DS News (Page 6)
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...
News Nintendo Wins Microprocessor Patent Dispute Over 3DS and DSi
More success for the legal team
Nintendo has endured its fair share of patent battles in recent years, with the Wii and DS in particular kicking off a range of proceedings against the company. Nintendo has prevailed the majority of times, with a rare blot in the form of a defeat to Tomita Technologies USA over the 3D camera functionality of the 3DS...
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...
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...
News Ghostlight Now Shipping Devil Survivor 2 Pre-Orders To Customers
There are even a few spare copies left
Back in July, Ghostlight made the DS title Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor 2 available for pre-order in Europe on its website and said it would sell the games if enough people reserved a copy. Sure enough, there were plenty of eager gamers in Europe who did just that, despite the possibility of the enhanced...
News Moshi Monsters: Katsuma Unleashed Now Available On 3DS And DS In The UK
Coming to the US in November
When you think of pint-sized monsters on a Nintendo handheld you're bound to think of Pokémon, but there is in fact another adorable creature-based title available right now in the UK in the form of Moshi Monsters: Katsuma Unleashed. A whole day before Pokémon X & Y is officially launched - though many retailers in...
News Doodle Jump Is Making The Journey To Nintendo DS
The forthcoming 3DS version gets a companion
A short time ago we reported on the impending release of Doodle Jump Adventures for the 3DS — a console port of the popular smartphone title, Doodle Jump. It has now been confirmed that the DS will also be getting a version of Lima Sky's title, named Doodle Jump Journey. It's a scaled-down offering...
Rumour Nintendo Renaming The 3DS Page On Facebook
"Nintendo Handheld Gaming" looks set to replace it on 19th September
Nintendo is renaming the Nintendo 3DS Facebook page, according to an email sent from the social network to a selection of people who like the page. When Facebook pages change their names, an email is sent out by the social network to inform people of the change. Nintendo hasn't...
News Devil Survivor 2 Hits Pre-Order Target to Confirm EU Release
Additional pre-orders are now guaranteed
Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor 2 has had a rather odd route to release in Europe. Ghostlight picked up publishing duties for the DS title in Europe, but not before a 3DS port was confirmed for Japan. With time and effort invested in the DS original, Ghostlight has nevertheless persevered. Its path to the...
News HackYourConsole.com Goes Offline and Closes Pre-Orders
Nintendo opened legal proceedings earlier this month
On 7th August Nintendo announced that it was opening legal proceedings against HackYourConsole.com, a subject that unsurprisingly caused plenty of debate and disagreement within the Nintendo Life community. The site had sold R4 cards and offered mods to Nintendo hardware for a good amount of time,...
Video Check Out the Masters Final From the 2013 Pokémon World Championships
These guys don't mess around
In recent times the 2013 Pokémon World Championships have had a couple of mentions on Nintendo Life, with the Vancouver event hosting gamers from around the world and champions stepping forward from the battling chaos. Not all of us could be there for the action, of course, so The Pokémon Company has kindly uploaded...
News More Than 1500 Cheaters Took Part in Pokémon's 2013 Global Showdown
Those monsters
Earlier in the Summer The Pokémon Company hosted the 2013 Global Showdown, a WiFi tournament for Pokémon Black and White 2, which some undoubtedly used for practice ahead of other tournaments. It was open to 50,000 competitors, but it's now been revealed that 1,558 of those that took part were cheaters, utilising smartphone apps to...
News Former EA VP Named New President of n-Space
Takes place at head of longtime developer
Dan Tudge, a former vice-president and executive producer at Electronic Arts, has ranked up in title to become President of Orlando, Fla.-based independent developer n-Space. According to GamesIndustry International, the former president of n-Space, co-founder Dan O’Leary, is now the company’s CEO...
Review Art Academy: SketchPad (Wii U eShop)
A masterpiece or sketchy at best?
One of the most fascinating things about Miiverse is how Nintendo is paying such close attention to it. Not just in the sense that it is regularly updating it, but rather the company is actually listening to what its consumers are saying on the platform. It's remarkably unusual for a company that until now had been...
News Nintendo Now Selling Refurbished SD Cards and 3DS XL Consoles
Original 3DS and DSi XL models are also available
Earlier this year Nintendo announced it was selling authentic refurbished products on its official website in North America, stating the systems are the only refurbished products on the market that have been cleaned, tested and inspected to meet the company's high standards. At the time, Nintendo...
To Smurf, or not to Smurf?
Recently we got a little down and smurfy with our review of The Smurfs 2 for the Wii U, and now, we’ve set our focus on the DS version which offers a completely different gameplay experience, despite sharing the same title. Where the former offered up uneventful platforming that should only appeal to novice players or...
News Nintendo Opens Legal Proceedings Against HackYourConsole.com
Continuing the fight against piracy
The Wii U and 3DS have so far maintained robust security, against flashcards and illegal modding, in comparison to the DS family of systems and the Wii. Both of the last-gen systems were easily cracked, and to date both current systems have stayed secure, which is perhaps particularly impressive in the case of the...
News Ghostlight Opens European Pre-Orders For Devil Survivor 2
Requires 1,800 pre-orders for release
Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor 2 has been available in North America for over a year now and has yet to emerge in Europe. UK-based publisher Ghostlight has the rights to release the DS game, however, the European market is a bit tricky these days and it would be taking a gamble to manufacture the game and...
News Retailers Preparing Multi-Region Shiny Legendary Pokémon Distribution Events
They're rare, too
With Pokémon X & Y creeping ever closer, The Pokémon Company continues to have the clever idea of promoting the new 3DS game with the previous DS games, thus successfully hyping three (or six) titles at once. As a result there's another distribution event coming to various retailers in the coming weeks, so it's time to dig...
News Devil Survivor 2 European Pre-Order Threshold and Details Outlined by Ghostlight
1800 pre-orders needed for release
DS title Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor 2 has been available in North America — published by Atlus — for well over a year now, yet it's taken time for a publisher to successfully pick up the reins in Europe. Ghostlight has stepped in, but successfully selling a DS game is increasingly difficult in the...
