Yesterday, a demo for Rayman Origins landed on the Nintendo 3DS eShop. While the demo indicates that this may be the weakest version of Ubisoft’s adorable and charming 2D platformer, the game still seems to retain a lot of the elements that made it so great on home platforms and the PlayStation Vita. The gameplay, for example, is still stellar. As for the visuals, while the 3DS may not be able to pump out lush HD graphics, Rayman Origins still features some nice environments with bold color usage throughout.

According to GamesRadar, the latest version of Ubisoft’s awesome platformer will hit retailers on June 5. That’s less than three weeks away, so if you were looking forward to Rayman Origins on the 3DS, the wait will be over soon. The game will be priced at $29.99, which makes sense considering Rayman Origins costs that much on consoles, so it would be weird for anyone to be expected to pay any more.

The game was something of a sleeper hit in 2011. Rayman Origins certainly didn’t get off to a good start in terms of sales, but it slowly picked up, chugging along and eventually generating some profitable revenue for Ubisoft. After scouring Google and YouTube for info on the 3DS version of Rayman Origins, it would seem that gamers looking to play the game on a handheld will enjoy the Vita version more. That said, if you don’t own a Vita and you really want to take this game on the go, maybe you should look into the 3DS version.

Ubisoft has been open about its support for the Wii U for the past few months. With games like Rayman Legends and Assassin’s Creed III being teased as possible candidates for Nintendo’s upcoming platform, it’s obvious that Ubisoft hopes to bring some of its bigger franchises to the system. Eurogamer reports that during its earnings call, Ubisoft further expressed support for the Wii U, revealing that it had seven games planned for the console, and even stating that the Wii U could have “great success.”

The console’s tablet controller is one of the things Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot is really stoked about, saying that the screen will help emphasise the social aspect of video games by allowing players to “play asynchronously with your friends, to receive challenges, and to really have a screen to communicate with your friends.” The publisher seems to be embracing the casual and group gaming aspects that Nintendo made its own with the Wii. “So all this tells us that the machine can have a great success, because it will bring to families a good machine,” continued the Ubisoft CEO.

Chief Financial Officer Alan Martinez then announced that Ubisoft had seven games planned for the Wii U, five of which will be casual titles, and two of which will be developed to appeal to the core crowd. Assassin’s Creed III will potentially be one of the core titles, and it joins games like Rayman Legends, Ghost Recon Online, and Avengers: Battle for Earth, just a few of the games that have been teased by Ubisoft.

It’s great to see a major company supporting the Wii U, mainly because variety in the industry is always welcome. Here’s hoping the publisher can deliver on its promise to bring both quality casual and core gaming experiences to the Big N’s upcoming console.

When Luigi’s Mansion 2 was announced for the 3DS, fans of the first game immediately got stoked at the prospect of a handheld sequel. After all, the first game had a nice following, and while it wasn’t perfect, it delivered an experience that derived from the typical Mario formula and dared to be different. Couple that with the fact that the game was actually good, and it’s no surprise that Luigi’s Mansion 2 quickly became one of the most anticipated 3DS games.

Now the game may be launching on the Wii U, as well. As reported on CVG, a listing on Play.com indicates that Luigi’s Mansion 2 will be available on Nintendo’s upcoming platform. Of course, this could all be an error on the part of Play.com, but it’s certainly interesting to think about, and it wouldn’t be the most farfetched possibility.

Luigi’s Mansion 2 on the 3DS may be a necessary title for Nintendo’s handheld, and it may give gamers sufficient reason to continue supporting the device. If some version of the game lands on the Wii U, though, can we expect the two be similar from a gameplay standpoint? Or will we get two different experiences? Also, could games like Luigi’s Mansion 2 be exactly what the Wii U needs to draw in that Nintendo-loving fan base?

Nintendo’s announced that Pikmin 2 and Mario Power Tennis will join its Nintendo Selects lineup on June 10. The titles are updated versions of the GameCube originals, retrofitted with motion controls. It’s been a long time coming, considering Nintendo released both under the ‘New Play Control’ banner in Japan back in 2009.

While we’re perplexed as to why it’s taken so long, the timing is somewhat fitting for Pikmin 2, considering we’ll likely see a reveal of Pikmin 3 as part of Nintendo’s E3 2012 lineup in June. The Pikmin series received quite a bit of attention during the GameCube era, partly since it was a new IP from Nintendo, which only arrive every eon or so. Beyond that, it was chock full of charming gameplay and visuals from the brain of Mario creator Shigeru Miyamoto.

Both titles ring in at $19.99. Additionally, Nintendo has saw fit to drop the price of two of its top-selling Wii titles, namely Super Smash Bros. Brawl and Donkey Kong Country Returns. You can now pick them up for $29.99 each.

Nintendo has announced via press release that both the DSi and its much larger brother, the DSi XL, will be getting hefty price cuts. Formerly available for $149.99, the DSi will see a reduced cost of $99.99. That’s 50 clams you’ll be saving on the lighter, more spruced up version of Nintendo’s last dual screen handheld. The DSi XL will go from $169.99 to $129.99, which means a sexy price tag drop of $40.

Gamers can expect the new prices for the DSi and DSi XL to go into effect on May 20. It was about time the Big N reduced the price on these two DS models. The 3DS has been around long enough to warrant a lower price tag for its successor. Hell, the 3DS and DSi XL are currently sporting the same price!

If you’re in the market for a DSi or DSi XL, be sure to wait for this deal. I’m still lugging around my clunky first-gen DS. Maybe it’s time I upgraded to a DSi. Of course, I could always just go with that new Midnight Purple 3DS, which is also hitting retailers on May 20. Decisions, decisions …

A sequel to 2002′s GameCube-exclusive hit Eternal Darkness may no longer be a pipe dream, as Silicon Knights boss Denis Dyack has let slip that the company is working on an IP “that’s our most requested” for the next-generation of console platforms.

“We’re really excited and we’re working on our next generation stuff. We’re working on an IP that’s our most requested and we’re really excited about that,” Dyack told GI.biz.

Given the smaller size of the company following considerable layoffs over last year, Dyack says it is making a shift back to its roots. Nintendo still holds trademark rights to the Eternal Darkness brand, and when it comes to the few titles Silicon Knights has worked on, we’re certain that Too Human isn’t ranking high on the barometer when it comes to sequel treatment. It seems likely that Eternal Darkness  2 could indeed be Wii U bound.

Nintendo has decided to pass up on Edmund McMillen’s dark and disturbing Zelda-like action RPG The Binding of Isaac due to “questionable religious content.” McMillen tweeted the dismal verdict today, noting that it stems from a long internal debate with the company.

Like McMillen says, “Thank God Steam exists.” We couldn’t agree more. Frankly, it’s a shame that platformer holders are still rejecting content in this day and age for touching on sensitive subjects. Consumers should be given the choice, that’s what ESRB ratings are for after all. Perhaps Sony will be less stringent when it comes to a possible PSN release.

Nintendo is prepping a new 3DS Super Mario title for its next fiscal year, which begins in April. Interestingly, the title will mark a return to the franchise roots a la New Super Mario Bros., with traditional side-scrolling gameplay set on a 2D plane.

The tidbit was revealed in a recap of its third-quarter financial results briefing. Notably, the effort joins several other key titles destined for 3DS later this year, including Paper Mario, Luigi’s Mansion 2, Heroes of Ruin, Bravely Default, and Mario Tennis.

No further details were spared, though we’d wager a bet that it will make an appearance at E3 later this year. Nintendo hopes its broad software lineup will position 3DS as the dominant mainstream platform.

Here is the latest weekly update for you folks either on Nintendo 3Ds or Nintendo Wii. Click on the link to be forwarded to each titles profile page on Nintendo.com.

Nintendo eShop 
Blaster Master: Enemy Below - Using the strong weapons and high jumping power of his legendary battle vehicle, Jason must explore a subterranean region where a sinister life form resides. (For Nintendo 3DS™)

Nintendo eShop / Nintendo DSiWare™
Elite Forces: Unit 77 - Drive armored trucks and tanks, defuse mines, locate explosives and rescue hostages. Gather your forces into a crack squad or control a single game character based on the strategic requirements. (For Nintendo 3DS /Nintendo DSi™)

Check out more after the break.

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After the report posted in an interview with Wired last night, Nintendo was quick to maintain damage control. Today a Nintendo spokesperson has said that it is completely untrue that Miyamoto is considering retirement.

“This is absolutely not true,” said a spokeswoman for Nintendo. “There seems to have been a misunderstanding. He has said all along that he wants to train the younger generation.

“He has no intention of stepping down. Please do not be concerned.”

So, it appears the leading creator behind both Mario and Zelda will be sticking around a little while longer.

Source: Reuters