Review Super Mario Sunshine (GCN)
Water, water everywhere so let's all have a drink!
Talking Point The Virtual Console's PAL Problem
60Hz and the confusing state of Virtual Console emulation
News - April, 2010
Friday30th Apr 2010
News Earthworm Jim Creator Says "Hey Wait, That's Not What I Said"
Earthworm Jim 4 not coming to Wii. Or is it?
Colour us confused. Earlier today, it seemed that Earthworm Jim 4 was coming to Wii judging by a reported conversation between creator Doug TenNapel and website 34th Dimension. Now, Mr TenNapel has gone on-record to say that's not what he said. Here's what he had to say: In our early discussions about...
News Earthworm Jim Creator Says Fourth Adventure Wii-Bound
New 2D game coming at some point
This is the age of retro sequels. With Sonic 4 on the horizon and Mega Man 9 and 10 nestled snugly on our hard drives, we're beginning to dream of which of our favorite games from the past might see the light of day again after all. That's why we're hoping that Earthworm Jim 4, recently confirmed to
News Tiger Woods PGA Tour 11 to Offer More Authenticity to Your Game
With features old and new
Last season's Tiger Woods instalment offered gamers an intuitive and engaging golf game with very little to be disappointed at; and if you're not familiar with it, you can read our Tiger Woods PGA Tour 10 review to find out why. Given all that the game has accomplished, what new features can EA implement this season? Let's...
News Go 8-bit Over the Official BIT.TRIP CORE Soundtrack
Retro gamers get your wallets out
Fans of the BIT.TRIP series not only enjoy the retro gameplay courtesy of Gaijin Games, but the audio design is some of the best the genre has to offer. Following on from the release of the BIT.TRIP BEAT soundtrack, the BIT.TRIP CORE soundtrack is also now available to purchase. The BIT.TRIP CORE soundtrack features...
First Impressions at Enter! Block Kuzushi
Brick-breaking fun on the go
Tasuke seems to have been putting out a lot of board game titles recently, which all seem to be broken out from a retail release called Table Game Spirits: Victory; which is itself an enhanced version of Table Game Spirits. Both of them are Japanese DS cart releases that collect various Japanese board games including...
News Japanese Virtual Console list - May 2010
A mere three games for Japan next month
Things can be quite odd sometimes. A while back, when North America and Europe were getting several weeks without any Virtual Console games at all, Japan was still getting one or more per week. Now it seems like the roles have been reversed, because while North America and Europe are now getting one each week...
Thursday29th Apr 2010
News Wii Remote Support Coming to Google's Android
New application allows Wii Remotes and Android phones to communicate
We don't usually cover mobile phone news here on Nintendo Life but in this case we're willing to make an exception. Those of you familiar with Google's Android operating system will know that there are countless downloadable apps available via the appropriately-named Android...
News Fancy Playing Super Mario Bros. With Other Nintendo Characters? Now You Can
Mario gets by with a little help from his friends
Overly-creative gamers may, from time to time, wish that protagonists from different games would swap roles and see if the grass is indeed greener. We've often wondered what it would be like to have a Mario-centric GTA-style game, complete with unsavoury weapons and potty mouth. Well now it seems...
Does it crack under the pressure?
For anyone that's even played Lemmings or Mario vs. Donkey Kong 2: March of the Minis, you'll have a pretty good idea of what to expect from DodoGo!. Your goal in each level is to guide at least one of the eggs back to the nest safely. If you want to earn medals, however, you're going to have to get all the eggs...
News Final Fantasy V and VI Technical Problems Prevent DS Conversions
Fantasy not quite final
Those of you who have enjoyed Final Fantasy's previous reinventions on the DS may be dismayed to read a recent Twitter tweet from Square Enix producer Shinji Hashimoto regarding the (hopefully) upcoming remakes of the fifth and sixth outings: For FF5 and 6, there are technical issues as well, so at present these are also...
Review Puffins: Let's Roll (DSiWare)
Let's not
It's kind of a bummer when games come out with controls that just don't fit the platform. This wasn't much of a problem a mere generation ago, but with the plethora of options today ranging from button to motion and touch it's become more prevalent an issue. Other Ocean, behind the excellent Dark Void Zero, has fallen into this very trap...
News Blue Dragon: Awakened Shadow Poo Facts
D3Publisher talks a little sh*t about their upcoming DS RPG.
D3Publisher has just sent over the newest bit of news on their upcoming DS release Blue Dragon: Awakened Shadow. It seems they felt the need to set the record straight on the Poo Facts and they've put together a few of the more important ones below for your reading pleasure. Poo Facts:...
News Next Bungie Title May Head to Nintendo Consoles
Famed developers team with Activision to branch out
You won't find the word "Bungie" in very many of our news articles, but the studio's recent agreement with Activision could see that all change. Leaving the Halo universe behind, the developers are now set to branch out with a new IP set to release for multiple platforms, opening the door...
News Mega Man Zero Collection Announced for June Release
Spend $30, get Zero (now with trailer!)
We previously reported that this game was to be released in Japan, and Capcom just announced its Western debut on June 8th. You can preorder it now and pick it up for just $29.99. Mega Man Zero Collection encompasses all four releases in the Game Boy Advance series, originally introduced in 2002. Additional...
News First North American Black Wii Advert Leaked, Start Saving $199
Soon to be available in black, also available in white
After a recent heads-up that North America was due to receive the black Wii console some six months after Europe, we've now had the first photographic proof that the machine is on its way in no time with this shot from Gamestop. Appearing to mimic the same bundle available elsewhere, your $200...
News First Look: Pearl Harbor Trilogy - 1941: Red Sun Rising
Legendo have released a new trailer complete with gameplay footage for this ambitious WiiWare game.
Pearl Harbor Trilogy – 1941: Red Sun Rising is the first title in a trilogy of air-combat action games for the Wii™. In the premiere game, which will be available soon on WiiWare™, players will be dropped into the cockpit of famous World War II...
News Intellivision to Be Reborn on DS
It's still alive!
Earlier this year we quite favourably reviewed the GameCube release Intellivision Lives!, a collection of over sixty games from the presumed dead retro system. Among its catalogue were not only nostalgia-inducing favorites but demos and prototypes as well, including everything from Bomb Squad to Baseball and Thunder Castle to...
News Wii Gets its Price Slashed in Australia & New Zealand
The first time the Wii has had a drop in price in those regions
It was only two months ago that Nintendo announced that the black Wii console would be available to Australian gamers after many envious glares at their Japanese and European counterparts. Now it seems that gamers down under not only have a choice of what colour they want their console...
Wednesday28th Apr 2010
Review Earthworm Jim (DSiWare)
A slippery customer
Like previous platforming conversion Rayman, Earthworm Jim is something of a missed opportunity. Fondly remembered by many gamers from its original outing on Mega Drive and Super Nintendo, Earthworm Jim was a welcome antidote to the huge numbers of cutesy animal platformers with its bizarre attitude and plenty of character...
Review 5 Arcade Gems (WiiWare)
Gems? More like paste.
The term "arcade" has seemingly come to be synonymous with a game that has a "pick-up-and-play" feel to it, just as arcade games of old. Of course the motivation of manufacturers of these arcade machines was to encourage players to drop coins on games they hadn't seen before, in the hopes they would enjoy...
Review Don't Feed the Animals (DSiWare)
Un-bear-able
In Don't Feed the Animals, you play a child who, with his or her friends, has stored a bunch of candy at a fort. On your way to eat said candy, wave after wave of covetous animals bombard the clubhouse. You must protect the candy – all twenty pieces of it – with robots. There are three robots that you can use in your defence:...
News Red Steel 3 Teased in Official French Nintendo Magazine
Updated: Ubisoft makes a statement
There's a curious little teaser in the back of France's official Nintendo magazine (appropriately titled Nintendo Magazine) that was brought to our attention by French website LiveGen. And that is that Ubisoft Montreal is already hard at work on le tiers in the Red Steel series. The Red Steel series has so far been...
News Oh Look, Tatsunoko vs. Capcom Sold Better Than Expected
Anything beats "zero," we suppose
It took some minor licensing miracles for Capcom to get Tatsunoko vs. Capcom: Ultimate All-Stars outside of Japan and to a Wii near you. It was a critical and community success, but how about financially? Capcom community manager Seth Killian appeared on a Destructoid podcast to talk about the upcoming HD-bound...
Nintendo Download 30th April 2010 (Europe)
Catching up with North America
It seems pretty much all the releases featured this week have already been seen in North America, though there is something new in the form of some additional DLC for Mega Man 10 and Simply Solitaire for the DSi. Since some of these releases only came out Monday in North America we don't have reviews up for them all...
News PC Indie Games Compilation Coming to DSiWare in Earnest
Passage, Gravitation and Between bundle up
Another day, another game outed by its ESRB rating. Today brings the news that Sabarasa (most recently behind Save the Turtles) will be publishing the DSiWare compilation Alt-Play: Jason Rohrer Anthology, which will include Rohrer's indie games Passage, Gravitation and Between (pictured). The term...
Tuesday27th Apr 2010
Review Mahjong Quest Expeditions (DS)
A fresh update to an old-time classic
Let's get something out of the way right now: Mahjong Quest Expeditions has nothing to do with the game of mahjong (a four-player game more akin to gin rummy or poker): it's a solitaire game which is played using the same tiles and there the similarities end. Nevertheless it can be a fun diversion and the fact...
Review The Will of Dr. Frankenstein (WiiWare)
You don't want to inherit anything from this!
Enjoy Gaming seems to enjoy bringing us smaller versions of games they've released at retail. System Flaw Recruit was their first time doing this, and now they've done it again. The Will of Dr. Frankenstein is a prequel to The Island of Dr. Frankenstein, a Wii game that has, curiously enough, been...
News The Sims 3 Coming to Wii, DS with Exclusive Features
Annihilate your fake family from the comfort of your couch
EA's massively popular life-management Sims franchise is no stranger to Nintendo platforms; the Wii and DS have already seen versions of The Sims 2: Castaways and Pets, not to mention multiple entries in the younger-skewing MySims series. This fall, EA will keep that relationship going by...
News A $50,000 Cure for Virtual Boy Headaches
Play it on the TV with this handy accessory!
3D gaming is on the cusp of being cool again after some of the remarkable damage done to its reputation by Nintendo's less-than stellar Virtual Boy machine. The onset of eyestrain and headaches did the machine no favours, but if you've picked one up and fancy playing it on a more comfortable surface, such...
Interviews Shin'en Multimedia - Jett Rocket
New game details as well as exclusive screenshots of the WiiWare 3D platformer
One look at upcoming WiiWare platformer Jett Rocket is all you need to see that it's not quite like anything else on the service. A 3D platformer with graphics to rival many full retail releases, it certainly has a lot of promise. We caught up with Shin'en Multimedia CEO...
News Nintendo Relicenses SC Texture Technology
Unwilling to let GameCube compression tech go
Nintendo recently renewed their license with S3 Graphics to continue using their S3 Texture Compression technology. They explain the tech as follows: S3TC texture compression uses an advanced compression algorithm that achieves up to six-fold compression of complex textures and images that are used in...
News Black Wii Could Hit North America in May
According to several "in the know"
It's been a long time since we first got our hands on a black Wii here at Nintendo Life's European office, but our dear North American cousins are still waiting for the chance to mucky these onyx beauties. According to a new rumour, the wait may soon be over. Allegedly due to arrive in May 9th in the US and two...
Competition Cave Story Win a Wiimote Compo Winner
The lucky winner is finally announced.
After a fantastic response to our Cave Story Win a Wiimote Compo, we'd like to announce that Iain P. (Bakajin) is our lucky winner. The exclusive Cave Story Wii Remote should be on its way to you very soon. We'd like to offer our sincere congratulations to him and take this opportunity to thank everyone who...
Feature The Making of Furry Legends - Video 1
The first in our series of exclusive behind-the-scenes documentaries
Earlier this month we brought you exclusive First Impressions of Furry Legends: Chapter One and an interview with its creators, Gamelion Studios. As the game nears its release for WiiWare we're teaming up with Gamelion again to bring you a series of exclusive behind-the-scenes...
News BlazBlue Blows Overseas to Western Shores, Swaps Some Letters on the Way
Quirky brawler now known as BlayzBloo: Super Melee Brawlers Battle Royale
We reported in December that the hardcore BlazBlue series was soon to make its debut on Nintendo's DSiWare service in the form of a cute, big-headed battle game with full free roaming for 500 Nintendo Points. Known as BlazBlue Battle X Battle in Japan, the ESRB has outed its...
Wednesday28th Apr 2010
News Former Nintendo Executive Lands Marketing Role at 38 Studios
Could she be a Red Sox fan?
Denise Kaigler, former vice president of corporate affairs at Nintendo of America, has reintegrated herself into the video game industry after giving up her position last November due to the strain commuting had put on her family life. Prior to her two years of service at Nintendo, Kaigler held a marketing executive...
Monday26th Apr 2010
Review Game & Watch Flagman (DSiWare)
A game you might want to flag down
Flagman might not be one of the top tier Game & Watch titles, but it's still quite entertaining if you've got a few minutes to kill. The game borrows heavily from many of the memory-type games of the era: one that immediately comes to mind is the classic Milton Bradley electronic game Simon. As with most of the...
News The Real Mario's Yearbook Photo is Unearthed
Along with details of his past
Back when Nintendo was still trying to gain a foothold in the US market the company rented a warehouse owned by a fellow called Mario Segale. Legend has it that NOA President Minoru Arakawa was taken aback by the similarity between Segale and the lead character of Donkey Kong - an arcade title which Nintendo was...
News Nintendo's 3D Motion Game Tracks its Way Onto U.S. DSiWare
A closer look at Looksley's Line Up (or Rittai Kakushie Attakoreda, in Japan)
Following on last week's announcement of Looksley's Line Up's impending arrival on the American DSi Shop, we at Nintendo Life want to give you a bit more insight into the Japanese game known as Rittai Kakushie Attakoreda that's added a whole new dimension to portable...
Nintendo Download 26 April 2010 (North America)
Arcade minis, puzzling and fighting on Wii; driving, tower defence, shooting and more on DSi
Whilst the Wii has the usual 3-release week (two WiiWare and one Virtual Console) the DSi has six new releases this week in North America – whew! Also of note is the next entry in the WarioWare D.I.Y. Big Name Game series, this time from Edmund McMillen of...
News DJ Shadow Sheds a Little Light on DJ Hero 2
A preemptive strike
For a sequel that hasn't been officially announced yet, DJ Shadow sure has no issues talking about DJ Hero 2, effectively beating Activision to the punch. In a recent interview with Zane Lowe, DJ Shadow talks about the appearance of his in-game avatar, and the work going into producing content for the game. Having produced tracks...
Sunday25th Apr 2010
Review Surviving High School (DSiWare)
If only the real thing were this much fun
With this downloadable title, EA provides a very entertaining and engrossing experience that many will unfortunately write off based on its name alone. The game is almost completely text-based, which means that there aren't any explosions or fancy graphics, but the story and characters are funny and...
Maybe a bit too simplistic for its own good
We haven't seen a significant amount of apps made available on the DSiWare service to date, but that hasn't stopped Nnooo from tossing a couple into the mix with their ongoing myLifeConnected suite of DSiWare applications. We've already seen the release of myNotebook in various colours and now the company...
News Sid Meier's Pirates! Pillaging Its Way Onto Wii
No buckle shall go unswashed
The ESRB recently outed the highly regarded Sid Meier's Pirates! as an upcoming Wii (or, possibly, WiiWare) title. Originally developed for Commodore 64, MicroProse released the PC version in 1987 and, in 2004, Atari published the Firaxis-developed remake. 2K Games then took the reins, porting the title to the Xbox and...
News NA Wii Shop Channel Updated
Recommended titles now have categories
If you live in North America and have been to the Wii Shop channel over the past couple of days, you may have noticed a couple of arrows pointing to the left and right on the opening page before you "start shopping". Whatever could they mean? A simple press of Left and Right buttons on your Wii...
Saturday24th Apr 2010
News Dedicated Castlevania Fan Beats NES Version With Dance Mat
Virtual Console port is bested using some smooth moves
Those of you brave enough to have downloaded the Virtual Console port of the original NES Castlevania will be aware that the game is hard. As in tough-as-old-boots hard. Here at Nintendo Life Towers we've lost count of the number of NES pads we've broken over the years attempting to put Drac...
Friday23rd Apr 2010
Review Sakura Wars: So Long, My Love (Wii)
Genre-mashing cinematic robot-girly goodness
It might seem surprising that one of Sega's longest-running and most successful franchises would never have seen the light of day outside of Japan, possibly a result of it being perceived as "too Japanese". namely due to a strong adventure game component which is commonly referred to as a...
Review System Flaw Recruit (DSiWare)
Seriously flawed
Essentially a first-person Space Invaders, System Flaw Recruit uses the DSi’s external camera in a crude form of augmented reality. The bottom screen displays a radar showing enemies in your proximity, and the top screen lets you line up the targets with your reticule. When the alien craft get within a certain range they attack,...
News Nintendo's Upcoming U.S. Release Schedule Gets Updated
Metroid: Other M and Sin & Punishment: Star Successor get pushed back
Summer is slowly on its way and with it, brings the annual wave of big releases. Sadly though, the pace at which the tip of this wave is arriving is rubbing off on some highly anticipated games. Nintendo has just informed us that whilst some titles have been marked with release...
Nintendo Download 27 & 28 April (Japan)
World Game Parade comes to a close, bountiful VC and lots of DSiWare, next week in Japan
WiiWare: Katamuki Spirits (500pts - Marvelous) – Whilst it may have a fancier sounding name, this is of course DK Games' Equilibrio re-badged as the final entry in Marvelous Entertainment's World Game Parade. We certainly thought it was a fun marble rolling...
News Jett Rocket Trailer Melts Your Face with Graphical Afterburners
Shinen boldly goes where WiiWare has never been
We know that some WiiWare games look good. Some might even look really good, but so far there hasn't been a game that looks quite as eye-popping as Shin'en Multimedia's Jett Rocket. Until now, that is. You've already seen screenshots and the first teaser, and like us you were probably wondering exactly...
First Impressions Aa! Nikaku Dori
More fun with mahjong tiles
Despite releasing versions of Shanghai on both Gameboy Color and Gameboy Advance in Japan (not to mention Wii and WiiWare versions), Sunsoft have elected not to favour Nintendo's current generation of handheld with the classic match-two puzzle game which they seem to have a monopoly on in the Land of the Rising Sun...
News Flowerworks Coming to PAL Land
WiiWare floral fireworks game getting extra features for European/Australiasian release
The folks at Nocturnal have just let us know that their WiiWare debut, Flowerworks is coming to PAL territories with a new subtitle: Follie's Adventure. Flowerworks was something of a pleasant surprise when it was released last December in North America, so we're...
First Impressions Katamuku + Action: Katamuction
More camera-motion mini-game madness
It seems a number of developers have been taken with the idea of using the DSi's cameras to simulate motion-based gameplay, but unfortunately many of these games end up feeling like gimmicky tech-demos more than actually fun games. HI Games & Publishing's latest attempt makes for an uneven experience with one...
Thursday22nd Apr 2010
A monster disappointment
Kaiju Busters (or "Monster Busters" as its effective English translation goes) is just one in a long line of monster-based video games that we don’t often get to see in the West. This handheld effort from Bandai Namco inevitably draws comparisons with Capcom’s massively popular Monster Hunter games, and in that...
Review Game & Watch Donkey Kong Jr. (DSiWare)
A rather snappy LCD version of the arcade release
The first thing you'll notice about Donkey Kong Jr. Game & Watch is that it's clearly a lot more playable than many of the other Game & Watch releases. Not only are there more ways to do more, but now you have four-way controls, not to mention a jump button. The vine layout is also something...
News NES Autographed by Miyamoto Sells for Just $1000
And not a penny more
How much would you pay for a working Nintendo Entertainment System signed by Shigeru Miyamoto? $1,000? More? If you answered the latter, you've missed your opportunity to bid on this item, sold today on eBay for just a cool thousand. Of course, the buyer may just put the system up for auction again, as surely someone would be...
Review Pocket Pack: Words & Numbers (DSiWare)
Five very basic games in one
We've already got more than enough Sudoku games on DSiWare, but thankfully that's not the only thing included in this collection. Pocket Pack: Words & Numbers offers a total of five different games: Sudoku, Kakuro, Anagrams, Word Guess and Word Cubes. And while it's a jack of all trades, it's a master of none. We...
News Super Mario Galaxy 2 Forecast is Cloudy with Chance of Co-Op
New trailer reveals Cosmic Guide, cutesy power-ups and Starship Mario
It might seem a long way off, but Super Mario Galaxy 2 is just one month away for lucky North American gamers, whilst European players can pick it up on June 11th. Nintendo has just released a new trailer and screenshots showing off the return of Rosalina, the introduction of...
News BBC Study Suggests Brain Training Games are Ineffective
Grey (doesn't) matter
Have you been playing Brain Training (known as Brain Age in the U.S.) or its sequel on your way to work, feeling good about yourself as you utilise your DS for something useful? Have you outsmarted your friends recently and thought, "there's that grey matter at work!"? According to a study recently published by the...
News Launch Trailer Shows Blue Dragon Sequel's Return to RPG Roots
Blue Dragon: Awakened Shadow hoping to fly off the shelves next month
When Mistwalker brought the Blue Dragon franchise over to the DS, it took a bit of a departure from the traditional RPG mould that the Xbox 360 original was cast in. Instead, Blue Dragon Plus took on a real-time strategy format, which was a fundamental change to long-time fans but...
News Hideki Kamiya Plus Gunpoint Would Equal New Star Fox
Might also do it for money
Hideki Kamiya, co-founder of Platinum Games, recently tweeted that: If they had the team that made Star Fox 64 make it... followed by I want Nintendo's staff to come to Platinum, stick guns at us and tell us 'You guys make a new Star Fox." Kayami directed the games Bayonetta, Okami, Viewtiful Joe, Devil May Cry
News Kaasa Health to Release Balance-Based WiiWare Game and Mat
Stop falling down all the time with the help of this new title
We've received word that German company Kaasa Health is developing a new series of balanced-based fitness games for WiiWare and a newly designed fitness mat for placement atop the Wii Balance Board. The products were developed in conjunction with therapists and doctors from the Dr...
News An In-Depth Look at Dive: The Medes Island Secret
Designer dives into the game's details with dswii.es
Recently, DSWii.es sat down with José A. Giacomelli of Cosmonaut Games to talk about its upcoming WiiWare release, Dive: The Medes Island Secret. Among the topics discussed were the dynamics of a platformer based underwater, the length of gameplay (ten non-linear levels clocking in at an...
News JV Games Announces Frat Party Games: Pong Toss Pro
Not just for amateurs anymore
You may remember Frat Party Games: Pong Toss, released on WiiWare over a year ago. We gave the game a pretty unfavourable review, but instead of giving up, its developer has gone back to reassess, tweak and fix what went wrong with its debut release. The new WiiWare game, Frat Party Games: Pong Toss Pro, will be...
Dogfight motion demo a go-go
Though the DSi has no native motion-sensing capabilities, it hasn't stopped developers from trying to use the system's built-in cameras to approximate the tilt-sensors of the iPhone. As expected however, cameras are not motion sensors and although the latest effort from Genki Mobile includes a fair collection of...
News Only 8.8% of Japanese Consumers Want to Buy a 3DS
The next Virtual Boy?
Though Nintendo hasn't released much information on the system itself, a recent survey of 1,059 consumers by Japanese goo Research shows that only 8.8% want to buy Nintendo's next handheld, while 55.8% are interested in it and 35.3% don't want it at all. Perhaps once the system is debuted at this year's E3 as anticipated,...
News Ghost Trick to Haunt the West This Winter
Capcom unveils a new Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come
We previously reported in 2009 that this new game from the original director of the Ace Attorney franchise was in production and planned for a Japanese release. Even then, Capcom had translated the name into English, so it may not come as much of a surprise that the company recently confirmed its...
Wednesday21st Apr 2010
Nintendo Download 23rd April 2010 (EU)
Doctors for the Wii, worms, fish, notebooks and watches for the DSi this week in Europe
There's only a couple of brand new games for Europe this coming Friday, with most of the DSiWare offerings and the Virtual Console release being catch-up titles with North America - though we welcome them to the European DSi and Wii Shops all the same. DSiWare:...
News Monster Hunter Creators Will Not Appear at GAME'S Launch Event This Friday
Volcano!!!
We previously reported that Monster Hunter series producer Ryozo Tsujimoto and director Kaname Fujiok would appear at London's GAME this friday to celebrate the release of Monster Hunter 3 (Tri~). Unfortunately, the Icelandic volcano eruption has suspended their travel and the two have cancelled their appearance at the event. The first...
News Okamiden is Set to be Released Into the Wild in 2011
Capcom reveals game details and two trailers of the upcoming sequel to Okami
It took a couple of years to materialise, but when Okami got ported over to the Wii, it was certainly a welcomed gesture from one of Nintendo's oldest collaborators. Now, Capcom is bringing a second cel-shaded adventure to Nintendo gamers but this time it's on the DS. With...
Tuesday20th Apr 2010
Review Game & Watch Ball (DSiWare)
A load of old balls
Before the world-crushing DS, before the Game Boy began its decade-plus of supremecy, Nintendo’s handheld division began with the humble Game & Watch line, which started with the even more humble Ball in 1980. Over the past 30 years, odds are good that if you’ve had any interest in the company’s portables you’ve come...
News Nintendo's Room Migration Kit Makes it Even Easier to Move a Wii
Free yourself from the hassle of carrying cables
Although the Wii is meant to be a great living room experience for all the family, sometimes you just want to smuggle it away to a shady corner and indulge in some private gaming time. The only downside is unplugging all the myriad cables and setting it up again though, right? Here comes Nintendo with...
News Classic Controller Pro Now On Sale in North America
Finally, a controller for the classic professional
The new and improved controller, previously sold only in Japan and Europe, is now available for sale in North America at a suggested retail price of $19.99 USD. It comes in both white and black and features two rows of shoulder buttons and ergonomically designed grips. You can pick these controllers...
"Blame it on the (robot) boogie"
Robots pretty much go with everything and afros are no exception. After getting a bit of time with a pre-release build of Fugazo's WiiWare debut, Frobot, we'd have to say the hairstyle is as fresh on a machine as it is a human being. Navigating menus displaying a fun '70s look to the "Single Playa" game,...
News Nintendo Will Release 3DS in October
Step into the third dimension two months before Christmas
Computer and Video Games.com has a tasty rumor that Nintendo plans to release their follow-up to the hugely successful DS this October. One of their senior sources added: In my experience, you don't launch a product that early to Christmas unless you're confident in it - and going to spend a...
Monday19th Apr 2010
Review Monster Hunter 3 (Tri~) (Wii)
A tri-umph
Monster Hunter Tri has a lot resting on its broad warrior’s shoulders. An online-enabled, unashamedly hardcore title for Wii with huge amounts of advertising and hype behind it, anything less than a critical and commercial success would be a huge blow to Capcom, as well as Nintendo’s never-ending crusade to market the Wii as a great...
Bet you can't deduce what this one's about
The first time we entered the AiRace universe, if you will, was through the simple and fun 200 Point DSiWare tidbit AiRace: Tunnel. While it was a satisfying arcade flight experience, it felt more like a bonus mode that was chopped out of a larger game. AiRace is that larger game. With more aircraft, actual...
News Turn Your DSi Into a Virtual Instrument With the 'Music On' Series
Music On: Electronic Keyboard is the first in a new series from Abylight
The catalogue of DSiWare releases ranges from straight-forward games to various media creation applications; Abylight is the latest contributor to the latter. The company that brought us Fish 'em All! and Stop Stress: A Day of Fury has announced its upcoming range of Music On...
News New Video Shows the Building Blocks of LEGO Harry Potter: Years 1-4
Developers describe it as "the richest LEGO environment we've ever created"
Nothing gets us more excited about a game than a passionate testimonial from its creators. They don't work in public relations, they simply feel strongly about what they do and want to share it with the world. If you agree, are a fan of the LEGO series of video games or have...
Nintendo Download 19th April 2010 (North America)
The Blue Bomber returns to North America, and he's bringing some high school drama, postcards, puzzles and more Game & Watch titles with him
It's another big retro week for North America, with four titles that are either older than you or will make you remember just how old you are. WarioWare D.I.Y. players also have a new Big Name Game coming their...
Sunday18th Apr 2010
News Nintendo Leads U.S. Sales for March
Mario leaps over the competition
The independent NPD Group recently assessed March U.S. gaming sales, placing Nintendo systems and games at the top of the list. The DS/DSi and Wii took the top two spots in platform purchases, moving 700.8K and 557.5K units respectively, with Sony's PSP system selling a comparatively unsubstantial 119.9K units. The...
News Sega Bringing Gunblade NY and LA Machineguns to Wii
Gunfire and explosions to occur constantly
Tired of endlessly playing House of the Dead 2 & 3 Return and Ghost Squad over and over again, wishing that the same company would bring more arcade light gun shooters to the Wii because these are the only games that you can enjoy? Your wait is over. The ESRB recently rated Gunblade NY & LA...
News Wii Least Connected of U.S. Consoles
America offline
Blame it on complicated friend codes or a lack of vauntable trophies and accomplishments, but according to a survey conducted by The Diffusion Group, only 54% of U.S. Wii consoles are connected to the Internet. This makes it the least connected current generation system, trailing behind Playstation 3 (78%) and Xbox 360 (73%). The...
News Are You One Of The 7500 Who Signed Their Souls Away To Gamestation?
An amusing April Fool's joke that highlights the importance of checking service contracts
April Fools is a bit like Marmite: you either love it or hate it. Those that hate it will see no purpose to assigning the light-hearted act of pranks and jokes to a single day of the year. Those that love it will relish in being a nuisance to others, safe in...
News Real Crimes: Jack the Ripper Stalks onto DSiWare
If only Nintendo had been around in 1889...
Virtual Playground is soon to bring the PC-based Real Crimes: Jack the Ripper to Nintendo's portable download service. It was developed by Big Fish Games, also responsible for Mystery Case Files: Millionheir. The ESRB recently gave Jack a "Teen" rating and describe the game as follows: This is a...
Friday16th Apr 2010
Review Mega Man 4 (Wii Virtual Console / NES)
A bit weak, but still a good game
With both Mega Man 2 and Mega Man 3 ranking among the best NES games ever made, many people were quite excited when Capcom announced a fourth entry in the series back in 1991. After all, if they managed to make it even better, it would be pretty much near perfection! Sadly, it didn't quite turn out as people hoped...
News Mario Leaps Across the Virtual Pages of Kindle
Amazon presumably thrilled
You might have an Amazon Kindle e-reader, but chances are you probably don't: all that reading is understandably off-putting. You know what might brighten it up? Some Mario, of course. That was seemingly the thought process over at Klab, a Japanese company behind a NES emulator for Kindle. Although it's perhaps best not to...
News Average UK Price of a Wii Only £155
RRP still the same
It’s been a while since we’ve reported on the price of the Wii following its up down up down charade last year, but the drought stops here. A recent survey by UK trade magazine MCV of 25 retailers has shown the console’s cost to consum
News Ryu, Ken and Sagat May Get Street Fitter on Wii
Capcom producer hints at Balance Board title
Since its release with Wii Fit a few years ago, the Balance Board has had all manner of applications: boxing, balls and, of course, the Department of Homeland Security in the US. All those titles are swamped, however, by the number of fitness titles available, and now Capcom may want a sweaty slice of...
Nintendo Download 20th & 21st April (Japan)
Ivy the Kiwi makes a multi-platform assault
After last week's slim pickings this week actually provides some choice on both Wii and DSi on the download front, including the first free app from Nintendo on the DSi since the Wii no Ma media viewer was released last May. Better still all of these are brand-new releases, without a catch-up title in...
First Impressions G.G. Series Throw Out
Fancy a game of 4-on-4 Cyberball?
Although "proper" sports video games have been more successful at home and in the arcades, there's something to be said for the made up ones that have less focus on player stats and more on just playing the game. Suzak's Throw Out, a more recent entry in the G.G. Series of budget arcade-style games, is...
First Impressions G.G. Series Exciting River
Burt Reynolds not included
Whilst a game based on Deliverance probably would be very cool, Exciting River is about kayaking to a goal in the quickest time possible, rather than surviving a weekend river-rafting amongst crazed banjo-duelling hillbillies out for blood. Still, exciting it is thanks to good controls and fast-paced gameplay. There are a...
Thursday15th Apr 2010
Talking Point The Virtual Console's PAL Problem
60Hz and the confusing state of Virtual Console emulation
“Many people don’t know what the difference between 50Hz and 60Hz is, but since most modern TV models support 60Hz it’s definitely worth finding out.” This interesting and illuminative statement, plucked readily from any number of Nintendo Wii game manuals, is fascinating in its...
News Interplay Straps In with Descent for WiiWare
Relive the classic PC game this fall
PC gamers might remember the flurry of Doom clones that just seemed to never end in the mid-90s. While a lot of them didn't try to break with the winning formula too much or only put a mild spin on it, where others put enough spin to make you motion sick and, at first, disoriented. Interplay's Descent was one of...
First Impressions G.G. Series Dark Spirits
Side-scrolling bullet hell magic
One good thing about the Japanese DSi Shop for retro-gaming fans is the availability of old-school sprite-based shooters, with several decent ones to choose from. The G.G. Series already has a few among its number, but they're all different enough that it cannot hurt to add another one: enter Dark Spirts, of the...
News Time Travellers Webpage Up, Debut Artwork
Level-5 updates website with its new "suspense themed time-travel" game
Following on from Akihiro Hino and Jiro Ishii's rather mysterious announcement of Level-5's new video game with a time-travel theme, we have the first piece of artwork of Time Travellers (via AndriaSang). The company has also updated its website with the g
News Ubisoft Debuts New Trailer for Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands
Shows off all the gameplay footage you ever wanted... wrapped inside a nightmare
Ubisoft recently premiered a new trailer for the next iteration in its popular Prince of Persia series, The Forgotten Sands, scheduled for release on May 18th. Monsters, magic, captivating narration and some brief bubble-riding are just a few of the things you'll see in...
News First Pokémon Black and White Screens Captured
They're actually in colour
We know that new Pokémon games are coming, but do we know what they're going to look like? Actually, yes we do now, as Nintendo has revealed the first handful of screenshots of the upcoming critter-catching adventure. Most intriguing is the screenshot showing off the new 3D city, perhaps hinting that no longer will all...
News NEVES Plus: Pantheon of Tangrams Set for EU WiiWare
Known simply as NEVES Plus in the U.S. and Lucky Puzzle in Japan
It's been a while since the game got its American and Japanese release, but European puzzle fans can now stop wondering whether it will appear on the Wii Shop Channel or not as Abylight has informed us NEVES Plus: Pantheon of Tangrams is doing just that. The game will be localised in...
Nintendo Download 16th April 2010 (Europe)
Mega Man, Mr. Driller, gladiators and more
There's a little bit for everyone this week, as all three services get at least one good to great title. DSiWare obviously steals the show again with the usual four releases, while WiiWare gets two and the Virtual Console gets its usual one. Keep in mind these games won't be available until midnight...
News Everybody Do the Robot to this Robox Trailer
DreamBox Games releases the first trailer for its WiiWare platformer
You may remember when Dreambox Games unveiled its debut title back in February with a batch of screenshots that grabbed fans of 2D platformers' attention. Rightly so too, with its beautifully hand-drawn visuals and unique art-style, the screenshots definitely earned the game some...
News Monster Hunter Creators to Meet UK Fans Next Friday
Get in line now! You might win a bag of prizes!
Patience is essential to a successful hunt. Those who consider themselves professional monster hunters, then, should have no trouble waiting to meet Monster Hunter series producer Ryozo Tsujimoto and director Kaname Fujiok on Friday 23rd April, 5:30 - 7:30 PM, at GAME, Oxford Street. We've just...
News Rage of the Gladiator Coming to Europe on Friday
And there's even a fun contest to go along with it!
Ghostfire Games has just announced that their WiiWare fighting release Rage of the Gladiator will be coming to the European WiiWare service this Friday. To further sweeten things up a bit, they're even going to be giving away a free copy of the game to one lucky European gamer each and every day to...
First Impressions G.G Series: Drift Circuit
Drift on outta here
Nothing is perfect, not even the G.G. Series. We figured there had to be at least one dud in this assortment of budget-priced slices of arcade fun and this is definitely it. From the screenshots you'd think you're going to be playing a fun overhead racer like Moto Roader or Super Sprint – a notion reinforced by the fact that...
Wednesday14th Apr 2010
Another reason to never leave the couch
It may be late to the party, but Netflix's movie streaming service has arrived on Wii consoles in the U.S. via a free disc for subscribers. Despite being stuck in standard definition, those lamenting the lack of a Wii no Ma or BBC iPlayer equivalent in the US will appreciate the increased functionality...
Fold!
7 Card Games makes no effort to disguise its simplicity. It is what it is: seven card games, no more, no less. There’s no fluff, no extras and no incentive to play beyond the desire for quick, cheap, 500 Point fun. You might enjoy it while waiting for the train or before bedtime, but beyond that this game holds very little potential for...
News American Wii Owners Can Stream Netflix Now
Get your disc if you haven't already
Back in the day Nintendo announced its intention of focusing the Wii as a straightforward gaming machine in the face of the competition throwing specs around, but we're in a very different situation today. Well, not that the hardware has changed much, but what we can do on it has certainly progressed. As of...
Creator says new project is going to be "one of the best-looking 2D games ever made"
Luc Bernard, designer of Mecho Wars and Eternity's Child, has revealed to Nintendo Life that his latest project, iPhone title SteamPirates, is finishing up this week and it's therefore time to start talking about other things. One of these "other things"...
News DSi Gets Price Drop in Australia
Now cheaper than the XL
If you recall a couple of weeks back, we shared the news that Australia will be getting the DSi XL at $299.95 at launch. As the regular DSi was the exact same price at the time of the announcement, it makes sense that Nintendo of Australia have just made the announcement that the original DSi will be getting a price drop of...
First Impressions G.G. Series Black × Block
For fans of mind-bending only
Most of the G.G. Series previewed to-date have been pretty accessible puzzlers or arcade style games from various genres, but here's the first one that's probably only going to be a hit with a small audience due to the nature and level of the challenge on offer. The gameplay is essentially similar to Toki Tori and...
First Impressions G.G. Series Shinobi Karakuri-Den
Mappy Ninja Gaiden
Ninja have been a fixture of video games for a long time, so it's only fitting that Suzak have created a game for the G.G. Series featuring one that bears more than a passing resemblance to Ryu from Ninja Gaiden. Though his inspiration may run around beating up street toughs, the hero of Shinobi Karakuri-Den bounces around like a...
News Level-5's New Game Linked to the Future in More Ways Than One?
It seems appropriate that a game about time-travel should be for hardware that "doesn't exist yet"
There's nothing more mouth-watering than respected game developers dishing out cryptic pieces of information regarding upcoming projects. Level-5 has given us some of the most enchanting games for the DS, notably the Professor Layton series, and it...
Tuesday13th Apr 2010
Review Mortal Kombat II (Game Boy)
A kut down but kompetent konversion
Smoother gameplay, new moves and more characters than its predecessor made Mortal Kombat II a hit with arcade players. The Game Boy port of the first Mortal Kombat had been a sluggish, border-line unplayable mess with terrible music so it seems unlikely anyone would have been eagerly awaiting the arrival of the...
Review The Price is Right (DSiWare)
No it isn't
Guess a number. Wrong. Wait ten seconds, then guess again. Wrong. Wait ten seconds, then guess again. Wrong. Now all this exciting number-guessing action can be yours to own with the release of Ludia’s The Price is Right for DSiWare! Yes, you too can estimate the prices of fanciful items you can’t win, compete against AI opponents...
Interviews Gamelion Studios - Furry Legends
We get answers from the Producer and Game Designer
We've already told you what we thought based on our playtime with WiiWare rollerball adventure Furry Legends, but we still had plenty of questions, so we sat down with Game Designer Adam Kramarzewski, Producer Lukasz Szczepanski and Gamelion VP Sebastian Szczygiel to get some answers. Nintendo Life:...
Interviews Farbs and Christophe Kohler - Fishie Fishie
We chat with the original creator and WiiWare developer about the recently released title
Not too long ago we had the chance to have a chat with Farbs, original creator of Fishie Fishie, and Christophe Kohler, the developer who picked the title up and made adjustments for its WiiWare release. We asked them a few questions about the title and they...
News Bowser's Inside Story Gets a DSi Bundle
Pick up a white DSi and the game from April 25th
You've hopefully already bought Mario and Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story, Nintendo's superb portable RPG, but if you were waiting until it was hard-bundled with a white DSi to take the plunge then do we have news for you. Starting on April 25th, gamers in North America will able to pick up a white DSi...
News Nintendo Wins Appeal in Controller Patents Case
No infringement going on here, Officer
You may remember (if you have a watertight memory) a lawsuit arising a few years ago between Nintendo, Microsoft and a third company named Anascape, who sued both hardware manufacturers for apparently infringing their patents. Anascape won that time, netting a cool $21m from Nintendo and an undisclosed sum from...
News Hudson Serves Up Deca Sports 3 Announcement
Will include MotionPlus support and online play
Hudson recently announced plans to release the next iteration in its Deca Sports series (known as Sports Island in the UK), Deca Sports 3. According to its press release, Hudson is including Wii MotionPlus support for all ten games, which may pique the interest of those unfamiliar with the series. As...
News Reggie: 3DS is Our Next Handheld Platform
Finally, someone on the inside speaks up
Although Reggie Fils-Aime likes to shoot the breeze about rival hardware, it's something of a surprise to hear him speak about upcoming Nintendo machines, but in a recent interview with Businessweek he acknowledged the existence of the 3DS and its role in Nintendo's future. Although predictably very little...
First Impressions 200V Challenge Spirits Mahjong
Challenging mahjong battles at a budget price
Mahjong games have existed on Japanese consoles almost since the first machines were rolled out, and over time certain standards have emerged, to such an extent that having experience with one mahjong game will lead you to expect certain conventions in another. Part of the attraction of Tasuke's 200V...
News Jam With the Band Calls Europe on Stage on 21st May
"About time", say hecklers
It's been a long old time since Daigasso! Band Brothers DX was launched in Japan, but Nintendo seems to be taking a "better late than never" approach by announcing a European release for May 21st 2010. With an extensive track listing including gamer favourites such as Chariots of Fire, Walking On Sunshine and...
News Frogger Takes a Trip to DSiWare
Carry something slimy and green in your pocket
Despite his precarious position on the food chain, Konami's Frogger refuses to die, as last year's WiiWare release Frogger Returns proves. It seems his return is returning again, as it's been announced for a conversion to DSiWare later this year. Judging from the few details released so far, it looks...
First Impressions G.G Series: Tetsubou
Arcade gymnastics
You have to give credit to developer Suzak for the work it's done with the G.G. Series. Whilst most of the games are interesting takes on traditional genres, it also likes to throw out the occasional brand-new concept, like Tetsubou: a game which could be best termed a "gymnastic puzzler." Players are presented with a...
News Mistwalker in Final Stages of Development With Last Story
Hironobu Sakaguchi writes a tantalising blog entry and mentions what we're all waiting for
When you have the creator of the Final Fantasy series working on an RPG for the Wii, you know it's going to be big news. Since the announcement of Last Story's existence earlier in January, all the gaming community has to grab onto are a few pieces of concept...
First Impressions G.G. Series Conveyor Kombō
A refreshingly novel take on the "match three" puzzler
There have been many variations on the "match three" puzzle game, often involving adding another item to complete a matching set, but it's rare to see a truly new and novel mechanic used in what has become something of a cliched puzzle game style. For this reason G.G. Series Conveyor...
Monday12th Apr 2010
Quite possibly the best Arkanoid clone ever
AlphaBounce started out life as a free to play online game. Borrowing heavily from Arkanoid and other "move the paddle to bounce the ball and break the blocks" games, it added a few rather unique twists, rather than being almost a direct copy like most of them are. The game focuses on one of...
News Miyamoto Hints At Wii 2, Wii HD
Gaming god also suggests that Star Fox may be blasting his way onto Wii
See that smoke on the horizon, son? That's the rumour mill starting. The gaming public notoriously gets its hopes up when Miyamoto opens his mouth: it gives us permission to dream once more, like kids on Christmas Eve. Only a fool would think that Nintendo isn't working on their...
News Capcom Elaborates on the Monster Hunter 3 Online Quests
...and what you'll see at the launch event in New York
Following on the recent announcement that Monster Hunter 3 (Tri~) will receive regular online quests that you can partake in, we have more information on the type of quests available and what they will entail. Should you be brave and skilled enough to complete these, you'll be rewarded with rare...
News Noitu Love 2's 'Devolution' Path on the WiiWare Service
Golgoth Studio shows their love of 2D gaming
When the WiiWare service was launched, the remit was to make it easier for independent developers to bring their creations to the Nintendo platform and thus, making it possible for more people to enjoy their games. In keeping with that philosophy, Golgoth Studio is proud to announce that it is working in...
Nintendo Download 12 April 2010 (North America)
Mad shooting for the Wii, Gangs, cards, planes and brick-breaking for the DSi this week in North America
It's a catch-up week on the Wii in North America, though there's some fresh faces on the DSi to get everyone's attention. Also of note is the premier of the latest Big Name Game microgame for WarioWare D.I.Y created by Alex Neuse of Gaijin Games,...
News Hudson Announces New Mini-Game Collection
Trying out Oops! Prank Party may not be a mistake
Don't let the Wii's over-saturation with party games fool you: not every casual collection is meant for the discount rack and your gullible grandmother's shopping list. Face it – back when it was still cool, you were sanding down your analogue stick in Mario Party like the rest of us. Now the same...
News Dive: The Medes Islands Secret Surfacing on WiiWare Soon
Cosmonaut Games releases a gameplay trailer for the 2D adventure platform game
The WiiWare range of games have certainly given us some of the most stylish and original games available and that doesn't seem to be changing anytime soon. Cosmonaut Games has let us know that their upcoming Dive: The Medes Islands Secret is now in its testing phase and a...
News Flipper Announced for European Release
No relation to the famous dolphin
Xform and Goodbye Galaxy Games recently announced their plans to release Flipper in Europe for DSi Ware on April 23. The game is a 3D puzzle platformer about a boy and his quest to retrieve his stolen goldfish, and features twenty levels and puzzles based around a limited amount of environment-altering power-ups. We...
Sunday11th Apr 2010
Review Zombie Panic in Wonderland (WiiWare)
Beware the zombies of luuurve
Love and zombies aren't normally associated with each other — except possibly a love of eating brains — but in Akaoni Studio's Zombie Panic in Wonderland the titular enemies are all about hugging people to death in the fairy-tale setting of Wonderland. In the main Story mode you'll find yourself in the role of...
News Mega Man 10 DLC Round-up Part One
We take a quick look at the first two available pieces of DLC
If you're a massive Mega Man fan you're no doubt aware that Mega Man 10 got its first two pieces of extra downloadable content this past week. As we took a look at Mega Man 9's DLC, we figured, why not do it for 10 as well? Here's our thoughts on the DLC available now: Bass Mode - 200 Wii...
Saturday10th Apr 2010
News Konami Sheds More Light on A Shadow's Tale
New trailer for the platformer previously known as Tower of Shadow
It's not often that platform games manifest themselves in a unique hue that illuminates them from their surroundings, and this upcoming Wii title from Hudson Soft could well be the latest example of a game that does. In more ways than one, mind. Since it was announced last August, we...
News Monster Hunter 3 to Feature Regular New Online Quests
...which will reward you with goodies
What makes an online multiplayer RPG even more exciting? Well, how about if the game is periodically updated with unique quests which you can embark on online? Yep, we think that hits the spot too. Monster Hunter 3 (Tri~) is set to be supported by the creative team well beyond its release. For limited time...
Friday9th Apr 2010
Review Learning with the PooYoos - Episode 2 (WiiWare)
Another little game for your littlest ones
Game consoles are perhaps too grown-up for your pre-kindergarteners to fully understand, and it doesn't help that there aren't many games geared toward very young children in the Wii Shop, but Lexis Numérique is slowly working to change that. Learning with the PooYoos: Episode 2 is a continuation of the...
Review Rune Factory: Frontier (Wii)
Everyone could use a good plough
If there’s one thing guaranteed to liven up a good hack-and-slash dungeon crawler, it’s a bit of farming. There’s many a Zelda game that could have been saved with a bit of ploughing, yet the combination has been mostly ignored by cultivators of digital goods, with only the snack-sized Rune Factory on DS...
Interviews High Voltage Software - Conduit 2
The sequel's producer talks new multiplayer features, weapons and more
When it comes to Conduit 2, High Voltage Software's sequel to their debut Wii first-person shooter from 2009, we know a couple of things: that stuff is going to blow up and it will feature a whole host of new multiplayer bells and whistles, including a new co-operative mode...
Review Game & Watch Manhole (DSiWare)
Everyone walks all over a nice guy
The Game & Watch series was Nintendo's first real foray into the world of portable video gaming. Designed by Gunpei Yokoi, who would later mastermind the grey-brick Game Boy we all know and love, these handheld electronic games featured an LCD display, a tinny speaker, and just enough buttons to complete the...
News Black and White are the Next Gen of Pokemon Games
Coming to Japan this fall
Not-Japan may have just gotten their hands on the excellent remakes of Pokémon Gold and Silver, but that doesn't mean the Pokemans are taking a break. Far from it, in fact, as the names of the first 5th generation of games has been revealed: Black and White. It's certainly been a while since we've seen brand-new Pokémon...
Nintendo Download 13th & 14th April 2010 (Japan)
Scribbling and monster fish for Wii, with a bit of zookeeping for the DSi next week in Japan
Japan's release schedule this year has calmed quite a bit from the dozen-plus release weeks seen last year, but even so next week is more akin to some of the droughts seen in Europe and North America in the past with only three downloads across both Wii and...
News AiRace Jets In on April 12th
Aerial racer is go go go for launch
There's not enough plane racers on any format: we know this, you know this. Thankfully the void will be shrinking by one on Monday, as QubicGames is set to release AiRace in the US DSi Shop. Along with the launch announcement comes some new screenshots and a trailer, which you can check out underneath. Time to get...
News 50,000 Hearts and Souls Poured into Australian Homes
A tremendous first week for the Pokemon franchise down under
Live in Australia? Like Pokemon? Apparently you do, because the new series releases Heart Gold and Soul Silver, have already sold more than 50,000 copies. That makes up approximately 0.2% of the population, which as small as it sounds, is quite an achievement for only one week on sale...
Thursday8th Apr 2010
Review Mr. Driller: Drill Till You Drop (DSiWare)
All driller, no filler
Mr. Driller has become quite a beloved arcade puzzler over the years and after a solid WiiWare release, it seems Namco Bandai thought it might be time for the game to make an appearance on DSiWare as well. Now puzzle fans looking for a little arcade digging action can enjoy the game on the go and with a nice added set of...
Not a code breaker
Role playing games are rapidly becoming a staple genre for the Nintendo DS, with more and more quality titles arriving on the handheld. With Final Fantasy games, Dragon Quest releases and even new titles in the form of Nostalgia and Sands of Destruction, there is a lot of competition among a crowded market so
Review Game & Watch Helmet (DSiWare)
When tools fall from the sky, just stay home that day
We should all be very glad that affordable portable video game technology has moved beyond the rudimentary LCD screen of the Game & Watch. Not that there haven't been any worthwhile endeavours to come out of the series, but when you're stuck designing your game around strict on-screen...
Review Game & Watch Vermin (DSiWare)
Everyone loves to whack it!
Before the days of Game Boys and DS systems, Nintendo manufactured a small portable game device called the Game & Watch. These electronic games featured LCD screens that featured specific movements that could be controlled via various buttons and D-pads on the units. While they didn't feature the same type of...
First Impressions Furry Legends
All the way from Poland!
Recently an intrepid Nintendo Life reporter made the long and arduous journey to visit Polish developer Gamelion, the chaps behind DSiWare hit Extreme Hangman, to check out their upcoming WiiWare roll ‘em up Furry Legends. With the first instalment currently awaiting approval from Nintendo there was plenty to get our teeth...
Friday9th Apr 2010
Nintendo Download 9th April 2010 (Europe)
More DSiWare madness, and a few Wii downloads too
Nintendo really seems to love DSiWare all of a sudden, because it seems to be getting more games than both other services combined every single week now. This time there's not four or five new games available for it, but a whopping six! The Virtual Console gets a classic long overdue in Europe, while...
Thursday8th Apr 2010
News Manga to Release Professor Layton Film in the UK
Perhaps the Professor can crack the code for a good game movie
The only thing worse than a video game based on a movie is a movie based on a video game, right? Sure, some are so bad they're good, but in our opinion, there really hasn't been a true high-quality game-to-film adaptation to date. Perhaps, though, just perhaps, someone may have solved...
News Google Teams Up with Nintendo to Release Search Engine-Based Game
The world furrows its collective brow
Google is the type of company that makes people feel like their best friends are in charge. They even joke around with their users, playing a creative April Fool's joke on them annually. Lately, though, it seems that Google's gone a little screwy (Buzz, anyone?). And their big April Fool's prank this year was to...
News Nintendo UK Wheels Out Spring Wii, DS Line-Up
Few surprises, but No More Heroes 2 coming sooner than expected
In case you were wondering what would be hitting Wii and DS this spring in the UK, Nintendo's little ol' list right here will come in handy. The dates of big games like Super Mario Galaxy 2 and Monster Hunter 3 Tri were already confirmed, so there are few surprises for notable game...
News Teyon Announces Heavy Fire for WiiWare
Lightgun action in the war-torn Middle East
Teyon has just sent word that their new WiiWare game Heavy Fire: Special Operations is well into development. When we first reported on Teyon's upcoming releases it wasn't clear what kind of game Heavy Fire was going to be, but it's now been revealed to be a lightgun-style shooter set in an unnamed...
News Laying Down the Commandments with Gods Vs Humans
From the makers of The Boarding School Black Lagoon
Following on from initial tidbits revealed last month, the symbiotic relationship between the created and the creator is about to be explored by gamers as Zallag teases with further game details and a trailer for its upcoming WiiWare title, Gods vs. Humans. Spanning 80 levels, players will take on...
News Be the Master of Ceremonies With Def Jam Rapstar
Mic check, one two, one two
We might be getting a taste of what the turntable brings to the whole Hip Hop culture with games like DJ Hero, but evidently, that's not enough. Konami has secured co-distribution rights with Autumn Games for the upcoming "rap game" developed by 4mm Games, Terminal Games, and Def Jam Interactive. So clear your...
Wednesday7th Apr 2010
The DS boldly goes where no handheld has gone before
Infinite Space begins with a familiar enough RPG scenario: youthful protagonist Yuri (are protagonists in JRPGs ever anything but youthful?), trapped on an oppressive planet and dreaming of life as a space traveller, is whisked from his tedious existence by Nia Lochlain, a kind of female Han Solo...
News Transformers: War for Cybertron Deemed Too Aggressive for Wii
Forthcoming robot title gets a more kiddie-friendly name change for Nintendo's platform
It almost goes without saying that the Wii is a family-friendly console, offering a wide selection of experiences which are suitable for all ages. However, this latest piece of news makes us wonder if this perception of the platform has possibly gone a little too...
News Mothers Against Violence: Violent Games Aren't to Blame, Parents Are
BBC debate results in surprisingly level-headed conclusion
Violent video games like Madworld, Grand Theft Auto and House of the Dead: Overkill are often blamed for society's ills but in a BBC Radio debate today common sense prevailed as the UK-based organisation Mothers Against Violence decided that parents must shoulder the burden of responsibility...
Review Puzzle to Go Diddl (DSiWare)
Just change the puzzles and release what is essentially the same game for more money!
A while ago we got Puzzle to Go Wildlife, a relatively decent jigsaw puzzle game marred by one major flaw: over half the puzzles had to be unlocked, which took an eternity. Did developer Tivola learn their lesson from this or not? For this second Puzzle to Go...
News Monster Hunter 3 Team Helped Design Classic Controller Pro
Nintendo President asks Capcom producers about bringing the popular franchise to the Wii
In the current edition of "Iwata Asks" – a series of interviews that Nintendo President Satoru Iwata has conducted with colleagues to give fans insight into the creative processes at Nintendo – Monster Hunter 3 Tri director Kaname Fujioka and...
Thursday8th Apr 2010
News Marvel Vs. Capcom 3 Could Be On Its Way
New crossover fighter in the works?
You can file this one under rumour for the time being but there are a few interesting signs which indicate that Capcom may be working on a third title in the popular Marvel Vs. Capcom series. According to a source at Team Spooky, Capcom is going to announce the game this year. Your gut instinct may be to call BS...
Wednesday7th Apr 2010
News Suda51 Refers To No More Heroes 3 as a Bodily Function, Of Course
Travis Touchdown's stories weren't the only things that came thick and fast
Grasshopper Manufacture has successfully established itself as a force to be reckoned with when it comes to developing compelling games with stylistic artistry. It also seems that the studio's CEO, Goichi Suda, possesses the same kind of flair when articulating his...
News Nintendo Insists That Apple's iPad Isn't a Threat
Reggie Fils-Aime: iPad isn't even a mouthful, while DS offers both "snacks" and "meals"
In case you hadn't noticed, Apple launched a new piece of hardware recently. The iPad is, according to Apple fans, the best thing since sliced bread but Nintendo's Reggie Fils-Aime isn't so keen. In fact he's been downright disparaging about the new device:...
Thursday8th Apr 2010
News myPostcards Release Dates Announced
Find out when the application hits DSiWare.
Our good friend Nic Watt has just informed us that Nooo's newest application in the myLifeCollected series myPostcards will be hitting North America on April 19th and in Europe, Australia, and New Zealand on April 23rd for 200 Nintendo Points. You can check out the full press release below for more...
Tuesday6th Apr 2010
Review Fishie Fishie (WiiWare)
All-you-can-eat fish feeding frenzy
Fish have been a staple of games ever since Herman Melville adapted Moby Dick for Babbage's legendary Difference Engine and the posthumous sequel, Moby Dick 2: Queequeg's Revenge, was published for the PDP-11 . Certainly on WiiWare we've seen some real blockbusters centred around our finny cousins, prompting many...
News Zombie Panic in Wonderland Rising Soon in Europe
Make 'em dead again this Friday
It's not unusual for a WiiWare game to be eternally delayed, and Spanish developer Akaoni Studio's Zombie Panic in Wonderland has fallen into that trap. Once set for a worldwide December 2009 release, it then slipped into March 2010, but here we are in April and most of us still don't have our hands on it. It looks...
News Europe to Struggle Desperately in Late May
Travis Touchdown will have his revenge on Santa Destroy
Rising Star Games has announced that they're lining up Grasshopper Manufacture's No More Heroes 2: Desperate Struggle for an Old World release on May 28. That's smack-dab in between Sin and Punishment: Successor of the Skies' early May release and Super Mario Galaxy 2's early June date...
Monday5th Apr 2010
Review Super Mario Sunshine (GCN)
Water, water everywhere so let's all have a drink!
Mario made his 3D platforming debut on the N64 way back in 1996 in one of the greatest and most influential pieces of gaming ever. Fast forward the clock six years and you'll find Nintendo's attempt to beat the near unbeatable in Mario's next adventure, but in order to top its predecessor a hefty...
Review Grill-Off with Ultra Hand! (WiiWare)
You get what you pay for
For a video game rewards programme, Club Nintendo is dishearteningly light on actual video games. Apart from arguably overpriced Game & Watch DS collections and a year-end bonus for Elite members in the form of Doc Louis' Punch-Out!!, rewards have mostly been items such as posters and playing cards. But now, for a mere...
News New Rytmik Web Site Will Have You Nodding To Its Freshness
Cinemax teases with a new trailer
It's been almost two years since AQ Interactive laid down the beats on the Nintendo DS in the form of Korg DS-10; a music sequencer based on Korg's MS-10 synthesiser. While the bar was set admirably high, the developers came back with Korg DS-10 Plus earlier this year, giving DSi users double the amount of tracks to...
Podcast NLFM Episode 5: Dark Side of the Mario
Shake your plumber bootie
It's been a while, space cats, but NLFM is back with another mighty handsome selection of the finest chip and game music around. This time we're going to listen in on what makes Mario groove, go East/West (who knows?!) with the Kusagari and see just how epic one man can make the NES. NLFM generally focuses on music from...
Nintendo Download 5th April 2010 (North America)
Fish, learning and shooting for the Wii, more Game & Watch and Drilling action on the DSi this week in North America
The Virtual Console continues its streak of not being terrible lately with a lovely import that'll shoot right to the top of shmup fans' to-do list for the week, WiiWare goes educational and aquatic, and today's DSiWare offerings...
Sunday4th Apr 2010
Feature The Neo Geo Shooters We Need On Virtual Console
Come on SNK! Less fighting, more shooting!
While it's fairly common knowledge that the Neo Geo system sported a rather sizable library of fighting titles, many people don't realise that the system also featured an extremely impressive assortment of shoot 'em up releases as well. In fact, several of these games rank as some of the best shooters of...
Friday2nd Apr 2010
Review Save the Turtles (DSiWare)
Tiny turtles bring big puzzle pleasure
Sea turtles begin life as vulnerable little creatures. Provided they actually survive the process of incubation and hatching and manage to dig their way out of their buried nests, they often become disoriented on their way to the ocean and, worse yet, they make perfect snacks for local wildlife. With Save the...
Interviews Tomorrow Corporation
Massive new "indie game" studio talks about its plans for domination
Some call the surge of indie gaming developers over the past few years unique and refreshing. Others, like the newly self-aware "indie game" studio Tomorrow Corporation, call them dastardly and nefarious, hogging all of the limelight from Big Gaming. That, quite simply,...
News La-Mulana Test Play 5 Video
More of the WiiWare title in action
We just recently showed you the fourth Test Play video of La-Mulana and now Nicalis has just sent over yet another video of the game in action. You can check out the brand new video below and we'll keep you posted on any further developments.
Carrying the standard for a forgotten genre
Back in the early 80s the "maze" game was a popular genre both in arcades and on home consoles, featuring a fixed screen and expected mechanics of navigating a character around hazards whilst collecting objects. Once platforming and adventure games took off, the maze game all but vanished; even...
News New Gifts for Club Nintendo Australia
And about time too!
You may remember a while ago we ran a story about Nintendo Australia's inability to control its Club Nintendo prizes. Well, it seems it's finally been able to give the service a breath of fresh air, as the first update for the country since its inception last March has finally come to fruition. That's right, Australians now have...
News NBA Jam Developers Gives Game Insights
...as well as their "slam dunk" faces
Gamers were delighted when the beloved NBA Jam series was announced to be making a return to consoles; specifically, the Wii. With game details and screenshots being fed to us carefully and slowly, it's time to call "timeout" and sit back to watch the latest development video. Creative director Trey...
Nintendo Download 6th & 7th April 2010 (Japan)
Plant barbering, plane piloting, kanji, colouring and adventuring next week in Japan
Next week is pretty much a catch-up week for Japanese Wii and DSi owners, with only a couple of brand-new titles for DSi, neither one of which is a game. WiiWare: Bonsai Barber (800pts - Nintendo) – It's hard to believe this plant-barbering simulator hasn't...
Thursday1st Apr 2010
News Virtual Console Confirmed for DSiWare
This was an April Fool's joke. It is not real.
It's been a long time coming folks: ever since the DSi launched in April last year Nintendo fans worldwide have been clamouring for the ability to download past handheld titles in a similar fashion to the Wii's Virtual Console feature. Time and again Nintendo denied the existence of the service, but we...
Review Disney Fireworks (DSiWare)
All flash, no bang
Combining both loud noises and pretty colors (things we've been conditioned from birth to stare at in awe), there's something magical about a good fireworks display. Disney is well-known for the nightly shows put on at their assorted theme parks, and now their game-developing arm has brought the fun to the DSi Shop in the form of...
Site News Happy "Nintendo Life" Anniversary!
Time to celebrate, it's been exactly one year
Some of our more regular guests will remember that on this day last year we merged our three Nintendo sites, Virtual Console Reviews, WiiWare World and the original Nintendo Life together to form what we now call "Nintendo Life". To celebrate we hope you enjoyed some "classic" themes across those...
News North American Club Nintendo Adds Some More Games, Stuff
Posters, DS compilations and WiiWare, oh my!
We knew a North American Club Nintendo update was imminent, but we figured it'd be a small bump in available wares. Instead, Nintendo went and dropped a bunch of other stuff too to vie for your spare change. In case you thought your bathroom wall could use more Mario (and really, whose can't?), you can...
News New Super Mario Galaxy 2 Trailer
Hot on the heels of the new Metroid: Other M trailer comes a new one for our good friend Mario
We've already seen quite a lot of footage from Super Mario Galaxy 2, however it always leaves us wanting more. Nintendo has published this new trailer with even deeper glimpses into the game that promises to be even better than the original. Here's the...
News Rage of the Gladiator Giveaway
Win your very own copy of the game
Ghostfire Games have just announced that they're running a contest to give 15 lucky gamers a free copy of their newest WiiWare release Rage of the Gladiator. All you have to do is Twitter their account with your Wii Code and one winner will be chosen each day to receive a copy of the game. You can check out the...
News THQ Announces Big Beach Sports 2
Includes five new activities
With summer just around the corner, it's about time that we're greeted with a plethora of sports titles. With Wii Sports Resort taking the limelight last summer, THQ hopes to kick things off with their sequel to 2008's Big Beach Sports. Developed by Jet Black Games, Big Beach Sports 2 sees gamers taking part in the...
Nintendo Download 2nd April 2010 (Europe)
The original Mario Kart! Oh, and some other stuff.
It took quite a while, but one of the most wanted Virtual Console games has finally been released in Europe, after hitting both North America and Japan last year. This week's WiiWare and DSiWare releases consist almost exclusively of games already released in North America as well, with just one...
