News - December, 2017

Sunday31st Dec 2017

  • News Retro-Bit Announces R-Type Returns For Super Nintendo

    Irem's Holy Diver also making a comeback on NES

    Looks like Retro-Bit is once again targeting retro gamer's wallets in early 2018 with a couple of exclusive physical re-releases.  R-Typepe Returns will bring both excellent entries of the series exclusive to the Super Nintendo (Super R-Type and R-Type III: The Third Lightning) in a single...

  • Feature The 2017 Nintendo Life Game of the Year Awards

    You know the top two already, right?

    Well, 2017 has been an incredible year for Nintendo, and in years to come will likely be remembered as a vital comeback for the company. The 3DS kept ticking over, there were a couple of key Mobile releases, but most importantly the Switch arrived and proved to be a success. Demand outstripped supply for much of...

  • Review Hiragana Pixel Party (Switch eShop)

    Rōmaji rhythm runner

    If you spend much time playing games, watching anime, or reading manga, Japanese is certainly an appealing second language option, and if you want to try your hand at learning, Hiragana Pixel Party — originally a mobile title — aims to kickstart that process. While it won’t help you with words or phrases, it will teach...

  • Review The Last Blade (Switch eShop / Neo Geo)

    The king of fighters?

    Kaede is fighting Yuki and weapons slash quickly as the two leap about the screen. Quick strikes from both, the action is fast as each looks to string together a series of moves to end the battle. Another day, another fight between Kaede and Yuki, but this time things are playing out differently. This time the combatants have...

  • Site News Thanks For Playing, Thomas Whitehead

    Nobody likes goodbyes

    Hopefully by now you've heard the news that our illustrious editor Tom will be leaving Nintendo Life in a mere matter of hours. It's been quite an adventure over the last 6.9 years and it simply wouldn't be right to not take a dive into the numbers, Tom style. In The Beginning It was Saturday, 22nd January, 2011 and a...

  • Feature Memorable Games of 2017 - Party Golf

    Bringing multiplayer to the fore

    In this series of features Nintendo Life contributors have shared thoughts on their most memorable games of 2017. This final entry by news writer and reviewer Ryan Craddock opts for a lesser known eShop title that showcases some of the biggest strengths of the Nintendo Switch. Party Golf falls into a category...

Saturday30th Dec 2017

Friday29th Dec 2017

  • Review Stern Pinball Arcade (Switch eShop)

    A classic experience

    Stern Pinball Arcade for the Switch eShop prides itself on authenticity. The company Stern - as featured in the title's name - was founded in 1977, plying its trade as a pinball and arcade video game manufacturer.  As the most experienced and largest producer of real pinball machines to this day, the publisher and developer...

  • Review Frederic: Resurrection Of Music (Switch eShop)

    Playing second fiddle

    Nintendo Switch’s music rhythm games thus far have been stellar editions to the console's library. Whether it’s the raw power of Thumper or the serene ambient songs of Deemo, the genre fits the hardware well, using either the touchscreen or traditional inputs, and with Frederic: Resurrection Of Music, developer Forever...

  • Soapbox Yoshi's Woolly World Mended My Rocky Relationship With Yoshi

    A cracked heart tightly stitched back together

    Yoshi has been my favourite character from the Super Mario series since he made his dino-riffic debut in Super Mario World back in '91. I was so fond of him at that time that I convinced my parents to name our new Bichon Frise puppy in his honour. To this day, when I play Mario Kart or Mario Party...

  • Review Sparkle Unleashed (Switch eShop)

    Lose your marbles

    In a time where the eShop is flourishing, more than a dozen games are launching every week with no let up in sight, and prolific Finnish developer/ publisher 10tons continues its long run by bringing puzzle game Sparkle Unleashed to Nintendo Switch in time for the holiday season. The premise is a simple one: in an attempt to save...

  • Feature Memorable Games of 2017 - Ever Oasis

    Everlong

    In this series of features Nintendo Life contributors will share thoughts on their most memorable games of 2017. This entry by Tony Stephenson - who runs our Facebook page - focuses on the underappreciated 3DS title Ever Oasis.  It's been an epic year to be a Nintendo gamer. The launch of the Switch and the subsequent release of...

Thursday28th Dec 2017

Wednesday27th Dec 2017

Tuesday26th Dec 2017

Monday25th Dec 2017

Sunday24th Dec 2017

Saturday23rd Dec 2017

Friday22nd Dec 2017

Thursday21st Dec 2017

  • Review TINY METAL (Switch eShop)

    Hold me closer, Tiny Metal

    It's been almost ten years since we last had an entry in Intelligent Systems' superb Advance Wars series, but don't let that depress you - we now have the next best thing in the form of Tiny Metal, the debut game from Japanese studio Area35. This is unashamedly a clone of the aforementioned Nintendo franchise and the nuts...

  • News Zelda: Breath Of The Wild's Champions' Ballad DLC Marks The Conclusion Of The Game

    No more content to follow, sadly

    It might sound like stating the obvious, but The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild's Champions' Ballad DLC officially brings the game to a close - there will be no more content released from this point onwards, Nintendo has confirmed. Zelda series producer Eiji Aonuma delivered the news in an interview...

  • Random These N64 Box Art Covers Have Not Aged Well

    In fact, most of them looked terrible at the time

    We've all got plenty of fond memories of Nintendo 64 - which is why we're excited for the inevitable N64 Mini and its third-party friends - but that doesn't mean we look back on every game with a smile. In fact, just thinking about some those box art covers makes us a little queasy. Over on N64...

  • Review Hammerwatch (Switch eShop)

    A smarter gauntlet

    There’s something to be said for Nintendo’s continued insistence that local multiplayer is as important as any other method of play. While there are plenty of reasons why online features are always touted, from the ability to play with friends from afar or just because you can keep your plans to yourself instead of on a...

  • Review Pinball FX3 (Switch eShop)

    The definitive pinball title

    The free-to-download series Pinball FX has gone from strength to strength over the years, acquiring many famous licenses at an increased rate while slowly refining the overall quality of the experience as each new entry is released. As old-fashioned as pinball now is in the 21st century, the effort Zen Studios...

  • Nintendo Download 21st December (North America)

    TINY METAL! Bloody Zombies! The Next Penelope! Style Savvy! Much more!

    It's the final North American Nintendo Download Update before the Holidays / Christmas, and it has some enticing games on offer. As is now the norm the Switch has a significant number of intriguing titles, and the 3DS also joins in with some tempting options of its own this week...

Wednesday20th Dec 2017

Thursday21st Dec 2017

Wednesday20th Dec 2017

Tuesday19th Dec 2017

  • Poll Surprise! A New Zelda Is In Development, But What Do You Want From It?

    Another open-world adventure, or a return to the classic roots?

    To the surprise of absolutely nobody at all, Nintendo has recently confirmed that work has already begun on the next instalment in the Zelda franchise. The blindingly obvious announcement came in The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild: Master Works, a book which has recently...

  • Review Brawlout (Switch eShop)

    It's super fast, bro

    Countless comparisons will no doubt be made between Brawlout and the Super Smash Bros. series as we see the game launch on Switch, and for good reason. Not only is its gameplay distinctly similar to Nintendo’s giant franchise, but we are of course yet to see a Super Smash Bros. game on the console; Brawlout is aiming to lure...

  • News Sega Dreamcast, Saturn And Mega Drive Hardware Coming From Retro-Bit in 2018

    The retro gods have smiled upon us

    It's safe to say we're big fans of the retro-focused wonders coming out of Retro-Bit - including the brilliant Retro-Bit RES Plus and the wealth of classic titles on its Super Retro-Bit micro-console - so you can imagine how excited we are following the announcement that it's teaming up with Sega to bring a...

  • News WWE 2K18 Gets An Update On Switch, But Can It Fix Its Problems?

    We'll be testing out the patch and updating our review

    Earlier this month we reviewed WWE 2K18 on Switch, filled with excitement and anticipation for a wrestling experience on par with other console platforms. Unfortunately, the end result was a hot mess of inconsistent character models and a serious issue with performance slowdown. Well, there's...

  • Review Mecho Tales (Switch eShop)

    Unenthusiastic Homages for Blue Bombers

    Mecho Tales wears its inspirations on its sleeve. Under most circumstances this means a developer is able to take away familiar and comforting concepts and design decisions and meld them with their own ideas to give us something unique. Sadly in this case, while many bits and pieces were bolted together and...

  • Review Gunbird (Switch eShop)

    More shmup fun for Switch

    Earlier this year Zerodiv brought some excellent shmup action to the Switch in the form of Psikyo’s Strikers 1945. Having rummaged around in the developer’s back catalogue, the publisher is now bringing Gunbird to the eShop, a similar proposition with a shared range of options (and the added ability to record video...

  • Review Bleed (Switch eShop)

    A deep cut

    Bleed is a vibrant, pixel art 2D run and gun platformer that comes from one man team Ian Campbell/ Bootdisk Revolution. For our spunky protagonist Wryn, winning the coveted title of the best hero in video games (trademark) is her one and only objective, and a hand written checklist of competitors are all that stand in her way in order to...

  • News Square Enix Has Finished the Score for Project Octopath Traveler

    Now it’s time to finish the project’s name

    Square Enix has shown the Nintendo 3DS plenty of strong support with fantastic original titles like Bravely Default and its sequel. Though it’s still working on similar support for the Nintendo Switch, the company has promised that there’s lots to look forward to for its fans. One such thing we have...

Monday18th Dec 2017

Tuesday19th Dec 2017

Monday18th Dec 2017

Sunday17th Dec 2017

  • News 5 Things To Do With Your Master Cycle Zero In Zelda: Breath Of The Wild

    Lots of room to vroom

    It’s still quite shocking to think that Link can now ride a bike in a Legend of Zelda game. Just in case you missed the announcement from The Game Awards 2017, the Master Cycle Zero is now available to unlock in The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild as a reward for completing the story segment of the game’s second DLC...

  • Review Human: Fall Flat (Switch eShop)

    A slapstick symphony

    It has been said that the essence of comedy is tragedy plus time. A good-natured pratfall here and there is enough to brighten up anyone's day, but when you play the role of both the audience and the victim of said pratfall, things get a little more complicated. Developer No Brakes has created an experience where...

  • Review Floor Kids (Switch eShop)

    Top Rock

    While the Switch has already booked an array of both dance (Just Dance 2017 and 2018) and rhythm games (like VOEZ, Deemo, and Superbeat Xonic), it’s safe to say that there’s nothing else in the system’s lineup quite like Floor Kids. In fact, this labour of love from Montreal-based duo JonJon (animator and former bboy) and Kid Koala...

Saturday16th Dec 2017

  • Review Party Planet (Switch)

    Pass the Joy-Con

    The holidays are fast approaching and, if you’re anything like us, you’ll likely end up being thrown into some form of endearingly awkward family gathering wishing that there was something fun to do as everyone starts to fall asleep. Party Planet aims to shine in this very situation; a collection of mini-games that can be played...

Sunday17th Dec 2017

  • News ARMS Version 5.0 Update is Coming This Year, With Another New Character

    The roster keeps growing

    ARMS, very much mimicking the approach seen in Splatoon 2, is a game that keeps on giving. Frequent updates have not only improved mechanics and balancing but have also added fresh modes and characters. The roster's grown rather nicely, as a result, and it seems that'll be the case once again with version 5.0. It's due...

  • Video The First 30 Years of Mega Man

    You can’t stop the rock!

    17th December is a big day for Capcom, as one of its top series and characters - Mega Man - celebrates its 30th birthday! The company started the party a bit early by announcing Mega Man 11, coming next year! But, it all began thirty years ago, when Capcom put forth a plan to create its first non-arcade port for the...

Saturday16th Dec 2017

  • Review Enter The Gungeon (Switch eShop)

    Right to bear arms

    Nintendo Switch received one of the finest roguelike indie games in the business earlier this year with The Binding of Isaac: Afterbirth+. Now it has another in Enter The Gungeon. Much like Edmund McMillen's reworked masterpiece, ETG takes the basic form of a top-down twin-stick shooter. Dodge Roll's game, however, has an...

  • News Pikachu Gets A Villainous Makeover With These New Secret Team Pokémon Plushies

    Because being bad doesn't mean you can't be cute

    We all know eternal Pokémon mascot Pikachu will forever remain a force for good - including when he hits the big screen with Ryan Reynolds' voice, no less - but that doesn't mean The Pokémon Company can't throw an adorable curve ball in the form of these new bad guy-themed plushies. They're part of...

  • News First 4 Figures Reveals Stunning Shovel Knight Collectibles

    Beautiful, but not cheap

    High-quality collectible maker First 4 Figures has revealed its first statue from the Shovel Knight universe and, as always, it's rather breathtaking to behold. Available in Regular, Exclusive, and Ornate Plate Armor editions - as well as a Combo edition which gives you those second two variants in one package - this new...

Friday15th Dec 2017

Thursday14th Dec 2017

Wednesday13th Dec 2017

Tuesday12th Dec 2017

Wednesday13th Dec 2017

Tuesday12th Dec 2017

Monday11th Dec 2017

Sunday10th Dec 2017

  • Review World Heroes (Switch eShop / Neo Geo)

    Joan of Arc VS. Hulk Hogan. Round 1. Fight!

    Many, many fighting games were released on the Neo Geo and these are slowly but surely filling up the Switch’s eShop. Compared to most of the options available World Heroes and its sequels offer a simpler experience with less depth, but the series can still entertain when its varied cast of fighters...

Saturday9th Dec 2017

Friday8th Dec 2017

Thursday7th Dec 2017

Wednesday6th Dec 2017

Tuesday5th Dec 2017

  • Review Portal Knights (Switch)

    To me, to you

    It’s easy to instantly compare any sandbox-type game with crafting, combat and building elements to Minecraft; many games have tried – to varying degrees of success – to re-create what Mojang’s mammoth franchise has done so well over the last few years. Luckily, though, whilst Portal Knights does have a number of features that...

Monday4th Dec 2017

  • Review Superbeat: Xonic (Switch)

    Xcellent

    From touchscreen jams like Deemo and VOEZ to the button-based beats of Thumper and Dark Witch Music Episode: Rudymical, the Switch has already assembled an impressive collection of music games in its first year, and that trend doesn’t look set to end anytime soon. Superbeat: Xonic is the latest début to hit the

Tuesday5th Dec 2017

Monday4th Dec 2017

Sunday3rd Dec 2017

Saturday2nd Dec 2017

Friday1st Dec 2017