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News: Pinball Arcade Coming To 3DS and Wii U

Pinball Arcade Coming To 3DS and Wii U

Kickstarter campaign for The Twilight Zone table underway

While 3DS owners may have had a taste of stereoscopic pinball with Zen Pinball 3D on the eShop, there's always room for more flippin' action on the system. It seems that those prayers will be answered by Pinball Arcade from FarSight Studios, which is said to be 'coming soon' on 3DS and,...

Nintendo Download: 24th May 2012 (Europe)

24th May 2012 (Europe)

Balancing, metal slugging and free mighty switching

This week brings us a 3DS sequel to an excellent WiiWare title, a free update with new content from WayForward, and some Neo Geo goodness on Wii. Let's get to it. 3DS Download Software: Art of Balance TOUCH! (Shin’en Multimedia, £6.30/€7) — A sequel to a high-quality physics puzzler on...

News: Redesigned Wii U Tablet Controller Is Revealed

Redesigned Wii U Tablet Controller Is Revealed

QA tester at TT Games to blame?

It's just a couple of weeks before E3, which means that we should be prepared for impatient industry insiders to leak some of Nintendo's big reveals ahead of time. It seems that a QA tester at TT Games — the developer behind all of those LEGO games — has posted an image of a redesigned Wii U tablet controller...

Feature: Launching a Console Without Mario

Launching a Console Without Mario

No mascot on day one

In recent weeks we've been looking at console launches, as preparation for the pre-launch hype for Wii U that's set to begin at E3 2012. So far we've explored console launches in general but also the launch of Wii, a system that notably arrived without a Mario title but has nevertheless achieved major sales success. In some...

News: Retailers Call for Summer Blockbusters

Retailers Call for Summer Blockbusters

Too many games in Q4

Last December we complained about the overcrowded Holiday release schedule, making the simple point that being bombarded with too many games in the approach to Christmas was bad for gamers and publishers alike. The final three months of the year may be wonderfully exciting if you have deep pockets and a lot of spare time, but...

Talking Point: What Are You Playing This Weekend?

What Are You Playing This Weekend?

Last one before E3

It's that time again, the weekend is upon us. It's been a busy week here at Nintendo Life, so naturally we're planning to unwind for a couple of days with some quality gaming. This will be the last of these features for a few weeks, however, as we'll be busy bringing you all of the content you could ever want for that gaming...

News: Scour the UK for Mario Tennis Open Yoshi QR Codes

Scour the UK for Mario Tennis Open Yoshi QR Codes

Smash and grab

Mario Tennis Open launches in the UK next week, and Nintendo is launching a nationwide treasure hunt for you to grab multicoloured Yoshis. On 25th and 26th May select Asda stores will give away the Black Yoshi via a special in-store QR code: scan it with your 3DS and Black Yoshi is yours to keep. Nintendo will release white, blue and...

News: This Rhythm Thief Concert is Seriously Groovy

This Rhythm Thief Concert is Seriously Groovy

Feel the beat

Rhythm Thief & the Emperor's Treasure is a title perfectly suited to 3DS, with its numerous bite-size rhythm levels and quirky humour, and is definitive proof that SEGA can still give us fun games. One of its best features is the funky and toe-tapping soundtrack, so we were pretty pleased when we discovered this footage of a music...

News: Peter Molyneux Wants More From 'Lacklustre Wii U'

Peter Molyneux Wants More From 'Lacklustre Wii U'

Better specifications and big games needed

As Nintendo's press conference at E3 gets closer, many will be focusing on what the company has to say about Wii U. News about the console has been slow to come through, and we've had plenty of contradictory comments from developers regarding what the system can do in terms of graphics and performance. It...

News: Rayman Origins 3DS Hits North America on 5th June

Rayman Origins 3DS Hits North America on 5th June

Reduced price and launch trailer may tempt you

After delays and some mystery, we finally have the North American release date for Rayman Origins: 5th June. That's three days before it arrives in Europe, and less than three weeks away for those who've been impatiently awaiting its arrival. Ubisoft has also confirmed the price for the U.S., which is a...

News: Colour-Based AR Patent is Hot Stuff

Colour-Based AR Patent is Hot Stuff

You'll see what we mean

The augmented reality games bundled with the 3DS are all well and good, but many of you want more. Nintendo's applied for a patent on a new colour-based AR concept that would make a very welcome addition to the system's AR suite. The document refers to using colour to influence the game world, giving several intriguing...

Nintendo Download: 17th May 2012 (North America)

17th May 2012 (North America)

VC and vampires

After a pretty long nap 3DS Virtual Console wakes up today, and DSiWare swells with a hidden object adventure too. This is much more like it. 3DS Virtual Console: Kirby's Block Ball (Game Boy, Nintendo, $2.99, 40 blocks) — At long last, 3DS gets another Virtual Console game in the rotund form of Kirby. Check out our Kirby's Block...

News: DS Car Navigation Arrives in Japan

DS Car Navigation Arrives in Japan

Courtesy of Toyota

A lot of modern cars have satellite navigation and as many buttons as Apollo 11, but Toyota has decided that perhaps the whole experience can be a bit more easy-going in the Japanese market, if a bit of Nintendo is thrown into the mix. The car manufacturer has created the Smart Navi car navigational system that uses a DS — and...

News: Nintendo Patent Reveals Wii U and Remote Interactivity

Nintendo Patent Reveals Wii U and Remote Interactivity

Drag and drop

So far a lot of the Wii U video and technology has focused on how one player will use the Wii U controller and others will use Wii Remotes, but a new patent shows the potential for a single player using both controllers together. The patent outlines how a player could use the Wii Remote to interact with both the TV and Wii U...

News: E.X. Troopers Trailer Released

E.X. Troopers Trailer Released

Big guns and jet packs included

Just yesterday we told you about a Lost Planet spin off called EX Troopers that was confirmed for 3DS. We're already learning more about the game, including the fact that it's actually called E.X. Troopers, and that when Capcom teased an anime style, it wasn't kidding. The E.X. Troopers official web site has been...

News: Nintendo and USTA Team Up for Some Tennis Doubles

Nintendo and USTA Team Up for Some Tennis Doubles

Going on a U.S. tour

The upcoming launch of Mario Tennis Open is coinciding with the start of summer, warm days and the prospect of taking to the courts in real life. It's also launching at the same time as the USTA SmashZone Mobile Tour, which encourages young people to try the sport; so a doubles team has naturally followed. The SmashZone tour is...

News: Nintendo Still Top of Japanese Charts Despite Sales Drop

Nintendo Still Top of Japanese Charts Despite Sales Drop

Not a golden week

Last week was a major holiday in Japan, and the Japanese charts brought golden results for Nintendo. This week brings more of the same in terms of chart positions, but it seems that all games and platforms have endured a major dip in sales after all of that holiday splurging. As reported by Andriasang, Mario Party 9 retains top...

Talking Point: DS Games Deserve Digital Distribution on 3DS

DS Games Deserve Digital Distribution on 3DS

Too good to ignore

Not long ago, we brought you a feature on Bargain Bin DS Games, detailing some excellent games available for relatively little money. The response to the article highlighted how many little-known or under-appreciated gems the DS library has, as it seems to have been a platform that encouraged a lot of creativity from developers...

News: Kingdom Hearts 3D Gets Mark of Mastery Special Edition

Kingdom Hearts 3D Gets Mark of Mastery Special Edition

Coming to (North) America

Consider quantifying your excitement for Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance into financial form. What number would it be? Square Enix hopes some of you will have come up with the number $54.99, as that's what it's asking for the game's special edition. The Mark of Mastery edition — so far only announced for North...

News: Organise a Big Kid Icarus Event, Win Prizes

Organise a Big Kid Icarus Event, Win Prizes

Nintendo lays down shiny gauntlets

Every time Nintendo announces an event somewhere in the world, the response is always the same: "why couldn't it be where I live?" That won't be a problem on 19th May, as Nintendo is encouraging fans all over the world to hold their own events for Kid Icarus: Uprising. Designating 19th May as...

News: FIFA 13 in Development for Wii U

FIFA 13 in Development for Wii U

Also on 3DS and Wii

It's another year, so that means another FIFA game from EA Sports, an annual tradition that's never missed. The developer recently hosted a big reveal of features that will be new to this year's entry: Complete Dribbling will allow greater skill on the ball, First Touch Control will make the initial touch from a player more...

News: Project X Zone Details Sure to Push Buttons

Project X Zone Details Sure to Push Buttons

More characters and attack styles

As Project X Zone gets closer to its Japanese release, the hype-machine is building up nicely with regular reveals and teasers. First up are combat details: Support Attacks will allow fellow team members within roughly eight spaces to perform a one time follow-up attack to inflict extra damage. Meanwhile, if the...

News: Lost Planet Spin-Off Ex Troopers Confirmed for 3DS

Lost Planet Spin-Off Ex Troopers Confirmed for 3DS

Shooting things in 3D

With a solid six months of strong sales, especially in Japan, we may see a gradual increase in 3DS titles in development. The latest to be revealed by Famitsu, as translated by Andriasang, is Ex Troopers from Capcom, an action shooting title. The title shares some elements with the Lost Planet series from the HD consoles —...

News: If Only This F-Zero 3DS Advert Was Real

If Only This F-Zero 3DS Advert Was Real

All a dream

Eyeball-melting speed and glasses-free 3D would be such a happy combination. While Nintendo stays silent on the future of F-Zero, fan Jan Neves has taken the initiative and created a trailer for the smartly named F-Zero 3DX. Footage from F-Zero GX blends with the Blue Falcon flying out of the 3DS top screen. If Nintendo ever does publish...