Hardware Review REVO K101 Plus
Hands-on with the ultimate hardware GBA clone
News 3DS Hack Removes the Need for Flashcards to Play ROMS and Supports GBA Games
Still limited to old firmware and requires Cubic Ninja
Review Attack on Titan: Humanity in Chains (3DS)
Sie Sind Das Spiel, Und Wir Sind Die Spieler!
Talking Point The Fragility of Buying Download Games
Download stores have changed what it means to own a game
News - May, 2015
Sunday31st May 2015
Feature The Big Nintendo Direct Summary - 31st May 2015
Say hello to Morimoto-san
In what was surely the last notable information blow-out ahead of E3, we've had a Japanese Nintendo Direct broadcast focused on near-term Wii U and 3DS releases, with some Capcom Monster Hunter reveals thrown in. There were quite a few new games announced, fresh details on familiar titles and a new host in Morimoto-san,...
News Monster Hunter X (Cross) Confirmed for Japanese Release
Monster Hunter fabulous
Although the dust has only just settled for Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate, Capcom has wasted absolutely no time in announcing the newest game in the series, Monster Hunter X (Cross). Taking inspiration from the arguably more dramatic Frontier series, this game seems to build heavily upon the engine and assets found in Monster...
It's actually quite pricey
Animal Crossing: Happy Home Designer remains a bit of an oddity, at least in the opinion of this writer. It appears to be a rather simplistic game in which you decorate homes to satisfy cute characters, adopting one small part of AC charm into one package. It's also a vehicle for the first range of amiibo cards, which will...
Nintendo Direct Watch the Japanese Wii U and 3DS Nintendo Direct - Live!
A surprise pre-E3 treat
Though E3 is just two weeks away, Nintendo is hosting a special Direct broadcast for Japan, covering Summer Wii U and 3DS releases in the country. We may get a look at intriguing titles such as Fire Emblem: If, so join us for live coverage of the broadcast...
News Fire Emblem If Allows You to Build and Manage a Town, All Four Current FE amiibo Supported
Ten minute presentation video released
It may not be coming to the West until 2016, but Fire Emblem If is hard to ignore as a result of its rapidly approaching release in Japan. With two distinct versions - and a third arc available via download - it's a title ambitious in scope, expanding upon the excellent Fire Emblem: Awakening. Today's Japanese...
Video GameChap Shows Us Five Ways to Get Banned From Super Smash Bros. for Wii U
The watchful eye of the Nintendo spy...
It's a well known fact that Nintendo is very strict with its policies, and this includes the behaviour of players online. It's a reason (amongst others) as to why voice chat is disabled on titles such as Mario Kart 8 and Splatoon, as the possibility of cyber-bullying is significantly reduced. Although it's...
News Satoru Iwata Will Return as Nintendo Direct Host, Apologises Again for amiibo Shortages
Splatoon stock seems to be short in Japan, too
Nintendo fans following today's Japanese Nintendo Direct will have seen a new presenter in action, Morimoto-san. The younger face held his own, fitting in with the often formal nature of the Japan-only broadcasts, taking on the tough role of filling the shoes of our most regular presenter - Nintendo...
News First Footage Emerges of Bandai Namco's Project Treasure on Wii U
Free-to-view
Earlier this year Bandai Namco's Katsuhiro Harada appeared in a Nintendo Direct broadcast to announce free-to-play Wii U title Project Treasure. It was described as a four-player co-op action title, as you battle through stages and tackle dangerous foes; there was no footage, however. In today's Japanese Nintendo Direct that changed,...
Video First Pokémon Super Mystery Dungeon Footage Revealed
It's super effective!
In the latest Japanese Nintendo Direct presentation we were gifted with some footage of the previously announced Pokémon Super Mystery Dungeon for 3DS. We've grabbed the footage below to show you how the game has developed upon its predecessors, but unfortunately we don't have any confirmed release date for the West just yet...
News Super Mario Galaxy Out Now on the Wii U eShop in Japan
Kiss those Super Mario Galaxy HD dreams goodbye
Early this year Nintendo surprised and delighted us by bringing Wii games to the Wii U eShop; though they're the same basic Wii titles and they're booted in the system's Wii Mode, it nevertheless allows us to download some retail games we may have missed in the last-gen. It kicked off with Super Mario...
News Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night Confirmed for Wii U
Next stretch goal will add asynchronous online multiplayer
Just earlier this week, it was revealed on the Kickstarter page for Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night that a Wii U version would be made if the project reached its next stretch goal. Rather amazingly, over $250,000 has been raised over the past four days, hitting the stretch goal and...
News Mario & Sonic at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games is Dashing to Wii U and 3DS
Rugby and golf make the cut
Whenever the summer or winter Olympics roll around there's a certain tradition for Nintendo fans - contemplating whether to pick up the latest Mario & Sonic release. A big deal when it first happened, we're now used to seeing the former enemies battling it out over a 100 meter sprint rather than in bizarre '90s...
News Chibi-Robo Platformer and amiibo Coming to Japan This Year
Stepping away from AR
Chibi-Robo is a series that's somewhat more prominent in Japan, though 3DS owners worldwide may have been tempted to pick up Chibi-Robo! Photo Finder to try out its use of the system's cameras for AR (augmented reality). Photo Finder certainly had its critics, though, and Nintendo has today announced a new title for Japan that...
Parent Trap Splatoon Gets Family Tested, And Comes Through With Flying Colours
Family Gamer's Andy Robertson investigates Nintendo's new smash-hit
With Splatoon out in the wild we can get a first proper impression of how the game is going down with families. With this in mind I checked in with the Huo family to see how they'd taken to the local and online components of Nintendo's new shooter. They took a while to get used to...
News Monster Hunter Diary: Poka Poka Palico Village DX Heading to Japan This Year
Rather like Animal Crossing x Monster Hunter
A combination of a Japanese Nintendo Direct and a live Capcom fan event have brought news of two more MH titles heading to the 3DS. Most notable is the reveal of Monster Hunter X (Cross), which blends the classic main-series play with Frontier-like special moves and quicker combat. Also announced today...
News New Dr. Mario Title Released on 3DS in Japan
Features online matches, download play and also has Luigi
In today's Nintendo Direct a couple of new downloads were given immediate releases in Japan. One of these is Super Mario Galaxy on the Wii U eShop, but there's a fresh option for 3DS owners too in the form of a new Dr. Mario title for the handheld. Also featuring Dr. Luigi, this new en
Saturday30th May 2015
News Splatoon's Ranking Battle 'Splatometer' is Supposedly Creeping Upwards to Unlock Mode
Sure, Nintendo, the 'Splatometer'
Splatoon seems to be rather well received so far by many that have been splatting each other online, but it's arguably somewhat light in online content at launch. There's the single player campaign, yes, but in online matches we're currently limited to one default mode in the 'Regular Battle' category - 4 vs 4 with...
Weirdness The Second Player Can Have Motion Controls in Splatoon's Battle Dojo Mode
Erm, OK
Splatoon may be gracing plenty of Wii U systems worldwide, but the official Tumblr account is still rolling on, and has shared a rather peculiar and fun trick. It seems that both players can use motion-based aiming controls in the local multiplayer Battle Dojo mode, with a bit of bizarre customisation. By quite literally strapping a Wii U...
Poll Early Impressions on Splatoon and That All-Important Online Multiplayer
Fitter, younger hamsters spinning the server wheels?
Nintendo's releasing a game that prioritises online play, so naturally plenty reach for popcorn. Splatoon is on store shelves and appears to have had solid numbers hopping online to splat each other with ink, while some may even be tackling the single player campaign - those rogues. The old...
News Splatoon Producer Interview Sparks E3 Animal Crossing Wii U Speculation
Reading between the lines
Its E3 silly season, or close enough, and that means plenty of reading between the lines when Nintendo employees dodge and weave from questions. Such is the fate for Hisashi Nogami, producer on Splatoon but arguably best known as a co-Director on the Animal Crossing franchise. First of all, we recommend having a read of...
Video Retro Music is Hard-Wired Into Your Brain Because of Science, Not Just Because It's Awesome
Jumping to the beat
When playing retro games it's common to admire the music, with a sense among some that chiptunes of the 8- and 16-bit era are a cut above modern soundtracks. There are still spectacular soundtracks in modern gaming, particularly those performed by live bands and orchestras, yet for some retro music can't be topped. There are...
Friday29th May 2015
Guide Tips On How To Become A Squid Hotshot In Splatoon
Get inked
Today marks the launch of Splatoon, Nintendo's infectious take on the traditional team-based online shooter. While this ink-splattered offering is far more friendly and accessible than your typical web-based blaster, there are still a few key points you might want to keep in mind before dashing - or should that be swimming? - headlong into...
News Amazon Confirms US amiibo Pre-Order Times for Wave 4, Splatoon and Silver Mario
One per customer, speed is everything
With more amiibo waves comes great pressure for collectors, with pre-order stock typically disappearing within moments of arriving. With scalping being particularly problematic Various retailers have tried to even the score and help dedicated fans get hold of the figures, and now Amazon in the US is joining in...
News Final Fantasy Wasn't Named For The Reason You Think
Creator Hironobu Sakaguchi sets the record straight
Final Fantasy is arguably the most important release in the entire history of Square Enix - or Squaresoft, if you'd prefer - and one of the biggest names in the video game business. For many years it was said that the game was so named because it represented the last throw of the dice for the...
News Japanese Nintendo Direct Coming May 31st
Focus Is Summer Wii U And 3DS Games
Nintendo has just confirmed that a Japanese Nintendo Direct broadcast will take place this Sunday, May 31st. The focus of the video will be Wii U and 3DS games which are releasing this Summer. 7PM Japan-time is when it will all happen, which works out as 3AM PT, 6AM ET, 11AM UK time and 12PM in Europe. The...
Saturday30th May 2015
News Nintendo Hides a Surprise in Its Super Mario Bros. Anniversary Website
Going to the source
A little earlier today we pointed you to newly translated and beefed up regional Super Mario Bros. 30th Anniversary websites, which serve up an interactive video history of the Super Mario franchise and a whole load of pretty pixel art. Though it's relatively bare in content, more will surely arrive as announcements and...
Friday29th May 2015
Localised versions now live in Europe and North America
As you've no doubt been well aware for some time, this year brings the 30th Anniversary of Super Mario Bros., which is a notable landmark for the mascot and Nintendo as a whole. Mario Maker on Wii U will be a big part of the celebrations, certainly, and we think it's a safe assumption that more...
News New SNES Title Gets Funded for a Wii U eShop Release
Will also have a NES version
It may be a particularly niche area, but there are still developers producing new games for retro systems, including the NES and SNES. Sold with charming cartridges, often with all of the boxes and manuals that retro gamers know so well, they remain a key - albeit small - part of gaming culture. We can add Sydney Hunter...
News Lego Jurassic World Pre-Order Freebies Coming To PlayStation and Xbox, But Not Wii U
"You didn't say the magic word"
The latest Lego Jurassic World trailer shows more of the game and its customisable dinosaurs. It also comes with details of pre-order bonus for PlayStation and Xbox owners - but there's no news of anything similar on the Wii U. In the trailer we see the usual Lego hub world and platforming game-play along with the...
Competition Winners Here Are The Masters of Splatoon Propaganda
Join the revolution
In case you've been living under an ink-splattered rock for the past month, you'll probably know that Nintendo's colourful shooter Splatoon is out today. To celebrate the game's release we tasked our lovely readers with creating a Splatoon propaganda poster in order to encourage others to join the revolution with us using the...
News Konami Not Turning Its Back On Consoles After All, Says Sorry For Causing Such A Fuss
Japanese company admits "conjecture" has caused "anxiety"
We recently reported on an interview with Konami boss Hideki Hayakawa which stated that the company was putting all of its eggs in the basket marked "mobile". However, these comments were translated from what was little more than a summary of the interview and the full, official transcript -...
Video Obsession, Violence And Shameless Scalping - amiibo: The Movie Has It All
"How far will you go to complete your collection?"
The amiibo stock situation has been in the headlines for the majority of 2015, with Nintendo seemingly incapable of meeting demand for its highly-desirable plastic, NFC-enabled figurines. This has left many collectors feeling particularly disgruntled, as rare amiibo are impossible to find in stores...
Out Now Splatoon Brings Some Colour to the Wii U
Like Platoon, but less grisly
It's been eagerly followed since its surprise reveal at E3 2014, and now Nintendo's colourful, creative and chaotic shooter - Splatoon - is in stores. There are already players running around at level 15+, courtesy of a) lots of free time, b) getting the game early through pre-order deliveries or c) a mix of both...
Video Nintendo UK Takes Over Skate Park To Celebrate Splatoon Launch
Get your skates on
To mark the launch of Splatoon, Nintendo UK has teamed up with Adrenaline Alley skatepark in Corby to offer a pretty unique promotional event. Adrenaline Alley has been "splatted" with Splatoon art and 4 Wii U pods - complete with the game, of course - have been installed for the Summer months. Nintendo UK has released a video...
News Samurai Warriors: Chronicles 3 Won't Include Zelda Costumes In The West
Outfits designated as exclusive to Japan
Koei Tecmo has revealed that the Western release of the 3DS title Samurai Warriors: Chronicles 3 will not come with the unique Zelda-themed content that launched alongside the Japanese edition. When the game was released in Japan, Link and Zelda outfits - lifted from the Wii U brawler Hyrule Warriors - could...
Not long now
NIS American has confirmed the European release dates for two of Altus' 3DS RPGs, Etrian Mystery Dungeon And Shin Megami Tensei Devil Survivor 2: Record Breaker. Both games will be getting physical and digital releases in the region. Etrian Mystery Dungeon is a mash-up of the Etrian Odyssey and Mystery Dungeon series, and launched in...
Pleased with Humble Nindie Bundle progress
Curve Digital was a relatively late bloomer on the Wii U eShop, making its break onto the store in Autumn / Fall 2014 - notably, though, it arrived with a rapid sequence of releases comprised of ports and the timed-exclusive Stealth Inc 2: A Game of Clones. While Curve is still a developer, much of its...
News Cube Life: Island Survival Hits the NA Wii U eShop on 4th June
The battle of the Minecraft clones rages on
Slovakian indie developer Cypronia have revealed to us that its upcoming Minecraft-like game Cube Life: Island Survival will be hitting the North American Wii U eShop on Thursday 4th June; it'll cost $6.99. The title offers crafting with over 200 items and tools, wild animals to fend off, local...
Nintendo Life Weekly Splatoon, Project CARS, World's Largest Game Boy
All the reviews, releases, and top news from the past week
It can be hard to keep up-to-date with everything that happens within the world of Nintendo, so we've once more condensed all the best bits from the past seven days into one easy-to-swallow video. This week we focus on Splatoon (surprise, surprise), the grim situation regarding Project...
Thursday28th May 2015
Nintendo Download 28th May (North America)
Splatoon, Double Mega Man, Don't Starve, Nicalis discounts and more
The information has come through a little later than normal, but we now have the full Nintendo Download Update run-down for North America. There's a big-name retail arrival on Wii U that's been inked in for some time, a critically acclaimed indie release, two doses of classic Mega...
News BBC iPlayer Finally Arrives On The Wii U eShop
But only for UK users
UK Wii U owners have been waiting for the BBC iPlayer to come to their consoles for ages - the last we heard about it was back in January last year, when the esteemed broadcasting corporation insisted that it was still working hard on making an eShop release possible. Seemingly without warning, that time has now come - the BBC...
Review Blocky Bot (Wii U eShop)
Simplicity at its best
There's something to be said about the power of simplicity. Some of the best experiences to be had in gaming are compelling not because of their depth or complexity, but because of how they offer a distilled example of an excellent gameplay concept. Nintendo has seemingly adapted this approach in many of its current generation...
Review Stone Shire (Wii U eShop)
As plain as a stone
In the absence of Minecraft on Nintendo platforms, many developers have opted to try to recapture the legendary game's magical gameplay in their own knockoff attempts. These have, by and large, fallen short of the high standard that's been set and failed to present any meaningful contributions to the popular formula. Stone Shire...
Review Metal Marines (Wii U eShop / Super Nintendo)
Modern(ish) warfare
Strategy is a somewhat niche genre among gamers. While there have been excellent strategy games released on consoles - turn-based RPGs like Fire Emblem to the RTS-style Swords and Soldiers series come to mind - the gameplay has always lent itself more to the PC, where players can be more methodical and control units with relative...
Feature Explaining Humble Bundle and What it Could Mean for Nintendo and Nindies
There are many winners
A rather surprising promotion went live this week - the Humble Nindie Bundle. It's only available in the Americas, though Nintendo of America's Damon Baker has stated that there were efforts to make it global and there's scope for future promotions. The frenzy of attention is naturally on the pay-what-you-want angle, which...
News Humble Bundle Issues Official Statement About Region-Locked Nintendo Promotion
“Our goal is to make games as universally accessible as can be”
A representative of Nintendo yesterday clarified via social media that the company tried for months to make its Humble Bundle globally available. Responding to comments on Twitter, Damon Baker of Nintendo America revealed there were efforts to open up the bundle deal worldwide, and...
Interview Nintendo of America's Damon Baker on the Brave New World of Humble Nindie Bundle
"It increases the exposure for all these great developers and games"
This week brought a major landmark for both Nintendo and Humble Bundle with the aptly named Humble Nindie Bundle. It's the first time that console downloads have featured in the pay-what-you-want platform, allowing gamers in the Americas to pick up eight separate games (some...
News PDP Is Aiming to Sell the World's Shiniest Controller With Its Metal Mario 30th Anniversary Pad
But Metal Mario wasn't in the original Super Mario Bros...
In the pre-Super Smash Bros. for Wii U stage, before the Wii U GameCube Controller Adapter was revealed, third-party accessory company PDP turned the heads of Smash Bros. veterans by announcing a Fight Pad that'd mimic the iconic GameCube controller. Subsequent releases have brought plenty...
News Star Wars: Battle Pod Now Available For Home Use, A Steal At Just $35,000
Or perhaps we could interest you in the premium version, at $100,000?
Games consoles are expensive items - especially when purchased at launch for their full retail price. However, Bandai Namco - along with Star Wars creator Lucasfilm - clearly feels that there's a market for gaming hardware that costs more than your average car, as it has just...
News Curve Digital Discounts Wii U Titles By 50% in Europe
As some compensation for the lack of a Humble Nindie Bundle
Since the Humble Nindie Bundle prompted some grumbling about its Americas-only availability, gamers in other regions such as Europe have simply had to gaze on enviously at the deal on offer. Curve Digital, which has three games in the promotion, has therefore launched discounts on some of...
Rumour TT Games Currently Working On Minecraft Rival Called Lego Worlds
Blockbuster?
Minecraft has often been described as virtual Lego, and we've even had crossover Lego sets based on the popular video game. However, it now looks like the Danish toymaker is taking on Mojang directly with its own world-building title. The flyer shown above apparently shipped inside a new Lego toy set, and appears to show the next Lego...
Video The Game Theorists Plot Out Mario's Timeline and Family Bloodline
Yikes
We've shared some videos from popular YouTubers The Game Theorists in the past, yet the latest theory is easily the most ambitious yet; pretty entertaining, too. Using some logic the channel's team produces a timeline for every main-series Mario title, and then goes even further by plotting out bloodlines for Mario, Luigi and even Donkey...
News Square Enix Has Trademarked Bravely Second In Europe
Is a localisation announcement on the horizon?
Square Enix’s highly-acclaimed fantasy JRPG, Bravely Default, was a critical hit here in the west when it was released in 2013. With the release of the sequel in Japan last month, the real question now is when will Bravely Second be localised? In an exciting development, Square Enix has just...
May also own the brand, as well
German publisher Koch Media - the parent company of Deep Silver - has recently filed a video game-related trademark for Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night, which would appear to confirm that the company is handling publishing duties for the forthcoming title. Created by Koji "IGA" Igarashi, Bloodstained is the...
News This Kickstarter Project About Competitive Pokémon Players Wants To Be The Very Best
A story worth sharing
Often misinterpreted as a video game series exclusively for a younger demographic, Pokémon is arguably one of the most complex titles ever created. With plenty of hidden stats and a seemingly unlimited combination of pocket monsters to match up, the amount of depth on offer at a competitive level is simply unrivalled. If you...
News Miiverse Splatoon Sweepstakes Gives Artistic Fans in the US a Chance to Win the Game
Best Buy also hosting a special StreetPass event this weekend
Nintendo of America occasionally throws some extra details into its Nintendo Download Update press release, one of which is promoting a current Splatoon sweepstakes on Miiverse. It's one for creative gamers that fancy sharing a drawing for the shooter on the social network, and it's...
News New Mac App Transforms Your Boring Work Into A Level From Super Mario Bros.
Warp out of boredom
Those of you currently in gainful employment which involves sitting behind a desk for most of your waking day will surely concur that staring endlessly at spreadsheets and graphs gets boring real quick. Thankfully, a solution may yet be at hand to resolve your workplace funk - and it involves Nintendo's famous mascot Mario,...
News FullBlast is Bringing Some Shmup Action to the European Wii U eShop Soon
Save humanity, shoot everything
Retro may be the 'new' new, but the humble shmup seems to be loved a little less than other genres, especially in terms of Wii U and 3DS releases. EnjoyUp and UFO Crash Games are hoping to fill a gap with FullBlast, however, which is making its way to the Wii U eShop; in fact, it arrives in Europe on 4th June with a...
Wednesday27th May 2015
Prepare to dye
Nintendo is generally relatively circumspect and cautious when introducing new IPs, but considering the pedigree the company has to uphold it's understandable that it doesn't wish to dilute its iconic brand with a torrent of forgettable franchises. Splatoon is unusual in that sense, then, and it's a game that brings a huge amount of...
Exclusive Slightly Mad Studio Head Ian Bell Sets The Record Straight On Project CARS Wii U
"It was always 'maybe' as we had no knowledge of the system"
Slightly Mad Studios recently launched Project CARS on next-gen consoles and PC to positive reviews and encouraging sales. A truly unique racing title, it was crowdfunded by the community in a process which pre-dated the now-popular Kickstarter approach. The route to market has been a...
Weirdness Lorry Thieves Make Off With Splatoon Special Editions in Europe
These guys were pros
Update: Nintendo UK has now provided the following statement: We can confirm that the lorry transporting the Splatoon stock from Nintendo's European warehouse to GAME UK has been stolen. Included as part of this delivery was GAME's allocation of the Splatoon + Squid Inkling amiibo and as a result we are unable to honour...
News Pearl White Is The Latest New Nintendo 3DS XL Colour, Arrives In Japan On 11th June
Launches alongside Rhythm Tengoku: The Best Plus
Nintendo has revealed a Pearl White New 3DS XL will be released in Japan on 11th June alongside the launch of the latest entry in the Rhythm Heaven series, Rhythm Tengoku: The Best Plus. Pearl White joins the existing New 3DS XL colours Metallic Blue and Metallic Black. Let us know in the comments...
News Nintendo Wanted To Make Its Humble Bundle A Global Offer, Expects To Do So "Eventually"
"Tried for months to make it global"
Nintendo surprised pretty much everyone by announcing its own Humble Bundle yesterday, albeit one which is sadly limited to North America. Non-American players are already making their displeasure felt on social networks such as Twitter and Facebook, and while the disappointment of missing out on this amazing...
News Nintendo Of America Joins Snapchat And Periscope In Time For E3 2015
Slow and steady
Even after the launch of its very own service – Miiverse – for Wii U & 3DS, Nintendo is still warming to the concept of social media at a rather slow pace. Facebook and Twitter have proven the house of Mario is to some extent willing to connect with its fan base while at the same time provide updates, announcements and...
"Not just about fighting, but about diplomacy and forming treaties"
Remember Devil's Third? At last year's E3 the game was confirmed as a Wii U exclusive, but we've seen precious little of it since then - a strange situation when you consider it that many assumed it would be launching this year. While little has been seen of the game, creator...
News Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night Gets a Wii U Stretch Goal
Wii U port will be handled by Armature Studio if the goal is reached
A couple weeks ago, industry veteran Koji Igarashi revealed his latest project to the world, Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night. The hotly anticipated game will follow the adventure of a character named Miriam as she explores a dark, gothic castle infested with a vast array of...
Thursday28th May 2015
News Natsume Planning Wii U and 3DS E3 Reveals, More Harvest Moon DLC and Loads of GBA VC Games
Crikey
Natsume is an ever-present on Nintendo hardware, it seems, and it's got plenty of content on the way, sharing the happy news through its 'CeeCee' Tumblr page. For starters it seems the company will be busy at E3, and announcements at the show will include news for 3DS and Wii U gamers. There'll be "something for the Harvest Moon fans", too...
Wednesday27th May 2015
News Cool Down With a Splatoon-Inspired Froyo This Summer
No food fights please!
No doubt you'll be joining us in playing the excellent Splatoon throughout the Summer, and if you are lucky enough to live in Canada you'll even be able to cool off with Splatoon-inspired frozen yoghurt and sorbets - courtesy of a team-up with Nintendo Canada and Yogurty's and Yogen Fruz. Starting on the 1st of June until the...
News Humble Nindie Bundle Sells Over 37,000 Units in Just 24 Hours
Over $340,000 raised and counting
Nintendo of America and key Indie partners caused a stir recently when the Humble Nindie Bundle was unveiled, which allows eShop gamers in the Americas - it's not available in PAL territories - to pay what they want for a batch of excellent Wii U and 3DS games. If you pay over certain limits you get more games. To...
News Pokémon Shuffle Brings Major Changes in Version 1.2
More hearts, 'Super Catch' mode and woe for cheats
Pokémon Shuffle, the seemingly endless free-to-play match-three title on 3DS, has had plenty of updates, yet version 1.2 is now available and offers one of the most notable shake-ups to date. When trying to check-in you'll be told of a mandatory update, and in Europe the 686 block size suggests...
News RCMADIAX Announces Three New Titles For The Wii U eShop, Arriving In North America This Summer
Super Robo Mouse is also back in development
After reportedly moving away from Nintendo eShop development, the creator of Spikey Walls, RCMADIAX, returns to the Wii U eShop this summer with the announcement of a trio of titles for North America. The previously revealed Color Bombs is a chain reaction game, Don't Crash requires quick reflexes to...
News Assault Android Cactus is Blasting Its Way to Wii U This Summer
Frantic twin-stick shooting
Assault Android Cactus has been in the works for quite some time, originally going on the expo circuit in Fall / Autumn 2013. It's an intense twin-stick shooter from Witch Beam, a small team of experienced developers based in Australia. Way back in September 2013 we gave some hands on impressions from the early access PC...
News Be As Stunning As A Squid With This Fashionable Splatoon Attire In Girls Mode 3
Fabulous, inkling!
It appears the latest entry in the Girls Mode series (known locally as Style Savvy or New Style Boutique depending on where you live) will be borrowing outfits from the fashionably streetwise inklings featured in Splatoon. With a large list of clothing and accessories already available in Girls Mode 3: Kira Kira Code, this latest...
Interview GungHo's Daisuke Yamamoto Talks Puzzle & Dragons: Super Mario Bros. Edition
"Imagine being able to make a game with such a world-renowned designer"
Nintendo recently launched Puzzle & Dragons: Super Mario Bros. Edition and Puzzle & Dragons Z on the Nintendo 3DS, a double-pack which not only contains one of the most popular puzzle RPGs of recent memory but also showcases a unique Nintendo take on the formula,...
Video These Rhythm Tengoku: The Best Plus Trailers Will Have You Bopping In Your Seat
The haircuts are pretty rad, too
Rhythm Tengoku: The Best Plus launches in Japan on June 11th, and Nintendo has released a couple of new trailers which show off two of the title's mini-games. The trailers are as infectious as the game itself, and if you're anything like us then you'll be bopping along to the music despite the fact that you're...
News Developer Pleased with Sales of Retro City Rampage: DX on 3DS
The "best-selling-at-full-price port"
With Nintendo platform indie games taking an unprecedented place on the Humble Bundle in North America, attention has focused on deals. Developer Vblank Entertainment, however, is expressing happiness with how their game sells at full price. The Twitter account for Retro City Rampage states that, even though...
News Mega Ran Prepares for UK Tour After a Crazy Year
"I'm determined to make time to do some touristy stuff"
North American hip-hop artist Random AKA Mega Ran is well known on the music scene thanks to his cutting edge retro-styled beats. Since the creation of his alter-ego Mega Ran, this former teacher has become one of the premier artists in hip-hop's nerdcore genre, released multiple albums,...
News MouseCraft Will Hope to Make Some Cheese on the Wii U eShop
Lemmings meets Tetris
The list of Indie titles heading to the Wii U eShop has expanded once again, with studio Crunching Koalas confirming that MouseCraft will come to the Wii U eShop in Fall / Autumn this year. It's described as a blend of Tetris and Lemmings, as you place blocks as paths and obstacles to guide three blind mice to safety;...
Tuesday26th May 2015
News Humble Nindie Bundle Allows Wii U and 3DS eShop Gamers in North America to Pay What They Want
It's happened
Well, it's happened, and it's quite a landmark for the Wii U and 3DS eShop and a few key developers. The latest Humble Bundle - which groups games together and allows you to pay what you want to unlock some or all of what's on offer - is currently offering up the Humble Nindie Bundle in the Americas; unfortunately gamers in other...
Wednesday27th May 2015
Weirdness Luigi Defeats All Level 9 Opponents in Super Smash Bros. for Wii U By Doing Nothing
What a BOSS
Luigi may not adorn the front of many game boxes, nor have the prominent role of his bro Mario, but for a hardy group of fans - including this writer - he's always number one. It's the underdog spirit, being the other brother, that makes him easy to root for. Of course, his mannerisms and style make him perfect for the weird world of...
Tuesday26th May 2015
Nintendo Download 28th May (Europe)
Splatoon, Fossil Fighters, Strangeness, an imported retro treat and more
Much later than normal due to a public Holiday, we finally have this week's Nintendo Download Update details for Europe. There's a hotly anticipated Wii U retail exclusive, of course, while there's also a retail arrival on 3DS. Wii U owners have more options with an intriguing...
Wii U's fate seemingly sealed for the HD Resi re-releases
The Nintendo exclusive, Resident Evil Zero, was well received by fans and critics alike when it was originally released on the GameCube in 2002. The Wii port – released in 2008 – did not receive the same level of applause. This particular entry in Capcom's long-running survival horror...
A race that may never end
Eternal Darkness: Sanity's Requiem wasn't a commercial smash hit on GameCube, but it certainly had a notable impact on those that experienced it, becoming a name that still causes ripples of excitement among some Nintendo fans. Its unique approach and meta-elements delivered some genuine creativity, establishing it as a...
Video Discover What Happens When Yoshis Meet amiibo In This New Yoshi’s Woolly World Trailer
Turn that cuteness dial up to eleven
Yoshi's Woolly World is only a month away from its European launch, which takes place on the 26th June. As we said in our preview yesterday, when you throw in the stunning visuals, quirky and charming design and a lovely soundtrack, it becomes apparent that Woolly World is the real deal - a game crafted with care...
Weirdness Find Out If You Are A Squid With This Splatoon Infographic
We’ve got an inkling you might not be
Nintendo's squid-based shooter Splatoon arrives later this week on the Wii U. After a series of online-stress tests and adverts doubling as music videos, Nintendo now wants to know if you are a squid, or if you're ju
Review Nihilumbra (Wii U eShop)
Nothing and everything
Nihilumbra is an existentialist platforming-fan's dream, with plenty of puzzles and unsettling presentation to make players feel isolated and challenged by their environment. Though the title's arrival is a tad late on Wii U, it is nonetheless admirable how much life developer Beautifun Games has breathed into this adventure...
Weirdness The Game Boy XXL Makes The New Nintendo 3DS XL Look Puny
Supersize GB
Sometimes it feels like electronics manufacturers these days are all totally obsessed with the miniaturisation of their products. We recently got the iPhone 6 Plus and the New Nintendo 3DS XL... erm, actually, it's probably best to stop there. Let's be honest, the original Game Boy was always a reassuring brick in stature; not exactly...
Simple works on phones, and the early NES era epitomises that style
Being a gamer on the wrong side of 30 that uses YouTube to keep up with a modest list of subscribed channels, this humble writer was unaware of PAC-MAN 256 until earlier today when a press release plopped into an inbox. A celebration of Pac-Man's 35th Anniversary? Sweet! It's on...
News Dragon Quest VIII Won't Support The 3DS Console's Autostereoscopic Display
An adventure in two dimensions
Square Enix made a lot of Dragon Quest fans happy - Japanese ones, at least - when it confirmed that it would be bringing the eighth game in the series to the Nintendo 3DS. However, there's a bit of bad news to report - the forthcoming RPG won't include autostereoscopic 3D support. We can only assume this move has...
News Pokémon White Version 2 Proves to be Super Effective in UK Charts
Bank holiday sales fun
The Spring Bank Holiday weekend has now passed in the UK, and with it retailers were eagerly running promotions and discounts to tempt shoppers to spend some cash. Game retail was no different, and as a result the most recent UK chart results have brought some interesting positions. From a Nintendo perspective the strangest...
News Cabbage Is The Dream Nintendo Game That Never Was
Shigesato Itoi, Shigeru Miyamoto and Tsunekazu Ishi all involved
We recently ran a feature on Star Fox 2, one of Nintendo's most famous cancelled projects. This SNES-based sequel had all the ingredients to be a sure-fire classic, but never made it to market. However, there's another game in the company's past which had the potential to be even more...
News The Great Ace Attorney Has Awesome Box Art in Japan
We still reckon this'll be eShop only in the West, though
The Great Ace Attorney is shaping up to be a rather neat new entry in the famous Capcom franchise, going back to 19th Century England and teaming up Phoenix Wright's ancestor with Sherlock Holmes. If that's not a concept that gets your blood pumping, then you may not be a fan of the series...
Hands On Disney Infinity 3.0's Twilight Of The Republic Brings The Star Wars Saga To Wii U
The Force is strong in this one
After much anticipation we finally got our hands on the Star Wars levels in Disney Infinity 3.0 in London last week. There's a little time before launch still but the headline here is that things feel very polished and locked down already - we came away very impressed. Having had a play with the Toy Box game-creator...
News Extreme Exorcism is Creeping Onto the Wii U eShop Soon
I ain't afraid of no ghosts!
The good folks at UK-based Ripstone Publishing have teamed up with indie devs Golden Ruby Games to bring the paranormal platformer and spooky party game Extreme Exorcism to the Wii U eShop later this year. Not for the faint hearted, Extreme Exorcism is an arena platformer where every move you make comes back to haunt...
News Image & Form Unveils the First Screenshots of SteamWorld Heist on 3DS
Steamy
SteamWorld Heist is the eagerly anticipated next release from Image & Form, which is heading to Wii U, 3DS and practically every format available. All of the screens and footage shown to date have been for the HD version, yet now the studio's unveiled the first screens for the portable iteration on 3DS. The big positive is that, just...
News Etrian Odyssey 2 Untold: The Fafnir Knight Heading to Europe on 12th February 2016
NIS America wants you to know REALLY early
Etrian Odyssey 2 Untold: The Fafnir Knight was recently confirmed for an early 2016 release in Europe, with NIS America doing the welcome job of localisation. While that localisation of Atlus games often causes delays for the EU region, there's an element of simply being grateful that 3DS titles such as...
Gallery Check Out Another Three Exclusive 3DS Screens for SteamWorld Heist
Including a Swab Hat, which is swell
Earlier today Image & Form unveiled the first 3DS screenshots for SteamWorld Heist, showing how the 2D strategy title will shrink down onto the portable. First impressions are pretty positive - we think, anyway - and we can see how the bottom screen will be utilised for control tips, swapping between team...
Weirdness Indie Hit Progress Gets Ported to the Humble Game Boy
Now that's progress
Indie developer Ludosity is well known for developing fun games for tablets and smartphones, but now it seems to be taking its first steps to porting one of its games to Nintendo hardware - just not the Nintendo system which you might have assumed! Speaking to our chums at AppSpy at this year's Nordic Game show, the developer...
News Tic Toc’s Adventures Of Pip For Wii U eShop Arrives In North America On 11th June
No information regarding a European release at this point in time
Update: Just days after the latest release announcement, Tic Toc Games have revealed Adventures of Pip will now be arriving next week in North America on 4th June. Original: Last month Tic Toc Games announced its Kickstarter project, Adventures of Pip, was scheduled to release in...
Monday25th May 2015
"At the moment we're running at about 23FPS on the Wii U"
Project CARS is out now on PC, PS4 and Xbox One, performing well in early sales indicators. It was a project that suffered its share of delays, and the Wii U version was pushed back the most and given a loose '2015' window. Developer Slightly Mad Studios and publisher Bandai Namco have been...
Feature Yoshi's Woolly World, Like Kirby's Epic Yarn Before It, Offers Unique Chill-Out Platforming
All platformer fans should want this game
Though its release in Europe is still a month away, Nintendo has certainly been keen to let the media get their hands on Yoshi's Woolly World. We already gave you a written and video preview for the game in late April, but without spoiling too many specifics we thought we'd provide a follow-up to explain...
Another Japan-only release gets localised
When you say Westone, you think Wonder Boy. The recently-defunct Japanese studio created a series of amazing action-RPG titles for Sega which have since become legendary slices of retro gaming, but outside of that particular franchise the company's work is somewhat less well known - at least in the West...
Tuesday26th May 2015
News Super Metroid Was Planned As An Extra In Metroid Prime Before Nintendo Had It Removed
A third-party emulator ended the dream
It may seem like distant history now, but there was a relatively recent time when the Virtual Console was merely an idea rattling around in Nintendo HQ. Super Metroid is one classic that's now been available to buy on two separate occasions, but there was a time when it was almost a bonus feature in a more...
Monday25th May 2015
News Gawk at the Dragon Quest VIII Promotional Poster and Screens
We're still waiting for Dragon Quest VII to be localised
It was only recently that Square Enix announced a port of Dragon Quest VIII for the 3DS, continuing its efforts to tap into that PS2-era nostalgia for the franchise. That announcement was only for Japan, however, and we still haven't seen localisation of Dragon Quest VII yet in the West...
Feature Go Fast - An Ode To The Glorious Chaos Of F-Zero
Gonçalo Lopes explains why he will be hoping for a new F-Zero at E3 2015
Colours. Music. The Captain. Speed. Very, very fast speed. Those are the things that race to my mind when anyone mentions "F-Zero". I am also quite certain my eyes widen and sparkle a bit. Is it just a series of games? Not to me. Off to the starting grid… Knight League:...
News Three More Pokémon 3DS HOME Themes Heading to Europe This Week
Eeveelutions on a theme
Pokémon remains as one of Nintendo's most bankable hits and important franchises, so naturally it'll continue to be a reliable presence for the big N. It's so popular it has its own category on the 3DS HOME Theme Shop, for example, with 'mon fans having a decent range to choose from. 3DS owners in Europe have three more on...
News Unity 5 Support Underway for Wii U, Though First Releases Not Due Until After Fall
Earlier releases stick to existing version 4 build
It's not that long ago that Unity Technologies unveiled Unity 5, the latest major upgrade in the widely used game engine. It brings improved development capabilities and the potential for more detailed visuals. Unveiling a new engine doesn't mean immediate support for all confirmed platforms,...
Ninterview Patrick Scott Patterson is Geared Up For the Nintendo World Championships Qualifiers
"For me personally this is as awesome of a scenario as could be"
Patrick Scott Patterson (also known by some as OriginalPSP) is familiar to plenty of gamers, especially those that follow his reports on retro gaming and world records; he also has a strong record of media appearances talking about the medium as a whole. His public gaming history goes...
Review Shapes of Gray (Wii U eShop)
Murky depths
You see two objects in a circular gray field, as if looking in through an electron microscope. Move the left stick and you'll find out which object is you. Hit buttons until you reach the shoulders or triggers and find out you're not just a little blob, but a little blob with a sword. Strike the other geometric creature in sight and...
News Pokémon Shuffle Hits Four Million Downloads and Launches Shaymin Event
Keep on shuffling
We don't know how much money Pokémon Shuffle is earning for Nintendo, but it's certainly tempting a decent number of 3DS owners to try it out for free. The tile-matching game has now reached 4 million downloads, which certainly isn't a number to be sniffed at. The game is celebrating through new events - on the one hand it's...
Sunday24th May 2015
Talking Point The Fragility of Buying Download Games
Download stores have changed what it means to own a game
During the last console generation we saw a leap in the prominence of online connectivity in games; one of the major things to emerge from this shift was the rise of digital games and storefronts. It became easier than ever for Indies to reach larger audiences as the barriers to console...
Reaction There is a Positive Angle to Nintendo's Splatoon Global Testfire Issues
Lessons learnt
When Nintendo announced the first round of Splatoon Global Testfire sessions we described the idea as a clever Nintendo Direct highlight, as it achieved multiple goals. It created 'event'-style hype, gave curious Wii U owners a look at the game, and also allowed Nintendo to stress-test the online component with an audience of a decent...
Check that guitar solo
It's been a bit of a Splatoon weekend, so we thought we'd wrap it up with a couple of neat little snippets based on the game. Well, one is particularly cool, one may get a mixed reception. First up we have some outfits for those of you still checking into Animal Crossing: New Leaf on a regular basis, with some user created...
Monday25th May 2015
Weirdness You Can Buy About 300 Copies of Jurassic Park on SNES for $1500
Fridge and Bacardi not included
It's no secret that we find some corners of eBay rather baffling - whether it's scalpers flogging pre-orders or just downright goofy goods, it's a Wild West of commerce. This example is certainly the latter, as it celebrates the upcoming Jurassic World movie in the most bizarre way possible. As you can see below, you...
Saturday23rd May 2015
Live Splatoon Global Testfire - Final Round!
The actual last hurrah
We thought the last Splatoon Global Testfire would be on 9th May, but Nintendo is treating us to one more session with the colourful shooter before launch. We've embedded a guide to the demo and will be blogging and chatting live. Let the splatting begin! [liveblog=live_splatoon_global_testfire_-_final_round]#Splatoon
Sunday24th May 2015
News Splatoon Global Testfire Suffers Major Problems in Final Pre-Launch Session
Splatoon Global Backfire
Update: Surprisingly, servers re-opened shortly after the session was due to close, with connection issues initially intermittent before performance improved to near-perfect levels. Nintendo formally extended the session to 5pm Pacific / 8pm Eastern / 1am UK / 2am CET, with that extra hour largely running as smoothly as the...
Saturday23rd May 2015
Fashion A Young Reader Shows That Style Matters in Splatoon
"Splatoon Rocks"
Splatoon has various strengths to appeal to gamers of all ages, from its colourful aesthetic to hugely effective controls, and also its blend of shooting for kills and covering the ground. Another strength is fashion. There are clothes, hats, sneakers and even trendy glasses so you can look good when splatting opponents. Fashion...
Feature What the Heck is Puzzle & Dragons? - A Brief History, and Why Mario Got Involved
Match three with a difference
YouTube recently released a presser in anticipation of its 10th anniversary. Listed in acknowledgement of the milestone were several "top 10's", including the top 10 most viewed video game videos, as ranked by watch time: Minecraft Grand Theft Auto (series) League of Legends Call of Duty (series) FIFA (series) Garry's...
News Little Devil Inside Hits Its Target and is Coming to Wii U
Made it with two days to spare
Little Devil Inside is a success story on Kickstarter based not on the heritage and star power of its developers, but through the quality of the pitch. Having previously hit its goal of $250,000AUD, it's now successfully passed its Wii U stretch goal of $270,000AUD with two days to spare. If you missed it before, this...
News Pokémon Rumble World is One of the Top 10 'Trending' Games on YouTube
Free-to-view
We've written in the past that Nintendo's successes on YouTube are only sporadic, perhaps as a result of the company's arguably old-fashioned approach to allowing coverage of its games. Nevertheless, there's a surprise entry in a list of 'trending' games on the video service for April. The definition of 'trending' is games "that saw...
Friday22nd May 2015
Video Get The Best Picture From Your NES With This Comprehensive Guide
Retro refinement
Whether you're hoping to dig into some more obscure titles, or want to fully relive the days of flickering tv screens and boxy controllers, there's still plenty to be said for hooking up the original NES and getting a properly authentic experience. Unfortunately, Nintendo's first home console isn't the easiest to work with if you're...
News An Impressive 1.79 Million Players Have Crossed Swords With Fire Emblem: Awakening
...as of December 2014
Fire Emblem has traditionally struggled to make much of an impact in the West - we didn't even get to experience the franchise until the days of the Game Boy Advance - but it would appear that the turn-based series has finally caught the attention of players outside of Japan. A new promotional page has just gone live in Japan...
Review Swords & Soldiers II (Wii U eShop)
A tasty treat
In the Swords & Soldiers universe Vikings are obsessed with barbecue and spicy food, which is a curious spin on history if ever we've seen it. Such is the nature of this cartoonish and lighthearted franchise, which now receives its second entry as a Wii U eShop exclusive. Swords & Soldiers II is as complex a proposition as the...
Video Sonic Boom: Rise of Lyric Blame Could Largely Be With SEGA, Not Big Red Button
Seg-ah
Sonic Boom didn't do well on any metric; its sales failed to match those of fellow Nintendo exclusive Sonic Lost World, and it was panned by many critics and Sonic fans alike. Like any project it has its defenders, but many are agreed that it was a major disappointment, with Sonic Boom: Rise of Lyric on Wii U being the biggest culprit. It...
Video What Do You Get When You Combine Mario Kart and Mad Max?
Mario Kart: Fury Road
It's the movie that everyone is talking about right now, Mad Max: Fury Road, starring Tom Hardy, Charlize Theron and Nicholas Hoult. Whilst you might not expect any crossover between this post apocalyptic world and the mushroom kingdom all it takes is some choice edits of blue shells, mushrooms and banana skins to the film's...
Hands On Disney Infinity Toy Box 3.0 Brings A Fresh Mario Kart Rival To Wii U
Sumo Digital works its magic once more
Getting hands-on with the Toy Box for Disney Infinity 3.0 was more than a little interesting, not least because of the Star Wars content and characters therein. At an event in London yesterday we had a chance to experiment with the new game creator as well as try both the Toy Box Takeover adventure and Toy Box...
News Little Devil Inside is Close to Bringing Its Adventure to Wii U
Better the devil you know
There have been some high-profile Kickstarter successes recently, though some are still more modest - but impressive - achievements from relative unknowns. Little Devil Inside by Neostream is one such example of the latter, having raised nearly $260,000 AUD at the time of writing to pass its $250,000 AUD goal. This...
News The Most Recent Media Create Japanese Charts Brought the Lowest Sales Since 2001
Tough times
The Media Create Japanese chart results for this week were particularly bad, with lousy software numbers and falling hardware sales. Nintendo had enjoyed a strong few weeks in terms of units sold and number of games in the top 20, yet the overall numbers were so low this time that little cheer could be taken; the fresh release from...
News Natsume Is Bringing Two Arc System Works Titles To North America In July & August
More love for the eShop
Publisher of the Harvest Moon series, Natsume, has announced it has partnered with Arc System Works to release two titles for Nintendo's eShop platform in North America over the coming months. Gotcha Racing, coming to the 3DS this July, is a top-down racing game where players gather parts from capsule machines to build a...
News Physics Puzzler Q.U.B.E: Director's Cut Coming To Wii U eShop This Summer
New story, soundtrack and voice acting
Remember Q.U.B.E.? This physics-based puzzler was announced as coming to the Wii U a few years ago, but we've heard little since - until now, that is. Publisher GRIP Games has confirmed that Nintendo's console is still getting the game, but instead of the standard edition will be blessed with the...
Video This New PoPoLoCrois: Harvest Moon Trailer Will Scratch Your Fantasy Life Itch
Who needs Fantasy Life 2 anyway?
PoPoLoCrois: Harvest Moon is a mash-up of two famous Japanese RPGs and is coming to Japanese Nintendo 3DS systems on June 18th. Another trailer has just been released in Japan which shows off some gameplay footage, as well as some charming animated sequences. While the Harvest Moon series needs no introduction, the...
News Nintendo UK Planning Massive Marketing Push For Splatoon
Get ready for a campaign that will rival that of Mario Kart 8
Nintendo UK has big plans for forthcoming Wii U shooter Splatoon, and has confirmed that it has a marketing push in the works which will match that of Mario Kart 8, one of the console's most successful games. Plans include digital billboards, cinema ads ahead of Tomorrowland and Mad Max,...
Nintendo Life Weekly Metroid Fan Prequel, UCraft, Pokémon Super Mystery Dungeon
News, reviews, the whole kazoo
Keeping up with everything amidst a busy lifestyle is a tricky task, so once again we've condensed all of the top news stories, reviews, releases, and videos from the past week into one convenient audio-visual treat. This week we take a look at news surrounding Pokémon Super Mystery Dungeon, the infamous UCraft, a...
News Waka-Waka-Well I Never, Pac-Man Turns 35 Today
Everyone's favourite pill-popper is all grown up
Mario and Sonic may be two of gaming's most recognisable faces but even they are young pups when compared to the true elder statesman of interactive entertainment: Pac-Man. 35 years ago, Namco released Toru Iwatani's seminal title in Japanese arcades and began a gaming legend which endures even to...
News Inazuma Eleven GO: Light & Shadow Kicks Off In Australia And New Zealand July 18th
Better late than never
Level 5’s Inazuma Eleven game series has shipped more than 7 million copies worldwide since kick-off in 2008. Last year the latest localised entry in the series arrived on the 3DS in Europe as a dual release part of the second trilogy. With football steadily on the rise in the land of the Socceroos and All Whites, it’s...
News Tappingo 2 Close to European Release
Aiming for June
Puzzle games and the 3DS eShop are old, familiar allies - small screens suit leisurely puzzling, and there are some clever titles that scratch that itch on the system. Tappingo is one, which provides its own twist on a Picross-esque formula. Of course Tappingo 2 has been out in North America for a while, and we rather liked it in...
News RymdResa Looks Like an Intriguing Pixelated Space Odyssey
Explore forever, and ever, and ever...
Occasionally the Wii U eShop attracts small developers not just for its increasingly solid support for 'Nindies', but due to the hardware's flexible control options - by which we really mean the GamePad. Titles developed with PC and/or smart device controls in mind can be supported in unique ways with the...
Thursday21st May 2015
News A Totally Complete Version Of Star Fox 2 Really Does Exist
And we're not talking about fan-made patched prototype ROMs, either
Later today, we'll be running an exclusive interview with Q-Games boss Dylan Cuthbert, a key figure in the history of the Star Fox series - he worked on the SNES original, its cancelled sequel, Star Fox Command and the 3DS port of Star Fox 64. In our interview, Cuthbert reveals...
Nintendo Download 21st May (North America)
Swords & Soldiers II, classic Mega Man, Puzzle & Dragons and much more
It's that time again, slightly later than normal, for the North American Download Update details. This week brings a range of new options on Wii U, a number of which are exclusives, along with a 3DS retail release, the latest from CIRCLE Entertainment and a whole load of...
Reminder The Final Splatoon Global Testfire is on 23rd May
One more session before launch
Splatoon is creeping ever closer, but Nintendo is giving everyone one more chance to try out online matches for free. If you missed the news last week, here's a reminder. The final one hour Splatoon Global Testfire is on Saturday 23rd May at 3pm Pacific / 6pm Eastern / 11pm UK / midnight CET; not great times for those...
News The Latest Miiverse Update Has Users In An Uproar
Change can be difficult to accept
Since the launch of Miiverse on the Wii U in 2012, the social media platform has undergone a series of changes. Nintendo has provided its service with ongoing support in the form of regular updates. These updates have enhanced and refined the overall experience, and other fixes from time to time have focused on...
News Pokémon Super Mystery Dungeon is Adventuring to 3DS
'Super' is the new 'New'
The Pokémon Mystery Dungeon franchise is one of the better-known 'mon spin-offs, which had various entries on the DS and most recently Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Gates to Infinity on the 3DS; according to Nintendo the sub-series has sold over 13 million copies overall. The big N and the Pokémon Company International have...
News Wii U Stretch Goal Seemingly Teased for Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night
If you squint you can see it
When Koji Igarashi - the producer on classic Castlevania titles - teased a Kickstarter campaign, there was an unsurprising meltdown online. The eventual Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night Kickstarter campaign delivered what many hoped for - an action platformer that brings to mind the heritage of Igarashi-san's best work,...
A total of 6000 players
It's fair to say that the reaction to the Nintendo World Championships 2015 qualifiers has been less than positive; social media hasn't been kind on details of just eight participating stores. Our suspicion is that Nintendo of America will aim for the qualifiers to pass with minimal fuss and then focus minds of w
News Minecraft Clone Cube Life: Island Survival Confirmed For June Release, Launch Discount Revealed
60 percent off at launch
Minecraft clone Cube Life: Island Survival is coming to the North American and European Wii U eShops at the start of June, publisher Cypronia has told us. The title offers crafting with over 200 items and tools, wild animals to fend off, local inhabitants (which you'll be able to trade with or slaughter, depending on your...
News Don't Starve: Giant Edition to Come With Extra Gift Copy at Launch
European release date also confirmed
Don't Starve: Giant Edition has featured prominently in Wii U eShop sizzle reels and upcoming release lists, and is now confirmed to come with an extra incentive. It'll arrive in North America next week on 28th May, and a week later in Europe on 4th June; all copies bought before 28th June will also receive a...
News Splatoon's Iwata Asks Interview Considers Its Origins of Tofu, Rabbits and More
Iwata: "Well, I guess ink-an't be helped. (laughs)"
Splatoon isn't far away, arriving on 29th May on the Wii U, bringing its own blend of chaotic and colourful shooting. It's also a new IP, which is rare enough from Nintendo to be something worth mentioning, and there's certainly hype around the exclusive. Nintendo has now published a new Iwata...
Could the white Premium / Deluxe system finally make it to the West?
The poor old white 8GB Wii U, shunned by the majority of those buying Nintendo's system and victim to fire sales and obscurity. The issue wasn't, we suspect, the colour, but more the fact that it was a HD console with just 8GB of internal storage memory; 32GB doesn't actually get...
The full Wii U version is finally coming
While completing work on the full version for Wii U, Nintendo released Art Academy: SketchPad in August 2013 to tide over creative gamers for a short spell. The full Art Academy then missed its 2014 release target, prompting some concerns it had been sidelined; those worries can now be laid to rest with the...
Parent Trap Code Name S.T.E.A.M. Makes Chess Players Of Us All
Family Gamer's Andy Robertson on old and new turn-based strategy
Code Name S.T.E.A.M. creates a knife edge multiplayer challenge for families with as much to commend it as Chess. Fighting talk I know, but this 3DS game made me reconsider how I see (and limit) video games in the home. While few have ambitions for their children to get really good at...
News Icy Wind Games Set To Release Action-Adventure Title "Heroes, Help!" On Wii U In Q1 2016
Brought to you by an indie studio based in Sweden
The new two-man Stockholm-based indie studio, Icy Wind Games, is set to release its upcoming action-adventure Wii U title – Heroes, Help! – in Q1 2016. The top down title featuring 4-player local co-op involves travelling through a wide range of environments and fighting large amounts of enemies...
Wednesday20th May 2015
Review New Super Mario Bros. (Wii U eShop / DS)
LittleBigKingdom
When New Super Mario Bros. released for the Nintendo DS back in 2006, it had been roughly 15 years since the portly plumber starred in a proper 2D platformer. Not only that, but side-scrollers in general had been largely ignored since 1996, when the Nintendo 64 hit the market and assured us that 3D gaming was the way of the future...
Editorial The eShop's Pricing Dilemma is the Fault of Many, But Damages Creativity and Risk Taking
More for less isn't sensible or fair
There's a worrying trend at present, in which ambitious and creative independent developers announce a sizeable Wii U exclusive, and then have to defend their pricing. That's happened twice in recent times with Affordable Space Adventures and - this week - Swords & Soldiers II. We've also had a reliable...
Exclusive eShop Publishers Are Dropping Releases In Germany Due To Low Sales And Cost Of USK Rating
Smaller indies also struggling to make a living on Nintendo systems
We've reported on the less-than-ideal nature of global age ratings in the past, and what they mean for indie developers attempting to make a living on Nintendo's systems. Releasing a game internationally isn't a simple matter of pushing a button; age ratings must be granted in every...
News We Have An Inkling These Amazing Splatoon Shirts Will Be Popular
Stay fresh
Japanese clothing firm King of Games is releasing a range of Splatoon gear, and boy do we want it all. The range of shirts - all based on designs seen in the forthcoming Wii U shooter - go on sale on June 13th for 4,259 Yen a pop, which is about $35 / £22 / €31. You can view the range by clicking one of the thumbnail images below...
News Nintendo of America's Newest Recruit Is Bowser
But not the one you're thinking of
Nintendo of America has a new Vice President of Sales with a name that will be instantly familiar with fans of Mario. Before you get your hopes up, it's not who you think. Doug Bowser - not that Bowser - joins Nintendo from Electronic Arts, where he was employed as Vice President of Global Business Planning. He...
News Unofficial Metroid Prequel Uses The Original NES Hardware To Impressive Effect
Metroid: Rogue Dawn is coming later this year
Will we see a new Metroid game at this year's E3? Fans will certainly hope so, but in the meantime we can all get excited about a fan-made prequel which uses the original NES hardware for that extra degree of authenticity. Metroid: Rogue Dawn takes the original title and hacks it apart, building an...
News This Is The Ultimate Way To Display Your Treasured amiibo
Aim for the flagpole
When you've got a massive collection of hard-to-find amiibo, you want to show them off as much as possible. Simply standing them on a shelf will do the job, but if you desire something with a little more flair, then may we politely suggest the Power A End Level Display? It's a replication of the famous flag jump from Super...
News Code Name S.T.E.A.M. Fails to Chart in Week of Poor Sales in Japan
Xenoblade Chronicles X clears 100,000 sales
In recent weeks there have been some decent game and hardware sales in Japan, so a tumble was always on the agenda. Even with that in mind, it's nevertheless been a rather lousy week of sales for Japanese retailers according to the latest Media Create results. Kicking off with the software charts, Final...
Review Mega Man Battle Network 3 Blue & White (Wii U eShop / GBA)
Gotta bust 'em all
The Mega Man Battle Network series was a brilliant idea from Capcom to offer a refreshing and unique departure from the classic action platformer, while still delivering a colourful and engaging gameplay experience. Though it wasn't the first time the Mega Man series flirted with becoming an RPG, it was by far the most...
News Brave The Water Temple In This Cosy Zelda-Themed Bath Robe
Even heroes need their downtime
Are you trying to relax after a particularly adventurous bath? Have you just poured yourself a cheeky potion and want to curl up in your Octorok-hide armchair for the evening? If you're the kind of person who wants to show off their undying loyalty to the land of Hyrule even while simply lounging around the house,...
News Samurai Warriors: Chronicles 3 Is Slashing Its Way Westward This June
Complete with Zelda and Link outfits
Koei Tecmo Europe has confirmed that it will be bringing Samurai Warriors: Chronicles 3 to the Nintendo 3DS this June. The game will form part of the company's MCM Comic Con London line-up, which takes place this weekend. The newest entry in the long-running Samurai Warriors series, this latest instalment has a...
News Hatsune Miku: Project Mirai DX Pushed Back To September, Special Edition Should Soften The Blow
AR cards and wallet chain, anyone?
Hatsune Miku: Project Mirai DX was supposed to be launching in the US and Europe this month, but Sega has just confirmed today that the title has been pushed back to September. To help alleviate some of the disappointment, the publisher has confirmed that a special edition version of the game will be making its...
Video Christopher Lloyd Revives Doc Brown Role in New LEGO Dimensions Trailer
Back to the Future, or the Past, the Future Past?
So, LEGO Dimensions, this is a game that know what it's got and isn't afraid to flaunt it. Aiming to sell LEGO toys and a new game to adults with disposable income? Simple, get Christopher Lloyd to revive his legendary Doc Brown role - and we mean legendary - for a commercial. Check and mate. The...
Video This Player Has A Great Chance If They Enter the Nintendo World Championships 2015
Just what Dr. Mario ordered
While the qualification rounds for Nintendo World Championships 2015 aren't quite the exciting event we hoped, it's good news for those that have mastered the relevant mode in NES Remix 2 or Ultimate NES Remix, the latter of which will be the version utilised in qualification. It mimics the original unique cartridge from...
News NPD Survey Outlines Bright Future For amiibo And Other Toys-To-Life Franchises
These toys mean business
Despite plenty of ongoing issues with stock shortages and sudden cancellations, we think it's fair to say that the amiibo range has been a fairly lucrative venture for Nintendo. Pre-orders for the latest wave sold out within an hour on the official UK store, and recent NPD Group findings show that this frantic interest among...
News Here's Your Next Helping Of Guitar Hero Live Tracks
A mix of old and new
Activision has released the next set of songs for its forthcoming music title, Guitar Hero Live. This week's helping includes shock rock outfit Marilyn Manson, newcomers Royal Blood and veteran outfit the Deftones. Here's this week's list: Royal Blood "Little Monster" Marilyn Manson "Disposable Teens" Killswitch Engage "In...
News The First Hardcore Gaming 101 Digest Aims To Chart The Impact Of Two Of Capcom's Greats
Strider and Bionic Commando go under the microscope
Hardcore Gaming 101 isn't just a great resource for retro gamers - it has also published some excellent physical books on our beloved hobby, including one which takes a look at Sega's arcade lineage and a comprehensive history of Konami's Castlevania. The site's next project is
News Nintendo Focusing on Multiplayer Fun at the 2015 MCM London Comic Con
Official UK store also coming, with Majora's Mask New 3DS XL stock
This weekend brings the 2015 MCM London Comic Con at the Excel, Royal Victoria Docks in London - the event is running from 22nd to 24th May. Nintendo UK is a regular at the event, and has announced its plans for its stand and events. As was the format in various 2014 expo...
News Harvest Moon: The Lost Valley For 3DS Launches In Australia On 20th June
Farming is life
Following in the footsteps of last November’s North American release, Nintendo has today announced, Harvest Moon: The Lost Valley, for 3DS will be released in Australia on 20th June. Players take control of a boy or girl and shape the land to create their very own farm. At the same time, players must tend to live stock, fulfil...
Tuesday19th May 2015
News 3DS Hack Removes the Need for Flashcards to Play ROMS and Supports GBA Games
Still limited to old firmware and requires Cubic Ninja
Over the past months we've kept track of some of the major developments in the 3DS hacking community, as they illustrate just how determined some are to access ROMS and / or homebrew, and likewise reinforces Nintendo's effectiveness at shutting down piracy through its security firmware. Hacks...
News More Club Nintendo Goodies Coming To The European Stars Catalogue
Kirby's Dream Blanket! Club Nintendo Goodbye Coin! More!
Club Nintendo is dead - long live Club Nintendo! Ahem, you'll have to forgive us for the rather needless quote, but it certainly springs to mind in this instance, as the endangered loyalty programme continues to offer up some interesting rewards. Nintendo Europe has today sent out emails to...
Less an event to capture social media, more one-off E3 show
Following Nintendo's outline of its E3 plans last week, we got rather optimistic and hopeful about the Nintendo World Championships 2015, stating that the E3 event could be just the beginning. We cited the ongoing success of the truly global Pokémon tournaments as a potential blueprint,...
Plays Sega, Nintendo and NEC games
We reviewed the RetroN 5 a while back and found it to be an excellent way of playing your original retro game cartridges in glorious HD. However, Hyperkin's wonder-console has a challenger in the shape of Cyber Gadget's Retro Freak - a clone system which out-does the RetroN 5 by offering support for PC Engine...
Rumour Customisable Mii Fighter amiibo Could Be On The Way
Keep a pinch of salt handy, just in case
Nintendo's range of amiibo toys has been a runaway success, shifting over 10 million units worldwide. It's hard to conceive of a way in which Nintendo could make the range even more commercially viable - aside from actually, you know, having stock - but this particular rumour has us thinking. An image has...
Just 8 locations for the whole of the US
When Nintendo announced its E3 plans, the Nintendo World Championships 2015 details were arguably the standout. Bringing back the iconic style of the 1990 equivalent, it certainly captured the imagination. Some of the tangible details have now been confirmed and, we suspect, may not go down particularly well...
Feature A Nintendo Fan's Guide to E3 2015
Plenty to see
The madness is on the way, with Los Angeles all set to host hundreds of exhibitors and thousands of attendees for E3 2015. While technically an expo like any other, it has become far more than that for game companies and their fans. It's a major centrepiece of any gaming year, and an opportunity for major publishers and developers to...
Update: now sold out
Update: These amiibo pre-orders sold out within an hour of publishing this article. Whether it's high demand, low stock levels or a mix of both, that's another wave of figures with pre-orders that have disappeared rapidly. Original Article: The waves of Super Smash Bros. amiibo keep coming, and UK collectors should certainly...
News Splatoon Hype Brings Squirt Guns and Manga
You brought the pizza, right?
Excitement for Splatoon is building like it's your upcoming 8th birthday party at Chuck E. Cheese's all over again, and some recent tie-ins are only adding to that sense of fun. Interested parties who haven't pre-ordered yet might want to consider heading to Target for their squid-based needs, if possible. An allegedly...
News Fire Emblem If Changes The Traditional Weapons Triangle
Remember to breathe...
Some ideas are so integral to series franchises that to change them can seem blasphemous; yet that doesn't stop Nintendo and affiliates from doing what they feel is right. It's often tweaking core mechanics in rather subtle ways, such as the will-he-won't-he triple jump appearing and disappearing from modern Mario games, and...
News Capcom Hoping For "Aggressive Digital Download Sales" Of Remastered Classics
Remember when new games were a thing?
Industry veteran Capcom has revealed that remastering past titles will be a key part of its business moving forward. In a recent Q&A session, the firm pointed to the success of the recent Resident Evil HD remaster, which became the fastest-selling title in PlayStation Network history. Capcom is planning...
News This 3DS Carry Case Has A StreetPass Window, Because Those Puzzle Pieces Won't Find Themselves
Say hello to the Signal Pouch
Is there a better feeling in life than pulling your beloved 3DS out of your bag and seeing that reassuring green glow which indicates that StreetPasses await within? No, no there is not. And now thanks to the industrious guys and gals at Keys Factory, you can protect your console yet still see quite clearly when there's...
News Ronimo Games Explains Pricing for Swords & Soldiers II
"There should be room for bigger, better and higher quality indie games"
Arriving this week, Swords & Soldiers II will be another Wii U eShop exclusive, following up on the popular WiiWare original which - eventually - also found its way to multiple platforms. This time around more is made of the Wii U's options with the GamePad, however, and as...
News Unseen64 Uncovers Concept Art Of Rare's Perfect Dark Project For GameCube
What could have been
Rare’s 2005 first-person shooter, Perfect Dark Zero, didn’t exactly match the legacy of the original game on the Nintendo 64. Development of the title began on the GameCube and was completed on the Xbox 360 when Microsoft acquired Rare and all of its licenses in 2002. The question that has since played on the minds of both...
Gallery Phoenix Wright, Axel From Streets of Rage and More Feature in New Project X Zone 2 Screens
Gloriously insane
Project X Zone 2 was a slightly surprising reveal in the last month, as the original on 3DS had performed reasonably but hadn't exactly lit up the charts. Nevertheless we have another bold crossover RPG featuring diverse characters from Capcom, SEGA and Bandai Namco; it's as crazy as it sounds. The cast for this latest entry will...
News Nintendo Wins Patent Battle Over Wii Balance Board
Its legal body was ready
Nintendo struck gold with the Wii, combining inexpensive technology with a motion controlled gaming hook that tens of millions of gamers found irresistible. That use of technology and the ludicrous profits it made naturally got the attention of other companies, however, with the home console and its accessories fighting a...
News Don't Starve: Giant Edition Arrives on the North American Wii U eShop on 28th May
Sate your hunger
It appears that 28th May will be a rather exciting day for Nintendo gamers. As you may have been aware, 28th May is the eve of Splatoon's launch; no doubt thousands of gamers will be keeping a few cans of energy drinks on hand as they get started on the game as soon as it launches at midnight. However, earlier in the day, the eShop...
News Japan Is Suiting Up For Another Super Robot Wars Title On 3DS
Robot rock
Super Robot Wars is a massive series in its native Japan and brings together many classic Mecha series into one convenient package. The latest entry in this long-running franchise has just been revealed by Famitsu, and goes by the title Super Robot Wars BX. It launches in Japan on August 20th for 6,640 yen. According to the report, the...
News NES Sports Title Tecmo Bowl Rated By The Australian Classification Board
Marks the title's Virtual Console debut in PAL regions
The NFL arcade game originally developed by Tecmo in 1987 and ported to the NES in 1989 is expected to arrive soon on the Virtual Console in PAL regions after it was recently rated by the Australian Classification Board. This will be the first time Tecmo Bowl has been released in this region as...
News Come Up With Witty One-Liners to Become a SteamWorld Heist Ambassador
Plagiarising Bender isn't an option
In recent weeks Image & Form has been keeping the fires burning for the planned Fall release of SteamWorld Heist, which is coming to various platforms including Wii U and 3DS. Its mix of 2D strategy, procedurally generated levels and a quirky premise have made it one of our most eagerly watching download...
News Samurai Defender Aims to Defend the Castle This Week, in North America, on the 3DS eShop
Tap and destroy
CIRCLE Entertainment certainly stays busy on the 3DS eShop, producing a whole range of releases both developed in-house and publishing the work of others, particularly studios based in Japan and the Far East. Some prove to be gems, certainly, while others are a little more modest in what they offer; nevertheless, the portable's eShop...
Monday18th May 2015
News Work in Progress Video Fires Up Shigeru Miyamoto and Nintendo E3 Rumours
But...
E3 is about a month away, which means rumours will arrive with great regularity. Another is now doing the rounds about a potential E3 show; while potentially exciting, it's important to break it down and realise that, actually, it may not be entirely accurate. The source of this buzz is a presentation from NAB 2015, a major convention run by...
Video Take A Look At The Evolution Of Fairies In The Legend Of Zelda Series
Fairy impressive
Since the original Legend of Zelda was released on the NES in 1986, fairies have been an integral part of the series. In each iteration, these fairies have always shared common traits; with the ability to rejuvenate, enhance and often provide vital words of wisdom to the hero, Link. YouTuber – MasterOfHyrule – has payed tribute...
Nintendo Download 21st May (Europe)
Swords & Soldiers II, yarn Kirby, Paper Mario, Curve Digital sale and more
It's time for another Monday morning to be brightened up by upcoming download delights, and this week's European Nintendo Download Update has some promising choices. On the Wii U we have an exclusive from Ronimo Games, a soft and cuddly Good-Feel game and a classic N64 title,...
Pulling the blocks into place
It's arguably one of the key gaming experiences to indulge in some light puzzling on a handheld system. Whether it's Tetris or Picross, nothing makes a morning commute or quiet evening more relaxing than letting grey matter and opposable thumbs work together to solve a problem. Pullblox / Pushmo is one Nintendo 3DS...
News UCraft is a Wii U Exclusive Once Again
Due this Holiday season
UCraft has had a turbulent development history to date - originally announced by Nexis Games as a Wii U exclusive, the Minecraft-inspired sandbox game had unrealistic release window targets, a failed Kickstarter campaign and then caused controversy by going multi-platform with a PC release. There were then plans for a
News Hudson's SNES JRPG Super Shell Monsters Story Finally Gets Translated Into English
And it only took 20 years!
Back in 1994, Hudson released Daikaijuu Monogatari on the Super Famicom - a JRPG which looked a lot like Dragon Quest and Final Fantasy. The game never saw a Western localisation, and has remained out of reach for anyone who doesn't have a firm grasp of Japanese - until now. Translation group Dynamic Designs has just...
Review 3D Thunder Blade (3DS eShop)
Get to the chopper!
There was a time in the late '80s when Thunder Blade machines were a fairly common sight in amusement arcades. Yet even with a decent amount of distribution it was never in the same league as its close cousins; the instant visual assault from Sega's flashier and more exciting looking games such as Out Run, After Burner and Space...
News Nintendo Hoping That Splatoon Will Tempt Lapsed Fans To Splash Out On A Wii U
"We’re using this opportunity to talk to lapsed Nintendo fans, too"
Splatoon is coming later this month, and judging from the rapturous reception the Global Testfire has received, there are plenty of Nintendo fans positively gagging to get their hands on the final game. However, according to Nintendo UK marketing manager Chandra Nair, there are...
Video We Tackle The Dual-Stick vs. Motion Controls Splatoon Debate
Twin-stick it to the man
One of the more divisive aspects of Nintendo's upcoming ink-em-up Splatoon is the integration of motion controls into the core gameplay. Considering shooters have been comfortable with simply using two analogue sticks simultaneously to move and aim this addition initially seemed a little gimmicky and unnecessary to many...
News Nintendo President Satoru Iwata Is Skipping E3 Again This Year
But Shigeru Miyamoto is attending
When the TriForce of Miyamoto, Iwata and Reggie come together at E3, magic tends to happen. However, that sadly won't be the case this year, as Nintendo has confirmed to IGN that its president will be remaining firmly on Japanese soil during the event. This is the second year in a row that Iwata has skipped E3,...
News Yooka-Laylee’s Game Worlds Will Be Contained Within "Magical Books”
A novel idea
Playtonic's spiritual successor to Banjo-Kazooie and popular Kickstarter project, Yooka-Laylee, aims to recreate the magic of the 3D platform titles of yesteryear with charming characters and classic level design. With development well underway, creative lead Gavin Price has recently discussed the team's approach to level creation in...
News Three 3DS HOME Themes Available Now From Club Nintendo in Europe
Yours for 500 stars
3DS HOME Themes appear to have been rather popular since they arrived on the portable, with Nintendo and third parties enthusiastically flooding the Theme Shop. They may be superficial, but they do help to liven up that front screen. Nintendo of Europe has now decided to add three themes to Club Nintendo, with the loyalty...
Champ is joining Empire Arcadia following team's world record success
At this year's E3, Nintendo will be resurrecting a special event which first took place 25 years ago. The 1990 Nintendo World Championships captured the hearts and minds of an entire generation of players and have since passed into video gaming folklore, arguably laying down the...
News Executive Director Discusses Skells in Xenoblade Chronicles X
"We wanted to give each force and corporation their unique characteristic"
Since the recent Japanese release of Xenoblade Chronicles X plenty of Wii U gamers have been patiently awaiting its launch in the West. Famitsu was the first to review Xenoblade Chronicles X, giving it a pretty solid score of 34 / 40. Since its highly anticipated Japanese...
News Here Are The Tracks You'll Be Driving Around in 90's Arcade Racer
Mountains! Airports! Playrooms! Virtua Racing!
Last week we got a look at how 90's Arcade Racer was shaping up on Wii U, and now a backer-only update has gone live on the game's Kickstarter page which details the tracks you'll be speeding around when the title eventually launches - hopefully later this year. There's a track layout as well as a shot...
Video The Game Theorists Tackle That Vital Star Fox Question - What's With the Metal Legs?
Busts some old myths
Assuming that Nintendo President Satoru Iwata doesn't appear in this year's E3 Digital Event and ask us to "please understand", we should have a new Star Fox game for Wii U this year. We may know very little about it, but we won't deny that it's pretty near the top of our hype list for the upcoming LA event. There'll be plenty...
Weirdness Mario and Luigi Chewing Gum Claims That Stars Taste Like Ginger Ale
Because why not?
Here's some delightful nonsense to kick the week off - or annoying nonsense depending on your perspective - that comes straight out of Japan. While we may consider Nintendo's licensing efforts in the West to be in need of improvement, there's no end of quirky big N products in the company's homeland. So we present, below, Mario and...
Music Play Nicely With a Colourful Death in This Charming Splatoon Song
"I don't need BB guns now I've found this!"
You've heard all about Splatoon right? And you're excited about it too right? Right! Well I am too and recently the guys at Nintendo Life asked if I'd share my excitement about the game by writing a song about it. Of course I obliged! I've been eagerly waiting for Splatoon to arrive since it was announced...
Sunday17th May 2015
Review Paper Mario (Wii U eShop / N64)
Historical document
Can we take a moment to appreciate just how gloriously wacky it is that a game like Paper Mario exists in the first place? This is an idea that followed in the footsteps of Super Mario RPG, the Square/Nintendo collaboration which in itself marked a big departure in genre for the Mario universe. Nintendo would continue down this...
Talking Point Nintendo's Modest Sales Targets Keep Wii U and 3DS Expectations Under Control
E3 surprises are still a solid bet, however
In consecutive years Nintendo predicted a return to good times, struggled to deliver and reported financial losses; with that in mind the recent annual results were a major positive. Nintendo reported a decent profit and showed enough positive intent that shareholders were happy, with the company's value...
Saturday16th May 2015
Weirdness Nintendo of America's Splatoon Mess Fest Sits in the 'Bizarre' Category
It was messy
At the end of April Nintendo of America announced its Splatoon Mess Fest, a live event at Santa Monica Pier - California - to promote the upcoming Wii U shooter. It was standard PR event fair, pulling in celebrities and the public to have some messy fun on a goo-filled assault course. Celebrities included Disney's Joey Bragg and James...
Video Nintendo Minute Shows Off Battle Dojo in Splatoon
Also has 'that' rock song
Splatoon is now just two weeks away, bringing its own blend of colourful anarchy to the Wii U. We've seen plenty of coverage of it, though the mode that gets the least love is Battle Dojo, the local multiplayer option. Nintendo Minute is keen to resolve that shortcoming, dedicating its latest video to popping balloons and...
Friday15th May 2015
News Square Enix Pushes Back Its E3 Press Conference to Avoid Nintendo Clash
Very wise...
As all eager Nintendo fans know, the company's E3 2015 Digital Event is taking place on 16th June at 9am Pacific / Noon Eastern / 5pm UK / 6pm CET, during which it'll focus on releases for this year and, undoubtedly, some surprises. It wasn't the only big player planning to show off its goods at that time, however. Once Nintendo...
News Splatoon Global Testfire is Confirmed for One More Round
The demo's available for download once again
The Splatoon Global Testfire was an exciting event last weekend, providing keen Wii U owners with an opportunity to go hands on with online matches in the colourful shooter. There was some disappointment that the three one-hour sessions passed so quickly, and Nintendo appears to have heard the calls for...
News Famitsu Reveals Some Fresh Details on Fire Emblem If
New 'Phoenix Mode' will be an even easier, third difficulty option
It's rather hard to believe, but Fire Emblem If will be releasing in Japan on 25th June. This is made all the more surprising because relatively little is known about the game at this point. Here's a quick breakdown of what we do know so far: The story will follow the war between a...
News Monochroma For Wii U Scrapped Due To Technical Issues
"We have serious performance problems that we can't overcome"
1950s dystopian puzzle platformer Monochroma was successfully funded on Kickstarter back in August 2013, raising $84,645. The game was then subject to some lengthy delays, with the promised Wii U version getting pushed back to a vagu
Talking Point Nintendo World Championships 2015 Should Be Just the Beginning
Nintendo can seize popular culture again
With a typical slice of nostalgia it was announced that Nintendo World Championships 2015 will be a major live event prior to E3. Filling the gap left by the Super Smash Bros. Invitational of E3 2014, it seems like a smart move - play on nostalgia and the 25th Anniversary of the iconic 1990 contest, while...
News Wii U and 3DS Continue Improved Sales in the US, as Xenoblade Chronicles 3D Misses NPD Top 10
Monolith Soft re-release fifth among single SKUs, however
April isn't often the most thrilling of months in the world of video game retail, and so it has proven in the most recent NPD results from the US. Covering physical retail sales the results bring few thrills, but Nintendo has nevertheless reported solid sales momentum in comparison to 2014...
News These Adorable Splatoon Squid Cushions Are Headed To Japan
Look at those eyes!
Nintendo’s upcoming Wii U squid shooter, Splatoon, features many cute, cuddly and also streetwise sea creatures in it. Arguably the most adorable is the Inkling’s squid transformation. The way these characters effortlessly swim, slide and splash about in ink is mesmerising. With this in mind, Japan will receive the above...
Weirdness Fred Savage Seems Very Much In Favour Of The Nintendo World Championships 2015
"California!"
Nintendo is bringing its World Championships event back from the dead for this year's E3, and this relic from the past has attracted the attention of another part of Nintendo's history - the actor-turned-director Fred Savage. Savage was arguably the world's biggest child star when he appeared in The Wizard, a 1989 Hollywood movie...
News Official Nintendo UK Store Bundles Fire Emblem amiibo with Code Name S.T.E.A.M.
Sneaky strategy
Capitalism has some simple rules, one of which is to balance demand with strategy; if something's rare then you can get more money for it, or use it to promote other goods. A notorious example was GameStop's insane 'Massive Bundle' for a Majora's Mask 3D New Nintendo 3DS XL, which had a price tag of $500. Nintendo's not quite gone...
Next two waves also dated
Following the recent US news, Nintendo has today announced the gold and silver Super Mario edition amiibo figures will be arriving soon in Australia and New Zealand. The silver amiibo will be available exclusively from EB Games from the 30th of May and is able to be pre-ordered from the EB Games website right now. With...
News You Need These Exclusive Sega-Themed Artworks On Your Wall
Golden Axe! Streets of Rage! Shinobi! More!
What happens when digital art studio Cook & Becker enlists talented artists - working in the fields of Sci-Fi, gaming and comics - to create original art for their favourite Sega titles? Awesome happens, that's what. Kilian Eng, Gerald Parel, Julien Renoult, Roman van der Haven and Emmanuel Malin...
News LEGO Jurassic World Brings 20 Customisable Dinos To Wii U And 3DS
Clever girl
With the new trailer for Lego Jurassic World and the early June release date we are starting to find out more details about how the game will play in practice. Perhaps the most interesting new feature here - aside from the Jurassic World franchise, of course - is the Dino Customiser. The trailer revealed that you could play as 20...
News Free Anniversary Update Rolling Out To Scram Kitty And His Buddy On Rails
The cat who got the cream
Dakko Dakko has confirmed that a free update will be flinging its way to Scram Kitty and his Buddy on Rails soon to mark the game's first birthday. The update adds "a new play style, allowing players to freely aim one direction whilst riding in another using a 'twin-stick' control setup" and will begin rolling out today...
Video Nintendo Releases a Showcase for Wii U Exclusive Affordable Space Adventures
Teaming up in space
Affordable Space Adventures is a unique recent release on multiple fronts - it's an Indie game that's also a Wii U exclusive, while it takes advantage of the Wii U GamePad's capabilities for dual-screen play. We were rather impressed and gave it a strong recommendation in our Affordable Space Adventures review. Although it's...
News Mega64 Lent Nintendo A Helping Hand With Its E3 2015 Announcement Video
No robotic Reggies this time around, though
Last year, YouTube channel Mega64 helped Nintendo create its E3 2014 announcement video and gave the world Fils-A-Mech in the process - something we're eternally grateful for. Recently, Nintendo published
News Fashionable Japanese 3DS Owners Can Strut Their Stuff In Nico ☆ Petit Girls Runway This Winter
There's a brand new dance, but I don't know its name
During Nintendo's recent Financial Results Briefing, president Satoru Iwata explained that the company was hoping to maintain the commercial momentum of its ageing 3DS system in Japan by targeting female players. We've already seen the likes of Girls Mode / Style Savvy and Animal Crossing: New...
News Etrian Odyssey 2 Untold: The Fafnir Knight Will Be Getting Three Home Screen Themes
Also, a closer look at the main character, Princess Arianna
Now that Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor 2 Record Breaker and Etrian Mystery Dungeon have been launched, Atlus' attention is focused squarely on the impending launch of Etrian Odyssey 2 Untold: The Fafnir Knight. While there's still no f
Nintendo Life Weekly 15th May 2015
Grab a slice of the weekly pie
Have you been keeping up with all that's been happening with Nintendo recently? We know it can be difficult, so once again we've compiled all of the top news stories, releases, and reviews from the past seven days into one easy-to-swallow video. These videos are heavily annotated, so click on the video to be taken to...
News You Can Design a New Level for Pazuru and Win a Neat Figurine
Update will add three user-generated stages to full game
The 3DS eShop has a number of high quality and clever puzzle games, and Pazuru is a solid recent addition. It has a neat approach, but also adds to the core content with a level creation tool. Developer Moragami is now aiming to put that lever creator to good use, and is offering up a fairly...
Thursday14th May 2015
Hardware Review REVO K101 Plus
Hands-on with the ultimate hardware GBA clone
Love them or loathe them, hardware clones of vintage gaming platforms are here to stay. Technical wizards operating on the fringe of the gaming hardware arena are constantly dreaming up new products which ape the performance and feel of classic consoles, and in the past few years we've seen imitations of...
Nintendo Download 14th May (North America)
Nindies on Wii U, NSMB, Mega Man, another 3D SEGA Classic and more
Update: Stretchmo is now also available as a free download from the 3DS eShop. Original Article: It's that time again, North American gamers, with another Nintendo Download update to deliver some digital goodies on Wii U and 3DS. This week brings some pro
News Capcom's Spring Sale Offers Up Six eShop Discounts in North America
Street Fighter! Resident Evil! DuckTales!
The eShop stores on Wii U and 3DS often have a range of discounts, and Capcom is the latest to cut prices on some of its biggest releases. Details of the current discounts in North America are now available, and match up with equivalent deals that have also arrived in Europe this week. Six games have been...
News Satoru Iwata Highlights The Planned Connectivity of the Club Nintendo Replacement
"Not a simple extension of the existing loyalty program"
Following Nintendo's annual financial reports recently, Satoru Iwata provided his standard President's Presentation and tackled an Investor's Q & A session. The details of these have largely been covered prior to now, but with the recent publication of the official English Q & A...
Video Let's Remind Ourselves How Totally Radical The 1990 Nintendo World Championships Really Were
"Woo! Yeah! You ready? Woo!"
Following the glorious resurrection of The Nintendo World Championships, we thought it would be a good time to reminisce over the events of 25 years ago, when the original competition took place at Universal Studios, Hollywood. The video below is a handy summary of this epic period, showing the hopeful contestants and...
Review High Strangeness (Wii U eShop)
The best bits of both worlds
High Strangeness borrows its name from the real-life term used by those who study UFO sightings to describe an inability to explain one's experience with an extraterrestrial. Fittingly, this bizarre title offers gameplay and visuals in both 16-bit and 8-bit styles, which the developers attempt to explain as a "12-bit...
News Mobile Is Konami's Future, According To President Hideki Hayakawa
"We will pursue mobile games aggressively"
Konami president Hideki Hayakawa has been speaking to Nikkei Trendy Net about the company's future, giving the strongest indication yet of how the firm's business is changing. Hayakawa states that smart devices represent the core focus of Konami's business moving forward. The success of Konami's current...
Video Here Is The First Footage Of 90s Arcade Racer Running On The Wii U
Looks superb
It’s been quite some time since we last heard from developer Antonis "Pelikan13" Pelekanos about his hotly anticipated Kickstarter project, 90s Arcade Racer. A love letter to SEGA’s cabinet racer line including the likes of Daytona USA, 90s Arcade Racer for the Wii U eShop and several other platforms will pay tribute to the arcade...
News Horizon Chase Pays Tribute To SNES Classic Top Gear, And Is Heading To Consoles
Wii U and 3DS releases not ruled out
Top Gear is arguably one of the best old-school racing titles ever made, and Brazilian developer Aquiris Game Studio is paying the ultimate tribute by creating a spiritual successor in the form of Horizon Chase. For those of you that don't remember it, Top Gear was a 1992 SNES racer coded by UK-based Gremlin...
News LEGO Jurassic World Roars Onto Wii U and 3DS on 12th June
Hold on to your butts
When in doubt, there are always LEGO games. The ever-present and lucrative series has taken in an impressive range of franchises and IPs, and the upcoming LEGO Jurassic World seems like a guaranteed hit with gamers of various ages. Incorporating all four movies - that includes Jurassic World of course - it'll push nostalgia and...
Review Johnny Dynamite (3DS eShop)
Defused
Imagine a 2D game with a simple premise: collect all pieces of dynamite in each stage without taking any damage. Instead of running and jumping around like you would in a traditional platformer, you thrust freely throughout the bite-sized stages with a trusty jetpack. With unlimited use of this ability, along with an endless supply of...
News Stretchmo, Known as Fullblox in Europe, is Available Now in North America
NoA sure stretched out that announcement
The Nintendo Download update isn't always gospel - today's North American update didn't mention Stretchmo, but it's now available to download for free on the 3DS eShop; it's called Fullblox in Europe and is also available in that region. The latest free-to-play dalliance
News Combat Core Is What You'd Get If Super Smash Bros. And Power Stone Had A Baby
Kickstarter incoming, Wii U version in contention
Ever wondered what would happen if you fused Super Smash Bros. with Capcom's cult brawler Power Stone? We're sure the result would be pretty close to Combat Core, a PC fighting game which should be coming to consoles, dependant on a successful Kickstarter campaign. Created by Micah Betts, Combat...
News Fullblox Is Available To Download On The European 3DS eShop Right Now
Hot on the trail of the Japanese release
Nintendo has announced that Fullblox is available to download on the European 3DS eShop from today. The game - which is the latest in a series of titles which includes Pullblox and Fallblox - features the rotund Mallo as he attempts to solve a wide range of puzzles. The unique thing about this offering -...
News Silver Edition Mario amiibo Hits North American Stores on 29th May
Grab one for $12.99, if you are lucky
Following hot on the heels of the Super Mario Gold Edition amiibo is the slightly less precious Silver Edition. This isn't a massive revelation, as they were spotted only last month on a Chinese website, but regardless this will come as good news to those who missed out on the Gold Edition... or simply m
News Nintendo Assisted Monolith Soft With Xenoblade Chronicles X Online Functionality
Many challenges were overcome
The latest issue of Japanese publication Famitsu has revealed interesting details about the development process of Xenoblade Chronicles X on the Wii U. Being such a huge task for Monolith Soft, executive director Tetsuya Takahashi explained the many challenges the developer was required to overcome and how Nintendo was...
News New Super Mario Bros. Releases On The North American Wii U eShop This Week
Will be available for $9.99
After yesterday’s ESRB rating for the 2006 release, New Super Mario Bros., it was expected the title would launch soon on the North American eShop. It appear fans of the DS hit won’t have to wait much longer with Nintendo’s official game page revealing the now classic Mario adventure will be made available thi
Available at EB Games & JB Hi-Fi in limited stock from 21st May onwards
Nintendo is always looking to improve 3DS system sales and one of the best ways to achieve this is by enticing potential new owners with fancy themed bundles. Following on from the recently announced Splatoon Wii U bundle, Nintendo Australia will be offering a
Video Nintendo of America's Musical Splatoon Campaign Continues
Celebrities and real-life splatting contribute to concerted marketing
A week ago we shared a TV commercial for Splatoon that had been released by North America, which replaced the funky tunes of the game with a new effort that featured some rather simplistic lyrics. It didn't go down well with everyone, but with a target audience of young gamers and...
News UK Retailer GAME Steps Up Retro Offerings in Marketplace Listings
Plenty of Nintendo choices
Earlier this year the biggest specialist game retailer in the UK, GAME, launched its online marketplace that allows independent sellers to distribute their own ranges of t-shirts, merchandise and even retro games. At launch in March the selection of retro titles was almost non-existent, yet now it's been expanded to...
Video This Introduction Trailer May Just Get You Hyped for Swords & Soldiers II
Out on 21st May
The Wii Shop may have had its flaws, but it was also home to some truly excellent download games. Swords & Soldiers from Ronimo Games was undoubtedly one such example, and so there should certainly be some hype for the Wii U exclusive Swords & Soldiers II. Out on 21st May in North America and Europe, with prices of $19.99,...
News Collect a Level 50 Pachirisu at the UK Pokémon Video Game & TCG National Championships
Cute but deadly
For those that dream of being a world champion Pokémon player, opportunities to qualify for the finals in the US - the finale this year will be in Boston, Massachusetts in August - are running out. Players that enter the UK National Championships in the hope of winning a ticket to the finals will also, however, have an extra treat...
Wednesday13th May 2015
News Bill Trinen Appears To Have Left Nintendo Of America - Or Has He?
UPDATE: It was all a joke! Arf!
Update: This bizarre bit of trolling from Bill Trinen makes sense in light of the E3 reveals - check out all the details of Nintendo's E3 plans here. Original Article: News has just broken that Bill Trinen - one of video gaming's most recognisable faces and the man so often seen at Shigeru Miyamoto's side - has...
News Nintendo Announces Its Plans for E3 2015, Headlined By New Nintendo World Championships
Digital Event, Treehouse, Mario Maker at Best Buy all confirmed
The E3 bonanza in Los Angeles is always a yearly high point for gamers, and in 2014 Nintendo put on a terrific show with a special Digital Event, a Super Smash Bros. Invitational and an impressive run of live streaming from the Nintendo Treehouse team. The company has now announced its...
Reaction Nintendo's E3 Plans are a Perfect Blend of Humour, Retro Charm and a Hint of Madness
Nintendo World Championships 2015, spread the word
Nintendo has made an event of confirming its plans for a major gaming expo, with pre-announcement hype and some bizarre social media stunts. Welcome to the madness of E3 2015. It started with some particularly peculiar pranking from well-known Nintendo figurehead Bill Trinen, with him joking that...
News New Super Mario Bros. Receives ESRB Rating For Wii U Virtual Console
That'll be three New Super Mario Bros. games playable on Wii U
About a month ago, Nintendo finally got around to expanding its Virtual Console service by fulfilling its promise to add Nintendo DS games to the catalogue. The titles announced for the launch have all since released, but Nintendo has since remained silent on what we can expect to arrive...
News Square Enix Announces Dragon Quest VIII For The 3DS
Launches in Japan on 27th August
The 3DS is four years old now and Nintendo knows sales momentum of the system is important to maintain. At a recent Financial Results Briefing, Iwata reiterated this, explaining the 3DS could use with a boost in its homeland of Japan. With this in mind, Square Enix has announced Dragon Quest VIII – originally...
Review Mega Man & Bass (Wii U eShop / GBA)
Here comes the bass
A brief bit of history on Mega Man & Bass. A few years after Mega Man 8 notoriously became a Playstation and Sega Saturn game, Keiji Inafune - the series' creator - felt that he still owed one more game to children that had not yet upgraded to next gen hardware and still owned only the Super Famicom. Technically a spin-off...
News Don't Hold Your Breath On Those Marth amiibo Restocks
Figure reportedly limited to "1 to 2" units per GameStop store
Marth has always been one of the most sought-after amiibo figures since Nintendo's toys-to-life range launched a while back, but the company has tried to fix the stock situation and promised a new wave of toys towards the end of April. We're now in May and Marth figures have hit North...
Video Here's Proof That Yoshi Made Out of Yarn is the Best Thing Ever
The cuteness, it's too much
Good-Feel is a development studio that has stumbled across a brilliant idea. Take a cute mascot, almost literally - but virtually - wrap them in wool and make them even more adorable; it is the definition of winning. Which brings us to Yoshi's Woolly World, of course, which will possibly take cuteness to dangerous levels...
Charizard has a Mega Stone, too
Pokémon Rumble World is Nintendo's most recent free-to-play venture on the 3DS, blending button mashing and brawling with strategy to utilise super effective combinations. As with Pokémon Shuffle it's possible to progress without spending any money, though you can speed up progress or improve your chances by buying...
News Nintendo UK Releases Wii U Sizzle Reel and Wants to Know Your Favourite Game
Vote on Twitter like all the cool people do
We believe that history will be kind to the Wii U's games library, which has already amassed some intriguing exclusives and some series-best releases. For any gamer buying a Wii U right now there's an impressive back catalogue to take on, and that applies to existing owners that haven't been keeping up...
News Stella Glow Developer Imageepoch Has Gone Bust
Western release presumably unaffected
Japanese studio Imageepoch - famous for its RPGs - has been in the news a lot recently. On the positive side, the company's latest 3DS title, Stella Glow, has been confirmed for a Western release by publisher Atlus. Less encouraging is the news regarding Imageepoch's president Ryoei Mikage, who went missing
News Nintendo Reveals Pushmo: Hippa Land For 3DS eShop, Out Now In Japan
Sample the game for free, and pay to unlock more
Intelligent Systems’ Pushmo series for the 3DS eShop has been well received since the original game – known as Pullblox in Europe – was first released on the 3DS eShop in 2011. Since then, fans of Mallo and company have seen the release of the 2012 sequel Crashmo – Fallblox in Europe – and...
News Puzzle & Dragons: Super Mario Bros. Edition Leads in Japan as 3DS Tops Hardware Sales
Xenoblade Chronicles X holds firm in fourth
It's the week after Golden Week in Japan, which typically brings a drop-off in sales as the public holiday becomes a fading memory. With that in mind, and in the absence of new releases, the latest Media Create sales for the country bring positives for Nintendo. Puzzle & Dragons: Super Mario Bros...
News Mixi's RPG Mobile Hit Monster Strike Is Coming To The 3DS
Following in the footsteps of GungHo's Puzzles & Dragons
It’s no secret Nintendo has intentions of making smart device gaming one of its major forms of revenue. The company has already reiterated its commitment on several occasions, and the proof is more evident than ever before with the producer of the Mario Kart series being recently appointed...
News Great News, Just Dance Fans, Ubisoft Has Confirmed Its E3 Conference Time
We'll always have Just Dance
E3 just wouldn't be the same without Ubisoft's press conference. The talk will be no doubt be focused on the power of online gaming, mutli-screen shenanigans with phones and tablets, and producing innovative gaming experiences. That's all code for "hey, look, this is how the new Assassin's Creed won't run on your...
News Konami And Square Enix Post Positive Financials, Despite A Lack Of Major Console Releases
A sign of the times?
Japanese publishers Konami and Square Enix have both reported positive financial results for the past year, despite the fact that neither company has released all that many AAA console titles during this period. Konami has reported a 147 percent increase in net profit for the year ending March. Profits reached 9.5bn Yen, which...
News Newly Confirmed Guitar Hero Live Tracks Bring The Spandex And Poodle Perms
"Got any Priest, mate?"
Activision is releasing the full track list for its forthcoming Guitar Hero Live in batches, and it has just announced the second helping of songs. While some fans expressed disappointment at the first drop, this week's offering should get classic rock fans more excited as it includes Pantera, Rage Against the Machine and...
News Image & Form Considering SteamWorld Heist DLC, But Not For Day One
"It needs to be something more"
SteamWorld Heist is certainly one of the most prominent Indie downloads on the way this year, with Image & Form's 2D strategy title set to come to the eShop on Wii U and 3DS, along with a host of other platforms. The studio's been keeping fans up to date with weekly updates, too, tackling questions and running...
Tuesday12th May 2015
Review Attack on Titan: Humanity in Chains (3DS)
Sie Sind Das Spiel, Und Wir Sind Die Spieler!
When Attack on Titan hit the anime airwaves in 2013, it became an instant phenomenon. Originally a manga by Hajime Isayama, its popularity spawned several spin-off series, light novels, an upcoming live-action film, and even a rather creative photography trend. With intense action and a dystopian,...
News Nintendo Has Unannounced Wii U Titles Which Will Launch Before April 2016
Expect some big news at E3
Nintendo president Satoru Iwata has revealed to investors that the company is working on "unannounced" Wii U titles which will see release before April next year. We already know about certain forthcoming Wii U games, but Nintendo traditionally saves something a little special for E3. Super Mario 3D World was announced...
News Sit Tight, Nintendo Will Announce Its E3 2015 Plans Tomorrow
Get your tickets for the hype train
Can't wait to hear more about what Nintendo has planned for this year's E3? Well you don't have to wait too much longer, as Nintendo of America has confirmed that it will be revealing a some additional info tomorrow. Last year the company used a similar approach to outline its plans, and even produced an amusing...
News Nintendo Unable To Promise When It Can Remedy amiibo Stock Nightmare
"It is difficult to precisely predict the exact amount of overall demand"
Nintendo's toys-to-life concept - amiibo - has been a runaway success, with over 10 million figures being shipped worldwide and demand remaining robust throughout 2015. However, many collectors are beginning to question Nintendo's approach to amiibo, with every figure...
Ninterview Talking Super Smash Bros. With UK Grand Master James Miller
He plays a mean Luigi
James Miller is rather good at Super Smash Bros. He recently won Nintendo UK's Super Smash Bros Invitational event at the MCM Comic Con in Birmingham - a massive achievement for many players but merely another title in Miller's eyes; he's already made his presence felt in the UK's Smash community several times in the pa
Parent Trap Splatoon Is The Perfect Family Firepower-Fest
Family Gamer's Andy Robertson gets inked up in Nintendo's new hit
Splatoon has been bubbling away for a while, but it's only now - thanks to the recent Global Testfire events - that we start to see how unusual and engaging a game this will be for a whole new audience of shooting fans. Every family is different but a video game flash point for many...
News Playtonic Confirms Post-Release DLC as the Next Stretch Goal for Yooka-Laylee
"When – and only when – we've finished and shipped the full version"
It's pretty safe to say that Yooka-Laylee is shaping up to be a massive success. After meeting its initial funding goal in less than forty minutes, Yooka-Laylee went on to become the fastest Kickstarter game to pass the $1 million mark. Evidently, gamers around the world really
News Introducing The Very First Support Character In Yooka-Laylee, Trowzer The Serpent Salesman
A snake wearing trousers
Support characters were very much a staple of 3D platform games during their prime, and it looks like Playtonic Games will continue this tradition with the recent reveal of the first support character in Yooka-Laylee: Trowzer, the serpent salesman. A business-snake whose career never took off, the smug salesman is...
Platform still has "momentum", according to Nintendo boss
The 3DS may be four years old now, but Nintendo president Satoru Iwata believes it still has a bright commercial future ahead of it - despite the fact that the console's release schedule is currently looking a little light on smash-hit games. Speaking to investors at the recent Financial...
News Acro Storm Fuses F-Zero With Extreme-G, And It's Racing To The Wii U eShop
Hoverbikes ahoy
Look, we all want a new F-Zero game - that's a given. But until Nintendo actually announces it, we'll just have to make do with titles inspired by the famous racer - titles like Acro Storm, which is currently being developed by Indie studio Blue Comet Games. Built using Unity and featuring 16 different futuristic tracks, Acro Storm...
News Nintendo Committed To Making Smart Device Gaming One Of Its Key "Revenue Pillars"
But company still feels dedicated consoles are its future
Nintendo's alliance with DeNA has arguably been one of the biggest gaming announcements of 2015 so far, and marks a brave new era for the Japanese veteran following countless denials that it would ever move into the smart device arena. Nintendo president Satoru Iwata has now revealed that...
News Shapes of Gray Arrives On The North American Wii U eShop May 21st
“Hotline Miami meets WarioWare”
Described by Secret Tunnel Entertainment as “Hotline Miami meets WarioWare”, Shapes of Gray is set to arrive on the North American Wii U eShop on 21st May. As previously noted, Shapes of Gray is an aesthetically simple 2D title that takes players through 10-second battles within small game environments...
Monday11th May 2015
Weirdness This Game Boy Macro Is Crafted From The Remains Of A Nintendo DS Lite
An unofficial masterpiece
The Game Boy Micro is arguably the sleekest handheld Nintendo has ever released. With a removable face plate, neon blue start and select buttons, a built-in rechargeable lithium-ion battery lasting for up to eight hours and plenty of options in terms of backlighting, the system ended the original Game Boy line on a high...
Nintendo Download 14th May (Europe)
S.T.E.A.M., GBA Mega Man classics, 3D Thunder Blade and Wii U Nindies
Another week begins, which means it's time to gaze upon the download treats heading to Europe this week. It's a pretty strong line-up, with two encouraging Nindie arrivals on the Wii U, two GBA Mega Man titles, another SEGA Classic, the latest 3DS retail arrival from Intelligent...
Tuesday12th May 2015
News The Prices of the Remaining Physical Goods on Club Nintendo in North America Have Been Reduced
Some are as much as 50% off!
As most of you are aware, Club Nintendo's days are numbered. About a month ago, Nintendo announced that a new loyalty program would be replacing it later this year, with Club Nintendo set to shut down for good on 30th June. Shortly after the announcement was made, Nintendo made a plethora of new downloadable games and...
Monday11th May 2015
What a horrible night to have a Wii U
Former Castlevania Producer (and possible vampire) Koji Igarashi has been creating some sinister headlines recently, as word of a new project whipped fans up into a frenzy of speculation. The prophetic Kickstarter reveal on Monday has indeed come to pass, but alas this new project won't be coming to Nintendo...
Matters Of Import Take A Guided Tour Of Super Potato, The Ultimate Retro Gaming Paradise
Japan-based Brit David Coyles explains the appeal of this legendary shop
"I don't know where to start! I'm so excited" blurted out in an enclave of retro gaming memorabilia, and a phrase which saved me from my own funk in a number of ways. Japanese store Super Potato has a certain uplifting effect on most of the people who visit – be it one of...
News Nintendo Ditches Plans To Create New Hardware For The Chinese Market
Dedicated console no longer in the works
Tokyo-based games consultant Serkan Toto has told Nikkei that Nintendo has decided against producing unique hardware for the Chinese market. The plans were revealed last year, with Nintendo seemingly poised to take advantage of China's removal of a ban on games consoles. Rather than launch the Wii U in that...
News SEGA Records Financial Losses and Aims to Stick With "Mainstay IP" Game Releases
Sonic Boom sales pass half a million
2015 hasn't been a great year for fans of 'classic' SEGA, the company that was once a top player in the video game industry. It still boasts some useful PC franchises and RPG IPs through acquisitions of companies such as Sports Interactive, Creative Assembly and Atlus, but has been struggling with its own games...
News Doctor Who Confirmed For Lego Dimensions On Wii U
With the Tardis and K-9 in tow, naturally
Keeping up with all the news about Lego Dimensions is no easy task. Having announced the game with Batman, The Lego Movie, Lord of the Rings, Oz and Back to the Future, it was inevitable that there would be more. Just how much more is still kind of mind-blowing. Perhaps not as mind-blowing as the gameplay...
News Kirby and the Rainbow Paintbrush Fails to Break Top 20 in UK Charts
Puzzle & Dragons dual pack fares worse
Kirby and the Rainbow Paintbrush finally arrived in Europe last week, a decent period of time after it landed in North America with the name Kirby and the Rainbow Curse. We're not convinced the delay has helped matters a great deal, however. The GamePad-focused title has had a disappointing first week in the...
Video We Deduce That The Great Ace Attorney is Looking Pretty Good
New extended video showcases features
The Great Ace Attorney arrives in Japan this July, while we await news of a Western release; we'd bet that Capcom may go the eShop-only route that it has with its previous two releases in the series. This entry steps back into the past, with the original Ace Attorney heading to 19th Century London and meeting up...
News Legendary Regirock Rocks The Scene In The Latest Pokemon Shuffle Challenge
Pedra Valley also added to main stages
Pokémon Shuffle continues to expand with the launch of its latest challenge featuring the legendary Regirock Pokémon and the addition of ten new main stages taking the total main stage count from 180 to 190. The Regirock Great Challenge gives players the opportunity to take on the powerful foe over 30 moves...
Video Teenagers React To Duck Hunt And The Iconic NES Zapper
“I feel the power within me”
Not everyone was around to experience the iconic NES Zapper when it was originally released in 1984, so that’s why the latest Teens React video is showcasing Nintendo’s accurate light gun and the all-time NES classic, Duck Hunt. Watch as teens come to the consensus the electronic light gun accessory is actually...
Weirdness When Tetris Invades The Real World, Hilarity Inevitably Ensues
Rémi Gaillard causes block-busting chaos
Rémi Gaillard is a French prankster who has taken on Mario Karting and blue hedgehogs in the past, and in his latest video he has focused his attention on the most famous Russian video game ever: Tetris. In this new clip, Gaillard - along with his co-conspirators - causes al
Sunday10th May 2015
News Nintendo's E3 Focus to Reportedly be on Wii U and 3DS, not Smart Devices or NX
NX still set for 2016 reveal
Following its annual financial results in this past week, Nintendo hosted a Q & A with investors. The Japanese-language transcript has now been published, though we'll need to wait longer for the official English translation - nevertheless, fans in the region have been interpreting key parts for the web to consider...
Poll Did The Splatoon Global Testfire Hit Its Targets?
A demo unlike any other
If you took part in the Splatoon Global Testfire this past weekend you'll have looked a great deal at the app's icon before loading, which is prominently branded as a 'DEMO'. Yet it was a demo unlike any other, with the download now essentially irrelevant, unless Nintendo schedules more online sessions. Three one hour...
News Nintendo "Currently Investigating" The Idea Of A Region-Free NX
Satoru Iwata outlines company's "optimistic" position
Sony and Microsoft have effectively abandoned the practice of region locking their hardware, leaving Nintendo as the odd-one-out with its Wii U and 3DS - both of which will only play software from their host region. In the past Nintendo has argued in favour of region locking, but more recently...
Doesn't make us feel bloo
Originally developed for mobile platforms, Bloo Kid 2 was well received back in 2014; indie developer 'winterworks' delivered a solid 2D platformer with responsive touchscreen controls. Although still a decent choice for the discerning mobile user, Bloo Kid 2 clearly becomes a much tougher proposition on the Nintendo 3DS...
News Koji Igarashi's Castlevania Successor Teased by Comcept, Set for 11th May Reveal
The moon rises
The past week was rather exciting for fans of Castlevania and Koji Igarashi's work, as Igarashi-san launched a teaser site teasing a spiritual successor, allowing curious fans to choose between a pixelated sword or whip - if this isn't a Castlevania-style project, we'll be amazed. Expected to arrive on Kickstarter - retro-themed...
Video Did You Know Gaming? Explores the Fascinating History of the Wii
The surprising origins of Mii characters, original Remote designs and more
The Wii is Nintendo's biggest-selling home console in its history, out-performing lucrative predecessors such as the NES and SNES, while giving the company a lift after the relative struggles of the GameCube. It shook up the games industry - as the 'me too' reactions of Sony...
News The New Update For Teslagrad is Now Live in North America
Adds additional controller support, screenshots, and some bug fixes
For those of you that may have forgotten about it, Teslagrad is a sublime metroidvania adventure that was released early last fall. It follows the story of a young boy as he explores a decrepit castle and slowly unravels the mystery behind the conflict that led to the downfall of...
Saturday9th May 2015
News The Ocarina of Time Speedrun World Record Has Been Beaten Yet Again
Crikey
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time is not only an all-time classic game, but the source of one of the most keenly fought speedrun world records. Speedrunning experts continue to set new standards, each seemingly defying the odds more than before. Well, the record has been beaten again, once again utilising quirky skips that can be accessed...
Feature What NEC And Hudson Did Next: The Disasterous Story Of The PC-FX
The history of one of the 32-bit era's biggest flops
Complacency can be deadly. You only have to look at the changeover between the 16-bit and 32/64-bit generations for confirmation of this fact; amazingly, during this period of transition all of the established hardware manufacturers - Nintendo included - were caught with their trousers down while...
Live Splatoon Global Testfire - Round 3
The last hurrah
A number of gamers have enjoyed some online Splatoon matches, yet it's now time for the final session of the Global Testfire. It appears that there are no official live streams this time around, so we've embedded our very own guide to the demo. Join us for some chat in this final sesson!...
Live Splatoon Global Testfire - Round 1 With Nintendo Treehouse
It's time for battle
Splatoon is nearly here, and in a surprising move this week Nintendo's set up time-limited online sessions in a free demo; there are three one hour windows lined up. This is the first of these online sessions, and we're live streaming the Nintendo Treehouse while live blogging our experiences with the demo. Join us!...
Video Our Guide to the Splatoon Global Testfire Demo and an Awesome Japanese Trailer
All four weapons and both stages shown off
If you're unaware of the Splatoon Global Testfire Demo then you've clearly not been reading Nintendo Life. We're well aware that it's the dominant story right now, but that's probably because it's such darn fun. There's just one round of online play left, and that's at noon Pacific / 3pm Eastern / 8pm UK...
Live Splatoon Global Testfire - Round 2 With Nintendo UK
Battle resumes...
Plenty of Wii U owners have already enjoyed a first round of online Splatoon, and now the second demo window comes at a convenient time for those in Europe. This is the second one hour session, and we're live streaming the Nintendo UK broadcast while live blogging our experiences. Join us!...
Reminder The First Splatoon Global Testfire Details Are Out
Stages and weapons outlined
The Splatoon Global Testfire is nearly upon us. The first round is tonight - remember that to take part you need to download the free demo from the eShop and hop online at the right time. The first session is going down at 8PM-9PM (Pacific) / 11pm-midnight (Eastern) / 4AM-5AM (UK) / 5AM-6AM (CET). Details have emerged...
Friday8th May 2015
Feature The Key Details on Splatoon, Nintendo's Shot at a New Wii U Hit
Modes, guns, 8-bit games and amiibo
This week brought us Splatoon Direct, Nintendo's quirky pitch for its upcoming ink-based arena shooter. It's a game that's justifiably been talked up a fair deal, with a blend of intuitive and clever GamePad controls, bright visuals and a whole lot of gameplay potential. While large sections reiterated information...
News Xenoblade Chronicles X and Dragon Quest Help Wii U to Top Spot in Japan
Puzzle & Dragons: Super Mario Bros. Edition tops software results
In recent weeks the Media Create Japanese charts have shown Sony systems and its releases nicking ahead of Nintendo's offerings, so with that in mind this week brings happier news for the big N. The company and supportive third-parties have topped the software and hardware results to...
News Iwata Reveals a Bit More Information on Nintendo's Upcoming Integrated Membership Service
Tracks past purchases and gameplay records
A point of contention for many years now has been Nintendo's rather deliberate approach to implementation of online services, but with the launch of the Nintendo Network and the eShop, Nintendo has made great strides in the past few years towards offering an increasingly more streamlined and modern online...
News You Don't Need A Yoshi amiibo To Unlock Stuff In Yoshi's Woolly World
Other figures will also be supported
Nintendo revealed some amazing yarn-based Yoshi amiibo toys recently, as well as confirming how they would work with the forthcoming Yoshi's Woolly World. Standard Yoshi amiibo were also confirmed as compatible with the Wii U platformer, but thanks to a leak of the Australian packaging, we now know that other...
Sunny side up
Budget-priced titles are a tempting option for consumers: for less than the price of a coffee you can get a video game. Unfortunately, not every game is up to the standards of indie gems like Gunman Clive, and sometimes even the most inexpensive titles can leave players feeling ripped off. Thankfully, Runny Egg joins a growing...
News Modder Creates A Bluetooth-Ready Game Boy, Because Why The Heck Not
Fantastic retro-fitting fun
If you're familiar with the world of Game Boy modding and music, then the name Joe Heaton should be known to you. This UK-based tech genius has been featured on the site in the past - both as an interview subject and to offer sagely advise to prospective modders - and he's back with his latest amazing creation. Heato
News Mega Man & Bass Kickstarts "Mega May" On Wii U Virtual Console
Dr.Wily's least favourite time of year
Last month, Capcom announced that their "Mega May" event was back in full force for 2015, focused on bringing classic GBA Mega Man titles to the Wii U Virtual Console. Now that the month is here and we're already panicking about how fast time is slipping by, these weekly releases have launched into action, with...
Weirdness Former My Chemical Romance Frontman Can't Get Enough Of Zelda: Wind Waker
"I play Zelda with my daughter now"
When Activision announced its plans to relaunch Guitar Hero recently, ex-My Chemical Romance frontman Gerard Way was one of the artists it recruited to promote the move. Way has since been talking to UK newspaper Metro about gaming in general, and has revealed that he's a big fan of The Legend of Zelda - and the...
Video Here Is The Trailer For The Delayed Wii U Title, Red Goddess: Inner World
“Testing and debugging is taking more time than anticipated”
In case you missed it, Yanim Studio has revealed its upcoming Kickstarter-funded project, Red Goddess: Inner World, for the Wii U and various other platforms has been delayed. The Wii U release date, originally on-target for this year, has been pushed back until the first quarter of...
News Nintendo Has Shipped 10.5 Million amiibo Worldwide
amiib-whoa
It's pretty safe to say at this point that amiibo has definitely proven to have been a profitable venture for Nintendo. While it may be that some figures are extremely difficult to find in stores, it cannot be understated that demand has been high all across the board; especially considering that, with new games being released each month...
Slow and steady
In March Nintendo announced its partnership with DeNA to bring its IP to smart devices in apps and games. It was a fairly drastic shift in direction, with the talk turning from apps that would have the sole aim of directing consumers to Nintendo hardware, to directly acknowledging the need for big-hitting franchises to have games on...
News Nintendo Share Value Increases With Profits and Smart Device Gaming on the Agenda
Nintendo pushes back system plans for developing countries
Whether by design or simply coincidence, Nintendo managed to bury its financial results behind a Splatoon Direct, though for the first time in a few years the reports were actually positive. Nintendo made a larger than expected profit despite missing some sales targets, and expects improved...
Out Now Kirby And The Rainbow Paintbrush
The drawn out release is here!
As you may have noticed we've been going kooky for Kirby this week, as the round, pink protagonist's latest adventure, Kirby And The Rainbow Paintbrush, has finally come to European shores. It's been a few months since the game's North American release, so you may already know quite a bit about it, a game we called "a...
News Producer Of The Mario Kart Series Appointed As Head Of Nintendo’s Mobile Development Division
Likely to mean Hideki Konno
Following Nintendo's big announcement in March that it would partner with DeNA to bring popular Nintendo IP to new games on smart devices, there was much speculation about how exactly this enthralling venture would unfold. Now Japanese news outlet Sankei is reporting that Nintendo's latest financial results have shed...
Nintendo Life Weekly 8th May 2015
All wrapped up in a bow
Like a gracious army of waitresses we've come to serve you another delicious slice of the last seven days in Nintendo news, releases, and reviews. We've had a bit of a rebrand as some people felt that the original name was misleading and confusing, so we hope you agree that the new name is neither of those things. As always...
News Nintendo UK Hosting Splatoon Global Testfire Twitch Stream Tomorrow
Splat attack
Today sees the launch of the Splatoon Global Testfire, and Nintendo UK is hosting its own Twitch stream tomorrow. The first testfire session takes place at 4AM BST tonight, which understandably makes it less than ideal for UK gamers - unless you're planning on stocking up on caffeine and pulling an all-nighter, of course. Instead,...
Thursday7th May 2015
Review Puzzle & Dragons Z + Puzzle & Dragons: Super Mario Bros. Edition (3DS)
Enter the dragon
At first glance you could be forgiven for thinking that Puzzle & Dragons Z + Puzzle & Dragons: Super Mario Bros. Edition is no more than a colour-matching puzzle game with fancy visuals, and whilst there is certainly a level of truth to that, the grander picture is something quite different. To start off with Puzzle &...
News Splatoon Global Testfire Demo Confirmed For This Weekend
Demo available to download today
Nintendo has confirmed that demo sessions for its forthcoming Wii U shooter Splatoon will be held later this month. The sessions - which are dubbed "Global Testfire" - last for an hour each and are open to all Wii U owners, regardless of region. A downloadable demo version of the game will be made available today...
News Nintendo and Universal Studios Announce Theme Park Partnership
Time to visit Nintendo Land for real?
Nintendo, together with Universal Parks & Resorts, has today announced a partnership that will bring attractions based on Nintendo's games and characters to Universal theme parks. Universal theme parks offer incredibly popular, innovative themed family entertainment experiences based on compelling stories...
Reaction The Splatoon Global Testfire Demo Is a Clever Nintendo Direct Highlight
Stress tests servers, creates an 'event' and builds hype all at once
Nintendo isn't quite as old-fashioned as some like to pretend; it is, after all, a multi-billion dollar entertainment company that manufactures and sells consoles. In recent times it's signalled a serious intent to tackle the smart device market, shake up its customer loyalty...
Nintendo Download 7th May (North America)
Splatoon demo-ish, strangeness, retro Mega Man, Atlus goodness and more
After a delay while the Splatoon Direct festivities were completed, we now have the download update details for North America. There's a much-hoped for demo (sort of), classic Mega Man, platformers on the 3DS, a whole load of discounts, DLC and a particularly quirky Indie...
Friday8th May 2015
News Don't Worry Colour-Blind Gamers, Splatoon Has Got Your Back
Ink-lusive to a fault
Being colour-blind is no laughing matter, especially if you're a keen gamer. Those of us fortunate enough not to suffer from the problem take it for granted just how many games rely on accurate colour perception; such titles are tricky to play if you can't tell one colour from another, and as a result, many colour-blind players...
Thursday7th May 2015
Hints at more MK8 extras
Nintendo has released its financial results for the past year, which brought stronger profits than expected despite sales being down; the results are testament to a leaner, meaner Nintendo. It's predicting more profits in the coming year, though the 3DS family in particular is expected to decline. Yet in its section...
News Nintendo Outlines 2015 Software Plans, Star Fox Still Due For Take-Off
Shin Megami Tensei X Fire Emblem coming this year in Japan
Nintendo has just released its financials, and as part of that report has outlined its software release plans for the remainder of 2015. Unsurprisingly, Zelda on Wii U is nowhere to be seen - it has been pushed into next year - but elsewhere there are many reasons to be cheerful.
News Splatoon Mii Fighter Outfits Coming to Super Smash Bros. in the Summer
GameStop pre-order bonuses in the US, also coming to Europe
Nintendo has wrapped up its Splatoon Direct, which provided over 30 minutes of details on the upcoming Wii U-exclusive shooter. One piece of information saved until the end was confirmation of Splatoon-themed Mii Fighter outfits for Super Smash Bros. on Wii U and Nintendo 3DS; their...
News Play 8-Bit Retro Squid Games While You Wait For An Online Match In Splatoon
Complete amiibo missions to unlock special gear & more mini-games
The plaza featured in the upcoming Wii U title, Splatoon, will allow players to interact with the game world in an assortment of ways, and the latest Nintendo Direct today has revealed a few extra hidden surprises within the happening location. First is the inclusion of a vintage...
Nintendo Direct Watch the North American Splatoon Direct - Live!
A splattering of info
Splatoon is just a few short weeks away, and Nintendo is going to show it off to convince us that the colourful new Wii U IP is a must buy. Join us to watch all of the ink-splatting live, as we expect information on amiibo, online modes and more...
News Mario Kart 8 Passes Five Million Sales and eShop Download Numbers Continue to Rise
The latest sales figures for the biggest Wii U and 3DS games
Nintendo has today unveiled its annual financial results, which brought higher than expected profits for the company. Various other snippets of information were included in the announcements, including a breakdown of sales numbers for the biggest games on Wii U and 3DS. The most notable...
News Official Nintendo UK Store Launches Splatoon Wii U Bundles with amiibo and a GamePad Skin
If you're happy to wait until June
Nintendo's clearly keen to make a success of Splatoon, as shown not only by broadcasting a special Nintendo Direct but also in the previous announcement of a Wii U hardware bundle for the game. It's a smart move, though the downside in Europe is that - oddly - the bundle won't arrive until 19th June, a few weeks...
News Pick A Side And Represent It In Splatoon's Themed Event, Splatfest
Earn valuable Super Sea Snails as rewards
It's well documented that the anticipated Wii U squid shooter, Splatoon, is heavily focused on team-based ink wars, and the the latest Nintendo Direct celebrating the title's upcoming release has revealed the trend will continue with themed events known as 'Splatfests' – further encouraging team spirit...
News Nintendo Announces Higher Than Expected Profits Despite Missed Sales Targets
"A gaming application for smart devices" to help improve revenue
Nintendo has today revealed its financial results for the 2014 / 2015 year, which have delivered profits as expected from its previous projections in its Q3 results. The results are an improvement over the projections previously given, primarily due to yen depreciation and streamlined...
News Get Inked With This New Nintendo 3DS Splatoon-Themed Cover Plate
Be as stylish as a squid this July
The latest Nintendo Direct celebrating the upcoming release of the squid-based shooter, Splatoon, has just come to an end. While this title is making a splash exclusively on the Wii U, Nintendo has also revealed New 3DS owners will be able to be as stylish as Inkling Girl and Inkling Boy while out on the streets,...
News Project Giant Robot Will Be Out Sooner Than You Probably Expect
Yes, it is still a thing
Remember Project Giant Robot? It was shown off at last year's E3 but has dropped off the radar entirely since then, which has made some - us included - fear for its future. However, Nintendo has outlined its 2015 software plans and Project Giant Robot is still in there - and we may get to play it sooner than you think...
Video Nintendo of America's Splatoon TV Commercial Attempts to Introduce a Theme Song
Coming for ya, Taylor Swift
When it comes down to marketing styles, the gap between Europe and North America continues to widen. Nintendo of America's approach to selling Splatoon has been heavily focused on young gamers, in particular, while it's slightly more neutral in the EU so far. With a game that colourful, to be fair, targeting a young...
News Splatoon Global Testfire Demo Includes Discount For Eager UK Inklings
Available for as little as £31.49 on the eShop
A "Global Testfire" for the Wii U title Splatoon takes place this weekend, and to celebrate the event Nintendo UK is offering a 10 percent discount for those who download the demo and take part. That means you'll be able to download the full game on May 29th for just £31.49 - a neat saving over the...
News Nintendo Outlines Splatoon's Free Post-Launch Content
New stages, matchmaking modes and items incoming
During today's special Splatoon-themed Nintendo Direct revealed Nintendo's post-launch plans for the game, which includes new levels, modes and weapons. When the game launches on May 29th there will be five stages available in the online "Turf War" mode: Urchin Underpass, Saltspray Rig, Walleye...
News Yooka-Laylee Hit The $1 Million Point Faster Than Any Other Game In The History Of Kickstarter
On course to be the UK's biggest gaming Kickstarter campaign, too
Playtonic's Yooka-Laylee reached the $1 million marker faster than any other game on Kickstarter, it has been revealed. The campaign smashed its initial funding goal of £175,000 in less than 40 minutes, and by the end of its first full day had
Nintendo Direct Watch the European Splatoon Direct - Live!
Gunning for glory
Splatoon and its own amiibo toys hit stores at the end of May, and Nintendo's taking this chance to pitch the Wii U exclusive to its fans. Join us for the European variation of the presentation; we expect information on those amiibo toys, online modes and more...
News iOS Title Catch The Rabbit Sure Does Remind Us Of Something
Dang Nabbit
Another week, another smartphone title that shamelessly pillages from Nintendo's back catalogue. This time, it's an iOS release by the name of Catch the Rabbit, which showcases "a mischievous rabbit" who has "stolen all the golden fruits." The aim is to catch the rabbit by "jumping from platform to platform without falling". Take a look...
Video Catch Up With the Splatoon Direct Broadcasts
Enjoy your fake scientist voice-over of choice
Earlier today Nintendo served up its Splatoon Direct broadcasts, which revealed quite a few intriguing details, including what is effectively the first ever timed Beta demo by Nintendo. Check you out, big N, welcome to the future! We've written a host of news articles on the various details that...
Wednesday6th May 2015
Feature What We Want to See in the Splatoon Direct
Inking in the details
It's now less than a day until our next Nintendo Direct or, to be more precise, a Splatoon Direct. Nintendo is mimicking its Direct scheduling approach from 2014, filling the spaces between its latest major broadcast and E3 with presentations focused on retail releases. Mario Kart 8 had its own - fairly lengthy - Direct not...
News Three New Nintendo 3DS Bundles Heading to Europe on 26th June
Include cover plates, game copies and HOME themes
The New Nintendo 3DS arrived on 13th February along with some key releases, providing a fairly substantial update to the original models. An improved 3D screen with head tracking, NFC (amiibo) support and the C-Stick are among its additions, while in Europe there were smaller models and XL...
Thursday7th May 2015
Truly super effective
Pokémon is a bit of a big deal; that's news to absolutely no-one. It's a brand that's sustained impressive levels of sales and interest even in tricky and evolving times, still proving hugely successful on the 3DS while also releasing a host of spin-offs and - yes - smart device apps. It makes an awful lot of money, too. In...
Wednesday6th May 2015
News A Dragonite Distribution is Flying Into GameStop in the US
From 22nd June to 12th July
Pokémon games often find ways to stay interesting months after release, primarily through online events and distributions. Pokémon Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire fans in the US have some good news to savour, then, with a Dragonite distribution confirmed to be on the way. Available as a serial code in GameStop stores...
Gallery Splatoon Development Updates Bring Fashion, amiibo, Game Modes and More Paper
Let's warm up for Splatoon Direct
It's been over a month since we collated updates from Splatoon Tumblr page, which brings translated snippets of information and colourful screens from the development team in Japan. They always bring us fashion, often include looks at modes and gameplay, while also providing lowdowns on various ink-splatting...
News High Strangeness is Out Now on Wii U in North America and is, Well, Strange
Launch trailer sums it up nicely
Midnight City is a publisher with an eye for quirky experiences, and may be familiar to Wii U owners through its publishing of Double Fine's Costume Quest 2 on the system. It's now stepped up with High Strangeness, developed by Barnyard Intelligence Games. It's described as "a hybrid of 8 and 16 bit games - a 12 bit...
Review Best Friends - My Horse 3D (3DS eShop)
Put this one out to pasture
It seems as though publishers just can't get enough horse related games released on the 3DS, with Best Friends - My Horse 3D being the sixth one; you'd think by now that horse racing simulator games would have been mastered, but you'd be sadly mistaken. Best Friends - My Horse 3D does absolutely nothing to improve on...
News Yooka-Laylee Character Designer Spills on Creating Playtonic Games' Quirky Heroes
"Big eyes, big teeth, big belly. You can’t go wrong with these traits"
If the core appeal of your game is 3D platforming, there are key ingredients that simply must be included - slick controls, a smooth camera and solid mechanics are naturally part of the recipe. Immediately charming characters are also a must, though - unlike some genres where...
Feature Here Are Our Fondest Kirby Memories
Rainbow Paintbrush finally launches in Europe this week, so we talk Kirby
This week sees the release of Kirby and the Rainbow Paintbrush (Rainbow Curse to you North Americans) in Europe, and we thought it would be the ideal time to share some of our most treasured Kirby-related memories with you, our dear readers. Since he bounded into our lives in...
Review Titanic Mystery (3DS eShop)
My heart can't go on
If you aren't some form of malicious AI bent on revenge against humanity, then the idea of mixing puzzle gameplay together with tragic events might not make very much sense. It's a strange combination that has "honoured" the RMS Titanic in particular with several different examples, and we've pondered both the implications and...
News Modern Super Sonic Joins The Ranks at First 4 Figures
Cue arguments about Modern vs Classic Sonic in 3, 2, 1...
First 4 Figures is a name synonymous with collectible figurines - from Link and Epona, to Mega Man and many more, the company has kept resin distribution companies in business for years. The latest addition to the range caught our eye, meanwhile, blending a classic character with its modern...
Video Kirby and the Rainbow Paintbrush Launch Trailer Brings a Colourful Clay Overload
Finally arrives in PAL territories this week
Gamers in North America have been able to tackle Kirby and the Rainbow Curse on the Wii U for some time, wearing out GamePad touch screens in the latest HAL title starring the pink puffball. Its journey to PAL regions - as Kirby and the Rainbow Paintbrush - has taken longer, but it's finally due this week...
News Imageepoch CEO Remains Absent With Removal of Twitter Account
Still no official word, though Stella Glow still on course
Developer Imageepoch is well known by fans of the Japanese gaming scene and recently completely 3DS exclusive Stella Glow, which is being published by SEGA in Japan and Atlus in North America. Unfortunately, news around the developer took a troubling turn in early April with the...
Video Step Inside Classic Home Video Games Author Brett Weiss' Room of Doom
The ultimate man-cave?
Author Brett Weiss has written several highly respected books on the history of the video game industry, and unsurprisingly has managed to amass a pretty awesome collection of consoles and systems over the past few decades. iretrogamer.com - a new YouTube venture from occasional Nintendo contributor Tyler Esposito - was lucky...
Tuesday5th May 2015
News Disney Infinity 3.0 is Announced With Star Wars, Marvel and Inside Out, Confirmed for Wii U
We break down the major details
Disney Infinity 3.0 has been announced and features play-sets and characters from every Star Wars movie, alongside improved cross-franchise compatibility and play-sets for Inside Out and Marvel. With a strong announcement from Lego Dimensions and expected news on the next Skylanders game, this is an impressive...
Feature A Fit-To-Burst History Of Kirby Games
In 22 easily swallowable installments
Kirby has always existed to present an appealing leaping-in point for beginner players, a job he has performed well for nearly two dozen years now. And yet, many of the players who helped cut their gaming teeth on a Kirby title still stick with the series after all this time. As more games are added to the Kirby...
Wednesday6th May 2015
News Updated Documents Point to Multiple amiibo Restocks for North America
Includes Shulk, Toad and Mario
Nintendo of America and amiibo have a complicated relationship - the toy range is a commercial success, but has also fallen victim to stock issues in the region that frustrate plenty of dedicated fans. Entire websites and Twitter accounts are devoted to tracking stock and pre-order launch times as the scrabble for...
Tuesday5th May 2015
Video 'Smashified' Series Adds King K. Rool to the Collection of Super Smash Bros. Speed Paintings
In a while, crocodile?
YouTuber Artsy Omni has added a new video to the 'Smashified' series (a series that takes our favourite and most-wanted characters for Smash Bros. DLC and recreates them in the game's art style), and this time the focus is on King K. Rool - a logical choice considering that the antagonist of the Donkey Kong series is arguably...
News Portal, The Simpsons and Scooby Sneak Into Lego Dimensions
Adios, bank balance
After much internet rumour and speculation, a listing on Walmart for some Lego Dimensions packs (that was hastily removed) has confirmed a Portal and The Simpsons level pack for Lego Dimensions. It also included listings for character packs on Scooby Doo, Jurassic World and Chima. The news comes after many Lego fan sites have...
Review River City Ransom (Wii U eShop / NES)
Holding your funds for ransom
Originally released in Japan for Nintendo Famicom, classic beat 'em up 'Downtown Nekketsu Monogatari' was then heavily localised for its eventual release in the US; background artwork was amended to look more 'western' (for example, rooftop tiling designs and mailboxes were changed) plus all location names were updated...
Weirdness This Chain Chomp Cat Bed Sold for Over $1000
Quite a cat nap
Furniture and art pieces based on Nintendo systems and characters are pretty common, especially in the world of niche traders that sell their wares online. Whether you want cushions, coffee tables or lamps shaped like question blocks, the internet is there for you. It's not every day, however, that you see a cat bed shaped like...
News Yooka-Laylee Sets a New Stretch Goal to Smash, This Time for a Fully Orchestrated Soundtrack
A Rare treat
Yooka-Laylee is proof that combining industry veterans of an iconic development studio with a genre that brings to mind the late '90s is a tonic for success. From that laboured bit of wordplay we segway to Playtonic Games, which has quickly turned from a start-up of excellent developers into a significant Kickstarter success story...
News Teaser Site For Koji Igarashi's Castlevania Successor Lets You Have Your Say
Sword or whip - which will you choose?
Yesterday, we reported on a rumour which seemed to suggest that Koji Igarashi - he of Castlevania fame - was about to launch a Kickstarter campaign for his next game. The rumblings appear to have been true, as Igarashi has just launched a teaser site for his next venture - and it allows fans to have some...
News Kung Fu Panda: Showdown of Legendary Legends Is Brawling Its Way To Wii U And 3DS
Super Smash Bros has company?
Little Orbit has announced that it is publishing Vicious Cycle's Kung Fu Panda: Showdown of Legendary Legends on Nintendo Wii U and 3DS later this year. Boasting 20 different characters as well as offline and online play, Kung Fu Panda: Showdown of Legendary Legends contains plenty of modes, such as Tournament of...
News Sega Won't Have A Booth At This Year's E3
"Collaborating" with "various business partners", instead
Sega recently offered 300 of its global staff voluntary retirement during a period of restructuring, prompting speculation about the company's future in the console arena. The Japanese veteran has now delivered some more bad news - it won't have a booth at this year's E3. This was confirmed...
News Nihilumbra Begins Its Wii U Journey on 14th May
Includes system-exclusive co-op, remember
It's been a little while coming, but BeautiFun Games' Nihilumbra finally has a confirmed release date on the Wii U. Having cleared Nintendo's testing it'll arrive on 14th May in Europe and North America. This puzzle adventure incorporates a painterly art style and a variety of mechanics, in which you use a...
News It's Hats Off to the Latest SteamWorld Heist Ambassador Challenge
For all you doodlers out there
With SteamWorld Heist heading to Wii U, 3DS and a load of other systems later this year, Image & Form is keen to keep its fans busy in the build-up. Part of those efforts are bi-weekly competitions for someone to become a SteamWorld Ambassador; they'll get to play Heist before it comes out and get free copies on...
News Funk of Titans Aims to Teach "Jive-Turkey Pagan Titans" Some New Beats
Dig if you will the picture
While the Wii U eShop isn't short of download-only platformers, some can be criticised for being a little lacking in personality or creative flair. While the gameplay of Funk of Titans looks like fairly conventional fare, the concept gets prizes for its pure chutzpah. Developed by A Crowd of Monsters - not an actual...
Monday4th May 2015
Review Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor 2 Record Breaker (3DS)
Dial D for Demons
The original Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor - a game in the grand tradition of titles cleverly acronym'd to reference Nintendo's dual-screened handheld - represented a new take on Atlus' long-running Shin Megami Tensei games, combining the series' modern setting and demon-taming mechanics with tactical, strategy-RPG gameplay...
Talking Point Is Konami About To Exit The Console Game Business?
Nintendo's old ally could be leaving the industry it helped to grow
Konami has been in the headlines a lot lately. First up were those troublesome rumours regarding the impending departure of Hideo Kojima, creator of the Metal Gear series and arguably the Japanese company's most valuable and famous employee. It would appear that Kojima is set to...
News Hacker Produces Region Free Exploit for Current New Nintendo 3DS System Version
New 'stability' update no doubt on the way
Though the DS days of mass hacking and playable ROMS through common R4 cards are a thing of the past - to the relief of developers and publishers - there are still those that mod the 3DS for niche purposes. Such has been Nintendo's aggressive approach to firmware updates to lock out exploits, any attempts...
Nintendo Download 7th May (Europe)
Kirby, DS Yoshi, Puzzle & Dragons duo, a free HOME theme and more
It's the beginning of another week, and though the UK Nintendo Download Update details and pricing haven't been issued due to a public Holiday, the information for the European region as a whole has still been released (with thanks to Daan Koopman for his assistance). This week's...
News Rumour: Koji Igarashi's Castlevania Successor Could Rise From The Grave This Week
"The first sign rises with the full moon. Soon, I will return"
Long-time Castlevania producer Koji "IGA" Igarashi left Konami a while back to move into indie development, but aside from a cryptic double-page PAX flyer, we've heard very little about what he's up to. However, this week could change all of that, if rumours swirling around the dark and...
News Warren Spector Reminisces About the Development of the Epic Mickey Series
Learn how the series came together
Disney Epic Mickey could be argued as being something of a letdown on the Wii. After an initial reveal showcasing remarkably dark concept art and promising a dynamic and choice-driven narrative, many saw it as a bold and promising new direction to take Disney's famous mouse. The resultant game, and its sequel for...
Weirdness Mayweather vs Pacquiao Gets the Punch-Out!! Treatment, Again
It's pretty accurate
This past weekend the "Fight of the Century" - Mayweather vs Pacquiao - took place in Las Vegas, though for plenty that splashed out on pay-per-view to watch it there was some disappointment. Lacking in fireworks and with a predictable outcome, it couldn't live up to the - admittedly over-the-top - hype. We already shared one...
News Nintendo of America Apologises for amiibo Shortages and Promises More Re-Stocks
"We understand how frustrating it can be at times"
We don't think any dedicated Nintendo fan would disagree that the company's had plenty of problems with stocking and distributing its amiibo range of toys. While there's an abundance of certain 'main' figures, some options sold-out at the pre-order stage and have never returned, while tales of...
News You Can Own Sid Meier's SNES Development System, If You Have A Spare $9.5K
"The 'Holy Grail' of video game collecting"
Legendary game design Sid Meier is responsible for some of the most iconic titles in the history of the interactive entertainment industry. He helped found Microprose in the 1980s and has since produced the likes of Civilization, Sid Meier's Pirates!, Silent Service and F-15 Strike Eagle. It's now possible...
Sunday3rd May 2015
Talking Point Nintendo's Legacy Makes The Virtual Console Essential, But It Must Modernise
Idealism should make way for realism
Technologically, the world is busier and noisier than it's ever been before. So many gadgets and screens demand our time and loyalty, from smart TVs with hundreds of channels and streaming apps, to smartphones and tablets and, of course, game systems. Those with a decent amount of spare cash that are anxious to...
Video Did You Know Gaming? Tackles Metroid Prime, Dread and a Cancelled 3DS Entry
Please come back, Samus
When it comes to fan-favourite franchises due an announcement and comeback, we'd think that Metroid is relatively high on the wishlists of many. In the GameCube and Wii era the IP had four releases, with the Metroid Prime Trilogy from Retro Studios being the obvious stand-out. While we wait to see what's next for the series...
Saturday2nd May 2015
Poll Is It Time For a Fresh Alternative to the Virtual Console?
Bundles, remixes, subscription services - what's next?
When the Wii launched it had plenty of exciting ideas that contributed to its extraordinary success. One service that appealed to older gamers and / or dedicated fans was the Virtual Console - while relatively niche services had offered older games for download in the past, this was a game...
News Yooka-Laylee Double-Jumps Through Final Kickstarter Stretch Goal In Less Than 24 Hours
£1 million in the bag, day one Wii U release assured
Update: Playtonic Games has now announced two new stretch goals on its campaign page. £1.1 million will bring an N64 'shader mode' plus a DK rap + video in the credits, while £1.2 million will add a developer walkthrough and commentary video. At current momentum these will likely be passed in...
News SEGA and M2 Are Happy to Continue 3D Classics "Indefinitely if Sales Are Good"
No current plans beyond upcoming line-up, however
It's no secret that we're big fans of the SEGA 3D re-releases on the 3DS eShop, in which a range of classics from the Mega Drive and arcade era are reproduced in a brilliant fashion; the development work is done by the porting masters at M2, of course. The series has had a good run, with a number of...
Friday1st May 2015
First Impressions Hands On With Playtonic's Yooka-Laylee
Damien and Thomas share their initial impressions
The cat - or should that be chameleon - is out of the bag. Fledgling UK studio Playtonic Games has lifted the lid on the stars of its début title - Yooka and Laylee - and has sent Rare-loving Nintendo fans into a frenzy of anticipation by confirming that the game will be coming to the Wii U eShop...
Exclusive Behind The Scenes On Playtonic's Yooka-Laylee
Meeting with a Rare breed of developers
They say that the apple never falls far from the tree, and that's certainly true of UK startup Playtonic Games. Based on an industrial estate in the middle of the rolling English countryside, this team of former Rare developers is but a stone's throw away from the historic town of Ashby-de-la-Zouch, where Rare...
News Yooka-Laylee Kickstarter Campaign Smashes Its Funding Goal In Less Than An Hour
Thousands of backers jump in for spiritual Banjo-Kazooie Successor
Playtonic Games, a new studio comprised of ex-Rare developers, has been generating a lot of hype for its first project. We know from speaking to the studio, however, that it'll be absolutely stunned by the reaction to the Kickstarter campaign for its first game - Yooka-Laylee. After...
First Impressions Tapping In With amiibo Tap: Nintendo's Greatest Bits
amii-boo
There's a decent indication that amiibo Tap: Nintendo's Greatest Bits (known as amiibo Touch & Play: Nintendo Classics Highlights in Europe) is considered a fairly valuable release - internally - by Nintendo. When highlighting the role of amiibo in an investor's briefing at the start of the year Satoru Iwata referenced the project by...
Nintendo Life Weekly 1st May 2015
Your weekly gullet-full
We all have busy lives, and often it can be very difficult to keep up with everything that's happened in the world of Nintendo without totally sacrificing our social lives. Introducing Nintendo Life Weekly, a new series of videos that aim to condense all the news, releases, and reviews of the previous week. The video has...
Saturday2nd May 2015
News Atlus Confirms Attack on Titan: Humanity in Chains Release Date
Swinging into action
Attack on Titan has taken the world by storm; with a popular manga and anime series, the property has seen a lot of success. After a long wait the 3DS game, Attack on Titan: Humanity in Chains is finally leaving Japan and allowing the rest of the world to join the ranks of the Scout Regiment. The Atlus published game,...
Friday1st May 2015
News Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate's May DLC Brings Metroid, Mega Man and Street Fighter Madness
The unlocks seem relatively sane, too
Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate is a massive game, and Capcom also throws in free monthly DLC to keep us busy. Though we've occasionally complained about the sometimes outrageous difficulty of some of the quest unlocks, it certainly gives us all plenty to aim for with cross-over outfits and awesome weapons. The May...
News More Disney Infinity 3.0 Leaks Emerge With Starter Pack Line-Up
Don't click on this if you don't want spoilers
Disney Infinity 3.0 will be a major challenger in the toys-to-life space later this year, going up against the next Skylanders (we assume) and LEGO Dimensions, while Nintendo will likely continue its own model with yet more amiibo functionality. When it comes to buying plastic toys that double as DLC...
Weirdness Watch This Awesome Dad Recreate Super Smash Bros. Taunts
Smash Dad DLC on the way?
We know what you're all thinking - "Man, I wish my Dad would stop recreating the taunts of my favourite Smash Bros. characters, it's getting a bit stale now..." Err...no? Well, there's at least one crazy parent out there who's been absolutely nailing the performance, and it makes for a hilarious start to the weekend. Yes,...
Video Digital Foundry Puts the Mario Kart 8 DLC Pack 2 Performance to the Test
Spoiler - it's impressive
The Digital Foundry team makes its living by delving into the minutiae of detail over a game's performance, looking at visual effects, resolution and frame rate among other factors. It did just that for Mario Kart 8 last year when it launched, and was full of praise for Nintendo's racer. In addition to being an attractive...
News Less Than A Day Old And Yooka-Laylee Already Has Lots of Awesome Fan-Art
Now that's a Rare sight
It's been less than a day now since Playtonic Games lifted the lid on its upcoming game, Yooka-Laylee, and already the Internet has gone fan-art crazy. This is all before the Kickstarter campaign has even gone live, too, emphasizing the hype around this project. We've picked out some early winners in the fan-art stakes for...
Would also love to see Shovel Knight added to the Super Smash Bros. roster
Yacht Club Games’ side-scrolling platform title, Shovel Knight, was a huge success on launch, receiving critical praise and scooping up several game awards soon after. Since its initial release on the Wii U, 3DS and PC in June last year, the independent developer has been...
News Rynn’s Adventure: Trouble in the Enchanted Forest Arrives On The Wii U And 3DS eShops This Fall
Defeat an army of reptiles as a fearless fox
Yet another indie title will arrive on the Wii U and 3DS eShops soon, with developer Arcane Four Studios announcing their side-scrolling 2D platform game, Rynn’s Adventure: Trouble in the Enchanted Forest, will be released this fall. Players take control of a fox named Rynn as they attempt to take back...
News Here's How the Combat System Will Work in Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor 2 Record Breaker
Kinda like a weird cross of Fire Emblem and Pokémon
The release of Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor 2 Record Breaker draws ever closer and the game looks more exciting with each passing week. If you haven't noticed, Atlus has been drip feeding us videos over the past few weeks, with each one showcasing a different aspect of gameplay. We've...
News Classic Arcade Shooter Ultratron Is Inserting Credits On May 14th
Twin-stick Robotron homage launching on the Wii U eShop soon
Curve Digital has confirmed that Puppygames's Ultratron is launching on the Wii U eShop on May 14th. A loving tribute to arcade shooters like Robotron and Smash TV, Ultratron is a twin-stick blaster with a retro-futuristic soundtrack and "slick, stylised graphics." It even has a filter...
News How Some Of Rare's Leading Lights Traded Platforming For Pensions
Preciousbluedot is using game design to change the world of finance
Just in case the news relating to Playtonic's début didn't get the Rare fans among you excited enough, we've got a little update on what another group of famous ex-Rare developers have been up to since leaving the legendary UK studio - and it's probably not what you were expecting...
Initial screenshot posting "never was planned"
Miiverse has had its share of community controversies, typically when users have been restricted from posting content they want to share. Comic Workshop fell victim to this problem when screenshot sharing was rapidly removed from the community, frustrating those that wanted a quick and easy way to share...
News Elliot Quest Patch Fixes Bugs and Graveyard Glitch
Version 1.2.2, for the record
Elliot Quest is an indie RPG on the Wii U that was heavily pushed by Nintendo ahead of release, which is hardly surprising due to its retro-style visuals and design. It's also a solid advertisement for the occasionally maligned Nintendo Web Framework, too. At launch it did have some shortcomings, though to the credit...
Parent Trap Why Affordable Multiplayer Adventures Matter
Family Gamer's Andy Robertson tackles a space odyssey with his kids
Players in young families are all different, but they are also all in the same place. That's why local multiplayer games with different roles of varying difficulty work so well. However, get the balance wrong and young players will soon los
News Quadcopter Pilot Challenge Aims to Take Flight on the Wii U eShop
Uses the GamePad for a separate camera
The Wii U eShop continues to attract fresh developers, some with ambitious ideas, and TACS Games appears to be in this category with Quadcopter Pilot Challenge. Based on the small toy craft of that name, this title appears to aim for a blend of Pilotwings-style challenges and ambitious use of the GamePad...
