titles like Pushmo, Dillon’s Rolling Western, and HarmoKnight have shown us that the developers at Nintendo know what they’re doing. All I ask is that Nintendo keeps putting out quality titles for the eShop. Obviously digital purchases are becoming a big push in the world of video games, so let’s hope Nintendo keeps up. Also demos! The more demos the better.

Super Smash Bros 3DS

My first 3DS Buzz article was about how great it would be to have a Smash Bros title on the 3DS. That dream has come true. Well… at least the game has been announced. Smash Bros isn’t just my favorite fighting game (That’s right I said FIGHTING GAME) it’s my favorite series of all time. Some times the jump from console to portable system doesn’t go so well, other times it goes wonderfully. Look at Luigi’s Mansion: Dark Moon, it’s a fantastic sequel to a game that came out for a major home console. My biggest hope for the 3DS is that its Smash Bros title will be one of the best in the series. Online play, cross system features with the Wii U, various new fighters and stages – Nintendo needs to pull out all the stops. 

That’s all I have, 3DS Buzz readers. I had a fun time entertaining you with my many list, features and new articles, but there’s a hunted mansion calling my name. Now where did I put that vacuum…

Theatrhythm: Final Fantasy- Suteki Da Ne

The first track that I bring to you on this sad day is an appropriately melancholic track. Suteki Da Ne from Theatrhythm: Final Fantasy (Final Fantasy X originally) is one of my favorite tracks in any Final Fantasy game. The Final Fantasy series holds a very special place in my heart and Final Fantasy X was one of the first games that I played that made me really feel emotional. The characters, the storytelling, and possibly more than anything, the soundtrack really brought me into that world in a way that no game ever had before.

Theatrhythm: Final Fantasy- To Zanarkand

The next track that I bring to you today also originally comes from Final Fantasy X and was then put in Theatrhythm: Final Fantasy on the 3DS. To Zanarkand is probably the most memorable track in Final Fantasy X for many people. It is the first track that you hear playing in the game while Tidus stands on a hill telling the player, “This may be our last chance.” It is a very powerful scene and you can see that times are desperate. Despite this, the world around them, though seemingly a wasteland, is beautiful beyond belief. This track feels the same way in my mind. The track is sad for sure, but despite this, it sounds extremely beautiful. It sums up much of the later world of Final Fantasy X very well.

Thanks to RC for these two music selection!

Animal Crossing- K.K. Bossa

The next track that I bring you today comes from the Animal Crossing series! K.K. Bossa is played by K.K. Slider in all of the games. This track is notable among fans of the series as the only song to actually be given words. It is sung in Animalese in the games but there are lyrics for the track that can be looked up. People have sung the song themselves and I really enjoy hearing those renditions of the track as well. Below is someone singing K.K. Bossa in English and above is the original track.

I recommend giving both a listen!

Thanks to netbook for the music selection!

Shin Megami Tensei: Soul Hackers- Tenkai Airport

The next track that I bring to you on this welcome opportunity is Tenkai Airport from the newly released Soul Hackers! I’m a big fan of the soundtrack in Soul Hackers so far. The cool techno pop vibe really mixes well with the futuristic city element. Tenkai Airport has a nice ephemeral feel to it. It makes me feel as though I am floating through the environment which, oddly enough, works well since the game is played from a first person perspective. The low key piano music mixes with the techno well to provide a sound that is upbeat but tinged with sadness as well. Be sure to check out the game if you like this because it comes with an arranged soundtrack that you can listen to at your leisure.

Fire Emblem: Awakening- ID (Purpose)

The next track that I bring you on this lucky day is ID (Purpose) from Fire Emblem: Awakening on the 3DS! I was super unsure whether or not I would enjoy Fire Emblem: Awakening prior to picking it up. I had played the ambassador Fire Emblem on my 3DS but that was all. After finding a copy (it took a week!) I was pleasantly surprised with the game. Not only was it fun, but right from the get go I knew that I was in for an aural treat. The opening movie featured some of the fantastic music that I have come to associate with Fire Emblem and those tracks never stopped throughout the entire experience. ID (Purpose) is one of the many fantastic tracks on display in Fire Emblem: Awakening that should please anyone that listens.

Thanks to Golbez for the music selection!

Ninja Gaiden- Act 4 Part 2

The next track that I bring to you today is Act 4 Part 2 from Ninja Gaiden on the NES! This game is remembered primarily for its punishing difficulty but also for its superb soundtrack. Act 4 Part 2 showcases some of that fantastic chiptune beats that are on display in Ninja Gaiden. The loops in this track are the perfect length to keep the tension in the game high and keep the player’s blood pumping. The team at Tecmo definitely knew what they were doing when they put together this fantastic soundtrack.

Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days- Vector to the Heavens

The next track that I bring to you today comes from the DS game, Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days! I was a big fan of this game despite it reusing so many of the same areas from Kingdom Hearts and Kingdom Hearts 2. A big part of that comes from the soundtrack honestly. I love all of Kingdom Hearts’ music and the pieces made to not fit particular worlds, but to fit the story are absolutely amazing. Vector to the Heavens is probably the standout track from 358/2 Days for me. It has a hint of Dearly Beloved within it at points but I think that it defines itself enough to stand on its own as a great piece of music. Now then, who will I have ice cream with?

Thanks to TradeMark for the music selection!

Super Mario Galaxy: Melty Molten Galaxy

The next track that I bring to you comes from the fantastic Wii game, Super Mario Galaxy! Right after The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, Super Mario Galaxy has to be the Wii game that I most anticipated before release. I remember thinking that this game looked much better visually than any other Wii game to date. I also played through the entire game in two sittings. But who could stop themselves with music this fantastic? Melty Molten Galaxy is one of the most memorable areas as well as tracks in my mind. That area in the game was super beautiful and the track that accompanies the galaxy is equally as beautiful. I’m especially a fan of the synth sound around the 1:10 mark. It gives it a very outer space feel to it that is perfect for the game. Melty Molten Galaxy is a fantastic track that you all should put your ears to now!

Thanks to Klobb for the music selection!

Pokemon Red/Blue- Battle vs. Wild Pokemon

The next track that I bring to you today is Battle vs. Wild Pokemon from Pokemon Red and Blue! In the Pokemon games, wild battles make up the bulk of your time. You will fight hundreds and hundreds of battles over the course of the games. This means that the music that plays during these fights is extremely important. Who wants to spend hours and hours in battles while some annoying music plays in the background? Luckily, the music on display here is top notch. It has a sound that is really unique to the Pokemon series. Jumping anywhere into this track, I will remember it instantly. It provides the fast paced background music necessary for players to keep their attention on the battle at hand.

Super Mario Theme- Everything

The next track that I bring to you is the Super Mario Theme from basically everything ever! Originally from Super Mario Bros, the track now permeates video game culture all the way to the core. People that remember playing the original game on their NES know the music, young kids today that have started playing the game with the New Super Mario Bros series know the track, and basically everyone in between knows it. It is an unmistakable track that has broken free of the restraints of history and will likely stick around in gaming for as long as Nintendo does itself. Give this classic track a listen and soak in the classicy goodness!

Thanks to BUBSY IS THE BES… *sob* for the music selection!

Kingdom Hearts- Dearly Beloved –Reprise-

Finally, after a resurrection and an ending, I now bring you the true final track that I will ever post here at 3dsbuzz.com. I can’t think of any track I would rather go out on than Dearly Beloved –Reprise- from the Kingdom Hearts series. As I have said many times before, Yoko Shimomura is one of my absolute favorite composers and this track is one of her best in my opinion. The piano is my favorite instrument and its lone act in this track makes it such a somber affair. Everything is tinged with sadness and that really permeates throughout the entire Kingdom Hearts series for me. It is another series that is very dear to me and the fact that the series has been stuck in place for the most part since 2006 is sad to me. Hopefully this track doesn’t depress you too much as a final note to go out on!

And there you have my final Nintendo Music Sunday that I will ever bring to you all (seriously this time!). It is a bit sad, but hey, at least the end brought us all together again, right? As I have said before, I have greatly enjoyed bringing you the features that I have. Nintendo Music Sunday and Nintendo Box Art Bi-Weekly have been labors of love for me and bringing you all a little bit of happiness on the days that they were published has always the foremost thought in my mind. As always, stay golden loyal listeners. Now and always

This title squeezes your Miis and their cohorts out of the Plaza and into urban life on a jolly island. They interact, they form friendships, they can even seemingly marry and have Mii babies; and Japan is loving it.

Rock and roll!

Sales figures revealed by Media Create, hosted courtesy of Nintendo Everything, show that the game’s taken the number one spot across all formats in its native Japan. Tomodachi Collection has sold an impressive 404,805 units, even more staggering considering the game only launched on 18th April.

It gets better though. Siliconera has helpfully made plain Satoru Iwata’s own recent confirmations to investors, this being that the game is also performing well as a downloadable title via the eShop. The Media Create charts don’t track eShop sales, meaning Tomodachi Collection is performing even better than the already-great performance we just outlined. Staggering!

It’s safe to say that Tomodachi Collection on the 3DS has mightily trounced the performance of its 3DS prequel, which never saw the light of day outside Japan. Hopefully, this strong debut performance will be followed by further sales, which we’re crossing our fingers and hoping could even lead to Nintendo considering localisation. The 3DS is a machine that thrives on creativity, and we’d love new Mii gameplay to enjoy.

Until such time as any announcement about localisation arrives though, we’re content to admire the game’s performance from afar. Would you want to see Tomodachi Collection localised for your 3DS?

Capcom isn’t letting up on the goods the game has to offer either, showing off a new trailer which begins by recounting the franchise’s pixellated roots, before flaunting what’s new in this 3DS exclusive game.

This cool and confident Phoenix and his dapper attire shows all the growth and development he’s taken throughout the series to its fullest. The former rookie is now a master of his craft, but that hasn’t stopped him taking newbies under the wing.

Taking on the mantle of sidekick this time is Kikoro, master of emotions and, in true Ace Attorney style, pretty full of emotional outbursts herself. It’s not a game in this series until the female lead is plucky, peculiar and remarkably energetic, after all.

Apollo Justice is also in attendance, looking swarthy indeed in his new ensemble. It looks as if he’ll be joining the detective duo in their ongoing puruit of justice, and it’s good to see just how said justice will play out in the game. The dioramic views of investigation scenes look good, with lots of things to poke and prod at as clues are sought.

As ever, the courtroom scenes are dramatic and tense, though not without their comedic elements as the witnesses taking the stand continue to exhibit the most endearing of eccentricities. Oh, and a penchant for outright lying under oath, as is a series staple.

Surprisingly, it seems there’s downloadable costumes up for grabs too. Let’s hope these make their way to the global release!

Not ideal. However, all is not lost; the Ghostlight Blog has made plain that the developers have diligently produced a patch for the European version of the game, with it currently being tested in-house before being sent to Nintendo for content submission. There’s a light at the end of the tunnel at last!

Cheer up guys, you’re getting patched!

Atlus has apparently removed the afflictions that have sullied the enjoyment of the auction house in the game, as well as fixing the devil summoning system. Which is good, because that’s pretty much the game right there. Additionally, updates to the character naming system have been promised.

The patch should be live on the eShop in ‘the next few weeks’, though there’s nothing more specific to be said beyond that at this time. Huge thanks have been given to the fans of Overclocked throughout Europe, and hopefully soon we can put these bugs behind us.

Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective

The first box art that I bring to you in our final Bi-Weekly is from the cool DS game, Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective! To start off, I just have to say that I think this game may win the contest for box art that makes the main character look like a total doofus and a cool guy at the same time. It gives us a good idea of what to expect in the game. We understand right from the get go that the main character is dead and we play as him in a ghost form. The games unique art style is readily on display and the omnipresent blue of the ghost gives a nice bit of life to the image ironically in contrast to the dull background colors. I find this to be a great piece of box art.

Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney

The next piece of box art that I bring you today comes from the courtroom adventure game on the DS, Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney! What drew me to Phoenix Wright originally was the anime style visuals. The fact that it looks a lot like an anime drama that you can play out in your hands was interesting and is probably a contributing factor to many people that curiously picked the game up. The box art does a nice job of informing the player who they will have to deal with for the rest of the game. We have both Edgeworth, our rival in the game, as well as the judge towering over Nick and Maya. It gives a good indication that the player will have to endure them in the game multiple times, which is really an inventive way of showing off a game about a lawyer.

Hotel Dusk: Room 215

The third piece of box art that I bring to you today comes from the intriguing crime adventure, Hotel Dusk: Room 215. I am a big fan of this games art style in general so the fact that it is on display in full force on the box art makes me quite happy. The black and white look of the characters has always seemed like such an interesting idea to me. It makes me sad that we never saw the sequel, The Last Window, reach North America. The box art also gives the player the sense that something mysterious and possibly supernatural is going on. Other than the strange name of the hotel, the girl standing in the doorway has a spooky, almost ethereal, presence to herself. It really makes the mystery of the game jump at you from the first time you lay your eyes upon the box.

Thanks to RC for all of the box art selections!

Kingdom Hearts: Dream Drop Distance

The next piece of box art that I bring to you today is from Kingdom Hearts: Dream Drop Distance on the 3DS! As I said above, I’m a huge fan of the Kingdom Hearts series and actually like this piece of box art better than the one above. I think there is a lot more meaning to take away from this art than probably any other game in the series. Aside from the fantastic art style, the fact that Sora is falling and Riku is rising holds a hidden meaning.

Riku has battled his darkness since the very beginning and already overcame it in Kingdom Hearts II. That is why you see him rising; because he has nothing to fear. Sora, on the other hand, has not. He has been surrounded by the light and hasn’t had to endure such hardships. His falling represents a potential falling into darkness. That is why you see King Mickey reaching for him; so that he can pull him back, just as he did with Riku. This box art and its hidden meanings really draw me in and make for an enjoyable piece to bask in.

Thanks to Gregoire Pinder for the box art selection!

Final Fantasy: The 4 Heroes of Light

Next up we have the fantastic box art from Final Fantasy: The 4 Heroes of Light on the DS! Although this game didn’t end up being very good, the art direction is undeniably fantastic. The art style actually comes from the same artist behind Final Fantasy Tactics, Vagrant Story, and Final Fantasy XII. His style is one of my favorite in the Final Fantasy series and it is a shame that it isn’t used more often. The stylized characters, interesting dragon design, and really just classic RPG feel, all make this box art really enticing to the eyes.

And there you have the final edition of Nintendo Box Art Bi-Weekly. I hope that I have provided you all with some fond memories that you can look back upon and smile.

On to the good news!

Since everything is coming to an end, I am going to be bringing back Nintendo Music Sunday for a final reunion with everyone. Nintendo Box Art Bi-Weekly was a good follow up, but it never lived up to Nintendo Music Sunday in my mind. To make this Nintendo Music Sunday special, I would love it if you all would give me some final music selections to bring to you. If you all don’t have any, that’s okay, I will definitely bring together a bunch of great tracks for you. But if you have suggestions, I would love to hear them one final time!

For these selections, you can just leave them in the comments below, or at my email at Balmung576@aol.com. I’ll have Nintendo Music Sunday: The Reunion up for you by Sunday so be sure to get your selections to me by then! Until next time, stay golden loyal readers and listeners.

There have already been some endearing tourism trailers showcasing the game’s features as though being broadcast in a travel sales show, but a third one has now joined the ranks, this time featuring commerce and retail opportunities.

Isn’t it nice that Nintendo encourages local businesses?

It’s great seeing how established characters have taken over the show. The T’n'T Mart replaces Tom Nook’s shop, the little racoonlets having inherited the family business for good whilst Nook himself is off pitching real estate. Leif runs the garden centre, a new character and indeed species for this game who clearly loves his work.

Kicks sees our favourite videogame skunk promoted from street shoe shiner to full-blown footwear store owner, and ‘Club lol’ features K.K. in all sorts of musical mischief.

However, it seems from this video that the full street of shops isn’t available right from the off. Perhaps investment in your town, guided by your own mayoral hand, will see the street grow and expand to include this full array of retail destinations.

We can’t wait to get our hands on Animal Crossing: New Leaf for ourselves. Let’s hope Nintendo keeps the media coming!