News Let's Clarify Exactly How the Fire Emblem Fates 'Skinship' Mode Works in North America
'Petting' is limited to 'S' relationships
Reminder The Current-Gen Mew Special Distribution is Underway
X & Y and Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire included
Feature Why We're Still Playing… Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver
The winners of your community vote on favourite Pokémon games
News - February, 2016
Monday29th Feb 2016
News Ubisoft Discounts Galore in 2-Week North American eShop Sale
Rayman for $10 isn't a big leap to make
A leap day might feel like a magical "extra" 24 hours to some, but for many of us it was probably just another day. For Ubisoft, at least, it was the day to start some boffo discounts on a ton of its Wii U and 3DS eShop inventory in North America. The deals go up to 75% off on some games and last until 13th...
News Nintendo of America Confirms New Wii U, 3DS and Wii Nintendo Selects Titles for 11th March
Just $19.99 each
In mid-February a retailer listing from Canadian store VGP Video Games Plus pointed to a new batch of Nintendo Selects titles being on the way to North America. The good news is that the listing was accurate, with Nintendo of America confirming that the range of Wii U, 3DS and Wii games will be available for $19.99 - that's the US...
Rumour Buster Let's Clarify Some Issues With Those Recent Nintendo NX Predictions
Hey, Nostradamus!
Over the weekend we saw a lot of chatter about a supposed leak revealing solid NX details from a source known as Geno. Like reputed seer Nostradamus, it seems some of this individual's previous predictions have come to pass, although of course many of them appear to be unfulfilled wishful thinking. In short, there's room for doubt...
Nintendo Download 3rd March (Europe)
Twilight Princess HD! Retro Advance Wars! LEGO 3DS Season Pass! More!
The latest Nintendo Download Update details are available for Europe, with a major retail title leading the way on Wii U. There's some classic strategy on the home console, too, along with DLC and some download-only options across both current-gen systems, including a season pass...
Review Brunswick Pro Bowling (Wii U)
You still have that membership for Wii Sports Club, right?
What's the meaning of life? We all have wondered about it at least once in our lives. Whether it's on the commute, while taking a shower or when rolling a bowling ball down the lane. When you think about it, Bowling is pretty similar to life, a continuous cycle that depends on numerous...
Video Zelda U Easter Egg Found Within Twilight Princess HD
Oh Nintendo, you tease...
March is a great month for Zelda fans, for The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess HD is looming around the corner, and Hyrule Warriors Legends isn't much further away either. However, the crème de la crème title that most (if not all) Zelda fans are looking forward to is the new Legend of Zelda title for the Wii U,...
Video See The Beginning Of A Link To The Past Come To Life in Unreal Engine 4
Another one bites the dust
We've posted a fair share of fan-made projects taking our favourite video games and characters and giving them a HD graphical overhaul, from the Ocarina of Time's Master Sword cutscene to Bulbasaur, Charmander, and Squirtle frolicking in an open field. These have come from a range of creators, and while sometimes their...
Review Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Blue Rescue Team (Wii U eShop / DS)
Pokécrawler: Blue
Many Pokémon are finding themselves in trouble and it's up to you and your rescue team to go and save them in this dungeon crawling spin-off from Chunsoft. Released for the DS in 2006, Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Blue Rescue Team sees you fighting ill-tempered Pokémon as you search a randomly generated floor for the staircase that...
Weirdness This Is Conker As You've Never Seen Him Before, And Won't Ever Want To Again
Say hello to "Young Conker"
Conker is one of Rare's most iconic characters, largely because he's a complete subversion of everything a cute, platforming mascot should be. Originally conceived as your typical fluffy hero, Conker only really found fame when Chris Seavor - he of Rusty Pup fame - took the character and turned him on his head, creating...
Video The Incredible Tale Of The $50 Nintendo World Championships Cartridge
Stranger than fiction
Last year Nintendo resurrected the Nintendo World Championships, an event it first held back in 1990. As a result, interest in the special competition cartridges - handed out to winners
Weirdness Drew Barrymore Is Now Pokémon's Fashion Ambassador
"I like things that are colorful and happy"
Pokémon turns 20 this year as we all know, and no time is being wasted when it comes to exploiting this landmark event. Nintendo has just released the games that started it all on the 3DS eShop, and long-time merchandising partner Tomy is planning a year of special promotions. Later in the year
News Bravely Second: End Layer Secures a Decent Start in the UK Charts
Pokémon Super Mystery Dungeon also shows decent momentum
Bravely Second: End Layer recently made its debut in Europe, and it's certainly another one to add to the list of excellent RPG experiences on the 3DS. The sequel delivers on various fronts, and has had a decent start in the UK charts. On its debut week the Nintendo / Square Enix-published...
Video Nintendo UK Launches Pokkén Tournament Countdown Clash Series
Learn about fighters and predict outcomes
Pokkén Tournament is just a few weeks away on Wii U, all set to bring its brand of Pokémon brawling into our living rooms. Nintendo will no doubt be promoting it quite heavily, and for its part Nintendo UK is launching a 'Countdown Clash' series; the idea is that videos will introduce match-ups, we all...
Video METAGAME Is A Movie About The Wild World Of Competitive Smash Bros. Players
From the makers of The Smash Brothers documentary series
The world of professional Smash Bros. play is a fascinating one, full of incredible highs and surprising lows. In 2013, Travis "Samox" Beauchamp tried to capture the essence of this competitive scene in a series of documentaries entitled
News Tadpole Treble is Expected to Launch in March on the Wii U eShop
From the creator of Brawl in the Family
Those of you who like to read webcomics may be familiar with Brawl in the Family. Drawn and written by Matthew Taranto, the comic series primarily featured various Nintendo characters that starred in Super Smash Bros. Brawl, later expanding beyond Smash into other Nintendo releases. Though the comic has now...
Sunday28th Feb 2016
Feature Why We're Still Playing… Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver
The winners of your community vote on favourite Pokémon games
This is a series of features that focuses on games that we keep playing again and again, either over an unhealthy number of hours or those that keep getting return visits long after they first graced our systems. In this entry Mitch talks about his favourite Pokémon games, which also...
Talking Point The New 3DS Can Revive the Portable Family With Help From Pokémon and amiibo
Pokemon amiibo cards could print money
Nintendo knows how to bury bad news. Not long before the Pokémon Direct and the reveal of Pokémon Sun and Moon, it announced cuts to its estimated profits and sales. Net sales could be the lowest in 15 years for the
News Sakurai Talks About the Development Process Behind the Smash Bros. DLC Stages
Lots of attention to detail
The DLC for Super Smash Bros. 4 drew to a close earlier this month, easily making this the most packed version of Smash Bros. to date. Naturally, there's a lot of franchises from across many companies that could easily belong in a Smash Bros. game, and the process of deciding who and what gets represented likely isn't one...
Saturday27th Feb 2016
Nintendo Life Weekly Pokémon Generation 7 Sun & Moon Revealed, EA NX Rumours and More
Praise the sun!
It's been a whirlwind of a week for all those interested in the happenings of Nintendo, so we can't blame you if some of the big news somehow slipped under your radar. That's why we have once more cobbled the biggest and best news of the week together with all the eShop releases, our reviews and more. This week we're looking at...
News ENKKO to Restore the N64 Controller to Its Former Glory with New Kickstarter Campaign
Keeping the generation alive
While renowned for popularising the incorporation of analogue joysticks into modern video game controllers, the Nintendo 64 Controller's joystick is, in fact, its biggest flaw. Those who played their N64 extensively back in its heyday will remember that the stick would become loose after extended use, so much so that it...
Video The Truth Behind Factor 5's Pilotwings Game for GameCube
A nice idea that never took off
Pilotwings is a series that, after capturing hearts on Super NES, has failed to establish itself fully as a franchise. There was Pilotwings 64, and then after a long wait there was Pilotwings Resort, a 3DS launch title that took placed in and around Wuhu Island from Wii S
News Minecraft Update Version Number Three Has Gone Live
Brings it up to par with Xbox 360 version 33
Minecraft: Wii U Edition has been out for a couple months now, and many Nintendo gamers have since put in countless hours exploring its blocky environments. All the same, it's not a perfect version of the game, with many fans complaining about certain features that were absent from this release...
Feature Reflections on 20 Years of Pokemon
Our staff and contributors shared their thoughts on the series
Pokémon is now 20 years old, with the celebrations having included a Pokémon Direct and the release of the gen 1 Game Boy titles on the 3DS Virtual Console. It's become one of the most important franchises for Nintendo both commercially and in broader terms, with a popular culture...
Feature Nintendo Life's Favourite Pokémon Games - 20th Anniversary Edition
They all want to be the very best...
Not too long ago we asked you, the Nintendo Life community, to vote for your favourite Pokémon games, in order to celebrate the 20th Anniversary of the franchise; to say that the voting was close would be an understatement. As for the rules, only 'main' or 'core' games were included, which was nevertheless a...
Friday26th Feb 2016
News Pokémon Bank Support Confirmed for Virtual Console Releases of Red, Blue and Yellow
Will also support Moon and Sun, obviously
The Pokémon Company has concluded its special Pokémon Direct, and in addition to announcing Pokémon Sun and Pokémon Moon, it had another announcement up its sleeve that we can enjoy very soon. It's been confirmed that the Virtual Console releases of Pokémon Red / Blue / Yellow on 27th February will...
News Missingno is Still in the Virtual Console Releases of Pokémon
Everybody's favorite Bird type
Pokémon Red, Blue, and Yellow are soon to be available on the 3DS eShop, providing an excellent way of celebrating the 20th anniversary of the franchise. Naturally, there are questions surrounding how well these versions have preserved the originals, and whether or not all the same glitches and bugs are still present...
News Pokémon Sun And Moon Confirmed For 3DS Release This Holiday Season
In 9 languages!
While yesterday's leak may have ruined the surprise, Pokémon fans will no doubt be ecstatic at the news that the venerable 3DS is getting a new mainline outing this year. Pokémon Sun and Pokémon Moon
Live Blog Watch the Pokémon Direct - Live!
Talking 'bout our generation
It's the first Nintendo Direct of the year and, rather excitingly, it's a Pokémon Direct. Trademarks and logos have emerged, but are they the definitive picture? What will Nintendo and The Pokémon Company bring in its short, but action packed, broadcast? We look forward to finding out. <liveblog...
Reaction The Pokémon Direct Was Short and Slick, But Had a Blunted Impact
Sun and Moon remain a mystery despite their leaks and then reveal
Well, the first Nintendo Direct of the year has aired, and it was short and snappy. The Pokémon Direct was confirmed to be around five minutes long when announced, and it only edged up to 'approximately 6 minutes' when it actually arrived; there was no double bluffing to be found...
News Ubisoft Battling To Resist Hostile Takeover From Media Giant Vivendi
Boss Yves Guillemot blasts "unsolicited and unwelcome" attempt
Assassin's Creed studio Ubisoft is in danger of being taken over by mass media conglomerate Vivendi, claims boss Yves Guillemot. Vivendi - which has history in the games industry with companies like Activision Blizzard and Sierra - has been aggressively seeking a controlling stake in...
Review Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Red Rescue Team (Wii U eShop / GBA)
Pokécrawler: Red
As well as the regular series of Pokémon RPGs, a number of spin-off games have appeared over the years. Developed by Chunsoft, Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Red Rescue Team arrived on the Game Boy Advance in 2006 and (like a number of the studio's titles) takes the form of a dungeon crawler that has you battling against numerous enemy...
Video See What Wonders Lie inside Twilight Princess HD in our Unboxing
Wolf Link amiibo as standard
The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess HD has a limited edition of sorts, although for some reason the box doesn't describe it so. Nevertheless we've done out best to crack open this box of tricks and see what's inside. We managed to get our hands on the EU version to the surprise of no one, which comes bundled with the...
News Nintendo Acknowledges Tough Conditions by Cutting Profit and Sales Forecasts
Wii U game sales to exceed expectations, though
During its most recent financial reports, Nintendo reported some underwhelming results while sticking to its projections; with the dust having now settled the company has actually downgraded its expectations for sales and profits for the rest of the financial year (up to 31st March). To start with the...
Video Prepare for Drama in The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess HD's Launch Trailer
Nintendo of America also weighs in with TV trailer
Update: Nintendo of America has now released a rather nice TV commercial, too. Original Article: The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess HD is just a week away at the time of writing, which is certainly something to be pleased about for fans of the series with a Wii U. Nintendo has been ramping...
Ninterview How NeoGAF's Watch Da Birdie Is Creating The Most In-Depth Pokémon Retrospective Yet
Gotta discuss 'em all
With Pokémon celebrating its 20th anniversary and a mysterious Pokémon-related broadcast imminent, there is certainly no shortage of content to keep fans engaged and excited about the future of the series. We've seen that the Pokémon fandom is capable of some truly amazing feats, including fanart and other impressive...
Video The Twilight Princess Development Team Discuss Character and Plot Origins
Eiji Aonuma has the strangest dreams
The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess HD, for those that didn't play the original on GameCube or Wii, will provide an intriguing and at times dark story for first-time players. There are moments of surreal imagery, some twists, and the basic fact that you run around as Link in Wolf form. The origins of the...
"That was a huge risk for Marvel, but they did it and look at them now"
Two leading Hollywood producers are of the opinion that Nintendo should get into movies on its own terms, emulating the trailblazing approach taken by comic giant Marvel. Dissatisfied with outside attempts to adapt its properties for the big screen, Marvel put the rights to ten...
News Planet Diver Aims For The Core On The Wii U eShop
Steam and mobile title coming to the eShop soon
Indie developer Fabraz has announced that its action title Planet Diver is coming to the Wii U eShop in the not-too-distant future. The game, which boasts pixel-heavy retro visuals and a cool anime visual style, has already appeared on Steam and Android. Assuming the role of a daredevil wingsuit...
News Pokémon Launches a Fresh Twitter Account for UK and Ireland
Moving into new regions
The word Pokémon is going to appear a lot in the next few days. Pokémon, Pokémon, Pokémon. Editing tools will have the accented 'e' programmed, and there'll be plenty to keep 'mon fans happy. We have a Pokémon Direct, the releases of the generation 1 originals on the 3DS Virtual Console, and the fact it's the series'...
News PixelJunk Monsters Has Been Rated for Wii U by PEGI
A tower defense game from Q-Games
For those of you with Playstation consoles, you may be familiar with the PixelJunk name. A short series of quirky downloadable games, these were all developed by Q-Games, a small studio which was started up by Dylan Cuthbert, a pivotal developer of the original Star Fox. Though Q-Games put out some high quality...
Video Steam Powered Giraffe Answer Fan Questions on SteamWorld Heist and Its Soundtrack
We support the statement that top hats are the best
SteamWorld Heist is a game with many qualities, and one of these is most certainly the soundtrack. Image & Form teamed up with US band Steam Powered Giraffe, a neat three-piece group that performs and writes music in the steampunk aesthetic. The band has now hosted an episode of Image &...
Thursday25th Feb 2016
Spoilers contained within...
There's a special Nintendo Direct tomorrow regarding some exciting Pokémon news - but it would appear trademarks and logos found online have already ruined the surprise. The information has cropped up on the EU trademark website and lists Pokémon Sun and Pokémon Moon (and not Pokémon Rainbow as
Nintendo Download 25th February (North America)
Pokemon Gen 1! Mega Man! Sadame! 6180 the moon! Medabots! More!
It's a big week for Nintendo download fans, with the original Pokémon games leading the way on 3DS. There are also plenty of varied download-only options on Wii U, along with some major releases on 3DS, DLC offerings and the usual range of discounts. There's plenty to get through, so...
Video See How Pokémon on the 3DS Virtual Console Compares to an Original Cartridge on a Retron 5
The Game Boy doesn't do HDMI
The three first generation Pokémon games are nearlyavailable on the 3DS Virtual Console, and to celebrate just a wee bit we though it might be fun to see if there are any subtle performance or graphical variations between this version and the original cartridges. Using Pokémon Blue as a benchmark for no reason other...
News Pokémon Photo Booth Can Now Be Downloaded Off of the App Store
Pokémon Snap
It seems that the Pokémon company is trying to get the hype machine moving at full speed, with a planned Pokémon Direct this Friday that will no doubt have some big announcements. The Pokémon company has especially shown interest in mobile devices lately, with Pokémon Shuffle being ported over and Pokémon GO on the way later this...
News Merchoid Has The Perfect Clothing To Celebrate Zelda's 30th
For the Link (or Linkle) in your life
This year marks the 30th anniversary of The Legend of Zelda, and online retailer Merchoid has announced that it is offering some officially licensed hoodies that are fit for the Hero of Time. These hoodies are available for both men and women and are designed to replicate Link's outfit - they even feature a...
Video Let the Hype Intensify With the Pokkén Tournament CGI Intro
Just weeks away...
Pokkén Tournament is one of the Wii U's biggest releases this year, with the fighting title escaping arcades to arrive on the home console with extra modes and content. It's not far away from its 18th March release date, either, and Nintendo is keen to build the hype. Nintendo's official channels have released the CGI intro...
Oh, and David Wise is doing the soundtrack. Excited yet?
Rhys Lewis might have "indie game developer" on his business card these days, but his career has been anything but small-scale. Lewis has held roles at Rare, Confounding Factor, 3D Realms and Retro Studios, and can list titles like Banjo-Kazooie, Duke Nukem Forever, Metroid Prime 3, Donkey...
Preview Hyrule Warriors Legends Takes The Battle On The Road
Smaller in stature, but not in spirit
On paper at least, Hyrule Warriors Legends is a solid business decision. As the 3DS enters its twilight years (no pun intended) AAA software is becoming increasingly hard to come by, and seeing as Koei Temco's Warriors engine already exists on the handheld, Hyrule Warriors is, on face value, a pretty...
A biscuit on your pillow?
Nintendo's dual-screened line of systems has been finding itself the home for four-legged friends since the release of Nintendogs on the original Nintendo DS. Since then, plenty of other caretaking games have shown up mewing on their doorsteps - you let one into your life and next thing you know your home looks like a...
Video New Hyrule Warriors Legends Trailer Shows Off the Playable Cast
There's a lot of them
With its release around a month away, Hyrule Warriors Legends will be the second Zelda release of the year to celebrate the 30th Anniversary of the franchise; even if it's not 'canon'. It's shaping up reasonably well on the New Nintendo 3DS - less so on older models - and just recently we shared our early impressions in a...
Video This Japanese Mega Man Legacy Collection Trailer is Full of Retro Charm
Oh the pixels!
Mega Man Legacy Collection came out on 3DS this week at a bargain price on the eShop (in Europe and North America) or priced at $29.99 in NA if you want a box, some stickers and free HOME themes. It's a rather appealing offering, overall, with six NES games, challenge stages and lots of galleries and goodies to enjoy. Though Capcom's...
News Musicverse: Electronic Keyboard Gets a European Release Date
Hitting the right notes
The 3DS eShop has apps to cover various hobbies - for example you can draw, code games in BASIC and, of course, create music. Musicverse: Electronic Keyboard has some competition in the music composition area, but it's keen to make its mark on the portable. Having arrived in North America on 18th February, it's now confirmed...
Wednesday24th Feb 2016
Poll Vote for Your Favourite Main Series Pokémon Games - 20th Anniversary Edition
It's getting serious now...
Just recently we celebrated the 30th Anniversary for The Legend of Zelda with a poll to determine the Nintendo Life community's favourite games in the series. With the 20th Anniversary of Pokémon almost upon us, we thought we'd do the same once again for the iconic Pocket Monsters franchise. We'll have plenty of...
Random New 3DS Owner Replaces the C-Stick With a PSP Stick
The New 3SP?
We're strong advocates for the New Nintendo 3DS here at Nintendo Life, but not all of its enhancements and extras are universally loved. The C-Stick, for one, certainly has its critics - this writer likes it, but its occasional resistance to moving down can be one issue. Some simply don't like it, probably because it reminds them of an...
News Nintendo Announces a Pokémon Direct to Get the Celebrations Started
The hype begins
It's taken a while, but Nintendo has now confirmed details for the first Nintendo Direct of the year. It's a special Pokémon Direct, and it'll go down on 26th February at 7am Pacific / 10am Eastern / 3pm UK / 4pm CET. [Update: Our chums at Serebii are reporting it'll be five minutes long, which doesn't seem like much!] After an...
Guide Learn How to Transfer Items from Bravely Second's Demo to Bravely Second: End Layer
"Default? The two sweetest words in the English language"
Bravely Second: End Layer allows you to transfer special items from the Bravely Second demo, assuming you've played it, as a bonus for being so valiant in the prelude. The demo stands up by itself, but any bonus is more than welcome by our standards. Using this 'Stop-n-Swop' feature is...
Review Oddworld: New 'n' Tasty (Wii U eShop)
Hello. Everybody.
For gamers of a certain age that owned a PS1 (or just 'PlayStation'), Abe the Mudokon is a familiar character, famous for some of the cleverest puzzle-platforming gameplay of the age. With Oddworld: New 'n' Tasty we have a remake of Oddworld: Abe's Oddysee, though it's actually more a refresh than remake. Make no mistake, this...
News Fire Emblem Fates Becomes Fastest Selling Release in Franchise History in the US
More than 300,000 copies in its launch weekend
Fire Emblem Fates is out now in North America, with two editions - Birthright and Conquest - released alongside a special edition that includes both versions; Revelation is a 3rd storyline that'll arrive as DLC on 10th March, priced at $19.99. The dual release launch strategy was an intriguing one,...
News Ori and the Blind Forest Director Criticises Secrecy and Lack of Access to NX Devkits
"They'll need indies and smaller studios to step up"
Just recently the studio behind the charming Unravel spoke of an interest in working on the NX. The problem? They have no idea what it is. Though some secrets may or may not be leaking out of Nintendo and partners recently, the actual concept itself remains under wraps. Picking up on Coldwood...
News Retro Studios Finally Modernises and Relaunches Its Website
Hopefully a sign of activity...
Retro Studios is among the most revered of Nintendo's studios, with the Texas-based developer having a track record that includes Metroid Prime Trilogy and two excellent Donkey Kong Country games, in addition to contributions to the likes of Mario Kart 7. Since Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze arrived in early...
News Nintendo Targets and Blocks Mario Kart Hack Videos From YouTube
MrBean35000vr just switches them to Twitch
In the past we shared some videos from the MrBean35000vr channel on YouTube, particularly in the case of intriguing mods and hacks to Mario Kart 8. The channel had found a way to mess around with the source code for the Wii U title - though had minimised public details of the hack - and created some fun...
Video Eiji Aonuma and Colleagues Reflect on Development of The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
Including 'that' E3 reveal
The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess HD isn't far away, with Wii U owners not having long to wait before tackling the remastered adventure. Ahead of its release on 4th March, Nintendo is stepping up its marketing and has now launched a new retrospective video series. In the first part, A Look Back, Eiji Aonuma and...
News Atlus Survey Lists Etrian Odyssey V as a 3DS Release
It must be, right?
The Etrian Odyssey series by Atlus has made its home on Nintendo's portable hardware, across DS and 3DS. Despite being revealed some time ago, Etrian Odyssey V has nevertheless had no platform confirmed, meaning we can only be confident - based on logic alone - of a 3DS release for the next entry; not absolutely sure. While full...
News Barbara the Bat Costume Comes to Super Mario Maker
Jam out
Jam with the Band was a brand new rhythm game released by Nintendo as a launch title for the Nintendo DS way back in 2004, though it was released as a Japan exclusive. It was followed up a few years later by one more game on the DS, and one on the 3DS; with the only localised game being the first sequel on the DS, which came to Europe...
News 3DS Hardware Sales Dip in Japan, Though Mario & Sonic at the Rio Olympics Gets Off the Blocks
Sony hardware dominance with popular new releases
It's the middle of the week, which means it's Media Create results time, showing us what's hot and what's not in Japan. The results show key releases on Sony hardware having an impact, while one new arrival on 3DS does its best to compete. Kan Colle Kai has started strongly on Vita, while Attack on...
Review Word Puzzles by POWGI (3DS eShop)
Preferably portable puzzling
Did you know that word games travel in pairs? It's true, and if you've read our review of Word Puzzles by POWGI on Wii U , then you've already got a head start on this review of Word Puzzles by POWGI on 3DS - its portable counterpart. It's a pretty direct port, featuring the same puzzles across the same 6 game modes...
News The Streets of Rage II Soundtrack is Getting a Vinyl Release
Collectors rejoice!
Streets of Rage II was an influential beat 'em up from the glory days of the SEGA Genesis, featuring brutal hand to hand combat and some seriously good quality spritework. Relatively recently, it received the 3D Classics treatment from M2 and saw a re-release on the Nintendo 3DS; gloriously reproduced in autostereoscopic 3D...
Tuesday23rd Feb 2016
Video Learning How Mario Teaches Us the Basics
PBS Game/Show continues its series
Last week we shared the first episode of a neat mini-series from the PBS Game/Show YouTube channel, which aims to break down and explain the secrets to the great design in Super Mario games. Episode 1 looked at 'hidden language', while episode two looks at the manga-inspired structure in these games. Those that...
Wednesday24th Feb 2016
Review Word Puzzles by POWGI (Wii U eShop)
Pretty passable puzzles
In an attempt to better suit the subject matter at hand, we briefly considered publishing this review with fiendish word jumbles sprinkled throughout. After more than a few sloppy attempts, we'd given in to frustration and decided it was best to leave that kind of thing in more capable hands. For the verbose and the...
Monday22nd Feb 2016
Rumour EA And Nintendo Looking To Rekindle "Unprecedented Partnership" On NX
But EA is playing hardball
Remember when the Wii U was about to launch a few years back, and EA's CEO John Riccitiello spoke boldly about the "unprecedented partnership" his firm enjoyed with Nintendo? What followed was anything but, with EA dropping support for the machine after a string of commercial flops. However, according to information we've...
Tuesday23rd Feb 2016
News 3DS System Version 10.6.0-31 is Now Available
Guess what it does?
It's been nearly a month since the last 3DS system update, and many gamers have no doubt been getting quite worried over the state of their 3DS software, stability-wise. Fortunately, Nintendo software staffers have swept in to save the day again, crafting a new update that should stabilize the 3DS OS even further. As always,...
Video It's Fun To Learn About The Game Boy's CPU
'70s tech powering '90s dreams
The Nintendo Game Boy is without a doubt one of the most iconic gaming systems of all time, having shifted millions of units and turned countless individuals into Tetris addicts and prolific portable players. However, the console itself was actually seen as something of a weakling, even by the standards of the late...
News 'Malo' Talks About the New Poe Lantern in Twilight Princess HD
Nevermore will you have to wait for nightfall
The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess HD is just a couple weeks away from release, marking the third consecutive console that the game will be released for. Naturally, this isn't going to be just the same game with a fresh coat of paint, but there will be some tweaks to the core gameplay to make it an...
News Zavvi's 20th Anniversary Pokémon Pokébox Is Now Available For Preorder
Limited to 500 units
UK online retailer Zavvi is producing a special Pokémon-themed "loot" box to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the series. The store has 500 Pokéboxes up for grabs, and you can pre-order one of them today for £29.99. Inside there are "exciting items commemorating both the classic series and the anniversary itself". This...
Editorial Triple-A Third Party Games Will Need Creativity as Well as Marketing for NX Success
Nintendo's unique place in the market means dull ports won't be enough
Well, there are quite a few mumblings and rumours kicking around about the Nintendo NX once again. Talk of a release this year (again) and Nintendo pulling the Twilight Princess trick with the next main entry in the Zelda series (it being on both Wii U and NX) are doing the...
News Wolf Link Looks Extra Cute in Super Mario Maker Sprite Form, Confirming amiibo Support
What a beast
Super Mario Maker has a dizzying range of Mystery Mushroom characters - some are unique as part of the game and others can be accessed quickly by scanning compatible amiibo. Well, the Wolf Link amiibo that caused quite a ruckus for The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess HD will have another use when it arrives in early March. Nintendo...
News Nnooo Announces Legend of Kusakari for the 3DS eShop
Worst. Trumpet solo. Ever.
Nnooo is a developer and publisher with a solid record on Nintendo systems, with escapeVektor on the 3DS eShop perhaps being its standout release to date. Its latest title - Blast 'Em Bunnies - is also rather close, recently confirmed for an 11th March release in Europe and North America. The Australian studio is busy as...
Monday22nd Feb 2016
Going off the rails
Nintendo's DSiWare service may be in the autumn of its life now, but there are occasionally some new releases for the platform. DSiWare has never necessarily been known for playing host to terribly deep or innovative games, but there are plenty of solid pick up 'n' play experiences to be had for just a couple of bucks. Crazy...
Tuesday23rd Feb 2016
News Unravel Developer Open To Idea Of NX Port, Just Wishes He Knew More About The Console
"It's kind of hard to pitch something when you don't even know what it is!"
Coldwood Interactive's Unravel has been getting some pretty favourable reviews recently, and the folks over at Gaming Bolt have popped the question that many Nintendo fans will want to know - could the title ever see the light of day on the NX? Coldwood's Martin Sahlin...
Interview Sadame and Its Quest to Bring Exciting Action and Japanese History Together
"We wanted to give the game a unique look and feel"
When considering the broad range of gaming experiences to be found, a common topic can be Japanese releases full of potential and promise that never get localised. The costs and logistical challenges often require that Japanese and Western companies team up, especially in the case of download...
Video See the Contents of the Bravely Second End Layer Deluxe Collector's Edition in our Unboxing
Oh, brave Sir Robin
Bravely Second: End Layer, the sequel to the wildly acclaimed Bravely Default is due out in Europe in just a few short days; North America will have to wait until April, but if our review is anything to go by it'll be definitely worth the wait. Until all is revealed, why not take a look at what you can discover in the Deluxe...
News Grab Yourself a Mew Puzzle in Pokémon Picross
No annoying Picrites required
When we reviewed Pokémon Picross we rather liked it, but felt that the free-to-play aspect was stingier than Cranky Kong's Black Friday discounts. Nevertheless, those happy to spend some money that like both Pokémon and Picross should have much to like in the download. For those of us trapped in the purgatory of its...
News Jakks Pacific Re-Emphasizes Plan for 'New and Exciting' World of Nintendo Toys
Following recent spill over Splatoon plans
It wasn't long ago that Jakks Pacific's Scott Neitlich appeared to spill on plans for the 'World of Nintendo' toy range to be adding Splatoon goodies in the future. In the short video he spoke of how the World of Nintendo was about more than 'just Mario and Zelda', also mentioning Metroid as a series with...
News Super Famicom Satellaview Title Golf Daisuki! O.B. Club Translated To English
Birdie from Outer Space!
The Nintendo Satellaview was a visionary achievement - attaching a satellite modem to your Super Famicom and having scheduled game downloads was certainly something out of science fiction back in 1995. It achieved a moderate amount of success in Japan and has gathered a cult following among diehard Super Famicom...
News Yo-kai Watch Begins Its European Quest on 29th April
About time
Though the majority of major Nintendo releases have aligned releases globally, or at least in the West, the recent glut of 3DS releases have been somewhat scattered between North America and Europe. One example is Yo-kai Watch, which was marketed as a major Holiday 2015 release Stateside but is only now dated for the EU. It's arriving on...
Video Soul Axiom's Launch Trailer Is Part Tron, Part Lawnmower Man
"Welcome to Elysia"
Wales Interactive's intriguing cyber-thriller Soul Axiom has been on our radar for what seems like forever. The spiritual sequel to the studio's previous title Master Reboot, it features a unique artstyle and an interesting futuristic storyline which looks to combine the best bits of Tron, The Lawnmower Man and many other similar...
Video Check Out This Teaser Footage of Space Dave!
Out of this world
Woah Dave! is an extremely bizarre, but nonetheless enjoyable, retro inspired game from Choice Provisions that launched last year. Featuring gameplay that appears to be partially inspired by the classic Mario Bros., it's a good pick up and play kind of game; one that encourages that "just one more try" mentality. Interestingly...
Monday22nd Feb 2016
Nintendo Download 25th February (Europe)
Pokémon Gen 1! Mega Man Collection! Bravely Second! Sadame! Much More!
With another week underway we kick off with the European Nintendo Download Update details. This week has a lot to offer, with the 3DS benefiting from highly anticipated Virtual Console arrivals, a neat collection, a retail release, a particularly promising download-only arrival...
The Legend of Alen
When you think HAL Laboratories, you immediately think Kirby. This is natural since it is by a long shot the most recognizable character ever to come out of the Chiyoda-based software house. Yet with over three decades producing video games, it goes without saying that HAL has a diverse back catalogue going all the way back to...
Exclusive Quest of Dungeons is Bringing Turn-Based Roguelike Action to Wii U and 3DS
With that 'good old 16-bit' look
Fans of dungeon crawling roguelikes, especially those with a retro vibe, have another release to look forward to on both the Wii U and 3DS eShop. Quest of Dungeons is the work of Upfall Studios, with the developer confirming to us that it's now in development in-house for both of Nintendo's current-gen systems...
Talking Point Pokémon and Mega Man Show Us Extremes of Nostalgia's Value
Will you be putting down the cash for all three gen 1 Pokemon games?
This week brings a delicious nostalgia overload on the 3DS, with Pokémon Red, Blue & Yellow making their way to the portable on 27th February, while Mega Man Legacy Collection lands on 23rd February. That's nine games across the two franchises, considering all the parts in...
Random Ronda Rousey "Always Wanted To Be Samus"
Giving Samus Aran for her money
It's no secret that former UFC Women's Bantamweight Champion Ronda Rousey is a video game fanatic - just watch her workout in a Pikachu onesie - so it comes as no surprise that the "baddest woman on the planet" revealed that she'd want to star as Metroid's Galactic bounty hunter, Samus Aran, in a video game movie. In...
News Mistwalker and Silicon Studio Are Teaming Up on a New Game
Well, the concept art is cool
It's always rather exciting when two companies with strong track records and heritage team up on a collaborative project, and that's just what's happening with Mistwalker and Silicon Studio. Silicon Studio is well known as a company with a strong technological foundation, but has also shown its development capabilities...
News Sega 3D Classics Developer Akira Saito Loses Battle With Cancer
Also worked on Virtual Console emulators for Wii
Japanese developer M2 has revealed that one of its key staffers has sadly passed away following a battle with cancer. Akira Saito worked on the Sega 3D Classics range on 3DS as well as the Master System and Genesis/Mega Drive emulators on the Wii Virtual Console. He was 43. M2 president Naoki Horii...
News We Squid You Not, Japan Really Is Getting Splatoon Candy
Dentists won't be happy
Those of you who value your tooth enamel, look away now - Japanese candy maker Nobel is releasing official Splatoon sweets. These will be available in two varieties. The squid-shaped gummy sweets are melon and orange-flavoured, with the occasional octopus making an appearance. The other sweets are hard candy in a wide range...
News Katsuhiro Harada on What Sets Pokkén Tournament Apart from Tekken
More than just Tekken + Pokémon
Pokkén Tournament is a little less than a month away from releasing in the west, and early footage of it certainly looks very promising. It's pretty well known that this is being developed by the Tekken team, naturally making one wonder just how similar it plays to the popular 3D fighting games series. While it...
News Tomy Seems To Think Sonic Boom: Fire & Ice Has Been Delayed For A Second Time
Also convinced there's no new Sonic game for 2016
Some photos from Tomy's New York Toy Fair booth have shed light on Sega's Sonic-related plans for 2016, and while the information can't be considered totally accurate, it's should be enough to worry the most dedicated of fans. First up, Tomy seems to think that Sonic Boom: Fire & Ice won't be...
News First Azure Striker Gunvolt 2 Footage Shown At MAGFest 2016
Keiji Inafune also gives more details on Mighty No. 9 and Red Ash
Inti Creates has shown off the first gameplay footage for Azure Striker Gunvolt 2 at MAGFest 2016. The first trailer for the 3DS sequel was shown during the Inti Creates panel, and it was pointed out that Gunvolt has a new design - as do all of the other characters in the game...
News Disney Art Academy Spotted for Potential 3DS Release
Had popped up in earlier rumours
The Art Academy series has had multiple versions across platforms, with a Pokemon spin-off being a notable change in direction on 3DS in terms of stepping away from the standard formula. Now there are listings that suggest a Disney spin-off could be in the offing for the portable system. One such listing is on...
Video Eager Fan and Developer Creates Impressive Pokémon Holograms
Because they can
We have another entry for the 'cool things that fans do' category, which is a neverending source of delight when it comes to Nintendo franchises. This time it relates to Pokémon, as most things will this week... YouTuber KennyWdev decided to showcase his development skills by creating Pokémon holograms, which appear like a...
News Pokémon Super Mystery Dungeon Secures Top 10 Spot in UK Charts
Project X Zone 2 debuts at number two in 3DS chart
The UK market had two notable retail releases last week on 3DS, and the positive news is that one made a solid impact on the charts while another did well in the 3DS-only results. Pokémon Super Mystery Dungeon was the big-name arrival, and the latest in the spin-off series secured 9th place in the...
News CoderChild Announces WordsUp! Academy for the 3DS eShop
It's the code... word...
The 3DS eShop sure has a variety of educational apps, and WordsUp! Academy by CoderChild will aim to stand out above the crowd soon. It's pitching itself as a game that allows players to both learn and practice six languages - Spanish, German, English, French, Italian and Portuguese. There'll be six game modes to help you...
Sunday21st Feb 2016
Review Mega Man Legacy Collection (3DS)
In the year 20XX...
In the year 20XX, the robot hero Mega Man is in a strange place. For whatever reason, Capcom seems to think of the storied series as something of a relic of the past - something that inspires nostalgia and reverence, sure, but not a franchise that could compete in today's world of gritty shooters and action titles. Mega Man...
News The Pokémon Splatfest Results Have Been Confirmed
And the winner is...
The Splatoon Splatfest events have often focused on fairly simple conflicts, only dipping into feisty brand-related tussles occasionally. The Transformers event in North America was one example, and this weekend we had the Pokémon generation one event worldwide. With the Virtual Console games arriving on 27th February fans have...
Its sales may not match Mario's, but its influence could be greater
The Legend of Zelda is now 30 years old, based upon its original release on the Famicom Disc system, a version that even pointed to the future with use of the Famicom's - admittedly limited - controller microphone. An adventure game of that scope understandably captured the hearts...
News Masahiro Sakurai Wanted Geno to be a Playable Smash Bros. Fighter
Well, at least we got a costume
The DLC for Super Smash Bros. 4 has finally drawn to a close, and it brought with it fighters both old and new. Interestingly enough, one of the Mii Fighter costumes that got added was based on Geno, the popular character from Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars. While this was no doubt a welcome inclusion for...
Review TAP TAP ARCADE (Wii U eShop)
2 Games, 1 Button
Package deals are always worth considering to save a bit of coin or reduce the footprint of buying everything separately. Even small things can come in smaller packages when bundled, which is the case with RCMADIAX's TAP TAP ARCADE. Unfortunately, the combination here doesn't really feel any greater than the sum of its parts. TAP...
Saturday20th Feb 2016
Feature Nintendo Life's Favourite Legend of Zelda Games - 30th Anniversary Edition
The community and staff results are in...
Not too long ago we asked you, the Nintendo Life community, to vote for your favourite Legend of Zelda games, as one way for us to celebrate the 30th Anniversary of the franchise. At the same time we polled our staff on the same topic, and now we have the results to showcase Nintendo Life's favourite Legend...
News Bayonetta Could've Been in Project X Zone 2
Kamiya said no, but he wishes he didn't
Project X Zone 2 has finally been released in the west, allowing all gamers an opportunity to get a second helping of some multi-company crossover goodness. Naturally, one of the biggest selling points of this game is the massive cast of characters from a wide selection of games and while the selection is...
Mario was just there for the StreetPass hits
After around a month in which it was closed for refurbishment the Nintendo World Store has been re-opened as the Nintendo NY Store, a name change that hopefully points the way to long term plans for more regional stores around the US and beyond. The revamp opens up the space and has more demo units for...
Video Nintendo Minute Showcases Multiplayer in Fire Emblem Fates
Send your rival's spouse to their doom...
Fire Emblem Fates is now available in North America, bringing the latest and greatest from Intelligent Systems to eager strategy fans. Though the single player content is certainly enough to keep players busy for a long time, this new entry also features expanded multiplayer matches. The latest Nintendo...
Friday19th Feb 2016
News Pokémon Red, Blue And Yellow European Pricing Is Confirmed
Language details also revealed
Pokémon Red, Blue and Yellow launch on the 3DS Virtual Console later this month, and the relevant game pages have just gone live on the North American and European eShops. The big news here is that European pricing has finally been confirmed. Each game will cost £8.99/€9.99. Furthermore, the various language...
Review Hello Kitty and the Apron of Magic: Rhythm Cooking (3DS)
Food, friends and funky tunes
Hello Kitty and the Apron of Magic: Rhythm Cooking, despite sounding like something that's come through the wrong side of an awful, online band name generator, is actually a rhythm action title which focuses on cooking various dishes in time to music. Unsurprisingly the game features the titular character alongside a...
Interview PopoloCrois Creator Yohsuke Tamori on Return to PopoloCrois: A Story of Seasons Fairytale
"I want people to know that heartwarming RPGs like this still exist"
In a season already brimming with high-profile RPGs on the 3DS, Return to PopoloCrois: A Story of Seasons Fairytale stands out: a crossover between Yohsuke Tamori's PopoloCrois — an enduringly popular fantasy manga series that's served as the basis for several anime adaptations...
Even in a world-ending scenario Link and company find their humanity
Though it's a sore point for me, I'm now the wrong side of 30, and all of the gripes and complaints I dismissed from others in the past actually feel true. The grey hairs are coming, I can feel my body saying "nah, we're not doing that" at endeavours it would scoff at a decade ago,...
Video Watch the Climactic Final Boss Battle in Pokkén Tournament
Spoilers ahoy
Before going any further we'd like to make it abundantly clear that this video does contain content which some may consider to be spoilers. If you'd rather experience the wonder shown below for yourself first hand we advise you divert your eyeballs elsewhere. A new feature in the Wii U version of Pokkén Tournament is the Ferrum...
Reminder Register and Gear Up for the Pokémon Red & Blue Splatfest
Results to get a global airing
The Splatoon Splatfest events have been a fun regular addition to the outstanding shooter, though the upcoming Pokémon Red and Blue showdown is arguably the best yet. With the Pokémon anniversary around the corner it's perfectly timed and will also likely be extremely close - one Nintendo UK poll on Twitter for...
Video Check Out the Chitoge Kirisaki Costume in Super Mario Maker
Well, that came out of nowhere
It seems that the semi-regular updates for new Super Mario Maker costumes are still continuing at full force. The last few costumes have been pretty well known Nintendo characters, such as the first gen Pokémon starters or Princess Daisy, but the newest one will likely be most gamers' first experience with the...
Video Nintendo Goes for a Dramatic Approach in Its Fire Emblem Fates Launch Trailer
Time to boot up that 3DS
Fire Emblem Fates is out now in North America; based on the success of predecessor Fire Emblem: Awakening and the positive critical reaction this week, it should be a key release for Nintendo and Intelligent Systems. With two versions to choose from and plenty of DLC on the way there's going to plenty of strategizing to keep...
Random Real Zero Escape: Trust on Trial Will Take a Literal Approach to the Iconic Game Series
Experience to launch on 15th April in LA
Plenty of press releases that work their way to our inbox have little relevance to Nintendo or games on its systems, but occasionally a slightly off-the-wall release actually achieves the task of being interesting. One example has come in from Aksys Games, which is partnering up with SCRAP Entertainment and...
News Ten Hours of Nintendo Network Maintenance Could Impact Some Online Gaming This Weekend
After Splatfest though, so don't sweat it
Nintendo completing maintenance on its network is a very regular occurrence, in most cases with around two hours of downtime. There is a bit of extended work this coming weekend, though, so it's worth bearing in mind for North American gamers - in particular. The upcoming ten hour window will affect 'some...
News Fire Emblem Developers on How the Series Can Maintain its Momentum
Onward and upward
Fire Emblem Fates is mere hours away from launching over in North America, and there's obviously plenty of high expectations. We absolutely loved it in our review, praising how it appeals both to newcomers and veterans looking for a more serious challenge. Of course, now that the current game is out, the immediate question that's...
News Super Russian Roulette Is The Deer Hunter Video Game You Never Knew You Wanted
"I gotta get more bullets in the gun"
Michael Cimino's seminal 1978 drama The Deer Hunter may feature mesmerising performances from the likes of Robert De Niro, Christopher Walken and the late (and criminally underrated) John Cazale, but perhaps its most famous contribution to modern cinema is that scene where De Niro, Walken and John Savage's...
First Impressions Finding Ojipockles Is More Addictive Than You Might Assume
Hands on with the mobile title that's coming to 3DS
Yesterday's news that Bandai Namco is bringing Appliss' Android and iOS title Finding Ojipockle! to the 3DS was something of a surprise, mainly because the game had completely passed under the radar of a great many people, despite already being freely available on the Google Play store. Featuring...
News Pokémon Rumble World Comes to Retail in North America on 29th April
No microtransactions either!
About a year ago, Nintendo published Pokémon Rumble World on the eShop, a notable new experiment built on the free to play model. We really liked it in our review, and the free to play model wasn't too exploitative. Considering that there is functionally a full game here, it came as no surprise that Nintendo chose to...
News Masahiro Sakurai's 500th Famitsu Column is Coming Up
Livestream to follow where he'll answer fan questions
It's a fairly well known fact that Masahiro Sakurai – the creator of the Super Smash Bros. series - is a regular contributor to the Japanese magazine, Famitsu. His columns typically detail his opinions on topics relevant to the broader industry, specific games, or some aspect of the Smash...
Video Image & Form Re-Affirms SteamWorld Heist DLC Plans and Talks Over Captain Piper's Origins
Also shows off concept art and more
Following the release of SteamWorld Heist on 3DS last year, Image & Form has been stepping up its efforts this year in working on a fresh update and ports for other platforms. It's also continued its 'Engine Room' series of videos, answering fan questions and giving some insights into its work. The latest...
News Super Mario Maker Picks Up Family Game Of The Year Award At DICE 2016
Satoru Iwata also honoured on the big night
The 19th annual DICE Awards took place last night, and Super Mario Maker was the only Nintendo release to score an accolade. The Wii U create-'em-up won Family Game of the Year at the event, which is organised by The Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences. While Nintendo might not have come away with...
News Puzzle & Dragons X Hitting Japan This July In Two Versions
Check out the new trailer
Puzzle & Dragons is one of the few mobile franchises to have successfully made the transition to console, with Puzzle & Dragons Z and a Super Mario-themed crossover proving to be commercial hits for developer GungHo. The firm is now following up with the 3DS sequel Puzzle & Dragons X, which hits Japan on July...
News The Temple of Yog Version 1.1 Update is Being Approved
Expected to go live sometime in mid-February
Temple of Yog has been out for a bit of time now, offering Wii U gamers a retro roguelike experience with a bizarre premise. We rather liked it in our review, and it seems that there's a plan for additional content that will hopefully take the game to new heights. While CHUDCHUD industries is hard at work...
Thursday18th Feb 2016
Review Bravely Second: End Layer (3DS)
This’ll ring a bell
When JRPG giant Square Enix brought Bravely Default to the 3DS back in 2013, it took an old-is-new-again approach, bringing the feel of golden age Final Fantasies — four heroes, airships, crystals and castles included — to Nintendo's newest handheld. The result felt like a truly classic adventure with all mod cons, and it...
Wednesday17th Feb 2016
Rumour Final Fantasy VII Remake And XV Headed To NX, Could Be Definitive Versions
Could Nintendo's new console be more powerful than PS4?
When Square Enix revealed its plans to release Dragon Quest titles on NX last year, it became the first third-party to pledge support to Nintendo's mysterious new console. Such news would suggest that the firm has NX dev kits in hand, and this lends credence to the following rumour. Got a...
Thursday18th Feb 2016
Poll Vote for Your Favourite Legend of Zelda Games - 30th Anniversary Edition
It's a tough call
21st February is a special date for The Legend of Zelda franchise, as it's the 30th Anniversary of the Famicom Disk version of the first game in the franchise. Nintendo's been oddly slow to make a fuss about the date, barely mentioning the landmark and focusing its efforts on promoting The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess HD...
Nintendo Download 18th February (North America)
Fire Emblem Fates! Three Virtual Console games! Sonic discounts! More!
The Nintendo Download Update information for North America has arrived later than normal this week, but here it is. This time around there are two (or three, if you're being pedantic) major retail releases on 3DS, while the Wii U has no less than three Virtual Console arrivals...
Chipping away
In the world of music vinyl is currently enjoying something of a resurgence, with the antiquated audio format coming back from the dead to take pride of place in any self-respecting hipster's living room. While it's unlikely that this trend has anything to do with the release of RIKI's 8Bit Music Power, parallels can nevertheless be...
News Pokémon Reorchestrated Has Its YouTube Channel Taken Down Due to Third Copyright Strike
Music is still available and licensed elsewhere
Fan-made content produced as tributes to iconic gaming franchises are a mainstay of web culture, including the all-conquering YouTube. As reported recently, however, the Pokémon Reorchestrated channel had received copyright 'strikes' and see its Kanto Symphony playlist removed. This week The Pokémon...
News The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess HD Official Website Has Gone Live in North America
Only a few weeks to go
It's hard to believe, but The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess HD is already almost upon us. The latest remaster in Nintendo's popular adventure series, Twilight Princess HD aims to bring refinements and a fresh coat of paint to the Wii and GameCube classic. We certainly appreciated it in our preview, and it seems to be...
Random Super Mario Maker Player Clears 'Time for a T-Break' After 12 Hours of Practice
Totally worth it
We have a mild obsession with incredibly difficult Super Mario Maker levels here on Nintendo Life - not actually beating them, don't be silly, but watching others achieve the seemingly impossible. Occasionally we share videos of fiendish creators such as Panga battling through their own stages in order to upload them, but we've...
Video Take a Tour of Pokkén Tournament
Full character roster as standard
Earlier today we hosted a livestream where we looked at Pokkén Tournament's various features. If you weren't around for that then fret not, for we've archived the whole thing and slapped it up on our YouTube channel for you all to enjoy on demand. We look at the raw combat with stammering commentary, avatar...
News The Virtual Boy's Design Was Influenced By The Fact That Ladies Like Wearing Make-Up
According to creator Gunpei Yokoi
Virtual Reality may be back in favour these days, but back in the mid-'90s the initial burst of interest in the technology was starting to wane, and for many players the straw that broke the camel's back was the much-hyped Nintendo Virtual Boy. Released in 1995 to almost complete consumer apathy, the console lacked...
News Hyper Light Drifter May Not Be Coming to Wii U
Not Drift Compatible
Many of you probably remember Hyper Light Drifter, a 2D Action RPG Indie project that was announced a few years ago. The project was successfully funded via Kickstarter and a Wii U version was confirmed not long after when it passed a certain stretch goal. Obviously, the game was delayed significantly since then; it's missed the...
News Upcoming Japanese 3DS eShop Release, Finding Ojipockle! +, Looks Deliciously Weird
A new dimension of jiggle physics
Update: Our intrepid man of technology Damien McFerran has downloaded the Android version of this game and it's "actually pretty interesting" and, wait for it, in ENGLISH (screenshot below). If any of you want to start a petition for this to come to 3DS in the West we won't stand in your way. Original Article:...
Video Travel Back To 1990 For This Nintendo-Filled Birthday Event
Batman! DuckTales! Indiana Jones and The Temple of Doom?!
Close friend and occasional Nintendo Life contributor Tyler Esposito is at it again - he's followed up on the Christmas video which saw him tearing off the wrapping to his shiny new NES back in 1989 with a birthday clip which shows just how popular Tim Burton's Batman movie wa
News Pokkén Tournament Is Joining The Pokémon Championship Series This Year
Early Access competitions coming to GameStop stores in the US
Fighting game crossover Pokkén Tournament is officially becoming part of the Pokémon Championship Series, it has been confirmed today. The Wii U brawler will be added to the roster for the 2016 event, with the crowning of the Pokkén Tournament World Champions taking place at the...
Video Watch Ganondorf Wield His Devilish Trident in Hyrule Warriors Legends
Being bad has never felt so good
Hyrule Warriors Legends will aim to prove that lightning can strike twice, with the popular Koei Tecmo spin-off making the transition from Wii U to 3DS will all DLC included, with some exclusive content also thrown in. With its Western release a little over a month away, at the time of writing, we can expect Nintendo...
Wednesday17th Feb 2016
Review Fire Emblem Fates (3DS)
Choose your destiny
Intelligent Systems got itself into a weird predicament after the stellar success of Fire Emblem Awakening a few years ago. Fire Emblem has long been known as one of Nintendo's most hardcore and unforgiving franchises – a turn-based RPG with plenty of variables to keep in mind on the battlefield, and where one wrong move might...
Guide Setup and Key Facts for Nintendo Account and Miitomo Preregistration
Easy as 1, 2, 3...
Nintendo has opened registration for Nintendo Accounts in a whole range of countries, having initially launched them in Japan in late 2015. At the same time those that have a Nintendo Account - and are in one of 16 applicable countries - can preregister for Miitomo, the fir
News You Can Now Register for a Nintendo Account
It begins
In late 2015, Nintendo finally lifted the lid on the new account program that it had announce much earlier. It was revealed that it would be called 'My Nintendo' and that it would aim to unify gamers' experiences across different platforms. While the account system still has yet to be rolled out, Nintendo has opted to get a head start by...
News Pokémon Company CEO Reveals Pokémon GO Rollout Details, Teases Another "Big" Project
Japan, Europe and North America first in line
Pokémon Company president and CEO Tsunekazu Ishihara has revealed in an interview with the Yomiuri Shimbun newspaper that Pokémon GO will hit Japan, Europe and North America first. According to Ishihara, South America, Asia, Africa and the Middle East will get the game later on. Despite the finer...
Video Here's What Final Fantasy IX Looks Like On The New Nintendo 3DS
Hack it, and they will come
Whenever a new piece of gaming tech is released one of the first things that many enthusiastic bedroom coders try to do it hack it, and the 3DS family is no exception. Despite Nintendo's attempts to secure the system, exploits are periodically found which allow users to run unsigned code on their machines and perform all...
News Miitomo Preregistration is Now Open in 16 Countries
Setup your Nintendo Account first, though
As you may have already seen registrations have opened for the new Nintendo Account system, allowing you to create and link that new account to a Nintendo Network ID, Facebook, Twitter and Google Plus accounts. That also signs you up for the Club Nintendo replacement programme - My Nintendo - when that...
Dream Pet: Pegasus or Dragon?
Fire Emblem Fates is just hours away (at the time of writing) from its release in North America, with gamers having to choose from two different versions - Birthright and Conquest. There is a limited edition that includes both plus the upcoming downloadable third path - Revelation - and you can download the second main...
Video Bask in the Nostalgia of the Latest Pokémon Red, Blue & Yellow Virtual Console Trailer
Just 10 days away...
It's not long now until The Pokémon Company goes all out for the 20th Anniversary of its franchise, bringing the original first generation games to the 3DS Virtual Console along with various hardware bundles. Pokémon Red and Blue will be joined by the Yellow Version on the eShop, making this the first occasion when these...
Video Watch Every Single One of Pokkén Tournament's Take on Fatalities
'Synergy Burst Moves' doesn't sound as cool
Before going any further we'd like to make it abundantly clear that this video does contain content which some may consider to be spoilers. If you'd rather experience the wonder shown below for yourself first hand we advise you divert your eyeballs elsewhere. Although Pokkén Tournament doesn't contain...
Video See How Many Faces You Can Name In This 101-Character Super Mario Kart Race
"And it's go, go, go!"
As we all know, Super Mario Kart on the SNES allows 8 famous faces from the Mushroom Kingdom to challenge one another in a no-holds-barred race to the finish line. Subsequent entries in the franchise have added more driver choice to the roster, but YouTube user Hat-Loving Gamer clearly feels Nintendo hasn't gone anywhere near...
Preview Punching Pikachus in Pokkén Tournament
Electrifying
Having been available as an arcade game in Japan for some time, Pokkén Tournament is at last making its way to Western shores on the Wii U. Unlike Super Smash Bros., Nintendo's previous collaboration with Bandai Namco, this title takes a much more traditional approach to the fighting genre. You're tasked with knocking out your opponent...
"Nintendo will not be acquired, I think that much is certain"
Nintendo has had something of a rollercoaster year as far as its share price is concerned. Speculation surrounding the NX as well as the expectation (and subsequent delay) of the company's first smartphone app Miitomo have resulted in value of its shares dropping and
News Shin Megami Tensei IV: Final Storms to Number One in Japanese Charts
3DS nearly catches PS4 as Wii U toils
It's the middle of the week, which means it's time to look at the Media Create chart results for Japan. After a tough couple of weeks for Nintendo hardware things are a little more positive this time around - a new release is the key, of course. Shin Megami Tensei IV: Final arrived last week in Japan and has...
News Shadow Mewtwo's Place in Pokémon Canon Remains Uncertain
Bandai Namco admits "it's not really our decision"
Shadow Mewtwo is quite a big deal in Pokkén Tournament, at least in terms of marketing. Revealed last year with quite a bit of hoopla (not Hoopa, that's different) the character will even have its own amiibo card included in pre-orders and first-run copies of the game. That prominent role in the...
Video PBS Game/Show Aims to Break Down the Design Genius of Super Mario
Starting with its 'hidden language'
Most of us instinctively know when we're playing a game with fantastic design - it feels right and works to our instincts to teach us how to play. Unsurprisingly the Super Mario series is often cited as a key example of game design that's simple to understand but with complexity underneath the surface. It's held...
News Cult SNES Hero Plok Stars In Another Action-Packed Comic Book
"It feels great to get fourth Plok book out there"
Plok is without a doubt one of the true hidden gems of the SNES library. Created by British coding siblings Ste and John Pickford, Plok originally starred in a unique platforming epic for the 16-bit console but has since gone on to become the lead character in a series of web-based comics, drawn by...
Tuesday16th Feb 2016
VIDEO 7th Dragon III Code: VFD Wants You to Know Dragons are Dangerous
So you should punch them
The press release that came with SEGA's latest video for 7th Dragon III Code: VFD goes to considerable length to emphasize that dragons are vile, deadly beasts. It's almost like they want to get the message out before something comes along saying that dragons can be our allies or something. Like what do they think we're...
Wednesday17th Feb 2016
News Neon Deity Games is Working on Bringing Shutshimi to Europe
No firm dates, but hopefully in the next few months.
Shutshimi was a unique shmup that released on the eShop a couple weeks ago. Featuring retro style visuals and a fast-paced Warioware style approach to enemy waves, we thought that it was a pretty good time. Up until recently, it was uncertain when the game would be brought over to Europe, but it...
Tuesday16th Feb 2016
News Super Mario Bros. Z Creator Launches New Patreon Page After Nintendo Takedown
Starting again
Earlier this year we told you about the return of Super Mario Bros. Z, a pixel-based animation project that blends Mario, Sonic and Dragon Ball Z influences together in one chaotic storyline. Its creator and animator Mark Haynes (AKA: Alvin-Earthworm), launched a Patreon page to support the venture. That page proved popular, quickly...
Review LEGO Marvel’s Avengers (Wii U)
Not quite Marvel-lous
The LEGO series is one of the most prolific in modern gaming, capturing hearts way back in 2005 with the earliest Star Wars titles and since evolving into a hugely lucrative franchise. LEGO as a toy brand has arguably never been bigger, and with the IP muscle of Warner Bros. and the specialist skills of developer TT Games / TT...
News Nintendo Issues Statement Clarifying How 'Petting' Will Work in Fire Emblem Fates
Straight from the horse's mouth
Over the past few weeks, there's been an interesting controversy over a relatively obscure feature in Fire Emblem Fates. In the Japanese version, players are able to rub character's faces with the touchscreen and interact with them, but this was supposedly removed for the western release. Since then, all sorts of...
News Analyst Firm DFC Believes a 2016 Nintendo NX Launch "Would Be a Mistake"
2016 competition and negative impact on Wii U cited
The Nintendo NX - despite analysis and predictions based on a mix of patents, press reports and vague statements from Nintendo - remains a mystery. All we do know for sure is that it'll be revealed this year, while there's a strong belief among some that the hardware will also launch - in some form...
Random Why You Can't Say "Smeg" on the 3DS
"Sir, you're a smeeeee"
If you are a bit of a potty mouth, you probably noticed long ago that swearing of any kind on the 3DS is prohibited. This is a smart move by Nintendo, as keeping the handheld free from profanity will obviously please parents who are concerned about their children being exposed to naughty words, or worse still being the...
Monday15th Feb 2016
News Pokémon "Train On" Ad Was The Most Popular Super Bowl Commercial, According To YouTube
The very best, so we're told
During this year's Super Bowl, YouTube ran its AdBlitz 2016 contest which allows viewers to vote for their favourite commercial shown during the game, and the winner might not be that much of a shock to Nintendo fans - especially when you consider that the competition was largely unfunny mobile network ads and junk food...
Tuesday16th Feb 2016
News First 4 Figures Opens Pre-Orders on Awesome Star Fox Arwing Collectible
Check your G-diffuser system
In recent days First 4 Figures has been teasing a Star Fox Arwing collectible to join its extensive range, and it's now opened pre-orders and unleashed a whole lot of lovely images. Based on the Star Fox 64 3D design - of course! - it's '12" inches tall by 12" deep by 18" wide', while as usual there are two editions to...
Music Chronicles of Time, a 75-Track Tribute to Chrono Trigger, is Out Now
Over 200 artists contributed
Tribute albums play a notable part in the enthusiast gaming scene as talented musicians get together to celebrate their favourite games. Often not-for-profit ventures, they help breath new life into classics while tapping into lovely, fuzzy nostalgia. Chronicles of Time seems to tick all of those boxes - it's a 75-track...
News TT Fusion Outlines Process for Level Design in LEGO Star Wars: The Force Awakens
It's true. All of it.
Those that have played a lot of LEGO games, particularly those tied to movies, know the drill by now. Iconic scenes, some of which that are actually light on action, are recreated and exaggerated in order to deliver fun, accessible gaming. It's a formula that works well, too, even if over-familiarity may be leading to a little...
News Dragon Quest Museum Planned to Open in Japan This Summer
Now that's an aniversary celebration
It's hard to believe, but the Dragon Quest games have already been around for thirty years, and the traditional JRPG series has long been a popular mainstay of the genre. Though the western release of the latest game in the series - Dragon Quest X – is still uncertain, we're set to get the 3DS remakes of Dragon...
Interview RCMADIAX's Michael Aschenbrener Reflects on his Development Experience and Moving Forward
"I've learned to just ignore the negative and embrace the positive"
The legacy of the Wii U will likely be rather complicated and hotly disputed in years to come, yet a notable positive has been its eShop. After the structural limitations of the Wii and DSi stores, and then the hardware restrictions of the 3DS, the current-gen home console's support...
News RCMADIAX Plans Shift Away From Quickfire Releases, Starting with SUPER ROBO MOUSE
Bringing the back-catalogue to PAL territories is still planned
Few developers have been quite as prolific in their Wii U output as RCMADIAX, with Michael Aschenbrener producing 15 titles of various kinds since it all began with BLOK DROP U in 2014. The studio has become synonymous with quickfire, budget releases, which has won some fans and also...
Monday15th Feb 2016
Review Gundam Wing: Endless Duel (SNES)
Bringing a Gundam to a fist fight
Mobile Suit Gundam Wing made quite an impact in the West, with the forty-nine episode anime series getting aired by Cartoon Network which would ensure it became one of the most recognizable entries in the iconic Japanese science fiction mecha series in our part of the planet. Predictably, video game adaptations...
Talking Point The Time is Right for a Nintendo Direct
Silence isn't always golden
As we reach mid-February we've realised something - this is our first article of 2016 with the words 'Nintendo Direct' in the headline. Internally we thought there may have been one in early- to mid-January when there was a hefty amount of downtime and maintenance for the Nintendo Network, though little emerged from it...
Review Goosebumps: The Game (3DS)
Player beware, you're in for mediocrity
As one of the latest in a long line of recent nostalgia-driven reboots, the Goosebumps franchise has managed to drag itself out of the grave for another attempt at success. R.L Stine's series of horror novellas aimed primarily at children was a smash hit during the 1990s, quickly going on to spawn a television...
Nintendo Download 18th February (Europe)
Pokémon Super Mystery Dungeon! Return to PopoloCrois! DLC! A bit more!
With the start of a week comes the European Nintendo Download Update details. This time around Nintendo isn't aiming to overwhelm us with options (OK, that's a generous interpretation) but there are some tempting options nevertheless. We have two enticing retail releases on 3DS,...
Random Luigi Defeats Every Smash DLC Character By Doing Absolutely Nothing
"I'm-a Luigi, number one!"
For the most part, computer-controlled opponents can provide a plentiful challenge in video games (depending on the player of course). However, YouTuber Omega Tyrant has proven that sometimes the minimalist approach can be the key to success, as his video below shows Luigi win against every CPU-controlled (all on level...
Video Try Not To Go Bananas At This Unreal Engine 4 Recreation Of Donkey Kong 64's Opening Stage
Unfinished monkey business
The power of Epic's Unreal Engine is both a blessing and a curse. On one hand, it allows talented fledgling artists to create amazing sequences which are arguably on par with the efforts of professional developers, but on the other it teases viewers with tantalising glimpses of projects which are unlikely to actually...
News Exclusive Content and Modes Outlined for Pokkén Tournament, No DLC Currently Planned
Plus three new support characters
Pokkén Tournament is now surprisingly close with around a month to go to its 18th March arrival on Wii U. The move from arcades to the home console has been long anticipated, along with the hope that it'll deliver a full-on fighting game experience for Pokémon fans. Though some basic modes and details were...
News Hyperkin's ProCube Controller is Heading to GameStop in North America
Currently out of stock on official website
The GameCube may be Nintendo's worst-selling home console to date - the Wii U could, in theory catch it - but it's not without its loyal fans. The system's controller, in particular, has such a devoted following that the special edition Super Smash Bros. Wired Pad and the accompanying Wii U adapter were hot...
News Splatoon Action Figures Will Be Inking Their Way To A Toy Store Near You Soon
Jakks Pacific keen to add more to its World of Nintendo line
Nintendo has woken up to the massive merchandising potential of its library of brands in recent years, and one of the most welcome collaborations involves toy maker Jakks Pacific, which is responsible for the excellent World of Nintendo line. It would now seem that the company is keen to...
Random Turning Your Wii Balance Board Into A Skateboard Isn't A Great Idea
Don't try this at home, or anywhere else for that matter
Not so long ago, we asked if you knew where your Wii Balance Board was. After the runaway success of Wii Fit, millions of these peripherals were sold worldwide, only to be shoved into a cupboard after the allure of keeping healthy via video games inevitably waned. Nintendo's attempt to revive...
News Meet The Mythical Pokémon Created By Humans 500 Years Ago
Say hello to Magearna (or Magiana, if you prefer)
The announcement of a brand new Pokémon is always noteworthy, and last week fans were introduced to Magearna, a robotic pocket monster due to star in the 19th (yes, 19th) Pokémon movie, which has the provisional English title of Volcanion and the Mechanical Magearna. We reported on the tease and...
Video Take a Look at More Twilight Princess HD Gameplay And Features
A better tastebud tickler than Lon Lon Milk
In addition to the earlier official trailer uploaded to YouTube last week, Nintendo has revealed another video showcasing more The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess HD goodness - and this time with voiceover! There's nothing new to scream about here, for the video regurgitates information that we already...
News New Splatoon Manga Series Coming to Bessatsu CoroCoro in Japan
The continuing rise of the IP
When reeling off Nintendo's biggest franchises the brand names are familiar - Mario, Metroid, The Legend of Zelda and so on. Yet Splatoon, having made such an impact on the Wii U in 2015, could potential evolve to join that list of big-hitters. The ink-splatting shooter has become a hit not just in terms of sales, but...
News Nintendo Shares Recover Nearly 10% of Value as Japanese Market Enjoys a Boost
More money madness
Last week we covered the ups and downs - oh alright, the weird downs - of Nintendo's share value in the Japanese market. After holding reassuringly steady following the company's Q3 financial results, a week of turmoil in the global market contributed to a painful 17% drop in Nintendo's shares over the course of just five business...
News 6180 the Moon Arrives on the Wii U eShop on 25th February
Over the moon
The Wii U GamePad was a very promising piece of equipment back when the Wii U was announced, supposedly providing all sorts of new ways to play video games. Now that we're a number of years into the console's life, it seems that this has been delivered on somewhat, but developers have struggled to find unique and innovative uses for...
Sunday14th Feb 2016
News Splatoon Producer on Pre-Release Concerns and the Future of the Franchise
"I'd like to build on online gameplay even more."
Splatoon was, in many ways, a new step for Nintendo. The company has historically been a bit behind the times when it comes to online services, so it appeared to be quite a risk to not only release a game that was almost entirely focused on online multiplayer, but to do so with a brand new IP...
Feature Looking Back at the New 3DS Launch, Nintendo's Perfect Valentine's Day Gift
Have you bought the updated portable?
As another Valentine's Day draws to a close, with sales of cards, flowers and chocolates having hit a peak, we thought it was worth acknowledging one of many Nintendo Anniversaries for this year. It's a young one, not the multiple decades that will be the focus of other franchise landmarks, but it's notable...
Video Nintendo's Latest Fire Emblem Fates Presentation Focuses on Relationships and Classes
New items and mechanics to tackle
Fire Emblem Fates is now just days away from release in North America, with 3DS owners facing the choice between two editions (or buying both) of the latest in Intelligent Systems' strategy series. With the arrival so close Nintendo has published another entry in its 'Life on the Front Lines' series, in this case...
Video The Game Theorists Break Down Bayonetta's Super Smash Bros. Moveset
Looking at moves from her own games into Smash
As was always going to be the case, the final Super Smash Bros. character of this generation, as chosen from the Fighter Ballot, caused plenty of debate. The fact it was PlatinumGames' Bayonetta gave even more spice to conversations around the DLC arrival. Of course, some may be encountering the...
Review Outside the Realm (Wii U eShop)
Affordable Space Puzzles
There's plenty to do out in space, and the Wii U eShop likes to emphasize how you can do so for low, low prices. Outside the Realm from TreeFall Studios aims to provide puzzling action for a bargain, and players will more or less get what they pay for it. Players use the GamePad and its touch screen to guide an astronaut to...
Saturday13th Feb 2016
News New North American Nintendo Selects Range Emerges in Retailer Listings
Includes Wii U, 3DS and even Wii titles
The European range of Nintendo Selects titles - which is available at handsome price points - has continued to grow, leaving some in North America frustrated at the lack of progress in their region. Thankfully that seems to be heading for an improvement, with Canadian retailer VGP Video Games Plus apparently...
Super Smash Zone
It's difficult to know what to expect out of such a massive crossover like Project X Zone 2. When one game includes characters, places and references to dozens of franchises from across five different companies, one must wonder whether there will be balance to all of the different parts at play. Fortunately, Project X Zone 2 pulls...
Oh man, I'm gonna have to back off
The rumour mill continues to produce fresh, and in this case bitter nuggets of potential news. If you've been kept behind by other commitments, you've nothing to fear any longer, Nintendo Life Weekly has all the biggest news from the past week, just like every week. This week we're looking at the damning rumours...
News Super Robo Mouse is Aiming for a 7th April Release Date
Submitted to both NOA and NOE for approval
RCAMADIAX has long been a supporter of the Wii U eShop, and while some may debate the relative quality of its releases, it still remains one of the biggest supporters. The studio certainly isn't slowing down its production schedule, as another title has just been revealed to be in the works. RCMADIAX just...
Friday12th Feb 2016
News Here's How Much Of Your Wii U's Internal Memory Pokkén Tournament Will Gobble Up
Details on control options revealed, too
Pokkén Tournament - a glorious mash-up of Pokémon and Tekken - is due for worldwide release on the Wii U on March 18th, and Nintendo has updated the game page on the eShop with more details on control options, online features and file size. While the game is being rele
Interview Learning More About The 'Ultimate Crossover' RPG, Project X Zone 2, From Its Creators
"I believe this is one of the great crossovers in recent years"
The 3DS family of systems, rather like its DS predecessors, has gradually accumulated a highly impressive library of RPG titles, with that library representing varying styles and approaches. A few of these are hitting the market this year, especially in Europe where some 2015 releases...
News Square Enix Store for the Americas Offers Plenty of Discounts in Anniversary Celebrations
Deus Ex! Final Fantasy! Kingdom Hearts! More!
Apparently the official Square Enix store for the Americas is one year old, and as a result there are a whole load of discounts being offered. We previously shared the store's Black Friday discounts last year, and though this promotion is smaller it still offers a chance to pick up some excellent...
Reminder US Pokémon Fans Can Still Pre-Order the New Nintendo 3DS Gen 1 Bundle
Huh, it didn't sell out in 15 minutes
When Nintendo and The Pokémon Company unveiled a whole load of 20th Anniversary plans earlier in the year, one of the announcements was for a New Nintendo 3DS bundle (pictured above) in the US. It includes both Pokémon Red and Blue pre-installed on a white version of the smaller model, with cover plates for...
News Download the Bravely Second Demo and Get 10% Off the eShop Version of the Game
Ten for ten
As we revealed earlier this week, the Bravely Second: End Layer demo – Bravely Second: The Ballad of the Three Cavaliers – will featureten hours of unique, free content that will also be transferrable to the full version of the game should you choose to buy it. That alone is an extremely generous gesture by Square Enix, but as if...
Gallery Legend Of Zelda Meets Minecraft In These Amazing Fan-Made Voxel Images
Pick a pixel
The pixel-based entries in the massively popular Legend of Zelda series might lack the immersion seen in the more recent offerings like Skyward Sword and Twilight Princess HD, but they have a quality which is almost timeless. Amazingly, even when these flat 2D images are turned into 3D landscapes, the appeal of that iconic pixel-heavy...
News Activision's 2015 Figures Show Slight Growth, But Skylanders And Guitar Hero Underperform
Skylanders faced "greater competition" in the Toys to Life genre
Things are on the up for what is arguably the world's biggest publisher of video games. Activision has reported its full-year earnings for 2015, and results show a slight increase in sales, operating income and net income. Revenues hit $4.6 billion, which is up from the $4.4 billion...
News Pokémon Splatfest Hitting Splatoon in February
A decision harder than choosing your starter
In continuing the celebration of Pokémon's 20th anniversary, the festivities have spread to another popular Nintendo franchise, Splatoon. A Pokémon themed Splatfest will take taking place the weekend of 20th February through 21st February in all regions pitting players against each other based on their...
News Nintendo Share Value Drops Over 17% in One Week as Global Economic Panic Bites
Closes on 14,350 Yen
Earlier this week we highlighted the impact of a global stock market panic on Nintendo's share value. After its financial reports at the start of the month Nintendo stock had stayed relatively solid, with investors holding fort while awaiting the launches of key future projects. During the course of this trading week, however, a...
Video Get a First Look at the Pixelated Chaos of Shakedown Hawaii on 3DS
Shoot everything
Late last year Vblank Entertainment finally revealed the successor to the brilliant Retro City Rampage, with Shakedown Hawaii announced and confirmed to be targeting the 3DS. It's set 30 years after Retro City Rampage as the ageing protagonist - 'The Player' - comes out of retirement to fight for his criminal empire, and we can be...
News Rising Star Games Is Bringing 3DS Action RPG Sadame To Europe And North America This Month
"Sadame's release is the perfect example of what we've always done well"
Rising Star Games has branched out in recent years to become a prolific publisher of indie titles, but it began life as a company which focused on bringing the best Japanese games to western players. It's going back to its roots with Mebius' action RPG Sadame, which it's...
Video Climbing Vines Has Never Been so Tough Thanks to This Super Mario Maker Level
It's another Pit of Panga creation
Many of us may consider ourselves to be decent at 2D Mario platformers, but some of the more ludicrous creations on Super Mario Maker often cut us down to size. It's generally the case that they utilise mechanics and techniques not normally seen in the main series games, making attempts to beat these...
Interview Oddworld Creator Lorne Lanning Discusses New 'n' Tasty on Wii U
"Would you consider an Abe amiibo?" "Why not!"
Oddworld is a series that has all but been neglected on Nintendo systems save for a handful of ports handled by third parties, but now Oddworld: New 'n' Tasty, a complete remake of the original Abe's Oddysee, has made its way onto Wii U. We were lucky enough to chat directly in a frank and friendly...
News Tomy Is Bringing Mythical Pokémon To Selected North American Retailers Throughout 2016
To mark 20 years of the franchise, naturally
Toy maker Tomy has been part of the Pokémon story from the very beginning, working with Nintendo and The Pokémon Company to produce a wide range of related merchandise, including action figures and plush toys. To mark the 20th birthday of the series, Tomy is really pushing the boat out by collaborating...
News The Original Pokémon Starters Have Been Added as Costumes in Super Mario Maker
I choose you!
The endless line of Super Mario Maker costumes continues to move at full speed, and naturally these next costumes fall in line with another popular Nintendo franchise. It's Pokémon's 20th anniversary and so Nintendo has opted to celebrate this in part by adding Squirtle, Bulbasaur, and Charmander costumes into Super Mario Maker...
News Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam Secures Top 10 Place in Single Format NPD Chart
An otherwise quiet month for Nintendo
January isn't exactly the hottest month of the year for game sales, with many bemoaning the impact of Holiday excess on their bank balances. As a result there weren't many big-name releases, though Nintendo of America did have some success with its major release of the month. Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam hit...
News Cube Life: Island Survival Climbs the eShop Charts in Japan
Edging ever closer to Minecraft's coveted no.1 spot
We recently reported that indie developer Cypronia found success in Japan with its Minecraft-inspired title Cube Life: Island Survival. Since that time it has now sky-rocketed to third place in the Japanese charts, even sneaking past Super Mario
Thursday11th Feb 2016
Nintendo Download 11th February (North America)
Oddworld! Cutie games! VC goodness! Discounts galore! More!
It's that time again, North American gamers, for the Nintendo Download Update. It's a busy line-up this week with a long-delayed and eagerly anticipated Wii U eShop arrival, along with some other intriguing new titles on the store. There are also three Virtual Console entries on the home...
Weirdness See What Other Smash Fighters Would Look Like with Bayonetta's Proportions
Do you want to touch me?
Bayonetta was one of the last fighters to be added to Super Smash Bros. and she certainly is one of the more unique characters on the roster. Not only does Bayonetta have an interesting, combo-centric fighting style that imitates the one from the games she comes from, but the design of the character also sticks out...
It uses the GamePad and everything
We're rather enjoying The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess HD, as we made clear in our recent preview, and Nintendo is particularly keen to promote the merits of the early March release. Along with Pokkén Tournament and Star Fox Zero
Feature Learning More About the Nindies Love You Wii U eShop Promotion
Up to ten Nindie games on discount
The most recent European Nintendo Download Update details contained plenty of discounts on the Wii U eShop, but a number of those are actually part of a themed campaign that'll reach all regions. Nindies Love You will feature on the store with its own banner and sections, and is the latest promotional campaign...
Review Space Hulk (Wii U eShop)
Table(top) for two
Space Hulk is a relatively straightforward game. If you like more mature, dark themes in your titles, it may be for you. The same could be said if you're the type of gamer who wishes the Wii U had more thrillers. If you're a fan who mostly enjoys more colourful, first-party-style fare, this may not be for you. If you're the type...
Video TT Fusion Explains How It's Handling THAT Scene In LEGO Star Wars: The Force Awakens
If you haven't seen the film, walk away now
The announcement of LEGO Star Wars: The Force Awakens might have been predictable, but that doesn't mean we're not excited about the prospect of playing through the latest block-based adventure - especially as the movie on which it is based remains so fresh in our minds. Game Informer has been chatting to...
News Mega Man's Creator Outlines The Rules Used To Shape One Of The Most Brutal Games Ever Made
"The way the enemies act [is] totally unfair and absurd"
Mega Man is one of the most beloved series to emerge from the melting pot that was the Japanese 8-bit development scene, and also ranks as one of the toughest. At a time when most NES games were happy to adopt a simplistic approach to suit younger players, Capcom's action platformer seemed...
News Nintendo Gives Us A Friendly Recap On Why We Should Be Excited About Hyrule Warriors Legends
Wondering what's new? Wonder no more
Fans of the original Hyrule Warriors will no doubt have been following the progress of the 3DS "update" Hyrule Warriors Legends with intense interest, questioning just what all the fuss is about and - most importantly of all - if the game is actually worth bothering with if you've already bested the Wii U...
Soapbox Bayonetta Deserves to be in Super Smash Bros.
"Good to know some of you are keeping your part of the contract"
Bayonetta's inclusion in Super Smash Bros. for Wii U & Nintendo 3DS has garnered a mix of views from fans of the series and those that just have a strong opinion over the matter. Certain opinions have been less than favourable, stating that Bayonetta doesn't belong in the game for...
Editorial Game Localisation Isn't Just About Preserving The 'Pure' Original
It's also not always the same as 'censorship', either
Game localisation is a tricky business, and in some cases game publishers can't win. Leave content untouched and cultures can collide and some gamers get confused or, worst case scenario, are offended. Make changes and some fans bemoan the fact. It's a tightrope. Of course, often localisation...
Video Meet The Early Sega Mascots That Time Forgot
Say hello to Professor Asobin and Dr. Games
Yesterday, we reported on the news that the limited edition version of SEGA 3D Classics Collection would come with a sheet of decals comprised of logos and other old-school Sega imagery. One of these stickers stood out from the rest as it featured a character who is practically unknown to modern Sega fans:...
A bit of Fire Emblem and a nice pair of slippers is all we want
This writer remembers a time when gaming was largely the preserve of children and teenagers, with parents wondering what it was all about. Of course, that very memory makes your scribe 'old', as it's all downhill once you reach the big three-zero. Or so we're told. Yet the gaming...
News Genei Ibun Roku #FE Art Book Releases on 26th February in Japan
A Fire Emblem art book hat trick
It seems that this is the year for Fire Emblem art books, as yet another one was just recently revealed. A few months ago, we caught wind of their being a 25th anniversary book on the way, and shortly after, there was news of a book that would focus on just Fire Emblem: Awakening. Now, we have the book for
Video Watch a Twitch Streamer Play Super Smash Bros. While Riding a Mechanical Couch
What will they think of next?
Some of you may remember the TwitchPlaysPokémon phenomenon form a couple years back, wherein the comments section of a live Twitch stream of Pokémon had collective, direct control of Red throughout his adventure. It was definitely an interesting experiment, and naturally it was an extremely chaotic and meandering...
Wednesday10th Feb 2016
News Let's Clarify Exactly How the Fire Emblem Fates 'Skinship' Mode Works in North America
'Petting' is limited to 'S' relationships
Fire Emblem Fates, whether deservedly so or not, has prompted debate recently over its localisation. This has revolved around the 'Skinship' mechanic which has been referenced as a 'petting' minigame. Quotes from Nintendo stating that it had been removed made way very recently to suggestions that it's...
News Sonic The Hedgehog Movie Confirmed For 2018 Release
Sony Pictures making a live-action and animation hybrid
We reported that Sony Pictures is working on a Sonic movie back in 2014, but things have gone a bit quiet since then. However, thanks to a recent interview with Sega Sammy Holdings President and CEO Hajime Satomi, we now know that the film will be arriving on silver screens in 2018: Sega...
A blast from the past
FreezeMe is an outstanding blast from the past. It borrows so many ideas from Super Mario 64 that the resemblance is almost uncanny, but ultimately there's enough new content here to constitute its own quality experience. The game isn't as polished as it could be, but FreezeMe provides an enjoyable romp through the format of an...
News Man-Made Pokémon Magiana is Revealed, to Star in Upcoming Movie
It'll be called Volcanion and the Exquisite Magiana
Earlier today we shared a scan of an upcoming issue of CoroCoro Magazine that featured a silhouette of a new Pokémon called Magiana. Now the diligent Joe Merrick over at Serebii has dug up a full image of the 'mon in question, along with some details of how it'll emerge onto the scene. It has...
Video Nintendo Reminds Us of Just How Much DLC We Had for Super Smash Bros.
A game changer
Each successive release in the Super Smash Bros. series has delivered a bigger cast than its predecessors, and that was no different in this generation's Wii U and 3DS entries. Masahiro Sakurai has often talked of the pressures this brings, along with the expectation of more general content from one release to the next. Even on day...
News Sound Your Survey Klaxon, Nintendo of America Wants Your Feedback
We bailed when it wanted a list of downloaded games...
Everyone loves a good survey, mainly because it gives us a chance to sound off and share opinions. Nintendo of America is now happy to oblige, opening itself up to the feedback of its fans via that bastion of considered opinion - social media. In the tweet below this is pitched as an...
News Masahiro Sakurai on Keeping Super Smash Bros. Fresh
Balance is key here
About a week ago, the last DLC fighters for Super Smash Bros. were added to the game, finally bringing the lengthy support for the game to a close. It could certainly be argued that this is now the biggest Smash Bros. ever, with a higher stage count and bigger fighter roster than any game before it. All the same, even a game as...
News Brand New Pokémon To Be Revealed By Japanese Magazine CoroCoro
Meet Magiana
Japanese magazine CoroCoro is teasing the fact that it will announce an entirely new Pokémon in a forthcoming issue. Named "Magiana", the 'mon has been shown off in a trailer for the next issue - in silhouette form, at least. The issue in question hits newsstands in Japan on February 15th, which is next Monday. It's not clear how...
News Nintendo Drops Behind Sony in Japan as Wii U Sales Tumble
Lack of new releases harms momentum
It's the time of the week where we consider the Media Create charts from Japan, and the most recent results bring some interesting numbers. One notable new arrival on PS4, and the lack of fresh arrivals on Wii U and 3DS, set the tone. In the software charts Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm 4 makes its debut...
News 3DS Decals to Add Style to Launch Copies of SEGA 3D Classics Collection
Include the familiar and obscure
SEGA 3D Classics Collection was a recent announcement for the 3DS, a retail compilation of nine of the portable remasters that's coming to North America on 26th April; there's no European release date as yet. The collection itself is already tempting, and SEGA has now announced that "pre-orders and a limited number...
News Playtonic Games Reveals New Character and David Wise Track for Yooka-Laylee
Three new staff also join up
Yooka-Laylee made quite an impact when it was revealed in Spring 2015, with the newly formed Playtonic Studios gaining a lot of attention by virtue of a promising Kickstarter pitch video and the fact that the team was largely comprised of former Rare staff. Already positioned as a spiritual successor to Banjo-Kazooie,...
News Famitsu Reveals New Rival for Ace Attorney 6
The "Funeral Prosecutor"
The latest issue of Famitsu magazine will have new information on Capcom's upcoming Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney 6, including a first look at Wright and Co.'s main courtroom rival. According to translating fans over at Court Records, the new prosecutor is named Nayuta Sadmadhi, although this name might of course change when...
Video Mario Kart Meets Star Wars In This Forceful Fan-Made Clip
May the Blue Shell be with you, always
YouTube channel Dark Pixel Digital has created one of the coolest mash-ups we've seen in a long time - it effortlessly combines Star Wars and Mario Kart to amazing effect, and is of such high quality you'd swear it was an official video. Created using 3ds Max, V-Ray and FumeFX, the clip runs for over three and...
Video Why We Want Detective Pikachu Translated for North America & Europe
Go west, young Pika
Detective Pikachu: Birth of a New Duo is the latest in the line of Pokémon spin-off games that The Pokémon Company have produced, but for the moment at least it's only available in Japan. We're sure every Pokémon fan and their Houndoom is frothing at the gob over this title due to its lustrous visuals, charming animation and...
News Mega Man Is Blasting His Way To Nintendo Badge Arcade
Rock on
While the world cries out for a new Mega Man game, Capcom continues to whistle nonchalantly and look the other way - but thankfully the company isn't totally oblivious to the appeal of its famous android. News that Mega Man is coming to Nintendo Badge Arcade should prove that. Starting February 26th, the Blue Bomber will be added to the...
News USK Listing Reveals Picross 3D: Round 2 for Europe
Hang in there, North America
The Picross series has always been a somewhat niche property within the Nintendo canon, but one that is greatly appreciated by its fanbase. There's something remarkable to be found in the experience of creating pixel art through a deductive reasoning puzzle. Most games in the series have been exclusively 2D affairs,...
Music Rozen Celebrates Valentine's Day With a New Legend of Zelda EP
Orchestrated beauty
The soundtracks from Nintendo games often draw in the talents of musical composers and arrangers, with iconic themes reproduced in various styles. We have a few favourites in this area on Nintendo Life, one of them being Rozen; he creates orchestral re-arrangements for various franchises, and in his latest project he's returned...
News Mario & Sonic at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games Gets Dated for Europe
Picks up the silver behind NA release
The number of 3DS retail titles with solid release dates for Europe is relatively thin, but we can now take Mario & Sonic at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games off the list. As continues to be the case it's the 3DS version that's coming first, with the Wii U iteration yet to be dated. It's heading to Europe on 8th...
News Dot Arcade's Dodge Club Is Getting A Stand-Alone Multiplayer Spin-Off
16x16 pixels of mayhem
Remember Dot Arcade? You should do, as we awarded it 9 out of 10 when we reviewed it last year. One of the included games - Dodge Club - is now getting a stand-alone release, and in case you were wondering why you should care, this version will have multiplayer. Entitled Dodge Club Party, the game has previously been...
Video Check Out This Rio Group's Super Mario 'Bloco' Carnival Party
Powered up
It's carnival season in Brazil, with thousands dressing up and taking part in spectacular street gatherings and events. Street parades - called 'blocos' - take place throughout Rio de Janeiro, from enormous events in stadiums to smaller informal gatherings. Nintendo may have made headlines in early 2015 for effectively stepping away from...
Tuesday9th Feb 2016
Rumour Star Fox Zero Facing Development Niggles, Another Delay Could Happen
"Just what I needed to see"
Star Fox Zero was supposed to be Christmas 2015's big Wii U release, but Nintendo took the brave decision to delay the game in order to give it a little more polish. However, we're now hearing reports that despite the extra effort, things are far from rosy with Fox McCloud's latest adventure. Online sleuth and Nintendo...
Site News Welcome To The Brand New Nintendo Life!
This is a bit different isn't it?
Those who have been following Nintendo Life for a while should already know that we are currently in a milestone year during which I said it was time to "shake things up", so here we are, the new website in all its glory. Yes, you might need to adjust your eyes, but we're sure you'll settle in soon. What's New? The...
Review Crystal Beans From Dungeon Explorer (SNES)
Do NOT shoot the food
Gauntlet remains a dear memory among many retro gamers. After all, Atari's revolutionary dungeon crawler was one of the best co-op arcade games ever produced and it certainly was no stranger to Nintendo owners with several conversions making their way to NES, Game Boy, Nintendo 64 and GameCube. You will notice a strange...
News 3DS to Continue as a 'Major Pillar' of Nintendo's Business
Still targeting popular releases on Wii U, too
The present-day Nintendo landscape isn't particularly positive, even though we may wish it otherwise, as continually modest sales levels for Wii U are joined by dropping momentum for the 3DS. So much focus is on the future in mobile and the next generation of hardware, it's easy to forget that this...
News Perfect Your Battlefield Fashion with this Fire Emblem Fates Customizer App
Corrin chooses to accesorize!
It won't be much longer until Fire Emblem Fates is released in North America, and there are plenty of folks on both sides of the pond who can't wait to tear into it as soon as they can. We know at least a couple who have chosen to take time off with "Fire Emblem Flu." One of the first items to take care of upon...
Review Shütshimi (Wii U eShop)
You'll be hooked
Choice Provisions has established a reputation for putting out some high quality, but weird games such as the BIT.TRIP Saga and Woah Dave!. Shütshimi is the latest title to be published by the studio, and while there are some issues with shallow gameplay, the retro-inspired strangeness of the whole affair makes for an entertaining...
News Nintendo's Share Value is Hit Hard by Stock Market Panic
Surge in the Yen causes problems
In recent weeks we've posted occasional articles around Nintendo share values, which have generally been a reflection of improved investor confidence heading into a big year for the company. February had been a strong month, with calm markets and faith in planned moves into mobile contributing to a healthy recent...
News Tatsumi Kimishima Pinpoints NX and Mobile as Key Areas to Deliver 'Nintendo-Like' Profits
Another reminder that NX is due before March 2017
In the past week Nintendo revealed its Q3 financial results, which brought a dip in profit and some slightly concerning sales figures. Overall, however, investors seemed to keep the faith while Nintendo President Tatsumi Kimishima kept most cards closely to his chest in the accompanying President's...
Video See What You Can Expect in the Gargantuan Ten Hour Bravely Second Demo
Ludicrously generous
Demos have been a staple of the gaming world for a very long time, but usually these are snippets from the full game to tempt you into buying the full package. Recently demos have been expanding to try and provide something worth playing for those who would buy the retail package regardless, but we think Bravely Second: End...
News Tatsumi Kimishima Places the Emphasis on Young Staff and Targeting Consumers Beyond Games
Ideas from young employees key for "transition to the next generation"
It can be argued that, since the Wii and DS era, Nintendo has been relentless in its pursuit of new groups and generations of gamers, with its 'Blue Ocean' strategy aiming to make gaming accessible to all. Despite this it's been accused at times of being slow to react to modern...
Parent Trap Pokémon Super Mystery Dungeon Gets Personal
Family Gamer's Andy Robertson gets asked some probing Poké-questions
Creating games for children is tricky because it's the small things that make the biggest difference. My kids often get as much fun from unintended consequences of the main game as they do completing the campaign. I've been reminded of this while playing Pokémon Super Mystery...
News Developer Casts Doubt on Wii U Port of Anima: Gate of Memories
It'll be a few months behind the other versions, regardless
A few of you may remember Anima: Ark of Sinners from back in the days of Wiiware. While the title may not have exactly delivered the highly polished experience that some may have expected, it was at least a mostly competent sidescroller set in the world of Anima: Beyond Fantasy. A few years...
Random Beware Cuteness Overload With This Dancing Hatsune Miku Nendoroid
Go on, smile
We'll get to more 'serious' concerns in other articles, but there are always slightly pointless but delightfully charming things on the web if you get past all of the doom and gloom. For example, is it possible to resist a smile when watching a singing, dancing Hatsune Miku Nendoroid? It seems that Japanese company iDoll wants to test...
News Buddy & Me: Dream Edition is Coming to Wii U eShop This Spring
A boy and his floppy-eared dragon thing
Buddy & Me was a cute endless runner released for mobile platforms a couple years back that followed the adventures of a little boy and his "Buddy", and it was praised for its fantasy-themed art style and universal appeal. Naturally, games such as this have a certain degree of overlap with the Wii U, given...
News Animal Crossing amiibo Cards Series 3 Lands in Europe on 18th March
Another 100 for the collection
Nintendo is enjoying plenty of success with amiibo, shifting tens of millions of units. That includes the Animal Crossing: Happy Home Designer cards range, which have performed particularly well in Japan while also gaining popularity in the West - the combination of a lower cost and the collect 'em all mentality has...
News Mutant Mudds Super Challenge Has Been Submitted to Nintendo
Prepare yourselves
Renegade Kid has had a pretty strong presence on the Nintendo eShop for this generation, and it was all kicked off by Mutant Mudds. A '12-Bit' 2D platformer, the original game launched on the 3DS eShop at a time when there were few worthwhile games to be found on the service. Mutant Mudds was already a tough game to begin with,...
News Blast 'Em Bunnies Targeting March Release On Nintendo 3DS
Pesky wabbit
Nnooo's first person shooter Blast 'Em Bunnies will be hitting the 3DS eShop on March 11th, it has been revealed. Costing $4.99 / €4.99 and backed up by a selection of paid-for DLC content, the game features 4 different weapons and 16 types of ammunition. The objective is to take down as many enemies as possible and collect coins,...
Monday8th Feb 2016
Nintendo Download 11th February (Europe)
Oddworld! Old Pokemon Mystery Dungeon! Project X Zone 2! Much more!
Another week is underway, and as always we get up and running with the European Nintendo Download Update. This line-up is a bit of a corker, with a highly promising demo / prelude being joined on 3DS by two major retail releases, while on Wii U we have a long awaiting download-only...
Video See the Very First Wii U & 3DS Game to Use Every Single amiibo
Figures, cards, plush toys, oh my!
Since their inception, amiibo have been a smash hit with fans new and old, but one idea that Nintendo still hasn't been fully realised is a game that utilises every one of these NFC delights. It's true that certain games like Hyrule Warriors recognise can use all amiibo, but it doesn't recognise them individually...
Weirdness This Super Mario Maker Level is a Functioning Calculator
Yep, it actually works
We've seen some terrific creations in Super Mario Maker, but few are as downright clever as a creation by Reddit user Helgefan. Shared on the social network this past weekend, it's rightly being hailed as an outrageous achievement in level design. Utilising binary additions and decimal conversion this stage, effectively,...
That's not effective
Well-known Pokémon fan project Pokémon Reorchestrated - a channel dedicated to orchestral covers of music across the Pokémon games - has had its full Kanto Symphony playlist removed from YouTube by The Pokémon Company. Channel creator Braxton Burks covers this in detail via the video below, but the key notes to take away...
News Platinum Is Working On Collaborations That Have Yet To Be Announced
"We never thought we’d get lent IPs from other companies"
Platinum turns 10 this year, and to mark this occasion Famitsu has conducted interviews with several key staff members - including Hideki Kamiya, arguably the studio's most famous (and outspoken) employee. Kamiya admits that his directorial style is quite abrasive, and that after finishing...
News Were It Not For Google's Love Of April Fools' Day, Pokémon Go Might Not Have Happened
"I think that kind of culture is one of Google’s assets"
Nintendo's smartphone drive doesn't just include the titles it is developing with DeNA - the company has already dipped a toe into mobile gaming waters with the Pokémon franchise, and with the forthcoming release of Pokémon Go, could make quite a large splash in the smart device arena. In...
Editorial Considering the Recipe For Successful Nintendo Remasters and Re-Releases
Are big names enough on their own?
Recently I was heavily focused on The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess HD, figuring out the focus for what would become our preview of the title. From a personal perspective it's proving to be a lovely experience replaying the GameCube / Wii title, and it is by most definitions a solid remaster. The graphics are...
Review Mega Man Battle Network 6: Cybeast Falzar / Gregar (Wii U eShop / GBA)
One last network battle
Mega Man Battle Network 5 changed a few things around for this series, but was mostly quite similar to its predecessor. Deciding to go for one last hurrah on the Game Boy Advance, Capcom created a sixth Battle Network game. Don't expect any big surprises though; it's still quite similar to its peers. After spending the...
Video Did You Know Gaming Covers the Bayonetta Games
No one said you could touch
The Bayonetta games are arguably the most recognizable works to come from the talented Platinum Games; chock full of angel slaying action and over the top finishing moves. In more recent times, the series could almost be considered a Nintendo franchise, considering the significant collaborative effort that went into...
News LEGO Star Wars: The Force Awakens to Feature Exclusive Backstory Content
Not the truth about Rey's parents though, don't be silly
When Warner Bros. recently teased the coming together of two major franchises, it need not have bothered - it obviously meant LEGO Star Wars: The Force Awakens - a huge success at the box office, it was a clear candidate for the LEGO treatment. Of course, stretching the set pieces and key...
Gallery Good Smile Strikes Again With Nendoroids and Figmas for Link, Pokémon and More
Gotta buy 'em all
Just recently the 2016 Winter Wonder Festival took place in Japan, an event where toys and figures have a chance to shine. As you'd expect of any popular culture gathering in the country you didn't need to go far to find Nintendo goodies - Good Smile, the master purveyors of Nendoroid and Figma figures, were naturally out in force...
News Final Fantasy Explorers UK Sales Take a Dive as LEGO Marvel's Avengers Still Leads the Way
Square Enix release tumbles out of top 40
The recent launch of Final Fantasy Explorers brought respectable early sales in the UK, in which its debut secured 11th place in the all-format charts and number one in the 3DS-only equivalents. Its second week hasn't been quite so succes
News Outside the Realm from TreeFall Studios to Launch at 49 Cents
Just a Lil Bit
Complaints about pricing on the Wii U eShop can - on occasion - be valid, but those looking to spend very few dollars on their games aren't short of options. With Unity and Nintendo Web Framework support the store has opened up to a host of new developers that are keen to offer budget experiences, with mixed results overall. TreeFall...
Sunday7th Feb 2016
Review Final Fantasy Tactics Advance (Wii U eShop / GBA)
Tactical Fantasy Action
It wasn't that long ago that things were going so well. With just one member of the opposing clan left against the three on your team, wrapping up this mission seemed to be straightforward enough. Then he took out your mighty Bangaa warrior and is now causing your sword guy plenty of trouble on account of the fact he returns...
News All amiibo Will Be Compatible with Pokkén Tournament
What might they do?
Pokkén Tournament is only about a month away from release, and it seems like the wait only gets more difficult the closer we get to launch day. The roster of fighters has grown a bit over the past few months, and it appears to be a flashy and enjoyable fighter that'll be filling an otherwise quiet month for the Wii U. It's also...
Soapbox A Nintendo Fan's Hopes and Dreams for the NX
Jonathan Bee spells it out
It could be some time yet before Nintendo unveils its NX hardware. It's still a common topic among fans of the company, however, and in this article Nintendo Life reviewer Jonathan Bee outlines his thoughts (combined with information and details we already know about) on what the NX needs in order to achieve success and...
Random Don't Forget to Celebrate Mewtwo's Birthday
For he's a jolly good genetically engineered lifeform
February 27th is a big day for Pokémon, marking the series' 20th anniversary since its début games in 1996. However, information contained within those games mentions another special day too - February 6th is Mewtwo's birthday! Players of Pokémon Red/Green/Blue/Yellow/FireRed/LeafGreen will...
Nintendo Life Weekly Mother 3 Localisation Rumours, New Splatoon Content Rumours, and More
Whispers ahoy
Whilst it may not have been an especially explosive week for Nintendo news directly from Nintendo, special sources have been firing ten to the dozen this week bringing forth a wealth of new rumours with surprising validity. If you've been too busy doing other things that someone in your life claims are more important than video games...
Saturday6th Feb 2016
Feature A Pokémon Retrospective: Generation 6 - 2013 To 2016
Talking 'bout this generation
As we build up to the 20th anniversary of Pokémon later this month, and look hotly ahead towards brand new things, we're concluding our journey through each generation of Pokémon; this month we cover the most recent generation, the one we are still in! Be sure to also check out our retrospectives on generation 1,...
Hands On Searching for Clues in Detective Pikachu: Birth of a New Duo
It's elementary
Joe Serebii Merrick goes hands on with the intriguing eShop release that recently arrived in Japan. Back in October 2013, when the NHK television show The Professionals focused on The Pokémon Company President, Tsunekazu Ishihara, it showed him going through the early work for two titles. One title became Pokémon Link! Battle on...
News Shantae: Risky's Revenge Director's Cut is Nearing Release on Wii U
Both in Europe and North America
Shantae has had a bit of a comeback in the last couple years, and it was arguably all kicked off by Shantae: Risky's Revenge. After the original Shantae released on the Game Boy Color, there was a gap of about eight years before the game received its sequel on DSiWare. This was followed up a few years later by...
Review PEG SOLITAIRE (Wii U eShop)
Solo Noble, anyone?
Ever been to a restaurant or doctor's office and found one of those wooden Peg Solitaire boards just lying around? The little triangular board where you hop pegs over each other? The degree to which you compulsively feel a need to pick it up and play it rather than fiddle with your phone is indicative of the interest you'll have...
Friday5th Feb 2016
News Here's Exactly What Has Changed With Fire Emblem Fates' "Skinship" Petting Mode
Not as bad as you might think
Reports that Nintendo has removed the "petting" mini-game from the western version of Fire Emblem Fates caused the predictable level of consternation among fans online, many of whom are concerned that the company is taking self-censorship to the next level, having recently made changes to the likes of
Rumour New Splatoon Mini-Game Arriving Soon with Fresh amiibo Figures in Tow
And this time there's evidence
After the tide of free content updates in Splatoon was stemmed many fans of the game wondered whether there might yet be more on the horizon for Nintendo's colourful shooter. Recent rumours from data miners regarding references to potential new amiibo figurines got tongues wagging once again, and now even more secrets...
Yep, native 1080p
There's been plenty of chat about The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess HD this week, with Nintendo's embargo lift meaning we could share our full preview of the title. In that preview we wrote of a "crisp and clear presentation" along with a "buttery smooth" framerate, but the key questions of the actual native resolution, in...
News Pokémon's Ash And Gary Are Getting The Nendoroid Treatment
Plastic fantastic
As we all know, the Pokémon turns 20 this year, and we're seeing plenty of promotional activity to mark this fact - including digital re-releases of the games that started it all on the Game Boy. There's more good news for Pokémon fans, as stars Ash and Gary (or "Red" and "Blue" if you'd prefer) are getting immortalised in...
News Mario Kart Flashmob Surprises And Potentially Terrifies UK Shoppers
The UK's own Coconut Mall
We love a good flashmob here at Nintendo Life Towers - unless it's threatening to make us late for our train ride home, of course. The crazy thrill seekers on YouTube channel Base37 certainly know how to do a flashmob in style, as they recently descended on London's Westfield Shopping Mall armed with motorised go-karts in a...
News Chasing Aurora Dev Broken Rules Offers To Port Undertale To Wii U
Keep determined
Yesterday, we reported on the news that Undertale developer Toby Fox was open to the idea of his unique RPG coming to Nintendo systems, with the caveat that he'd need outside assistance to create the port. Undertale - a critically-acclaimed PC release built entirely with Game Maker - would need to be re-written from scratch, and Fox...
Video Nintendo Introduces the Battle Mechanics of Fire Emblem Fates
And shows awesome footage
Late last year Nintendo of America ran a series of 'Survivor's Guide' videos for Xenoblade Chronicles X, and the format was clearly a success. A similar series now seems to be here for Fire Emblem Fates, which arrives in the region very soon. The first video in the series is called "Life on the Front Lines: The Battle at...
News PlatinumGames Explains Shift to Contract Work and Ambition to be One of the World's Top Studios
"IP holders also are like ‘Let Platinum Games do what they do'"
PlatinumGames has been celebrating its 10th Anniversary, and in this writer's opinion has deserved all of the plaudits that have come its way. Few studios can boast Platinum's mastery of the action genre, and it's also proven itself to be increasingly flexible in its projects. In its...
News Cube Life Battles Minecraft for Success in Japan
Update 1.2 on its way soon
As you probably know Minecraft: Wii U Edition hit the Wii U in late December, and it's doing particularly well in Japan. It's the number one selling game in the Wii U charts in Japan at the moment. That's not discouraged publisher Cypronia from releasing its Minecraft-inspired title Cube Life: Island Survival
Soapbox If Nintendo Took On Virtual Reality, Would It Be A Disaster Or Gaming's Holy Grail?
Virtual insanity?
Virtual reality - or, as the cool kids these days like to call it, VR - famously died a long, slow death many years ago only to resurrected in recent years thanks to devices such as the Oculus Rift and PlayStation VR. It's perhaps a little too early to brand it a full-scale comeback; the support of the mainstream player will be...
Video Image & Form Discusses SteamWorld amiibo Prospects and SXSW GOTY Nomination
It's possible, but which character should it be?
With the Shovel Knight amiibo out in the wild, Yacht Club Games has cleared the path for other Nindies to contemplate their own amiibo figures. As the studio explained to us, once Nintendo gave the all clear the Nindie did the vast majority of the work; as the first company to do its own amiibo, it...
Thursday4th Feb 2016
News Undertale Creator Open To Nintendo Port, But Wouldn't Be Able To Code It Himself
"I actually already talked to Nintendo about a port months ago"
Yesterday, there were rumours swirling around the internet about a Nintendo port of Toby Fox's critically acclaimed indie RPG Undertale. These were triggered by a Nintendo staffer attempting to get in touch with Fox via Twitter, and after the predictable reaction online, Fox has posted...
Rumour Nintendo Has Plans to Localise Mother 3 This Year
UPDATE: More sources step foward
UPDATE: We've since had more confirmation from Nintendo Life contributor Liam Robertson, who has posted the following on Twitter. It seems that Emily wasn't the only person who knew about this, but she might have let the cat out of the bag prematurely: UPDATE #2: Eurogamer has also confirmed that it was previously...
Nintendo Download 4th February (North America)
Smash DLC! Resident Evil 4! Shütshimi! FreezeME! More!
Here we are once again, North American gamers, with the Nintendo Download Update. This week seems like another good 'un, with the final batch of Super Smash Bros. DLC, a corking Wii download from Capcom, some highly promising download-only games and some discounts. Phew, let's get to the...
Video See How Far The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess has Come Since the Wii & GameCube
Things can only look better
If you were in any doubt that the visuals in The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess HD surpass those of the original Wii and GameCube versions, let us clarify that the visuals have indeed surpassed those of the original Wii and GameCube versions. If you need further proof of just how much tastier things are in this...
Preview Looking for the Light in The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess HD
We sense a true adventure
This has been the generation of The Legend of Zelda remasters, with two Nintendo 64 titles on 3DS and one GameCube HD release. Following The Wind Waker HD we now have GameCube / Wii title The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess HD, which has the tricky task of kicking off the 30th Anniversary of the franchise. It's also...
Giveaway Get Hold of the Bravely Second: End Layer Prelude Demo Early
500 codes to giveaway to UK readers
Bravely Second: End Layer is arriving in Europe on 26th February, but the adventure will start early when a special demo launches on 11th February; this will serve as a prelude to the story and transfer data into the full game. The demo will be titled The Ballad of the Three Cavaliers. For some lucky UK gamers,...
News Overheating Computers Almost Cost The World The Original Pokémon Games
"I sure am glad I fixed those computers back then"
Pokémon turns 20 this year, and to mark the occassion Game Freak's Junichi Masuda has posted a video online in which he shares some of his strongest memories regarding the creation of this iconic series. Masuda - who served as a programmer on Pokémon Red and Green and created the music and sound...
News The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess Will Have Its Own Manga
Shackled to a Japanese app for now
Those who like their legends unfolding from right to left might be happy to learn that The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess will be the next game in the Zelda series to receive its own official manga. A pair of artists who go by the combined name Akira Himekawa will take up their inks for the project once again,...
Video Reliving the Memories of the Original Announcement for The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
Out of time, into Twilight
With the release of The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess HD just around the corner we thought it was about time we looked back at the fantastic reveal that the original game received. Much controversy surrounded the art direction of The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker and many people wanted a more realistic Zelda game...
Wednesday3rd Feb 2016
News Quality Of Life Device Not Fit To Be Sold As "A Nintendo Product" At The Moment, Says Kimishima
"If it could be released, we’d release it"
Nintendo's Quality of Life initiative was one of Satoru Iwata's personal legacies, an attempt to enrich the lives of consumers and improve their overall well being while simultaneously providing Nintendo with another valuable revenue stream. It was expected to launch last year but we've heard precious...
Thursday4th Feb 2016
Video Check Out Pikachu And Lucario's Fancy Moves In This New Pokkén Tournament Clip
Plus a brief look at the next Pokémon movie
A new video has just gone live which shows of the basic movesets of Pikachu and Lucario in the forthcoming Wii U brawler Pokkén Tournament. Due for release worldwide on March 18th, the game is being co-developed by Tekken creator Bandai Namco and will see various characters from the Pokémon universe...
Site News Gamer Network Kindly Requests Your Help With This Survey
Go on, it's good for karma (probably)
As you may or may not know Nintendo Life is a partner of Gamer Network, an organisation that owns the likes of Eurogamer and counts others such as this very website as a partner and member of the family. Some other Gamer Network affiliated sites include our sister-publications Push Square and Pure Xbox followed...
Video See Bayonetta & Corrin Smash it up in Super Smash Bros.
Smashing
The final batch of DLC for Super Smash Bros. for Wii U & Nintendo 3DS is finally out, bringing with it the Umbra Witch Bayonetta and the dragon warrior Corrin. It's a bittersweet moment for many fans, but no doubt this isn't the end of Super Smash Bros. as we know it. In the video below we look at both of these new characters as well...
Wednesday3rd Feb 2016
Video Check Out This Amazing Blindfolded Completion of Super Mario Bros.
Three months of practice, cleared in less than 15 minutes
We've seen some hugely impressive speedruns and game clearance feats in recent times, whether it's beating games with unconventional controllers, clearing multiple games at once or setting record times. Blindfolded runs are also fantastic to watch, and Japanese YouTuber...
Thursday4th Feb 2016
News The Ryu and Famicom R.O.B. amiibo Are Available For Preorder on Amazon UK
Roy available in Europe too
Can you get them now? Shor-yu-ken! Now exercising some decorum, the long-awaited Capcom veteran is finally available for preorder on Amazon UK for the expected price of £10.99. So too is R.O.B.'s Famicom colour iteration - though many of our readers have probably already imported these from Japan since the figure has...
Video Check Out the New World Record Speed-Run of Xeodrifter
Just over seventeen minutes
Speedrunning has become a competitive form of gaming that only the very best of gamers can hope to become proficient in. Considering that there technically exists a hard cap on just how fast any given game can be beaten, it becomes a game that's just as much about pixel perfect controls as it is about memorization...
Wednesday3rd Feb 2016
News More Details Emerge on the Launch of My Nintendo
Only one month to go
Update: The official English translation of the briefing is now live, reinforcing the details below. Original Article: As many of you are likely aware, Nintendo recently held another investor's meeting. While these things aren't strictly about big announcements that are entirely relevant to the general public, new details...
News Nintendo Outlines Future Plans for 3DS and Promises That "Several Strong Titles" are Planned
Also aims to grow 'Kids and Female demographics'
When we looked over Nintendo's most recent financial results one set of statistics stood out among the relatively uneventful reports - the 3DS and New 3DS are struggling. That's only reinforced in the official translation of company President Tatsumi Kimishima's Presentation, which includes slides...
Talking Point My Nintendo Can Be a Tipping Point in Nintendo's Approach To User Accounts
Good for this generation, potentially vital in the next generation
Nintendo President Tatsumi Kimishima gave a presentation to investors this week, and some of the most interesting details revolved around the new Nintendo Account system and the related My Nintendo programme that'll replace Club Nintendo. Though it's succeeding a much-loved and...
Avoiding the boss
Some of the best games involve relatable experiences. Level 22 tells the story of Gary, a frequently tardy employee who just overslept yet again after a night of drinking; even if due to other factors, most of us can relate to being late for work and wanting to sneak in unnoticed. We can't necessarily relate to the need to use...
News Miitomo to Include Photo Mode and Pre-Registration Will Bring 'Platinum' My Nintendo Point
16 countries to be included in March launch
Update 2: Nintendo of America has also confirmed that Miitomo registration will open on 17th February in the region. Update: A Nintendo of Europe press release has confirmed many of the details below, along with a few other snippets of information. Pre-registration for Miitomo - as outlined below - will...
News Pokémon Go Showcase Session Confirmed for GDC in March
Developer Niantic to provide an in-depth look
One of the year's biggest events for the development community will take place from 14th-18th March (public expo from 16th March) with GDC (Game Developers Conference) in San Francisco. Thousands of developers and industry professionals will descend on the city for a series of events, networking sessions...
Media Create serves up disappointing Wii U and 3DS results
It's Wednesday, so you know what that means - we're at the half way point of another gruelling week! Actually, it means Media Create Japanese chart results, though it could also mean the first thing; in truth, the results are rather grisly this time for Nintendo, but considering its strong...
News Hudson's SNES Action Platformer Kishin Douji Zenki: Battle Raiden! Gets Translated Into English
Get ready to battle
In a period when dubious anime-licensed video games flooded the Eastern markets (or "The Great '90s Import Gamers Nightmare" as we cool kids used to call it) it was often hard to distinguish between good and bad Japanese titles - especially when the cover art featured your favorite manga or anime character in a cool pose,...
News Jools Watsham Wants to Know if You Want a Dementium III
The choice is yours
Dementium: The Ward was one of the first titles to be made by longtime Nintendo supporter, Renegade Kid. Though the game initially was planned as an entry in the Silent Hill series, it went on to develop its own identity and later received a sequel. Now, the first game has already been remastered for the 3DS and its sequel is...
News Nintendo Shows Off the Continuing Growth and Popularity of amiibo
amiibo = $$$
Whenever Nintendo talks about sales and profits, it can always turn to amiibo for good news. Company President Tatsumi Kimishima wasn't short of statistics to use when highlighting how successful the NFC range has been, which has already accumulated over 40 million sales (between figures and cards) in the first three quarters of this...
News Wii U Sales Show Promising Growth Courtesy of Splatoon and Super Mario Maker Success
Splatoon continues to beat Mario Kart 8 sales momentum
While current 3DS sales are rather disappointing, Nintendo's most recent financial reports did bring good news for the Wii U, with the system on track for its targets and outperforming the equivalent sales of the year before. In Nintendo President Tatsumi Kimishima's briefing one game's role in...
News Download Sales Continue to Increase to New Highs for Nintendo
Growth in the Americas drives increased revenue
When you go back to the start of this generation (March 2011 for 3DS, November 2012 for Wii U) and consider the eShop stores and Nintendo's approach to DLC at those times, you see a company that's transformed its download offerings fairly rapidly. The actual store designs have only had relatively minor...
News A Professor E. Gadd Costume is Coming to Super Mario Maker
*Cackles*
It's been several since we've seen the last new Super Mario Maker costume added to the game, but the drought has finally been broken. Following on the heels of the long anticipated Princess Daisy, we will soon have access to a Professor E. Gadd costume. Professor E. Gadd is most notable for the part he's played in the Luigi's Mansion...
News Capcom Is Bringing Mario Party To Japanese Arcades This Summer
Mario Party Mysterious Challenge World to be shown off this month
Capcom and Nintendo are expanding their legacy of coin-op collaboration with a special version of Mario Party, exclusive to arcades. Entitled Mario Party Fushigi no Challenge World - which translates as Mario Party Mysterious Challenge World - the game is a 6-player offering which...
News Share Value Holds Relatively Firm Following Nintendo's Financial Results and Briefing
A modest fall despite dropping profits
Nintendo's latest financial results and briefings to investors brought dropping profits and very few new details. Yet release information for Miitomo and the My Nintendo account service, combined with a call for investor patience, have seemingly done the job. We've seen Nintendo share value take dives in the...
Video Paying Tribute To Secret Of Mana's Superlative Soundtrack
iRetroGamer tips the hat to one of the very best
Secret of Mana is unquestionably one of the best SNES RPGs ever made, and a huge part of the game's appeal comes from Hiroki Kikuta's gorgeous soundtrack, which still sounds amazing even today. Our friends over at iRetroGamer have put together a video which celebrates the musical legacy of this...
Tuesday2nd Feb 2016
Review Super Mario 64 DS (Wii U eShop / DS)
D-Pad D-Bate
Super Mario 64 is undeniably one of the most influential games in the industry's history, so it's only natural that Nintendo would attempt to capitalise on its success with a re-release. What nobody expected at the time was for it to not only arrive on a portable console, but also feature Yoshi as the initial protagonist. Super Mario 64...
Monday1st Feb 2016
Heaven and Hell
There are hundreds of amazing games for the Super Famicom that remain a mystery to Western gamers. Dark Half is one such game, published by Enix in 1996. It is a late generation Super Famicom title that at first glance seems to be your typical JRPG, with the player taking control of Falco, the Paladin (not to be confused with the...
Tuesday2nd Feb 2016
News Catch Your Valentine With These Official Pokémon Cards
Will yours be super effective?
If you're looking for the perfect card for your true love this Valentine's Day then the Pokémon Center should be your first port of call - the store is selling a selection of Pokémon-themed cards which are sure to catch anyone's heart. Available in packs of 12 - presumably for those trainers who have plenty of...
Talking Point The New Nintendo 3DS is Yet to Have a Real Chance to Revive the Portable Family
A sloppy release strategy and underperforming games have undermined it
The New Nintendo 3DS is approaching its one year anniversary, yet today's financial results and official sales figures brought home a cold reality - the system is struggling. That, frankly, shouldn't be particularly surprising, and we'll take a look at the figures behind that...
We believe
Nintendo's latest financial results have been published, with a generally mixed outcome, and its usual reports for the nine month period have included some interesting information. As always there's an updated release line-up, too, which on this occasion mostly keeps its powder dry. The one change that's immediately apparent relates to...
News Nintendo Profits Dip as amiibo Hits Over 40 Million Sales in Nine Months
3DS and Wii U still apparently on track for targets
Original Article: Nintendo has revealed its latest financial results for Q3 of the 2015 / 2016 year, which run from 1st April to 31st December last year and, as a result, provide an indication of the company's performance over the critical Holiday period. The outcome is rather mixed, with some...
Weirdness 8-Year-Old Writes Nintendo A Letter Of Apology For Getting His 3DS Wet
A grim reminder to check your thermos cap
It's never too pleasant having to deal with customer service and sending something in to be repaired, but for one eight-year-old boy in Japan, the loss of his 3DS seems to have stirred up some surprising feelings of guilt instead of the usual impatience and annoyance. Imagine that! The young boy apparently...
News Nintendo's Second Mobile App to Feature an IP "Very Well Known to Everyone"
Please don't be Mario Match-3...
Nintendo has revealed its latest financial results, and though we await the full transcript of President Tatsumi Kimishima's briefing the early noises online suggest that much was kept rather close to the chest. Nevertheless the company is working to charm investors into keeping the faith after results that saw a...
News Nine Nintendo Titles Pass One Million Sales For This Financial Year
The green and the evergreen
With Nintendo having shared its financial reports for Q3, therefore covering the first nine months of the financial year, we can get an idea of the year's notable successes, especially as these sales figures cover the all-important Holiday period. Overall Nintendo can point to nine of its games that have sold over one...
Monday1st Feb 2016
News Resident Evil 4: Wii Edition is Shuffling Onto the North American Wii U eShop on 4th February
"Where's everyone going? Bingo?"
Resident Evil 4: Wii Edition is rightly held in high regard by a number of series fans; this writer likes it a bit too much, completing at least one playthrough every year. It's a terrific version of a classic game, with pointer controls and occasional waggle that are actually fun to use, along with the inclusion of...
Tuesday2nd Feb 2016
Video Bask in the Monochrome Glow of Extended Pokémon Virtual Console Footage
20 years of hype
It's not often that Virtual Console releases of 20-year-old games have their own hardware bundles and weeks of hype, yet that's the case with Pokémon Red, Blue and Yellow ahead of their 27th February arrival on the 3DS eShop. Such is the power of the brand that a nostalgia-tinged release date, combined with a first official...
News LEGO Star Wars: The Force Awakens Trailer Leaks Ahead Of Official Announcement
Coming to a Wii U or 3DS near you this June
Warner Bros recently mentioned that it had a huge announcement to make regarding "two of the world's most popular entertainment brands". Whatever plans the company may have had, the guys over at the Xbox Store have thrown a spanner in the works by accidentally revealing the game in question - and it...
News Platinum Games Celebrates its Ten Year Anniversary
Time flies
Platinum Games is a popular studio that has developed a strong reputation for crafting excellent action games. Though its involvement with Nintendo hardware was initially slim, it brought The Wonderful 101 to the Wii U, and later, Nintendo stepped in and ensured the development of Bayonetta 2 would be completed. Now, the studio is working...
Video See what Freedom Planet's Lilac Would Look Like as a Smash Character
A challenger approaches
In just a couple days, the final DLC characters for Super Smash Bros. will be made available, at last signaling the end of the current generation of Super Smash Bros. Even though the roster is larger and more diverse than it has ever been in past games, there's always more popular video game characters that don't quite make...
Review Mini-Games Madness Volume: #1 - Hello World! (Wii U eShop)
Uh... hi...
The first time you start up Mini-Games Madness Volume: #1 - Hello World!, you might wonder if it's one of those "haunted" games that try to pass themselves off as normal but are actually scary. The loading screen is accompanied by an inexplicable clicking noise and the game selection screen is, for some reason, an intentionally(?)...
Review Pet Hospital (3DS eShop)
Even healthy pets won't make you happy
No one wants to feel as though they're doing a terrible job of taking care of their pets. Sadly, there are times when you may drop an animal and it gets hurt, or your beloved pet may get old and need veterinary medical attention; that's the real world. In the virtual world, though, Pet Hospital has you covered...
News 7th Dragon III Code: VFD is Heading to the Americas This Summer
More RPG action for the 3DS
SEGA has been making a concerted effort to up its game in terms of localisation recently - in the Americas, at least - and is now adding to the collection of RPGs that have graced the 3DS. The snappily titled 7th Dragon III Code: VFD is heading to the region at retail this summer, with a price tag of $39.99/CA$54.99. It...
News Nintendo Is "Looking At" Virtual Reality, But Don't Expect Details Any Time Soon
Virtual Boy 2, anyone?
Nintendo has been famously dismissive of Virtual Reality lately, with NoA boss Reggie Fils-Aimé even going as far as to say that the tech "just isn't fun" right now. However, with Sony pushing its own VR option and Oculus Rift winning over developers, the VR sector could become a massive part of the games industry. Some are...
News Oddworld: New 'n' Tasty Has a Confirmed Wii U Release Date
For realsies
Oddworld: New 'n' Tasty is a highly regarded title that's had a protracted route to the Wii U eShop. In 2014 there seemed to be issues with the port as a result of 8GB model limitations, while it was then planned for a 2015 arrival but didn't quite make it on time. Recent confirmation of it
Monday1st Feb 2016
Reminder The Current-Gen Mew Special Distribution is Underway
X & Y and Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire included
The Pokémon Company has plenty going on for the franchises' 20th Anniversary, and the first of a number of monthly special distributions - Mew - is now up and running. We've covered some details in separate posts, but as serial codes are now available in multiple countries we thought it'd be worth...
News Bravely Second "Tomahawk" Costume Change Confirmed For The West
Playing Cowboys, but not Indians
Back in November we reported on a rumour regarding a change in the western version of the 3DS title Bravely Second. The alteration related to the "Tomahawk" class outfit sported by one of the game's characters. We've now had confirmation that the change has indeed been made - the Native American costume has been...
Nintendo Download 4th February (Europe)
Smash DLC! Super Mario Galaxy! Legend of Legacy! More!
Another week is underway, and that means we get a look at the Nintendo Download Update treats that are on the way in Europe. This week's a bit of a corker, with high-profile DLC, an exceptional Wii download, RPG goodness on 3DS and some promising download-only games. Let's get to the details...
Feature Five Key Details That May Emerge From Nintendo's Financial Reports and Briefings
Mobile plans, release details and hints for the next generation
This week will bring Nintendo's Q3 financial results, a presentation briefing from company President Tatsumi Kimishima and a Q & A with investors. Now, that may not be very exciting on paper, but this particular set of results comes at an interesting point, as it'll be the first...
News Create Your Own Super Mario Maker Wallpaper Through This Official Website
Random but cool
Super Mario Maker is a fantastic creative tool for fans of the franchise, and Nintendo's promoted it through limited editions, plenty of marketing and neat extras like the pixel-style amiibo, along with New 3DS cover plates in Japan and PAL territories. It's not quite done yet, though. As plenty of fans around the web have spotted,...
News Opening Details for the Remodelled Nintendo NY Store are Confirmed
Last one on the 15 foot screen is a Sony fan
Earlier this year Nintendo announced a major revamp for its flagship New York store; giving hope to those that hope to see multiple outlets open around North America and globally, it's being rebranded from Nintendo World Store to Nintendo NY. Opening on 19th February, the big N has now outlined details...
News Eiji Aonuma on the Idea of Giving Link a Voice
Actions speak louder than words
Link has always been a silent protagonist in the Zelda games and there has always been debate about giving him a real voice. On one hand, the character acts as a sort of avatar for the gamer, an empty vessel that allows one to assume the role of the hero and be that much more immersed in the adventure. On the other...
Gallery Gear Up for the Final Super Smash Bros. DLC With Some Screens and Videos
Bayonetta and Corrin wrap up the cast
Choosing a lead image for a Nintendo Download Update can sometimes be fun, and in the case of this week's EU article the obvious choice was Bayonetta fighting Duck Hunt Duo, which is a fun sentence as well as an entertaining screenshot. Following the weekend announcement of the final Smash Bros. DLC arriving...
News Splatoon Producer Hints at More Content Being Added in the Future
"I'm starting to wonder if we can't organize a little something else."
Splatoon had an admirable amount of post release support, with new game modes, maps, clothes, and weapons, being regularly added to the game via free updates. While it was inevitable that there would come to be an end to all the free goodness, the question of more, paid DLC has...
Video Chandelure Looks Predictably Weird in Pokkén Tournament Footage
Light 'em up
When Chandelure was confirmed for Pokkén Tournament little blame could be apportioned to those who responded by scratching their head. Sure, it's Pokémon so anything goes, but this is a fighting game - a primary question was how this particular 'mon would dish out some hurt. This writer's not big on Pokémon, admittedly, and the idea...
News Nintendo Share Value Climbs Once Again Ahead of Financial Results
To its highest point of 2016 so far
This week may have some interesting details and talking points to consider, as Nintendo will release its latest financial results, while Tatsumi Kimishima will give his President's Presentation and complete a Q & A with investors. While the company will be careful to hold back key reveals planned for later in...
Gallery These Fan-Made Splatoon Weapons Are Pretty Fresh
Tools of the trade
The Game Party Japan 2016 event has just hosted the Japanese National Splatoon Championship, giving fans of the game the chance to test their skill against like-minded individuals. It also gave the truly dedicated the opportunity to show off their creative talents, as there was a booth which showcased fan-made versions of the...
News Final Fantasy Explorers Achieves Respectable UK Sales as LEGO Marvel's Avengers Leads the Way
Some success for 3DS
The UK charts have been rather grim for Nintendo so far in 2016, but this week has thankfully brought some positive news with two new releases making their mark on the top 40. First of all let's look at Final Fantasy Explorers, the Square Enix spin-off that's exclusive to 3DS. Packed with fan service, it's managed to secure...
Random Of Course There's Already A Custom Detective Pikachu amiibo
This needs to happen, for real
Detective Pikachu was officially revealed to the world last week, and the unusually deep-voiced sleuth already has his own amiibo, albeit a custom one. Crafted by GandaKris, the keen-eyed investigator comes with a hat, rug, tea and a pipe- everything a good detective needs, basically. To top it
News Noowanda Reveals Discovery Version 2.2 Update Details
Off-TV Play and third person camera perspective are being added in
Discovery came out about a month ago, and while it does have some shortcomings, it stands as an excellent creatively focused block sandbox game. It seems that the developer, noowanda, is dedicated to addressing many issues with the game; the upcoming update notes claim that there...
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