Feature The Big Nintendo Direct Summary - 31st May 2015
Say hello to Morimoto-san
"At the moment we're running at about 23FPS on the Wii U"
News - 2015, Week 22
Sunday31st May 2015
Feature The Big Nintendo Direct Summary - 31st May 2015
Say hello to Morimoto-san
In what was surely the last notable information blow-out ahead of E3, we've had a Japanese Nintendo Direct broadcast focused on near-term Wii U and 3DS releases, with some Capcom Monster Hunter reveals thrown in. There were quite a few new games announced, fresh details on familiar titles and a new host in Morimoto-san,...
News Monster Hunter X (Cross) Confirmed for Japanese Release
Monster Hunter fabulous
Although the dust has only just settled for Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate, Capcom has wasted absolutely no time in announcing the newest game in the series, Monster Hunter X (Cross). Taking inspiration from the arguably more dramatic Frontier series, this game seems to build heavily upon the engine and assets found in Monster...
It's actually quite pricey
Animal Crossing: Happy Home Designer remains a bit of an oddity, at least in the opinion of this writer. It appears to be a rather simplistic game in which you decorate homes to satisfy cute characters, adopting one small part of AC charm into one package. It's also a vehicle for the first range of amiibo cards, which will...
Nintendo Direct Watch the Japanese Wii U and 3DS Nintendo Direct - Live!
A surprise pre-E3 treat
Though E3 is just two weeks away, Nintendo is hosting a special Direct broadcast for Japan, covering Summer Wii U and 3DS releases in the country. We may get a look at intriguing titles such as Fire Emblem: If, so join us for live coverage of the broadcast...
News Fire Emblem If Allows You to Build and Manage a Town, All Four Current FE amiibo Supported
Ten minute presentation video released
It may not be coming to the West until 2016, but Fire Emblem If is hard to ignore as a result of its rapidly approaching release in Japan. With two distinct versions - and a third arc available via download - it's a title ambitious in scope, expanding upon the excellent Fire Emblem: Awakening. Today's Japanese...
Video GameChap Shows Us Five Ways to Get Banned From Super Smash Bros. for Wii U
The watchful eye of the Nintendo spy...
It's a well known fact that Nintendo is very strict with its policies, and this includes the behaviour of players online. It's a reason (amongst others) as to why voice chat is disabled on titles such as Mario Kart 8 and Splatoon, as the possibility of cyber-bullying is significantly reduced. Although it's...
News Satoru Iwata Will Return as Nintendo Direct Host, Apologises Again for amiibo Shortages
Splatoon stock seems to be short in Japan, too
Nintendo fans following today's Japanese Nintendo Direct will have seen a new presenter in action, Morimoto-san. The younger face held his own, fitting in with the often formal nature of the Japan-only broadcasts, taking on the tough role of filling the shoes of our most regular presenter - Nintendo...
News First Footage Emerges of Bandai Namco's Project Treasure on Wii U
Free-to-view
Earlier this year Bandai Namco's Katsuhiro Harada appeared in a Nintendo Direct broadcast to announce free-to-play Wii U title Project Treasure. It was described as a four-player co-op action title, as you battle through stages and tackle dangerous foes; there was no footage, however. In today's Japanese Nintendo Direct that changed,...
Video First Pokémon Super Mystery Dungeon Footage Revealed
It's super effective!
In the latest Japanese Nintendo Direct presentation we were gifted with some footage of the previously announced Pokémon Super Mystery Dungeon for 3DS. We've grabbed the footage below to show you how the game has developed upon its predecessors, but unfortunately we don't have any confirmed release date for the West just yet...
News Super Mario Galaxy Out Now on the Wii U eShop in Japan
Kiss those Super Mario Galaxy HD dreams goodbye
Early this year Nintendo surprised and delighted us by bringing Wii games to the Wii U eShop; though they're the same basic Wii titles and they're booted in the system's Wii Mode, it nevertheless allows us to download some retail games we may have missed in the last-gen. It kicked off with Super Mario...
News Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night Confirmed for Wii U
Next stretch goal will add asynchronous online multiplayer
Just earlier this week, it was revealed on the Kickstarter page for Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night that a Wii U version would be made if the project reached its next stretch goal. Rather amazingly, over $250,000 has been raised over the past four days, hitting the stretch goal and...
News Mario & Sonic at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games is Dashing to Wii U and 3DS
Rugby and golf make the cut
Whenever the summer or winter Olympics roll around there's a certain tradition for Nintendo fans - contemplating whether to pick up the latest Mario & Sonic release. A big deal when it first happened, we're now used to seeing the former enemies battling it out over a 100 meter sprint rather than in bizarre '90s...
News Chibi-Robo Platformer and amiibo Coming to Japan This Year
Stepping away from AR
Chibi-Robo is a series that's somewhat more prominent in Japan, though 3DS owners worldwide may have been tempted to pick up Chibi-Robo! Photo Finder to try out its use of the system's cameras for AR (augmented reality). Photo Finder certainly had its critics, though, and Nintendo has today announced a new title for Japan that...
Parent Trap Splatoon Gets Family Tested, And Comes Through With Flying Colours
Family Gamer's Andy Robertson investigates Nintendo's new smash-hit
With Splatoon out in the wild we can get a first proper impression of how the game is going down with families. With this in mind I checked in with the Huo family to see how they'd taken to the local and online components of Nintendo's new shooter. They took a while to get used to...
News Monster Hunter Diary: Poka Poka Palico Village DX Heading to Japan This Year
Rather like Animal Crossing x Monster Hunter
A combination of a Japanese Nintendo Direct and a live Capcom fan event have brought news of two more MH titles heading to the 3DS. Most notable is the reveal of Monster Hunter X (Cross), which blends the classic main-series play with Frontier-like special moves and quicker combat. Also announced today...
News New Dr. Mario Title Released on 3DS in Japan
Features online matches, download play and also has Luigi
In today's Nintendo Direct a couple of new downloads were given immediate releases in Japan. One of these is Super Mario Galaxy on the Wii U eShop, but there's a fresh option for 3DS owners too in the form of a new Dr. Mario title for the handheld. Also featuring Dr. Luigi, this new en
Saturday30th May 2015
News Splatoon's Ranking Battle 'Splatometer' is Supposedly Creeping Upwards to Unlock Mode
Sure, Nintendo, the 'Splatometer'
Splatoon seems to be rather well received so far by many that have been splatting each other online, but it's arguably somewhat light in online content at launch. There's the single player campaign, yes, but in online matches we're currently limited to one default mode in the 'Regular Battle' category - 4 vs 4 with...
Weirdness The Second Player Can Have Motion Controls in Splatoon's Battle Dojo Mode
Erm, OK
Splatoon may be gracing plenty of Wii U systems worldwide, but the official Tumblr account is still rolling on, and has shared a rather peculiar and fun trick. It seems that both players can use motion-based aiming controls in the local multiplayer Battle Dojo mode, with a bit of bizarre customisation. By quite literally strapping a Wii U...
Poll Early Impressions on Splatoon and That All-Important Online Multiplayer
Fitter, younger hamsters spinning the server wheels?
Nintendo's releasing a game that prioritises online play, so naturally plenty reach for popcorn. Splatoon is on store shelves and appears to have had solid numbers hopping online to splat each other with ink, while some may even be tackling the single player campaign - those rogues. The old...
News Splatoon Producer Interview Sparks E3 Animal Crossing Wii U Speculation
Reading between the lines
Its E3 silly season, or close enough, and that means plenty of reading between the lines when Nintendo employees dodge and weave from questions. Such is the fate for Hisashi Nogami, producer on Splatoon but arguably best known as a co-Director on the Animal Crossing franchise. First of all, we recommend having a read of...
News Nintendo Hides a Surprise in Its Super Mario Bros. Anniversary Website
Going to the source
A little earlier today we pointed you to newly translated and beefed up regional Super Mario Bros. 30th Anniversary websites, which serve up an interactive video history of the Super Mario franchise and a whole load of pretty pixel art. Though it's relatively bare in content, more will surely arrive as announcements and...
Video Retro Music is Hard-Wired Into Your Brain Because of Science, Not Just Because It's Awesome
Jumping to the beat
When playing retro games it's common to admire the music, with a sense among some that chiptunes of the 8- and 16-bit era are a cut above modern soundtracks. There are still spectacular soundtracks in modern gaming, particularly those performed by live bands and orchestras, yet for some retro music can't be topped. There are...
Friday29th May 2015
Guide Tips On How To Become A Squid Hotshot In Splatoon
Get inked
Today marks the launch of Splatoon, Nintendo's infectious take on the traditional team-based online shooter. While this ink-splattered offering is far more friendly and accessible than your typical web-based blaster, there are still a few key points you might want to keep in mind before dashing - or should that be swimming? - headlong into...
News Amazon Confirms US amiibo Pre-Order Times for Wave 4, Splatoon and Silver Mario
One per customer, speed is everything
With more amiibo waves comes great pressure for collectors, with pre-order stock typically disappearing within moments of arriving. With scalping being particularly problematic Various retailers have tried to even the score and help dedicated fans get hold of the figures, and now Amazon in the US is joining in...
News Final Fantasy Wasn't Named For The Reason You Think
Creator Hironobu Sakaguchi sets the record straight
Final Fantasy is arguably the most important release in the entire history of Square Enix - or Squaresoft, if you'd prefer - and one of the biggest names in the video game business. For many years it was said that the game was so named because it represented the last throw of the dice for the...
News Japanese Nintendo Direct Coming May 31st
Focus Is Summer Wii U And 3DS Games
Nintendo has just confirmed that a Japanese Nintendo Direct broadcast will take place this Sunday, May 31st. The focus of the video will be Wii U and 3DS games which are releasing this Summer. 7PM Japan-time is when it will all happen, which works out as 3AM PT, 6AM ET, 11AM UK time and 12PM in Europe. The...
Localised versions now live in Europe and North America
As you've no doubt been well aware for some time, this year brings the 30th Anniversary of Super Mario Bros., which is a notable landmark for the mascot and Nintendo as a whole. Mario Maker on Wii U will be a big part of the celebrations, certainly, and we think it's a safe assumption that more...
News New SNES Title Gets Funded for a Wii U eShop Release
Will also have a NES version
It may be a particularly niche area, but there are still developers producing new games for retro systems, including the NES and SNES. Sold with charming cartridges, often with all of the boxes and manuals that retro gamers know so well, they remain a key - albeit small - part of gaming culture. We can add Sydney Hunter...
News Lego Jurassic World Pre-Order Freebies Coming To PlayStation and Xbox, But Not Wii U
"You didn't say the magic word"
The latest Lego Jurassic World trailer shows more of the game and its customisable dinosaurs. It also comes with details of pre-order bonus for PlayStation and Xbox owners - but there's no news of anything similar on the Wii U. In the trailer we see the usual Lego hub world and platforming game-play along with the...
Competition Winners Here Are The Masters of Splatoon Propaganda
Join the revolution
In case you've been living under an ink-splattered rock for the past month, you'll probably know that Nintendo's colourful shooter Splatoon is out today. To celebrate the game's release we tasked our lovely readers with creating a Splatoon propaganda poster in order to encourage others to join the revolution with us using the...
News Konami Not Turning Its Back On Consoles After All, Says Sorry For Causing Such A Fuss
Japanese company admits "conjecture" has caused "anxiety"
We recently reported on an interview with Konami boss Hideki Hayakawa which stated that the company was putting all of its eggs in the basket marked "mobile". However, these comments were translated from what was little more than a summary of the interview and the full, official transcript -...
Video Obsession, Violence And Shameless Scalping - amiibo: The Movie Has It All
"How far will you go to complete your collection?"
The amiibo stock situation has been in the headlines for the majority of 2015, with Nintendo seemingly incapable of meeting demand for its highly-desirable plastic, NFC-enabled figurines. This has left many collectors feeling particularly disgruntled, as rare amiibo are impossible to find in stores...
Out Now Splatoon Brings Some Colour to the Wii U
Like Platoon, but less grisly
It's been eagerly followed since its surprise reveal at E3 2014, and now Nintendo's colourful, creative and chaotic shooter - Splatoon - is in stores. There are already players running around at level 15+, courtesy of a) lots of free time, b) getting the game early through pre-order deliveries or c) a mix of both...
Video Nintendo UK Takes Over Skate Park To Celebrate Splatoon Launch
Get your skates on
To mark the launch of Splatoon, Nintendo UK has teamed up with Adrenaline Alley skatepark in Corby to offer a pretty unique promotional event. Adrenaline Alley has been "splatted" with Splatoon art and 4 Wii U pods - complete with the game, of course - have been installed for the Summer months. Nintendo UK has released a video...
News Samurai Warriors: Chronicles 3 Won't Include Zelda Costumes In The West
Outfits designated as exclusive to Japan
Koei Tecmo has revealed that the Western release of the 3DS title Samurai Warriors: Chronicles 3 will not come with the unique Zelda-themed content that launched alongside the Japanese edition. When the game was released in Japan, Link and Zelda outfits - lifted from the Wii U brawler Hyrule Warriors - could...
Not long now
NIS American has confirmed the European release dates for two of Altus' 3DS RPGs, Etrian Mystery Dungeon And Shin Megami Tensei Devil Survivor 2: Record Breaker. Both games will be getting physical and digital releases in the region. Etrian Mystery Dungeon is a mash-up of the Etrian Odyssey and Mystery Dungeon series, and launched in...
Pleased with Humble Nindie Bundle progress
Curve Digital was a relatively late bloomer on the Wii U eShop, making its break onto the store in Autumn / Fall 2014 - notably, though, it arrived with a rapid sequence of releases comprised of ports and the timed-exclusive Stealth Inc 2: A Game of Clones. While Curve is still a developer, much of its...
News Cube Life: Island Survival Hits the NA Wii U eShop on 4th June
The battle of the Minecraft clones rages on
Slovakian indie developer Cypronia have revealed to us that its upcoming Minecraft-like game Cube Life: Island Survival will be hitting the North American Wii U eShop on Thursday 4th June; it'll cost $6.99. The title offers crafting with over 200 items and tools, wild animals to fend off, local...
Nintendo Life Weekly Splatoon, Project CARS, World's Largest Game Boy
All the reviews, releases, and top news from the past week
It can be hard to keep up-to-date with everything that happens within the world of Nintendo, so we've once more condensed all the best bits from the past seven days into one easy-to-swallow video. This week we focus on Splatoon (surprise, surprise), the grim situation regarding Project...
Thursday28th May 2015
Nintendo Download 28th May (North America)
Splatoon, Double Mega Man, Don't Starve, Nicalis discounts and more
The information has come through a little later than normal, but we now have the full Nintendo Download Update run-down for North America. There's a big-name retail arrival on Wii U that's been inked in for some time, a critically acclaimed indie release, two doses of classic Mega...
News BBC iPlayer Finally Arrives On The Wii U eShop
But only for UK users
UK Wii U owners have been waiting for the BBC iPlayer to come to their consoles for ages - the last we heard about it was back in January last year, when the esteemed broadcasting corporation insisted that it was still working hard on making an eShop release possible. Seemingly without warning, that time has now come - the BBC...
Review Blocky Bot (Wii U eShop)
Simplicity at its best
There's something to be said about the power of simplicity. Some of the best experiences to be had in gaming are compelling not because of their depth or complexity, but because of how they offer a distilled example of an excellent gameplay concept. Nintendo has seemingly adapted this approach in many of its current generation...
Review Stone Shire (Wii U eShop)
As plain as a stone
In the absence of Minecraft on Nintendo platforms, many developers have opted to try to recapture the legendary game's magical gameplay in their own knockoff attempts. These have, by and large, fallen short of the high standard that's been set and failed to present any meaningful contributions to the popular formula. Stone Shire...
Feature Explaining Humble Bundle and What it Could Mean for Nintendo and Nindies
There are many winners
A rather surprising promotion went live this week - the Humble Nindie Bundle. It's only available in the Americas, though Nintendo of America's Damon Baker has stated that there were efforts to make it global and there's scope for future promotions. The frenzy of attention is naturally on the pay-what-you-want angle, which...
Review Metal Marines (Wii U eShop / Super Nintendo)
Modern(ish) warfare
Strategy is a somewhat niche genre among gamers. While there have been excellent strategy games released on consoles - turn-based RPGs like Fire Emblem to the RTS-style Swords and Soldiers series come to mind - the gameplay has always lent itself more to the PC, where players can be more methodical and control units with relative...
News Natsume Planning Wii U and 3DS E3 Reveals, More Harvest Moon DLC and Loads of GBA VC Games
Crikey
Natsume is an ever-present on Nintendo hardware, it seems, and it's got plenty of content on the way, sharing the happy news through its 'CeeCee' Tumblr page. For starters it seems the company will be busy at E3, and announcements at the show will include news for 3DS and Wii U gamers. There'll be "something for the Harvest Moon fans", too...
News Humble Bundle Issues Official Statement About Region-Locked Nintendo Promotion
“Our goal is to make games as universally accessible as can be”
A representative of Nintendo yesterday clarified via social media that the company tried for months to make its Humble Bundle globally available. Responding to comments on Twitter, Damon Baker of Nintendo America revealed there were efforts to open up the bundle deal worldwide, and...
Interview Nintendo of America's Damon Baker on the Brave New World of Humble Nindie Bundle
"It increases the exposure for all these great developers and games"
This week brought a major landmark for both Nintendo and Humble Bundle with the aptly named Humble Nindie Bundle. It's the first time that console downloads have featured in the pay-what-you-want platform, allowing gamers in the Americas to pick up eight separate games (some...
News PDP Is Aiming to Sell the World's Shiniest Controller With Its Metal Mario 30th Anniversary Pad
But Metal Mario wasn't in the original Super Mario Bros...
In the pre-Super Smash Bros. for Wii U stage, before the Wii U GameCube Controller Adapter was revealed, third-party accessory company PDP turned the heads of Smash Bros. veterans by announcing a Fight Pad that'd mimic the iconic GameCube controller. Subsequent releases have brought plenty...
News Star Wars: Battle Pod Now Available For Home Use, A Steal At Just $35,000
Or perhaps we could interest you in the premium version, at $100,000?
Games consoles are expensive items - especially when purchased at launch for their full retail price. However, Bandai Namco - along with Star Wars creator Lucasfilm - clearly feels that there's a market for gaming hardware that costs more than your average car, as it has just...
News Curve Digital Discounts Wii U Titles By 50% in Europe
As some compensation for the lack of a Humble Nindie Bundle
Since the Humble Nindie Bundle prompted some grumbling about its Americas-only availability, gamers in other regions such as Europe have simply had to gaze on enviously at the deal on offer. Curve Digital, which has three games in the promotion, has therefore launched discounts on some of...
Rumour TT Games Currently Working On Minecraft Rival Called Lego Worlds
Blockbuster?
Minecraft has often been described as virtual Lego, and we've even had crossover Lego sets based on the popular video game. However, it now looks like the Danish toymaker is taking on Mojang directly with its own world-building title. The flyer shown above apparently shipped inside a new Lego toy set, and appears to show the next Lego...
Video The Game Theorists Plot Out Mario's Timeline and Family Bloodline
Yikes
We've shared some videos from popular YouTubers The Game Theorists in the past, yet the latest theory is easily the most ambitious yet; pretty entertaining, too. Using some logic the channel's team produces a timeline for every main-series Mario title, and then goes even further by plotting out bloodlines for Mario, Luigi and even Donkey...
News Square Enix Has Trademarked Bravely Second In Europe
Is a localisation announcement on the horizon?
Square Enix’s highly-acclaimed fantasy JRPG, Bravely Default, was a critical hit here in the west when it was released in 2013. With the release of the sequel in Japan last month, the real question now is when will Bravely Second be localised? In an exciting development, Square Enix has just...
May also own the brand, as well
German publisher Koch Media - the parent company of Deep Silver - has recently filed a video game-related trademark for Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night, which would appear to confirm that the company is handling publishing duties for the forthcoming title. Created by Koji "IGA" Igarashi, Bloodstained is the...
News This Kickstarter Project About Competitive Pokémon Players Wants To Be The Very Best
A story worth sharing
Often misinterpreted as a video game series exclusively for a younger demographic, Pokémon is arguably one of the most complex titles ever created. With plenty of hidden stats and a seemingly unlimited combination of pocket monsters to match up, the amount of depth on offer at a competitive level is simply unrivalled. If you...
News Miiverse Splatoon Sweepstakes Gives Artistic Fans in the US a Chance to Win the Game
Best Buy also hosting a special StreetPass event this weekend
Nintendo of America occasionally throws some extra details into its Nintendo Download Update press release, one of which is promoting a current Splatoon sweepstakes on Miiverse. It's one for creative gamers that fancy sharing a drawing for the shooter on the social network, and it's...
News New Mac App Transforms Your Boring Work Into A Level From Super Mario Bros.
Warp out of boredom
Those of you currently in gainful employment which involves sitting behind a desk for most of your waking day will surely concur that staring endlessly at spreadsheets and graphs gets boring real quick. Thankfully, a solution may yet be at hand to resolve your workplace funk - and it involves Nintendo's famous mascot Mario,...
News FullBlast is Bringing Some Shmup Action to the European Wii U eShop Soon
Save humanity, shoot everything
Retro may be the 'new' new, but the humble shmup seems to be loved a little less than other genres, especially in terms of Wii U and 3DS releases. EnjoyUp and UFO Crash Games are hoping to fill a gap with FullBlast, however, which is making its way to the Wii U eShop; in fact, it arrives in Europe on 4th June with a...
Wednesday27th May 2015
Prepare to dye
Nintendo is generally relatively circumspect and cautious when introducing new IPs, but considering the pedigree the company has to uphold it's understandable that it doesn't wish to dilute its iconic brand with a torrent of forgettable franchises. Splatoon is unusual in that sense, then, and it's a game that brings a huge amount of...
Exclusive Slightly Mad Studio Head Ian Bell Sets The Record Straight On Project CARS Wii U
"It was always 'maybe' as we had no knowledge of the system"
Slightly Mad Studios recently launched Project CARS on next-gen consoles and PC to positive reviews and encouraging sales. A truly unique racing title, it was crowdfunded by the community in a process which pre-dated the now-popular Kickstarter approach. The route to market has been a...
Weirdness Lorry Thieves Make Off With Splatoon Special Editions in Europe
These guys were pros
Update: Nintendo UK has now provided the following statement: We can confirm that the lorry transporting the Splatoon stock from Nintendo's European warehouse to GAME UK has been stolen. Included as part of this delivery was GAME's allocation of the Splatoon + Squid Inkling amiibo and as a result we are unable to honour...
News Pearl White Is The Latest New Nintendo 3DS XL Colour, Arrives In Japan On 11th June
Launches alongside Rhythm Tengoku: The Best Plus
Nintendo has revealed a Pearl White New 3DS XL will be released in Japan on 11th June alongside the launch of the latest entry in the Rhythm Heaven series, Rhythm Tengoku: The Best Plus. Pearl White joins the existing New 3DS XL colours Metallic Blue and Metallic Black. Let us know in the comments...
Weirdness Luigi Defeats All Level 9 Opponents in Super Smash Bros. for Wii U By Doing Nothing
What a BOSS
Luigi may not adorn the front of many game boxes, nor have the prominent role of his bro Mario, but for a hardy group of fans - including this writer - he's always number one. It's the underdog spirit, being the other brother, that makes him easy to root for. Of course, his mannerisms and style make him perfect for the weird world of...
News Nintendo Wanted To Make Its Humble Bundle A Global Offer, Expects To Do So "Eventually"
"Tried for months to make it global"
Nintendo surprised pretty much everyone by announcing its own Humble Bundle yesterday, albeit one which is sadly limited to North America. Non-American players are already making their displeasure felt on social networks such as Twitter and Facebook, and while the disappointment of missing out on this amazing...
News Nintendo Of America Joins Snapchat And Periscope In Time For E3 2015
Slow and steady
Even after the launch of its very own service – Miiverse – for Wii U & 3DS, Nintendo is still warming to the concept of social media at a rather slow pace. Facebook and Twitter have proven the house of Mario is to some extent willing to connect with its fan base while at the same time provide updates, announcements and...
"Not just about fighting, but about diplomacy and forming treaties"
Remember Devil's Third? At last year's E3 the game was confirmed as a Wii U exclusive, but we've seen precious little of it since then - a strange situation when you consider it that many assumed it would be launching this year. While little has been seen of the game, creator...
News Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night Gets a Wii U Stretch Goal
Wii U port will be handled by Armature Studio if the goal is reached
A couple weeks ago, industry veteran Koji Igarashi revealed his latest project to the world, Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night. The hotly anticipated game will follow the adventure of a character named Miriam as she explores a dark, gothic castle infested with a vast array of...
News Cool Down With a Splatoon-Inspired Froyo This Summer
No food fights please!
No doubt you'll be joining us in playing the excellent Splatoon throughout the Summer, and if you are lucky enough to live in Canada you'll even be able to cool off with Splatoon-inspired frozen yoghurt and sorbets - courtesy of a team-up with Nintendo Canada and Yogurty's and Yogen Fruz. Starting on the 1st of June until the...
News Humble Nindie Bundle Sells Over 37,000 Units in Just 24 Hours
Over $340,000 raised and counting
Nintendo of America and key Indie partners caused a stir recently when the Humble Nindie Bundle was unveiled, which allows eShop gamers in the Americas - it's not available in PAL territories - to pay what they want for a batch of excellent Wii U and 3DS games. If you pay over certain limits you get more games. To...
News Pokémon Shuffle Brings Major Changes in Version 1.2
More hearts, 'Super Catch' mode and woe for cheats
Pokémon Shuffle, the seemingly endless free-to-play match-three title on 3DS, has had plenty of updates, yet version 1.2 is now available and offers one of the most notable shake-ups to date. When trying to check-in you'll be told of a mandatory update, and in Europe the 686 block size suggests...
News RCMADIAX Announces Three New Titles For The Wii U eShop, Arriving In North America This Summer
Super Robo Mouse is also back in development
After reportedly moving away from Nintendo eShop development, the creator of Spikey Walls, RCMADIAX, returns to the Wii U eShop this summer with the announcement of a trio of titles for North America. The previously revealed Color Bombs is a chain reaction game, Don't Crash requires quick reflexes to...
News Assault Android Cactus is Blasting Its Way to Wii U This Summer
Frantic twin-stick shooting
Assault Android Cactus has been in the works for quite some time, originally going on the expo circuit in Fall / Autumn 2013. It's an intense twin-stick shooter from Witch Beam, a small team of experienced developers based in Australia. Way back in September 2013 we gave some hands on impressions from the early access PC...
News Be As Stunning As A Squid With This Fashionable Splatoon Attire In Girls Mode 3
Fabulous, inkling!
It appears the latest entry in the Girls Mode series (known locally as Style Savvy or New Style Boutique depending on where you live) will be borrowing outfits from the fashionably streetwise inklings featured in Splatoon. With a large list of clothing and accessories already available in Girls Mode 3: Kira Kira Code, this latest...
Interview GungHo's Daisuke Yamamoto Talks Puzzle & Dragons: Super Mario Bros. Edition
"Imagine being able to make a game with such a world-renowned designer"
Nintendo recently launched Puzzle & Dragons: Super Mario Bros. Edition and Puzzle & Dragons Z on the Nintendo 3DS, a double-pack which not only contains one of the most popular puzzle RPGs of recent memory but also showcases a unique Nintendo take on the formula,...
Video These Rhythm Tengoku: The Best Plus Trailers Will Have You Bopping In Your Seat
The haircuts are pretty rad, too
Rhythm Tengoku: The Best Plus launches in Japan on June 11th, and Nintendo has released a couple of new trailers which show off two of the title's mini-games. The trailers are as infectious as the game itself, and if you're anything like us then you'll be bopping along to the music despite the fact that you're...
News Developer Pleased with Sales of Retro City Rampage: DX on 3DS
The "best-selling-at-full-price port"
With Nintendo platform indie games taking an unprecedented place on the Humble Bundle in North America, attention has focused on deals. Developer Vblank Entertainment, however, is expressing happiness with how their game sells at full price. The Twitter account for Retro City Rampage states that, even though...
News Mega Ran Prepares for UK Tour After a Crazy Year
"I'm determined to make time to do some touristy stuff"
North American hip-hop artist Random AKA Mega Ran is well known on the music scene thanks to his cutting edge retro-styled beats. Since the creation of his alter-ego Mega Ran, this former teacher has become one of the premier artists in hip-hop's nerdcore genre, released multiple albums,...
News MouseCraft Will Hope to Make Some Cheese on the Wii U eShop
Lemmings meets Tetris
The list of Indie titles heading to the Wii U eShop has expanded once again, with studio Crunching Koalas confirming that MouseCraft will come to the Wii U eShop in Fall / Autumn this year. It's described as a blend of Tetris and Lemmings, as you place blocks as paths and obstacles to guide three blind mice to safety;...
Tuesday26th May 2015
News Humble Nindie Bundle Allows Wii U and 3DS eShop Gamers in North America to Pay What They Want
It's happened
Well, it's happened, and it's quite a landmark for the Wii U and 3DS eShop and a few key developers. The latest Humble Bundle - which groups games together and allows you to pay what you want to unlock some or all of what's on offer - is currently offering up the Humble Nindie Bundle in the Americas; unfortunately gamers in other...
Nintendo Download 28th May (Europe)
Splatoon, Fossil Fighters, Strangeness, an imported retro treat and more
Much later than normal due to a public Holiday, we finally have this week's Nintendo Download Update details for Europe. There's a hotly anticipated Wii U retail exclusive, of course, while there's also a retail arrival on 3DS. Wii U owners have more options with an intriguing...
Wii U's fate seemingly sealed for the HD Resi re-releases
The Nintendo exclusive, Resident Evil Zero, was well received by fans and critics alike when it was originally released on the GameCube in 2002. The Wii port – released in 2008 – did not receive the same level of applause. This particular entry in Capcom's long-running survival horror...
A race that may never end
Eternal Darkness: Sanity's Requiem wasn't a commercial smash hit on GameCube, but it certainly had a notable impact on those that experienced it, becoming a name that still causes ripples of excitement among some Nintendo fans. Its unique approach and meta-elements delivered some genuine creativity, establishing it as a...
Video Discover What Happens When Yoshis Meet amiibo In This New Yoshi’s Woolly World Trailer
Turn that cuteness dial up to eleven
Yoshi's Woolly World is only a month away from its European launch, which takes place on the 26th June. As we said in our preview yesterday, when you throw in the stunning visuals, quirky and charming design and a lovely soundtrack, it becomes apparent that Woolly World is the real deal - a game crafted with care...
Weirdness Find Out If You Are A Squid With This Splatoon Infographic
We’ve got an inkling you might not be
Nintendo's squid-based shooter Splatoon arrives later this week on the Wii U. After a series of online-stress tests and adverts doubling as music videos, Nintendo now wants to know if you are a squid, or if you're ju
News Super Metroid Was Planned As An Extra In Metroid Prime Before Nintendo Had It Removed
A third-party emulator ended the dream
It may seem like distant history now, but there was a relatively recent time when the Virtual Console was merely an idea rattling around in Nintendo HQ. Super Metroid is one classic that's now been available to buy on two separate occasions, but there was a time when it was almost a bonus feature in a more...
Review Nihilumbra (Wii U eShop)
Nothing and everything
Nihilumbra is an existentialist platforming-fan's dream, with plenty of puzzles and unsettling presentation to make players feel isolated and challenged by their environment. Though the title's arrival is a tad late on Wii U, it is nonetheless admirable how much life developer Beautifun Games has breathed into this adventure...
Weirdness The Game Boy XXL Makes The New Nintendo 3DS XL Look Puny
Supersize GB
Sometimes it feels like electronics manufacturers these days are all totally obsessed with the miniaturisation of their products. We recently got the iPhone 6 Plus and the New Nintendo 3DS XL... erm, actually, it's probably best to stop there. Let's be honest, the original Game Boy was always a reassuring brick in stature; not exactly...
Simple works on phones, and the early NES era epitomises that style
Being a gamer on the wrong side of 30 that uses YouTube to keep up with a modest list of subscribed channels, this humble writer was unaware of PAC-MAN 256 until earlier today when a press release plopped into an inbox. A celebration of Pac-Man's 35th Anniversary? Sweet! It's on...
News Dragon Quest VIII Won't Support The 3DS Console's Autostereoscopic Display
An adventure in two dimensions
Square Enix made a lot of Dragon Quest fans happy - Japanese ones, at least - when it confirmed that it would be bringing the eighth game in the series to the Nintendo 3DS. However, there's a bit of bad news to report - the forthcoming RPG won't include autostereoscopic 3D support. We can only assume this move has...
News Pokémon White Version 2 Proves to be Super Effective in UK Charts
Bank holiday sales fun
The Spring Bank Holiday weekend has now passed in the UK, and with it retailers were eagerly running promotions and discounts to tempt shoppers to spend some cash. Game retail was no different, and as a result the most recent UK chart results have brought some interesting positions. From a Nintendo perspective the strangest...
News Cabbage Is The Dream Nintendo Game That Never Was
Shigesato Itoi, Shigeru Miyamoto and Tsunekazu Ishi all involved
We recently ran a feature on Star Fox 2, one of Nintendo's most famous cancelled projects. This SNES-based sequel had all the ingredients to be a sure-fire classic, but never made it to market. However, there's another game in the company's past which had the potential to be even more...
News The Great Ace Attorney Has Awesome Box Art in Japan
We still reckon this'll be eShop only in the West, though
The Great Ace Attorney is shaping up to be a rather neat new entry in the famous Capcom franchise, going back to 19th Century England and teaming up Phoenix Wright's ancestor with Sherlock Holmes. If that's not a concept that gets your blood pumping, then you may not be a fan of the series...
Hands On Disney Infinity 3.0's Twilight Of The Republic Brings The Star Wars Saga To Wii U
The Force is strong in this one
After much anticipation we finally got our hands on the Star Wars levels in Disney Infinity 3.0 in London last week. There's a little time before launch still but the headline here is that things feel very polished and locked down already - we came away very impressed. Having had a play with the Toy Box game-creator...
News Extreme Exorcism is Creeping Onto the Wii U eShop Soon
I ain't afraid of no ghosts!
The good folks at UK-based Ripstone Publishing have teamed up with indie devs Golden Ruby Games to bring the paranormal platformer and spooky party game Extreme Exorcism to the Wii U eShop later this year. Not for the faint hearted, Extreme Exorcism is an arena platformer where every move you make comes back to haunt...
News Image & Form Unveils the First Screenshots of SteamWorld Heist on 3DS
Steamy
SteamWorld Heist is the eagerly anticipated next release from Image & Form, which is heading to Wii U, 3DS and practically every format available. All of the screens and footage shown to date have been for the HD version, yet now the studio's unveiled the first screens for the portable iteration on 3DS. The big positive is that, just...
News Etrian Odyssey 2 Untold: The Fafnir Knight Heading to Europe on 12th February 2016
NIS America wants you to know REALLY early
Etrian Odyssey 2 Untold: The Fafnir Knight was recently confirmed for an early 2016 release in Europe, with NIS America doing the welcome job of localisation. While that localisation of Atlus games often causes delays for the EU region, there's an element of simply being grateful that 3DS titles such as...
Gallery Check Out Another Three Exclusive 3DS Screens for SteamWorld Heist
Including a Swab Hat, which is swell
Earlier today Image & Form unveiled the first 3DS screenshots for SteamWorld Heist, showing how the 2D strategy title will shrink down onto the portable. First impressions are pretty positive - we think, anyway - and we can see how the bottom screen will be utilised for control tips, swapping between team...
Weirdness Indie Hit Progress Gets Ported to the Humble Game Boy
Now that's progress
Indie developer Ludosity is well known for developing fun games for tablets and smartphones, but now it seems to be taking its first steps to porting one of its games to Nintendo hardware - just not the Nintendo system which you might have assumed! Speaking to our chums at AppSpy at this year's Nordic Game show, the developer...
News Tic Toc’s Adventures Of Pip For Wii U eShop Arrives In North America On 11th June
No information regarding a European release at this point in time
Update: Just days after the latest release announcement, Tic Toc Games have revealed Adventures of Pip will now be arriving next week in North America on 4th June. Original: Last month Tic Toc Games announced its Kickstarter project, Adventures of Pip, was scheduled to release in...
Monday25th May 2015
"At the moment we're running at about 23FPS on the Wii U"
Project CARS is out now on PC, PS4 and Xbox One, performing well in early sales indicators. It was a project that suffered its share of delays, and the Wii U version was pushed back the most and given a loose '2015' window. Developer Slightly Mad Studios and publisher Bandai Namco have been...
Feature Yoshi's Woolly World, Like Kirby's Epic Yarn Before It, Offers Unique Chill-Out Platforming
All platformer fans should want this game
Though its release in Europe is still a month away, Nintendo has certainly been keen to let the media get their hands on Yoshi's Woolly World. We already gave you a written and video preview for the game in late April, but without spoiling too many specifics we thought we'd provide a follow-up to explain...
Another Japan-only release gets localised
When you say Westone, you think Wonder Boy. The recently-defunct Japanese studio created a series of amazing action-RPG titles for Sega which have since become legendary slices of retro gaming, but outside of that particular franchise the company's work is somewhat less well known - at least in the West...
News Gawk at the Dragon Quest VIII Promotional Poster and Screens
We're still waiting for Dragon Quest VII to be localised
It was only recently that Square Enix announced a port of Dragon Quest VIII for the 3DS, continuing its efforts to tap into that PS2-era nostalgia for the franchise. That announcement was only for Japan, however, and we still haven't seen localisation of Dragon Quest VII yet in the West...
Feature Go Fast - An Ode To The Glorious Chaos Of F-Zero
Gonçalo Lopes explains why he will be hoping for a new F-Zero at E3 2015
Colours. Music. The Captain. Speed. Very, very fast speed. Those are the things that race to my mind when anyone mentions "F-Zero". I am also quite certain my eyes widen and sparkle a bit. Is it just a series of games? Not to me. Off to the starting grid… Knight League:...
News Three More Pokémon 3DS HOME Themes Heading to Europe This Week
Eeveelutions on a theme
Pokémon remains as one of Nintendo's most bankable hits and important franchises, so naturally it'll continue to be a reliable presence for the big N. It's so popular it has its own category on the 3DS HOME Theme Shop, for example, with 'mon fans having a decent range to choose from. 3DS owners in Europe have three more on...
News Unity 5 Support Underway for Wii U, Though First Releases Not Due Until After Fall
Earlier releases stick to existing version 4 build
It's not that long ago that Unity Technologies unveiled Unity 5, the latest major upgrade in the widely used game engine. It brings improved development capabilities and the potential for more detailed visuals. Unveiling a new engine doesn't mean immediate support for all confirmed platforms,...
Ninterview Patrick Scott Patterson is Geared Up For the Nintendo World Championships Qualifiers
"For me personally this is as awesome of a scenario as could be"
Patrick Scott Patterson (also known by some as OriginalPSP) is familiar to plenty of gamers, especially those that follow his reports on retro gaming and world records; he also has a strong record of media appearances talking about the medium as a whole. His public gaming history goes...
Review Shapes of Gray (Wii U eShop)
Murky depths
You see two objects in a circular gray field, as if looking in through an electron microscope. Move the left stick and you'll find out which object is you. Hit buttons until you reach the shoulders or triggers and find out you're not just a little blob, but a little blob with a sword. Strike the other geometric creature in sight and...
News Pokémon Shuffle Hits Four Million Downloads and Launches Shaymin Event
Keep on shuffling
We don't know how much money Pokémon Shuffle is earning for Nintendo, but it's certainly tempting a decent number of 3DS owners to try it out for free. The tile-matching game has now reached 4 million downloads, which certainly isn't a number to be sniffed at. The game is celebrating through new events - on the one hand it's...
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