Episode 93: A Mobile Monster

Monsters, pocket monsters, and announcements of monstrous proportions all await you in this episode of the Random Nintendo Podcast. The show kicks off with full coverage of Nintendo’s bombshell new mobile strategy, including a break down of what their DeNA partnership means and an in-depth analysis of plans for a unified membership program, the next-gen NX system, and beyond. We also share our full impressions of both Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate and Nintendo’s first true “freemium” game, Pokemon Shuffle. Plus, we discuss rumors of a toy-to-life Lego game, first details on the spiritual successor to Banjo-Kazooie, and February’s surprisingly positive US sales numbers. What do you think of Nintendo’s strategic shift towards supporting mobile devices? Let us know your take on the big news, or any other topic we discussed, in the comments below. If you liked what you heard, consider leaving a review of the show (and subscribing!) on iTunes and be sure to also follow us on Twitter @RandomNintendo. As always, we’ve included links to learn more about the news and games covered in this episode. Each link also lists a time stamp so you can easily locate the segments that most interest you. Enjoy! News [0:03 – 0:56] Nintendo and DeNA Form Business and Capital Alliance (Nintendo Press Site) [0:10] What We Know About Nintendo’s Plans For Mobile Games (TechCrunch) [0:24] Exclusive: Nintendo CEO Reveals Plans for Smartphones (TIME.com) [0:31] Nintendo isn’t giving up on consoles, promises to unveil a ‘brand new concept’ next year (The Verge) [0:41] All We Know About Nintendo’s NX Gaming Platform (Wired) [0:55] Nintendo shares skyrocketed (Business Insider) [0:56] LEGO toys-to-life game coming from Warner Bros this year (VideoGamer.com) [1:09] Playtonic Games Announces Project Ukulele (Nintendo World Report) [1:17] February 2015 NPD: PS4 tops Xbox One, and Nintendo scores with 3DS and Zelda (VentureBeat) Games [1:30] Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate (Official Site) [1:47] Pokemon Shuffle (Official Site) [1:09] Project Ukulele (Giant Bomb Game Page)