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 Harvest Moon: Tale of Two Towns Comes with Fluffy Surprise
Hint: it's an alpaca
Natsume's next farming adventure is nearly ready to sprout in North America, with Harvest Moon: The Tale of Two Towns coming to DS on 20th September. As is par for the course, the publisher is offering a special pre-order bonus to anyone who puts down money for the game at Gamestop: a cuddly alpaca, celebrating the grazing...
News Inflatable Wii Karts Finally Blow Up In Europe
What you've been missing!
Oh, Nintendo. When you created the Wii Remote and wowed us with its universal applications — a tennis racquet! A chopping knife! A fishing rod! — did you have any idea you'd just opened the Pandora's Box of appalling accessories? In the years Wii has been on the market we've seen exercise bikes, lightsaber holsters and...
Nintendo Download 25th August 2011 (North America)
Watched over by the Gargoyle
This week in the Nintendo Download there's something new available for almost every downloadable platform, with 3DSWare the only thing missing out. There's even a WiiWare demo, so without any further hesitation let's bring you the rundown. 3DS Virtual Console: Gargoyle's Quest (Game Boy, Capcom, $3.99) — Play as...
News New Kirby Wii Shots Brighten Up Our Day
See his return to Dreamland
Good old Kirby, always getting along with everyone for the good of the world. That's surely the reason he's teaming up with King Dedede, Meta Knight and Waddle Dee in Kirby's Return to Dreamland, coming to Wii in North America on 24th October. Nintendo just released some suitably colourful new screenshots of the pink...
News Rhythm Heaven Wii & 3DS Take Japan Chart Top Spots
A good week
Last week 3DS sales leapt in Japan after the console dropped from 25,000 Yen to 15,000 Yen, and it's still ruling the roost this week according to Media Create's figures. The console sold 105,639 units to sit pretty at the top of the chart, outselling all other consoles combined. It was still a sharp decline from the previous week...
News Telltale Bringing Back to the Future Wii to Retail
More games to follow
Way back last year we broke the news that Back to the Future would not make it to WiiWare, but Telltale has just announced an agreement with Nintendo of America that will see the series reach Wii after all. Back to the Future: The Game will contain all the episodes available digitally on other platforms, and will see release on...
News Metal Slug-Style Action From Cinemax Coming to DSiWare
Go Commando: Steel Disaster
SNK's revered Metal Slug series has already made one stop on DS in the form of Metal Slug 7, but there's been no downloadable outing for Marco and crew. While that's not looking likely to change, Cinemax is getting ready to transfer retail game Commando: Steel Disaster across to DSiWare later this year. The run-and-gun...
News Rune Factory: Tides of Destiny Crashes In Next Month
North American date confirmed
Natsume has revealed that the the long-awaited second Wii entry in the Rune Factory series, Rune Factory: Tides of Destiny, will see the light of day in North America on 27th September. The Rune Factory spin-off from the popular Harvest Moon series combines farming elements with more traditional role-playing features,...
News Japan Gets Cool Zelda-Themed Prepaid Cards
Grab the Skyward Sword
Over in Japan, Nintendo releases all kinds of themed cards for its digital stores, from Mario and Link eShop cards to a new range of Zelda 25th Anniversary eShop cards. The cards each focus on a different game, from Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time to the latest design promoting Skyward Sword. Each costs 1,000 Yen. There's a...
News SEGA's New 3DS Rhythm Game Has the Best Name Ever
Are you ready?
SEGA's supporting 3DS with some of its well-known franchises — Sonic Generations and Shinobi, for instance — but the company is preparing to unleash a brand new series on the console with one of the greatest game names we've ever heard. Are you ready? According to Famitsu, SEGA's readying Rhythm Phantom Thief R: Inheritance of the...
News Sonic 4: Episode II Not Due Until 2012
Will it still hit WiiWare?
Sonic Team head Takashi Iizuka has revealed that the follow-up to 2010 platformer Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 1 won't launch until 2012 at the earliest. Iizuka cited the anniversary celebrations surrounding Sonic Generations as one of the reasons we won't see the 2D game until next year: This year, 2011, is the...
News Let's Create! Pottery on DSiWare This Week
Demi Moore nowhere in sight
We've seen tattooing in Art of Ink, music creation in Rytmik and cosmetics in Make Up & Style, but DSiWare's appetite for unusual games is insatiable. Surely Infinite Dreams' Thursday release Let's Create! Pottery will go some way to plugging a hole, though. The 500 Point title promises "eye-catching gorgeous 3D...
News Kirby Makes His Return to Dreamland on 24th October
Take a deep breath
Wii owners in North America, you don't have to wait until Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword is out on 20th November to play something new for your console: Kirby's Return to Dreamland is coming on 24th October. The four-player romp also be playable at the Penny Arcade Expo this week, so if you're in the Seattle area you can go...
News Nintendo Brings Big Name Games to PAX This Week
Mario, Zelda and more on show
If you're on your way to PAX in Seattle this week, there's good news: you'll be able to get your hands on some of the biggest games heading to Nintendo consoles later this year. Attendees will be able to play Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword, Super Mario 3D Land and Mario Kart 7 among others. Saturday August 27th will see...
News More Xenoblade Chronicles Let's Play Videos Join the Fray
See more of the RPG everyone's talking about
Xenoblade Chronicles landed in the UK charts in seventh place, but if you've not been convinced to pick it up yet — or if you've had trouble locating it — a new set of Let's Play videos hits the game's official YouTube channel this week. One new video launches today, while a second lands on Thursday...
Rumour Nintendo Readying Big Announcement Next Month
What could it be?
According to a collection of rumours rounded-up by Andriasang, Nintendo will make a big announcement on 13th September. A Japanese analyst told Bloomberg that Nintendo share prices had increased on the back of reports of a 3DS-related event to take place on 13th September, two days before the Tokyo Games Show where Nintendo once...
Rumour Nintendo Preparing Dual Analogue 3DS Revamp
Add-on for current consoles too
French site 01net has sparked up another intense round of rumour milling with its latest rumour that Nintendo is currently preparing to unveil a new design of the Nintendo 3DS. 01net's anonymous source claims the company will show off a new version of the console that downplays the 3D aspects and introduces a second...
News New Wii is No Smaller Than Before
Just cheaper
The new look Wii console will lose GameCube compatibility, which prompted some to presume the console will be more compact, but Nintendo has revealed the console is exactly the same size as its predecessor. The Nintendo website listed the box contents, and specifically states: The newly configured Wii console retains the same physical...
News Nintendo eShop Cards Make it Down Under
Slowly spreading out
Australian outlets of EB Games have started stocking eShop cards for the 3DS, with Mario and Zelda-themed cards now available. As with Nintendo Points, you can use these new cards on the Wii Shop Channel, DSi Shop or 3DS eShop, though the points can't be distributed between the three: you must put the full value into one of...
News Xenoblade Chronicles Assaults UK Top 10
In at seven
In a turn-up for the books, Japanese RPG Xenoblade Chronicles has sold well enough to make it to seventh place in the official UK charts. It wasn't the only Nintendo title to make it into the top 10 though: Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D continued its post-3DS price cut rise up the charts to make it to number 4, its highest position...
Nintendo Download 25th August 2011 (Europe)
Three new titles
A trio of games round out August in Europe, with something on DSiWare, WiiWare and the 3DS Virtual Console as the Wii's Virtual Console drought continues. Here's what's dropping in this week. 3DS Virtual Console: Gargoyle's Quest (Game Boy, Capcom, €4/£3.60) — The ugly gargoyle appears on Virtual Console in this 2D adventure...
News Super Smash Bros. Dices with Fan-Made Board Game
For when a console won't cut it
Taking all the action of Super Smash Bros. Brawl and turning into a board game is no easy proposition, but that's exactly what one fan has done to prove his skills. James Gabbard is the man responsible for this complicated but awesome-looking Super Smash Bros. Board game, put together to support his application for an...
News Check Your 3DS Ambassador Status Now, North America
The toolbox is open
Let's get to it: theNintendo 3DS Ambassador program tool for North America is now open and ready to assert if you're in the free games promotion or not. Click the link above and enter your 3DS console's serial number to find out if you're enrolled. Some users have reported you need to leave off the final digit from your serial...
News Dr. Lautrec Solves the Riddle of the New Trailer
It was in the kitchen with the candlestick
Konami's story puzzler Dr. Lautrec and the Forgotten Knights may have missed its summer release — according to Nintendo's 2011 release schedule, it's now down for November — but it's still looking like another interesting addition to the 3DS software line-up. We now have a fresh new trailer from...
