If you’ve ever been frustrated by a small mushroom man telling you for the 7th time that the person you’re looking for is in another castle, this news is for you!
▼ Ugh, not again!
Have you ever dreamed of making a game where the hero or heroine races into a magical, breathtakingly beautiful structure to rescue their loved one from a fire-breathing, trash-talking monster without having to suffer crushing disappointment after a hard-won victory because you find out she’s not even there!? If so, today is the day to start making your dream come true!
▼ Developer Portal Homepage
On July 7, 2016, Nintendo released a major update to its Developer Portal. The Nintendo Developer Portal has traditionally only been available to businesses, but this latest update enables independent developers to sign up for an account and use the software tools and information free of charge.
▼ New Nintendo 3DS and Wii U
In addition to tools such as “Unity for Wii U / New Nintendo 3DS”, “Nintendo Web Framework” and “Nintendo Dev Interface”, a community forum has been setup to facilitate the exchange of information and ideas between developers. Nintendo is even offering assistance to those with a great idea but no actual developing or publishing experience.
After signing up for an account, all developers will have the ability to create for the Wii U and the 3DS platforms. The games can then be self-published and made available for purchase through Nintendo’s eShop.
If you’re already itching to sign up, Nintendo’s developer website (Japanese version here) lays out a 6-step process to get your game out of your head and into the eShop.
Tell us your idea for the next great Nintendo game in the comments below. We promise we won’t steal it!
Sources: Kai-You, Nintendo Developer Portal
Images: Know Your Meme, Nintendo Developer Portal