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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  • The Wii U's Third-Party Concerns Are Brushed Off By 3DS

    97

    Talking Point The Wii U's Third-Party Concerns Are Brushed Off By 3DS

    Support for the handheld is modest, yet doom-and-gloom is minimal

    The 3DS is hot right now, with positive vibes bouncing around the web as its major releases have enjoyed an impressive record of critical and commercial success. Simply mentioning games like Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon, Fire Emblem: Awakening and Animal Crossing: New Leaf justifiably...

  • Former Rare Composers Contribute to "Heroes of Video Game Music" Album Project

    5

    News Former Rare Composers Contribute to "Heroes of Video Game Music" Album Project

    Well on its way to being fully funded

    While crowdfunded games can be a contentious topic, fundraising platforms are also used for various other projects, some of which are certainly more than worthy of seeing the light of day. One that's been brought to our attention is the Heroes of Video Game Music Album & DVD, which will be a collaboration...

  • Cute Witch! Runner Flies Onto North American DSiWare on 4th July

    10

    News Cute Witch! Runner Flies Onto North American DSiWare on 4th July

    Like Dress to Play equivalent, but without the fashion

    Dress to Play: Cute Witches was a title targeting young gamers that combined basic fashion dress-up with a flying runner-style mini-game; ultimately it felt like neither was truly optimised and fleshed out to bear much scrutiny. Developer CoderChild is bringing the flying game back, at least it...

  • The Mysteries of Evolution Are Solved, Pokémon is the Answer

    27

    Video The Mysteries of Evolution Are Solved, Pokémon is the Answer

    The old B button trick

    Occasionally we like to highlight humourous videos that riff on Nintendo history, particularly as it shows — above all else — that Nintendo is a strong part of pop culture. If people keep referencing Nintendo's games and systems, particularly of the retro variety, it all helps to keep the company's brand at the forefront...

  • Aqua Moto Racing 3D (3DS eShop)

    32

    Review Aqua Moto Racing 3D (3DS eShop)

    Choppy waters

    When Zordix announced that it was bringing a smartphone jet-ski title to the 3DS eShop with Aqua Moto Racing 3D, we suspect that quite a few people immediately let their minds drift to certain iconic Nintendo 64 and GameCube games, and applied those expectations to this download title. That would be unfair, but this release still tries...

  • The Uncertain Collectible Future of Download-Only Game Libraries

    87

    Talking Point The Uncertain Collectible Future of Download-Only Game Libraries

    Servers will surely shut down, but what about the games?

    Just before the weekend, a number of Wii Channels were shut down. On 28th June most of the online enabled channels and services — such as Weather, News, Everyone Votes and Wii Connect 24 — went off air; low participation rates more than likely caused Nintendo to deem them an expense not...

  • Fan Group Prepares to Release 8-Bit Demake of Mega Man Legends 3

    23

    News Fan Group Prepares to Release 8-Bit Demake of Mega Man Legends 3

    Former game staffers contribute

    For those that didn't know, this past Saturday the Mega Rock Fan Fiesta event took place in Tokyo, and at the shindig a rather surprising fan project was announced. As the Blue Bomber's fans continue to bemoan the cancellation and abandonment of Mega Man Legends 3, a Facebook group called Get Me Off the Moon — which...

  • Animal Crossing: New Leaf Catches Enough UK Sales for the Bronze Prize

    6

    News Animal Crossing: New Leaf Catches Enough UK Sales for the Bronze Prize

    Hanging tough

    The latest UK chart results are here, and they make nice reading once again for Animal Crossing: New Leaf, as it secures third place after two weeks in second spot. While the number one spot has eluded it due to The Last of Us performing well on PS3, it's nevertheless been an impressive run for the title in the UK market; it should...

  • Nintendo's Claim to WiiU.com is Denied

    32

    News Nintendo's Claim to WiiU.com is Denied

    If Ninty wants it, it'll have to pay

    A relatively common occurrence, and one that a lot of large companies confront on a regular basis, is the issue of cybersquatters that buy up common URL addresses in the hope that they'll subsequently make money selling them to the parties concerned. The likes of Nintendo and its rivals resist buying up addresses...

  • 4th July (Europe)

    61

    Nintendo Download 4th July (Europe)

    Pilotwings returns, X Zone madness, Game Gear goodies and more

    It's Monday morning, and it's that time again for European download gamers. This week's download goodies are confirmed, including a Super NES title that we think will be popular, a chaotic retail release on 3DS and plenty more besides. Let's get down to the details, shall we? Wii U...

  • This Mario & Luigi Trailer is the Stuff Dreams Are Made Of

    52

    Video This Mario & Luigi Trailer is the Stuff Dreams Are Made Of

    Suitably zany

    For fans of the Mario & Luigi RPG franchise developed by AlphaDream, Mario & Luigi: Dream Team can't arrive on 3DS soon enough. Early glimpses promise the same wacky humour that's characterised the series, while we're hopeful that the capabilities of the handheld will bring even more creativity; we already know that the...

  • Debut Fantasy Life Link Trailer Arrives in Japan

    27

    Video Debut Fantasy Life Link Trailer Arrives in Japan

    How's that localisation going, Level-5?

    Fantasy Life, if you don't already know, is a 3DS title that came from a collaboration between Level-5 and Nintendo subsidiary Brownie Brown, which is now known as 1-UP Studios. It's a title where you can choose a a profession and interact with the large game world, and when you feel like it you can embark on...

  • Wii Party U

    39

    First Impressions Wii Party U

    Let's get it started, in here

    So, Wii Party U's evolved from a Summer Party to a Holiday Party, courtesy of the development delay confirmed by Satoru Iwata at E3. That's fine with us here at Nintendo Life, as we think every day is a party day, so we happily wandered over to the the demo unit at a recent preview event ready for the ultimate digital...

  • Aqua Moto Racing 3D Developer Keen to Bring it to Wii U

    13

    News Aqua Moto Racing 3D Developer Keen to Bring it to Wii U

    "It would be a dream"

    Aqua Moto Racing 3D arrived in the European 3DS eShop this week, with the North American release to arrive relatively soon. We're currently working on our review, but it's a title — and series — that's achieved notable success on smartphones, and from video footage alone may remind some of the Wave Race titles that graced...

  • Nintendo Wins Another Patent Battle, This Time Over MotionPlus

    22

    News Nintendo Wins Another Patent Battle, This Time Over MotionPlus

    That legal team is on fire

    Nintendo faces its fair share of patent battles, which in most cases — not all, with a notable loss on 3DS screen technology — go the Kyoto company's way. Plenty of these disputes focus on the Wii and its various peripherals, which is more than likely due to the console's phenomenal sales success and its various...

  • Iwata Says He Didn't Commit to Stepping Down Over Missed Profit Targets

    57

    News Iwata Says He Didn't Commit to Stepping Down Over Missed Profit Targets

    So we should stop saying he will

    Earlier this year we reported on translated comments from Satoru Iwata at a Corporate Management Policy Briefing, in which he made a personal commitment to Nintendo's target of 100 billion Yen of operating profit for this current financial year. It's a substantial target that was reiterated in Nintendo's end of year...

  • Yoshi's New Island

    138

    First Impressions Yoshi's New Island

    A bad egg?

    The 3DS has been having the time of its short lifespan in 2013, and it's never felt like this before. Rubbish jokes based on '80s songs aside, it's been a glorious six months for the handheld, with some exceptional games already on the market and more on the way. With monster hits like Pokémon X & Y and The Legend of Zelda: A Link...

  • Another 3DS System Update Goes Live

    35

    News Another 3DS System Update Goes Live

    No thrills this time around

    If you haven't noticed already, there's a new 3DS system update in town. The last entry brought a save backup feature, locked out the one working 3DS flashcard before it even went to market and, in PAL regions and Japan, brought additional paid-DLC to the StreetPass Plaza. Released yesterday, the fresh update seems to be...

  • Atlus USA States That It's Currently "Unaffected" by Issues With Japanese Parent Company

    24

    News Atlus USA States That It's Currently "Unaffected" by Issues With Japanese Parent Company

    Shin Megami Tensei IV still on track for release

    Yesterday we reported that the parent company of developer/publisher Atlus, Index, was in the midst of financial difficulties in Japan and had entered "civil rehabilitation proceedings". Some have compared this to bankruptcy, though the law in Japan means that it's not an exact match, with the general...

  • Nintendo - Donkey Kong Series is Adaptable to Fresh Ideas

    52

    News Nintendo - Donkey Kong Series is Adaptable to Fresh Ideas

    Also, getting the ba-BOOM ba-BOOM ba-BOOM rhythm was important

    Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze may not have been the Retro Studios project that some fans desired or expected, but nevertheless it is a sequel to one of the finest platformers to grace the Wii. Ultimately, the odds are good at this stage that it'll be a hugely enjoyable experience...

  • Multiplayer is a Big Deal in Nintendo's Wii U Lineup

    77

    Impressions Multiplayer is a Big Deal in Nintendo's Wii U Lineup

    Get by with a little help from your friends

    Earlier this week various Nintendo Life staffers were lucky enough to attend post-E3 preview events, from which we've been covering games that we didn't go hands-on with at the LA extravaganza — more impressions are on the way, too. Various Wii U games were on show, and one theme that shone through was...

  • Indie Developer Explains How Nintendo Made Him a Wii U Believer

    46

    News Indie Developer Explains How Nintendo Made Him a Wii U Believer

    Xander Davis now planning CIDER for Wii U

    The Wii U has endured a lot of negative press for various reasons and in some cases, we're sure many would agree, criticism has focused on genuine weaknesses in the system's early days. While various developers and publishers have voiced support and optimism for Nintendo's console, a good number have also...

  • 27th June (North America)

    88

    Nintendo Download 27th June (North America)

    Sonic returns, urban style, shmup action, grooving and more

    It's that time again, North America, when downloadable goodies arrive for your delight on Nintendo's systems. The 3DS shines with a variety of experiences this week, while the Wii U Virtual Console get an underwhelming retro release but a decent Virtual Console promotion; Wii and DSi are...

  • The Mystery of the Mega Man 2 Box Art Pistol is Explained

    25

    Weirdness The Mystery of the Mega Man 2 Box Art Pistol is Explained

    Capcom's Art Director blew it

    Retro game covers can be fascinating, on occasion because of just how awful they can look. Often there's a charm on display that you just don't see in many modern-day, high budget cover designs that have clearly been produced by a rather expensive branding agency; back then, video games were also predominantly targeting...