Latest Features
Feature Top Nindies On the Nintendo Switch Concept, Its Positives and Key Unanswered Questions
"It's definitely a new style for Nintendo"
The dust has now well and truly settled on the Nintendo Switch 'Preview Trailer', a three and a half minute reveal that aimed to succinctly and stylishly promote the merits of Nintendo's next-gen gaming concept. Since it aired Nintendo and a handful of gaming executives have added a few relatively vague...
Feature Catch Up With the Animal Crossing Direct and New Leaf's Fresh Features
The only download in the village
The Animal Crossing Direct has taken place, and revealed a surprisingly extensive update for Animal Crossing: New Leaf. We knew that the 'Welcome amiibo' update and new edition would introduce the figures and cards into the much-loved 3DS game, but Nintendo went further with new minigames and additional features to...
Feature Getting To Know Pokémon Sun And Moon's Monsters
Monster mash
We are just a mere two weeks away from the launch of Pokémon Sun & Moon and so it's time for another run down of every single thing that we know and today, we are dealing with the Pokémon. We won't be detailing the datamined leaks here, but there will be things from what has been officially revealed so there may still be spoilers...
Interview Learning More About the Adventure in Wii U Exclusive Twisted Fusion
"I think the Nintendo audience is perfect for this game"
The list of Wii U exclusives is getting rather short as the system heads into its twilight, perhaps ahead of its time, but there are still intriguing games to keep us busy. One of them is Twisted Fusion, a title that emerged from a successful Kickstarter campaign back in Spring 2014 and is...
Feature Our Spooky Halloween Gaming Plans
Not all Nintendo games, either - the horror...
Well, it's Halloween at last. With a night of trick or treating and dangerously high sugar consumption ahead, some of you may be throwing some gaming into your evening. We've already listed 20 Wii U and 3DS games that could fit the bill, but now our writing team wants to share its recent gaming...
Feature 20 Wii U and 3DS Games Perfect for Halloween
Ideal for a spooky time
It's Halloween again, a holiday that's big business and plenty of fun if you like sweets / candy, dressing up or a mixture of both. For some, of course, this is more than a single night of trick or treating, but a full-blown Holiday (with a capital H) to celebrate and enjoy. With that in mind, we thought we'd jump in with our...
Feature NES Mini Classics - Dr. Mario
Just what we ordered
With the upcoming release of the Nintendo Entertainment System: NES Classic Edition (NA) / Nintendo Classic Mini: Nintendo Entertainment System (PAL), we're going to provide short profiles of all 30 games included on the system. This time around we look at Dr. Mario. In the titles we've covered so far in this series, the...
Book Review The Bitmap Brothers: Universe
"Black leather jacket, black jeans, and a white T-shirt"
Despite the video gaming world's obsession with offering "cool" experiences such as shooting bad guys, driving fast cars and slaying monstrous dragons, the hobby had a very unfashionable reputation with the mainstream media prior to the start of the '90s. Gamers were seen as spotty, socially...
Feature Nintendo Switch and eSports - Targeting A Lucrative but Tricky Market
Skillz CEO Andrew Paradise - "This could be a big step forward"
You don't have to look far to get a sense of the incredible growth in eSports; with bigger crowds and online stream audiences have come more money and mainstream attention. There are some that argue that eSports should be recognised more fully, with appeals for a potential Olympics role...
Deals Nintendo Halloween Gift Guide
Impress your family and friends this Halloween
It's almost that time of year again, All Hallows' Evening, which you might know as good old Halloween. A time for eating too many sweets and amusing your neighbours with questionable fancy dress. Of course, aside from updating your wardrobe, it's also a great time to play a spooky game from yesteryear...
Editorial Don't Let Patents Be The New Source of Unrealistic Nintendo Switch Expectations
Let the hype be real, not fantastical
Now that the Nintendo Switch has been unveiled, we're thankfully past the stage of particularly unlikely rumours and 'leaks' getting the web all hot under the collar. After all, the scope for exaggeration is greatly reduced now that the system is visible, and reports can focus on sensible considerations such as...
Interview Learning More About Ectoplaza, A Spooky Wii U Multiplayer Game for Halloween
"Nintendo of America have been tremendously supportive "
With Halloween approaching there are some appropriately themed discounts currently on offer for eShop fans. Ectoplaza, though, is an award winning upcoming arrival on Wii U that's perfect for the season - it's exclusive to Nintendo's system and features chaotic multiplayer action, with...
Feature Musical Memories and Cosplay at The Legend of Zelda: Symphony of the Goddesses
The full Zelda experience at the recent Glasgow concert
The Legend of Zelda: Symphony of the Goddesses tour once again set sail for UK shores this week, and for the first time in its history it landed in Glasgow. The tour has been going since 2012, after the Symphony of the Goddesses CD was released with Skyward Sword, but the Symphony had...
Talking Point Imagining a Future Nintendo Switch Budget Spin-Off - A Non-Switching Microconsole
A 2DS equivalent for the price conscious consumer
Now that the dust has settled on the reveal of the upcoming Nintendo Switch, everyone seems to have shared their opinions on Nintendo's chances of turning the concept into a success. While many are very positive about the Nintendo Switch reveal, there are also some analysts who have raised concerns...
Book Review Nintendo 64 Anthology
A fitting tribute to a beloved console
So much for the internet destroying printed media. In the past few years we've seen a wealth of amazing video game-related books, including Sega Mega Drive: The Collected Works, Britsoft and – still to come – the
Feature NES Mini Classics - Double Dragon II: The Revenge
A mini fight
With the upcoming release of the Nintendo Entertainment System: NES Classic Edition (NA) / Nintendo Classic Mini: Nintendo Entertainment System (EU), we're going to provide short profiles of all 30 games included on the system. This time around we look at Double Dragon II: The Revenge. So far this series of articles on the NES Mini...
Poll Nintendo Switch Delivers Single Screen Gaming - Will You Miss the Dual Screen Concept?
DS, 3DS and Wii U kept our eyes busy
Ever since Reggie Fils-Aime plucked a DS out of his jacket pocket at E3 2004, Nintendo has focused on dual screen gaming. The DS was the best selling portable system of all time, so inevitably the same broad design was carried across to the 3DS. The WIi U was the grand experiment in bringing dual screen gaming to...
Talking Point The Nintendo Switch May Divide Opinion, But It's Made a Splash
It's trending, which helps
When Nintendo unveiled the Wii U at E3 2011, some were confused about whether it was a Wii add-on or a new system. By the time it was unveiled at E3 2012, it felt like even getting a broader audience to look at and consider the system was an issue. We suspect many have encountered the following scenario since the console...
Poll What Do You Think of the Nintendo Switch?
Are you feeling joy, conned, or just loving the Joy-Con controllers?
It's been a full-on day of excitement in the world of Nintendo. The 'NX' and lots of speculation made way for the Nintendo Switch, lots of clarity and a little leftover speculation. Nintendo only released a three minute video and a relatively limited press release, but despite that...
Reaction Our Early Thoughts on the Nintendo Switch
Thoughts on next-gen Nintendo
It's been quite a day. The Nintendo Switch was revealed, and most of the internet has had its say on social media. There's been a lot of positivity, and naturally some people aren't fans; in any case we now know the core concept that will drive the next generation of Nintendo gaming. We've covered a lot of angles and...
Guide Everything We Now Know About the Nintendo Switch
Breaking it all down
Well, it's finally been revealed - the Nintendo Switch has been shown off in a flashy three minute trailer. In many ways it reinforced plenty of the more reputable rumours from earlier in the year, though naturally a lot of doubt has been replaced by clarity. It's also possible, just from those three minutes, to learn a lot...
Parent Trap Nintendo Switch Takes on Tablets
A family perspective on Nintendo's next-gen system
While it will take a while for the news to sink in fully, the Nintendo Switch has got quite a few things right for families. Most importantly it has one single feature to communicate and doubles down on that with its name. Switch underlines the double value families can get here by covering the...
Talking Point What We Hope to See in the Nintendo NX Preview Trailer
A clear, concise demonstration of the concept
Nothing has been conventional about Nintendo's approach to unveiling the NX system. Initially announced in early 2015 by former President Satoru Iwata - in a bid to calm nervous fans after announcing Nintendo's plans for smart devices - it's always been expected as a 2016 reveal. Yet Nintendo has been...
Feature With NX Looming, a Look Back at Past Nintendo Reveals
A young Bill Trinen, the 'utopian' Wii U and more
Well, it's happening, a 'Preview Trailer' of the Nintendo NX is just hours away at the time of writing. It's the latest step in Nintendo's unconventional approach with the system, in which it's remained silent and elusive for longer than expected. All that's truly known so far is that Nintendo's...
Feature NES Mini Classics - Donkey Kong Jr.
Don't call me Junior!
With the upcoming release of the Nintendo Entertainment System: NES Classic Edition (NA) / Nintendo Classic Mini: Nintendo Entertainment System (EU), we're going to provide short profiles of all 30 games included on the system. This time around we look at Donkey Kong Jr., having covered the iconic original in our most recent...
Hands On Pokémon Sun and Moon - Special Demo Version
Demonstrative indeed
Demos have come an awfully long way over the years, even to the point where these bite-sized chunks can be considered full games in their own right; you only have to look at the Bravely series to know what we're talking about. So it was no surprise when Nintendo announced the arrival of a demo for the upcoming Pokémon Sun &...
Editorial Some Context on the Nintendo NX 'This Week' Claims
As we keep getting asked
Update: We've had multiple trusted colleagues and acquaintances advise (since initial publication) that the 'this week' angle is getting increasingly strong for some sort of NX-related details. As we outline below this is logical and feasible, though the nature of any announcement will also be interesting. Original...
Guide How To Use Medals To Boost Your Pokémon GO Catch Bonus
Playing to type
The latest Pokémon GO update introduces catch bonuses which improve you chances of bagging that elusive 'mon. This system is based on the existing medal element, where collecting a certain number of monsters earns you an achievement. Only the monster type-related medals have impact on your catch bonus - so ignore the first set of...
Feature NES Mini Classics - Donkey Kong
It's on like (cease and desist inbound...)
With the upcoming release of the Nintendo Entertainment System: NES Classic Edition (NA) / Nintendo Classic Mini: Nintendo Entertainment System (EU), we're going to provide short profiles of all 30 games included on the system. This time around we look at Donkey Kong, a tale perhaps more complicated than it...
Deals Legend of Zelda amiibo, Snazzy New 2DS Colours and More
Grab yourself a bargain
Everyone loves a good bargain, so we've rounded up some of the hottest pre-orders and deals of the week for your consideration. For the sake of simplicity we've used Amazon for listing pre-orders, simply because they serve both the UK and US; this time around we're focused on those two countries, though we'll try to look...
Feature NES Mini Classics - Castlevania II: Simon's Quest
A quest that came along too early
With the upcoming release of the Nintendo Entertainment System: NES Classic Edition (NA) / Nintendo Classic Mini: Nintendo Entertainment System (EU), we're going to provide short profiles of all 30 games included on the system. This series has already looked at Castlevania, so not it's only fitting that we move our...
Feature NES Mini Classics - Castlevania
Dracul-argh
With the upcoming release of the Nintendo Entertainment System: NES Classic Edition (NA) / Nintendo Classic Mini: Nintendo Entertainment System (EU), we're going to provide short profiles of all 30 games included on the system. Now we turn our attention to Castlevania; don't forget to check out the first two entries in this series, in...
Feature NES Mini Classics - Bubble Bobble
This bubble can't be burst
With the upcoming release of the Nintendo Entertainment System: NES Classic Edition (NA) / Nintendo Classic Mini: Nintendo Entertainment System (EU), we're going to provide short profiles of all 30 games included on the system. Now we turn our attention to Bubble Bobble; don't forget to check out the first entry in this...
Hands On Checking Out A New Generation In Pokémon Sun and Moon
Talking 'bout our generation
From the off it's clear that here's been a tremendous level of effort from Game Freak to make Pokémon Sun and Moon another notable evolution of the Pokémon series; whilst the jump from Black and White to X and Y was like a Bulbasaur becoming an Ivysaur, the jump to this generation is more like a Magikarp becoming a...
Feature NES Mini Classics - Balloon Fight
With memories of the late great Satoru Iwata
With the upcoming release of the Nintendo Entertainment System: NES Classic Edition (NA) / Nintendo Classic Mini: Nintendo Entertainment System (EU), we're going to provide short profiles of all 30 games included on the system. We start off with Balloon Fight. It's an interesting turn of events that...
Ninterview Ste Pickford On The Ever-Expanding World Of Plok
"If you want to see a new Plok game, buy the comic books!"
Created by legendary developer siblings The Pickfords, Plok is a fondly-remembered cult smash which appeared on the SNES way back in 1992. Ste and John Pickford's history in the games industry pre-dates that game by quite some margin, and the talented duo were among the first British...
Poll Exceptional Graphics or 60fps, Which is More Important for the NX Generation?
When 'both' isn't the easy option
The more things change, the more they seem the same. In the 16-bit era Nintendo and SEGA squabbled over the number of colours their systems supported, featured games that enhanced performance with additional chips in the cartridges, and SEGA even tried to claim that Blast Processing was a real thing. The console...
Editorial Reminiscing on Hoarding StreetPass Hits, and Why Any NX 'Portable' Should Keep Them Alive
The Greatest Hits
Earlier this week we reported on the scaling back of Nintendo Zone areas - StreetPass Relay Points - in the UK. It used to be particularly easy to get a batch of hits in most UK shopping centres, with McDonald's and O2 stores being hugely useful sources; now GAME is the last retailer standing if you want to collect some data and...
Talking Point The Problems With My Nintendo So Far, and Why All's Not Lost
A slow start
Just recently we ran some polls to gauge your opinions on My Nintendo, as the service is now a little over six months old. The majority of the Nintendo Life community that voted are unimpressed with it, to put it mildly, with a high percentage opting for the two most negative answers in the relevant polls. It's not new for an initiative...
Poll Six Months On - How Do You Feel About My Nintendo?
Discounts, HOME Themes, more discounts and HOME Themes...
It was in late March, a few days more than six months ago, that the My Nintendo program launched as part of the 'Nintendo Account' overhaul. The Nintendo Account seems very likely to be the all-encompassing ID for Nintendo users in the future. With social media login options and its role in...
Soapbox It's High Time Seiken Densetsu 3 Got A Western Release
Forgotten, overlooked, lost… but why?
Allow us to turn the wayback machine to a couple of decades ago. The Internet was slowly but surely becoming an everyday part of our lives, cellphones were over-sized, expensive bricks and video games had gone from being a niche but blooming industry mostly aimed at children in the West to a mainstream...
Talking Point Nintendo Has No Set Formula for Hardware Reveals, But NX is Testing Fans' Patience
Remember to count to 10
As someone who spends their days immersed in the weird world of Nintendo, at times I can't decide whether the current online climate is entertaining, frustrating or baffling. Perhaps a mix of all three. I'm referring, of course, to the ongoing obsession with Nintendo NX, with a lot of vocal online followers of the big N...
Feature The Biggest Wii U and 3DS Games of 2016 - Fall / Winter Edition
The home stretch
It's been another interesting year for Nintendo, and it heads to a close with a handful of key releases on the way and - let's face it - most attention on mysterious 2017 hardware. Yet Wii U and 3DS owners do have quite a few choices ahead of them for Fall / Winter gaming, through a mix of retail and download releases. For this...
Poll What Are Your Most Anticipated Wii U and 3DS Games For the Rest of 2016?
Have your say for our updated 'Biggest Games' list
It's that time, once again, for our quarterly 'Biggest Games' list for Wii U and 3DS. As some of you may recall we ditched the idea of having separate Wii U and 3DS lists for our Summer Edition, mainly because the Wii U didn't have enough high profile games. It was a pragmatic decision, yes, but we...
Feature Taking the FAST Racing NEO Future Pack DLC for a Test Drive
YOU GOT BOOST POWER
Has it really been nine-or-so months since FAST Racing NEO first graced our consoles? This writer finds it hard to believe and yet here comes an incessant rattling that many might consider to be an opinion on its DLC pack we've been dying for. To say that we at Nintendo Life are fans of Shin'en and the games they produce is no...
Interview Image & Form Discusses Development Challenges and Continual SteamWorld Growth
"We really wanted to prove ourselves"
This week brings two intriguing retail releases in Europe, published under Nintendo's eShop Selects label. FAST Racing NEO and SteamWorld Collection will be available on disc, and in the latter case Image & Form is also bringing the same compilation to North America (in October) with a different publisher...
Hands On A Blast From the Past With Gurumin 3D: A Monstrous Adventure
Monster Masher
You're probably not alone if you've never heard of Gurumin: A Monstrous Adventure. First released as a PC game way back in 2004 and a PlayStation Portable title shortly after, Gurumin has stayed largely off the map since its initial launch. Despite the favourable reviews that it received, this action-adventure RPG never saw a sequel,...
Editorial Rediscovering the Gems of the Wii U Library
A legacy to appreciate
A little while ago I wrote an editorial called 'Losing It All - When a Wii U's External Hard Drive Dies', in which I recounted the tale of just that very thing happening to me. I bemoaned the weird setup of Nintendo's data management on the home console and in particular its treatment of save data, which rather bizarrely is...
Hands on Getting Down With Chicken Wiggle
An unlikely pairing, together at last
We recently reported on the disbandment of indie developer Renegade Kid and followed it up with an interview featuring both founding members, Jools Watsham and Gregg Hargrove. As part of their surprisingly amicable split, both devs have already formed new teams and star
Preview Singing and Dancing in Disney Magical World 2
"Oh boy!"
Cast your mind back to approximately two years ago and you may remember the release of Disney Magical World, a 3DS simulation game similar in style to titles such as Animal Crossing: New Leaf but set – completely unsurprisingly – in a Disney universe. Rush yourself back to the present and here we are with a sequel on the horizon –...
Interview Shin'en Multimedia Explains How FAST Racing NEO's Future Pack DLC Got on the Grid
"We see it as a fan service"
This week there are certainly some high profile arrivals due on the eShop, one of which is the NEO Future Pack DLC for Wii U exclusive FAST Racing NEO. It looks set to be a good deal, too, confirmed with a price tag of $4.99 / €4.99 / £4.20; as the racer is fondly regarded by many, the opportunity to jump into eight...
Talking Point The Pros and Cons of Nintendo's NX Secrecy
Time ticks down for a reveal ahead of planned March release
In recent days there have been some interesting observations around the web, namely that the current timeline for reveal-to-release of the Nintendo NX could be the shortest in the company's history. That's assuming the system arrives in March 2017 as planned, and if you also disregard some...
Feature Ten of Our Favourite DSiWare Games
Remembering some of the best from Nintendo's first portable eShop
The DSi was a console that had some important 'firsts' for Nintendo's portable efforts, chief among them was a digital storefront. Though the DSiWare shop may seem rather primitive compared to the eShop nowadays, there were still plenty of quality titles to be found on the service...
Feature Five Franchises That Deserve A Fresh Chance on the Nintendo NX
Comebacks, revivals and shifts in direction
The Nintendo NX obsession is strong right now among many vocal Nintendo fans online. You can't get far in comments on Nintendo's social media posts / YouTube videos without encountering lots of "where's NX" posts; as the days tick by the anticipation for the eventual reveal only builds in intensity. It's...
Book Review Hardcore Gaming 101 Presents Data East Arcade Classics
Are you a bad enough dude to read this book?
Alongside the likes of Capcom, Konami and Namco, Data East was one of the quintessential software makers of the '80s arcade scene, but unlike those other firms it perhaps didn't have the pulling power to ensure long-term success. The company has long since been dissolved and its properties sold to the...
Preview Being Fashionably Late With Mario Party: Star Rush
A good workout for the A button
The Mario Party series has, believe it or not, had a relatively interesting history. Despite being a minigame series that most don't take too seriously, it prompted injuries and glove distributions on N64, was developed by Hudson Soft for a long time until that studio went out of business, and nowadays attracts...
Editorial Losing It All - When a Wii U's External Hard Drive Dies
The quirks and annoyances of Wii U data management
There are lots of things that many people assume will never happen to them, just to 'others'. You don't think you'll be the victim of a crime, or get stranded overnight when a flight gets cancelled, or perhaps get addicted to amiibo collecting. These are all problems that other people have to deal...
Feature The History Of Technosoft's Thunder Force Series
With Thunder Force III coming to 3DS, we take a look back at the franchise
Although SNES fans will insist that Nintendo's 16-bit powerhouse had a more diverse range of software when compared to its bitter rival the Mega Drive, one genre in which it simply couldn't compete was the 2D shooter. Sega's console was quite literally flooded with top-notch...
Talking Point Nintendo's Continued Commitment to the 3DS Makes Sense
Sales in the US enjoy a boost as Nintendo keeps the portable going
It wasn't that long ago that we had a rather encouraging 3DS Nintendo Direct, even if the short term memory of some means it may as well have been a decade ago. The reaction to it was generally positive, a reward for the fact that Nintendo revealed some genuine surprises, including...
Talking Point Nintendo Now Battles for Our Time, Not Just Loyalty
It's a battle it can win
Thanks to technology, skilful developers and consumer demand, gaming has never been so varied. That may be a statement that goes against the sense some have of a gaming scene packed with remasters, sequels and iterations of long-established genres, but it reflects the broader picture. We have consoles, portables, PC / Mac...
Interview Learning More About Tom Happ and the Making of Axiom Verge
Getting to know the man behind the masterpiece
Have you ever been so wrapped up in a project that it began to seep into your personal life? What if your passion became your day-to-day? Imagine spending so much time and energy working on something that it eventually outgrew your expectations and became your bread and butter. It's the dream of so many...
Guide Getting Started In Dragon Quest VII: Fragments of the Forgotten Past
Key early tips for this massive adventure
Dragon Quest VII: Fragments of the Forgotten Past is out now on 3DS in North America and Europe. If you've never experienced this PlayStation RPG classic, you're in for quite an adventure — the game clocks in at around 100 hours just for completing the main story! More importantly,
First Impressions Monster Hunter Stories Borrows Liberally From Iconic Nintendo Franchises
And it's not afraid to show it
Nintendo didn't show up to the Tokyo Game Show this year - it rarely does - but that didn't stop Capcom from bringing one if its most popular franchises on the 3DS along. In fact, Monster Hunter Stories was one of the only Nintendo exclusive games prominently displayed. Fitting, because playing the game felt like an...
Feature 13AM Games and Its Next Hits - Runbow Pocket and Pirate Pop Plus
Testing out the latest and greatest from the developer and publisher
Beyond playing new games, seeing your industry heroes and getting tons of swag, one of the most rewarding aspects of going to a convention such as PAX is being able to share your passion for video games with like-minded individuals. Sometimes, when you're really lucky, those...
Poll The GameCube is 15 Years Old - Pick Your Favourite Games
Can you handle the pressure?
The GameCube arrived in Japan on 14th September 2001 in Japan, meaning the handle-boasting wonder is 15 years old (even though it's 15th September in Japan as we publish this, thanks to time zones). To date it holds the dubious honour of being Nintendo's lowest-selling home console, though Wii U looks likely to take that...
Guide Everything You Need To Know About The Pokémon GO Plus
Catching them all just got easier
The Pokémon GO Plus arrives at retail this week after a lengthy delay, but there's still an awful lot of confusion about what this diminutive device actually does, what it's limitations are and how it can be used to improve your Pokémon GO experience. Fear not however, because we've compiled this handy one-stop...
The NES advantage?
After years of enduring sloppy imitators which offer patchy performance and incomplete compatibility, we're finally seeing clone consoles come of age. The RetroN 5 leveraged the versatility of Google's Android platform to offer HD visuals and save state support, while the super-premium Analogue NT took existing Nintendo chips and...
"We have customers that collect every single book since the beginning"
In late August we reported on a Kickstarter campaign by French publisher Third Editions Books. The company's goal is simple - to fund the translation of (at least) three of its most popular books into English, enabling it to gain a foothold in major territories like the US...
Interview We Embark On A Dragon Quest With Noriyoshi Fujimoto
"We make sure that the users are able to resonate with the storylines"
This year's PAX West was good to us here at Nintendo Life. We had the chance to play some upcoming games, meet some interesting people, and talk to some of our favourite game developers. Between all of the commotion and excitement, at the top of our list of "best PAX moments" was...
Preview Buckets Of Fun With Paper Mario: Color Splash
Colour us impressed
Paper Mario: Color Splash is one of the Wii U's last major releases of the year, and by all accounts it should be cause for some real excitement among fans. It's the latest entry in a series that's filled with humour, character, charm and amazing environments, with an interesting new paint mechanic to keep things fresh. Our time...
Feature Future Nindie Hits for the eShop - October to December
A look at the titles that Nintendo is keen to promote
September has already proven to be a good month for high quality Nindie downloads, and there are more to come. The 'Summer Jam' promotion has already delivered games like Axiom Verge and Jotun: Valhalla Edition, and we still have Noitu Love: Devo
Feature Dragon Quest Museum Wraps Up in Tokyo, Re-Opens in Osaka Next
Thirty years of history, art and slimes
The Dragon Quest Museum has ended a fantastic six week run in Tokyo, Japan. The museum was held in honour of the 30th anniversary of the release of the first Dragon Quest game in Japan, in 1986. Its not the only thing Square-Enix has done to mark this milestone. There have been smaller promotional events like...
Iterative generations and shrinking technical leaps change the game
It's been a slightly peculiar week in the gaming industry. Nintendo made an appearance on stage with Apple to announce Super Mario Run, which was both smart business and a strange landmark moment; it's not often you see Shigeru Miyamoto pitching a Mario game on someone else's stage...
Talking Point The Inevitability of Super Mario Run, Nintendo's Ace for the Mobile Market
Nintendo's giving mobile a run for its money
When the Nintendo and DeNA corporate partnership was announced in early 2015, the most obvious concept that came up in the Nintendo Life team's conversation was a Mario runner. It's hardly rocket science - franchises such as Rayman and Sonic the Hedgehog have had multiple runner iterations of different...
Sure, we'll ask about Pokémon GO on Apple Watch, too
As another indication - not that it was needed - that the Nintendo name still has broad appeal and brand power, Apple gave up an early chunk of its 'Special Event' to introduce Shigeru Miyamoto and Bill Trinen - they unveiled Super Mario Run. A left-to-right runner in which you tap to make the...
