February2013
Feature A Further Investigation into LEGO City: Undercover
Building blocks
After months of building up our LEGO City sets, staring at trailers and dreaming about the video game adventures we'd soon be getting into, we recently got our hands on a near-final version of LEGO City: Undercover at developer TT Fusion's offices. We've already posted our first impressions of LEGO City: Undercover and an interview...
News Shiny Blue and Pink 3DS Models Coming to Japan
Making the move from Taiwan and Hong Kong
Over the past 25 years or more Nintendo's liked to give consumers a lot of choices with handhelds, with colours and design variations to keep almost anyone happy. It's now emerged that the pictured light blue and pink 3DS models — not XL — will arrive in Japan on 20th March; not that Japan has a shortage...
News Four Major 3DS Titles Given Australian Release Dates
Luigi's Mansion, Fire Emblem, Mystery Dungeon and Animal Crossing all dated Down Under
Nintendo Australia has kindly announced the release dates for four of the year's biggest 3DS titles. Aussies will be able to go hunting ghosts in Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon on 28th March. Fire Emblem: Awakening will be released from its slumber on 20th April...
Rumour Wii Mini on the Way to Europe
Just, well... because
Remember the Wii Mini, released in Canada late last year? With a top-loading disc-drive, no online connectivity of any kind, SD slot or even support for component cables. It's the basic Wii with much stripped out to allow an even lower retailer price than the standard last-gen model, no doubt targeting those on exceptionally...
News Nintendo - "Innovation is Important" for the 2D Mario Series
"We need innovation that retains 2D Mario's play sensation"
At E3 2012 Nintendo of America's Reggie Fils-Aime stated that Nintendo gamers want Mario at a system's launch, and that's what was given with New Super Mario Bros. U, the latest in the re-born 2D series. After a notably mixed reaction among Nintendo gamers to New Super Mario Bros. 2 on 3DS,...
Play Mario Kart 7 with Nintendo Life
Start your engines
It's been too long, so much so that we may need to renew our licenses, but it's time to take to the track for some Nintendo Life community races in Mario Kart 7. We all like to think we're the next Sebastian Vettel with a red shell in hand, so now we have to prove it. Yesterday we asked you which rules you want in both our both...
News "Emergency Maintenance" Planned For Nintendo Online Services on 26th February
Don't get too excited
It seems we have a monthly trend of service maintenance kicking into effect with Nintendo online functionality, as more "Emergency Maintenance" is on the way in major territories next week. There was a round of downtime on various platforms on 28th January, and a similar period is on the way from 26th February, or very late on...
News Wii Street U Developers Discuss its Incredible Attention to Detail
Latest Iwata Asks delves into Wii Street U
Wii Street U is available to download right now from the Wii U eShop. The expansive application allows you to explore the world through 3D environments made up of thousands upon thousands of photographs taken by Google. It's based on Google Maps' Street View, though it doesn't include any additional...
Play Mario Kart 7 Community Rooms - Choose The Rules
It's back
Last year we had a couple of rather fun community sessions playing Mario Kart 7, where the Nintendo Life community did battle with each other and some of the humble writing team. They were blood-baths of shell and banana skin-related tumbles, while tears were shed along with some choice curse words as podium places were lost. It was...
News The Legend of Zelda Oracle Titles Coming to Japanese 3DS Virtual Console
We'd be amazed if the same doesn't happen in the West
Nintendo has hosted a Japanese 3DS Direct, focused on titles on the way in the big N's homeland. While a number of games on show may never make it to the West, two upcoming Virtual Console titles seem inevitable for worldwide appearances. It was confirmed that The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Ages...
Nintendo Direct Watch the Japanese 3DS Direct - Live!
Focused on third party games
Last week we told you about a planned Japanese 3DS Direct with a focus on third-party games, and rather late last night Nintendo confirmed a time for this latest extravaganza. Naturally we're interested to see what's on the way, even if there's a danger of it featuring some games that won't make it West. It all kicks...
News F-Zero Available To Download Now In North America
Speeding onto the Wii U eShop
Last month Nintendo announced that it would be running a special promotion that would see seven classic NES and SNES games made available to download for a measly 30c/30p. F-Zero is the second game released under the promotion, and we can now confirm that there's no need for North Americans to wait until tomorrow's...
Video Iwata and Miyamoto Perform Skit As The "Luigi Brothers"
Another classic Nintendo Direct moment
Since the broadcasts began in late 2011, Nintendo Direct has produced a number of memorable moments, even prompting us to name ten of our favourites last year. It seems that Japanese viewers were treated to another example in the most recent broadcast on Valentines Day, which has now been posted by Nintendo UK...
News The European Version Of F-Zero On Wii U Virtual Console Comes With 60Hz Support
Nintendo does listen, after all
If you're a European gamer then you'll no doubt be aware of how TV standards can impact the way games play. Back in the days of the SNES, NES and Mega Drive, EU gamers were saddled with slower versions of existing software. This is because Japanese and American TVs used the NTSC standard, while in Europe the PAL...
Talking Point The Year of Luigi Could Bring a Burst of Creativity
Stepping out from a big shadow
The most recent round of Nintendo Direct broadcasts opened, whether you were watching in Europe or North America, with Nintendo President Satoru Iwata telling us all about The Year of Luigi. After a solid 18 months when, arguably, Mario was the go-to figure accounting for a healthy portion of Nintendo's release...
Review Travelling the World with Wii Street U
Quality streets
Wii U Panorama View remains one of the most impressive demonstrations of Wii U's potential: a collection of videos filmed with a special camera array so that you can look around 360 degrees and see the film from every possible angle by moving the GamePad. It's coming to the Wii U eShop at some point this year – at least in Japan...
Feature The Big Valentines Nintendo Direct Summary - 14th February 2013
There's a lot to cover
Nintendo appropriately chose Valentines Day to show some love for its fans via Nintendo Direct broadcasts, with a 3DS extravaganza in Europe and a mixture of the handheld and Wii U setting the agenda in North America. We live-blogged events of course, and then covered the big stories that emerged. Rather like January's Wii U...
News Latest U.S. Sales Show Decline in Video Game Market, Slow Wii U Momentum
Wii U sales below 100,000
U.S. sales tracker NPD has issued its results for January, which reflect more challenging times for the video game industry in comparison to previous years. In raw figures video game sales increased 9% over January 2012, but this year's results cover five weeks rather than four; Gamasutra has estimated that in equivalent...
News Nintendo of America Offering Free Retail Game To New 3DS XL Buyers
Provided you register Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Gates to Infinity or Luigi’s Mansion: Dark Moon as well
Recently Nintendo of Europe gave people the opportunity to download a copy of a new game free of charge by simply registering a 3DS XL on Club Nintendo. That deal is now over, but Nintendo of America has just started a similar offer. The new...
News Mario And Donkey Kong: Minis On The Move Winding Up For 3DS eShop
Too cute
It's been confirmed during today's Nintendo Direct presentations that the Mario and Donkey Kong series is getting a new instalment in the shape of Mario and Donkey Kong: Minis on the Move. The game is part of the same series which gave us Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Mini-Land Mayhem! and Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Minis March Again!, and focuse
News New Super Luigi U Confirmed as Future DLC for New Super Mario Bros. U
Will be a "large scale" download for the Wii U title
In both the North American and European Nintendo Direct broadcasts, Satoru Iwata appeared — wearing a snazzy green hat — to declare this the "Year of Luigi". After Mario has hogged the line-up in recent years, Luigi will have a starring role in some new titles, one of which will actually be an...
News New Pokémon Gets Caught In Some Footage
Called Sylveon in English
Earlier this week we brought you the news from CoroCoro magazine of a new Pokémon called Ninfia, along with a scanned image of it in all of its pink glory. Following that reveal, The Pokémon Company has stated that its English name is Sylveon, and reiterated that it'll be the eighth Eevee evolution; no other new details...
News Nintendo 3DS Direct Bringing the Love on 14th February
Europe focused on the handheld, North America will include Wii U games
Nintendo has announced new Nintendo Direct broadcasts, giving us a positively useful 24 hours to prepare ourselves. In Europe this time around the focus is on the 3DS, with Nintendo stating that it'll look at future games on the handheld; the North American broadcast isn't...
Talking Point The Emergence of "Niche" Japanese Titles Into The Nintendo Mainstream
If in doubt, go with what you know
As the weeks pass of Wii U's early days, and the 3DS campaigns to prove that gaming handhelds still have a major role to play, there are some signs that Nintendo's being forced to adjust its strategies when preparing new games. With the previous week's debates about third party content — both multi-platform and...
News Mario Picks Up a DICE Sticker at Annual Awards
It sure looks good on paper
Last week saw a number of games industry professionals descend on Las Vegas for the annual DICE summit. It's an opportunity for various studios and representatives to talk more directly about the industry and projects currently in the works, and like all good gatherings it ends with an awards ceremony. As an indication...
























