Author Profile
- Username
- ConorM
- Articles
- 202 (92 reviews)
- First Article
- Tue 5th, November 2013
- Avg. Review Score
- 6.2
Weirdness 8-Year-Old Writes Nintendo A Letter Of Apology For Getting His 3DS Wet
A grim reminder to check your thermos cap
It's never too pleasant having to deal with customer service and sending something in to be repaired, but for one eight-year-old boy in Japan, the loss of his 3DS seems to have stirred up some surprising feelings of guilt instead of the usual impatience and annoyance. Imagine that! The young boy apparently...
Weirdness Super Mario 64 Expert Collects a Star in 0.5 'A' Button Presses
"We need to talk about parallel universes..."
The recent Awesome Games Done Quick marathon served as a fantastic example of speedrunners demonstrating their practiced skill with impressive results. In the wake of its conclusion earlier this month, we've got just the video for anyone still needing their fix of game-breaking talent on display. While...
Review RV-7 My Drone (3DS eShop)
An unmanned excursion
We live in an age where cars can drive themselves, robots are slowly preparing to overthrow their masters, and drones can be programmed to do anything from delivering vital supplies to filming botched attempts at BMX stunts. "Drone" in particular is the buzzword du jour, and for all you know this review could have been written...
Review Ocean Runner (3DS eShop)
Shallow Waters
Deep within the vast, mysterious waters of our blue planet, the endless-runner genre is surprisingly still alive and well. As the name might suggest, Ocean Runner combines mobile friendly arcade gameplay with a nautical theme, perhaps creating the eShop's first endless swimmer title in the process, but is there enough here to keep our...
Review Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam Bros. (3DS)
This Mario mashup is a real jam
Though it came as a bit of a surprise, quietly tucked away into Nintendo's Digital Event during E3 earlier this year, fans of RPG silliness have been anticipating the crossover of a lifetime since the announcement of AlphaDream's latest adventure. Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam Bros. (known simply as Mario & Luigi:...
Preview Crossing Over With Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam Bros.
A real page-turner
Transforming a platformer into an RPG never did seem like an easy recipe for success, but somehow the Mario series has caught this rare form of lightning in a bottle not only once, not only twice, but three times over. The classic SNES title Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars established a winning formula of comedy,...
Review Zoda's Revenge: StarTropics II (Wii U eShop / NES)
Time for Mike to make his return
For banana fans and island hoppers alike, the original StarTropics stands to this day as an under-appreciated classic of the NES library. It's the kind of imperfect gem that sadly went a little under the radar at the time of its release, but has endured as a cult favourite thanks in large part to its distinctive...
Review Project Zero: Maiden of Black Water (Wii U)
Focusing on fear
Like the lashing of rain against a bedroom window, or the sound of a damp footstep outside your door - Project Zero: Maiden of Black Water is coming for you. Also known in North America as Fatal Frame, this latest entry in the cult horror franchise has set its sights on Western shores just in time for Halloween, and while some might...
First Impressions Taking A Shot At Fatal Frame: Maiden Of Black Water
"I like it here...She's calling me."
The Fatal Frame series, known as Project Zero in Europe, has had an inconsistent presence in the West for quite some time now. Though several installments made their way onto Nintendo consoles - most notably the Wii - fans outside of Japan have grown accustomed to importing in order to get the latest spooky...
Review StarTropics (Wii U eShop / NES)
Sun, sea, sand, and aliens
Winter is slowly creeping up on us, so it's as good a time as ever to explore warmer climates and take your mind off of the bad weather. For some NES-filtered beams of sunshine, why not step into the shoes of young Mike Jones, an American kid who's headed for an alphabetic island on the tropical adventure of a lifetime?...
News Splatoon Art Book Making A Splat Landing In Japan This Year
300+ pages of kid/squid goodness
As if the Inklings among us didn't already have enough to celebrate, it looks like the 2-disc soundtrack we recently reported on isn't the only piece of Splatoon merchandise emerging from the watery depths this year. Freshly announced by Famitsu magazine and translated by
Review Q.U.B.E: Director's Cut (Wii U eShop)
Meet your new companion Q.U.B.E
A gigantic alien cube is hurtling through space on a collision course with Earth - and you've just woken up within it. As your body shakes off the fatigue, distant memories fail to solidify, leaving you in a state of total confusion and amnesia. Alone, save for a crackling voice over the radio, you're tasked with...
Review ZaciSa: Defense of the Crayon Dimensions! (Wii U eShop)
In space, no-one can hear you strategically position laser cannons
Over 12 months after releasing in NA, developer ZeNfA Productions has re-named, re-tooled and rocket-boosted its tower defense title onto the European eShop. It's been a long flight - with an even longer list of promised improvements to go with it - but has it been enough to breathe...
Mario Memories A Portable Warp Pipe To Lost Adventures
Catching up on history
In this series of not-quite-daily articles celebrating the upcoming 30th Anniversary of Super Mario, various members of the Nintendo Life extended family will share their memories and thoughts on the iconic franchise. This time we have reviewer and contributor Conor McMahon. SEGA's dominance over the UK and Irish market meant...
Review BADLAND: Game of the Year Edition (Wii U eShop)
They're watching you!
In a dark forest, scarred by alien machinery and steeped in an unnatural silence, a strange, hairy creature bobs awkwardly across the foreground. Without really knowing what to do the player tries out a few buttons, and quickly discovers a way to keep the little furball in the air. After a few tumbles and unfortunate accidents,...
Review Canvaleon (Wii U eShop)
Karma karma karma karma karma Canvaleon
Take a peek at some recent Wii U releases and you may see a painterly pattern forming. That's right; what with Art Academy: Atelier and Splatoon splashing some colour onto Nintendo's home console this year, it's almost like an artistic renaissance is upon us - just with more squids. On the surface, Canvaleon...
Review Epic Word Search Collection (3DS eShop)
Searching for Simpsons, Sausages, Slayer and Skateboarding
The word "epic" sure gets thrown around a lot these days. The vast cosmos is epic, the unfathomable depths of the ocean are epic, but so is this sandwich I just ate, you guys! SO EPIC! Perhaps some of the meaning has been lost, but even the crankiest purists would have to admit that Epic...
News Surprise eShop Sale Discounts Up To 30% Off Dozens of Wii U and 3DS Titles
A treat for North Americans
As part of their E3 celebration, Nintendo is rolling out a beefy selection of discounts available across the Wii U and 3DS eShop, encompassing a very strong collection of titles indeed. North Americans can save up to 30% off select games, which are based off some of Nintendo's biggest franchises as well as a decent...
News Nintendo Wants You To Celebrate Super Mario's 30th Birthday In The Name Of A Good Cause
Make a fool of yourself, help others
Whether it's through covering songs or acting like lunatic plumbers in public, the Super Mario series has inspired people to express their love in all kinds of ways. Nintendo's Digital Event wrapped up with an occasionally awkward but overall charming video compilation showcasing some silly examples, but it...
Feature Nintendo Franchises We Want to See at E3 - Pokémon
We wanna spot 'em all!
In the lead up to E3 we're publishing a series of features covering game franchises that we want to make an appearance, and what we'd like to see out of a potential next entry in each series. In this entry, Nintendo Life news and reviews regular Conor McMahon considers the Pokémon franchise. Ever heard of these little things...
Review Art Academy: Atelier (Wii U)
Magnum opus
By its very nature, inspiration often strikes when we least expect it to. A random walk through city streets might spark the idea that forms an entire novel, just as the sound of rain lashing against a bedroom window could help to shape the mood of a composition. The Art Academy series has always respected and encouraged the creative...
Video Get The Best Picture From Your NES With This Comprehensive Guide
Retro refinement
Whether you're hoping to dig into some more obscure titles, or want to fully relive the days of flickering tv screens and boxy controllers, there's still plenty to be said for hooking up the original NES and getting a properly authentic experience. Unfortunately, Nintendo's first home console isn't the easiest to work with if you're...
News Brave The Water Temple In This Cosy Zelda-Themed Bath Robe
Even heroes need their downtime
Are you trying to relax after a particularly adventurous bath? Have you just poured yourself a cheeky potion and want to curl up in your Octorok-hide armchair for the evening? If you're the kind of person who wants to show off their undying loyalty to the land of Hyrule even while simply lounging around the house,...
News NPD Survey Outlines Bright Future For amiibo And Other Toys-To-Life Franchises
These toys mean business
Despite plenty of ongoing issues with stock shortages and sudden cancellations, we think it's fair to say that the amiibo range has been a fairly lucrative venture for Nintendo. Pre-orders for the latest wave sold out within an hour on the official UK store, and recent NPD Group findings show that this frantic interest among...
