Feel the burn
Wii Fit U has had an odd history to date, with little mention for much of 2013 before Nintendo then announced a terrific trial download offer. We knew it was still a project very much on the way, however, because it was part of quite possibly the oddest E3 reveal in recent memory — to the point that we initially thought it was a...
M2, please take note
Sega's range of 3D Classics has finally hit the west, and with the likes of Sonic the Hedgehog, Space Harrier, Super Hang-On and Galaxy Force II already thrilling 3DS owners, this fine selection of reheated vintage legends proves beyond all doubt that good, old-fashioned gamepl
A game for all
While a number of 3DS titles have performed well for Nintendo in 2013, Animal Crossing: New Leaf has been a notable success story. While its core sales numbers have been impressive, it's perhaps been the cultural impact of New Leaf that's been the most pleasing for those keen to see 3DS success. To give some context of how well...
Wii U and 3DS cross-play brings Hunters together
Monster Hunter Tri on the Wii was a standout not just for its epic scale and unique style, but for its ability to bring owners of the system together in a solid, cohesive online component; that was a rarity. With honourable exceptions such as Mario Kart Wii, many titles on Nintendo's last-gen system...
Steel Diver, Nintendogs, The Yellow Devil and more
The start of another week means more Super Smash Bros. screens for us to enjoy; Masahiro Sakurai treated us to some particularly charming examples last week in the Super Smash Bros. Director's Room Miiverse community board, making some minor reveals in the process. The reveals are mostly centred on...
A more than welcome return
When considering Nintendo's most treasured franchises it can be humbling to consider how many began in the 8-bit NES era or even, in more primitive forms, in Arcade cabinets before then. It can be argued as a wonderful strength or as an area of concern, depending on an individual's opinion or whichever way Nintendo's...
Plenty to enjoy for 3DS and Wii U owners
The Legend of Zelda is one of Nintendo's most powerful and iconic brands, a franchise capable of exciting a legion of fans with little more than a subtle hint of a teaser. In pure sales numbers it doesn't always match up to the mighty Mario, but its impact has arguably been as great as the plumber's in...
Yay green!
This is the first of 12 special features that will look back and highlight some of the best things Nintendo gave us in 2013. It's only natural that we start with the mascot that made 2013 his own. 2013, the Year of Luigi. Though, it may incorporate some of 2014, but let's not quibble. Nintendo declared this to be the green one's year...
We take a look at Sega's Japan-only DS strategy RPG
Sega's Shining Force series is still well thought of, even if the PS2 instalments arguably got off on the wrong foot by drastically rewriting series canon and deviating from the strategic gameplay found in older titles. Evidently someone was buying these games anyway, as after four entries on the...
Tens of millions of Nintendo fans can now interact
This week Nintendo finally delivered Miiverse, along with the Nintendo Network ID and shared eShop fund support, to the 3DS. While it has its flaws — which we'll cover to some degree this weekend — that's to be expected with any launch, especially one such as this that fundamentally shakes up...
Import gaming addict Kerry Brunskill explains the appeal of overseas gaming
I’ve been fascinated by Japanese games for as long as I can remember, going right the way back to faux-Japanese Amiga games like Leander and Apidya II. There's something appealing about Japanese game design and art which can't quite be matched by western titles, and...
StreetPass is social networking without the junk, says Andy Robertson
We all have peculiar reasons to like particular videogame hardware. Whether it’s the diminutive form factor of the Game Boy Micro, the wonderful ergonomics of the GameCube controller or the ingenious speaker on the Wii Remote, these designs trigger something inside us that...
Tom Whitehead cringed for three painful hours
I'll start this with a confession — I'd never bothered watching the VGA awards until this year's rebranded VGX event. I'd pre-judged it based on its own marketing message and what others had said, which isn't actually the best way to approach it; nevertheless life is short and, frankly, I was always...
From getting started to making the most of your ID
Today has brought us the latest major 3DS update, and it's one that's been anticipated for a good amount of time. It introduces Nintendo Network IDs to the portable, which now allows unified eShop funds with the Wii U equivalent and, perhaps most importantly, Miiverse access. Until now...
Skull Kid, Turnips, a Lloid rocket and more
It's Monday, so that means it's Super Smash Bros. screens time; once again we have Masahiro Sakurai to thank, as he diligently gives us our regular fix over on the Super Smash Bros. Director's Room Miiverse community board. To half-quote Depeche Mode (google them, younger readers), we just can't get...
Family Gamer's Andy Robertson on the topic of game length
The perfect game length is a personal thing. Those with oodles of time will want maximum value from their purchases and demand at least 30 hours of gameplay, but those with less time — such as myself and the many other games-playing parents out there — may prefer games to be shorter. I...
Damien McFerran experiences buyer's remorse thanks to a recent purchase
Before we stumble headlong into what will surely be a touchy subject to some, allow me to clarify something. As many of you will be aware, Nintendo Life is but one third of a network of gaming-focused sites. Nestled in the bosom of a growing media empire, this site is flanked...
The numbers don't add up
It seems that a month can't pass by — in the past couple of years — when investment analysts, games industry figures and Nintendo's own investors aren't saying that Nintendo needs to expand and release games on alternative platforms. It's creeping into discourse around the Wii U due to the hardware's struggles to date,...
A touch of class
When Nintendo announced, in Spring 2012, that it was taking on the role of providing the interactive museum guides at the Louvre in Paris, it seemed slightly odd. The prospect of visitors wandering around the famous site with a 3DS around their necks seemed peculiar, but there it was in undeniable reality. We learned that it had...
The new Ray Gun, a Zelda train, Bowser schooling Sonic and more
Monday is here again, so it's time to enjoy our regular dose of new screens for Super Smash Bros.; they arrive, as always, courtesy of Masahiro Sakurai on the Super Smash Bros. Director's Room Miiverse community board. We know how hard he's working on these games, so we're always...
Will Nintendo's platform and games succeed this December?
We're now approaching — or in some places have reached — the end of the madness of the Black Friday shopping weekend, an annual fixture in North America and to a lesser extent elsewhere. Of course, the Holiday shopping gig isn't up, and as we enter December we kick off a vital few weeks...
"Child of Light has many unique and distinctive features"
Upcoming Wii U eShop releases that catch the eye are often from small, independent developers, with a sense that it's these small teams that have freedom to express new ideas or conventionally niche approaches. For multi-national, multi-million dollar publishers the focus can be different,...
So long teens, hello more awesome games
It's finally happened, the WGAYPTW series has left its teens, and the emotional crisis it prompted led to it missing its normal schedule — that's right, it was nothing to do with the features editor forgetting to organise it, no way. But it's fine, this little series of game-related tittle-tattle is ready...
Consoles, games, and random stuff that must be owned
Farewell, stable bank balances. Prepare yourselves, credit cards. The Holiday season is upon us, with Black Friday — which is really Black Friday Week now — already kicking into gear in the U.S. and plenty of other places besides. It's the season to be jolly and generous to others, while...
An unboxing of epic proportions
How time flies. It only seems like yesterday that we reported that Prima Games — famed for its detailed strategy guides — would be releasing a collectable box set containing strategy guides for several recent Zelda titles, including Twilight Princess,
