E3 2014 Shigeru Miyamoto Confirms Star Fox for Wii U
"It’s been maybe 6 to 10 months that we’ve been experimenting with it"
News Two Separate Bayonetta 2 Retail Releases Confirmed for Europe
North American promotion details also updated
E3 2014 Watch Nintendo's Treehouse Broadcast - Live!
Enjoy the E3 experience
News New Mega Evolutions Revealed for Pokémon Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire
Groudon and Kyogre are going primeval
News - June, 2014
Monday30th Jun 2014
News Cross-Buy is Now a Thing on Nintendo Platforms
Buy one version, get another free
Since the Wii U's NNID (Nintendo Network ID) was added to the 3DS in late 2013 we've been yearning for eShop games, not to mention Virtual Console games, to offer cross-buy so you can play on both the Wii U and 3DS at no extra cost. This is par for the course on PlayStation systems, with Another World being one...
Review Transformers: Rise of the Dark Spark (3DS)
A decent game in disguise
After reviewing the absolutely horrid Transformers: Rise of the Dark Spark on Wii U, it would be hard to get our hopes up for the 3DS iteration if it weren't for the name on the back of the box. Unlike every other version of the game, Rise of the Dark Spark on 3DS was produced by the handheld experts at WayForward...
Nintendo Download 3rd July (Europe)
Viva Mexico! Guacamelee! STCE is here along with lots more
Another Monday has arrived, dear gamers, and Nintendo of Europe is trying to cheer us up with its Download Update details. Let's get started! Wii U eShop: Guacamelee! Super Turbo Championship Edition (Drinkbox Studios, €13.99 / £11.99) - Guacamelee! STCE is a Metroidvania-style...
Tuesday1st Jul 2014
News Movie-based Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Game Coming to 3DS
Heroes in a clamshell, 3D power!
In case you were worried, there is going to be a licensed game coming out from the upcoming Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie. The inevitability of this was as plain as the mildly bulbous, nostril-ized areas on the heroes' faces. Announced by Activision, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles for the 3DS will take the form...
Monday30th Jun 2014
Feature Our Weirdest And Most Wonderful Tomodachi Life Moments So Far
This isn't your typical life sim
Tomodachi Life has been entertaining 3DS owners for a while now, and if you're anything like us here at Nintendo Life then you'll already have accrued plenty of laugh-out-loud moments during your time with this unique life sim. While Nintendo's game shares some similarities with other examples of the genre, one of...
Doesn't soar, but not quite a bore
SKYPEACE is a stage-based runner that finds you surfing it up in the in the sky, high above the clouds. As runners generally go, players will be aiming for a high score by collecting as many coins and significant pickups as they can, while avoiding incoming obstacles. Existing in a genre that overpopulates the...
News Princess Daisy Costume Confirmed For Bayonetta
Dressing up is fun
Nintendo has previously revealed that you'll be able to use Samus, Peach and Link costumes in Bayonetta on the Wii U, but eagle-eyed fans have spotted that screenshots show a fourth costume selection slot. Given the colours and flower design used in the mystery icon, some had predicted that it would be an outfit for Princess...
News Nintendo Supported Our Vision The Most, Says Devil's Third Maker Valhalla Game Studio
"As far as boundaries go, there was nothing they told us we couldn’t do"
Devil's Third was perhaps one of the biggest surprises of Nintendo's E3. Previously announced by THQ as a PS3 and 360 title, its future was thrown into doubt when the publisher went under. Nintendo was the company which picked it up, and now the game will be hitting the Wii U...
News Miyamoto Thinks That Nintendo Are in a Genre of Their Own
“I really think there needs to be a Nintendo genre"
Legendary game designer Shigeru Miyamoto recently did an interview with the LA Times where he discussed Nintendo's focus on creating games which entertain, as opposed to simply trying to be "cool". He even went on to say that Nintendo should have a genre of their own. Nintendo isn’t one...
News Pokémon Orchestral Tour Premiering in August
Super effective on the ears
Following in the steps of The Legend of Zelda: Symphony of the Goddesses, another Nintendo franchise's musical score will soon say goodbye to its mom and embark on a journey to prove itself the champion of concert halls the land over. The Pokémon Company International has announced Pokémon: Symphonic Evolutions, a new...
News Tomodachi Life on the Rise in UK Charts
The quirky Mii-sim still has legs
The weekly UK game sales charts are in again and we continue to see a flurry of PS4/Xbox One blockbusters hogging the top slots. Sniper Elite 3, Watch Dogs and EA Sports UFC are enjoying their time at the top this week. Tomodachi Life
Sunday29th Jun 2014
Review Transformers: Rise of the Dark Spark (Wii U)
Less than meets the eye
Whether it's Batman, Gears of War or Zelda, it's always a gamble when a beloved series leaves the developer that created it in favour of a new one. In many of these cases it's because the publisher wants to churn out annual or semi-annual instalments in a profitable franchise, and one studio is not enough to carry this...
News Pier Solar HD Delayed, Wii U Version Will Now Come With Built-In Achievements
Certification process throws up some issues
WaterMelon's rebooted 16-bit RPG Pier Solar and the Great Architects HD was due for release earlier this year, but the developer has now revealed that a last-minute snag in the certification process has resulted in a minor delay. Apparently it's Microsoft which is kicking up a stink — it rejected the...
Review Toy Stunt Bike (3DS eShop)
Batteries included
The store aisle packaging that greets you when selecting Toy Stunt Bike from the 3DS menu is a telling sign of the game’s intended mood. This is a physics-based platformer alright, but the challenge is infused with those elements of joy, imagination, and mild cruelty everyone remembers from playing with their toys as a kid...
Saturday28th Jun 2014
News Stats Suggest That UK Kids Are More Likely To Game On A Tablet Than A Nintendo 3DS
Handheld consoles losing ground to other mobile devices
There once was a time when "portable gaming" basically meant "Game Boy". Nintendo's line of handheld systems ruled the mobile world for well over a decade, and its reign was only ended by the arrival of its successor: the Nintendo DS. While Nintendo continues to dominate the portable console...
Review Cocoro Line Defender (3DS eShop)
Doing lines
If there's one thing French studio Moving Player knows how to do beautifully, it's presentation. Its new title Cocoro: Line Defender is inspired by Japanese watercolour-style art, with bright environments and striking dark outlines reminiscent of the 2006 classic Ōkami. Sporting a traditional flute-based soundtrack and characters with...
Friday27th Jun 2014
News Thank Goodness, The Burning Mystery Of Bayonetta 2's New Haircut Is Finally Explained
"I think her shorter hair gives her a generally more masculine look."
By now you’ve probably seen the new look for everyone’s favourite modern witch, Bayonetta. But did you ever wonder why she had such a drastic haircut for the Wii U exclusive sequel Bayonetta 2? Thankfully Mari Shimazaki — freelance designer over at Platinum Games — is at...
Parent Trap Amiibo Charts A Fresh Course In The Toys To Life Sector
Wallets are going to suffer this Christmas
Seen one toy-video-game craze and you’ve seen them all, right? Counter to first impressions Skylanders, Disney Infinity and Angry Birds Telepods each offer a distinct experience. Nintendo’s amiibo characters offer another new way to combine toys and video-games, but how different is it to these other...
Hands On Bewitching Bayonetta 2 Brings Action Gaming To A Climax On Wii U
We spend some time with Bayonetta 1 and 2
It’s hard to overestimate just how much buzz Bayonetta 2’s Wii U exclusivity garnered back when it was announced in 2012; the first game in the series - from Platinum Games and Hideki Kamiya - was critically acclaimed and a big hit with fans, though since it only ever appeared on the Xbox 360 and PS3,...
News Mario Kart 8 Speeds Past The Two Million Copies Sold Barrier In Less Than A Month
Wii U hardware sales are up, too
During Nintendo's 74th Annual General Meeting of Shareholders it has been revealed that Mario Kart 8 has shifted an impressive two million copies in the month it has been on sale. In addition to this welcome news, it has also been stated that Wii U hardware sales are on the rise too — although this presumably...
News Don't Fancy Sonic Boom? No Problem, The Sonic 2 HD Fan Remake Is Back On Track
"It's good to be back!"
Back in 2012, we followed the progress made on Sonic 2 HD — a fan project to remake Sega's classic platformer — with great interest. However, for personal reasons development work ground to a halt and we never heard anything more about the project. That is until now. The team's Facebook page was recently updated to let...
News Senran Kagura 2 Website Updates With New Gameplay Trailer And Boss Reveal
Even more titillating info
The official Japanese website for upcoming 3DS anime brawler Senran Kagura 2 has had a recent update adding new artwork, screenshots and an all new gameplay video. A brand new boss is revealed who looks like a nasty piece of work, if you ask us: It has also been revealed that a tree-like mission select screen has been...
News Someone Has Beaten The Super Mario Bros. Speedrun World Record
Game completed in less than five minutes
Think you're a pretty hot Super Mario Bros. player? You're probably not as good as speedrunner Blubbler, who has just finished the game in 4:57.69, beating the previous record of 4:58.09. Blubber is clearly a talented individual, and in the video below you can see just how perfect this particular run is —...
News Satoru Iwata Reigns Supreme in Annual Shareholders Meeting
Business as usual
Nintendo's 74th annual general meeting (AGM) for shareholders took place today in Japan and we can confirm that Satoru Iwata has retained his position as Nintendo's president. Iwata of course was not present at today's meeting due to his recovery from recent surgery. We are yet to learn what this year's investor approval rating...
News The Results Of Nintendo Games Seminar Show Innovation And Imagination
Last year’s four games available for free on the Japanese Wii U eShop
We recently reported on Nintendo of Japan's Nintendo Games Seminar and commented on what a great opportunity it looked like for young Japanese developers who wanted to make a name for themselves. Every year selected teams of college students are given classes on game...
News Shovel Knight Soundtracks Released on Bandcamp
Name your price for some metal-slammin' tracks
In our recent post on the Shovel Knight release trailer, you may recall one of our questions in our state of frenzied yammering was "Where do we get this song?!" Delightfully, we have an answer: it's Track 17 on Strike the Earth! Shovel Knight Arranged, newly released alongside the
News Wage War On Your 3DS In Glory of Generals, Rolling Out 3rd July
World War II turn-based strategy coming to 3DS eShop
Shanghai-based CIRCLE Entertainment has been busy recreating the events of World War II in a turn-based strategy game Glory of Generals, which will hit the 3DS eShop on the 3rd of July in North America. The game boasts 64 campaigns between 1939 and 1945, including the Western front, Eastern...
News Animal Crossing: New Leaf Nominated for 2014 GameCityPrize
UK festival's award judged by figures outside the industry
Animal Crossing: New Leaf continues to spread its appeal to critics and judges, this time making the shortlist for the 2014 GameCityPrize. GameCity is an annual festival held in Nottingham, UK to celebrate public engagement in video games and reaching out to the widest and most diverse...
Thursday26th Jun 2014
Review Shovel Knight (3DS eShop)
This is the kind of shovelware we can dig
Shovel Knight is the adventure of Shovel Knight, a knight with a shovel. That simple — and gloriously absurd — premise has somehow resulted in some of the strongest hype the 3DS eShop has seen yet. The good news is that the final product absolutely lives up to the lofty expectations; the even better news...
Review Farming Simulator 14 (3DS)
More farm than good
Last summer Farming Simulator 3D trucked its way onto the 3DS, allowing gamers to establish and manage a flourishing agricultural empire on-the-go, without having to get their hands dirty or don a straw hat and suspenders. It was a game that we found to be enjoyable at times, but the omission of any tutorials or guides lent to a...
Review Shovel Knight (Wii U eShop)
Digging for gold
Yacht Club Games' faux-retro platformer Shovel Knight has become one of the most anticipated titles to come out of the crowdfunding craze. It's frightening to think that Shovel Knight might not have come to fruition without Yacht Club Games' highly successful Kickstarter campaign — games like this don't come around often. Yacht...
News The Unreleased Super Mario 64 DD Edition Appears to Have Been Uncovered
Awesome collectable, but imperfect version of the classic
Super Mario 64 is one of the most iconic, important games ever produced, and is treasured by many gamers. It's safe to say that it's in most collections of those rocking a Nintendo 64, so while it's much-loved it's not exactly collectable gold. The unreleased Nintendo 64 DD version, however,...
News Hyrule Warriors Downloadable Costume Sets Feature Twilight Princess Outfits for Link and Zelda
Screens for Agitha, Lana, Zant and Argorok also released
Though we have release dates for Hyrule Warriors in the West, one area that's yet to be outlined is whether there'll be multiple retail editions with additional costume sets, as is the case in Japan. At present the official website outlines three offerings, with details as follows. A...
Nintendo Download 26th June (North America)
Shovel Knight, Wii Sports, 5 DSiWare games (yes, really!) and much more
It's time again for your Nintendo download update, North America, and this one is a beauty. There's a double release of an eagerly anticipated action platformer, more Wii Sports shenanigans, discounts and plenty of choices across Wii U, 3DS and even DSiWare. Let's get to it...
News The Legend of Korra Turn-Based SRPG Bending its Way to 3DS
Cue the Foaming Mouth Guy
Nickelodeon's wildly popular follow-up to Avatar: The Last Airbender will be getting the video game treatment when The Legend of Korra bends its way over to the Nintendo 3DS courtesy of Webfoot Technologies (perhaps best known for their lengthy run of Dragon Ball Z adaptations on the Game Boy Advance). The retail-only title...
Curve Studios shows us its upcoming exclusive
Stealth Inc 2 was announced not so long ago, and was surprising as it was confirmed to be a Wii U exclusive. It'll certainly be a welcome addition to the eShop, and an intriguing one in light of the fact that the original title never made it to Nintendo hardware. We've just recently had a look at the...
Video Nintendo Game Developers 'Sing' About Their Upcoming Wii U Releases
Splatoon! Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker! Star Fox! More!
So, we admit, that's a cheeky headline, though we trust the 'Sing' and image have tipped you off to what's really going on here. Nintendo has released a rather funny video of its big-name developers singing songs about their current Wii U projects... in Tomodachi Life. One of this game's...
News Bayonetta 2 Director Eager to "Nurture" the Series With Nintendo Again in the Future
"There's a lot that we learned from Nintendo"
Bayonetta 2 is getting increasingly close to its arrival on Wii U, and when you throw in the inclusion / release of an updated Bayonetta, albeit in different deals per region, it could be enough to keep Nintendo gamers busy for a good while from October onwards. It's easy to forget, too, how big an...
Exclusive Free Mutant Mudds Deluxe 3DS Update Arrives on 3rd July
That’s in both North America and PAL territories
Late last year we were happy to share the news of a free Mutant Mudds Deluxe update on the way to 3DS, which will bring the portable version of the game into line with the Wii U title. That was particularly welcome news for gamers in Europe and Australia, as the expanded version didn’t see a...
News ZaciSa's Last Stand Begins Its Defence on the Wii U eShop on 3rd July
"Coming soon" in Europe
ZaciSa's Last Stand is the début release from ZeNfA Productions, which was founded by Greg Wiggleton; it's the latest in the range of budget releases arriving on the Wii U eShop courtesy of the Nintendo Web Framework support. That platform has opened the door for projects and game engines utilising code such as HTML5 and...
News Here Are Some Charming Tappingo 2 Screens to Enjoy
New zoom feature shown off
Tappingo 2 is the second 3DS eShop title from Goodbye Galaxy Games, a rapid sequel to the rather charming original in this fledgling puzzle series. A blend of Picross with original ideas, we rather enjoyed the first game. The new entry will have over 100 puzzles and, as a response to a complaint of the original, a zoom...
Wednesday25th Jun 2014
Review Another World - 20th Anniversary Edition (3DS eShop)
Another World, Another System
Another World: 20th Anniversary Edition belongs in the download era, as the retail success story of the original truly laid the groundwork for narrative-driven, minimalistic and artistic games that are now becoming increasingly common away from high street shelves. When first released its cinematic flair was a...
News Pokémon Art Academy Sneaks Top Spot in Japanese Charts as Console Sales Dip
3DS still top, Wii U remains as number one console
It's time once again for the Media Create Japanese chart results, and this week tells a tale of modest sales across the board. Though the numbers are low Nintendo still has plenty to cheer. Pokémon Art Academy makes its début this week and sneaks into top spot, narrowly out-selling more...
News S.T.A.L.K.E.R. and Metro: Last Light Developers Aiming to Bring Areal to Wii U
Blasting towards crowdfunding target
For Wii U gamers hoping for a shooter on the system that also aims to innovate the genre and provide a compelling post-apocalyptic atmosphere, Areal should perhaps be on their radar. It's a project by West Games, comprised of team members that worked on the S.T.A.L.K.E.R. series and Metro: Last Light. Presented...
News Miiverse Update Adds Post Embed Option, Activity Feed Customisation and More
Say "meh" to Yeahs
Nintendo's ever-evolving Miiverse social network has had another update today, tweaking the experience in customising your Activity Feed, improving the browser-based User Page and adding an option to embed posts on websites. The latter option is a simple button at the end of a post that gives you some embed code, though it should...
Interview Bertil Hörberg Jumps Back Into the Saddle With Gunman Clive 2
"I felt I needed a bit more colour this time"
When it arrived with relatively little fanfare in December 2012, Gunman Clive appeared to be a cheap and cheerful Holiday title. Then we played it. What had seemed like a modest download game transpired to be a short slice of finely crafted fun with a charming aesthetic, which combined with a budget...
Guide Forming Your Own StreetPass Meet-Up Group
Make the most of your 3DS
Just recently we brought you an interview with StreetPass Liverpool's Anthony Boyd, to learn a little more about how these events and groups come together to share a passion for 3DS. Now we have a guide from James Parker, who created and runs the StreetPass Metro Detroit group along with other keen gamers. Shortly after...
News Moon Chronicles to Hit Europe in Q4 This Year, Including All Episodes in One
No episodic approach outside North America
Renegade Kid's Moon Chronicles: Episode 1 has been available in North America since mid-May, with episode two on the way relatively soon — this episodic remake of DS retail game Moon will ultimately arrive in four parts. Its arrival in Europe has been held back to date, however, with the developer telling...
News Nintendo UK Store's Kirby Hypernova Pack Aims to Suck You In
2DS deals everywhere
If you've not yet picked up a 3DS — what are you doing? — then the 2DS is perhaps a tempting option. Released by Nintendo to target a young demographic, it also provides a slightly lower entry point than the standard and XL 3DS models; all you lose is the 3D effect and clamshell design. When it last provided figures...
Thursday26th Jun 2014
News Twitter Hashtag Brings Bunches of Well Wishes for Recovering Satoru Iwata
He'll never have a potassium deficiency
Nintendo President Satoru Iwata has had to take it easy lately after a recent surgery to remove a growth from his bile duct. Twitter users have been taking to the feeds to wish the Nintendo head the best as he recovers but, as this is Twitter, they've been doing so by honoring Iwata's iconic, fruit-based pose...
Wednesday25th Jun 2014
News Save The Universe From Evil Vegetables In Upcoming Wii U eShop title, Ice Cream Surfer
I scream, you scream, we all scream, for ice cream!
You love ice cream and hate broccoli. This is a classic childhood scenario at its best. And now – gamers will be able to fight for their love of their favourite desert in the upcoming Wii U eShop title – Ice Cream Surfer. According to recently spotted rating listings on PEGI and the USK,...
Tuesday24th Jun 2014
Talking Point New Ideas, Not New IPs, Are The Key for Nintendo
Splatoon and Code Name S.T.E.A.M are joined by Captain Toad, after all
Earlier today we reported on an interview given by two of the developers behind upcoming Wii U third-person shooter Splatoon, in which they outlined the creative process that brought us human / squid hybrids rather than macho men with guns, with existing brands such as Mario also...
Feature A Week of Super Smash Bros. Wii U and 3DS Screens - Issue Forty Three
Mii Fighters! Pac-Man! Dr. Robotn... Eggman machine!
Super Smash Bros. creeps closer yet still seems far away, especially as Summer heat starts to kick in for some of us pasty-faced individuals in the northern hemisphere. We're drifting off-topic, yes, but doesn't change the fact that the next entry in the iconic franchise still remains...
News GAME Offers Buy One Get One Half Price Tomodachi Life Deal
For physical or download copies via online store
We're fans of the slightly bizarre Mii-sim Tomodachi Life here at Nintendo Life, and it's been enjoying a solid — if unspectacular — run in the UK charts, as one example. Nintendo of America President Reggie Fils-Aime has also been making positive noises about sales in the region, though we'll see...
News Devil's Third Developer Discusses Its Unique Approach, and Learning From Nintendo
"I had this opportunity to learn about Nintendo culture"
Devil's Third was a major surprise at E3; the Valhalla project formerly in the works for PS3 and Xbox 360 was announced as a Wii U exclusive. Its absence from the the Nintendo Digital Event was hardly a surprise considering its tone and genre, but it did raise eyebrows and will stand as one of...
News Shigeru Miyamoto Discusses Future Cross-Platform Development as an "Opportunity" for Nintendo
Will "think about" Virtual Console cross-buy support
Nintendo's development teams are currently exceptionally busy, producing content to cover release schedules for both Wii U and 3DS, two systems with fairly substantial disparities in raw processing power. The idea of simply streaming Wii U games to 3DS, for example, has never been seriously...
News Satoru Iwata Recovering From Surgery To Remove Growth, Will Miss Nintendo's AGM
"I came through it well, as predicted"
Prior to E3 2014, there was the sudden news that Satoru Iwata wasn't attending the event for health-related reasons, though no details were given aside from reassurances that it was still "business as usual" for the Nintendo President. With Nintendo's AGM (Annual General Meeting of Shareholders) set to take...
"We had robots, different animals, macho men, and Mario"
Of all its announcements at E3, Splatoon was arguably the biggest hit for Nintendo, perhaps aside from obvious blockbuster efforts such as The Legend of Zelda. It generated a lot of hype, seemingly caught the imagination of the Nintendo Life community and has been praised in numerous previews...
News Nintendo Confirms Appearance, With Wii U and 3DS Titles, at HYPER JAPAN 2014 in London
Will take part in "a number of showcases on the main stage"
HYPER JAPAN is a yearly event in London that, if you hadn't already guessed from the title, celebrates Japanese culture. It incorporates interests such as music, fashion, food & drink, sports demonstrations, technology and, of course, video games. Nintendo's been a consistent supporter...
News An Iconic Super Mario Bros. 3 Overworld Theme Gets the Smooth McGroove Treatment
Who can resist that?
We imagine many of you are already familiar with Smooth McGroove, a hugely popular presence on YouTube that's highly regarded for his weekly Acapella music videos. His rise to prominence has been particularly impressive, with his focus on retro titles also helping to establish a dedicated audience. While all of his videos are...
Video Impa Shows Off Some Impressive Moves in the Latest Hyrule Warriors Trailer
Call that a sword? THIS, is a sword
Tecmo Koei and Nintendo have been busy in recent days and weeks to make sure that gamers know all about Hyrule Warriors, both also doing their utmost to convince us that this is a title we simply must have on Wii U. This Dynasty Warriors mash-up will certainly be a diversion for the much-loved franchise, at least...
News Culture Cal Hopes to Celebrate The Holidays With This Majora's Mask Advent Calendar
A wooden board with an etched map of Termina and 24 'mask tokens'
Our dreams of a remake reveal for The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask may have gone unfulfilled during E3, but the iconic Nintendo 64 title still lives on in various fan projects and products. One example is currently seeking crowdfunding support — it's a rather charming advent...
News Cooking Mama 5: Bon Appétit Cooking Up a Treat for 3DS in September
Step into the Cooking Dojo
In exciting news for those that are fans of cooking with a stylus — which doesn't work very well in real life — Majesco Entertainment has confirmed that Cooking Mama 5: Bon Appétit will be arriving in the West this September. This is a title we've covered in the past as it was on its way to the Japanese market, though...
News KickBeat: Special Edition Wii U eShop Trailer Shows Deadly Rhythm
Fresh footage of X-Type Plus and Master Reboot also released
Zen Studios has undoubtedly been one of the most committed download game publishers on the Wii U eShop, releasing multiple games and some DLC on the store. Occasionally the titles have taken a while and not all DLC has made it, yet considering the limited audience up to this point it'd be...
News Tecmo Koei Will Soon Be Koei Tecmo in Europe, So Get Used To It
Here's hoping for Enix Square and Comcap next
Not long after the earth shattering news — well, not really — that Namco Bandai would be known by its Japanese name (Bandai Namco) around the world, we now have Hyrule Warriors developer Tecmo Koei reversing its name in Europe. Below is the announcement of the switch that'll take place from 1st July...
Monday23rd Jun 2014
News Agitha, of Twilight Princess Fame, Confirmed as Playable Character in Hyrule Warriors
New character Lana also playable, villains from Twilight Princess to appear
Update: Subsequent reports from this leaked Famitsu article explain that Lana (referenced below) is a new character, The White Witch, who uses a magical book of spells to combat enemies. Agitha can attack with a parasol and summon bugs, Link will have his iconic hook-shot,...
First Impressions Taking Sonic Boom for a Spin on Wii U and 3DS
Lightning Strikes (Not Once But Twice)
Back in May 2013 Nintendo announced that it had entered into a partnership with Sega to bring a series of three Sonic games exclusively to its systems. Sonic Lost World and Mario & Sonic at the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games were the first products of that arrangement, and the upcoming Sonic Boom games —...
Nintendo Download 26th June (Europe)
Wii Sports Club, GBA Mario Tennis, StreetPass discounts and much more
Another Monday has arrived, dear gamers, and Nintendo of Europe is trying to cheer us up with its Download Update details. This week certainly has plenty of choice, with a broad variety of titles covering Wii U, 3DS and, yes, DSiWare. We have the completion of a HD sports set and...
News Ubisoft Runs Another eShop Discount Bonanza in North America
Because it can...
It seems that Ubisoft just can't help itself when it comes to eShop discount promotions. In what appears to be a bi-monthly occasion, it's slashed the prices of a substantial range of titles on both the Wii U and 3DS stores in order to drum up some more sales. There are plenty to get through, though no fresh discounts in Europe...
News This Rather Neat "Mario White Edition" 3DS XL Will Run North American Games
A sort-of Western release
In the past we've shared some lovely 3DS hardware designs that are often rare and limited to release in Japan or other out-of-reach territories — some of the best examples are the iQue 3DS XL models released in China, too. It seems that the red and white Mario model from that iQue range will be an option for North...
News Animal Crossing 'Clone', Castaway Paradise, Could Even Come to Wii U
"Everything is fine" with Nintendo, apparently
Last week we pointed your attention to iPad title Castaway Paradise, which has striking similarities to Animal Crossing and some aspects that would be familiar to Harvest Moon fans; all with a dash of micro-transactions, of course. Footage of the title, already out in countries such as Canada and New...
News Guild Quests Could Change the Way We Enjoy Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate
Randomised maps and drops aim to add replay value
Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate is still tormenting us with an early 2015 here in the West, though we can expect plenty of enticing details to emerge ahead of its arrival. This version will have a lot of additional content over the original that was Japan-only, though there are aspects of that first...
More playable characters to be revealed for Hyrule Warriors
The Legend of Zelda is a franchise that's dabbled with multiplayer in the past, most notably with the Four Swords titles across GameCube, Game Boy Advance and DSiWare re-release The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Anniversary Edition. The definition of 'multiplayer' can be stretched in this...
Feature Braving the Queue At Nintendo's Best Buy Smash-Fest
An account of Nintendo’s second foray into digital demonstrations
Not one to keep its ideas safely inside of the metaphorical box, Nintendo decided once again to forgo the standard E3 press conference this year and instead broadcast its own "Digital Event" directly to the consumers. While this caught many off guard last year during the first...
Feature Add The Nintendo Life Team To Your Tomodachi Life Community
We're house-trained, honest
Tomodachi Life has been out for a few weeks now and we're sure that many of you will already have an impressively-stocked island of Mii inhabitants. However, if you're still on the lookout for fresh faces, then feel free to scan the QR codes below and add the Nintendo Life team to your burgeoning population. These QR...
News Awesome New Hyrule Warriors Trailers Show Link Rocking the Fire Rod and Some Serious Swordplay
No mercy
It may turn out to be slightly mindless button mashing action, but Hyrule Warriors will be mindless button mashing action in The Legend of Zelda's world; we suspect that fact alone will be enough to excite plenty of players. It arrives in September on Wii U, of course, and with that release — along with an earlier arrival in Japan —...
Tuesday24th Jun 2014
Video Shovel Knight Release Trailer Delivers Epicness in Spades
AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!
We'd like to think that video game journalism has progressed past the era when we mindlessly slathered over screenshots of games and reviewed things in terms of heads that looked like they were about to explode, but if anything is to make us don our old neon shirts and bring "Radical!" back into style, it's the...
Monday23rd Jun 2014
News The Nintendo 64 is Now 18 Years Old in Japan
Finally old enough to run Conker's Bad Fur Day
Time flies when you're having fun, especially for those of us who grew up spending excessive amounts of time playing GoldenEye 007 and Mario Kart 64. That's because the Nintendo 64 was released a whopping 18 years ago today in its native territory of Japan. Released on 23 June 1996, the N64 served as a...
News Atlus Teases a New Etrian Odyssey Title, Makes You Work To See It
The cheeky scamps
How would you like a new Etrian Odyssey game? You would? Well, it looks like Atlus has made your day. The publisher has launched a new teaser site with the tagline "this is not broccoli". It's rather quirky as it makes you click up to 10,000 meters of a tree, introducing three logos at intervals as you make your way up; at the end...
News Mario Kart 8 and Tomodachi Life Show Decent Momentum in UK Charts
Staying power
A worrying trend in the weekly charts we've seen in the UK throughout 2014 has been for Nintendo releases or system exclusives to make an initial appearance before rapidly tumbling out of the top 40, with the exception of Pokémon X & Y clinging on in the lower reaches. As we head towards July the latest major releases on Wii U and...
News EnjoyUp Games Bringing Its Timely 99Seconds to the Wii U eShop
We're still hoping for the sequel 99Problems
EnjoyUp Games has announced that its previous DSiWare exclusive, 99Seconds, is set to grace the Wii U eShop. The game was originally launched on the DSi in 2012 and is the sequel to 99Bullets. Playing as V-99, the retro-styled 99Seconds has the player modifying time to avoid all kinds of dangers, tasked...
Sunday22nd Jun 2014
Guide The Biggest Wii U and 3DS eShop Games Coming In 2014
With apologies, this time, to your digital wallet
The second half of 2014 is almost upon us, and we have a clearer idea of what games will arrive before those New Year bells take us into 2015. We already brought you a guide to the biggest Wii U and 3DS retail games coming in 2014, so naturally we'll now do the same for eShop games. Our goal with...
Video Watch Our Handy Highlight Video To See How Nintendo Silenced Its Critics At E3 2014
Zelda! Amiibo! Splatoon!
It's fair to say that many people in the industry who are deemed to be "experts" didn't give Nintendo much of a chance at this year's E3. The company's decision to not hold a traditional press conference for the second year running — coupled with the well-publicised struggles of the Wii U — resulted in many dire...
Weirdness Classic Game Characters Part of Artist's Neighbourhood Watch Makeover
"What I'm doing is technically illegal..."
If you're looking for video games, creativity, and urban culture, all three intersect in Toronto, Canada. Not only does the city boast a sizable indie scene, but signs of gaming love sometimes leak out onto the streets as well. An artist under the pseudonym "Andrew Lamb" has been slapping healthy doses of...
Saturday21st Jun 2014
Talking Point Nintendo Should Beware the Slippery Slope of Sponsored DLC
A harmless way to make money, or guaranteed alienation of fans?
This week Nintendo confirmed the inevitable, and that was Mercedes DLC coming to Mario Kart 8 in the West, after it had previously been announced for the Japanese market. It'll be free in Nintendo's homeland and, we expect, everywhere else in the world, though Nintendo's refusal to use...
Talking Point Keeping It Simple Helped Nintendo Triumph At E3
The Nintendo Difference
E3 — the busiest week on any gamer's calendar — has been and gone for another year, but how has the Big N fared against the onslaught of the competition's 'next gen' power? We saw some very impressive stuff from rivals Sony and Microsoft, and many would argue that Nintendo's Wii U, with technical specs below PS4 and Xbox...
News Nintendo Serves Up Another Big Batch of Treehouse Videos
Have a Nintendo Minute E3 video as a bonus, too
Over the past 10 days or so we've brought you some summaries of Nintendo Treehouse @E3 videos as Nintendo's uploaded them, and the company has now produced what may be the last big batch of footage from the three day broadcast. This range covers major retail, download and conceptual games across Wii U...
Review Color Zen Kids (3DS eShop)
Childlike innocence
If you read our review of Color Zen on 3DS earlier this month or Color Zen Kids on Wii U most recently, you're in for a familiar ride with the latter title on 3DS. The laid-back colour-matching puzzler with the sweeping electronic soundtrack is back, and this time your children can play it on the go. The objective of the...
Review ATV Quad Kings (DSiWare)
ATZzz...
Some forms of racing get a bad rap for looking too “simple” but, in reality, require a great deal of strategy and focus. It should never be as simple as holding down the accelerator until the finish line, which seems a lesson unfortunately lost on ATV Quad Kings. Quad Kings is a purely single-player run with three modes. The largest of...
Friday20th Jun 2014
News Two Separate Bayonetta 2 Retail Releases Confirmed for Europe
North American promotion details also updated
When Nintendo confirmed a free copy of Bayonetta with retail copies of upcoming Wii U exclusive Bayonetta 2, excitement quickly turned to some confusion. A poorly worded footnote on the official website suggested that eShop copies of the sequel would not include the first game, before an official...
News Nintendo Open To Minecraft on Wii U and 3DS, and Expanding Its Popularity in Japan
Shigeru Miyamoto teases, "maybe we're meeting with them!"
Minecraft is everywhere, and it's a phenomenon. It's on a significant number of platforms, with releases confirmed to be on the way for PS4 and Xbox One, while its PS3 and Xbox 360 versions continually rest in the top 10 of sales charts in major territories such as the US. A social, creative...
News Mercedes DLC Confirmed for Mario Kart 8 in the West
High-end wheels
In late May we brought you the surprise news that free Mercedes-themed DLC is coming to Mario Kart 8 in Japan, the latest title to follow that path through a licensing agreement — we saw Nintendo do this with the Callaway brand in Mario Golf: World Tour. At the time Nintendo wouldn't comment on a potential Western arrival, yet it's...
News Don't Worry, Splatoon Will Have A Local Multiplayer Mode Too
Expect a full-price retail release in the "first half" of 2015
Splatoon impressed pretty much everybody who saw it at this year's E3, and has become one of the most eagerly-awaiting titles of 2015. However, some questions have been raised regarding the game's offline potential; given the Wii U's social focus, the idea of a game which can only be...
News Philips Secures Wii Patent Victory Over Nintendo in the UK
Nintendo to appeal, may affect similar claims in other countries
Not too long ago we reported on a Philips patent claim against Nintendo related to Wii technology, specifically with regards to recognising hand gestures and motion. It's not the first such claim against the Wii in this regard, of course, but is certainly significant considering the...
News Bayonetta Wii U Director Shows More of What Those Nintendo Costumes Do
Visor up! Visor down. Visor up! Visor down...
Isao Negishi, director of the Bayonetta Wii U port, took to the Platinum Games blog recently with some news on the game. In addition to a short video showing more of Bayonetta in action on the Wii U, Negishi explained features of the witch's new wardrobe of Nintendo-themed costumes. According to...
News You Can Now Have The Legendary Shaq On Your 3DS, But He's Not Doing Kung Fu
Celebrity Tomodachi Life QR codes released
Famous basketball player Shaquille O’Neal has had his brush with video games in the past — Shaq Fu being a notable failure which has is currently being rebooted into something a little more appealing. However, the new and updated version of this fighting game isn't the only way you'll be able to get...
First Impressions Moulding Clay With Kirby and the Rainbow Curse
Rainbow Country
Kirby has always been a flexible little guy; from his humble beginnings as a placeholder sprite, he’s been moulded into a pinball, a golf ball, and an animate collection of yarn - not to mention the many hats he wears as part of his trademark copy abilities. Kirby’s workable versatility is a huge part of his identity as a...
News iPad Title Castaway Paradise Does A Pretty Convincing Impression Of Animal Crossing
Tom Nook won't be pleased
They say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, so Nintendo must be feeling pretty flattered right now because we've just spotted an iPad game which looks an awful lot like Animal Crossing: New Leaf. Castaway Paradise is currently available on the Canadian, New Zealand and Vietnamese iPad App Stores, and it's fairly...
News Nintendo Looking To Grow Wii U Audience To Tempt Back Third Parties
"We're in for the long haul in gaming"
One of the most common complaints we hear from Wii U owners is the lack of third party support for the system — aside from a handful of publishers, most of the big names working in the industry have all but abandoned Nintendo's system, presumably due to the lack of earning potential. Nintendo is aware that...
News Boy Battling Terminal Cancer Gets To Control A Life-Sized Game Of Super Mario Bros.
A heart-warming tale
A 10 year-old Canadian boy named Patrick has terminal brain cancer and is confined to a wheelchair, but thanks to The Children's Wish Foundation of Saskatchewan he got to realise one of his dreams: to control a life-sized version of the Super Mario Bros. video game. 50 volunteers — including the cast of Odyssey Productions, a...
Weirdness So, Someone Made A Valve E3 Press Conference Using Tomodachi Life
Nintendo's life sim used to poke fun at long-suffering Half Life fans
Valve released Half Life 2 a decade ago, and since then fans have been waiting for news relating to the third instalment in the critically-acclaimed series. Every year, these very same fans search through the internet trying to find hints or references to the release of the game,...
GEOMdude used Rock Throw!
GEOM is another low-budget title on the Wii U eShop from a fresh studio — Andraconus — and brings to mind another relatively recent offering: RCMADIAX's Blok Drop U from earlier this year. Both are simple puzzle titles that don't really live up to expectations, but their price point being lower than the cost of a cup of...
Review Color Zen Kids (Wii U eShop)
Hopping into the kiddie pool
If you read our review of Color Zen last month, you'll know exactly what to expect from Color Zen Kids. The soothing, touch-based colour matching puzzler has gained a more kid-friendly coat of paint – the colours are all slightly brighter, the puzzles are a bit easier and shaped like cute animals, and the memorable...
News Mario Marathon 7 Streaming Live Right Now on Twitch
It's that time of year again
The 7th annual Mario Marathon started broadcasting live just a matter of hours ago, so go check it out. The fan-run event is a charity drive supporting Child's Play with a pretty fun set of rules: the group has a set of financial goals to be unlocked, each of which is linked to an in-game objective the players must...
Muddy goings
ATV Fever is at its best when machines hit the dirt and one gets into the zone of navigating a track’s turns and bumps. It’s a good way to distract oneself from the strange choices made in the organization of the game off the track. But first, the racing. ATV Fever has a pretty simple control setup. There are no tricks; no...
Preview Summoning Our Luchador Instincts in Guacamelee! Super Turbo Championship Edition
Viva Mexico!
Guacamelee! Super Turbo Championship Edition will quite possibly be one of the most colourful, bizarrely-named games on the Wii U eShop when it arrives on 2nd July, as any exclamation mark-bearing title with a masked hero can be. The Nintendo début of Drinkbox Studios is an expanded, improved version of the popular original, and the...
News POKER DICE SOLITAIRE FUTURE Débuting on Wii U eShop 3rd July in North America
From the one-man studio that brought you BLOK DROP U
Earlier this year, RCMADIAX brought physics-based puzzler BLOK DROP U to the Wii U eShop. Its budget price and pick-up-and-play ease of use made it a nice digital download title for quick play sessions, even if we couldn't give it quite a full recommendation. On 3rd July, RCMADIAX will continue...
Thursday19th Jun 2014
Review Another World - 20th Anniversary Edition (Wii U eShop)
An indie trailblazer
If you want a cinematic, oblique, thought-provoking and relatively short-lived experience in the modern gaming age, digital stores such as the eShop and more notably Steam have plenty of content on offer. Independent developers — and bigger publishers that release smaller projects as downloads — now find it easier than ever...
News This Is Where Unwanted 3DS And DS Games Go To Die
Spare a thought for these abandoned titles
Ever wondered what happens to all the 3DS and DS games that never find a loving home, either brand new or on the preowned market? They get recycled, as the materials they are made from still have some value — even if the code contained on the card doesn't. Reddit user HxCut works at a recycling plant and...
Review How to Survive (Wii U eShop)
Island-hopping and head-popping
Zombies used to be so underground, man. Years ago the very mention of these rotted ghouls would have people scratching their heads in blissful ignorance, but now they’re shuffling, walking and running around like they own the place. The genre has been utterly exhausted to the point where now their inclusion in media...
Talking Point Nintendo Successfully Wooed Some Wii U Doubters at E3
Its message of fun and innovation gets through
As a Nintendo-centric site, it's pretty obvious where the interests of our team and the community lie. While we'll be critical of Nintendo, its games, systems or policies when we feel such a stance is warranted, we are inevitably 'rooting' for the company. To nick the big N's slogan of choice right now,...
Nintendo Download 19th June (North America)
Pushmo goes HD, Another World, more Color Zen, 5(!) DSiWare games, more...
It's Nintendo Download Update time, North America, and this week there's a lengthy list of titles clawing at your eShop funds. Nintendo brings a colourful puzzle title to Wii U, we have a much-anticipated retro re-release on both systems, a crazy five DSiWare games — yep,...
News Nintendo TVii Update Adds New Features and Improves Interface
Get from the home screen to your content faster than ever before
Recent conversation around the Wii U interface has centered on the awesome 5.0.0 system update that launched earlier in June; for many, the update provides aesthetic and functional improvements that help the system's interface better stand alongside its next-gen counterparts. For users...
Review Dr. Kawashima's Brain Training: How Old is Your Brain? (Wii U eShop / DS)
Brain food
It seems like only yesterday that we got Game Boy Advance games on the Wii U Virtual Console, but now DS games have also joined the party. Curiously enough, Nintendo has chosen not to start off with one of their classic franchises, like Mario or Zelda, but has instead opted to go with one of their best-selling titles, the original Brain...
Review Pac-Land (Wii U eShop / NES)
Pac your bags, man
Never before released for the NES in the west, Namco has dropped its Pac-Man platformer Pac-Land onto the eShop to celebrate the announcement of Pac-Man in the new Super Smash Bros. games. A departure from the simple, addictive gameplay the Pac-Man series is known for, Pac-Land attempts to expand the scope and appeal of its iconic...
News Reggie Fils-Aime Defends Wii U Prospects as Shigeru Miyamoto Highlights Nintendo's Creativity
Miyamoto-san - "the numbers have never been as bad as they are now"
We're entering a vital period for the Wii U — though that's been said plenty of times in the past — as Nintendo looks to use the early success of Mario Kart 8 to kick off a sustained revival of the system. The company threw a lot of exciting Wii U content out for the world to...
News Nintendo Executive Suggests Wii U is at a "Tipping Point" Towards Success
"We have a lot of great content that is about to be released"
The Wii U, it's fair to say, is currently enjoying its most positive spell of coverage and attention since it launched, with strong sales numbers for Mario Kart 8 combining with an excellent E3 showing to deliver some serious buzz. Perhaps unsurprisingly it's all about first-party games...
News Food-Focused RPG Adventure Bar Story Is Munching Its Way To The 3DS
Smartphone hit crosses over to Nintendo's handheld
Adventure Bar Story is one of the most unique smartphone RPGs we've seen in quite some time, and developer RideOn Games has confirmed that it is bringing the game to the 3DS — in Japan, at least. The game places you in the shoes of a tavern owner who is resisting a hostile takeover from a rival...
Friday20th Jun 2014
"It’s critical for us to have kids grow into Nintendo content"
If there's one thing the editors, writers, and readers of Nintendo Life have in common, it's a love for the company that gives the site its name. For many, the love for Nintendo and its consistently engaging content began in childhood — a period of time that shapes much of what we...
Thursday19th Jun 2014
News Atari's "Corporate Comeback Strategy" Includes Games, Gambling, and Wearable Devices
The Atari gaming glove?
Atari is a brand with an incredible history, so much so that it's the subject of plenty of debate and discussion over its role in bringing gaming to the mainstream, its contribution to the so-called 'crash' of the early '80s and its struggles since. Despite multiple hardware releases into the '90s the company failed to regain...
News Comic Workshop Coming to 3DS eShop on 17th July in North America
Make yourself the next Stan Lee or Akira Toriyama
Collavier Corporation, a Japanese developer specializing in digital-only titles for Nintendo portables, is bringing its comic creation tool Comic Workshop to the 3DS eShop on 17th July in North America. The application will cost $7.99 and offer many helpful features for budding Bruce Timms —...
News Guacamelee! Super Turbo Championship Edition Release Details Pinned Down
Need-to-know info before you rock the guac
Yesterday, Nintendo Life snagged an interview with DrinkBox Studios' level designer Jason Canam about bringing the much-lauded indie gem Guacamelee! Super Turbo Championship Edition to the Wii U eShop. Today, we can also divulge when exactly you'll be able to get your hands on it: 2nd July, for...
News Armillo Release Date and Launch Discount Details Confirmed
Rolls into Europe and North America on the same day
Armillo has been a long time coming on the Wii U eShop, a promising title that's suffered from some delays on its route to the store. Fuzzy Wuzzy Games has crossed the finish line, however, confirming a release date and launch discount details for both North America and Europe. It'll roll onto the...
Wednesday18th Jun 2014
Fines and prison terms introduced for the former
One challenging reality that faces gamers, and the press, is the sexualised portrayal of children in some games and anime from Japan. Though some examples can occasionally be seen in Western products, it's an issue prevalent in Japan due to different laws and attitudes in the country. Recent examples...
Review How to Train Your Dragon 2 (3DS)
How to train your dragon 2 do what?!
Handheld versions of 3D console games are always a tricky task; most of the successful ones avoid straight-up ports that are inevitably inferior to their home console brethren, and instead build the portable iterations from the ground up with 2D handheld gaming in mind. Batman: Arkham Origins Blackgate did this...
Interview The Wizard Director Todd Holland On Everyone's Favourite Nintendo Movie Turning 25
"Universal didn't want me to direct it"
Back in late 1989, the world was a vastly different place. George Bush had just won the US presidential election. Children's movies allowed for minor vulgarity and subjects that could be featured in said films before our world was thrown into a realm of sensitivity. Slash was still the guitarist for Guns N'...
News Wii Fit U Update Adds New Features, Extra Challenge Courses for Walking and Climbing
"If the weather is good, I hope you manage to go out with your Fit Meter"
Wii Fit U, for a variety of reasons, has struggled to have the same major impact as its predecessors on Wii. That's a pity, as it includes the exercises that made those titles popular in addition to a host of new GamePad-driven mini-games, while the Fit Meter is a handy gadget...
News Nintendo Needs To Cut Wii U Cost To Capitalise On Mario Kart 8 Success, Says Ubisoft CEO
"Nintendo has to perform this year, otherwise they will have less games"
Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot has passed judgement on the Wii U's future in an interview with CVG, stating that the Japanese firm needs to get more machines into homes if it wants to remain a key player in the market. Guillemot — whose company has supported the Wii U perhaps...
News Mario Kart 8 Claims Top Spot in Japanese Charts, Wii U Remains as Number One Home Console
3DS top overall, Yo-kai Watch keeps on going
Nintendo's enjoying a run of pleasing sales-related headlines right now, with the recent NPD results for May showing strong performance for Mario Kart 8 and a related bump in Wii U sales, in particular. The latest weekly Media Create charts for Japan are out, and they continue the positive trend, albeit...
News Shigeru Miyamoto Confirms That Dual GamePad Support is Still Possible, But Not Soon
"Two GamePad gameplay is not within our objectives in the short-term"
Prior to the Wii U's launch the company made positive noises about introducing support for two GamePad controllers in future titles, explaining that they'd eventually go on sale as optional extra controllers. It seemed like an exciting idea, despite the likelihood of a high price...
News The World's Largest Video Game Collection is Sold for $750,250
Probably would have only got $100 store credit in a GameStop trade-in
We'd bet that everyone reading this has a game collection of some size. It may have been amassed over multiple decades and contain a range of retro classics, it may be mostly from the past couple of console generations, and in every case there are likely some titles we wish we...
Thursday19th Jun 2014
News Bayonetta Anime Film Will be Distributed in United States and Canada
She's never one to shy from the spotlight
Last year we mentioned that everyone's favourite dark yet oh-so-flashy witch Bayonetta was receiving her own anime feature film in Japan, titled Bayonetta: Bloody Fate. Now, thanks to production company FUNimation, the film will be materializing in the United States and Canada as well. FUNi
Wednesday18th Jun 2014
News Tetris Ultimate Is Slotting Neatly Into Place For Fall Release On 3DS
30th anniversary instalment isn't skipping Nintendo after all
When Ubisoft confirmed the forthcoming release of Tetris Ultimate to celebrate 30 years of block-busting brilliance, a few observers pointed out that — according to the initial announcement at least — no Nintendo platforms were getting the new instalment, which was something of a kick...
Interview DrinkBox Studios On Bringing Guacamelee! Super Turbo Championship Edition to Wii U
We learn about what's new and the inspiration for that title
The Wii U eShop is rapidly becoming a go-to store for keen Wii U gamers, with an improving library of diverse titles. One that's evidently not far away, based on the "coming soon" comment of its developers during a Nintendo Treehouse E3 appearance, is Guacamelee! Super Turbo Championship...
News Masahiro Sakurai Teases Trophy Rush Mini-Game For Super Smash Bros.
"Quite a bit different from Coin Launcher in Super Smash Bros. Brawl."
With its arrival now confirmed to be around three and a half months away, we can expect more firm details on Super Smash Bros. for 3DS to filter through in the coming weeks. We'll get a sense of how fully featured it is in comparison to its eventual Wii U partner, though to date...
News Capcom and Treasure Team Up Again for Gaist Crusher Sequel
Don't hold your breath for a Western release
Back in January, we took a look at Capcom's Gaist Crusher. Developed by renowned Japanese game studio Treasure, the title — perhaps most accurately described as Diet Monster Hunter — is part of a multimedia franchise spanning manga, anime, and a line of collectible toys. Gaist Crusher met with a...
News Summer Games Done Quick Gearing Up For 22nd June
Kicks off with Super Mario 3D World
For those that are fans of speedrun marathons, the Games Done Quick events are major highlights, during which money is raised for charity and we occasionally see record breaking performances. The Summer event is almost upon us, kicking off on 22nd June at 11am Pacific / 2pm Eastern / 7pm UK / 8pm CET. As normal...
Interview StreetPass Liverpool's Anthony Boyd On Bringing Gamers Together
Green light means go
There are few things more deceptively simple than Nintendo’s StreetPass function, which rewards players for travelling with their systems with virtual currency to spend on unlockable content and encourages them to take their portable out into the wild at every available opportunity. From Nintendo’s position, the advantages...
Tuesday17th Jun 2014
News Nintendo 64 Titles Heading to the Wii U Virtual Console
Update - this is not new
Update: As pointed out and checked on our system, Nintendo 64 games were mentioned way back when the Virtual Console launched on Wii U, in a system notification. To break into first person, this was a result of a short memory on my part (I thought this was new text), so my apologies. Original article: The Wii U Virtual...
Review How to Train Your Dragon 2 (Wii U)
Needs a bit more training
How to Train Your Dragon 2, developed by Australian studio Torus Games and published by Little Orbit, is a throwback to movie tie-ins of yore. Most big action films these days opt for cheaper, often microtransaction-based game tie-ins on mobile devices, like Captain America: The Winter Soldier and
News Capcom Could Be Up For Sale After Shareholders Reject Anti-Takeover Plan
Yoshinori Ono also resigns from Capcom Vancouver
Since 2008, Japanese developer Capcom has had a takeover defence plan in place to stop the company from being bought out by other parties, and this has been renewed every two years since. It outlined several options for the company should it be faced by a potential large-scale share investor, and one...
Guide The Biggest Wii U and 3DS Retail Games Coming In 2014
With apologies to your wallet
We're rapidly approaching the second half of 2014, and before this year's E3 shenanigans Nintendo system owners would have been forgiven for some nerves about the volume of games on the way this year. The show did reveal a host of release dates and new titles, however, though keeping track of those coming in the near...
News A Fresh Super Mario Bros. Infinite Lives Trick Has Been Discovered
It never stops
Super Mario Bros. is a title that, even after all this time, remains as a central pillar and identifying feature of Nintendo — as a launch title for NES and the game that brought Mario to prominence as a mascot, it's still played and loved to this day. It also helps that it stands up to modern standards in some respects, even if its...
News Don't Worry, Nintendo Hasn't Forgotten About The Virtual Console
Lack of attention at E3 2014 doesn't mean the service is being ignored
While Nintendo's E3 was a successful one, many fans were concerned by the worrying lack of Virtual Console-related news. While expectations with some gamers were probably a little too high — the prior announcement of the GameCube controller adapter for the Wii U led to...
News Miyamoto Confirms Next Wii U System Update Is Already In Development
More improvements coming to the Wii U
It's fair to say that the last Wii U System Update was a bit special. The Quick Start menu is fantastic, offering the chance to get into your games with less waiting time. It was certainly encouraging to see Nintendo thoughtfully augment the abilities of the console and add something that is of genuine benefit...
Review Pac-Man Collection (Wii U eShop / GBA)
A Pac-aged deal
Pac-Man is a creature of classic longevity. We kindly submit as evidence to this claim the fact we’re reviewing a 13-year-old game compilation for a character who was a spry 21 at the time. The question now is how well the four games of Pac-Man Collection have held up since its 2001 GBA release. Do Pac-dots even have expiration...
Nintendo Download 19th June (Europe)
Pullblox World, Another World, a Monkey Pirate (World?) and much more
It's a day later than normal, but the Nintendo Download Update news for Europe is here, letting us know what we can look forward to on 19th June. There are quite a few new downloads across Wii U and 3DS, as it happens, along with a retro run-and-gun title, some discounts and...
Weirdness Eiji Aonuma Does a Cucco Dance, For Realsies
Because why not?
What does Eiji Aonuma do when answering a fan question — with colleagues from Tecmo Koei — about the inclusion of Cuccos in Hyrule Warriors? He dances, he dances without inhibition or fear. We're not even kidding, the video below may be one of the best things we've ever seen. Stop reading and watch it right away. It's...
News Creator Shu Takumi Testifies on Ace Attorney Writing Process
And how the popularity of a certain prosecutor shook things up
In honor of the Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney Trilogy being announced for the 3DS eShop later this year, Official Nintendo Magazine has published its full interview with series creator Shu Takumi on its website. The interview is a meaty read for Ace Attorney fans, offering plenty of...
News Eiji Aonuma Vows to Reduce Hand-Holding in Future Zelda Installments
Pour one out for Navi and Fi
Whether or not Nintendo fans think The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword is a masterpiece, many can come to the same conclusion about the title's use of tutorials: it was much too heavy. During the Wii era, Nintendo found themselves increasingly attracted to the idea of audience expansion; that is, the idea that video games...
News Everyone Was Talking About Nintendo At E3 2014
Setting social media alight
It's fair to say that Nintendo had a pretty successful E3, winning over gamers with its Digital Event, Treehouse sessions and a raft of exciting announcements. As if to illustrate this fact, social media intelligence analytics provider Crimson Hexagon has released stats which show just how much chatter Nintendo generated...
News New Super Mario 64 Remix Album is a Work of Musical Art
21 tracks expertly re-imagined
It’s been argued about and discussed for years that some of the best music of the modern era has come from video games. Whether it be a quirky little chip-tune jingle or a full blown symphony, video game music has delivered some of the best pieces to gamers everywhere. But despite its varied range and outstanding...
Wednesday18th Jun 2014
Video Toy Pizza Take a Look at Tamashii Nations' New Super Mario Action Figure
"The very best Mario action figure ever"
The toy & collectible fanatics at Toy Pizza take a look at the newest Super Mario action figure in today's episode, created from a partnership between Japanese collectible brand Tamashii Nations and Bandai. Evidently they like it, heralding it as "the very best Mario action figure ever" a mere seven...
Tuesday17th Jun 2014
News Ryozo Tsujimoto Outlines Capcom's Approach to Keeping Monster Hunter Fresh
Anyone for insect-shooting spear gun pogo sticks?
Capcom's illustrious Monster Hunter series has grown into a phenomenon in recent years, with Monster Hunter 4 surpassing three million units sold just a couple months after its launch in Japan. With such wild popularity, it seems it would be easy for series producer Ryozo Tsujimoto and the rest of...
News GravBlocks+ is a Wii U eShop Exclusive That Blends Match-3 With Gravity-Switching Trickery
Due this summer
The Wii U eShop is host to a broad range of download titles, ranging from multi-platform titles from established publishers to releases from companies that may be unfamiliar to most gamers. GravBlocks+ will likely fall into the latter category, as it's the eShop début of the six-man team of From Nothing Game Studios — also known...
Monday16th Jun 2014
News FIFA 15 Is Lacing Its Boots For A Wii And 3DS Appearance, But Is Skipping The Wii U
Foul play
EA has revealed that it is releasing a stripped-down version of FIFA 15 for the Wii and 3DS, but won't be bringing its best-selling soccer series to the Wii U. FIFA 15 will hit next-generation machines with a host of new features, but the publisher has stated that versions for older systems won't come with the same amount of content: A...
News Free Copy of Bayonetta Comes as a Separate Disc With Bayonetta 2 in Japan
Let's be having you, physical media fans
An E3 announcement from Nintendo that flashed by but nevertheless raised eyebrows in the Nintendo Life office was confirmation that a Wii U version of Bayonetta will be included with copies of Bayonetta 2, a welcome bonus that'll give Nintendo gamers the opportunity to jump into the sequel with all the...
News Developers Weigh In On The Way Forward For Wii U
"The system plays host to a bunch of great, very unique games"
Following Nintendo's E3 exploits, we now have a greater idea of what content is coming to the Wii U in the remainder of 2014 and beyond. It was an event with some genuine surprises, combined with expected details, and laid out the path for the system — GamePad included — for the...
News Final Fantasy Explorers Official Website Opens
Another beautiful 3DS RPG to preorder
It may be plastered with "coming soon" placeholder boxes and "to be confirmed" text where we were hoping for release dates, but what little there is on the freshly-opened Final Fantasy Explorers Japanese website offers a tantalising glimpse into what could be another great 3DS RPG, and hopefully a fun...
News Mario Kart 8 Speeds Into Second Place In NPD May Sales, Kirby Powers Up In Ninth
Impressive results in software, Wii U hardware sales improved over May 2013
We already know that Mario Kart 8 enjoyed a terrific launch, confirmed to have sold 1.2 million copies in its opening weekend and to have boosted hardware sales in UK. It's a vital first step in driving Wii U
Talking Point Mii, Myself and I - The Arguments For and Against Miis in Super Smash Bros.
Are you talking to Mii?
Well, would you look at that, you're finally in Super Smash Bros., we're finally in Smash Bros. and — if you set your mind to it — Barack Obama is finally in Smash Bros.. In what many considered to be an inevitable announcement, Nintendo unveiled the Mii Fighter as a new combatant in the latest instalment of its all-star...
Review Van Helsing sniper Zx100 (3DS eShop)
No, Hugh Jackman's not in this one
Barcelona-based developer EnjoyUp Games got our hopes up for this – after the surprising success of its atmospheric Abyss on the Wii U eShop last month, the trailer for EnjoyUp's new 3DS-exclusive Van Helsing Sniper Zx100 demonstrated a first-person gallery shooter set in a neon sci-fi dystopian future London;...
News Appeals Court Upholds Nintendo MotionPlus Win Over "Patent Troll"
Nintendo serves up a low-blow with extra MotionPlus accuracy
Nintendo has a busy legal team, as its innovative or quirky controllers and accessories are consistently challenged in patent disputes. The big N wins these arguments most of the time, and likes to point it out when it does, this time seeing off an appeal to a court victory from early...
News Nintendo's McDonald's Toys Are Rather Popular With South Koreans
Super size Mii
McDonald's Nintendo-themed Happy Meal toys are pretty awesome — as you'll know if you watched our unboxing of the ones recently sold in the UK — but it would seem that South Korea is going totally mad for these attractive lumps of plastic. Kotaku has been tipped off that early this morning, queues began to form at McDonald's...
News Mario Kart 8 and Tomodachi Life Hold Firm in UK Charts
There's this thing called the World Cup, it apparently affects sales
The latest UK chart results are in, and they bring reasonable news for Nintendo's two main entries in the top 40, reflecting a quiet spell for game sales but also early signs of hope for the company's current plucky, yet bizarre, 3DS title. To start at the top end, Mario Kart 8,...
Feature A Week of Super Smash Bros. Wii U and 3DS Screens - Issue Forty Two
Posing Miis! Pac-Man! Third-Party All-Stars! More!
Super Smash Bros. is getting tantalisingly close, with the 3DS version confirmed for 3rd October and the Wii U iteration once again pegged for the Holiday season. Both titles were extensively shown off at E3, too, enhancing the excitement further. Despite the madness in LA, Masahiro Sakurai didn't...
News Check Out Bayonetta's Mech and More in These Treehouse Videos
Splatoon! Yoshi's Woolly World! Devil's Third! Smash!
Not too long ago we brought you ten Nintendo Treehouse videos from E3, as the company has slowly uploaded the best of its live stream from the LA event. We enjoyed watching all of the action live, but these videos are a great catch-up for those that didn't have the time to do just that, while...
News Mii Swordfighter Characters Show Off Their Moves in Super Smash Bros.
Shurikens of Light! Chakrams! Gale Strikes!
The first reveal from Nintendo in its E3 Digital Event was Mii characters for Super Smash Bros., an inclusion that means — in theory — almost anyone can be a challenger. You want to fight as Reggie Fils-Aime or Satoru Iwata? Import or create their Mii characters onto your system, and they're good to...
News The New Taiko Drum Master RPG Has Some Interesting Crossovers
Monster Hunter, Yo-kai Watch, The Idolmaster, and a peary strange mascot
Banking on the huge popularity of crossovers in Japan, Bandai Namco's Taiko Drum Master: Don and Katsu's Great Space-Time Adventure features a number of interesting tie-ins. The gameplay itself features a crossover as well, blending the tried and true rhythm genre with classic...
News Mutant Mudds 3DS 'Deluxe' Update Has Been Approved in Both North America and Europe
"Release date to be announced soon"
Back in December we revealed in a Nintendo Life exclusive that Mutant Mudds for the 3DS would be receiving a free ‘Deluxe’ upgrade, bringing the title in-line with Mutant Mudds Deluxe for Wii U by adding the latter’s 20 Ghost levels. Originally the free Deluxe add-on was expected to reach 3DS user
Video Love Is In The Air In This Week's Days Of Our Tomodachi Lives
There's also an E3-related song to round off the episode
We're now up to episode four of Days of Our Tomodachi Lives, and love has finally blossomed on Nlife Island. That's right, Tim and Katy have decided that — in purely virtual terms, of course — they are made for one another. It remains to be seen if this working relationship can stand the...
Video Robot Battle Action Is On The Cards In This Gundam Try Age SP Trailer
Almost five minutes of footage for this forthcoming 3DS title
We reported a while back on the 3DS port of Gundam Try Age, an arcade title which mixes massive robots with strategic card battling. An impressively-proportioned trailer has now been issued for the game which not only includes a rather overenthusiastic voice-over, but also details the...
Sunday15th Jun 2014
Review Pokémon Art Academy (3DS)
Make Smeargle proud by sketching Fletchling
Since we first put stylus to touchscreen on the original DS, Nintendo's handhelds have made full use of the unique interface by allowing us to interact with games in a whole new way. Some ideas have worked better than others, but the natural act of scribbling or doodling shapes, in particular, has never...
First Impressions Solving the Puzzle of Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker
Toad Captain! My Captain!
Sometimes games play host to smaller experiences so fun they could easily stand as full-fledged titles of their own. Kirby games are famous for this, of course, with Kirby Fighters & Dedede’s Drum Dash on offer in the pink puffball’s latest outing, though Mario’s also been known to get in on the act — Super...
First Impressions Getting Creative With Mario Maker
Make Mine Mario
Mario Maker may have been inadvertently revealed a little earlier than intended at E3 this year, but with the allure of what was on offer — a new Wii U title which lets budding Miyamotos create and play their own Mario levels — we’d argue that the effect was less like ruining a surprise and more like knowing you’re getting...
News Grezzo Seeks New Employees Asking If They Want to Create a 'Legend'
What's the Ocarina of Time 3D developer up to?
Grezzo should be a name familiar to plenty of Nintendo gamers — the Japanese developer had an important role in the Mii Plaza offering on 3DS, but is best known for producing the rather enjoyable The Legend of Zelda: Four Sword Anniversary Edition on DSiWare and the outstanding The Legend of Zelda:...
News Another World: 20th Anniversary Edition Releasing on 19th June in North America
It's a mad, mad, mad, mad world
Just a couple weeks ago, we reported that the Super Nintendo classic Another World (initially known in North America as Out of This World) would be coming to Wii U and 3DS as Another World: 20th Anniversary Edition. Now, it appears we can confirm the title's release date as 19th June on Wii U eShop thanks to this...
News Eiji Aonuma Plans To Shake Up the Puzzle Formula in The Legend of Zelda for Wii U
"I wanna kinda rethink or maybe reconstruct the idea of puzzle-solving"
The Legend of Zelda for Wii U was probably, for quite a few devoted Nintendo fans, the highlight of the company's E3 Digital Event. Series producer Eiji Aonuma presented a vision of a large, open world before we were treated to a highly stylised action sequence. Finding a blend...
News Shigeru Miyamoto Outlines His Work Routine and Highlights Splatoon Development Team
Also says Virtual Reality gives him "quite a bit of pause"
Shigeru Miyamoto's role at Nintendo has changed a great deal in recent years, with the legendary game designer now one of the most senior managers in the company and responsible for far more than developing a game or two a year. Rumours of retirement a couple of years ago transpired to be a...
Saturday14th Jun 2014
First Impressions Enjoying the Craft of Yoshi's Woolly World
A purled gem
For fans who have been anxiously awaiting news of Yarn Yoshi since it was first announced in January 2013, seeing Nintendo’s Takashi Tezuka and Good-Feel’s Etsunobu Ebisu walk into a yarn shop during the E3 Digital Event was enough to send hopeful hearts flutter-jumping in anticipation. Now sporting a new name and a launch window of...
News Shigeru Miyamoto Hints at Star Fox for Wii U Structure, Explains Background of Mario Maker
Potential link between Project Guard and Star Fox
Now that the E3 LA extravaganza is finished, we're starting to learn a little more about projects that were shown by Nintendo during the event. Shigeru Miyamoto has been doing the rounds, for example, and in an interview with Entertainment Weekly has given a little more context for his GamePad...
Feature Catch Up With Ten of the Nintendo Treehouse E3 Demonstrations
Essential viewing
Nintendo's multi-faceted approach to E3 this year did much to earn praise, as it ignored convention and produced a series of videos and events that played up to its strengths. The Digital Event was stylish, the Super Smash Bros. Invitational was raucous fun, and there were two roundtable events that generated plenty of buzz. That...
News Here's Another Huge Batch of Hyrule Warriors Screens to Enjoy
Spare no-one
Hyrule Warriors is no longer a Japanese title that we hope to eventually see in the West, as Tecmo Koei's extravagant Dynasty Warriors / Zelda mash-up has been confirmed for a September arrival. It'll be all about wiping out hundreds of enemies, taking on a boss, and then doing that all over again, all within a world full of...
Review Soccer (Wii U eShop / NES)
A well timed blast from the past
Just in time for the World Cup this week, Intelligent Systems' Soccer arrives on Wii U Virtual Console – but all is not well. One of the early titles in Nintendo's "Sports Series" on NES, Soccer seems to garner boatloads of hate from players compared to companions like Golf and Ice Hockey. These detractors are not...
Feature A Cross-Platform Look At E3 2014
Tom, Sammy and Ken cover the three major players
With E3 finished and those hard workers of Nintendo, Microsoft and Sony preparing to return to the real world after their three-day adventure in the LA bubble, there's plenty to talk about. All three major hardware manufacturers delivered big games, a surprise or two and, in general, a whole load of...
Friday13th Jun 2014
News Mario Kart 8 Toys Boosting Into McDonald's Happy Meals
Best. Happy Meal. Ever.
In recent times we've been marvelling at Nintendo's entries into the McDonald's Happy Meal scene, even going so far as to unbox the recent Super Mario toys in the UK. They were fairly generic franchise toys, but it's all about to get real in the U.S. with the emergence of the Mario Kart 8 toys pictured above. As you can see...
E3 2014 Nintendo Planning To Release Amiibo Figures for Entire Super Smash Bros. Roster
Explains how the figures will work
As E3 draws to a close for another year, one of the most significant reveals for Nintendo will likely be regarded as the Amiibo figure platform. Previous codenamed NFP (Nintendo Figurine Platform), an initial range was finally shown, demonstrated and confirmed for a number of new and existing titles, even including...
E3 2014 Nintendo Hopes to Share Metroid News in the "Near Future"
Keen to accommodate both 3D and 2D styles of franchise
One notable feature of Nintendo's showing at E3 2014 has been its willingness to unveil new IPs or, if not entirely new brands, spin-off small ideas or franchises into new releases. Intelligent Systems is bringing us Code Name: S.T.E.A.M., for example, while one of the largest — and popular...
News Bayonetta Download Code Included With Retail and eShop Copies of Bayonetta 2
So, calm your horses
During E3 Nintendo made the rather pleasing announcement that upcoming system exclusive Bayonetta 2 will come with a copy of the original Bayonetta. As demonstrated through the company's Treehouse broadcast, meanwhile, the Wii U version of the first title in the series will also include GamePad touch controls and Nintendo-themed...
Poll What Did You Think of Nintendo's E3?
It's actually finished, you know
E3 is over, finished, done for another year. It was three days (four if you consider the 'day zero' press conferences) of gaming madness, with information overload and the main console manufacturers, publishers and developers doing the equivalent of jumping around screaming "look at me, please!" for a sustained...
News Wii Owners Are Upgrading To PlayStation 4, Claims Sony
Lies, damn lies and statistics?
Sony Worldwide Studios senior VP of product development Scott Rohde has made the bold claim that Wii and Xbox 360 owners are choosing the PS4 as their next system. Using stats collected by industry tracker Nielsen, Rohde explained that many new PS4 owners did not previously own a PS3, and instead upgraded from a...
E3 2014 Amiibo Figures Will Have A Price Tag Comparable To Skylanders And Disney Infinity Toys
Reggie shares some details
Nintendo of America chief Reggie Fils-Aime has revealed that Amiibo (or "amiibo", if you want to be fussy) NFC figures will be priced around the same level as the toys seen in the Skylanders and Disney Infinity ranges. Speaking to the Seattle Times, Fils-Aime said: You can expect them to be comparable to the Disney and...
News Mario Maker to Include Additional Graphical Styles, Sharing Levels is "Really The Whole Point"
"I'd also like to include other graphics that aren't Mario"
Mario Maker on Wii U may have been leaked before E3, but its formal reveal was still a delight to see in action. Though it's certainly possible to mod Mario levels in various unofficial ways, the prospect of an accessible and official editing app from Nintendo is particularly enticing. Many...
News Star Fox on Wii U to Support Local Co-Op With GamePad Player as Gunner
Second screen detailed further
Star Fox for Wii U was one of the most peculiar reveals of E3 2014, in that it was leaked hours before Nintendo's Digital Event, teased but not shown by the company, and remained a behind-closed-doors demo away from the thousands in attendance on the main show floor. It was one of the biggest stories of the entire...
Review Super Dodge Ball (3DS eShop / NES)
Super Lag Ball
Many people are familiar with River City Ransom, the cult classic NES game, but what you might not know is that it's actually part of a series with many, many more titles. Of course, that can be hard to figure out when those that were localized all got completely unrelated names. Interestingly, while the series is mostly known in the...
Video Nintendo Unleashes Its Official E3 2014 Highlights
Three minutes of E3 goodness
The lights are going off at E3, and Nintendo is packing up all of those lovely debug systems that are home to titles that, we hope, will be future classics. It certainly seemed like Nintendo kept us busy over the three days, especially with its rolling Treehouse coverage. Now that the doors are closing the company has...
News Natsume Confirms Two Game Boy Color Titles Coming to 3DS Virtual Console
Harvest Moon rising
If you're the superstitious type, you might be cowering at the fact that today is both Friday the 13th and the rising of a full moon; a doubly "unlucky" coincidence. If you're a Harvest Moon or Lufia fan, however, today's news from Natsume brings much more benevolent tidings. Natsume has posted a roundup of their 3DS digital...
News This Splatoon Collage Shows Off the Artists on Miiverse
Insert your own ink pun here, dear readers
Splatoon arrived at E3 with the challenge of being a new IP that needed to grab some attention, but it seems that Nintendo's colourful online shooter has done just that. It's a title that seems to be typical Nintendo — take some established ideas, play around with concepts and add a dash of chaos and...
News Veteran Publisher THQ To Rise From The Dead, In Name At Least
Nordic Games looking to revive the brand, more Darksiders coming
Publisher THQ went bust last year, bringing to an end a story which dates right back to the days of the NES and Game Boy. The company's assets were sold off at auction and Nordic Games came away with plenty — including the rights to franchises such as Red Faction and Darksiders...
Saturday14th Jun 2014
News Off-TV Play Coming to 1001 Spikes on Wii U
The fun of Spikes! In your hands!
Tough-as-nails platformer 1001 Spikes has earned its share of die-hard (and often) fans. However, a seemingly consistent criticism of the Wii U version among players, and also mentioned in our review, is the lack of off-TV play. But publisher Nicalis has been listening, and have tweeted that a free update in the...
Thursday12th Jun 2014
E3 2014 Watch Nintendo's Treehouse Broadcast - Live!
Enjoy the E3 experience
The famed Nintendo Treehouse team will be providing rolling coverage from its booth through the three day event, including appearances from Shigeru Miyamoto, as one example. It's a great way to see E3 in action, and you can watch it here. [liveblog=e3_2014_nintendo_treehouse]#E3 #Nintendo
Shin Megami Tensei X Fire Emblem is also "right on schedule"
Nintendo revealed Code Name S.T.E.A.M. at E3 yesterday, the next outing from Intelligent Systems — and it looks rather great, too. However, Nintendo fans being Nintendo fans, certain people weren't satisfied with a brand-new IP to look forward to and couldn't resist asking about the...
E3 2014 Code Name: S.T.E.A.M., A Brand New IP, Unveiled for 3DS
Details and images released
Nintendo's eagerly anticipated developer session for a previously unannounced 3DS title has taken place, and it revealed a brand new IP. It's Code Name: S.T.E.A.M, a title that originally emerged through a U.S. trademark in early April. In that filing it had the full title Code Name: S.T.E.A.M. Strike Team Eliminating the...
E3 2014 LA Times Reveals Hot Scoop of New White PlayStation 4 From Nintendo
Erm...
As always, E3 2014 has been full of reveals and even the occasional shock. It seems one huge announcement has slipped us by, however, with the LA Times delivering a reveal for the ages. Below is the print edition of the paper with that epic story, as spotted by Jorge Albor on Twitter. In terms of monstrous typos and mistakes, this is...
Talking Point Nintendo's GamePad Bet Could Pay Off
It's all about Amiibo and Nintendo's unique charm
The Wii U, through its troubles in its first 18 months-or-so, has been the subject of a lot of analysis and opinion around its GamePad controller. Its presence with the system adds to its cost and, as the hardware has struggled to grab the public's attention in the same manner as its predecessor,...
First Impressions Taking Aim With Nintendo's New Online Shooter IP, Splatoon
Colour us ink-pressed
Whatever your expectations for Nintendo's Digital Event at E3 this year, it's safe to say that they probably didn't include squid-girls flinging ink at each other across a cityscape in team-based battles. A surprise in every sense of the word, Splatoon came out of nowhere to significant fanfare as one of Nintendo’s flagship...
E3 2014 Getting To Grips With Amiibo, Nintendo's Revolutionary Take On NFC Toys
Make some space on your shelves
We all knew that Nintendo's "figurine platform" would be shown off at E3, but now it has a shiny new name: Amiibo. Taking inspiration from the likes of Skylanders and Disney Infinity, Amiibo is based around character toys blessed with NFC tech which can be read by the Wii U GamePad (and an optional 3DS accessory which...
Nintendo Download 12th June (North America)
Pac-Man's back, AiRacing, vampire slaying and a massive number of discounts
It's Nintendo Download time, bringing us more goodies to console us for the fact that E3 2014 is now in its last day. There are two Pac-Man titles to celebrate the mascot's appearance in Super Smash Bros., some options to celebrate the upcoming Soccer World Cup, a couple of...
Friday13th Jun 2014
News Dr Kawashima's Brain Training: How Old is Your Brain Now Free on European Wii U eShop
Not yet in North America
Just recently Nintendo released its first DS title on the Wii U Virtual Console, offering Brain Training / Brain Age for free in Japan. Now, without any warning or announcement, it's released Brain Training: How Old is Your Brain onto the Wii U eShop for free in Europe. The banner for the title says that it's only available...
Thursday12th Jun 2014
Weirdness Conan O'Brien Plays Super Smash Bros. for Wii U
"So everyone at Nintendo is on acid?"
Late-night funnyman Conan O'Brien is not a gamer – a fact he'll tell you every chance he gets. As a result, the recent "Clueless Gamer" series on his show has become perhaps his most popular segment, as he plays through all sorts of big-name titles like Resident Evil 6 and Watch_Dogs with no regard for...
E3 2014 Fossil Fighters: Frontier Is Stomping Towards Western 3DS Consoles
Dem bones
Nintendo has confirmed that its latest Fossil Fighters outing will see a western release on the 3DS. Fossil Fighters: Frontier — known in Japan as Fossil Fighters: Infinite Gear in Japan — involves excavating the bones of dinosaur-like creatures known as Vivosaurs and reconstructing them to create an entirely new beast. One of the big...
E3 2014 Hyrule Warriors Not Part of Zelda Timeline, More Like an Avengers Spin-Off
Oh Aonuma-san, we love you
With a Western release confirmed for 26th September, Hyrule Warriors is likely to be on plenty of Wii U owners' radars. The mashup of Tecmo Koei's Dynasty Warriors with Nintendo's iconic franchise is fairly close, then, and is creating plenty of buzz with the sheer range of playable characters and the level of fan-service...
E3 2014 Nintendo Won't Bring Live Twitch Streaming to Wii U as it Lacks 'Fun'
Reggie Fils-Aime also addresses the issue of the YouTube affiliate program
For those of you following our E3 2014 coverage here on Nintendo Life, or indeed on Nintendo's official channels, you've likely seen a lot of Twitch. Our Nintendo Digital Event reaction video was initially a live broadcast, and Nintendo's rolling Treehouse show through E3 has...
E3 2014 Reggie Fils-A-Mech Does Battle With Shigeru Miyamoto, Sort Of
Some welcome E3 madness
Nintendo is normally a reliable source of quirky E3 moments, whether it's the appearance of Non-Specific Action Figure, Shigeru Miyamoto pretending to shoot out of a Donkey Kong barrel or many examples besides. If light relief is what you want, the company normally delivers. A candidate for this year's best silly moment has...
E3 2014 No DLC In The Works For Content-Rich Bayonetta 2
Director feels there's enough content for "one and a half" games
Bayonetta 2 may be taking its sweet time getting to market — we saw it at last year's E3, after all — but it would appear that the wait will be more than worth it. Speaking to US Gamer, game director Yusuke Hashimoto has revealed that he is very proud indeed of the level of
News Pac-Land and Pac-Man Collection Both Arrive On Wii U eShop in Europe
30% discount at launch
Somewhat out of the blue Nintendo released two Pac-Man titles onto the Wii U eShop yesterday in North America, in order to celebrate the arrival of Bandai Namco's mascot in Super Smash Bros.. Thankfully European gamers won't miss out, as both have now appeared on the Wii U eShop in the region, with the same 30% initial...
Because we always need more Smash Bros.
Super Smash Bros. for Wii U and 3DS has been a focal point of E3 for Nintendo, unsurprisingly, with the live Invitational Tournament being a stand-out event, while Masahiro Sakurai also revealed Pac-Man in a developer's presentation. Nintendo has now produced handy highlight videos of both, ideal if you...
Video Prepare To Pour One Out For Sega's Fallen Child Stars
Spare a moment for your past heroes
Back in the '80s and '90s mascots were powerful system sellers. Kids would flock to console with the most recognisable and coolest lead character, and companies like Nintendo and Sega invested countless amounts of cash in creating and refining new heroes to appeal to the masses. These days though, they're sadly a...
Wednesday11th Jun 2014
E3 2014 Did Zelda Williams Just Tease Majora's Mask 3D?
We're speculating, salt at the ready
We know that Nintendo likes to be in control. We imagine that those participating in its live streams and the Super Smash Bros. Invitational have had to jump through so many hoops that they'll feel like circus performers, as the company relentlessly keeps major events 'on message'; when that message is full of...
E3 2014 PDP Shows Off its New GameCube-Styled Wired Fight Pad For Wii U and Wii
More ways to smash
PDP has taken the golden opportunity that is E3 2014 to show off its upcoming Wired Fight Pad for Wii U and Wii, and they're bound to turn the heads of many long-time Nintendo fans. Clearly designed to capitalise on Super Smash Bros. for Wii U's impending release, these remodelled versions of the Classic Controller (not to be...
E3 2014 Three Different Modes Detailed for Star Fox Wii U
An outside developer may be enlisted to hit 2015 release target
The reveal of Star Fox for Wii U has been a relatively extraordinary occurrence so far at E3, as it was inadvertently leaked by TIME and then, peculiarly, not considered ready for demonstration in the Nintendo Treehouse broadcast. As a result, there's no useful footage — the screen...
Feature All Of The Vital Super Smash Bros. Roundtable Details, As Pac-Man Joins The Fight
Our man at E3 on Mii customisation, Amiibo and more
Below is a detailed summary from the recently held Super Smash Bros. roundtable, presented by Masahiro Sakurai, as we highlight the most important details and question answers. Once Masahiro Sakurai took to the stage to begin the roundtable, it didn't take long for him to drop the biggest news...
Reaction Our Thoughts on Nintendo's Big Day at E3
Lots to consider
With day one of E3 now long closed, it gives us an opportunity to look back at Nintendo's efforts. It was arguably the most sustained onslaught — over the course of 8-9 hours — that Nintendo's ever produced, starting us off with a Digital Event, following up with rolling live demonstrations from the Treehouse team and rounding...
E3 2014 Mega Sableye Footage Unveiled For Pokémon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire
Crystal clear
With release dates set and excitement reaching a fever pitch for Pokémon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire, new Mega Evolutions have been teased in the form of some brutish looking final forms for the Hoenn starters and legendaries. More are surely set to come, and the first hint of this was released today. Mega Sableye has been...
Review 1001 Spikes (Wii U eShop)
All your spike are belong to us
Between the broken English text, 8-bit sprites and brutal, unforgiving difficulty, it's easy to think of the Nicalis-published 1001 Spikes as a long-forgotten NES gem. While certainly not for everyone, it's a rich, rewarding (and punishing) addition to the Wii U eShop library. This modern-retro platformer is certainly...
News Final Fantasy Explorers Announced for 3DS
The final frontier
Japanese publication Jump has revealed in its latest issue that Square Enix is currently developing a multiplayer action-RPG game for the 3DS called Final Fantasy Explorers. According to magazine, players will be able to select from a variety of different classes for their character, essentially enabling them to narrow down to a...
E3 2014 Launch Sales of Mario Kart 8 Outperform Mario Kart 7 Figures in North America
An 18% attach rate in just three days
We already know that Mario Kart 8 enjoyed an exceptional launch, selling 1.2 million copies worldwide in its opening weekend. In an analyst meeting behind closed doors, it seems that the title has seized the honour of, initially at least, outperforming its 3DS predecessor. Senior Research Analyst David Gibson...
E3 2014 Quickfire Shigeru Miyamoto Video Focuses On His Three GamePad Projects
Watch a player's face as they play Star Fox...
Nintendo is slowly waking up for day two of E3, and has released a snappy video featuring Shigeru Miyamoto that's focused on his GamePad-centric projects. It was formally stated to investors in January that the Director and lead designer would be tasked with developing experiences to accentuate the...
Talking Point Nintendo's Innovative E3 Approach is a Breath of a Fresh Air
Going its own way
As this article goes live Nintendo's Treehouse team will be well into its second day of live demonstrations, showing off projects and titles revealed in the Nintendo Digital Event. It's an approach from Nintendo to offer rolling coverage and continually seize attention, while the company has fulfilled an obligation for a major live...
Poll Your Favourite Showing from Nintendo During E3 Day One
So many choices
Day one of E3 has drawn to a close, with the exhibitors and press heading off to an evening of writing — yes, including us — and 'after show events'. It's been an exciting day, as Nintendo kicked it off with its Digital Event, followed it with hours of live demonstrations from the Treehouse team and then, finally, the rather...
News Club Nintendo Rewards Updated for June, Led by Kirby Once Again
Electroplankton and Mario Party also available
A couple of days late, Club Nintendo has updated its rewards for June, and we've got a delicious slate of games to choose from in North America. If you missed out on 3D Classics: Kirby's Adventure on Club Nintendo last month you're in luck – take a gander: Electroplankton Rec-Rec – 150 coins...
News Pac-Land and Pac-Man Collection Chomp Onto North American Wii U Virtual Console
Part of Nintendo's 30% off E3 eShop promotion
Hot off the heels of Pac-Man's announcement as a playable character in the new Super Smash Bros, two Pac-classics have popped up on the North American Wii U Virtual Console, and you can snag 'em for 30% off as they join
News Shin Megami Tensei IV Confirmed For Q3 eShop Release In Europe
Atlus is self-publishing, no physical release planned
Atlus has confirmed that popular 3DS RPG Shin Megami Tensei IV is coming to Europe later this year. Unlike the Japanese and North American editions of the game, Shin Megami Tensei IV will not be getting a physical release in Europe — it will be exclusive to the 3DS eShop. "Shin Megami Tensei...
E3 2014 Reggie Fils-Aime Reaffirms Nintendo's Commitment to the GamePad
"We believe that the GamePad is an integral part of Wii U"
A vital part of Nintendo's messaging at E3, so far, is that the GamePad is to become increasingly integral to the Wii U in the coming months and years. Shigeru Miyamoto has been focused on it exclusively, with Splatoon also being given a lot of time on the Treehouse broadcast. Speaking to...
News Persona Q Gives 3DS a Boost in Japan, Wii U Takes Second Spot
Mario Kart 8 approaches 400,000 physical retail sales
After a chart topping performance from Mario Kart 8 and Wii U in Japan last week, the latest Media Create results bring the 3DS back to the fore with a major new release. Kicking off with software, Persona Q: Shadow of the Labyrinth has arrived at number one in Nintendo's homeland, which...
Tuesday10th Jun 2014
E3 2014 Shigeru Miyamoto Confirms Star Fox for Wii U
"It’s been maybe 6 to 10 months that we’ve been experimenting with it"
In a shock reveal less than two hours before Nintendo's Digital Event, Time has published — and it seems is attempting to pull down — an interview and hands-on time with a new Star Fox title for Wii U. One of the most demanded franchises is actually coming to Wii U, but...
E3 2014 Zelda Wii U Looks So Great You Really Should Put It On Your Desktop
Wallpaper ahoy!
If you're like us then you're probably still recovering from that gorgeous Legend of Zelda Wii U footage shown off during Nintendo's E3 Digital Event. The forthcoming game looks amazing, but 2015 feels so far away — so what better way to make the wait a little less painful than to furnish your desktop with one of these beautiful...
E3 2014 Let's Watch the Nintendo Digital Event - Live!
The time has come
After all of the hype and build up, we can finally sit back and enjoy the Nintendo Digital Event, the announcement centrepiece for the big N at E3 2014. Watch with us for all the exciting reveals. [liveblog=e3_2014_nintendo]#E3 #Nintendo
E3 2014 Wii U Legend Of Zelda Revealed, Confirmed For 2015 Release
Open world Zelda shown off at E3
Nintendo has shown the first footage of The Legend of Zelda title for the Wii U during its E3 Digital Event. The game boasts a massive open world, a cel-shaded art style and what appears to be some particularly dynamic combat — but no title as yet. The only other confirmed info is that the game is due for release...
E3 2014 Nintendo Confirms New 'Retro' GameCube Controller and Adapter Pricing
Special Super Smash Bros. bundle to also launch
Following its Digital Event at E3, Nintendo has released additional details into the wild, with exciting news for Super Smash Bros. fans with a love for the GameCube controls. Nintendo revealed the GameCube Controller Adapter for Wii U just recently, and has now also announced that it'll arrive (with...
E3 2014 Fantasy Life for 3DS Gets a North American Release Date
Another excuse to escape real life
Nintendo announced earlier today that life role-playing game Fantasy Life for 3DS will be arriving in North America this coming October. Developed by Level-5 in collaboration with Nintendo subsidiary 1-UP Studios, the game tasks players with choosing a profession and making a name for themselves within the game's...
E3 2014 Nintendo's Super Smash Bros. Invitational - Live!
Get ready!
Nintendo's big live show at this year's E3 is a celebration of the franchise and also a live tournament of Super Smash Bros. on Wii U. Hosted by Geoff Keighley and with well-known competitors, this could be a battle for the ages. [liveblog=e3_2014_smash_bros_invitational]#E3 #SmashBros
E3 2014 Nintendo Launches 30% Off Discount Bonanza on the Wii U and 3DS eShop Stores
Mario, Sonic, Zelda, LEGO and Yoshi games included
With E3 2014 now into the swing of things, Nintendo of America has launched an enticing 30% discount promotion on multiple major titles on both the Wii U and 3DS. The discounts have been applied to franchises that are prominent in Nintendo's show, with Mario, Sonic, Zelda, Yoshi and LEGO (courtesy...
Review 1001 Spikes (3DS eShop)
Exquisite torture
We'll get this out of the way right now: 1001 Spikes is hard. So hard, in fact, that it's deliberately unfair. Those of you turned off by that knowledge can save yourself a great deal of frustration by walking on by. Anyone up to the challenge, however, is in for one of the most satisfying platforming experiences in recent years...
News Slew of Capcom Titles Announced for North American and European Virtual Consoles
Including Demon's Crest and loads of Mega Man
Capcom lifted the floodgates on its Virtual Console lineup through its Unity blog today, announcing 18 retro titles on their way to North America and/or Europe by the end of the year. A few titles anticipated for later release were also revealed. Mega Man makes up the metal bulk of the coming games...
E3 2014 Devil's Third Confirmed As Wii U Exclusive
Ex-Team Ninja boss Tomonobu Itagaki is now working with Nintendo
Former Team Ninja boss and Ninja Gaiden chief Tomonobu Itagaki has revealed to IGN that his next game is coming to the Wii U as an exclusive release. Being developed by Valhalla Game Studios and running on the same game engine as Darksiders II, Devil's Third is an action title whi
Review Mega Man Xtreme 2 (3DS eShop / GBC)
An Xtreme Improvement
Mega Man Xtreme left us feeling a bit underwhelmed. While its intentions were certainly good, the execution was lacking and the experience felt like a far clunkier retread of levels we've already played before, rather than much of a game in its own right. However it's worth noting that the game was originally released for the...
E3 2014 Mario Maker Officially Announced for Wii U, Coming 2015
Let'sa build whole new stages!
It appeared in a grainy, slightly dodgy looking photo earlier this week, but it turns out that the rumours were true after all; Mario Maker has been announced for Wii U and will be arriving on the system next year. Similar in concept to popular PlayStation series LittleBigPlanet, Mario Maker enables players to build...
E3 2014 Mii Fighter Confirmed for Super Smash Bros.
Anyone can now join the fight
Nintendo has revealed during its E3 2014 Digital Event that Miis will be playable in the upcoming Super Smash Bros. games, and they're a lot more fleshed out than you might have thought. The showcase initially teased the inclusion by showing Satoru Iwata and Reggie Fils-Aime face off against one another in an epic...
E3 2014 Pokémon Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire Confirmed for 21st November
Additional footage and Mega Evolutions also shown
Today's Nintendo Digital Event has unveiled new details in relation to the upcoming Pokémon Omega Ruby & Pokémon Alpha Sapphire games for the Nintendo 3DS. Firstly, the release date for the upcoming games were revealed. Unlike the launch of Pokémon X & Y, Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire...
E3 2014 Bayonetta 2 Comes With The Original Game, As Well As Link And Samus Costumes
Launching October
Remember Bayonetta 2? It was shown off at last year's E3, but still isn't out yet. However, Nintendo and Platinum Games have made the wait a little more bearable by confirming that it will come bundled with the original title — which first released on the PS3 and Xbox 360 — as well as Link and Samus costumes to unlock in the...
Talking Point What We Expect From Nintendo at E3 2014
Hype train incoming
The Nintendo Digital Event is just hours away, which means forged MK8 DLC images and many more besides that we've ignored will be consigned to another year of irrelevance. Nintendo will lay out its major projects for the remainder of 2014 and, we suspect, one or two of the biggest titles of 2015. With its current gen rivals in a...
E3 2014 Nintendo Rolls Out New Kirby Game Trailer For Wii U
From canvas to clay
As a surprise announcement slipped in between the vast Hyrule Warriors and the mighty Xenoblade Chronicles X during today's Digital Event, Nintendo showed us a glimpse at Kirby's next outing set to take place on Wii U. Stylus at the ready! Following Yoshi's Woolly trend of creative new art styles, the adventure seems to be set...
E3 2014 Nintendo Life's E3 Reaction - Live!
Time to chew it all over
Now that Nintendo's Digital Event is finished, the team will give initial reactions to what was shown. If you want to ask the Nlife team anything during our Twitch broadcast, just tweet us using the #NlifeTwitch hashtag.
E3 2014 Nintendo Reveals Amiibo NFC Concept, Confirmed For Mario Kart 8
Toys 'r' Us
As expected, Nintendo has confirmed its NFC figurine platform for the Wii U, and has even given it a funky new name: Amiibo. During Nintendo's E3 Digital Event, Amiibo was shown in the Wii U version of Super Smash Bros., where a Mario figure was deployed to assist in battle. Other confirmed figures for the game are Kirby, Yoshi,...
E3 2014 Time for Another Blowout of Nintendo Videos
Because we don't want to miss anything
It's been a manic day so far, yet Nintendo has unveiled some footage and trailers that's not appeared in its Digital Event or follow-up articles. Clearly it's time to resolve that. There are a host of additional trailers to enjoy, covering retail and download titles on both Wii U and 3DS. Without further ado,...
E3 2014 Mario Party 10 Subtly Announced for Wii U, Amiibo-Compatible
First title for the series on Wii U
During its Nintendo Minute Live @ E3 showcase, Nintendo stealthily announced that Mario Party 10 will be coming to Wii U when discussing game compatibility with its upcoming Amiibo NFC figurines. Not much is known about the game, but it will be available to play on the show floor at E3. With that said, it was...
E3 2014 Wii U eShop Version of Bayonetta 2 Does Not Come with the First Game
Two-player online multiplayer also confirmed
A small disclaimer found at the bottom of the Bayonetta 2 official website has revealed that the Nintendo eShop version of the game will not include the Wii U port of the original title that was released back in 2010. Before you reach for your pitchforks, it's worth noting that the text may simply be...
E3 2014 Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker Announced for Wii U
More star-hunting adventures to arrive on Wii U Holiday 2014
The Nintendo Digital Event has thrown up a few surprises already today, one of them being a new Wii U game called Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker. Veterans of Super Mario 3D World will instantly recognise the concept behind this just-announced title; it's based on the Captain Toad...
E3 2014 Splatoon Will Offer Team-Based Ink-Splatting Action For Wii U In 2015
Team Fortress, Nintendo-style?
One of the new titles confirmed by Nintendo during its E3 Digital Event is Splatoon, a 4 on 4 combat title where the objective is to cover as much of the level with your own ink. It sounds bizarre, but gets even stranger. You can transform into a squid and swin through your own team's ink, allowing you to move faster...
E3 2014 Yoshi's Woolly World Details Revealed During Nintendo Digital Event
Nintendo pulls the wool over your eyes in the most beautiful way
New details, gameplay footage and even a new title for previously announced Wii U title Yarn Yoshi - now known as Yoshi's Woolly World. The new title sports a beautiful woollen aesthetic, one which — dare we say — looks almost lifelike in terms of textures. The gameplay itself is...
Wednesday11th Jun 2014
News Sonic the Hedgehog Movie Confirmed, Being Produced by Neal Moritz
It's actually happening, people
Back in late March we reported on a rumored "dark and edgy" Sonic the Hedgehog film and outlined some of the preliminary details. Today, Hollywood Reporter has confirmed the production of the film, albeit with little to no information about the actual content involved. As it turns out, Sony Pictures-based producer...
Tuesday10th Jun 2014
E3 2014 Nintendo Reveals Project Guard GamePad Tower Defence Concept
Classed only as "experimental" by Miyamoto
A new GamePad-centric prototype game, Project Guard, has inadvertently been revealed by TIME, after it – ironically enough – published an exclusive interview with Shigeru Miyamoto ahead of time. The article has since been pulled, however, we were able to discover a few titbits about the experimental...
E3 2014 Palutena to Descend From the Heavens to Join Super Smash Bros.
Divine Intervention
Kid Icarus fans will be delighted to learn that Palutena, the Goddess of Light from the classic Nintendo series, will be making a playable appearance in the upcoming Super Smash Bros games for Wii U and 3DS. Showcased during Nintendo's Digital Event, gameplay footage revealed the divine being's impressive move set. The footage...
E3 2014 Monolith's X Becomes Xenoblade Chronicles X, Locked In For 2015 Release
Space battles, massive robots, what's not to like?
X has a new name: Xenoblade Chronicles X. The new title was confirmed during today's E3 Digital Event, along with fresh footage which shows epic space battles and massive mechs. Aside from the new title, Nintendo confirmed that the game will be coming in 2015, crushing hopes of a western release...
E3 2014 Project Giant Robot Revealed as Experimental Wii U Project
Tilt the torso on the GamePad, punch and grab with sticks
As part of what appears to have been an accidental leak by Time, Shigeru Miyamoto has revealed Star Fox for Wii U along with two Wii U concepts; one of these is Project Giant Robot. This appears to be more a 'tech demo' than an established game, to be clear, but serves as a demonstration of...
E3 2014 Super Smash Bros. 3DS Confirmed For October 3rd Launch
It's almost time
As well as revealing that Mii Fighters are going to be accessible in Super Smash Bros., Nintendo has just confirmed the release date for the 3DS iteration of the game: October 3rd. As was previously confirmed, the handheld edition will hit store shelves before the Wii U edition. That is coming later in the year. Now we have a...
E3 2014 Hyrule Warriors Will Be Crossing Swords September 26th
Sooner than you think
Dynasty Warriors and Zelda crossover title Hyrule Warriors has been confirmed for launch on September 26th — sooner than many of us could have hoped for. Amazingly, Hyrule Warriors will even beat Bayonetta 2 to market — a game which was shown at last year's E3. It's close enough to taste — are you excited?
E3 2014 New Mario Vs. Donkey Kong Title Marching For Wii U In 2015
Share puzzles and reward creators on Miiverse
There's a mini-puzzle revolution headed for Wii U next year, as the ever-popular Mario Vs. Donkey Kong series makes its home console debut. The latest entry currently goes by the working title of Mario Vs. Donkey Kong, and will feature the same charming toy characters as always with a little extra HD...
News Super Mario Bros. 2 Stage for Super Smash Bros. 3DS Will Feature Plenty of Coins
Presents a golden opportunity to fight
Nintendo's E3 digital event is only hours away, and while we're bound to receive plenty of juicy new information about the upcoming Super Smash Bros. games for Wii U and 3DS, it hasn't stopped Sakurai from posting a couple of new screenshots to Miiverse. Today's post reveals further details about the Golden...
News Nintendo of Europe Adds Yoshi Backpack to Club Nintendo Websites
Egg-cellent for carrying things around
Another month, another good reason for us to all empty our Club Nintendo Star accounts; Nintendo of Europe has recently updated its Club Nintendo reward service to most include a Yoshi-themed rucksack, as seen above. Available for 6500 stars and sporting the classic Yoshi egg design, the backpack comes with...
E3 2014 Art Academy Confirmed for 2014 Arrival on Wii U eShop
Games can be art
A new Art Academy game has been announced for Wii U and will be available exclusively on the Wii U eShop. The title is a follow-up to last year's Art Academy: SketchPad and will offer users a wide range of tools, as well as in-depth advanced lessons, to get the most out of their digital drawing. Unsurprisingly, the Wii U GamePad...
Exclusive AE Games Achieves Approved Wii U Developer Status
Touchdown!
Update: AE Games has clarified that while it has received approved Wii U developer status, it has yet to obtain a Wii U development kit. Original article Mad Men Football developer AE Games has exclusively revealed to us that it has now been officially approved as Wii U developer. With a Wii U development kit finally in its possession,...
News Japanese Airline Offering Limited Time Pokémon-Themed Travel Deals
Fly with Pikachu and friends this summer!
All Nippon Airway’s 2014 summer travel campaign is currently inviting Pokémon fanatics and their families to join Pikachu and company on a “one-of-a-kind” journey. Trainers who fly from Tokyo’s Haneda Airport to Sapporo’s New Chitose Airport between July 17th and August 3rd — or Okinawa’s...
E3 2014 Professor Layton vs. Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney to Finally Have Its Day in North America
Slated for a 29th August release
One of our time's greatest mysteries has finally been solved: When in the blue-suited, top-hatted blazes will Professor Layton vs. Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney finally make it to North America!? The answer, dear friends, came following the Nintendo Digital Event. North American puzzle-lovers can look forward to...
Video We Go Hands-On With Skylanders Trap Team At E3 2014
Caught in a trap
Before E3 doors opened we had exclusive access to direct capture let's play with Skylanders Trap Team. At the expo the game shows off an array of new characters both trap-able villains and Trap Masters, as well as clarifying how multi-player modes will work. What really stands out past any of this novelty is the work of Toys For...
Monday9th Jun 2014
Rumour Mario Kart 8 DLC to Feature Expanded Roster and New Battle Modes
E3 madness begins
Update: We've received some further information that suggests these images are indeed fakes, good job you kept that salt handy, right? Original Article: E3 mania is well and truly underway, with screens now emerging of a potential Mario Kart 8 DLC leak that could be confirmed during Nintendo's Digital Event. Strap yourselves in...
E3 2014 Nintendo Reveals A Slew of New Trailers for Previously Announced Games
And there's a lot of them!
It's that time of the year where the video game industry goes absolutely bonkers for a few days and unveils a ton of new information about upcoming games for various systems and devices. In true keeping with this tradition, Nintendo of America has uploaded a shed-load of new trailers for previously announced Wii U and 3DS...
Guide Sharing The Love With The Tomodachi Life Welcome Version
Or Move-in Code, if you're in the US
Those of you who picked up Tomodachi Life last week will probably be aware that the game comes with two "Welcome Version" editions (known as "Move-In" in North America), which can be shared with your friends so they can get a small taster of Nintendo's quirky and addictive life simulation. The Welcome Version is...
Tuesday10th Jun 2014
E3 2014 Ubisoft Admits to Holding Back Completed Wii U Game Until Sales Improve
"We have one game that we are waiting until Wii U has a certain market"
In its E3 press conference Ubisoft has confirmed Just Dance 2015 for Wii U, the only title in the show coming to Nintendo hardware. While that is a positive, extraordinary comments have emerged from the company's CEO in which he admits that a completed game is sitting on the...
Monday9th Jun 2014
Exclusive Shantae And The Pirate's Curse Is Also Coming to Wii U
Mini interview, screens and details galore to enjoy
Shantae And The Pirate's Curse is currently one of the most eagerly-awaited 3DS titles in the Nintendo Life office, but this is an adventure so epic that it simply couldn't be contained to a single system. We're pleased to share the exclusive early news that WayForward is also bringing Shantae's...
Talking Point The Legend of Zelda on Wii U Can Wear Many Masks
Time for the Majora's Mask concept to return
"You've met with a terrible fate, haven't you?" the enigmatic Happy Mask Salesman says. His immortal words mark the true beginning of one of Link's most bizarre adventures; one that arguably took the series' portrayal of love, fear, death and despair to new — and so far unsurpassed — levels. Though...
Feature Our Hopes and Dreams for E3 2014
Let's be optimists
With E3 mania well and truly underway, it's time to get some predictions out of our systems. We'll be pulling together a 'realistic' set of expectations before the main event, but in this article three members of our team based in HQ share what they want to see from Nintendo this year. Some of these hopes are realistic, others...
E3 2014 Nintendo Reveals New eShop Games in Trailer Extravaganza
A first look at six titles, including Gunman Clive 2
Although the pre-E3 stage is today being taken up by rivals such as Microsoft, Sony, Ubisoft and EA, Nintendo has taken the opportunity to release a host of new trailers for titles on the way to both Wii U and 3DS. Some of these titles appear to be new reveals, too, expanding the list of...
Nintendo Download 12th June (Europe)
Punch-Out!! gets Super, Inazuma has some GO, AiRace is back and much more
It's the day before Nintendo causes internet meltdown at E3 2014, yes, but that doesn't mean we don't have the normal business of the download update to consider. This week brings another 3DS retail release, some retro treats, discounts and new download titles on both Wii U...
E3 2014 Let's Watch Ubisoft's Press Conference - Live!
Because we want to
Will Ubisoft show any Nintendo games? Possibly not, maybe we'll see a new Just Dance game. Let's be realistic, though, Ubisoft's press conference is often among the more controversial, bizarre moments of E3. Who could resist that? [liveblog=e3_2014_ubisoft_nintendolife]#E32014 #Ubisoft
News Shigeru Miyamoto Confirmed for Day One Appearance on Nintendo Treehouse Live Broadcast
Satoru Iwata thanks all for well wishes
It had previously been announced that Shigeru Miyamoto would be making an appearance on the rolling Treehouse broadcast that'll be taking place throughout E3. It's set to be a largely unscripted aspect of Nintendo's presence over the three days, though we have been given a rough idea of when Miyamoto-san will...
News Mario Kart 8 Stays Second in UK as Tomodachi Life Has Modest Début
Still on the podium
The UK chart results are in for last week's sales, with points of interest being the momentum of Wii U racer Mario Kart 8 and the launch of quirky 3DS Mii-sim Tomodachi Life; ultimately, it's a mix of good and bad news. On the happy news front, Mario Kart 8 has retained second place in the all-format chart behind Ubisoft's Watch...
News Sony Overtakes Nintendo In Global Hardware Sales For The First Time In Eight Years
Sony shifted 18.7 million consoles, Nintendo 16.3 million
It has been revealed that in the financial year that has just concluded, Sony has sold more consoles worldwide than its rivals Nintendo and Microsoft. For the first time since 2006, Sony has beaten its Japanese competitor in terms of hardware units retailed. Sony sold 18.7 million PS4, PS3,...
Interview Image & Form on its SteamWorld Dig Adventure and Hopes for Wii U
"I believe 2014 is going to be a great year for the Wii U"
Just recently Image & Form confirmed that SteamWorld Dig is coming to the Wii U this Autumn / Fall, which is certainly terrific news for fans of the 3DS original. In some senses it's entirely logical, as the title has been upgraded for HD releases on PC and PS4, while also making its way...
News Here's A First Look At Skylanders Trap Team Villain Buzzer Beak
Pecking order
If you're interested in all things Skylanders, then you'll be pleased to know that our friends over at Family Gamer TV have an exclusive reveal of a new Skylanders Trap Team villain Buzzer Beak and his related Air Trap. As you can see, he appears to be inspired from a variety of different animals, with the beak of a toucan and the...
News Gaijin Games Changes Name to Choice Provisions, Woah Dave! Due This Summer on 3DS
"We are but humble purveyors of video games"
Gaijin Games is a name familiar to keen Nintendo download gamers, as it's the studio behind the terrific BIT.TRIP series on WiiWare and Wii U eShop gem BIT.TRIP Presents: RUNNER 2: Future Legend of Rhythm Alien. The name may be iconic, but the company has decided to change its identity to the rather...
Sunday8th Jun 2014
Feature Our Top 10 Wii U eShop Games - Summer 2014
Download delights
The Wii U eShop has come a long way since launch, though the day one line-up did also have some rather enjoyable options on offer. The library was particularly slow to grow in its first year, but an influx of excellent titles has since flowed. The platform's support for Unity and various tools in the Nintendo Web Framework have...
Guide Everything Nintendo Fans Need to Follow at E3 2014
Find a comfortable seat
E3 2014 is just days away, the event that acts as the central pillar of the gaming year for reveals and exciting information on new titles. After a relatively low-key showing in 2013 in the face of two new hardware platforms from rivals, Nintendo seems to be gearing up for a stronger performance this time around. Last year...
Review The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap (Wii U eShop / GBA)
Capcom pulls a hit out of the hat
If it weren't for the fact that the Capcom logo appears each time you boot up The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap, you probably wouldn’t be able to tell that it was in fact developed by a third-party company. That’s because this particular Legend of Zelda title – which originally released on the Game Boy...
Feature A Week of Super Smash Bros. Wii U and 3DS Screens - Issue Forty One
New stages! Brewster! Boomerang!
A little earlier than normal — thanks a bunch E3! — we're having a look at the latest tasty screens for Super Smash Bros.. It's a strong line-up too, albeit one largely focused on the Wii U version once again. Masahiro Sakurai's updates on the Director's Room Miiverse community throw up some interesting details,...
Saturday7th Jun 2014
News New Mega Evolutions Revealed for Pokémon Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire
Groudon and Kyogre are going primeval
The resident Pokémon masters over at Serebii.net have shared the newest information on Pokémon Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire from Japanese magazine CoroCoro and, as expected, new evolutions lead the lineup. Mega Swampert, Mega Sceptile, and Mega Diancie have all made their appearances, one looking much more...
Feature Our Top 10 Wii U Retail Games - Summer 2014
Our favourites so far
With E3 2014 right around the corner, Nintendo seems set to prioritise the Wii U in its Digital Event, subsequent coverage and, of course, the Super Smash Bros. Invitational. The 3DS will have a role to play, of course, but many eyes are on Nintendo's home console to see how it'll capitalise on the recent success of Mario Kart...
Nirvana on the go
Last month we reviewed the Wii U version of Color Zen, a relaxing abstract puzzler in which you match geometric shapes with colours as a soothing electronica soundtrack plays in the background. This week the chilled-out title arrives on 3DS largely intact; it's essentially the same game, shrunk down to the small screen(s). It's the...
Ninterview Taylor Davis Shares Her Musical Journey and Love for Gaming
"Just focus on what you love about yourself and what makes you happy"
Videogame music is, as we and many others have argued, absolutely vital to what makes particular experiences memorable and special. It's no surprise, either, that there are a lot of musicians in the world that readily cite gaming as a core passion in their lives — whether in the...
Video Nintendo Minute Interviews Key Members of the Animal Crossing: New Leaf Development Team
Special QR codes for Zelda-themed clothes shared
Animal Crossing: New Leaf may have been on the market for a year, but we imagine there are still plenty of 3DS owners — of the millions that bought the game — that are still looking after their town and quirky residents. It's a franchise that continues to achieve impressive sales, with the latest...
News Insanity's Blade Release Date Changed to "TBA"
Causal Bit Games taking extra time to utilize game testers' feedback
Upcoming Wii U eShop title Insanity's Blade has had its release date changed to "TBA" for the time being, according to a blog post on Causal Bit Games' official site. The game, an 8-bit arcade-style adventure promising to offer "the ultimate 8-bit experience," was funded
Friday6th Jun 2014
Guide How To Import Miis Into Tomodachi Life Like A Pro
Not all Miis are created equal, so check out this handy guide
With Tomodachi Life's release nearly upon, we thought it would be a good idea to provide some insight into what is perhaps one of the most important elements of the entire game: populating it with Mii characters so that they can come alive and get up to all kinds of mischief within the...
Review Inazuma Eleven GO: Light & Shadow (3DS)
Shiny new kit
In Japan, Level-5 is one of the masters at maximising franchises through games — typically on portable systems — and TV shows or films, continually keeping the storyline going and producing regular content. Yo-kai Watch is the current craze, while Professor Layton had some film content to accompany six main-series games and more...
Weirdness This Walmart Employee Got a Little Confused by a Mario Kart 8 Poster
So close yet so far
It's Friday, it's been a long week, so we all need a little humour to get the weekend started. Thankfully a Walmart employee has served up a clanger for us to enjoy, though it's a mistake with an undeniable logic to it, regardless. As you can see above, someone baffled by the whole anti-gravity thing in Mario Kart 8 has decided...
News GameCube-Style Wii U Controller, the WaveDash, Seeks Kickstarter Funding
It's wireless and will act like a Wii U Pro Controller
Not long ago Nintendo excited a lot of loyal fans by unveiling The GameCube Controller Adapter for Wii U, the reveal of which was tied with details of the upcoming Super Smash Bros. Invitational at E3 2014. Of course, that's all about plugging in existing controllers, and a company from LA has...
Rumour Grainy Image of "Mario Maker" and Nintendo's 2014 E3 Show Floor Emerges
Don’t you just love E3 hype?
Take this one with a grain of salt, because things are about to get crazy. To begin the usual rumour-mill hype with less than a week to go until this year’s E3 kicks-off, we have a blurry photo of what is allegedly a section of Nintendo’s show floor at the event – and in it, a poster with the title, “Mario...
News Pokémon Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire Details Promised on 15th June Through Pokémon Get☆TV
Hopefully more interesting than last time
Following their reveal for 3DS earlier this year, Pokémon Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire have certainly caused plenty of hype. With a November worldwide release on the cards it's not particularly far away, though details have unsurprisingly been relatively scarce of late. Of course, news typically filters...
News Spider-Man's Sworn Enemy Venom Revealed In Wii U Disney Infinity 2.0 Pack
Another Marvel favourite
As we approach E3, news of all things Nintendo comes thick and fast — in fact, you never quite know where it’s going to pop up next. Today we had news of a Wii U Disney Infinity 2.0 pack including Venom. Venom is one of Spider-Man's arch-enemies and is a slightly unusual character – not least as the name has belonged...
News Nintendo Spain Secures Win Over R4 Card Retailer
Better late than never
While Nintendo has, for the most part, successfully held off the mass proliferation of pirated software on 3DS and Wii U, it was a major issue for the DS, in particular. R4 cards, regardless of their potentially innocent use, were largely sold and utilised to download and play ROMS of DS games for free, and for a time they...
News Shovel Knight Launches in North America on Wii U and 3DS eShops on 26th June
Yacht Club Games also attending E3
Dust off your spade and get ready for action because Yacht Club Games has just announced that Shovel Knight will be released in North America on both the Wii U and 3DS eShops on the 26th of this month. If Shovel Knight hasn’t already piqued your interest, it’s an 8-Bit inspired adventure game that’s been...
News Dami Im, Winner of Aussie X Factor, Appointed as Official Nintendo Ambasador of Tomodachi Life
YouTube series to follow
Followers of the Aussie edition of reality music competition The X Factor will be more than familiar with Dami Im – winner of the fifth series of the X Factor in 2013 whose single ‘Super Love’ is currently taking the charts by storm down under. Now though, Dami will be embarking on a new adventure as the official...
Feature Psycholodachi - What Makes Life Sim Games Addictive?
The emotional connection to your Mii you never knew you had
The Western release of Tomodachi Life has been met with a surprisingly large amount of publicity. Granted, at least some of that was due to unexpected controversy, but as that discussion died down, popular interest remained. The rise of the life simulation genre is one of gaming's most...
Play Mario Kart 8 in the NLife Community GP - Today!
Get your boosting going
We may have the Nintendo Life GP on the go around the clock, but we thought it was high time, a week after release, for a good old-fashioned community race day in Mario Kart 8. Yesterday we asked for your votes on the tournament criteria, which has left us with the following: 150cc Grand Prix
News 130 Jobs To Go In Nintendo Of Europe Reshuffle
Nintendo's Großostheim office closes
Nintendo of Europe is closing its Großostheim office in Germany and axing a smaller number of roles at its HQ in Frankfurt. The move comes as part of a streamlining process which will allow the company to perform better in the European market in the future. Nintendo of Europe has released a statement...
News Pokémon US National and World Championships to be Broadcast Live on Twitch
Gotta watch it all
Earlier today we told you about the Australian National Pokémon Championship, and all major regions are gearing up for their final eliminators for the World Championships in August. In good news for fans that enjoy the events but won't be in attendance this year, The Pokémon Company International has also confirmed that both the...
Video Check Out 3DS-Bound LEGO Ninjago: Nindroids In This Action-Packed Trailer
LEGO + ninjas = fun
Grab your technoblades and get in touch with your inner spinjitzu because the ninjas are officially back, returning in their biggest adventure yet. Developed by Hellbent Games, published by Warner Bros. and coming to the 3DS this summer, LEGO Ninjago: Nindroids tasks players with protecting the New Ninjago City against a rising...
Video We're Feline Groovy In The Latest Episode Of Days Of Our Tomodachi Lives
Cat people
This week on Days of Our Tomodachi Lives, we welcome Alex Olney into the fold. A long time reader of the site, Alex cuts a fine figure of a man — so we were quite surprised when we discovered that his Mii wanted to dress up as a pussy cat and retire to a dank, smelly cave for the duration of his time on Nlife Island. It truly takes all...
News Russian Phenomenon Tetris Celebrates Its 30th Birthday Today
Now we feel old
Thirty years ago today, Russian programmer Alexey Pajitnov released Tetris on the Elektronika 60. The puzzle title caused quite a stir and was ported to multiple formats, but it was the 1989 Game Boy edition which propelled it to international fame. Without it, the Game Boy would arguably have been less successful, and without the...
News 2014 Australian National Pokémon Championship to be held in Melbourne on 13th July
Melbourne Town Hall is the stadium arena
The Regional Championships were an absolute cracker in the history of Australian and New Zealand Pokémon competitions, with more than 1000 competitors participating in the event in the month of May and the winners earning themselves flights and accommodation directly to the Nationals. With the Regionals now...
Thursday5th Jun 2014
The meaning of life
During the many hours you can potentially spend lost within Tomodachi Life, you'll find yourself wondering if this new 3DS outing can actually be called a game in the traditional sense. It's certainly addictive and almost universally appealing thanks to its savvy combination of humour, social sharing and Mii-related activities,...
Poll Should Nintendo Patch The Controversial Fire Hopping Technique In Mario Kart 8?
New trick shaves seconds off lap times
Every new Mario Kart release comes with its own little tricks, but sometimes these speed-boosting techniques are seen as largely unintentional on Nintendo's part, leading fans to decry them as "exploits" rather than recognizing them as legitimate strategies. In Mario Kart 8's case, the "Fire Hop" is dividing...
Review Pushmo World (Wii U eShop)
Mo Push Mo Problems
Intelligent Systems' Pushmo World (known as Pullblox World in Europe) is exactly what you'd expect it to be: a Wii U sequel to the popular 3DS eShop puzzle titles Pushmo (Pullblox) and Crashmo (Fallblox) that predictably adds shinier graphics, more modes, and way more puzzles. It's a very safe sequel that doesn't take
Talking Point Just How Similar Are Tomodachi Life And Animal Crossing?
Comparisons can both hinder and help, so allow us to educate
Since its announcement for release in the West, many commentators within the video games industry have drawn comparisons between the quirky upcoming Tomodachi Life and the beloved Animal Crossing series. In many ways it's an obvious link to make, as both titles put you in charge of a small...
Nintendo Download 5th June (North America)
Tomodachi comes to life, 1001 Spikes, Minish Cap and much more
It's that time, North America, for the latest Nintendo Download Update with the details of new goodies available this week. There's a high-profile retail title on 3DS along with an assortment of new download-only titles on both current systems; there's some welcome retro Zelda and more...
News Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney Trilogy Case Begins on 3DS eShop in Winter 2014
Screens, details and a trailer released
Japanese 3DS owners have had a chance to enjoy Ace Attorney 123: Wright Selection for over a month, a remastered compilation of the first three games in the popular Capcom series. In exciting news the company has now confirmed Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney Trilogy for a release in the West, arriving exclusively...
News Satoru Iwata Won't Attend E3 For Health-Related Reasons
"Please understand that it is business as usual for Mr. Iwata"
With E3 less than a week away, Nintendo has made the surprise announcement that company President Satoru Iwata won't be in attendance. The company has already confirmed that Shigeru Miyamoto will be in attendance, along with all the major figures of Nintendo of America, yet Iwata-san...
News Natsume Confirms A-Train: City Simulator For 3DS and Alphadia Genesis for Wii U
Some story background for Harvest Moon: The Lost Valley also included
Natsume recently announced that Harvest Moon: The Lost Valley is coming to 3DS in 2014, and has today used its pre-E3 press release to confirm two more titles coming to Nintendo systems; both seem like candidates for the eShop, though that's not confirmed. First up we have...
News Wii Sports Club Retail Version Hits North America on 25th July
Baseball and Boxing arrive as downloads on 26th June
Just yesterday Nintendo of Europe confirmed details for a Wii Sports Club retail version along with release dates for the final two downloadable parts — Wii Sports Club: Baseball and Wii Sports Club: Boxing. Nintendo of America ha
News You're Not Seeing Things, There's A New SNES Title On The Way
Unreleased platformer Dorke And Ymp finally coming to market
You would be forgiven for assuming that last year's Nightmare Busters is the final SNES release, seeing as the console itself is well over twenty years old now, but that isn't the case. Piko Interactive has secured the rights to Dorke and Ymp (also known as Dorque and Imp), a title which...
News "Play Nintendo" Tour Rolling Through the U.S. this Summer
Play 2DS/3DS games! Sit in Yoshi eggs! Poke Kirby!
To "play Nintendo" was once a phrase attributed to the use of just about any electronic entertainment device. Not so much anymore, with the wider variety of choices out there, but Nintendo is bringing the term back somewhat with a 12-city summer tour. The Play Nintendo Tour, running from 6th...
News 1001 Spikes Creator Believes Trends Are Shifting Back Towards Tough, Challenging Games
"We are at a cusp of a new revolution"
1001 Spikes is available now on the Wii U and 3DS eShop stores in North America, and early noise around the platforming title is that it's pretty darn tough. Retro in looks and, it seems, retro in style, it's sure to endanger 3DS systems and GamePad controllers now that it's nestling on some systems. Though...
Play Mario Kart 8 With Nintendo Life in a 10 Hour Community Tournament
Bring it on
As you may have seen recently, we've opened the round-the-clock Nintendo Life GP in Wii U racer Mario Kart 8, and since its launch two days ago hundreds of players have jumped in for some races. That's a rolling tournament with no real rules or winners, it's just for fun. We've decided that an old-fashioned Community session is needed,...
News Nintendo@E3 2014 Community Now Live on Miiverse
Announcement community included
Following hot on the heels of a platform update, Miiverse has another exciting addition for social Nintendo gamers to enjoy. It's formally launched its Nintendo@E3 2014 Community, and a sub-community that'll host official announcements through 'news, videos and events'. The main community is already buzzing with...
News SteamWorld Dig Is Finding Its Way to Wii U This Autumn / Fall
Dig a little deeper
After some teases in the past week, Swedish developer Image & Form has now confirmed that hugely popular 3DS eShop title SteamWorld Dig is coming to the Wii U eShop, targeting a Fall / Autumn release on the home console's store. It's great news for fans, and has a certain logic as the title has already been enhanced and...
Wii U release inconclusive
Fans of The Walking Dead are in for a treat with pinball masters Zen Studios announcing it has partnered with the series creator and writer Robert Kirkman, Skybound, and Telltale Games, to release an all-new digital table for Zen Pinball 2 based on the popular episodic game series of the same name. In a true collaborative...
News AiRace Xeno Speeds Onto the 3DS eShop on 12th June
At a budget price along with some QubicGames discounts
Fans of flying very, very fast may be familiar with the AiRace series from Qubic Games, which most recently arrived on 3DS with AiRace Speed. That was a fun title that earned a solid 7/10 in our review, so we're pleased to see that a new entry in the franchise is dropping in next week's download...
Wednesday4th Jun 2014
Weirdness Luigi's Mario Kart 8 'Death Stare' Is Deemed Noteworthy By Fox News
More exposure for Mario Kart 8, though
One of the more amusing memes to come out of Mario Kart 8 has to be Luigi's "Death Stare", which we're pretty sure you've seen several times in the game itself, as well as on various social networking sites. It would appear that this particular element of Nintendo's new Wii U racer has well and truly "gone...
News The Legend of Zelda LEGO Set Misses Out On Official Approval
The LEGO legend fades
We've reported on several different attempts to immortalize gaming icons in LEGO form before, from Mega Man to Metroid, and one particular set detailing Link's battle with an Iron Knuckle managed to gain enough momentum to be put forward for official consideration by the LEGO
News Ubisoft Reconfirms Watch Dogs For Fall 2014 Release On Wii U
Just in case you haven't played it on every other format by then
As expected, new IP Watch Dogs has sold like hotcakes, marking the dawn of another profitable series for publisher Ubisoft. The game has clearly done the business at retail, even going as far as boosting PS4 sales by 94 percent, and has
Talking Point Nintendo's System Updates Bring The Wii U to Another Level
A major leap from day one
For those that owned the Wii U since day one, cast your mind back to its UI (user interface) and OS (operating system) when you fired up the system for the first time. It was, to be rather blunt, a mediocre experience, mainly due to its excessively slow performance. Don't forget that a popular video of a Japanese fan...
News Nintendo Revenue Claims on Mario Kart 8 YouTube Footage Reportedly Underway
An expected development
Just over a week ago Nintendo confirmed that it would be offering an affiliate program for YouTube, in which it would offer tiered packages to content producers that would share ad revenues between Nintendo, Google and the channels in question. After the controversy following the company's heavy-handed claims of revenue in...
News Mario Kart 8 and the Wii U Take Top Spots in Japanese Charts
Yo-kai Watch passes one million retail sales
As was the case in Western markets, Mario Kart 8 has arrived in Japan to give the Wii U a lift in performance — it's had a notable impact in the software and hardware Media Create charts. Elsewhere popular Level-5 title Yo-kai Watch has finally gone past one million physical retail sales in these...
News Wii Sports Club Baseball and Boxing Arrive on 27th June, Retail Bundle on 11th July
That's for Europe, anyway
After Japanese release details let the cat out of the bag, Nintendo has confirmed European release details for both Wii Sports Club: Baseball and Wii Sports Club: Boxing on the Wii U eShop, while also announcing a retail disc version that will combine all f
Review I've Got to Run! (Wii U eShop)
Take a walk
Made using the Nintendo Web Framework, 4 Corner Games' I've Got to Run! works more as a proof of concept than a full-fledged experience. This little game is functional and cute, but the bare bones presentation and gameplay won't sustain anyone's attention for more than a few minutes, and most will wonder why this game isn't on 3DS or...
Feelin' chubby
Developed by two-man studio Dahku Creations, Chubbins is a minimalist platformer all about jumping. So much jumping, in fact, that you're never not jumping. As an adorable, rotund rabbit named Chubbins, you must reach the end of each level simply by steering your automatic jumps through obstacles and out of the way of enemies, with...
Mario Kart Month A History of the Mario Kart Series - Part Two
Turbo boosting to record sales
As June begins and our Mario Kart Month celebrations throughout May draw to a close, the build-up and expectation surrounding Mario Kart 8 has transitioned into mass play sessions and hands-on racing time. This is the moment on which memories are built, as competitiveness and hilarity ensues from worldwide showdowns,...
Review Mr. Driller 2 (Wii U eShop / GBA)
You know the drill by now
The re-release of classic Game Boy Advance titles on the Wii U eShop marks the first opportunity many new players will have to take on a variety of really substantial experiences, short of retroactively buying the system itself. Many have made the transition to the TV screen look easy, but some are detrimentally anchored by...
News Miiverse Update Eases Comment Restriction and Boosts Post Character Limit
Down to two minutes and up to 400 characters, that is
After a major Wii U system update this week, Nintendo has applied a smaller yet potentially rather popular update to its bespoke Miiverse social network, with tweaks that will give users a little more freedom on the platform. The ever evolving platform's changes have been applied across the Wii...
News Chocobo Racing 3D Was Canned Because Square Enix Wasn't Happy With The Quality
Spitting feathers
Remember Chocobo Racing 3D? It was announced for the 3DS some time ago, but Square Enix has shown nothing of the game for months, and last year Takashi Tokita — the creator of the original Chocobo Racing for the PlayStation — said that the project had been closed. We now have further confirmation of this fact from Square Enix...
Play The Nintendo Life Mario Kart 8 GP Is Now Open
Come join our rolling tournament
As we all know, Mario Kart 8 is now available worldwide, and many of you will already have spent countless hours navigating its various courses and taking out rivals with red shells. With the view of bringing the Nintendo Life karting community together, we've opened up a rolling tournament called Nintendo Life GP,...
News Brain Training / Brain Age Makes DS Début on Wii U Virtual Console in Japan
Suddenly released for free
Nintendo caused a minor stir earlier this year when it announced DS titles for the Wii U Virtual Console, with the accompanying concept image showing both screens side-by-side on the GamePad; it's an idea that may not suit all games released on the portable, at least not without some alternative formatting. In any case it...
News Nintendo to Host Special Google Hangout on Tomodachi Life Launch Day
Hosted by Krysta of Nintendo Minute
Tomodachi Life is now just days from release, with Nintendo keen to communicate its charms to as many 3DS owners as possible. Nintendo of America will be doing this with a live Google Hangout to chat about the title on launch day, 6th June, rather conveniently at a time that should suit gamers in Europe, too...
Video Family Gamer TV's Mario Kart 8 Championship Plays The Motorsport Card
The search for the UK's best Mario Kart 8 family is under way
As we reported previously, the search for the UK’s top Mario Kart 8 family is now under way. The first two round results have just gone live today, with the top member of the Hunt and the Sharp family going forward to the finals. This is the first time these families have played the...
Tuesday3rd Jun 2014
News Wii U System Update 5.0.0 Now Live, Adds Quick Start Menu And GamePad Notifications
As well as the usual improvements to system stability, naturally
The latest system update for the Wii U is now available for download, and it brings with it the previously announced ability to "Quick Start" the console to swiftly jump into a game without the prolonged wait. Another new addition is GamePad alerts and notifications, which allow the...
Review LEGO The Hobbit (Wii U)
We hates it forever
The LEGO series of games is a sales phenomenon, now established to a degree that it seems no matter how many releases are churned out on a yearly basis the sales flow, and steady praise flows its way. That's to the credit of TT Games and Warner Bros., but it's always a franchise at risk of spreading itself too thinly — as Bilbo...
News Natsume Announces Harvest Moon: The Lost Valley for a 2014 Release on 3DS
Moving into a three-dimensional setting
Natsume has been teasing multiple E3 reveals for titles on Nintendo systems, and has fired an early shot today with the announcement of Harvest Moon: The Lost Valley for 3DS, the newest entry in the series which will arrive — in North America at least — later this year. For its part the publisher is keen...
Feature Nintendo Moments You Never Saw Coming
Expect the unexpected at E3
With Nintendo, some things are always certain. Mario and friends will get together for a platforming or sporting excursion, the number of Pocket Monsters will gradually increase, Princess Zelda will find herself kidnapped, Samus will inexplicably lose all of her abilities at the start of another adventure and the F-Zero...
News Nintendo's E3 Plans Are Outlined Further, With Nintendo Minute to Follow Digital Event
The unscripted Treehouse coverage still has us intrigued
Nintendo's E3 plans are fairly well-known now, with the mystery now revolving around what will be shown in its Digital Event and accompanying demonstrations; fans of Super Smash Bros. can also look forward to the Invitational event or finding a demo station at a local Best Buy store. A press...
News Another World: 20th Anniversary Edition Confirmed for Wii U and 3DS
There's a new trailer to prove it
Not long ago we reported on a rating — which was quickly taken down — that appeared to show that Another World: 20th Anniversary Edition is coming to the Wii U and 3DS; as it's one of the most iconic games of the '90s, that was pleasing news for some of us with long memories. At the time publisher The Digital...
Set hype mode to max
E3 is now around a week away, which means it's sweaty palm time for excited gamers and Nintendo's executives. Nintendo is no doubt hoping to make an impact this year that'll earn both attention and praise, with features such as the Wii U's GamePad and NFC — along with new games — set to be prominent. The company's official...
Mario Kart Month A History of the Mario Kart Series - Part One
From pixels to polygons, then back to pixels
As June begins and our Mario Kart Month celebrations throughout May draw to a close, the build-up and expectation surrounding Mario Kart 8 has transitioned into mass play sessions and hands-on racing time. This is the moment on which memories are built, as competitiveness and hilarity ensues from...
News Theatrhythm Final Fantasy: Curtain Call Release Date and Special Editions Confirmed
CDs! 3DS case! Cards!
We've been giving plenty of coverage to the Japanese version of Theatrhythm Final Fantasy: Curtain Call here at Nintendo Life, though we were relieved recently to hear that the expanded version of the popular rhythm game was being localised for the West. In exciting news Square Enix has not only confirmed release dates, but...
News Star Fox's Iconic Blue-Marine Is Descending To Steel Diver: Sub Wars
Be sure to grab the premium version before June 19th
As we all know, Steel Diver: Sub Wars has a strong bond with the Star Fox series — it was co-developed by Vitei, the company formed by ex-Argonaut and Nintendo employee Giles Goddard, who worked on the original Star Fox back in the early '90s. Sub Wars already features a nod to the famous space...
News 2DS Hardware Bundle With New Super Mario Bros. 2 Coming on 4th July
It's all about the coins, remember
In its recent financial results, Nintendo confirmed that over two million 2DS systems had been sold since its launch in October 2013, a solid return considering its arguably limited demographic. The company remains keen to promote the system, particularly to young gamers, and has now announced a new bundle set for...
News Double Fine Is Bringing Costume Quest 2 To The Wii U eShop This Halloween
Not a trick, but definitely a treat
Double Fine Productions has confirmed that Costume Quest 2 will be coming to the Wii U eShop later this year. The sequel to one of 2010's most acclaimed downloadable titles, this new title will once again focus on turned-based battles and good, old-fashioned trick or treating. Reynold and Wren make a return, with...
News Renegade Kid's Jools Watsham Wants To Bring Retro Game Challenge 2 To The West
Could this fan-translated release find its way to the eShop?
Retro Game Challenge is one of our favourite Nintendo DS titles here at Nintendo Life, and the fact that the sequel remained exclusive to Japan is something that still bugs us to this day. Recently, fans of the game have translated it into English, an event which has resulted in Renegade...
News Yumi's Odd Odyssey Receives Discount in North America
Reel in the savings before 15th June
If you've been nibbling at the fishing rod-flinging, platforming puzzle adventure that is Yumi's Odd Odyssey but have yet to bite, perhaps a $10 discount on the North American eShop will be enough to lure you in. Until 15th June, the 3DS entry in this cult favourite series will be available for $19.99. We gave...
Monday2nd Jun 2014
News Mario Kart 8 Sells More Than 1.2 Million Units in Opening Weekend
Immediately becomes one of the Wii U's top sellers
This past weekend was all about Mario Kart 8 for plenty of Wii U gamers, and Nintendo has now released figures that show a particularly impressive performance for the title in its opening weekend — the hype and excitement seems to have paid off. Nintendo has confirmed that from 29th May (the...
News Mortal Kombat X Announced, Platform Details Sketchy
Update - we're no longer optimists
Update: After looking around for platform details that were not there prior to publication, we now have a press release confirming that optimism is, indeed, a fool's state of mind. A press release from Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment and NetherRealm Studios has confirmed PlayStation 4, PlayStation 3, Xbox...
News Treasure Your 3DS Game Saves Forever With This Handy Accessory
Elves not included
Save data doesn't last forever — for example, every time you write to a 3DS cart, you're shortening the lifespan of the cart's save memory. Of course, it's possible to write to a 3DS cart thousands of times over, but for some, the worrying prospect of losing months of progress in Pokémon X & Y is the kind of thing that will...
News Mario Kart 8 Drives Wii U Sales In The UK, Claims Second Place Behind Watch Dogs
Hardware sales up 666 percent
To the surprise of pretty much nobody, Ubisoft's Watch Dogs has claimed the top spot in the UK multiformat chart — but Mario Kart 8 has sped into second place, causing a massive spike in Wii U console sales. According to Chart Track, the PS4 and Xbox One versions of Watch Dogs claimed the top two spots, with Mario...
Nintendo Download 5th June (Europe)
Tomodachi Life begins, zombies attack, Wario's back and much more
Is your Monday feeling a little gloomy? Well cheer up, because Nintendo has served up one of its largest Download Updates in a fair while, courtesy of a huge number of discounts from Bandai Namco and others. There are new games on Wii U, 3DS and even DSiWare, too, with a quirky...
Video Watch Us Rigorously Test Hyperkin's New RetroN 5 Superconsole
Direct-feed footage, UI details and more
Hyperkin's much-delayed and highly-anticipated RetroN 5 console finally ships this week, and we've kindly been sent a review unit which we're currently putting through its paces. To tide you over until the review appears, we've put together a video which shows direct-feed footage captured from the system...
News Sonic Boom Titles Given New Names and Gameplay Details
Will be on show at E3
With E3 around the corner, Sega has confirmed that demo builds of its Sonic Boom titles will be playable at the event, and has revealed their final titles — we'll have Sonic Boom: Rise of Lyric on Wii U and Sonic Boom: Shattered Crystal on 3DS. Each title will have a separate storyline and wildly different play style. To...
Review Luv Me Buddies Wonderland (Wii U eShop)
Luv Me Don't
The Luv Me Buddies seem to do a number of things right when creating a new children’s brand. A menagerie of cute and cuddly characters? Check. A silly but charming origin story? Check. Hints of personality? Check. A lovable, entertaining game that introduces characters to new fans? No check. Uncheck. An idea vacuum in which the...
Competition Share your Mii & Win with Tomodachi Life
Are you cute or quirky?
To celebrate the release of Tomodachi Life we've teamed up with Nintendo UK for a very special competition. Prizes: Tomodachi Life is all about Miis and giving these digital clones a personality all their own. You can import your Mii into the game and give it a voice and personality, and a massive part of the game's appeal...
News Tactical Strategy RPG Based on Sci-Fi TV Series Falling Skies to Invade Wii U
Third-party release is an alien concept
Publisher Little Orbit has announced that it's planning to release a new Wii U game based on sci-fi TV drama Falling Skies this autumn. Known simply as Falling Skies: The Game and described as a tactical strategy RPG, the game is set within the post-apocalyptic world of the series, in which an alien race has...
Feature A Week of Super Smash Bros. Wii U and 3DS Screens - Issue Forty
Rocket belt! Ike! Steam effects! More!
The start of another week means it's time to look over yet more lovely screens for Super Smash Bros.. The past week brought one heavyweight piece of news as Nintendo unveiled The GameCube Controller Adapter for Wii U, bundling that announcement with details for the upcoming E3 Super Smash Bros Invitational...
News Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare Wii U Rumours Pick Up with E3 Listing
So advanced that you shoot everything
Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare is Activision's next bash at its money-spinning franchise, taking place in the not-too-distant future and featuring exoskeleton suits that allow you to do stuff that others could already do in Titanfall. Jaded cynicism aside, it's likely to be one of the biggest releases of the...
Feature Kickstarter's Wii U and 3DS Campaigns - 2nd June
Tougher times for Wii U and 3DS funding targets
Last week's Kickstarter update brought the happy news of a rather decent-looking title getting funded for Wii U, while some new titles joined the roster. There are some long-shot targets though, and this week shows plenty of well-intentioned campaigns struggling for support. Is Kickstarter fatigue a...
News Nintendo Game Seminar Confirmed for Japan, Focused on 2D Unity Games
An opportunity for students to learn from the best
Through the Wii U eShop, in particular, Nintendo has been doing a good job of accommodating and supporting smaller developers. Its Nintendo Web Framework allows for games produced through code such as HTML5, while supporting and offering a free Unity License can certainly be credited as bringing a...
News Footage and Details of The Keep on 3DS Are Uncovered
Cinemax provides a closer look at its ambitious dungeon-crawling title
Earlier this year we brought you news of The Keep, a title coming to the 3DS eShop from the prolific download developer Cinemax; it certainly seems to be one of the studio's most ambitious projects to date. The company promised more details would come ahead of its summer release...
Video Here's a Charming Mario Kart 8 Song to Start Your Week
Goodbye Blue Shell by Ryan Craddock
A good number among the Nintendo Life community have, we suspect, emerged blinking into the daylight after Mario Kart 8's arrival last week — a full weekend of racing can be a tiring endeavour. As such we may need a pick-me-up to get through the start of another week. This song from budding YouTube artist Ryan...
Sunday1st Jun 2014
Review Ittle Dew (Wii U eShop)
A Link to the (Swedish) Past
Let's get this out of the way first: if you like The Legend of Zelda, you'll absolutely love Swedish studio Ludosity's new Wii U eShop adventure title Ittle Dew – it's a love letter to A Link to the Past with the cartoony art style of The Wind Waker. With a sweeping soundtrack and a charming, self-aware
Mario Kart Month Clones And Alternatives to Nintendo's Classic Series
Lagging behind?
Every time a Nintendo device is released, it’s a pretty safe bet that Mario Kart isn’t far around the corner. Each new addition to the series further solidifies its well-earned reputation as the party game of choice, bringing together both the masters and the first-timers to join in on the madness and enjoy it regardless of their...
Interview Console Wars Author Blake J. Harris Discusses Film Adaptations and the Struggles of Sega
Sega of America does what Sega of Japandon't.
Blake J. Harris presents the two contenders A couple weeks ago we reviewed Console Wars: Sega, Nintendo, and the Battle That Defined a Generation by New York City-based author Blake J. Harris, about the bitter rivalry between Sega and Nintendo in the early 1990s through the eyes of Sega of America head...
Video Début Anima: Gate of Memories Gameplay Trailer is Released
Like the WiiWare game, but totally different in 3D...
Update: Carlos Garcia, from Anima Project Studio, has been in touch to clarify that the company — producing Anima: Gate of Memories — is an entirely separate entity from the developer that produced WiiWare predecessor Ark of Sinners. Anima Project is the company behind the original Anima...
