Guide How To Complete A System Transfer From 3DS To New Nintendo 3DS / XL
Out with the old, in with the New... slowly
Guide Getting The Most Out of Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate
Hunter, gatherer, prancer
News Club Nintendo Goes Rewards Crazy With Final Update in North America
Over 100 games and physical rewards
Review The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask 3D (3DS)
You’ve had a terrible wait, haven’t you?
News Nintendo Fan Creates a Mewtwo 'amiibo' That Works With Pokémon Rumble U, Bids Pass $250
Puzzling, to say the least
Guide Getting Started and Collecting All Masks in The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask 3D
Win a collector's edition Prima guide (Europe only), too
News - February, 2015
Saturday28th Feb 2015
Accessory Review Mugen Power's New Nintendo 3DS and 3DS XL Extended Batteries
Power up
The New Nintendo 3DS and XL are here, and it's pretty amazing. Boasting a massively improved 3D screen, extra buttons and a faster processor - not to mention those cover plates on the standard model if you're lucky enough to be in the right region - the system improves on its forerunners in pretty much every way imaginable - but battery...
News Pokémon Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire Eon Ticket Distribution Code is Now Live
Only works until Monday
As we informed you a few days ago, Nintendo has been planning to perform a wireless distribution of a free code that will gift players of Pokémon Omega Ruby or Alpha Sapphire with an Eon Ticket; it's an item that will enable trainers to visit the Southern Island and catch either Latios or Latias, depending on which version...
News Super Smash Bros. Club Nintendo Double CD Rewards Start to Arrive
Check that mailbox
With the dual launch of Super Smash Bros. on Wii U and 3DS last year - albeit separated by a little over a month - Club Nintendo offered incentive to buy both versions with two separate promotions. One of these is still to come and registration is yet to close - for free Mewtwo DLC - but the promised first part is evidently...
Video This Unlockable Character in Hyrule Warriors Shouldn't Be Missed
Taking the term Easter Egg to a new level
Warning: spoilers below Hyrule Warriors isn't a game that takes itself too seriously; take the plot, for example, which blends saving the world with a somewhat tenuous concept that ties multiple generations of Legend of Zelda characters together. It's all about the action, and whether you're playing as Link...
News Sonic Team Boss States That There Are No Plans for the Iconic Franchise to Drop Home Consoles
Onwards and upwards, we hope
Sonic Boom: Rise of Lyric on Wii U and Sonic Boom: Shattered Crystal were disappointments in multiple ways - the home console entry was panned by critics and the portable iteration seemed to be largely overlooked, and between them these game accompaniments to the series spin-off have delivered disappointi
News Azure Striker Gunvolt 2 Confirmed for 3DS
Mega news
Inti Creates is a developer with a terrific reputation, specialising in pixel-art and action games, playing a vital role in the development of Mighty No. 9 but more notably releasing the brilliant Azure Striker Gunvolt on the 3DS eShop. We admired this title for its classic approach but also its innovative approach to the action...
Friday27th Feb 2015
News Majora’s Mask 3D Patch Irons Out Honey & Darling Glitch
A more stable experience
Update: Version 1.1 is now live following the update issues across Europe earlier today. Original: Since the release of The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask 3D, a series of glitches have surfaced allowing players to perform a number of outlandish feats. With this in consideration, Nintendo is currently in the process of...
Accessory Review WaterField New Nintendo 3DS and XL Cases
Carry your shiny new portable in style
Whether you're a commuter, a student, or you just happen to have to travel a lot, you're going to want to invest in something to keep your New Nintendo 3DS safe from the elements; you could do an awful lot worse than these cases from San Francisco based manufacturer WaterField. They kindly sent us some samples,...
News GameStop Italy Lists Majora's Mask New Nintendo 3DS XL Model For Re-Stock on 27th March
Still no sign elsewhere
When the New Nintendo 3DS and XL launched on 13th February in Europe and North America, it's fair to say that the Majora's Mask limited edition model was the hardest to find. Pre-orders sold-out rapidly and they fetched a pretty price on eBay, with many having to opt for alternative models. GameStop Italy, however, seems to...
News Meganium, Typhlosion, and Feraligatr Now Available To Pokémon Bank Subscribers
Offer ends on 30th November
Earlier this month The Pokémon Company revealed subscribers to Pokémon Bank would be able to claim the final evolutions of the Johto region starter Pokémon between the 27th February and 30th November 2015. The launch day for this promotion has now arrived, with users of the service able to claim a Level 50 Meganium,...
News LastFight Looks Like The Power Stone Sequel Capcom Should Have Given Us Already
Developer is already in early talks with Nintendo
Indie studio Pirana King has just launched an announcement trailer for LastFight, a new brawling title which calls to mind Capcom's amazing - but sadly dormant - Power Stone series. The footage contains chunky characters, frantic action and the ability to use nearby objects against your opponent -...
Review Titan Attacks (3DS eShop)
Space Invaders Neo
On its official website, British developer Puppy Games declares Titan Attacks as 'the best Space Invaders tribute ever'. Whether you choose to agree with it or not, this simple statement aptly describes what to expect from this homage to Taito's 1978 classic arcade hit. Yes, it's time to jump into a somewhat impractical tank in...
News Speedrunner Unexpectedly Collects New Super Mario 64 World Record in Duel
Powered up
Super Mario 64 has long been a popular game for speedrunning, and the title has had many world records attached to its name. Another has just been added, and it was rather unexpected. On 26th February two speedrunners known as Nero and Puncayshun raced to see who could collect the game's 120 power stars first. Despite saving and quitting...
One per customer rule being applied
Nintendo of Europe confirmed earlier in the year that it was bringing some desirable Legend of Zelda cover plates to the region earlier than originally planned, but naturally fans have been keen to jump in once they became available. UK fans should pay attention, then, as pre-orders have launched on the Official...
Video Wreak Havoc as Ganon In Hyrule Warriors' Boss Pack DLC
We send off the DLC for Hyrule Warriors in style...
It seems like Hyrule Warriors was released a long time ago, but the game has had a consistent stream of downloadable content - well worth the cost of the readily available Season Pass. This final piece of DLC is an absolute stonker, adding two new Challenge modes - Boss Challenge and Ganon Play...
News Dragon Fantasy: The Volumes of Westeria Adventuring to 3DS and Wii U This Year
An updated entry including the original Book I and Book II
Last year it looked like Muteki Corp would be bringing its retro-style RPGs Dragon Fantasy Books I and II to the 3DS eShop, titles that both arrived on PS Vita and PS3 in 2013. That never transpired, but now Choice Provisions - formerly Gaijin Games - is publishing the titles in an updated...
News Fresh Bravely Second Details Highlight StreetPass and Base Features
Hopefully the West won't be passed up
Bravely Second is rapidly approaching release in Japan, the long-awaiting sequel to the 3DS Square Enix RPG; due to the success of that first title localisation does seem like a reasonable bet. A relatively popular part of the first title was management of the town Norende - through StreetPass and uploading...
Preview Hitting the Rails With OlliOlli on Wii U and 3DS
Totally sick, dude (is that right, ed?)
As a chubby thirty year old with the athleticism of a sloth and the cool-factor of a professional chess player, your humble writer will never be seen on a skateboard down at the local skateboarding-park-thingy. That's a reality of life, but video games are all about fantasy, so it's possible for even the least...
News OlliOlli Arrives on Wii U and 3DS Next Week, Cross-Buy Confirmed in All Regions
As it was on PSN
OlliOlli is the next eShop release from publisher Curve Digital, bringing Roll7's excellent title to Nintendo gamers. With attractive pixel-based visuals and addictive gameplay this could certainly be an attractive option, and the good news is that this will arrive on 5th March with Cross-Buy in both Europe and North America, making...
Video Watch Us Fumble Through The Opening Minutes Of Affordable Space Adventures
I always wanted you to go into space, man
Affordable Space Adventures - a forthcoming collaboration between KnapNok Games and Nifflas - is on a crash-course with the Wii U eShop, and we've been lucky enough to have a mess around with the latest build of the title. As you can see from the footage below - which, be warned, contains somewhat unrelated...
Thursday26th Feb 2015
Nintendo Download 26th February (North America)
Donkey Kong Country bonanza! Titan Attacks! IRONFALL Invasion! More!
We suspect this week's Nintendo Download Update for North America will be rather popular with retro and Rare fans, making up for Nintendo of America's slight delay in issuing the details. Alongside these Rare classics are some attractive new download options on both systems, too -...
Standard Mario Party 10 amiibo available with the game for a 'limited time'
Earlier this year a Gold Mario amiibo was leaked, and a subsequent image of Walmart advertising suggested it was going to be exclusive to the retailer in the US. As retailers have been known to get it wrong there was still a slight chance that wouldn't be the case, but...
Yep, Super Mario amiibo - Gold Edition pre-orders are flooding eBay
Today brought a familiar turn of events in the realm of amiibo and anything that's 'limited edition' of late from Nintendo. The best-known toy secret was announced with confirmation of Walmart exclusivity for the Super Mario amiibo - Gold Edition, and then they were gone before...
News Masahiro Sakurai Praises the Achievements of Steam, Isn't Content With Other Download Services
Not quite Smash ready
In his most recent column in Famitsu Weekly, Super Smash Bros. creator Masahiro Sakurai shared his views on digital services in gaming; his comments suggest that he feels console stores - by extension including the eShop platforms - could learn a lot from PC gaming. Sakurai-san said the following. It's become mandatory that...
It's so pretty
For those excited about Xenoblade Chronicles 3D, particularly fans in Europe, it's been a rather fun day. Nintendo of Europe already confirmed that the handsome Xenoblade Chronicles cover plates are coming to the region, but has now also lifted the lid on a 3DS HOME Theme that'll arrive with the title. As you can see in the concept...
News Saints Row Design Director Was Working On An Open-World Wii U Game
Nintendo apparently pulled the plug one day before production
Unseen64's Liam Robertson - an expert at digging up cancelled gaming projects - has uncovered another interesting piece of into regarding an open-world adventure title that was in development for the Wii U. Chris Stockman - who served as Design Director on the original Saints Row - was...
Preview Puzzling Our Way through Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Tipping Stars
Tips go in the jar, mate
Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Tipping Stars is just a few days away for North American fans, and those in Europe will only have to wait a little bit longer to get their hands on it. With the release date rapidly approaching, we've put together a short video to show you what you can expect to see in the game when it hits the 3DS and...
News Study Finds That US Consumers Are Buying Wii U For Its Fun Factor And Kid-Friendly Nature
Nielsen's latest consumer survey shows driving factors behind console sales
Stat company Nielsen has conducted a US-based survey to discover what the five key factors are behind people buying a modern home console, and in Nintendo's case, it's a rather unsurprising list of points. According to the study, the top reason for purchasing a Wii U is its...
News Former Rare Developers Will Show Off Their New Game In March
Playtonic Games to present their first project at this year's EGX Rezzed
Earlier this month, we reported on the news that fledgling studio Playtonic Games - made up of former Rare employees - is currently hard at work on a spiritual successor to the Banjo Kazooie series. It has now been confirmed that the as-yet-unnamed release will be getting its...
News Xenoblade Chronicles 3D New Nintendo 3DS Cover Plates Confirmed for 2nd April Launch in Europe
Spontaneous celebrations erupt in city streets...
Xenoblade Chronicles 3D arrives in Europe on 2nd April, and naturally we've been hoping that the rad New Nintendo 3DS cover plates would make it out of Japan; it was clearly a no-brainer, as Nintendo of Europe has announced just that. As you can see in the tweet below Nintendo's even used a Vine,...
Unfortunate news for Club Nintendo members down under
Limited stock has been a serious problem for Nintendo in recent times. With boss Satoru Iwata yesterday revealing the New Nintendo 3DS hardware was held back from an earlier release in both North America and Europe for this exact reason, this only added to the ongoing troubles fans have had...
Video See the Virtual Boy's Star Fox Wannabe, Red Alarm, In 3D Via Your New Nintendo 3DS
We hope you like red lines
Thanks to the power of the New Nintendo 3DS's updated Internet Browser, you are now able to watch YouTube videos in 3D. We've been using this little-known feature to bring you a series of videos based around the Virtual Boy, Nintendo's first attempt at 3D gaming from the mid '90s. For our third look through the visor...
News Nintendo Is Heading To PAX East, And It's Bringing Splatoon Along For The Ride
Loads of new 3DS titles to play, too
PAX East takes place in Boston from the 6th to 8th of March, and Nintendo has confirmed that it will be attending the event along with a host of new titles - including Splatoon, Xenoblade Chronicles 3D, Code Name: S.T.E.A.M. and Puzzle & Dragons: Super Mario Bros. Edition. The E3 2
News Woah Dave! Getting Free Deluxe Update On 3DS, Also Coming To Wii U
New levels and characters promised
Woah Dave! developer Choice Provisions has revealed that the game is getting a "Deluxe" update on the 3DS. Woah Dave! Deluxe - which has just hit Steam - features two new levels, a host of new characters, boss battles, fresh enemy types, UFOs you can ride, a "classic" mode which returns everything to how it was in...
News Take A Glance At The First Screens From Downtown Nekketsu Jidaigeki
Down by the river
If you were as excited as we were about yesterday's announcement of Downtown Nekketsu Jidaigeki then the first published images below may be too much for you to handle. Japanese publication Famitsu has now released its first online preview of Arc System Works' new game and from what we can see the images are clearly reminiscent of...
News Dot Arcade is an Intriguing Vintage Title Heading to Wii U
We mean pre-Donkey Kong arcade vintage
Indie developers drawing inspiration from retro games is extremely common, but not many eShop releases pre-date the era that brought us the Donkey Kong arcade, for example. Dot Arcade is doing just that, as it'll recreate the light-based games of generations long since gone on the Wii U. Taking us back to the...
Video The Hexer Plagues Enemies in Etrian Mystery Dungeon
Sorcerer Supreme
In case you haven't picked up on the pattern, Atlus has been revealing one new character class for its upcoming 3DS game, Etrian Mystery Dungeon, ab
Wednesday25th Feb 2015
News 3DS Browser Exploit Hackers Bypass Pokémon Shuffle Microtransactions
Actually free-to-play
Pokémon Shuffle has endured a mixed reception among vocal Nintendo fans since its recent release on the 3DS eShop; the free-to-play title is quite heavily reliant on microtransactions, which can be a sticking point for a number of gamers. That monetisation is being bypassed by some, however, with hackers utilising a loophole...
News Look On In Despair At The Hardest Super Mario World Level Ever Made
Three years in the making, and breaking
The ROM hack scene can be an endlessly entertaining place. Offering up creative, fan-made content, one can never really know what to expect from the community. More often than not, fans will create more challenging levels after completing a game in a quest for additional prestige and for a true test of skills...
Video More Bizzare Majora's Mask 3D Glitches Surface
Infinite rupees, walking out of bounds, and one crazy moon...
If you didn't catch our earlier article about some huge glitches performed by YouTube channel GameChap in The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask 3D, you can do so here. With that said, lightning has struck twice, as GameChap has uploaded some more crazy glit
News Club Nintendo in Japan is Full of Delightful Treats
We're a little jealous
With its closure in the coming months, Club Nintendo is heading well into its swansong period. The Stars Catalogue in PAL regions is still a little underwhelming, with desirable items selling out and fairly mediocre recent additions including a Mario hat, while the North American Club Nintendo has some nice physical rewards...
News Complete First Season Of Donkey Kong Country TV Series Coming To DVD This May
"I'M GONNA BE A STAR!!!"
Did you know that our dear old ape Donkey Kong has a nigh-on angelic singing voice? Anyone who watched the absolutely bizarre television series from the 90's will know all about it, and now the non-believers will finally get a chance to hear it for themselves in full. Yes, in an announcement that will either delight,...
News Nintendo Shows Off Mario Party 10, amiibo and Mario vs Donkey Kong: Tipping Stars in Japan
Bowser wearing glasses, that is all...
We're big fans of Nintendo's Japanese YouTube channel, for the simple reason that it often publishes relatively long videos of upcoming releases and - more importantly - awesome TV commercials. The latest batch includes a man with glasses transforming into Bowser, still wearing glasses; is that possibly the...
God Eater 2 lifts Sony platforms above Nintendo's portable
It's time for our weekly dose of Media Create charts out of Japan, and this week's results bring a couple of key developments, with Nintendo's rivals benefiting from a major release. In the software stakes The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask 3D has enjoyed a reasonable second week in sales,...
News Character Art From Forthcoming Disney Wii U Title Emerges Online
What could it be?
It would appear that Disney is working on an as-yet unannounced Wii U title. Freelance character artist and 3D modeller Cari Mayle has posted artwork from the game on her personal site - with permission, of course - which shows various fantasy characters. The characters include a Death Knight, Ranger, Assassin, Thief, Barbarian...
News Amazon UK and Tesco Now Flogging Wii U Premium Pack Bundles for £189
Cheap 2DS and 3DS options, too
With Wii U hardware sales generally struggling, certainly in comparison to fellow 'current gen' rivals PS4 and Xbox One, we've often seen retailers slashing prices to shift stock. This certainly happens a lot in the UK, where brief promotions offer tempting opportunities for those yet to take the plunge. In a year...
Video Mother 4 Fan Game Gets a Crazy New Trailer Ahead of Summer Release
Suitably insane
The Mother series, and most notably EarthBound on the Super NES and now Wii U Virtual Console, remains a cult favourite for plenty of Nintendo fans. Off the wall and riddled with peculiarities and referential jokes, these games remain a source of inspiration for many. Fans often bemoan that the series has effectively drawn to a...
News Scram Kitty Developer Praises the Wii U and Mentions New Project
“It always brings a lot of new potential to gameplay”
Many of you may remember Scram Kitty and his Buddy on Rails. The crazy rail shooter took its name rather literally and featured a gunner that moved along physical rails, with the goal being to shoot all the evil mice in a space station and save all the cats. It was a pretty strange setting;...
News MixedBag Provides an Update on Stylish Wii U eShop Title forma.8
Revamped visuals put on show
Among a number of promising Wii U eShop reveals in early 2014 was forma.8, from Italian developer MixedBag. It's a project that introduces exploration of an alien world in a small ship - nearer its announcement we spoke to the studio's Mauro Fanelli, who provided the following summary: forma.8 is what I call a classic...
News Pokémon World Championships European Qualifying Details Announced
Gotta beat 'em all
It's the most important date in any dedicated Pokémon Trainer's calendar. The European National Championships dates and locations have been announced, enabling Trainers in Europe to embark on the road to the 2015 Pokémon World Championships. This year's events provide players with a chance at winning part of a pool of...
News Series Producer Ichiro Hazama Says Theatrhythm Dragon Quest Will Have About 60 tracks
More will likely be added as DLC
In case you weren't aware, the third instalment in the Theatrhythm series - due out in Japan on 26th March - will be themed around the Dragon Quest series, now that the Final Fantasy franchise has been just about been mined dry between the previous two entries. The rhythm-based music series aims to celebrate beloved...
Tuesday24th Feb 2015
News Max Your Rupees With This Fortuitous Hyrule Warriors Glitch
Hip, hip, Rupee!
Every Zelda fan knows you can never have enough Rupees, and thanks to a glitch discovered in the recent Wii U title Hyrule Warriors, it's now possible to get your hands on as much of that shiny currency as you could possibly want. At first, it was believed that the glitch was entirely random, but dedicated players have narrowed...
Reaction Xenoblade Chronicles 3D is an Impressive Feat and Shows Off the New Nintendo 3DS
Shut up, Reyn
Xenoblade Chronicles 3D will, in all likelihood, be the biggest game to grace the New Nintendo 3DS. We're not just talking about its demands on a micro-SDHC card's space, but a very literal assessment of its world. It's daunting in its scope, meaning we assess the promise of Wii U title Xenoblade Chronicles X having a world five times...
News Nintendo Held Back Western Launch Of New 3DS Due To Limited Stock
Nintendo boss Satoru Iwata describes "difficult" decision
We've recently seen the western release of the New Nintendo 3DS hardware, but the system's release in North America and Europe had been held back following its launch Japan last year - a "difficult" choice which, according to Nintendo's Satoru Iwata - was due to limited stock. Speaking to...
"I don't think [Nintendo] should give up hardware or consoles"
In a period of gaming history that seems increasingly improbable with each passing generation, we often look back to the time when Nintendo's greatest rival was Sega. The house that Sonic built was at the peak of its powers with the Mega Drive / Genesis, which went head-to-head with the...
News Iwata Remains Positive on the Future of the Wii U and 3DS Systems
No plans to overhaul anything just yet
It's no lie that despite the success of amiibo and the 3DS family of systems that Nintendo isn't achieving the profits it has enjoyed for so many years prior. Many fans and non-fans have expressed that due to the lacklustre sale performance of the Wii U Nintendo's role in the gaming industry should change...
News Iwata Doesn't Feel amiibo Has Shown Its Full Potential Yet
"amiibo will become a precious possession for our consumers"
Nintendo's take on the "toys to life" concept - amiibo - has been a roaring success, even if the lack of stock has proven to be an annoyance for serious collectors. The figures are selling well and consumer awareness is high - and, with the introduction of the New Nintendo 3DS, the number...
Interview IRONFALL Invasion's Developers on Bringing Third-Person Shooting to the 3DS Masses
"We love doing games for Nintendo's handheld consoles"
IRONFALL Invasion was a notable arrival in Europe on 13th February, heavily promoted as the eShop accompaniment for the region's #Nintendo3DSDay social media campaign. Though pitched as a game to show off the New Nintendo 3DS, it supports all versions of Nintendo's portable hardware and breaks...
Review Paparazzi (Wii U eShop)
Snap judgement
Indie developers seem to be doing a great job of delivering games with local multiplayer to the Wii U eShop as of late. From Chariot to GetClose: A Game for RIVALS, Sportsball to Guacamelee! Super Turbo Championship Edition, affordable — and quality — entertainment with the intention of livening up a living room is readily...
News More Zelda and Mario-styled Games Coming to Tabletops Near You
The Legend of Yahtzee
Classic games games with Nintendo skins are nothing new, even if we are still waiting for Wii Fit Twister. In the meantime, game company USAopoly is releasing two more themed titles to stack next to your Monopoly and chess sets. First off the line, according to pop culture site ICv2, is TacDex: Super Mario. This title is said...
"Nintendo is not trying to distance itself from video games"
Since its initial cryptic reveal in January 2014, Nintendo's Quality of Life platform has been a source of concern for some loyal fans. It's since been revealed that the first QoL project will be a sleep sensor, a wireless device that will track sleep patterns and - with accompanying tools...
"If we find the right answer, Nintendo will prosper as a company"
Nintendo has finally published its official translations of the recent Investor Q & A that Satoru Iwata hosted, and while it's light on reveals it does have a variety of answers that provide insight into the company's approach. The overall tone is one of certainty, with Iwata-san...
News New River City Ransom Game Announced For The Japanese 3DS
Downtown Nekketsu Jidaigeki is coming in May
It has been revealed in the latest issue of Japanese gaming magazine Famitsu that Arc System Works is creating a follow up to Downtown Special: Kunio-kun no Jidaigeki da yo Zenin Shugo - better known as River City Ransom in North America and Street Gangs in Europe - and it will be released on the Japanese...
News Here's A Sneak Peek At The New Theatrhythm Dragon Quest 3DS Theme
Available as an early purchase bonus in Japan
Square Enix caused quite a stir when it announced that Theatrhythm Dragon Quest is coming to the 3DS, and as the Japanese launch date of March 26th gets ever closer, fans have something else to get excited about - another 3DS theme. Japanese fans will be pleased to know that Square Enix will be...
Monday23rd Feb 2015
News Majora's Mask 3D Glitch Unlocks Fierce Deity Link Anywhere
Plus early access to forbidden areas
It's logical to think that remakes not only improve in both visual and playability departments, but also on the removal of glitches that once existed in the original cartridge's confines. Take the first generation of Pokemon games for instance - a great set of games, but packed with game-breaking glitches...
Dungeon crawling on a budget
Like most dungeon crawling RPGs, Excave builds its core upon slashing and fighting your way through waves of enemies in multi-floor dungeons, collecting various weapons and healing items, all while trying to escape with your bounty. The risk-reward tension combined with the thrill of the unknown awaiting you on each...
Nintendo Download 26th February (Europe)
Hyrule Warriors DLC, Pac-Attack, Titan Attacks, Kirby HOME themes and more
It's Monday morning, but that's a good thing if you're a Nintendo fan in Europe, as it brings us the latest Nintendo Download Update news. This week has some typically bonkers Wii U DLC along with a range of rather tempting downloads on both systems. Let's get to it. Wii U...
News Clive 'N' Wrench Aims to Bring Back Those Rare 3D Platforming Memories on Wii U
Inspired by Banjo-Kazooie et al
If you owned a Nintendo 64 in its heyday, or have familiarised yourself with its library in recent times, you'll have done a lot of 3D platforming and collecting. It may seem old-hat now, but the concept of running around in a 3D world collecting trinkets was somewhat mind-blowing, and Rare was prolific - titles like...
News New Pokémon Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire Eon Ticket Distribution Coming Soon
If you've been left out so far
The Pokémon Company and Nintendo certainly pushed the boat out with its Eon Ticket distribution last year, with the vital item making its way around the world through StreetPass hits; they were so proud of the promotion in the UK that they even produced an infographic to show it off. For those keen to experience...
Flap off
The success of the free mobile hit, Flappy Bird, was arguably one of the darkest periods in the history of video games. It was a title with questionable assets, a tedious concept and flawed mechanics that was made in just a handful of days. Despite this, it was clearly addictive, going viral with unprecedented downloads and media coverage...
Review Jewel Quest: The Sapphire Dragon (3DS)
Mountainside match-making
The simplicity of the Match-3 genre is both its blessing and its curse. Its easy learning curve and ability to pick up and play can open it up to a wide fanbase, but only a certain few clever or lucky titles are able to stand out amongst a sea of copies. Jewel Quest: The Sapphire Dragon is the sixth installment in the...
News Yoshi’s Woolly World Rated By Australian Classification Board
An early arrival expected
The upcoming platform game,Yoshi’s Woolly World, set for release in early 2015, has recently been rated by the Australian Classification Board, confirming the previously scheduled launch period is still on target. The Wii U title was rated on 16th February, with information of “very mild violence” in reference to...
Zelda title fighting with the big boys
The New Nintendo 3DS, The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask 3D and Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate all had strong début sales in the UK when they launched on 13th February. That launch buzz makes way for day-to-day sales, of course, and while both retail titles have seen numbers inevitably drop in their second weeks,...
News More New Nintendo 3DS Cover Plates Headed to Europe on 2nd April
Pikachu! Kirby! Dots!
While Japanese New Nintendo 3DS owners have over 50 cover plates - known as Kisekae in the country - to choose from, the spread of these to Europe is a little more measured. A dozen options were available at launch, while a Majora's Mask 3D option is on the way; Nintendo has now confirmed another eight designs coming on 2nd...
News Nintendo Are Releasing Stylish Pokémon Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire Playing Cards In Japan
Japan gets all the good stuff
With Nintendo starting out as a card company, it’s no surprise it still pays respect to its beginnings with regular releases of both classic Japanese hanafuda cards and more commonly known card games here in the west. The latest addition to this long-line is a set of Pokémon Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire playing...
Right from its original with a fan magazine
Game Freak is one of the world's most successful developers, accumulating millions of sales on an annual basis through the main Pokémon games. As a result it's a major success for Nintendo and The Pokémon Company, too, and integral to the franchise and its ongoing success. Many great things have humble...
Gallery Mega Man: The Board Game Gets Closer to Reality
Finalising content with Capcom
We've covered Mega Man: The Board Game a fair amount, from its origins on Kickstarter to tentative updates as Jasco Games has worked towards making the final product a reality. As a relatively complicated game with plenty of text and miniatures to produce, it's clearly been a challenging project. A major part of that...
News Zombie Incident Aims to Infest the 3DS With an MSX Vibe
Proper retro
Earlier today Zombie Incident popped up in the European Nintendo Download Update, and we were mainly struck by its somewhat dramatic premise. We didn't know much about the actual game, however. Publisher CoderChild has filled us in, however, and it's a rather intriguing project. It was originally developed by a team including NeneFranz...
Video Kirby and the Rainbow Curse Accolades Trailer Sings Its Praises
A chance to gawk at some lovely 60FPS footage
Kirby and the Rainbow Curse is out now in Japan and North America, helping to fill the quiet retail spell for Nintendo's home console in those territories - its timing was appropriate, too, keeping Wii U fans entertained as HAL Laboratory celebrates its 30th anniversary. Utilising the GamePad for touch...
Sunday22nd Feb 2015
Feature Tales From the Front Line of amiibo Collecting
The good, the bad and the ugly
Nintendo's amiibo have been a hit at retail, with around 5.7 million sold through January, and counting. Yet that sales success doesn't mean that supply is plentiful, and for the most eager of fans collecting some of the toys - particularly those that are a little most niche - have been a tale of endurance. This wasn't...
News Pokémon Champion Cynthia Nendoroid Figure Available for Pre-Order
Along with her trusty Garchomp
Japanese toy manufacturer The Good Smile Company is at it again, crafting yet more wonderful additions for our figurine collections whilst leaving our wallets a little more threadbare. Nintendo fans have already been treated with Mario, Luigi, Toon Link, I
Pure and Simple
Every so often a video game will emerge which further dissembles the division between games and art; it's fair to say that Blek is one of those titles. Its miminimalistic, unsophisticated presentation and engaging puzzles garnered it resoundingly high praise following its release on iOS and Android, and resulted in developer Kunabi...
News Eiji Aonuma Explains Several Design Choices in the Creation of Majora’s Mask
“It’s almost like another dimension”
It's no secret that many are enjoying The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask 3D at the moment. The much-anticipated remake of the Nintendo 64 classic rectified some of the issues present in the original release and streamlined the whole experience to make it more enjoyable. Just recently, Game Informer con
News Indie Title Bizerta: Silent Evil is Stalking its Way to Wii U
Resident Hill
The Wii U is relatively lacking in the horror games department - games such as ZombiU and Resident Evil Revelations are few and far between, leaving players looking for a good thrill disappointed. It's possible that Fatal Frame V could be set to rectify that, but there's no confirmation of that getti
News Kirby and the Rainbow Curse Developers Discuss the Art Style and Sources of Inspiration
Blessing or a curse?
Just this Friday, Kirby and the Rainbow Curse released in North America to general critical acclaim. We awarded it a 7/10; while praising the excellent art style, we felt there were underutilized gameplay applications of the clay theme. As part of the buzz surrounding the game's release, GameSpot recently conducted an interview...
News Zen Pinball 2 Set to Hit a New High Score for Number of Tables Available
Wii U release date hopefully coming soon
Zen Pinball 2 is the main pinball experience on Wii U; it's already host to a massive collection of pinball tables, but it looks like a couple more are set to join the list in the near future. Announced via the official Zen Studios Blog, the Iron & Steel Pack has been confirmed to be added into the game...
Saturday21st Feb 2015
Review Flipnote Studio 3D (3DS eShop)
Striking a nearly perfect note
From its launch in late 2008 until its eventual discontinuation five years later, Flipnote Studio was a smash hit among both the casual and professional creative types. As an application that assisted in creating flip-book style animations on the DSi, the concept was simple, but the amount of creativity that users put...
Feature Five Nintendo 64 Games We'd Love to Play on 3DS
And plenty we'll never have
The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask 3D has now been in stores for over a week, joining compatriots The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D and Star Fox 64 3D on Nintendo's portable system. In some ways it's also the beginning of the home-straight for the handheld - if its generation is to be 5-6 years, we're perhaps...
Review Super Ghouls 'n Ghosts (Wii U eShop / GBA)
Slightly less than super Ghouls ‘N Ghosts
Once upon a time when arcades were vibrant and 2D platform games were all the rage, Capcom struck gold with the original Ghosts 'N Goblins. The legendary tale of Sir Arthur and his quest to save Princess Prin Prin from demons was a huge success, but also notoriously difficult. Super tough from the off, in...
News Super Smash Bros. Pros Explain Competitive Theories in Reading, Zoning and the "Neutral Game"
If you fancy brawling with the best, watch this
Your humble writer, like many in the Nintendo Life team, likes Super Smash Bros. a lot, with the latest entries on Wii U and 3DS pushing our buttons. While some of us in the broader community may be decent players that can compete well in occasional online matches, competitive pro players are naturally...
Weirdness Nintendo Tries to Jump on the Oscars Bandwagon With Its Own Film Awards
Uh-huh...
The world of PR stunts is rather peculiar, often involving tenuous links to major events in order to gain attention. The latest effort from Nintendo of America made quite a few of us raise an eyebrow, and in a bout of irony and counter-productiveness we're sharing it with you. Because it's a bit silly. It's Oscars weekend, in which movie...
News Our Colleagues at Pure Xbox Are Playing Loads of Games for a Good Cause
Broadcasting live right now
Let's kick this off with a quick disclaimer. No, this isn't about Nintendo. It's important, though, as it's about some friends raising money for charity. In the past we've shared details about a host of live streaming fundraisers, from the incredibly successful Awesome Games Done Quick, to Mario Marathons, Zeldathons and...
Friday20th Feb 2015
News Yes, People Are Still Making NES Games In 2015
Just because they can
The NES is one of the most iconic gaming systems of all time, but it hasn't been on Nintendo's radar - at least from a hardware perspective - for quite some time. That hasn't stopped homebrew developers from continuing to support the vintage console, and as a result 2015 will see the release of The Mad Wizard: A Candelabra...
News New Details Discovered on Xenoblade Chronicles X’s Exploration System
This'll take a little more than a few hours to explore
The world that players are tasked with exploring in the upcoming Xenoblade Chronicles X is certainly one to be looked forward to. While the setting may not be nearly as original as exploring the surface of the lifeless body of a titan, the alien world of Mira promises to be filled with secrets...
Pre-order customers aren't all feeling it
Update: Nintendo UK has provided us with the following statement on the issue of cancelled Shulk amiibo pre-orders. Nintendo UK can confirm that the Nintendo Official UK Store has had to cancel a very limited number of pre-orders for the Shulk amiibo. Nintendo is in the process of contacting those...
News This Mario Kart 8 RC Toy Pretends to go Into Anti-Gravity Mode
Yes please
Well known US retailer JAKKS is currently promoting a variety of Nintendo toys, and last week we highlighted an articulated Link toy that's on the way. Another upcoming toy has popped up online, and is perhaps a cut above the rest - in both cool-factor and price. As you can see in the images above and below it's a remote controlled Mario...
Feature A History of Full Fat Games - From Nintendo Portables to Smartphones and Back Again
"I'm just pleased to have a game on the 3DS"
In the past week we brought you the news that Flick Golf 3D is coming to the 3DS eShop, which will be an interesting test to see whether a hugely popular smartphone game can grab a sizeable audience on Nintendo's portable. To those unfamiliar with developer Full Fat Games there could be a perception that...
Video Check Out Kirby's Adventure Wii on the Wii U eShop
You'll need shades with all those colours!
Nintendo's latest Wii digital re-release for Wii U in Europe is Kirby's Adventure Wii - AKA Kirby's Return To Dream Land. This Wii title from 2011 is a back-to-basics adventure that puts Kirby into familiar territory - there's no need to complain if you're in North America, you get the brand new Kirby and...
News Rodea: The Sky Soldier Confirmed For Release In North America And Europe
Arriving this fall
After a disjointed development cycle, Rodea: The Sky Soldier has now been officially confirmed for a release in the West. NIS America will handle the digital and physical publishing rights of the game on both the Wii U and 3DS, with the title expected to arrive this fall. A copy of the original Wii game is set to be bundled with...
News Intriguing Indie Developer Simogo Teases Wii U Projects
Experimental games could be a good fit for the GamePad
The Wii U eShop has attracted its fair share of intriguing games, including titles that have previously made their mark on PC and / or smart devices. Small Indie developers are no doubt attracted by Nintendo's relatively open approach to the eShop, and support - not to mention a free licence -...
Video Watch The Virtual Boy's Galactic Pinball In Full 3D On Your New Nintendo 3DS
Wiz, ball!
Last week, we experimented with releasing a 3D video of Virtual Boy Wario Land, and you said you wanted more. So we're giving you more! Released in 1995, does Galactic Pinball successfully translate the exciting, fast gameplay of pinball, with the addition of migraines? In this video, we take a look and quickly realise that we're not...
News Nintendo Unleashes Video Guides for Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate
Including that pesky Gore Magala
Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate has now been out for one week, and early indications suggest that its arrival in the West has brought improved sales over its predecessors - perhaps it's finally establishing a stronger foothold outside of Japan. It's also proof that there are plenty of committed gamers with a 3DS, as the...
News Children of Morta Hits Stretch Goal to Confirm Wii U Release
Pixel-based hack 'n slash oh my!
While the standard of many Indie games is truly on another level when compared with the formative days of download gaming, there's often a level of deja-vu and familiarity in their appearance. With engines like Unity prominent small developers have a challenge to make their titles look unique; as a result we think...
Review Best of Arcade Games - Air Hockey (3DS eShop)
Error Hockey
Step into the dimly-lit, sticky-floored interior of any arcade, pizza place, or bowling alley you can find, and there's bound to be at least one air hockey table somewhere. They're an iconic fixture, always ready to lure you and a friend over for just one game, no matter how many hockey pucks you've sent flying across the room in the...
Rumour Upcoming Theatrhythm Final Fantasy: Curtain Call DLC Brings More Classic Tracks
Chrono Trigger and Secret of Mana tracks included
Fortunately for fans of Theatrhythm Final Fantasy: Curtain Call, Square Enix has kept busy since its 2014 launch, providing fans with various various DLC packages that include a range of confirmed additional tracks on the way. Although Square Enix has already announced and released a variety of DLC...
Video Atlus Shows Off the Dancer in New Etrian Mystery Dungeon Trailer
A deadly dance
Atlus has spun the Dancer into the spotlight in its latest Etrian Mystery Dungeon trailer; it's a support class that specializes in buffing party members. Given this dancers are not the most adept at combat, but not only can they raise the stats of other characters, they can also change the party order and act as a healer if needed...
Thursday19th Feb 2015
Talking Point New Nintendo 3DS, Operation Faceplate NA and the Bigger Picture
The issue has resurfaced, so we consider each side's perspective
In mid-January Nintendo hosted its first 'Direct' broadcasts of the year, and what seemed like improbable retailer leaks turned out to be true. North America was confirmed to be receiving a unique red New Nintendo 3DS XL - which looks rather nice - along with the black equivalent, but...
Nintendo Download 19th February (North America)
Kirby, Axelay, RPG goodness, microtransactions, DSiWare and more
It's that time again, North American gamers, for details of this week's download goodies to warm us up for the weekend. There's a tempting Wii U retail release, along with a classic SNES shooter, some interesting RPG options on 3DS, the return of DSiWare and more. If that's got your...
News Reported GameStop Memo Shows Massive Delay in Delivering Some amiibo Pre-orders
Hope you're patient for heavy hitters
If you love amiibo, then odds are good you have been hurt by amiibo - or the lack thereof. Those odds seem even higher if you live in North America, where you're lucky to have even laid eyes on certain figures in the wild, let alone purchase them. Some are speculating that a port strike on the west coast of the...
News We're Really Feeling It With These Xenoblade Chronicles 3D New Nintendo 3DS Cover Plates
Arriving in Japan alongside the game
Xenoblade Chronicles 3D will be the first game exclusive to the New Nintendo 3DS, so it'll prove interesting to see how sales with the smaller user-base stack up, and whether it'll drive a second surge in hardware sales. There's certainly a vocal and passionate fanbase of the Wii original, so this re-release -...
News Nintendo España Appears to Confirm Super Mario amiibo for Rosalina, Donkey Kong and Wario
Picking up on previous speculation in Japan
Update: Nintendo España has, unsurprisingly, now informed Nintenderos that this press release was in error; we've also received a similar message after enquiring on this with Nintendo UK. As suggested below there have been instances like this out of Nintendo's Spanish divisions in the recent past, so...
News The Nintendo Game Plan - How the NES Slowly Won Over the USA
A Tale of Two Cities
Lots has been written on the video game crash of 1983; needless to say after events with Atari, North American retailers were left with their hands burnt, so launching a new console was a risky proposition. We recently took a look at the baby steps which Nintendo took at CES in 1984, which provided usefu
News Nintendo Confirms Another Miiverse Update
See more information on those that follow you
Nintendo is constantly trying to impress its fans with new updates, and has continued to put its efforts into making the Miiverse community as gratifying as possible. The company has recently announced the brand new update, allowing you to view details when someone is following another member of the...
News Splatoon Developers Give a Splash of Information on Its Beginnings and Design
So that’s why they’re squids
In case you've been living under a rock, Splatoon is Nintendo's much-anticipated upcoming multiplayer third-person-shooter, though it will also feature single player. Starring a colourful cast of squids that can transform into people (or perhaps people that can transform into squids), it'll be focused around the...
News Nintendo Will Replenish amiibo Supplies in Australia & New Zealand Over the Coming Months
Some figurines will be sourced from other regions
The sheer demand for Nintendo’s amiibo figurines has been unprecedented since they were released in stores late last year. Being able to provide an array of unique gaming experiences across multiple titles including Super Smash Bros. for Wii U, Mario Kart 8, and Hyrule Warriors, the 29 currently...
News Amazon UK Delays Some Shulk Pre-Orders to Later in the Year
Offers £2 in credit, break out the bunting
We apologise for being the bearers of bad news, but that seems to be the trend with amiibo pre-orders and shipments. While some have been lucky enough in recent days to get hold of a Shulk amiibo, it's proving problematic for many others, with delayed or cancelled pre-orders doing the rounds. Amazon UK is...
Review Classic Card Games (3DS eShop)
Bust
You might think that you can't go far wrong with a good, old-fashioned card game, and you'd be right for the most part. Unfortunately there has never really been a successful transition of those card games that require multiple players into the download format, as much of the game resides in the psychological. Psyching out your opponents or...
Watch in 4K if you're fancy enough
The Legend of Zelda Symphony is currently gearing up for its latest world tour, with concert dates in the Americas and Europe on the way. It kicked off in Tokyo just recently, however, and as this tour is the first - in this series, at least - that'll feature music from The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask,...
News Japanese Puzzle & Dragons: Super Mario Bros. Edition Pre-Orders Will Come With Neat Extras
This year sees Nintendo and GungHo Online Entertainment partnering to create the quirky Super Mario Bros. and Puzzle and Dragons mash up - creatively called Puzzle & Dragons: Super Mario Bros. Edition. The latest edition of the franchise arrives in Japan on April 29th for 4,000 yen, and will support both StreetPass and local multiplayer...
Summoned back to the fray
Atlus has shed new light on the new story arc in Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor 2 Record Breaker; this game, remember, is a remastered port of the original Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor 2 for the DS. After the events of the first game the evil Nicaea system is back online and the characters will have to alter their...
Wednesday18th Feb 2015
Review Kirby and the Rainbow Curse (Wii U)
Clay achin'
Kirby and the Rainbow Curse is a sequel of sorts to 2005's Canvas Curse, which is considered to be among the top titles the pink puff has ever starred in. That's pretty high praise and a tough act to follow — but 10 years on, Nintendo and developer HAL Laboratory are giving it another whirl. The result is a video game equivalent to a...
News You'd Better Get a Bigger Micro-SDHC Card for Xenoblade Chronicles 3D
It's a big 'un
We recently discovered the file size for upcoming Wii U title Xenoblade Chronicles X, which will be a mighty 22.7GB when it reaches Japan on 29th April. Of course we'd expect Xenoblade Chronicles 3D, which is exclusive to New Nintendo 3DS, to be a much more compact affair. It is, but according to
Reaction Pokémon Shuffle Isn't Quite Microtransaction Hell, But It's Getting There
Tom Whitehead scratches his head, waits 30 minutes, then scratches it again
Microtransactions. It's a grubby phrase in the eyes of many, mainly because it represents a concept that thrives on being small and inoffensive, yet has the capability to lead to extravagant costs or to simply wreck a game's momentum. It's worse than 'free-to-play', as a...
News Eiji Aonuma Explains Why Tingle is Such a Peculiar Character
Even more peculiar is a question on his sexuality
When Tingle appeared in The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask he wasn't well-received by everyone - that's a little odd, considering this is a franchise with talking rock-based creatures, a villain that transforms into an enormous hog-thing and more. Nevertheless, he's a character that some just don't...
News Pokémon Shuffle Available to Download Right Now, for Free
686 blocks, micro-transaction and pricing details inside
Update: Pokémon Shuffle is now also available as a free download in North America. Original Article: Pokémon Shuffle is the latest free-to-play 3DS eShop experiment from Nintendo, combining match-three puzzling with a Pokémon battling and collecting twist. As it's a free download it'll...
Weirdness Pokémon Fan Finds a Way to Trade First Generation Pocket Monsters With Himself
No retro-loving friends required
Most Pokémon fans have friends, but they may not have buddies that are still rocking a Game Boy, link cable and a copy of Pokémon Red and / or Blue. After all, millions of fans have moved on to online trading and match-ups in the latest 3DS releases. If you still like to go retro, though, a 'mon fan called Pepijn...
News Pre-orders Now Open at GameStop for the Wii U GameCube Controller Adapter
Comes with purchase of Gamecube Controller
Fans of Super Smash Bros. for Wii U were doubtlessly celebrating when the GameCube adapter was announced alongside the Super Smash Bros. Invitational for this year's E3; many say that the GameCube controller offers up the best control scheme for the fighting game. Nintendo clearly underestimated its...
News Gold Mario amiibo Set to Shine as Walmart Exclusive in North America
What about Europe?
Not long ago a credible rumour emerged of Gold and Silver Mario amiibo toys being prepared for sale, with web pages discovered showing documentation for health and safety testing on these figures, specifically in the Super Mario design. The pages related to Nintendo of America, and it now seems that the gold figure is certainly on...
Review Rock 'N Racing Off Road (Wii U eShop)
Not-So-Super Off Road
EnjoyUp was clearly inspired by the classic arcade racer Ivan "Ironman" Stewart's Super Off Road when developing Rock 'N Racing Off Road, an old-school, top-down racer. But while the game looks like a modern update to Super Off Road, it's not nearly as fun or memorable. Unfortunately, Rock 'N Racing Off Road is a disappointing...
News The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask 3D Tops Japanese Charts and Boosts New Nintendo 3DS Sales
The XL is still the model of choice
We already know that The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask 3D has been an early success since its launch last week, and we now have strong début sales in Japan to add to the picture; it gave the New Nintendo 3DS hardware a boost, too. The Zelda remake was the comfortable winner in the Media Create software top 20...
Video Feast Your Eyes on Another Slick Xenoblade Chronicles 3D Trailer
Battles continue to show smoother performance
We're now less than two months away from the arrival of Xenoblade Chronicles 3D, the portable re-release of the massive Wii RPG. It'll include support for the Shulk amiibo to unlock in-game extras, but most importantly it could be a hugely impressive experience to play through the adventure and its...
Review Best of Arcade Games - Brick Breaker (3DS eShop)
Just Another Brick in the Wall
It takes an extremely exceptional video game to defy the tests of time. Technological advancements coupled with ever shifting consumer attitudes and expectations have often seen classic gaming titles left by the proverbial wayside as the years roll on. The likes of Pac-Man, Tetris and Gradius are prime examples of...
Videos show them off and hopefully point to similar Western releases
After a two week absence for Wii downloads on the eShop, this week's European Nintendo Download Update details confirmed the arrival of Kirby's Adventure Wii in the region. With that confirmed, focus for Wii fans inevitably turns to the remaining games that have already been...
First Impressions Getting Into the Swing of Flick Golf 3D
Golf club-shaped stylus accessory not required
When you put the phrases smartphone game and 3DS eShop release in close proximity to each other there can be understandable concern - for dedicated portable gaming fans it can appear to be a marriage made in hell. Yet it's not always that simple, and titles that become a phenomenon on smart devices can...
News Humphrey, of SPIKEY WALLS Fame, to be a Guest Character in Blocky Bot on Wii U eShop
Because why not?
Earlier this week we told you about Blocky Bot, a budget-priced title on the way from Mobot Studios. Though typically associated with fairly substantial download titles, the developer explained that it wants to produce a fun game that's suitable for short, snappy gaming sessions. It'll be "a bit of a mash up" of styles and genres...
News KnapNok Games and Nifflas Exploring Idea of Affordable Space Adventures on 3DS
Focused on the Wii U version for now
Affordable Space Adventures is certainly on our radar here at Nintendo Life - its unique use of the GamePad and integration of co-op has caught our attention, and we've already named it as one of the biggest Wii U games of 2015. A development partnership between KnapNok Games - Spin The Bottle: Bumpie's Party -...
Tuesday17th Feb 2015
"The core audience... we weren't going to win with them on that decision"
Nintendo of America has been an active supporter of Indiecade in recent years, and recently attended the New York based Indiecade East event to showcase eShop releases and to promote the Wii U and 3DS as valid platforms for small developers of all types. It was in attendance...
News Card Format amiibo Confirmed to be Heading our Way This Year
Link proves to be the most popular amiibo, too
The recent investor briefing has brought us a megaton of information on amiibo, including the news that Nintendo will be introducing free software with NES and SNES experiences activated through amiibo. Satoru Iwata also confirmed that a cheaper range of amiibo will be made available this year in the...
News Nintendo to Introduce Free Software With NES and SNES Experiences Activated Through amiibo
North America shown to be dominant in amiibo shipments
Nintendo's Investor Briefing and Q & A is underway after its postponement of a couple of weeks, and Satoru Iwata's Presentation has been uploaded to the company's Japanese website. It's heavily focused on sales patterns rather than outlining new products or core strategies, but one new...
News Hyrule Warriors 'Ganon Pack' DLC to Bring Fresh Mayhem in Final Season Pass Arrival
Play as Ganon in his beast form
Hyrule Warriors has delivered plenty of DLC, but those that picked up the Season Pass will have observed that only one more major pack is included in the deal. It's been listed as 'Boss Pack' with no further details, but confirmation of the Japanese release of this DLC next week has also brought further details on...
Reaction Satoru Iwata Holds Off on Major Announcements as Investors Appear Settled
A comfortable, unremarkable Investor Briefing
As those that follow Nintendo closely know only too well, major announcements and shocks aren't just reserved for E3 and the occasional Nintendo Direct. The company has a habit of dropping major news like it's a minor affair, and in the past couple of years has also reserved some notable news for...
Talks self-publishing, New Nintendo 3DS XL and more at Indiecade East
Nintendo recently attended Indiecade East 2015 in New York, where Damon Baker - Senior Manager in Marketing and Licensing - met with fans and developers alike, and led a seminar called "Self-Publishing with Nintendo." Nintendo Life attended the informative seminar and then had a...
News Satoru Iwata Highlights Growth of Wii U Sales in the West
The system's struggling in Japan, however
The Wii U's in an interesting position with Nintendo - its sales are still lagging behind its competitors, but increased momentum and the company's return to tentative profits has somewhat eased pressure. Nintendo's 'lost' generation sales battles before and roared back with market-dominating successes in...
Review Mega Man Battle Network 2 (Wii U eShop / GBA)
Casting a wider net
The world as portrayed in the Mega Man Battle Network series is so ridiculous and yet so outlandishly awesome that it's hard not to adore. In our boring reality, if your toaster doesn't work it means you're pretty much out of luck. In the Battle Network world, it more likely means you need to upload your virtual companion into...
News New Nintendo 3DS Launch Sales in the West Surpass 3DS XL Equivalents
Satoru Iwata talks up momentum of 3DS software sales
Nintendo has issued the full English translation of today's Investor's Briefing - though we already reported on plans for amiibo and Virtual Console integration through free software, we can now gain a clearer perspective on the full briefing. For starters, the briefing's delay from earlier in the...
Majora's Mask already approaching 0.5 million in U.S and Europe
Joining the New Nintendo 3DS as notable releases on 13th February - in North America and Europe - were The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask 3D and Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate, both very different titles seeking to deliver big sales for their respective franchises. The UK chart results - as...
News Dragon Ball Z: Extreme Budoten is Fighting Its Way to Japanese 3DS Systems This Summer
Over 100 fighters to be included
Fans of Japanese culture, including games and TV, are sure to be familiar with Dragon Ball Z, a franchise that's been relatively common on Nintendo hardware since the days of the original Famicom. Though not all modern entries make it to Nintendo systems there's still decent support, particularly in the handheld...
Review Dolphin Up (Wii U eShop)
Tony Hawk's Pro Porpoise
Every once in a while, a game comes along that you didn't know you wanted. Rawkins Games' Dolphin Up is one such title, providing a surprising amount of entertainment with an extremely simple concept. Being a port of a mobile title from a few years ago, its simplicity comes as no surprise — and, with a few more additions,...
Review Puzzle Monkeys (Wii U eShop)
Fun as a barrel thereof
Ever since Tetris introduced gamers to the joys of skydiving shapes, block-dropping puzzlers have fallen into place on nearly every console and handheld under the sun, and for good reason: they're simple to learn, endlessly replayable, and - when done right - utterly addicting. Seeking to fill a simian-sized gap in the Wii...
Video YouTube Musician Smooth McGroove Performs Majora's Mask Milk Bar Acapella
Milkin' it at the perfect time...
Popular YouTuber Smooth McGroove is at it again, and this time he tackles the 'Milk Bar' from Majora's Mask with a great level of detail and precision (as always). His 'Oath to Order / Calling the Four Giants' upload a week ago proved to go down exceptionally well with all the hype surrounding Majora's Mask 3D this...
News SteamWorld Heist to be Playable At Upcoming US and UK Events
PAX East, EXG Rezzed and The Steampunk World’s Fair
SteamWorld Heist is set to be one of the most intriguing download releases of 2015. A follow-up - but not sequel - to the hugely popular SteamWorld Dig, developer Image & Form is aiming to release the title across multiple platforms, including the eShop on Wii U and 3DS. It's a departure for...
Monday16th Feb 2015
Guide Getting Started and Collecting All Masks in The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask 3D
Win a collector's edition Prima guide (Europe only), too
Based on early sales indications there are a decent number of gamers that have taken the plunge on the long-anticipated 3DS remaster The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask 3D. For those that didn't experience the title back in the days of the Nintendo 64, however, it can be a slightly baffling...
Seamless exploration is the key progression on Wii U
The Legend of Zelda for Wii U, it's safe to say, is one of the most eagerly anticipated Wii U titles of the year, bringing us the first HD adventure in the iconic franchise. Its reveal at E3 2014 - and more detailed off-screen demonstration at The Game Awards - got fans excited for a large...
Nintendo Download 19th February (Europe)
Wii downloads return with Kirby, classic Castlevania, GBA goodness and more
Monday morning can be a dreary time, but Nintendo of Europe has sent out the Download Update details for the coming week to bring some sunshine into your life. After a two week absence we see the return of Wii downloads on the eShop, some retro classics, DLC, loads of...
Toad in a Link outfit, please...
Though perhaps overwhelmed by the flood of Holiday releases - or unnoticed in Europe due to its peculiar arrival at the dawn of 2015 - we are big fans of Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker. If you're still on the look-out for a clever, charming game that actually utilises the Wii U's GamePad, it's one of the stronger...
Feature The Heartwarming Tale of a Missing 3DS and a Stranger's Kindness
From the most magical place on Earth, back home
The Nintendo 3DS is a wonderful handheld console that really comes into its own when you are on the move. That's the idea that young Joey Visco from Ohio had when he took his shiny blue 3DS XL with him to the 'magical' Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida during a family vacation in January this...
New 3DS boosts UK hardware sales by 57%
13th February was a big day for Nintendo in Western territories, as it released the New Nintendo 3DS and The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask 3D, with Capcom's Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate also arriving in stores. When we spoke to Nintendo UK's James Honeywell he was optimistic about the potential fortunes of these...
Review Blaster Master (Wii U eShop / NES)
Master your blast!
The latest eShop release of Sunsoft's 1988 NES classic, Blaster Master, marks the title's third Virtual Console appearance. With the game previously sighted on the Wii and more recently the 3DS, now it's the Wii U's turn to host this side-scrolling and top-down platform shooter that has since spawned an entire series. The western...
News Kirby and the Rainbow Curse Developers Give Background on Design Decisions
"The result, after applying everyone’s voice, was a very lively game."
While European gamers are still left in the dark as to exactly when it'll launch, North Americans will be enjoying Kirby and the Rainbow Curse in the coming week. In the latest issue of Nintendo Dream - a Japanese gaming magazine - an interview was conducted with several...
News Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate has Shipped Over 3 Million Units Worldwide
Series sales total over 32 million
Just last week, Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate launched in the West to critical acclaim. The new entry was lauded for its refinement of previous gameplay mechanics and addition of new features, namely the added verticality to environments. Though it isn't necessarily one that's geared towards newcomers, MH4U can be...
News A Fire Emblem 25th Anniversary Symphony Concert is Coming to Japan
No news on a western tour, yet
As you may remember, we reported about a week ago on the upcoming Legend of Zelda Symphony of the Goddesses: Master Quest tour line-up. Promising orchestral covers of a plethora of music pieces spanning the series' rich history, the symphonic experience is something to look forward to for many fans of the franchise...
Review Tri-Strip (Wii U eShop)
Geometry Bores
Tri-Strip is a puzzle game about placing strips of triangles into a grid to make squares, which clears up space and nets you points; using the stylus, touchscreen and a single button, you can strategically drag, drop and rotate pieces into open spots. It's a style of play that requires a little bit more hesitation and thought when...
News Mobot Studios Aims for High Quality Fun at a Budget Price with Blocky Bot on Wii U
"Sometimes you just want to sit down and play something fun for 10 minutes"
The Wii U eShop - particularly in North America - has been host to a number of budget releases aiming to deliver quick, harmless fun; while some have succeeded, there have also been plenty of disappointments. Experienced developer Mobot Studios is next to step up to the...
Video ZaciSa's Last Stand Update Detailed and Shown Off in New Trailer
A belated Valentine
Not so long ago we revealed details of ZaciSa: Defense of the Crayon Dimension, an expanded version of ZaciSa's Last Stand that'll finally make its way to Europe. Developer ZenFa Productions did promise a free update with additional content for the North American version in that announcement, however, and has used the Valentine's...
Sunday15th Feb 2015
Rumour Rayman Could be Planned as DLC in Super Smash Bros. for Wii U and Nintendo 3DS
Apparent screens and video appear on the web
UPDATE: The video below has now been revealed by the creator to be a very elaborate hoax made using editing software; that's another Smash Bros. rumour down for now. ORIGINAL STORY: It seems like the Super Smash Bros. hype train just never stops rolling. Prior to the release of Super Smash Bros. for...
Review 3D Fantasy Zone (3DS eShop)
Blow your mind in a fantasy zone
One of the first 'cute 'em ups' following Konami's Twinbee, Fantasy Zone first launched in Japanese arcades in 1986, but is better known in the west for its decent Master System conversion. Iconic protagonist Opa-Opa also sneaks in cameo appearances in many Sega games, most recently as a playable character in Sonic...
Tom Whitehead reflects on why dedicated gaming handhelds still matter
I'll kick off this article with an admission that will cause some to snort in derision and dismiss anything I ever say about Nintendo in the future; those that have seen my occasional forum posts or followed our Reddit AMA last year may already have an inkling into what's coming...
News New Details Emerge on Puzzle & Dragons: Super Mario Bros. Edition
More match-three goodness for 3DS users
About a month ago, we reported on Puzzle & Dragons: Super Mario Bros. Edition coming to Nintendo 3DS. A most curious mashup, it aims to take characters and locations from the Super Mario series and place them in a Puzzle & Dragons game. Puzzle & Dragons is itself a mash-up, blending match-three...
News Gallery: A Closer Look at Japan's Majora's Mask 3D Pre-Order Bonus
Japan's exclusive postcards are something to behold
Nintendo released a staggering amount of promotional items the world over for the recent launch of The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask 3D. Most regions, including the UK, made available a Skull Kid figurine for gamers who pre-ordered the game, while retailers like GAME opted for paperweights of...
News Yusuke Hashimoto Outlines His Desire to Continue the Bayonetta Franchise
“I have all kinds of ideas in my head”
Back in late 2014, Bayonetta 2 graced the consoles of many Wii U owners. The supposedly cancelled game had made its glorious revival when Nintendo announced that it was picking up the publishing rights and partnering with Platinum Games to make it a Wii U exclusive (much to the chagrin of some fans of the...
News Adventure Bar Story is Your Typical RPG and Pub Management Experience
Where every party knows your name
There can be the perception that an RPG can be made out of anything, and the upcoming Adventure Bar Story on 3DS is proof of that. Set to arrive in the coming week in North America for $5.99, this eShop game certainly has a quirky premise. It has the usual RPG elements of setting up a Party and venturing out into...
Review Best of Board Games - Mahjong (3DS eShop)
Matching never felt so adequate
Mahjong is something of a cultural institution in the East, widely played to this day throughout China, Japan, and South Korea. For such an enduring board game, the 3DS eShop has seen no shortage of adaptations - of the basic Solitaire version, in any case. In fact, there's almost an embarrassment of options available...
Saturday14th Feb 2015
Guide Getting The Most Out of Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate
Hunter, gatherer, prancer
Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate is now in stores, bringing the latest entry in the ever-complicated and challenging series to the West. There's little denying that, despite some effort on Capcom's part, the franchise can be daunting and difficult to grasp; even those getting through the early quests may be missing out on some...
Feature Video Game Characters Looking for Love - 2015
High scores guaranteed
It's Valentine's Day, and with the most commercially romantic day of the year come many traditions, such as exchanging flowers, sending cards, getting sick on chocolate, copying and pasting old feature intros and... combing online dating sites looking for profiles posted by our favourite video game characters! What, you don't...
News Nintendo's Wii U TVii Service is Formally Cancelled in Europe
No surprise
When Nintendo announced the Wii U release date at a press event back in 2012, a key feature that was given a fair amount of time was TVii. The service works as a hub to bring together various networks and TV services into one app, utilising the GamePad and some interactive elements in a bid to be intuitive and interesting for viewers to...
News This Articulated Skyward Sword Link Toy Should be Worth a Lot of Rupees
All kinds of awesome
This writer has a soft-spot for The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword, in particular the art style and portrayals of Link and Zelda. Link has had a variety of unique designs, and the Wii entries' protagonist was one of the most expressive we've seen yet. Toys and figurines are also a favourite here on Nintendo Life, making the...
News A Wild Update on Pokémon Shuffle Appears
Nintendo used Microtransaction!
A surprise announcement in last month's Nintendo Direct was the reveal of Pokémon Shuffle, a free-to-play match-three type game that strongly resembles Pokémon Link: Battle! / Pokémon Battle Trozei. There's been a lot of controversy surrounding the title as it heavily features microtransactions, leading some to...
Weirdness If Cheesy Romance Novels Were Based on Games, They May Look Something Like This
Retro romance
It's Valentine's Day - or at least it was when we published this - and, as our final acknowledgement of this most commercial of occasions, we thought we'd highlight some pretty humorous artwork that was published in recent days. It takes classic games and their characters and re-imagines them as covers on corny Romance novels; the...
Video How To Game Safe On Valentine's Day
Who wants to go out, when you can have a romantic night of gaming?
It's that time of the year, which is either a celebration of your love to another person, or just another day for those who aren't quite as lucky. Alas, this is a video for those of the former category, but the single folk amongst you could do worse than make some notes for that...
Friday13th Feb 2015
Review IRONFALL Invasion (3DS eShop)
Iron Man
Announced briefly last year and shown off in a recent Nintendo Direct, IRONFALL Invasion certainly turned some heads. It's one of the very few third person shooters available on the 3DS, developed by the relatively unknown VD-Dev - although it's been around for almost two decades and has developed several good games, it's yet to truly...
Guide How to Watch 3D YouTube Videos on Your Shiny New Nintendo 3DS
We've even made one for you...
Today is the day that Europe and North America finally get their hands on the New Nintendo 3DS, with many of you either pre-ordering or picking up your console in person. But now you have your system, what are you supposed to do with it? Well, you could play that new copy of The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask 3D, for...
News Day One Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate Patch Brings a Whole Wealth of Free DLC Goodies
Let the hunt begin!
The highly anticipated Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate is finally here, and to celebrate its launch Capcom has included some free DLC to help hunters get started off right. Rather unimaginatively called “The Starter Pack", it's a veritable cornucopia of loot with one “surprise" thrown in at the end. The contents are as follows:...
Review Ace Combat Assault Horizon Legacy+ (3DS)
On Cruise control
Ace Combat Assault Horizon Legacy+ is a slightly peculiar release - it's an arrival with little to distinguish itself from the original aside from New Nintendo 3DS-only features, yet it's naturally being marketed for the original portable models too. The additions are minor yet fun, so it feels rather like an update of content...
News 3DS Flashcard Users Playing ROMs Online Reportedly Receiving Bans from Nintendo
It's slightly amazing that it's taken this long
Nintendo's system updates for the 3DS are relatively frequent, and often simply cited as bringing 'stability' and 'minor adjustments' to the portable; this is often jokingly referenced - by us, anyway - as code for 'trying to lock down an exploit or hack'. The latest update, for example, appeared to...
A terrible fate
Back in January, shortly after its Nintendo Direct reveal, we reported - with no attempt to hide our disappointment - the arrival of hundreds of pre-orders for sale for the Majora's Mask 3D New Nintendo 3DS XL bundle. It seemed peculiar that hundreds of dollars were changing hands on transactions th
Poll Are You An Early Adopter With The New Nintendo 3DS?
Big games to choose from, too
There's always some buzz when new hardware arrives, and while the New Nintendo 3DS is a mid-generation iteration it does, nevertheless, bring new goodies to fans of portable gaming. Nintendo's lined up its ducks for the release, too, ensuring that multiple major retail titles have landed in stores with the systems to...
News Mario Party 10 Official Website Prompts Speculation of Three New Super Mario amiibo Figures
New versions of Rosalina, Donkey Kong and Wario
Nintendo has launched a pretty substantial website in Japan for Mario Party 10, which arrives on Wii U rather soon, and some details and images have prompted speculation that more unannounced Super Mario range amiibo toys are on the way. As you can see in the image below special boards for Rosalina,...
News Tomonobu Itagaki Gives an Update on Devil’s Third, Describing it as the "Biggest Game"
Devilishly good-looking
Let's look a a brief history of the development for Devil's Third, the upcoming Wii U title. Tomonobu Itagaki - of Ninja Gaiden fame - left Tecmo Studios in 2008 to form Valhalla Game Studios with fellow ex-members of Team Ninja. They began working on Devil's Third, a unique hack'n'slash/shooter mashup, and THQ picked up the...
News January NPD Results Bring Improvement for Wii U and Top 10 Sales for Super Smash Bros.
Still fighting
The January NPD results aren't typically the blockbuster numbers of the year, yet in the post-Holiday slump we do at least get an idea of which games and systems are attracting sustained interest in the US. On that score Nintendo had a reasonably positive month, if not necessarily one to have Reggie Fils-Aime cracking open the...
News Eiji Aonuma Admits That Remakes Such as Majora's Mask 3D Can Be a Painful Process
"I also feel like I learned so much"
The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask 3D is in stores today, ending a two year+ wait for those that have been keen to play the re-release / remaster on the 3DS. Utilising many of the visual changes first seen in The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D, it also has key differences as a result of the unique premise...
News Iwata Asks Returns For The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask 3D
We summarise the laughs
Iwata Asks articles are an old favourite here on Nintendo Life, but they've been absent for over a year. In a delightful turn of events, however, a new article has today been posted to coincide with the launch of The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask 3D. Satoru Iwata opens by explaining that the articles have been absent due to...
Video Nintendo Releases Slightly Peculiar "New is Good" Commercials for the New Nintendo 3DS
Peculiar can be good too, though
Nintendo of America has been pretty creative with its video commercials over the past 12-18 months, with live-action and entertaining campaigns for titles such as Pikmin 3, Mario Kart 8 and Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS, and it's also adopting a quirky approach for the New Nintendo 3DS XL. The "New is Good"...
News Nintendo Goes Big On Download Games at IndieCade East
It's happening right now
Let's hear it for New York, concrete jungle where dreams are made of. Even if you don't appreciate such fine song lyrics as these, if you are in the New York area this weekend (13th - 15th February) you owe it to yourself to make it over to IndieCade East, where at least your dreams of playing lots of awesome indie games...
Video Nintendo Shows Off New 3DS HOME Themes Set For Valentine's Day Releases in Japan
Majora's Mask 3D! Kirby! Pikachu!
As regular visitors to this site may have figure out, we rather like 3DS HOME Themes; they're simple but do add a little extra oomph and charm when opening up our systems. Though the range in the West hasn't included all of the variations that have made it in Japan, meanwhile, it's not been all bad - we've seen a...
Interview Nintendo UK's James Honeywell Discusses the New Nintendo 3DS Launch
Reassures us of an "exciting schedule of new titles yet to be announced"
Today brings us the launch of the New Nintendo 3DS, the latest portable hardware iteration that will aim - like the DSi before it - to prolong and invigorate the current generation. The original 3DS models have accumulated over 50 million sales in under four years - an...
News Hasbro To Bring Yo-Kai Watch Toy Range to the West, in 2016
Details for games and TV shows remain unconfirmed
Yo-kai Watch is a phenomenon in Japan, with millions of games sold along with significant success for toys and the TV show. It's a franchise that has been a huge asset for Level-5, and there's naturally the expectation that it'll make a big impact in the West. Level-5 has already confirmed that...
Thursday12th Feb 2015
Nintendo Download 12th February (North America)
Majora's Mask 3D! Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate! 3D Fantasy Zone! More!
It's a big week for 3DS fans, with the coming weekend bringing North American gamers the New Nintendo 3DS XL and some eagerly anticipated retail games. Beyond the obvious big-hitters there are also some interesting download-only efforts, another classic 3D remaster from Sega and a...
Gallery It's Time For Another Influx of Xenoblade Chronicles X Screens and Footage
'Interesting' character customisations, New LA, landscapes and a cat
Xenoblade Chronicles X is only a couple of months away in Japan, so the official website is regularly posting new information, screens and videos for fans to enjoy. The latest influx of content is certainly worth a look, as it covers character customisation, shows off New Los...
Review Drop Zone: Under Fire (3DS eShop)
Drop it like it’s hot
Originally released as a WiiWare title near the end of that service's lifetime, Drop Zone: Under Fire has been ported to the 3DS in an attempt to bring virtual base-jumping action to the handheld audience. Whether or not you enjoyed the original release, it's undeniable that this arcade style game's transition to the 3DS hit...
Reminder There's Still Time to Hit a New Nintendo 3DS Midnight Launch
If you're super keen for super stable 3D
In just a short number of hours the New Nintendo 3DS will launch in the West, the latest hardware from the big N to give eager fans that new system buzz. Sure, it's an iteration in the current portable generation, but it's a meaty upgrade nonetheless. These shiny new systems will undoubtedly be calling out to...
News Sonic Boom Sales Struggle to Explode as Sega Clarifies Restructuring Plans
Sales are slower than those for Sonic Lost World
At the end of January it emerged that Sega would be restructuring its business at the cost of around 300 jobs; now that it's issued its Q3 financial results it's clarified how that'll take place. New companies will be formed that are managed by Sega Holdings, with Sega Games taking the place of Sega...
"I believe the Wii U business still has considerable room for growth"
In recent days Satoru Iwata has been conducting a series of interviews in Japan, tackling tricky questions ahead of the next President's Briefing and Investor Q & A on 17th February. A pattern has started to emerge in these interviews, which certainly lays the ground for...
News Super Smash Bros. for Wii U Apex Champion Calls For Unity in Competitive Smash Scene
"It will take time, but it’s possible"
It's clear that eSports have evolved and grown on a significant scale when calls for it to be considered an Olympic sport are, for the first time, not entirely unreasonable. With sports such as shooting, archery et al - which are arguably reliant on skill and co-ordination rather than athleticism - are...
News Meta Knight amiibo Hits Best Buy in US on 20th February
Expect a scramble for stock
The release trends for amiibo waves have varied per territory, though it's arguably been the most chaotic in North America, with formal release dates coming at late notice and plenty of instances where stock has vanished as quickly as it's supposedly arrived. Those planning on hunting down a Best Buy-exclusive Meta Knight...
Weirdness These Nifty 8-bit Super Mario Collectables May Make Canned Coffee Taste Better
Prepare to get wired
Japanese beverage company DyDo has teamed up with Nintendo to make canned coffee even more appealing. Starting on 17th February the drinks manufacturer will be putting a range of 8-bit Super Mario themed collectables on top of their cups. It appears that lucky Japanese customers will be able to collect 8-bit style Mario, Luigi,...
News Twitch Plays Pokémon Celebrates Anniversary With Return to Pokémon Red - Live!
Wants to catch 'em all
In early 2014 Twitch Plays Pokémon was a phenomenon, taking audience participations to new levels and attracting headlines from the mainstream media. It was a chaotic but oddly entrancing affair in which thousands of viewers would enter commands and attempt to beat Pokémon Red. It attracted tens of thousands of concurrent...
News Masahiro Sakurai Discusses his Thoughts on Virtual Reality
"It is very enjoyable"
As you may or may not be aware, Masahiro Sakurai - the director of the Super Smash Bros. series - writes a regular column in the popular video game magazine, Famitsu. Over the past few months, Sakurai-san's articles have been all about Smash in the wake of the highly acclaimed game's launch. In the most recent issue, however,...
Video Kadokawa Games Showcases Rodea The Sky Soldier Footage and Hands-On Event
Kid Icarus X Sonic
Rodea The Sky Soldier has had a difficult route to release: originally developed by Prope under the leadership of Yuji Naka - a founding father of Sonic the Hedgehog - it was apparently largely complete for the Wii and 3DS, yet publisher Kadokawa Games was largely silent. Prope dropped away and, somewhat surprisingly, Kadokawa...
News 3D Streets Of Rage 2 Rated By Australian Classification Board
Yet another fantastic addition to SEGA's 3D Classics range
SEGA’s 3D Classics range has been well-received since it arrived here in the West in 2013. With a mixture of Mega Drive / Genesis and Arcade re-releases such as 3D Super Hang-On and 3D Streets of Rage, developer M2 eventually revealed a second batch of 3D Classics would be coming to the...
News Curve Digital is Plotting an Honest Release With The Swindle on Wii U
Steampunk Heist
Curve Digital recently announced a partnership with Size Five Games to bring its Steampunk Cybercrime Caper, The Swindle, to the Wii U eShop in 2015. This version of The Swindle will be developed and published by Curve, and will launch on the Wii U and practically every other platform know to man except the 3DS. Dan Marshall,...
All new rendering code secures 60FPS on all models
Retro City Rampage DX certainly stands among a core collection of top-notch download games on the 3DS eShop; while also available on WiiWare - now updated to its DX form on the home console - it's the portable iteration that seems to have won over Nintendo fans. While it originally matched up in...
News Video: The Gunner Joins the Fray in Etrian Mystery Dungeon
Attacking from afar
Atlus has shown off another class for the upcoming Etrian Mystery Dungeon on the 3DS. The spotlight lands on the Gunner in the new trailer, highlighting the fighter's ranged and bind abilities - Bind allows the Gunner to target specific body parts to halt an enemy's movement, creating a unique opportunity for their team. The...
Wednesday11th Feb 2015
Guide How To Complete A System Transfer From 3DS To New Nintendo 3DS / XL
Out with the old, in with the New... slowly
Nintendo published a handy video guide to a New Nintendo 3DS system transfer, but here we're providing a written equivalent that somewhat matches the pace of the process. Trust us, this'll take you longer than three and a half minutes, and we'll also aim to cover off any gaps in the information that need...
News Meet Playtonic, A Studio Of Ex-Rare Staff That Wants To Work With Nintendo
"Spiritual successor" to Banjo-Kazooie on the way
A group of former Rare employees has banded together to establish a new studio which is now working on a spiritual successor to the Banjo-Kazooie series. Speaking to EDGE magazine, the core members of Playtonic - Gavin Price, Chris Sutherland and Steve Mayles - have explained how they recently...
Review Moon Chronicles: Episodes 2-4 (3DS eShop)
Not quite over the moon
Renegade Kid's episodic Moon Chronicles - an updated port of the Nintendo DS title Moon - has now delivered Episodes 2-4 as downloadable content, allowing players to finally finish the entire game. As a first-person shooter, Moon Chronicles stands out on the eShop and is a welcome change from the vast collection of puzzlers...
News GAME to Run a Distribution for Mythical Pokémon Darkrai in the UK
You'll have to catch a serial code
When it comes to Pokémon the collecting never stops, and Trainers in the UK will soon have a chance to jump in on a distribution that ran last year in Japan - retailer GAME has announced that it'll be distributing serial codes for Mythical Pokémon Darkrai. Originally distributed with the movie short Pikachu,...
Video Did You Know Gaming Tackles Super Smash Bros. Once Again
Mostly focused on Wii U and 3DS entries
Super Smash Bros. on both Wii U and 3DS were two of the biggest hits in 2014, representing the first portable and HD arrivals in the franchise. They're still serving up new contents and updates, with recent additions including additional 8-player Smash stages on Wii U and data sharing + amiibo support on 3DS...
News RCMADIAX Scales Back Wii U Plans for 2015
Likely to focus "on platforms with a larger install base" in 2016
RCMADIAX was the first developer to release a Wii U eShop title that utilised the Nintendo Web Framework - BLOK DROP U. The studio's strategy throughout the remainder of the year was to release a series of bite-sized concept games, available at budget prices and relatively simple to...
Video Defy Gravity With These Sonic Lost World Glitches
Forever falling
While life's a little tough for Sonic fans at the moment - including this writer - it's worth remembering that this generation of Nintendo hardware has (arguably) delivered a decent game with the blue blur. We're referring, of course, to Wii U exclusive Sonic Lost World - there's also a 3DS game that isn't as good - which has some...
News Excave Aims to Bring Dungeon-Crawling RPG Goodness to the 3DS eShop
Arrives in North America on 19th February
Teyon remains one of the most prolific publishers on the 3DS eShop, and it's now announced another release; in this case it's an RPG that's making it out of Japan - Excave will arrive in North America on 19th February for $4.99, with Europe "following soon". As you'd expect on a dungeon-crawling RPG the...
News Nintendo Goes Big With Videos for New Nintendo 3DS and Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate
In case you'd forgotten about them
In Europe Nintendo is dubbing 13th February as Nintendo 3DS Day, so if you follow the region's Twitter accounts you can expect to see the hashtag used a fair amount. It's a fair enough name for a day that sees the New Nintendo 3DS and various major releases heading into stores and the eShop, in what promises to be...
Exclusive Full Fat Is Bringing The Insanely Popular Flick Golf To The Nintendo 3DS
Meet the studio behind a finger-based phenomenon
Full Fat Games is a serious player in the smartphone arena, having clocked an amazing 55 million downloads across its range of casual yet compelling iOS and Android releases. If you own a smartphone then chances are you've probably played one of the studio's games - be it Flick Golf, Flick Soccer,...
News Sneaky Ninja Infiltrates Kickstarter
Touted as "Mario meets Mark of the Ninja"
Ninja come in several different varieties, but few seem to be as round or whimsical as those in Stafall Studios' Sneaky Ninja. The egg-like masters of shadow are the focus of a Kickstarter campaign with a Wii U release as one of the main goals. According to the Sneaky Ninja Kickstarter page, the game plans...
News Spin the Bottle And Knytt Underground Going Half Price This Week
Makes the wait for Affordable Space Adventures a little easier
Affordable Space Adventures is coming soon to the Wii U eShop, and to celebrate the impending release KnapNok and Nifflas have slashed 50 percent off the price of Spin the Bottle: Bumpie's Party and Knytt Underground. Both titles will retail for €3.99 / £3.99 / $5.99 until February...
News Retro City Rampage DX Update Arrives this Week in Europe
Awaiting approval in North America
A few weeks ago we reported on an upcoming update for Retro City Rampage DX on the Nintendo 3DS. The update will bring a stable 60 frames per second and will include c-stick support on the New 3DS. Additionally, for the New 3DS, the update will take advantage of its faster CPU to deliver smoother effects and...
Tuesday10th Feb 2015
Review Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate (3DS)
Digging its claws in
Monster Hunter is a pivotal franchise for Capcom, consistently delivering the company's biggest sales and securing its profits; it's a phenomenon in Japan. Elsewhere, however, it's a respectable success without truly flourishing, succeeding in capturing a relatively small, dedicated audience but struggling for mainstream...
Weirdness Club Nintendo Members Attempt to Sell Flipnote Studio 3D Codes on eBay
Yeah, good luck with that...
Earlier today Flipnote Studio 3D became available to Club Nintendo members in North America, which is excellent news after numerous delays to the app. Once a code is retrieved lucky fans can finally produce some 3D animations, albeit without all of the sharing bells and whistles available in Japan. Amusingly, however,...
News Ubisoft's Unreleased and Finished Wii U Game Has Apparently Been Identified
Ratings emerged in 2013, so it's a reasonable bet
The state of third party support on Wii U is unfortunate, to say the least. While major AAA developers supported the platform during its initial release, Nintendo's console has been largely abandoned by multiple major publisher; various notable third party efforts - such as Bayonetta 2 and Sonic Lost...
Reminder Grab Your Free Samurott for Pokémon Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire
Wraps up this giveaway event
In the past few weeks The Pokémon Company has been running a special distribution event, in which owners of Pokémon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire have been able to pick up special 'mon by inputting codes as a Mystery Gift in the game. The first two free 'mon were an Emboar (POKEMON500) and Serperior (POKEMON497). This...
News Super Smash Bros. 3DS Update 1.0.5 Is Now Live
amiibo support and even more juicy features have arrived
The anticipated Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS amiibo update has finally arrived, lining up with the wider western launch of the New Nintendo 3DS this week. In addition to amiibo figurine support, Version 1.0.5 of the portable iteration of Smash also allows players to post in-game photos...
Reaction Super Smash Bros. amiibo Support Shows That NFC For The New Nintendo 3DS Is No Gimmick
Part of a long term plan?
Today Nintendo provided a pretty meaty update for Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS, which adds some rather neat data sharing options that'll no doubt see thousands of Mii characters and funny images ping around the internet for our viewing pleasure. Beyond those additions of data swapping and Miiverse posts there was also...
News Nintendo Provides a Handy Quick Guide to Completing a New Nintendo 3DS System Transfer
Naturally it'll take you longer than 3.5 minutes
There are good odds that a large number of gamers that pick up a New Nintendo 3DS this week will be upgrading from an older model. Before selling or trading in the older system - or putting it away for safekeeping - most will naturally want to transfer their content across to the shiny new hardware...
News Flipnote Studio 3D Now Available To North American Club Nintendo Members
The wait is over at last
After what seems like an eternity, Nintendo has finally released Flipnote Studio 3D in North America. The title is free to download for all Club Nintendo users right now. The highly anticipated application has finally made it west after months of deliberation. Originally Flipnote Studio 3D was held back in 2013, leaving...
Nintendo Download 12th February (Europe)
Majora's Mask 3D! Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate! Ace Combat! Kirby! More!
It's an exciting week for dedicated Nintendo gamers in Europe, with the New Nintendo 3DS arriving in stores and some long-awaiting retail games also landing in the eShop. Nintendo of Europe kept us waiting, but we now know that beyond those big-name releases there are loads of...
Video Xenoblade Chronicles 3D Visuals Stand Up Rather Well in a Wii Comparison
Shulked up
A series of videos have recently provided comparisons of visuals to show off the New Nintendo 3DS, but only one test of its visual capabilities is truly indicative of what it can do. A handy video showcases the New 3DS-exclusive Xenoblade Chronicles 3D in all of its glory, comparing its graphics to that of the original Wii version of the...
News GBA Classics Sonic Advance And Mega Man & Bass Arrive On The Japanese Wii U eShop Next Week
Two welcomed additions
SEGA and Capcom continue their strong support for Nintendo’s digital eShop platform next week, with the simultaneous release of Sonic Advance and Mega Man & Bass on the Japanese Wii U Virtual Console. Priced at 702 yen each, the 2001 and 2002 Game Boy Advance titles will be unleashed on 18th February. Sonic Advance is...
Think Gears of War X Steel Diver: Sub Wars
Nintendo of Europe is giving plenty of promotion to IronFall: Invasion ahead of its arrival in the region this week, with much being made of the title being a three year project from a three-man studio - VD-Dev. It'll be a rare beast on the 3DS eShop, too, with third-person shooting, 60FPS performance (with...
Weirdness BAFTA Appears To Have Clean Forgotten That The Nintendo 3DS Even Exists
No love for the world's most popular handheld console in 2015 Games Awards
BAFTA has just announced its 2015 Games Awards, and they make for depressing - and somewhat puzzling - reading if you're a 3DS fan. BAFTA - otherwise known as British Academy of Film and Television Arts - has decreed that not a single 3DS release from 2014 is worthy of...
News Finally, Street Fighter II Has Been Ported To The Nintendo Virtual Boy
Because, why not?
Street Fighter II was massive back in the day. After launching on the SNES it would be ported to practically every other games machine on the face of the planet, including the monochrome Game Boy. One format that didn't get it was the ill-fated Virtual Boy - understandable when you consider how much of a commercial bomb it was -...
"Whoa! You've used Cranky's Cane Jump 10,000 times! Hop to it, gramps!"
If you like to follow fellow Nintendo gamers on Miiverse your options for tracking their gaming habits are nevertheless relatively limited; you're reliant on others actively bothering to post in game communities, in most cases. Exceptions to this rule include Hyrule Warriors -...
Poll Do Video Game Reviews Need To Have A Score?
How important is a number at the bottom of the page?
Today, our partner site Eurogamer made the momentous announcement that it would be dropping scores from its reviews. In a special post by editor Oli Welsh it was revealed that from this point onwards the site would be moving towards an alternative rating system - based on simpler terms such as...
Video New Nintendo 3DS XL Commercials Show Off Majora's Mask 3D and Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate
YouTubers (we think)! Dramatic deep narrator's voice! Flashy camera shots!
Nintendo, as always, is utilising various tactics and styles of marketing to promote its next hottest products, with 13th February bringing gamers in Europe and North America the New Nintendo 3DS and some major releases. Some fresh TV commercials promoting key games and the...
News Protect Me Knight 2 For 3DS eShop Is In the Process of Being Localised
Making steady progress
Following the 3DS eShop title’s Japanese release in September last year, comes news from developer Ancient, that work on the English version of Mamotte Knight 2: Hime no Tokemeki is well underway for a local release. Ancient revealed the news via their official Twitter account, whilst also revealing the English logo and...
News 2D Platformer Mekazoo Swinging onto Wii U Later This Year
Robotic animals and high-speed platforming. Sound familiar?
Seattle-based indie developer The Good Mood Creators has announced the upcoming release of Mekazoo, an absolutely stunning 2D platformer for Nintendo Wii U. While an official date has yet to be revealed, this is definitely one to keep on your radar if you're a fan of side-scrolling...
News Candlelight Studios' Untold Story Could Potentially Be Told On Wii U
It starts with a spark
It seems like there's currently a renaissance of sorts happening regarding retro RPGs. Seeking to recreate the glory days of Dragon Warrior and Final Fantasy, many indie developers are putting out RPGs featuring sprites, classes, towns, turn-based combat, and all the trimmings of the RPG days of yore. Candlelight Studios is...
Monday9th Feb 2015
The portable and home console gap slowly closes
The New Nintendo 3DS arrives this week, which is exciting news for eager portable games for a number of reasons. It's very much 3DS version 1.5, so the upgrade is down to the accumulation of a variety of relatively small improvements as opposed to a generational leap. It's standard Nintendo practice to...
Those that buy on the eShop get freebies
This is a week in which Nintendo wants a lot of your money, releasing the New Nintendo 3DS on 13th February and some enticing games. In Europe the date's even been given the hashtag #Nintendo3DSDay, while some key download releases are confirmed to arrive this week - it's at retail that there's the most...
Video Guess What, Super Mario Sunshine Looks Amazing Running At 60fps
GameCube classic is remastered by fans
We're so used to Super Mario games running in silky-smooth 60fps these days - it's hard to imagine playing Super Mario 3D World in anything less - but 2002 GameCube title Super Mario Sunshine has always been locked at 30fps - until now, that is. Industrious hackers have modded the game so it runs at 60fps via...
News Super Smash Bros. 3DS amiibo Update Drops Tomorrow
Just in time for the New Nintendo 3DS launch
Super Smash Bros. for Wii U was the game which unleashed the power of amiibo on the world, but it's easy to forget that the title was preceded by its 3DS sibling - which still doesn't have support for Nintendo's interactive figures. However, that is set to change tomorrow as Nintendo is releasing a free...
News IronFall: Invasion, Nintendo Anime Channel and Kirby Releases Coming This Week in Europe
All part of '#Nintendo3DSDay'
We've been eagerly awaiting the European Download Update as normal this morning, but in its place we've instead received a whole load of details around this week's launch of the New Nintendo 3DS (13th February) and related releases on the way. The download update will have to wait, it seems. Already long-confirmed for...
Say cheese!
The Fatal Frame series is well known for its usage of situational and atmospheric terror; walking through haunted ruins crawling with aggressive ghosts while armed with nothing but a camera and flashlight makes for quite a riveting experience. If a ghost is to attack, what are you expected to do? Look directly at the ghost, point the...
News The Legend of Zelda: Symphony of the Goddesses - Master Quest Concert Song List Revealed
Zelda fans are in for a treat
Following the news that the “Symphony of the Goddesses” tours were returning in 2015 on a worldwide Master Quest comes new information via NeoGAF after the concert’s arrival in Japan over the weekend. With tickets sold out, Nintendo were nice enough to broadcast it to Japanese locals via NicoNico. The good news...
Weirdness This Video Uses Super Mario Bros. 2 to Illustrate the Consequences of Capitalism
You learn something new every day
You just never know what will show up on YouTube next - everything from education to entertainment is a mere click away and new videos go viral every day. It's always interesting to find a channel that specifically focuses on a particular topic and regularly adds videos that deepen the viewers' understanding of the...
News Nintendo Pitched For The Media Rights To Harry Potter Back in 1998
Bid would have made Potter a Nintendo exclusive
The Harry Potter book and film series may have reached its conclusion a few years back, but the franchise continues to be a massive money-spinner - not only for creator J.K. Rowling but also for the many licensed partners involved with merchandising and related products. Video games are naturally...
News Pokémon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire Infographic Shows the Eon Ticket's Journey Through the UK
StreetPass is Super Effective!
When Pokémon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire launched last year The Pokémon Company adopted various clever tactics to get fans talking and sharing the game. In the UK there was a StreetPass relay launched for the Eon ticket, for example, a vital item in the games that allows you to travel to the Southern Island and...
News Fairune II is Adventuring Towards the 3DS eShop
Some retro-style music is also thrown in
Fortunately for fans of the genre, reasonable and solid RPGs are a fairly common find on the 3DS eShop. With the bar set high by excellent titles such as Bravely Default, Rune Factory 4 and Etrian Odyssey IV: Legends of the Titan, it can be rather difficult to make an RPG that really stands out from the pack...
Video Nintendo Aims to Wow North American Viewers With Kirby and the Rainbow Curse Commercial
Dedicating 30 seconds of air time to the "clayful adventure"
Kirby and the Rainbow Curse - also known as Kirby and the Rainbow Paintbrush in Europe and Touch! Kirby Super Rainbow in Japan - has already received some high praise in early reviews from Japan; the touch controls have been cited as a strong point, for example. As those that have gone...
News Conker Creator Chris Seavor Reveals More Details On The Origins Of Rusty Pup
Latest game from former Rare duo is shaping up nicely
It's been a while since we reported on The Unlikely Legend of Rusty Pup, a new title for the Wii U and 3DS eShops from former Rare staffers Chris Seavor and Shawn Pile. Since bringing you the exclusive news that the title was headed to Nintendo formats, things have been a little on the quiet side...
Video Watch A Bunch Of Teenagers Use The Legendary Power Glove Accessory For The First Time Ever
“I can feel the energy flowing through my veins”
The Power Glove is an iconic NES controller accessory that was originally released in 1989. For Nintendo fans, it is a love and hate relationship, helping to establish Nintendo within pop culture, paving the way for future technology, but also becoming the butt of jokes. It was most prominently...
Imitation is the most sincere form of flattery
Today has brought news of yet another RPG title on the way with the newly announced Apprentice Witch and Fluffy Friends (translation via GoNintendo); it's due for release on 23rd April in Japan on the 3DS. The game is published by Nippon Columbia and the first screenshots drew many comparisons to Yo-Kai...
News Nintendo Quest Scores More than $40,000 at Kickstarter's End
NES game stretch goal achieved
In a digital era of eShoppery and Virtual Consolitude, do people still want to see a documentary about hunting for old, gray NES carts on a road trip? Well, yes. Yes, they do. The Nintendo Quest Kickstarter ended this past weekend with a grand total of $40,286. The goal set by the campaign was $1,000, with the project...
Sunday8th Feb 2015
Rumour A Planned 2.5D Metroid Title For 3DS Got Cancelled in 2012
Samus just can’t catch a break
Metroid is a series long overdue for a sequel. Regaining relevance after the excellent Metroid Prime series by Retro Studios, it seemed like the franchise was here to stay. Unfortunately, after the highly polarizing Metroid: Other M in 2010, Nintendo's been pretty frosty towards the series and has been hesitant to...
Taking cute to a new level
Right now the Wonder Festival is on in Tokyo, a bi-annual event that showcases figurines and toys from smaller companies - which can be bought at relatively high prices as collectibles - and also includes upcoming ranges from major toy companies. When you combine those factors together you're guaranteed some Nintendo...
Less sales yet increased profits highlight extensive streamlining
Nintendo's got a lot of tough balancing to do right now with its finances - not only does it have its annual research and development costs, but it's also moving into the health field with Quality of Life and is about to complete the worldwide roll-out of new hardware with the New...
Gallery Nintendo Decides That Valentine's Day is Friendship Day
Steamy
Valentine's Day is now less than a week away, which means that a sudden inflation of prices for cards, chocolates and flowers is well underway. If you do have a special somebody to share the day with it can be pricey, but if you're a youngster - or simply young at heart - then Nintendo is offering some alternatives. The Play Nintendo website...
News More Details Emerge on Mutant Mudds Super Challenge
For super players only
As we just recently reported, there's an incoming expansion to the 2012 eShop hit, Mutant Mudds. Mutant Mudds was a critically and commercially successful “12-bit" platformer that won the hearts of many with its inspired visuals, chiptune music and smart level design. Talented players that successfully managed to complete...
News Free-to-Play Denpa Men Sequel Hits 1.8 Million Downloads in Japan
No word on a Western transmission
Nintendo has not been concealing its desires to experiment with free-to-play and smartphone-inspired titles as of late. If the company truly is committed to exploring this route, they are almost assuredly keeping tabs on the attention that The Denpa Men RPG Free! has been receiving in Japan. Developer Genius...
Saturday7th Feb 2015
Review Citizens of Earth (3DS eShop)
You've got the whole world in your hands
Men like our beloved Vice-President of Earth are truly one of a kind. Maybe it's the shocking red hair, the gleaming white smile, or the fact that his suit looks freshly pressed even after taking a full night's sleep in it. We can't put our finger on it, but something about him just...makes him seem...
Review Mega Man Zero 2 (Wii U eShop / GBA)
Zero times two
Just one year after Mega Man Zero, Inti Creates released a sequel for the Game Boy Advance spin-off. That might sound a bit quick, but Mega Man Zero 2 is no mindless cash-in. It took the sturdy foundation set by its predecessor and built upon it in impressive ways, while also smoothing out the rough edges. On top of that it wove an...
Poll Which Nintendo Franchises Should be Produced as TV Shows?
Some silly suggestions may be included
Our first reaction when we heard that Nintendo and Netflix are apparently exploring a live-action TV series for The Legend of Zelda was "yeah, sure they are, what a crazy rumour!". Yet then we saw that it was an article on the respectable Wall Street Journal which, frankly, has little reason or likelihood to...
News Eiji Aonuma Launches a Majora's Mask 3D Art Academy Contest on Miiverse
May have had a PA write the post, we'll never know
We're well aware that a good number of the Nintendo Life community are rather talented artists, or perhaps enjoy looking at others' masterpieces, so it's worth noting that one of the best Art Academy: SketchPad contests to date is underway. As you can see in the entry above it's based on The Legend...
News Trashmania Trilogy Developer Unsure Of Wii U eShop Title’s Future
Unable to confirm if the game will even be completed
The creator of the upcoming Wii U eShop title, Trashmania Trilogy – including Trashmania, Trashmania: Remix, and Trashmania: After Dark – has revealed he is unsure of the game’s future. Jonathan Bont, the indie developer previously best known for his efforts on the Ouya, delivered the news...
Friday6th Feb 2015
Feature A Summary of the Xenoblade Chronicles X Presentation and What We Learned About Its World
Details on planet Mira, New LA, GamePad usage, plus the full video
To date details around Xenoblade Chronicles X have arrived in snippets, mainly through tweets and interview quotes; up until today Nintendo and developer Monolith Soft have adopted a rather coy approach when releasing information about the game. The last couple of weeks have brought...
News Live-Action Netflix Series For The Legend of Zelda is Reportedly in Development
Said to be planned as 'Game of Thrones for a family audience'
It's no secret that Nintendo is working to utilise its franchises and IPs in various ways, all to ensure that Nintendo brands remain at the forefront of popular culture. We have amiibo toys that are proving hugely popular, positive sales for Wii U crossover title Hyrule Warriors and more...
News Flipnote Studio 3D Has Been Delayed Once Again as Club Nintendo Site Goes Into Maintenance
Now due later in February
When Nintendo announced the end of the Club Nintendo Loyalty Rewards Program, many were sad to see it go. Though it was a relic of a time when Nintendo was less up to date in its online services, it still signalled the end of an era. Regardless, most feelings of nostalgia and sadness immediately evaporated when Nintendo...
Live Watch Nintendo and Monolith Soft's Presentation of Xenoblade Chronicles X - Live!
Live coverage and a translated summary on the way
Xenoblade Chronicles X is one of the biggest Wii U releases of the year, in terms of anticipation levels and on a very literal level - this title's world will apparently be five times the size of that in Xenoblade Chronicles on Wii. This presentation will focus on this world and show us much of what...
News This Xenoblade Chronicles X Hardware Bundle for Japan is Rather Lovely
Dual-sided sleeve! Art Book! Map! More!
Nintendo has streamed a live presentation of Xenoblade Chronicles X, which brought 24 minutes of footage that showed off the game's world. It also announced some practical details ahead of the Japanese release on 29th April, such as the availability of pre-purchase downloads on the eShop to speed up launch day...
Japanese website launches, too
Xenoblade Chronicles 3D isn't far away, due on 2nd April in Europe; we now also have a release date for North America - it'll arrive a little later on 10th April in the region. That emerged in a rather flashy trailer that sets the scene for the title's story, and also acts as a starting gun in promotional efforts for...
News Nintendo Looking To Offer Affordable Smartphone-Style Games And Remakes Of Past Classics On 3DS
President Satoru Iwata wants to expand consumer choice on the handheld
Nintendo's handheld strategy will make room for affordable, low-cost titles similar to those seen on smartphone formats like iOS and Android, The Nikkei reports. Speaking with Nintendo President Satoru Iwata, The Nikkei has stated that the Japanese company is seeking to "expand...
It's a beast
Nintendo has, today, broadcast a rather enjoyable online presentation for Xenoblade Chronicles X that focused on the game's world and some key features; you can read our summary and watch the full thing here. As part of the festivities the company also put the game up on the Japanese Wii U eShop for pre-purchase / pre-download - as a...
Extra pillars of Nintendo's business, not replacing video games
Just recently Nintendo delayed its financial results presentation and investor's Q & A until 17th February, an uncommon move for the company. Its latest financial results had brought a mixed outcome, with smart business streamlining and a weak yen increasing net profit projections,...
News Nintendo Picks Up Three Gongs at the D.I.C.E. Awards
A double for Super Smash Bros.
Nintendo's excellent releases in 2014 earned it - and partners releasing exclusives such as Bayonetta 2 - a host of notable nominations and awards. The big N's representation at the recent D.I.C.E. awards was certainly less prominent than in some other major ceremonies of the past few months, with no nominations in key...
Review Frenchy Bird (Wii U eShop)
Avian aggravation
From the title alone, it's pretty easy to tell that Frenchy Bird is yet another in the line of Flappy Bird imitators released on the Wii U eShop. Yet whereas some of its competitors have been content to merely replicate the feel of the original, Frenchy Bird makes the bold move of replicating it with personality. Goofy music,...
Gallery Splatoon Development Updates Show Off Perks, Weapons and Quirky Shop Clerks
The ink missile certainly looks deadly
Arriving in May, Splatoon is certainly set to be a vital release for the Wii U before the summer season - Nintendo doesn't release many third-person shooters with a territorial twist. Its brand of chaotic but fun online multiplayer - with local and single player also included - will also try to make the most of...
News Renegade Kid Reveals a Snippet of Information on eShop Sales
Keep it up
Renegade Kid has been a longtime supporter of the Nintendo eShop, with games such as Mutant Mudds, Xeodrifter, Bomb Monkey, and more periodically turning up through the storefront's lifespan. Particularly fond of retro inspired games - with Moon Chronicles and ATV Wild Ride 3D being notable exceptions - the studio's shown
News Yokai Watch Trading Card Game Deals 100 Million Cards In Eight Months
Another success for the franchise
The Pokémon trading card series has been running for years and continues to generate revenue for Game Freak and Nintendo, but it's not the only game of this type that Nintendo has up its sleeve. The recent Level-5 3DS hit Yokai Watch - which has since been followed by Yokai Watch 2 - has its own collectable card...
News Xenoblade Chronicles X to Feature an Enemy Encyclopedia of 3D Models
So, a Xenoblade Pokédex?
One of the greatest aspects of the gargantuan world of Xenoblade Chronicles was the fantastic beasts that populated it. Many of them like the creatures you might find in a game like Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate, one couldn't help but marvel at their creative design and frightening power. Who could forget that first run through...
News One Of The Brains Behind Tetris Explains How Their Relationship With Nintendo Began
Russian creator also offers some sound advice
Tetris has been a staple of Nintendo gaming since it was released on the Game Boy in 1989. Since then, the tile-matching puzzle game has enjoyed unrivalled success courtesy of its timeless formula. Considered by many as the greatest game of all-time as a result of this, it is always interesting to hear...
Music Here's The Entire Gradius III Soundtrack In NES Style, Just Because
The remix you didn't know you needed
Gradius III was one of Konami's first releases for the SNES and took the popular shooter franchise into the 16-bit realm for the first time. As is the case with many Konami games, it featured an excellent soundtrack by Konami Kukeiha Club, the company's in-house music team. In its pure, untouched form it's a...
Weirdness Tetris Designers Believe That It Should Become an Olympic Sport
Well, eSports are on the rise…
At the annual DICE summit that happened this week in Las Vegas, Alexey Pajitnov and Henk Rogers - the duo responsible for the worldwide hit, Tetris - made an appearance and held a Q&A session. Discussing everything from the finer points of the initial negotiation process for Tetris to giving advice to young...
News The Medics Show Off Their Abilities in New Etrian Mystery Dungeon Trailer
A well-rounded party
Atlus has released another new trailer for the upcoming Etrian Mystery Dungeon - it highlights the Medic class and the various ways it will fit into the team dynamic in the new dungeon crawler. The medic uses their healing and resurrection abilities to ensure that the party stays healthy through every dangerous situation, of...
Thursday5th Feb 2015
News Nintendo Fan Creates a Mewtwo 'amiibo' That Works With Pokémon Rumble U, Bids Pass $250
Puzzling, to say the least
Mewtwo is one of the Pokémon series' most popular legendaries. A powerful psychic type with an interesting and rather tragic background, fans have come to revere the Genetic Pokemon. While Mewtwo was popular enough back in the early 2000's to earn itself a coveted slot on the roster of Super Smash Bros. Melee, it was...
News Nintendo Lists Formally Tested Micro SDHC Cards for the New Nintendo 3DS
32GB is your official limit
With the New Nintendo 3DS just over a week away the big N has been updating some of its support pages to help confused consumers get the most out of the new hardware. One inevitable sticking point is the switch in storage media from SD to Micro SDHC cards, meaning that those with more than 4GB of content - as per the...
Nintendo Download 5th February (North America)
MH4U demo, Hyrule Warriors Majora's Mask DLC, Moon Chronicles and much more
It's that time again, North American gamers, for Nintendo Download Update details. This week brings a popular demo for an upcoming Capcom blockbuster, concluding episodes from Renegade Kid, some fun hack-and-slash Zelda DLC, a pre-purchase and download on a Wii U retail...
Catch 'em from 27th February
Pokémon Bank, the annual subscription service that allows you to store up to 3,000 'mon 'in the cloud' online, continues to roll on and provide a valuable back-up option. For $4.99 / £4.49 / €4.99 a year you can store Pokémon from Pokémon X & Y and Pokémon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire, while the Poké...
Update: New details for ambassadors only
Update: In our original post we mis-read the email details that we received and tied this promotion to all game pre-orders, whereas this is actually for those that bought the Ambassador's New Nintendo 3DS, including them in a deal previously reserved for those that pre-ordered a New Nintendo 3DS from the...
News GameStop Pushes Back Some Wave 3 amiibo Pre-Orders
Cross those fingers
The next wave of amiibo figures is due in the coming weeks in North America, though like with those previous releases there are expected to be challenges for all keen fans to get hold of the figurines they want. Already there have been delays to Amazon pre-orders for the Mega Man amiibo and others such as Toon Link, with orders...
Guide Getting to Grips with the Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate Demo
There's no shame in a little help
Demos are something that Nintendo has only recently really begun to push on its consoles, but the response seems to have been a resounding 'yes' from the fans; so we've been gifted with a demo for Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate. For a while you would only be able to download the demo with a unique code, but the...
News Nintendo Remains Silent on Third Party Wii Games Coming to the eShop
We can but hope...
In a rather surprising announcement during last month's Nintendo Direct, it was revealed that select games from the Wii catalogue would be making their way onto the Wii U eShop; it's been the first time that full scale Wii retail games have been available to download. Since then four Nintendo games have shown up (three each in...
News Mega Man amiibo Pre-Orders Reportedly Delayed Into March By Amazon in North America
Some Toon Link orders also affected
The next wave of Super Smash Bros. amiibo is due to roll out in the coming weeks in North America, with figures such as King Dedede, Sonic, Ike, Sheik and more on the way. It seems that pre-order stock issues are emerging once again, however, with a number of Amazon customers receiving notifications that orders...
Weirdness There’s A Tomato In My Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS
Tomatoes, tomatoes everywhere!
The Super Smash Bros. series has had its fair share of glitches over the years, but this latest one might take the cake, or should we say tomato. Presenting – the Maxim Tomato glitch. This freshly ripened error allegedly morphs all items in any mode into tomatoes whilst maintaining the primary functions. Character...
News Details For The New Langrisser Title On 3DS Emerge After A 15 Year Break For The Series
Fire Emblem’s old rival returns
Whilst Intelligence Systems' Fire Emblem: Awakening currently reigns supreme as the number one tactical RPG on the 3DS, all of that could be set to change with some healthy competition from a series that was arguably its most potent rival back in the day. Reintroducing the Langrisser series. After a 15 year break,...
News Dead Or Alive Producer Feels That A Cultural Divide Exists Between Japan And The West
Team Ninja's Yosuke Hayashi on his "strong, sexy and confident" cast
Team Ninja's Dead or Alive series has been running since the days of the Saturn and PlayStation, and has built up a large following thanks to its excellent gameplay and depth. However, it's perhaps just as famous for its female characters, who boast somewhat exaggerated vital...
Weirdness Date Pokémon In This Visual Novel Parody Of TwitchPlaysPokemon
Take on the role of a young Espeon nicknamed Burrito
Following the success of the insanely popular TwitchPlaysPokemon of last year we now have an offline visual novel parody, TwitchDatesPokemon. Originally inspired by fan art of TwitchPlaysPokemon eleven months ago, the dream is now a reality, with a team coming together under the name of TableFort...
News Here's What Pokémon Fighter Pokkén Tournament's Arcade Cabinet Looks Like
Fighting in the streets
Bandai Namco's Pokémon-themed one-on-one brawler Pokkén Tournament is getting ever closer to its Japanese release, and the company has now released an image of what the final cabinet will look like. The image shows that a control guide has been placed above the screen - which will prove handy when you forget which button...
"It is taking longer than we anticipated to confirm the applications"
Last week Nintendo launched a beta for its YouTube Creators Programme in North America and Japan, which allows users to submit videos or entire channels for approval to enable them to receive a share of revenues while using Nintendo footage. It's an alternative to content ID...
News New Miiverse Update Adds Comment Previews and User Matching
Finding new ways to connect gamers
Miiverse is a constantly evolving social platform and, every once in a while, Nintendo will push out a new update to enhance the user experience. Everything from extending the number of characters allowed on a single post to easier ways of tracking and finding other users, the fun little diversion has come a long...
Rumour Sega-Related YouTube Videos Are Being Hit With Content ID Matches
Update: Sega reinforces claims it is not involved
Update: Sega has issued a statement via one of its community managers: Regarding eLicense, this company is not working on behalf of SEGA in any capacity. We are issuing a Cease & Desist to eLicense and reaching out to YouTube directly to work on resolving this problem. eLicense is acting...
Video The Latest Trailer For RIVE Will Dent Your Resolve And Melt Your Eyeballs
"There's fun in failure"
Two Tribes' upcoming Wii U eShop shooter RIVE has been on our radar since it was first announced, and the studio has now released another trailer which celebrates that thing we all try to avoid: failure. The new footage - shown below - was, according to Two Tribes' Collin van Ginkel, inspired by observing players at gaming...
News The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask 3D Trailer Now Available for Download in Europe
And yes, it's in 3D
The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask 3D is just over a week away, which is something to celebrate for fans of the franchise and those that vocally called for the remake over the course of a few years. It's such a unique and brilliantly executed entry in the franchise that we felt moved to award it a 10 in our review, a score we've...
Weirdness Drunken Mario and Luigi Unleash Mini Crime Wave on Historic Cambridge City Centre
Stephen Hawking unavailable for comment
The historic English city of Cambridge is famous for many things - the beautiful architecture and majestic college buildings, punting down the river Cam and world famous theoretical physicist Stephen Hawking. This sterling reputation as a tourist hotspot for visitors to the UK was tarnished recently when rogue...
Video Dark Ness Seeks Revenge In This Live Action Super Smash Bros. Match-Up
Little Mac gets KO’d
The next best thing to playing Super Smash Bros. Wii U & 3DS is arguably watching real-life re-enactments of Nintendo’s all-star brawler on the net. We’ve seen plenty in the past, and now YouTuber – Tim Wang – is the latest to enter the fray, with a well choreographed kung-fu style take on Nintendo’s...
Wednesday4th Feb 2015
Review The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask 3D (3DS)
You’ve had a terrible wait, haven’t you?
The wait for The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask 3D has felt a lot longer than it has, in reality, been. Although it was only officially announced for the first time during last November's Nintendo Direct presentation, it needed little time to build up a considerable buzz ahead of its release. Of course,...
News Developers Outline Their Ideas for Nintendo's Next Generation Handheld
No suggestions to call it the Newer New Nintendo 3DS, unfortunately
With the New Nintendo 3DS landing on 13th February, the obvious comparison is with the DSi, which kicked off a final hurrah for the DS family before it was replaced. Considering the relatively ageing technology of the 3DS family the New models will likely add a couple of years to...
Rumour Nintendo Plotting amiibo Super Mario Collection Meltdown With Gold and Silver Editions
Surely not...
Nintendo's enjoyed some success with amiibo so far, amassing millions of sales and seeing demand remain sky-high on the Super Smash Bros. range, to the point that it's struggling to provide enough stock of specific rare figures. In March we'll see the Super Mario range join the ranks, of course, but it seems that there may be even more...
News Famitsu Article Reportedly Inks Out More Splatoon Details
Hero mode explained (a little) along with some multiplayer limitations
Splatoon is just a few months away, a new IP that aims to take the Wii U by storm. It's fair to say that there's nothing else quite like it on the system, with motion-controlled third-person shooting and a territorial battle to cover arenas in ink. A number of the finer details...
News Rose Colored Gaming is Working on a New Line of Portables With Diverse Emulation Options
It's cool if you own the original games, naturally
Rose Colored Gaming is a fairly familiar name here on Nintendo Life, with the bespoke hardware and retro goods company producing a host of desirable - and pricey - gadgets in recent years. Often its work produces stylish cartridges and hardware mods, but its now taking a leap into its own range of...
News Nintendo Delays Financial Results Presentation and Q & A Until 17th February
Follows the launch of New Nintendo 3DS, speculation of reveals inevitable
Following Nintendo's recent Q3 Financial Results we've been patiently awaiting the standard investor Presentation and Q & A that follows; these briefings can be rather informative, with Satoru Iwata and colleagues often announcing key plans for the company while tackling...
News Weirdness: Animators Produce Bizarre Recreation of Pokemon Season One Opening
Watch if you love Pokémon. Or not, perhaps...
A group of 32 animators have remade the ever-famous opening to Pokemon's Season One (Indigo League), and it's definitely not what we'd typically expect of such a project. You'll notice two types of animation in the video, one being beautifully remastered scenes of the intro's original snippets, and the...
News LEGO Jurassic World Teaser Trailer and Snippets of Info Rumble Into View
Play as LEGO dinosaurs... need you know more?
Last week Warner Bros. and TT Games revealed its line-up of LEGO games for 2015, which are destined to grace the Wii U and 3DS. One of the reveals was LEGO Jurassic World for both systems, a title that'll feature the first three films in the series and the upcoming Summer blockbuster of the same name...
Wii U hardware sales dip a little further
As per normal on a Wednesday the Media Create charts in Japan have emerged, with this week's results bringing a few new releases and a subtle shift in the hardware battle in Nintendo's homeland. To start with software, Atlus RPG Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor 2 Record Breaker has made its début at...
Just 23 attempts...
No game in The Legend of Zelda franchise is complete without minigames, some of which can be teeth-grinding in their trickiness; yet somehow we keep coming back. It's tempting to try again, and again, and again in the quest for a heart piece or rupee reward that we don't fundamentally need. An example in The Legend of Zelda:...
News Hironobu Sakaguchi to be Honoured with Lifetime Achievement Award at GDC 2015
Creator of Final Fantasy didn't end there
The man behind what is arguably the most prolific videogame RPG series of all time will be awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award by his peers at the 15th Annual Game Developers Choice Awards next month. According to the tales, Hironobu Sakaguchi was at a crossroads when he created Final Fantasy at Square...
News Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate Director Discusses Monster Design and Animation
It’s the little things that count
The Monster Hunter series of games is one that can be infuriatingly addictive if it gets its claws into you. Renowned for excellent combat and massive scale, fights against the titans that roam the wilds in these games can last for a quite a chunk of time. There's nothing quite like the feeling of finally killing...
Gallery We Have Take-Off With These Ace Combat Assault Horizon Legacy+ amiibo Planes
I feel the need...
The snappily-titled Ace Combat Assault Horizon Legacy+ isn't far away, hitting 3DS on 13th February - that's a big day for the portable, with the New Nintendo 3DS, The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask 3D and Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate all arriving on that day. As we outlined in our
News Curve Digital Confirms OlliOlli Release Window on Nintendo Consoles
Grinding onto Wii U and 3DS mid-March
We reported late last year that 'sick' indie skateboarding title OlliOlli would be making an appearance on Nintendo consoles in early 2015, and now the hype is real. Publisher Curve Digital, the same company that brought indie hits such as The Swapper and Thomas Was Alone to Nintendo platforms, has confirmed t
Tuesday3rd Feb 2015
News Nintendo's 'Stability' 3DS Update 9.5.0-22 Takes On Gateway Flashcard
An endless battle of patches and counter-patches
Earlier today we reported on the latest 3DS system update to version 9.5.0-22, another that falls into the 'stability' category. We often have a little joke about these updates and allude to the fact they're likely tackling hacks and exploits, but on this occasion we thought we'd actually delve off...
Review Citizens of Earth (Wii U eShop)
Citizens, Unite Up!!
ATTENTION ALL RESIDENTS OF THIS FINE, BLUE PLANET WE CALL EARTH! Permit me a moment and I'll show you that role playing games don't all have to be about swinging swords and finding mystical artifacts. They don't have to use that tired old fantasy setting we've grown so used to, or even star a typical protagonist! Here, your...
News The Stability of 3DS System Update 9.5.0-22 May Rock Your World
Or not...
Hold onto your hats, your 3DS and your collected StreetPass Mii hats, there's a system update - version 9.5.0-22. It brings a level of stability previously unseen on the portable, ensuring that you'll have never played such a stable system in your whole lifetime. Don't believe us? The Nintendo official details drop the mic below...
Editorial Nintendo's YouTube Creators Program 'Beta' Provides Vital Feedback - It Won't Work
Copyright is one thing, but YouTube power resides with the creators
Last week Nintendo launched its YouTube Creators Program, which had been long promised as a compromise between simply preventing monetisation of videos featuring its content and the alternative of leaving video creators with free rein. What's happened since is a typical clash of...
News Cult PlayStation 2 Title Legend Of Kay Is Getting Remastered On Wii U
Well, that was unexpected
Hands up if you saw this coming - 2005 PS2 title Legend of Kay is coming to the Wii U as a remastered retail release. Developed by Neon Games and originally published on Sony's console by JoWood Productions in Europe and Capcom in North America, this action title features talking animals fighting over the future of the...
News Ubisoft Launches Yet Another Massive eShop Sale in North America
Watch Dogs! Rayman Legends! ZombiU! More good (and rubbish) games!
Ubisoft may not be throwing games at Nintendo systems any more, but it sure is happy to run eShop discounts on its older titles. Every few months we see plenty of price reductions, and the latest promotional batch has now been announced for North America. Available now and running...
Video Capcom Explains Why Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate On New Nintendo 3DS Is The Definitive Experience
Perfect for those tense hunts
The New Nintendo 3DS is out this month in North America and Europe and it will be launching alongside Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate, the latest version of Capcom's insanely popular beast-busting franchise. While Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate is playable on the standard 3DS, 3DS XL or 2DS, it has been designed to take advantage...
News UK Supermarket Giants Wage Wii U Price Wars to Clear Shelves
Get 'em while they're hot
The other day we reported on a UK-based supermarket giant selling off Wii U 8GB Systems for only £99. It seems this deal was just the tip of the iceberg, as more recently even better deals have been doing the rounds in Tesco and Sainsbury's stores around the country; unsurprisingly stock has been disappearing rapidly...
News Sakurai Considered Having All Fighters Unlocked In Super Smash Bros. For Wii U
Nothing of value comes easily
Masahiro Sakurai has published a new "Smash Bros. Diaries" entry in the latest issue of Game Informer, and one question in particular struck a chord with Smash fans: had he ever considered allowing the fighter unlocks in the 3DS version to transfer over to the Wii U version? Although Sakurai's answer started with a...
Gaist Crusher God sales "below expectations"
Where would Capcom be without Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate and its success in Japan? In a tricky spot, undoubtedly, as its latest financial results demonstrate; sales of the action title in the West will no doubt be closely watched by the company. The Q3 financial report for Capcom highlights net sales that...
News Apex 2015 Ends With The Conclusion Of A Bitter Rivalry And A Failed Chance at Redemption
Smell ya later
Now that Apex 2015 is over and done with, it can be safely said that it was a pretty big deal. The popular fighting game tournament set a few records, with over 1024 entrants in Super Smash Bros. Melee - beating out the previous record held by EVO at 970 - and over 800 entrants in Super Smash Bros. for Wii U, claiming the title for...
Weirdness A Budding Little Mac Beats Mike Tyson's Punch-Out!! While Blindfolded
A knock out performance
You may remember late last year that Mike Tyson himself showed off his own skills at Punch-Out!! on the Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. While this was an entertaining moment, it served to prove that this classic NES boxing game is no pushover. You'll need to train hard to beat Iron Mike (or indeed Mr Dream!)...
News Gunman Clive Sales Pass 400,000 Across All Platforms
Over 80% of sales on 3DS
Gunman Clive was a notable success on 3DS when released in late 2012 / early 2013, often cited by Nintendo as a positive example for the eShop. Developer Bertil Hörberg, who's consistently open about the performance of his game, has now given an update on its sales progress so far. As you can see below it's confirmed to...
News Starr Mazer Wii U and 3DS Stretch Goals Announced
A retro-sexy Point-and-Click Adventure Shoot 'em Up in SPACE!
Last week we brought you the news that the snazzy looking Starr Mazer could be 3DS bound. For those not in the know Starr Mazer is a fusion of point-and-click adventure game and hardcore 2D shooting, with incredible pixel art and a soundtrack composed by the likes of Alex Mauer (VEGAVOX,...
Video Pixelated Recreation of The Simpsons Evokes Nostalgia
Then it just gets freaky
The Simpsons has been running long enough that its opening is firmly cemented in pop culture history, but Paul Robertson and Ivan Dixon have decided to delve even deeper into the nostalgia centers of our brains by rendering it in pixel form. The video calls out a few classic game icons and tropes, certainly, but something...
Monday2nd Feb 2015
News Club Nintendo Goes Rewards Crazy With Final Update in North America
Over 100 games and physical rewards
Club Nintendo is now into its final stretch, with members in North America having until the end of March to claim coins and the end of June to redeem their balance. Nintendo of America had promised one final huge update of content, and now that the line-up is confirmed we can say that it's certainly delivered. On...
News Target Won't Be Restocking Rosalina amiibo, Selected Wave 3 Figures Won't Be Available In-Store
Target exclusive figure is likely to be in high demand
Amiibo - Nintendo's stab at the "toys to life" concept - has been a massive success in commercial terms, but the Kyoto giant has caused a lot of ill-will amongst fans by failing to meet demand and discontinuing figures almost as soon as they hit store shelves. Get ready for some more disappoi
Nintendo Download 5th February (Europe)
Shantae's back, Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate demo, Zero 2 and more
It's the morning after the late night watching the Super Bowl, or just a normal Monday depending on your preferences, but nevertheless Nintendo of Europe's been so kind as to issue its Download Update details. It's an enticing week, with WayForward's third Shantae game finally hitting...
News Flipnote Studio 3D Arrives in North America This Week
Club Nintendo members, rejoice!
When Nintendo announced the closure of Club Nintendo recently, it also confirmed that members in North America would receive Flipnote Studio 3D as a free download - in Europe the app will go to those that sign-up for the replacement programme later in the year. Official details point to an offline,
News GameStop Source Suggests That Super Mario amiibo Range Will be Available in "Abundance"
We'll see Nintendo, we'll see
When it comes to product launches, amiibo is full of contradictions. Millions of units - about 5.7 million - have been sold: that's great. Fans have been frustrated by low stock, especially of particular highly sought after toys: that's bad. They've been a success as fans can't buy enough, yet Nintendo's struggled to...
News We'd Probably Buy This Fan-Made Resident Evil 2 Remake
Uses Unreal Engine 3
Just recently Capcom released a new HD version of Resident Evil - that's a HD port of a port, for the record - that annoyingly skipped Wii U. That first game is wheeled out regularly, yet its arguably superior sequel - surprisingly called Resident Evil 2 - isn't shown quite the same love. We're big fans of this one, and recall...
Review Quell Memento (3DS eShop)
Worth remembering
Creating a working puzzle takes a certain level of skill, even more so if you wish to make it interesting. The Quell series really seems to pay a special mind to the puzzle as a form of craft, presenting its challenges to the player while also attempting to build a serene journey through them. Quell Memento, the latest iteration to...
News Sega Formally Announces the Capcom Arcade of Nintendo's Luigi's Mansion 2
Many fingers in this pie
Nintendo may have question marks around current third-party support on its systems, but few can doubt that it has some strong relationships with other companies in Japan - Koei Tecmo, Bandai Namco, Sega and Capcom are all examples. The latter two both appear to have some involvement in the arcade for Luigi's Mansion: Dark...
News Nintendo to Present a Xenoblade Chronicles X Showcase This Week
We're counting the minutes
With Xenoblade Chronicles X set to launch in Japan on 29th April, Nintendo and developer Monolith Soft are stepping up promotional efforts for the RPG adventure. In recent days and weeks, for example, we've heard of the non-linear approach to progression in the game, indications that the world will be five times the size...
Weirdness Katy Perry Accessorizes With A Wii Remote Strap During Super Bowl Half-Time Show
Safety first
The half-time show at the Super Bowl is arguably the most interesting part of the entire game. Increasing each year with ever more ridiculous set pieces and an growing "wow" factor, viewers can expect to see world-famous musicians, strobe lights, bombastic pyrotechnics and dancing galore. As if you prove this point, shortly after...
News GungHo President Was Nervous About Showing Miyamoto Puzzle & Dragons: Super Mario Bros. Edition
"My hand shook while moving orbs"
This year will see the launch of two of Japan's most popular gaming franchises in the shape of Puzzle & Dragons: Super Mario Bros. Edition. Based on the hit smartphone title - which has already had its own 3DS outing - this new version features the cast of the Super Mario series indulging in match-three puzzle...
News This Bayonetta Browser Game is Perfect For Killing Time, and Angels
Platinum strikes again
Platinum Games is one of the most imaginative and quirky major studios in game development, and has lived up to that reputation with a rather random release of an 8-bit style browser game based on Bayonetta - it's called 'Angel Land'. In this game, that's perfect for time wasting, you simply use space to jump and enter to...
News Rodea The Sky Soldier Looks Set To Spread Its Wings For A Western Release
Kadokawa Games president Yoshimi Yasuda says "look forward to it"
Rodea The Sky Soldier has had a somewhat tortured development period. Originally slated for the Wii and overseen by Sonic creator Yuji Naka, the game has since been rebooted for the 3DS and Wii U under the eyes of Kadokawa Games when Naka bailed on the project. The fact that Rodea is...
Video UK Ambassadors Give Their Verdict On The New Nintendo 3DS
These guys were lucky enough to get one ahead of launch
The launch of the New Nintendo 3DS is imminent, but many players in Europe already have their hands on the system thanks to Nintendo's unique Ambassador Program. Nintendo UK took the opportunity to speak to a few of these lucky individuals at a recent Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate event at...
News New Trailer For 3DS RPG Bravely Second Launches In Japan
Bravely does it
If the wait for Bravely Second is just becoming too much then take a look at the Japanese trailer below to get your daily dose. Square Enix have been drip-feeding its fan base with tantalising titbits over the last few months including Bravely Second screenshots and art work, additional information on Edea Lee's return, the "Undo"...
Video Listen to a Drummer Nail the Mario Underground Theme
More than one way to beat World 1-2
Videogame covers are found in abundance on YouTube. You have covers with acoustic guitar, covers with Mario Paint, and even covers with just a guy singing mostly "Baah!" with the tones of an angel. One piece of the cover scene that doesn't seem to get as much attention is the drums, but we thankfully have artists...
Sunday1st Feb 2015
News Another Wii U GameCube Controller Adapter Battles For Your Smash Bros. Loyalty
Supply and demand, once again
The official Wii U GameCube Controller Adapter is a rare and peculiar beast. Only useful for one game on the system, Super Smash Bros. for Wii U, it doesn't even work in the console's Wii mode; yet despite this it was highly desired when it launched alongside the game. For dedicated players of the brawling series the...
Talking Point Star Fox for Wii U is an Ongoing and Surprising Mystery
When will Nintendo show off Shigeru Miyamoto's project?
Nintendo had an impressive E3 in 2014, winning plaudits not just for its reveals but also its approach to the show, with the Super Smash Bros. Invitational and Treehouse live streams keeping fans entertained. There were a number of notable reveals, too, yet it was Star Fox for Wii U that...
Weirdness There's an Awesome Super Mario Bros. World 1-1 Easter Egg in Dying Light
Stomping zombies
Dying Light, an open-world title in which you take on a lot of zombies, is a recent arrival on platforms such as the PS4 and Xbox One. The critical reception to Techland's game has been relatively mixed, but it's still one of 2015's first major releases; now, an awesome Easter Egg has been spotted to show that a current-day release...
Review Breezeblox (Wii U eShop)
Breezy
One of a growing number of indie titles appearing on the Wii U eShop, Breezeblox is a block-rolling puzzle game from début developer Brennan Maddox that, on first glance, seems to owe more than a little to mobigame's cube-based classic EDGE. Beyond the minimalist aesthetic and Cartesian conceit, however, they're very different games, and...
Live Apex 2015 Prepares to Crown Its Champions on the Final Day
Rounding off a dramatic weekend
Apex 2015 has had a dramatic route to its finale, today, with venue issues forcing a rapid move to a brand new location; through support from sponsors and dedicated fans it somewhat defied the odds to ensure that almost all rounds could be completed ahead of its final day. Though the tournament hosts multiple games,...
