News - 2012, Week 13

Sunday1st Apr 2012

  • News Google Maps 8-bit for NES

    Amazing.

    It's that time of year again folks, Google have put something together which should please every single Nintendo Life reader - Google Maps for NES. Google Maps is now available for 8-bit Nintendo Entertainment Systems (NES). Availability in Google Store is TBD but you can try it on your browser by going to and clicking "Quest"...

  • Game of the Month March 2012 - Kid Icarus: Uprising

    Worth the wait

    There was really no other contender for the best game released in March, right? Pit's triumphant return in Kid Icarus: Uprising swept the board in our staff vote, getting the nod from the whole team. It seems like an eternity has passed since we got our first look at the game way back at E3 2010, but the wait was well worth it as...

Saturday31st Mar 2012

  • Round Table Let's Talk About a Year of 3DS

    There's a lot to cover

    This week we've been celebrating the one-year anniversary of 3DS, a landmark that finds the handheld in relatively good health. It's been a dramatic, at times traumatic beginning for the console, so some of the Nintendo Life team got together to talk about their experiences and opinions of the system's first year. Joining...

Friday30th Mar 2012

  • News More Black and White Kyurem Details Revealed

    Just our type

    Pokémon Black & White 2's legendary Black Kyurem and White Kyurem are Dragon/Ice type Pokémon, new cases spotted on Amazon Japan have confirmed. Black Kyurem stands 3.3 metres tall, while White Kyurem is a little taller at 3.6m. Both weigh 325kg — about the same as a robotic lawn mower. We expect to learn more about Pokémon...

  • News Wait, There's a Spectrum Emulator in GoldenEye?

    Secret agent

    Of all the cheats and secrets tucked away in GoldenEye 007, we never suspected Rare's N64 classic harboured a fully functioning ZX Spectrum 48k emulator. Rare began a coding experiment to see if the N64 could support a Spectrum emulator, even embedding old-school Rare games Sabre Wulf, Jetpac and more in the code. Clearly the experiment...

  • Review Arc Style: Soccer!! 3D (3DS eShop)

    Like real soccer, it's better with friends

    Hoping against hope to sweep the award for most cumbersomely titled game in the eShop, Arc Style: Soccer!! 3D is here, and it's brought with it a slew of impressive options for customisation. Unfortunately, the gameplay seems to have been sacrificed on their behalf. As with just about any sports game, Arc...

  • Review 90's Pool (DSiWare)

    It's pool! In the 90's!

    The Berlin Wall has recently fallen, Seinfeld is dominating television and Justin Bieber has just been born. Yes, it's the 1990s and, for some reason, we're playing pool. We'll leave the jokes about the title to you folks in the comments, as 90's Pool doesn't really leave us in much of a mood for fun. And for a video game,...

  • News SEGA to Cancel Games, Focus on Existing IP

    Dark days

    SEGA has revealed it's to slim down its Western operations and cancel some games to combat an operating loss in the current financial year. The publisher hasn't stated which games will be cancelled but did reveal its desire to focus on strong-selling IPs such as Sonic the Hedgehog, Football Manager, Total War and Aliens. From our list of...

  • News Nintendo UK Pushes Wii RPGs with New Trailer

    Wii's legacy?

    With a shade over two months until we hit the Wii U information motherlode at E3, Wii's time is just about over. While the mainstream will likely remember it for introducing motion control and kickstarting the party and fitness game crazes, Nintendo UK wants you to think fondly of its contributions to the adventure and roleplaying...

  • News 27 WiiWare Demos Return to Europe

    As prophesied

    Just as we told you a few weeks ago, WiiWare demos have returned to PAL this week. The Wii Shop Channel in Europe now hosts 27 free demos. Here's what's available: 3D Pixel RacingA Monsteca Corral: Monsters vs RobotsAnd Yet It Moves

  • News Spirit Camera Event Set to Haunt San Francisco

    Scares and snacks in one place

    Nintendo of America likes to run preview events for upcoming releases, but the latest has us intrigued. Taking place tonight at 9pm, and for over-18s only, is an event to promote Spirit Camera: the Cursed Memoir, a horror game that apparently makes full use of the 3DS' camera and AR (augmented reality) capabilities. If...

  • News Two Code of Princess Trailers Fight to the Fore

    Full of heart

    3DS scrapper Code of Princess — from the same team behind SEGA Saturn classic Guardian Heroes, remember — is shaping up to be one intriguing title, as these two new trailers show off. The first video is what you'd expect: anime cut scenes, Japanese singing and a jester fighting with a guitar. The second shows off the game's chaotic...

  • News Rhythm Thief Slides Back to July in North America

    Those who wait

    SEGA's stylish Rhythm Thief and the Emperor's Treasure is out next week in Europe, but 3DS owners in North America have to wait another three months to get their groove on. The official SEGA blog confirmed the new release date for the game as 10th July. The publisher didn't give any explanation for the delay. Look for our review in...

Thursday29th Mar 2012

  • News The Mystery of the Super Mario Bros. U.S. Release Date

    If you know for sure, let us know

    Occasionally, an enthusiastic researcher will embark on a quest to find information on obscure gaming facts, so it's surprising that one of the great unknowns in video game history is the U.S. release date for Super Mario Bros. on NES. Considering the fact that this is one of the most successful and iconic video...

  • Nintendo Download 29th March 2012 (North America)

    Sporty special

    Digital balls and cues make up the bulk of this week's downloads, with a few titles vying to catch your eye with their take on established sports. There's also a brace of demos for indecisive gamers. 3DS Download Software: Arc Style: Soccer!! 3D (Arc System Works, $6.99) — Arc dabbles with digital goalposts in this super-cute take...

  • News Gearbox: "No Other Platform Can Do What Wii U Can"

    "Nintendo to show more soon"

    Gearbox Software is prototyping Aliens: Colonial Marines for Wii U, and studio president Randy Pitchford has spoken to Vox Games about its work so far on the next Nintendo platform. Comparing the upcoming shooter to its current-gen counterparts, Pitchford was glowing about Wii U's potential: The Wii U version has so...

  • News Kid Icarus Ignites 3DS Sales Spike in Japan

    Up nearly 50%

    Kid Icarus: Uprising is doing the business for Nintendo in Japan, as hardware sales following its release increased nearly 50% week-on-week. As Masahiro Sakurai's game sold 132,526 units in Japan to top the software chart, 3DS hardware sales hit 94,011, up almost exactly 30,000 on the previous week's tally of 64,017. 3DS accounted for...

  • News XSEED Reveals Unchained Blades for 3DS eShop

    A link for the future

    XSEED Games is known for bringing top drawer RPGs to North America — it's publishing The Last Story after all — and it's just revealed another role player for Nintendo fans to get their hands on: Unchained Blades. The Japanese dungeon-crawler — known as Unchained Blades Rexx in the Land of the Rising Sun — will get a...

Wednesday28th Mar 2012

  • Review Dr. Mario (3DS eShop / GB)

    The doctor’s out

    If there’s one thing the 3DS eShop has plenty of, it’s puzzle games. It’s a genre that's always been commonplace on Nintendo handhelds, with Tetris probably the best known example. It’s hardly surprising that Nintendo’s mascot extraordinaire, Mario, invaded Game Boy with his own puzzle title, Dr. Mario. Does it make us...

  • News First Epic Mickey 3DS Screen Shows Scrooge McDuck

    Colour us interested

    Disney Epic Mickey: The Power of Illusion on 3DS is a 2D platformer developed by Monster Tale studio DreamRift, so we knew it was going to look good, but the first scanned screen looks like the team's nailed the Castle of Illusion atmosphere. The still also scores bonus points for including Scrooge McDuck from DuckTales,...

  • Feature How 3DS Brings a New Dimension to the DS Family

    Welcome to the 21st Century

    The humble DS and DSi consoles may have been a spectacular commercial success, but they were anything but modern technological devices when they were released. Much like the philosophy behind the Wii, Nintendo eschewed current-day technology in favour of finding a unique angle and putting it forward in old technology...

  • News Mutant Mudds Demo Coming This Week

    Try before you buy

    While Mutant Mudds has been a solid hit on Nintendo's eShop, there are likely still some who are holding out for a demo. Well, your prayers have been answered as Renegade Kid has just announced that a demo version of the game is set to hit the North American 3DS eShop this Thursday. You can check out the official press release...

  • News Wario Land 2 is Japan-Bound

    Stolen treasure recovered

    Japanese 3DS owners can continue their journey through Wario's wicked world next week when Wario Land II reaches the Virtual Console. While here in the West we got two versions of Wario's sophomore outing — one for Game Boy and a revamped Game Boy Color release — Japan only got the colour game, so that's the version...

  • News PEGI Rates Monster World IV for Virtual Console

    Still alive

    Wow. It's been a long time since we heard anything about SEGA's Monster World IV coming to Europe, but it seems the project is still breathing if PEGI is anything to go by. Interestingly the game was rated for Xbox 360 several weeks ago, but now a rating for the Wii Virtual Console has hit the 'net: Monster World IV SEGA Europe LtdThe...

  • News Five Glorious Minutes of Fire Emblem: Awakening Video

    What more do you need to know?

    It's all in Japanese, but that won't stop you enjoying this video of Fire Emblem: Kakusei (aka Fire Emblem: Awakening), will it? From dialogue and cut scenes to battles and maps, it's got all the daily Fire Emblem nutrition you need. The game's out in Japan next month. Nintendo of Europe has confirmed it'll release the...

  • News Disney Epic Mickey 2 to Brush with Europe in September

    What a lucky rabbit

    Disney Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two is the game on everyone's lips at the moment, and according to Junction Point top dog Warren Spector we'll only have six months to wait to play Mickey's Wii sequel. Nintendo Master — the same site that tipped the Disney Epic Mickey 2 press event — rep

Tuesday27th Mar 2012

  • Feature The Mistakes of the 3DS Launch

    Lessons for Wii U

    Now that the 3DS is one-year old in most territories – its Australian anniversary hasn’t quite arrived yet – it’s safe to say that Nintendo can look at the handheld’s progress and be reasonably happy. It’s unlikely to be ecstatic and popping open the champagne, however, as the road to the current good times has been...

  • News Mobile Dev: "Iwata Makes Me Fear for Nintendo's Future"

    Troubled times

    Nintendo president Satoru Iwata said last year that Nintendo is not interested in producing free-to-play software, displeasing Ben Cousins, director of free-to-play software company Ngmoco. Speaking to Develop, Cousins discussed his belief that console manufacturers are frightened of free to play games: The only platform where...

  • News Epic Mickey on 3DS is a Castle of Illusion Sequel

    To the tower!

    Last year, Disney registered a Castle of Illusion trademark, which many thought would have something to do with the then-unannounced Disney Epic Mickey 2. Turns out those people were (probably) right, as Disney Epic Mickey: Power of Illusion on 3DS is a sequel to the 1990 Mega Drive/Genesis classic. A Nintendo Power preview (via

  • News 3DS, It's Your First Birthday in North America Today

    Celebrate good times

    3DS hit its first anniversary in Europe on Sunday, and today marks the machine's first steps onto North American soil one year ago. 27th March 2011 saw the 3DS launch across North America for $249.99 and got off to a flying start, securing the best first day sales of any Nintendo handheld. We all know how it went from there:...

  • News GAME Enters Administration, Closes 277 Stores

    Over 2,000 jobs lost

    GAME Group plc. has entered administration. The retailer filed for administration last week but, having been unable to find a buyer over the weekend, was officially placed into administration yesterday morning. Administrators PwC made an immediate impact on reducing the company's store portfolio, closing 277 stores with the loss...

  • News Ubisoft Ready for Digital Content Blitz on Wii U

    "We'll absolutely take advantage"

    Ubisoft's always a big day-one supporter of any console — it launched six games with 3DS a year ago — and it's one of the few publishers to have announced multiple Wii U projects in the forms of Assassin's Creed III, Killer Freaks from Outer Space and Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Online. It's not just retail games...

  • News Nintendo Europe to Host 3D Photo Contest

    Starts Monday

    Budding photographers, take note: Nintendo Europe will launch a 3D photo contest next week. On 2nd April you'll be able to enter Nintendo Europe's 3D photo contest, as long as you live in one of the following countries: United Kingdom Spain Italy France Germany The Netherlands Portugal Head back on Monday for more details.

Monday26th Mar 2012

  • News This Is Your Kid Icarus: Uprising Weapons Bible

    Revelation

    Getting to grips with Kid Icarus: Uprising's weapons can take a while, particularly as there's so many of the things, but Nintendo UK has come to the rescue with a rather large infographic designed to get you up to speed. The image — helpfully linked below — takes you through the different weapon classes, as well as their pros and...

  • Feature Our Favourite 3DS Games So Far

    One year of 3D gaming

    Nintendo’s 3DS has experienced a dramatic first year, no doubt far more eventful than Satoru Iwata and his team could have imagined. Despite all of the twists and turns that the handheld has experienced, it’s nevertheless been a source of some terrific and varied games. The 3DS may have evolved into more than the sum of its...

  • Nintendo Download 29th March 2012 (Europe)

    Game Gear is here!

    Originally we were told SEGA's Game Gear would reach Europe in mid-March, but after a minor delay the portable is coming to the continent this Thursday. The GG games aren't the only Virtual Console goodness as Wii gets a long-awaited 8-bit blaster too. 3DS Virtual Console: Sonic the Hedgehog: Triple Trouble (Game Gear, SEGA,...

  • News GameStop to Sell 3D Classics: Kid Icarus Too

    For $5.99

    Didn't pre-order Kid Icarus: Uprising to get your free code for 3D Classics: Kid Icarus, and worried you've missed out on the downloadable game for good? Not to worry, as GameStop will sell redeem codes for the game online. Last week we reported GameStop is selling eShop games for download, and that range of two games will expand soon with...

  • News Vigil Games: "Wii U On Par with Current-Gen Consoles"

    No concessions necessary

    Vigil Games, the team behind Darksiders II on Wii U, has told GameReactor that Nintendo's new console isn't a huge technical leap over the Xbox 360 and PS3. In a video interview, game director Marvin Donald told the site: So far the hardware's been on par with what we have with the current generations. Based on what I...

  • Review 1st Class Poker & BlackJack (DSiWare)

    Show ‘em what you got

    Nintendo download services aren’t lacking for casino-style titles, ensuring that you don’t need a pesky deck of cards if you want a game of chance. In the case of poker games, we should be grateful that it means gambling only with fake, electronic money — always a safer way to play. 1st Class Poker & BlackJack is...

  • News Disney Epic Mickey 2 is Built For Wii

    Not a weak port

    The not-at-all shocking announcement of Disney Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two came with the even less surprising revelation the game's heading to PS3 and Xbox 360 too, leading some to worry Wii owners would get a weak port of the HD versions. Thankfully that's not the case. Junction Point supremo Warren Spector has confirmed his...

  • News Ubisoft Fills In Assassin's Creed III Wii U Details

    Eagle vision

    Assassin's Creed III is coming to Wii U, and Nintendo Gamer magazine (via NintenGen) has revealed some fresh details about how the game will use Wii U's new controller. As expected by anyone who's ever played a DS game, the Wii U's second screen will be used as a persistent map and navigation tool, linked to the series' virtual reality...