News File Sizes Revealed For 3DS eShop Retail Downloads
Better stock up on those SD cards, this could get ugly
News - October, 2012
Wednesday31st Oct 2012
News Sin And Punishment Developer Treasure Working On 3DS Exclusive
3D action shooter inbound
Veteran studio Treasure - the team behind the amazing Sin and Punishment: Star Successor - has confirmed that it is working on a 3DS exclusive. Speaking to UK magazine gamesTM, Treasure CEO Masato Maegawa revealed the exciting news: We are making a new game on Nintendo 3DS now. Not multiplatform, but exclusive to 3DS...
Competition Nintendo Offering Real Gold To The Top New Super Mario Bros. 2 Coin Collector
Real gold, you say?
The crazy fellows over at Nintendo Germany are offering a solid gold coin — worth about €220 — to the country's gamer that's collected the most coins in New Super Mario Bros. 2 by 31st December 2012. It began with a small campaign, in which those that surpassed the one million mark and provided evidence would be awarded...
News Wii U Digital Promotion Giving You More Bang For Your Buck
Nintendo delves deeper into its Deluxe Set promotion
We already knew that Nintendo had mentioned a digital promotion for those who purchased the Wii U Deluxe Bundle - buyers of said bundle who purchase a game from the Nintendo eShop will receive 10% of their value back in the form of points. This in turn allows users to purchase more content from...
Feature Spooky Levels For Surprising Frights
Sneaking up behind you
The night is finally here, when legend tells of witches, ghosts and ghouls terrorising the people of the world for, well, some reason. It seems a little pointless to learn about the origins of Halloween as it's basically a cheap costume candy-fest, and that's just fine. Grown ups often spend the night watching grisly horror...
News Hori Set To Release Wii U Arcade Stick At Launch
Fight 'em up arcade style
For all you fighting fanatics out there, Hori is going to release a Tekken Tag Tournament 2: Wii U Edition fight stick this December, alongside the Wii U launch in Japan. To use the stick it'll need to be plugged into a Wii Remote, simply like you would use a Classic Controller; it'll set you back ¥7980 (approximately...
News Castlevania: Mirror of Fate 3DS Trailer Appears Just In Time For Halloween
Whip-cracking fun
It's all about the timing. Konami has released a new trailer for its forthcoming 3DS adventure Castlevania: Lords of Shadow - Mirror of Fate - and guess what? Today is Halloween. What a spooky coincidence. The new trailer showcases the game's combination of whip-based action and platform exploration, and long-time fans of the...
News Assassin's Creed III on Wii U Will Feature All DLC
No mention of micro-transactions, yet
With a big-budget release on the scale of Assassin's Creed III, you can be confident that one thing will definitely make an appearance — DLC. With Wii U set to support extensive online options only rarely utilised on Wii, we'll need to get used to the idea that sometimes the game in the box won't be the final...
News The Famicom's Biggest Rival Is 25 Years Old
NEC's groundbreaking PC Engine comes of age
It makes us feel very old to say it, but NEC's popular 8-bit PC Engine console turned 25 yesterday. Better known in the US as the TurboGrafx-16, the system launched in Japan on October 30th, 1987 (yes, we know we're a day late with this) - a time when the Famicom was enjoying a period of total and utter...
Podcast NLFM Episode 23: Revenge of the Halloween Hootenanny
Best served as cold as a corpse
Grab your bluntest instruments and aim for the head because NLFM has risen from its grave for the third annual Halloween Hootenanny! More spooky, more sinister and more deathly, this episode is best listened to in a dark castle dungeon while eating raw pumpkins. Failing that, anywhere else will do. 1. Masanao...
News Pitchford: Wii U GamePad is Nintendo's "Best Controller" for Hardcore Games
GamePad link is "direct, fast and immediate"
Aliens: Colonial Marines, from Gearbox Software, is a high-profile multi-platform title on the list of those making their way to Wii U, with confirmation that it's due in the "launch window" — up to 31st March — which means that it may hit Nintendo's console around the same time as its February...
News SiNG Party Will Test Your Vocal Chords This January
Tell the neighbours to buy some earplugs...
Are you ready to play one of the highest-profile party games for Wii U? We hope so, as Nintendo has announced that SiNG Party will be hitting European shelves on 18th January 2013. Developed by FreeStyleGames, details have been provided on various modes such as Party Mode, Sing Mode, Team Mode and Practice...
News Wii U Set To Embark On Nationwide Tour Of Australia
Party Down Under
Live in Australia? Didn't get to go to the EB Expo to play the Wii U earlier this year? Fear not, as Nintendo might be heading your way soon with some of the new consoles in tow. From the 5th of November, Wii U Experience Stores will be opened temporarily around Australia. Nintendo is currently advertising that Nintendo Land and...
Tuesday30th Oct 2012
News New Super Mario Bros. U Nabbit Chase Stages Revealed
Dang nabbit!
With launch less than three weeks away for lucky North American gamers, Nintendo has revealed some details for New Super Mario Bros. U. Some are well known and have previously come to light through magazine previews and other sources, such as the fact that the World Map will have a number of routes and secret exits — similar in...
Nintendo Download 1st November 2012 (Europe)
Monsters, samurai, spaceships and dragons
It's that time again when we cross our fingers and hope for some downloadable treats from Nintendo, hoping against hope that we aren't subjected to tricks instead. This week is a mixed bag, with promising, awful and mystery downloads available across all platforms, so let's get to it. 3DS Download: Monster...
News These Video Game Pumpkins Are Ghoulishly Effective
Carving out a niche
There's a definite skill to carving the perfect pumpkin, but in order to make sure yours stands out from the crowd this Halloween, it's always a good idea to have some solid inspiration - and what better medium to turn to than video games? The pumpkins shown here are some of the best examples we found online, and successfully...
Review Mighty Bomb Jack (3DS eShop / NES)
Not so mighty
The original Bomb Jack was an addictive little arcade game in which the objective was to collect all the bombs in each level while avoiding enemies. Sounds like a simple concept - and it was. For the NES, though, Tecmo decided to make a sequel with a bit of an adventure game element to it. The bomb rooms from the original game are...
News Dragon Quest VII Set to Venture Onto 3DS
If in doubt, release a re-make
While Dragon Quest X for Wii U was shown off recently during a Japanese Nintendo Direct broadcast — though it's already been released on Wii in the Land of the Rising Sun — Square Enix hasn't yet finished re-releasing earlier entries in the series. According to JUMP magazine, at least. A scanned page from the...
Movie Review Professor Layton and the Eternal Diva
A true gentleman never disappoints his fans
Puzzle 001: How do you adapt a best-selling puzzle series for the big screen? The answer? Bring the puzzles along for the ride. For most movies, shoehorning in memorable gameplay elements hasn't always worked out as planned — the first-person shooting segment from Doom was lampooned by many viewers, and...
News Iwata: We Must Make Smart Devices Our Allies, Not Our Enemies
Nintendo President addresses the rise of mobile in recent investor Q&A
Nintendo President and CEO Satoru Iwata has spoken during an investor Q&A this week about the challenges Nintendo faces with mobile gaming on the rise. Iwata noted that devices like tablets and smartphones shouldn't be compared with traditional systems, as dedicated gaming...
News Wii U Comparison Video Shows How It Sizes Up Against Other Nintendo Hardware
Size isn't everything
ONM has created a video which gives viewers a further insight into the Wii U's exciting new features and how it compares in size to other Nintendo systems. As you can see in the video below, the Wii U isn't that much bigger than the Wii, so hopefully you won't need to adjust your current home setup too much. Are you...
News Nintendo Is Holding Back Wii U Titles To Maintain Momentum Into 2013
"We realize the biggest challenge is to make sure that Wii U sells well even in the next year"
Talking in an investor's Q&A, Nintendo President and CEO Satoru Iwata has revealed that the company has intentionally held back certain Wii U launch titles to ensure that sales remain robust well into 2013. He said: If you look at how pre-orders are...
News Project X Zone Struggles At Japanese Retail
Crossover RPG limps to 100,000 copies
Namco Bandai's much-hyped tactical RPG Project X Zone isn't performing as well as expected in its native Japan, with just 12,450 sold during the week of Monday 15th October. That brings the game's total sales to 97,989 units since its launch a week before. In contrast, Bravely Default: Flying Fairy has managed...
News Elminage Gothic Is Dungeon Crawling To The Nintendo 3DS
Remixed and renewed
Starfish's dungeon crawler Elminage Gothic is coming to the 3DS in 2013. A remix of the PSP edition, the developer hasn't yet said how this new version will differ from the original. It's not the first time the series has graced a Nintendo portable - Elminage DS Remix came out a while back in Japan, and was an update of a...
News Super Punch Out!!! Goes For a Club Nintendo Knockout
150 coins to get into the bout
Another week, another North American Club Nintendo treat to share with you. This time around there's classic SNES action to enjoy on Wii, with Super Punch Out!!! available until 14th November and stepping up for 150 of your gold coins. To say that Little Mac's 16-bit appearance is iconic is probably an understatement,...
News Ostrich Island Could Be Making Its Way To Wii U
The game we've all been waiting for...
MeDungeon Games has revealed that it has plans to bring Ostrich Island to the Wii U eShop. The game is already in the works for Windows, Mac, and Linux, but may make its way to Wii U should its current crowd-funding initiative prove successful. It's described as a mix between an adventure game and a...
Rumour Splinter Cell: Blacklist Sneaking Onto Wii U
The pre-E3 rumour returns, courtesy of GameStop
Just before L.A.'s E3 extravaganza this year, rumours emerged that Splinter Cell: Blacklist was coming to Wii U, yet Ubisoft's press conference passed without any mention of the multi-platform release arriving on Nintendo's new system. Whether fans would have been particularly disappointed depends on...
News Nintendo Direct Broadcasts Attracting Around One Million Viewers
Videos proving popular with both core and casual players
The investor Q&A Nintendo held recently is throwing up all kinds of interesting stories. We already know that Nintendo President Satoru Iwata is warming to the idea of smartphones and has intentionally held back Wii U launch titles, and we now have some illuminating figures relating to the...
Competition The Race To Be Australia's Fastest Mario Kart 7 Family Is On
Get ready
Think you've got what it takes to become the fastest Mario Kart 7 family across Australia? If the answer is yes then start your engines, as Nintendo is on a mission to find those who can prove they are the very best on the racetrack. There are some truly excellent prizes to be won: a Nintendo 3DS™ XL console signed by Charles Martinet,...
Monday29th Oct 2012
Review Ghosts 'n Goblins (3DS eShop / NES)
A Halloween greeting from Satan himself
Capcom couldn't have picked a better time to release Ghosts 'n Goblins onto the 3DS Virtual Console. It's Halloween, after all, and this is one of the most classic spooky games there is. The real question is how well it holds up today, and that's one we're happy to answer: quite well, actually. Despite the...
News Animal Crossing: New Leaf Will Not Have "Unwholesome" Paid DLC
No 99 cent purchases from Tom Nook, then
Nintendo's spent a fair bit of time and effort this year taking steps forward in its download business on 3DS, with one notable area being in-game paid DLC. It's not as if extra add-on content is entirely new for the big N in 2012, but its profile undoubtedly increased with Theatrhythm: Final Fantasy and...
News Mario Clone Super Maria Land Jumps Onto Android
Great artists steal?
Smartphone-based clones of popular games are everywhere these days, but this latest effort really is unashamedly blatant. Super Maria Land - which proudly proclaims itself as a 'Mario Clone' on its official Google Play store listing is a port of a web-based Flash title for Google's popular Android platform. It's clearly a...
News Assassin's Creed III Micro-Transactions Sneak Into View
Wii U inclusion yet to be confirmed
Assassin's Creed III is one of the most high-profile multi-platform titles that'll be on store shelves for Wii U's launch. Nintendo gamers can look forward to a number of blockbuster hits that never saw the light of day on Wii, but at the same time these games may introduce one less-popular part of modern gaming:...
News n-Space Not Happy With Heroes Of Ruin Sales Figures
Sales were ruined
n-Space co-founder Dan O'Leary has admitted that sales for Heroes of Ruin on the Nintendo 3DS have been very disappointing. The game was released for Europe in June and for North America in July, but the dungeon-crawler didn't captivate the hearts of many. We’re not satisfied with the sales. The 3DS attach rate is…...
News French Firm Recycles SNES Consoles With a Unique Twist
What once was old is new again
We've got a saying here at Nintendo Life Towers: Old consoles don't die, they just go into storage. It's heartening to discover that French firm Lëkki feels the same way; the company is focused on taking existing retro hardware and making it new again with a fresh lick of paint - and we mean that literally. Lëkki...
Feature Halloween Scares on Wii
The cute little console's horrors
The scariest night of the year is now only two days away, a horrifying evening when strange children knock at the door and refuse to leave without a toll of sweets and candy. If you don't hand some tooth-rotting treats over, then you could find out what tricks they have up their sleeve; that's not always a smart...
News Hurricane Sandy Forces Isaiah Triforce Johnson To Abandon Queue For Wii U
Mother Nature takes no heed of hardware launch hype
We reported a few days ago that Isaiah Triforce Johnson was already queuing for his Wii U outside the Nintendo World Store in New York City, almost a month before the system was due to be released. Sadly, Johnson has had to abandon his vigil due to the incoming threat of Hurricane Sandy, which is...
First Impressions Ed Boon's Injustice: Gods Among Us Lays The Smackdown
Superhuman potential
Recently we were lucky enough to attend a demonstration of NetherRealm Studio's upcoming DC Comics fighting game, Injustice: Gods Among Us, by Mortal Kombat creator himself, Ed Boon. Boon started the presentation by stating that because he had been making Mortal Kombat games for so long, he felt it was time to try something...
News Watch the Translated GameCenter CX vs. Iwata Asks Segment Right Here
Fresh from Japan
If you watched last week's Japanese Nintendo Direct presentation you'll know that at the end there was a special GameCenter CX segment featuring none other than Nintendo President Satoru Iwata. For those of you that don't know, GameCenter CX (known in the west as Retro Game Master) is a TV show starring Shinya Arino, who plays...
News Nintendo Considering Wii U TVii For Europe and Japan
Details possible "in the not-so-distant future"
While Nintendo of America's Wii U release date reveal featured a substantial section outlining TVii, the app that promises to give intuitive extra functionality to existing TV services, the equivalent European and Japanese Nintendo Direct broadcasts focused almost exclusively on games. The simple...
News Professor Layton Puzzles His Way To Seventh Place in UK Charts
Anything but puzzling
According to UKIE's video games chart information for last week, Professor Layton and the Miracle Mask has debuted in seventh place in the UK. The game, which is the fifth title in the beloved Professor Layton series, was released last Friday (26th October) in Europe, and has been warmly received by critics. While seventh...
News Australian Connection Ambassador Promotion Ends 21st November
Connect those friends, fast
You may or may not remember the Connection Ambassador program that Nintendo started three years ago. For those catching up, it granted those who could get ten friends to connect their Wii to the internet the ability to download every NES game from the Virtual Console for the grand price of absolutely nothing. Nintendo...
Sunday28th Oct 2012
News Burger King Reveals Wii U Promotional Toys
Lots of burgers to get them all
Burger King has revealed its latest batch of children's toys in the form of famous Nintendo characters, alongside its promotional Wii U giveaway. We were aware that the fast food chain was scheduled to include Wii U toys in its kid's meals across the US, but no idea was given as to when these would arrive. Earlier...
Feature The Nintendo Life Crypt of Downloadable Horrors
Great for scares
It's Halloween: a time for ghosts and goblins, a time for tricks and treats, and a time for monsters and mashing. But mainly it's a time for good, solid scares. Horror movies run on every channel, children dress as demons and beasts, and macabre decorations taunt us with our own mortality. We get chills just thinking about it. But...
News Jump Trials Hops Onto North American DSiWare Soon
Run and jump!
When it comes to running and jumping, Nintendo systems seem to be the most appropriate place to go. If you enjoyed budget DSiWare title GO Series: 10 Second Run, meanwhile, then you may be interested in Jump Trials from Japanese publisher G-Style. On the way to North American DSiWare soon, Jump Trials is a localisation of Shunkan Jump...
Saturday27th Oct 2012
News Insider Reports Suggest That Focus On Eternal Darkness 2 Has Crippled Silicon Knights
Less than five staffers remain
After the critical disaster that was X-Men Destiny, things were looking pretty bleak for developer Silicon Knights. However, a recent report by Kotaku — based on interviews with former staff members — reveals just how bad things have become. The studio is believed to have less than five employees, including company...
News Need for Speed: Most Wanted Racing Onto Wii U in 2013
EA gives confirmation
As part of Nintendo's financial briefing earlier this week there was a display of a number of third-party titles in the works for Wii U, one of which was Need for Speed: Most Wanted. EA's juggernaut racing series makes its latest appearance on Xbox 360, PS3 and Vita in just a few days, but the Wii U version is currently slated...
News Miiverse To Be Detailed In An Upcoming Nintendo Direct
"Sometime" before launch
Nintendo has been worryingly quiet on what the Wii U dashboard and online functionality might entail on its new console. One thing we do know is that it plans to have a "social network" style presence with Miiverse, a place where gamers can see what games one another is playing and help each other progress through particular...
Feature Nintendo Life's Quirky Wii Memories
We all have them
With its successor around the corner and a six year anniversary just a few weeks away, we've shown some love for Wii this week. Despite its modest graphical power and SD output, it's outsold its rivals, made motion gaming a mainstream pastime and given us some terrific games. We've already looked back at six years of Wii and listed...
News Two Brothers Making Its Way To The Wii U eShop
One to watch?
Indie developers Ackkstudios got the approval to be a Wii U developer this week, and has announced that its first project is to port over Two Brothers to the Wii U eShop next year. The game is inspired by 8-bit action RPGs and GameBoy games, with the aim of combining modern gaming concepts and a classic feel to bring about a unique...
News How Did Nintendo Do At This Year's Golden Joystick Awards?
Not so good, to be honest...
The 30th hmv GamesMaster Golden Joystick Awards were held yesterday afternoon in London; with over four million votes cast, eighteen awards presented and a fountain of tears shed. This year, Nintendo had eleven games nominated across seven categories, but unfortunately failed to secure any awards. The Elder Scrolls V:...
Friday26th Oct 2012
News Tekken Tag Tournament 2 Wii U Download Will Be Cheaper Than Retail
But will come with a hefty file size
Namco Bandai is set to make the Wii U version of Tekken Tag Tournament 2 available both physically and digitally on launch day in Japan, according to a report on Siliconera. However, the game will be cheaper if you decide to download it from the Wii U eShop. In stores, the fighter will set gamers back 6,980 Yen,...
News Charizard 3DS XL Blasting Its Way To Japan
A thing of beauty
The Pokémon Company released a special Pikachu themed 3DS XL last month in Japan; now it has another similar Pokémon-themed 3DS XL coming soon, this one featuring Charizard. You're going to need a Masterball to catch this one, as it won't be so easy to obtain. Between 3rd November and 26th November, at Pokémon Center shops...
News Prize Awarded To Brave Knight Who Completed Ghosts 'n Goblins On 3DS
Capcom gave a Halloween challenge
Capcom's Ghosts 'n Goblins hits the North American 3DS eShop this week, and it's sure to have many gamers throwing their consoles at walls in disgust - not because it's a bad game (far from it) but because it's harder than Arnold Schwarzenegger in a suit of titanium armour. So legendary is this game's toughness...
News Check Out These Interesting Sonic Facts
Now that he's pals with Mario
In the past months we've shared some videos from the Did You Know Gaming YouTube channel, which takes well-known and loved franchises and digs out some interesting facts and quirks for us to enjoy. These typically involve buried lines of code that reveal abandoned development ideas, or just snippets of information about...
News 3DS eShop Title The Denpa Men 2 Is Coming To The West
Skin tight delight
The Denpa Men: They Came By Wave developer Genius Sonority has confirmed that the Japanese sequel will be localised for western markets. Speaking to Siliconera before the recent release of The Denpa Men 2 in Japan, Genius Sonority president Manabu Yamana revealed the good news: Yes, we are releasing Denpa Men 2 on the Japanese...
News Paper Mario, Fire Emblem and Rayman Legends Get New Trailers
Now with 100% more Lums, goats, and arrows!
Yesterday, Nintendo of America broadcasted a new Nintendo Direct, which focused specifically on upcoming 3DS titles and software. We already posted the brand new trailer to the newly-named Animal Crossing: New Leaf, but Nintendo also released fresh trailers for
Talking Point The Challenges When Writing About Games
Harder than it sounds
Various members of the Nintendo Life writing team will have seen one major issue clogging up their Twitter timelines in the past 24 hours, and it revolved around questions at the forefront of what we do: writing about video games. Video game writers often debate the whole practice of what you see on this site and many others,...
News GameStop Kids Store Launches, 80 More Planned
Mario and Pokémon plushes a-hoy!
Are you tired of going into a video game store and seeing M-rated games covering the shelves, with rows and rows of box covers full of guns and snarling faces? Help is at hand, if you live in the U.S. near Grapevine Mills Mall in TX, as there's a new GameStop Kids store in town. The first of a new range of 80 stores...
News Pokémon Comic Gives You Even More Black & White 2
Patience with those page turns, young Trainer
Pokémon Black and White 2 has now been in Western stores for a couple of weeks, and we have little doubt that quite a few of you are still building super effective teams at this very moment. Many of you are undoubtedly veterans of the Pokémon scene and know the intricacies and tricks of the game, but...
News New 3DS Sizzle Reels Show Their Wares
Upbeat music included
After yesterday's Nintendo Direct broadcast, we've seen a gradual release of trailers to show some of the biggest titles on the way. We've already enjoyed juicy footage from some prominent retail games, but we reckon that plenty of people still enjoy some good old-fashioned sizzle reels. Sometimes one game per trailer isn't...
News Ninja Gaiden 3 Wii U Confirmed for January 2013 Release In Europe
Exclusive features detailed
Nintendo Europe has confirmed that Ninja Gaiden 3: Razor's Edge will launch on January 11th 2013. The blood-soaked action title comes to Europe almost two months after it sees release in North America. The street date in that region is November 18th - Wii U launch day. Here's the list of exclusive Wii U features, ripped...
Thursday25th Oct 2012
Nintendo Download 25th October 2012 (North America)
Liberation, a NightSky, puzzles, free extras and plenty of monsters
The Nintendo Download update has had some good weeks in recent times, and following today's Nintendo Direct we finally have the information on today's offerings; it looks like this is another one that'll have something for everyone. With DLC, a demo, a retail release and a number of...
News Nintendo Reveals Its Version of iTunes For 3DS
Music to our ears
Nintendo has unveiled a new partnership with RecoChoku today during its Japanese Nintendo Direct which finally brings a music store to the 3DS console. The service is scheduled to begin this December in Japan, and looks set to be Nintendo's take on iTunes for your 3DS. RecoChoku has one million songs in its catalogue and 3DS users...
News Nintendo Direct October 2012: Watch The North American Presentation Live
Tune in
Nintendo of American is holding a Nintendo Direct presentation today at 7AM PT. You can watch the live feed right here. The video is expected to last around 30 minutes. Expect news relating to new 3DS titles, with a look at what the system has in store for 2013.
News Animal Crossing: New Leaf Turns Over Some New Footage
Prepare to spend a lot of time on 3DS
As part of today's Nintendo Direct broadcast, it was confirmed that the new Animal Crossing title due to arrive on 3DS next year will be called Animal Crossing: New Leaf. It seems like an apt title as the new entry will, of course, introduce new features and mayoral duties. There was a decent amount of new...
News Nintendo Releases Updated Global Release Schedule
Time to mark your calenders!
Nintendo has published an updated release schedule for all its big upcoming Wii U and 3DS games. Back in August, Luigi's Mansion 2 was listed for a 2013 release back in August but now we have a more definite release window for the spooky sequel. It's also good to see that Brain Age: Concentration Training is definitely...
Nintendo Direct Watch The Japanese Presentation Live
Live analysis provided at no additional cost
Nintendo of Japan will host a new Nintendo Direct presentation today at 8PM JST (around 4AM PST for North American readers, and 12PM BST for those of you in UK). The presentation is expected to focus on both the Wii U and 3DS, and will last around an hour. It will be followed by a selection of trailers...
News Nintendo Confirms Wii U Will Be Sold At A Loss
Still think it's expensive?
Nintendo confirmed during its second quarter financial results briefing that Wii U will be sold at a loss. This may come as a slight shock to some considering Wii U is launching at a relatively high price, and suggests Nintendo won't be in a position to change the pricing for some time. We can't imagine what cost it would...
News Wii U Stock Shortage Reports Surface in UK
Everyone stay calm
Although there are a fair share of nay-sayers and doubters surrounding Wii U and its long term prospects for success, there seems to be little doubt that it'll have a strong launch. Pre-orders are sold out at various retailers in the US, for example, while GAME told us a month ago that UK pre-orders are exceeding expectations. The...
News Classic NES RPG Shadowgate Getting a Remake
Creator Dave Marsh announces Kickstarter campaign
Dave Marsh, the creator of classic point-and-click adventure game Shadowgate, has announced that his company is currently working on a remake for PC, Mac and mobile devices. A Kickstarter campaign will launch tomorrow (Friday 26th October) in order to raise the funds needed to develop the game...
News Nintendo Download Sales Increase With 3DS
Online connectivity rate also on the rise
With plenty of information coming out of Nintendo's recent financial results and briefings, one particularly positive outcome is confirmation that the company's download sales are increasing for the first time since 2010. Considering the fact that Wii and DSi are on the decline due to newer systems, the...
News Pachter Pours Scorn Over Wii U Sales Projections
"Disappointing and unrealistic"
Whenever there are Nintendo-related sales figures to be discussed and dissected, you can almost guarantee that games industry analyst Michael Pachter will have some wisdom to impart. Nintendo recently proclaimed that it intended to shift 5.5 million Wii U consoles before April 2013, along with 24 million units of...
News Liberation Maiden Bringing the Fight to North America Right Now
Reggie brings the good news
Announced in today's Nintendo Direct broadcast, SUDA51's Liberation Maiden is now available in the 3DS eShop. This title arrived in Europe after a similar broadcast earlier this month, bringing its brand of shooting action and quirky storyline to the handheld. As expected, this is part of the plan to release three of the...
News Monster Hunter 4 Screenshots Stomp Into View
Monster mash
To neatly complement this morning's news regarding the European release of Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate, here's a large helping of Monster Hunter 4 goodness in the form of 24 entirely fresh screenshots, issued by those lovely folks at Capcom Japan. The 3DS exclusive is due to launch in Japan in March next year, with a western release...
News Two New Super Mario Bros. 2 DLC Level Packs For Japan Today
The Coin Rush lives on
Two New Super Mario Bros. 2 DLC level packs will be available in Japan today after being announced during the Nintendo Direct broadcast. Both packs will be sold for 200 Yen. The first set of levels is known as the Gold Mushroom pack and will see the player collect valuable - wait for it - Gold Mushrooms. The second Challenge...
News North American Nintendo Direct To Air on 25th October
Come and spend some time with Reggie
It might be a little late for the announcement, but Nintendo of America has announced a new Nintendo Direct broadcast, which is set to air tomorrow at 7am Pacific / 9am Central / 10am Eastern / 3pm British Standard and 4pm Central European time. As posted on its Facebook page, the stream will focus on upcoming...
News Capcom And Nintendo Teaming Up To Bring Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate To Europe
Nintendo remains hands-on with new distribution deal
Nintendo and Capcom have today confirmed that they are entering into a deal to bring the Wii U and 3DS versions of Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate to European shores. Continuing the arrangement that has so far covered a wide range of Capcom titles - including Resident Evil: Revelations,
Wednesday24th Oct 2012
Feature Nintendo Life's Top 20 Wii Games
The best of Wii
Yesterday we brought you a retrospective for six years of Wii, as we prepare for the not-too-distant future when the system will become Nintendo's "last generation" console. It's an emotional time, to be sure, and nothing touches raw and frayed nerves quite like a top 20 games list. With most of the likely candidates already in...
Review Gradius (3DS eShop / NES)
Dated, but legendary
To say that the original Gradius was influential on the evolution of the side-scrolling shoot 'em up would be a gross understatement. When the game hit arcades in 1985 it was lauded for its amazing level designs and simple, yet wildly playable, power-up system. This NES release was one of the first home ports of the game and has...
Dungeon crawler
18th Gate is not a game for the easily bored. It's a fairly basic strategy RPG that has you edging through – yes – 18 dungeons to the magical portal gates at the end, with the caveat that you only have a limited number of turns to escape from each maze. Each turn can be an attack, a spell or a single step to an adjacent hexagonal...
News Wii U Branded Remotes Feature External Sync Button
Nintendo's making sure everyone's in sync
Impatient gamers rejoice! Nintendo Connect has discovered that Wii U-branded remotes will sport a handy, external sync button. As a result, players will no longer be required to remove the remote's battery cover in order to sync it with their console. Located on the underside of the remote, this surprise...
Talking Point The Message in "I'm Not a Gamer" Commercials
Word-play, or hiding from being a gamer?
A little over a month ago we mentioned a new series of commercials that Nintendo was planning to run, which it described as the "Play As You Are" campaign. The goal of these adverts was to show "how all kinds of women and young girls can explore their interests and express their individuality using the...
News Capcom Shares Revelations on Wii U's Resident Evil Potential
Not necessarily Resident Evil 6
With Wii U about to arrive we've seen a decent level of third-party support in the launch window release schedule, though plenty of big-name multi-platform releases and franchises are missing. One of these is Resident Evil 6, even prompting us to refer to it as a game that needs Wii U. It's not the most loved title in...
News Become a Superstar with WWE '13's Box Art Creator
You're a Superstar
Ever wondered what you'd look like on a video game box? Ponder no more; THQ has you covered with a custom box art creator to coincide with the release of wrassle-'em-up WWE '13. The "Be on the Cover" application on the WWE Games Facebook page lets you take a photo from your existing Facebook gallery or a webcam and save it as...
Review Puzzler World XL (DSiWare)
My God, it's full of puzzles
Based on a popular brand of pencil-and-paper puzzle collections, Puzzler World XL is the latest release from developer Ideas Pad. It doesn't stray far from its digital cousins or its analogue ancestors, but fans of classic puzzles will find an excellent companion in this expansive, well-rounded package. First and...
News Nintendo Power Reader Pays Tribute With a Painting
Expresses his love through art
Bry Sharland, a dedicated reader of Nintendo Power since he was 4 years old, has painted an incredible image as a tribute to Nintendo Power magazine, which includes Nintendo's most popular characters; Mario, Zelda, Samus, plus many more notable icons. Bry has been working on this artwork since August while being...
News River City Ransom 2 On Hold Indefinitely
WiiWare release wasn't worth saving
River City Ransom 2 was announced for WiiWare and PC over a year ago, and was slated for release in 2012. Developer Miracle Kidz, however, has now confirmed via Twitter that this on hold indefinitely; this means it may never see the light of day at all. The developer has said that it will continue to focus on...
News Nintendo Issues a Statement on Its Foxconn Under-Age Workers Investigation
Confirms violation and further on-site inspections
Last week there was some unpleasant news that Nintendo was forced to confront, with the revelations that manufacturing partner Foxconn employed under-age interns to manufacture Wii U. Foxconn accepted responsibility and admitted that under-age employees had been hired and subsequently released,...
News Nintendo Reveals New Wii Bundles For The Holiday Season
Wii still going strong?
Nintendo has revealed a pair of new Wii bundles which will be available from 4th November across North America. The Just Dance 4 option retails for $129.99, and includes a copy of the game alongside a white Wii with matching Wii Remote Plus and Nunchuk. The Skylanders Giants bundle sells for $149.99. and will include the...
News Nintendo Cuts Profit Projections After Half-Year Results
Losses continue to fall despite weaker than expected 3DS sales
Despite all of the hype and excitement currently around Nintendo and the upcoming launch of Wii U, in addition to its efforts to improve its download platforms and more, the company's been working against a backdrop of difficult financial results. Earlier this year Nintendo had to report...
News Nintendo Targets 5.5 Million Wii U Sales This Financial Year
All before April
Earlier today we brought you the news that Nintendo had cut its profit projections due to half-year results, with the overall picture being one of disappointment if not disaster. One of the reasons for this was lower than expected 3DS sales, with six months worth of results showing around five million unit sales, leaving Nintendo...
News Penélope Cruz Has the Answer in Professor Layton Advert
Cruz control
Movie star, Oscar winner and one-time moustache-wearer Penélope Cruz has returned for another stint at Nintendo advertising, this time turning her considerable talents to Professor Layton and the Miracle Mask. During a break in filming, Ms Cruz and her sister Monica are playing the latest entry in Level 5's puzzle series. Penélope...
News Sonic The Hedgehog 2 Running Onto The Japanese eShop
Game Gear returns
The Game Gear version of Sonic The Hedgehog 2 is coming to the Japanese 3DS Virtual Console next week. It'll be available for download on 31 October for 300 yen, so gamers in Nintendo's homeland can give themselves a treat this Halloween. This 8-bit version of the game was also released on the Sega Master System featuring...
Tuesday23rd Oct 2012
Review Style Savvy: Trendsetters (3DS)
They see me stylin', they hatin'
What's the hottest new fashion trend this fall season? Nintendo's hoping it won't be cobalt leg-warmers or autumn florals, but rather their newly released 3DS fashion sim, Style Savvy: Trendsetters. With engaging collection and customization-based gameplay and classy production values, they've certainly got a good...
Review Reel Fishing Ocean Challenge (WiiWare)
Pain in the bass
It’s been about two years since the last Reel Fishing game was released for WiiWare, and you’d think that that was enough time to figure out how to improve on the formula. Unfortunately, that isn't at all what has happened. Instead, a series of games based on an activity as simple as fishing has somehow managed to sink deeper...
First Impressions Little Inferno
Let us be your little Virgil
2D Boy released what is still arguably the best game on the WiiWare service, World of Goo. But since the release of that game four years ago the developer has been rather quiet. The game never got a sequel and lips were sealed tight on future projects, but we knew that whatever this immensely talented — and...
News The Wii U Nintendo Network Will Connect to EA's Origin
So many connections
Although Wii is rapidly fading into a borderline retro status with gamers, do you remember how simple it was to play its small collection of online games on the web? Sure, connection drops were common on the humble hardware and friend codes were a ponderous way to organise things, but a lot of the time you pressed a button and,...
News Isaiah Triforce Johnson Is Already Queuing For His Wii U
Remember the guy who gets all the Nintendo consoles first?
Serial queue-starter Isaiah Triforce Johnson has made a bit of a name for himself as the first person to buy just about every piece of Nintendo hardware in recent history. He was the first to purchase Wii and the first to get his hands on 3DS in North America. Now, he has already begun to...
Feature Looking Back at Six Years of Wii
Time to say goodbye?
Despite strong first-party support, 2005 marked the beginning of the end for Nintendo’s GameCube, prompting the company to reveal its next system, the Revolution. The next year would see not only the unveiling of the revolutionary Wii Remote, but also the controversial unveiling of Wii; it was perceived by some as outrageous...
News Final Fantasy's Battle System Is Based On American Football
Who knew?
Square Enix's Hiroyuki Ito has revealed to 1UP the origin of the turn-based battle system in the original Final Fantasy - and it's somewhat unexpected, to say the least. Driven to create an efficient system for Hironobu Sakaguchi's seminal NES RPG, Ito turned to professional sports for his inspiration. 1UP: So did you create the battle...
News GamerPrint Gets Festive With Video Game Christmas Cards
Ho Ho Bros
It's almost that time of year, when everyone is merry, bright, and decking the halls with boughs of holly. Whether we like it or not, it's creeping up fast. Buying cards for this festive time, meanwhile, can often be a little bit dull, but GamerPrint has something to offer gamers for the upcoming holiday season. The gaming enthusiast's...
News Take An Ambient Musical Trip Through 8-bit History With NEScapism
Zelda and Castlevania, trance-style
Electronic recording artist The Electric Witch (real name Zac Bentz) has created a fitting aural tribute to the NES era in the form of NEScapism, a mini-album which spurns the traditional chiptune format and instead re-imagines classic 8-bit tunes as swirling ambient soundscapes. To quote the composer:...
News No Voice Support For Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed On Wii U
Developer cites Wii U voice chat limitations as reason for omission
Developer Sumo Digital has confirmed that Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed will not have voice chat support on Wii U. The news comes less than a week after a Nintendo representative confirmed that in-game voice chat will not be possible through the GamePad's built-in...
News Iwata Asks Talks Up Style Savvy: Trendsetters as a Game For Everyone
It's "like a fighting game! (laughs)"
Style Savvy: Trendsetters is now available in North American stores and on the 3DS eShop, which may not be news to excite a large number of gamers. That said, we awarded this 8/10 in our review, suggesting that perhaps the theme shouldn't completely distract us from the quality of the gaming experience. We...
News Japanese eBook Service Delayed For Nintendo 3DS
Will be turning pages in the near future
We reported last month that Librica was to launch a 3DS application - Bookstore Anywhere - for the 3DS this month in Japan. Sadly, it has since been confirmed that the service has been delayed. Librica has said the hold up is due to the team's desire to make further improvements to the app, and that a new...
News 2 Fast 4 Gnomz Socking it to 3DS eShop Soon
You collect socks, by the way
Some of you may remember 2 Fast 4 Gnomz from earlier this year on WiiWare, its February release making it one of a small group of 2012 arrivals on the platform. It seems that developer QubicGames is more than aware of the fact that this one was maybe a little late to the Wii Shop party, as it's now confirmed 2 Fast 4...
News Cake Ninja 2 Confirmed for DSiWare
More deserts in line for the chop
DSiWare has had its share of titles that have incurred the wrath of low review scores here on Nintendo Life, with Cake Ninja being one to enjoy the dubious honour. Essentially a DSiWare version of smartphone smash-hit Fruit Ninja, its pricing and painful lack of features and game modes meant that it took a bit of a...
Monday22nd Oct 2012
Review Mega Man (3DS eShop / NES)
The NES experience, now on 3DS
A while back, the 3DS Virtual Console got Mega Man: Dr. Wily's Revenge, the Blue Bomber's first Game Boy outing. It's a decent conversion of the console game, but many would agree that the handheld Mega Man games didn't really begin to shine until later in the series. Curiously, instead of working their way closer to...
Nintendo Download 25th October 2012 (Europe)
Heavy Fire and Mighty Bomb Jack make for slim pickings - thank goodness for Layton
Ouch. Not much in the way of downloadable goodness this week, with just three games available - all of which are 3DS-based and one of which is a retail download. Aside from some downloadable videos and a smattering of DLC, there's not much else to report. 3DS Retail...
Feature Nintendo Hardware Launch Commercials Throughout History
A trip down memory lane
With the first UK showing of the Wii U TV commercial causing quite a stir online, we thought it would be fun to take a look back at Nintendo's history of launch commercials, right back to the days of the 8-bit NES — possibly an era when many of the readers of this site weren't even born. Sit back and soak up the ambiance...
News Award Winning Short Film Shows the Power of Zelda and Escapism
Sad but brilliant
If there's one thing that video games very rarely do, if ever, it's to remind us of our everyday lives. While reading books, watching TV and more serve as a source of rest from our day-to-day existence, one of the game medium's strengths, that makes gamers love their hobby with such a passion, is the ability of some titles to truly...
News EA: FIFA 13 on Wii U is "Laying the Foundation"
Ultimate Team missing as Wii U's online is in its "infancy"
FIFA 13 on Wii U was inevitable, as EA is always keen to bring one of its biggest franchises to every system possible. Occasionally it's a little too keen and churns out yearly updates that are barely updates at all, or in the now-infamous case of FIFA 13 on Wii, some releases aren't far...
News Nintendo Australia Goes Release Date Crazy
Paper Mario dated, new 3DS XL bundle announced
Nintendo of Australia has today confirmed some details on upcoming 3DS games such as Paper Mario: Sticker Star, Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate, as well as a bunch of new downloadable games coming to the Nintendo eShop. Paper Mario: Sticker star will be available in Australia and New Zealand on the 8th of...
News Rayman Creator Says Wii U is "Surprisingly Powerful"
Developing titles is easier than expected
We already know Rayman creator Michel Ancel is a big fan of Wii U, as last week we reported his praise of the GamePad, saying it's "more advanced than what people might think". He's also stated how surprised he is at the console's power, and that developing Rayman Legends for Wii U has been easier than he...
News Takumi: Professor Layton vs Ace Attorney Has a "Double Layered Story"
Who could object to that?
Professor Layton vs Ace Attorney arrives in Japan at the end of November, which will lift the lid on one of the year's most intriguing cross-over titles. Combining the two different worlds — and their distinctive styles — within a medieval setting may sound slightly crazy, and that's probably because it is. That...
News Pro-Putt Domo Is The Latest Downloadable Treat On Club Nintendo
Domo arigato
North American Club Nintendo members have another new title on which to spend their hard-earned coins. This time around it's Pro-Putt Domo, a charming DSiWare title that has you golfing with Japan's favourite mascot. This one will cost you 100 coins and it'll be available until 4th November, with club members surely unable to complain...
News Don't Worry Europe, You'll Be Getting NightSky Soon
November to be exact
To everyone's surprise, Nicalis announced over Twitter earlier today that NightSky will be coming to the EU eShop 'sometime in November'. The indie developer revealed that the game has already been approved by Nintendo of Europe. The game releases stateside this coming Thursday (25th October). The full tweet reads: Hey EU,...
News This Bravely Default: Flying Fairy Soundtrack Packaging is Rather Special
Pop up CD case, anyone?
We've been paying a lot of attention to Bravely Default: Flying Fairy here at Nintendo Life, mainly because it looks like a high quality 3DS RPG from Square Enix. With an attractive art-style and seemingly plenty of interesting gameplay to offer, we're sure that others are also keen to see a Western release. One thing that's...
Sunday21st Oct 2012
A perfect circle
Three years ago, Nicalis announced a game called NightSky for release on WiiWare. Needless to say that never happened, but the project was far from dead. Last year our excitement was renewed by the news that NightSky would instead be released for the 3DS eShop, and now, at long last, it's finally here. The question everyone should...
Review Kirby Air Ride (GameCube)
A Ride for all ages?
Kirby, everyone’s favourite pink puffball, has hopped on his Warpstar and blasted into the world of “kart” racing in Kirby Air Ride for the Nintendo GameCube. He’s brought with him a few of his brethren, a unique set of controls, and some recognizable scenery, which is packed into this multiplayer-centric package. While...
Monday22nd Oct 2012
News First UK Wii U Television Advertisement Breaks Cover
Commercial break
The first UK television advertisement for the new Wii U console aired tonight, shown in a commercial break during an episode of the TV series Homeland. Narrated by British comedian Adam Buxton, the advert did its best to show off the core features of Nintendo's new system, such as the GamePad's fancy touchscreen and the ability to...
Sunday21st Oct 2012
Interview Braxton Burks - Pokémon Reorchestrated: Kanto Symphony
Pokémon musical
Clearly we're not the only ones that love orchestrated game music, as Pokémon Reorchestrated: Kanto Symphony has just been released to a positive response. The fan project reinterprets the 8-bit music of Pokémon Red / Blue in full orchestral form and has been cleared by Nintendo through Joypad Records, a company that specialises...
News Nintendo of Europe Offers Up Free Layton Swag
A gentleman always travels in style
With Professor Layton and the Miracle Mask just around the corner, Nintendo of Europe is rewarding early purchasers with some free swag! Starting on October 26 (at 8 AM BST/ 9 AM CST), those who register their copy of Miracle Mask will be eligible to win a free leather luggage tag, branded with Layton's signature...
Saturday20th Oct 2012
News Meet Leyla Hasso, The Fastest Female SNES Super Mario Kart Player
She also bagged the PAL Women's World title at just 13 years old
The original Super Mario Kart may be two decades old now, but it's still actively played on the competitive circuit, with yearly tournaments to establish who is the fastest SNES fan on four wheels. One of the world's most famous Mario Kart players is Sami Cetin, who is referred to by...
News Aksys Releases Zero Escape: Virtue's Last Reward OVA
"I want to play a game"
Zero Escape: Virtue's Last Reward is set to release next week in North America, and publisher Aksys Games has taken the opportunity to release the game's anime prologue. Dubbed in English, the video reveals how main character Sigma was kidnapped, and how he must work together with eight other captives to escape the Nonary...
Talking Point Affordable Consoles Come at a Cost
There are no easy answers
Earlier this week we reported on the news that Foxconn, manufacturer for many of the world’s biggest technology companies, employed under-age interns to work on Wii U manufacturing. Foxconn admitted that it had employed 14-16 year old school attendees and stated that it had “apologized to each of the students for our...
News Counterfeit Nintendo Games Seller Faces Jail Term
Made a small fortune pirating software
Justin Success Brooks has been charged with selling counterfeit Nintendo games according to the Croydon Guardian. The 41 year-old's middle name proved to be innacurate as he was caught in an investigation supervised by Nintendo and the UK Interactive Entertainment association (UKIE). The two groups purchased...
Friday19th Oct 2012
News Gangnam Style Confirmed for Just Dance 4
Ubisoft seems Psy-ched
Ubisoft announced earlier today that Gangnam Style, the number one hit song by South Korean rapper Psy, will soon be available as downloadable content for Just Dance 4. Having attracted more than 490 million views since it first appeared on YouTube in July, Gangnam Style has become one of the most viewed videos on the...
News MCV: Wii U Is A Stopgap System, Real Successor Is Still To Come
"It was never intended as a next generation console"
Video game trade site MCV Pacific has posted an interesting opinion piece which speculates that the Wii U is merely a stopgap to lift Nintendo's flagging fortunes following the false start of the 3DS (in the west, at least) and plummeting Wii sales. The Wii U hasn't been given a new moniker, but...
Review Inazuma Eleven Strikers (Wii)
Crazy super-duper Strikers!
When it comes to Inazuma Eleven Strikers, don't let any references to football (soccer if you're of the North America persuasion) or the snazzy kits fool you, this isn't a football game. It's a ball game with football-style rules, infused with extravagant special moves and buckets of charm, which is guaranteed to raise an...
News 5th Cell Explains Lack Of Nintendo Characters In 3DS Scribblenauts
It all comes down to 'timing'
Just yesterday, Warner Bros. Interactive announced that a handful of characters from the Mario and Legend of Zelda series will be featured in the upcoming Wii U version of Scribblenauts Unlimited. However, the 3DS version of the game won't be getting in on the action. While an official explanation for this discrepancy...
Phoenix's début on the big screen makes a good case
While the video game and movie industries have arguably managed to advance and make some great strides over the last few years, the same can't be said for their offspring. Whether it be the sexy archaeological adventures of Lara Croft, or the hard-hitting, guns-a-blazing ways of Agent 47, most...
News This Denpa Men Promotional Video Is Tight
Skin tight, we mean
As you'll no doubt be aware from our The Denpa Men: They Came By Wave review, it's a fantastic game that every North American 3DS owner should download right away. So fantastic in fact, developer Genius Sonority has decided that it's worthy of a trailer starring men in skin-tight bodysuits. In this video - which is being dubbed...
News Chasing Aurora 'Freeze Tag' Mode Gameplay Footage
Tag, you're it!
Back towards the start of the summer, Broken Rules announced Chasing Aurora, a beautiful physics based flight game for the Wii U eShop this year. Broken Rules is aiming for a November release; it's hoping to have it ready for Wii U's launch day. Below is a gameplay trailer for one of the multiplayer modes, 'Freeze Tag', where the...
Thursday18th Oct 2012
A code worth cracking
For a while now, hack-and-slash has been significantly undermined as a legitimate genre in video gaming, but Code of Princess doesn't care about any of that. Code of Princess spits in the face of modern 3D gaming and says “I can do things better,” and then goes out and does it. Being touted as a spiritual successor to Sega...
Review The Last Blade 2 (Wii Virtual Console / Neo Geo)
Last Blade Part Deux
When the original Last Blade title was released it took weapons-based fighting in 2D to new heights with its fluid play controls and intense fighting action. Not wanting to rest on its laurels, SNK soon put together a sequel that didn't try to really overhaul anything, but rather stuck to tweaking a few minor aspects of the...
Nintendo Download 18th October 2012 (North America)
Time to get stylish, pose for the camera, go fishing, fly a spaceship and more
North America has enjoyed some busy Nintendo Download updates of late, with plenty of variety to choose from. This week is no exception with something for everyone, and the odd surprise, so let's get on with it. 3DS Download: Sparkle Snapshots 3D (Nintendo, $5.99) —...
News Wii U In-Game Voice Chat Won't Use GamePad Microphone
Oh, Nintendo
It's hoped by many that Wii U will finally take Nintendo onto a more level playing field in online gaming, though news that Call of Duty Elite isn't coming to Wii U at launch is undoubtedly disappointing. According to a report today from Kotaku, meanwhile, it seems that in-game chat will neglect to use the GamePad microphone, which...
News New Animal Crossing 3DS Details Reveal Streetpass Mode
More reasons to become a recluse
Fresh information about Animal Crossing: Jump Out has been updated on the Animal Crossing 3DS official website. A new Streetpass mode is included, where other players can view your badges that you obtain from Palotini, who rewards you for your hard work — that includes catching fishes, gathering a variety of stuff...
News Nintendo Responds To Foxconn's Admission Of Guilt In Child Labour Scandal
"We take our responsibilities as a global company very seriously"
Yesterday, allegations surfaced online that Chinese manufacturer Foxconn - which counts Nintendo, Sony and Apple as some of its clients - was employing children in its factories. Foxconn has since admitted guilt, issuing the following statement: We recognize that full...
News Amazon Japan Releases Online Pokémon Store Into The Wild
Time to waste some money
Amazon Japan has opened a special online Pokémon Store today. Nintendo and developers Game Freak have partnered up to launch the awesome virtual store, which includes various items such as figures, plushes, Pokémon trainers and kitchen equipment. They even have a life-size Pikachu plush on sale for 3,800 Yen. There are...
News Charles Martinet Interviewed At Random During Security Breach
But they have no idea who he is
One of the many advantages of being a video game voice actor is that you can walk down the street without anyone giving you so much as a second look. However, when you're the voice actor of one of the most iconic characters in gaming, it's a different story altogether - which is why we were very surprised to see...
News Business Insider: Wii U Is The Most Fun I've Had With A Game Console, Ever
Glowing praise from an unlikely source
As the Nintendo-loving world waits with bated breath for the Wii U to launch and various skeptics pour scorn over its chances, it would appear that the new format has unequivocal support from one sector of the market, at least. Business Insider's Dylan Love got some hands-on time with the new console at a...
News Ghosts 'n' Goblins Coming To 3DS eShop Next Week
Ready to make your blood boil?
It may not be that Mega Man game you were hoping for (and thank god it's not Mega Man Xover), but Capcom has just announced that the NES version of Ghosts 'n' Goblins will be making its way onto the 3DS eShop on 25th October in America. This soul-crushing side-scroller hit arcades ba
News 3DS and Bravely Default Flying High in Japanese Charts
As expected, really
We've often reported that 3DS is performing particularly well in Japan, and that trend is continuing this week with the release of Bravely Default: Flying Fairy, the eagerly anticipated RPG from Square Enix. When considered alongside recent positive news about 3DS software sales in North America, it seems as if Nintendo's...
Review Nurikabe by Nikoli (3DS eShop)
Blocked and loaded
The Nikoli puzzle factory is filled with evil geniuses. There really is no way else to explain their signature puzzle types sudoku, kakuro, hitori and the plethora of others that have hit the eShop by way of developer Hamster — the puzzles are simple in premise, seem easy enough to complete but then dropkick your brain when...
News Brick-Based Mario Videos Prove Everything Looks Better In Lego
Build it and they will come
Following on from the awesome Lego Zelda shield we featured a while back, we've stumbled across some amazing Lego-themed Super Mario videos. Created using what appears to be a clever combination of computer editing and actual brick images, these videos replicate the look of Mario's early NES adventures via the medium of...
Events Nintendo Gala at the 56th BFI London Film Festival
Nintendo Life takes to the red carpet
It was a big night at the 56th BFI London Film Festival on Monday, as the much-anticipated Nintendo Gala took place at Odeon West End in Leicester Square. Hundreds of film critics, movie experts and even games journalists descended upon the renowned movie theatre to attend the premiere of Wayne Blair’s The...
News Monster Hunter 3 G Traps an eShop Discount in Japan
Re-packaged "Best Price" offer also on the way
Fans of the Monster Hunter series that live outside of Japan have been a little hard done by, casting envious glances to gamers in Japan who are looking forward to Monster Hunter 4, while the rest of us wait for the expanded version of Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate. While Ultimate is also coming to Wii U...
Wednesday17th Oct 2012
News Nyko Experiences Power Outage, No Longer Releasing 3DS Power Grip Pro
Want more power? Well you're not going to get it
Back towards the start of the summer we reported that Nyko had a 3DS accessory — dubbed the Power Grip Pro — in the works. The peripheral aimed to amend the current Circle Pad Pro with a case and a battery that offered triple the amount of gameplay time. Sadly, Nyko revealed on its Twitter...
Nintendo Download 18th October 2012 (Europe)
Mega Man goes portable, Mad Dogs, free Mutant Mudds DLC and more
While last week brought Pokémon dreaming and long-awaited samurai action to Europe, this week's update aims for the surprise factor. The upcoming 25th Anniversary of a certain Blue Bomber is celebrated, sort of, a retro light-gun game get's a second chance on the 3DS eShop, while the...
Review Jewel Master: Cradle of Egypt 2 (DS)
Is history repeating itself?
In these risk-averse times, publishers are increasingly relying on sequels to existing IPs to ensure that they turn over a profit. The problem doesn’t stem so much from a dearth of creativity in the industry, but rather as consumers we have a horrible habit of sticking with what we know. Much like the video game...
News Pikmin 3 Sprouting For Spring 2013 Release In North America
Out of the launch window?
According to the latest Iwata Asks, the highly anticipated strategy game Pikmin 3 has been pushed back to a Spring 2013 release in North America. The game was previously slated as a 'launch window' title across the US, but that period ends on March 31st - which is just eleven days into Spring. Unless it is released between...
News Under-Age Workers Allegedly Worked on Wii U Manufacturing
The latest controversy for Foxconn
If you own a number of gadgets and gizmos from major companies such as Apple, Sony and Microsoft, it's in all likelihood been manufactured by Foxconn, based primarily in China. The reason we can buy technology at affordable prices isn't just because of cheaper parts and research, but due to low-paid labour in...
News Wii U GamePad Wireless Range is "Fine Within The Same Space"
If your walls are thin, the bathroom may be an option
The Wii U GamePad is Nintendo's next big home console innovation and the main selling point of the system. A big part of that appeal is the fact that it wirelessly streams the game, whether it's a match for the TV images or alternative features, from the console to the controller. We all know...
News Captain Falcon's Twister Race Leads Final Nintendo Land Mini Game Trio
New details also include Octopus Dance and Yoshi's Fruit Cart
A picture of a fact sheet has been found detailing the final three Nintendo Land attractions which have - up until now - not been revealed. The picture was taken by an ONM reader at the Play Expo in Manchester last weekend, which provides fresh information on the upcoming compilation...
News Nintendo Invades Scribblenauts Unlimited
Characters from Legend of Zelda and Mario to make appearances
Recently 5th Cell teased Nintendo fans with a mysterious image which hinted that a few well-known characters would be making an appearance in the upcoming Scribblenauts Unlimited. Now Warner Bros. has revealed that a handful of characters and items from the Legend of Zelda and Mario...
Events Play Expo - A Day of Bitmaps, Digital Sumos, Wii U and Pac-Man Vs. Ghosts
When gamers come together
It was upon arriving at Eccles train station, ready for Play Expo and briskly navigating a muggy mist lurking over the Manchester Ship Canal, when we contemplated if the UK’s weather had decided to skip autumn altogether and engulf us in this mid-October Sunday with a winter chill. However, within the space of an hour of...
News ZombiU Structure "Really Inspired by Metroid"
"Difficult but fair" challenge also a focus
ZombiU is arguably the highest-profile third-party title on Wii U at launch, dominating the system's demo areas at trade shows and even getting its own console bundle in Europe. Despite the occasional bug and glitch, the builds that we've seen are also promising, with a potential level of immersion and...
News Call Of Duty Elite Isn't Coming to Wii U at Launch
Activision confirms that Call of Duty Elite will not ship with Black Ops 2
Wii U's online system still remains a mystery to many developers, as Nintendo continues to remain tight-lipped on how things like Miiverse and the eShop will work. Just yesterday, Activision admitted that it was unsure as to how they will deliver DLC to Wii U players, or...
News Disney Paints A New Epic Mickey 2 Trailer
Now with 100% more Warren Spector
Disney Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two is set to release next month, and to celebrate we've been given a new video which shows off some paint and thinner gameplay. Here's the official blurb: This new video features exciting gameplay as game developer Warren Spector discusses Mickey’s magic paint brush and his...
Tuesday16th Oct 2012
News Wii U Pro Controller Lasts 80 Hours On A Single Charge, Not Backwards Compatible
Two steps forward, one step back
According to both Gamestop and Amazon, the Wii U Pro Controller is said to have a battery life of around 80 hours for a single charge. This is a drastic increase compared to the Wii U Gamepad controller, and for comparison, most PS3 controllers tend to last 20-25 hours. While this number hasn't been publicly annou
News Walmart Offers Layaway and Midnight Pickup For Wii U
Attention shoppers!
Wii U pre-orders have been selling out left and right, with most major retailers no longer taking pre-orders in North America. However, this past Sunday Walmart came to the rescue, as it has announced that it will take pre-orders for Nintendo's upcoming system. To make things even more affordable, Walmart is also offering...
News Super Mario Gangnam Style Flash Mob's Got Some Moves
It was inevitable
If you haven't heard of Gangnam Style, maybe you're the lucky one. That might be harsh, but the quirky music video has gone so viral that there's no escape, meaning that lots of people are happily imitating it and looking rather silly. As most will know, meanwhile, the best place to find people dressed in silly outfits with time...
News Behold The Ungodly Union Of The Wii U Pro Controller And SNES Pad
Fusion frenzy
Australian store EB Games has listed a new controller for the Wii U which boasts SNES-style controls. Dubbed the Wii U Controller - SNES version, the design appears to be based on the standard Wii U Pro Controller, but with an additional helping of controls slapped in the middle. Although the image posted looks legit, the price...
News Pokémon Reorchestrated: Kanto Symphony Released into the Wild
Catch it now
A few months ago we brought news that Braxton "Skotein" Burks was working with Joypad Records on a collection of orchestrated Pokémon music, and now we're pleased to tell you that Pokémon Reorchestrated: Kanto Symphony has been completed and sent out into the world. The 35-track extravaganza covers the soundtrack of Pokémon Red /...
News Activision Clueless On How Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 DLC Will Work On Wii U
Nintendo's online plans are still a mystery to many third parties
Despite the launch of the Wii U being just one month away, Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 publisher Activision has admitted that it still doesn't know how the online side of Nintendo's new console will work, echoing worrying statements from other areas of the industry. To quote
News More Nintendo Characters Heading To Scribblenauts Unlimited
Guess who?
5th Cell could be giving us Nintendo fans a special treat with the Wii U and Nintendo 3DS versions of Scribblenauts Unlimited according to a promotional teaser image posted on the GameStop Facebook page. We're guessing Yoshi and Peach are in there on the left side. Yoshi's tail seems to be poking out to the far left, while Peach's...
Developer Interview Nnooo Talks About Working With Nintendo and Moving to the 3DS eShop
Stepping into a new generation
As the 3DS eShop continues to evolve and expand its library, Nintendo is currently preparing to introduce the Wii U eShop — it's assumed that'll be its name — and continue to expand its download gaming options. It's been a rocky road, of course, with the DSi and Wii online stores both being flawed in terms of both...
News Knock Yourself Out With This Exhaustive Pokémon Black And White 2 Infographic
Everything you needed to know, and possibly more
Nintendo UK has published a staggeringly comprehensive infographic for Pokémon Black and White 2. Rather than waste our time coming up with witty commentary, we thought we'd merely replicate the entire thing for you below. Enjoy.
News Nnooo: Let us "Browse, Buy and Gift Content Outside of the eShop"
Miiverse E3 preview suggests it may happen
Most would agree that the 3DS eShop, as a platform, is an improvement over its predecessors on DSi and Wii. That's to be expected, of course, but for developers intent on publishing downloads with Nintendo the enhancements in layout, functionality and the easing of restrictive file size limits have all been...
News Star Fox Developer Shares Memories of Miyamoto's Musical Musings
Nintendo is a "musically inclined" company
Dylan Cuthbert may be making awesome software at Q-Games these days, but many Nintendo fans will forever connect him with Star Fox. He worked on the SNES original as well as Star Fox Command and Star Fox 3D. Cuthbert and some of his fellow Q-Games staff members have released an album u
Monday15th Oct 2012
Review Professor Layton and the Miracle Mask (3DS)
It's Layton, so you probably know the answer
While gamers in Japan are eagerly awaiting the final part of the Professor Layton prequel trilogy, those of us in the West are relieved to finally get our hands on what was a Japanese 3DS launch title, Professor Layton and the Miracle Mask — originally known as Professor Layton and the Mask of Miracle...
Review Mario Golf (3DS eShop / GBC)
A beautiful day on the links
Released in 1999 to dovetail with the N64 game of the same name, the Game Boy Color version of Mario Golf is more than just a scaled-back, portable edition. In fact, it stands well enough on its own merits, and it's almost unfortunate that it shares a name with its console counterpart; it really does have an identity all...
Rumour Wii U Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 Not Running Natively At 1080p?
Uh-oh
A few days ago, Nintendo was left with egg on its face after issuing conflicting reports about what resolution New Super Mario Bros. U would run at. Now, it would seem as if Activision is the company that is to be left red-faced. According to GotGame, an Activision representative has confirmed that
News Archos Uses Star Fox And Mario To Demo Its Console-Killing Tablet
UPDATE: Blogger posted video and installed emulators - nothing to see here...
EDIT: Since this story went live we have been contacted by the person who created the video, who has made it clear that they installed the emulators and ROMs themselves onto the demonstration device when it was shown at a recent trade show, and not Archos: Archos...
News Ubisoft States That Wii U GamePad Latency is "Just 1/60 of a Second"
GamePad is "more advanced than what people might think"
Nintendo's most recent systems, particularly from DS onwards, have succeeded on the strength of unique selling points rather than raw power, even if some label these as "gimmicks". DS introduced dual screens and stylus-based touch controls, 3DS was initially marketed on its glasses-free 3D...
Talking Point Games That Need Wii U - Dishonored
Choose how you play
Wii U owners will know what it means to be an assassin after Ubisoft introduces us to Connor in Assassin’s Creed III later this year. However, while this native American is more adept with Tomahawks and muskets, Arkane Studios has other plans. Doing his work in a Steampunk inspired Victorian London, this particular assassin...
News Retro Studios Gets a Bigger Office
Scaling up for Wii U development?
Metroid Prime and Donkey Kong Country Returns developer Retro Studios has moved to a larger premises, hinting that the company is expanding to handle significant support for Nintendo's Wii U console. According to n1ntendo.nl, the move was very hush-hush, and no press release was issued to mark t
News Reggie: "Certainly Possible" Wii U Consoles Could Be Sold By Cable Providers
Nintendo of America president hints on the future of Wii U
In an interview with the Seattle Times, Nintendo of America President Reggie-Fils Aime left open the possibility of selling Wii U consoles through cable providers. While this might seem pretty far-fetched, it's well-known that Nintendo is hoping for big things from its Nintendo TVii...
News Nintendo Drops Price Of Wii Ahead Of Holiday Season
Inexpensive family fun this Christmas
Good news for those of you who don't have a Wii, Nintendo is dropping the suggested retail price to $129.99 in advance of the busy holiday shopping season. This new console bundle will be available across the US on October 28th. Both Wii Sports and Wii Sports Resort will come included on a single game disc, as...
Rumour Square Enix Triple-A Title Being Ported to Wii U
Straight Right employee can't keep a secret
Straight Right is the Australian development studio that's becoming a little better known to Nintendo gamers, courtesy of it handling the Wii U port of Bioware's Mass Effect 3. The company is showing plenty of enthusiasm for Nintendo's new system, saying the following when addressing its desire to meet...
News Former Sega CEO Was Instrumental In Securing Unity's Nintendo Deal
Development platform is being pushed out to first and third party studios
We've already touched upon the significance of Nintendo's agreement with Unity, but CEO David Helgason has spilled a few more beans in an exclusive interview with the lovely folks at VG247
News Blizzard Was Working On Diablo For The Game Boy Color
Diminutive dungeon crawling
Recent hiccups relating to Diablo 3 aside, Blizzard's fantasy series has been a critical and commercial smash for years now - so much so that the company was at one point considering a money-spinning version for the Nintendo Game Boy Color. Named Diablo Junior, the game would have taken a leaf from Pokémon's book by...
Rumour Youkai Watch Coming To 3DS
New Level-5 IP looks promising
According to the latest edition of Japanese magazine CoroCoro Comic, Youkai Watch is heading to 3DS; the game was first announced by developer Level-5 one year ago at its Vision event. Youkai Watch is all about a boy who wears a special watch that allows him to see and interact with ghosts, and similar to...
News Ken's Rage Cannot Be Contained By PS3 And 360 Alone, Wii U Version Confirmed
Fist of the North Star sequel says you're already dead
The sequel to 360 and PS3 brawler Fist of the North Star: Ken's Rage has been confirmed as coming to the Wii U. Based on one of the most famous anime franchises of all time, Ken's Rage 2 looks disarmingly similar to its prequel and uses Koei's long-running Dynasty Warriors template as its...
News Pokémon Black and White 2 Catches a Strong UK Chart Début
Both versions in the top five
Pokémon Black and White 2 may be getting played on a lot of 3DS systems at the moment, but we shouldn't forget that it probably represents the last big hurrah for the humble DS. It's a big release for fans of the series that Nintendo no doubt hopes will perform well, and early indications in the UK charts are certainly...
Die hard the hunter
It's hard to believe that it's been almost three years since we first saw Spirit Hunters Inc. in its earliest incarnation. But rest assured, that development time has gone into turning the idea into a rather diverse and playable augmented reality experience. When you first begin playing Spirit Hunters Inc., the game seems fairly...
News The Amazing Spider-Man is Swinging Onto Wii U Next Year
Our spidey sense is tingling
Marvel has announced, at this year's New York Comic Con, that The Amazing Spider-Man will be available next Spring for Wii U. The port was announced during Marvel's panel at the convention, and the game will be taking advantage of the GamePad's touchscreen controls, as well as having the option to use motion control...
Tuesday16th Oct 2012
News Zelda Symphony Heading To Australia
A Link To The South
Amazing news, Zelda fans: The Legend of Zelda: Symphony of the Goddesses will be heading to Australia next year to continue its world tour. You can purchase the tickets from Ticketmaster, which are available to buy from October 20th. Both shows are set to take place at the Sydney Opera House Concert Hall on Friday February 1st...
Sunday14th Oct 2012
A Ghost of the Past
Nintendo doesn’t have much of a history when it comes to publishing mature-rated games. In fact, they had never directly released an M-rated game before they published the critically acclaimed Eternal Darkness for the GameCube in 2002. So when it was announced that Nintendo was working closely with developer n-Space on Geist...
Monday15th Oct 2012
News Mega Man Fans Troll Capcom Following iOS Social Game Announcement
Is it really Xover for Mega Man?
An awful lot of Mega Man fans were pretty beat up when Capcom revealed that the hugely anticipated 3DS entry Mega Man Legends 3 was no longer in development, and since then the company has done precious little to comfort the massive global fan-base that has grown up around the character. However, with Mega Man's...
Sunday14th Oct 2012
Review Robot Rescue 2 (DSiWare)
Robot Parade
The sequel to Teyon's first DSiWare release from back in 2009, Robot Rescue 2 charges players with leading a flock of oddly organic looking robots to safety across gridded stages. Rescuing these robots is made more complicated, and much more interesting, by the fact that their movement is synchronized. Press any direction on the D-pad...
News Pokémon Train Hitting The Rails This Holiday
In Japan, obviously
Sometimes the Western world just isn't enthusiastic enough about video games. Sure, gamers in Europe and North America in particular buy an enormous volume of video games on a yearly basis and pay plenty of cash for new consoles, but do we, in our various individual cultures, love gaming enough to have anything as awesome as this...
Saturday13th Oct 2012
News Pikachu 3DS XL Now Available For Pre-Order
Pokéballs on the ready
Last week, Nintendo of Europe president Satoru Shibata confirmed that the Pikachu 3DS XL would be coming to Europe later this year. Today UK retailer GAME has tweeted to its followers that the charming yellow handheld is now available for pre-order, with a price tag of £179.99. A release date for the device is yet to be...
News Young Boy Thinks Gameboy Micro Is The Latest Nintendo Handheld
Kids will believe anything these days
We've something to give you a little giggle this weekend, with the sweet tale of a young boy who believed that the Gameboy Micro was the latest Nintendo handheld on the market. Gamer dad Andy Robertson and his son were walking past a second hand store when the youngster spotted a Gameboy Micro sitting in the...
Feature Reinventing Nintendo's Major Franchises on Wii U
Time for some comebacks
Thanks to its fresh approach to gaming, the Wii has been a breeding ground for reinvention throughout its six year life cycle, offering us established franchises with a twist due in part to motion controls. The Legend of Zelda has been perhaps the biggest beneficiary of this in the form of Skyward Sword, with Wii MotionPlus...
News The Harp Twins Are Back With Another Musical Video
Music to our ears
Camille and Kennerly, known as The Harp Twins, are back with another game-themed arrangement, this time with a rather soothing Final Fantasy medley. The twins’ unique take on the harp involves new arrangements of well-known music pieces; it's certainly worked quite well in their favour, with a worldwide following and over 4...
Friday12th Oct 2012
The "G" is for "garbage"
UFO Interactive's eShop releases seemed to be on a slow but steady progression towards quality, with Johnny Kung Fu almost breaking through this underwhelming barrier. But then along comes Samurai G to pee in everyone's cereal. Samurai G is like being presented with a spoon and a bowl full of live bees: just one look is...
News The Truth Behind Donkey Kong Country's Opening Level Theme
It's a stitch-up
Remember the music for the opening level on Donkey Kong Country? Do you recall how it moves from one musical style to another, almost as if it's three different songs that have been fused together? That because it is. In an interview with CVG, former Rare composer David Wise reveals the truth behind the track: I was on holiday in...
News More Nintendo Costumes For Tekken Tag Tournament 2 Wii U Edition
Dress up as Sheik, Captain Falcon and Toad
Last month, Namco Bandai announced that gamers would be able to dress up as certain Nintendo characters in Tekken Tag Tournament 2: Wii U Edition; including big N's mascot Mario. New outfits have been added to the wardrobe, with players be able to dress characters up as Sheik (Zelda), Captain Falcon...
News Wii U Epic Mickey 2 May Not Feature Off-TV Play
Golly, Pluto!
At a preview event on Tuesday, a Disney Interactive employee apparently confirmed that Disney Epic Mickey: The Power of Two will not include off-TV play. This means that you won’t be able to play the game solely on the Wii U GamePad. Off-TV play was something Junction Studios would have liked to achieve, but due to time restrains it...
Feature The New Dimensions of Pokémon
Snap and Dream Radar change the perspective
Trading cards and anime episodes aside, the Pokémon series is known for a long-lasting line of handheld RPGs. You've almost certainly played one or two of them — and we suspect that quite a few of you are already getting into Pokémon Black & White 2 — most likely followed by an obsessed state of...
News Check Out These Amazing Nintendo Can Sculptures
Brings a whole new meaning to recycling
Ever thought of empty cans as art? Well we certainly didn't, but a Japanese sculptor by the name of Makaon did. Collecting various cans, she cuts them up and uses them to sculpture notable characters such as Buzz Lightyear, Batman and Darth Vader. Of course it's the Nintendo icons that caught our eyes; she...
News Watch Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate's Newest Trailer Right Here
Two hunters are better than one
Capcom is kicking off New York Comic-Con with a brand new trailer for Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate, which is set to release sometime in March 2013. While the trailer mostly focuses on the Wii U version and its online co-op, there are a few glimpses into the 3DS version, and the ability to play locally alongside the Wii...
News Ikachan Confirmed For Both DSiWare And 3DS eShop
Two platforms, same game
Yesterday, we teased a picture that showed Ikachan running on a 3DS. For those who don't know, Ikachan is a 2D retro style platformer from Daisuke "Pixel" Amaya, the man behind Cave Story. While developer Nicalis was originally intending to release Ikachan as a DSiWare title, they decided to produce two versions of the...
News Pokémon Video Game Autumn Regional Championship Details For North America
Your journey to Victory Road begins this weekend
It's just a little over a week since Pokémon Black & White 2 released across the US, and already the Pokémon Video Game Regional Championships will take place this weekend. That's right fellow trainers, the Championships begin in North America this Sunday, October 14th. The Autumn Regionals are...
News Thundercats Let Loose On DS October 30th
Feel the magic, hear the roar
An official trailer for Thundercats has finally put a release date in place for the DS action epic. The game had previously been scheduled for a North American release September this year, but was pushed back a month. The side-scrolling action game follows the first six episodes of the rebooted Thundercats series where...
News Take a Tour of The Tower of London, ZombiU Style
The Beefeaters might end up eating you
To drum up even more interest in its undead-filled Wii U launch title ZombiU, Ubisoft has released a video walkthrough for the game's spooky Tower of London segment. Set in the famous structure - which can trace its history all the way back to 1066 - the video illustrates the kind of hair-raising gameplay you...
News Want to Know How to Play Spirit Hunters?
Developer videos explain forthcoming DSiWare AR title
Each week up until the release of Spirit Hunters on DSiWare on November 22nd, developer Nnooo will be releasing videos which give a little more detail on the inner workings of this interesting augmented reality title. Using your 3DS or DSi's camera, Spirit Hunters lets you do battle with ghosts...
Thursday11th Oct 2012
Review Liberation Maiden (3DS eShop)
Maiden voyage
A few months ago, Japan received the 3DS game Guild01, essentially a compilation of four specially developed games, each created by different well-known designers. Instead of simply releasing the collection in the west, Level 5 has chosen to instead publish the individual games as eShop titles — though it seems that only three of the...
Nintendo Download 11th October 2012 (North America)
Mario gets on the course, robots are rescued, the one true demo arrives and more
Last week was a bit of a bumper week for the Nintendo Download update in North America, and we have another packed list for you. Every platform is covered in some form, and there's a demo and some videos to fill your time too; let's get right into it. 3DS Downloads:...
A few cross words
The 3DS is no stranger to puzzle games, with Japanese developer Nikoli being responsible for most of the puzzle games on the market. While games like Sudoku, Hitori and Kakuro have provided us with enough numbers to last a lifetime, there’s a distinct lack of wordplay on Nintendo’s newest handheld. Enter Crosswords Plus, the...
News New Super Mario Bros. U Confirmed as 1080p, Or Not
Nintendo can't decide
In recent hours it's been reported on a number of websites, including our colleagues at Eurogamer, that New Super Mario Bros. U will support a full 1080p HD resolution, a bump up from the 720p seen in various demo and hands-on sessions of the game. The game's official site has been quoted as saying the following. Experience...
Rumour Super C Coming to 3DS Virtual Console in The West
Third party NES classics make it out of Japan?
Up until now, Nintendo retro lovers have only had first-party NES titles to play on the 3DS Virtual Console. Although Japan has seen a steady stream of non-Nintendo games - including the awesome Mega Man 3 - those games haven't shown any sign of coming to the west - until now, that is. Konami has just...
Talking Point Games That Need Wii U - Resident Evil 6
A much needed second chance
As great as Nintendo’s first-party efforts are, Wii U is going to have a reliance on its third-party support. Nintendo certainly recognises that and has already drawn franchises like FIFA, Call of Duty, Mass Effect and Assassin’s Creed to its cause. However, as encouraging as that is, it’s still not enough. The...
First Impressions Fire Emblem: Awakening
Could this be the best entry in the Fire Emblem series yet?
The Fire Emblem series has long been famous and hugely successful in Japan. With a long string of titles stretching back to the days of the Nintendo Famicom, the franchise is now starting to catch on in the west. Arguably the most famous tactical RPG in the world right now, Fire Emblem fans...
News Two Tribes: Old Wii U GamePad Design "Was Like a Toy"
Developer is pleased with revised model
As with any consumer product, the Wii U has gone through revisions since it leapt off the drawing boards at Nintendo's Kyoto HQ. One of the features that has undergone the most change is the GamePad itself; as you will no doubt recall, the first publicly-announced model had slider pads like the one seen on...
News Take A Look At The Inside Of The Wii U
It's the inside that counts
Ever wondered what the inside of the Wii U looks like? As part of the Iwata Asks series, four Nintendo product developers and general managers sat down this week to discuss the engineering behind the Wii U, as well as how it differs to the Wii. There is an incredible amount of detail on the challenges and processes that...
News Guess What? Michael Pachter Isn't a Fan of The Wii U
Doesn't think third parties will succeed on Nintendo's new console
Wedbush Securities Digital media and electronics analyst Michael Pachter seems to have an odd relationship with Nintendo. He's forever casting doubt on the company's chances, taking any chance he can to stick the boot in and predict naught but doom and gloom for Mario and company...
News Kylie Sing & Dance Coming To Wii Next Month
We just can't get you out of our heads
This year will mark Kylie Minogue's 25th year in music, and what better way to celebrate by singing and dancing the night away with Kylie Sing & Dance for the Wii in November. The game will feature 25 of Aussie starlet’s globally recognised smash hits, including tunes such as ‘Spinning Around’, ‘I...
News Soothsayers, Begone - 3DS Software Sales Rise 89 Percent Over Last Year
Nintendo's handheld remains robust in the face of mobile competition
Like a broken record, industry experts seem to delight in telling anyone that will listen that the 3DS is doomed. The rise of mobile phone gaming on iOS and Android seems to suggest to many that traditional consoles have no real future, but this anaylsis conviently ignores the fact...
News Ubisoft Announces Rabbids Rumble North American Release Date
Three extra days of Rabbid fun
Last week we reported that the Rabbids would be rumbling on to European 3DS consoles on 16th November. Today Ubisoft has confirmed that Rabbids Rumble will be launching on 13th November in North America, three days before it hits European shores. Rabbids Rumble features over 100 crazy Rabbids to capture and collect,...
News Nicalis Teases 3DS Ikachan Port
2D classic from the same developer as Cave Story
Had your fill of Cave Story already? Well prepare to get unreasonably excited, because it would appear that Daisuke Amaya's Ikachan is headed to the 3DS. Created in 2000 by Amaya (better known by the pseudonym Pixel) - 4 years before Cave Story, perhaps his most famous work - Ikachan focuses on the...
News Mutant Mudds Free DLC Arrives in October
20 new levels, entirely free of charge
Mutant Mudds fans, take note: Renegade Kid has confirmed that it is releasing free DLC for the game this year. Renegade Kid's Jools Watsham has stated that the update will be released in Europe on October 18th and North America on October 25th. Here's a handy bullet point list of new features, courtesy of...
News Rayman Origins Was In The Works For The Wii U
Rayman Legends predecessor could have been on the Wii U
Once upon a time, Rayman Origins was in the works for the Wii U, as Ubisoft expected an earlier launch date for the console. Sadly the team had no choice but to scrap development once they discovered that the system wouldn't be released in 2011. Rayman creator Michel Ancel told Nintendo Power...
News Castlevania, Mega Man 4 And Donkey Kong Heading To Japanese eShop
Popular NES titles making their way to the 3DS Virtual Console next week
Japanese gamers are in for a treat next week, as Castlevania, Mega Man 4 and Donkey Kong will all be released for the 3DS Virtual Console on October 17th, priced at 500 yen each. Both Mega Man 4 and Donkey Kong are the original Famicom versions of the games, whereas...
Friday12th Oct 2012
News Casual And Hardcore Gamers, Madden NFL 13 Has Something For You Both
But will it be enough to make up for missing features?
Developers at EA Tiburon have stated that they are doing their best to take advantage of the Wii U's unique capabilities in ways that they hope will be the best for both casual and more experienced gamers, and hopefully will make users feel that they are not missing out too much on features that...
Wednesday10th Oct 2012
Sweat baby, sweat
The video games industry is currently inundated with a plethora of fitness games promising to give you abs like Schwarzenegger - if you're willing to pay the price. But how many of these titles actually perform? While the Just Dance franchise might be categorised into the silly party genre, Just Dance 4 in fact provides a fun...
Review Boulder Dash-XL 3D (3DS)
Rockford reborn
Every system has little-known titles — packed with content and well-constructed gameplay — that fail to fly off shelves or, in some cases, even get into high street stores in the first place. If Boulder Dash-XL 3D suffers that fate it'll be a pity, because it takes its subject matter and goes beyond the basic requirements,...
News Will LEGO City Undercover Have Multiplayer? Not Even Nintendo Seems to Know
Confusion reigns
For the longest time, we've been labouring under the belief that the forthcoming LEGO City Undercover will boast a two-player mode. Heck, we've even listed it as such on the game's profile page on this very site. However, it would appear that the number of players that will be able to enjoy the game on a single Wii U console at any...
Talking Point Nintendo Takes One Step Forward, One Back With Retail Downloads
It's not quite right, yet
During last week's Nintendo Direct broadcast in Europe, one eShop announcement that received relatively little fanfare was confirmation that a number of additional first-party titles were being made available on the platform. These titles stretch back to the earliest months of the system: now available on the European eShop...
News Justin Bieber Surprises Just Dance 4 Fans
The girls just couldn't 'Belieb' it
Ubisoft invited a bunch of young girls to come and play Just Dance 4 early for what they thought was a research focus group. The girls figured they were being asked to give some feedback on the game, but little did they know that Ubisoft had another trick up its sleeves. Justin Bieber was called upon to help...
Nintendo Download 11th October 2012 (Europe)
Pokémon dreaming, samurai sword slashing and rescuing robots
So, it's finally time for this week's Nintendo Download update for Europe. We have a crack team currently investigating what happened to the official press release, but we'll go ahead and let you know what download delights are on the way based on what was revealed during last week's...
News Amazing Nintendo School Homecoming Restores Faith in US Education System
Learning with friends
We've seen some cool School Homecoming ideas in the past, but this one probably tops them all. A Reddit user by the name of coonster has posted up some photos of the Nintendo-themed homecoming at his place of education, complete with references to Starfox, Pokémon and - of course - Super Mario. You can check out the full...
News Activision Releases New Trailer For Transformers Prime
Planes, trains and Autobots
Based on the award-winning animated television show produced by Hasbro Studios, Transformers Prime lets you play as your favourite Autobot character and embark on an action-packed adventure to save the earth from the evil Megatron and his new secret weapon. Get a preview glimpse of the Wii U version in the video below,...
News Cave Story Fix is "Coming Soon"
Curly Story will be saved
If you haven't read our Cave Story review, then let us sum it up for you: we loved it. The eShop version of the indie game that started it all is fantastic, except for one issue. It turns out that some people are having problems with the Curly Story mode. Specifically, they can't get past the first couple of screens...
News Super Mario World Was The Perfect Escape For a Novelist in Hiding
Salman Rushdie's inner gamer is revealed
In literary circles Salman Rushdie is a much admired award-winning writer, and also one of the biggest names in the book industry. He's also courted great controversy during his career, notably when his novel The Satanic Verses outraged extremist groups and regimes to the point that there was a fatwa issued...
News NPD: US Consumers Want a Hot Item This Xmas, But The Wii U Isn't It
Industry as a whole is in better shape, though
2012 hasn't been a fantastic year for the video game industry in terms of sales. Year on year, the market is shrinking - August saw a drop of 20 percent, which is understandably worrying for developers, publishers and retailers. However, The NPD Group - whose job it is to research sales trends in the...
News Teens Losing Interest In Social Gaming, Turning To Traditional Consoles
Research also shows the growth of digital downloads
Everywhere you look, there seems to be a story about how traditional consoles are under threat from social gaming, and that the console market as we know it is all but doomed. However, new research from Analyst firm Piper Jaffray reveals that attitudes towards social gaming are changing, with teen...
Is this Japan-only eShop release going to be music to your ears?
As games get more complicated, with motion controls and complex button layouts, is it still possible to have fun while playing a game using only one button? With the Japan-exclusive eShop title Dopamix (made by G-mode, the current owners of the Data East back catalogue, which includes...
Interview Broken Rules Talks About Chasing Aurora and Being Early on Wii U
Taking flight on Nintendo's new system
Chasing Aurora is an eye-catching Wii U eShop title that's scheduled to arrive in November. While its art style immediately grabs attention, we wanted to know more about it, especially as it's only a matter of weeks away. We got in touch with developer Broken Rules and spoke to its man Martin Pichlmair about...
News Factory Fire Will Not Affect Wii U Production
Nintendo says there's no impact on units being shipped
News has emerged that a fire broke out at an unnamed Wii U system assembly factory in Japan, with just a little over a month until the console's release across North America, Europe and Japan. An analyst for the Australian bank Macquarie, in Tokyo, subsequently downgraded Wii U’s shipping...
News Epic Mickey: Power of Illusion Will Make Its Way To The eShop
Paint the town red
Disney Interactive Studios has revealed that those who wish to purchase Epic Mickey: Power of Illusion when it releases on 18th November across North America (the same day as Wii U arrives), have the choice of picking it up in stores or downloading from the Nintendo eShop. It looks like that'll make it the first third-party title...
News EnjoyUp's Zombie Skape Shuffling To DSiWare Soon
Skateboards and Zombies galore
EnjoyUp Games, the publisher behind La Mulana and Chrono Twins, has announced Zombie Skape today for DSiWare and the 3DS eShop. It's described as an arcade game with a 'terrifying' atmosphere. Oo-er. Protagonist Ethan dreams to become number one number one at skateboarding and outdo his idol Johnny Eagle. Unlucky for...
Tuesday9th Oct 2012
News File Sizes Revealed For 3DS eShop Retail Downloads
Better stock up on those SD cards, this could get ugly
Last week, Nintendo of Japan confirmed during a Nintendo Direct presentation that a list of current 3DS titles would soon be available for download from the Nintendo eShop. It's good to see Nintendo pushing their retail games as digital downloads, but just how much space will they actually take...
Developer Interview Frozenbyte Talks Trine 2, Wii U eShop and Working with Nintendo
An ice chat
The excitement for Wii U isn't limited to the second screen, the possibility of five player games or the chance that Nintendo is getting its groove back with third party publishers: there's also the small matter of its approach to digital distribution. WiiWare started well before floundering and DSiWare hosted a few gems among its...
News Capcom Responds To The Lack Of Mega Man On 3DS
Too good to be true?
If we were to choose one franchise that is disappointingly absent from the 3DS library, it would have to be Mega Man. Following the soul-shattering decision to cancel Mega Man Legends 3, Capcom released Mega Man 1-3 on the 3DS eShop, but these Virtual Console titles have been limited to Japan. With fans clamoring for a Western...
Review Successfully Learning English: Year 5 (WiiWare)
One more class, Freddy
Successfully Learning English: Year 5 represents, probably, the end of an edutainment era. Across DSiWare and WiiWare, Freddy the Vampire has appeared in over 20 titles covering a few different subjects in relentless detail for young pupils, all with the same style, structure and bland presentation. The final part of the Wii's...
News Wii U Resellers Captilise On Demand By Fleecing Consumers
Would you pay $1,550 for Nintendo's new console this Christmas?
Unless you count the Virtual Boy, pretty much every new Nintendo console has experienced incredible demand in the first month of its release. Millions of people want to upgrade but stock is usually limited - hardly surprising with brand new hardware. Sadly, this situation allows...
Feature EB Expo 2012 Nintendo Booth Impressions
Get N or Get Out
As you may have noticed over the past few days, we have been posting our impressions of games that were available to play at the recent EB Expo. We've also got some impressions for you of Nintendo's impressive booth itself. Throughout the weekend, the line to get into the Nintendo booth was one of the longest. The line moved at a...
Review Academy: Chess Puzzles (DSiWare)
Chess, minus chess
Sometimes a game is so simple in concept that it’s difficult to find the right words to describe it. It’s also worth keeping in mind that simplicity is not always a bad thing, and it can often work in a game’s favor. With that being said, Academy: Chess Puzzles is the definitive simple pleasure. The first thing that needs...
News Bridgestone Responds to Sony's "Kevin Butler" Lawsuit
All because of a game of Mario Kart Wii
Yesterday we picked up on the news of an ongoing court case between Sony and the actor behind Kevin Butler or, to be completely accurate, the actor's production company and Bridgestone. Sony's basic complaint was that the actor Jerry Lambert, so commonly known for his work as fictional Sony executive Kevin...
News Computer Virus Responsible For Bomb Scare at Nintendo's Japanese HQ
"This week, I'm going to blow up Nintendo headquarters"
A rather worrying computer virus has hit Japan which allows hackers to take control of another person's machine and use it for whatever means they wish. This virus has already claimed its first high-profile victim in the shape of animator Masaki Kitamura, who was arrested (and subsequently...
Wednesday10th Oct 2012
News Here's That Batman Arkham City Video Walkthrough You Wanted
See what Wii can do for U
Warner Bros. Montreal is in charge of developing Batman Arkham City: Armored Edition, and they've released a video that shows off exactly how the Wii U GamePad will change the way you play. While the core gameplay hasn't been altered, the touch screen and gyroscopic functionalities of the GamePad allow you to wield The...
Tuesday9th Oct 2012
News Puddle For Wii U Will Be The Definitive Version Of The Game
Neko Entertainment explains why the Wii U version is the best so far
In September we confirmed that Puddle would be available for Wii U on the Nintendo eShop. Neko Entertainment has now dropped some good news on the Wii U version, that it's been improved in a number of areas specifically for Nintendo's upcoming home console. Due to the good...
News Reggie: Time Spent on Rival Devices is a Missed Opportunity For Nintendo
Company looks to offer a broader degree of entertainment
Nintendo is entering a unique phase in its existance, a period where its rivals not only include Microsoft and Sony, but also Apple and Google. Despite Nintendo's best efforts to deny the threat, mobile and social gaming is most definitely on the rise, and many predict that the traditional...
News Retro City Rampage Trailer is Full of Old-School Cool
Spot the references
Retro City Rampage arrives on PC and PS Vita today, which may draw some envious glances from Wii owners that were promised this title so long ago. The good news is that developer VBlank has already confirmed that the title is rampaging onto WiiWare later this year, so the wait is hopefully not going to be too long. On the plus...
News 3D Classics: Urban Champion Is A Downloadable Reward On Club Nintendo
Time to become a champion, again
North American members of Club Nintendo have a new title to spend their valuable coins on, but it might not be what you were hoping for. 3D Classics: Urban Champion is available as a reward until October 21st, and will set you back 150 coins. This 3D Classics title first became available a little over a year ago on...
News We Really Wish This Super Mario Kung Fu Movie Actually Existed
It's already better than the Hollywood effort
If you're old enough to remember the terrible Hollywood live-action Super Mario Bros. movie then there's a good chance you still carry the mental scars. Even lead actor Bob Hoskins isn't a fan! It would appear that the world is still waiting for the definitive Mario movie, but in the meantime you can...
News Trine 2 Developer: Nintendo is Reaching Out to Indies
Exclusive interview reveals information about Wii U patching process
Trine 2: Director's Cut developer Frozenbyte has spoken to us in an exclusive interview about working on Wii U, and has continued the current trend for positive comments about Nintendo's attitude towards smaller studios. Contrary to the perception that Nintendo is aloof and...
News New Rabbids Rumble Trailer Shows European Release Date
Let's get ready to rumble
It has been just over 4 months since Rabbids Rumble was confirmed for the Nintendo 3DS, and Ubisoft has finally given us a release date for its wacky second outing on the handheld system. During a brand new trailer, it is confirmed that the 8th game in the series will be released across Europe next month on the 16th...
Monday8th Oct 2012
News PETA Targets Pokémon Black & White 2 in Latest Campaign
Opportunism or a fair moral case?
Last year, with the arrival of Super Mario 3D Land, PETA — People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals — launched a campaign against Mario, on the grounds that his Tanooki suit encouraged the wearing of furs. It was a widely criticised move, as it disregarded the sheer fantasy of obtaining the suit from a...
Review Disney Princess: My Fairytale Adventure (3DS)
A royal pain
Disney has a long history of using video games to place its familiar characters into unfamiliar contexts, often mixing several disparate worlds together for the sake of effect. The best part? It quite often works. From Mickey Mouscapade to the Kingdom Hearts series to the upcoming Epic Mickey: Power of Illusion, it's usually great fun...
Hands On Is New Super Mario Bros 2 DLC Worth Your Golden Coins?
Should you download those Coin Rush levels? Read on to find out
Nintendo may have produced paid DLC before, particularly on 3DS, but it’s now taken its first steps into worldwide DLC on a big-name title. We are of course talking about the DLC for New Super Mario Bros. 2 for the 3DS, which comes in the form of three new content packs for the...
News Could This Be The Finished Wii U Interface?
Let's face it, it looks mighty fine
Wii U demo units have been set up in Nintendo World Store in New York City, where gamers will get the perfect chance to test out the upcoming console and what it has to offer. Not much information has been given about the Wii U eShop or the console's front-end interface, something we touched upon last week. It...
News Our Animal Crossing Nintendo Direct Translation Awaits Forest Folk Within
A complete summary of the Japanese presentation
Last week there was a special Japanese Nintendo Direct presentation covering the forthcoming Animal Crossing: Jump Out on 3DS. As usual, we've got a summary of the entire video, saving you the bother of having to actually learn Japanese in order to understand it. Iwata starts out by introducing us to...
First Impressions Paper Mario Sticker Star
Stuck on you
Tucked away on the roof of the ZombiU building in the Nintendo booth at the EB Expo were a few hidden 3DS gems. Among them was Paper Mario: Sticker Star, and as you can imagine we eagerly wrestled the closest copy from the display unit and dove right in. The version available to us appeared to be very close to the final build, as we...
News Kevin Butler Actor Seen Near Wii Console... Sony Takes Him to Court
Yes, really
Some of you may remember a news article that we posted around a month ago that starred fictional Sony VP Kevin Butler, which we did so with tongue firmly in cheek. We highlighted a Bridgestone tyre advert in which the actor who plays the character, his real name is Jerry Lambert, was seen near a Nintendo Wii, possibly causing indignation...
News Want to Know Why Rayman Legends is a Wii U Exclusive?
Developer reveals why Ubisoft decided against a multi-platform release
Rayman Origins was a real cracker of a game, offering lush visuals and engaging action. It was also released across a wide range of formats - something which won't be happening with its sequel, Rayman Legends. Speaking to Nintendo Power, level designer Chris McEntee explained...
First Impressions Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed
Hands-on impressions from the EB Expo in Australia
Sega had a playable version of Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed at the EB Expo 2012, so we naturally took the opportunity to check out how it compares to the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 editions, as well as see if the previously-noted frame rate issues were indeed solved,
News Indie Developers Speak Highly of Wii U eShop
Positive comments suggest that Nintendo is working well with smaller studios
If you ask the average WiiWare developer how much money they made off the back of the service, you'd probably be shocked. In the past, indie devs have been less than positive about Nintendo's online portal, providing figures which make for very grim reading - even more so...
News Monster Shooter is Locked and Loaded for 3DS eShop
Another mobile port in the offing
Gamelion has announced that it is preparing to unleash yet another of its mobile-to-3DS offerings. Monster Shooter is already available on iOS and Android - on which it has clocked up a respectiable 5 million downloads - and features "dual stick mayhem", apparently. Gamelion is also adamant that this is "one of the...
News Rayman Legends Won't Arrive Until Q1 2013
Launch day disappointment
When it comes to big third-party exclusives, Rayman Legends is undoubtedly one of the most anticipated Wii U launch window releases. We say launch window, as Ubisoft has now confirmed that the title isn't due to hit stores until Q1 2013, which means any date between 1st January and 31st March next year. In a statement...
News Professor Layton and the Miracle Mask Release Date Confirmed For Australia
On its way down under
Professor Layton and the Miracle Mask was released as a launch title in Japan for 3DS on 25th February, and at a little over a year and a half old is finally being released in Europe on 26th October, arriving in North America on 28th October. Fear not, our Australian readers, as Nintendo has now lifted the lid on a release...
News Hotel Transylvania Coming To Europe On Nintendo DS And 3DS
Embark on a spooktacular journey with Hotel Transyvania this Halloween
Avanquest Software Publishing has today announced the release of Hotel Transylvania for the Nintendo DS and Nintendo 3DS, with a release date of October 26th 2012 for DS and November 9th on 3DS across Europe. The game is being released to tie in with Sony Pictures Animation’s...
News Mass Effect fans, Take Note: Cris Velasco Is Scoring ZombiU's Soundtrack
Veteran game composer crafting a dark score for Ubisoft's upcoming zombie title
Hot off the heels of Mass Effect 3 and Borderlands 2, BAFTA award winning composer Cris Velasco will be lending his musical talents to the horror genre with Ubisoft's ZombiU. Best known for his work on the God of War series, Cris is no stranger to the game industry,...
News Mobile Hit Gunman Clive is Shooting His Way to the 3DS eShop
Mega Man-inspired action platformer is one to watch
If you own an iOS or Android-based smartphone then you may have already experienced the excellent Gunman Clive. A homage to the classic action platformers of old, the game has been confirmed by its developer as a forthcoming 3DS eShop title. Speaking to Not Enough Shaders, creator Bertil Hörberg...
Sunday7th Oct 2012
News 3DS XL Circle Pad Pro Release Date Confirmed
Like a pro
Nintendo revealed the first image of the 3DS XL Circle Pad Pro back in September, but failed to give us information as to when the peripheral would be released. We can now announce that the 3DS XL's bulky buddy will hit Japanese shores on 15th November at a price tag of 1,500 Yen, which approximately works out at £12/€15. There hasn't...
Review Drop Zone: Under Fire (WiiWare)
Falling with style
One of the coolest things video games can do is let us perform daring, stylish feats we might never attempt in the real world. Drifting around corners at 100mph, snowboarding off the edge of a mountain with reckless bravado, even plucking vegetables from the ground and hurling them at a pink dinosaur — all things we can...
News This Real Life Tanooki Suit is a Bit Strange
Do it like they do on the Discovery Channel
If you're the type of person that has absolutely no shame in wearing the most ludicrous clothes, then we have found the perfect item of clothing for you. Say hello to the 'Racanooki' Costume Hoodie! This costume hoodie from 80sTees was inspired by Tanooki Mario in Super Mario Bros. 3, and bizarrely you can...
Feature The Bizarre History of Pokémon Technology
Go Go Gadget Pokémon
Ever since the Game Boy link cable connected rival trainers together in Pokémon Red and Blue, the famed monster-catching franchise has been fascinated with novel technology. Pick an eccentric doodad at random from Nintendo's library of experiments and you're certain to find a guinea Tepig tagging along to make sure it's safe...
Ninterview Charles Martinet, The Voice of Mario
We caught up with the man himself at the recent EB Expo in Australia
He voices one of the most iconic characters in global culture yet he could probably walk down the street and not receive a second glance from passers-by. He is Charles Martinet, the man behind the voice of Nintendo's Mario, and has lent his vocal chords to the world-famous plumber...
News The Best Damn Half Time Entertainment You'll Ever See
Ohio State University Marching Band plays Zelda, Mario, Tetris and more
The Ohio State University Marching Band is a pretty big deal. It's one of the largest groups of its type in the world, and is regularly referred to by admirers as "The Best Damn Band in the Land" (TBDBITL for short). Famed for its stunningly complex half time performances, the...
Saturday6th Oct 2012
Review Pokémon Dream Radar (3DS eShop)
Dreams become reality
With the Pokémon series still a ways off from making its proper debut on Nintendo 3DS, fans who had purchased the stereoscopic handheld were in need of something to tide them over. Less a proper game and more a companion "app" to Pokémon Black and White 2, Pokémon Dream Radar uses the 3DS's AR capabilities to bring the...
Rumour GameCube Coming to Wii U Virtual Console
It's bound to happen, right?
The Wii U eShop is still a mystery, to the extent that we're assuming that it'll be branded as "eShop" on the basis of new pre-paid funding cards spotted in North America. Another mystery is the Virtual Console, as we've only been introduced to new download titles scheduled for the launch period, with few clues as to...
Review Angry Birds Trilogy (3DS)
Fowl play
Something of a cultural phenomenon by now, Rovio's Angry Birds franchise is one of the few in gaming to capture the general public's eye, time, wallet and wardrobe, becoming the poster child for "the future" of the industry. It has been called quite a few things in its meteoric rise: Herald of the death of dedicated gaming handhelds...
Talking Point Nintendo's Focus on the 3DS eShop
Gaming on a budget
This week’s European Nintendo Direct prompted the usual range of predictions before the event, ranging from optimistic but unlikely hopes to pessimism and predictability. What Nintendo of Europe boss Satoru Shibata gave us, surprisingly, was a broadcast heavy with eShop exclusives, some new and surprising and others with...
Friday5th Oct 2012
Review Pokémon Black and White 2 (DS)
Pokémon used Sequel! It’s super effective!
It's fitting that the franchise typically relied upon to sell Nintendo handhelds is also the swansong that bids farewell to the mighty Nintendo DS. The enormously popular Pokémon series graces the highest-selling handheld console of all time for one last hurrah and the result is nothing short of...
Review Real Bout Fatal Fury 2: The Newcomers (Wii Virtual Console / Neo Geo)
Fair and balanced
Real Bout Fatal Fury 2: The Newcomers marks the seventh release in the series and the third and final release in the Real Bout sub-series. While there has always been a lot of debate about whether this game or Real Bout Fatal Fury Special is the better overall fighting game, it's nice to see SNK-Playmore giving Virtual Console fans...
News EA Attempts to Justify Selling Last Year's FIFA as a New Game
Money for old rope
"Year on year, Wii has just dropped, and clearly we don’t make games for it anymore,” said Electronic Arts chief operating officer Peter Moore in a recent interview. Moore's words are turning out to have more truth to them than you might imagine, especially if the recent FIFA 13 on Wii is anything to go by. Purchasers of the...
News Nintendo: Phones And Tablets Aren't Games Devices
UK PR director bullish about 3DS' forthcoming Christmas war against mobile
Nintendo UK's marketing and PR director Shelly Pearce has spoken to MCV about the upcoming war for wallets this Christmas, and has stated that the company is confident that its 'true' gaming systems will hold their own against devices like smartphones and tablets. When asked...
Ninterview Howard "Gamemaster" Phillips
We speak to one of Nintendo of America's first employees
Howard Phillips joined Nintendo in the early '80s with the intention of helping transport a few new-fangled arcade cabinets, but he ended up becoming the spokesperson for one of the fastest-growing entertainment companies in the US. He recently began a Kickstarter campaign for his first...
News Watch The Japanese Animal Crossing Nintendo Direct Here
Not hosted by Tom Nook, sadly
Today, Nintendo Japan ran a special Animal Crossing-themed Nintendo Direct, which you can watch using the video link below. The video was devoted to the forthcoming 3DS release Animal Crossing: Jump Out. The game is released in Japan on November 8th.
Talking Point What Games Are You Playing This Weekend? - Issue Seven
It's back
Earlier this week, in a peculiar moment of a united group consciousness, the Nintendo Life team exclaimed as one: "hey, what happened to the weekend gaming features?" What did happen? Nintendo and video games happened, with enough Wii U madness — including a little bit of 3DS — and expos to distract us from our fortnightly duties of...
News Retro City Rampaging To WiiWare Later This Year
We've not been forgotten about
With WiiWare entering the final stages of its life, you might assume that developer support is going to dry up massively. However, we've recently been given one of the best games ever seen on the platform in the shape of La-Mulana. Thankfully, it would appear that it's not going to be WiiWare's final notable release,...
Competition Test Your Professor Layton Knowledge Via This Facebook Quiz
Enroll at Gressenheller University today
To celebrate the forthcoming release of Professor Layton and the Miracle Mask (or Mask of Miracle, depending on where in the world you happen to be) Nintendo has created a UK-based Facebook quiz which allows you to test your knowledge of Layton's world. If you're clever enough to solve all of the tests,...
Thursday4th Oct 2012
Review Learn With Pokémon: Typing Adventure (DS)
SEMI-COLON COMMA WOOBAT
It would be very easy to dismiss Learn With Pokémon Typing Adventure as ‘just another Pokémon spin-off’, or even worse, an ‘edutainment game’. Yet in fact, the title conceals a rather addictive addition to the Pokémon franchise, bundled with a nifty Bluetooth keyboard and stand. As with most Pokémon spin-offs,...
Nintendo Download 4th October 2012 (North America)
Cave Story, art classes, cross words and NSMB2 DLC
You might want to pull up a chair for this one, because it's something of a monster. Are you sitting comfortably? Do you have a hot drink at the ready? Then let's begin... 3DS Retail Downloads: Crosswords Plus (Nintendo, $29.99) — Crosswords Plus offers more than 1,000 professionally designed...
News Watch the European 3DS Nintendo Direct Here - 4th October 2012
Time for some hype, in 3D
Does anyone remember the dark old days when Nintendo rarely spoke to fans directly, leaving us hanging for weeks, sometimes months with little official word on what's going on? Those days seem like part of a distant past since Nintendo Direct broadcasts began in earnest this year. We never have long to wait before the next...
News Nintendo Announces Big eShop Releases Coming This Year
Hydroventure, Denpa Men, Hana Samurai and Nano Assault EX on the way
For those that enjoy filling up their 3DS SD card with a variety of high-quality download titles, Nintendo of Europe's Nintendo Direct broadcast brought a fair bit of good news regarding games that we can expect to see soon. Perhaps the most eagerly anticipated is Hana Samurai: Art...
News Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate Will Run At 1080p on Wii U
That's more 'p' than Wii can handle
Although we're still a few weeks off the Wii U launch, we're already aware that a handful of titles will be running at full 1080p resolution, including Rayman Legends, Toki Tori 2, and ZombiU. Now we have one more game to add to that list. The latest issue of Japanese magazine Famitsu has revealed that Monster...
News Guild01 Titles Heading to eShop
SUDA51's Liberation Maiden Available Now in Europe
Not long ago we reported a rumour that Level-5's Guild01 could be coming to North America, which was exciting as it's a collection of four 3DS games developed by different studios in Japan. Today's Nintendo Direct in Europe sprung a surprise, with confirmation that three of those titles will be...
News Super Mario 3D Land Shortlisted for GameCity Prize
Probably won't win though
A squirreled-away secret panel has whittled down a long-list of 18 games to a shortlist of just seven for this year's GameCity Prize. The GameCity Prize was launched as part of GameCity6 in October 2011. Minecraft, the open world building title and phenomenal success from Mojang founder Markus ‘Notch’ Persson, was the...
News New Super Mario Bros. U Trailer Shows Off Co-Op, Controlled by Mario Masters
The music works on us
New Super Mario Bros. U is potentially the biggest day one Wii U title, though it does have competition and has to fight against Mario fatigue. There seem to be two distinct camps of gamers at the moment: those that can't get too much of Mario's platforming antics, and those that feel they've played quite enough Mario for one...
News This Custom Zelda Shield Is Possibly The Best Use of Lego Yet
Block buster
When we were kids, we tried to create all manner of things out of Lego, most of which turned out to be disappointingly dissimilar from the intended design. That's clearly not something that Reddit user remig ever has to worry about - as this amazing Hylian Shield attests. Constructed from Lego parts costing around $1500, this amazing...
News Fallblox Confirmed for November Release in eShop
Sequel to Pullblox known as Crashmo in NA
When speculating before Nintendo of Europe's latest Nintendo Direct broadcast, it's unlikely that many gamers would have predicted the confirmation of Fallblox, a sequel to the rather excellent Pullblox on 3DS eShop; just as Pullblox was known as Pushmo in North America, this latest entry will be known as...
News Pikachu 3DS XL Coming to Europe "Later This Year"
White 3DS XL also on the way
Do you remember when a Pikachu 3DS XL was released in Japan earlier this year, prompting long lines and pandemonium as it arrived? We may see similar scenes in Europe, to a lesser extent, as Nintendo of Europe boss Satoru Shibata has confirmed that the cutest 3DS XL around is coming to the region later this year...
News Paper Mario: Sticker Star Arrives in Europe 7th December
Stuck on you
Nintendo of Europe has finally announced a date for Paper Mario: Sticker Star: Europeans will be able to get sticky with the paper thin plumber from 7th December. The world is your personal Panini album in the adventure, which sees Mario and company slipping through the world slamming stickers onto anything that moves. You'll also be...
News Fire Emblem and Luigi's Mansion Coming to Europe in 2013
Better late than never
It was to be expected after Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon was delayed into 2013 in North America, but we can now confirm that the green plumber's 3DS foray into ghost busting has also slipped into next year in Europe; it's now due to spook up the first quarter of 2013. Hopefully not too long after that, Fire Emblem: Awakening...
News Pokémon Mystery Dungeon 3DS Getting Japanese November Release
Enter the Magna Gate and the Infinite Labyrinth
Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Magna Gate and the Infinite Labyrinth will launch on the Nintendo 3DS in Japan on November 23rd, it has been confirmed. The latest instalment in the Pokémon Mystery Dungeon series, this first 3DS entry apparently allows you to take photos of real-world objects using the 3DS...
News Etrian Odyssey IV Coming To North America In Early 2013
More JRPGs for the 3DS? Sounds good to us
Atlus has announced plans to localize Etrian Odyssey IV: Legends of the Titan, the latest entry in the long-running JRPG franchise. Legends of the Titan marks the series' arrival on the Nintendo 3DS, which utilizes an improved graphics engine to provide improved 3D visuals. Like previous titles, players...
News Disney Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two Confirmed for Wii U Launch Day in Europe
Yes, you use the GamePad screen for the brush
While North America has a rather juicy list of Wii U launch titles that will arrive alongside the system on 18th November, European gamers are having to be a little more patient for full details. Thankfully one more launch day arrival has been confirmed, with Disney Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two...
News NightSky Lights Up 3DS eShop On 25th October
Starry night
The long-awaited Nicalis title NightSky has finally be given a North American release date, with the 25th October being the day to mark on your calendars. NightSky started life as a WiiWare release, but never saw the light of day (get it?) and eventually launched on the PC. The 3DS port was confirmed by Nicalis last year. To quote the...
News Spirit Hunters Ghosting Onto DSiWare on 22nd November
Light and Shadow versions both available
While Australian development studio Nnooo is fairly well known to Nintendo download gamers for Pop and escapeVektor: Chapter 1 on WiiWare — a new version of the latter is also on the way to the 3DS eShop — the developer has been quietly working on its ambitious DSiWare title, Spirit Hunters Inc, for quite...
News Professor Layton and the Miracle Mask Trailer Showcases New Features
"Every (downloadable) puzzle has an answer"
With only a few weeks until its Western release, Level-5 and Nintendo have released a brand new trailer for Professor Layton and the Miracle Mask, which shows off a handful of new features. Taking full advantage of the 3DS hardware, Layton's latest adventure is fully rendered in 3D, and comes jam-packed...
Wednesday3rd Oct 2012
Spelunker
Stop us if you've heard this one. A guy by the nom de plume of Pixel made a really great game all by himself and released it on PC for free in 2004. It's called... Oh, so you have heard it. We thought so. In 2012, Cave Story needs no introduction. It's not an unknown quantity. In fact, not counting this eShop release, publisher Nicalis...
News More 3DS Download Titles Coming To Japan's eShop
Zelda, Mario and Starfox to be made available in digital form
Nintendo of Japan has confirmed via a special Nintendo Direct presentation that a series of existing 3DS retail releases will soon be available on the eShop. From November 1st, Japanese 3DS owners will be able to download copies of Mario Tennis Open, Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Games,
First Impressions Castlevania: Lords of Shadow - Mirror of Fate
What a horrible night to play a demo
We don't need to explain to you that we're massive fans of Castlevania here at Nintendo Life - you surely already know that. Like so many other gamers out there, Konami's gothic series has a special place in our hearts, thanks to some amazing 8-bit entries and sublime 'Metroidvania' escapades on the Game Boy...
News Japan Is Getting These Awesome Animal Crossing and New Super Mario Bros. 2 3DS Bundles
Bundles of joy
Nintendo has confirmed that it is releasing new 3DS XL hardware bundles in Japan, with Animal Crossing and New Super Mario Bros. 2 themed consoles expected to hit store shelves in November. At the start of November Nintendo will push the all-black 3DS XL onto store shelves for 18,900 yen ($240 / £150). That's just the console on its...
News Team Ninja Backs Wii U to Grab Attention
Miiverse could be a "virtual amusement park"
Team Ninja may be the masters of action-intensive games and a rather questionable perspective when it come to in-game character models for women, but it's also a studio becoming increasingly relevant to Nintendo gamers. After all, it was chosen to deliver Metroid: Other M, successfully dividing the...
News Reggie: Miiverse Will be a "True Killer Application" on Wii U
An important part of the system
Unlike its predecessor, Wii U is a system that is steadily making a big noise about functionality beyond simply playing a game. In North America there's TVii, an app that allows subscribers of various TV services to navigate around programmes, access bespoke content and update social networks with comments. It's the...
News Newest Code of Princess Trailer is Packed With Features
It had us at co-op
Code of Princess is an RPG brawler due out next week on 3DS in North America, and publisher Atlus has taken the opportunity to release another trailer for the game that shows off a good mix of gameplay and cutscenes. With over 50 playable characters, more than 100 quests, and separate versus and co-op modes, Code of Princess is...
News Animal Crossing Nintendo Direct Confirmed for Japan
Remember to breathe
If Nintendo has one focus this week, it seems to be to remind us about 3DS. The handheld is only in its second year, after all, and has its share of big releases due in the coming months. One upcoming title that's high on a lot of 3DS wish-lists is Animal Crossing: Jump Out, which isn't due in North America and Europe until...
News Your Wall Is Crying Out For This Amazing Mega Drive Poster
And the creators are interested in doing a SNES one, too
Sega-loving James Newton may have left us, but we still have a lot of time for the company that gave the world Sonic the Hedgehog. We therefore heartily approve of this bespoke, limited edition Mega Drive poster, produced by MegaDrive.me and designed by
News 3DS and BFI Film-Making Competition Winner Announced
New film to be premiered on 15th October
Earlier in the summer we told you about the Ridley Scott-backed film-making contest being run by Nintendo and the BFI (British Film Institute). This was taking submissions of 3D films recorded on 3DS systems, with the winner then having an opportunity to create a professionally produced 3D film with Stuart...
Tuesday2nd Oct 2012
News Game Boy Advance Games Pop Up On Nintendo Europe Press Site
3DS downloads imminent?
Try not to get your hopes up - especially in the light of recent events - but it looks as if Nintendo is about to announce the release of Game Boy Advance games on the 3DS eShop. Spotted by German site Nintendo-Online.de, a trio of GBA covers have been uploaded onto the Nintendo Europe press server, with Sup
Talking Point The Possibilities of New Super Mario Bros. 2 DLC
More Mario per system
We’re well aware that some of you may read the headline and tagline for this article and immediately think that we’re losing our minds, foolishly allowing ourselves to be suckered into paying more and more for our Mario fix. That’s a danger of course, which we’ll come to, but with this week’s first batch of New Super...
News 3DS eShop Set for Maintenance in Europe, Right Before Nintendo Direct
Speculation ahoy!
Update: Courtesy of a tweet from Nintendaan, it appears to be the case that the Japanese eShop is scheduled to go down for maintenance from 3am until 12pm on 4th October, making this a little more intriguing. So, Nintendo of Europe is hosting a Nintendo Direct broadcast on Thursday 4th October at 7pm British standard time/8pm...
News Voice of Mario Was Inspired by a Shakespearean Character
Yes, really
Younger gamers may think that Mario's always had a voice, gleefully exclaiming phrases such as "Wahoo" and "Yippee" for all time, along with the occasional sentence. The voice fits the character, and it seems like Mario wouldn't be the same without his famous catch-phrases. It's easy to forget, then, that Super Mario 64 was the first...
News Nintendo of Europe Confirms 3DS Nintendo Direct on 4th October
Stereoscopic goodness on the way
With all of the hype and hoopla around a certain upcoming home console, Nintendo gamers may have been forgiven for wondering about some big release dates for 3DS games this Holiday season. Nintendo of Europe is answering the call, with a full 3DS Nintendo Direct broadcast on the way on Thursday 4th October at 7pm...
News Wii U eShop "More Open, Social and Indie-Friendly" Than Wii
We should hope so, too
Although we don't yet know much about Wii U eShop, we're continuing to hear good things about it from some developers with an inside perspective. The latest to step forward is Broken Rules, which is bringing Chasing Aurora to the new system this November. When it comes to giving a comparison with the download service on Wii,...
News New Super Mario Bros. 2 DLC Grabs North American Coins on 4th October
See Reggie's Nintendo Direct 'Mini' debut
Earlier today Nintendo of Europe released a translated version of the weekend's Japanese Nintendo Direct Mini, with details of the New Super Mario Bros. 2 Coin Rush DLC that's already available for download in the region. Nintendo of America has now joined in with its own video, though its gamers will need...
Review Hitori by Nikoli (3DS eShop)
Brainy cells
Connoisseurs of the eShop should be well acquainted with Japanese puzzle maker Nikoli: Hamster has trickled out an assortment of its brand of logic puzzles for months now, with varying success. Hitori by Nikoli offers a clever inversion on typical puzzle design, a Jeopardy!-style twist to its approach by handing over a grid of answers...
News Dr. Mario Online Rx Makes Club Nintendo Members Feel Better
Yours for 100 coins
As expected for North American members of Club Nintendo, there's a new title available in exchange for 100 hard earned coins. The latest update has seen Dr. Mario Online Rx on WiiWare added as an incentive until 14th October. This title has been around for well over four years now, and received some warm praise and 7/10 in our...
News Gamemaster Howard Shares Some DK History in Latest Comic Strip
Kickstarting a Know-It-All game
Howard Phillips, or Gamemaster Howard as he's known to fans of retro Nintendo, is making a return to the public eye. He's best known as one of the very earliest employees at Nintendo of America, whose ability to memorise and master game details was part of the reason why he rose to prominence as a spokesperson and...
News NSMB2 Nintendo Direct Mini Is Now Available In English Flavour
NSMB2 DLC released today in Europe, NoA broadcast on the way
Last Friday, Nintendo Japan released a short Nintendo Direct presentation which featured Satoru Iwata's disembodied head chatting about the brand new DLC packs for New Super Mario Bros. 2. A slightly different version of that same presentation is now available in English, thanks to...
Monday1st Oct 2012
Review Hotel Transylvania (3DS)
Stab it with your steely knives
Released as an obvious tie-in with the movie of the same name, Hotel Transylvania aims to provide an experience evocative of some classic Castlevania titles, particularly the DS games and that influential masterpiece Symphony of the Night. That's the good news. The bad news is that, as with many movie tie-ins, Hotel...
First Impressions Wii U Pro Controller
We go hands on with one of the most important Wii U accessories
With games like Bayonetta 2 and Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 blazing a trail to the Wii U very soon, the need for a decent 'traditional' joypad is obvious. Nintendo is making sure 'core' games will play as well as possible by producing the Wii U Pro Controller, a device which boasts an...
Review Quarth (3DS eShop / GB)
Break it down
Originally released for the Game Boy in 1990, Konami's Quarth takes the presentation of a Space Invaders-type shooter, and instead gives us a puzzle game. As tempting as it might be to enter these stages with guns blazing, what Quarth actually requires is a healthy amount of foresight and on-the-fly problem solving. It's not without...
News Sony: Wii U is Targeting "Niche Early Adopter Market" This Holiday
Nintendo's rival wants to lure families
The upcoming arrival of Wii U, and its inevitable push to be a big Holiday success, is naturally something for Nintendo's rivals to worry about. Sony, for its part, is introducing a new 'super slim' version of PS3 with just 12GB of memory, much lower than standard for the system, along with titles to attract...
News Two More Retail Releases Arrive in 3DS eShop in North America
Get Donkey Kong: Original Edition for free
As more retail games gradually make their way to 3DS eShop, we're sure to see a steady stream of promotions and incentives to tempt gamers into going digital. Today sees two more joining the ranks, with Art Academy: Lessons for Everyone! and Crosswords Plus both arriving at a price of $29.99. Both will be...
Review Kart Krashers (DSiWare)
A party worth krashing?
Kart Krashers has a plan to shake up the kart racing genre: keep the karts, erase the race. Sure, it sounds rather pointless, but stick with us. The basic idea is to drive your kart around arena-like courses, shooting for a high score by collecting stars and rings and taking out baddies. The "Krashers" in the name implies a...
Nintendo Download 4th October 2012 (Europe)
Puzzling moles, demo pinball and more fatal fury
It's time for our regular Monday pick-me-up in the form of the European Nintendo Download update. Only three new offerings this week, but let's get to it. 3DS eShop: Mole Mania (Nintendo, £2.69/€2.99) — Mole Mania arrived in the North American store earlier in the summer, but those in Europe...
News Check Out Some Mario Facts in This Video
Cameo appearances, cancelled sequels and other mysteries
Mario has so many video games that if there weren't peculiarities and quirks throughout them, something would be wrong. The sheer volume of games over a period in excess of 25 years is impressive, especially if you go beyond the scope of the main franchise and venture off into spin-offs and...
News Single Players in Rayman Legends Will be Platforming, Most of the Time
Temporary switches to GamePad screen with AI support
Rayman Legends is one of Wii U's biggest launch day titles, an exclusive with gorgeous visuals, platforming goodness and clever use of the GamePad for multiplayer. One concern, however, is whether this title will serve solo players well, as all of the focus and attention has been on co-op; there's...
News Little Inferno Aiming to Light Its Wii U Fire on Launch Day
Get those eShop cards ready
Little Inferno is quite possibly one of the most fascinating upcoming Wii U eShop titles, as it's from the creators of WiiWare classic World of Goo as well as Henry Hatsworth in The Puzzling Adventure on DS. It's also interesting because all we've seen is teaser footage, so we're yet to find out how the actual game plays...
Feature Nintendo Life's Favourite Eurogamer Expo 2012 Moments
Magic moments
Eurogamer Expo 2012 has sadly come to a close, but if you've been following our photo stream you might have gathered that the Nintendo Life team had a rather lovely time indeed. We hosted our own StreetPass Zone and chatted to a lot of people (and lost our voices in the process in Damien's case); Push Square's Sammy Barker stormed...
