Retro News

August2015

July2015

  • News Fire Emblem Meets Front Mission In Galaxy Robo, A Freshly Fan-Translated SNES RPG

    Robot rock

    Not a week seems to pass without another Super Famicom RPG getting translated by devoted fans, and this particular week it's the turn of Copya Systems' Galaxy Robo, a turn-based strategy title that was published in Japan by Imagineer in 1994. Playing like a cross between Fire Emblem and Square's Front Mission, Galaxy Robo has been...

  • Event Movies, Mirth And Mario Kart Mastery At The First Nintendo Life Gaming Night

    Hosted at the Centre for Computing History, Cambridge

    As you'll no doubt be aware, here at Nintendo Life we've got a real soft spot for vintage gaming. Keeping this in mind, our recent event at the Centre for Computing History in Cambridge, England was something of an eye-opener. Our relationship with the museum itself goes back some time - thanks...

  • Video Pokémon Gold & Silver Glitches Deliver Celebi Magic

    And some weird stuff

    The A+Start YouTube channel specialises in showing off fun game glitches, both practical and otherwise, and its latest video is sure to be worth a watch for Pokémon fans. It tackles Pokémon Gold & Silver, and in particular the lengthy method for obtaining one of the rarest 'mon in the games. We're talking about Celebi,...

  • Weirdness Super Mario Bros. 3 is Rather Creepy With "The Plumber's Dream" Theory

    The hills have eyes

    Super Mario Bros. 3 is an undoubted classic, and one of the finest platformers of all time. At times bizarre, always great to play, it's a testament to what could be achieved on the 8-bit NES. Naturally it's an enduring topic for gamers of all types, and some like to really dive into the meaning of the colourful and bonkers...

  • Review G.G Series THROW OUT (DSiWare)

    ​Throw this one out

    We return to the G.G series with the sports genre, this time looking at a soccer game with combative elements reminiscent of the Mario Strikers series. It somewhat succeeds in this attempt, but matches are seldom challenging and consequently feel dull. While the game mechanics themselves are solid enough, one can't help but...

  • Video Chill Out With Smooth McGroove's Onett Theme A-Cappella From EarthBound

    Released in honour of Satoru Iwata

    Fans of awesome video game music with a taste for a-cappella are likely familiar with Smooth McGroove, who's covered a huge number of iconic tracks in his own style. There'd been a bit of a gap (around three months) since his last video at the time of writing, but the singer / composer has now released a fresh...

  • Review G.G Series THE LAST KNIGHT (DSiWare)

    Hopefully this really is the last knight

    The G.G series has grown a great deal in recent weeks, and another addition is an action adventure game that bears more than a passing resemblance to dungeons from The Legend of Zelda. Unfortunately, G.G Series THE LAST KNIGHT doesn't hold any of the same magic and fails to deliver entertainment that has much...

  • Review Harvest Moon: Friends of Mineral Town (Wii U eShop / GBA)

    Tending to the roots

    If you're a fan of the Harvest Moon series, you know that a faithful instalment will leave only two questions: who do I get to marry and just how much free time can I afford to sacrifice over the next month or two? Harvest Moon: Friends of Mineral Town sticks closer to this original formula than some of its more modern cousins,...

  • Weirdness Sega's Repackaged Transformers Arcade Game Is An Unexpected Nod To Its Glorious Past

    Feeling the G-Force

    Back when arcades really mattered, Sega was one of the industry's big hitters. The company not only produced amazing titles like Golden Axe and Alien Storm, but also ran a pretty amazing line in dedicated coin-op cabinets. Titles like After Burner, Space Harrier, Out Run and Thunderblade were all housed in massive, hulking units...

  • Anniversary The Virtual Boy Is 20 Years Old Today

    Nintendo's most famous failure is getting on a bit

    According to the history books, the Virtual Boy is Nintendo's biggest failure — both commercially and critically — in the hardware arena. Launched 20 years ago today on 21st July 1995 in Japan to almost complete consumer apathy, it bypassed Europe entirely and was discontinued the following...

  • Review Final Fight One (Wii U eShop / GBA)

    Still the One?

    It's fair to say Capcom was on a roll in the late '80s and early '90s. During this period it pushed out some bona-fide classic pieces of software, including 1989's seminal coin-op brawler, Final Fight. Indisputably one of the finest side-scrolling beat-'em-ups ever created, it joined a rush of similar coin-guzzling titles including...

  • News Secret Of Evermore's Epic Soundtrack Gets The Remaster Treatment

    Sean Schafianski works his magic on Jeremy Soule's original tracks

    Secret of Evermore is one of Square's forgotten classics - a SNES title created entirely in North America that tried to ape stable mate Secret of Mana, but didn't quite match it. Despite being less acclaimed than some of Square's other 16-bit titles, Evermore still has plenty of fans...

  • Video There's Plenty to Admire in this Super Mario World Speedrun

    Son of a Glitch explains how it's done

    Speedrunning is a particularly neat part of gaming culture, in which extremely dedicated and skilful players push games and their coding to the limit. Often exploiting glitches and - in the case of retro games - memory limitations of the original hardware, gamers find clever way to beat classic titles in a...

  • Review G.G Series VERTEX (DSiWare)

    A bit too one dimensional

    The next game in the G.G series is here, and this one is yet another unique take on the puzzler genre. While G.G Series VERTEX starts out strong with an interesting shooter-puzzler hybrid, it quickly peters out when this concept fails to develop into anything further. Pair this with lacklustre visual and sound design, and...

  • Live Watch the Super Smash Bros. Melee Finals from Evo 2015

    Time for a champion to be crowned

    Evo 2015 (Evolution Championship Series) is reaching its big conclusion - ZeRo has already triumphed in Super Smash Bros. for Wii U, and today brings the grand finale of the Super Smash Bros. Melee tournament. Join us for the action! [liveblog=watch_the_super_smash_bros_melee_finals_from_evo_2015]#Evo2015...

  • Review G.G Series RUN & STRIKE (DSiWare)

    Double fault

    The next entry in the G.G series opts to branch out a bit and little something in the sports genre. While this works relatively well initially, the novelty of the gameplay soon wears off and it quickly becomes rather boring. G.G Series RUN & STRIKE is a decent arcade game, but players looking for anything more will be sorely...

  • Review Super Street Fighter II: Turbo Revival (Wii U eShop / GBA)

    Ryu on Wii U (again)

    1991's Street Fighter II is a game that got people very excited and led to a surge of interest in the fighting genre. It's also a game that got updated a lot — new moves, new characters, new speeds... — while being ported to numerous home consoles and computers. Several of those ports have seen a Virtual Console release...

  • Review Advance Wars 2: Black Hole Rising (Wii U eShop / GBA)

    Just like a black hole, it'll suck up hours of your time

    With the first Advance Wars being a hit on the GBA not long after the system launched, it was no wonder that a sequel would eventually follow. Released about two years later, Advance Wars 2: Black Hole Rising feels very much like an expansion pack, but one that is still more than worth the...

  • Review G.G Series DRILLING ATTACK!! (DSiWare)

    Rock solid

    The next title to look at in the G.G series is yet another action platformer, but it manages to feel distinct from the others in more ways than one. Unlike every G.G game up to this point, G.G Series DRILLING ATTACK!! focuses less on being an arcade-focused game best suited for quick playthroughs, and more on being an experience that...

  • News The Famicom is 32 Years Old Today

    Should have a steady job and a mortgage by now

    Here's one to make some of us feel old - the Famicom is 32 years old today, released in Japan on 15th July 1983. It was, of course, the system that would be revamped and remodelled as the NES in October 1985 in North America. Famicom was the shortened name for Family Computer; a key difference of this...

  • Ninterview Meet The Man Who Makes Hip-Hop Music From Classic Nintendo Hardware

    "The controller we have created is like wearing my childhood round my neck"

    We recently came across a UK based hip-hop producer and DJ by the name of Imperial, who makes quite a striking impression with a strange musical instrument strapped around his neck, which has parts that might seem very familiar to our readers. This musical instrument is...

  • Review Star Fox Command (Wii U eShop / DS)

    Command and conquer

    Fox McCloud and friends are coming back in a big way this Holiday season with Star Fox Zero for the Wii U, and while the jury's still out on whether the title will live up to expectations, Nintendo has given fans a refresher course in barrel rolls by releasing Star Fox Command on the system's Virtual Console in North America...

  • News MEGABytes to Blend a Cafe and Arcade Together in Glasgow

    Cake and NES, together at last

    Retro gaming culture remains strong, with the collector's scene, events and expos remaining hugely popular around the world. Arcades are less common, though some entrepreneurs in Glasgow have decided that rather than simply open a cafe, it'd provide a blend of old and new. MEGABytes is opening in Glasgow (Scotland)...

  • Video Check Out an Extensive History of Super Mario Bros. 2

    The real original and the Doki Doki Panic re-skin

    Many Nintendo fans know the basic story around Super Mario Bros. 2 as known in the West, and the original sequel which would be called Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels outside of Japan. It's a familiar tale, but one nevertheless with some detail that's reserved for those keen to delve into the...

  • News Zeldamotion's Link To The Past Animated Series Takes to Kickstarter for Support

    Aiming to complete the series

    Fans of The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past may remember episode one of Zeldamotion's Link to the Past Animated Series; the fan effort boasted impressive visuals as it began a re-telling of the game's memorable adventure. It's been around 10 months since that episode launched, but the Patreon pa

  • News This 'PikaBoy' Game Boy Color Mod Goes the Extra Mile

    LED cheeks, a tail and feet to stand up

    We sure like retro console mods here at Nintendo Life, as fans take classic systems and apply a neat twist to their design. Nintendo systems are often re-imagined in wonderful ways, and this 'PikaBoy' system is another example. The creator, 'eforie', had the idea in 2011 but made it a reality for...

  • Review Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards (Wii U eShop / N64)

    Kirby Sixty-Phwoar

    Like many of Nintendo's properties during the transition from the SNES to the N64, Kirby underwent a shift from a flat 2D sprite to a fully rendered polygon rendition of himself. Rather than taking Kirby down the route of Mario and Link, however, the pink mascot stuck closer to his origins - the mechanics of Kirby 64: The Crystal...

  • Weirdness Revenge is a Dish Best Sold on eBay, as This EarthBound Sale Shows

    Ouch

    Retro gaming, most notably collecting, can be an expensive business. Not all gamers are content with downloading whatever classics pop up in the Virtual Console, as there can be a desire to own the original cartridges and play them on their retro systems. Collections can be treasured, then, but based on an eBay sale can also be used as...

  • Review Mario & Luigi: Partners In Time (Wii U eShop / DS)

    ​Fun for all ages

    It takes quite a lot of star power to be able to co-star with yourself in something. The upcoming Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam is set to show that our favourite plumbers are not lacking in this department, but it's not the first time developer AlphaDream has pulled a similar gimmick! For that we should look to Mario & Luigi:...

  • Review G.G Series THE HIDDEN NINJA KAGEMARU (DSiWare)

    The way of the ninja

    The next game in the G.G series opts to return to the platformer genre yet again, and the end result is surprisingly engaging. G.G Series THE HIDDEN NINJA KAGEMARU is a unique arcade focused, 2D stealth platformer that manages to put forth a distinct and compelling gameplay system that'll keep gamers coming back again and again...

  • News Say Hello To What Could Be The Most Obscure Piece Of Nintendo Hardware Ever Made

    Copy me do

    There's been a lot of chatter lately about obscure gaming hardware, mainly inspired by the discovery of the prototype SNES PlayStation. However, if you want a truly off-the-wall slice of Nintendo history, then you need look no further than the Copilas. Produced in 1971 way before Nintendo had begun experimenting with video games, the...

  • Review G.G Series ALL BREAKER (DSiWare)

    Are you worthy of the hammer?

    We have another title in the G.G series to consider, and this one opts to go back to action platformer roots. However, G.G Series ALL BREAKER focuses on including puzzle elements into the mix alongside the oddly compelling, melee-centric action. The end result is an engaging experience that'll keep challenging both your...

  • Video Capcom Shares Footage of Resident Evil 0 N64 Prototype

    Fuzzy horror

    We love a bit of survival horror here at NL Towers, and Resident Evil 0 was one of our favourite GameCube games, along with the slightly more accessible Resident Evil 4 of course. What you might not have realised is that Resident Evil 0 was originally intended to be a Nintendo 64 game which was planned to come out in 2000. The game...

  • Video Take A Drip Down Memory Lane With Game Freak's Second Game, Jerry Boy

    Or Smart Ball, if you had the misfortune of playing the American version

    Game Freak may be most famous for the Pokémon series, but the company's history goes back a little further than that. Back when the firm was still learning the ropes, it released the platform title Jerry Boy on the Super Famicom. A cute and cuddly romp through a colourful...

  • Review G.G Series GREAT WHIP ADVENTURE (DSiWare)

    I hate snakes, Jock! I hate 'em!

    The G.G series continues onward, and once again goes back to the platformer genre. G.G Series GREAT WHIP ADVENTURE does its best to provide gamers with a compact action platformer, and it largely succeeds in achieving this goal. While it may seem a bit derivative at times, the solid platforming action on offer here...

  • News Sony's Shuhei Yoshida Plays It Cool With The SNES PlayStation

    "Actually, I played some games [on it] as well"

    Shuhei Yoshida, rather like his contemporaries at Nintendo, is refreshingly light-hearted and open in interviews - the President of Sony Computer Entertainment's Worldwide Studios has popped up in these pages in the past speaking positively about Nintendo and sharing amusing tales of getting banned on...

  • News Gunpei Yokoi Discusses The Struggle To Make The Game Boy In One Of His Last Interviews

    "Hardware design isn't about making the most powerful thing you can"

    Gunpei Yokoi is one of the most important figures in the history of Nintendo. One of the engineers who helped turn the company into what it is today, Yokoi produced some of its most significant releases - including the iconic Game & Watch series and the world-beating Game Boy...

  • Review G.G Series SHADOW ARMY (DSiWare)

    Bob and weave

    The next title in the G.G series opts to go once again into the shooter genre, and the interesting gameplay manages to set G.G Series SHADOW ARMY apart from its predecessors in a meaningful way. While some aspects of it may be dull and somewhat uninspired, the continuously variable and fast paced nature of its gunplay make it an...

  • Weirdness Twitch Plays Metal Gear Solid: Ghost Babel, With Hilarious Results

    Chaos, failed stealth and furious Metal Gear gamers

    The Twitch Plays phenomenon has been around for over a year now, which makes it positively medieval by internet standards. The concept of hundreds of viewers issuing input commands is predictably chaotic, of course, and the concept can still be entertaining with the right game. We think this...

  • Review G.G Series EXCITING RIVER (DSiWare)

    A quick trip through choppy waters

    The G.G Series continues rolling forward with its seemingly endless number of releases, and this time it's branching out into light racing territory. True to the identity of the series that it's coming from, G.G Series EXCITING RIVER offers a barebones yet enjoyable arcade game that shows its value not through its...

  • News Square's Romancing SaGa Finally Gets Translated Into A Language We Can Easily Understand

    Another Super Famicom classic liberated from the mists of time

    1992 Super Famicom RPG Romancing SaGa has finally been translated into English. Designed by SaGa series creator Akitoshi Kawazu, this epic title never received a western release. The game is unique in that it abandons the linear structure seen in so many other JRPGs of the period and...

  • News The Classic NES Lives On As An Awesome PC Case Mod

    Pimp my NES

    The iconic Nintendo Entertainment System was hardly a design classic back in 1985, but it holds special memories for many of us. What better way to keep the spirit of the humble NES alive than with a custom PC case mod? A PC Gamer reader gutted an old NES which he had lying around, went to work with a dremel and sandpaper and gave the...

  • Review Kirby Squeak Squad (Wii U eShop / DS)

    Squeaky Clean Fun

    For a company so often associated as being at the forefront of innovative thinking in the video game industry, Nintendo can have a tendency to stick with a tried and tested formula. The Mario, Zelda and Pokémon franchises have all received their share of criticism for not drastically changing their instalments over the years, and...

  • Review G.G Series CONVEYOR TOY PACKING (DSiWare)

    Fresh off the conveyor belt

    Packing away hundreds of toys rolling off of a factory conveyor belt, who hasn't had that dream? The next title in the G.G series is another falling block puzzler, and while it presents a unique and enjoyable type of gameplay, it's impeded somewhat by some suppressive game mechanics and an uninspired soundtrack. That...

  • Review G.G Series BLACK X BLOCK (DSiWare)

    Block Dude 2.0

    Another entry in the G.G series has arrived, and anybody who's owned a TI series calculator and spent a lengthy amount of time in a high school math class will immediately feel at home with the type of gameplay here. Indeed, the premise of G.G Series BLACK X BLOCK feels like a successor of sorts to the cult classic, Block Dude, and it...

  • Review G.G Series ALTERED WEAPON (DSiWare)

    ​More than meets the eye

    Short, sweet, and to the point. That's the phrase that best describes most games in the G.G series and G.G Series ALTERED WEAPON is no different - it offers an interesting and enjoyable gameplay experience that's over just about as quickly as it's begun. While it would be nice if there was a bit more meat to it, what is...

  • News The Man Who Found The SNES PlayStation Thinks It Will Probably Be Sold

    "Sure my dad would think about selling it because he's pretty broke"

    Yesterday we reported on the stunning news that a SNES PlayStation has been located in the wild. The existence of this almost-mythical machine was never in doubt - Sony released promotional images back in the early '90s - but it was believed that all of the prototypes were either...

  • Review The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (Wii U eShop / N64)

    A classic for any time

    There's little remaining to say that hasn't already been said about The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. A true masterpiece and a genuine game-changer; what was once revolutionary is today simply one of the greatest action/adventure games ever created. Now available to download from the Wii U eShop, this latest release...

  • Review G.G Series ASSAULT BUSTER (DSiWare)

    Mega Buster

    The G.G series keeps on going, and next up is another shoot 'em up; yet this one presents a unique and dynamic combat system that's surprisingly engaging. In an experimental series that's pretty hit or miss depending on the genre being attempted, G.G Series ASSAULT BUSTER provides a fun, arcade style shooter that's easily the most...

  • News Prototype SNES PlayStation Found In The Wild, Unicorn And Big Foot Expected Next

    Update: Video of console now live

    Before Sony entered the home console arena it worked with Nintendo on a CD-ROM drive for the SNES. The aim was to eventually release a combined console - called the PlayStation - which would play SNES carts and SNES CD-ROM games. Of course, this never came to pass - at the 1991 CES Sony officially announced the...

  • Review G.G Series COSMO RALLY!! (DSiWare)

    Get ready to activate your G-diffusers

    This particular title in the G.G Series seems to have been inspired by a certain other futuristic racer, and while it presents an admirable take on the concept of high speed and interstellar racing, its lack of diverse content holds it back from being particularly memorable. That being said, G.G Series COSMO...

  • Review G.G Series HERO PUZZLE (DSiWare)

    ​A long journey

    The G.G Series aims to provide players with quick arcade experiences on their DS systems at a low price point, and it experiments with a wide variety of genres to achieve this goal. Some of these genres are a better fit than others and this results in a somewhat unpredictable line of games that's a collection of highs and lows...

June2015

  • Review G.G Series WONDERLAND (DSiWare)

    ​We're all mad here

    It's not often that a new DSiWare game shows up on the eShop, as that particular line of software is on the brink of extinction. Imagine, then, the shock when the G.G Series made its return to the service when Genterprise chose to localise the remaining games in the series. G.G Series WONDERLAND marked the beginning of the...

  • Review G.G Series THE SPIKY BLOWFISH!! (DSiWare)

    ​Under the sea

    DSiWare is admittedly a pretty hit or miss service, with games on it typically being forgettable mini-games and otherwise unexceptional apps. The G.G series does a remarkable job of providing decent quality arcade experiences, and the next game in the long list of titles in this series is no different. G.G Series THE SPIKY...

  • News Analogue Nt Starts Shipping To Buyers, Pitched As "The Leica Of Home Consoles"

    "We've always looked up to the standards of companies like Leica"

    Analogue Interactive's Analogue Nt has completed its initial production run and is now shipping out to consumers. The aluminium-cased console - which plays NES and Famicom carts - comes from the same company which gave us the wooden SNK Neo Geo AES and features a wide range of AV...

  • Review WarioWare Twisted! (GBA)

    A turn for the best

    Mario's diabolical, greedy and slightly-overweight rival Wario is a genius of sorts. After all, why bother with long games when you can make many quick-paced, five-second challenges? The third game in the WarioWare series, entitled WarioWare Twisted!, never made its way to Europe - which is a crying shame, as it's one of the most...

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