News - 2011, Week 44

Sunday6th Nov 2011

  • Review Gem Smashers (3DS)

    Not so precious

    In 2003, explorers daring enough to venture deep into the recesses of that oppressive structure known as Generic-Looking Game Boy Advance Puzzler Mountain came across a small treasure – a mix between Bust-A-Move and Arkanoid that proved about as fun as it was unexpected. Now comes its successor of the same name, Gem Smashers, but...

  • News Giana Sisters DS Sneaks Into North America

    It's finally here!

    Well the wait has been lengthy, but Giana Sisters DS is finally available to North American gamers. While there was little (actually none whatsoever) fanfare for the release, the game is now available at various Walmart stores. And if you can't find the game locally, NewEgg has it in stock for $19.99, a far cry from the $70+ the...

Saturday5th Nov 2011

  • Talking Point Nintendo's Plans to Fight Back

    Mario’s gloves come off

    If we were to summarise Nintendo’s year so far, we’d say that it’s been having a tough time. There have been moments of brilliance that have reaffirmed the faith of loyal gamers, but there have also been a lot of mis-steps, mistakes and bad publicity, some of which has been unjustified. In fact, despite the release of...

Friday4th Nov 2011

  • Review Nyko Power Grip

    Gripping or griping?

    Battery power. It is both the benevolent force that makes portable gaming possible, and the cumbersome reason some gamers choose to keep their games at home. Throughout gaming history, handheld consoles have been subjected to a slew of power-boosting peripherals promising more game time at the cost of extra bulk. The Nintendo...

  • Review Adventure Island (3DS eShop / GB)

    Master Higgins' first Game Boy adventure

    There were a good number of NES franchises that ended up making appearances on the Game Boy system, some better than others. Hudson had already enjoyed some popularity on the NES console with their Adventure Island titles, so it was pretty much a no-brainer that they'd eventually bring the series to...

  • News 3DS Update Lets You Join Your Friends' Online Games

    Just tap

    The 3DS friends list is severely lacking, but the upcoming firmware update should add a much-requested feature. A post at NeoGAF (via Eurogamer) reveals the update lets you join an online friend's game in progress, and also lets you organise your friends list by online status. The update is incl

  • Feature A Beginner's Guide to the World of BlazBlue

    Welcome, stranger

    Released in North America a few months ago, today marks the European release of BlazBlue: Continuum Shift 2 on 3DS, the fighting series' first ever appearance on a Nintendo console (well, there was BlayzBloo: Super Melee Action Battle Royale, but that doesn't really count.) But what exactly is BlazBlue? With a pretty decent select...

  • First Impressions Fishing Resort

    Is there a catch?

    Yuji Naka's Prope studio has been responsible for some interesting Wii titles over the past few years, including Ivy the Kiwi and the upcoming Rodea the Sky Soldier. So when the developer announced Fishing Resort, many gamers were left wondering just exactly how a game like this would turn out. And while its cute look and feel is...

  • News Freakyforms Come Alive on the eShop Next Week

    Price and date confirmed

    Formerly known as Picture Lives!, Freakyforms: Your Creations, Alive! is coming to the 3DS eShop in North America this coming Thursday. Priced at $6.99, the game lets you form your own freaky creatures and explore the world with them, like Spore but even more bizarre. Here's the trailer below along with some new screenshots...

  • News Journey to the Desert in New Skyward Sword Videos

    Hot foot it

    Another week and another set of videos showing more of The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword than you might want to see. As always bear in mind these videos will probably contain spoilers of items, areas and enemies you'll be able to encounter for yourself in just two weeks' time. If you're not bothered about spoilers, indulge yourself in...

  • News Enjoy Gaming Cuts the Ribbon on Block Factory for eShop

    Open for business soon

    After the success of Pyramids, Enjoy Gaming has just revealed its next eShop title, Block Factory. As you'd expect it's a puzzle game, but with a vital twist: essentially you can create your own games by choosing pieces and defining the rules. You can then export these as a QR code and share them online to show off your...

  • Competition Share Holiday Photos, Win a Holiday in Go Vacation Contest

    Seems a fair swap

    Go Vacation is out in Europe today, and to promote the game Nintendo is offering a weekend break to the south of France for the winner of a new competition. Submit a holiday photo of you and up to three friends and, if it's the funniest, you could win a weekend for two at the Club Med Opio en Provence, which offers golf, a spa and,...

  • News Battle of the Elements is Actually a Cute DSiWare Puzzle Game

    Surprised?

    Battle of the Elements is a new puzzler from EnjoyUp Games and Barcelona studio Undercoders, and it looks a lot like this. You hold the DSi book-style and must line up elements so they disappear. It all looks fairly standard stuff, but it could be worth a play. We'll find out when it's released in the coming months. Can you save the...

Thursday3rd Nov 2011

  • Review Gabrielle's Ghostly Groove 3D (3DS)

    The story of the ghost

    This past May saw the release of Gabrielle's Ghostly Groove: Monster Mix. We enjoyed it more than we expected to, and you can read why right here in our Gabrielle’s Ghostly Groove: Monster Mix review. In fact, you'd better read that review, because the retail sequel, Gabrielle's Ghostly Groove 3D, doesn't deviate much...

  • Review BurgerTime Deluxe (3DS eShop / GB)

    A tasty treat

    When people think of Data East's games, they tend to think of Joe & Mac and Karnov, but one title that's just as much of a classic but never seems to get mentioned that often is BurgerTime. Originally debuting in arcades and being ported to many platforms, it was an endlessly looping, fast-paced game with six levels that required...

  • Nintendo Download 3rd November 2011 (North America)

    Kicking off November in style

    There's a distinctly domestic theme to this week's Nintendo Download in North America, with a house, some garden gnomes and a spot of lawn mowing all featuring in one way or another. Let's get on our aprons and see what's available to take home this week. WiiWare: Gnomz (QubicGames, 1000pts) — A single-screen...

  • News More Stunning Zelda: Skyward Sword Artwork

    How much more can you take?

    We know The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword is beautiful. Chances are, you know it too. Let's just leave it at that and get on with the latest batch of beautiful artwork from Nintendo then, shall we? From expansive vistas to more intimate portraits, there's everything here to get you geared up for the biggest Wii game of...

  • News Rising Star Games Bringing BIT.TRIP to Europe

    Rejoice!

    Triumphant compilations BIT.TRIP SAGA and BIT.TRIP COMPLETE are on the way to Europe in 2012, courtesy of Rising Star Games. The publisher — ignoring its "Home of Japanese Games" slogan for just a little while — has confirmed it'll be releasing both compilations across Europe in the first three months of next year. Excellent...

  • Feature Pikmin's 10th Anniversary

    A modern classic

    The GameCube era is still a questionable time for Nintendo fans. While the console undoubtedly had its standout titles, there always seems to be a lingering question over how high — or, more to the point, how low — it would rank when gauged against Nintendo's other consoles. But wherever you fall in the debate, it's impossible...

  • News Zelda: Skyward Sword Origin Trailer Sets the Scene

    May contain spoilers

    Whether or not you agree with Nintendo's dripping tap approach to marketing The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword, you can't argue that the game looks anything less than beautiful, particularly in this new trailer. Although Nintendo's termed this the "origin" trailer, it might still contain the odd spoiler for what lies...

  • News Professor Layton and the Eternal Diva DVD Out 8th November

    Worth investigating

    After a successful première at New York Comic Con, Professor Layton and the Eternal Diva is set for a DVD release in just a few days. VIZ Media has announced the film will see release North America on 8th November, with a recommended retail price of $19.97 U.S. or $19.98 CAN, though you can buy it direct for $14.99. It'll be...

  • News Chicago, Mario is Coming to See You Too

    He gets everywhere

    Mario visits the Windy City next week to promote upcoming 3DS release Super Mario 3D Land, appearing at the John Hancock Center on 9th November. As with his other events in Austin, TX, New York City and San Diego, there'll be an army of Tanooki Marios making an appearance for a surprise performance. What city do you think will be...

Wednesday2nd Nov 2011

  • Review Crazy Taxi (GameCube)

    All the fun of the fare?

    SEGA has a brilliant track record in arcade driving games. OutRun, Daytona USA, SEGA Rally, Hang On; many older readers probably have fond memories of dropping coins on quick races on games housed within some oversized cabinet complete with steering wheel and pedals... before subsequently emptying their wallet of many more...

Tuesday1st Nov 2011

  • News Iwata Unsure if Nintendo Will Sell Wii U At a Loss

    At a loss for words

    In stark contrast to Sony and Microsoft, Nintendo generally sells hardware at a profit, but the recent 3DS price drop has clearly caused the company to reconsider that stance. At a recent investor Q&A, Nintendo president Satoru Iwata revealed he's not yet sure if Nintendo will sell Wii U at a profit from day one. I have no...

Wednesday2nd Nov 2011

  • News This Skyward Sword Art is Too Good Not to Share

    And no spoilers!

    The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword is one of the most beautiful looking Wii games we've seen, and Nintendo's teams have created countless pieces of art for the game over the year: remember the E3 2009 reveal artwork? Here's another stunning piece showing Link, villain Lord Ghirahim and Zelda, but i

  • News Silicon Knights Working on "Most Requested Title" for Next Gen

    What could it be?

    Silicon Knights has had a torrid time in recent years: after years of development, its first Xbox 360 game Too Human met a tepid critical and commercial reaction, and its most recent release X-Men Destiny didn't fare much better. Things weren't always like this, though: the studio did a great job with Konami revamp Metal Gear...

  • News Austin, Texas Gets In On the Mario Launch Love

    Spreading far and wide

    After San Diego and New York, where else can Nintendo go to spread the word about Super Mario 3D Land? How about Austin, Texas? On 7th November Nintendo will take a host of Tanooki Marios to the Republic Square Park in Austin, TX for an impromptu (as in "extremely rehearsed") performance of a surprise nature. Still...

  • News F1 2011 Lines Up on 3DS on 25th November

    Start your engines

    Codemasters has just revealed the launch date for its first 3DS game: F1 2011 will reach Europe on 25th November. As with Codies' previous Nintendo F1 title, F1 2009 on Wii, experienced racing studio Sumo Digital has handled development so we should be in for a pretty solid representation of the sport: the first time it's gone 3D,...

  • Competition Win escapeVektor: Chapter One [EU, NA and AUS]

    15 copies to give away

    We know you love great games, and we know you love competitions, but we bet you love both of them together even more. We've teamed up with Nnooo to give away 15 copies of WiiWare gem escapeVektor: Chapter 1 to readers around the world. We have five copies for North America, five for Europe and five for Australia and New...

  • News Cinemax Puts Together Rytmik Website Mix Tape

    Back-to-back hits

    Cinemax's Rytmik series is about to welcome its fourth release with Rytmik Retrobits in the near future, so the studio's put together a website showcasing the DSiWare music app's various flavours. The Rytmik Collection site also contains links and videos of some of the highest rated songs created by users of DSiWare downloads...

  • News Castle Conqueror Heroes Marches for DSi on 10th November

    To arms!

    CIRCLE Entertainment's DSiWare onslaught continues apace: no sooner have we had Castle Conqueror — Revolution than we're ready to greet Castle Conqueror — Heroes. CIRCLE just let us know the game will reach the North American DSi Shop on 10th November, and fired over a little bit of information about the game and a trailer too. Be a...

Tuesday1st Nov 2011

  • Review Captain America: Super Soldier (3DS)

    Captain Average

    Superhero fans invariably have very little to look forward to or shout about when it comes to video games. Whether it be down to either a lack of respect for the source material on the part of the developer or a rushed development cycle so that the games can meet strict deadlines and release alongside their film counterparts, comic...

  • News Nintendo Promises 3DS DLC for Next Year's Titles

    Will we see any this year?

    The late November 3DS system update will add the ability for developers to release downloadable content for games in the 3DS eShop, but Nintendo president Satoru Iwata has revealed there'll be no Nintendo DLC until 2012. Speaking to investors after the semi-annual financial report, Iwata said: Nintendo will also offer...

  • News Super Mario 3D Land Made for Snacking, Not Gorging

    Handheld finger food

    3DS might be as powerful as Wii, but it's in a very different setting, as Super Mario 3D Land director Koichi Hayashida explains in a recent Iwata Asks. According to Hayashida, if Super Mario Galaxy 2 is a grand imperial banquet, Super Mario 3D Land is fast food, designed to be consumed quickly in short bites: [Super Mario...

  • Feature What About Pikmin 3?

    The future of Captain Olimar's intergalactic journeys

    Last week marked ten years since the original Pikmin released in Japan. In the decade since we've had just a single sequel, but Olimar's adventures are far from over. The story of an alien who crash lands on a mysterious planet and must recruit tiny plants to work for him, like many of Shigeru...

  • News Machinarium Finally, Officially Cancelled

    Guess why

    Last September, XGen Studios announced Machinarium was coming to WiiWare, but since then we've heard not anything else about the game, leading many to assume it would never see the light of say. Sadly, those folks were right. Developer Amanita Design's founder Jakub Dvorský finally sealed the game's coffin in an interview with Eurogamer,...

  • News Grab a 3DS for £90 As Makro Goes Crazy Tomorrow

    All Nintendo machines sub-£100

    Cash and carry chain Makro is having a particularly good deal in its UK stores tomorrow, offering any Nintendo console of your choice for under £100. The retailer — which only sells to card-carrying members, it should be pointed out — is selling all Nintendo hardware at an eye-watering £90, including the...

  • News Evidence Mounts for Circle Pad Pro Name

    Capcom in on the act too

    Last night's batch of new screenshots and videos for Resident Evil Revelations also came with an attached fact sheet, and it all-but confirms the Circle Pad expansion's official Western name. Alongside information about the co-op raid mode, the sheet also states: Compatible with Nintendo 3DS Circle Pad Pro – Add a fourth...

  • News A Video of Link Rapping on a Beach

    What more do you need?

    You want to make a rap video for The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword, but you haven't got access to a world above the clouds or a nearby volcano. What do you do instead? You dress up as Link, go down to the beach and film it there. The video below might not be the most faithful tribute to the series we've ever seen, but it's...

Monday31st Oct 2011

  • News Two New Characters Take To the Mario Kart 7 Grid

    You may bee surprised

    Metal Mario and Lakitu are two of the already-confirmed characters joining the roster in Mario Kart 7 in December, but they're not the only new faces you'll be able to pick. Honey Queen from Super Mario Galaxy and Wiggler, first seen in Super Mario World have both signed up as competitors in Nintendo's big 3D racer. Last week...

  • Review Halloween: Trick or Treat (DSiWare)

    It's the Great Disappointment, Charlie Brown!

    Holiday-specific games are nothing new to Nintendo's download services, but developers just don't seem interested in providing much for your money. Just take a look at the scores for Happy Holidays: Halloween, Happy Holidays: Christmas, Just Sing! Christmas Songs or the immortal

  • Nintendo Download 3rd November 2011 (Europe)

    Master Higgins is back!

    Hudson was a big supporter of the Wii's Virtual Console, releasing no fewer than 53 games on the service over the past five years. Now it's bringing its little mascot Master Higgins to the 3DS as well with this week's title. 3DS Virtual Console: Adventure Island (Game Boy, Hudson, £2.70/€3) — This is actually based on...

  • Feature Classic Sequels - Tricks or Treats?

    Better than monkey nuts

    The night is finally here: Halloween is upon us. At the time of writing the world isn’t being taken over by zombies, werewolves or ghosts. Instead, the main horrors are the legions of children in cheap masks ringing the doorbell and demanding treats. Many can look forward to bags full of toffee apples, loose sweets and a...

  • News Resident Evil Revelations Blows Up With Multiplayer Raid Mode

    Trailer inside

    Remember when we told you that you wouldn't have to face the nightmare alone in Resident Evil Revelations? We meant it — Capcom has just sent over a trailer of the multiplayer co-operative Raid mode for you to digest. It seems the multiplayer component takes in specific missions rather than the regular story levels and in truth it...

  • News We Love This Origami Wind Waker Boat

    Truly the King of Red Lions

    Last week's Gamecity festival in Nottingham had a strong Zelda focus, with the city centre becoming a replica Hyrule Town for the day, but we've got something much smaller and even more awesome to share. This origami replica of Link on board the King of Red Lions from The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker is just about the...

  • News Super Mario 3D Land Launch Spreads to San Diego

    Nothing in between

    Mario mania isn't just taking in New York, as Nintendo has revealed San Diego California can expect a Mushroom Kingdom-themed party next week to celebrate the launch of Super Mario 3D Land. This Friday, "sometime between 12pm - 1:30pm" according to Nintendo, dozens of Marios in Tanooki ears and tails will race through...

  • News Rayman Origins Trailer Shows Ten Ways to Travel

    Q & A 2

    In all the excitement over Super Mario 3D Land and The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword, we almost forgot another iconic gaming character is due to return this Christmas. Rayman Origins on Wii and 3DS are both on the way before Christmas, and so it's time to learn a little more about them with a new trailer and a little Q&A with director