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 Academy: Checkers (DSiWare)
A smart move
Gamelion's proved itself adept in the DSiWare space, creating portable versions of board or pen and paper games — Extreme Hangmen and Academy: Tic-Tac-Toe are examples — and its latest effort is Academy: Checkers. Checkers — or draughts to some of you — is a game most people know how to play already, removing the need for a...
News Final Wii U Form to Be Shown At E3 2012
Changes planned?
The Wii U reveal at E3 2011 probably didn't go quite as Nintendo had hoped, with some confusion over exactly what the console is and how it works. Nintendo president Satoru Iwata is keen not to make that mistake again though, and has revealed the console will be shown off in its "final format" at next year's E3. That could...
News Iwata: We Want 3DS Sales to Show Consoles are Here to Stay
President comes out swinging
One of the most anticipated 3DS games is nearly here: Super Mario 3D Land releases in Japan next week, and Nintendo president Satoru Iwata expects it to ignite 3DS hardware sales. Speaking to investors after the company's quarterly results, Iwata revealed that since the price drop the 3DS is selling at a better pace than...
News Iwata Reveals Big New Improvements for eShop
DLC, web, demos and more
At the recent financial briefing, Nintendo president Satoru Iwata discussed plenty of interesting new ideas to evolve the company's online strategy, revealing some big initiatives. Extra downloadable content for games will be available to game developers after the late November system update, letting studios and publishers...
News Nintendo's Latest 3DS Global Release Schedule
Not many surprises
After releasing its quarterly results, Nintendo always likes to share its upcoming games for the next few months. With the critical Christmas period fast approaching, here's the company's first party line-up for Japan, the United States and Europe. Western fans will note there's nothing in these lists we didn't already know...
News Rhythm Heaven Wii Still Alive and On Course for the West
Picks up a new name
The tentative name for Rhythm Heaven on Wii may have just been discarded, as the latest Nintendo release schedule has rechristened the upcoming beat 'em up (that's a pun.) The official title for the North American release now seems to be Rhythm Heaven Fever, though it's spelt "RHYTHEM HEAVEN FEVER" in the document. It's...
News Go Beyond the Labyrinth With New 3D Screenshots
RPG gets Japanese date
Konami just revealed a release date for gorgeous 3DS RPG Beyond the Labyrinth, and bundled in a load of new 3D screenshots too. The game — developed by experienced RPG studio tri-Ace — will reach Japan on 19th January, and follows a mysterious and anonymous white-haired girl as she chances upon an ancient sealed magic...
News Colourful European 3DS Bundles Look Like This
It's good to know what to expect
The newly announced Ice White and Coral Pink 3DS consoles look nice enough on their own, but it's the retail packaging that really shines. The pink console in particular has some of the cutest artwork we've ever seen for a Nintendo console, decked out in puppies and kittens and a pink box. Ice White is slightly less...
News Mario and Sonic Have a Valentine's Day Date
Look away, kids
SEGA's continuing to support the 3DS strongly with an array of new and revamped games, and the famous publisher has just rubber-stamped release dates for some of its games due in the coming months. Here's the full list: Shinobi — 11th November (Europe), 15th November (North America)Sonic Generations — 22nd November (North...
News Swimming, Cycling and Spin Attacks in Mario and Sonic Trailer
It gets weirder
The first screenshots of Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games did indeed blow minds and collapse worlds: from dinosaurs riding horses to Sonic the Hedgehog taking part in a walking race, there were truly incredible scenes. This next trailer can't quite match it, but makes a good effort anyway. Events new to the series...
News You Don't Just Play as Mario in Super Mario 3D Land
Back to the land of intrigue once more
There's still a lot of mystery surrounding Super Mario 3D Land — remember the Luigi statue spotted in the enormous panoramic artwork? It seemed to hint at an appearance from the nervous brother in Mario's next adventure. While we think you can probably see where we're going with this, our next sentence may...
Nintendo Download 27th October 2011 (North America)
Blocks, burgers and board games
3DS owners are best catered-for this week, with releases on the portable Virtual Console and some brand new software too. WiiWare fans get a 1000 Point offering and DSi fans can play checkers or go trick or treating. Here's the full list. 3DS Download Software: Pyramids (Enjoy Gaming, $3.99) — A neat 3D homage to...
News DS Family Nears 150m Worldwide Hardware Sales
Still going strong
After celebrating 50 million DS consoles sold in the United States, Nintendo's venerable dual-screened handheld is closing in on another milestone: 150m units sold around the globe. The company's latest financial results show the system sitting on 149m consoles sold since its release in 2004 to the end of September 2011. Software...
News 3DS Hardware Sales Show Big Improvements
Not all doom and gloom
Nintendo just posted a 70 billion Yen loss: even the least economically minded of us can tell you that's not good. Every cloud has a silver lining though, and in this case it's the dramatically increased upswing in sales of the 3DS. In the period between April and June 2011, Nintendo shifted just 710,000 consoles around the...
News Nintendo Posts 70 Billion Yen Net Loss in Past Quarter
The results are in
Nintendo's quarterly financial results just appeared on the company's Japanese site and, as expected, the company is still struggling in the market. Nintendo failed to meet its sales targets set in July 2011, with DS software and the 3DS still dropping short of expectations, missing its ¥240 billion income target by 10%. This in...
News Nintendo America Creates New DSi XL Bundles For You
We hope you like Mario
Just because 3DS is out doesn't mean the DSi XL is totally dead: Nintendo knows it's onto a good thing with the giant-sized handheld, and has put together two new hardware bundles for North America for the holidays. The packs are available in Metallic Rose or Midnight Blue and both come with a free copy of Mario vs. Donkey...
News You'll Be Tickled Pink with New 3DS Deal, Europe
The colours keep flowing
Don't want a 3DS in Cosmos Black, Aqua Blue, Metallic Red or the newly-revealed Ice White colour? How about a Coral Pink console? As if wanting to suck every available penny in Europe, the console launches on 18th November – the same day as the Ice White 3DS, The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword, Super Mario 3D Land and the...
News Europe Feels the Chill of Ice White 3DS in December
Update: bundle delayed
Update: Nintendo has now told us the package will arrive two weeks later on 2nd December. We've revised the story below. The array of 3DS colours just keeps on growing: after the recent Metallic Red console hit Europe, we now have confirmation that the Ice White machine is on the way too. The console launches in a bundle with...
News Nano Assault Trailer Shoots to Thrill
Have a blast
Just checking: is Shin'en Multimedia's Nano Assault still one of the best looking games on 3DS? Yes, yes it is. That's good, then. The new trailer for the game — out in North America on 22nd November for just $29.99 — shows off more of the same fantastic graphics we've come to expect from Shin'en. The accompanying press release also...
News We Like These Tiny Pinball Tables and Arcade Cabinets
Flipping cool
Nintendo curiosities often fascinate, and these tiny replica arcade cabinets and pinball tables certainly fit the bill. The 1/12th scale models available to buy at Retro Heart includes classic Nintendo titles like Donkey Kong Jr., Mario Bros. and plenty more. Each model is individually hand-made, with glossy vinyl graphics and little
News ThruSpace Slides Through the 3DS eShop Keyhole
A game about fitting in
WiiWare's ThruSpace is in line for a 3DS eShop update, as a sequel has just hit the Japanese download service. The trailer below shows what to expect, but anyone familiar with the WiiWare original should already have a pretty good idea: you fit different shapes through holes. The translation of the Japanese genre is...
Nintendo Download 27th October 2011 (Europe)
Trick or treat?
With the most frightful night of the year just around the corner, Nintendo of Europe has put together a platter of mysterious gifts. Will they be sweet as candy or as welcome as rotten eggs through your letterbox? Time to find out. 3DS Virtual Console: BurgerTime Deluxe (Game Boy, G-mode, £2.70/€3) — No doubt in anticipation of...
News Classic Courses Captured in Mario Kart 7 Stills
Balloons at the ready
It's no surprise that Mario Kart 7 features courses from previous games, but now you can race by land, air and sea some past tracks might work a little differently. In the new shots below we've got some aerial action in Mario Kart Wii's Mushroom Gorge, the return of Balloon Battle in a Super Mario Kart-inspired battle stage and...
News New Monsters and Weapons Ahoy in Monster Hunter 3 G Video
A new twist on old favourites
Monster Hunter 3 G looks good in screenshots, but it looks even better in the video below. We already knew that new monsters would appear, but the trailer also shows off variants on some of Monster Hunter 3 (~Tri)'s most fearsome challenges: there's a purple Jhen Moran and a white Lagiacrus for starters, as well as a...
