Features News - Page 9 of 32

Where shall we start?

So, last time we ran one of these articles we suggested we'd try to get back to a fortnightly routine. That's one crazy aspiration too far, especially as Nintendo is intent on throwing interesting news, Nintendo Direct broadcasts and new HD consoles at us from all directions. Let's drop the promises, and say that we'll do these...

Commit these instructions to memory

The Wii U's eShop represents a big step forward in digital distribution for Nintendo, with eShop-only indie titles sharing shelf space with downloadable versions of major retail releases from day one. These larger titles can easily occupy over 10GB of space, with Tekken Tag Tournament 2: Wii U Edition confirmed...

We check out the Mega Drive epic which could be making its way to Wii U soon

WaterMelon's 16-bit RPG Pier Solar is proof that old gaming hardware can enjoy a fresh existence years or even decades after its original production lifespan. What began as a homebrew project in 2004 has turned into a indie gaming success story; Pier Solar has had...

Not quite fully “networked”, yet

We’ve praised the concept behind the Nintendo Network a fair bit here on Nintendo Life, and in various news posts and features we’ve stated or alluded to the fact that it could be the start of a bright new online era for Nintendo. To start this particular article on a positive point, there are plenty of...

In this third and final developer guide, Nnooo's Nic Watt explains the finer details behind successful spirit hunting

In the previous feature Nnooo's Nic Watt took us through some of the more complex aspects of the player abilities in Spirit Hunters Inc., including some of the abilities which are unique to each element. In this third and final...

Nintendo hands over the reins

When it comes to download game platforms, Nintendo's had to evolve rapidly. The arrival of the DSi and Wii online stores brought the famous company into the realm of the download market for the first time; both services have produced a number of top-notch gaming experiences, and in some cases proved to be the making...

In our second exclusive developer guide, Nic Watt explains the ability system in this spook-catching DSiWare release

In the previous feature Nnooo's Creative Director Nic Watt detailed some of the basics to Spirit Hunters Inc. In this second feature he will explain some of the more complex aspects of the player abilities, including some of the...

It's a whole new game

So here we are, North America, your Wii U day has arrived. It's a Super Sunday, and some of you will be lucky enough to have a midnight launch, while others will need to have a good night's sleep and wait for the stores to open. Either way, you're first up for Nintendo's brand new system, so we expect you to be rushing home,...

So close we can smell the packaging

And so it's almost here, a new home console launch from Nintendo. We only have one of these every five years or more, and North America gets out of the gate first to soak up the new system and put it through its paces. It brings plenty of new features to the table, including its impressive GamePad, a new online...

To mark the launch of the PC classic on 3DS, we speak to one half of the Miller brothers about its creation

Few video games have the ability to polarise opinion quite as sharply as Myst. When it hit shop shelves back in 1993 many critics scoffed at the sedate gameplay and predicted that few people would want to sit through a game that was little...

An era unlike any other

Today is Shigeru Miyamoto's 60th birthday, a key personal landmark but also one that should be celebrated in broader terms by the gaming industry. Miyamoto's well-known description as the "father of modern video games" isn't just casually applied praise, it's a title that's deserved and has genuine significance. Nintendo's...

A guide to catching spooks, straight from the developer

In this, the first of three articles, Creative Director at Nnooo Nic Watt will detail some of the components of Spirit Hunters Inc. to illustrate all the different aspects of the game. Spirit Hunters Inc. launches globally on DSiWare next week, so make sure you brush up on these tips to get...

WiiWare champs set their sights on the future and rhythm aliens

While plenty of developers have stepped up to take a swing at WiiWare, only a pinch have started from scratch and built good names strictly based on their output for the service. Perhaps the biggest success story in this realm is Gaijin Games: as a brand-new studio, the three-strong...

The fridge will fill up quickly

Today's unexpected Japanese Nintendo Direct broadcast gave us various details to frantically decipher and translate, ranging from confirmation that the Wii U GamePad won't have backward compatibility with WiiWare or Wii Virtual Console games, to some less intriguing information about parental controls. Another...

We speak to the team behind the biggest 3DS title this Christmas

The dust has barely settled on our Paper Mario: Stick Star review, but we're far from finished with Mario's latest handheld outing. Prior to launch we were lucky enough to speak with director Mr Naohiko Aoyama (Intelligent Systems), director and scenario writer Mr Taro Kudo (Vanpool)...

Nintendo sticks to its guns

Nintendo isn't at all keen on mandatory, system-integrated achievements or trophies. The idea was ignored for Wii, while gamers with an Xbox 360 got used to notifications re-affirming their awesomeness for acts as simple as starting a new game, with their Gamerscore continually getting bigger with each accomplishment...

Sharing the message

Today marks the start of a major countdown for Wii U, as it's set to arrive in North American stores in just seven days; it's a major event for Nintendo, as new home consoles aren't an overly frequent occurrence. It's been six years since Wii arrived and revolutionised gaming with its focus on motion controls, and now the...

Blasting onto eShop

With the 3DS eShop continuing to grow, and the Wii U equivalent already shaping up with an increasingly encouraging range of confirmed titles, there’s plenty of positivity around Nintendo’s download offerings. Like any platform it still has its detractors and issues, such as the occasional broken mess on the release...

A bold new direction for Nintendo

With just 11 days until Wii U arrives in North America — at the time of writing — it's perhaps surprising that substantial details on Nintendo's online services have taken so long to emerge. That said, it's not unprecedented, as Nintendo often likes to keep its cards close to its chest, withholding details and...

The race to the Mushroom House

Today is a big day in the United States of America, as the next President is set to be elected in an exceptionally tight race to the White House. Still, politics isn't always particularly exciting, especially when candidates don't do anything fun like defy gravity or harness special abilities. No, they're two...

"I think the hardware capabilities of the Wii U Game Pad are a good match for Tengami"

Last week, we revealed that UK studio Nyamyam was impressed with the Wii U eShop and the potential it offers for independent developers. Keen for more knowledge, we got in touch with Nyamyam's Jennifer Schneidereit to talk about Wii U, Nintendo and Tengami - the...

"Lower-case aaa" may take over

While it's easy to get tangled up in technicalities when it comes to the graphical prowess of Wii U, one thing is 99% certain: the successors to Xbox 360 and PS3 will be more powerful, from a graphical standpoint. Whether or not the Wii U matches or surpasses the existing HD systems in this respect — it will take...

Long live the Wii

In future years, maybe even in a matter of weeks, there's likely to be plenty written about Wii and its lifespan, with judgements made on its strengths and weaknesses. The list of negatives is fairly predictable: it was underpowered, with motion controls that brought an unrelenting wave of sub-par games, it struggled for major...

We speak to former TTI Vice President and General Manager about the PC Engine's ill-fated trip to the US

The NEC PC Engine turned 25 this week, and to celebrate the life of this remarkable system we've already taken a comprehensive look at its history. If that didn't satisfy your hunger for NEC-related knowledge, then allow us to offer up this...