April2024
News WayForward Director Says Nintendo Changed The Way He Looks At Making Video Games
"It's like seeing a color that doesn't exist"
Yesterday, during the latest Indie World presentation, WayForward revealed Yars Rising - a new Metroidvania based on the classic Atari franchise. Veteran game designer James Montagna is directing this new project and apparently has a new outlook on game design after teaming up with Nintendo for last...
News Atari And WayForward Join Forces For A New 'Yars' Metroidvania
All rise!
Publisher Atari and developer WayForward have announced Yars Rising, a new Metroidvania based on the classic Atari franchise Yars. The original Yars' Revenge released back in 1982 for the Atari 2600 and was very much a basic (albeit incredibly addictive) shooter in which an insect-like creature called Yar would go up against an evil being...
News Contra: Operation Galuga Limited Run Classic & Ultimate Edition Revealed, Pre-Orders Live
Update: Pre-orders end soon
Update [Sun 14th Apr, 2024 23:30 BST]: Pre-orders for the Contra: Operation Galuga physical Switch release will close very soon - so this is your last chance to get hold of standalone copies and collector's editions. Original article [Fri 1st Mar, 2024 03:00 GMT]: Back in December last year we heard how Konami and...
News Rose & Camellia Collection Brings "Slap-Fight Anthology" To Switch This Month
"Slap your way to the top of high society"
Remember that game where a bunch of high society people were slapping each other? Well, it's getting a local release on the Switch later this month. Rose & Camellia Collection was previously revealed for Nintendo's hybrid system during some Japanese broadcasts and now it will be making its way across...
March2024
Feature "The Odds Seemed Just Astronomical" - Reviving Lost Media With Shantae Advance
"Decisions made by younger me created a ton of headaches for modern me"
It's not often that a developer gets to revisit a chapter of their past and pick up where they left off on a project two decades prior, but the revival of Shantae Advance in the form of Risky Revolution has given WayForward creative director Matt Bozon just that opportunity...
News Contra: Operation Galuga "Full-Version Patch Update" Announced For Switch
Day one for other platforms, ASAP for Switch
Contra: Operation Galuga is out on the Nintendo Switch today and as part of this, there will be a patch update released in response to demo feedback. While other versions of this update are locked in for 12th March, for the Switch version, this update will be applied "as soon as preparations have...
Video Contra: Operation Galuga Spotlights Playable Characters In Explosive New Trailer
"Get ready to lock and load!"
Ahead of the arrival of Contra: Operation Galuga on the Switch, WayForward has released a brand new character trailer. It introduces the playable character line up - comprised of the legendary leader Bill Rizer, the headbanded hero Lance Bean, the enigmatic agent Lucia, the island warrior Ariana, the heavy-duty...
News Several WayForward Prototypes Appear Online Following Data Leak
Upcoming Shantae game will reportedly remain untouched
WayForward, the developer behind the likes of the Shantae series and last year's Advance Wars 1+2: Re-Boot Camp, has apparently suffered a data leak which has seen developmental prototypes and game backups posted online. As noted on Twitter by Lance McDonald, the leaked information is said to...
February2024
News Contra: Operation Galuga Gets Release Date, Free Demo Out Now
A classic returns very soon
It's been out of action for a minute, but Contra: Operation Galuga finally has a release date, and it's only a few weeks away. The reimagined version of the classic NES action game Contra, Operation Galuga lands on Nintendo Switch on 12th March 2024 for USD $39.99 / GBP £34.99. Pre-orders are open now on the eShop
January2024
News Shantae And The Pirate's Curse Reprint Revealed As Limited Run's "Final 3DS Release"
Update: Pre-orders now open
Update [Fri 26th Jan, 2024 15:40 GMT]: Pre-orders for the physical editions of Shantae and the Pirate's Curse are now available on Limited Run Games' website. The Collector's Editions are already sold out, unfortunately, but you can still snap up a physical standard edition for $34.99. Original article [Thu 18th Jan,...
December2023
Feature "Fans Have Waited Many Years For A Return To Form" - WayForward On Contra's Grand Revival
'Operation Galuga' launches in Early 2024
The Contra franchise has had a bit of a rough ride in recent years. Although fans and critics alike were generally receptive toward the 2011 title Hard Corps: Uprising, Konami put the franchise on ice for a total of eight years until the poorly-received Contra: Rogue Corps in 2019. Yet fans have continued...
News Oh Dear, Contra: Operation Galuga's Physical Edition Is A Download Code In A Box
Update: Limited Run will publish on cartridge in the US
Update [Wed 6th Dec, 09:15 GMT]: It's been announced that Limited Run Games will be publishing a physical edition of Contra: Operation Galuga in North America. The good news for collectors is that WayForward has confirmed to us that this version will indeed contain the full game on a...
News Contra: Operation Galuga Trailer Showcases Guns, Aliens, And Probotector
Lock 'n' load
Konami has released a new trailer for Contra: Operation Galuga, showcasing direct gameplay footage from the upcoming Switch game from developer WayForward. It's pretty standard stuff for the most part and mainly focuses on the introduction of the playable cast of characters. You've got the iconic duo Bill Rizer and Lance Bean,...
November2023
News Shantae Advance: Risky Revolution Is Bringing The Lost GBA Adventure To Switch Next Year
20 years in the making
WayForward took to today's Indie World Showcase to reveal that a lost chapter of the Shantae series, Shantae Advance: Risky Revolution, will be hair-whipping its way onto Switch in 2024. This one was originally in development for the Game Boy Advance back in 2001 before being shelved, but now WayForward has brought back the...
July2023
News Super Famicom Horror Classic Clock Tower Is Officially Coming To The West
Home sweet home
Most horror game fans will recognize the cult classic series Clock Tower as a PlayStation-exclusive franchise. The first game in the series to ever come to the West was on the original PlayStation, but a few years prior in 1995, the series started off on the Super Famicom in Japan as a point-and-click horror adventure. This original...
June2023
News River City Girls 2 Lands New Update, Here Are The Full Patch Notes
Repeat new game + playthroughs
While a little on the safe side for a sequel, we had a good time with old-school beat 'em up River City Girls 2 when it was released last year, although we did notice some technical issues along the way. Fortunately, several of these have been tackled by developer WayForward in the game's latest update, which is...
May2023
News River City Girls 2 Is Getting A Performance Update On Nintendo Switch
Update: It should be arriving soon
Update [Tue 23rd May, 2023 04:30 BST]: WayForward has provided an update about this upcoming patch for River City Girls 2 - revealing it's now been submitted to all first parties. As previously revealed, it will come with frame rate improvements, a "repeat New Game+ playthrough" and more. "The River City Girls 2...
News Advance Wars Switch Director Would Love To Work On Kuru Kuru Kururin
It's his top pick
Advance Wars 1+2: Reboot Camp recently arrived on the Nintendo Switch and has been mostly praised for recreating the magic of the Game Boy Advance originals. In an interview with the YouTube channel MinnMax, the game's director James Montagna was asked what IP he would like to work on next and he responded with how he enjoys the...
April2023
News Advance Wars Switch Dev Thanks Fans For Positive Reception, Calls Release A "Life Dream"
"I can't respond to everyone but thanks"
After jumping through several hoops, Advance Wars 1+2: Re-Boot Camp has finally launched on the Nintendo Switch. As exciting as it is for many fans of the series, it is perhaps even more exciting for the development team. WayForward director James Montagna, who has worked alongside Nintendo on the...
News New Advance Wars Switch Overview Trailer Introduces The Basics Of Battle
"Your mission begins April 21"
After a number of delays, Nintendo has finally locked in a 21st April release for Advance Wars 1+2 Re-Boot Camp. The first "hands on" of this turn-based tactical strategy arrived this week and so far it seems to have been well-received. Here on Nintendo Life, we called it a "slicker, shinier and sassier" take on the...
Hands On Advance Wars 1+2: Re-Boot Camp - Slicker, Shinier, Sassier Strategy
Modern warfare
After numerous delays to an initial proposed launch date of December 2021 due to real-world events that Nintendo evidently felt made launching a light-hearted warfare game problematic, Wayforward's Advance Wars 1+2: Re-Boot Camp is finally almost here. Featuring the classic Game Boy Advance campaigns from both Advance Wars and Advance...
March2023
News Nintendo Reminds Us Advance Wars For Switch Is One Month Out From Release
Better late than never
Last month during a Direct broadcast, Nintendo finally locked in a release date for Advance Wars 1+2 Re-Boot Camp, confirming the two-in-one title would be coming to Switch on 21st April 2023. If you are worried about any last-minute setbacks (again), it seems the game is now officially in the all-clear. Nintendo's Twitter...
News Lunark Brings Gorgeous Flashback-Inspired Cinematic Platforming To Switch This Month
A lunar leap
WayForward is bringing Lunark to Switch on 30th March, and in anticipation of this retro-style cinematic platformer's release, the publisher has shared a video from the game's creator — Johan Vinet, head of developer Canari Games — showcasing the inspirations behind what looks to be a delightful throwback. Vinet details his love of...
January2023
News Limited Run Reveals Its First Physical Nintendo Switch Release Of 2023
Update: Pre-orders for Spidersaurs now live
Update [Sat 7th Jan, 2023 04:45 GMT]: Here's a friendly reminder that pre-orders have now gone live for Spidersaurs. Original article [Wed 4th Jan, 2023 01:30 GMT]: It's a new year and that means brand new physical releases from Limited Run Games. To get 2023 underway, the American-based distributor...
December2022
Feature WayForward On Expanding The 'River City Girls' Universe, And Future Plans
"Hopefully players are interested in us expanding this further"
The Kunio-kun spin-off River City Girls returned earlier this month with the release of River City Girls 2, and Nintendo Life was lucky enough to catch up recently with game director Bannon Rudis as well as WayForward's director of business development, Adam Tierney. Before we dive in,...
