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 Has Featured Fewer New IPs Than Rivals

    56

    News Wii Has Featured Fewer New IPs Than Rivals

    Is anyone surprised?

    It's a fairly common perception that Nintendo is typically happy to reproduce its existing IPs rather than develop new characters or franchises. That theory was put to the test over at Gamespot, where the numbers of new franchises per year were calculated for Wii, Xbox 360 and PS3, restricted to each company's own developed or...

  • Super Smash Bros. Needs A 'Change of Direction'

    80

    News Super Smash Bros. Needs A 'Change of Direction'

    Not just about adding new characters

    Nintendo gamers with a fondness for the Super Smash Bros. series can now rest easy as night. Masahiro Sakurai, alongside Namco Bandai, is on the case and directing his full attention to the game. Considering the fact that development hadn't even started when the next entry was announced for Wii U and 3DS, we...

  • E.X. Troopers May Feature Co-op Multiplayer on 3DS

    18

    News E.X. Troopers May Feature Co-op Multiplayer on 3DS

    New trailer has explosions and mechs

    E.X. Troopers is a spin-off from the Lost Planet series that's coming to 3DS and PS3, an unlikely combination. We first became aware of it in May when it was announced for Japan, but much like Project X Zone it's still not confirmed for worldwide release. During the weekend, as part of its Summer Jam event,...

  • The Lost Town Finds Its New Trailer

    4

    News The Lost Town Finds Its New Trailer

    Shooting and scavenging

    The Lost Town - The Dust was an action/adventure title with RPG elements that was set in 2037, requiring you to guide the mysterious Chilia from an overhead view while exploring, shooting monsters and protecting innocents. The sequel — or perhaps prequel — is called The Lost Town - The Jungle and looks like a continuation...

  • Retailers Confidently Predict Wii U Will Cost £250, or Less

    44

    News Retailers Confidently Predict Wii U Will Cost £250, or Less

    Pricing could lead to a 'sure success'

    With the launch of Wii U creeping ever closer, key details of price and release date are still under wraps, leading to the usual range of predictions and guesses. We've seen speculative prices ranging from £199 on Amazon UK — since removed — to €399 on Amazon Germany, though the latter has since dropped...

  • 3DS XL Footage and Hands-On Impressions Hit the Web

    62

    News 3DS XL Footage and Hands-On Impressions Hit the Web

    Positives to tempt us all

    It's been less than a week since we first clapped eyes on 3DS XL, and there have been doubts for some about the potential positives of the system. From a technical perspective one concern has been the graphical fidelity of the original resolution on a bigger screen, alongside general curiosity about how the system feels to...

  • 3DS XL - Why Now?

    61

    Talking Point 3DS XL - Why Now?

    The timing is both predictable and strange

    The upcoming release of 3DS XL, the sizeable update to the original model, is hardly a surprise. Nintendo has constantly iterated its handhelds in an effort to attract more consumers and, to put it bluntly, make a lot of money: we can’t even argue that the XL is arriving earlier than expected, as the gap...

  • Atari Turns 40 Today

    60

    News Atari Turns 40 Today

    The original gaming behemoth

    Current-day gamers are familiar with just three game console manufacturers at the top of the tree: Nintendo, Microsoft and Sony. Some who are older may remember when SEGA was in its pomp and challenging Nintendo in the 1990s, but for those that care to go even further back, Atari comes into the picture. Atari is 40...

  • Takuya Matsumoto: 'Nintendo Influence Was Big' on The Last Story

    23

    News Takuya Matsumoto: 'Nintendo Influence Was Big' on The Last Story

    The Mario Club has tough taskmasters

    Takuya Matsumoto has worked on some high quality SEGA titles in the past, such as NiGHTS and Sonic Adventure on Dreamcast, and was the development lead on The Last Story, the excellent Wii RPG that finally arrives in North America on 10th July. In an interview with Gamasutra, Matsumoto discussed the development...

  • Masahiro Sakurai Steps Up as Keynote Speaker at CEDEC

    20

    News Masahiro Sakurai Steps Up as Keynote Speaker at CEDEC

    Talking about video games, presumably

    Masahiro Sakurai has gained a reputation as the go-to man for some of Nintendo's key franchises that don't necessarily have Mario in the title. As a young employee at Nintendo he created Kirby, and has also masterminded the three entries in the Super Smash Bros. series, while also taking on the upcoming Wii U...

  • Project X Zone Hits Japan on 11th October

    21

    News Project X Zone Hits Japan on 11th October

    Now, about that worldwide release...

    Project X Zone, the RPG mash-up featuring well-known characters from Capcom, SEGA and Namco Bandai franchises, has been generating a lot of hype in Japan. Teasing details about battle mechanics, featured characters and even the in-game music have been coming thick and fast, with the most important reveal so far...

  • Goooooal Europa 2012 (DSiWare)

    26

    Review Goooooal Europa 2012 (DSiWare)

    Missing an open goooooal

    DSiWare is like any other downloadable game platform: it features gems full of creativity and compulsive play, and then it has titles like Goooooal Europa 2012, which tries to hide its painful inadequacies with a ‘fun’ title and a tenuous link to a major football tournament. The idea of a table football game with stylus...

  • Get a Load of This Retro Rap

    17

    News Get a Load of This Retro Rap

    Rad rapping

    Music dedications to classic gaming are relatively common on YouTube, but a new rap track from Richie Branson and Random a.k.a. Mega Ran is a cut above the rest. Super Nintendo, SEGA Genesis is fondly dedicated to the retro 16-bit rivals, with both rappers dropping references to many of the most memorable games and trends of the time...

  • Farsight Studios - Pinball on Wii U, 3DS and Kickstarter

    12

    Interview Farsight Studios - Pinball on Wii U, 3DS and Kickstarter

    Bringing tables onto your screens

    Farsight Studios has been in the gaming industry for over 20 years, but is probably best known for its extensive range of pinball titles including Pinball Hall of Fame — The Williams Collection on Wii and 3DS. The studio recently announced that its latest title, The Pinball Arcade will come to Wii U and 3DS, as...

  • Prepare for the Abyss on DSiWare

    20

    News Prepare for the Abyss on DSiWare

    Don't forget a light

    EnjoyUp Games has released a lot of download titles, particularly on DSiWare, with Gaia's Moon standing out as an excellent release at 200 Nintendo Points. That word Gaia has appeared once again, this time as a collectible in upcoming DSiWare release Abyss. The purpose of Abyss is to navigate a robot called Nep2no in the depths...

  • Rhythm Thief Producer Aims to Revive Music Games

    25

    News Rhythm Thief Producer Aims to Revive Music Games

    Hopes to immerse gamers in the story

    We rather liked Rhythm Thief & the Emperor's Treasure here at Nintendo Life, which has made the apparently underwhelming sales in Europe a particular disappointment. The title is set for release in North America on 10th July, however, and producer Shun Nakamura — who worked on Samba De Amigo on Dreamcast...

  • Farsight Studios: 'We're Really Excited About The Wii U'

    11

    News Farsight Studios: 'We're Really Excited About The Wii U'

    GamePad screen comes in handy

    In recent weeks we've brought you some coverage about Farsight Studios running a Kickstarter campaign to license The Twilight Zone, one of the highest-regarded pinball tables in the business. We also learned, thanks to that campaign, that the developer will be bringing The Pinball Arcade to Wii U and 3DS, which is a...

  • Wreck-It Ralph Confirmed for Wii, 3DS and DS

    45

    News Wreck-It Ralph Confirmed for Wii, 3DS and DS

    Not a surprise

    A little while ago we reported that Bowser would appear in Wreck-It Ralph, an upcoming Disney animated film. It's now been confirmed that Disney Interactive and Activision will collaborate on the game to accompany the movie: it'll be released on Wii, with separate versions for 3DS and DS. The game will be a side-scroller where you...

  • The Pros and Cons of 3DS XL

    151

    Talking Point The Pros and Cons of 3DS XL

    Weighing it all up

    The latest Nintendo Direct had its usual mix of game trailers and release details, but they were a distant priority behind the big opening act on each regional broadcast: announcement of 3DS XL. A remodelled 3DS had been rumoured and debated almost from the moment that the original hit stores, simply because Nintendo has a long...

  • Medal of Honor: Warfighter Coming to 3DS

    35

    Rumour Medal of Honor: Warfighter Coming to 3DS

    Pass the salt, please

    You may remember that, during E3, scans emerged that showed Game Informer magazine listing the latest Tomb Raider title for Wii U, with the publication releasing a correction shortly after to confirm that it was incorrect. Still, that hasn't stopped suspicious looking listings, not by a long way. Gameinformer.com has posted

  • 3DS XL Trade Price is Just £146

    35

    News 3DS XL Trade Price is Just £146

    Updated: VAT makes trade rate roughly £167.50

    Article update MCV has now spoken to an alternative retail source, which states that the quoted trade rate of £146 is liable for VAT at around £21.50, making the actual rate about £167.50. With GameStop already going close to that figure at £169.97, perhaps that will be the lower end of the price...

  • Kingdom Hearts 3D Trailer Goes With The Flow

    23

    News Kingdom Hearts 3D Trailer Goes With The Flow

    Flashy production values included

    Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance is happily aboard the hype train ahead of its EU release on 20th July and North American arrival on 31st July. Alongside mentions on Nintendo Direct and the news that Nintendo will manage distribution in PAL regions, Square Enix has released a demo in Europe and started to...

  • Dragon Quest X Japanese Bundle Shown Off

    20

    News Dragon Quest X Japanese Bundle Shown Off

    Rest of the world looks on enviously

    Dragon Quest IX: Sentinels of the Starry Skies was an impressive RPG achievement on DS which was heavily marketed by Nintendo and Square Enix worldwide, with a concerted effort to make the franchise recognisable to a new generation of gamers. The sequel, Dragon Quest X, isn't far away from release in Japan and...

  • Major Retailers List 3DS XL at £179.99

    37

    News Major Retailers List 3DS XL at £179.99

    Updated prices - GameStop undercuts rivals

    Updated article This morning GameStop.co.uk has entered into the price-war by undercutting its rivals, below. GameStop.co.uk — £169.97 Original article After Friday's announcement of 3DS XL, European gamers faced the standard wait to see how the device would be priced by major retailers. The...