News Pokémon Gold and Silver Getting Boxed 3DS Releases In Europe
With a download code inside!
Switch eShop
News UFO 50 Brings a Team of Talented Developers Together for an 8-bit Collection
Confirmed for PC so far, but looks like a lovely fit for Switch
News 25 Years Later, And Night Trap Still Isn't Going To Appear On A Nintendo Console
Howard Lincoln's words echo through the decades
Retro - News
February2014
News Donkey Kong Country's Fate Was Determined By A Risky Rare Investment
"The rendering of each 3D model would take ages"
With Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze currently entertaining Wii U owners, it's only natural for those with long memories to cast their minds back to where the franchise began. Donkey Kong Country on the Super NES remains one of the 16-bit system's most iconic games, and sits at the forefront —...
News Gargoyle's Quest II and Street Fighter 2010 Could Be Heading to the 3DS Virtual Console
Retro-heads Rejoice!
The Virtual Console has been an incredible asset to Nintendo over the years. Not only has it served as a method of playing yesterday’s games today, but it’s also come in handy when bridging the gap between retail releases. One of its downsides of course is that with every new console’s release, the back catalogue of games...
News Princess in Another Castle Launches First Trailer and Indiegogo Campaign
Showing that kids can't do what they want, but can imagine anything
Earlier this year we brought you the news that film-maker Kennedy Baruch was following up his award winning Escape movie with a feature-length film called Princess in Another Castle; we then spoke to him in detail about the project. He explained the core idea behind the film:...
News TwitchPlaysPokémon Renewed for Generation Two
Lord Helix has risen!
Over the past two weeks, the life of this writer has been dominated by two things. An absurd amount of schoolwork, and an equally absurd amount of time spent watching the antics of TwitchPlaysPokémon. The stream has drained away time, prompting viewing even during class. However, with the astounding popularity of the stream,...
Weirdness You Can Now Play Zelda Really Badly on Twitch
Struggles to Link players together
In recent days you may have seen us directing your attention to TwitchPlaysPokémon and the mayhem it's caused, attracting tens of thousands of gamers at once. It may be a chaotic mess, in practice, but it's hit a nerve and, for those invested in the idea, become a highly enjoyable hobby. As it's the Flappy Bird...
Video F-Zero Gets the "Did You Know Gaming?" Treatment
Japan had so much more F-Zero than the West...
While the size of the prospective audience is debatable and no-doubt informing Nintendo's decision-making, there's undoubtedly a vocal group of gamers rather desperate for new F-Zero titles. With no sign of that happening as yet, our only option is to look back and reminisce on the high-tempo, thrilling...
Weirdness Listen To The Super Mario Theme On A 3,000 Year Old Chinese Instrument
A bit trickier to play than a warp whistle, probably
Doodoo doo do dooo do, dah! - It's the Super Mario theme! Known across the globe and endlessly catchy, this tune has been played on every instrument under the sun, as well a few renditions that should barely count. Hearing a cover version is certainly nothing new, but allow us to present one just...
News Majora's Mask "Time's End" Music Beautifully Reimagined by Rozen
Epic
It's unsurprising that The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask is treasured by many Nintendo gamers, with the calls for a remake persisting on a yearly basis. For those that do hope for that day, and that remastered visuals will also be accompanied by a sweeping orchestral soundtrack, this new EP from musician Rozen should capture the imagination...
News Console Wars Book Paves The Way For Movie Written By Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg
Nintendo or Sega, the ultimate question
In many respects the current home console scene is relatively complex. Nintendo is pursuing its own ideas and philosophies, while Microsoft and Sony are in a tug of war over resolutions, framerates and probably things called gigaflops. Throw in the rise of smart device gaming, some stuttering micro consoles...
Month Of Kong The Making Of Diddy Kong Racing
How a diddy development team made a huge impact on the kart racing genre
Donkey Kong has had a long and vibrant history on the video game scene. To honour his most recent Wii U adventure, Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze, we've declared February to be the Month of Kong, a celebration of DK and Co.’s impressive journey from their arcade roots...
Video The Legend of Zelda Brings the Epic in Oculus Rift
This whole 3D Zelda thing could really catch on...
Have you ever wanted to be Link? To really see through his eyes and experience his realities for an entire adventure: traversing, exploring, swordfighting, tights management? OK, maybe not the last one. Thanks to Oculus Rift, the concept of first-person Link is being realized; at least for the...
News Super Mario Bros. Stop Motion Pixel Art Kickstarter Campaign Hops Over Its Target
Funding goal passed with weeks of funding remaining
Nintendo's titles, particularly of the retro variety, inspire many fan projects in the form of music albums and, of course, videos. One example we highlighted in the past was an impressive stop motion video featuring the original Donkey Kong, which was remarkably produced with beads. That was the...
News Shinji Mikami Prefers The Sega Version Of Aladdin, Even Though He Worked On The SNES Game
"The Genesis version had a sword, actually"
Those of you old enough to recall the epic 16-bit console wars will remember that Sega and Nintendo fans utilised every available weapon they could to belittle each other. SNES owners boasted that they had Street Fighter II first, and Sega fans wore unbearably smug grins on their faces when they got an...
News TwitchPlaysPokémon Causing Serious Problems for Streaming Service
Even with a dedicated server, problems emerge
Over the last few days, the talk of the gaming industry has been dominated by one topic. The TwitchPlaysPokémon stream has been going strong for almost eight days with no sign of slowing down, unless technicalities get in the way first. The stream, which has an average viewer count of above 60,000, has...
Weirdness Super Mario Bros. Record For Lowest Score is Beaten
A 500 point play-through done without tool assistance
Normally while playing a game, the goal for most people is to see how many points they can rack up; more often than not they aim for the most points possible. There are, however, a select few who flip that idea on its head and shoot for the lowest score possible. Going out of their way to avoid...
News Famicom Remix 1 + 2 Coming to Retail in Japan
A one-two nostalgic combo right in Japan's childhood
NES Remix was a pleasant surprise when suddenly announced for the Wii U eShop, and the appearance of its slightly more mature cousin NES Remix 2 is a good sign that this particular brand of retro carnival play is taking off. It may come to the delight and/or great envy of others, then, that Japan...
News TwitchPlaysPokémon Takes Internet By Storm
60,000 people struggling to cut a tree
Gaming has always been a social event. Whether playing the classic split screen on the SNES or large multiplayer games over the internet, gaming has reinforced the idea that it's meant to be enjoyed with others; this latest situation has shown the ideology is here to stay. TwitchPlaysPokémon is a Twitch.tv...
Weirdness The VideoTendo 2000 is a VHS Tape Converted into a NES
Rewind the clock with this fully functional modification
We've seen our fair share of weird and wonderful console modifications during our time at Nintendo Life, but this latest project from modder Shinobicycle could well be the weirdest one yet. In what looks to be a wholesome celebration of the 1980s, this brave modder has taken a NES clone and...
News Pokémon Ruby & Sapphire Soundtrack Now Available On iTunes
HM-Surf rock Hoenn
The poké-occupation of iTunes continues this week as the digitally remastered soundtrack from GBA titles Pokémon Ruby & Sapphire hits Apple's music store. The album features 109 tracks from the games, composed by series icons Junichi Masuda, Gō Ichinose and Morikazu Aoki. Every single musical cue is included, so it makes...
Soapbox A Case For The Defence: Castlevania 64
The only things that suck are the vampires
Castlevania 64, which is how we shall refer to the original Nintendo 64 vampire-killing game to avoid confusion with the other Castlevania, is a game that’s been unjustly left on the series' scrapheap for far too long, and I’m going to tell you why. Now that doesn’t mean I’m here to excuse the...
Weirdness Purchase This "Nintendo Dolphin Prototype Console" at Your Own Risk
Ever wanted to own a Nintendo development kit?
Of course you have. Before your very eyes is an elusive and very rare development kit for Nintendo’s sixth generation console - the Nintendo GameCube. Also codenamed "Project Dolphin" back in the day. An eBay seller from Canada, who has been a member of the site since 2005 and has a user rating of...
Feature Meet The Gamate, The Handheld Which Tried To Take On The Game Boy And Failed
We look at the history behind one of gaming's more obscure portables
When Nintendo launched the original Game Boy to a rapturous critical and commercial reception in 1989 it was almost a forgone conclusion that other companies would follow suit and concoct their own portable systems. Arch-rival Sega quickly pushed the Game Gear onto store shelves...
Playing God
Back when the Super Nintendo launched in Japan — where it was of course known as the Super Famicom — it was accompanied by some truly remarkable titles. As a young (and loyal) Sega Mega Drive owner at the time, for me personally it was torture to see the likes of Pilotwings, F-Zero and
Weirdness There's More To This Megatron Transformers Toy Than Meets The Eye
The worlds of Transformers and video gaming collide
Like any successful toy line, Transformers has seen its fair share of video game adaptations — earliest of which can be traced all the way back to the Famicom, the Japanese version of the NES. However, this latest Transformers gaming crossover has "weird" written all over it. Manufactured by...
Hardware Review Retro-Bit Super Retro Trio & Super Retro Advance Adapter
One clone to rule them all?
We've covered quite a few clone consoles here on Nintendo Life over the past few years, and it's clear that these systems have carved out a healthy niche in the market. Retro-Bit and Hyperkin are two of the leading lights in this particular field, with the latter looking to release the eagerly-awaited RetroN 5 at some...
News This Final Fantasy IV Medley Rocked A Whole Crowd Of Fans
Mega potions in the air like you just don't care
Final Fantasy IV is known as one of the most highly regarded RPGs of all time, and for good reason. Interesting characters, a classic battle system and an engaging plot all helped set it apart, but what stood out most for many players was its truly masterful soundtrack. Nobuo Uematsu's timeless score...
Weirdness Resident Evil Creator Shinji Mikami Got A Copy Of Willow On The NES When He Joined Capcom
That's some incentive
Shinji Mikami may now be working hard on The Evil Within at his new studio Tango Gameworks, but he made his name creating titles for Capcom — most notably Resident Evil. He's been speaking to Famitsu about how he got started in the game industry, and has revealed that he was given a rather unusual gift when his employment...
News Before Sonic, Sega Almost Picked ToeJam & Earl As Its Official Mascots
Alien pair were rejected for being "too American"
Cast your mind back to the 16-bit console war between the Mega Drive (Genesis to our North American readers) and the SNES, and you'll no doubt think of Sonic's titanic struggle against Mario. These two mascots towered over their rivals, and have gone on to become instantly recognisable all over the...
News Ultra Rare Gold Nintendo World Championship NES Cart Auctioned And Sold For Over $100,000
Going, going, gone!
There are some things money can’t buy. Even if you had cash paid into your bank account every time you blinked, there will always be something out there more valuable than silver and gold. Take Time for instance. Time is something that can be spent but not bought, and once it’s gone it’s gone forever. The present becomes...
January2014
Video Short Film Extols The Virtues Of Buttons, Features Nintendo Quite Heavily
Can you spot R.O.B. the Robot?
Gaming used to be exclusively about buttons, but with the rise of touch-screen gaming — pioneered by the Nintendo DS and taken to the next level by the proliferation of smartphones and tablets — we've got an entire generation of players growing up in a world where buttons aren't necessarily the default gaming...
News Critical Analysis of Wario Land 4 Now Available on Kindle, Discount Price Extended
Get analytical
Late last year we told you about an eBook called Game Design Companion: A Critical Analysis of Wario Land 4, which aims to take a thorough, academic approach to assess the popular Game Boy Advance title. It's stated aim is to step beyond the normal boundaries of games criticism and to drill down into significant detail. Author...
News The Tetris Company's Co-Founder Explains How He Brought The RPG Genre to Japan
A tale of fantasy
RPGs are often considered as a foundation block of the Japanese development industry, with the region's studios still producing a high number of these titles on a yearly basis. Whatever systems you own there are likely to be RPG titles available that were developed in Japan — especially if you have a DS or, increasingly, a 3DS...
Weirdness An Album You Can Remix On Your Game Boy Advance
Making music with an old friend
The charming blips and scratching synth of chiptune soundtracks has never really lost its appeal among gamers and musicians alike, with many examples of retro sounds being used in new projects even today. From Anamanaguchi to I Fight Dragons, there's plenty out there to discover, and now electronic pop maestro Doctor...
News Rare Nintendo World Championships Cartridge Eventually Fetches $99,902
Update: Buyer backs out
Update: The buyer has apparently backed out of the purchase, claiming the bid was a "mistake". Here's what the seller had to say: The unfortunate reality is the second I approached the winning buyer with payment options, they retracted their bid claiming it was a “mistake.” I’m not offering the item to other bidders...
Weirdness Famicom Cartridges Turned Into Chiptune Harmonicas
Because some of you will just never stop blowing into them
The idea has been sitting right under our noses (where our mouths are) the entire time: we blow into cartridges; we blow into harmonicas. Why not merge the two together? Finally, we have the technology — or at least someone creatively wily enough to use it. The gadgeteer(s) at Ugoita...
News Super-Rare Nintendo World Championship Cartridge Up For Sale On eBay
One of only 90 ever made
If you've got a few thousand dollars just sitting in your bank account doing nothing and you fancy owning a piece of (somewhat grubby) Nintendo history, then point your browser at this eBay auction for a NES Nintendo World Championship cartridge. These cartridges were produced for the 1990 Nintendo World Championship event,...
Ninterview Stepping Into The Nintendo Arcade
Alex Crowley tells us about collecting cabinets and his love for DK
When gamers refer to and discuss retro gaming, we suspect that in most cases the conversation revolves around ageing consoles, cartridges and CDs; occasionally, the debate may even revert to libraries and choices on services such as Nintendo's Virtual Consoles. Yet an integral...
Video This Awesome Gerudo Valley Violin Cover Brings the Heat
Desert thieves, for strings
We last checked in on violin virtuoso Taylor Davis after she released an inspiring medley of songs from The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. Since then, Davis has traded her Sheik outfit for a Goron Tunic, bringing her talents to an arrangement of the famed Gerudo Valley theme. The video hits the trifecta: a stirring...
Weirdness Someone's Actually Compiled All of the NES 'Start' Screens
Just, because...
No matter how much games change, some things stay the same — like 'Start' screens. Nowadays they represent a "this has finally stopped loading, wake up" screen, but in the NES days the focus was arguably different — load times weren't a particular issue, so they perhaps felt more like arcade-style prompts to give that initial...
News Cody, Haggar And Guy Are Scrapping Their Way To The Japanese 3DS eShop In Mighty Final Fight
While we get Mighty Bomb Jack
Next week, Japanese 3DS owners will be able to step into the super-deformed shoes of Metro City's famous wrestling mayor Mike Haggar thanks to the release of Mighty Final Fight on the 3DS Virtual Console. Capcom's side-scrolling fighter originally launched on the Famicom and NES back in 1993, and offers the same kind...
News Listen To This Awesome Street Fighter II Rock Opera
An epic six years in the making
What started as a throwaway joke between friends has now concluded as something much, much more; a fully-fledged rock opera extravaganza. In 2007, Texan indie group Man Factory got together and decided that there was enough referential material in the Street Fighter series to knock together a garage rock album telling...
Interview Kennedy Baruch on Filmmaking Inspired by Games
"The Legend of Zelda is basically the Holy Grail of gaming"
Over the past year we've shared two videos produced by Kennedy Baruch, the first of which was an award-winning short film titled ESCAPE!, a heart-wrenching tale of a young girl seeking escapism from bullying at school and abuse in a breaking home. Just recently Baruch confirmed that he's...
News Book Focused on EarthBound's Development and Localisation Shut Down by Nintendo
Marcus Lindblom: "I have no desire to rock the boat with Nintendo at all"
Marcus Lindblom was the primary translator and localisation expert for iconic Super NES title EarthBound, and since its emergence on the Wii U eShop last year he's spoken a fair amount about his work on the project. It's emerged, however, from an interview with
News Speedrunner Alert - Majora's Mask Glitch Allows Unexpected Warps
It's on
It seems that we can't get away from speedrunning at the moment, which is absolutely fine by us. Not too long ago we had a whole week of runs with the Awesome Games Done Quick event, which did an outstanding job to raise over $1,000,000 for charity. Away from fundraising, however, speedrunning is a major passion in the gaming world, and...
News Final Fantasy VI On Android Is Pricey and Looks Rather Peculiar
One alternative is the Wii Virtual Console...
Square Enix is a publisher that's made a significant push on smart devices, often standing apart due to its willingness to release some of its biggest franchises at premium prices, clearly resisting the ongoing race to the bottom. The latest case in point is Final Fantasy VI — commonly known on the...
News Quest Begins To Find The Best Game Boy Tetris Player In The United Kingdom
Block buster
Since the release of the excellent King of Kong, it's fair to say that the world of video game high-score chasing has become a little more respectable. The documentary showed that the people who post these amazing scores are necessarily locking themselves away in rooms for weeks at a time; they're normal people with families and jobs...
Weirdness Alex Kidd Infiltrates The Legend Of Zelda, With Disastrous Results
Crossover chaos
Before Sonic the Hedgehog sped onto the scene, Alex Kidd was Sega's undisputed mascot, appearing in a host of Master System adventures — as well as a single 16-bit outing — and attempting to challenge Nintendo's Mario in the sphere of platforming goodness. Since being ousted by the blue hedgehog, Alex Kidd has wandered in the...
News Nintendo World Championships Trophy Up for Auction
Now YOU can be Atlanta's 11 & Under winner!
Back in 1990 you needed skill, dedication, and maybe a little bit of luck to get your hands on a Nintendo World Championships trophy. Today, all you may need is some cold, hard cash. An alleged 1990 Nintendo World Championships trophy has popped up on ebay for the Buy It Now price of $2,000 (or best...
Video This Awesome Games Done Quick Super Metroid Race is a Must Watch
Learn how to speed-run a classic
At the weekend we shared the exciting news that the week-long Awesome Games Done Quick Event raised over $1 million, which was an outstanding effort from everyone concerned. We'd also heard that the Super Metroid race — between runners Garrison, Ivan, Krauser and Zoast — was a stand-out event; it had certainly...
News Christian First-Person Shooter Super Noah's Ark 3D Is Sailing Back To The SNES
The reissue that nobody asked for
Remember the days when a game became almost impossible to get once it was no longer being printed? NES, SNES and even N64 titles became lost to us and wound up online for ghastly prices, and we just had to live with the fact that we weren't going to play certain games. Thankfully those days are a thing of the past...
News Awesome Games Done Quick 2014 Raises Over One Million Dollars for Charity
An exceptional effort
Around a week ago we told you about the start of Awesome Games Done Quick 2014, which was seven days of live streaming of speed-runs and assorted challenges, all with the goal of raising plenty of money for the Prevent Cancer charity. The events are now closed, and the current total — post-event donations may add a little...
News World Record Speed Runner Just Can't Stop Playing Zelda: Ocarina Of Time
Playing games to destruction
Everyone has their own reasons for playing games. Some play for entertainment, others for pure escapism, but for Cosmo Wright games are a sport. Not just any sport, but an athletic one: the sport of Speed Running. From the moment the game kicks off, he’s racing against the clock to get from the title screen to the end...
Video Learn How To Play Mega Man: The Board Game
Figure out the rules and power-up with this sample playthrough
Let's forget all about consoles for a moment. Mega Man is an icon that defies the medium, up there among the greats and immortalised in song, literature, and even Lego. He's had a shot at just about everything by now, and in December we reported that an officially l
News The Rockman X Sound Box Album Set Includes Four Tracks Cut From Mega Man X
And now you can listen to them for free
Years from now we may refer to "doing a Capcom Anniversary", with a knowing wink and nudge. For example, in a parallel universe Nintendo didn't celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Zelda franchise by releasing Skyward Sword with a special CD and a game plot right at the beginning of the timeline, but sold us...
Video Xbox One vs. Nintendo 64
There's a reason why the classics are referred to as classics
A new comparison video by Jeff Rubin, in which he pits the Xbox One against 1996's Nintendo 64, has proven what many of us have known all along: the Nintendo 64 is hands-down the superior system. The short tongue-in-cheek video (see below) actually makes a pretty compelling case as to...
Weirdness Snoop Lion's Latest Music Video References Pokémon and Retro Games
DoggTales...
Snoop Lion, for those unaware, is the current artistic name of the rapper many will likely know as Snoop Dogg. In recent times he's undergone a fairly major image change, with a shift in his music's themes, that new name and an even more chilled out style. Rather than hitting up the streets with Dr. Dre — or whatever — the most...
News Prolific Video Game Box Art Illustrator Greg Martin Passes Away
Created covers for Sonic, Duck Tales 2, Adventure Island and many more
The name Greg Martin may not mean anything to most gamers, but if you've been playing since the days of the NES then you will definitely have seen — and no doubt appreciated — his work. Martin created the amazing western covers for plenty of Sega and Nintendo games, such as...
News Award Winning Zelda-Themed Short Film, "Escape", To Get Feature Length Follow-Up
"PRINCESS IN ANOTHER CASTLE" to tackle similar themes
Way back in October 2012 we shared an award-winning, emotive and challenging Zelda-themed video called Escape. It portrayed some difficult times for a young girl that was miserable at school, before going home to a breaking family as well as physical and emotional abuse. Her escape was in the...
December2013
Feature Our Nintendo Moments of 2013 - Part Two
Tom, Dave and Lewis share their favourite 2013 memories
In the slightly delayed second part of this series, three more members of the Nintendo Life team share their favourite moments and memories from 2013. This time around we have features editor Tom Whitehead, US reviewer Dave Letcavage and news hound Lewis Childs. Tom Whitehead: 2013 has...
News UK Champion Sami Cetin Breaks World Record Barrier On First Ever Mario Kart Track
21 years after release, the record is pushed even further
On Christmas Day 2013 — 21 years after UK gamers received Super Mario Kart for the SNES — a great Time Trial World Record barrier was broken. The person who achieved this feat is none other than current UK Champion Sami Cetin, who is currently ranked 2nd overall Worldwide on the PAL...
Feature Our Nintendo Moments of 2013 - Part One
Ron, Morgan and Lee share Nintendo memories
In the first of a festive two-part series, some of your humble Nintendo Life writers share their favourite Nintendo gaming memories of 2013. In this first part we have three of our U.S. reviewers and news hounds, Ron DelVillano, Morgan Sleeper and Lee Meyer. Ron DelVillano: One of the strangest...
News Do You Want This Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles-Themed NES? It'll Cost You A Pretty Penny
Heroes on a NES shell, Turtle power!
Sometimes a good console modification can brighten a day. We've seen plenty such as a custom Tron Nintendo 64, a Zelda-inspired SNES and a Luigi-themed 2DS; now more recently, a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle coated NES. The console features Leonardo, Raphael, Donatello and Michelangelo on a backlit panel, with...
Weirdness Show Your Loved One You Care This Christmas With Phantasy Star
Tyler "Christmas Sega Kid" Esposito provides some sound advice
Tyler Esposito — the lucky scamp you saw in that heart-warming compilation of Sega-released Christmas footage — is of course all grown up now, but that doesn't mean he has lost his adoration for the Japanese video game veteran. Esposito dropped us a line to let us know about another...
News Designer Creates a 3D Model of Onett from EarthBound
Prompts dreams of a HD game
When it comes to inspiring video game culture Nintendo is arguably top of the class, and one game — among many — that can inspire impressive levels of fan devotion is Super NES RPG EarthBound. Its release on the Virtual Console this year caused a frenzy of excitement after years of waiting, satisfying waiting retro...
News New eBook Will Analyse Wario Land 4 In Nearly 600 Exhaustive Pages
"A Critical Analysis of Wario Land 4 is unusual in its approach"
We suspect that a number of gamers, including some of us at Nintendo Life, hope to see video games become an increasingly respected medium in comparison to veteran forms such as the book, film and TV. Even compared to the latter two gaming is a young art form, and due to a variety of...
News These Refurbished Nintendo 64 Consoles Go The Extra Mile
And cost some extra coins, too
While many may be gearing up to play the latest games and systems this festive season, some may dig out some retro goodies to amuse over the Holidays. For those busting out a Nintendo 64, it may also be an occasion to bemoan its ageing looks; each year takes that new console shine further and further away. There is...
News This Video Brings Back Festive Sega Memories of the '90s
When new games dominated letters to Santa
We suspect many know what we mean when referencing "the Nintendo 64 kids", a short video that showed the excitement that a new games console could prompt on Christmas Day. Naturally a games console is for life — or at least a generation — and there are plenty of Holiday seasons when games for our...
Video Meet The New Kings of Kong Documentary Shows Off Chien and Lemay Rivalry
Extended cut of VGX video
Those that endured the VGX broadcast may have enjoyed an early segment that focused on the most recent Kong Off contest; it followed world record holder Dr. Hank Chien and body-building trash-talker Vincent Lemay. It gave a brief insight into both characters and the event itself, showing the passion of the small band of...
News SNES Inspired 'Super World Karts GP' Adds Wii U to Funding Goal
Mode-7 inspired kart racer adds Wii U funding goal to Kickstarter campaign
With Mario Kart 8 on the horizon, you wouldn't be judged for wiping away a lone tear when thinking of some of the many great kart games of yesteryear. But as with any retro-binge, we are sometimes faced with a terrible realisation after a race down memory lane – these...
Feature Why I Love Import Gaming
Import gaming addict Kerry Brunskill explains the appeal of overseas gaming
I’ve been fascinated by Japanese games for as long as I can remember, going right the way back to faux-Japanese Amiga games like Leander and Apidya II. There's something appealing about Japanese game design and art which can't quite be matched by western titles, and...
News Soundtrack for Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen Released on iTunes
Kanto allegro
Looking for a soundtrack to emphasize a day spent roaming through tall grasses or being challenged to battle by everyone you make eye contact with? Game Freak has released a new option on iTunes for your listening pleasure. Pokémon FireRed & Pokémon LeafGreen: Super Music Collection hit the iTunes music store today, joining its...
Video Learn Some Sega History in Just One Minute
Right up to the Genesis / Mega Drive era
After the VGX shenanigans absorbed far too lengthy a period of our lives this weekend, perhaps a snappier, more to-the-point video is needed. This will work nicely, in that case, as it's a history of Sega's early days in just over a minute. While we've had plenty of opportunity to learn about Nintendo's...
Weirdness Donkey Kong And Other NES Classics Can Now Be Played On Your Wedding Cake
Perfect for a gorilla-suited groom
If you've ever dreamed of smothering the face of your brand new spouse with a giant slice of virtual dirt from the game Dig Dug, now is your chance. An entertainment company out of New Jersey, USA named POSH Entertainment has figured out how to make you lose even more of your hard earned coins by getting married,...
Weirdness Scrub Up With These Nintendo Cartridges
Promotes gamer hygiene
Like professional athletes, Nintendo gamers are commonly known for generating foul odours during long and enduring marathons. It’s part of the whole experience. Whether it involved gaming with friends back in the day with a copy of GoldenEye 007 on the Nintendo 64, or more recently playing through the latest Zelda adventure...
News Rare: Relationship With Nintendo Was Built On Mutual Respect And Benefited Both Parties
Also, explaining Cricket to Shigeru Miyamoto isn't as easy as it sounds
Earlier today we reported on a Red Bull feature regarding the history of UK games studio Rare — the creator of such classics as GoldenEye 007, Banjo Kazooie and Killer Instinct — which revealed that the firm almost released a Game Boy rival
News Rare Nearly Took On The Nintendo Game Boy With Its Own "Playboy" Handheld
Before they were bedfellows, Rare and Nintendo could have been rivals
This year marks the 30th anniversary of the release of Rare's first game, Jetpac. OK, technically speaking Jetpac was created by Ultimate Play the Game — the company founded by the Stamper Brothers which eventually spawned Rare — but most fans consider the two studios to be...
News Cute Konami Shooter Pop'n Twinbee Is Coming To The Virtual Console
The only question now is which one
The Australian Classification Board has revealed that Konami's Pop'n Twinbee is coming to the Virtual Console. The vertically-scrolling shooter is the sequel to the original Twinbee, and takes place in a cartoon-like world where you pilot a ship with arms. However, before you get too excited about the prospect of...
News Meet Project NEMO, The Nintendo Killer That Never Was
The amazing story of Hasbro's video-based games console
The history of the video game industry is filled with runaway successes, such as the NES, SNES, PlayStation and Xbox, but for every best-selling system there are just as many duds. Back in the '80s, many big companies saw how well Nintendo and Sega were doing and wanted to grab a share of the...
Weirdness Super Mario 64 Corruptions Yield Hilarious and/or Terrifying Results
Where is your Luigi now?
Every now and then, it doesn't hurt to remember that the video game worlds and characters we love are really little more than bits of data, pieced and strung together to compose the beauty and fun we see before us. And there's no better way to appreciate that said data is so well organized than witnessing the abominations...
November2013
Weirdness This is How Teslagrad Would Look on the Game Boy
Kind of awesome, actually
Teslagrad is one of quite a few upcoming Wii U eShop titles that Nintendo's been happy to show off in video sizzle reels. That's not surprising, as the Rain Games project has caught the eye with attractive visuals and clever magnet-based puzzle platforming mechanics. Its attractive visuals certainly play a part in the...
Weirdness Drink Your Troubles Away With This Nintendo Flask
Non alcoholic beverages are an option, of course
Retro gaming and whiskey, does it mix? One inventor on Kickstarter thought so. Matt Cornell describes himself as a passionate gamer and one who is lucky to have been raised alongside the video game industry as it has developed. Now he is repaying it with a throwback to the legends he was raised on...
News Production Fault Pushes Hyperkin RetroN 5 Launch Into Next Year
Retro gaming powerhouse coming "first quarter, 2014"
If you're an avid retro gamer then chances are you've been saving your pennies for the Hyperkin RetroN 5, an all-in-one gaming system capable of running SNES / Super Famicom, Mega Drive / Genesis, NES / Famicom, Game Boy, Game Boy Color and Game Boy Advance cartridges. The console was due for...
News If You Do Pick Up a PS4 or Xbox One, These Skins Will Make Them More Comforting
NES, we love you
Well, the 'console wars', 'resolution wars' and 'tedious one-upmanship wars' are well underway, with some pinning their flags to a console and declaring all others null and void. Of course, that's not the healthiest or most useful way to go about enjoying video games, but some will do so nevertheless. But still, it's OK to have...
News Rare Originally Conceived Dinosaur Planet As A Racing And Adventure Crossover
Until Miyamoto had his say, of course
If you're familiar with Nintendo's history then you'll know that Star Fox Adventures on the GameCube actually began life as Dinosaur Planet on the N64. Created by UK studio Rare — then a first-party Nintendo developer — the game had progressed quite far before Shigeru Miyamoto decided that it would make a...
Soapbox Zelda's Magic Creates A Link Between Generations
Damien McFerran on how Nintendo's new 3DS Zelda has created a vital bond
More than two decades ago, an excitable 12 year-old boy huddled down in front of his Super Nintendo console armed with a copy of The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past. Having witnessed the critical acclaim directed towards this new action RPG the youth expectantly flicked...
News Mega Drive: Collected Works To Include Input From Creators Of Ecco, Comix Zone And Vectorman
US developers on-board for the definitive history of Sega's 16-bitter
We recently reported on the Kickstarter campaign for Sega Mega Drive / Genesis: Collected Works, and are happy to report that the project has already passed its initial funding goal of £30,000. However, Read-Only Memory founder Darren Wall has gotten in
News Signed EarthBound Cartridge to Be Auctioned Off for Cancer Patient
“For James”
EarthBound is all about strong bonds; not only within the game but also its fan community. There is nothing that may demonstrate this point more fluently in recent days than the story of a special EarthBound cartridge that will soon be auctioned off during the EarthBound Bash marathon. The cartridge began in the hands of James...
Video CNET Pays Homage To The Nintendo Game Boy
The legendary monochrome system gets some welcome recognition
Portable video gaming would be very different were it not for the Nintendo Game Boy. Although it was technologically outdated by the time it launched — rival systems like the Sega Game Gear and Atari Lynx offered better displays and superior processing power — it nevertheless became...
News Rating For NES Remix Issued By Australian Classification Board
A multiplatform release by Nintendo - but what is it?
A mysterious rating has appeared on the Australian Classification Board site for a Nintendo title by the name of NES Remix. Listed as a "multiplatform" release — which would suggest both Wii U and 3DS — the game has been awarded a "G" rating, with the level of violence listed as having a...
News Give Your Apple TV That All-Important Nintendo Vibe With These Retro Skins
Love the skin you're in
If you happen to own an Apple TV unit then you may feel that it's a little too plain for your liking, but fear not — Killer Duck Decals has the solution. The company has produced skins for the Apple TV unit which allow it to mimic classic Nintendo systems like the NES, SNES and
News Full Screen Mario Web Game Closed Down Following Nintendo's Copyright Complaint
Popular HTML5 remake is no more
In mid-October we told you about Full Screen Mario, a free, open-source HTML5 web version of the original Super Mario Bros., the work of college student Josh Goldberg. The site attracted publicity due to its recreation of the original game, as well as a random map generator and level creator. With publicity came the...
News Nintendo to Release Special 30th Anniversary Album of Famicom Music
And it looks to be a Japan exclusive
Amazon Japan has added a new product listing for Nintendo FAMICOM MUSIC, an upcoming music album to commemorate the 30th anniversary of Nintendo's breakthrough games system, the Famicom — or Nintendo Entertainment System as we know it in the West. Due to release on 4th December, the album is being produced...
News SNES Generation Album Merges 16-Bit Sounds With Modern Game Music, and is Awesome
The Wind Waker's 'Outset Island' with Link to the Past sounds, oh my...
We do like a bit of top-notch video game music here on Nintendo Life, and a new retro-infused album by Alex Roe has been serenading our ears. The album SNES Generation takes modern games and recreates their music with sounds and samples from equivalent Super NES titles, with...
News Fangamer Announces Earthbound Charity Event
Weekend marathon of the timeless RPG for a good cause
Fangamer has been hinting at something big and Earthbound-related for a while now, which should come as no surprise to those who know the company. They wear their passion for the cherished Mother series on their sleeves, so using this love to raise money seems like the perfect marriage...
News Publisher Read-Only Memory Is Creating The Ultimate Retrospective On Sega's Mega Drive
Or the Genesis, if you're American
We recently investigated Read-Only Memory's excellent Sensible Software 1986–1999, a book which uncovers the history of one of Britain's most iconic games studios. Now, the publisher is back with another Kickstarter campaign, and this time it's Sega's legendary 16-bit console which is the main focus.
News Spice Up Your Christmas Tree with These Retro Controller Decorations
Deck the halls with retro game stuff
For many of us, Christmas is the one day of the year where getting a new video game is pretty much guaranteed — provided you've been a good boy or girl that is. So it only makes sense that you should celebrate the day for the gaming goodness which it bestows on you, right? North American online retailer...
Hardware Review Gametech Neo Fami
The Famicom Clone To Rule Them All?
The concept of clone retro hardware isn't anything new — in fact, we've already covered the likes of the Retro Duo V2, RetroN 3 and SupaBoy here on Nintendo Life — but as time goes on these cheap and cheerful systems are becoming more and more desirable. Older machines are either failing as
News Supporters Needed To Rebuild NES Hero Mega Man In Lego
From 8-bit to 8-brick
Mega Man has always been a cherished icon since his very first appearance on the NES in 1987, and now a designer by the name of Alatariel seeks to immortalise the character further with an official Lego set. Classic stages from Mega Man 2 such as Wily's Castle and Metal Man can be seen recreated on the designer's page, and...
News Mega Man 2.5D Beta Blasts Into View With Co-Op Play
Fan game teams up with Proto Man on PC
So, OK, time continues to pass and we still don't have a new and official Mega Man game to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the franchise. We have soundtracks, USB sticks, plushies and tissue dispensers, but no game. Such is life. Thankfully Mega Man fans often fill the void, and we've seen some fan games...
Video Experts Believed Nintendo Was In Trouble Back In 1990, Too
Some things never change
When you're one of the world's most recognisable brands then it's only natural for people to predict your downfall. That has happened to Nintendo many times in the past, and history is repeating itself as a new console war begins in earnest. Sony's PS4 and Microsoft's Xbox One launch this Christmas, and these hardware...
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