News - December, 2014

Wednesday31st Dec 2014

Tuesday30th Dec 2014

  • News Code To Unlock Contrary Serperior In Pokémon Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire Is Revealed

    The catch is you can't use it until January 9th

    A code has been revealed by Japanese show Pokémon Get☆TV that allows players to unlock Contrary Serperior in Pokémon Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire. This isn't a one-time deal, either -- the code can be used by multiple users while it remains active. The code is POKEMON497, but don't go rushing...

  • News Super Smash Bros. Pro Players Tackle the Problem of Diddy Kong

    Overpowered or misunderstood?

    Whatever Masahiro Sakurai and his team do, they will never please all Super Smash Bros. fans, and that hasn't changed with the Wii U or Nintendo 3DS entries. That's to be expected in a fighting series with complex mechanics and an ever-growing cast and feature-set. Each title brings accusations of balancing problems,...

  • News Platinum Hopes to Bring "More From Bayonetta" in 2015

    We dream of DLC, may be anime

    Bayonetta 2 was one of our favourite releases in 2014, the action exclusive on Wii U providing a frenetic, memorable experience. There are some positive teases ahoy from Platinum Games to excite those that enjoyed the sequel and its predecessor, in that case, courtesy of an update from senior figures that worked on the...

  • Feature Year in Development: Nyamyam

    Phil Tossell discusses the challenges turning the page with Tengami

    In the fifth entry of this 2014 'Year in Development' series we chat to Phil Tossell, co-creator of Nyamyam. The UK based studio released its first game in 2014, Tengami, an experience with a pop-up storybook vibe and hugely attractive paper-based aesthetic. Including music by...

  • Video Nintendo Minute Reveals Its Game of the Year Winners

    The Super Sixteen Showdown reaches its end

    It's almost the end of 2014, so Nintendo Minute - the NoA video series - has made sure it wrapped up its Game of the Year awards. In previous weeks hosts Kit and Krysta have shortlisted their own personal choices for both Wii U and 3DS, while viewers have been voting in the Super Sixteen Showdown knockout...

  • News The N64 Almost Got A Multiplayer-Focused Doom Sequel

    Details regarding the cancelled Doom Absolution emerge

    The N64 got an exclusive Doom title in 1997, but this wasn't the only game in the lineage that was planned for Nintendo's 64-bit system. The plan was to follow up with Doom Absolution, a 2-player competitive shooter developed to capitalise on the deathmatch craze triggered by Rare's excellent...

Monday29th Dec 2014

Sunday28th Dec 2014

Monday29th Dec 2014

  • Gallery Help Yourself to Some Gorgeous Wii U Wallpapers

    Smash Bros., Hyrule Warriors, Indies and more

    While many of us spend plenty of our spare time enjoying Nintendo games and systems, there are reasonable odds that we keep our favourite franchises in mind a lot of the time. Phones, tablets, PCs and laptops - certainly in Nintendo Life HQ - often have some Ninty artwork adorning the screen, so a fresh...

  • News "Sonic Runners" Rumours Prove True, But It's a Smartphone Game

    We'll have to stick with older rumours for Wii U hopes

    Not so long ago there were rumours circulating of a new game in the works - Sonic Runners. As a number of fans were likely feeling burned by Sonic Boom: Rise of Lyric at the time, it was understandable to be cautious; we will give some kudos to Sonic Boom: Shattered Crystal on 3DS for being a...

  • Interview Nintendo Arcade Collector Shoots From the Hip With Rare Sheriff Cabinet

    Now we're cooking with gas

    Earlier this year we invited you to step into the Nintendo Arcade and meet London based Alex Crowley, who has amassed a legendary collection of classic Nintendo arcade cabinets. It's easy to forget that before it shot to prominence with the NES system, in particular, a core aspect of Nintendo's business was in arcade...

  • News Details and Images are Revealed for an Awesome Articulated Yoshi Figure

    Strike a pose

    Earlier this year we told you about a budget range of articulated Nintendo toys that are already available in North America, some of which are rather charming. The higher quality equivalents - the Figuarts range - are more detailed, however, and the most recent images of the upcoming Yoshi figure are pretty darn cute. Due in Japan in...

  • Review TOSS N GO (Wii U eShop)

    Use as directed

    Simplicity is never a bad thing in itself. An experience can be extremely easy in execution, yet still provide plenty of rewarding elements. Sometimes, however, something can be boiled down into such simple elements that it loses some of those satisfying quirks, and that's where RCMADIAX's TOSS N GO suffers. TOSS N GO is another in...

Sunday28th Dec 2014

  • Review NES Remix Pack (Wii U)

    Two for the price of two?

    Nintendo's NES Remix Pack, a retail compilation of eShop titles NES Remix and NES Remix 2, contains two great games but feels like a bit of a missed opportunity. While both games are quite good, Nintendo has opted to simply package the two together and not made an attempt to make them feel like a cohesive whole. We didn't...

  • Poll Which is the Best Pokémon Game?

    Choose the most Super Effective of the main series

    With the festive reveal of our staff and reader awards results, we realised that the release line-up of 2014 had given us an opportunity to re-assess some of Nintendo's biggest franchises and determine current-day favourites. In our first poll Mario Kart 8 boosted away with over 50% of the v

  • Review A World of Keflings (Wii U eShop)

    What a wonderful world

    Originally finding a home on Xbox Live Arcade, NinjaBee's A Kingdom for Keflings charmed players with its colourful worlds, fun simulation gameplay and creative use of Microsoft's then-new Live Avatars. Six years after that début, the gnome-like beings make their first appearance on a Nintendo platform with this re-release of...

  • News Hyrule Warriors DLC Costume Sets Now Up for Grabs in North America

    You need a dollar, dollar, a dollar is what you need

    Just recently we reported that three costume sets for Hyrule Warriors had become available on the Wii U eShop in Europe, in addition to the main packs that have already arrived. These had been pre-order or Club Nintendo bonuses, and were particularly prominent in retailer-specific deals in North...

Saturday27th Dec 2014

Friday26th Dec 2014

  • Poll Which is the Best Mario Kart Game?

    Will you go retro, HD or portable?

    It's a time of year in which plenty of time is spent with friends, family and fellow web gamers debating all manner of topics. Is Kirby Nintendo's cutest mascot? Has Mario's moustache become bushier in the HD era? Will F-Zero ever return? It's a time of opinions, and having checked out the Game of the Year results...

  • News Nintendo Rolls Out Kirby and the Rainbow Curse Footage and Details

    May transform opinion

    One of the first retail releases on Wii U in 2015 will be Kirby and the Rainbow Curse, at least in North America and Japan, which will bring its brand of stylus-controlled rolling gameplay to the system; its clay-based look and animation has certainly caught the eye. Nintendo took the opportunity, on Christmas Day, to spruce...

Thursday25th Dec 2014

Wednesday24th Dec 2014

  • Review The Voice: I Want You (Wii U)

    Desafinado

    Since American Idol first graced the airwaves back in 2002, a number of similar shows have stepped up to deliver the singing superstar search process season after season, including - since 2011 - NBC's The Voice. In this Wii U title based on the show, The Voice translates into a karaoke game with a tournament structure, a soundtrack split...

  • Reminder The Nintendo Network Premium Promotion Ends on 31st December

    One week to go

    As Wii U owners with a 32GB Premium / Deluxe model are undoubtedly aware, that system includes membership in the Nintendo Network Premium Promotion. Once linked to a Nintendo Network ID this applies points to each purchase on the Wii U eShop, and spending an amount that roughly equates to a full retail game brings the reward of a £5...

  • Game of the Year Nintendo Life's Staff Awards 2014

    2014 has served up some classics

    It's hard to believe that another year of gaming has passed, yet here we are. 2014 was a busy year for Nintendo, and the company certainly delivered a lot of thoroughly enjoyable games on the Wii U and 3DS. We also saw both eShop platforms grow further, particularly on the Wii U, with high quality downloadable...

  • News Club Nintendo Adds Two 3DS Game Card Cases and NES Remix 2 T-Shirt in North America

    New physical rewards, huzzah!

    Club Nintendo varies between territories, and typically PAL regions have occasional physical reward updates while North American gamers have a choice of eight downloads every month. Some in North America won't necessarily have been happy at the minimal number of physical rewards in the territory, however, but there's...

  • Weirdness Fan Creates Wind Waker Overworld From LEGO

    Taking 'toon' to a whole new level...

    Fan projects are always something that adds to the magic of the Nintendo community, and what we have here is no exception. BrucilSprout has designed the whole overworld from GameCube's The Wind Waker, rendered in POV-ray using Lego Digital Designer software. The entire model contains around 1,900 pieces, and...

  • News Capcom Has Now Sold 1.2 Million Copies of Super Street Fighter IV 3D Edition

    100,000 sales from July to September of this year

    When Super Street Fighter IV 3D Edition was released alongside the 3DS in 2011, the title was praised for being a portable fighting experience that actually lived up to the standards found on current home consoles. After the launch period, Capcom went on to ship 1.1 million copies of the 3D Edition,...

  • News Nintendo Points the Way With Another Wii-Related Patent Win

    Long live waggle!

    In recent days Nintendo secured a patent win over Creative Kingdoms in a case related to the Wii Remote, and it's now announced another favourable result in its defence of the innovative controller. In a press release issued by Nintendo of America, it's confirmed that a case with UltimatePointer over the Remote has been found in...

  • Feature Dreaming of a Nintendo Christmas - Martin Watts

    What does the festive season mean to Martin as a gamer?

    Christmas was obviously always an exciting time for me as a child. Waking up to a bundle of presents, with a wish list to Father Christmas magically fulfilled was everything a kid could wish for. Well, that and copious amounts of chocolate to see me through the day. As a gamer, it was a crucial...

  • Feature Dreaming of a Nintendo Christmas - Lee Garbutt

    Sometimes, it's good to remember what's important

    My parents had a very unusual sense of humour when it came to giving me Christmas presents. Rather than wrap up my presents in the usual wrapping paper, they would annually try and find the weirdest way to fool me into thinking they hadn't got me what I had wanted. There was the time when I was given...

  • Video A Christmas Year In Review

    Sing-a-long with a very special look at 2014

    As Christmas fast approaches -- along with the final days of 2014 -- we thought that it would be a wonderful idea to take a look at the year in Nintendo gaming. It's been an absolutely wonderful 12 months to be a Wii U and 3DS owner, so we present to you this festive review of 2014. [ Please subscribe...

Tuesday23rd Dec 2014

  • Poll Fake Wave 4 amiibo Images Make Us Dream of More Figures

    Which characters do you still want to see in amiibo form?

    Today we saw a tweet from Twitter user @Shiroth that got our pulses racing, as it shared an image of a potential fourth wave of amiibo due in March next year — the line-up showed Pac-Man, Greninja, Game & Watch, Dark Pit, Ness(!) and Lucina. Due to there being no official details from...

  • Review Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney Trilogy (3DS eShop)

    No appeal needed

    The Ace Attorney franchise is well known but, when considered in isolation, it's a bit of an oddity. With its exaggerated characters, stilted animations and a tendency to be as wordy as a Tolstoy novel — not really, but there's a lot of reading — we'd have perhaps expected it to be a one off release in the West before being...

  • Review Fairune (3DS eShop)

    An Ys-y purchase

    The RPG genre is still rather popular, with several big-name releases arriving every year. While these are usually grand spectacles, Fairune keeps things quite simple. As with many "retro-esque" games these days, it attempts to emulate the look and feel of a classic '80s game, and that comes with matching game mechanics. Combat is...

  • Review Mega Man Zero (Wii U eShop / GBA)

    A side character gets a great spotlight

    The Classic Mega Man Series was popular enough to warrant its own spin-off series, Mega Man X. That, in turn, proved strong enough for a spin-off series of its own, and in 2002 it arrived in the form of Mega Man Zero The Zero series spans four titles — all released exclusively for the Game Boy Advance —...

  • Review Penguins of Madagascar (Wii U)

    Un-tactical Espionage Action

    The Penguins from the smash CG hit Madagascar were so popular they received their own film in the form of Penguins of Madagascar, so it was inevitable that the four feathered friends would also receive their own video game adaption. Publisher Little Orbit - which is certainly no stranger to adaptations of movies -was...

Monday22nd Dec 2014

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Sunday21st Dec 2014

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Sunday21st Dec 2014

  • Review Meme Run (Wii U eShop)

    Epic fail

    Every so often, a small indie gem comes along that blows gamers out of the water with its surprising polish, addictive gameplay, wonderful sense of presentation and intelligent design. Ninja Pig Studios' Meme Run is not one of those games. In fact, Meme Run may be one of the worst releases on any gaming platform this year. A cynical and...

  • News Hyrule Warriors DLC Costume Sets Now Available to Buy on the eShop

    More packs coming in January and February, don't forget

    Hyrule Warriors has — like many other Koei Tecmo games before it — had a lot of DLC to keep the experience going; there's also a season pass option to pick up the four main packs at a discount. We've already had the Master Quest and Twilight Princess Packs, while the following are still to...

  • Review Hazumi (3DS eShop)

    It's a breakout hit

    The 3DS eShop has amassed quite the catalogue of affordable downloadable releases, but while a healthy number of the games available are of high quality, there are also many duds that deserve to be ignored completely. Fortunately, Hazumi is not one of those lesser-desired games. If you’re on the market for a challenging...

  • Review Pokémon Puzzle Challenge (3DS eShop / GBC)

    Pokémon! Blocks! What more do you need?

    The eShop is rife with puzzle games, and it’s understandable as to why; they’re fairly simple in design and can provide a huge amount of entertainment to an incredibly broad audience. Some of them can be a little bit monotonous or shameless clones of another game, but you’ll sometimes find something...

  • Feature A Year in Development - Curve Digital

    Curve's Rob Clarke highlights Nintendo's welcoming Indie policies

    In the second entry of this 2014 'Year in Development' series, Curve Digital's PR and Marketing Manager — Rob Clarke — talks about the company's busy year of Wii U eShop releases and Nintendo's support for 'Nindies'. It’s six o’clock, and I’m at the bar alone at a busy...

  • Feature 12 Days of Nintendo Christmas - Day Ten

    On the tenth day

    In this completely silly run of bite-sized features, we're going to write a new version of '12 Days of Christmas' with a Nintendo twist that will, hopefully, be good enough to sing. Ten Falcons Punching: Sometimes we stick to the conventions of the original lyrics, sometimes we don't — that's how we roll. On this occasion we...

Saturday20th Dec 2014

  • News Nintendo Highlights Great Games in a Rather Pretty Infographic

    Breaks out the metacritic stats

    It must be said, a good infographic can go a long way. While issuing statistics and numbers can make eyes droop and lose attention, if you place some key statistics with some pretty graphics the message can be a lot clearer; Nintendo's keen to make just that point. An infographic tweeted by Nintendo of America states...

  • News Level-5 Confirms Some Handsome 3DS eShop Festive Discounts

    Inazuma Eleven! All of the Guild01 and Guild02 games!

    With the next download update set to fall on Christmas Day, we can certainly hope for some exciting releases and discounts across the Wii U and 3DS eShop stores. The home console's Virtual Console already has a tweaked version of Duck Hunt on the way in North America, and Level-5 has now...

  • News Nintendo Secures Second Patent Win Over Creative Kingdoms

    Hopefully that will be that

    Nintendo faces plenty of patent challenges in the courts, the majority of which it wins. The Wii and its Remote have been targeted a great deal, in particular, and last year it saw off a challenge from Creative Kingdoms, a "theme park operator" that was claiming the Wii Remote infringed on the patent for it 'magic wand'...

  • News Yokai Watch Anime Spiriting Westward

    Level-5 also teasing an even "bigger" franchise for next year

    It's already pretty well known that the runaway hit franchise Yokai Watch has had plans to spread out of Japan and peacefully annex the West into its empire. But in case you were worried they were beginning to forget about us, Level-5 head Akiro Hino recently confirmed that the anime will...

  • Feature Dreaming of a Nintendo Christmas - Damien McFerran

    Damien McFerran talks festive play and mentions Sega a few times (sorry)

    In the second part of our festive series, Damien McFerran talks about the gaming Christmas memories of his youth and why consoles like the SNES and Mega Drive have such a special place in his heart. As you may have gathered from the large volume of Sega-related content that...

  • Feature 12 Days of Nintendo Christmas - Day Nine

    On the ninth day...

    In this completely silly run of bite-sized features, we're going to write a new version of '12 Days of Christmas' with a Nintendo twist that will, hopefully, be good enough to sing. Nine Shantaes Dancing: We were thinking of ditching the practice of matching up with the original song's 'activities', in this case dancing. Yet a...

  • Feature A Year in Development - Image & Form

    Brjann Sigurgeirsson outlines an important 2014 for the developer

    In the first of this 2014 'Year in Development' series, Image & Form CEO Brjann Sigurgeirsson follows up on last year's article to highlight the key moments that influenced the studio's year. It's that magic time of year again, and what better opportunity to look back at 2014,...

Friday19th Dec 2014

Thursday18th Dec 2014

  • News Artist Reimagines Nintendo Characters Through the Lens of Pulp Novels

    Dames, detectives, and plumbers with nothing to lose!

    The world of dime store novels retains such a fascinating nostalgic allure. Few really seem interested in the actual stories anymore, many of which were as cheaply written as their costs and just as trashy, but the best covers portray enough intrigue, danger, and taboo connotations to weave an...

Friday19th Dec 2014

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Sunday14th Dec 2014

  • Review Mighty Final Fight (Wii U eShop / NES)

    Looks can be deceiving

    At first glance, it would be easy to mistake Capcom's Mighty Final Fight as a cheap cash-in of a superior arcade beat 'em up, with its chibi-styled characters and its seemingly limited 8-bit presentation. But while Mighty Final Fight may appear simpler than other entries in the series — game history buffs would be interested...

  • Review Disney Planes: Fire & Rescue (3DS)

    Flying on Empty

    When a video game title receives both a console and handheld iteration, it's fairly common for them to feature unique gameplay, different art styles, and generally offer a fresh experience across the platforms. Instead, Disney Planes: Fire & Rescue for the 3DS is almost identical in every aspect to its Wii U counterpart...

  • Feature 12 Days of Nintendo Christmas - Day Three

    On the third day...

    In this completely silly run of bite-sized features, we're going to write a new version of '12 Days of Christmas' with a Nintendo twist that will, hopefully, be good enough to sing. Three Angry Cuccos: The original line is "three French hens", so we went for an equivalent that was snappy and brought to mind one of the weirdest...

Saturday13th Dec 2014

Friday12th Dec 2014

Thursday11th Dec 2014

Wednesday10th Dec 2014

  • Weirdness Legless Peach amiibo Bidding Closes at $25,100

    We'll be amazed if that's actually paid...

    Not so long ago we reported on another addition to the strange trend for faulty amiibo being sold on eBay, in this case a remarkably legless Princess Peach. Its early running (or not, but you know what we mean) was impressive, as it sought to overhaul the previous $2500 bid for a dual wielding Samus; it was...

Thursday11th Dec 2014

  • Talking Point What's Next For amiibo?

    Nintendo's range is off to a blistering start, but what could 2015 hold?

    Amid the confusion regarding amiibo figures apparently being discontinued (and then not) and the scarcely credible defected models we've been seeing, it's easy to miss the fact that Nintendo's new "toys to life" range has been a storming success — so much so that the...

  • News Mario Kart 8 Starting Grid T-Shirt Accelerates Onto Club Nintendo

    A pricey option for PAL racers

    Club Nintendo may still insist on the completion of particularly annoying surveys, but it's still a useful means to pick up some goodies. While the North American version focuses on download games and occasional extras, the PAL equivalents serve up a range of merchandise, with fairly regular additions in recent times...

  • Out Today Rune Factory 4 Finally Arrives in Europe

    We dig it

    Today's European Nintendo Download Update is one of the most crowded in recent memory, with six new downloads on 3DS, two on Wii U (including a Virtual Console release) and a ludicrous number of discounts. The most prominent release is arguably Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney Trilogy, so we thought we'd raise a flag for one of the stand-out...

  • Video Don't Feel Bad If You Self Destruct in Super Smash Bros., Competitors Do It Too

    Duck Hunt Dog days

    Super Smash Bros. is chaotic at the best of times, and the Wii U version certainly continues the trend. Fast paced and colourful, keeping track of the action while stringing together attacks and dodges can be a tiring business, and silly mistakes happen. Everyone's done it — we self destruct. These self-inflicted kills can be...

  • Review Tested With Robots! (Wii U eShop)

    Let it rust

    It's no secret that Nintendo has relaxed its criteria for independent publishers to release their games on their eShop, and for better or for worse it looks like that policy is here for the foreseeable future. It's this relaxed attitude that is responsible for one of the latest releases on the eShop. Tested With Robots! is themed in a...

  • Review Around the World in 80 Days (DSiWare)

    Have money, will travel

    When pondering the subject of exploration, match-three puzzle titles might not be the first thing that springs to mind. Jules Verne's classic story of an 80 day adventure around the world is a difficult concept to adapt through gem-switching and colour combinations, but Joindots GmbH has gone and done exactly that. Around the...

  • News Composer Legend Hirokazu Tanaka Throws Down Killer Chiptune Set

    Showing how it's done as Chip Tanaka

    Hirokazu "Hip" Tanaka has a firm place in Nintendo's musical foundation. Most prolific in the '80s and earlly '90s, some of the more memorable songs in his repertoire include the themes to Metroid and Kid Icarus, "Song B" in Tetris and "Balloon Trip" from Balloon Fight, among many other

  • News Zeldathon Relief Confirmed For Festive Adventuring and Fundraising

    A Link Between Games

    Earlier this year we told you about The Zelda Adventure, a live stream where some charitable souls tackle challenges, get up to some silly shenanigans and marathon a lot of Zelda games. Its aim was to raise $75,000 for St Jude Children’s Research Hospital, but ended up passing that goal and hitting $100,000. The team is now...

  • Video The Warp Zone Gets Real to Settle it in Smash

    Less fist-pumping than a typical commercial

    Nintendo of America has produced some pretty decent commercials in 2014, and its "Settle it in Smash" series for Super Smash Bros. on Wii U and 3DS is among those strong efforts. Particularly prominent with the release of the portable versions, it showed characters facing off in the brawler to fight over...

Tuesday9th Dec 2014

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  • News Pokémon's Other Hidden Legendary Monster's Details Come to Light

    Warning, spoilers!

    Hacking has always been a prominent feature in any Pokémon game, and even in this current age of instant video evidence on YouTube taking the place of playground rumours, determined individuals are uncovering secrets about the most recent generation of Pokémon games. It should be noted that this article contains potential...

  • News Final Shots of Lucina Figma Make the Cut

    Currently slated for an April 2015 release

    Last month we had a first look at Good Smile Company's model of Lucina from its figma line. The company has posted further shots of the popular Fire Emblem: Awakening character, showing off more of the figure's versatility. According to Good Smile Company's page, the Lucina figma is designed

  • Review My First Songs (3DS eShop)

    Just watch the world learn

    Not content with its current offerings on Wii U, Ringzero Game Studio decided that, despite system limitations, a 3DS outing of the My First Songs franchise should be made. To the developer's credit it holds up well despite the 3DS’ lower power, but it’s not quite the same game as it is on Wii U. For starters, the...

Saturday6th Dec 2014

Friday5th Dec 2014

Thursday4th Dec 2014

  • News Sonic Boom is Doing Pretty Well!

    As a cartoon

    So it's rather well known by now that Sonic Boom: The Rise of Lyric is largely busted (although we think its 3DS counterpart, Sonic Boom: Shattered Crystal, fares better). Even so, there may still be a silver lining when the word "Boom" is associated with "Sonic": the cartoon series that ties with the games seems to be picking up an...

  • Review Mighty Gunvolt (3DS eShop)

    Mighty good mini

    First appearing as a free download to those who purchased the exceptional Azure Striker Gunvolt on the 3DS eShop, Mighty Gunvolt is a run-and-gun platformer from the mind of Keiji Inafune and produced by Inti Creates. Aiming for an old-school vibe, it’s no surprise that this new title from one of gaming’s pioneers feels a lot...

Friday5th Dec 2014

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