Wii U News
June2014
Video Family Gamer TV's Mario Kart 8 Championship Plays The Motorsport Card
The search for the UK's best Mario Kart 8 family is under way
As we reported previously, the search for the UK’s top Mario Kart 8 family is now under way. The first two round results have just gone live today, with the top member of the Hunt and the Sharp family going forward to the finals. This is the first time these families have played the...
News Wii Sports Club Baseball and Boxing Arrive on 27th June, Retail Bundle on 11th July
That's for Europe, anyway
After Japanese release details let the cat out of the bag, Nintendo has confirmed European release details for both Wii Sports Club: Baseball and Wii Sports Club: Boxing on the Wii U eShop, while also announcing a retail disc version that will combine all f
News Ubisoft Reconfirms Watch Dogs For Fall 2014 Release On Wii U
Just in case you haven't played it on every other format by then
As expected, new IP Watch Dogs has sold like hotcakes, marking the dawn of another profitable series for publisher Ubisoft. The game has clearly done the business at retail, even going as far as boosting PS4 sales by 94 percent, and has
Weirdness Luigi's Mario Kart 8 'Death Stare' Is Deemed Noteworthy By Fox News
More exposure for Mario Kart 8, though
One of the more amusing memes to come out of Mario Kart 8 has to be Luigi's "Death Stare", which we're pretty sure you've seen several times in the game itself, as well as on various social networking sites. It would appear that this particular element of Nintendo's new Wii U racer has well and truly "gone...
News Nintendo's E3 Plans Are Outlined Further, With Nintendo Minute to Follow Digital Event
The unscripted Treehouse coverage still has us intrigued
Nintendo's E3 plans are fairly well-known now, with the mystery now revolving around what will be shown in its Digital Event and accompanying demonstrations; fans of Super Smash Bros. can also look forward to the Invitational event or finding a demo station at a local Best Buy store. A press...
News Double Fine Is Bringing Costume Quest 2 To The Wii U eShop This Halloween
Not a trick, but definitely a treat
Double Fine Productions has confirmed that Costume Quest 2 will be coming to the Wii U eShop later this year. The sequel to one of 2010's most acclaimed downloadable titles, this new title will once again focus on turned-based battles and good, old-fashioned trick or treating. Reynold and Wren make a return, with...
Review LEGO The Hobbit (Wii U)
We hates it forever
The LEGO series of games is a sales phenomenon, now established to a degree that it seems no matter how many releases are churned out on a yearly basis the sales flow, and steady praise flows its way. That's to the credit of TT Games and Warner Bros., but it's always a franchise at risk of spreading itself too thinly — as Bilbo...
Set hype mode to max
E3 is now around a week away, which means it's sweaty palm time for excited gamers and Nintendo's executives. Nintendo is no doubt hoping to make an impact this year that'll earn both attention and praise, with features such as the Wii U's GamePad and NFC — along with new games — set to be prominent. The company's official...
News Wii U System Update 5.0.0 Now Live, Adds Quick Start Menu And GamePad Notifications
As well as the usual improvements to system stability, naturally
The latest system update for the Wii U is now available for download, and it brings with it the previously announced ability to "Quick Start" the console to swiftly jump into a game without the prolonged wait. Another new addition is GamePad alerts and notifications, which allow the...
News Tactical Strategy RPG Based on Sci-Fi TV Series Falling Skies to Invade Wii U
Third-party release is an alien concept
Publisher Little Orbit has announced that it's planning to release a new Wii U game based on sci-fi TV drama Falling Skies this autumn. Known simply as Falling Skies: The Game and described as a tactical strategy RPG, the game is set within the post-apocalyptic world of the series, in which an alien race has...
News Mario Kart 8 Sells More Than 1.2 Million Units in Opening Weekend
Immediately becomes one of the Wii U's top sellers
This past weekend was all about Mario Kart 8 for plenty of Wii U gamers, and Nintendo has now released figures that show a particularly impressive performance for the title in its opening weekend — the hype and excitement seems to have paid off. Nintendo has confirmed that from 29th May (the...
News Sonic Boom Titles Given New Names and Gameplay Details
Will be on show at E3
With E3 around the corner, Sega has confirmed that demo builds of its Sonic Boom titles will be playable at the event, and has revealed their final titles — we'll have Sonic Boom: Rise of Lyric on Wii U and Sonic Boom: Shattered Crystal on 3DS. Each title will have a separate storyline and wildly different play style. To...
News Nintendo Game Seminar Confirmed for Japan, Focused on 2D Unity Games
An opportunity for students to learn from the best
Through the Wii U eShop, in particular, Nintendo has been doing a good job of accommodating and supporting smaller developers. Its Nintendo Web Framework allows for games produced through code such as HTML5, while supporting and offering a free Unity License can certainly be credited as bringing a...
News Mortal Kombat X Announced, Platform Details Sketchy
Update - we're no longer optimists
Update: After looking around for platform details that were not there prior to publication, we now have a press release confirming that optimism is, indeed, a fool's state of mind. A press release from Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment and NetherRealm Studios has confirmed PlayStation 4, PlayStation 3, Xbox...
Video Here's a Charming Mario Kart 8 Song to Start Your Week
Goodbye Blue Shell by Ryan Craddock
A good number among the Nintendo Life community have, we suspect, emerged blinking into the daylight after Mario Kart 8's arrival last week — a full weekend of racing can be a tiring endeavour. As such we may need a pick-me-up to get through the start of another week. This song from budding YouTube artist Ryan...
News Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare Wii U Rumours Pick Up with E3 Listing
So advanced that you shoot everything
Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare is Activision's next bash at its money-spinning franchise, taking place in the not-too-distant future and featuring exoskeleton suits that allow you to do stuff that others could already do in Titanfall. Jaded cynicism aside, it's likely to be one of the biggest releases of the...
News Mario Kart 8 Drives Wii U Sales In The UK, Claims Second Place Behind Watch Dogs
Hardware sales up 666 percent
To the surprise of pretty much nobody, Ubisoft's Watch Dogs has claimed the top spot in the UK multiformat chart — but Mario Kart 8 has sped into second place, causing a massive spike in Wii U console sales. According to Chart Track, the PS4 and Xbox One versions of Watch Dogs claimed the top two spots, with Mario...
Mario Kart Month Clones And Alternatives to Nintendo's Classic Series
Lagging behind?
Every time a Nintendo device is released, it’s a pretty safe bet that Mario Kart isn’t far around the corner. Each new addition to the series further solidifies its well-earned reputation as the party game of choice, bringing together both the masters and the first-timers to join in on the madness and enjoy it regardless of their...
May2014
Mario Kart Month Nintendo Life's Team Shares Its Early Thoughts on Mario Kart 8
Share your impressions, too
Mario Kart 8 is now well and truly settled in on plenty of Wii U systems around the world. It seems that Friend Lists have never been busier, too, as a quick glance at almost any time of the day shows most are actively blasting around tracks. If you're a Wii U owner, there are decent odds this applies to you. That's also...
What about those other items?
Whilst core items such as the banana, shell and mushroom have carried the traditions of the Mario Kart series over the past 22 years, there are many other forgotten, reinvented, and even untouched items that arguably contin
News Older Wii U Bundles, Including All Black Systems, Discontinued in Japan
White models, 8GB and 32GB, now the main draw
While Nintendo sets off a major Wii U push with the arrival of Mario Kart 8 and with the system likely to enjoy a prominent role at E3 2014, it seems the company is nevertheless making logistical cost-saving decisions to ensure that the systems it does sell are produced as cheaply as possible. Part of...
Play Mario Kart 8 With Nintendo Life on Twitch - Live!
It is time
Earlier this week we told you about the Tournament we've launched for Mario Kart 8's opening weekend, and as promised we'll be hitting up Twitch for some fun races in Nintendo's Wii U blockbuster. This writer and Anthony Dickens will be your hosts and victims, as we'll be jumping into the Tournament to race, well, whoever shows up. If...
Talking Point The GameCube Controller Adapter for Wii U Should Open Some Doors
Such a simple idea, but perfect for pleasing dedicated fans
Let's kick this off with a remark that may, when read with fire in the belly, be interpreted as a tad controversial. The GameCube Controller Adapter for Wii U, unveiled by Nintendo in a video advertising its upcoming Super Smash Bros. E3 Invitational event, is unlikely to excite or even...
Video Watch Us Unbox The Mario Kart 8 Limited Edition Bundle
Be careful someone doesn't run off with your copy
Happy Mario Kart 8 launch day, everybody! To celebrate this momentous event, we've decided to do an unboxing video for the Limited Edition version of the game, which features an accursed blue shell and — of course — a copy of the game itself. It's rather good, as you'll know if you've already...
News Pikmin 3 Update Adds New Stylus Control Style
Fling away, Merrill
An update to Pikmin 3 has arrived just in time for its inclusion in the Mario Kart 8 free game promotion, introducing a new way to send your minions hither and yon. In addition to the original GamePad, Wii U Pro Controller, and Wii Remote/Nunchuk options, planetary explorers can now use the stylus and GamePad's touch screen to...
News Nintendo Announces The GameCube Controller Adapter for Wii U
Geoff Keighley to host Smash Invitational, challengers confirmed
It's safe to say that fans of Super Smash Bros. will be looking forward to the live Invitational event at E3. Nintendo has today ramped up the hype for the event by revealing the competitors, hosts and rules, but also an exciting peripheral that will allow players to use GameCube...
Guide Getting Started in Mario Kart 8
Don't drive into the deep end
As some of the Nintendo Life team still like discs that come in boxes, our original plan was to release a getting started guide on 30th May; then we remembered some of you trendy types may download the title as soon as it pops up on the Wii U eShop, which may or may not be at midnight. You just can't wait, right? So...
Video Experience the Blue Shell Blues in Mario Kart 8 With The Brett Domino Trio
We've all been blue shelled at some point
Mario Kart 8 does a lot right, including the fact that the blue / spiny shell moves along the ground to take out others en-route to the race leader, but the mere presence of that item is enough to irritate some. It likely annoys stronger players the most, as their reward for being rather good at the game is...
News Meet Sticks, The New Member of Sonic Boom's "Core Ensemble"
She's a jungle badger, by the way
Those that don't want Sonic to make any more chatty friends, look away now. Sega has unveiled Sticks, a jungle badger that will be a new member of the "core ensemble" in Sonic Boom, which takes in a TV show, licensed toy and merchandise range and, of course, the Wii U and 3DS games. Hiroyuki Miyazaki, Chief Content...
News Mario Kart TV Web App Goes Live
It actually works
One of the new features of Mario Kart 8 is the ability to save, edit and share video highlights through Mario Kart TV. As we reported yesterday, those that have received copies early didn't take long to start uploading highlights to YouTube and Miiverse. The game is now out in Japan — in fact, Japanese gamers have had most of...
News Mario Kart 8 DLC Confirmed for Japan With Free Mercedes Car
Tournament also planned in commercial tie-in
Update: Nintendo UK has issued the following statement to Eurogamer regarding this news: The announcement this time was made by Mercedes-Benz Japan regarding their collaboration in Japan with NCL. As for the information relating to the distribution of the GLA kart for MK8 outside Japan, we will be able...
News Miiverse Tells the Tale of a Broken Mario Kart 8 Street Date
Oh, you naughty retailers...
There have been comments bouncing around online in the past day or so regarding Mario Kart 8 being sold early by some retailers. It brings to mind the early arrival of Pokémon X & Y in October 2013, though that was far more contentious due to the desire of Nintendo and Game Freak that some surprises would remain...
Mario Kart Month Expanding the Universe of Mario Kart
Nintendo Kart?
Back in December, Nintendo showed off a cleverly deceptive trailer for Super Smash Bros. for Wii U and 3DS that briefly showed Kirby pulling off some audacious Warp Star moves in Mario Kart's Rainbow Road. Of course, that trailer turned out to be the reveal of Rosalina and Luma for Super Smash Bros., just another fun jok
Play Mario Kart 8 With Nintendo Life in our Launch Party
Watch our chums at Eurogamer play it live today, and us on launch day
Mario Kart 8 is extremely close now, and aside from some cheeky people that have found gullible retailers the vast majority are eagerly awaiting delivery or to hit up the eShop on launch day. We figured now would be a good time to let you know of some of our plans to enjoy the new...
News 3DS Tops Japanese Hardware Chart as Wii U Secures Home Console Crown
Put away the champagne, the numbers are still low
It's time for the weekly Japanese Media Create results, and they bring a couple of notable headlines this week. We see a boost for Wii U ahead of the 29th May launch — it's a day earlier in Japan — of Mario Kart 8, while Level-5's latest success story keeps on going. The software charts see...
Weirdness When PR Stunts Go Wrong - Watch Dogs
Anonymous package caused office evacuation and bomb disposal call
Wii U owners may not be able to play Watch Dogs this week, but that doesn't mean Nintendo gamers shouldn't follow Ubisoft's release with some interest — it is apparently still coming to Nintendo's system this year, remember. We can also get a laugh from bonkers PR moves that have...
Mario Kart Month A Brief History Of Mario Kart Item Evolution: Mighty Mushroom
There’s a shroom for every occasion
You wouldn’t normally associate a mushroom with speed, but just look at Toad with his white and red polka dot head – he’s always zipping about. Clearly he’s got a need for speed after excessive use of the mighty mushroom out on the track. Actually, it’s hard to imagine what’s even under that...
News Pullblox/Fallblox Sequel Coming to Wii U eShop in Japan on 19th June
Right outta nowhere
According to a newly found addition to Nintendo of Japan's official website, a Wii U sequel to the Intelligent Systems-developed Pullblox (known as Pushmo in North America) and Fallblox (known as Crashmo in North America) translated as Pushmo/Pullblox World is coming to Japan on 19th June this year. The site is in Japanese, so...
Video Nintendo Shows Off Photos With Mario in New Trailer
Have a Disney Infinity 2.0 Marvel video, as a bonus
Earlier this week we told you about the launch of the official Photos With Mario website, with some tongue-in-cheek comments about Nintendo of America finally remembering that it had released the download in the US. The rather nice web page has demonstration videos, attractive design and details on...
Video Check Out This Impressive Recreation of the Intro to Another World
Rumoured remake coming to Wii U and 3DS, remember
We may not exactly be short of artistic, narrative-driven games with creative environments in this age of the Indies, but in the early '90s games that weren't simple and fun action rarely made a significant impact with mainstream audiences. Another World, with a few select others, achieved that...
News Spiffy Mario Kart 8 T-Shirts Arriving 29th May on Club Nintendo Japan
Get ready to be jealous
A special edition Mario Kart 8 T-shirt will be making its way to Club Nintendo Japan alongside the game on 29th May. The shirts will cost 600 points and, as you can see, feature nifty silhouettes of twelve playable characters on the front and a small tire graphic on the back. They come in both medium and large sizes and are...
News Evil Controllers Offers Custom Mario-Themed Wii U Pro Controllers
$30 more than the standard pad
Not long ago it seems there was a fair bit of buzz over PDP's announcement of a licensed GameCube-inspired Fight Pad for Wii and Wii U, which is all set to be shown in some form during E3. If you're a fan of the existing Wii U Pro Controller but want a more interesting design, however, a custom range from Evil...
Video These Mario Kart 8 Players Are Getting Rather Immersed in the Experience
Two fresh commercials emerge
Nintendo has released quite a variety of commercials so far for Mario Kart 8, ranging from straight-up gameplay sequences to a quirky series that recreated items and features in a fictional real-world wacky lab. Two fresh commercials go for a mix of both ideas, while also showing off the game's local multiplayer selling...
Poll A Tale of Two Blockbusters as Mario Kart 8 and Watch Dogs Arrive This Week
How will you spend your cash?
A gaming year is often summed up by crowded, high-profile release windows, typically in November as Holiday shopping and Black Friday insanity sweep stores in multiple territories. While this week isn't quite on that scale, it does see the rather brilliant Mario Kart 8 on Wii U go up against Watch Dogs on, well,...
News LEGO Batman 3: Beyond Gotham Looks Out of This World
Coming to Wii U and 3DS, details and screens inside
Warner Bros. and TT Games have announced that they'll be continuing their popular LEGO series of games at the beginning of Autumn / Fall, confirming LEGO Batman 3: Beyond Gotham for a variety of platforms including Wii U and 3DS. As the title suggests, this entry will go beyond Batman's comfort...
Interview Mario Kart 8 Director, Kosuke Yabuki, On Key Features of the Wii U's Blockbuster Release
"Not ruling out the possibility" of a Smash Bros. roster approach in future
For Wii U owners this week is about one game, Mario Kart 8. A new arrival in the franchise is always an exciting occasion, and in some respects this entry takes the series forward in more ways than its predecessors — it brings HD visuals to the franchise for the first...
News Handle Stand Adds Steering Wheelosity to Your Wii U GamePad
Hands at 10 and 2
When Mario Kart Wii introduced motion-controlled steering, an accessory in which to slap one's Wii Remote was a natural addition. Now that Mario Kart 8 allows the same type of control with the much bulkier, rectangular GamePad, at least one company has taken it upon themselves to reinvent the wheel. The Handle Stand for Wii U,...
Feature A Week of Super Smash Bros. Wii U and 3DS Screens - Issue Thirty Nine
Assist Trophy Capsule! Mirrored characters! Ike! More!
E3 creeps ever closer, which should mean more information on Super Smash Bros. isn't far away. The past week was actually fairly eventful for the titles, however, with loose comments from Nintendo's French division suggesting that the Wii U version will utilise the NFC Figurine Platform, with...
Mario Kart Month Keeping the Mario Kart 8 Race Going With DLC
Are you thinking what we’re thinking?
As we’re all aware, Mario Kart 8 is just about to zoom around the corner and handbrake turn into our shiny Wii U consoles, which makes it pretty difficult to think about anything else at the moment. With the recently released Mario Golf: World Tour offering paid DLC packs – including additional courses,...
Review Fit Music for Wii U (Wii U eShop)
Fit dance the blues
Losing weight and getting active isn't always an easy task. The motivation, patience and willpower it takes to make a healthy lifestyle change is one that many find daunting, and so there is an entire industry built around making the idea more palatable. Using games consoles to try and get you up off the couch may seem like an...
Mario Kart Month Mario Kart's Best Weapon Isn't What You Think
Green Shells For Pride and Honour
Games in the Mario Kart series — including the forthcoming Mario Kart 8 — are usually referred to as racing games, but we all know that's only half the story — the other half is gladiatorial combat on wheels, battles fought between competitors using whatever Super Mario-themed objects of destruction they can...
News Digital Foundry Pins Down Mario Kart 8's Resolution and Framerate
No, not actually native 1080p
After a lengthy build-up, Mario Kart 8 is almost here, the latest entry in the hugely popular franchise. It's been critically acclaimed on multiple fronts, with plenty also lavishing praise on the visuals and performance of the title; in our review we said that visually "MK8 is a stunner, and joins titles such as Super...
Video Nintendo Minute Unboxes The Mario Kart 8 Wii U Bundle
What's inside the box? Well, a Wii U...
We do rather like the regular Nintendo Minute videos here at Nintendo Life, and the latest is one for all you unboxing fans out there. Don't deny it, don't pretend you're too self aware and mature to enjoy watching someone open a box with a thing inside — we know you like unboxings. It's a secret shame for...
Talking Point It's Not Too Late for Nintendo to Join the Minecraft Party
The blocky horse hasn't bolted, yet
If Minecraft was a conventional video game, its time in the sun would have passed by now, or we'd currently be playing Minecraft 4 and questioning whether Mojang was going 'a bit EA' with its annual releases. That's far from the reality, however, as this is a game that has ignored convention to establish itself as...
News Become The UK's Best Mario Kart Family, Win Real And Impressively Proportioned Trophies
Thanks to our friends at Family Gamer TV
There’s an argument in many households all around the world over who is really better at Mario Kart. With the upcoming release of Mario Kart 8, this domestic contest is only going to get hotter. To help settle the debate once and for all, Family Gamer TV has set-up its own Mario Kart 8 Family Championships...
News Hyrule Warriors Is The Zelda Game That Eiji Aonuma Could Never Make Himself
Developers behind the Wii U action title give some more detail
The core development team behind the forthcoming Hyrule Warriors has spoken to Famitsu about the reasons for combining the hitherto unassociated Warriors and Zelda franchises. The Japanese publication spoke to Tecmo Koei producers Hisashi Koinuma and Yosuke Hayashi — as well as Zelda...
Competition Nintendo Launches Competition to Win Trip to E3
Includes chance to play a winner at the Super Smash Bros. Invitational
E3 is getting ever closer, and Nintendo fans may be cautiously hoping for exciting things from the company this year. Nintendo of America has decided to give gamers a chance to enjoy the event for themselves, launching a 'Super Smash Bros. People's Challenger' contest. The focus...
Video How To Become A Mario Kart 8 Master In Eight Easy Steps
Our newcomer's guide to mastering the basics
Mario Kart 8 launches at the end of this month, and if you've already read our glowing review, then you'll be well aware that this is a game you need to experience for yourself. The Mario Kart series has gradually evolved and developed over two decades, and there will be many people preparing to play...
News Nintendo Teams Up With E4 For Mario Kart TV Promotion
Have your highlights shown on TV
With Mario Kart 8 now just a week away, Nintendo UK has announced an intriguing partnership with E4 — the UK TV channel — to show player's exploits in Mario Kart TV in the commercial break during peak time. Not only will it be an exciting opportunity for early adopters of the game, but this promotion seems like a...
News Mario Will Be Racing In Reality At This Weekend's History 300 At Charlotte Motor Speedway
Not upside down, sadly
Mario Kart 8 may not have much of a grounding in reality, but the game will be getting some welcome real-world exposure at this weekend's History 300 At Charlotte Motor Speedway event. US retailer GameStop has taken over the livery of double Daytona 500 winner and NASCAR Sprint Cup Series racer Matt Kenseth's Toyota Camry in...
News Ike Joins the Battle in Super Smash Bros. for Wii U and 3DS
All of the reveal images inside
We've certainly seen plenty of character reveals for Super Smash Bros. this year, but it seems that Masahiro Sakurai and his team aren't finished quite yet. Today confirms Ike as a new challenger, returning after his series début in Super Smash Bros. Brawl on Wii. To start of with Sakurai-san's Miiverse update,...
News Fresh Nintendo Wii U Patent Looks Like a Wii Music Game
At least a potential E3 reveal won't be a live demonstation
It seems that today is a day of potential E3 leaks, and this one will likely divide Nintendo gamers. We're aware that some of the Nintendo Life community enjoyed Wii Music, so this writer will restrict expressing his feelings of trepidation and fear at this possible reveal — the lead...
News Here Are Plenty of Lovely Hyrule Warriors Screenshots at Which to Gawk
So pretty...
With Hyrule Warriors doing the rounds in the Japanese media and, by extension, getting Wii U gamers in the West a tad excited as well, Tecmo Koei's enjoying additional interest in its latest Warriors collaboration. Teaming up with one of Nintendo's biggest brands can have that effect. If you're keen to see more, of course, the official...
News The Wii U Version Of Super Smash Bros. Will Utilise The NFC Nintendo Figurine Platform
From the mouth of Nintendo of France's managing director Stephan Bole
Update: Nintendo UK has issued us with the following statement: On 8th May 2014, Mr Iwata announced the decision for Nintendo to release character figurines with built-in NFC functionality that are compatible with video games starting from this year-end sales season. There...
Site News Check Out Nintendo Life's eShop Picks On Your Wii U And 3DS
Recommended viewing
Those of you with especially good memories will recall that Nintendo Life has been featured on the eShop twice in the past few years — back in 2011, we were asked by Nintendo of Europe to contribute a list of our favourite eShop titles, and a year later we supplied our red-hot summer picks for the North American eShop. We're...
News Tecmo Koei and Eiji Aonuma Outline Origins of Hyrule Warriors
"We have many fans of The Legend of Zelda in our company"
After months of silence following its December 2013 reveal, Hyrule Warriors is undoubtedly a hot topic as a result of its recent Famitsu coverage. Hitting Japan on 14th August, confirmed gameplay details have perhaps contributed to a sense of optimism around this Warriors and Zelda crossover...
News The Legend Of Zelda: Minish Cap Will Be Sizing Up The Wii U eShop Soon
If you want to get ahead, get a hat
Nintendo has confirmed that The Legend of Zelda: Minish Cap is coming to the western Wii U Virtual Console service in the near future. A page has appeared on the official Nintendo of America site which details the game, but the release date remains "TBC". Minish Cap was first released on the Game Boy Advance...
News Hyrule Warriors Screenshots and Gameplay Details Emerge
Team Ninja character design strikes, it seems
It seems Hyrule Warriors is quite the hot topic right now, with news of its Japanese release date and Team Ninja involvement just recently bombarding our screens. As it's coming relatively soon in Nintendo and Tecmo Koei's homeland — 14th August — there's a little hype starting to build. More...
News Japanese Retail Sales Struggle as Just 76 Units Separate PS4 and Wii U
Yo-kai Watch approaches one million retail sales
The Japanese chart results are in from Media Create, and unfortunately they continue the recent trends of poor sales across software and hardware. There are some bright-spots from a Nintendo perspective, though not necessarily radiant enough to lighten up the overall picture. To start with software,...
News Miiverse Update Changes Profiles in New User Page, Adds a Couple of Extra Features
Set favourite posts and 'Yeah' comments
Miiverse, Nintendo's continually evolving bespoke social network, has had another update applied today. This time around there are improvements — at least we think they are — to all three versions across Wii U, 3DS and web browsers. To start with, there's now a revamped User Page, with the User Menu of...
News PDP Confirms the GameCube-Inspired Wired Fight Pad For Wii and Wii U
Arriving "this Holiday season"
Controller accessories were everywhere in the Wii era, with various companies fighting over a piece of the sizeable, tasty pie of the system's sales. We can expect that trend to continue to some degree with the Wii U, though the uptake has been slower due to its smaller fan-base to date. Fear not, third-party...
News This Foul-Mouthed Bomberman Clone Is Blowing Up The Wii U eShop Soon
Tick, tick, tick, tick, BOOM
Fans of explosive destruction and naughty swears will be pleased to hear that Sanuk Games has announced that its next game is due to hit the Wii U eShop in the coming months. Bombing Bastards is an attractive arcade action title which is clearly inspired by Hudson's iconic Bomberman series, and features the vocal talents...
Video The Latest Mario Kart 8 Commercial is Possibly the Strangest Yet
Weird is good, right?
It's the opinion of some, including this writer, that Nintendo's renewed focus on seizing attention in the face of tougher times has reminded the company of key parts of its identity. After bland lifestyle adverts in the Wii and DS era as Nintendo merely needed to release something to make big bucks, we're now seeing the...
Eiji Aonuma is supervising
With Hyrule Warriors recently given a release window of Summer for Japan, details of the action mash-up are starting to emerge. It's been announced in Famitsu magazine that the Tecmo Koei Wii U title will hit Japan on 14th August, with some other snippets of information also emerging. In terms of the teams working on the...
News Nintendo To Welcome 3000 Fans For Live Super Smash Bros. Invitational Event at E3
First come, first served
Nintendo is, once again, approaching the upcoming E3 extravaganza in its own way. It will be broadcasting a Nintendo Digital Event, live demo booths at Best Buy stores around the U.S. and streaming live demonstrations from the famous Treehouse team. Plenty to enjoy, then, but it'll also show off Super Smash Bros. on Wii U...
Preview Ripping It Up With Wii U eShop Action Title Insanity's Blade
Armless fun for all the family
While Capcom, Konami and many of the other games companies which forged their reputations during the 8-bit era have since moved on to creating next-gen experiences, they have left a rich legacy of retro gaming brilliance which is proving to be particularly fertile ground for indie studios — one of which is Causal Bit...
Feature A Week of Super Smash Bros. Wii U and 3DS Screens - Issue Thirty Eight
Charizard! Little Mac! The Villager! More!
We may still be waiting on formal release dates — especially for the 3DS version — prior to E3, at least, but we can still keep our hype levels for Super Smash Bros. up by gawking at shiny new screenshots. In last week's efforts Masahiro Sakurai showed off character designs, revealed a Final Smash,...
News Nintendo Brand Manager Hopes Mario Kart 8 Will Serve as a "Catalyst" for Wii U
"Mario Kart is one of our killer titles"
Though no game ever achieves loving praise from 100% of those that play it, Mario Kart 8 has been the recipient of plenty of compliments in reviews to date. What truly matters for Nintendo, however, is that buzz about the release will not only make it a must-buy for Wii U owners, but also entice other gamers...
News Wii U Reportedly Uses Less Energy to Run Than Wii and Rivals
Natural Resources Defense Council highlights low energy use
A report by the the Natural Resources Defense Council suggests that the Wii U annually consumes less energy than the Wii, as shown in the graph below: The graph, which is designed to show how much energy your console drains across the year, illustrates that the Wii U is more effective in...
News Tecmo Koei Hopeful That Hyrule Warriors Will Tap Into Zelda Fanbase and Hit One Million Sales
This new screen looks rather tasty
While it's been absent from Nintendo's Direct broadcasts since its shock reveal in late 2013, Hyrule Warriors is a potentially intriguing title on the way to Wii U. The Tecmo Koei-developed title, spinning off from the well known Dynasty Warriors franchise, is due this Summer in Japan and will hopefully not be far...
Video The Piranha Plant and a "Crazy Plunge" Tested in the Latest Mario Kart 8 Commercials
Advertising with some bite
Over the past week we've shared a few Mario Kart 8 30-second commercial that have been doing the rounds, incorporating some fun live-action sequences with game footage. Nintendo's now uploaded a couple more examples, covering the Piranha Plant — an excellent new item in this entry — and showing a "crazy plunge" that's...
Video DreamWorks Animator Transforms His Son Into A Shell-Throwing Mario Kart Hero
Shell shocked
DreamWorks Animator Daniel Hashimoto has created a series of videos which star his son in the role of Action Movie Kid, where movie-standard special effects are applied to make his life look a little more incredible. The latest episode couldn't be more timely with Mario Kart 8 around the corner, as Hashimoto places his son in a...
Reaction Mario Kart 8 Accused Of Poor Sales Potential, Ruining Battle Mode And Racism
Mario Kart Hate
Mario Kart 8 launches at the end of this month, and as you'll know if you've consulted our review, it's well worth looking forward to. It would seem that most of the gaming press agrees with us; the game has scored very highly across the board. However, opinions are like belly buttons — everybody has one — and unsurprisingly,...
Video Nintendo Minute Picks Some Favourite Mario Kart 8 Tracks
Cloudtop Cruise! Mount Wario! Sunshine Airport!
There's just a bit — alright, a lot — of buzz around Mario Kart 8 at the moment, with this week's reviews generally declaring it to offer a jolly good time. We were happy campers in our own review, awarding it 9/10 and using the rather cheery tagline of "8th Wonder of the World". In other words,...
Rumour Wii Sports Club Japanese Retail Bundle Points to July Release for Boxing and Baseball
A knockout for Wii U?
The Wii Sports Club range on the Wii U eShop has offered some decent fun so far, bringing HD, Miiverse and MotionPlus upgrades to three events from the iconic Wii Sports. We're still awaiting Baseball and Boxing, of course, in order to complete the set; if a Japanese retail blog is to be believed, they're not far away. The...
News Wii U Software Has a Boost in U.S. Sales as LEGO Takes Over
Decent portable LEGO sales for Nintendo
In what's one of the quietest NPD sales updates of recent times, some limited details have emerged of April physical retail sales in the U.S. There's a relatively minor piece of positive news for the Wii U, while the software top 10 has an air of familiarity and one brand showing continued strong form. In...
Video Check Out This Mario Kart 8 And Mario Kart Wii Moo Moo Meadows Comparison
Ahead of the pack?
With Mario Kart 8 getting rave reviews all over the interwebs, Family Gamer TV has dialled in for some close up comparison of the Moo Moo Meadows level on both the Wii and Wii U. While it is of course expected that the Wii U version looks better, quite how much better is kind of mind-blowing. Certainly this night and day...
News You'll be Able to Play as the Girl Villager in Super Smash Bros.
Sakurai-san - "how lovely"
With Super Smash. Bros. on 3DS just months away, sitting pretty with a Summer release window, we're starting to get to the nitty-gritty of details in Masahiro Sakurai's Miiverse posts. His latest 'pic of the day' shows us the greater flexibility that we may see in character customisation or, in some cases, variations of...
News Ubisoft Makes Little Mention of Nintendo in Plans for Financial Year, Sales Show Why
Just 3% of sales on Wii U, zero on 3DS
Ubisoft has published its financial results and reports, and having reported losses has been outlining plans and expectations for a successful coming year; pre-orders for Watch_Dogs and other major releases are cited as positives, though despite Just Dance 2014 hitting six million sell-in units and evidently...
Talking Point For Better Or For Worse, The Wii U GamePad Is Here To Stay
Don't expect a Microsoft-style U-turn from Nintendo
The brief lifespan of Microsoft's Xbox One has been overshadowed by a series of embarrassing turnarounds. First, the company was forced to bow to popular opinion and alter its policy on having an "always on" internet connection, then it quickly changed its stance on indie self-publishing. More...
News Philips Claims Wii And Wii U Infringe Two Of Its Patents, Seeks Ban In The United States
Dutch electronics giant seeking compensation package, too
Dutch electronics manufacturer Philips is claiming that the Nintendo Wii and Wii U systems infringe on two of its patents — one of which dates back to 1996. According to Dutch site NU, Philips has submitted documents in the United States which call for a ban on selling both systems in that...
8th Wonder of the World
Since the Super NES every Nintendo system — apart from the Game Boy Color and the doomed Virtual Boy — has been boosted by an entry in the iconic Mario Kart series. Despite its drastic evolution throughout the generations of hardware it nevertheless feels familiar each time around, while other entries in the kart racing...
News Yo-kai Watch and 3DS Continue to Lead the Way in Japan
Sales remain low overall, however
While Nintendo can take heart from its continued lead in the Japanese charts, overall trends in the market remain a concern. The latest Media Create figures are in, and continue recent form of low sales in software and flat levels in hardware. To begin with software, Level-5's Yo-kai Watch continues to impress,...
Talking Point The Nintendo Figurine Platform Could be a Vital Money-Spinner
A '90s approach that can still work
The Nintendo brand used to be everywhere. In the late '80s and early '90s the big N's brand, particularly in North America, was ever-present and dominant in the market. Mario and his fellow mascots had TV shows, cereal brands, toys and assorted paraphernalia all over store shelves. If you grew up in that era and...
News Mario Kart 8 Free Wii U Game Promotion Extended to Scandinavian Countries
A pin code and web page will be distributed
For those picking up Mario Kart 8 when it launches at the end of May, a welcome bonus is that registering the game by 31st July will entitle those gamers to a free Wii U retail title. You can see all of the details right here. This is tied to Club Nintendo, which has unfortunately ruled it out in...
Video Behold The Incredible Destructive Power Of The Mario Kart 8 Super Horn
Spiny blue shells, begone!
A short time ago we posted a video of Nintendo's new TV spot for Mario Kart 8, which gives a humourous spin (no pun intended) to the game's use of anti-gravity. Nintendo has now posted this video — along with two others — to its YouTube channel, and you can watch them in glorious HD quality below. The most amusing...
Video Musician Lindsey Stirling Dresses Up As Aurora From Child Of Light, Because Why Not?
Popular artist channels Ubisoft's RPG hit for unique video performance
We love Lindsey Stirling here at Nintendo Life — not only does she play a mean fiddle (OK, violin), but she's absolutely potty about video games and never misses an opportunity to cover the soundtrack of a famous title or dress up as a popular character. Her latest video —...
News Sonic Boom Producer Explains Recent Silence Over Project
Expect a rush of new info at E3
Sonic Boom made a lot of noise when it was announced in February, but little more than a few peeps have been heard since. Producer Stephen Frost took to the forums of fansite Sonic Stadium to explain the drought in new information. According to Frost, much of the radio silence has come from working alongside the s
Video This "Upside-Down Test" Mario Kart 8 Commercial is a Bit Awesome
"It's Flipping Fun"
Nintendo has expressed its desire to heavily promote Mario Kart 8 in the coming weeks and months, no doubt hoping to tempt a lot of gamers on the fence regarding the Wii U to take the plunge. In-store ads and a Mario Kart TV web app will play roles, though we should expect the company to spend some marketing money on good-old TV...
News Here Are Five New Retail Titles Coming to Wii U
BOOM
We have a confession to make. There are five new retail games coming to the Wii U and (probably) its eShop, but here's an advance warning. Lower your expectations. Push them down so low so all that remains is a jaded, cynical gamer that trusts no-one and nothing. Have you done that? Good. Now, in fairness, the five games on the way have their...
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