Thomas Whitehead

Thomas Whitehead

Former Editor, Nintendo Life

Author Profile

Tom has been involved in the games industry for over a decade, mostly writing about it or struggling to sell Indie games. Loves reading, writing, hunting Capcom’s fiercest monsters and watching baseball.

Having joined the site in 2011, Tom took over as Editor three years later, ably steering the good ship Nintendo Life through the Wii U waters and safely into the Switch era. He now serves as a Producer at PM Studios.

Username
ThomasBW84
Articles
11,883 (257 reviews)
First Article
Wed 26th, January 2011
Avg. Review Score
6.8
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  • Wii U External Hard Drive Usage Outlined by Satoru Iwata

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    News Wii U External Hard Drive Usage Outlined by Satoru Iwata

    Up to 2TB supported

    For those of you that have watched today's Nintendo Direct broadcast — you can check it out here — you'll have seen lots of graphics of external hard drives, Wii U systems and some interesting demonstrations with large science lab-style glass jars. There was some pretty good news from Satoru Iwata, and a few small things that...

  • ZombiU Live Action Video Shows Multiplayer Battle

    26

    News ZombiU Live Action Video Shows Multiplayer Battle

    All hail the Zombie King

    Halloween may be gone for the year, but one particular Wii U game will be playing on the fact that, for many of us, it's the time of year with long, dark nights. ZombiU is one of the most eagerly anticipated Wii U launch titles, with early impressions emphasizing the complexities and difficulties it'll offer, as well as its...

  • Pokédex 3D Pro Tops 3DS eShop Chart in North America

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    News Pokédex 3D Pro Tops 3DS eShop Chart in North America

    Not too high a price to pay, clearly

    Pokédex 3D Pro was a high profile release on the eShop in last week's Nintendo Download update, bringing enhancements and extra features from the original freebie, Pokédex 3D. That said, many members of the Nintendo Life community were unhappy with the price, which is $14.99 in the US, €14.99 in Europe and...

  • Toki Tori 2 Lands on Wii U eShop on 20th December

    18

    News Toki Tori 2 Lands on Wii U eShop on 20th December

    Not for use in festive meals

    Toki Tori 2 is likely to be one of the most widely recognisable names in the early weeks of the Wii U eShop, due to its predecessor being one of the leading titles to herald the arrival of WiiWare. The diminutive little chicken isn't going to be quite ready for launch day, however, with confirmation from Two Tribes that...

  • Harmony of a Hunter: 101% Run Available From 17th November

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    News Harmony of a Hunter: 101% Run Available From 17th November

    A must for Metroid fans

    Harmony of a Hunter is a fan-produced album that celebrates the Metroid franchise, and when released it gave a more significant acknowledgement of the series' 25th Anniversary than that from Nintendo itself. A free, two-disc album with 36 tracks, it was a major undertaking that we discussed in our interview with Shinesparkers...

  • Wii U Holiday Sales Projected to Exceed Wii Launch

    40

    News Wii U Holiday Sales Projected to Exceed Wii Launch

    Four year sales expected to be lower, though

    With Wii U set to arrive, and Nintendo needing a strong performance to appease shareholders, market analysts are inevitably checking various sources of data and making their predictions on the system's outlook. The latest to do so is research firm IHS Screen Digest, with projections that bring good and...

  • Life Without Wii U Achievements

    161

    Talking Point Life Without Wii U Achievements

    Nintendo sticks to its guns

    Nintendo isn't at all keen on mandatory, system-integrated achievements or trophies. The idea was ignored for Wii, while gamers with an Xbox 360 got used to notifications re-affirming their awesomeness for acts as simple as starting a new game, with their Gamerscore continually getting bigger with each accomplishment...

  • 15th November 2012 (Europe)

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    Nintendo Download 15th November 2012 (Europe)

    Falling blox, hotshots, ninjas and a magical whip

    It's Monday, but it's also time to turn that frown upside down. The European Nintendo Download update news is here, and it's full of handheld goodies for you to enjoy. Wii misses out, unfortunately, but we do have a highly anticipated sequel on the 3DS eShop, a teeth-grindingly difficult NES...

  • Nintendo's Wii U Hype Machine

    91

    Feature Nintendo's Wii U Hype Machine

    Sharing the message

    Today marks the start of a major countdown for Wii U, as it's set to arrive in North American stores in just seven days; it's a major event for Nintendo, as new home consoles aren't an overly frequent occurrence. It's been six years since Wii arrived and revolutionised gaming with its focus on motion controls, and now the company...

  • Shin'en Multimedia on Nintendo, eShop Development, 3DS and Wii U

    27

    Developer Interview Shin'en Multimedia on Nintendo, eShop Development, 3DS and Wii U

    Blasting onto eShop

    With the 3DS eShop continuing to grow, and the Wii U equivalent already shaping up with an increasingly encouraging range of confirmed titles, there’s plenty of positivity around Nintendo’s download offerings. Like any platform it still has its detractors and issues, such as the occasional broken mess on the release schedule...

  • Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 Live Streaming Confirmed, But Not on Wii U

    33

    News Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 Live Streaming Confirmed, But Not on Wii U

    It's "being evaluated for a future update"

    Activision has confirmed that Call of Duty: Black Ops II will feature YouTube support to live stream online multiplayer League Play games, with the player's webcam and audio commentary also recorded. Those who pay for the Elite service, meanwhile, will be able to view additional info on players as they...

  • Nintendo Executive Describes Rise of Tablet Gaming as "Undeniable"

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    News Nintendo Executive Describes Rise of Tablet Gaming as "Undeniable"

    Believes these devices can be "allies"

    In recent years Nintendo has continually faced the threat of smartphones and tablet devices to its handheld systems, though the Wii U GamePad's inclusion of its own touch screen is now attracting similar comparisons. It's not always a popular topic amongst Nintendo gamers, but the rise in popularity of gaming...

  • Animal Crossing: New Leaf Starts Life in Japan

    55

    Out Now Animal Crossing: New Leaf Starts Life in Japan

    Time to get envious

    So, Animal Crossing: New Leaf is out now in Japan, released on 8th November. Once we got over the irritation of discovering that we were a day late, we thought we'd look at what we know so far, point you to previous articles that have stacks of information, compile some nice gameplay footage and look at the reaction to the game...

  • Wii U Browser to Use Multiple GamePad Control Options

    27

    News Wii U Browser to Use Multiple GamePad Control Options

    Gyro sensor, touch screen and buttons

    Nintendo hasn't always enjoyed the most success with its console web browsers, often due to modest specifications or a lack of system memory. Nintendo's now released a new Iwata Asks transcript where the team discuss the development of the Wii U Browser, and why it'll be a pleasant surprise for gamers. Part of...

  • Satoru Iwata Would Like Miiverse to Become a "Game Diary"

    22

    News Satoru Iwata Would Like Miiverse to Become a "Game Diary"

    Oh, and there's a cardboard GamePad

    As more information continues to arrive in the final days before Wii U hits stores, additional Iwata Asks transcriptions are arriving in English to spread the word. One of the more recent additions features the Nintendo boss interviewing the developers behind Miiverse, a team with extensive experience in web...

  • Fallblox Crashes Into Europe on 15th November

    30

    News Fallblox Crashes Into Europe on 15th November

    Mallo returns

    Fallblox — or Crashmo in North America — is one of a number of highly anticipated eShop games arriving before the end of the year. It hits North America on 22nd November, but anxious Europeans wondering about their release date can now relax, as it's arriving in the region one week earlier on 15th November. Nintendo's also...

  • Come On! Dragons (DSiWare)

    7

    Review Come On! Dragons (DSiWare)

    Blowing smoke

    Come On! Dragons arrives on DSiWare with the promise of delivering a combination of tower defence and arrow firing action, much like its predecessor Come On! Heroes. Like the original title it succeeds to some degree, but its positives are weighed down by some disappointing flaws, meaning that it's not as hot as the title may suggest...

  • Rytmik World Music Bringing the Beat Back to DSiWare

    12

    News Rytmik World Music Bringing the Beat Back to DSiWare

    Get composing

    Cinemax has confirmed that it's bringing Rytmik World Music to DSiWare, the fifth entry in the music composition series. It's a series that's had consistently strong recommendations in our reviews, with each entry bringing an accomplished and detailed music studio to your DSi; they're perhaps best reserved for enthusiasts and those...

  • 8th November 2012 (North America)

    84

    Nintendo Download 8th November 2012 (North America)

    Paper Mario, Pokédex, dress up witches and dragons

    It's that time again, when we drop everything we're doing to fire up the 3DS eShop, DSi Shop and maybe, on occasion, the Wii Shop. Yes, it's the Nintendo Download update, and this week has a mixture of retail treats, a demo and some lesser known download titles. Let's get to it. 3DS Download...

  • Capcom Loses Rights to Sell Tatsunoko vs. Capcom: Ultimate All-Stars

    53

    News Capcom Loses Rights to Sell Tatsunoko vs. Capcom: Ultimate All-Stars

    Combo fail

    Tatsunoko vs. Capcom: Ultimate All-Stars is one the Wii's finest exclusives, a 2D fighter with colourful, bombastic visuals and enough crazy combos to satisfy the most extravagant of gamers. Its accolades from us include a 9/10 in its review and 16th place in our Wii top 20. Not just one of Wii's best fighting games, but arguably one of...

  • Wii to Wii U Data Transfer Details Emerge

    77

    News Wii to Wii U Data Transfer Details Emerge

    Pay close attention

    One feature pre-occupying the minds of some potential Wii U owners is the process to move their WiiWare and Virtual Console data onto the new console. With backwards compatibility a big part of the system — for some gamers — having access to years' worth of purchases is a welcome bonus. Of course, with Wii not having a user...

  • Wii U's Social Potential Takes Shape

    52

    Reaction Wii U's Social Potential Takes Shape

    A bold new direction for Nintendo

    With just 11 days until Wii U arrives in North America — at the time of writing — it's perhaps surprising that substantial details on Nintendo's online services have taken so long to emerge. That said, it's not unprecedented, as Nintendo often likes to keep its cards close to its chest, withholding details and...

  • Tekken Tag Tournament 2 Wii U Trailer Brings the Madness

    26

    News Tekken Tag Tournament 2 Wii U Trailer Brings the Madness

    Includes a panda dressed as Princess Peach

    Tekken Tag Tournament 2: Wii U Edition will be available on launch day, and will include a number of features and modes exclusive to Nintendo's console. As you'd expect, adding Nintendo into a Tekken title promises to bring bizarre and humorous results, while the GamePad itself will allow control options...

  • Nintendo Direct Wii U Summary Released by NoA

    56

    News Nintendo Direct Wii U Summary Released by NoA

    WaraWara Plaza and Wii U Chat prominent

    With this morning's Nintendo Direct broadcast, there was a lot to digest, translate and understand about Miiverse and other Wii U system details. Nintendo of America has kindly put together a short summary video to highlight the key features, and provide a slightly more detailed look at the console's UI (user...