Retro Features
Feature A Guide to Hunting Dracula
The old-school way
So far this week we’ve listed our top 10 Castlevania games, while also launching the Nintendo Life Book Club with the horrific Simon’s Quest novel. A common theme across the series is the quest to defeat Dracula, mostly by trekking through his unfeasibly huge castle. Should the unlikely ever occur and the world looks to you to...
Feature Nintendo Life Book Club - Castlevania II: Simon's Quest
For all you bookworms
Here at Nintendo Life we do our best to keep you entertained with a diverse range of news, reviews, features, podcasts and music shows. We've been missing one thing, though: a Nintendo Life Book Club. There's a lot of game-based literature out there, so we thought that the bookworms out there would like to chill out with a...
Feature Castlevania - The Terrifying Ten
Our favourite Dracula quests
As the dreaded night of Halloween continues to loom ever closer, we are now turning our attention to the Castlevania franchise, which recently celebrated its 25th Anniversary. All of this week there'll be features looking at the series, as we join the hunt to take Dracula down once and for all. In previous features we've...
Feature Resident Evil's Nintendo History
Undead on the big N, past, present and future
The claustrophobic darkness. The creeping undead. The hideous monsters. The Resident Evil series has brought such thrills and chills to our TVs since 1996, and it’s taken quite a unique path when it comes to Nintendo consoles. With the month of All Hallows’ Eve upon us, we decided to take a look at...
Book Review The History of Nintendo Volume 1
Let's-a go
You might consider yourself a Nintendo expert, with innumerable facts and figures at your disposal, but even the most knowledgeable follower of the Kyoto company will find hitherto unknown realms of information in The History of Nintendo: Volume 1 — 1889 - 1980: From playing-cards to Game & Watch. The book made waves last year in...
Feature Remembering the Super Game Boy
A colourful entry in the Game Boy family
The original Game Boy was a big hit when it launched in 1989, thanks to a winning combination of portability and some cracking games. One thing it did lack, however, was colour. Whilst rival handhelds the Sega Game Gear and Atari Lynx boasted colour back-lit displays, Nintendo's portable was limited to four...
Round Table Remembering the Nintendo 64
Check out the polygons!
This week we have been celebrating the 15th Anniversary of the Nintendo 64, looking at memorable games, the revolutionary aspects of the system, the let-downs and disappointments, as well as the possible 3D future for N64 titles. Now it’s time to relax and get into some good old retro reminiscences, scouring our aging...
Talking Point The Role of the N64 on the 3DS
Classic games for a new audience
It's no secret that Nintendo has been having something of a tough time of it in regards to the 3DS. Since its launch in late March of this year, Nintendo's newest handheld has battled through a significant price drop, a shaky start as far as its online functionality is concerned, complaints about poor battery life...
Feature Nintendo 64 Let-Downs, Head Scratchers and Conundrums
Analogue stick scars and unrealised Crystal Dreams
When the Nintendo 64 entered our living rooms for the first time, most of us couldn't help but marvel at its power and dream of the possibilities. But with great power comes great responsibility, and not all of those dreams ended up coming true. We already explored the system's most memorable games;...
Feature Celebrating the 15th Anniversary of the Nintendo 64
The Big N’s gift to modern gaming
Looking back on the Nintendo 64, there are plenty of subject areas that warrant exploration. As a console, the N64 was a trend-setter that pushed the boundaries and expectations of gaming experiences. This status as a technologically advanced and experimental console was both a blessing and a curse, as it enjoyed...
Talking Point The Most Memorable Nintendo 64 Games
Get N, to the Nintendo Life Poll
It seems like the year of major anniversaries in all things Nintendo, as this week we celebrate the 15th Anniversary of the Nintendo 64. The good old N64 was released on 29th September 1996 in North America and introduced 3D polygon graphics at a level that hadn’t been seen before. Throughout the course of this...
Feature Staff Memories of the Game Boy Advance
Remembering the last ever Game Boy
This week we have been celebrating the 10 year anniversary of the Game Boy Advance. It was the last handheld of the Game Boy era, and is fondly remembered for vivid graphics, multiplayer gameplay and for the portable gaming experience that it offered. To round off our GBA celebrations, we’ve invited some of our...
Feature Remembering the Game Boy Advance
The end of an era
For many years, the Game Boy brand was as synonymous with Nintendo as Mario and, perhaps, it still is. Have you ever been playing on your DS or 3DS and had someone who’s not particularly games savvy refer to it as a Game Boy? After all, the Game Boy was a worldwide brand phenomenon, penetrating the public consciousness and...
Talking Point The Most Memorable Third Party Game Boy Advance Games
We’re a bit late to the party
Back in June, the Game Boy Advance was celebrating its 10 year anniversary. We’re sure there was a party, with lots of balloons and a GBA shaped cake, but we weren’t there. We were a bit tied up with the excitement of E3 and the unveiling of the Wii U, while also looking ahead to what was next for the 3DS. Now we...
Feature Luigi's Mansion 10th Anniversary
No longer the other brother
It may not be grabbing the headlines at the moment, but a notable anniversary has just passed: September 14th was the 10th anniversary of the release of Luigi’s Mansion in Japan. With the sequel due to arrive on 3DS in 2012, Downloads Editor Corbie Dillard and writer Jacob Crites have taken up the challenge of exploring...
Feature Nintendo - Gaming in Black and White
The continuing appeal of retro
In the midst of lively, colourful menu tiles that spin with a blow into the microphone and play charming tunes when selected, many 3DS's are littered with other tiles that are glaringly less interesting. They don't play charming animations on the top screen, and when selected, the greeting is nothing more than a little...
Feature Star Fox - Pioneering 3D Shoot-em-ups Since 1993
Shoot everything in sight
This week sees the release of Star Fox 64 3D. As you're no doubt aware, it's a remastering in the same vein as Ocarina of Time 3D, so updated visuals are naturally present. Given the updated hardware, Fox McCloud and the team will be appearing in true 3D for the first time. On the 3DS, a true sensation of depth should...
Talking Point What Was the Best Super NES Game Ever?
It's time to decide
It's 20 years ago today since the Super Nintendo saw official release in North America, and over the following years it amassed a truly incredible library of games still thought of today as some of the finest ever. But what really was the top dog on Nintendo's 16-bit wonder machine? Did the 96 levels of Super Mario World do it...
Feature What Happened to Metroid 64?
Samus got lost
As a week of Metroid Anniversary celebrations draws to a close, we thought we’d look back at a Metroid game that never was. We’re not talking about Metroid Dread, which could still happen, but Metroid 64, which will obviously never see the light of day. We’ve made the title up, but in light of the trend of adding ‘64’ after...
Feature Samus Aran, Gaming's Leading Lady
We take a look at the famous female bounty hunter
Historically, just about every form of media has seen itself dominated by men, and gaming is as guilty as the rest. You could chalk it up to the playing population remaining largely scant of females for reasons too complex and debatable to delve into here, but that's only half the story. The...
Talking Point Your 25 Years of Metroid Memories
Charge your beaming smiles
Today is the 25th anniversary of Metroid and we want to know your favourite Metroid moments. Do you remember the first time you faced off against Ridley? Touching down on Tallon IV for the first time in Metroid Prime? Whatever your favourite moments and memories of Metroid, we want to know. Leave them in a comment below...
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...
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...
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...
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,...
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 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...
Feature The SLG3000 and the Glorious Return of Scanlines
How to get that authentic retro look from your modern flatscreen TV
Sometimes, outdated technology has a quality which seemingly defies description. For example, those of you that are old enough may harbour a strange nostalgic affection for the monochrome Game Boy’s blurry LCD screen, even to the point of spurning the updated Game Boy Color...
Interviews Richie Knucklez - The Kong Off
"the most important person in video gaming right now"
In the documentary The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters, Steve Wiebe travels to FunSpot Arcade to put a stop to all the naysayers disputing his record-setting Donkey Kong skills. To the amazement of everyone watching, he achieves the first ever kill screen on the Funspot Donkey Kong machine...
Features The History of BIT.TRIP, Part 3
In this installment, Gaijin explains their carefully laid plan for game four's runaway popularity, go through BIT.TRIP hell and reflect on the end of the series.
Be sure to read Part 1 and Part 2 of our look at the history of BIT.TRIP and Gaijin Games. EYEBALL REVOLUTION: The team somewhat jokingly chalks RUNNER’s popularity, apart from being very...
Interviews Doctor Kong Director Alexis Neophytides
We catch up with Alexis and Hank at the film's Brooklyn premiere
The saga over high scores in Donkey Kong is no longer a tale of two dudes. While most of us came to know the world of modern day Donkey Kongers through the epic rivalry between Steve Wiebe and Billy Mitchelll, it wasn't long before a third player emerged out of left field. Hank Chien,...
Feature Retrofitting Your Console for the HD Age
How to give your Wii and classic hardware a new lease of life
While the relentless march of progress ensures that modern gaming consoles — and the televisions upon which they are played — are able to offer pin-sharp HD picture quality, it's worth sparing a moment to consider where this leaves older machines, as well as the humble Wii — which...
Interviews Catching Up with Steve Wiebe
The former champ ain't no chump
Not since a certain famous gorilla and plumber-to-be squared off for the coveted Pauline has there been a rivalry like that of the Kings of Kong. The film The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters brought to public attention the fight for dominance between family man Steve Wiebe and Goliath-like hot saucier Billy...
Interviews Dr. Hank Chien, the Current King of Kong
Doctor Kong tells all
We recently live blogged former King of Kong Steve Wiebe's attempt to take back the Donkey Kong record, but before last March, we weren't even aware that a new champ was out there. We recently sat down with the New York plastic surgeon to get his thoughts on his rise to fame, competitive playing and more as well as get some...
Features NES Characters, Then and Now: Part One
See how some of your favourite characters have evolved over the past 25 years
The Nintendo Entertainment System was a system that stimulated the imaginations of designers and gamers alike. Whether it was the smiling, dream-like wonderland of the Mushroom Kingdom, the sprawling fantasy world of Hyrule or the atmospheric depths of planet Zebes, the...
Talking Point Your Favourite Nintendo Christmas Memories
Gather round, gather round
For many gamers, Nintendo is as big a part of Christmas as tinsel, turkey and too-tight trousers, the company's magic helping to make the festive season just a little more joyful. With that in mind, we want to hear from you, our beloved Nintendo Life readers, about your favourite Nintendo Christmas memories. Perhaps it was...
Features Don't Touch My Samus: Metroid's Controversial Turn
Why the latest Metroid game's depiction of Samus isn't a complete departure
Metroid isn't a franchise that is known to rest upon its laurels. While each entry maintains the same basic elements that made the first game successful, one could hardly say that the series has gotten comfortable over the years. Whether it's adding a narrative, introducing...
Features Celebrating Super Famicom's 20th Anniversary
Nintendo's Mode-7 machine turns 20
For those who aren't aware, the Super Famicom console is celebrating its 20th birthday today. On this day in 1990, Nintendo released the much-anticipated follow-up to its immensely popular Famicom system onto the eager Japanese gaming world. The Super Famicom became an instant hit in Japan and a North American...
Feature Slipped Disk - The History of the Famicom Disk System
We look back at Nintendo's first misstep in the domestic gaming hardware arena
Given what we now know about add-on hardware for games consoles, the very concept of the Famicom Disk System seems hopelessly flawed. Since this Japan-only system hit the market in 1986 we’ve seen the equally ill-fated Sega Mega CD, Sega 32X and Nintendo 64DD all come...
Features Things We Miss About the 8-Bit Era
It's the little things that count
Today, the virtual reality experience of the Wii is as immersive as Lawnmower Man director/writer Brett Leonard ever could have hoped, with Mario as real and in-person as an actual member of our family and special effects so vivid that we compulsively hold our breath during underwater levels. Okay, maybe things...
You tell us why you loved that 8-bit magic machine
To help celebrate the 25th anniversary of the NES's North American debut, we asked you to send in your favourite memories with that machine, and you delivered. We apologise to those whose letters we unfortunately were unable to find a place for, but whether you made it into the article or not, it's...
Learn our shocking pasts
To continue our celebration of 25 years of NES, the staff's gathered around the campfire to share their favourite memories of that little dream machine. Not everyone could make it to the party, unfortunately, but we're sure that those who couldn't had good reason to stay home. Join us now as we lay bare our souls to you and...
Features NES Homebrew Is Where The Heart Is
How two indie developers are keeping the system kicking after all these years
It’s nigh impossible to overstate the importance of the Nintendo Entertainment System in video game history: its popularity pretty much single-handedly revived the home game console market in the US, which had crashed a few years before the NES’s October 18th, 1985...
Interviews Brian Provinciano - Retro City Rampage
Vblank Entertainment's open-world game looks set to hijack your 8-bit heart
Grand Theftendo may have started out as a pet project of Vblank Entertainment's Brian Provinciano, but eight years later it's turned into one of the most intriguing games slated to hit WiiWare in the form of Retro City Rampage. The novelty of an 8-bit open-world game was...
Feature How ColecoVision Became the King of Kong
How a trip to the toilet resulted in video gaming's greatest coup
When you think of the early '80s video game scene one name instinctively springs to mind: Atari. This pioneering firm had practically invented the concept of the interactive television experience, and its all-conquering VCS (also known as the 2600) was incredibly popular. Naturally...
Features We Want Your NES Stories!
Tell us your 8-bit bits
October 18th marks the 25th birthday of the NES's North American debut, then only to a select number of cities, and we're celebrating by bringing you a veritable coin box of features and treats. And we want to make you, our beloved readership, a part of the celebration. We'll be running a feature that puts the spotlight on...
Feature The Making of Jet Force Gemini - Part Two
In the second and final part of our N64-themed making of, we look at the critical and commercial impact of one of Rare's best action titles
One of the most refreshing aspects of Jet Force Gemini was the way in which the player’s progression throughout the various levels was handled; initially, the only character available is Juno, but eventually...
Feature The Making of Jet Force Gemini - Part One
In the first of a two-part feature, we go behind the scenes on what is regarded by many as the N64's finest action title
Back in the late ‘90s being an N64 owner was a testing experience. Having to listen to your Playstation-owning chums constantly droning on about Lara Croft and Solid Snake was enough to put any Nintendo devotee in a bad mood,...
Feature The Making of Star Fox
We go behind the scenes to discover how a small UK code-house helped Nintendo enter the realm of 3D – and make millions in the process
In these days of ultra-realistic graphical plenty it’s all too easy to forget that for console gamers, 3D visuals didn’t really become par for the course until the advent of the 32-bit technology in the...
