3DS Ambassador Program Phase 2 is here!

Same thing as before. Your free games are in your eshop download list. Go fish them out and download them onto your 3DS. Then, once you decided your favorites, vote on your favorites. I'm already reviewing them for 3DS Life Episode 13... in the meantime working to wrap up Episode 12 asap. Stay tuned.

Now it is only 15 days (2 updates) left for the final phase, the official launch of the NES Virtual Console games finally adding that to the VC... stay tuned!

At last! Here comes the 3DS Ambassador Program Phase 2 : GBA Edition!

Friday in Japan (Thursday here I take it if we get it the same time) they're finally going to launch the second phase of the Ambassador Program, the Game Boy Advance games. Here's the full list.

F-Zero: Maximum Velocity

Yoshi's Island: Super Mario Advance 3
Admittedly I am more familiar with the original version, but this is a good one.

The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap
Played it, loved it... now I can finally finish it!

Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones
Another game I already reviewed, and... still need to finish... sigh. Great game, big improvement over the original Fire Emblem on GBA.

Kirby & The Amazing Mirror

Mario Kart Super Circuit
Mario Kart on GBA? Now this I have to see!

Mario vs Donkey Kong

Metroid Fusion

Wario Land 4
I always wanted to play this... now I can!

WarioWare Inc: Mega Microgame$

That leaves the full release of the NES 10 as the last step of the program... hopefully done before the end of the year in... 17 days. Stay tuned, and stay tuned for the full GBA reviews... not sure if it should be Retro Game Boy Life or 3DS Life though...

Attention Nintendo! Only 20 Days remain for your Ambassador Program!

Not to say that Nintendo is well on their way to ditching on us long term owners... but with only 20 days remaining, and three eshop updates... Nintendo is well on their way to ditching on us.

End of 2011 is upon us, one and all who own a 3DS, and as of yet we still have no NES Virtual Console launches, and no updates on the Game Boy Advance titles, not even what the full ten will be... sheesh, Nintendo, hurry up already.

Checking daily for updates, and will post here once they're up, but so far things are... lethargic... to say the least.

Next casts? Now working on 3DS Life Episode 12 and DS Life Episode 3. Also we should have new Retro Game Boy Lifes coming soon. Stay tuned.

Podcast Updates (December 7th 2011)

3DS Life Episode 11 now available. In the meantime here are the new casts now being worked on...

3DS Life Episode 12
The newest system update and all its content (Spot Pass, video recording, new Mii Plaza content, etc) is reviewed.

DS Life Episode 3
Random reviews.

Hope to end the year with music casts for 3DS Life and DS Life, and get Wii U Life back on track in 2012 as new information begins coming out again.

Stay tuned for updates.

Ugh! PC is being troublesome again!

Ugh! This old PC is being finicky again so that'll delay podcasts again for awhile until it is up and running again... so posting daily until the casts are up and running again... pfft... what a way to end the year... sigh. Sorry for the delay.

3DS Video Recording App System Update? Meh. Delayed.

Just saw the post on Nintendo's website claiming that they need all the way until December 8th before the next update, featuring the long in coming 3DS Video Recording App, ready... meh.

Nintendo derped it again big time. Thanks, Nintendo, thanks alot.

So it's going to be... 9 days before we see that come up, stay tuned.
In the meantime it's 5 more Thursdays before they run out of time for the last stages of the Ambassador Program... or do they need more time for that too... sheesh.

Updates as they come in.

3DS Life Episode 11 Now Available

Abit late, I was planning a Halloween release... oh well.

We review the following...
Airport Mania : Non Stop Flights
Puzzle League Express
Puzzle Quest
Super Mario Land 3D (First Look)
Tetris Party Live

Counting down to Phase 2 of the 3DS Ambassador Program in Episode 12, coming soon.

Podcast Update for November 5th

New DS Life (Episode 2) now out and available!

Reviews
- Harvest Moon Island of Happiness
- Professor Layton and the Curious Village
- Professor Layton and the Diabolical Box
- Sim City Creator (pre-review)
- The World Ends With You
- Touch Detective 2 1/2

Coming up next, 3DS Life Episode 11 (40% Completed) and DS Life Episode 3 (Coming Soon)

Stay tuned for updates!

3DS Life Episode 10 Now Available

3DS Life Episode 10 is now available, featuring...

- Part 2 of first look coverage of Kingdom Hearts Dream Drop Distance 3DS (2012)
- First look at Professor Layton and the Mask of Miracle (2012)
- Look at second batch of downloadable trailers off the 3DS eshop, and its Mario theme.

Podcasts now in the works
- DS Life Episode 2 (beginning to assemble now)
- PSP TV Episode 3 (why cast may one day become Handheld TV once 3DS eshop begins selling video content full time. Featuring first videos for sale coverage)

Stay tuned for updates.

Podcast Updates for October 8th 2011

3DS Life Episode 10
Premise : Kingdom Hearts Dream Drop Distance Part 2
Progress - Halfway done.
Status - 50% Completed

DS Life Episode 2
Premise : Professor Layton trilogy reviews Part 1 of 2 (pre trilogy reviews coming soon)
Progress - Review materials should be in next week, beginning reviews then.
Status - Pre-Production

This Week's Trades (October 7th)

First week of trades wraps up and we are already doing rather well.

Outgoing
$$$ Money Order $$$
LEGO Indiana Jones 2 DS
Rune Factory 2

Incoming
Professor Layton and the Curious Village
Professor Layton and the Diabolical Box
Touch Detective 2 1/2

Next Week...
Outgoing
Time Hollow DS

Incoming
Sim City City Creator DS

We already have the start of a three part Professor Layton cast here so that's good. Just as well since my stock is running low.

3DS Life Episode 9 now available

Episode 9 is now available!

Coverage of Kingdom Hearts Dream Drop Distance Part 1
Monster Hunter commentary Part 2
Coverage of Theatherhythm Final Fantasy

Episode 10 is now in production, coming soon.

Nintendo Poll September 2011 Results

Concerning which of the 10 NES VC releases was the best? First place was a tie between Balloon Fight, Ice Climbers, Legend of Zelda 1 and 2 and Metroid.

Second was Yoshi. Third was Super Mario Bros and The Wrecking Crew. Fourth was NES Golf.

November was the one picked when speculating when the second phase of the Ambassador program would hit.

Next poll coming soon! Stay tuned!

DS Life Episode 1 Now Available!

DS Life Episode 1 is now available for download!

Premiere episode we review Age of Empires : Age of Kings, Diner Dash : Sizzle and Serve, Harvest Moon DS Cute Edition, Imagine Figure Skater, Top Spin 3 and Trace Memory

Next up is 3DS Life Episode 9, coming out shortly!

Legend of Zelda : Four Swords Anniversary Edition is now available!

Reviewing it now, so go download it DSi (XL) and 3DS owners!

Presently working on 3DS Life Episode 9's script, planning to start laying it out tomorrow along with Digital Scribbles Episode 5 and PSP DLC Life Episode 5.

DS Life Episode 1 is done but delayed a little. Should have it out shortly. Stay tuned.

Legend of Zelda : Four Swords Anniversary Edition Update

It should be almost time!

If you believe Nintendo.com it's out tomorrow (September 28th), but if you believe conventional wisdom it's out on update day (September 29th).

Either way DSi slash DSi XL slash 3DS owners will be able to download the game shortly... update coming shortly!

Professor Layton DS Life Review Schedule

Three episodes covering Professor Layton!

Episode numbers subject to change.

DS Life Episode 3 (October 2011)
Professor Layton Part 1
Professor Layton intro
Review : Curious Village (Episode 4)
Review : The Last Specter (Episode 1)

DS Life Episode 5 (November 2011)
Beyond the DS : Professor Layton Media
Review : The Diabolical Box (Episode 5)
Review : Eternal Diva the Movie DVD (Episode 2)

DS Life Episode 7 (December 2011)
Review : Unwound Future (Episode 6)

Stay tuned for info on the review of Mask of Miracle (Episode 3) coming soon on 3DS Life.

Podcast Updates for September 27th 2011

Wrapping up another day of podcasting...

DS Life Episode 1
Premise : Premiere cast!
Progress : Finished, releasing tomorrow (September 28th).
Status : Completed

3DS Life Episode 9
Premise : Tokyo Game Show 2011 Part 2 featuring Kingdom Hearts Dream Drop Distance 3DS
Progress : Scripting
Status : Pre-Production

Digital Scribbles Episode 5
Premise : New Reviews!
Progress : Still have reviews to turn in ASAP
Status : Pre-Production

Random Acts of Podcasts Episode 1
Premise : Premiere!
Progress : Have to get back on the ball this weekend!
Status : 50% Completed

Next DS Life (Episode 2) begins scripting next week once I send out the first batch of trades (first trading post update coming tomorrow).

Podcast Updates for September 24th 2011

Here's the Nintendo casts we're working on this weekend...

3DS Life Episode 9
Premise : Tokyo Game Show 2011 Part 2
Progress : Kinda still working to finish DS Life Episode 1, will get on this next.
Status : Pre-Production

DS Life Episode 1
Premise : New cast covering DS games
Progress : Almost done scripting Episode 1, assembly of cast is next.
Status : Pre-Production

New progress report tomorrow.

New Additions to the Blog

Check the right hand side, We now have new things up to keep track of...

- Upcoming 3DS Life Reviews
- Upcoming DS Life Reviews (see below)
- Nintendo DS Games Reviewed (once I start buying 3DS game carts I'll add a 3DS Games Reviewed list)

Coming soon is DS Life Episode 1, covering Nintendo DS game carts. This first episode is the launch episode, and we already have an episode planned to review October's Professor Layton and the Last Specter release in mid October (stay tuned).

3DS Life Episode 8 Now Available!

Part 1 of our coverage of Tokyo Game Show, we talk about...

- The Nintendo Pre TGS Press Conference and the incurable disease that is lemmingism amongst Japanese Nintendo investors.
- A brief update on the sad tale of Mega Man Legends 3
- Part 1 of IGN's reasoning behind why Monster Hunter the Franchise should appeal more to Western gamers... and why you should really give it a chance.
- Word on next week's free Legend of Zelda : Four Swords Anniversary Edition from the eshops.

Working this weekend on Episode 9 (TGS Part 2)! Stay tuned!

New section - Nintendo related casts

Two podcasts themed to Nintendo now available in our tie in section.

Arcade Jukebox Episode 3
Music themed to the NES Virtual Console betas.

PSP DLC Life Episode 4
Monster Hunter themed cast as we count down to Monster Hunter Tri G and Monster Hunter 4 on the 3DS.

We review Monster Hunter Freedom Unite and discuss the Japan Only release of Monster Hunter Portable 3rd.

This weekend we're working on 3DS Life Episode 8 (TGS2011), PSP DLC Life Episode 5 (Square Enix' Lord of Arcana and Phantasy Star Portable 2) and the premiere of Random Acts of Handheld (the history and coverage of the Leapster, the most successful Fail Whale amongst edutainment only systems... I'll explain that in the cast)

Updates as the casts are assembled. Stay tuned.

3DS Life Episode 7 now available

3DS Life Episode 7 now available, covering the first part of the pre-review of the first phase of the Ambassador Program and the NES Virtual Console.

This cast we cover Balloon Fight, Donkey Kong Jr, Ice Climbers, NES Open Tournament Golf, Super Mario Bros., The Wrecking Crew and Yoshi.

Commentary we discuss the first Ambassador Program notification and the 3DS' new second Circle Pad clip on coming soon.

Next episode (8) is being written now, and completes the NES VC Pre-review as well as previewing Tokyo Game Show 2011. Updates coming soon.

3DS Ambassador Program - The complete NES Virtual Console list

Balloon Fight
Donkey Kong Jr
Ice Climbers
Legend of Zelda
Legend of Zelda II (NEW)
Metroid (NEW)
NES Open Tournament Golf (NEW)
(Not so much a port as a port of a NES remake)
Super Mario Bros
Wrecking Crew
(Mario vs. Buildings - featuring first possible appearance of future Wario)
Yoshi
(named Yoshi's Egg in Japan, puzzler)

Moving ahead to finish Arcade Jukebox and start on 3DS Life Episode 7... after present casts are released.

Top Five NintenDates (August 30th 2011)

September 1st (T-Minus 2 Days)
3DS Ambassador Program Phase 1 : NES Virtual Console Betas

September 9th (T-Minus 10 Days)
Legend of Zelda : Make Your Own Zelda Flipnote Contest Ends
(Nintendo 3DS) Starfox 64 3D releases

September 13th (T-Minus 2 Weeks)
(Nintendo DS) Camping Mama Outdoors Adventures releases
Nintendo's Big TGS Press Conference

September 15th (T-Minus 16 Days)
Tokyo Game Show 2011

September 27th (T-Minus 28 Days)
(Nintendo Wii) Resident Evil : Darkside Chronicles, Rune Factory : Tides of Destiny and X-Men Destiny released

Next update in 2 days... as we begin counting down to Professor Layton and the Last Specter (Nintendo DS)

Podcast update for August 29th 2011

Quickfire updates

3DS Life Episode 6
Releasing tomorrow with Game As You Go Minisode 2

Arcade Jukebox Episode 3
No progress, still at 50% Completed.

3DS Life Episode 7
Beginning laying out script (intros to cast and each review) tomorrow. Still in Pre-Production.

More news to come as we draw closer to September 1st.

3DS Ambassador Program poll (September 2011)

Even as we count down the remaining hours to the Ambassador Program launch and premiere of the NES Virtual Console games (coming up on the 80 hour mark) we poll you on Phase 2, and when you think Phase 2 will be. Voting ends October 1st... yet doesn't end as we repost the question if Phase 2 hasn't happened yet.

So vote please, and stay tuned for updates!

Podcast update for August 28th 2011

3DS Life is rolling along at a quick pace now.

3DS Life Episode 6
Premise - Countdown to Sept 1st
Progress - Completed, coming out tomorrow
Status - Completed

Arcade Jukebox Episode 3
Premise - Ambassador Program Music cast
Progress - No progress until Nintendo puts out the second half listof NES Virtual Console games.
Status - 50% Completed

3DS Life Episode 7
Premise - Ambassador Program NES Virtual Console Reviews
Progress - Scripting opening
Status - Pre-Production

Work also being done on Game As You Go Episode 2 and PSP DLC Life Episode 4.

Top Five NintenDates August 28th 2011

Almost to September 1st!

August 30th (T-Minus 2 Days)
(Nintendo Wii) Gunslingers with 2 Guns now on sale

September 1st (T-Minus 4 Days)
3DS Ambassador Program Part 1 (NES Virtual Console Beta)

September 9th (T-Minus 12 Days)
Legend of Zelda Make Your Own Zelda Flipnote contest ends

September 13th (T-Minus 16 Days)
Nintendo's Big Pre Tokyo Game Show Press Conference
(Nintendo DS) Camping Mama : Outdoors Adventures releases
(Nintendo 3DS) Starfox 64 3DS releases

September 15th (T-Minus 18 Days)
Tokyo Game Show 2011

Next update coming Tuesday!

Podcast Updates for August 27th 2011

Updates of podcasts as of August 27th and the start of the podcasting day.

3DS Life Episode 6
Premise - Countdown to Sept 1st
Progress - Started editing the casts right now.
Status - 0% Completed

Arcade Jukebox Episode 3
Premise - Ambassador Program music cast
Progress - Assembling the cast, however half the cast remains in limbo until Nintendo announces the second half of NES Virtual Consoles releases.
Status - 0% Completed

Progress reports as we make progress.

3DS Life Episode 5 Now Available!

3DS Life Episode 5 is now available, the start of a back to back chain of 3DS casts!

In this episode...
- Reviews of House MD Episode 1, Legend of Zelda : Link's Awakening DX and Steamworld Tower Defense.
- Commentary on the July 25th anti-mod system update, and the prelude to the Ambassador Program episode coming up.

What's Episode 6 and 7? We talk about both next podcast update! Stay tuned!

Nintendo Podcast Update for August 23rd 2011

This and next week in podcasting is all about 3DS Life.

3DS Life Episode 5
Premise - Random Cast
Progress - Moving along well, almost done.
Status - 75% Completed

3DS Life Episode 6
Premise - 3DS Ambassador Program (NES Virtual Console Alpha Version Edition)
Progress - Presently in the planning and scripting stage.
Status - Pre-Production

Also working on an Ambassador Program (NES Virtual Console Version) episode of Arcade Jukebox for that weekend.

Stay tuned for updates!

Nintendo Podcast Update for August 23rd 2011

Starting today with one cast underway, and another soliciting for requests.

3DS Life Episode 5
Premise - Random Reviews Day.
Progress - First 10 minutes put to bed.
Status - 40% Complete

Arcade Jukebox Episode 3
Premise - Kingdom Hearts cast
Progress - Soliciting requests for cast (post requests in comments section)
Status - Pre-Production

Retro Game Boy Life Episode 2
Premise - Zeldathon
Progress - Planning/Scripting
Status - Pre-Production

Updates as progress is made, so stay tuned.

Top Five NintenDates for August 23rd 2011

August 28th (T-Minus 5 Days)
(Nintendo Wii) Mario Strikers, Punch Out!, Super Mario Galaxy and Super Paper Mario Nintendo Selects released

September 1st (T-Minus 9 Days)
3DS Ambassador Program Phase 1 (NES Virtual Console) Launches.

September 9th (T-Minus 17 Days)
Make Your Own Zelda Flipnote contest deadline.

September 13th (T-Minus 3 Weeks)
(Nintendo DS) Camping Mama : Outdoors Adventures releases
(Nintendo 3DS) Starfox 64 3D releases

September 15th (T-Minus 23 Days)
Tokyo Games Show 2011 begins (Tokyo, Japan)

Next update is Sunday! See you then!

Tell Nintendo - This Week - Nintendo Video

Every week we'll give you opinion about what you could be telling Nintendo in your next email to them... well, maybe not this week. I hope Nintendo can figure this out on their own.

Every single day Nintendo keeps "Nintendo Video Is..." on Channel 4 (bottom right) of Nintendo Video, its a brand new day to insult your intelligence.

Huh? How could a 22 second video about the content of Nintendo Video possibly insult your intelligence? Well Nintendo Video has been around for a month. If you haven't figured out what Nintendo Video is yet, you can always look it up on wikipedia, or watch this 22 second video before adding Nintendo Video for the first time. Cluttering up Nintendo Video like this with such a useless video is a waste.

Take it off already Nintendo... which they might do anytime now... if they were smart. Stay tuned.

Ponderance of the Day : Nintendo 3DS

When Nintendo releases the Video Recording App, and if Nintendo hasn't already crippled and handicapped the App? Who is going to start using it by using it to dupe TV shows and Movies onto the 3DS for personal viewing, or for private swapping between friends for viewing?

Nintendo Podcasts Now Available

All of my Nintendo Podcasts are now available here!

- 3DS Life Episode Zero to 4.
3DS Life Episode 5 is in production right now, should be out at the end of the new week.

- Retro Game Boy Life Episode 1

- Wii U Life Episode 1
Hope to have Wii Life launched by November 2011.

Stay tuned for new podcast news as ww release them.

Coming Soon - 3DS Life podcast links.

We're slowly adding in Nintendo podcasts of mine to the page starting off with the presently active cast, 3DS Life. That is coming shortly.

Next up is Retro Game Boy Life, and in October or November it's Wii Life's return. Stay tuned.

Nintendo Video's Useless Channel 4

I seem to bring this up rather often, but Nintendo is saddled with dead weight on Nintendo Video, mainly its misused Channel 4 (bottom right).

Channels 1 to 3 each have their own nitche. Channel 1 has music videos, Channel 2 has College Humor, and while for a time Channel 3 had movie trailers it now has Animation... but what does Channel 4 have? The pointless 22 second video "What is Nintendo Video...", and really, if you don't understand what Nintendo Video is after watching this once before downloading it on the eshop then this is the least of your concerns.

This shoild be the video you watch on the eshop before you download this, and that's it. It has no place in the service itself and takes up valuable space.

But what can take its place? Well there just so happens to be an available subject, Movie Trailers (still think its powered by Flixster) that needs a Channel. But why stop there? Considering how lethargic Movie Trailers have become, taking over a week for wach change, maybe Channel 4 should be a full on Trailers Channel and show not just Movie Trailers but trailers for upcoming 3DS games as well as eshop games... for starters. Convention trailers of highly anticipated games, the newest TV commercials promoting Nintendo, interviews and walkthroughs of games... this Channel could become the most vibrant and have 3-4 updates a week (the most updates ever since at present only College Humor updates frequently with 1 update a week).

Tell Nintendo all about it? Sure... just don't expect them to jump right away... though still if every 3DS owner demanded a Trailer Channel (Channel 4) then maybe Nintendo might spring into action... eventually... stay tuned for updates on useless Channel 4.

Nintendo Hawaiiana September 2011

For the first month of Nintendo Hawaiiana I teach you how to love your $250 3DS, even if it seems that Nintendo is having a hard time loving us back.

October 2011 is the full pre-review of the NES Virtual Console release for Ambassador Program members on September 1st.

Top Five NintenDates as of August 20th 2011

August 23rd (T-Minus 3 Days)
(Nintendo 3DS) Shin Megami Tensin Devil Survivor Overclocked released

August 28th (T-Minus 8 Days)
(Nintendo Wii) Mario Strikers, Punch Out!, Super Mario Galaxy, Super Paper Mario (Nintendo Selects) released.

September 1st (T-Minus 12 Days)
3DS Ambassador Program Phase 1 : NES Virtual Console releases (pre-release) released to Ambassadors.

September 9th (T-Minus 20 Days)
Draw Your Own Zelda Flipnote contest deadline.

September 13th (T-Minus 24 Days)
(Nintendo DS) Camping Mama : Outdoors Adventures released

Next update on Tuesday.

NintenDate Update (August 20th)

OK, the means by which you can check your 3DS Ambassador Program eligibility is now up. Here is how you do it.

- Go to Nintendo.com

- Click on Nintendo 3DS link (top page)

- Click on 3DS Ambassador Program link (lower left along with links like Iwata Asks and System Updates)

- You'll be redirected to the Ambassador Program section of 3DS Support. Go through the categories until you are prompted for your 3DS Serial Number, and that's it.

New NintenDates coming up later today (updated).

Nintendo Video Update (August 20th)

Update on Nintendo Video, and it does several things all at once!

Channel 3 (bottom left)
Leaving Glee the 3D Concert Trailer
New Uyuyui! (Animation)

For the time being the Movie Trailer channel (most likely powered by Flixster) is off and Animation controls Channel 3. Hopefully Movie Trailers move to Channel 4.

Milestones broken
Individual video over 4 & 5 minutes (5:04)
Individual video over 300 seconds (304)
Group Videos over 9 & 10 minutes (10:50 combined)

That's pretty good after a few weeks of 7-8 minute combos and 3 minute max videos.

Top Five NintenDates (August 19th)

It's the Top Five NintenDates as of August 19th 2011! Abit of the Ambassador Program, abit of new upcoming games, and abit of Flipnote Studio.

August 21st (T-Minus 2 Days)
Deadline for Nintendo to roll out the new 3DS Ambassador Program webpage... while it is still technically during the "Week of August 15th".

August 23rd (T-Minus 4 Days)
(Nintendo 3DS) Shin Megami Tensin Devil Survivor Overclocked released

September 1st (T-Minus 13 Days)
The 3DS Ambassador Program finally delivers first reward with 10 NES Virtual Console games (pre-full release version) released.

September 9th (T-Minus 3 Weeks)
Make Your Own Zelda Flipnote contest deadline.
Presently only Nintendo DSi & DSi XL owners can enter this contest until further notice. Stay tuned.

September 13th (T-Minus 25 Days)
(Nintendo DS) Camping Mama : Outdoors Adventures releases.

Update sometime this weekend when webpage deadline passes... stay tuned!

Welcome to Nintendopoly! My new reviewer's blog!

Welcome to Nintendopoly, my new blog for the readers of my content out on the web!

Presently I am only set up with AroundHawaii.com but hopefully that will change shortly!

Here I'll tell you about upcoming arricles, keep you up to date on Nintendo news as it comes in to me, solicit your votes on discussion topics, commentary, countdown events and more!

So let's get started shall we?