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.
Latest Reviews
Review Harvest Moon 3D: The Tale of Two Towns (3DS)
Come a cropper
Marvelous, Natsume and Rising Star Games certainly feel like they're onto a high-yield crop with Harvest Moon; Harvest Moon 3D: The Tale of Two Towns might be the first 3DS entry but it's the eighth HM game in five years. Any concerns that the creative well is running dry are understandable — after all, it's only farming — but...
Review Sonic Blast (3DS eShop / GG)
From the past, not a blast
Not to be confused with Sonic 3D Blast, Sonic Blast only really shares a fondness for rendered sprites with its 16-bit namesake, sticking to more mainline Sonic staples like running, spinning and grabbing Chaos Emeralds. The rendered sprites weren't particularly impressive back in 1996 and they don't stand up too well...
Limbless, but not limp
Rayman Origins has had a long trip to reach 3DS; it was supposed to be released in March, and while it's out now in Europe it won't make it to North America until November. Europeans can enjoy it in 3D for the first time, but if you've already played it on one of the myriad other platforms you might want to think twice before...
Review Devil Band - Rock the Underworld (DSiWare)
Ear piercing
If musicians really can save the world — Bob Geldof and Bono would both like you to believe they can — then it's a shame they couldn't do it in a game more interesting than Devil Band - Rock the Underworld. CIRCLE's latest essentially takes Plants vs. Zombies, robs it of its charm and adds in a lot more tapping. You control a metal...
Review Art of Balance TOUCH! (3DS eShop)
Art of brilliance
WiiWare puzzler Art of Balance is one of the best games on the service: instinctive and addictive, it made the well-worn act of stacking shapes feel fresh again. Now on the 3DS eShop, Art of Balance TOUCH! keeps the winning formula going. The premise to Art of Balance is simple. In each stage you're given blocks of various shapes,...
Review Sonic Labyrinth (3DS eShop / GG)
Maze craze
Failed game pitches from the 1990s: Madden without the ball. Mario without the jumping. Sonic without the speed. Except someone at SEGA must have thought the last one was a good idea, and gave Minato Giken the go-ahead to develop Sonic Labyrinth for Game Gear. As the story goes, Dr. Robotnik has tricked Sonic into wearing special shoes...
Review Super Hang-On (Wii Virtual Console / Virtual Console Arcade)
Winning run
Name a SEGA arcade racer from the 1980s. Now name one that isn't Out Run. Chances are you've come up with Super Hang-On (or maybe Power Drift if you're really trying), the motorbike racer that's the Pepsi to Out Run's Coke. The fact it's taken SEGA five years to bring Super Hang-On game to the Western Virtual Console is a big surprise,...
Review Super Street Fighter II (Wii Virtual Console / Mega Drive)
Online, but off-base?
It's taken five and a half years for an online Street Fighter game to reach Wii. In that time, Xbox 360 and PS3 owners have had five different SF online titles — six, if you count Super Street Fighter IV: Arcade Edition. Heck, even 3DS has Super Street Fighter IV: 3D Edition. Wii owners, for their sins, get an online-enabled...
Review Samurai Shodown IV (Neo Geo)
Another victoly
It's only taken 18 months since Samurai Shodown III for the fourth instalment, Samurai Shodown IV, to reach Virtual Console in Europe. As part of something of a Neo Geo resurgence following King of Fighters '97, Sam Sho IV is another strong addition to VC's fighter library. SSIV takes the basic three strengths of slash from its pre
Life and soul
Nintendo's never been afraid to capitalise on the success of its franchises or, as some would say, beat its successful games to within an inch of their lives. Who knew when the very first Mario Party hit N64 in 1998 that, 14 years later, we'd be staring at the 11th — 12th if you count Mario Party-e — instalment in the series? After...
Latest Feature Articles
Feature James's Favourite Nintendo Life Moments
Trip through time
As you might have seen earlier this week, our esteemed editor James Newton is leaving Nintendo Life to take up a new job at Nintendo of Europe. Here he picks some of his favourite moments of the past four-and-a-half years at Nintendo Life. Being Recognised: Let's face it, this was always going to be first. I wouldn't say I ever...
Feature Bizarre Emails Sent to Nintendo Life - Volume 5
The final frontier
Since our last Bizarre Emails Sent to Nintendo Life — Volume 4 the number of idiotic missives reaching our inbox has drastically decreased. Perhaps it's due to the fear of being shamed so publicly, or maybe stupidity is a finite resource and the world is running out. Missed a previous round-up of dumbness? Catch up! Bizarre...
Feature Bizarre Nintendo Life Search Results - Volume 2
"But I still haven't found what I'm looking for..."
In November 2011 we brought you a sample of the most bizarre Nintendo Life search results, and now we're over halfway through the year (and our current editor ready to leave) we think it's time to dive into the log files again to bring you more oddball ideas that have all brought users to Nintendo...
Game of the Month June 2012 - Pokémon Conquest
Conquers all
June wasn't a great month for game releases it must be said, but the long-awaited arrival of Pokémon Conquest netted it our Game of the Month award in June. A blend of Japanese strategy series Nobunaga's Ambition and Nintendo's beloved pocket monsters, it straddles the middle ground between the two RPG approaches, creating something...
First Impressions New Super Mario Bros. U
Mushroom magic?
It's OK to say you were disappointed that New Super Mario Bros. U is Wii U's first Super Mario game. You may have wanted something groundbreaking like Super Mario 64, and Nintendo revealed a shinier, sharper version of a Wii game from 2009. You're entitled to be disappointed. Your excitement for Mario's next home adventure all...
First Impressions Nintendo Land's Multiplayer Games
Wii U's main attraction
Nintendo Land is lots of fun. In some ways it's exactly the kind of fun you had when you played Wii Sports for the first time, regularly erupting into laughter and occasional curses when things don't go your way. It didn't look much on stage at E3, but Nintendo's right to put its faith in the game's ability to communicate...
E3 2012 Nintendo's 3DS Software Showcase Live
What will we see?
Nintendo's hosting a 3DS software showcase to spend more time talking about its range of upcoming 3DS games. And you know what? We're going to be covering it live right on this very page. It all kicks off at 6pm Pacific — that's 9pm Eastern and 2am UK time. Don't forget the comments will automatically refresh so kick back,...
Talking Point Reviewing Nintendo's E3 Press Conference
7/10?
The dust has settled on Nintendo's E3 2012 press conference. Here in the Nintendo Life offices the pizza boxes have been pushed to one side and we've taken a few minutes to collect our thoughts and summarise how we think it went. James Newton, editor: I wouldn't say this was a classic show for Nintendo — a lot of the right components were...
E3 2012 Watch the Nintendo Press Conference Live Here
It's nearly time
The most exciting day of the gaming year is nearly upon us. Nintendo's E3 2012 press conference kicks off on Tuesday 5th June. Thanks to the magic of the internet, you'll be able to watch the whole show right here, so bookmark this page and come back on Tuesday. Can't say fairer than that, can you? If you can't watch ustream for...
Reaction Tom and James Discuss the Big 3DS Rumour
Sizing it up
If Nikkei is right, tomorrow we'll see a 3DS console redesign as Nintendo unveils a 3DS console with a 4.5" screen, 1.5 times bigger than the current model. Our editor James Newton and features editor Tom Whitehead — yes, they of the Nintendo Life podcast! — sat down in video form to chat about what the rumour could mean for...
Latest News Articles
News Dragon Quest X Advert is a Call to Arms
In Japanese
Dragon Quest X will no doubt storm the Japanese charts with or without any advertising, but that hasn't stopped Square Enix putting together a cutesy trailer showing off the enemies and action in store. Japanese players can pick up the MMO from 2nd August, with a particularly snazzy black Wii Dragon Quest X bundle on sale too. The game...
News Limber Up for Decathlon 2012 on 26th July
In time for the opening ceremony
Cinemax is ready to wrap up its sporting summer with Decathlon 2012 in Europe and North America on 26th July, the day before the London 2012 Olympic Games' opening ceremony. The DSiWare download mimics the official decathlon events — that's 100 metres, long jump, shot put, high jump, 400 metres, 110 metre hurdles,...
News Mega Man is Going to Blast 3DS Virtual Console
In Japan at least
NES classic Mega Man is coming to the 3DS Virtual Console in Japan next week. The Blue Bomber's legendary 8-bit adventure lands in Japan on 18th July for 500 Yen — around £3.99 or $6.30 — but expect the pricing to be slightly different when it reaches the West. If you're interested in playing some Mega Man on the go but...
News Nintendo 3DS Sales Pass 5 Million in U.S.
Zelda goes gold too
Nintendo of America sold over 155,000 3DS consoles in June to take the system's total U.S. sales past the five million mark. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D managed to squeak past the one million mark inside a year, joining Super Mario 3D Land and Mario Kart 7 at the top of the sales tree. Those three titles have sold...
News Picross E Rated for Australian eShop
So you know what that means
Fans of numbers and colouring in boxes, rejoice: it looks like Picross E is finally leaving Japan. The Australian Classification Board has rated the eShop game, which says to us it'll come to PAL regions in the coming months or, if we're really lucky, weeks. The last we heard of the Jupiter-developed puzzle game was...
News Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed 3DS Out 16th November
Wii U date "to be confirmed"
Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed on 3DS has a confirmed release date for Europe: 16th November. The SEGA racer is still on course for release on Wii U but its release date is still to be confirmed by the publisher. Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed features characters and courses from classic SEGA franchises...
News Gold Boo and More in New Super Mario Bros. 2 Trailer
It's raining coins
New power-ups and freshly minted enemies make their appearances in this New Super Mario Bros. 2 trailer, straight from Nintendo. A gold Boo, gold Bullet and Banzai Bills and more all appear to dole out cash, helping you to your target of one million gold coins. The Mini and Mega Mushrooms return, and now we can finally answer...
Nintendo Download 12th July 2012 (North America)
8-bit summer heats up
Two 3DS Virtual Console games plus new titles on WiiWare, DSiWare, Virtual Console and the eShop make another very strong week for the Nintendo Download in North America. Here's what's going live today. 3DS Virtual Console: Kirby's Pinball Land (Game Boy, Nintendo, $3.99) — The little pink ball makes the most of his rotund...
News Secret Third-Party Wii U Games Under Wraps Until Autumn
More in the pipeline
Nintendo president Satoru Iwata has revealed we'll see brand new third-party Wii U games later this year when Nintendo reveals the console's price and release date. Iwata told The Independent that while we've seen some of the machine's third-party line-up, there's more to see: I think some of these projects have already been...
News Europe's Club Nintendo Gets Real-Life Mario Kart Trophies
The race is on
You might not be a real-life Mario Kart medallist like some people, but that doesn't mean you can't have a little silverware of your own to put on display. Europe's Club Nintendo just updated with three snazzy Mario Kart trophies — Shell, Leaf and Special — at just 5,000 Stars each. They're miniature versions of the trophies...
