October2009
First Impressions Castlevania: The Adventure ReBirth
Worth getting your teeth into?
The Castlevania series of action platformers is widely regarded as containing some of the best games on the Famicom, and indeed home consoles full-stop, with top-notch instalments on Super Famicom, PC Engine, Playstation and handheld platforms to name a few. Needless to say the news that the first GameBoy game was...
News Frogger Returns Coming To WiiWare
Twelve times the size of the original game, says Konami
Frogger, the little amphibian who has been trying to cross roads with varying success since the early 80's, is coming back for another go this fall. Frogger Returns, slated for a fall release, is being developed by Konami for PlayStation Network and WiiWare. New for this time around are time...
News Feast Your Eyes On This Castlevania: ReBirth Footage
Video of the first few levels hits the net, looks fang-tastic
As you may already be aware, Castlevania: The Adventure Rebirth came out in Japan recently. The Western release is still up in the air, so while you're waiting you might want to take a look at this footage, which has been posted up on YouTube by user jodecideion. Be warned - this may...
News More Castlevania: The Adventure Rebirth Screenshots
More gorgeous shots of the upcoming WiiWare release in action.
Well it's not much, but we were able to get our hands on three additional screenshots of the upcoming WiiWare release Castlevania: The Adventure Rebirth in action. As you can see in the screenshots below, the game looks absolutely amazing and should prove to be a great addition to the...
News Solitary Castlevania Rebirth Screenshot Rises From Its Grave
But it's a lovely screenshot nonetheless
Castlevania: The Adventure Rebirth comes out in Japan on the 27th of this month, but aside from a few images in Famitsu, we've seen precious little of the game thus far. That's changed somewhat, but not by much. A single screen from the game has been released onto the net, and while we'd rather have a few...
News IGA Involved With Castlevania: Rebirth; Next Project Top Secret
Don't fret - Koji Igarashi is still alive and well, Konami confirms
When Konami revealed its Castlevania series reboot Lords of Shadow at this year's E3, the absence of Koji "IGA" Igarashi raised some eyebrows. The legendary producer - who has been the Castlevania franchise head man since the days of Symphony of the Night - didn't seem to...
News Castlevania Draculathon '09 Proves Vampire Slaying is a Charitable Cause
Support SouthSideGamers in this most noble quest
If the recent Castlevania: The Adventure ReBirth screens have whetted your appetite for all things vampire-related then you might want to point your browser in the direction of the SouthSideGamers website. The gaming group intends to play Castlevania games for 48 hours straight (and possibly longer)...
News First Castlevania: The Adventure ReBirth Screens Appear
Latest issue of Famitsu provides a closer look at the highly-anticipated dose of retro goodness.
Japanese gaming publication Famitsu has provided the world with a first look at Castlevania: The Adventure ReBirth. The screens show the typical Gothic look we've come to love and expect from Konami's vintage series. The game appears to follow the...
September2009
News Castlevania: The Adventure ReBirth Coming This Month
Nintendo's confirms Konami title as a Q3 release
Wow, things sure move quickly in the world of WiiWare. We've only just heard the awesome news that Konami's new Castlevania is in the works, and now Nintendo's own release list has confirmed that the game is going to be with us sooner than expected - this month, in fact. Castlevania: The Adventure...
Nintendo Download 15-16 September 2009 (Japan)
The magic numbers next week are 3-3-4 as WiiWare makes a reappearance in Japan.
After a wee holiday from the Japanese download service, WiiWare has come back with three new titles along with three Virtual Console titles and four DSiWare titles for happy downloaders everywhere. WiiWareMinna de Tobikome Penguin Diving Hooper Looper (500pts -...
News Contra ReBirth Coming To America This Monday
Konami confirms that the classic franchise will be available on Labor Day.
While the chaps reading Nintendo Life over on the fairer side of the Atlantic were blessed with the news that they would be getting Contra ReBirth on September 4th, those of us in North America were left wondering when we would be able to get our hands on Bill Rizer and Lance...
News Yes, Silent Hill: Shattered Memories Will Have A Preorder Bonus
Series soundtrack available through GameStop
Another game, another preorder bonus. This time, it's for your ears! Plunking down some of your hard-earned (or stolen) dollar bills at GameStop towards Konami's new non-combative reimagining of Silent Hill will net you a a nifty CD. Said CD will presumably have 18 of "your favorite tracks" from...
August2009
News Konami and Hudson To Build The Tower of Shadow On Wii
A new platformer from the House of Higgins
The title may not be nailed down quite yet, but we know this much: Hudson's new game, The Tower of Shadow (working title), is going to be published by Konami. It's a platformer where you climb some huge tower for mysterious reasons. Oh, and you're a shadow. Somehow. It's all in progress, really. Check out...
First Impressions Tomenasanner
Rock rock planet rock, don't stop. Rock rock planet rock - DON'T STOP!
What Tomenasanner means is anyone's guess (try guessing in the comments - better still, please advise if you know!). It's written in katakana so it's apparently a word of foreign origin (sure sounds it!), but the closest that Google Translate offered was "tomen" which...
July2009
News Nintendo Download 04-05 August 2009 (JAPAN)
It's a mega update in the Land of the Rising Sun!
The release schedules around the world have seen bumper crops of WiiWare releases (and in PAL territories VC ones courtesy of the latest Hanabi Festival); naturally being Nintendo's home territory it should come as no surprise that Japan outdoes even these impressive download service updates. Next...
Interviews Driift Mania - Konami
Konami's European studio spill the beans about their upcoming WiiWare racer!
With the upcoming July 31st European release of Konami's WiiWare top-down racing game Driift Mania approaching fast, we thought that now might be a good time to get in touch with the developers behind it in order to find out a bit more about the game. Axel de Rougé, the...
News Tomenasanner Mad New Title from Konami for WiiWare
More mental game stylings as only the Japanese can deliver them!
It's not really apparent why Japanese game developers have such a penchant for wacky game ideas that provide a draw for many curious Westerners: it could be a reaction to growing up in a culture of overwork and is an explosive expression of repressed id. Whatever the reason, it's...
News Pro Evolution Soccer 2010 Takes to the Field in Autumn
What new features and updates are planned? Read on!
Although the Pro Evolution Soccer games have lost major ground to EA Sport's juggernaut FIFA franchise in recent years, Konami's flagship sporting series has shown remarkable form when turning out for Nintendo's Wii, with 2008 and last year's 2009 release showing off some pretty moves. The only...
June2009
News Turtles In Time Remake No Longer Coming To WiiWare?
Latest press release neglects to mention Wii version
Konami recently announced that it was updating the SNES classic Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Turtles in Time for modern consoles, with the XBLA version being displayed to all and sundry. A WiiWare version also seemed to be on the cards, but a recent press release from Ubisoft (which is working...
News Konami Confirms Zephyr: Rise Of The Elements For Wii
Rip up the landscape as an element of destruction
Konami has confirmed that Zephyr: Rise of the Elements is coming to Nintendo's Wii console The game places you in the shoes (assuming they have shoes) of a tornado, with the ultimate objective being to cause as much carnage as possible to the surrounding location. The game takes place over 11 levels...
May2009
News Castlevania Movie Bites The Dust
The Belmont's Hollywood debut is cancelled
Although Hollywood's track record with video game adaptations has been less than impressive over the years (see Super Mario Bros. for proof) we have to admit we were a little excited about Paul W. S. Anderson's proposed Castlevania movie. Announced back in 2005, the film was due to begin production in 2006...
News Could a New Rocket Knight Adventures Game Be On The Way?
German magazine hints at the return of Konami's classic 16-bit platformer series.
An article from German magazine M! Games reports that a new installment in Konami's Rocket Knight Adventures series of platformers from the early 1990's may be in the works. The story (which can be found here for those fluent in German) reports that the game is being...
First Impressions Contra ReBirth
BECAUSE YOU DEMANDED IT!
Remember Contra? After Green Beret (Rush 'N' Attack to Americans) it was the definitive run-and-gun game from Konami which saw two games in the arcade and ports and sequels on home consoles. I cannot say I ever played the latter, but the former I remember well. Despite being punishingly difficult (to me, anyway) there was...
News Watch Contra ReBirth In Action
Explosions, shooting and hilarious-looking storyline accounted for
Announced mere days ago, the wait for Contra ReBirth could hardly be described as excruciating for owners of a Japanese Wii. Everyone else, on the other hand, will have to make due with excited air-punches and YouTube videos to get their fix until the title is unleashed in their...
Nintendo Download 12 May 2009 (Japan)
This week sees some catching up and another Rebirth!
After last week's focus on the new streaming media channel from Nintendo with no new Japanese WiiWare or VC content, this week we're back to the standard 7 releases. Most of these are catching up with the NA/EU territories, but there's a couple of new titles in there as well including one that...