Hardware News, Hardware Features

Remember when console designs actually mattered?

We hate to keep going on about it, but Microsoft revealed the Xbox One to the world this week. We're obviously biased, but we happen to think it looks a little underwhelming in purely physical terms — Nintendo Life Operations Director Darren Calvert said it best when he described the console as...

Xbox creator claims only 5% of players make use of the feature

Always online. Games tied to a single console. Indie developers can't self-publish. Just when you thought Microsoft couldn't have made a bigger hash of its Xbox One announcement, along comes the company's head of interactive entertainment Don Mattrick to attack backwards compatibility...

If you can't beat them, join them?

Love them or loathe them, smartphones are revolutionising the way people play games on the go. While touchscreen devices are still a long way from providing the same level of immersion and precision offered by dedicated games consoles like the Nintendo 3DS, the fact that they are always in your pocket and always...

Nintendo giveth and Nintendo taketh away

Nintendo has announced yet another new 3DS colour for gamers in Japan: Metallic Red. Announced yesterday — though the Eevee 3DS XL stole a majority of the limelight — the new system is a more vibrant shade of red than the previous Flame Red 3DS. It'll launch on the 13th June for 15,000 yen, along with a...

One of the many Eeveelutions

Last month we reported that posters hinted that Eevee would be featured in some way on a new 3DS XL design, but details were scarce on its appearance. And now we know it's official - an Eevee-themed 3DS XL is indeed making its way to Japan judging by a leaflet found in Pokémon Center stores, posted by Twitter user...

NES, SNES and Mega Drive on the move

Clone systems are growing in popularity with each passing year, with several different companies all producing consoles which ape the performance of vintage hardware and aim to satisfy the needs of retro-lovers everywhere. We've already seen Hyperkin's SupaBoy bring portable SNES gaming to the masses, and now...

The RetroN5 has a challenger

It would seem that 2013 is going to be a big year for new gaming hardware — not only will we see the PlayStation 4 and Next Xbox, but we've got two new retro systems to look forward to as well. Hyperkin's RetroN 5 will be joined by the Retro-Bit Super Retro Trio, which plays SNES, Genesis / Mega Drive, NES and (with...

Hardware could have taken more cues from game elements

Renegade Kid co-founder and game director Jools Watsham professes a love for Nintendo in his recent blog post, which is why he also says it hurts him to see the Wii U struggling to forge its identity in the public eye. Watsham says he understand why Nintendo would want to keep the Wii brand...

Take your gaming on the road

A few eyebrows were raised when we reported on the existence of the MaxPlay adapter, a newfangled contraption which allows you to power your Wii U console from your car's standard 12V cigarette lighter socket. However, we can now report that this unique item is in fact the real deal, having tried it for ourselves. The...

Big in Japan

With many retailers complaining that the Wii U costs too much, it's odd that we're reporting on a variant of the console which retails for an eye-watering $16,000, but such is the weird and wacky world of the video game industry. Produced by Japanese company Xing, the JoySound Festa is so large it has to be wheeled around on a trolley...

Flying under the legal radar

In case you hadn't noticed, we're quite excited about Hyperkin's forthcoming RetroN 5 console. It plays practically every retro format under the sun, comes with a wireless pad and connects to HD televisions via HDMI — in short, it's shaping up to be the ultimate retro gamer's system. Interestingly, Hyperkin's...

You lucky Japanese gamers

To celebrate the 15th anniversary of the Pokémon Center outlets in Japan, news has emerged that a brand new Pokémon-themed 3DS XL will become available in the region next month. Similar to the Charizard 3DS XL (pictured), you'll need to enter into a lottery to be in with a chance to purchase the system. It's rumoured...

Priced at $19.99, shipping this Friday

Although it was previously thought that the Circle Pad Pro XL would not be making it Stateside, a listing for the peripheral has appeared on ShopNintendo, Nintendo of America's official online store. The add-on is available for pre-order a

It's yours for just £189.85

Ahead of the latest Nintendo Direct broadcast scheduled for this Wednesday 17th April, online UK retailer ShopTo.net has listed the Animal Crossing: New Leaf 3DS XL bundle on its website. The bundle is available for pre-order at £189.85 (approx. €220 / $290), and has been given

Two pads are better than one?

When Nintendo announced the 3DS XL, many were disappointed that the system lacked that all-important second slider pad. This omission was made all the more puzzling by the fact that Nintendo had already released the Circle Pad Pro for the original 3DS console, an admission that perhaps a twin-pad arrangement would...

Better screen, internal battery and improved sound - it's the Nomad X

As you'll already know, we're massive fans of Wiggy Design's Rose Colored Gaming here at Nintendo Life. Wiggy's motto is "New ideas for old games", and his most recent upgrade certainly lives up to that. The Nomad X mod takes Sega's portable Genesis / Mega Drive console and...

Let your 3DS LL sit in style

There are some new additions in the Japanese Club Nintendo rewards catalogue in the form of five different coloured 3DS LL cradles. As you can see from the image below, club members can choose from a red, green, white, blue and yellow cradle. Any of these colourful cradles can be redeemed for 200 points from Club...

Coming in July, plays 9 different game formats and upscales via HDMI

We knew that Hyperkin would be officially revealing the RetroN 4 console at this year's Midwest Gaming Classic, but the company surprised everyone by lifting the lid on the RetroN 5 instead. It pretty much showcases all of the functions that were hinted at with the RetroN 4, and...