Guide Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate for Beginners
Gear up and be ready
News New Mewtwo Form Revealed For Pokémon X & Y
The Pokémon Company shows off a new trailer featuring the latest 'mon
Rumour Majora's Mask 3D Listed for November Release by Retailer
This rumour's had some smelling salts applied
News - April, 2013
Wednesday1st May 2013
Rumour GTA V Has Been Tested On Wii U Dev Kits For Some Time
Take this news lightly
Rumours have been circulating the internet for quite some time now when it comes to Rockstar's hotly anticipated Grand Theft Auto V potentially seeing a release on the Wii U; when a new one pops up, we have a bucket full of salt at the ready. Let's take a small trip back to last September, when Swedish retailer CDON listed...
News Nintendo Issues Statement on Wii U Hacking Attempt
The system appears to be secure
Nintendo has responded to claims by hacking group, Wiikey, that it's hacked the Wii U to play pirated, copied games. While Nintendo does acknowledge that it's aware of the reported hacking, the Wii U appears to still be secure. Responding to the circulating reports, Nintendo issued a statement to Eurogamer:...
Tuesday30th Apr 2013
News The Monster Hunter Tri Servers Will be Shutdown Today
The end of hunting season
While a number of gamers can be found lurking on the Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate online Wii U servers at all hours of the day, we feel it's worth paying a humble tribute to its predecessor, Monster Hunter Tri. Why do this? Because today is the last day when the Wii title's servers will be open for online multiplayer —...
News Shigesato Itoi Says Mother 4 Would Be "Impossible"
Might as well be blunt about it
While EarthBound fans may be jubilant about the game making it to the Wii U Virtual Console, its creator, Shigesato Itoi, has taken to Twitter to announce there will be no future installments in the series. When asked by a fan on the social networking site if he would consider making Mother 4, his response was simple...
Talking Point It's Time for a 3DS Storage Upgrade From Nintendo
Small price, lots of space
When the 3DS was launched, it didn't even have an eShop to enjoy, and even after the online store arrived the pack-in 2GB SD card seemed perfectly adequate. With a mix of Game Boy Virtual Console titles, the odd 3D Classic and the first flashes of download-only titles from third parties, the number of blocks offered up by...
Exclusive Tengami Confirmed For Wii U Release
Nyamyam authorised as Wii U developer
UK developer Nyamyam has exclusively confirmed to us that Tengami is coming to the Wii U eShop. The game is currently in development for the Apple iPad. The studio has issued us with this statement regarding the news: Last year we asked on Twitter whether you would like to see Tengami on the Wii U. The...
News New Wii U Virtual Console Titles Confirmed By Nintendo UK
Zelda: LttP, Super Mario Bros. and Street Fighter II all incoming
Nintendo UK has released a trailer which shows forthcoming Wii U Virtual Console releases, hinting that we can expect some more retro goodness very soon. The service launched last week in Europe, and has so far been graced with a pretty meagre selection of titles. The new trailer...
News Angry Video Game Nerd Adventures Is Coming To Nintendo Platforms
Life imitates art
The Angry Video Game Nerd made a name for himself by attacking NES games, but now he's come full circle. Angry Video Game Nerd Adventures is a pixel-heavy 2D platform adventure which stars everyone's favourite grumpy gamer, complete with Power Glove and Zapper. It's been confirmed that it will be coming to modern Nintendo consoles...
Review Ice Climber (Wii U eShop / NES)
Slippery controls are on thin ice
Ice Climber, despite the self-explanatory title, is more complex than a cursory glance would suggest. Popo the parka-toting lad (and identical twin Nana in the multiplayer mode) must scale thirty-two vertically scrolling mountains to rescue a large number of delicious eggplants, using only wits and indestructible...
News Nintendo To Reveal Retro's New Wii U Game "In The Not So Distant Future"
Counting down the days
Are you dying to know what Retro Studios is working on right now? Well you won't have to wait much longer, because Nintendo's Hiro Yamada has told Official Nintendo Magazine that the company will be lifting the lid on the new Wii U title soon. Retro moved to larger offices last year, presumably to enlarge its workforce for...
News Nintendo Has Plans to Deliver "New Offers" In Download Stores
Free-to-play and subscription-based services are on the agenda
Following last week's annual financial results and the President's Presentation, Satoru Iwata faced the music in an investor Q&A to address important issues for Nintendo's prospective return to substantial profits. This was published promptly in Japanese, but we now have the official...
Unity and Nintendo Web Framework to play key roles
The Wii U is a system with many positives and exciting features, but with revealed and soon-to-be-revealed competitors from Sony and Microsoft on the horizon, there are some concerns and challenges as well. Two of these are third-party development support — a topic that goes back to the Wii days...
News Super Mario Bros Crossover Hitting Version 3.0 This Year
Resurrects Hudsonsoft's obscure Sharp X1 title
Remember Super Mario Bros. Crossover? It was a fan-made title which allowed Nintendo lovers to play the classic Super Mario Bros. with characters from other games, including Metroid, Castlevania and Mega Man. Th
News Satoru Iwata: Nintendo Has No Plans To Adopt Cloud Gaming
Will continue to monitor developments in technology
During the recent investor Q&A, Satoru Iwata faced a number of questions about the future of the video game market and where Nintendo will position itself within it. One growing area of the industry is cloud gaming, which allows players to stream a game from a company's server directly to...
News Shin'en Multimedia Announces Spring eShop Sale In North America
Get a 30% discount for a "limited time"
Shin'en Multimedia has announced on Twitter that all of its eShop titles are now on sale at a reduced price in North America. [tweet 329246778643841026] All its eShop titles will be available with a 30% discount for "a limited time". Shin'en Multimedia hasn't given any indication as to when this sale will...
News Satoru Iwata: First Party Wii U Game Delays Are to Ensure That They're "Valuable Titles"
It's becoming harder for games "to move or amaze consumers"
During his recent investor Q & A, Satoru Iwata faced some questions about the delays and lacking Wii U games line-up, with no first-party relief due until the Summer months. The questioning appears to have been polite, but nevertheless touched on a current weak point for Nintendo as the...
News Game & Wario to Retail at $39.99 in the U.S.
Nintendo confirms budget pricing from day one
Late last week eager pre-order shoppers in the U.S. spotted that some retailers were listing Game & Wario at a lower-than-normal price, with pre-order guarantees tempting some to jump on the perceived bargain deals. It's now been confirmed by Nintendo, however, that the official retail price of this...
News Platinum's Inaba: Wonderful 101 Is So Much Fun You'll "Wear Out Your GamePad"
"Actually, the Wii U GamePad is pretty sturdy, so you probably won’t"
Yesterday, we reported that Platinum Games' Hideki Kamiya had taken to Twitter to indicate that The Wonderful 101 wasn't a game that would take that long to complete. "If u hate to finish a game the next day u buy it, u better not play TW101," he said. "I focus on how it is fun,...
News 100 Yen: The Japanese Arcade Experience Hits DVD
Blu-Ray and digital launch expected this year, too
Those of you with exceptionally good powers of recollection will no doubt remember that we reported on the production of 100 Yen: The Japanese Arcade Experience last year. A love letter to the coin-op scene in Japan, the film has been completed thanks to two IndieGoGo campaigns which raised a...
News UK Retro Gaming Event Gathers Steam Ahead Of May Launch
A festival of vintage gaming
If you're based in the UK and have a soft spot for the games of yesteryear then you might want to look into buying a ticket for Revival. The event — which is the successor to the popular Retro Fusion show — takes place on the weekend of May 18th / 19th at Wolverhampton Racecourse in the Midlands, and over a thousand...
Monday29th Apr 2013
News Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D's Beastly Block Size Revealed
Clear your fridge of any loose bananas
Players looking to download Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D from the eShop in May should get a sizable SD card ready. We can confirm that the platformer, a remake of the Retro-developed Wii hit, weighs in at a hefty 17,693 blocks, making it one of the largest downloads in the eShop — for comparison Monster...
News Mutant Mudds Developer Muses on Wii U Design
Hardware could have taken more cues from game elements
Renegade Kid co-founder and game director Jools Watsham professes a love for Nintendo in his recent blog post, which is why he also says it hurts him to see the Wii U struggling to forge its identity in the public eye. Watsham says he understand why Nintendo would want to keep the Wii brand...
Nintendo Download 2nd May 2013 (Europe)
Virtual Console goodies, discounts, a game developer's dream and more
So we're back to normal with our Monday morning Nintendo Download fix here in Europe. We're treated to a host of classics in the 3DS and Wii U Virtual Consoles this week, along with a small batch of new portable offerings and some discounted pinball on both platforms. Let's get to...
Hands On Seeing The World in Wii U Panorama View
It needs a new lens prescription
Wii U Panorama View has been around for a fair amount of time, appearing at various events and being a common feature at Wii U demonstration units. The concept is simple but, at the same time, is a solid demonstration of the unique possibilities of the Wii U GamePad; the innovative controller functions as a window...
Review Puzzler World 2013 (3DS)
Worldly goodness
There’s a good chance that you already know whether or not you're going to purchase Puzzler World 2013. Whether it's because you’ve played a previous game in the series, you’ve read our review of the DS version – which is, for all intents and purposes, the same game – that released in Europe late last year, or if it’s...
News The Wonderful 101 Is Focused On "Fun" And Not Game Length
Director Hideki Kamiya takes to Twitter
Although games are often compared to movies, it's not an entirely fair match — when was the last time you watched a movie which offers 10 or more hours of entertainment in a single viewing? However, not every 40-hour gaming epic is a classic, which is a fair indication that size isn't everything. That's a...
News Kickstarter For Ecco The Dolphin Successor Sinks Beneath The Waves
Only $55,000 raised of a $665,000 target
We reported recently that the man behind Ecco the Dolphin had launched a Kickstarter campaign to create a spiritual sequel to the game, with a Wii U edition being a distinct possibility. Sadly for Ed Annunziata, the campaign for The Big Blue wasn't a succ
Rumour Call Of Duty: Ghosts Will Be Spooking Wii U This Year
Spanish retailer gives Nintendo fans renewed hope
Activision is close to announcing this year's Call of Duty entry, but we've already seen a couple of retailers leak information related to the title. Call of Duty: Ghosts apparently uses a new game engine and is expected to hit multiple platforms — one of which should be the Wii U, if a listing by...
Weirdness Try to Run as Fast as Sonic, For Real, in Sonic Athletics
Run fatty, run
We have enough self awareness here at Nintendo Life Towers to know that, while some members of our team are athletic and healthy examples to us all, a few of us share an unfortunate body-shape resemblance to Mario. When your main hobby revolves around exercising thumbs more than legs and arms, carrying a few extra pounds is a hazard...
News Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate Gathering Happening This Saturday in London
Don't leave your 3DS in the item box
Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate has been available for a good month now and Wii U gamers from around the world have been meeting up online to track ferocious beasts down together. Of course, many have picked up the 3DS version which means they can't nip online to fight with others. That hasn't stopped one bunch of...
News They Bleed Pixels Developer Considering a Wii U eShop Release
That and PSN, naturally
They Bleed Pixels is a tough, retro-styled action platformer that was originally slated for Xbox Live Indie Games, but after a fair amount of development time was switched to Steam on PC. That release was fairly well received last year, with the title earning a fair bit of attention around the web. It's the work of indie...
News Watch_Dogs Stalking Onto U.S. Wii U Consoles on 19th November, Europe on 21st November
New trailer and details of four different special editions released
Ubisoft has confirmed that Watch_Dogs will launch in the U.S. on 19th November, Europe on 21st November and in the UK on 22nd November. In terms of UK retail offerings, meanwhile, the game will be available in four (count 'em) different editions: Dedsec (UK exclusive), Vigilante...
News Don't Worry, Nnooo's Next Game Will Be On A Nintendo Console, Too
PS4 and PS Vita title is making the jump
Nnooo has a history of working on Nintendo platforms, but it has also dabbled with rival formats, too. Its next game is scheduled to be released on the PS4 and PS Vita, but thankfully that doesn't mean that the Aussie studio is ignoring Nintendo fans. In reply to a tweet from one of its followers, Nnooo...
News Zen Studios Working on Star Wars Tables for Zen Pinball 2 on Wii U
Still seeking the Force
Zen Pinball 2 has been available on the Wii U for a good while now, but eager fans will have noticed the absence of the most recent high profile tables to grace rival platforms — those from the Star Wars franchise. The offering on Wii U has a good range, but it's seemed like another piece of DLC that's been left out on...
News Expect Batman To Sound Different In Arkham Origins
Kevin Conroy isn't reprising his role in the upcoming game
Voice actor Kevin Conroy has confirmed that he won't be returning to provide his vocal talents to Bruce Wayne's alter ego in the forthcoming Batman: Arkham Origins. Conroy has lent his voice to the Caped Crusader in cartoons and games for many years, with his first video game credit being...
News Rex Rocket Could Come To Wii U And 3DS If Funding Targets Are Met
Retro-styled action platformer currently being Kickstarted
Another week, another Kickstarter campaign for a title which might be coming to Nintendo platforms. Thankfully, Rex Rocket is well worth keeping an eye on. The game is a 2D platformer which needs $6,000 of funding to get made — and it's already bagged over $2,500 of that total with 27...
News LEGO City Undercover: The Chase Begins Catches Up With the UK Top Ten
A little more sales success for 3DS
With the start of the week comes the UK software chart, and once again there's some positive news for 3DS titles. On the Wii U front little has changed, with no exclusives appearing in the top 40 but, potentially, some contributions to multi-platform success stories such as Injustice: Gods Among Us. The headline...
News No Plans From Nintendo For Renovated Consoles In Europe
The service is exclusive to North America
We reported yesterday that Nintendo was now selling refurbished 3DS and DSi systems direct from its official online store in the US. Some of you were hoping to see the same service from Nintendo of Europe, but it has been confirmed that the option won't be coming across the Atlantic. A Nintendo UK...
Sunday28th Apr 2013
Weirdness Nintendo of Europe Didn't Want "Boingy Bits" in Fire Emblem: Awakening
Perhaps the delayed release was to remove cheeky 'bits'
It was a continuous and minor gripe for 3DS owners in Europe that there was a two-and-a-half month delay from the North American release of Fire Emblem: Awakening. It may not seem too lengthy a wait, but with a title so highly anticipated and critically acclaimed, it can be borderline...
News Nintendo Selling Refurbished 3DS and DSi Consoles
All systems come with a one year warranty
Nintendo is now selling authentic refurbished products on its official website. The company says the systems are the only refurbished products on the market that have been cleaned, tested and inspected to meet its own high standards. According to the website listings the consoles are guaranteed to be fully...
Hands On Getting Competitive in the Rayman Legends Challenges App
Nice for a freebie, modest as compensation
Sometimes game releases, or apps in this case, bring to an end a saga of delays, upset fans and development strife. This Rayman Legends Challenges App does that, representing the final (probably) peace offering from Ubisoft to disgrunted Wii U owners before Rayman Legends arrives in late August/early...
Feature Nintendo Battle - Game Watch: Super Mario Bros. 3 vs. Star Fox
The power's on the wrist
These days we take gaming portability for granted. We may kill time playing a bit of Angry Birds on our smartphones while waiting for the next bus to arrive or waiting for our dental appointment. Back in the early ’90s you could carry around a Game Boy or Atari Lynx, but neither was particularly pocket friendly. The clever...
Review Puzzler Brain Games (3DS)
Brain candy
Like Nintendo’s Brain Age series, Puzzler Brain Games is a collection of daily brain training activities designed to stimulate the mind and keep you mentally alert. Though instead of feeling like a curriculum of exercises you’d learn in school, Brain Games is presented in a game show-like format and is a more light-hearted affair...
News Developers Reveal Information on Shin Megami Tensei IV
Q&A held during Atlus event
Developers of Shin Megami Tensei IV fielded questions from the curious during the Atlus Live 2 Days extravaganza in Japan this weekend, and the folks over at Siliconera were able to glean information on the upcoming title from their answers. According to developer responses, Shin Megami Tensei IV should clock in at more...
Video Let's Play The Amazing Spider-Man On Wii U
Are your spider senses tingling?
There are so many superhero reboots these days it's hard to keep up. Thankfully, Nintendo Life video features editor Rory Cocker seems to knows his Hulk from his Man of Steel, and was tasked this week with playing the first half an hour of The Amazing Spider-Man: Ultimate Edition, recently released on the Wii U. You...
News Donkey Kong Junior Arcade Has A New World Record Holder
1,349,000 points is the new high score
The classic arcade title Donkey Kong Junior has a new world champion after the previous record was beaten by 20,900 points Mike Kasper of Beaverton, Oregon is the man who achieved such a feat. During a live TV broadcast Kasper managed to score 1,349,000 points on an original arcade cabinet, topping the...
Rumour New Call of Duty Title To Be Revealed Next Week
Promotional material suggests 1st May will be the day
Call of Duty: Black Ops II was revealed last year on 1st May during the NBA playoffs and it appears the next iteration in the Call of Duty franchise may well be announced at around the same time this year. Nothing has been revealed yet, although recent retailer listings and a few leaks on...
Video Check Out These Etrian Odyssey: Millenium Girl Story Sequences
Some gorgeous animation to enjoy
Earlier this week we reported that Etrian Odyssey: Millennium Girl (or Millennium Maiden) will have cutscenes produced by the highly respected anime studio Madhouse, which is terrific news for the potential standard of the story-telling segments. Millennium Girl, arriving in Japan on 27th June, reimagines the series...
Saturday27th Apr 2013
Review Mega Man 4 (3DS eShop / NES)
The Blue Bomber vs The Red Menace
In 1991 the world got a fourth entry in what had quickly shaped up to be one of the NES's most popular series. This game was Mega Man 4, and expectations were high. After all, the first game laid down a solid — if static — template that resonated very well with gamers, the second game refined the formula...
News Let Your Creative Juices Flow By Designing A Mascot For SEGA Japan
Your character could be a fresh face for the company
Think you've got what it takes to be the next Naoto Ōshima? If so, then please continue reading. SEGA Raw, an upcoming new web series hosted by Yakuza producer Toshihiro Nagoshi, is currently holding a competition in which you can design its mascot, and the winner's character will get to promote...
News Japanese Wii U Virtual Console Launches With 14 Titles Available To Download
Three more games to be released next week
The Wii U Virtual Console is now available in North America, with eight games available to download, and in Europe where there are seven titles to choose from. Japan's version of the download service has also launched and there are a total of 14 games already in the catalogue, with three more on the way...
News Poster Hints At An Eevee-Themed 3DS XL Set For Japan Next Month
What? Eevee is evolving?
At the start of the week, we reported that a new Pokémon-themed 3DS XL would be available in Japan in May to celebrate the 15th anniversary of the Pokémon Center stores. It was rumoured that the handheld would feature the 133rd Pokémon in the Pokédex, Eevee; and to add further speculation, wild posters have appeared in...
Developer Interview Image & Form on SteamWorld Dig, 3DS Development and Working With Nintendo
"3DS gamers are generally more experienced than mobile gamers"
SteamWorld: Tower Defense arrived on DSiWare back in the summer of 2010, and represented the Nintendo debut of Swedish developer Image & Form. Its stylish approach was well received critically, and despite its brevity represented a solid offering worth consideration on the last-gen...
News New River City Ransom Sequel Confirmed
A crowd-funding campaign is set to launch this Summer
Combit Studios has announced it is currently developing a sequel to the popular sidescrolling fighter River City Ransom, which was released on the NES in 1989. According to its website, the Canada-based studio will be working with Million - the developer behind the Game Boy Advance remake River...
News Ikaruga Creator's Kokuga Blasting Its Way To The West
The 3DS 'shmup' has been rated in Germany
Hiroshi Iuchi the creator of the intense Dreamcast (and later, GameCube) top-down polarity shooter Ikaruga also developed a title for the 3DS called Kokuga with 'shmup' specialist G.Rev. The game was released in Japan last September and hopes of a Western adaptation appeared to be slim. However, there is...
Rumour Dragon Quest Monsters 2 Remake Trademarked in Japan
We'd bet it's for 3DS
One recent sales success for Square Enix on 3DS, in Japan in any case, was Dragon Quest Monsters: Terry's Wonderland 3D, a re-make of 1998 Game Boy Color title Dragon Warrior Monsters. Any thought of the title coming West, however, has somewhat faded with each passing month. Still, the Japanese sales of that remake appear to...
Video Ace Attorney 5 Trailer Shows Its Own Brand of Wacky Courtroom Drama
We have no objection
Ace Attorney 5 is now just a few months away from release in Japan, while localisation to the West in confirmed but without a timeline for its arrival. As a result Capcom is firing up the hype train in Japan; we can happily hop on board, albeit with the danger that we have no idea what anyone is saying. Still, we must say that...
Rumour SpeedX 3D Sequel Driving Its Way to 3DS
Going into hyper speed
While we wouldn't say there's been a full-on invasion, we've seen some successful and — in various cases — high quality smartphone games making their way to the 3DS eShop. The trend is arguably a flattering one for Nintendo's platform, as some of the stronger iOS and Android titles out there are brought to the handheld...
Friday26th Apr 2013
Hardware Review MaxPlay Wii U In-Car Adapter
Take your gaming on the road
A few eyebrows were raised when we reported on the existence of the MaxPlay adapter, a newfangled contraption which allows you to power your Wii U console from your car's standard 12V cigarette lighter socket. However, we can now report that this unique item is in fact the real deal, having tried it for ourselves. The...
Video Luigi Defeats All Characters On Super Smash Bros. Melee By Doing Absolutely Nothing
A devious tactic
When playing Super Smash Bros. Melee there are various tactics you can use to come out on top. You could pick the speedy Fox McCloud and run rings around the other players, blast people from afar as Samus, maybe pick a powerhouse character and take it to your opponent from close range. Or you could just pick Luigi and win by doing...
News Wii U System Update Is Now Live
Get it while it's hot
Nintendo's long-expected Wii U system update is now live. The 673MB download speeds up various elements of the Wii U's menu, Here's the official run-down of new features, courtesy of Nintendo: Version 3.0.0 U Released: April 25, 2013 New Features: A standby function to download and install software while the system is...
Nintendo Download 27th April - Virtual Console (Europe)
It's Virtual Console time, and Panorama View
We've already seen the launch lineup for the Virtual Console, but with today's system update going live we now have confirmation of the titles, and prices, that'll hit the European eShop. We expect the North American details to be largely the same and to arrive soon. A key fact for those of you that have...
Talking Point The Importance of the Virtual Console
Old games seem to sell
The start of a new console generation is always problematic for fans of older titles, as with each passing system backward compatibility becomes an increasing issue, and older titles risk being lost to the ages due to damage. Nintendo’s recent policy has been one of allowing backward compatibility for the previous generation...
Nintendo Download 26th April - Virtual Console (North America)
Retro goodies and virtual tours
We've now received the launch day details for the Wii U Virtual Console in your region, North America. As in Europe, those of you that have bought these titles before on the Wii Shop but want the improved Wii U versions can upgrade at a lower cost — a NES title you already bought on Wii will cost you just $1, while...
Video Lego City Undercover: The Chase Begins Glitch Allows You To Find All Outfit Missions
Get a full wardrobe with minimum effort
Lego City Undercover: The Chase Begins is released today on the 3DS, and offers a pocket-sized insight on Chase McCain's past as a rookie cop. In the game, you can partake in side-quests to unlock Chase's selection of outfits and costumes. Finding all of these side-quests isn't an easy task, but Family Gamer...
News Resident Evil Revelations Demo to Sneak up on the Wii U eShop
Quite a revelaiton
Resident Evil Revelations isn't far away from its Wii U release, aiming to claw at us and eat our brains — though the enemies aren't actually zombies, so maybe just the clawing part — in May. Of course if you own a 3DS you could play the game right now, and it's a stand-out title on the handheld; if you're rocking a Wii U and...
News A.N.N.E May Appear On Wii U Should It Smash Through Its Kickstarter Goal
A Metroidvania-style adventure inspired by Cave Story
There have been a fair amount of developers who have started up a Kickstarter campaign to achieve some funding over the last few months and one that has recently started up is for a game called A.N.N.E, which draws inspiration from a handful of classic games. Described by the one-man developer...
Video Here's Some Footage Of The Rayman Legends Challenges App
Hands-on with Ubisoft's peace offering to Wii U owners
This week sees the release of the Rayman Legends Challenges App, a free download which is largely intended to pacify angry Wii U owners following the delay of the game itself. Although the app itself is offered entirely free of charge, Nintendo Life video features editor Rory Cocker has put...
News Armageddon Operation Dragon Is Bringing Sexy Swimsuit Elves To DSiWare
And not before time, some might say
EnjoyUp has announced a new title for Nintendo's DSiWare service called Armageddon Operation Dragon. Boasting "runner playability", "easy handling", "innovative graphics" and — wait for it — "local ranking" (like we used to have back in the '80s!), the game sees you assuming the role of a sexy cartoon elf in...
News Famicom Classic Recca Could Be Blasting To Western 3DS eShops
Big in Japan
Naxat Soft's Recca seems destined for a 3DS eShop release in the west. The game — which is a vertically-scrolling shooter from 1992 — has just been given a rating by the Australian Classification Board. Also known as Summer Carnival '92: Recca thanks to the fact that it was used in Naxat Soft's "Summer Carnival" shooting game...
News Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Summoner: Soul Hackers Arrives in Europe This Fall
NIS America teams up with Atlus
Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Summoner: Soul Hackers is a suitably lengthy name for this first-person dungeon crawling RPG, which offers extensive depth in its adventure. Originally a release on the SEGA Saturn, its new and improved 3DS version is available now in North America and, we're sure, consuming a few lives right...
News House Of The Dead: Overkill Rises From The Grave On Mobile Phones
Sega's Wii classic makes the jump from consoles to smartphones
Sega's Wii shooter The House of the Dead: Overkill has been ported to iOS and Android. Retailing for $4.99 (approximately £3.90), the game transports the expletive-filled zombie-blasting action of the Nintendo original to the small screen of your iOS or Android device. Here's the full...
Thursday25th Apr 2013
News Pokémon Black & White 2 Owners Can Catch Deoxys In May
From the comfort of your own Wi-Fi
Legendary DNA Pokémon Deoxys will be made available to English language copies of Pokémon Black & White 2 from 8th May until the 31st May. Players will be able to snag Deoxys in all its Level 100 glory through Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection. Once acquired, Nacrene City will be the place to alter Deoxys between...
Nintendo Download 25th April 2013 (North America)
Free Rayman, Mega Man, a colourful commando and more
It's that time, Nintendo Download fans in North America, when you can cast your gaze over the downloadable treats coming your way. After last week's somewhat epic list, this week we have a much smaller range of options to chew over. One of them is a free part of a rather awesome looking Wii U...
News Miiverse Now Available In Your Browser
Social network makes the leap off of Wii U
Miiverse, that perfectly civil, friendly and downright jovial Wii U utopia of a social network, which doubles as a place to discover just how much patience people have for creating incredibly elaborate works of art using two colors and a stylus, is now available in your browser. You're now free to sit in...
Review Crazy Construction (3DS eShop)
More like Crazy FUN-struction
On the surface, Crazy Construction sounds like the epitome of shovelware; a generic puzzle game that slaps together tired ideas and a dash of zany alliteration to garner enough sales to crank out the next one. Take a closer look, however, and you’ll discover a cleverly designed arcade-style title that boasts a fun,...
News Miiverse to Arrive on 3DS "Within This Year"
3DS game communities will be included, of course
Earlier today Nintendo took the important step of launching a beta for a browser-based Miiverse service — you simply visit miiverse.nintendo.net on a smartphone, tablet or computer and you can browse the communities and "Yeah" posts, though you can't post your own comments yet. Naturally we're left...
Talking Point Nintendo's Changing the Media Game at E3
Abandoning the big presentation
So here's how the E3 game is supposed to be played by the three major game manufacturers. They appear at E3, talk up how exciting it's going to be, and then hold a high-profile press conference that's viewed by thousands of gamers before being mercilessly dissected. At that point senior figures conduct interviews to...
News Nintendo Won't Be Holding A Large-Scale Press Conference At E3 This Year
"We are continuing to investigate ways to deliver information"
Nintendo has confirmed that it is not doing a large-scale press conference at this year's E3, instead choosing to hold behind-closed-doors events for press and distributors. Where does that leave people watching over the internet? Nintendo has said that it is investigating "ways to...
News Analyst: Nintendo of America "Forgot Marketing 101" For Wii U
Analysts weigh in on Wii U and Nintendo's future
Nintendo recently revealed its financial results for 2012/2013 which showed the Wii U hadn't performed particularly well. Sales of the company's latest home console were well below the initial projection of 5.5 million units and even failed to meet the adjusted estimate of four million. Between the...
News Eiji Aonuma Speaks About Zelda 3DS and its Lengthy Development Time
It began almost two years ago
Just little over a week ago, Nintendo announced during its latest Nintendo Direct broadcast that a brand new Legend of Zelda title is coming to 3DS this year, which will be set in the same world as The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past. In a recent Japan-only Wii U Direct series producer, Eiji Aonuma, commented on...
News Wii U and 3DS Online Connection Rates Exceed 80%
Europe lagging behind with just 57% of connected 3DS systems
Just recently Nintendo of America announced a 3DS connection rate of 67%, but it seems that this was a rather conservative figure. During his post financial results presentation, Satoru Iwata has outlined impressive online connection ratios for Nintendo's systems, with one region standing...
News Satoru Iwata Confirms Nintendo's Plans To Bring More 3DS Third-Party Support To The West
Unannounced titles could be on the way, too
In Nintendo's recent Financial Results Briefing for the end of the Fiscal Year, Nintendo CEO Satoru Iwata mentioned that the company plans to bring more third-party support to the 3DS, particularly when it comes to Japanese developers localising games for the West. First of all, let's take a look at...
News Satoru Iwata Outlines Retail Download Strategies and a Future of NFC
"Nintendo platforms’ digital business still has room to grow"
If you're a traditionalist that doesn't like the idea of retail downloads, DLC and additional paid extras for games, look away now. As Nintendo seeks to maximise revenues and hit its 100 billion Yen operating profit target, it's going to offer us more games content to buy for both...
News Rayman Legends Release Brought Forward to 3rd September in North America, 30th August in Europe
The free challenge app is on the Wii U eShop today, remember
Update: We originally quoted an EU release date that we received directly and a US release date of 27th August given to Joystiq — the source link is at the end of the article. Joystiq has now confirmed that Ubisoft has corrected the US release date to 3rd September, so we've updated the...
News 3DS Market Share For Early 2013 Shows Growth in North America and Europe
Success in mainland Europe offsets poor UK performance
Over the four pages of his presentation following Nintendo's annual financial report, Satoru Iwata focuses a great deal of attention on the 3DS and its successes, as well as areas for improvement. There have been some real positives for the handheld on a worldwide scale, with its obvious...
News Beyblade: Evolution Spinning Its Way Onto The 3DS This Year
Takes advantage of the 3DS' capabilities
Rising Star Games has announced Beyblade: Evolution, an all new exclusive game for the 3DS which is scheduled to spin across Europe and North America later this year. D3Publisher will distribute the game across the US. The title, an interesting take on the TV series Metal Saga, allows players to launch their...
News ATV Wild Ride 3D On Sale For One Week Only
It's yours for just $5.99
ATV Wild Ride 3D skidded into the North American 3DS eShop last month, giving thrill-seeking gamers the chance to race their way through various unique environments. Jools Watsham, co-founder of Renegade Kid, the game's developer, has revealed to us that it's now on sale at a reduced price, so if you haven't picked it up...
News Madhouse Handling New Etrian Odyssey Cutscenes
Odds are good you've seen its work
The upcoming Etrian Odyssey: Millennium Girl (aka Millennium Maiden), a reported remake of the first game in the series, likely has enough reasons to entice fans already. But just in case, Famitsu has revealed another: Millennium Girl’s cutscenes will be made by the anime studio Madhouse. What’s Madhouse, you...
Wednesday24th Apr 2013
Review Injustice: Gods Among Us (Wii U)
Immortal kombat
We’ve all had this same discussion. Who would win in a fight between Batman and Superman? NetherRealm Studios — the development team behind the successful 2011 reboot of the Mortal Kombat franchise — was kind enough to create Injustice: Gods Among Us, a fighting game almost specifically designed to answer that one burning...
News Rejoice, Mario Kart Wii U Is Coming This Year
Pole position
We already know that Nintendo is working on a fresh Mario Kart entry for the Wii U and that it will make its debut at this year's E3. However, in a PR email pertaining to its 2013 financial results, Nintendo has let slip that the game will be rolled out onto the starting grid this year, which should give the struggling console a...
News Nintendo Confirms Yearly Net Profits, But Higher Than Expected Operating Losses
Wii U sells 3.45 million units, missing four million target
To start with, Nintendo's financial results for 2012/2013 aren't as bad as predicted yesterday by Bloomberg; in fact, if you're just interested in the balance sheet Nintendo's affairs are in the black — the net income when all is said and done is a profit of 7,099 million Yen, which...
Review Mystery Murders: Jack the Ripper (3DS eShop)
Serial Filler
Mystery Murders: Jack the Ripper is a hidden-object game that tasks you with solving the mystery that has puzzled the world for well over a century now — just who was Jack the Ripper? Here, you’ll be transported to the Whitechapel district of London during the Autumn of 1888 to attempt to stop the infamous serial killer before he...
Feature Nintendo's Financial Revelations and Hardware Strategies
3DS leads as Wii U goes slow and steady
Around this time every year Nintendo reports its financial results for the previous 12 months, and in by-gone days they could be summarised very easily — "we're rolling in cash like money hogs, victory lattes for everyone". Recently it's not been quite that simple, with the decline starting with the initial...
News Satoru Iwata Taking Over CEO Role of Nintendo of America
Reggie Fils-Aime remains as President and COO
As part of its financial results today, Nintendo announced some musical chairs among the directors, with quite a few planning to retire this summer. One move interesting enough to prompt a press release of its own, however, is a high-level reorganisation within Nintendo of America, with Satoru Iwata...
News Nintendo: 3DS eShop And App Store Comparison Is "Quality" Versus "Quantity"
"3DS has a record of quality that's hard to challenge"
Nintendo once stated that it wasn't competing with smartphones and didn't view them as gaming devices, but in recent months that stance has changed. The company's top brass is keenly aware that the 3DS is fighting against the likes of the iPhone and iPad for the attention of gamers, and we're...
News Nintendo's Legal Team Forces Mobile Dev To Make Lead Character Less Yoshi-Like
"We are cooperating with Nintendo about the changes required"
Smartphone clones of popular console titles are nothing new, but Android game Era's Adventure took shameless pillaging to an entirely new level; its lead character — by the developer's own admission — was Yoshi. Unsurprisingly, Nintendo's lawyers have been in touch and Era's...
News Okami Announcement Teased For Next Week
Just what it is remains a mystery
Capcom’s official Okami Twitter account in Japan has cast its digital ink upon the canvas of the internet, sending the following message as translated by Gematsu: Hello, this is Okami news. Sorry I’ve been kind of out of touch lately, but I have the feeling we’ll be able to drop a fresh announcement like...
News Psychoz Interactive Becomes Wii U Developer, Announces Forgotten Memories
Indie dev brings survival horror to the eShop
George Paz of Psychoz Interactive took to Twitter to announce that the indie developer is now an authorized Wii U developer and will be bringing its upcoming survival horror title, Forgotten Memories, to the eShop. Paz expressed interest in becoming a Wii U developer back in March. The game, which is...
News Meet The Wii U Karaoke System Which Costs $16,000
Big in Japan
With many retailers complaining that the Wii U costs too much, it's odd that we're reporting on a variant of the console which retails for an eye-watering $16,000, but such is the weird and wacky world of the video game industry. Produced by Japanese company Xing, the JoySound Festa is so large it has to be wheeled around on a trolley...
News Shantae Set For 3DS Virtual Console This Summer
Whip your hair back and forth
Shantae is a Game Boy Color title, we suspect, with some very keen fans that are anxious to play it again. It's the debut title of one of WayForward Technologies best-loved IPs, with DSiWare follow-up Shantae: Risky's Revenge being critically acclaimed and, for a spell, regularly gracing the DSi Shop's chart when it was...
Review Working Dawgs: Rivet Retriever (DSiWare)
A dog's breakfast
Working Dawgs: Rivet Retriever is a platformer doomed to be forgotten. An uninspired follow-up to puzzle game Working Dawgs: A-maze-ing Pipes, every facet of this downloadable title succumbs to the dark side of video games, thoroughly beating down what simple enjoyment might be found in a side-scroller this basic. If the underlying...
News Tomodachi Collection: New Life Storms the Japanese Charts
3DS LL (XL) sales double
Another week of Japanese chart results, and another happy story for the 3DS. In recent weeks we've seen consistent success for Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon and the ever-green Animal Crossing: New Leaf, but the release of Tomodachi Collection: New Life, the life-simulation game currently exclusive to Japan, has given another...
Event Nintendo UK 3DS Showcase
We sample the best 2013 has to offer
Last week we were invited to a Nintendo 3DS showcase to get first-hand impressions of some of the upcoming releases in the next few months for Nintendo’s handheld, as well as a demo of the recently announced 3DS Zelda game. We've already previewed a number of these titles in detail from a similar event in San...
News Ghostlight Confirms Devil Survivor Overclocked Patch is Finished
Soon Europe will have the full experience
A little under a month ago, Ghostlight released the much-anticipated Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor Overclocked in Europe. Unfortunately, however, the game was marred by game-breaking bugs that stops players in their tracks. Using the summon ability or being lied to by an auction seller causes the game...
News One Of Shin'en's Forthcoming Wii U Titles Will Have Online Play
A first for the studio
We already know that Shin'en Multimedia is hard at work on two new Wii U titles, but so far the company — which has produced hits such as Nano Assault Neo, FAST Racing League and Jett Rocket — has given away little information on what they might be. Speaking to
News Nintendo Letter Box Update Now Live In Europe
Take note
Last week, we reported that North American 3DS owners could download an update for the Swapnote application which added a flood of cool new features. The European version of the app — known as Nintendo Letter Box — wasn't so lucky, however. Thankfully, Europe has now caught up with the US and if you're based in The Old World and you...
News Dusty Raging Fist Artbook Gets Kickstarter Campaign
The goal is a hare-raising $12,000
Back in February we exclusively revealed that PD Design Studio is bringing side-scrolling fighter Dusty Raging Fist to the Wii U eShop later in the year. It's set in the same universe as Mac-based fighter Dusty Revenge, which is currently on Steam Greenlight and is inspired by Double Dragon
Tuesday23rd Apr 2013
News These Screens Show What NES Games Would Be Like Today
Minus the secrets and controller-hurling difficulty
This video games lark is quite young as an entertainment medium; it's decades behind film and television, while books have hundreds of years behind them. Yet in a short time we've seen extraordinary transformations in technology and also game design. It's easy to forget when playing modern games,...
News Wii U Virtual Console Launch Lineup Is Revealed
Eight titles available at launch
Nintendo has revealed via its Wii U Facebook account the launch lineup for the Wii U Virtual Console. The initial batch of games will be: Punch-Out!! Balloon Fight Kirby's Adventure
Review Kung Fu Rabbit (Wii U eShop)
Hop to it
When Rabbit's dojo is raided by Ultimate Evil, it's time to buck up and get even. The hungry aliens kidnap all of the temple's disciples with a view to hold a great bunny banquet, but they make one huge mistake – they leave the master behind. Now our long-eared hero has to put all his martial arts training to the test to stop the...
News DuckTales: Remastered Focus Testing Reveals That Kids Don't Know Jack These Days
Capcom speaks on the challenges of selling old titles to new audiences
The original DuckTales NES title is over twenty years old now, and the cartoon which inspired it just as ancient. While the announcement of DuckTales: Remastered clearly put a lot of smiles on the faces of 30-something players who recall when they first experienced the 8-bit...
Talking Point The Wii U's Identity Crisis
Muddled messages aren't helping matters
Let's start this with some clear points, to head-off accusations before they're made. No, we don't think Nintendo is doomed and no, we don't think the Wii U is doomed. While critical of some aspects of the Wii U since release, in general we've maintained a line that the system cannot be judged yet, and that...
Weirdness These Circle Pad Pro Mods Have Some Wacky Designs
Analogue stick on the shoulder, why not?
Despite its obvious practical uses and merits for making some 3DS games much easier to play, the Circle Pad Pro and 3DS XL Circle Pad Pro often get teased for their clumsy appearance. The XL variation, in particular, isn't exactly conducive to a portable, streamlined device that can be casually popped into a...
News Project CARS Dev Making Sure Wii U Doesn't Get A "Crappy" Version
That's nice of them
Project CARS is an ambitious cross-platform racer which is coming to a wide range of systems, including the Wii U. Developer Slightly Mad Games has been speaking about the Nintendo edition of the game, and continues to say nice things about the hardware. Slightly Mad's Andy Tudor had this to say to Revo
News Road Rash-Inspired Road Redemption Confirmed For Wii U Release
Assuming Kickstarter goal is met, of course
Road Redemption is a motorcycle combat game which owes a massive debt to EA's 16-bit title Road Rash — and it could be coming to the Wii U, if it can meet its Kickstarter goal. DarkSeas Games — a studio made up of talent from Sega, Sony, Bioware, Gameloft, EA, Pyro Studios, Disney Interactive, 2K...
News The Konami Code Is 27 Years Old This Week
Raise a glass to more than a quarter-century of cheating
The Konami Code has gone from being a developer's secret workaround to one of video gaming's most famous cheats — and it's 27-years-old this week. According to lore, the code was created by Kazuhisa Hashimoto, who was developing the home port of Gradius for the Famicom / NES. Hashimoto...
News Aksys Games Announces Hakuoki: Memories of the Shinsengumi For 3DS
Popular visual novel returns in 3D
Aksys Games has announced Hakuoki: Memories of the Shinsengumi, a visual novel/dating sim, for the 3DS. The title is the latest in the Hakuoki series, which have previously been released on the PSP. The 3DS entry features the original Hakuoki: Demon of the Fleeting Blossom with six extra stories that flesh out the...
News Nordic Games Picks Up The Darksiders Franchise
Red Faction, MX and Homeworld also find new homes
Yesterday we reported that THQ had sold off most of its remaining assets to other parties, however it was not clear which ones had been picked up and which had fallen by the wayside. New information has come through today and we're very happy to inform you that the Darksiders franchise was salvaged...
News Konami Releases Strategy Portal for Castlevania: Lords of Shadow - Mirror of Fate
You'll be whip-smart in no time
Konami has released a strategy portal for the recently released Castlevania: Lords of Shadow - Mirror of Fate designed to be accessible both online and through the 3DS Internet Browser — to view on the 3DS visit Since the browser can be used while a game is running, the guide is sure to be a handy tool for anyone...
News New Zelda Documentary Seeks To Explain The Cultural Significance Of The Series
$50,000 of Kickstarter funding required
Film-maker Joe Granato has taken to Kickstarter to fund a documentary which aims to explain the "ubiquity and cultural influence of the Legend of Zelda game franchise". It's Dangerous To Go Alone...The Movie will "examine the pervasive fascination for 8-bit gaming beyond nostalgia," according to Granato. "It...
News First Toki Tori 2 Patch Submitted to Nintendo
Second, more substantial update still being hatched
Toki Tori 2 was on a number of Wii U eShop wishlists when it was pushed back from launch day to an early April release, and has delivered a substantial twist on the formula that gamers became accustomed to in the preceding Toki Tori releases. It's placed pretty well in the Wii U eShop charts in...
Weirdness Tetris May Be An Ideal Cure For Lazy Eye
Oh medical studies, how we love you
In recent years, particularly with the control and gameplay innovations of the DS / Wii era onwards, we've seen Nintendo systems used for various medical studies and treatments; that's most assuredly a good thing. Often these studies show a refreshing level of creativity along with their obvious scientific merit,...
News Analysts Predict Financial Year Losses to be Reported by Nintendo
We'll know soon enough
When Nintendo revealed its financial update for Q3 at the end of January, it projected a net profit of 14 billion Yen (just over $150 million) for the financial year; it must be said that this projected profit was in spite of an operating loss, which reflects the core business of producing and selling consoles and games. That...
Rumour Batman: Arkham Origins to Include Multiplayer Mode
Play as your favourite villain
Kotaku has reported that Batman: Arkham Origins, which is coming to the Wii U later this year, will include a multiplayer mode. The unconfirmed report states that players will step into the shoes of classic Batman villains and try to take town Batman and Robin. If the rumour is to be believed, Origins would be the...
News Ubisoft: Splinter Cell "Really is a Thinking Game"
Blacklist to incorporate styles suiting veterans and newcomers
In past generations the Splinter Cell franchise was one of the biggest in the games industry, with its initially unique approach to stealth attracting plenty of plaudits and sales. While the series is still very much a fixture on the release calendar, it doesn't quite have the same...
Monday22nd Apr 2013
News Nintendo of Europe Offers Free Game in "So Many Games!" Promotion
Register three and get a fourth free
In recent months we've seen Nintendo — both in Europe and North America — offer the incentive of a free game for those registering a 3DS XL. Nintendo of Europe is now stepping up with an enticing new offer featuring a list of eight retail games (both current and to be released); it's very simple, if you...
News Hyperkin: Nintendo Hasn't Contacted Us About the RetroN 5
Flying under the legal radar
In case you hadn't noticed, we're quite excited about Hyperkin's forthcoming RetroN 5 console. It plays practically every retro format under the sun, comes with a wireless pad and connects to HD televisions via HDMI — in short, it's shaping up to be the ultimate retro gamer's system. Interestingly, Hyperkin's...
News Nintendo Of America Rep Insists That Lost Digital Content "Not Covered For Replacement"
Don't lose that 3DS
We've previously grumbled a bit about the fact that Nintendo currently does not employ a proper ID-based system for its downloads. Instead, the content you purchase on your Wii U and 3DS via their respective eShops is tied to the system itself. Stories have been circulating that Nintendo is prepared to replace digital content if...
Nintendo Download 25th April 2013 (Europe)
A legendary Rayman freebie, brawling gods, Mega Man and more
A little later than normal this week, Nintendo of Europe has told us what to expect in this week's Nintendo Download update. No news of any Wii U Virtual Console games — though that doesn't necessarily mean they're not coming — but plenty of titles to choose from including some free,...
Review The Croods: Prehistoric Party! (3DS)
Party of one
When popular films are adapted into video games, publishers tend to cover their bases by releasing the results across as many platforms as possible. This often leads to portable systems receiving scaled-back ports from their big-screen brethren, and The Croods: Prehistoric Party on 3DS is a prime example of a handheld hand-me-down. We...
News Mother 3 Fan Offers Nintendo Free Translation of the GBA Title
Nintendo's offered an olive branch, fans will help to get the whole tree
So, last week Nintendo announced that it was finally planning to release one of the most requested Virtual Console titles we've known of here at Nintendo Life; Earthbound is coming to the Wii U Virtual Console. The fact that gamer reaction after its confirmation for the...
Interview Marc Franklin - Nintendo of America
We chat with Nintendo's head PR honcho about 3DS, Earthbound and Zelda
Between test drives of a selection of Nintendo's 2013 line-up, including The Legend of Zelda 3DS, Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D and Animal Crossing: New Leaf, we had the chance to catch up with Nintendo of America's PR wizard Marc Franklin to talk about w
News Standalone Pink Nintendo 3DS XL System Coming To UK in May
Europe-wide release is likely
Nintendo UK has announced that a pink 3DS XL system will be available to purchase from 31st May as a standalone model in the UK. A pink version of the 3DS XL has been available in North America since late last year, whereas Europe has only had the option of purchasing the original 3DS in this colour until now. We've...
News 3DS Disney Infinity Name And Details Revealed
Get ready to party?
The ESRB has posted ratings information on the upcoming Disney Infinity series’ 3DS rendition and it looks to be taking some planning tips from Mario Party. Disney Infinity: Toy Box Challenge is referred to as a “multiplayer ‘party game’” including various game boards and competitive mini-games. The standard fare of...
News New Pokémon 3DS XL to be Available Through Lottery Next Month in Japan
You lucky Japanese gamers
To celebrate the 15th anniversary of the Pokémon Center outlets in Japan, news has emerged that a brand new Pokémon-themed 3DS XL will become available in the region next month. Similar to the Charizard 3DS XL (pictured), you'll need to enter into a lottery to be in with a chance to purchase the system. It's rumoured...
Rumour Take-Two To Reveal Next-Gen Versions of Grand Theft Auto V At Investor Call
Handful of salt at the ready
After a brief delay Grand Theft Auto V is down for a 17th September release on PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 and Rockstar, the game's developer, has not commented on it ever emerging on the next generation of consoles. Rumours have always been rife that Grand Theft Auto V will eventually become available for Wii U,...
News Harmony of Heroes, A Smash Bros. Fan Album, is Set to Arrive in 2014
From the team that produced the Harmony of a Hunter Metroid albums
Shinesparkers is a Metroid fan-site and collective of music lovers that brought us some terrific — and free — Metroid music in the past couple of years. Harmony of a Hunter was followed by Harmony of a Hunter 101% Run, both of which we discussed with the team way back in April...
News New Tour Dates Emerge For The Legend of Zelda: Symphony of the Goddesses
A spectacular event that's not to be missed
Earlier this month, we reported that the popular The Legend of Zelda: Symphony of the Goddesses concert will be returning to Los Angeles for a special show during E3 on the 12th June. Dubbed "Season 2", Nintendo has announced new dates and cities for the beautifully arranged concert series across North...
News Fire Emblem: Awakening Battles to Third in UK Chart Debut
3DS XL Limited Edition brings major hardware bump
Fire Emblem: Awakening arrived in Europe last week, bringing with it exceptional strategy gameplay and a level of challenge to lead to plenty of chewed nails for early adopters. Critically acclaimed and already performing well in North America, the question was how well it would perform in Europe...
Video Nintendo Life Plays The First 35 Minutes Of Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate
Learning the hard way
Capcom's Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate is a fantastic game, but it's also a seriously hardcore experience, requiring dedication, skill and the patience of a saint. Just in case our reviews of the Wii U and the 3DS versions haven't convinced you to make the purchase, we sat our video features editor and Monster Hunter virgin Rory...
News Karateka Gets The Karate Chop From The Wii U eShop
Sorry, Prince of Persia fans
There were some pleased retro gamers last year when an ESRB rating suggested that a Karateka remake was coming to Wii U. The original was an action game from 1984 developed by Prince of Persia creator Jordan Mechner; nostalgia went into a minor overload at the thought of an enhanced remake with modern visuals. And yet...
Video Covert Splinter Cell Blacklist Wii U GamePad Features Revealed
Oh so sneaky
The confirmation that Splinter Cell Blacklist will arrive on Wii U this August was another welcome multi-platform release announcement from Ubisoft, especially as the GamePad is set to be utilised for its own unique uses. We've seen some details around weapon and item management on the touch screen — of course — as well as some...
News THQ Raises Nearly $7 million Auctioning Off Remaining IPs
Has Vigil Games found a home?
Back in January THQ sold off the majority of its assets resulting in most of its IPs being given new homes. Studios such as Volition, the developer behind the Saints Row franchise, were quickly snapped up, however, some failed to secure a deal such as Vigil Games, the team behind the Darksiders series. The remaining...
News Slick Entertainment Keen To Work On Nintendo Platforms
Nintendo's indie appeal is growing
Nintendo is clearly doing something right when it comes to convincing indie developers to support its machines, as Slick Entertainment founder Nick Waanders has taken to Twitter to state that he's super keen to develop for the company's hardware. The tweet was made following this year's Full Indie Summit, which...
Sunday21st Apr 2013
Rumour Wii U System Update Could Go Live Tomorrow
Virtual Console looks set to open on Tuesday
The Wii U Virtual Console is scheduled to launch a day after the upcoming system update, which is set to go live at some point this week. Nintendo didn't give any specific date for the update, but it appears that it could be up and running as soon as Monday as the official website has already started...
Review Kirby's Adventure (Wii U eShop / NES)
Adventure time
Though Kirby made his debut a year prior on the Game Boy, it was 1993's Kirby's Adventure on the NES that cemented his appearance, his power-stealing ability, and his vast environments full of hidden secrets. Kirby's Adventure did a lot more than expand on the simple charm of Kirby's Dream Land; it earned him a place as one of...
Feature Nintendo Life's Staff Favourites - Super NES
Doubling the bits for Super power
We think it's safe to say that the past two generations of Nintendo home consoles — Wii and Wii U — haven't overly concerned themselves with raw graphical power; now its all about concepts and experiences. It wasn't always so, with Nintendo responding the the SEGA Mega Drive / Genesis — which enjoyed a spell...
News Buddy & Me Hits Kickstarter Target But Misses Wii U Stretch Goal
There's still hope for an eShop version, though
Sunbreak Games - the development studio founded by former Metroid Prime developer Jason Behr - recently ran a Kickstarter campaign for its upcoming title Buddy & Me, which is headed to mobile and tablet devices. The studio added a stretch goal part way through that stated a Wii U version would be...
Ninterview Meet Trevor White - Voice Actor For Frank Honey
WAFFLES?! Uh, what are we doing?
Last month, our Wii U consoles were graced with the latest addition to the LEGO video game franchise, LEGO City: Undercover. It brought numerous missions and a brick load of entertainment thanks to its selection of fun and witty characters. One of these characters, in particular, seems to be the people's favourite,...
Saturday20th Apr 2013
News Armature Reveals More Details For Batman: Arkham Origins Blackgate
"In my gut I feel like, yeah, it’s going to be cool"
Not too long ago Warner Bros. announced both Batman: Arkham Origins, which is coming to Wii U, and accompanying 3DS title Batman: Arkham Origins Blackgate. While the Wii U title will follow in the footsteps, stylistically, of Batman: Arkham Asylum and Batman Arkham City, the handheld Blackgate...
Talking Point The Arrival of eShop Download Codes in Stores is a Smart Move
Another step forward
This week it was announced that Nintendo of Europe had established an agreement with retailer GAME, for it to exclusively sell select download codes from the high street and its website; it's the first serious move to match up to similar download cards already available in Japan. The GAME retail group has stores across Europe as...
First Impressions Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D
Jungle boogie
Retro's fantastic Donkey Kong Country Returns is a known quantity by now, so when we had the chance to go hands-on with the 3DS port in San Francisco recently we weren't exactly overcome with sweeping revelation. It was a great game on Wii and, unsurprisingly, that same great game translates very well to a handheld. Those who’ve...
News EarthBound Delay May Not Have Been Caused By Music Licensing Issues After All
The full soundtrack will be included
EarthBound will soon be making its way to the Wii U Virtual Console, which incidentally will be up and running next week after the upcoming system update. It seems to have taken an absolute age for Nintendo to release a downloadable version of the game and several rumours naturally cropped up as to why it's been...
News "Suspicious" Box Poses Question for Arizona Police
“Nothing of concern” found inside
A gold box with a question mark is the universal symbol of goodies for any gamer, but finding one in the middle of an Arizona neighbourhood prompted a much more careful response from area police. News station KNXV-TV reported that about 50 people were evacuated on Friday as a precaution while bomb technicians...
News Shigesato Itoi Thanks EarthBound Fans For Their Support
"Thank you for all the requests. They made me very happy."
One of the most popular announcements that took place during the recent Nintendo Direct was the confirmation that EarthBound would be making its way to the Wii U Virtual Console. Fans of the game - known as Mother 2 in Japan - have been clamoring at Nintendo to release a downloadable...
News The Denpa Men 2: Beyond The Waves Penciled In For A May Release In North America
Should be in the 3DS eShop in a couple of weeks
The Denpa Men: They Came By The Wave is one of the more bizarre games to make it to the 3DS eShop, but we're very glad it did as it managed to captivate many a Western gamer. Naturally, Japanese 3DS owners enjoyed it quite a lot too so Genius Sonority quickly got to work on making a sequel. Due to the...
Friday19th Apr 2013
First Impressions Animal Crossing: New Leaf
Jon and Damien go hands-on
You guys are so lucky. What you're getting here is two previews for the price of one; our dashing US Editor-at-Large Jon Wahlgren was lucky enough to attend a 3DS showcase in North America this week, and got to spend a short amount of time with Animal Crossing: New Leaf. His thoughts are below, while UK-based editor Damien...
Talking Point Fire Emblem: Awakening - The Big Casual Mode Debate
Classic or Casual - which mode do you play?
Fire Emblem: Awakening is finally available in Europe after a couple of additional months of waiting. The series itself is now 23 years old, and is arguably one of the more 'hardcore' franchises that Nintendo owns. One element Fire Emblem is known for is its punishing levels of difficulty, which has never...
News GAME Bags European Exclusive On eShop Download Codes
25% additional trade-in value with selected physical titles
UK video game retailer GAME has announced an exclusive partnership with Nintendo which allows it to sell software via eShop codes in-store and online. The agreement will allow Wii U and 3DS owners across Europe to purchase digital content for their consoles via GAME's chain of physical...
News Reggie: Pace Of Wii U Software Launches Is "Slower Than Hoped"
Nintendo of America boss says E3 will bring new software
Let's face facts — the Wii U's software line-up so far hasn't been as robust as many would have hoped. While the console has hosted some amazing titles since its launch last year, the release schedule has dried up in recent months — thanks to delays and cancellations, as well as
News Nintendo UK: 2013 is "The Year of The 3DS"
Poor Luigi's been overshadowed again
Nintendo has really been pushing the 3DS recently what with some stellar new releases and the promise of more to come via this week's brilliant Nintendo Direct. The company firmly believes this will be the year that will see many of the current DS owners upgrade to the 3DS and is willing to back it up with an...
News NPD Results Show Success for Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon
Ominous silence so far on Wii U figures
It's that time again — though it seems slightly later than normal — with the NPD figures emerging to show overall games industry sales for March in the U.S. As often happens, Nintendo jumped ahead of the game earlier this week to tell us some impressive sales figures for the 3DS eShop and its software, but...
News Celebrate The European Launch of Fire Emblem: Awakening With This Tribute Album
30 classic cuts to download for free
As you're no doubt aware, Fire Emblem: Awakening launches in Europe today. To mark this grand occasion, Shiryu Music has launched Fire Emblem: War Memories, a free-to-download 30 track tribute album featuring music from previous games in the long-running tactical RPG series. You can download the album
News Pandora’s Tower Developer Thinks The Wii U Is "Unique" And "Exciting"
Ganbarion is already thinking of how to exploit the console's features
Japanese developer Ganbarion scored a critical success with Pandora's Tower on the Wii, and the company is now shifting its attention to Nintendo's latest console, the Wii U. Speaking to Siliconera, Pandora’s Tower director Toru Haga was full of praise for the console: The...
News Fresh Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate Stock Arrives In The UK
The hunt is back on
Getting hold of a copy of Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate in the UK has been easier said than done since the game launched in March; the popularity of Capcom's beast-slaying epic has resulted in a situation where demand has far outstripped supply. Thankfully, Nintendo UK has gotten in touch with us this morning to confirm that the...
Out Today Fire Emblem: Awakening (Europe)
European gamers, for you the wait is finally over
North American 3DS owners have been enjoying Fire Emblem: Awakening since February, and Japanese fans have had the game even longer — since April last year, in fact. It's only now that European players are getting their hands on one of the 3DS' most accomplished releases, but games of this quality...
News Kung Fu Rabbit Skillfully Sneaking Its Way Onto The North American Wii U eShop In May
A bunny with attitude
Neko Entertainment, publisher and developer of the recently released Kung Fu Rabbit on the European Wii U eShop, has confirmed via Twitter that the bunny-crazed platformer will be released on the North American virtual store on the 2nd May. [tweet 323802873295167488] The game will be available to download from the store for...
News Japanese 3DS Owners Can Now Post Images Directly To Social Networks
New tool supports Twitter and Tumblr
Sharing is apparently caring — we're told — and Japanese 3DS owners can now share to their heart's delight by posting in-game screens shots from Animal Crossing: New Leaf and Tomodachi Collection to Twitter and Tumblr. Twitter user Cheesemeister gives some more information: [tweet [tweet
News Neko Entertainment To Release Another Cocoto Game in Europe
It's set to be a retail release
Cocoto, the little red devil who's featured in a few games over the years on several platforms, looks set to be making a comeback in the near future after developer Neko Entertainment confirmed it's working on releasing a new addition to the series with publisher BigBen Interactive. When asked in an interview with...
Thursday18th Apr 2013
Review LEGO City Undercover: The Chase Begins (3DS)
Bricking it
We all love a good origin story, right? It's an opportunity to delve further into the inner workings of a character, to learn what they're all about and how they became the hero that we know and love. LEGO City Undercover: The Chase Begins, however, is an oddly timed tale of this ilk: we only just got to know Chase McCain a month ago in...
Review Super Little Acorns 3D Turbo (3DS eShop)
Just a squirrel trying to get a nut
In early 2012, Little Acorns was released for iOS. It was a simple but charming title in which bespectacled squirrel Mr. Nibbles sought out acorns to prevent his family from starving. When we spell it out that way we realize it sounds rather morbid, but in practice it was a fun and addictive experience that we...
First Impressions The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds
Further muddying the timeline
Surprise! That rumored Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask 3DS remake was totally not true, and no doubt planted as a red herring by some unscrupulous Nintendo employee to throw us all off the real story: Nintendo's handheld is getting a “sequel” to fan-favorite The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past.
News Check Out This Comparison Between The New 3DS Zelda And Link To The Past
What once was old is new again
When Nintendo revealed the new 3DS Zelda title — provisionally called The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past 2 — during its Nintendo Direct presentation yesterday, one of the more interesting comments was that it was set in the same world as its SNES predecessor. As if to prove that point, a forum memb
Nintendo Download 18th April 2013 (North America)
LEGO on the go, discounts, Harvest Moon, puzzles galore and more
It's Thursday, so that means it's Nintendo Download time. This week brings us a rather lengthy list of options for both 3DS and DSi, with both Wii U and Wii missing out. There really is a lot to get through, so let's get on with it. 3DS eShop: Super Little Acorns 3D Turbo (Pixel...
Feature The Big Nintendo 3DS Direct Summary - 17th April 2013
There's a lot to take in
Before the latest Nintendo Direct broadcast, we're sure that many were unsure of what to expect. We've watched enough of them to know that sometimes they can be rather light on revelations, simply stringing us along with a few release dates, and on other occasions they can be blockbuster events that get the Nintendo Life...
Reaction Our Thoughts on Nintendo's 3DS Direct - 17th April
Deep breath, count to 10...
So, yesterday brought us another Nintendo Direct, or 3DS Direct to be accurate, and once again Nintendo threw caution to the wind and got enthusiastic fans rather excited. There were some major announcements made, alongside a smattering of pleasing release dates, which successfully covered many bases. Keep an eye out for...
News Circle Pad Pro XL Available Through Nintendo's Online Store In North America
Priced at $19.99, shipping this Friday
Although it was previously thought that the Circle Pad Pro XL would not be making it Stateside, a listing for the peripheral has appeared on ShopNintendo, Nintendo of America's official online store. The add-on is available for pre-order a
News Eiji Aonuma Takes To Link To The Past Miiverse To Discuss Zelda 3DS
Special mention for Oracle of Seasons and Ages, too
During yesterday's Nintendo Direct, Nintendo landed an unexpected surprise on us towards the end of the broadcast. We were told to expect a new Zelda game for the 3DS before the end of the year — the kind of megaton announcement that would normally wait until E3. Not only that, but we weren't...
News Shin Megami Tensei IV Launches This July In North America
First print copies will be Limited Edition
During yesterday's Nintendo Direct presentation, Nintendo revealed that Shin Megami Tensei IV will be released across North America on 16th July; all first print copies of the game will come packaged as a Limited Edition box set, including a Strategy and Design book, a Shin Megami Tensei Music Collection...
News Nintendo’s Bill Trinen: 2013 Is The Year When The 3DS "Takes Off"
Western gamers finally "getting" the console
It's fair to say that yesterday's Nintendo Direct delivered some amazing news — the most significant being the development of a new Zelda title for the 3DS this year. After a slow start in the west, the handheld really seems to be building momentum — something which hasn't gone unnoticed within the...
News BearShark Game Coming To The 3DS eShop
You probably know how it's going to end
The aquaterrestrial tag team of BearShark have already been accessible on the 3DS through a series of shorts on Nintendo Video, but a game on College Humor’s predatory pair will soon be hitting the eShop as well. According to the slightly sarcastic description on Nintendo’s website, BearShark looks to be...
Video The Edited Highlights Of This Week's Nintendo Direct
All killer, no filler
This week's Nintendo Direct presentation was packed with amazing info, but with a running time of almost 40 minutes, it might have been a little bit on the long side for many impatient Nintendo fans. But fear not — Nintendo Life Video Features Editor Rory Cocker has sifted through the footage and pulled together the prime...
News Airship Combat Title Guns Of Icarus Online Could Be Flying To Wii U
Kickstarter goal successfully reached, Unity build means a port is possible
Muse Games has revealed to us that it is considering porting its title Guns of Icarus Online: Adventure Mode to the Wii U eShop. The game recently passed its Kickstarter goal of $100,000, and because it is built using Unity, a conversion to Nintendo's machine should be...
News Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon Remains Spookily Resilient Atop Japanese Charts
Animal Crossing: New Leaf shows impressive legs, too
2013 is well and truly the Year of Luigi, with Mario's sibling locking out the Japanese sales charts again this week. Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon sold another 56,562 copies, bringing its lifetime total to over half a million units. Card Fight!! Vanguard Ride to Victory!! was in second place, with...
News Game & Wario Brings Mayhem to North America on 23rd June
It looks suitably bonkers
Game & Wario is a game that promises "GamePad Pandemonium", yet the latter adjective was a good description for the sheer volume of reveals and information that came from the most recent Nintendo Direct broadcast. One story that we didn't cover right away but want to bring to your attention is the release date for...
News Nintendo And GAME Hosting Multiplayer Mayhem Event This Weekend
Don't forget your 3DS
Nintendo is giving the 3DS a lot of love at the moment. Yesterday it dedicated an entire Nintendo Direct presentation to the handheld and today it's announced it will be joining forces with UK retailer GAME to hold a massive 3DS multiplayer event across the country this weekend. Multiplayer Mayhem will take place between 10am...
News Nintendo UK Launches The Legend Of Zelda Facebook Page
Your face(book) is beaming!
Nintendo UK has launched the official Legend of Zelda Facebook page — just in time for the announcement of a new instalment for the Nintendo 3DS. What remarkable timing! The page already has some images from the new game on it, and is sure to be filled with more Zelda-specific goodies as the months roll by. If you're...
Wednesday17th Apr 2013
Rumour Majora's Mask 3D Listed for November Release by Retailer
This rumour's had some smelling salts applied
It's the day before a 3DS-themed Nintendo Direct, so that means it's time for more rumours of a 3DS remake of The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask. This has been speculated upon since The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D graced the handheld, with Nintendo even hinting way back in summer 2011 that fan...
News New Legend Of Zelda Title Confirmed For Nintendo 3DS, Due Late 2013
Set in the same world as Link to the Past
During today's fun-packed and feature-rich Nintendo Direct it was confirmed that a new Legend of Zelda game is in development for the Nintendo 3DS. Set in the same world as The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past — but boasting original dungeons and an all-new storyline — the game adopts a top-down...
Nintendo Direct Watch The European 3DS Presentation Live
Live at 3PM UK time
Today at 3PM UK time, Nintendo Europe will be broadcasting a 3DS-themed Nintendo Direct. You can watch the entire thing live on this very page, and as always we'll be providing textual commentary as events unfold. What exciting news could be contained within? Are the rumours of The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask being...
News Animal Crossing: New Leaf 3DS XL Bundle Confirmed in The West
It will be available on launch
Yesterday we reported that UK online retailer ShopTo had listed the limited edition Animal Crossing: New Leaf 3DS XL sparking rumours the special system would be making its way to the West. Thankfully we didn't have to wait too long to find out as it was confirmed during today's Nintendo Direct presentation that the...
Nintendo Direct Watch The North American 3DS Presentation Live
Hype train inbound
Today, we'll be getting a special 3DS-focused Nintendo Direct which will hopefully give us a better idea of what the rest of 2013 has in store for the popular portable console. Nintendo of America will be broadcasting a special announcement at 7AM PT / 10AM ET. You can view the proceedings — along with our typically insightful...
News Special Luigi 3DS XL System Coming To Japan
The XL stands for "Xtra Luigi"
The Year of Luigi has seen some promising products on the way for the Cult of the Green, but what may be the piece de resistance is currently limited to Japan. A special edition Luigi 3DS XL system was announced during the Japan Nintendo Direct Wednesday. Similar to the Animal Crossing: New Leaf system that was...
News Iwata Reveals More Details On New Super Luigi U
No bros allowed
Satoru Iwata revealed more details about New Super Luigi U, the upcoming downloadable expansion for New Super Mario Bros. U, during today's Nintendo Direct presentation. First revealed in February as part of Nintendo's Year of Luigi, New Super Luigi U takes the "Bros." out of the equation, giving Mario's clumsy green brother the...
News Believe, People - EarthBound Is Coming To The Virtual Console At Last
The wait is finally over
Nintendo fans have been clamouring for a Virtual Console release of the SNES RPG EarthBound ever since the Wii launched, but during today's Nintendo Direct the happy news was finally delivered: Shigesato Itoi's seminal title is coming to the Wii U Virtual Console. Launched in Japan as Mother 2, a North American release...
News Wii U System Update Coming Next Week
A whole host of enhancements promised
Nintendo has confirmed that a Wii U system update will be rolled out worldwide next week. As expected, the update will shorten loading times when switching between applications or returning to the Wii U Menu. You'll also be able to copy or move data from one USB hard drive to another, automatically install new...
News Wii U Virtual Console Will Arrive Shortly After Next Week's System Update
Time for the real deal
So far we've seen glimpses of the Wii U Virtual Console, courtesy of the Famicom Anniversary celebrations bringing us one classic a month for just £0.30/$0.30. And yet, following next week's system update, the real thing will arrive and bring regular retro downloads to the system. As we've already experienced, the VC titles...
News A New Yoshi's Island Title is Coming to 3DS
Baby Mario comes along for the ride
While today's Nintendo 3DS Direct brought a fair few solid release dates and details, we also got a taste of some rather tasty new titles in development for the end of this year and beyond. While it's unclear whether it'll arrive this year or in 2014, Satoru Iwata gave us a sneak peak of a brand new Yoshi's Island...
News FIFA 14 Details Announced, Wii U Version Not Included In The Initial Line-Up
Maybe we'll get FIFA 13.5 instead
We reported yesterday that EA would be giving us some fresh details on its annual installment in the FIFA series of games, FIFA 14. Right on schedule, EA has indeed released a plethora of information on new features for the upcoming title, but what's even more interesting is the fact that there's no Wii U listing...
News New Mode And Items Confirmed For Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D
Also features eight exclusive levels
We recently touched upon a product listing for Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D on the Nintendo UK website, which revealed some new elements for the 3DS port, including an easy mode and new items. These features were confirmed during today's 3DS-focused Nintendo Direct, where Satoru Iwata called the game a...
News Nintendo of America Announces Impressive Download Figures and Sales for 3DS
Online connection rate for the system is 67%
Alongside today's Nintendo Direct broadcasts, Nintendo of America has been speaking to members of the press about the handheld's recent successes, and we've been fortunate enough to be on hand for the details. Some facts and figures for the 3DS in the region have been revealed by Scott Moffitt, and they...
News Injustice: Gods Among Us For Wii U May Not Support Cross-Unlock Content With iOS Version
Perhaps in a future update?
Just days before its release in the UK, we were given unfortunate news that Injustice: Gods Among Us will miss its scheduled release date of 19th April this week in that region. For any Brits reading it's worth noting that it'll only be delayed by one week, launching on 26th April. Now, it seems, the spotlight has been...
News A Mario Party is Getting Started on 3DS This Winter
Roll the dice
As today's Nintendo Direct was mostly about the 3DS, Satoru Iwata announced a new title for the handheld that'll aim to get groups playing together. It was confirmed that a new Mario Party game is coming to the 3DS this Winter; with this being the Year of Luigi, we were also assured that Luigi would play an important role. The footage...
News Mario Golf: World Tour Features Online Play And Communities
Tee-off in large scale global tournaments
Mario certainly loves his sport. Over the years he's tried his hand at football, basketball and tennis to name a few - he's even competed in the Olympics with a certain blue hedgehog. One Mario sports title many people are fond of is Mario Golf and this Summer will see a 3DS iteration of the series emerge...
News Bravely Default: Flying Fairy is Confirmed for the West
Prayers have been answered
Nintendo's latest 3DS Direct did bring some surprises, but also some long awaited pieces of confirmation. One of these is that Bravely Default: Flying Fairy, the eagerly anticipated RPG from Square Enix, is on the way to both North America and Europe. It's already enjoyed a successful release in Japan, with plenty...
News Mario & Luigi: Dream Team Bros. Hits Europe on 12th July, North America on 11th August
Luigi is the star
While our exciting new game klaxon was going off regularly here at Nintendo Life Towers during the latest 3DS Direct, we also enjoyed receiving release dates and details for games confirmed earlier in the year. One that we were particularly pleased to hear about was Mario & Luigi: Dream Team Bros., the latest in the popular RPG...
News Pikmin 3 Arrives in North America on 4th August
Europe has a less specific date of "just a few months"
While today may have been branded as a 3DS Direct, the Wii U was mentioned and has enjoyed a bit of attention in the huge amount of information to come out of Nintendo since the broadcasts. One of these is an important one for the home console, with Pikmin 3 confirmed to arrive in North America...
News All Three Guild02 Titles Are Confirmed for the West
Starships and tanks and monsters, oh my!
During today's Nintendo Direct, Bill Trinen of Nintendo's Treehouse announced that all three of Level 5's Guild02 titles would be heading to North America and Europe soon. The Starship Damrey, Bugs vs. Tanks! and Attack of the Friday Monsters! A Tokyo Tale will be coming to the eShop in the coming months...
News Nintendo Direct Luigi Special Announced For Japan
Continuing the Year of Luigi celebrations
Nintendo of Japan has revealed via its Twitter account that it will be holding its own Nintendo Direct presentation, alongside the European and North American broadcasts. The Japanese presentation — titled Nintendo Direct Luigi Special 2 — will take place at 10 AM Eastern Time / 7 AM Pacific Time / 3PM...
News World 1-2 is an Upcoming Chiptune Album With Serious Pedigree
Chiptune arrangers team up with famous composers
As we all know here on Nintendo Life, video game culture isn't just about playing a game and pushing buttons, but about a wider community and other ways of sharing our passion. Whether that's dressing up for expos, writing, making videos or working on music soundtracks, there's more to this hobby than...
News Frontier Adamant Coaster Crazy Deluxe Won't Impact Elite: Dangerous Development
Forced on the defensive after negative reaction to Wii U title from fans
Frontier Developments has been forced to defend itself following the announcement of Coaster Crazy Deluxe for the Wii U eShop. There's been something of a negative reaction from certain sectors of the gaming public, with some individuals suggesting that Frontier has used money...
News Professor Layton and the Azran Legacies Coming To Europe This Year
North America will have to wait until 2014
While today's 3DS-focused Nintendo Direct revealed a few titles that we didn't know about, there were a few pieces of information on those we most definitely do know exist. One of those titles was Professor Layton and the Azran Legacies, which is the last game in the prequel trilogy. We can now confirm...
News Big John Games Bids A Fond Farewell To DSiWare With Working Dawgs: Rivet Retriever
Top dawg
Big John Games has lifted the lid on what will be its final DSiWare release. Working Dawgs: Rivet Retriever is an action platform title which will retail for the modest sum of 200 DSi Points (or $1.99 on the 3DS eShop). The sequel to Working Dawgs: A-Maze-ing Pipes, Rivet Retriever is set across 20 different levels. Playing as Ace, you...
Tuesday16th Apr 2013
Review Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Summoner: Soul Hackers (3DS)
Soul Shakedown Party
As an enhanced port of a 1997 first-person dungeon crawling RPG for the ill-fated Sega Saturn, Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Summoner: Soul Hackers seems like an unlikely release — especially considering the original game never left Japan. Both time and the journey across the Pacific have been kind to this 3DS wünder-port,...
News Woman Finds Extremely Rare NES Game At Goodwill Store
A diamond in the rough
File this one under "Wowzer". A woman paid $7.99 for an old NES cartridge at a Goodwill store that — as luck would have it — is one of the rarest video games of all time. Bandai's Stadium Events — which has sold for more than $40,000 USD in the past — was one of the first titles to use the Family Fun Fitness Mat...
Guide The Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate Wii U Update is Now Live
We tell you how to make the most of it
With a game like Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate, it's easy to see why a number of gamers would be tempted by the 3DS version. This is an experience that devours dozens of hours of your life, and indulging in the quest to that degree can be tricky if you're fighting over access to a shared TV in order to enjoy it...
News Check Out This Ultimate Multi-System Games Console
Project Unity plays games from 18 formats, and not a ROM in sight
We sometimes direct your attention to hardware, often portable, that gives gamers a new way to play their old cartridges, discs or even smaller carts. While ROMs are always a sticking area, there's plenty of hardware out there designed to give fresh life to all of the physical copies...
Review Soccer Up 3D (3DS eShop)
Own goal
These days, soccer games tend to fall on one of two ends of a spectrum: there's the relatively realistic sports simulation found in annual FIFA and Pro Evolution Soccer instalments, and then there's the zany over-the-top action of the Super Mario Strikers and FIFA Street series. In the golden days of the Amiga, however, there were other...
News Limited Edition Animal Crossing: New Leaf 3DS XL Bundle Appears In The UK
It's yours for just £189.85
Ahead of the latest Nintendo Direct broadcast scheduled for this Wednesday 17th April, online UK retailer ShopTo.net has listed the Animal Crossing: New Leaf 3DS XL bundle on its website. The bundle is available for pre-order at £189.85 (approx. €220 / $290), and has been given
News Play Wii U From The Comfort Of The Passenger Seat With MaxPlay
A new standard of in-car entertainment
We know the Wii U is pretty portable, but the guys at MaxBuy have taken things to the next level. They've produced the MaxPlay, a device which connects to your car's cigarette lighter and enables you to play Wii U on the move — as long as the game you're using supports off-TV play, of course. Not only does...
News Pocket Pikachu Evolves to Smartwatch Form On Pebble
Tetris, of course, is also available
Were you ever playing with your Pocket Pikachu (aka Pokémon Pikachu) in the late ‘90s and thought, “Gee, I wish I was able to wear this on my wrist?” Well honestly, you probably could’ve found some way to attach a band to the thing. But now, thanks to 21st Century technology, you can wear a digitized...
Talking Point iDÉAME, Unity and Nintendo's Continuing Indie Crusade
Yet more evidence of the vital role of smaller studios
If you go back even a relatively short amount of time, for example ten years, most gaming was locked down by fairly high profile releases from the great gate-keepers of the games industry, such as Nintendo, Sony, Microsoft, Capcom, EA, Activision, Ubisoft and more. These names are all familiar...
Vote Pick Your Favourite NES Games
We hadn't forgotten
A little while ago the Nintendo Life team voted for its favourite NES games, which included plenty of classics and closely-fought tied positions. Our ultimate winner was Super Mario Bros. 3, and at the end of the feature we promised that you, the community, would have the chance to vote for your own top 10 NES games. We...
News Climax Studios Working On Two Wii U Titles
One looks a lot like Prince of Persia
Update: In response to the Prince of Persia-esque image above, Ubisoft has now said the following: The screenshots in question are from a prototype created by one of our partners, not a game currently in development. Prince of Persia remains an important element in Ubisoft’s portfolio, but we’re currently...
News Shin'en Multimedia Has Two Wii U Games In The Pipeline
Could one of them be F-Zero?
Shin'en Multimedia will be releasing Jett Rocket II - The Wrath of Taikai on the 3DS eShop at some point this year and gave us an exclusive first look at its new teaser trailer earlier today. However, while the studio is working hard on the 3DS title, it isn't neglecting the Wii U as it confirmed to a few fans on...
News Rating Emerges For The Previously Unannounced Tekken Revolution
Could Namco Bandai's brawler be fighting to the Wii U or 3DS?
The Australian Classification Board has rated Tekken Revolution, a hitherto unheard of entry in the long-running fighting game franchise. This follows the news that Namco Bandai has also rated Tekken Arena in Europe — could we be looking at two entirely new instalments, or is this a...
News Pachter: Price Cut Unlikely To Help Wii U Without Software Support
Expects continued slow sales
Sometimes it’s rather difficult not to see Wedbush Securities analyst Michael Pachter as the herald of the U-pocalypse, but you can’t say he isn’t committed to his job. According to GamesIndustry International, Pachter has forecast sales of just 55,000 Wii U consoles within the last month, as NPD Group prepares to...
News EA Announcing More FIFA 14 News Tomorrow
Back of the net
The football season is slowly drawing to a close, which can only mean one thing: EA will soon be announcing its next FIFA title in preparation for the next campaign. Fans of the series will be pleased to hear EA will be revealing more news on FIFA 14 tomorrow, on the same day as Nintendo Direct. Coincidence? Probably, yes. [tweet...
Video Get a First Look at This Jett Rocket II - The Wrath of Taikai Teaser
Currently planned for Q3
Jett Rocket II - The Wrath of Taikai on the 3DS eShop is Shin'en Multimedia's upcoming sequel to the popular WiiWare title, Jett Rocket. Considering the impressive bar that the original set on the Wii service, and the high standard of Shin'en's games to date, this is certainly one to watch. While we've already seen some...
News eShop Leaks Possible Date For Mario and Donkey Kong: Minis on the Move
Coming sooner than we thought?
The Nintendo eShop has listed a release date of 9th May in North America for the upcoming Mario and Donkey Kong: Minis on the Move, the next title in the long-running Mario vs. Donkey Kong series. It will be the second game of the franchise to be released digitally and as of right now we don't know much about it other...
News Mega Man Soundtracks Released on U.S. Capcom Store
If you're in Europe, tough
The Mega Man franchise is currently indulging in its 25th Anniversary celebrations with various goodies though yes, we know, no full game to date. For fans of the series, however, recent months have given a good opportunity to buy assorted trinkets to celebrate, with Capcom also gradually bringing the first six NES titles...
From Super Turbo acorns, downloads will grow...
This week, Super Little Acorns 3D will arrive on the 3DS eShop in North America and Europe. It's developed and published by Pixel Toys, a UK-based studio founded last year. While a relatively small start-up, its founding members have extensive experience from major developers, with companies like...
News First Screenshots of Scram Kitty and His Buddy On Rails Released
Dakko Dakko is wacko wacko
Dakko Dakko has kept relatively quiet since the announcement of its Wii U eShop title Scram Kitty and His Buddy On Rails, with scarce details about the oddly-named game. But following the iDÉAME conference in Madrid, in which indie developers had the opportunity to showcase their upcoming eShop titles, Dakko Dakko has...
News Level 5 Teaser Site Hints at Guild02 Localisations
The black box returns
After U.S. trademarks were filed for titles that appear to be localisations of Level-5's Guild02 games, Level 5 International America has launched a teaser site similar to the one released for last year's Guild01 series. The Guild collections include small, unique titles from well-known game designers. Last year, Level 5...
Monday15th Apr 2013
Review Clash of Elementalists (DSiWare)
An Elemental Mistake
If you’ve stumbled onto any footage of Clash of Elementalists, we wouldn’t be surprised if your first impression was a good one. At first glance, the game-play appears reminiscent of SEGA’s Virtual-On series or even the multiplayer aspect of Kid Icarus: Uprising. This is a third-person arena brawler where you’re bestowed...
Review Finding Nemo: Escape to the Big Blue (3DS)
Making a splash or a drop in the ocean?
Finding Nemo: Escape to the Big Blue's re-release would seem a little odd were it not for the fact that Finding Nemo is currently enjoying a second run at UK cinemas due to the wonders of 3D technology. Disney has clearly seen a good opportunity to improve its rate of return on the game — which was...
Review Alien Chaos 3D (3DS eShop)
Clean shooting
Alien Chaos 3D may be one of the eShop's cheaper titles, but it's fair to say that it's absolutely stuffed full of action. Developed by Ludosity, this 2D shooter has a fairly simple premise which is boosted by some fun and inventive gameplay features. The end result is a game that's surprisingly inventive, chaotically fun and rather...
Developer Interview Ubisoft on the Expanding Rayman Legends and Wii U's Free Challenge Mode
The upcoming Wii U eShop app sounds promising
When Wii U was preparing for launch, a good number of gamers were particularly excited about Rayman Legends, at one time a Wii U-exclusive launch title. Unfortunately for those eager fans, both promising selling points fell by the way-side, with an initial delay to Spring 2013 being extended to...
News New 3DS Nintendo Direct to Broadcast on 17th April
All aboard the hype train
Just when we were starting to wonder, "when's the next Nintendo Direct going to drop?", Nintendo has spread the word that a new 3DS Direct is coming this week on Wednesday 17th April. It's confirmed that the broadcasts in Europe and North America will run at simultaneous times, and press releases from the regional teams...
News 2D Metroidvania Title Chasm "A Good Fit" For Nintendo Consoles, Says Developer
Could we see this pixel-heavy adventure on the 3DS or Wii U?
Kickstarter is rapidly becoming the go-to place when it comes to genuinely exciting game development; we've already seen the success story that is Shovel Knight, and there are other interesting examples — such as Buddy & Me and
Nintendo Download 18th April 2013 (Europe)
An awakening, various adventures, a Kung Fu rabbit and more
As it's a Monday, Nintendo of Europe once again gives gamers in the region something pleasing to get the week started. This time around we have new and old games for Wii U, 3DS and DSi, with some rather decent discounts being added to the 3DS eShop for good measure. Let's get right to it...
News Nintendo Of Korea Embroiled In Twitter Drama Over Alleged Sexist Comment
Comments made regarding TV host Eun Ji Park
Nintendo of Korea is having to deal with an unfortunate piece of bad publicity after its Twitter account was allegedly used to post a derogatory comment about former weather presenter Eun Ji Park. The comment read: "She should have just stayed as a TV Meteorologist. Getting all the work done on her face...
News SEGA Reveals Castle of Illusion HD But There's No Mention of Nintendo Versions
Wii U and 3DS appear to have been left out
Last week we reported on a teaser trailer from SEGA that showed off a game that looked remarkably like a new Castle of Illusion game. As if there was ever any doubt, it's been confirmed but astonishingly a Wii U or 3DS version was not mentioned. Castle of Illusion HD will be released on Xbox Live Arcade,...
News Tales Of Symphonia Is The Most "Successful" Series Entry In The West, Says Producer
Franchise could be headed to the Wii U, too
Tales series producer Hideo Baba believes that Tales of Symphonia, the fifth game in the series, was the most popular game in the franchise overseas. In an interview with Destructoid, Baba explained why he felt it made the most impact in the West: I believe the success of Tales of Symphonia has multiple...
News Luigi's Mansion 2 Refuses to Get Scared Out of the UK Top 10
No Wii U exclusives in the top 40
Last week we were rather pleased to report that Luigi's Mansion 2 secured 5th place in the UK all-format chart for the second week running; maintaining a top 10 place beyond launch week is relatively rare for 3DS titles in the region. That was an excellent achievement, but even better news this week is that Luigi is...
News Details and Figurines Continue to Evolve for Pokémon Rumble U
NFC toy sales are super effective!
Pokémon Rumble U — actually translated as Pokémon Scramble U in Japan — arrives on the Wii U eShop in Nintendo's homeland on 24th April. The Pokémon Company and Nintendo will no doubt be hoping that as well as the game itself performing well, it'll get a lot of interest and sales of the accompanying NFC...
News Guild01 Titles Set For Discount in North America
Time to liberate these downloads
European Nintendo Download fans will have seen, in this morning's update, that the three localised Guild01 titles are set for a discount this week, which we optimistically hope is a precursor to confirmation of the Guild02 titles being brought West. The good news is that Level-5 has now confirmed the same deal...
News First-Person Puzzler QUBE Is Coming To The Wii U eShop
Colour us excited
Toxic Games has revealed that its unique first-person puzzle title QUBE is coming to the Wii U eShop. QUBE — which stands for Quick Understanding of Block Extrusion, in case you were wondering — is currently available on PC and Mac. The objective of the game is to move around levels by manipulating coloured blocks. Toxic...
News Injustice: Gods Among Us Release Pushed Back To 26th April In The UK
No details as to why it's delayed
Expected to arrive in the UK this Friday 19th April, Injustice: Gods Among Us has been delayed for the Wii U. The upcoming brawler has been pushed back to the 26th April, so we've just one week to wait. Speaking to CVG, a spokesperson for Warner Bros. had confirmed the new release date, but never gave any...
News Sam Fisher Shows Off His Abilities In This New Splinter Cell Blacklist Trailer
Stalking the shadows
Ubisoft has unleashed a new trailer for Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell Blacklist which showcases Sam Fisher's impressive selection of unique abilities. The game launches on Nintendo's system in August. The Wii U edition will offer all the features of its current-gen siblings, but will come with exclusive Wii U GamePad features,...
News Twenty Years On, It's Time To Check Out Benimaru Itoh's Awesome Star Fox Artwork
Freshly translated into English, too
Star Fox is twenty years old this year, and to celebrate that fact, translating powerhouse GlitterBerri has taken the comic intro to the Japan-only Star Fox: Mission File Printout guide and adapted it for English audiences. Featuring the artwork of Benimaru Itoh, the guide reveals the back story of the game and...
News Coaster Crazy Deluxe Looping Onto the Wii U eShop
Shake the GamePad and see what happens
It seems that rollercoaster creation and Nintendo touch screens work well together, as Frontier Developments has confirmed Coaster Crazy Deluxe for the Wii U eShop; the original Coaster Crazy was on iOS. The developer is well known for its two LostWinds titles on WiiWare, and has experience with the coaster...
News Freshly-Sliced Version Of Cut The Rope Coming To 3DS eShop
The adorable Om Nom is back for more munching
ZeptoLab has confirmed that the 3DS eShop will be getting a new version of the insanely popular Cut The Rope, developed by Abylight. The physics-based puzzler has been downloaded over 100 million times since its 2010 release. Based on the iOS original, the developers are promising that this new version...
News C-Wars Kickstarter Officially Reveals Wii U And 3DS Stretch Goals
$80,000 will bring it to Wii U
C-Wars was announced as a Kickstarter project recently and Onipunks, the developer behind it, hinted that if enough funding was achieved, it could well make it to Wii U and 3DS. Well, the studio has now officially added the two systems as stretch goals on the campaign. Should donations reach $65,535 the game will...
News Capcom Looking To Provide "Better Single Player Content" In Fighters
Improved story modes are on the agenda
Fighting games have slowly developed over the years and now feature a lot more depth than they used to. The standard two people fighting for the sake of fighting model is a thing of the past - modern day brawlers feature characters with much more depth and backstories. For example, Super Smash Bros. Brawl has...
News Criterion Has No Immediate Plans For More Need For Speed
Burnt out?
Criterion Games' Creative Director Alex Ward has taken to Twitter to debunk recent rumors about a Need For Speed reboot. In a series of tweets, Ward explained that Criterion wanted to take a break from the Need For Speed series, and racing games in general. [tweet 323861676720005121] Ward did, however, leave the door open for future...
News Carps & Dragons is the Sort-Of Sequel to Fish-em All
Yes, really
You may have spotted a good few eShop game announcements in the last day or so, which are courtesy of iDÉAME13, the Nintendo-hosted Indie Developer's Conference held in Madrid over the weekend. Earlier on today we also told you about Cut the Rope being brought to the 3DS eShop by Abylight; the developer is also weighing in with an...
Rumour Crash City Mayhem Set To Speed Across North America Next Month?
Majesco said to be publishing the title
According to gaming website, GameFly, Crash City Mayhem is set to release in North America on the 14th May. Nintendo Everything came across the listing on the site, along with the boxart suggesting that Majesco will be bringing the game to the US. The publisher is yet to confirm this bit of information, but...
Sunday14th Apr 2013
News Europe Now Receiving Club Nintendo Stars For All eShop Downloads
Wii U and 3DS owners are now being rewarded
North America has been receiving Club Nintendo coins when purchasing titles from both the Wii U and 3DS eShop for quite some time now. It's a nice little bonus for those who download games but Europe hasn't been receiving the same treatment - until now that is. Yes, European gamers can now earn stars when...
Review Dillon's Rolling Western: The Last Ranger (3DS eShop)
Spinning in place
It's been just over a year since the release of Dillon's Rolling Western, an interesting spin — pardon the pun — on the tower defense formula, starring a steely armadillo prone to communicating through loaded silence. As you can see from our review at the time we liked it, though not without reservations. Now we have a sequel,...
Review Viewtiful Joe (GameCube)
A Viewtiful debut
Joe is nothing more than an average… well, Joe, as it were. The guy loves old movies and their cheesy melodrama, so when a malevolent hand drags him into a superhero flick, he’s absolutely pumped. This is a chance to do the impossible; to pull off his favorite actions scenes with high-flying kicks, slow-motion thrills, and...
News Nintendo To Deliver New Homes To Animal Crossing: New Leaf Via SpotPass
The Happy Homes Showcase just got happier
Animal Crossing: New Leaf is just a couple of months away from being released in the West and the anticipation is starting to reach fever pitch. Back in February, Nintendo teased an exclusive feature that would be included in Western versions of the game. Nobody knew what it was but it appears to have been...
News Shovel Knight Kickstarter Campaign Ends After Reaching All Stretch Goals
Over $300,000 was raised
Yacht Club Games announced its first project a month ago in the form of Shovel Knight. The developer set up a Kickstarter campaign in order to achieve further funding for the game and it has been astonishingly successful. The campaign has now come to an end and the developer managed to obtain a further $311,502 in funding,...
Video The New Super Mario Busters - Featuring Sonic - Go Into Action
More cameos and insanity to enjoy
Earlier this year we posted a video called Super Mario Busters, which was a new creation from YouTube user James Farr. It combined a homage to the Ghostbusters movie with enough Nintendo game references to keep eagle-eyed viewers amused for a long time. Now we have the sequel, The New Super Mario Busters 2, which...
Weirdness Pick Up a Power Mitt for Awesome Motion Controlled Kitchen Work
It's so... bad, by which we mean cool
Ah, the Power Glove, it's so bad. When it made its high-profile appearance in The Wizard with the infamous line, it was during a confusing Michael Jackson-inspired fad where 'bad' actually meant 'cool', which is about as logical as the idea of wearing a glove to play games. Still, it's an iconic example of the...
News Cloudberry Kingdom Could Yet Make It To 3DS
Pwnee Studios is "not giving up on" a 3DS version
Last week we reported Cloudberry Kingdom will be published by Ubisoft on a large range of platforms including Wii U this Summer. Pwnee Studios, the game's developer, has stated Cloudberry Kingdom will be the toughest platforming game in the Wii U eShop but there will be several difficulty modes to...
Saturday13th Apr 2013
News CoroCoro Confirms New Mewtwo Form
Also reveals more on Pokémon Rumble U
Last week, what looked like a new form of Mewtwo was announced for Pokémon X & Y by the Japanese TV show Pokémon Smash. However, it wasn't exactly clear if it was in fact Mewtwo or a completely different 'mon altogether and a massive debate ensued. Thankfully the latest edition of CoroCoro has emerged in...
Interview Meet Christopher Robin Miller - Voice Actor For Professor Layton
An interview with a gentleman
We were first introduced to Professor Layton back in February 2007 with his debut title, Professor Layton and the Curious Village. Since then, the 'Sherlock Holmes' inspired character has gone from strength to strength with an original trilogy, a prequel trilogy, a movie, and an upcoming crossover with defense attorney...
News This Injustice: Gods Among Us Infographic Makes a Pitch for the Ultimate Superhero and Villain
They'd sure have strange outfits
With Injustice: Gods Among Us arriving on Wii U next week, Warner Bros. has seen some of the infographic action going on to celebrate two years of the 3DS and decided to get in on the act. With the brawler concerning itself with heroes and villains from the DC Universe, these diagrams attempt to put together the...
News WB Montreal Looking To "Add Value" To Batman: Arkham Origins
Rocksteady offering support to the studio
Last week Batman: Arkham Origins was announced for Wii U and other platforms. It's being developed by WB Montreal instead of Rocksteady and is set a few years before Batman: Arkham Asylum, allowing you to take control of a younger caped crusader as he bumps into some of his most recognisable foes for the...
News Developers: No Nostalgia Allowed in Creating Core of Dark Moon
Mario minus Mario
When making a game in a universe with such massive, long-standing presence as the Mario series, it would seem a no-brainer to start mixing that familiar essence in right from square one. But not so with Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon; the brother was granted a cleaner slate. In an interview with Gamasutra, developer Bryce Holliday...
News C-Wars Could Make It To Wii U And 3DS Should It Surpass Kickstarter Goal
It's halfway there already
C-Wars is a real-time strategy tower defence game that's being developed by Onipunks. The studio has just launched a Kickstarter campaign and is set to appear on PC, Mac, Linux and Android at some point this year. However, the developer confirmed it could also appear on Wii U and 3DS should it be successful in receiving...
News Splinter Cell: Blacklist Features "Nostalgic" Gameplay Elements
Building on what was achieved with Conviction
Ubisoft Toronto was created in 2009 and is close to releasing its first title Splinter Cell: Blacklist, which is coming to Wii U, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and PC. In an interview with Game Reactor at the recent Game Developers Conference Jade Raymond, who heads up the studio, spoke about the upcoming...
News NetherRealm Had A Tough Time Building The Roster For Injustice: Gods Among Us
The fighter features a three button playing style
Upcoming beat 'em up Injustice: Gods Among Us features a plethora of characters from the DC universe and is fighting its way onto consoles on 16th April in North America and 19th April in Europe. Considering just how many characters have graced the pages of DC comics over the years, its...
News Buddy & Me Wii U eShop Version Added As Kickstarter Stretch Goal
Needs to hit $55,000 funding target
If you cast your mind back a couple of weeks, you'll recall that we were the first site to break the news about Buddy & Me, a title from Sunbreak Games — a studio founded by former Metroid Prime developer Jason Behr. Behr revealed at the time that a Wii U eShop edition of the game was a possibility, but...
News Super Little Acorns 3D Turbo Swinging Into The 3DS eShop Next Week
Little Acorns has gone turbo
Pixel Toys has announced Super Little Acorns 3D Turbo will be coming to the 3DS eShop next week. It stars Mr. Nibbles, a busy little squirrel who has a large family to feed. Unfortunately for him, his acorn stash has been nabbed by a bunch of annoying woodland creatures. If he's going to feed his kids, then he's going...
Video Check Out These Three Guild02 Games in Action
Some thoughtful games, and tanks shooting bugs
It was confirmed earlier this year that Level-5's Guild02 collection is coming to Japan as individual 3DS eShop downloads, following the structure that saw three of the four Guild01 games come to the West. This collection includes three games — Bugs vs. Tanks!, The Starship Damrey and The Friday When...
Friday12th Apr 2013
News Nintendo to Pull the Plug on Several Online Wii Channels
Pour one out for News cat this summer
Better get those last rounds in with the Wii's Channels before Nintendo starts flickering the lights at closing time, as the company has announced that a chunk of the console's quirky online features are shuttering on 28th June. This will effect the Forecast, News, Everybody Votes, Check Mii Out and Nintendo...
Hardware Review 3DS Circle Pad Pro XL
Two pads are better than one?
When Nintendo announced the 3DS XL, many were disappointed that the system lacked that all-important second slider pad. This omission was made all the more puzzling by the fact that Nintendo had already released the Circle Pad Pro for the original 3DS console, an admission that perhaps a twin-pad arrangement would have...
Review NAM-1975 (Wii Virtual Console / Neo Geo)
War is heaven
Although NAM-1975 was an early Neo Geo release, it's certainly not short on fun. Released in 1990, it took a simple shooting approach and built an interesting war theme around it. Simple mechanics and a level of playability that wasn't too common in the genre made for an amazing gameplay experience. Now SNK Playmore is bringing back...
Review The Croods: Prehistoric Party! (Wii U)
Croodités
As a video game adaptation of Dreamworks' cave-dweller caper, The Croods: Prehistoric Party casts the film's characters in a Mario Party-style experience for up to four players. It borrows heavily from Nintendo's series, linking disparate mini-games together with a simple board game conceit. Like the movie's titular Neanderthal family...
News Power Rangers Megaforce Fighting Its Way Onto 3DS
It's morphin' time!
Can you believe Power Rangers is 20 years old? Well it is, and as part of the anniversary celebrations there's a new show on Nickelodeon called Power Rangers Megaforce, which is now being morphed into a video game for the 3DS. Namco Bandai has revealed Power Rangers Megaforce will be available in North and Latin America this...
Rumour Ni no Kuni Could Yet See A Western Release, According To Publisher Namco Bandai
DS role-player could find a new lease of life on the 3DS
You might be familar with Level-5 and Studio Ghibli collaboration Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch from its recent release on the PlayStation 3, but the origin of the series actually stretches back to a Nintendo DS game, released in Japan in 2010. Ni no Kuni: The Jet-black Mage shares the...
News South African Retailer Slices Wii U Price in Half
Toyzone offering a Wii U for as little as R1,500
In order to help boost Wii U sales, many UK retailers decided to cut the price of the system. Back in March Asda and Amazon sliced £50 off the price tag, while HMV knocked a staggering £140 off a Premium console and ZombiU bundle. It seems heavy price drops aren't exclusive to the UK though, as it...
News Cliff Bleszinski Likens The Wii To A "Virus"
Outspoken designer agrees with earlier comment by ex-Epic colleague
Back in 2008, Epic's Mike Capps described the Wii as a "virus" which infected gamers in the short-term but didn't leave any lasting impression. He said: It's a virus where you buy it and you play it with your friends and they're like, "Oh my God that's so cool, I'm gonna go buy...
Rumour Criterion Is Rebooting Need For Speed: Underground
Updated: Criterion's creative director shoots down rumours
UPDATE: Criterion's Alex Ward has tweeted in response to these rumours: [tweet 322632944776802304] So that's that, then. ORIGINAL STORY: We've already reported on the fact that Criterion is working on a new project, and if a fresh rumour is to be believed, we could now have a name for...
News Tales Producer Says The Series Could Eventually Make It To Wii U
If the system becomes more successful
Recently Hideo Baba, the producer behind the Tales franchise, praised the Wii U by calling it a "brilliant console". However, he confirmed he currently has no plans to develop any games for the system. That could all change though, as in an interview with Destructoid Baba said the series could appear on Wii U...
Talking Point The Blurring Lines of Kickstarter Fundraising Goals
Pwnee Studios gives its perspective on the publication deal with Ubisoft
If you go back just a few years, the idea of developers raising funds for non-existent games from the consumer marketplace may have seemed to be a wacky proposition. The thinking may have been along the lines of "ask consumers to pay for a game that isn't even in development...
News Apple Co-Founder Steve Wozniak Talks Tetris And Giving Game Boys To World Leaders
He's rocking an awesome Limited Edition Astro Boy Game Boy Light, too
It's no secret that Apple co-founder Steve "Woz" Wozniak is something of a legend at Game Boy Tetris, but seeing the man in action is something else. Game Informer managed to infiltrate Woz's hotel room recently, and recorded some footage of him dominating at
News Resident Evil Revelations DLC Season Pass Revealed on Steam
Delicious DLC, or horrifyingly disappointing add-ons?
The upcoming Resident Evil Revelations re-release on Wii U is bringing some new features over its 3DS original — there'll be an "infernal" difficulty level, off-screen play for that, er, unique handheld experience, and you'll be able to troll other players by giving monsters speech bubbles with...
News Europe Receives Fire Emblem: Awakening Puzzle Panel
The European release is tantalisingly close
North American 3DS owners have been playing through Fire Emblem: Awakening since February, while Europe watches on with envious eyes. There's not that much longer to wait though, as Intelligent Systems' turn-based strategy title is set to make the journey across the pond on 19th April. There's even an...
Talking Point What Games Are You Playing This Weekend? - Issue Eleven
Yikes, we're up to number 11?
So, OK, we've done some seasonal issues of this jolly series of features, so this isn't actually the 11th entry in the series. But the idea of shamelessly riffing off a Hollywood movie only came to us when typing out "Issue Eleven", so it is what it is. What we do have is another collection of weekend gaming plans from...
Thursday11th Apr 2013
Feature Ten SEGA Mega Drive / Genesis Games We Want on the Wii U Virtual Console
They skipped Wii VC, so now their time has come
Earlier this week we were rather pleased the share the news, based on a couple of sources, that Castle of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse looks set to come to Wii U. It's unclear whether it'll be a straight-up re-release (on the Virtual Console) or a remastered port, but whatever the case it's a SEGA...
Nintendo Download 11th April 2013 (North America)
A rolling ranger, brawling Gods, a pink ball's debut and more
It's Nintendo Download time, North America, and this week there's new content to choose from on Wii U, 3DS and DSi. In the coming week there'll be a couple of tasty retail downloads and a classic platformer that'll cost less than a chocolate bar, while today a rolling Ranger makes his...
Rumour 3DS Owners Noticing Software Performance Improvements Since Update
Certain games running smoother?
OK, grab a pinch of salt for this one, because it's taken straight from the box marked "Rumour". According to some posters over at NeoGAF, the recent 3DS firmware update has delivered some unexpected benefits: namely better performance in certain games. Rayman 3D, Sonic Gene
News Skylanders Giants Toys Munching Their Way Into McDonald's Happy Meals This Month
I'll have a Spyro with fries, please
Activision and popular fast-food giant McDonald's have teamed up to bring characters from Skylanders Giants to Happy Meals this month. Starting this Friday 12th April and running up until the 2nd of May in the US, those who purchase a Happy Meal will receive one of nine character figures. Not only this, but...
News Super Comboman Fuses Smash Bros. With Marvel Vs Capcom, And It Could Be Coming To Wii U
Visually stunning platform title was built using Unity 3D
Kickstarter-funded title Super Comboman could be coming to the Wii U eShop, we can exclusively reveal. We've been speaking to Interabang Entertainment's Justin Woodward about the forthcoming platforming adventure, which raised $16,170 on Kickstarter last November — just a little over the...
News Injustice: Gods Among Us Will Support Off-TV Play On Wii U
In-game quick move list also included
With Warner Bros. and NetherRealm's upcoming title Injustice: Gods Among Us set to release next week in North America on the 16th April — and in Europe three days later on the 19th April — new details have been emerging prior to its launch. What sets the Wii U version apart from other platforms' release is...
News Iwata Asks Delves Into Animal Crossing: New Leaf
Nintendo's President talks Mr Resetti, being mayor and panning for gold
Animal Crossing: New Leaf is edging closer and closer towards its Western release date and we think it's fair to say there are a lot of 3DS owners out there chomping at the bit to get hold of it. As if the hype needed building up any more Nintendo has kindly translated the...
News There Sure Are A Lot Of Nintendo References In PSN Title Guacamelee
Sony title is bursting with love for Ninty
Given the remit of this site, we try to avoid featuring games which are exclusive to rival consoles, but in the case of PlayStation Network release Guacamelee!, we're happy to make an exception. This Metroidvania-style action platformer is currently avaialble for the PS3 and PS Vita, and comes absolutely...
News Swapnote Update Available For Download On North American 3DS Consoles
Euro Letter Box update still AWOL, though
Nintendo has updated its Swapnote application for the 3DS console. The update is available now and weighs in at a modest 81 data blocks, so it shouldn't take long to download. To install the new version of the app, you first must locate it in the 3DS eShop and then click the "To Update Screen" option. The...
News Ace Attorney 5 Release Date Accidentally Revealed By Capcom
Someone made a boo boo in the courtroom
It seems that Capcom has let the release date for Ace Attorney 5 slip in a recent blog post about a Nico Nico developer Q&A on the upcoming 3DS title. The game is set to have fingers pointing in Japan on the 25th July this year. Capcom objected by removing the evidence of the release date from the blog...
News Project X Zone European Release Date Confirmed
It'll be available in July
Last week Namco Bandai revealed Project X Zone would be coming to North America on 25th June, but Europe was left with its original vague release date of Summer 2013. This lead people to believe European 3DS owners would be getting the game much later than their American counterparts, however, this is not the case at all...
News Ubisoft's E3 2013 Conference Dated
Mark 10th June on your calendars
E3 2013 is almost upon us. With a little over two months to go, you can almost smell the excitement in the air amongst gamers, developers and publishers alike. To kick off the major gaming event, Ubisoft will be holding its presentation on Monday 10th June - which is actually a day before E3 is scheduled to begin...
News Zelda Symphony Returning To Los Angeles During E3 2013
Da da da daaaaaaaaa
It's been almost two years since something beautiful and magical happened during Nintendo's E3 press conference in June 2011 - the company opened the presentation with a spectacular orchestra, displaying tunes from The Legend of Zelda's impressive musical catalogue. The Legend Of Zelda: Symphony Of The Goddesses - under Irish...
Video Nintendo Europe Highlights Key eShop Titles From The Past Two Months
How many have you downloaded?
The 3DS and Wii U eShops are becoming pretty packed with cool titles right now, and Nintendo Europe has taken some time out to highlight some of the more significant releases from the past two months. Some of the games featured are Code of Princess, Harmoknight, Nano Assault EX and Zen Pinball 2. Wil
Video SEGA Teases Possible Castle of Illusion Title
Disney is involved in some capacity
Earlier last week, we reported that Castle of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse is looking set for release on the Wii U, as the title received a classification in Brazil. To add further speculation to this news, SEGA posted the following teaser video on its Twitter account, suggesting that a remastered version will...
News Ubisoft To Publish Cloudberry Kingdom This Summer
No set date just yet
Cloudberry Kingdom was supposed to be released on the Wii U eShop in March but as many eagle-eyed gamers may have noticed, it didn't make it. Fortunately, the game hasn't disappeared from the face of the earth, it's just been pushed back and it now has a new publisher some people may have heard of. Yes, Ubisoft will be...
Video Get Cosy With Dungeons & Dragons: Chronicles of Mystara's Fighter Class
Fight club
Capcom has released the first in a series of video profiles for each of the character classes in Dungeons & Dragons: Chronicles of Mystara. This initial video focuses on the Fighter class, a no-nonsense warrior who excels in melee combat and represents an ideal starting point for newcomers. Dungeons & Dragons: Chronicles of...
News Bass and Treble Figures Turning Up In The U.S. This Summer
Will join Mega Man and Rush pack
The 25th anniversary of Mega Man continues to be celebrated in a number of beautiful, non-interactive ways! Capcom Senior Online/Community Manager, Brett Elston, confirmed through his blog that a combo pack of Mega Man’s rivals Bass and Treble will arrive in the U.S. this summer. Produced by D-Arts/Bandai/Tamashii...
Wednesday10th Apr 2013
Talking Point The Next-Gen Console War is Wii U's to Lose
Graphical differences and consumer budgets continue to shrink
If you'll forgive us, let's delve of into a faint whiff of politics in this introduction. In most major industrialised countries — whether in the West or Japan — national economies aren't exactly in rude health. After spells of prosperity and golden toilet seats for all in the...
News Animal Crossing: New Leaf Pricing Emerges On North American eShop
Price is better than expected
Animal Crossing: New Leaf is one of the most anticipated 3DS titles of 2013 and we're just about two months away from seeing it arrive. With the game doing sensationally well in Japan, there's no doubt that North American and European 3DS users are looking forward to its release this June. With the game being so close...
News Nintendo Stock Rises By 11%
The largest increase since 2008
The Japanese yen has reached a three-year low against the euro meaning many successful exporters are enjoying a rise in stock. Nintendo has seen an 11% rise in stock value, which now stands at 11,850 yen, the largest gain since 2008. The yen has weakened against all 16 major counterparts this year as speculation...
News Wii U Version Of Isometric Action Adventure Bloom: Memories "Definitely" On The Cards
Gorgeous-looking RPG has the approval of Jenova Chen and David Jaffe
Bloom: Memories developer Studio Fawn has confirmed to us that the game will most certainly be coming to the Wii U eShop — if it can reach its Kickstarter goal of $50,000. The title is described as "an epic adventure about the love between a mother and her child" and is...
News Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate Update Takes a Bite Out of Wii U on 16th April
Off-TV GamePad play and cross-region online included
While Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate is a top-notch experience in its current guise, Capcom aknowledged that a couple of key features could be added to enhance it further. And so it promised an April update to bring us Off-TV GamePad-only play and cross-region online multiplayer. GamePad-only play is a...
News WayForward and Ubisoft Releasing The Smurfs 2 on Wii U, Wii and DS
Hopefully it won't make us feel blue
The Smurfs are making a comeback this Summer with the release of the aptly named The Smurfs 2 in cinemas across the world and Sony Pictures has decided to release a platforming game alongside it. Now, before you throw your arms up in despair, it might not actually be that bad as it's being developed by Ubisoft...
News Nintendo Files New "Remotely Controlled Mobile Device Control System" Patent
One of its more wacky patents
It seems to have been brought to light that Nintendo has been given the thumbs up on a new patent — the idea of a "remotely controlled mobile device control system". The patent was filed back in June 2011, and has only just been approved. As you can see from the image, the Wii Remote is placed inside the remote...
News Deep Silver Has "No Plans" To Support Wii U
"Their audience is not who we reach best"
Deep Silver's desicion to not bring Dead Island: Riptide to the Wii U caused a moderate amount of drama last month — not least because the excuse given was denied by the development team behind the game, forcing Deep Silver to admit that the real reason was that the process simply
News Animal Crossing: New Leaf Passes Three Million Sales in Japan
Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon still number one in the charts
Update: As correctly pointed out on Twitter by NintenDaan, it's worth remembering that Media Create charts only account for physical retail sales. The full sales for Animal Crossing: New Leaf will be further beyond three million due to its success on the 3DS eShop. Original Article: Last...
News Rayman Creator Michel Ancel "Wasn't Shocked" By Backlash To Legends Delay
Ubisoft hoping to make it up with additional content
When Ubisoft made the decision to delay the launch of Rayman Legends to accommodate a multi-platform launch — thereby robbing the game of Wii U exclusivity — the reaction from Nintendo fans was intense. However, Rayman creator Michel Ancel says that the response from fans didn't surprise him...
News KORG M01D Music Workstation Hitting 3DS eShop This Summer
What sweet music you'll make
Some of you may fondly recall KORG DS-10, a "musical workstation" for your humble Nintendo DS. If you enjoyed making bizarre aural creations with this cult release then you'll be please to learn that it's getting a sequel for the 3DS eShop, entitled KORG M01D. Essentially a souped-up version of the DS original, KORG...
News LulzSec Members Who Hacked Nintendo Plead Guilty To Charges
Hack attack
Three UK-based LulzSec hackers have pleaded guilty to charges of hacking various high-profile targets — one of which was Nintendo — and setting up DDoS (distributed denial of services) attacks. The incident involving Nintendo occurred back in 2011. No permanent harm was done, but a configuration file was taken by the group and...
News Level 5's Fantasy Life Ships 300,000 Copies In Japan
Another 3DS smash-hit is on the cards
Level 5 CEO Akihiro Hino has revealed that total shipments to date of 3DS title Fantasy Life have reached the 300,000 mark in Japan. Back in January, we reported that the game — which is a collaboration between the Professor Layton studio and Brownie Brown — had sold out upon release, an event which no...
News Disney's Planes Jetting Onto All Nintendo Platforms This Year
Wii U, Wii, 3DS and DS editions coming in August
Disney Interactive Studios has revealed that Disney's Planes — which is based on the forthcoming CGI film — will be hitting all Nintendo platforms later in 2013. Wii U, Wii, 3DS and DS versions are in development, with August 6th being the take-off date in North America — just a few days before...
News Splinter Cell Blacklist Sneaks Onto Wii U in August
Ubisoft's support continues
Nintendo has sent out a fresh press release re-affirming third-party support coming to Wii U, and within the details of titles we know about is one that was still an unknown. After plenty of rumours suggesting its arrival, it's now confirmed that Sam Fisher's latest adventure, Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell Blacklist, is...
News BIT.TRIP Runner 2 Dashing To European Wii U eShop Tomorrow
Australian release delayed due to rating issues, though
When we reported on this week's European eShop downloads there were a few disappointed comments regarding the absence of BIT.TRIP Presents: Runner 2 Future Legend of Rhythm Alien, which many expected to see among the games listed in the update. However, we've got a bit of last-minute news that...
News Rocksteady Confident in Batman: Arkham Origins Developer
Holy vote of confidence, Batman!
When WB Games Montreal was announced as the developer for Batman: Arkham Origins, fans of the series were concerned that things wouldn't be the same without original Arkham developer Rocksteady Studios. In the latest issue of Game Informer, Rocksteady's Sefton Hill said the studio is confident that Batman's in good...
News Kung Fu Rabbit Fighting Into The European Wii U eShop Next Week
North America should have it a couple of weeks later
Last month we exclusively revealed Neko Entertainment would be bringing Kung Fu Rabbit to the Wii U at some point in April. Well we now have an official release date - European Wii U owners will be able to hop into the eShop and download it from 18th April. Kung Fu Rabbit is a 2D platformer and...
News GameFly Slaps June 30th Release Date On Game & Wario In North America
Retailer outs possible launch day for Wii U title
Online retailer GameFly has given Game & Wario a June 30th release date in North America — ahead of any official confirmation from Nintendo itself. The Wii U game was released in Japan at the end of March, and is the next entry in the popular WarioWare series, which started on the Game Boy...
News The Denpa Men 2: Beyond The Waves Gets Australian Classification
Localisation splashing onto our shores
The Denpa Men: They Came By Wave was possibly a bit of a surprise when it arrived on the 3DS eShop, going from a peculiarly advertised title to turn out, in our words, to be an experience that's "long and rewarding". It also made significant use of its portable platform, encouraging gamers to build their little...
Tuesday9th Apr 2013
Review Witch & Hero (3DS eShop)
A curse upon the eShop
CIRCLE Entertainment has been a prolific publisher on DSiWare, bringing to the fore its own titles and also helping small developers share their work with the DSi/3DS audience. With so many titles against its name there are some that are excellent, as well as others that we'd sooner forget. Witch & Hero arrives on the 3DS...
News The Story of an Abandoned Mega Man FPS, Maverick Hunter, Emerges
Former Metroid Prime team worked on the project
When it comes to the 25th Anniversary of Mega Man, we've had scraps to feast on from Capcom. We've had figurines, USB sticks and a free PC game, but what the fans truly crave — new top-end games in the franchise — have been absent so far. Courtesy of Polygon, meanwhile, we now have a glimpse of a...
News Nintendo Working On Wii Remote Fast Charging Battery Pack
Online survey points to long-awaited accessory release
If there's one thing that really annoys us about using Wii Remotes in the Nintendo Life office, it's the fact that you need a constant supply of AA batteries on hand at all times, or a stock of rechargeable AA batteries which take ages to fully juice-up. Both the Xbox 360 and PS3 feature bespoke...
News Batman: Arkham Origins Confirmed for Wii U
3DS gets a 2.5D spin off, Batman: Arkham Origins Blackgate
Earlier in the year we learned that a new Batman Arkham title was due in 2013, courtesy of a Warner Bros. financial briefing, and we were hoping that it'd appear on Wii U. The good news is that the statement was true and that Nintendo's system is in line to enjoy the next entry; Batman:...
News Former WiiWare Title Animales de la Muerte Rises From the Dead On Smartphones
Looking a lot different to before
Remember High Voltage Software's Animales de la Muerte? It was supposed to hit WiiWare back in 2009, but the 40MB download limit imposed on developers prevented a release. The game has been stuck in limbo ever since, with a PSN and XBLA launch proposed but never materialising. However, that's all set to change as...
News The Pokémon Company Describes 2013 as a "Key Year" for the Franchise
Big plans to take the series further
The Pokémon franchise is, without a doubt, a vital part of Nintendo's success, especially in the handheld space, with a new generation 'mon release prompting hype and excitement that's only seen for select brands. It's big in both Japan and the West, and an iconic part of the gaming industry. It's not from...
News Shigeru Miyamoto Admits He Could Keep Working for "A Long Time"
Retirement isn't on the agenda
Following his recent press tour of the US, Shigeru Miyamoto has been prominent in spreading the word about the Wii U, the "Year of Luigi" and more. His presence has also been a reminder of how significant a figure he is within Nintendo, as he's still the key representative of the company's ideals and approach to game...
News Action RPG CrossCode Could Be Heading To The Wii U eShop
Retro role-player looks like a perfect fit for the GamePad
Browser-based action RPG CrossCode could be coming to the Wii U eShop, according to its developer Radical Fish Games. Speaking to Nintendo Enthusiast, the studio has expressed interest in porting the game to Nintendo's system, but pointed out that finishing the PC version remains the...
News Miyamoto: Game Development is Still About "Starting From The Idea"
Talks about his use of Flipnote Studio, and new approaches to distribution
As reported earlier today, Shigeru Miyamoto's comprehensive interview with Rolling Stone has suggested that retirement isn't currently in the designer's plans, helping to put to rest one of the enduring question marks hanging over the Kyoto-based company. We do recommend...
News Yacht Club Games: Shovel Knight Aims to be a "Next-Gen 8-bit Game"
"Should feel the wonderful way you remember classic games feeling"
With its Kickstarter fundraising campaign in its last week and well past its original total, Yacht Club Games' Shovel Knight is picking up stretch goals and becomingly increasingly promising as a result. So far, for example, it's added a playable boss character and a New Game+ mode...
News Super Ubi Land Kickstarter Has Ended, Target Goal Surpassed
Super news!
2D platformer Super Ubi Land's Kickstarter campaign has ended, with Notion Games' project reaching $6,333, surpassing its $5,000 target. Maestro Interactive Games - the team behind upcoming Wii U eShop titles Fade Into Darkness and Cosmic Highway - is helping to bring Super Ubi Land to Nintendo's online store, and said through its...
News Japanese Games Market Makes Long Due Return to Growth
5% boost in hardware offsets drop in software sales
Quite often we share the latest weeks' Japanese sales charts with you, to highlight how a new release is performing and to track hardware sales in Nintendo's homeland. A trend that's been consistent for well over a year has been 3DS dominance, with some occasions where the combined sales of the...
News Vote For Mushrooms Or Bananas In Nintendo UK's Mario Kart 7 Community Race Night
Takes place this Wednesday
Nintendo UK's Mario Kart 7 Community Race Nights have been going from strength to strength, and for this week's event the company is giving fans the chance to answer that age-old question: which is better, the mushroom or the banana? By posting a comment on Nintendo UK's official Facebook page, you can influence the...
Monday8th Apr 2013
News Nintendo Told Disney How Bowser Should Hold His Teacup During Wreck-It Ralph Production
Milk and two sugars?
Wreck-It Ralph was a worldwide hit when it arrived in cinemas and much of its success can be attributed to the characters involved in the movie. Obviously there was Ralph, Fix-It Felix and all their buddies, but there were also several cameos from a few members of gaming royalty. Sonic the Hedgehog and his arch-nemesis Dr...
Interview Michael Pachter On Wii U, 3DS And The Challenges Facing Nintendo This Generation
"I don’t hate Nintendo at all"
Michael Pachter has been called a lot of things — not all of them repeatable on a family-friendly site such as this — but many of his harshest critics seem to miss the point of what he is actually saying; his job is to ensure that people invest their cash wisely and not to placate over-zealous fans. Nevertheless,...
News Club Nintendo Rewards Updated With Some Retro Classics
Oh, and 3D Classics: Urban Champion
It's that time once again, North America, when Club Nintendo changes its monthly offerings of download titles that you can acquire with your hard-earned gold coins. There are a couple of grade-A undisputed classics included, and at least one that quite clearly isn't, despite its name claiming otherwise. Still, if...
News Castle of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse Looks Set For Wii U
Sources point to a release of the 1990 original
When Disney Epic Mickey: Power of Illusion was described as a sequel to SEGA Mega Drive / Genesis classic Castle of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse, there were plenty of retro gamers that got rather excited; in the opinion of various critics the 3DS title failed to live up to that billing. Castle of...
Talking Point The Terrible Timing of Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate's Stock Issues
LEGO City Undercover had problems in North America, too
There's a strange dichotomy at work right now with Nintendo, Wii U and its games. We endured an undeniable retail software drought, with game retailers probably weary of trying to sell the same old launch titles week after week. We then had two diverse, high profile games arrive near each other...
Rumour Nintendo Handing Out Free Dev Kits To Generate Interest In Wii U
Last gasp or forward-thinking?
Wii U dev kits usually cost around $5,000, but it would appear that Nintendo is forgoing that fee in order to kick-start interest in the system amongst the development community. The rumour has been triggered by Destructoid's Jonathan Holmes, who tweeted the following: [tweet 320243046916706304] More support from...
News Nintendo Confirms Dr Kawashima’s Devilish Brain Training Delay
New launch date "to be confirmed"
At the weekend, we reported on the rumour that Dr Kawashima’s Devilish Brain Training: Can You Stay Focused? — which is known as Brain Age: Concentration Training in North America — was being pushed back from its proposed European April 12th release date
Nintendo Download 11th April 2013 (Europe)
Croods, pets, elementalists and a lot of discounts
As is always the case, Europe, we have the opportunity to start our week with news of the download goodies that we can expect on Thursday. In terms of new offerings we're limited to a couple of lower profile retail games and a DSiWare release, but Nintendo of Europe is offering a lot of discounts to...
News Luigi's Mansion 2 Still Scaring the UK Top 10
Luigi's got legs
When it comes to the UK software charts, we're typically used to seeing major games exclusive to Nintendo platforms making an early bee-line for the top 10 before, in many cases, promptly dropping back to modest placings the following week. That's not the case with Luigi's Mansion 2, however, which has steadfastly held onto the...
News EnjoyUp Shows Abyss Running On The Wii U
We love a good teaser image
EnjoyUp, the company behind DSiWare download title Abyss, has posted a teaser image on its Facebook page of the game — or perhaps a sequel — running on the Wii U. The picture was posted with the caption, 'Abyss on Wii U?', so the company is sure working on something new for Nintendo's latest console. We look forward...
Video This Animal Crossing: New Leaf Trailer Shows You Around
Everyone's a bloomin' tourist
So, Animal Crossing: New Leaf has been on a lot of wishlists for a little too long now, with its June release in North America and Europe getting tantalizingly close. Social lives will be lost, and the summer sun will be ignored but, who cares? It's Animal Crossing, and we want it yesterday. We do all have to wait a...
News Nnooo: Australian Ratings System Prevents Indies From Releasing Games Down Under
The studio calls for a self-rated, no-fee model
Australian Wii U owners are often frustrated when they do not receive games other Western nations do. Despite being a PAL region, games don't always make it Down Under as we've seen very recently with the news that Fast & Furious: Showdown will be not be made available. That game is published by...
News Lose Your Inhibitions With Spin The Bottle
Kiss and tell
The upcoming Wii U eShop party game Spin The Bottle is unlike any game you've ever played before. Coming from the quirky minds at KnapNok Games, most of the activities you'll encounter in Spin The Bottle don't even use a TV screen. Players use the GamePad as a spinning wheel (think Twister) and act out whatever odd activity they're...
News LEGO Batman 2: DC Super Heroes Release Date Emerges From The Batcave
To the Batmobile!
We reported towards the end of February that LEGO Batman 2: DC Super Heroes was set to blast onto the Wii U this Spring, however with Spring ending this month and still no official release date, that didn't seem to be the case. News has now emerged that Batman and co. will hit Nintendo's new console next month. Several online...
News Agatsuma Plans To Release Farewell Umihara Kawase Outside Japan
Reel-y
The quirky, fishing line-based physics platformer Farewell Umihara Kawase for the 3DS may see a release outside Japan if publisher Agatsuma Entertainment has its way. Siliconera asked Rico Kuno Matsumara, general manager at Agatsuma, about the possibility of the game being released elsewhere and here's what he had to say: Yes, we are...
Proud to have brought Oswald into the fold
Warren Spector is a well known name in the games industry, with his legacy of titles such as the original Deus Ex assuring his place as development royalty. In more recent years he founded the studio Junction Point, which was acquired by Disney (after an initial offer was turned down) and the team went on...
Sunday7th Apr 2013
News New Mewtwo Form Revealed For Pokémon X & Y
The Pokémon Company shows off a new trailer featuring the latest 'mon
Last week a teaser trailer was shown at the end of an episode of Pokémon Smash in Japan, which promised some more Pokémon X & Y news this weekend. Well after a long week of waiting, the show has now revealed a new Pokémon with a more than familiar look. The new 'mon bears...
Review 50 Classic Games 3D (3DS)
Destined to be forgotten
At first glance, 50 Classic Games 3D looks reminiscent of Nintendo's 42 All-Time Classics (Clubhouse Games in North America) for DS. But those hoping for a spiritual successor to the original hit are in for a bit of a disappointment. This is because 50 Classic Games 3D is woefully lacking in quality, depth and — most of...
Talking Point Nintendo Should Make EA Co-operation a Priority
Whether we like it or not
Let's say something right off the bat — we expect a number of readers will have read that headline and scoffed audibly, confidently saying that this article is deranged and already wrong. EA isn't exactly flavour of the month, and is at the time of writing a semi-final candidate to once again be crowned as the "worst...
News Suda51's Upcoming Project is Not No More Heroes 3
It's set to be a new franchise
A couple of weeks ago we reported on Grasshopper Manufacture's next project, which was teased by the studio's CEO Goichi Suda - known by many as Suda51. All that was revealed was new concept artwork, which featured a female protagonist who looks a lot like Shinobu - one of the assassins from the No More Heroes series...
News Criterion Working On "Amazing" Unannounced Racer For 2013
Could Burnout be getting a revival?
It would appear that UK studio Criterion — famous for the Burnout series and the recent Wii U classic Need For Speed: Most Wanted U — is hard at work on its next magnum opus. Some LinkedIn snooping has revealed that the company is due to release another racer this year. Could it be Burnout? Or possib
News This New Mega Man Anniversary Statue Goes Large
Alas, still no "proper" game for the big anniversary
With this being the 25th Anniversary year of the Mega Man franchise, Capcom has released a free PC crossover game — Street Fighter X Mega Man — which in many respects was a slightly polished fan effort, and has given us some celebratory laptops and USB drives in different regions. Plenty of...
Rumour Dr Kawashima's 3DS Prescription Delayed Until September In Europe
Devilish Brain Training now listed as "TBC" on Nintendo's site
Dr Kawashima’s Devilish Brain Training — known as Brain Age: Concentration Training in North America — was supposed to launch in Europe on April 12th. We've heard very little about the game in the past few weeks, and the official page for the title now has its release date listed...
Saturday6th Apr 2013
News Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D Has Local Co-op Play And An Easy Mode
There's also a "brand new surprise" in store
Back in February, Nintendo announced the popular Wii game Donkey Kong Country Returns is being remade for the 3DS. The upcoming title - appropriately named Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D - is being developed by Monster Games and will largely be the same game but with the inclusion of 3D visuals. However,...
News Shigeru Miyamoto: People Need To Be Patient With Wii U
Consumers need to become more familiar with the GamePad
Sales of Wii U systems in 2013 have been less than desirable. Uptake has been slow and retailers such as GameStop have called on Nintendo to educate consumers more on the advantages of the new home console. However, Shigeru Miyamoto has called for patience claiming the Wii U GamePad, with it's...
News SEGA Still Committed To Wii U Despite Aliens: Colonial Marines Cancellation
Has some "fantastic" titles in the works
Yesterday we reported that SEGA had made the decision to cancel the Wii U version of Aliens: Colonial Marines. Other versions of the game didn't fare too well with reviewers so it's likely SEGA didn't see much value in spending any more money on it. However, the company appears to be committed to Wii U...
Feature The GamePad - From Waggling Remotes To Dual Sticks and a Touchscreen
Is the Wii U's controller a revolution or evolution for gaming?
For a number of Wii U early adopters here on Nintendo Life, there have now been plenty of opportunities to try out a variety of games, incorporating various styles and genres while giving us a good glimpse of what the system's GamePad controller is capable of doing. After the Wii Remote...
News Shiro Games Discuss Bringing Evoland To Nintendo Systems Regularly
A decision has not yet been made
Evoland - which takes a vast amount of inspiration from The Legend of Zelda and Final Fantasy - is currently available on PC and is coming to iOS too in the near future. There's been no word about it ever making the leap over to the console market, but its developer Shiro Games has now said it's considering bringing...
News Tales Producer Has No Immediate Plans To Bring The Series To Wii U
He's impressed with the system, though
The long running Tales series has proven popular with gamers over the years. It's found itself on several Nintendo systems in the past, with the likes of Tales of Symphonia on the GameCube, Tales of the Abyss on the 3DS and Tales of Symphonia: Dawn of the New World on Wii. Tales of Xillia will be the next game...
News Activision Confirms Fast & Furious: Showdown Won't Be Coming To Australia
Are you surprised?
Last month Australian retailer EB Games confirmed Fast & Furious: Showdown would be coming to Wii U. However, it has now emerged that Australia will ironically not be getting the game, as Activision has confirmed it won't be made available Down Under. This represents the fourth Activision Wii U title that will never see the...
Friday5th Apr 2013
News Aliens: Colonial Marines Cancelled on Wii U
Game is actually over this time, man
Aliens: Colonial Marines on Wii U has had a strange history. It started as a hyped game, with Randy Pitchford of Gearbox waxing lyrical about the Wii U and its GamePad, declaring that the system would enjoy the best of the multi-platform versions. Then it arrived on other consoles and was roundly panned as a poor...
News New 3DS System Update Now Available
Update for an update?
Nintendo has released another small system update, bumping the firmware up to 5.1.0-11U. After 3DS users updated the system to 5.0.0-11U last month, some experienced difficulty accessing the System Settings, eShop or Game Notes, so this new update should fix the old one. Version 5.1.0-11U available via wireless Internet...
Talking Point The Downside to Delayed Releases on Wii U
What a difference a delay makes
At the start of the year we published a list of our biggest Wii U games of 2013; despite the beginning of a software drought on the system, we felt that the list showed the promise of the software lineup to come. There were eight exclusives at that point, either with fixed release dates or windows that we're confident...
Video Latest Miiverse Update Continues to Improve the Platform
Socialising on Wii U gets easier and quicker
While not a system-seller in its own right, Miiverse on Wii U is, for some at least, a major part of the console that can absorb as much time as some games. By blending popular features from a number of social platforms with its own "communities" structure, Nintendo has setup a thoroughly decent and...
News Project X Zone Release Date Confirmed in North America
Europe still down for Summer 2013
Back in January Namco Bandai confirmed the brilliant-looking tactical-RPG Project X Zone would be coming to North America and PAL regions this Summer, despite sales being relatively poor in Japan. The 3DS title is a crossover that sees characters from the SEGA, Capcom and Namco Bandai universes battle it out for...
Ninterview Per Fhager On Combining Embroidery With Video Games
"Video gaming is an important medium that reflects our time"
Video games and art regularly collide with spectacular results, but the work of Swedish artist Per Fhager is one of the most surprising examples of this fusion of interactive entertainment and the world of visual crafts. Fhager's work has been displayed all over Europe, and manages to...
News Detective Conan to Solve the Case With AR Cards on 3DS
The truth is in the cards
Chunsoft's upcoming 3DS adventure, Detective Conan: Marionette Symphony, will feature AR cards as a key gameplay component in solving various mysteries. Using the AR cards, a 3D Conan will appear and help the player if given virtual coins (though it's not clear if Play Coins are used or if the game has its own digital...
Talking Point Warren Spector Asks, Where Are Gaming's Grown-Ups?
Questions for a young industry
As a Nintendo website, we often treasure and talk the most about games that are based in fantastical and, often, family friendly lands — an Italian plumber running and jumping, miniature creatures assisting a stranded rocket man, an adventure played out by LEGO characters and so on. Occasionally we get edgy and...
News Children Of The '80s, Here's That Battle Beasts Game You Always Wanted
"Fire burns wood!"
If you're old enough to remember the original Transformers, He-Man and G.I. Joe toy lines, then chances are you'll also be aware of Battle Beasts. These small plastic figures were launched back in the late 1980s and came with heat-sensitive stickers on their chests which revealed the figure's affinity, such as wood, fire and...
News Nintendo of Europe Apologises for Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate Stock Shortage
Did you manage to hunt down a copy?
After a fairly lengthy spell of very few notable Wii U retail releases, Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate arrived in Europe on 22nd March as Capcom's latest attempt to popularise the series further in the West. It seemed to help, with the game being attributed as part of the reason for a Wii U sales spike and with the...
News Mega Man Composer Manami Matsumae Writing Two Songs For Shovel Knight
Mega Matsumae
We reported earlier last week that upcoming 3DS and Wii U title Shovel Knight was closing in on its Kickstarter goal, only to find that it hit the target three days later. The game is described as "a hot mashup of new and old that may remind you of Mega Man", and now there's another reason why Yacht Club's platformer will remind you...
News New eShop Game Cards Surface in Japan
For the retail shopper in us all
While Nintendo's made great strides in improving its digital download services, there are still many players who prefer to buy their games at retail. Japanese gamers will soon have a new way to get download-only games like Dillon's Rolling Western: The Last Ranger and Freakyforms: Your Creations, Alive!, in the form...
Competition Winners Nintendo eShop Credit
Are you one of the lucky few?
If you're a Nintendo Life regular you'll know we ran a couple of Nintendo eShop Credit competitions over the past few weeks; all the votes have been counted and we've greased up our supercomputer to randomly select the winners, and they are: Competition 1) Win £100 of Nintendo eShop Credit! Winner of £100:...
News HMV Buyout Saves High Street Retailer
The dog's been thrown a bone
In recent weeks we've reported on the worrying fate of the HMV brand in the UK; rather like GAME last year, it went into administration and 81 stores were closed down as the administrators worked to salvage the business. As one of only a few retailers that stocks a relatively substantial range of video games on the UK...
Thursday4th Apr 2013
Nintendo Download 4th April 2013 (North America)
A chick's adventure, slaying monsters, finding your groove and more
It's Nintendo Download time, North America, and this week you have options on Wii U, 3DS and Wii. It's a mixture of the old, the new and DLC extras, so let's get right to it. Wii U eShop: Toki Tori 2 (Two Tribes, reduced to $13.49 until 25th April, will be $14.99) — Starting off...
News Dragon Quest X Posts Poor Sales Figures In Japan
Wii U version shifts just 33,000 units
Square Enix is certainly in a tricky spot right now, with under-performing games and a major reshuffle at the top thanks to some poor financial results. Things have just gotten worse for the firm with the news that one of its big titles for 2013 — Dragon Quest X on Wii U — has only mana
News Tomodachi Collection: New Life Detailed in Latest Nintendo Direct
Love and hate
Last month during a Japan-only Nintendo Direct, the company revealed a hardware bundle for upcoming 3DS title Tomodachi Collection: New Life in Japan. A Nintendo Direct was broadcast yesterday focusing on the 3DS sequel, in which plenty of details were given about the simulation game. As we've
News Wii U Sales Double in Japanese Charts Following New Releases
3DS is still King
Earlier today we reported on more woes for the struggling Square Enix, with Dragon Quest X posting poor launch week sales in Japan. The overall Media Create results for last week do also tell a few other tales, including a modest improvement for Wii U and some good results for a famous green brother. In terms of the software...
News Nintendo Set To Host Mysterious 3DS Event In A Couple Of Weeks
What will it include?
Nintendo is planning to host an all day 3DS event in just a couple of weeks in San Francisco for selected members of the press, ourselves included naturally. Major titles arriving in the coming weeks include Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D and the hotly anticipated Animal Crossing: New Leaf, so we can only assume that these...
Developer Interview Neko Entertainment on Kung Fu Rabbit's Wii U Debut
Bunny basher
Last week we were able to exclusively reveal Neko Entertainment's second Wii U eShop title, 2D platformer Kung Fu Rabbit. It's a big-screen conversion of an iOS / Android game that was released in 2012, and features the martial arts-trained bunny battling against Universal Evil in an attempt to rescue his colony of kidnapped disciples...
News New LEGO Marvel Super Heroes Screens Are Beyond Cute
Hulk Smash!
LEGO Marvel Super Heroes was confirmed earlier in the year for Wii U, 3DS and, surprisingly, DS. The franchise has gone into DC Heroes territory before, of course, but combining Marvel characters with LEGO is sure to delight a broad variety of gamers. While the game was revealed earlier in the year, we didn't know much else beyond its...
News LEGO Legends of Chima: Laval's Journey Begins This Summer
Coming to 3DS and DS
Today seems to be LEGO day, with the fresh screens of LEGO Marvel Super Heroes now being followed up by the announcement of a new title coming to both 3DS and DS, LEGO Legends of Chima: Laval's Journey; it's also on the way to the PlayStation Vita. The 3DS release is set for the Summer, with the DS version pegged for Autumn,...
News Video Gaming's Unexpected Critic Passes Away After Battle With Cancer
Roger Ebert once insisted that video games "could never be art"
Film critic Roger Ebert has passed away at the age of 70 after a long battle with cancer. You might wonder why such news is being featured on a video gaming site, but Ebert was unwittingly embroiled in a battle of wits with gamers when he stated in one of his columns that video games...
News Etrian Odyssey IV European Release Pushed to Summer
Darn
Etrian Odyssey IV: Legends of the Titan on 3DS is a lengthy, demanding and challenging RPG that has been critically praised since its North American release in February. It's a series and genre that doesn't necessarily enjoy significant mainstream support, but its quality does give it a loyal group of fans. While Atlus handled publication in...
News Pandora's Tower Release Date Announced for North America
The slaying and serving up of monsters is set for 16th April
The forecast for the final Operation Rainfall title is shaping up: XSEED Games has announced that Pandora’s Tower for the Wii will begin hitting North American stores on 16th April. Pandora’s Tower sees chain-wielding protagonist Aeron taking on The Thirteen Towers, in order to slay...
News Inafune: Japanese Developers Are "Too Proud" And "Don't Know What To Do"
Recovery is happening too slowly for former Capcom man
Former Capcom developer Keiji Inafune has had some choice things to say about the state of games development in his homeland — it was his famous "Japan is over" speech at the 2009 Tokyo Game Show that triggered a protracted period of self-assessment on the part of many game designers in the...
News Little Inferno Hits High Temperatures With Impressive Sales
Tomorrow Corporation left with money to burn
Of all the titles currently residing in the Wii U eShop, Little Inferno is one of the more unusual. It's essentially a fireplace simulator set in a dystopian world that has you burn things in order to pick up coins, which in turn are used to buy more stuff to throw into the fire. It's hardly what you'd...
Rumour Bravely Default: Flying Fairy Is Taking Flight To The West
Localisation may be in the works as we speak
It may have one of the strangest names, but Bravely Default: Flying Fairy is high on the "most wanted" 3DS games list for many western RPG lovers. There hasn't been an official announcement on a release date outside of Japan, but earlier last month the game's Twitter page hinted that localisation could be...
News Former Nintendo President Hiroshi Yamauchi Slumps To 13th In Japan's Rich List
Nintendo's former figurehead impacted by tumbling share value
Having $2.1 billion in the bank would make us very happy indeed, but that amount of cash can only secure you 13th place in Japan's rich list, according to Forbes. Former Nintendo President Hiroshi Yamauchi used to be sitting pretty at the top of Japan's richest people, but his fortunes...
News UK Retailer GAME to Sell Tablet Devices
It's on like [insert trademarked reference here]
Not so long ago there were disgruntled retailers in the UK voicing — through a spokesperson or anonymous insider — disgruntlement at the Wii U's sales performance so far and the strategy coming out of Nintendo. For its part, Nintendo has been meeting retailers to offer reassurance and outline...
News SEGA Still Not Talking About Aliens: Colonial Marines On Wii U
No news is good news?
Aliens: Colonial Marines is one of those games that may never see the light of day on the Wii U — many of you may not be bothered at this stage about its status, but it's still a pity nonetheless. As we all know, the game was scheduled for release in the Wii U launch window, which technically ended on the 31st March — five...
News Soccer Up 3D Coming To North America On 11th April
Anyone fancy a kickabout?
EnjoyUp Games has revealed Soccer Up 3D will be available to download on 11th April in North America. Soccer Up! was released on WiiWare in 2011 and the series is now shifting to the 3DS, where it will take advantage of the handheld's many features. Naturally, as the title suggests, the game will utilise the 3D effect and...
Wednesday3rd Apr 2013
News Intelligent Systems Isn't Done With Advance Wars Just Yet
More mobile war-gaming on the horizon?
Intelligent Systems has recently reinvigorated the Fire Emblem franchise with Fire Emblem: Awakening, one of the best 3DS games to date. It would seem that the studio is keen to perform the same trick with one of its other famous properties, too. Speaking in an interview on the official Fire Emblem site,...
Review Harvest Moon (3DS eShop / GBC)
Under thresher
The Harvest Moon series has always promoted the ideals of hard work and patience over the instant gratification found by more recent prods at gaming agriculture like Farmville. This attitude is even more apparent in Harvest Moon on the Game Boy Color than other iterations, as the handheld game crops the series down to its very roots...
Feature The Biggest Wii U Games of 2013 - Spring Edition
Time for a few changes
At the start of the year we published our Biggest Wii U games of 2013 feature, sharing some of the exciting releases set for Nintendo's latest home console. That list included some titles that are now available, and also some "before 31st March" predictions that have come and gone — those due to drop out due to imminent or...
Review Toki Tori 2+ (Wii U eShop)
A hatchling of a grand idea
While Toki Tori was a launch title on WiiWare and seized a lot of attention as a result, its direct sequel has had a more protracted release history. Initially planned as a Wii U eShop launch title, Toki Tori 2 arrives after developer Two Tribes had a late change of heart and delayed release, taking the opportunity to...
News No Circle Pad Pro In Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon Because "It Didn't Add Anything"
"It just wouldn’t work"
Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon (or Luigi's Mansion 2 if you're in Europe) is fantastic — as you'll be aware if you've already read our review. However, one of the common issues people have had with the game — or perhaps the hardware it's running on — is the lack of a second analogue stick. It begs the question: why no...
Weirdness Fire Emblem Devs Answer That Burning Question: What Happened To Everyone's Feet?
Best foot forward
Fire Emblem: Awakening is a fantastic game — you need only gaze at our review to acquire this knowledge — but there's something that has been bugging us for quite some time here at Nintendo Life Towers: all the characters seem to possess odd-looking feet. Thankfully, this troubling situation now has an answer, as Intelligent...
News Fantasy Life Trademark Appears in the U.S.
Can you hear the people sing?
Level-5 may be concluding business with its most famous character, Professor Layton, but it's a studio that does more than whimsical puzzle titles. Another release that's achieved sales success in Japan is Fantasy Life, an adventure RPG collaboration with Brownie Brown (the Nintendo subsidiary now known as 1-UP Studio)...
News Translated 1997 Interview with Miyamoto and Itoi Reveals Nintendo 64 Insights
Details on their professional relationship, the 64DD and N64 advertising
Japanese translation blog Yomuka! has produced a full English transcript of an interview with Shigeru Miyamoto and Shigesato Itoi (MOTHER series) that originally appeared in Japanese gaming magazine, The 64 Dream. The extensive interview from December 1997 provides a great...
News LucasArts Shut Down By Disney
Star Wars titles will be licensed out to third parties
It has been confirmed that Disney has shut down LucasArts. The company's publishing and internal development businesses will now close for good. Disney picked up the company as part of its deal to acquire LucasFilm but has since decided to disband it. Star Wars games will still be made, they'll...
News Sega Adds Disclaimer to Aliens: Colonial Marines Trailers
Too good to be true?
Sega Europe has added a disclaimer to its Aliens: Colonial Marines trailers following complaints that the shown footage does not represent the final product. The disclaimer was added after a Reddit user reported Sega to the Advertising Standards Agency. On Sega Europe's channel, the game's trailer now has the text "The trailer...
News Time to Celebrate the Two Year 3DS Anniversary, Bring on the Infographic
Let's play "why isn't x here?"
Last week we celebrated the two year anniversary of the 3DS by finding a picture of a cake based on the handheld. It's been a fascinating journey so far for the portable, enjoying a bumper launch weekend, before tanking to worrying levels, and then rising like a Phoenix — courtesy of excellent games and a price drop...
News Nintendo UK and BFI Bringing Pioneering 3D Films to Nintendo Video
A link to the past
In the past year Nintendo UK and the British Film Institute (BFI) have been working together on 3D film content, promoting not only 3DS but film-making in a broader sense. A number of collaborations have taken place, most notably a contest where a winning film-maker could produce a 3D video that was premiered at the 56th BFI...
News AckkStudios: Two Brothers Won't Be Coming To 3DS
Expect more Project Y2K news in the Summer
AckkStudios is currently working on bringing Two Brothers to several platforms including the Wii U eShop, PC, Mac, Linux and Xbox 360. In a recent interview with Gamenesia, Andrew Allanson, a producer at the company, revealed it would be bringing the title to iOS and Android and that it was in talks about...
Video Deus Ex: Human Revolution Debut Trailer Blasts Into View
Take hold of the revolution
Eidos has revealed the debut trailer for Deus Ex: Human Revolution Director's Cut, an augmented version of the 2011 original which is launching exclusively on the Wii U this year. Expected to be the ultimate edition of the sci-fi FPS title, Deus Ex: Human Revolution Director's Cut on Wii U will boast improved visuals,...
News Zelda Reorchestrated Brings Musical Journey To An End After Nine Years
The final chapter
Zelda Reorchestrated was a fantastic project, led by a team of enthusiastic musicians and fans of one of Nintendo's most recognised franchises. It is with regret that the team are preparing to say farewell to almost a decade of composing the series' most famous themes. Twilight Symphony, the team's greatest achievement to date,...
News Indie Dev Island Officials Turning To Kickstarter To Fund Boxed DS Game
Don't count out the dual-screen console just yet
Kickstarter has become a popular way for small indie developers to fund their projects, with games like Shovel Knight being targeted for release via the Nintendo eShop, but every so often there's a campaign that aims for something a little different. New Jersey-based developer Island Officials is...
Video Preview Footage Of Another Castle Hops Into View
Kickstarter title is shaping up nicely
Although upcoming Wii U eShop platformer Another Castle — which was funded via Kickstarter — isn't set to be released until Summer 2014, YouTube channel Pixabyte has released a pre-alpha gameplay video showcasing the game's mechanics and art style. The unique project casts the player as Andy, who platforms...
Tuesday2nd Apr 2013
Talking Point The Unreal Engine 4 Gaffe Exposes Graphical Snobbery, Again
The fact it's actually scalable for Wii U should surprise no-one
A number of articles on Nintendo Life really got the community talking last week, one of which was our April Fools for the year. In terms of stories that were real, however, we had high profile comments from Epic Games' Mark Rein, who essentially stated that developers on Wii U...
Nintendo Download 4th April 2013 (Europe)
A puzzling chick, chaotic aliens, Mega action and more
Now that the long Holiday weekend is over the video game world's wheels start spinning once again, starting today with Nintendo of Europe's weekly download update details. It's a busy week with every download store having some new content on offer, so let's get started. Wii U eShop: Toki Tori...
News Wiggy Design Mod Finally Makes The Sega Nomad Truly Portable
Better screen, internal battery and improved sound - it's the Nomad X
As you'll already know, we're massive fans of Wiggy Design's Rose Colored Gaming here at Nintendo Life. Wiggy's motto is "New ideas for old games", and his most recent upgrade certainly lives up to that. The Nomad X mod takes Sega's portable Genesis / Mega Drive console and makes...
News Amazon Promoting Rival Consoles On Nintendo Product Pages
You know there's also this "Vita" thing...?
Kotaku’s Jason Schreier has long been intrigued by Amazon.com’s lack of direct supply when it comes to Nintendo consoles. Now he has reported on another unusual habit: the advertising of other brand names on Nintendo consoles’ product pages. Looking up Xbox 360 and PS3 consoles on Amazon shows...
Weirdness Looks Like Link Is Versed In The Japanese Art Of Kyudo Archery
They sure know their Far Eastern archery skills in Hyrule
We sure get sent some unusual news tips here at Nintendo Life, but when Ben "Mikeyman64" Barger decided to tell us about a cool feature he'd found in Super Smash Bros. Melee, we knew we were onto something a little more out of the ordinary. According to our tipster, Link's bow-work in the...
News Deus Ex: Human Revolution Developer Hopes The Game Will Boost Wii U Sales
"It's even sharper than the PC version"
Nintendo fans have been waiting patiently for Deus Ex: Human Revolution Director's Cut to arrive on Wii U. It's been a good couple of years since it was released on other platforms, but it looks as though it could be well worth the wait as the developer has crammed in a tonne of new features to create what it...
News XSEED Details Game Localisation Costs
Just wait until you see the snack budget!
XSEED Games, known for its excellent translations of games like Little King's Story and Unchained Blades, recently spoke with localisation advocate Operation Rainfall about their development process. During the interview it went into detail - sort of - about the various costs that go into localising a...
News Capcom Is Bringing Custom Armour Action To The 3DS With Gaist Crusher
You know, for kids!
Capcom has announced the excellently-named Gaist Crusher for the Nintendo 3DS. An ambitious project which will span video games, comics, cartoons, music and (of course) toy merchandise, Gaist Crusher is part of Capcom's fresh desire to create content for younger players. The fact that it also focuses on "collecting" elements —...
Video Nintendo UK Unleashes a Series of Fire Emblem: Awakening Tasters
It's getting closer, Europe
Although lucky gamers in North America have now been enjoying Fire Emblem: Awakening on 3DS since the start of February — Japanese gamers have been playing since last year — those of us in Europe are still waiting. It arrives in the region on 19th April, which still seems like a fair old wait considering just how much...
News AeternoBlade Hitting Indiegogo To Secure Q3 Release On 3DS
Hitting eShop and retail in Europe
Bangkok-based Corecell Technology has released fresh details for its forthcoming 3DS platformer AeternoBlade — previously known as ChronoBlade. The game is focused on the manipulation of time, and showcases some impressive 3D visuals. The game is being positioned for a Q3 release this year, although Corecell...
News Shin Megami Tensei IV Coming To North American 3DS Consoles This Summer
Atlus keeps on bringing the JRPG love
Atlus has confirmed that Shin Megami Tensei IV will be coming to North America this Summer. Exclusive to the 3DS, Shin Megami Tensei IV is the first all-new entry in the popular series for a decade. No solid release date has been given, but Atlus has confirmed it will be a "premium" title. You can check out...
News Luigi's Mansion 2 Spooks Its Way Into UK Top Ten
LEGO City Undercover can't quite crack the case
Last week saw two notable new releases on Nintendo platforms in the UK, with Luigi's Mansion 2 — known as Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon in some regions — hitting 3DS, and LEGO City Undercover landing on Wii U. Luigi's ghost-filled adventure enjoyed the best performance of the two, coming in at 5th...
Monday1st Apr 2013
Guide Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate for Beginners
Gear up and be ready
This is the first entry in a new series of articles that you'll see on Nintendo Life in the coming weeks and months, as we aim to offer a beginner's introduction to a major franchise or release on a Nintendo system. We'll aim to provide a broad, high-level outline of what a particular series or game is all about, while providing...
News New "Luigi Code" To Provide a Fresh Take on Virtual Console Classics
Time to go green
Update: 2nd April - OK maybe this article is telling a few porky pies! Original Article: As the "Year of Luigi" gets into full swing, it appears that the younger member of the Mario Bros. is set to appear in a number of additional titles in the coming months, giving them his own twist in the process. We understand that there are...
News Surprise Discounts Hit the 3DS eShop in North America
It's not an April Fools trick
While sales and discounts are becoming increasingly common on the 3DS and Wii U eShop platforms, it seems that Nintendo of America has chosen 1st April, of all days, to sneak some discounts onto the eShop. In total six games have seen a price drop, and when our man checked the details he could see no indication that...
Site News Happy "Nintendo Life" Anniversary!
Time to celebrate, it's been four years
Some of our long-term readers might remember that on this day four years ago we merged our three Nintendo sites — VC Reviews, WiiWare World and the original Nintendo Life — together to form the new and improved "Nintendo Life". Since then we've grown our readership to an unprecedented level, and according...
Talking Point Playing it Safe in Big-Budget Console Games is Stifling Creativity
Developers cannot afford to take risks
The video game industry is going through a transformational period at the moment. It used to be all about console gaming — whether that be on a system hooked up to a TV in your living room or on the go in the form of a handheld such as the 3DS — but now the market is broader, with the likes of...
News Special AR Pre-Paid Cards Coming To Japan
Satoru Iwata shows them off during a Chotto Direct
Satoru Iwata has announced a selection of new special pre-paid cards will be coming to Japan during a Chotto Nintendo Direct. What's so special about them? Well, they double up as augmented reality cards, which can be used in conjunction with new 3DS downloadable AR software called Isshoni Photo...
News Dillon's Rolling Western: The Last Ranger Gets Japanese Release Date
Should be coming this month in the West
During the latest Chotto Nintendo Direct Satoru Iwata revealed some new footage as well as a release date for Dillon's Rolling Western: The Last Ranger. The downloadable game stars an armadillo ranger called Dillon and is the sequel to last year's Dillon's Rolling Western. It's set to feature the same style...
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