DS - News
July2016
Review Pokémon Ranger: Guardian Signs (Wii U eShop / DS)
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...
Review Mario Hoops 3 on 3 (Wii U eShop / DS)
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 (Wii U eShop / DS)
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...
Review Super Mario 64 DS (Wii U eShop / DS)
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 (Wii U eShop / DS)
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 (Wii U eShop / DS)
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 (Wii U eShop / DS)
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 (Wii U eShop / DS)
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 (Wii U eShop / DS)
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 (Wii U eShop / DS)
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 (Wii U eShop / DS)
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...
News Nintendo Wraps Up Another Patent Win in Defence of the DS and 3DS
Secure Axcess loses out this time
Nintendo doesn't have a 100% record of winning patent cases, but it does win the majority. It often comfortably sees off particularly frivolous claims on broad technology patents, too - notable defeats have generally come against companies with which Nintendo has previously worked or liaised, not businesses that...
Review DK: Jungle Climber (Wii U eShop / DS)
Aping the King of Swing
What do you get when you throw away an established series' playbook and try for something new? You get DK: Jungle Climber. Unlike previous entries in the venerable Donkey Kong franchise, DK: Jungle Climber takes a fresh look at the series by focusing on swinging and timing more than precise platforming. The problem? It gets...
July2015
News Unseen64 Digs Up Development Insights Into Metroid Prime: Hunters, Dread and Federation Force
Dread "literally looked like a port of Fusion on DS"
Just recently we shared the most recent work of Unseen64, which produced a devastating expose of the doomed Project H.A.M.M.E.R., highlighting the problems between North American studio Nintendo Software Technology (NST) and Japanese management. It was an episode that, ultimately, didn't reflect...
News Updated Club Nintendo Game Card Case Now Available to PAL Gamers
Reversible covers for Mario, Legend of Zelda and New 3DS cover plates
Club Nintendo is now shut down in North America, but will keep on rolling in Europe and Australia until 30th September. With user star collections no doubt dribbling down, there continue to be new rewards offered to tempt gamers to clean out their accounts. The latest addition is...
June2015
News There Are Now Over 600 DSiWare Games And Apps
Not dead yet
The 3DS may be entering its twilight years but that doesn't mean that DSiWare - the downloadable software service which launched with the 3DS console's forerunner, the DSi - is completely dead. In fact, thanks to the large helping of DSiWare games in this week's Download Update, there are now 604 games and apps available for DSiWare...
Review Big Brain Academy (Wii U eShop / DS)
So keep on playing those mind games
The advent of the Nintendo DS into the handheld arena back in 2004 ushered in a fresh experience for many gamers, made possible by the system's many new features and abilities. This brand of entertainment was often referred to as "Touch! Generations" by Nintendo, and ran throughout the Nintendo DS and Wii era...
May2015
News New Super Mario Bros. Releases On The North American Wii U eShop This Week
Will be available for $9.99
After yesterday’s ESRB rating for the 2006 release, New Super Mario Bros., it was expected the title would launch soon on the North American eShop. It appear fans of the DS hit won’t have to wait much longer with Nintendo’s official game page revealing the now classic Mario adventure will be made available thi
News New Super Mario Bros. Receives ESRB Rating For Wii U Virtual Console
That'll be three New Super Mario Bros. games playable on Wii U
About a month ago, Nintendo finally got around to expanding its Virtual Console service by fulfilling its promise to add Nintendo DS games to the catalogue. The titles announced for the launch have all since released, but Nintendo has since remained silent on what we can expect to arrive...
Weirdness This Game Boy Macro Is Crafted From The Remains Of A Nintendo DS Lite
An unofficial masterpiece
The Game Boy Micro is arguably the sleekest handheld Nintendo has ever released. With a removable face plate, neon blue start and select buttons, a built-in rechargeable lithium-ion battery lasting for up to eight hours and plenty of options in terms of backlighting, the system ended the original Game Boy line on a high...
April2015
News Renegade Kid Twice Pitched Silent Hill DS Projects to Konami
Was quickly and then politely rebuffed
Renegade Kid is best known to most Nintendo fans - we suspect - as an indie download developer, in particular stepping up a notch in popularity with Mutant Mudds on the 3DS eShop. In the DS era, though, the studio released a variety of respected retail efforts, very much part of the mid-tier market subsequently...
Weirdness Hospitalised Man Steals More Than $1,000 Of Nintendo DS Gear From 8-Year-Old Boy
How low can you go?
We all know that Nintendo's portable gaming hardware is pretty desirable, thanks to the countless number of amazing games available for platforms like the Game Boy, Game Boy Advance, Nintendo DS and Nintendo 3DS. However, would you risk a prison term just to get your grubby hands on some sweet Ninty action? 43-year-old Dave A...
Review WarioWare Touched! (Wii U eShop / DS)
A Touch of Magic
Nintendo's initial Nintendo 64 and Nintendo DS Wii U Virtual Console titles certainly are an eclectic mix - with WarioWare Touched! perhaps being the most unexpected inclusion of the bunch. Having been initially released on the Nintendo DS in February 2005, WarioWare Touched! is one of the DS's earliest titles, coming from an era of...
Video WarioWare Touched! Arrives On Wii U Virtual Console
We check out Wario DS mayhem on the Wii U
The WarioWare series is an excellent detour into the absolutely mad world of Wario and his friends, so it's great to see this DS game released on Wii U Virtual Console. We thought we'd show you how great this game is via the medium of video. Watch and enjoy! [ Like this video? Subscribe to our channel...
Video Mario Kart DS Skids Onto Wii U Virtual Console
We dig into DS settings for Wii U and classic racing
Nintendo DS games are finally getting their full chance to shine on the Wii U Virtual Console. The first of two games to be released at launch in Europe is Mario Kart DS, an excellent entry in the long-running racing series. All of your favourite Super Mario characters take to the roads once more...
News Buy Three Nintendo 64 and DS Virtual Console Games and Get the Fourth Free in Europe
Knocks the average price down a little...
During this week's Nintendo Direct we had the news that Nintendo 64 and DS games are coming to the Wii U Virtual Console in force. In the madness then and since we didn't notice a particular deal that's running in Europe as a result of the region having four games available right from the off. As was...
News Nintendo DS And Nintendo 64 Games Finally Coming To The Wii U Virtual Console
Update: Four games available in Europe right now
If you feel that the Virtual Console on Wii U has been a neglected of late then today's Nintendo Direct should have put a big smile on your face. Nintendo not only reconfirmed its commitment to bringing Nintendo DS titles to the service, but also revealed that N64 games are on the way, too. DS titles...
February2015
Feature A History of Full Fat Games - From Nintendo Portables to Smartphones and Back Again
"I'm just pleased to have a game on the 3DS"
In the past week we brought you the news that Flick Golf 3D is coming to the 3DS eShop, which will be an interesting test to see whether a hugely popular smartphone game can grab a sizeable audience on Nintendo's portable. To those unfamiliar with developer Full Fat Games there could be a perception that...
January2015
Rumour Cave Story 2 Teased at PAX South and Could Be in the Works
"Maybe, maybe not"
Cave Story is quite the tale of success. Developed over five years by one man, named Daisuke Amaya, it first saw release over ten years ago on PC. Since then, it's received universal acclaim, achieved widespread popularity and has been ported to numerous platforms. Taking inspiration from old school exploration and action games...
News Club Nintendo to Close, With Replacement Loyalty Programme Coming Later in the Year
Flipnote Studio 3D will be free to existing members
Club Nintendo has been a consistent part of the dedicated Nintendo fan's world since the Wii / DS era, with purchases registered for coins and stars - depending on region - to be traded for extras. At times the programme has been criticised for slowly updated catalogues, but it's been relatively...
December2014
News One Of The Most Successful Nintendo Games Of 2014 Isn't What You'd Expect
It's on the Nintendo DS, for a start
Disney's Frozen is officially the most commercially successful animated movie of all time and has spawned a merchandising juggernaut which shows absolutely no signs of slowing, even a year after its initial cinema release. The DVD and soundtrack are best-sellers, with the signature tune — Let It Go — clogging...
News Clint Eastwood's Dirty Harry Almost Made Our Day On Nintendo Wii And DS
...but it was cancelled. Do you feel unlucky, punk?
Detective Harry Callahan is one of Clint Eastwood's most enduring characters, and starred in some seminal action movies back in the '70s and '80s. Eastwood's no-nonsense cop would inspire countless clones in both movies and video games, and back in 2004 Warner Brothers decided that it was time that...
November2014
News Assets For Cancelled Nintendo DS Version Of Crash Tag Team Racing Emerge
Was apparently only months from completion
Back in 2005 Sierra released Crash Tag Team Racing on a variety of formats, including the Nintendo GameCube. The game was a sequel of sorts to the well-received PlayStation classic Crash Team Racing and its follow-up Crash Nitro Kart, and was also due to hit the Nintendo DS at the same time. That port was...
News Learn With Pokémon: Typing Adventure Now Costs as Much as a Posh Sandwich on Amazon UK
Good value just for the keyboard
Update: We told you to be fast. Having checked the listing around an hour after it went live the stock is now all gone. Based on the comments this can be found at various retailers for just a few pounds more than the Amazon deal, however, so all is not necessarily lost if you still want to pick this up. Original...
Anniversary The Nintendo DS is Now 10 Years Old
Went from baby phat to slim
It's a big day for the original DS, as it's 10 years to the day since the first model in the iconic family of systems — commonly referred to as the 'phat' — arrived in North America. Few will forget the E3 reveal of the DS by Reggie Fils-Aime, and its clamshell / dual screen design was a surprise after the sustained...
September2014
Video Here Are Some Cool Facts Around the DS
Thank goodness it wasn't called City Boy
The DS family of systems is a fundamental part of Nintendo's history for multiple — and obvious — reasons: it is the company's most successful hardware and the second highest-selling in the industry's history, it introduced a new brand that lives on with the 3DS family, and it sidelined the iconic Game...
August2014
Art Controller Evolution Photo Series Hammers Home The Nintendo Factor
A visual record of how Nintendo has pushed the industry forward
Nintendo has been responsible for some major innovations when it comes to controllers — the NES D-pad, the N64 analogue stick, the Wii Remote — and Spanish artist Javier Laspiur has put together a photographic whistle-stop tour of the evolution of the game pad which shows just how...
July2014
News UK Government Effectively Decriminalises Download Piracy, Raising Importance of System Security
Nintendo is still battling hackers of the Wii U and 3DS
The Wii and DS were compromised for a significant period of their lifespan, with the latter being a victim of rampant game piracy with the sale and availability of R4 cards. Though there are always those that make the case for such devices as a means for obtaining backups of games already...
News Mario Kart 8 Sales Increase By Nearly a Third in UK, Moves Back Up the Charts
Pokémon Black and White make surprise return
With the Summer well underway — and with the UK currently enduring a heat wave — it's been a quieter week of game sales in the country, with a drop of 14% in revenue for game sales last week. Nintendo has bucked the trend however, with Mario Kart 8 and discounted DS games enjoying terrific weeks in...
News Disney Planes: Fire & Rescue Flying Exclusively to Nintendo Systems This Fall
That's Wii U, 3DS, Wii AND DS
As we begin to swelter in the summer months, Disney is doing its bit to distract children from wanting more ice cream by bringing Planes: Fire & Rescue to theatres, with screenings kicking off this week in some regions. It's naturally taken the chance to reveal that Disney Planes: Fire & Rescue will also be...
June2014
News This Is Where Unwanted 3DS And DS Games Go To Die
Spare a thought for these abandoned titles
Ever wondered what happens to all the 3DS and DS games that never find a loving home, either brand new or on the preowned market? They get recycled, as the materials they are made from still have some value — even if the code contained on the card doesn't. Reddit user HxCut works at a recycling plant and...
Review Dr. Kawashima's Brain Training: How Old is Your Brain? (Wii U eShop / DS)
Brain food
It seems like only yesterday that we got Game Boy Advance games on the Wii U Virtual Console, but now DS games have also joined the party. Curiously enough, Nintendo has chosen not to start off with one of their classic franchises, like Mario or Zelda, but has instead opted to go with one of their best-selling titles, the original Brain...
News Dr Kawashima's Brain Training: How Old is Your Brain Now Free on European Wii U eShop
Not yet in North America
Just recently Nintendo released its first DS title on the Wii U Virtual Console, offering Brain Training / Brain Age for free in Japan. Now, without any warning or announcement, it's released Brain Training: How Old is Your Brain onto the Wii U eShop for free in Europe. The banner for the title says that it's only available...
News Nintendo Spain Secures Win Over R4 Card Retailer
Better late than never
While Nintendo has, for the most part, successfully held off the mass proliferation of pirated software on 3DS and Wii U, it was a major issue for the DS, in particular. R4 cards, regardless of their potentially innocent use, were largely sold and utilised to download and play ROMS of DS games for free, and for a time they...
Mario Kart Month A History of the Mario Kart Series - Part Two
Turbo boosting to record sales
As June begins and our Mario Kart Month celebrations throughout May draw to a close, the build-up and expectation surrounding Mario Kart 8 has transitioned into mass play sessions and hands-on racing time. This is the moment on which memories are built, as competitiveness and hilarity ensues from worldwide showdowns,...
News Brain Training / Brain Age Makes DS Début on Wii U Virtual Console in Japan
Suddenly released for free
Nintendo caused a minor stir earlier this year when it announced DS titles for the Wii U Virtual Console, with the accompanying concept image showing both screens side-by-side on the GamePad; it's an idea that may not suit all games released on the portable, at least not without some alternative formatting. In any case it...
News Renegade Kid's Jools Watsham Wants To Bring Retro Game Challenge 2 To The West
Could this fan-translated release find its way to the eShop?
Retro Game Challenge is one of our favourite Nintendo DS titles here at Nintendo Life, and the fact that the sequel remained exclusive to Japan is something that still bugs us to this day. Recently, fans of the game have translated it into English, an event which has resulted in Renegade...
May2014
Feature Memories of the Wii and DS Wi-Fi Connection Era
When the Nintendo Network was but a twinkle in Iwata-san's eye
It's finally happened, the Wi-Fi connection on the Wii and DS is gone, disconnected on 20th May. The DSi and Wii Shop platforms are still running, but online multiplayer and content in games is now shut down, prompting the end of an era for the last-gen systems. Regardless of the...
News Nintendo Overcomes Patent Dispute With Non-Practicing Entity
Five year fight finally comes to a close
Way back in February 2009, Wall Wireless LLC – a company whose primary focus is to enforce patents – took Nintendo to court claiming that it had infringed a patent with the DS and DSi hardware systems. Finally, however, after the United States Patent and Trademark Office cancelled all of the patent claims...
Reminder Nintendo's Wi-Fi Service on Wii and DS Closes on 20th May
Get in those last online rounds
An era ends on 20th May. Not a glittering golden era that will live on through the ages, but nevertheless a period of time that brought plenty of good times for Nintendo gamers. Nintendo is shutting down its Wi-Fi connection service on Wii and DS, primarily as a result of the closure of the GameSpy infrastructure that...
Matters of Import Tomodachi Collection
The best of friends?
Tomodachi Collection is more a toy than a game in that very special Nintendo way: your own mad little island full of Miis that you never knew you wanted but you suddenly find yourself unable to live without, and while it may be the five-year-old prequel to the upcoming English language Tomodachi Life, that doesn't mean the...
News Here's a Handy Guide to Pokémon Services That'll Stop With Nintendo's Wi-Fi Shutdown
Sad times
As switched on DS and Wii owners likely already know, a number of Wi-Fi services will be shut down on 20th May, with high profile examples being the loss of online play in Mario Kart entries on both systems and other examples such as Super Smash Bros. Brawl. For Pokémon fans, meanwhile, the impact on those last-gen games could be...
News Pokémon Black and White 2 Soundtrack Album Completes Set on iTunes
The era of the Super Music Collection is over...
Over recent months Game Freak has released six substantial Pokémon albums, and has now confirmed the final entry — Pokémon Black 2 & Pokémon White 2: Super Music Collection. This is available on iTunes right now for $9.99 / £7.99 / €8.99. It features a whopping 172 tracks from Pokémon...
News EA Releases Lengthy List of Online Services to be Shut Down on DS and Wii
Oh no, not Bejeweled 2!
Closing down online game services is all the rage at the moment, with Nintendo switching off elements of its Wi-Fi services on the Wii and DS on 20th May. It appears that EA is now joining in the fun, with online services for over 50 games closing at the end of June. The range of games is old enough to incorporate a period...
News Here's an Updated Summary of Nintendo's Software Bestsellers
Pokémon and Mario lead the way
When Nintendo releases its updated financial reports, it also publishes fresh figures for hardware and software — we've covered the former in our main summary of the year-end results. The software highlights tell their own tale, however, and perhaps help to explain why Nintendo opts for particular franchises and...
April2014
News Animal Crossing and Metroidvania GDC Talks Now Available For Your Viewing Pleasure
New Leaf and Castlevania devs discuss the intricacies of game development
Many of the presentations at last month's Game Developers Conference are now available to view for free on the GDC Vault website, including Animal Crossing: New Leaf producer Katsuya Eguchi and co-director Aya Kyogoku's "How to Turn a New Leaf at the Animal Crossing" and...
News Pokémon Black and White Soundtrack Now Available on iTunes
Remastered music collection joins iTunes' growing Pokémon library
A few short weeks after the release of the Pokémon Diamond & Pokémon Pearl: Super Music Collection on iTunes, today we get the Pokémon Black & Pokémon White: Super Music Collection, which you can preview and purchase here for $9.99 / £7.99 / €8.99. This digitally...
News GameSpy Shutting Down All Online Servers on 31st May, Following Wii and DS Wi-Fi Disconnection
End of an era
In late February we had the disappointing news that online multiplayer, online-based communication apps and even some DLC will become unavailable on Wii and DS, due to Nintendo switching off the Wi-Fi connection. This happens on 20th May — though the Wii Shop and DSi Shop will remain open for business — and prompted some to...
March2014
News Pokémon Diamond & Pokémon Pearl: Super Music Collection Available Now on iTunes
Prince will not be happy
In recent weeks and months Game Freak has been releasing rather impressive soundtrack albums on iTunes for various titles in the Pokémon franchise. Pokémon Diamond & Pearl, the DS titles, have now been covered with the arrival of Pokémon Diamond & Pokémon Pearl: Super Music Collection on the download store. For...
News Koji Igarashi, Best Known for the Castlevania Series, Departs from Konami
"I've decided to break out on my own"
It's possible that gamers relatively fresh to Nintendo hardware won't know much of Koji Igarashi's work, but Castlevania fans that enjoyed the terrific series entries on the Game Boy Advance and DS — in particular — may mourn the formal passing of an era today, even if it's been on the cards for a...
"We wanted to offer two intelligent characters"
Professor Layton and the Azran Legacy has now arrived in stores around the world, bringing a close to the prequel trilogy and, it seems, the adventures of the iconic Professor Hershel Layton. It was a fantastic finale that was also tinged with sadness, as it closed the door on the top hat wearing...
News Club Nintendo in North America to Remove Post-Play Survey Coins for Wii and DS Games
Sad face
Times keep on changing, and Nintendo is reminding gamers still rocking the Wii and DS that they should really consider an upgrade. There's the sledgehammer approach of disconnecting the Wi-Fi online multiplayer service on the systems, which is as loud a prompt as possible, but there are more subtle ways the message is being made. For those...
News Aksys Games Confirms 999: The Novel For iOS
The official website does plug the full games, at least
During February Zero Escape series creator Kotaro Uchikoshi emphasized the challenges he was facing to make a third game in the franchise, with publishers apparently not deeming another entry financially viable. Uchikoshi-san was touched by fan support, however, and is contemplating alternative...
Soapbox The Nintendo Wi-Fi Disconnection Reminds Us Why Local Multiplayer Still Matters
Tom Whitehead goes on about online multiplayer's pitfalls, like an old man
I was disappointed to learn about Nintendo switching off online play on the Wii and DS; at the time I was on a short break spending some time with my family and, funnily enough, getting ready for some memory-jogging multiplayer gaming with my older brother. Growing up playing...
Rumour Wii and DS Wi-Fi Disconnection May Be Tied To Glu Mobile Takeover of GameSpy Technology
Both system's online infrastructures use GameSpy middleware
News last week that Nintendo is switching off the Wi-Fi connection services for Wii and DS on 20th May understandably caused some disappointment. While the Wii Shop and DSi Shop will remain open, online multiplayer and some services on both systems will cease to be, which will affect major...
February2014
News Nintendo Switching Off Wi-Fi Connection Service On Wii And DS
You've got until May 20th to play online
Online gaming may be a big part of our hobby these days, but it doesn't come for free — companies have to spend cash to keep the infrastructure in place and running smoothly. That also means that over time, services will be switched off when they're no longer deemed to be as vital as they once were. That's...
Video These Are The Ten DS Games We Want To See On The Wii U Virtual Console
Which one did you vote for?
The news that Nintendo is bringing DS games to the Wii U had us dreaming of all the amazing titles we wanted to see arrive on the eShop. Like some kind of benevolent moving-image god, our resident video guru Rory has transcoded these desires into magical lights and sound, and has lovingly deposited the results onto the...
News Zero Escape Series Director Struggling to Find Funding for Third Title
Takes to Twitter for help
The Zero Escape series, which features the puzzle-based visual novels 999: Nine Hours, Nine Persons, Nine Doors on the DS and Virtue's Last Reward on the 3DS and Vita, has always included the carrying of hope in desperate times as a theme. Series director Kotaro Uchikoshi is now finding himself trying to maintain a similar...
News 3DS Sales Tracking Ahead of Game Boy Advance In Japan
Unsurprisingly lagging behind DS sales figures
The 3DS has demonstrated its solid market performance yet again, with the latest Japanese sales tracking figures from Media Create revealing Nintendo’s beloved handheld is selling faster than the Game Boy Advance. After 154 weeks since the system’s original release in Japan, a total of 15 million...
January2014
News Nintendo Still Working On Bringing Game Boy Advance Titles To 3DS Virtual Console, Says Natsume
Publisher excited about DS support on Wii U, more GBC on the way
Remember the 3DS Ambassador campaign? Of course you do — it rewarded early adopters by giving them a raft of awesome Game Boy Advance titles for free. At the time, many assumed that the exciting prospect of downloading and playing even more GBA games on the 3DS Virtual Console was...
Feature 10 Nintendo DS Games We Want To See On The Wii U Virtual Console
Dual-screen desires
Nintendo has just lifted the lid on its plans to bring DS games to the Wii U Virtual Console, which means that owners of that particular machine will soon be able to enjoy a library of classic releases from one of the company's most popular formats. The DS has played host to some truly stunning pieces of software since its...
News Satoru Iwata Confirms That DS Games Are Coming To The Wii U Virtual Console
Quick loading using the GamePad also on the way
Update: The official English translation of Satoru Iwata's briefing confirms that the quick-start GamePad feature — outlined below — will come in a system update due in the early summer. All other details below are accurate as per the translated briefing. Original Article: We will be providing a...
News Pokémon HeartGold & SoulSilver Soundtrack Available For Download
Additional soundtracks coming later this year
Video game music is perhaps one of the most cherished and appreciated aspects of a game’s reputation. Titles in franchises such as The Legend of Zelda and Super Mario are loved not solely for their gameplay, but for their connection to the player through wit, charm, and music; some of the most beloved...
News Pokémon Composer Leaves Game Freak for Independent Quest
Possibilities for the Poké-future still open
Shota Kageyama, a composer for recent Pokémon titles including X &Y and Black & White, has announced via Twitter that he has left developer Game Freak to pursue independent music. Kageyama's tweet has been translated and reported by
December2013
Feature 12 Days of Christmas - The Azran Legacy Solves The Professor's Last Puzzle
We hope the franchise will find a solution
Professor Layton and the Azran Legacy is already out in Europe and arrives in North America on 28th February; for some the end is still to come while others have already closed their 3DS lid — or hit a button on the 2DS — with a regretful sigh. Level-5 may have kept the door open for the series to...
Matters Of Import Shining Force Feather
We take a look at Sega's Japan-only DS strategy RPG
Sega's Shining Force series is still well thought of, even if the PS2 instalments arguably got off on the wrong foot by drastically rewriting series canon and deviating from the strategic gameplay found in older titles. Evidently someone was buying these games anyway, as after four entries on the...
November2013
News Rune Factory Developer Neverland Closes Its Doors
Where now for Rune Factory 5?
After a sluggish financial performance due to business changes, Rune Factory developer Neverland has announced it will be closing its doors. The Japanese company made the announcement via its official website, explaining that its financial status had deteriorated considerably in recent times. After failing to raise the...
News Activision Rolls Out Transformers Combo Packs For Wii And DS
Just in time for Christmas
While it's easy to get excited about the new games coming to the Wii U and 3DS, it's worth remembering that there are an awful lot of Wii and DS consoles out in the wild, and plenty of people still rely on these superseded formats for their interactive entertainment — hence Activision's recent announcement of...
News Famitsu Reveals Japan's Best Selling Games Of The 21st Century
New Super Mario Claims Top Spot
Japanese video game publication Famitsu has just unveiled the top 100 Best Selling Video Games in Japan for the 21st Century (the period 1st January 2001 until 29th September 2013), and as expected Nintendo games feature heavily, with nine of the top ten games being for Nintendo platforms — seven of which are for...
