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
Find Them On
LinkedIn •
  • Bridge (DSiWare)

    8

    Review Bridge (DSiWare)

    Over troubled water

    It’s one of the simplest forms of entertainment: if all electronic entertainment is unavailable, when there is nothing else to do, a simple pack of playing cards can save the day. Card games can be simplistic or confusing and complex, with straightforward options often seeming suitable as cheap downloads on the DSi shop. More...

  • Wii Controllers - What Could Have Been

    33

    Feature Wii Controllers - What Could Have Been

    Wii never knew...

    Part of our mission at Nintendo Life is to highlight parts of the gaming world that were previously unknown. To that end, our experienced researchers have been rooting around the archives of Wii history and discovered the original patent application for the Wii Remote. Reading patent documentation isn’t the most stimulating of...

  • Xenoblade Chronicles (Wii)

    151

    Review Xenoblade Chronicles (Wii)

    A true epic

    It's been a strange year for the Nintendo Wii, with a sparse release schedule and many proclaiming the death of the console. Yet here we have Xenoblade Chronicles, which debuted in Japan simply as Xenoblade in June 2010. This current release is only available in Europe and PAL regions, prompting fan-group protests in North America. To be...

  • 20 Years of the Super NES

    95

    Feature 20 Years of the Super NES

    Time flies when you’re having 16-bit fun

    It’s been a year of major anniversaries, proving the fact for many of us at Nintendo Life that we are, indeed, getting old. We’ve seen anniversaries for Zelda, Metroid and Sonic, with Mario enjoying a celebratory cake with Princess Peach only last year. Next up is the Super Nintendo Entertainment System

  • GO Series: Fishing Resort (DSiWare)

    12

    Review GO Series: Fishing Resort (DSiWare)

    Luring you in…

    Fans of both Nintendo and fishing have been given plenty of opportunities to don the virtual wellies and cast the line, on WiiWare. While the Wii Remote is an ideal opportunity to simulate fishing, the humble DSi stylus and touchscreen have largely missed out. As has often been the case, publisher Gamebridge has come to the rescue...

  • What Happened to Metroid 64?

    53

    Feature What Happened to Metroid 64?

    Samus got lost

    As a week of Metroid Anniversary celebrations draws to a close, we thought we’d look back at a Metroid game that never was. We’re not talking about Metroid Dread, which could still happen, but Metroid 64, which will obviously never see the light of day. We’ve made the title up, but in light of the trend of adding ‘64’ after...

  • Go! Go! Kokopolo (DSiWare)

    27

    Review Go! Go! Kokopolo (DSiWare)

    Koko-crazy

    DSiWare is, quite rightly, well known for providing a diverse range of quirky titles to give DSi owners small downloadable gaming fixes. We’ve seen a few ‘off the wall’ concepts on the service, and Go! Go! Kokopolo deserves its place in this category. The title says it all; this is a game that doesn’t want to be taken seriously...

  • The Future of Metroid

    93

    Talking Point The Future of Metroid

    Where next, Samus?

    It’s a big anniversary for Metroid, joining Mario and Zelda in the 25 year club. It’s interesting to note that there hasn’t been much fanfare from Nintendo, with the upcoming 3DS ‘Ambassador’ release of GBA classic Metroid Fusion being the only sign of Samus this year. It seems that as a franchise, Metroid is very much...

  • Successfully Learning German: Year 5 (DSiWare)

    11

    Review Successfully Learning German: Year 5 (DSiWare)

    The end of an era?

    Another week, another instalment in the venerable Successfully Learning series from Tivola. Successfully Learning German: Year 5 is on DSiWare so young German speakers have another opportunity to return to Freddy the Vampire’s classroom. It’s the final instalment in the series, so prepare to graduate and say goodbye. How does...

  • The Future of Nintendo Gaming - 2D or Not 2D?

    74

    Feature The Future of Nintendo Gaming - 2D or Not 2D?

    That is the question

    It’s been a busy year for Nintendo as it seeks to move onto a new generation of consoles. The 3DS is already here and, despite a sluggish start, has some big releases ahead. Then of course there is the Wii U, boasting a unique touch screen controller and the promise of much greater processing power than the Wii. Both devices...

  • Nintendo Makes Bold Move with the 3DS

    189

    Talking Point Nintendo Makes Bold Move with the 3DS

    3DS price cut an act of genius, or madness?

    OK, deep breaths everyone. In its co-ordinated worldwide press releases on 28th July, Nintendo made a truly unexpected move. Some analysts were anticipating a potential 3DS price drop in the run up to the all-important holiday season, but the sheer scale of the reduction has caught many off guard. With the...

  • Jagged Alliance (DSiWare)

    11

    Review Jagged Alliance (DSiWare)

    Watch out for sharp edges

    On paper, Jagged Alliance looks like a must-have for fans of tactical role-playing games. A mid 90s PC classic that was originally distributed as a DS retail release in 2009, now available at a significantly lower price of 500 Nintendo Points – it’s a win-win, right? Well, two areas that hit the mark are storyline and...

  • Fox Flies Into a New Trailer for Star Fox 64 3D

    56

    News Fox Flies Into a New Trailer for Star Fox 64 3D

    What, no barrel roll?

    Nintendo has released a fresh trailer for the upcoming Star Fox 64 3D, due for release on 9th September in Europe and North America. This new video shows off various parts of the single-player campaign, including linear levels and some dog-fighting (or fox-fighting) action. There are some impressive graphics on show, while...

  • Successfully Learning German: Year 4 (DSiWare)

    8

    Review Successfully Learning German: Year 4 (DSiWare)

    What’s the German for deja-vu?

    Successfully Learning German: Year 4 has arrived, looming on the DSiWare landscape with a sense of inevitability. The decision by Tivola to convert a retail release into multiple downloads means that fans of edutainment titles have been spending a lot of money on their DSi. Moving on from Year 3, Freddy the Vampire...

  • Solatorobo: Red the Hunter (DS)

    60

    Review Solatorobo: Red the Hunter (DS)

    This hunter should become the hunted

    Solatorobo: Red the Hunter isn’t a game title that is likely to storm to the top of the sales charts. There are no well-known franchise names, no mainstream marketing campaign, and no hint of generic, dull gaming characters and designs. Being a Japanese action RPG, this game is different from the vast majority...

  • ANIMA: Ark of Sinners (WiiWare)

    33

    Review ANIMA: Ark of Sinners (WiiWare)

    Time to repent

    Recent history in the WiiWare platform hasn’t seen an over-abundance of must-have, exciting releases. There is little surprise, then, that the release of ANIMA: Ark of Sinners was met with some optimism. With trailers giving an impression of an old-school Castlevania style of gameplay, a lot of gamers’ interests were piqued. The...

  • Wii U - Revolution or Evolution?

    113

    Talking Point Wii U - Revolution or Evolution?

    Is the Wii U innovative enough, or just a big DS?

    When looked at logically, perhaps there is a valid point to be made about the Wii U. Admittedly, launch is a while away, and further details on the console and its capabilities will no doubt flow in the coming months, but the focus of this article is simple: will Wii U ‘disrupt’ the industry and...

  • Successfully Learning German: Year 3 (DSiWare)

    5

    Review Successfully Learning German: Year 3 (DSiWare)

    Freddy is back, and tougher than ever

    It’s another week and another Successfully Learning title from edutainment specialists Tivola. This relentless schedule of language learning titles on DSiWare continues with Successfully Learning German: Year 3. Young German speakers are once again led to the classroom by the smiling and freckled vampire...

  • Just Sing! 80s Collection (DSiWare)

    11

    Review Just Sing! 80s Collection (DSiWare)

    Shoulder pads and mullets optional

    DSiWare has seen some glorious titles since its launch, but for wannabe pop stars, there's been something missing. Stepping forward is DTP Entertainment, filling the void in the DSiWare catalogue with Just Sing! 80’s Collection. Time to get busy with the hairspray, dig out those old shoulder pads and return to...

  • Successfully Learning German: Year 2 (DSiWare)

    3

    Review Successfully Learning German: Year 2 (DSiWare)

    Mein Name ist Freddy, ich bin ein Vampir

    It seems that Tivola is keen to make the humble DSi the definitive language learning tool of the 21st Century. Perhaps that is an exaggeration, but Successfully Learning German: Year 2 has arrived to help young German speakers improve their language skills. Freddy the Vampire returns as the series mascot,...

  • Naruto Shippuden 3D: The New Era (3DS)

    22

    Review Naruto Shippuden 3D: The New Era (3DS)

    Losing the way of the ninja

    By publishing Tomy’s Naruto Shippuden 3D: The New Era, 505 Games is clearly counting on the popularity of the anime show outside of Japan. With over 200 episodes aired the show has accrued a loyal fan base, so it's hardly surprising that this 3DS entry has made it to European shores, with a US release later in the year...

  • The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D (3DS)

    175

    Review The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D (3DS)

    A masterful quest

    The wait is finally over. When the 3DS was announced at E3 2010, one game announcement garnered the most attention from long-term Nintendo gamers: The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D. With the promise of enhanced visuals and stereoscopic 3D, it didn’t take much to build up the hype. It is now here, with a variety of new...

  • 3DS eShop Update FAQ

    47

    Guides 3DS eShop Update FAQ

    Everything you need to know about the 3DS eShop, internet browser and DSi transfer functionality

    For those who bought their 3DS on launch day there was some disappointment. The eShop, internet browser and the ability to transfer DSiWare games and data were unavailable, promised in a ‘late May’ update. The update slid to early June, but it's...

  • Where Nintendo Went Wrong with the DSi Shop

    57

    Talking Point Where Nintendo Went Wrong with the DSi Shop

    And how the eShop can fix it

    The imminent launch of the eShop on the 3DS is eagerly anticipated, especially as it is arriving over two months after the launch of the device. Nintendo has gone to great effort to emphasise that the delay will be worth it, with assurances of compelling content and a high quality interface. There has been...