Author Profile
James started his career in video games as News Editor on Nintendo Life. Since leaving in 2012 to join Nintendo of Europe, James has risen through the ranks to become NoE's Senior Product PR & Corporate Communications Manager.
Review The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks (DS)
On the right track or running out of steam?
Link's last outing, 2007's Phantom Hourglass, was a piece of portable paradise, showcasing all the DS's features with some wildly imaginative puzzles and unforgettable moments, and still remains one of the console's best titles. The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks takes all that was good about Phantom...
Review A Little Bit of... Magic Made Fun: Matchmaker (DSiWare)
A match made in heaven?
The retail release of Master of Illusion (known as Magic Made Fun in Europe, as if magic was inherently boring) came with a special deck of cards to perform many of the game’s tricks. Obviously with the series heading into download territory via the DSiWare service, it’s had to find some new tricks up its sleeves, two of...
Podcast Episode 10 - Reviews Round-Up and Game of the Year Launch!
Catch up on November's releases and get involved in our Game of the Year Awards!
Following on from last month's stunning episode - we interviewed the voice of Mario, y'know! - we've got a huge wealth of reviews to take you through in this month's episode. Helping our host James Newton cover all the major releases is female favourite Tom Bowskill,...
Ease yourself into your week with Abylight's latest
We've just received an email from Abylight to let us know that their upcoming stress-a-thon, Stop Stress: A Day of Fury, is confirmed for release on the US WiiWare service on Monday, for a grand total of 800 Nintendo Points. Telling the story of a man who seems to have the most uncontrollable rage,...
News Final Aardman Flipnote Hits DSi
Last call for animation wizardry
If you've got a DSi, you should really have Flipnote Studio, the brilliant (and free) flip-book animation program that lets you doodle away, add sound and then share your creation with the world. Whilst the efforts among Nintendo Life staff are far too crude to show to the public, master animators Aardman Animation...
Bewitching.
The DS has seen some fantastic RPGs released this year, with Valkyrie Profile, Nostalgia and of course Mario and Luigi: Bowser’s Inside Story, and Luminous Arc II keeps the standard high with a quality Japanese RPG package that is sure to please anyone looking for a tactical fix. The game’s story takes place in the kingdom of...
Rabbids Go Home stamped with new, higher rating
A few weeks ago we hit you with the big news that Ubisoft's Rabbid adventure was facing recall from select UK retailers due to "potentially offensive content." Now you'll be pleased to hear Rabbids Go Home has reappeared on shop shelves with a new, higher PEGI 12 rating. Considering the...
Review Agatha Christie's The ABC Murders (DS)
Belgian waffle?
Thank goodness for Nintendo consoles making it easy for gamers to pick a range of moustachioed characters from various spheres of the employment world. If you fancy something a bit more cerebral than plumbing in your portable plaything you might want to check out Agatha Christie’s ABC Murders, in which you play the world’s only...
Review C.O.P. The Recruit (DS)
Cop a load of this.
With the DS now nearly five years old, you’d think there’d be no surprises left inside that flip-top wonder box, but here comes Ubisoft with something we probably didn’t even realise was possible on DS, under the rather off-putting title of C.O.P. The Recruit. The very talented (if unfortunately named) V.D. Dev have...
Gameloft deals DSiWare a decent hand
This DSiWare release of UNO marks the card game's second appearance on Nintendo platforms within a few weeks, but does it hold up better in pocket format than its recent WiiWare release? As you'd expect, your cards appear on the bottom screen with the top screen showing the play area. Playing your cards is a...
News All Rise for the First Phoenix Wright WiiWare Shots
Court is now in session!
Looks like the Phoenix Wright steam train is really picking up... er... steam at the moment, with the announcement yesterday and now the first screenshots of the rookie lawyer's transition to WiiWare. One thing you'll notice is that it looks absolutely identical to the GBA/DS versions of the game, with very little in the way...
News Muramasa Knocked Back by Week Delay
November 27th the new date for Europeans
We've just spoken to Rising Star Games's Yen Hau, who's confirmed that the firm's upcoming release of Muramasa: The Demon Blade has been pushed back by a week to launch next Friday, November 27th. Considering this week sees the European launch of New Super Mario Bros. Wii and Lego Indiana Jones 2 - among...
News Aonuma: Prepare for Zelda Surprise Next Year
Zelda big boss sets up E3 revelation
For a few years now, Eiji Aonuma has been promising something of a reimagining of the Legend of Zelda series. Twilight Princess was touted as the last Zelda "as we know it", and now Mr Aonuma has spoken to the UK's Official Nintendo Magazine about some of the developments in the next title. "It is something we...
News Prime Yourself for More Metroid
Developer interview teases possible DS outing for Samus
We may still be recovering from the majesty of Metroid Prime Trilogy, but a recent interview with the UK's Official Nintendo Magazine has unearthed an even more exciting titbit: there may be more Metroid Prime games on the way. Speaking to the magazine, Kensuke Tanabe of Nintendo said: We are...
News Mighty Flip Champs Europe-Bound This Month!
At long last...
It seems like European gamers have been waiting an absolute age to get their fingers on WayForward's really rather good Mighty Flip Champs, but the waiting is nearly over as WayForward has just told us the game will be releasing this month! As yet we have no exact date, but with European releases going up on Friday it can really only...
News WiiWare Demo Service Now Available Worldwide!
Which games are available? Read on!
Some exciting news for all you WiiWare fans out there - you can now access free WiiWare demos through the Shop Channel! Yes, pop on your Wii console and you'll be able to download limited trial versions of selected games. You lucky European and Australian Wii owners can access Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: My...
Review A Little Bit of... Nintendo Touch Golf (DSiWare)
A hole in one or simply par for the course?
Nintendo's "A Little Bit of..." series of DSiWare releases has received criticism in some quarters for offering severely cut-down versions of full titles at barely reduced prices. Well, A Little Bit of... Nintendo Touch Golf survives the transfer from cartridge to download pretty much intact,...
News Art of Balance Announced for WiiWare
Cubic cranium conundrums on the way
Puzzle games and physics go together like plumbers and mushrooms, so Shin'en Multimedia's announcement that Art of Balance is heading towards WiiWare is welcome news. Here it is in their own words: Shin’en Multimedia announces the development of Art of Balance for WiiWare. Grab your Wii Remote™ and build a...
News Britain's Best Nintendo Gamer 2009 - Report!
Who walked away with the crown?
Our UK readers will probably have seen our adverts for Britain's Best Nintendo Gamer a month or so ago - in fact, some of you may even have competed at a GAME or Gamestation store - but we left you hanging on who emerged from the competition victorious. Well, hang no more - all can be revealed! Well, almost all...
Well and truly off its trolley
As the fourth Rabbids game in the Wii’s three-year lifespan, you’d be forgiven for thinking Ubisoft has run out of ideas for its bizarre creations, but Rabbids Go Home is potentially the oddest game in the series yet. Making a clean break from its minigame origins, Rabbids Go Home is an all-new adventure game from...
News Rabbids Race Through London
Souped-up trolley hitting UK cities
Game-themed cars are nothing new - everyone from Pikachu to Sonic has had their face plastered on a car over the years - but a game-themed shopping trolley capable of 70mph is definitely something we haven't seen before. Add a huge Rabbid figure to the back - in mid-BWAAAH pose, of course - and drive the trolley...
Review Manic Monkey Mayhem (WiiWare)
A monkey barrel beater?
Manic Monkey Mayhem is a clear attempt by UK-based developers The Code Monkeys to make a straightforward multiplayer shooter that anyone can play. All you need is a Remote and a decent throwing arm to pick this one up, but does it have enough depth to justify laying out 1,000 Points? The controls are very straightforward:...
Podcast Episode 9 - Muramasa, Mario and More!
Four contributors. Three exclusive interviews. One unstoppable podcasting force
Slightly delayed but bigger and better than ever, it's the ninth episode of the Nintendo Life podcast. Weighing in at a massive forty minutes, it's got Rising Star Games answering your questions about Muramasa: The Demon Blade, Corbie Dillard telling you more about...
News Pearl Harbor Trilogy Shots Come In To Land
WiiWare dogfighting game squares up
Thanks to our chums over at Legendo we've got a few new screenshots of their upcoming aerial ace Pearl Harbor: Episode 1 - Red Sun Rising, the first part of their Pearl Harbor Trilogy expected to hit WiiWare within the next few months. The title seems to be coming nicely, with some pleasing detail on the planes...
