Review Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (3DS)
Shell shocked
It’s arguably difficult to consider Nickelodeon’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles TV reboot as anything other than a rousing success. Blending together elements from the classic 1987 series with a more modern approach, the show has been a hit with fans both new and old, treading that awkward line between paying homage to the past and...
Review Mario & Sonic at the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games (Wii U)
Back on the slopes and going nowhere fast
Unless you’re an enthusiast or currently living in Sochi (that’s in Russia, by the way), there’s a good chance you aren't aware that the Winter Olympics are almost upon us. Yes, it’s time for all your favourite winter sports to hit the screens again; sports such as skiing, skiing off a cliff,...
Feature A Supersonic History of Sonic Cartoons
I’m waaaaiiiiting...
For anyone growing up in the early nineties, there was one gaming rivalry that dwarfed all others – Nintendo vs SEGA. While the feud gave us classic moments such as “Genesis does what Nintendon’t” and the infamous Genesis ‘blast processing’, this gaming cold war would split playgrounds and even families over who...
Talking Point Marketing Wii U to the Masses
Time to spread the word
While we await a potential increase in hardware sales, even Nintendo would admit that the Wii U has underperformed in its debut year. With poor sales to date and a year’s head start over its next-gen competition arguably squandered, the Wii U is in the unenviable position of heading into its first anniversary with yearly...
Talking Point E3 2013 Is All About The Games
Wii U games, specifically
For many, the start of a new generation heralds the beginning of a golden age for gaming, promising new IPs, a fresh approach, or simply an established franchise seen through new technology. It is a time when the sky is the limit, and gamers everywhere can come together to celebrate change. But this time, that hasn’t...
Review LEGO Batman 2: DC Super Heroes (Wii U)
Holy year-old port, Batman!
LEGO Batman 2: DC Super Heroes on Wii U finds itself in an unenviable position. Released last year to critical acclaim and heralded as a new beginning to an increasingly stale series of games, it is only now releasing on Wii U, a system that has recently played host to what some consider the new pinnacle of LEGO games,...
Feature Celebrating Ten Years of The Wind Waker
A decade under the ocean
This week marked the 10th anniversary of The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker’s European release, a title that’s equally one of the most beloved and controversial titles in the entire Zelda franchise. Launched on the GameCube between 2002 and 2003 worldwide, The Wind Waker had a troubled launch, due largely to a backlash...
Talking Point The Importance of the Virtual Console
Old games seem to sell
The start of a new console generation is always problematic for fans of older titles, as with each passing system backward compatibility becomes an increasing issue, and older titles risk being lost to the ages due to damage. Nintendo’s recent policy has been one of allowing backward compatibility for the previous generation...
Feature The Building Blocks for a LEGO City
One block at a time
As one of the most popular toys in the world, LEGO has been a part of almost everyone’s lives. The unbridled sense of creativity and possibility that the bricks produce is arguably unmatched by anything else, so it’s no surprise that the LEGO Group has continually pushed for the creation of LEGO games. Be it based purely on...
Talking Point Nintendo's Revised Approach to E3
It’s not all about the LA expo
Nintendo has often been one of the most secretive companies in the world, and while that prevents any unwanted information being leaked ahead of schedule, it means that at times it’s infuriating to follow as a fan. Up until a few years ago, the only chance we got to look inside the hallowed grounds of Nintendo HQ...
Feature Wii U Blockbusters - What to Play While You Wait
If in doubt, go retro
The start of a new Nintendo generation is always cause for excitement for many, with the promise of new entries in the company’s greatest franchises often enough to convince many to buy the system on day one. But with Wii U, Nintendo kept very quiet about its big franchises, and when the system arrived we had little idea of...
Feature Reimagining The Wind Waker on Wii U
The possibilities are exciting
Leaving Nintendo’s Space World presentation in 2001, few would have imagined that of all the games shown, The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker would become a watershed moment for the company. Panned by some fans and critics alike for its cel-shaded look, the game has since arguably become a symbol of how to create a...
Feature Nintendo and Bond Through the Ages
A license to thrill
While film tie-ins are expected these days, few games can attest to having their origins found in novels, and fewer still can claim to have outgrown those origins and become a success in their own right. But that is exactly what the James Bond franchise has done. What initially began as a series of novels by Sir Ian Fleming,...
Feature Memorable Nintendo Direct Moments
Bringing ten memories direct, to you
Over the years, Nintendo’s press conferences have produced some truly memorable moments, showcasing the fun that is at the heart of the company’s development philosophy. E3 showcases for games such as Wii Sports and Wii Fit became show highlights for many attendees, which not only served to promote and...
Feature Reinventing Nintendo's Legacy Franchises on Wii U
It's comeback time
Despite often being criticized for a perceived lack of new franchises, Nintendo’s back catalogue offers a wealth of unique games which have each carved out their own place in the company’s legacy. From Mario to Link to lesser known characters such as Ness and the Ice Climbers, it is clear that Nintendo has a diverse range of...
Feature Looking Back at Six Years of Wii
Time to say goodbye?
Despite strong first-party support, 2005 marked the beginning of the end for Nintendo’s GameCube, prompting the company to reveal its next system, the Revolution. The next year would see not only the unveiling of the revolutionary Wii Remote, but also the controversial unveiling of Wii; it was perceived by some as outrageous...
Feature Reinventing Nintendo's Major Franchises on Wii U
Time for some comebacks
Thanks to its fresh approach to gaming, the Wii has been a breeding ground for reinvention throughout its six year life cycle, offering us established franchises with a twist due in part to motion controls. The Legend of Zelda has been perhaps the biggest beneficiary of this in the form of Skyward Sword, with Wii MotionPlus...
Talking Point The Future of Professor Layton
A puzzle yet to be solved
Thanks to its unique control interface and dual-screens, the DS generation has paved the way for some of the most diverse games ever committed to cartridge, perhaps none more so than the Professor Layton series. Ask a number of people ten years ago whether they would be interested in playing a game that tasks you with...
Feature DS Games We Want on Wii U
Two screens, only much bigger
Seven years and over 150 million sales have passed since Nintendo surprised the world by releasing its dual screen handheld back in 2004, introducing true touch screen gaming to the masses for the first time. The concept proved such a success that Nintendo has now implemented it in its next home console, Wii U, via a...
Talking Point 3DS XL's Media Potential
Look ma, no glasses!
One of the biggest shifts of the last generation has been the evolution of games consoles into entertainment centres, allowing almost all forms of media to be played back through your TV. It’s a far cry from the old cartridge systems when gaming ruled supreme, but thanks to their knowledge outside of video games both Microsoft...
Talking Point Are E3 Conferences a Dying Breed?
E3 is changing
9am PDT, Tuesday, E3 week. For Nintendo fans, this time and date is akin to New Year's Day, ringing in the next big batch of games Nintendo has to offer and beginning a week-long celebration of all things gaming. Nintendo’s E3 press conference has created some magical moments over the years, from the reveal of The Legend of Zelda:...
Feature Kid Icarus - Nintendo's Next Big Franchise?
Taking to the sky
Whether planned or not, Nintendo has fallen into a routine with its franchises. There’s always a big 3D Mario title and an epic yet delayed Zelda game guaranteed for each system, with a good chance of others such as Metroid and Kirby making an appearance in between. This backbone of core franchises has served Nintendo well over...
Talking Point Is Nintendo Over-Reliant on Super Mario?
Lots of plumbing to do
Back in 1985, no-one could have imagined that a plumber saving a princess from the clutches of an evil turtle king could become one of gaming’s defining moments. Since the release of the original Super Mario Bros. on the NES, Mario has become not only the face of Nintendo, but arguably the face of gaming as a whole. Shigeru...
Feature Nintendo's Motion Revolution
Gaming for everyone
The release of the Famicom is often regarded as one of the biggest moments in gaming history, as it not only brought Nintendo into the home console arena, but it also introduced the world to a plumber named Mario. The console, as we know, proved to be an incredible success and has helped create the industry we have today, but...
