Author Profile
James started his career in video games as News Editor on Nintendo Life. Since leaving in 2012 to join Nintendo of Europe, James has risen through the ranks to become NoE's Senior Product PR & Corporate Communications Manager.
News Add Tennis Balls to the List of Things Goombas Hate
Everything's a weapon
It's not just feet that pose a serious threat to eternal whipping boys the Goombas; tennis balls cause them serious harm too. Nintendo's new trailer for Mario Tennis Open showcases some of the new special games, from a Super Mario Bros.-inspired romp through World 1-1 and 1-2 to a Super Mario Galaxy face-off against a Luma. You...
News Pit and Pokémon Share Strong March Sales in Japan
Not in the top spot though
Pokémon Conquest — aka Pokémon + Nobunaga's Ambition in Japan — was the best-selling Nintendo title in the Land of the Rising Sun last month. The strategy crossover was released on 17th March, meaning it shifted 242,192 units in two weeks. In third place was Kid Icarus: Uprising, with 144,468 sales in the ten days...
Rumour ViviTouch to Demo Wii U Haptics Tech at E3
Feels good
Here's a Wii U rumour that's more towards the 'believable' end of the scale: Wii U's new controller could include haptic technology. According to an E3 floor plan (via NeoGAF), haptics specialist ViviTouch will show a Wii U peripheral at the upcoming trade show. ViviTouch's haptic tech is a more advanced form of physical feedback than...
Out Today Xenoblade Chronicles (North America)
About time
After a lot of campaigning and complaining, Monolith Soft's epic Xenoblade Chronicles makes it across to North America today. The mammoth RPG is available to buy from GameStop or Nintendo's online store. The regular version is $49.99, while the 'enhanced package' with black Classic Controller Pro will set you back $64.99 (plus tax, of...
News Going to PAX East? Come Say Hello!
Corner a panda
If you're heading to PAX East this Friday or Saturday, make sure you keep your eyes open for our man on the ground, Jon Wahlgren. The panda himself will be on the show floor on Friday and Saturday, proudly decked out in a Nintendo Life t-shirt. Not only will Jon be happy to pose for photographs, sign autographs and bless your child,...
News Amoebattle's Quarantine Period is Nearly Over
Release due soon
After a long wait, Intrinsic Games' Amoebattle is nearly ready to infect DSiWare. The real-time strategy game with a distinctly germy theme has been approved for release by Nintendo of America, with a definitive release date expected in the near future. If you want to know more about Intrinsic's RTS, you can read our Amoebattle...
News Nintendo UK Unleashes 2012 Tour Dates
Try before you buy
It's that time of year when Nintendo takes its wares on the road across the UK, with the first three events dated. Visitors to the tour can try out Mario Tennis Open, battle and trade AR cards for Kid Icarus: Uprising and play Pandora's Tower. The first three people into the show — steady on, Nintendo — will each take home a...
News Let the Pokémon Conquest Trailers Begin
Strategise open
Yesterday's announcement of Pokémon Conquest — that's the English name for Pokémon + Nobunaga's Ambition — for North America now brings with it a brace of trailers. The first is the opening movie you can expect to watch on your DS come 18th June, while the other is an introduction to the gameplay mash-up of grid-based strategy,...
Nintendo Download 5th April 2012 (North America)
TNT, Colors and more
A long-awaited 3DS art package, a DSiWare puzzler and a WiiWare racer make up this week's digital downloads in North America. Here's the Nintendo Download: 5th April 2012 for Europe. 3DS Download Software: Colors! 3D (Collecting Smiles, $6.99, 226 blocks) — A much-anticipated release for 3DS, this 3D art software was supposed...
News Rush Rush Rally Racing Parks in Europe on 19th April
Really
Update: The correct release date is 19th April, not 12th as previously stated. Senile Team's Rush Rush Rally Racing is on the way to Europe in two weeks. The indie racer — first developed for Dreamcast, fact fans — was first announced for WiiWare in August 2010, but the wait is due to be over on 19th April for 900 Nintendo Points. Up to...
News 3DS Sales Jump in Japan Thanks to Kingdom Hearts
Another big week
Last week 3DS sales jumped 50% thanks to Kid Icarus: Uprising; this week it's Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance bringing about the rise. Square Enix's Disney crossover RPG sold 213,579 units in its first week. By comparison, Kid Icarus shifted 132,526 copies in its first seven days on sale, but this week dropped to fourth place...
News Sonic Designer Hirokazu Yasuhara Joins Nintendo
It's just not natural
Hirokazu Yasuhara, an instrumental member of Sonic Team during the 1990s, has taken a new role at Nintendo of America. Yasuhara — sometimes known as Carol Yas — was game planner on the original Sonic the Hedgehog before directing and designing the best of the hedgehog's 16-bit adventures. His final game at SEGA was...
Talking Point Is Wii U's Power Really That Important?
It's how you use it
One topic's dominated the Wii U news since Nintendo revealed its new console at E3 2011 — just how powerful is it? Nintendo's Wii U technical specifications give the vaguest of nods to its under-the-hood power, just mentioning a multi-core IBM processor — which we know is based on game show-conquering chip Watson — but it...
News Gearbox: Wii U Out-RAMs Xbox 360 and PS3
Has "really great processor"
There's a lot of Wii U love going on at Gearbox these days. Last week Randy Pitchford implored Nintendo for more Wii U power, and now the studio's Brian Martell has told Official Nintendo Magazine the console will have one of the best-looking versions of upcoming shooter Aliens: Colonial Marines. Martell is chief...
News Namco, Capcom and SEGA Secret Countdown Starts
It's on
That mysterious SEGA, Capcom and Namco Bandai 3DS game just advanced to the next stage of teasing: the dreaded countdown site. After weeks of colour coded hints that seem to nudge towards characters ranging from Ken Masters to Bahn from long-dormant SEGA scrapper Fighting Vipers, the site's updated to include a new countdown will end at...
News More Gorgeous Epic Mickey 3DS Screenshots Revealed
What a Beauty
Like us, you were probably pretty excited when you heard about Disney Epic Mickey: Power of Illusion for 3DS, a new 2D platformer from Monster Tale studio DreamRift. Now Disney has released a few more details on this intriguing upcoming title. The previously revealed painting mechanic involves sketching on the touch screen before the...
News Pokémon Conquest Heading to DS in June
Japanese feudal warlords, anyone?
Nintendo of America has revealed Pokémon Conquest is coming to the continent on 18th June. The translated version of Pokémon + Nobunaga's Ambition will arrive on Nintendo DS this summer, bringing a different form of strategy to the table. Update: Nintendo of Europe has responded to our email, saying: We have...
News Boulder Dash-XL 3D Wants to Rock 3DS in July
Budget retail release revealed
Reef Entertainment has revealed it's bringing Boulder Dash-XL 3D to 3DS this summer. A 3DS retail release of last year's PSN and Xbox Live Arcade game, it features 150 brand new maps and the ability to share high scores and unlocked items via StreetPass. it's set to hit Europe on 20th July for a budget price of...
News Square Enix Pegs Heroes of Ruin for 26th June
Casts level 2 Intrigue
3DS's online action RPG Heroes of Ruin is due to land on 26th June, Square Enix has revealed. The title was originally promised for 'early' 2012 but has now seemingly slipped to the middle of the year. Hopefully that means its ambitious online multiplayer, including voice chat and regular new content via SpotPass, will make...
News Japan Gets Customisable Club Nintendo Polo Shirts
Get Rover here
Want to be the best dressed gamer out there? These customisable polo shirts are just the thing. Club Nintendo in Japan is offering the shirts to all members for the cost of 550 points. You can choose from one of eight colours and one of six embroidered icons: Donkey Kong, a Fire Flower, Rover from Animal Crossing, Mr Game & Watch...
News Ubisoft Wants to Be Top Dog on Wii U
Sound familiar?
Ubisoft will stick to its tactic of big launch support for new consoles when Wii U launches later this year. Last year Ubi launched six games alongside 3DS and, back in 2006, released half a dozen games on the same day as Wii. That plan helped it become the biggest third-party publisher on both formats — though Ubi's Wii success...
News Funcom: Wii U Could Do MMOs Without Compromise
Who needs F keys?
Massively multiplayer online games and consoles don't exactly have the strongest working relationship, despite the efforts of sizeable publishers: SEGA had Phantasy Star Online and Phantasy Star Universe, Square Enix brought Final Fantasy XI to Xbox 360 and Sony Online Entertainment's EverQuest Online Adventures for PS2 only just...
News Super Street Fighter II Strikes Europe Next Week
Hadouken!
The much anticipated Mega Drive version of Super Street Fighter II is due to reach Europe next week. The official Nintendo site lists the game for 12th April at 800 Points. We've already got Super Street Fighter II on SNES available on Virtual Console, but this Mega Drive version is due to launch with online multiplayer, a Virtual Console...
News Developers: Wii U "Less Powerful than PS3 and 360"
Is it, isn't it?
Welcome once again to the best game show on the internet, How Powerful is Wii U? While recently Darksiders II developer Vigil Games said Wii U is "on par" with current generation consoles, now a band of anonymous developers have spoken out to Games Industry.biz about the machine's power, claiming it's not got quite as much...
