News Not Everyone is Thrilled That Metroid Prime Trilogy Lands on the Wii U eShop Tomorrow
Sorry Nintendo, but you can't please everybody!
News Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate Demo Codes Now Being Distributed in North America
Four codes per email! Multiplayer! No play limit!
News New Exploit Makes The 3DS Region Free Without The Need For A Flashcard Or Game Cart
All you need is an SD card and an internet connection
Get your hands on the console before the official launch
News - January, 2015
Saturday31st Jan 2015
Impressions Nintendo Made The Right Call With Its Code Name S.T.E.A.M. Demo
We share some thoughts on what's offered
Nintendo produced an eShop surprise this week with the sudden arrival of a demo for Code Name S.T.E.A.M, the next release from the strategy masters at Intelligent Systems. Revealed at E3 2014, this title arrives in North America on 13th March and Europe two months later on 15th May; as a result this free...
News Sega's Wonder Boy Lives On In Monster Boy, And He Could Be Coming To Wii U
Made in collaboration with series creator Ryuichi Nishizawa
Sega's Wonder Boy series - produced with the now defunct Westone - is one of those classic 8 and 16-bit franchises which tragically never made the transition to 3D, and as a result has faded into memory in recent times. However, things are looking up for fans. While we're not exactly...
More disappointed pre-order customers
Not so long ago Best Buy, one of the retailers distributing the rather attractive New Nintendo 3DS Majora's Mask 3D model, began to cancel some pre-orders. The retailer initially targeted duplicates, but was then forced to cancel individual orders due to insufficient stock being supplied by Nintendo; it...
Video Hyrule Warriors Majora's Mask Pack DLC - Now With 100% More Tingle!
We show off all the pack's goodies
The latest downloadable content for Hyrule Warriors is here, and it includes everyone's favourite wannabe fairy - Tingle! Plus some more characters, costumes and maps. But let's face it - you are here for Tingle. Admit it. For a full list of everything in this downloadable content, you can look at our original...
Weirdness Legendary Composer Koji Kondo Drew Inspiration From '70s Rock Bands
Smoke on the water
It's always interesting to see the progression and evolution of music through history. Most genres start out small, but have far-reaching impact; with later entrants refining and perfecting the old sound until it is nearly flawless. As any musician could attest to, inspiration is a key factor to the formation of new music - it is...
Weirdness Super Bowl XLIX Analysis of 'Mega-Beast Mode' Recreates Marshawn Lynch as Mega Man
Running Man
Super Bowl XLIX is everywhere right now, as the US and a global audience ramps up for the showdown between the Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots. Improbably muscle-bound men wearing lots of gear will pummel each other over the course of many hours, and hundreds of millions will watch. There's a lot of coverage for the match, and...
News Apex 2015 Moves to New Venue, Kicks Off Today
Live footage inside courtesy of VGBootCamp, too
Apex 2015, which aims to be the biggest Smash Bros. tournament ever, suffered a high-profile setback on its first day when its venue was shut down on fire marshal orders. At that stage there was doubt over how the tournament could move forward, but the good news is that plenty of support and a shift of...
Friday30th Jan 2015
News YouTube Stars Aren't Happy With Nintendo's Revenue-Sharing 'Creators Program'
Nintendo games now at the bottom of PewDiePie's list
This week, Nintendo announced its latest attempt to fix its flagging relationship with YouTube by revealing the Creators Program, an initiative which will allow YouTubers to upload Nintendo-related content and still earn revenue. Previously, Nintendo has been very heavy-handed with YouTube...
Previously Japan-only items on the way
Animal Crossing: New Leaf was a major hit on 3DS when it arrived in the West in 2013, selling millions of copies and becoming a mainstay for light-hearted chatter on social networks. Its blend of repetition, daily chores and cute whimsy made is a mainstay on a number of systems for weeks, months and -...
Reminder Grab Your Free Emboar for Pokémon Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire
The second of three in current promotional distribution
Last week we directed your attention to the opportunity to pick up a free Serperior for Pokémon Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire, in which you can input a code to grab the 'mon. That weekly promotion was updated recently, so those of you that missed it may want to jump in. This time around...
Review Undead Storm Nightmare (3DS eShop)
Dream sequel
Publisher Gamebridge's GO Series of DSiWare games seems to have faded out with 2012's release of GO Series: Undead Storm, but that doesn't mean the properties are completely gone. In a move that no one expected developer G-STYLE has released a sequel to the aforementioned property on the 3DS eShop titled Undead S
It's unlike any other Zelda title
Update: Nintendo UK has also uploaded a longer video that shows off the title in more details, you can see this below: Original Article: The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask 3D, rather like its predecessor Ocarina of Time 3D, has an opportunity to reach an entirely new audience on 3DS. That's particularly...
Video New Nintendo 3DS In-Depth Review: Episode Two
Up this time: New CPU, New Design, New Browser
We recently ran a poll on the site to find out which aspects of the New Nintendo 3DS - such as improved 3D effect, cover plates and better CPU - you were most interested in hearing about. We're now running a series of videos which look at these very same elements a little more in-depth, and this week...
News Popular Super Smash Bros. Tournament Apex 2015 Put on Hold Due to Fire Marshal Sanctions
Yes, really
This weekend is supposed to feature one of the best-known competitive gaming events of the year - in Nintendo circles - with Apex 2015; Apex is typically referenced as one of the largest Smash Bros. tournaments of its kind in the world. In a bizarre turn of events, however, the current rounds for Super Smash Bros. for Wii U and Super...
A decent par
Atmosphere holds a lot of weight to a game's appeal. Case in point: for all the popularity of gritty military shooters and edgy, hyper-realistic open world games today, there seems to be a sizeable demographic of players wearied by the very thought of jumping into these genres. Beyond disinterest in their gameplay, their lack of...
News Sega's Digital Restructure Means 300 Staff Will Be Offered Voluntary Retirement
Aiming to "improve the business efficiency of the Group"
Sega will offer 300 of its global staff voluntary retirement in an effort to drive profits and restructure the company around smartphone and online PC games. Although Sega of America's release schedule will be unaffected, it will lose around 120 staff between 9th February and the end of...
News Junichi Masuda Discusses Where Hoenn Got its Name and What the Region Means to Him
No, there's not too much water
With the recent release of Pokémon Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire, there's been plenty of attention surrounding the third generation of Pokémon games. Ruby and Sapphire introduced many new things to the franchise, such as weather, abilities, natures, double battles, a deeper IV system and a heavily overhauled PC; as...
News Dolphin Up Splashes Onto The North American Wii U eShop February 5th
From the sea to the skies
Dolphin Up was expected to wash up on the Wii U eShop last year, and in the end, never arrived. After being lost at sea for several months, the title’s publisher, Rawkins Games, has now revealed Dolphin Up will be released in North America next month, on 5th February. As originally reported, Dolphin Up for Wii U is a...
Thursday29th Jan 2015
News Xenoblade Chronicles X is so Sizeable That It Almost Needed More Than One Disc
Not far off 25GB, then
With the release of Xenoblade Chronicles X just a few months away in Japan, the official social network accounts for the game are revealing more details; an interesting update now relates to the file size of the game. Other recent details have highlighted the sheer size of the game world, which has a non-linear approach and...
Nintendo Download 29th January (North America)
Metroid Prime Trilogy, Gunman Clive 2, Code Name S.T.E.A.M. demo and more
Nintendo of America was particularly late with its Download Update details today, so as a result we initially produced a provisional list; thankfully the official details have now been issued. As expected there's a much anticipated Wii download on the Wii U eShop, a top-notch...
Review Gunman Clive 2 (3DS eShop)
Panda-ing to its fans
When Gunman Clive arrived as a budget, bite-sized slice of action platforming on the 3DS in late 2012 it unsurprisingly earned a lot of praise. Its intentionally grubby paper aesthetic and simple, highly polished gameplay seemed like a loving - and skilful - homage to franchises such as Mega Man; that didn't go unnoticed by...
Video You NEED To Play Metroid Prime Trilogy
Yes, you really do
Metroid Prime Trilogy is finally here - no longer will you need to trawl eBay for highly priced retail copies, because now you can play three amazing games, in one package, for a much more affordable price. Until 5th February the price is downright outrageous, a promotional cost of $9.99 / €9.99 / £8.99; that's for one of the...
News Super Smash Bros. for Wii U Update 1.0.2 Adds a Host of Extra Stages for 8-Player Smash
More mayhem to enjoy
Super Smash Bros. for Wii U has been slower on the uptake with software updates than its portable brethren, possibly due to multiple balancing tweaks in the Nintendo 3DS version being rolled into version 1.0.1 on the home console title. Today does bring us version 1.0.2, however, and while it's not the whopping update to deliver...
Level creation game was previously listed for "1st Half 2015"
Following Nintendo's Q3 financial report, it's followed with convention and released supplementary information that includes upcoming release windows for 3DS and Wii U titles. There are only a couple of notable changes from the equivalent Q2 list, both affecting major titles. To start...
News Week Three of the eShop Throwback Sale Goes Live in North America
Metroid Prime Trilogy, Mario Kart 8, Mario Golf: World Tour and more
In a move poised to please Metroid fans and ruin bidding wars for some, Nintendo has graciously released the Metroid Prime Trilogy on the Wii U eShop. Spearheading the third week of the North American "Throwback Sale," the beloved trilogy is available for a whopping 50% off its...
News Masahiro Sakurai Once Again Highlights The Possibility He'll Step Away From Game Development
"I doubt I'll be able to go on making games if it continues like this"
Throughout the course of development for Super Smash Bros. for Wii U and Nintendo 3DS series creator Masahiro Sakurai highlighted the demands of producing the titles. With ever-increasing modes and a growing roster, Sakurai-san often used his Famitsu Weekly article to emphasize...
News The Hyrule Warriors Majora's Mask Pack DLC is Live in Europe, and Looks Glorious
Oh the feels
We've been told, by some, that the term 'fan service' can have a negative meaning. Well, we beg to differ, and the Majora's Mask Pack in Hyrule Warriors is unrepentant, in-your-face fan service - and we love it. Out today in Europe and Japan - it'll be in next week's Download Update for North America - is that very pack, along with an...
News Three New LEGO Games Heading for Nintendo Hardware in 2015
Jurassic World, Marvel's Avengers and more Ninjago
The LEGO franchise is one of the most lucrative in gaming, with a daunting range of IPs given the blocky treatment over a number of years. TT Games never rests with the series, it seems, and today Warner Bros. has confirmed a slate of new games for 2015, three of which will be on Nintendo systems...
News Code Name S.T.E.A.M Demo Available Now on the 3DS eShop
It's got some heat
Update: This demo is also available on the North American 3DS eShop. Original Article: Code Name S.T.E.A.M may be a while away from release in Europe - it's due on 15th May - yet Nintendo has thrown up a surprise by releasing a 3DS eShop demo for the title in today's download update. It's fairly substantial in terms of its...
News Nintendo Launches Beta of 'Creators Program' for YouTube
Currently only in Japan and the Americas
Nintendo's had ups and downs with YouTube, drawing ire in summer 2013 for aggressively pursuing content claims before backtracking and eventually announcing plans for an affiliate program. The latter was confirmed in May last year, as Nintendo stated that it'd setup a partnership program to allow revenue...
News Tesco Direct Starts Flogging Wii U 8GB Systems for £99 in the UK
Update: And... they're gone
Update: About 15 minutes after we posted this article, and it seems around 45-60 minutes after the deal popped up on the popular hotUKdeals site, these models have all sold out. If you wanted one we hope you succeeded! Original Article: We've seen some impressive deals on the 8GB white Wii U systems in recent months,...
News Ninja Pig Pulls The Plug On Wii U eShop Title Jumpy Cat
Following problems with art assets
A short time ago we reported that Ninja Pig Studios' next Wii U eShop title Jumpy Cat used stolen art assets, a situation which led to Ninja Pig delaying the launch of the game in North America. It now appears that the Meme Run publisher has cancelled the release of the game altogether. Although the artwork...
Review Monster Combine TD (3DS eShop)
Plants vs. Monsters
When you think of a tower defence game, what usually comes to mind is a long, winding path, with various build spots situated around it. As you defeat enemies, you earn more money to place units on these spots, and they will automatically attack any enemies that come within range. However, while that might be the most common...
News Antipole Gets the DX Treatment in Flip to 3DS and Wii U
Hurricane season is returning
Antipole, which emerged in 2011 on DSiWare, was a run 'n gun platformer with a gravity-inverting twist that fueled its fighting and puzzle elements. You also got to play as a red-clad, robot-destroying mercenary named Johnny Hurricane, which is way '90s cool. Developer Saturnine Games has announced that a remake of...
News Renegade Kid Cranks Difficulty To Max In Mutant Mudds Super Challenge For Wii U & 3DS
Prepare for pain!
Fans of Mutant Mudds rejoice, indie studio Renegade Kid has announced via the game's official Twitter account the development of a brand new Mutant Mudds title for the Wii U and 3DS eShops. Mutant Mudds Super Challenge first teased on Twitter, will be further detailed in the upcoming issue of Nintendo Force magazine. The new entry...
News Mobile Hit Badland Is Coming To The Wii U eShop
Redesigned Game of the Year Edition
With the number of sloppy mobile ports on Nintendo's eShop platform steadily increasing, developer Frogmind Games is aiming to improve the overall quality of offerings available, announcing their critically acclaimed iOS and Android title, Badland, is on its way to the Wii U. Since the initial launch of Badland...
News Gunman Clive 2 Soundtrack is Now Available for Streaming and Download on Bandcamp
Wild West vibes
Gunman Clive 2 is out on the 3DS eShop today, and we're big fans in our review. It delivers high-quality gaming in various ways, and it shouldn't be overlooked that the soundtrack plays a vital role in ensuring that it's one of the best download experiences on the portable in recent times. Picking up from the Wild West vibes of the...
Wednesday28th Jan 2015
News Not Everyone is Thrilled That Metroid Prime Trilogy Lands on the Wii U eShop Tomorrow
Sorry Nintendo, but you can't please everybody!
For those of you that have defied the odds and are unaware, in the most recent Nintendo Direct a few weeks ago there was the surprise announcement of Wii U eShop digital re-releases for some of the Wii's best games. So far we've had the phenomenal Super Mario Galaxy 2 followed by the excellent
News Ocarina Of Time 3D Reportedly No Longer In Production
Digital version still available via the eShop
With the release of The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask 3D looming, there are still 3DS owners out there who are yet to play the 2011 remaster of Ocarina of Time on Nintendo’s latest handheld. With this in mind, a 3DS owner who was planning to do exactly that prior to the release of Majora’s Mask...
News Majora's Mask Edition New 3DS XL Available for Pre-Order Again on Nintendo UK Store
The scarce just got a little bit less so
Due to the overwhelming popularity of the Majora's Mask Special Edition New 3DS XL, it's no surprise that pre-orders for the console were sold out at an extraordinary rate, leaving many die-hard Zelda fans out in the cold. It seems that Nintendo is listening to the cries of its loyal fans, and has re-stocked...
Re-affirm Masahiro Sakurai's comments on moves left out
Data mining and hacking can reveal many interesting things about games; viewing unused assets, textures, models, or whatever else may be found can give insight into the process and development of any game. For example, models were recently revealed in Super Smash Bros. for Wii U of the viruses...
News More Details Emerge on Xenoblade Chronicles X and Its Non-Linear World
What a wonderful world
There's been plenty of hype and excitement surrounding Xenoblade Chronicles X. Its predecessor, Xenoblade Chronicles, was critically acclaimed as an excellent RPG on Wii, also bringing new ideas to the JRPG genre. The sequel has a lot to live up to, but as more information emerges it becomes clear that it may just live up to...
News Battery Manufacturer Mugen Reveals Bigger Battery for New Nintendo 3DS and XL
Lasts over three times longer
One of the biggest complaints in handheld gaming is battery life, and battery producers know it. The New 3DS XL isn't even out in the West and battery manufacturer Mugen has already developed a sizeable battery upgrade to help you get the most out of your on-the-go gaming. The battery itself is a whopping 6250mAh,...
News Nintendo Stays in Profit With Wii U on Target, Though 3DS Sales Fall
Smash Bros., MK8 and Pokémon all flourish, 3DS hits 50 mil lifetime sales
Back in late October Nintendo reported its Q2 financial results which brought some key improvements. After sustaining a number of consecutive losses the company returned to profit, maintained bold sales projections and was in a position to talk up improved Wii U momentum. We...
Financial analysts in Japan pitch in on Wii U and 3DS
Today Nintendo revealed its latest financial results, which delivered solid income but lowered overall estimates for the year's sales, particularly for 3DS. It was a mixed outcome that, despite sizeable profits courtesy of exchange rate gains, has once again prompted discussion around the...
Talking Point It's Time to Salute The Nintendo 3DS, Defying Early Gloom to Pass 50 Million Sales
A survivor in a harsh new world
The DS family of systems is wonderful in many ways, and achieved sales - the highest ever for a range of gaming portables - that are staggering: around 154 million units. That number accounts for those picking up replacements or upgrading to new models, yes, but it's a monstrous number that is representative of...
News Unused Textures in Super Smash Bros. for Wii U Suggest Dr. Mario Themed Stage
The doctor is out
Through data mining and various other overtly complex methods, an avid fan of the Super Smash Bros. series has uncovered some unused texture files in Super Smash Bros. for Wii U that point towards plans for Dr. Mario to have his own stage at some point during development. The three viruses pictured look as though they could...
Review Best of Mahjong (3DS eShop)
A lovely pair
Mahjong is a tile-based game that is utterly steeped in history and mystery – nobody really knows how old it is, as many different sources claim different dates of conception, and it seems nobody's keen to agree any time soon. This Chinese game is highly regarded in the East, but its presence in the West is significantly less...
News Moon Chronicles: Episodes 2, 3, & 4 Launching Simultaneously On 3DS eShop Next Week
Lunar Overload
Fans of Earth's largest natural satellite - and the horrifying secrets contained within - will have plenty of reason to celebrate this coming February. Just before the moon is torn from the sky by a malevolent spirit, Renegade Kid will be releasing the final three parts of its Sci-Fi shooter Moon Chronicles in one fell swoop. Landing...
News Kirby and the Rainbow Curse Misses Out on Topping Japanese Charts at Launch
New 3DS LL continues to top hardware charts
Despite having gorgeous claymation-inspired visuals and lashings of colour, Kirby and the Rainbow Curse only managed to reach the third spot in the Japanese charts, being beaten by Tales of Zestiria on PS3 and The Legend of Legacy on the 3DS. It's a shame given just how charming the game looks, but...
News Super Mario amiibo Series Can Now Be Preordered On Nintendo UK's Store
Get ready to Mario party!
amiibo collectors will no doubt be rushing to their keyboards to preorder the latest Super Mario series of amiibo which got listed on Nintendo UK's online store today. The following six amiibo can currently be reserved for the reasonable sum of £10.99 a piece, delivered to your door: Mario amiibo
Review Scarygirl Illustration Kit (3DS eShop)
Not exactly high art
With the delayed release of Flipnote Studio 3D - now finally confirmed as a Club Nintendo farewell freebie - there have been other drawing apps for creative gamers to try their hand at, such as Colors! 3D, Comic Workshop and Nintendo's own Art Academy seri
News Nintendo Reveals Splatoon Will Be Playable At Apex 2015
Get hands-on time with the demo featured at last year's E3
We already know Nintendo of America is partnering with Apex 2015 for the Super Smash Bros. tournament event and also providing some Pokémon Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire action on the side, and now it has been revealed that the 2014 E3 demo of the upcoming team-based multiplayer shooter,
Weirdness Meet The Man Who Plays Super Mario World With His Nose
A novel use for the humble recorder
Whenever we tried to play the recorder at school using our nose our teachers told us off. That early lesson in life didn't seem to get through to Japanese NicoNico user Wakou who can not only play music by blowing into a recorder through his nose, but also control Mario in Super Mario World. The secret to doing...
News Prepare to Get Folding in KAMI for 3DS eShop Soon
Deceptively simple puzzling
Our friends at CIRCLE Entertainment who are based in China are quite prolific on the 3DS eShop, bringing some pretty great games from little known developers to our dual-screen devices. Their latest game which should be out very soon is KAMI, a deceptively simple puzzler where the player folds out colored paper to fill...
Tuesday27th Jan 2015
News 3DS Web Browser Exploit Allows Game Boy Color ROMS to be Emulated on the System
Yikes
While Nintendo's efforts at locking down exploits on the 3DS have been stronger than in past generations, hacks and homebrew have still been possible. Though system updates often shut them off, some have found clever ways to get around hardware limitations, and a recent web browser exploit raises a particularly thorny issue - Virtual Console...
News This Is What Happened When A Kid Pitched Super Mario Bros. 4 To Nintendo 25 Years Ago
Even Nintendo's rejection letters are awesome
Back in 1990, Nintendo fan Jason Venter had an idea. He loved Super Mario Bros. 3 and the excellence of that game inspired him to create a planning document for a sequel. That document was packed with the kind of ideas that could only come from the active imagination of an 11-year-old gaming addict -...
The greatest - but most obvious - mystery of our times
As a break from convention, we're going to give a behind-the-scenes glimpse into a conversation in Nintendo Life HQ between two grown men in their 30s. Player 1 - "Did you see that thread on Reddit about the Super Mario Bros. continue trick?" Player 2 - "Nope, what are you talking about?"...
Because lighting matters
Sonic Boom: Rise of Lyric certainly received its fair share of criticism when it launched in late 2014, due to a mix of poor design, bugs and a general sense that it simply wasn't finished. A sizeable 1GB update was then deployed in Europe recently, with fans figuring out its changes; the key tweaks were to remove the...
Review Breath of Fire (Wii U eShop / SNES)
Dragon its heels behind the competition
The age of the 16-bit RPG is well-remembered, and many iconic titles from the time are still cherished by fans to this day. From Final Fantasy III to Chrono Trigger, the genre showed genuine growth through some shining examples of emotive storytelling mixed with addictive gameplay. Not one to miss out on all...
News Link’s Swimming is a Notable Change in The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask 3D
Don't click if you'd rather not know...
Arguably one of the most enjoyable parts of The Legend of Zelda Majora's Mask was fooling around with the new abilities that came with transformations. Perhaps the most entertaining of these abilities was Zora Link's quick swimming. Arcing in and out of the water like a dolphin and corkscrewing everywhere was...
News Koei Tecmo Releases Awesome Hyrule Warriors Wallpapers to Celebrate One Million Units Shipped
So pretty...
Hyrule Warriors raised plenty of eyebrows when it was announced in December 2013, blending the hack and slash action of the Warriors franchise with one of Nintendo's most treasured IPs. Koei Tecmo did a rather good job, earning some critical acclaim as the release was also generally well-received by fans. It's evidently performed...
News Nintendo Wins Metacritic's Annual Game Publisher Rankings
Nintendominance
Back in 2011, Metacritic started doing an annual ranking for video game companies; publishers are categorized according to the number of releases for the year and judged by overall Metacritic scores. Also, sales and user reviews aren't taken into account for the overall rankings, so only reviews from authorised media outlets are...
Talking Point Nintendo's Flirtation With Microtransactions May Step Up in 2015
Free-to-play needs to make money somehow...
Nintendo is just hours away - at the time of writing - from announcing its Q3 financial results, which will teach us much about its Holiday season performance. The company's stable share prices approaching the publication of these accounts suggests that we're not looking at apocalyptic target misses, and...
News Retailer The Hut Believes The Wii U Now Has A "Respectable" Install Base In The UK
"It's a good news story"
The Wii U might not be posting the kind of sales figures that it forerunner did, but 2014 may well go down as the year that ignited the console's commercial resurgence. Whilst Sony grabbed headlines for the PS4's escalating sales and Microsoft played it aggressive, Nintendo, focused on what it does best: creating and...
Gallery Art Academy Masters Produce Award-Winning Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker Drawings
Some lovely work
An enduring legacy of the DS, 3DS and Wii U in future may well be the use of their resistive touch screens for impressive drawing apps. The Art Academy franchise is front and centre in this respect, giving gamers the tools to express themselves through art or to take tentative first steps in learning how. It's a refreshingly...
News Xenoblade Chronicles 3D First Print to Come With Special Soundtrack CD in Japan
The same as the Wii equivalent
At the beginning of this week we raised the point that it'd be nice for Nintendo to sell its amazing soundtracks to us, as we explained that it's not convenient and accessible for all fans to redeem stars and coins on Club Nintendo, for example. We cited the Xenoblade Chronicles 3D soundtrack as one we'd like to see...
News The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past Comic to be Reprinted This Year
A Nintendo Power treasure returns
The graphic novel re-telling of The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past that originally graced the issues of Nintendo Power in 1992 will flip the hourglass and return in full-colour form this year via VIZ Media. Outside of Nintendo's magazine, the graphic novel was last compiled for sale in 1993. Nostalgic...
News This NES Arcade-Style Unit is a Thing of Beauty
Some games incompatible due to use Retron cartridge emulation tech
Hardware mods for retro systems are rather common, so those seeking a stylish or convenient option for playing their old NES games aren't short of options. Not many are quite as impressive as the Model G1 from Rabbit Engineering, though, which features arcade-style inputs, a...
News Wii U Release of Soul Axiom Will Search For Meaning in Q4
Full PC arrival in Q2
Just recently we spoke in detail to Wales Interactive about its most notable planned release in 2015 - Soul Axiom. A spiritual successor to Master Reboot, it'll be another title from the developer to grace the Wii U eShop alongside releases on PC, PS4 and Xbox One. It's a project - like Master Reboot - that emphasizes creative...
Monday26th Jan 2015
Nintendo Download 29th January (Europe)
Metroid Prime Trilogy, Gunman Clive 2, Classic GBA Castlevania and more
It's Monday again, but this week's Nintendo Download Update for Europe has certainly put a spring in our step. Arguably one of the greatest gaming trilogies is available at a ridiculous introductory price, while we have more treats including a top notch Game Boy Advance...
Weirdness Even Masahiro Sakurai Struggles to Get the amiibo He Wants
Master Hand is left empty handed
As you may be aware at this point, Nintendo has been doing a relatively below-par job of keeping amiibo supply up with the voracious demand. Whether this is an intentional ploy to drive the demand through the stratosphere or just a simple, recurring failure to accurately predict the sheer volume that the masses...
News Petit Computer Getting Programmed Out of the 3DS eShop on 31st January
Making way for a new generation of BASIC
Petit Computer is one of the most intriguing apps on the DSi Shop / 3DS eShop, as it allows users to utilise the BASIC code-base to create small games on the DSi hardware or - courtesy of backward compatibility - the 3DS. A 3DS eShop version is on the way, however, which hit Japan - with the name SmileBASIC -...
Video YouTube's Gaming Historian Takes Offense At One Element Of Mario's Game Boy Past
"Come on Nintendo. You're better than this"
Mario is one of the most recognisable characters in entertainment media, and has starred in a staggering number of games over the past few decades. The portly Italian plumber has also enjoyed a number of cameo roles throughout the years, and it's this element of the character's history that the latest...
News The Legend Of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds Soundtrack Added To European Club Nintendo
Club Nintendo isn't dead yet!
Following the announcement last week that Club Nintendo is scheduled to close its doors this coming September - to be replaced by a new loyalty scheme altogether - many avid Nintendo collectors assumed this also spelled the end of updates to the rewards catalogue too. However, that does not appear to be the case. With...
Poll Which Current Generation Nintendo Soundtracks Would You Buy?
Moving beyond occasional Club Nintendo giveaways
Earlier today Nintendo Europe added The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds soundtrack to Club Nintendo, which is jolly for those in the region with a load of stars to spend, but disappointing for anyone else. It continues Nintendo's slightly odd policy of creating some of the greatest soundtracks...
Video 90's Arcade Racer Is Still Alive, And Here's Some Footage To Prove It
Slippin' and slidin', baby
You'd be forgiven for forgetting about 90's Arcade Racer - a game that was first announced back in January 2013 - but we can confirm that it is still very much alive, as this first gameplay video proves. Developer Antonis "Pelikan13" Pelekanos has made it clear in the pas
Weirdness Super Smash Bros. Fans Raise the Stakes With 'Falcon Potato' Minigame
A Falcon Punch for the loser
Last year we shared videos of some fun minigames that fans of Super Smash Bros. were creating with the Wii U and Nintendo 3DS releases. On the home console version we showed you Smashketball, which utilises the stage builder to establish boundaries of cannons and lave - if you hit an opponent into the right barrel...
A handsome map, videos and loads of screens
Last week we saw the launch of Nintendo of America's official website for The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask 3D, which is a rather nice collections of screens, facts and fancy web effects. We're starting to think that it's being outdone by the official Japanese site, though, which is that little big...
News Star Wars Landspeeder Breaks Cover In Disney Infinity 2.0
The Force is strong in this one
While many are assuming it's a foregone conclusion that this year's Disney Infinity update will introduce the Star Wars franchise, there are actually many other directions Disney could take. However, for the time being at least it looks as if Disney is going to take the predicted - and perhaps desired - route. More...
Review uWordsmith (Wii U eShop)
Limited lexicon
Word games are rather less common these days than in their most prolific period, but if you're going to build one the Wii U seems like prime real estate for doing so. uWordsmith takes advantage of the GamePad to create a simple yet snappy style of wordplay, but some setbacks make it less than letter perfect. Three modes exist in the...
News Ninja Gaiden NES Team Discusses Its Origins and Design Approach
Have a listen to composer Keiji Yamagishi's new music, too
Ninja Gaiden is one of the most challenging games on the NES, combining fast-paced action, a fantastic soundtrack and brutal difficulty to make players work hard for their success. In some respects it was also a trendsetter, with cutscenes and cinematic moments that were ahead of their time...
News Starr Mazer Crosses Point-And-Click With 2D Shooting, And Could Be 3DS-Bound
"A new game experience, not two games in one"
You may have noticed that our coverage of Kickstarter projects has cooled over the past few months, largely because so many came with dubious Nintendo-related stretch goals that they had no dream of ever reaching. We've become a bit more selective about what crowd-funded projects we cover these days, but...
News RCMADIAX Confirms European Release Line-Up for the First Half of 2015
Playing catch-up
Earlier today we revealed that ZeNfa Productions is going to make its Wii U eShop début in Europe with ZaciSa: Defense of the Crayon!, an expanded and improved version of ZaciSa's Last Stand. There are a number of developers that released their first games on the Wii U eShop in 2014 - utilising the Nintendo Web Framework - through...
News ZaciSa: Defense of the Crayon Dimension! Heading to the Wii U eShop in Europe
Extra content will be a patched to ZaciSa's Last Stand in North America
2014 brought a host of first-time developers to the Wii U eShop, particularly through the Nintendo Web Framework. This has often only been the case in North America - however - with a number of these projects not being localised to Europe, in all likelihood due to costs related...
Sunday25th Jan 2015
Update: Yep, writer's joke and fan's video, we get it now
Update: We saw some tweets around a video that we thought was a clip from the Sonic Boom cartoon, but is actually a funny fan creation. To clarify (thanks to all that pointed this out), show writer Alan Denton tweeted a joke about Sonic Boom making this famous glitch canon, and a funny fan...
Which multiplayer games are you most excited about?
With 2015 now settling into a groove - and following Nintendo's first Direct broadcasts of the year - we now have a better idea of what to expect in the near future, along with further reassurances of big hitters to come later in 2015. As a result there's plenty for Nintendo fans to look forward...
News Nintendo Shows Off Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate's Story and Fan Reactions
Is the hype monstrous yet?
In terms of big days for the 3DS, we're not sure it's ever had a date quite like 13th February this year. That day will see new hardware with the New Nintendo 3DS, The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask 3D and, last but certainly not least, Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate. We hope that Capcom's latest monster slaying adventure won't...
Weirdness Yoshi's Island is Rather Different When Recreated in First-Person
Those poor Shy Guys
Animators looking for projects to show off on YouTube have plenty of options, yet a common idea among Nintendo fans is to take the company's best known games and switch them up into first person. We've seen it done with Pokémon on multiple occasions, while some have gone to lengths to mod games or run them through Oculus Rift;...
News Key WayForward Director is Bringing His Solo Project to Wii U
Risky move?
It's not uncommon for creative minds at studios to strike out on their own. With limited budgets and resources, companies are sometimes hesitant to take big risks on games that don't necessarily sound like a profitable idea. If the developer really believes that the game is special, he or she may take a chance and shoulder the...
Saturday24th Jan 2015
News Best Buy Cancellations of Majora's Mask 3D New Nintendo 3DS Bundles Affects More Customers
No longer just those that ordered multiple units
Just recently we reported that Best Buy was cancelling duplicate orders for the Majora's Mask 3D New Nintendo 3DS bundle; after seeing eBay flooded with pre-orders for sale of the highly anticipated hardware, it could arguably have been considered a positive move. On the downside, however, those in...
Video New Nintendo 3DS In-Depth Review: Episode One
You voted, we listened
Not so long ago we ran a poll to find out what aspects of the New Nintendo 3DS you were most interested in. The system comes packed with new features, like super-stable 3D, cover plates (on the standard model), a more powerful CPU, augmented controls and much more besides. We're running a series of videos which focus on the...
Rumour Cave Story 2 Teased at PAX South and Could Be in the Works
"Maybe, maybe not"
Cave Story is quite the tale of success. Developed over five years by one man, named Daisuke Amaya, it first saw release over ten years ago on PC. Since then, it's received universal acclaim, achieved widespread popularity and has been ported to numerous platforms. Taking inspiration from old school exploration and action games...
Feature The Making of Wetrix and Its Route to Nintendo 64
How the Pickford Bros' creative little puzzler made a huge splash
Time hasn't been kind to the memory of the Nintendo 64. While it was extremely well received upon its release 18 years ago, and still holds a special place in the hearts of many gamers, it signalled a turning point in Nintendo's history. The company's controversial decision to opt for...
News Official Nintendo UK Store Limits amiibo Purchases to One Per Customer
Wave 4 pre-orders sold out, some wave 3 toys still availalbe
With this week's release - in Europe - of the first batch of wave 3 amiibo, the topic of stock and getting hold of our favourite figures is back on the agenda. A common issue - with rare amiibo and limited edition hardware - has been eBay sellers buying up goods to sell on at a profit;...
Friday23rd Jan 2015
News Best Buy Is Cancelling Majora's Mask New 3DS XL Pre-Order Duplicates
Correction - those ordering more than one have orders reduced
Much to the disappointment of so many fans, Nintendo's recent string of high-demand exclusives have been selling out as soon as they're announced. In the case of both amiibo and the GameCube Controller Adapter for Wii U, supply has been limited while demand remains very high. What makes...
Feature 20 Wii Games We'd Love To Download From The Wii U eShop - Part Two
The second 10, plus your chance to vote
With Wii retail games now slowly making their way to the Wii U eShop for download, we kicked off a list of 20 games we hope to see make it to the store. In part one we listed our first 10, which included some likely releases and those that may have sketchier prospects. As the title suggests, however, they're...
News Official Nintendo UK Store Kicks Off amiibo Pre-Orders for Wave 4
Re-stocks on Marth, too
Just last week Nintendo outlined its next line-up of Super Smash Bros. amiibo that's due in April, and with a certain Ness in the roster some of them will be fiendishly hard to get hold of. Those in the UK may want to hurry up, then, as the Nintendo's Official UK store is now taking pre-orders. At the time of writing...
News New Pokkén Tournament Controller and Gameplay Details Emerge
Input fit for a console
Initially teased as a tech demo nearly two years ago and officially announced with a trailer last August, Pokkén Tournament, an arcade fighter featuring playable characters from the Pokémon franchise, has remained a bit of a mystery. Originally thought to be a new Wii U title, it was later revealed that the new fighting...
Video Donkey Kong Country Returns...To Wii U
It's on like Donkey Kong. Again.
The second Wii re-release has arrived on the European eShop, and it's a doozy. Are you ready for Donkey Kong Country Returns? As we have come to expect from Retro Studios, they knocked it out of the park with a game that apes (pun intended) the original SNES trilogies' gameplay, but is it worth revisiting on Wii U?...
News Xenoblade Chronicles X Will Feature An "Outstanding" Voice Cast
Outstanding
While many are no doubt looking forward to Xenoblade Chronicles 3D which will show off the power of the New Nintendo 3DS, it's worth looking further ahead; Xenoblade Chronicles X for the Wii U appears to be shaping up to be something rather special. Not just visually, but also sonically. Producer Shingo Kawabata recently took to Twitter...
Video This Guy Loves Nintendo Way More Than You Do
"Nintendo keeps me smiling while gaming"
Do you consider yourself a Nintendo collector? If so, there's a good chance that you have all of the consoles, a few rare games, and some exclusive memorabilia from Club Nintendo; a collection that any Nintendo fan would be proud of. No matter what rare or precious items you do have, there's no way that your...
Video New Nintendo 3DS and XL Batteries Put to the Test in a Family Showdown
Charging times and features also explored
Earlier this week our colleagues at Family Gamer TV put the New Nintendo 3DS battery to the test against some of its predecessors. It was a pretty handy indication of where it stands, but there's now an updated video that throws in the New XL and shakes up the settings to satisfy our curiosity. In addition...
News Animal Crossing Announcement Community Launches On Miiverse
New Leaf director welcomes fans
Following the discontinuation of Animal Crossing Plaza and the Animal Crossing Series Community at the end of last year, New Leaf director, Aya Kyogoku, has today launched the Animal Crossing Announcement Community on Miiverse. This community will be used by Nintendo to deliver news and messages related to Animal...
Weirdness According To McDonald's, Mario And Bowser Are Now Firm Friends
Really?
We all know that Mario and Bowser don't exactly get on. The latter is always attempting to steal the former's girlfriend, and over the past three decades the pair have clashed multiple times, with Mario usually emerging victorious. It would appear that fast food chain McDonald's feels that it's time to bury the hatchet and make up, as it...
Review Electronic Super Joy: Groove City (Wii U eShop)
Groove it or lose it
Electronic Super Joy: Groove City is a weird game. The plot involves a giant robot stripper that loses her laser nipples, and you're trying to get them back so she stops destroying Groove City in a resulting fit of rage. The story matters very little beyond setup purposes, as the majority of the dialogue is delivered through...
News Atlus Shows Off Terrific Launch Edition Extras for Etrian Mystery Dungeon
Also releases a trailer for contest and Protector Class
Atlus often releases hugely tempting launch editions for its major releases in North America, typically packed with collectible goodies that would - it seems - command higher prices from most other publishers. It's not letting itself down with Etrian Mystery Dungeon, with the cross-over title...
Rumour Code Name: S.T.E.A.M. Demo To Be Distributed Via Gamestop Stores
Steamy windows
Intelligent Systems' latest 3DS effort - Code Name: S.T.E.A.M. - is shaping up rather nicely, and will almost certainly be on the wish list of many a seasoned tactical RPG player. The game launches in March in North America and May in Europe, and if rumours are to be believed it would appear that Nintendo is working with retailer...
News More Details Emerge on the Upcoming Retro City Rampage DX 3DS Update
Includes dual stick aiming, steady 60fps and more
About a week ago we told you about an upcoming update for the 3DS version of Retro City Rampage, Vblank Entertainment's old-school take on GTA, which would add in support for the C-Stick on the New Nintendo 3DS. Today, studio head Brian Provinciano took to Miiverse to reveal more details about the...
Get creative
Earlier this week we reported on an upcoming Wii U title inspired by Minecraft, in this case developed by Cypronia and called Cube Life: Island Survival. It's not the only block-based world-building title headed to Wii U, and will no doubt hope to grab attention courtesy of the iconic Mojang title. The Creative Mode is, as the name...
News Indie Title Holobunnies Fails to Make The Hop To Consoles
But hey, there'll be a board game!
Kickstarter can be a rather fickle beast. With a veritable sea of pending projects at any one time, making a particular endeavour stand out from the pack can be difficult; especially given the limited budgets and expertise that many aspiring developers have to work with. While there are many great success stories,...
Thursday22nd Jan 2015
Rumour Wave 3 amiibo Release Dates Revealed for North America
GameStop memo apparently shows that figures will arrive in waves
So many have been eagerly awaiting an official release date announcement for wave 3 amiibo in North America, rather than the vague "February 2015" that has been floating around; now we're finally one step closer. Earlier today, a Reddit user by the name of KingOfRedLions posted on the...
News You Can Grab a Free Serperior for Pokémon Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire, With More to Come
Emboar and Samurott are on the way
Pokémon Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire were, unsurprisingly, major hits for the 3DS in the Holiday season of late 2014, and as per tradition for the series there are consistent updates and extras to keep us playing. The Pokémon Company is now rolling out a code distribution in the West - that's already been...
Weirdness These Push Guards for the New Nintendo 3DS Will Stop Game Cards From Popping Out
Panic averted
Strange accessories are part of the game with Nintendo systems, as entrepreneurial individuals aim to help us fix problems we didn't know we had. The Wii had plastic sports bats and rackets for Wii Remotes, for example, so that it was easier for us to hit virtual tennis balls, or something. There are few problems a silly bit of...
Feature 20 Wii Games We'd Love To Download From The Wii U eShop - Part One
We list our first 10 choices
It seems strange, but a reveal in last week's Nintendo Direct broadcasts that prompted one of the biggest reactions in the Nintendo Life community was confirmation of Wii retail games coming to the Wii U eShop. Bearing in mind that the system is already fully backward compatible we were a little surprised, yet...
Nintendo Download 22nd January (North America)
Punch-Out!!, Citizens of Earth, S.C.A.T., discounts and more
As another week heads to a conclusion Nintendo of America is serving up its next batch of eShop treats, and there's certainly decent variety this time around. We have another Wii title on the eShop, the latest Atlus-published releases, some other intriguing Wii U downloads, a Virtual...
News Second Week of Throwback Sale Goes Live on North American eShop
Six more classics to add to your collection
This week's big Wii retail game making its way to the Wii U eShop in North America is none other than Punch-Out!! Launching at 50% off the regular price, the revamped classic brings along with it the next wave of Throwback Sales across both NA eShops. These deals will be available until the next update on...
Review Space Lift Danger Panic! (3DS eShop)
Repetitive Tapping Sci-Fi Game!
If you're looking for a bizarrely named game that does interesting things with what little it has to offer, look no further than Space Lift Danger Panic! The flagship 3DS eShop title from developer Springloaded, this provides very basic gameplay but manages to combine it with a mysterious and alluring story to balance...
News Speedrunner Sets New World Record for Fastest Time in Super Mario World
1-up'd
The speedrunning community is an endlessly competitive scene. Hardcore speedrunners may spend hours practising for a pixel-perfect performance or combing through endless lines of code to find obscure glitches. Anything that'll help shave off a few precious seconds from the final time. Just recently a speedrunner named SethBling exploited...
Review Street Fighter 2010: The Final Fight (Wii U eShop / NES)
Planet Hopper 1990
Capcom's Street Fighter 2010: The Final Fight is an interesting game, arriving on the NES after the release of the first Street Fighter, but before its sequel hit arcades and caused an explosion of interest in one-on-one brawlers. The game's story was changed for the western release to at least try and justify the use of the name...
News Capcom Offers 5 Beginner Tips On How To Become A Better Monster Hunter
Get the most out of your demo experience
If you’ve played any of the previous entries in Capcom’s insanely popular Monster Hunter series you’ll already know how ruthless the experience can be for first timers. Whilst newcomers are often eager to get their quest underway, it’s important to know the basics and exercise plenty of caution when...
News Inazuma Eleven GO Chrono Stones Ready to Kick Off on 3DS in Europe
Available in Thunderflash and Wildfire variations
The Inazuma series from Level 5 is rather popular in Japan, and based on the increasing number of localised titles it's also a relative hit in Europe. Though there's always an element of playing catch-up in the EU, the titles continue to arrive, with Inazuma Eleven GO: Light & Shadow being the...
Interview Wales Interactive on its Wii U Breakthrough Year and 2015's Soul Axiom
"Why be limited by what's perceived to be real?"
2014 brought a number of new developer names to the Wii U eShop, in particular, one of which was Wales Interactive. Its first release on the home console was Gravity Badgers, a physics action puzzles that provided some fun and was relatively well received. It then showed an entirely different side...
Video Latest Theatrhythm Final Fantasy: Curtain Call DLC Comes Packed With Fan Service
World Ends With You! Chrono Trigger! Romancing SaGa 3!
Square Enix has kindly launched a trailer covering the new batch of DLC content for Theatrhythm Final Fantasy: Curtain Call that will be launched in Japan this week. The most exciting part is that four songs from RPG classics Chrono Trigger and The World Ends With You are arriving, as well as a...
News Kickstarter Project Aims to Fund a One Day StreetPass Bus Tour From Washington to New York
The real magic school bus
Streetpass can be such a wonderful little addition to the day; it's a treat to see that little green light and knowing that various goodies await. All one needs to do is walk by a fellow 3DS owner who has it activated, but here exists a problem with the concept of StreetPass: finding fellow users can be difficult, if not...
News Capcom's Ryozo Tsujimoto Feels Monster Hunter Is Gaining Traction In The West
"I see lots of growth occurring in those regions"
Monster Hunter is massive in Japan. Over the past decade the franchise has sold millions of copies and generated a considerable amount of revenue for creator Capcom; such is its importance in its homeland that it is often credited with turning around the fortunes of the hardware it ships on -...
Wednesday21st Jan 2015
News Nintendo of America Issues a Fresh Batch of Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate Demo Codes
Check those inboxes
Nintendo managed to create a lot of buzz in its Nintendo Direct broadcasts last week, but certainly grabbed plenty of attention by releasing demo codes for Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate. The Club Nintendo distribution kicked off right away in Europe and a day later in North America, with lucky recipients receiving an email with four...
Review Battleminer (3DS eShop)
Like stepping on a landmine
Mojang's Minecraft, a small indie title that has become a pop culture phenomenon, would seem like a perfect fit for Nintendo platforms, with a large sense of wonder and creative gameplay. Unfortunately, Nintendo is the only major gaming platform without a version of the venerable franchise. At first glance, Wobbly Tooth...
Talking Point Nintendo's Had a Strong Start With amiibo, But Evolution's a Priority for 2015
The Super Mario range doesn't stir the soul like Smash Bros., it seems
When it comes to amiibo we often discuss stock issues, and the fact that acquiring specific toys is akin to obtaining an interesting quote from a politician - difficult and mostly fruitless; yet there's perhaps not enough focus on the concept itself. Until last week its...
News GameStop Cancels European Rosalina amiibo Pre-Orders as the Scrabble for Stock Continues
Pre-order stock for upcoming wave also woefully short in North America
Wave three of the Super Smash Bros. amiibo is almost upon us, arriving in Europe on 23rd January and North America on 1st February, but we've just been reminded that - while they're lovely in principle - actually getting hold of these figures is a challenge in itself. A member...
Video A New Game Theory for Pokémon Lore Gets Rather Scientific
Listen carefully
Figuring out lore in our favourite franchises can be a dangerous game and a potential road to madness, but it's also irresistible to try and apply logic to seemingly disconnected titles. Dedicated fans know that even the official Nintendo timeline for The Legend of Zelda, for example, has elements of retrospective improvisation, and...
Rumour Terraria is Making Its Way to Wii U and 3DS
Terrariafic
505 Games' Terraria is a 2D sandbox game that falls somewhere in between Minecraft and Metroid on the gameplay spectrum. Featuring vibrant pixel art, exploration, quests, crafting and randomly generated 2D worlds, it's really a wonder this one has taken so long to find its way onto Nintendo platforms. After all, it's been available on...
News Super Smash Bros. Melee and Wii U Confirmed for Evo 2015
Battle begins on 17th July in Las Vegas
After an incident-filled past, Nintendo is now a supporter of Evo, the hugely popular fighting game tournament that's held every Summer. This year's Las Vegas extravaganza kicks off on the weekend of 17th July, and the official line-up will include two big N titles to keep us interested. Likely predicating...
Video Eiji Aonuma Shows Off Gyroscope Aiming in The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask 3D
It's in Japanese, but we like watching the footage
The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask 3D is so close that we're hallucinating about the real moon plummeting to Earth, and Nintendo has released another video to show off how the new entry takes advantage of the 3DS hardware. In this case it's reprising the rather effective gyroscope aiming controls...
Review Penguins of Madagascar (3DS)
Likely to ruffle a few feathers
Everybody loves penguins, right? Well, judging by the success of the Madagascar movie spin-off Penguins of Madagascar it would seem so. The success of a family CGI movie almost certainly results in two things - more movies in the same vein, and a video game adaption for the franchise. Penguins of Madagascar is...
News First 4 Figures Opens Pre-Orders For Its New Wind Waker Range
Kicks-off with the toon King of Evil
As you may know by now, First 4 Figures is a well known entity responsible for creating amazingly-detailed figures, covering an array of game franchises from Super Mario to Worms. It recently announced the latest instalment to its collection, The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker series, and has began this lighter...
News New 3DS and Nintendo-Exclusive Games Stay On Top in Japanese Charts
Wii U hardware dips back into four figures, however
Though the start of 2015 has been eventful in terms of announcements from Nintendo, it's been typically quiet on the game release front. That's certainly reflected in the latest Media Create charts in Japan, though the status-quo happens to suit Nintendo's 3DS systems rather well. In terms of...
"Risk taking is generally not really rewarded"
Dan Adelman's former title at Nintendo - Nintendo of America's Head of Digital Content and Development - doesn't necessarily emphasize the importance of his role at the company. He did integral work in helping to develop and improve how Nintendo dealt with download game developers, and was largely...
Double-plus-ungood
One of the quirkier titles to hit the 3DS eShop recently, Rocket Studios' Kemonomix+ is the sequel to a Japan-only DSiWare game from 2010: a streamlined simulation featuring a combination of exploration, time-management and monster rearing set on a faraway pastel planet. It borrows good ideas from excellent influences, but leaves...
News Super Smash Bros. Tournament Organiser Steps Down Following Allegations Of Sexual Harassment
Johnathan "Alex Strife" Lugo parts company with Apex
It has been confirmed that Johnathan "Alex Strife" Lugo will no longer be involved with the Smash tournament Apex. Lugo - who held the positions of Chief Executive Officer, Sponsorship Manager and Qualifiers Manager at Apex, which he helped found back in 2008 - has voluntarily stepped down...
Exclusive cross-buy discount offer also announced
The last we heard from WayForward about the PAL localisation of Shantae And The Pirate’s Curse was in December with the announcement that the title had been delayed until early 2015. With the New Year now here, WayForward has delivered on its promise, announcing that the latest entry in the...
News Nintendo Australia Thanks Fans For Support Of Club Nintendo And Explains Closure Process
“Thank you for your ongoing support”
The discontinuation of Club Nintendo isn’t specific to just any region; it’s an international shutdown of the long-running rewards programme. With this in consideration, Nintendo Australia has today issued an email to local fans down under thanking them for their ongoing support over the years, and...
Tuesday20th Jan 2015
News Club Nintendo to Close, With Replacement Loyalty Programme Coming Later in the Year
Flipnote Studio 3D will be free to existing members
Club Nintendo has been a consistent part of the dedicated Nintendo fan's world since the Wii / DS era, with purchases registered for coins and stars - depending on region - to be traded for extras. At times the programme has been criticised for slowly updated catalogues, but it's been relatively...
News The New Fire Emblem For 3DS May Be Arriving Sooner Than Expected
Update: Nintendo Australia issues an update dropping '2015' window
Update: It appears Nintendo Australia made an error with the listed 3DS release dates and has now sent out an updated version of the newsletter. The 3DS section now reads, "Games coming for Nintendo 3DS" rather than the existing header which indicated a 2015 launch for all titles...
News Flipnote Studio 3D Free Download Details Point to a Stripped Back and Offline Experience
You can download your own DS creations from Flipnote Hatena, though
Nintendo has recently announced the surprise discontinuation of Club Nintendo in the coming months, with a replacement loyalty programme to take its place later in 2015. While new catalogue items are promised in multiple regions to help us dispose of leftover stars and coins,...
News Club Nintendo Rewards are Updated for January, Kicking Off Its Final Run
Mario! Wario! Metroid! Zelda! More due in February!
After today's surprise news of the discontinuation of Club Nintendo, the North American version has had its regular monthly update, but with a bit of a difference. Though coins can only be earned in the region until the end of March, redeeming those coins is possible until the end of June. After a...
Talking Point Club Nintendo's Closure Is An Exciting Opportunity To Modernise Fan Rewards
The Club Nintendo brand shouldn't necessarily be lost, however
There was some surprising news today with the upcoming closure of Club Nintendo, bringing an end to Nintendo's only consistent consumer loyalty programme. There have often been promotions to encourage gamers to buy and enjoy more systems and games, with the Nintendo Network Deluxe /...
News Ninja Pig Studios Accused Of Stealing Pixel Art For Forthcoming Wii U Release Jumpy Cat
Meme Run developer in hot water
This week is currently set to see the launch of Ninja Pig Studios' next Wii U eShop title, Jumpy Cat - but the developer behind the infamous Meme Run is already in hot water thanks to accusations that it has used stolen pixel art in its new game. Jumpy Cat is slated for release on January 22nd in North America, but...
Review Lucadian Chronicles (Wii U eShop)
A killer hand
Card games certainly have their place in Nintendo's history; any fan of Pokémon will know just how important the trading cards were to the series' success, especially upon its début in the '90s. While it may seem strange to turn a card game into a video game — after all, much of the appeal comes from the physical act of using cards...
Skip the Majora's Mask line if you're wearing Legend of Zelda cosplay
In 2014 Nintendo of America did a good job of attending a whole load of expos and putting on special events, and it's kicking off 2015 with a focus on New Nintendo 3DS at this weekend's PAX South; it's running from 23rd to 25th January in San Antonio, Texas. NoA is taking a...
News UK Retailer Left Red Faced With New Nintendo 3DS XL Advert
Argos says get the Red XL in the UK, Nintendo says no
With the New Nintendo 3DS and XL on the way soon - 13th February - there are no doubt plenty of gamers in the West planning pre-orders and choosing models. The choices vary per region, too, with Europe receiving white and black 'smaller' models along with metallic blue and metallic black XL...
News Yokai Watch Yo-Kai Pad Sells Out in a Blink in Japan
You don't even know what it is, but now you want one
So that Yokai Watch game, right? It's gargantuan in Japan and slowly working its way westward, even bringing its anime along with it. It's enough to make any '90s kid relapse into the Pokéjitters waiting for this franchise to arrive--just what is so amazing about it?! Well, it'll still be a...
Video Family Gamer TV Puts the New Nintendo 3DS Battery to the Test
Smaller New model compares favourably to the old XL
A topic that's been posed to us with regards to the New Nintendo 3DS is how well the battery actually performs. Nintendo's official specifications show each model - standard and XL - as out-performing their predecessors by around 30-60 minutes, depending on activity. In practice we find that there...
News Nintendo Quest Kickstarter Sets NES Game Stretch Goal
For those who love their retro goodness with a side of meta
A couple weeks ago we told you about the Kickstarter campaign for Nintendo Quest, a chance to pre-order and support a documentary on trying to amass the entire NES library from brick and mortar stores. The campaign has been doing quite well, scoring more than $12,000 at the time of this...
News Gunman Clive 2 Shooting for 29th January Release
Quite the turnaround
Earlier this month, Gunman Clive developer Bertil Hörberg stated over Twitter that the awaited sequel to his eShop cult hit would have to wait a bit as he battled some recently discovered bugs--and what sounded like a nasty cold as well. It seems Hörberg made good time, though, and Gunman Clive 2 has received approval for...
News Kirby Fighters Deluxe & Dedede's Drum Dash Deluxe Hitting European 3DS eShop on 13th February
Suck it up
Kirby: Triple Deluxe was a fun arrival on 3DS last year, and later in 2014 Nintendo - in North America and Japan - released Kirby Fighters Deluxe and Dedede's Drum Dash Deluxe on the eShop as extended versions of the title's minigames. Nintendo of Europe has now announced that these downloads will be arriving in its region on 13th...
Monday19th Jan 2015
News The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask 3D Download Size Is Surprisingly Dainty
Shouldn't take 3 days to download
If you've got a pulse then chances are you're totally pumped for the impending release of The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask 3D. Should you also be faced with that eternal struggle concerning available memory on your console's SD card, then we have some positive news for you. Majora's Mask 3D will only take up a...
Nintendo Download 22nd January (Europe)
Triple Donkey Kong, Citizens of Earth, Hazumi, NES themes and more
It's Monday again, but it's time to turn that frown upside down as we have the European Nintendo Download Update, promising some goodies for later in the week. We have a dual Wii U and 3DS release published by Atlus, three Donkey Kong games including one of the last generation's best...
Poll As amiibo Expands and Evolves, Which Features Are You Most Excited About?
Super Mario range, Mario Party 10 compatibility and more
Last week's Nintendo Direct broadcasts brought a host of fresh details on amiibo, taking us beyond the launch period's tales of Super Smash Bros. support, relatively minor features in Hyrule Warriors and Mario Kart 8, and the ongoing shenanigans of painfully limited stock. Well, the latter may...
Review Axelay (Wii U eShop / SNES)
Restoring some Life Force to the 2D shooter
When you run through the list of prolific Japanese software houses during the 8 and 16-bit eras, Konami's name is usually pretty close to the top. Like rivals Capcom and Namco, it benefited from the incredible global success of the Nintendo's NES and many of its classic franchises gained astonishing...
News Hyrule Warriors Majora's Mask Pack DLC and Update Details Emerge
Max level increase! Tingle! Termina Adventure map! More!
If you're willing to pay a reasonable amount of money, Hyrule Warriors is the game that keeps giving. We've already had two fairly meaty DLC packs - Master Quest and Twilight Princess - along with some individual costume sets, and the next substantial offering is just a couple of weeks away...
News Xenoblade Chronicles X Localisation Work is "Well Underway"
Fingers crossed for the promised 2015 release
There are a number of exciting games already confirmed for release in 2015, and in terms of the Wii U Xenoblade Chronicles X - referred to as Xenoblade X / Xenoblade Cross in Japan - is one of the most ambitious and enticing projects. Its 2015 release window had been one of the most doubted when it was...
News Cube Life: Island Survival is Another Minecraft-Inspired Title Heading to the Wii U eShop
Cypronia is targeting a Q2 release and a year of updates
The fact that Nintendo's systems are the only major platforms to miss out on Minecraft is well-documented and often discussed, though there have been other developers tossing their hats into the ring on the big N's hardware. The latest to do so on the Wii U is Cypronia, which has announced...
News Splatoon Updates Give More Insight Into Stages, Plaza and Item Stores
Ink more territory to make more money
Splatoon is beginning to shape up rather nicely, and with a May release confirmed that means we'll have had less than a year from its initial reveal until it hits stores; that's a fairly rapid turnaround. The most recent Nintendo Direct broadcasts began to flesh the ink-based shooter out, too, by introducing the...
Weirdness Researchers Working on Mario Artificial Intelligence - Who Needs Players?
May start to wonder why Princess Peach doesn't improve palace security
It's not uncommon for video games and academic research to mix - gaming is increasingly mainstream, and is a ripe source for study in a variety of areas. One such area is artificial intelligence, and German cognitive modelling researchers at the University of Tübingen have been...
News Quirky Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate 3DS HOME Themes Arrive in Japan
Temporarily available to celebrate Monster Hunter 'Festa 15
Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate - known as Monster Hunter 4 G in Japan - will be one of the most demanding and challenging games released on the 3DS this year. Despite its tough level of difficulty and uncompromising approach, though, it's a game with a humorous side; there's no better...
News Wii U Games, Likely in Hardware Bundles, Enjoy Mini-Revival in UK Charts
Nintendo Land joins Mario Kart 8 with upward momentum
The UK charts haven't often brought good cheer for Nintendo in the past year, though the latest results do bring a chink of light, if not a full blown revolution worthy of celebration. We're seeing upward momentum for one surprising game in particular, which suggests that the past seven days saw...
Video TreeFall Studios Releases Its First Ever Developers Conference
The hype is real
Indie developer TreeFall Studios -- creator of the infamous Wii U eShop title The Letter -- has just released its first ever Developers Conference on YouTube showing off the company's forthcoming projects. Several brand new titles were showcased, as well as announcements relating to fresh content related to Maze, which recently...
News Rock 'N Racing Off Road Aims to Bring Mayhem to Wii U on 29th January
Measured madness
Retro gamers may have had their eyes turned recently by Rock 'N Racing Off Road, which perhaps brings to mind the classic arcade title Super Off-Road. This top-down racing approach is fairly popular in real-life mini-toy car versions at the moment - with toys controllable via smartphones or tablets - and EnjoyUp Games is clearly...
News Woah Dave! May Become a Real NES Cartridge Release
Woah!
Woah Dave!, a 3DS eShop title that we reviewed late last year, may just be arriving on the console that inspired the game's alien-exterminating mechanics, as well as gaming as a whole - the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES). Tiny Cartridge has spoken with Choice Provisions Director Jason Cirillo and learned that the company has tentative...
News GAME is Selling a 2DS + Mario Kart 7 for £79.99
Perfect for little 'uns, or young-at-heart big 'uns
Though the New Nintendo 3DS is now just a few weeks away, it won't be the perfect option for everyone. The 2DS - with its tablet design and 2D-only screen - is targeted at young children, or those that fancy a change from Nintendo's clamshell systems. For those in the UK that have been...
Sunday18th Jan 2015
News Sonic Boom Gets a Whopping 1GB+ Update in Europe, and Fans Figure Out What it Did
An update not much smaller than Super Mario 3D World's file size
A few days ago Sonic Boom: Rise of Lyric received a whopping big update in Europe, and it's still not available - as far as we can see - in North America; it's likely still going through approval and scheduling in the region. This was a game that was widely panned upon release - and...
Poll Nintendo's Year of Adventure on Wii U and 3DS Promises Hundreds of Immersive Gaming Hours
Xenoblade or Legend of Zelda, which is top of your list?
There are plenty of games already confirmed by Nintendo for 2015, covering the Wii U, 3DS and - in one case - the New Nintendo 3DS. We have diverse experiences, from shooting to platforming, level creation to strategy, yet it's in the RPG and Adventure genres that the most hours may be lost...
News A Keen Retro Gamer Has Produced a Handy Virtual Console Controller Compatibility Infographic
Yikes, we really do juggle a lot of control options
The Wii and Wii U have plenty of controllers and combinations on offer, even if on most occasions we can instinctively pick up our pad of choice and get on with playing. With the Wii U and Wii Virtual Consoles, though, there can be quirks that trip people up, one being the fact that the Wii U...
News Official Website for The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask 3D Goes Live
Brimming with information and art
We recently reported on a new trailer showcasing the enhanced gameplay and graphics packed into The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask 3D, but now Nintendo has stepped up its marketing and launched an official website for the long-awaited remake. Most of the information on the website was already announced in the most...
News Resident Evil 4 Was Almost A Very Different Experience
"Let's create a setting that doesn't revolve around science or reason"
Resident Evil 4 is often spoken of as the best entry in Capcom's iconic franchise, blending an over-the-shoulder camera, action and horror in one varied, entertaining experience. Often declared a classic, it's also the reference point when fans bemoan the conceivable falling-away...
Saturday17th Jan 2015
News New Exploit Makes The 3DS Region Free Without The Need For A Flashcard Or Game Cart
All you need is an SD card and an internet connection
A new exploit has emerged which allows the Nintendo 3DS to play games from any region without the need for a flashcard or any software-based exploit. RegionThree merely requires an SD card and access to the internet, and has been tested on the latest version of the 3DS firmware. The catch is...
Talking Point The New Nintendo 3DS Could Be a Huge Success, But Its Route to Release Has Been Rocky
A delayed Western arrival and XL-only in the Americas detracts from buzz
The New Nintendo 3DS now has a release date for both North America and Europe, with 13th February no doubt circled on a number of calendars. It continues Nintendo's trend of sprucing up and revitalising a portable generation with a refreshed system, and there's certainly...
Review 3D After Burner II (3DS eShop)
The need for speed
Classic ports always fare better when handled by a team that approaches the source game's legacy with the utmost respect, and without a hint of hyperbole 3D After Burner II is a truly exceptional retread. Developer M2 has worked wonders with this re-release of Sega's 1987 arcade cabinet, presenting a faithful port that captures...
Interview Exploring Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate With Mr. Ryozo Tsujimoto and Mr. Kaname Fujioka
The West "will be the first" to see various costume collaborations
With Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate arriving in just under a month on 13th February, alongside the New Nintendo 3DS XL and The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask 3D, these are exciting times for portable gamers. Whether upgrading to the new hardware or not, Capcom's latest hunting...
Friday16th Jan 2015
News Hundreds of Limited Edition Majora's Mask New Nintendo 3DS Systems Continue to Flood Onto eBay
Opportunists hog stock once again
It says much for how events have unfolded in recent months that this writer's first thought upon the reveal of a New Nintendo 3DS XL limited edition - with a design from The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask 3D - wasn't "oh my that's gorgeous", but rather "fingers crossed there's enough stock". In the Holiday season...
Preview Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate Takes the Series to New Heights
It's got teeth
At times the localisation of the Monster Hunter franchise can be frustrating for dedicated fans in the West; it's a sales phenomenon in Japan and, as a result, there are more frequent releases in the country. Despite this Capcom is to be commended for its increasing commitment to making it a success outside of its homeland - Monster...
Gallery Feast Your Eyes on the Super Mario and Super Smash Bros. Wave 4 amiibo
Bank balances, beware
In the first Nintendo Direct broadcasts of 2015 the amiibo brand played its part, with new figures announced to keep the action going in both Super Smash Bros. for Wii U and 3DS, and a fresh range to make an impact in Mario Party 10. Many of the toys will support a wide range of games in different ways, but it's in these two...
Video Nintendo Drops a Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask 3D Gameplay Trailer
Must be viewed within 3 days
In the most recent round of Direct videos, Nintendo was kind enough to to confirm a 13th February release date for the long awaited The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask 3D. A stand-out title in the Zelda series, it's no surprise that the launch of this hotly anticipated sequel is coinciding with that of the New 3DS...
News Wii U Enjoyed Its Best Ever Month of US Sales in December, With Yearly Results Beating 2013
3DS had its best ever month of first-party software sales
We're now heading into the time of reckoning when we learn how Nintendo fared over the festive sales period, and there's a positive start courtesy of the December NPD results - these cover US physical retail sales. On a whole Nintendo is reporting a record month for Wii U, along with strong...
Video See How The New Nintendo 3DS Compares To The Rest Of The 3DS Family
Going hands on with the New Nintendo 3DS and New Nintendo 3DS XL
With the western launch of the New Nintendo 3DS looming on the horizon like a massive, cuddly monster with its beady eyes on your long-suffering wallet, we thought you might like to see how Nintendo's latest hardware shapes up against older 3DS systems. We've got the New Nintendo 3DS...
News Professional Super Smash Bros. Player Proposes to Girlfriend at Tournament
It's-a-me, Marry-o!
Gaming tournaments often yield some memorable moments, such as amazing feats of skill and underdogs defeating their Goliath counterparts. However, in a Super Smash Bros. for Wii U tournament, Tantalus alleviated the competitive atmosphere by proposing to his girlfriend - an occurrence that also took place at the AGDQ Mischief...
Rumour Could Xenosaga's KOS-MOS Be Appearing In Wii U Exclusive Project Treasure?
Nintendo Direct footage has people talking
Bandai Namco's big news from the recent Nintendo Direct broadcast was that it's working on a free-to-play downloadable title for the Wii U under the tentative title of Project Treasure. The game is being pitched as an action title where 4 players work co-operatively to disarm traps, beat enemies and grab...
News A New Rhythm Heaven Game On Nintendo 3DS Is Music To Our Ears
Will contain 100 mini-games, 70 taken from existing titles
The recent Nintendo Direct broadcast was so packed with content that we can surely be forgiven for missing one or two things from the Japanese event -- one of which is the news that there's going to be a 3DS entry in the popular Rhythm Heaven series. The title is expected to hit Japan this...
Review Cake Ninja 3: The Legend Continues (Wii U eShop)
Legendarily mundane
Apparently, ninjas hate cakes, and developer Cypronia has been struggling to produce a decent game based off this assumption since its first attempt on DSiWare back in 2011. With years of experience under its belt and a baked goods massacre to show for it, has the move to Wii U made for a more substantial title? Let's begin by...
First Impressions Taking To The Skies In Ace Combat Assault Horizon Legacy+
Danger zone
Ace Combat Assault Horizon Legacy was an enjoyable romp trough the skies in the early days of the 3DS, and its chunky dogfighting proved to be a delightful fit for auto-stereoscopic 3D. What better way to immerse yourself in a virtual world than to feel as if you're soaring over it, right? Bandai Namco is now offering the chance to do...
Review Best of Solitaire (3DS eShop)
All by myself
Who doesn't love a good old card game? They're enjoyable, relaxing and you can even play them by yourself if you're socially lacking at the time. Best of Solitaire may seem like a tempting purchase if you're a fan of the solo four-suit adventure, but is it worth spending your money on? Best of Solitaire loads up almost instantly after...
News Pokémon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire Special Demo Version Now Available on European eShop
Grab that Glalie
Nintendo has already - based on millions of sales worldwide - hit the hardcore demographic for Pokémon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire, and now seems to be stepping up its efforts with those still on the fence. When popping open our UK 3DS today we had a SpotPass download waiting for us... sort of. European 3DS owners may find a...
Weirdness Stop-Motion Animator Successfully Makes the Power Glove Awesome, and Useful
He's got the power
The Power Glove remains an iconic part of Nintendo history, an accessory that was hugely visible in the NES era and beyond. It promised much with motion controls, and famously failed to deliver. Its visual and cultural appeal at the time can't be denied, however, and to this day we see accessories and mods that keep it alive. One...
Feel good about everything
If you need an accessible game that does the virtual equivalent of pinching your cheeks and saying you're awesome for everything you do, then there are far worse options than a Cooking Mama game. Always a friendly experience in which it's hard to fail, it was a huge success in the DS era, particularly. The series is still...
Thursday15th Jan 2015
News Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate Demo Codes Now Being Distributed in North America
Four codes per email! Multiplayer! No play limit!
One of the major reveals during the Nintendo Direct broadcasts - even if it was subtle in the North American video - was a demo distribution for Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate. Like previous examples - most memorably Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS - it consists of emails to Club Nintendo members with...
Hands On We Check Out The New Nintendo 3DS XL
North America's only New Nintendo 3DS, lest we forget
The New Nintendo 3DS XL is a sleek piece of kit that streamlines many of its predecessor's quirks. Be it changed button placement or new features altogether, it's evident that Nintendo has put a lot of thought into alleviating pain points both obvious and subtle. While we aren't fans of every...
First Impressions We're Really Feeling It With Xenoblade Chronicles 3D
It's Reyn time!
Xenoblade Chronicles was something of a white whale that appeared late in the Wii's lifespan. A Western release was not assured despite critical success in its native Japan, sending fervent American fans into an Operation Rainfall-shaped tizzy to show Nintendo that hey, maybe they should release some games from time to time. Then,...
Nintendo Download 15th January (North America)
3D After Burner II, Super Mario Galaxy 2, tempting discounts and much more
In this rather exciting week there's still time for our traditional Nintendo Download Update fix. This latest offering from Nintendo of America is pretty strong, with a variety of titles on Wii U and 3DS full of potential, in addition to some classics and discounts. Let's get...
News Zelda: Majora's Mask New 3DS Bundles Available For Pre-Order On UK Nintendo Store
Limited Edition Skull Kid statue up for grabs
The Official Nintendo UK online store has been updated with a whole raft of The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask 3D bundles, and for fans in that region there's the additional good news that the Skull Kid statue will also be available. You can now pre-order various New Nintendo 3DS systems with a copy of...
News New Nintendo Wii Remotes Come in Bowser and Toad Colours
All Bowser, all the time
Nintendo may, in decades to come, regard the Wii Remote as its greatest controller. While we can argue until the cows come home about the layout of the GameCube controller or the merits of a classic SNES pad, the Wii Remote is a sales phenomenon that has been waved around by hundreds of millions of people. Spanning two...
Poll Which New Nintendo 3DS Will You be Buying?
Time to make a tough decision...
Now that Nintendo has revealed the North American & European launch schedule for the New Nintendo 3DS we wanted to find out what you, the readers, think about the new console and whether you have any questions for us before you decide whether or not to take the plunge and buy a New Nintendo 3DS. We've managed to...
Reaction Nintendo Direct Went Crazy With Reveals, and Was Delightful and Confusing in Equal Measure
Tom Whitehead tries to make sense of 2015's first Nintendo Direct vids
Aside from a few small details that will be saved for a wrap-up article in the very near future, I reckon we've covered most of the important news and reveals from the recent Nintendo Direct broadcasts. It was an absolute bombardment of details, and after quite a few hours and a...
News Nintendo Kicks Off a "Throwback Sale" on the eShop in North America
Six games discounted until 22nd January
Following yesterday's reveal of Wii retail games on the Wii U eShop, plenty will have been tempted courtesy of the reduced prices in launch week. Nintendo of America's gone beyond that to use the first Wii release as an excuse for a "Throwback Sale", with six games discounted following today's update until...
News Nintendo's amiibo Website and Compatibility Chart Has All The Answers
Confusion and fan-made infographics begone! (Mostly)
With the amiibo figures - and upcoming Super Mario wave - becoming increasingly diverse in both the ranges on offer and the games they support, it's very easy to get mixed up in terms of which toy works in which games. Which games need to save data? Does it matter if I have a Smash Bros. Mario...
Feature The Big Nintendo Direct Summary - 14th January 2015
Nintendo went big with New Nintendo 3DS and much more
With 2015 still only just picking up steam, the first Nintendo Direct broadcasts of the year ensured that the big N kicked off a vital 12 months with some style. It delivered some of its longer broadcasts in recent memory, with notable variations between regions, and as a whole kept momentum...
News Retro Studios Launches Twitter Account And Sets Off The Rumour Mill
"Peekaboo"
Everyone is on Twitter these days -- even Her Majesty the Queen of England -- but Metroid Prime and Donkey Kong Country Returns creator Retro Studios has only just jumped on the social media bandwagon. The company kicked off its
News Nintendo of America Issues Non-Statement on the Region Skipping the Smaller New Nintendo 3DS
"Different territories make their own business decisions"
In the general consensus that we've seen online, the latest Nintendo Direct broadcasts went down rather well. Coming in it at over 40 minutes each, they were packed with details; yet, as we acknowledged in our reaction to events, the North American presentation was somewhat overshadowed by...
Review PUZZLEBOX setup (3DS eShop)
Flip the script
It's always refreshing when a game comes along that challenges norms and makes its players rethink the standards of a genre. The modern gaming market is so abundant that even the least common genres are saturated with new titles, making it even more appreciated when something that feels new makes its way onto consoles. As Nintendo...
News Xenoblade Chronicles X Hits Japan on 29th April
Localise with haste, Monolith Soft!
Nintendo's various Direct broadcasts had plenty of good news, and some reassurance for Western fans of Xenoblade Chronicles X came in the form of a new trailer that not only showed off extensive footage, but also reiterated a 2015 release date. It's clear why Nintendo is confident, as the title - simply known as...
News Sega Confirms Global 3DS Release For Hatsune Miku: Project Mirai DX In May
Sing it from the rooftops
Last year, Sega confirmed that it was brining the phenomenally successful 3DS title Hatsune Miku: Project Mirai 2 to the west as Hatsune Miku: Project MIRAI Remix. Yesterday, the company revealed the final launch dates for this game, as well as a slightly revised title: Hatsune Miku: Project Mirai DX. The title will launch...
News Pixel-Rich Action Platformer Adventures Of Pip Is Leaping To The Wii U eShop This May
Backed by over 2,500 people on Kickstarter
Tic Toc Games has confirmed that its platforming title Adventures of Pip will be hitting the Wii U eShop this May. The title was funded using Kickstarter last year and blew past its funding goal by 164 percent, with over 2,500 backers pledging financial support. Adventures of Pip has a rich pixel-heavy...
News Retro City Rampage DX Update Will Bring Dual Stick Aiming Support on New Nintendo 3DS
Even more glorious chaos
We're pretty big fans of Retro City Rampage DX here at Nintendo Life, as its blend of chaotic retro GTA-style action and a whole load of '80s and '90s references come together into a hugely entertaining package. Though excellent on WiiWare, the DX edition on the 3DS eShop is the most feature and content-packed version on...
News Elliot Quest and Blek Bringing More Indie Charm to the Wii U eShop
Gunman Clive 2 pegged for January
In a segment unique to the North American Nintendo Direct, we had a brief look at some upcoming releases for the Wii U and 3DS eShop stores. Some details reiterated what we already knew, including release information for the concluding parts of Moon Chronicles and others, but there were some fresh games to take in...
Wednesday14th Jan 2015
Video Does Super Mario Galaxy 2 On Wii U Offer Anything New?
We check out the new digital re-release
A nice surprise during today's Nintendo Direct webcasts was the announcement of digital re-releases for some of the Wii's best games. The very first game is available right now, and it's a stone-cold classic - Super Mario Galaxy 2! If you've never played this game, now is the best chance you h
News Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate Free Demo Confirmed Alongside Release Date
The hunt has already begun in Europe
Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate is set to be one of the biggest releases this year without a doubt, and in order to whet appetites as much as possible Nintendo has released codes for a special demo version in Europe and North America. If you're in Europe keep you eyes on your inbox as Nintendo will be sending out...
News New Nintendo 3DS Pre-Orders Emerge at GameStop, Best Buy, EB Games and GAME
Update: Majora's Mask bundle available for pre-order at Best Buy
Update: The Majora's Mask 3D New Nintendo 3DS bundle is now available for pre-order at Best Buy for $199.99 (thanks to Hippoeater for the heads up). Original Article: Since today's Nintendo Direct festivities we've had some requests to keep a beady eye out for New Nintendo 3DS...
News New Nintendo 3DS Release Date Confirmed for 13th February
Majora's Mask and Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate limited editions on the way
During today's Nintendo Direct broadcasts the big N confirmed what was already suspected - the New Nintendo 3DS will launch in Europe and North America on 13th February. There are some key differences in hardware, however. Europe will, as expected, have the same range as Japan...
News Wii Disc Software Heading to the Wii U eShop
Wii have been waiting...
Since the launch of Wii U the only way to play original Wii games was to enter 'Wii mode', which effectively emulated the Wii system menu. Whilst it was great that the Wii U contained this backwards compatibility it's implementation always felt cumbersome and unfinished. However, during today's Nintendo Direct it was...
Nintendo Direct Watch The First North American Nintendo Direct of 2015 - Live!
Let's get this year started
It's time for Nintendo's latest Direct, which is set to cover a range of upcoming Wii U and 3DS games. There's a lot that could be covered, ranging from Holiday releases, DLC, early 2015 games or even all-new surprises. Join us to follow all the action from the North American broadcast...
News Nintendo Anime Channel Will Bring Free Streamed Shows to 3DS in Europe
Pokémon! Kirby! Inazuma Eleven!
In the early days of the 3DS, Nintendo was keen to push the device as a video multimedia device, with the Nintendo Video channel providing a few short videos every week. That approach fizzled out for a while until Nintendo released the Pikmin Short Movies late last year, and now Nintendo of Europe is following that...
News Nintendo Reveals New Range, Details and Compatibility for amiibo
Smash Bros. wave 4, new range, upcoming 3DS Smash Bros. support and more
With all their current momentum, amiibo figurines were bound to make an appearance during the latest Nintendo Direct - and so they did. The first inclusion of amiibo figures in the Direct was the announcement of Wave 3 figures of the Super Smash Bros. series becoming available...
News Super Smash Bros. Double CD Soundtrack Listing is Revealed in Full
Will 72 tracks be enough?
We know that Super Smash Bros. for Wii U and Nintendo 3DS have - between them - an enormous soundtrack that represents the roster's diverse range of franchises, in addition to the Smash series itself. For those that want to enjoy the music the o
Watch Catch Up With the North American, European and Japanese Nintendo Direct Broadcasts
See Satoru Iwata feel the beat
Nintendo has wrapped up its latest Direct broadcasts, revealing new games, release dates and hardware bundles. There were some notable differences between regions, too, which has certainly kept us on our toes here at Nintendo Life. We'll be providing our usual reaction and Nintendo Direct summary in the coming hours...
Weirdness The Secret History of Princess Zelda
UK supermarket giant reveals startling new information
If you've ever wondered why Ganondorf, the Great King of Evil, has such a vendetta against the kingdom of Hyrule, you may find some clues in this amusing product description for the Princess Zelda amiibo from UK supermarket behemoth Tesco; the bad grammar is all down to the retailer, too. The...
Nintendo Direct Watch The First European Nintendo Direct of 2015 - Live!
Spring goodies are promised
The big N is promising Spring release details for Wii U and 3DS in this Nintendo Direct, with details likely on a host of games and the New Nintendo 3DS; this European broadcast will be hosted by Satoru Iwata and Satoru Shibata. Enjoy!...
News A New Fire Emblem Game Is Marching Towards The 3DS
From the same team behind Fire Emblem: Awakening
During today's Nintendo Direct it was confirmed that the 3DS family of systems is getting a new entry in the beloved Fire Emblem series, created by the same core team at Intelligent Systems which brought us the sublime Fire Emblem: Awakening. An entirely new story is on offer, but this time around...
News Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Tipping Stars Due in March and Will be Cross-Buy on Wii U and 3DS
We tip our hats to Nintendo for that one
In today's Nintendo Direct it was revealed that the title of the upcoming Mario vs DK game will be Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Tipping Stars, and it will be an eShop only download for both Wii U and 3DS. Most interestingly the game will be Nintendo's first cross-buy title - if you buy the Wii U version you'll get...
News Project Treasure Is Bandai Namco's Wii U Exclusive Free-To-Play Co-Op Action Game
4 players working together to claim the loot
Bandai Namco is working on a free-to-play, 4-player co-operative action title for the Wii U eShop. The news came as part of a special segment during the recent Nintendo Direct broadcast where Bandai Namco's Katsuhiro Harada explained the core mechanics of the new game, which has the current working title...
News Pokémon Shuffle is a Match-Three Game With Slightly Worrying Micro-Transactions
It'll be all about the balancing
Today's Nintendo Direct broadcasts were packed with details, and a large percentage of the reveals and footage went down rather well. This humble writer did have his head in his hands at the announcement of Pokémon Shuffle for the 3DS eShop, however, for multiple reasons. For one thing it immediately followed the...
13th February looks increasingly likely
At the time of publication we're less than two hours away from the first Nintendo Direct broadcasts of 2015; rumours and pre-order pages suggest that some details are inevitable, such as those around the New Nintendo 3DS and The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask 3D; a release date of 13th February for both seems...
News Xenoblade Chronicles 3D Launches Exclusively On New Nintendo 3DS This April
Porting duties being handled by US-based Monster Games
Xenoblade Chronicles 3D -- a portable adaptation of the Wii RPG classic -- was announced alongside the New 3DS in Japan last year. The New 3DS launch came and went in that region with no solid news of a release date for the game, but today's Nintendo Direct has confirmed that we'll be getting it...
News Code Name: S.T.E.A.M Gets European Release Date and Fire Emblem Cross-Over amiibo Support
Marth, Ike, Robin and Lucina can join the battle
The first Nintendo Direct broadcasts of 2015 weren't short of details, and one reveal that was among the quirkiest we saw was around upcoming 3DS strategy game Code Name S.T.E.A.M. The Intelligent Systems game was confirmed for amiibo support, which will utilise the New Nintendo 3DS and, in future,...
News Splatoon Confirmed for May Release Along With Details on Customisation
Level up with clothes and weapons
Today's Nintendo Direct broadcasts were full of interesting details, and we learned a little more about one of the year's biggest Wii U titles - Splatoon; for starters, it's due to arrive in May in both North America and Europe. Beyond that we saw some footage of the main hub area, known as the 'Plaza'. In a move...
News The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask Begins Its Countdown on 13th February
Japanese Nintendo Direct reveals over 15 minutes of footage
As you may have seen in our post confirming a 13th February release date for the New Nintendo 3DS, it's been announced that The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask 3D will launch on the same day
Video Brand New Xenoblade Chronicles X 'Exploration Trailer' Lands
And it's a beautiful thing
JRPG-starved Wii U fans were today given a further glimpse into the enormous open world of the upcoming Xenoblade Chronicles X, the title currently in development for Wii U by Monolith Soft. Many of the Nintendo Life staff are huge fans of the Wii game, Xenoblade Chronicles, which is currently being ported to the New...
News Puzzle & Dragons: Super Mario Edition Coming To The West With Puzzle & Dragons Z
Double the fun arriving in May
When Puzzle & Dragons: Super Mario Edition was announced last week in Japan, many questioned when western players would get the chance to play Puzzle & Dragons Z, the 3DS forerunner which hit Japan a while ago and promptly sold
News Nintendo Confirms New 3DS eShop Shooter IronFall Invasion
Iron't falling just yet
Keen to get their foot in the door of the shooter genre, Nintendo has announced an indie-developer third person shooter for the European 3DS eShop. Not much is currently known about IronFall Invasion, but the developer VD-dev has been posting screenshots of the game since September last year. The game takes heavy inspiration...
News Mario Party 10 Gets It Started With Wii U on 20th March
It's almost time to party
In today's Nintendo Direct broadcast it was revealed that Mario Party 10 will be released on the Wii U on 20th March in both Europe and North America. In addition to the standard Mario Party mode, the game will feature an new "amiibo Party mode", which brings amiibo compatibility to the classic party-game series. Certain...
News New Screenshots for Rock 'N Racing Off Road Speed Into View
Rock and roll
Who remembers Ivan "Ironman" Stewart's Super Off-Road? This was a fun arcade game for three players where you raced burly off-road trucks around dirt tracks from a top-down viewpoint. The game was ported to a variety of platforms, not least the NES and the SNES; sadly we are yet to see a release on the Virtual Console. Spanish eShop...
News Ace Combat Assault Horizon Legacy + Hits The West In February With amiibo Support In Tow
You can be my wingman any time
Bandai Namco has confirmed that Ace Combat Assault Horizon Legacy + (try saying that three times as fast) will be leaving the hanger just in time for the New 3DS launch in both North America and Europe. On February 13th the game -- which is an updated of the existing Ace Combat Assault Horizon Legacy -- will be...
News Etrian Mystery Dungeon Finds Its Way to North American Stores on April 7th
Atlus used Hype!
It was confirmed in today's Nintendo Direct that Etrian Mystery Dungeon - Atlus and Spike Chunsoft's upcoming RPG Dungeon-crawling mash-up - will be up for grabs on the 3DS in North America, digitally and physically, on April 7th. For those of you who are collectors and/or eager fans, pre-orders and first run copies will also come...
Tuesday13th Jan 2015
Feature Five Key Reveals We Want in 2015's First Nintendo Direct
New 3DS! Wii U release dates! Reward Scheme!
While January 2014 became entwined in fluctuating share prices and worrying financial results, Nintendo has shown its intent to kick off 2015 in a far more positive light. The year's first Nintendo Direct will be broadcast on 14th January at 6am Pacific / 9am Eastern / 2pm UK / 3pm CET, confirming a focus...
News Nintendo Direct Confirmed for 14th January, With Focus on Spring Releases
Getting 2015 truly started
As 2015 begins to kick into gear Nintendo seems intent on starting with a bang. While we had to wait until mid-February for the first Nintendo Direct broadcast last year, the company has now confirmed a new broadcast for 14th January. It's not been given a specific title - which suggests one of those packed general...
Rumour Red New Nintendo 3DS XL With 13th February Launch Appears in Marketing Poster
Also suggest a same day release for Majora's Mask 3D and Monster Hunter
We've seen some fun Nintendo Direct and New Nintendo 3DS rumours today, but this one is too irresistible to not share. Just bear in mind that this could be clever photoshopping, but if true the details will certainly cause a storm. It's all in the design; the image below is...
News YouTube Update Spruces Up Wii U App
Scientifically proven to be one million times better (not really)
It's easy to forget that the Wii U has a decent range of entertainment apps to enjoy, and one of the most prominent has now had a facelift in an update. The change is to YouTube, with a slightly new look and - it seems to us - quicker performance. In terms of aesthetic changes,...
Gallery Imagining What Banjo-Kazooie Might Look Like in HD
Bringing a Rare classic up to date
Rare's classic N64 game Banjo-Kazooie is a fan favourite with retro gamers for good reason; even by today's standards this early 3D game is still incredibly charming and fun to play. Still, 1998 is a long time ago, and there is always room for improvement. Enter UK based 3D artist Neil Goodman, who has tasked...
Gallery A Closer Look at the Latest Splatoon Updates
New environments, artwork and details
Late last year Nintendo launched an official Tumblr page for Splatoon, which provides translations of the regular posts made to the Japanese Twitter account for the game. While always light-hearted, they often go beyond mere concept art to provide snippets of interesting information, rather like the...
News Capcom Outlines Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate Localisation Challenges
Speeding up the tutorial
Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate is on the way soon, giving the iconic Capcom franchise another major opportunity to take off in the West. Though it's a sales phenomenon in Japan, it's struggled to create the same level of success elsewhere in the world. Will Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate change that? Time will tell, but with an...
News Atlus Announces Launch Week Discounts for Citizens of Earth
Cross-buy discount also available in Europe
For fans of download RPGs that bring to mind retro classics, we suspect that Citizens of Earth is high on the agenda. Developed by Eden Industries and published by Atlus, this quirky RPG has cited sources of inspiration such as EarthBound during development, and arrives on multiple platforms next week...
News Nintendo eShop Cards Are 10% Off at Best Buy Today
Buy money for less money!
With Nintendo's Deluxe Digital Promotion now expired, padding your eShop account with a little extra cheddar isn't quite as effortless as it used to be. It might take some bargain hunting to scrape up a few extra bucks, but Best Buy's occasional eShop card sales are a reliable place to start. The cards are Best Buy's Deal...
Video See Captain Toad's Bonus Stages From Super Mario 3D World
How do they compare to the originals? Find out now
So, now that Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker has delighted Nintendo fans around the globe, we thought it would be high time to take a closer look at some very special bonus levels. Those who have a Super Mario 3D World save file on their Wii U may have already noticed that this unlocks some bonus...
News NF Magazine 2015 Renewals & New Subscriptions Hit Kickstarter
A Nintendo force for good
Following last year's successful campaign, our friends at NF magazine - which was originally called Nintendo Force - have launched a new Kickstarter to offer both returning subscribers and new readers the chance to keep the spiritual successor to Nintendo Power magazine going for yet another year. Here's a bit of...
News Soccer Up Online Kicks Off In North America on 15th January
Question marks over whether it's a sensible soccer purchase
It's taken a little while - and the Major League Soccer season is still a couple of months away - but EnjoyUp Games has now confirmed a North American release date for Soccer Up Online, which is Football Up Online in Europe. It'll arrive in this week's update (15th January) with a price tag...
Monday12th Jan 2015
News New Nintendo 3DS Prices Pop Up in Italy, and They're Not Bad
Pretty similar prices to current models
Now that the whole New Nintendo 3DS Ambassador Promotion in Europe is drawing to an end, it's time to move on from topics such as who's been picked by Club Nintendo, what makes Europe so special and what the flip Nintendo of America was up to when it all went down. Those topics are so ten minutes ago, and now...
Review League of Heroes (3DS eShop)
Leaving out the legends
Ports of mobile games making their way onto Nintendo platforms was once considered disgraceful, but as time passed and the phenomenon became more commonplace the discussion seems to have died off a bit. We like to think that the quality of mobile games has increased over the years, essentially eliminating the idea that cell...
Nintendo Download 15th January (Europe)
Axelay, 3D After Burner II, Demon's Quest and much more
It's another Monday morning, but we won't let that get us down as we have the European Nintendo Download Update to cheer us up. There are new titles to enjoy across Wii U and 3DS, some classics on the Virtual Console and a whole load of tempting discounts. Let's get to it. Wii U eShop: Family...
Reminder Club Nintendo New 3DS Ambassador Promotion Final Invites Sent, Deadline at Midnight
Emails are arriving
The New Nintendo 3DS Ambassador programme has generated a lot of buzz in Europe, with more Club Nintendo members gradually receiving invites as the promotion deadline has loomed. The opportunity to order the special bundle and have early access to the hardware has been tough for many to ignore. Of course, a good number of loyal...
News The Bomber's Notebook Will Be Revamped in The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask 3D
Eiji Aonuma wants you "to enjoy that special sense of achievement"
With its release due relatively soon, we can hopefully expect a lot of information from Nintendo regarding The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask 3D in the coming weeks. Perhaps the big N will give us that Nintendo Direct we all want with a whole load of reveals and details, but in the...
Weirdness Totaka's Song Appears to Have Been Found in Mario Kart 8
Listen carefully
Kazumi Totaka is one of Nintendo's most experienced and talented composers and sound directors, yet that's probably not the reason that many recognise his name. He's better know for Totaka's Song, a simple melody that has been hidden within a whole load of Nintendo games. The first appearance seems to have been in X on Game Boy,...
Gallery A Chance to Admire Some of the Finest Legend of Zelda Cosplay
Hyrulian fashion
If you head along to almost any major gaming or pop-culture expo you'll likely see plenty of cosplay, whether it's the efforts of keen fans or those entering official competitions. Faithfully recreating the look of favourite characters is more than a fun diversion for some, of course, but rather a way of life. At the top level...
Weirdness This Interpretation of Super Smash Bros. 'Lore' Takes a Serious Turn
A tale of growing up and being trapped by fate, or something...
Gaming is a funny hobby, in which the most dedicated can find meaning in the most simplistic and light-hearted of concepts. That's not a bad thing, just a reflection of how much fans really love their favourite franchises and games. The latest video from hugely popular YouTube channel...
News Details of Next Level Games' Cancelled Project, 'Clockwerk', Emerge
Game set in a magical floating clock tower, which was not to be
Canadian development studio Next Level Games is well known for its work on Nintendo games such as Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon, Punch-Out!! and Mario Strikers Charged. While the studio is now exclusively developing for Nintendo platforms, that wasn't the case with an intr
Review Mes Comptines (3DS eShop)
Straight Outta Comptines
If you know My First Songs or its sequel on the 3DS, then Mes Comptines (French for “My Rhymes" or “My Nursery Rhymes") will be very familiar territory, even with a language shift. This is the same simplistic rhythm game for small children as its predecessors, and that's really not such a bad thing. Mes Comptines comes...
News Puzzle & Dragons: Super Mario Edition Was The Result Of A Speculative Pitch From GungHo Online
3DS puzzle title will feature other famous Nintendo characters
Puzzle & Dragons: Super Mario Edition was announced recently, and looks to combine the popular mobile (and later 3DS) puzzle franchise with Nintendo's most famous character. Speaking with 4Gamer, developer GungHo Online's Daisuke Yamamoto and Kazuki Morishita have revealed that the...
News Bidding Hits $100,000 on Uber-Rare NES Game, Stadium Events
Nintendo are welcome to bid on it if they want it!
We reported a few days ago that a user-rare copy of Stadium Events on the NES had been listed on eBay. While this isn't the most accomplished 8-bit game of all time, it is one of the rarest with a low production run - which was subsequently recalled as it was then rebranded. Only two sealed copies...
The captain and Toadette cling on in 40th place
In the coming days and weeks we'll learn a lot more about Nintendo's sales and performance over the Holiday period, and while there's optimism in some territories the UK charts continue to suggest that the company is struggling in the country. Whether the UK market will be highlighted as a problem area...
Guide Collecting All the Gems in Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker - Episode 3
Episode 3: Return of the Toad
Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker is now available in North America and Europe, adding another excellent title to the Wii U library. In this game the goal for Captain Toad and Toadette isn't simply nabbing the star at the end of each stage, but also picking up three gems hidden throughout each level. These become vital in...
News Awesome Games Done Quick Raises Over $1.5 Million for Charity
Nearly 30,000 donors
Awesome Games Done Quick is a bi-annual week-long event that's rapidly established itself as a highlight within the speedrun community. The most skilful players from around the world gather to tackle records, all while raising impressive amounts of money. The fundraising target for last week's festivities was $1 million, all...
Sunday11th Jan 2015
Not too much dead-weight
The Wii U is certainly not short of platformer games, from first party titles such as New Super Mario Bros. U to indie epics like Shovel Knight, so an addition to the system's growing list needs a special something to stand out from the crowd. Canadian developer Frima Studio may feel it has the answer with Chariot; it's a...
Get lost
Sometimes the simplest concept can make for an utterly addictive and engaging virtual experience. From Wii Sports to Angry Birds, the original Mario Bros. to the Mario Party series, there have been plenty of games that have bridged the gap from casual to advanced players, and it all starts at how accessible and universal the concept at the...
Review Toon Tanks (Wii U eShop)
That's all, folks
Petite Games' Toon Tanks is a good example of a current issue present in the Wii U eShop in North America. There have been many games released that are finished and functional, but don't contain the degree of polish that we have come to expect. While Toon Tanks works just fine in what it sets out to do, the lack of scope or variety...
Guide Collecting All the Gems in Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker - Episode 2
Episode 2: Wingo Strikes Back
Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker is now available in North America and Europe, adding another excellent title to the Wii U library. In this game the goal for Captain Toad and Toadette isn't simply nabbing the star at the end of each stage, but also picking up three gems hidden throughout each level. These become vital in...
Interview Grendel Games Discusses Underground's Blend of Entertainment and Medical Training
No need to provide surgery afterwards
Grendel Games is responsible for one of the most intriguing titles to arrive on Wii U in the early weeks of 2015; it's available in Europe and arrived in North American soon. Underground was originally conceived as an entertaining tool to assist surgeons with their laparoscopic surgery motor skills - or key-hole...
Saturday10th Jan 2015
News Fresh Batch of New Nintendo 3DS Ambassador Emails Looks Set for Monday 12th January
One final opportunity
Just recently we reported that, through emails or simply trying their luck, more European Club Nintendo members were suddenly getting access to the New Nintendo 3DS Ambassador programme. It was hard to discern whether it was an intentional expansion of the scheme or the case that some accounts were simply receiving delayed...
Retrospective The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap - A Decade On
Caps off to The Minish
Today marks an historic day. The tenth anniversary of The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap. Perhaps one of the most unappreciated and overshadowed chapters in the long and lucrative series - selling just over 1 million units since its release - it's also one of the most unique, quirky and charming Zelda titles to have been...
News Digital Foundry Ponders Next-Gen Hardware Options for Nintendo
Scalability and integration are the buzzwords
Although the next generation of hardware from Nintendo is unlikely to arrive before late 2016 at the earliest, we expect 2015 to be full of speculation and discussion - rational and otherwise - about what's next. The arrival of the New Nintendo 3DS, for example, arguably sets us up for the portable's...
Video Top Super Smash Bros. for Wii U Players in Japan Head Into Battle
Smashing skill
Many of us may consider ourselves to be pretty strong players in Super Smash Bros. for Wii U, but there are always decent odds of jumping into a For Glory online match and being well-and-truly humbled. This writer recalls playing the 3DS entry online in its early days, seeing Japanese characters in opposition names and immediately...
Guide Collecting All the Gems in Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker - Episode 1
Episode 1: A New Toad
Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker is now available in North America and Europe, adding another excellent title to the Wii U library. In this game the goal for Captain Toad and Toadette isn't simply nabbing the star at the end of each stage, but also picking up three gems hidden throughout each level. These become vital in...
News Nintendo of America Partners Up With Apex 2015 for Super Smash Bros. Tournament Event
Possibly the first of many eSports deals
Nintendo is clearly aware of the importance of eSports, a phenomenon that attracts millions of fans across a huge range of global events every year. The competitive gaming scene is perhaps biggest in the PC space, with titles like League of Legends being prominent, but Nintendo brands such as Pokémon and...
News GetClose is Set to Grab a Few New Features
An update for RIVALS
The competitively controller-sharing Wii U eShop title GetClose: A Game for RVIALS should be receiving an update in the near future, adding some new levels and elements. Developer Wombat Source has stated that they've sent an update for Nintendo's approval that includes the following: Four New Levels - Two for Capture the...
Friday9th Jan 2015
Not everyone, though
This week's announcement of an early New Nintendo 3DS Ambassador promotion in Europe certainly rocked the boat, offering select Club Nintendo members an opportunity to pick up a system before its release date has even been announced. It was exciting for those lucky enough to be included but frustrating for those left out; oddly,...
Video Unboxing The New Nintendo 3DS Ambassador Edition
Hands on with the limited edition bundle
The announcement of the New Nintendo 3DS Ambassador Edition promotion was a pleasant and unexpected surprise this week, offering European consumers -- traditionally the red-haired stepchildren of Nintendo's fandom -- the chance to get their grubby hands on the latest 3DS model before its official launch in...
News Nintendo Steps Away From The Brazilian Market
High tariffs blamed
In disappointing news, Nintendo has announced that it'll be ceasing operations in Brazil, effectively leaving the marketplace for the foreseeable future. As of this month distribution of systems and games in the country will stop, taking the company out of a sizeable but also troublesome market. The issue appears to be linked to...
Review Mario Party Advance (Wii U eShop / GBA)
Party of One
Given the palm-rending popularity of the Mario Party series on Nintendo 64, it was only a matter of time before Nintendo brought the festivities to a handheld venue, and in 2005 Mario Party Advance arrived to fulfil the dreams of on-the-go party people everywhere. Developed by the busy bees at Hudson Soft - best known as the house of...
News Get Ready For The Most Expensive Video Game Auction Of All Time
Factory sealed Stadium Events is now on eBay
Given the massive popularity of video gaming and its long and proud history, it's hardly surprising that many rare games are fetching incredible prices when them come up for sale online. However, Bandai's 1987 NES title Stadium Events makes pretty much everything else look like chump change. The title...
Review Dig Dug (Wii U eShop / NES)
A competent but unneeded version of a fun 80's classic
Originally hitting arcades in 1982, this NES conversion of Dig Dug followed a few years later (albeit only in Japan until arriving on the Wii's Virtual Console service in 2008). It's a classic Namco title that sees you digging your way around a single screen defeating (and sometimes fleeing)...
News Tri-Strip Brings That Vintage Game Boy Feel To Your Wii U
Green piece
It has been confirmed that Form Up Studios and Sc0tt Games (yes, that zero is intentional) are bringing Tri-Strip to the Wii U eShop, a puzzle game that comes with a unique visual style which brings to mind the classic Game Boy screen. The aim of the game is to create squares out of triangles to clear room on the screen. You'll be able...
News Natsume Thanks Fans for Strong Launch of Harvest Moon: The Lost Valley in North America
Performing beyond expectations in the region
Harvest Moon: The Lost Valley is a diversion for the series, as Natsume took the franchise in some new directions, with the title being the first to go "fully three-dimensional". Story of Seasons, previously released as a Harvest Moon game in Japan but being published under a different name - due to IP...
Feature A Nintendo 2014 Retrospective - July to September
Hysteria over the Smash Bros. demo and all-round hype
We move into the New Year at pace, and our retrospective of Nintendo in 2014 continues at its own - slightly slower - tempo. The April to June entry covered a number of big announcements and the E3 festivities, so as we shift into the third quarter of the year we can reflect on Nintendo picking...
News Gamer Proposes To Girlfriend During Mischief Makers Speedrun Livestream
Awesome Marriages Done Quick
This year, gamers all over the globe got together for Awesome Games Done Quick, a gaming marathon that raises money for the Prevent Cancer Foundation. The event has delivered many memorable moments -- including our very own Marcel blasting through Shovel Knight -- but one of the most heart-warming has to be this...
News Update For Arrow Time U Improves Overall Game Experience
XenoHorizon also reveals a Wii U exclusive announcement is on the way
Despite poor sales, indie title Arrow Time U has received an update to improve the overall game experience. Ohio-based developer, XenoHorizon, has followed through with its previous promise, making adjustments to time limits in certain levels, removing an irritating voice clip,...
Thursday8th Jan 2015
Either incredible demand, terribly limited stock or a mix of both
Nintendo had a few stock woes over the festive period, with a particularly tricky item being the GameCube Controller Adapter for Wii U - only functional with Super Smash Bros. for Wii U, it's nevertheless been in heavy demand from fans keen to enjoy the latest title with their...
News Play-Asia is Taking Orders on This Multitap Mayflash GameCube Controller Adapter for Wii U
Apparently supports Super Smash Bros. for Wii U...
When Super Smash Bros. for Wii U launched last November, quite a few gamers opted for bundles and special editions that included the official GameCube Controller Adapter; unfortunately stock was extremely low, to the point that retailers as large as Amazon were failing to fulfil all pre-orders...
News Nintendo Adds a Bunch of Virtual Console Titles to North American Web Store
Over 100 retail and VC games across Wii U and 3DS
Last year Nintendo of America began selling retail downloads on its website, in what we hoped was a baby step towards a future where any game on the eShop can be easily bought online. Utilising the online capabilities of the Wii U and 3DS, it's possible to buy a game directly from the website and...
Nintendo Download 8th January (North America)
Chariot, Mega Man battling, Shantae discount, mazes and more
It's that time of the week once again, when an assortment of goodies are revealed in the North American Nintendo Download Update. This week brings a variety of titles for Wii U and 3DS, including a particularly stylish effort from Frima Studio; there are also some discounts on both systems...
Weirdness Jimmy Fallon Missed Out On Dating Nicole Kidman Because Of Super Mario Bros.
Nintendo: ruining potentially famous relationships since 1889
Today, Jimmy Fallon is a successful comedian, actor and producer, and the current host of The Tonight Show -- but he wasn't always so smooth an operator. During his recent interview with Hollywood star Nicole Kidman, it was revealed that the two met many years ago and that Fallon...
The Advance Video System was a more literal family computer
This week has brought us the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, which has been particularly light on gaming goods. It's an opportunity for companies big and small to show off their technology, ranging from expensive high-end gear to slightly quirky or silly 'innovations'. For...
News From Soy Sauce Hopes to Bring Touhou Super Smash Battles to Wii U
Indiegogo campaign is off to a good start
There are a lot of franchises and IPs in Japan that struggle to make an impact in the West despite a hardy, determined group of fans, and one of these is Touhou; famed for bullet-hell shooters, the name has been widely incorporated and utilised in a huge number of fan projects of different genres. One of...
News Capcom Licenses a Mega Man Runner for Android in Korea... Yes, Really
Commence fist shaking
Capcom is a strange, occasionally illogical company. It uses the iconic Mega Man as a mascot, and no doubt observed with pleasure as Mega Man's reveal for the latest Super Smash Bros. caused a stir at E3 2013, while its tireless - and blameless - community staff pass along fan requests such as that for a fresh Mega Man...
Coming to Japan this April
Nintendo has announced it will collaborate with Tokyo-based publisher & developer GungHo Online Entertainment to release an exclusive Mario-themed variation of the company's popular mobile hit, Puzzle & Dragons, on the 3DS later this year. The 3DS adaptation, Puzzle & Dragons: Super Mario Bros. Edition, will...
News Puzzle & Dragons: Super Mario Bros. Edition Credited With Boosting Nintendo's Share Value
2.3% increase for Nintendo, 4.1% for GungHo
Earlier today it was announced that Puzzle & Dragons: Super Mario Bros. Edition will be coming to the 3DS around the world, a crossover that undoubtedly has significant sales potential. The Puzzle & Dragons brand is sizeable, with tens of millions of downloads for the smartphone game worldwide...
News Bayonetta 2 Wins The Ablegamers' Accessible Mainstream Game of the Year Award
"Bayonetta 2 pulls out all the stops for accessible game design"
Bayonetta 2 earned plenty of plaudits in 2014 - critically acclaimed and with terrific fan feedback, it also made regular appearances in Game of the Year shortlists. We'd certainly agree that it's an outstanding game, but it's picked up a notable award that reflects an appreciation of...
Video Nintendo Life's CapnDrake Blasts Through Shovel Knight in Awesome Speedrun
Yacht Club Games provides commentary
Shovel Knight was one of the major successes of 2014, scooping multiple Game of the Year awards (including our own) and achieving impressive sales on Wii U, 3DS and PC; it's also headed to PSN later this year. With the title having made such as impact with its retro-styled gameplay, it's naturally become part of...
Wednesday7th Jan 2015
Rumour New Nintendo 3DS To Launch In Europe Next Week
Leak from Finnish retailer suggests January 12th release date
UPDATE: A pinch of salt may be required in this case -- as some of you have already pointed out, the age rating on the box appears to be Australian. The console launched in that region before Christmas. Could this be imported stock, or a bad fake? It wouldn't be the first time that stock...
News This Fan-Made Facelift Of The Original Paper Mario On The Nintendo 64 Looks Stunning
Five years in the making
For those of you who weren't particularly fond of more recent entries in the Paper Mario series, perhaps an unofficial re-textured version of the original game released on the Nintendo 64 in 2000 might be of interest. A game design student at Zurich University of the Arts, who goes by the handle Nelde, has been chipping...
Review Underground (Wii U eShop)
Overground, Wombling free
It's not often that games have a professional, legitimate use outside of entertainment, but in the case of Underground that's exactly what you get. Not only is it a puzzle game, but it is also designed to teach the skills required for laparoscopic surgery, more commonly known as keyhole surgery. Educational tools are all...
Gallery If You Want a Yoshi's Woolly World amiibo, You Can Do It Yourself
Or give Little Mac a pink jumpsuit
Nintendo's amiibo waves, to date, appear to have gone down rather well, selling to the extent that some stock is frustratingly hard to come by. Many of the designs are rather neat, of course, but that doesn't stop us dreaming of more figures or, if you're a little craftier, modding our existing toys. There have...
News New Nintendo 3DS Ambassador Editions Already In The Hands Of Lucky Buyers
That was quick
Yesterday, a select bunch of lucky EU Club Nintendo members got the Nintendo equivalent of a Golden Ticket from Willy Wonka -- an email inviting them to purchase a special New Nintendo 3DS Ambassador Edition before the console launches in Europe. Nintendo stated that consoles would be shipped within 3 to 5 days, but it would appear...
News Nintendo Sending Out amiibo Surveys to Select Club Nintendo Members
Your input matters
Since its initial launch, Nintendo's amiibo line has received a mixed reception from fans. With issues ranging from limited to allegedly discontinued stock and high sales prices for online figurines - and even ones with manufacturing defects - the whole saga has had positives and negatives.. With this in consideration, Nintendo...
Gallery Here's What The New Nintendo 3DS Ambassador Edition Looks Like In The Flesh
Nintendo, with these Ambassador 3DS consoles you are really spoiling us
This week saw an incredible event in the world of Nintendo -- the company's European arm gave a select bunch of fans the chance to buy the New Nintendo 3DS before its official launch in the region. Even more amazing is that the consoles have been posted out within 24 hours of...
Review Toys vs. Monsters (3DS eShop)
Manufacturer refurbished
If you've ever been disappointed that you can't play a recent and improved version of the hugely successful Plants vs. Zombies on your 3DS - aside from the DS release - you may be intrigued by the shamelessly similarly-named Toys vs. Monsters on the eShop. All of the information about it points to a fun little experience...
Video The Latest Japanese Commercials for Kirby and the Rainbow Curse Are Full of Cuteness
And shouting, there's humorous shouting
The Japanese Nintendo YouTube channel is among our favourites, partly because adverts posted there are often - in this writer's humble opinion - more entertaining than their Western equivalents. We present as evidence this latest trailer for Kirby and the Rainbow Curse. We reckon the voice-over may be...
First Impressions The Next Penelope is Futuristic Retro Racing at its Best
A fast-paced odyssey
We've seen a number of HTML-based games come to the Wii U eShop, but few have succeeded in defying their humble code origins to stand alongside more complex offerings on the store - Construct 2 project The Next Penelope looks set to deliver new standards, however. The work of solo developer Aurelien Regard, we were naturally...
Weirdness Meet The Studybox, The Famicom's Audio Edutainment System
Listen up
Video games have often been twinned with education to create fun, interactive experiences which both entertain and enlighten, but one of the oldest examples has to be Fukutake Publishing's Studybox, a tape drive peripheral for the Famicom (the Japanese version of the NES) which ran tape-based games that featured actual recorded audio...
News bAll or Nothing is Next From Nexis Games on Wii U
Arriving before UCraft
The Wii U eShop has been an intriguing platform, particularly in North America; development names such as RCMADIAX, ZeNfA Productions, TreeFall Studios and Nexis Games have made début appearances on the hardware. The results have been erratic - in our view - with some highs and other lows, with the support of these projects...
News Gunman Clive 2 Delayed for a Few Weeks More
Sharpshooting some serious bugs
Hopeful townsfolk have been waiting for Gunman Clive 2, the sequel to the stylish, breakout 3DS eShop title, to ride in with the sunrise. It's still slated to come, but one-man development team Bertil Hörberg has pushed the release back to address some troublesome bugs found over Christmas. Hörberg announced the...
Video Here Are Your Game Of The Year 2014 Picks, In Video Form
The best of the best
Last year we asked you — the wonderful Nintendo Life readership — to select your most beloved titles of 2014. The results were truly illuminating, and prove that the past 12 months were pretty darn good for Nintendo fans. Just like we did with yesterday's Staff GOTY video, we've taken the reader results and transformed them...
News Undead Storm Nightmare Will Bring The Zombie Apocalypse to 3DS
A sequel to the terrific DSiWare action shooter
DSiWare brought us some terrific bite-sized games, and one of the stand-outs was GO Series: Undead Storm - essentially a mindless zombie-shooting action game from a top-down perspective, it included local multiplayer and seemed like a portable spin-off from the Left 4 Dead series. Fans of action games...
News 2D Puzzle Platformer Midnight Arrives On North American Wii U eShop Later This Month
From the creator of Toon Tanks
If you enjoy simple but challenging gameplay experiences, Petite Games' upcoming Wii U eShop title Midnight is one to keep an eye on when it launches 22nd January. The news was delivered via the indie developer's Twitter account, and follows in the footsteps of the previous Wii U eShop release, Toon Tanks. Midnight...
Tuesday6th Jan 2015
Get your hands on the console before the official launch
Update: Nintendo has declined to clarify how it selected Club Nintendo members for this promotion, providing the following statement to Eurogamer. The New Nintendo 3DS Ambassador offer is by email invitation only for selected Club Nintendo members in Europe only who fulfil a certain...
News The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask 3D Limited-Edition Bundle Confirmed for North America
Comes with a Skull Kid figurine
Update: Nintendo's Facebook post specifies this bundle as exclusive to Amazon, GameStop and Fry's Electronics (thanks for the heads up @Ryno). The bundle is already a 'best seller' and sold out on Amazon and GameStop, the latter of which includes an 'ultimate' set with the Prima strategy guide. Based on social...
News Shigeru Miyamoto Confirms Playable Star Fox for E3, a Future for F-Zero and More
Another major YouTube appearance
During December last year Shigeru Miyamoto and Bill Trinen filmed with some hugely popular YouTube channels, in turn reaching millions of subscribers. The most followed of those was Smosh Games, with over 5.5 million subscribers; Nintendo of America tweeted the appearance on 19th December. The video has now been...
Review Super Mario Advance 2: Super Mario World - An All-Time Classic, Tweaked
A world in no need of change
Having Super Mario Advance 2: Super Mario World exist alongside the original Super Mario World is like having two legit copies of the Mona Lisa hanging in the Louvre: each is fundamentally a masterpiece, and any attempt to compare the two is mostly going to come down to nitpicking about the way each is framed and whether...
Review Spy Chameleon (Wii U eShop)
Incog-neato
Spanish developer EnjoyUp games has had a steady stream of titles arrive on Nintendo's digital platforms in recent times, including Darts Up, 99Moves and Rock Zombie, although arguably these games have yet to set the eShop alight. However, this port of Unfinished Pixel's PC game, Spy Chameleon
News Lucky New Nintendo 3DS Ambassador Gamers Jump Straight to eBay to Flog Systems
Nintendo's "don't offer to scalpers' filter needs more work
Earlier today we shared the surprising news that Nintendo Europe is offering some Club Nintendo members an ambassador version of the New 3DS; even better, it's available to buy now ahead of being shipped in 3-5 days. It's hugely exciting for those that got the email and has caused plenty...
Weirdness Guess What, A Pokémon Title Exists On A Sega Console
Meet Pocket Monsters Best Wishes! Chinou Ikusei Pokémon Daiundoukai
Sometimes, you hear a piece of information which is so outlandish it simply has to be true, and that's exactly what happened while we were lazily browsing Twitter here in the Nintendo Life office this evening. While sifting through the usual stream of gaming nonsense and...
News Nintendo Dominated Japan During 2014, Despite A Shrinking Market
Every single one of Japan's top 10 games for 2014 was on a Nintendo format
Famitsu has just revealed sales data for the Japanese games market in 2014 which illustrates the astounding populairty of the 3DS in that particular region. Nintendo's handheld sold 3,153,045 units during last year, twice the amount that the second-placed system -- the PS...
News SpongeBob HeroPants is Headed to 3DS Soon
Hopefully not the wrong kind of pants
Nintendo gamers haven't been short of opportunities to take on a SpongeBob game in recent years, with the Wii, Wii U and 3DS all receiving licensed games. There's another on the way, too, which will follow the events of The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water, which is coming out on 6th February in North...
Talking Point Nintendo's Wise to Embrace The Vital YouTube Audience
The bigger the better in 2015
An accusation occasionally hurled at Nintendo is that it's slow or behind the times in social media, and failing to do enough on platforms such as YouTube and Twitch. It would have been a valid point in past years, certainly, but it looks increasingly wrong with each passing year; 2014 brought some major improvements...
News Donkey Kong Grabs a Place in List of Highest-Grossing Arcade Machines
Can you guess number one?
If you're under a certain age you may have never - and it pains us to say it - been to a proper arcade out in the wild. The few that remain are often a shadow of the good old days, and it's understandable; why pay over-the-odds to play a game for a few minutes when we can fire up powerful consoles at home? Of course home...
News Mario Bros. Coin-Op High Score World Record Is Smashed
Steven Kleisath bags 5,424,290 points on the 1983 classic
Before Mario became Super he starred in Donkey Kong and the 1983 arcade title Mario Bros., which would later be ported to the NES console. Like so many of Nintendo's classic arcade releases, Mario Bros. continues to attract high-level players who aim to bag the world's best score. The...
News Hotline Miami Publisher Devolver Digital Wants To Revive Seaman
Could it come to 3DS, as was previously rumoured?
Way back in 2013, we reported on the fact that Nintendo had trademarked two rather unique names which seemed to point to a revival of Yoot Saito's Dreamcast cult classic Seaman. The idea of Saito bringing his virtual pet simulation to a Nintendo console seemed to make sense back then; he had already...
Video Remind Yourself Of Nintendo Life's Top Picks For 2014
Our Game of the Year Awards, presented in video form
Before Christmas, we delivered the Nintendo Life Staff Game of the Year Awards for 2014, and the list was predictably packed with amazing software. Just in case you missed it -- or in case you loved it so much that you'd like a recap -- we've put together a video based on the same results. We'll...
Monday5th Jan 2015
News Little Mac's amiibo Appears to Have Actually Been Discontinued in North America
KO blow
We've consistently highlighted amiibo stock issues as a failing on Nintendo's part, in actually producing enough stock, communicating clearly and managing expectations or - perhaps most accurately - a mix of those factors. Stock shortages have also led to some inaccurate assumptions about discontinued figures, too, and Nintendo's merely...
Video Super Mario 64 Is Getting A Fan-Made HD Remake, And It Looks Gorgeous
And is totally unofficial, needless to say
Super Mario 64 is one of the finest video games ever made, but aside from a Nintendo DS remix, it has rather been forgotten by Nintendo. Thankfully, dedicated fans still love the title enough to bring it back from the dead, and four such individuals -- Aryoksini, mStuff, Callum Martin and Chadtronic -- are...
Nintendo Download 8th January (Europe)
Chariot, Crunchyroll, Underground, Turtles, discounts and more
After a quiet start to 2015 in terms of new download releases, we see things ramp up in the most recent European Nintendo Download Update details. The Wii U is the main beneficiary with some promising arrivals, while on 3DS one of our favourite HOME themes previously released in Japan...
News Fake Commercial for 'The Nintendo App' Stirs Debate
Nintendo's smartphone projects are still pending
2015 will be the year, unless Nintendo delays beyond reason, when we see some notable movement in smartphone usage from the company. During 2014 Satoru Iwata announced that a dedicated team was working on projects for smartphone devices, though an expected arrival last year of the earliest outcomes...
Feud for thought
The best kinds of board games don't force you to rely on sheer luck to win. There are plenty out there which encourage the use of logic and quick thinking to seize victory, which makes for a more satisfying experience overall as a result. All manner of puzzle games have enjoyed a wide level of success on 3DS, but MindFeud from...
Review My First Songs 2 (3DS eShop)
More of the same
For those who haven't read our review of the original My First Songs on 3DS, you may want to read that before going any further in this one. My First Songs 2 is the sequel to My First Songs and generally follows the same formula as the original. You have a variety of nursery rhymes which you can tap along to using the touch screen...
Gallery Here's a Batch of Awesome New Year Art from Japan's Biggest and Best Publishers
Nintendo! Atlus! Bandai Namco! More!
As the first Monday of 2015, today will represent - for some - a dark, distressing day. It's back to work or school for many of us, which is about as exciting as a trip to the dentist. The festivities are over, it's back to the grind. It's not all bad, of course, and we've encountered a colourful collection of...
News Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker Makes Top 20 Chart Début in UK
Well, its formal début after a bizarre soft launch
Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker is a lovely game, and we're sure it graced the stockings of a number of North American Wii U owners in the festive season; unfortunately that wasn't the case in Europe. The title officially launched in the latter region on 2nd January - with a handful of countries...
News Nintendo Quest, a Collector's NES Journey, to Launch a Fresh Kickstarter Campaign
The NES Club returns
Last year we interviewed Rob McCallum, the man behind the NES Club, about his planned documentary to follow "Jay Bartlett, as he tries to amass the entire NES library (NTSC retail games) in 30 days with no online purchases". Beyond the road trip vibe the film is aiming to highlight and explore retro gaming culture and Nintendo /...
Weirdness Japanese Rock Legend Gackt Has Finally Beaten Mega Man 2
A victory months in the making
Back in July of last year (we're still not used to typing that yet) we told you about Japanese rocker Gackt's ongoing quest to beat the NES title Mega Man 2. In case you didn't know, Gackt — whose real name is Kamui Gakuto — was once part of the band Malice Mizer, but has since become one of Japan's most popular...
Feature A Nintendo 2014 Retrospective - April to June
E3, a major Wii U arrival and more
As 2015 gears up we continue this look back to the major headlines of Nintendo's 2014, assessing the best and worst of the big N's year. The January to March entry covered the year's first Nintendo Direct and some serious issues for the company, with Satoru Iwata coming under pressure over poor business...
News 3D After Burner II Set to Jet Into Europe on 15th January
Start your hype engines, Sega fans
Relatively late last year Sega gave us some news that we'd been waiting for - the second wave of 3D Classics on the eShop are coming to the West. Those with a Japanese 3DS have been enjoying these for a while, but the confirmation that 3D After Burner II would come early this year brought optimism; Sega wasn't...
News Curve Studios Talks About The Future Of The Hydroventure Series
Or Fluidity, if you're in North America
UK-based Curve Studios is the name behind the Hyrdroventure / Fluidity series and the recent Wii U exclusive Stealth Inc 2, and has also broadened its business by moving into publishing -- Thomas Was Alone , The Swapper and Last Survior were all published by the firm on the Wii U eShop. The company has
Sunday4th Jan 2015
Video Hacker Demonstrates Fully Functional Game & Watch amiibo in Super Smash Bros. for Wii U
Creation, editing and levelling
Just recently a YouTube channel titled Mema Haxx posted a video that - very briefly - showed hidden Duck Hunt amiibo data being activated; the basic suggestion reinforces what we half expected, that Nintendo's set up code within the game to support amiibo for still unannounced figures. Considering the fact the company...
News Smash Bros. 2v2 For Glory Exploit Makes Pac-Man Duo Unbeatable
You might as well Pac up and leave...
'For Glory' is an online mode in Super Smash Bros. for Wii U and Nintendo 3DS that houses the game's most competitive players. Unlike the 'For Fun' alternative, it prevents the use of items and allows Final Destination versions of each stage only, ensuring a fair game to determine who the better combatant truly...
Review BLOK DROP X TWISTED FUSION (Wii U eShop)
A twist to a solid formula
Crossovers can sometimes make for odd bedfellows. In the case of BLOK DROP X TWISTED FUSION (BDXTF), the minimalist-styled puzzle formula of BLOK DROP U has received a few tinkerings and a fresh coat of paint from Twisted Fusion, a title that has not yet been released at the time of this review. It's hard to say many were...
Video Teens Race and Talk Smack in Mario Kart 64
"Yo dawg I've got the golden mushroom"
YouTube has plenty of ways to entertain us, and one formula that's hugely successful is the React series in which different groups encounter games and are filmed as they get to grips with them. With Nintendo battling for attention against its big rivals, it can be fun to watch teens - particularly - getting to...
Saturday3rd Jan 2015
News Toys "R" Us amiibo Pre-Orders Cancelled Again
What now for Lucario?
Late last year Toys "R" Us attracted the wrong kind of attention when it emerged that amiibo pre-orders were being cancelled en-masse, causing justifiable consternation among affected customers. The company promised an update over the festive period and issued coupons to enable customers to re-order their amiibo figures from...
Video This Incredible Retro Gaming Collection Will Blow You Away
And it has a rare Sega item as its latest centrepiece
It's amazing what you discover when you're travelled across North America's vast expanse. Video producer, Sega fanatic and Nintendo Life contributor Tyler Esposito has uncovered a pretty special retro collection that contains items from Atari, Nintendo and Sega -- and is almost certain to attract...
Feature A Nintendo 2014 Retrospective - January to March
Kicking off a vital year
As is an early New Year tradition here at Nintendo Life, we're going to look back at Nintendo's last year to consider what went well, areas that were problematic and to remind ourselves of how the company shaped up. 2013 was a year of contrasting tales for Nintendo - the 3DS was a major success (the best-selling system in...
To sum up
Puzzle games are ten-a-penny these days and usually take the form of a clone of an existing puzzle game – most notably Bejeweled – so it's nice to see new ideas sprouting forth from developers such as those found in Sumico for the 3DS. Does its shiny new gameplay offer something fresh and enjoyable, or is it puzzle pitfall? The basic...
Show me your 99Moves
Hot on the heels of October's 99Seconds comes a Wii U eShop version of 99Moves, which like its predecessor had origins as an EnjoyUp Games DSiWare title. For the most part, this is a simple port, but what changes there are offer mixed results — some of them are definitively positive, such as the improved resolution and frame...
News Awesome Games Done Quick Gears Up For More Records and Good Deeds
There's a new Ocarina of Time world record to beat, too
It's that time again, speedrun fans, with Awesome Games Done Quick set to kick off for another week of record attempts and raising money for charity. One of Nintendo Life's longest-serving reviewers is even taking on Shovel Knight, too. This event, which takes place twice every year, gathers...
Friday2nd Jan 2015
Feature The Biggest 3DS Games of 2015
Majora's Mask 3D! Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate! Code Name: S.T.E.A.M! More!
We've now kicked off into a New Year, and to get us going we've already published our feature for ten of the biggest Wii U games of 2015; now it's the turn of the 3DS. While Nintendo has been going all out to emphasize a relatively busy 2015 line-up for Wii U, it's been a lot...
News Here's a Handy amiibo Compatibility Infographic
Fan-produced graph includes Japanese releases
With two waves of amiibo toys available in stores and a number of compatible games out in the wild, we perhaps need an infographic to clarify which figures work with what game. Well, it's not that complicated yet, but we do like a good infographic regardless. Below is an effort from amiibo fan MoldyClay...
Video Hacker Allegedly Shows Hidden Duck Hunt amiibo Data in Super Smash Bros. for Wii U
Reinforces expectations of toys for the whole cast
Way back during E3 2014 Nintendo stated that it could, potentially, give the whole cast of Super Smash Bros. for Wii U and Nintendo 3DS amiibo toys; there's clearly some demand, if the reaction to fake wave 4 amiibo figures is anything to go by. It seems that a hacker has demonstrated that data for...
News Two Tetris Titles Pulled From the 3DS eShop in North America
Just like in Europe, but without the warning
In late November Nintendo posted a notification on the 3DS eShop to advise that the Game Boy Virtual Console version of Tetris and the retail game of the same name would be withdrawn at the end of 2014. No reason was given, but we'd bet it's down to licensing rights, as this coincidentally happened...
Review Kuru Kuru Kururin (Wii U eShop / GBA)
Brill Brill Brilliant
Kururin's siblings have wandered off and got themselves lost, and now he must hop into his Helirin (a spinning blade with a cockpit stuck in the middle) to fly around a number of worlds to rescue them. There are tutorial levels available in Kuru Kuru Kururin, but the game is straightforward enough even if the gameplay is quite...
Review Brutus & Futée (3DS eShop)
Et tu, Futée
You'd be forgiven for not being especially inspired by the title of Brutus and Futée, as two unknown character's names doesn't really strike that much confidence in consumers. The title also doesn't give anything away in regards to the gameplay itself, so is this strangely named game worth your time? The two titular characters in...
News Keiji Inafune's New Year's Message Includes Fresh Mighty No. 9 Stage Footage
"We're pretty much finished"
Mega Man and Mighty No. 9 creator Keiji Inafune has posted a New Year's greeting in which he reveals that production on his latest epic is almost complete -- as well as showing off a hitherto unseen level. He refers to the development of the game as a "pleasure" and states that he can't wait for players to experience...
Thursday1st Jan 2015
Feature The Biggest Wii U Games of 2015
The Legend of Zelda! Star Fox! Splatoon! More!
2015 is here, and for Wii U owners it could be the most exciting year of HD Nintendo gaming yet. The past couple of years have delivered some truly fantastic games, of course, with the just-departed 2014 bringing two of Nintendo's biggest franchises into the current generation. Excitingly, though, the...
Oh, and Mario's favourite music is opera or new wave Euro-pop
Last year we reported on some humorous details from the official Nintendo Character Manual of 1993 - it was provided to companies and brand agents to ostensibly provide key facts around these characters. The main revelation on that occasion was that Yoshi's real name is T. Yoshisaur...
Nintendo Download 1st January (North America)
Pokémon Pinball, Bionic Commando, discounted Shovel Knight and more
It's the start of 2015, and Nintendo of America's first Download Update is a fairly slim affair, with each system enjoying a Virtual Console arrival alongside a few tempting discounts. Let's get to the details. Missed the European Nintendo Download Update details earlier in the...
You can't earn any more points, though
Just before Christmas we reminded you that the Deluxe Digital Promotion for Wii U owners was set to end on 31st December 2014. That is the case, so Wii U eShop purchases on 32GB units will no longer earn points to redeem for vouchers, but there's evidently been some confusion over a message posted on the...
News Mario Kart 8 Beats Stern Competition To Become Eurogamer's Game Of 2014
Racing to the finish
The Wii U had a solid 2014 in terms of software, with titles like Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze, Bayonetta 2 and Super Smash Bros. all gaining high scores and securing plenty of admirers. Nintendo's console also picked up some much-needed momentum in commercial terms, too -- although as many industry analysts will tell...
News Happy New Year From All at Nintendo Life
Here's to an awesome 2015
Wherever you are in the world, it's now 2015. We leave behind a year in which Nintendo released some terrific titles for Wii U and 3DS, dealt with some disappointing sales, but nevertheless focused its energy on unique and enjoyable games. As any year teaches us it's tough to predict what's next from Nintendo, with some of...
