Terraria Release Dates Announced for Wii U & 3DS. Finally On All Systems Known to Man

Terraria has finally been announced for 3DS & Wii U! The 3DS release date is December 10th, 2015 (worldwide) and it will hit Wii U in early 2016! This means that Terraria will now be available for every modern system known to man! Virtually, anyway *tears for PSP*! The 3DS version will be running build 1.2.4 upon release.

Check out this Terraria 3DS trailer.

Terraria for 3DS will be priced at $20 (£16.99), and will be available at launch in digital form via the 3DS eShop. However, in early 2016, the game will also be released for 3DS in hardcopy form! Alongside the hardcopy & digital Wii U version.

As for 3DS specific features, the game has been completely upgraded from the ground up specifically for 3DS. The most immediate new feature is dual-screen support for a clutter-free gameplay experience with all your inventory handled on the bottom screen!

Terraria 3DS Building Inventory Gameplay Screenshot
Dual-screen & touchscreen inventory in Terraria for 3DS!

Obviously, touchscreen controls are a big new feature, with all the inventory navigation touch-enabled. However it is all optional, as the game also makes full use of all the 3DS’ buttons, including additional buttons if you play the game on the New 3DS (which has two additional shoulder buttons and a second control stick).

Terraria 3DS does not support online play, only 1-4 Player Local Wifi Multiplayer (No Download Play, each player needs a cart). It also won’t support MiiVerse, StreetPass or Amiibo. However all these, including ONLINE PLAY, may come in a Free Update in the future; say the developers.

The 3DS version DOES NOT support Amiibo and will not have online play at launch. On 3DS, it supports 1-4 four-player local multiplayer, but does not support Download Play (each player will need their own copy). StreetPass & Miiverse will also not be supported at launch. However all these features, including the biggie which is online play, are very likely to come in later free updates.

The 3DS version is being developed by CodeGlue, so it’s development & continued post-release updates (which will be free!) will not effect the other console versions. The Wii U version meanwhile is being developed by a company called “Engine”.

Here’s the Terraria 3DS/Wii U image gallery.
Click on any of these image thumbnails to see the full-size photos:


Finally, the 3DS version features a fixed worldsize, set at 1750×900 (in tiles, not pixels). This is due to the RAM restrictions of the 3DS system’s memory (space on the cart isn’t the issue, as the developers stated the 3DS Game Cards can go into the Gigabyes, and they could order a card as big as they needed).

Lastly, there will not be a 3DS Demo for Terraria, although that could theoretically come at a later date. They would rather not split the resources to build the demo.

3DS Terraria USA Box Artwork Official
USA box artwork for Terraria 3DS!

As for the coloring for the “Plumber” & “Hero Outfits” and the like for Wii U & 3DS, everything has to be approved by Nintendo… Thus depending on the sales-numbers for the Wii U & 3DS versions, the original coloring may be offered at some point.

Exclusive-items and Nintendo-centric goodies are a definite possibility in the future if the game is a big hit on 3DS & Wii U and Nintendo gives the okay.

As for the Wii U version, it will support online play for up to 8 players, and also supports 1-4 Player local Splitscreen. Additionally, you can have three-player splitscreen, with one player who gets the whole enchilada displayed on the Wii U GamePad and the other three on the TV. Awesome!

The Wii U version will be based on the console versions (so it will have the three World sizes as in the other console versions), but will have all of the control-features of the 3DS version, so it will include both dual-screen (with gameplay on the TV & inventory on the GamePad) and touchscreen control-options.

Terraria Wii U GamePad Inventory and TV Gameplay Screenshot Combo Early 2016 Release Date
Gamepad & TV play on Terraria Wii U. Releases early 2016!

The Wii U version will support Miiverse, but does not support voice chat for online play. Hopefully that will come in a future free update.

The Wii U version also supports additional controllers, but only the GamePad, Wii Remote & Nunchuck and Wii U Pro Controller. More controllers could potentially be added in the future.

For more intimate details on the 3DS & Wii U versions, read this blog post on the official Terraria forums.

Wii U Terraria PAL Box Artwork Official
Beautiful Wii U Terraria boxart (PAL)

Terraria was originally released for PC in 2011 by Indie developer Re-Logic (who also made Pixel Piracy). The 3DS & Wii U versions are being published by 505 Games (in America) & Headup Games (PAL), as well as Spike Chunsoft in Japan.

After the PC version was a huge sales monster (Terraria has sold over 12 million copies as of June 2015), the game hit a barrage of systems all throughout 2013, including Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PlayStation Vita, iOS, Android & Kindle Fire.

That trend continued in 2014, with the game hitting Windows Phone, PlayStation 4, Xbox One and finally, Mac & Linux! As well as DRM-free for PC on GOG.com.

And now, the game is coming to 3DS on December 10th, 2015 and, finally, Wii U in early 2016!

All videogame systems (outside of the poor PSP) GET!

Check out a few brief details from Nintendo on Terraria in this snippet on the 3DS version from the November 2015 Nintendo Direct (skip to 41:40 in the video).

TERRARIA SYNOPSIS
Dig, Fight, Explore, Build: The very world is at your fingertips as you fight for survival, fortune, and glory. Will you delve deep into cavernous expanses in search of treasure and raw materials with which to craft ever-evolving gear, machinery, and aesthetics? Perhaps you will choose instead to seek out ever-greater foes to test your mettle in combat? Maybe you will decide to construct your own city to house the host of mysterious allies you may encounter along your travels?

In the World of Terraria, the choice is yours!

Blending elements of classic action games with the freedom of sandbox-style creativity, Terraria is a unique gaming experience where both the journey and the destination are completely in the player’s control. The Terraria adventure is truly as unique as the players themselves!

Are you up for the monumental task of exploring, creating, and defending a world of your own?

Key Terraria features:

* Sandbox Play.
* Randomly generated worlds.
* Free Content Updates.

Check out 11 Minutes of Terraria 3DS gameplay in this video.

WHOO-HOO!

At long last, Terraria is finally hitting Nintendo platforms!

This completes the circle, making the game available on virtually every videogame platform known to man, and a huge accomplishment for Indie Developer Re-Logic.

I’ve heard nothing but praise for Terraria. It’s a really great addition to the 3DS lineup, and a great game to have on Wii U as well.

The dual-screen support & touchscreen controls, as well as splitscreen and/or wireless multiplayer on Wii U & 3DS, really give these versions something unique to boast.

Now when can we expect to see Terraria: Otherworld for 3DS/Wii U?

Hopefully creating all these console versions and the experienced gathered there, means we’ll see Otherworld & Terraria 2 sooner rather than later on all platforms.

Are you planning on picking up Terraria for either 3DS or Wii U? Which version are you eyeing?