Weirdness People Just Can't Stop Talking About Mario's Nipples
Mascot's bare chest overshadows Mario Odyssey
Feature Splatoon 2 and the Spirit of Miiverse - In Pictures
Ponies, memes and slightly odd complaints
Weirdness Nintendo Accepts a Real Life Cow Milking Challenge
1-2-Switch just got real
Weirdness - News
June2014
Weirdness This Walmart Employee Got a Little Confused by a Mario Kart 8 Poster
So close yet so far
It's Friday, it's been a long week, so we all need a little humour to get the weekend started. Thankfully a Walmart employee has served up a clanger for us to enjoy, though it's a mistake with an undeniable logic to it, regardless. As you can see above, someone baffled by the whole anti-gravity thing in Mario Kart 8 has decided...
May2014
News The Lost Worlds of Power: Volume 0 is Available
Bad writing for a good cause
If you'll remember, way back in October we covered the news that Worlds of Power, the legendarily awful series of video game novelisations, was being given new life. By...uh...me. The idea was to assemble a motley collection of writers and have them each produce their own terrible, unfaithful, barely recognisable...
Weirdness When PR Stunts Go Wrong - Watch Dogs
Anonymous package caused office evacuation and bomb disposal call
Wii U owners may not be able to play Watch Dogs this week, but that doesn't mean Nintendo gamers shouldn't follow Ubisoft's release with some interest — it is apparently still coming to Nintendo's system this year, remember. We can also get a laugh from bonkers PR moves that have...
Weirdness Gaze in Wonder at Junkboy's 16-Bit "Demake" Art
Don't you want Super Smash Bros. on SNES?
Retro-inspired "demakes" of popular modern games are all the rage these days, but don't you want to put some on your walls? Swedish graphic designer Junkboy has created a wide array of gorgeous 16-bit demake art, much of which is available for purchase online. You can check out his Tumblr page for the full...
Weirdness The GlomTom is a Cushion for Resting Your Arms When Gaming, and Needs Your Money
It makes this Tom glum
Have you ever been playing a game and thought, "what I really need is a 15 degree incline for my controller-grasping hands and arms"? Has the discomfort ever driven you to distraction, and a normal cushion simply doesn't do the trick? Fear not, because GlomTom is here. GlomTom is a cushion, but an ergonomic cushion...
Weirdness Conan O'Brien Reveals E.T. Wasn't the Only Atari Game in the Landfill
The TV host and noted game journalist brings us startling video evidence
When a group of Xbox documentarians (presumably fuelled by Mountain Dew and Doritos) unearthed Atari's infamous landfill in the New Mexico desert last month, the excavation made international headlines. Late-night talk show host and accomplished video game historian Conan...
Weirdness Monster Hunter 10th Anniversary Merchandise Includes Electric Guitars and Golf Gear
Turn the nerdy up to 11
The Monster Hunter franchise turns ten this year, and to celebrate Capcom has licensed all sorts of fun (and expensive) MH-themed merchandise in Japan; everything from jewellery to golfing goods to electric guitars. A few highlights: Japanese heavy metal guitar manufacturer ESP has created this gorgeous monster-hunting...
Weirdness Super Mario Bros. 3 Can Be Beaten in Under Three Minutes
Amazing scenes
Speedruns remain a popular part of gaming culture, ranging from current day titles to treasured retro classics. Super Mario Bros. 3 naturally gets the treatment plenty of times, but two intrepid speed runners have now found a glitch that allows it to be beaten in under three minutes. Lord Tom and Tompa are the duo that have worked on...
April2014
Weirdness PeterMolydeux Is Back With The Strangely Moving Nintendo: A Sad Story Part Two
Poor Link
The mysterious individual behind the parody Twitter account PeterMolydeux has created a sequel to the nightmarish Nintendo: A Sad Story, this time focusing on the Zelda series. The bizarrely poignant clip sees a wide-eyed and innocent Link being forced to open a seemingly endless series of chests until he collapses from exhaustion —...
Weirdness This Monster Hunter Fan Will Keep You Cool On Those Epic Quests
Something for true "fans" of the series
Monster Hunter is pretty big in Japan, in case you hadn't noticed. This is made abundantly clear by the sheer volume of merchandise that is available, and we think we may have found the "coolest" item yet. Ahem. The official Monster Hunter USB fan features a rather burly-looking knight carrying an impressive...
News Myth Becomes Reality As Atari's E.T. Cartridges Are Unearthed In New Mexico Landfill
We can finally phone home
Back in the '80s Atari sent the home gaming industry into freefall by flooding the market with low-quality product, such as the infamously bad E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial video game. Legend has it that so many copies went unsold that the company drove millions of cartridges into the New Mexico desert and dumped them in...
Weirdness Hoverboards Now a Virtual Reality With the Assistance of a Wii Balance Board
Cue Back to the Future II theme song
It wasn’t long ago a video starring legendary skateboarder Tony Hawk alongside the Doc from Back to the Future and a cast of others emerged online, showing the unveiling of the first-ever “real life” hoverboard. Shortly after the video went viral, the entire reveal – as many expected – was confirmed by...
Weirdness Game Consoles and More X-rayed for Art
Crowdfunding campaign is underway
We've seen some interesting projects emerge through Kickstarter, but a new campaign from BRS Innovations perhaps steals the show. A group of three individuals with extensive experience in X-ray technology are planning to launch a series of art projects that include images of various everyday items. It's so you can...
Weirdness Now You Can Transform Your GamePad Into A Racing Wheel
Well, why not?
With Mario Kart 8 on the way, it should come as no great surprise to see peripheral makers attempt to capitalize on the renewed interest in racing titles, but Japanese firm CyberGadget has come up with the most unusual idea yet. Its Handle Stand fixes to your desk and allows you to clamp the GamePad in place, effectively turning it...
Weirdness Realistic Mario Probably Wouldn't Have Been As Successful As Super Mario
Head + block = ouch
In case the size-altering mushrooms and cartoon-like environments didn't make it obvious enough, Super Mario Bros. takes place in a world of fantasy. However, it's always fun to consider what Nintendo's most famous franchise could have been like if the company had decided to adopt a more realistic approach. In this segment from...
Weirdness Could This Be The Pokémon FPS That Nintendo Fans Have Always Wanted?
Perhaps not, but it looks like a proper hoot
Hot off the tail of the downright bizarre Super Nintendog comes more Nintendo-themed insanity. Make of it what you will, but the following video showcases Ash Ketchum running, driving, flying and shooting (often all at the same time) his way around an environment that looks like a 3D version of Safari...
Weirdness Meet The 'Super Nintendog'
Caught somewhere between impressive and horrifying
The noble pursuit of professional dog-grooming isn't just a 'thing', it's a major thing. People from all over the world attend conventions and competitions to celebrate and display a staggering amount of creativity, using their prized pooches as canvasses for some truly bizarre works of art. The...
Weirdness These Chinese Game Controllers Look Wii-ly Familiar
The designers at Xiao Bawang clearly ran out of ideas
China has recently lifted its ban on games consoles, and as a result we're seeing a few new challengers arrive on the market in the hope of leveraging the country's massive number of potential players. One such outfit is Xiao Bawang, the company which tried — and failed — to conquer China...
Weirdness This Power Mitt Oven Glove Has Secured Over $18,000 in Funding
Supply and demand, apparently
Some strange things get successfully crowdfunded, and this Power Mitt Oven Glove project may be among the most bizarre to date. Based on the Power Glove, as you can see, it seems like one of the most extravagant oven mitts that money can buy. You need a decent amount of money to get one, too. Available via an...
Weirdness Here's a Nine-Hour Video of Every SNES Start Screen
You know you want to...
Back in January, YouTube user NicksplosionFX made a three-hour video of every NES start screen — well, a lot of them, arguments aside. Now he's back for the Super Nintendo edition, clocking in at just over nine hours. It's in alphabetical order if you want to skip straight to your favourite game, but true fans will surely...
March2014
Weirdness Tetris Multitool Changes Lives, Opens Bottles
Swiss army knife? Nay, this is a Soviet army knife!
Amazon is full of useful and culturally relevant knick-knacks, from banana slicers to books on How to Avoid Huge Ships. The pioneering team over at Tiny Cartridge
Video Nintendo Approves of this Mario Kart Song
For the First Time in Forever, for you Frozen fans
It's a well-known fact that, aside from the occasional multi-platform game that many will happily ignore, Mario Kart 8's 30th May arrival is the closest major release for the Wii U. One consolation is that there is an enticing line-up of eShop games, but retail titles can still arguably get the...
Weirdness Square Enix Reproduces Deadly Final Fantasy XIV Boss in 16-Bit Style
We'd play a Super NES version any day
Final Fantasy XIV, an MMORPG (massively multiplayer online role-playing game) for the franchise, has had a troubled history. The first version was such a disappointment that Square Enix eventually dropped it, reproducing the game and changing up the development team that eventually released the far-improved A...
News Infamous Series was Originally Inspired by Animal Crossing
*spit take*
InFamous, the gritty action-adventure series where the main character gains superpowers for the benefit of good or evil, initially had a cheerier inspiration, Sucker Punch Productions co-founder Chris Zimmerman recently told Gamespot: The original idea for InFamous, believe it or not, was that it was kind of
Weirdness Engineer Uses Four Monitors to Display Whole Super Mario Bros. Levels
It's a me, Mario!
It's always fun when people use their skills to display a beloved video game character in an interesting way. Twitter user Morikuma_Works, who works as an engineer in Japan, has done just that with his four computer monitor display of Super Mario Bros. World 1-1. He also posted a picture of World 1-2, warp zone and all. Quite...
Weirdness The Makers Of TV Show Resurrection Clearly Want Nintendo On Smartphones
Donkey Kong on your mobile?
The series premiere of ABC's Resurrection went out on Sunday — in North America, at least — and the show's glaring similarity to the hit French TV series Les Revenants wasn't the only eye-opening thing about it. In one scene, a character is seen playing a game on his Samsung Galaxy Nexus smartphone which happens to...
Weirdness These iPhone Mock-Ups Suggest That Mario On Mobile Might Be A Bad Idea
Place your tongue firmly in your cheek before reading
Industry experts and jumpy investors are screaming at Nintendo to make games for smartphones right now, but company president Satoru Iwata is adamant that the future of the firm lies in dedicated gaming hardware, rather than diluted, cash-grab experiences on the likes of iOS and Android.
Weirdness Love Triangle Turns Nasty Thanks To A Legend Of Zelda Master Sword
Two men, one replica sword, one inevitable outcome
Replica swords make for great ornaments, but they're also as dangerous as the real thing — as a recent domestic disturbance in Houston proves. On one side, we have live-in boyfriend and occasional cosplayer Eugene Thompson, and on the other we have the estranged husband of Thompson's girlfriend...
February2014
Weirdness Here's Some Olympic Speed Skating, Mario Kart Style
Can we start the petition for a 2018 inclusion?
The heat of competition burns at your pounding heart, rivulets of sweat drip down your brow but you can't afford even a second to wipe it away. Your pulse marks each passing second, the weight of the world gathers on your weary shoulders and as the finish line comes into sight, you know the true...
Feature When Cranky Kong Took On Twitter
Madness? Brilliance? Both?
With Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze now on sale in Europe and North America, Nintendo of America celebrated the big launch by having 'Cranky Kong' takeover its official Twitter account. The elderly ape — the original Donkey Kong from the arcade according to lore — has been promoted for his entertaining character,...
Weirdness This Mario Golf Bag Could Help You Hit the Links in Style
Hole in one
Mario Golf: World Tour arrives on 2nd May in North America and Europe, ending a fairly long wait for the latest entry in the popular series. With Mii integration, customisation and online tournaments and communities on the way, it's looking like a promising prospect for a below par — in a good way — score. Nintendo's clearly keen...
Weirdness The VideoTendo 2000 is a VHS Tape Converted into a NES
Rewind the clock with this fully functional modification
We've seen our fair share of weird and wonderful console modifications during our time at Nintendo Life, but this latest project from modder Shinobicycle could well be the weirdest one yet. In what looks to be a wholesome celebration of the 1980s, this brave modder has taken a NES clone and...
Feature The Weird and Wonderful World of Nintendo Patents
Because gaming needs more wackiness
Nintendo is well known for pushing new ideas, often utilising established technology to broaden our horizons and shake up gaming experiences. The Wii Remote may have used well-worn technology in innovative ways to prompt a motion-control craze, yet it wasn't received with universal rapture before the Wii launched...
Weirdness There's More To This Megatron Transformers Toy Than Meets The Eye
The worlds of Transformers and video gaming collide
Like any successful toy line, Transformers has seen its fair share of video game adaptations — earliest of which can be traced all the way back to the Famicom, the Japanese version of the NES. However, this latest Transformers gaming crossover has "weird" written all over it. Manufactured by...
Weirdness This is How Monster Hunter Beasts Spring to Life at Universal Studios Japan
Monstrous monsters on the prowl
We recently reported on Monster Hunter Real 2014, a Monster Hunter-themed extravaganza at the Universal Studios theme park in Osaka, Japan. The exhibit, which is open until 11th May, features Monster Hunter themed food and drink, elaborate models of gear from the game and quests that visitors can go on. One of the...
Weirdness New Scientific Research Reveals The Horrifying Impact Of Texting On Mario Kart Drivers
Don't text and handle red shells, kids
As we all know, texting behind the wheel isn't a wise move — it has caused countless accidents on roads all over the world, and you should never, ever do it. Ever. However, less is known about the effect texting has on road safety in Mario Kart. Thankfully, some pioneering scientists (in reality nine adults...
January2014
Weirdness An Album You Can Remix On Your Game Boy Advance
Making music with an old friend
The charming blips and scratching synth of chiptune soundtracks has never really lost its appeal among gamers and musicians alike, with many examples of retro sounds being used in new projects even today. From Anamanaguchi to I Fight Dragons, there's plenty out there to discover, and now electronic pop maestro Doctor...
Weirdness These Tombstones for Fallen Characters Show The Horrors of Nintendo Gaming
RIP Goomba, Koopa Troopa... oh no, Link!
Death is everywhere in video games. Mario ruthlessly stomps on turtles — or turtle-like things — Link falls in his efforts to save Hyrule, and heroic Knights suffer the indignity of dying in their underpants. It's a cruel, cruel world. Sometimes the heroes die with a bit of sad music to accompany them,...
Weirdness Alex Kidd Infiltrates The Legend Of Zelda, With Disastrous Results
Crossover chaos
Before Sonic the Hedgehog sped onto the scene, Alex Kidd was Sega's undisputed mascot, appearing in a host of Master System adventures — as well as a single 16-bit outing — and attempting to challenge Nintendo's Mario in the sphere of platforming goodness. Since being ousted by the blue hedgehog, Alex Kidd has wandered in the...
Weirdness Puzzle & Dragons Z Yogurt Will Unlock A Scrumptious Special Dungeon
Part of a balanced breakfast
You may have seen our recent coverage on the 3DS sensation Puzzle & Dragons Z here at Nintendo Life, a game which hopefully see the light of day in the West at some point this year. What you haven't seen is a delicious new way to unlock some bonus content for the game — and we do mean delicious. After crossovers...
Weirdness Japanese Gamer Clears Ocarina Of Time Using Only His Feet
Saving Hyrule is by no means an easy feet
Ocarina of Time needs no introduction. It's a title that has been explored through speedrun after speedrun, exploited and researched tirelessly for different ways to complete it, and today it will even be featured on Awesome Games Done Quick's fantastic charity streaming event. This particular playthrough,...
Weirdness Chibi-Robo! Photo Finder Has a Virtual Butt Removed in North America
Won't somebody think of the children!
Chibi-Robo! Photo Finder is out now on the 3DS eShop in North America, and is certainly a title full of charm and potential. It utilises the device's camera for a quirky object finding quest, bringing back the franchise that began on GameCube and had two DS releases, one of which was Japan-only. As has proven...
Weirdness Try Not To Squirm As This Doomed Miiverse Romance Turns Sour
"I really did like u"
Miiverse is a powerful social tool which has won a lot of fans since it launched on the Wii U back in 2012. The recent expansion of the service to the 3DS has allowed it to become bigger than ever, with millions of users interacting with one another, sharing thoughts on games and generally connecting in a safe and friendly...
December2013
Weirdness Show Your Loved One You Care This Christmas With Phantasy Star
Tyler "Christmas Sega Kid" Esposito provides some sound advice
Tyler Esposito — the lucky scamp you saw in that heart-warming compilation of Sega-released Christmas footage — is of course all grown up now, but that doesn't mean he has lost his adoration for the Japanese video game veteran. Esposito dropped us a line to let us know about another...
Weirdness This Game Combines Hello Kitty With Rhythm Cooking and Arcana Heart
Either awesome, strange or a mix of both?
Quite often games arrive earlier or exclusively in Japan, and those of us elsewhere in the world can only look on with envy or splash the cash on imported systems and games. Occasionally these Japan-only games are intriguing primarily due to the fact that they're peculiar — Hello Kitty & Apron of...
Weirdness Donkey Kong And Other NES Classics Can Now Be Played On Your Wedding Cake
Perfect for a gorilla-suited groom
If you've ever dreamed of smothering the face of your brand new spouse with a giant slice of virtual dirt from the game Dig Dug, now is your chance. An entertainment company out of New Jersey, USA named POSH Entertainment has figured out how to make you lose even more of your hard earned coins by getting married,...
Weirdness UK Store GAME Creates Christmas Dinner In A Can
9 layers of festive food – including turkey and Christmas puddling
We apologise if you've just eaten something prior to reading this particular news story, as the following information may cause you to involuntarily bring up your previously consumed meal — you have been warned. It has been revealed today that UK video game retailer GAME has...
Weirdness Scrub Up With These Nintendo Cartridges
Promotes gamer hygiene
Like professional athletes, Nintendo gamers are commonly known for generating foul odours during long and enduring marathons. It’s part of the whole experience. Whether it involved gaming with friends back in the day with a copy of GoldenEye 007 on the Nintendo 64, or more recently playing through the latest Zelda adventure...
Weirdness This Chinese School Has an Enormous Mario Mural on its Building
The lessons probably aren't as awesome
We often see examples of Nintendo culture and its brands appearing in fairly unlikely places and forms, and this is another example that undoubtedly qualifies. It's an enormous New Super Mario Bros. — it suits the later series in terms of design — mural on the side of a Chinese school building; as you'll be...
Weirdness Hori Creates Strange, Antibacterial Funnel For Wii U Microphone
Probably won't make Christmas-party warblings sound much better, though
Horicorp — which manufactures a variety of licensed accessories for pretty much every console out there — has finally delivered what we've all been waiting for; a sound-reducing, antibacterial guard for the Wii U microphone. Well somebody out there wanted it anyway...
Weirdness Super Mario 64 Corruptions Yield Hilarious and/or Terrifying Results
Where is your Luigi now?
Every now and then, it doesn't hurt to remember that the video game worlds and characters we love are really little more than bits of data, pieced and strung together to compose the beauty and fun we see before us. And there's no better way to appreciate that said data is so well organized than witnessing the abominations...
Weirdness Amazon Plans Drone Air Delivery Service for 2015
We suggest designing them to look like propeller blocks
As technology advances, those slightly silly sci-fi ideas we see in video games start to creep into real life. Following an announcement today it looks like, within a couple of years, you will have a little drone aircraft fly your Amazon deliveries to your house. It's awesome and slightly...
November2013
Weirdness This is How Teslagrad Would Look on the Game Boy
Kind of awesome, actually
Teslagrad is one of quite a few upcoming Wii U eShop titles that Nintendo's been happy to show off in video sizzle reels. That's not surprising, as the Rain Games project has caught the eye with attractive visuals and clever magnet-based puzzle platforming mechanics. Its attractive visuals certainly play a part in the...
Weirdness Drink Your Troubles Away With This Nintendo Flask
Non alcoholic beverages are an option, of course
Retro gaming and whiskey, does it mix? One inventor on Kickstarter thought so. Matt Cornell describes himself as a passionate gamer and one who is lucky to have been raised alongside the video game industry as it has developed. Now he is repaying it with a throwback to the legends he was raised on...
Weirdness Model Chrissy Teigen Celebrates a Mushroom Kingdom Birthday
Bowser's name reportedly not found on the list
Singer-songwriter John Legend has got to be feeling pretty good right now. Marrying a model is one thing, but marrying a model who later decides to celebrate her 28th birthday with a Super Mario twist is something very special indeed. After tying the knot in September this year, the newly-weds moved on...
Video This Cat Fails to Get Into the Super Mario 3D World Spirit
No cats were harmed in the production of this video, obviously
Super Mario 3D World is packed with great ideas, and one of the most obvious "I can't believe this wasn't done before" examples is the cat suit. Even members of the Nintendo Life team that have little love for actual cats seem to adore the power-up, as it's fun to use and watch in...
Weirdness Nintendo of America Celebrates the Flying 3DS
"FAA FTW"
Nintendo's games, when you assess them with a critical perspective, are weird. The company's main mascot lives in The Mushroom Kingdom and fights an enormous turtle thing with a dog's name, while this year a major Wii U release put players in control of hundreds of colour co-ordinated minions that collect fruit and fight creatures to...
Weirdness Mario Takes On Link In This Live-Action Smash Bros. Tribute
Nintendo's biggest characters square off
Smash Bros. may have given fans the tools to answer the age-old question of who would win if Mario had to fight Link, but for some, that's not enough. Stunt team Emc Monkeys — famed for its live-action replications of popular video games — has decided to settle the argument once and for all with its...
Weirdness You'll Still Be Able To (Sort Of) Play Watch Dogs This Christmas
Perhaps not in the way you'd expect, though
Ubisoft's Watch_Dogs was one of 2013's most anticipated titles, until it got pushed into 2014, that is. While nothing can really remedy the disappointment of missing out on one of the most exciting new games in recent memory, you can still Watch Dogs — quite literally — thanks to the well-intentioned...
Weirdness Shigeru Miyamoto Meets Mario in Real Life
Sometimes you just can't get away from your parents
The Mario Bros. may be video game icons, recognizable to millions all around the world; yet you still wouldn't expect to see them strolling (or indeed jumping) down the street. Their 'adventures' in Brooklyn with Dennis Hopper aside, we've rarely seen the duo anywhere outside the green hills of the...
Weirdness Nintendo Goes Old School With a Mahjong Set
Though it does cost more than a 3DS
Those familiar with Nintendo history will know that before it moved into the electronic entertainment industry it was founded as a playing card company, producing and marketing its Hanafuda game. Though not quite returning to those roots in a literal sense, the company is releasing an attractive Mahjong set,...
Weirdness This Chart and Range of Tips May Help With Those Confusing Pokémon Weaknesses in X & Y
You'll need a memory like an elephant, er, Phanpy?
The world of Pokémon can be baffling to outsiders, which is perhaps more prevalent now that X & Y have sold millions of copies around the world. There are sure to be some that are new to the franchise, and they may be struggling to keep up with the many types, attacks and weaknesses that need...
Weirdness CollegeHumor Updates The Pokérap With All 718 Pokémon
"Your dream of a new PokéRap is now a nine minute nightmare"
The Pokérap is probably something that older, veteran Pokémon fans cherish, a musical treat that lasted through the first three generations of the franchise. Of course, as the generations have passed and a lot more 'mon have been added, the practicalities have made it a thing of the...
Weirdness You Could Hang This Mini Lego Mario Question Block on Your Christmas Tree
We particularly like the Lego Atari 2600
The Holiday season is a festive, happy time, when many off us happily pile on the pounds and, presumably, play a lot of games. It's a time of backlog busting and, perhaps, silly family games — that Wii or, dare we say Wii U can provide the latter activity in particular. Some of us may also have a Christmas...
Weirdness Shiny Pokémon Finder Takes No-Hands Approach
This will probably void your warranty, though
There is a certain breed of Pokémon player out there who would do just about anything to capture the rare, “shiny” variety of each creature. Their fascination with shinies borders on a raccoon-like intensity — yet unlike most raccoons, many of these humans have access to technology. YouTube user...
Weirdness This Game Boy Color Costume Actually Plays Game Boy Advance Games
Trick or treat yourself to a bit of Pokémon?
A YouTube user who goes by the name of MikeHandidate managed to outdo even the eccentric scientist Victor Frankenstein this Halloween by dressing up as none other than a giant, fully functioning Game Boy Color. While the costume does share some similarities to Frankenstein's monster in that it's a tad...
October2013
News Male Wii Fit Trainer Revealed as Latest Smash Bros. Challenger
He should Fit right in
Back at E3 2013, it was revealed that the female Wii Fit Trainer would be a playable character in the upcoming Super Smash Bros. for Wii U and Nintendo 3DS. It looks like she'll be in good company; series producer Masahiro Sakurai sent a post to Miiverse earlier today, indicating that her male counterpart would indeed be...
Weirdness Worlds Of Power Is To Rise From The Grave In 2014
Nintendo Life's Philip Reed is taking a trip down memory lane
Young gamers growing up in the early 90s no doubt remember Worlds of Power. It was a series of youth-oriented novelisations of classic NES games...and the books have become legendarily awful. They were inaccurate, inept, and very poorly written. While their ostensible mission was to...
Weirdness Japanese YouTuber Dresses Up As Mega Man, Powers Up Via Electric Shocks
It's one way to celebrate the Blue Bomber's 25th, we guess
As we all know, Mega Man turns 25 this year. Capcom is doing its bit by re-releasing classic adventures on the Wii U and 3DS Virtual Console services, but what fans really want is an all-new Mega Man outing. They may well be getting it, too — although in the form of Mighty No.9, which is a...
Weirdness If Pokémon Battles Were in First-Person, It'd Be a Lot Less Cute
Ouch
Pokémon fever has been in force for many weeks and months now, culminating in the recent release of Pokémon X & Y. Like many of the most successful and best-loved franchises on Nintendo systems, it's also a rather peculiar premise that's been going strong for many years. As we suggested in our weekend article, playing Pokémon games can...
Weirdness UK Tabloid Reports on Fictional Deus Ex "Eyeball Implant"
Journalistic research triumphs again
British tabloid The Sun has been on our radar at Nintendo Life in the past, most notably for its ludicrous 'medical' coverage of the dangerous effects of the 3DS, in which a journalist played in 3D while walking down the street and then complained of feeling ill. The paper also published articles at the time...
Weirdness A Mario Kart Movie Could be Epic
As epic as the Need for Speed flick, anyway
Some game franchises certainly like to take themselves seriously, particularly those so proud to tag themselves as 'mature' — you know the ones. Need for Speed sort of qualifies, as even though the games are relatively mindless fun it has an upcoming movie that's giving off some pretentious vibes. It's...
Weirdness Uh-Oh, That Guy Who Likes To Microwave Things Got His Hands On A 2DS
Confirms the "single screen" theory in the most brutal way possible
YouTube user dOvetastic likes to microwave consumer products for his own twisted entertainment, and films the results so the wider world can share in his rather disturbing pastime. You might recall his previous videos featuring a 3DS XL and Wii U. He's managed to secure a brand new...
Weirdness Beautiful Master Sword Replica Up for Auction
Must pick up in Lost Woods
Would you like a sword? All right, dumb question. If someone were just handing them out on the street, who wouldn’t take one? Let’s rephrase: are you looking for a nicely made replica of Link’s Master Sword? Because if you are (or just realized you need to be), it’d be hard to go wrong with this beauty currently...
Weirdness If Pokémon Meets King of the Hill, the Results Are Bizarre
Because almost everyone plays Pokémon
Some of you in the Nintendo Life readership may be fans of King of the Hill, the animated series that ran on TV from 1997 to 2010, picking up a number of awards in the process. With over 250 shows behind it, there's little surprise that the series has plenty of fans online that are more than happy to...
Weirdness Here's a Team Fortress 2 Star Fox Deathmatch Mod
Yes, really
Team Fortress is a phenomenon, as the Valve-developed multiplayer FPS typifies the features that many PC gamers adore — basically, it can be modded and manipulated in a lot of ways. It's a major part of the game's appeal, though the default crazy cartoonish action has a legion of fans, with plenty still playing the ageing game to...
September2013
The error was spotted in Hiroshi Yamauchi's obituary
Writers and journalists, no matter the prestige of their publication, make mistakes. Facts are incorrect or the wording may be wrong, and corrections are made. The New York Times, in an admirable sense of perspective and maintaining standards, has corrected an error from an article published 25...
Feature The Weird World of Video Games
Weirdness makes the World go 'round
Sometimes it feels like this video gaming hobby of ours can be a dreadfully serious business. We worry about the direction of brands we love — in many of our cases, of course, Nintendo — or perhaps we get hot and bothered about what games are coming, those that aren't, or a myriad of other things. There are...
Weirdness Watch Nearly 1000 Mario Players All At Once
Super Mario Boy
For those that have played Super Meat Boy, which unfortunately never made it to a Nintendo system, a highlight can be the replay that follows every completed level — all of your attempts are shown at once. If you can imagine that with a Super Mario Bros. level, but with 974 players on display, then you can imagine what's coming...
Weirdness If Only The Dark Knight Was a Retro Game
"Wanna know how I got these scanlines?"
Just yesterday we shared the fact that there's a retro-styled Game of Thrones game, which draws inspiration from the TV show. To continue that theme we now have a video that recreates The Dark Knight as it would be in a retro game; this is a rather fun recreation of key events as they could work in a game of...
Weirdness There's a Game of Thrones 8-Bit Game
Watch out, HBO
For those that aren't actually aware, Game of Thrones was around long before it arrived as a big-budget behemoth on TV; the original book was called A Game of Thrones and was book one in the series titled A Song of Ice and Fire, which is still going — hats off to you, George R. R. Martin. There's no doubt that the TV series has...
Weirdness Robots Play Classic Nintendo Music and Sound Effects
The wonders of 8-bit games and the greatest low-cost PC in the world
Sometimes clever people take a creative idea and then lovingly wrap it in gaming nostalgia, often posting the results on YouTube. A fine thing it is too, as it all adds to gaming culture and, ultimately, the best examples can be hugely entertaining. YouTube user roboband...
Weirdness These "Anywhere Buttons" Look Daft Wherever You Are
Use these things in public, we dare you
Hey, 3DS gamers! Do you want to look particularly silly when playing your handheld device in public? Have you always looked at that pesky touchscreen and thought, darn, I wish I had an adhesive stick-on D-Pad for that non-button area? Then step right up, for the "Anywhere Buttons"! Order now, preferably...
Weirdness If You Always Wanted to See Kanto From Pokémon Red and Blue in Minecraft, Here You Go
Spare 10 minutes to reward hundreds of hours of effort
If we were to name a top ten, maybe even a top five, of the biggest franchises in the current gaming landscape, it's possible that both Minecraft and Pokemon would feature. Minecraft, and its ability to allow gamers to create their own worlds, has become a phenomenon, while the hype...
Weirdness Say Hello to the Cross Plane, a GamePad For Other Systems
Well, not quite
In recent years Nintendo has produced some innovative products with established technology, endured some sniggers and confused coverage, and then seen the idea mimicked and reproduced by others. The idea of touch screens in gaming was rather fresh when the DS was unveiled, and some mocked the waggle motion controls of the Wii —...
Weirdness This 1DS Spoof is Remarkably Well Done
Or the 1Dees, as ABC news would call it
The 2DS has, despite its obvious reasons for existence in the market this Holiday season, been open to plenty of incredulity and mockery online. That was its inevitable fate, as no amount of logic — or the fact it's not threatening anyone — will spare it some teasing on the web. We must doff our caps to...
August2013
Weirdness Football Manager Fans Can Now Show Off in Animal Crossing: New Leaf
Get your special t-shirt design here
The Football Manager franchise is like a dark secret for some gamers, an absorbing game that destroys social lives and relationships on an annual basis. There's little time for minor things such as meals and fresh air when you need to fine-tune the training regimen of your star striker. Although, of course,...
Weirdness ABC News Tells Us All About How the 2Dees Can Play 3Dees Games
Also the Wii 32GB model, which strangely looks like a Wii U, gets a $50 cut
This week Nintendo of America's Reggie Fils-Aime did what almost any Executive in his position would do, he stated that the Wii U name wasn't the issue with the system, but did point out other areas that clearly have held the console back to date. That said, it's also...
Weirdness Mann Writes Mario Opera
A plumber's lament
Many people would probably be happy in the sole knowledge that they wrote a Mario-themed opera for their grad school thesis, but it wasn’t quite enough for musician Jonathan Mann. He wanted to bring it to the stage, and made his dream come true with a show in New York City. Along with Princess Peach, Bowser, a Toad chorus and...
Weirdness Mario Bros. Parkour Action Is All The Rage
Christian Russell and Ronnie Shalvis show-off some skillz, erm, skills
At the weekend we brought you Nintendo of America's latest example of marketing for Luigi, with it's Parkour mockumentary in honour of "L-Man". Freerunning fun is naturally pretty popular on YouTube, and the relatively well-known Christian Russell and Ronnie Shalvis have...
Weirdness If You Always Wanted a Gold DuckTales NES Cartridge, Now's Your Chance
Sing or draw to win, it's up to you
DuckTales: Remastered is now gracing the Wii U eShop, giving the NES classic a HD makeover and the odd extra feature. Capcom isn't quite finished promoting the multi-platform release — mainly due to the fact it's yet to arrive on the Xbox 360 — so has launched a rather intriguing contest for eager collectors...
Weirdness The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time is Beaten in Under 20 Minutes
Cosmo strikes in 19 minutes 15 seconds
A little while ago we told you about Cosmo Wright, a speedrunner that was recorded explaining, in detail, how to complete Ocarina of Time in 22 minutes. As he admitted himself it wasn't an impeccable run, possibly because he was trying to describe intricate maneuvers while executing them. That run was at a...
Weirdness Perhaps We All Need These LEGO Nintendo 64 Transformers in Our Lives
More than meets the eye
Sometimes life is tough. Some of us have work, school, work and school, bills to pay, credit card bills to panic over and a myriad of other concerns. At least we have video games to ease the load, but there's always room for improvement; how about combining video games with LEGO and Transformers? Yes, that'll do the trick...
Weirdness SEGA Employee Has a Bad Day, Says Bayonetta 1 & 2 Are Almost "Exactly the Same"
Probably not the official company line
Update: A SEGA of America employee has now reportedly taken to NeoGaf with a one-line statement back-tracking on the SEGA customer services rep reported below. The information provided is not accurate and we apologize for any confusion. Bayonetta 2 is an entirely new game. Of course, everyone already...
Weirdness These Gaist Crusher 3DS Add-Ons Aren't Particularly Stylish
Lumps of plastic to bolt onto the 3DS? Check...
Not so long ago we brought you the news that Treasure — best known for brilliant titles such as Sin & Punishment: Star Successor and Gunstar Heroes — is working with Capcom on Gaist Crusher for the 3DS. It's a title that'll aim to combine the in-game action with a broader branding effort,...
July2013
Weirdness This First-Person Sonic the Hedgehog Video is Rather Impressive
But would it be playable?
It's a favourite hobby of some gamers to fantasize over "what ifs"; maybe "what if Mario had worn green and been the easily frightened taller brother?" Or "what if Mega Man had been a middle aged man with a pistol, like on the box art?" Another may well be, what if Sonic the Hedgehog wasn't a 2D platformer, but a...
Video The Pokémon Tretta Lab Add-On Makes the Circle Pad Pro XL Look Streamlined
You can't get this monster in your pocket
A little while ago we told you about Pokémon Tretta Lab coming to the 3DS in Japan, an app accompanied by fairly bulky hardware to bring an arcade experience home. It arrives in the region on 10th August, with the app being free but the hardware costing 3,800 yen (approx. £25 / €30 / $38). This provides...
Weirdness Check Out This Brilliant Donkey Kong Stop-Motion Video
The mind boggles
Some YouTube videos dedicated to Nintendo games and franchises cross the boundary from happy enthusiast's amateur efforts to downright impressive, professional-level work. This stop-motion Donkey Kong video certainly fits in the latter category, with a lot of skill and hours no doubt needed to put it all together. We're not sure...
Weirdness Hackers Use NES Pad To Drive Car
All those hours on Rad Racer might come in handy after all
Security experts Charlie Miller and Chris Valasek have demonstrated a method which allows hackers to control a car using a laptop and NES joypad. The pair have created a system which enables them to connect to a car's electronic control unit (ECU) via the on-board diagnostics port and...
Weirdness Mike Tyson Was Rubbish at Punch-Out!!
"I couldn't even beat Glass f****** Joe"
While some games, particularly in the '80s and '90s, proudly showed off a celebrity likeness or name to sell copies, that doesn't mean that those famous people even liked those games. In the case of Mike Tyson, he was so hopeless at his own part of NES history that it seems irrelevant whether he actually...
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