Retro News, Retro Features - Page 25 of 49

Spill it

We've gone all-out to celebrate Sonic the Hedgehog's 20th anniversary this week, bringing you Staff Memories of Sonic the Hedgehog, a look at unreleased Sonic the Hedgehog games and Sonic's Nintendo games too. With 20 years of rich history behind him, we want to know how Sonic's affected you, the gamers. What memories do you have of the

We reminisce about the blue guy

Today marks 20 years since the very first time Sonic the Hedgehog burst onto TV screens around the world, kicking off a genuine phenomenon that continues to draw in new gamers to this day. As experienced gamers ourselves, naturally the team at Nintendo Life has plenty of memories of the spiky blue one's glory days, so we invited our staff to share their fondest..

A Rare treat, or will it drive you bananas?

For fans of Nintendo kart racers, 1997 has to go down as one of the greatest years in the history of the genre. Not only did it witness the European and North American release of the iconic Mario Kart 64, but Rare also introduced their own challenger to the karting crown with Diddy Kong Racing on the same...

The second instalment of our look back at gaming's favourite blue dude with attitude

Sonic: The Nintendo Years — Part One detailed the hedgehog's first few years on Nintendo consoles, but by the end of 2005 it was clear that Sonic games had changed very drastically, and nowhere was that more evident than in the next two 'hog-related outings. First...

Time flies

On 23rd June 1991, SEGA released Sonic the Hedgehog in Europe and America and changed the world forever. The now-iconic hero captured the imagination of millions around the world, igniting the Nintendo vs. SEGA battle for console supremacy. Nowadays the two companies are far friendlier of course. In fact, thanks to Wii's Virtual Console service and backwards compatibility with GameCube..

As Sonic the Hedgehog reaches 20 years old, we take a look at the spiky one's past.

Sonic’s career is as chequered as those famous green hills; since his runaway success in the first half of the 1990s he’s struggled to reclaim those glory days. Luckily if you’re a Nintendo console owner you can play all the best Sonic games extremely easily,...

Perfect powder

As you curl around a banked corner, the lip of a large ramp of snow appears in the distance and your mind begins to race at the possibilities for gnarliness that lie ahead. Slamming the boost and tucking your body forward, you scorch towards the precisely constructed mound, pre-winding your hands, arms and shoulders for maximum...

The "Retro Game Master" finally goes English

If you're a retro gaming fan, you might be familiar with Shinya Arino. Part of a Japanese comedy duo called Yoiko, he began presenting a show called GameCenter CX in 2003, in which he attempts to complete one generally difficult retro game in each episode, as well as visiting a different arcade in Japan every time. Recently, Arino has even partnered with..

Good news, bad news?

Nintendo is celebrating 25 years since the very first Legend of Zelda, but whereas last year the company celebrated Mario's quarter-century with the much-maligned Super Mario All-Stars 25th Anniversary Edition, the Hero of Time will receive no such compendium. According to the latest Japanese Iwata Asks article (via Nintendo World Report) Nintendo of America suggested a 25th..

Only 1,000 to be made

Next week is an auspicious occasion, marking 20 years since the very first Sonic the Hedgehog blast processed his way into our lives, and SEGA wants to commemorate its hero's two decades of running with a limited edition figurine. The numbered 1,000 model run is so exclusive it won't even be sold in shops, and will likely be used as promotional items and giveaways to Sonic's..

Dude, where's our phone booth?

You leap about the screen avoiding enemies and collecting “fragments of time”. Grab them all and your phone booth appears to whisk you away to the next level. With characters and locations from the two films, Bill & Ted's Excellent Game Boy Adventure sees you travel across several time-zones in this simple but addictive platformer. The intro to the game..

We remember why Ocarina of Time is more than just a game

As we move through life, we will at times look back fondly at memories that we hold dear. And, as gamers, many of us merge recollections of the virtual world with those of reality. Some titles simply bring the right elements together in the perfect way, making this feel natural, normal, important. One game pulled this off better than most..

We talk to UK comedian and walking canvas Jim Smallman about his gaming heritage and why Nintendo will always have a special place in his heart

While most gamers show their love and appreciation for their hobby by tirelessly buying up software, hardware and official merchandise, there are a select few who decide to take their adoration a step further. One such individual is UK-based comedian Jim..

Simple in theory, anything but in practice

Nintendo has a brand image that's as solid as a rock, so what does it take for an independant studio to get backing from the company and the opportunity to develop games based on its IPs for its consoles? Retro Studios president Michael Kelbaugh highlights a few qualities needed to do just that. During a Gamasutra interview, Kelbaugh spoke about how Retro..

No more confusion!

Yes, there is a Zelda master timeline document, but members of Nintendo's inner sanctum will ever likely be able to see it. That hasn't stopped fans from trying to make sense of it themselves, but they were all missing the right tools: a DeLorean, a flux capacitor and a healthy love of all things Back to the Future. Of course, it's not the first time that 1980s movies and Zelda..

It's just wafer thin

You've heard the Mario theme played on a Chipophone. A Japanese beatbox version? Heard that too. But a dude creating the whole Mario theme tune experience on his own, with drums, sound effects and more? That's new. The video is the work of the talented Jack Conte, who takes the tune we all know, bolts on a big beat and lets the rest take care of itself. Enjoy.

Forget sore thumbs

The trend for steadily increasing variants of the iconic NES controller is approaching critical mass, as Dutch students have just set a new record for the largest functioning game controller with an NES pad measuring nearly four metres wide. The pad measures 3.6 metres by 1.6 metres, which is around 11.8 feet by 5.2 feet, which...

A wooden good 'un

While we’re a Nintendo site first and foremost, we obviously don’t mind reporting on other sectors of the gaming universe. SNK’s Neo Geo system is a particular favourite (just try and prise our resident Neo lover Corbie Dillard away from his beloved cab, we dare you) and when we reported on Analogue Interactive’s amazing...

Video game violinist supporting Bentley Jones in London

Promotional organiser Japan Underground returns to London this month to bring its eclectic mix of live music and Japanese culture to the capital's nightlife. Japan Underground at The Kingpin Suite at Bloomsbury Lanes, London on 28th May will be headlined by British J-Pop star Bentley Jones, the first British artist to be signed to a major..