Game Boy Color ROM loading also bites the dust
News Harmonix Explains Why Rock Band 4 Isn’t Coming to Wii U, But Doesn't Rule it Out
Bringing on the heartbreak
Reminder The Free Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate DLC for March is Here, and an Awesome Video Shows it Off
Much more than a Link outfit on offer
News - 2015, Week 10
Sunday8th Mar 2015
News First Passcode Released for Pokémon Shuffle
Megagift
Perhaps you've been tapping around the menus in Pokémon Shuffle, maybe while waiting for that clock to tick agonizingly down, second by second, so you can get another shot at that Espeon because you need it but hey no it's not like you're addicted or anything haha that would just be totally ridiculous ahahahaha! Anyway, you might have...
News Next Level Games Employee Suggests He's Working on a Wii U Title, Then Stealth Edits the Post
You cannot hide on the internet
It's no secret that Next Level Games, though it's an independent company, is currently committed exclusively to Nintendo projects - that was stated in early 2014, and nothing since has suggested any change. We'd like to think it's an ambitious project, too, as little has been heard from the company since Luigi's...
Mario Kart 8 for $33, too
While Nintendo of America is yet to offer an online store as substantial as in the UK, its rather low key store does nevertheless occasionally offer great deals on refurbished goodies. At the moment Wii U fans in North America have some decent options, including a few select games. A notable option is a 32GB Black Wii U...
Gallery Splatoon Development Updates Show Off Fashion, Octolings and Guns
Some short videos are even inked in
Arriving in May, Splatoon is one of our most-anticipated Wii U games in the coming months, even if we're still awaiting a final release date - with single player, local multiplayer and online multiplayer all included, it should offer plenty of content along with its quirky approach to third-person arena shooting...
We're stoked
OlliOlli isn't really a skateboarding game. The skateboard aesthetic provides a lovely minimalist visual style to navigate the tiny pixel skateboarder through, but there's no open world to explore and experiment in, nor is it filled with free-form choices. Mechanically rock-solid, OlliOlli is a 2D on-rails experience with meticulously...
News A Cowboy's Tale from Nexis Games Rides to the Wii U eShop in 2016
We added the apostrophe
When one gets right down to it, there aren't a lot of notable Wild West-themed games currently, on any platform; it's a rather puzzling omission. In an industry that's absolutely obsessed at the moment with open world adventure games, one must wonder why more developers don't follow in the footsteps of titles such as Red Dead...
Saturday7th Mar 2015
Poll Which 2015 Nintendo Blockbusters Should Have amiibo Support?
A welcome extra or occasional option?
Since the launch of the first 'wave' alongside Super Smash Bros. for Wii U in November 2014, Nintendo's wasted little time in promoting and expanding amiibo. Continual waves have continued to take us towards coverage of the full cast in the brawling title, while an upcoming Super Mario range will accompany Mario...
Video Even the Glitches in Super Mario Galaxy Are Awesome
Makes us want to play it again
Super Mario Galaxy, in the opinion of this humble writer and we suspect a number of other gamers, is one of the best games ever produced; it's certainly near the top of the class in platformers, at least. Whether you regard it as Mario platforming perfection or not it does, nevertheless, have its share of glitches...
News Full Details Emerge on Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor 2 Record Breaker Launch Edition
Quite the package
It's been relatively under the radar, but Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor 2 Record Breaker, arguably one of the most long winded names of any game to be released in North America in recent memory, is due for a release on the Nintendo 3DS rather soon. Initially pinned down for quarter one this year, the anticipated RPG has been...
Nintendo Minute debates Super Metroid vs Metroid Prime, too
Nintendo has some major releases landing at the moment in North America, with Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Tipping Stars out this week on Wii U and 3DS, and Code Name S.T.E.A.M. on the way as a 3DS retail arrival in the coming week. Naturally Nintendo of America is using YouTube to promote these...
Event Join Us At Our Summer Nintendo Life Gaming Night
Games, competitions and a film premiere in Cambridge, UK
We'd be delighted if you join us for an evening of Nintendo-related fun and frolics in our first Nintendo Life Gaming Night this year, which will be held at the Centre for Computing History in Cambridge, UK on 25th July. There'll be a chance to play all of Nintendo's classic consoles such as...
Thursday5th Mar 2015
News Harmonix Explains Why Rock Band 4 Isn’t Coming to Wii U, But Doesn't Rule it Out
Bringing on the heartbreak
As some of you may be aware, Harmonix has announced that the Rock Band franchise will be making a comeback this year with the fourth numbered entry. The rhythm based franchise sees players bashing away on various expensive peripherals that resemble instruments popular to typical rock bands, covering a massive variety of...
Friday6th Mar 2015
Reminder The Free Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate DLC for March is Here, and an Awesome Video Shows it Off
Much more than a Link outfit on offer
In case you missed the announcement last weekend, or simply allowed it to slip from your mind - the free March DLC for Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate is now live in Europe and North America. Far from being a small cosmetic set of content, it offers up a whole load of quests at various levels that'll unlock all sorts...
Feature A Summary of the Xenoblade Chronicles X Battle Presentation
Full video and details on combat skills, customization and party members
Nintendo and Developer Monolift Soft have made it their goal to show Japanese gamers just about everything Xenoblade Chronicles X has to offer through 30 minute online presentations; it's an admirable endeavour, even if there are no English subtitles. The last video took a look...
Rumour South African Retailer Lists Greninja, Jigglypuff and Splatoon amiibo for May Release
Prepare a bucket of salt
It's pretty obvious that Nintendo's keen to make the most of amiibo, through including NFC support in the New Nintendo 3DS and lining up a host of figures for future arrivals in stores. With that in mind a rumour started by a South African retailer listing is plausible, albeit we urge caution due to the somewhat random...
News Free-To-Play Puzzler Pokémon Shuffle Gets Updated To Version 1.1.1
Gotta patch 'em all
Free-to-play 3DS eShop title Pokémon Shuffle has just been updated to version 1.1.1. The update requires you to redownload the game - that's a 686 block download - and "Check In" again to access the Event stages. The patch is listed as supplying necessary bug fixes, and without it you can't Check In, access Event stages or...
Live Watch Nintendo and Monolith Soft's Second Presentation of Xenoblade Chronicles X - Live!
Live coverage as the battle mechanics are shown off
Xenoblade Chronicles X isn't far away in Japan, and in the West plenty of fans are no doubt eagerly awaiting its arrival this year. This second presentation on the game from Japan will focus on Battle mechanics and what it takes to survive on Mira. [...
News Nintendo Confirms Wil Wheaton as Voice Actor for Abraham Lincoln in Code Name S.T.E.A.M.
From Ensign to President
Nintendo doesn't often hire celebrities to be voice actors in its games - in fact, fully voiced dialogue simply isn't particularly common in the big N's titles. Kid Icarus: Uprising was a recent exception, along with the likes of Metroid: Other M, but we're normally just treated to occasional catch phrases and gibberish...
Japan Weekly Famitsu Outlines More Details on Splatoon's 'Hero' Mode and More
Etrian Mystery Dungeon details, quirky Japanese games, reviews and more
Can't wait to hear more about games like Splatoon and Etrian Mystery Dungeon? As Japan's primary gaming magazine, Famitsu receives exclusive previews and reviews of Nintendo games well before the same coverage sees the light of the day elsewhere in the world. The 4th March...
News Fan Discovers StarTropics Music Tracks that Were Broken and Unnoticed for 25 Years
No, he didn't dip anything in water
Remember StarTropics? No? Well, it was a much beloved Nintendo game from the glory days of the NES. Playing something like a tropical spin on The Legend of Zelda, it followed the adventure of a kid named Mike Jones as he scoured an island in search of his lost archaeologist uncle. It was a very charming adventure,...
Review GravBlocks+ (Wii U eShop)
Try to keep up (and down, left, and right)
Falling block puzzlers aren't necessarily a rare experience these days. What isn't commonplace, however, is such a puzzler that throws a twist on the formula that enhances and refreshes the experience. GravBlocks+ (itself an enhanced version of the Android game GravBlocks) tries its hand at mixing up the...
News Once Bitten, Twice Dead Coming to Wii U
Can you survive the Zomblockalypse?
Open worlds are great and all, but you gotta make sure to clean them out once in a while. These things will just start crawling with zombies if you're not careful. Austraila-based developer Dark Day Interactive has announced Once Bitten, Twice Dead, a horror survival title set in a fallen world of undead...
News Short Fan Film is Set to Chronicle the Final Battle Between Link and Ganondorf
You paid for the whole seat, but you’ll only need the edge of it
Recently, there have been fairly believable rumours that there is a live-action Zelda series in the making for Netflix. Only time will tell if this show becomes a reality, but it appears that in the meantime fans are taking it upon themselves to fulfil that need for a cinematic...
News 3D Out Run Developers Talk Over Bringing Classic Racing Back to the 3DS
Back on the road
Sega is putting the rubber to the road again with Out Run coming to the Nintendo 3DS. The arcade title was originally released in 1986 featuring an arcade cabinet that had the appearance of the game's slick sports car; it's the third in the 3D remaster project's second series and the eleventh overall. In an interview with Sega Blog,...
"Europe is a unique opportunity"
BLOK DROP X Twisted Fusion developer RCMADIAX has taken to Twitter to report that European sales of the game have surpassed expectations, with the title being downloaded almost twice as many times on its day of launch than it did in North America. Launching a game in Europe isn't as easy as it is in North America,...
Video The Ninja Class Sneaks into Etrian Mystery Dungeon
Hopefully, the Inverse Law of Ninja Strength holds true
It's been about a week and sure enough, we have another new character class for Etrian Mystery Dungeon. The Ninja is the newest addition to the gradually growing character class list. The Ninja appears to be a speedy class, getting in close and dealing lots of quick, low-damage blows to...
Thursday5th Mar 2015
Review Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Tipping Stars (Wii U eShop)
We tip our hats to you
Despite Mario and Donkey Kong largely getting along with one another these days, there's still the ancestral drive to kidnap women in red dresses burning in DK's DNA, and so we get the Mario vs. Donkey Kong series. The latest entry, Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Tipping Stars has ditched the different 3D perspective of the previous...
Review Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Tipping Stars (3DS eShop)
Tipping the balance
The differences between the 3DS and Wii U versions of Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Tipping Stars are few and far between, but the 3DS version does feature some differences of note. You can read our thoughts on the Wii U version of the game here. The 3DS version takes full advantage of the SpotPass and StreetPass functionality of the...
News Fans Are Translating Dragon Quest VII On 3DS Because Square Enix Won't
Taking matters into their own hands
Square Enix is asleep at the wheel - it isn't bringing amazing JRPGs like the 3DS update of Dragon Quest VII to the west. The company has previously stated that it is unsure there's enough demand in North America and Europe to justify the cost of localising the title, while the Wii U title Dragon Quest X is...
Feature Ten Upcoming Nindie eShop Games to Watch on Wii U and 3DS
And more besides...
The Wii U and 3DS eShop stores have become notable improvements on their Wii and DSi predecessors, and a range of familiar and new download developers have pitched up with their wares in recent times. The last couple of years in particular have brought some fantastic games, and as Nintendo's GDC announcement made clear there's...
Nintendo Download 5th March (North America)
Mario vs. Donkey Kong and OlliOlli x2, Proun+ and much more
It's time for more Nintendo Download Update treats, North American gamers, and this week brings the region its first cross-buy options on Nintendo's systems. We have Mario toys puzzling their way through levels and some rad pixelated skateboarding across Wii U and 3DS, while there are also...
News Nintendo of America Teams Up With Best Buy For New Nintendo 3DS XL Hands On Events This Weekend
Get an Eiji Aonuma Mii and StreetPass goodies, too
Following its launch on 13th February, the New Nintendo 3DS XL is heading into that post-hype period of sales, when Nintendo's focus shifts away from exciting dedicated fans to winning over those on the fence. The April arrival of system-exclusive Xenoblade Chronicles 3D will play a major role,...
News Official Nintendo UK Store Sends New Nintendo 3DS Owners the Wrong Legend of Zelda Cover Plates
Consternation all around
Not long ago UK New Nintendo 3DS owners were keen to grab the rather handsome cover plates for The Legend of Zelda from the official Nintendo UK store, with pre-orders rapidly selling out. As you can see in the images below they come in two varieties - a Majora's Mask 3D design and a more generic (but still lovely) Triforce...
Yacht Club Games "keeping an eye out" for Nintendo possibilities
Remember when Shovel Knight was a Nintendo console exclusive? Nice, wasn't it? Those days are long past now, with developer Yacht Club Games confirming that the faux-retro platformer is headed to both PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. To rub a bit more salt into the wound, it was confirmed...
News Speedrunner Conquers Super Mario 64 in World Record Time, With No Stars
You don't need any stars to be a star
The rules of Super Mario 64 are well known. Jump, flip, and swim through treacherous levels to collect the shimmering power star at the end; speedrunners take this premise to the extreme. They collect all 120 power stars in as fast a time as possible, using precise jumps and taking advantage of various glitches...
Paper play
We don't all claim to be linguists or experts on Japanese language or culture here at Nintendo Life, but being the dedicated journalists that we are, we're always willing to do a bit of research. It turns out that origami, the art of paper folding, has a very interesting linguistic background. When broken down, "ori" means to fold or...
News Final Fantasy Creator Hironobu Sakaguchi Really Doesn't Like Direct Sequels
"I hate them"
Hironobu Sakaguchi is the man who made Square Enix's Final Fantasy series, arguably one of the most popular video game franchises of all time. Under his guidance, the series experienced many best-selling instalments across the NES, SNES and PlayStation, but never a direct sequel - all of the adventures were brand new, with entirely...
News Eiji Aonuma Talks About his Journey to Becoming The Legend of Zelda’s Producer
Everybody has to start somewhere
It's always interesting when a game developer reminisces and talks a bit about his or her roots. This industry moves so fast that it can sometimes be easy to lose sight of the fact that it's powered by the hard work of real people. Though breaking into game development may seem like a daunting and intimidating...
News Nintendo Executive Discusses the eShop, Indies, and Their Relationship With Nintendo
"There's so much talent that's coming out of it"
It's no secret that Indie games play a much larger role in the lineup and promotion of Nintendo's consoles than they have ever before, with a number of triple-A third party companies being largely inactive on Wii U. Indeed, Nintendo has come a long way from the days of the DSiware and Wiiware...
Video Watch As A Gaggle Of Oldies Are Exposed To The Joys Of Mario Kart 8
"I'd prefer Poker"
Mario Kart 8 is a game with almost universal appeal, effortlessly able to transcend the boundaries of gender, race and - as the video below proves - age. Yup, the world-famous React YouTube channel has taken a group of old people, parked them in front of a Wii U playing a copy of Nintendo's famous racing title and shoved...
News Curve Digital is Bringing the Eye-Catching Four Sided Fantasy to Wii U in 2016
Playing with perceptions
During this week's GDC 2015 event Nintendo unveiled a host of upcoming eShop games on Wii U and 3DS, reminding us all that its policies in supporting download developers - Nindies - are continuing to bring notable rewards. Those titles shown off are all coming this year, but Curve Digital (also at GDC) has announced a title...
Feature Punching Robots (In 3D!) With The Virtual Boy's Teleroboxer
Even Rocky couldn't handle these metallic brutes
Once more, we dip into the red and black-hued land of the Virtual Boy, with yet another 3D video for your enjoyment! Do you like Punch-Out!!? Silly question, of course you do. Well, what if it was in 3D and had robots? Teleroboxer makes this dream a reality. Watch as we duck, dip, dive duck and...
Review Pong Pong Candy (3DS eShop)
Hard candy
The puzzle genre has been represented quite well on the eShop, with plenty of addictive and clever titles eating up hours and hours of playtime. The sheer volume, however, means that in order to stand out a new release has to have some kind of special hook to grab players, be it personality, gameplay mechanics, or some other defining...
Wednesday4th Mar 2015
News Copyright Owner of 'Trollface' Image Explains Role in Getting Meme Run Taken Down
Unclear whether the runner will live to troll another day
Meme Run is certainly a title that's prompted plenty of debate since it arrived on the Wii U in North America, and the latest twist in its brief history came yesterday when it was taken down from the eShop. Little information came from developer Ninja Pig Studios, though it updated its...
News Nintendo Announces Fresh Release Details on a Host of Exciting eShop Games
Shantae: Risky's Revenge - Director's Cut! BOXBOY! Dates! Surprises!
We're big advocates of the Wii U and 3DS eShop stores here at Nintendo Life, and both have delivered some fantastic games in recent times. Nintendo of America has now issued fresh details on a range of new titles on the way, with some truly exciting news to keep download fans busy...
Review Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones (Wii U eShop / GBA)
Worth fighting for
While Fire Emblem is a franchise with a long history in Japan, its track record in the West is far more condensed; in fact Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones on Game Boy Advance was only the second series entry to arrive in the West. The first Western arrival is also available on the Wii U eShop, meaning that there's a useful...
News First Run Wii U Copies of Rodea the Sky Soldier Will Include the Wii Version in Western Release
Two birds with one stone
It's rather hard to believe, but Rodea the Sky Soldier is finally on the home stretch to getting released. The previously vaporware game from Yuji Naka, of Sonic the Hedgehog and NiGHTS fame, is set to release sometime this Fall after a touch and go development cycle of over three years. Based around the concept of flying,...
"Preorders are just a part of the Mario amiibo Gold Edition story"
The Super Mario amiibo Gold Edition has been the latest desirable Nintendo product to sell out rapidly online, with pre-orders disappearing almost as fast as they appeared. That may have led some in North America that want the limited edition amiibo to give up or consider over-priced...
Create a platform exciting enough to match its Indie games
In recent weeks Satoru Iwata addressed shareholders in an Investor Briefing Q & A, tackling a range of issues around Nintendo's business. An issue that came up was the "digitalization" that we're seeing, with more and more gamers opting to download their games, and also seeking new ways...
News Game Freak and Sega Tease a Collaboration, with a Reveal Due on 11th March
Be prepared for it to be a smartphone game
When Nintendo fans hear the developer name Game Freak, they likely think of Pokémon; yet while that iconic brand is under the ownership of Nintendo, Game Freak itself is an independent company. Its continual focus is undoubtedly on the next mainline 'mon title, but the studio has also worked on other...
News New Nintendo 3DS Undone by Dragon Quest Heroes and PS4 in Japanese Charts
Can't win 'em all
Nintendo's enjoyed plenty of dominance in the Media Create Japanese charts in recent years, but major releases on rival systems have seen it lose out in recent weeks. The big N will no doubt be considering the cost of key franchises being released elsewhere, as Sony enjoys a week on top. To start with software, the major story is...
You've got to spend those stars on something
Update 2: This soundtrack is now back on Club Nintendo in Europe, so act fast! Update: It seems that a lot of Club Nintendo members in Europe are desperate to spend their stars, as this soundtrack has disappeared again - supply not quite meeting demand, we suspect. Original Article: The end of Club...
News Indie Developers Praise Nintendo's Policies and "Wave the Banner" for the eShop
2015 could be hugely exciting on the stores
With GDC 2015 (Game Developers Conference) in full swing, Nintendo has taken the opportunity to pitch an exciting and extensive line-up of eShop games that are coming to both Wii U and 3DS this year. Its announcements included new games, release dates for others and information on GamePad features for some...
Video Many Crates Were Harmed in the Making of This Little Mac KO Punch Video
Ain't no boxes high enough
It's obvious you don't want to be on the receiving end of Little Mac's KO punch in Super Smash Bros., but not everyone has had a chance to see how determined the glove can be to hit its mark. Probably because not everyone creates scenarios as ridiculous as this. YouTube account Master0fHyrule took to training mode in the...
Review Best of Board Games - Chess (3DS eShop)
The King is dead
When you even mention the term "board game" to someone, chances are that the timeless classic chess will be one of the first examples that springs to mind. Beyond the family fun of Monopoly, Scrabble, and Operation, there's a real intellectual bite to chess that has cemented its reputation as the grandmaster. Bigben Interactive has...
News This Adorable Shovel Knight Plush Will Dig Its Way Into Your Heart
We dig it
We love Shovel Knight here at Nintendo Life, and as you can imagine the news that our favourite spade-carrying medieval hero is getting turned into a soft toy generated a massive amount of hype in the office. Available for pre-order now from WeLoveFine.com, the plush is around 10-inches tall and comes with a shovel which can be positioned...
News Retro-Bit Is Releasing A Super Mario Edition Of Its RetroDuo Console
Dubbed "Mascot Edition", for obvious legal reasons
The Retro-Bit RetroDuo clone console may have been surpassed by Hyperkin's Retron 5 and the Super Retro Trio, but it's still a neat little system which allows you to play your old Nintendo games without having to have multiple consoles conne
News Aperion Cyberstorm is Blasting Its Way to the Wii U eShop Soon
Pew pew pew
The Wii U eShop continues to surprise with indie games which are distinctly different from those you find at retail. UK based developer aPriori Digital is the latest challenger to take a punt on the Nintendo store with its upcoming 5 player twin-stick shooter Aperion Cyberstorm, which is developed in Unity. The 5th player will use the...
News Thor Aackerlund Set To Celebrate The 25th Anniversary Of The 1990 Nintendo World Championships
"The true birth of eSports started here"
A quarter of the century ago Nintendo held the first round of the 1990 Nintendo World Championships in Texas, and this weekend there will be a special event to mark this anniversary. Taking place across two days - March 7th and 8th - at the newly-opened store Freaks and Geeks in Denton, Texas, the event will...
News Theatrhythm Dragon Quest Demo Coming To Japanese 3DS Next Week
Two epic tracks to sample
Square Enix has revealed that a demo for Theatrhythm Dragon Quest will be hitting the Japanese 3DS eShop next week - March 11th, to be precise. Two songs will be playable in the demo - "Adventure" from Dragon Quest III (field stage) and Dragon Quest V's battle theme. A sequel to Theatrhythm: Final Fantasy and Theatrhythm...
Tuesday3rd Mar 2015
Game Boy Color ROM loading also bites the dust
In the past couple of months there have been a series of hacks that have utilised an exploit in the 3DS Web Browser; the New Nintendo 3DS has been excluded due to it having a different browser app. The exploit was used for multiple applications, such as loading Pokémon into the latest releases or even...
News Meme Run Disappears from the Wii U eShop
Miiverse community page also taken down
Meme Run was a peculiar arrival in 2014, generating controversy over its style and enjoying sales success against a backdrop of heavy criticism. Despite being loaded with memes, obviously, it was even tweeted and promoted by Nintendo of America when it was released. Due to the nature of the game being packed...
News Yacht Club Games Announces Free Shovel Knight: Plague of Shadows DLC Expansion
Plague Knight seizes the spotlight
It's doubtless that many of you have probably already played Shovel Knight, the old-school indie smash hit. Inspired by series such as Mega Man, Castlevania, and The Legend of Zelda, this was a classic styled game done right. Featuring vibrant pixel art, a stellar soundtrack, loot, collectibles, and that good old...
News 3DS System Update, 9.5.0-23, Goes Live and Brings Unprecedented Stability
Almost too stable
3DS system updates are a regular occurrence, but as we've figured out in the past they often have goals other than bringing shiny new features to gamers. They deliver 'stability', meaning that your portable is so stable that it's - well - almost too much to handle. System update 9.5.0-23 is here and it has the following -...
Weirdness Fan Creates Custom amiibo of Sonic Characters
They're comin' at the speed of sound...
It really doesn't seem like the custom amiibo hype train will put on the brakes anytime soon, with new figures and high demand still prominent. Fans have also gone from giving the existing Nintendo NFC figures a total paint job, to creating their own using toys of both actual Smash Bros. characters and others...
Weirdness An amiibo Fan is Living the Dream With This Goku Figure
Dragon Ball is the talk of the town
Dragon Ball is a hot topic right now, with the recent release of Dragon Ball XenoVerse being much-discussed over on our sister-site Push Square, with high interest and sales being accompanied by some inevitable issues with online servers. When you take a hugely popular franchise and mash-up a range of its...
News WayForward to Celebrate 25th Anniversary With eShop Discounts
Mighty and Shantae sales on the way
WayForward celebrates it 25th Anniversary this year; the company has established a reputation for high-class first-party games such as the Mighty and Shantae IPs, and has also produced some excellent licensed titles. It's got quite a track record. The company will likely be celebrating the landmark for much of...
News Nintendo's 1993 Style Guide Proves That Everything Revolves Around Princess Peach
Mario will also "accept anyone at face value", apparently
Style guides exist so that companies can ensure their treasured characters are used consistently through various forms of media - be it video games, TV shows, comic books or cheap lunch boxes produced in far-eastern sweatshops - and Nintendo is no stranger to this process. This...
Hardware Classics Sega Mega CD
Mega Seedy
The rise and fall of Sega Enterprises is a classic tale of hard-won success being scuppered by a bewildering lack of focus and an incredible degree of overconfidence. The company scored an almost impossible victory by bloodying the nose of the all-powerful Nintendo in the early '90s and was arguably the first console maker to bring an...
News New amiibo Stock for Villager, Captain Falcon and Little Mac Heading to Japan in May
Reacting to demand
In Nintendo's recent Investor Q & A it was emphasized that, in addition to amiibo cards coming this year, particularly popular figures would have additional manufacturing runs in an attempt to meet demand. Just this week Nintendo of America announced more Marth stock on the way, and now Nintendo has confirmed a few key toys...
Review Gardening Mama 2: Forest Friends (3DS)
Wilted beyond saving
The 'Mama' series is renowned for being a huge success on the more casual side of the gaming market, most famously for the Cooking Mama series which doesn't actually involve preparing the titular character for consumption. It's inevitable then that Mama would take additional avenues in her quest for motion-controlled dominance,...
News Unity 5 Development Engine Launches, Includes Wii U Support
A step up for Indies using the toolset
GDC 2015 (Game Developers Conference) is well underway, and Unity took the opportunity to launch its latest major version at the event. Unity 5 was unveiled, which provides new tools to produce stronger visuals, in addition to enhanced analytics and features along with an ongoing free version for those learning...
News Nintendo Unleashes Commercials and Minigame Videos for Mario Party 10
Let's get it started...
The arrival of Mario Party 10 on 20th March is the end-result of one of this generation's inevitabilities; the fact we're onto number ten says all we need to know about how prolific this series has been on Nintendo's home consoles since the Nintendo 64 days. We may not all clamour to pick these titles up when they arrive, but...
Monday2nd Mar 2015
News More Marth amiibo Stock Heading to North America in Late April
Count the days
Nintendo's well aware of the stock issues with some amiibo figures, even if it's not actually able to resolve some of the problems affected the toys' availability in stores. We expect amiibo in card-form later this year, and some key figures will get additional runs of stock to meet demand, though we suspect it'll be difficult for the...
Tuesday3rd Mar 2015
News Viewtiful Joe Figure is Ready for His Close-up
First in First 4 Figures' Capcom All-Stars line
We haven't seen Viewtiful Joe a whole heck of a lot since the GameCube days, but if the cry of "Henshin a go-go, baby!" still burns in your heart, First 4 Figures has something for you. The game figure producer announced via Facebook that Capcom's blazing red hero will arrive as the first in its new...
News Gone Home Console Versions Are "Not Actively in Development Any Longer"
Publishing deal with Majesco currently off
Gone Home was critically acclaimed when it arrived on PC in 2013, widely praised for its narrative in particular; there was unsurprisingly some buzz last year, too, when a Nintendo Unity presentation announced the game for Wii U. Nintendo's home console has hosted some excellent Indie efforts, and this...
Video Nintendo Shows Off Monado Teamwork in Xenoblade Chronicles 3D
Gazing into the future
There's potential for Xenoblade Chronicles 3D to introduce Monolith Soft's impressive RPG to a new audience, though admittedly its exclusivity to the New Nintendo 3DS may limit its sales impact in the same way as its relatively late (Western) arrival on Wii. For fans of the genre or those seeking a sizeable adventure, it's...
Monday2nd Mar 2015
Review Adventure Bar Story (3DS eShop)
Will battle for food
Adventure Bar Story sees players taking on two seemingly disparate roles: a chef/restaurant manager and a monster-slaying adventurer. Though these two sound like they would make a questionable mix, the result is actually quite charming and addicting; the ultimate challenge for this quirky RPG is to satisfy the appetite of...
Weirdness eBay Trolls amiibo Fans With Gold Mario Tweet
Unbelievably stupid and from the official account
It's old news, at the moment, that whenever Nintendo announces a limited edition product the following will happen - online pre-orders will sell out in minutes, and scalpers will sell the goods (often pre-orders, not the actual product) on eBay. It's an unescapable reality at present, though we did...
News Japanese Xenoblade Chronicles X Video Presentation Coming On Friday
Battles will be the focus
Xenoblade Chronicles X is hitting the Wii U in Japan this April, and to build up a little more hype Nintendo is running a Japanese video broadcast on Friday. The video will focus on the game's battle system, which is shaping up to be even more inventive as the one seen in the Wii original - and its recent New Nintendo 3DS...
Review Pokémon Shuffle (3DS eShop)
Hoenn Hustle
Pokémon have been puzzling ever since the Johto days, when Pokémon Puzzle Challenge married the block-flipping gameplay of Panel de Pon with Game Freak's charming, collectable characters. It's a formula that's stuck, with Denpa Men developer Genius Sonority heading up the most recent series of Poké-puzzle combinations, including...
News Mario Kart 8 DLC Still Set for May as Online eShop Purchases are Offered in Japan
Mario Kart.tv now linking to an eShop portal
Nintendo's taken notable strides in recent times with its online services and the eShop, particularly in the area of improving convenience for those buying download games when away from their console. In North America it's now possible to buy a decent collection of games via the company's official website...
Nintendo Download 5th March (Europe)
OlliOlli, Proun+, BLOK DROP X TWISTED FUSION, Retro newcomers and more
Another week begins, and Nintendo of Europe has served up its Download Update details with some promising releases on the way. We have some rad cross-buy for Wii U and 3DS gamers, mash-ups, retro games making their first appearances in Europe and much more. Let's get to it. Wii...
News Eiji Aonuma Discusses Idea Origins for The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask
Want to know where Termina got its name?
The excitement around the recent release of The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask 3D is still burning bright. Falling right in with this, Nintendo Dream - a Japanese, Nintendo Power-like magazine - published an interview with Eiji Aonuma about Majora's Mask 3D in this month's issue. They start off with a rather...
News Interplay Is Remastering Cult SNES Brawler ClayFighter
And its sequels, apparently
Veteran publisher Interplay has announced plans to remaster the amusing 16-bit title ClayFighter - and its sequels - for a new audience. The original ClayFighter was released on the SNES in 1993 - arguably the height of Street Fighter II's popularity - and gave the one-on-one brawler a humorous slant. It was later ported...
Review Pac-Attack (Wii U eShop / SNES)
When worlds collide
Originally a multi-platform release in 1993, Pac-Attack – otherwise known as Pac-Panic – was derived from Namco's arcade game released in the previous year, Cosmo Gang the Puzzle. On first glance, Pac-Attack may appear to be an average run-of-the-mill puzzle game with one of the prominent videogame characters of the time...
Site News A New Readership Survey Has Appeared
Would you mind if we asked you a few questions?
We don't take it for granted that nearly 100,000 people visit Nintendo Life every day, yet you probably know a lot more about us than we know about you. Therefore our partners at Gamer Network have put together a readership survey so we can get to know our audience a little better. Nintendo Life is...
News Trine 3: The Artifacts of Power Announced for a 2015 Release
PC confirmed and consoles TBA
Trine 2: Director's Cut was a launch day eShop release on the Wii U in November 2012, and remains as one of the highest-selling downloads on the store. Frozenbyte's beautiful platformer certainly made an impact, and Nintendo fans are still awaiting the remake of the original - Trine Enchanted Edition - which is...
News We Have World War II To Thank For This Insanely Detailed Hand-Written Dragon Quest V Guide
Grandson uncovers incredibly in-depth tome
World War II was a pretty dire business, costing the lives of countless millions all over the globe. However, if there's one thing we can thank this catastrophic international conflict for, it's possibly the most awesome fan-written guide to Dragon Quest V ever seen. A fellow in Japan has recently...
First Impressions Contemplating the Long Con in The Swindle
Steampunk hijinks
The Swindle is primarily the work of Dan Marshall and some close colleagues through Size Five Games, but due to the efforts of UK publisher Curve Digital has rapidly changed up from being another intriguing PC release to plotting a multi-platform arrival. The inclusion of the Wii U eShop is promising, as this is shaping up to be a...
News Pokémon Shuffle Hits One Million Downloads
Is anyone buying Jewels, though?
Pokémon Shuffle is Nintendo's most notable attempt to-date at utilising microtransactions - unlike previous free-to-play downloads it doesn't unlock content for fixed amounts, but uses an in-game economy that encourages you to pay-to-play on a continual basis. It's had a mixed response, and our early reaction was...
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