3DS - News
April2017
News Satoshi Ishida Hints at the Upcoming Kirby Multiplayer Game
An action fighting game?
Kirby: Planet Robobot was a standout release on the 3DS last year, polishing the gameplay of Kirby: Triple Deluxe even further while adding in some interesting new elements. As per series tradition, Planet Robobot also had some fun minigames that offered something a bit different form the core gameplay, and both are being...
News ESA Publication Lists Pokémon Sun and Moon Among Best Selling Games of 2016
Only Nintendo games to make the list
Today, the ESA posted their annual Essential Facts publication online. This publication gives many statistical figures and facts based on the gaming industry from 2017. From the demographics behind video game purchases to the best selling games of 2017, this publication details it all. Speaking of the best...
News Nintendo Switch Sales Remain Strong in Japan
Monster Hunter XX (Double Cross) also maintains momentum
The weekly Japanese chart results are out to remind us that it's the middle of the week, and it's been a quiet period in the country. That said, the lack of change hasn't been too negative for Nintendo. Starting with software, no new releases have performed particularly well, leaving Switch...
News Arzest Emerges as Developer of Hey! Pikmin
Oh...Pikmin
Hey! Pikmin, the 2D platforming portable take on the much-respected series, is heading to the 3DS in July. Of course some have wondered about its status within the series, though the name and style has always implied it's a portable spin-off as opposed to 'Pikmin 4'. That impression has only been solidified by the news of the game's...
News Layton's Mystery Journey is Coming to 3DS in Japan on 20th July
That reminds us of a puzzle!
Update: In happy news, it's been confirmed that this is due for a Fall / Autumn in North America and Europe. Original Article: After flirting with the idea for a dramatic change of direction in the Layton series after its first six releases on DS, 3DS and some smart devices, Level-5 shifted towards a more subtle...
News Evergreen Nintendo Switch Titles Stay in UK Charts as Yooka-Laylee Makes a Mark
Playtonic's game fares relatively well on PS4
The UK charts are out following this week's Bank Holiday, and the results are relatively predictable, with an absence of major retail releases allowing established titles to shift around in the top 40. Perhaps most notable, albeit irrelevant from a Nintendo perspective, is that the retail version of...
Feature The Big Nintendo Direct Summary - 12th April
Games, amiibo, more games...
Nintendo may have given the longest slots of this week's Direct broadcast to ARMS and Splatoon 2, as expected, but there was plenty more to dive into. Across 3DS and Switch segments we saw a range of games, old and new, and there were even some accessory announcements to throw in; amiibo, of course, made their mark. All...
News Dr Kawashima's Devilish Brain Training Finally Arrives On 3DS In Europe On 28th July
Can you stay focused?
We're honestly not sure what happened to Dr Kawashima's Devilish Brain Training: Can you stay focused? in Europe back in the day; it was all set to arrive in the region in 2013 but then that didn't happen for 'reasons'. Japanese and North American gamers have had a while to work on their concentration skills, but the good news...
News Yo-kai Watch 2: Psychic Specters Will Spook the North American Market This Fall
Aims to be the 'definitive version'
The Yo-kai Watch series may not have hit the sales heights in the West that it regularly achieves in Japan, but it has been building a fanbase nonetheless. Localisation has been a little slow, however, and North America is often getting titles ahead of the PAL market. That may end up being the case again with...
News The Quirky Miitopia is Getting Localised to 3DS in the West
It's all about Mii
Miitopia is a fascinating game, as it delivers a surprisingly deep and complex RPG with a cast made up in its entirety of Mii characters. The core concept is that you can have the game use your collection of Mii characters, so you can have as bizarre a quest as you like. The good news is that it's not going to be limited to...
News BYE-BYE BOXBOY! Says Farewell to the Trilogy in North America
Series trilogy demo now available on the Nintendo 3DS eShop
The BoxBoy! trilogy says its final goodbye as BYE-BYE BOXBOY! is now available in North America on the Nintendo 3DS eShop; it arrived in Europe in late March. Featuring creative new puzzles and gameplay mechanics, this one has HAL Laboratory put in all of its creativity into this last game...
News RPG Maker Fes is Coming to the West in June
Create and share your own RPG on the Nintendo 3DS!
RPG Maker Fes, released in Japan last year, will finally launch on the Nintendo 3DS in North America on 27th June and Europe on 23rd June. In February, we had the opportunity to play an early English build and were very impressed by what we played. RPG fans can build, play and share their worlds...
News Monster Hunter Stories is Coming to the West
Spin a yarn this Fall
Today Nintendo and Capcom announced Monster Hunter Stories would be releasing in Europe and the US this Fall. Stories released in Japan last October to critical acclaim, as is expected for nearly any release in the franchise in its native country. Monster Hunter enjoys a smaller, but equally loyal following in the West. That...
News New Kirby Titles Releasing In Honor Of 25th Anniversary
You're going to need to bring some friends
Today on the Nintendo Direct showcasing 3DS and Nintendo Switch titles, not one, not two, but three new Kirby titles were announced for the Nintendo 3DS. Retaining the stereotype that Nintendo likes to mark the end of its console support with a multitude of Kirby titles. The first of which is releasing...
News Hey! Pikmin will Launch with New amiibo on 28th July
Olimar will finally crash land onto your Nintendo 3DS!
Once again, Captain Olimar finds himself crash landing onto a planet inhabited by Pikmin. It's up to you to team up once again with the Pikmin to overcome the many puzzles and enemies present; you'll need all the Pikmin help you can get to gather treasure and refuel his ship to return home!...
News Nintendo Switch and Monster Hunter XX Lead Japanese Charts Once Again
Mario Sports Superstars creeps past 50,000 sales
The Media Create results are available, as is the norm for a Wednesday, and they bring more positives for Nintendo in what is generally a quiet week for releases. Starting with software, the highest new entry in the top 20 is LEGO Worlds on PS4, but that's in fifth place with just 11,578 sales...
News Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia File Size and DLC Details Emerge in Japan
Lots and lots of extras
Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia is out in the West in late May, but it's out on 20th April in Japan. As a result the marketing and details announced for the country have stepped up a gear and plenty of information has emerged. First of all, below is a rather flashy trailer showcasing a range of classes, with familiar...
Feature What We Expect From the Nintendo Direct - 12th April
ARMS and Splatoon 2 will be the focus, but small surprises seem likely
Nintendo has a pattern of hosting a Direct or 'info drop' in the month of April, with the slot far enough away from the all-encompassing E3 to be a useful launching point for some interesting announcements. It'll also be the first Direct since the 3rd March hardware launch of...
News Nintendo Starts Paying Out to Switch and 3DS Hack Tipsters
The never-ending battle
Late last year we told you about Nintendo's rather intriguing "Bug Bounty" programme, which was offering monetary rewards for tip-offs to security vulnerabilities on 3DS; when the Switch launched the official website was updated to include the new system, too. The programme seems to have sprung to life, and it's an...
Hits PS4 and 3DS on 29th July in the country
Dragon Quest XI has been an intriguing title; back when the Switch was still 'NX' it was one of the first games 'confirmed' for the system, before Square Enix initially back-pedalled. It was then made official for the Switch once again, with the title also coming to PS4 and in a rather different form on...
News Dust Off the 3DS, The Spring National StreetPass Weekend Is Happening This Weekend
Collect up to six StreetPass tags this weekend
Apologies for the provocative headline, of course not everyone has abandoned their humble 3DS in favour of the mighty Nintendo Switch just yet! The birds are tweeting, the sun is shining, we've all done a bit of house cleaning; yes, it's finally Spring time. To celebrate Nintendo is running another...
News 3DS Update 11.4.0-37 Brings Even More Stability To Nintendo's Incredibly Stable Handheld
User experience enhanced too
A new 3DS firmware update, known lovingly as 11.4.0-37, has just gone live; yes - you guessed it - it's all about the stability. In addition to this you might see some small changes to the user experience: Further improvements to overall system stability and other minor adjustments have been made to enhance the user...
News Nintendo Direct Confirmed For 12th April - Focused on Splatoon 2, ARMS and More
Both Nintendo Switch and 3DS on the agenda
We thought there'd be an information drop ahead of June and all of the E3 madness, and so it's been proven with the announcement of a new Nintendo Direct. It'll be "focused mainly on ARMS and Splatoon 2", but will also have broader information on upcoming Switch and 3DS games. It's all going down on 12th...
News LEGO City: Undercover Sells Best on Switch in UK as Yo-kai Watch 2 Endures Poor Launch
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild continues to sell well, too
Last week brought some notable releases to the UK market, and there are a couple of positive Nintendo Switch stories that are sadly joined by a bit of a flop on 3DS. First of all, top spot goes to Persona 5 on PS4, which has been generating a lot of hype that has evidently paid...
News A New Mythical Pokémon For Sun and Moon is a Mysterious Marshmallow, It Seems
Number 802
The Pokédex keeps growing, and as with previous generational releases Pokémon Sun and Moon have delivered their fair share of brand new 'mon. Mid-gen arrivals also continue, as this past weekend The Pokémon Company teased a new Pocket Monster that'll tie in with the next movie for the franchise - Pokémon! I Choose You! It seems to be...
News Mario Sports Superstars Has Modest Japanese Launch as Nintendo Switch Tops Hardware Chart
Monster Hunter XX (Double Cross) still leads software
It's the middle of the week, which means we have the Media Create chart results out of Japan showing the top-selling games and systems in the country. There are a few new releases across various systems, though nothing has changed in the number one spots. Starting with software we still have...
Video Saber Rider Footage Appears, Still Coming To 3DS In Case You'd Forgotten
Shown running on a Sega Dreamcast, too
The Saber Rider and the Star Sheriffs saga isn't over yet, despite delays, reboots and a general lack of media attention. The title originally began life in 2014 as a 3D action game based on the cult cartoon show from the '80s, but efforts were scaled back in 2015 when a
March2017
News Nintendo Switch Hardware Sales Grow in Japan as Monster Hunter Stays at Number One
Good times
It's time, once again, for the Media Create chart results out of Japan; they give as an idea of what's connecting with the Japanese gaming market and what is ultimately falling short. Kicking off with software, Monster Hunter XX (Double Cross) remains at number one in its second week, passing one million retail sales in the process...
Video Japanese Fire Emblem Echoes Overview Trailer Shows Off Upcoming 3DS Release
There's an amiibo trailer, too
Following the success of Fire Emblem: Awakening and then Fire Emblem Fates, Nintendo will be hoping that Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia can continue the positive momentum in May. It provides a nice spin on the recent entries - as a remaster / reimagining of the Famicom title Fire Emblem Gaiden it takes quite a...
Site News Switch It Up With Our Readership Survey
Would you mind if we asked you a few questions?
We don't take it for granted that so many of you lovely people visit Nintendo Life every day, yet you probably know a lot more about us than we know about you. Therefore our partners at Gamer Network have put together a readership survey so we can get to know our audience a little better. Nintendo...
News Yo-Kai Watch Wibble Wobble Getting European Release Ahead of IP's 3DS Sequel
Get out the tablet
Due to the perils of localisation Yo-Kai Watch 2: Bony Spirits & Fleshy Souls is only now approaching its EU release, due in the region on 7th April. Level 5 - and to a degree Nintendo - plan to give the sequel and IP an extra push with a mobile release the week before. Yo-Kai Watch Wibble Wobble is heading to European phones...
News The 3DS is Six Years Old in the Americas, How Time Flies
It's still going, too
There was a period, in the Summer of 2011, when 'Nintendoomed' was a theme as plummeting sales for the 3DS were interpreted as the end times. As always there was a lot of exaggeration, but there were valid problems too. At the time the Wii was losing steam, and following the phenomenal success of the DS family of systems the...
News Reggie Fils-Aimé Promises "A Big E3" For Nintendo This Year
"E3 is going to be a major opportunity for us"
After what was a bit of a muted E3 for Nintendo last year (bar Zelda: Breath of the Wild, of course), Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aime suggests that the big N will be looking to make a major splash for 2017's event. Speaking to Fox News, the Reggienator had the following to say: E3 is...
News Atlus Confirms Etrian Mystery Dungeon 2 And Shin Megami Tensei: Deep Strange Journey For 3DS
There's life in the old dog yet
If you thought that the 3DS was done and dusted now that the Switch is available, think again - Atlus has confirmed not one but two new RPG adventures for the veteran handheld. Etrian Mystery Dungeon 2 and Shin Megami Tensei: Deep Strange Journey are both fresh instalments in two of the company's most popular...
News Nintendo Switch and New 3DS XL Lead in Japan as Monster Hunter XX Arrives
Super Bomberman R squeaks past 50,000 sales, too
It's Media Create results time, in which we see what's hot and not in the Japanese market. A major 3DS release from Capcom predictably storms to the top, while it's a happy 1-2 for Nintendo in the hardware stakes. Monster Hunter XX (Double Cross) - also known as 'that new iteration that probably...
News Atlus Reveals Radiant Historia: Perfect Chronology For 3DS
An enhanced remake of the DS classic
Yesterday, we reported on a mysterious new teaser site from Atlus which pointed towards a new Radiant Historia title in development. The page mentioned that more would be revealed in a Famitsu piece on the 23rd, but it seems that the reveal in question has already been leaked online. The game in development is...
Video Nintendo's Fire Emblem Echoes Overview Shows How It Shakes Up the Formula
Or reimagines the old formula, if you prefer
Fire Emblem: Awakening was a title that helped to 'save' its franchise, and Fire Emblem Fates took those foundations and built upon them in a big way. With the FE series now well and truly alive and key to Nintendo's plans, as shown with the mobile release of Fire Emblem Heroes - there's now a welcome...
News Nintendo Reveals a Lovely Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia Limited Edition
amiibo details also outlined
Update: Nintendo of Europe has confirmed a similar limited edition, but with the amiibo also included: [tweet Original Article: It's that time, dear readers, for the limited edition sweepstakes! It's that fun game in which Nintendo announces a really attractive special edition that'll probably be rarer than unicorn...
News United States Appeals Court Rules In Nintendo's Favour In Tomita Technologies 3DS Patent Case
Another one bites the dust
It looks as if the saga of Seijiro Tomita's patent case against the Nintendo 3DS is finally coming to an end. The United States Appeals Court has just confirmed that handheld console does not use technology covered in a patent asserted by Tomita Technologies USA, Inc. and Tomita Technologies International, Inc, stating...
Video Blaster Master Zero and Its Loving Tribute to the NES Original
More than the sum of its parts
The Nintendo Switch could be many things as its game library grows and develops; one of these is a haven for 'old-school' experiences. Considering the core loyal Nintendo audience and its love of past generations, retro-styled titles have a decent shot at finding a keen audience. Blaster Master Zero is a good example,...
News Zelda: Breath Of The Wild Content Is Coming To Monster Hunter XX
Launches this month in Japan on 3DS
Monster Hunter XX launches on the 3DS in Japan this month, and Capcom has just released details on a Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild collaboration in the game itself. The Zelda crossover will run between April 24th and May 31st and will give players the chance to participate in three event quests at 7-Eleven...
Review Mario Sports Superstars (3DS)
Jack of all trades, master of none
Ahh sport, the great equalizer of the Mushroom Kingdom. Whether you're a red Toad, a blue Toad, or made entirely out of metal, athletes of all kind are welcome to set aside their differences and gather together in the name of friendly competition. From kart racing to hurdle hopping, Mario and company have had...
News Zelda: Breath of the Wild Makes UK Debut in Second, Three Top 10 Switch Titles in Total
Third biggest Zelda launch in franchise history
Last week was an important one for Nintendo, with the arrival of its Switch hardware and launch slate of games around the world. Early indicators seem relatively positive with plenty of stores in various territories selling out of launch stock, but hard numbers and chart results will help with a...
February2017
News Blaster Master Zero Lays Waste To Switch And 3DS On March 9th
Retro-tastic
Blaster Master Zero will launch exclusively on the Nintendo Switch and 3DS this March, it has been revealed during the Nindies Direct broadcast. A reboot of the NES classic by Sunsoft, Blaster Master Zero recreates the same iconic visuals with a modern twist, and will boast a two-player mode as well. Mighty No. 9 studio Inti Creates...
Review Story of Seasons: Trio of Towns (3DS)
A tale of three cities
In recent times the legal environment of the Harvest Moon series has become a bit muddled. Starting in 2014, XSeed Games began localizing the latest games in the series under the name Story of Seasons, due to the fact that Natsume owns the IP rights to the Harvest Moon franchise. So, although the Harvest Moon series continues...
News Pokémon Sun And Moon's Next Global Mission Is Now Live
"Get BP at the Battle Tree!"
A new global mission has gone live in Pokémon Sun and Moon, with the objective being to earn as many Battle Points as possible at the Battle Tree. The event ends at 23:59 UTC on March 13th. The goal is to reach 250,000 Battle Points. If this goal is reached, PGL members will earn 4,000 FC while non-PGL members will...
News XSeed Announces Story of Seasons DLC Localization Plans for the West
A happy ending
As some of you are no doubt aware, the latest entry in the "true" Harvest Moon series launches tomorrow as Story of Seasons: Trio of Towns. Though this will be the game's debut in the west, it actually came out last year in Japan, and has since received a decent amount of DLC. For a while, XSeed seemed hesitant to bring this to the...
News Pokémon and 3DS Continue on Their Merry Way in a Quiet Week for Japanese Charts
For Honor leads for PS4 with modest sales
A little later than normal on our part - apologies for that - we have the Media Create chart results out of Japan. There's not a huge amount of movement this time around, with new releases outside of Nintendo hardware having a rather limited impact. Starting with the software top 20, For Honor makes its...
News Dragon Ball Fusions Sneaks Into UK Top 40
Pokémon Sun is still outshining Pokémon Moon
The hope is that, in two weeks, we'll be looking at a UK top 40 games chart that has a decent number of Nintendo Switch releases near the top end. Time will tell on that, but for now we're limited to a small number of 3DS titles carrying the fight. Dragon Ball Fusions finally arrived in Europe and,...
News RPG Maker Fes and Culdcept Revolt Set for Summer Arrivals on 3DS
NIS America continues to localise intriguing titles
NIS America is well-known for taking on the localisation of games out of Japan that, otherwise, would likely never see the light of day in the West. During an event in San Francisco it's now confirmed two more 3DS titles that it's bringing to North America and Europe. First up is RPG Maker Fes,...
News Poochy & Yoshi Offer Tips For National Love Your Pet Day
Treat your pooch(y) today
We're still feeling bloated from over-indulging on the recent National Pizza Day, but before you know it now it's the snappily-titled National Love Your Pet Day. Our friends over at Nintendo of America have helpfully sent over a charming infographic with Poochy and Yoshi offering 10 tips about how to honor your adorable...
News Million-Selling Urban Trial Freestyle Is Getting An Exclusive 3DS Sequel This Year
With hot dogs
Tate Multimedia has revealed that it is bringing a sequel to 2013's Urban Trial Freestyle exclusively to the 3DS eShop this year. Urban Trial Freestyle 2 will include twice the stages as the million-selling original, as well an online level sharing tool so you can send your creations to other players. You'll also be able to customise...
News Amazon Japan Suggests That the Fire Emblem Echoes amiibo Unlock a Special Dungeon
Worth it?
One of the rather surprising announcements in the Fire Emblem Nintendo Direct last month was that of Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia. Not only was it shocking that we'd be getting another Fire Emblem game—albeit a remake—on the 3DS, but also it would be releasing in a relatively short period. Alongside the announcement, Alm and...
Video We Work Up a Sweat in Mario Sports Superstars
Intense exercise for our thumbs
Mario Sports Superstars is getting closer to release, and it'll offer modes and gameplay options in five sports - Football / Soccer, Tennis, Baseball, Golf and Horse Racing. Naturally all five sports will be the most fun when playing as Bowser, or perhaps that's some of our own bias kicking in. In any case, our video...
News Eiji Aonuma Wants an 'Evolved 2D Style' From His Legend of Zelda Handheld Dev Team
Not keen to unify '3D' and '2D' teams
The Legend of Zelda, as a franchise, has established two distinct 'pillars' - 2D and 3D. From The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time onwards the trend - with some occasional exceptions - is for new games on portable devices to adopts the top-down '2D' style, and for sweeping '3D' adventures to come to home...
Talking Point Considering Nintendo's Portable Future
It's all about the target audience
The DS attracted an incredibly broad range of gamers, as its sensational sales attest, and the 3DS has also achieved positive results drawing in gamers of various types. Nintendo has also released variations of the 3DS for different audiences, too, with the 2DS - as an example - primarily pitched as a budget option...
Video 3DS Visuals Go to Battle With PS4 / Pro, With Predictable Results
3DS wins, obviously
Not so long ago we made a video comparing Yoshi's Woolly World to Poochy & Yoshi's Woolly World, with the lead-in that of course they're not truly comparable, as such, but that Good-Feel had done a jolly good job of bringing the title to the portable. After all, the 3DS does impressive things with a GPU that's six years old...
News Steel Empire Gets Permanent Price Drop In North America
To celebrate Valentine's Day, apparently
Teyon has revealed that from today the critically-acclaimed 2D shooter Steel Empire will cost just $9.99 on the North American 3DS eShop. The 66 percent reduction in price is to celebrate Valentine's Day, and what better way could there possibly be to mark this romantic occasion than blasting through the...
News Cooking Mama: Sweet Shop Will Be Open For Business On 3DS This April
Over 160 mini games, yum
Rising Star and Office Create have announced the next entry in the popular Cooking Mama series, Sweet Shop. The title is expected to launch on the 3DS eShop and at retail this April, and includes more than 160 different mini-games to master - with the focus this time around being sweets and puddings. Here's the official PR:...
News 3DS System Update Arrives, Doesn't Bring About World Peace Or Make Your Morning Coffee
(Insert joke about stability here)
It's been a while since a 3DS firmware update has given us anything other than improved system stability, and if you're hoping for something different then you might be disappointed, as Nintendo isn't about to buck that trend soon. Firmware version 11.3.0-36 is rolling out as we speak, and (drum roll please)...
News Arc System Works Is Reviving The Jake Hunter Series On Nintendo 3DS
"Ghost of the Dusk" will celebrate the 30th anniversary of the franchise
Arc System Works has announced that it will be releasing new instalments in the Jake Hunter adventure series - known in Japan as Tantei Jingūji Saburō. Data East kicked off the series back in 1987 on the Famicom Disk System, but it didn't make its western debut until more...
Video Nintendo Shows Off Football / Soccer in Latest Mario Sports Superstars Trailer
You can set formations for some extra Pep in your gaming
Mario Sports Superstars is out in March, arriving on the 24th in North America and the 10th in PAL territories; releasing one week after the Switch in Europe couldn't possibly go wrong, right? With Europe leading the way on release the region is getting some neat videos showcasing the game's...
News Official Financial Results Q&A Clarifies Kimishima's "3DS Successor" Comment
Talk of a 3DS sequel was perhaps overblown
UPDATE: Dr. Toto has responded to this new translation of Kimishima's comments: ORIGINAL STORY: Yesterday we reported on comments from Dr. Serkan Toto which seemed to suggest that Nintendo was keen to explore the possibility of creating a
News Yo-kai Watch 2: Bony Spirits & Fleshy Souls Finally Get a European Release Date
And keep the weird names
Yo-kai Watch 2: Bony Spirits & Fleshy Souls arrived in North America last Fall / Autumn, but have taken a little longer to make their way to Europe. Their arrival is now nailed down, however, as the dual release will hit stores in the region on 7th April. Intriguingly, Europe was highlighted as a successful territory...
News Tatsumi Kimishima Talks About a Potential 3DS Successor
Switch Mini? 4DS? Neo Game Boy?
With the Switch releasing next month, the 3DS will certainly occupy a different space in the Nintendo ecosystem. Nintendo president Tatsumi Kimishima has already indicated that the 3DS isn't going anywhere anytime soon, but it's obvious that the console won't stick around forever. This raises the question: will a...
Review Poochy & Yoshi's Woolly World (3DS)
Spinning a good yarn
There have evidently been occasions in recent times when Nintendo started looking at sales figures and picking out projects that deserve a second chance on the 3DS. Yoshi's Woolly World, for its part, is one of a few elite-level 2D platformers on Wii U that stand out as top-notch exponents of the genre. Gorgeous visuals,...
News Capcom Admits Monster Hunter Stories Performed Below Expectations
High hopes for Monster Hunter XX in 2017
Capcom has released its latest financial results, revealing big drops in sales and revenue compared to the same time last year. The company also revealed that Monster Hunter Stories posted "soft" sales figures and the drop-off in interest in Monster Hunter X - one of 2015's biggest successes - impacted the...
January2017
Video A Look Beyond the Wool in Making the Poochy & Yoshi's Woolly World Animated Shorts
Behind the magic is painstaking work
One of the rather pleasing extras in the upcoming Poochy & Yoshi's Woolly World is a wide range of short stop-motion films featuring the core characters. We've shared some over recent weeks, and they're undeniably charming. Nintendo has shared a rather neat behind-the-scenes video showing the company behind...
News 3DS Enjoys Bumper End To 2016 With Hardware And Software Sales Both Up
3DS version of Super Mario Maker shifts one million copies
The 3DS may be getting a bit long in the tooth these days, but it enjoyed one of its best years ever in 2016, with encouraging sales of both hardware and software. According to Nintendo's fiscal report for the nine months ending December 31st, 2016, the console had sold 6.45 million units...
News The Third Pokèmon Sun and Moon Global Mission is Now Live
Third time's the charm?
The first global mission for Pokèmon Sun & Moon players unfortunately ended with sadness, and the second didn't fare so well either. Last week, Game Freak revealed what the third, hopefully more successful, mission would
News Nintendo Uses Super Mario Maker for 3DS to Promote STEM Activities for Kids
"A new playtime activity", according to Bowser
The promotion of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) activities is considered hugely important in education around the world. Technology firms often send employees out to local schools, and companies of various kinds organise events to promote STEM learning. In a press release...
Video Mario Sports Superstars Trailer Goes In-Depth on Baseball
Play Ball!
Nintendo has released a fresh trailer that gives a little more insight into how Mario Sports Superstars will play, having recently confirmed its release date and amiibo details, among other things. The latest footage focuses entirely on the sport of Baseball, as we see the likes of Luigi and Bowser pick up the bat in the hopes of a...
News Mario Sports Superstars Heading to Europe on 10th March
amiibo cards and modes outlined a little further
Just recently we shared details on the release date for Mario Sports Superstars, which is due on 24th March in North America. In one of those scheduling quirks we see occasionally Nintendo of Europe is releasing it sooner on 10th March, giving Europeans a head start. Beyond that, the press release...
Random Mario Sports Superstars amiibo Cards Use Really Old Character Artwork
Bowser is from 2005's Dance Dance Revolution: Mario Mix
Nintendo's announcement that it is releasing a collection of amiibo cards to accompany Mario Sports Superstars came somewhat out of the blue, but it would seem very little effort has actually been spent on creating said cards. The artwork on the cards shown so far is lifted directly from...
Talking Point The Nintendo 3DS, A System That Still Has a Role to Play
It's not going anywhere yet
With the Switch coming out in just a couple of months, it seems that Nintendo is truly committing to a future in which it invests in just one platform that fulfils the needs of both portable and home console gamers (though it should be noted that it's pitched primarily as a home console at present). Obviously, the Wii U...
Review Dragon Ball Fusions (3DS)
Better together
There have been many Dragon Ball games over the years, and one universal truth exists: they seem to get better as time goes by. Early efforts on the SNES, Mega Drive, PlayStation and Saturn left a bad taste in the mouths of series fans, but lately Bandai Namco's Dragon Ball Xenoverse sub-series has redressed the balance neatly...
News Mario Sports Superstars Is Getting Its Own Range Of amiibo Cards
Because why not?
Mario Sports Superstars arrives on the 3DS on March 24th, and Nintendo has confirmed that the game will be accompanied by a series of amiibo character cards. These can be used to unlock bonuses in-game, and will be available in blind packs, as was the case with the Animal Crossing amiibo card range. The game will also come with a...
News Two More 3DS Titles Are Joining the Nintendo Selects Range in North America
Mario & Luigi! Kirby!
The Nintendo Selects range is, unsurprisingly, a regular highlight for those that follow the company and enjoys its games. First-party titles often hold their value, so when they get official discounts through the Selects promotions it can be a chance to catch up on some quality titles. Nintendo of America has confirmed two...
News Game Freak Has Revealed the Third Global Mission for Pokémon Sun and Moon
Third time's the charm or third strike?
Although Pokémon Sun and Moon have done quite well critically and commercially--breaking many records in the latter category--it seems as though the games have been having trouble with maintaining player involvement. Global missions are run about once per month and task the playerbase with achieving a certain...
News Story of Seasons: Trio of Towns Secures North American Release Date
Little more than a month away...
As we're now well into 2017, Marvelous has now confirmed that Story of Seasons: Trio of Towns will be releasing in North America before Q1 ends. Yes, for fans of the farming simulator you will be able to pick up a copy of the anticipated sequel come on 28th February. To celebrate the 20th anniversary of the series...
News The Great Ace Attorney 2 on 3DS Gets a Flashy New Japanese Trailer
Quirky Sherlock returns
Capcom has brought some fantastic Ace Attorney titles to the West as eShop releases, but so far the spin-off The Great Ace Attorney hasn't followed - there have only been vague and unlikely teases on that front. While we wait, though, The Great Ace Attorney 2 - subtitled 'Ryunosuke Naruhodo's Resolution' - is most definitely...
News Dragon Quest VIII Begins Its UK Chart Journey in Top 20
With a few other 3DS titles in the top 40
The numbers of big-selling new releases on Nintendo hardware have been modest in recent times, but last week did bring another fantastic 3DS RPG to stores with Dragon Quest VIII: Journey of the Cursed King. Like its predecessor it seems to have made a solid start. The 3DS release made its all-format chart...
News Goodbye! BOXBOY! Has Some Lovely Kirby-Related amiibo Support
A Game Boy screen filter, too
Slowly and surely, heading towards its third release in Japan, HAL Laboratory's BOXBOY! series continues to gain fans and momentum. Though a Western release is yet to be confirmed, early February will see the release of Goodbye! BOXBOY! in Japan, known locally as Sayonara! BOXBOY!, with a physical retail edition on the...
News Pokémon Sun and Moon Are Now the Fastest Nintendo Games to Clear 4 Million Sales
Also led the charge for the best ever software quarter for 3DS
Though it seems that the games have trouble rallying community support for certain in-game events, it's been common knowledge that Pokémon Sun and Moon have been a pretty big deal sales-wise. The pairing of games has had impressive numbers—even for the Pokémon series—and has...
They've done their homework
Moving any title from the Wii U to the 3DS is inevitably going to come with a fairly heavy graphical downgrade, but with Poochy & Yoshi's Woolly World the game stands up fairly well. Most notably the frame rate retains its glorious 60fps throughout (on New 3DS) and on the whole runs like butter. Make sure you check...
Preview Feeling Warm and Fuzzy With Poochy & Yoshi's Woolly World
This is how 3DS ports should be done
In recent times we've seen a very deliberate attempt by Nintendo to broaden the audience for key Wii U titles through 3DS ports. Hyrule Warriors Legends set the tone, and then Super Mario Maker for Nintendo 3DS gave an offline spin on the home console title. In both cases the ports had tweaks to suit the...
News Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia Coming to 3DS on 19th May
Inspired by Gaiden, two new amiibo inbound
Nintendo had a surprising new Fire Emblem title to announce today, and it's coming rather soon on 3DS. Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia is due on 19th May in both North America and Europe; it draws inspiration from Fire Emblem Gaiden, a Famicom title that originally only saw release in Japan. The...
News The Wii U Generated Just 2.1 Percent Of UK Games Market Revenue In 2016
3DS did better with 6 percent
The UK physical games market fell 15.8 percent to £1.78bn in 2016, according to the latest figures from GfK. Sales of PS4, Xbox One, Wii U, 3DS and older systems suffered a considerable drop, falling by 27 percent. Home consoles generated £503m of revenue in 2016 compared to £689.5m in 2015. The only exception was...
News Shovel Knight Is Coming To Nintendo Switch With Gender Swapping And Co-Op Modes
Wii U and 3DS versions will also be updated
Shovel Knight is making the jump to the Nintendo Switch in a new version entitled Shovel Knight: Treasure Trove, it has been announced today. Treasure Trove isn't really a sequel but more a restructured release with new features. Those of you who already own the original game on any of the currently...
News Mandatory Pokémon Sun and Moon Update Fixes Glitches
Say goodbye to viewing your old battle videos
Pokémon Sun and Moon has been a significant success for The Pokémon Company, Game Freak and Nintendo, kickstarting a new generation for the series - naturally, though, there are always some flaws to address. A relatively modest update has now gone live to fix a few bugs (not the collectible kinds) in...
Video More Poochy & Yoshi's Woolly World Cuteness is Shared by Nintendo
Peek-a-poochy
The upcoming release of Poochy & Yoshi's Woolly World seems rather promising; while it'll obviously lack the glorious HD visuals of the Wii U original, it will hopefully introduce the terrific platformer to a larger audience. It gives Poochy a more prominent role, as is obvious in the name, and other extras will be short animations...
News Pokémon Sun And Moon's Second Global Mission Ends In Failure
Zero for two
Pokémon Sun and Moon's most recent Global Mission - an online event which asks players to work together to achieve a particular goal - has ended in failure. The December event asked players to capture or defeat 1,000,000 monsters using the Island Scan functions, which can only be used once per day. Unfortunately, only 661,839 Pokémon...
Review Dragon Quest VIII: Journey of the Cursed King (3DS)
Return of the King
In addition to a steady stream of top-quality games, the 3DS' RPG library is filled with the sort of lifetime achievements most consoles can only dream of: a hat trick of Monster Hunters, two to four Fire Emblems (depending on your perspective), scores of Shin Megami Tensei titles, and enough Etrian Odysseys to field a curling...
News Official Nintendo UK Store Opens Poochy & Yoshi's Woolly World Pre-Order Options
With extras to soften you up
Poochy & Yoshi's Woolly World isn't far away from release on 3DS, set to launch on 3rd February, and the official Nintendo UK store has now opened up its pre-order options. As always it charges the full recommended price, but throws in some extras to tempt you in. There are two specific options for the 3DS release,...
News Pokémon Sun and Moon, Along With 3DS, Led 2016 Sales in Japan
Both also did well in the Holiday period
As we head into 2017 facts and figures are starting to emerge for sales over the festive period, which are always valuable in the gaming industry. As we skipped a week of Media Create results in Japan during the break, this time we're going for a bumper post with two weeks of results, along with some end of...
Video This Poochy and Yoshi's Woolly World Short Film is Pure Fluffy Delight
Impossible not to smile
Nintendo has dabbled in short films and animations on multiple occasions, perhaps due to the desire of Shigeru Miyamoto and others to realise their creative visions in different forms. Poochy & Yoshi's Woolly World is the next game to include some short animations as bonuses within the game itself. Some examples have...
Matters Of Import Sega 3D Fukkoku Archives 3: Final Stage
The end of an era
While Sega has been curiously reluctant to update its existing Wii Virtual Console catalogue for the Wii U and 3DS, it hasn't entirely forgotten its past glories this console cycle. Courtesy of emulation experts M2 we've had some amazing updates of vintage Sega games on the 3DS, each one blessed with auto-stereoscopic visuals and a...
Editorial The 3D Effect - A Smart 3DS Feature That Struggled to Find Its True Depth
It was the future, once upon a time
In early 2011 I went to a public demo event for the 3DS, getting an invite through Club Nintendo. This was long before I annoyed people with my opinions here on Nintendo Life; in fact at that point I was the unfamiliar name that had written a review for Spot the Differences! on WiiWare. As some of you no doubt...
News Chicken Wiggle's Price Has Been Confirmed For The 3DS eShop
Value for money
The recent release of Super Mario Run on iOS has triggered quite a debate regarding how much people expect to pay for handheld video games. While the title is free to download, unlocking the entire game requires the kind of investment that mobile players perhaps aren't used to paying, and that has led to a rather poor conversion...
December2016
News Nintendo Slams 3DS Homebrew App Which Enables Piracy With Takedown Notice
Shiver my timbers
For those of you who don't know, Freeshop is homebrew software tool which is designed to allow you to download 3DS games you already own. However, as you might expect many people are abusing this tool by downloading games they don't own - and that's something Nintendo is naturally unhappy about. So unhappy in fact that the company...
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