DS News
February2010
Review Geometry Wars Galaxies (DS)
A near-perfect translation of the console classic
Bizarre Creation's Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved is something of a modern classic. The wireframe graphics and gameplay consisting of firing at enemies in every direction on a closed 2D playfield are like a marriage of arcade classics Tempest and Robotron, making for some addictive gameplay. Sierra...
News Pokémon Lose the Slots From Their Heart and Soul
Risk explosions from Voltorbs instead!
Poké-fans in Europe may remember last year when during their Pokémon journey in Pokémon Platimum they discovered they couldn't play the slots like they could in Pokémon Diamond and Pearl. It seems this trend continues with Pokémon SoulSliver and HeartGold as well, though this time instead of simply picking...
Review Moero! Nekketsu Rhythm Damashii Osu! Tatakae! Ouendan 2 (DS)
Once you start, you'll need to call on the Ouendan to help you stop playing this game
In 2005, iNiS crafted Osu! Tatakae! Ouendan for DS. Rhythm games were hardly being made for the system, but they instantly proved that it could have amazing results when done right. People spoke so positively about it that it was popular both in and outside Japan,...
January2010
News Pikachu-Coloured Pichu Westward Bound
US and UK get a chance to nab rare ’mons
Way back when Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver was announced in Japan it also turned out a special Pichu was being released for Pokémon Diamond, Pearl and Platinum owners to download. The li’l fella is transferable to HeartGold and SoulSilver and will trigger an event to unlock another special Pichu in...
News Nintendo of Japan Outlines What It's Up To This Year
Metroid: Other M, Xenoblade, Last Story and new Pokemon in the cards
At an investors meeting in Tokyo today, Nintendo CEO Satoru Iwata was nice enough to outline what the company intended to do with all those funds this year. Included in the outline were Wii RPGs The Last Story from Mistwalker and Nintendo as well as Xenoblade, formerly known as...
News Mega Man Zero Collection Aims Westward
Z-Busting North America in early summer
We knew it was happening at some point, but now Capcom has announced that the upcoming DS release Mega Man Zero Collection is officially on its way out of Japan. The compilation will bring together all four of the GameBoy Advance Mega Man Zero games for "a great price" early this summer in North...
Herculean effort or Greek tragedy?
Role-playing game fans have to be excited to see the number of RPG releases appearing on the DS system continuing to grow. And while we've seen some very unique gameplay elements in many of the titles, we've seen almost as many titles take a much more traditional approach, choosing to stick to many of the familiar...
News Heart Gold/Soul Silver Aussie Release Date Announced
Later than America, sooner than Europe! Pokewalker included
Nintendo Australia have made the announcement that they will be releasing Pokemon Heart Gold and Soul Silver on March 25th - a whole day before Europe gets it! They've also given the Australians a reason to go out and walk as it's recently been confirmed that the Pokewalker peripheral will...
News BBC Interested In Games Again
Looking to develop Doctor Who, Top Gear, In The Night Garden titles
MCV has revealed that the BBC Worldwide is interested in making games based on key IPs after years of sitting back and watching. The BBC has said that it wants to see its biggest brands like Doctor Who, Top Gear, In The Night Garden and more expand into games for all audiences. The...
News Glory of Heracles Launch Trailer
More video of the game in action!
The kind folks over at Nintendo were nice enough to send over the official launch trailer for their brand new DS RPG Glory of Heracles. You can check out the video below along with the official press release information to go along with it. We'll also have a full review of the game up shortly. For centuries, the...
News US Pokémasters: Preorder Now, Get Ho-Oh or Lugia Figures
Legendary Pokémon spotted at US retailers
The hype machine for Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver is certainly kicking into action now, with the news that select US retailers are offering Ho-Oh and Lugia figurines to preorder customers. If you want Ho-Oh, put your name down for HeartGold. Lugia fan? SoulSilver is the one for you. Here's what Cammie...
News British R4 Card Importer Shipping Off To Prison
Guilty plea nets 12-month sentence
Don't mess with Nintendo. British resident Yun Can Meng clearly didn't get the memo when he was busy importing approximately 26,500 R4 cards, as GamesPolitics reports that Meng has been sentenced to 12 months in prison for pleading guilty to the charge. Meng was sentenced in Hull Crown Court. R4 cards can be used...
Review Sands of Destruction (DS)
Yet another engaging DS Japanese RPG.
There's no denying that Nintendo's DS system has seen quite a few Japanese RPG releases over the years and is quickly becoming the system of choice for fans of the genre. Imageepoch, comprised of former developers of such legendary RPG classics as Xenogears and Grandia, have once again combined their talents to...
News Analyst: Nintendo DS2 to be Launched Next Year
According to research firm EEDAR, we could have our hands on the next handheld by April 2011
With the Wii smashing sales last month, it is no surprise to hear that Nintendo is planning on revamping its handheld market. According to EEDAR, a new version of the DS could be available by April 2011. Jesse Divinch, who is the director of the analyst...
News Wii, DS Have Record-Breaking Year In US
Hojillions and hojillions served
According to the NPD sales numbers for December, Nintendo sold more than double the hardware as all of their competitors combined, totaling around 7 million Wii and DS units sold. That's a spicy meatball, but certainly not the only one on top of the company's pile of money-shaped spaghetti that was 2009. In fact, the...
News DSi XL Gets The Hands-on Video Treatment
Exclusive Nintendo Life moving images contained within
No doubt you've already cast your gaze over Corbie's excellent hands-on impressions of the shiny new Nintendo DSi XL, and as a companion to that feature we've cooked up a little video review of the console, purely because we're nice like that. Thanks go to the friendly people at Nintendo UK for...
News Nintendo Doubly Outsold Everything Else Combined In US Last Month
Wii alone stomped the might of Sony and Microsoft
We had already heard from Nintendo CEO Satoru Iwata that the Japanese giant was looking at record December console sales figures this year in the US, but now we've got cold hard NPD sales numbers to see just how many Wiis and DS's were shifted. Turns out that Iwata's "approaching 3M sold"...
News Mega Man Zero Collection Coming to DS
More Mega Man goodness for Nintendo fans
Capcom has just announced Mega Man Zero Collection for the DS, featuring the Zero character from the Mega Man X universe. The games were originally released on GBA from 2002 to 2005 and feature a story set a century after the X series (and 200 years before ZX) when Zero gets re-activated and becomes an...
News DSi XL to Hit Europe on March 5th
Big screens a-comin'
We've already told you what we reckon about the new DSi XL and its mammoth screens, but if you live in Europe then you'll get a chance to try it yourself when the console launches on March 5th, 2010. Nintendo's lovely press department has just sent over the announcement now, although there is no mention of price as yet. It's...
News New Glory of Heracles Gameplay Videos
More footage of the game in action!
Nintendo has just sent over two brand new gameplay videos of their upcoming DS RPG Glory of Heracles. The game is set to hit store shelves on January 18th and if you haven't seen the game in action yet, do yourself a favor and check out these two videos. We'll have a set of new screenshots tomorrow and of course...
News Ulala and Crazy Taxi Joining Sonic & Sega All-Star Racing
More characters to be revealed
Sega have released another trailer of the racer being developed by Sumo Digital, showing off Ulala from Dreamcast game Space Channel 5 and Crazy Taxi's BD Joe, which received a rather good GameCube conversion a few years back. It's been announced there will be 24 tracks in total, a healthy amount though just shy of...
News Even More Nintendo Titles Get The Axe
Shaking stilled, Battalions blasted and walls Charged
Just last week, gaming blog Coffee With Games reported that Nintendo would be ceasing production and distribution of the Metroid Prime Trilogy compilation in the US. Now, several sites are reporting that the company is laying off even more games, some of which haven't even blown out their first...
News Pokemon HeartGold and SoulSilver UK Date Announced
Both UK and US getting Pokewalker
Nintendo Europe has announced this morning that the release date for Pokemon Heart Gold and Soul Silver in the UK is 26th March. In addition they have confirmed that the Pokewalker peripheral is also due for release in Europe (Americans should be getting it too, we would imagine) and they've even been kind enough to...
Review Freshly-Picked Tingle's Rosy Rupeeland (DS)
Kooloo-limpah!
When it was announced Japan would be getting a game starring the Zelda series' strangest character, Tingle, everybody pretty much agreed on one thing - it would never leave Japan. But, in a very surprising move, Nintendo decided to take the gamble and localise the game. Tingle's Rosy Rupeeland takes place before every Zelda game he's...
News DSi Gets Motion Detection
Console tilt-sensitive without attachments
Satoru Iwata may say the DS's successor will be motion sensitive, but the team at Engine Software has beaten him to the punch, creating full motion sensitivity with no attachments needed. To demonstrate the technology in action, Engine Software has released a video of TILT, a prototype marble-rolling...
News Keep Rollin' Rollin' Rollin' with Sushi Go Round
Upcoming Wii and DS food-'em-ups get March release dates
Sushi rolling might not seem like the most obvious premise for a video game, but throw in some time-management gameplay and some frantic score-beating action and developers Asylum Entertainment might just have cooked up something rather tasty. We're only a few months away from finding out for...
News Nintendo Life Game of the Year Results
Ten awards, hundreds of votes - the results are right here!
In this month's podcast we revealed the Nintendo Life Game of the Year Awards winners, showcasing the very best games that 2009 bestowed upon us. If you didn't get chance to listen to the show yet, be sure to check it out, but here for posterity are all the categories and winners from a...
News DS Follow-Up to Feature Motion Sensor?
Wii design ethos to influence future handheld
Japanese newspaper Asahi Shimbun recently carried an interview with Nintendo president Satoru Iwata, discussing the company's hopes for the year ahead, and he discussed a few very brief titbits about the possible DS successor and its features. It will have highly detailed graphics, and it will be...
News US Holiday Wii Sales Top 3 Million
Nintendo systems no slouches in Europe either
Official NPD numbers for December aren't revealed until January 14, but that hasn't stopped Nintendo CEO Satoru Iwata from tooting the company's money-making horn. According to Iwata, Nintendo managed to sell over 3 million Wii's last month in the US, beating last year's 2.15 million and toppling the...
December2009
News Look out Europe! Picross 3D Coming to Swallow Up Your Time
3D chiseling goodness due on February 5th
Picross 3D was released all the way back in March for our Japanese friends. Since then Nintendo announced it for more Western shores during E3 in June, and then things went a bit quiet on the block-chiseling front. However, now Nintendo of Europe have piped up saying Picross 3D is now due for Europe on...
Sega’s African adventure bagged and tagged.
Jambo! Safari: Animal Rescue is a bold attempt at converting the popular Arcade title to something more palatable for the home audience. Quite obviously aimed at younger gamers, this conversion basically boils down to a few veterinary minigames tacked on to the central animal-wrangling gameplay sections...
News Poketunes: Translated Interview with Heart Gold and Soul Silver Sound Team
Musical discussions and a few curious tidbits
In Japan on 28th October 2009, the soundtrack for the newest Pokémon titles, Heart Gold and Soul Silver, was released. The three CD set came with a booklet containing various details and a six page interview with the sound team. Pokémon fansite Dogasu's Backpack has translated the interview in full...
News In-Flight Electronic Blues: TSA Bans Electronics on Flights
Stricter rules in place in light of recent terror scare
Various reports have been filtering through the Internet since a failed terror attack in Detroit, MI on Christmas Day, that there has been some major clamping down on security. People have reported online there have been more pat-downs and some airlines are enforcing stricter restrictions on...
Review Hasbro Family Game Night (DS)
Family Game Delight?
Connect 4, Operation, Battleship and Bop It – games that have become household names with which we are all familiar. Translating Battleship and Connect 4 into digital versions for the Nintendo DS was always going to be an easy task; the challenge for EA was to digitize Operation and Bop It to try and emulate the success of...
News Final Zelda Flipnote Released
Last, but certainly not least...
Aardman Animation, the forces behind Wallace & Gromit, have just released the final video in their Zelda: Spirit Tracks series and we've got it for you. This final video has a little bit of a humorous spin to it, and once again is quite an impressive Flipnote feat. And for those of you who haven't yet read our...
News Christmas UK Sales Charts - Surprisingly Unsurprising Edition
Wii dominates the charts despite being overshadowed by Modern Warfare 2
At the beginning of time (the 80s), man created video game consoles, and he rested partially content. After creating games, marketing, public outcry, double digits' worth of bits and CDs, man rested slightly more content. Then came sales tracking, and who knew when the first...
Podcast NLFM Episode 2 - Holiday Spectacular Spectacular
Cheer or bust!
Welcome to another handsome episode of NLFM, the chip and game music podcast from Nintendo Life. This month we succumb to the holiday spirit and explore the seasonal chip music landscape in this holiday spectacular spectacular! NLFM will generally focus on music from games playable on Nintendo consoles and handhelds, which, thanks to...
Review Crossword Collection (DS)
Cryp-ticks all the right boxes.
It's very rare for Nintendo to be beaten to the punch by other developers, but some of their recent DS releases certainly seem to be playing catch-up to the wealth of third-party support on the machine. Style Boutique (known as Style Savvy in the US) resembles any number of other titles, and now with Nintendo...
Feature For Your Consideration - Henry Hatsworth in The Puzzling Adventure
Why you should vote for Hatsworth's jolly good show
As part of our Game of the Year Awards, Nintendo Life is inviting you to choose one game as your Reader’s Game of the Year. You can vote for anything released on a Nintendo platform in 2009, be it WiiWare, DSiWare, Wii or DS, but you only get one vote, so use it wisely! To remind you of some of...
News Glory of Heracles Coming to DS in January
Here comes the Greek squad!
Nintendo's upcoming RPG Glory of Heracles has flown under the radar for the most part, but with the game's upcoming January 18th release in North America, we thought it might be time to get some information up on the unique title. You can check out the official press release below for a little more information on the game...
First Impressions Dementium II
Clean pants recommended
Renegade Kid are responsible for some of the more innovative and undeniably horrific first-person experiences on DS, having already given us Dementium: The Ward as well as the excellent Moon. Dementium II was recently announced for release in 2010, hitting North America on February 16th and reaching Europe a few weeks later...
News Second Zelda Flipnote Pulls Into View
Der-ner-ner-nerrrr!
The middle part of Aardman's Spirit Tracks trilogy has just arrived on our desk(top) here at Nintendo Life, and naturally we wanted to share it with you. Don't forget our review of The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks is already available if you're in any doubt of whether or not you need this latest lovely slice of handheld gaming...
News Nintendo to Introduce New Touch Screen Kiosks in Japan
Ignorance no longer an excuse when buying games
Nintendo has revealed new kiosks for display in major retail outlets in Japan. They come in two flavours: flat screen devices for counters and retail kiosks for floor display. Both come with wonderfully hi-tech touch screens and cameras. Customers will be able to pick up any DS or Wii game and flash...
News See Aragorn's Quest In Motion
Tolkien fans upset: initial trailer well under four hours long
Even though the final Lord of the Rings film was well over five years ago, the movie trilogy obviously sparked a furious lusting for Middle Earth-related games, something EA did their best to capitalise on with mixed results. Now the licence is back with studio Warner Bros., who just...
Not quite out of this world...
Well, by now you'd have already seen our review for Planet 51 on the Wii, so it's time to see how the dual-screen version of the new extra-terrestrial flick fares. Did Sega manage to blast this out of the stratosphere of gaming delight or did its cargo jettison somewhere in the atmosphere of the mundane? Just like the...
News DS and Wii "Year's Worst Platforms"
According to review aggregator Metacritic, that is
For all the talk of fantastic games released on Nintendo formats this year - including, y'know, Little King's Story - keeper of the review scores crypt Metacritic claims that the DS and Wii had the worst all-around software of 2009. Collating review scores from hundreds of sources on countless games...
News Nintendo To Appeal French Flash Card Case
Company "extremely disappointed" with ruling
DS flash card manufacturer Divineo won big in France earlier this week, and Nintendo is not happy about it. A lawsuit filed by Nintendo against the company was thrown out in Paris’ Criminal Court earlier this week, with the judge saying that Nintendo should adopt a more open development system to allow...
News Japanese Wii Sales Double in a Week
In translation: ker-ching!
Famitsu have reported the Wii's sales figures have risen from 46,674 units to 101,000 units over the week ending 6th December, boosted by the launch of Super Mario Bros. Wii in the homeland. The notion that the Japanese only like small devices continues to be thwarted however by the DSi LL, with sales of over 62,000 in the...
News DS is the UK's Best-Selling Console Ever
Handheld machine tops the 10 million mark in Britain
We all know that the DS is only rivalled in popularity by lollipops and puppies, but perhaps we underestimated its appeal until Nintendo announced it's sold over ten million units in the UK alone, making it the most-bought console these Sceptred Isles have ever seen. Considering the population of...
News Children's Book Was Inspiration for Spirit Tracks
Secret influence revealed!
It's practically raining Spirit Tracks stories today, but this story actually pre-dates Link's latest - it's the children's book that inspired Nintendo to create Spirit Tracks. Called "The Tracks Go On", it's a story where cute kids build the tracks for a train as it explores the land, with cutesy animals and all...
News Aardman Create Zelda Flipnote
"Weatherman is last Aardman Flipnote" statement proves erroneous
Contrary to our earlier reports that The Weatherman was Aardman's final Flipnote creation, we've just had word about this rather cool Zelda animation from those talented Brits. Obviously a neat way to promote the new Zelda: Spirit Tracks game, it's just as cute as the title itself and...
News New Zelda Advert Takes Different Track
Not what you'd expect from a Spirit Tracks commercial
Nintendo has just been in touch with a video of the extended version of the Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks commercial being run in the US currently, and it's certainly not your average Zelda commercial. Staying away from the cutesy cartoon characters that typify the game itself, it takes place in...
News Rooms: The Main Building Coming to Wii and DS
Hudson announce their brand new point & click adventures.
Hudson has just announced a brand new point & click adventure for the Wii and DS systems called Rooms: The Main Building. Combining unique puzzle-solving elements with the point & click controls of the Wii and DS systems, the game offers gamers an immersive experience unlike any...
Review The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks (DS)
On the right track or running out of steam?
Link's last outing, 2007's Phantom Hourglass, was a piece of portable paradise, showcasing all the DS's features with some wildly imaginative puzzles and unforgettable moments, and still remains one of the console's best titles. The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks takes all that was good about Phantom...
News Glory of Heracles Confirmed For Western DS Release
Massively popular JRPG series gets its first release outside Japan
You can't beat the Japanese when it comes to taking a classic myth and putting a entirely new spin on it, as the popular "Heracles" series - which kicked off in 1987 on the Famicom - proves. The good news is that the latest instalment has been confirmed for release in North...
News Yet Another Sonic Collection Inbound - This Time For DS
Is it possible to have too many Sonic the Hedgehog compendiums?
Sega has announced that it will be bringing the first four Sonic the Hedgehog games to the Nintendo DS in March 2010. The Sonic Classic Collection will feature Sonic the Hedgehog, Sonic the Hedgehog 2, Sonic the Hedgehog 3 and Sonic & Knuckles. All four games originally appeared on...
Bewitching.
The DS has seen some fantastic RPGs released this year, with Valkyrie Profile, Nostalgia and of course Mario and Luigi: Bowser’s Inside Story, and Luminous Arc II keeps the standard high with a quality Japanese RPG package that is sure to please anyone looking for a tactical fix. The game’s story takes place in the kingdom of...
November2009
Review Agatha Christie's The ABC Murders (DS)
Belgian waffle?
Thank goodness for Nintendo consoles making it easy for gamers to pick a range of moustachioed characters from various spheres of the employment world. If you fancy something a bit more cerebral than plumbing in your portable plaything you might want to check out Agatha Christie’s ABC Murders, in which you play the world’s only...
News DSi LL Shifts 100K Units In Japan
Two-day launch sales beat the competition
No matter how much head-scratching came out of the arguably non-portable portable's announcement, we've now learned one thing: it sells. According to Famitsu and sales tracker Enterbrain, the giant handheld sold 103,524 units in two days. While an impressive number, it's still not too surprising given the...
Review Drawn to Life: The Next Chapter (DS)
Definitely not the life of the party.
Coming in the wake of its below average-rated predecessor, Drawn to Life: The Next Chapter is a game that not only has a lot of potential but also a lot to make up for. As a concept it’s a good one: you get to draw your very own character as well as various in-game elements including platforms, falling blocks...
Hardware Review Nintendo DSi XL
Is bigger really better?
It would be accurate to say that more than a few heads were scratched when Nintendo announced that they were releasing yet another new model of their DS system called the DSi XL, especially considering that their DSi system had only been on the market for less than eight months. And to make things even more odd, instead of...
News Miyamoto Keeps Edging Toward Hardware Design
Role shifting since the DS
Shigeru Miyamoto is known for creating some of the best games ever made, some of which necessitated a few revolutionary hardware designs to even be able to play them properly. While his game-making style hasn't changed too much over the years (still mining those hobbies), Miyamoto explained to Edge that over the years his...
News Nintendo Preloading DSi's For Black Friday
Blue and white handhelds get Mario and Brain bonuses
Nintendo is making the DSi an even more attractive purchase this Friday to coincide with American Shopping Day by bundling in over $20 in downloadable software with certain models. The metallic blue DSi (a new color) will come loaded with five Mario-themed games and apps, namely Dr. Mario Express,...
Review C.O.P. The Recruit (DS)
Cop a load of this.
With the DS now nearly five years old, you’d think there’d be no surprises left inside that flip-top wonder box, but here comes Ubisoft with something we probably didn’t even realise was possible on DS, under the rather off-putting title of C.O.P. The Recruit. The very talented (if unfortunately named) V.D. Dev have...
News Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks Intro Video
A little insight into the Spirit Tracks.
The nice folks at Nintendo have just sent over the newest trailer for their upcoming DS release Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks. The game is set to hit North American store shelves on December 7th and Europe retail shelves on December 11th. You can check out the new gameplay video that shows off the game's...
News Watch Some More Little Red Riding Hood's Zombie BBQ Footage
View some of the game's boss fights.
If our very positive review didn't yet convince you that the vertical zombie shoot 'em up is worth your time and money, then maybe these recently released videos will. However, they feature the first three boss battles in the game, so if you don't want the strategies to beat them spoiled, it might actually be...
News Prime Yourself for More Metroid
Developer interview teases possible DS outing for Samus
We may still be recovering from the majesty of Metroid Prime Trilogy, but a recent interview with the UK's Official Nintendo Magazine has unearthed an even more exciting titbit: there may be more Metroid Prime games on the way. Speaking to the magazine, Kensuke Tanabe of Nintendo said: We are...
To arms! To arms! Lego Battles storms onto the DS in the very first Lego RTS, but is it a battling success?
Following the unquestionable success of the various Lego games of the past few years, Lego Battles is something of an oddity in the ever-growing stable of generally very good, solid adventure titles (and one rhythm game) from the Lego brand...
News Hotel Dusk Is Getting A Sequel
Goes by the name of Last Window
Hotel Dusk: Room 215 was a great little mystery game for the DS. Set in a hotel in 1979 Los Angeles, developer CING combined mystery text adventure with a graphic novel style while crafting a decidedly DS experience. And now it's getting a sequel. Quietly announced by Nintendo, Last Window: Midnight Promise takes...
News DS XL Promo Footage Shows Off Generous Proportions, Family-friendly Nature
Fun for the entire family
The DS XL - known as the DS LL in Japan - is something of a monster. Want proof? Check out this official promotional video, which has been released by Nintendo to advertise the impending Japanese launch of the console. The footage shows an almost unbearably happy Japanese family fawning over their new DS LL, and gives a...
News Check Out the Final Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks Trailer
Can you believe the game is out in just one month?
The holiday season's coming up, so Nintendo is gearing up to release some of the biggest titles this year. New Super Mario Bros. Wii is out next week, and The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks is out in December. In anticipation of the latter, Nintendo has released one more trailer which should quell...
Too sexy for its shirt
When word leaked out that Sega's Sonic Team was working on a minigame collection for Nintendo's new DS system, many wondered why such a talented development group would be wasting their time creating something as trivial as a minigame compilation. Gamers got their answer with the release of Feel the Magic XX/YY (known as...
News Rare Pokémon Found at US Toys 'R' Us Stores
Get your Arceus down there!
Those of you Pokémon Platinum owners in the US who can haul off to a Toys 'R' Us before November 14th can snag themselves the ultimate Pokemon of all: Arceus. Those who receive this rare beast will discover it has already been levelled up to lvl.100, and has some pretty unique stats that can only be found on this...
Does the series’ DS debut rock or roll over and die?
DS music game fans have a pretty good selection for a portable, with Nintendo’s own stellar Rhythm Heaven and Activision’s Guitar Hero and Band Hero outings eager to put your rhythm skills to work. Harmonix’s Rock Band series has now taken the handheld’s stage for the first time in the...
News Zelda Tin Switches Tracks to GAME
Limited preorder bonus still available
You may remember a few weeks ago we reported that Gamestation was stocking a limited edition figurine and tin set for Zelda: Spirit Tracks, but that they quickly sold out. Well, it seems they sold out because all the rest of the stock went to their parent company GAME. Yes, the pink-hued retailer are offering...
Competitions Do you feel lucky, punk?
Well, do ya? It's almost that time of year, the time of giving, we couldn't wait any longer so here's the winners from 4 of our recent fantastic competitions.
Okay, so let's get started... we've drawn the winners from the 100s of entries using our very faithful rand() function. Mario & Sonic at the Winter Olympic Games Giveaway: We
News Easy Piano DS With Keyboard Peripheral Announced
Pretend you're Beethoven on the bus next year
Publisher Valcon Games has announced that they'll be bringing Game Life's new music game Easy Piano to the DS, complete with a 13-key, full-octave keyboard peripheral. The game hopes to be an introductory teaching tool for playing the real piano, similar to how Art Academy wants to teach you how to draw...
News DSi XL Footage For Your Viewing Pleasure
See the monster handheld rolling
The Nintendo DSi XL (known as the Nintendo DSi LL in Japan) is the newest edition in the DS family and is slated for release in Japan on November 21st 2009. Europe and North America are to follow in the first quarter of 2010, with pricing still to be confirmed. The new console - which is essentially a bigger version...
News Nintendo To Bring 3G Connectivity To The DS?
Big N considering an "always on" connection for its popular handheld
While Nintendo has always maintained that it doesn't want to compete with mobile phone manufacturers, the company has revealed that it is considering the notion of adding some form of online data connection to its DS console. Chatting to the Financial Times, Nintendo president...
October2009
News Nintendo Announces DS Line-Up For THE WORLD
Release dates and windows for Europe, North America and Japan announced
Since the Wii release list was such a hit, Nintendo has followed up with a sequel in the form of a DS release list for the near future. There has been some fan backlash to this new list, with certain gamers upset that Nintendo has dared release a new list so shortly after the...
News Snag A Spooky Scribblenauts Level At The London Dungeon On Halloween
One day only!
Sure, you can conjure up vampires, werewolves, witches and pumpkins in developer 5TH Cell's DS write-em-up Scribblenauts, but you can't summon this freebie in-game. On Halloween, also known as this Saturday, publisher Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment will be giving away a macabre level to all those who dare enter London Dungeon...
Talking Point How Does The DSi LL Compare To Rival Handhelds?
Compare-me-do!
Nintendo's surprise confirmation of the DSi LL is proof that the company is willing to change the way it operates; normally, such a launch would be hyped to high heaven, but here's a machine that we knew little about yesterday - other than rumours - and it's going to be with Japanese gamers in less than a month. However, this isn't...
News DSi LL Coming To Europe First Quarter 2010
New console to be rebranded as the "DSi XL"?
Wondering if the recently confirmed DSi LL is coming to Europe? Wonder no longer. Website VG247 has pressed Nintendo Europe for an answer regarding this hot question and the company has confirmed that the new machine will be hitting The Old World in the first quarter of 2010. Nintendo Europe has also...
News It's Official: Big-Screen DSi LL is Confirmed
The rumours were true after all - but is it a mistake to launch new hardware so soon after the DSi?
The DSi launch may seem like it was only yesterday but that hasn't stopped Nintendo from announcing a new version of its portable gaming system. As we reported recently, the large-screen DSi - known as the DSi LL - will feature bigger displays (4.2...
News Sega Invites You to Get Your PS0 On
Head to their San Francisco HQ for Phantasy Star multiplayer!
With Sega's epic multiplayer DS RPG Phantasy Star Zero hurtling towards its US release in a few weeks, the kind chaps and chapesses at SEGA have thrown open their doors to invite you - the great general public - the chance to visit their offices in San Francisco and enjoy the game in a...
Competitions Win a DSi and Nostalgia!
Yet another competition... this time we've got a shiny white DSi and a copy of Nostalgia up for grabs.
In celebration of the release of Ignition Entertainment's brand new DS RPG Nostalgia, we here at Nintendo Life are giving our North American readers a chance to win a brand new Nintendo DSi system and a copy of Nostalgia to play on it, lucky you!...
News ABC Murders Investigates DS Next Month
Work with Poirot to solve the mystery!
JoWood Entertainment AG, a European publisher and distributor with a global presence, has announced a new adventure game based upon a novel by renowned mystery scribe Agatha Christie for the Nintendo DS: Vienna, Austria, September 14, 2009; Agatha Christie’s A.B.C Murders tells the story of Captain Hastings...
Competitions Mario & Sonic at the Winter Olympics (Update)
Going for gold
SEGA UK offer up some official Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games goodies for our European AND Australian readers. We've once again teamed up with SEGA to celebrate the launch of Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games giving you lucky readers the chance to win some official Mario & Sonic goodies. We've got 5x...
One of the most unique and enjoyable DS RPGs to date.
The developers of Nostalgia have repeatedly stated that they've been putting the game together for the better part of a decade. While this might seem like an exaggeration at first, when you begin playing the finished product you'll quickly see the many different eras of RPG influences that make...
News Japan to Receive Widescreen DSi
Another variant of the console heading to Japan soon
Just as we were reporting on the possible development of an nVidia-powered DSi successor, Japanese website Nikkei has published a news story claiming Nintendo are ready to launch another variant of the console's current iteration, the DSi. According to the report, the console will boast screens...
Review Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games (DS)
Enjoy Winter Olympic fun on the move.
Refreshingly for a simultaneous release on Wii and DS, the handheld version is a completely different beast to its big brother: far from being a stripped-down conversion it’s a decent accompaniment to the Wii version, although one aimed at a completely different gamer. Where the Wii game looks to capture the...
News Live Down Under? Try New Nintendo Games!
Be one of the first to try out New Super Mario Bros. Wii and Zelda: Spirit Tracks
Australians! Nintendo of Australia are offering you the chance to give a couple of very anticipated Nintendo games a spin before they are released. It's not often that Aussies get the chance to do stuff like this, so if you live in the Sydney or Melbourne areas, why...
Guide Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Sky Strategy/Tips
Need a little help? Here are some tips to get you started.
The folks at Nintendo were kind enough to send over a strategy tip sheet for their brand new Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Sky DS release. You can check out the strategy tips below and we'll have a full review of the game up soon. 1. Once the Croagunk Swap Shop is open, be sure to...
The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks receives Ninty’s tin treatment
It appears Nintendo have taken a liking to special edition tins; well, in Europe at least. Just after the announcement that New Super Mario Bros. Wii will have a limited edition tin, it's been revealed that Gamestation will stock a special edition of the new Legend of Zelda: Spirit...
News Spirit Tracks "Pushes DS Even Further" Than Prequel
Phantom Hourglass sequel more advanced, says Mr Miyamoto
Of course, with a release date set for December it's going to be a long time before we can vouch for what Mr Miyamoto says, but in a recent - and very short - interview with MTV he did speak very briefly about Link's upcoming adventures on DS and Wii. Speaking about Spirit Tracks, he says that...
News Spread the Handheld Joy With a "Discover DS" Party!
Rope in nine mates and host a party with Nintendo!
It may seem odd, but it's a fact of life that there are people out there with no clue of what a Nintendo DS is. Well, Nintendo has come up with a clever idea to tempt such people out from underneath their rocks, with their "Discover DS" parties. Yes, the Big N are offering party games and...
News Want More C.O.P.? Preorder at GameStop!
US retailer offering bonus levels to new Recruits
Ubisoft's forthcoming adventure C.O.P. The Recruit is already getting some people all hot under the collar - yes, it's an open world game on DS! - but some of you may need a little prod in the direction of which retailer to grab the game from. Well, here comes GameStop to save you the brain-ache with...
News Pink DS Lite Consoles Bite the Dust
Yet another colour out of production in Great Britain
The DS has been available in more colours than there are fish in the sea, but survival of the fittest dictates that some must be struck from the gene pool, so it's with regret we inform you that the pink DS Lite console will soon no longer be available within the UK. Okay, so it's probably not...
Interviews Tecmo/Red Entertainment - Nostalgia
Tecmo and Red Entertainment talk about their upcoming DS RPG.
With the rapidly-approaching October 27th release of Tecmo's Nostalgia title, we thought it might be time to get in touch with the game's developers for a little interview to find out more information about the game. We were fortunate enough to catch up with Keisuke Kikuchi of Tecmo, and...
News NVIDIA-Powered DS Successor Coming 2010?
It now seems possible that Nintendo will announce the successor to the mighty DS some time next year according to insider info
Graphic chip maker has apparently been awarded a contract to provide its mobile-centric system-on-a-chip, Tegra, to a new Nintendo DS, which will be announced in late 2010. Insiders tell IT news outlet BSN that a single chip...
