Latest Features
Talking Point What Are You Playing This Weekend? (February 23rd)
Here are our picks, but what are yours?
Ah, Saturday. Quite possibly the best day of the week; certainly in the top five. It's been a busy week despite the post-Direct lull. News that Reggie Fils-Aimé will be stepping down in April had us rewatching classic clips with a tear in the eye. Enough of that nonsense, though. Reggie wouldn't want us...
Feature What Reggie-Fils-Aimé Meant To Nintendo, The Games Industry, And All Of Us
"I believe the best way to lead is through example"
“My name is Reggie. I'm about kickin' ass, I'm about takin' names, and we're about makin' games.” These were the words uttered by then industry newcomer Reggie Fils-Aimé while standing on Nintendo’s stage during the Electronic Gaming Expo (E3) in 2004. Fils-a-what? “Ass”? Who the heck...
Feature Reggie's Video Highlights From 15 Years At The Top Of Nintendo
Our bodies aren't ready, Reggie!
Yesterday, the world of Nintendo was rocked by the news that Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aime is set to retire in April after more than 15 years with the company. In that time, Reggie has overseen the launch of systems like the DS, Wii, 3DS and Switch, had himself turned into a puppet, become a meme...
Nindie Round Up Inops, The Raven Remastered, Utopia 9, Heroes Trials and Debris Infinity
More indie hits than you can shake a joy con at
This week, we have some solid entries from the Indie scene, bringing you five more lovely titles to potentially add to your library. Atmospheric puzzler Inops delivers some quirky brain teasers via platforming, The Raven Remastered offers a Switch port of a mystery solving classic, Utopia 9 – a...
Talking Point Is The Remake Of Zelda: Link’s Awakening Worth $60?
And more importantly, will it still work with the Game Boy Printer?
There’s some chatter doing the rounds on the interwebs regarding the potential pricing of the upcoming Switch remaster of The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening. Retailer pre-order listings are putting it as a full $60 release, and while there’s no official confirmation at this...
Soapbox My Love Affair With Tetris, Probably The Best Video Game Ever Created
More than 30 years of block-dropping fun
Like millions of players all over the world, my relationship with Tetris began with the Game Boy. Alexey Pajitnov's famous puzzler may have begun its life on computers in 1984, but it would find a whole new level of fame thanks to the fact that it was bundled with Nintendo's million-selling monochrome...
Hands On Getting Arty In Yoshi's Crafted World On Nintendo Switch
Where there's a will, there's a PVA
When we first clapped eyes on Yoshi’s Crafted World, we’d be lying if we said our first thoughts weren’t something along the lines of ‘oh look, another Yoshi game’. That’s not to say we didn’t like what we saw, but the Yoshi series has always played things a little bit safe in the past, and at first...
Talking Point The Pokémon Trading Card Game Is In Desperate Need of An Evolution
The famous card game is in danger of being left behind by its rivals
Ever since the release of Pokémon GO in the summer of 2016, the Pokémon brand has been going through a period of transition. There’s been a handful of mobile games ranging from the simplistic Magikarp Jump to the surprisingly complex Pokémon Duel. We’ve seen the company’s...
Talking Point What Are You Playing This Weekend? (February 16th)
Here are our picks, but what are yours?
We're finally at the end of what has been a pretty eventful week - you know, with that little video presentation thingy from Nintendo and all that - so it's time to settle down and recover with some games-based chat. As ever, members of the Nintendo Life team have gathered to share their weekend plans and we'd...
Guide How To Claim Battle Royale Victory In Tetris 99
Top of the blocks
Tetris 99 is, amazingly, the newest and freshest 'Battle Royale' on the block, T-spinning its way into a heated battle against the likes of Fortnite and Apex Legends for world domination. Okay – it might not be in quite the same league as those gaming heavyweights – but it certainly brings an equal amount of fun to the table,...
Feature The Big Nintendo Direct Summary - 13th February
The first Direct of 2019 was worth waiting for
Phew! We can finally take a deep breath now that all the tension built up since New Year has been released with a whopping great Direct. It had been a while since one without Smash Bros., and Nintendo didn't disappoint (unless you're a poor Metroid fan, but more on that later). With so much packed into...
Nindie Round Up Pumped BMX Pro, Bleep Bloop, Bad Dream: Coma, Airheart And Big Crown: Showdown
All aboard for this week’s indie reviews
This week we have some great entries, with the stand out of Big Crown: Showdown, boasting some really great party game fun. Also featured are twin stick shooter, Airheart – Tales of Broken Wings, simple puzzler, Bleep Bloop, point-and-click horror goodness in Bad Dream; Coma and a disappointing arcade...
Feature What We Expect From The February Nintendo Direct
It's only blimmin' happening!
Well, it finally happened. Nintendo has us on such tenterhooks that the announcement of an announcement feels like an event in itself. Although here at NL Towers we avoid reporting on baseless rumours and idle forum speculation, now's the time to indulge our inner fanboys-and-girls. The press release tells us to...
Feature Please Understand: Unpacking Nintendo's Vision For Metroid Prime 4
Is Metroid finally on the right track after the Federation Farce?
Nintendo’s announcement that Metroid Prime 4 was effectively being taken back to the drawing board wasn’t exactly the January surprise fans were hoping for; the sizeable delay to this much-anticipated sequel was an understandable downer for fans. Despite disappointment, the video...
Talking Point Is A Nintendo Direct Really On The Way?
No smoke without fire, right?
We know you love Nintendo Direct news – who doesn't? These little presentations have long been Nintendo's way of updating us on forthcoming games or revealing entirely new ones, so it's little wonder that everyone gets excited by rumours of new broadcasts, and when they might air. Practically since 2019 began, we've...
Feature Just One More, Honest: The Unlikely Endurance Of amiibo
Despite untapped potential, amiibo survives the death of toys-to-life
With Disney Infinity, Skylanders and Lego Dimensions falling by the wayside in recent years, toys-to-life seems to have reached its natural conclusion. Much like the plastic instrument peripherals of a decade ago, consumers have had enough after filling their homes with plastic...
Feature Behind The Scenes On Sensible Software's Unreleased SNES Bomberman Beater
Da bomb
Sensible Software is a studio embedded in gaming history for many reasons outside of the admittedly immortal Sensible Soccer. Along with the Canon Fodder games – the destructive sibling of Sensible's popular football sim – the company's commitment to the 16-bit Amiga proved that, sometimes, you can achieve impossibly addictive gaming...
Talking Point What Are You Playing This Weekend? (February 9th)
Here are our picks, but what are yours?
We've reached the weekend once again and, as is tradition, the Nintendo Life team has banded together to talk over all the lovely games we'll be playing over the next couple of days. We've got farming, fighting, fishing, and fun bursting out of our Joy-Con this week, so feel free to read our entries and join...
Feature How Aragami: Shadow Edition Aims To Stealthily Win Over Switch Ninjas
"As Miyamoto says, a delayed game is eventually good"
For those not in the know, Aragami: Shadow Edition is a third-person stealth game that casts you as a restless warrior who is blessed with the ability to control shadows, which must come in very useful at parties and social gatherings. You may have heard of this interesting title thanks to its...
Talking Point What Does The Nintendo Seal Of Quality Mean In 2019?
A guarantee of quality, or a relic from the past?
Picture the scene; it's the mid-'80s, the American home video game market is in the pits, and Nintendo – an upstart Japanese company that only really has Donkey Kong to its name in terms of global commercial success – is trying to sell consoles to people who still remember the video game crash of...
More indie titles fight for your money
The good news is that there are no real stinkers this week, as we try to get you some of the cream of the crop, with the occasional warning to steer clear. Let’s take a look in detail. Black & White Bushido: A unique concept that provides some genuinely fun local multiplayer gameplay, Black and White...
Feature Nintendo Life eShop Selects - January 2019
January's best Switch eShop games!
And just like that, the first month of 2019 has already whizzed by. It might be a traditionally quiet month, but this January still packed quite the punch on the Switch's eShop with some truly great picks to choose from. These awards aim to celebrate the best of Nintendo's digital store, giving some love and...
Talking Point What Are You Playing This Weekend? (February 2nd)
Here are our picks, but what are yours?
Once again, we've successfully made it all the way through the week to the glorious weekend. As is tradition, Team Nintendo Life has gathered together to talk about our weekend plans, this time featuring friendly tournaments, dungeon-crawling, TATE mode goodness, and planty fighting machines. Feel free to give...
Talking Point What Do You Want From A Switch Mini?
No dock? Fused controllers? Or something different?
Earlier today, we reported on a rumour from Japanese outlet Nikkei that suggests what many of us have been expecting for quite some time now: Nintendo is working on a smaller, cheaper Switch console and it may even be coming early this year. This isn't exactly groundbreaking news; Nintendo has a...
Feature What The Creator of Ecco The Dolphin Did Next
"It is still 'us', the original Ecco the Dolphin team!"
Ed Annunziata's career spans all the way back to the early '90s, and includes titles such as Spider-Man, Chakan: The Forever Man, Cyborg Justice and Kolibri, all games that appeared on Sega hardware. However, his name is most closely associated with the groundbreaking Ecco the Dolphin, a 1992...
Feature Chucklefish On Wargroove, Advance Wars And Making Tools That Turn Players Into Creators
"It’s important to us that we make games we’re truly passionate about"
It's fair to say that Wargroove has been near the top of many of a Switch owner's 'most wanted' list for quite some time; it was initially revealed way back in February 2017, the same month the console was launched. Right from the off, its eye-catching visual style and...
Feature Predicting Super Bowl LIII with Super Smash. Bros Ultimate
Madden, schmadden
Super Bowl LIII is upon us all! This Sunday, the New England Patriots square off against the LA Rams for NFL supremacy. (As a Seahawks fan, barf.) It’s anyone’s guess who will take it all, but in the meantime, we can read the digital tea leaves with video game simulations. Ain’t the future grand? While, yes, EA Sports’s...
Nindie Round Up Bedtime Blues, Apocalipsis, My Memory Of Us, JackQuest And The Shrouded Isle
Scares, sacrifices and Sir Patrick Stewart
This week we have a game heavily influenced by WWII, one paying homage to the writings of H.P Lovecraft and one with a visual style based on 15th-century wood carvings. If that doesn’t cement the level of variety and creativity in the indie scene, then we don’t know what does. Let’s dive in…...
Exclusive The Making Of Observer, A Cyberpunk Horror Set To Terrify The Nintendo Switch
A visit to Bloober Team in Poland
One of several upcoming Switch games which has really grabbed our attention over the last few weeks is Observer, a psychological horror heading to the console later this year. We were lucky enough to be invited to Kraków, Poland for a quick snoop around the Bloober Team office (and by "we", we mean Alex - the lucky...
Guide How To Beat Every Boss In Travis Strikes Again: No More Heroes
Squash every bug
If you picked up Travis Strikes Again: No More Heroes and are looking to give those bugs a sound thrashing, we've got some tips to get you on the right track. It's not the most complex game, but it's easy to get stuck in a rut and forget the variety of options at your disposal to approach each encounter. As well as general pointers...
Feature How Virtuos Solved The Technical Challenge Of Bringing The Final Fantasy Remasters To Switch
"This requires a fair amount of skill"
Singapore-based Virtuos is a studio that has already made quite a name for itself on Switch thanks to its superb ports of L.A. Noire, Dark Souls and Starlink – a trio of third-party efforts which have done much to enhance the library of Nintendo's hybrid system. However, the company's next project could be...
Talking Point What Are You Playing This Weekend? (January 26th)
Here are our picks, but what are yours?
It's Saturday (unless you're reading in this in the future, of course) which means that it's time for yet another weekend Talking Point. As always, we've rounded up various members of the Nintendo Life team and forc- *ahem*... kindly asked them to share their weekend plans, so make sure to give them a read...
Hands On Hacking Into The Cyberpunk World of Observer On Switch
With Blade Runner's Rutger Hauer, no less
Recently we were invited down to Kraków, Poland, to have a bit of an old hands-on with Observer, courtesy of its creator, Bloober Team. After Layers of Fear scared the nonsense out of us, we had high hopes for this new game, based on the promise that it builds heavily on what Bloober's previous Switch game...
Nindie Round Up Clock Simulator, Neko Navy, Momodora, Stellar Interface And Hive Jump
Some clocks, some cats, some gems
The wonderful thing about the indie gaming scene is that it allows game developers to embrace their bizarre, deep-seated desires for game ideas, seemingly with no creative limits. Thus, we have Clock Simulator, a rhythm game that literally has you take the role of Father Time in an array of odd minigames. We also...
Talking Point What Are You Playing This Weekend? (January 19th)
Here are our picks, but what are yours?
Congratulations everyone, we've made it to yet another weekend! As is tradition, members of Team Nintendo Life have gathered together to talk about our weekend plans. Featuring games ranging from Mario's latest platforming adventure to digital versions of trading card games, you can find our entries below...
Talking Point Amazon's Efforts To Tempt Gamers Show Why We Need Dedicated Games Consoles
But is Nintendo missing a trick here?
'Convergence' is a word that has often been mentioned when it comes to consumer tech, and we've seen firsthand how it can manifest itself; the smartphone that many of you will be reading these words on right now is a wonder of convergence, as it has made the camera, PDA, MP3 player and (for some people) portable...
Feature The Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story Team On Remaking A Beloved Classic
Forgotten cameos, unused art and... fat Bowser?
With Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story + Bowser Jr.'s Journey having released recently on the 3DS, we felt it was high time for a closer look at the now decade-old DS classic. We were lucky enough to get the chance to sit down with the teams from Nintendo and AlphaDream to discuss what it's like...
Sport! Puzzles! Shooting things!
Never has the Nindie round up seen such diversity in its games. A real medley of genres here with the SSX-inspired Snowboarding: The Next Phase, a somewhat clunky, yet still altogether enjoyable dungeon crawler in The Keep, some fast-paced and frantic retro fun with Horizon Shift ’81, well thought out and...
Hardware Review Insurrection Industries Carby - GameCube HDMI Support On A Budget
Yet another HDMI adapter, but this one doesn't cost the earth
Keen readers of the site will know that we're always on the lookout for ways to make vintage hardware look as good as possible on modern-day TV sets. Years ago, we dabbled in the world of scanline generators such as the SLG3000, and more recently we sang the praises of the OSSC, a device...
Talking Point Which SNES Games Do You Want To See On Nintendo Switch Online?
What are your must-have picks?
While it's by no means written in stone, a recent datamine suggests that we may soon be playing SNES games on our beloved Switch consoles via the wonder of Nintendo Switch Online. The games uncovered in this datamine are Super Mario Kart, Super Soccer,
Feature 10 Ways The Nintendo Switch Can Have Its Best Year Yet
Third year's a charm?
After a trailblazing 2017, Switch has enjoyed an equally impressive sophomore year, albeit one that was perhaps lighter on first-party hits and had more robust eShop and third-party support to make up for it. The console continues to sell in decent numbers and, with 3DS fading from contention, is likely to become Nintendo's...
Talking Point What Are You Playing This Weekend? (January 12th)
Here are our picks, but what are yours?
We've reached yet another weekend, which can only mean one thing: it's time for the Nintendo Life 'What Are You Playing?' feature extravaganza! Are we overselling it? Maybe. Anyway, as always, expect to find members of the team discussing their weekend gaming plans in our lovingly-crafted paragraphs below. If...
Talking Point What Does The Bungie Divorce From Activision Blizzard Mean For Nintendo?
The big break-up could be good news for Switch fans...
Breaking news everyone: sci-fi shooter titans Bungie, creator of the Halo and Destiny franchises, has officially divorced from its eight-year partnership with Activision-Blizzard. In a public statement released Thursday, Bungie stated: Looking ahead, we’re excited to announce plans for...
Talking Point Come In Nintendo 3DS, Your Time Is Up
It's time to say goodbye to the console which kept Nintendo afloat
There's no denying the fact that the 3DS has been a key hardware release for Nintendo. Not only has this plucky handheld seen some of the best Nintendo games in recent memory – including The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds, Animal Crossing: New Leaf, Mario Kart 7, Super...
Talking Point Come In Nintendo 3DS, Your Time Is Up
It's time to say goodbye to the console which kept Nintendo afloat
There's no denying the fact that the 3DS has been a key hardware release for Nintendo. Not only has this plucky handheld seen some of the best Nintendo games in recent memory – including The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds, Animal Crossing: New Leaf, Mario Kart 7, Super...
Hardware Review EON GCHD Mk-II GameCube HDMI Adapter - The Best Just Got Better
New and improved
When it comes to getting the best possible image quality out of your retro console of choice, you usually have to jump through a few awkward (not to mention expensive) hoops. That was certainly the case with the GameCube until very recently; the best way of running the system in the past was via Nintendo's own SCART (if you're in...
Three stunners, two bummers
This week’s indie offerings show the variety of quality available on the eShop with standouts like the Metroidvania platformer Fuedal Alloy, the emotionally-driven and heartfelt Bury Me, My Love, and the Dark Souls-inspired Animus: Stand Alone all flying the flag for quality content on the indie scene. At the less...
Talking Point What's Next For Nintendo After Switch?
Will Nintendo stick with a winning formula, or try something new?
The games industry is all about cycles – perhaps more so than any other sector of the tech business. The constant evolution of gaming hardware means that gamers have become accustomed to upgrading their consoles every five-or-so years, putting aside the glorious memories of one...
Guide Sinnoh Stones In Pokémon GO - How To Get Them And What They're For
Bag those Rhyperior, Electivire, Togekiss and Honchkrow evolutions
Evolution items in Pokémon GO aren't anything new – we've had items like Metal Coat and Dragon Scale for ages – but the recent introduction of the Sinnoh Stone has caused quite a stir, mainly because this exclusive item is the only way to evolve several different 'mon into more...
Feature Nintendo Life eShop Selects - December 2018
December's best Switch eShop games!
With 2018's Game of the Year awards now well and truly handed out, it's time to return to our usual, monthly Nintendo Life eShop Selects. Don't worry December, we hadn't forgotten about you! These awards aim to celebrate the best of Nintendo's digital store, giving some love and attention to the games that could...