Pokemon Rumble U coming to Nintendo eShop August 29

Pokemon Rumble U finally receives an official US release date, this August 29, as a digital download on the Wii U eShop. The sequel to 2009's Pokemon Rumble,  the game has demonstrated clearly improved graphics and visual flair, and will apparently support as many as 100 Pokemon in gameplay. The game has come on the spotlight for its NFC toys, similar to the toys in the Skylanders series and in the upcoming Disney Infinity.

It's official! Pokémon Rumble U is coming to the Nintendo eShop on August 29! http://t.co/0pb4z2Jgyi pic.twitter.com/9cd5A6mHcP

— Pokémon (@Pokemon) July 17, 2013

Unlike those other games, you won't need the NFC toys to collect those specific Pokemon. However, doing so will allow you to unlock special abilities. Nintendo also promises to have all 649 Pokemon in the games, up until Pokemon Black and White 2. Much like Pokemon Mystery Dungeon, you get to play as the Pokemon without trainers, or in this case, Pokemon wind up toys. These toy Pokemon fell down the river en rout to a toy shop, and you make your way back to the shop while fighting other Pokemon.

The Pokemon Company promises 4 player local cooperative and competitive play modes as well as official Pokemon Rumble U NFC figures, to be distributed via Gamestop. In a separate statement to MVC, Nintendo has explained that they have yet to finalize plans for the US release of NFC figures, and will announce in due course. They also hint it will be a small release.

The market for NFC toys and games is starting to get crowded, with the Skylanders 3 toys already out, the Disney Infinity toys scheduled for release August 23, and Rovio's newly announced Star Wars II toys coming September 19. Maybe Nintendo saw this coming a mile away and decided to cool off until competition dwindled down? We'll find out in the coming weeks.

Source 1, 2