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.
News Pixel Nation Volume 2 Hits Stands
Bubbly bobbly
Independent retro games magazine Pixel Nation has just published its second issue, available in both physical and PDF form. This volume comes loaded with articles on topics as diverse as bizarre NES accessories — ever heard of the Miracle Piano? — and a look back at classic gaming year 1986, there's something for everyone,...
News What's Cuter Than Pikachu? A Crochet Pikachu, Of Course
But you knew that
Everything's cuter when it's knitted: take this Sonic Sackboy, for instance. Could it make Pokémon mascot Pikachu any cuter, though? Yes, as it turns out, it could. Serial knitster MaDonna — she of Game Boy gloves infamy — spun a yarn Pikachu from her own pattern. We don't know much about knitting, but we're willing to bet...
News Kid Icarus: Uprising Cards Out Now in UK
Tasty Panini
Panini and Nintendo want to fuel your thirst for all things Pit with a big collection of collectible cards for Kid Icarus: Uprising. UK fans can pick up a Starter Pack, including a binder and three card packs, for £5.99. Individual packs of cards will set you back £1.50 each. With 404 cards to collect it's probably best not to do the...
News 3DS XL and Upcoming Titles Head to Comic-Con
Mario and more
Nintendo will once again show off new games and hardware at Comic-Con International in San Diego this weekend. From 12th to 15th July attendees can try the new 3DS XL and upcoming titles like New Super Mario Bros. 2, Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon and Castlevania: Lords of Shadow — Mirror of Fate. There'll be no Wii U presence there,...
Nintendo Download 12th July 2012 (Europe)
Sparkles and frogs
This week's Nintendo Download is a metaphorical mixed bag, with 3DS add-on content and WiiWare sitting alongside weird eShop applications. Scan the list below for the full lowdown. 3DS Download Software: Sparkle Snapshots 3D (Nintendo, £4.50/€5) — Remember Sparkle Snapshots on DSiWare? How would you like a similar...
Out Today Beat the Beat: Rhythm Paradise (Europe)
Skip to the beat
Nearly five months after it hit North America, Beat the Beat: Rhythm Paradise lands in Europe today. The European release lets you choose between the English and Japanese soundtracks, a feature exclusive to Europe, but is otherwise unchanged from its North American release. If you're interested in some Wii-based rhythm, check out...
News Mario & Sonic eShop App Hits the UK
Scan this
Fancy a free app for your 3DS? Of course you do. Scan the QR code below and you can download the Mario and Sonic at the London Olympics 2012 Virtual Card Album for free. The app lets you collect themed cards based on Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games via SpotPass, StreetPass, connecting to Nintendo Zone hotspots or by...
Nintendo Download 5th July 2012 (North America)
8-bit summer starts
Nintendo of America kicks off its 8-bit Summer campaign this week with new 3DS Virtual Console games, plus there's a new Wii Virtual Console game and some eShop games too. 3DS Virtual Console: The Legend of Zelda (NES, Nintendo, $4.99, 49 blocks) — This game surely needs no introduction. See where it all started for Link and...
News Pink and Blue 3DS Consoles to Hit Taiwan and Hong Kong
Look on in envy
3DS is already available in Rose Pink and Aqua Blue in the West, but Nintendo has put together two new colours for Taiwan and Hong Kong: Cerulean Blue and Shimmer Pink. The two vibrant colours are very similar to the light blue and pink DSi consoles we saw a few years back. Feel free to ogle them but don't get too carried away:...
News History of Sonic Book Announced for North America
Start saving your rings
UDON Entertainment has revealed a huge History of Sonic hardback book for launch in North America this September. It's the same book as Pix'n Love Publishing announced for Europe, though it doesn't look like North America will get the cool embossed gold foil cover. The book itself spans nearly 300 pages and has been produced...
News Letter Box Update Adds Coloured Ink
At last
Popular message-swapper Nintendo Letter Box got an update today that lets you write and draw with coloured ink. European 3DS owners can simply scan the QR code below to go straight to the update, which adds five coloured inks to the free application: red, blue, green, purple and orange. Black remains an option too. To scan the QR code...
News Mighty Switch Force! HD Heading to Wii U eShop
Lick of paint
WayForward's eShop favourite Mighty Switch Force! is getting revamped for the Wii U's download store. Mighty Switch Force! HD is currently on course to launch alongside Wii U later this year, with all-new graphics akin to the hand-drawn style of Wii title A Boy and His Blob. It'll also include all the extra content recently released...
News New Documentary Tells The Last Story
Fan service
The Last Story finally hits North America this month, so it's a good time to learn a little more about the game's development. This documentary by French site Sidekick.fr explains more about Mistwalker's background, The Last Story's original concept as a much darker game called Lost World and more. It's well researched and slick, and...
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...
News Petit Computer Lets You Make Games on Your DSi and 3DS
Coming soon
Gamebridge has announced it's bringing DSiWare game creation software Petit Computer to North America this summer. The package serves as an introduction to the BASIC programming language that's powered games for decades. If you're not artistically inclined you can use the 512 pre-packed sprites and 256 backgrounds, or using the DSi's...
News Project X Zone Trailer is 10 Minutes of Chaos
And thirty seconds of clarity
Capcom-Namco-SEGA strategy RPG Project X Zone might not make sense just yet — we blame all that pesky Japanese writing and dialogue — but its blend of tactical turns-based battles and all-out chaos makes it fun to watch. The trailer below shows what the game looks like in action (though you'd probably already...
News July's Club Nintendo Rewards are Up
Rec-rec and tennis
While we don't know what the Platinum reward is for Club Nintendo members, we do know what games you can spend your Coins on in the coming weeks. Wii Virtual Console: Mario Tennis (Nintendo 64) — 150 Coins. Available until 22nd July. Read our Mario Tennis review to see if it's worth the coins. DSiWare: Electroplankton:...
News Here's the Monster Hunter 4 Trailer You Wanted
Beastly
Yesterday we told you about Monster Hunter 4's spring release in Japan, announced yesterday alongside a new trailer. This is that trailer. Like last year's Monster Hunter 4 concept video, this trailer shows off new terrain features, the ability to climb on monsters and destructible surroundings. It also teases new monsters alongside...
News Monster Hunter 4 Attacks Japan in Spring 2013
Take cover
Capcom's Summer Jam event has revealed a Spring 2013 release window for the much anticipated Monster Hunter 4. The 3DS-exclusive game includes brand new monsters as well as series mainstays Tigrex, Rathalos and Rathian, according to Andriasang. Capcom showed off a new trailer for the game but, as of the time of writing, it hasn't made it...
News Reef Calls In Real Heroes: Firefighter 3D this September
Use the hose
While the soggy British summer continues, 3DS owners in Europe will get the chance to experience some real heat in September as Reef announces Real Heroes: Firefighter 3D. The first-person action game gives you all a fireman's tools — hose, axe, saw and more — to rescue survivors and extinguish fires. Reef promises the game's...
News 3DS Leads Japanese Market to Year-on-Year Gains
Nintendo dominates home country
Strong performances from 3DS software and hardware saw the Japanese games market grow for the first time in two years. Between 26th December and 24th June, the Japanese market was worth 193.4 billion Yen, a 0.07% increase from 191.98bn over the same period last year. 63% of that figure came from software sales, up...
News EA Sports to Reveal Wii U Games Next Month
Madden-ing wait
EA Sports will lift the lid on its Wii U titles next month, says IGN. The publisher is hosting an open house in the middle of July where it will make Wii U-related announcements. Back in May EA Sports announced FIFA 13 for Wii U and at E3 2011 EA's John Riccitiello mused about Madden NFL on Wii U, so you can expect to hear details...
News Sabarasa's Protocol Changing Platforms from WiiWare
To don't-know-where
Looks like Sabarasa's ambitious first-person shooter Protocol won't make it to WiiWare after all. Sabarasa yesterday updated its site with this message: PROTOCOL TO BE RELEASED IN A NEW TO-BE-CONFIRMED PLATFORM For all those expecting Protocol for WiiWare, we announce that it will be released directly in a new to-be-confirmed...
News Nintendo of America Appoints New Digital Strategy Executive
Meet Duncan Orrell-Jones
To show it's serious about a digital future, Nintendo of America has created a role — senior vice president of network business — and appointed Duncan Orrell-Jones to the new position. Orrell-Jones will lead the company's digital strategy for 3DS and Wii U in North America, reporting directly to Nintendo of America...
