News CoroCoro Shares Entire Splatoon Manga Online For Free For A Limited Time
Take a look while you can
News Sushi Striker: The Way of Sushido Has Shockingly Poor Launch In Japan
Not the best start for Nintendo's new IP
News Shoji Mizuno, The Character Artist For Bomberman's Classic Look, Has Passed Away
He was a longtime staffer at Hudson Soft
News Taiko: Drum Master Will Be Getting An English Option In Japan This August
Time for an import come August
Japan - News
June2018
News CoroCoro Shares Entire Splatoon Manga Online For Free For A Limited Time
Take a look while you can
CoroCoro Comic - a monthly Japanese manga magazine that often shares and creates content on video game franchises - has uploaded a complete Splatoon manga online for free viewing. This particular manga, which features both the newly introduced Octoling characters and the new Spy Gear, comes from this month's magazine...
News Sushi Striker: The Way of Sushido Has Shockingly Poor Launch In Japan
Not the best start for Nintendo's new IP
Just last week, Nintendo's latest creation Sushi Striker: The Way of Sushido launched on both Switch and 3DS. The game is an action-puzzle mash-up with an incredibly high level of polish and a great story mode (we rated it rather highly in our review), but the initial sales figures for the game are shockingly...
News Shoji Mizuno, The Character Artist For Bomberman's Classic Look, Has Passed Away
He was a longtime staffer at Hudson Soft
According to a number of reports, Shoji Mizuno - the man who gave Bomberman the iconic look he sports today - has died. One such report is a blog post written by former Hudson Soft executive and frontman Toshiyuki Takahashi, which memorialises Mizuno's contribution to the company. Mizuno has a decades-long...
News Taiko: Drum Master Will Be Getting An English Option In Japan This August
Time for an import come August
We're big fans of Taiko: Drum Master here at Nintendo Life - or Taiko No Tatsujin as it's known in the East - but while we were stoked to hear the series was making its way to Switch, we were also frustrated it was seemingly being released with no consideration for us western percussionists. Well, while it still isn't...
It's this week's Japanese charts
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild has now sold over a million physical copies in Japan, according to the Media Create charts for May 28th to June 3rd. The Switch launch title sold 6,722 copies during this period, making it good enough for 9th place. It has now sold 1,004,689 copies in Japan since it launched...
News Mother 3's Director Is Involved With FuRyu's New Nintendo Switch RPG, Work x Work
All work and no play...
The Alliance Alive and The Legend of Legacy studio FuRyu is working on a new RPG for Nintendo Switch, and there are some pretty big names involved with its development. Described as a 'retro-inspired' RPG, Work x Work places you in role of a hero's dog who has to guide visitors around a dungeon-filled theme park...
Random Pokémon Plush Doll Vending Machines Keep Popping Up In Japan
Better than fizzy drinks
Most of us who follow Nintendo and love its various franchises have likely come to terms with the fact that Japan will always receive the coolest stuff. A couple of months ago we reported on a Pokémon Cafe that had arrived in Tokyo, allowing customers to try out Pokémon-themed food and buy plates and mugs to take home...
News The Mega Man Legacy Collections On Switch Debut At Number Nine In Japan
Bombing Blue Bomber
It's been another strong week for Nintendo Switch software titles in Japan, with half the top ten comprised of games on Ninty's hybrid hardware. However, Mega Man didn't perform quite as well as Capcom was probably hoping, with the combined Mega Man Legacy Collection debuting at number nine. In other words it failed to sell as...
News Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze Was The Best-Selling Game For May In Japan
Switch the best-selling console, too
Sales figures have been released for software and hardware sales in Japan for the month of May, and Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze has smashed and ground-pounded its way to the number one slot. Famitsu has shared the latest numbers and chart positions for the month, which actually cover the four week...
News Check Out Some Of Splatoon 2's Fresh New Cuts And Threads
Fro rider
Octolings are set to arrive in Splatoon 2 as part of the incoming - and hotly anticipated - Octo Expansion, and it looks like the newcomers are going to be getting some rad new haircuts to help them stand out from the ink-stained crowd. The fresh cuts were revealed via a series of promo images on the Japanese Splatoon Twitter account,...
May2018
Feature Unravelling The Crossover Fisticuffs Of Blade Strangers
Diverse roster aims to cut its teeth among the genre's elite
Studio Saizensens new fighting game, Blade Strangers, brings together a diverse and interesting mix of established characters in their own respective universes, but are new to the fighting game genre. Teaming up with publisher Nicalis has further bolstered the roster to include the...
News The Original Professor Layton Game Is Getting A Mobile HD Remake In Japan
Will this come to the west?
It has been revealed that Professor Layton and the Curious Village - the very first title released in the series around a decade ago - will be receiving a mobile HD remake. The news comes from the latest issue of the weekly Famitsu magazine, which states that Level-5 intends to release the remake on mobile platforms...
News The Latest Japanese My Nintendo Rewards Include Discounts On Those Precious Micro SD Cards
Jealous of Japan?
The My Nintendo rewards system is an ever-increasingly debated topic among Nintendo fans; we've seen numerous comments of upset and even anger from our fine collection of readers over the last few months, with discussion usually suggesting that players aren't happy with the offerings in Europe and North America - despite the...
News Japanese TV Show Oha Suta To Share "Shocking" Pokémon News On 31st May
Update: TV episode description suddenly changed
Update: It appears that the description of this TV show, which originally mentioned "shocking Pokémon news" and "a moment a new story begins", has now been replaced. The description now reads "Full of Pokémon Information", suggesting that either a mistake was made, or this little snippet of...
Feature Diving Down The Rabbit Hole With Japan's Arcade-Based Trading Card Games
It's in the cards
Tourists dropping in on Japan’s arcades are often surprised. Western arcades have stuck to a familiar trajectory, running last-decade machines form last-century franchises: OutRun 2, After Burner Climax, Time Crisis 4…. The games we’re used to are easygoing, fun and friendly, with a warm welcome and a wave goodbye. It’s not...
News Two Classic Super Famicom Games Are Set For A Special Reprint In Japan
SNES who?
There's been a spate of retro re-releases as of late in Japan, with publishers reissuing classic titles (and a few obscure gems) on their original platform. Japanese firm Tommo is the latest publisher to leap aboard the bandwagon, with two Super Famicom titles getting a reprint. It's been confirmed that Shodai Nekketsu Kpuha Kunio-kun...
News Japanese Version Of Resident Evil 7 On Switch Has An English Language Option
Worldwide release when?
Biohazard 7 - known as Resident Evil 7 in the rest of the world - has just been released on Switch in Japan. It's a cloud-based proposition which means you're playing a streamed version of the game from Capcom's servers, rather than running it direct from the console itself. There's no indication on whether or not Capcom has...
News Nintendo Continues To Dominate Japan's Charts As 7 Of The Top 10 Games Are On Switch
Although the top-selling game is on PS4...
That Nintendo remains top dog in Japan this week in terms of sales perhaps isn't the most shocking news - the company regularly finds itself in pole position in its homeland. However, the Media Create sales figures for the 14th of May to the 20th show that a PlayStation 4 game came in at number one -...
News A Cheaper, Customisable 'Nintendo Switch 2nd Set' Has Launched In Japan Without A Dock
A cheaper way to play
Nintendo is now selling the 'Nintendo Switch 2nd Set' in Japan, which is essentially a fully colour-customisable Switch without a dock. This new package appears to be aimed at those who want a second Switch in their home, aiming to give customers the option to purchase a second device without having to fork over for an...
News Nintendo Applies For New N64 Trademark - Is Another Classic Edition On The Way?
It's only a matter of time, right?
With the NES and SNES Classic Editions proving to be commercially successful, it's almost inevitable that Nintendo will produce another 'recooked' version of one of its vintage platforms. Given that Nintendo Co., Ltd. has just applied for an N64 trademark in Japan, one might assume that the 64-bit console...
Video Get Another Glimpse Into The Wacky Levels Of Splatoon 2's Octo Expansion
Ballin'
Nintendo has slowly but surely been drip-feeding new details about the hotly anticipated Octo Expansion for Splatoon 2. The latest video shows a new escort mission, where you'll be guiding a ball through a maze, using both your steady stream of ink and various contraptions around the course like a larger than life version of Mouse Trap...
News SNK Heroines: Tag Team Frenzy Locked In For A 6th September Launch In Japan
Sky Love is also joining the roster
It's been revealed that SNK Heroines: Tag Team Frenzy will be getting a 6th September release in Japan, a day earlier than the 7th September date previously confirmed for Europe and North America. The official release date was confirmed in the latest issue of Weekly Famitsu. Along with the news on the date for...
Feature Lumines Remastered Is Music To Our Ears At BitSummit
Maestro Tetsuya Mizuguchi revisits a classic number
At last weekend's Bitsummit indie games event in Kyoto, Japan, Tetsuya Mizuguchi of REZ and Child of Eden fame showed off his latest project - a remaster of beloved music-puzzle game, Lumines. As advocates for using the interaction between music and games in pioneering ways, it was great to play...
Video Resident Evil 7 Cloud Brings Both Good and Bad to Nintendo Switch
Anytime, some places, on your own
Cloud gaming is something that's been banded around for ruddy years now, and whilst it's had its successes and failures, it's never properly made its break into the public's hearts. That's not necessary about to happen when Resident Evil 7 comes to Japanese Switch through a cloud streaming system, but it's still...
News Resident Evil 7 Is Coming To Nintendo Switch In Japan
But there are a few catches...
It’s fair to say that Resident Evil 7 surprised the gaming community back in early 2017. As well as being a dramatic departure and reinvention of the franchise, what was more interesting to most was that it was actually really good. More than good. Developer Capcom has been a strong supporter of the Nintendo...
Feature PixelJunk Monsters 2 Developer Q-Games On Nintendo-Like Design And Future Switch Projects
"The amazing thing about the Switch is the simplicity"
In the heart of Japan's former capital Kyoto, Q-Games founder and former Argonaut programmer Dylan Cuthbert and his team are putting the finishing touches to the sequel to popular tower defence game PixelJunk Monsters. Ten years since the original title and several ‘canon’ games later,...
News Super Smash Bros. Switch Is Playable At Special Events In Japan Next Month
Just after E3...
Nintendo has revealed that the upcoming Switch title Super Smash Bros. will be playable at a series of events in Japan during June and July. The demo will kick off its Japanese tour at RAGE 2018 Summer, which takes place on June 17th at Makuhari Messe, Chiba. A week later it will be at Jisedai World Hobby Fair ‘18...
News Okami HD Release Date Revealed For Japan
Two versions available this summer
Japan's weekly gaming magazine Famitsu has revealed that the Switch version of Okami HD will be released on 9th August. A limited edition, priced at ¥3,990, will be available alongside the standard edition (priced at ¥2,900). Sadly, there's no news on whether this special edition will be making it to the West...
News Layton’s Mystery Journey: Katrielle And The Millionaires’ Conspiracy DX Is Switch-Bound
Layton's on the case
Good news if you're waiting patiently for a Layton-based adventure on Nintendo Switch - Level 5 has confirmed last year's Layton’s Mystery Journey: Katrielle And The Millionaires’ Conspiracy (which hit 3DS and smartphones) will getting a Switch port with an extra DX on the end for good measure. The announcement was...
News Yuji Naka Wanted To Join Nintendo After He Finished Working For Sega
"I had this faint hope that I’d be getting a call… but it never came"
Ever wondered what would have happened if Yuju Naka - former head of Sonic Team and one of the driving forces behind the success of the iconic blue speedster - had made the move over to Nintendo? Well, turns out that could have easily been reality. In a recent interview,...
Feature Nintendo Of Japan Stamps Its Mark On BitSummit 2018
Popular Japanese hobby crosses over to unite indies on Switch
As previously reported by the lovely Alex, many games from western indie developers are coming not only to Switch, but also to make their mark in Japan, which came to fruition under the new Nintendo umbrella 'Indie World'. A cute pixellated world exhibiting both existing hits and upcoming...
News Beyblade Burst: Battle Zero Will Spin Its Way Onto Nintendo Switch This October
Well, in Japan at least
The toy-spinning action of Beyblade is going to make the jump to Nintendo Switch in 2018, with news that Beyblade Burst: Battle Zero is coming to the platform on 25th October. The only caveat is that's a Japan-only release at the moment, with a price tag of 6,280 yen attached. The game is also getting a special physical...
News Keep The Beat With The New Taiko Drum Controller For Switch
Drum up some hype
Back in March, we reported on the reveal of Taiko: Drum Master - known as Taiko no Tatsujin in Japan - a rhythm-action game featuring tunes from both Splatoon 2 and Super Mario Odyssey, and now Bandai Namco has unveiled the special Drum Controller that will accompany it. The controller, based on a traditional Japanese taiko...
Video Discussing What Took Monster Hunter Generations Ultimate So Long to Come to the West
Slaying monsters in HD... in English!
The news dropped recently that Monster Hunter XX is dropping on Nintendo Switch in the West in the form of Monster Hunter Generations Ultimate; a borderline direct port of the 3DS version to guarantee compatibility. It's lovely news and no mistake, but why did it take Capcom so long to make the decision? We...
News Nintendo Reveals a Feast of Nindies Coming to the Japanese Switch eShop
Western devs make their mark
To say Nintendo's embracing the indie scene is a vast understatement, and now that support has spread over to Nintendo's homeland with the recent Indie World showcase. Unsurprisingly, it's a video showing off a load of lovely new indie games coming to the Switch in the near future, most of which we've heard of before,...
News Zelda-Like Adventure Game Minit Heading to the Japanese Switch eShop
60 seconds to go
Nintendo of Japan have been busy showing off some upcoming games recently in their "Indie World" presentation. Whilst most of these are games already available in the West, we did spot Devolver Digital's lovely Zelda-like adventure game Minit on the list. Well, when we say Zelda-Like, what we really mean is imagine playing a...
News Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze Swings To The Top Of The Japanese Charts
Switch remains the top-selling console
The arrival of Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze in Japan has knocked the baseball powerhouse that is Jikkyou Powerful Pro Baseball 2018 off the top spot, while God of War finally drops out of the top five. Nintendo Labo Variety Kit rose to number three, Kirby Star Allies jumped tw
News Job Listing Reveals Nintendo Has Already Begun Working On The Next Zelda
Which may (or may not) be surprising to you...
It’s no secret that Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is one of the most critically acclaimed and commercially successful titles of the last few years, so it makes perfect sense that Nintendo would be right on the case with the next instalment. Proof has surfaced with Nintendo posting job listings...
News Nintendo Labo Drops To Fourth (And 17th) In The Japanese Charts
The Snack World Switch port also drops out of the top ten
Nintendo Labo has finally been knocked off the top spot as God of War sales continue to surge, while the arrival of the hotly-anticipated Jikkyou Powerful Pro Baseball 2018 has pushed out everyone with both its PS4 and PS Vita versions nabbing first and second places respectively...
News Japanese Musican Shows Us How To Rock The Piano In Nintendo Labo
Tinkling the cardboard
It was only going to be a matter of time until a musical prodigy took to YouTube to show the world how to rock the cardboard Piano Toy-Con from the entertaining package that is Nintendo Labo: Toy-Con 01 - Variety Kit. Here's Japanese musician Geniway treating us to a rendition of Splatoon music using Labo's...
News This Has To Be The Most Amazing Use Of Nintendo Labo Yet
Controlling a wheelchair... with cardboard?
Nintendo Labo has been with us for a little over a week now, but we're already seeing some incredible creations - including Game & Watch clones and other clever devices. However, this latest example could be the best one yet. A Japanese user has hooked Labo up to a wheelchair, allowing the user to...
Random People Keep Crashing Real-Life Mario Karts In Japan
Not a banana skin in sight
We've covered the phenomenon of "real life" Mario Karting in the past, but it would seem that this light-hearted attempt to replicate the feel of the classic racing series comes with some pretty negative side-effects. Not only is the company which runs the "MariCar" event being taken to court by Nintendo, there have been...
April2018
News Jin Fujisawa, The Director Of Dragon Quest IX, Leaves Square Enix
He's now working for a different, undisclosed firm
One of the Dragon Quest franchise's most influential developers has parted ways with the publisher. Jin Fujisawa, who worked on nine entries on the series (from Dragon Quest VII on PS1 to Dragon Quest X Online) has moved onto pastures new and is now working with a different company on an...
News Mario's Stretchy Face In Mario 64 Started Out As An Experiment With Ping Pong Balls
Meet the man behind THAT face
Eurogamer recently conducted an interview with Giles Goddard, one of the few foreign programmers who worked at Nintendo HQ in Kyoto in the 1990s, the man who also happened to create the famous interactive face that introduced the world to Super Mario 64. You know, that major turning point in gaming history. Goddard,...
News Shuntaro Furukawa Is Nintendo's New President
Pokemon Board Member Appointed as Kimishima Steps Down
At Nintendo's financial report in Tokyo this afternoon, it has been announced that 68 year old Tatsumi Kimishima will step down in June after nearly three years as President of the company. He will be replaced by board member of both Nintendo and The Pokémon Company, Shuntaro...
News Nintendo Labo Racked Up Almost Double The Sales Of God Of War In Japan
Cardboard is king
The weekly Media Create sales figures for Japan are out, and the big news is that the Labo Variety Kit outsold PS4 exclusive God of War by almost two-to-one. The main Labo kit sold 90,410 copies, while God of War sold 46,091 units in the same time frame. The Robot Labo Kit shifted 28,629 units. Sorry, Kratos...
News SaGa: Scarlet Grace Hits Japanese Switch Consoles In August
PS Vita RPG is getting ported with new content
Square Enix has announced that the Switch port of the 2016 PS Vita title SaGa: Scarlet Grace – Hiiro no Yabou will arrive in Japan on August 2nd. It's also coming to PlayStation 4, PC, and smartphones on the same day. The news was confirmed in the latest issue of Famitsu, along with details...
Feature Enjoy The Cardboard Craziness Of These Nintendo Labo Creations
It's just pure creation
Since its January reveal, the question on many people's lips has been can Nintendo Labo's cardboard construction kit survive the novelty factor and wear 'n' tear of younger audiences to genuinely engage creative minds beyond customisation? If early indications are to be believed, the answer is, emphatically, yes, as Japanese...
News Batter Up As Pro Yakyuu Famista Evolution Sprints To Home Base On Switch
It's due in Japan in August
It's time to dust off your favourite slugger and head onto the field because Bandai Namco is bringing the Yakyuu Famista series to Nintendo Switch in the form of Yakyuu Famista Evolution. It's currently only slated for a Japanese release, but since its based on the players in the NPB (Nippon Professional Baseball league),...
Gallery Japan Goes Absolutely Potty About Nintendo Labo
Bored of cardboard? Not even close
Whatever you think of Nintendo’s latest and wackiest creation, Labo has been pretty indicative of the company's aggressive marketing in the weeks since its brief yet impactful reveal in January. With a combination of Nintendo’s fitting mantra of ‘thinking outside the box’, utilising the console's many new...
News The Snack World Scoffs Its Way To Number One In The Japanese Charts
The Switch port does the numbers
The Japanese charts are in, with The Snack World Trejarers Gold Nintendo Switch port filling its belly with sales (and the top spot, just for good measure). It did so well it's knocked Kirby Star Allies off the number one position, although Splatoon 2 holds fast at three for another week. Elsewhere, Mario Kart 8...
News Splatoon 2's Octo Expansion Is Getting Its Own CD Soundtrack
Octotune up
Splatoon 2's upcoming Octo Expansion DLC is getting its own soundtrack album in Japan, it has been revealed. The album - which launches on July 18th in Japan - will come with two CDs. One will contains tracks from Octo Expansion, in addition to new songs which have been added to the core game via software updates. The second CD...
Feature Exploring Japan's Undying Love For Arcade 'Candy' Cabinets
Sweet stuff
Arcades may have all but died out in the west, but in Japan they remain big business. I write a website about arcades in Tokyo, and sometimes forget it’s not normal to live in an arcade daydream. I‘m prone to using obscure arcade terminology and I neglect readers who don’t click joysticks in the noise so often. I’m frequently...
News Success And City Connection Confirm Psyvariar Delta For August Release On Switch
Coming in digital and physical forms, too
Recently, we reported on the news that Switch was getting a revised edition of the vertically-scrolling shooter Psyvariar, originally created by Success Corporation. It has now been revealed in Weekly Famitsu that the game will be called Psyvariar Delta, and it launches on Switch and PS4...
News Japan Is More Excited About Nintendo Labo Than God Of War
Cardboard Kratos
God of War may be enjoying a triumphant return to relevance with its latest instalment on PS4, but that doesn't mean that critical success in the West translates into equal popularity on the other side of the world. In fact, if the sales charts on Amazon Japan are anything to go by, Nintendo Labo is proving a far more enticing...
News Just How Is Nintendo Making All The Cardboard Kits For Nintendo Labo?
Japanese packaging firm Rengo to the rescue!
The release of Nintendo Labo for Switch is right around the corner now, with Toy-Con 01 - Variety Kit and Toy-Con 02 - Robot Kit becoming available on 20th April in the US and Japan, and later on the 27th in Europe. Now you might be wondering how Nintendo is going to manage producing all of...
Video Take A Quick Peek Inside Nintendo HQ In Japan
Where dreams are made
Many of us are familiar with the half beautiful, half corporate-looking appearance of Nintendo's Japanese headquarters from the outside; this huge, white, cube-like building has likely been the subject of thousands of online searches and probably the first place many of us tried when opening up Google Earth for the first time...
News AtGames Confirms It's Making The Mega Drive Mini, Then Deletes Tweet
The plot thickens...
Yesterday, it was revealed that Sega is bringing its own "classic edition" system to market in the form of the Mega Drive Mini. A micro-console pre-loaded with classic titles, the system was shown off during an event in Japan, instantly triggering speculation that AtGames - a US firm which has been making officially-licensed...
News Sega Announces AGES For Nintendo Switch, Mega Drive Mini Console
AtGames confirms it's making the mini console
During a live Twitch presentation in Tokyo this morning, Sega announced that a download-only selection of 15 titles under the name SEGA AGES will be making their way to Switch in the summer. These include company mascot platformer Sonic the Hedgehog, Thunder Force 4, Phantasy Star and more to be...
News Kirby Star Allies Gobbles Up The Top Spot Again In The Japanese Charts
And Switch sells four times as many units as PS4
It's been another big week for Nintendo in the Land of the Rising Sun as Kirby Star Allies storms back into first place following a drop to number four last week. Splatoon 2 jumps back into the top three now that the PS4 and PS Vita versions of Super Robot Wars X have dropped further down the charts...
News Treasure Teases Both Ikaruga And Nintendo Switch Fans
Will this GameCube classic ever come to Switch?
Hardly a day goes by at Nintendo Life Towers when we don't daydream about Ikagura one day appearing on Nintendo Switch. Smooth 60fps in both docked and portable mode? Check. Optional TATE mode for both modes? Double check. We do like to daydream around here, but looks like we might not be the only...
News Disgaea Refine Launches On Switch Later This Year In Japan
A remake of Disgaea: Hour of Darkness
The latest issue of Dengeki PlayStation has revealed that the previously-mooted remake of Disgaea: Hour of Darkness is called Disgaea Refine, and it will be hitting Switch this July in Japan. The original game was released on the PlayStation 2 way back in 2003, and established a series which continues to...
News Etrian Odyssey Is Mapping Out One Final Adventure On Nintendo 3DS
The 3DS isn't dead yet
The Switch may be Nintendo's main focus now but that doesn't mean the 3DS is on the way out - in fact, the console is continuing to get software throughout 2018. Atlus has just confirmed that Etrian Odyssey X will launch on the Nintendo 3DS on August 2nd, with a price of ¥6,998 in Japan. It is being billed as the final...
News Yo-Kai Watch 4 Coming To The Nintendo Switch This Year In Japan
Super high-grade power up
In what should come as a surprise to basically no-one, the next instalment in the Yo-Kai Watch series, simply known as Yo-Kai Watch 4 for the time being, will be coming to the Switch rather than the 3DS. This will be welcome news to many Nintendo gamers who only want to play games on the latest and greatest hardware. This...
Feature Game Bar Space Station - Osaka's Gaming Paradise
Cocktails and controllers to cater for all tastes
While Tokyo may be the first stop on many gamers' lists due to its numerous arcades and the famous Akihabara area, other parts of Japan also have their own little pockets of gaming heaven for locals and tourists alike. Located in Amemura - just a few minutes walk from the Dotonbori river and...
News No, Sega Is Not Returning To The Home Console Arena
It's a lot less exciting than that
In a recent interview with Yahoo! Japan, Sega Games COO Kenji Matsubara got chins wagging by pointing out that the Japanese giant is considering releasing a new console in Japan - but it's not quite what you think, or what some other sites have reported, either. Matsubara is in fact talking about importing the...
News Nintendo Switch Continues To Dominate The Hardware Charts In Japan
The Switch reign continues
Last week's Japan charts are in, and they show Nintendo Switch holding onto the top spot in hardware sales with over 44,000 units sold. Even with a drop over 6,000 from the previous week, Switch sold almost three times as many machines as PlayStation 4, its nearest competitor. Sales in Japan have now topped 4 million...
March2018
Feature A Tour Of Game Bar A Button, Tokyo's Treasure Trove Of Gaming Kitch
A tiny museum of Nintendo and nostalgia, hidden out of sight
Discovering Tokyo's secrets relies on a mixture of research, recommendations, and - should you have the time - luck. What is important to note is that Tokyo simply can not be digested as one giant whole. The greater area is home to some 33 million people, with 12 million of those in the...
News Nintendo Switch Has Now Sold 4 Million Units In Japan
4,037,144, to be precise
In just over a year on sale, the Switch has pushed past the 4 million units sold marker in its homeland, according to Famistu. As of 25th March 2018, 4,037,144 Switch consoles are now safely in the hands of Japanese players. When you consider that's the total for a single territory after a little more than 12 months, it's...
Random There's A New Game On The Japanese Switch eShop That's Definitely NSFW
Cover your children's eyes now, please
While Nintendo has long been associated with family-friendly fun, that hasn't stopped a fair share of 'adult' titles making their way onto its consoles. Since most of these have either been ultra-violent (hello, DOOM) or uber scary (hi there, Outlast 2), we've rarely batted an eyelid, but what about adult games...
News Detective Pikachu Has A Much Better Launch In Japan While Kirby Remains On Top
There's still love for Pokémon spin-offs in the East
While Detective Pikachu had a lackluster debut last week in the UK, the 3DS-based spin-off fared far better in Japan with a respectable 42,013 units sold. That puts it in fourth place with Kirby Star Allies performing well enough to hold off two big releases on PS4. Hyrule Warriors: Definitive...
News That Japanese "Dragon Quest Law" Is Actually An Urban Myth
The creators behind the franchise spill the beans
Those of you versed in video game history will be aware of a story relating to the astonishing popularity of Dragon Quest, one of Japan's most beloved RPGs. Back when the series was just starting out on the Famicom, kids and adults alike would bunk off school or work to buy it and spend an entire day...
News Your Prayers Have Been Answered, Hori Is Making A Joy-Con With A Proper D-Pad
Retro gamers rejoice!
Japanese peripheral maker Hori is creating a left-hand Joy-Con with an old-school D-pad, it has been revealed by Famitsu. The timing is fortunate, as PlatinumGames' Hideki Kamiya only tweeted last week (with his tongue firmly in-cheek, of course) that he might lose motivation for developing
News Kirby Star Allies Gobbles Its Way To The Top Of The Japanese Charts
Splatoon 2 also sees a resurgance
The Media Create data for the Japanese multiformat charts is in, hot off the digital presses, and it shows Kirby Star Allies arriving on Japanese shores with quite the impressive debut. It enters the charts at number one, with 222,031 copies sold in its first week. Splatoon 2 has also had a great week, surging back...
Video Nintendo Releases Infectiously Upbeat Switch Spring Line-Up Video In Japan
Mario Tennis Aces! Splatoon 2 DLC! Donkey Kong! Kirby!
Nintendo's got a lot of forward momentum right now, but if 2018 is going to be anywhere near as successful as 2017, the company needs to keep hammering home the key "play anytime, anywhere" message of the Switch. That's precisely what it's doing in Japan with this new spring line-up commercial,...
Video Take A Tour Of The Now Closed Final Fantasy "Memories of You" Museum
A Perfect Memory
From 22nd January to 28th February, Square-Enix hosted a special art and multimedia exhibition in Tokyo to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the Final Fantasy game series. It isn’t the only way Square-Enix will celebrate these thirty glorious years, and this event follows the other big role-playing game series...
Gallery The Pokémon Cafe Is Just Too Cute For Words
Japan gets all the best stuff
A few weeks ago we reported on a new Pokémon themed cafe in Tokyo which was due to open later in the month. Now that it's finally open Japanese website gamer.ne.jp paid a visit to check it out, and it certainly looks to be a rather special place indeed. Here are some of the things which caught our eye from the visit...
News Lode Runner Legacy Dashes Onto Switch This Spring In Japan
Complete with a first-person mode
Tozai Games is bringing Lode Runner Legacy to Switch in Japan, it has been revealed. An update of the classic Brøderbund title from '80s, Lode Runner Legacy launched on PC last year and comes with a whole host of modes, including a level editor and character editor. You can even choose to experience the...
News Switch's Stellar First Year Helps Nintendo Bag Itself An AMD Excellence Award
AMD another thing
Nintendo Switch pulled off quite the first year - just check out our extensive coverage to see just how well it did - but that success hasn't gone unnoticed. Earlier today, at the 23rd AMD Awards, the Big N took to the stage at the Meiji Kinenkan venue in Tokyo and received the prestigious AMD Excellence Award. Some big names...
News Bandai Namco's Taiko no Tatsujin Is Coming To Switch In Japan
With songs from Super Mario Odyssey and Splatoon 2
During last night's Japanese Nintendo Direct it was announced that Taiko: Drum Master - known as Taiko no Tatsujin in its homeland - is coming to the Nintendo Switch, complete with songs from Super Mario Odyssey and Splatoon 2. Two-player support is included thanks to the fact that...
News Zelda's Link Is Gatecrashing A Phantasy Star Title, But Only In Japan
Breath of fresh (wild) air?
While us westerners were getting all excited about Smash on Switch, Okami HD and Dark Souls amiibo, our Japanese friends were - well, getting excited about those things, too. However, there were some Japan-exclusive pieces of news, the
Video This New Hyrule Warriors: Definitive Edition Trailer Is Full To The Brim
HD fairies ahoy
Hyrule Warriors: Definitive Edition may be a triple-dip for Nintendo and Koei Tecmo, but we're nevertheless quite interested in playing it for a third time in portable HD. To drum up interest ahead of launch, Koei Tecmo has released a fresh trailer which is literally bursting at the seams with content. There's action, fairies and...
News Looks Like 3DS Title Sushi Striker: The Way of Sushido Is Getting A Switch Upgrade
Leak also confirms Mario Tennis Aces release date
Japanese online retailer Rakuten has leaked information regarding two Switch titles ahead of today's Nintendo Direct broadcast. Sushi Striker: The Way of Sushido - previously confirmed for release on 3DS - has been listed by Rakuten on Switch. Both it and the 3DS...
News Jump Aboard This Enormous 'Absolutely Ridable Lapras' Pokémon Toy
Yes please!
Poké-fans may well lovingly remember the huge Snorlax plush from a couple of years back which could double up as a bed if you wished, instantly becoming one of the must-have items of the time, and now we have another one to join the crew, too. Introducing the wonderfully named 'Absolutely Ridable Lapras': The Absolutely Ridable...
News Dragon Quest Builders Leads A Switch Takeover Of The Japanese Charts
And Switch sold the most units, too
Last week's Media Create chart data for Japan is in, and it shows Nintendo Switch making an all-out assault on the top five with no less than four titles jostling for control. And while Monster Hunter World continues to hold the top spot, Dragon Quest Builders debuted a mere 10,000 units behind Capcom's behemoth...
Gallery Tokyo's Latest Pokémon Cafe Is Full Of Delicious Poké-Treats
We'll have one of everything, please
We know, we know - Japan gets all the cool stuff! Nintendo-centric stores and restaurants aren't all that rare in Japan, with Pokémon in particular being the focus of a number of stores in the country's capital, but this new Pokémon cafe has definitely risen towards the top of our 'must visit' list. Opening...
Random Nintendo Labo Isn't The Only Way To Combine Cardboard With Your Switch
That's handy, if you like Mahjong
Some days you do just have to chuckle to yourself when covering the latest gaming news. While some were skeptical of Nintendo Labo when it was first revealed, the concept seems to have won a lot of people over and the use of cardboard alongside the Labo games is genuinely innovative. And then we have the photo...
February2018
News Nintendo Is Shutting Down StreetPass Relay Stations In Japan
A passing craze?
StreetPass is one of the coolest elements of the 3DS hardware and was encouraging people to venture outdoors long before Pokemon GO turned up. Sadly, Nintendo chose not to continue the service on Switch, and we're slowly but surely seeing it fade into history as the 3DS winds down. A sign of things come to has just been announced...
News Takara Tomy Is Building A New Zoids Game For Switch
Let's hope it doesn't lose all those little rubber bits
Hey, remember Zoids? Well they're back, in Nintendo Switch form! That's right, the popular '80s toy line is getting a brand-new interactive outing on Nintendo's console, thanks to Takara Tomy. It will be based on the new anime series Zoids Wild, which airs this year in Japan. While Zoids hit...
Beat it
It's tempting (if not inevitable) to start this review with an anecdote about that infamous E3 (which will be a decade ago by the time this year's event rolls around), and in particular, the oblivious flailing exploits of one Ravi the drummer. While maestro Tak Fujii's own meme-farming antics over the years live long in seasoned gamers...
News Splatoon 2 Makes A Splash In The Top Three In This Week's Japanese Charts
But Bayonetta 2 charts outside the top 10
The Japanese chart data is in, and it's a mixed bag of highs and lows for Nintendo this week. Splatoon 2, having hit the two million sales mark last week, crept into the top three behind PS4 remake Secret Of Mana and the ever powerful Monster Hunter World. However, the Switch port of Bayonetta 2 and...
News Retro Shmup Kyogeki Quartet Fighters Blasts Onto The Japanese Switch eShop This Week
Complete with music from famous Japanese composers
Japanese developer Happymeal is bringing retro-style shooter Kyogeki Quartet Fighters to Switch next week, it has been revealed. The news comes in the latest issue of Weekly Famitsu, which lists a Nintendo eShop release for February 22nd, with a cost of 1,389 Yen. The game allows up to...
News Splatoon 2 Crosses The Two Million Marker As Nintendo Titles Swamp The Japanese Charts
Monster Hunter World dominates the top spot, however
You have to hand it to Capcom, Monster Hunter World still reigns supreme in the Japanese charts according to the latest Media Create figures. Then of course we have the new entries of Dynasty Warriors 9 and Sword Art Online: Fatal Bullet -- two franchises which prove...
News This Face-To-Face Cabinet From Japan Is How Local Multiplayer Should Be Played
It's due out in May
We all know local multiplayer is one of Nintendo Switch's most attractive features - especially while we wait until September for the Online Service to finally go live - so imagine our surprise/excitement when we got wind a firm in Japan is manufacturing a cabinet that houses two Switches and their Joy-Cons and creates the...
Video Meta Knight Is Bossing It In This New Kirby Star Allies Trailer
Knight knight
Here at Nintendo Life, we're more than a little excited for the latest entry in the Kirby series. In fact, we're so hyped for it we even put together 26 of our favourite facts about the upcoming co-op platformer. Well, now Nintendo has released a new Japanese trailer for Kirby Star Allies, this time focusing on long-time series baddie...
News Legendary Nintendo Developer Takehiro Izushi Has Officially Retired
His 43-year-long career had a huge impact on Ninty
Nintendo has waved goodbye to one of its most influential - and longest serving - voices with the news that producer and developer Takehiro Izushi has officially retired at the age of 65. The legendary figurehead joined Nintendo in 1975, where he was involved in the mechanical design of the...
News The Snack World Trejarers Gold Will Scoff Its Way Onto Nintendo Switch On 12th April
It's just for Japan, though
We've known for a little while that a port of The Snack World - a Japan-only RPG that's evolved into a multimedia hit brand with its own film and a line of super popular toys - will be getting a Nintendo Switch port, but now we finally have a date. Developer Level 5 has confirmed the game - called The Snack World...
News This Week's Japan Charts Show Nintendo With Eight Games In The Top 10
Unfortunately, it missed out on the top two
The latest Media Create figures are in for this week's Japanese charts and they show Nintendo holding onto a whopping 80% of the top 10. The only caveat is the two places Nintendo hasn't claimed are slots number one and number two, which went to Monster Hunter World and Dragon Ball FighterZ respectively...
Random The SNES, Famicom And Mega Drive Are Reborn In These Custom Painted Gundam Figures
Mobile suit retro
Often described as the Japanese Star Wars, Mobile Suit Gundam is one of the longest-running sci-fi properties in the Far East and has millions of fans all over the globe. Gamers will of course be intimately familiar with the franchise thanks to the multitude of officially-licensed games that have appeared on practically...
Feature This Ain't A Scene It's An ARMS Race (At EVO Japan 2018)
Switch exclusive has a competitive community to cherish following EVO Japan
Before fighting game regulars Tekken, Street Fighter and Smash Bros took to the stage at EVO Japan last weekend, a select group of a strong, committed and vocal community came together to advocate the inclusion of the newest title on the roster - Nintendo Switch exclusive...
Japan - Features
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