Retro News

March2012

  • News Sound-chip Enthusiast Explains Retro Sound Design

    NES music gets the treatment

    For some gamers there's a particular pleasure to be found in listening to music from previous console generations. We're not referring to the midi-fest of the N64, but going all the way back to the original NES. Technological limitations meant that only certain sounds and compositions could be used, but clever design...

  • Review Metroid (3DS eShop / NES)

    The classic that inspired so many still holds up today

    The NES section of the 3DS's Virtual Console expands by another notch with the addition of Metroid, regarded by many as one of the best entries that amazing series has to offer. The great news is that it's every bit as wonderful as you remember; the bad news is that it's no more interested in...

  • Review Aahh! Spot the Difference (DSiWare)

    Spot the indifference

    Greetings, fans of two-pictures-that-are-seemingly-identical-but-are-actually-slightly-different-to-one-another! Aahh! Spot the Difference is here to make you happy people indeed — as long as you don't mind the fact that it's short, bland and totally forgettable, that is. Adding another log to the bonfire of similar titles,...

  • Feature Nintendo's Biggest Blunders

    Even Mario gets it wrong sometimes

    They say true love triumphs over any hardships. If that is the case, then we must really love Nintendo, for it's provided us with plenty of chances to test our devotion throughout the years. Here is a selection of moments where it all went topsy-turvy, even if our commitment never wavered: You Can't Play That:...

  • News Capcom Japan Reprints GameCube Game Gotcha Force

    No, we don't know either

    Think back to Capcom's GameCube classics: Viewtiful Joe. Killer 7. Resident Evil 4. Good games, one and all, making it all the more baffling the publisher has reprinted Gotcha Force for Japan. The 2003 action RPG didn't review too well and never flourished into a full-on franchise, but Capcom's giving it another shot with a...

  • Review Mario Party 9 (Wii)

    Life and soul

    Nintendo's never been afraid to capitalise on the success of its franchises or, as some would say, beat its successful games to within an inch of their lives. Who knew when the very first Mario Party hit N64 in 1998 that, 14 years later, we'd be staring at the 11th — 12th if you count Mario Party-e — instalment in the series? After...

  • Review Super Mario Bros. (3DS eShop / NES)

    Yet another way to experience a masterpiece

    Mario. Say it loud and there's music playing. Say it soft, and it's almost like praying. Super Mario Bros. was, is, and will always be one of gaming's great masterpieces, and its availability on any additional format is a good thing. Now it's come to the 3DS Virtual Console, and we couldn't be happier. For...

  • Hardware Review Everdrive 64

    One cartridge, infinite possibilities

    They may not find much favour with purists, but flash carts are becoming increasingly popular these days. The rapid march of technology combined with the low cost of flash-based storage has generated a wide selection of different options, almost all of which are produced in limited quantities and to very crude...

February2012

  • Feature The Desire for Physical Media

    Digital isn’t always enough

    Yesterday we reported that there’s a new SNES title on the way in 2013. That title is Nightmare Busters from developer Super Fighter Team, a run and gun action game with a planned pre-order run of 600 copies. The concept of developing for a console that's now four generations out of date is unconventional but not...

  • News Retro Game Master Headed to DVD

    With a welcome extra

    Many gaming fans are familiar with GameCenter CX by now. In this popular Japanese TV show, comedian Shinya Arino takes on difficult retro games, generally with the goal of reaching the end before his time is up. The show is especially popular with Nintendo fans, as not only are most featured games from the Famicom, several...

  • News New SNES Title On the Way in 2013

    We're not kidding

    Most Nintendo gamers are currently pre-occupied with their current consoles and perhaps looking ahead to the arrival of Wii U. It's surprising, therefore, to hear about a new title for Super Nintendo, but that's exactly what is on the way. Retro developer and publisher Super Fighter Team has confirmed that it is currently...

  • Review Successfully Learning Mathematics: Year 4 (DSiWare)

    Successfully Testing Mathematics

    The Successfully Learning series from Tivola has, it its own way, become the most prolific franchise on DSiWare. That’s not necessarily surprising considering there's a range of subjects to cover, and we’ve now reached Successfully Learning Mathematics: Year 4. It’s edutainment with Freddy the Vampire, so we...

  • Review 2 Fast 4 Gnomz (WiiWare)

    Gnome mercy

    WiiWare first met the Gnomz four months ago with the release of the appropriately named Gnomz. This time they're back with a mission to rescue a princess — and bring back lots of socks. The game opens with the king blisteringly commanding you to do these seemingly disparate things, and it's a riot. The visuals and the soundtrack come...

  • Review Box Pusher (DSiWare)

    You certainly can't claim false advertising

    So far, GameOn has made its name on DSiWare with simple games executed well. Box Pusher does nothing to buck that trend, offering a gaming experience that manages to be both vast and shallow, but what this game lacks in personality it easily makes up for with its strong and clever central conceit. Box...

  • Review May's Mystery: Forbidden Memories (DS)

    Never send a kid to do a professor's job

    We've seen the rise in popularity of a few new or previously underappreciated genres within the current generation, among them rhythm-based games, brain training titles and life simulators. Another is the puzzle- and brain teaser-centric adventure, which rose to popularity with Level-5's Professor Layton...

  • Review The Last Story (Wii)

    A memorable tale

    As the Wii prepares to be usurped by its successor, you could argue the console's getting some exceptional adventures in its twilight. European gamers had the pleasure of working through epics such as The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword and Xenoblade Chronicles in 2011, with North America due to receive the latter soon. For those...

  • Review Metal Gear Solid (Game Boy Color)

    Snake sneaks onto Game Boy Color in his first portable op

    Metal Gear is a series born from limitations. Originally intended as a military shooter game for the MSX2 computer system, creator Hideo Kojima found the hardware unable to handle the large amount of on-screen action required for such an adventure. Instead of loud and overt blasting, the...

  • Review iSpot Japan (DSiWare)

    The multiplayer is the real difference

    Fans of spot-the-difference puzzles will know exactly what to expect from EnjoyUp Games' latest release, iSpot Japan. Players are presented with two similar photographs, and they must identify any details that differ between them. It's simple, and it's a perfect fit for touch screen gaming. Unfortunately,...

  • News See Rockstar and Miyamoto's Unreleased N64 Project

    Do the buggy boogie

    Back in the day, Rockstar San Diego — best known for Red Dead Redemption of course — was Angel Studios, a work-for-hire developer responsible for the N64 port of Resident Evil 2 among other games. What you may not know was the studio had an internal division known as Dream Team that once worked on an unreleased N64 game with...

  • Review Strider (Wii Virtual Console / Mega Drive)

    From Russia with love

    When you consider that he hasn’t starred in his own game since 2000, Strider Hiryu’s popularity in Capcom fan circles is impressive, which is largely down to the high regard in which players hold his 1989 coin-op début. Powered by Capcom’s CPS hardware, Strider was an arcade action platformer that redefined the genre;...

  • News Sami Cetin Sets New Super Mario Kart World Record

    Yes, another one

    Super Mario Kart player extraordinaire Sami Cetin has just set another world record on the classic 1992 16-bit racer. At GEEK 2012 and using the PAL version, Cetin completed a time trial on Rainbow Road in just 1:26.64, only milliseconds quicker than the previous best of 1:26.68, set by Guillaume Leviach less than five days ago...

  • Review Rhythm Heaven Fever (Wii)

    Fever pitch

    Rhythm Heaven games are the kind whose sole purpose is to make you smile. You might even say that it's a lot like a not-terrifying clown at a kid's party, actually: colourful and light, uncomplicated and wacky yet determined in its mission to entertain the masses. With Rhythm Heaven Fever marking the series' home console debut, Rhythm...

  • News History of Game & Watch Book Due on 9th March

    For real this time

    We know we've reported several release dates for The History of Nintendo: Volume 2 — Game & Watch — the most recent being 15th December — but this time we're told it's definitely, definitely coming on 9th March. The follow-up to the rather good History of Nintendo: Volume 1 — 1889 - 1980: From playing-cards to Game...

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

    Third time’s a charm?

    While Nintendo kept things fairly standard with the first two Super Mario Land releases, it obviously decided to make some changes when it got ready to create this third title in the series on Game Boy. Instead of featuring Mario, it decided to give players a chance to shake things up and take on the role of its newest bad...

  • Feature Nintendo Characters Looking for Love

    Will you be their player two?

    Like so many others, we at Nintendo Life get swept up in the romance that is in the air during St. Valentine's Day. We love the smell of the flowers, the taste of the chocolate and the irresistible allure of digging through the online dating profiles of strangers, hoping to find something amusing. Surprisingly, we got...

  • Review BurgerTime World Tour (WiiWare)

    Severely undercooked

    While never really regarded as a smash hit in arcades, the original BurgerTime has always been an entertaining little game. We recently got what is arguably the best older version, BurgerTime Deluxe, on the 3DS eShop, and now we finally have a completely new title that other platforms received a couple of months ago. But is it...

  • Review Kirby's Block Ball (3DS eShop / GB)

    Ball breaker

    Outside of the popular platformers for which he was first known, Nintendo is always more than happy to take advantage of Kirby’s robust, rotund appearance for spin-offs. In the past the happy little chap has been flipped and lobbed about in Kirby’s Pinball Land and abused with golf clubs in Kirby’s Dream Course. It was never a...

  • Review The King of Fighters '97 (Wii Virtual Console / Neo Geo)

    The once and future king

    Despite being the fourth in the series, The King of Fighters '97 is only the third to reach the Wii Virtual Console, SNK Playmore having skipped King of Fighters '96 in favour of its bigger, beefier brother. Without '96 to bridge the gap, the jump from King of Fighters '95 to '97 is huge: there are six more characters for a...

  • Review Maru's Mission (3DS eShop / GB)

    Mission: Unbearable

    Several months ago, the eShop saw the release of Avenging Spirit, a gleefully eccentric title that made us all sorry we missed it the first time around. Lightning doesn't strike twice for Jaleco with Maru's Mission, however, as this time the publisher has dusted off a forgotten title that really should have stayed that way. The...

  • News New York Gamer Breaks Tetris Record

    Then needs to lie down

    Here at Nintendo Life we often follow the progress of the Donkey Kong arcade world record, with the feat representing, arguably, one of the pinnacles of retro gaming. There are plenty of other Nintendo classics from the 1980s that are still played competitively, however, one being the original Tetris on NES. As reported by...

  • News Ex-Rare Staff Talk Nintendo, Microsoft and Where It All Changed

    Going places

    Many long-standing Nintendo fans have a special place in their hearts for Rare, the British developer responsible for Banjo Kazooie, GoldenEye 007, Jet Force Gemini and more. In 1994 Nintendo bought a 49% stake in the developer, guiding it to create hit after hit, but in 2002 the studio was bought outright by Microsoft, spelling the end...

  • Review Carmen Sandiego Adventures in Math: The Great Gateway Grab (WiiWare)

    Not so great

    Last time we checked in on her, Carmen Sandiego had sent her minions out to steal St. Basil’s cathedral in Russia. This week, Sandiego has made her way over to India in Carmen Sandiego Adventures in Math: The Great Gateway Grab. With her eyes set on the Gateway of India, it’s up to you as an agent of ACME to solve the mystery and...

  • News See, Kids? Sonic and Mario Weren't Always Friends

    A little history lesson

    Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games might have been SEGA's biggest seller of last year, but don't let it fool you: it's an uneasy alliance. Sonic Wrecks recently posted a video from SEGA's official library that dates way back to 1992, from a time when the plumber-hedgehog rivalry was at boiling point. Just...

  • Review TNT Racers (WiiWare)

    Keep on truckin'

    It’s not about the winning, it’s about the taking part. Though it’s technically of the racing genre, TNT Racers often encourages you to do all but grab the chequered flag first. Far more important is the ability to unleash timely havoc upon competitors to send them sputtering off-screen; consider it the driver’s guide to...

  • Review GO Series: Undead Storm (DSiWare)

    Frighteningly good

    To date, the GO Series has been a bit of a mixed bag, ranging from the disappointingly average GO Series: Pinball Attack! to the brilliant dungeon-crawling puzzler PicDun. As such, it's understandable that one might be sceptical of the latest title in the series, GO Series: Undead Storm. We're pleased to report, though, that...

  • News Can You Complete Super Mario Bros. In Under Five Minutes?

    Mamma mia

    Over 25 years on from release, people are still playing Super Mario Bros. on NES. Andrew Gardikis has probably played it more than most, as he's just set a new world record for fastest completion of the NES classic. Clocking in at 4:58.72, the time beats the previous record by ten seconds. Last year, Gardikis attempted to break the five...

  • Review Back to the Future: The Game (Wii)

    Make like a tree and read this review

    They say that if you were to travel back a million years and step on a butterfly, you could wipe out an entire species and change the world forever with that one seemingly infinitesimal move. When Marty McFly took a shorter excursion, back three decades to 1955, he almost erased his own existence in a similar...

  • Review Wicked Monsters Blast (Wii)

    Monster mash

    Cute cartoon creatures; simplistic shooting; a mixture of mini-games. Wicked Monsters Blast is a kids game by-the-numbers, but its charm and heavy nods towards arcade classics such as Point Blank could have youngsters going crackers for these animals despite a slim number of levels. Wicked Monsters Blast is easy to pick up, with scant...

  • Review Successfully Learning Mathematics: Year 3 (DSiWare)

    It all adds up

    Another week, another dose of edutainment. Successfully Learning Mathematics: Year 3 arrives on DSiWare, allowing another generation of eager young pupils to indulge in some mathematics on their favourite handheld. This title is, in form, identical to Successfully Learning Mathematics: Year 2, which is no surprise as they were...

January2012

  • Feature The Wonder of Ugly Add-Ons

    Only their creators love them

    For those who hadn’t noticed, we recently posted our 3DS Circle Pad Pro review, which unsurprisingly prompted a broad range of opinions and comments. While the reaction to the add-on has undoubtedly been diverse, most agree on one thing: it’s ugly. Or, to quote our review, it "makes the console look like it's...

  • Review Lola's Alphabet Train (DSiWare)

    On the right track

    Lola's Alphabet Train is both a learning tool and a game, but it's quite clearly more the former than the latter. This isn't a bad thing at all, but it's important to know that when setting your expectations. Lola is a chirpy panda bear who, aboard her titular train, presents children with a series of spelling and vocabulary based...

  • Review Newton Vs The Horde (WiiWare)

    An experiment to be ab-horde

    We're going to say this up front because there won't be much room to say nice things later on in the review: Newton Vs The Horde has an utterly fantastic concept. The idea is to destroy approaching zombie-like creatures by using physics puzzles either found in your environment or created by you. That's an interesting...

  • Review Winter Sports 2012: Feel the Spirit (Wii)

    Winter blunderland

    Another month, and yet another collection of motion controlled recreations of various sports rears its head on Wii, a console that already has sports-based minigame collections in unparalleled abundance. The latest contender to make a foolish bid to overthrow Wii Sports Resort as the undisputed champion of must-have titles for...

  • Feature 3DS and the Trend of Colourful Handhelds

    Who needs rainbows?

    It’s been on the market for less than a year, yet the 3DS is already available in five distinct colours, with multiple limited edition console designs also in stores or on the way. The reaction to new colour announcements is always interesting: while some bemoan yet another ‘new’ 3DS hitting the market, many seem to accept...

  • Review Carmen Sandiego Adventures in Math: The Case of the Crumbling Cathedral (WiiWare)

    In Russia, game disappoints you

    If you’re wondering where in the world Carmen Sandiego is this week, or what in the world she’s up to, look no further than Moscow, capital city of Russia. As is generally the case, Sandiego is busy using one of her goons from the criminal organization V.I.L.E. to abscond with with a precious landmark. This...

  • Review Stonekeep: Bones of the Ancestors (WiiWare)

    Rock-solid or balderdash?

    Stonekeep: Bones of the Ancestors, a remake of Interplay's mid-90's first-person dungeon crawler, sounds pretty good on paper. The Wii is a bit short on quality RPGs — especially on WiiWare — and Stonekeep was a decent-looking, competent RPG back in its day. But pre-rendered 2D environments and FMV characters are no...

  • Review Prince of Persia (3DS eShop / GBC)

    Lowly servant of Persia

    There's no question the original Prince of Persia is a classic game, with its iconic realistic movements, precision platforming and time limit. It's been ported to many, many platforms over the years, but does this handheld version hold up as well as other versions? In the transition to Game Boy Color, most of the game has...

  • Review Anne's Doll Studio: Gothic Collection (DSiWare)

    Doll-orous

    Anne's Doll Studio: Gothic Collection is your chance to slap drab Gothic accessories on two dead eyed dolls that look like charmless rejects from the movie Corpse Bride. That sentence is a complete and accurate summation of this title, and it's probably the only thing you'll need to read in order to decide if you want it. Anne's Doll...

  • Review 40-in-1 Explosive Megamix (DSiWare)

    More is less

    You’re given a bag of sweets. On the outside they’re a bit misshapen or broken up, but at least they’re brightly coloured, there’s a big variety of flavours and there are plenty of them, right? The first one doesn’t taste quite right. Neither does the second one. Nor the third. Half the bag has to be thrown in the bin when all...

  • Review Prince of Persia (Wii Virtual Console / Super Nintendo)

    Worthy of the throne

    Most gamers are familiar with the original Prince of Persia. Its incredibly realistic animations, created by Jordan Mechner from hours of video footage of his brother running and jumping around, made it an instant hit, and it's still one of the most well-known western game franchises today. Most people, however, are only...

  • Review Gaia's Moon (DSiWare)

    Full of fun or made of cheese?

    While many portable games praised for their accessibility and simple controls are often times associated with mobile game platforms, DSiWare is not without its own quality pick-up-and play titles. Games like Reflect Missile, Pop Plus: Solo and the Art Style series offer satisfyingly simple gameplay perfect for short...

  • Review Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones (3DS eShop / GBA)

    Once more, to arms!

    For such a long-running series, it's hard to believe Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones was only the second game to leave Japan after GBA predecessor Fire Emblem. Since then the series has had a far bigger presence in the West, a fact underlined by Sacred Stones' status as a 3DS Ambassador title. If Sacred Stones is your first Fire...

  • News Game Expo East Kent GEEKs Out in February

    Their words, not ours

    The UK retro gaming meet-up scene is thriving, with Game Expo East Kent — GEEK — the next event on the 2012 calendar. Taking place from 15th – 19th February in sunny Margate, attendees can take part in tournaments on classic games like Super Mario Kart and meet like-minded gamers, while the Queen's Hall will hold industry...

  • News The Origins of the Konami Code Revealed

    All together now...

    The Konami code is one of the most famous video game cheats of all time, but how did it come about? According to a translated chat between Konami's Kazuhisa Hashimoto and Shigeharu Umezaki, it all started with the NES port of Gradius. Hashimoto, the code's creator, explains: I had one guy under me, and he played through the...

  • Review 101 Pinball World (DSiWare)

    Deaf, dumb and blind

    101 Pinball World is, quite frankly, confounding on every level. Teyon's latest misguided attempt to cram large numbers of poorly-designed levels into half-baked games has resulted in a broken, hideous, aurally offensive, shambling monstrosity of a game. And that's being polite. Releasing in North America alongside the...

  • Review Super Mario Advance 3: Yoshi's Island (3DS eShop / GBA)

    Drawing you in

    Super Mario Advance 3: Yoshi’s Island joined a Nintendo tradition of re-releasing classic titles for a new audience. Bringing an iconic Super Nintendo platformer to the Game Boy Advance seemed perfectly apt, with the handheld more than capable of 16-bit standard visuals. The question remains, is this port worth playing today?...

  • Review LEGO Harry Potter: Years 5-7 (Wii)

    Let's finish this the way we started it... together

    Legend has it that every time Billy Joel drives to a holiday party that has a piano, he knows that he's going to end up playing Piano Man by request. He's played it countless times before, but when he plays it again, people will like it. It won't be surprising or innovative, but it will be...

  • Review Trip World (3DS eShop / GB)

    Bad trip?

    Sunsoft made a ton of great games for Nintendo systems back in the day. Everybody knows the likes of Blaster Master and the NES Batman game, but they also had a ton of equally great games which people simply didn't find out about. We've already had some, like Ufouria: The Saga and Lock 'N Chase, but thankfully it's continuing its support,...

  • Review Zombii Attack (WiiWare)

    iinsufferable

    Zombii Attack is a very silly game. Its main mechanic — firing zombies out of a giant slingshot — is strange enough, but even more preposterous is the fact that this game actually got published on WiiWare. The game is so horrendous that the campy feel and OK music don't even come close to saving it from its abominable controls and...

  • Review Successfully Learning Mathematics: Year 2 (DSiWare)

    A logical progression

    The Successfully Learning series is becoming one of the most prolific on DSiWare, with Successfully Learning Mathematics: Year 2 now the ninth title on the service. Versions of this mathematical matter have previously been released on WiiWare, but Freddy the Vampire’s campaign to teach all young Nintendo gamers through...

  • Review The Kore Gang (Wii)

    The bore gang

    The Kore Gang has been a long time in the making, a fact reflected in the final result. At its best, it’s colourfully innocuous and fun, while at its worst it can be frustrating and infuriating. It’s likely to be divisive as a result, so we’ll do our best to break it down. You know what everyone likes, though? Good intentions,...

  • Review WarioWare, Inc.: Mega Microgame$! (3DS eShop / GBA)

    No time to catch your breath

    Nintendo has made its name in the games industry by providing tightly focused and highly polished experiences for over 20 years. Its games are always regarded as some of the best in their respective genres, so what to do when it's conquered all charted territory? Invent new ones, of course. WarioWare, Inc.: Mega...

  • Review Mario vs. Donkey Kong (3DS eShop / GBA)

    A worthy successor

    The Mario vs. Donkey Kong series has been going for quite a while now, with four entries under its belt. If you've never played the original, you'd be forgiven for thinking that it's not much more than a fun Lemmings clone, but that's actually not true. In fact, Mario vs. Donkey Kong is closer to the Game Boy version of Donkey...

  • Review Carmen Sandiego Adventures in Math: The Big Ben Burglary (WiiWare)

    Big Ben brain buster

    Episodic gaming is becoming a regular occurrence on the Wii and DSiWare services, and whether that’s a good or bad thing is completely up to the individual. It is true, however, that if the first episode in a series isn’t very good, then there’s a chance that it won’t get much better moving forward. Carmen Sandiego...

  • Review 3 Heroes - Crystal Soul (DSiWare)

    Crystal meh

    CIRCLE Entertainment has a whopping 11 releases on DSiWare, with 3 Heroes — Crystal Soul the latest arrival. And while the medieval theme the developer is obviously fond of is still prevalent throughout the experience, this time around it's more of a puzzler than the usual strategy title. At the start of your adventure, you'll find...

  • Review Quick Fill Q (DSiWare)

    Holey-er than thou

    Quick Fill Q is the story of a pink ball rolling across featureless terrain at a glacial pace. Every so often he — this ball is a living creature, for some reason — will come across a hole that looks suspiciously like several Tetris pieces were removed from the ground, and it's up to you to fill it. That's the game, in its...

  • Review Slingo Supreme (DSiWare)

    Will it eat your baby?

    Some games just don’t translate well to the video game format, among them bingo and slots, unless you can bet real money on them. They’re both completely up to chance, and that’s generally not enough to drive a gamer. It’s strange, then, that combining the two works so well. Slingo Supreme does a decent job of bringing...

  • News Turn Your Retro Cartridges Into ROMS, Legally

    Conscience intact

    One thing that we positively don't support here at Nintendo Life is illegally downloading and playing retro games through emulators. As a result it's with a deep breath that we say this, but there's now a way to transfer your retro cartridges legally. A new gizmo called Retrode is on the way to market that allows you to plug in...

  • Review Flipper 2: Flush the Goldfish (DSiWare)

    Flippin’ out

    The DSiWare service continues to serve as a home for independent developers with innovative ideas, and Flipper 2: Flush the Goldfish is another example of that creative spirit. A sequel in name only to Flipper, this latest creation from Goodbye Galaxy Games is full of surprises. The main link to the first game can be found in the...

  • Review Bionic Commando (3DS eShop / GB)

    Don’t mean a thing if you ain’t got that swing

    If there’s one sacred cow in the entire platforming genre, it’s jumping. According to our highly scientific calculations, there are one hojillion sidescrollers that rely on hopping all about to climb, collect and kill. Capcom’s Bionic Commando series has plenty of climbing, collecting and...

  • Review Doodle Fit (DSiWare)

    Near perfect fit

    We all know that there is an over-abundance of puzzle games available on the DSiWare service. We also know that there are quite a few DSi and WiiWare games that were originally released as apps on the various mobile services. Miraculously, Doodle Fit is one of those rare games that comes from both of these categories, yet still...

  • Review Soccer Up! (WiiWare)

    Shoots too narrow

    On the Wii Shop Channel, EnjoyUp! Games describes Soccer Up! as being "a funny soccer game." We're willing to bet you and EnjoyUp! Games have different senses of humour. But we're also willing to bet you have different definitions of "total control," "inertia" and "soccer." Indeed, much of...

  • Review Chronicles of Vampires: Origins (DSiWare)

    Not so original

    If we made a list of things that we've seen just a little too much of in recent years, vampires and hidden object games would sit somewhere near the top. If that weren't enough to temper our excitement over Chronicles of Vampires: Origins, it happens to have one of the clumsiest titles we've read in recent memory (maybe because The...

December2011

  • Review Commando: Steel Disaster (DSiWare)

    Steely gamers only

    In the early 1990s, when the very idea of 3D polygons was beyond most imaginations, 2D run-and-gun shooters were popular amongst dedicated and skilled gamers. Titles such as Contra on NES, Gunstar Heroes on Mega Drive and Metal Slug on the Neo Geo meant that most console owners experienced, and often loved, the genre. Commando:...

  • Review Wario Land 4 (3DS eShop / GBA)

    A treasure

    Wario is pretty good, for a bad guy. To look at him you wouldn’t think he’d have a heroic streak at all; he’s got the squiggly moustache of a pantomime villain and a nose that would put any alcoholic to shame. Despite all this he’s secretly a sweetheart: considering that the rotund treasure hunter started life as an antagonist to...

  • Competition Win "A History of Nintendo: Volume 1" (5 Copies)

    Brush up on your history

    If you want to learn more about where it all started for Nintendo, we've got very good news for you. We've teamed up with Pix'n Love Publishing, the company behind some of our favourite gaming-related tomes, to bring you this exclusive competition to win its superb History of Nintendo: Volume 1. You can read our History of...

  • Review WordJong Arcade (DSiWare)

    Will it put a spell on you?

    A DSiWare shopper with yet another mahjong solitaire game is like a mule with a spinning wheel – no one knows why he got it, and darned if he knows how to use it. But WordJong Arcade stands out from the pack as it gives the game a Boggle twist; instead of removing matching pairs of tiles, you'll form words as you clear...

  • Feature Staff Memories of Nintendo at Christmas

    Merry Christmas, one and all

    Christmas has arrived, the festive period of giving and generosity, and also a time when loved ones shower each other with thoughtful gifts. For many gamers it's a holiday full of nostalgia and memories of shiny new consoles, games and fun with the family. We couldn't let this holiday pass without sharing some of our...

  • Review Tetris (3DS eShop / GB)

    From Russia with fun

    Saying that Tetris shifted a few Game Boys is like saying caffeine sold a few energy drinks. Already an established favourite by the time Nintendo's handheld hit the market in 1989, Tetris proved to be the perfect pick-up-and-play experience to go along with the fledgling portable system; while many people initially questioned...

  • Review F-Zero Maximum Velocity (3DS eShop / GBA)

    Gotta go fast

    F-Zero has always been Nintendo’s way of flaunting how on the cutting-edge of technology it can be when it so chooses. Like a bat out of Hell, the original F-Zero launched alongside the Super NES to draw a clear distinction between where 16-bit Nintendid and SEGagged. Later on N64, F-Zero X boasted 30 on-screen polygonal racers and...

  • Review Carmen Sandiego Adventures in Math: The Lady Liberty Larceny (WiiWare)

    Where in the world is the rest of the game?

    Remember Carmen Sandiego? That mysterious woman in red who would steal precious and historical items from throughout the world all while teaching kids about history and geography? Well, she’s finally back and up to her old tricks. Except this time, rather than geography, it’s going to take all of...

  • Review Mario Kart Super Circuit (3DS eShop / GBA)

    Short circuit

    It’s hard to believe that the Mario Kart franchise has been around for nearly 20 years and appeared on eight different consoles. Mario Kart: Super Circuit may have been first released in 2001, but now it’s back for a whole new generation of players ten years after release through the 3DS Ambassador program. There are four cups to...

  • News The Legend of Zelda 25th Anniversary T-Shirt Due Soon

    Pre-orders open Christmas Eve

    Premium t-shirt brand The King of Games has just revealed the official commemorative t-shirt for The Legend of Zelda's 25th anniversary, with pre-orders due to start on Christmas Eve. The shirt is available in black or green and features an image of Link's shield and Master Sword surrounded by his other famous items —...

  • Review Metroid Fusion (3DS eShop / GBA)

    Like cold fusion, only cooler

    Metroid Fusion slipped out of the airlock between two behemoths, simultaneously having to live up to the legacy of its predecessor Super Metroid, which is a big Power Suit to fill, and keep the advancing Metroid Prime at arm cannon's length. It would have been easy for Fusion to have become lost in the vacuum created by...

  • Review The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap (3DS eShop / GBA)

    Small but mighty

    Those poor Hylians just can't have any fun, can they? Just when everything seems to be all well and good, some creep with bad skin comes along, unleashes a whirlwind of evil and shrouds the land in darkness. It's tough for us to feel too bad for them, though. Because as history has shown, bad news for Hyrule means great news for...

  • Review Cake Ninja (DSiWare)

    Maybe it’s a fruit cake

    Nintendo’s handheld consoles face the ever-growing prominence of smartphones, particularly in terms of the games on these devices. Cake Ninja is undoubtedly influenced by a thoroughly popular game on Android and iOS that involves slicing fruit: this ninja, however, has lost his way. The gameplay within this title...

  • News How Was Super Mario Bros. 3 Made?

    Origin tails

    The Tanooki tail is back in a big way this year, but it's time to take a look back at when and how it entered the Mario canon way back in Super Mario Bros. 3. Chris Covell's website has a translation of The Stars of Famicom Games, a 1989 book taking a sneaky peek at how Mario's greatest 8-bit adventure was created, from ideas to...

  • Review Elite Forces: Unit 77 (DSiWare)

    Definitely forcing it

    On paper, Elite Forces: Unit 77 sounds great. A number of high-profile and wealthy individuals have gone missing all over the world, and it's correctly assumed that this is just the first step in a global terrorist plot. Desperate, the world turns to a renegade troop of no-nonsense butt-kickers: Unit 77. Unit 77 consists of...

  • Review Christmas Wonderland (DSiWare)

    Cruel, cruel Santa…

    Christmas is here, with endlessly looping festive songs on the radio, frazzled and angry shoppers seeking toys that are always out of stock, and themed downloads appearing on DSiWare. Christmas Wonderland has arrived: is it a land full of magic and goodwill, or a cheap resort with dogs dressed as reindeer? Christmas Wonderland...

  • Review Paper Wars: Cannon Fodder (WiiWare)

    Not the worst game ever

    At the back of every game shelf, at the bottom of every YouTube favourites list, in the dark recesses of every gamer's heart, they live. Games with which we are far too familiar, games that some of us have taken a near-masochistic pride in seeking out. Superman. E.T. Super Noah's Ark 3D. These are some of the worst games ever...

  • Review Word Searcher 4 (DSiWare)

    It’s more word searches… again

    You know the old adage “less is more?” Well, it’s pretty obvious that Digital Leisure takes this saying to heart with its Word Searcher series. Word Searcher 4 marks the fourth game in the series of word search puzzle games, and it’s not much of an advancement from the last one, or the one before that, or...

  • Feature Further Adventures in Scanlines: The SLG SCART

    Reading between the lines

    Not so long ago we reported on an awesome piece of tech which imbued your HD TV with the power to display authentic retro-style scanlines. The SLG3000 has since gone on to become a highly sought-after piece of kit in vintage gaming circles, so much so that Arcade Forge - the company behind the unit - have come up with a...

  • Feature Celebrating 10 Years of Animal Crossing

    Population: glowing

    Here's a fun game next time you're at a boring social occasion: try explaining the point of Animal Crossing to an elderly family member. Nintendo's genre-defying life series first appeared in Japan in April 2001 as Dobutsu no Mori ("Animal Forest") on Nintendo 64, but it was the enhanced Animal Forest+ for GameCube —...

  • News NES Bit Magazine Powers Up with Issue Two

    8 bits of glory

    In September we reported on the first issue of NES-Bit magazine; originally intended as a one-off, it performed well enough for editor Lorfarius to start work on issue two. Available as a PDF at first before getting a print release, the next issue covers a range of topics, with a special feature on the much-loved Castlevania series...

  • Review House, M.D. - Episode 5: Under the Big Top (DSiWare)

    Not-so-grand finale

    If you’ve been keeping score at home, then you should know by now that playing the House, M.D. games is about as fun as being hospitalised. Fortunately, the suffering can finally end now that the fifth and final installment in the series has arrived. If you’ve played any of the previous games and enjoyed them, then stop...

  • Review Xmas Puzzle (WiiWare)

    X-cceptable

    Less than a month ago, EnjoyUp Games released Pinocchio’s Puzzle, a jigsaw puzzle game that proved to be good fun for the whole family. Now, just in time for the holidays, EnjoyUp’s second jigsaw puzzle videogame emerges as Xmas Puzzle. But is this puzzle worth finishing and framing, or is it just a cheap Christmas cash cow? If you...

  • News These Cut Scenes Never Made it Into Majora's Mask

    Yet here they are

    It's always fascinating to see what gets left out of games before they make it to players, and while these two cut scenes from The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask aren't the most exciting we've ever seen they do show Link doing press-ups, so that's something. The clips below come from a beta version of the game, but we won't spoil...

  • Review Castle Conqueror - Against (DSiWare)

    Another day in paradise

    Another Castle Conqueror game? If CIRCLE Entertainment keeps this up, this just might turn into a monthly tradition. It's worth reading our previous reviews of Castle Conqueror and Castle Conqueror — Revolution as the gameplay here is largely the same as its real-time predecessors. The basic concept remains untouched:...

  • Review Blaster Master: Enemy Below (3DS eShop / GBC)

    Underground hit

    When the original Blaster Master made its appearance on the NES in 1988, it was lauded for its unique gameplay style and vast environment. Sunsoft would follow up the game with releases on Sega's Genesis and Nintendo's Game Boy, but it wasn't until it decided to create a sequel for Nintendo's Game Boy Color that Nintendo fans really...

  • Review Lock 'N Chase (3DS eShop / GB)

    Puzzle Pac-Man

    Data East had quite a few relatively unknown Game Boy games back in the day. Much BurgerTime Deluxe, released a few weeks ago, Lock 'N Chase is essentially a "sequel" to the original arcade game, with the same general gameplay but with many more levels and even a few new gameplay mechanics. If you've played the arcade game,...

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