Guide Unlocking Building Items And More In Super Mario Maker v1.01
For the impatient Mario makers among us
Review Animal Crossing: Happy Home Designer (3DS)
Home is where the art is
News - September, 2015
Wednesday30th Sep 2015
News Splatoon 'Octoling' Modder Could Cause Save Data Problems
Wrapping their tentacles around your game
Throughout the Summer there have been efforts in data mining and adding skins to Splatoon, notably with 'playable Octolings' based on messing around with in-game data and settings. It seems, though, that more players beyond the original hacker are starting to manipulate data in Splatoon to play as Octolings...
News Super Smash Bros. Wii U & 3DS Version 1.1.1 Is Now Live
New and classic stages, Mii Fighter outfits & more
Nintendo’s ongoing support of Super Smash Bros. for Wii U & 3DS continues with the latest patch for the game now live. Version 1.1.1 further enhances the overall game experience and also introduces new paid DLC offerings including the anticipated Super Mario Maker stage as well as seven...
First Impressions Taking A Shot At Fatal Frame: Maiden Of Black Water
"I like it here...She's calling me."
The Fatal Frame series, known as Project Zero in Europe, has had an inconsistent presence in the West for quite some time now. Though several installments made their way onto Nintendo consoles - most notably the Wii - fans outside of Japan have grown accustomed to importing in order to get the latest spooky...
Video Super Mario Maker and Wind Waker Star in Super Smash Bros. DLC
Super Mario Waker
Super Mario Maker continues to bring joy to hundreds of thousands of people across the globe, but now you can experience this custom Super Mario experience in a somewhat more violent manner. Released today, the Super Mario Maker stage is available to buy for Super Smash Bros. for Wii U & 3DS, and alongside this new offering on...
Exploring Space, One Turn at a Time
Oh to be lost in space, exploring strange new worlds with a plethora of rocks. Lots and lots of space rocks. Enjoying the thrill of combat from dangerous, colourful and stinky creatures at your fuel tanks. Rescuing your fellow scientists, some unwillingly and others affected by the loneliness that is space...
News Super Mario Maker Back on Top in Japan as 3DS and Wii U Sales Increase
Building blocks for success
The Japanese Media Create chart results are out once again, and despite an absence of major new releases this time around there's good news for Nintendo. New releases in Japan have been on Vita, PS4 and PS3, though none have shifted significant numbers. In fact Nintendo system exclusives occupy the top three places, with...
News Metroid Prime: Hunters Arrives on Wii U Virtual Console in Japan
Yes please, NoA and NoE
When Nintendo announced DS games for the Wii U Virtual Console quite some time ago, many reacted with variations of "huh", "erm" and "that's weird". Yet it has worked reasonably well in many cases, with the GamePad screen and TV having various configurations to get the most out of these previously portable titles. It also...
News Shiny Founder Dave Perry Wasn't Keen On The N64 From The Start
"He was declaring quite loudly that he was never going to support N64"
The Nintendo 64 is one of the most beloved consoles of the '90s, and played host to some truly amazing games, such as Goldeneye 007, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, Super Mario 64 and Star Fox 64. However, compared to the incredible commercial succe
Video Mega Yarn Yoshi, Shovel Knight And More amiibo Madness At EGX 2015
Is your wallet ready?
You like amiibo, right? Of course you do! Everyone does. And with that in mind, you'll no doubt be pleased to hear that Nintendo Life video expert Alex Olney teamed up with our friends at Family Gamer TV at EGX 2015 to get an up-close tour of all the lovely new amiibo on show at the expo. On the Nintendo booth we got to have a...
News Super Mario Maker Passes One Million Sales
Over 2.2 million levels played nearly 75 million times
Super Mario Maker has now been available for around three weeks, keeping Wii U owners busy as they play and create clever, bizarre and fiendish 2D Mario levels. Nintendo has now issued some updated statistics on the title which make happy reading for Wii U fans. The game has now passed one...
News HAL Laboratory Finally Joins Twitter
Work on those Japanese lessons
Nintendo and its closest partners have gradually become more accustomed to the busy world of social media. Twitter, YouTube, Facebook, Instagram and various others have been picked up by Nintendo in various regions, and are often used to reveal release dates, special editions and all manner of announcements. HAL...
Review Defense Dome (Wii U eShop)
It seems that the rocket has missed its mark
Defense Dome is a classic-style arcade action game developed by the aptly named HullBreach Studios for the Wii U eShop. Designed to be played in short bursts, this game offers quick access to three separate level designs, with promise for more content to be made available as add-on content. It is...
News The Delusions Of Von Sottendorff And His Square Mind Will Befuddle 3DS Owners This Winter
It's hip to be square
Delirium Studios has lifted the lid on its new and exclusive 3DS eShop puzzle title, The Delusions of Von Sottendorff and His Square Mind. Trapped within a mental prison of his own making, the titular Baron Von Sottendorff must negotiate 8 different worlds, 40 challenging levels and avoid 18 different types of enemies to...
Video Ryan Craddock Performs His Super Mario Maker Song 'Mix It Up' Live On Stage At EGX 2015
Clap your hands!
Nintendo Life was in attendance at this year's EGX - officially the UK's biggest gaming event - and while we were there we got the chance to help out on the Nintendo UK stand, running live sessions on stage and our very own daily Splatoon tournaments. A highlight of the event was Nintendo Life tune-smith Ryan Craddock performing...
Tuesday29th Sep 2015
News Updated Sega Mega Drive Arcade Ultimate Handheld Features Save State Support
Fixes the big issue with the original system
AtGames' Sega Mega Drive Arcade Ultimate Handheld was the dream machine for hardcore Sega fanboys. Not only did it allow you to play 16-bit classics on the move, it featured SD card support so you could load up even more games - although the rather shady nature of ROM distribution did cause some to frown...
Talking Point Why Does Investor Confidence in Nintendo Continue to Dip Under Tatsumi Kimishima?
Kimishima-san and colleagues have plenty to offer
Let's start this with a disclaimer - we're not high-rolling investors or employed as financial analysts. So when we talk about investors and share prices, we're looking in with our own perspective and trying to make sense of how the market's working and why it's behaving in certain ways. We're...
Video This Splatoon Glitch Makes Rainmaker Very One-Sided on Hammerhead Bridge
One fish, two fish, blowfish, blue fish
Every game comes with its fair share of glitches, and it seems even Splatoon isn't exempt from this fact regardless of all the updates it's received over its short life. This latest glitch discovered by YouTuber Ryanator allows you to get out of bounds on the most recently released map Hammerhead Bridge, and...
News Super Nintendo Classic Chrono Trigger Gets Digital Audio Support
Orchestral Time Traveler
In an alternate universe not entirely dissimilar to our own the Super Nintendo got a CD add-on made by Sony, much like the Mega Drive's Mega CD. This would bring full motion video and Redbook audio to the SNES games you know and love. In fact, some games would have been completely different in that universe. Secret of Mana...
Review Rock 'N Racing Off Road DX (Wii U eShop)
Quantity over quality
EnjoyUp's top-down racer Rock 'N Racing Off Road, released in February, was a disappointing, frustrating experience that left much to be desired. Now, just months later, Rock 'N Racing Off Road DX aims to improve upon the formula and offer a more robust set of features, tracks, cars, and modes. Yet while there's certainly more...
Video Did You Know Gaming? Explores The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
Reminds us that it's due a replay
The Zelda franchise is often the source of many delicious and occasionally unlikely rumours, and The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess has been at the centre of some in recent years. Some wanted it to be remade for Wii U, others thought it'd come to 3DS - or maybe New Nintendo 3DS - as a 3D remake, and in the end...
Reminder Club Nintendo Closes in Europe on 30th September
Time is ticking
It happened long ago in North America, but Club Nintendo is about to close in Europe - due to time zones it's already happening (at the time of writing) in Australia. If you have stars remaining now is the time to use them. 30th September is the date, so the hours are ticking down to grab items before it closes down for good. The...
30 percent sold on 3DS, 20 percent on Wii U
Yacht Club Games may have removed Shovel Knight's Nintendo exclusivity in recent months, but the game has still performed best on Nintendo consoles. According to Nathan Vella, president and cofounder of Capy Games, 30 percent of sales have been on the 3DS, with 20 percent of total sales on Wii U. 14...
Feature Looking at the Building Blocks of LEGO Dimensions
We catch up with TT Games to learn more
Toys to life is now a well-worn term in gaming, rising to prominence when Skylanders started to take over the world. Employing simple NFC technology that had long been part of the lives of daily commuters with travel cards, for example, it turned figurines into vital video game accessories - making stacks of...
News Sonic The Hedgehog 2 Is Spin-Dashing To The 3DS eShop On October 8th
Tails in tow
Sega has confirmed the western release date for 3D Sonic The Hedgehog 2, the latest in M2's line of amazing 3D Classics for Nintendo's 3DS handheld. October 8th is the date to write in your calendar - it is expected to launch in North America and Europe on the same day. Regarded by many as Sonic's finest outing, Sonic 2 was a massive...
Weirdness Just Dance 2016 Will Include An Exclusive Song About Stepping On A Chihuahua
Boasting the vocal talents of Japanese singer Reni Mimura
Ubisoft has created a unique song for the forthcoming Just Dance 2016 and it's totally and utterly bonkers. Composed by the Just Dance team alongside Tom Salta and Japanese singer Reni Mimura, "Chiwawa" is all about a girl who steps on her Chihuahua by accident: Chiwawa is the surprising...
News Mario Tennis: Ultra Smash Will Be Served Up in North America on 20th November
Charging the net in the Holiday season
Mario Tennis: Ultra Smash is lined up to be a key Holiday title for the Wii U, and Nintendo of America has confirmed its release date in the territory. As you can see in the tweet below it'll arrive on 20th November in the region. In the next few months the sporting sequel will be joined in the region -...
News Shenmue's Ryo Hazuki Joins The Growing Cast Of Project X Zone 2
Along with Capcom's Ingrid and Tales of Vesperia’s Estelle
The cast of forthcoming RPG Project X Zone 2 continues to grow at an alarming rate, with the latest additions being Shenmue's Ryo Hazuki, Capcom Fighting Evolution's Ingrid and Tales of Vesperia's Estelle. This latest trio of characters has been confirmed via leaked images taken from the...
News Pre-Orders Open for the Cute But Deadly Marth Nendoroid
All smiles and swords
Nendoroids are too cute to ignore yet pricey enough to be tricky to collect, neat figures that can also match your mood with various stances and expressions. We've covered the Marth Nendoroid in the past, and GoodSmile has now opened pre-orders for the figure; its official store is selling reservations until 28th October for...
Monday28th Sep 2015
News Major 3DS Games Are Heading for Discounts in the Next Nintendo Selects Range
Legend of Zelda! Star Fox! Mario Tennis! More!
The Nintendo Selects series became a key part of the Wii catalogue, as high quality games became available at discount prices to tempt late adopters to give them a try. We're finally going to see the same initiative on 3DS, with Nintendo of Europe confirming six games that'll join the range for the...
Preview Fabulous Fashion and Questionable Game Design in The Legend of Zelda: Tri Force Heroes
It's frustrating to go alone...
The Legend of Zelda: Tri Force Heroes is now less than a month away, but there's certainly a perception that it's struggling to generate the usual Zelda hype levels. It's the nature of spin-offs, with similar vibes about Animal Crossing: Happy Home Designer - it's not that Nintendo fans have no interest, but there's a...
Nintendo Download 1st October (Europe)
Animal Crossing! Medabots! 1001 Spikes! Dragon Ball Z pre-load! More!
It's the beginning of another week, which means we have Nintendo Download Update details for Europe to consider; this week brings 3DS retail treats, a long awaited download game across both systems and even Virtual Console options. On top of that there are more download-only games...
Out of this world
There is something to be said about the power of some good ol' fashioned couch multiplayer in this age of online gaming. There's a certain degree of delightful chaos in the experience of competing head to head with friends that are physically present that can't be replicated by voice chat or matchmaking. Nowhere is this more...
News Climate "Not Healthy" For Dedicated Handheld Games Consoles, Says Sony's Shuhei Yoshida
"People have mobile phones and it's so easy to play games on smartphones"
With the Wii U failing to match the original Wii in terms of commercial success Nintendo has, to a certain extent, relied on its current handheld platform, the 3DS, to balance the books. However, even that system has struggled to replicate the performance of its immediate...
Review Job the Leprechaun (Wii U eShop)
"What do I look like, me lad?"
Job the Leprechaun is having a hard time. A witch has kidnapped his best friend, Eri, and has taken her far away, past lands filled with knights, zombies, and goblins. So Job's going to save her…eventually. First, he'll grab all the four-leaf clovers he can find, slowly moving through the poorly-defended countryside...
News Deep Silver And Comcept Confirm Launch Date For Mighty No. 9
Physical and digital versions coming at the same time
Publisher Deep Silver - along with Mighty No. 9 developer Comcept - has confirmed that the physical and digital editions of the game will launch in North America on February 9th and the rest of the world on February 12th. This revised release date was down to the game slipping from its expected...
News Super Mario Maker Continues Steady UK Run as Skylanders Performs Well on Wii U
Not much else to shout about for Nintendo
The UK chart results have now been released for the most recent week, and bring a mix of expected results along with occasional surprises. FIFA 16 seizes top spot, naturally, though there are a couple of interesting outcomes from a Nintendo perspective. For starters, Super Mario Maker continues to...
Video Learn The Full Story Behind the Power Glove Courtesy of the Gaming Historian
It deserved a better fate
"The Power Glove. It's so bad." It's a line of dialogue familiar to many retro Nintendo fans, delivered in a non-ironic way in The Wizard, a movie that isn't exactly critically acclaimed but is fondly regarded by some. The peripheral itself was hugely fascinating at the time yet, ultimately, failed to achieve significant...
News The Deer God Will Bring Gorgeous Pixel-Based Nature to the Wii U eShop This December
Different from the norm
In August 2014 The Deer God had a successful Kickstarter campaign, with its soundtrack and handsome pixel-based visuals catching the eye of 2801 backers. One of its successful stretch goals was for a Wii U eShop release, and now Mobot Studios - which has released multiple games on the store - is stepping in as publisher to...
Video Nintendo Life Emerges Victorious From YouTube Gaming Sessions At EGX 2015
Alex Olney secures a trio of wins
At EGX 2015 YouTube went big on gaming, hosting its own stand where it streamed footage of famous faces taking each other on in various titles. One such famous face was our very own Alex Olney, who was recently nominated for a Games Media Award. Olney took part in three YouTube Gaming sessions, all of which you can...
Video Genesis Power Team Volume 2 Has A Distinctly Nintendo Feel To It
Lots of lovely imports, too
Long-time followers of this site will know the name Tyler Esposito - not only have we covered the excellent video content he has created in the past, he's actually contributed to Nintendo Life as well. Esposito's latest project is iretrogamer, a YouTube channel which he hopes can become a resource for all kinds of retro...
Video Catch Up With the Translated Preview Trailer Showing Off The Legend of Zelda: Tri Force Heroes
Not quite as crazy as the Japanese equivalent
A little while ago we shared a delightfully bonkers Japanese preview trailer for The Legend of Zelda: Tri Force Heroes, in which the quirky storyline of the game was highlighted for all to enjoy. A version of that has now been released in English, though it's been edited down in its transition to the...
Random Conduct Interviews in Retro Style With a Famicom Voice Recorder
Hopefully isn't 8-bit sound
A number of the UK-based Nintendo Life crew spent four days at EGX in Birmingham recently, an expo with all of the noise, fun and shenanigans you'd expect. Your humble writer wasn't to be found out in the wilds of the main hall, however, but conducting interviews with plenty of Indie developers; the burden of...
Sunday27th Sep 2015
Rumour Retailer-Exclusive amiibo Look Set for Roll Out At Rival Stores in North America
Timed exclusives only?
In Europe most amiibo, if not quite all, have been released by any retailer that's wanted to stock the figure. It's been a rather different tale in North America, with major players Toys "R" Us, GameStop, Walmart, Best Buy and Amazon all having exclusives at some point over the past 10 months. In some cases, however, these may...
News HyperPlay RPG Is A Glorious Throwback To The Pre-Internet Days Of Homemade Fanzines
We go hands-on with issue zero
If you're old enough to remember the days before the internet took over everything then you may recall the vibrant and active video game fanzine community. Before the web arrived the only way for non-professional writers to get their words in front of others was by making black-and-white photocopied magazines and...
Spoilers... obviously
Speedrunning remains as one of the most fun yet niche areas of gaming, with highly skilled enthusiasts achieving amazing things in classic titles, mostly of the retro variety. They can be great to watch, though it's also pleasing to be shown how it works on occasion, too. The hugely popular A+Start channel has been running a...
Weirdness Mario Kart 8's Yoshi Bike Found In Japan
Well, kind of...
Those familiar with the latest instalment in the Mario Kart series will know that one of the available vehicles is the 'Yoshi Bike' - a motorbike shaped as Mario's long-time dino companion, obviously. As cool as it looks in the game (if that's the kind of thing that floats your boat), it looks even better in real-life. Twitter user...
Hands On Reaching the Depths of Space in SteamWorld Heist
We dive into an extended play session with the 3DS title
SteamWorld Heist is certainly one of the most anticipated releases heading to the 3DS eShop this year, coming to the portable first ahead of a slew of HD iterations. The success of SteamWorld Dig on the portable was an integral part of Image & Form's recent momentum, with numerous ports...
Saturday26th Sep 2015
Reminder There's Only One More Week Left To Vote In The Super Smash Bros. Fighter Ballot
Who's it gonna be?!
Super Smash Bros. for Wii U & 3DS has been a game that's kept on giving, with its consistent DLC of new characters, stages and Mii Fighter costumes. However, on April 1st 2015, Nintendo went one step further and announced the Super Smash Bros. Fighter Ballot in one of its Directs - a voting system where players can submit...
News Chromophore: The Two Brothers is Still Heading to Wii U, Developer Explains Delay
There's an updated release window
Chromophore: The Two Brothers has always seemed like a title destined to hit it off with a Nintendo audience; it's an action adventure with Game Boy-style visuals and a heavy Link's Awakening vibe, which naturally attracted a lot of attention in the past. Its planned arrival on Wii U hasn't come around, however,...
Friday25th Sep 2015
News Retailers In North America Merge Wii U & 3DS Library Under One Nintendo Banner
Here we go!
With rumours about Nintendo’s next big move already running rife, this latest morsel of information will no doubt add some extra fuel to the fire. Across the US, eagle-eyed individuals have spotted a rather interesting change at local retailers such as Wal-Mart and Target, noting the Wii U & 3DS game library sections have been...
News Pokémon Super Mystery Dungeon Tops Japanese Charts as Wii U Beats PS4
Super Mario Maker claims second place
The Media Create Japanese chart results have been later than normal this week, but the eventual outcome certainly has some positives for Nintendo. For starters, Pokémon Super Mystery Dungeon has claimed top spot in its début week, with the 3DS title sneaking past 150,000 sales. Super Mario Maker claims second...
News Analysts Wonder If Super Mario Can Save Nintendo
"I do think that Super Mario will be a driver for mobile revenue"
American business publication Fortune has recently asked the big question 'Can Super Mario save Nintendo from itself?' and to answer that question has consulted the wisdom of several analysts including Nintendo Life reader favourite Michael Pachter. With Super Mario Maker seemingly...
News FAST Racing NEO's F-Zero-Like Hero Mode is For The "Hardcore Science-Fiction Racing Fans"
An unlockable for those up to the challenge
Fast Racing NEO is one of the hottest titles in the Wii U 'Nindies' section at EGX, which is currently taking place at the NEC in Birmingham in the UK. It's the largest expo of its kind in the country, and the Shin'en Multimedia title is getting plenty of attention. We've spent plenty of time with Martin...
News Video Game Voice Actors Contemplate Strike Action Over Pay and Conditions
Wil Wheaton explains reasoning
Voice acting in video games is perhaps taken for granted and overlooked, more-so than in a movie or theatre production. Multi-voiced talents such as Troy Baker may adopt a variety of sounds and approaches depending on the character, and Charles Martinet adopts an unnatural voice for Nintendo's own Mario, Wario and...
News Here Is Nintendo’s Exciting Line-Up Of Games For Australia’s 2015 EB Expo
A chance to play unreleased Wii U & 3DS games
Nintendo Australia has confirmed it will feature its usual booth at this year’s EB Games Expo. Those attending the event at the Sydney Showgrounds between October 2-4 will be able to go hands on with many unreleased Wii U & 3DS titles including Star Fox Zero, Xenoblade Chronicles X, Project Zero:...
Thursday24th Sep 2015
Review Disney Infinity 3.0 (Wii U)
The Force is with it
This year's Disney Infinity game has a trump card in play, Star Wars. This, along with some triple-A development assistance from the likes of Studio Gobo, Ninja Theory and Sumo Digital adds up to an impressive overall pedigree. The game itself comes in the now-standard Starter Pack, although this year if you already have a...
News Nintendo Hammers Out A New Update For Super Mario Maker
Version 1.10 is now live
It's only been a few weeks since Wii U owners got their hands on the brilliant Super Mario Maker, and already Nintendo is showing strong support for the title via a series of updates. The first was delivered on release to speed up the arrival time of in-game unlocks, and now a second patch has been issued under the veil of...
Weirdness Bowser Bummed by Skylanders amiibo Tie-in
GAME store has a cheeky time of it
Anatomically, Bowser's nose can be considered to have two primary purposes. First, it provides something to breathe through when he has a mouth full of hot, fiery death to spit. Second, its presence keeps him from looking like a total goober. Case in point, one GAME store seems to have come across a Hammer Slam...
Nintendo Download 24th September (North America)
Animal Crossing! Extreme Exorcism! Nova-111! Beatbuddy! More!
It's that time again as details are confirmed for the Nintendo Download Update in North America. This week brings some highly promising and anticipated releases on the Wii U eShop, with plenty of Nindies pitching in with their latest efforts. In addition the 3DS has a big-name release at...
News Angry Sun Game Files Reportedly Uncovered In Super Mario Maker
Future DLC or simply unused assets?
A well-known Splatoon data miner under the Twitter handle NWPlayer123 has reportedly made an exciting discovery whilst sifting through the files of Nintendo’s latest Wii U title, Super Mario Maker. It appears there are a series of unused files leading to speculation about future download content for Mario's...
News A Mighty New Patch For Shovel Knight Is On The Way
Irons out a number of kinks
Following the recent release of the free Shovel Knight expansion, Plague of Shadows, Yacht Club Games has issued a patch ironing out a few kinks, and further enhancing the overall experience. While the update is currently only available for PC users, it will be rolled out across other platforms very soon. Take a look...
News New Assault Android Cactus Trailer Shows Fast, Fun & Frenetic Blaster Action
Charge and unleash
If you’re a fan of frantic sci-fi bullet-blasters, the upcoming title Assault Android Cactus for Wii U eShop may be one game worth keeping an eye on. Featuring a vibrant art style, slick frame rate, funky tunes, 1-4 player co-op and fast & frenetic twin-stick shoot em’ up gameplay, the title looks to take the concept of...
Video Get a Closer Look at Picross 3D 2 in These New Japanese Commercials
Doomsday giant puzzles in the sky
There's a reason we're happily sharing new videos and information on Picross 3D 2 on a regular basis, and that's due to our hope that it'll eventually make its way to the West. A sequel to the popular DS game, it's a budget retail title in Japan but, should it be localised, could be a good candidate for an...
Wednesday23rd Sep 2015
Video Is This The Hardest Super Mario Maker Level Ever Made?
Even watching it being beaten is painful
Super Mario Maker has been in the hands of the gaming public for a few weeks now and has already generated an incredible amount of content, with players creating and uploading their stages for others to enjoy. We've already had some good calls for the award of "hardest level ever", and only the other day...
Review StarTropics (Wii U eShop / NES)
Sun, sea, sand, and aliens
Winter is slowly creeping up on us, so it's as good a time as ever to explore warmer climates and take your mind off of the bad weather. For some NES-filtered beams of sunshine, why not step into the shoes of young Mike Jones, an American kid who's headed for an alphabetic island on the tropical adventure of a lifetime?...
Editorial Nintendo is a Toy Company, and That Will Be Vital in a New Era
It's a company of diverse strengths
Nintendo is now 126 years old, on the face of it an extraordinary statistic. Its relevant history in terms of its current identity and status really begins in the early 1980s, however, while a case can be made to go back to its initial days in the toy market in the late 1960s. Even that truncated history is...
News Super Famicom Exclusive The Amazing Spider-Man: Lethal Foes Gets Translated
Our 16-bit Spider Sense is tingling!
The Super Nintendo was home to several Spidey games, some better than others. Some of the best offerings came from LJN (yes, that LJN…), with Maximum Carnage and Separation Anxiety among the most notable. There was one however that never made it out of Japan, and as luck would have it, it's a rather good one...
Thursday24th Sep 2015
News Nintendo Partnering with Green Man Gaming for Digital Offerings
Another place to buy magical games made of air
Following up on a digital partnership with Amazon in North America, Nintendo has teamed up with Green Man Gaming to offer downloadable titles through the UK-based seller. According to Green Man CEO Paul Sulyok in a story on GamesIndustry, game offerings will be for both the 3DS and Wii U, including...
Wednesday23rd Sep 2015
Style savvy
Are you a budding fashionista? If so, the not-at-all clumsily-named Nintendo presents: New Style Boutique 2 - Fashion Forward might be one to keep an eye on when it lands on the 3DS on the 20th of November in Europe. It's your chance to rise to the top of the fashion world as the manager of their very own boutique. You aren't confined to...
Event Splatoon EGX Team Championships 2015
This Thursday through Sunday at EGX 2015
The UK's biggest games event EGX kicks off tomorrow and as usual Nintendo Life will be on the Nintendo UK stand running special tournaments throughout the four days. Two years ago we hosted the StreetPass Zone and held 3DS-focused competitions, while last year it was the UK Mario Kart 8
News Nintendo is Now 126 Years Old
About to enter a new era
It's time for paper hats, party poppers and some slightly underwhelming cake at Nintendo HQ - we've all been to that party - as the company celebrates its 126th Anniversary. It was founded on this day in 1889. We wrote a pretty extensive article about Nintendo's history and longevity for its 125th Anniversary last year,...
News FAST Racing NEO Will Have a Hint of F-Zero Courtesy of Voice Actor Jack Merluzzi
Featured in GX
FAST Racing NEO gets ever closer, with plenty of fans referencing it as an F-Zero styled experience on the way to the Wii U. Of course, the Shin'en Multimedia title has its own style and approach, though an announcement from the developer is sure to please fans of the long-dormant Nintendo IP. As you can see below, a voice actor with...
News Natsume’s Pocky & Rocky With Becky Arrives On The Wii U Virtual Console Next Month
The popular Medabots titles are also on the way
Following the release of the Game Boy Advance title Harvest Moon: Friends of Mineral Town on the North American Wii U Virtual Console, as well as Car Battler Joe, Natsume has announced Pocky & Rocky with Becky is locked in for an October release in both North America and Europe. The action...
Tuesday22nd Sep 2015
Review Animal Crossing: Happy Home Designer (3DS)
Home is where the art is
Animal Crossing, while being one of Nintendo's most beloved franchises of the past decade, has taken on a new level of fame thanks to its first 3DS outing, New Leaf. A massive seller all over the world, this quirky and charming life simulation has been instrumental in selling its host hardware to an entirely fresh sector of...
News Konami Denies That It Is Walking Away From AAA Game Development
...for the second time this year
We recently reported on rumours that suggested veteran publisher Konami was abandoning AAA console development with the exception of its Pro Evolution Soccer series. The report - published by French site Gameblog but seemingly verified by ot
News Save Data Hackers Top Competition Leaderboards in Pokémon Shuffle
Nintendo and Genius Sonority are slow to react
Pokémon Shuffle has been a target for hacks in the past, with the free-to-play download previously being targeted by those seeking to obtain in-game items without buying them. It's part of the 'game' that data hackers infiltrate titles, with Nintendo and other developers then regularly issuing updates...
News This Is The Last Real Console Cycle, Proclaims Industry Analyst Michael Pachter
"The console installed base is as big as it's ever going to get"
We could see the end of dedicated games hardware in the near future, states Wedbush analyst Michael Pachter. Speaking at DICE Europe last week, the outspoken industry expert tackled the issue of the end of the console era, and pointed out that in terms of pure sales figures, this...
Review Extreme Exorcism (Wii U eShop)
A hauntingly good time
Extreme Exorcism is a simple, fun indie title that embraces one of Nintendo's core values: getting people together to play. From its aesthetics to its modes, this game is dripping with retro charm. If you haven't seen or heard of it before, it's a 2D pixel-art shooter that focuses on platforming and run-and-gun mechanics. It...
Review Mario vs. Donkey Kong (Wii U eShop / GBA)
Prophesizing the amiiboom
Mario vs. Donkey Kong is interesting in that it's the only game in the Mario vs DK franchise (to date) that actually allows the player to control Mario; indeed this was originally planned to be a sequel to 1994's Donkey Kong on Game Boy, so arguably those two have more in common than the other games in the series. Mario vs...
News First 4 Figures Opens Pre-Orders for Its Cat Mario Collectibles
You can be 'lucky' and buy the $400 version
Oh, First 4 Figures, how you torment us. It's the retailer responsible for producing lovely but pricey collectible figurines / statues that we can't really justify buying. They often look amazing though. Pre-orders have now opened for Cat Mario, which comes with three different options to entice you...
Closest you'll get to a new Metroid game this year?
Blizzard's Heroes of the Storm is a big deal on PC right now, offering a MOBA experience which pulls in characters from the company's famous back catalogue of video games. As we've previously reported, it would seem that the guys at Blizzard are massive Nintendo fans, but if you require more...
News Shantae: Half-Genie Hero Is Still Targeting a Holiday 2015 Release
But it could slip!
We recently got our hands on Shantae: Half-Genie Hero and felt it is shaping up really nicely, and could turn out to be something rather special indeed. The Kickstarter-funded project was originally targeted for an October 2014 release, but it's been held back so the talented artists and developers at WayForward can make the game...
Video This Laparoscopic Wii U Controller is Teaching Medical Students to Perform Keyhole Surgery
Time to scrub up
Nintendo consoles have been privy to some incredibly unusual controllers in their time, most of which are a bit rubbish and don't really improve gameplay in any way. However these previous blunders haven't deterred Grendel Games from designing a Wii U eShop game called Underground and an accompanying controller to accurately...
News The Yo-Kai Watch Anime Starts In North America on 5th October
Premiering on the Disney Big Grin channel
Level-5 will try to take over the Western world, and give Pokémon a black eye, when it releases Yo-Kai Watch in North America in November. The battle of slightly confusing RPG franchises with never-ending collectible and money-making concepts will truly begin in earnest. Before the game arrives North...
All about that Bass
Regular visitors to these pages likely know all about Image & Form's SteamWorld Heist Ambassador challenges - they're contests that give gamers a chance to win copies of the game for every platform, and even some for friends. Free games in exchange for creativity, typically. The latest entry in the promotion should be a...
Monday21st Sep 2015
Guide How to Unlock Plague Knight in Shovel Knight: Plague of Shadows the Easy Way
Cheatin' ain't cheatin'
Shovel Knight: Plague of Shadows allows you to finally play as fan-favourite Plague Knight with his own hugely unique mechanics, but in order to unlock this character you're forced to play through the entire game as Shovel Knight. Many players will have already achieved this but many may have not; luckily there's another way...
Nintendo Download 24th September (Europe)
Skylanders! Extreme Exorcism! Nova-111! More stuff!
It's the start of another week, which means its time to bask in the joy of more Nintendo Download Update details for Europe. There are quite a few promising releases on the way for both Wii U and 3DS, including a major retail arrival and enticing download-only games; some rather good titles also...
News Don't Count Nintendo Out, Says Former Xbox Boss Robbie Bach
"Nintendo - with great respect - is a toy company, and always has been"
With the Wii U look set to sell less units that the GameCube and the 3DS falling short of the commercial performance of its immediate predecessor the DS, many industry analysts have characterised Nintendo as a company in decline. However, former Xbox boss Robbie Bach - who spent...
News 3D Effect Will Be Disabled When Playing Hyrule Warriors Legends On Older 3DS Hardware
New 3DS needed for the full impact
Hyrule Warriors Legends producer Yosuke Hayashi has revealed that the game will only boast autostereoscopic 3D on New 3DS hardware. In order to maintain performance with so many characters on-screen at once, Hayashi explains that the effect had to be disabled on the standard 3DS and 3DS XL. The additional...
Video Admire the Skills on Show as an Insane Super Mario Maker Level is Conquered
Only speedrunners and the best need apply
Super Mario Maker's level upload system has a simple but vital safeguard - to upload a level you have to be able to beat it. We may curse and claim some stages are impossible, but the fact is that every level in the game can be cleared. Of course, if a ridiculously good player spends hours designing a stage...
Super Nindie Maker Image & Form's Ghostly Mushroom
Spooky...
As you may have seen by now, we really want you all to share Super Mario Maker levels with each other; to achieve that we've set up a special level sharing page with some neat features - just for you. We're also teaming up with some 'Nindies' to share some levels from established and highly respected developers. To start off we have a...
News Black New Nintendo 3DS and Animal Crossing: Happy Home Designer Bundle Confirmed for Australia
Beefing up the range ahead of the festive season
In late 2014 Australia and New Zealand were the only countries outside of Japan to receive the New Nintendo 3DS ahead of the updated portable broadening out to the West in early 2015. Despite this it's taken a while for the whole range to make its way to the region, which is now being remedied. It's...
News Super Mario Maker Hangs Tough in UK Charts as Splatoon Finally Bows Out
Ink-splatting shooter squeezes into individual format top 40, though
Super Mario Maker had a strong start in its debut week in the UK charts, securing second place against some tough competition. It was a good early result for the Wii U exclusive, which is likely to remain a key title for the system in the remainder of 2015. Its second week has,...
News Sega Almost Licensed The Technology That Went Into The Virtual Boy
"I think we were right in turning it down"
Former Sega of America boss Tom Kalinske was in charge of the company during its glory years, and it was under his leadership that it was able to challenge the might of Nintendo during the early '90s. Full of interesting stories and anecdotes, Kalinske's story has been told in Blake J. Harris' excellent...
News Nintendo UK Store Serves Up Incentives for Ordering Mario Tennis: Ultra Smash
A ball and a plush doubles partner
It feels like Mario Tennis: Ultra Smash has been cruising under the radar, even as real-life tennis has lately grabbed even more attention than it tends to. The Nintendo UK Store, however, is starting to hype up the 20 November release of the game in Europe with a couple fine items for those who pre-order through...
Video Take a Closer Look at Monster Arts and Hunting Styles in Monster Hunter X
Still waiting for a localisation date, Capcom...
Monster Hunter X looks rather exciting, at least for established Monster Hunter fans. Utilising many of the models and visuals of Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate albeit with some new environments and monsters, its approach is to shake up gameplay and blend the series' traditional approach with...
Relying on Kickstarter stretch goals
Wii U eShop aficionados may recognise the name BeautiFun Games courtesy of Nihilumbra, a stylise release that we absolutely loved in our review. Earlier this year the studio announced its next project, Megamagic: Wizards of the Neon Age, though has just recently confirmed that it could make its way to Wii U. The...
News Project X Zone 2 is Hitting Europe on 19th February Next Year
With the previously announced Nintendo flavour
Update 2: Bandai Namco has confirmed that 19th February is actually the correct date, not 16th February as originally tweeted by Nintendo of Europe. Update: Bandai Namco of Europe appears to have confirmed a 19th February release date, we'll try and clarify the correct date and update this article...
News Amazon Offers Neat Picross 3D 2 Demo Promotion in Japan
'Buy' a free demo, get a discount on the full game
A little while ago it emerged that Picross 3D 2 is heading to the 3DS in Japan, providing a sequel to the popular DS retail puzzler. Due on 1st October in the country, it'll serve up more 3D puzzles and include amiibo support for extra content. In a neat promotion simply trying out a demo will also...
Sunday20th Sep 2015
News Fresh Nintendo Patent Shows Handheld Device With "Outward-Facing Linear Image Sensors"
Toy scanning and pulse detection included
We recently reported on two patents which - given the hype surrounding Nintendo's next console, the Nintendo NX - have understandably triggered quite a bit of interest. The first involved clickable, shoulder-placed scroll wheels while the second was related to
Feature Have You Played... ZombiU?
Horrifyingly cheap and a strong Wii U experience
This is the first of a series of articles that are a reflection of a disappointing reality. The Fall and Holiday line-ups on Wii U and 3DS undoubtedly have some treats and games to be hugely excited about, such as The Legend of Zelda: Tri Force Heroes and Xenoblade Chronicles X, yet they're also a...
Hands On Digging Deeper With Shovel Knight: Plague of Shadows
An explosive addition
The new Shovel Knight expansion has finally dropped, and while it may not be an entirely new game in the Shovel Knight franchise it still brings enough new content and ideas that it warrants a sort-of-review. Remember, this expansion is entirely free with the game, we're just going to share our thoughts on it and how it differs...
Video Skylanders Superchargers Wii and Wii U Starter Packs Compared
Bowser and DK make their entrances
Ahead of reviews coming in for Skylanders Superchargers we have a look at how the toys stack up in the home. In particular how the Wii U and Wii starter packs compare to the other console versions. As you can see in these unboxing videos, the kids are more than a little impressed by Bowser and Donkey Kong packs...
Review Explody Bomb (Wii U eShop)
This bomb's a dud
Oftentimes when playing on the Wii U, it can be easy to forget that one of the major selling points of the console is that it features a second screen on the controller. Sure, a game here or there may attempt use it in an "innovative" way, but it seems that most of the time the second screen is simply used as a screen mirror or as...
Saturday19th Sep 2015
News Factor 5's Lost Wii Kid Icarus Boasted A Dark Hero With 60fps Airborne Action
"I feel like we were missing the point"
Fans of Kid Icarus had to endure a long and painful wait between the original NES and Game Boy titles and the eventual 3DS update, but had Star Wars: Rogue Squadron studio Factor 5 had its way, we would have been playing a sequel a little bit sooner. Unseen 64 staffer and occasional Nintendo Life contributor...
Sunday20th Sep 2015
Video Ocarina of Time's Kakariko Village Gets a HD Makeover In Unreal Engine 4
One of the best efforts yet
There's been a trend recently to reproduce Nintendo environments and franchises in Unreal Engine 4 and to share them with the world. They've often been interesting but not necessarily on the money, with some adopting realistic visuals that don't really fit with the source material. A fresh effort by ArtistArtorias is...
Saturday19th Sep 2015
News Xenoblade Chronicles and Fire Emblem Characters Join Project X Zone 2 Cast
This just got serious...
Project X Zone 2 may have slipped into an early 2016 release in the West, but there's exciting news that should help build more interest among Nintendo fans. Characters from Nintendo-exclusive games are joining the diverse cast which already encompasses Bandai Namco, SEGA and Capcom IPs. The two games / franchises being...
Nintendo Life Weekly Star Fox Zero Delayed Until 2016
"Oh man, I'm gonna have to back off"
Is it a struggle to keep up with all the news racing around the Nintendosphere lately? Well fret not, we've once again done our utmost to cobble together the cream of the Nintendo crop and present it to you in mouth-watering video format. The sad news of Star Fox Zero's delay is bound to have disappointed many...
Friday18th Sep 2015
Talking Point Star Fox Zero's Delay Could Be The Final Nail In The Wii U's Coffin
Nintendo's console now lacks a AAA release this Christmas
The Wii U's dire commercial situation has become something of an industry joke these days, with some of Nintendo's harsher critics taking delight in pointing out how the Japanese firm has gone from an install base of almost 100 million with the Wii to 10 percent of that total in a single...
News Miyamoto: Star Fox Zero Has Been Delayed, "I Am Very Sorry"
Now aiming for a Q1 2016 release
With the end of the year fast approaching, now is the time when the big game releases usually start rolling out. Last week the brilliantly crafted Super Mario Maker hit store shelves worldwide to mark the beginning of this period as well as celebrate the 30th anniversary of the iconic plumber. With one release down...
News Haptic Feedback Patent Could Hint At Full Touchscreen Interface On NX
You've got the touch
Yesterday we brought you the intriguing news of a Nintendo controller patent which featured rotational shoulder buttons. As we said these patents are not all destined to see the light of day, but nevertheless they do provide an interesting insight into what the creative minds at Nintendo are considering as features for the...
Review Tecmo Bowl (Wii U eShop / NES)
Move over Madden 16, Tecmo Bowl is back and stealing the NFL spotlight
1989 wasn't just an amazing year because that's when this writer was born. It's an also amazing year because that's when Tecmo Bowl received its home console release on the Nintendo Entertainment System. Boasting an impressive roster from the 1988 NFL season, players could now...
Rumour New Report Suggests That Konami Has All But Abandoned Console Development
PES and Metal Gear Online are the only titles spared
With the incredible commercial and critical success of Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain you'd think that publisher Konami would be feeling pretty pleased about its home console output, but it would appear that earlier reports regarding the company exiting the domestic arena are true...
Site News Nintendo Life's Alex Olney Revealed As YouTuber Finalist For Games Media Awards 2015
Hello there lovely people!
It's with great pride that we can reveal that Nintendo Life's Alex Olney has been announced as a finalist in the YouTuber category for the 2015 Games Media Awards. Taking place at the Bloomsbury Ballroom in London, the awards celebrate the best of games writing and the games media in the UK. Under Alex's watch we've seen...
News The Shovel Knight: Plague of Shadows Original Soundtrack is Now Available for Download
Name your price for this magnificent sonic concoction
As many of you are aware, the much anticipated Shovel Knight: Plague of Shadows expansion is now available as a free update. Following the adventures of Plague Knight, a member of the Order of No Quarter, it's a refreshing remix on the original campaign that does an excellent job of expanding the...
Video Take A Look At How Monster Hunter Stories Is Shaping Up On 3DS
Beautiful monster
The Tokyo Game Show is in full swing and lots of upcoming games are being shown for the first time on the show floor. One of these which is of great interest to us is Capcom's Monster Hunter Stories, a spin-off game with a very different art style to the classic Monster Hunter series which we know and love. In this official...
Music Relive Your Mario Memories With This Super Mario Maker Song
A Mario Maker Musical Melody
The world has had its furry kitten paws on Super Mario Maker for a whole week now, and with the recent news that over a million courses have already been designed and uploaded, it's pretty clear that everyone has fallen in love with the game. I am no exception to this matter of fact statement and it is therefore to...
Competition Winners Showcase Your Best Super Mario Maker Level At EGX
See you at EGX!
Last week we ran a competition for our UK based readers to submit their most ingenious, challenging, or creative Super Mario Maker levels which will be showcased at EGX at the Birmingham NEC on Nintendo UK's booth. In addition to this there will be a big demonstration on Saturday afternoon of the three levels on the main stage. We...
Video Image & Form Discusses SteamWorld's Varied Games and Ideas for the Future
Is also honest on the DSiWare store's layout...
SteamWorld Heist is likely to be on quite a few wishlists ahead of its planned Fall release on the 3DS eShop, with a later arrival also due on the Wii U. It's the continuation of what's rapidly become Image & Form's key IP following the multi-platform success of SteamWorld Dig. We previously...
Thursday17th Sep 2015
News More Than A Million Super Mario Maker Levels Have Been Uploaded In A Week
You guys have been really busy
Nintendo's Japanese Twitter account has confirmed that since Super Mario Maker launched last week more than a million user-generated stages have been uploaded. Just allow that colossal number to sink in for a moment - when you think that Sony's LittleBigPlanet was released in 2008, it took
News New Nintendo Controller Patent Features Rotational Shoulder Buttons
Like a mousewheel but better?
We all know the deal with patents by now - they're fascinating, can point the way towards exciting ideas for the future, but can also be rather random. Nintendo - and others - sometimes throw ideas at a wall, patent the decent ones, and actually develop a small handful. A new patent doing the rounds today does have a...
Review Year Walk (Wii U eShop)
Into the woods
A year walk — or "Årsgång" — is an archaic form of divination in Swedish folklore, in which a person would deprive themselves of sleep and food in a dark room for 24 hours to then venture through the woods towards the local parish. Certain nights, such as New Year's Eve, were said to be better suited than others for a successful...
Nintendo Download 17th September (North America)
Skylanders! Year Walk! Off Road Racing!
It's that time again, North American eShop fans, for the Nintendo Download Update details. We've got a generous helping of new titles for you to get your teeth into - so what are you waiting for? Missed the Nintendo Download Update details for Europe earlier in the week. You cheeky scamp! Don't worry, the...
"Ooh, ooh, try mine!"
It has been reported that Scottish indie dev Stew Hogarth passed away yesterday following a lifelong battle with congenital heart disease. He was just 34. Hogarth had roles at Denki and Chunk, and recently founded his own studio, Smiling Bag Games. He'd also worked on projects for Sky, BBC, Cadbury's, Cartoon Network,...
News Decade-Old Japanese Shigeru Miyamoto Interview Shows How Super Mario Bros. Helped Save the NES
Miyamoto-san also shared his love of Bluegrass music
In the past month a lot of focus has been on the 30th Anniversary for Super Mario, a major landmark joined by the release of Super Mario Maker on Wii U. There have been plenty of interviews and events, but it can be interesting to look back at previous anniversaries to see what was different or,...
Friday18th Sep 2015
News Shovel Knight: Plague of Shadows Update Now Live
A game changer
When the Shovel Knight Kickstarter campaign propelled Yacht Club Games to early success a number of stretch goals were hit, and therefore committed the developer to key updates. The studio has stuck to its task of bringing out the Plague of Shadows content as a free update, and it's now available to download on Wii U and 3DS...
Thursday17th Sep 2015
News Capcom Announces Anime Adaptations Of Monster Hunter Stories And Ace Attorney
New trailers for both games, as well
Capcom has used this year's Tokyo Game Show to announce anime adaptations of its Monster Hunter and Ace Attorney franchises. Monster Hunter Stories - the forthcoming 3DS spin-off - is getting its own companion series on Fuji TV. The Ace Attorney adaptation is coming in April next year and is based on the new 3DS...
The King of Hyrule is also coming along for the ride
A new trailer has emerged for the forthcoming 3DS port of the popular Wii U title Hyrule Warriors. This new Hyrule Warriors Legends clip shows Toon Link and Tetra - both taken from Wind Waker - as well as the King of Hyrule. It also gives a Japanese release date of January 21st, 2016. The...
News Splatoon's Hammerhead Bridge Map Opens For Business Tomorrow
A bridge over troubled ink
Nintendo has confirmed via its Japanese Twitter account that the Hammerhead Bridge map will go live tomorrow. Hammerhead Bridge appears to be a narrow but long stage with an upper path made up of several platforms connected by mesh bridges, and a lower path which seems to be wider than the upper path and lacking in mesh...
5pm today (UK time)
Following their recent Super Mario Maker session with the one and only Charles Martinet, our chums at Nintendo UK are doing another Twitch broadcast today for viewers eager to see more on this excellent game. This time the guest appearance will be from none other than Nintendo Life's video presenter extraordinaire Alex Olney...
Hands On Popping Wheelies In Pumped BMX+
Becoming the raddest & baddest
Curve Digital is a publisher and developer that rarely fails to impress, and when we were invited down to its HQ to play a new title it's bringing to the Wii U we couldn't refuse. Pumped BMX+ is a game not dissimilar to OlliOlli, a previous title from Curve, the difference being that this time not only are you riding...
Wednesday16th Sep 2015
News Super Mario Maker Tops The Charts In Japan, Causes Wii U Sales To Double
Almost 140,000 copies sold, additional 10,000 consoles shifted
Super Mario Maker has made its début in Japan and has claimed the top spot in this week's Media Create Sales charts. The DIY platformer has sold 138,242 copies in its first week on sale. In second place is Capcom's 3DS exclusive Monster Hunter Diary: Poka Poka Airou Village DX, which...
First Impressions Digging into Shovel Knight: Plague of Shadows
Fiendishly good
When Shovel Knight was Kickstarted in March 2013 and subsequently met its funding goal, Yacht Club Games announced additional content to follow its release if stretch goals were met. The developer is now delivering on its promise with the release of a new downloadable campaign titled Plague of Shadows. We recently had the opportunity...
News Minecraft: Story Mode Arriving on Wii U after Other Platforms
Digging deeper
Many people have clamoured for Minecraft to make an appearance on a Nintendo console, and although it's not quite what everyone was expecting, Minecraft: Story Mode will be making its way to Wii U at some point soon; at least we hope so. A press release from the developer Telltale Games certainly confirms a Wii U release, but despite...
Talking Point Sweeping Internal Changes Show That Nintendo Is Ready To Tackle New Challenges
Structural shifts and fresh promotions are just part of a wider plan
Yoshiaki Koizumi is one of the key beneficiaries of the merger of EAD and SPD While this week's big news is certainly the appointment of Tatsumi Kimishima as Nintendo's new president, it was the changes taking place behind the scenes which will have piqued the interest of seasoned...
Weirdness Japanese Company Wants To Bring NES Games To Smartphones Via A Tiny Cartridge
Small device plugs into into your headphone socket
Modern gaming is becoming increasingly focused on digital distribution, with publishers making use of online stores such as the Wii U and 3DS eShops to deliver games directly to consumers without having to produce physical media. With rumours that Nintendo's next console could abandon physical...
Book Review The Unofficial Game & Watch Collector's Guide
LCD legacy
Game & Watch was Nintendo's first foray into the world of portable electronic gaming. These small, pocket-sized devices used LCD screens to create crude but surprisingly playable games, perfect for passing the time on the way to and from work (in fact, creator Gunpei Yokoi even stated that he was inspired to create the range after...
The sky, the stars and the B button
Star Sky is not a video game. Well, not in the usual sense at least. It is described as being "similar to an interactive poem", something to experience rather than something to play - and that's a perfect description. There aren't many games that make you feel like lying down, grabbing a box of chocolates and...
News Human Resource Machine Coming To Wii U Soon
The machines are coming... for your job!
We absolutely loved Wii U launch game Little Inferno: there was a certain thrill to working our way through one catalogue of useless junk and unlocking the next while the oppressively cheerful 1950s sales muzak played in the background. It's all been a bit quiet from the talented trio at the Tomorrow...
Video New Lego Dimensions Launch Trailer Promises The Earth On Wii U
Block-buster
With just a few days before the launch of Lego Dimensions on Wii U, a brand-new launch trailer has been published which makes it clear just how much stuff is packed into this game. Some have quibbled at the higher price of entry but with the level of content available with just the Starter Pack it seems that this could actually be some...
News Donkey Kong Country Almost Had A Zelda-Like Key System
"Is this too Zelda(ish)?"
Retro fans will be pleased to know that Rare's Gregg Mayles has continued uploading behind-the-scenes info relating to Donkey Kong Country. After revealing that Shigeru Miyamoto was the one behind DK's tie, Mayles has offered up some more concept material, including a hand-written document which shows that at one point, the...
Video Pokkén Fun with Masked Pikachu
First arcade cabinet also hitting Dave & Buster's in the US
If you feel your day could use some footage of Masked Pikachu getting all luchadorable up on opponents more than twice her size in Pokkén Tournament, it proves a very important fact: you are alive. Who wouldn't want to see that? Bandai Namco Japan recently released a video to fill that...
News Pokémon: Symphonic Evolutions Headed To The UK In December
Symphony of the Pokémon
The Pokémon Symphonic Evolutions concert saw sold-out performances across North America last year. Following this success the concert is heading over to the UK for its European Premiere on Sunday 20th December at the Eventim Apollo Hammersmith in London. With Susie Benchasil Seiter conducting the Royal Philharmonic Concert...
Tuesday15th Sep 2015
News 3DS System Update 10.1.0-27 Available Now, Hackers Undaunted
The most stable one yet, but not hack-proof?
Just when we thought the 3DS couldn't get any more stable, Nintendo's only gone and released a fresh system update. What does it do? Well, not much, and it's probably designed to stop naughty people doing things they shouldn't, such as hacking it. It appears that Tubehax, Ironhax and Ninejhax have all...
News Super Mario Maker Makes its Way to Super Smash Bros. for Wii U & 3DS
Giving the fighters a helping hand
The positive response to Super Mario Maker is impossible to have missed, and unsurprisingly Nintendo has been pushing it more than most of its titles. What is a bit of a surprise however is that Super Smash Bros. for Wii U & 3DS will be receiving a stage themed after this excellent piece of software. The...
News Nintendo Is Merging Its Prized EAD And SPD Teams Into A Single Group
Say hello to the Entertainment Planning & Development Division
Shinya Takahashi and Shigeru Miyamoto As well as confirming yesterday that Tatsumi Kimishima is its new president, Nintendo also detailed some organisational changes which will impact the day-to-day running of some of its famous internal teams. The big news is that EAD (Entertainment...
News New Pokémon XY & Z Anime Trailer Unveils Zygarde's New Forms
Along with a new look for Ash's Greninja
The latest season of the Pokémon anime series has been announced in Japan. In Pokémon XY & Z new forms for both Zygarde and Ash's Greninja have been revealed. According to the the official Pokémon website, Zygarde forms consist of Cells and Cores. While the Core functions as Zygarde's brain, Cells...
News Mega Man amiibo Supported In Mega Man Legacy Collection
Dust off your Blue Bomber
We have to admit we're really looking forward to the Mega Man Legacy Collection which is coming to the 3DS eShop early next year. In addition to offering faithful reproductions of the series' origins with the original six Mega Man games, the game also includes a Challenge Mode, which stitches together various areas and...
News Nintendo Direct Broadcasts Will Continue Despite Iwata's Passing
"But we have no details to provide now"
Nintendo has told IGN that its popular Nintendo Direct broadcasts will continue in some form, but at the moment it is unable to provide specific details. Here's what a Nintendo representative told the site: Nintendo Directs will continue, but we have no details to provide now on who will be featured or the...
News Nintendo Publishing Story of Seasons in Europe, Due Q1 2016
Marvelous news!
We quite liked Marvelous' Story of Seasons when we reviewed it earlier this year. Our resident farming simulation expert Ron DelVillano said: "the charming characters and satisfying gameplay make this a game worth any Harvest Moon fan's time. If you're looking to start a relaxing new virtual life full of charm and charisma, look no...
Feature The Short But Sweet Games Journalism Career Of Renegade Kid's Jools Watsham
"It honestly didn't feel like work"
Arguably one of the most recognisable faces on the Nintendo indie scene, Jools Watsham is the founder of Renegade Kid, a Texas-based studio which has a long and proud history of producing high-quality content for Nintendo systems. Titles like Xeodrifter, Mutant Mudds, Moon and
Feature The Wild And Wacky World Of WarioWare
Minigame madness
Being an arch-rival to the iconic red-and-blue plumber and hunting for treasure on the side all have their perks, but what better way to get rich quick than to develop video games? Ever since he dropped the yellow overalls and snagged the stylish biker gear, Wario's name was cemented as the immature, garlic-chomping greedy pig who...
News 3DS Exclusive Sonic Boom: Fire & Ice Slips Into Next Year
Delayed to give a "stronger, more enjoyable experience"
As Shigeru Miyamoto famously said "A delayed game is eventually good, but a rushed game is forever bad.", with this in mind perhaps we should be thankful that SEGA has decided to delay the release of upcoming 3DS platformer Sonic Boom: Fire & Ice to next year. In a recent blog post on...
Monday14th Sep 2015
Guide Unlocking Building Items And More In Super Mario Maker v1.01
For the impatient Mario makers among us
If you're anything like us you'll be itching to unlock all the goodies in Super Mario Maker so you can begin to create amazing levels of your own. Following our recent guide to become an expert Super Mario Maker level designer, we thought newcomers to the game might appreciate a guide on unlocking all these...
News Tatsumi Kimishima Named As New Nintendo President
Former Nintendo of America boss gets the nod
Since the tragic and untimely passing of Satoru Iwata, there has been much speculation about who will assume his role as President of Nintendo. Since Iwata's death the company has been overseen jointly by Shigeru Miyamoto and Genyo Takeda, and many felt that one of the pair would eventually take up the...
Talking Point Tatsumi Kimishima Is A Safe Pair Of Hands In Changing Times
New boss could hint at a more western-focused Nintendo
Earlier today it was confirmed that Nintendo's new president is Tatsumi Kimishima, a 65-year-old veteran who has previously held several senior roles within the company. While many believed that one of the interim bosses Shigeru Miyamoto and Genyo Takeda would be given the nod, Kimishima does, o
Tuesday15th Sep 2015
Not against the idea of outside executives taking over in the future
It's been a notable 24 hours for Nintendo, with the company announcing that Tatsumi Kimishima will take over as President on 16th September, with Shigeru Miyamoto and Genyo Takeda taking on new titles as Creative and Technology Fellows and seemingly being integrated closely in the...
Monday14th Sep 2015
Nintendo Download 17th September (Europe)
Year Walk! Mario vs. Donkey Kongs! Bowls of Tecmo!
Another week, another helping of digital delights from Nintendo. If you're in Europe and you want to know exactly what titles you can download to your Wii U and 3DS this week, then you've certainly come to the right place. Wii U eShop: Year Walk (Simogo, £6.29 / €6.99) - Grim tales, horrifying...
Video This Performance From the Splatoon Band and Squid Sisters is as Cool as You'd Expect
Laying down some ink
Splatoon has plenty of strengths, with the cool music undoubtedly adding a great deal to its charm; the soundtrack is even expanded on occasion with free updates. Now Nintendo, as it has done with terrific music for the likes of Mario Kart 8 and Super Mario 3D Land, has released a video showing the talented musicians that make...
News Mario Modern Colours amiibo Now Available For Preorder On The Nintendo UK Store
Modern life isn't rubbish
If you didn't get the bundled Mario Classic Colours amiibo with your copy of Super Mario Maker, then the Mario Modern Colours amiibo which is now available for preorder on the official Nintendo UK Store could be the one for you. Heck you should probably just own both variants, it is Mario's 30th anniversary after all...
News Super Mario Maker Makes Strong Début in UK Charts
Splatoon also enjoys an improved placing
Super Mario Maker's launch on 11th September was one of the most notable Wii U arrivals of the year, and early tangible sales results have come through in the UK. The Wii U exclusive has naturally had a big challenge in overcoming major multi-platform releases on multiple systems, but has nevertheless started...
News Plight Of Syrian Refugees Highlighted Via The Medium Of Super Mario
"I used Super Mario because it's famous all over the world"
If you've been following world news lately then you should be keenly aware of the perilous situation currently unfolding in Syria, where thousands upon thousands of people are attempting to flee violence and persecution. This has triggered a flood of refugees leaving the war-torn country...
News Release Of Wii U Exclusive Typoman Postponed
A bad spell
Publisher Headup Games has gotten in touch to reveal that the release of its Wii U eShop exclusive Typoman has been postponed. No reasons are given for the delay, but the publisher is keen to stress that it's only a minor setback and that the development process is progressing well. The game was due to launch this week in North America...
Review Funky Physics (Wii U eShop)
Taking the Fun Out of Funky
There's a lot of physics in Funky Physics. There are also some minor annoyances, like hitting blocks and timing them just right to bounce off platforms for them to function properly. It takes the funky out of the title. Or maybe it adds to it depending on which perspective you're looking at the game from and your...
News Join Us Live For A Super Mario Maker Twitch Stream With Nintendo UK
Share your levels with us
Following their recent Super Mario Maker session with the one and only Charles Martinet, our chums at Nintendo UK are planning another Twitch broadcast for viewers eager to see more on this excellent game. This week the guest appearance will be from none other than Nintendo Life's video presenter extraordinaire Alex Olney...
Sunday13th Sep 2015
Review Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon (Wii U eShop / DS)
Emerging from the shadows
Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon is a Nintendo DS remake of the first Fire Emblem game (originally released in 1990 for Famicom in Japan) that's now available to download in Virtual Console form for Wii U. The series staple of strategic turn-based gameplay along with the perma-death possibility for characters would form the...
News Disney Infinity 3.0's Toy Box Mode Offers Blatant Splatoon Clone
Squid Wars is "Inky fun"
One of the most appealing aspects of Disney Infinity 3.0 is the Toy Box mode, which allows you to create games of your own. To illustrate the power of this mode, the developers behind the game have created a workable version of Splatoon named Squid Wars - and is currently promoting this downloadable offering via Twitter...
Feature Nintendo Life's Top 10 Super Mario Platformers
You voted, here are your winners
Not so long ago we asked you to vote for your favourite Super Mario platformer in order to celebrate today's (13th September) 30th Anniversary for the franchise. Following Nintendo's policies around the anniversary we left out spin-offs, including titles with 'Super Mario' in the title that were vehicles for new...
Plus plenty of insight from the current day designers
In honour of Super Mario's 30th Anniversary, Nintendo of America has released a neat 'Special Interview' video featuring Shigeru Miyamoto and Takashi Tezuka talking about development of the original Super Mario Bros. and also Super Mario Maker. Though the bulk of the video is from a modern day...
Reminder It's Super Mario's 30th Anniversary
Celebrate in your own way
It's only natural that many treated the launch day for Super Mario Maker as a 30th Anniversary celebration for the franchise. It's worth remembering, though, that 13th September 1985 is the day that Super Mario Bros. was released on the Famicom in Japan, as a result beginning its journey to changing the games industry...
Video Did You Know Gaming? Tackles amiibo
Origins, dropped ideas and more
We often share Did You Know Gaming? videos here on Nintendo Life, as they provide stylish video summaries - and sometimes little-known details - on various aspects of the medium. We thought we'd post the latest video as it tackles an important ongoing subject here on NL - amiibo. The little toys are always a hot...
Monday14th Sep 2015
Mario History Super Mario Maker - 2015
The culmination of 30 years
In this series of articles we've written about one or more Mario games per day, each representing a different year as part of our Super Mario 30th Anniversary celebrations. Today we finish with the latest release. After writing a lot of these articles over the past month we end with what will become Mario History in the...
Sunday13th Sep 2015
Mario History Mario Kart 8 - 2014
Taking racing to a new level
In this series of articles we'll write about one or more Mario games per day (apart from when we miss a day), each representing a different year as part of our Super Mario 30th Anniversary celebrations. Despite its ups and downs the Wii U has delivered a relatively small but distinguished library of excellent...
Saturday12th Sep 2015
'Pokémon XY & Z' Anime coming to Japan
The 'green blob' Pokémon has intrigued fans since it emerged earlier in the year, and now there's a much better idea of what it represents in a key CoroCoro reveal. In addition there's the announcement that 29th October will see the start of Pokémon XY & Z, an evolution of the current anime series. The...
Mario Memories How The Super Mario Bros. 2 Instruction Manual Influenced Me Artistically
Returning to Subcon after 25 years
In this series of articles celebrating the upcoming 30th Anniversary of Super Mario, various members of the Nintendo Life extended family will share their memories and thoughts on the iconic franchise. This time we have reviewer and guide extraordinaire Dave Letcavage. I'm not sure of my exact age at the time,...
Interview James Hoag on Aiming High With Wii U Platformer Mekazoo
"Our goal is to make the best platformer ever. We want to aim for that."
Earlier this year we reported on the announcement of Mekazoo, a forthcoming title with gameplay that harkens back to the glory days of speed-based platformers. As exemplified by Nintendo's recent Nindie crusade, the Wii U eShop is no stranger to independent games, making it the...
Friday11th Sep 2015
Guide 8 Tips to Become an Expert Level Designer in Super Mario Maker
Miyamoto. Tezuka. YOU.
With Super Mario Maker now available, there are bound to be many aspiring level designers looking for tips to help them advance their skills. If that sounds like it pertains to you, don't worry – we're here to help. After spending the better part of a month diving deep into the seemingly endless possibilities to be explored...
News Google Produces a Pretty Super Mario Anniversary Infographic
The internet overlords demand you see it
Infographics, we know you love them. But this one's not an effort by bridesdressesforu.com, or some such similar site trying to hit the Nintendo demographic, but rather the mighty Google. Nintendo's social teams have been plugging it, too, so it's the infographic that the internet overlords demand you see...
News Nintendo UK Store Offering Limited Edition Super Mario Box Packed With Goodies
Box fresh
Nintendo UK's online store is marking the 30th birthday of Super Mario by offering a limited edition box packed with merchandise. The Super Mario Box contains a Mario Classic Colours amiibo, 8-Bit Mario Soft Toy, Mario "Breaking Bricks since 1985" T-Shirt and a Mario Hat. It's available for pre-order at £29.99 and ships on October 9th...
Weirdness Wii U Title Bombing Bastards Becomes 'Bombing Busters' on PS4, at Sony's Request
Oh Nintendo, you rebel without a cause
When we received a press release for Bombing Bastards coming to the Wii U eShop last year, our instinct was "good luck with that", assuming it'd undergo a name change before release. Nope, none of it, as it then launched on the eShop in July 2014. It was a further indication, among others, of Nintendo...
News Genei Ibun Roku #FE Japanese Release Date And Bundles Revealed
Swimsuit sets included, because why not?
Nintendo has revealed that Genei Ibun Roku #FE - also known as Shin Megami Tensei x Fire Emblem - will launch in Japan on December 26th. As well as offering up this all-important piece of info, three bundles have been announced for the game. The bog-standard regular edition comes with a set of costumes as a...
News Next Sega 3D Classics Retail Collection Includes Cult Arcade Racer Power Drift
But it's only available in Japan
Sega has confirmed the second 3D Classics compendium for the 3DS, and the big news is that the seminal arcade racer Power Drift has made the cut. The pack follows the previous retail release which pulled together all of the 3D Classics titles released up to that point. This second selection boasts Sonic the...
News North America's Next Splatoon Splatfest is a Battle of Art and Science
But what if you're an artistic scientist?
Nintendo was always going to struggle to come up with something as cool as the Autobots vs. Decepticons in its next Splatoon Splatfest, and so it's proven. The next Splatfest in North America isn't all bad though - it's going to be Art vs. Science. We suspect Team Science will have very logical in its...
Review Brave Tank Hero (Wii U eShop)
War, war never changes
Oh Brave Tank Hero, you were not a great game on the 3DS. For those of you who missed the review, ultimately Brave Tank Hero was a mediocre affair on the portable system - the flawed game design and an array of oversights ruined what could have been a good title. Now, Natsume has released the game for the Wii U eShop; will a...
Mario History Super Mario 3D World - 2013
A new generation of hybrid (no it's not a car)
In this series of articles we'll write about one or more Mario games per day (apart from when we miss a day), each representing a different year as part of our Super Mario 30th Anniversary celebrations. We have a fond story we like to recall about Super Mario 3D World in Nintendo Life HQ. It was E3...
News Nintendo Confirms Seven Million amiibo Sales in the US
Splatoon also continues to sell well
The August NPD results have made their way into the world - these only cover physical retail sales in the US and are, therefore, only relatively representative. Nevertheless they do bring us some updated sales numbers and trends from a vital gaming market. From a Nintendo perspective the software top 10 brings...
Mario History New Super Mario Bros. 2 & U - 2012
So. Much. Mario.
In this series of articles we'll write about one or more Mario games per day (apart from when we miss a day), each representing a different year as part of our Super Mario 30th Anniversary celebrations. We're now well into the current generation with this series (which ends soon, we promise). 2012 was also a weird year for 2D Mario...
Community Create, Share, Play and Rate Each Other's Levels on Nintendo Life
Earn a spot in our regular video and feature series
It's Super Mario Maker day, and it's no doubt going to pop up in a lot of articles; actually, we make no apology for that. It's earned a rare 10 in our review, and is a reminder of many of the qualities that have made Mario an iconic part of Nintendo and gaming history. It's a big deal. A vital...
Video Watch Charles Martinet Unleash His Creative Side In Super Mario Maker
The voice of Mario challenges Nintendo Life
As you'll know if you've already checked out yesterday's video interview, we got to sit down with the one and only Charles Martinet this week to talk about Mario's latest outing, Super Mario Maker. As well as answering various questions about his career and what he loves about voicing one of the world's...
News H-3 Nozzlenose Heading To Splatoon Tonight In North America, Tomorrow In Europe
Splat attack
Another new weapon has been confirmed for deployment in Splatoon. This time it's the H-3 Nozzlenose, and you can get your hands on this fresh shooter tonight if you happen to reside in North America. European players will have to wait until tomorrow morning. Are you keen to try out this new weapon, or have you found your preferred...
News Starwhal Makes A Slash On The North American Wii U eShop September 24
A narwhal of a time
The intense and chaotic multiplayer-driven title Starwhal is soon arriving on the Wii U eShop in North America, with developer Breakfall today announcing the title will be making a splash on September 24. The Wii U version of Starwhal will include an exclusive new 5 player mode. This mode titled “Blastopus" involves players...
Competition Showcase Your Best Super Mario Maker Level At EGX
Win a £100 voucher for the Nintendo UK Store + Super Mario Maker amiibo
Super Mario Maker is out in the shops today and to celebrate our chums at Nintendo UK have challenged Nintendo Life readers to create the most ingenious, challenging, or creative Super Mario Maker levels which will be showcased at EGX at the Birmingham NEC on Saturday 26th...
Thursday10th Sep 2015
Weirdness The Bizarre Truth of Bowser Jr.'s Mother, According to Shigeru Miyamoto
Erm...
Earlier this week Nintendo of Europe teased a Mario myth-busting video in which Shigeru Miyamoto would tackle some of the tales and questions that revolve around the mascot. We expected some light-hearted confirmations and some nudging / winking, and that's what we got. The video was initially shared by NoE on Twitter, and though some...
News Super Mario Maker DLC Confirmed, Famitsu's Mascot Necky The Fox Coming Soon
Necky the Fox to be a playable costume in Japan
Super Mario Maker hits the shops in Europe and North America tomorrow (just in case you hadn't heard!). Out of the box it supports a staggering variety of amiibo figurines; for example if you tap a Kirby amiibo against the Wii U GamePad while creating your level you can give Mario an 8-bit Kirby...
News Apple Just Announced Its Own Wii, Almost A Decade After Nintendo
New gaming controller for Apple TV looks very familiar
Unless you happen to live under a rock, you will no doubt have been aware that yesterday Apple held one of its special events in which it announced several new products. There was a larger iPad, two new iPhones and - perhaps most significantly of all - a new Apple TV, this time with a very...
Nintendo involved in development
The Pokémon Company has been hosting a live press conference in Japan to focus on future strategy for the franchise, and has announced an AR (augmented reality) smartphone app - for Android and iOS - called Pokémon Go. This is being produced in conjunction with Nintendo and developed by start-up Niantic, and it's...
Friday11th Sep 2015
News Super Mario Maker Patch Speeds Up Tool Delivery
9-day unlock period significantly shortened
Nintendo's decision to release level design tools in Super Mario Maker over a slow, 9-day drip was apparently to guide newcomers up a learning curve. The reaction, however, has largely been negative, with many people seemingly more than eager to try pulling sick rodeo flips off that curve on Day One. It...
Thursday10th Sep 2015
Nintendo Download 10th September (North America)
Super Mario Maker! The Swindle! Q.U.B.E! Tecmo Bowl! More!
It's that time again, North American eShop fans, for the Nintendo Download Update details. This week brings one of the year's biggest Wii U retail releases and a range of promising downloads on the home console. On the 3DS we have Hatsune Miku, a theme and... did we mention how good the Wii...
Review The Swindle (Wii U eShop)
An old-fashioned cyber thief
The Swindle represents the first foray onto Nintendo hardware for Dan Marshall and his studio Size Five Games - via Curve Digital - having built up a strong reputation with PC releases. Bringing its own unique brand of quirky cyberpunk thievery, it's a slice of procedurally generated silliness likely to amuse as well as...
Friday11th Sep 2015
Video We Look at Every Single Mystery Mushroom Costume in Super Mario Maker
Spoiler warning!
When Nintendo first revealed that we could play as characters from Zelda, Animal Crossing, Kirby, Splatoon and many more in Super Mario Maker using amiibo, we were thrilled to bits. Little did we know just how expansive this roster would become, which finally comes in at a staggering 100 unique costumes. Of course not every single...
Thursday10th Sep 2015
Interview Yosuke Oshino On The Origins And Evolution Of Super Mario Maker
"This being Mario's 30th Anniversary is just a coincidence"
Super Mario Maker is upon us, and delivers something that may have seemed inconceivable in past years. Nintendo is handing over the keys of its most valuable franchise to gamers, providing a quirky and fun tool for creating, sharing and playing 2D Mario levels. It's been critically...
News More Wave 5 amiibo Pre-Order Sale Windows Confirmed for Amazon in North America
Friday's the day
Though amiibo can still be tricky to obtain, a number of retailers have been improving the way they sell the cheeky little figures over the past few months. With first-come-first-served policies that avoid pre-orders, 1-per-limit customers and other ideas, it's generally a better process to get hold of the toys. Amazon has been one...
News Intern Pikachu is Now Available to Buy in North America
Cute but crushed by the man
A while ago we shared a gallery of a cute but slightly sad Pikachu plush, in which the mascot is geared up in a business suit and look-at-me-I'm-a-professional glasses. He even has a little Pokémon briefcase. That was released in Japan earlier in the year, but it's now available to order from the
Video Get Into the Anniversary Spirit With This Retro Mario 3DS HOME Theme
Yes please, Nintendo
The 3DS HOME Theme shop in Japan has plenty of additions every week, a number of which will never make it to the West. Some feature boy and girl bands, amazingly, while others are for titles that haven't been localised yet, but can sure be pretty to look at. This is an example that we think will make it to the West though, as...
Video Charles Martinet Talks Super Mario Maker And Answers Your Questions
An interview with the voice behind Mario
We were lucky enough to sit down with the one and only Charles Martinet this week and pop some questions to him about how he got to voice Mario, what he loves about the role and why he thinks Super Mario Maker is so special. We also picked out some of the best questions that you guys put forward recently -...
News Now You Can Gawk at the Super Mario Maker Art Design Booklet Online
So pretty
At the time of writing the working day is beginning in Japan, and Super Mario Maker is in stores courtesy of the country having a 10th September release date for the Wii U title. Ahead of time from a Western perspective, then, Nintendo has been good to its word of sharing the Art Design Booklet for the game for free online. This booklet...
Mario History Super Mario 3D Land - 2011
Literally 3D Mario
In this series of articles we'll write about one or more Mario games per day, each representing a different year as part of our Super Mario 30th Anniversary celebrations. Super Mario 3D Land wasn't the first 3D Mario to grace a Nintendo portable - that honour goes to Super Mario 64 DS - but it was the first original game of its...
Weirdness Mario Infiltrates Sonic's First Adventure In Somari The Adventurer
Hack the planet
Mario and Sonic may be on friendlier terms these days, but once upon a time they were bitter enemies, and the notion of them sharing a game was as unlikely as a Smiths reunion. Still, you can now rewind time and imagine just what it could have been like had Mario decided to hop, skip and jump out of the Mushroom Kingdom and...
Mario Memories Getting Creative With Mario Paint
"And then... We clicked on the coffee mug icon..."
In this series of articles celebrating the upcoming 30th Anniversary of Super Mario, various members of the Nintendo Life extended family will share their memories and thoughts on the iconic franchise. This time we have our wannabe hipster reviewer Jose Acosta. When I think of Mario Paint the...
Live Learn More About Super Mario Maker With the Nintendo Treehouse Workshop
Warming up for release
With Super Mario Maker about to arrive in stores and on the eShop, Nintendo of America's Treehouse team is hosting a 'Workshop' live broadcast to show off the game; you can watch it and enjoy some live chat right here. [liveblog=learn_more_about_super_mario_maker_with_the_nintendo_treehouse_workshop]#SuperMarioMaker
News Animal Crossing: Happy Home Designer Update to Bring Online Sharing in Japan
Will likely be there day one in the West
Animal Crossing: New Leaf had rather decent online features for sharing and visiting towns, which certainly added to its allure. Having been on the Japanese market for a short while, it seems that Animal Crossing: Happy Home Designer will be following suit and improving its online features. There'll be a...
News Image & Form Explains the SteamWorld Timeline in Its First 'Engine Room' Video
The steam age
With SteamWorld Heist getting close to release on the 3DS - coming a little later on Wii U - its developer Image & Form is keeping itself busy in getting eShop fans talking about the game and its franchise. Earlier this week it launched a contest in search of a tagline for the game, and has now kicked off a new video series...
Wednesday9th Sep 2015
News 3DS System Update 10.0.0-27 Is Available Now
Get ready for a super stable experience
Nintendo has released a fresh system update for the 3DS today, and it’s guaranteed to enhance the overall experience. So what exactly does it do? Well, not all that much according to the description below, but it’s presumably been issued to iron out any possible exploits and make a few background...
News Rumours and Speculation Stir Over Potential Involvement of Nintendo with Apple TV
Surely not?
Update: As many likely anticipated, there was no mention of Nintendo in the Apple TV segment of the Special Event stream. Some gaming was referenced, but it wasn't the prominent feature of the segment. For those of you opposed to the idea of Nintendo and Apple TV, breathe easy. Original Article: There's an Apple 'Special Event' today,...
Weirdness You Can Get Apple, Sorry, 'Aple' Cover Plates for Your New Nintendo 3DS
Or Xbox 720, if you're feeling next-gen
Nintendo has released and licensed dozens of official cover plates - Kisekae in Japan - for the New Nintendo 3DS, but naturally there are some unofficial options out there. It's the wonder of 3D printing. Some funny examples have been spotted by @NintendoActu - and shared by Tiny Cartridge - which allow New...
News Splatoon Art Book Making A Splat Landing In Japan This Year
300+ pages of kid/squid goodness
As if the Inklings among us didn't already have enough to celebrate, it looks like the 2-disc soundtrack we recently reported on isn't the only piece of Splatoon merchandise emerging from the watery depths this year. Freshly announced by Famitsu magazine and translated by
News Here Is An Official Pokémon Trading Card Made By A Pokémon Art Academy Competition Winner
A dream come true
Earlier this year Nintendo ran a special competition for Pokémon Art Academy on 3DS that gave participants the chance to have their own masterpieces transformed into an official Pokémon Trading Card. The winners of the competition each received a 100-card pack of custom-designed Pokémon Trading Card Game cards displaying their...
News Plague of Shadows Catching on All Systems Next Week
It's gonna be sick
Shovel Knight fans who have been waiting to launch an alchemical assault on the land will not have to stretch their patience much further, as Yacht Club Games has announced a 17 September release date for its free Plague of Shadows campaign. According to an announcement on the developer's website, the update will arrive for all...
News GameTruck Parties to Take Super Mario Maker on the Road in North America
Splatoon collaboration led to more than 5000 parties and 1500 large events
Earlier this year Nintendo of America launched a partnership with GameTrucks to feature Splatoon in the company's mobile parties and events. The general concept is that the trucks are booked to show up on location, giving those in attendance the chance to hop on board and...
News Sega Fans Rejoice, Segata Sanshiro Is Resurrected In Project X Zone 2
Along with Captain Commando, June Lin Milliam and Heihachi Mishima
The latest issue of Famitsu has revealed some new additions to the Project X Zone 2 roster, and there's one newcomer who will be familiar to hardcore Sega fans. Segata Sanshiro - played by Kamen Rider star Hiroshi Fujioka - was a fictional spokesperson for Sega during the Saturn era...
News Dragon Quest VIII and 3DS Overtaken by Metal Gear Solid V and PS4 in Japan
VIII is not greater than V, after all
It's Japanese Media Create chart results time again, and after a sustained spell of ruling the roost the 3DS and its games take a backseat this week, though that was always on the cards. Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain, Hideo Kojima's final entry in the series and with Konami, has naturally taken the two...
News Gunscape to Bring Cross-Platform FPS Level Creation and Sharing to the Wii U eShop
Build and share retro-style levels and multiplayer maps
The Wii U - and in one case the 3DS - has brought the first eShop download games that are truly cross-platform. In a concept similar to Cubemen 2, Blowfish Studio Games is bringing Gunscape to Wii U, PS4, Xbox One and PC at the same time and opening up cross-platform level sharing. Gunscape is...
Mario Memories The Incredible Impact of Super Mario 64
"I remember my mouth literally hanging open"
In this series of articles celebrating the upcoming 30th Anniversary of Super Mario, various members of the Nintendo Life extended family will share their memories and thoughts on the iconic franchise. This time we have our super vegan rocker reviewer Jonathan Bee. I remember very clearly going to...
No default offer of a discount or compensation
UK retailer GAME has had a few issues in the past that have been damaging to its reputation, and it's certainly rattled the faith of Nintendo fans this past week. At the start of the week it charged some customers up to five times for their Super Mario Maker pre-order; this was then exacerbated the...
News Watch Chibi-Robo! Running Around In His Mario Costume In The Latest Zip Lash Gameplay Trailer
The Chibi-House is almost ready for departure sir!
As the release of Chibi-Robo!: Zip Lash for 3DS draws ever closer Nintendo has been releasing new snippets of information about the game, along with the recent gameplay trailer below. In the trailer we can see a snippet of Chibi-Robo! running around in a Mario costume, which we can only assume is...
News Nintendo Treehouse to Broadcast a Super Mario Maker Workshop Just Before Release
Learn from the pros
With Super Mario Maker right around the corner we're entering the final pre-release phase of hype-building from Nintendo. As it has done with some other notable releases in the past year or so, Nintendo of America will utilise its talented Treehouse team to highlight the title's strengths prior to release. The localisation team...
Video Allow This Gentle Electroplankton Opus To Soothe Your Ears
Symphony of the plankton
We must admit we'd forgotten all about Electroplankton for the Nintendo DS, that was until Nintendo Life reader Marco Menzler from Germany dropped us a line to bring back those musical memories. Marco shared with us a 3 part symphony which he created using 5 Nintendo DS systems playing Electroplankton. In op.2, Marco uses a...
Tuesday8th Sep 2015
Talking Point Nintendo's Challenge With Super Mario's 2D Future
Vocal fans prefer a retro style, while modern entries are sales leaders
With Super Mario Maker around the corner there seems to be a consensus - at least in this pre-release stage - that Nintendo has got it right with this creation tool. When you combine the excellent tool-set with a potentially endless supply of levels you arguably have - as we...
News Toon Link Will Reportedly Be Playable in Hyrule Warriors Legends
Likely transferrable to Hyrule Warriors on Wii U
Hyrule Warriors Legends for the 3DS was leaked before E3, providing some pre-LA buzz but also blowing one of Nintendo's reveals. Confirmed to feature all Hyrule Warriors DLC and new content such as Tetra and the King of Hyrule, which will also be transferrable to the Wii U version, this seems like a...
News Updated Mario Kart 8 Wii U Hardware Bundle in North America Includes Both DLC Packs
No plastic wheel though (sad face)
One of the most popular Wii U hardware bundles of last year was the Mario Kart 8 package, with the North American equivalent coming packaged with the game, a lovely Red Mario Wii Remote Plus and a red Wii Wheel; all in all it was a great deal. Nintendo of America has retooled its Mario Kart 8 bundle, with an...
News GAME Processes Additional Charges on Super Mario Maker Pre-Orders
Some complaining of overdrafts and seven charges
Update 3: Unfortunately, this looks likely to drag on for another day, with the following message sent to your humble author on Twitter. An email has also been sent to the customer services address below, though a response from that will likely take some time. Update 2: GAME has provided us with...
Rumour Sega 3D Classics Such As Golden Axe Could Be On The Agenda
Yuria'ving a laugh aren't ya?
Take this one with a pinch of salt, but a post has been shared on NeoGaf which could point to even more SEGA classics getting the 3D treatment on the 3DS. If the rumour is to be believed a 3DS user has uncovered some hidden data within the recently released 3D Gunstar Heroes which reveals the names of other titles which...
Mario History Super Mario Galaxy 2 - 2010
Some say sequel, some say level pack - we say brilliant
In this series of articles we'll write about one or more Mario games per day, each representing a different year as part of our Super Mario 30th Anniversary celebrations. Nintendo has some rules that it follows with its games and franchises, particularly in terms of frequency. There's one...
Video Mario & Luigi Become Gods in This Lovely Japanese Painting
Based on the Rimpa School of Art
Nintendo has embarked upon various promotional activities for the 30th Anniversary of the Super Mario franchise, and this example from Japan is certainly one of the most appealing yet. It's a collaboration with the artist Taro Yamamoto, who is a skilled painter in the Rimpa style, a traditional approach that has...
Mario Memories Rediscovering the Wonder in Gaming With Super Mario Galaxy
"I'd forgotten that games can make you feel happy"
In this series of articles celebrating the upcoming 30th Anniversary of Super Mario, various members of the Nintendo Life extended family will share their memories and thoughts on the iconic franchise. This time we have our charming reviewer Joel Couture. There was a long period in my life where...
News The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth Hits Europe on 29th October
Just in time for Halloween
The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth is an excellent roguelike adventure game on Wii U and New Nintendo 3DS, combining randomly generated, Zelda-esque dungeons with an extremely graphic art style and theme. We awarded both versions an 8/10, praising the virtually endless amount of content that's packed in and the fiendishly...
News You Can Be Sort-Of Famous and Create SteamWorld Heist's Tagline
Needs to be as good as Dig's "A Fistful of Dirt"
Over the past few months Image & Form has run a host of SteamWorld Ambassador challengers, giving winners an opportunity to be the first to play SteamWorld Heist, which is coming to 3DS first this Fall. Its latest challenge is arguably the highest profile yet, and will only have one winner. The...
News Nintendo UK Is Making A Big Splash At EGX This Year
Get to play Star Fox Zero and Tri Force Heroes before all your friends
EGX (formally known as Eurogamer Expo) is the UK's biggest games event, and Nintendo Life is proud to be involved in it again (more on that soon); this year EGX will be at its new home at the Birmingham NEC on 24th-27th September. Bye bye Earls Court in London, it was nice...
News Pumped BMX+ is Tricking Its Way to Wii U Soon
The latest title published by Curve Digital
Curve Digital has been a strong supporter of the eShop, with plenty of titles on Wii U and also OlliOlli on the 3DS. The studio is keeping up that support with its latest multi-platform release - Pumped BMX+. Originally developed by Yeah Us! - a one-man indie studio - this is a title that draws much of...
Monday7th Sep 2015
News Pikmin 4 is "Very Close to Completion", Though Its Platform is Unclear
Nintendo's smallest heroes are coming back
When Pikmin 3 arrived in summer 2013, it ended a long and generation-spanning wait for fans of one of Shigeru Miyamoto's freshest franchises. Disregarding Wii re-releases it had been around nine years since Pikmin 2 on GameCube. The wait for Pikmin 4, however, looks set to be far shorter. Speaking to...
Nintendo Download 10th September (Europe)
Super Mario Maker! The Swindle! Hatsune Miku! Etrian Mystery Dungeon! More!
Another week begins and brings with it news of the upcoming European Nintendo Download Update, and this time around there's plenty to look forward to. One of the year's biggest retail releases on Wii U is joined by a much-anticipated download release published by Curve...
Tuesday8th Sep 2015
Review Mario Golf (Wii U eShop / N64)
Serious Golf for Serious Plumbers
You could argue that the best part of many of the Mario sports titles is that they bring goofy, lighthearted aspects to those pastimes. Games like Super Mario Strikers and Mario Hoops: 3 on 3 all make dramatic changes to the sports they're portraying, capturing the attention of players who might not be interested in...
Monday7th Sep 2015
Still "thinking of ways to surprise the audience" with various franchises
Super Mario Galaxy is regarded by some - including this writer - as not just one of the best Mario games, but one of the greatest video games period. Following the rapid arrival of sequel Super Mario Galaxy 2 in 2010, however, all has been silent on a third entry, with only...
Video Shigeru Miyamoto and Takashi Tezuka Tackle Michel Ancel's PAC-Mario Stage in Super Mario Maker
Of course Miyamoto-san is rather good
There's been a fair bit of Super Mario Maker-related news and content to kick off the week, so here's something a little light-hearted to keep that going. Uploaded by Nintendo UK on YouTube, the two most important founders of Super Mario tackle a stage by the man behind Rayman, Michel Ancel; that's a star lineup...
News GAME Promises Quick Refunds After Charging Customers for Too Many Super Mario Maker Pre-Orders
£234.95 if you're really unlucky
GAME is the biggest high street game specialist remaining in the UK, though it has a nasty habit of falling foul of loyal customers with some pre-orders. It's not always the retailer's fault, such as when Splatoon special edition pre-orders were stolen, but it's made a pretty poor error with Super Mario Maker...
Video Watch Miyamoto And Tezuka Pick Apart The Iconic Opening Level Of Super Mario Bros.
World 1-1 walkthrough by the guys who made it happen
As you may well have seen, Shigeru Miyamoto and Takashi Tezuka recently visited the UK and were kind enough to spend some time not only with us, but also with our friends over at Eurogamer. While we decided to have a good old-fashioned music session with the two legends, Eurogamer spent its time...
Video When Nintendo Life Met Shigeru Miyamoto And Takashi Tezuka
Our musical maestro Ryan gets the surprise of his life
Keen followers of Nintendo Life will recall that back in July we were fortunate enough to get the chance to interview one of Nintendo's rising stars, Splatoon co-director Tsubasa Sakaguchi, when he visited the UK. Grasping this fantastic opportunity with as many appendages as humanly possible,...
News This Hello Kitty New Nintendo 3DS Console Is Just Purrrfect
Cute as a button
North American Nintendo fans may be over the moon about the fact that the smaller New 3DS console - the one with the collectable cover plates - is finally coming to the US, but over in Japan they've got through quite a few special editions of the customisable handheld system already - and there's another being added to the list...
News New Style Boutique 2 New Nintendo 3DS Bundle Will Bring More Fashion Sense to Europe
Sparkly
The snappily titled Nintendo Presents: New Style Boutique 2 - Fashion Forward is heading to Europe on 20th November, which is great news for budding fashionistas out there. Along with its extensive customisation and dizzying number of costumes, it'll also be another title to unlock some handsome outfits using a few amiibo figures.
News Quest Forge: By Order Of Kings Mixes Zelda And Secret Of Mana, But You'll Need A NES To Play It
A brand new old RPG
Homebrew developer Ludocity has just released a new RPG, but there's a catch - you'll have to take a trip up to the loft and dust off your old NES in order to play it. Quest Forge: By Order Of Kings is a top-down role-player which, according to the developer, combines elements of The Legend of Zelda and Secret of Mana. The game...
News Mario Slam Basketball Rated By Australian Classification Board
Get ready to shoot some hoops
If you’ve wanted to shoot hoops on your Wii U, you may soon be in luck with the Australian Classification Board today rating Square Enix’s 2006 DS title, Mario Slam Basketball. Known as Mario Hoops 3-on-3 in North America and Mario Basketball 3on3 in Japan, this is the first time the game will receive the Virtual...
Mario History New Super Mario Bros. Wii - 2009
The new, new 'New'
In this series of articles we'll write about one or more Mario game per day, each representing a different year as part of our Super Mario 30th Anniversary celebrations. Following the warm reception to New Super Mario Bros. which was released on the DS in 2006, it was inevitable that Nintendo would bring the New Super Mario...
Mario History Mario Kart Wii - 2008
Filling the world with plastic wheels
In this series of articles we'll write about one or more Mario game per day, each representing a different year as part of our Super Mario 30th Anniversary celebrations. Mario Kart: Double Dash! on GameCube played its part in shaking up home console racing in the iconic karting series, while Mario Kart DS...
Mario Memories Mario Kart 8 and Discovering the Joys of Online Multiplayer
6th Place Forever
In this series of articles celebrating the upcoming 30th Anniversary of Super Mario, various members of the Nintendo Life extended family will share their memories and thoughts on the iconic franchise. This time we have our delightful reviewer Narelle Ho Sang. Some of my favourite memories of Mario are the ones I'm still making...
Retro Float Back In Time With This Gallery Of Nostalgic NES Packaging
Cardboard cool
Old-school game packaging was pretty incredible. Sure, some 8-bit releases have terrible box art and were clearly designed in the space of a single evening, but there's a charm to their rough and ready nature - they hark back to a more primitive, innocent age. Engadget's Sean Buckley knows this all too well, and has kindly posted a...
News Update on the Way to Make Wheels Round Again in Gunman Clive HD Collection
No need to re-invent it
We're big fans of Gunman Clive HD Collection on Wii U, as it successfully combines two terrific 3DS games in one package on the home console. There can be a couple of little technical issues for some, though, and developer Bertil Hörberg has been working on a fix. The issues generally seem to pop up if you have the game...
News Castles Pushed Back to Q1 2016
More building required
Castles is an action-driven puzzle title that's certainly caught the eye. Spanish developer WhootGames enjoyed notable success with its Steam Greenlight campaign and had planned a 15th September release on PC and consoles, including the Wii U eShop. With that original release just a week away, the studio - via publisher...
News Q.U.B.E: Director's Cut Arrives in North America on 10th September
Qool
As many of you are likely aware, Q.U.B.E: Director's Cut launched on the Wii U eShop in Europe a little under two weeks ago. We awarded it a 7/10, praising its well-crafted puzzle design while criticizing some technical issues and a fairly unexceptional plot. Fortunately for North Americans, Q.U.B.E has finally been given a release date for its...
Sunday6th Sep 2015
First Impressions Getting Down with Shantae: Half-Genie Hero
Don’t call it a reboot
Among the indie stars that have graced Nintendo platforms over the years, it's easy to say that WayForward's Shantae is one of the most recognizable. Despite playing the lead role in only three games over the past decade, the scantily clad genie has managed to dance her way into the hearts of so many gamers
Gallery Mario - A History of Power-Ups, Fashion and Wardrobe Missteps
Looking fabulous
With the mascot's 30th Anniversary upon us you can expect to see a lot of words devoted to Mario in the coming days. Of course, for a franchise that's established its reputation on irreverent fun, we can't help but consider some of its sillier features. Power-ups qualify; yes, they can be integral to gameplay mechanics, absolutely...
Mario Memories The Summer of Super Mario
"Super Mario 64 is the game that defined my love of the series"
In this series of articles celebrating the upcoming 30th Anniversary of Super Mario, various members of the Nintendo Life extended family will share their memories and thoughts on the iconic franchise. This time we have our dashing reviewer Steve Bowling. Back in June of 1996, there...
Mario History Super Mario Galaxy - 2007
Out of this World
In this series of articles we'll write about one or more Mario games per day, each representing a different year as part of our Super Mario 30th Anniversary celebrations. In our previous entry we highlighted how New Super Mario Bros. was the first new 2D Mario title in some time; that was due to a general focus on 3D Mario...
Saturday5th Sep 2015
Video See Mario Kart 8's Mute City in a Whole New Way
GBA Ribbon Road and 3DS Neo Bowser City also get the treatment
You may remember that in the past we shared some videos from the MrBean35000vr YouTube channel. The hackers often use their skills to show off cool areas of games we haven't seen much of before, and were among the first to break into the Wii U. Courtesy of Nintendo's efforts with...
Poll Which Is The Best Super Mario Platformer? - 30th Anniversary Edition
One platformer to rule them all
Unless you've been living in an internet-free cave you'll be aware that the Super Mario 30th Anniversary is almost upon us, with 13th September being the big day. Super Mario Maker arrives on 11th September to kick off that celebratory weekend. To celebrate we thought we'd revisit the key question for any Nintendo...
Review Zombie Defense (Wii U eShop)
Here a zombie, there a zombie, everywhere a zombie zombie!
The game title Zombie Defense couldn't be more accurate and straight to the point. Developer Teyon's Wii U début is exactly that: a tower defence/RTS (real-time strategy) game where you fight off waves of zombies in an attempt to save the planet from total zombie supremacy. As with all...
News Nintendo of America Makes Young Boy's Dream Come True as He Meets Reggie Fils-Aime
Mobile Wii U units also heading to US hospitals
Nintendo of America is at the forefront of some hugely pleasing news today, courtesy of its involvement in some charitable events and causes. First of all 10-year-old Shea Sparling, who lives with polyarteritis nodosa, was the recipient of a treat through The Dream Factory. His wish was to meet Reggie...
Nintendo Life Weekly Smaller New 3DS Launching in North America this Year
Week at the knees
Nintendo's smaller New 3DS is coming to North America at last, but that's not all the news that's happened this week. Once again we've tirelessly condensed the cream of this week's news as well as all the reviews and releases into one handy little video for your viewing pleasure. This week we look at Club Nintendo's European and...
Mario History New Super Mario Bros. - 2006
The 'New' new
In this series of articles we'll write about one or more Mario games per day, each representing a different year as part of our Super Mario 30th Anniversary celebrations. Assessing 2D Mario games in the 'New' series in 2015 naturally features arguments of repetition, frequency of releases and some calls for fresh ideas. Those...
News Chibi-Robo!: Zip Lash Will Support Plenty of amiibo, Genre Given as 'Whipping Platformer'
Whip it good
Chibi-Robo!: Zip Lash was a surprising E3 reveal, not only because it was the character's first out-and-out platformer, but the fact that it'll be a full retail title. Nintendo clearly believes that the IP has the potential to be a hit, though, with an amiibo bundle set to accompany the standard release. Though we were somewhat...
Mario Memories Mastering Super Mario World Across the Years
"We never got tired of Super Mario World, we only got better"
In this series of articles celebrating the upcoming 30th Anniversary of Super Mario, various members of the Nintendo Life extended family will share their memories and thoughts on the iconic franchise. This time we have our reviewer, contributor and all-round swell guy Ron DelVillano...
Video Unleash Ink-Based Carnage with Splatoon's Brand New Mini Splatling
It's splattering time
Splatoon's roster of weaponry continues to grow, and this time around we're treated to the stripped-down Mini Splatling. Not only is it faster at charging than its heavier counterpart but it also has greatly improved mobility as well as Suction Bombs, and the infamous Inkzooka. You can check it out in action in the video below...
Friday4th Sep 2015
Review Hatsune Miku: Project MIRAI DX (3DS)
Chart-topper
To those who know her, she needs no introduction: Hatsune Miku is a star. To those who don't, she definitely requires some explanation: Hatsune Miku is a 'virtual idol' and the world's most popular Vocaloid, a personification of a software synthesizer given background, personality, and a constant stream of songs to sing by composers and...
News Some Western Splatoon Players Would Prefer Not To Compete With Japan
Online technicalities causing tension?
Reports have recently surfaced via Japanese video game blogs that certain clusters of Western Wii U owners do not enjoy playing Nintendo's competitive online squid shooter Splatoon with players from Japan. Some have even taken to social media to demand that Nintendo enforce regional servers for the game. The...
Review Gotcha Racing (3DS eShop)
A delight at every turn
Gotcha Racing is about as simple as racing games come, but it's far more addictive than most. The concept is derived from Japan's Gachapon capsule toys — small, highly collectible toys that usually go for about 100 yen apiece. It's this concept that drives the heart of the game. When you first start Gotcha Racing you'll be...
Guide 9 Tips for Playing Runbow
Get up and running
Runbow is finally out in both North America and Europe. But did you know that to Runbow properly you need to follow a series of steps? It is scientifically proven by a group of proven scientists that running is more difficult than walking. Write that down as a fact! Luckily for you we have come up with the perfect guide; no no,...
News Chieftain Bob Meets Gunman Clive, You Won't Believe What Happens Next
Brokeback Clive
Unless you've been hiding behind a tumbleweed, you've probably noticed that the Gunman Clive HD Collection is now on the Wii U eShop. In our review we awarded it a gunslinging 9/10 and said buying it is an absolute no-brainer. For the low price of entry, you are getting HD versions of not one, but two of the most impeccably-crafted...
News New Difficulty Settings, 3D Title Screen and More Revealed for Dementium Remastered
Bringing horror back to 3DS
The 3DS has had a few horror experiences, though it's not a game style that's been particularly common on the portable. With Dementium Remastered by Renegade Kid now being in the closing stages of development, it'll help to change that. A remake of the DS retail title that's heading for the eShop, it could certainly...
News This Monster Hunter X New Nintendo 3DS Cover Plate Makes Us Want the Game Even More
Just look at it
Based on the ease with which we're still able to fill an online lobby, plenty of gamers are still enjoying Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate in the West. Of course, lucky Japanese gamers have Monster Hunter X (Cross) to look forward to later this year, a fresh take on the series that introduces new approaches to combat and an action-centric...
News Size Matters in Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate's September DLC
Big beasts
We're into our last few months of free DLC in Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate, and though the cross-overs and quirky outfits are largely finished, each new batch continues to offer some cool gear and hefty challenges to take on. The September batch is now live, and Capcom seems keen to emphasize that the monsters involved are sizeable beasts...
News Monster Hunter Stories Will Bring Its Own Brand of Turn-Based Battling to 3DS
Screens and concept art paint a pretty picture
Monster Hunter Stories was an intriguing and exciting reveal earlier this year; it was described as five years in the making (conceptually, two years in development) and a major diversion from the series norms. Due for a 2016 release on 3DS in Japan, its cartoonish style and neat concept of a young...
News The Mini Splatling is Next Up in This Week's Splatoon Update
It suits you
Splatoon has a weekly update on the way, as per usual, and Nintendo of Europe has detailed what we can come to expect. It's good news for Splatling fans. The Mini Splatling in on the way in the update today / tomorrow - the new content typically arrives on a Friday night at 7pm Pacific / 10pm Eastern in North America, which is 3am UK /...
News A Supercharged Star Fox amiibo Hybrid Was A Possibility for Skylanders SuperChargers
I can't let you do that, Star Fox!
We're still kind of amazed that Nintendo allowed supercharged versions of Bowser and Donkey Kong to be included in the upcoming Skylanders SuperChargers game. In addition to being playable characters they also get their own amiibo figurines which have a handy switch in the base to flip into Skylanders mode...
Video Even Reggie Is Crazy About Runbow
All hail the Reggie-lution!
With Runbow now available in both North America and Europe, Nintendo of America has posted an amusing video on its YouTube channel revealing Reggie’s addiction to the recently released Wii U eShop title. The clip, which can be viewed below, lasts a minute and a half and also features Nintendo of America’s Damon...
Mario Memories Super Mario Bros. 3, Still Bringing Families Together
You can't talk about childhood favourites without mentioning SMB3
In this series articles celebrating the upcoming 30th Anniversary of Super Mario, various members of the Nintendo Life extended family will share their memories and thoughts on the iconic franchise. This time we have our lovely reviewer Evan Chambers. We never had an NES when I was...
Rumour Mega Man Is Starring In A Mega Movie Thanks To The Help Of 20th Century Fox
In collaboration with Chernin Entertainment
According to Hollywood film and television website, The Tracking Board, Capcom’s 1987 video game character Mega Man is reportedly on his way to the big screen, courtesy of a collaboration between 20th Century Fox and Chernin Entertainment – with development apparently already underway. Being classed...
Review Crab Cakes Rescue (Wii U eShop)
This cake is a lie
The Wii U's library is bursting with quirky, innovative, fun games. Crab Cakes Rescue is not one of them. From the moment you start up Crab Cakes Rescue, its lack of polish is readily apparent. For starters, it runs in a 4:3 aspect ratio, leaving unsightly black bars on either side of the screen. The title is lifted directly from...
Thursday3rd Sep 2015
Nintendo Download 3rd September (North America)
Gunman Clive! Excitebike! Mario Golf!More!
It's that time again, North American gamers, for the Nintendo Download Update details. This week brings an excellent download option on the Wii U from Hörberg Productions, along with a much-loved Mario sporting spin-off and another retro début in the West. Pickings are slimmer on the 3DS, though there are...
Review VS. Excitebike (Wii U eShop / NES)
Enjoyable interlude
It's undoubtedly a good thing when Nintendo starts releasing older titles on the eShop that are otherwise fairly difficult to find or play. But does VS. Excitebike, originally only released on the Famicom Disk System in Japan in 1988, offer enough extra content compared to the original to justify a purchase? As the core of the...
News Rare's Gregg Mayles Reveals It Was Miyamoto Who Suggested Donkey Kong Should Sport Neckwear
Rare staffer reveals the pre-history of Donkey Kong Country
Gregg Mayles is one of Rare's longest-serving employees and can list some of the firm's most famous titles on his impressive CV. He's currently hard at work on the studio's next offering, Sea of Thieves, but has taken the time to post some interesting info relating to the SNES classic...
News The Club Nintendo Goodbye Coin Has, Well, Said Goodbye
So long, farewell, auf Wiedersehen...
What happens when you release a relatively cheap silver-plated coin with a little velvet bag, and it happens to be a 'Goodbye Coin' for Club Nintendo in PAL territories? The hosting website struggles to survive the influx of hits, of course. Our very own editorial director Damien McFerran - in the interests of...
Gallery Phoenix Wright is Looking Sharp in These Ace Attorney 6 Screens
Ready for trial
It's been a mostly enjoyable week for Ace Attorney fans, primarily due to Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney 6 being announced for 3DS and confirmed for the West. The downside came with accompanying news that The Great Ace Attorney doesn't seem to be planned for localisation out of Japan, and it'll be a great pity i
News Man Goes On Quest To Buy Every Single amiibo In Australia In 24 Hours
Will it end well?
Popular Australian YouTube botherer UnlistedLeaf (aka Ando) got challenged by his followers to go on a journey to try and find every single amiibo in 24 hours in Australian stores. We all have no doubt experienced the pain of trying to find a coveted amiibo for our collection, be it in Europe or North America, but will they just...
News Wii U Offers "The Best Realisation Of The Second Screen Experience", Says Watchup CEO
Unique newscasting app now available on Wii U eShop
Earlier this week, news app Watchup appeared on the Wii U eShop without warning or fanfare, and has strangely been missed off this week's download update. Even so, Watchup CEO and Founder Adriano Farano is keen to make some noise about the Nintendo version of the download, which - in its Android...
Video Splatoon's Rainmaker Mode is Possibly the Game's Most Cultural Match Type
'Culture Shock' YouTube show explains why
Splatoon has a decent splattering (sorry) of modes nowadays, with frequent updates over the course about three months adding plenty of content. A recent addition was the Rainmaker mode in Ranked Battles, in which you try to take possession of the powerful relic and progress into the opposition's territory...
Interview Saber Rider Team On Making A Decade-Old Dream A Reality Via Kickstarter
"Unless they change their policy, our mecha amiibo has a good chance"
We recently reported on the news that Saber Rider and the Star Sheriffs is now on Kickstarter with a dazzling array of stretch goals following a troubled development history. The game has been in production - in some form or another - for almost
Weirdness Bask in the Madness of The Legend of Zelda: Tri Force Heroes in This Japanese Marketing
Even Ganondorf would love this
Sometimes Nintendo's weirdness can brighten any sky and make the sun shine that bit brighter. OK, we're exaggerating a little, but it can make us smile - the concept of The Legend of Zelda: Tri Force Heroes fits into this. Any plot that puts fashion at its core in Hyrule is always going to be a bit bonkers, and its...
News Freedom Planet Wii U Fix Making Progress, GalaxyTrail Aiming to Reveal Release Date Soon
"We believe we’ve found the source of the problem"
Freedom Planet, which has achieved some success on PC, has been on a number of Wii U eShop gamer's wishlists. It started out as a Sonic fan-game, before GalaxyTrail evolved the idea into its own IP; it incorporates some aspect of classic Sonic titles but nevertheless has plenty of different ideas...
Interview Here's Your Chance To Ask The Voice Of Mario Anything You Wish
What burning questions do you have for Charles Martinet?
Next week Nintendo Life will be meeting up with the one and only Charles Martinet - otherwise known as the voice of Super Mario and many other characters from the Mushroom Kingdom - and we're giving you, our dear readers, the chance to pop a question to one of the most famous vocal talents on...
Mario History Mario Kart DS and Mario Kart Arcade GP - 2005
When snaking shook the world
In this series of articles we'll write about one or more Mario game per day, each representing a different year as part of our Super Mario 30th Anniversary celebrations. 2005 was a busy year in terms of Mario releases, with a whole host of options across portable and home console systems, all in the form of spin-offs...
News ThinkGeek to Open Its First US Store in Florida
Nintendo merchandise likely to have notable role
ThinkGeek is one of the better known online retailers that specialises in collectibles and geek-gear, which often has plenty of Nintendo and retro-themed goodies up for sale. It's not exactly unique in the market, of course, but it did take a major step ahead of rivals when it was acquired by GameStop...
News Assault Android Cactus Still Coming To Wii U, Definitely Maybe
Q1 2016 for real this time
We first got our grubby mitts on Assault Android Cactus at EGX in September 2013 and liked what we played of this high octane arcade-style twin stick shooter. In fact, we found ourselves eagerly awaiting its arrival which was said to be Q1 2014 at the time. Australian indie developer Witch Beam may have bitten off a bit...
Wednesday2nd Sep 2015
Review Super Mario Maker (Wii U)
Pixel perfect
In the year of Super Mario's 25th Anniversary Nintendo released Super Mario Galaxy 2, a terrific sequel, and the rather uninspired Super Mario All-Stars 25th Anniversary Edition. Not bad, but a continuation of the norm - an accomplished (almost perfect) slice of platforming heaven and another release designed for little more than...
Review Gunman Clive HD Collection (Wii U eShop)
An excellent tribute to retro gaming
Early in 2013, the world was graced with Gunman Clive, a short and sweet action platformer that was praised for its simplistic art style and solid mechanics. Almost exactly two years later we received Gunman Clive 2, a sequel that built upon and expanded the original in nearly every way possible. Now, both...
Video Fan Recreates Stunning Build Of Ocarina Of Time’s Zora’s Domain In Unreal Engine 4
Water that makes your mouth water
Over the past few months, fans of Nintendo have done amazing jobs of creating HD builds of beloved Nintendo IP in stunning atmospheres within Unity 3D and Unreal Engine 4. We're often treated to seeing re-textured models of the likes of Mario and Link, prancing around in realistic HD environments that aren't so...
Download 'Photos with Animal Crossing' for Nintendo 3DS (UK Only)
We've got 5,000 download codes to give away...
With Animal Crossing: Happy Home Designer being one of the major 3DS retail releases of the year, Nintendo has been keen to get the franchise back onto the agenda. In the UK the company has been heavily promoting free 3DS app Photos with Animal Crossing, distributing it at Hyper Japan in London, on its...
News Club Nintendo Goodbye Coin Now Available in Europe and Australia
The long farewell
Nintendo of Europe is somewhat dragging out the Club Nintendo farewell in Europe and Australia, in the process forcing many to go through many, many surveys to try and get the final goodies. A Nintendo Sound Selection Double CD was pitched as the final physical reward in the territories ahead of the service closing on 30th...
Review Q.U.B.E: Director's Cut (Wii U eShop)
Meet your new companion Q.U.B.E
A gigantic alien cube is hurtling through space on a collision course with Earth - and you've just woken up within it. As your body shakes off the fatigue, distant memories fail to solidify, leaving you in a state of total confusion and amnesia. Alone, save for a crackling voice over the radio, you're tasked with...
News Production Of Shovel Knight amiibo Is Being Handled Entirely By Yacht Club Games
"We're basically licensing the amiibo technology from Nintendo"
After last week's revolutionary news of a third-party franchise breaking its way into the world of amiibo, some more details on the Shovel Knight figure have surfaced via Yacht Club Games. In an interview with Destructoid at PAX Prime 2015, studio head Sean Velasco stated that Yacht...
Mario History Super Mario 64 DS - 2004
3D Mario on the go
In this series of articles we'll write about one or more Mario game per day, each representing a different year as part of our Super Mario 30th Anniversary celebrations. If you'd have said that one day it would be possible to play Super Mario 64 on a handheld console back in 1996, you'd likely have been laughed out of the room...
News Space Hulk Finally Docking With The Wii U eShop This Christmas
In space, no one can hear you lament slipped release dates
Last we heard, the Wii U version of Space Hulk was due to arrive in May, but that proved to be a false dawn as all of the console editions were pushed back slightly. If you own a Sony machine then the wait is now over, as the PlayStation 3 and PS Vita versions are out this week. Sadly,...
News Nintendo Recruits YouTube Celebrities for Its Super Mario Maker 'Super Creator Challenge'
Five in total want your Likes
With Super Mario Maker's release a little over a week away Nintendo is trying various marketing tricks and strategies to get people interested, and now NoA has now posted videos of five YouTube celebrities taking on its 'Super Creator Challenge'. Whichever level's video gets the most Likes by 9th September wins, and our...
News Dragon Quest VIII Storms to Number One in Japan and Boosts New 3DS Sales
Animal Crossing: Happy Home Designer creeps towards 1 million sales
Wednesday is Media Create results day in Japan, in which we see whether Nintendo and its system's games can maintain strong form in the company's homeland. On that score this week brings more positive news. Dragon Quest VIII: Journey of the Cursed King, the 3DS port of the PS2...
Thursday3rd Sep 2015
Weirdness That Slowpoke Reggae Video is Now in English
Took them long enough...
More than a year ago, the Japanese Pokémon YouTube channel uploaded a video so bizarre that you have to wonder if it's a preliminary experiment in mind control. It had Slowpoke and reggae in it, though, so we happily shared it. Surprisingly, the video has suddenly reappeared with an English dub. According to the...
Wednesday2nd Sep 2015
News Ace Attorney 6 Definitely Heading to the West, With 'Courtroom Revolution' as a Theme
The Great Ace Attorney looks unlikely, though
This week Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney 6 was confirmed for the 3DS, along with the news that it'll be playable at the Tokyo Game Show. That news alone was exciting for fans of the series, though some extra snippets of information have since emerged. For starters, this one is coming to the West, which is...
News These Disturbing Year Walk Bedtime Stories for Awful Children May Haunt Your Dreams
"The boy screamed, but before anyone could hear his cries for help..."
Year Walk is now just a couple of weeks away from release on the Wii U eShop, with developer Simogo teaming up with Dakko Dakko to produce a definitive version of the game. As was explained to us in an interview with both studios recently, the "GamePad becomes the link between...
News Nintendo UK and Playtonic Games to Host a Special Super Mario Maker Live Broadcast
Yooka-Laylee studio to show off its creations
With Super Mario Maker approaching we can expect a variety of promotional activities from the big N, and Nintendo UK has an upcoming live stream that could be one to watch for retro and eShop fans. It's announced on Instagram that it'll be hosting a live broadcast with Playtonic Games, the team of...
News Extreme Exorcism to Haunt the Wii U on 23rd September
What an excellent day for a release
Extreme Exorcism may be a title familiar to keen Wii U eShop fans courtesy of its inclusion in the E3 Nindies@Home demo promotion; publisher Ripstone has now confirmed that it won't be long until the full game is available. It's due to arrive on 23rd September on Wii U and a host of other platforms, priced at...
Tuesday1st Sep 2015
News Amazon Now Offering Nintendo Games For Direct Digital Download
"Seamless redemption experience" promised
Online retailer Amazon is now offering digital downloads of "over 50 Nintendo digital game titles" which can be downloaded directly to your 3DS or Wii U console using a "seamless redemption experience". It works like this. You purchase the game on Amazon as you would normally, and then link your Nintendo...
Review Sin and Punishment (Wii U eShop / N64)
On the rails and off the hip
It's no secret that many Japanese titles never see the light of day overseas. Countless games have been unreleased for fear of lack of public interest and fear of bad. This was the initial reason Sin and Punishment, released in 2000, never surfaced on the Nintendo 64 outside of Japan. The hectic shoot'em up only made...
News Men Suspected of Planning Pokémon World Championships Gun Attack Denied Bail
Will be held for four months
A little over a week ago details emerged of two men that were arrested under suspicion of planning an armed attack at the Pokémon World Championships. 27-year-old James Austin Stumbo and 18-year-old Kevin Norton were both enrolled for the Trading Card Game tournament, though members of the Pokémon community flagged...
Review Wario: Master of Disguise (Wii U eShop / DS)
Master of Mediocrity
After WarioWare took off, it seemed like that was all everybody's favourite antihero was up to, save for a Wii instalment of the Wario Land series. In truth, there was also an attempt at a Wario platformer on the DS, though it is quite easy to see why not many seem to remember this outing. Developed by Suzak, the company...
News Kirby and Mega Man Nendoroids Are Tough to Resist, and Can Now be Pre-Ordered
Not cute with your bank balance
It's hard not to love Nendoroids. They're the equivalent of a cuddly husky puppy, all fluffy fur and cheeky dog grins; cute little video game figurines with interchangeable items and outfits? Where do we sign up! The downside is that they can be relatively pricey. Earlier this Summer Mega Man and Kirby Nendoroids...
Preview Getting Inside The Curiously Undemanding World Of Animal Crossing: Happy Home Designer
"I love what you've done here!"
Animal Crossing: New Leaf is one of those titles which has been instrumental in selling the Nintendo 3DS to the wider gaming public. When it launched in the west back in 2013 it appeared to trigger a rush of interest in Nintendo's portable system, and everyone seemed to be talking about it - sharing their experiences,...
News Ace Attorney 6 Confirmed to be Headed to 3DS
We're still hoping for The Great Ace Attorney to be localised
The Japanese market sure loves a marketing slow burn with drip-fed information, and Capcom has now kicked that off with another entry in one of its most beloved franchises. It's been confirmed in Famitsu Weekly that Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney 6 is in development for the 3DS and will...
Mario History Mario Kart: Double Dash!! - 2003
Seeing double
In this series of articles we'll write about one or more Mario game per day, each representing a different year as part of our Super Mario 30th Anniversary celebrations. Arriving two years after Mario Kart Super Circuit on the GBA, Mario Kart: Double Dash!! (emphasis not ours) is the fourth game in the Mario Kart series, or third...
"That’s extremely unfortunate for everyone involved"
Devil's Third is out now in Europe and the reviews haven't been glowing. Tomonobu Itagaki's Wii U exclusive has been given something of a drubbing by critics, with outlets such as IGN, Eurogamer and GameSpot handing it dire critical assessments. Itagaki has taken to
Review Genghis Khan II: Clan of the Gray Wolf (Wii U eShop / SNES)
Who knew that Genghis Khan was so cool, calculating, and complex?
Genghis Khan II: Clan of the Gray Wolf was originally developed by Koei and released for the PC-8801, PC9801, and the MSX in 1992. The following year, Genghis Khan II saw releases for MS-DOS, Sega Genesis, Sega CD, PC Engine CD, NES, and SNES. Five more years later, and the game would...
News Devil's Third Fails to Hit UK Top 40 in Poor Week for Nintendo Titles
A low point
We suspect that most Nintendo fans in the UK would acknowledge that the company's having a tough time in the country. Splatoon has been an exception in holding its own this summer along with a couple of other evergreen games, and the 3DS remains popular, but in the overall picture the big N is struggling in this particular market. This...
Video PolyKid’s Wii U Adventure Platformer Poi Has A Charming New Trailer
Kickstarter ends at midnight on Wednesday
As previously reported, PolyKid’s 3D Adventure Platformer Poi is slated for release on Wii U, with a Kickstarter campaign being used to raise funds. The indie team behind the title are drawing inspiration from the classic platformers they grew up with including the likes of Super Mario 64, Banjo-Kazooi
Interview Candlelight Studios and Bold RPG Ambitions With Untold Story
"Untold Story puts its focus on creating an incredible, dynamic story"
It's an exciting time to be a game developer, as modern technology and a more accessible industry allow people of all walks of life to try their hand at pursuing their passion. This is a win for gamers, too, as it allows us the opportunity to try all sorts of new experiences and...
Video Nintendo Produces Some Chirpy Animal Crossing: Happy Home Designer TV Commercials
If you're not happy, it's not for you
When Animal Crossing: Happy Home Designer was unveiled, reactions within Nintendo Life HQ ranged from confusion, to more confusion, then bafflement. We could sort of figure out what it was supposed to be, but couldn't figure out how Nintendo was going to sell it - would it be free-to-play and need amiibo cards?...
