News - 2012, Week 52

Sunday30th Dec 2012

  • Review 3D Game Collection (3DS eShop)

    Win, lose, or draw?

    Casual appeal and touch-screen controls have made Nintendo's recent handheld systems a perfect fit for digital collections of traditional games and puzzles, and that's the niche in which the rather generically named 3D Game Collection sits comfortably. With 25 games from Backgammon to Battleship, Solitaire to slide puzzles,...

  • Feature Best of 2012: Staff Awards

    Behind the games

    Yesterday we published our Nintendo Life Staff Game of the Year Awards, and it's safe to say that they — or to be precise the 3DS top three — caused plenty of debate. Today we take a slightly different approach, bringing you the results of a staff poll on various categories related to 2012 in more general terms. We've voted on...

  • News Trailer Promises More Pokémon News In January

    More teasing from Game Freak

    Not so long ago Game Freak revealed that it would be working towards evolving the Pokémon world in 2013. Quite what this meant is unclear at the moment, but a new development may shine some light on it. At the end of a trailer for Pokémon Black & White Version 2 that has been running in Japan, a teaser pops up...

Saturday29th Dec 2012

  • Game of the Year Nintendo Life's Staff Awards 2012

    There are a few surprises

    As 2012 draws to a close it can only mean one thing: annual awards. We've been gathering your votes for the Nintendo Life Community Game of the Year awards, and we have an all new Nintendo Life Gaming Awards article on the way. We'll kick off the next few days of award giving with the Nintendo Life Staff Awards 2012, which...

  • News The Last Story Was Almost Left Untold In North America

    XSEED came close to passing up the opportunity

    The Last Story is one of the stronger titles on Wii, which we've just named as our staff's second favourite on the system in 2012. Originally released in Japan in early 2011, it took a long time to make an appearance in the West. It was early 2012 when it was published in Europe by Nintendo, however it...

  • News Naruto: Powerful Shippuden Confirmed For Western Release

    Naruto and Rock Lee coming to 3DS in March

    Fans of the popular anime series Naruto will be pleased to hear that the latest game, Naruto: Powerful Shippunden, released this year in Japan, will be on its way to Europe and North America very soon. The 3DS title is based on the spin-off series Rock Lee & His Ninja Pals and is a sidescrolling...

  • News Code of Princess Rated for European Release

    Hack-and-slash and gaming fans, rejoice!

    We rather like Code of Princess here at Nintendo Life, as it blends RPG ideas with intuitive hack-and-slash action, all wrapped in a gorgeous hand-drawn 2D art style. When you consider the range of customisation, the tight gameplay and the inclusion of both competitive and co-op online multiplayer, it's a...

  • News Swords & Soldiers Battling Its Way To 3DS eShop Next Year

    A virtual war is coming

    Originally released on WiiWare back in 2009, it has been announced that Swords & Soldiers is getting the 3D treatment and making its way to the 3DS eShop. Developed by Romino Games, the strategy title is heading to the virtual store courtesy of Circle Entertainment, which has taken responsibility of helping to bring the...

  • News Zen Pinball 2 Now Gearing Up For January 2013

    We guessed as much

    In the most recent Nintendo Direct broadcasts, it was announced that Zen Pinball 2 was on the way to the Wii U eShop in December. It's set to incorporate a similar setup to that seen on the Xbox 360 and PS3 platforms — an initial free download with trial tables, accompanied by a large range available to buy individually or as...

Friday28th Dec 2012

  • News Game Freak: The Pokémon World Will Be Evolving In 2013

    What? Pokémon is evolving!

    The year 2012 saw Pokémon Black and White Version 2 released to great fanfare across the globe and it appears Game Freak, the game's developer, already has plans for the series in 2013. In a New Year greetings card posted in Japanese magazine Nintendo Dream, the developer has reportedly told everyone it intends to work...

  • First Impressions Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate - Wii U

    We played the monster mash

    Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate for Wii U may not be an entirely new game built from the ground up, but it’s fair to say that this upcoming expansion has a lot of gamers excited. Monster Hunter Tri was without doubt one of the definitive hardcore title for Wii owners seeking an in-depth experience, and MH3 Ultimate looks set...

  • News The Nintendo 64 Kids Recall The Christmas When Santa Knocked It Out Of The Park

    They're all grown up now, though

    When 9-year-old Brandon Kuzma ripped open the wrapping paper on his N64 console way back in 1998, little did he know that his infamous reaction would become an internet sensation a few years later. The video recording of the most epic of all unboxings has been viewed over 17 million times on YouTube, and has...

  • News User Created Mario Stages Are A Possibility In The Future

    Could add a new dimension to the series

    In a recent interview with GamesTM magazine, director of New Super Mario Bros. U Masataka Takemoto was asked if the possibility of level editing would find its way onto future Mario titles: I think the Coin Edit feature in Coin Battle is a step closer to that. There is a possibility of this happening in the...

  • News Wii U Title Tank! Tank! Tank! Reduces Small Child To Tears

    Tears of joy, in case you assumed otherwise

    In a neat follow-up to the most famous Nintendo-related Christmas unboxing of all time, a 7-year-old child by the name of Reese has delivered a performance which is very nearly as memorable. As you can see in the video below, Reece bursts into tears when he opens a copy of Namco Bandai's Wii U game Tank!...

  • News Animal Crossing: New Leaf Hits 2 Million Sales In Japan

    Not even Mario or Monster Hunter could win the race

    Animal Crossing: New Leaf has been doing extremely well in Japan since its release at the beginning of November this year. A couple of days after hitting stores the game had sold out across Japan, leaving many fans disappointed who never managed to grab a physical copy. Not long before the month...

Thursday27th Dec 2012

  • Hardware Classics Tezuka Osamu World Shop Game Boy Light

    A gaming work of art

    In the first of a new series of features, we'll be taking a look at some seriously beautiful and collectible gaming items - all of which are certain to get hardcore Nintendo fans seriously excited. First up is the Limited Edition Tezuka Osamu World Shop Game Boy Light, a super-rare Japanese exclusive which is emblazoned with...

  • Review Vampire Crystals (WiiWare)

    Vampires, they don’t always suck

    One fact that we all need to face is that fast-paced and frantic video games will never go out of style. Whether they’re classics being played on an arcade cabinet or new entries on a home console, intense action coupled with multiplayer mayhem can be downright addictive. Another fact that we all need to face is...

  • Review Moshi Monsters Moshlings Theme Park (3DS)

    Goopendous or a Moshi-mess?

    Moshi Monsters Moshlings Theme Park is based on the Moshi Monsters website, a popular Neopets-style virtual pet game that lets you adopt a monster, customise its home and play mini-games to collect prizes. The franchise's first video game outing took the monsters to a zoo, and now they're taking a break to vacation at a...

  • Nintendo Download 27th December 2012 (North America)

    Fluidity, tough old-school challenges, wizards and the impossible

    It's here, the post-festive Nintendo Download bonanza. Whether it's an actual bonanza is up to you, but there's a broad variety of new and old titles, with everything but the Wii U getting new content. That's right, North America, no shiny high-def pinball in the update today, but...

  • Nintendo Download 27th December 2012 (Europe)

    Mario returns, chess galore and heroes of the world

    Most of the world is currently in a vague fuzz of lazy relaxation, but not the download team at Nintendo. It's the usual update, this time incorporating every system with the exception of Wii U, so barring a surprise a certain pinball series isn't going to make it to the new system this year...

Wednesday26th Dec 2012

  • Review Gunman Clive (3DS eShop)

    Mega Clive

    When Gunman Clive was announced for the 3DS eShop, some smartphone gamers may have had their heads turned; one of the few complaints of the original release was controlling the gun-slinging hero with a virtual joystick and buttons. Here was an indie-game with a smart visual style and loving references to some of the classic platforming...

  • Feature 10 Essential Games For Your New 3DS

    Got a new handheld this Christmas? Try these must-have titles

    While plenty of lucky kids and big kids alike will have received a Wii U on Christmas Day we're aware, thanks to our lovely Twitter followers, that a number of people received a shiny new 3DS on the big day. Many were XL variations, though the original model has its own charms, so we...

  • News Wii U Games Struggling At Retail In The UK

    No games break into the top 40

    When Wii U launched in the UK last month its software struggled to make an immediate impact on the sales charts, with only Nintendo Land and New Super Mario Bros. U making into the all-format top 40 at 26th and 36th respectively. Considering only 40,000 Wii U systems were out there, it didn't appear too distressing...

  • Review Cake Ninja XMAS (DSiWare)

    Christmas is cancelled

    Long time readers of Nintendo Life will be acutely aware of the fact that we’re not the biggest fans of Cypronia’s Cake Ninja series. The two titles released so far have both received scathing critiques from our staff, which is why we approached this festive edition with a fair degree of trepidation. As the title plainly...

Tuesday25th Dec 2012

  • Feature 10 Essential Games For Your New Wii U

    Got a new system this Christmas? Try these must-have titles

    Assuming you've been very good this year, many of you will have been blessed with shiny new Wii U consoles today. There's only one thing better than finding a new gaming system under your Christmas tree, and that's actually playing on it - and we guessed you may be in need of some solid...

  • News Merry Christmas From All At Nintendo Life

    Best wishes for the festive season

    On the one day of the year when it's socially acceptable to consume your body weight in mince pies, sit in front of the TV all day long and drink copious amounts of mulled wine (or a non-alcoholic alternative), we wanted to wish you a very Merry Christmas from everyone here at Nintendo Life. Hopefully you got what...

Monday24th Dec 2012

  • Review escapeVektor (3DS eShop)

    Traces of greatness

    Looking back to the release of escapeVektor: Chapter 1 just over a year ago, we're filled with conflicting emotions. We're glad, of course, because the game was fantastic, inexpensive, and thoroughly addictive. However we can't remember that game without being reminded of the fact that WiiWare never saw the rest of the series...

  • Review Rytmik World Music (DSiWare)

    Bring the beat back

    Cinemax has cooked up a number of flavours of its Rytmik music production suite, allowing the musically-minded playgrounds with which to explore dance, chip tunes, hip hop, rock and now world music. Rytmik World Music is a fun little musical tool tha

  • Round Table Let's Talk About Festive Gaming

    It's all so jolly

    Well, it's Christmas Eve, and as the famous song said we're "simmmmply haaaaving a wonderful Christmas time" here at Nintendo Life. With Santa currently loading up his sleigh with those rather weighty Wii U consoles for the good gamers of the World, a few members of the team decided to have a chat about festive memories and the...

  • Feature Time to Vote For Your Game of the Year

    It won't be easy

    As the end of the year approaches it can only mean one thing — annual awards. The Nintendo Life staff have been putting their heads together in recent days to determine the official NL winners in various categories but, of course, we want you to have your say as well. It's really rather simple, choose your top three games in each...

  • Feature The Mushroom Kingdom's Letters to Santa

    Lost in the mail

    Something very strange happened when we checked the mail here at Nintendo Life Towers this morning. We're used to seeing lots of strange letters and packages come through (typically beard maintenance items for Ron, or poorly-concealed letter bombs addressed to Chicken Brutus), but today we actually found a number of letters that had...