August2016
Video New Metroid Prime: Federation Force Trailer Arrives, and It's Still Fighting Dislikes
Game over man
Those poor Federation Force troopers, all they want to do is save the galaxy and be honoured for the effort, showing that on-the-ground grunts are valuable in the fight against Space Pirates, and probably cheaper than the fees for highly skilled Bounty Hunters like you-know-who. Yet they're doomed to be criticised forever more because...
News Metroid Prime: Federation Force is Now Available to Pre-load in North America
Just a few weeks to go
It's hard to believe, but Metroid Prime: Federation Force is only a couple weeks away from releasing in North America. The co-op FPS looks set to expand on the gameplay of the classic sub-series, though it has certainly drawn ire from many fans due to its divisive art style and multiplayer-centric gameplay. Still, Next Level...
July2016
News Metroid Prime: Blast Ball Gets Surprise Release, for Free, on the 3DS eShop
Blast away today
Though Metroid Prime: Federation Force is still a little while away on 3DS, Nintendo has surprised owners of the portable with the sudden release of Metroid Prime: Blast Ball as a free download on the eShop, giving players an early chance to try out the controls of the new entries and to engage in some futuristic sci-fi sports. The...
April2016
News Nintendo of America Opens the Teaser Site for Metroid Prime: Federation Force
The force awakens
It's somewhat hard to believe, but Metroid Prime: Federation Force is only a few months away from hitting the 3DS. The upcoming co-op shooter has certainly divided opinion, but for what it is, it looks like a fun and unique take on the world of Metroid Prime. While Federation Force still has yet to have a firm release date attached...
July2015
News Unseen64 Digs Up Development Insights Into Metroid Prime: Hunters, Dread and Federation Force
Dread "literally looked like a port of Fusion on DS"
Just recently we shared the most recent work of Unseen64, which produced a devastating expose of the doomed Project H.A.M.M.E.R., highlighting the problems between North American studio Nintendo Software Technology (NST) and Japanese management. It was an episode that, ultimately, didn't reflect...
Tom and Anthony scratch their heads at Nintendo's Prime demo
Blast Ball had a peculiar reveal and presence in recent weeks. It first appeared in the Nintendo World Championships without Metroid branding, and was then revealed in the E3 Digital Event to be part of Metroid Prime: Federation Force, the divisive 3DS title in development by Next Level...
News Reggie Fils-Aime Asks for Fan Trust With Metroid Prime: Federation Force
"There's no sugar coating" the negative reaction
It'll be interesting to look back on the E3 reaction to Metroid Prime: Federation Force this time in 2016, when the game's landed on 3DS and initial negativity has subsided. We don't yet know whether the game itself will be fun, for one thing, but it'll be worth assessing whether attitudes soften, as...
June2015
Playable prototype actually exists
Next Level Games has a long and proud history with Nintendo, having worked on a wide range of titles including Super Mario Strikers, Punch Out!! and Luigi's Mansion 2. However, not all of the projects pitched by this developer have seen the light of day, and Unseen64 has posted an updated video explaining what...
News Metroid Prime: Federation Force Producer Explains Why Samus Aran Isn't In The Game
"If we have four 'Samuses', that would be odd"
Engadget has been speaking to Metroid Prime: Federation Force producer Kensuke Tanabe about the game, its origins and how it plays. While the title has gained a lot of hate from various parties online, it's actually shaping up to be a very interesting team-based shooter - and it would appear that it
Talking Point Metroid Prime: Federation Force and Entitled Fury
Federation Farce
You can read our headline in two ways - that the fury towards Metroid Prime: Federation Force and Nintendo's Digital Event as a whole is justifiable, or that 'entitled' is a criticism of attitudes in consumers that make specific, harsh demands and react angrily when they're not met. That's deliberate, as there's merit to either side...
News Metroid Prime: Federation Force Is The Metroid Game You Didn't Expect, Or Perhaps Want
Multiplayer 3DS action in the Metroid universe, Next Level Games coding
Everyone wanted a new Metroid at this year's E3, and Nintendo has delivered one - but not in the form you might have wanted. Metroid Prime: Federation Force is a 3DS multiplayer title coded by Next Level Games which features four-player co-op missions - online or local - set in...
March2015
News Next Level Games Employee Suggests He's Working on a Wii U Title, Then Stealth Edits the Post
You cannot hide on the internet
It's no secret that Next Level Games, though it's an independent company, is currently committed exclusively to Nintendo projects - that was stated in early 2014, and nothing since has suggested any change. We'd like to think it's an ambitious project, too, as little has been heard from the company since Luigi's...
January2015
News Details of Next Level Games' Cancelled Project, 'Clockwerk', Emerge
Game set in a magical floating clock tower, which was not to be
Canadian development studio Next Level Games is well known for its work on Nintendo games such as Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon, Punch-Out!! and Mario Strikers Charged. While the studio is now exclusively developing for Nintendo platforms, that wasn't the case with an intr
September2014
Rumour Concept Work from Former Next Level Games Artist Shows a Certain Bounty Hunter
Was the studio once considering a Metroid project?
A former Next Level Games concept artist's portfolio is making Metroid fans' minds race with the possibility the studio had been working on or considering a new entry in the series. The artwork, which includes a stylized version of Samus in full Power Suit as well as two boss creature designs,...
January2014
News Next Level Games "Doing Only Nintendo Products Now"
Still an independent company, however
Next Level Games has produced a good number of Nintendo titles — including the excellent Punch-Out!! reboot on Wii — but truly shot to prominence with the critically and commercially successful Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon. The studio has been working solely on Nintendo games for a number of years, and told us...
October2013
News US Retailer Lists Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon For Wii U
Newegg claims the 3DS title is making the jump to Wii U this year
Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon — or Luigi's Mansion 2, if you're in Europe — was one of 2013's stand-out 3DS titles. It was so good that some lamented the fact that it was on a handheld — it was exactly the kind of epic experience that the Wii U could really have done with during...
June2013
Developer Interview Next Level Games And Nintendo Talk Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon
We speak exclusively to the team behind the 3DS adventure
The 3DS is enjoying a bumper 2013 when it comes to must-have releases, and Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon (or Luigi's Mansion 2 if you're outside of North America) has been one of the best titles to hit the handheld this year. The game has received overwhelmingly positive reviews and has set...
Interview Next Level Games Excited to Work on More Nintendo IPs
Tells us it's tagged as "ones who can revive old Nintendo franchises"
Later today we'll publish an exclusive and extensive interview with key members of the Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon development team, both from Next Level Games and Nintendo. We talk about Next Level Games' history of Nintendo games, and in detail about the development, design and...
April2013
News Developers: No Nostalgia Allowed in Creating Core of Dark Moon
Mario minus Mario
When making a game in a universe with such massive, long-standing presence as the Mario series, it would seem a no-brainer to start mixing that familiar essence in right from square one. But not so with Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon; the brother was granted a cleaner slate. In an interview with Gamasutra, developer Bryce Holliday...
News No Circle Pad Pro In Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon Because "It Didn't Add Anything"
"It just wouldn’t work"
Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon (or Luigi's Mansion 2 if you're in Europe) is fantastic — as you'll be aware if you've already read our review. However, one of the common issues people have had with the game — or perhaps the hardware it's running on — is the lack of a second analogue stick. It begs the question: why no...
March2013
News Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon Tops Japanese Charts
3DS remains best selling hardware, too
Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon has successfully spooked its way to the top of the Japanese sales charts. The 3DS adventure sold 280,151 copies in its first week on sale. The arrival of Luigi's latest outing helped the 3DS shift 76,553 units, putting it ahead of the PS Vita, which sold 41,073 consoles in the same...
News Iwata Asks Shines A Light On Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon
Shigeru Miyamoto joins Nintendo's President in the latest interview
It's been 12 years since Luigi's Mansion was released on the GameCube, and the long arduous wait for its sequel Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon is close to being over. Next Level Games is the developer behind the title, and Nintendo President Satoru Iwata caught up with the studio in...
News Next Level Games Has A "Top Secret" Title In Development
Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon developer is hard at work
Next Level Games is the Canadian studio behind the upcoming Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon and it appears it hasn't been taking any time off after the long development process. According to the LinkedIn profile of Devon Blanchet, a lead designer at the company, there's a "top secret" game that's been...
News Next Level Games on Working With Nintendo to Create Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon
Miyamoto demanded a multiplayer experience to rival Mario Kart
Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon is being released on the 3DS at the end of this month. It's been developed by the Canadian studio Next Level Games, the team behind a host of Nintendo games such as Punch-Out!!, Mario Smash Football and Mario Strikers Charged. There's no doubt that landing the...
News Shigeru Miyamoto: Luigi's Mansion is Suitable As "Lighter Fare"
There are "quite a number of Luigi supporters internally, as well"
Yesterday we brought you the latest comments from Shigeru Miyamoto on the subject of his eventual retirement, and now GameSpot has released a larger chunk of its interview with the iconic Nintendo executive. Looking at upcoming games, the ever-approaching Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon...