Latest Features
Feature Exploring Japan's Undying Love For Arcade 'Candy' Cabinets
Sweet stuff
Arcades may have all but died out in the west, but in Japan they remain big business. I write a website about arcades in Tokyo, and sometimes forget it’s not normal to live in an arcade daydream. I‘m prone to using obscure arcade terminology and I neglect readers who don’t click joysticks in the noise so often. I’m frequently...
Feature Taking To The Skies With Rogue Aces Developer Infinite State
"Empowering the player is key to us"
Nintendo fans have always been partial to a good dogfight or two. From the barrel-rolling shootouts of Star Fox 64 to the trench-running action of Star Wars: Rogue Squadron, we've always been up for leaping into a virtual cockpit. However, the skies have been unusually quiet on that front as of late, but a slew...
Feature Which Retro Classics Do You Want To See Come To Sega AGES On Switch?
To be this good...
Sega's confirmation that it is bringing its classic games to Switch as part of the AGES range was pretty incredible, if only for the sheer potential of such a move; Nintendo's erstwhile rival may be a very different company to the one that launched the Mega Drive, Saturn and Dreamcast these days, but it sits on an astonishing...
Interview Suda51 On Travis Strikes Again, Nintendo Switch And The Future Of No More Heroes
"We want Travis to go on for many more years"
Goichi "Suda51" Suda is arguably one of Japan's most famous game developers, and has been behind some of the most unique and compelling Japanese games of the past few decades, including Killer7, The Silver Case and - of course - No More Heroes. This franchise - along with its mouthy hero Travis...
Talking Point Does Sega's AGES Announcement Mean The Virtual Console Is Dead?
And if it is, does it really matter?
It's fair to say that the Virtual Console was quite a significant part of Nintendo's plans back when the Wii launched; it was certainly significant in the development of the site you're reading now, which some of you may remember as Virtual Console Reviews prior to the triumphant merger with Nintendo Life in...
Talking Point What Are You Playing This Weekend?
Here are our picks, but what are yours?
Another weekend is upon us, and that means making time - be it five precious minutes or a whole 48 hours - of quality 'you' time on your Nintendo platform of choice. This week we've got plenty of love for Nintendo Switch with some slices of retro goodness, some newly released indies and the usual devotion to...
Feature Chatting To Fishing Cactus About Shift Quantum Ahead of EGX Rezzed
"We can’t wait to see the crazy and arty levels players will make"
With a combination of mind-bending puzzles and an intriguing cyber noir setting, Belgian developer Fishing Cactus’ second title Shift Quantum has been on our radar for a while. By transforming barriers into escape routes and manipulating negative space in the monochromatic...
Hardware Classics Unpacking The 32X, Sega's Most Catastrophic Console Failure
"It was like watching the death of the Hindenburg in slow motion"
How do you take half a decade’s worth of critical and commercial success and flush it down the toilet? Easy – you release a device like the Sega 32X. At the start of the 1990s Sega was arguably at the height of its powers; the dawn of the decade saw the western launch of the...
Preview Getting Funky in Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze on Switch
We've got the funk
It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a Wii U game in possession of great critical acclaim, must be in want of a port. And cor ruddy blimey does Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze fall into line with that as well. One of the more forgotten gems of 2014, if only for the fact that it was on Wii U, is also the titular...
Feature Here's What Pro Players Want From Super Smash Bros On Switch
Making the proper leap to eSports
If you’re a casual Super Smash Bros. player like most of us, it can be pretty interesting to see how the Smash Bros. franchise operates from the vantage point of the best players in the world. Yes, the announcement of Super Smash Bros. on Nintendo Switch is still fresh in our minds, but that’s more than enough...
Feature Escaping An Alien Invasion Any Way We Can With Mugsters Developer Reinkout
'You'll be running away and go 'Nope. it's time to start exploding things'.
Mugsters is a quirky action puzzler focused on 'saving everything' from a robot alien invasion. We had some hands-on time with the title, and suffice to say it's shaping up to be a very interesting experience. As a tasty little extra, Finnish developer Reinkout sat down with...
Feature Game Bar Space Station - Osaka's Gaming Paradise
Cocktails and controllers to cater for all tastes
While Tokyo may be the first stop on many gamers' lists due to its numerous arcades and the famous Akihabara area, other parts of Japan also have their own little pockets of gaming heaven for locals and tourists alike. Located in Amemura - just a few minutes walk from the Dotonbori river and...
Feature A Memorial For Hidenori Shibao
Game historian John Szczepaniak pays tribute to a talent taken too soon
Arcade clerk, translator, book author, game design educator, manga collaborator, magazine journalist, prolific strategy guide writer, movie script writer, and developer of numerous games including Paladin's Quest, its sequel Lennus II, Legend of Legaia, and the FEAR. Hidenori...
Feature Seeking Shelter Generations With Developer Might And Delight
"There’s certainly a portion of mysticism that accompanies the realism"
Pan-Pan developer Might And Delight will be bringing animal adventure Shelter Generations to Nintendo Switch on 12th April. Combining a rich, emotional story focusing on themes of survival and family with artistic, natural environments, the collection - which includes Shelter...
Preview Getting Gruesome In Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus On Switch
Taking down Nazis on the go
As we played through the Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus demo at PAX East this weekend, two showgoers stopped to catch a glimpse of what we were playing. “Let’s head over to the Nintendo booth next,” says one. “This is the Nintendo booth,” says the other. What followed were comments and genuine shock that such...
Talking Point What Are You Playing This Weekend?
Here are our picks, but what are yours?
The weekend is finally here, so it's time to grab a few precious moments of free time and fire up your favourite Nintendo console for a little R&R. This week, Team Nintendo Life are playing action-RPGs, cutesy detective sims, virtual pinball tables, retro shmups, horror romps and, of course, Splatoon 2. As...
Feature Barking Up The First Tree With Indie Developer David Wehle
"I wanted to tell a personal story that was juxtaposed with the epic"
The First Tree is a beautiful and touching adventure centred around two parallel stories of hope and family. The game was recently announced for Nintendo Switch, so we took the chance to speak to creator David Wehle. We talk exploring the game's emotional themes, building a unique...
Hardware Review GameCube HDMI Adapter - GC Video Plug 'n Play 3.0
So long, component cable
You might think that when Nintendo started offering games from classic systems on its various Virtual Console platforms that interest in original hardware might fall away. However, over a decade later we're instead seeing a strong reassurance of new products supporting ageing original hardware, often aimed at getting the...
Feature The Biggest Retail Games Hitting Nintendo Switch This Spring
All your games are belong to us
How time flies, eh? We're already more than three months into 2018 and that can only mean one thing - E3 2018 is only around the corner. The centerpiece of the gaming calendar is where everyone will be looking come June, but that doesn't mean the release schedule is barren in the lead-up. In fact, Nintendo Switch has...
Talking Point What Games Are You Playing This Weekend?
Here are our picks, but what are yours?
Easter is upon us, so that must mean it's time for an extended Bank Holiday weekend. For those with a little free time to spare over the next few days, it's time to jump back into best of past times - a good game or two! This weekend, Team Nintendo Life is playing some Neo Geo classics, an N64 throwback,...
Hardware Review The Hyperkin SupaBoy SFC Is A Portable SNES For Under £100
Third time lucky?
It's fair to say that the SupaBoy handheld is one of Hyperkin's most successful products; it initially hit the market in 2012 and has been revised once already in the form of the SupaBoy S. We're now on the third iteration of the same model, and we can imagine this fresh SKU will do the business just as well as its forerunners did...
Soapbox With Microsoft Playing Ball, It’s Finally Time For Banjo-Kazooie To Return To Nintendo
And we know just the studio that could pull it off...
Soapbox features enable our individual writers to voice their own opinions on hot topics, opinions that may not necessarily be the voice of the site. In today's article, editor Dom tackles a subject very close to his heart - his rabid love for a certain seminal platformer from Rare, and...
Talking Point What Games Are You Playing This Weekend
Here are our picks, but what are yours?
The weekend has arrived, just in time to take the stress off a long and productive week. Of course, there's a good chance you might be working over the weekend too, so what better way to unwind when you're finally free to do your own thing than a little bit of Ninty gaming? This week, Team Nintendo Life has...
Feature Aiming For The Stars With OPUS: Rocket Of Whispers Developer SIGONO
"We wanted players to feel “the transition from loneliness to enrichment"
OPUS: Rocket Of Whispers is an emotionally driven adventure and the second 'OPUS' title from Taiwanese developer SIGONO. Combining a rich narrative, immersive atmosphere and deep lore to unravel and dissect, you play as two survivors of an apocalyptic plague. The pair will...
Reaction What Did You Think Of The Nindies Spring Showcase 2018?
Vote for your favourite game!
Yesterday, Nintendo aired a special Nindies-focused broadcast which outlined some of the new games coming to the eShop this year. Hosted by Nintendo's Damon Baker and Kirk Scott, the event had quite a few surprises to offer - including fresh announcements and more than a couple of timed Switch exclusives - and...
Feature Which Games Do You Want To See In Today's Nindies Showcase?
Small is the new big
With the dust barely settled since the explosive, announcement extravaganza that was this month's Nintendo Direct, Nintendo has scheduled another broadcast, this time focused around the independently made 'Nindies' that are headed to Ninty platforms in 2018 and beyond. So which games could we see revealed or shown in greater...
Talking Point What Games Are You Playing This Weekend
Here are our picks, but what are yours?
This weekend, Team Nintendo Life are giving their respective Nintendo consoles a good workout with all manner of virtual gems. We've got plenty of Neo Geo action; some 'Nindies' for good measure; the occasional shooter; and lots and lots of a certain game involving Inklings (can you guess which one?). As...
Video Take A Tour Of The Now Closed Final Fantasy "Memories of You" Museum
A Perfect Memory
From 22nd January to 28th February, Square-Enix hosted a special art and multimedia exhibition in Tokyo to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the Final Fantasy game series. It isn’t the only way Square-Enix will celebrate these thirty glorious years, and this event follows the other big role-playing game series...
Feature Exploring The Exotic Oasis Of Shirin With NAIRI Developers Homebear Studios
"Humans are animals as much as any other – why differentiate?"
NAIRI: Tower Of Shirin is an adorable-looking yet deceptively complex puzzle-adventure game coming to Nintendo Switch from Dutch developer Homebear Studios - an indie duo made up of Joshua van Kuilenburg and You Miichi. Delicately mixing an engaging story with the exploration of mature...
Feature Scratching Our Curiousity Itch With Claws Of Furry Dev Terahard
"Our games are definitely impacted by the multiculturalism of our team"
When you combine platforming, melee action at breakneck speed and a penchant for co-operative play, you're always going to grab our attention here at Nintendo Life. And Claws Of Furry, the debut game from UK and Greece-based developer Terahard Studios, has certainly caught...
Hardware Review Shika Arcades SOZU.S1 Isn't Just The Ultimate SNES Stick, It's A Work Of Art
Bamboo-zled
The humble video game controller is one of the most important elements of interactive entertainment; it is your interface to an immersive virtual world and any shortcomings it may have (Kinect, we're looking at you) impact massively on your overall enjoyment. It's equally true, however, that not all controllers are created equal, and as...
Feature Retro-Inspired FPS Hellscreen Aims For Nintendo Switch
"It's my ultimate goal"
UK-based artist-turned-developer Jamie Degen has just launched a Kickstarter campaign for his project Hellscreen - a first-person shooter inspired by hellish '90's PC classics such as Doom, Quake and Unreal. With a striking duo-chromatic, pixelated art style and tons of firepower combined with a strong story and lore,...
Feature Road Tripping With Death Road To Canada's Rocketcat Games
"The game is built for weirdness and replayability"
Trekking across a post-apocalyptic wilderness has never been more fun, or more random, thanks to upcoming action-RPG Death Road To Canada from indie studio Rocketcat Games. Part roguelike, part interactive novel, each attempt will present a different ratio of resource management, characters to talk...
Feature SNES-Style RPG Hazelnut Bastille Coming To Switch With Secret of Mana Composer In Tow
"After playing the game as a kid, It's been pretty surreal"
After being teased as ’fairly likely’ on social media in February, developer Aloft Studios has officially announced to Nintendo Life that Hazelnut Bastille, a game inspired by the golden era of SNES classic action RPGs, is planned for Switch. Here's what we were told: The timescale...
Feature A Kirby Retrospective: From Game Boy To Nintendo Switch
Kirby your enthusiasm
The upcoming Kirby Star Allies marks a triumphant return to 2D platforming for everyone's favourite inflatable pink ball, so we figured it was high time we had a good long look at the franchise to see just how far it's come. Kirby's adventures started all the way back in the early nineties on the Game Boy, and his latest...
Talking Point What Games Are You Playing This Weekend?
These are our picks, but what are yours?
It's a packed session this week as a veritable stampede of writers on Nintendo Life share their chosen gaming goals for the weekend. As you might imagine, there's a lot of Splatoon 2 to be had over the next couple of days, but there's also a handful of unexpected entries, a few predictable entries and even a...
Feature The Big Nintendo Direct Summary - 8th March
The first big Direct of 2018 pulled no punches
Following the brief yet packed Nintendo Direct Mini back in January, we entered this month's proper-sized Nintendo Direct with equal amounts of excitement and anticipation. What we got were a handful of rumours proved true - including South Park: The Fractured But Whole and Crash Bandicoot N. Sane...
Soapbox I'm Secretly Terrified Of An All-Digital Gaming Future
A digital convert questions a future without physical games
Soapbox features enable our individual writers to voice their own opinions on hot topics, opinions that may not necessarily be the voice of the site. In today's article, editorial director Damien admits he may have been wrong about gaming's all-digital future... During the 3DS era,...
Soapbox My Nintendo's Updated Rewards Scheme Is Anything But Rewarding
Now I’m missing the Club Nintendo days more than ever
Soapbox features enable our individual writers to voice their own opinions on hot topics, opinions that may not necessarily be the voice of the site. In today's article, editor Dom looks into the option to spend virtual gold coins on the eShop and how this addition to the My Nintendo program...
Preview Cracking The Case With Detective Pikachu On 3DS
Initial investigations
With no solid news as of yet on the Pokémon game(s) destined for Switch, the attention of Pocket Monster fans around the globe will no doubt be falling onto Detective Pikachu, scheduled to release on 3DS later this month. The game, which has already seen a staggered release in Japan, seems to be part of a franchise that the...
Feature Switch Exclusive Rogue Star ACE Aims To Out-Do Elite With Its Dynamic Universe
"Imagine a game with a narrative influenced by real-time events"
The Switch's meteoric rise has resulted in a flood of support from small-scale indie developers, some of which have swiftly ported over smartphone games which benefit from enhanced features on Nintendo's console. While a great many of these games are well worth your time, a few have...
Feature Nintendo Life's Top Ten eShop Games From Switch's First Year
Three cheers for the underdogs
It's hard to believe the Switch is already a year old. Many of us here at Nintendo Life fondly remember queuing up for our first look at the console that would capture the hearts of millions worldwide and garner both critical acclaim and massive support from developers large and small. It's no secret that games like...
Talking Point Nintendo Life's Favourite Games From Switch's First Year
Here are the games we loved the most on Switch
This weekend, Nintendo Switch will blow out the candles on its very first birthday cake, marking 12 months of incredible sales, a mainstream takeover and a raft of third-party support. It's been a dream scenario for Nintendo, placing the publisher firmly back in the pantheon of modern gaming, and it has...
Video Every Single Switch Game Released in Year One
No game left behind
The Switch, as it stands, is an unmitigated success both commercially and critically. Developers are flocking to release their games on the system as soon as they can, but just how many games have been released in the first year of this console's life? Short answer, 404 in Western territories. That's over 100 more than the...
Feature Nintendo Switch Year One: A Review
As Switch turns one, we look back at an incredible year
The Nintendo Switch, eh? Inaugural years don’t come much better than this. Not since the debut year of PlayStation 4 has a modern console enjoyed such a meteoric rise on all fronts. Ever increasing sales; exclusives that are both critical and commercial successes; the new wave of...
Talking Point What Games Are You Playing This Weekend?
Here are our picks, but what are yours?
The weekend has arrived, and with it comes (we hope) a little free time to do we all love best... play video games. If you're in the UK like us, you'll likely be knee-high in snow, so get you feeling warm and toasty why don't you gather round the fire and warm your hands on our fiery hot picks for the next...
Soapbox Nintendo Switch Learned A Lot From Wii U’s Struggles During Its Own First Year
Why the two consoles performed so differently over 12 months
Soapbox features enable our individual writers to voice their own opinions on hot topics, opinions that may not necessarily be the voice of the site. In today's article, editor Dom explores the very opening 12 months of Nintendo Switch and its predecessor, Wii U. We all know Switch's...
Feature Remembering Toys R Us, The '90s Gamer's Paradise
As the toy chain circles the drain, we remember its contribution to gaming
Retailer Toys R Us has been in dire straits for some time now, with the US side of the operation filing for bankruptcy in 2017. This week has brought us the news that the UK arm of the business is going into administration, putting 3,000 jobs at risk. You may view this news...
Feature These Five Switch Accessories Are Too Stupid to be True
And yet here they are
As with any successful video games console, many manufacturers out there have been trying their hand at creating accessories they believe people will want. Most of the time these are fine or forgettable, but these five are so ridiculous it's amazing they exist at all. This one doesn't really need explanation. The only time...
Feature The Harp Twins Reflect On Their First Ever UK Tour
"We felt so honored to be so warmly welcomed by our UK fans"
We last spoke to The Harp Twins way back in 2012, but we've featured their music in various articles over the years since, especially when they do anything Zelda-themed! Musicians Camille and Kennerly Kitt combine the serene sound of the harp with a dynamic live shows and...