News This Awesome Hand-Drawn Ninja Gaiden Guide Brings Back Lovely Pre-Internet Memories
And you can have it for free
News Nintendo Shares Gorgeous Concept Art For Kirby Star Allies On Switch
"Various directions were considered"
News This Gorgeous Bayonetta 2 Art Book Hits Western Stores Later This Year
Pre-order available now
Feature Meet The Man Who's Turning Video Games Into 3D Works Of Art
"I had to follow my heart and find what makes me happy"
Art - News
December2018
News This Awesome Hand-Drawn Ninja Gaiden Guide Brings Back Lovely Pre-Internet Memories
And you can have it for free
Before strategy guides and that pesky, know-it-all internet came along, completing tricky games was a serious challenge. There was a time when players couldn't simply Google "how do I unlock Simon Belmont's luscious locks in Smash Bros.", and instead had to figure everything out by playing over and over again. Often,...
October2018
Video Settle In For A Nintendo Story Most Spooky With Grimwald Gutfright
Every creepypasta boiled down into one
If there's one thing that's historically saturated the internet, it's horror stuff. More specifically, the entire subgenre known as creepypasta, a style of story that is infamously cliché and poorly written to the point that it's actually quite amusing. So in the name of Halloween, snuggle up and dim the...
News Nintendo Shares Gorgeous Concept Art For Kirby Star Allies On Switch
"Various directions were considered"
We've seen numerous pieces of concept art for a wide variety of games over the past few months - including a darker take on Zelda: Breath of the Wild, early King K. Rool designs, and even Nintendo's very
June2018
News This Gorgeous Bayonetta 2 Art Book Hits Western Stores Later This Year
Pre-order available now
A few years ago, coinciding with the game's initial launch on Wii U, an art book for Bayonetta 2 was released in Japan. An English translation of the book has since been in the works and western buyers should be able to get their hands on a copy very soon. The book, titled 'The Eyes of Bayonetta 2', features all the...
Feature Meet The Man Who's Turning Video Games Into 3D Works Of Art
"I had to follow my heart and find what makes me happy"
Of the many ways in which video game fans can pay tribute to their favourite titles, Steven Charles Gauntley's 3D "shadow box" pictures are one of the most visually appealing we've yet seen. Gauntley creates these unique, limited edition pictures via his company 8-Bit Boutique, and also...
Random Making Giant Pokémon Art From Rubik's Cubes
Gotta solve 'em all
We see a lot of artists take on the world of Pokémon here at Nintendo Life - just a quick ponder online will bring up dozens of super-talented people getting their masterpieces down on paper - but we don't usually see anyone using Rubik's Cubes. These images, uploaded by Twitter user epee415, show the awesome art pieces...
April2018
News These Early Zelda: Breath of the Wild Concept Designs Have Us Dreaming Of A Darker Sequel
Creepy stuff
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild turned out to be a near-masterpiece in the current climate of games, starting a trend that has seen some of Nintendo's top franchises taking bold new directions to fantastic effect. Because of this, we're rather happy that the big N finalised the game's development in the way it did, although...
Awesome Hand-Drawn Guide To Contra Proves The Pen Is Mightier Than The Keyboard
Tips to live by
If you grew up in the 8 and 16-bit eras then you'll no doubt be familiar with the concept of writing down notes and drawing maps to help you beat tricky games. In the days before the internet and readily-available guidebooks, players had to make their own luck - and that usually involved putting pen to paper and creating your...
Random These Zelda Propaganda Posters Are Mini Works Of Art
"Listen! Increased production is Ganon's destruction!"
Fernando Reza is a name truly dedicated Nintendo fans may already be familiar with; he created a series of posters based on propaganda imagery from World War II with the cast of Super Mario Bros. as the stars. Reza - who has had his work exhibited all over the world and designed...
March2018
News Former Super Play And Rare Artist Wil Overton Needs Your 'Get Well Soon' Wishes
"Nearly never made it but have just scraped through the other end"
Long-standing visitors to this site will no doubt be aware of the name Wil Overton - he's something of a legend if you were a UK-based Nintendo fan in the early '90s. His stunning illustrations graced every single cover of Super Play magazine, and Overton's talents would eventually...
February2018
Art Check Out This Incredible Zelda: Breath Of The Wild x Splatoon Mash-Up
Inkling Boy, Inkling Girl, Inkling Bokoblin?!
As you are probably aware, we're pretty big fans of Splatoon here at Nintendo Life. Then Breath of the Wild came in to our lives, and - even though it was only one year ago - we really don't know how we coped without it. Imagine our shock and delight, then, as we stumbled upon illustrator...
News Got Bob Wakelin's Original Art For NES Contra? You're Sitting On $100,000
Game art collector wants to hear from you
When the legendary Bob Wakelin passed away last month he left behind an incredible legacy of artwork. Wakelin's associating with British publisher Ocean resulted in a flood of amazing covers, but he also did work for other companies, with the NES version of Contra being one of his most famous pieces. Now,...
January2018
Art These Fantasy Nintendo Hardware Breakdowns Are Just Magical
NES, SNES, Game Boy, DS and more get opened up (kind of)
Consoles like the NES, SNES and Game Boy may just be fashioned from circuit boards, chips and plastic, but they're a portal to a seemingly limitless world of possibilities and will, for many players, have provided a wondrous backdrop for entire childhoods. London-based artist Jing Zhang was...
News Legendary Cover Artist Bob Wakelin Passes Away
Leaving behind a legacy of amazing covers
It is with great sadness that we have to report the passing of Bob Wakelin, one of the most prolific video game cover artists of his generation. The name might not be familiar - especially if you're reading this in North America - but Wakelin's creations will be instantly recognisable. A one-time Marvel UK...
July2017
News The Art of Shantae Launches Sometime in 2018
Ret-2-go!
Shantae is a series that owes a lot of its success to the Nintendo audience; it’s always felt like something of a second party game to a certain degree. And with the latest success of Shantae: Half-Genie Hero on the Wii U and Switch, that series has no doubt been gradually accruing a much larger fanbase. As something of a gift to...
June2017
Random This ARMS And Popeye Fan Art Mixes Nintendo's Past And Present
"I am what I am"
Nintendo has a long association wth the comic character Popeye. The company produced licensed NES and Game & Watch titles based on E. C. Segar's hero, and Donkey Kong - its first smash hit - was originally supposed to feature the spinach-gulping sailor. Now, artist Ed Peppe has fused Nintendo's past with its...
Gallery Revel In This Ridiculously Retro 3-Bit ARMS Artwork
Yes, we mean 3-bit
8-bit artwork and musical recreations inspired by modern games are nothing new in anyone's books; most have a healthy (or unhealthy) nostalgia for the past and that can be encapsulated by the limitations of one or more 8-bit gaming machines. If you take that technology back a step or two further you can get even more retro...
May2017
News Here's Your First Look At UDON's Shovel Knight: Official Design Works
Coming in August this year
We reported last month that an official Shovel Knight art book was on the way, and now Yacht Club Games has shown off a few pages from the publication. Created in conjunction with UDON Entertainment - which can count Street Fighter, Okami, Mega Man, Dark Souls, Bayonetta and Sonic the Hedgehog amongst its other...
January2017
Art Xenoblade Chronicles Demake - Going Back to the 16-bit Era
It's still Reyn time
Earlier this week we shared some rather handsome Banjo-Kazooie reimagined as a Mario RPG artwork, as the first of what we plan to be daily posts celebrating amazing fan art. Now we have more pixel art, this time in honour of an iconic Wii / New 3DS title. AbyssWolf on DeviantArt - real name Daniel Oliver - was recommended to us...
Art Banjo-Kazooie Reimagined in the Mario RPG Style
It's a bear necessity
As a daily treat this year we're going to take a little time to step away from wondering about how leaky Nintendo has become, and simply focus on some lovely fan-made art. We've occasionally shared some stand-out examples in the past, but now we want to make it a daily occurrence; the only objective is to highlight some cool...
December2016
News You'll Want This Sonic The Hedgehog Art Book On Your Coffee Table
Shipping April 2017
Sonic turned 25 this year, and Sega marked the occasion by confirming that the popular character would be getting two new outings next year, one of which is the gorgeous-looking Sonic Mania. Art house Cook & Becker also has something special for fans of the Blue Blur coming next year - a coffee table book which shows off a...
November2016
Art This Guy Has An Insane Amount Of Original Western Mega Man Cover Artwork
Boxing clever
This promotional image for Game Players Magazine unites two of Greg Winters' cover subjects - he also did some covers for Sega's Sonic the Hedgehog While it can't always be said that western cover artwork is superior to that seen in Japan, it's important to remember that for many gamers growing up during the 8 and 16-bit eras, it was...
News 'Sonic 25' Fine Art Collection Pays Homage To The World's Fastest Hedgehog
Needs more blue
Sega Europe has joined forces with the UK's leading fine art publisher to create 'Sonic 25', a collection of 25 original pieces which pay tribute to Sonic the Hedgehog. Sonic 25 sees a series of Washington Green artists - including Dan Lane, Paul Kenton, Frédéric Daty, Louis Sidoli, Stuart McAlpine Miller, Robert Oxley, Craig...
October2016
Random The Nintendo Switch Sure Makes A Cute Looking Pooch Plushie
Woof.
When Nintendo lifted the lid on its new Switch console last week it triggered a lot of questions. Does it have a touchscreen? How long will the battery last? What are those tiny, tiny pads going to be like when you've been gaming for six hours straight? And why does the assembled Joy-Con controller look like a dog? That final question is one...
Weirdness Russian Illustrators Create The Pokémon Of Your Nightmares
"Squirtle is the demon of ocean depths and failed trips to sea"
While there are some seriously creepy Pokémon lurking in the ever-expanding Pokédex, most are relatively cute and cuddly, such as Pikachu, Vulpix and Snorlax. Possibly wishing to redress the balance a little, Russian Illustrators Boris and Daria Sokolovsky - otherwise known as...
September2016
News Super Play's Wil Overton Is Creating Cover Art For HyperPlay Issue 2
Legendary artist goes full circle
Gamers of a certain age will almost certainly recall the days before the internet when fan-made magazines were all the rage. These crude, monochrome publications were put together thanks to the sheer enthusiasm of their creators and provided a sense of community that wasn't always present in professional mags, but...
May2016
News The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess Manga Is Coming to the West
'Akira Himekawa' confirms Viz Media will take up publication
A while ago it was confirmed that The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess would have its own manga. At the time it was only pinned down for a Japanese release, but Akira Himekawa - the combined name for the two artists behind many of these franchise manga - has since outed it as being...
Art Meet The Famicube, The NES Successor That Only Exists In A Parallel Universe
NES 1.5
Given that Sony and Microsoft are chewing up the column inches with rumours of "updated" versions of their current consoles, it seems fitting that we should take a look at an amazing project by Swedish artist and programmer Arne Niklas Jansson for what he dubs "the NES 1.5" - a console which would have bridged the gap between the NES and...
News Someone Has Made A Rowlet Pokémon Plush Already
Fans work fast
The starter Pokémon featured in the forthcoming Sun & Moon were only revealed yesterday, but we've already seen fan art appear for Rowlet, Litten and Poppilo. This is impressive in itself, but one fan has gone to the next level by crafting an incredibly professional-looking pl
April2016
Art If Nintendo Ever Took Zelda Into The Future, We'd Want Link To Look Like This
Future legend
As we all know, The Legend of Zelda series is set in a fantasy universe which sticks to some pretty basic rules - magic and swords are the weapons of choice. However, with titles like Spirit Tracks (trains) and Skyward Sword (AI-like constructs like Fi) Nintendo has tentatively pushed the franchise into new realms, and perhaps one day...
March2016
News Unleash Your Creative Side with Disney Art Academy
Launching on 3DS in May 2016
Grab your styluses! Disney Art Academy launches on May 13th for 3DS in North America, though Europeans will have to wait until 15th July. Using a variety of tools and enhancements, you can learn to draw characters such as Elsa and Olaf from Frozen, Mickey Mouse and Friends, Winnie the Pooh, and characters from Pixar's...
Random Fan Intends to Recreate All 721 Pokémon as Stained Glass Artwork
Quite the undertaking
Be it by artwork, music, or something else, many artists have found creative ways to express their love for their favorite games. Seeing as how it's the 20th anniversary of Pokémon, it's no surprise that there's been something of a surge in Pokémon related content that's appearing around the web. While this will no doubt...
February2016
News Cult SNES Hero Plok Stars In Another Action-Packed Comic Book
"It feels great to get fourth Plok book out there"
Plok is without a doubt one of the true hidden gems of the SNES library. Created by British coding siblings Ste and John Pickford, Plok originally starred in a unique platforming epic for the 16-bit console but has since gone on to become the lead character in a series of web-based comics, drawn by...
Gallery Legend Of Zelda Meets Minecraft In These Amazing Fan-Made Voxel Images
Pick a pixel
The pixel-based entries in the massively popular Legend of Zelda series might lack the immersion seen in the more recent offerings like Skyward Sword and Twilight Princess HD, but they have a quality which is almost timeless. Amazingly, even when these flat 2D images are turned into 3D landscapes, the appeal of that iconic...
News Genei Ibun Roku #FE Art Book Releases on 26th February in Japan
A Fire Emblem art book hat trick
It seems that this is the year for Fire Emblem art books, as yet another one was just recently revealed. A few months ago, we caught wind of their being a 25th anniversary book on the way, and shortly after, there was news of a book that would focus on just Fire Emblem: Awakening. Now, we have the book for
News The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess Will Have Its Own Manga
Shackled to a Japanese app for now
Those who like their legends unfolding from right to left might be happy to learn that The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess will be the next game in the Zelda series to receive its own official manga. A pair of artists who go by the combined name Akira Himekawa will take up their inks for the project once again,...
Gallery These Fan-Made Splatoon Weapons Are Pretty Fresh
Tools of the trade
The Game Party Japan 2016 event has just hosted the Japanese National Splatoon Championship, giving fans of the game the chance to test their skill against like-minded individuals. It also gave the truly dedicated the opportunity to show off their creative talents, as there was a booth which showcased fan-made versions of the...
January2016
Ninterview The History of Gaming, In Oil Paint
We have a chat with Randy Gallegos about his gaming art
If you've ever seen our Instagram account you'll know we love a bit of gaming art here at Nintendo Life. The majority of the art we come across is digital, however we recently came across the work of an American artist who does things a little differently. Artist Randy Gallegos has been...
December2015
Art Here's Another Western Take On The Legend Of Zelda's Link
The Hero of Time is looking a bit more rugged (again)
Last week, we featured some concept renders of Link from The Legend of Zelda created by 343 Industries character designer Kyle Hefley. Sporting a more mature and realistic look, it was an interesting mix between east and west. We've unearthed another piece of Link art and it shares some...
November2015
Art Halo Character Artist Gives Legend Of Zelda's Link A Realistic Makeover
Zelda meets Skyrim?
The Legend of Zelda protagonist Link is one of gaming's most iconic heroes, but he's something of an enigma - an intentionally empty vessel for the player to inhabit instead of a fleshed-out character. Rather than being a negative thing, this has led to Link becoming one of the most drawn and imitated video game icons, with...
Art If Nintendo Did Resurrect The Game Boy, We'd Want It To Look Like This
Past and present
The Game Boy line may be effectively retired in Nintendo's eyes, but the name itself still carries a lot of weight with gamers all over the world - including German designer Florian Renner, who has put together a cool concept which resurrects the classic brand for the modern era. The Game Boy 1up is of course nothing more than a fe
Gallery There's Loads Of Awesome Linkle Fan Art Available Already
We're pulled together some of our favourites
The news that Hyrule Warriors Legends is getting a female version of Link named Linkle has caused quite a stir online, but it's merely the latest chapter in the character's interesting history. Concept art appeared in the Hyrule Warriors artbook
October2015
News Celebrate Super Mario World's 25th With These Stylish Prints
Available in poster or postcard form
Super Mario World launched alongside the Super Famicom on November 21st 1990, which makes this year the game's 25th birthday. Arguably one of the greatest video games ever made, this iconic platformer certainly deserves a bit of birthday celebration, and with that in mind Arkotype's Dan Clarke has created some...
September2015
Video Mario & Luigi Become Gods in This Lovely Japanese Painting
Based on the Rimpa School of Art
Nintendo has embarked upon various promotional activities for the 30th Anniversary of the Super Mario franchise, and this example from Japan is certainly one of the most appealing yet. It's a collaboration with the artist Taro Yamamoto, who is a skilled painter in the Rimpa style, a traditional approach that has...
July2015
"I want to get the tone, the mood, the mystical elements right"
Marked by dreamlike brushstrokes and an uncanny mind for fan service, Orioto's artwork is the type to stick with you after you've seen it. For years, this Paris-based digital artist has created moving portraits of a who's-who in the fictional gaming sphere: Link, Ryu, Sonic, and many...
Video Watch a Super Mario 30th Anniversary Mural Come Together in London
Move over, Banksy
Last week we had the pleasure of attending Nintendo UK's post-E3 showing in trendy Shoreditch in London. We've already been sharing our thoughts on the games on show there to supplement the fine work which Morgan and Alan did on the LA E3 show floor for us. One of the most striking things as we approached the venue showing...
May2015
News You Need These Exclusive Sega-Themed Artworks On Your Wall
Golden Axe! Streets of Rage! Shinobi! More!
What happens when digital art studio Cook & Becker enlists talented artists - working in the fields of Sci-Fi, gaming and comics - to create original art for their favourite Sega titles? Awesome happens, that's what. Kilian Eng, Gerald Parel, Julien Renoult, Roman van der Haven and Emmanuel Malin...
News Less Than A Day Old And Yooka-Laylee Already Has Lots of Awesome Fan-Art
Now that's a Rare sight
It's been less than a day now since Playtonic Games lifted the lid on its upcoming game, Yooka-Laylee, and already the Internet has gone fan-art crazy. This is all before the Kickstarter campaign has even gone live, too, emphasizing the hype around this project. We've picked out some early winners in the fan-art stakes for...
April2015
News Phoenix Wright: Dual Destinies Art Book Taking the Stand
AKA The Big Book of Courtroom Breakdowns
So sure, Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney - Dual Destinies never came out in a physical form for most of us, and that might still sting a bit. For those still yearning to feel justice in their hands, however, a different sort of medium has arisen. Capcom's courtroom style will be set to page this coming 9 June...
March2015
Gallery These Artistic Recreations of Women Characters Set a Different Tone
Samus, Princess Peach and more given a fresh perspective
With March drawing to a close we also have the end of Women's History Month, in which the role of women in various aspects of society are celebrated and highlighted. We previously shared a somewhat quirky effort at participation from Nintendo of America, highlighting a range of characters that...
News Animal Crossing Helped This Artist Get Through Her Chemotherapy Treatment
"The mundanity of it is really comforting"
Chicago artist Krystal DiFronzo was diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma - a cancer of the blood - last August. Like all cancer suffers, she had to deal with a lot of worry and heartbreak, but found an unlikely aid in the Nintendo 3DS title Animal Crossing: New Leaf. DiFronzo has created a series - called...
News We're Over The Moon With This Zelda: Majora's Mask Game Boy
You've met with some awesome paint, haven't you?
We love a good custom paint job of classic gaming hardware here at Nintendo Life Towers, and this Majora's Mask Game Boy is one of the coolest mods we have seen in a while. French artist Oskunk has given this tired old Game Boy a refreshing new lease of life by bringing it bang up to date with a...
News This Awesome Star Fox 2 Box Art Shows Us What Could Have Been
We did a barrel roll when we saw this
With an all-new Star Fox game for Wii U on the way later this year, our thoughts sometimes drift back to the good old days of the Super Nintendo. With the critical and commercial success of Star Fox on the SNES, a sequel of some description was inevitable and it seemed that the SNES would be the platform to...
February2015
Video Pixelated Recreation of The Simpsons Evokes Nostalgia
Then it just gets freaky
The Simpsons has been running long enough that its opening is firmly cemented in pop culture history, but Paul Robertson and Ivan Dixon have decided to delve even deeper into the nostalgia centers of our brains by rendering it in pixel form. The video calls out a few classic game icons and tropes, certainly, but something...
January2015
News The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past Comic to be Reprinted This Year
A Nintendo Power treasure returns
The graphic novel re-telling of The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past that originally graced the issues of Nintendo Power in 1992 will flip the hourglass and return in full-colour form this year via VIZ Media. Outside of Nintendo's magazine, the graphic novel was last compiled for sale in 1993. Nostalgic...
Gallery Imagining What Banjo-Kazooie Might Look Like in HD
Bringing a Rare classic up to date
Rare's classic N64 game Banjo-Kazooie is a fan favourite with retro gamers for good reason; even by today's standards this early 3D game is still incredibly charming and fun to play. Still, 1998 is a long time ago, and there is always room for improvement. Enter UK based 3D artist Neil Goodman, who has tasked...
Gallery Here's a Batch of Awesome New Year Art from Japan's Biggest and Best Publishers
Nintendo! Atlus! Bandai Namco! More!
As the first Monday of 2015, today will represent - for some - a dark, distressing day. It's back to work or school for many of us, which is about as exciting as a trip to the dentist. The festivities are over, it's back to the grind. It's not all bad, of course, and we've encountered a colourful collection of...
December2014
News Artist Reimagines Nintendo Characters Through the Lens of Pulp Novels
Dames, detectives, and plumbers with nothing to lose!
The world of dime store novels retains such a fascinating nostalgic allure. Few really seem interested in the actual stories anymore, many of which were as cheaply written as their costs and just as trashy, but the best covers portray enough intrigue, danger, and taboo connotations to weave an...
November2014
News Dear Nintendo, Please Let The Next Wario Land Title Look As Gorgeous As This
D-Pad Studio's Simon S. Anderson mocks up some amazing concept art
D-Pad Studio is currently hard at work on Owlboy, but that doesn't mean that the team behind it can't occasionally let their minds wander. In the case of the studio's painfully talented artist Simon S. Anderson, he's been filling his downtime with mocking up a screen from his dream...
October2014
News Pixel Paint Lands On North America’s Wii U eShop This Week In All Its Retro Glory
Relive the pixelated past
If you’ve ever wanted a tool outside of a regular computer program to assist you with the recreation of retro pixel art, then Pixel Paint – brought to you by developer and publisher Two Kernel Connection – might just be the game for you. Due out on the North American Wii U eShop on 30th October for the price of...
Digital canvas
The 3DS has continued to thrive as a result of its varied and expansive software catalogue, providing a one-stop-shop for RPG, platforming, and even action fans to find some really solid titles. It's not only that though, as the eShop has opened the door for smaller developers to release more subdued or technical affairs, be it music...
September2014
Rumour Concept Work from Former Next Level Games Artist Shows a Certain Bounty Hunter
Was the studio once considering a Metroid project?
A former Next Level Games concept artist's portfolio is making Metroid fans' minds race with the possibility the studio had been working on or considering a new entry in the series. The artwork, which includes a stylized version of Samus in full Power Suit as well as two boss creature designs,...
News Trust Us, You Need This Super Famicom Box Art Collection Book In Your Life
Update: Kickstarter now cancelled
Update: The Kickstarter has now been cancelled for the reasons explained by Stuart here: Hey folks. Firstly, I’d like to say a huge heartfelt thank you to everyone who has supported this Kickstarter project. I’ve had a whirlwind of a weekend with my inbox literally breaking with messages of support from fans...
August2014
Art This Young Artist Makes Awesome Hyrule Warriors Masterpieces
Only 17, ridiculously talented
Nintendo's treasured characters are often translated into fan art, but rarely with such talent as demonstrated by UK-based Polaara; at only the tender age of 17 she has amassed quite the awesome portfolio. Dare we say her latest two drawings inspired by upcoming Wii U brawler Hyrule Warriors rank among her best to date...
Art Controller Evolution Photo Series Hammers Home The Nintendo Factor
A visual record of how Nintendo has pushed the industry forward
Nintendo has been responsible for some major innovations when it comes to controllers — the NES D-pad, the N64 analogue stick, the Wii Remote — and Spanish artist Javier Laspiur has put together a photographic whistle-stop tour of the evolution of the game pad which shows just how...
July2014
News Here's What Metroid's Samus Aran Would Look Like As A Saturday Morning Cartoon Character
You'll want to hang Wil Overton's awesome art on your wall
Ever wondered what kind of appearance famed bounty hunter Samus Aran would sport if she'd been designed by Hanna-Barbera instead of Nintendo? Allow famed UK artist Wil Overton — formerly of Super Play and Rare fame — to show you. He's produced this amazing piece of artwork which is now...
June2014
Weirdness Classic Game Characters Part of Artist's Neighbourhood Watch Makeover
"What I'm doing is technically illegal..."
If you're looking for video games, creativity, and urban culture, all three intersect in Toronto, Canada. Not only does the city boast a sizable indie scene, but signs of gaming love sometimes leak out onto the streets as well. An artist under the pseudonym "Andrew Lamb" has been slapping healthy doses of...
May2014
News The 2014 My Famicase Exhibition Is Packed With Fascinating Flights Of Fictional Famicom Fancy
Too bad none of them are real games
Japanese game store Meteor has been running its "My Famicase" art exhibition for the past few years, and each year the entries go above and beyond our expectations. The idea is that artists create "fake" Famicom cartridge labels which are in keeping with the designs of the '80s and ''90s, but have a modern vibe...
April2014
News Over 140 Pieces Of Fan-Made Nintendo Art Up For Auction To Support Autism Charity
Going to a good cause
Gamers can be hard to please sometimes. We ask for one thing, get it, and then we ask for more. “When are you going to get around to doing another Star Fox game, Nintendo?” or “when’s the next batch of GBA games coming out on the Wii U?” are just some examples of our insatiable appetites. It sometimes seems that even...
News Limited Edition Zelda Statue Available For Pre-Order From First 4 Figures
Only 2,500 figures at $350 to be released worldwide
First 4 Figures has announced the release of a limited-edition figurine of Princess Zelda for $350. She will be dawning her dress and overall appearance from The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess and joining other figures previously released from that title. The official page states that the...
March2014
Fox and Falco looking mean and moody
The Star Fox series has been dormant for far too long — 3DS remake accepted, of course — and we sincerely hope that one day soon, Nintendo will bring the franchise out of retirement and give us the epic Wii U space adventure we've all been waiting for. Until then, we can simply feast our eyes on this...
January2014
News Prolific Video Game Box Art Illustrator Greg Martin Passes Away
Created covers for Sonic, Duck Tales 2, Adventure Island and many more
The name Greg Martin may not mean anything to most gamers, but if you've been playing since the days of the NES then you will definitely have seen — and no doubt appreciated — his work. Martin created the amazing western covers for plenty of Sega and Nintendo games, such as...
November2013
News Check Out This Stained Glass Art With A Nintendo Twist
Heart (container) of glass
Let's be honest - when looking for festive gifts this year, an elaborate piece of stained glass artwork to hang in your cathedral / average-sized home might not be the first thing that springs to mind. However, the gallery of Rick Daniels' work showcased on his Etsy site may be just enough to tempt you. A self-taught...
Weirdness Pokémon Cards Tell A Story of Family
I've just...got something in my eye...
The Pokémon series practically glows with nostalgia and childhood memories for many of us, and Nintendo seems determined to find new ways to break through the cold, callous, adult exteriors of some to appeal to that sentiment again. With this surprisingly emotive trio of cards it may have done just that, so...
Weirdness Wii Love This Nintendo Polar Bear
Fashioned entirely from Wii controllers
Christmas is fast approaching, soon you'll see that Coca-Cola advert on TV, but what better way to get into the festive spirit than a Nintendo polar bear made from 142 pieces of Nintendo gaming history? John Lewis, famed for its lavish Christmas advertisements and decorations, has a new display at its...
Weirdness This Real-life Majora's Mask Is Incredible
Majorly cool
If you've ever played the sequel-of-sorts to the N64 classic The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, then you'll understand why owning your very own Majora's Mask might not be a very good idea. Much like The One Ring from J.R.R. Tolkien's classic The Lord of the Rings novels, or, more fittingly, the Fused Shadows from The Legend of...
October2013
News If Nintendo Did Make A Smartphone, We'd Want It To Look Like This
Feast your eyes on these Famicom and Super Famicom phone mock-ups
There have been calls for Nintendo to enter the mobile phone market for years, with some even going as far as to create 3D renders of what they believe a "Nintenphone" should look like. While the Kyoto company has so far resisted the urge to leap into the handset arena, if it does...
July2013
Weirdness Zelda And Pokémon Revisited As 1930s Disney Cartoons
Golly, Pluto!
Ever wondered what The Legend of Zelda, Pokémon, Trine and Street Fighter would look like if they were magically transported back in time and drawn by the hand of Walt Disney himself? No? Well tough luck, because you're about to see them anyway. Red Little House — the team behind Fleish & Cherry in Crazy Hotel — have...
June2013
News Talented Artist Transforms Humble UK Town Into Epic Zelda Map
Art attack
Marketed as "16 Days of music, art, comedy, spoken word, film, workshops, debates and performances", the Switch Fringe Festival is a UK-based event which aims to promote local artists and performers. In a pretty awesome move, artist The Decibel Kid has created a map covering all of the venues which is based on The Legend of Zelda...
May2013
News First Generation Pokémon Visualised By 151 Artists For Charity
Welcome to the Rare Candy Pokémon Gallery
It's amazing how people can interpret their own version of what lies in front of them. One particular music song can inspire a variety of covers, each musician adding their own characteristic and making it their own. Artists visualise a certain object, theme or feeling and try to explain what's on their...
News This Is What A New Streets Of Rage And ESWAT Could Have Looked Like
Backbone pitched the ideas to Sega
Former Backbone Entertainment artist Arvin Bautista has published art from Streets of Rage and ESWAT titles which were pitched to Sega — presumably with little success. Bautista — who has also worked on Capcom titles Commando: Wolf of the Battlefield and 1942: Joint Strike — has released the concept art on...
April2013
News Dusty Raging Fist Artbook Gets Kickstarter Campaign
The goal is a hare-raising $12,000
Back in February we exclusively revealed that PD Design Studio is bringing side-scrolling fighter Dusty Raging Fist to the Wii U eShop later in the year. It's set in the same universe as Mac-based fighter Dusty Revenge, which is currently on Steam Greenlight and is inspired by Double Dragon
Ninterview Per Fhager On Combining Embroidery With Video Games
"Video gaming is an important medium that reflects our time"
Video games and art regularly collide with spectacular results, but the work of Swedish artist Per Fhager is one of the most surprising examples of this fusion of interactive entertainment and the world of visual crafts. Fhager's work has been displayed all over Europe, and manages to...
March2013
News Print Your Own Goldeneye Remote Mine
Golden gun not included
Anyone who played Goldeneye 007 back on the N64 will no doubt remember the countless weapons and traps included in its multiplayer mode. ComradeQuiche of Thingiverse has combined his fond memories and technical know-how to create a replica of the remote mine using a 3D printer and has posted the model for all to use. The...
News Mega Man Boss Battle Exhibition Artwork Now on Sale
Worldwide shipping is available
While Capcom may be showing little love for its iconic Mega Man franchise, fans and those inspired by the games continually do so in the developer's place. One example is the Mega Man Boss Battle exhibition currently running at the Gauntlet Gallery in San Francisco, a showing open until 31st March. It features a...
January2013
News Here's What Happens When Game Boy Advance Games Invade The Real World
Seriously amazing animation
Ever wondered what it would be like to see your favourite Game Boy Advance titles spring to life and infiltrate reality? Perhaps not, but you're going to see it anyway - thanks to the efforts of The Pixel Kingdom. The animation below features characters from Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga, Golden Sun,
News Get A Load Of These Awesome Custom Nintendo Consoles
Making old things new again
What do you do when a console reaches the end of its lifespan and is replaced by newer, more powerful systems? You give it a fresh lick of paint, of course. That's exactly what Zoki64 has done. This talented artist has taken custom paint jobs to the next level, transforming N64, Super Nintendo and Game Boy Advance...
December2012
News Castlevania: Mirror of Fate's Boxart Comes With Lashings Of Belmont And Added Alucard
The gang's all here
Konami producer Dave Cox has revealed on this Twitter account the artwork that will adorn the cover of Castlevania: Lords of Shadow - Mirror of Fate. That's it there, just under these words. The art showcases the four main characters of the game - Trevor Belmont and his son Simon, Gabriel Belmont/Dracula and everyone's...
News Zelda Swap Is Collaborative Art Genius, With Added Link
Art attack
Ten Paces and Draw is a site with a unique aim: each week it presents a challenge in which sketches are made and swapped between artists, with one providing an rough idea and the recipient finishing it in their own style. Projects cover all kinds of topics, including The Hobbit and the work of famed anime legend Hayao Miyazaki, but the...
News Retro Gamer Magazine Celebrates Christmas With Nintendo-Themed Cover
Festive fun
We're massive fans of UK publication Retro Gamer here at Nintendo Life, and this month's issue has us particularly excited. It showcases exclusive cover artwork featuring a plethora of Nintendo characters, including Mario, Link, Captain Falcon, Samus Aran and Donkey Kong. The cover is the handiwork of Wil Overton, who's a long-time...
News If Nintendo Ever Made A Mature Zelda, This Is What It Would Look Like
Fantasy artist Dave Palumbo has created the ultimate Dark Link
The release of the Wii U and the advent of HD gaming in the world of Nintendo has led many fans to speculate what the next Zelda game will look like. The opportunity for realistic visuals could tempt Nintendo to create a grittier, darker version of its fantasy series, but chances are it...
News Mario Comes To Life In Bead-Based Stop-Motion Animation
Bead me up, Scotty
Clearly bead art is a bigger deal than we thought. First we had an amazing tribute to Chrono Trigger in bead form, and how we have this awesome stop-motion Super Mario animation, constructed using - you guessed it - beads. The work of Swedish siblings Marcus and Hannes Knutsson, it follows on from their previous efforts, Super...
November2012
News 47,096 Perler Beads Made This Awesome Chrono Trigger Artwork
A labour of love
When you love a video game very much there are a number of ways in which you can express that adoration to the world. One is to simply tell anyone that will listen, while another is to create a fan-site or something similar which communicates why it's such a fantastic game. However, this imgur user decided that he wanted to do...
October2012
News Check Out These Amazing Nintendo Can Sculptures
Brings a whole new meaning to recycling
Ever thought of empty cans as art? Well we certainly didn't, but a Japanese sculptor by the name of Makaon did. Collecting various cans, she cuts them up and uses them to sculpture notable characters such as Buzz Lightyear, Batman and Darth Vader. Of course it's the Nintendo icons that caught our eyes; she...
August2012
News Check Out This Beautiful Okami Papercraft
Godly beauty
We've seen some impressive game-related art over the years, but surely if two games are ideally suited to artistic recreations they're Okami and Okamiden. Both of these titles were designed to actually look like watercolour paintings in motion, but one set of artistic creations opts for a different approach. The attached image (click...
June2012
News This Zelda Nursery Sets the Scene for a Life of Adventure
Highly decorated
So many Legend of Zelda games open with Link waking up in bed that a Zelda-decorated nursery makes perfect sense. Cole Bradburn and friend Wes spent three months decorating a nursery to greet Bradburn's newborn son, taking the cel-shaded adventures of Link as their inspiration. The hand-painted room features art from The Legend of...
May2012
News Check Out These Kirby Drawings from Nintendo's Bosses
Such care-free times
It's easy to underestimate how long some of the current Nintendo senior figures have been working at the company: some of them have been there since the very beginning of NES, for example. Andriasang has unearthed a picture from a 1993 Nintendo Strategy book to make us, and the Nintendo legends in question, feel a bit old. The...
News Go On, Judge a Game By Its Cover
Nobody says you shouldn't
You might remember some of our previous coverage of Famicase, where artists create stickers for fictional Famicom games. A Game By Its Cover (AGBIC) takes this concept to the next stage, inviting developers to create games based on the stickers. The competition runs from 17th June until 18th August and is open to anyone...
News Kid Icarus: Uprising on SNES Might Have Looked Like This
Pit's on fire
Forget for a moment that Kid Icarus: Uprising is one of the best displays yet of the 3DS console's stereoscopic screen, and imagine it existing in an altogether simpler time: the 1990s. Talented pixel artist jmatchead (via Pixel Art Guild) has done just that, creating two SNES-style illustrations of Pit's new adventure. Both images...
News These Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess Paper Sculptures Catch the Eye
Yours for just 300 rupees
Just yesterday we reported on the potential for LEGO Zelda to become a reality, but today we bring you a 'papersculpt' display of items from The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess. Created by Cameron Garland, this art piece contains items made entirely of paper and displayed within a 9"x9" shadow box frame...
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