According to video game hardware sales research, Nintendo has seen a steady increase in hardware sales over the past few weeks – including a 137% sales global sales increase with the Wii U. Certainly games like Animal Crossing: New Leaf, Shin Megami Tensei IV, the digital release of New Super Luigi U, and the impending launch of Pikmin 3 have helped push systems, but that does not mean that Nintendo is out of tricks for the rest of the year.
Nintendo had an extensive line up of titles on display at this year’s San Diego Comic Con. Their press released stated that thirteen Wii U and seven 3DS games would be attending the show. Our crew here at Royal Flush got a chance to see some of them up close. So let’s see what we can expect from Nintendo going into the final part of the year.
Bayonetta 2
Bayonetta was one of those games that seemed to have flown under most people’s radars, but for those who took the time to play it, they absolutely loved it. Its fast-paced gameplay appealed to the action fans while its craziness appealed to everyone. The original development team is back along with the return of Bayonetta herself in the Wii U exclusive, Bayonetta 2.
Sadly, much regarding the story has not been said as of yet. What we do know is that Platinum Games has promised to keep up with the gameplay and art style of the previous title. Though Bayonetta has had a bit of a hair cut. New attacks and weapons will be included in Bayonetta 2; a notable fresh ability is called the Umbra Climax which allows her to trade out magic points in order to summon demonic creatures to fight for her. This increases the amount of damage she can do while also increasing the speed in which she can attack for a short time. Jeanne will also aid Bayonetta in a few combos but she will not be a playable character.
Two modes have been announced for Bayonetta 2. The Normal mode will keep the control scheme true to the first game mean that fans of the first game will have no issues with jumping right into the second. A second mode, Touch Mode, offers an alternative way to play thanks to the GamePad’s touch screen. You will be able to manipulate Bayonetta by tapping on the touch screen and following simple swipe commands. Platinum Games says that this mode is good for players who are unfamiliar with action games, but it also gives veterans a chance to try something different.
Bayonetta 2 is a Wii U exclusive that will not hit store shelves until sometime in 2014. Be sure to check back with us here at Royal Flush Magazine for future updates on the title.
Just Dance 2014
It is time to get your party on! The worlds #1 selling dancing game, Just Dance, is back and hotter than ever. Just Dance 2014 wants to live in the moment while also paying homage to the past. Ubisoft is promising to bring plenty of booty shaking songs like Psy’s “Gentlemen” and Pitbull ft. Christina Aguilera’s “Feel This Moment” are sure to get everyone off the couch. A variety of different dances for each song adding different choreography to fit a dancer’s personal preference.
A couple of new features have been included to make this the ultimate Just Dance for anyone. On Stage Mode lets up to three players act out an actual show. One player will be the lead dancer while the other two act as back-up dancers, and can sing if they want. Once you have gotten some practice in, you can take your dance battle online to Just Dance‘s first ever mutliplayer more. The World Dance Floor is open to everyone globally. Here you set up a crew with other players online or friends and go against other crews from anywhere in the world to battle out against a select few themes. Scores can be tracked via the leader board where you can gloat about how awesome you are.
Some old modes are getting a face lift to look good for the next generation of systems. You can now customize your track list for the Just Sweat workouts, and you can now track the amount of calories burned during your sessions. Autodance puts you in charge of creating your own music videos. Select a song, set the cameras, go to town, and then upload your videos to share with all your friends. Want to see what other people have done? You can browse Just Dance TV to see dance moves of everyone else in what Ubisoft calls “the biggest hub of user generated videos ever seen in a party game”. With the GamePad, you can hit up the Party Master which is the improved Puppet Master. Here the GamePad is used to give the MC tons of options for the one to four dances he/she controls. You can change the songs, the dances, or throw out silly challenges for them to do.
Don’t fret! Karaoke is still here and the shop has been improved to let users know when new songs are available to download. Just Dance 2014 has something for everyone. Regardless if you have two left feet or are a dancing machine, you should be excited for Just Dance 2014 when it comes out on both the Nintendo Wii and the Wii U on October 8th.
Mario & Luigi: Dream Team
Nintendo has declared this year as the Year of Luigi. While the younger Mario sibling does have his own game coming out soon, Mario & Luigi: Dream Team focuses on the brotherly love without forcing Luigi off center stage.
All is well in the Mushroom Kingdom until a mysterious letter arrives from the 
strange Dr. Snoozemore. He invites Mario, Luigi, and Princess Peach to the luxurious Pi’illo Island for a vacation and to share his research on sleep. The trio decides to accept
his offer because with the Mario brothers together, what could possibly go wrong? While on their journey to the island, Luigi begins to have some very vivid lucid dreams. They seem confusing at first, but once the group reaches the Pi’illo Island, his weirdness makes more sense than what is going on on the island. Pi’illo Island turns out to be filled with mysteries around every corner ultimately resulting in Princess Peach getting sucked into one of Luigi’s dreams. It is then up to the brothers to once again save Princess Peach and discover the truth behind Dr. Snoozemore’s intentions.
If you have played any of the other previous Mario & Luigi titles, you probably already have an idea of what to expect from the gameplay. Dream Team stays fairly true to its roots when it comes to the core gameplay with some changes. Combat still feels like a simplified, traditional role playing game but now there are five moves to filter between: Jump, hammer, item, red shell (special attack), and Luigi’s face. When you travel to the Dream World, the world goes from 3D to 2D and the gameplay shifts from a free roam environment to a 2D platformer that the Mario games are best known for. A dream Luigi will accompany with you but the real Luigi will be asleep yet still be able to alter the Dream World. Luiginary Works are objects in the Dream World that dream Luigi can possess that the real Luigi controls with the help of a new friend, Starlow. It will be nessisary to use the Luiginary Works in order to work your way through to the end of each level and might help out a bit in fights.
Mario & Luigi: Dream Team is already out in Japan and Europe, but US fans will be getting it very shortly. Get excited and be ready to explore two universes in multiple dimensions when Mario & Luigi: Dream Team releases both in retail stores and on the Nintendo eShop on August 11th.
Pokémon X & Y
Pokémon has been one series that has been able to withstand the test of time. Regardless of age, you can pretty much always find someone who is either on their quest to catch them all or is fine tuning their Pokémon to create a powerhouse team. 
Pokémon X & Y shift the series onto the current generation of handhelds while bringing a new generation of Pokémon along for the ride. For the first time on the Nintendo 3DS, players will be able to experience Pokémon in a full three-dimensional world. Everything from the characters to the Pokémon to the environments will be in 3D. You will also be able to talk in an 8-dimensional grid compared to a 4-dimensional grid like the previous titles, meaning you can walk diagonally; but there is so much more that is new to the series with this installment.
Naturally, a fresh generation of Pokémon means that we can expect 150+ new Pokémon to be added to the already extensive encyclopaedia of existing Pokémon. So far a total of 25 Pokémon have been revealed. This does include the two legendaries (Xerneas and Yveltal), the three starters (Chespin – grass, Fennekin – fire, and Froakie – water), and the first ever land mount Pokémon, Gogoat. Similar to flying or surfing, you can use Gogoat as land transportation in certain areas.
The finer details regarding the story have not yet been revealed. What we do know is that you are citizen of the gorgeous Kalos Region; a land filled with lush forests and wondrous mountains. The game will begin in the beautiful Vaniville Town, where you will be able to customize the way the protagonist looks for the first time. Your journey will then constant of all the basic elements found in every Pokémon game. You’ll battle trains, collect badges, and catch new Pokemon as you explore Kalos. Though your strategy might need to change.
A new element type has been introduced. The Fairy-type is the eighteenth Pokémon type and has proven to be super effective against Dragon-type Pokémon. The type was introduced with the eighth Eevee evolution, Sylveon; X’s legendary deer, Xerneas, has been confirmed to sport the new type as well . Some older generation Pokémon will see a type change to better scatter the Fairy-type into the elemental pool. A new type is not the only thing you’ll need to be prepared to face. Horde battles can happen at random. These battles occur 2 to 5 wild Pokémon attack you at once. If this happens, you will need to be on your toes since some attacks can effect every Pokémon in the battle. Horde battles are challenging but you can gain a lot of experience from them. Sky battles can also occur. These battles typically happen when the protagonist is on level ground below another trainer that has Flying-type Pokémon. Only these type of Pokémon or Pokémon that know Levitate can interact in a sky battle.
Other than an extensive world to discover, Pokémon X & Y has tons of great features to introduce. The Player Search System allows you to find real world trainers either near by or from around the world via the Internet. With the PSS, you can select to battle, trade, or even communicate with other players quick and easily regardless if you have their Friend Code or not. The Pokémon-Amie will allow you to play with the Pokémon in your party thus strengthening the bond between the two of you. By doing this, your Pokémon might preform better in training but do keep in mind that it takes a lot of kindness and patience to properly determine what each individual Pokémon’s needs are.
This is only a bit of what we know regarding Pokémon X & Y. Certainly there is far more to discover when the game launched worldwide on October 12th.
Sonic Lost Worlds
Sonic has somewhat become a bit of an underdog in the world of video game icons. The gaming community is well aware of the fan-made theory: the Sonic Cycle. It is not the most flattering statement but Sega is setting to prove to fans that there is no reason to fear the cycle anymore. Sonic Lost Worlds is shaping up to be solid and most importantly, fast game.
In an attempt to defeat Sonic, Dr. Eggman harnessed the powers of six horrifying creatures known as the Deadly Six. Though these menacing creatures are not your typical henchmen. The group ends up turning against their “master” and use their new found freedom to wreck havoc on the once peaceful world. Sonic is left with no choice but to unite forces with his nemesis in order to put an end to the Deadly Six’s reign of terror. With Sonic’s swift moves and with aid from the Color Powers, they will discover a way to take on each villain head-to-head in unique boss battles.
Sonic Lost World has full three-dimensional environments but the gameplay jumps between standard single-direction maps and some maps with a bit of freedom. Levels are vast with lots of twists and turns that will send you deep underground and high into the sky, and even upside-down. At its core, Sonic Lost World still propels you forward with great momentum but Sonic has a few new tricks to use. The Spin Dash is back; along with it you can now vault over obstacles, run along walls, and skydive between floating islands. Speed remains the key to most of Sonic’s abilities. The Color Powers have been improved which give him a new arsenal to use. Sonic can teat through trails, explode into enemies, and even fly.
The game is set to be released on both the 3DS and the Wii U. Each system will have a selected few system restricted features. The GamePad can be continued to be used as a second screen if someone wants to use the television for something else. In addition, the GamePad can also be tilted, turned, and touched to escalate the amount of control the player has. Items that are collected can be shared and charged up via Miiverse to give you an advantage over your enemies. With the 3DS version, Sega is claiming this to be the first handheld Sonic game to ever “feature fully realized Nintendo 3D levels”. Exclusive Color Powers and stages will also be available on the 3DS that will not be included on the Wii U version of the game. Both versions will feature multiplayer, however. Nintendo 3DS owners will be able to link up their systems to race against on another while Wii U owners will split between the television and GamePad. Or you can use radio controlled gadgets to aid each other by helping Sonic avoid obstacles or fighting enemies. (More information on that will surely come in the near future.)
Sonic Lost Worlds will be out on both the Nintendo 3DS and Wii U on October 22nd.
Wonderful 101
Platinum Games the developers behind like Bayonetta, MadWorld, and Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance have a new, 
unique exclusive coming out for the Nintendo Wii U. Wondeful 101is a “mass-hero” action game that spawns from the minds of Atushi Inaba and Hideki Kamiya the creators and directors of Viewiful Joe and Okami.
You are Wonder-Red, the leader of the Wonderful 100 which is an elite group of superheroes. Things were just fine and dandy until one day when the Earth is invaded by aliens known as Geathjerks. Unfortunately, the giant robots from outer space and the alien master minds are too powerful for
the heroes to face individually. They must cooperate by morphing together to form useful weapons to battle for Earth’s freedom. Swords, guns, and huge fists are just a few of the things the Wonderful 100s can change into.
At first glance, Wonderful 101 appears to be a straight forward hack ‘n’ slash action game. The bird’s eye view has you overlooking the city but once you begin to play the game, you realize that it is not as straight forward as you might have thought. Unite Morphs are the objects created by all the Wonderful superheroes teaming up to form the object. You create the object by drawing certain patterns onto the GamePad; the longer you draw the object, the more powerful it will be when you release it. Power is also gained from having more heroes with you. Heroes can be collected progressively throughout the game by gathering them from the local, helpless citizens. Some heroes will aid you only for a specific level while others will become permanent members of the Wonderful 100 team. Naturally you cannot be invincible. Unite Morphs will suck up the battery power you have thus causing yo
u to collect more either by building up through normal, weaker attacks or from finding batteries. Once you defeat an enemy, you can collect the O Part it drops which is then used to upgrade Unite Morphs or unlock different abilities.
Wonderful 101 supports both single player and multiplayer experiences. Up to five people can play at once (1 on the GamePad and the other 4 on Wii Remotes) in a cooperative mode which puts each player in control of a superhero. So get your buddies together and get ready to brawl it out against aliens in Wonderful 101 on September 15th.