Feature It's Time For Former Tetris Champion Steve Wozniak To Reclaim His Throne
The best there is, the best there Woz, and the best there ever will be
Retro - News
October2014
Nintendo 64x64 Mischief Makers
2D on 3D platforms is risky. Mischief Makers shows how to get it right: by being utterly unique. Immediately surreal, youre Marina; a robot on a quest to save her creator..! You jump, shake and throw your way through levels and worlds, and this simple premise is variedly combined to offer many types of level. 2D but nothing like you played on the...
Imagine the fast-paced gameplay of Quake, throw in some futuristic hover vehicles and you've pretty much got Forsaken. Perhaps the most impressive aspect of this game is the incredible sense of speed you move at, although this quickly disappears with three other players also firing off various high-tech weapons. The campaign doesn't provide quite...
September2014
News Ocarina of Time gets a 2D Makeover
Downgradin' and relaxin'
A group of Zelda fans have decided to take the classic gameplay and graphics from A Link to the Past and apply it to what is arguably the most famous outing the the Zelda series, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. The game is in the very early stages, and it’s not clear what engine the game is running on, but it’s...
Weirdness Rainbow Road Muscles its Way onto Realistic Racer Assetto Corsa
Hilariously out-of-place
Rainbow Road from Super Mario 64 is a track steeped in many people's nostalgia banks, and Mario Kart 8 recreated that experience in HD for the first time earlier this year. Now, a clever modder who goes by the name of 'N64AC' has managed to get the original track working on an upcoming realistic racing simulator coming out...
Nintendo 64x64 Killer Instinct Gold
Wisely held back from the Snes; giving gamers a further reason for a N64. Subsequently, better fighters did arrive but this became one to saviour as Rare never produced its own sequel. Instantly, the killer soundtrack stands out as well as great backgrounds, fresh new characters and team battles. Pitched perfectly to novices and experts; a rare...
Book Review Boss Fight Books - Super Mario Bros. 2
Subcon-text
For how unique it is compared to other games in the Mario line, it’s amazing how easily Super Mario Bros. 2 is taken at face value or glossed over entirely. Many fans are happy to share the fact that the game is actually a reskin of Japanese title Doki Doki Panic after the original Super Mario Bros. sequel was deemed too difficult...
The best F-Zero
F-Zero had abundant stand-out features, leaving even the strong competition tailing. Although graphically divisive, fans hailed Nintendo for capturing the Snes essence - choosing speed and frame rate over unnecessary graphical overhaul. Persevere with completion - the ground breaking random track generator ensures longevity almost...
Nintendo 64x64 Gauntlet Legends
While a multiplatform release, the N64 version of Gauntlet Legends benefited greatly from the system's four built-in controller ports. Ported over from the arcade, Gauntlet Legends' simplistic hack n' slash gameplay makes it accessible to players of all skill levels. It's a solid, button-bashing adventure which is best enjoyed with three friends...
Nintendo 64x64 F1 World Grand Prix
Solid racer but one only suitable for the niche F1 gamer, not a casual lover of the racing genre. The F1 'feel' is realistic and racing from the bumpy cockpit view is awesome. Accurate track layouts yet backgrounds are dull and racing them doesn't engage like a F-Zero or MK64 track. Advice: conquer the challenges but turn down that incessant...
18 years on and the wave physics still mightily impress; capturing the essence of jet skiing is WR64's finest achievement, yet not its sole one. Firstly, eight tracks that are so well-constructed the replay value moves into decade three. Secondly, it's immensely challenging - myself yet to win at expert! If the PAL version hadn't suffered and...
At a popular period for futuristic racers, Extreme-G was certainly not ground breaking... nor terrible either. Pace is extreme indeed; developers allowing this by misting the upcoming track, luckily not spoiling your ability to race. Admirable scenery (dystopian industries, Aztec past / future fusions) and fitting soundtrack rescue it because track...
Developer Interview How Two Graduates From Nottingham Are Bringing Robin Hood To Life On The SNES
"We'd absolutely love to be able to do a cartridge release"
Indie development has never been more popular than it is now, with each of the major console makers bending over backwards to accommodate bedroom coders in the hope of finding the next Minecraft. However, while most small-scale devs favour the likes of iOS, Android, Steam and the digital...
Excitebike 64 serves as yet another prime example of Nintendo's sheer mastery when it comes to developing technical racing games. A fully 3D sequel to the NES classic, this title requires players to pay particular attention to the topography of tracks. Features some of the best quality visuals and audio on the N64, although Hi-Res mode comes at the...
News Hyperkin Responds To Accusations Of Infringing On The Rights Of Emulator Creators
"We have not been as quick as we could have been"
Last week, we reported on accusations that Hyperkin had infringed on the right of emulator authors with its RetroN 5 console, and at the time we gave Hyperkin the chance to put across its side of the story. We've now had an official response from Hyperkin developer Lawrence Lee: It has always been...
News Super Mario World Speedrun Record Is Broken
Beating the game in under 10 minutes is an artform
Super Mario World is a big game — so big it put other 2D platformers to shame when it launched alongside the shiny new SNES back in the early '90s. However, while many of us will have happy memories of wasting countless hours finding all those levels and secret routes, speedrunner linkdeadx2 has...
Video These Mario Games Have More Secrets Than You May Think
And it's not even Easter
Continuing the series of discovering hidden Easter eggs in games, Did You Know Gaming has released the final part of its dissection of main series Mario games. It's always a joy to see hidden little details and secrets in video games, it shows just how much developers care about the creations that they make. Unsurprisingly,...
Rescue you he will not dare, there's many dangers in my lair!
Its Mario 64 comparison was always inevitable and which is better is divisive. BK's biggest strengths lie in its 'Rareness': game engine crafted excellently; splendidly contrasting worlds of increasing challenge; Grunty's surprise quiz; and Rare's unique humour injection. Does it have...
News Mother 4 Is On The Way, But It's Not Being Made By Nintendo
Fan project is aiming for a release this year
The Mother series — perhaps better known in the west as EarthBound (AKA Mother 2) — is one of Nintendo's most enduring franchises. However, it has been dormant since 2006, when Mother 3 hit the Game Boy Advance in Japan. Rather than wait for Nintendo to start work on a fourth game in the series —...
Nintendo 64x64 Beetle Adventure Racing
Arcade-style racing from the creative minds behind N64 launch title, Pilotwings 64. What makes Beetle Adventure Racing so enjoyable is that it feels fast and doesnt punish you too much when you make mistakes. It looks pretty good too, with its decent lighting effects and accurate VW Beetle models. The multiplayer battle mode makes for a nice...
News Mitchell Corp Is Keen To Bring Strider's Spiritual Sequel To Home Formats
Along with many of its other arcade titles
Mitchell Corp might not be a household name with most gamers, but the more astute among you will recognise the name from such hits as Pang, Puzz Loop and Polarium. Founded by former Data East staffer Roy Ozaki, the firm has enjoyed a very close relationship with Nintendo in recent years, with its last title...
Nintendo 64x64 Mystical Ninja Starring Goemon
Your friendly neighbourhood ninja
A platforming adventure that takes place across Feudal Japan, Mystical Ninja Starring Goemon focuses on a kiseru-wielding hero and his friends trying to prevent the country from being turned into a westernised fine arts theatre. Rich in Japanese folklore, yet stuffed with anachronisms such as giant robots, the...
On target
Released alongside the N64, Pilotwings 64 delivered a sense of scale and open-world exploration that easily rivalled that of Super Mario 64. While it may not have been as revolutionary, it arguably did a better job of showcasing one of the N64's major unique selling points: the analog joystick, which provides a level of precision that...
Nintendo 64x64 Chameleon Twist
Chameleon Twist is the game that Yoshi's Story should have been. Playing as an anthropomorphised chameleon, you're tasked with traversing a range of 3D environments, using your character's remarkably long tongue to reach otherwise inaccessible places and defeat enemies. An innovative idea that uses the control stick to its strengths, and one which...
Book Review The Untold Story Of Japanese Game Developers: Volume 1
Charting a golden era
When journalist and novelist John Szczepaniak launched his Kickstarter campaign back in 2013 to record the hitherto undocumented story of Japan's game development community, there were a few raised eyebrows around the web. His funding goal was a lofty one, and the task seemed almost herculean in scope — he planned to travel...
Quite the smash
It wasn't the portly plumber's first outing on the virtual court, but Mario Tennis was nevertheless the first smash-hit in the franchise. The simple control input is easy to understand, yet allows for advanced techniques too; the control sticks enhances accuracy greatly. The single-player tournament mode is a bit drawn and...
News Hyperkin's RetroN 5 Console Allegedly Infringes On The Rights Of Multiple Emulator Authors
Team behind RetroArch says Hyperkin is using emulators without permission
Hyperkin's RetroN 5 console is a fantastic way to enjoy old classics, and offers plenty of benefits over existing clone retro systems, largely because it uses advanced software emulation to offer HD visuals and other benefits. However, it would appear that Hyperkin can't...
News First 4 Figures Unveils Running Mega Man Collectibles
Oh my...
While they're a purchase typically too extravagant for many, including this humble writer, we at Nintendo Life nevertheless enjoy gawking at the latest efforts from First 4 Figures, the prominent purveyor of lovely but unaffordable game-related collectibles. Enter two new iterations of a Running Mega Man for us to gaze upon. Portraying the...
3... 2... 1... GO!
Despite some memorable moments from this game, it disappoints compared to its predecessor. Level of challenge almost non-existent; 150cc is comparatively a walk in the park. Rainbow Road is laborious and let's not get started on Battle Mode... Agreed, tracks are beautiful, with varied locations and their own challenges and quirks:...
News You Need To See This Amazing Hand-Sculpted Donkey Kong GBA SP Case Mod
Good luck trying to play a game on it, though
If you follow the hardware modding community then the name Vadu Amka will be instantly familiar to you. A seasoned pro when it comes to taking existing systems and making them even more attractive, Amka has recently released another new creation: a Game Boy Advance SP which is based on the model used...
Nintendo 64x64 BattleTanx: Global Assault
Madison's Militia
BattleTanx: Global Assault is one of those games that deserved far more attention than it actually got. Incorporating fast-paced gameplay based around tank warfare, the game's sense of scale and all-out action is surprising for an N64 title. The campaign mode is a tad repetitive, although more enjoyable when played cooperatively;...
News Missing Super Mario Philips CD-i Game Comes To Light
How Mario almost took America
When Nintendo ditched Sony at the altar and decided not to proceed with the SNES-based PlayStation console, it quickly inked a new deal with Dutch firm Philips. That agreement also fell through, but Nintendo sweetened the divorce by allowing Philips to create games based on its characters for its CD-i entertainment...
They see me cruis'n...
An arcade port that never used the N64's true capabilities and looked easily at home on a PSOne with its pop-up cardboard scenery. Although there are finer racers on the system, it's an enjoyable arcade-style racer: plenty of tracks with recognisable locations, and unlockable cars. It's slightly average but as a Brit who's...
News New Hardcore Gaming 101 Book Takes On Konami's Classic Castlevania Series
Physical and digital versions available now
Remember Sega Arcade Classics Volume 1? Well Hardcore Gaming 101 founder Kurt Kalata is taking a break before starting Volume 2 and has put together another fine tome in the form of Hardcore Gaming 101 Presents: Castlevania. Kalata will be famous among seasoned Castlevania fans as the man behind The...
News The GameCube is 13 Years Old
Happy Birthday to the handled innovator
The GameCube, the system with a look like no other, is now 13 years old. Released in Japan on 14th September 2001, it holds a special place in the hearts of many Nintendo gamers, and was memorable not just for the fact it had a handle, but due to its line-up of exceptional games. While it holds the...
"Mr. Diaz, a synthetic human hybrid created by aliens"
Hybrid Heaven was certainly an ambitious game from Konami and felt widely ignored at a time of MGSs, Final Fantasies, and Zeldas. It deserves praise for trying to revolutionise the norm: a unique battle system; an outlandish plot; claustrophobic playing areas rife. Faults? Much like M:I and SOTE...
Weirdness Here Is A Super Famicom On Top Of Mount Fuji
Reaching new heights since the '90s
The Super Nintendo goes down in history as one of the greatest video game systems of all-time, for a variety reasons – be it the at the time revolutionary controller design, the cutting edge graphics and audio, or the stunning library of games. So how do you make one of the most legendary Nintendo consoles to...
An exclusive to the console in what is a relatively small-scale franchise, Doom 64 has been unfavourably compared to Rare's masterpieces when it's a great FPS in its own right. An abundance of well-designed levels, monsters, secrets, and weaponry is wonderfully coupled by the haunting soundtrack and dark, atmospheric scenery. This is still a joy to...
Weirdness Modder Recreates Donkey Kong Country In Doom Engine
Scary in a different way!
Rare’s Donkey Kong Country was a huge feat in itself when it was released on the Super Nintendo in 1994. Now imagine recreating the iconic jungle-based platformer within an entirely different game engine from around the same era. Enter Doom, and insert the reminder here of just how crazy modders of the classic...
Feature Meet The Unsung Pioneer Behind The Most Reviled Zelda Games Of All Time
Charting the life of Dale DeSharone
The Legend of Zelda series is home to some of the most critically-acclaimed video games ever made, and the franchise is without a doubt one of the most important in Nintendo's illustrious catalogue. However, there a few titles within the lineage which stick out like a sore thumb — the trio of Zelda games...
Nintendo 64x64 Diddy Kong Racing
Despite obvious comparisons to Mario Kart 64, DKR was a unique experience: platformer elements (explorable world, bosses and collectable items) were unique for its time, ensuring one-player longevity. Three vehicle types presented new areas already explored / raced. Vibrant storybook colours may have put off mature gamers but many challenges and...
Stop the evil Herd Army!
Featuring the most annoying theme song to have ever graced the medium, Buck Bumble is an aerial combat game in which radioactive waste has transformed the insect world into a high-tech war zone. Playing as a gun-wielding bumblebee, the task of completing garden-based objectives is unusually appealing, yet a lack of polish --...
Nintendo 64x64 Star Wars: Rogue Squadron
I'm Hit! Rear shields down!
Taking everything that is loved about the grand battles of the original Star Wars trilogy -- the dogfights, the scale and the classic theme of good versus evil -- Star Wars: Rogue Squadron delivers an authentic aerial action experience with its own bespoke storyline. Produced with astonishingly high production values --...
Do a barrel roll!
Nintendo: excellent decision. Ditch Starwing 2 and go for a next-gen sequel. Lylat Wars delivers on many fronts. Corneria is a perfect opener - capturing Starwings feel yet graphically upgraded. From then on levels are superbly varied: corridor levels, dogfights, numerous routes to Venom based on mission success. Not just a...
News Motorola's New Smart Watch Features a Goldeneye-Style Interface Option
Dr. No way to resist
Who in their life hasn't pretended to be a secret agent on a daring mission to uncover and foil the plot of a notorious villain whose greed surpasses their humanity? Well now you can take one step closer thanks to a clever little Android developer. The Moto 360 smart watch from Motorola is one of the more traditional-looking...
Video Which 8-bit Version Of Ghostbusters Are You Gonna Call?
Sega or Nintendo? There's only one way to find out...
Back in the mid to late '80s, North American gamers were hooked on Nintendo, and prior to the launch of the Genesis / Mega Drive, Sega was very much locked out when it came to getting all of the juicy third-party titles. However, there were a handful of games which made it over to Sega's 8-bit...
A hugely underappreciated gem, Body Harvest was DMA Designs (later Rockstar North) first attempt at a 3D open-world game. Playing as a genetically enhanced super-soldier, you must travel across time and thwart a race of sinister aliens before they can harvest mankind. Ambitious, yet buggy and lacking in polish, Body Harvest is greater than the...
Video Watch These Teenagers As They're Exposed To The NES
"I have an iPhone case like this"
Gaming is becoming more and more mainstream with every turn, and sometimes we have to take a step back to realise just how far we've come, and depending on your age that could go back anywhere between the GameCube and the ZX Spectrum. To give you some perspective of the progress we've seen, take some typical modern...
Video If You Love Mario Easter Eggs, This Series is for You
Covering Super Mario Bros. to Super Mario World, so far
One of the delights of retro Nintendo games is in discovering their secrets, little snippets of interesting features that can only be spotted with close attention. Hunting 'easter eggs' is a major part of retro gaming. A current series on the Did You Know Gaming channel is looking to reveal...
It didn't sit well with purists at the time, but Bomberman's first outing in 3D was nevertheless a valiant effort on Hudson Soft's part to ensure its explosive star remained relevant in gaming. To its credit, the single-player mode delivers an engaging experience based around puzzles and exploration; the multiplayer, however, fails to retain the...
Feature The Nintendo 64 Controller and the Rise of 3D Gaming
The three-handled situation
The Nintendo 64 controller is one that has fallen out of favour with some gamers – its outdated control stick and limited number of buttons leaves it and its parent system in a state of being old but without necessarily being seen by the general public as 'retro'. You could easily say the same for Sony's original...
Aside from being the first release in Nintendo's long-running party game series, Mario Party's biggest claim to fame is its stick-spinning mini-games, which left many eager players with blisters on their palms. The series may have come a long way since 1999, but this title nevertheless features a diverse range of timeless mini-games and every...
A divisive first foray into 3D for the franchise as it suffers from mixed fortunes. The feel of 2D versions was captured well through music, locations, enemies and plot. Its controls are quite tight and graphically impressive. Its a challenge; albeit, for the wrong reasons. Certain areas, bosses and gameplay choices leave one extremely...
News Pokkén Tournament's Concept Even Shocked The Game’s Creators
“The entire office was dumbfounded”
In an announcement that could be described as hard to fathom, it was less than a week ago when it was revealed on NicoNico that a fighting-title by the name of Pokkén Tournament for arcade would be co-developed by Bandai Namco, with involvement from Tekken producer Katsuhiro Harada and Soul Calibur producer...
Revered as the N64's favourite football game despite (in technical terms) not being the best. Yes, it had bugs, no FIFA licence and comedic commentary but ISS64 shone because it was the ground breaking next-gen football game. Gameplay bettered FIFA 64, multiplayer so addictive it caused sleep deprivation and, solo, it still had scenarios that kept...
Few games outside of the horror genre get the heart pounding quite like Rare's Blast Corps does. Its a race against the clock: playing as a demolitions expert, you must clear a path for a nuclear missile carrier that's out of control -- not too much pressure then! The range of real-life and absurd fictional vehicles on offer ensures that...
News Mega Man Legends 3 8-Bit Fan Demake is Available Now
It's more than Capcom's giving us
Last year we told you about an 8-bit demake of Mega Man Legends 3 being produced by a group of fans; it promised quite a departure from the original 3D adventure, naturally, as it was taking the characters and setting for a more typical 2D action Mega Man experience. It's taken quite some time, but it's finally...
Nintendo 64x64 1080° Snowboarding
Almost Wave Race on snow; 1080° recreates the feel of snowboarding via the realistic sound effects and beautiful backdrops. The developers have worked hard to create engaging, differentiated tracks despite the constriction of snow. To master the game, time needs to be invested in learning the tracks but the true fun of the game is pulling off...
Celebrating 64 Nintendo 64 games over 64 days in 64 words
Today we bring you something a little different, Nintendo 64x64 - a collaboration project between @N64Memories and Nintendo Life. Now, if you've been a reader of Nintendo Life for a while you'll no doubt be aware that some of our team are huge Nintendo 64 fans, so you can imagine their...
Weirdness Hear Nintendo's Classic Themes Played on Kazoos
Marginally too cool for school
Nintendo has arguably some of the best music in the gaming world, causing different groups of people to take the music from the games they love and perform it themselves. It's no surprise that certain individuals take it upon themselves to somewhat reinvent tracks in order to give them a fresh and interesting feel...
News Trust Us, You Need This Super Famicom Box Art Collection Book In Your Life
Update: Kickstarter now cancelled
Update: The Kickstarter has now been cancelled for the reasons explained by Stuart here: Hey folks. Firstly, I’d like to say a huge heartfelt thank you to everyone who has supported this Kickstarter project. I’ve had a whirlwind of a weekend with my inbox literally breaking with messages of support from fans...
The most sublime platformer and yet considered Nintendo / Mario's peak; Mario games never really replicating that unparalleled innovation again. Free-roaming worlds to explore truly gave the gamer control over the game's destiny. A perfect control system and camera demonstrated the console's capabilities from its release, setting the bar...
August2014
Feature The History of Super Smash Bros.
How Nintendo's crossover fighting series smashed its way to fame and glory
Despite its immense popularity — not to mention the frenzied hype and anticipation that comes during the lead-up to each new instalment — the origins of the Super Smash Bros. series are in fact remarkably humble. When its creator, Masahiro Sakurai, initially came up...
News EarthBound Celebrates 20 Very Strange Years of Existence
Proving that fighting piles of puke only gets better with age
It's almost hard to believe that EarthBound (Mother 2) is 20 years old with the way it continues to pop up nowadays. The 27th of August marks the RPG's 1994 release in Japan, however, and paved the way for its strange journey through other parts of the world. Brought to North America in...
Talking Point The Argument For And Against Retro Flash Carts
Preserving the past, or exploiting it?
As technology has advanced over the years, we've seen massive strides being taken in the realm of retro gaming, and one of the most important events to occur recently is the emergence of flash carts that allow gamers to potentially store every single game ever made for a single platform on an SD card and run...
News Monopoly: Pokémon Kanto Edition is Bringing Ruthless Landlord Gaming to a New Generation
Gotta bankrupt 'em all
As a board game representation of cold-blooded capitalism, Monopoly is rather brutal — up to six entrepreneurs start with the same level of capital and acquire land as quickly as possible, before then applying hefty rent charges for merely standing on the land. The goal is to bankrupt the other players; it's a cruel world...
News Check Out these Remastered Metroid and Super Smash Bros. Themes
A treat for the old eardrums
Music from video games is something that not many people outside the gaming circle really recognise or appreciate, so it's all the more encouraging when groups of people – be they large or small – band together in order to create a new experience from established melodies. Many of the classic themes from the Metroid...
Weirdness Two Fish Duke it Out in Street Fighter II
Get PETA on the line!
Not so long ago we shared the humorous and slightly goofy spectacle of a Fish playing Pokémon, in which its often lazy swims around its tank would be converted into D-pad and button inputs. Like any Twitch phenomenon there'll be others that use that original as a source of inspiration, and we reckon this particular spin-off is...
Video Turns Out Former James Bond Pierce Brosnan Isn't Very Good At GoldenEye 007
The Spy Who Karate-Chopped Me
GoldenEye 007 is arguably one of the finest video games ever made, and was a massive seller on its host platform, the N64. It recreated the events of the iconic 1995 James Bond movie of the same name, and starred a digital likeness of Pierce Brosnan (and a "square" Sean Bean, lest we forget). Just in case you're...
Weirdness Check Out this LEGO Bob-Omb Battlefield Reconstruction
In more than 64 bits
Everybody likes to celebrate their passion in different ways, and one intrepid gamer has recreated the entirety of Bob-Omb Battlefield from Super Mario 64 entirely from LEGO bricks. The detail is phenomenal, the enormous Chain-Chomp taking centre place, and King Bob-Omb in his rightful place perched atop the hill. Goombas,...
News Clever Flower Pot Lets You Plant a Pokémon Among Your Home Décor
B-b-b-bulba! The pottery that evolves!
Collections vary among fans according to taste, but for some nothing is better than displaying a nice "covert" piece. This is the type of item that unknowing folk can appreciate on their own merits, but other fans will instantly recognize and blather over its coolness. These "Succulent Monster" ceramic pots...
Weirdness Tetris Played With Pillows is Oddly Entertaining
We've had Kirby as yarn and Yoshi as wool, after all
As it's the end of a frantic week, and the main talking point going around right now is on a slightly obvious rumour about a Wii U HD Remaster — we'll get to that in our own way shortly — we thought we'd take the chance to relax and simply look at something cool. This video certainly qualifies...
News The Sega Genesis is Now 25 Years Old
How many of you are feeling old?
It's a day of hardware anniversaries, with the 19 year old Virtual Boy being joined by the 25th Anniversary of the Sega Genesis; as the name should have tipped you off, it's the North American anniversary of Sega's 16-bit beast. Known as the Mega Drive in PAL regions, the Genesis arrived before the Super NES and...
News The Virtual Boy is 19 Years Old, Probably Hasn't Received a Celebratory Cake
We still love it
The Virtual Boy is 19 years old in North America today, having arrived in the region on 14th August 1995. It doesn't have a European anniversary to celebrate, as it never had a release in the region. It's a system that shows us a few aspects of Nintendo that remain today, in some ways representing its key strengths. Nintendo...
Weirdness How to Order Earthbound-Themed Japanese Old Folks' Undergarments
Headline may be somewhat misleading
They may not be a must-have item for Lolita fashion, but the uniquely Japanese undergarment called haramaki has shed its reputation of being for grandparents only and enjoyed a resurgence of popularity among the young and fashionable in the last decade or so. A haramaki, or belly warmer, is a sweater-like...
Weirdness Ocarina of Time is a Lot Less Legendary With Waluigi as the Hero
The horror!
Poor old Waluigi. While Wario's obesity and capitalist greed nevertheless enables him to be relatively popular with a series of his own games, Waluigi's fate is to be a rather unloved member of the Nintendo family. He's just there, and those that declare themselves supporters of the purple one are relatively few in number. Thanks to...
Weirdness Pikmin on GameCube Can Be Run in Windows
With extra bugs included
Game development is a complicated business, even if modern tools and engines do much to ease the burden and the level of tricky coding required. Nintendo, of course, utilises its own engines and techniques, meaning that there are a lot of coders in its shiny new development building and others besides busily doing some...
News Coleco Mini Arcades Set to Sit Proudly On Shelves Once Again
Fingers crossed for the Donkey Kong version
Just recently we shared the news that Coleco wants to bring back its version of Donkey Kong, with the planned ColecoVision Flashback in the works and the company hoping to re-release the version of the DK arcade title that graced the original console. When we say 'company', it's worth observing that the...
Video Behold the Sheer Majesty Of The Backlit And Biverted Game Boy DMG-001
Now you can play anywhere, even in darkened rooms
Not so long ago, we spoke to Shaun Jones of GameBoyMods.co.uk about the services he offers to Game Boy owners looking to breathe some new life into their ageing handhelds. Shaun was kind enough to perform some surgery on our trusty old DMG-001, and we thought you might like to see the results in...
News Super Mario Kart SNES World Championships Race Onto The Grid on 12th August
Watch the event live on Twitch
The Mario Kart franchise continues to thrive since the release of Mario Kart 8, but now it is time again for its eldest brother, Super Mario Kart, to hold the annual World Championships this week between 12th – 17th August at La Suze-sur-Sarthe in France. The original game actually has this huge event held every year...
News Princess Zelda A "Heroine in Her Own Right", Lucky to Escape a Bungling Rescue From Link
Ganondorf has been compared to the "business end of a skunk"
Earlier this week we brought you a slightly silly update on Yoshi's real name, in which 60 of you voted in our poll to suggest that the T in T. Yoshisaur Munchakoopas stood for Tupac; over a hundred of you instead decided it was "the greatest mystery of our times". Not the most serious...
News Super Mario 64 Has a Mystery Goomba That Can Never Be Killed
Nor its coin claimed
While most gamers have a particular title that they'll play over and over again to a borderline unhealthy degree, not many of us have the fortitude and familiarity with any game to find its deepest, darkest secrets. Some do just that, however, often sharing their ultimately fascinating discoveries with the rest of us. One...
Video Nintendo's Wild Gunman And Sega's Bank Panic Face Off In A Deadly Shootout
Which one is the quickest on the draw?
Back in the '80s, it wasn't uncommon to see Sega and Nintendo launch games with similar themes in order to compete with one another, and a good example of this rivalry is the similarity between the NES light gun title Wild Gunman and the Sega Master System outing Bank Panic. Both had their origins in the...
Video Hyperkin RetroN 5 Review - King Of The Clone Consoles?
Tom and Damien put the wonder machine through its paces
The Hyperkin RetroN 5 has been with us for a while now, and we've had ample time to really get to know the system inside out. With that in mind, we present to you a video review of this talented piece of tech, which is capable of running games from a wide range of retro platforms, including the...
News Cult Classic Plok Transcends from Video Game to eBook
Beyond the pixel'd realm
Those who are well-versed in their SNES heritage should be aware of a sadly overlooked game from 1993 or 1994, depending where you were at the time. The name of the game in question is Plok - a platforming game where the titular character can remove and launch his limbs wherever he pleases in a style that's thankfully more...
News Coleco Wants to Bring Back Their Version of Donkey Kong
Might also be interested in ColecoVision on Virtual Console
Who's up for a quick history lesson? While Donkey Kong is purely Nintendo's furry, banana-breathed baby, the company originally granted Coleco rights to produce console and tabletop versions of the hit arcade game. Coleco bundled Donkey Kong with their new ColecoVision in 1982, then ported...
Weirdness There's a Fish That Plays Pokémon
Magikarp breathes a sigh of relief (at least we think that was a sigh)
Today's entrant in the annals of human achievement comes courtesy of Twitch TV, in the form of a motion-tracked fantail betta playing Pokémon Red/Blue using virtualised Game Boy controls. The fish, one Grayson Hopper, has apparently been playing (or "swimming aimlessly in his...
News Sean Bean Declares His Head is 'A Bit Square' in GoldenEye on N64
But he's Bean a fan for a long time
In a recent 'ask me anything' (AMA) on Reddit, Sean Bean confessed his admiration for the N64 classic Goldeneye 007, but also made reference to how polygonally-handicapped his head appeared. Oh, it's good, it's great! Especially because it's so popular, it's like, quite unique really. It was such a big hit. But...
News Nintendo's At It Again With Another Majora's Mask Tease
No Majora hype implied
Nintendo has been placing sly references to its off-the-wall cult classic The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask a number of years now – the most notable recent example was the presence of the titular mask on a wall of Link's house in The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds for the 3DS. Not to be flogging a dead horse or...
Weirdness Yoshi's Real Name Is Both Silly and Scientific
Will re-open the "is he a dinosaur" debate
We were once told by Nintendo that Yoshi is not a dinosaur, as we'd stated in a feature, but that he was simply a Yoshi. Once we'd dusted ourselves down from the polite but firm telling off, we felt indignant. He is a dinosaur, with boots, what's so wrong about that? It is possible that down the road of...
Art Controller Evolution Photo Series Hammers Home The Nintendo Factor
A visual record of how Nintendo has pushed the industry forward
Nintendo has been responsible for some major innovations when it comes to controllers — the NES D-pad, the N64 analogue stick, the Wii Remote — and Spanish artist Javier Laspiur has put together a photographic whistle-stop tour of the evolution of the game pad which shows just how...
Feature Ten Must Play Titles on the Game Boy
25 years young
In this past week the venerable Game Boy celebrated its 25th Anniversary in North America, which means we've had a quarter century of monochrome gaming goodness. The iconic system established Nintendo's leadership of the dedicated gaming handheld market, a position it still holds in the 3DS generation. It's not just nostalgia that...
News Mega Man Soundtrack Volumes 1-10 Announced for the West
Not a Japanese exclusive anymore
Capcom and Sumthing Else Music Works have announced the release of Mega Man Soundtracks in ten delicious volumes. The first four volumes are already available, and the subsequent six will be released at the rate of two per month. The classic chiptune tracks have been heralded as some of the best in the business, so...
July2014
Video This Pixel-Powered Chiptune Tale, Pulse Fighter, Shows The Power of Game Boy
This'll pummel your senses
As you may have read earlier today, it's the 25th anniversary of the Game Boy in North America, another welcome landmark for the venerable portable console. This dramatic three-minute tale is perfect for the occasion, as a result. The video, entitled "Pulse Fighter", is the work of m7kenji (visuals) and chiptune artist...
News The Game Boy is 25 Years Old in North America
Happy Birthday, Old Boy
The Game Boy recently celebrated the 25th anniversary for its release in Japan, a reminder of the enduring legacy of one of Nintendo's greatest creations. Its role in transforming the games industry and popularising portable systems can't be overlooked, not to mention the various franchises and classic games that define it...
News Ocarina Of Time Began Life As A Remake Of Zelda II: The Adventure Of Link
With a focus on samurai swordplay, no less
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time is arguably one of the best entries in the entire series, but it might surprise you to learn that it has its origins in a remake of one of the franchise's least popular instalments: Zelda II: The Adventure of Link. Nintendo worked on bringing the game to the Super NES...
Video Check Out the Full Console Wars Panel From Comic-Con
Representatives from Sega and Nintendo were in attendance
While Nintendo and Sega are now often partners, with exclusive Sonic games on big N systems, in particular, gamers of a certain age or with some awareness of gaming history will know very well that things used to be very different. During the late '80s and '90s the two companies were the core...
News This Master Arts Metroid Prime 2 Light Suit From First 4 Figures Has Lit Up Our Day
A pricey treat
When it comes to premium collectible Nintendo-themed statues, First 4 Figures has often provided some of the most memorable releases. Its latest product is sure to excite Samus fans, as it's opened pre-orders for the Master Arts Metroid Prime 2 Light Suit. This is from the excellent Metroid Prime 2: Echoes, of course, and will come...
Video The Trailer For E.T. Documentary Atari: Game Over Emerges From Landfill
Hyperbole ahoy!
Not so long ago, we reported on the news that film director Zak Penn had successfully unearthed the now-legendary Atari 2600 E.T. cartridges which were buried in the New Mexico desert back in the '80s. Penn has produced a documentary regarding the game, its development, how it sank the games industry and its subsequent rediscovery,...
Hardware Review AtGames Arcade Gamer Portable
Sega's Master System and Game Gear hardware gets cloned
Nintendo may be fiercely protective of its vintage games and retro hardware, but former rival Sega isn't quite so precious about where its former classics end up these days. We've already seen the likes of Sonic, Golden Axe and Streets of Rage migrate to practically every modern format under...
News This Majora's Mask Cake is Legendary
Yep, slow news day
When it comes to The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask, Nintendo's successfully kept demand for a remake at bay — speculation and iffy-looking shop 'listings' will continue until the end of time, or until a fresh release is announced. In any case, the fanbase for the N64 classic will continue to find ways to honour its status in...
Retro - Features
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