DS News (Page 5)
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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
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...
