News Articles
Saturday6th Dec 2014
News Nintendo Wins Four At The Game Awards 2014, While Shovel Knight Scoops Best Indie Prize
A good night for the big N
The Game Awards may not boast the most innovative name, but the first ever ceremony for the new annual event went down relatively well in Las Vegas; our live blog was a happier place than during the VGX broadcast last year. It perhaps veered too far back to bland PR speech occasionally, but there were also a number of nice...
Wednesday3rd Dec 2014
Weirdness Legless Peach amiibo Now Up For Sale
Literally legless
Since amiibo hit stores we've had the opportunity to interact with some of our Nintendo heroes, even if the final retail figures aren't quite as fancy as the demo units revealed at E3. In the vast majority of cases each model is of reasonable quality, but odd defects can happen — one lucky fan discovered a dual-wielding Samus and...
Tuesday2nd Dec 2014
News Wii U System Update 5.3.1 Resolves Mario Kart 8 TV YouTube Issue
Also adds sweet, sweet stability
While not necessarily a feature used by many, Mario Kart 8's TV mode, allowing you to upload highlights directly to YouTube, is one of the games most modern features. That said, some users were encountering consistent errors with the feature, halting their attempts at racing stardom on the web. Nintendo promised an...
Sunday30th Nov 2014
News Walmart Offering Hot Deals on Mario Kart 8 and Super Mario 3D World Hardware Bundles
$300 with a free $50 gift card
Though Black Friday madness has now passed, we can still expect retailers to fight for our loyalty up until the festive break. From Nintendo's perspective it'll be targeting Wii U sales, and is no doubt hoping that retailers push exciting promotions — step forward Walmart with its latest deals in the US. The...
Friday28th Nov 2014
Video Here's How amiibo Works With Mario Kart 8, Hyrule Warriors And Smash Bros. Wii U
Where does he get all those wonderful toys
Nintendo's take on the "toys to life" concept — known as amiibo — is finally here, and like so many Nintendo fans over the world we've been having some fun with these amazing little figures. For those who haven't had a chance to see what these awesome mounds of plastic can do, let us educate you with...
Wednesday26th Nov 2014
News This Mario Kart 8 Badge Set Brings Some Extra Style to Club Nintendo
Available right now in Europe and Australia
Club Nintendo sometimes gets criticism for not providing regular updates of neat collectibles, but the latest arrival in Europe and Australia may satisfy those with some Stars to spend — there's now a Mario Kart 8 badge set. A rather nice presentation box, pictured above, contains three metal badges...
Monday24th Nov 2014
News Mario Kart 8 Scoops Best Game Prize at British Academy Children’s Awards
Another cup won
It's been a big year for Mario Kart 8, with the racer boosting Wii U sales and delivering a franchise first with the recently released DLC. It's been given plenty of praise, and now has a relatively lucrative award to celebrate. Every year the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) hosts its Children's Awards, to...
Video Jimmy Fallon Reveals He's A Keen Mario Kart 8 Bowser Player
It's good to be bad
We've all got our own personal preferences when it comes to Mario Kart. Some of these have been built up over the past two decades since the SNES original was released, while others are founded on more recent instalments. Which character a person picks says a lot about their play style and temperament — and thanks to an...
Thursday20th Nov 2014
Weirdness Mario Kart Becomes A Temporary Reality In Tokyo
Every gamer's dream...
Go-kart rental company Akiba Cart is known for its usual monthly events, allowing people to race around the streets of Tokyo's busiest and geekiest district, Akihabara. However, last Sunday the neighbourhood was in for a treat, for a group of cosplayers dressed as Mario and company decided to take the stage and 'play' Mario...
Wednesday19th Nov 2014
News Mario Kart 8 Update Planned to Resolve MKTV YouTube Upload Error
The dreaded error code 104-1852
Mario Kart 8 has proven to be a major success for the Wii U in 2014, being critically acclaimed and — more importantly — performing well at retail. A feature it introduced as new to the franchise, of course, was Mario Kart TV, in which you can save, edit and view stylish replays of races. Another option is to...
Video Someone Has Built Mario Kart 8's Mute City Track In F-Zero X, Just Because They Can
You've got boast power!
Mario Kart 8's new DLC is a beautiful thing, offering additional characters, karts and tracks which breathe new life into what was already one of the best Wii U games. However, one of the highlights for the Nintendo Life team — all card-carrying F-Zero fans — is the Mute City track, which makes us want a sequel more than...
Monday17th Nov 2014
News Andy Murray Drops Mario Kart For Sudden Djokovic Tennis Match
Green shell firing should've come in handy…
After being defeated by Roger Federer in this week's ATP World Tour Finals in the group stage, UK tennis player and Grand Slam winner Andy Murray had decided to hang up the racket and pick up the pad for a day — Sunday to be exact. However, his R&R came to a screeching halt, as he received a call...
Video Nintendo Releases 60 FPS Trailers for Splatoon and Mario Kart 8 DLC
Have a EMP Indie event video as a bonus
Earlier this year YouTube announced that it'd update its service to finally support 60 frames per second (FPS) videos, which means that footage can be silky smooth and delicious for our eyeballs; that update went live at the end of October. The standard performance is 30 FPS, and if you're unsure of how...
Saturday15th Nov 2014
News Loot Crate amiibo Details and Pricing are Confirmed
Costs as much as a 3DS
Earlier this week it was announced that there would be a Loot Crate amiibo subscription package — it's a service where you pay monthly in return for regular deliveries of goodies. This is a Nintendo of America partnership, and details have now been confirmed for the amiibo subscription deal; it's limited to the US only,...
Video Watch The Mario Kart 8 × Zelda DLC Running In Silky-Smooth 1080p 60fps
A Link To The Fast
The excellent first piece of paid-for DLC was released for Mario Kart 8 on Thursday, and it truly is a wonderful download, worthy of your hard earned money. We've waved lyrical about how great it is, but if for some reason you aren't yet convinced, allow us to push you off the fence with this video of Link, Tanooki Mario &...
Friday14th Nov 2014
Video Let's Play Mario Kart 8 With Lydia Part Two: Shell Cup 150cc Challenge
150cc or bust
Not so long ago I tested my skills at Mario Kart 8's 150cc Mushroom Cup, and as promised, I'm back to take on the Shell Cup. Have my skills improved in the time that has passed since I gunned for Mushroom Cup glory? Have I mastered my racing lines and become more adept at blasting back-markers with red shells? You'll have to watch to...
Video Relax With This Collection of Mario Kart 8 DLC Videos
Music! Comparisons! More Music!
It's Friday, which means the youthful among you may be planning a weekend full of fun and frolics, while those of us that are a tad older may be planning to sleep and catch up on our reading time — with pipe and slippers to hand, of course. Whatever the case for you, it can be nice to just relax and bask in the glow...
Thursday13th Nov 2014
Play Get Racing In Our Mario Kart 8 Nintendo Life DLC GP
All new tracks, all the time
Today has brought us the first Mario Kart 8 DLC pack, which is no doubt being eagerly played around the world already. With tracks, characters and vehicles incorporating F-Zero, The Legend of Zelda and Excitebike alongside other fun new tracks, it delivers a terrific expansion to the racer. Naturally plenty will be...
Nintendo Download 13th November (North America)
Mario Kart 8 DLC, LEGO Batman, Tengami, Sonic Boom x2 and much more
It's Nintendo Download time, North America, and this week is a bumper offering — we have major retail releases and exclusives on Wii U and 3DS, some intriguing new download-only titles, demos, discounts and, last but not least, Mario Kart 8 DLC. Lots to choose from, so let's get...
Video Mercedes Releases Two New Real-Life Mario Kart 8 Commercials
We’ll also file this one under the ‘weirdness’ tag
Whether you like it or not, the free Mercedes DLC for Mario Kart 8 is here to stay. Whilst the initial announcement raised much discussion – and concern – about licensed content within Nintendo’s video game franchises, Mercedes-Benz has since cunningly naturalised the concept with the...
News Mario Kart 8 Software Update and DLC Available Now
Rev up the Master Cycle
While there are some blockbuster titles arriving in stores this week, we suspect we're not alone in looking forward to one thing above all else — Mario Kart 8 DLC. The Legend of Zelda x Mario Kart 8 includes eight tracks, three characters and four vehicles, and we think it's an absolute treat. The good news is that it's...
Wednesday12th Nov 2014
Video Nintendo's Wii U Holiday Commercial Keeps It In The Family
Racing off with Mario Kart 8
In 2013 Nintendo of America's main Wii U Holiday commercials revolved around 'The Pitch', as kids tried to convince their parents that a Wii U was the way forward for family entertainment. The first 2014 Wii U Holiday commercial in the region also, unsurprisingly, opts for families as its pitch, albeit with a different...
Tuesday11th Nov 2014
News Nintendo Outlines Confusing amiibo Save Data Limitations
Not as simple as with Skylanders
It seems to be amiibo day, with a Wii U system update adding a settings menu for the figures and a range of 11 more toys confirmed for 2015; those are positives, though details on how to use the figures on the official website in Japan indicate some limitations to the figures. Though it's been comm
Monday10th Nov 2014
Nintendo Download 13th November (Europe)
Mario Kart 8 DLC, Golden Sun, Tengami, LEGO, Castlevania and more
It's another Monday morning, which means we have Nintendo Download news for European gamers. It's a packed week with a major retail release, eagerly anticipated DLC, some high-profile Virtual Console games and enticing download-only titles to consider. There's a lot to get through, so...
Friday7th Nov 2014
Video Enjoy a Turbo Boost With This Mario Kart 8 DLC Pack 1 Overview
Race on a giant dragon, just because
It's now just a week before the first batch of DLC for Mario Kart 8 arrives; while it may seem slightly peculiar to be hyped for paid DLC, we suspect a good number of Nintendo fans are eagerly awaiting this pack's arrival. For a thoroughly reasonable price there'll be a decent amount of content, and the fact that...
Wednesday5th Nov 2014
News Mario Kart 8 DLC Pack 1 Hits on 13th November, Content and amiibo Details Confirmed
Rev it up
Among the many announcements during today's Nintendo Direct broadcast were some exciting details about a long-established Wii U game. Nintendo finally provided full release details on the first DLC pack for Mario Kart 8, while also confirming the compatible amiibo figuries for the racer. To kick off with the DLC, it arrives on 13th...
Tuesday4th Nov 2014
News Mario Kart 8 Software Update Will Unlock amiibo Functionality With Themed Mii Racing Suits
Speed meets style
In a recent update to the official Mario Kart 8 site — that seems to have been spotted early be eager fans — Nintendo has revealed some of the first details in relation to the game's long-awaited amiibo functionality, and announced that the relevant software update will be available from November 13th. According to the amiibo...
Friday31st Oct 2014
News Walmart Display Shows Us Which amiibo Are Compatible With Mario Kart 8, and More
Smashing up the tracks
It's no secret that many of the amiibo figurines already revealed will work across a range of compatible software titles, and now a recently-discovered Wal-Mart promotional display has shed some light on which are set for use in Mario Kart 8. Nintendo Force editor Lucas Thomas managed to grab a picture detailing a list of...
Tuesday28th Oct 2014
Video Try Not To Overheat As You Watch Excitebike Arena Footage From Mario Kart 8's DLC
Very excite
It's not long now until Mario Kart 8 gets its first helping of DLC, and to keep you keen Nintendo has released a video which shows off the amazing Excitebike Arena course — inspired, of course, by the NES game Excitebike. The course is packed with bumps which are perfect for trick boosts, and even features a massive status of the...
Wednesday22nd Oct 2014
Tanooki Buggy also revealed!
If you haven’t already pre-purchased the upcoming Mario Kart 8 downloadable content, due out this November and May 2015, then this latest reveal might just be enough reason to take the plunge. Nintendo has released a new trailer revealing Yoshi Circuit from the 2003 GameCube series entry, Mario Kart: Double Dash!!,...
