News The Pokémon Company Lays Down The Law On Cheaters
Users of "illegal Pokémon" will be banned
E3 2013 Nintendo Direct Live Stream
We bring you everything, as it happens.
News Microsoft Execs Thought They Owned Donkey Kong After Acquiring Rare
Conker's Bad Fur Day director tells an amusing tale
News Nintendo Teases Majora's Mask Remake Again, Again
Oh Shigeru Miyamoto, have mercy
News - June, 2013
Sunday30th Jun 2013
News Microsoft Execs Thought They Owned Donkey Kong After Acquiring Rare
Conker's Bad Fur Day director tells an amusing tale
Back in 2002 Microsoft forked out $375 million to acquire UK-based developer Rare, which had previously enjoyed a long prosperous period with Nintendo. Of course that meant all of Rare's intellectual properties went along for the ride, including Perfect Dark and Banjo Kazooie. However, according...
Review Farming Simulator 3D (3DS eShop)
A field of dreams or a load of crop?
Say it with us…Farm-ing Sim-u-la-tor. How does that make you feel? Are you intrigued, or does it sound about as fun as, well, an exhausting day of work on the farm? If you’re questioning whether you’d personally find enjoyment in a game like this, then you should probably keep on truckin’. However, if the...
News Limited Edition Pokémon X & Y 3DS LL To Release In Japan
Set to feature the legendary Xerneas and Yveltal
June has been a fantastic month for Pokémon fans; a brand new Fairy type has been revealed, a developer roundtable brought us fresh details on trainer battles, new creatures have been announced, and the franchise will be getting its own ev
Rumour Mario Kart 8 Coming To Wii U in April
Spanish newsletter may have jumped the gun
During the special E3 Nintendo Direct we caught our first glimpse of Mario Kart 8 and it was revealed the game would be available in Spring 2014. There's been no specific date or month given for its release, however, a newsletter from Nintendo of Europe - which can be seen below - has seemingly let the cat...
Review Gabrielle's Ghostly Groove Mini (3DS eShop)
A lot less gabby
We at Nintendo Life have enjoyed the various Gabrielle's Ghostly Groove games, but so far we've tended to like them more for their charm and visual appeal than for their gameplay or for anything they do particularly well. This is a trend that goes back to the WiiWare incarnation of the series, Gabrielle's Ghostly Groove: Monster...
Feature A Glimpse Into Nintendo Life's Animal Crossing: New Leaf Adventures - Part Two
It's all getting a bit silly
Not too long ago we brought you a glimpse into Nintendo Life's Animal Crossing: New Leaf adventures, where some of our team gave an insight into their weird and wonderful worlds in Nintendo's 3DS title. It's a game that's rapidly becoming a classic, certainly in the eyes of New Leaf addicts, and quite a few of our...
News Project Sweat Could Come To Wii U if Stretch Goal is Reached
Action RPG needs £45,000 to come to Nintendo's system
Humid Games recently opened up a Kickstarter campaign for an action RPG that goes by the name Project Sweat. It's trying to gather £25,000 so it can release on Windows, Mac and Linux but now the project has new stretch goals to include console versions as well. Should Project Sweat manage to...
News Australia Gearing Up For Pokémon Video Game National Championships At PAX
Winners get the chance to compete at the World Championships
Nintendo Australia has announced the upcoming PAX event to be held in Melbourne will host the Pokémon Video Game Australian National Championships for trainers in Australia and New Zealand to take part in. Trainers will battle it out using their copy of Pokémon Black and White 2 at the...
Saturday29th Jun 2013
News Soul Saga: Episode I Officially Heading To Wii U
Kickstarter project smashes through that $80,000 stretch goal
Soul Saga: Episode I will officially be coming to Wii U after the one man development studio Disastercake reached the $80,000 stretch goal on Kickstarter. Originally, the stretch funding level to bring a Wii U version stood at $105,000 but Mike Gale, the man behind the beautiful looking...
News 3D Versions Of Shinobi III And Streets Of Rage Coming To 3DS eShop
Another dimension
Japan got 3D Ecco the Dolphin this week, but Sega isn't done with its 3D re-releases just yet. A PEGI rating has been spotted for Shinobi III: Return of the Ninja Master (Super Shinobi II in Japan), and the
Video This Mario & Luigi Trailer is the Stuff Dreams Are Made Of
Suitably zany
For fans of the Mario & Luigi RPG franchise developed by AlphaDream, Mario & Luigi: Dream Team can't arrive on 3DS soon enough. Early glimpses promise the same wacky humour that's characterised the series, while we're hopeful that the capabilities of the handheld will bring even more creativity; we already know that the...
Video Let's Play Fast & Furious: Showdown
OH GOD WHY ME
Fast & Furious: Showdown is a videogame. Sorry, let me try that again. Fast & Furious: Showdown is what Activision calls a videogame. Watch me play some of it.
Developer Interview Phil Tossell Talks Tengami and Japanese Papercraft
Ex-Rare developer talks us through his new experience
Back in April, we got the exclusive scoop on Tengami's Wii U release. Two months later, we caught up with the game's developer and former Rare coding guru, Phil Tossell, to talk about the Japanese-themed pop-up adventure. Nintendo Life: We're here with Phil Tossell of Nyamyam Games. You may know...
News Pokémon Getting Its Own Trade Show In Japan This Summer
Too big for Tokyo Game Show
One of Nintendo's biggest franchises is deserving of its own trade show; naturally dubbed Pokémon Game Show, the event is set to be hosted at Tokyo Big Sight on the 17th and 18th of August this year. Those who attend the venue will get a chance to play the hotly anticipated Pokémon X & Y for the first time, and get...
News Pokémon US National Championships Set To Commence Next Week
All attendees will receive a special Metagross
Back in January, thousands of Pokémon trainers flocked to several different US cities with their copies of Pokémon Black and White 2 to compete in the Pokémon Video Game Winter Regional Championships. Each region had three different age divisions to compete in and the winners are now preparing for...
Friday28th Jun 2013
News The Pokémon Company Lays Down The Law On Cheaters
Users of "illegal Pokémon" will be banned
Considering how fun and addictive Pokémon battles with friends are, it's no surprise tournaments have cropped up all over the world for trainers to show off their 'mon's skills. However, one blight that has been attached to the competitions is the use of modified Pokémon. Essentially, people can use...
First Impressions Yoshi's New Island
A bad egg?
The 3DS has been having the time of its short lifespan in 2013, and it's never felt like this before. Rubbish jokes based on '80s songs aside, it's been a glorious six months for the handheld, with some exceptional games already on the market and more on the way. With monster hits like Pokémon X & Y and The Legend of Zelda: A Link...
Review Defenders of Oasis (3DS eShop / GG)
Water way to go
Given the staggering popularity of the RPG genre, it’s amazing that so few titles have broken free of the seemingly obligatory European fantasy setting. Most notable entries tend to feature swords, knights, dragons and all the usual medieval trappings, and as a result some old-school role-playing titles are genuinely difficult to...
News Another 3DS System Update Goes Live
No thrills this time around
If you haven't noticed already, there's a new 3DS system update in town. The last entry brought a save backup feature, locked out the one working 3DS flashcard before it even went to market and, in PAL regions and Japan, brought additional paid-DLC to the StreetPass Plaza. Released yesterday, the fresh update seems to be...
Let's get it started, in here
So, Wii Party U's evolved from a Summer Party to a Holiday Party, courtesy of the development delay confirmed by Satoru Iwata at E3. That's fine with us here at Nintendo Life, as we think every day is a party day, so we happily wandered over to the the demo unit at a recent preview event ready for the ultimate digital...
Video Debut Fantasy Life Link Trailer Arrives in Japan
How's that localisation going, Level-5?
Fantasy Life, if you don't already know, is a 3DS title that came from a collaboration between Level-5 and Nintendo subsidiary Brownie Brown, which is now known as 1-UP Studios. It's a title where you can choose a a profession and interact with the large game world, and when you feel like it you can embark on...
News Nintendo Wins Another Patent Battle, This Time Over MotionPlus
That legal team is on fire
Nintendo faces its fair share of patent battles, which in most cases — not all, with a notable loss on 3DS screen technology — go the Kyoto company's way. Plenty of these disputes focus on the Wii and its various peripherals, which is more than likely due to the console's phenomenal sales success and its various...
News Iwata Says He Didn't Commit to Stepping Down Over Missed Profit Targets
So we should stop saying he will
Earlier this year we reported on translated comments from Satoru Iwata at a Corporate Management Policy Briefing, in which he made a personal commitment to Nintendo's target of 100 billion Yen of operating profit for this current financial year. It's a substantial target that was reiterated in Nintendo's end of year...
News Nintendo - Donkey Kong Series is Adaptable to Fresh Ideas
Also, getting the ba-BOOM ba-BOOM ba-BOOM rhythm was important
Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze may not have been the Retro Studios project that some fans desired or expected, but nevertheless it is a sequel to one of the finest platformers to grace the Wii. Ultimately, the odds are good at this stage that it'll be a hugely enjoyable experience...
News Boxed Copies of Mutant Mudds May Be Possible
Renegade Kid seeking information from Nintendo
Mutant Mudds on the 3DS eShop has an obvious retro charm, but you know what’s really retro? Getting your game in a good old, hold-it-in-your-hands box; not magically downloaded from invisible pieces screaming through the ether from all this newfangled alien wireless technology we have these days...
News Atlus USA States That It's Currently "Unaffected" by Issues With Japanese Parent Company
Shin Megami Tensei IV still on track for release
Yesterday we reported that the parent company of developer/publisher Atlus, Index, was in the midst of financial difficulties in Japan and had entered "civil rehabilitation proceedings". Some have compared this to bankruptcy, though the law in Japan means that it's not an exact match, with the general...
News Super Ubie Land Set To Emerge This August
Update: Wii U version now scheduled for "the Fall"
Since Notion Games revealed the release date of Super Ubie Land, the developer has clarified its comments on Twitter. Although Notion Games clearly wrote #WiiU, #Nintendo and #eShop in the tweet, this is actually the date for the PC, Mac and Linux adaptations. The Wii U eShop version will launch...
News Aqua Moto Racing 3D Developer Keen to Bring it to Wii U
"It would be a dream"
Aqua Moto Racing 3D arrived in the European 3DS eShop this week, with the North American release to arrive relatively soon. We're currently working on our review, but it's a title — and series — that's achieved notable success on smartphones, and from video footage alone may remind some of the Wave Race titles that graced...
Thursday27th Jun 2013
Weirdness The Mystery of the Mega Man 2 Box Art Pistol is Explained
Capcom's Art Director blew it
Retro game covers can be fascinating, on occasion because of just how awful they can look. Often there's a charm on display that you just don't see in many modern-day, high budget cover designs that have clearly been produced by a rather expensive branding agency; back then, video games were also predominantly targeting...
Nintendo Download 27th June (North America)
Sonic returns, urban style, shmup action, grooving and more
It's that time again, North America, when downloadable goodies arrive for your delight on Nintendo's systems. The 3DS shines with a variety of experiences this week, while the Wii U Virtual Console get an underwhelming retro release but a decent Virtual Console promotion; Wii and DSi are...
Review Tails Adventure (3DS eShop / GG)
Foxtales
Miles 'Tails' Prower has come a long way since his debut as a silent, second-player-controlled sidekick in Sonic the Hedgehog 2, becoming one of SEGA's most beloved mascots and appearing in dozens of games over the past twenty years. It's a bit surprising then that he's only had headlining roles in two titles, both on the Game Gear: the...
News Pikmin 3 Will Need to Gather 3950MB to Download onto Your Wii U
That's 31,840 blocks in old money
Pikmin 3 is getting so close that we can almost smell the flowers, right before we ruthlessly hurl Pikmin at them. It arrives in Europe on 26th July and North America on 4th August, and we shouldn't forget that fans of the GameCube originals have been demanding this new title since the early Wii days. Nintendo's...
News Nintendo Defends Influx of New Mario Titles
Too much of a good Mario?
There’s no doubt Nintendo has been putting its world-famous plumber to work. Since New Super Mario Bros. Wii in 2009, there has been at least one new Mario platformer released each year. The pace has felt even faster recently, with the expected December arrival of Super Mario 3D World marking the third Mario platformer...
Impressions Multiplayer is a Big Deal in Nintendo's Wii U Lineup
Get by with a little help from your friends
Earlier this week various Nintendo Life staffers were lucky enough to attend post-E3 preview events, from which we've been covering games that we didn't go hands-on with at the LA extravaganza — more impressions are on the way, too. Various Wii U games were on show, and one theme that shone through was...
News Indie Developer Explains How Nintendo Made Him a Wii U Believer
Xander Davis now planning CIDER for Wii U
The Wii U has endured a lot of negative press for various reasons and in some cases, we're sure many would agree, criticism has focused on genuine weaknesses in the system's early days. While various developers and publishers have voiced support and optimism for Nintendo's console, a good number have also...
News Armikrog Officially Coming To Wii U
Kickstarter campaign hits Wii U stretch goal just in time
Pencil Test Studios has been running a Kickstarter campaign over the past month for its point-and-click adventure Armikrog, and the project has officially reached its set target of $900,000. What's more, the campaign even managed to reach its Wii U stretch goal with just a couple of hours to...
News Corecell Turns To Crowdfunding To Bring AeternoBlade To The West
There's even the chance of a Wii U version
Corecell Technology is a relatively small developer that has been operating in Thailand for almost a decade now. It's developed a few titles for Nintendo systems in the past, including Wicked Monsters Blast, which is a shooting-based selection of mini-games for Wii. It's been developing a 3DS title for...
News Atlus' Parent Company in the Midst of Financial Difficulties in Japan
Index enters "civil rehabilitation proceedings"
Atlus will be a name familiar to fans of franchises such as Shin Megami Tensei and Etrian Odyssey, with the company's regional office in North America being particularly active on Nintendo systems. It's also a developer with which Nintendo is currently in partnership, with January's Wii U Direct...
News Angry Birds Trilogy Flocks to Wii and Wii U in August
Just when you thought the piggies were safe...
If by chance you're one of the three people that hasn't yet played Rovio's mega-popular Angry Birds series, or prefer to play your pig-killing physics puzzlers on the big screen, you're in luck — Rovio has announced that Angry Birds Trilogy will launch on both Wii and Wii U in North America as retail...
News Xbox 360 Sales Set to Pass the Wii's in the UK
Dem FPS and footie gamez
The Wii has kicked some serious booty in terms of global sales, getting close to 100 million sales and 'winning', at the time of writing, its generation of systems. That impressive success can mask the fact that the diminutive console has seen momentum go off the cliff since early 2012, as games dried up and the Wii U...
Developer Interview Richard Perrin Talks About Journal and Nintendo's Approach to Indies
"Nintendo are leagues ahead of where they’ve been in the past"
We recently caught up with Richard Perrin - the creator of Kairo and the white chamber - at the Rezzed PC and Indie Games Show at the NEC in Birmingham to find out what's happening with his latest creation, Journal. Richard is currently focusing on the Windows version of the game, but...
Wednesday26th Jun 2013
News Sakurai Explains The Reasoning Behind The New Characters in Super Smash Bros.
No choice was made "for the sake of cheap novelty"
Super Smash Bros. was one of the highlights from this year's E3 Nintendo Direct presentation and it gave us all a first glimpse of the new characters joining the fight in the Wii U and 3DS iteration of the popular franchise. Naturally, the inclusion of Mega Man, the Villager and Wii Fit Trainer got...
News EA Outlines Its Reasons for Lack of Wii U Support
From "unprecedented" to "unsupported"
To say that EA's lack of support for the Wii U has been to the detriment of the fledgling console would perhaps be an understatement. With the absence of the powerhouse publisher's massive library of big-name franchises, from EA Sports to Battlefield to more casual titles like PopCap's various series, the...
You know you're playing a Platinum game when...
Way back in June 2012, we had the chance to play Project P-100, an exuberant new IP from PlatinumGames being published by Nintendo. It's had a name change, and its arrival has been delayed to such an extent that it's done the rounds to appear at this year's preview events; we've gone hands on with...
First Impressions Sonic Lost World
Super Sonic
After a line of games that it would be altogether generous to label a “rough patch”, poor old Sonic is back on his speedy feet. Thanks to the combo of Sonic Unleashed (well, its daytime stages), Sonic Colors and Sonic Generations, SEGA's mascot is finally leaning back towards the positive side of the quality spectrum, and it seems...
Weirdness Level-5's Favourite Character Poll Doesn't Go to Plan
And the winner is...
As part of the celebrations for its 15 year anniversary, well-known Japanese developer Level-5 recently held an online poll to allow gamers to vote for their favourite characters from the company's lineup. With franchises such as Professor Layton and Inazuma Eleven in its portfolio, some would have expected the voting to be...
News Activision - "We Want to See Nintendo be Successful"
"They've got some incredible IP that has yet to come"
With the Wii U's difficult 2013, and the significant efforts from Nintendo to line up a compelling Wii U release schedule for Fall, the Holiday season and beyond, there have been the expected question marks over third-party support, particularly into 2014. If E3 demonstrated one loud point on...
News Watch the Japanese Pikmin 3 Nintendo Direct - Live!
Look at the pretty graphics, if you don't speak Japanese
It's that time again — the first occasion since that bombast and noise-making of E3 — for a new Nintendo Direct. This may not be a landmark presentation to enrapture us all — it's focused exclusively on Pikmin 3 and will be in Japanese — but will allow us to see more of the upcoming...
Review Jewel Quest 5 - The Sleepless Star (DSiWare)
Jewel Identity
We often complain about the lack of innovation in today's games industry. Publishers and developers tend to take the safe and easy route, making games that stick closely to a tried-and-tested template with the odd tweak here and there. While there's nothing wrong with making a sequel to a popular game, it's not unreasonable for us...
News Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D Knocked Off The Top Spot in Japanese Sales Charts
The 3DS continues to dominate both software and hardware charts
Last week saw Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D swing into pole position in the Japanese sales charts in its first week of release. The title was one of five 3DS games placed in the top five but that dominance is now over as the PlayStation 3 title The Last of Us fought through the hoards...
News Miiverse Update Doubles Character Limit for Posts
Take that, Twitter
The Wii U's bespoke social network, Miiverse, has seen quite a few changes since its initial launch in North America on 18th November 2012. It's escaped the Wii U hardware with a neat web browser version — though you do need a Nintendo Network ID to use it fully — and has seen various other tweaks and changes to improve the...
News 3D Adventure Title Dreamfall Chapters Under Consideration for Wii U
No promises as Wii U is "underpowered compared to the next-gen consoles"
A number of upcoming Wii U eShop titles, many scheduled for 2014, are coming to fruition thanks to crowdfunding. One that we may be able to add to the list in the future is Dreamfall Chapters: The Longest Journey — this is a 3D adventure title from Norwegian developer Red...
News Treat Your Ears to This Awesome K.K. and Friends Animal Crossing Album
An alternative soundtrack for your town
With Animal Crossing: New Leaf currently the game of choice for many, it's pretty hard to get enough of the utterly charming franchise. Who thought that living in a town with talking animals and carrying out manual labour for a fictional currency would be fun? Nintendo did, and it was right. An important part...
Competition Winners The #3DSreasons That Will Receive a Copy of Animal Crossing: New Leaf
Check out the winning videos
Not so long ago we launched a regional competition, in partnership with Nintendo UK, in which gamers had to submit a video response to the following trailer promoting the 3DS. We had some terrifically varied submissions that responded to the call, as the UK-based members of the Nintendo Life community dug out those...
News Kokuga Confirmed For North American Release on 27th June
Yes, that's this week's update
In happy news for action top-down shooter fans in North America, the intriguing Kokuga is now confirmed for this week's update, at least it's listed as such on the game's official website. This title is from Ikaruga creator Hiroshi Iuchi, and will include local multiplayer alongside options to determine how long...
Tuesday25th Jun 2013
The best of 200+ worlds
It's unlikely that this review is the first you're hearing of Project X Zone; with a sprawling, time-traveling, world-hopping, dimension-skipping plot that draws together more than 200 characters from about 30 different franchises, there's been a lot of excited talk about this one. Now that we've been able to spend our time...
Review Star Wars Rogue Squadron II: Rogue Leader (GameCube)
A force to be reckoned with
In many ways, Star Wars Rogue Squadron II: Rogue Leader is the definitive Star Wars game. That's not to say that it's the best game that's ever been based on the franchise, but rather, it's the best at capturing the pure essence and magic of it. Developed by Factor 5 in collaboration with LucasArts, it's a technical...
Talking Point It's Time for Nintendo to Drop Region Locking
Microsoft and Sony have moved on
There are some realities that, despite their annoyances, are part of the typical life of a Nintendo gamer. For the second home console generation in a row Nintendo's offering is less powerful — in terms of raw graphical processing — than its direct upcoming competitors in the PS4 and Xbox One, with a focus on...
Hands On StreetPass Plaza's Downloadable Content
Play Coin guzzlers
A few days ago, Nintendo launched a surprise update to the 3DS's StreetPass Plaza in Europe and Japan. Previously home to Puzzle Swap and StreetPass Quest alone, users can now purchase a further four games to play with any Miis that they encounter when out and about. As with the other Plaza games, you can use the Mii of anybody...
News Ouya Heralds Emulation By Tweeting Image of Super Mario Bros.
It wants Mario to be free, apparently
Ouya - the Android-based, open source console that has the capability to run emulators - is now available to buy and has already whipped up a storm of controversy. Naturally, piracy is an issue that has surrounded the new console ever since its inception and will always swarm around it, but Ouya hasn't exactly...
Nintendo Download 27th June (Europe)
Dillon returns, Mighty Switchin', Wario madness and much more
A day later than normal, we have the European download news to enjoy, and it's a packed lineup this week. We have various new and old goodies on Wii U and 3DS, even if the Wii and DSi miss out once again. Whatever your budget or favoured genre, you have decent odds of finding something...
News A Hat in Time Smashes Through All Kickstarter Stretch Goals
Developer still in talks about a Wii U version
At the end of May Gears For Breakfast opened up a Kickstarter campaign for the beautiful 3D cel-shaded platformer A Hat in Time. The campaign is in its final days now and it has not only achieved its set target but has smashed through every single stretch goal too. A Hat in Time will now feature a...
Feature A Glimpse Into Nintendo Life's Animal Crossing: New Leaf Adventures - Part One
It's oh so charming
There's one game dominating the attention of a number of Nintendo Life writers right now, and that's Animal Crossing: New Leaf. The title that's already enjoyed critical and commercial success has earned the affections of plenty of 3DS owners, with its whimsical, quirky nature contributing to its irresistible charm. One of its...
News Pikmin 3 Featuring In The Latest Japanese Nintendo Direct Broadcast
Miyamoto will play the game in front of your hungry eyes
It's been exactly two weeks since the last Nintendo Direct broadcast for this years E3, and now the company has announced that a new presentation will take place tomorrow, the 26th June, focusing primarily on the upcoming Wii U release, Pikmin 3. The stream will take place on Nintendo's...
News Pilotwings Soars Into The North American Wii U eShop This Thursday
Nintendo's website lists the Wii U Virtual Console release
Pilotwings, the flight simulator that launched alongside the Super Nintendo way back when, looks set to be released on the North American Wii U Virtual Console as it's been listed on the official Nintendo website. The game sees you take to the skies using either a light plane, hang glider...
Video Skylanders Swap Force Really Lives Up To Its Name
Family Gamer's Andy Robertson gets swap-happy
The clue’s in the name right? Skylanders Swap Force is an interesting proposition this year because of all that switching and swapping you can do with the new figures. What we hadn’t appreciated was quite how varied the new mixed up creations could be, or how much they would feel like fully fledged...
News A Study Suggests the Wii Could be Used to Improve the Balance of Parkinson's Sufferers
Could reduce fall risks as part of exercise routine
We know the Wii brand has often been promoted to push activity and fitness, but a preliminary study reported in Medpage Today suggests that Wii games, and specifically the Balance Board, can play a role in strengthening the balance of Parkinson’s patients. According to the report, the “use of...
Monday24th Jun 2013
News Reggie Fils-Aime's Home In Animal Crossing: New Leaf Distributed Through SpotPass
Make sure your body is ready before entering his house
It seems it's not just the Nintendo Life team and our lovely readers who have their hands glued to their 3DS systems playing Animal Crossing: New Leaf; Reggie Fils-Aime is also absorbed with the adorable simulation game, as the tour of his own house will tell. The virtual residence of Nintendo...
News EA: We're Not Writing Off Wii U
"We’ve launched four games. We’re proud of them"
Electronic Arts has enjoyed a rather inconsistent relationship with the Wii U since it launched last year. Following promises of "unprecedented support", the publisher has so far delivered four titles for the console and doesn't appear to have any big-name releases on the horizon. However, like...
News Nintendo May Have Eased Off On Its Claims To 'Let's Play' Ad Revenues
Popular YouTuber says he's making money on Nintendo content again
Last month we reported on Nintendo's move to put a block on 'Let's Play' videos on YouTube monetising any of its copyrighted content. Essentially, the company claimed the rights to any revenue generated from user-created video content that is long enough to get an advert placed at the...
Review Wrecking Crew (Wii U eShop / NES)
It's wrecking time!
Mario's claim to fame has often been jumping; a simple skill, but unfailingly entertaining. It can be tough to remember a time when he traded high-flying acrobatics for a hammer and an insatiable appetite for destruction, but that's exactly the case in Wrecking Crew. Smashing things to bits is the straightforward goal, but...
News Game Gear Mega Man Could be Destined for the 3DS Virtual Console
Seems likely thanks to ESRB rating
We've sure had a lot of retro Mega Man on Nintendo systems recently, with both the 3DS and Wii U Virtual Consoles bringing us fresh experiences that we hadn't enjoyed since the Wii Virtual Console; sarcasm aside, they've been additional opportunities for newcomers to the series to see what fans have been banging on...
News Fan Project Mega Man Unlimited Finished and Blasting Onto PC on 14th July
It's a new Mega Man game, rejoice!
Back in early May we brought your attention to the fan-developed PC game, Mega Man Unlimited, though it perhaps helps dodge problems by ditching the space as Megaman Unlimited. The work of Philippe "MegaPhilX" Poulin and a small but dedicated team, its terrific art design once confused a Capcom employee who...
News Spruced Up Version Of The Chaos Engine Could Be Coming To Consoles
Bitmap Brothers' classic shooter is getting a new lease of life
Fans of 16-bit gaming will no doubt be jumping for joy at the news that The Chaos Engine is getting a revival of sorts. Published by Mastertronic and overseen by original developer Mike Montgomery, the new version will be launching on PC, Mac and Linux this August — but we could see...
News Animal Crossing: New Leaf Secures Second in the UK Charts, Again
A fine performance from the 3DS exclusive
Animal Crossing: New Leaf is hot stuff right now, earning Nintendo plenty of Bells as it continues to attract gamers and cause obsessions over fossils, tree shaking and the latest cool hats available to buy. It's not often a title as quirky and twee as New Leaf sells in big numbers and engages gamers of all...
News Star Wars Pinball Bringing the Force to Wii U on 11th July
Patience, padawan
When Zen Pinball 2 was released earlier this year, there was a delay before it landed in North America, while Wii U fans were disappointed to miss out on the Star Wars tables as DLC. It may have taken a while, and they've already been available on every other platform for a good amount of time, but it's been confirmed that Star...
News Aqua Moto Racing 3D Hopes to Make Waves in the eShop on 27th June
Attempting to replicate smartphone success
Update: Zordix AB has confirmed that, contrary to the impression given earlier, this title is only confirmed for 27th June in Europe, with a North American date yet to be confirmed. Original Article: Zordix is a developer that's enjoyed some success in the smartphone market with its Moto games, while...
News Spin The Bottle Aims to be Fun for "Everything From Families to Drunken College Kids"
More about the game that doesn't need a TV
Those that follow our Wii U eShop coverage may have already read a good deal about Spin the Bottle: Bumpie's Party, the experimental title from KnapNok Games that takes the TV out of the equation, with players being assigned tasks on the GamePad which are then carried out, in a collaborative way, using Wii...
Sunday23rd Jun 2013
Review New Super Luigi U (Wii U eShop)
New Super DLC for U
So, what is New Super Luigi U? It's not straight-up DLC, nor is it sizable enough to justify a full price retail game, so Nintendo has opted for a best of both worlds approach; it's available as either pricey DLC for New Super Mario Bros. U or as an inexpensive standalone retail game to be released at a later date. What does it...
Review Mario Bros. (Wii U eShop / NES)
Definitely not super
If you've ever been curious about Mario and Luigi's actual credibility as plumbers, you'll want to look all the way back to 1983's Mario Bros., the game which established pipe-cleaning as their true vocation and served as something of a bridge between arcade sensation Donkey Kong and early platforming masterpiece Super Mario...
News You Can Now Pre-Order a Copy of Soul Saga on Wii U For Only $15
Update: Wii U stretch goal reduced to $80,000
Since we posted this exciting news, Disastercake has been in touch with us to let us know it has reduced the Wii U stretch goal to $80,000. Here's what Mike Gale has just told us: I wanted to let you know that I reduced the stretch goal for the Wii U down to $80,000. I really want to see Soul Saga on...
News Happy 22nd Birthday, Sonic!
The Blue Blur is still running strong
SEGA has released a celebratory tweet to honour the 22nd anniversary of Sonic the Hedgehog’s release on the Mega Drive (the Genesis in North America), and what a long, strange journey the Blue Blur has had since. Sonic’s career has had its ups, its downs and its loop de loops, but perhaps the strangest...
News Bethesda Has No Current Plans For Wii U or Handhelds
Not ruling out future releases, though
Bethesda has never really been associated with Nintendo. The developer behind the Elder Scrolls and Fallout series can mostly be found making games for PC and other consoles and it seems likely it will stay that way for the foreseeable future. In an interview with Eurogamer, Peter Hines, Vice President of PR...
Saturday22nd Jun 2013
News Nintendo Blocks 3DS Flashcard With Latest Firmware Update
It didn't take long
A short while ago a functional 3DS flashcard emerged into view that gave people the opportunity to play ROMS on their 3DS. ROMS are a particularly touchy subject as many do in fact use them as a means of backing up legally owned content. However, the Nintendo DS suffered greatly because of them as many flashcard users downloaded...
Video Reggie Shows Off Wii U to Jimmy Fallon, Hilarity Ensues
COME ON!!! BANG BANG!!!
It's been video game week on the Late Night with Jimmy Fallon show, with various executives making an appearance and various game-related shenanigans, including an awesome Mario rap by The Roots. Wrapping up the week, Nintendo of America President Reggie Fils-Aime made his customary appearance to show off the Wii U. Rather...
News Kickstarter J-RPG Soul Saga: Episode I Heading to the Wii U, if Funded
We catch up with the developer for more details
The one-man-band behind Indie development studio, Disastercake, is hoping to bring its J-RPG style Kickstarter project to the Wii U eShop in Q4 2014. Described as a "love letter to J-RPG classics from the Playstation era like Final Fantasy, Breath of Fire, Suikoden, and Persona", Soul Saga: Episode I...
Guide Family Gamer TV Shows You How To Move Towns In Animal Crossing: New Leaf
Pack your bags
Lots of people all over the world are now enjoying their copy of Animal Crossing: New Leaf - catching fish, inviting friends over for tea and scaring poor old Blathers with creepy crawlies. Many people have their own character on a friend's copy of the game and upon picking up their own edition they will naturally want to move to the...
Poll Are You in the DLC Brigade?
More and more is on offer
The arrival of New Super Luigi U — our review of which will be posted this weekend — is, as we've argued, a potential evolution of paid-DLC and budget retail titles, as Nintendo seeks to produce a package significant enough to be a fairly expensive (comparatively) piece of add-on software and, on the flipside, a...
Review Big Bass Arcade: No Limit (3DS eShop)
Fish it to the limit
Two years ago, Big John Games angled two fishing simulators towards Wii and DSi owners on the then current gen gaming consoles. It's now decided to take a leap upstream, diving headfirst onto the 3DS with Big Bass Arcade: No Limit. While this third entry in the series does well to live up to those that came before i, does it...
News Shigeru Miyamoto Explains Structure To Ensure First-Party Quality From Subsidiaries
"We want to leverage the capabilities of Retro Studios further"
With third-party support for Wii U, beyond the Winter at least, practically on hold as companies wait to see a bump in the system's sales, Nintendo is stepping into the breach with an extensive range of first-party games. Some are from Nintendo's internal teams in Japan, some are from...
Friday21st Jun 2013
Wario party
Going back a few years, it was something of a tradition for Nintendo to launch a new platform with a WarioWare title in hot pursuit. Charming bundles of micro-games that packed as much personality and gameplay as possible into seconds-long chunks, and perfect for demonstrating the unique capabilities of new hardware, the WarioWare games...
Exclusive Conker's Bad Fur Day Creator Chris Seavor Is Bringing Rusty Pup To Wii U
Fellow ex-Rare developer Shawn Pile also involved
A short time ago, we posted a news piece regarding Chris Seavor's plans for the Wii U. He hinted on Twitter that Nintendo's console could figure in his plans, and we can now exclusively reveal that he wasn't kidding — Gory Detail's next game — following the iOS title Parashoot Stan — will be...
News Super Smash Bros. Will Have The Same Character Roster On Both Wii U And 3DS
Both versions share the same character experiences
Gamers who are torn between picking up Super Smash Bros. for Wii U or the 3DS can rest easy. Masahiro Sakurai, creator and designer of the Nintendo crossover series, confirmed that the playable character roster will be the same for both versions. In an interview with NowGamer Sakurai said:...
News Mario & Luigi: Dream Team Download Needs 6,789 of Your 3DS Blocks
A smidge bigger than Animal Crossing: New Leaf
Mario & Luigi: Dream Team — known as Mario & Luigi: Dream Team Bros. in Europe — hits in its European Bros. form on 12th July, and around a month later on 11th August in North America. As the latest in the adventure RPG series from AlphaDream, there's every chance that it could be a fairly...
News Miyamoto Unsure Nintendo Can Make Another "Great" F-Zero Game
"I certainly understand that people want a new F-Zero game"
Shigeru Miyamoto has acknowledged the fan demand for a new F-Zero entry, but has revealed to IGN that he doesn't feel Nintendo could do the concept justice at this moment in time. When quizzed about the future of the racing series, Miyamoto replied: I certainly understand that people...
Video This Official Zelda Symphony of the Goddesses Performance is Just Too Good
Why yes, Nintendo, we'd love a full album / DVD
We suspect that a good number of Nintendo Life community members know the Zelda Symphony of the Goddesses concert well, as it's been touring around the world delighting fans of the series. When you take the scores of iconic Zelda games and orchestrate them, magic undoubtedly happens. The tour is...
News Katsuya Eguchi: An Animal Crossing: New Leaf Town is "Something That You Should be Proud Of"
Developers aimed to create a "parallel world"
Animal Crossing: New Leaf is a title currently selling well, it seems, in Europe and North America, and has already been a significant success in Japan. As a game it can also be hard to explain to others, with its world following real time and so many activities being rather simple tasks in pursuit of...
News Capcom Teases More Mega Virtual Console Releases
You got a new re-make, Virtual Console Nostalgia!
Capcom loves Mega Man. It does, really, giving the Blue Bomber excessive Anniversary merchandise and official soundtrack releases to satisfy plenty of monied collectors. The company doesn't love the character enough to develop a new game, it seems, but those are the breaks. What Capcom's also doing...
Satoru Iwata recognises the importance of third-party content
One thing was painfully evident during E3 — third-party developers, even those that have previously been full-on with support, are backing off from the Wii U until its fortunes improve. Ubisoft, which has been keen to bring multi-platform blockbusters to the system, tellingly left Wii U...
News Shigeru Miyamoto Is Open to More Female Heroines When the Gameplay Structure Fits
Playable female characters prominent in upcoming Wii U games
If there's one topic that seems to do the games industry discredit on a regular basis, it's probably gender politics. It's often the case that when gender is the subject in games, reasonable and sensible debate can unfortunately be lost in a sea of unreasonable online noise. And yet it's a...
News Indie Point And Click Adventure Armikrog May Hit Wii U
It needs to reach its Kickstarter goal first
Pencil Test Studios has announced on the Kickstarter page for its upcoming adventure Armikrog that Nintendo of America reached out to them at E3 and expressed interest in the title coming to Wii U. While there are no concrete details or plans yet, here's what Pencil Test Studios had to say: After E3 we...
News Arc System Works Keen To Know How Badly You Want Guilty Gear Xrd -SIGN- On Wii U
Sign the petition to make your feelings known
Guilty Gear Xrd -SIGN- is the latest instalment in the long-running fighting game franchise, and is currently slated to hit arcades in the near future. Set one year after the events of Guilty Gear 2: Overtune, the game will make use of Epic's Unreal 3 Engine. A petition has been set up by hopeful fans...
Talking Point What Games Are You Playing This Weekend? - Issue Fourteen
It's obvious, isn't it?
It's the summer solstice in the Northern hemisphere, which means it's the longest day — in terms of sunlight rather than hours, because more hours would be silly — of the year. Ooh, all the more time for playing games with the curtains drawn because the pesky sun is making it hard to see the TV or portable screen...
Video Nintendo Life Plays Game & Wario
Launch your Fronks!
During E3 week, we all got together and played some videogames. As well as the Nintendo Land video that we posted up last Thursday, we also caught some Game & Wario footage, but we've not been able to share it with you. Until now! Check out the video to see how we got on with Intelligent Systems' latest menagerie of...
Thursday20th Jun 2013
News Nintendo Teases Majora's Mask Remake Again, Again
Oh Shigeru Miyamoto, have mercy
So, a 3DS remake of The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask, it's coming, right? It must be, because if it doesn't a large collective of Nintendo fans will march all the way to Kyoto to protest; well, that seems likely. The classic Nintendo 64 title is beloved by many, and some believe it surpasses The Legend of Zelda:...
News Sakurai Aiming To Please "The Silent Majority" With New Smash Bros.
Series director no longer considers Smash to be just a fighting game
As we all know, there's a new Smash Bros. title coming to the Wii U and 3DS next year. It looks amazing, has Mega Man in it, and is driving its creator to the point of
Nintendo Download 20th June (North America)
Luigi, Wario, tanks fighting bugs, X Zone craziness and much more
It's that time again, North America, when your Nintendo systems groan under the weight of new download offerings cramming up virtual servers. That's not always strictly accurate, but is this week, with plenty of new titles available on Wii U and 3DS, with a sequel even gracing...
Talking Point New Super Luigi U Opens The Door For Quick Expansions in Other Franchises
DLC and boxed copies can satisfy everyone
After a bit of a wait and a release lineup that, apart from the odd exception, has been drier than the Sahara desert in recent weeks, Luigi jumps to the rescue with New Super Luigi U. It's arrived in this week's Nintendo Download update as DLC for New Super Mario Bros. U, but will have a life of its own as a...
News New StreetPass Mii Plaza Update Resolves DLC Crashing Issue
The sales bunny hops into action
Earlier this week Nintendo released a 3DS system update and, in Europe and Japan, a StreetPass Mii Plaza update that freshened up the user interface and added four new games as paid DLC. The only trouble was that, for quite a lot of people, the new shop just crashed the app. The Twittersphere picked up on a theory,...
News Ashes Cricket 2013 Pushed Back To July
Knocked for six
A few months ago 505 Games announced Ashes Cricket 2013 for Wii U, which was set to coincide with this Summer's Ashes series. Bizarrely, considering the sport is quite niche in gaming terms, cricket titles in the past have received quite a cult following and you would not believe how many requests we've had here at Nintendo Life...
Weirdness The Roots Perform an Awesome Mario Rap on Late Night With Jimmy Fallon
Disses Luigi, rap battle should happen...
For those that don't know, The Roots are a critically acclaimed, Grammy winning band, that also serves as the house band on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon. Some of you may also be aware that Fallon has been doing a lot of post-E3 coverage, so games have been a prominent part of his show in the past week. That...
News Nintendo Succeeds in Wii Fit Balance Board Patent Appeal
Original decision in the company's favour is upheld
Nintendo, and particularly the Wii, have faced a number of patent challenges in recent years. In most cases Nintendo has emerged as the victor, with a loss on the 3DS screen technology being a rare blip. The big N has faced challenges to its Wii Remote, in particular, and various devices and gizmos...
News Namco Bandai Releasing Mushibugyo RPG For 3DS In Japan
Popular manga series gets its own game
The Japanese manga Mushibugyo, which is written and illustrated by Hiroshi Fukuda, is getting its own game in Japan, Namco Bandai has announced. It's on its way to the 3DS, which is doing quite well in Nintendo's homeland, and will be available on 19th September as both a physical and download release. So far...
News Kokuga Officially Confirmed for Western Release
Lingering doubts, begone!
Kokuga, the 3DS shmup from Ikaruga creator Hiroshi Iuchi, has now been officially confirmed as an eShop release in the West. It's not unexpected, with classifications in Australia and Germany suggesting that localisation of the Japanese title was already well underway. Publisher G.rev Ltd has now launched an English site
News Toki Tori 2 Miiverse Drawing Contest Flies Into Its Second Half
Now for some downtime
Toki Tori 2 developer Two Tribes has been going out of its way to engage and reward fans of the Wii U eShop title, with a meaty update and, in the past couple of weeks, a Miiverse drawing contest. Each week the studio has set a theme, sifted through a shortlist of those with the most 'Yeahs' and picked winners that'll appear as...
Wednesday19th Jun 2013
News Not All Super Smash Bros. Characters Will Make The Leap To Wii U And 3DS
There's simply not enough time
The Super Smash Bros. series has had a fair few characters join the fight over the three released titles. However, while some characters, such as Mario, Donkey Kong and Pikachu have been in all games, some of the new Melee additions did not make it over to Brawl, with the likes of Mewtwo, Roy and Dr Mario all falling...
Review Shining Force: The Sword of Hajya (3DS eShop / GG)
Shine on, you crazy portable diamond
The Shining Force series may have retreated from the west of late, but back in the early 1990s it was incredibly popular in both the US and Europe, managing to attract a large audience while Nintendo's rival Fire Emblem franchise remained Japan-exclusive. As well as scoring critically-acclaimed entries on the...
News Get Best Buy's New Leaf Items Without Having A Best Buy
For your home, from your home!
Best Buy’s recent collaborations with Nintendo haven’t been limited to their E3 demo events. Animal Crossing: New Leaf players can also log on to a store’s Nintendo Zone at various points over the next eight weeks to grab four different items. But what if you don’t live near a Best Buy, or have no way of...
Review Mega Man 6 (3DS eShop / NES)
Mega Man's NES swan song
In 1993, the SNES was already out and Capcom was about to release Mega Man X, but they just couldn't let themselves to say goodbye to the NES and made one last 8-bit Mega Man game for the beloved system. Mega Man 6 was released so late into the system's life that Capcom decided to not even publish the game in Europe — this...
News Super Mario 3D World Producer Teases New Annoucement
What could it be?
Were you one of the people left slightly underwhelmed by the announcement of Super Mario 3D World at this year's E3? Then you should be interested to know that Nintendo's Tokyo EAD team might be hard at work on a second title. Super Mario 3D World Producer Yoshiaki Koizumi was asked by Spain's El País what his next project would...
News Iwata: We Are To Blame For Poor Wii U Sales
Nintendo CEO owns up
With sales flagging and third-party support very thin on the ground, the Wii U is certainly having a hard time of late. It's only been on the market for half a year, yet many within the industry are ready to write it off completely. Coming off the back of the incredible success of the original Wii, the new console's failure to...
Talking Point The Effortless Social Charm of Animal Crossing: New Leaf
A perfect storm of platform and software?
Something peculiar is happening on social networks at the moment; lots of people are talking about a Nintendo game. We see bursts of activity on sites such as Twitter when a Nintendo Direct is taking place, of course, but there's a sustained focus on this particular title among various gamers. Whether it can...
News Nintendo Falls Under Further Pressure Regarding Conflict Mineral Policies
A recurring theme for the company
While Nintendo is, to most of us, simply a games company that gives us entertainment products, it's also a global corporation that's often put under pressure to guarantee standards in the treatment of manufacturing workers and to ensure appropriate sources for raw materials. Last year it fell foul not only of a...
News Club Nintendo Confirms Luigi Pin Contest For New Super Luigi U Downloads
And double coins, too
New Super Luigi U arrives in this week's Nintendo Download update, arriving on 20th June — at midnight in some regions — as DLC for New Super Mario Bros. U. An update for the retail title will arrive in time for Luigi's arrival, which will allow you to access the new content — a copy of Mario Bros. U is mandatory for this...
News Reggie Unmoved By The Threat Of $400 PlayStation 4
Holiday season will put Nintendo in a "very good position"
Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aime has been speaking to Kotaku about the current state of the Wii U, and has delivered some typically bullish predictions — as well as admitting that the console has struggled to satisfy core gamers. Talking about the "next-gen verses current...
News Nintendo "Would Consider" Making Free-To-Play Animal Crossing Entry
Tom Nook is rubbing his hands already
Nintendo has just announced that it is dipping a toe into the freemium market with Steel Diver, and now Animal Crossing: New Leaf lead designer Katsuya Eguchi has admitted that a free-to-play version of the popular life simulation isn't totally out of the question. Speaking to
News 3D Ecco The Dolphin Splashing Onto 3DS eShop, Galaxy Force II Coming Soon
They're doing this on porpoise
Sega has confirmed that the next entry in its 3D range will be Ecco The Dolphin. A port of the Mega Drive / Genesis original, the game will feature a 3D effect, save states, international editions of the game and some custom screen filters. Ecco will splash into the Japanese 3DS eShop on June 26th, with a retail price...
News Ubisoft Delayed Rayman Legends On Wii U In Fear Of Low Sales
Honesty is the best policy
It's fair to say it's not been an easy ride for Rayman Legends and the Wii U. Starting off with the delightful news last year that the game would be a Wii U exclusive, to the unfortunate announcement in February this year that it was no longer confined to Nintendo's latest console, but being released on the PlayStat
News Talented Artist Transforms Humble UK Town Into Epic Zelda Map
Art attack
Marketed as "16 Days of music, art, comedy, spoken word, film, workshops, debates and performances", the Switch Fringe Festival is a UK-based event which aims to promote local artists and performers. In a pretty awesome move, artist The Decibel Kid has created a map covering all of the venues which is based on The Legend of Zelda...
News Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D Swings In At Number One In Japanese Sales Charts
Nintendo celebrating an all 3DS top five
Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D has only just made it over to Japan and the 3DS title has swung right into number one position in the sales charts after shifting 104,569 units. It takes the place of Tomodachi Collection: New Life, which has been a consistent seller for Nintendo in the Land of the Rising Sun...
News Animal Crossing StreetPass Event Being Held In Manchester On 29th June
There's even going to be a Wii U
Europe finally has its paws on Animal Crossing: New Leaf and now 3DS owners across the world are enjoying all the endless frolicking, bug catching and turnip buying the game has to offer. To celebrate the release of the game in the UK a massive StreetPass event is being held in Manchester on Saturday 29th June by...
News Epic Mickey 2's Eventual Arrival in Japan to be Nintendo Exclusive
An interesting choice
We doubt that Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two will go down in the gaming history books as a release to remember, as it fell short of its predecessor's success (despite being released on more platforms), received various poor reviews and saw to the closure of the Warren Spector-led development studio Junction Point. It was a...
News Suda51 Is "Always Up To The Idea" Of Revisiting No More Heroes
So, when's it happening?
Back in March this year, word got out that Grasshopper Manufacture was hard at work on a brand new game. Rumour spread across the internet that the studio was set to revisit the No More Heroes franchise after its CEO Goichi Suda - know to many by the name of Suda51 - teased the developer's new game. Suda put a stop to the...
Tuesday18th Jun 2013
News Shigeru Miyamoto Wishes Nintendo Had "Done More" With Zelda II
Still one of a kind in the franchise
The Legend of Zelda is a franchise that has typically come in two stylistic flavours — top-down 2D/2.5D or fully 3D worlds. The latter began with Ocarina of Time while the former was common on older systems and notably on handhelds, with the DS entries shifting the top-down camera angle slightly. With that in...
News New 3DS Firmware Update 6.0.0-11U Now Live
New StreetPass features in Europe, update is worldwide
With no warning or fanfare Nintendo has released the latest update for the 3DS, version 6.0.0-11U. The update includes a save data backup feature for downloaded content, as well as a small improvement in system ability and usability. Save Data Backup Feature: Users can now back up save data...
Review Sniper Elite V2 (Wii U)
Reach out and touch someone
Let’s just get this out of the way: Sniper Elite V2 on Wii U seems built for the bargain bin. Were it a movie then this edition would be one of those bare-bones, dithery full-screen DVDs that advertises its interactive menu and scene selection as "features". So says the cynic in us, and our realist chimes in with a...
News Check Out How Mega Man Looks On The 3DS Version Of Super Smash Bros.
The Blue Bomber confirmed for the 3DS adaptation
During last week's E3 Nintendo Direct, Mega Man was revealed as a new challenger in the upcoming Super Smash Bros. title and we even got to see him in action. However, while we saw what the likes of Mario, Link and Pikachu battle in out the 3DS version of the game, we only got to see what the Blue...
News StreetPass Mii Plaza Update Brings New Paid Downloadable Games
Immerse yourself in four new quests, Europeans
Along with the new System Update for the 3DS, which Nintendo delightfully sprung upon us without an announcement, European and Japanese firmware updates were treated to a new and improved StreetPass Mii Plaza. The new plaza still includes Puzzle Swap and StreetPass Quest 1 & 2, which we've grown to...
News Kingdom Hearts III Highly Unlikely To Appear On Wii U
DirectX 11 seems to be the key
The teaser for Kingdom Hearts III shown at this year’s E3 sent a tingle down many fans’ keyblades. The title was confirmed for both the PlayStation 4 and the Xbox One, but unfortunately appears to be another bust for the Wii U. Director Tetsuya Nomura was asked at Square Enix’s recent Future of Final Fantasy E3...
Talking Point Nintendo's Curious Decision to Monetise StreetPass
The great social app is now tiered
StreetPass may not have been a technical marvel when included in the 3DS hardware, but it was a typically charming Nintendo move. The idea of simple data exchanges had already been utilised in the original Nintendogs on DS, but the built-in StreetPass Plaza app is accessible to everyone with a 3DS, while the...
News Want A Boxed Copy Of Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney - Dual Destinies? Pester Capcom
Christian Svensson makes no promises but says it's possible
Last month Capcom announced Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney - Dual Destinies was coming to the West later on this year. However, it will only be released as a digital download on the 3DS eShop, while Japan will receive a fully fledged boxed copy. This was naturally good news for fans of the...
News Steel Diver Will Be Nintendo's First Free-To-Play Game
It should arrive before March 2014
During E3 Nintendo revealed it would be releasing its first free-to-play game by March 2014 but didn't give any details as to what game it would be other than it wouldn't be a Mario and Pokémon title due to both of these franchises' having such a positive relationship with consumers. Nintendo has since confirmed...
News Nintendo Aware Of StreetPass Plaza Crash Reports, Investigation Currently Underway
Squashing the bug
Today, Nintendo issued an update to the StreetPass Plaza application which allows you to download and purchase four additional games. Unfortunately, many 3DS owners have been reporting system crashes when attempting to purchase one of these mini-games. From what we can gather, this only seems to impact European users — we tested...
News Steampunk Puzzle Platformer Teslagrad Looks Gorgeous, And It's Coming To Wii U
Magnetic attraction
Norwegian indie studio Rain Games has revealed that its forthcoming 2D puzzle platformer Teslagrad is headed to the Wii U eShop. The Nintendo version of the game will launch alongside the other editions later this year. Set in a steampunk world governed by electromagnetic forces, Teslagrad places you in the shoes of a young boy...
Impressions The Best Buy "Nintendo Experience"
Bringing E3 to the masses
This year’s E3 has come and gone and the Nintendo Life team made it through the coverage mostly unscathed. We brought you all of the latest and greatest news from Nintendo, and our man on the street Anthony John Agnello even brought you our first impressions from games that he got a taste of on the show floor. What...
News Smash Bros. Director Pushing Himself "To The Brink" To Decide Character Roster
Masahiro Sakurai reveals the mental cost of making a legendary fighter
We already know the physical torment Smash Bros. director Masahiro Sakurai has had to suffer during the development of the Wii U and 3DS titles, but he has now revealed to
News Molyneux: Nintendo Is "Brilliant" At Attracting Players, But Their Hardware "Gets In The Way"
"They've probably got a plan, and you should never underestimate Nintendo"
Former Bullfrog, Lionhead and Microsoft Games Studios boss Peter Molyneux has once again voiced his opinion on Nintendo's place in the industry, directly contesting Shigeru Miyamoto's assertion that working with both hardware and software offers advantages to the Japanese...
News Miyamoto: Pikmin 3 Has Become "The Ultimate Version of Pikmin 1"
"After I made it, I played it and it's fun"
Pikmin 3, after a heck of a long wait, will finally arrive on Wii U on 26th July in Europe and 4th August in North America. It's also, based on his various appearances before and during E3 and the ever-presence of Pikmin toys in his vicinity, an important game for Shigeru Miyamoto. So often a figure of...
News 3DS Tops NPD Hardware Sales for May
Software results at lowest since May 2000
It's that time again, with the NPD results showing us how game software and hardware sold in the U.S. during May. The headline result, from a Nintendo perspective, is that the 3DS was the highest selling hardware system for the month; no firm number was given, so it's only known that it was more than the...
News Iwata: Nintendo Searching For A "Different Expression" To Describe The GamePad's Experience
Consumers don't understand the asymmetric gameplay of Wii U
When Nintendo released the Wii U last year it focused the majority of its messaging on what the all-new GamePad could bring to gaming. Of course, there's off-TV play but one of the biggest selling points is asymmetric gameplay, which allows one player to use the GamePad while others use Wii...
News Warner Bros. Believes In Wii U, Thinks E3 Games Will "Re-energize The Platform"
"I think they're going to fix the problem"
Nintendo may have some killer titles of its own coming to Wii U this year and beyond, but third-party support for the console has been uncertain almost from day one. Electronic Arts has backed away from the platform, and staunch supporter Ubisoft appears to be getting cold feet. Thankfully, it's not all...
News Nintendo's Kensuke Tanabe Wants To Make Tingle Popular In The West
Tingle! Tingle! Kooloo-Limpah!
Let's be honest here — there's not much love for Tingle in the west. This plump, comedic character started his life as part of the Zelda series, but has since starred in his own games: Freshly-Picked Tingle's Rosy Rupeeland and Tingle's Balloon Fight DS. Even so, his reputation among players is pretty dire — he's...
Monday17th Jun 2013
News Waiting For Wii U To Drop In Price? Not Going To Happen, Says Nintendo
NoA's Scott Mofitt believes console offers "great value"
We won't bore you with a summary of why the Wii U needs a price cut — after all, we've been over that many, many times. With the PS4 and Xbox One looming on the horizon and Wii U sales in the toilet, it's the most logical way of reigniting consumer interest and making sure there's a large...
Weirdness If Only Monster Hunter Was Released on the Game Boy
On a scale of one to awesome, it'd be awesome
Monster Hunter is a huge deal in Japan, with the upcoming Monster Hunter 4 likely to cause retail mayhem, or perhaps crashes of the 3DS eShop servers. Despite the high quality of Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate on Wii U and 3DS, however, it's not hit those heights in the West, relying on a loyal core following...
Nintendo Download 20th June (Europe)
Luigi steps up, the Guild returns, some retro goodies and much more
So E3 is now but a fading memory, but at least we have a lot of Wii U and 3DS games on the way to keep us entertained for the rest of the year. One of those lands as Wii U DLC today, while the 3DS is pretty much overflowing with varied offerings, including the second entry from the...
Review Dr Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine (3DS eShop / GG)
Emphasis on the “mean”
Dr. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine is somewhat of an anomaly. It's a Puyo Puyo puzzle game that takes place in the Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog - a short lived but wildly popular television series from the mid-90s - universe, but the blue blur is completely absent. Instead, the only hero here is you, a presumably...
Feature The Big Nintendo E3 Survey
So, what did you think?
It's now been just under a week since Nintendo's E3 Direct and subsequent information overloads, and we're preparing to move on and start playing games again — as opposed to watching those Mario Kart 8, Monolith Soft's X or Super Smash Bros. trailers on an endless repeat cycle. But E3 was fun — at least, we think it was...
News Reggie: This Holiday Season Is Going To Be Extremely Strong For Wii U
Nintendo confident its upcoming software will sell hardware
While Sony and Microsoft showed off the power of their upcoming systems at this year's E3, Nintendo announced a wealth of new first party Wii U titles with the aim to entice more people to buy into its latest home console. Currently, Wii U has a relatively low install base and this is a...
News Call of Duty: Ghosts May Not Appear On Wii U After All
It's all very mysterious
Remember when Call of Duty: Ghosts for the Wii U was confirmed last week after Infinity Ward executive producer Mark Rubin said PR wanted to keep things mysterious with the game? Well it's time to scrap that, as the story has now changed. Speaking with Games Industry International to clarify on the topic, Rubin said he in...
First Impressions Skylanders Swap Force
Family Gamer's Andy Robertson goes hands-on at E3
The head to head nature of Skylanders Swap Force and Disney Infinity meant that E3 was always going to be a show down. With Disney buying up an impressive amount of floor space and advertising, Activision responded with more information, novelty and freebies than we’ve seen for previous Skylanders...
Review Columns (3DS eShop / GG)
Supporting a good time
Way back in the days when video games in general were often referred to as 'Nintendo' games, a little gem called Tetris was packaged-in with the Game Boy, and it helped catapult the handheld to dominating heights. A couple of years later SEGA released the Game Gear, and in what can only be seen as an attempt to capitalize on...
News Nintendo of Australia Launches 3DS Free Game Promotion
3DS XL or current owners need not apply, so tough
Nintendo of Europe has been rather generous with 3DS promotions, with two notable examples to date — one rewarded 3DS XL owners with a free game, and the current promotion gives a fourth game for free if three others from a specified list are purchased. Nintendo of America has missed out to date,...
News Animal Crossing: New Leaf Earns Enough Bells For Second in the UK Chart
Even with downloads and promotions
Animal Crossing: New Leaf has been, in all likelihood, Nintendo's biggest release of the year to date. It's been long awaited by keen fans, but has also enjoyed a substantial build-up and marketing campaign as the company has sought to recreate the game's phenomenal success in Japan. Nintendo's stated that the U.S...
News Capcom Reveals More on Phoenix Wright: Dual Destinies
Edgeworth ranks up, Maya remains a secret
Capcom recently divulged more details on Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney - Dual Destinies in a Q&A session hosted on TwitchTV, placing more on the title’s characters and settings into the court record. According to the video, Dual Destinies will be set a year after Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney. The theme...
News Nintendo's Charlie Scibetta Explains the Benefits of Developers Running the Company
"'Is it fun?' Most executives don't ask that question first"
During E3, Nintendo of America sent its marketing and product executives into the wilds of the expo floor to be quizzed by various games writers. In some respects that's given us confirmation of things we already knew, such as the continued resistance to any thoughts of going mobile, and...
News Rivalry Between Bayonetta 2 And Wonderful 101 Teams Helping Drive Development
Hideki Kamiya reveals the playful one-upmanship within Platinum
Platinum Games is responsible for two of the Wii U's most eagerly-awaited third-party exclusives: Bayonetta 2 and The Wonderful 101. These two games look set to make good use of the console's unique GamePad controller, and will surely contain the kind of over-the-top action that...
News Capitalism Wins In Sega's New 3DS RPG, Hero Bank
Coming to Japan this December
Sega has revealed that it is working on a 3DS RPG by the name of Hero Bank, where the ultimate goal isn't to save mankind, but to earn as much moolah as possible by taking part in a cyber sport known as "Hero Battle". Apparently, players can download "hero data" based on real-life individuals and use it in the game. It...
News Ubisoft Pitching Watch_Dogs And Rabbids Movies To Hollywood Studios
From small screen to silver screen
Ubisoft has revealed that it is in the process of preparing big-screen interpretations of its Watch_Dogs, Rabbids and Far Cry properties. This trio of potential films joins Assassin's Creed, Splinter Cell and Ghost Recon, all of which are in the early stages of development. The French publisher is packaging the...
Sunday16th Jun 2013
Talking Point E3 Exposed the Strains of Nintendo's Development Workload
Delays have been common on Wii U
Nintendo and, in particular, the Wii U are in a tricky catch-22 situation; third-parties — including Ubisoft at E3 — are holding off on most additional support for the platform until sales improve, yet games are needed to boost sales. It's an issue that feels all too familiar, though the absence of much support...
News Nintendo - Inclusion of Peach in Super Mario 3D World to Encourage More Players
Wii U Pro Controller support also confirmed
Super Mario 3D World appeared to be — initially at least — a divisive announcement at E3. We knew a 3D Mario was coming, but the successor to Super Mario 3D Land on the 3DS was a surprise considering expectations of a title more in-line with the Galaxy releases on Wii. It may make commercial sense and...
News Pachter: Without Third Party Support Nintendo Fans May End Up Buying A Second Console
If Ubisoft drops support "you can stick a fork in Wii U"
Nintendo is currently struggling to gain third party support for Wii U, due to the console's relatively low install base. Electronic Arts is the most high profile publisher to announce it is pulling support and at this moment in time has no games in the works for Wii U. In order to rectify...
Feature A Miiverse Adventure With Mega Man X
Time for some Megan Man, er, Mega Man
A little while ago we reviewed Mega Man X on the Wii U Virtual Console, and liked it a lot. We happen to think this is a brilliant game, but it may nevertheless seem peculiar to those encountering it for the first time. We decided to try and see the game through fresh eyes while working on the review, and below...
Review Bakuretsu Muteki Bangaioh (Nintendo 64)
Insanity redefined
Bakuretsu Muteki Bangaioh (which translates as Explosive, Invincible Bangaioh — you might know it as Bangai-O) is a relatively obscure Japanese exclusive for Nintendo 64 that holds a rather interesting history. Released in 1999 and developed by Treasure — the same team that produced the Sin & Punishment games — it is...
News Shin'en Ponders Over HD Version of Jett Rocket II
Could it come to Wii U too?
Shin'en Multimedia is currently working on Jett Rockett II - The Wrath of Taikai, the sequel to the fun little WiiWare title that was released back in 2010. This new iteration is headed to the 3DS eShop and should be with us later on in the year. It appears the developer is contemplating the idea of releasing an HD...
Saturday15th Jun 2013
Review Sengoku 3 (Wii Virtual Console / Neo Geo)
Third time's the charm
While SNK was far more well known for its one-on-one fighting games, it did toss out a few beat 'em ups along the way. Some of the attempts were better than others: Sengoku 3 is one such example. It basically takes many of the solid gameplay perks of the first two games and amps things up considerably. Toss in a fresh coat of...
News Super Smash Bros. Will Have A Single Player Campaign
No plans for any DLC at this time
The new Super Smash Bros. title was shown off during the E3 Nintendo Direct and news has been trickling through ever since. So far we know there will be a few new challengers, with Wii Fit Trainer, The Villager and Mega Man joining the fray, the Wii U and 3DS versions will have different stages, which unfortunately...
Review Sonic the Hedgehog (3DS eShop / GG)
Put a ring on it
As one of gaming's most iconic mammals, Sonic the Hedgehog needs no introduction; he's graced consoles, comic books, crossovers and clothing lines in his double-decade career, and this is where it all began. Well, nearly — Sonic the Hedgehog on the Game Gear isn't a port of the Mega Drive / Genesis classic, but rather of the 8-bit...
News Time: Nintendo Is "Stumped" By The Wii U GamePad And Should Ditch It
"It makes you wonder why the company even bothered"
The Wii U GamePad is the console's unique selling point, offering players a different way to experience HD gaming. However, like all new ideas, it takes time to fully explore and exploit the potential offered by a second screen, and it's fair to say that we've yet to see the best the GamePad is...
First Impressions Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze
Frozen in time?
If there is a rule that Nintendo lives by, it’s that one good turn deserves another. Hence why the E3 2013 revelation that the game Austin, Texas’ Retro Studios has been slaving away on for the past three years is none other than a sequel to Donkey Kong Country Returns isn’t much of a revelation at all. Donkey Kong Country...
Kiss kiss, bang bang
Really, Bayonetta 2 isn’t that far outside of Nintendo’s wheelhouse. The creators of Nintendogs and Wii Fit may like to play it family-friendly, but come on — there’s always been a playful, almost kinky side to Nintendo, games with just the right amount of dirtiness. Look at ol’ Jimmy T. making it happen in WarioWare,...
News EA Will "Jump Back In" If Wii U Becomes A "Viable Platform"
"We're a rational company"
A lot has been made of the lack of third party support from certain developers in recent weeks and Electronic Arts has been right at the centre of it all. The company has already said it has no games in development for Wii U, including its annual sports titles such as FIFA 14,
News Nintendo Not Focusing Too Much On What Other Companies Are Doing
Looking to create experiences that can only be found on Wii U
While last year's E3 was focused on Nintendo's Wii U, this year's event will always be remembered as the year Sony and Microsoft revealed their new consoles to the world. Nintendo opted to do things a little differently this time round, going for a much smaller Nintendo Direct...
News Toki Tori 2 Miiverse Drawing Contest Flutters Into Round Two
Getting historical
A little over a week ago we reported on an interesting Toki Tori 2 Miiverse drawing contest that was launched by Two Tribes, aiming to encourage the talented artists in the game's community to share even more creations. The prize is a grand one, with winning drawings set to appear as cave drawings in the game. The contest is...
Friday14th Jun 2013
Interview Zelda Producer Eiji Aonuma Talks DLC, Missing Dungeons And Majora's Mask
Exclusive access to Link's protector
Eiji Aonuma has presided over the The Legend of Zelda series for the past 15 years and has overseen some of the franchise's most iconic entries. We got the chance to sit down and speak with him during this year's E3 event, where he was promoting the two forthcoming instalments: The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker HD...
News Nintendo 3DS Image Share Now Available To Use In Animal Crossing: New Leaf
Capture and share the moment
It's been a long time coming but Animal Crossing: New Leaf is out right now in both North America and Europe and it's not the only piece of software Nintendo has launched on the 3DS this week. The Nintendo 3DS Image Share is now available for players to use in the game, enabling them to share the goings on in their town...
News Super Smash Bros. Won't Feature Cross-Platform Play Between Wii U and 3DS
Character customisation will be a thing
As we watched footage of Super Smash Bros. for both Wii U and 3DS at this year's E3, there was a nagging suspicion in the back of our minds at Nintendo Life HQ; will this support "cross-play", similar to that in Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate, or are the games too different? No, is the simple answer.
First Impressions The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker HD
Wind Reawakened
It’s strange to have a first impression on a remake of a game, especially when it’s a game like The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker. The truth is that despite being 10 years old at this point, Wind Waker is still a great looking game that plays well and has held up very well over time. Whether that’s due to the GameCube’s...
First Impressions Mario Kart 8
Turning things upside down
Imagine the Mario Kart series as an enormous living being made out of adorable cars, happy drivers, delightful loops passing through volcanoes and haunted houses and vicious blue shells. Envision this being, this body of Kartdom, and now answer this simple question: where is its heart? What is the thumping engine within...
Exclusive Zelda's Aonuma: We're Looking Into Going "Beyond The Disc" With DLC
"We're certainly looking at different ways to add on content"
Zelda series producer Eiji Aonuma has exclusively revealed to Nintendo Life that he and his team are looking into ways of incorporating DLC into future titles in the franchise. Speaking in an interview which will run on the site later today, Aonuma — who is currently hard at work on...
News Pokémon X & Y Trailer Shows Off New Gym Leader and Battles
Is it October yet?
So it looks likely that Pokémon X & Y will be a bit of a success on 3DS. Something to do with the start of a new generation of one of the highest grossing gaming franchises in the industry, so we imagine that Nintendo, developer Game Freak and The Pokémon Company International are preparing bigger cash vaults and planning...
News Third-Party Characters in Smash Bros. to be Kept to a Minimum
Mega Man is a "special case"
Smash Bros. and Mega Man fans alike are probably still buzzing over the Blue Bomber's inclusion in the latest Smash Bros., but series director Masahiro Sakurai has made it clear that including such third-party characters is something of a rarity. Players will remember that Super Smash Bros. Brawl was the first game in...
News Hideki Kamiya Still Wants to Work on Star Fox
Let him do that, Star Fox
Ever-tweeting Platinum Games director Hideki Kamiya has spoken about his desire to work on the Star Fox franchise in the past, and that hope apparently hasn't gone anywhere. During E3 2013, speaking to Nintendo World Report, Kamiya reiterated that he would be "pleased" if he was offered everybody's favourite space-animal...
Review Mutant Mudds Deluxe (Wii U eShop)
A muddled experience
In early 2012, Mutant Mudds hit the 3DS eShop, and we loved it. Its faux-retro sprite design and satisfying difficulty made for a great gaming experience, as did the fact that it actually used the 3D effect in an interesting way; our hero Max could leap forward and backward through the background layers in order progress through...
News Mega Man's Dad Is "Ecstatic" That The Blue Bomber Is In Smash Bros.
Proud father
Mega Man creator Kenji Inafune is one of Capcom's most famous former employees, yet he appeared to part company with the publisher under a cloud. You might assume this could make Inafune rather bitter about how his former creations are being used by Capcom, but you couldn't be further from the truth. Speaking to VideoGamer, Inafune...
News Wolfenstein: The New Order Looks Set To Skip Wii U
It's coming to "all" next-gen and current-gen consoles, but not Wii U
Wolfenstein: The New Order, Bethesda's upcoming title, was being shown off at E3 and we finally got some clarification on what consoles it will be appearing on. Well, sort of. In an interview with Got Games, Thomas Björk of MachineGames, the developer behind the first person...
News Retro Studios Working on "One Major Project at a Time"
Oh...
When Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze was announced at E3 as the next game from Retro Studios, some Nintendo fans — including members of the team on this site — rationalised disappointment at the reveal by adding a caveat that it may have been produced alongside a bigger, larger scope project. The thought was that with the groundwork...
News Former Rare Staffer Chris Seavor Hints At Wii U Development
Is the Conker creator working on Nintendo's console?
Chris Seavor — otherwise known as the man who created Conker's Bad Fur Day — has already stated that Wii U development interests him a great deal. However, he's now given his most convincing indication yet that he has something in the works for Nintendo's system. When asked on Twitter if he...
Review Spelunker (Wii U eShop / NES)
Deeper underground
Ask a few western gamers about Spelunker and it's likely that barely any of them will have heard of the game, despite it being originally developed by an American company. Ask Japanese gamers, though, and it's a completely different story — the game is very well known to them and is joked about online all the time, though not...
News Nintendo's Scott Moffitt - Upcoming Wii U Lineup Will "Ignite Sales"
While 3DS delivers "magic that can't be replicated on a phone"
Nintendo's presence at E3, despite the battle between new systems from Microsoft and Sony, was nevertheless successful at earning some media attention. The focus was mostly on Wii U, as the company went into the expo with little choice but to acknowledge its issues so far, but...
News Zelda Series Timeline Wasn't Planned From the Beginning
The wails of theorists reverberate around the world
The Zelda timeline is one of the mysteries of gaming — well, it is to enthusiasts that don't simply want to play the games and deal with the cards they're dealt. It's also rather confusing, even though the gorgeous Hyrule Historia includes an "official timeline". Multiple paths and time travel...
Video Nintendo Releases Its E3 Wrap-Up
A nice quick look at the company's E3
Nintendo's E3 was certainly a bit different this year, as rather than a laser-focus on the events of a live presentation, it had the feel of revolving around multiple video releases — starting with the E3 Direct. There were the developer videos, which gave some enjoyable insight, while the standard round...
Review Jewel Quest 4 Heritage (DSiWare)
Losing its shine
It seems like the Match-3 genre never stops growing, with some new form of the popular puzzle games appearing what feels like every other week. It's a genre that has seen hundreds upon hundreds of releases, and there's little sign of it slowing down. If anything, it's baffling that so many of these games are still being made. Very...
News Pay What You Want For The Mighty Switch Force! 2 OST
Set fire to the club (then put it out)
Mighty Switch Force! is one of our top 10 third-party titles for the 3DS so far and a big factor in that decision might just be the bouncy, soaring soundtrack provided by Jake “virt” Kaufman. Now that Mighty Switch Force 2! is out in the world, Kaufman has put the full soundtrack to the sequel up online to...
Review Mega Man 4 (Wii U eShop / NES)
The Blue Bomber jumps onto the GamePad
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...
Thursday13th Jun 2013
First Impressions Super Mario 3D World
Stranger things have happened
Sometimes it’s easy to forget how weird Mario games are. Think about it: A pudgy plumber in overalls who can jump ridiculously high, throw fireballs when he touches flowers, get huge when he eats mushrooms and make it with a princess provided he kicks the seven shades of crap out of a giant turtle dragon. That is the...
News Nintendo Confirms That Yarn Yoshi Just Wasn't Ready to be Shown Off at E3
It may be a while, then
During Nintendo's Wii U Direct back in January, a number of brand new titles were announced and teased in various forms, yet aside from the new Zelda Wii U and the Fire Emblem / Shin Megami Tensei mashup, Yarn Yoshi was the only title from that broadcast to not be mentioned or shown in some form during the E3 Direct. As part...
News Sonic Team's Iizuka Recognises Sonic Lost World, Mario Galaxy Comparisons
Not quite Super Sonic Galaxy
In an interview with The Sonic Stadium, Sonic Team boss Takashi Iizuka has acknowledged that upcoming Wii U / 3DS exclusive Sonic Lost World shares similarities with Super Mario Galaxy — but argues that SEGA's new titles are still distinctly Sonic. Sonic Team has taken a different approach to three dim
Nintendo Download 13th June (North America)
Mudds, mighty switching, Game Gear goodies and more
As the E3 madness settles down to daily regular madness, we have the reliable and steady Nintendo Download news to enjoy. This week is a strong one in North America, with both the Wii U and 3DS eShop services hosting games from Renegade Kid and WayForward, while the Game Gear also returns on the...
News Sakurai: New Super Smash Bros. To Strike A Balance Between Hardcore And Casual
Tripping is out, for one
Some people like to place themselves in one of two camps when it comes to the Super Smash Bros. series: either siding with the faster-paced, more technical Melee or favoring the wilder yet easier to access Brawl. The rest of us just shrug and start chucking home run bats at each other no matter which version we’re playing,...
News Over 1,000 Parties Interested In Developing For Wii U Since Nintendo Web Framework Announcement
Lots of indie developers want to get on board
Nintendo announced the Nintendo Web Framework during the Games Developers Conference in San Francisco in March. Essentially, it provides a method of developing software for Wii U by using open web technologies like HTML5 and JavaScript. Since then it appears to have been a hit with small developers as...
News Iwata: More Unannounced Third Party Titles Will Come
"We hope to revitalize the platform with our strong first party lineup"
Nintendo has had a bit of a problem getting many third party developers to create content for the Wii U as the install base is currently relatively low. Yesterday, Reggie Fils-Aime said Nintendo plans to boost the amount of consoles in the wild by releasing more great first...
News Mario Golf: World Tour Pushed Back To 2014
In the bunker
Back in February, Nintendo announced Mario Golf: World Tour would be released on 3DS this Summer. However, it appears that is all set to change as during yesterday's analyst briefing, Nintendo confirmed it will in fact be released in 2014 along with Super Smash Bros. and Yoshi's New Island. There's n
News Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze Slips Onto Wii U This November
One for the Winter months
Among previously announced titles such as The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker HD and The Wonderful 101 being shown during the Nintendo Direct broadcast this week, the company revealed Retro Studios' new title in development, Donkey Kong Country Returns: Tropical Freeze. It was
News The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds Launches This November In North America
Still no date for Europe
The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds, the upcoming 3DS title set in the same world a A Link to the Past, has been listed for a November release in North America. The date was announced during an analyst meeting at E3, where Satoru Iwata revealed the schedule of 3DS titles Nintendo has in store for 2013. Europe is...
News Miyamoto: Consumers Should Have Access To Their Games "For A Long Time"
What's yours should be yours
Microsoft has shot itself in the foot so many times over the past few weeks that we imagine it's running perilously short on toes right now, but one of the biggest PR disasters it has experienced has to be the Xbox One's policy regarding game ownership. When you buy a game for the forthcoming console, you're effectively...
Review Yoshi (Wii U eShop / NES)
Not very eggciting
With so many tile-matching games available on so many different gaming platforms, it’s surprising to see that, despite the Wii U launching six months ago, there have yet to be any released on the new console. Nintendo has finally decided to fill that empty gap with the Virtual Console release of Yoshi, an NES era puzzler...
News Retro Studios: "After Donkey Kong Country Returns We Had A Lot Of Gas Left In The Tank"
Developer reveals why it chose to make another Donkey Kong Country title
Nintendo finally announced Retro Studios' latest game during its E3 Nintendo Direct with the reveal of Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze. As previously reported, the developer chose a Donkey Kong title over a Metroid one and many people have been wondering why this is...
Features The Joys of Following Nintendo at E3
A rollercoaster ride
E3 2013 is entering the final stretch, with one final day of the show floor being open for thousands of keen gamers to rush to their favourite booths. The PR campaigning will start to fade, too, as executives and developers pack up and try to remember where they put their passports. Rather like last year, this E3 has arguably...
News Nintendo Reveals When Wii Party U And Wii Fit U Will Become Available
Get in on the action this October and December
During the Nintendo Direct broadcast this week, we were given the slightly disappointing news that both Wii Fit U and Wii Party U were being delayed to an unspecified later date. Wii Fit U had been previously scheduled for this Summer, and Wii Party U had been announced earlier this year and was hoping...
Weirdness The Wacky World of Nintendo at E3 2013
The Villager is a homicidal sociopath, apparently
With another E3 coming to an end, we've once again seen Nintendo produce some quirky moments. It must be one of the few multi-billion dollar corporations with executives willing to pose in somewhat bizarre setups, either in front of the obligatory over-sized props or, on occasion, playing a bit of...
Video New Super Luigi U Trailer Flutter Jumps Into View
Just a week away
It may have slipped off some radars, but the substantial New Super Luigi U release arrives as DLC for New Super Mario Bros. U in next week's Nintendo Download update. The initial download release will arrive alongside an update for the Mario retail title, with the content then purchased through the game; a standalone boxed version...
News Reggie: Publishers Should Create Great Games To Stem The Impact Of Used Game Sales
"The replayability of our content is super strong"
One of the biggest talking points at E3 this year has been used games and how publishers and developers are trying to stop them from putting a dent in their profits. Of course, when buying a used game all of the proceeds are given to the retailer. Several strategies have been conjured up over the...
News Crimson Dragon Studio Working On Unannounced Project For Nintendo
Platform to be confirmed
Grounding Inc is best known for its much-delayed Xbox title Crimson Dragon, which was originally intended for the 360 but has now been shifted to the Xbox One. A spiritual successor to Sega's Panzer Dragoon, Crimson Dragon is certainly a title worth making a fuss about — but Grounding Inc's Yukio Futatsugi has revealed...
Review Mega Man 3 (Wii U eShop / NES)
The Blue Bomber jumps onto the GamePad
It's fitting that Mega Man 3 introduces our hero's antagonistic, cocksure older brother Proto Man, as the game itself seems to eternally duke it out with its own brother Mega Man 2 for the coveted title of Best in Series. But wherever you may fall on the question, there's no doubt that this third installment in...
News Shantae Virtual Console Release Pushed Back To July
Classic Game Boy Color title won't make it this month
Shantae was set to be released on 20th June on the 3DS Virtual Console but this now won't be happening as WayForward, the game's developer, has bumped it back to an unspecified date in July. Creative director at WayForward Matt Bozon announced the sad news on Twitter: [tweet 345009387896717312]...
News Iwata: Japanese Third Parties Investing More In 3DS Software
Nintendo working with third parties to release titles in the West
The Nintendo 3DS has been a huge hit in Japan. It consistently tops the hardware sales charts by quite a distance and naturally this has led to many Japanese studios investing in creating software for the system. This was something Nintendo President Satoru Iwata brought up during...
Video Nintendo Life Plays Nintendo Land
We should probably be working instead
It's E3 week, which means we've basically been living at the office during the festivities. After the madness that was Tuesday, we decided to take a little time out to unwind and play some videogames. Fancy that! We recorded the whole thing for your viewing pleasure. Enjoy!
Wednesday12th Jun 2013
News Nintendo Reveal Why Its 3D Mario Title Isn't Super Mario Galaxy 3
Y no Super Mario Galaxy 3, Nintendo?
When Nintendo announced it was developing a new 3D Mario for the Wii U back in January this year, immediately we thought about a possible sequel to Super Mario Galaxy 2, or maybe even Super Mario Sunshine. It was quite surprising that the 3D game in development was in fact Super Mario 3D World, which was...
News Miiverse Update Adds Facebook and Twitter Sharing
Or Google+ and Tumblr, if you prefer
While most attention is currently drawn to the floor at E3, Nintendo has applied a Miiverse update that now allows you to share posts on Twitter, Facebook, Google+ and Tumblr. It's another smart move for the bespoke network, especially as those with a Nintendo Network ID can now view individual posts when...
News Ubisoft Scaling Back Support For Wii U, Expects Price Cut To Bolster Sales
Is the Wii U about to lose one of its biggest supporters?
Ubisoft has confirmed during its recent investor meeting that it will be scaling back support for Nintendo's Wii U console. The French publisher — which has Assassin's Creed IV, Watch_Dogs and Rayman Legends all scheduled to hit the system before the end of 2013 — also stated that it...
News Miyamoto: Zelda Wii U Was Considered For Display At This Year's E3
The game is progressing nicely
Fans of the Zelda series were treated to footage and information on both The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker HD, and the newly titled The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds. This was more than enough to feed our needy ears, however a lot of us are itching to hear about the Zelda title in development for the Wii U...
News Frog Suit Confirmed For Super Mario 3D World
Mario's making a splash
Super Mario 3D World brings a new power-up to the party with the Cat Suit and it looks as though an old classic will also be available for Mario to use too. During a presentation at E3, attended by IGN, Nintendo announced the Frog Suit would be making a comeback and it'll most likely help out in any underwater segments Mario...
News Nintendo Setting Up Thousands Of StreetPass Relay Stations Across US And Europe
Bring on the green flashing lights!
Nintendo has confirmed it is still committed to the StreetPass function of the 3DS by announcing during an analyst briefing at E3 that it is creating thousands of new StreetPass relay stations across the US and Europe. The company plans to turn 28,000 Wi-Fi access points into relays in the US, while Europe is set...
News Aonuma Explains Why The 3DS Wasn't Used As The Tingle Tuner In Wind Waker HD
All focus was on the social elements of Miiverse
In the original The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker for the GameCube, Link was given a device called the Tingle Tuner, which allowed a player to control Tingle and help with various quests in the game. This was done by linking a Game Boy Advance to the GameCube. Zelda producer, Eiji Aonuma, was asked why...
News Call of Duty: Ghosts Confirmed For Wii U
Infinity Ward wants to "keep it mysterious"
Activision is remaining quiet on the Call of Duty: Ghosts front for the Wii U. In April, retailers leaked a supposed new Call of Duty title, and had listed several platforms including the Wii U. The company officially announced the game last month, but didn't h
Talking Point Nintendo's Wii U Lineup Makes Commercial Sense
Nintendo plays it safe, like everyone else
E3 presentations can be strange occasions, often prompting exaggerated reactions — either delight or dismay — immediately after the event, before a following hangover of acceptance and anticipation for the games on the way. That's the general sense within the Nintendo Life team the day after Nintendo's...
News Nintendo to Launch First Free-To-Play Game By March 2014
What could it be?
At an analyst briefing during E3, Nintendo has confirmed that it plans to launch its first free-to-play title at some point during the current fiscal year — that's the end of March 2014. There's no confirmation of platform or title just yet, so we'll have to wait to find out if it's Wii U or 3DS that will be home to Nintendo's...
Poll Which Wii U E3 Game Has Impressed You the Most?
There are plenty to choose from
This E3 has seen Nintendo show off a lot of Wii U software, even if we already knew about all but one of them before the expo launched. Rather than potential based on name alone, however, we've now seen these titles in action, with some certainly catching the eye. With the expo now having been open to the public,...
Feature The Big E3 2013 Nintendo Direct Round-up
The most important E3 coverage in one place
Nintendo may not have hosted a live press conference this year, but through Nintendo Direct and a number of subsequent developer videos it still bombarded us with information of games coming this year and beyond. Although most of the big reveals were already known ahead of time, we had some important first...
News June CoroCoro Reveals New Pokémon and Rival Details
Meet another Fairy type
Last night we got some new details about Pokémon X & Y at an E3 developer roundtable, and today Japanese magazine CoroCoro has more news to share. The magazine shows four new Pokémon in total: Kofukimushi is a Bug type Pokémon that evolves into Spewpa, another Bug-type. Spewpa later evolves into Vivillon, the pink...
News Oddworld: Stranger's Wrath HD Is Also Coming To Wii U
More Oddworld? Yes please
Following yesterday's announcement that Oddworld: Abe's Oddysee New 'N' Tasty is coming to the Wii U eShop, Oddworld Inhabitants revealed that Oddworld: Stranger's Wrath HD is also making its way to the Wii U's digital store. The game is a high definition port, with the original already having enjoyed success on the Xbox...
News Reggie: Nintendo Aiming To Increase Wii U Third Party Support By Boosting The Install Base
Nintendo isn't ruling out future E3 press conferences
Nintendo's E3 Nintendo Direct presentation was filled with great first party titles, however, there wasn't very much in the way of third party content. In an interview with Game Trailers, Reggie Fils-Aime said Nintendo aims to generate more third party support by increasing the Wii U user base...
News Batman: Arkham Origins Has Specific Functionality For Wii U
WB Montreal not talking about DLC availability
Batman: Arkham Origins is the latest game in the Arkham series and will be appearing on a range of formats in October, including the Wii U. This isn't the first game in the series to be available on Nintendo's home console as Batman: Arkham City Armored Edition was released upon its launch. That game...
Review Mega Man 2 (Wii U eShop / NES)
The Blue Bomber jumps onto the GamePad
In 1987, Capcom released the original Mega Man. It was well-received by both gamers and critics, but it was not much of a financial success. Over the course of the next year, however, Mega Man 2 was developed as a labour of love by Keiji Inafune and his team, alongside other projects that were expected to be...
News Pokémon X & Y Developer Roundtable Reveals Sky Battles And Horde Encounters
Three new Pokémon also announced
Nintendo announced a new type of Pokémon during its E3 Nintendo Direct - the Fairy type. It's super effective against dragon types, which is definitely a good thin considering how tough they can be! All of a sudden Jigglypuff doesn't look so weak anymore! The Fairy type will make its debut in Pokémon X & Y...
News Eiji Aonuma and Hideki Konno Wander Into The StreetPass Mii Plaza
Raid their collection of pink puzzle pieces!
Eiji Aonuma, the producer of the Legend of Zelda series, and Mario Kart producer Hideki Konno have been sent marching out to StreetPass Mii Plazas around the world by Nintendo. Should you have your 3DS connected to the internet you should find a SpotPass notification announcing the special Miis' arrival...
News Nintendo "Feels Good" About How It Stacks Up Against Sony And Microsoft
Software will motivate consumers, says Nintendo's Charlie Scibetta
Both Sony and Microsoft have revealed their next-gen consoles at E3, showing off new titles as well as talking about the fresh experiences offered by the platforms. Given that Nintendo has had no new hardware to show off this year, you might assume that the Japanese company is on the...
News Miyamoto: Working With Both Hardware And Software Offers Nintendo "Strong Advantages"
Not looking to move to smartphones any time soon, then
Abandoning hardware and becoming a software-only company would rob Nintendo of many "strong environmental advantanges", according to the company's most famous staff member. Speaking to GamesIndustry International, Shigeru Miyamoto has refuted claims that making software for other hardware would...
News Nintendo Loses Exclusivity On Deus Ex: Human Revolution Director's Cut For Wii U
Where have we seen this before?
Square Enix has confirmed that Deus Ex: Human Revolution Director's Cut will be making its way to Playstation 3, Xbox 360 and PC, meaning the game will no longer be a Wii U exclusive. Executive game designer Jean Francois Dugas from Eidos Montreal — the developer behind the action title — revealed during...
News Miyamoto Focuses on New Gameplay Experiences Before New IPs
Mechanics come first
Speaking to GamesIndustry International, Shigeru Miyamoto clarified Nintendo's position on new IPs versus re-using existing IPs, explaining that Nintendo prefers to create game mechanics first and decides upon the context later rather than purposely setting out to build new series. There are always requests to see Nintendo...
News 3DS UK Market Share Stood At 26% In May
It was just 19% in Q1 2013
The 3DS is really starting to push on in the UK and has upped its market share by seven percentage points since the beginning of 2013. During its analyst briefing, Nintendo stated that the 3DS had 26% market share in May, compared to just 19% between January and March. [tweet 344856520552493056] This could have been...
Tuesday11th Jun 2013
E3 2013 Nintendo Direct Live Stream
We bring you everything, as it happens.
Get your collective bodies ready, because we'll be bringing you complete coverage of today's E3-flavoured Nintendo Direct broadcast. Here you can post your own comments and watch our reaction to events as they unfold. Grab yourself a cold drink and get comfortable...
News FIFA 14 Is Coming To Nintendo Consoles After All - Except The Wii U
Coming to a Wii and 3DS near you
In April this year, Electronic Arts announced the newest addition to its FIFA franchise, FIFA 14. Sadly, the Wii U wasn't shown in the initial line-up, but EA promised other consoles would be revealed at a later date. It didn't help that before this, EA confessed that Madden NFL would be skipping a Nintendo console...
Review Mighty Switch Force! 2 (3DS eShop)
The sequel, the sequel, the sequel's on fire
In late 2011, WayForward released Mighty Switch Force!, one of the first eShop titles to make significant use of the 3DS's capabilities. You took control of Patricia Wagon, a cop in search of the ostensibly criminal Hooligan sisters, and the puzzles were all based in some way around the 3D effect, popping...
News Super Smash Bros. Footage Revealed, Mega Man Introduced as a New Challenger
Yes, Mega Man
Today's E3 Nintendo Direct featured plenty of footage of games not previously seen, with the most hyped arguably being the new Super Smash Bros. Most encouraging was the fact that the trailer showed a lot of gameplay footage alongside CGI flourishes, with plenty of favourites duking it out. The footage showed both the 3DS and Wii U...
News Retro Chose Donkey Kong Over Metroid as Its First Wii U Title
Metroid wasn't the prime choice
Are you happy about Retro's return to the Donkey Kong franchise with Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze, or would you have preferred something different — a fresh IP or a new entry into the world of Metroid, perhaps? According to Retro Studios president and CEO Michael Kelbaugh, the developer chose to work on a...
News Link to the Past Sequel Officially Named The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds
New trailer confirms the name
As always, Nintendo is full of surprises. Following the company's E3 Nintendo Direct broadcast, it uploaded a new trailer for the highly anticipated sequel to The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past. What's most interesting about this trailer, is that it confirms the name to the upcoming game, so we no longer have to...
News Super Mario 3D World is "The Grand Culmination" of The Best Ideas From Past 3D Mario Titles
Koichi Hayashida explores the new features in the upcoming release
Super Mario 3D World was one of the first major announcements from Nintendo today during its E3 Nintendo Direct presentation. One of the key figures behind the game, Koichi Hayashida - who has worked on Super Mario Sunshine, the Galaxy series and Super Mario 3D L
Feature What We Expect From Nintendo's E3 Direct
Quite a lot, actually
So after plenty of build up and waiting for all the other presentations to finish, the E3 Nintendo Direct is now a matter of hours away. It's a diversion away from the live presentations of past years, but as a pre-recorded and scripted video it has the potential to be a well-paced extravaganza; we hope it'll seize the day for...
News Super Mario 3D World Coming To Wii U This December
Just in time for Christmas
Nintendo has announced Super Mario 3D World for Wii U during its E3 Nintendo Direct. The game features the same style of gameplay found in the 3DS classic Super Mario 3D Land and features four unique characters to play as. Mario, Luigi, Peach and Toad are all back and have their own abilities those who played Super...
Video Monolith Soft's X Given More Epic Footage
Slated for 2014
There was plenty of game footage on show in Nintendo's E3 Direct, with one eagerly awaited trailer being for Monolith Soft's X. First revealed in January, the fresh footage arrived with a vague confirmation of a 2014 release. Some themes from the first trailer have continued across, such as the use of impressive mechs that can...
News Masahiro Sakurai Demonstrates Super Smash Bros. in Developer Video
The Wii Fit Trainer Weighs In!?
One thing we'll readily admit about the Super Smash Bros. series is that it gets away with being completely daft and nonsensical. In a game where a flower can be a useful weapon, and Nintendo mascots battle in some of the craziest arenas imaginable, it's easy to get swept away in the madness; that's really the whole...
News Pac-Man Museum Announced For Wii U And 3DS eShops
Downloadable title coming this Winter
Those who can’t get enough power pellets in their gaming diets may want to keep an eye toward the end of the year. Namco Bandai Games Europe has announced that Pac-Man Museum, a collection of the iconic yellow puck’s games from the original 1980s classic to more recent titles including Pac-Man Championship...
E3 2013 Live Reaction From The Nintendo Life Team
Join us at 5:00PM UK time (12:00 EST) as we chew over today's announcements
The dust has barely settled on today's E3-themed Nintendo Direct, but here at Nintendo Life we're far from idle. Join us as Damien McFerran, Thomas Whitehead, Andy Green and Mike Mason digest the announcements, new footage and other news revealed in the broadcast...
News Mario Kart TV Will Allow You To Share Your Racing Skills On Miiverse
Nintendo announces new feature for Mario Kart 8
Nintendo has just confirmed that Mario Kart 8 will allow players to share their best races using a service called Mario Kart TV. According to IGN, players will be able to record and upload their performances to Miiverse, where other players can pass comments on their skills. This is similar to the...
News Oddworld: Abe's Oddysee New 'N' Tasty! Coming To Wii U eShop
Hello... follow me...
During its E3 presentation, Sony announced Oddworld: Abe's Oddysee New 'N' Tasty! would be coming to PlayStation 4 and Nintendo revealed today it will also be coming to the Wii U eShop. It's a remake of the original title that landed on PlayStation in 1997 and is being developed by both Oddworld Inhabitants and Just Add Water...
News Discover A New Type in Pokémon X & Y
It's super effective!
Pokémon fans, the type chart is about to get a shake up. During its E3 Nintendo Direct presentation, Satoru Iwata announced that Pokémon X & Y will feature a brand new type of Pokémon: Fairy. Super effective against Dragons, several existing Pokémon have been reclassified under the type. Jigglypuff, Marill, Gardevoir...
News Hideki Konno Delves Into Mario Kart 8
"It's going to be the definitive Mario Kart"
Earlier today Nintendo showed off some of its next Mario Kart title for the very first time during its E3 Nintendo Direct presentation. It's appropriately called Mario Kart 8 and in a developer interview Hideki Konno had delved into the making of the game as well as some of its features. The main thing...
Video Yoshi's New Island E3 Trailer
Yoshi and Baby Mario are cuter than ever
A Nintendo Direct broadcast back in April gave us a small glimpse of a new Yoshi's Island game in development for the 3DS, but very few details were given at the time. Its debut trailer has now emerged confirming the title of Yoshi's upcoming adventure, Yoshi's New Island, and features the cartoonish art...
News Mario Kart 8 Drifting Onto Wii U in Spring 2014
Gravity defying 3D tracks to be introduced
During today's E3 Nintendo Direct broadcast, Satoru Iwata confirmed Mario Kart 8, the Wii U debut of the karting series. It picks up various ideas from its Wii and 3DS predecessors, yet surprisingly won't be available this year — it's been given a release window of Spring 2014. The footage shown was...
News Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze Hopping To Wii U This Year
Kong's first HD adventure
Nintendo has announced Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze during today's Nintendo Direct broadcast. Kong's first HD outing, Tropical Freeze introduces a new enemy - bloodthirsty Vikings. Kong's island paradise is invaded by these sea-going foes, forcing him to journey to five other islands to defeat them. The game will...
News David Wise Returns To Compose The Soundtrack To Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze
The legendary Rare composer is back
Nintendo announced Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze during today's E3 Nintendo Direct presentation. It's the direct sequel to Donkey Kong Country Returns but also sits in with the entire series which dates back to the Super Nintendo era when Donkey Kong Country emerged. David Wise composed all three of the...
News Kensuke Tanabe: Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze is "Kind of a Road Movie"
Dynamic camera, furriness and an unnamed additional character discussed
In one of a series of developer videos recently released by Nintendo, Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze producer Kensuke Tanabe took some time to discuss some of the design choices and priorities that he shared with primary developers Retro Studios. Some are fundamental to...
Video Bayonetta 2 Reveals Exciting New Hairstyle
Gameplay footage looks rather nice, too
Nintendo has revealed gameplay footage from Platinum Games' forthcoming Wii U exclusive Bayonetta 2. As you can see from the trailer below, the game is looking pretty special indeed, but perhaps the biggest news is that Bayonetta is sporting a rather fetching new hairstyle. (Yes, we are being sarcastic)...
News Eiji Aonuma Shares Wind Waker HD Thoughts
"More real" in HD
We saw the first footage of the gorgeous Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker HD during the E3 Nintendo Direct earlier, and now Nintendo has followed up its initial showing with a developer video from Zelda head honcho Eiji Aonuma. The manager and producer of the Zelda team shared some thoughts about the HD remake and some of the...
News Bust A Groove With Just Dance 2014 This Year On Wii U
Just when you thought there was no-one on the dance floor
E3 is well and truly underway and it wouldn't be the same if a Just Dance title wasn't mentioned. Sure enough, Ubisoft has announced Just Dance 2014, the latest instalment in the popular dance game franchise and sequel to last year’s Just Dance 4. Among the many artists featured in the...
News Iwata Issues Apology For Technical Difficulties With Nintendo Direct Live Stream
Please stop apologising, Iwata
Many Nintendo fans experienced some technical difficulties today during the E3 Nintendo Direct broadcast. Many users weren't able to log on to Nintendo's official website to watch the broadcast and took to social media sites to vent their frustration. Satoru Iwata took to Facebook to apologise for any hiccups that...
News Platinum: Wii U GamePad Allows Us To Take Bayonetta 2 To New Territory
Atsushi Inaba spills the beans in a new developer interview video
In a developer interview released today, Platinum Games' Atsushi Inaba has spoken about Bayonetta 2 for the Wii U, and how the console's unique controller has enabled the studio to reach new levels of gameplay: I know you're thinking, how can you possibly play an action game with a...
News Reggie Reveals Wii U Best Buy Games List
Mario Kart 8 and Super Mario 3D World both playable
It wouldn't be E3 if it wasn't for the rumours, speculation and supposed leaks prior to the event. We already knew that Nintendo would be distributing demo units across North America to select Best Buy stores, allowing consumers to try four major upcoming Wii U titles. Last weekend, we reported...
News The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker HD Sails Onto Wii U in October
Pieces of heart
Nintendo has finally confirmed that we'll be able to join Link on the high seas in The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker HD in October 2013. As the remake of the GameCube classic will be displayed in glorious 1080p on Wii U, Toon Link should look sharper than ever. As well as the improved visuals, there's also some enhanced Miiverse...
News Mega Man 6 Up Now on the 3DS Virtual Console in Europe
Gotta run, gotta run now!
Classic NES platformer Mega Man 6 is available to download now from the Nintendo 3DS Virtual Console in Europe. As is the norm for eShop releases, Rockman's 1994 adventure was originally scheduled for release this Thursday, but seems to have been released early in celebration of the 'Mega Man Special' currently featured on...
News Miyamoto: I Can Recommend Pikmin 3 To Anyone
Suitable for all ages
Speaking in a developer video, Shigeru Miyamoto has enthused about Pikmin 3, explaining that he became convinced that the upcoming Wii U title is a game that everybody can play after some neighbourhood children recognised his Pikmin characters. Nintendo's legendary game designer mentioned how pleased he is with how the game has...
News Etrian Odyssey Untold: Millennium Girl Confirmed For North American Release
Coming to 3DS this Summer
Atlus has confirmed Etrian Odyssey Untold: Millennium Girl will be released in North America. For those unaware, it's a reworked adaptation of the original Etrian Odyssey title and will feature two modes. The first is a story mode, which tells the tale of the original game with new characters thrown in. There are five...
News Art Academy Title In Development For Wii U
An app will be made available this Summer too
Inspired by the amount of fantastic artwork found on the Miiverse, Nintendo has announced it will be bringing Art Academy to Wii U. During its E3 presentation, Nintendo confirmed an Art Academy app will be released ahead of the game's launch that will make certain features available so Wii U users can...
News Mega Man 2, 3 And 4 Are Now Available On North American Wii U eShop
Capcom continues to celebrate the Blue Bomber's 25th anniversary
It's been a good day for Mega Man; Capcom's hero is the new challenger in the hotly anticipated Super Smash Bros. title for the Wii U and 3DS, and alongside the bomber's debut title for the NES on the Wii U eShop, Mega Man 2, 3 and 4 have appeared on the Virtual Store. Mega Man 2, 3...
News Picross e Finally Releasing This Week In North America
It'll be in the 3DS eShop on Thursday
Picross e3, which has nothing to do with a certain expo by the way, will be released in Japan tomorrow, while North America still waits on the first two titles in the 'e' series. Europe's has Picross e for quite some time now and it looks as though North America will finally be able to join the party from...
Video Batman: Arkham Origins Gameplay Trailer Goes for the Takedown
Holy retro Batman cliche, Batman!
With presentations wrapping up — apart from the Nintendo Direct stream — E3 is preparing to open to the public and enter full PR hype mode. We can expect plenty of trailers and info-drops, and Warner Bros. is the latest to jump into the fray with the first gameplay footage of Batman: Arkham Origins, the prequel...
News Wii Fit U And Wii Party U Both Delayed Until Later In The Year
Wii Party U announced - then delayed
Wii Fit U has sadly been delayed until Winter, Nintendo confirmed today during its E3 presentation. The fitness-based game - which utilises the Wii Balance Board - was showcased during last year's E3 and was scheduled for a Summer release once upon a time. However, it looks as though we'll have to wait a little...
Monday10th Jun 2013
News Thinking Of Buying Animal Crossing: New Leaf? Go Digital, Says Iwata
"That makes me sound a little like a salesman, doesn’t it?"
As you're no doubt aware, Animal Crossing: New Leaf is now available in North America. It's an astonishingly good piece of software, as you'll know if you've taken the time to read and digest our Animal Crossing: New Leaf review. It's also the kind of game which is sure to keep players...
Believes modern platformers should strike a balance
Wind-Waker lookalike A Hat In Time is currently being developed by Gears for Breakfast after it smashed through its Kickstarter goal. It's a cell-shaded homage to the classic N64 plaformers and though it's currently only down for a PC and Mac release, the developer has expressed its desire to...
Review Fast & Furious: Showdown (Wii U)
Oh, we're furious alright
It's easy to look at the name, Fast and Furious: Showdown, and leap to conclusions that it'll be a lazy, phoned-in movie tie-in that represents the lowest common denominator of gaming. Of course we shouldn't make such assumptions, as a game based around a series of over-the-top car action movies surely has the potential to...
Talking Point Nintendo's Biggest E3 Challenge is Getting Noticed
Up against a wave of new hardware
When Nintendo announced that it was foregoing the traditional live presentation at E3, a common initial reaction was one of surprise, with some interpreting the move as a sign of weakness in the face of big-hitting rivals. When considered with a bit more context and analysis, however, the argument could be made that...
E3 2013 It's the Ubisoft Presentation - Live!
Here we go... shall we see what Ubisoft have in store?
So, E3 is upon us, and welcome to our first live stream of the year from the expo. Why Ubisoft? For one simple reason, it's a publisher and developer that's shown plenty of support for Wii U over the past year. There are some high-profile multi-platform titles coming to the system that'll be...
Nintendo Download 13th June (Europe)
Animal Crossing arrives, along with Game Gear goodies and more
It's Monday, so it's time to see what we have lined up for this week's Nintendo Download update in Europe, minus any E3 surprises, of course. One of the year's most anticipated 3DS retail titles finally lands, along with the latest Famicom Anniversary Promotion game and a lot of Game...
Rumour Nintendo Network ID Coming To 3DS This Year With Hulu In Tow
Unified account system to appear before 2014 comes around?
The Nintendo Network ID system for Wii U may not be exactly what everyone wants, but it's a step in the right direction — and it could be making its way to the 3DS before the year is out. According to Nintendo Force's Emily Rogers, we'll be hearing some news regarding this within the next...
Video LEGO Marvel Super Heroes E3 Trailer Saves the Day
It's a LEGO Wolverine, at last
There are so many LEGO games out on the market — so, so many. Yet we seem to keep wanting more, possibly because in the majority of cases they're a lot of fun, and LEGO Marvel Super Heroes looks set to be a big release this Fall; versions will grace the Wii U, 3DS and DS. With the E3 madness now well underway, the...
News Capybara: Nintendo Is Making A "Big Move" For Indie Developers
“They have a really great team there"
There once was a time when Nintendo was seen to be somewhat ignorant of indie developers, but that certainly isn't the case these days, as is evidenced by comments made by Capybara's Nathan Vella. Vella — who was speaking at recent independent gaming showcase — had nothing but praise for Nintendo's recent...
News Luigi's Mansion 2 Scares Its Way Back Into the UK Top 10
Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate sneaks into the top 40
It's UK chart day, once again, and we have more 3DS success stories to share, as two of Nintendo's notable recent releases continue to show strong momentum in the top 10. Luigi's Mansion 2 has spooked enough consumers to climb back up to 8th in the all-format chart and become the highest placed 3DS...
News WayForward Will Consider HD Edition of Mighty Switch Force! 2
"We'll certainly look into it"
Patricia Wagon is bringing the heat to North America this week with the release of Mighty Switch Force! 2 on the 3DS eShop. It'll be available on 13th June in North America and in Europe on 27th June. The first title, Mighty Switch Force!, also made its way to the Wii U in a HD version known as Mighty Switch Force!...
News It's "Safe to Assume" That Mutant Mudds 2 Will Be On The Wii U eShop
It'll be on the 3DS eShop too, of course
At the start of January this year, Renegade Kid co-founder Jools Watsham confirmed that a sequel to Mutant Mudds is in the works, titled Mutant Mudds 2. In a recent interview with Cubed3, Watsham was asked if the game would appear on both the 3DS and Wii U eShop, and responded positively: Yes, I think it...
News The Hand of Panda Has Just Over a Day to Reach its Fundraising Goal
Not far to go
At the end of last month we reported that martial arts style game, The Hand of Panda, was to chop its way onto the 3DS eShop if it successfully reaches its Kickstarter goal. The campaign is coming to a close with just over a day left and an asking price of $3,000. It's been doing pretty well, having reached $2,456 at the time of...
Video Exclusive Bronze Hot Dog Skylander Toy Revealed at E3
Hot stuff
Activision has a habit of releasing special edition Skylanders toys at big events, and E3 is no exception. Our friends over at Family Gamer TV have been given early access to a figure which is exclusive to this week's big gaming event, and you can see the unboxing below. The figure is a special edition bronze version of Hot Dog, in case...
Sunday9th Jun 2013
Rumour Best Buy's Wii U E3 Demo List Revealed
Dare we say it's slightly disappointing?
We know that through two days, one during E3 and one shortly after, over 100 Best Buy stores throughout North America will host demo units of major upcoming Wii U games, with the goal of giving shoppers the booth experience wherever they are. It's a solid initiative, and a picture has emerged — via...
Talking Point Looking Ahead to Nintendo's E3
Can you feel that tingle of excitement?
E3 2013 is now tantalisingly close, and 48 hours from the time of writing Nintendo will broadcast its pre-expo Nintendo Direct presentation, which will be focused on Wii U releases for Fall, Winter and beyond. It's a break from the usual live presentation, but nevertheless we can expect three days of...
News Don't Expect Retro Games to Play in New Animal Crossing Releases
Now go virtually play outside!
Back in the days of the GameCube Animal Crossing, when friends swapped memory cards and Tom Nook in a sweater vest was only a vague wisp that haunted the edges of our dreams and/or nightmares, players could find virtual NES consoles that contained emulated classics such as Pinball and Balloon Fight. Since then,...
News Miiverse Photo Attachment Option Teased
Still in its test phase
The run up to E3 is full of teasing and surprises, and this year it's no different. Nintendo employee, Tom, was on a flight to LA earlier on with Reggie and let everyone know he was doing so by posting on Miiverse. However, this post featured an image of the plane's wing, suggesting photo attachments may be available in the...
Rumour Best Buy Beginning Return of Wii U Basic Models Before E3
Time to say goodbye to the 8GB system?
Earlier this week we reported on a rumour that GameStop will be returning Wii U Basic systems as part of a product recall by Nintendo. It's certainly not beyond the realm of possibility as the SKU has seemed to struggle, while a 32GB White Wii U is coming to Japan; if we were to don our guessing hats we'd...
Weirdness Luigi Joins the Nintendo Bosses as They Arrive at E3
Jeez, the green one's everywhere right now
Before last year's E3 kicked off Satoru Iwata, Shigeru Miyamoto and Reggie Fils-Aime posed for a picture as they arrived in LA, forming a real-life triforce, perhaps. The three have once again arrived in the city and emerged from a large black people-carrier — is this now becoming a tradition? — but...
Out Now Animal Crossing: New Leaf
Thousands of new Mayors are elected
Your day is here, North America. Animal Crossing: New Leaf is now available in stores and, as we're sure some of you have noticed, has been in the 3DS eShop since midnight in your respective time zones. It's regularly been one of the most searched and closely followed titles on Nintendo Life, and the wait is well...
News EA Has No Publicly Announced Wii U Games Planned For Fall
Considering Wii U for future titles
Nintendo's relationship with EA has been a subject of much speculation as of late. It's been unclear whether or not the publisher considers the Wii U part of the next generation of home consoles alongside Sony's Playstation 4 and Microsoft's Xbox One, and some of EA's major titles seem to be skipping Nintendo's...
News Konami Picks Up New Contra Trademark
It's aptly named Contra Run & Gun
The long-running Contra series doesn't look like its finishing any time soon. Contra: Evolution, a remake of the NES classic, recently launched on Apple's app store in North America - only to be removed mysteriously. Turns out it wasn't ready and it'll be available at some point later in the year, however, it seems...
News Ubisoft Posts Beyond Good & Evil Image On Its Facebook Page Days Before E3
Very inconspicuous...
Earlier this year Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot confirmed Beyond Good & Evil 2 is in the works - he just didn't reveal much in terms of progress or when it'd be released. One thing he did say though was that once Ubisoft had something to say about the game, it'd be sure to let us know. Well, E3 is a couple of days away now...
News Cooking Mama Returns For A Spot Of Gardening In Japan
Mama and the Forest Friends heading to the 3DS
The Cooking Mama series has a plethora of games within it now and its developer hasn't restricted Mama to the kitchen over the years. She's also partaken in babysitting duties and also showed off her green fingers in the DS title Gardening Mama. She really is a woman of many talents. Well Mama will get...
Saturday8th Jun 2013
Feature Our Top 10 Third-Party 3DS Games - Summer 2013
Going beyond Nintendo
Last week the Nintendo Life staff voted for their favourite 3DS games at the moment, with retail and download-only titles eligible. Getting in before the swathe of hot releases coming in the next few months — kicking off with Animal Crossing: New Leaf this week — it reflected just how far the system's library had come, with...
Feature The Humble Origins of Animal Crossing
How an obscure little N64 title grew into a hit franchise for Nintendo
The hype and excitement for Animal Crossing: New Leaf across the web is reaching a critical level. Hitting North America on 9th June and Europe on 14th June, it begs the question whether some people might literally explode as a result of not being able to contain their...
News Lots of Sonic Lost World Wii U and 3DS Footage Dashes Into View
Grab some snacks
Sonic Lost World will be exclusive to Wii U and 3DS, with both games being unique; Dimps will be producing the handheld's version. We've had an official trailer to date that gave glimpses of the Wii U title, including some snazzy new Sonic moves, but naturally we want to see more. IGN has had an exclusive early look at both...
News SEGA Reveals Its E3 Lineup
Sonic Lost World takes centre stage
SEGA has announced which games it'll be bringing along to E3 next week and every single one of them will be playable. That includes the 3DS and Wii U exclusive Sonic Lost World, which is due to be released later this year. A hefty amount of footage for the game was released earlier and we're already looking...
News Natsume: A Western Medabots 7 Release Not On The Cards
"Hopefully maybe the next one"
Natsume released Medabots 7 in Japan last September and little has been said on the localisation of the 3DS RPG since. The publisher is currently getting ready for E3 and has responded to a fan on Facebook about the chances of Medabots 7 making it to Western shores. Unfortunately, it wasn't good news: It doesn't...
News Capcom Announces E3 Live-streaming Schedule
Ace Attorney: Dual Destinies Q&A will be broadcast
E3 is just around the corner now and a mixed array of developers and publishers are all preparing for what promises to be a massive three days of gaming action. There are quite a few keen publishers that have decided to broadcast some footage from the show floor - for example, Square Enix will be...
Developer Interview WayForward Talks Mighty Switch Force! 2
This girl is on fire
WayForward is one of the best known developers on Nintendo's download stores, making its name most prominently on portable platforms. It's a studio with many strings to its bow, including numerous retail releases on various platforms for other publishers, but it's arguably the company's own self-published IPs that have...
News Activision Bringing Skylanders Swap Force And Call of Duty: Ghosts To E3
"This is obviously a big year"
There has been a lot of confusion surrounding Call of Duty: Ghosts, the latest in Activision's long-running franchise. Nobody seems to definitively know if it's coming to Wii U or not. When it was announced in early May, the publisher did not mention Nintendo's home console, however, since then several media outlets...
News New Collection of Video Game Books Gets The Go-Ahead After Smashing Kickstarter Goal
Earthbound and Super Mario Bros. 2 both feature
A new set of books based on video games is set to be published after the team behind it smashed through their goal on a recent Kickstarter campaign. The series - known as Boss Fight Books - will feature five books based on historic and groundbreaking video games - two of which are on a Nintendo...
News Shin Megami Tensei IV Will Have Some DLC Available At Launch
Armor, a map pack and some hairstyles
Shin Megami Tensei IV will be released in North America on 16th July and all of the first print copies will be a limited edition box set, which includes a strategy and design book, as well as a Shin Megami Tensei music collection CD and a collectable slipcase packaging. Its publisher Atlus recently revealed m
Friday7th Jun 2013
News NBA 2K14 Won't Be Slam Dunking On Wii U
I am Jack's complete lack of surprise
NBA 2K14 is jogging onto the court this Autumn, but one of the formats it won't be gracing is the Wii U — despite the fact that the prequel was a launch title for the system. Speaking to Kotaku, Jason Argent, the senior vice president of sports operations for 2K Games, explained the reason for the snub: We...
Talking Point Nintendo Should Aim to Produce Mature, Genre-Defining Storytelling Experiences
The Last of Us sets a standard
Nintendo, when on peak form and producing its landmark titles, is capable of producing some of the greatest video games in the industry. It's the master of universal genres such as 3D and 2D platformers, adventure exploration games, and can make kart racing look easy — as mediocre copycats often demonstrate. What...
News Satoru Iwata's Mii Respectfully Asks To Infiltrate Your 3DS
Nintendo boss is available via SpotPass
If you've switched on your 3DS today, you'll have noticed a special visitor in your Mii Plaza — Nintendo's very own Satoru Iwata. Clad in a green Luigi cap, Iwata kindly reminds you of the date of the next Nintendo Direct, before informing you that his most-played 3DS game is Luigi's Mansion 2. He clearly...
News Pokémon X & Y Gearing Up the Hype Train for Next Week
Pokémon Smash Special to join E3 round table and CoroCoro info
Pokémon X & Y will be a bit of a big deal when it arrives for a worldwide release this October. It's a new generation for the hugely popular franchise, and looks set to deliver a step-up in visuals and style to match the 3DS hardware. Since its reveal earlier this year there's...
News Flipnote Studio 3D Confirmed for European Release on 1st August
Hand-drawn GIFs creep closer
Not so long ago we reported that Flipnote Studio 3D is set for an early August release in North America, as an official website was launched revealing various details on the galleries and features, including the $0.99 30-day license for access to the World gallery. Nintendo UK has launched its own website and gone a step...
News Aonuma: Zelda For Wii U Will Contain More Unexpected Elements
What's in store for gamers?
Be prepared for more "unexpected elements" in the hotly anticipated offering in the Zelda series for the Wii U, according to the producer for the franchise, Eiji Aonuma. Very little information was given on the top-secret title, except that we should expect a couple of surprises throughout the game. Here's what Aonuma...
News Link's Awakening Turns 20 Years Old
First portable Zelda was a dream come true
Two decades ago, on 6th June 1993, Japanese gamers were the first to explore the mysteries of Koholint Island in what is still considered by some to be among the top Zelda games in the series — all on the now-humble Game Boy, no less. The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening was originally intended as a...
Video You'll Wish You Could Play Tetris As Well As This
Thor Aackerlund is a Tetris master
Like the talented and popular sporty kid you used to hate at school, Thor Aackerlund has been annoying the hell out of Nintendo fans for decades, thanks largely to his superhuman gaming skills — skills which won him the coveted Nintendo World Championship back in 1990. Turns out Aackerlund hasn't allowed his...
Video This Zelda Stop Motion Animation is Crazy, and Awesome
And no, it's not closely based on the series
Zelda is a series that inspires plenty of people to take up instruments, cameras and more to produce fun videos or fan-albums for everyone to enjoy. It's also a franchise with such ardent fans that it can promote concerts worldwide and consistently sell out venues; it's truly iconic. Naturally, YouTube...
News Nintendo Launches E3 Miiverse Communities
Use your happy face
With Nintendo opting to go its own way with its E3 messaging this year, moving away from a live conference in favour of a special Nintendo Direct broadcast and other promised snippets of footage and news, it's naturally taken to its bespoke social network on Wii U to spread the word further. Announcements have appeared (from...
News Don't Look Now, But There Could Be A New Shaq Fu Game Inbound
Be very afraid
Those of you old enough to recall the 16-bit era will no doubt remember a fighting game for the SNES by the name of Shaq Fu. It took the famous basketball star Shaquille O'Neal and placed him in a fantasy world when he had to use his intense B-Ball skills to defeat the malevolent Sett-Ra. Despite being created by the respected French...
News Armature Studios Gains Another Ex-Retro Staff Member
Donkey Kong Country Returns designer Tom Ivey moves on
As we all know, Armature is a company founded by former Retro Studios staff members — and it would appear that they've added another to their ranks. According to his CV on LinkedIn, Tom Ivey — who was one of the designers on Donkey Kong Country Returns, which was recently ported to the 3DS...
Video Reggie Fils-Aime Posts E3 Welcome Message For Fans
Details on the event and more
To add more excitement for the eventful days ahead, Nintendo of America President and COO Reggie Fils-Aime has posted a welcome video for E3 on Nintendo's official YouTube channel. The video details when the Nintendo Direct broadcast will take place — 11th June at 3pm UK time / 4pm European Central time / 10am...
News New GameCenter CX Title in Development for 3DS
"Kachou ON!!!"
GameCenter CX (also known outside Japan as Retro Game Master) is the chronicle of Kachou (“Chief”) Shinya Arino and his quest to defeat classic games of years gone by. According to Siliconera, the third game about this show about games has been announced as being in development. It's like gameception. G.Rev, developers of the...
News Big Bass Arcade: No Limit Reeling in the 3DS eShop on 13th June
Hook, line, and sinker
Big John Games has confirmed that its next entry in its main fishing series, Big Bass Arcade: No Limit, will arrive on the North American 3DS eShop on 13th June, with a price tag of $6.99. The series has previously appeared on WiiWare and DSiWare, so makes the logical step across to Nintendo's latest handheld. There will be...
Thursday6th Jun 2013
News Animal Crossing: New Leaf Will Need Over 6000 Blocks On Your SD Card
Clear some space, right now
We've had a number of enquiries about how many SD card blocks are required for upcoming release Animal Crossing: New Leaf, which is of little surprise as the daily commitment that the game demands is perfectly suited to a download. Intriguingly, the results vary slightly depending on region. Our man in North America, Jon...
Nintendo Download 6th June (North America)
A New Leaf is turned, Wii U goes retro, discounts and Neo Geo goodness
It's Nintendo Download time once again, North America, with your goodies a little scaled back compared to the extravagances of last week. Alongside confirmation that there'll be extensive footage and coverage from the upcoming E3 Nintendo Direct on the eShop platforms, we have a...
News Aonuma: I Want To Work On Things Other Than Zelda
"I only have about ten more years to make games at Nintendo"
Eiji Aonuma has worked on the Zelda series for 15 years now, and has been responsible for some truly amazing entries in this beloved franchise. However, in a recent interview with EDGE magazine, he has revealed that he'd like to try other things before he retires: I'm 50 now, so I only...
News Project CARS Will "Fill A Space" On Wii U
Catering for a need for speed
The Wii U is short on racing simulations. In fact, aside from Need For Speed: Most Wanted and Fast And Furious: Showdown — neither of which could ever be described as hardcore racers — there's nothing to scratch that Gran Turismo / Forza itch on Nintendo's console. Which is precisely why Project CARS developer...
News Platinum's Hideki Kamiya Gives Smash Bros. Fans Both Barrels
Famous designer lets it all out in foul-mouthed Twitter rant
Platinum Games designer Hideki Kamiya is renowned for his classic contributions to the world of video gaming, but one thing he doesn't seem to be famous for is his patience. He regularly indulges in rants via his Twitter account, and following numerous requests from Super Smash Bros. fans...
Review Ghosts 'n Goblins (Wii U eShop / NES)
Lots of pain for little gain
From Software's Demon's Souls and Dark Souls titles have been hailed as two of the most engaging games of this current hardware generation, praised by critics and gamers alike for their intense difficulty and complete lack of hand-holding. Set against other modern titles — which seem to fall over themselves to make the...
News Masahiro Sakurai Confirms Smash Bros. Reveal For Next Week's Nintendo Direct
"For the first time, simultaneously worldwide!"
Masahiro Sakurai has taken to Twitter to confirm what we perhaps already knew — next week's E3-flavoured Nintendo Direct will contain footage of the new Super Smash Bros. title. The tweet — which has been translated by Kotaku — reads as follows: Notice: On the June 11th 11PM Nintendo Direct,...
News Spin The Bottle Will Adopt A Unique Pricing Structure For Wii U eShop
Buy early, get more for your cash
KnapNok's Creative Director Lau Korsgaard has been speaking to us about the forthcoming Wii U eShop party title Spin the Bottle, and has revealed that the studio is taking a unique approach to pricing. The game will launch with a low price point, which then rises as more content is added over time. However, if you...
Competition #3DSreasons: Tell us your reason and Win a copy of Animal Crossing New Leaf!
What's your reason?
To celebrate Nintendo's #3DSreasons campaign we're giving you the chance to win a copy of Animal Crossing: New Leaf for your 3DS, courtesy of Nintendo UK There's never been a better time to own a Nintendo 3DS — with exclusive features, great downloadable content and an amazing line up of software, there really is something...
News Call Off The Search, Katsuhiro Harada Was At Home Playing Games And Drinking Tequila
Tekken producer was suffering from a cold
Yesterday we reported on the strange announcement from the Tekken project support team, which commandeered the Twitter account of Katsuhiro Harada, the series producer, to state he hadn't been turning up for work and that they were now out looking for him. This naturally prompted some concern from all...
Interview Renegade Kid Praises Wii U as a "Gaming Console Through and Through"
Players will understand "the brilliance of what Nintendo has created"
Mutant Mudds Deluxe is now lined up to hit North America on 13th June for $9.99 — the European version is being "wrapped up", though there's no release date yet — and will include all of the content from the 3DS original along with 20 new Ghost Levels. For fans of the handheld...
Video Asgard Looks Pretty Epic In Lego Marvel Super Heroes
Plastic blocks, assemble!
TT Games is currently hard at work on Lego Marvel Super Heroes, the latest in its wildly successful line of video games based on the popular Danish building block. Our good friends over at Family Gamer TV have visited the TT Games studio for some hands-on time with the new title, the results of which you can view below...
Developer Interview Renegade Kid on Mutant Mudds Deluxe and Looking Forward with Wii U
"It is all about the games"
Mutant Mudds Deluxe will not only bring the return of the highly-rated 3DS eShop title on a HD platform, it'll also be Renegade Kid's home console debut. Since the studio was founded in 2007 it's focused, primarily, on Nintendo's DS, DSi and 3DS systems, with recent diversions to PC and iOS in the form of Mutant Mudds...
News Ubisoft: With The Right Games Wii U Will Find Its Public
"One single game can change a platform's fortunes"
Ubisoft came under fire when it decided to make Rayman Legends multi-platform and rob the Wii U of one of its more high-profile exclusives, but while rival publishers take a step back from Nintendo's console, the French veteran is continuing to display its support by developing games like
News Urban Trial Freestyle Release Date Confirmed, Track Editor to be 3DS eShop Exclusive
Lands on 27th June
Last year we reported that Urban Trial Freestyle was coming to the 3DS eShop, a title that previously arrived on the PlayStation Network on PS3 and PS Vita. As the name suggests, it draws a lot of inspiration from the Trials series by RedLynx, offering a budget download-only alternative to the Xbox 360/PC exclusive series. The...
News Precursor CEO - Shadow of the Eternals Supporters Bringing “New Possibilities” to Development
But will it bring more funding?
While Precursor Games gears up for a second attempt at crowdfunding Shadow of the Eternals after shutting down its initial effort, CEO Paul Caporicci continues to push the message that the suspension is to implement “new, exciting opportunities.” In an interview with Polygon, Caporicci added that said...
News Mighty Switch Force! Hyper Drive Edition Finally Makes It To Australia And New Zealand
It's available to download from the eShop right now
This week WayForward Technologies announced Mighty Switch Force! 2 would be available in North America next week, and in Europe later in the month. However, Australia and New Zealand have been waiting on the Wii U eShop version of the original title for what feels like an age. Well, the wait is...
Wednesday5th Jun 2013
News You Can Now Use Your GameCube Pad On Your Wii U
Isn't modern technology just wonderful?
One of the hidden talents of the original Wii console was support for GameCube controllers, but sadly this functionality was removed from the Wii U — along with the ability to play GameCube discs. For those of you who simply can't let go of that beloved Wavebird, help is at hand. Mayflash — a company...
News The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past 2 Will Run At 60FPS
Eiji Aonuma confirms you can play the game without the 3D turned on
The highly anticipated sequel to The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past - which is set for release later this year on the 3DS - will run at 60 frames per second, even when the 3D is switched on, according to the game's producer Eiji Aonuma. In an interview with EDGE, Aonuma...
Review Kirby's Dream Course (Wii U eShop / SNES)
Augusta this 'ain't
Kirby, being a lovable if slightly non-descript pink ball, can lend his hands — or flappy arms, whatever — to lots of things. Being shaped like a ball and all, he's indulged in pinball, for example, and when participating in his named spin-offs generally performs as the ball, rather than going all Mario and playing the sports...
Rumour Nintendo Is Recalling Wii U Basic Bundle
Could we see a new bundle appear after E3?
A company-wide email is apparently being distributed by GameStop which indicates that the retailer is withdrawing the Wii U Basic bundle from sale. The email — which has since made its way into the hands of Kotaku — states: Nintendo Wii U Basic Recall – Two Week Preparation On Tuesday, 6/18, all...
News Ian Livingstone: Nintendo Should Have Their IP On Every Platform
"Otherwise a whole generation of young people will miss out on their games"
Industry veteran and Eidos life president Ian Livingstone has once again aired his opinion that Nintendo should develop games for other systems. Speaking at the Bristol Games Hub — a non-profit organisation based in the South West of England — Livingstone warned that...
It all happens this Saturday
It seems like forever and an age since Nintendo announced the release date for Animal Crossing: New Leaf in both North America and Europe, and now the game is just around the corner with it launching in North America this Sunday 9th June, and in Europe a couple of days later on 14th June. To celebrate the occasion,...
Weirdness Capcom Selling a Rush Tissue Pouch in Japan for Mega Man Anniversary
Just what the fans want...
While this year has been a celebration of the Mega Man franchise's 25th Anniversary, Capcom's mainly been offering soundtracks, USB pen drives, laptop skins and other non-gaming products. We've also seen the release of the classic NES titles on the 3DS Virtual Console, with some doubling up on the Wii U Virtual Console for...
News Shin Megami Tensei IV Team Want To Change The Mindset That Social Games "Are Good Enough”
As hardcore as they come
Shin Megami Tensei IV has just been released in Japan and has stormed to the top of the charts with almost 190,000 copies sold in its first week. Speaking to NicoNico News, game director Kazuyuki Yamai revealed that one of the main motivations behind creating the title was to prove that games could be mature and not...
News Tomodachi Collection: New Life Reinstated At Number One In Japanese Sales Charts
3DS continues to shine
Tomodachi Collection: New Life has been reinstated at the top of the sales charts in Japan after taking a week off to accommodate for several new releases. The Mii-based life-sim has been doing good business for Nintendo in Japan and shot up from 4th position to number one, knocking last week's new entry Shin Megami Tensei IV...
News Nintendo Deal With O2 Adds Thousands of Nintendo Zone Locations in the UK
Giving oxygen to the service
Remember that thing called Nintendo Zone? It's an app on your 3DS that connects to thousands of Wi-Fi hotspots in your region — it doesn't work on home connections — and provides exclusive content such as videos to watch. It's there to encourage us to take our portable system on the road and fire it up in...
News Alarm Raised After Tekken Producer Goes AWOL, Doesn't Turn Up For Work
Something to worry about, or publicity stunt?
Tekken producer Katsuhiro Harada has been working on the franchise for almost two decades, and is one of the most recognisable faces within the walls of Namco Bandai. However, it has been reported by his co-workers that Harada-san hasn't been turning up at work lately — prompting a rather worrying...
News "Too Early" To Talk About Updates For Sniper Elite V2, Says Developer Rebellion
Studio insists that Wii U version looks better than its rivals, though
Sniper Elite V2 recently launched on Wii U, but instead of the positive response you'd normally associate with a new software launch on a game-starved console, Rebellion's WW2 shooter has met with a pretty frosty reception from players — largely because it's missing a lot of...
News Harvest Moon: A New Beginning Sowing the Seeds for a Q3 Release in Europe
Courtesy of Marvelous AQL Europe and Zen United
Although a prolific franchise and one that appeared on 3DS initially with a DS dual release, Harvest Moon: A New Beginning represents the first departure for the series designed exclusively for the system. Its attempts to freshen up the series were a success, in our view, as we awarded it 8/10 in our...
News Prince Vultan Soars Onto UK Television To Promote Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D
Larger-than-life actor Brian Blessed voices new TV advert
Legendary British actor Brian Blessed has lent his unique vocal talents to the UK television advert for Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D. Blessed, who has starred in Flash Gordon, Star Wars Episode 1: The Phantom Menace and Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves, bellows over the top of gameplay...
News Two Tribes Launches Toki Tori 2 Miiverse Drawing Contest
Your artwork could appear in the game
When it comes to Toki Tori 2 on the Wii U eShop, no-one can accuse developer Two Tribes of releasing the title and then simply walking away. The studio has actively sought the opinions of those that have played the game, applying feedback to a substantial update that improved and tweaked various aspects of the...
Tuesday4th Jun 2013
Review Animal Crossing: New Leaf (3DS)
Return of the thieving raccoon
It’s likely that before the archaic and newly-retired Mayor Tortimer sailed off into the sunset he turned to the fresh-faced Mayor-to-be beside him and whispered, “Remember, you’re only a Mayor, not a King, and this is a democracy, not a dictatorship.” And with that, he turned, winked, donned his Hawaiian shirt...
News PES 2014 Will Not Be Dispensed On Wii U
Poor PES 2013 sales means there's no 3DS version either
EA created quite a stir last month when it confirmed FIFA 14, its next iteration in is popular football franchise, would be skipping the Wii U and would only be making it to the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, as well as the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One - when they arrive. Of course that means...
Talking Point E3 2013 Is All About The Games
Wii U games, specifically
For many, the start of a new generation heralds the beginning of a golden age for gaming, promising new IPs, a fresh approach, or simply an established franchise seen through new technology. It is a time when the sky is the limit, and gamers everywhere can come together to celebrate change. But this time, that hasn’t...
News Guys, This Is How You Make A Live-Action Zelda Movie
Standing in Link's Shadow
Fan-made movies aren't just kids running around in paper masks with wooden swords any more. If you need any proof of this, check out Corridor Digital's latest short, entitled Link's Shadow. This short film looks and sounds amazing, and focuses on the battle between Link and his shady nemesis, Dark Link. Here's the...
Video A History Of Nintendo Controllers in Less Than 30 Seconds
The N64's is still the strangest...
Nintendo has often played the role of innovator with its control schemes, particularly in more recent times. When not innovating it's been satisfied with simply producing the best controllers of their kind — in the NES and Super NES variants — with the Nintendo 64 starting a trend for curious designs and fresh...
Rumour Third Sonic Game in Nintendo Deal Not Actually Coming in 2013
3DS version of Winter Olympics title is also very likely
Yesterday we reported on a translated press release from Nintendo Germany, which seemed to suggest that all three Nintendo-exclusive Sonic games would arrive in 2013. Admittedly, that would cause a fair bit of release congestion as the year wears on, and Rich George of IGN has tweeted to state...
News Yacht Club Games Unveils Shovel Knight's Nemesis, the Black Knight
And a nifty papercraft
Shovel Knight is shaping up to be an intriguing release later this year for both the Wii U and 3DS eShop platforms; it's the first game release from Yacht Club Games, itself formed by former employees of WayForward Technologies. The footage and hands-on previews to date have been full of positivity, with its pixel-based...
News Monster Hunter Details Revealed During Capcom Event
A monstrous amount of content
Monster Hunter 4 finally has a firm release date for Japan, which now prompts franchise fans in the West to start counting the days to a localisation reveal. Japan is truly the series' homeland, however, with handheld entries in particular being a major boon to Nintendo; Monster Hunter 3 G played a notable role in the...
News Darkness Falls Early For Shadow Of The Eternals
Crowdfunding campaigns closing, relaunch promised
Percursor Games’ journey to crowdfund Shadow of the Eternals, the episodic spiritual successor to Eternal Darkness, has faced its share of stumbling blocks, including split campaigns and
Hands On Rage Quitting with Cloudberry Kingdom
Another coin for the swear jar
What has happened to the days of trial-and-error platformer gaming? Those old NES and Mega Drive titles which saw you repeating the same level over and over in order to finally make it to the far right side of the seemingly ever-scrolling screen? The games which had no boss battles nor real 'enemies' except for...
News Ubisoft Nervous About How People Will React To Watch_Dogs At E3
Developers have pre-E3 jitters
Ubisoft showed off Watch_Dogs during its E3 presentation last year and interest in the open-world action title has been high ever since. The company is bringing it along for the ride this year too but the developers still appear to be nervous about how it will be received by the fans, seeing as they've had a year to...
News Harmonix Co-founder - Rock Band ‘Something We’ll Return To’
Don’t stop believing
A full-fledged, retail Rock Band title was last released nearly three long years ago. Since then, developer Harmonix has been busy with more kinetic offerings, including the Dance Central series and the just-announced Disney Fantasia: Music Evolved for Xbox consoles. But don’t put your six-string in hock just yet, Tommy. In...
News Mighty Switch Force! 2 Blazing Into The North American 3DS eShop Next Week
Patricia Wagon brings the heat
Back in March WayForward Technologies announced a sequel to the enchanting puzzle-based platformer Mighty Switch Force! would be making its way to the 3DS eShop. The developer has now revealed Mighty Switch Force! 2 will be available to download in North America on 13th June and in Europe on 27th June. A new trailer...
Monday3rd Jun 2013
News Club Nintendo's June Rewards Bring Out More Retro Goodies
Including one of the greatest platformers ever made
It's that time again, North America, when you're tempted to part with your hard-earned Nintendo coins in exchange for a free download game, and for Europeans to unite as one and say "why don't we get monthly game offers?" In any case, there are four new games to consider if you have a Wii U, Wii or...
Also says gamers see tablet and mobile as "perfect substitutes" for 3DS
Wedbush analyst Michael Pachter has delivered his company's latest set of predictions for the video game industry, and the findings make grim reading for Nintendo fans. Pachter feels that with the PS4 and Xbox One looming on the horizon, hardware price cuts are likely across...
Developer Interview Next Level Games And Nintendo Talk Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon
We speak exclusively to the team behind the 3DS adventure
The 3DS is enjoying a bumper 2013 when it comes to must-have releases, and Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon (or Luigi's Mansion 2 if you're outside of North America) has been one of the best titles to hit the handheld this year. The game has received overwhelmingly positive reviews and has set...
Nintendo Download 6th June (Europe)
Spelunking, questing for jewels and discounts galore
It's the start of another week, which means it's time for those of us in Europe to dive into this week's Nintendo Download update. We have the most iconic puzzle game of all, as well as some alternative puzzling and strategy titles joining in. Only the Wii misses out this week, with its successor...
News All Three Of Nintendo's Exclusive Sonic Titles Will Be Out In 2013
But what's the third game?
During the last Nintendo Direct broadcast, it was revealed that Nintendo had entered into an exclusive deal with Sega to publish a series of Sonic titles. More recently, Nintendo Germany has stated that the trio of games will all be available this year. Here's the portion of the press release in question, translated from...
Interview Next Level Games Excited to Work on More Nintendo IPs
Tells us it's tagged as "ones who can revive old Nintendo franchises"
Later today we'll publish an exclusive and extensive interview with key members of the Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon development team, both from Next Level Games and Nintendo. We talk about Next Level Games' history of Nintendo games, and in detail about the development, design and...
News Nintendo Announces "Monster Hunter: Gift & Hunt Together Promotion" For 3DS Owners
The ultimate gift for Europe
One of the downsides of Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate for the 3DS, compared to its Wii U compatriot, is that it doesn't feature online play. It does, however, have local multiplayer, which allows gamers to play with others who own either the handheld or Wii U version, so you're not entirely missing out on co-op in this...
Weirdness Someone Is Planning On Digging Up Atari's Buried E.T. Cartridges
Could this urban legend be true? We'll soon find out
Before Nintendo came along and revolutionised the video game industry with the NES, American company Atari was the undisputed king of the home gaming arena — right up to the point where low-quality software and catastrophic mismanagement resulted in a massive video game crash. One of the most...
News It's Still Not Known If Batman: Arkham Origins DLC Is Coming To Wii U
DLC "not available on all platforms"
For some reason, DLC seems to be a dirty word as far as the Wii U is concerned. Mass Effect 3 players missed out, Sniper Elite V2 has recently launched with no downloadable content whatsoever and it's
Video Disney's Planes Trailer Flies Into View
Exclusive to Nintendo systems
Earlier this year it was confirmed that Disney's Planes will be coming exclusively to Nintendo systems, covering Wii U, Wii, 3DS and DS. It'll arrive in North America on 6th August, just before the film arrives on 9th August; as most of you probably already know — or will have guessed — this is a follow up to the...
News CIRCLE Entertainment Hopes To Release Castle Conqueror Dark Age This Year
It's taken 18 months to develop
CIRCLE Entertainment is behind the Castle Conqueror series on DSiWare and has now confirmed there is to be another iteration in the form of Castle Conqueror Dark Age. According to a tweet from the company, it's a sequel to Castle Conqueror Heroes 2, which means it could be set to feature the turn based combat found...
News Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D Maintains Top Ten 3DS Run
Clinging on at number eight
UKIE has issued the UK all-format software charts for last week, and confirmation of Donkey Kong Country Returns coming in eighth place — three down from its debut week — means another week with a 3DS exclusive in the UK top 10; we've now had quite a few consecutive weeks where that's been the case. Elsewhere,...
News Mutant Mudds Deluxe Will Cost Less Than Ten Bucks
Renegade Kid's upcoming release will set you back $9.99
Renegade Kid's Mutant Mudds Deluxe - the bolstered version of the popular 3DS eShop title Mutant Mudds - will be arriving in the Wii U eShop in North America on 13th June. The price of the game has now been revealed by the developer's co-founder Jools Watsham on Twitter and it will cost less...
Video Street Fighter Gets Artistic with Motion Sculptures
Lots and lots of lines
When teaching yourself video-making techniques and how to use various pieces of software, you could do worse than to use the time to commemorate a beloved gaming franchise. That's what a Vimeo user, DantheAdMan, has done, producing a video of motion sculptures based on characters from the iconic fighting franchise, such as...
Sunday2nd Jun 2013
Feature Our Top 10 3DS Games - Summer 2013
The favourites so far
With E3 2013 now a little over a week away, we expect a lot of talk to focus on the Wii U and its competitors, as the home consoles prepare for a battle at the retailers this Holiday season. And yet, we feel we should take another opportunity at this juncture to show some love for the 3DS, the handheld that overcame a rocky...
Video Check Out Donkey Kong at this Nintendo World Launch Event
Credit to the guy in the outfit
The Nintendo World store in New York recently hosted a launch event for Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D, where attendees had the chance to enjoy other games featuring the mascot, pick up some goodie bags and meet the ape himself. Events such as these, as well as expos and similar occasions, give gamers a chance to...
Video Watch_Dogs Behind the Scenes Trailer Shows MoCap in Action
Hands can now go in pockets, minds are blown
Watch_Dogs is arguably Ubisoft's biggest game of the year, as it's a new IP that also has the potential to be a technical marvel; it certainly turned heads when it made its debut at E3 2012. It's coming to the Wii U, too, which is possibly the best news of all. Ubisoft has been producing various videos...
News Renegade Kid Divulges Mutant Mudds Deluxe Control Options
Wii Remote and Nunchuk supported
Renegade Kid co-founder Jools Watsham took to Twitter today to reveal the array of control choices available for the upcoming Wii U platformer Mutant Mudds Deluxe. In addition to the Gamepad and Wii Remote, Watsham said the game will also support the Wii U Pro Controller, the Wii Classic Controller and a Wii Remote...
Saturday1st Jun 2013
News Flipnote Studio 3D to Hit North America Early August, Subscription Pricing Revealed
Details ahoy
While Flipnote Studio 3D is set to arrive in Japan on 3rd July, Nintendo of America has now launched a new official website packed with details about the free title, including a release window and details on the optional subscription service to be offered. Though there's no precise date, it's listed to arrive in early August, while...
Review Mega Man X (Wii U eShop / SNES)
Marks the spot
By the time Mega Man X was released for the SNES, gamers and critics were already expressing concern about the classic series feeling stale. Mega Man had become formulaic and predictable, and while the NES games were still a lot of fun, there was no denying that they didn't evolve much from title to title. Mega Man X felt like a firm...
Feature The Biggest Wii U Games of 2013 - Summer Edition
Now this list is getting juicy
With summertime almost officially upon us, and with E3 looming on the horizon, we've decided to take stock and provide our updated list of the biggest Wii U games of 2013. There are some changes since our Spring Edition, most notably the removal of two Wii U eShop titles. With the Wii U retail lineup getting more...
News Limited Super Mario Accessory Box Reward On Club Nintendo Has Sold Out Already
Gone in less than a week
Nintendo updated its Club Nintendo catalogue in North America this week with a neat Super Mario canvas accessory box, which allowed you to keep your games, controllers and other bits and pieces safe in style. A limited quantity was made available, and Nintendo was true to its word. The item was made available to purchase at...
News Hideki Kamiya Teases Bayonetta 2 for E3 Nintendo Direct
Update: Or not, Kamiya can be a tease
Since this article was posted, we'd been contacted (and read in the comments) to suggest that Hideki Kamiya may have been teasing with his declaration that Bayonetta 2 would feature in the E3 Nintendo Direct. He since posted the following tongue-cheek tweet. [tweet He's since been replying to various tweets...
News Get Excited, Nintendo's E3 Site Is Out In The Wild
Hype begins in 3.. 2.. 1..
It is now the 1st of June depending on where you are in the world. You know what that means folks, E3 is creeping upon us so fast that Sonic himself is finding it hard to keep up. As you all know, Nintendo will be hosting a Nintendo Direct broadcast on 11th June at 3pm UK time / 4pm European Central time / 10am Eastern /...
Review Star Wars Episode I: Battle for Naboo (Nintendo 64)
Tour de Force
While it wasn't quite the workhorse that Rare was during the Nintendo 64 era, Factor 5 developed a handful of third-party games that arguably matched Nintendo's own efforts in terms of technical quality. The studio had a knack for getting underneath the hood of the system and exploiting its raw power to create fascinating visual...
News Shadow of the Eternals "Unlikely" To Be Released If Funding Methods Fail
Backers from devs own site will be refunded if necessary
It was announced earlier last month that a spiritual successor to Eternal Darkness: Sanity's Requiem was in development for the Wii U. The game in question, Shadow of the Eternals, received the Kickstarter and
Video This Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney - Dual Destinies Trailer is a Treat
Its eShop release can't come soon enough
While its eShop-only release will undoubtedly disappoint some, we shouldn't forget that — after a lot of doubt — Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney - Dual Destinies is coming the West in the Fall period. Quite a number of the Nintendo Life team, for example, are planning to raid the 3DS online store when it...
News New Features In Toki Tori 2+ Will Make It Over To Wii U
If it's possible, Two Tribes will make it so
Toki Tori 2 fluttered onto the Wii U not too long ago but Two Tribes, the game's developer, has stressed there will be more to come from the feathery puzzler once the first major update goes live. Martijn Reuvers, founder of Two Tribes, told us in our recent interview that there were many things planned...
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