Anniversary The Super Famicom Is Now 27 Years Old
It's got a mortgage and two kids as well
News Nicalis Unveils Snazzy Website to Celebrate Its 10 Year Anniversary
Promises "some very cool announcements" in the coming months
Video Celebrate Kirby's 25th Anniversary With This Special Trailer
Including a reminder of the 2018 Switch release
Anniversary - News
December2017
Video The First 30 Years of Mega Man
You can’t stop the rock!
17th December is a big day for Capcom, as one of its top series and characters - Mega Man - celebrates its 30th birthday! The company started the party a bit early by announcing Mega Man 11, coming next year! But, it all began thirty years ago, when Capcom put forth a plan to create its first non-arcade port for the...
November2017
Anniversary The Super Famicom Is Now 27 Years Old
It's got a mortgage and two kids as well
To many retro gamers it doesn't get much better than the Super Nintendo, otherwise known as the Super Famicom in its native Japan. This year Nintendo celebrated this 16-bit wonder with the release of the SNES Classic Mini, which was a timely reminder of how great the console was. It was on this console that...
October2017
Anniversary It's One Year Since Nintendo Showed Us The Switch
NX level stuff
Incredibly, it's now one year since Nintendo lifted the lid on the Switch - and Nintendo Karen. Leaked many months ahead of the official reveal, the hybrid nature of the Switch - then known as "NX" - left some unconvinced. Even the announcement video itself - which focused on the system's ability to t
September2017
News Nicalis Unveils Snazzy Website to Celebrate Its 10 Year Anniversary
Promises "some very cool announcements" in the coming months
Nicalis was a familiar name to Nintendo gamers in the Wii, Wii U and 3DS eras, but it's risen to prominence in the short lifespan of the Switch. It's been active in bringing out budget retail titles in particular, with the physical editions for the likes of Cave Story+ and The Binding of...
August2017
Video Celebrate Kirby's 25th Anniversary With This Special Trailer
Including a reminder of the 2018 Switch release
As we've seen over recent weeks with themed discounts and promotions, Nintendo's been celebrating the 25th Anniversary of Kirby. Nintendo of Europe, for its part, has now published a rather nice trailer celebrating the landmark. It works through 25 years of Kirby games, ending with a few snippets of...
July2017
News Nintendo's Been In The Video Game Business For 40 Years This Month
Humble beginnings
Time flies when you're having fun, and it's crazy to think that it's been 40 years since Nintendo started making video games. It feels like there is a anniversary for something every other day at the moment, but this is a big one. According to Nintendo's own records, the Color TV Game 6 and Color TV Game 15 in July 1977 in Japan...
June2017
News Congratulations Nintendo 64, You're A Proper Grown-Up Now
The classic system turns 21 today
It's a day of anniversaries today it seems, not only does Sonic The Hedgehog turn 26, but it is also a whopping 21 years since the Nintendo 64 was released in its native territory of Japan. Launched on 23rd June 1996, the N64 served as a landmark moment in Nintendo's history as a video game manufacturer, mainly...
March2017
News The 3DS is Six Years Old in the Americas, How Time Flies
It's still going, too
There was a period, in the Summer of 2011, when 'Nintendoomed' was a theme as plummeting sales for the 3DS were interpreted as the end times. As always there was a lot of exaggeration, but there were valid problems too. At the time the Wii was losing steam, and following the phenomenal success of the DS family of systems the...
News The Nintendo 64 Is 20 Years Old Today In Europe And Australia
That's right, you're old
Here's another anniversary to make you feel older - the much-loved Nintendo 64 is celebrating its 20th birthday today in Europe and Australia. Released in June 1996 in Japan and September 1996 in North America, eager Euro gamers would have to exercise patience once again as the N64 launched on 1st March, 1997 in Europe...
December2016
Video Happy Birthday Pit! - The 30th Anniversary of Kid Icarus
Another NES classic marks three decades
Mark your calendars, because on Monday, 19th December, another classic NES game has an anniversary. In 2016 there have been a long list of games that turned 30, including the likes of The Legend of Zelda, Dragon Quest and
Music Behold the Majesty of The Legend of Zelda 30th Anniversary Concert CD
Japan gets all the best stuff!
Remember CDs? They were those shiny discs you can still play in most car stereos. We jest, the Japan-exclusive The Legend of Zelda 30th Anniversary Concert CD looks seriously cool. Out on 15th February 2017, this lovely 2-disc release will set you back ¥3,000 (around £20 / $25) plus tax; Amazon Japan is listing it...
News A Special Kirby 25th Anniversary Broadcast Will Air Tomorrow in Japan
Pinch me, I must be dreaming
Earlier this summer, the Kirby series saw its latest entry with Kirby: Planet Robobot, the sublime mech-centric platformer that more or less concluded a trilogy of Kirby games that have come out over the past few years. As it would happen, Kirby's 25th anniversary is due to occur in 2017, and while there haven't been any...
Reminder There's Another Chance to Pick Up Arceus for X, Y, Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire
It's time for judgment
It's been a year of awesome Anniversary Legendary distributions in the last-gen Pokémon games (as they are now), with some neat 'mon given away for X, Y, Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire. Most were distributed via the Nintendo Network, but some were more awkwardly tied to store distributions. One of these was Arceus in August,...
October2016
News Mythical Pokémon Genesect Confirmed for Anniversary Distribution in November
That doesn't bug us at all
With Pokémon in its 20th Anniversary year we've been getting one Mythical Pokémon every month for the current-gen games, each available for a few weeks. The November offering will be Genesect, which will arrive on 1st November and be available until the 24th of the same month; it'll be a store distribution, with the...
September2016
News Mythical Pokémon Keldeo Confirmed for Anniversary Distribution in October
An inclusion that's definitely justified
With Pokémon in its 20th Anniversary year we've been getting one Mythical Pokémon every month for the current-gen games, each available for a few weeks. This month's offering is Keldeo, which will arrive on 1st October and be available until the 24th of the same month through the Nintendo Network; it...
News Nintendo is Now 127 Years Old
That's 889 in Duck Hunt Dog years
When most people think of Nintendo they likely picture things like Mario, Legend of Zelda, Shigeru Miyamoto, Mario again, and then Pokémon. It doesn't take a genius to figure out that none of those existed when the company was founded on 23rd September 1889; back then Nintendo specialised in hanafuda playing cards,...
August2016
Anniversary The Super Nintendo Is 25 Years Old Today
Happy birthday, you boxy thing
25 years ago, the Super Nintendo - or Super NES (or even SNES, if you're in a rush) - arrived in North America to critical acclaim and great fanfare. Following on from a successful launch in Japan - where it was named the Super Famicom - the console recieved a rather drastic facelift for its North American debut,...
News Metroid is 30 Years Old Today
Happy birthday, Samus
Despite the sad reality that Metroid has fallen on hard times recently, the series has been a tentpole Nintendo franchise for nearly as long as the company has been in the gaming business. Many Metroid games still stand as some of the best available on Nintendo platforms, which makes it that much more of a sting that the series...
July2016
Live Blog It's Time for Sonic the Hedgehog's 25th Anniversary Party and Game Reveal - Live!
Hopefully not Boom and bust
Oh Sonic the Hedgehog, we love you and we fear you. The Blue Blur's games over the past decade have varied from promising and solid efforts to atrocious disasters, with some 3DS and mobile games in between. Now SEGA is throwing a 25th Anniversary bash in which a new game will be announced; we're watching and hoping for...
All gearing up for a reveal (hopefully) on 22nd July
For Sonic the Hedgehog fans there's hopefully some excitement around the corner - a celebratory Anniversary event in San Diego on 22nd July looks likely to reveal a new Sonic game for 2017. The event is even getting streamed online, so we'll be giving it the full live blog and stream treatment in...
Anniversary Donkey Kong is Now 35 Years Old
When Mr. Video rescued Pauline
We suspect that Shigeru Miyamoto and some veteran colleagues in Nintendo will be raising a glass this weekend in honour of Donkey Kong, as the arcade arrived in Japan on 9th July 1981 - 35 years ago. It was its impact in North America when it landed at the end of that month, however, which proved particularly vital to...
June2016
Video SEGA Commissions Neat Sonic the Hedgehog Street Art, Though Some Focus on Blue Arms
Boom...
In just a few weeks we should get a look at the next major Sonic game, with a live stream promised of a 25th Anniversary event in San Diego on 22nd July. After quite a bit of waiting fans will no doubt be pinning their hopes on a return to form for the series. The official Sonic the Hedgehog YouTube channel has been warming up with a few...
News New Sonic the Hedgehog Game is Coming in 2017
July San Diego event will be streamed online
There's been a lot of chat around Sonic the Hedgehog this week, but we appear to finally have the real confirmation that we've been waiting for. At a 25th Anniversary bash in Tokyo Sonic Team boss Takashi Iizuka confirmed that a new Sonic game is coming in 2017, and also showed off the following artwork /...
Anniversary Sonic the Hedgehog is Now 25 Years Old
Happy Birthday old chum
Sonic the Hedgehog is 25 years old, with the original game coming out on SEGA Genesis / Mega Drive in North America on 23rd June 1991, kicking off one of gaming's most iconic early rivalries. The 'Bit Wars' between SEGA and Nintendo, Sonic and Mario, were integral to many childhoods of gamers that are now typically over 30...
Anniversary Super Mario 64 is Now 20 Years Old
A vital part of gaming history
2016 is a year with plenty of notable anniversaries, and now one of the most influential games in the industry's history is 20 years old. Super Mario 64 - hat-tip to this NeoGAF thread for the reminder - arrived in Japan on 23rd June 1996, and thanks to time zones that landmark has now been reached in Nintendo's...
News Nintendo of Europe Unveils Over 40 Discounts for eShop 5 Year Anniversary Sale
Two weeks and plenty of choices
As you're more than likely aware, the 3DS eShop - and 'eShop' as a whole - has passed its five year anniversary. It's a notable landmark, and while major discounts have been rolled out in Japan some in the West wondered if a similar promotion would arrive globally. Nintendo of Europe has now pitched in with details of...
Talking Point In Praise of the 3DS eShop, Which is Now Five Years Old
A vital landmark for Nintendo's modernised download sales
Today (6th June) brings a notable landmark for fans of download games - the 3DS eShop has turned five years old. Five years with hundreds of game releases, most of them by CIRCLE Entertainment and EnjoyUp Games - we're joking, of course, but both of those publishers and more deserve a hat tip...
May2016
Anniversary New Super Mario Bros. is Now a Decade Old
Forever 'New' thanks to clever (or not) branding
When you put 'New' in the name of something, it's inevitable that around a decade later someone will smarmily say "it's not new any more", and you just have to accept that putting an adjective like that in a name isn't a long term solution. Yet, when New Super Mario Bros. was released on DS it was...
April2016
News Feature: Five Reasons Why We Love Animal Crossing
Happy Anniversary Mayor!
Animal Crossing turned 15 this week, and we're certainly feeling plenty of nostalgia for the series. What makes Animal Crossing such a successful franchise? We've put together some of the points that we think have propelled the series to being one of the most successful ever. The characters: Animal Crossing would be...
News Atlus is Now 30 Years Old
Well, the pre-takeover Atlus, it still counts...
Atlus is a publisher and developer that's rather well-known and much loved - the Japanese company has brought us a number of iconic franchises, while Nintendo gamers in North America (and to a lesser extent Europe) have enjoyed a high number of exclusives over the past two generations. Atlus was...
March2016
Feature Some of Our Favourite 3DS Games - Fifth Anniversary Edition
We recommend them all
The 3DS is five years old, a grand age for a portable family that had a rough start but recovered to establish itself as a success for Nintendo. As it heads into - potentially - a home stretch that will include highlights such as Pokémon Sun and Moon, we've been looking at some of its best games. We already published the...
Feature Thoughts on the 3DS as It Reaches Its Fifth Anniversary
Dave Letcavage and Jose Acosta share their perspectives
The 3DS has reached its fifth Anniversary for its release in the West, and in the first of multiple feature articles focused on the portable Dave Letcavage and Jose Acosta share their thoughts and memories related to the portable. Dave Letcavage: I haven't been in the best heath for the...
Community Pick Your Favourite Nintendo 3DS Games - Fifth Anniversary Edition
Let's do things a little differently
Though the landmark has already passed in Japan, we're now approaching the fifth anniversary of the 3DS in the West. The first model launched on 25th / 27th March 2011 in Europe and North America, respectively, with the original model focusing much of its sales pitch on autostereoscopic 3D. That feature would...
News The Game Boy Advance is Now 15 Years Old
The last of an iconic family
The Game Boy brand was one of the most powerful in gaming during the 1990s with the original system and its iterations. Though the Game Boy Color offered some enhanced power, it nevertheless took an exceptionally long time for a true successor (aside from the ill-fated Virtual Boy) to arrive. The Game Boy Advance made...
Live Blog Watch Sonic the Hedgehog's 25th Anniversary SXSW Panel and its 'Special Reveal' - Live!
It'll be over in a blur
Sonic the Hedgehog is a franchise with a big Anniversary in 2016, as SEGA celebrates the mascot's 25th Birthday. Of course, with a landmark date fans expect a big game, and this SXSW panel has been teased to include a 'Special Reveal'. What will it be? Join us to find out! <liveblog...
News The Pokémon Company Confirms Outstanding Lifetime Sales for the Franchise
About 279 million sales all in
The Pokémon Company is well into its year-long anniversary celebrating its franchise, with Pokkén Tournament the latest arrival in stores, while Pokémon Sun and Moon and Pokémon Go will be a huge arrivals later in the year. We all know that the series is successful, but there are now some clear figures that...
News 'Special Reveal' Teased for Sonic the Hedgehog Anniversary Panel at SXSW
We can safely say it's not a new Wii U-exclusive Sonic Boom sequel
In this year of landmark anniversaries we can add Sonic the Hedgehog to the list, with SEGA's iconic mascot turning 25 in the Summer. The mascot has had his ups and downs but still remains an integral part of the gaming scene in the eyes of plenty of fans, and we can be sure that...
Reminder Mythical Pokémon Celebi Is Now Available to Download in Current-Gen Games
Just download it
As part of the Pokémon 20th Anniversary celebrations various Mythical 'mon are making their way into the current-gen games. Mew was the first of the monthly distributions, and now Celebi is joining in. Originating on the Game Boy Color, this modern iteration has the same moves as it did in Silver & Gold, including the ability...
February2016
Feature Nintendo Life's Favourite Pokémon Games - 20th Anniversary Edition
They all want to be the very best...
Not too long ago we asked you, the Nintendo Life community, to vote for your favourite Pokémon games, in order to celebrate the 20th Anniversary of the franchise; to say that the voting was close would be an understatement. As for the rules, only 'main' or 'core' games were included, which was nevertheless a...
Feature Reflections on 20 Years of Pokemon
Our staff and contributors shared their thoughts on the series
Pokémon is now 20 years old, with the celebrations having included a Pokémon Direct and the release of the gen 1 Game Boy titles on the 3DS Virtual Console. It's become one of the most important franchises for Nintendo both commercially and in broader terms, with a popular culture...
Ninterview How NeoGAF's Watch Da Birdie Is Creating The Most In-Depth Pokémon Retrospective Yet
Gotta discuss 'em all
With Pokémon celebrating its 20th anniversary and a mysterious Pokémon-related broadcast imminent, there is certainly no shortage of content to keep fans engaged and excited about the future of the series. We've seen that the Pokémon fandom is capable of some truly amazing feats, including fanart and other impressive...
News Pokémon Photo Booth Can Now Be Downloaded Off of the App Store
Pokémon Snap
It seems that the Pokémon company is trying to get the hype machine moving at full speed, with a planned Pokémon Direct this Friday that will no doubt have some big announcements. The Pokémon company has especially shown interest in mobile devices lately, with Pokémon Shuffle being ported over and Pokémon GO on the way later this...
Its sales may not match Mario's, but its influence could be greater
The Legend of Zelda is now 30 years old, based upon its original release on the Famicom Disc system, a version that even pointed to the future with use of the Famicom's - admittedly limited - controller microphone. An adventure game of that scope understandably captured the hearts...
Even in a world-ending scenario Link and company find their humanity
Though it's a sore point for me, I'm now the wrong side of 30, and all of the gripes and complaints I dismissed from others in the past actually feel true. The grey hairs are coming, I can feel my body saying "nah, we're not doing that" at endeavours it would scoff at a decade ago,...
Poll Vote for Your Favourite Legend of Zelda Games - 30th Anniversary Edition
It's a tough call
21st February is a special date for The Legend of Zelda franchise, as it's the 30th Anniversary of the Famicom Disk version of the first game in the franchise. Nintendo's been oddly slow to make a fuss about the date, barely mentioning the landmark and focusing its efforts on promoting The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess HD...
Video Bask in the Nostalgia of the Latest Pokémon Red, Blue & Yellow Virtual Console Trailer
Just 10 days away...
It's not long now until The Pokémon Company goes all out for the 20th Anniversary of its franchise, bringing the original first generation games to the 3DS Virtual Console along with various hardware bundles. Pokémon Red and Blue will be joined by the Yellow Version on the eShop, making this the first occasion when these...
Feature A Pokémon Retrospective: Generation 6 - 2013 to ????
Talking 'bout this generation
As we build up to the 20th anniversary of Pokémon later this month, and look hotly ahead towards brand new things, we're concluding our journey through each generation of Pokémon; this month we cover the most recent generation, the one we are still in! Be sure to also check out our retrospectives on generation 1,...
Reminder The Current-Gen Mew Special Distribution is Underway
X & Y and Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire included
The Pokémon Company has plenty going on for the franchises' 20th Anniversary, and the first of a number of monthly special distributions - Mew - is now up and running. We've covered some details in separate posts, but as serial codes are now available in multiple countries we thought it'd be worth...
January2016
News Current-Gen Pokémon Mew Distribution Details are Confirmed for Europe
Legendary
When The Pokémon Company unveiled some of its 20th Anniversary plans it confirmed that Mew would be included as a serial code in the upcoming first-gen Virtual Console releases, and also as a distribution in the current-gen releases - Pokémon X & Y and Pokémon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire
Talking Point Let's Dare to Believe that Sonic the Hedgehog Can Have a Happy Anniversary
He just needs the right spin
There were a few notable anniversaries in 2015, yet this year looks set to be even more significant. Pokemon and The Legend of Zelda are among the major celebrations still to come, but it's also the 25th Anniversary of Sonic the Hedgehog. Once the sworn enemy and rival to Mario, leading the SEGA charge in the 'Console...
Digitally remastered movies! Special Edition cards! Merchandise!
It promises to be a great year for Pokémon fans, as 20th Anniversary celebrations are set to be a highlight over the course of many months. Various hardware bundles and the anniversary logo have been revealed, and now The Pokémon Company has released a video highlighting some more...
Commemorative anniversary logo also released
It's a big year for Pokémon as the franchise gears up to celebrate its 20th Anniversary. With that in mind Nintendo has now lifted the lid on some key releases that are on the way to the West, which should certainly please fans. Starting with Europe, it'll receive three variations of 2DS bundles, one...
News Crush 40 Facebook Post, Since Deleted, Points to 25th Anniversary Sonic Game
Actually, Generations wasn't bad
Sonic the Hedgehog is a mascot with a sketchy recent history. Sonic Colours was reasonable, Sonic Lost World flirted with being a true return to form but fell short - in this writer's opinion - of its full potential, and Sonic Boom was tolerable on 3DS but a load of old rubbish on Wii U. Unsurprisingly Sonic Boom:...
News SEGA Reveals the Logo for Sonic the Hedgehog's 25th Anniversary
Let's hear it for the Blue Blur
It's difficult to believe, but it's already going on twenty-five years since Sonic the Hedgehog starred in his first title on the Sega Genesis. Back in those days, Sonic and Mario games stood toe to toe and symbolized what was perhaps one of the greatest rivalries in gaming history between their respective companies...
November2015
Feature Reflecting On Three Years With The Wii U - Part One
The Nintendo Life team talks about the current-gen gem
The Wii U is - at the time of writing - about to turn three years old, and despite its young age some are already looking to the next generation from the big N. That seems a pity in light of the strengths of the system, especially as it's delivered so many wonderful games and memories, so to...
October2015
News The NES is Now 30 Years Old
The game changer
The NES is 30 years old today, at least based on its widely agreed - albeit historically debatable - North American release date. Not to be mistaken with the Famicom release - which is way back in 1983 - it was nevertheless the Nintendo Entertainment System rebranding and a certain Super Mario Bros. that catapulted Nintendo further...
September2015
News Nintendo is Now 126 Years Old
About to enter a new era
It's time for paper hats, party poppers and some slightly underwhelming cake at Nintendo HQ - we've all been to that party - as the company celebrates its 126th Anniversary. It was founded on this day in 1889. We wrote a pretty extensive article about Nintendo's history and longevity for its 125th Anniversary last year,...
Plus plenty of insight from the current day designers
In honour of Super Mario's 30th Anniversary, Nintendo of America has released a neat 'Special Interview' video featuring Shigeru Miyamoto and Takashi Tezuka talking about development of the original Super Mario Bros. and also Super Mario Maker. Though the bulk of the video is from a modern day...
Gallery Mario - A History of Power-Ups, Fashion and Wardrobe Missteps
Looking fabulous
With the mascot's 30th Anniversary upon us you can expect to see a lot of words devoted to Mario in the coming days. Of course, for a franchise that's established its reputation on irreverent fun, we can't help but consider some of its sillier features. Power-ups qualify; yes, they can be integral to gameplay mechanics, absolutely...
July2015
Anniversary The Virtual Boy Is 20 Years Old Today
Nintendo's most famous failure is getting on a bit
According to the history books, the Virtual Boy is Nintendo's biggest failure — both commercially and critically — in the hardware arena. Launched 20 years ago today on 21st July 1995 in Japan to almost complete consumer apathy, it bypassed Europe entirely and was discontinued the following...
News The Famicom is 32 Years Old Today
Should have a steady job and a mortgage by now
Here's one to make some of us feel old - the Famicom is 32 years old today, released in Japan on 15th July 1983. It was, of course, the system that would be revamped and remodelled as the NES in October 1985 in North America. Famicom was the shortened name for Family Computer; a key difference of this...
Video This News Anchor Sure Is Excited About Super Mario Maker
"Oh man, this is so awesome!"
When Nintendo of America tweets a link to a TV news segment, we're normally inclined to shrug it off. We've seen enough news anchors stumble their way through a conversation about Nintendo games for one lifetime. Yet this one's a bit different. A Nintendo of America rep appeared on Fox 5 Morning News with some props,...
March2015
Feature Ten Must-Play Games for the Nintendo 3DS
As voted for by you to celebrate four years of the portable
With the 3DS now four years old, and now that the New Nintendo 3DS has brought us another iteration with a whole load of features, we decided it was a good time to take stock of ten definitive experiences on the system. To that end we listed 50 retail games - the eShop will have its own...
News The Nintendo 3DS is Now Four Years Old in Europe
Eur 'avin a laugh
The Nintendo 3DS arrived four years ago today in Europe, strategically released to maximise profits before the end of the financial year that closed on 31st March 2011... erm, we mean strategically released to excite gamers. Its arrival prompted plenty of launch week hype, and by the close of March Nintendo announced that over 3.5...
November2014
Anniversary The Nintendo DS is Now 10 Years Old
Went from baby phat to slim
It's a big day for the original DS, as it's 10 years to the day since the first model in the iconic family of systems — commonly referred to as the 'phat' — arrived in North America. Few will forget the E3 reveal of the DS by Reggie Fils-Aime, and its clamshell Though it signalled the beginning of the end for the...
Anniversary 20 Years Ago Today, Rare Resurrected The Donkey Kong Brand
Donkey Kong Country is now two decades old
Donkey Kong is Nintendo's first major star, having made his début in the arcade game that effectively turned the company into the global monster it is today. However, when Mario decided to become Super on the NES and take his place as Nintendo's number one mascot, DK was bumped down the pecking order and...
Feature The Wii U is Two Years Old, But How's it Doing?
We feel it's a C minus, overall, on its anniversary
Two years ago today — on 18th November 2012 — the Wii U was launched in North America. It was the first of this current generation of hardware to arrive in stores and generated a decent amount of hype, followed up by subsequent releases in Europe (30th November) and Japan (8th December). After...
October2014
News The Game Boy Color is Now 16 Years Old
It'll be asking to host house parties...
Nintendo's released so many systems and iconic games that anniversaries are a regular occurrence; now it's the turn of the Game Boy Color — it's 16 years old, having been released in Japan on 21st October 1998. While some attribute Nintendo's trend for focusing on innovation and content over raw power as a...
News Rising Star Games' New Online Shop Now Open
No oddly numbered watches available at time of writing
As part of Rising Star Games' tenth anniversary celebration, the company's own online shop is now open, offering a selection of Rising Star's games and some new merchandise including company logo pins, T-shirts, and mugs. This current selection of products is available as a thank-you to early...
September2014
Talking Point History Shows Us That Nintendo's Here to Stay
125 years and counting
On 23rd September 1889 Nintendo was founded as Nintendo Koppai, meaning the company is now 125 years old; it's been known as Nintendo Co., Ltd since 1963. The history of the company is particularly fascinating, and also reminds us of some important lessons regarding Nintendo; it's not solely a video game manufacturer,...
News Nintendo Celebrates Its 125th Anniversary
Founded in 1889
Nintendo has celebrated its 125th Anniversary today, with the company founded on 23rd September 1889 in Kyoto, where its headquarters remain. The company has had an extraordinary history that goes well beyond video games, console wars and Mario, a fact that can be easily forgotten. Founded initially as Nintendo Koppai by Fusajiro...
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...
August2014
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...
July2014
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 Rising Star Games Is Now Ten Years Old
Celebrates with new brush logo and a promise
Hertfordshire-based game publisher Rising Star Games, the “home of Japanese games,” is celebrating its ten-year anniversary. The company’s announcement page features a splashy minute-long montage video and details how Rising Star is celebrating with events and announcements on the tenth of every...
June2014
News The Nintendo 64 is Now 18 Years Old in Japan
Finally old enough to run Conker's Bad Fur Day
Time flies when you're having fun, especially for those of us who grew up spending excessive amounts of time playing GoldenEye 007 and Mario Kart 64. That's because the Nintendo 64 was released a whopping 18 years ago today in its native territory of Japan. Released on 23 June 1996, the N64 served as a...
April2014
Talking Point The Game Boy is 25 Years Old, and Deserves Its Place in Gaming History
Nintendo's most vital triumph
Today's an important day, and we imagine a large celebration cake has been purchased for Nintendo HQ in Kyoto. The Game Boy was released 25 years ago today in Japan, and it was a system that — perhaps unlike any other — defined and set Nintendo on its path to being a successful multi-billion dollar corporation...
March2014
Feature Looking at the 3DS Revolution on its Third Birthday
Born to be three
Let's think back, for a moment, to the DSi. The remixed version of the hugely successful DS Lite — which itself replaced the 'phat' model — included an online download store, which was a big deal at the time. It also had primitive technical capabilities while the DSi Shop, like its Wii equivalent, was a representation of...
News The 3DS is Now Three Years Old in Europe
Onwards and upwards
A month ago we reported that the 3DS had reached its third birthday in Japan — it's now reached the same landmark in Europe as of today, 25th March. After the usual pre-launch buzz the 3DS had a mixed first year, but has since gone from strength to strength. Going into its fourth year it has upcoming releases such as Kirby:...
News Super Metroid is 20 Years Old Today
One of the all time greats
Super Metroid is 20 years old today, having been released in Japan on 19th March 1994. It's a title that would go on to be one of a number of iconic, memorable experiences on the 16-bit machine, and is still revered to this day. Alternatively called Metroid 3, this title — like others in the series that would follow —...
February2014
News The 3DS Celebrates Its Third Birthday in Japan
Happy 3dees day
Put on the party hats and break out the bunting, the 3DS is three years old today. Or it is in Japan which, judging by the time we're posting this and thanks to the vagaries of time zones, is actually yesterday in Nintendo's homeland. But still, we'll celebrate anyway. The 3DS was greeted with plenty of launch day buzz in 2011,...
August2013
News Katsura Hashino: "Many Announcements" Set For 25th Anniversary of Atlus
Looking forward despite parent company problems
It's been a tough summer for Atlus, as it's had to absorb its share of pressure over its parent company's financial difficulties. As we've reported previously, Atlus' owner Index has begun the process of selling its operations following its slide into an equivalent of bankruptcy; rumoured potential...
July2013
News The Famicom Turns 30 Years Old
The system that started it all
At the time of writing it may still be 14th July in many countries, but it's 15th July in Japan — that means that the Famicom has now turned 30 years old in its homeland. It would eventually make its way to the West, redesigned, as the iconic NES. Of course, Nintendo had been a Playing Card company in its earliest...
May2013
News Happy 15th Birthday, Banjo-Kazooie!
Guh-huh!
It’s hard to believe now, but before 31st May, 1998, no one believed that a bear in yellow shorts and a bird in a backpack could ever make an effective team. A spunky little Twycross-based company called Rare, however, set out to prove the world wrong, and did so with quite admirable results. Today marks the 15th anniversary of the North...
April2013
News This New Mega Man Anniversary Statue Goes Large
Alas, still no "proper" game for the big anniversary
With this being the 25th Anniversary year of the Mega Man franchise, Capcom has released a free PC crossover game — Street Fighter X Mega Man — which in many respects was a slightly polished fan effort, and has given us some celebratory laptops and USB drives in different regions. Plenty of...
News Time to Celebrate the Two Year 3DS Anniversary, Bring on the Infographic
Let's play "why isn't x here?"
Last week we celebrated the two year anniversary of the 3DS by finding a picture of a cake based on the handheld. It's been a fascinating journey so far for the portable, enjoying a bumper launch weekend, before tanking to worrying levels, and then rising like a Phoenix — courtesy of excellent games and a price drop...
Site News Happy "Nintendo Life" Anniversary!
Time to celebrate, it's been four years
Some of our long-term readers might remember that on this day four years ago we merged our three Nintendo sites — VC Reviews, WiiWare World and the original Nintendo Life — together to form the new and improved "Nintendo Life". Since then we've grown our readership to an unprecedented level, and according...
March2013
News The Nintendo 3DS Celebrates its Two Year Anniversary
Still going strong
Two years ago, on 25th March 2011, the Nintendo 3DS arrived in Europe; its North American release was on 27th March. As the follow-up to the DS family of systems — the biggest selling series of handhelds in history — it arrived with plenty of expectation. After an excitable launch — it landed in Japan in late February —...
News The Nintendo DS Celebrates its 8th Birthday in Europe Today
Blow into the mic to put out the candles
Eight years ago today, Europe became the last major territory to get its hands on the original DS, that now known as the "phat". It can be easy to forget that it was a handheld that truly innovated the concept of mainstream handheld gaming, incorporating a clamshell two screen design famously pioneered in the...
August2012
News Capcom's Street Fighter Reaches Its Quarter Century
If you played the SNES original, you're officially over the hill
As pointed out by Kotaku, Capcom's seminal Street Fighter series is now 25 years old. The first game - which is also known as Fighting Street and ironically, isn't very good - launched in arcades in 1987. Of course, it was the sequel
Feature 20 Years of Mario Kart
How the time, and kart, flies
Today is yet another Nintendo anniversary, in this case the 20th anniversary of Super Mario Kart's release in Japan. That's 20 years of powering around tracks and making other mascot's driving lives miserable, while infuriating their masters in multiplayer. It's a series with enduring appeal that has evolved into one...
News The Legend of Zelda is Now 25 in The U.S.
Celebrate with a fake 3DS Zelda image
Yesterday brought a major anniversary for The Legend of Zelda, as it was released in the U.S. on 22nd August 1987, making it another 25th anniversary. Of course, Nintendo has already celebrated the series a great deal with orchestral concerts, a free download of The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Anniversary...
June2012
The original gaming behemoth
Current-day gamers are familiar with just three game console manufacturers at the top of the tree: Nintendo, Microsoft and Sony. Some who are older may remember when SEGA was in its pomp and challenging Nintendo in the 1990s, but for those that care to go even further back, Atari comes into the picture. Atari is 40...
News Sonic the Hedgehog Turns 21 Today
Finally a grown man
SEGA's loveable blue mascot reaches another milestone today, celebrating his 21st anniversary. On this day in 1991 SEGA unleashed Sonic the Hedgehog on North America. His speed and spectacular stunts made him an original, and players took him to their hearts. Nearly 50 games and over 80 million sales later, Sonic's still here...
May2012
News GameCube is Ten Years Old Today in Europe
Time for some celebratory cake
We celebrated the ten year anniversary of the Nintendo GameCube last year, including a rather fond retrospective on the console with the coolest handle. That was the North American anniversary, but today the console turns ten in Europe. Although the GameCube wasn't Nintendo's greatest success in the home console...
News Zelda Concert Tour Returns to North America
The quest for tickets begins
The Legend of Zelda: Symphony of the Goddesses concert tour, organised to celebrate 25 years of the franchise, got into full swing in Dallas on 10th January. After the initial run of concerts we were promised additional events, and these are now confirmed. A range of new concerts have emerged on zelda-symphony.com, with...
April2012
News Kirby Gets 20th Anniversary Compilation for Wii
Dream land
The pinkest hero around, Kirby, celebrates 20 years of sucking this year. To celebrate with him, Nintendo's putting together a 20th anniversary compilation of his most popular adventures for Wii. Granted, Nintendo hasn't specified which of Kirby's games will feature on the disc — is it too much to hope for Kirby Air Ride? — but...
March2012
Feature The Mistakes of the 3DS Launch
Lessons for Wii U
Now that the 3DS is one-year old in most territories – its Australian anniversary hasn’t quite arrived yet – it’s safe to say that Nintendo can look at the handheld’s progress and be reasonably happy. It’s unlikely to be ecstatic and popping open the champagne, however, as the road to the current good times has been...
News 3DS, It's Your First Birthday in North America Today
Celebrate good times
3DS hit its first anniversary in Europe on Sunday, and today marks the machine's first steps onto North American soil one year ago. 27th March 2011 saw the 3DS launch across North America for $249.99 and got off to a flying start, securing the best first day sales of any Nintendo handheld. We all know how it went from there:...
Anniversary - Features
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