July2012

  • News New Mario Bros. 2 Footage Hops Over From Japan

    Giant Boo and boulders

    Japanese gamers are getting a double treat on 28th July, as they'll not only be able to pick up a shiny new 3DS XL but also a copy of New Super Mario Bros. 2. The rest of us need to wait until mid-August, but we can still cast our eyes over the latest trailers for the plumber's new adventure. Although some of this footage may...

  • News 8-Bit Summer Brings Myths and Monsters

    Plus tumbling and popping

    We've just got word of the latest titles in Nintendo of America's Virtual Console 8-Bit Summer promotion. We hope you like monsters. If you should log onto the 3DS eShop on Thursday you'll find Kid Icarus: Of Myths and Monsters, Pit's second ever outing. Are you up to the task of traversing the underworld, overworld and...

  • News Put Your Trivia Knowledge to the Test in Quiz Party

    Let's get quizzical

    Nintendo is encouraging Wii owners to party smartly with Quiz Party. It's out in the UK on 27th July and is hosted by none other than television quiz show legend Roy Walker of Catchphrase fame. Say what you see! Using just one Wii Remote, an unlimited number of competitors can take part and answer questions about history,...

  • News Starship Defense is Your New US Club Nintendo Reward

    Starship super

    If you're a US Club Nintendo user with 150 coins jangling around in your cyber-pocket, there's a new reward that might tempt you: Q-Games' DSiWare title Starship Defense, known in Europe as Starship Patrol. It replaces Electroplankton: Rec-Rec and will be available for a limited period of time. Have a read of our Starship Defense...

  • Talking Point 3DS XL's Media Potential

    Look ma, no glasses!

    One of the biggest shifts of the last generation has been the evolution of games consoles into entertainment centres, allowing almost all forms of media to be played back through your TV. It’s a far cry from the old cartridge systems when gaming ruled supreme, but thanks to their knowledge outside of video games both Microsoft...

  • News Michael Pachter: Activision Demanded Wii U Pro Controller for CoD

    Wii U 'a solution in search of a problem'

    For those that didn't know, last week Brighton — South England — hosted the Develop conference, where many figures from the industry chewed the fat and debated the games industry. Being one of the big three console manufacturers that also has a new system on the way, it's only natural that the subject of...

  • News Mario Explores New Environments in Latest Trailer

    Or should we say, 'New'

    The hype train seems to have truly left the station in the case of New Super Mario Bros. 2, hitting 3DS in just under a month's time. Late last week we brought you the latest trailer featuring Gold Boo and more, and as it's Monday we thought a bit more Mario may make the start of the week feel a bit better. This shorter...

  • News Nintendo Direct Next Week Focused on Demon Training

    10 minutes in hell with Demon Kawashima

    Get out your diaries and Japanese dictionaries, as Nintendo will be hosting a 'mini' Nintendo Direct conference on 18th July, next week. The broadcast will only be ten minutes long and will centre entirely around the upcoming 3DS game, Dr Kawashima's Demon Training, a sequel to the hugely successful Dr...

  • News 3D Won't Be a "Key Feature" of Future Nintendo Consoles

    Taking a backseat

    Nintendo global president Satoru Iwata has revealed that stereoscopic 3D will play a role in future systems — but it won't be one of the "key features". Speaking to The Independent, Iwata insisted that Nintendo remains enthusiastic about 3D, but also acknowledged that some people tire of the effect's novelty quickly. As such,...

  • News Nintendo Patents Improvements for 3DS Download Play

    Less pesky waiting

    Download Play has been a positive feature since it was introduced in the DS family of handhelds, especially for those that don't have an internet connection or in some games where only one game cart is needed for multiple people to play. Many of us may not use it that often, but it's an extra that shows Nintendo's devotion to...

  • News White Raccoon Mario to The Rescue in New Super Mario Bros. 2

    No platformer left behind

    Super Mario 3D Land may not have tested series veterans in its early worlds, but by the time we got to the later levels — the real later levels — various members of the Nintendo Life team were faced with the temptation of White Raccoon Suit Mario. Dying five times in the same area made this power up appear, and Mario...

  • News New Super Smash Bros. Is a 'Big Priority' for Namco

    Roster decisions a way off

    The game may still be a fair bit away, with the only publicly shown development being a whiteboard sketch, but the next entry in the Super Smash Bros. series is, it's safe to assume, high on the hype lists of a lot of Nintendo gamers. It's the ultimate fan-service franchise, so it's only natural to want to know as much as...

  • News Square Enix: Nintendo Works With a 'Different Perspective'

    Going its own way

    One debate that has swirled around Wii U is its graphical power and grunt, with many debating whether it's on par, stronger or potentially weaker than its Microsoft and Sony counterparts. One thing we do know is that it produces HD visuals and that Mario and company have never looked so pretty, all while coming out with its...

  • Feature Another Dimension Opening Night

    Nintendo warps into trendy East London

    Nintendo continues to find ways of expanding the reach of 3DS to new audiences with events such as this month’s UK photo competition Another Dimension, which saw a group of photography enthusiasts get to grips with 3D picture-taking using the system in organised field trips hosted by a wide range of...

  • First Impressions Wii U Panorama View

    Look around you

    Wii U's ability to output different scenes to television and controller is something truly special, but many of the games we've seen have been content to use the GamePad's extra screen to provide an alternative take on the main display, or an inventory, or a map. Wii U Panorama View is a startling look at the possibilities of the new...

  • News Nintendo Drops Price of 3DS AC Adapter in Japan

    The writing's on the wall socket

    The upcoming 3DS XL packaging in Europe may say in big letters that an AC adapter is not included in the box, but that won't stop complaints on the internet and a few confused customers. It was a decision taken, apparently, to make the console more affordable, with adapters and cradles available to buy separately:...

  • Feature A Visual Guide to Nintendo's Handheld Revamps - Part One

    Because one is never enough

    The recent announcement of 3DS XL less than 18 months after the original 3DS hit shelves drew a lot of discussion, so we thought we'd dive through the archives to present you with a visual history of the evolution of Nintendo handheld consoles, starting with the good old Game Boy. We're not going to go into all of the...

  • News New Super Mario Bros. 2 Pre-Order Bonus is Golden

    Not real gold, though

    It's a big Mario release, so it's time for retailers to coax us to their stores with some 'collectibles' that, in all likelihood, will be lost behind the furniture within days. Still, extras are always nice, and lucky UK gamers will have the chance to get hold of a gold coin cartridge case — not actually made of gold,...

  • News 3DS Sales Momentum in U.S. and Europe is 'Not so Good'

    Post-Holiday slump

    When it comes to sales in Japan, 3DS has been the undisputed number one for a number of months, finishing top of the hardware charts and often out-selling all other consoles combined. The story elsewhere, however, isn't as rosy, and while we're probably not looking at poor sales of the level that prompted a significant price-drop...

  • News Iwata Expects Wii U to Last a Generation

    Microsoft doesn't seem to agree

    An obsession that has plagued video gaming since its earliest days is power, whether it was the 'BIT' wars of the 1990s or the current-day complexities of graphics processors. Wii has been a staggering success that has faded away in its twilight years, arguably because its lack of power has deprived it of many big...

  • News Satoru Iwata: 'Deep' Online Services May Have a Cost

    'Ordinary' services should be free

    Satoru Iwata has recently chaired the latest Nintendo Shareholder's AGM, and as expected faced some tough questions about the future of the company and its plans. One subject that came up was online services, primarily whether the enhanced functionality on Wii U and the developing role of Nintendo Network on 3DS...

  • 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...

  • 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...

June2012

  • 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...

  • 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...