Latest Features
Poll A New Donkey Kong Game Must Be Coming, But What Should It Be?
The wait is driving us bananas
It feels like Donkey Kong is everywhere at the moment. With the lovable ape’s significant appearance in The Super Mario Bros. Movie, the upcoming DK-themed expansion at Japan’s
Feature Nintendo's Latest Studio - Who Is Shiver Entertainment?
A brief look at Nintendo's newest acquisition
You could be forgiven for thinking, 'Another day, another video game company acquisition,' but Nintendo's announcement that it is buying Shiver Entertainment and making the port specialists a wholly-owned subsidiary isn't business as usual for the Japanese firm. Nintendo is, historically, extremely...
Hands On Revisiting The Tale In 'Monster Hunter Stories' On Switch
A light bite
Capcom is one of the titans of the gaming industry, and among its most successful and powerful franchises is Monster Hunter. Yet it’s easy to forget that, for many years, the series was exclusive to one platform holder – first Sony systems and then a spell with Nintendo starting with Monster Hunter Tri on Wii. On top of repeated...
Poll Box Art Brawl - Duel: Super Monkey Ball Adventure
Ballin'
Let's get the ball rolling on another edition of Box Art Brawl, shall we? Last week, we matched up two covers for Capcom's Demon's Crest on the SNES. The regional designs shared few similarities and the same can be said for the spread of votes, with 84% of picks falling in Japan's favour. Talk about a washout! This time, we are throwing...
Talking Point What Are You Playing This Weekend? (18th May)
Well, well well
Oh, weekend! How we have missed thee! The past seven days might not have been the Switch successor-confirming news fest that we saw last week, but there has still been plenty of good stuff happening in Nintendo land. The NSO Game Boy library got a tasty boost with the addition of three new games, we got a first peek at Splatoon 3's
Feature Who Is Playtonic's Voice Of The People?
The driving force of change
Frances Williams, Head of People @ Playtonic Here at Nintendo Life we've followed Playtonic's journey since its inception back in 2015. We caught up with the team behind Yooka-Laylee and its follow-up Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair last year to see how the studio had grown and what they are working on next. During...
Talking Point Which Games Were Just The Perfect Length?
And which outstayed their welcome?
We've all watched films that could have stood to lose 30 minutes from their runtime. That whole last act of Bad Boys II? Should've been left on the cutting room floor, mate. It's the same with many a game. Alien: Isolation is fantastic, but how much better might it have been with a little tightening, to remove some...
Soapbox Paper Mario's Ms. Mowz Taught Me How To Appreciate (And Steal) The Little Things
THIEF
Soapbox features enable our individual writers and contributors to voice their opinions on hot topics and random stuff they've been chewing over. Today, Kate discusses one of Mario's criminal — and criminally underrated — pals... Sometimes I suspect that, in another life before this one, I was a thief. In this life, I'm a relatively...
Talking Point One Year On, Has Everyone Beaten Ganondorf In Zelda: Tears Of The Kingdom?
Dawn of The Second Year
Back in August last year, when Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom had been in the wild for just three months, we asked how your completion percentage was coming along. Given the size of the game, it was understandable that 37% of respondees still hadn't beaten the final boss and therefore still didn't know their completion...
Poll Box Art Brawl - Duel: Demon's Crest (SNES)
It's Blaz-on
Hi folks, and welcome back to another edition of Box Art Brawl! Before we get cracking with this week's battle, let's see what happened last time. We looked at Mario Paint for the SNES, with North America and Europe taking on Japan. Rather predictably, the Western design won the vote comfortably at 89%, proving that colour and whimsy...
Hands On Hades 2 Is A Hell Of A Time, Even In Early Access
Switch successor release, then?
Hades II marks a first for Supergiant Games. This is the first time the studio has revisited a world, its characters, and their stories, and as a result, is its very first direct sequel. In a way, that might seem disappointing, but this is Supergiant Games we're talking about. Hades is a masterclass in narrative...
Feature An Incredibly Moving Night At The Stardew Valley: Festival Of Seasons Concert
Dancing with the Moonlit Jellies
It’s a pleasant spring evening in the Scottish capital, but walking down Edinburgh’s Clerk Street, it doesn’t take long for things to appear more like Pelican Town. Tonight is the country’s only date of the Stardew Valley: Festival of Seasons concert world tour, which sees the myriad earworms of the beloved...
Talking Point What Are You Playing This Weekend? (11th May)
Down in the well
Ah, the weekend. We've missed you, friend. Before we look at what we've got planned over the next couple of days, let's take a look back at this week, shall we? It's been a pretty big one, admittedly. For the first time, Nintendo itself has finally acknowledged the existence of the 'Switch 2' after the release of its latest...
Feature How Nintendo Switch Is Being Used By A New Generation Of Therapists
Cooperative healing in handheld hybrid form
May is Mental Health Awareness Month and we'll be running several features focused on how video games of all types have helped us through periods when we were struggling with our mental health. Today, Tim speaks to therapists to discover how they are using Switch and video game therapy to help patients...
Soapbox Square Enix's "Extraordinary Losses" And This Whole Xbox Mess Have Me Scared For The Future
Who wants to be a gillionaire?
Soapbox features enable our individual writers and contributors to voice their opinions on hot topics and random stuff they've been chewing over. Today, Alana fears for Square Enix's smaller-budget titles and is worried about the rest of the industry as a result. What on earth is going on with Square Enix? I asked...
Soapbox Are We Ready For A 3D Super Mario Maker?
Super Mario Maker 3(D)
Soapbox features enable our individual writers and contributors to voice their opinions on hot topics and random stuff they've been chewing over. Today, Kevin wonders if Nintendo is ready to bring another dimension to its Maker series... If you can believe it, Super Mario Maker was released for the Wii U nearly nine years...
Talking Point Will Nintendo Wring One More Holiday From Switch Before Revealing New Hardware?
The clock is ticking
Today, Nintendo president Shuntaro Furukawa started a stopwatch that puts an official deadline on the reveal of the Switch successor — he says it's coming "this fiscal year," which means FY2025, which means between now and April 2025. It's important to remember that this specifically refers to the reveal of the upcoming...
Soapbox 'Revenge Of The Sith' On DS Is Still Top-Tier Star Wars Gaming
Heart Palpatinetions
Soapbox features enable our individual writers and contributors to voice their opinions on hot topics and random stuff they've been chewing over. Today, Jim celebrates Revenge of the Fifth with a DS throwback... You felt it, didn't you? A disturbance in the Force. Over on Coruscant, Darth Sidious has called for the execution...
Feature Nintendo Life eShop Selects & Readers' Choice (April 2024)
Our picks for the best eShop games in April
It's that time — welcome back to our monthly eShop Selects feature! This time, we're covering April — somehow, we're already in May. As mentioned last month, we've made another change to the piece. Now you'll be voting for your favourite hidden gem for the current month within this piece, rather than...
Poll Box Art Brawl - Duel: Mario Paint (SNES)
Vincent van Goomba
Hey folks, and welcome back to another edition of Box Art Brawl! We had a veritable doozy last week when we checked out Pokémon Yellow Version for the humble Game Boy; truly one of the standout titles in the gargantuan franchise. It was a good ol' duel in which North America and Europe teamed up against Japan, and we must admit...
Talking Point What Are You Playing This Weekend? (4th May)
May the Fourth be with you
Hello there. Happy Star Wars Day, folks! With a glass of blue milk in hand, let's kick off the weekend's celebrations with another edition of What Are You Playing. This week in the world of Nintendo, we heard yet more 'Switch 2' rumours and asked whether you'd like to see your Joy-Con carry over to the next model. We also...
Feature Best Underwater Levels On Nintendo Switch
Making a splash
We're fast approaching summer, and there's no better time of year to go for a dip in the ocean. Of course, if you're reading this on 2nd May 2024, then you probably know that Nintendo is offering its own virtual "dip" in the ocean in Endless Ocean: Luminous, the surprise new game in the Endless Ocean series. And while we might not...
Talking Point Would You Want To Reuse Your Joy-Con On 'Switch 2'?
Pros and 'Cons
Last week the Switch 2 beacons were lit once again as Spanish outlet Vandal reported to have more information regarding Nintendo's next hardware, specifically to do with a new, magnetic Joy-Con model. Another report just d
Soapbox During A Mental Health Crisis, It Wasn't Cosy Games That Helped
Get me behind the wheel
May is Mental Health Awareness Month and we'll be running several features focused on how video games of all types have helped us through periods when we were struggling with our mental health. Today, Richard shares how racing games helped restore him during a difficult period... I tense up whenever I take a corner in...
Poll Are You Bothered By The Frame Rate For Paper Mario: TTYD On Switch?
The ol' 30 vs. 60
One of the most talked-about points raised during the recent round of previews for Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door on Switch was the game's frame rate. In case you missed it, the remake will run at 30fps in both docked and handheld mode. Now, you might wonder why this is supposedly such a big deal, but those who played the 2004...
Feature "It's Fun, So It's Okay!" - Celebrating Takashi Tezuka's Astonishing 40-Year Nintendo Career
A look back at a glittering catalogue
Takashi Tezuka seems like a good laugh, the kind of chap who knows how to have fun. Despite all the Master-Sword-waving and PR-related hijinx from fellow Nintendo luminary Shigeru Miyamoto over the years, you still get the impression he's merciless in the workplace — an exacting, intimidating,...
Hands On Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance Is More Of The Glorious, Unhinged Same
And that's fine by us
After playing Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance for two hours, we’d hoped to be able to deliver a smorgasbord of details regarding new additions, performance improvements, and story nuggets, but truth be told, Sega’s preview session felt very much geared toward those who might be playing for the first time over on PS5 or...
Soapbox 20 Years On, Pikmin 2's Waterwraith Remains Nintendo's Scariest Moment
H2Oh no
Soapbox features enable our individual writers and contributors to voice their opinions on hot topics and random stuff they've been chewing over. Today, Jim is reliving a childhood trauma to mark Pikmin 2's 20th anniversary... To the casual observer, Pikmin must seem like a pretty relaxed experience. Everything is colourful. The characters...
Community 28 Switch Games We Missed, As Recommended By You Lovely People
Part 8 - Missed hits
Welcome back to Part VIII of our 'Games We Missed' series. With so many Switch games large and small releasing every week, we're eager to highlight great ones which slipped through our net — and thanks to you lovely people, this bi-annual feature can do just that. As always, we asked you to send us nominations for Switch...
Talking Point What Are You Playing This Weekend? (27th April)
Jump up, Superstar Saga
Another week is almost over, which means it's once again time to kick back, relax, and play some games. Before we do, however, let's just do a quick recap of some of the stories from this week. First up, Nintendo expanded the NSO service with two N64 games, which is always welcome in our book. We also got our first proper...
Hands On Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door Unfolds Gloriously On Switch
Smoothing out the creases
It’s been nearly 20 years since we first set foot on the cobbled streets of Rogueport, the hub town of GameCube favourite Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door. Back in 2004, the seedy streets of the criminal town felt like nothing else in a Mario game – suspicious characters roam the streets, puddles pool on the...
Feature Why Play Final Fantasy VII Remake When You Could Play FFVII 'Demake'?
"more than just pirate versions"
You’re probably aware of Square Enix’s lengthy and somewhat lavish efforts to remake the 1997 game Final Fantasy VII. The second instalment of this ambitious remake, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, was released just recently, and we’re still likely to be years away from any sort of conclusion. But you might not be...
Community Played A Switch Game Gem We Missed? Send Us Your Recommendations
Reader recs
That's right, it's time for another edition of 'Help, Please Help - Too Many Switch Games!' For a few years now we've been running bi-annual Games We Missed round-ups where you lovely lot nominate great Switch games that we weren't able to review. We do our best to cover as much as possible, but with so many brilliant things hitting the...
Feature 10 Game Boy Deep Cuts That Aren’t On Nintendo Switch Online
And should be
The Game Boy turns 35 years old today, and we've been running features over the past couple of days celebrating the handheld and its games. Today, Nile digs up 10 lesser-known gems in the system's remarkable library. 35 years ago, the Game Boy changed handheld gaming – not because it was powerful, but because it wasn’t. Premised...
Feature Can We Track Down Every Cart In Our Top 50 Game Boy List In One Week?
Collection Quest GB
The Game Boy turns 35 years old today, 21st April 2024, and we've run several features over the past few days celebrating the system and its games. Today, George goes on an epic quest to see if he can acquire the 50 finest GB games — as ranked by you — in physical form with just 100 pounds sterling in his pocket... I’ve...
Feature Meet Four Developers Making Brand-New Game Boy Titles In 2024
35 years and stronger than ever
The Game Boy turns 35 years old on 21st April 2024, and we'll be running several features over the next few days celebrating the system and its games. Today, George speaks with four talented individuals keeping the candle burning for the DMG-001 in the 21st century... The humble Game Boy may be turning 35, but that...
Talking Point What Are You Playing This Weekend? (20th April)
Totally rad(s)!
The weekend has rolled around once again and we are eager to play some games! Before we do that, however, let's take a look back at the week just gone. The big news this week was Nintendo's first Indie World of the year which didn't bring us that game but did provide plenty of goodies including Little Kitty, Big City, Teenage Mutant...
Feature Evolving With Pokémon: How The Games Helped Me Navigate A Confused Childhood
This coping mechanism was super effective!
The Game Boy turns 35 years old on 21st April 2024, and we'll be running several features over the next few days celebrating the system and its games. Today, Tim thinks back on how Pocket Monsters came to his aid in his formative years, and how the series that started on Nintendo's iconic portable would...
Soapbox Where The Heck Is Fallout 3 On Switch?
Searching the Capital Wasteland
Soapbox features enable our individual writers and contributors to voice their opinions on hot topics and random stuff they've been chewing over. Today, while flicking through Amazon Prime TV, a question popped into Ollie's head... "War. War never changes." If this quote sounds familiar to you, then chances are you...
Back Page Nintendo Haiku - The Best Of Your Short-Form Game Poems
Counting syllables. How many in 'Kyoto'? Dang, I've run out of--
In the magazine business, the Back Page is where you'd find all the weird goofs that we couldn't fit in anywhere else. Some may call it "filler"; we prefer "a whole page to make terrible jokes that are tangentially related to the content of the mag". We don't have pages on the...
Feature Keza MacDonald On Meeting Miyamoto, 'Switch 2', And Her Upcoming Nintendo Book
"Nintendo is 'the' way you understand games"
The London Developer Conference (LDC) made its almighty return last week, allowing some of the biggest names in the gaming world the chance to talk about the industry, where it currently sits, and where it is likely to go. One of the speakers in this year's programme was Keza MacDonald, video games...
Talking Point Nintendo Indie World Showcase Predictions - What Do You Expect To See?
Don't you dare say it
It's Indie World time! Yes, Nintendo has announced that on Wednesday 17th April we're getting 20-ish minutes' worth of indie game announcement goodness, following on from the February 2024 Nintendo Direct and the Pokémon Presents in the same month. And what's a Direct without some Direct predictions, eh? Okay, it's not...
Soapbox I Flew 3,000 Miles To Get My Arse Handed To Me In Mario Party
Or, how a game about betrayal brought me closer to my friends
Soapbox features enable our individual writers and contributors to voice their opinions on hot topics and random stuff they've been chewing over. Today, Kate reminisces about a memorable trip... to Loser Town! I can't believe I've been allowed to use the word "arse" in a title. I feel...
Talking Point What Are You Playing This Weekend? (13th April)
Oh, Penitent one
Right then, it's the weekend, but before we dive into what we're playing, let's take a look at what's been going on this week. First up, it was announced that Balatro would be getting its first major update, but keep calm, as it's not Switch-bound just yet. We caught wind of a rather pointless mod that allows
Soapbox I Thought I'd Clear My Backlog In 2024, But The Switch Had Other Ideas
Back(log) pain
Soapbox features enable our individual writers and contributors to voice their opinions on hot topics and random stuff they've been chewing over. Today, Jim is finding 2024 to be a little more stacked than he expected... 2023 was a wild ride on Switch. In any given year, the likes of Fire Emblem Engage, Pikmin 4, Outer Wilds, Ghost...
Book Review 'The Most Relaxing Video Games' - More Than Just Cute 'N' Cosy
Ahhhhhhhhh...
When it comes to relaxing games, you probably already have a reasonably sound idea of what these might look like and entail. Perhaps it’s a jaunty farm sim like Stardew Valley or Story of Seasons, a laid-back puzzler like Unpacking, or even a cute adventure like A Short Hike. The point is that many of us have preconceived notions of...
Feature What's It Like To Attend The Pokémon European International Championships?
What a Blast(oise)
The 2024 Pokémon European International Championships have been and gone, but what a weekend it was for the yearly event! Thousands of competitors and spectators alike descended on London's ExCeL arena for three days of competition, meet-ups and (of course) shopping. Now taking up multiple halls in the capital's convention...
Soapbox Vanillaware's Most Underrated Game Is More Than Just A Pretty Picture
Deserving of a Rebirth
Soapbox features enable our individual writers and contributors to voice their opinions on hot topics and random stuff they've been chewing over. Today, Alana is talking about a Vanillaware oldie — Muramasa: The Demon Blade, a Wii title that is celebrating its 15th anniversary. And, in the wake of 13 Sentinels and Unicorn...
Soapbox The Pokémon European International Championships Made Me Fall In Love With TCG
I choose you!
Soapbox features enable our individual writers and contributors to voice their opinions on hot topics and random stuff they've been chewing over. Today, Jim lays his cards on the table after visiting the Pokémon European International Championships... Head into my brain. Take a left at 'Obscure Zelda Knowledge,' go past the door...
Feature Nintendo Life eShop Selects & Readers' Choice (March 2024)
The best eShop games of February, chosen by you and us!
Spring has sprung, and so has the next edition of eShop Selects. This time, we're looking at the best hidden gems — as voted for by Nintendo Life staff — alongside a separate poll for the Reader's Choice for March's eShop releases. You'll see the winner of the latter at the bottom of the...