Wii U News
July2013
Poll How Important is Dual / Second Screen Gaming?
A major part of Nintendo's strategy
Yesterday brought us some interesting comments from Ubisoft Managing Director Nicolas Rioux, who spoke about the potential prominence of "second screen" gaming, even going so far as to praise the Wii U as an innovative first step. As we observed in that article, it'd be a nasty piece of irony if technical...
News New Etrian Odyssey Title Makes Japanese Chart Debut in Third Place
Praying it's not too late...
It's Japanese chart time. Hooray! Though this week doesn't reflect complete Nintendo dominance. Boo! But still, this week's results bring us a few interesting points; Atlus title Etrian Odyssey Untold: The Millennium Girl makes its debut in third place — it's a re-telling of the first entry in the series, of sorts —...
News Watch_Dogs Team Outlines In-Game Connectivity and Ideas for the Future
Other players will appear in your game
Watch_Dogs is a title attracting a fair bit of attention across the console spectrum, whether you own a Wii U or any of its rival systems. In a landscape packed with sequels it's a new IP that incorporates the rather topical issue of hacking and network security — in a turn of events almost beyond parody,...
Video Yakuza Wii U Commercial Highlights Ability To Smooch Privately With Virtual Hostesses
Just make sure no one peeks over your shoulder
Yakuza 1 & 2 HD may be a serious game featuring serious burly men who throw serious punches in the serious underbelly of the Japanese criminal world, but that doesn't mean the TV commercial has to be quite so...serious. As you can see from the Japanese advert below, the game is being promoted on...
News Injustice: Gods Among Us Update Sneaks Out of the Shadows
Balance tweaks and DLC support swoop in
Holy patch notes, Batman! NetherRealm has finally made good on their promise to update the Wii U version of DC Comics fighter Injustice: Gods Among Us, bringing a few balance tweaks, a few new free skins and DLC support. Now lurking in the darkest shadows of the U.S. eShop are 19 packs for purchase, bringing...
News Mario Kart 8 Team Talk GamePad Features, Track Design And F-Zero
Hideki Konno and Kosuke Yobuki spill some beans
French site Gamekult sat down with Mario Kart 8 producer Hideki Konno and director Kosuke Yobuki at E3 to talk about the inspirations and intentions around the latest, gravity-tumbling installment of the series. According to a translation of the interview, the reverse gravity idea showcased in Mario...
News Wii U Version Of Beyond Good & Evil 2 Looking Unlikely
Creator Michel Ancel says current-gen version would be "painful"
Beyond Good & Evil 2 has never been officially announced for the Wii U, but Ubisoft's robust support for Nintendo's console always gave us hope that it might be coming. Sadly, creator Michel Ancel has all but confirmed that the system won't be getting the game. Speaking to...
Video Reggie Explains Nintendo's Approach to Ensuring Wii U Success
Content is King
It was pretty clear that, when it came to E3 2013, Nintendo took a different approach from its competitors. With a relatively short Nintendo Direct broadcast that only contained one surprise game — others had already been confirmed to appear — it was more about getting this Holiday season's big games in the hands of expo...
News Thatgamecompany Twitter Q & A Gives Hope For Future Wii U Release
"We're looking at touch controls, as they're pretty much universal now"
Thatgamecompany is one of the most highly regarded developers in the industry right now. Over a six year exclusivity deal with Sony it produced the widely praised FlOw and Flower download games, before Journey captured numerous Game of the Year awards and the public's...
Talking Point The Wii U's Third-Party Concerns Are Brushed Off By 3DS
Support for the handheld is modest, yet doom-and-gloom is minimal
The 3DS is hot right now, with positive vibes bouncing around the web as its major releases have enjoyed an impressive record of critical and commercial success. Simply mentioning games like Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon, Fire Emblem: Awakening and Animal Crossing: New Leaf justifiably...
News Wii U Turned Ubisoft On To Second-Screen Gaming, But Isn't The Focus Moving Forward
Publisher now committed to "new gen" Microsoft and Sony platforms
These days we're seeing more and more console games shipping alongside companion mobile or tablet applications which aim to broaden the experience. If Ubisoft has its way, that trend is not only set to continue, but will develop to the point where "second-screen" gaming is...
News Deathstroke DLC Confirmed For Batman: Arkham Origins On Wii U
Play as great assassin, Deathstroke
Earlier last month, we reported that it was unknown if the Wii U version of Batman: Arkham Origins would receive downloadable content. Sniper Elite V2 and Mass Effect 3 had no signs of any DLC, and after a flyer revealed that the upcoming Batman title m
News Wii Karaoke U By JOYSOUND Is Coming To The West This Year
Sales of earplugs expected to skyrocket
Living room crooners take note: Nintendo has confirmed that it is bringing Wii Karaoke U by JOYSOUND to the west later this year. The service will be available as a free download on the Wii U eShop, with a robust library of songs to select from via online streaming. In a unique twist, you'll be able to...
News EA: Frostbite 3 On Wii U "Not Impossible"
Publisher wants to dish out "omnidirectional" support
Electronic Arts has had a strange relationship with Nintendo ever since the launch of the Wii U. There are currently four games from the publisher residing on the system but it seems the support - at least in the short-term - has all but dried up. The company is naturally offering support for...
News Nintendo's Claim to WiiU.com is Denied
If Ninty wants it, it'll have to pay
A relatively common occurrence, and one that a lot of large companies confront on a regular basis, is the issue of cybersquatters that buy up common URL addresses in the hope that they'll subsequently make money selling them to the parties concerned. The likes of Nintendo and its rivals resist buying up addresses...
June2013
News Project Sweat Could Come To Wii U if Stretch Goal is Reached
Action RPG needs £45,000 to come to Nintendo's system
Humid Games recently opened up a Kickstarter campaign for an action RPG that goes by the name Project Sweat. It's trying to gather £25,000 so it can release on Windows, Mac and Linux but now the project has new stretch goals to include console versions as well. Should Project Sweat manage to...
Rumour Mario Kart 8 Coming To Wii U in April
Spanish newsletter may have jumped the gun
During the special E3 Nintendo Direct we caught our first glimpse of Mario Kart 8 and it was revealed the game would be available in Spring 2014. There's been no specific date or month given for its release, however, a newsletter from Nintendo of Europe - which can be seen below - has seemingly let the cat...
Video Let's Play Fast & Furious: Showdown
OH GOD WHY ME
Fast & Furious: Showdown is a videogame. Sorry, let me try that again. Fast & Furious: Showdown is what Activision calls a videogame. Watch me play some of it.
Let's get it started, in here
So, Wii Party U's evolved from a Summer Party to a Holiday Party, courtesy of the development delay confirmed by Satoru Iwata at E3. That's fine with us here at Nintendo Life, as we think every day is a party day, so we happily wandered over to the the demo unit at a recent preview event ready for the ultimate digital...
News Nintendo - Donkey Kong Series is Adaptable to Fresh Ideas
Also, getting the ba-BOOM ba-BOOM ba-BOOM rhythm was important
Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze may not have been the Retro Studios project that some fans desired or expected, but nevertheless it is a sequel to one of the finest platformers to grace the Wii. Ultimately, the odds are good at this stage that it'll be a hugely enjoyable experience...
News Nintendo Defends Influx of New Mario Titles
Too much of a good Mario?
There’s no doubt Nintendo has been putting its world-famous plumber to work. Since New Super Mario Bros. Wii in 2009, there has been at least one new Mario platformer released each year. The pace has felt even faster recently, with the expected December arrival of Super Mario 3D World marking the third Mario platformer...
Impressions Multiplayer is a Big Deal in Nintendo's Wii U Lineup
Get by with a little help from your friends
Earlier this week various Nintendo Life staffers were lucky enough to attend post-E3 preview events, from which we've been covering games that we didn't go hands-on with at the LA extravaganza — more impressions are on the way, too. Various Wii U games were on show, and one theme that shone through was...
News Indie Developer Explains How Nintendo Made Him a Wii U Believer
Xander Davis now planning CIDER for Wii U
The Wii U has endured a lot of negative press for various reasons and in some cases, we're sure many would agree, criticism has focused on genuine weaknesses in the system's early days. While various developers and publishers have voiced support and optimism for Nintendo's console, a good number have also...
News Pikmin 3 Will Need to Gather 3950MB to Download onto Your Wii U
That's 31,840 blocks in old money
Pikmin 3 is getting so close that we can almost smell the flowers, right before we ruthlessly hurl Pikmin at them. It arrives in Europe on 26th July and North America on 4th August, and we shouldn't forget that fans of the GameCube originals have been demanding this new title since the early Wii days. Nintendo's...
News Angry Birds Trilogy Flocks to Wii and Wii U in August
Just when you thought the piggies were safe...
If by chance you're one of the three people that hasn't yet played Rovio's mega-popular Angry Birds series, or prefer to play your pig-killing physics puzzlers on the big screen, you're in luck — Rovio has announced that Angry Birds Trilogy will launch on both Wii and Wii U in North America as retail...
News Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D Knocked Off The Top Spot in Japanese Sales Charts
The 3DS continues to dominate both software and hardware charts
Last week saw Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D swing into pole position in the Japanese sales charts in its first week of release. The title was one of five 3DS games placed in the top five but that dominance is now over as the PlayStation 3 title The Last of Us fought through the hoards...
News Sakurai Explains The Reasoning Behind The New Characters in Super Smash Bros.
No choice was made "for the sake of cheap novelty"
Super Smash Bros. was one of the highlights from this year's E3 Nintendo Direct presentation and it gave us all a first glimpse of the new characters joining the fight in the Wii U and 3DS iteration of the popular franchise. Naturally, the inclusion of Mega Man, the Villager and Wii Fit Trainer got...
News Activision - "We Want to See Nintendo be Successful"
"They've got some incredible IP that has yet to come"
With the Wii U's difficult 2013, and the significant efforts from Nintendo to line up a compelling Wii U release schedule for Fall, the Holiday season and beyond, there have been the expected question marks over third-party support, particularly into 2014. If E3 demonstrated one loud point on...
You know you're playing a Platinum game when...
Way back in June 2012, we had the chance to play Project P-100, an exuberant new IP from PlatinumGames being published by Nintendo. It's had a name change, and its arrival has been delayed to such an extent that it's done the rounds to appear at this year's preview events; we've gone hands on with...
News Miiverse Update Doubles Character Limit for Posts
Take that, Twitter
The Wii U's bespoke social network, Miiverse, has seen quite a few changes since its initial launch in North America on 18th November 2012. It's escaped the Wii U hardware with a neat web browser version — though you do need a Nintendo Network ID to use it fully — and has seen various other tweaks and changes to improve the...
News EA Outlines Its Reasons for Lack of Wii U Support
From "unprecedented" to "unsupported"
To say that EA's lack of support for the Wii U has been to the detriment of the fledgling console would perhaps be an understatement. With the absence of the powerhouse publisher's massive library of big-name franchises, from EA Sports to Battlefield to more casual titles like PopCap's various series, the...
First Impressions Sonic Lost World
Super Sonic
After a line of games that it would be altogether generous to label a “rough patch”, poor old Sonic is back on his speedy feet. Thanks to the combo of Sonic Unleashed (well, its daytime stages), Sonic Colors and Sonic Generations, SEGA's mascot is finally leaning back towards the positive side of the quality spectrum, and it seems...
News Watch the Japanese Pikmin 3 Nintendo Direct - Live!
Look at the pretty graphics, if you don't speak Japanese
It's that time again — the first occasion since that bombast and noise-making of E3 — for a new Nintendo Direct. This may not be a landmark presentation to enrapture us all — it's focused exclusively on Pikmin 3 and will be in Japanese — but will allow us to see more of the upcoming...
Talking Point It's Time for Nintendo to Drop Region Locking
Microsoft and Sony have moved on
There are some realities that, despite their annoyances, are part of the typical life of a Nintendo gamer. For the second home console generation in a row Nintendo's offering is less powerful — in terms of raw graphical processing — than its direct upcoming competitors in the PS4 and Xbox One, with a focus on...
News Pikmin 3 Featuring In The Latest Japanese Nintendo Direct Broadcast
Miyamoto will play the game in front of your hungry eyes
It's been exactly two weeks since the last Nintendo Direct broadcast for this years E3, and now the company has announced that a new presentation will take place tomorrow, the 26th June, focusing primarily on the upcoming Wii U release, Pikmin 3. The stream will take place on Nintendo's...
Video Skylanders Swap Force Really Lives Up To Its Name
Family Gamer's Andy Robertson gets swap-happy
The clue’s in the name right? Skylanders Swap Force is an interesting proposition this year because of all that switching and swapping you can do with the new figures. What we hadn’t appreciated was quite how varied the new mixed up creations could be, or how much they would feel like fully fledged...
News EA: We're Not Writing Off Wii U
"We’ve launched four games. We’re proud of them"
Electronic Arts has enjoyed a rather inconsistent relationship with the Wii U since it launched last year. Following promises of "unprecedented support", the publisher has so far delivered four titles for the console and doesn't appear to have any big-name releases on the horizon. However, like...
Review New Super Luigi U (Wii U eShop)
New Super DLC for U
So, what is New Super Luigi U? It's not straight-up DLC, nor is it sizable enough to justify a full price retail game, so Nintendo has opted for a best of both worlds approach; it's available as either pricey DLC for New Super Mario Bros. U or as an inexpensive standalone retail game to be released at a later date. What does it...
News Bethesda Has No Current Plans For Wii U or Handhelds
Not ruling out future releases, though
Bethesda has never really been associated with Nintendo. The developer behind the Elder Scrolls and Fallout series can mostly be found making games for PC and other consoles and it seems likely it will stay that way for the foreseeable future. In an interview with Eurogamer, Peter Hines, Vice President of PR...
News You Can Now Pre-Order a Copy of Soul Saga on Wii U For Only $15
Update: Wii U stretch goal reduced to $80,000
Since we posted this exciting news, Disastercake has been in touch with us to let us know it has reduced the Wii U stretch goal to $80,000. Here's what Mike Gale has just told us: I wanted to let you know that I reduced the stretch goal for the Wii U down to $80,000. I really want to see Soul Saga on...
News Kickstarter J-RPG Soul Saga: Episode I Heading to the Wii U, if Funded
We catch up with the developer for more details
The one-man-band behind Indie development studio, Disastercake, is hoping to bring its J-RPG style Kickstarter project to the Wii U eShop in Q4 2014. Described as a "love letter to J-RPG classics from the Playstation era like Final Fantasy, Breath of Fire, Suikoden, and Persona", Soul Saga: Episode I...
Poll Are You in the DLC Brigade?
More and more is on offer
The arrival of New Super Luigi U — our review of which will be posted this weekend — is, as we've argued, a potential evolution of paid-DLC and budget retail titles, as Nintendo seeks to produce a package significant enough to be a fairly expensive (comparatively) piece of add-on software and, on the flipside, a...
Video Reggie Shows Off Wii U to Jimmy Fallon, Hilarity Ensues
COME ON!!! BANG BANG!!!
It's been video game week on the Late Night with Jimmy Fallon show, with various executives making an appearance and various game-related shenanigans, including an awesome Mario rap by The Roots. Wrapping up the week, Nintendo of America President Reggie Fils-Aime made his customary appearance to show off the Wii U. Rather...
News Shigeru Miyamoto Explains Structure To Ensure First-Party Quality From Subsidiaries
"We want to leverage the capabilities of Retro Studios further"
With third-party support for Wii U, beyond the Winter at least, practically on hold as companies wait to see a bump in the system's sales, Nintendo is stepping into the breach with an extensive range of first-party games. Some are from Nintendo's internal teams in Japan, some are from...
News Indie Point And Click Adventure Armikrog May Hit Wii U
It needs to reach its Kickstarter goal first
Pencil Test Studios has announced on the Kickstarter page for its upcoming adventure Armikrog that Nintendo of America reached out to them at E3 and expressed interest in the title coming to Wii U. While there are no concrete details or plans yet, here's what Pencil Test Studios had to say: After E3 we...
News Super Smash Bros. Will Have The Same Character Roster On Both Wii U And 3DS
Both versions share the same character experiences
Gamers who are torn between picking up Super Smash Bros. for Wii U or the 3DS can rest easy. Masahiro Sakurai, creator and designer of the Nintendo crossover series, confirmed that the playable character roster will be the same for both versions. In an interview with NowGamer Sakurai said:...
News Arc System Works Keen To Know How Badly You Want Guilty Gear Xrd -SIGN- On Wii U
Sign the petition to make your feelings known
Guilty Gear Xrd -SIGN- is the latest instalment in the long-running fighting game franchise, and is currently slated to hit arcades in the near future. Set one year after the events of Guilty Gear 2: Overtune, the game will make use of Epic's Unreal 3 Engine. A petition has been set up by hopeful fans...
News Miyamoto Unsure Nintendo Can Make Another "Great" F-Zero Game
"I certainly understand that people want a new F-Zero game"
Shigeru Miyamoto has acknowledged the fan demand for a new F-Zero entry, but has revealed to IGN that he doesn't feel Nintendo could do the concept justice at this moment in time. When quizzed about the future of the racing series, Miyamoto replied: I certainly understand that people...
Satoru Iwata recognises the importance of third-party content
One thing was painfully evident during E3 — third-party developers, even those that have previously been full-on with support, are backing off from the Wii U until its fortunes improve. Ubisoft, which has been keen to bring multi-platform blockbusters to the system, tellingly left Wii U...
Video Nintendo Life Plays Game & Wario
Launch your Fronks!
During E3 week, we all got together and played some videogames. As well as the Nintendo Land video that we posted up last Thursday, we also caught some Game & Wario footage, but we've not been able to share it with you. Until now! Check out the video to see how we got on with Intelligent Systems' latest menagerie of...
Wario party
Going back a few years, it was something of a tradition for Nintendo to launch a new platform with a WarioWare title in hot pursuit. Charming bundles of micro-games that packed as much personality and gameplay as possible into seconds-long chunks, and perfect for demonstrating the unique capabilities of new hardware, the WarioWare games...
News Ashes Cricket 2013 Pushed Back To July
Knocked for six
A few months ago 505 Games announced Ashes Cricket 2013 for Wii U, which was set to coincide with this Summer's Ashes series. Bizarrely, considering the sport is quite niche in gaming terms, cricket titles in the past have received quite a cult following and you would not believe how many requests we've had here at Nintendo Life...
Talking Point New Super Luigi U Opens The Door For Quick Expansions in Other Franchises
DLC and boxed copies can satisfy everyone
After a bit of a wait and a release lineup that, apart from the odd exception, has been drier than the Sahara desert in recent weeks, Luigi jumps to the rescue with New Super Luigi U. It's arrived in this week's Nintendo Download update as DLC for New Super Mario Bros. U, but will have a life of its own as a...
News Sakurai Aiming To Please "The Silent Majority" With New Smash Bros.
Series director no longer considers Smash to be just a fighting game
As we all know, there's a new Smash Bros. title coming to the Wii U and 3DS next year. It looks amazing, has Mega Man in it, and is driving its creator to the point of
News Animal Crossing StreetPass Event Being Held In Manchester On 29th June
There's even going to be a Wii U
Europe finally has its paws on Animal Crossing: New Leaf and now 3DS owners across the world are enjoying all the endless frolicking, bug catching and turnip buying the game has to offer. To celebrate the release of the game in the UK a massive StreetPass event is being held in Manchester on Saturday 29th June by...
News Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D Swings In At Number One In Japanese Sales Charts
Nintendo celebrating an all 3DS top five
Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D has only just made it over to Japan and the 3DS title has swung right into number one position in the sales charts after shifting 104,569 units. It takes the place of Tomodachi Collection: New Life, which has been a consistent seller for Nintendo in the Land of the Rising Sun...
News Not All Super Smash Bros. Characters Will Make The Leap To Wii U And 3DS
There's simply not enough time
The Super Smash Bros. series has had a fair few characters join the fight over the three released titles. However, while some characters, such as Mario, Donkey Kong and Pikachu have been in all games, some of the new Melee additions did not make it over to Brawl, with the likes of Mewtwo, Roy and Dr Mario all falling...
News Reggie Unmoved By The Threat Of $400 PlayStation 4
Holiday season will put Nintendo in a "very good position"
Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aime has been speaking to Kotaku about the current state of the Wii U, and has delivered some typically bullish predictions — as well as admitting that the console has struggled to satisfy core gamers. Talking about the "next-gen verses current...
News Super Mario 3D World Producer Teases New Annoucement
What could it be?
Were you one of the people left slightly underwhelmed by the announcement of Super Mario 3D World at this year's E3? Then you should be interested to know that Nintendo's Tokyo EAD team might be hard at work on a second title. Super Mario 3D World Producer Yoshiaki Koizumi was asked by Spain's El País what his next project would...
News Epic Mickey 2's Eventual Arrival in Japan to be Nintendo Exclusive
An interesting choice
We doubt that Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two will go down in the gaming history books as a release to remember, as it fell short of its predecessor's success (despite being released on more platforms), received various poor reviews and saw to the closure of the Warren Spector-led development studio Junction Point. It was a...
News Iwata: We Are To Blame For Poor Wii U Sales
Nintendo CEO owns up
With sales flagging and third-party support very thin on the ground, the Wii U is certainly having a hard time of late. It's only been on the market for half a year, yet many within the industry are ready to write it off completely. Coming off the back of the incredible success of the original Wii, the new console's failure to...
News Ubisoft Delayed Rayman Legends On Wii U In Fear Of Low Sales
Honesty is the best policy
It's fair to say it's not been an easy ride for Rayman Legends and the Wii U. Starting off with the delightful news last year that the game would be a Wii U exclusive, to the unfortunate announcement in February this year that it was no longer confined to Nintendo's latest console, but being released on the PlayStat
Review Sniper Elite V2 (Wii U)
Reach out and touch someone
Let’s just get this out of the way: Sniper Elite V2 on Wii U seems built for the bargain bin. Were it a movie then this edition would be one of those bare-bones, dithery full-screen DVDs that advertises its interactive menu and scene selection as "features". So says the cynic in us, and our realist chimes in with a...
News Kingdom Hearts III Highly Unlikely To Appear On Wii U
DirectX 11 seems to be the key
The teaser for Kingdom Hearts III shown at this year’s E3 sent a tingle down many fans’ keyblades. The title was confirmed for both the PlayStation 4 and the Xbox One, but unfortunately appears to be another bust for the Wii U. Director Tetsuya Nomura was asked at Square Enix’s recent Future of Final Fantasy E3...
News Iwata: Nintendo Searching For A "Different Expression" To Describe The GamePad's Experience
Consumers don't understand the asymmetric gameplay of Wii U
When Nintendo released the Wii U last year it focused the majority of its messaging on what the all-new GamePad could bring to gaming. Of course, there's off-TV play but one of the biggest selling points is asymmetric gameplay, which allows one player to use the GamePad while others use Wii...
News Steel Diver Will Be Nintendo's First Free-To-Play Game
It should arrive before March 2014
During E3 Nintendo revealed it would be releasing its first free-to-play game by March 2014 but didn't give any details as to what game it would be other than it wouldn't be a Mario and Pokémon title due to both of these franchises' having such a positive relationship with consumers. Nintendo has since confirmed...
News Check Out How Mega Man Looks On The 3DS Version Of Super Smash Bros.
The Blue Bomber confirmed for the 3DS adaptation
During last week's E3 Nintendo Direct, Mega Man was revealed as a new challenger in the upcoming Super Smash Bros. title and we even got to see him in action. However, while we saw what the likes of Mario, Link and Pikachu battle in out the 3DS version of the game, we only got to see what the Blue...
News Molyneux: Nintendo Is "Brilliant" At Attracting Players, But Their Hardware "Gets In The Way"
"They've probably got a plan, and you should never underestimate Nintendo"
Former Bullfrog, Lionhead and Microsoft Games Studios boss Peter Molyneux has once again voiced his opinion on Nintendo's place in the industry, directly contesting Shigeru Miyamoto's assertion that working with both hardware and software offers advantages to the Japanese...
Impressions The Best Buy "Nintendo Experience"
Bringing E3 to the masses
This year’s E3 has come and gone and the Nintendo Life team made it through the coverage mostly unscathed. We brought you all of the latest and greatest news from Nintendo, and our man on the street Anthony John Agnello even brought you our first impressions from games that he got a taste of on the show floor. What...
News Warner Bros. Believes In Wii U, Thinks E3 Games Will "Re-energize The Platform"
"I think they're going to fix the problem"
Nintendo may have some killer titles of its own coming to Wii U this year and beyond, but third-party support for the console has been uncertain almost from day one. Electronic Arts has backed away from the platform, and staunch supporter Ubisoft appears to be getting cold feet. Thankfully, it's not all...
News Smash Bros. Director Pushing Himself "To The Brink" To Decide Character Roster
Masahiro Sakurai reveals the mental cost of making a legendary fighter
We already know the physical torment Smash Bros. director Masahiro Sakurai has had to suffer during the development of the Wii U and 3DS titles, but he has now revealed to
News Steampunk Puzzle Platformer Teslagrad Looks Gorgeous, And It's Coming To Wii U
Magnetic attraction
Norwegian indie studio Rain Games has revealed that its forthcoming 2D puzzle platformer Teslagrad is headed to the Wii U eShop. The Nintendo version of the game will launch alongside the other editions later this year. Set in a steampunk world governed by electromagnetic forces, Teslagrad places you in the shoes of a young boy...
News Miyamoto: Pikmin 3 Has Become "The Ultimate Version of Pikmin 1"
"After I made it, I played it and it's fun"
Pikmin 3, after a heck of a long wait, will finally arrive on Wii U on 26th July in Europe and 4th August in North America. It's also, based on his various appearances before and during E3 and the ever-presence of Pikmin toys in his vicinity, an important game for Shigeru Miyamoto. So often a figure of...
News Reggie: This Holiday Season Is Going To Be Extremely Strong For Wii U
Nintendo confident its upcoming software will sell hardware
While Sony and Microsoft showed off the power of their upcoming systems at this year's E3, Nintendo announced a wealth of new first party Wii U titles with the aim to entice more people to buy into its latest home console. Currently, Wii U has a relatively low install base and this is a...
News Call of Duty: Ghosts May Not Appear On Wii U After All
It's all very mysterious
Remember when Call of Duty: Ghosts for the Wii U was confirmed last week after Infinity Ward executive producer Mark Rubin said PR wanted to keep things mysterious with the game? Well it's time to scrap that, as the story has now changed. Speaking with Games Industry International to clarify on the topic, Rubin said he in...
News Nintendo's Charlie Scibetta Explains the Benefits of Developers Running the Company
"'Is it fun?' Most executives don't ask that question first"
During E3, Nintendo of America sent its marketing and product executives into the wilds of the expo floor to be quizzed by various games writers. In some respects that's given us confirmation of things we already knew, such as the continued resistance to any thoughts of going mobile, and...
First Impressions Skylanders Swap Force
Family Gamer's Andy Robertson goes hands-on at E3
The head to head nature of Skylanders Swap Force and Disney Infinity meant that E3 was always going to be a show down. With Disney buying up an impressive amount of floor space and advertising, Activision responded with more information, novelty and freebies than we’ve seen for previous Skylanders...
News Rivalry Between Bayonetta 2 And Wonderful 101 Teams Helping Drive Development
Hideki Kamiya reveals the playful one-upmanship within Platinum
Platinum Games is responsible for two of the Wii U's most eagerly-awaited third-party exclusives: Bayonetta 2 and The Wonderful 101. These two games look set to make good use of the console's unique GamePad controller, and will surely contain the kind of over-the-top action that...
News Waiting For Wii U To Drop In Price? Not Going To Happen, Says Nintendo
NoA's Scott Mofitt believes console offers "great value"
We won't bore you with a summary of why the Wii U needs a price cut — after all, we've been over that many, many times. With the PS4 and Xbox One looming on the horizon and Wii U sales in the toilet, it's the most logical way of reigniting consumer interest and making sure there's a large...
News Pachter: Without Third Party Support Nintendo Fans May End Up Buying A Second Console
If Ubisoft drops support "you can stick a fork in Wii U"
Nintendo is currently struggling to gain third party support for Wii U, due to the console's relatively low install base. Electronic Arts is the most high profile publisher to announce it is pulling support and at this moment in time has no games in the works for Wii U. In order to rectify...
Talking Point E3 Exposed the Strains of Nintendo's Development Workload
Delays have been common on Wii U
Nintendo and, in particular, the Wii U are in a tricky catch-22 situation; third-parties — including Ubisoft at E3 — are holding off on most additional support for the platform until sales improve, yet games are needed to boost sales. It's an issue that feels all too familiar, though the absence of much support...
News Nintendo - Inclusion of Peach in Super Mario 3D World to Encourage More Players
Wii U Pro Controller support also confirmed
Super Mario 3D World appeared to be — initially at least — a divisive announcement at E3. We knew a 3D Mario was coming, but the successor to Super Mario 3D Land on the 3DS was a surprise considering expectations of a title more in-line with the Galaxy releases on Wii. It may make commercial sense and...
Kiss kiss, bang bang
Really, Bayonetta 2 isn’t that far outside of Nintendo’s wheelhouse. The creators of Nintendogs and Wii Fit may like to play it family-friendly, but come on — there’s always been a playful, almost kinky side to Nintendo, games with just the right amount of dirtiness. Look at ol’ Jimmy T. making it happen in WarioWare,...
News Super Smash Bros. Will Have A Single Player Campaign
No plans for any DLC at this time
The new Super Smash Bros. title was shown off during the E3 Nintendo Direct and news has been trickling through ever since. So far we know there will be a few new challengers, with Wii Fit Trainer, The Villager and Mega Man joining the fray, the Wii U and 3DS versions will have different stages, which unfortunately...
News EA Will "Jump Back In" If Wii U Becomes A "Viable Platform"
"We're a rational company"
A lot has been made of the lack of third party support from certain developers in recent weeks and Electronic Arts has been right at the centre of it all. The company has already said it has no games in development for Wii U, including its annual sports titles such as FIFA 14,
News Nintendo Not Focusing Too Much On What Other Companies Are Doing
Looking to create experiences that can only be found on Wii U
While last year's E3 was focused on Nintendo's Wii U, this year's event will always be remembered as the year Sony and Microsoft revealed their new consoles to the world. Nintendo opted to do things a little differently this time round, going for a much smaller Nintendo Direct...
First Impressions Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze
Frozen in time?
If there is a rule that Nintendo lives by, it’s that one good turn deserves another. Hence why the E3 2013 revelation that the game Austin, Texas’ Retro Studios has been slaving away on for the past three years is none other than a sequel to Donkey Kong Country Returns isn’t much of a revelation at all. Donkey Kong Country...
News Time: Nintendo Is "Stumped" By The Wii U GamePad And Should Ditch It
"It makes you wonder why the company even bothered"
The Wii U GamePad is the console's unique selling point, offering players a different way to experience HD gaming. However, like all new ideas, it takes time to fully explore and exploit the potential offered by a second screen, and it's fair to say that we've yet to see the best the GamePad is...
News Wolfenstein: The New Order Looks Set To Skip Wii U
It's coming to "all" next-gen and current-gen consoles, but not Wii U
Wolfenstein: The New Order, Bethesda's upcoming title, was being shown off at E3 and we finally got some clarification on what consoles it will be appearing on. Well, sort of. In an interview with Got Games, Thomas Björk of MachineGames, the developer behind the first person...
Interview Zelda Producer Eiji Aonuma Talks DLC, Missing Dungeons And Majora's Mask
Exclusive access to Link's protector
Eiji Aonuma has presided over the The Legend of Zelda series for the past 15 years and has overseen some of the franchise's most iconic entries. We got the chance to sit down and speak with him during this year's E3 event, where he was promoting the two forthcoming instalments: The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker HD...
News Retro Studios Working on "One Major Project at a Time"
Oh...
When Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze was announced at E3 as the next game from Retro Studios, some Nintendo fans — including members of the team on this site — rationalised disappointment at the reveal by adding a caveat that it may have been produced alongside a bigger, larger scope project. The thought was that with the groundwork...
Video Nintendo Releases Its E3 Wrap-Up
A nice quick look at the company's E3
Nintendo's E3 was certainly a bit different this year, as rather than a laser-focus on the events of a live presentation, it had the feel of revolving around multiple video releases — starting with the E3 Direct. There were the developer videos, which gave some enjoyable insight, while the standard round...
First Impressions The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker HD
Wind Reawakened
It’s strange to have a first impression on a remake of a game, especially when it’s a game like The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker. The truth is that despite being 10 years old at this point, Wind Waker is still a great looking game that plays well and has held up very well over time. Whether that’s due to the GameCube’s...
News Nintendo's Scott Moffitt - Upcoming Wii U Lineup Will "Ignite Sales"
While 3DS delivers "magic that can't be replicated on a phone"
Nintendo's presence at E3, despite the battle between new systems from Microsoft and Sony, was nevertheless successful at earning some media attention. The focus was mostly on Wii U, as the company went into the expo with little choice but to acknowledge its issues so far, but...
News Super Smash Bros. Won't Feature Cross-Platform Play Between Wii U and 3DS
Character customisation will be a thing
As we watched footage of Super Smash Bros. for both Wii U and 3DS at this year's E3, there was a nagging suspicion in the back of our minds at Nintendo Life HQ; will this support "cross-play", similar to that in Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate, or are the games too different? No, is the simple answer.
News Former Rare Staffer Chris Seavor Hints At Wii U Development
Is the Conker creator working on Nintendo's console?
Chris Seavor — otherwise known as the man who created Conker's Bad Fur Day — has already stated that Wii U development interests him a great deal. However, he's now given his most convincing indication yet that he has something in the works for Nintendo's system. When asked on Twitter if he...
News Mega Man's Dad Is "Ecstatic" That The Blue Bomber Is In Smash Bros.
Proud father
Mega Man creator Kenji Inafune is one of Capcom's most famous former employees, yet he appeared to part company with the publisher under a cloud. You might assume this could make Inafune rather bitter about how his former creations are being used by Capcom, but you couldn't be further from the truth. Speaking to VideoGamer, Inafune...
First Impressions Mario Kart 8
Turning things upside down
Imagine the Mario Kart series as an enormous living being made out of adorable cars, happy drivers, delightful loops passing through volcanoes and haunted houses and vicious blue shells. Envision this being, this body of Kartdom, and now answer this simple question: where is its heart? What is the thumping engine within...
Exclusive Zelda's Aonuma: We're Looking Into Going "Beyond The Disc" With DLC
"We're certainly looking at different ways to add on content"
Zelda series producer Eiji Aonuma has exclusively revealed to Nintendo Life that he and his team are looking into ways of incorporating DLC into future titles in the franchise. Speaking in an interview which will run on the site later today, Aonuma — who is currently hard at work on...
News Third-Party Characters in Smash Bros. to be Kept to a Minimum
Mega Man is a "special case"
Smash Bros. and Mega Man fans alike are probably still buzzing over the Blue Bomber's inclusion in the latest Smash Bros., but series director Masahiro Sakurai has made it clear that including such third-party characters is something of a rarity. Players will remember that Super Smash Bros. Brawl was the first game in...
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