Neat, Gravity Falls will have a 3DS game ⊟ 

We haven’t had such great luck with 3DS game adaptations for beloved animated shows, but maybe this time will be different.. Maybe. It’s a 2D platformer published by Ubisoft, releasing this Fall and priced at just $29.99.

Good news: It's built in the same UbiArt Framework that brought us Rayman Legends and Child of Light. Bad news: The most recent credits for the developer on the project, Ubisoft Osaka, are Petz Beach & Petz Countryside, Just Dance Kids 2014, and The Smurfs games on DS.

While I’ve never watched the show, I’ve often heard it mentioned in the same breath as Steven Universe. Hopefully the game does the show justice!

PREORDER Gravity Falls: Legend of the Gnome Gemulets

Nintendo removing homebrew-enabling game from 3DS eShop ⊟

From the eShop in Japan that is, as that's the only region where Cubic Ninja saw a digital release. This is in response to French coder Smealum recently revealing the game will be required to run homemade software (not pirated or commercial titles) on 3DSes, ahead of releasing an exploit for the system.

So if you want to get a copy of Cubic Ninja, you'll need to pick up a retail copy, which can be quite expensive now. Right before Smealum's announcement, you could a used copy for as cheap as $5.00 (including shipping) on Amazon. Now the site is selling Cubic Ninja for around $50, and I saw at least one copy on eBay with a Buy It Now price as high as $200. I doubt anyone will pay that amount, but it just demonstrates how much demand for the game has spiked.

Nintendo could be working on finding a way to block this exploit -- removing Cubic Ninja from the eShop shows the company has its eye on the threat at least. Considering that the game's original developer, AQ Interactive, doesn't really exist anymore due to its merger with Marvelous a few years ago, patching the game doesn't sound like an option, so it's likely Nintendo will need to put out a firmware update to thwart the eventual exploit.

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Here's what you'll need to run homebrew on a 3DS ⊟

We now know what game you'll need to enable homebrew on your 3DS once the long-awaited exploit is released: Cubic Ninja. You can snag a used or new U.S. version for pretty cheap on Amazon right now, and Japanese copies aren't too expensive either (the game's also available on the JP eShop).

From what I can gather, the exploit allowing people to run homemade games and apps requires a copy of Cubic Ninja and a special file saved on your 3DS's SD card. Once you have both, you will be able to install a Homebrew Channel onto a standard or New 3DS, no matter what your firmware. From there, you'll be able to launch unofficial programs. Please note that this exploit does not support commercial or pirated games at all -- the Pokémon and Zelda icons in the photo above are just there as placeholders (they're actually an FTP app and homebrew first-person shooter Yeti3DS).

French hacker Smealum intends to release the exploit later this week. As you can see in the image above, he's updated his Minecraft DS project for the 3DS to show off the exploit. It seems like the game and the Homebrew Channel are still a little rough, but these are important first steps toward developing a healthy homebrew community for the system. Thanks, Ubisoft and AQ Interactive, for helping make homebrew on the 3DS possible with Cubic Ninja!

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Tetris Ultimate is cheaper on eShop for some reason ⊟

When it launches in North America November 11 (Vita and other versions coming later in the winter), Tetris Ultimate will cost $29.99 at retail and $19.99 on the 3DS eShop. I wonder why?

I mean, I don't wonder why it's cheaper on eShop, since there's no manufacturing, printing, or shipping of boxes involved with a digital release. I wonder why every other game isn't cheaper on eShop. (Remember when PSN versions of Vita games were cheaper?)

Actually, I don't even wonder that. Publishers would wreck their relationships with retailers if every game was cheaper through a first-party download store.

Anyway, it's cool to have a discount on this one game!

BUY Nintendo 2DS & 3DS/XL, upcoming games

Tetris Ultimate on 3DS this fall ⊟

Ubisoft finally decided to tell us what we all kinda knew, that Tetris Ultimate would be out on 3DS in addition to consoles. While the other versions are out this summer, the 3DS release will come in the fall, with a "challenge mode" exclusive to 3DS.

"From disappearing Tetriminos to orientation-locked Tetriminos, be prepared for a variety of challenges that will test a player’s fortitude."

I can deal with that! I mean, I probably can't, but I want to try.

BUY Nintendo 2DS & 3DS/XL, upcoming games

Ghost Recon: Shadow Wars $14.99 on eShop ⊟

Ubisoft is holding a sale on both Wii U and 3DS eShop games, and that means savings on the download of the standout launch game, Ghost Recon: Shadow Wars. It's $14.99 right now – as are Petz Fantasy 3D, Rabbids Travel in Time 3D, Rayman 3D, Rayman Origins, and Splinter Cell 3D. A bunch of Wii U games are available for discounted prices, too.

The deal runs through March 31. Glad to see a big third-party doing an eShop promotion! And I'm glad to have another reason to mention Shadow Wars, which seems hella prescient now.

BUY Ghost Recon: Shadow Wars (cart), upcoming games

Ghost Recon: Shadow Wars seems awfully prescient now ⊟

While it’s always a great time to return to Ghost Recon: Shadow Wars, this 3DS launch title is especially relevant now given current tensions in Eastern Europe. Sure, plenty of games, especially shooters, feature similar plots centered around Russia invading Ukraine.

But as I mentioned in last week’s TinyCast, Shadow Wars actually has a stage in which rogue Russian soldiers occupy Sevastopol, a key port city in Ukraine’s Crimean peninsula (or Republic of Crimea, whatever you wanna call it) that houses Russia’s Black Sea Fleet. Remember how silly everyone thought Shadow Wars's story was?

Speaking of Shadow Wars, a new interview with the game’s producer and X-Com co-creator Julian Gollop reveals some hints on why we never saw a sequel — it sold “not so good”, likely due to Nintendo having difficulty selling people on the 3DS during its first year in stores. ::sigh:: At least you can Kickstart his new PC game.

BUY Ghost Recon: Shadow Wars (cheap!), upcoming games

It is time to buy Lumines: Electronic Symphony ⊟

Even after announcing two simultaneous PSN sales, Sony and publishers decided to sneak some more discounts out there. Most notably: Lumines Electronic Symphony, which is $6.49. 

I just cannot say enough about this game. It was my favorite Vita launch game, it's a beautiful zone-out puzzler, and it has an incredible mix of music. And it's $6.49??

Muramasa Rebirth is on sale too, for $24.99.

BUY PS Vita, upcoming games

Ghost Recon: Shadow Wars for $9.95 ⊟

Hey, one of our favorite 3DS games, Julian Gollop (X-Com) and Ubisoft's excellent modern war strategy RPG Ghost Recon: Shadow Wars, is just ten bucks at Amazon. I think that's the cheapest I've ever seen it? You can even grab one of the custom inside cover inserts to decorate the box with.

Other worthwhile handheld games in the bargain bin (stocking stuffers!):

The photo comes from Emmiranda, by the way.

BUY Nintendo 2DS & 3DS/XL, upcoming games, our holiday gift guide

Ubisoft's launch trailer for Zombieland on Wii U. Er, I mean, ZombiU. Watch it, and you'll see how I could get the two mixed up! Presumably that's what Ubi is going for.

The company not only got a Jesse Eisenberg sound-alike for the voiceover, it has him listing zombie survival rules with the same delivery -- and it threw a hoodie on the commercial's actor for good measure!

Now I'm looking forward to the Shaun of the Dead homage for ZombiU's promotional videos in the UK.

Buy: ZombiU, Zombieland See also: More Wii U news, media

Assassin's Creed 3: Liberation looks so much like my thing. At a glance, it doesn't seem too different from the other Assassin's Creed games that weren't my thing, but:

These GIFs (resized from these awesome images) come from the developer diary video Ubisoft put out today.

Preorder: Assassin's Creed 3: LIberation See also: More Assassin's Creed 3 posts

Rayman Legends really sells the "asymmetric gameplay" gimmick of WiiU's tablet, or in layman's terms, "I play this way, you play that way" -- as you'll see in this new trailer.

While the rest of the players are running and jumping around as usual, the GamePad holder manipulates the environment, clears pathways, and even tickles enemies to give others a free hit. This is fun times, people.

Preorder: Wii U stuff See also: More Wii U news, media

Something unfortunate I realized about the Ghost Recon: Shadow Wars sequel

Around this time last year, the prospects for a quick sequel to Ghost Recon: Shadow Wars were pretty good -- almost everyone who played the 3DS turn-based strategy game raved about its depth, and producer and X-Com co-creator Julian Gollop appeared to be polling fans about what they would like to see in a follow-up.

And Gollop later told Edge, with a wink, that his team at Ubisoft Sofia was working on an unannounced title that's "part of a major Ubisoft franchise," and everything seemed to be in place for a big reveal at E3.

But we didn't get an announcement for a sequel at E3. Instead we learned about another project from Ubisoft Sofia, Assassin's Creed III: Liberation or PS Vita (which looks pretty awesome, and I was thinking of picking it up before I even learned who working on it).

I had forgotten all about that Edge quote until this morning, but now it's clear that AC3: Liberation was the project Gollop was referring to. So, if he and Ubisoft Sofia ever do intend to work on a new Shadow Wars, it will likely be a while before we see evidence of it.

On a related note, whatever happened to that sort of crappy iOS port that was teased for Shadow Wars?

Buy: Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon: Shadow Wars Find: Nintendo DS/3DS release dates, discounts, & more See also: More posts on Ghost Recon: Shadow Wars

Assassin’s Creed III: Liberation, one of the few new PS Vita game announcements from yesterday's round of E3 presentations. We don't often talk about Assassin's Creed, and I've never played one to be honest. But I love watching playthroughs posted online, and the idea of playing a female African-French assassin in late 18th century New Orleans sounds like where it's at. Plus, it's all put together by Ubisoft Sofia (Ghost Recon: Shadow Wars). This hits on October 30, alongside a new white PS Vita model.

That all said, I can't believe that Sony had hardly anything to talk about with PS Vita last night. This was its opportunity to reassure PS Vita owners that it had a flood of high-quality games coming to the struggling portable...

Buy: PS Vita See also: More PS Vita coverage

Ubisoft's E3 demonstration for Rayman Legends on Wii U, one of the few new games shown off at E3 today that pretty much everyone agreed looked great.

I almost got a Maestro vibe from the music stage -- which, by the way, would be great to have on Wii U.

Buy: Rayman Origins Find: Nintendo DS/3DS release dates, discounts, & more See also: More demo news

... and I'm unsure how I feel about it.

On the one hand, Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon: Shadow Wars is a brilliant game, one of the best on 3DS, and it's great to hear that more people will have a chance to play it. Julian Gollop (creator of X-Com) and his team at Ubisoft Sofia deserve to get more recognition for this excellent turn-based strategy title.

Also, touch-based controls for directing your units around the battlefield should work great on the iPhone and iPad, just as good if not maybe better than the D-pad.

But on the other hand, I'm worried that the group that could've spent these last several months on a Shadow Wars sequel labored over this project instead. Though it's possible Ubisoft gave the port to another small studio or to a few members of the Sofia team.

My other concern is that the presentation on the iPad version kinda looks like butt so far. I get that the game has a lot of unit/terrain data to communicate, but it's odd to see the dual-screen setup on a single screen. And what will this look like on the iPhone's small screen?

Buy: Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon: Shadow Wars

Find: Nintendo DS/3DS release dates, discounts, & more

See also: More posts on Ghost Recon: Shadow Wars

[Image via Santtu Hauskala; I know this image doesn't actually look much like her, but it's Ghost Recon's god-tier assassin Banshee! I've never seen Banshee fanart!]

It's been featured in a number of "Buy 1, get X off" deals already, and I'm unsure how any of you could have gone this long without buying it after how much we've raved about the game, but Ghost Recon: Shadow Wars is now available with a $10 off discount at Amazon.

Anyway, if you haven't picked it up yet, you need to do so, as there's a sequel at stake here. Plus, you need to acquaint yourself with its god tier assassin, Banshee.

Amazon is also selling Ubisoft's other 3DS games (e.g. Cubic Ninja) with a $10 markdown, by the way, though you might want to pass over most of those.