Talking Point New Super Mario Bros. Is 15 Years Old, And It's Still Fantastic
Celebrating Mario's big 2D comeback on its anniversary
News The Elusive McDonald's Nintendo DS Has Made Another Appearance Online
Full eSmart 2.0 manual shared for our viewing pleasure
Random Someone's Transformed A Pokédex Toy Into A Fully-Working Nintendo DS
Complete with the original GBA slot
News The Top Ten Best-Selling Games For Wii U, 3DS, Wii And DS (As Of September 2021)
How many of these do you own?
DS - News
January2022
News Fans Have Discovered A Neat Mario Party 3 Reference Hidden Inside Mario Party DS
A familiar tune
If you were lucky enough to have had a copy of Mario Party DS back in the day, you might well remember Toadette’s Music Room, one of the game's unique boards. What we're willing to bet you didn't know, however, is that the board actually contains a cool little easter egg relating to an older game in the series. Toadette’s Music...
December2021
Random Get Nostalgic For The Wii Days With Nintendo's E3 2006 Conference, Upscaled
Excite Truck ftw
While the last couple of E3s haven't been quite what we're used to for obvious reasons, it's the memories of glorious summers past which keep our enthusiasm for the event alive. Earlier this year we took a look at a handful of Nintendo's most iconic E3 moments, but researching for that article and rewatching Nintendo's conferences...
Talking Point New Super Mario Bros. Is 15 Years Old, And It's Still Fantastic
Celebrating Mario's big 2D comeback on its anniversary
It’s quite funny to consider that the highest-selling Nintendo DS game of all time - shifting in excess of 30 million copies worldwide – is still a title I’d consider to be under-rated. If anything, it’s respected as the formative entry in a divisive series that’s considered to never...
News Check Out This Never-Before-Seen Intro To BioWare's Now-Decanonized Sonic Brotherhood
Brothers in arms
Sonic Chronicles: The Dark Brotherhood is over a decade old now, and represents a unique entry in the Sonic series. Developed by RPG specialists BioWare – responsible for the likes of Mass Effect and Dragon Age – Sonic Chronicles sadly never got a sequel. Now, video game animation expert and author Jonathan Cooper has shared...
November2021
News Gamers Vote Nintendo DS As The Console They'd Most Like To See Make A Modern Comeback
Do you agree?
If you could see the return of any classic video games console, what would you choose? That was the question put to 1,000 UK gamers in a recent study by Hyperoptic, all in a bid to see which system holds the highest nostalgia value. Sitting right at the very top of the votes is Nintendo's own DS, closely followed by both the...
News The Elusive McDonald's Nintendo DS Has Made Another Appearance Online
Full eSmart 2.0 manual shared for our viewing pleasure
There have been plenty of rare and elusive Nintendo consoles over the past few decades, either released as one-offs or under limited circumstances, and the 'McDonald's DS' is right up there as one of the more quirky system variants. You might know about it already – McDonald's-branded...
News The Top Ten Best-Selling Games For Wii U, 3DS, Wii And DS (As Of September 2021)
How many of these do you own?
We've already seen an updated list of the top ten best-selling Nintendo Switch games, but what about the good old Wii and Wii U, and even the DS and 3DS? Naturally, sales for games on these older systems aren't what they used to be, but some copies continue to be picked up thanks to digital stores or the odd bit of...
September2021
News Modders Are Reimagining Mario Kart: Double Dash On DS
Chunky DS sprite nostalgia
A few notable gaming systems have a look; for the Game Boy - as one example - that look is pea green. We also think the DS has a look, those chunky character models that are sort of like the N64 but not quite, and the fact that it had such an extraordinarily varied library with these aesthetics. DS mods of well known...
Random Check Out This Game Boy Color And Nintendo DS Mash-Up
Two-in-one
We've seen plenty of cool retro mods over the years, but this latest effort from Game Boy Custom really stands out – mainly because it's fusing together a Game Boy Color with a Game Boy Advance and the internals of a Nintendo DS. Still with us? Good. The Aussie modder has sent a proof-of-concept prototype to our friends at Retro Dodo,...
August2021
News Did You Know That Zelda: Phantom Hourglass Borrows Its Most Ingenious Puzzle From Another Game?
Genius steals
Zelda: Phantom Hourglass was the first entry in the Zelda series to arrive on DS, and pleased a lot of people in the process. It's also home to one of the most memorable puzzles in the franchise, which (spoiler alert!) involves physically closing the DS console itself to transfer an image from the top screen to the bottom screen. This...
Random Someone's Transformed A Pokédex Toy Into A Fully-Working Nintendo DS
Complete with the original GBA slot
We've seen our fair share of clever hardware mods in our time, but here's a design that's so perfect we're amazed Nintendo and The Pokémon Company haven't already gone ahead and made one themselves. Instagram user @tomvdcr has transformed a Pokédex toy into a fully-functioning Nintendo DS, enabling it to play...
News Tomb Raider Team Shares Early Development Footage Of Tomb Raider: Legend For GBA And DS
Early concept art and storyboards, too
In an industry where early development footage, scrapped plans, and early concept art are usually only made public thanks to datamine efforts or questionable leaks, it's incredibly refreshing to be treated to some never-before-seen footage of a game in its early stages direct from the source itself. Yes, Tomb...
July2021
News Nintendo Gigaleak Reveals Scrapped DS Projects, Including A New Pokémon Pinball Game
And much more...
As you've likely seen this week, the Nintendo 'Gigaleak' dating back to last year has resurfaced. The second round of leaks over the past few days have revealed early Wii Remote concepts, confirmed
News BioWare Had Plans For A First-Person Mass Effect Game On Nintendo DS
But cartridge costs and sales forecasts got in the way
In 2012, Electronic Arts released BioWare's third entry in the Mass Effect series on the Wii U. While we've not seen Commander Shepard appear on a Nintendo platform since then, there were apparently plans prior to this for a spin-off on the Nintendo DS. Ex-BioWare producer, Mark Darrah,...
May2021
Random Fan Project Is Making Super Mario Galaxy DS A Reality
What sorcery is this?
Super Mario Galaxy is a classic, and certainly in the conversation when debating the best ever Mario games; it shone on its Wii debut, and more recently looked rather nice as part of the Super Mario 3D All-Stars collection. Imagine, though, if it was playable on Nintendo DS. That's what a group of four talented homebrew...
Random We're Getting Major 'Nintendo DS' Vibes From Microsoft's Surface Duo Running Xbox Game Pass
Dual-screen goodness
This week, Microsoft pushed a new update to its Android-based Surface Duo which allows owners to run Xbox games via Xbox Game Pass Ultimate. So far, 50 titles are available, but the really cool thing about this is that it effectively turns the Surface Duo into a Nintendo DS-style games console. The catch here is that the Duo...
Random Someone Is Trying To Recreate Counter-Strike On The Nintendo DS
Boom!!! Headshot!
If you were one of the many people enjoying PC gaming in the year 2000 (the same year we saw the release of Rare's Perfect Dark on the Nintendo 64), one of the titles you might have played is Valve's original online team-based FPS, Counter-Strike. Although this game never got released on a Nintendo platform, French YouTuber...
Random This Rare Accessory Lets You Play Modern Consoles Through Your Nintendo DS
4K, 120fps output has never looked so good
We've seen some pretty crazy console setups in our time, but we didn't expect to see an Xbox Series X running on a Nintendo DS when we woke up this morning. YouTube channel The Retro Future has shared a new video (above) that showcases Microsoft's latest machine – claimed by the company to be the world's...
PSA Yes, Your DS And 3DS Cartridges Will Eventually Deteriorate, But Don't Panic
Update: A possible fix appears...
In book preservation, processes are established and closely followed. Manuscripts and first editions are kept in carefully managed vault-like facilities, where humidity and access is carefully managed. There are also extensive projects to digitise these materials, creating permanent backups in cloud storage so that...
March2021
News Mistwalker Boss Not Interested In Reviving Studio's Older Games
Would rather "build something new"
Earlier this week, we heard how the mobile exclusive Fantasian could potentially be the last project for Final Fantasy creator and Mistwalker Boss, Hironobu Sakaguchi, before he steps back or at least takes a break. In the same interview with VGC, Sakaguchi was asked if his company would be up for remasters or...
Dual-screen role-playing
The Nintendo DS is one of the most successful games consoles in the history of the industry, so as you might imagine, it's pretty well-stocked when it comes to RPGs. During its glorious lifespan, this dual-screen wonder played host to some of the best role-playing epics the genre has ever seen – and we've compiled a list...
February2021
Random This Unused DS Lite Feature Would've Effectively Turned The Console Into A Switch
Nintendo may have been planning the hybrid concept for over a decade
The Nintendo DS Lite was a necessary refinement back in 2006. Contributing to around 94 million of the DS family's 154 million sales, this slimline variant proved highly successful, but 15 years later, we didn't expect to still be finding out about unused features. Outlined by the...
News Did The Official Pokémon Twitter Account Just Tease A Diamond And Pearl Return?
"Let's go, Sinnoh!"
This weekend, on 27th February, the Pokémon series celebrates 25 years since the launch of the original Game Boy titles. There have already been rumours floating about and now the official Pokémon Twitter account seems to be joining in on the fun. It's currently doing a countdown featuring different generations of pocket...
News Footage Of The Cancelled Nintendo DS Game Black & White Surfaces Online
Presenting Black & White Creatures
Following on from the surprise leak of Dinosaur Planet last weekend, footage of the cancelled Nintendo DS project Black & White has now surfaced online. If the name doesn't ring a bell, this is a handheld entry of the god video game series created by the famous video game designer Peter Molyneux (Populous,...
News Nintendo Registers New Trademark For The Legend Of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass
Is it time to set sail again?
There's been a lot of talk about Nintendo potentially re-releasing a bunch of Link's older games in an All-Star style collection similar to the Mario one released last year, but Nintendo itself hasn't actually said a thing just yet about what it has planned for Zelda's big anniversary. Now though, we do have some news...
January2021
News A 2019 Rumour About Gen IV Pokémon Remakes Might Be Coming True
Could possibly include "let's go catching" mechanics
Next month marks 25 years since the release of the first Pokémon titles on the original Game Boy. One of the biggest rumours currently doing the rounds is the possible return of the 2006 Nintendo DS entries, Pokémon Diamond and Pearl. It's believable enough when you look at the current timeline...
Rumour Pokémon Diamond And Pearl Remakes Will Be Revealed For Switch Next Month
Just in time for Pokémon's 25th anniversary
Next month, on 27th February, it will have been 25 years since the launch of the original Pokémon Game Boy titles. This also happens to line up with "Pokémon Day", and as usual, there'll likely be a special presentation to go with it. So what can trainers around the world possibly expect, if there are...
News Nintendo DS Platformer Monster Tale Is Making A Comeback On Modern Consoles
Years after an 'Ultimate' version was promised
Majesco Entertainment has announced that it will be giving Nintendo DS platformer Monster Tale a fresh spin on current hardware. Currently only teased for "modern game platforms" – although, you'd imagine Switch is a safe bet with the original being a Nintendo exclusive – Monster Tale will be...
November2020
News NPD: Switch Sold More Units In Q3 2020 Than Any Platform Since The DS In Q3 2009 (US)
Unstoppable
It's been another massive year for the Switch. Last week, Nintendo's latest financial earnings report revealed how the hybrid system had shifted 12.53 million units worldwide in six months between April and September this year. We've now got even more good news to share about the system. According to NPD's video game industry analyst,...
Random Did You Know Mario Kart DS Loads Differently Depending On Your Chosen Console?
But why?
Well, here's an interesting little fact for you: Mario Kart DS actually behaves slightly differently depending on which Nintendo DS system you use to play it on. The DS classic, which has now been available for almost 15 years, features a different loading sequence if you play the game on an original Nintendo DS system, rather than any...
News The Top Ten Best-Selling Games For Wii U, 3DS, Wii And DS (As Of September 2020)
Mario Kart still reigns supreme
Earlier today, we shared an updated list of the top ten best-selling Nintendo Switch games of all time, but how are the likes of the Wii U and 3DS doing, and even the Wii and DS before those? Well, it just so happens that Nintendo has also provided up-to-date figures for its best-selling games on those platforms. As...
October2020
Poll Box Art Brawl: Duel #63 - Advance Wars: Dual Strike
What is it good for?
Welcome to Box Art Brawl, the contest which pits regional box art variants from across the globe against each other in a deadly duel to the death. Well, not really — you just vote for your favourite, like. It's a bit of fun, see? Last time we witnessed Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest give itself a sound thrashing as...
Random Zelda Fan Pens Heartwarming Message To The Person Who Bought Their Beloved DS
"I got this DS as a birthday gift when I was 10"
One of the really wonderful things about handheld gaming is the tangible connection the player makes with the console. Sure, home systems have iconic controllers we learn to love, but with a handheld, the entire system is in the palm of your hand – and the fact you can take it with you everywhere...
September2020
News Nintendo Applies For Pokémon HeartGold And SoulSilver Trademarks, But Don't Get Your Hopes Up
A wild trademark appeared!
Nintendo has applied for Pokémon HeartGold And SoulSilver trademarks in its home country of Japan, reports Japanese Nintendo. Both trademarks are said to cover 50 different types of products and services – including video games, as you might expect. The trademarks were filed on 7th September 2020, with both...
Anniversary Pokémon Black And White Are Now 10 Years Old
We're ready to return to Unova
This week marks the 10 year anniversary of Pokémon Black and White on the Nintendo DS (aka the fifth generation of Pokémon games). Both titles were originally released on 18th September 2010 in Japan - with the western launch following in March 2011. These entries were some of the top-selling games on the DS,...
Random eBay User Makes Small Fortune Selling Old Pokémon Game Boxes And Manuals In 'Good' Condition
"Games not included"
Want to make some easy money, but don't want to part with your precious video games? Well, at least not entirely. Then just sell the boxes and manuals separately. They don't even need to be in top condition. An eBay user, located in the US, has just banked $1375.00 selling an assorted bunch of Pokémon boxes and manuals dating...
July2020
As voted for by you
This ranked reader-voted list of the 50 best Nintendo DS games is governed by Nintendo Life User Ratings and can change depending on those scores. Feel free to rate your favourites and, perhaps, rejig the ranking below. Enjoy! One of the joys of Nintendo's Switch is how it marries the company's home console heritage with its...
May2020
Random In Japan, You Can Buy A Nintendo Wii For 50 Cents
And DS consoles are under a dollar
The Wii and DS were phenomenally successful consoles, selling over 250 million units between them worldwide. That's great news when a system is 'alive' and still getting new games, but when it's a decade down the line, the software has dried up (well, almost dried up) and
News Someone Bought A Duke Nukem Prototype For Nintendo DS On eBay
Dev cart of a previously unknown game
If you're anything like us, you may well peruse eBay every so often in the hopes of picking up a cheeky bargain. Complete-In-Box copy of Wave Race 64 starting at 99p, eh? That's got to be worth a speculative bid, no? However, it's rare that anything we bid on doesn't get sniped at the last minute, and even the...
News The Top Ten Best-Selling Games For Wii U, 3DS, Wii And DS (As Of March 2020)
Did someone say Mario Kart?
We've already received an updated list of the top ten best-selling Nintendo Switch games today, but how about the 3DS, the Wii U, and even the Wii and DS? Well, as it happens, Nintendo has also provided updated lists for each of these consoles, and while the standings below have seen very little change over the past few...
March2020
Video Magician's Quest - The Animal Crossing Clone You've Probably Never Heard Of
Harry Potter meets Animal Crossing?
If you’ve played an Animal Crossing game, we bet you’d probably agree that there’s nothing else out there truly like it. From the way you can interact with the animal villagers to the way the game syncs up to the internal clock in your system to make the wild world that much more immersive, it’s truly a...
News You Can Now Stream Songs From Pokémon Mystery Dungeon's OST For Free On YouTube
A very welcome surprise
In what is a very unusual move from The Pokémon Company, a selection of music from Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Red Rescue Team and Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Blue Rescue Team has been shared to YouTube for free streaming. The uploads are almost certainly in place to celebrate the recent launch of Pokémon Mystery Dungeon:...
Video Fan Beats Pokémon Platinum Without Taking Any Damage
After more than 138 hours' playtime
Beating Pokémon games might feel a little easier to accomplish these days, but fans have been coming up with ways to make each game tougher for years. The latest intriguing attempt to catch our attention is this one by Smallant1, who decided to try and complete Pokémon Platinum without taking any damage. Now,...
December2019
News New Gen 4 Pokémon Leak Supposedly Shows Lots Of Scrapped Gender Differences
Almost every 'mon redesigned
If the contents of this recent Pokémon leak are to be believed, Pokémon Diamond and Pearl - and every game thereafter - could have been very different indeed. Dr. Lava, known for sharing and dissecting cut content from a wide variety of Nintendo games, has shared an article exploring a supposed leak that first...
News Solatorobo Developer Open To The Idea Of Remaking Nintendo DS Exclusive
"the possibility is there"
Reflect on the Nintendo DS generation and you might remember the system exclusive Solatorobo: Red the Hunter. The action-RPG by CyberConnect2 was well-received across all regions but only sold around 100,000 copies worldwide. Is there a chance of the game ever getting a remake, though? CyberConnect2 boss Hiroshi Matsuyama...
November2019
Music Pokémon Diamond And Pearl Are Getting A Fanmade Orchestral Makeover
A Gen 4 remake at last!
For years now, Pokémon fans have been desperately hoping for a remake of the series' fourth generation games, Diamond and Pearl. While we can't offer you that, we do have news of the next best thing. Pokémon fan and musical marvel Braxton Burks is back with another orchestral take on the beloved franchise, this time with a...
October2019
News The Top Ten Best-Selling Games For Wii U, 3DS, Wii And DS (As Of September 2019)
People really love Mario Kart
Earlier today, a new earnings report from Nintendo revealed an updated list of the top ten best-selling Nintendo Switch games, but what about the 3DS, the Wii U, and even consoles earlier than those? As part of the report, Nintendo has also provided updated figures for these older systems, and while software sales for...
August2019
News Decade-Old DS Game Dragon Quest V Re-Entered The Japanese Charts This Week
Almost 2,000 copies were sold
Despite being just over ten years old (or way older than that when you consider its original release on the Super Famicom), Dragon Quest V: Hand of the Heavenly Bride managed to leap right up into the top 30 best-selling games in Japan this week. The game sold 1,905 copies to make it into 28th position, and as you can...
Reminder Vote For Your Favourite Nintendo DS Games
We need your help to rate the finest Dual Screen games
Update: A big thank you to everybody who has already voted when this went live over the weekend - to anyone who missed it, feel free to dive in below and help us rank the top 50 Nintendo DS games ever. Carry on! Later this year we'll be celebrating the 15th anniversary of the Nintendo DS, a...
June2019
Video Explore The Musical History Of The Elite Beat Agents
Agents are... GOne?
If you have fond memories of the Elite Beat Agents or are yet to discover the delights of this male cheerleader series which was localised in 2006, the latest 'Did You Know Gaming?' video by Nintendo Life contributor Liam Robertson is definitely worth a watch. Over roughly half an hour, Robertson investigates the entire history...
May2019
Random Flip Grip Inventor Creates "New Nintendo Switch DS"
What will he think of next?
Shmup enthusiasts will no doubt remember the Flip Grip – a vertical grip accessory designed for the Switch and launched on Kickstarter in June last year. The product made TATE-enabled games an absolute joy to play. At the end of last month, the engineer behind this creation – Mike "Mechachoi" Choi – also came up...
April2019
News The Top 10 Best-Selling Games For Wii U, 3DS, Wii And Nintendo DS (As Of March 2019)
Spoiler: there's a lot of Mario Kart
So, we've seen Nintendo's latest sales totals for the best-selling Switch games, but what about the company's other most recent consoles? Naturally, sales for games on these systems are rapidly slowing down as new copies start to fade away from retail stores. In fact, the totals for Nintendo DS haven't changed...
News Nintendo Removes Seventh Generation Games From Its Official Website
Wii U information page also taken down
Nintendo's American website has today removed all traces of certain video game generations. To be precise, there are no longer game listings for Wii, WiiWare, DS and DSiWare. The Wii U information page has also been removed. It means you'll have to look elsewhere if you're wanting more information about these...
Random Rocco The Staffordshire Bull Terrier Gives A Whole New Meaning To 'Nintendogs'
Don't try this at home
We all used to love a bit of Nintendogs on the Nintendo DS back in the day, looking after our favourite digital doggos while they bounced around the screen in pure joy, but this story gives the word 'Nintendog' a whole new meaning. STV News has shared the story of Rocco, a Staffordshire Bull Terrier who was taken to a...
February2019
News US Government Spices Up Its Flash Game With Yoshi's Island DS Music
Uncle Sam's a Yoshi fan
Where would Mario be without Yoshi, his trusty steed ever since Super Mario World? We're big fans of the dinosaur's work, and can't wait to raid the art room in the upcoming Yoshi's Crafted World. It seems somebody working for the US government is also a fan; as noted on Twitter by The Fore
October2018
Four lists, forty great games
While much of the attention has unsurprisingly been given to the Switch, Nintendo's recent avalanche of financial data has also given us an updated look at sales across other recent systems. We wouldn't blame you for thinking that these consoles mustn't generate any software sales these days, but with Mario Kart Wii...
September2018
Random Father Steals "Gameboy DS" From Prize Machine With Help Of His Daughter
Role model parenting
You know those arcade machines filled with expensive prizes that require you to complete some seemingly impossible task? Well, a man in the US got so sick of trying to beat the odds, he got his own daughter to hop inside his local mall's machine to retrieve all of the goodies on offer. According to Kotaku, the man is now wanted...
July2018
Long-time misconceptions
During a recent interview with DenFamiNicoGamer, the president of Nihom Falcom - Toshihiro Kondo - revealed how the company has dealt with “online flaming” for many years due to the misconception the Japanese developer did not like Nintendo. Even prior to the release of Ys VIII on the Nintendo Switch, the president...
June2018
Video Let's Revel in Nintendo's Best E3 Moments from History
It's mostly 2004, we're not going to lie
Nintendo has had a mixed bag of E3 moments. High and low points are to be expected, and as we've already looked at some of the more embarrassing instances, we thought in the run up to E3 2018 it was time to take a more positive look at things, to bring balance to the universe in an arguably more constructive...
May2018
Feature How One Man Is Turning Dead DS Lites Into Gorgeous Game Boy Advance Systems
Say hello to the Neon Advance
Humanity has been troubled by many great questions during its time on Earth. Why are we here? What is the meaning of life? Where do all those bloody odd socks go? However, none of these perplexing quandaries is more troubling than the ultimate question: which is the best Nintendo handheld for playing Game Boy Advance...
April2018
News Jin Fujisawa, The Director Of Dragon Quest IX, Leaves Square Enix
He's now working for a different, undisclosed firm
One of the Dragon Quest franchise's most influential developers has parted ways with the publisher. Jin Fujisawa, who worked on nine entries on the series (from Dragon Quest VII on PS1 to Dragon Quest X Online) has moved onto pastures new and is now working with a different company on an...
News The Creator Of Seaman Worked On A DS Title Called Mario Motors
He also provided the inspiration for StreetPass
Yutaka "Yoot" Saito is one of Japan's most unique game designers, having creating titles such as Seaman and Odama. Over the years he has enjoyed a close relationship with Nintendo, and was on very friendly terms with the late Satoru Iwata. Speaking at Reboot Develop 2018, Saito revealed...
May2017
News Nintendo's Response To Blind Rhythm Heaven Fan Will Warm Even The Coldest Of Hearts
"I will always support you, Nintendo"
Japanese boy Hibiki Sakai was diagnosed with retinoblastoma in both eyes at the age of one and a half, and following the surgical procedures necessary to save his life has been completely blind since the age of two. That hasn't stopped him indulging in many passions; he's a talented drummer and, like many...
Retrospective The Awkward Birth of the DS, Nintendo's Most Successful System
How a third pillar became a golden goose
With 154.02 million consoles sold to date, the Nintendo DS is the company's most successful hardware platform, the world's best-selling dedicated handheld games console and the second most popular video games system of all time. Not a bad set of achievements for a handheld which, prior to launch, was debated,...
March2017
News Atlus Launches a Teaser Site Hinting at a New Radiant Historia
Yes, please
Relatively late in the life of the Nintendo DS, Atlus released a fascinating RPG called Radiant Historia which was quite well received. Borrowing heavily from Chrono Trigger, Radiant Historia similarly revolved around time travel, with the main draw being that you could travel along the timeline and cause different effects which resulted...
December2016
Retro Check Out These Early Prototype Pictures of the Nintendo DS
The start of a new era
The Nintendo DS represented a bold new direction for Nintendo, kicking off an extremely lucrative period for the company's handheld line; this "third pillar" to Nintendo's strategy wasn't originally supposed to replace the Game Boy line, but it ended up doing so anyway. The original "Phat" model was rather hideous in...
September2016
News EA Had Plans To Create Its Own Pokémon Competitor
PokEAmon?
Even long before Pokémon GO, rival games companies looked on enviously at the Pokémon franchise and wanted to get a slice of the action for themselves. Who can forget Invizimals on the Sony PSP? OK, bad example! Australian indie developer Nic Watt, from Nnooo which has published multiple Nintendo eShop titles, recently revealed on the...
August2016
News Super Mario 64 DS Heading to the North American Wii U Virtual Console This Week
Wahoo!
As is now the norm, Nintendo has updated its official website with one of the games that's coming in the North American Download Update - this time around it's Super Mario 64 DS on the Wii U Virtual Console. Regular NL tipster Ryan Millar got in touch earlier today to highlight an ESRB rating for this title, and sure enough its game page now...
July2016
Review Pokémon Ranger: Guardian Signs
New features and more circle-capture adventures
The Oblivia region has tidy beaches, clear seas and lots of sunshine; it's a pleasant place to be whether a human or one of the many free-roaming Pokémon. Things have changed recently, however, with many Pokémon abducted by a villainous gang known as the Pokémon Pinchers (no, really) and it's up to...
June2016
News Pokémon Mystery Dungeon Treble Heading to the North American eShop This Week
GBA and DS goodness
Nintendo of America has confirmed that there's plenty of Pokémon goodness on the way in this week's Download Update on 23rd June; three releases are coming to the Wii U Virtual Console. The three games due will give Pokémon spin-off fans plenty to do, with a mix of GBA and DS gaming on the home console: Pokémon Mystery...
Going for a slam dunk
From his first venture into Karting through to competing in the Olympics, Mario has been spending plenty of time taking part in activities other than Princess saving. In 2007 (European release) Mario and his mates tried their hands at shooting a few hoops on Nintendo DS in Mario Slam Basketball (aka Mario Hoops 3-on-3 in the...
May2016
News The CEO of Level-5 Had a Hand in Dragon Quest IX Appearing on the DS
Who would've thought?
The Professor Layton series made its grand entrance on the Nintendo DS and quickly made a name for itself as one of the great franchises on the portable. Of course, the widespread sales success of the DS likely had a hand in propelling the series to popularity, so there was something of a mutually beneficial relationship...
Anniversary New Super Mario Bros. is Now a Decade Old
Forever 'New' thanks to clever (or not) branding
When you put 'New' in the name of something, it's inevitable that around a decade later someone will smarmily say "it's not new any more", and you just have to accept that putting an adjective like that in a name isn't a long term solution. Yet, when New Super Mario Bros. was released on DS it was...
April2016
Video See If This Tale of the Cancelled Dirty Harry Game Makes Your Day
The developers weren't feeling lucky
Dirty Harry, to many younger readers (heck, including this writer), may seem like a rather old movie series in which a youthful Clint Eastwood mutters iconic lines. It's not too long ago, however, that Warner Bros. (and Eastwood's own company) had grand plans to revive the franchise with licensed games. The...
Poll The Utterly Charming Animal Crossing Series Is 15 Today, But Which Is Your Favourite?
Turning a new leaf or heading to the city? Let us know
The Animal Crossing series turns 15 today, and to celebrate this occasion Nintendo has released a special video. The first game in the franchise launched in Japan on the Nintendo 64 15 years ago, and since then we've seen entries on the GameCube, DS, Wii, 3DS and Wii U. The GameCube version was...
News Nintendo Is Ending DS Phat Repairs In Japan
Spare parts running out, says NCL
It's the end of an era. Not only have we recently had the news that DSiWare is shutting down and Nintendo is bringing DS cart production to a close, but we've now heard that NCL is stopping Nintendo DS console repairs in its homeland. Repair support for all colours of the very first DS (model number NTR-001, also...
Rumour Nintendo has Discontinued Production of Nintendo DS Cartridges Around the World
Better get 'em before they're gone
Last week, we reported on the news that Nintendo would be entering the process of sunsetting its DSiWare service, reflecting the end of the official sale of digital games on DS consoles. This news didn't come as a huge shock given the age of the service and with a new console just on the horizon, but it nonetheless...
March2016
News Natsume May Bring Some of its DS Games to Virtual Console Soon
Keep your eyes peeled
Though it maybe doesn't get updated nearly as often as many would like, the DS library on the Virtual Console continues to grow at a fairly steady pace. Naturally, there are plenty of holes in the lineup thus far, but the process for making games available on the service is supposedly much more difficult than it seems on the...
News Akira Tago Passes Away at Age 90
The Professor Layton series' "Puzzle Master"
The Professor Layton games form a popular portable series that's spanned across the DS and 3DS, famous for their puzzle-based gameplay. Though fans still await the coming of the mysterious 'Layton 7', the series recently lost a great contributor on its development side. It was recently reported that...
February2016
Review Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Blue Rescue Team
Pokécrawler: Blue
Many Pokémon are finding themselves in trouble and it's up to you and your rescue team to go and save them in this dungeon crawling spin-off from Chunsoft. Released for the DS in 2006, Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Blue Rescue Team sees you fighting ill-tempered Pokémon as you search a randomly generated floor for the staircase that...
Feature Why We're Still Playing… Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver
The winners of your community vote on favourite Pokémon games
This is a series of features that focuses on games that we keep playing again and again, either over an unhealthy number of hours or those that keep getting return visits long after they first graced our systems. In this entry Mitch talks about his favourite Pokémon games, which also...
News Square Enix Store for the Americas Offers Plenty of Discounts in Anniversary Celebrations
Deus Ex! Final Fantasy! Kingdom Hearts! More!
Apparently the official Square Enix store for the Americas is one year old, and as a result there are a whole load of discounts being offered. We previously shared the store's Black Friday discounts last year, and though this promotion is smaller it still offers a chance to pick up some excellent...
D-Pad D-Bate
Super Mario 64 is undeniably one of the most influential games in the industry's history, so it's only natural that Nintendo would attempt to capitalise on its success with a re-release. What nobody expected at the time was for it to not only arrive on a portable console, but also feature Yoshi as the initial protagonist. Super Mario 64...
January2016
Review The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks
Choo-choo-choose the original format
No doubt partly driven by necessity as much as strategy, Nintendo's Virtual Console efforts on Wii U have been notable for including not only Game Boy Advance titles, but also various releases from the DS library. With the latter only possible courtesy of the Wii U GamePad questions of practicality are fairly...
News 'Brain Training' Games Aren't All They're Cracked Up to be
Brain training website pays $2 million to FTC for false advertising
No doubt many of you remember Nintendo's popular Brain Age series on the Nintendo DS, technically the first in its 'Touch! Generations' line of games. The title sold itself on the concept of doing simple cognitive tasks and games in order to slow mental decline and keep cognitive...
December2015
Review Animal Crossing: Wild World
Why this world?
The very idea of a portable version of Animal Crossing filled this reviewer with glee when he first read about it back in the days of magazines and routers without wi-fi as standard. Animal Crossing: Wild World has always been a very special game to fans as it expanded upon the original GameCube title (for this region at least) but...
Review Kirby: Power Paintbrush
Time has passed
Kirby: Power Paintbrush – also known as Canvas Curse in North America – was originally released on the Nintendo DS in 2005. Following the trend of many other franchises during this new generation of handheld gaming, the HAL Laboratory-developed title moved away from traditional platform game conventions by utilising the defining...
Review The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass
An epic sail
When thinking about the best games from the Legend of Zelda series, many automatically jump straight in at the deep end with the big, home console releases; games such as Ocarina of Time and The Wind Waker always seem to make it to the top of peoples' lists. Games often overlooked are those that have appeared on Nintendo's portable...
November2015
They just appear, as if an apparition...
The Nintendo Direct broadcasts had a few surprises included, and in a segment dedicated to The Legend of Zelda Nintendo of Europe had an extra treat in store; this is in the form of a couple of DS releases for the Wii U Virtual Console. The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass and The Legend of Zelda: Spirit...
News Mitsuru Hirata Expresses Interest in Pursuing a Radiant Historia Sequel
"Someday a new Radiant Historia!"
As some of you may remember, Atlus released a JRPG on the DS a few years back called Radiant Historia. The game took a page from the book of Chrono Trigger and was heavily centered around a time travel mechanic wherein the protagonist had to devise the best possible path to take in order to avoid the apocalypse...
October2015
Video Remember the Good Old Days With These Pokémon Mystery Dungeon Animations
The nostalgia may overpower you
Pokémon Super Mystery Dungeon is coming to the 3DS in North America pretty soon - early 2016 in Europe - and The Pokémon Company wants to build a little hype for the latest entry in the spin-off series. To do that it has revisited past entries of the series, or their accompanying animations, in any case. The...
Review Mario vs. Donkey Kong 2: March of the Minis
A toy story
Mario vs. Donkey Kong 2: March of the Minis is the Nintendo DS sequel to the original GBA classic and a new recruit to the ever-growing Wii U Virtual Console library. Rather than being more of the same platforming puzzle action, Nintendo chose to focus this entire game around what is but a small percentage of the previous game - the...
September2015
News Metroid Prime: Hunters Arrives on Wii U Virtual Console in Japan
Yes please, NoA and NoE
When Nintendo announced DS games for the Wii U Virtual Console quite some time ago, many reacted with variations of "huh", "erm" and "that's weird". Yet it has worked reasonably well in many cases, with the GamePad screen and TV having various configurations to get the most out of these previously portable titles. It also...
Review Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon
Emerging from the shadows
Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon is a Nintendo DS remake of the first Fire Emblem game (originally released in 1990 for Famicom in Japan) that's now available to download in Virtual Console form for Wii U. The series staple of strategic turn-based gameplay along with the perma-death possibility for characters would form the...
Video Allow This Gentle Electroplankton Opus To Soothe Your Ears
Symphony of the plankton
We must admit we'd forgotten all about Electroplankton for the Nintendo DS, that was until Nintendo Life reader Marco Menzler from Germany dropped us a line to bring back those musical memories. Marco shared with us a 3 part symphony which he created using 5 Nintendo DS systems playing Electroplankton. In op.2, Marco uses a...
Mario History New Super Mario Bros. - 2006
The 'New' new
In this series of articles we'll write about one or more Mario games per day, each representing a different year as part of our Super Mario 30th Anniversary celebrations. Assessing 2D Mario games in the 'New' series in 2015 naturally features arguments of repetition, frequency of releases and some calls for fresh ideas. Those...
Mario History Mario Kart DS and Mario Kart Arcade GP - 2005
When snaking shook the world
In this series of articles we'll write about one or more Mario game per day, each representing a different year as part of our Super Mario 30th Anniversary celebrations. 2005 was a busy year in terms of Mario releases, with a whole host of options across portable and home console systems, all in the form of spin-offs...
Mario History Super Mario 64 DS - 2004
3D Mario on the go
In this series of articles we'll write about one or more Mario game per day, each representing a different year as part of our Super Mario 30th Anniversary celebrations. If you'd have said that one day it would be possible to play Super Mario 64 on a handheld console back in 1996, you'd likely have been laughed out of the room...
Review Wario: Master of Disguise
Master of Mediocrity
After WarioWare took off, it seemed like that was all everybody's favourite antihero was up to, save for a Wii instalment of the Wario Land series. In truth, there was also an attempt at a Wario platformer on the DS, though it is quite easy to see why not many seem to remember this outing. Developed by Suzak, the company...
August2015
News Sonic Classic Collection On Nintendo DS Cut Content Including A Crazy Taxi 4 Pitch
Plans for extra games
Remember the Sonic Classic Collection released on the DS in 2010? As neat as it was, it was also slightly underwhelming when there were far more extensive Sonic-themed collections already available on other platforms for much cheaper prices. Fansite The Sonic Stadium has now uncovered new information regarding this...
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