Review Sakura Samurai: Art of the Sword (3DSWare)
Patience, young grasshopper
News - January, 2012
Tuesday31st Jan 2012
Feature The Wonder of Ugly Add-Ons
Only their creators love them
For those who hadn’t noticed, we recently posted our 3DS Circle Pad Pro review, which unsurprisingly prompted a broad range of opinions and comments. While the reaction to the add-on has undoubtedly been diverse, most agree on one thing: it’s ugly. Or, to quote our review, it "makes the console look like it's...
News Team Ninja Reveals Wii U Evolution
New features in the shadows
Last week we heard from Street Fighter IV producer Yoshinori Ono, who stated that the Wii U is more capable than what we saw at E3. Ono said he couldn't reveal more due to fear of Nintendo assassins, by which he may be referring to previous Nintendo collaborators Team Ninja. In an interview with Nintendo Gamer magazine,...
News Genius Sonority's eShop AR RPG Looks Mad
Cute, though
Japanese developer Genius Sonority — best known for its work on various Pokémon spin-offs over the years — has revealed its next title, due out in the Japanese eShop next week. Called Denpa Ningen RPG — or Electric Wave Person RPG, believe it or not — is an augmented reality RPG where you use the 3DS's cameras to reveal hidden...
News Miyamoto Focused on New Franchises
Handing over the Master Sword
In December last year rumours swirled around the internet that Shigeru Miyamoto was planning to retire from his role, reports of which were swiftly denied. Although it transpired as a misinterpreted comment in an interview, it still led to a number of questions about the future of Nintendo and its major franchises...
News "Trustworthy" Third Parties Get Microtransactions Go-Ahead
Horse armour anybody?
Downloadable content, software updates and microtransactions are not things that owners of Nintendo systems have been hugely exposed to in the past, but things are about to change. With expanded online offering Nintendo Network on the cards for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U, third party developers will soon be allowed to sell...
News New Rhythm Heaven Fever Trailer Makes No Sense
And that's why we love it
Of course the new video for Rhythm Heaven Fever defies explanation: that's a series trademark by now. Dancing lobsters, on-stage baseball and a cryptic message in the final frame all make this one of those trailers you'll tell the grandkids about. North America, you get the game on 13th February.
Monday30th Jan 2012
Review Sakura Samurai: Art of the Sword (3DSWare)
Patience, young grasshopper
We're only a month into 2012 and the eShop's offerings this year are already weighted heavily with samurai-themed games. In truth, the two couldn't be more different: whereas UFO Interactive's Samurai Sword Destiny favours the straightforward button-mashing approach, Nintendo's own Sakura Samurai: Art of the Sword puts...
News Nintendo May Not Call Wii U a Home Console
A rose by any other name
When we saw Wii U at E3, we were pretty certain it was a console. We even saw people playing it in a home-style setting. So it's a home console, right? Wrong. Talking to investors after the latest financial results, Nintendo president Satoru Iwata suggested the company won't refer to it as a traditional home console: As for...
News Iwata Hints at Upcoming Swapnote Update
What's on the way?
Swapnote/Nintendo Letter Box is still compelling many 3DS owners to open their console every day to see what's new, and Nintendo president Satoru Iwata has hinted that there may be more to come from the app in the future. Speaking to investors, Iwata revealed that over 10 million notes were exchanged within four weeks of the app...
News Iwata: Zelda on Wii U Won't Look Cheap
Rolling out the barrel
We all know The Legend of Zelda will come to Wii U, but whether it'll look as good as the Zelda HD Experience from E3 is another matter. Nintendo knows it has to deliver on the graphical front though, as president Satoru Iwata told investors. Explaining that not all Wii U games will take the ultra-realistic, high cost...
Nintendo Download 2nd February 2012 (Europe)
Buy Kid Icarus
If you didn't register two 3DS games to get your free download code for Pit's remastered adventure, you can save yourself a heck of a lot of money by picking it up this week for €6. Here's the European download for this week. 3DS Download Software: 3D Classics: Kid Icarus (Nintendo, €6/£5.40) — Pit's very first outing gets a...
News Nintendo Wants to Keep Old Titles Fresh with DLC
Add-ons a-go-go
It's a common problem in these days of overly crammed release schedules: wait around for a few weeks and you might find that the game you've just spent your precious pennies on is already considered old hat. The community has already moved on to the next title, nobody wants to talk about it any longer and, while it might still be...
News Kingdom Hearts Anniversary Edition Unveiled
Triple the fun
Not long ago we discovered that Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance was being released as part of a rather attractive 3DS hardware bundle in Japan. During that announcement Square Enix also confirmed that there would be a 10th anniversary special edition release, though no details were given. The suspense is now over. As reported...
News Resident Evil Revelations Scares Its Way Up UK Charts
The monstrous Circle Pad Pro included with some
Resident Evil Revelations certainly had plenty of build-up and hype before its release in Europe, including an extended trailer that reveals much of the storyline. It also received mainly positive reviews and avoided any troublesome save data arguments as endured by its predecessor, Resident Evil: The...
News DS Speech Recognition Could Help Disabled Children
Trials underway in Japan
The DS, in its various forms, has not only been the biggest selling handheld console of all time, but has also played a role beyond that of a simple gaming machine. As we reported last year, Art Academy has helped students with their creative skills, while there are plenty of educational software options available. Reports...
News Newly Single Pink 3DS Woos North America on 10th February
Ahh, young love
The pearl pink Nintendo 3DS is ready to cast off the shackles of its previous relationship and strike out on its own from 10th February. The console — previously only available with pooch-snuggler Nintendogs + Cats — is ready to drink cheap wine and sing I Will Survive just before Valentine's Day rolls around. Shoppers in North...
Sunday29th Jan 2012
Review Newton Vs The Horde (WiiWare)
An experiment to be ab-horde
We're going to say this up front because there won't be much room to say nice things later on in the review: Newton Vs The Horde has an utterly fantastic concept. The idea is to destroy approaching zombie-like creatures by using physics puzzles either found in your environment or created by you. That's an interesting...
Hardware Review 3DS Circle Pad Pro
A thin line between love and hate
It says a lot about the absurdity of the Circle Pad Pro that when its existence was leaked last year, some hardcore Nintendo supporters refused to believe it was real. The concept of adding an additional analogue stick to the machine by the way of a chunky add-on seemed almost unbelievable; surely Nintendo...
Review Lola's Alphabet Train (DSiWare)
On the right track
Lola's Alphabet Train is both a learning tool and a game, but it's quite clearly more the former than the latter. This isn't a bad thing at all, but it's important to know that when setting your expectations. Lola is a chirpy panda bear who, aboard her titular train, presents children with a series of spelling and vocabulary based...
Saturday28th Jan 2012
Review Winter Sports 2012: Feel the Spirit (Wii)
Winter blunderland
Another month, and yet another collection of motion controlled recreations of various sports rears its head on Wii, a console that already has sports-based minigame collections in unparalleled abundance. The latest contender to make a foolish bid to overthrow Wii Sports Resort as the undisputed champion of must-have titles for...
Talking Point NFC and the Latest Wii U Wizardry
Near Field Communication: cooler than it sounds
As you may have noticed, we've seen a flurry of news stories coming out of Nintendo HQ in the past few days. We started with bad news, that Nintendo expects to make a loss in the current financial year, though the news that Wii U will launch in time for Christmas 2012 helped ease the pain. Of course,...
Review Winter Sports 2012: Feel the Spirit (3DS)
Take to the snow... on the go!
Winter Sports 2012: Feel the Spirit on Wii is, to put it bluntly, catastrophically bad; so bad, in fact, that we “awarded” it a measly 2/10, so there’s obviously absolutely no reason you should be rushing out to pick that travesty up. There is, however, a glimmer of hope at the end of the tunnel for Nintendo fans...
Friday27th Jan 2012
News Nintendo Announces 2D Super Mario Title for 3DS
Coming soon
Nintendo will release a new 2D side-scrolling Super Mario title for 3DS in the next financial year, president Satoru Iwata has announced. Speaking to investors about the upcoming titles for the console, Iwata said: Although there is no logo here, we are planning to release a totally new side-scrolling action Super Mario in 2D as a key...
Fancy that
The original Crush on PSP was a commercial failure, despite very positive reviews and praise for its ingenious concept. Developer Zoë Mode's returned for a second attempt with CRUSH3D, out now in Europe and heading Stateside in February. CRUSH's central concept is simple: its 3D stages can be "crushed" to become two...
News Big 3DS Release Dates Still to Be Determined
TBD strikes again
The latest Nintendo release schedule doesn't narrow the release windows for many highly anticipated 3DS games. Mario Tennis and Luigi's Mansion 2 are both labelled up as 2012 releases. Animal Crossing and Paper Mario are down for 2012 in Japan but are both listed as "to be determined" for North America and E
News Nintendo Considering Retail Downloads on 3DS and Wii U
That'd be handy
Nintendo has the infrastructure in place to allow full retail games to be downloaded to 3DS, but is still considering when and if to deploy it. Nintendo president Satoru Iwata revealed at an investor briefing that Wii U will also share the same infrastructure — impressive considering Wii U uses 25GB discs — but the company is not...
News Wii U Controller Gets Intriguing New Wireless Technology
Near Field Communication is go
Satoru Iwata revealed to investors that the Wii U controller will feature Near Field Communication (NFC) functions. The wireless technology is commonly used in non-contact transactions such as swiping travel cards and making credit or debit card payments. It's Iwata's description of the technology's applications,...
News Wii U to Get Online User Accounts
About time
While Xbox 360's Gamertag and PlayStation Network's PSN ID systems have allowed unique online identifiers for some time, Nintendo's 3DS, Wii and DS have lagged behind in the online space. Speaking to investors, president Satoru Iwata revealed Wii U will get individual user accounts for online services. Iwata said: Also for the Wii U, we...
News Mario Kart Wii Races Past 30 Million Sales Milestone
No brakes
Mario Kart Wii has sold a whopping 31.9 million units around the world. The Wii racer has shifted 4.9m copies worldwide since April, standing as the biggest-selling Wii game of the financial year so far. It's not the only Mario game hitting milestones: perhaps due to its inclusion in the Nintendo Selects range, Super Mario Galaxy has...
News Super Mario 3D Land is 3DS's First 5 Million Seller
Just can't get enough
Super Mario 3D Land is the first 3DS game to sell over 5 million copies worldwide. According to Nintendo's latest figures, the game sits at 5.03m units sold around the world, just ahead of Mario Kart 7's 4.54m sales. Both have easily trumped the previous best-seller, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D, whi
News Nintendo Network Will Get Competitions and User Communication
And much more
The mysterious Nintendo Network logo that surfaced last week has been explained at an investor meeting by Nintendo president Satoru Iwata. As expected, the Nintendo Network is the company's new online infrastructure, but it spans far further than simply online matchmaking and eshopping. As Iwata tells it, Nintendo Network — which...
News Iwata: "Wii U Will Be At its Best at Launch"
No waiting here
As we reported yesterday, Wii U will launch in time for Christmas, with Nintendo president Satoru Iwata revealing to investors the company has learnt from the 3DS launch. Iwata told investors: For the launch of new hardware, it is, of course, regarded as a sort of requisite not to miss the critical year-end sales season. The company...
News Hironobu Sakaguchi Tours UK to Promote The Last Story
BAFTA be there
The Last Story is one month from launch, and creator Hironobu Sakaguchi is coming to the UK to promote it. Sakaguchi will address the British Academy of Film and Television Arts on Thursday 16th February, discussing his lengthy career and demonstrating his latest title. The event is open to the public and press, with tickets costing...
Thursday26th Jan 2012
Review Resident Evil Revelations (3DS)
An evolution of evil
Resident Evil Revelations arrives on 3DS with a weight of expectation, both of the franchise it represents and as a major release on the revitalised handheld. Resident Evil: The Mercenaries 3D may have landed first, but this is the one that fans have been anticipating. In a series renowned for its significant transformation and...
News Mewtwo to Psyche Out Pokémon Black and White
Put the spoons away
Legendary psychic Pokémon Mewtwo is joining the ranks of Pokémon Black & White from next month. Starting 12th February, DS owners can download Mewtwo via a wireless broadband connection, adding its fearsome psychic powers to their line-up. Full details are below. POWERFUL MEWTWO MAKES TRIUMPHANT RETURN FOR A SPECIAL...
News North American Resident Evil Packaging is Wrong
Scary spelling error
Update: A Capcom spokesperson has acknowledged the error in a statement to Eurogamer: It has come to our attention that there was a misspelling on the Resident Evil: Revelations packaging. We apologise for the mistake, which will be corrected for subsequent productions of the game. We are working on a solution to provide...
Nintendo Download 26th January 2012 (North America)
Mutant Mudds invade
Renegade Kid's much-anticipated platformer comes to the 3DS eShop alongside some quality DSiWare releases. Let's jump in and see what's available today. 3DS Download Software: Mutant Mudds (Renegade Kid, $8.99) — This cutesy 2D platformer is a bit of a belter, netting a 9/10 in our Mutant Mudds review. Don't be put off by the...
Rumour Nintendo Considering Alternative Names for Wii U
Who remembers the Revolution?
According to rumours that have surfaced online, Nintendo is considering the possibility of rebranding its next home console, potentially leaving Wii U behind. As reported by CVG, staff at the top level in both Japan and North America are apparently discussing a name change, though whether this would affect the console's...
News PokéPark 2: Wonders Beyond Gets European Release Date
Quick, March
Pikachu's next adventure reaches Europe on 23rd March. PokéPark 2: Wonders Beyond reaches the continent nearly a month after its North American release of 27th February, landing in Europe on the same day as Kid Icarus: Uprising. We weren't terribly impressed by the original, as our PokéPark Wii: Pikachu's Adventure review makes clear,...
News Wii U to Launch Just in Time for Christmas
Will you find it under your tree?
We already know that Nintendo will release Wii U before the year's out, but Nintendo president Satoru Iwata has dropped a pretty big hint that the machine will land close to Christmas. According to several sources including Reuters and Bloomberg Japan, Iwata revealed during an investors' briefing that Wii U will hit...
News Ono: "Wii U More Capable Than We Saw at E3"
O yes
Super Street Fighter IV producer Yoshinori Ono has hinted there's far more to Wii U than we've seen so far. Speaking to 3D Juegos (translated by NeoGAF, so you have been warned), Ono spoke vaguely about the console development kits: What we saw last E3 is not a reflection of everything this console is able to offe
Is the Prince of Persia the chart king?
The biggest 3DS release on 19th January was Ubisoft's first-ever foray into the world of Virtual Console, but how did the Game Boy Color game fare? denotes last week's position. indicates game is a new entry. indicates a non-mover. Popular Last Week — All Downloads: Prince of Persia barely scrapes into...
News Hulu Plus Still On the Way to 3DS
Apparently
It was way back in October that we first heard about Hulu Plus for Nintendo 3DS, but it's gone quiet since then, leading some to believe the service has been surreptitiously dropped. According to the latest video from Nintendo, it's still very much in the works. The video below crows about the advantages of connecting 3DS to the 'net,...
News Crystal Dynamics Explains Tomb Raider Wii U No-Show
A simple port wouldn't cut it
Crystal Dynamics' big budget Tomb Raider is coming to HD consoles later this year, but it won't make it onto Wii or Wii U. In a recent podcast (as posted in the Eidos forums) the developer explained why Lara's latest won't come to Wii U: When we started developing the game we made a conscious decision that it was all...
News Nintendo 3DS Hits 15 Million Sold Worldwide
Back on track
Nintendo has revealed it's sold over 15 million 3DS consoles around the world since it launched in February 2011. The console had a strong three months from October to December, selling over 4.6m units around the world, its most successful quarter of sales to date. In this financial year — i.e. from April 2011 to date — Nintendo...
News New Trailer for Theatrhythm Final Fantasy Released
Off-beat footage
The release of Theatrhythm Final Fantasy on 3DS isn't far away: in Japan. The rhythm game based on one of the most famous RPG series of all time is still only confirmed for the Land of the Rising Sun, with no indications from Square Enix that it intends to release the title elsewhere. Fans of the series can only hope, and the newly...
News Wii Sales Take Serious Year-on-Year Fall
Systems and software both tumble
While 3DS is in the ascendancy, Wii's certainly showing its age now, with sales for the year down 35% on the previous year. Globally, Nintendo sold 5.61 million Wii consoles in the months of October to December, taking the system's total financial year sales to 8.96m. At the same point in the previous financial year,...
Charts 26th January 2012 (North America)
Lock'd in
Let's see how the eShop releases for 19th January 2012 did in this week's 3DS charts. denotes last week's position. indicates game is a new entry. indicates a non-mover. Popular Last Week — All Downloads: Kirby's still top but Pushmo drops a place under significant medical pressure from Dr. Mario. Is that ethical? 1. Kirby's Dream...
News Samurai Shodown IV: Amakusa's Revenge Rated for VC
Slice of the action
The Australian classifications board has rated Neo Geo scrapper Samurai Shodown IV: Amakusa's Revenge for Wii's Virtual Console service. Amakusa's Revenge introduced brothers Sogetsu and Kazuki Kazama, an "honorable death" move and even featured fatalities under certain conditions. We've already got Samurai Shodown,...
News DS Sales Hit 151m Consoles and 890m Games
Happy days
The venerable old grandfather of touch screen gaming, the Nintendo DS, isn't quite ready to roll over and go quietly just yet. In the past financial quarter Nintendo sold just over 2m consoles in the DS family, with 1.3m of those sales in the Americas. Financial year to date DS sales stand at 4.64m units around the world, with Nintendo...
News Nintendo Expects To Make a Loss in FY 2011
It's tough out there
Even though the 3DS has hit 15 million sales worldwide, it's not been enough to help Nintendo post a profit, with the company expecting to post an operating loss of 45,000 million Yen in this financial year. Nintendo revised its financial expectations this morning as follows: Net sales — revised down from 790,000m Yen to...
News Rising Star Games To Open American Office
Rising in the West
Popular European publisher Rising Star Games has revealed it's to open an office in California. The company has also formed Rising Star Games Digital, a — wait for it — digital publishing division for the ever-growing download market. RSG hasn't revealed any digital plans for Nintendo formats, but said recently it will...
Wednesday25th Jan 2012
Review Stonekeep: Bones of the Ancestors (WiiWare)
Rock-solid or balderdash?
Stonekeep: Bones of the Ancestors, a remake of Interplay's mid-90's first-person dungeon crawler, sounds pretty good on paper. The Wii is a bit short on quality RPGs — especially on WiiWare — and Stonekeep was a decent-looking, competent RPG back in its day. But pre-rendered 2D environments and FMV characters are no...
Leaving you smitten or just flea-bitten?
Nintendo certainly struck gold with Nintendogs on the DS back in 2005, winning the hearts of millions of gamers the world over with its blend of training, walking and generally caring for a band of virtual puppies so convincingly animated that you’d swear Battersea Dogs Home had dumped a truckload of actual...
News Rayman Origins 3DS Has No Multiplayer
Confirmed
Rayman Origins on 3DS has no multiplayer modes, Ubisoft has confirmed to us. A fact sheet for the 3DS version of the game emerged the other day and didn't make any mention of multiplayer, and now we know why — there's no local or online co-op play in Rayman's 3DS outing, a shame as four-player was one of the best things about Rayman...
Review Carmen Sandiego Adventures in Math: The Case of the Crumbling Cathedral (WiiWare)
In Russia, game disappoints you
If you’re wondering where in the world Carmen Sandiego is this week, or what in the world she’s up to, look no further than Moscow, capital city of Russia. As is generally the case, Sandiego is busy using one of her goons from the criminal organization V.I.L.E. to abscond with with a precious landmark. This...
News Official Metal Gear Solid 3DS Accessories Grip Europe
Up your 3DS camo index
With Metal Gear Solid: Snake Eater 3D out in six weeks, your thoughts might be turning to how you can camouflage your console to get in the espionage spirit, and Hori has it covered. The official Metal Gear Solid 3D accessory set is out in Europe on 24th February, a few weeks before the game, and includes a military-style...
Rumour Wii U "Twice as Powerful as Xbox 360"
Anonymous source speaks up
An anonymous developer speaking to Develop has claimed Wii U has twice the power of Microsoft's Xbox 360. The source said Nintendo's next console boasts twice the processing and graphical output of Microsoft's 6-year old console. Of course there are no statistics to back this up, but if true, it would represent an enormous...
News Nintendo Unlocks Kid Icarus: Uprising Multiplayer Details
Light or Dark?
Now we have worldwide release dates for Kid Icarus: Uprising, Nintendo is stepping up its pre-release information campaign with details about the game's multiplayer modes. Players will be able to unlock extra weapons from multiplayer skirmishes, taking these into the single player adventure or using them against human opponents...
Feature 3DS and the Trend of Colourful Handhelds
Who needs rainbows?
It’s been on the market for less than a year, yet the 3DS is already available in five distinct colours, with multiple limited edition console designs also in stores or on the way. The reaction to new colour announcements is always interesting: while some bemoan yet another ‘new’ 3DS hitting the market, many seem to accept...
News Kid Icarus: Uprising Flies to Europe on 23rd March
New details inside
Kid Icarus: Uprising finally has a European release date — and it's the same day as North America. Nintendo's next big 3DS title lands on 23rd March, and will include the same 3DS stand as in Japan and North America. The publisher's also revealed more details about the Fiend's Cauldron mode, a new gameplay idea to keep committed...
News Punch-Out!! is Japan's Next NES 3DS VC Game
OK?
NES pugilist title Punch-Out!! is the next game coming to Japan's 3DS Virtual Console. Due next week for 500 Yen, it's the third NES game to join the service but the first that wasn't released to 3DS Ambassadors: both Super Mario Bros. and The Legend of Zelda are available to buy in Japan. Looks like hopes for a 3D Classics: Punch-Out!! just...
News Operation Rainfall Takes Aim at The Last Story
Time for round two
Last year a fan-based group, Operation Rainfall, launched an online campaign to petition Nintendo of America to localise three major Japanese Wii releases: Xenoblade Chronicles, The Last Story and Pandora's Tower. The news that Xenoblade Chronicles will be released in North America is perhaps due to sales success in Europe, though...
Rumour UK Racing Studio Makes Big Wii U Commitment
Who could it be?
Tucked away in Develop's story about the Wii U's graphical power is this little nugget of information: Develop also understands that a prominent UK racing studio has committed to support Wii U with one project each year. We reported earlier this week that Slightly Mad Studios
Tuesday24th Jan 2012
Review Prince of Persia (3DS eShop / GBC)
Lowly servant of Persia
There's no question the original Prince of Persia is a classic game, with its iconic realistic movements, precision platforming and time limit. It's been ported to many, many platforms over the years, but does this handheld version hold up as well as other versions? In the transition to Game Boy Color, most of the game has...
News Mario and Zelda Sheet Music Now Available
Ocarina of Tune
Super Mario and The Legend of Zelda are arguably Nintendo's most prominent and famous franchises. With a shared history spanning 25 years and a lot of games, fans have been treated to some glorious music, whether it's been chip-tune or orchestral. Now, thanks to Alfred Music Publishing, musical gamers have the opportunity to play...
News Wahoo, It's a Mario Party 9 Trailer
You can cry if you want to
The latest Mario Party 9 trailer is in and shows off some of the 80+ minigames you can expect when it launches in March. Long-time Mario fans will pick up on countless references: Super Mario Sunshine's Piantas make an appearance, but there's plenty more to see if you keep your eyes peeled. How many can you spot?
News Brighten Up Your Day with Colors! 3D Screenshots
Palette cleanser
While we wait for a release date for Colors! 3D, the developer Collecting Smiles has released the first 3D screenshots of the game online. The shots are available at 3DS Screenshot, though you'll find one 3D shot embedded in the post below: simply load up this page in your 3DS web browser and tap the image below to open it up in...
News Nintendo Senior Managing Director Nobuo Nagai Passes Away
Sad times
Nintendo senior managing director Nobuo Nagai has died aged 66 after a battle with stomach cancer. Nagai joined Nintendo in 1967, becoming a director in 2000 before moving up to managing director, eventually becoming senior managing director and representative director in 2004. Among Nintendo's board of directors, Nagai had worked at...
News Mutant Mudds OST Tracks Now Available
A little Mudd mood music
For those of you who are gearing up for the Mudds invasion on Thursday in North America, Renegade Kid has just the thing to put you in the mood. The developer has already added 11 tracks from the official Mutant Mudds OST on its bandcamp page and the good news is that you get to choose the price you pay for the soundtrack...
News Rayman Origins 3DS Leaps the Atlantic on 20th March
Helicopter hair and all
Ubisoft has revealed Rayman Origins will release in North America on 20th March. The portable platformer is based on the critically acclaimed 2011 home console release, with StreetPass functionality thrown in for good measure. We've got some fresh screenshots below to get you all geared up for Rayman's upcoming adventure.
News Dawn Paine to Leave Nintendo UK
Fond farewell
Nintendo UK's long-serving marketing director Dawn Paine is leaving the company. Paine has served ten years at Nintendo, during which she oversaw the marketing campaigns for Wii, DS and 3DS, as well as games phenomena including Wii Fit Plus and Dr. Kawashima's Brain Training, among others. Paine leaves Nintendo to join Universal...
Monday23rd Jan 2012
Here's Mudd in your eye
Mutant Mudds started out as a 3D polygonal platformer called Maximillian and the Rise of the Mutant Mudds intended as a retail title for the DS. Sadly, this retail release and a pitched DSiWare rendition never got off the ground. Not ones to let a good concept die, Renegade Kid instead decided to morph and move the project...
Animal magic?
After looking at the box art you’d be forgiven for thinking Zoo Resort 3D was a cutesy zoo management sim; in fact, you’ll find it's the complete opposite. With a realistic aesthetic and set of mechanics that sets it apart from simulation titles in general, it certainly provides a unique experience on 3DS. Moreover it’s actually...
News SoulCalibur V 3DS Appears on Retail Coming Soon List
Draw your weapon
3DS certainly isn't short of fighting games, but it may be getting one more added to its stable in the form of Namco Bandai's SoulCalibur V. A retail insider tipped us off that a pre-order listing for the game appears on tills at a major high street chain. Namco Bandai had not responded to our invitation to comment at the time of...
News Capcom Had Resident Evil 5 Running on 3DS
Now that's magic
Resident Evil Revelations's road to retail ends in Europe this week, and Nintendo president Satoru Iwata sat down with Capcom staff to discuss how the title came about. Before Revelations, of course, there was Resident Evil: The Mercenaries 3D, but even before that Capcom had a very different game running on the machine, as director...
Nintendo Download 26th January 2012 (Europe)
Balloons and caterpillars
It's time to look ahead to Thursday and see what games lucky European residents can download, with Wii, 3DS Virtual Console and DSiWare all represented this week. 3DS Virtual Console: Balloon Kid (Game Boy, Nintendo, £2.70/€3) — A sequel to Balloon Fight, this hasn't aged particularly well, sadly: our Balloon Kid...
Rumour Sonic & SEGA All-Stars Racing Sequel for 3DS and Wii U
Wheelie?
Some dismissed Sonic & SEGA All-Stars Racing as a SEGA-themed Mario Kart wannabe, but was obviously superior for including Shenmue protagonist Ryo Hazuki as a playable character (wait, what?). According to a new rumour, there could be a follow-up in the works at developer Sumo Digital. The Sonic Stadium received a tip that claims the...
News Ocarina of Time Project Underway in Minecraft
Not a typical remake
It seems that the gaming community just can't get enough of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time with yet another remake, of sorts, on the way. For those who aren't aware, Minecraft is a PC title with simplistic, sprite-based graphics that allows almost unhindered freedom and exploration. It's been a big hit with user...
News White and Pink 3DS Consoles Go Solo from 10th February
Heads up UK
Nintendo UK originally promised the Coral Pink and Ice White 3DS consoles would be available sans game in December, but due to unspecified delays the systems are now due to launch on 10th February. Amazon currently lists the colours at £159.99, significantly higher than the £139.99 or so it's asking for the Metallic Red, Aqua Blue and...
News Nintendo Zone Heading to UK Airports
It's taking off
Nintendo UK has confirmed an agreement with the curiously-named Boingo Wireless to provide free Wi-Fi access in a number of major British airports, a move that will also bring Nintendo Zone to the UK for the first time. This is ideal news for jet-setters who fancy a bit of eShop browsing while waiting for their flight. It's important...
News Need for Speed: Shift Dev Creating Project CARS for Wii U
Step on it
Slightly Mad Studios has confirmed it's bringing Project CARS to Wii U in 2012. The studio behind Need for Speed: Shift and Shift 2: Unleashed confirmed its latest racing project is on the way to Nintendo's next home console alongside PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and PC. The game's description mentions several features Nintendo fans have been...
News Extended Resident Evil Revelations Trailer Released
Horrifying spoilers
Resident Evil Revelations has almost arrived, and is certainly the year's first blockbuster retail release on 3DS. The hype has been building, and Capcom has now released a five-minute trailer that reveals more about the title's story. The publisher may have taken the 'Revelations' part too seriously for some as this trailer...
News Code of Princess Takes the Fight Online
Getting better all the time
3DS action RPG Code of Princess — from the same team behind SEGA Saturn stunner Guardian Heroes — is set to get online multiplayer, according to 7net (via Andriasang). The site states up to four players — two fewer than on Saturn — can engage in the battle mode, with cooperative quests on offer for those who like...
Sunday22nd Jan 2012
Review 40-in-1 Explosive Megamix (DSiWare)
More is less
You’re given a bag of sweets. On the outside they’re a bit misshapen or broken up, but at least they’re brightly coloured, there’s a big variety of flavours and there are plenty of them, right? The first one doesn’t taste quite right. Neither does the second one. Nor the third. Half the bag has to be thrown in the bin when all...
Review Anne's Doll Studio: Gothic Collection (DSiWare)
Doll-orous
Anne's Doll Studio: Gothic Collection is your chance to slap drab Gothic accessories on two dead eyed dolls that look like charmless rejects from the movie Corpse Bride. That sentence is a complete and accurate summation of this title, and it's probably the only thing you'll need to read in order to decide if you want it. Anne's Doll...
Saturday21st Jan 2012
Feature Nintendo Life Presents... Pullblox Levels
Give 'em a try
Not only is Pullblox — or Pushmo in North America — one of the finest titles available on the 3DS eShop, but it also features a rather nifty level creator. It's quickly become a favourite feature amongst 3DS gamers, so our staff decided that they'd join the fun and produce some levels, just for you. Four members of the team have...
Friday20th Jan 2012
Review Prince of Persia (Wii Virtual Console / Super Nintendo)
Worthy of the throne
Most gamers are familiar with the original Prince of Persia. Its incredibly realistic animations, created by Jordan Mechner from hours of video footage of his brother running and jumping around, made it an instant hit, and it's still one of the most well-known western game franchises today. Most people, however, are only...
Gentlemen, please don’t start your engines
Over the years, the high speed competitive sport of repetitive left turns, otherwise known as NASCAR, has fuelled the hearts of racing enthusiasts around the world. In some places, you can hardly step into a crowded area without seeing some sort of branded paraphernalia. With young drivers like Kyle Busch...
News Unsheath Sakura Samurai: Art of the Sword on 2nd February
$6.99 to pay
Nintendo has revealed the North American release date for Sakura Samurai: Art of the Sword — 2nd February. The Nintendo-developed sword fighting game will cost you $6.99. No European release details have been revealed yet, so sit tight. Here's a recent trailer to get you ready. Thanks to Twitter follower @franklero for the tip!
News Finally, Shouting at Donkey Kong Makes a Difference
"You stupid ape!"
SEGA's Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games uses just about every input the 3DS has to offer, but it's the weightlifting event that looks to make best use of the machine's microphone. As the new trailer below shows, you can shout at your character to give them an extra bit of power. While it might make you look a bit...
News Kid Icarus: Uprising Trailer Shoots Past
Two months and counting
Yesterday Nintendo revealed more details about Kid Icarus: Uprising, and now we have a fresh trailer to share too. North American residents who pre-order from select retailers (to be confirmed) will also receive a download code for 3D Classics: Kid Icarus. Check out the trailer below — which contains the immortal line...
News Nintendo Reveals More Kid Icarus: Uprising Details
Free 3D Classics: Kid Icarus for some pre-orders
Kid Icarus: Uprising isn't far away, and as one of the first titles to be teased for the 3DS all the way back in 2010, it's been a while coming. Nintendo of America is starting to crank up the hype generator and have issued the following press release, with a number of details about the title. Some of...
News Mutant Mudds Hits eShop on 26th January
The wait is nearly over
Renegade Kid has just announced that its upcoming eShop platformer Mutant Mudds will be released on 26th January in North America and will set you back $8.99. We'll have a full review of the game up shortly, but in the meantime, you can check out the screenshots gallery below for a taste of what you can expect from the game...
Charts 19th January 2012 (North America)
Order, order
How did the new releases on 12th January 2012 fare? Let's find out with your charts for the week denotes last week's position. indicates game is a new entry. indicates a non-mover. Popular Last Week — All Downloads: To everybody's surprise, the Club Nintendo rewards rise up the charts. Can they hold off the competition until the...
News Do You Want to Be a Record Breaker?
Dedication's what you need
Gamers who get down to London next week can try their hand at joining the Guinness Book of World Records at a special event in association with Nintendisco. A Guinness World Records adjudicator will be on hand to officiate record attempts, which kick off with a speed run on Super Mario World's World 1-1. It also looks like...
News Flipper 2 Rushes North America on 26th January
Come on now, move along
Flipper 2: Flush the Goldfish just got its release date for North America: 26th January. The one-button action game will set you back 500 Points. We interviewed Goodbye Galaxy Games about Flipper 2 recently. It's already available in Europe, so read our Flipper 2: Flush the Goldfish review for our verdict
Thursday19th Jan 2012
Guide Nintendo 3DS eShop Demos
Get your information here!
Today sees the much-anticipated downloadable demos hit the 3DS eShop, so we've put together a very handy guide to help you get the most from your free demo experience. What Demos Are Available?: New demos will be announced throughout the year but here are the ones we know about so far: 19th January 2012 Resident Evil...
News Kingdom Hearts 3DS Bundle Confirmed for Japan
It's so pretty
It seem like the Japanese market is enjoying quite a few special edition 3DS consoles, with the Metal Gear Solid themed console due soon. Not to be outdone, Andriasang reports that Square Enix is also preparing its own hardware bundle for Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance. Once again it's the black 3DS that receives a...
Full of fun or made of cheese?
While many portable games praised for their accessibility and simple controls are often times associated with mobile game platforms, DSiWare is not without its own quality pick-up-and play titles. Games like Reflect Missile, Pop Plus: Solo and the Art Style series offer satisfyingly simple gameplay perfect for short...
Nintendo Download 19th January 2012 (North America)
The first 3DS demo lands
While there's some good games available to buy this week, we're pretty sure the most downloaded software this week will be the free Resident Evil Revelations demo, available from 9am PST/12pm EST today. 3DS Demo: Resident Evil Revelations (Capcom, free) — The first trial game comes to the eShop with this playable sample of...
News Rising Star Explains Rune Factory: Oceans Wii No-Show
"Wasn't on the table"
Rising Star Games just announced its 2012 line-up, but while it's bringing Rune Factory: Oceans on PlayStation 3 to Europe, Rune Factory: Oceans for Wii is missing from the publisher's slate. We asked product marketing manager Yen Hau why Wii owners in Europe won't be able to continue their Rune Factory adventures. Rising...
News Official Trailer Released for Pokémon + Nobunaga's Ambition
Levelled-up hype
Last week we reported that there's a new Pokémon title coming to Japan on the DS, a crossover title that features Tecmo Koei's Nobunaga's Ambition series. Pokemon Company has now released a two-minute trailer that shows off plenty of the overhead strategy gameplay, along with what appears to be a local multiplayer mode. We've...
News Rising Star Games Commits to 3DS with Five Games in 2012
Farming and shifting ahoy
Rising Star Games just revealed its 2012 line-up for Europe, and it's betting big on Nintendo's glasses-free portable with five 3DS games on the way this year. RSG already announced its plans to release BIT.TRIP SAGA, and is joined by 3D farmer Harvest Moon 3D: The Tale of Two Towns, monochromatic puzzler Shifting World,...
Gotta get down on Thursday
The 12th January Nintendo Download brought two new DSiWare games to the eShop: let's see how they performed. denotes last week's position. indicates game is a new entry. indicates a non-mover. Popular Last Week — All Downloads: Doodle Fit joins the top ten and Zen Pinball 3D jumps a few places, perhaps due to an...
Wednesday18th Jan 2012
Review Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones (3DS eShop / GBA)
Once more, to arms!
For such a long-running series, it's hard to believe Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones was only the second game to leave Japan after GBA predecessor Fire Emblem. Since then the series has had a far bigger presence in the West, a fact underlined by Sacred Stones' status as a 3DS Ambassador title. If Sacred Stones is your first Fire...
News 3DS Demos Launch in Europe eShop Tomorrow
Revelations afoot
European eShop users can get a free demo of Resident Evil Revelations tomorrow. The eShop was updated to allow demos in late December but tomorrow sees the launch of the service outside of Japan. Resi is also joined by a demo of the slightly less exciting Cooking Mama 4: Kitchen Magic. Future demos include Metal Gear Solid: Snake...
News The Last Story Limited Edition Officially Confirmed
Out February
After the retailer leak of The Last Story's special edition, Nintendo has confirmed the limited edition of the game will be available from 24th February. The limited edition comes with a steelbook case — Nintendo's first in Europe — a seven-track Premium Soundtrack CD and an art booklet titled The Illustrations. It's available to...
News Konami Dissolving Hudson Soft
Not to bee
Konami has just announced that they will be dissolving Hudson Soft on 1st March, bringing to an end a company that's become beloved by gamers over the years for such unforgettable contributions to gaming as the PC Engine/TurboGrafx-16 systems and the ever-popular Bomberman and Star Soldier series. For those of you who don't remember,...
Talking Point Using Glitches - Cheating or Clever Gaming?
Everyone stay calm
This week game cheats have been in the news. We learnt about the origins of the Konami Code and, controversially, that Nintendo has no plans to fix Mario Kart 7’s Maka Waku glitch. All this talk of codes, shortcuts and glitches got us thinking about the morality of these gaming quirks: when is it acceptable to take advantage of...
News North America Gets 3DS eShop Demo Tomorrow
Everybody's happy
North America: you get the first 3DS demo tomorrow. The service launches with a free demo of Resident Evil Revelations, with Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games due next week. Nintendo of America also confirms future demos for Metal Gear Solid: Snake Eater 3D and Rayman Or
News Europe Joins the Mario Party on 2nd March
Send your invitations now
Partygoers across Europe get an extra reason to be cheerful on 2nd March when Nintendo releases Mario Party 9 across the continent. The second Wii instalment in the series, MP9 includes new boss battles, 80 minigames and vehicles too. North America gets it on 11th March. WHO WILL YOU INVITE TO YOUR MARIO PARTY? Rivals...
News Hudson May Continue as a Brand
There's hope yet
Late yesterday we reported the sad news that Konami is dissolving Hudson Soft, one of the industry's most experienced development companies. Although it's clear that Hudson will no longer exist as an independent entity, there's now hope that it may still retain its own brand and identity. Hudson released a statement on its website,...
Tuesday17th Jan 2012
News THQ Has Two Secret Wii U Titles In the Works
Maybe more
THQ's Danny Bilson was one of the first talking heads pictured when the Wii U's third-party games were confirmed, announcing that Darksiders II and Metro: Last Light are both coming to Wii U. They may not be the publisher's only games for the console in the works, though. The LinkedIn profile of THQ senior producer Evan Icenbice lists two...
News Sakurai: Next Smash Bros. "May Take a While"
Who knew?
Super Smash Bros. helmsman Masahiro Sakurai has told Nintendo Power (via Nintendo Everything) that the next instalments are a long way off yet. Satoru Iwata announced Super Smash Bros. for Wii U and 3DS at E3 last year, but with Kid Icarus: Uprising on Sakurai's plate it seems development on the fight
News More Just Dance 3 DLC Available Now
No Luigi DLC, shockingly
It's clear that a title is selling in huge numbers when the publisher offers downloadable content (DLC) on the Wii, as Ubisoft did with its Just Dance 3 Mario DLC last year. The trend is set to continue, with owners of the Wii game now having access to two additional DLC packs. The details from the press release are below...
News Australia Gets Chance to Win Mario 3DS Consoles
And 3D Classics: Kid Icarus
Europe, your maniacal grip on 3D Classics: Kid Icarus and those Mario 3DS consoles is loosening. Nintendo of Australia just opened up its very own It's a Me, Mario competition with near-identical rules to Europe's: register two 3DS games with Club Nintendo and you get a free code for Kid Icarus, with entrants over the age...
News 3DS Gets Spooked with Spirit Camera: The Cursed Memoir
Spooky scary
Nintendo of America has announced plans to bring Spirit Camera: The Cursed Memoir over to North America on Friday 13th April. The augmented reality adventure, developed in conjunction with Tecmo Koei, comes with a 16-page book containing special AR markers that, when viewed through the Nintendo 3DS, unleash all manner of scary...
News Is GO Series: Undead Storm DSiWare's Left 4 Dead?
Shotguns at the ready
The GO Series has been quiet on DSiWare for a few months but it's about to return with action shooter GO Series: Undead Storm, a four-player co-operative shooter that shares a small similarity or two with Valve's legendary zombie face-off. Developed by Japanese team G-Style, it's a top-down affair with support for four players...
Competition Winners Red 3DS and History of Nintendo Books
Cross your fingers
Our recent competitions gave you the chance to win a red Nintendo 3DS or one of five copies of Pix'n Love Publishing's excellent History of Nintendo — Volume 1. We've now drawn and contacted the lucky winners — if your name appears below we've emailed you with details of how to claim your prize. Here are the fortunate six. Red...
News Heroes of Ruin Trailer Asks a Lot of Questions
Ruinscape
Square Enix action adventure Heroes of Ruin made it onto our list of The Biggest 3DS Games of 2012, with a new trailer below coming along to whet your appetite. The video might be heavy on questions instead of answers but you can always listen to our podcast interview to clear up some of Heroes of Ruin's details.
News Game Expo East Kent GEEKs Out in February
Their words, not ours
The UK retro gaming meet-up scene is thriving, with Game Expo East Kent — GEEK — the next event on the 2012 calendar. Taking place from 15th – 19th February in sunny Margate, attendees can take part in tournaments on classic games like Super Mario Kart and meet like-minded gamers, while the Queen's Hall will hold industry...
Monday16th Jan 2012
Rumour Two Zelda Titles in Development
Any bids for three?
Just one week ago we reported that Nintendo is working on a new Zelda game, as confirmed by series producer Eiji Aonuma. With that comes the inevitable sound of the rumour mill grinding away, resulting in the image you see in this post. The image was uploaded to the notorious 4chan site, and seemingly shows two new titles that...
Nintendo Download 19th January 2012 (Europe)
Wii Virtual Console is back!
It seems like forever since we last got a Virtual Console game on Wii, but the service is back from the dead with a new Super Nintendo title from Ubisoft. Not only that, there's a Game Boy Color game too. Let's get to it. Wii Virtual Console: Prince of Persia (Super NES, Ubisoft, 800pts) — The rather good Super...
News Nintendo Has No Plans to Fix Mario Kart 7's Maka Wuhu Glitch
So keep on droppin'
If you've played Mario Kart 7 online, chances are you've encountered the Maka Wuhu glitch that allows devious racers to bypass a huge section of the course. Nintendo knows about it too, but will it do anything to address it? Stick Twiddlers emailed Nintendo of America about the issue and got this response: Thanks for your...
Review Duracell Wii Charging Stand
It stands, but does it deliver?
The Wii has come with a plastic stand for years, but Duracell's effort does more than just support your Wii upright. As the name suggests, the Duracell Wii Charging Stand lets you recharge your Wii Remotes while keeping your Wii in place. It comes bundled with two rechargeable battery packs for your Wii Remote, but...
News The Origins of the Konami Code Revealed
All together now...
The Konami code is one of the most famous video game cheats of all time, but how did it come about? According to a translated chat between Konami's Kazuhisa Hashimoto and Shigeharu Umezaki, it all started with the NES port of Gradius. Hashimoto, the code's creator, explains: I had one guy under me, and he played through the...
Rumour GAME User Accounts Compromised
Update: Not really
Update: GAME has responded with the following statement: At GAME we guard our customers' details very carefully. We have thoroughly investigated the hacking claims made today by the website Pastebin, and can confirm that they are entirely false. The published email addresses are not registered users of GAME.co.uk, and there has...
News TIGA Calls for Clarification on Download Sales Secrecy
The debate continues
In early January we reported that Icon Games broke its silence on WiiWare sales, breaching Nintendo's non-disclosure agreement in the process. It didn't take long for Nintendo to request that the figures be removed, prompting the developer to suggest that secretive Nintendo policies put jobs at risk. TIGA, the trade body that...
Sunday15th Jan 2012
Review Super Mario Advance 3: Yoshi's Island (3DS eShop / GBA)
Drawing you in
Super Mario Advance 3: Yoshi’s Island joined a Nintendo tradition of re-releasing classic titles for a new audience. Bringing an iconic Super Nintendo platformer to the Game Boy Advance seemed perfectly apt, with the handheld more than capable of 16-bit standard visuals. The question remains, is this port worth playing today?...
Review 101 Pinball World (DSiWare)
Deaf, dumb and blind
101 Pinball World is, quite frankly, confounding on every level. Teyon's latest misguided attempt to cram large numbers of poorly-designed levels into half-baked games has resulted in a broken, hideous, aurally offensive, shambling monstrosity of a game. And that's being polite. Releasing in North America alongside the...
Saturday14th Jan 2012
Feature Nintendo in 2011 - Part Two
Disaster and redemption
Following on from Nintendo in 2011 — Part One, it's time to look at the latter half of the year. The gaming world quickly moves on, as the 3DS enjoys positive sales and the Wii U hype begins to build. It’s easy to forget that the tail-end of 2011 was particularly dramatic and eventful for Nintendo, leaving us with plenty...
Friday13th Jan 2012
Review LEGO Harry Potter: Years 5-7 (3DS)
Half-blood, whole fun
Isn't it about time TT Games did something new with its LEGO franchise? How many others have gotten away with utilising near-identical gameplay formulas this many times? Not that it's a terribly bad thing – we'll happily trek through another humorous toy-sized tribute as the team rarely misfires. Delivering the same casual...
News Your Favourite WiiWare Demos Are Now Back
Fire up your Wii
In an act of unprecedented generosity, Nintendo of America has reinstated a ton of WiiWare demos in the Wii Shop Channel, which now bulges with nearly 50 demos of some of WiiWare's brightest and best games. Europe, you have just the two demos still: MotoHeroz and Gnomz. Here's the full list for North American Wii owners: 3D Pixel...
Review Trip World (3DS eShop / GB)
Bad trip?
Sunsoft made a ton of great games for Nintendo systems back in the day. Everybody knows the likes of Blaster Master and the NES Batman game, but they also had a ton of equally great games which people simply didn't find out about. We've already had some, like Ufouria: The Saga and Lock 'N Chase, but thankfully it's continuing its support,...
News Wii U Panorama View Demo is Awesome
How do they do that?
We all saw the Shield Pose, Chase Mii, Battle Mii and Zelda HD Experience Wii U demos from E3, but one we didn't get to see was Panorama View, recently shown off at CES. The 360º video experience shown below is unlike anything Nintendo showed off before. Using the Wii U controller you can look around the space as you like, even...
Review LEGO Harry Potter: Years 5-7 (Wii)
Let's finish this the way we started it... together
Legend has it that every time Billy Joel drives to a holiday party that has a piano, he knows that he's going to end up playing Piano Man by request. He's played it countless times before, but when he plays it again, people will like it. It won't be surprising or innovative, but it will be...
News Kid Icarus's 3DS Stand Coming to North America Too
Take a stand
That 3DS stand we saw the other day for Kid Icarus: Uprising? It's totally leaving Japan. Nintendo of America confirmed to Shack News that the stand is coming to North America: Nintendo is including a free stand with all copies of the Kid Icarus: Uprising game for the Nintendo 3DS system. The stand
News Retailers Leak The Last Story Limited Edition
Swiss retailer breaks cover
It appears that Nintendo of Europe is preparing a limited edition release for upcoming Japanese RPG The Last Story, due for release on 24th February. Initial rumours started to spread earlier this week, but images of the box art and packaging have since begun to surface. According to a Swiss retailer this release will...
News NPD Group Reveals America's 2011 Best-Sellers
Where's Nintendo?
After we brought you the UK's best-selling games of 2011, the NPD Group has revealed the biggest sellers for the United States. In a truly shocking event, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 outsold the rest, but Ubisoft's rival juggernaut threequel Just Dance 3 edged into second place. As with the UK charts, there are no...
Thursday12th Jan 2012
News Nintendo Reconfirms Wii U Will Not Make Wii Games Sharper
Hopes dashed
With the Wii U boasting HDMI output and full backwards compatibility with Wii games and accessories, some had hoped the new console would be able to make existing Wii games sharper, but Nintendo has reconfirmed to Wired that it won't. During a hands-on session at CES, Ben Kuchera was told that the Wii U "will not be able to improve...
Review Zombii Attack (WiiWare)
iinsufferable
Zombii Attack is a very silly game. Its main mechanic — firing zombies out of a giant slingshot — is strange enough, but even more preposterous is the fact that this game actually got published on WiiWare. The game is so horrendous that the campy feel and OK music don't even come close to saving it from its abominable controls and...
Nintendo Download 12th January 2012 (North America)
Reach a state of Zen
After a few weeks' wait from its European release, the 3DS eShop in North America gets a piece of portable pinball, with DSi owners getting some balls and bumper action too. Elsewhere there's a little music and some more maths. Nintendo 3DS Download Software: Zen Pinball 3D (Zen Studios, $6.99) — An excellent pinball title in...
News New Pokémon Title Coming to Japan in March
Who knew?
Pokémon + Nobunaga's Ambition is the latest Pokémon title due to arrive on DS, hitting Japanese stores on 17th March. Many of you may be asking, what on earth is Pokémon + Nobunaga's Ambition? As detailed by Andriasang, and as the title suggests, this is a cross-over between the well known Pokémon franchise and Tecmo Koei's Nobunaga's...
News Gaijin Games Explains Why RUNNER2 Won't Reach Wii
Talks Wii U too
Gaijin Games' BIT.TRIP series started life on Wii and has appeared on 3DS in the form of BIT.TRIP SAGA, but the next instalment, RUNNER2, won't come to WiiWare. Why not? Artist Chris Meyer explained: This game is too big and too detailed to work on Wii. We need the Xbox power in order for it to work. If you actually think about it,...
News Kid Icarus: Uprising Comes With This 3DS Stand
In Japan at least
Kid Icarus: Uprising will be bundled with an arm-saving display stand for the 3DS. The folding stand sits on a desk and cradles the console itself while you use the stylus and face buttons to control Pit. Uprising supports the Circle Pad Pro for left-handed players but don't worry if you're not planning to pick up the peripheral...
Charts 12th January 2012 (North America)
Feel the chart beat
eShop charts have a permanent home here on Thursday now — that's when the new games arrive so it makes the most sense to see how last week's batch have done. Here's your lists for the week. denotes last week's position. indicates game is a new entry. indicates a non-mover. Popular Last Week — All Downloads: A lot of change...
Fact Sheet Kid Icarus: Uprising Details Updated
AR mode and multiplayer detailed
Kid Icarus: Uprising isn't too far off now — at least, according to Nintendo's most recent release date — and we have an updated fact sheet to share. The sheet outlines the multiplayer mode and AR Card play, claiming the game recognises "countless" specially-designed cards, though the outcome of those...
Review Successfully Learning Mathematics: Year 2 (DSiWare)
A logical progression
The Successfully Learning series is becoming one of the most prolific on DSiWare, with Successfully Learning Mathematics: Year 2 now the ninth title on the service. Versions of this mathematical matter have previously been released on WiiWare, but Freddy the Vampire’s campaign to teach all young Nintendo gamers through...
News 3D Screenshots of Mutant Mudds Available
Fire up that 3DS browser
You may have seen our news article earlier in the week with launch details for a new Mutant Mudds website. It's got plenty of content to whet your appetite for the game, but as some readers have already spotted there's a neat sub-site that's worth a look. Renegade Kid has set up a page specifically designed for viewing on...
Now at home on Thursday
When are new games added to the 3DS eShop? Thursday. When does it make most sense to update the charts? Thursday. That's a long way of saying "look for 3DS eShop charts every Thursday", starting today. Let's see how last week's new releases fared in the UK chart. denotes last week's position. indicates game is a...
Wednesday11th Jan 2012
Review Samurai Sword Destiny (3DSWare)
No ninja, no ninja, no
There's been a lot of ballyhoo about the death of the dedicated handheld at the hands of smartphones and tablets, and given the amount of doom-and-gloom headlines penned about portables in the past year it can be easy to think that the chair has been kicked so forcefully out from under them that it's shattered against the...
Review WarioWare, Inc.: Mega Microgame$! (3DS eShop / GBA)
No time to catch your breath
Nintendo has made its name in the games industry by providing tightly focused and highly polished experiences for over 20 years. Its games are always regarded as some of the best in their respective genres, so what to do when it's conquered all charted territory? Invent new ones, of course. WarioWare, Inc.: Mega...
Review Imagine Fashion Designer (3DS)
"I don’t design clothes, I design dreams"
Imagine Fashion Designer 3D shies away from simulating the job to presenting a facsimile of it, gamifying the act of compiling outfit combinations and their superficial design. It’s certainly not a deep and involving game of nuanced mechanics and choices as you try to climb the fashion guru ladder; to...
News Tiger Woods, Your Time on Wii is Over
Wii can't play PGA Tour 13
After several excellent outings on Wii, EA Sports has confirmed upcoming Tiger Woods PGA Tour 13 won't release on Nintendo's current home console. While Xbox 360 owners can play Tiger Woods PGA Tour 13 on Kinect, and PlayStation Move fans have been enjoying motion controls since 2010, Wii is being passed over for this...
News Majora's Mask and Dr. Mario Join Club Nintendo Rewards
Coins at the ready
North America's Club Nintendo site lets you buy downloadable games with your hard-earned coins. After the success of 3D Classics: Xevious and Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Minis March Again, there are four new games available to buy between now and 31st January. Here's what's available: 150 Coins: The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask
The bore gang
The Kore Gang has been a long time in the making, a fact reflected in the final result. At its best, it’s colourfully innocuous and fun, while at its worst it can be frustrating and infuriating. It’s likely to be divisive as a result, so we’ll do our best to break it down. You know what everyone likes, though? Good intentions,...
News Zelda: Skyward Sword Misses Wii's 2011 Top Five
Missing Link
Much-anticipated MotionPlus adventure The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword is nowhere to be seen among the UK's five top-selling Wii games of 2011. Topping the chart is fitness phenomenon Zumba Fitness, just ahead of Just Dance 3 and prequel Just Dance 2. Nintendo first-party software occupies the fourth and fifth slots: Mario
News StreetPass for Items in Resident Evil Revelations
Grab herbs on the go
Resident Evil Revelations' array of wireless communication features is complete with the news that you'll be able to use StreetPass to exchange items, missions and enemies with other players. Campaign mode lets you swap items with nearby survivalists, while those who play the co-operative RAID mode — unlocked once you've...
News Reggie: Wii U to Boast a "Full Range of Entertainment"
The big man speaks
Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aime's CES "interview" with Spike TV didn't give anything major away — games and dates remain a mystery — but he did speak in very broad terms about Nintendo's vision for its upcoming console. Talking about the plan to continue broadening the Wii install base, Fils-Aime...
News Super Mario 3D Land Beats All in 2011 3DS Chart
Goal Pole goes gold
Super Mario 3D Land was the biggest-selling 3DS game of 2011 in the UK, according to the Association for UK Interactive Entertainment (UKIE). In second place was Mario Kart 7, with both Mario titles outselling Grezzo's N64 remaster The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D. Here's the full top five, followed by the DS top five, in...
News Reggie: Wii U Information Could Hit Before E3
Keep 'em peeled
Wii U will boast a full range of entertainment says Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aime, but must we really wait until Nintendo's E3 press conference on 5th June at 9am Pacific time to hear more? Perhaps not. Fils-Aime told Spike TV that there'll be new details spread over the course of 2012: We will be sharing...
News 3DS Still Top of the Japanese Charts
A Happy New Year for Nintendo
In recent weeks Nintendo has been enjoying significant 3DS sales worldwide, making the most of the Holiday period. In Japan, the 3DS set a new console sales record for December, based on records that began in 1997. Although the festive period has now passed, it appears that sales of the handheld are continuing to do...
News UK's Best-Selling Games of 2011 Revealed
Nintendo misses all-format top 10
Now 2011's over and done with, the Association for United Kingdom Interactive Entertainment — UKIE for short — has revealed the best-selling games across all formats last year. To nobody's surprise, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 was the best-selling game of the year, but what's most surprising is the...
News North America Infiltrated by Metal Gear Solid 3D on 21st February
Snake beater
Metal Gear Solid: Snake Eater 3D is due for North American launch on 21st February, Konami has revealed. Snake's Cold War adventure reaches North America a few weeks before its European release date, with Circle Pad Pro support and a photo-based camouflage system. Will you be lining up on 21st February? METAL GEAR SOLID SNAKE EATER 3D...
News Get Into this Rhythm Heaven Fever Teaser Trailer
Contains a lot of monkeys
Rhythm Heaven Fever is just one month away in North America, and Nintendo is upping the tempo with a new teaser trailer. Showing off a selection of bizarre games — our favourite is the high-fiving monkeys on a clock face — the game's certainly lost none of its imagination in the transition to Wii. Here's the trailer to...
News CRUSH 3D Delayed Again in North America
Now due in March
Poor old CRUSH 3D. SEGA's layer-squashing puzzle title was originally supposed to release in September last year, then was delayed until January 2012 to give the 3DS a chance to build up some sales steam. Now the machine's done just that, it's time for Cru... oh. It's been delayed again. GameStop now lists the game with a 6th March...
Tuesday10th Jan 2012
Review Mario vs. Donkey Kong (3DS eShop / GBA)
A worthy successor
The Mario vs. Donkey Kong series has been going for quite a while now, with four entries under its belt. If you've never played the original, you'd be forgiven for thinking that it's not much more than a fun Lemmings clone, but that's actually not true. In fact, Mario vs. Donkey Kong is closer to the Game Boy version of Donkey...
News Wii Balance Board Enters Record Books
Wii European sales also announced
Nintendo have confirmed that the Wii Balance Board has officially achieved a Guinness World Record for the 'best-selling personal weighing device'. The record was initially broken back in November 2010 when just over 32 million units had been sold worldwide as part of Wii Fit and Wii Fit Plus bundles, though this...
News Metal Gear Solid: Snake Eater 3D Sneaks into Europe on 8th March
3DS exclusive features also unveiled
Metal Gear Solid: Snake Eater 3D has been on the horizon of the 3DS for a while now, but a European release date — and official box-art — has finally been confirmed. It hits the region on 8th March, with further confirmation that it will support the Circle Pad Pro, the second title to do so after Resident...
News Learn More About 'Swapnote RPG'
Now it's getting serious
Just over a week ago we discovered that there's a fan-developed Swapnote RPG waiting to be played. Creator Ben Gray has now posted a follow up video with more specific details on how it can work. This is useful information for those without much experience in pen and paper RPG games, with examples given for the player simply...
News Kid Icarus: Uprising Will Use the Circle Pad Pro
Maybe not as expected
Kid Icarus: Uprising has seen some delays, with some attributing the March release to the upcoming Circle Pad Pro. That was only a rumour, though Director Masahiro Sakurai has now confirmed that the peripheral will be a available to use in this title. Speaking to Official Nintendo Magazine, Sakurai confirmed that an extra...
News Renegade Kid Launches New Mutant Mudds Site
Information and trailers galore
Renegade Kid has just launched a brand new site for its upcoming 3DS eShop platformer Mutant Mudds, and it's chock full of information and media about the game. Everything from screenshots and gameplay trailers, to many of the cast of characters that you're likely to run into during your quest to collect the Water...
Monday9th Jan 2012
News Nintendo Working On New Zelda Game
What will it be?
Zelda series producer Eiji Aonuma and team are working on a new Zelda game. The producer's statement in the final pages of Hyrule Historia, as translated by Patas at GlitterBerri, sneakily confirms a new game is in development: The long sailing time of creating Skyward Sword, a game to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Zelda...
Review 3D Classics: Kid Icarus (3DSWare)
Pit of class
Kid Icarus was always a bit of a weird game. Originally released alongside Metroid and using an almost identical game engine, it was quickly overshadowed by the popularity of Metroid's giant game world full of areas to explore and, save for a (more entertaining) Game Boy sequel, the series was never heard from again until Pit suddenly...
Review Carmen Sandiego Adventures in Math: The Big Ben Burglary (WiiWare)
Big Ben brain buster
Episodic gaming is becoming a regular occurrence on the Wii and DSiWare services, and whether that’s a good or bad thing is completely up to the individual. It is true, however, that if the first episode in a series isn’t very good, then there’s a chance that it won’t get much better moving forward. Carmen Sandiego...
Review 3 Heroes - Crystal Soul (DSiWare)
Crystal meh
CIRCLE Entertainment has a whopping 11 releases on DSiWare, with 3 Heroes — Crystal Soul the latest arrival. And while the medieval theme the developer is obviously fond of is still prevalent throughout the experience, this time around it's more of a puzzler than the usual strategy title. At the start of your adventure, you'll find...
News Miyamoto Working On Secret, Original Game
A lot on his plate
According to an interview with Zoomin.TV, Shigeru Miyamoto is currently at work on an unannounced, original game. Miyamoto himself didn't say anything about the game, so we have nothing else to go on: no format, no genre and no hint at which of his hobbies it'll be based on. Miyamoto is still working on Luigi's Mansion 2 for 3DS...
News Resident Evil: Revelations Art Book and CD Soundtrack Announced
For Japan, so far
The hype is starting to build for Resident Evil: Revelations, not surprising as it's the first major release of the year on 3DS. With that in mind, it seems that Capcom is ready to go the extra mile to give fans of the series all of the content they need to get them excited. According to Andriasang, Capcom has announced a rather...
Holey-er than thou
Quick Fill Q is the story of a pink ball rolling across featureless terrain at a glacial pace. Every so often he — this ball is a living creature, for some reason — will come across a hole that looks suspiciously like several Tetris pieces were removed from the ground, and it's up to you to fill it. That's the game, in its...
Nintendo Download 12th January 2012 (Europe)
Three for the choosing
Nothing unique for 3DS owners this week as 3DSWare and Virtual Console take holidays, but WiiWare and DSiWare have the centre stage. WiiWare: Bobby Carrot Forever (FDG Entertainment, 800pts) — In development for years and years, little rabbit Bobby finally left the warren in July last year and brought a pretty good game with...
News Netflix Reaches Wii Shop Channel in UK and Ireland
Merrily down the stream
Netflix has launched in the UK and Ireland — and it's available on Wii. The Wii Shop Channel offers a free Netflix Channel for download, enabling subscribers to stream TV and movies through the console. You can sign up for a free trial and account through the Channel, with a flat rate of £5.99/€6.99 per month. In North...
Review Slingo Supreme (DSiWare)
Will it eat your baby?
Some games just don’t translate well to the video game format, among them bingo and slots, unless you can bet real money on them. They’re both completely up to chance, and that’s generally not enough to drive a gamer. It’s strange, then, that combining the two works so well. Slingo Supreme does a decent job of bringing...
News 3DS Sets New Japanese Console Sales Record
Blazing a trail
Nintendo 3DS sold more consoles in Japan during December than any other machine on record. Enterbrain (via Andriasang, naturally) has been tracking console sales since 1997. Nintendo sold 1,492,931 3DS systems between 28th November and 25th December, beating any other console in Enterbrain's books. Last week it was revealed that 3DS...
Saturday7th Jan 2012
Round Table Looking Ahead to Nintendo in 2012
Should be a good 'un
It's a new year, with a recovering 3DS and a fresh home console on the way from Nintendo: these are certainly interesting times. We decided to have a chat about the prospects for Nintendo in 2012, including our thoughts on the company's prospects, as well as our hopes, dreams and fears. Joining features editor Thomas Whitehead...
Friday6th Jan 2012
Rumour Wii U Heading for E3 Face-Off with PS4 and Xbox 720
New console trinity rumoured
Hold onto your tinfoil hats, people: we could be in for a wild ride this year. According to UK retail and trade site MCV, there will be new PlayStation and Xbox consoles revealed at this year's E3. Nintendo has already confirmed it will show off the final Wii U form at E3 2012, potentially leading to a three-way scrap...
News Icon Games: "Nintendo's Policies Put Jobs at Risk"
Former WiiWare dev strikes out
A few days ago, Icon Games revealed its WiiWare sales figures, showing just how its games had fared on the service, breaching Nintendo's non-disclosure agreement in the process. Nintendo responded by asking Icon to remove the WiiWare sales figures from its post, prompting Icon boss Richard Hill-Whittall to slate...
Interview Mutant Mudds Reader Questions
Renegade Kid answers your questions
With Mutant Mudds getting closer to release we recently gave you, the readers, the opportunity to ask Renegade Kid any questions you had about the game. Jools Watsham, director of Mutant Mudds and co-founder of Renegade Kid, was kind enough to take time out of his busy schedule to answer your questions...
News Aonuma: "Zelda Timeline is Less Important Than Mechanics"
"So be quiet"
OK, Zelda producer Eiji Aonuma didn't really say "so be quiet", but the series supremo's comments on the Legend of Zelda series timeline show he doesn't consider the timeline to be critically important to enjoying Link's adventures. Aonuma's comments from the Hyrule Historia book (as translated by Patas at GlitterBerri)...
News Resident Evil: Revelations Demo on the Way
Shambling into view
Resident Evil: Revelations isn't far away, all set to bring terror into the third dimension. For those eagerly anticipating this new entry in the survival-horror series there was good news from Christian Svensson, senior vice president of Capcom. Responding to enquiries from fans about a demo arriving in the eShop, Svensson...
Rumour Harvest Moon 3D: Tale of Two Towns Due for PALs
Ripe for the plucking?
The Australian Classification board has turned up a rating for Harvest Moon 3D: The Tale of Two Towns. The official rating calls the publisher "RISING STARS", though undoubtedly this refers to Rising Star Games, the publisher responsible for the Harvest Moon brand outside of America and Japan. As HM is Rising Star's...
News Mega Man 5 Rated for Virtual Console Down Under
Shoot to thrill
While we're still in the middle of a Virtual Console drought, there's no shortage of Virtual Console games ratings, at least. The latest title to join the likes of Super Street Fighter II and Strider on the waiting list is fellow Capcom title Mega Man 5. The NES outing for the Blue Bomber is already available in North America and...
News Choose How to Die in Devil Survivor 2
Take a look inside
While you might have played Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor Overclocked on 3DS, you'll need to adjust back to 2D to take on the next entry in the series, Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor 2, due out this year on DS. Atlus put out a new trailer for the game with a rather morbid theme, but there's some jollity to it as it...
News Rayman Origins 3DS Grabs Europe by the Globox on 16th March
Bounding in
Ubisoft has confirmed Rayman Origins for 3DS will reach Europe on Friday 16th March. The portable version of the superb home console platformer is the only real highlight of Ubisoft's 2012 release slate so far. Here's what else Ubi has planned for 3DS: Funky BarnFantasy PetzMonster 4X4Puzzler Crosswords All four of those titles are due...
News Nintendo Life Now Has a Google+ Page
Roll out the barrel!
Always ones to be fashionably late to the party, we've set up an official Nintendo Life Google+ page. If you're more a Googler than a Twitterer, you can add our page to your Circle to stay up to date with the latest Nintendo-related news and reviews. There's also the chance of digging through embarrassing photos of the team, so...
Thursday5th Jan 2012
Nintendo Download 5th January 2012 (North America)
Meet your (samurai) destiny
For the fourth time in five weeks, the 3DS gets new Download Software. Elsewhere there's a spot of DSiWare and a WiiWare game back from the dead. Nintendo 3DS Download Software: Samurai Sword Destiny (UFO Interactive, $5.99) — A side-scrolling slasher with a Japanese bent, your heroine Akane must defeat all in her path...
News LEGO Batman 2: DC Super Heroes Coming to Wii, 3DS and DS
Look who's in tow
After the LEGO Batman 2 leak last month, it was always a matter of time before Warner Bros. confirmed LEGO Batman 2: DC Super Heroes, and indeed the publisher just revealed the sequel is due this summer. Coming to Wii, 3DS and DS, as the title suggests LEGO Batman 2: DC Super Heroes' cast includes more than just the Dark Knight,...
News Nintendo Reveals More Dates for Zelda Concert Tour
Is it coming to your town?
Nintendo has added several new dates to its Legend of Zelda: Symphony of the Goddesses tour across North America, taking in Ontario, Seattle, San Francisco and more. Here's the list of dates, with more still to be announced, so don't be too disheartened if it's not stopping near you. 10th January — Dallas14th March —...
News 3DS Hardware and Software Tops Japan's 2011 Charts
Outselling the rest
Nintendo 3DS has achieved the 2011 chart double in Japan by topping the hardware and software charts for the year. Statistics from Enterbrain (via Andriasang) show 3DS shifted 4,135,739 units since its February launch, twice as many as the second place — and now seven years old — PSP with 1,960,177 sales. Wii didn't make it...
News Industry Analysts: 3DS is Bouncing Back
But there's still work to be done
We may only just be embarking on a new year, but reports are already surfacing that the 3DS enjoyed a positive holiday period, particularly with the news that over four million 3DS consoles have been sold in the United States. With the recent boom of sales in Japan, it's clear that the handheld is enjoying its most...
News Japanese Developers Wrap Up 2011, Look Forward to 2012
What did they make of Nintendo?
Japanese website 4Gamer (via Andriasang) recently asked a huge selection of Japanese developers about their best moments of 2011, and what they look forward to in the coming year. Predictably the 3DS featured heavily, with Platinum Games producer Atsushi Inaba calling the console "a revolution in...
Wednesday4th Jan 2012
News Turn Your Retro Cartridges Into ROMS, Legally
Conscience intact
One thing that we positively don't support here at Nintendo Life is illegally downloading and playing retro games through emulators. As a result it's with a deep breath that we say this, but there's now a way to transfer your retro cartridges legally. A new gizmo called Retrode is on the way to market that allows you to plug in...
Feature The Biggest 3DS Games of 2012
What's in store for the year ahead?
2011 is gone. After announcing our Game of the Year 2011 awards we're ready to move on and sink our teeth into all that awaits in 2012. There are of course dozens more games on the way to 3DS in the coming year, but we've picked ten of the most exciting due to crest the 3D horizon before 2013 rolls around. If...
Review Flipper 2: Flush the Goldfish (DSiWare)
Flippin’ out
The DSiWare service continues to serve as a home for independent developers with innovative ideas, and Flipper 2: Flush the Goldfish is another example of that creative spirit. A sequel in name only to Flipper, this latest creation from Goodbye Galaxy Games is full of surprises. The main link to the first game can be found in the...
News Yet Another Zelda Timeline Proposed
An alternative perspective
Late last year it emerged that Nintendo had finally produced an official timeline for The Legend of Zelda series, though the final result didn't necessarily make sense to everyone. Any timeline that splits three ways is always going to cause plenty of debate. An artist called Zac Gorman decided that, official timeline or...
News Zen Pinball 3D Lights Up North America on 12th January
Bing! Ding-ba-ding!
Zen Studios has just confirmed Zen Pinball 3D will reach the North American eShop on 12th January, costing $6.99. The balls-and-bumpers game was released in Europe on 1st December 2011, but North Americans get their chance to try it out next week. The studio has also confirmed it will support the game with downloadable content in...
News Zelda Symphony Tour Gets Four More Dates
Updated: make that six
Update: Orlando and Denver added. Ticketmaster has revealed four six more dates for the Zelda Symphony of the Goddesses orchestral tour. The tour will take in Vancouver and Atlanta and stop in Phoenix twice. An Orlando date was added and then removed, then added again. 14th March — Vancouver, BC7th April — Denver, CO20th...
Tuesday3rd Jan 2012
News Add Nikki to Your Mii Collection
No postage required
Many 3DS owners will have now dabbled with Nintendo Letter Box — also known as Swapnote — and have become familiar with Nikki, the rather helpful guide. She pops up often to help scribblers learn about new features or templates and is an all-round friendly, charming Mii. If her regular visits aren't enough, you can now...
Review Ace Combat: Assault Horizon Legacy (3DS)
Nintendo finally lands its true Ace Combat title
When it comes to the long running Ace Combat series, Nintendo’s been stuck in the hangar bay with only the forgettable Ace Combat Advance releasing on GBA. For all those who’ve missed out on the excellent aerial dog fight action all these years, this disservice has finally ended with Ace Combat:...
Review Bionic Commando (3DS eShop / GB)
Don’t mean a thing if you ain’t got that swing
If there’s one sacred cow in the entire platforming genre, it’s jumping. According to our highly scientific calculations, there are one hojillion sidescrollers that rely on hopping all about to climb, collect and kill. Capcom’s Bionic Commando series has plenty of climbing, collecting and...
Nintendo Download 5th January 2012 (Europe)
Hit the Pits
If you've registered two qualifying games in Club Nintendo, you can download a free game this week; if not, you'll have to choose from one of the other titles on offer in the first digital drop of the New Year. 3DS Download Software: 3D Classics: Kid Icarus (Nintendo, free to qualifying users) — You can only get 3D Classics: Kid...
News Millions of Wii Games Pirated in 2011
Mario left all at sea
The Wii may be in its twilight years, but a large number of its retail titles are still being being downloaded and played illegally. Website TorrentFreak compiled figures of downloads in 2011 from a number of sources and trackers, providing results for three major formats, though these are estimates rather than official...
News 3DS Hits 4 Million Console Sales in United States
Software set records too
With 2011 now a long and distant memory, Nintendo has set about spreading the word of its successful 12 months. The big headline is the Nintendo 3DS reaching four million sales across the United States since its launch on 27th March. According to Nintendo, the 3DS has sold more in its first nine months than Wii did. Not only...
News Icon Games Breaks WiiWare Sales Figures Silence
Dev speaks out
All developers who sign up to work on Nintendo's download services have to sign a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) that forbids them from discussing sales numbers for their own games, among other things. However, British studio Icon Games has revealed sales figures for its WiiWare titles. The company's biggest-seller is Family Games,...
Rumour Wii U and 3DS to Get E-Reader Capabilities
Don't read too much into it
Nintendo showed off the Wii U's new controller reading the web, but surely it's got far greater potential when it comes to giving you something to read. According to Forget the Box, Nintendo is prepping full-on e-reader software for its new console. The site's anonymous developer source claims Nintendo is getting ready to...
News Three New Stages for Pyramids Available Now
QR codes ahoy
3DS Download Software Pyramids might not be setting the charts alight, but those who took a chance on its chunky charms will be pleased to find three new stages for the game available below. Here's how you use the codes: Launch Pyramids On the title's front screen, select 'QR CODE' The top screen will show nine level slots, under a...
Charts 3rd January 2012 (North America)
The results are in
It's Tuesday and that means it's North American 3DS eShop time. Read on to find out what's been most popular across the country in recent times. denotes last week's position. indicates game is a new entry. indicates a non-mover. Popular Last Week — All Downloads: In a surprising turn, excellent puzzler Pushmo has overtaken...
News Skyward Sword is Wii's 45th Million Seller in U.S.
Latest in a long line
The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword has sold over 1 million copies in the United States since its release on 20th November, Nintendo of America has announced. Link's airborne adventure sold 535,000 copies in its first eight days on sale to become the fastest-selling Zelda game ever, and has since reached the major milestone of...
News Japanese Virtual Console List - January 2012
Ringing in the new year
Nintendo of Japan continues to deliver the goods, with three more games slated for release on the Wii Virtual Console this month. Will we see any release in the west at all? The full list for Japan this month is as follows: Famicom: Ganbare Goemon 2 — The second game in the classic series (not counting its arcade origins),...
News Metal Gear Solid-Themed 3DS Teased
Slithers into view
Metal Gear Solid: Snake Eater 3D has been a long time coming, but series creator Hideo Kojima has taken to Twitter to tease details about the stealthy title. His latest revelation, as reported by Andriasang, is that there will be a Metal Gear Solid-themed 3DS system released as part of a bundle. A release date of 8th March has...
Monday2nd Jan 2012
News There's a Swapnote RPG Waiting to be Played
This is awesome
The Swapnote app on the 3DS not only allows friends to send each other messages, but is also a breeding ground for creative ideas. One of the most innovative uses of the software so far is from a game design student called Ben Gray, who has devised an old-school Dungeons and Dragons-style RPG. It may sound complicated, but the video...
Near perfect fit
We all know that there is an over-abundance of puzzle games available on the DSiWare service. We also know that there are quite a few DSi and WiiWare games that were originally released as apps on the various mobile services. Miraculously, Doodle Fit is one of those rare games that comes from both of these categories, yet still...
Feature Nintendo in 2011 - Part One
An important year begins
It’s now 2012, which promises to be an eventful year for Nintendo. We’ll be giving our thoughts soon on what to expect in the coming year, but it's now time to look back at a dramatic 2011. There were plenty of major headlines and game releases, and we’ll pinpoint some of the key moments that defined the year. We'll...
News The Binding of Isaac Seeking Approval from Nintendo
Team Meat tries again
As you may recall, the rather terrific Super Meat Boy from developers Team Meat never made it to WiiWare as originally planned. Despite a lot of anticipation and hype, the file size limitation on the service was too restrictive, and plans for a retail release fell through. There is hope for Nintendo gamers, however, with The...
Sunday1st Jan 2012
Shoots too narrow
On the Wii Shop Channel, EnjoyUp! Games describes Soccer Up! as being "a funny soccer game." We're willing to bet you and EnjoyUp! Games have different senses of humour. But we're also willing to bet you have different definitions of "total control," "inertia" and "soccer." Indeed, much of...
Review Nintendo Letter Box (3DSWare)
A note to remember
Until mid-December, the only online communication built into the 3DS was a 16-character status message on your friends list. Even by Nintendo standards, that's extremely constrictive. Now we all have the chance to download Nintendo Letter Box — aka Swapnote — for free. The first thing to note about Nintendo Letter Box is it is...
Review Chronicles of Vampires: Origins (DSiWare)
Not so original
If we made a list of things that we've seen just a little too much of in recent years, vampires and hidden object games would sit somewhere near the top. If that weren't enough to temper our excitement over Chronicles of Vampires: Origins, it happens to have one of the clumsiest titles we've read in recent memory (maybe because The...
Happy New Year edition
It's the first chart of 2012 and a watermark for the coming year. One day we'll look back at this chart and laugh — were we ever so young? — but for now let's see what we all bought at the end of 2011. denotes last week's position. indicates game is a new entry. indicates a non-mover. Popular Last Week — All...
News Happy New Year from Nintendo Life!
Here's to 2012
It's the very first day of 2012, and we want to take this opportunity to wish you all a very happy New Year. 2011 was our best year yet — we were featured in the 3DS eShop, teamed up with Eurogamer and even won a Mario Kart 7 medal — but we wouldn't be able to do any of this without the support of a great number of people
