Retro News

July2011

  • Review QIX (3DS eShop / GB)

    Get your QIX fix, dudes and chix!

    QIX is the story of... aw, forget it. The eShop download screen has more of a story than QIX does, but that's a good thing. It means that the game can be played over and over again without feeling even slightly repetitive. The gameplay isn't just pushed to the forefront in QIX... the gameplay is all there is. QIX...

  • Review The Lost Town - The Dust (DSiWare)

    Diamond in the Dust

    Quite a few attempts have been made at producing a good DSiWare action RPG by now. Some of these games turned out to be top-notch, and others not so much. Thankfully, The Lost Town - The Dust falls into the category of games that are definitely worth their weight in Nintendo Points. This lengthily titled action RPG combines...

  • News Awesome Nintendo Hip-Hop Starts Your Weekend Right

    Block-bashing beats

    We love a bit of Nintendo-inspired music, and it's testament to the company's creativity that it inspires artists over a wide range of genres, from Japanese beatboxers to Mario Kart jazz. Hip hop artist Heath McNease is a new favourite here at Nintendo Life Towers, waxing lyrical about Tanooki suits, the Konami code and...

  • Review Successfully Learning German: Year 3 (WiiWare)

    Hier gehen wir wieder

    By now you probably have a fairly good grasp on whether or not Tivola's array of educational games is for you, and Successfully Learning German: Year 3 does absolutely nothing to change the series template. If you're still desperately grappling with the language then this second instalment of Wii-based linguistic training might...

  • News Cuthbert and Miyamoto Taught Each Other Their Native Tongues

    Now that's successful learning

    Were you ever curious where Miyamoto picked up his English skills? It turns out the responsible party is Dylan Cuthbert, creator of Star Fox, president of Q Games and one of the best-known Westerners to get in good with Nintendo. When he was featured in the most recent Iwata Asks, he revealed that the two taught each...

  • News Check Out Retro's Unreleased American Football Game

    Life before Metroid

    Before there was Metroid Prime, Retro Studios hadn't had a bona fide hit, and several of the studio's games were cancelled before seeing the light of day. One such title was this unnamed American football game, recently featured by prominent site Unseen64. The animation shown below is undoubtedly impressive, particularly...

  • Features 10 Life Lessons Learned From Mega Man

    It's not just blasting, you know

    Playing the Mega Man series is cathartic in many ways. You get to listen to great music, appreciate the impressively cartoony visuals Capcom wrung out of the NES hardware, and experiment with many unique and varied abilities. But overall, we tend to like it because it's mindless. It's a platformer with clear rules...

  • Review Moto eXtreme (DSiWare)

    Motorcycle platforming?

    Motorcycle racing games have long been a staple of video gaming over the years, and while we've seen some extremely unique gameplay ideas injected into them, there's probably never been one quite like Moto eXtreme. Rather than stick to the traditional racing action, developer Chillingo has instead crafted a motorcycle...

  • Review Successfully Learning German: Year 3 (DSiWare)

    Freddy is back, and tougher than ever

    It’s another week and another Successfully Learning title from edutainment specialists Tivola. This relentless schedule of language learning titles on DSiWare continues with Successfully Learning German: Year 3. Young German speakers are once again led to the classroom by the smiling and freckled vampire...

  • Review Mystery Case Files: The Malgrave Incident (Wii)

    Worth the search

    When Nintendo announced Mystery Case Files: The Malgrave Incident as one of the only Wii titles it planned to publish for the quarter it set itself the lofty task of creating a hidden object puzzle-based game on which the Big N could feel proud to put its name. If such a release fails to stand out in quality, it amounts to yet...

  • Review Hearts Spades Euchre (DSiWare)

    A game with a lot of heart

    Card enthusiasts searching for quick and casual DSiWare fun are in luck with Hearts Spades Euchre from Cosmigo, the same company that brought us the surprisingly high-quality 505 Tangram. The studio returns here with another above average title with a modest, to-the-point name that risks seeing potential customers...

  • News Retro Computer Museum Now Has a Permanent Home

    Rooted in Leicestershire

    The Retro Computer Museum just recently celebrated its third birthday on Sunday, and along with the anniversary announcement came the news that the museum now has a permanent home in Leicestershire. Now the museum has a fixed address, it should hopefully mean events and exhibitions will be more frequent. The exact location...

  • Review Boardwalk Ball Toss (DSiWare)

    Not quite as big a rip-off as the real thing

    For as long as humans have stacked milk bottles in pyramid formations, people have yearned to topple them. Salvation for these individuals came by way of the carnival – but what's a toppling enthusiast to do on the walk home, or on the bus the next day? Enter Boardwalk Ball Toss, the perfect solution...

  • Interview Star Odyssey and The Challenge of Bringing Dead Games Back to Life

    We speak to Super Fighter Team's Brandon Cobb about its latest retro resurrection project

    If you're the kind of person that appreciates vintage gaming then chances are you're already familiar with Super Fighter Team. Formed in San Diego, California with the express intention of giving long-forgotten games a new lease of commercial life, the group...

  • Review Kirby's Dream Land (3DS eShop / GB)

    Is Kirby's debut adventure worth getting sucked into?

    Kirby's debut adventure has been around the block a couple of times now, having been remade and mechanically enhanced for both Kirby Super Star on SNES as well as the DS version of that release called Kirby Super Star Ultra. Stripped down and monochromatic in comparison, this original Game Boy...

June2011

  • Review Just Sing! 80s Collection (DSiWare)

    Shoulder pads and mullets optional

    DSiWare has seen some glorious titles since its launch, but for wannabe pop stars, there's been something missing. Stepping forward is DTP Entertainment, filling the void in the DSiWare catalogue with Just Sing! 80’s Collection. Time to get busy with the hairspray, dig out those old shoulder pads and return to...

  • News Ocarina of Time at One Point Confined Within Ganon's Castle

    Could have turned out very different yet still familiar

    One of the things that we love about The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time is how easy it is to just take Epona out for a ride; whether it's a quick boost from point A to B, or just making prints in Hyrule Field to past the time, horse riding has now become a staple of main Zelda games. As the...

  • Review Sonic Advance (Game Boy Advance)

    Spin-tendo

    One of the few good things about being old is that sometimes you can glean satisfaction from being in the right place at the right time, where you were lucky enough to have first-hand experience of something special. Nostalgia is the bread-and-butter of retro gaming and throughout its history there will always be moments that stick in a...

  • Review Pro Jumper! Guilty Gear Tangent!? (DSiWare)

    There is no tagline for a title like that

    If you’ve never been confused by a video game’s title, now’s your chance! With all of its punctuation and absurdity, Pro Jumper! Guilty Gear Tangent!? is easily one of the most interesting titles on the DSiWare service. As the name suggests, this is a spin-off of the Guilty Gear series of fighting...

  • Review Stratego: Next Edition (DSiWare)

    Stratego on the go

    Ah, Stratego. A game with rules so simple you'll understand them fully the first time you play, and yet so open to strategy and cleverness that you'll never play the same game twice. With its fast setup and addictive play style, it's the kind of game you find yourself playing twenty rounds of when you only wanted to play one or...

  • Review Successfully Learning German: Year 2 (DSiWare)

    Mein Name ist Freddy, ich bin ein Vampir

    It seems that Tivola is keen to make the humble DSi the definitive language learning tool of the 21st Century. Perhaps that is an exaggeration, but Successfully Learning German: Year 2 has arrived to help young German speakers improve their language skills. Freddy the Vampire returns as the series mascot,...

  • Review Zimo: Mahjong Fanatic (DSiWare)

    Nah-jong

    Legend has told of a Mahjong game that would stand out above the rest. This game would be different, original, and would finally bring an end to the dull and lifeless Mahjong games of the past. This game would be unlike the usual Mahjong Solitaire games that have players simply matching pairs of tiles, but would instead be like the...

  • Talking Point Your Sonic the Hedgehog Memories

    Spill it

    We've gone all-out to celebrate Sonic the Hedgehog's 20th anniversary this week, bringing you Staff Memories of Sonic the Hedgehog, a look at unreleased Sonic the Hedgehog games and Sonic's Nintendo games too. With 20 years of rich history behind him, we want to know how Sonic's affected you, the gamers. What memories do you have of the

  • Feature Staff Memories of Sonic the Hedgehog

    We reminisce about the blue guy

    Today marks 20 years since the very first time Sonic the Hedgehog burst onto TV screens around the world, kicking off a genuine phenomenon that continues to draw in new gamers to this day. As experienced gamers ourselves, naturally the team at Nintendo Life has plenty of memories of the spiky blue one's glory days, so...

  • Review Diddy Kong Racing (Nintendo 64)

    A Rare treat, or will it drive you bananas?

    For fans of Nintendo kart racers, 1997 has to go down as one of the greatest years in the history of the genre. Not only did it witness the European and North American release of the iconic Mario Kart 64, but Rare also introduced their own challenger to the karting crown with Diddy Kong Racing on the same...

  • Review Snail Mail (WiiWare)

    Not quite worth its salt

    It's a fact: the postal service in is at a crossroads. In many regions, it can't even stay afloat. Email has replaced letter writing, bills are paid online, and even physical packages are being trusted more and more frequently to privately-owned couriers. So how can the postal service become profitable again? By raising...

  • Review Mega Man 5 (Wii Virtual Console / NES)

    Can you ever have too much of a good thing?

    While the Mega Man series on NES system didn't change too much from release to release, Capcom did manage to keep coming up with new and more challenging ways to keep platformer fans coming back for more. Mega Man 5 didn't try to re-invent the wheel, but what it did do was bring eight brand new robotic...

  • Feature Sonic: The Nintendo Years - Part Two

    The second instalment of our look back at gaming's favourite blue dude with attitude

    Sonic: The Nintendo Years — Part One detailed the hedgehog's first few years on Nintendo consoles, but by the end of 2005 it was clear that Sonic games had changed very drastically, and nowhere was that more evident than in the next two 'hog-related outings. First...

  • Review Double Dragon (3DS eShop / GB)

    Streets of Joy

    Double Dragon begins with Marion minding her own business when she is confronted and kidnapped by three thugs. She can remain calm, though. It's not because the cartoony visuals give the abduction a Donkey Kong vibe (even with a punch to the gut) – it's because her boyfriend is professional bottom-kicker Billy Lee. Based on the...

  • Review Delbo (DSiWare)

    Turns out hell is actually pretty fun

    Long, long ago, in a place no one remembers, a young maiden was praying to the heavens to bring back her lover, who had perished. All at once, she was surrounded by an infinite number of glittering crystal orbs. A voice from above called out to her, "...These crystal orbs hold the secret to your lover's...

  • News Sonic the Hedgehog is 20 Years Old Today

    Time flies

    On 23rd June 1991, SEGA released Sonic the Hedgehog in Europe and America and changed the world forever. The now-iconic hero captured the imagination of millions around the world, igniting the Nintendo vs. SEGA battle for console supremacy. Nowadays the two companies are far friendlier of course. In fact, thanks to Wii's Virtual Console...

  • Feature Sonic: The Nintendo Years - Part One

    As Sonic the Hedgehog reaches 20 years old, we take a look at the spiky one's past.

    Sonic’s career is as chequered as those famous green hills; since his runaway success in the first half of the 1990s he’s struggled to reclaim those glory days. Luckily if you’re a Nintendo console owner you can play all the best Sonic games extremely easily,...

  • Review Successfully Learning German: Year 2 (WiiWare)

    Nicht so toll

    Tivola's continued attempts to teach the world basic mathematic and linguistic skills continues apace with Successfully Learning German: Year 2, marking another appearance from vampire Freddie, the world's least qualified teaching assistant. If you've played a previous Successfully Learning game you'll know what to expect, but if not...

  • Review Hidden Photo (DSiWare)

    Shutterbug fun, or shudder and run?

    Two of today's most cherished timewasters are fun with photographs and hidden object puzzles, so it's a wonder that it's taken so long for someone to combine the two. Continuing on their recent trend of porting retail DS titles to downloadable DSiWare, Most Wanted and Subdued Games bring us Hidden Photo – but is...

  • Review Beach Party Craze (DSiWare)

    Worth the day trip?

    Though Diner Dash has yet to make an appearance on DSiWare, other publishers have stepped up to offer fans similar action on the platform. Alawar Entertainment is now bringing Beach Party Craze to the service, but is this PC port worth a download? The storyline in Beach Party Craze is simple, as you fill in for a friend as an...

  • Review SSX Tricky (GameCube)

    Perfect powder

    As you curl around a banked corner, the lip of a large ramp of snow appears in the distance and your mind begins to race at the possibilities for gnarliness that lie ahead. Slamming the boost and tucking your body forward, you scorch towards the precisely constructed mound, pre-winding your hands, arms and shoulders for maximum...

  • News Translated Episodes of Game Center CX to be Aired Online

    The "Retro Game Master" finally goes English

    If you're a retro gaming fan, you might be familiar with Shinya Arino. Part of a Japanese comedy duo called Yoiko, he began presenting a show called GameCenter CX in 2003, in which he attempts to complete one generally difficult retro game in each episode, as well as visiting a different arcade in Japan...

  • Review Donkey Kong (3DS eShop / GB)

    It's on with the King of the Kongs

    In 1994, Nintendo had a great idea; why not make a true sequel to the original Donkey Kong arcade game? The result is Donkey Kong for the Game Boy, originally known as Donkey Kong '94 during development. When you first start up the game you might feel like you've been ripped off, as it starts with the exact same...

  • News There Will Be No Zelda 25th Anniversary Collection

    Good news, bad news?

    Nintendo is celebrating 25 years since the very first Legend of Zelda, but whereas last year the company celebrated Mario's quarter-century with the much-maligned Super Mario All-Stars 25th Anniversary Edition, the Hero of Time will receive no such compendium. According to the latest Japanese Iwata Asks article (via Nintendo...

  • News SEGA Unveils 20th Anniversary Sonic Figurine

    Only 1,000 to be made

    Next week is an auspicious occasion, marking 20 years since the very first Sonic the Hedgehog blast processed his way into our lives, and SEGA wants to commemorate its hero's two decades of running with a limited edition figurine. The numbered 1,000 model run is so exclusive it won't even be sold in shops, and will likely be...

  • Review Thor: God of Thunder (DS)

    Way to go, Way-Thor-ward

    At a SEGA press event in March this year WayForward’s Director for Thor: God of Thunder, Austin Ivansmith, noted that it is the company's “love letter to the DS” and considering its back catalogue of well received DS and DSiWare titles this game caught the attention of gamers normally hesitant of a movie licenced game...

  • Review Radar Mission (3DS eShop / GB)

    Sonar, so good?

    Miyamoto's latest pet-project, Steel Diver, released to mixed critical reception; some found its slow-paced, strategic gameplay fun and refreshing, while others found it...well, boring. Suffice it to say that if you fall into the latter camp, you likely won't get a whole lot of enjoyment out of Nintendo's 1990 Gameboy title, Radar...

  • Review Tennis (3DS eShop / GB)

    8-bit balls

    Remember Tennis on the NES? Well, it's back, and this time it's in portable format! The Game Boy version of Tennis is pretty much a remake of the NES game: it's got the same extremely basic setup, but it has been polished it up slightly. Just like with its predecessor, there's not really much on offer here aside from essentially playing...

  • Review Crazy Cheebo: Puzzle Party (DSiWare)

    Just crazy enough to work

    If there’s one thing that can certainly be said about DSiWare games, it’s this: no matter how ridiculous the name of your game is, it can be made. Proving this point with much gusto is Crazy Cheebo: Puzzle Party, the latest addition to the countless puzzle games already available on the service. But, beyond the title,...

  • Review Dreamwalker (DSiWare)

    A dream come true

    We all know that there are plenty of puzzle games available on the DSiWare service, but every now and again one pops up that has just the right amount of charm to merit attention. Dreamwalker, the intriguing new puzzle game from Code Mystics, fits that description perfectly. From a silly concept to engaging and endearing visual and...

  • Review Bill & Ted's Excellent Game Boy Adventure (Game Boy)

    Dude, where's our phone booth?

    You leap about the screen avoiding enemies and collecting “fragments of time”. Grab them all and your phone booth appears to whisk you away to the next level. With characters and locations from the two films, Bill & Ted's Excellent Game Boy Adventure sees you travel across several time-zones in this simple but...

  • Review Super Adventure Island II (Virtual Console / Super Nintendo)

    Adventure Island: Wonder Boy Edition

    Most people are aware that the original Adventure Island was in fact a slightly modified NES port of Wonder Boy for the Master System. Immediately after this, Wonder Boy became more of an action RPG-like series, while Adventure Island stayed a platforming series. That is, until the release of Adventure Island IV,...

  • Review The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening DX (3DS eShop / GBC)

    A Game Boy classic

    You wake up on an island; your boat shattered, your sword swept away by the storm that caused the crash. And at first, it almost doesn't seem like a bad thing. The islanders are kind enough (one girl in particular has caught your eye) and Mabe Village is one of the cozier little towns you've visited. The cozy feeling doesn't last...

  • Features A View from Hyrule Field

    We remember why Ocarina of Time is more than just a game

    As we move through life, we will at times look back fondly at memories that we hold dear. And, as gamers, many of us merge recollections of the virtual world with those of reality. Some titles simply bring the right elements together in the perfect way, making this feel natural, normal,...

  • Feature Gaming Thoughts of a Self-Confessed Tattooligan

    Jim Smallman about his gaming heritage and why Nintendo will always have a special place in his hear

    While most gamers show their love and appreciation for their hobby by tirelessly buying up software, hardware and official merchandise, there are a select few who decide to take their adoration a step further. One such individual is UK-based comedian...

  • Review Puzzle Rocks (DSiWare)

    Puzzles rock

    Cinemax has seen both highs and lows on DSiWare — its Rytmik games have proven to be excellent composition tools, but games like Snakenoid, a bizarre mix of Snake and Arkanoid have missed the mark. Puzzle Rocks is a puzzle game, but we're not quite sure it's really similar to anything else, except maybe Connect Four. It's one of very...

  • Review Alleyway (3DS eShop / GB)

    The poor man's Arkanoid

    The most well-known block-breaking game, Arkanoid, became quite popular after its release in arcades in 1986. Many companies have created clones, and even to this day new low-budget ones show up all the time. Even Nintendo tried their hand at a clone with Alleyway for the Game Boy. Alleyway keeps things to the bare basics. No...

  • Review B Team - Episode 1: Dust & Steel (DSiWare)

    Run and gun and not so fun

    Run-’n-gun shooters usually wind up one of three ways: either they’re totally crazy awesome with intense action, really really boring, or rock-solid efforts that do no real wrong but regardless fail to spark much of anything in players. B Team - Episode 1: Dust & Steel is the heart-breaking latter kind of game. It...

  • Review Super Mario Land (3DS eShop / GB)

    Mario's first Game Boy adventure is short, but sweet.

    Given the popularity of the Super Mario Bros. series at the time of the Game Boy's release, it came as no real surprise that Nintendo would release a Super Mario title for its brand new portable game system. Now the 3DS eShop is available, it makes just as much sense for Super Mario Land to be...

  • Review House, M.D. - Episode 1: Globetrotting (DSiWare)

    The doctor is out

    Everyone’s favourite sharp-tongued, cane-wielding, drug-addicted TV doctor has finally arrived on DSiWare in House, M.D. – Globetrotting Episode 1. In this game it is your job to join the medical team at Princeton-Plainsboro Hospital and uncover the truth behind a mysterious ailment afflicting an elderly television host...

  • Review Successfully Learning English: Year 5 (DSiWare)

    Saved by the bell…

    Tivola’s campaign to help young DSi owners master the English language has reached its finale, with Successfully Learning English: Year 5 bringing the series to a close. It’s time to pack up your pencil cases, give the teacher a farewell gift – if you’re a gold-star student – and take your new English language skills...

  • Review FAST - Racing League (WiiWare)

    FAST and furious

    It's been a long time since the last F-Zero game. The last one to make its way to the West, F-Zero GP Legend, was released outside Japan in 2003, and we haven't heard a word from the series since, other than its character inclusions in Super Smash Bros. Brawl. While we wait for Nintendo to finally announce something, we're more...

May2011

  • Review Dragon's Lair Trilogy (Wii)

    Is Dirk still daring after all these years?

    If you were a child of 80's or 90's, chances are you hold a Don Bluth cartoon close to your heart. Though Disney or Looney Tunes may be the first names you think of when it comes to classic hand-drawn animation, at least inside the United States, such beloved films as The Secret of NIMH, The Land Before...

  • Review Thor: God of Thunder (Wii)

    Thundering quest or blundering pest?

    The Asgardian warrior Sif has fallen, and Thor, son of Odin, wields his mighty hammer Mjölnir with vengeance. His mischievous brother Loki seizes this opportunity and uses Thor's rage to engineer an attack on their home, resulting in the fall of the Nine Worlds. It's a story well suited to its mythological roots...

  • News How Retro Studios Achieved Backing from Nintendo

    Simple in theory, anything but in practice

    Nintendo has a brand image that's as solid as a rock, so what does it take for an independant studio to get backing from the company and the opportunity to develop games based on its IPs for its consoles? Retro Studios president Michael Kelbaugh highlights a few qualities needed to do just that. During a...

  • Review Puzzle Quest: Challenge of the Warlords (DSiWare)

    All of the pieces fit

    In many cases, the idea of combining two unlike video game genres into one game can be very off-putting. The result usually consists of clunky controls, confusing gameplay, overbearing tedium, or any combination of these factors. Sometimes, however, a game comes along that finds a way to balance out the genre differences and...

  • Review 99Bullets (DSiWare)

    Blast or dud?

    The shoot 'em up genre hasn't exactly seen a lot of love on the DSiWare service to date, but EnjoyUp! Games is looking to change that with the release of 99Bullets. While the basic core of the game does revolve around an old-school shooter premise, there's a unique twist that injects a very puzzle-like atmosphere into the mix. The...

  • Review Overflow (WiiWare)

    Say it ain't flow

    Overflow is possibly the most frustrating game you'll play all year. You'll be frustrated at the countless times you'll fail a level for reasons you don't even understand; you'll be frustrated at the finicky pointer controls that you're forced to use; you'll be frustrated at the camera, which doesn't always scroll up and down as...

  • News Zelda's Timeline is Simple In the Hands of Dr Emmett Brown

    No more confusion!

    Yes, there is a Zelda master timeline document, but members of Nintendo's inner sanctum will ever likely be able to see it. That hasn't stopped fans from trying to make sense of it themselves, but they were all missing the right tools: a DeLorean, a flux capacitor and a healthy love of all things Back to the Future. Of course,...

  • Review GO Series: Picdun (DSiWare)

    First person picture puzzler

    In the 8- and 16-bit eras, there were quite a few games that featured first-person dungeon crawling. Looking through your character's eyes, you had to navigate a maze by moving forward one square at a time, possibly also having to collect treasures and fight monsters along the way. Games like The Legend of the Mystical...

  • News There's Always Room for One More Mario Theme Tune Video

    It's just wafer thin

    You've heard the Mario theme played on a Chipophone. A Japanese beatbox version? Heard that too. But a dude creating the whole Mario theme tune experience on his own, with drums, sound effects and more? That's new. The video is the work of the talented Jack Conte, who takes the tune we all know, bolts on a big beat and lets the...

  • Review LEGO Pirates of the Caribbean (Wii)

    Pirates pillage the Wii

    LEGO video games are plentiful on the Wii, and LEGO Pirates of the Caribbean has arrived to claim its share of the spoils. Is this franchise another treasure in the series, or an empty chest? Fans will no doubt be delighted to see all of the films, including the latest release, included in this title. Playing through all four...

  • Review Big Bass Arcade (DSiWare)

    Nice catch

    Big Bass Arcade seems to be as good an adaptation as DSiWare can reasonably offer the sport. We say that not in a back-handed way, but knowing that whatever potentially horrible type of fishing game could have been released on DSiWare, Big Bass Arcade manages to break on through and be kind of fun anyway. True to its name, Big Bass is as...

  • Review Calculator (DSiWare)

    Does it add up?

    Although the majority of titles on the DSiWare shop are games, since launch there have been some items that would more accurately be described as ‘apps’. Common on smartphones, they have become increasingly less frequent on DSiWare. Cinemax are bucking the trend with Calculator; does it get the sums right? The list of features...

  • Review Gabrielle's Ghostly Groove: Monster Mix (WiiWare)

    Don't give up the ghost

    Gabrielle's Ghostly Groove: Monster Mix. You really only have to read the title to figure out who the intended audience is for this game: younger gamers. Kids. And that's not intended to be a jab, by the way; gamers often use the “kids’ game” moniker as a way of implying shallow game design, but that's not an entirely...

  • Review Nanda's Island (DS)

    The rain in this game falls mainly on the lame

    The water-based puzzler is an interesting breed – the replication of aquatic physics necessitates a more innovative approach than your average thinking game, the majority of which build on or clone an accepted model like Tetris or Bejeweled. The recent Fluidity is proof that this subgenre can spawn...

  • Review TINcan! Escape (DS)

    Rockin' robot or CPUke?

    Innovative puzzle games are few and far between, and TINcan! Escape is up there with some of the more interesting concepts we've seen. While it rests on a quality foundation, however, some uneven spots and lacklustre presentation make this rolling robot wobble on its wheels. Two rival scientists compete to have their design...

  • News This NES Pad is the Biggest Game Controller in the World

    Forget sore thumbs

    The trend for steadily increasing variants of the iconic NES controller is approaching critical mass, as Dutch students have just set a new record for the largest functioning game controller with an NES pad measuring nearly four metres wide. The pad measures 3.6 metres by 1.6 metres, which is around 11.8 feet by 5.2 feet, which...

  • Review Word Searcher 3 (DSiWare)

    The same old search

    It has become apparent that each of Digital Leisure's Word Searcher titles is intended to vary the content rather than improve the design toward a more interesting take on the activity. If you’ve played any of the previous entries, then you know exactly what’s in store with their newest addition to the DSiWare service, Word...

  • Review Chrono Trigger (Virtual Console / Super Nintendo)

    One of the truly greatest RPG experiences ever created

    Soon after Chrono Trigger appeared on the Super Nintendo in 1995, it quickly became regarded as one of the most unique and impressive RPG releases to hit the system. Not only was it developed by a who's who of some of the greatest role-playing designers in the industry, the finished product...

  • Review Successfully Learning English: Year 4 (DSiWare)

    Can you spell re-pet-i-tive?

    Tivola’s series of edutainment titles keeps rolling on, Successfully Learning English: Year 4 representing the third entry in this particular DSiWare series. In our review of Successfully Learning English: Year 3, we observed that the classroom was unchanged from Year 2; does graduation to Year 4 bring exciting change...

  • Review LEGO Battles: Ninjago (DS)

    Half RTS, half adventure, halfway fun

    2009 saw the release of LEGO Battles to complement the action orientation of the main series titles, with a second iteration now aiming once more to provide a light and accessible real time strategy experience within the LEGO world. Unfortunately, LEGO Battles: Ninjago tries to spread its shallow formula too far...

  • News Masa Futagami Performing Live at Japan Underground this Month

    Video game violinist supporting Bentley Jones in London

    Promotional organiser Japan Underground returns to London this month to bring its eclectic mix of live music and Japanese culture to the capital's nightlife. Japan Underground at The Kingpin Suite at Bloomsbury Lanes, London on 28th May will be headlined by British J-Pop star Bentley Jones, the...

  • News Alabama Hotel Transforming Into a Nintendo Theme Park

    Taking the warp pipe

    Nintendo fans who've always dreamt of becoming their favourite 8- and 16-bit characters may have their wishes granted soon, as a hotel in Alabama is preparing to combine a theme park with cosplay in July. The Radisson hotel in Huntsville, AL will play host to the strictly unofficial "attraction experience" during...

  • Review Super Adventure Island (Virtual Console / Super Nintendo)

    Back to basics

    The Adventure Island series started out with an almost exact clone of Wonder Boy, but as Wonder Boy became more of an action RPG rather than an action platformer, Adventure Island sequels stuck with the same formula as the first game and built upon it slightly with each release. In Adventure Island II and the later Adventure Island...

  • Review MDK2 (WiiWare)

    Maniacal. Deadly. Killer.

    If we had to sum up Interplay's MDK2 in one word, we would choose "old-school." With a silly sense of humour, unforgiving difficulty and enough bullets to take down a small country — or in this case, alien invasion — MDK2 is a "game for gamers" through and through. And while it shows its age a...

  • Review Where's Wally? Fantastic Journey 3 (WiiWare)

    The final chapter

    Where's Wally? Fantastic Journey 3 is the last part of retail game Where's Wally? Fantastic Journey, and follows the same pattern as predecessors Where's Wally? Fantastic Journey 1 and Where's Wally? Fantastic Journey 2. If you haven't played one of the previous games there's no need to worry, as this version is entirely...

  • Review Whack-A-Friend (DSiWare)

    Totally wack

    Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, children of all ages, step right up and see Whack-A-Friend, Agetec’s latest incarnation of the ever popular arcade game Whac-A-Mole! Or don’t. Either way, you won’t be missing out on much. The game starts with you choosing to either play using the picture provided, or you can use your own...

  • Review Mighty Milky Way (DSiWare)

    Très amusant

    WayForward's first DSiWare release Mighty Flip Champs was arguably the first must-have title for the service, and given the game's popularity it's understandable that fans have been clamouring for a sequel ever since. But rather than create a direct sequel, the developer has instead chosen to throw gamers into a completely new gameplay...

  • News Miyamoto Explains the Chubby Appearance of Mario

    Nothing to do with ordering extra cheese

    How many rotund heroes can you think of? Okay, it doesn't actually matter how many you can think of, the only chubby hero that matters for the sake of this article is the one and only Mario, and Shigeru Miyamoto explains why the plumber looked the way he did when he first appeared on our screens. During the...

  • Review Chronicles of Mystery: The Secret Tree of Life (DS)

    A pleasant, if stumpy, puzzler

    Many puzzle games that originated on the PC have made a successful transition to the DS; following their lead is City Interactive's latest handheld release, a scaled down version of Chronicles of Mystery: The Tree of Life from 2009. Especially in the case of one that's as well-crafted as this, there's nothing wrong...

  • Review Ikibago (DSiWare)

    Ahoy, mateys!

    So, you’re already thinking “really? Another puzzle game? Really?” But wait! Ikibago, the latest DSiWare title from Neko Entertainment, has got pirates in it! It may be lacking in the ninja, robot, zombie and unicorn territories, but there are plenty of pirates in this fun and addictive puzzler to go around. In the...

  • Review Anonymous Notes Chapter 2 - From The Abyss (DSiWare)

    Second verse, same as the first

    Anonymous Notes Chapter 1 - From the Abyss turned out to be a mechanically sound albeit slightly aimless dungeon crawler with a couple of interesting ideas up its sleeve. Save for a different main character, this is the exact same game as before. Not that we were expecting anything else — both games selectively pull...

  • Review Ice Hockey Slovakia 2011 (DSiWare)

    Wayne not-so-greatzky

    Many people are familiar with table football – sometimes referred to as "foosball" — that consists of a table containing little miniature football/soccer players on rods with handles sticking through the case that you can pull, push and twist. A ball is dropped in the centre of the table, which the opponents must...

  • Review Successfully Learning English: Year 3 (DSiWare)

    Are these A, B, Cs as easy as 1, 2, 3?

    It seems that Tivola’s campaign to bring educational entertainment, or edutainment, to Nintendo consoles is yet to run out of steam. Successfully Learning English: Year 3 is the second entry in this DSiWare series, and the sixth ‘Successfully Learning’ title overall. The first Successfully Learning...

  • Feature Lads of the Rising Sun

    How two unassuming British programmers succeeded inside the halls of Nintendo

    As a nation, the Japanese have gained a reputation of being particularly insular; despite their wholehearted acceptance of many aspects of western culture, they tend to regard their own products, traditions and population as superior. Bearing this in mind, the success of...

  • Review The Ignition Factor (SNES)

    It burns, but it doesn't crash

    Ask anybody to name some firefighting games and you'll be lucky if they name one. Despite the games about the profession generally being quite good, there's not many of them, and they're not very widely known either. The Ignition Factor is one of only two on the SNES, the other one being the more well-known The...

  • Review Zoonies - Escape from Makatu (DSiWare)

    A great escape?

    New developers have gravitated towards DSiWare since it launched, resulting in a broad variety of titles on the service. Kiloo Games is another developer making its DSiWare debut, having previously focussed on developing for smartphones, entering the fray with puzzle platformer Zoonies – Escape from Makatu. In Zoonies you play as...

  • Review Ubongo (DSiWare)

    Nothing funny rhymes with "Ubongo"

    Ubongo is a board game that's won its fair share of awards in continental Europe, and came to WiiWare via a not-so-great adaptation. Shrinking the game to the DSiWare platform doesn't do it any favours either, sadly, and comes with a host of new problems. As opposed to the four-player original board game and...

April2011

  • Review GO Series: Tower of Deus (DSiWare)

    Prince of Persia Lite

    With the absence of any Prince of Persia titles on Virtual Console, there's not really anything available for download in the way of acrobatic platformers in which the objective is to nimbly climb up ledges and perform almost pixel-perfect leaps. DSiWare's GO Series Tower of Deus somewhat fills this empty space, but mostly...

  • Review Word Searcher Deluxe (WiiWare)

    Word down

    It's hard not to question the practicality of a game like Word Searcher Deluxe. Word search books are almost literally a dime a dozen these days, and even the cheap-o books are becoming a little unnecessary considering the number of free options there are on the Internet and mobile app stores. As if that wasn't enough, Digital Leisure...

  • Review Tiger Woods PGA Tour 12: The Masters (Wii)

    A master stroke?

    The seasoned PGA Tour Golf series shoves Tiger out of the way this year, instead choosing to put “The Masters” tournament front and center. The case, promotion and advertising for Tiger Woods PGA Tour 12: The Masters are all Masters-centric, perhaps in a first step toward abandoning the long-running Tiger Woods branding...

  • Review Ubongo (WiiWare)

    They should keep it in the Congo

    Ubongo is a board game popular in continental Europe, but its video game counterpart doesn't hit the target. The mechanics of the game are simple: up to four players play simultaneously, each with their own "plate", which is a shape that must be completely covered with Tetromino-like objects; imagine Tetris...

  • Review Airport Mania: First Flight (DSiWare)

    Smooth skies

    Good news, everyone! The wait for the DSiWare port of Airport Mania: First Flight is finally over. Combining aspects of both the WiiWare version and the watered-down Airport Mania: Non-Stop Flights — already available on their respective services — this is definitely a game worthy of closer inspection. As stated above, this game...

  • Review Inchworm Animation (DSiWare)

    Animazing!

    When Flipnote Studio burst onto the DSiWare scene back in 2009, it quickly became one of the most popular releases on the service, although it is worth noting that the title was available free of charge. Sites dedicated to hosting the animation creations began popping up across the Internet and remain active almost two years later. Now...

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