Wii U Features
Talking Point The amiibo Range Grows, Yet Key Questions Remain
Its ambition is both a strength and a curse
Back in August we outlined amiibo pros and cons, mainly within the context that Nintendo had revealed little about the figures over the course of the summer months. Many questions have since been answered in terms of how the figures will be used in Super Smash Bros. for Wii U, in addition to their minor...
Preview Power Sliding Around The Legend of Zelda x Mario Kart 8 DLC
The great just got even greater!
Recently we were invited to Nintendo's UK headquarters to have a go at The Legend of Zelda x Mario Kart 8 DLC that's arriving on 13th November, and naturally we just had to tell you what we thought of it. This is the first time a Mario Kart game has had DLC, so Nintendo has to make an impact to convince buyers to...
Talking Point The Majora's Mask 3D Reveal Showed Nintendo Can Still Surprise and Delight
It was a S.T.E.A.M.Y Direct
This week Nintendo produced a rather traditional Direct broadcast — there was no animation, relatively little flashy presentation beyond trailers, and a diverse range of announcements. It was back to type and rather like those that we'd seen throughout 2013; that's not a criticism, as Nintendo has diversified its...
Preview The Irresistible Charm of Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker
Cuteness overload
When summarising Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker, we feel that our editorial director Damien McFerran may have nailed it: "look at it, pure gaming joy on a screen". Few game companies portray 'cute' as successfully as Nintendo — relatively few even bother to try — and this is the epitome of that approach. It takes the...
Parent Trap Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker Is Shaping Up To Be Another Family-Friendly Classic
Family Gamer TV checks out Toad's latest adventure
If you’ve played through Super Mario 3D World you’ll already know the intricate puzzle treat of the Captain Toad levels. Looking initially simple, these fixed isometric worlds presented a substantial and layered challenge to those wanting to find every last coin. Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker...
Feature The Big Nintendo Direct Summary - 5th November 2014
There were fireworks
There haven't been many full-on "old-fashioned" Nintendo Direct broadcasts in 2014, as the company has focused on game-specific presentations and an alternative Digital Event approach at E3. While variety is welcome, there was something reassuring about a live video featuring Satoru Iwata in front of a white backdrop; the...
Feature What We Want to See in the November Nintendo Direct
Smash Wii U demo! MK8 DLC! Surprises! Other things!
It wasn't so long ago we had a Super Smash Bros. for Wii U Direct that unveiled over 50 "Must-See Things", so it was a pleasant surprise when Nintendo confirmed a wider-reaching, "good old fashioned Nintendo Direct" for today, 5th November; it kicks off at 2pm Pacific / 5pm Eastern / 10pm UK / 11pm...
Feature Does Super Smash Bros. Wii U's Smash Tour Live Up To Expectations?
Mario & chums party hard
Whilst at Nintendo UK’s headquarters, we were lucky enough to get a go on the brand new mode exclusive to the Wii U version of Super Smash Bros.: Smash Tour. Going in we didn't really know too much about the mode beyond that it was a Mario Party-esque affair with a Smash Bros. flavour. After a short debriefing we managed...
Preview Using amiibo with Super Smash Bros. for Wii U
We’ve got amiibo all figured out
This holiday period is arguably Nintendo’s most crucial since the Wii U launched back in late 2012. The company's banking on Super Smash Bros. for Wii U not only attracting a lot of sales but, more specifically, system sales from those yet to pick up the console. Moreover, Nintendo’s new range of NFC (near...
Preview Having a Brawl With Super Smash Bros. for Wii U
Extended time with Nintendo's biggest game this holiday season
Super Smash Bros. for Wii U is the most anticipated Nintendo title this holiday season, and with good reason. Whether it's the intricate and deep gameplay mechanics, the sheer amount of content reported to be on offer or the crossover Nintendo theme and the fan service that comes with...
Feature Ten Games That Are Perfect For Halloween On Your Wii U and 3DS
New, old, some spooky, some terrifying
It's Halloween season, dear readers, as one day isn't enough for enthusiasts of dressing up, bugging their neighbours and eating enough sweets / candy / chocolate to be physically ill. An interesting fact around the origins of Halloween is that... never mind, you just dress up and eat a lot. It's also about...
Poll Should Nintendo Follow Microsoft's Lead With A Wii U Price Cut?
Xbox One reduced to $349.99 in the US over the Holiday season
We're in the middle of somewhat peculiar times in the home console market. In the monthly shenanigans that are the NPD results for sales in the US, for example, all of the talk is on PS4 vs Xbox One in terms of a head to head. Nintendo's Wii U isn't often mentioned in that 'race', and...
Video Follow Our Top 5 Bayonetta 2 Tips To Be A Better Witch
Know your Wicked Weaves from your Umbran Climaxes
With Bayonetta finally making her debut on a Nintendo console, it is entirely possible that you've never played the original game, so this sequel might seem a little overwhelming. But don't let this stop you from playing one of the best games of the year on any system, because we've come up with the...
Feature Breaking Down Over 50 Must-See Things in Super Smash Bros. for Wii U
Step by glorious step
Nintendo's Super Smash Bros. for Wii U Nintendo Direct delivered what it promised — 50 'Must-See Things'. In fairness to the 'New Things' wording deployed on multiple occasions by Nintendo of America, meanwhile, it wasn't far off that target either, even if that would require a little more slack and an absence of cynicism. In...
Feature Five 'New Things' We Want in Super Smash Bros. for Wii U
Time to take the franchise to another level
With Super Smash Bros. for Wii U increasingly close to release, Nintendo's gearing up to answer the call for full details of its features with an upcoming live Nintendo Direct that'll introduce 50 'new things'; that's a bold and exciting promise. Though, as an important note, some of Nintendo's messaging...
Talking Point Platinum Games Has Secured a Golden Wii U Legacy
Bayonetta 2 joins the brilliant Wonderful 101
We argued, right at the start of our Bayonetta 2 review, that the "Wii U library is small, but also diverse and exciting". The reason we opened with that point is that, despite lazy comments often shared online — increasingly irrelevant with each passing month — stating that the Wii U has 'no games',...
Talking Point Nintendo's Ability to Charm Young Gamers is Vital for its Success
Proper next-gen
There was a period, in the latter half of the last generation of systems, when it seemed as if Sony and Microsoft were making a major play for the young gamer's market — Microsoft pushed for advertising presence on major multi-platform franchises, in particular, while Sony tried new ideas with its range of Wonderbook releases. Both...
Feature Bayonetta - Creating Gaming's Combative Heroine
A unique part of the gaming scene
While it's a release that'll perhaps be battling the odds to make a major commercial impact, Bayonetta 2 will arrive as a Wii U exclusive on 24th October in the West, joined by an enhanced port of its predecessor. The new entry arrives as a relatively unique arrival, one of few dedicated action games of its type in...
Preview Bat-Swinging into Action in LEGO Batman 3: Beyond Gotham
Go West young man
Already a successful branch of the LEGO series of games, the LEGO Batman line is soon to add a third entry into its already successful lineup. LEGO Batman 3: Beyond Gotham, as its name suggests, takes the action outside of just Gotham and spreads it around the globe and even outer space — but does it measure up? We got some...
Video How Hyrule Warriors Forges A Link With Zelda's Past
Comparing the legendary locations
There are few locations in the world of gaming that are as close to our hearts as those featured in The Legend of Zelda series. The recently released Hyrule Warriors brings yet another fresh take on these iconic locales, but for those who are don't know their Death Mountains from their Lake Hylias, here's a look at...
Feature The Biggest Wii U Games of 2014 - Fall Edition
Plenty of gaming on the way
By now you should be fairly familiar with our quarterly tradition of looking at the biggest games coming to the Wii U. Our Summer edition gave us a fairly strong line-up, and we now head into the final quarter of the year with a mixture of major retail titles and some select eShop entries. As we're sure you've figured...
Event Mario Kart 8 UK Championship 2014 At EGX
Coverage from the big day
At this year's EGX we hosted the Mario Kart 8 UK Championship with The Official Nintendo UK Store in order to find the best Mushroom Kingdom racer in the entire country. After a series of gruelling online heats we whittled it down to 12 challengers, all of which met at EGX to decide who was the supreme talent on the track...
Talking Point History Shows Us That Nintendo's Here to Stay
125 years and counting
On 23rd September 1889 Nintendo was founded as Nintendo Koppai, meaning the company is now 125 years old; it's been known as Nintendo Co., Ltd since 1963. The history of the company is particularly fascinating, and also reminds us of some important lessons regarding Nintendo; it's not solely a video game manufacturer,...
Feature Ahead Of Hyrule Warriors, We Take A Look Back At Koei Tecmo's Famous Musou Series
New to the franchise? Allow us to educate
With Hyrule Warriors marching dangerously close to its day of release, we wonder how many Nintendo gamers know their Dynasty Warriors from their Samurai Warriors – their Lu Bu from their Tadakatsu Honda. Indeed, most probably already know that Hyrule Warriors itself is just another in a long line of...
Feature Meet The Playable Cast Of Hyrule Warriors
Which one will you choose?
Hyrule Warriors isn't your typical Zelda title — the name should be a dead give-away — and nowhere is this more obvious than in the massive roster of playable characters. There are plenty of fan-favourites, not-so-fan-favourites and totally new characters to master here, with each one boasting their own play style and...
Talking Point The Growing Role of The Treehouse Gives Nintendo More Personality
A human touch
It's not so long ago that The Treehouse at Nintendo of America's HQ was a mystery, a department with a rather charming door behind which delights could be found. It was tempting to think of it as a smaller game-related version of Willy Wonka's Chocolate Factory, with Oompa Loompas in Mario hats singing songs and playing games. Of...
Feature A Week of Super Smash Bros. Wii U and 3DS Screens - Issue Fifty Four
All-Star Mode! Outfit Colours! Smash Run running! More!
Super Smash Bros. on Nintendo 3DS is now just days away in Japan, so it's a short matter of time before full — official — details around the roster, stages and modes are available. Masahiro Sakurai is likely to remain the source of some final reveals, with the Director's Room Miiverse...
Feature We Put Bayonetta 2's Nintendo Outfits to the Test
Nintendo's mascots have never been so deadly
Bayonetta 2, one of the highest profile third-party exclusives on Wii U — albeit published by Nintendo — is getting close to release. The Platinum Games extravaganza is all set to deliver high-intensity action to the system, and we've been impressed so far; we said as much in our preview. Nintendo's...
Interview Eiji Aonuma and Yosuke Hayashi on Hyrule Warriors and Shigeru Miyamoto's Definitive Role
We talk melding franchises and defining Zelda with those that know best
As the Wii U moves into a hugely significant period of releases over the remainder of 2014, it'll be Hyrule Warriors that will, appropriately considering its genre, lead the charge of major retail releases. Already released in Japan and arriving soon in North America and Europe,...
Talking Point Mario Kart 8's Diverse DLC Sets Up Endless Potential for the Franchise
A vehicle that could be vital in future
It's safe to say that Nintendo caught us off guard with its recent DLC announcement for Mario Kart 8, with these extras bringing new franchises into the MK world and, just as importantly, serving up a significant dose of content. Once both packs arrive the number of courses will have doubled, which is...
Talking Point The Wii U May be Best as One of Two Consoles, Just Like Wii
Whether the 'first' or 'second' console, unique content remains vital
When the Wii U was launching in late 2012, Nintendo of America President Reggie Fils-Aime did his job; he kicked in with full PR-nonsense in his statements and predictions. The focus in that time — in multiple territories — was to talk up the system as a console for the...
Feature HD Remasters That Would Be Perfect for Wii U
Easy wins and fan favourites
In a turn of events that shouldn't surprise any followers of Nintendo, an anonymous source of reasonable repute has recently been quoted as stating that a big-name HD remaster is on the way to Wii U in 2015. We'd suggest this isn't too far off from saying something rather obvious such as "Nintendo is making games that...
Talking Point Nintendo's Ambitious amiibo Plans - Pros and Cons
An exciting platform with lots of unanswered questions
Earlier this year, as part of a major presentation following Nintendo's annual financial results, Satoru Iwata unveiled the Nintendo Figurine Platform, which was then announced with some style as amiibo during E3 2014. The initial E3 reveal focused on Super Smash Bros. for Wii U, though a follow...
Feature Ten Wii U and 3DS Games That Are Perfect For Summer - Community Choices
Games you're playing in this sunny season
Earlier this Summer we brought you two top 10 Wii U and 3DS game lists for the season, one for retail titles and another for eShop releases. We also promised to take your suggestions from the comments in those articles for a community list; so here we are. Naturally we've only picked 10, five for Wii U and...
Preview Exploring Black Magic in Bayonetta 2
A climax worth waiting for
When Nintendo of America's Reggie Fils-Aime revealed Bayonetta 2 at the Wii U's launch date announcement festivities, we suspect he did so with a mischievous glint in his eye. No doubt the anguished cries and wails of those that actually bought the original were expected, and Nintendo was also showing that it wasn't afraid...
Feature Hyrule Warriors - Everything We Know So Far
Hacking and slashing up the details
Hyrule Warriors is the next major release on Wii U, with Nintendo no doubt hopeful that it'll kickstart a sustained period of solid sales for the home console, with subsequent months also bringing a variety of major releases. It's also the first high-profile and direct crossover for the Zelda franchise — aside...
Poll Is Online Co-Op a Major Miss in Hyrule Warriors, or is Local Multiplayer Enough?
Not all Dynasty Warrior features make it in the Zelda crossover
There's a lot of buzz around Hyrule Warriors right now, which is only being emphasized with Koei Tecmo and Nintendo's efforts to hype up the Japanese gaming public into a frenzy ahead of its 14th August release in the country. It's working out nicely for both companies, as much of that...
Talking Point Deconstructing Nintendo's Retail Releases of Wii U eShop Titles
Sensible cash-in or lack of focus?
The recent announcement of a NES Remix physical disc compilation coming to North America was the latest in a minor trend for Nintendo, as it is showing an increased willingness to convert download titles into retail releases. It was also surprising, as NES Remix Pack will combine two $15 titles, so presumably will...
Reaction Nintendo's Drop in Momentum Is A Bigger Concern Than Initial Financial Losses
Net sales and 3DS performance are down on last year
Nintendo's Q1 financial results have been announced and, in a continuation of the past couple of years, bring losses for the company. We'll repeat the nitty-gritty before assessing some other key points, yet we should perhaps take the positive spin that Nintendo is maintaining its projections for...
Gallery A Closer Look At 13 amiibo Toys
Prepare your wallets
Nintendo's lining up multiple blockbuster releases for the Holiday season, but the most important will likely be its range of NFC toys — amiibo. Marketing these figures, successfully implementing them in games and securing plenty of shelf space with the biggest retailers represent three major challenges for Nintendo, though...
Talking Point Nintendo Continues to Evolve Its Hype Machine
It's not all about Nintendo Direct any more
Following their introduction in late 2011 and rise to prominence in 2012, Nintendo Direct broadcasts quickly became a primary marketing and awareness tool for Nintendo. In 2013 alone there were 16 broadcasts — counting the E3 equivalent — for the Western market; some were full-blown reveal...
Feature Ten Wii U and 3DS Games That Are Perfect For Summer
Remember, you don't want sunburn, so play some games
As you may know, we aim to provide interesting feature content on a daily basis here at Nintendo Life, whether through interviews, Soapboxes, Talking Points or more general articles like this that have a catch-all 'Feature' prefix. It's been challenging at Nintendo Life HQ, though, because the...
Guide All You Need to Know on Mario Kart 8 Characters and Kart Customisations
The finer details
Mario Kart 8 is now well-established on the Wii U, shifting plenty of copies and attracting a sizeable and dedicated online audience. Whether trying to beat every Grand Prix with three stars or tackling the increasingly skilful opponents online, securing top spot is not becoming a tricky challenge of fine margins. This is a title...
Talking Point Should Nintendo Be Promoting The Wii U GamePad As A Tablet Killer?
Kids love tablets, so why isn't Nintendo shouting about the GamePad?
When Nintendo first lifted the lid on the Wii U and its unique GamePad controller, many within the industry murmured their cautious approval. It all seemed to make so much sense — Apple's iPad had already kickstarted a tablet revolution and second-screen gaming promised big...
Play It's The Second Nintendo Life Community GP in Mario Kart 8 - Live!
Hit A on the 2...
Just recently we announced the second Nintendo Life Community GP competition, and it's now open. Mario Kart 8 has been with us for over a month now and players are getting rather good at it, so this is a chance to show just how good you are. This one is a code-based tournament, to give it that community feel, so below are...
First Impressions Throwing Down in Shigeru Miyamoto's Mech Maker, Project Giant Robot
A robot riot
At the very end of Nintendo’s Digital Event at this year’s E3, Shigeru Miyamoto made a brief appearance to announce that he’s been hard at work creating new games that use the Wii U’s dual-screen setup in innovative ways. One of these works-in-progress was Project Giant Robot, an experimental venture that lets players build...
First impressions HD Brawling with Super Smash Bros. for Wii U
Big screen action
At a first glance, you could be forgiven for assuming that Super Smash Bros. for Wii U is simply a HD refresh of Super Smash Bros. Brawl, especially given that the core gameplay concept hasn't evolved a great deal. Nevertheless, underneath its incredibly polished aesthetics and smooth 60 frames per second speed, there’s a wealth...
Interview Pro Smash Competitors Armada & Mew2King on Super Smash Bros. for Wii U
"The game’s graphics are on a completely different level"
With Evo 2014 around the corner, competitive Super Smash Bros. Melee players are gearing up for one of the year's biggest events. Of course, the new Super Smash Bros. for Wii U will potentially become a competitive main
First Impressions Hyrule Warriors Is Zelda, But Not As We Know It
Button-mashing with the Hero of Time
On paper, Nintendo's decision to ally Zelda with the Dynasty Warriors franchise makes perfect sense; Koei Tecmo's series is incredibly popular in its native Japan and Wii U owners are simply dying for another Hyrule-themed adventure to embark upon. However, almost immediately after the announcement of Hyrule...
Talking Point With E3 Long Gone, Nintendo Still Has Plenty to Reveal 'Directly' to Fans
Keep the hype train running
While Nintendo's appearance at E3 — widely regarded as a success — was only a little under a month ago at the time of writing, in modern consumer and internet terms that is an age. Since that time we've had some updates on key releases on the way this Fall, and a lot of focus on the wider picture of eShop games and...