Wii U News
October2013
News Rayman Legends Lands With A Thud At Japanese Retail
Less than 1,500 copies sold
Rayman Legends was supposed to be a Wii U exclusive, but Ubisoft changed its mind and delayed the title to accommodate a multiplatform release. However, the wacky epic remains unique to Nintendo's console in at least one region: Japan. Sadly, it would appear that game hasn't been a hit with Japanese players. Although it...
News Kapow! Wii U And Wii Versions Of Young Justice: Legacy Are Cancelled
3DS version is still coming, though
We've been hearing some ominous rumours of late, but it has finally been confirmed via the game's Facebook page that the Wii and Wii U versions of Young Justice: Legacy have been cancelled. The superhero title — which is based on the Cartoon Network series — is still coming to the 3DS, however. Here's the...
News Shigeru Miyamoto Clarifies That Local Multiplayer is Still the Priority for Mario
"The answer to this question might change in ten years time"
Super Mario 3D World is shaping up as a title of significant potential, and certainly far more than a quick and easy HD upgrade on 3DS title Super Mario 3D Land. It may share branding and some common items with the portable title, but is also unique in its own ways and, unlike that 3DS...
News Nintendo Comes Up Empty at the Golden Joystick Awards
Quelle surprise
In late September we reported on various Golden Joystick nominations for Nintendo games, hardware, concepts and exclusives; as awards voted for by the public and with a fair number of categories up for grabs, there was perhaps some hope of a sneaky award win. The voting public decided it wasn't to be, however. Some of those titles...
Video Watch Our Friends At Eurogamer Argue Over Super Mario 3D World Power-Ups
Because you can never have too many Mario 3D World videos
We were recently able to go hands-on with Super Mario 3D World, and found the game to be a little bit special. As if to confirm this, earlier today we posted a video from Nintendo which shows just how downright fun the game is. Just in case you're still not convinced that this will be
News Reggie Fils-Aime To Tour North American Cities to Play Wii U and 3DS Titles With the Public
Twitter takeover included various gaming questions and, um, twerking
In case you weren't eagerly poring over Twitter recently, it may interest you that there was an account takeover by Nintendo of America President and COO Reggie Fils-Aime, reacting to the fact that #askReggie had apparently been trending on the social network. Over the space of an...
News Shigeru Miyamoto Doesn't Rule Out Additional HD Remakes and a Return to the Mario Galaxy Style
Naturally, new software is the priority
With the recent release of The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker HD, the continuing absence of the rumoured and desired GameCube library on the Wii U Virtual Console, and the ongoing and lingering sense that the Wii in HD would have been extra-special, it seems Nintendo is considering future opportunities to...
News Nintendo Announces Skylanders SWAP Force Wii U Hardware Bundle
Time to swap out that Wii?
Nintendo certainly appears to be gearing up to tempt potential Wii U owners this Holiday, with a variety of bundles joining upcoming releases to try and win over the market. Nintendo of America has now announced another option to tempt gamers in the region, teaming up with Activision to offer a Skylanders SWAP Force...
Video Nintendo Shows Off Super Mario 3D World Stages and the Madness of Multiplayer
To troll or not to troll
Just recently we published our preview of Super Mario 3D World, and rather liked what we played. Our experiences so far give us optimism that it'll stack up in single and multiplayer; naturally the latter will be suitably chaotic but, potentially, a huge amount of fun. Nintendo of America's latest Nintendo Minute video...
News You Can't Buy This Assassin's Creed Flintlock Pistol, But We Sure Wish You Could
Landstalker Props comes up with the goods yet again
If you're based in the UK and you have a penchant for video game cosplay, then chances are you'll be familiar with the sterling work of Landstalker Props. Landstalker has been producing accurate replicas of video game weapons for ages, and has tackled such projects as the gun from Portal and the...
A brave new world
Some things in life are unavoidable. Death, taxes, and disappointing Wii U sales in its first nine months of life. Nintendo has a plan for the rest of 2013, however, which is encouraging for its fans — we've had the enthusiast's favourite The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker HD, and soon we'll have the return of styles and...
News Wii Party U Bypasses the Wii U eShop in Launch Week
Physical-only in both North America and Europe
Rumours have been swirling for a while regarding Wii Party U skipping the eShop at launch, and with both the European and North American updates now issued it's clear that those rumours were correct. We've been seeking comment since the rumours first surfaced and will continue to do so. It's the first...
Video New Wii Party U Trailer Serves Up a Celebrity
Andre Agassi's got "mad skillz" (alright, we added the z)
Wii Party U arrives in stores on 25th October — at the time of writing it's not appeared on the eShop — and Nintendo will naturally push it as the game of choice for families interested in a Wii U. With hardware and Wii MotionPlus software bundles, it's likely to be targeted as a...
News Super Ubie Land Will Recieve Another Name Change Before Hitting The Wii U eShop
What's in a name, anyway?
Super Ubie Land has already seen one name change — it was originally called Super Ubi Land, but publisher Ubisoft understandably took issue — and now developer Notion Games has revealed that the Wii U eShop platformer will see another title adjustment before it becomes available. [tweet No details on what the new...
News Proposed Boogerman Reboot Will Feature Earthworm Jim
16-bit icons stick together
We recently reported on a Kickstarter campaign to make a new version of Boogerman, a gross 16-bit platformer which originally appeared on the Sega Mega Drive / Genesis back in the '90s. The creators are seeking $375,000 to fund the project and have raised just over $24,000 so far, with 27 days remaining. They'll no doubt...
News The Wonderful 101 Update Now Available To Download
The Wonderful 101 ver.1.1.0
The Wonderful 101 smashed onto the scene earlier this year on Wii U and plenty of people have been enjoying the insane adventures of Wonder Red and his band of merry men and women. However, there were a few very minor niggles with the game that needed to be fixed and Nintendo has now released a patch to make the...
News Pokémon X & Y and Monster Hunter 4 Continue Chart Dominance in Japan
Monsters big and small
It's Wednesday, which means it's Media Create Japanese charts day. It's the land where the 3DS rules supreme, while the Wii U awaits its (hopefully) triumphant revival later in the year. This week brings relatively little change, which means good things for Nintendo's portable system. As expected, Pokémon X & Y and...
Don't be tardy for this party
It's no secret that Nintendo has struggled with getting the word out about the Wii U. Unclear branding and messaging — not to mention a lack of consumer awareness and hard-hitting software in the first half of 2013 — have resulted in a lot of confusion and missed opportunities. More importantly, the company itself...
Video This Is The Effect Wii Party U Has On Excitable Children
Ain't no party like a Wii U party, y'all
Perhaps the best way to assess the impact of Wii Party U — along with our in-depth review, of course — is to see it in action. This new release is designed for families to play together in the same room so to test this out, we eavesdropped on one family as they played — with permission, of course...
News Mario & Luigi Premium Wii U Bundle Confirmed For North American Release
Retail price of $299.99, available November 1st
Nintendo of America has confirmed that the Mario & Luigi Premium Pack which was recently confirmed for Europe is also getting a release state-side. The bundle — which comprises of a 32GB Wii U with New Super Mario U and New Super Luigi U on a single disc — launches November 1st and will retail...
News This Is How Much Space Super Mario 3D World Will Gobble Up On Your Wii U
Perhaps not as much as you'd expect
Super Mario 3D World is just around the corner, and we can reveal how much space the game will take up if you opt for the digital download route. The eagerly-awaited platforming epic clocks in at 1702MB, which isn't too bad when you consider that Sonic Lost World was a 8475MB download. How has Nintendo managed...
Video This Japanese Super Mario 3D World Trailer Is Six Minutes Of Pure Platforming Bliss
Update: An English language version has now surfaced
Update: There is now an English version of the trailer that features the phrase "cat's pyjamas". It can be found below the Japanese one. Enjoy! Original Article: The excitement level in the Nintendo Life office for Super Mario 3D World is reaching fever pitch, but this new Japanese trailer may...
UPDATE: Angry Bunnies also confirmed for 3DS eShop release
Slovakian developer and publisher Cypronia has announced four new titles for the Wii U eShop. These include puzzler Color Zen, art package My Style Studio: Notebook and "hairdressing app" My Style Studio: Hair Salon. However, the most interesting release has to be An
First Impressions Adventure Time: Explore the Dungeon Because I DON'T KNOW!
(More) Adventure Time with Finn and Jake!
D3Publisher, which published last year’s Adventure Time: Hey Ice King! Why’d You Steal Our Garbage?, attended this year’s New York Comic Con with the next title in the growing series. Adventure Time: Explore the Dungeon Because I DON’T KNOW! — developed by WayForward — will be released this...
News Just Dance Kids 2014 Features Over 30 Tracks And A Dance Director Mode On Wii U
The kids are on the dance floor
Just Dance 2014 was released earlier this month and its younger sibling Just Dance Kids 2014 has now joined the party as well. It's available on both Wii U and Wii and as the title suggests this one is aimed mainly at children and therefore features appropriate songs and content. The tracklist boasts more than 30...
Soapbox The Wii Changed The Face of Gaming, Before The Console Industry Promptly Forgot Its Lessons
Tom Whitehead believes that the Wii's good work has, in part, been wasted
This week the Nintendo Japan website updated the status of Wii production, officially bringing it to an end. We'd previously argued that Nintendo could have ruled the micro console market with Wii and the company, potentially, missed a trick; it seems to be a decision made on...
News Nintendo Unleashed Details Revealed for MCM London Comic Con
The last stop for the 2013 tour
As part of a sustained campaign to raise awareness of the Wii U and 3DS libraries, Nintendo UK has been taking its Nintendo Unleashed tour to various expos, events and locations, including a major presence at the recent Eurogamer Expo. The company has now confirmed its lineup for this week's MCM London Comic Con (25th...
Video Holy PR Hype! It's a 17 Minute Batman: Arkham Origins Gameplay Walkthrough
Batman does his usual bat-like stuff
Late last week the news that Batman: Arkham Origins and Blackgate are delayed on Wii U and 3DS in Europe made some Nintendo Life staffers roll their eyes so vigorously that medical attention was required. Of course, North American gamers don't appear to have such a delay, so Europeans will probably be told to...
Console wars ahoy!
In recent weeks and months we've seen a few projects emerge that utilise multiplayer between Nintendo systems and others from Sony, Microsoft, iOS and Android. One example on the market is Disney Infinity, but in the download-only stakes we have upcoming titles Pure Chess and Cubemen 2, titles that'll boost their online components...
News Bewitching Adventure Knite & The Ghost Lights Is Confirmed For Wii U eShop Release
"We're really excited about this and have been waiting to announce it"
Knite & The Ghost Lights is one of the most unique looking titles we've seen on Kickstarter yet, and its creators are aiming to release a Wii U port "close to launch". Developed by Mobot Studios — which is also behind Paper Monsters — the game offers a mixture of...
Review Just Dance 2014 (Wii U)
Boogie wonderland
Ubisoft's party bus has pulled in right on time yet again, with another autumn bringing another main entry for the effortlessly silly Just Dance series of all-around good times. The franchise has had an annual numbered release since it first boogied in 2009, and this year eschews the numeric uptick in favor of a far more honest...
News Sonic Can't Quite Dash Into the UK All-Format Top 10
Both Pokémon titles drop below the multi-format Skylanders SWAP Force
UKIE has issued its update of the latest comings and goings in the UK software all-format charts, and there are some positives and negatives for Nintendo to consider. At the higher end of the scale we have Pokémon X & Pokémon Y in fourth and fifth place respectively, both...
News Wii U Isn't Getting Need For Speed: Rivals Thanks To Low Sales Of Most Wanted
"I’d love for it to be way bigger than it was"
The Wii U version of Need for Speed: Most Wanted is arguably the definitive version, adding in new features which are exclusive to Nintendo's console. However, it didn't sell as well as expected — which seems to be a key reason why we're not getting Need for Speed: Rivals. The Six
Review Skylanders SWAP Force (Wii U)
Swap ‘til you drop
It’s no secret that collecting and gaming go hand in hand — how else can you explain the popularity of special editions of games that come with physical content as well as toys and figurines? Taking this into account, it’s no wonder that the Skylanders series has become so popular and successful since its inception just...
News Batman: Arkham Origins and Blackgate Delayed in Europe
Only on Nintendo systems and PC, though
When it comes to the upcoming Batman: Arkham Origins, its relationship with the Wii U has been rather frosty, which is appropriate as the Dark Knight will be beating on thugs in a Winter setting. Nintendo's system is missing out on the multiplayer mode — which itself is a first for the series — and it's...
Video You've Got To Be Quick To Catch This Sonic Lost World Footage
The Blue Blur doesn't hang around
Today sees the release of Sonic Lost World, and if you've already checked out our review of the Wii U version you may be keen to see the title in motion before making a purchase. Rest easy — we can fix that for you. Below you'll see three of the game's levels in motion, hopefully giving you a pretty decent...
Review Sonic Lost World (Wii U)
Sonic gets lost in his own world
It's tough being Sonic. Every new release starring the mascot comes with a significant weight of expectancy, and the evolution from his 16-bit 2D heights to a current-day franchise hasn't always been straight-forward or successful. His home console exploits have been showing positive trends, however, with Sonic...
News 3DS Tops NPD Hardware Charts Once Again, As Wii U Sales Increase More Than 200%
Nintendo talks up momentum for both systems
It's NPD results time for US video game sales, and though the numbers are often debated due to their focus on physical retail, they nevertheless provide some useful data to gauge Nintendo's performance in such an important market. Nintendo has taken the opportunity to rush out of the gate to reveal its...
News Reboot Of Gross 16-bit Platformer Boogerman Could Be Coming To Wii U
Boogerman 20th Anniversary: The Video Game is getting Kickstarted
16-bit cult classic Boogerman could be getting a HD remake for PC, Mac OS, PS4, PS Vita, and Wii U — should it successfully meet its Kickstarter goal of $375,000. The campaign is being run by original creators Mike Stragey and Chris Tremmel, who produced Boogerman 20 years ago when...
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...
News Mario & Sonic At Sochi 2014 Winter Games Confirmed For November 8th Release In Europe
New modes detailed, too
Nintendo has today confirmed that Mario & Sonic at the Sochi 2014 Olympic Games will launch in Europe on November 8th — the same as the North American release date that was previously revealed and then denied back in September. The game will feature 12 event based on real-life Winter Olympic sports, with another 8...
News Deus Ex: Human Revolution Director's Cut Is A 14GB Download On Wii U
Hope you've invested in a hard drive
It has been revealed that Deus Ex: Human Revolution Director's Cut will occupy 13833 MB of space on the Wii U. That's not the largest download game on the system by any means, but it will surely cause headaches to those who have had their console for a while and haven't yet invested in a hard drive for...
News Nintendo Applies Minor Update to the Wii U Version of Miiverse
Don't get too excited
Miiverse has evolved a fair bit since its launch with the Wii U in November 2012. It may not feel that way, but the network was certainly more restricted and less intuitive than its current day version, not to mention the fact that it's now available on any web browser. It's also a service that Nintendo has been able to update...
News Eiji Aonuma Explains Why The Legend of Zelda Isn't a Yearly Franchise
Quality is the key
Time has played a key role in many of the games in The Legend of Zelda series, and it would seem that it's also quite important when it comes to its development. In a recent interview with Shack News Eiji Aonuma explained why we don't see our favourite green-garbed hero on a yearly basis, as per Call of Duty and Assassin's Creed...
Review GOLF (Wii U eShop / NES)
Sub-par
Before the hyper-realistic, face-deforming technology of modern Tiger Woods games was conceived in the deepest dreams of Electronic Arts (a company busy with Marble Madness at the time), there was Golf for the Nintendo Entertainment System. The game wears its no-nonsense attitude on its sleeve, focusing on simulating the time-honoured sport...
Review Tennis (Wii U eShop / NES)
Net-net, a loss
Tennis — the NES game, not the actual sport — hails from an age when the most rudimentary of virtual simulations could be entertaining and notable simply by existing, perhaps causing a passing family member to comment on how it looks just like the real thing. Although a genuine novelty in the 80s, this dull-as-toast recreation of...
News Pokémon X & Y Pass 1.8 Million Retail Sales to Top Japanese Charts
Monster Hunter 4 in third, Wii U hardware sales drop further
When it comes to confirming the software number one in this week's Japanese Media Create software charts, it's a predictable task. Pokémon X & Y has stormed to the top spot with over 1.8 million sales at retail, just beating the week one sales of Monster Hunter 4. Capcom's title has...
News Wii Party U Gets It Started With a Relatively Hefty File Size
That'll explain why the Basic Bundle has a disc copy...
Wii Party U may not have been blessed with excessive hype in recent weeks, but it's getting rather close to its European and North American release on 25th October. It's sure to be a notable part of Holiday Wii U adverts targeting families, too, especially with the hardware bundle confirmed for...
News Rayman Legends And Splinter Cell Blacklist Both Sold Less Than Expected, Says Ubisoft
Where now for these two long-running franchises?
Yesterday, we reported that French publisher Ubisoft had pushed back the highly-anticipated Watch_Dogs to Spring 2014, and today brings more dismal news — it has been confirmed during a conference call that both Rayman Legends and
Rumour Sony Running Campaign To Push Potential Wii U Buyers Towards PS4 And Vita
Sneaky business afoot in Germany?
The Wii U is unique in that it offers the second screen experience right out of the box — with rival consoles attempting to leverage smartphone and tablet applications to create the same kind of gameplay, Nintendo has an advantage in that users don't have to own additional hardware to achieve the same result...
News Sonic Lost World Producer Admits "There Was a Struggle in 3D Sonic Games"
Takashi Iizuka tells us about moving forward on Wii U and 3DS
With its arrival in Europe this week, SEGA fans are no doubt gearing up to put Sonic Lost World through its paces, either on Wii U or 3DS. The blue blur still has a number of highly dedicated fans, and one guaranteed way to pick a fight online is to make a generic comment along the lines...
News Day One Update Looks Set to Spin Into Sonic Lost World on Wii U
It's only a little 'un
Later this week we'll let you know what we think of Sonic Lost World, the new arrival coming to both Wii U and 3DS in different forms. While we can't share our opinion yet, we will let you know that there seems to be a small day one update for the Wii U version, so make sure you're not one of the minority that doesn't have...
News Splinter Cell: Blacklist Receives A Fresh Patch
A few more issues are now fixed
Ubisoft released a patch for Splinter Cell: Blacklist last month that fixed a few small problems some players were encountering, including the timer issue the progress bar was having in the daily challenges and a couple of animation glitches. It has now followed up that update with a new one that will tweak the game...
News Ubisoft Updates Financial Targets To Reflect Release Schedule Changes
Lack of Watch_Dogs in 2013 means there'll be less money coming in
Earlier today Ubisoft revealed Watch_Dogs would be delayed across all platforms, meaning we won't get to play as Aiden Pearce this year after all. Originally scheduled for a November release, the title will now emerge in Spring 2014, while PlayStation 4 and Xbox One title The Crew...
News Here Are More Gorgeous Super Mario 3D World Screens to Enjoy
Oh my giddy Aunt
After the first impressions from its E3 trailer could possibly be summarised as "looks nice, but it ain't Galaxy 3", Nintendo has recently upped the ante to show Nintendo fans that Super Mario 3D World can deliver an experience to be remembered. The proof will be in playing it, of course, but a fabulous new trailer and a series of
News Watch_Dogs Pushed Back to Spring 2014
That's on all platforms
In a surprise move, especially as it was due for release in the third week of November, Ubisoft has delayed the much-anticipated Watch_Dogs to Spring 2014. The new IP had gained plenty of attention, but there were warning signs when it was only visible as a prepared demonstration at the recent Eurogamer Expo, rather than as a...
Feature Active Gaming is Here To Stay And is Helping People Get Fit
Games like Wii Fit U can make a big difference to people's lives
Many people in the world claim video games are partially to blame for rising obesity levels, with individuals disregarding physical exercise in favour of a round of Mario Kart or a bout of Call of Duty, but there are doctors and scientists out there who say playing active games such as...
News "Uninformed" Store Staff Are Hurting Wii U Sales, Claims Senior Games Analyst
"They didn't even understand what it was"
The poor sales of the Wii U have been blamed on a lot of things, such as a lack of games and high price point. However, there's also the question of the branding and whether or not Nintendo has been successful enough in informing potential buyers about the difference between the new console and its...
News Michel Ancel: The Biggest Surprises Seem To Come From Nintendo
"Nintendo’s greatest strength, and its greatest weakness, is innovation"
Rayman Legends creator Michel Ancel has been speaking to Official Nintendo Magazine about Nintendo's position in the industry, and has pointed out that the company's greatest strength — and weakness — is its willingness to take risks and come up with fresh ideas:...
News Assassin's Creed IV Director Would Like The Series To Visit Ancient Egypt
The writing's on the wall
Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag is starting to appear on the horizon. It's slated for a 29th October release in North America, while European swashbucklers will have to wait a little longer as it will emerge on the 22nd November. It's the culmination of two and a half years of work but the game's director Ashraf Ismail has...
News The Amazing Spider-Man 2 Confirmed for Wii U and 3DS
Swinging on to Nintendo systems next spring
Activision and Marvel Entertainment have announced a new video game based on the upcoming feature film The Amazing Spider-Man 2 is coming to Wii U and 3DS next spring. Developed by Beenox — the studio also responsible for the Wii U and Wii versions of last year's The Amazing Spider-Man — to coincide...
Review Final Fight 3 (Wii U eShop / SNES)
Third time lucky?
Following the enjoyable-but-flawed SNES conversion of the original Final Fight and its disappointing sequel, Final Fight 3 can be viewed as Capcom's attempt to atone for its previous sins and give fans a domestic exclusive worthy of the name. Released relatively late in the lifespan of Nintendo 16-bit's console, this third entry is...
Video Nintendo Shows Off 10 Minutes of Skylanders: SWAP Force on Wii U
Smash and swap
While Nintendo gamers keen on new Wii U software may be contemplating Sonic Lost World this week, it's not the only major release gracing Nintendo's system. Another is Activision's potential behemoth Skylanders SWAP Force, the latest in the toy-collecting action-adventure franchise. It'll also arrive on 3DS and Wii, of course, but...
First Impressions Shovel Knight
We dig it
Yacht Club Games' Shovel Knight for Wii U, which made waves with an incredibly successful Kickstarter campaign, was on display at the recent New York Comic-Con. While more mainstream releases were generating huge lines and impatient parents, the deceptively simple-looking Shovel Knight was something of a hidden gem, making a great...
News Pokémon X & Y Occupy Third and Fourth Spots in UK All-Format Chart
The Wind Waker HD hangs on in top 10
The hype around Pokémon X & Y has finally ended, as many 3DS gamers around the world are now immersed in establishing their teams and training 'mon. Naturally we're left to wonder how the excitable build-up has translated to sales, and we'll have a good idea on Wednesday for Japan, though we'll need to wait...
News Just Dance 2014 UK Commercial Lands Ubisoft And Nintendo In Hot Water
Nicky Minaj lyric confused for an "N-Bomb"
Just Dance 2014 launched at the start of October and commercials for the game have been airing recently in the UK. However, these adverts have come under fire for questionable lyrics — watch the video below and listen out around the 10 second mark: You'll hear Nicky Minaj utter the line "My name is...
Review Final Fight 2 (Wii U eShop / SNES)
The Sophomore Slump
The SNES port of the original Final Fight may have successfully translated the gameplay from arcade to home console, but it was missing some key elements: the third character Guy, an entire level and — most important of all — the vital two-player co-op mode. Capcom sought to rectify these shortcomings in the SNES-exclusive...
News QubicGames Hopes To Release A Game On The Wii U In The Next Year
Currently preparing its own game engine
The developer behind 3DS eShop titles 2 Fast 4 Gnomz and AiRace Speed has expressed its interest in developing games for the Wii U. In a recent interview with Nintendo Everything, QubicGames revealed it's currently working on its own game engine, C-Way, to allow it to handle development on the Wii U. We are...
News Zelda: Wind Waker HD Release Triggers 685% Increase In UK Wii U Hardware Sales
...although it's not known how many units were actually shifted
Trade publication MCV has revealed that the release of The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker HD has caused a 685% increase in Wii U console sales in the United Kingdom — however, it's not been revealed exactly how many units that jump entails. The news backs up Nintendo's stance that games...
News Nintendo UK: Awareness Is The Real Issue With The Wii U, Not Price
"Many mums don’t know what this is"
Nintendo UK's marketing head Shelly Pearce has been speaking to MCV about the challenges facing the Wii U this Christmas, and admits that the company still has work to do when it comes to educating buyers about the difference between the original Wii and its successor: There was a big misconception at launch...
Interview Image & Form CEO Brjann Sigurgeirsson Talks SteamWorld Dig And Working On The eShop
Critical reaction, the Wii U eShop and picking 3DS over smartphones
At this year's Eurogamer Expo we were lucky enough to get the opportunity to speak to Image & Form's Brjann Sigurgeirsson about the company's 3DS eShop title, SteamWorld Dig. In the interview, Sigurgeirsson speaks about the development of the game and its lore, its critical...
Talking Point Nintendo's Catch-22 With Retail Game Pricing
Go high, get criticised. Go low, get criticised...
This week Nintendo UK launched its own online retail store, stepping into the market typically occupied by the likes of Amazon, Gamestop, GAME and various others; even the bricks-and-mortar retailers mentioned have an increasing reliance on web sales. It's a more up-to-date, relevant proposition...
News Pac-Man and the Ghostly Adventures To Come to Life in March 2014
Not the spookiest time of the year
Earlier this year we learned that Pac-Man And The Ghostly Adventures would come to both Wii U and 3DS, another return — one of many — for Namco Bandai's most recognisable mascot. Originally pegged for Winter 2013, the publisher has now revealed that the title will arrive a little later than expected in Europe...
Hands On An Evening With Wii Karaoke U By Joysound
Take On Mii
Nintendo has previously stated that one of its main objectives with the Wii U is to provide experiences that can’t be done on other video game systems. In addition to this rather admirable quest, the company has also been keen to emphasise the fun that can be had with the system in local multiplayer. So far it hasn't had a great deal...
News Eiji Aonuma Wants the Wii U Zelda's Hyrule to be "A Setting No One Has Ever Imagined Before"
The quest for uniqueness remains at the core of the franchise
The Legend of Zelda can be a contradictory series, at times. It's tempting for gamers to reel off a list of what binds the various entries together, perhaps even bemoaning similarity in dungeon and collect-a-thon structures. And yet it's a series that's experimented with stylus-only...
News Nintendo Confirms Three New Wii U Hardware Bundles for Europe
Mario and Luigi, Wii Party U and Just Dance offerings
We've had plenty of speculation in recent times regarding Wii U bundles, as it's seemed inevitable that Nintendo will boost the value of its offerings with packed-in options to cater to various audiences. Nintendo of Europe has today stepped forward with its own offers, all set to arrive in...
News Deus Ex: Human Revolution Director's Cut Will Cost $20 More On Wii U Than On PS3 And 360
The Nintendo tax?
When Square Enix announced Deus Ex: Human Revolution Director's Cut for the Wii U, everyone was pretty happy about getting to play a past classic with enhanced GamePad functions. However, when the news broke that this "exclusive" version was also coming to the PS3 and 360, some Wii U owners felt slightly short-changed. That...
News Nintendo UK Launches Online Retail Store
Offering consoles, the latest titles and some extras
Nintendo UK has today launched an online store that offers a large range of games, consoles and some gift ideas. It's an intriguing move by the regional team, offering its own online store of physical products alongside conventional retailers. The stock is primarily focused on products developed,...
Rumour Cherry And Mango Wii U Colours Outed By Toys R Us France
Due in November and December respectively
Toys R Us France has listed two new colours of the Wii U console: Cherry and Mango. The listings state that the Cherry console will launch on November 27th at €299.99 while the Mango hue is expected on December 4th fo €50 less. The price difference suggests that the Cherry bundle will include elements...
News Monster Hunter 4 Continues to Devour Competition in Japan
Passes 2.5 million physical retail sales
It's time for the weekly Japanese sales progress report via Media Create, and Monster Hunter 4 continues its strong momentum, hopefully boding well for the future of the series' growing partnership between Capcom and Nintendo. While that blows all competition away in the software chart, the 3DS is doing a...
News GamePad High Capacity Battery Available Now in Europe
Comes with a 1-3 week delivery wait in the UK
The 3DS — particularly the standard model — and the Wii U GamePad have something in common: a blinking red light of doom. Nintendo's efforts to maintain manageable prices leads to various compromises, which is common with much technology, and battery life is a common theme of complaint for gamers...
News Hello Kitty Kart Racer Hitting Wii U This Year
Um, awesome?
Just today we filed our review for Around the World With Hello Kitty and Friends, a competent 3DS minigame collection for young children. The exciting news for fans of the franchise is that Hello Kitty Kruisers is coming to the Wii U this year, which is great for young gamers but unlikely to satisfy our Mario Kart 8 cravings. We are...
Video Proof That Mario Kart 8 Can Only Be Enriched By The Addition Of F1-Style Commentary
Murray Walker would be proud
Mario Kart 8 is shaping up to be something pretty special, with its amazing visuals, upside-down track design and trademark killer gameplay. However, the following video — produced in conjunction with our friends at Family Gamer TV and Team VVV — illustrates that there's always room for improvement. What Nintendo...
Hands On Pure Chess (Wii U eShop)
The grand old sport comes to the people
While the 3DS eShop is maturing into a platform with a healthy variety of experiences, and the Wii U eShop promises to do so, one obvious gap is in delivering a virtual edition of one of the grandest old games / sports in existence. Chess may have appeared as a minigame option in a mediocre 3DS game or two,...
Video Dixie Kong Struts Her Stuff in This New Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze Trailer
That ponytail has so many uses
During last week's Nintendo Direct, it was revealed that Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze has been pushed back slightly to a February 2014 release to ensure the developer Retro Studios can deliver the optimum gaming experience. However, to ease the pain a li
News Assassin's Creed IV DLC Looks Set to Sail Past Wii U
Nintendo platform excluded from announcement
Ubisoft has today announced a round of DLC and an accompanying season pass for Assassin's Creed IV Black Flag, but the reveal excludes the Wii U. Platforms confirmed in the press release for EMEA territories were PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, Xbox One and PC — the North American equivalent didn't list platforms...
News Ubisoft Explains Wii U Watch_Dogs Visuals as "In Between" Current and Next-Gen
"We're optimising the controls for the beast that is the Wii U GamePad"
With regards to some key multi-platform titles coming to Wii U, PS3, Xbox 360, PS4 and Xbox One, or a combination of those five, we're in a slightly awkward spot where preview videos inevitably show footage from the upcoming Sony or Microsoft systems, and Wii U owners are left...
Video A Punboxing of The Wind Waker HD Collector's Edition
A very punny video
When the Collector's Edition of The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker HD landed at my doorstep on Saturday morning, I was, naturally, eager to show it off to all my envious real-life friends. Then I thought, hey, why not exhibit myself as a massive, deplorable show-off to everyone on the internet, as well?! So here I am. Now,...
News Injustice: Gods Among Us Ultimate Edition Isn't Coming To Wii U
Creator Ed Boon confirms the absense of a Nintendo version
Injustice: Gods Among Us was one of the Wii U's big third party offerings this year, but it was treated by publisher Warner Bros. as the black sheep of the family. DLC which arrived in a timely fashion on other formats was held back for the Nintendo version, suggesting that it was more of an...
News Nintendo Wants Wii U To Be "The Console That Every Developer Wants To Publish On"
"We have strong relationships with third parties"
The Wii U still isn't exactly where Nintendo wants it to be, with sales continuing to flag in both the West and Japan. The topic of third party support for the console has cropped up several times during 2013, but Nintendo's Scott Moffitt feels the system is in a strong position as we approach the...
News Toys "R" Us Confirms Exclusive Range of Skylanders SWAP Force Characters
Legendary Grim Creeper has a cool name
When you combine a video game with toys that bring characters to life, you get monster profits. You also get plenty of promotions from one of the world's most recognisable toy store brands, and Toys "R" Us is continuing its record of promoting and gaining exclusives for the Skylanders series with some special...
News If You Liked the Latest Super Mario 3D World Trailer, You'll Love the New Screens
Looks creative and fun enough to us
It's amazing how effective a well constructed trailer can be in either reversing opinion or, less drastically, just building additional hype for a major title. While the Super Mario 3D World E3 trailer was competent, fun and showed off the commercial sense driving Nintendo's Wii U development projects, we think...
Review Phineas and Ferb: Quest for Cool Stuff (Wii U)
Not the best quest ever
Have you ever read a book on parenting? Libraries full of instruction manuals exist on how to raise a child properly, ranging from topics such as bathing to teething to using the potty for the first time. Imagine, if you will, that there was a video game version of those books. A video game designed entirely to teach children...
News The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker HD Lands in 4th Place in UK Charts
Making waves for Wii U
With a number of major titles coming to the Wii U in the remainder of 2013, it's natural to wonder which will do the most for the system's hardware sales and overall prospects. There are new titles coming that cover different bases, with exclusive Sonic joining the potential bankers such as Wii Fit U and Super Mario 3D World...
News US Retailer Lists Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon For Wii U
Newegg claims the 3DS title is making the jump to Wii U this year
Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon — or Luigi's Mansion 2, if you're in Europe — was one of 2013's stand-out 3DS titles. It was so good that some lamented the fact that it was on a handheld — it was exactly the kind of epic experience that the Wii U could really have done with during...
Video Just Dance 2014 Developers Delve Into The Exclusive Wii U Features
The GamePad is the perfect dance partner
Just Dance 2014 jived its way onto Wii U last week in Europe, with an extensive tracklist consisting of contemporary pop songs and old classics. The Ghostbusters theme is even available to groove along too. The Wii U edition naturally has a whole host of system specific features and Nintendo recently sat...
News Nintendo of America Selling Wii Remote Rapid Charging Cradle and Rechargeable Battery Set
No more scrambling for batteries
Earlier this year, Nintendo stated in an online customer survey it was exploring the possibility of releasing an official Wii Remote Plus fast battery charger to give gamers a bit more juice when playing for prolonged periods. The company has now decided to release one and Nintendo of America has started selling the...
Out Now The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker HD
Hoy, Small Fry!
The day has finally arrived: The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker HD is now available in Europe (and North America) as a physical release! Back in 2003 The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker emerged on the GameCube and brought with it a fresh graphical style that divided fans completely. Instead of the traditional design seen in Ocarina...
News Pandora's Tower Creator Ganbarion Is Co-Developing Wii Fit U
Name appears on the title screen
Recently, Nintendo has made a habit of outsourcing or collaborating with other studios on many of its key titles, and it would appear that Wii Fit U is no exception. According to Kotaku's Stephen Totilo, Pandora's Tower developer Ganbarion is involved with the forthcoming Wii U title, as its name appears on the...
News Deus Ex: Human Revolution Director's Cut Finally Dated for Wii U
Alongside other platforms
To be blunt, the reveal of Deus Ex: Human Revolution Director's Cut seemed a bit off when it was due near the Wii U's launch, as it was one of the oldest ports being mooted for the system — even if it fixes troublesome sequences and GamePad features are part of the deal. Publisher Square Enix then went quiet on a release...
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