Retro News
October2021
Video Learn More About Sonic The Hedgehog's 8-Bit History
It's not all about the Mega Drive / Genesis classics
It's been a notable anniversary year for Sonic the Hedgehog, giving plenty of opportunities to look back nostalgically at the classic - and not-so-classic - games in the series. Yet an aspect of Sonic that gets little attention is the 8-bit era, which funnily enough happened alongside the 16-bit...
News This Zelda II ROM Hack Removes All The Annoying Stuff To Present A Totally New Adventure
"The game has been rebuilt from the ground up"
Zelda II: The Adventure of Link is beloved by many – so much so that it's often mentioned whenever 'Zelda remakes' are discussed – but only the most diehard fan would try to argue that it doesn't have its fair share of problems. There's a lot of (sometimes tedious) side-scrolling combat and the
Update: Now available in the UK!
Update: Our friends over at Games Connection now have these shells in stock: Original Story [Mon 15th Mar, 2021 09:35 GMT]: Back in the '80s and '90s, demand for "see-through" technology arguably hit its peak. While the '70s had been about attaching bits of wood to consumer electronics to make them fit more...
Random Game Boy That Was Snapped Clean In Two Comes Back From The Dead
A perfect Halloween story
Halloween is this weekend, so what better time to report on a piece of gaming hardware rising from the grave? The man responsible for this amazing resurrection is Solderking (AKA: Taylor Burley), who you might recall from a story we ran a while back about dunking Zelda carts in orange juice (basically, don't do it)...
Poll N64 And Sega Genesis Nintendo Switch Online Games Launch Today - Which Will You Play First?
Will you be grabbing the Expansion Pack?
Today sees the launch of the Expansion Pack for Nintendo Switch Online, an extension of the current subscription service that adds a library of Nintendo 64 and Sega Genesis / Mega Drive titles, as well as the upcoming Animal Crossing: New Horizons - Happy Home Paradise DLC. Op
News The Mega Drive Mini Is Getting Another Accessory Which Does Absolutely Nothing
Well, apart from look nice, that is
Update: Well, our Mega Drive Tower Mini Zero unit has arrived from Japan, and guess what? Yup, it does nothing. But gosh darn it, it sure looks gorgeous at the same time. The Mega Drive Tower Mini Zero comes with a bunch of plastic cartridges (that do nothing) as well as a Sega Card (that does nothing, too). It...
News Hamster Adds Another Namco Classic To Arcade Archives On Nintendo Switch
Mappy is back
In recent times, Hamster has been releasing Bandai Namco games for its Arcade Archives collection on the Nintendo Switch. This week, the trend continues with the release of the 1983 action title, Mappy. "Players control MAPPY, an enthusiastic, committed police officer on a mission to reclaim stolen goods from a mansion. Avoid getting...
"It's all for the love of video games"
The creators of the Analogue Pocket - a portable FPGA-based device compatible with the entire Game library and other systems via adapters - have announced Analogue OS. It's designed to be the "definitive scholarly operating system" for playing and experiencing the entire video game medium. With Analogue OS...
News Arcade Archives Publisher Hamster Has Filed A Trademark For 'Console Archives'
Is even more retro goodness on the way?
Hamster Corporation has been pumping out enhanced arcade releases since the Nintendo Switch arrived on the scene in 2017, but it might finally be time for it to take the next big step in retro preservation. According to a story over on Gematsu, the Japanese company filed a trademark for "Console Archives" in...
News Game & Watch: The Legend of Zelda Gets A Snazzy New Trailer
Hoping for one in your stocking?
After its Super Mario Bros. Game & Watch proved to be a bit of a must-have festive gift, Nintendo is hoping to hit the mark again when it releases Game & Watch: The Legend of Zelda to celebrate the IP's anniversary. Now Nintendo has released a snazzy new trailer to showcase its charms ahead of the 12th...
Gallery Breaking The Seal On Retro-Bit's 'Undercover Cops' Reissue
One of the rarest Super Famicom games lives again
Irem's Undercover Cops is one of the most expensive Super Famicom titles, regularly changing hands for $200 just for the loose cartridge. However, Retro-Bit has come to our rescue with a reissue of the game which comes with a bunch of other goodies that collectors will want to check out. Retro-Bit...
Random Please Don't Submerge Your Zelda Game Boy Cartridges In Orange Juice
A cautionary tale
It seems obvious, but dunking your old video game cartridges in orange juice isn't a good idea. That's the lesson that Solderking (AKA: Taylor Burley) is preaching at the moment – in case you didn't know, Burley often asks his viewers to send in items that are no longer working, and his latest case was a copy of The Legend of...
News Pineapple Kid Is A New Game Boy Game Launching In Time For Christmas
Pre-orders go live tomorrow
The Game Boy might be more than 30 years old at this point, but Nintendo's sturdy brick of wonder is enjoying something of a resurgence just lately. We've seen several studios try their luck with new releases for the system over the past year or so –Infinity,
News Hackers Have Cracked Open A Sega Saturn Emulator Inside A Commercial Switch Release
And it's surprisingly good
If you're a fan of retro shooters, you'll no doubt be aware that last week saw the arrival of Cotton 2, Cotton Boomerang and Guardian Force on Switch – three games by the Japanese company Success which were originally available on the 32-bit Se
News Another Classic Namco Title Joins Hamster's Arcade Archives This Week
Rally-X returns
This week's arcade archives release from Hamster Corporation is the 1980 Namco "maze chase" classic, Rally-X. Here's some PR and screens: “RALLY-X” is an action game released by NAMCO in 1980. Players control a car and dodge pursuing red cars while collecting flags. Stall the red cars using a smokescreen when they get too...
Video Get Over Here And Watch The Creation Of Scorpion's Iconic Spear Move For Mortal Kombat
Ed Boon begins the 30th anniversary celebrations
There are a lot of major video game anniversaries taking place right now, and next year will be no different. One of the bigger celebrations will be 30 years of the famous brutal, bloody and violent western fighting game, Mortal Kombat. Ahead of its anniversary milestone, the series' co-creator, Ed...
News Namco's Hack & Slash 'The Genji And The Heike Clans' Joins The Arcade Archives
Out now!
This week's arcade archives release from Hamster Corporation is the 1986 Namco side-scrolling hack 'n slash game, The Genji and the Heike Clans. Here's some PR and screens: "Players control the hero Taira no Kagekiyo on a mission to the capital city of Kamakura, to defeat the Demon Genji Clan's king Yoritomo. The player will face attacks...
September2021
Random Wait A Sec, That Sure Looks Like Mario In Sonic The Hedgehog's Marble Zone
Or lions, apparently
Sonic's had one heck of a journey over the last 30 years, and while he and Mario are the best of buds these days with their regular Olympic outings, the two were the largest of rivals in the gaming industry once upon a time. It's that particular fact that makes this little discovery all the more interesting, though, and all the...
Hardware GB Operator Lets You Switch Between Game Boy And PC With Ease
Back up and play your Game Boy carts on PC
Casual readers would be forgiven for seeing the maker's name on the box of the GB Operator — a neat little device that lets you play your Game Boy, Game Boy Color and Game Boy Advance carts on your PC — and confusing the company with Analogue, the producer of such quality retro-playing consoles as the...
News The 'Book4Games' Range Is Expanding To Include Metroid, Zelda And Game Boy Designs
Store your games in style
Not so long ago, we went hands-on with Book4Games' SNES cartridge storage cases – essentially a means of securely housing your loose games in fancy, book-style units. While we weren't totally convinced they were a must-have item, Book4Games clearly found some degree of success, as it's back with more designs – this time...
News Taito Beat 'Em Up Typhoon Gal Joins Hamster's Arcade Archives On Switch
Available from the eShop
This week's Arcade Archives release from Hamster is Typhoon Gal / Onna Sanshirou. It was originally an action beat 'em up game released by Taito in 1985. Here's some PR and screenshots: "Players control martial-arts challenger Yuki as she faces off with the toughest opponents at rival martial arts schools. Yuki can use...
Guide 50 Best Nintendo 64 Games Of All Time
The top 50 N64 games ever, as ranked by you
As with all our Top 50 library lists, this ranking is based on User Ratings in the Nintendo Life games database and is subject to fluctuation, even after publication. So, if you haven't rated your favourite N64 games, feel free to exert your influence and potentially switch up the order of the games...
News Two Namco Classics Join Hamster's Arcade Archives This Week
A double serve of retro games
Hamster Corporation joined in on the Nintendo Direct celebrations earlier this week, with not one but two Namco game releases on the Switch eShop. First up we've got the original PAC-MAN title, released in arcades in 1980. The same rules apply here - players must clear stages by eating all the dots in each round...
News 'WATA Certified' Copy Of Sonic The Hedgehog Sells For Record Price
Update: "Our customers trust us" says auction company founder, responding to Yuji Naka
Update (Thu 23rd Sep, 2021 10:30 BST): PR firm Goldin Solutions—representatives of both Goldin Auctions (the seller of this Sonic game) and grading company WATA—has contacted us to highlight the replies of Goldin Auctions founder Ken Goldin to Yuji Naka in a...
Random This Tiny Game Boy Is Probably The World's Smallest Game Console
The Thumby is about as niche as it gets
New mods and takes on classic hardware are a fun part of the gaming scene, as those with nostalgia for the good old days mess around with old systems to make them better or - sometimes - just sillier. A little while ago we shared the creation of a wide Game Boy Advance by YouTube channel / website The Retro...
Random Luigi Has Been Found Inside The Dreamcast Prototype Of Sega GT
L is real!
Over the course of the '90s, Sega and Nintendo were obviously direct competitors - we've seen this documented in texts like the 'Console Wars' by Blake J. Harris. Despite this, it seems there was some rather incredibly weird stuff going on behind the scenes at one of these video game companies - so weird actually, that it was "borrowing"...
News Retro Shooter ExZeus Has Been Polished Up For A September Switch Re-Release
Go ahead, mech my day
Ziggurat are on a roll with resurrecting games from decades ago — yesterday, we had the news that cult vampire classic Bloodrayne was getting "ReVamped" for the Switch, and today, Ziggurat have announced a September 30th release date for ExZeus: The Complete Collection on consoles and PC. ExZeus (AKA Counter Force) was an...
Gallery Is The Panasonic Q The Most Goshdarn Beautiful Nintendo Console Of All Time?
Shine get
This week, the Nintendo GameCube turns 20. This eye-catching system may have struggled against the incredible might of the PlayStation 2, but few would argue that Sony's machine was more attractive on a purely physical level. The boxy GameCube, complete with its unusual travel handle, is a true design icon and its appealing aesthetics are...
Random Check Out This Game Boy Color And Nintendo DS Mash-Up
Two-in-one
We've seen plenty of cool retro mods over the years, but this latest effort from Game Boy Custom really stands out – mainly because it's fusing together a Game Boy Color with a Game Boy Advance and the internals of a Nintendo DS. Still with us? Good. The Aussie modder has sent a proof-of-concept prototype to our friends at Retro Dodo,...
News Retailer Appears To Have Uncovered New And Sealed '90s SNES Games, And They're Up For Sale
What a find!
It's not often you stumble across brand new stock of games released in the '90s when browsing your favourite game store, but here we are with one of the most intriguing retail listings you're likely to see all year. German retailer Galeria Kaufhof has today added a brand new listing for Lufia II: Rise of the Sinistrals, known simply as...
Random These Gaming Shoe Concepts Are So Good We Wish They Were Real
We'll take the Nintendo 64 pair, thanks
Companies like Puma may well be launching all sorts of official Nintendo shoes these days – have you seen their Animal Crossing and Mario designs? – but that won't stop us from dreaming of having an entire wardrobe of the things. You know, for different days of the week or something... Exacerbating our...
Random Xbox's Phil Spencer Reveals His Favourite GameCube Game
In an insane world, it was the sanest choice
As you may have noticed, today marks 20 years since the Nintendo GameCube launched in Japan and we (along with the rest of the internet) have been getting all nostalgic for Nintendo's purple box. As is customary on these significant anniversaries (or any anniversary when it comes to social media —...
Hardware Classics Nintendo GameCube
Indigo, Spice and all things nice
In many ways, the GameCube was a console out of time, arguably arriving too late (or perhaps too early) to realise its true potential. We can look back now and appreciate its quirks, admire its design and excellent software library, and lust after the variants that never made it to western shores, but in the early...
News Unavailability Of Classic Titles Is "Holding Game Culture Back", Says Platinum's Hideki Kamiya
Games should be available to "everyone who wants to play them"
The way we play and consume classic video games has become a hot topic of late, thanks largely to some rather shady practices being employed by collectors to boost the value of certain titles. While some people are keen to increase the value of their collection while it sits on the...
Anniversary Goodness Me, Is The GameCube Really 20 Years Old?
Time is the enemy
You know how it is. One minute you're a youthful, exuberant 20-something, looking forward to being unleashed into the world and making your way; forging new relationships, getting a job, perhaps renting your first home. Your whole life is ahead of you! Then – BOOM – you're suddenly past 40, the last two decades have been a blur...
News 'The Year After' Is The Latest Game Headed To Game Boy, Physical Pre-Orders Now Live
Or play free online
It may well be 2021, but we really are swimming in new Game Boy games just lately. Joining the likes of new Game Boy titles Infinity and Tales of Monsterland is The Year After, a short narrative experience developed by Hadrian Lin. The game, which can be played to completion in around half an hour, is
News The 'Thicc Boi SP' GBA Mod Offers Bluetooth Audio, Better Stamina And Wireless Charging
Update: Plans afoot to sell as a DIY kit
Update: Macho Nacho Productions – the outfit behind the amazing 'Thicc Boi SP' mod we covered in August – have revealed that it has not only improved the design to include a better battery (4,500 mAh lithium polymer), but it's also going to sell it as an upgrade kit so that people can install it...
Random This Amateur Coder Is Creating The 'GBA Remix' Nintendo Should Have Given Us
Minigame mash-up
Remember NES Remix and NES Remix 2? These two minigame-focused mash-ups took famous scenes or sections from popular NES titles and gave them a WarioWare-style spin, and both went down rather well in terms of critical response. Sadly, it seems they didn't go down well enough for Nintendo to give us more in the 'Remix' line, with the...
Random Nintendo Fan Collects Every Game Boy Game In Just Two Years
"I haven’t added up how much I spent..."
Several members of the Nintendo Life team would consider ourselves to be collectors, but none of us have ever managed to achieve anything quite like this. Twitter user Shouta, who lives in Japan, has managed to get his hands on every single Game Boy game ever released, completing the set in just two years...
News "Lost" Game Boy Color RPG Infinity Adds Switch Port Stretch Goal On Kickstarter
Update: Has passed $300,000 Canadian Dollars raised
Update #3: Infinity's continued success in its Kickstarter campaign has now led to a rather interesting new stretch goal, for an 'enhanced' Switch version (which would also come to Steam). If it reaches $350,000 Canadian Dollars (it's just over $300,000 at the time of writing) it'll make its way to...
Feature Game Boy Games We Probably Won’t See On Nintendo Switch Online
Custom cart complications
Rumours abound that Game Boy games are finally coming to Nintendo Switch Online and we’ve been busy daydreaming about all the classic games we might be able to play again — and all the ones we won’t too. The record-shattering dominance of
News Co-Founder Of Game Grading Service WATA Accused Of Selling Company's Games On eBay
Company policy doesn't allow this
A co-founder of retro game grading service WATA is now being accused of running a side business on eBay. Further investigations by Proof journalist, Seth Abramson, suggest WATA's Mark Haspel is selling graded games under an alias. Abramson was recently reviewing some of his previous purchases and
Video The History Of The 'Silhouette' Super Nintendo Emulator Might Be An "Elaborate Hoax"
MVG takes a closer look
The Switch generation has seen Nintendo call on emulation for games such as the Super Mario 3D All-Stars collection, but long before this, there was apparently an official emulator that could run Super Nintendo titles. Starting out life as 'Mirage', project 'Silhouette' was a SNES emulator for MacOS and Power PC that...
News Tales Of Monsterland Is Yet Another New Game Boy Game, And It's Getting A Fancy Limited Edition
Unleash the monster
With rumblings that Game Boy and Game Boy Color titles are headed to Switch soon, now's the perfect time to report on the fact that we're getting another new Game Boy title. Bitmap Soft has teamed up with developer JJ Games to release Tales of Monsterland, a platform title that seems to take inspiration from Sega's Wonder Boy...
News Hand-Drawn Game Guide Kickstarter Taken Down Following "Legal Trouble"
Update #2: "We did not receive a cease and desist"
Cor, look at 'em Update #2: Phillip Summers has taken to Twitter to clarify some reporting around the cancellation of the Hand-Drawn Game Guide Kickstarter campaign. He states that "the party involved has been polite and I'm hopeful something can get worked out. They have every right to act as they...
Gallery These Framed Game Boys Are Truly Works Of Art
Where old consoles go to die
Handheld games consoles are more than just a means of playing things on the move – as objects we hold and stare at for hours on end, they need to be aesthetically pleasing as well as comfortable to use, and that can certainly be said of the Game Boy line. We've always felt that the Game Boy Pocket, Game Boy Color and...
News A Game Boy Productivity Suite Has Been Fully Funded On Kickstarter
"The future's about to get more productive"
Have you ever wanted a comprehensive set of productive apps for the original Game Boy? Then this Kickstarter might be for you. Introducing the Game Boy Productivity Suite... an "all-in-one" cartridge with apps like a clock, a note pad, and a calculator. It apparently offers a level of "privacy and...
"[Jeremy] insisted I make a cave level with waterfalls like Yoshi"
Last week a Kickstarter campaign went live for Goodboy Galaxy, the first brand new, commercial release for the Game Boy Advance for 13 years. A colourful 2D platformer with running, gunning and a space-faring good boy called Maxwell, it's a beautifully animated and incredibly...
News 'Beyond A Steel Sky' Is A Spiritual Successor To A Beloved 1994 2D Adventure Classic
Secure the Steel Sky Steelbook on Switch!
Every now and again, it pays off to be a fan of a cult classic, and today is that day for anyone who was hoping for a sequel to Beneath a Steel Sky, Revolution Software's dystopian point-and-click adventure game from 1994. You held out for almost 30 years, and finally, you're about to get your just deserts...
News Two Classic '90s Games Are Being Reprinted On SNES, And Pre-Orders Are Open
Sega Mega Drive and NES options also available
Stone Protectors Piko Interactive, which you'll likely know for its strategy of hoovering up old gaming IPs to re-release them on old hardware, has two more titles for your retro-loving consideration. Both Jim Power: The Lost Dimension and Stone Protectors, two games that were first brought to life in...
August2021
Talking Point If Nintendo Switch Online Adds Game Boy, Why Not Throw In GBA, Too?
Imagine the entire 2D Metroid timeline playable before Dread...
Nintendo Switch Online has been relatively static, as a service, for quite some time. We have had some turnover of free online games, most recently with Pac-Man 99, and a slow and steady influx of NES and SNES titles, but generally it's been a quiet time. Aside from some oft-demanded...
Random SNES Title HyperZone's Hidden 3D Mode Can Be Played With 3D Glasses
Anyone got a spare Famicom 3D System they don't need?
HAL's HyperZone is one of those SNES titles which didn't set the world alight at the time of release but has nonetheless built up a cult following in the years following its release. Much of the game's appeal is down to its innovative use of Mode 7 effects to present a realistic impression of 3D...
News Possible Retro Game Grading Inconsistencies Come To Light Following Fraud Allegations
Update: WATA responds with a statement
Update [Wed 25th Aug, 2021 16:35 BST]: A PR firm representing WATA Games has contacted us with a statement from the company regarding Karl Jobst's video. It is presented in full at the bottom of the page. Over the past couple of days, investigations by both Proof journalist Seth Abramson and YouTuber Karl...
Feature The Inside Story Of Mockumentary Sequel 'Bringing Back Golden Eye'
And it's all for a good cause
Rare's seminal N64 shooter GoldenEye 007 is coming up to its 25th birthday, and for a whole generation of players, it remains a pivotal experience in their gaming lives – a fact that was playfully acknowledged by Jim Miskell's 2017 'mockumentary' Going For Golden Eye, which focused on the fictional Golden Eye World...
Talking Point How Much Would You Pay For A Mint Copy Of Super Mario Bros.?
6 golden coins? 8 red coins?
Following on from the recent record-breaking sales for retro games, including $2 million USD for a copy of Super Mario Bros. and $870K USD for The Legend of Zelda on NES — not to mention the unf
News The Shapeshifter 2 Will Have An 'Original Mechanic' And Two Game Boy Cartridges
Intriguing...
We're seeing a rather fun surge in new retro games, with the Game Boy being a platform that certainly draws in some enthusiastic developers. One of these is GreenBoy Games, which we highlighted earlier in the year in relation to a Kickstarter campaign for their game The Shapeshifter. Now it's announced The Sha
Says it strongly refutes any accusation
Following on from yesterday's accusations about "fraud and deception" in the retro video game market, a Heritage Auctions spokesperson has now issued a statement. It "strongly refutes" allegations of its involvement in shill bidding, market manipulation, or any other illegal or unethical practices and wishes...
Talking Point Million-Dollar Retro Game Auctions Help Remind Us What Matters Most
Passion and preservation
As you've no doubt seen over the past couple of years, there have been some high profile and eye-watering sales of retro games which have reached hundreds of thousands of US dollars, and now more than $2 million. It's been rather baffling to onlookers; these are copies of extremely common games, after all, and the downside...
News Accusations Of Foul Play Surface Around Record-Breaking Graded NES Game Auctions
What the grading companies and auction houses "didn't want us to see"
Update [Wed 25th Aug, 2021 14:20 BST]: A PR firm representing WATA Games has contacted us with a statement from the company regarding Karl Jobst's video. It is presented in full at the bottom of the page. Original story [Tue 24th Aug, 2021 04:05 BST]: In July, just days after a...
Guide 50 Best Super Nintendo (SNES) Games Of All Time
As rated by you
Remember, this list is dynamic and based on the User Ratings for each game submitted in the Nintendo Life games database. It is, therefore, subject to fluctuation, even now! If you haven't rated any of the games below, simply tap the star on the corresponding entry and rate the game out of 10 to exert your personal influence on the...
News How A Tragic Murder Inspired The Epic Retelling Of GBA Classic Golden Sun
"I decided to honour his memory by keeping our promise alive"
The Golden Sun series may have been dormant since the release of Dark Dawn on the Nintendo DS, but it's a franchise which nonetheless has a passionate fanbase – and one man's love of the original GBA game has resulted in a very special tribute. Bryson Elam – known online as Wing...
Anniversary The SNES Launched In North America 30 Years Ago
Excuse us while we crumble to dust
On this day 30 years ago, the Super Nintendo launched in North America. Does that make you feel old? Because we feel positively ancient. The release followed hot on the heels of the Japanese launch of the Super Famicom in November 1990, with American gamers getting a redesigned console which swapped the lush...
News This "Super Rare" Anniversary Edition Game & Watch Unit Just Sold For A Very Low Price
Requested by Gunpei Yokoi and bought for about $9k
We've seen a lot of retro Nintendo products selling for some insane prices in recent times, but this one is a bit different. Despite being a "never before seen for sale" Game & Watch, it's just sold for the "very low" price of ¥1,001,000 (around US$9100 / €8000). Quite reasonable, really...
News Street Fighter II Doc 'Here Comes A New Challenger' Gets New Trailer And Crowdfunding Drive
Now available to pre-order on Indiegogo "due to demand from fans"
Street Fighter II documentary Here Comes A New Challenger raised over £27,000 when it was crowdfunded on Kickstarter recently, but the team behind the project have now announced that another funding dr
Video Check Out This Fan-Made Remaster Trailer For Banjo-Kazooie
It looks good enough to play
Although Rare technically re-released an improved version of Banjo-Kazooie during the Xbox 360 generation, there are still many fans out there who have been wondering for many years now what a full-blown remaster of the first title would look like. YouTuber Project Dream has been working on a video series called...
News GoldenEye 007 Speedrunner Grabs A New Record With A Sneaky Trick
Licence To Skill
It may be almost 24 years since GoldenEye released on the N64 but, in the intervening decades the game's dedicated community of speedrunners has continued to challenge themselves to come up with the fastest times on various levels, blazing through enemy gauntlets as quickly as possible to create new World Record times. Regarded as...
Video Mole Mania, Miyamoto’s Forgotten Game Boy Classic
You'll really dig it
There were a lot of great games during the original Game Boy generation, but one that arguably deserves a little more love (and attention) is the 1996 release, Mole Mania. As our very own American-based video producer Zion Grassl explains, this particular game was released in Japan the same year as Super Mario 64 and the...
Video 'The Frog For Whom The Bell Tolls', Link’s Awakening’s Hidden Predecessor
Ribbit Ribbit
Many of us know the story of The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening's development: once A Link to the Past went gold, programmer Tōru Ōsawa began experimenting with Game Boy development kits to see how far he could push a Zelda experience. The results were so impressive that more staff started contributing to this unofficial passion...
Hands On One Man's Vision Shaped The GBA-Style GameForce CHI
...but is it any good?
If you're familiar with the raft of emulation-focused handhelds that have been emerging from China over the past few years, then the work of Anbernic and Bitt Boy will no doubt be on your radar already. While these are clearly small-fry when compared to the likes of Nintendo, Sony and Microsoft, they're still firms with a fair...
Random Take A Look At The 'Ultimate Solar Powered Game Boy Pocket'
A sunny outlook
As you are no doubt aware, we enjoy quality retro mods here at Nintendo Life - we may love our decades-old gaming gadgets, but sometimes improved screens, batteries and inputs are very welcome indeed. We particularly like the example above, then, of the 'Ultimate Solar Powered Game Boy Pocket'. That video is a lengthy one that goes...
Video Retro Gaming Prices Are Much More Reasonable In Japan
Mother, frankly, is quite affordable
If you're a sucker for a few of the classics in the gaming sphere, you'll probably know the sting of looking up some obscure little gem like Doshin the Giant and getting whiplash upon seeing the price. Rare games are just worth a lot, it's just the way it is, right? Well in Japan things are a little bit...
Feature 20 Super NES Classics Nintendo Should Bring To Switch Online
16-bit gems we'd love to see on Switch
Nintendo has been steadily adding to its Nintendo Switch Online NES and SNES offerings since the service launched, and although it was a slow start, we have to say we're impressed with the breadth of titles available to anybody paying for a Nintendo Switch Online subscription. It's pleasing to see lesser-known...
News The Micro-Console Revolution Isn't Over Quite Yet, It Would Seem
Say hello to the A500 Mini
Nintendo might not have been the first company to dream up the notion of the 'mini' console, but it has arguably been the most successful, thanks to its massively popular NES and SNES Classic Editions. Since then, we've seen the likes of
News Analogue Is Restocking The Super NT And Mega SG Later Today
Set your alarms, retro fans
Analogue — the company behind luxurious retro consoles such as the NES-based Analogue NT Mini and the upcoming Analogue Pocket and PC Engine / TurboGrafx-16 console, the Duo — have announced a restock of two previous systems, plus its DAC converter which makes a digital signal play nice with analogue displays. The...
Memory Pak The Exquisite Weirdness Of The Sims: Bustin' Out
Ah, the 2000s
I've always loved house-building, life-simulating game The Sims. I was on the bandwagon from day one, ever since meeting the tutorial family, Bob and Betty Newbie, and finding out that they could make a baby by kissing back-and-forth for hours. Just like real life, of course. Life most people, I would spend hours and hours building...
News A Copy Of Super Mario Bros. For NES Just Smashed World Records, AGAIN
We're still waiting for Beanie Babies to be worth something
Hey, remember last month when a sealed copy of Super Mario 64 sold for a record-breaking $1.56 million? The previous record of most expensive video game was set just days earlier, when an ultra-rare copy of The Legend of Zelda on NES reached a (then)
Video Remembering The Super Game Boy For SNES
Look at all those custom borders!
Back in the days of the SNES era, there was a device known as the Super Game Boy. If you're as old as some of us are here at NL towers, you might have some fond memories of the device. Basically, it was an adapter cartridge for the SNES that allowed you to play Game Boy and dual-mode GBC titles on the big screen...
Random This Vintage Metroid Cosplay Is Terrible, And We Absolutely Love It
"The incredible Samus"
Over the years, Metroid star Samus Aran has been the focus of many people operating within the cosplay arena, and it's easy to see why – she's a powerful individual who happens to wear a seriously amazing suit of armour, so there's scope for some really impressive cosplay creations. However, we should spare a tho
News Limited Run Games Is Publishing SNES And Virtual Boy Retrospective Books
Download samples now
Well, this is a surprise. Limited Run - the company known best as a physical game distributor - has announced it will be publishing two retro gaming books. Both are by Jeremy Parish and will be available to pre-order on 10th August. Super NES Works Vol. 1 Hardcover Book Super NES Works Vol. I looks back at the early days of...
Random 1990 Preview Of Sonic The Hedgehog Featured A Quirky Unused Enemy
Even Yuji Naka thinks it's a mystery
As the topic of game conservation remains relevant, so does retaining copies of games media such as manuals and magazines. Just recently @VGDensetsu shared an archive of a 1990 issue of Famitsu magazine, discovering some intriguing screenshots of an early preview build of Sonic the Hedgehog. Yuji Naka, such a...
July2021
Talking Point Which Game Stage Have You Replayed More Than Any Other?
Green Hill Zone Act 1 is my new-old timesink
The ability to devote entire days to nothing but video games is a past luxury unavailable to me right now, or in the foreseeable future, unfortunately. The addition to my life of small humans that look a bit like me has substantially diminished my available free time, and I've recently realised that it's...
News Investment Scheme Opens Up Shares For Nintendo World Championships Cartridge
Along with other games, comics and more
It used to be that investors and traders were typically individuals with slicked back hair and expensive suits, shouting incomprehensible jargon into phones while surrounded by screens. Well, some do that, but nowadays lots of individuals do it with a few taps on a phone app. Whether through crytocurrencies...
Random Finally, Scientists Have Built A Robot Hand That Can Play Super Mario Bros.
Did someone say Power Glove?
Plenty of super-clever, super-talented researchers across the globe have been pretty busy trying to save the world recently, but hey, even scientists need to work on something fun every once and a while. For this team of researchers from the University of Maryland, that fun has arrived in the form of a robotic hand...
Soapbox Nintendo Switch Online's Library Is A Snapshot Of '90s Gaming Shelves
Nintendo took its rose-tinted specs and threw them in the bin
Another trio of classic games have just been announced for Nintendo’s subscriber-only Virtual Console replacement, this time Claymates, Jelly Boy, and Bombuzal. They all have one very special thing in common: They’re all games nobody asked for, and nobody wanted. Nintendo could have...
News Some Of The Original Terranigma Team Want To Revive The Classic SNES RPG
Digital re-release or remaster, we don't mind...
Despite only seeing release in Japan and Europe, 1995's Terranigma is regarded as one of the highlights of the SNES RPG library, and copies change hands for startling prices on the secondary market these days. Sadly, the game has never been re-released in any form, but that's something that some of...
News Collection Of Mint Condition NES Games Fetches $30,000 For Goodwill
Your feel-good story of the day
Pristine copies of classic games can always fetch a pretty penny – a copy of Super Mario 64 broke a world record recently, selling for an absolutely mindblowing $1.56 million USD – but when the money they can generate ends up going to a good cause, it all feels worth it. As reported by
News 25 Seconds Of New EarthBound 64 Footage Emerges Online
Travel back to 1997
At the beginning of this month, someone put a corporate Nintendo CD-ROM from 1998 on sale. The winner of the online auction was a Twitter user known as Zen, who paid the equivalent of $357 USD for the item, after discovering the disc contained footage of the cancelled N64 project, EarthBound 64 - also known back then as Mother 3...
Video How To Play Rare And Expensive Nintendo Games On A Budget
Zion shares some handy advice
The retro game market is booming right now. As you might have seen, a copy of the original Legend of Zelda game on the NES sold for $870,000 USD recently - making it the most expensive video game auction purchase of all time. The trend of paying top dollar for classic games, unfortunately, extends to th
Random John Romero's PC Port Of Super Mario Bros. 3 Turns Up On A Floppy In A Museum
Where it belongs
You may remember a few years ago when veteran game developer and DOOM legend John Romero released a video of a PC port demo of Super Mario Bros. 3 originally built as a pitch to Nintendo back in 1990. Well, the full demo has now turned up in a bunch of data donated to the Strong National Museum of Play in the US. The team that...
News Here's Why That NES Zelda Sold For $870,000, According To The Guy Who Designed The Packaging
"A cartridge selling for such an astonishing amount is really about legacy"
Back when Nintendo conquered the living room for the first time with the NES, one of the key components of that success was branding – something which was handled by GIRVIN Design, headed up by Tim Girvin. The firm worked with Nintendo to create the 'look' of the NES...
News Four Lost NES, SNES And N64 Games Have Been Brought Back To Life, Pre-Orders Now Open
But only for a limited time
If you're big on your video game preservation and history, this latest batch of pre-orders will be right up your retro-collecting street. Piko Interactive, an American publisher that specialises in grabbing the rights to forgotten, never-released games from years gone by and giving them the development time they...
Random Fancy A 'New' Copy Of F-Zero On The SNES? PixelHeart Has You Covered
500 units only
We're pretty used to seeing retro games getting reprints these days, but if you have a craving for 100% authenticity, then you might be more excited by the news that French publisher PixelHeart has 500 'new' copies of F-Zero on the SNES for sale. While some overly optimistic individuals might assume these are officially sanctioned...
News Chip's Challenge Is Making Its Console Debut On SNES And SEGA Genesis
It's never too late
Though many gamers are focused on the latest shiny new games from Nintendo, Sony and Microsoft, there's a market for 'new' releases on retro systems too. Now another one is going up for pre-order, in this case a game that'll be making its console debut on Super NES and SEGA Genesis / Mega Drive; yes, it is indeed 2021! This time...
Guide Where To Pre-Order The Taito EGRET II Mini
Update: All 50 games confirmed
Update: The latest issue of Famitsu has confirmed 10 of the games that will appear on the upcoming Taito Egret II: Adventure Canoe (1982) Bubble Bobble (1986) Bubble Memories (1995) Bubble Symphony (1994) Cadash (1989) Chack'n Pop (1983) Dan-Ku-Ga (unreleased update to Kaiser Knuckle, 1995) Darius Gaiden (1994) Don...
News Slow Mole Is A New And Free NES Platformer, Cartridge Version Incoming
An 8-bit platformer that "makes everyone a speedrunner"
Forget your fancy Switch OLED, because it's time for a brand new game on Nintendo's other new and exciting games console, the NES. Erik Rosenlund, an animator who's taking the first step into the world of game development, has just released Slow Mole, a new game designed for the NES that can...
Feature Nintendo Hardware Refreshes Through The Ages
Nintendo's lineage of console updates and revisions
Mid-cycle hardware refreshes may sometimes feel like a relatively recent development, but console manufacturers have been releasing revised versions of their consoles since video gaming first entered the home. You might associate Nintendo hardware refreshes mostly with handheld consoles thanks to...
News A Sealed Copy Of Super Mario 64 Just Sold For A Record-Breaking $1.56 Million
Just days after the previous record was set
Over the weekend, the world record for the highest-priced video game sale was well and truly smashed, with an ultra-rare copy of The Legend of Zelda on NES selling for a mind-blowing $870,000 USD. It's a number that's impossible for most of us to even comprehend, and we never would have expected to see a...
News This Ultra-Rare Copy Of The Original NES Zelda Just Sold For $870,000
It's now the most expensive video game collectable ever
Update [Sat 10th Jul, 2021 07:30 BST]: Well, it's official - a week later the same Legend of Zelda NES cartridge has now sold for $870,000 USD. This not only surpasses the amount Super Mario Bros. sold for, but also makes it the highest-priced video game that has ever been sold at an auction...
News Nintendo Plugs Its NSO Zelda Games Ahead Of Skyward Sword HD's Release
Experience Link's classic adventures while you wait
Next week sees the release of The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD on the Switch. Although it's only an updated version of a 2011 Wii title, Nintendo has been promoting it non-stop since it was originally announced. It's now using the lead-up to the game's release to promote Link's classics...
News Another Nintendo Console Has Gotten An Upgrade, But It's From 18 Years Ago
GBA SP battery tech finally catches up with screen upgrades
You can keep your fancy-pants Switch OLED Models, chum – for retro fans, the news that the GBA SP is getting a battery upgrade is arguably more exciting ('arguably' being the operative word here). While older Nintendo systems like the Game Boy and Game Boy Advance have been subject to...
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