Author Profile
- Username
- Ron_DelVillano
- Articles
- 228 (182 reviews)
- First Article
- Fri 13th, August 2010
- Avg. Review Score
- 5.9
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First Impressions Getting Down with Shantae: Half-Genie Hero
Don’t call it a reboot
Among the indie stars that have graced Nintendo platforms over the years, it's easy to say that WayForward's Shantae is one of the most recognizable. Despite playing the lead role in only three games over the past decade, the scantily clad genie has managed to dance her way into the hearts of so many gamers
Mario Memories Mastering Super Mario World Across the Years
"We never got tired of Super Mario World, we only got better"
In this series of articles celebrating the upcoming 30th Anniversary of Super Mario, various members of the Nintendo Life extended family will share their memories and thoughts on the iconic franchise. This time we have our reviewer, contributor and all-round swell guy Ron DelVillano...
News MOTHER 2 Vinyl Soundtrack Heading West
North America bound
Back in March we reported on a Kickstarter campaign aimed at bringing the original arranged Mother soundtrack to vinyl for the first time in North America. The campaign smashed its target funding goal and the project is now well on its way to completion. In a surprise announcement made earlier today, it was revealed that Ship to...
Review Swords & Darkness (3DS eShop)
Alone in the darkness
Side-scrolling hack and slash games fall into a tricky genre. It's such a simple concept at its core, but it can easily be ruined by something as basic as poor controls or lack of originality. Swords & Darkness, the latest in the genre to make its way to the 3DS eShop, is an unfortunate example of what happens when little...
Review LEGO Jurassic World (3DS)
Don't go into the long grass
In case you've been living under a rock or have been crystallized in amber for millions of years, a new film in the Jurassic Park series has been unleashed into the world. As has been the case with so many film franchises before it, this release also brings along with it a LEGO video game adaptation. Welcome to the 3DS...
News The Legend of Zelda: Symphony of the Goddesses Master Quest World Tour Gets Extended
The journey continues with more dates
Without a doubt, The Legend of Zelda series has some of the most iconic music in video gaming history. As such, it's no surprise that Symphony of the Goddesses - a concert series that aims to bring exactly that music to life - would still be touring years after its initial conception, with no signs of slowing...
Interview Amy Andersson on Conducting the Symphony of the Goddesses
"Audience reaction has been phenomenal"
Earlier this year, we had the opportunity to be part of the audience for the Seattle, WA performance of Symphony of the Goddesses: Master Quest. Since then, the concert has toured across parts of America, Europe, and Canada, now continuing its journey across the United States and back to Europe to finish out...
Review Comic Workshop 2 (3DS eShop)
Back to the drawing board
With its built-in touchscreen and dual display, it's no surprise that the Nintendo 3DS is host to a plethora of applications and games based around drawing and creating. Comic Workshop, an application focused on the premise of creating pages for manga comics, is just one example from the selection of well-received products...
News Comic Workshop 2 Releases Next Week in NA and EU
Discounted drawing for owners of the original
Creative applications are no stranger to the Nintendo 3DS, but with its built-in touchscreen and ability to export images via SD card, this should come as no surprise. Recognizing and taking advantage of the portable's potential, Collavier Corporation has already released both Comic Workshop and Painting...
Review Samurai Defender (3DS eShop)
Five Samurai
CIRCLE Entertainment and the Nintendo 3DS eShop go hand in hand. Boasting nearly 50 titles with its name attached as either a publisher or developer, seeing a CIRCLE game pop up on the eShop update list has become the norm. With so many to its name, it's no surprise that CIRCLE's games run the gamut from top-notch to downright terrible...
Review LEGO Ninjago: Shadow of Ronin (3DS)
Left in the dark
At this point, "Oh, look! Another LEGO game!" is a phrase that can only be said with genuine excitement or seething, bitter sarcasm. Regular releases in the LEGO series of video games have become such a constant in the industry that these action-adventure titles are on the verge of becoming a genre of their own. Not to leave the...
Rewriting the story
Have you ever wanted to leave it all? Just pack your bags, move to a completely new place and start a brand new life? If you've ever wanted to see what it's like to start fresh, now is your chance with the release of Marvelous' latest farming simulation title, Story of Seasons. As was outlined in our recent review of
Interview Aaron Hamel on Bringing the Mother Original Arranged Soundtrack to the West
We talk about the soundtrack’s history, future projects, and much more
We recently reported on the Kickstarter campaign that has been launched with the goal of giving the Mother Original Arranged Soundtrack a western release. In just four short days the campaign smashed its funding goal and is now well on
Review Harvest Moon: The Lost Valley (3DS)
Lost, but not missed
The Harvest Moon series has had a bit of a confusing production history, but the good news is that we're here to help you out with the basics. Originally created and developed by the now defunct Victor Entertainment Software until its acquisition in 2003, the Harvest Moon series has since been produced by Marvelous AQL. Though...
Feature A Night at the Symphony of the Goddesses: Master Quest
We take on the latest tour
Since the introduction of the iconic theme song on the NES in 1986, the body of music that has grown out of the Legend of Zelda series has been nothing short of legendary. Beginning with modest 8-bit sounds and eventually evolving into the sweeping sonatas in modern games, the songs have grown into something much more than...
Review Harvest Moon 3 (3DS eShop / GBC)
Third time's a chore
Completing the trilogy of portable Harvest Moon games in the original series, Natsume released Harvest Moon 3 - a title originally release on the Game Boy Color - on the 3DS Virtual Console. This game expands on the two that came before it, recycling the tropes present in the series and shaping them into what more modern entries...
Paper play
We don't all claim to be linguists or experts on Japanese language or culture here at Nintendo Life, but being the dedicated journalists that we are, we're always willing to do a bit of research. It turns out that origami, the art of paper folding, has a very interesting linguistic background. When broken down, "ori" means to fold or...
Review Flipnote Studio 3D (3DS eShop)
Striking a nearly perfect note
From its launch in late 2008 until its eventual discontinuation five years later, Flipnote Studio was a smash hit among both the casual and professional creative types. As an application that assisted in creating flip-book style animations on the DSi, the concept was simple, but the amount of creativity that users put...
Review Drop Zone: Under Fire (3DS eShop)
Drop it like it’s hot
Originally released as a WiiWare title near the end of that service's lifetime, Drop Zone: Under Fire has been ported to the 3DS in an attempt to bring virtual base-jumping action to the handheld audience. Whether or not you enjoyed the original release, it's undeniable that this arcade style game's transition to the 3DS hit...
News 2D Platformer Mekazoo Swinging onto Wii U Later This Year
Robotic animals and high-speed platforming. Sound familiar?
Seattle-based indie developer The Good Mood Creators has announced the upcoming release of Mekazoo, an absolutely stunning 2D platformer for Nintendo Wii U. While an official date has yet to be revealed, this is definitely one to keep on your radar if you're a fan of side-scrolling...
News Curve Digital Confirms OlliOlli Release Window on Nintendo Consoles
Grinding onto Wii U and 3DS mid-March
We reported late last year that 'sick' indie skateboarding title OlliOlli would be making an appearance on Nintendo consoles in early 2015, and now the hype is real. Publisher Curve Digital, the same company that brought indie hits such as The Swapper and Thomas Was Alone to Nintendo platforms, has confirmed t
Review Undead Storm Nightmare (3DS eShop)
Dream sequel
Publisher Gamebridge's GO Series of DSiWare games seems to have faded out with 2012's release of GO Series: Undead Storm, but that doesn't mean the properties are completely gone. In a move that no one expected developer G-STYLE has released a sequel to the aforementioned property on the 3DS eShop titled Undead S
News Week Three of the eShop Throwback Sale Goes Live in North America
Metroid Prime Trilogy, Mario Kart 8, Mario Golf: World Tour and more
In a move poised to please Metroid fans and ruin bidding wars for some, Nintendo has graciously released the Metroid Prime Trilogy on the Wii U eShop. Spearheading the third week of the North American "Throwback Sale," the beloved trilogy is available for a whopping 50% off its...
News New Pokkén Tournament Controller and Gameplay Details Emerge
Input fit for a console
Initially teased as a tech demo nearly two years ago and officially announced with a trailer last August, Pokkén Tournament, an arcade fighter featuring playable characters from the Pokémon franchise, has remained a bit of a mystery. Originally thought to be a new Wii U title, it was later revealed that the new fighting...
