Latest Features
Hands On Devil's Third - Sampling Online Chaos and Fearing the Devilry of Microtransactions
Ironically you can buy Golden Eggs
When we shared our initial first impressions of Devil's Third it turned into a bit of a saga; your humble writer was surprised at the level of feeling that came out in response to an early look at the game. The focus was on the single player campaign at that point, with our general summary being that - while full...
Mario History Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels - 1986
Or just Super Mario Bros. 2 in Japan
In this series of articles we'll write about one Mario game every day for 30 days, each representing a different year as part of our Super Mario 30th Anniversary celebrations. We kicked off this series with a look at Super Mario Bros., and it's pleasing that it only took one year for Mario's history to get...
Mario History Super Mario Bros. - 1985
Changing the gaming industry forever
In this series of articles we'll write about one Mario game every day for 30 days, each representing a different year as part of our Super Mario 30th Anniversary celebrations. To paraphrase the great poet Dylan Thomas, for this run of articles celebrating the Super Mario franchise we will begin at the...
Mario Memories Being Taken To A New World In Super Mario Galaxy
Tom Whitehead recalls a watershed moment in his relationship with Nintendo
In this series of 30 daily articles celebrating the upcoming 30th Anniversary of Super Mario, various members of the Nintendo Life extended family will share their memories and thoughts on the iconic franchise. First up is site editor Tom Whitehead. I've confessed in the...
Editorial Paper Mario is 15 Years Old Today, and Provides a Reminder of Nintendo's Wonderful Whimsy
Silly and brilliant, what a combination
Paper Mario is 15 years old today, 11th August, in terms of its Japanese release in 2000. Intelligent Systems, a development company typically associated with Fire Emblem and Advance Wars, took a step back from serious strategising to produce what was, at the time, a bit of a revelation. Actually originally...
Feature The Unexpected Legacy of Wii Music
Life changing inspiration from the most unsuspected of places
In this guest feature, Nintendo Life regular and chiptune musician Shiryu explains how Wii Music played a pivotal role in encouraging his prolific output. As tradition mandates every year, I sat watching the Nintendo's 2008 E3 presentation with high hopes of a new F-Zero being finally...
Poll We Want Your Views on Splatoon Version 2.0
Splatfests, Private Matches, being both a kid and squid
Splatoon changes every week, but the most recent update was one of the biggest yet. It threw in much demanded private matches and the opportunity to team up with friends, while also adding a big batch of new gear, some extra music and boosted level caps. When you add the latest Splatfest round...
The eShop can be key for smaller retail releases
In the glut of Gamescom announcements earlier this week, Nintendo of Europe confirmed interesting details for the launch of Project Zero: Maiden of Black Water, known as Fatal Frame: The Black Haired Shrine Maiden in North America; we'll opt for Fatal Frame as our preferred title. Given a
Talking Point Nintendo's Game Updates and DLC Are Fantastic, Albeit Starved of Attention
Key Wii U titles have evolved a great deal
It's easy to be a little blasé and spoilt as gamers, but it's been striking once again that, with a combination of economic savvy and a clear love for its products, Nintendo is making the most of key releases on the Wii U. Three of the system's biggest games have transformed since launch with a mix of new...
Soapbox It's A Tragedy That Rare Replay Isn't On A Nintendo Console
Rare's latest has filled Damien McFerran with delight, but there's a catch
Rare is one of the UK's most respected and adored software houses, with a lineage that goes back more than 30 years. While the company is now wholly owned by Microsoft, for a large part of its lifespan it was closely affiliated with Nintendo - initially as a third party...
Movie Review Pixels Proves Once Again That Video Games And Film Do Not Make Good Bedfellows
Game Over, man
Fun Fact: Pixels was a short, two minute film released in 2010 that briefly depicted a world overrun by an array of characters from old school arcade games. Not So Fun Fact: This short film would go on to be adapted into a feature length film of the same name five years later, starring none other than Adam Sandler. If that doesn't...
Poll What Do You Think of the Super Smash Bros. for Wii U Tourney Mode?
Playing by Nintendo's rules
This week brought some exciting news for Super Smash Bros. fans, with both current-gen versions getting updated to version 1.1.0. That meant paid DLC in both versions, but on Wii U also delivered YouTube replay uploads and online Tourneys. We know how the Tourneys work and have been
Interview 13AM Games on Getting Up to Speed With Runbow
"When we go to parties it's always the Wii U out entertaining everyone"
You can always judge how much Nintendo's eShop teams enjoy an upcoming release by the amount of support it receives at the big N's expo booths, social media channels and more. On those criteria Nintendo's staff clearly adore Runbow, as the colourful nine-player Wii U eShop title...
Play Beat Each Other Up in the Nintendo Life Super Smash Bros. Tourneys
Settle it in Smash
Update: As of 11:30am Pacific / 2:30pm Eastern / 7:30pm UK / 8:30pm CET on 1st August, there are still some places available in our NL For Glory 01 and #FANFIGHTER01AUG Tourneys, with details below. Sorry, NLife For Fun 01 is full up! Original Article: The big Super Smash Bros. version 1.1.0 update is here, and in addition to...
Guide How to Get the Most Out of Super Smash Bros. Tourneys
The good, the bad and the fun
Super Smash Bros. for Wii U now has online Tourneys. Ever since the feature was announced during the '50 things' Nintendo Direct prior to the game's release, it's had some fans dreaming of competitive online battles. Now that the feature is here we can see whether it delivers on that promise; as with so many things,...
First Impressions Learning to Fly With Rodea the Sky Soldier
Winging It
Rodea the Sky Soldier has had quite a turbulent time in development. Originally announced in 2010 for the Wii, this character-driven flight action game from Sonic and NiGHTS into Dreams creator Yuji Naka looked set to soar, but ultimately never got off the runway. After years of radio silence, Rodea was cleared for takeoff as a rebuilt...
Feature Hands On With The Spooktacular Luigi's Mansion Arcade
Don't cross the streams
Deep in the dimly lit bowels of Japanese arcades lurks a surprisingly wonderful new first person shooter (sucker?) with an unlikely arcade hero. It's not surprising that Luigi is running the show this time around. After all he's saved Mario from the notorious King Boo on two separate occasions at this point. The surprise...
Event Movies, Mirth And Mario Kart Mastery At The First Nintendo Life Gaming Night
Hosted at the Centre for Computing History, Cambridge
As you'll no doubt be aware, here at Nintendo Life we've got a real soft spot for vintage gaming. Keeping this in mind, our recent event at the Centre for Computing History in Cambridge, England was something of an eye-opener. Our relationship with the museum itself goes back some time - thanks...
Feature The Biggest 3DS eShop Games of 2015 - Summer Edition
Gaming on the go
It's the Summer - though it's overcast and raining outside this writer's window at the time of writing - and we've published articles pointing out some of the biggest and best games coming to the Wii U, Wii U eShop and the Nintendo 3DS. Now, after an intolerab
"I want to get the tone, the mood, the mystical elements right"
Marked by dreamlike brushstrokes and an uncanny mind for fan service, Orioto's artwork is the type to stick with you after you've seen it. For years, this Paris-based digital artist has created moving portraits of a who's-who in the fictional gaming sphere: Link, Ryu, Sonic, and many...
Editorial Super Smash Bros. Should be Integral to Nintendo's NX Future
Tom Whitehead attended a fighting tournament and had his eyes opened
As I'm somewhat reliant on Nintendo success to put food on the table and amiibo on the shelf - the clue's in the site's name - I sometimes ponder and get genuinely concerned about the company. I think Nintendo will be 'fine', courtesy of its talented staff and billions of dollars...
Poll Where Do You Stand on Miiverse and Its Planned Changes?
Assessing opinion 2.5 years after its original launch
Miiverse, Nintendo's bespoke social network service, will undergo a major redesign on 29th July. It's easy to forget that the service is only a little over two and a half years old, having arrived with the Nintendo Network ID upon the launch of the Wii U. NNIDs and Miiverse are familiar now, but...
Project Cars is one of the last to bite the dust
A few years from now the Wii U will have surely become 'last gen', following the Wii in having occasional Just Dance titles and being available at throwaway prices for those curious about the system. An excellent console it is too, with a retail library full of absolute gems and an eShop that's...
Feature How to Track Down Nintendo's Original Kyoto Headquarters
A pilgrimage in Japan
Nintendo, as a company, has been around for a staggeringly long time. The Kyoto-based gaming giant has a very interesting past that is speckled with differing ventures such as playing cards, love hotels and innovative new toys. For some the journey to its original headquarters is a pilgrimage. I am certainly one of those...
Hardware Review Awesome Super Mario Inspired Watch - Sun and Moon Miyamoto
Partner in time
A while ago we reported that Mr Jones Watches had produced a limited edition wristwatch inspired by the Super Mario series. The response to the design was so positive that the watch became a permanent fixture in their lineup after a small design change to differentiate itself from the limited edition variant. We were kindly given...
Talking Point Assessing the Odds of Super Mario Maker Making a Commercial Splash This September
Anniversary-busting August may have been better
We're still waiting for a North American announcement - which we hope is just a matter of time - but we were rather pleased about confirmation today of a Super Mario Maker Wii U hardware bundle. It's coming to Europe on the same day as the game (a simple but important requirement) and certainly...
First Impressions Heading Back to the Farm in Return to PopoloCrois: A Story of Seasons Fairytale
Of Cabbages and Kings
Nestled snugly between Senran Kagura's bountiful bosoms and the Cold Steel of the latest Legend of Heroes chapter, Return to PopoloCrois: A Story of Seasons Fairytale occupied a relatively unassuming spot at XSEED's E3 booth last month, but it certainly left quite an impression. This upcoming 3DS title is a crossover that...
Video Summing Up The Good And Bad Of Devil's Third
The Devil is in the detail
Devil's Third has been the subject of much heated debate over the past few weeks with Nintendo of America's publishing status supposedly flip-flopping like a grounded Cheep-Cheep - and that's without even going into the recent previews that give a less-than favourable view of the game. Unfortunately as critics it's our...
Talking Point Competitive Gaming With Super Smash Bros. and More Can Be Vital for Nintendo
New audiences and more headlines
It's been Evo weekend in Las Vegas, arguably the most notable fighting game tournament in the world. Super Smash Bros. Melee and the Wii U entry are two of the biggest titles of the event, with recognisable competitors and a lot of press coverage revolving around the series. If Masahiro Sakurai takes personal...
Interview Amy Andersson on Conducting the Symphony of the Goddesses
"Audience reaction has been phenomenal"
Earlier this year, we had the opportunity to be part of the audience for the Seattle, WA performance of Symphony of the Goddesses: Master Quest. Since then, the concert has toured across parts of America, Europe, and Canada, now continuing its journey across the United States and back to Europe to finish out...
First Impressions Getting Cosy With Animal Crossing: Happy Home Designer
How to make a happy home
At Nintendo's E3 presentation two "spin-offs" based on the Animal Crossing series were shown: Animal Crossing amiibo Festival for Wii U, a Mario Party-style interactive board game, and Animal Crossing: Happy Home Designer for 3DS - an interior design based title. To focus on Happy Home Designer, it left many questioning...
Parent Trap Skylanders SuperChargers Dials Nintendo Love up to Eleven, Even on Wii
FGTV learns more about cross-platform compatibility for Wii U, Wii and 3DS
The natural way of things in the video game world is be to moved on to the next generation of console pretty quickly. The Wii has changed all that, for better or worse. Millions of families who don't consider themselves avid gamers still have that little white box tucked...
Interview Senran Kagura Producer Kenichirō Takaki Bares All
“I love games, I love girls, and I love sexy stuff”
The Senran Kagura series famously - and perhaps apocryphally - began life when its creator, Kenichirō Takaki, decided that the Nintendo 3DS' stereoscopic display was destined to display one thing over all else: breasts. Setting to work to fulfill his dream, Takaki-san produced two tales of...
First Impressions Basking in the Glow of Atlus' Legendary Lineup
We take a look at Stella Glow and Legend of Legacy
From a steady stream of Shin Megami Tensei titles to an ever-growing assortment of Etrian Odyssey outings, it's safe to say that Atlus has shown the 3DS a massive amount of JRPG love over the past few years. The company's lineup at E3 last month continued that happy trend, but what was especially...
Ninterview Meet The Man Who Makes Hip-Hop Music From Classic Nintendo Hardware
"The controller we have created is like wearing my childhood round my neck"
We recently came across a UK based hip-hop producer and DJ by the name of Imperial, who makes quite a striking impression with a strange musical instrument strapped around his neck, which has parts that might seem very familiar to our readers. This musical instrument is...
First Impressions Trying to Believe in Devil's Third
And like that... optimism's gone
Devil's Third seduced us in 2014, trumpeted as a mature exclusive that would change the way we think about action shooters, promising to be a system seller. Tomonobu Itagaki prepared us for a game changer, an experience to thrill - after spending some time behind the curtain, however, we're left sorely in need of a...
Feature Our Tributes and Memories of Satoru Iwata
A Direct farewell
With the passing of Satoru Iwata in recent days, announced on 13th July, it's been a difficult period for fans of Nintendo and Iwata-san in particular. We dedicated a day to the former Nintendo President, though we're sure he'd want the company and its fans to now look ahead to the future and all it can bring. We've already shared...
Feature The Biggest 3DS Retail Games of 2015 - Summer Edition
A lot is coming out in 2016, too...
The Summer months are here, which gives us an opportunity to take reveals from E3 and beyond to contemplate what big hitters are coming over the rest of the year. We split the recent Wii U lists into retail and eShop sections, and we're doing the same here, starting off with retail games. Though we've picked out...
Poll What Do You Want From Nintendo's NX Platform?
Go on, ask for anything you want
It's been an interesting couple of weeks in the world of the Nintendo NX. We still know little about it, but rumours of varying reliability made it a hot talking point online and within the community here at Nintendo Life. It's dominated the forums, and all the while we're left to wonder what this platform will...
"I want to grow Splatoon as an IP"
Splatoon was a bit of a risk for Nintendo - it was a new IP in a genre that the company has little experience in. However, the title has proven to be a sizeable critical and commercial smash hit all over the world, repaying Nintendo's faith in a young and creative development team. We were lucky enough to sit down...
Editorial Nintendo's Strategy Needs to be Global, With a Western Touch in the Boardroom
Combine the vital Japanese culture with a broader outlook
Nintendo is, in the ongoing understatement of the ages, very Japanese. That can be a huge strength, and some of its key successes as a business have resulted from sticking to its core culture and, as a result, winning over legions of fans. In the current day the big N is well known for its...
Feature Taking to the Skies for a Final Look at the Star Fox Zero E3 Build
Five more opinions on the divisive Wii U title
Star Fox Zero was a divisive reveal at E3, as it seemed to simultaneously delight and worry fans. Some loved the visual style, some compared them unfavourably to GameCube graphics. Some liked the gyroscopic GamePad controls, others thought they were awkward and poorly implemented. It's been a mixed bag...
Talking Point Raw Power Isn't Vital to Nintendo's NX, But It Does Matter
Wii and Wii U highlight challenges for Nintendo's next system
We're in the midst of a brief spell of Nintendo NX rumours, possibly as a result of it appearing behind closed-doors - according to multiple industry sources such as MCV - at E3, and the timelines that point to a 2016 release have cranked the rumour mill into gear. First there were...
Poll Does Nintendo's Drive Towards Multiplayer Gaming Appeal to You?
Big name IPs and co-op adventures
While Nintendo has plenty of single player experiences and adventures on the way, some of its notable recent reveals are determined to get us playing with others. The Legend of Zelda and Metroid Prime are two IPs announced recently that will try and tempt us to play with others online or locally on our 3DS, albeit...
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...
Feature A Tale of Adventure and Totemic Chaos in The Legend of Zelda: Tri Force Heroes
Three brave heroes seek triumph
This is the tale of identical triplets living in a quiet, uninteresting corner of Hyrule, each with an earnest desire to escape and see the world. Their section of Hyrule isn't on the lavish maps produced in honour of their hero Link, but is off the edge and out of view. Not even smashing pots is much fun in their...
Talking Point The Pros, Cons and Questionable Likelihood of a Nintendo NX Release in Summer 2016
A new pillar? Is July 2016 too soon, or even likely?
In the first of what are sure to be multiple rumours before Nintendo lifts the lid on its 'NX' hardware in 2016, Taiwanese press site DigiTimes has made a range of claims around a potential release in July next year. Its general statements revolve around Foxconn handling much of the manufacturing...
Guide Master Splatoon's New Tower Control Mode with these Easy-to-Use Tricks & Tips
We all want control
Splatoon's new Tower Control game mode has been released to the public, and as with any new set of rules it can take a while to learn how best to approach the matter. That's why we've played and played since silly o' clock in the morning in order to better understand the ins and outs and more importantly deliver our findings and...
Talking Point It's the Community That'll Put the 'Super' Into Mario Maker
Its legacy could be outstanding
Just this week we got another look at Super Mario Maker at a UK press event, and were struck by its significant potential. Yet we've already done a first impressions article from E3, which goes into detail on how well it's shaping up. If you want a strong outline of its core features and why we think it's marvellous,...
First Impressions Digging Up Details on Harvest Moon: Seeds of Memories
Meanwhile, back at the ranch
Natsume always has a diverse catalog of games to show at E3, but the cream of each year's crop is undoubtedly Harvest Moon, the premier farm-life simulation series that's been offering players quiet pastoral pleasures since 1996. This year, after having just produced their first in-house Harvest Moon with last year's The...