News Masahiro Sakurai Admits That Super Smash Bros. for Wii U May Be His Last in the Series
Expects the franchise to continue
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
News Super Smash Bros. Players Encounter Wii U Error Code Problem
Can make both the game and system unplayable
News Nintendo Dismisses Rumours That The GameCube Controller Adapter Has Been Discontinued
"We are doing everything we possibly can to meet the demand"
News - December, 2014
Wednesday31st Dec 2014
Weirdness Diddy Kong amiibo With a Horror Mouth and Dual Wielding Pit Join Defective Ranks
Lacking a bit of bite
When amiibo launched in November it didn't take long for attention to be directed towards inevitable manufacturing errors. With millions of units sent out into the world mistakes are inevitable, and for a time silly amounts of money were being paid for 'rare' and defective amiibo; whether they were genuine bids or not, examples...
Review Shantae And The Pirate's Curse (Wii U eShop)
More like a blessing
While WayForward has been working away on the crowd-funded Shantae: Half-Genie Hero, which will be released on every platform under the sun, it hasn't forgotten its Nintendo roots. Shantae and the Pirate's Curse, the final game of the "original" series, wraps up the storyline started in the original Game Boy Color title and...
Talking Point Five New Year's Resolutions for Nintendo
We'll tak' a year o' blockbusters yet
2014 is drawing to a close, ending another year of fun, frustration, innovation and madness in the world of Nintendo. Once again the Kyoto company went its own way, which is a strength and weakness in any given circumstances. The 3DS continued to sell in highly respectable numbers, though may track below 2013,...
News Pixar Movie, Up, is Now Available for 3DS in Japan
Random but true
In the early days of the 3DS, Nintendo was keen to promote the portable as an all-round entertainment device; the Nintendo Video channel was relatively prominent with weekly updates, and in Europe there was even a Eurosport channel with regular videos. There were multiple issues with this approach - there wasn't enough content or app...
Feature Tales From The Frontline Of Game Boy Development
The Rise And Fall Of Crawfish Interactive
As the video game industry lurches from one generation to the next, the multitude of companies involved with producing software for the endless conveyor belt of platforms never remains static; just as studios are created to cater for the demands of new hardware, established firms are forced to close due to...
News No Protests Against this Holiday-themed Citizens of Earth Trailer
Like a good fruitcake, it's still sturdy past its date
The holidays are all but over and it's time to move on to 2015... but wait, what's that? Behind the desk, against the wall over there. Why don't you go check it out? Why, it's a new trailer for the upcoming RPG Citizens of Earth! It must've been sitting here since Christmas Eve but got lost in...
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
Guide How To Create A Custom Game Boy From Start To Finish
The glorious rebirth of a handheld gaming legend
In this unique one-off feature, esteemed Game Boy modder Joe Heaton — also known as Joeteach — takes us through an entire Game Boy custom job. Over the last couple of years, since getting hooked on the Game Boy modification scene and sharing my creations on Instagram, I have been asked a lot of...
More nods and winks about Nintendo's next console
Just recently we shared some translated quotes from a 4Gamer interview with Nintendo President Satoru Iwata, in which he talked about his programming days and his role in getting Super Smash Bros. Melee to market. That same thread on NeoGaf has been adding more translations, and the latest excerpts...
Nintendo Download 1st January (Europe)
Captain Toad, Fire Emblem, an F-Zero first and more
The timings of Nintendo's Download Updates have certainly been festive this year, with the next batch of download treats set to arrive on New Year's Day to give us a perfect start to 2015. The European update confirms the arrival of Captain Toad's starring début, in addition to some Game Boy...
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
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
News Satoru Iwata Chipped In To Make Sure Super Smash Bros. Melee Made It To Market On Time
"Aaah, I wonder if it's alright to admit this?"
Nintendo president Satoru Iwata wasn't always in charge of Nintendo -- once upon a time, he was a humble programmer sat at his keyboard with dreams of becoming the next Miyamoto. In a recent interview with 4Gamer, Iwata admits that before he moved into management he had aspirations of being the...
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
Poll Which is the Best Super Smash Bros. Game?
Five choices, endless debates
Following the announcement of our staff and reader awards results, we decided 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 vote for that IP. Th
News Iwata Saw Miyamoto As A Rival When He First Started Out
"That’s embarrassing to admit now"
Shigeru Miyamoto is arguably the world's most famous game designer, and not someone you'd want to set yourself against in a professional capacity. However, Nintendo president Satoru Iwata has admitted in a recently-translated interview with 4Gamer that when he was starting out in the industry, he decided to make...
Review Plenty of Fishies (Wii U eShop)
Plenty of fishies, not enough frames
There's a curious debate about resolution and framerate currently detonating across communities of "serious" gamers right now, one that this reviewer finds frankly ridiculous. There's no denying the higher aesthetic quality of games running at 1080p resolution and 60 frames per second — they look amazing —...
Video Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate's Palicoes Shown Off as Both Cute and Deadly
Felyne fine
In Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate felyne characters, the quirky walking cats, were NPCs that added some comic relief and minor assistance away from the complex web of crafting, combining and hunting. In the upcoming Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate, however, they take the place of miniature warriors - the Shakalaka - as your colleagues on the hunt,...
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
Review Duck Hunt (Wii U eShop / NES)
Old dog, same tricks
Despite Nintendo's refusal to acknowledge the Duck Hunt character in Super Smash Bros. until long after the 3DS version was released, we all knew that the duo – or trio – were in the game. What we didn't know at that time was that Duck Hunt was due to release on the Wii U's Virtual Console, and now it has. The question is...
Nintendo Download 25th December (North America)
Festive delights with Duck Hunt, Shantae, classic Mario and more!
It's Christmas Day, and there's also a Nintendo Download update to make the day even better. In the absence of an official press release we've pieced together details from Nintendo's official website, but be sure to jump on the eShop and see what else you can find. Missed the...
Guide The Hottest Boxing Day 2014 Deals for Wii U and 3DS
US and UK covered
It may seem mad to say this at the time of writing, Christmas Day, but the Boxing Day sales are already underway (particularly in the UK) and are being advertised by various retailers. Rather like the Black Friday shenanigans of late November, the traditional Boxing Day sales - previously New Year sales in days of yore - creep ever...
News Crunchyroll Arrives on Wii U as a Free App in North America
Over 25,000 episodes and 15,000 hours of content, apparently
While this 25th December has brought us festive Nintendo Download updates, and a host of treats and discounts around the world, North American Wii U owners have an extra treat - a free Crunchyroll app to access a lot of anime, manga and Asian dramas. That'll no doubt be music to the ears...
Review Shadow of the Ninja (3DS eShop / NES)
Gaming pleasure and pain, oh look it's ninjas again
There's a great moment early on in Shadow of the Ninja where an armoured trooper stands atop a ledge occasionally shooting at you. You can't simply wait for the firing to stop before attacking as the gun doubles as a shield against your slashing blade. As you contemplate jumping between bullets to...
Game of the Year Nintendo Life's Reader Awards 2014
Your favourites of the year
2014 is drawing to a close, and the festive spirit is no doubt getting plenty into the gaming mood. We've already revealed our Game of the Year Staff Awards, but now it's time to see which titles have most excited the Nintendo Life community over the past year. We opened voting for the Game of the Year Reader Awards on...
News Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays from Nintendo Life
Have a wonderful Holiday
It's that time again, as we celebrate Christmas Day and a Holiday season that provides ample opportunity to spend time with family and friends, or connect with and embrace friendly souls on the internet. However you're spending the day, everyone at Nintendo Life wishes you a fantastic day. It's been quite a year for...
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 to...
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...
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...
News Cancelled Game Boy Advance Title Is Back From The Dead A Decade After Its First Showing
Given away free as an added extra with new indie game
Back in 2003, developer Quantized Bit showed off Overstorm, an action platformer for the Game Boy Advance at a gaming convention. The title would not be seen again for more than a decade, as it was ultimately cancelled. However, the developer — which is still going strong and creating indie...
News Nintendo Of Europe's Satoru Shibata Delivers A Message Full Of Christmas Cheer
"I hope that some of those games will grab your heart"
As 2014 draws to a close and we all prepare to open presents, consume lots of food and generally chill out over the Christmas period, it's the perfect time for Nintendo of Europe boss Satoru Shibata to deliver his end-of-year message to the faithful. Shibata recaps on all of the amazing games...
News Nintendo Invests in New Lobbying Firm to Tackle Piracy of Intellectual Property
Japanese giant trying to change the minds of the US government
Nintendo has had a long history with piracy, perhaps more than many other companies in the same situation. Back in the days of the Nintendo 64 the company decided to use the cartridge system rather than the easily-copied disc formats that Sony opted for with its PlayStation console. Even...
Video Shovel Knight Is Digging Up The Tarmac In Road Redemption
"We're still working hard on porting to Mac, Linux, Wii U and others"
Bike combat game Road Redemption is getting an unexpected but totally welcome scoop of Shovel Knight action. Developer DarkSeas Games has just released an update to the PC version that allows you to step into the iconic blue armour of the garden tool-welding hero and hop onto a...
Feature A Year in Development - RCMADIAX
Michael Aschenbrenner on a landmark year and the Wii U eShop
In the fourth entry of this 2014 'Year in Development' series, we chat to Michael Aschenbrenner, the man behind Wii U eShop developer RCMADIAX. We chat over the developer's landmark achievement with the first Nintendo Web Framework game in the West — BLOK DROP U — his approach to...
Feature 12 Days of Nintendo Christmas - Day Twelve
On the twelfth day
In this completely silly run of bite-sized features, we've written a new version of '12 Days of Christmas' with a Nintendo twist that will, hopefully, be good enough to sing. Twelve Wiimotes Waggling: While this writer hates the word Wiimote with a passion — it's Wii Remote — it's a term used by many that also fits the song...
News Free Pokémon Alpha Sapphire & Omega Ruby Medley Added To Taiko: Drum Master For Wii U
Gotta drum 'em all
Those of you lucky enough to own a Japanese Wii U may have already picked up Bandai Namco's Taiko: Drum Master Extra Large Serving, the latest in a long line of drumming action titles. If you haven't, then the news that a special Pokémon Alpha Sapphire & Omega Ruby Challenge Medley has been added to the game might have you...
A battle of the giants
Over recent days Nintendo Minute has been hosting some Game of the Year videos in which hosts Kit and Krysta have picked their favourites from the year, and also taken us through a number of knockout rounds in which viewers vote for their overall winner. A 'Bonus' video has now looked at alternative awards and also revealed...
Feature Dreaming of a Nintendo Christmas - Liam Doolan
Liam shares his love of festive gaming
In the third part of a small series with contributions from multiple staff members, Liam Doolan explains why festive themes in games are the reason he can enjoy the holidays. I am a bit of a Grinch this time of year. The commotion of the holiday season always gets the better of me. I know it is a period where...
Monday22nd Dec 2014
Nintendo Download 25th December (Europe)
Duck Hunting, Kuru Kuru Kururining and lots more festive fun
Christmas is nearly upon us. What better way to celebrate than vegetate on the sofa after all the festivities and play some Nintendo games with your loved ones? There are lots of new goodies for you to download on this week, not least a Wii Remote-enabled Duck Hunt on the Wii U Virtual...
Weirdness The Pokémon Timeline Seems as Crazy as The Legend of Zelda's Equivalent
Three dimensional
Timelines can be rather controversial in any franchise, but when they're applied to one of Nintendo's more storied franchises they can lead to some feisty disagreements. The Legend of Zelda is the famous example, dividing fans to this day despite an official version being available in Hyrule Historia; when you take into account...
News GAME's Zelda: Majora's Mask Pre-Order Bonus Is Going To Go Down Well With Office Workers
Paperweight being given away free with the standard edition
UK store GAME has revealed an exclusive pre-order bonus for The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask 3D, and if you happen to work around a lot of paper, then you're going to be very pleased indeed. Supplied free of charge with the standard version of the game — not the Special Edition, sadly...
Review DK: King of Swing (Wii U eShop / GBA)
Shouldering the effort
Between 1999's Donkey Kong 64 and 2010's Donkey Kong Country Returns, Nintendo's great ape served a cool-off period of sorts when it came to straight-up platforming adventures. He had no huge releases to his name, but that didn't mean he was on the backburner entirely. The 2000s were a time to utilise Donkey Kong as a...
Feature A Year in Development - Renegade Kid
Jools Watsham on a mixed 2014 and big plans for 2015
In the third entry of this 2014 'Year in Development' series, we chat to Renegade Kid's Jools Watsham on a challenging 2014, the realities of being a small Indie studio and promising plans for 2015, including early year arrivals to complete the Moon Chronicles first season. First of all, can...
Video New One Piece: Super Grand Battle! X Trailer Shows Off Its amiibo Costumes
Toys to strife
Bandai Namco's forthcoming 3DS fighter One Piece: Super Grand Battle! X is shaping up very nicely indeed, with visuals that challenge the likes of Super Smash Bros. when it comes to the "How the hell are they making the 3DS do that?" stakes. However, another reason to be interested in this title is the fact that like Bandai Namco...
Video Learn About the Nintendo 64 in Stop-Motion Style
Seven fascinating facts
It's the season for being a little lazy, which can certainly include sitting around watching a lot of films, TV shows and online videos. For Nintendo fans, it's not hard to find enjoyable snapshots of entertainment to chill out with. Case in point is this short effort from hugely popular YouTube channel Vsauce3, which covers...
Video Watch How Sonic CD Made A Family's Christmas Back In 1993
Toot Toot Sonic Warrior!
As you may be aware, Sega fanboy and occasional Nintendo Life video contributor Tyler Esposito runs The Sega Channel, one of YouTube's best sources of original Sega video content. He has shared many videos taken during his youth, including this heart-warming clip of him and his late father extolling the vir
News Atlus Releases New Teaser, Box Art and Pre-Order Bonus Details for Etrian Mystery Dungeon
Crazy enough to work
Atlus has certainly been on form recently, releasing quality titles for the 3DS and confirming more for 2015. One of these upcoming titles is Etrian Mystery Dungeon, a crossover of Etrian Odyssey's RPG party features and Mystery Dungeon's randomly generated areas. The publisher and developer has released some fresh details...
News Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor 2 Record Breaker Cover Art and Soundtrack CD Bonus Confirmed
Includes a special arrangement from Shoji Meguro
Earlier today Atlus released cover art and pre-order CD details for Etrian Mystery Dungeon. The publisher is now aiming to build pre-order hype for the recently announced Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor 2 Record Breaker, too. Due as
News Intriguing Adventure Puzzle Title, Underground, Heading to Wii U on 8th January
European release confirmed, North America still in progress
The Wii U, like its predecessor, has been the source of some intriguing and innovative software, and Underground from Dutch developer Grendel Games may join the list. It's software that has been developed "to help surgeons train their laparoscopic surgery motor skills" through controlling...
News Bravely Default DLC Set to Play a Festive Tune in Theatrhythm Final Fantasy: Curtain Call
12 tracks in total due on 24th December
While Theatrhythm Final Fantasy: Curtain Call is an expanded and remixed version of its predecessor, it is nevertheless — arguably — one of the year's finest retail releases on the 3DS; we were certainly fans in our review. DLC is a pretty important part of the package beyond the extensive catalogue that's...
Video This Theatrhythm Dragon Quest Trailer Proves The Fantasy Isn't Final
Move over, Cloud Strife
After two critically and commercially successful outings based on the Final Fantasy series, Square Enix's Theatrhythm franchise is being expanded to include Dragon Quest — the company's other million-selling RPG brand. A new trailer has just been released in Japan which shows off footage from Theatrhythm Dragon Quest —...
Feature 12 Days of Nintendo Christmas - Day Eleven
On the eleventh 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. Eleven Warp Pipes Warping: After our day ten entry was about as popular as a Falcon Punch to the face, we're going with a rather safe choice this...
Sunday21st Dec 2014
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...
News Toys "R" Us Provides a Fresh Update on Cancelled amiibo Pre-Orders
Solution due "within the week"
Update: Toys "R" Us has been in touch with some clarification on the process for those looking to revive their cancelled amiibo pre-orders. It's been confirmed that those that paid with credit cards will have pre-orders re-instated, though others will need to follow an alternative process. As outlined below, we can...
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
Rumour Toys "R" Us Cancelling amiibo Orders, Including Exclusive Lucario Figure
Update: Toys "R" Us has not cancelled orders
Update: After concerns that pre-orders for amiibo due next year, including retailer exclusive Lucario, were being cancelled by Toys "R" Us in the US, the company has issued a statement to Joystiq to clarify that it was a "technical issue": We apologize for any inconvenience that may have been caused...
News Discontinued amiibo Figures Could Be Released In Card Form, Says Miyamoto
"We're looking at how we can use the amiibo functionality in the future"
Nintendo's take on the "toys to life" concept, amiibo, has been a resounding success, with the company almost unable to keep up with the incredible demand for these interactive lumps of NFC-enabled plastic. However, there's been a lot of confusion regarding which figures are...
News Miyamoto: We Are Working On Ideas For The Next Nintendo System
"Nintendo as a whole has groups working on ideas for new hardware systems"
2015 is going to be a pivotal year for the Wii U, with new Zelda and Star Fox titles on the way. Nintendo's Shigeru Miyamoto has been speaking about the company's plans for the next 12 months, but has also provided a timely reminder that like any other hardware firm, Nintendo...
News Miyamoto Talks Up Star Fox Wii U's "Fun And Unique" Dual-Screen Control Mechanics
"The story might not be too different from past Star Fox games"
Star Fox will be blasting its way to the Wii U next year, offering fans of the series another chance to hop into the iconic Arwing and perform barrel rolls aplenty. However, those expecting the game to feature a radically different storyline to what has gone before may be a little...
News The World's Oldest Video Game Media Brand Is Being Killed Off After 33 Years
CVG name to disappear
Future Publishing has confirmed that the CVG brand is to be killed off, marking the end of more than three decades of video game coverage. Computer & Video Games — CVG for short — began life back in 1981, covering the burgeoning UK home computer market. The magazine at this time was printed on black and white paper and...
Video SEGA's 3D Classics Collection Now Available In Japan, Looks Delightful
Includes an array of retro experiences
While 3DS owners in the West are still anticipating the release of the second batch of SEGA 3D Classics on the eShop in 2015, Japan is already being treated to a boxed collection of the series, including 6 of the 12 games currently ported, enhanced and released by developer M2. Announced in September as Sega...
News Eternal Darkness Trademark Renewal Increases Hope of Franchise Return
"Product or service research or development" is an "ongoing effort"
Some of you may have heard this before — Nintendo has renewed a trademark application for Eternity Darkness, the highly regarded GameCube title that pushed boundaries and provided a unique experience on the console. The latest renewal, the second of this particular record, has...
Feature Dreaming of a Nintendo Christmas - Tom Whitehead
Tom Whitehead talks about the importance of gaming in his Holiday break
In the first part of a small series with contributions from multiple staff members, Tom Whitehead explains why Nintendo — and gaming as a whole — are such a big part of his Holidays. Given the choice, I typically opt for single player games. While I enjoy a variety of...
Video Nintendo Shows Off 2014's 'Fan Faves'
Nintendo Minute's hosts show off their Wii U choices, too
'Tis the season for contemplating the year, and Nintendo is joining in with its own videos to remind us that — above all else — 2014 brought us a lot of fantastic games. The most recent video from today is a sizzle reel showing off 'fan faves' of 2014, based on over 600,000 pieces of...
News Hollow Knight Hits Stretch Goal to Confirm Wii U eShop Release
O Hollow Knight, divine?
Hollow Knight was a Kickstarter campaign that we reported on earlier in December, and though we teased it for the obvious inspiration from Shovel Knight, we were nevertheless intrigued. While the character name and a couple of moves are similar to the excellent Yacht Club Games title, it'
Feature 12 Days of Nintendo Christmas - Day Eight
On the eighth 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. Eight Malons Milking: The original line is "eight maids-a-milking", so our minds immediately turned to Lon Lon Milk and Malon, who plays a...
Thursday18th Dec 2014
Nintendo Download 18th December (North America)
Mega Man treats, 99Moves, Meme Run, discounts galore and more
It's time for the final Nintendo Download Update before Christmas Day, and it's a meaty line-up in North America. We have a host of new downloads on both the Wii U and 3DS, two retro offerings on the home console and a whole load of tempting discounts. There's lots to see, so let's get to...
News North American Release Date Confirmed for Duck Hunt on the Wii U Virtual Console
Dust off that Wii Zapper
Nintendo has officially announced that Duck Hunt will be arriving on the Wii U eShop in North America on 25th December 2014. We've known that the title was coming to the West ever since it was revealed alongside the Duck Hunt character present in Super Smash Bros. for Wii U and Nintendo 3DS, but until now we only knew the...
News UK Retailer GAME Is Selling Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker This Side Of Christmas
Blowing their Toad early, physical stores to have stock on Monday
UPDATE #2: It would seem that copies have arrived today: UPDATE: We've since heard from another source that GAME is indeed shipping online orders for Captain Toad today, and that their high street stores will have stock for sale from Monday. ORIGINAL STORY: While lucky North...
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...
Matters Of Import Collectible Badge Centre Brings A Personal Touch To 3DS Customisation
Gotta catch 'em all, quite literally
Nintendo is in something of a quandary at the moment. Their handheld business is obviously doing very well, but at the same time the company can’t help but glance over at the millions made from cheap smartphone apps and their "free" alternatives and long for a slice of that lucrative revenue stream. So, with...
Parent Trap The Eyes Have It, Why amiibo Detail Matters
Family Gamer's Andy Robertson on why amiibo is such a hit in his house
Spending an afternoon unboxing Wave 2 amiibo figures got my boys more than a little excited, but along with the frenzied Christmas joy they quickly latched on to just how detailed these toys are. We first caught up with Wave 1 amiibos Yoshi, Donkey Kong and Peach before getting...
News HORI's GameCube-Inspired Pikachu Controller Arriving Stateside
Yellow belly
The recently announced Pikachu variation of HORI's GameCube-like series of controllers will join its Mario and Luigi counterparts on 2nd March 2015 in the US. The controller is priced at $27.99 on Amazon, but given the popularity of the other two controllers in the range, it's highly likely that stock will run out fast unless Nintendo...
Matters Of Import Final Fantasy Explorers Fights For Capcom's Crown
The Diet Coke of Monster Hunter
We’ve finally got around to try out the "Lite" version of Square Enix’s new team-based action RPG Final Fantasy Explorers; a playable taste of the early stages that allows adventurers to transfer certain parts of their save to the real thing when it releases in Japan today. Anyone who’s played Monster Hunter or...
News UK Retail Survey Highlights the Challenges Facing Nintendo
MCV report shows the diminishing UK value of Wii U and 3DS in 2014
As we enter the final few major shopping days before Christmas, we're certainly curious as to whether this festive period will deliver the sales success that Nintendo craves. The picture appears to be relatively positive in the US, with November showing strong software sales and an...
Review Lode Runner (Wii U eShop / NES)
Not quite endless runner
Broderbund's Lode Runner is a challenging puzzler that, unfortunately, hasn't aged particularly gracefully. Originally released in 1983 on computers like the Apple II and the Commodore 64, Lode Runner feels dated, even for an NES game. It's easy to see the reason Lode Runner was released on so many different platforms over...
News European Version Of Super Retro Trio Boasts Improved Compatibility With PAL Games
Available now from leading retailers
At the start of the year we reviewed the Retro-Bit Super Retro Trio, a remarkable machine which plays a wide range of retro formats. During our initial review, we spotted a few minor compatibility problems with PAL games — Super Mario Kart on the SNES in particular, which played fine but suffered from...
News Snazzy Golf Balls Added to Club Nintendo in PAL Regions
Save 'em for summer
Nintendo of Europe and Nintendo Australia / New Zealand have had a reasonable recent record of adding neat products to Club Nintendo, and it's now swung into action with a rather attractive golf ball set. It's not exactly golfing season in Europe — far from it — but it's summertime Down Under; in either case it's a tempting...
News Shin'en Multimedia Wii U and 3DS eShop Discounts Arrive Today
Nano Assault! Art of Balance! Jett Rocket II!
We may have already had this week's Nintendo Download Update details for Europe, but a few more surprise discounts will arrive as the stores freshen up today (18th December). While one Shin'en Multimedia game was listed in the 3DS eShop discounts initially, it's now been confirmed that a total of six...
News Latest Steel Diver: Sub Wars Update Takes Community Feedback Onboard
Fixes based on player advice
Following the release of version 4.0 earlier this month, Nintendo has updated its unconventional but addictive multiplayer shooter, Steel Diver: Sub Wars, to version 4.1. The latest update reverts changes made to submarine diving and surfacing angles to an earlier state, after feedback from the community’s player...
News Giana Sisters: Twisted Dreams GamePad Sound Patch Hitting North America In January
There's a chance the game will get Dream Rush local multiplayer, too
Giana Sisters: Twisted Dreams launched on Wii U with a bug which prevented sound from being outputted from the GamePad's speaker, and while this was fixed in the European edition of the game, North American players are still waiting for the fix. We recently approached Black Forest...
Feature 12 Days of Nintendo Christmas - Day Seven
On the seventh 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. Seven Cheep Cheeps Swimming: The original line is "seven swans-a-swimming", so the villainous fish from the Super Mario series seemed like a...
Wednesday17th Dec 2014
Review LEGO Batman 3: Beyond Gotham (Wii U)
Bricks, Bats and Beyond
With a steady schedule of semi-annual releases, dependably decent (and sometimes downright excellent) gameplay, and an ever-expanding stable of licenses, LEGO games are fast becoming the comfort food of family-friendly gaming. The Wii U alone has seen a half a dozen of the titles in the two years since its launch, and the...
Talking Point Super Smash Bros. and amiibo Have Enjoyed Success, But Nintendo Could Have Done More
Communication, stock and implementation could have been better
For Nintendo fans and Wii U owners, we feel that the last few months have been a terrific period — there's been excitement and buzz around 2015 games and, more importantly, a selection of high quality and hugely enjoyable games that are in stores now. There's been a perceivable shift...
Video Shigeru Miyamoto Outlines Online Sharing and Rankings for Mario Maker Creations
Also discusses The Legend of Zelda Wii U, Star Fox and more
Earlier this week we shared a video in which Shigeru Miyamoto and Bill Trinen appeared with YouTube celeb Rosanna Pansino, in a charming interview focused on making cute cakes and promoting family-centric Nintendo games. In another video Miyamoto-san and Bill Trinen have conducted an...
"Overall, a Nintendo is a relatively safe Christmas present"
It may seem cute to us, but there's still a world where Nintendo's consoles are just "a Nintendo" and the Wii is a hot Christmas gift that will bring danger and injuries to festive living rooms. Yes, it's that time again, British tabloids are asking "is a Nintendo a safe Christmas...
News Mega Man Zero Arrives Along With More Discounts on the Wii U eShop
Another spin-off arrives for the current generation
While the arrival of Game Boy Advance games on the Wii U Virtual Console — as opposed to the 3DS equivalent — caused head scratching earlier this year, the undeniable positive is the release of a host of high quality titles on the system. We can now add another Capcom spin-off to that list,...
News Please Sega, All We Want For Christmas Are These Amazing New 3DS Themes In The West
Variants on a theme
Ever since Nintendo introduced 3DS themes with a recent system update, we've seen a steady stream of cool backgrounds on our beloved handhelds. However, as if often the case, our Japanese friends are getting a superior offerings. There are already plenty of amazing themes available in that part of the world, and Sega has just...
News Fan Takes amiibo on Lighthearted Journey to their Homeland
A Christmas endeavour
Nintendo's got its audience over a barrel with its range of amiibo toys, and it seems that their charms have taken over certain fans' hearts, however most people don't take this appreciation to the lengths that one fan has. A Facebook page has recently appear that documents the adventures of Pikachu, Fox, and Mario in their...
Review S.C.A.T.: Special Cybernetic Attack Team (3DS eShop / NES)
Invading aliens, a fight for survival and all that jazz
It is the year 2029 and aliens are attacking the earth. Have they observed mankind’s violent nature and opted for a pre-emptive strike to protect themselves? Or do they just dislike the way the people of S.C.A.T.: Special Cybernetic Attack Team have taken to painting their buildings a shade...
X & Y also become the highest selling Pokémon games locally
The impressive sales figures for Pokémon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire continue, with Nintendo Australia today announcing the latest entries in the long-running franchise experienced the biggest ever launch for a Nintendo title within Australia and New Zealand. With combined sales...
News Donkey Kong Land Rated And Ready For North American 3DS Virtual Console Release
Monkey business
After a successful 3DS Virtual Console début in both Japan and Europe earlier this year, the 1995 Game Boy title Donkey Kong Land is finally on its way to North America. Evidence of the anticipated re-release has appeared via the ESRB. Released a year after the success of the Super Nintendo original, Donkey Kong Land has the Kongs...
News Contra Advance Is Locked And Loaded For A Wii U Virtual Console Sortie
Handheld Hard Corps
Konami's Contra Advance: The Alien Wars EX has been rated by the Australian Classification Board and should arrive on the Wii U in the near future as a Virtual Console download. This is a loose port of the SNES classic Contra III: The Alien Wars and originally hit the Game Boy Advance in 2002. In Japan, it was known as Contra:...
News Yo-Kai Watch: Shin'uchi Storms to Japanese Chart Summit as 3DS and Wii U Sales Increase
Reports of Level-5 executives rolling in bundles of cash are unconfirmed
Yo-Kai Watch is a phenomenon in Japan — we're still waiting for it to come to the West — and has once again achieved truly impressive sales at launch, while Nintendo can enjoy some strong hardware sales in this week's Media Create Charts. Kicking off with the software top...
News Shantae And The Pirate's Curse All Set For Festive Wii U Release in North America
A virtual stocking filler
Shantae And The Pirate's Curse arrived on 3DS in North America in late October, though it's been delayed into 2015 in Europe. That delay announcement also indicated that the Wii U version will hit the EU alongside the portable original, but gamers in North America will have that HD option a little sooner.
News Activision Expands Skylanders Line-Up With New Elements
Can the original "toys to life" fight off the challenge of amiibo?
With amiibo figurines and Disney Infinity hot on its tail, Activison broke with tradition today and announced new Elements for Skylanders — the first since the original eight the game launched with in 2011. The new Light and Dark element groupings bring with them new characters,...
News Koji Kondo Discusses Music Creation for Iconic Mario and Legend of Zelda Games
The man behind your musical childhood speaks
For those of you who don't know, Koji Kondo is the man behind some of the most iconic tracks in the Super Mario and The Legend of Zelda series soundtracks. The catchy and beautiful music he produced in these games during the late '80s and all throughout the '90s has remained with many throughout their...
News Nintendo UK Store Offering Free Calendar With Orders Over £30
Choose between Mario or Zelda
It seems like almost every week we report on a freebie or bonus being offered up by the Nintendo UK store, and it certainly hasn't disappointed this time. With 2015 only a few short weeks away, Nintendo UK has taken the opportunity to provide shoppers with the chance to bag a free Calendar for the coming year. Claiming...
Feature 12 Days of Nintendo Christmas - Day Six
On the sixth 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. Six Yoshis Laying: With the original line being 'six Geese-a-Laying', we thought that Mario's favourite side-kick — apart from Luigi — was the...
News Black Forest Games Confirms New Giana Sisters Title
"Expect a new Giana early 2016"
Adrian Goersch of Black Forest Games revealed in an interview with Red Bull that a new game in the Giana Sisters series should be expected in early 2016. With an HD Director's Cut of Giana Sisters: Twisted Dreams arriving on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One – but sadly not Wii U – in the near future, Goersch explains...
Tuesday16th Dec 2014
Weirdness Sony Uses Art From Super Smash Bros. To Celebrate 20 Years Of PlayStation
Not so Mega, man
The PlayStation brand turns 20 this year, and Sony has plenty of reasons to be cheerful. It has gone from being an industry outsider to a major player in two decades, and has proven to be a worthy rival to the likes of Nintendo, Sega and Microsoft. However, it would appear that one of the graphic artists working on Sony's European...
Review Big Hero 6 Battle in the Bay (3DS)
From hero to zero
Let’s not talk about video games that are tied-in to major motion picture releases. Let’s not talk about the stigma that comes attached to video game tie-ins that implies they’re all terrible. Let’s not talk about the assumptions we make about video game tie-ins before we play them or before they’re even released...
News One Of The Most Successful Nintendo Games Of 2014 Isn't What You'd Expect
It's on the Nintendo DS, for a start
Disney's Frozen is officially the most commercially successful animated movie of all time and has spawned a merchandising juggernaut which shows absolutely no signs of slowing, even a year after its initial cinema release. The DVD and soundtrack are best-sellers, with the signature tune — Let It Go — clogging...
News Platinum Games’ Producer Thanks Wii U Owners Who Bought Bayonetta 2 on Release
Relieved by the warm reception
Despite an underwhelming sales performance on release, Platinum Games’ Bayonetta 2 was still a critically acclaimed and highly anticipated angel & demon hunting experience. With the dust now settled, the producer of Bayonetta 2 – Akiko Kuroda – has recently spoken out via Platinum’s website about the...
News Sharp Gearing Up to Supply 'Free-Form' LCD Screen Technology for Future Nintendo Hardware
Production said to be planned for early 2016
While solid and reliable information on Nintendo's future hardware plans can be tough to come by, some interesting news is being reported in Japan on a partnership that's close to confirmation between Nintendo and technology company Sharp. Sources are reporting that the two companies are near to...
News Hidden Palutena's Guidance Audio Discovered in Super Smash Bros. for Wii U
Likely a placeholder for any DLC characters
Determined fans are always looking to uncover hidden information in video games, and Super Smash Bros. for Wii U is no exception. One of the secret features in the game is Palutena's Guidance, which can be activated in Palutena's Temple as Pit by using his down taunt for a fraction of a second. Palatine...
Review Pokémon Pinball: Ruby & Sapphire (Wii U eShop / GBA)
Not just a load of balls
Following on from the highly enjoyable Pokémon Pinball on the original Game Boy and Game Boy Color, Nintendo released a successor to coincide with the release of Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire. Now, with Pokémon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire firmly secured by many a 3DS owner, Pokémon Pinball: Ruby & Sapphire
Feature Time to Vote For Your Game of the Year Awards 2014
Plenty of categories for the Reader Awards
As 2014 comes to its end there's the inevitable tradition to enjoy — annual awards. As is becoming our norm we'll have staff awards, votes of which will be counted shortly, while also giving you the chance to contribute to the Reader Awards. If you gaze upon the eventual staff awards results and believe...
News GAME Selling Super Smash Bros. for Wii U Console Bundle for £159.99, Today Only
Or grab the game alone for £29.99
The Wii U's price point is becoming more and more tempting for those who've yet to pick one up, and UK retailer GAME have dropped the price of Super Smash Bros. for Wii U — as well as a bundle that includes the game and a basic 8GB console — to try and convert some fence-sitters. If you've yet to pick up the...
News Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate Gets Devil May Cry and Street Fighter Crossover Costumes
Will it ever end?
To add to the wealth of crossovers with other titles, Capcom has revealed that Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate will have costumes for the Felynes inspired by Street Fighter II and Devil May Cry. If you've ever wanted to see what Chun-Li, Dante, or Blanka look like as cats without trudging certain corners of the internet, you'll be able...
YouTube celeb Rosanna Pansino is understandably starstruck
If you're a YouTube fan that enjoys rather friendly and accessible baking videos, there's a pretty good chance that you know about Rosanna Pansino — she has nearly three million subscribers and we previously covered a Cooking Mama 5 video of hers. Pansino has now posted a Nintendo-themed...
News Splatoon "Research Lab" Posts Now Have an Official English Tumblr Page
Keep up with the developer's latest updates
As eager followers of Splatoon likely already know, the development team in Japan have been posting regular tweets showing off features of the colourful shooter; we posted a second summary not so long ago. So far we've been reliant on unofficial translations, but Nintendo has now stepped in to provide an...
Review My Life on a Farm 3D (3DS eShop)
E - I - E - I - NO
My Life on a Farm 3D is standing proof that you can take a poor game concept and, with the proper lack of care and ingenuity, rework it into something that is just as poor as — if not potentially worse than — its source. Life on the farm feels a lot like life in a previous TREVA title, Me & My Pets 3D. This is because the...
News RCMADIAX Confirms Two Wii U eShop Releases This Week
One crossover, one simple multiplayer game
RCMADIAX has been an active developer on the Wii U eShop this year, being the first to publish a Nintendo Web Framework title in the West with BLOK DROP U, before following up with more budget titles in North America. The focus throughout 2014 has been on low-priced releases and collaborations, which will...
Feature 12 Days of Nintendo Christmas - Day Five
On the fifth 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. FIVE SONIC RINGS: The easiest line to shortlist, though there was tough competition from the rather obvious but equally worthy Five Golden Coins...
News Game Boy Advance Shooter Pocky & Rocky With Becky Gets Rated Down Under
Rocking up for a PAL release soon
A rating for the 2002 Game Boy Advance title Pocky & Rocky with Becky has appeared on the Australian Classification Board site. A sequel to Taito's Kiki Kaikai — which made its début in arcades back in 1986 — Pocky & Rocky with Becky follows in the footsteps of previously localised titles Pocky &...
Monday15th Dec 2014
News Professional Super Smash Bros. Melee Player Talks Smash 4
Who are this generation's top tier characters?
With Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U being available for quite some time now, one can only imagine the efforts that the competitive scene's partakers will go through to become the very best at Nintendo's latest beat-em-up. It is well-documented that certain characters have received overdue...
Stock issues have been ongoing since launch
Since late November there have been a few key products that Nintendo has used to drive sales of the Wii U, all related to Super Smash Bros. for Wii U. The main product has been the amiibo range, now into its second wave, while alongside that there's been the GameCube Controller Adapter and a related...
Review Adventure Time: The Secret of the Nameless Kingdom (3DS)
"I love you everything burrito"
Despite the universal praise for the main cartoon, Adventure Time hasn’t been able to truly gain the love of the public in the gaming vein. Its first stab on a Nintendo system was the snappily-titled Adventure Time: Hey Ice King! Why’d You Steal Our Garbage?! and played very similarly to Zelda 2: The Adventure of...
News Sorry to Disappoint, But That 'New' GamePad Mario Kart 8 Commercial is Pretty Old
Just wonky effects, we'd wager
Over the past weekend we saw some chatter around a potential 'new' GamePad in a Mario Kart 8 commercial posted on the Japanese YouTube account; we clicked on over and were disappointed. The focus was on a GamePad shot that showed a controller that appeared thinner but blurry, but we realised this was actually a retread...
News Best Buy and Walmart Pitch In With Festive Wii U and 3DS Deals
Joining Target with late offers
We're now in the final full shopping week before Christmas, and the last batch of retail discounts are starting to do the rounds in the US. As we reported last week Target is offering a host of deals including an excellent price of $249.99 for the Super Mario 3D World Wii U bundle; that is now, tellingly,
News December's Club Nintendo Rewards Aim to Bring Festive Cheer
Super Mario Kart! Kid Icarus! Kirby! More!
It's now time for the final North American Club Nintendo rewards update of 2014, with the December offerings taking us well into 2015 and giving keen coin collectors their last chance to splash the virtual cash before Christmas. This batch has the now-standard eight games, with four across Wii U and Wii...
Nintendo Download 18th December (Europe)
99Moves, retro fighting, 3DS battles, puzzling sums and more
It's the final download update before a Christmas Day line-up, and it may be best to consider it a calm before a storm. There are some relatively promising new downloads on both Wii U and 3DS, along with discounts and demos, so there may be some games to part you from some cash before the...
Video We Go Hands On With Some 2nd Wave amiibo Figures
Tiny Falcon Punches
The world is going amiibo-mad at the moment, and in this wave of hysteria, some retailers are releasing the 2nd wave of figurines a week earlier than originally planned here in the UK. We picked up three of the new wave and because we're so nice, we've made this little video to show you what we think of them. You're welcome...
Video Today's Teens Simply Cannot Handle The Insane Challenge Of Mega Man
"EVERYTHING is hitting me!"
As seasoned gaming fans we all wonder exactly why Capcom is ignoring its legendary Mega Man franchise, but the latest video in the React series points to a possible answer: the games are just too damn hard for modern players. The video places a NES controller into the hands of a group of teens and points them in the...
News Renegade Kid Is Bringing Survival Horror Title Dementium To The Nintendo 3DS
eShop release coming next year, Dementium II and III could follow
Renegade Kid’s Jools Watsham revealed not so long ago that his company had regained control of the Dementium brand, and that he had plans for the series moving forward. Speaking to Twitch channel Vinesauce, Watsham has now delivered more details on the proposed revival of the...
News Nintendo Titles Struggle to Make an Impact in Official UK Charts
eShop sales not accounted for, however
With the festive break right around the corner there'll be plenty of gamers hoping for some virtual delights, and there's likely to be a positive run of game sales around the world. The weekly UK charts, however, show a disappointing trend of Nintendo's exclusives struggling in the face of multi-platform...
Re-telling Greek legends on the Wii U eShop
Aurelien Regard isn't perhaps a name which will be instantly familiar with gamers. While fellow countrymen like Éric Chahi and Michel Ancel attract plenty of attention thanks to their famous titles, Regard has been dutifully plugging away in the shadows. Formerly of the now-defunct French studio Arkedo...
Video Ace Combat: Assault Horizon Legacy Plus Shows Off Its amiibo Fighters
New trailer shows off Nintendo-themed liveries
Bandai Namco has released a trailer for its forthcoming update of the 3DS title Ace Combat: Assault Horizon Legacy. Going by the name Ace Combat 3D: Cross Rumble Plus in Japan, the title is one of the first 3DS releases to include support for the newly-released amiibo range of interactive toys. Tapping...
News Plenty of Fishies Swimming onto Wii U this Week
Finding Wiimo
Nitrolic is releasing a brand new title known as Plenty of Fishies to the Wii U eShop in the US. You control a fish – as you might imagine – and have to take on various challenges in order to get the highest score amongst your friends. The game features a number of different gameplay modes in both single player and multiplayer...
Feature 12 Days of Nintendo Christmas - Day Four
On the fourth 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. Four Calling Chatots: There were a few candidates for an equivalent to "four calling birds", and this was suggested by Samuel-Flutter in the...
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
News Rosalina & Luma amiibo Exclusive to Target in US, as More Peculiar Defects Are Shown Off Online
Marth has double the power as he dual wields
While the early 2015 amiibo figures will be available — or not if the stock situation remains messy — at all major retailers in Europe, there have been some exclusivity deals arranged in the US. To date Lucario has been confirmed for Toys "R" Us, Shulk for GameStop and Meta Knight for Best Buy. It...
Video What if... Smash Bros. Had Announcers From Other Fighting Games?
Flawless Victory!
We still haven't got enough of Smash Bros. yet, but playing the game relentlessly day after day has had us hankering for revisiting old fighting games. Then, a crazy thought entered our brains — what if the cheesy Smash Bros. announcer was replaced with those of other famous brawlers? The result of this incredibly strange train...
Review GetClose: A Game for RIVALS (Wii U eShop)
Cheek to cheek
If you're wondering how Wombat Source came up with the title for GetClose: A Game for RIVALS, just imagine the proximity of two people who must hold opposite sides of a Wii U GamePad in order to control their respective characters on the TV screen. Not clear enough? What about two people on either side of a Wii U Pro Controller? Now...
Feature 12 Days of Nintendo Christmas - Day Two
On the second 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. Two Koopa Troopas: The original line is "two turtle doves", so we've made liberal use of the fact that Koopa Troopa is clearly based on a turtle...
Friday12th Dec 2014
Video The Top Ten Worst Designed Pokémon Ever
Gotta retch 'em all!
Not all Pokémon are created equal. Some of them are powerful, some of them are weak. Some of them are awesome to look at, and others are comparable to a pile of mouse droppings, and the latter are what we have for your viewing pleasure today. It should be noted that we aren't suggesting that any of the monsters listed in the...
News Sony Pictures Is In Negotiations With Nintendo To Make A Super Mario Movie
Leaked emails suggest the deal is close to being complete
It may be a cult classic but the 1993 Super Mario Bros. movie was a critical and commercial bomb. Despite the fairly obvious lesson that the Mushroom Kingdom and Hollywood don't mix, it would appear that the movie industry's memory is a short one; Sony Pictures is apparently very close to...
News 3DS System Update 9.4.0-21 Brings a Whole New Level of Stability
Can you handle the stability?
Just days ago 3DS System Update 9.3.0-21 introduced an option to shuffle HOME Themes and, of course, promised an improved user experience and additional stability. It also transpired that it put the squeeze on the NINJHAX Homebrew exploit, preventing those that use the channel from updating without losing access to the...
First Impressions Bravely Second's Demo Comes Out Fighting
Watch the first 30 minutes right here
About a year ago we gave the original Bravely Default a whopping 9/10 in our review, so it was with some excitement that we battled through numerous eShop error messages for hours on end, desperate to get our grubby mitts on the Japanese Bravely Second demo that released recently. So how does Bravely Second...
News Super Smash Bros. Grabs Third Place in NPD Charts as Wii U Secures Its Best Week Since Launch
Pokémon ORAS catch 5th and 7th place, amiibo sales match up to Smash Wii U
It's that time again, with November NPD results — which cover US physical retail sales — being released; they cover the vital Black Friday week sales, in particular. For Nintendo the focus was on major releases on both Wii U and 3DS, both of which performed rather well,...
News Developer of Retro City Rampage Explains, Again, Why a Wii U Release Won’t Be Happening
“You can already purchase and play the WiiWare version”
If you were still hoping to see the eventual release of Retro City Rampage on the Wii U eShop in the near future, it’s probably best you erase any thought of it from your mind now. In a post on the game's official website, Vblank Entertainment's Brian Provinciano has spoken out once...
News 3DS Brawler One Piece: Super Grand Battle! X Is Getting amiibo Support
Unlocks new costumes for the fighters
It has been revealed that Namco Bandai is bringing amiibo support to its 3DS title One Piece: Super Grand Battle! X. This is the second Namco Bandai title to showcase connectivity with Nintendo's new "toys to life" range, with Ace Combat: Assault Horizon Legacy Plus already confirmed. The scan shown below —...
Review Shiny The Firefly (Wii U eShop)
Glow or no?
In this reviewer’s opinion, any game that claims ‘funny faces’ as being a unique selling point in its advertising should be handled with caution, so without further ado let’s plunge into the realms of Shiny the Firefly. You control Shiny, the titular firefly in an effort to save its tiny firefly children that were scared by a...
Feature 12 Days of Nintendo Christmas - Day One
On the first 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. A big chair in a Pear Tree: When there's a line with 'tree' in it, Animal Crossing is the only way to go. In the bizarre AC economy your daily...
Review Christmas Wonderland 4 (3DS eShop)
Straight on the naughty list
Shovelware is as much a part of Christmas as roasted livestock and silly jumpers, particularly for children whose parents don’t know any better, and it seems that Microvalue isn't happy with ending its Christmas Wonderland series as a trilogy. Christmas Wonderland 4 is a point and click game that has you looking at a...
Video Nintendo Minute Debates Its 3DS Game of the Year
The "Super Sixteen Showdown" also continues
It's the time of year for lists, lots of lists — our Game of the Year awards will come in the Christmas to New Year week, with community voting opening soon — and Nintendo Minute is currently working through its own 'best of' lists for 2014. The presenting duo are going through each platform (including...
Entertainment boffin Evan Cholfin Overseeing adaptations
Following the news that Sony Pictures and Nintendo are apparently close to signing a deal to make a new Super Mario movie, it has been revealed that Sega is also looking to exploit its portfolio of famous gaming properties in the field of film and television. As reported by Variety, media
Thursday11th Dec 2014
So much Pokémon
It's not easy catching all Pokémon, even if you want to be the very best. Pokémon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire has a sizeable world, of course, so finding all of the 'mon is as big a challenge as successfully nabbing them upon discovery. For any of you struggling to locate every Pokémon there's a particularly handy map that's...
Drift compatible
Renegade Kid has pretty much lost its element of surprise. When a developer consistently releases interesting games that are made well with attractive art, it's not really shocking when their next release follows suit. Surprising no one, Renegade Kid's latest release Xeodrifter is another excellent game brimming with style and...
News Demand For amiibo Continues As Pre-Orders For Forthcoming Waves Sell Out
2015 figures already beginning to sell out
The ferocious demand for amiibo shows no signs of flagging as pre-orders for the next few waves of figures are rapidly selling out. Eurogamer is reporting King Dedede, Meta Knight and Shulk — all coming in Wave 4 in the UK — are no longer available for pre-order on the Official Nintendo UK Online...
Nintendo Download 11th December (North America)
Ace Attorney trilogy, Xeodrifter, Lucadian Chronicles and much more
It's that time again, North America, for a whole load of download goodies to arrive on Wii U and 3DS. This week brings a high profile Capcom arrival and some promising options on the 3DS, while free-to-play appears (sort of) on the Wii U; both Virtual Console platforms get a game,...
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...
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...
More action adventure than platformer, however
As the video game industry gets older, we see less mind-blowing new concepts and more clever variations on established ideas. While pummelling foes with the downward shovel attack in Shovel Knight — the hugely successful title now also heading to Sony systems — we were reminded of DuckTales; that's...
Luigi and co. clean up
Last Friday Super Smash Bros. for Wii U was finally released in Japan, and to no surprise it's taken the top spot in this week's Japanese charts courtesy of Media Create. Although the numbers aren't as grand as for the launch of the 3DS version, there are only around two million Wii U owners in Japan, meaning that ten percent...
News Nintendo Maintains Its Vague Rhetoric on amiibo Stock Concerns
Some details would be nice
It's telling that, as Disney Infinity and Skylander toys pack shelves, Nintendo's amiibo figure range is often thin on the ground, with some models being particularly hard to find. It's a credit to Nintendo's new product that it's selling in such numbers and creating terrific demand, while at the same time there's obvious...
Feature Super Smash Bros. Wii U and 3DS 'Pic of the Day' Screens - Greatest Hits
The end! Finished! Terminado! Fini! 完成した!
Since summer 2013 Masahiro Sakurai — lead designer and overall head honcho of the Super Smash Bros. games — has been dutifully posting new screens for the Wii U and Nintendo 3DS titles every working day. His Miiverse Pic of the Day posts were essential viewing for those hyped about the games, as...
News Squeeze Begins on NINJHAX Homebrew Exploit in Most Recent 3DS System Update
Not just a theme shuffler
Nintendo's latest 3DS system update introduced a few features, with the ability to shuffle favourite HOME themes and the addition of NFC support — for payment cards and amiibo — on the New Nintendo 3DS in Japan and Australia / New Zealand. As some of the Nintendo Life community pointed out, however, it started to get...
News AI Program Can Learn To Play Game Boy Games, Next Stop: The Subjugation Of Humanity
When is Judgment Day due, again?
Developer Daniel Shumway has created an AI program which is capable of learning how to play Game Boy and Game Boy Color games. Named Piglet — but previously developed under the moniker WideEyes — it's a machine-learning AI built with Lua and designed to interact with the Visual Boy Advance emulator. Inspired by...
News Best Buy Offering $50 Off 3DS XL Systems Up To 13th December
Target will then pick up the discount baton
Just this past weekend we pointed US Nintendo gamers towards a host of upcoming Target discounts that'll run from 14th-20th December, in that same article also referencing some modest Best Buy deals that accompanied the retailer's family game demos. That list of Target deals included 3DS XL systems with a...
News Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor 2 Record Breaker Heading Exclusively to 3DS in Early 2015
Supposedly "nearly doubles" length of original
Like the DS before it the 3DS is becoming a terrific portable for RPG games, with Atlus delivering some of the very best examples. The publisher and developer has been busy in recent times yet has, nevertheless, announced another exclusive title for the portable — Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor 2...
Video Top 5 Things We Love About Smash Bros. For Wii U
So much to love
Super Smash Bros. for Wii U is one of the biggest Nintendo releases of the year, and if your're anything like us then you'll already have put plenty of time into this incredible title. If you're perhaps not quite convinced about the game and haven't been swayed by our glowing 9/10 review, then perhaps the following video — in...
News Nintendo Appeal Takes Tomita Technologies 3DS Patent Case Back to Court
And on it goes...
At the start of this year we reported that Nintendo was ordered to pay 3DS royalties to Tomita Technologies, having lost a patent trial related to the portable. The big N was accused of utilising patented stereoscopic 3D technology — particularly in the handheld's cameras — without permission; Nintendo had countered that it had...
Silly rabbit! Heptrix is for... wait, who IS it for?
Given the recent influx of shovelware on the Nintendo eShop — both on the 3DS and Wii U — it seems like the right time for new developers to ask themselves an important question before taking the plunge into the indie scene: why? There are already hundreds of thousands of games out there in...
News 40 Percent Blasted Off The Price Of Classic Steampunk Shooter Steel Empire
3DS eShop side-scroller reduced to just $15.99 this week
Teyon has today announced that it is knocking 40 percent off the price of critically acclaimed eShop steampunk shooter Steel Empire. Originally released on the Sega Genesis / Mega Drive back in the early '90s, this classic blaster was recently updated for the 3DS. We gave it a glowing 9/10...
News Nintendo Celebrates Landmark of Record Sales Success for Million-Selling 3DS Games
Four games have sold 2 million copies in the last 5 months in Japan
While hardware results have slowed due to a certain level of critical mass, the 3DS remains a major success story in Japan, in particular. Along with the release of the New Nintendo 3DS — which is helping the portable maintain its dominance in the hardware charts for the country...
News Shantae And The Pirate's Curse Delayed Into 2015 For Europe
Wii U version also set for late January / early February
WayForward's Shantae And The Pirate's Curse is already out in North America on the 3DS eShop, and we think it's fantastic, but it's been a frustrating wait for localisation in PAL countries. Unfortunately, it's been confirmed that the previous goal to get the 2D action adventure game out this...
News 3DS XL Coloured Charging Cradles Now Available On Club Nintendo Australia
Better late than never
Following on from the fancy festive gift wrapping at the start of this month, Club Nintendo Australia’s latest catalogue item is a selection of coloured charging cradles for the 3DS XL. Released in Europe earlier this year, and both Japan
News The Next Theatrhythm Game Is All About Dragon Quest, And It's Coming To The 3DS In 2015
Japanese launch happening in March
Square Enix's Theatrhythm: Final Fantasy games have been a commercial and critical success for the company, taking the legendary tunes heard in the million-selling series and placing them in an incredibly compelling rhythm action context. Given that Theatrhythm Final Fantasy: Curtain Call has pretty much mined the...
News TACS Games' Space-Themed Puzzler "Factotum" Heading to Wii U eShop
TACS Games' first foray onto Nintendo hardware
The Wii U eShop is certainly brimming with indie games, but TACS Games' upcoming sci-fi puzzler — Factotum — looks like it could be one of the most unique titles available on the store with it's archaic visuals and brainteasing puzzles. TACS Games is a one man indie game development studio...
Tuesday9th Dec 2014
News Nintendo Dismisses Rumours That The GameCube Controller Adapter Has Been Discontinued
"We are doing everything we possibly can to meet the demand"
It's been well documented in recent days and weeks that there have been substantial stock issues with the GameCube Controller Adapter for Wii U; last week Amazon UK cancelled orders citing supplier confirmation that the item was no longer available. That prompted speculation that, despite...
Video Use Your amibo Figures Without Removing Them From Their Packaging
Requires one tiny incision
Since Nintendo’s amiibo figures went on sale, Wii U owners from all corners of the globe have been searching for a way to use the first wave of characters in their games without actually removing the packaging. As users of amiibo will know, Nintendo’s countermeasure comes in the form of a small metallic strip below...
Guide Everything You Need To Know About Pokémon Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire's Secret Bases
Bomb the base
Secret Bases are a feature from the original games that make a triumphant return in Pokémon Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire, but contrary to what many people believe, they're actually one of the most useful features in the game. Making A Base: Dotted around Hoenn there are 82 locations where you can create a Secret Base. This is...
News Nintendo's New Response: Some amiibo "Likely" to be Discontinued
Perhaps now some need to panic
Information on the availability of some amiibo figures has been somewhat frustrating to peg down. First came a rumour that the Marth, Wii Fit Trainer, and Villager figures were discontinued. Following that, Nintendo of America Assistant PR Manager David Young reportedly responded that no, none of these figures have...
"I’m curious about this too so let’s have a look"
The release of Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker in North America — it hits Europe on 2nd January — is sure to tempt a few into adding the retail release as a stocking filler. Bursting with charm and providing a substantial spin-off from the popular bonus stages in Super Mario 3D World, it...
Weirdness Super Smash Bros. for Wii U Fans Find Fun New Ways to Brawl
Smashketball is anything but a non-contact sport
Super Smash Bros. on Wii U and Nintendo 3DS aren't exactly short of modes and ways to play, but inevitably gamers are finding peculiar mini-games and concepts of their own; they look fun, too. One concept that some are experimenting with is Smashketball, utilising the Level Editor in the Wii U...
News 3DS System Update 9.3.0-21 Introduces a Shuffle Option for HOME Menu Themes
Some sweet stability to top it off
Since 3DS Home Menu Themes went live in October, the Theme Shop has received an onslaught of new content each week. With an already vast range of offerings, 3DS owners are slowly being overwhelmed with what theme to buy and use. Nintendo’s latest system update for the 3DS – Version 9.3.0-21 – not only solves...
Review Shadow of the Ninja (Wii U eShop / NES)
Go ninja, go ninja GO!
Ninjas really were a hot ticket back in the '90s. The Turtles were making TV and toy executives money hand over fist, and children became so caught up in the craze they had the sheer gall to drag their parents into the cinema to watch dreck like Surf Ninjas. Yep, it was a great time to be a kid. The trend bled into gaming and...
News Super Smash Bros. Wii U Basic Bundle Heading for Spain
Currently only confirmed for Spain
Update: Since we originally posted this as a rumour, with a suggestion that it may have been confirmed in a Spain-only press release, Juan Jose Cintas Marquez of Deculture has forwarded us the message that was indeed issued to Spanish press. It appears to confirm all of the details below. Original Article: With...
News Nintendo Shows Off NFC eShop Payments for New Nintendo 3DS in Japan
The amiibo menu is also live, despite the lack of compatible games
Since summer this year gamers in Japan have been able to use a variety of NFC (near field communication) cards to buy content on the Wii U eShop; this includes commonly used cards such as the SUICA brand, which are often kept topped up by consumers for use on local transports...
News UCraft Wii U Beta Plans Outlined as New Trailer Makes The Case for Upcoming Release
Beta download to be available before full release
UCraft has had a mixed history to date, as it's a project with bold ambition that's also endured a failed Kickstarter campaign and a move to PC that ended its planned exclusivity to Wii U. It's endured its share of criticism, as a result. The aspirational feature-set is still front and centre of the...
News Frenchy Bird is Flapping Its Way to Wii U in Early 2015
Guess what kind of game it is...
When we look back at viral and slightly confusing 2014 hits in gaming, Flappy Bird is likely to be on the list. Despite being an infuriating and simple game in which you simply tap to flap, it was downloaded millions of times and spawned enough clones to populate a dodgy Star Wars prequel. The trend eventually...
News The Latest 3DS Home Themes in Japan Have Monsters, Cute Cats and Festive Cheer
Ticking all the boxes
While we're seeing plenty of 3DS HOME Themes make their way to the West, our curiosity with Japanese culture means that we can't help but be intrigued by themes released in Japan; it also helps that Nintendo regularly releases charming videos showing them off. The most recent batch of ten videos from Nintendo caught our eye,...
News Sumico Bringing Its Brand of "Super Smart" Puzzling to 3DS eShop on 18th December
Previously on iOS and Android
The 3DS eShop, with its dual screen setup and multiple control options, is a natural home for affordable puzzle games. While they can vary in quality — not to mention repeat themselves in the act of matching three objects — it's not a platform short of games to keep our brains busy. While it may be a competitive...
Monday8th Dec 2014
News Nintendo Reportedly States That No First Wave amiibo Are Discontinued, More Stock is Coming
No need to panic according to Nintendo of America's David Young
Since the first wave of amiibo figures were released, rumours have been rife about the opening series' discontinuation after intense and ongoing demand prompted a number of video game stores across territories to go out of stock or bump up prices, and also spread the news that three...
Talking Point The Time Is Right For A Nintendo Phone
A move by Nintendo into the mobile space could make the company even bigger
Rumours of Nintendo working on its own mobile phone have been appearing on and off for the past decade, and recently we even heard that the idea almost become a reality back in 2004. The prospect of owning a mobile telecommunications device crafted to suit Nintendo's unique...
Nintendo Download 11th December (Europe)
Ace Attorney trilogy, Rune Factory 4, Pokémon Pinball, discounts and more
It's the start of another week, and Nintendo of Europe has served up what must be one of the lengthiest download updates we've seen to date. There are some new titles, including a couple of big hitters on the 3DS, while there's plenty of pinball of various types gracing the...
News Animal Crossing Plaza Service Stops At the End of This Month
More related news to arrive in 2015
With the Animal Crossing Plaza service ending this month, New Leaf Director, Aya Kyogoku, has issued a reminder and a message of thanks to loyal fans of the service. The plaza remains available on the Wii U eShop until 22nd December 2014, and when this year comes to a close, monthly surveys and the ability to...
Review Castle Conqueror Defender (3DS eShop)
Just another castle to conquer
CIRCLE Entertainment's Castle Conqueror series has seen a healthy number of instalments in its release history, so it's no surprise when a new game hits the Nintendo eShop. The series has stuck to a simplistic RTS (real-time strategy) style of gameplay for the majority of its entries, but the developers decided to...
News Nintendo's Holiday Sales and Profit Set to be "Best in Years"
amiibo highlighted as major factor in improved fortunes
We're in the middle of the most crucial shopping season of the year, in which Nintendo and its competitors aim to achieve significant sales. From Nintendo's perspective it's been targeting a recovery for Wii U with Super Smash Bros. for Wii U and amiibo, in particular, with the former being a...
News Digital Foundry Praises the Performance for Super Smash Bros. on Both Wii U and 3DS
"It's a success for Nintendo fans of either persuasion"
Super Smash Bros. is now available on both Wii U and Nintendo 3DS around the world, meaning that fans can double dip or opt for their preferred system wherever they are. Though full-on cross-play isn't possible, there is some connectivity between the versions — for transferring characters or...
News Splatoon Developers Continue to Paint a Picture of Progress
Summarising key Twitter posts from recent weeks
A few weeks ago we shared a summary of Twitter posts from the Splatoon development team, with some details and screens being released through these quirky tweets. These images and details have continued since, and with the most recent upload being particularly eye-catching we thought it was high-time...
Video Did You Know Gaming Explores Cancelled Mario Games and Concepts
Shame about the volleyball / wrestling hybrid from Next Level Games...
Nintendo goes through a lot of concepts and projects that don't, in the end, become a full game. While that's normal, it can be fascinating to learn about some of the games or ideas that never made it to our systems, with a recent example being that Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker...
News Koji Kondo Outlines the Importance of Music in Mario Maker
"We always want to make sure the music sounds fresh and new"
Nintendo played a prominent role during last week's début Game Awards in Las Vegas, with Reggie Fils-Aime on hand to introduce a few segments, including the well-received Legend of Zelda Wii U footage. Yet there was another prominent Nintendo figure on hand in Koji Kondo, the iconic...
Review S.C.A.T.: Special Cybernetic Attack Team (Wii U eShop / NES)
I'm a scatman
Right, let's get this dealt with from the start; S.C.A.T is an awful name for a game — we won't go into why here, but it actually stands for Special Cybernetic Attack Team. Interestingly, the cart shipped in Europe as Action in New York. That's a much better title, although the game has as much to do with the Big Apple as mushy peas...
Sunday7th Dec 2014
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
News The Father Of Video Games Ralph H. Baer Passes Away Aged 92
The industry owes him a massive debt
It has been confirmed today that Ralph Baer, often referred to as the father of the video game, has passed away. He was 92. Without Baer's pioneering work in the '60s and '70s, the modern video game industry would be totally different today. He created the Magnavox Odyssey in 1972, which was the first...
Video Teens Test Their Skills On Super Smash Bros. For Wii U
The Fine Bros are at it again
Over the past few years, Nintendo has been making leaps and bounds to recapture the hearts of older gamers. Through titles such as The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker HD and the returning of older and rarer titles to the eShop such as Earthbound, Nintendo may be trying to strike a chord with the hardcore audience who may...
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
Rumour Villager, Marth & Wii Fit Trainer amiibo Discontinued
Prices start to skyrocket
Earlier this week we reported that intense demand for amiibo had prompted UK retailer GAME to hike its prices, increasing the going rate by over 20% from £11.99 to £14.99 in the UK. The situation of limited amiibo stock and increasing prices is getting worse in multiple territories, however, and rumours of discontinued...
$249.99 Super Mario 3D World bundle on the way
On 7th December over 100 Best Buy stores in the US are hosting Nintendo family game demos, with the headline acts being Super Smash Bros. for Wii U and Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker. It's a good chance for gaming families in the US to try out some
News Nintendo Reveals New Wii U Footage and Details for The Legend of Zelda, Still Set for 2015
Various details revealed, and Star Fox confirmed for pre-Zelda release
During the Game Awards ceremony in Las Vegas, Nintendo was given a prime slot to showcase all-new footage of The Legend of Zelda on Wii U, with Eiji Aonuma and Shigeru Miyamoto discussing gameplay features and re-affirming that the title will arrive in 2015, with the new Star Fox...
Talking Point The Legend of Zelda on Wii U Steals The Show and Raises Expectations
With Star Fox apparently progressing well, 2015 could be thrilling
During E3 this year Eiji Aonuma introduced The Legend of Zelda on Wii U, the long awaited main-series entry on Nintendo's latest home console. We were shown an art style that shared some similarities with Skyward Sword, but with a slightly more nuanced, cel-shaded and detailed...
Live Watch The Game Awards 2014 From Las Vegas
Nintendo games and exclusives vying for 11 awards
The time has arrived, when we find out whether the glitzy Game Awards 2014 will successfully lay the ghost of VGX 2013 to rest, or simply bring the horror back once again. We hope for the former, and Nintendo's an active partner also up for plenty of awards; join us live for the show!...
News New Mario Maker Footage Shows Off Multi-Generational Madness
Super Mario Bros. 3 and Super Mario World join the fun
The Game Awards 2014 opened on a positive note, with a brief video montage celebrating the legacy of our favourite hobby. Nintendo was very well-represented indeed, going on to open up the show with a closer look at upcoming Wii U title Mario Maker, introduced by Miyamoto-san himself.
News Nintendo Wins Four At The Game Awards 2014, While Shovel Knight Scoops Best Indie Prize
A good night for the big N
The Game Awards may not boast the most innovative name, but the first ever ceremony for the new annual event went down relatively well in Las Vegas; our live blog was a happier place than during the VGX broadcast last year. It perhaps veered too far back to bland PR speech occasionally, but there were also a number of nice...
News Code Name: S.T.E.A.M Local and Online Multiplayer Confirmed, Hits North America on 13th March
Not far away is it?
Update Nintendo UK's Facebook page has announced that this title will be released in Europe in May 2015. Original Article During the inaugural Video Game Awards from Las Vegas, Nintendo of America President Reggie Fils-Aime presented a new trailer for 3DS title Code Name: S.T.E.A.M, which revealed new features and a North...
All very fin-miliar
Let's face it; you can't simply release a match-three puzzle game on Nintendo's range of handhelds today and expect to come across as unique. Developers are entering into an eShop saturated by shiny things just waiting to be lined up, so there needs to be some kind of hook to get players interested. Fishdom wears an intriguing...
Friday5th Dec 2014
Feature How We'd Like to See amiibo Used in Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker
Tracking treasure with amiibo
Nintendo’s ridiculously cute diorama puzzler Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker is out today in North America (Europe will have to wait until 2nd January). In our review we said it was “relentlessly charming and joyous, and is another example of Nintendo's developers flexing their creative muscles along with game-making...
News UK Retailer GAME Cashes In On Intense amiibo Demand By Hiking Price
Price rises by £3 in the space of a week
Nintendo's range of amiibo figures has proven to be incredibly popular — perhaps more so than the company ever expected. Figures are selling briskly in both North America and Europe, and in the UK in particular it's not uncommon to see empty stands in leading high street retailers, while stock of rival...
News Amazon UK Is Cancelling GameCube Adapter Orders Due To Lack Of Stock
"Our supplier has informed us that this item is no longer available"
Amazon UK is cancelling orders for the Wii U GameCube Adapter due to a reported lack of stock. We've had multiple reports of this happening to buyers in the UK, with our own Anthony Dickens receiving the exact same notification from the online retailer. The email reads as...
Live now
Earlier this week there was some concern as talk spread of Super Smash Bros. for Wii U causing a critical system error, a problem acknowledged by Nintendo though — crucially — the issue wasn't necessarily directly linked to the new release. Nevertheless, it's been a source of concern, with Nintendo stating that it would investigate the...
Rumour Dubious Walmart Listing Suggests Supposed Paper Mario Title for Wii U
Sounds like guff to us
Walmart recently listed the generically title 'Paper Mario (RPG) (Wii U)' on its website before quickly removing it, but not quickly enough, as one clever buck managed to snag a screenshot of the accidental upload. There's no box art or any details about the game, aside from an astronomical price tag that we can only hope is...
Video Here's Another Awesome Super Smash Bros. for Wii U Japanese TV Commercial
Smashing
Super Smash Bros. for Wii U has already been keeping gamers busy in the West, but it is all set to arrive in Japan on 6th December; the 3DS version sold in terrific numbers in the country, and Nintendo will hope to see that momentum shift to the home console entry. When the 3DS version was being marketed in Japan, meanwhile, it had some...
News Pokémon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire Have Shipped 7.7 Million Copies Around the World
European launch and Black Friday sales drive a sizeable increase
Pokémon Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire have only been in stores for two weeks in North America, Japan and Australia, while the titles have now been out for one week in Europe. Despite this it seems to have already reached some impressive sales figures, with The Pokémon Company also...
Review Crash 'n the Boys: Street Challenge (Wii U eShop / NES)
Crashing with the boys
After another success at the track-meet Crash and the Boys from Southside High are issued a street challenge by a jealous rival; now they and teams from four other schools compete in a series of no-holds barred sporting events to find who really is the greatest. Crash ‘n the Boys: Street Challenge differs from other sporting...
News Warner Bros. Announces LEGO Ninjago: Shadow of Ronin for Nintendo 3DS
Bricking it
Hot off the release of LEGO Batman 3: Beyond Gotham, Warner Bros. is already in the process of overseeing their next LEGO adventure. LEGO Ninjago: Shadow of Ronin is to be released for the Nintendo 3DS and PlayStation Vita and is being developed by a TT Fusion – a subsidiary of TT Games who have focused on the handheld efforts in the...
News Renegade Kid’s 3DS Metroidvania Title Xeodrifter Blasting To North America Next Week
From the creator of Mutant Mudds
After Renegade Kid’s mid-year announcement of Xeodrifter for the 3DS eShop — followed by the launch of the debut trailer — Jools Watsham and company have now revealed the game will be released in North America next week: on 11th December to be exact, for the price of $10. As previously described; Xeodrifter is...
News Shovel Knight Digs For Victory With 300,000 Copies Sold
That's across all formats
Yacht Club Games has revealed that Shovel Knight has sold 300,000 copies since launch. The Kickstarter-funded faux-retro platformer is available on PC, Wii U and 3DS. Back in August, Yacht Club Games revealed sales figures for the game, with 180,000 units sold at that point. Its crowd-funding goal was set at $75,000, but...
Thursday4th Dec 2014
News Masahiro Sakurai Admits That Super Smash Bros. for Wii U May Be His Last in the Series
Expects the franchise to continue
Super Smash Bros. for Wii U is one of the biggest releases of the year, while the 3DS version has also proven to be a critical and commercial success following its October release. Masahiro Sakurai, the driving-force of the series that oversees the projects down to the finest details, has often spoken of the great...
Rumour Has Shin Megami Tensei X Fire Emblem Been Cancelled?
Online rumblings seem to suggest so, but have your pinch of salt ready
Remember Shin Megami Tensei X Fire Emblem? The Wii U crossover was announced back in January 2013 to great fanfare from followers of both franchises, but since then information on the title has been scarce. At E3 this year Nintendo producer Hitoshi Yamagami confirmed that the...
Weirdness Defective Fox and Villager amiibo Now Appear on eBay
Reports of consumers asking stores for faulty amiibo are unconfirmed...
These are strange times in the world of Nintendo collectibles. While a number of us are happily building amiibo collections and trying to ensure that our figures stay in one piece, some are finding faulty toys and making a small fortune on eBay. It kicked off with a dual...
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...
Nintendo Download 4th December (North America)
Fire Emblem, Captain Toad, Running Lodes, discounts and more
Feeling festive? Then get ready for a generous helping of downloadable delights courtesy of Nintendo. Wii U title Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker is leading the pack, with retro favourite Fire Emblem also arriving on Wii U. It's a slightly slimmer overall offering, though some discounts may...
News There's An Awesome Retro Easter Egg Hiding In The New 3DS Web Browser
Get ready to tap
The New 3DS and New 3DS XL have a cool Easter Egg hidden away in their web browsing software. The hidden treat — discovered by Instagram user 345triangle — requires you to tap the opening of the Super Mario Bros. theme tune and then select a page from your bookmarks. The page is then rendered as the classic title Breakout —...
Feature Five Reasons To Choose Nintendo 3DS This Holiday Season
Gaming on the go
Not too long ago we published five reasons to choose Wii U this Holiday season, so it now seems only fair to do the same for the 3DS. With so many systems and games competing for our time the little portable has plenty of rivals, but it's also a terrific option in a time of the year typically full of travelling and relaxation away...
News Capcom's Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate Infographic Shows Off the Size of the Game's Challenges
These are genuine beasts
Earlier this week we shared a Nintendo UK infographic promoting the Wii U, and on the same day Capcom shared a neat effort for 3DS title Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate; we don't know whether game companies have had a secret meeting agreeing to an infographic offensive, but they're pretty enough that we don't care. This Capcom...
News Lucadian Chronicles is the Latest Free-to-Play Game Coming to Wii U
$7.99 for full game, micro-transactions won't be a factor
While Nintendo still prefers conventional approaches to selling games — you pay a price and receive the full game — it has, in recent times, shown an increasing willingness to explore areas such as DLC. It's also, to a lesser degree, explored and supported free-to-play — Steel Diver:...
News Wii U YouTube Application Receives An Update, But Try Not To Get Too Carried Away
A few minuscule changes
An update for the Wii U’s nifty YouTube application has been issued. While the interface remains the same, a scrolling sound effect has now been added to enhance the browsing experience. The colour of the application's launch icon has also been changed to red. To receive the update, simply open the app from the Wii U HOME...
News Actor Is Suing Nintendo After Suffering Heart Problems In A Sweltering Donkey Kong Suit
Legal teams are going bananas
When actor Parker Mills stepped into a Donkey Kong costume to promote the launch of Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D at the Los Angeles Zoo last year, he most likely assumed the job would be a piece of cake — after all, what's better than being the mighty Kong for a day, right? However, Mills ended up earning more than...
News Fire Emblem Looks Set to Arrive on the North American Wii U Virtual Console This Week
Finally...
When the Game Boy Advance library started to arrive on the Wii U Virtual Console, some franchises and titles will have immediately leapt to the top of quite a few wishlists; with the relatively recent success on 3DS of Fire Emblem: Awakening, we suspect that the first entry from the GBA era — simply titled Fire Emblem — would have...
News Club Nintendo Now Offering Festive 8-Bit Mario Wrapping Paper in Europe and Australia
Potentially pricier than the gift inside
With the festive holidays upon us it's time to worry about our planning. Have we got all the gifts? Is there enough food? Will those drunk relatives actually avoid arguing this year? Lots to worry about, and when it comes to gifts we have to make sure we've got tags, scissors sellotape and — of course —...
News Curve Studios Announces Titan Attacks for 3DS and Ultratron for Wii U
More "insane announcements" coming in the next few weeks
Curve Studios is already one of the most prolific publishers on the Wii U eShop in the latter half of 2014, but has now announced yet more projects coming to Nintendo hardware; this is hot on the heels of OlliOlli being confirmed for Wii U and 3DS in early 2015. As per that previous...
News Rune Factory 4 Arrives On The European and Australian 3DS eShop On 11th December
One week to go
Following on from the classification of Rune Factory 4 by the German videogame rating board in October, XSEED Games — in conjunction with Marvelous Europe — has announced the most successful iteration in the series to date will arrive in Europe and Australia exclusively via the 3DS eShop next week, on 11th December. The latest...
Weirdness Fan-Made Pokémon Virtual Reality Prototype Rears its Head
Gotta catch that one!
A fan of the Pokémon franchise has been working hard to create something that many of us dreamed of when we were children; a virtual reality Pokémon game. It's only a prototype thus far, but it give a flavour of what could potentially be, although likely won't be for the foreseeable future. In the video below you can see the...
Video Nintendo Minute Kicks Off Its Game of the Year Series, and Wants Your Votes
The eShop starts us off
It's that time of year again, when we all look back and think about our favourite games of the past 12 months. Official video series Nintendo Minute is naturally joining in, and has kicked off a run of videos that'll work through and award the host's Game of the Year nominees and winners. In this first video series hosts —...
News This Ancient Promotional Calendar Is Filled With Rich Nintendo History
Could this be one of the oldest pieces of Nintendo merch ever?
Nintendo’s beginnings started out in Japan in late 1889 when the company produced a playing card game known as Hanafuda. Since then, the Big N has dabbled in all forms of entertainment including video games, bowling alleys and even love hotels. With such a rich history, it comes as no...
Wednesday3rd Dec 2014
News Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire Hackers Discover More on Spectacular Legendary Pokémon
Patch 1.2 is also live, to fix game-freezing bug
Pokémon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire is well established around the world now, with millions of 3DS and 2DS gamers on a quest to catch 'em all and win a whole load of online battles. There was understandable concern, recently, due to a game-freezing bug late in the adventure, though Game Freak...
Review Sonic Boom: Shattered Crystal (3DS)
Not as Sonic doomed
Unlike its Wii U counterpart, Sonic Boom: Shattered Crystal on 3DS is an experience that is much more reminiscent of a traditional Sonic game. It takes place with a 2D perspective and your goal is to get to the finish in typical Sonic style — unlike traditional Sonic games however, it's not quite as simple as that. Sonic Boom:...
Weirdness Legless Peach amiibo Now Up For Sale
Literally legless
Since amiibo hit stores we've had the opportunity to interact with some of our Nintendo heroes, even if the final retail figures aren't quite as fancy as the demo units revealed at E3. In the vast majority of cases each model is of reasonable quality, but odd defects can happen — one lucky fan discovered a dual-wielding Samus and...
Parent Trap amiibo Packs a Hidden Family Payload
More than meets the eye
Toys and video games used to compete for family spending power at supermarket check-outs. The recent trend in toy-video-game crossovers does away with this rivalry, but for families makes purchasing decisions all the more confusing. With amiibo joining the likes Skylanders and Disney Infinity (not to mention more niche...
News Nintendo Serves Up An Infographic For Its "The Time Is Now" Wii U Campaign
We all love a good infographic
Over the past couple of months Nintendo has stepped up its marketing for the Wii U, evidently aware that it needs to capitalise on major releases and amiibo to promote the system and boost its sales around the world. Each region has followed its own path, and in the UK the company has been pushing a hashtag campaign,...
News PDP GameCube-Style Wired Fight Pads for Donkey Kong, Link, Samus and Wario Due in Early 2015
Function as Wii Classic Controllers
With Super Smash Bros. for Wii U pre-occupying a number of gamers, those that are aiming to truly master the title are probably considering their various control options. It's a game that supports practically any controller, even the 3DS, so there should be options to suit anyone. The GameCube controller is...
Guide Wacky, Fun and Cool Nintendo Gifts for the Holiday Season
Soap! Clothes! Board Games! Figurines! Random things!
While Nintendo's gunning for big sales of the Wii U and 3DS this Holiday season, game-related festive gifts don't have to be all about systems and games. As the big N has such an iconic position in popular culture and a host of much-loved franchises, it inspires plenty of cool, artistic and...
News Nintendo Brands Come Out on Top in Tumblr "Year in Review" Results
Pokémon is the "most re-blogged" games series
Social networking is a hugely important tool for companies like Nintendo, and more importantly provides a platform for gamers to share a few of their favourite things with the online community. While there can be awful ugliness online, it's worth remembering that plenty use websites, blogs and more to...
News Pokémon Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire and New 3DS Lead in Japan, With Wii U Sales Improving
Etrian Odyssey Untold 2 enters charts at number three
As we rattle towards the festive season and retail sales spike, Nintendo is no doubt hoping for strong sales around the world to move towards its targets and overall profitability. While the peak season has arrived in the West — with Black Friday, for example — the biggest sales boosts in...
News Atlus Confirms Etrian Mystery Dungeon for Spring 2015 Release in North America
"There's a metric buttload of exploration"
Just recently Atlus revealed a couple of exciting projects, including an Etrian Odyssey and Mystery Dungeon mash-up being developed exclusively for 3DS by its own team and Spike Chunsoft — the Etrian Odyssey series is well known in the West, though Mystery Dungeon has had a patchier record with...
News Steel Diver: Sub Wars Version 4.0 Is Now Available
Dive in and check it out
Less than six months after the release of version 3.0, Nintendo has updated its unconventional but addictive first-person shooter, Steel Diver: Sub Wars, to version 4.0. The full details about version 4.0 have been revealed on Miiverse by the 3DS eShop title's director, Takaya Imamura: In Version 4.0, we've added the
Video Nintendo Shows Off a Series of New Third-Party 3DS HOME Themes in Japan
Tales of the Abyss! Puyo-Puyo! Stuff you might not recognise!
When Nintendo introduced 3DS HOME Themes earlier this year it was fairly reasonable to wonder whether it would be a rather limited initiative, with a small range of first-party themes that would gradually lose momentum. That's not the case so far, however, with new designs arriving most...
News Rad Skating Game OlliOlli is Tricking Its Way Onto Wii U and 3DS in Early 2015
Totally audacious, dude
Curve Studios has shown a great deal of support for the Wii U eShop recently, and has history with the 3DS eShop (and WiiWare before that) in developing Nintendo's Hydroventure: Spin Cycle / Fluidity; the company has also expressed its interest in bringing more content to the eShop should its recent titles — including...
Tuesday2nd Dec 2014
Guide Training The Ultimate Pokémon In Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire
Effort Values effortlessly explained
So, you've had Pokémon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire for a few days now and the time has come to get past the story and into the competitive area once more. These games have not had much change in terms of the Effort Values over the previous offering — Pokémon X & Y — which came out last year, but...
News Super Smash Bros. Players Encounter Wii U Error Code Problem
Can make both the game and system unplayable
Update 2: Nintendo UK has issued us with the same statement, below, albeit with the UK customer service number; if you encounter the issue you should visit your region's Nintendo site and find your local details. A small percentage of consumers playing Wii U may experience error codes (160-0103 and...
Review Alphadia Genesis (Wii U eShop)
Alphadia Generic
Like every other game genre, there's no one set of generally agreed-upon rules for what makes a Japanese RPG good. Some people simply can't stand turn-based gameplay, feeling it's an obsolete relic of an era gone past; others get misty-eyed with nostalgia and/or prefer its more deliberate pacing. Then there are gamers who debate...
News Latest Sales Data For Pokémon Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire Finds Fans Are Growing Older
Super Smash Bros. players are also getting on
Since its inception, Pokémon has been commonly associated with a young audience. Whilst this connection remains intact, the latest data from Japanese sales tracker Media Create reveals the primary purchasers of Pokémon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire in Japan on release were not necessarily children or...
Interview Shin'en Multimedia on FAST Racing NEO and its Development Approach
"We hope we can deliver the best eShop title"
Shin'en Multimedia is a name that'll be familiar to keen Nintendo download gamers, releasing a series of highly regarded titles across WiiWare, the 3DS eShop and the Wii U eShop. The studio is typically praised for extracting impressive performance from Nintendo's hardware, producing some of the...
News The Legend of Zelda: Symphony of the Goddesses - Master Quest World Tour Confirmed
Will include new music from Majora's Mask and Link Between Worlds
While there have been other musical tours and concerts to celebrate The Legend of Zelda, it's the officially-sanctioned "Symphony of the Goddesses" tours that have been widely acclaimed, which began with the 25th Anniversary celebrations and even a CD with special edition copies of...
Competition Give Someone The Gift Of Nintendo This Christmas
Get that warm fuzzy feeling...
Thanks to our friends at the Nintendo Official UK Store, we have an extra special competition for Nintendo Life readers. As Christmas is a time of goodwill we want one lucky reader to give the gift of Nintendo to a friend or family member who, for whatever reason, deserves a treat this holiday season. The Wii U Family...
Averts threat of Wii U ban in the US, particularly
Nintendo is well accustomed to tackling legal battles around the world, particularly patent disputes that have been prominent since the phenomenal success of the Wii and DS. While Nintendo comes out on the winning side in most cases, it lost a notable case to Seijiro Tomita over the 3DS, and has...
News Warhammer 40,000's Seminal Space Hulk Is Drifting Towards The Wii U eShop In 2015
Based on the PC version which launched last year
Games Workshop's tabletop battle game Space Hulk has enjoyed a proud connection with video games. The first interactive adaptations arrived soon after the launch of the boardgame in 1989, with home computers like the Commodore Amiga getting an excellent real-time tactical action title courtesy of...
News Nintendo UK Store Launches "24 Days of Christmas" Sale
Hardware! Games! Clothing! Animal Crossing CD!
The past couple of weeks have brought some enticing deals to shoppers, including those on the lookout for Nintendo treats. While scuffles and death-of-humanity scenes in stores and malls have now passed, there are still plenty of discounts kicking around to grab some nice gifts or treats for ourselves...
News Wii U System Update 5.3.1 Resolves Mario Kart 8 TV YouTube Issue
Also adds sweet, sweet stability
While not necessarily a feature used by many, Mario Kart 8's TV mode, allowing you to upload highlights directly to YouTube, is one of the games most modern features. That said, some users were encountering consistent errors with the feature, halting their attempts at racing stardom on the web. Nintendo promised an...
News Life of Pixel Is A 2D Trip Through Gaming History, And It's Coming To The Wii U eShop
Pixel power
Super Icon's Life of Pixel is a 2D action platformer which aims to celebrate the days when the pixel was king. Placing the player in the role of the titular green hero, you must travel through gaming history and aid Pixel's quest of self-discovery. The title is already available on PC and Mac, and has a unique selling point — each...
Preview Picking Up The Pace With Proun+ on 3DS
Light at the end of the tunnel
It seems, in recent times, that the majority of intriguing and exciting new projects on the eShop platforms brings us to the Wii U, with the home console's power and development tool support attracting plenty of companies. The 3DS eShop does have excellent titles of its own, but the volume seems lower in terms of...
News South Park Tables Available Soon in Zen Pinball 2 for Wii U
Canadian thrills
Zen Studios have announced that their highly enjoyable Wii U eShop game Zen Pinball 2 will soon have its very own pair of tables modelled after South Park. One of the tables in based around the main programme, and the other is specifically themed around the character Butters. These two tables will be available internationally from...
News StreetPass UK Announces Nationwide Super Smash Bros. Tournament
Think you're the UK's best Smash player? Prove it
StreetPass groups in the UK are joining forces in order to find the nation's best Super Smash Bros. player. Qualifying events are already taking place and will continue throughout December and early January, with the grand final slated to take place later in January. As has been the case with other...
Monday1st Dec 2014
Review Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker (Wii U)
Another treasure to track down
Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker has been Nintendo's greatest 2014 surprise, announced at E3 and rapidly turned around for a Holiday release — in North America, at least. In theory it's a new IP, too, taking the cute but minor Captain Toad character and providing him with his own game; the whole concept is a spin-off...
Guide The Best Cyber Monday Nintendo Deals in the US
Because Black Friday isn't enough
Last week's Black Friday shenanigans weren't enough for retailers, it seems, as the efforts to separate us from our cash continue on 'Cyber Monday'. The name suggests online deals, naturally, though there are still promotions running within stores too, with GameStop and Target already stating that their deals will...
News Research Firm's Black Friday Data Shows Wii U Lagging Behind in Sales
Here's hoping the NPD results are better...
With stores having now closed after their Black Friday week's discounts we can expect plenty of focus on sales numbers, with the upcoming NPD results and sales around different countries eagerly awaited. Nintendo offered key bundles with Wii U and 3DS / 2DS, though the consensus for the US in particular is...
Nintendo Download 4th December (Europe)
Legend of Dark Witch, S.C.A.T., Mindfeud, loads of discounts and more
It's the first download update of December in Europe, and it brings a host of new games, decent Virtual Console options and plenty of discounts. There are also a couple of seasonal arrivals that need to improve a lot over previous entries, but overall there's a fair amount of...
News Blinking Light Win Means You'll Never Have To Blow On Your NES Cartridge Again
No soldering required
The NES is one of Nintendo's most famous systems, but it came with a massive, massive design flaw. The "toaster" zero insertion force cartridge slot — designed so the system could avoid unwanted comparisons with traditional games consoles and thus avoid the stigma which had risen up since the Video Game Crash of 1983 —...
News Mega Man 2 Fan Remake is Now Available to Play on Petit Computer
242 QR codes to make it happen
Though a 3DS eShop version is on the way, DSiWare app Petit Computer remains as one of the most intriguing downloads available on the last-gen portable. It allows you to create games using BASIC code that are fully playable on the DSi, and they can then be shared through QR codes. It's seen its share of terrific...
Weirdness That Dual Wielding Samus amiibo is Worth $2500 in the Mad World of eBay
Sold, to that crazy fan over there!
We've rather enjoyed the saga of the dual wielding Samus amiibo here on Nintendo Life, even if it has prompted opportunists to employ a little photoshop manipulation to figures — hello, Brown Yoshi — to seek attention. Last week we reported on the fact that it had popped up on eBay and reached an eye-watering...
News Kickstarter Project Wants to Turn Your Game Boy into a Full HD Beast
If it's worth doing, it's worth doing in 1080p
Gunpei Yokoi, the late father of the Game Boy, famously embraced a design philosophy of "lateral thinking with withered technology," in which one found cool new ways to entertain with cheaper, older equipment. One can only wonder if Yokoi ever even considered the notion that, 25 years later, his iconic...
News EA Cancelled Wii U SimCity Title Before The Foundations Could Be Laid
Planning permission withdrawn back in 2011
Last year EA released SimCity on the PC, an ambitious update of Will Wright's genre-defining 1989 original. While it was warmly received by reviewers, it was plagued with online issues relating to the need for an "always on" connection, resulting in many fans branding it a disaster. It has since come to...
Video UK Smash Bros. Melee Champ Charles Kimmelman Dispenses Some Vital Tips
Advice from a winner
Super Smash Bros. for Wii U hit stores in the UK last week, and to mark the occasion Nintendo UK has released a video which features protips from Charles "Fuzzyness" Kimmelman, who happens to be the UK Super Smash Bros. Melee champion. While Kimmelman states at the start of the video guide — which focuses on the
News Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire Enjoy Biggest UK Pokémon Launch Ever
...but Smash Bros. Wii U fails to trouble the top 10
The combined releases of Pokémon Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire have achieved the biggest launch for a Pokémon title in the UK, ever. The GBA remakes bested the sales of Pokémon X & Y by 17 percent, according to Chart-Track. That performance was good enough to see t
News Clint Eastwood's Dirty Harry Almost Made Our Day On Nintendo Wii And DS
...but it was cancelled. Do you feel unlucky, punk?
Detective Harry Callahan is one of Clint Eastwood's most enduring characters, and starred in some seminal action movies back in the '70s and '80s. Eastwood's no-nonsense cop would inspire countless clones in both movies and video games, and back in 2004 Warner Brothers decided that it was time that...
News White Wii U 8GB System Trade Price Has Been Slashed In The UK
All in a bid to clear out stock
Just last week we highlighted some outstanding Amazon UK deals on white 8GB Wii U systems, while other retailers have also been discounting the — effectively discontinued — unit to get rid of stock. As the model has struggled to sell it was safe to speculate that it was a damage limitation exercise to clear...
