Review Cube Life: Island Survival (Wii U eShop)
A summer blockbuster?
News Hyrule Warriors Is Slashing Its Way to 3DS
Whoops, Koei Tecmo went early
News Street Fighter Legend Ryu And Fire Emblem's Roy Found In Super Smash Bros. Patch Code
Set to be officially revealed tomorrow?
Feature Breaking Down Ryu's Moves and How He'll Shake Up Super Smash Bros.
Gawk at the reveal video and screens, too
Review Dr. Mario: Miracle Cure (3DS eShop)
The cure for boredom
News - 2015, Week 24
Monday15th Jun 2015
News Metroid-Style 'Blast Ball' Unveiled For Nintendo 3DS During Nintendo World Championships 2015
Nintendo's take on future sports
The Nintendo World Championships are happening as we speak, and during the event Nintendo has just shown off a brand new 3DS game by the name of Blast Ball. It's a future sports title where players step into giant mechs and shoot a ball towards the other team's goal. The neat touch here is that upon scoring a point,...
Sunday14th Jun 2015
Feature Breaking Down Ryu's Moves and How He'll Shake Up Super Smash Bros.
Gawk at the reveal video and screens, too
Masahiro Sakurai's Special Presentation for Super Smash Bros. lacked many surprises, courtesy of numerous leaks from recent days and, in hindsight, details from hacks earlier in the year. Nevertheless, the volume of content available right now was unexpected, and we also learned how Ryu will shake
News Ryu, Roy, New Stages and More Now Available in Super Smash Bros. for Wii U & 3DS
Servers may struggle...
Masahiro Sakurai's Super Smash Bros. Special Presentation has ended, and though most of the included details had been leaked in some form over the past days, weeks and months, the main surprise came in how much content is available right now - server meltdown has already begun, apparently. The following content is available...
News The First Mother Game Is Finally Coming To The West As EarthBound Beginnings
1989 NES prequel gets localised at last
The very first title in the critically-acclaimed Mother series is finally coming to the West. EarthBound Beginnings is the new name for this Western release of the 1989 NES/Famicom prequel to the SNES title EarthBound, which was known as Mother 2 in Japan. This is the first time that the game has ever been...
Live Watch the Full Nintendo World Championships 2015 - Live!
Who will triumph?
For the second year running Nintendo is running a competitive live theatre event, and this time we have a blast from the past. The Nintendo World Championships 2015 will be fought out between eight qualifiers and eight guests - join us for all the action!...
Live Watch Masahiro Sakurai's Special Video Presentation for Super Smash Bros. - Live!
A smashing start to E3
E3 is almost upon us, and we have a Super Smash Bros. presentation to get us started. Some big news already leaked earlier in the weekend, but we'll see what Masahiro Sakurai has up his sleeve - join us for the stream and live coverage!...
News Nintendo Apologises for eShop Issues Caused by High Super Smash Bros. Traffic, Urges Patience
The DLC will be waiting for you later on
Nintendo knew what would happen when Masahiro Sakurai announced the immediate release of a substantial batch of Super Smash Bros. DLC, with the creative lead of the franchise stating in the broadcast that we should expect busy servers when trying to purchase the
Rumour Animal Crossing and Pixel 8-Bit Mario amiibo Look Set For E3 Reveal
Nintendo Spain is to blame this time
It seems that inadvertent E3 reveals are continuing to spill out, this time courtesy of a sloppy promotional email sent out by Nintendo Spain. In a mailing to promote the new amiibo announced during Masahiro Sakurai's Super Smash Bros. Special Presentation, it seems that some artwork has outlined more of the...
Interview Lilian "Milktea" Chen Talks Smash Bros., Sexism and a Brighter Future
"Strides regarding social inclusion in Smash can be seen for themselves"
An inescapable reality within the eSports world, regardless of the game in question, is the stark contrast between male and female participants. Whatever the culprit, the stories of many female professionals are often squashed, missed or, even worse, stunted before they even...
News Smash Bros. Presentation Confirms Ryu and Mii Fighters amiibo, New Batch Arrives This September
All playable characters in Smash will eventually have corresponding amiibo
After much speculation, Nintendo's pre-E3 Super Smash Bros. video presentation today revealed Mii Fighters will be receiving their very own amiibo line. When used in the game, the Mii Brawler, Swordfighter and Gunner amiibo characters can be configured with custom faces and...
News YouTube Replays And Tourney Mode Coming To Super Smash Bros. Later This Year
Both for free, too
Nintendo has confirmed two new features that are coming to Super Smash Bros. later this year. The first is Tourney Mode, which will launch as a free update in August. This is made up of two modes - Community Tourneys let players complete for the highest points in a certain amount of time, while Regular Tourneys have more detailed...
Saturday13th Jun 2015
News Street Fighter Legend Ryu And Fire Emblem's Roy Found In Super Smash Bros. Patch Code
Set to be officially revealed tomorrow?
Remember that rumour we reported on some time ago that Ryu and Roy could be coming to Super Smash Bros.? Well, it seems to be getting more real, as the character has been found in game patch data in the Japanese version of the game. Unseen64's Liam Robertson found the footage, which has been posted in...
News Eager Splatoon Players Aim to Make Sense of the Inkling Language
Only linguist enthusiasts and big fans need apply
Anyone that's been playing Splatoon has likely noticed the symbols scattered around in the environment and collectable log files, while some characters talk in what many will assume is gibberish. Keen fans, however, have spent recent times attempting to decipher and translate this language, employing...
News Satoru Iwata Outlines His Reasons For Not Attending E3 This Year
Plans to be active on Twitter
Satoru Iwata is a popular figure with many Nintendo fans, so when the announcement came that he would not be attending this year's E3 there was some disappointment and concern. Concerns arose after Iwata-san missed last year's E3 due to an operation to remove a tumour from his bile duct. At the time some were worried...
News Exciting Hints of amiibo Restocks Can Be Found in Dull Manufacturing Forms
Influx of documents in early May
Occasionally we've used CPSIA Certificates of Compliance as an indicator of upcoming amiibo restocks or arrivals in North America - no, really, it makes sense. These are product forms that are required for the NFC figures to prove their safety, but also provide handy manufacturing dates. Nintendo shares them within a...
News Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night Smashes Records and Hits All Stretch Goals
Over $5.5 million raised
Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night, widely regarded as a Castlevania successor and led by Koji Igarashi, has been a phenomenon on Kickstarter. It's become the most successful game project ever on the platform, and its success has brought plenty of stretch goals and a
Feature Nintendo Franchises We Want to See at E3 - Animal Crossing
Time to expand the town
In the lead up to E3 we'll be doing a series of features covering game franchises that we want to make an appearance at the show, and what we'd like to see out of a potential next entry in each series. In this article Nintendo Life editor Tom Whitehead makes the case for Animal Crossing on Wii U and its potential use of...
News Comic Workshop 2 Releases Next Week in NA and EU
Discounted drawing for owners of the original
Creative applications are no stranger to the Nintendo 3DS, but with its built-in touchscreen and ability to export images via SD card, this should come as no surprise. Recognizing and taking advantage of the portable's potential, Collavier Corporation has already released both Comic Workshop and Painting...
Friday12th Jun 2015
News Here's A More Detailed Look At Nintendo's E3 2015 Schedule
Your one-stop guide to the week's events
E3 is happening this weekend, and Nintendo has plenty of events taking place - kicking off the with a special Smash Bros. video broadcast and the much-hyped return of the Nintendo World Championships. We've also got the Digital Event to look forward - surely the biggest part of the whole E3 schedule for...
News Rare Co-Founder Tim Stamper Is Tweeting Some Crazy Stuff About Project Dream On The SNES
A gaming legend finally speaks
Rare co-founders the Stamper brothers have always been famously reclusive when it comes to interviews - they've given very few over the past couple of decades and since selling Rare to Microsoft have drifted from the public eye altogether. However, Tim Stamper appears to be moving back towards the games industry. Last...
Feature Nintendo Franchises We Want to See at E3 - Pokémon
We wanna spot 'em all!
In the lead up to E3 we're publishing a series of features covering game franchises that we want to make an appearance, and what we'd like to see out of a potential next entry in each series. In this entry, Nintendo Life news and reviews regular Conor McMahon considers the Pokémon franchise. Ever heard of these little things...
News New Yoshi's Woolly World Video Shows Off Fluffy Cuteness and Confirms Splatoon amiibo Support
Ink-redible news (we have no shame)
With Yoshi's Woolly World just two weeks from release in Europe and all set for a Fall arrival in North America, we're seeing more videos and hype building for the soft-natured platformer. It's big on cuteness, and the latest video from Nintendo UK is no different. Rather like a recent Japanese video showcase...
News Splatoon Grabs Fifth Place in NPD Results as amiibo Leads Toys-to-Life Sales
Smash Bros. also breaks back into top 10
Following its late May release Wii U exclusive Splatoon has returned multiple positive results in different charts - in the UK it made its début in 2nd place and claimed fourth in its second week, while it's been top of the Japanese Media Create charts for two weeks running. We now have the May NPD results,...
News There's Another New Weapon Coming To Splatoon Today
Or tomorrow, depending on where you are in this crazy world of ours
Nintendo sure isn't letting up when it comes to Splatoon content - we've already had a new map this week, and today we'll be getting a brand new weapon as well. Bing's handy translation feature gives us this in English: Ibuki sharp markers are added. It's less variation in...
News Official Nintendo UK Store Flogs Rare amiibo in Bundles
That's the spirit...
Oh amiibo, what went wrong? Once a concept that brought happiness and a fulfilment of child-like dreams, it's become a frustrating, irritating endeavour where you can get Link anywhere, but some figures are over-priced, out of stock and rarer than an original idea in a Call of Duty game. Some rare figures include any in the...
News The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth Pricing and Features Outlined by Nicalis
New 3DS misses out on multiplayer
The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth was a slightly surprising announcement for Wii U and New Nintendo 3DS earlier this year, for multiple reasons; it's a game that was previously rejected by Nintendo due to its themes and content, and it'll also likely be the first eShop title exclusive to the New models of the portable...
Nintendo Life Weekly Hyrule Warriors on 3DS, New Splatoon Content, and More
A big week before E3
Despite the week before E3 typically being a quiet one, there have been a number of developments that are well worth squeezing down into a concentrated video format. This week focuses on Hyrule Warriors accidentally being announced for 3DS, a new weapon arriving in Splatoon extremely shortly, as well as the usual roundup of...
News The Nintendo World Championships Legend of Zelda Challenge Has Been Detailed
Thor Aackerlund and Jeff Hansen to be guests of honour
The Nintendo World Championships are now just two days away, and details around the live event continue to be revealed. The latest batch of information from Nintendo of America relates to one of the game events and some welcome special guests that will feature. First of all, details have been...
News Best Buy Canada Message Suggests a Mario Maker Release Date of 11th September
Makes sense...
Nintendo confirmed a September release for Mario Maker back in its April Direct, and now an over-eager Best Buy community manager appears to have outed the release date for Canada. It seems pretty legitimate, falling on a Friday and within that anticipated month - the date given is 11th September. This potential reveal - and we think...
News Nintendo Opens E3 2015 Miiverse Community
All aboard the hype train
Nintendo and hype go hand in hand, so why not celebrate this year’s E3 by drawing a picture of Reggie riding a train? To assist this creative process, Nintendo has opened a new community on Miiverse with the handle: Nintendo @E3 2015, where users can make predictions and even crazy demands in regards to what they would...
Video UCraft's CraftyKart PowerPack Mod Gets Its Own Hard Rockin' Trailer
The need for speed
Minecraft clones are hitting the Wii U eShop thick and fast these days, and just in case you've not already had your fill, here's a fresh look at the forthcoming UCraft. In this trailer - which is accompanied by some of the most obnoxious guitar playing we've heard since Spinal Tap last toured - the game's modular credentials are...
News Arc System Works Now Owns The Rights To All Of Technos Japan's Titles
Double Dragon, Super Dodge Ball, River City Ransom and Kunio-kun snapped up
It has been revealed today that Arc System Works has acquired all of the rights to Technos Japan's back catalogue. This includes hits such as Double Dragon, the Kunio-kun series and Super Dodge Ball. Double Dragon is one of the most famous fighting game franchises in the...
Video This LEGO Jurassic World Trailer Made Our Glass of Water Move
Hold onto your butts
LEGO Jurassic World is out today on Wii U and 3DS, bringing the latest batch of LEGO madness to both Nintendo systems. That's the case in North America, at least, as in Europe only the 3DS version has arrived today in some territories, with the Wii U version pushed back to 19th June in some countries and later in others. That...
Weirdness Drink Back Your Childhood With This “Bartendo" Line From Ink Whiskey
Drunk on nostalgia
Think back to 2013 and you may or may not remember the release of the Ink Whiskey Entertainment Flask, which was an alcoholic take on classic NES games of the past, with titles such as, “Legend of Drink" and “Drunk Hunt." It might not have been one of the classiest ideas, but it had a strong Kickstarter campaign and was...
Thursday11th Jun 2015
Review Cube Life: Island Survival (Wii U eShop)
A summer blockbuster?
For the past few months, multiple developers have been releasing their own clones of Minecraft in an effort to provide Nintendo gamers with the closest approximation to that source material as possible. Though the concept may seem simple initially, most developers have failed to recreate it in any meaningful way, with...
Review Dr. Mario: Miracle Cure (3DS eShop)
The cure for boredom
Nintendo seems to have been following a pattern with Dr. Mario in recent years. First, it releases a new title in the series for its current console which adds a new gameplay mechanic. Then, sometime later, it releases a new handheld entry, which plays it a bit more safe and doesn't really do anything new. The latest game, Dr...
Review Don't Starve: Giant Edition (Wii U eShop)
Tim Burton meets Minecraft
The general approach of playing Don't Starve: Giant Edition is set rather early. Once you reach your first rank up - no doubt through a few feeble run-throughs where you are easily offed by the environment, whimpering and confused - you're awarded with a pyromaniacal character with which you can prattle about and convert...
Nintendo Download 11th June (North America)
LEGO Jurassic Park x2, more Harvest Moon, Dr. Mario and much more
It's the final North American Nintendo Download Update before the E3 shenanigans in LA, and there's a diverse range of options. We have the first GBA Harvest Moon, two versions of LEGO Jurassic World, the return of Dr. Mario, some quirky eShop offerings and four DSiWare games. Let's...
Third playable character and prequel mini-game also confirmed
Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night is already Kickstarter's most successful video game campaign ever, and with just over a day remaining on the clock the momentum shows no signs of dropping - in fact, the total is getting dangerously close to the $4.5 million mark. New stretch goals have...
News Mighty No. 9 Features on Wii U and 3DS Versions are Outlined
So long, amiibo dreams
Mighty No. 9 is just a few months away, a project treated by many as a spiritual successor to Mega Man. Though we don't yet have a final date for the 3DS port, it's heading to Wii U in September on the eShop and as a physical retail release. A development update has now been posted outlining features for each platform, and...
"Every now and then someone will vent their misplaced anger towards me"
With a roster as massive as that seen in Super Smash Bros., making sure each fighter is balanced can be a tricky business - hence the issues with Diddy Kong, which have recently been patched. However, there are some Smash fans who feel that creator Masahiro Sakurai has...
Rumour Could Female Link Be In Hyrule Warriors On 3DS?
Mysterious crossbow has chins wagging
When Hyrule Historia [EDIT: it's actually from the Hyrule Warriors artbook, apologies for the confusion] launched a while back, the inclusion of concept art for a female Link - christened "Linkle" - caused quite a bit of excitement. It seemed that Nintendo was at least considering swapping the gender of its...
News Here Are Your Eight Qualifying Nintendo World Championships 2015 Finalists
AKA: The guys who had to actually work to get there
Nintendo recently confirmed eight of the guest competitors who will be taking part in the 2015 Nintendo World Championships, and today the names of the eight qualifying participants - that is, the guys who actually had to earn their place in the finals - have been published. These eight...
Feature Nintendo Franchises We Want to See at E3 - Kid Icarus
Time to soar again?
In the lead up to E3 we'll be doing a series of features covering game franchises that we want to make an appearance, and what we'd like to see out of a potential next entry in each series. In this entry, Nintendo Life news, reviews and features regular Mitch Vogel goes over the Kid Icarus franchise. There are minor plot spoilers...
News Bloodstained Is Officially Kickstarter's Most Successful Video Game Campaign
Over $4 million raised and there's still hours to spare
Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night is officially Kickstarter's most successful video game venture after pushing past the $4.1 million record set by Torment: Tides of Numenera back in April 2013. Bloodstained currently stands at $4,194,391 with 41 hours remaining. Almost 50,000 people have...
Also hints at big third party announcements in the near future
Splatoon has been a massive commercial and critical success for Nintendo - which has surprised a lot of people, considering that the company has limited experience in the realm of online shooters. However, for Nintendo Canada General Manager Pierre-Paul Trepanier, the game's triumph...
News Shantae: Half-Genie Hero Looks Stunning in New E3 Trailer
Bring on the hair-whipping and belly dancing
With E3 on the way next week, the talented folk at WayForward have belly danced past all the cacophony and released their E3 trailer for the upcoming Shantae: Half-Genie Hero. As the fourth game in the esteemed Shantae series, Half-Genie Hero marks the first cross-platform HD outing for the hair-whipping...
News The Legend of Legacy is Heading to 3DS in the Americas
Seven story perspectives to explore
Having inadvertently revealed the news in early May, Atlus has now officially confirmed that it's localising 3DS RPG The Legend of Legacy to the West. It's due in the Americas in the Holiday season and will cost $39.99 / CA$49.99. Development studio FuRyu has some hugely respected industry figures in its team,...
Video Get Cosy With This Yoshi's Woolly World Showcase from Japan
Ramping up the cuteness
Yoshi's Woolly World isn't far away in Europe, the second Good-Feel platformer to wrap its game world in soft, cuddly fabric. We think it should definitely be on your radar if you like chilled out platforming with an optional edge of difficulty to take on. Its Japanese release is close too, and the video below therefore...
Video Fan-Made Mother 4 Gets Shown Off In 'Attract Mode'
A blast from the past
For quite some time a group of dedicated fans have been working on Mother 4, an unofficial sequel for the iconic series that'll be free on PC. It's been a labour of love for the volunteers concerned, going past its planned 2014 arrival but evidently still progressing well; despite plenty of publicity in the past year it's been...
News 3DS Hits 15 Million Sales Landmark in the US
Nearly 270 million US Nintendo system sales overall
After a rocky start in 2011, the 3DS family of systems - which includes the 2DS and New Nintendo 3DS - has evolved into a success. Against increasingly challenging odds due to the rise of smart devices and plenty of other distractions, it's led the charge for the dedicated gaming handheld space...
Video Watch the Lovely Moment When a Nintendo World Championships Finalist Gets The Decisive Call
Will go up against 15 rivals in LA
Just recently Nintendo of America revealed the eight qualifiers for the Nintendo World Championships final event, taking place in LA on 14th June. These hardy souls made their way to qualifying events and set impressive scores in the Championship Mode of Ultimate NES Remix to secure their spot. With travel and...
News Splatoon’s Kelp Dome Multiplayer Map Is Now Live
The game that keeps on giving
Nintendo’s squid shooter, Splatoon, continues to grow, with the latest update now live. The Kelp Dome map, previously featured in the single player portion of the game, will now appear in the multiplayer modes. Kelp Dome is a map featuring maze-like greenhouses. There are two pathways to take in this arena – above...
News Samurai Warriors Chronicles 3 Details and Official Website Enter Battle
Character edits and dynamic story mode outlined
It may have had a relatively quiet run-up to release, but Samurai Warriors Chronicles 3 is just a short time away from release on 3DS in the West, a somewhat surprising localisation effort by Koei Tecmo as a result of the second title being Japan-only. With its arrival not far off Koei Tecmo has...
Wednesday10th Jun 2015
News Hyrule Warriors Is Slashing Its Way to 3DS
Whoops, Koei Tecmo went early
Update: Koei Tecmo has now taken the original video offline, but many mirrors have already been uploaded, one of which is included in this article. Original Article: Well, it seems someone at Koei Tecmo needs to re-take YouTube Management 101, as a video has been posted unlisted - but available - that reveals Hyrule...
Rumour ZombiU Is Shedding Its Wii U Exclusivity To Infect The PlayStation 4 And Xbox One
Ubisoft bringing the game back from the dead?
ZombiU was a fantastic Wii U launch title, but one which sold poorly and didn't generate any profit for publisher Ubisoft. Its dismal commercial performance put the brakes on the development of a sequel, but it would appear that the French company is now looking for alternative ways of generating more
News Splatoon is Still Number One in Japan as Wii U Sales Increase Again
The momentum Wii U needs?
The Japanese Media Create chart results are in, and much focus has been on Splatoon and Wii U; after an excellent début for the shooter, it's momentum has been key. The numbers that have come through seem rather positive, too, especially for a new IP. In its second week the Wii U exclusive sold 68,913 copies in Japan,...
News Get Messy in Splatoon's Latest Free Stage, Kelp Dome
If you get in trouble, just cry for kelp (sorry)
Update: It's now been confirmed that this stage will arrive today (10th June) at 7pm Pacific Time / 10pm Eastern, which supports the previous 'tomorrow morning' announcement from Nintendo of Europe as this is 3am UK / 4am CET. Original Article: Splatoon is turning out to be the game which keeps on...
News Yup, Call Of Duty: Black Ops 3 Is Definitely Skipping Wii U
Despite the confirmation of Xbox 360 and PS3 versions
Despite the fact that last year's Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare skipped Nintendo's current home system, there were hopes that Black Ops 3 - the next entry in Activision's yearly shooty-shooty-boom-boom franchise - would still arrive on Wii U. Slim hopes admittedly, but hopes all the same. It's...
News Tomonobu Itagaki's Devil's Third Will Lay Waste To Your Wii U On August 28th
New trailer and screens explode into view
It's been a while since we heard any solid information on Devil's Third, but with E3 fast approaching it seems like Valhalla Game Studios is making up for lost time. Studio boss Tomonobu Itagaki may have kept any insights relating to the Wii U exclusive close to his chest, but that has all changed today -...
News Reggie Fils-Aime Promises 3DS E3 Reveals While Being as Vague as Possible
Things you want and "things you never even thought of wanting"
Pre-E3 interviews are strange beasts - game companies want to get you interested in their upcoming efforts, but don't want to give too much away for fear of spoiling the surprise. What you therefore get is a peculiar blend of statements with enough vagueness and dodging to make a...
News Fresh European Trademark for Diddy Kong Cranks Rumours Into Gear
Racing? Platforming? Nothing?
Trademarks are wonderful for pre-E3 speculation, as they can mean nothing or - alternatively - be an early twitch ahead of an announcement. With that in mind, fans of the Kong clan should pay attention. A trademark has been filed in Europe today (10th June) for DIDDY KONG, which covers games, gaming 'apparatus'...
News Capcom Thinks It Can Shift 2.5 Million Copies of Monster Hunter X By March Next Year
Hunting huge pots of gold
Last month, Capcom's financial report suggested that the company expects to sell 2.5 million units of an undisclosed Monster Hunter title by March 2016 - a title which the company has since confirmed is the forthcoming Monster Hunter X. That's a pretty bold prediction, but one which seems positively pessimistic when you...
Feature Nintendo Franchises We Want to See at E3 - Paper Mario
A sound theory on paper
In the lead up to E3 we'll be doing a series of features covering game franchises that we want to make an appearance at the show, and what we'd like to see out of a potential next entry in each series. In this article Nintendo Life editor Tom Whitehead makes the case for a particularly popular one in the Rumour Mill, Paper...
News Sega Is Focusing On 3DS For Sonic Boom Because It Wasn't Happy With The Wii U Version
"We totally feel the 3DS was the stronger of the two"
Sonic Boom was supposed to be a big initiative for Sega. Not only was the company pushing two brand-new games to market - one for Wii U and one for 3DS - but it was going to support these titles with a tie-in TV show and a flood of merchandise. Things didn't quite work out that way; while the 3DS...
The two rivals talk Sonic, Mario and much more besides
Cast your mind back to the console war of the early '90s and one thing springs to mind - Sega vs Nintendo. The titanic struggle between these two Japanese giants dominated the video game industry for the best part of a decade, with the incumbent Nintendo - along with world-famous mascot Mario -...
News Online Co-Op and Versus Modes Confirmed for Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night
Armature to share Unreal Engine 4 Wii U code
Though Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night won't arrive until 2017, the spiritual Castlevania successor led by Koji Igarashi has become an outstanding success in crowdfunding on Kickstarter and Paypal. In fact, combining both sources it's now raised over $4 million, unlocking an exciting stretch goal in...
Video Who Needs a New Sonic Game When You Have Splatoon's Inkbrush?
Speed up
With the surprise announcement of Sonic Boom: Fire & Ice arriving on 3DS later this year, we here at Nintendo Life have found our own ways to enjoy the lightning pace gameplay attributed to the Sonic series using Splatoon's brand new Inkbrush weapon. Check out the video below for a hot, violent injection of all the super speed you'll...
Video Feast Your Eyeballs on Extended Footage of Fire Emblem If
Plus quirky Splatoon and Rhythm Tengoku: The Best Plus vids
Though we're looking at a 2016 release in the West, Fire Emblem If is all set to arrive in Japan on 25th June, shaking up the standard formula with two separate releases - and a third storyline available as DLC. It'll likely have all of the strategy gameplay we can handle. With the...
Kevin Pereira to host
The Nintendo World Championships live event in LA will be a fun way to kick off E3 week, and Nintendo of America has now outlined key details on the contest. We now know two of the games to be included - one freshly announced - along with a basic format, the competitors and the host. In terms of the format and games included,...
News Rodea the Sky Soldier Release Dates Pushed Back to October
Delayed landing
Rodea the Sky Soldier - originally led by Yuji Naka - has had a troubled route to Wii U and 3DS, after its original development for the Wii got stuck in limbo. Publisher Kadokawa Games eventually completed it for release, though it's sold very few copies in Japan since launch. Not to be deterred, NIS America is bringing it to the...
News Gold Mario amiibo Arrives At Target Australia On 25th June
No pre-orders, one per customer & limited supply
At the end of last month Nintendo revealed the silver Mario amiibo figure would be available in Australia and New Zealand exclusively from EB Games from the 30th of May onward, with limited stock and strictly one per customer. It was also revealed the gold Mario amiibo figure would be exclusive to...
News PolyKid's Indie 3D Platformer Poi Is Coming To Wii U
Inspired by the classics
Indie developer PolyKid has announced its 3D platformer, Poi, is coming to the Wii U. The team behind Poi are drawing inspiration from the classic platformers they grew up with including the likes of Super Mario 64, Banjo-Kazooie and even Super Mario Sunshine on the Nintendo GameCube. In Poi, players take control of a child...
Video Lego Marvel's Avengers Blast Onto Wii U And 3DS With This New Trailer
Building up the hype for E3
Warner Bros. has just lifted the lid on the E3 trailer for its next big Lego game - Lego Marvel's Avengers. Developed by UK studio TT Games - as always - this new offering will be hitting a wide range of systems at the end of this year, including the Wii U and 3DS. Based on the two recent Avengers movies, the video game...
News Free DLC Heading to Affordable Space Adventures, With Plans for Future Paid Content
Extra Value Space Adventures
Affordable Space Adventures is one of a small group of Wii U exclusives, and arguably does more for the cause of the Wii U GamePad's unique capabilities than a number of Nintendo's own efforts. A collaboration between KnapNok Games and Nifflas, we gave it a strong recommendation in our review. It's a premium-priced...
Tuesday9th Jun 2015
News Disney Infinity Producer Brands amiibo Stock Shortages "Irresponsible And Rude"
Says the same mistake won't happen with its own range of Star Wars figures
Nintendo's stock problems with its amiibo range are well documented, with demand vastly outstripping supply on many of the more desirable figures and fans being forced to pay way over the odds on the secondary market in order to complete their collections. Heck, we've even...
News Latest Wii U System Update Removes TVii On European Consoles, Piles On Stability Elsewhere
TVii, we hardly knew ye
Wii U system update 5.4.0 has just gone live worldwide, and for most of the planet, it's all about that luscious stability - basically, there's very little else to talk about. However, if you're in Europe then you'll find the update hammers the final nail into the coffin of TVii. The service - which was heavily-promoted at...
Review FullBlast (Wii U eShop)
A blast from the past
Fullblast is the latest indie title to make the transition from mobile platforms onto Wii U, having been available on iOS and Android since the end of last year. Harking back to the days when arcades were king, Fullblast is an old school vertically scrolling shoot-em-up presented with modern 3D graphics. The gameplay remains...
News Sonic Boom: Fire & Ice Is Dashing To The Nintendo 3DS This Winter
Sanzaru Games developing, Nintendo distributing
Sega and Nintendo have just confirmed another entry in the Sonic Boom video games series, this time exclusive to the 3DS. Sonic Boom: Fire & Ice - like its 3DS forerunner Sonic Boom: Shattered Crystal - is being developed by Sanzaru Games. Nintendo will be handling distribution duties. The game...
News PlatinumGames to Unveil a New Title at E3
IGN to host the reveal
Anticipation for E3 just stepped up a notch for fans of intense, bombastic and hugely entertaining games, with the news that PlatinumGames will be unveiling a new title at the show. The news comes from IGN, who will host the début announcement and footage on Tuesday 16th June at 3pm Pacific / 6pm Eastern / 11pm UK / midnight...
Feature Nintendo Franchises We Want to See at E3 - Star Fox
It's certain to be shown - but what form will it take?
In the lead up to E3 we'll be doing a series of features covering game franchises that we want to make an appearance - or see more of - at the show, and what we'd like to see out of a potential next entry in each series. In this entry Nintendo Life Editorial Director Damien McFerran mulls what...
"I like their wobbly movements"
Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night's crowdfunding drive has just three days to go and has raised over $3,700,000 at the time of writing. To drum up even more interest and perhaps encourage a final surge of backers, creator Koji Igarashi has published a video showing some off-screen footage from a very early version of...
Video Extended Trailer For Pokémon Super Mystery Dungeon is Released
Travel the world
Following its recent reveal, Pokémon Super Mystery Dungeon now has some extended footage; the latest entry in the spin-off series is coming to Japan on 17th September, North America later this year and Europe in early 2016. This entry follows its predecessors in challenging you to venture through randomly generated dungeons, and...
Video Share The Joy of Receiving a Launch Day Super NES
A young gamer's dream
We're still some time away from our next new hardware release from Nintendo, but it's always an occasion to savour. Before attention falls to sales, the library of games, online services and all of those shenanigans, there's that glorious first day when all is new, shiny and full of potential. It's arguably even more exciting...
Review Vector Assault (Wii U eShop)
Identity theft
Imitation may be the sincerest form of flattery, but in the case of WizByte Games' Vector Assault, it isn't flattering. Heavily inspired by Geometry Wars - a game that in many ways helped usher in the era of downloadable console games - Vector Assault is not nearly as polished, addictive, or fun. While it's playable and functional on...
Video Check Out What Can be Done in Art Academy: Atelier Without Any Experience
Hung, drawn, & water-coloured
Nintendo's latest foray into its Art Academy series will no doubt appeal to the arty and the creatively-minded, but that's not the only audience that can benefit from Art Academy: Atelier (known as Art Academy: Home Studio in North America). This reporter has barely touched an art supply in ten years, and has never...
News Nintendo Confirms Treehouse Pre-Show for Nintendo World Championships
Warming us up
The Nintendo World Championships are no longer the exciting début of E3 week, but will now follow a Super Smash Bros. Special Video Presentation that'll be hosted by Masahiro Sakurai. Nevertheless the live event from LA could be intriguing, with its format still to be revealed. Nintendo of America did promise a pre-tournament...
News Image & Form Tackles SteamWorld Heist E3 Plans, Pricing and Development Progress in Q & A
Not digging too deep, though
With SteamWorld Heist building up, well, steam for its release later this year, the studio's latest Q & A provides some further update on development progress, plans for E3 and planned pricing. As for E3, company CEO Brjann Sigurgeirsson will be in LA to show off the game to the media, including your humble Nintendo...
Monday8th Jun 2015
News Capcom Reveals E3 Plans and Mega Man Legacy Collection for 3DS
Wii U unfortunately misses out on HD version
Capcom evidently hasn't completely forgotten about its iconic mascot and has announced Mega Man Legacy Collection, which will spruce up the first six NES titles with new features. It's confirmed to be on the way to the 3DS eShop in the Winter for $14.99, though the Wii U misses out on the Summer arrival...
News Fan Site Randomly Generates a "Leaked" List of Nintendo's E3 Plans
Prepare yourselves for the worldwide reveal of Metroid: Badger
As previously pointed out in a talking point earlier this week, we are officially in the thick of E3 silly season. Every year, we receive "official internal documents" from various fans and readers who claim to have received such highly confidential information from their best friend's...
Feature Nintendo Franchises We Want to See at E3 - Metroid
Crawling into the current generation?
In the lead up to E3 we'll be doing a series of features covering game franchises that we want to make an appearance at the show, and what we'd like to see out of a potential next entry in each series. In this entry Nintendo Life news, reviews and features regular Mitch Vogel thinks over the Metroid franchise...
Let the E3 hype begin
Nintendo has made clear before now that it would have some broadcasts running before this Sunday's Nintendo World Championships, and we can get excited as details on one such presentation have been revealed; this one's for Super Smash Bros. fans. It's confirmed that a 'Special Video Presentation' from Masahiro Sakurai will be...
Nintendo Download 11th June (Europe)
Dr. Mario, LEGO Dinosaurs on the go, Mega Man and more
Another week begins with the Nintendo Download Update in Europe, and this particular batch brings us the result of a Nintendo Direct reveal, a LEGO movie adaptation, more classic Mega Man and some discount options. It's a relatively short list, bringing us a slight pre-E3 lull. Wii U Virtual...
Video This Fan-Made Zelda Sketch Shows What Happens When Link Runs Out Of Loose Change
High-res rupees
Fan creations are always something that spark a lot of interest, as they allow fans to see what could've been without them having to wait for it to actually happen from the official source - if ever. Take Project M for example - a modified version of Super Smash Bros. Brawl created by dedicated members of the Smash community - which...
Reminder Time's Running Out to Grab the Humble Nindie Bundle
It ends at 11am Pacific / 2pm Eastern on 9th June
The Humble Nindie Bundle has been an intriguing development for the Wii U and 3DS eShop; though limited to the Americas, it has caused a notable impact as the first Humble Bundle to support console platforms. It was a pretty bold move by both Nintendo of America and Humble itself, and allows gamers...
News Splatoon Holds Onto Top 5 Territory in the UK Charts
Only trailing The Witcher 3 in the single format battle
Following its high-profile launch we shared the news that Splatoon secured second place in the UK charts on début, a strong effort from the Wii U exclusive. In positive news it's held a top five position in its second week, and that's despite a 50% drop on launch sales (a fall off that's...
News Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night Smashes Past $3.5 Million, More Stretch Goals Announced
Less than a week to go!
It's pretty safe to say that the Kickstarter for Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night has been a massive success. The spiritual successor to the Castlevania series will now be coming to nearly every current-gen console and the money still keeps rolling in, practically guaranteeing that this will be the gothic Metroidvania to end...
News Pokémon Shuffle Gets Its First Ever Escalation Battle
Gotta get a Giratina
Nintendo's free-to-play experiment Pokémon Shuffle continues to get some neat updates, with the latest offering the game's first ever "Escalation" battle. Of course, the title has had challenge updates in the past, but this one is unique. While the other challenges have largely been timed events, the difference here is that as...
News Sonic Dash Passes 100 Million Smart Device Downloads for SEGA
An indication of why Nintendo's interested in the market
For those that are generally against the idea of Nintendo pursuing the smart device market in collaboration with DeNA, it can be tempting to downplay the impact that a successful game on iOS and Android can have. It's with that in mind that our eye was caught by a SEGA press release today that...
News Cube Life: Island Survival Confirmed for 25th June Release in Europe
Cypronia highlights positive early reception in North America
We now have a few games available - depending on your region - that are heavily influenced by Minecraft, seizing the day in the absence of Nintendo system ports of the best-selling title. The latest is Cube Life: Island Survival from Cypronia, which aims to provide both an open-world...
News USK Reiterates That IARC, A Quick and Global Age Ratings Option, Will Come to the eShop
Should help developers to release globally quicker
We've highlighted in the past how obtaining age ratings can be a complicated and expensive process for Indie developers on tight budgets. While the ESRB service in North America is free and based online, complaints over the slower processes in PAL territories - which also cost a fair amount of money...
News Europe, You're Getting Three More New 3DS Cover Plates This Month
Splatoon Cover Plates coming earlier than planned
Nintendo of Europe has confirmed that three new Cover Plate designs for New Nintendo 3DS consoles will be arriving on June 26th - including the famous Splatoon plates, which weren't expected until next month. The Splatoon design is - as you might expect - covered in colourful ink splats. The other...
News Xeodrifter Port Confirmed for Wii U eShop
Time for another run through Renegade Kid's Metroidvania
Back in early December, Renegade kid released a new bite-sized Metroidvania called Xeodrifter to generally positive feedback. We awarded it an 8/10, citing the short length and occasionally frustrating platforming as drawback, but we were overall quite pleased with it. It may have been over...
Gallery Sometimes a Silly Dino 3DS Case Can Brighten Your Day
For small versions of adults
Life can be a serious business sometimes; even gaming can be rather intense. We should perhaps embrace opportunities to be silly, irreverent or cute, and today brought us a gift on all three scores with a press release for 2DS and 3DS XL Dino cases. These are from accessories company iMP Gaming, which is clearly timing...
News Momonga Pinball Adventures Is Bouncing And Flipping Its Way To The Wii U eShop
Another mobile title makes the jump
Update: D'oh. We've just realised that we actually reported on this back in 2013 - presumably Paladin Studios has reconfirmed the arrival of the game on the Wii U eShop. We'll find out and let you know when we know. Original story: Paladin Studios has revealed that its 2013 mobile title Momonga Pinball...
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