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 SEGA Europe Closes Five Offices, Shifts Focus to Digital
Sea change
SEGA Europe has closed regional offices in Spain, Germany, France, Benelux and Australia as it changes focus from retail to digital. SEGA Europe will now shift its priorities to developing new and existing digital content while its retail games will stick to established IP like Sonic the Hedgehog, Aliens, Football Manager and Total War,...
Nintendo Download 28th June 2012 (North America)
Monkeys, marvels and more
Some quality original content on 3DS and DSi reaches North America this week, with two free demos to pick up as well. Here's what's out this week. Nintendo 3DS Download Software: Marvel Pinball 3D (Zen Studios, $7.99, 661 blocks) — Take four Marvel-themed tables for a spin in Zen Studios' follow-up to its very good Zen...
News Try New Super Mario Bros. 2 at Games Britannia Next Week
Go for gold
UK video game celebration Games Britannia will be the first opportunity for fans to try out New Super Mario Bros. 2 on Nintendo 3DS. Nintendo is bringing the platformer to Sheffield next week as part of its Nintendo Unleashed tour, alongside Kid Icarus: Uprising and 'quirky' (to say the least) Wii title Beat the Beat: Rhythm Paradise...
News Heroes of Ruin Demo Hits North America Next Week
Out 5th July
North American 3DS owners can try out upcoming action adventure Heroes of Ruin with a free demo on 5th July. The trial will be playable in single-player or multiplayer, both on and offline, and serves as a neat introduction to n-Space's ambitious 3DS game. If you're keen to know more, check out our Heroes of Ruin review for details.
News Pokémon Black and White 2 Hits the West in October
7th for North America, 12th for Europe
DS owners will be able to return to Unova in October when Pokémon Black and White 2 launches in the West. The sequel lands in North America on 7th October and follows in Europe just five days later on 12th October. As well as new Formes of legendary Pokémon, there are several new features in this sequel. At...
News 3DS XL Will Get Its Own Circle Pad Pro
All in good time
Annoyed the 3DS XL won't support the standard Circle Pad Pro? Don't worry, the machine will get its own peripheral later this year. Satoru Iwata told shareholders that Nintendo will release an attachment for the larger machine later on in the year, but didn't share any more details like price, size or how hard it'd be hit with the...
News Go! Go! Kokopolo 3D Is A Space Recipe For Disaster
No really, that's its name
We told you earlier that CIRCLE Entertainment is publishing Tanukii Studios' upcoming eShop game Go! Go! Kokopolo 3D, and now we've got the first details straight from developer Tanukii Studios. Officially titled Go! Go! Kokopolo 3D - Space Recipe for Disaster (an even better subtitle than its predecessor's "Harmonious...
News CIRCLE Bringing Go! Go! Kokopolo 3D to eShop
Cat scratch fever
CIRCLE Entertainment's prolific output continues with no fewer than 21 titles on the way to the 3DS eShop and DSi Shop in the coming months. One of the most interesting titles is Go! Go! Kokopolo 3D: Space Recipe for Disaster by Tanukii Studios, a follow-up to DSiWare stand-out Go! Go! Kokopolo. We've approached Tanukii for more...
News Pokémon Conquest Reaches Europe on 27th July
To arms!
Monster mash Pokémon Conquest is already available in Japan, North America and Australia, but European fans can get in on the tactical action in a month when the game hits on 27th July. The combination of Pokémon and Nobunaga's Ambition favours a more strategic flavour of battle, teaming up monsters with Japanese warlords to unite the...
News Escape the Swarm on DSiWare This Week
Viral survival
Teyon's maintaining its formidable DSiWare output ratio with Escape the Virus: Swarm Survival out in North America this week. The 200 Point download asks you to form the longest DNA chain you can while dodging harmful viruses in Normal mode, or offers a Baby mode where you simply cart the DNA pieces to safety. WiiWare veterans may...
News Iwata: Wii U Won't Repeat 3DS Price Mistake
Breaking: Pope commits to Catholicism
Nintendo president Satoru Iwata assured everyone looking forward to the Wii U launch that it won't be a repeat of the 3DS's high-priced launch debacle. As we all remember, 3DS sales stalled at its original price point, with the system's fortunes only improving after a significant price drop in August 2011...
News Pokémon Black & White 2 Sells 1.6m in Two Days
Still big in Japan
Pokémon Black & White 2 landed in Japan on Saturday 23rd June and racked up an astonishing 1,618,621 sales across the country in its first weekend. It's the fastest-selling game of the year, the first 2012 game on any platform to pass 1m sales and the third fastest-selling DS game of all time. It's a big drop-off in sales...
News What? The Pokémon Global Link Website is Evolving!
Hum the music
Popular Pokémon destination Pokémon Global Link has just received a new lick of paint and brand new features, ahead of the release of Pokémon Black & White 2 later this year. The site now includes a Global Trade Station for observing Pokémon trades and new statistics for you to pore over, such as which country is home to the...
News Nintendo Serves Up Mario Tennis History Infographic
One love
This week sees the start of Wimbledon, and with Mario Tennis Open only a month old Nintendo's combined the two in infographic format. The official series history starts from 3D sports game Mario's Tennis and ends with... 3D sports game Mario Tennis Open. Weird. It's a bit confusing, though: it mentions Mario Tennis in 2004, presumably...
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...
Nintendo Download 28th June 2012 (Europe)
Marvel Pinball and more
A motley group of superheroes headlines this week's Nintendo Download, but there's also the second week of the store's anniversary if you're after a bargain. Here's what's up this week. eShop: Marvel Pinball 3D (Zen Studios, £6.30/€7) — The follow-up to the successful (and rather good) Zen Pinball 3D, this brings with...
News Sonic the Hedgehog Turns 21 Today
Finally a grown man
SEGA's loveable blue mascot reaches another milestone today, celebrating his 21st anniversary. On this day in 1991 SEGA unleashed Sonic the Hedgehog on North America. His speed and spectacular stunts made him an original, and players took him to their hearts. Nearly 50 games and over 80 million sales later, Sonic's still here...
News Bigger Nintendo 3DS Console Revealed
Updated with battery life, dimensions
Nintendo will release a bigger Nintendo 3DS console later this year. The new console offers a 4.88" top screen, and the total viewing area on the top and bottom screens has increased by a massive 90%. According to Nintendo, it's the biggest screen ever available on a handheld Nintendo console, but the...
News New Super Mario Bros. 2 Trailer is Informative
Gold standard
After years of competing, it looks like Mario's finally realised that Sonic's better. As New Super Mario Bros. 2 is all about the coins, one of Mario's new ways to earn gold is turning enemies into coins. How does he do this? By grabbing a gold ring, of course. A sneaky hat-tip to Mario's great rival or an out-and-out admission that...
News Professor Layton and the Miracle Mask Teaser Trailer
Hats off
Professor Layton and the Miracle Mask is coming to Europe and North America later this year, and we have a teaser trailer to show more of Herschel and Luke's adventures. It's worth watching not just for the always impeccable animation quality and atmosphere, but because you get to see a young Herschel Layton without his trademark top hat...
News A Very Short Pokémon Black & White 2 Teaser Trailer
Blink and yo- oh it's already finished
Are you ready for 20-something seconds of gameplay from Pokémon Black & White 2? Let's do this. Nintendo put out the most teasing of teaser trailers during its Nintendo Direct conference, but now you can watch it at your leisure to pick out the new gym leaders and areas that make up the sequel. The...
News North American Nintendo Direct Round-Up (22nd June)
Quick shots
Didn't catch the most recent Nintendo Direct show? Let us summarise everything for you. Nintendo 3DS XL: After plenty of speculation, Nintendo revealed a bigger 3DS. The 3DS XL hits North America on 19th August for $199.99 in red or blue, and comes with a 4GB card.
News New Animal Crossing 3DS Trailer Straight from Japan
Serene mode engaged
Angry that Animal Crossing won't reach Europe until 2013 and North America until... well, who knows when? Watch this new Japanese trailer for the game and all your stress might just melt away or, perhaps, become more strongly amplified. The video shows tonnes of new touches like solar panels to install outside, new shops and...
News Super Smash Bros. 3DS and Wii U Powers Up with Namco
Dream team in place
We weren't expecting news on Super Smash Bros. today, but Nintendo surprised us with the revelation that Namco Bandai staff are working on the Wii U and 3DS game. While series supremo Masahiro Sakurai will still direct the new instalments, top staff from Namco Bandai will pitch in too: Masaya Kobayashi has pledged his "best...
