Latest Features
Blade & Driver Combos, Chain Attacks, & More Explained
To describe Xenoblade Chronicles 2: Torna ~ The Golden Country as DLC is a bit misleading. There are tons of fully fledged games on Nintendo Switch that offer far less in terms of content, and some of those are even JRPGs themselves. Expansion is closer to the truth but standalone prequel is...
Soapbox Nintendo's Excuses Regarding Cloud Saves Aren't Good Enough
The onus is on Nintendo to find a way to combat cheaters
Soapbox features enable our individual writers to voice their own opinions on hot topics, opinions that may not necessarily be the voice of the site. In this piece, Nintendo Life Operations Director Darren Calvert voices his opinion on the state of Switch cloud saves, and why Nintendo needs to...
Feature Xenoblade Chronicles 2 Team Talk Torna, Female Blades And The Ending That Never Made It
A tale of Alrest
Nintendo Life recently had the opportunity to talk to the production team behind Xenoblade Chronicles 2: Torna - The Golden Country. Over the course of our conversation with Tetsuya Takahashi, the game's Executive Producer from Monolith Soft, Koh Kojima, the Producer (also from Monolith Soft) and Genki Yokota, the Director from...
Feature Velocity 2X Dev Opens Up About Publishing Woes And Chances Of A Sequel
"We need to make it happen"
Side-scrolling shooter hybrid Velocity 2X comes to the Nintendo Switch this week, after receiving critical acclaim when it was initially released back in 2014. Things took an interesting turn last month, however, as developer FuturLab suddenly became very vocal and honest about their publishing struggles in a series of...
Soapbox We Like To Grumble, But Nintendo Switch Online Is Actually A Very Generous Offer
So quit your complaining
Soapbox features enable our individual writers to voice their own opinions on hot topics, opinions that may not necessarily be the voice of the site. In this piece, Nintendo Life Guides Editor Glen Fox provides a counterpoint to the piece we ran yesterday about the general lack of excitement surrounding the NES games offered...
Feature 5 Times Sony Shamelessly Copied Nintendo
OMG you guys
Today, Sony announced the PlayStation Classic, a micro-console which comes pre-loaded with 20 games, is bundled with two full-size replica controllers, connects to your TV via HDMI and is powered by a humble USB lead. Sound familiar? Of course it does, because it's blatantly inspired by the NES and SNES Classic Editions. Even the...
Soapbox Why I'm Not Excited About Playing NES Games On The Nintendo Switch
All NES'ed out
Soapbox features enable our individual writers to voice their own opinions on hot topics, opinions that may not necessarily be the voice of the site. In this piece, Nintendo Life Operations Director Darren Calvert admits that he's not in the least bit excited about the prospect of playing NES games again in 2018... They say that...
Guide How To Get Nintendo Switch Online For Less Than $5 Per Year
A 100% legit method
Nintendo Switch Online launches this week, which means you'll have to pay if you want to carry on playing Splatoon 2, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, and any other premium online game. Note we said premium, so free to play titles like Fortnite and Paladins will
Talking Point What Are You Playing This Weekend? (September 15th)
Here are our picks, but what are yours?
It's the weekend! And you know what that means - yes, it's time for the whole Nintendo Life community to get together to chat about the games we'll be playing over the next couple of days. This time around, our esteemed team of staff are working tirelessly on review coverage, reminiscing over games gone by,...
Hardware Classics Exploring Luigi's Debut, The Mario Bros. Game & Watch
Everyone has to start somewhere
Luigi may not be quite as famous as his illustrious sibling, but there's a fair chance that you could stop a random person on the street and they'd still be able to identify him or at the very least acknowledge his association with the Super Mario Bros. series. Keeping this in mind, it's an odd sensation to play the...
Feature As Team17 Launches Its 100th Game, We Look Back On Its First Nintendo Outing
"My monitor did go zipping across the office in a moment of rage"
Recently, UK publisher Team17 passed a significant milestone - it released its 100th game. Since the company was founded in 1990, the firm has gone from being a developer to a fully-fledged publisher and has been behind classic titles such as Alien Breed, Superfrog, Body Blows and -...
Talking Point What Are You Playing This Weekend? (September 8th)
Here are our picks, but what are yours?
After another week of non-stop Nintendo news and drama, it's finally time to spend a weekend relaxing with your favourite games. As ever, the team at Nintendo Life will be aiming to do just that, too, with rounds of football, first-party megahits, old-school platformers, and even the odd "saucy" game or...
Feature Creating A New Generation Of Indie Gems With YoYo Games' GameMaker Studio 2
Open beta paving the way for a full September launch
The Nintendo Switch has already become the place to go for indie games, with the recent prominence of Nindie Showcases maintaining the attention of both players and developers. Furthermore, the announcement that YoYo Games' robust engine GameMaker Studio 2 has been licenced on the console in March...
Talking Point Do We Still Need Review Scores?
I like to score
Review scores have been a thing since the earliest days of the video game industry. Publications in the early '80s would always rate games on their own scale, using either percentages, stars, letters of the alphabet or - as we do - a rating out of 10. If you grew up with video game magazines such as EGM, GamePro, Mean Machines, CVG...
Hands On Streets Of Rage 4 Is A Grand (Upper) Revival
Nostalgic hearts a-Blaze
It’s been a wild ride for fans of SEGA fans the last few years. Lately, it seems as though the forgotten series of their past are returning in spades, thanks to the efforts of smaller indies the world over: Wonder Boy, Shenmue, Monster Boy, and finally, Streets of Rage. That last one is a big deal for a particularly loyal...
Matters Of Import Banging The Drum With Taiko no Tatsujin On Switch
Ahead of the western release, we go hands-on
It's incredible to think that despite the amazing success and fame of the Taiko no Tatsujin series, only one entry has been released in the west up to now – 2004's Taiko: Drum Master. Thankfully, that will change later this year with the Nintendo Switch release of Taiko no Tatsujin: Drum 'n' Fun,...
Talking Point It's September And We Still Don't Know Enough About Nintendo Online
How soon is now?
We're now firmly ensconced in the month of September, which – as Nintendo has gone to great lengths to tell us – is when its long-awaiting Switch Online service will finally be launching, a whopping 19 months after the arrival of the console itself. Even for the most dedicated of Nintendo fans, the wait is bordering on...
Soapbox Why I Prefer Monster Hunter Generations Ultimate To World
Function over form?
Soapbox features enable our individual writers to voice their own opinions on hot topics, opinions that may not necessarily be the voice of the site. In this piece, guides editor Glen outlines why he's in love with Monster Hunter Generations Ultimate, despite the allure of the next-gen 'MonHun' experience on other formats... My...
Feature Nintendo Life eShop Selects - August 2018
August's best Switch eShop games!
The month of August has just been and gone and wow did it have a cracking selection of games. Choosing our favourite this time around turned out to be pretty tricky - our list of honourable mentions has gone through the roof this month - but we've made it through the countless arguments and debate...
Video 13 Nintendo Switch Games You Should Look Out For In September
Unlucky for some? Not if you're a Switch owner!
We're slowly but surely moving towards that part of the year where every single video game publisher dumps their best AAA titles on the market at exactly the same time and then wonders why they don't sell as many units at other points in the year. It's a fun time, but if you've got a Switch,...
Talking Point What Are You Playing This Weekend? (September 1st)
Here are our picks, but what are yours?
Once again, it's that lovely time of the week where we get to sit back and enjoy a lovely gaming session or ten as the weekend wraps us up in its relaxing embrace. This time around, team Nintendo Life is playing online shooters, retro-inspired platformers, and Metroidvania style modern classics - a nice range...
Feature This Year's Pokémon World Championships Showcased The Positivity Of The Games Community
Serebii's Joe Merrick gives his on-site report
Since 2004, the Pokémon World Championships have been a place where the best Pokémon players from all over the world have come to see which player is the very best, like no-one ever was. This year, the event took place in the Music City itself: Nashville, Tennessee. This year, to go with the...
Guide Call Off The Hunt, We've Found The Best Monster Hunter Merch
All the materials you need
Now that Monster Hunter Generations Ultimate has finally been released on the Switch in the West, there has never been a better time to show your love of Capcom's epic franchise than by buying loads of related merchandise. There is a staggering array of Monster Hunter related goods out there, from Funko Pop...
Feature Big In Japan - Investigating The Phenomenon That Is Monster Hunter
Our quest for merch, meals and more on the streets of Tokyo
The popularity of the Monster Hunter series has been spearheaded globally this year by the incredible success of Monster Hunter: World and the release of Monster Hunter Generations Ultimate on Nintendo Switch. Even with competition from other franchises like Pokémon,
Talking Point What Are You Playing This Weekend? (August 25th)
Here are our picks, but what are yours?
It's another lovely weekend (hopefully) full of relaxation, chilled vibes, and a good gaming session or two. As ever, Team Nintendo Life has banded together to chat about our plans for the next couple of days, with farming sims, Game Boy Advance classics, and online shooters making for an interesting mix this...
Feature Doing The Rounds With The Videokid, A Paperboy And '80s Inspired Nostalgia Trip
"This was my chance to pay one big homage to all of that awesomeness!"
Inspired by score-chasing arcade classics and a heavy dose of popular culture, The Videokid skates onto Nintendo Switch next week. As you perform tricks and combos to earn crazy scores and bonuses, you can hitch and grind your way around town on your trusty skateboard while...
Hardware Review Satisfye Pro Gaming Grip for Nintendo Switch
Long, strong, and great girth
As much as it pains us to say it, the Nintendo Switch is not a perfect product. Due to various factors that make the Switch what it is, certain sacrifices have had to be made in certain areas to make sure its versatility is properly realised, and for some of us at Nintendo Life Towers, one of the biggest problem areas...
Hardware Review Hori D-Pad Joy-Con Controller For Nintendo Switch
Cross your heart
Update: Hori has confirmed to Nintendo Life the issue pertaining to the d-pad joy-con using battery power while the Switch is in sleep mode has been resolved with the release of Switch firmware 6.0 in collaboration with Nintendo. Full details can be found here. Ever since the Switch launched, there's been a vocal minority which has...
Talking Point What Are You Playing This Weekend? (August 18th)
Here are our picks, but what are yours?
Another weekend is well and truly upon us, so what better time to discuss our weekend gaming plans - and then actually go and play them, of course! This time around, we've got RPGs, whacky minigame collections, older classics, retro goodness, and more, but what about you? Read through the Nintendo Life team's...
Feature A Day In The Life Of Manual Samuel With Dev Perfectly Paranormal
Dicing with Death, one step at a time
With an interesting combination of slapstick humour and dark themes, hilariously bonkers animated adventure Manual Samuel releases on Nintendo Switch today, 16th August. By performing everyday mundane tasks such as getting dressed and going to work, as well as basic human functions, Manual Samuel...
Feature Let's Go On A Parade With Pikachu And Eevee In Yokohama, Japan
Spectacular summer festival of Pokémon
The annual Pikachu Outbreak event held in Yokohama, a Japanese city south of Tokyo, had extra significance this year with the release of Pokémon: Let's Go, Pikachu! and Let's Go, Eevee! coming up on Nintendo Switch in November. It should come as no surprise then, that the games' mascots Pikachu and Eevee were...
Feature Wild Gunman And The Unlikely Story Of Sega And Nintendo's Early Coin-Op Alliance
Before they were enemies...
They didn't call it a 'console war' for nothing; the titanic struggle for domination of the living room that took place between Sega and Nintendo in the 1990s has gone down as the stuff of video gaming legend. The two companies fought tooth and nail during the 16-bit era, with the SNES and Mega Drive (Genesis if you're in...
Talking Point What Are You Playing This Weekend? (August 11th)
Here are our picks, but what are yours?
It's Saturday once again, so a whole bunch of team Nintendo Life have joined forces to bring you a detailed account of the games we'll be playing - or hope to play - over the next couple of days. There's quite a range of titles discussed this time around - although that pesky Square Enix RPG has cropped...
Feature How The Messenger Aims To Fuse Ninja Gaiden, Metroid And Castlevania On Switch
"This is truly the best I can do"
Announced during Nintendo's Nindies Direct in March, side-scrolling action platformer The Messenger has caught our eye by keeping a retro feel but subverting player expectations, using classic graphical styles to compliment a time-travelling narrative. When a small, isolated village is attacked by an army of...
Feature What's Left To Be Announced For Smash Bros. Ultimate On Switch?
Our resident Smash expert Alan Lopez breaks it all down
The Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Direct on August 8th gave gaming fans a healthy amount of previously unannounced information about the upcoming mascot-fighter. (By the way, what is up with Nintendo’s sky-high production on these character reveal videos? Who wouldn’t watch entire episodes of...
Feature What Does Nintendo's Shutdown Of ROM-Sharing Sites Mean For Video Game Preservation?
Is gaming history in danger of being lost?
The recent news that Nintendo is taking legal action against two sites which illegally distributed ROMs has been met with an overwhelmingly positive response, and rightly so. The individuals sharing these files online care little for the intellectual property rights of the developers who slave away to make...
Gallery Unboxing Retro-Bit's Incredible R-Type And Holy Diver Limited Editions
Limited to 2,900 copies each
Retro-Bit is doing an excellent job when it comes to keeping the past alive, and has already released a couple of welcome compilations for the NES and SNES. However, the company has really outdone itself with its latest project, which features limited edition versions of Irem's R-Type and Holy Diver, for the SNES and...
Feature Nintendo Life eShop Selects - July 2018
July's best Switch eShop games!
July was host to a cracking selection of indie games and digital releases available on the Switch's eShop, and what better way to celebrate than showering the best of the best with some well-deserved love and attention. Introducing the return of the Nintendo Life eShop Selects awards! Yes, we're bringing back the...
Talking Point What Are You Playing This Weekend? (August 4th)
Here are our picks, but what are yours?
Another Saturday is upon us, and so is another weekend full of opportunities to play our favourite games. As always, members of team Nintendo Life have gathered together to discuss their gaming plans, and this weekend sees a lot of Octopath Traveler, some other stuff, Octopath Traveler, some very...
Soapbox What Splatoon 2 Can Learn From Fortnite And Paladins, And Vice Versa
War-fair
The excellent F2P titles Fortnite and Paladins have both launched on the Nintendo Switch recently, bringing two different flavours of online shootery to the platform, minus any price tag. This would all be excellent news if it wasn't for the fact that I haven't touched Splatoon 2 since. Before you reach for your pitchfork,...
Feature Meet The Man Who Gave Nintendo Tetris And Got Hiroshi Yamauchi Gaming
"Let me put it this way: we were banned from a Nagoya hotel"
Everyone will know Henk Rogers as the businessman who brokered the Tetris deal for the Nintendo Game Boy. But what you may not realise is how he helped define the RPG genre in Japan; gave a start to Squaresoft's president; battled against sabotage by Koei; fought piracy and smashed...
Talking Point What Are You Playing This Weekend? (July 28th)
Here are our picks, but what are yours?
Another weekend, another chance for us all to share our Nintendo gaming plans! Whether you're slowly melting into nothingness like us poor souls in the far-too-sunny UK, or happily enjoying your summer days in a much more friendly and stable climate elsewhere, we hope you'll get a bit of time to enjoy your...
Feature 5 Observations From Playing Super Smash Bros. Ultimate With Bill Trinen
"I keep thinking I’m Lucas"
As a journalist, sometimes you’re handed what I’ll hesitantly describe as “unfair” deadlines. In those moments, you learn the massive value of a single hour. Ask me where all the spare outlets in the depths of the Los Angeles convention centre are. I’m a borderline cartographer for shortcuts through...
Review Go-tcha Ranger - A Worthy Upgrade For The Ultimate Pokémon GO Accessory?
Easy auto
The Pokéball Plus may be the year's hottest accessory for Pokéman fans, but peripheral maker Datel has released a device which, if you're only looking to play Pokémon GO, could end up being more appealing. The Go-tcha Ranger is the sequel to the standard (and totally unofficial) Go-tcha, which b
Guide New Nintendo Switch Games Releasing In 2018
All 2018 Nintendo Switch games release dates
What new Nintendo Switch games are coming out in 2018? Ask no longer as we've rounded up every single exciting games release coming out this year on Nintendo Switch in one place. We'll update this article regularly too, adding in the new titles and removing those you can already play. This should give you...
Hands On Things Are Hotting Up In The Kitchen Thanks To Overcooked 2
Are you a professional cook?
Anyone who has played Ghost Town Games’ indie darling Overcooked is sure to harbour a love-hate feeling for the little cooking simulator. It’s a game where you must work together inside a kitchen to piece together meals for needy customers. The only problem is you are timed, you bump into each other a lot,...
Gallery Splatoon 2, Super Mario And Nintendo Switch Take Over A Balmy Tokyo
Hot town, summer in the city
The Nintendo Switch has been doing gangbusters all around the world, but none more so than in the console's backyard, Japan. Furthermore, 'pop up' stores are very popular among prominent franchises and dedicated fans alike, with Kirby and Pokémon regularly having exclusive goods available for a limited time, as well as
Parent Trap I Really Miss The Nintendo Wii
Family Gamer's Andy Robertson remembers the good old days of waggle
Parents are notoriously bad for being sentimental. Whether it’s watching Monty Python, playing Tetris on the Game Boy or buying sweets by the ounce, I often catch myself getting more excited about introducing my children to the things I loved from my childhood than actually...
Talking Point What Are You Playing This Weekend? (July 21st)
Here are our picks, but what are yours?
Yet another weekend is upon us, which naturally means that it's time for another Talking Point feature! If you're lucky enough to have some free time over the next few days, you may well be planning to sink some of it into your favourite Nintendo games - which is exactly what Team NL is going to do! We've got...
Hardware Review GameShell Is A Modular And Hackable Take On The Classic Game Boy
Build it, and they will come
We don't mind admitting that we're absolute suckers for handhelds here at Nintendo Life, so it's hardly surprising that the GameShell caught our attention late last year. Described as a hackable open-source console, it raised $290,429 on Kickstarter and is now reaching the hands of backers. We were lucky enough to get an...