News Sick Of The Wii U GamePad's Weak Battery Life? Nyko Is Your Friend
Giving gamers a boost
News - 2012, Week 49
Sunday9th Dec 2012
Review Your Shape Fitness Evolved 2013 (Wii U)
Witness the fitness
Wii Fit may have kickstarted the fitness genre, but it isn't the only game in town. Ubisoft's Your Shape series started out on Wii with its own motion capture camera before moving to Kinect, and now comes full circle with Your Shape Fitness Evolved 2013 for the Wii U. While ditching the motion capture for a Wii Remote comes with...
E - I - E - I - oh
If you're looking for the most happening place on Miiverse, look no further than the community for Funky Barn. Filled with sketches of animals in sunglasses and musical references, it's become a haven for memes and the friendliest trolling you've ever seen. When somebody posts about the game itself rather than its title, it's met...
Feature Our Staff's Thoughts on Wii U - Part Two
Because U are worth it
Yesterday we brought you the first part of our staff thoughts on Wii U, so now we bring you the not-creatively-titled part two. More Nintendo Life staffers weigh in with their impressions, good and bad, of their new Nintendo home consoles. We recommend you get a comfy seat and a snack, as this entry is a little longer than...
News Capcom Announce Street Fighter X Mega Man
Will be a free PC only download
Street Fighter and Mega Man are both celebrating their 25th Anniversary this year, which is quite a feat. To celebrate both of their birthdays a special fan-made game called Street Fighter X Mega Man will be made available to download on your PC through the Capcom Unity website on 17th December. Street Fighter X Mega...
News Wii U Launches In Japan To Great Fanfare
Japanese gamers join the party
Western Wii U owners may have noticed in the last few days that there’s been a few Japanese Miis wandering around the WaraWara and Nintendo Land plazas. That’s because it is now official: the Land of the Rising Sun has Wii U. The console launched on Saturday and Japanese gamers flocked to their nearest store in...
News Sir Patrick Moore, Astronomer And Broadcaster, Dies Aged 89
Fondly remembered for his role as the GamesMaster
Legendary British astronomer and broadcaster Sir Patrick Moore has died, aged 89, according to his close friends. According to a statement he "passed away peacefully at 12.25pm this afternoon", in Selsey, West Sussex. After a short spell in hospital last week, it was determined that no further...
Saturday8th Dec 2012
Feature Our Staff's Thoughts on Wii U - Part One
The beginning of a new era
Now that Wii U has arrived in both Europe and North America, a number of the Nintendo Life team have got their hands on the system and have been happily playing various launch titles. We've already produced a number of Wii U reviews — with more on the way — and provided a formal hardware review, but decided that it'd...
Review Crystal Adventure (DSiWare)
In which "adventure" is revealed to be a relative term
If there's one thing RPG fans enjoy, it's a good story. The quest should be epic, the characters should be interesting, and there should preferably be a few surprising twists along the way as well. Here is the story of Crystal Adventure: you get bored quickly and delete it. Okay, you caught...
News Mass Effect Trilogy Could Yet Come To Wii U
BioWare has plans for Nintendo's new console
Mass Effect 3 was a Wii U launch title and saw the franchise make an appearance on a Nintendo console for the very first time. Naturally fans of the series want to see the previous two games make the move to Wii U as well, but BioWare has no plans to do so - at least for now. Speaking to GamerSyndrome,...
News Etrian Odyssey DS Trilogy Set For Reprint
Canadian retailer is first out of the gate
The Etrian Odyssey trilogy of games on DS can probably be regarded as cult classics for the handheld, an RPG series famed for relentless difficulty and harsh punishment of failure. Of course, when you combine that genre with a sufficient level of challenge, there'll be a group of gamers more than willing to...
News New Super Mario Bros. U Wins VGA For Best Wii / Wii U Game
No other Nintendo winners
Another year, another Video Game Awards (VGA) extravaganza on Spike TV. The VGAs are undoubtedly polarising within the gaming community, possibly due to their reliance on celebrity presenters — Samuel L. Jackson made his fourth appearance this year — exclusive premieres of trailers and a lot of glitzy goings-on that...
Review Christmas Wonderland 2 (DSiWare)
Roast it on an open fire
A textbook example of a sequel nobody asked for, Christmas Wonderland 2 has graced DSiWare. We guess, however, that we should be somewhat grateful. After all, last year Microvalue released two awful holiday-themed hidden object games: Halloween: Trick or Treat and the first Christmas Wonderland. This year it only left one...
News Retro Gamer Magazine Celebrates Christmas With Nintendo-Themed Cover
Festive fun
We're massive fans of UK publication Retro Gamer here at Nintendo Life, and this month's issue has us particularly excited. It showcases exclusive cover artwork featuring a plethora of Nintendo characters, including Mario, Link, Captain Falcon, Samus Aran and Donkey Kong. The cover is the handiwork of Wil Overton, who's a long-time...
News Gunman Clive Blasting Onto The European 3DS eShop Before Christmas
North America must wait a little longer
Mobile gaming, whether you like it or not, is fast becoming a popular platform for game developers. Sometimes though, the games spread their wings and make the move onto a dedicated gaming device such as the 3DS; take for example SpeedX 3D, a hugely popular mobile game that now resides in the 3DS eShop...
Friday7th Dec 2012
Review Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed (Wii U)
Mighty morphin power racers
SEGA may no longer be the same company that bloodied Nintendo’s nose during the glorious days of the 16-bit console wars, but it still has a keen fan base and a truly amazing legacy within the games industry. Even so, there have been numerous occasions over the past few years where it's struggled to emerge from...
Thrills and spills
Gamers will forever associate the name Wipeout with Psygnosis' futuristic racing series, but in the world of primetime TV, Wipeout means wacky announcers, massive pratfalls and Big Red Balls. Based on ABC's hit US game show (which our UK readers will recognize as Total Wipeout) Wipeout 3 brings the slapstick spirit of the show to...
News Nintendo Network Premium Website Goes Live
Good news for enthusiastic Wii U eShoppers
Unlike with the arrival of Wii, Nintendo gamers have an important choice to make when picking up a Wii U — Premium or Basic? Various factors dictate the final decision, and perhaps one is the Nintendo Network Premium promotion, which gives those with the black model points for Wii U eShop purchases. If...
News 18-Rated Content on Wii U eShop Only Accessible for Four Hours a Day
Yes, really
Earlier this week we received messages from readers that couldn't download ZombiU or Assassin's Creed III from the Wii U eShop. We tested this and received the same error message, which made it seem as if there were botched parental controls on the platform. You cannot view this content. The times during which this content can be...
Soak it up
Puddle was originally released on Xbox Live Arcade and PlayStation Network earlier this year to decent reviews, and after looking at feedback from the previous versions Neko Entertainment has released what it claims to be the best edition of the game at Wii U launch. The Fluidity (Hydroventure)-like game isn't quite a super soaker, but...
Talking Point Time for Wii U to Treat Us Like Adults
The nanny console
This week has brought us an interesting story about Wii U eShop restrictions that are limited to European consoles, but perhaps provide greater insight into the relationship between gamers and their new Nintendo systems. It came to light that what we initially thought was a botched parental control issue on the platform was...
News Here's How PlayStation Boss Shuhei Yoshida Lovingly Trolled Nintendo
Subtle yet effective
President of Sony's Worldwide Studios, Shuhei Yoshida, has recently treated himself to a Wii U. That's right, Yoshida (@yosp as he's known on Twitter), posted his Nintendo Network ID to his followers earlier this week in the hope of discussing his experience with fellow Wii U users. However, in a cheeky and light-hearted...
Thursday6th Dec 2012
News Pachter: "I think Nintendo becomes completely irrelevant"
Outspoken analyst casts doubt on Nintendo and Wii U's third party appeal
Michael Pachter - Managing Director of Wedbush Securities and someone who can always be relied on to stir up emotions - has made some interesting comments regarding Nintendo at the Digital Game Monetization Summit in San Francisco. Speaking mainly about the state of the games...
Friday7th Dec 2012
News 3DS Remake Of Dragon Quest VII Features Visible Encounters
Random battles are no more
It was revealed a couple of months back that Dragon Quest VII would be making a return with a remake on the 3DS in Japan. The game will largely stay true to the original, but it’s been confirmed that the random encounters system found in the PlayStation version have been changed to visible encounters on 3DS. Dragon...
News Bizarre Games Related Wedding Stories Emerge
Simulation girlfriends and Zelda wedding rings ahoy!
Ah, love at first sight; the sun is always shining, the grass is always green, and the sky is always blue. This is exactly what one Japanese otaku felt for his virtual woman - Nene Anegasaki of the dating sim Love Plus on the Nintendo DS, to be precise. Over time, he met a real life woman and they...
News Little Inferno Developer Looking Into Enabling User-Created Content
Mods coming to your fireplace?
Little Inferno is one of the more unusual additions to the Wii U launch line-up; an eShop game which is essentially a virtual fireplace, it's the work of Kyle Gabler, Allan Blomquist and Kyle Gray - otherwise known as the Tomorrow Corporation. Gabler created the cult classic World of Goo for WiiWare, while Gray was the...
News How A Modified Wii Zapper Inspired The Wii U
Prototype also impacted the development of the 3DS
With the Wii U launching in Japan tomorrow, the latest edition of Iwata Asks focuses on Nintendo Land, one of the console's most significant first-party titles. During the interview, Takayuki Shimamura from EAD's Software Development Department revealed a prototype Wii Zapper - with a screen...
News Nintendo Enjoys Bumper North American Hardware Sales In November
More than 1.75 million hardware units shifted in one month
Nintendo has released its sales figures for the month of November, revealing that it has sold more than 1.75 million units across the US. This means that November 2012 marks the 36th time that Nintendo has sold over 1 million units in a month in North America since 2004. Attributing to this...
News Nintendo UK Looking To Maintain Wii U Momentum
Focus turns to Q1 2013
It's fair to say the Wii U's launch has been a success, with the system selling out across the United States and shifting 40,000 units in the UK. Extra shipments are coming in thick and fast to meet the extreme demand that you'd expect for a new Nintendo console at Christmas time. Nobody really doubted that Wii U would be...
News Castlevania: Lords of Shadow - Mirror of Fate Western Release Dates Confirmed
Marching into your doom
Castlevania: Lords of Shadow - Mirror of Fate producer Dave Cox has confirmed via his Twitter account that the game will launch in North America on 5th March 2013, with the European release coming a mere three days later (that's the 8th, in case you were wondering). The gothic action adventure was pushed into 2013 w
News Rayman Legends Release Date Confirmed For The UK
Update: EMEA territories on 28th February, UK on 1st March
It's been confirmed by Ubisoft that this title will actually arrive in the UK on 1st March, but in the other EMEA territories on 28th February. Original article One title that was noticeably absent from the Wii U launch in Europe was the graphically stunning Rayman Legends. Back in October...
Feature Toki Tori 2 Top 5: Two Tribe's Favourite Creatures
Going natural
Toki Tori 2, the sequel to one of WiiWare's best-known titles, arrives on the Wii U eShop on 20th December. This sequel features significant changes from the structure and gameplay of the original release, while the included level editor may give extra life to the experience for any budding game designers with their hands on a Wii U...
Thursday6th Dec 2012
Review Transformers Prime (3DS)
More than meets the eye?
Long-time Transformers fans have enjoyed a renaissance of sorts this console generation, with the Cybertron games offering a vision of the robots in disguise that those of us who grew up with the old cartoon could get behind in our capacity as grumpy old men. Keen to serve fans of all ages, Activision has turned its...
Nintendo Download 6th December 2012 (North America)
Titanic murders, mighty bombs, burgers and retail goodies
It's Nintendo Download update time, and this week brings a rather lengthy list of titles for North America. All four systems are covered, with quite a few retail games making their download début, so let's get on with it. 3DS download software: Murder on the Titanic (Joindots GmbH, $7.99)...
News Conker's Bad Fur Day Creator Could End Up Making Wii U eShop Games
"It definitely might have potential for the new controller"
Chris Seavor - the man behind Rare's infamous Conker's Bad Fur Day on the Nintendo 64 - has revealed in an interview with Not Enough Shaders that he's considering the possibility of developing for the Wii U eShop:
News Resident Evil: The Mercenaries 3D Rises From The Dead For Japanese eShop Release
Updated version also allows you to wipe save data
Capcom has confirmed that 3DS title Resident Evil: The Mercenaries 3D is getting an eShop release in Japan, alongside a "Best Price" physical release. The game was an early release for the 3DS back in 2011, and is possibly more famous for its undeletable save data than the quality of its...
News 3DS Continues To Decimate The Competition in Japan
Nintendo's handheld outsells all other platforms by more than 2.5 times
The recent release of Animal Crossing: New Leaf in Japan has enabled the 3DS to further increase its dominance in that part of the world. According to Media Create, the system shifted 167,408 units during the week of 26th November to 2nd December, bringing its lifetime sales...
News Guitar Hero 7 Was in Development With a Six-Stringed Guitar
"No one could figure out a way to make it so your average Joe could buy one"
Who remembers the Guitar Hero series? Not so long ago there were a lot of these games, with the rival Rock Band series also weighing in with its own share of titles and plastic peripherals. It was Activision's franchise that arguably grabbed the most attention during the...
News Wii Fit U Arriving In The U.S. In Q1 2013
Features an all new dance category
Wii Fit has certainly been a revelation for modern day gaming that's turned people's living rooms into their own personal gym. It was part of what made people who were unfamiliar with the hobby give it a go, and its success was phenomenal. At E3 earlier this year, Nintendo announced that it would be bringing out a...
News This LEGO City: Undercover Trailer is a Treat
Shawshank Redemption, anyone?
During yesterday's Nintendo Direct shenanigans, it was tough to keep track of the varied footage and announcements from across the regions. With that in mind, we consider it our duty to make sure that you see the latest LEGO City: Undercover trailer that was included in the Nintendo of Europe broadcast. Not only does...
News Retro City Rampage Storming Onto WiiWare Soon
Updated version coming to European shores
Popular download title Retro City Rampage has been available on PC, Playstation 3 and Playstation Vita for a while now in North America. The game has recently been tweaked and updated to give the player a better experience, and now it's coming to a multitude of platforms in Europe, including WiiWare. For...
Happy Birthday, Iwata-san
Today brings us another Birthday for one of Nintendo's most well-known figures, with President Satoru Iwata turning 53 today. It would seem that, should he want to, Iwata-san will be able to continue in his current role for many years to come. Satoru Iwata had a passion for video game development from a young age, deciding...
News BIT.TRIP SAGA On The Way To 3DS eShop
Download some bits
As the weeks pass Nintendo has been gradually bringing more 3DS retail titles to the handheld's eShop, and it seems that a series that began life as a download exclusive is set to join in — BIT.TRIP SAGA is next in line. According to an updated page on the eShop, the collection from Gaijin Games will be available to download...
News 72 Hour Super Mario Marathon Promises Fun and Fundraising
Keep running right
Occasionally we bring you news of charitable marathons that not only bring amusement and entertainment for interested spectators, but also raise a lot of money for charity. With the recent glut of 2D Mario titles — well, two — we feel we should share the news of an upcoming 72 hour Super Mario marathon being organised by The...
News Nintendo Vs. Zombies: 28-Bits Later Mixes Metroid, Mario And ZombiU
All set to a obligatory dubstep soundtrack
To create hype for the launch of the Wii U, Nintendo issued consoles to a select group of movie-making fans and gave them 10 days to create a short film to promote the system. YouTube movie making group mikeNgary Films were lucky enough to receive a console and came up with Nintendo Vs. Zombies: 28-Bits...
News Fractured Soul Locked In For 10th January Release In Europe
3DS eShop action title also getting free demo in North America tomorrow
Australian developer Endgame Studios has confirmed exclusively to Nintendo Life that its 3DS eShop action title Fractured Soul will launch in Europe, Australia and New Zealand on 10th January, 2013. Endgame also confirmed the release of a North American demo, which we reported...
Wednesday5th Dec 2012
Review Zero Escape: Virtue's Last Reward (3DS)
I want to play a game
You wake up in a sealed metal bunker, surrounded by strangers, an odd bracelet secured around your wrist. You're told that there's only one way to escape: earn a certain number of points by participating in a deadly game with and against your fellow prisoners. But who can you rely on? Can you pick out allies from enemies? Would...
Tuesday4th Dec 2012
Review Tank! Tank! Tank! (Wii U)
Meh! Meh! Meh!
Every so often a video game comes along with a concept so amazing that copies should come with a roll of duct tape to keep consumers from having their faces rocked off. Tanks with crazy weapons fighting giant robot monsters in expansive, destructible cities seems like a concept that you’d have to work pretty hard to screw up...
Wednesday5th Dec 2012
Review Warriors Orochi 3 Hyper (Wii U)
Hyper fighting
It's great to see such a variety of titles hitting the Wii U during its launch window, and of the many ports it's a joy to see the best of the Warriors Orochi games make the transition in Warriors Orochi 3 Hyper. For the uninitiated, the Warriors Orochi series is a crossover of the Dynasty Warriors and Samurai Warriors games, where...
News Pikmin 3 and Animal Crossing: New Leaf Drop Into Q2 2013
Localisation and development to blame
During today's Nintendo Direct broadcasts in North America and Europe, Nintendo showed fairly brief glimpses of Pikmin 3 and Animal Crossing: New Leaf, with the Wii U title getting a little longer to flex its HD muscles. There was disappointing news, however, as Nintendo of Europe boss Satoru Shibata confirmed...
News Nintendo Direct December 2012: Watch The North American Presentation Live
Wii U and 3DS titles to be revealed?
Japan has had its turn, now it time for North America to get the Nintendo Direct treatment. At 9AM PT (12PM ET) Nintendo of America will hold yet another Nintendo Direct presentation, focusing on forthcoming Wii U and 3DS software due to be released both this year and early in 2013. The event will last for around...
Nintendo Direct Watch The European Presentation Live
Find out what's in store for European gamers in 2013
Following on from this morning's Japanese presentation and running alongside the North American event, Europe's Nintendo Direct is taking place at 5PM UK time. On the agenda are Wii U and 3DS titles for the remainder of 2012 and early 2013. As always, we'll be providing comments as the event...
News Error Prevents Purchase Of ZombiU And Assassin's Creed III On Euro Wii U eShop
Botched parental restrictions in EU to blame?
Update: Despite testing this issue throughout the day we've now discovered, thanks to prompts from readers who've encountered the issue with some videos on 3DS systems, that this issue is caused by a restriction to accessing 18-rated content before a specific time. A test after 11pm UK time brought us...
News Wii U And 3DS Firmware Updates Go Live
"Further improvements to overall system stability"
Nintendo has pushed out firmware updates to its Wii U and 3DS consoles. In the case of both updates, Nintendo states that they offer "further improvements to overall system stability". This is the second update for the Wii U, following the 1GB install which occurs when new systems are switched on...
News Check Out The Wii U and 3DS eShop Titles That Are Coming Soon
Throwing humans, puzzling action, pinball and more
Did you miss both Nintendo Direct presentations from North America and Europe today? Not to worry, as we've gathered all the latest Wii U and 3DS eShop announcements and included them for you below. Tokyo Crash Mobs — A truly bizarre title where you have to throw people at other people, Tokyo...
Nintendo Download 6th December 2012 (Europe)
UPDATE: Wario 3 joins Denpa men, hyper mighty switching and a paper adventure
After a few days of suspense — the release day of EU download details varies every week — we finally know what to expect in the Wii U, 3DS, DSi and Wii online stores this week. All four systems are accounted for, which should warm up any Nintendo gaming Europeans...
Nintendo Direct Watch The Japanese Wii U Presentation Live
Covering the Wii U launch in Japan
You may not realise it, but the Wii U hasn't actually launched in its native Japan yet. Us lucky westerners may already be knee-deep in Mario, ZombiU and Miiverse, but in the Land of the Rising Sun the system doesn't hit store shelves until the 8th of December. While the Nintendo Direct presentations for North...
Better start saving now
In its Nintendo Direct presentations earlier today, Nintendo gave a better indication of when western gamers can expect to play a few upcoming 3DS titles: Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon, Castlevania: Lords of Shadow - Mirror of Fate and Dr Kawashima's Devilish Brain Training: Can You Stay Focused? (Brain Age: Concentration...
News TVii and Hulu Part of Day One Wii U Update in Japan
NA and Europe apps on the way?
In today's Japanese Nintendo Direct, Satoru Iwata focused on the company's homeland launch details for Wii U, with the system arriving on 8th December. One announcement that did catch the eye was confirmation that TVii will be part of the day one update, along with the slightly less surprising confirmation of a Hulu...
News Latest New Super Mario Bros. 2 DLC Challenge Packs Confirmed For Europe And North America
Available to download right now!
This morning it was announced that Japan would be getting two new downloadable challenge packs for New Super Mario Bros. 2, and during Nintendo Direct it was confirmed that Europe and North America can also join in on the fun immediately. This third set of DLC contains two packs, both designed especially for Coin...
News River City Ransom Sequel Punching Its Way To Japanese 3DS eShop This Month
Villain Riku becomes the hero
The WiiWare sequel may be on hold, but that doesn't mean that 3DS gamers won't get their fix of River City Ransom in 2012. Arc System Works is launching a spin-off title for the Japanese 3DS eShop called Riki Densetsu. As the title suggests ("Densetsu" means "Legend" in Japanese), the game will focus on series...
News Fire Emblem: Awakening Hitting North America 4th February 2013
Release date confirmed during Nintendo Direct
The highly-anticipated 3DS strategy RPG Fire Emblem: Awakening is coming to North America on 4th February, it has been revealed. The all-important date was disclosed during today's North American Nintendo Direct presentation. During the video, great care was taken to explain the game's relationship...
News Rhythm Hunter: HarmoKnight Heading To Europe And North America Next Year
Music to our ears
It has been revealed, via today's Nintendo Direct presentations, that Rhythm Hunter: HarmoKnight will be making its way to the west next year. Pokémon developer Game Freak released the rhythm platformer on the 3DS eShop in Japan some months back, and the game will now be introduced to North America and Europe in early 2013. Game...
News Panorama View And Google Maps Confirmed For Western Release
More intuitive ways to use your GamePad
This morning's Japanese Nintendo Direct revealed that Panorama View and Google Maps would both be coming to Wii U in Japan. Surely Nintendo wouldn't leave out North Americans and Europeans now, would it? Well worry not westerners, as during this afternoon's North American and European Nintendo Direct...
News Two More New Super Mario Bros. 2 DLC Challenge Packs Available In Japan
Mega mushrooms and moving platforms galore
New Super Mario Bros. U may be taking all the limelight at the moment, but it’s been revealed today that its portable cousin New Super Mario Bros. 2 will now receive two new DLC challenge packs in Japan. The first is a three-star rated pack known as C Pack, or Challenge Pack #7, and sees you traverse...
News Google Maps Finding Its Way Onto Wii U
See the world without going outside
After announcing the Spring arrival of Panorama View in today's Nintendo Direct broadcast from Japan, Satoru Iwata possibly surprised a few people by confirming that Google Maps is also on the way to Wii U. A Google branded app — alongside the likes of YouTube — won't do Wii U any harm, especially as it'll...
News Panorama View to be Sighted on Wii U eShop in Spring 2013
Confirmed in Japan, at least
One of the first concepts that was shown off for Wii U, and which made an appearance at various demo opportunities and expo appearances for the system, was Panorama View. It's a relatively simple app that uses real-life video and allows you to view the action from any angle you desire, simply by moving the GamePad. It's...
News Scribblenauts Unlimited And SiNG Party Arrive in Europe Early 2013
Plenty of puzzles and songs in the new year
Scribblenauts Unlimited sadly missed out on the European Wii U launch, but now Nintendo of Europe has announced that the puzzle game will be making its way to the home console on 8th February 2013, with the 3DS version also out on the same day. Maxwell's latest adventure did make it out for the North...
Monday3rd Dec 2012
News If Nintendo Ever Made A Mature Zelda, This Is What It Would Look Like
Fantasy artist Dave Palumbo has created the ultimate Dark Link
The release of the Wii U and the advent of HD gaming in the world of Nintendo has led many fans to speculate what the next Zelda game will look like. The opportunity for realistic visuals could tempt Nintendo to create a grittier, darker version of its fantasy series, but chances are it...
Tuesday4th Dec 2012
News Trine 2: Director's Cut on Wii U Outperforms Rival Consoles
A small win for Wii U graphics obsessives
Trine 2: Director’s Cut has been a high profile launch download on the Wii U eShop, due to its popularity on other formats and eye-catching visuals. Prior to release day it drew a lot of attention for the latter reason, in that it showed off the fact that Wii U was bringing Nintendo into the HD age, and...
News Sony's President of Worldwide Studios Has A Wii U
Shuhei Yoshida gets his game on
Although most rabid fanboys would love to think that Sony and Nintendo's employees loathe each other so much that they can't even bring themselves to look at a system created by their rival, that obviously isn't the case. Just like common gamers, individuals within these two great companies will have access to a wide...
Feature Of Pixels and Stitches
Handicrafts and video games unified
Video game crafting has been around as long as there have been iconic video games, characters and environments to inspire people, and it's likely that you've already come across such projects in the past, be that on Nintendo Life or elsewhere. In essence, these impressive works are simply on the other end of the...
News Register Paper Mario: Sticker Star On Club Nintendo To Receive An A-peel-ing Sticker Book
Limited to 10,000 copies
Paper Mario: Sticker Star will finally arrive on European shelves — and of course in the 3DS eShop — this Friday, and Nintendo of Europe has cooked up a little reward to give you even more of an incentive to pick it up. This motivation comes with a glorious sticker book that will be available on Club Nintendo if you...
News You Need This Legend Of Zelda Figure In Your Life
We go hands-on with Max Factory's amazing Figma Link action figure
As much as it pains us to admit it, you never really grow out of toys. And it's pretty much official that toys based on popular video games are the bomb. Don't believe us? Then check out the photos below of the amazing Figma Link action figure from Japanese manufacturer Max Factory...
News Pier Solar HD Kickstarter Smashes Through Wii U Stretch Goal
Nintendo version now assured
You'll have to forgive us if we've been talking a lot about Pier Solar recently, but we're rather taken with WaterMelon's 16-bit RPG. Launched in 2010 on the Sega Mega Drive/Genesis, the game received a limited print run which has since become a collector's item. Keen to get the game into the hands of a wider audience,...
News What's On Your Game Boy Camera?
Check your cupboards now, you could be sitting on valuable memories
The Game Boy Camera was a cool little device. Released at the end of the '90s, it allowed you to take grainy monochrome snaps using your beloved handheld. The images were pretty poor quality and you could only fit a few inside the minuscule memory, but for a generation of kids...
News Nintendo Now Involved With Twilight Symphony
Set to be released before Christmas
Twilight Symphony, the epic 3-disc orchestral rearrangement of music from The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, was set to be released mid-November but never actually made it through the letterboxes of those who placed an order. The box-set, made by the extremely talented Zelda Reorchestrated and distributed by...
News Nintendo of America Confirms Its Own Nintendo Direct Broadcast
All set for 5th December
With the announcement earlier today that Nintendo of Europe is hosting a Nintendo Direct broadcast this week, it seems that its colleagues across the Atlantic have decided to join in; the Nintendo of America equivalent is also scheduled for tomorrow, 5th December. The NA broadcast starts at 9am Pacific, which is 11am...
News Wii U Update Will Be Available Out Of The Box Next Year
Oh why must U make us wait
We all had to face that dreaded update for Wii U upon first setting it up, leaving no choice but to pop off for a cup of tea or a quick stroll to the shops and back. It has come as no surprise, however, that this hour long update - some have had less time to wait, while others had much longer - will come pre-installed with...
News Reggie Fils-Aime Focused on Customer Feedback, Not Industry Critics
"Every time we launch a new system, there are significant challenges"
With the exception of Japan, which joins the party this weekend, most of the world has now had the opportunity to pick up a Wii U, or to at least be told that it's out of stock while extra supplies are brought in. Thanks to the wonders of the internet and Nintendo's own Miiverse,...
News This Week's European Nintendo Direct To Focus On Wii U And 3DS Games
2012 and beyond
Nintendo of Europe has confirmed that a Nintendo Direct presentation will take place on the 5th December (that's tomorrow). The presentation will occur at 5PM UK time and will focus on 2012 and "early 2013" software for the Wii U and 3DS. It will be hosted by Nintendo of Europe President Satoru Shibata. As always, we'll be covering...
News This Strange Russian Cartoon Shows Mario's Nasty Side
It's funny what crops up on YouTube. Packed among the videos of funny cats and "Fail" compilations you'll find hidden gems like Super Mario & Three Russian Bogaturs, a short animated film which stars Nintendo's famous mascot and three bumbling bogaturs (best described as Slavic knights). Check out the crazy video below and let us know what you...
News Nintendo Unfolds Paper Mario Visual History
It's so pretty
Paper Mario: Sticker Star is days away in Europe and has been available in North America for a few weeks, and represents the first venture of the flat Mario onto a handheld. It's the fourth entry of a series over a decade old, meanwhile, games with enough RPG elements and dialogue to require a bit more development time than a...
News LOVEFiLM Arrives on Wii, Wii U App Will Go Live "Soon"
Or you could use Wii mode on your Wii U
Wii may be fading into the shadows in the face of its HD successor, but today brings a new release to the little white box in the UK. It's the LOVEFiLM app, which will allow subscribers to stream TV shows and movies directly to their TV, assuming they have a suitable online connection. If you're a subscriber,...
Monday3rd Dec 2012
Party like it's 2011
EA has a bit of history when it comes to releasing versions of FIFA on new consoles. No matter how many years the series runs for or how many formats the game is released on, the first edition on a new machine is always a bit hit and miss. You can track that all the way back to the days of the Sega Megadrive and EA’s first...
News Sick Of The Wii U GamePad's Weak Battery Life? Nyko Is Your Friend
Giving gamers a boost
The Wii U GamePad is a wonderful piece of kit that allows the user to do some amazing things. The problem with that is that you’re going to want to use it a heck of a lot, meaning that you're going to have to get used to seeing that flashing red battery warning light. Thankfully peripheral maker Nyko has already set about...
News Wii Mini Doesn't Include an SD Slot
Just another thing to add to the list
It has been discovered that the recently unveiled Wii Mini system does not have an SD card slot. The new miniaturised Wii, which — bizarrely enough — will only be available to purchase in Canada, is a cut-down version of the original Wii that lacks online functionality or GameCube backward compatibility...
News You Can Use PlayStation 2 Pads On Your Wii U, Should You Want To
Optional extra
Are you a bit bummed about the fact that the Wii U Pro Controller isn't compatible with original Wii titles? Do you consider Sony's iconic Dual Shock pad to be one of the best in the business? Well you're in luck - Datel Japan has released an adapter which allows you to use your PlayStation 2 joypad on the Wii U or Wii. All you have...
Feature Taking Off to the Miiverse
Remember everyone, it's all about empathy
Apart from those living in Japan, many Nintendo gamers will have now spent some time with Wii U, Nintendo's new home console and foray into a variety of bold new directions. A great deal of focus, unsurprisingly, is given to the company's first dalliance with HD visuals, and more prominently the various uses...
News Wii U Hits 40K Sales in UK Launch
Might not sound like much, but it's a sellout
Although Europe-wide figures are yet to surface, it appears that Wii U has been a sell-out success on its launch weekend in the UK. According to MCV's estimates, 40K units were sold throughout the UK, with retailers reporting that this effectively meant a complete sellout. Weeks ago there were worrying...
News Take A Whistle Stop Animated Tour Of Nintendo's Hardware History
Four decades of greatness in just over two minutes
Nintendo has been in this business a heck of a long time - right the way back to the 1970s, in fact. It has also been creating video game hardware for several decades, something which animator Anthony Veloso and vector illustrator Quentin Dron are keen to celebrate. The talented pair have put...
Review Invasion of the Alien Blobs! (DSiWare)
Houston, we have a bloblem
At this point it's unlikely that anybody with a DSi or 3DS is in need of an inexpensive time-waster, but Invasion of the Alien Blobs! is here to provide one more option. And while it's not exactly a great game, it certainly provides some mindless fun along the way. The best thing about Invasion of the Alien Blobs! is its...
News Mario Comes To Life In Bead-Based Stop-Motion Animation
Bead me up, Scotty
Clearly bead art is a bigger deal than we thought. First we had an amazing tribute to Chrono Trigger in bead form, and how we have this awesome stop-motion Super Mario animation, constructed using - you guessed it - beads. The work of Swedish siblings Marcus and Hannes Knutsson, it follows on from their previous efforts, Super...
News Wii U Titles Make Début in UK Top 20
Early beginnings for a small install base
It may be tempting to read the headline that Wii U titles are just in the top 20 of the UK software charts and wheel out the "Nintendo is doomed" line, as anything other than number one is a disaster of epic proportions. Of course, that's not how the real retail world operates, and the early results for Wii...
News Trine 2 Has Gone Walkabout Down Under
Is expected to become available mid-December
Wii U eShop title Trine 2: Director's Cut was available on launch day in North America and Europe, but unfortunately Australian gamers were left disappointed as the game could not be found in the virtual store at all. The game’s developer, Frozenbyte, has revealed that the reason for the title’s...
News Wii U Premium Bundles Most Popular in UK Launch
System memory and a bundled game matter, clearly
The Wii U Premium Pack was by far the people's favourite in the UK over its launch weekend, proving to be the superior of the bundle bunch. The Premium 32GB bundle reportedly accounted for 60% of the Wii U's sales this past weekend, while the ZombiU package sold at 30%. That just leaves the Basic 8GB...









































































































