News Nintendo Seems To Be Deleting Super Mario Maker Levels Without Explanation Or Warning
"I know this has been post about before, but I am so angry"
News Here's Why SNES VC Games Can Only be Played on a New 3DS
CPU seems to be the main problem
Guide Which Nintendo 3DS or 2DS System Should I Buy?
There's life in the old dog yet
News This Massive Snorlax Plush Doubles As The Perfect Pokémon Bed
59 inches long, weighs 12kg, costs $430
Review EarthBound (New 3DS / SNES)
This game smells lovely
News - March, 2016
Thursday31st Mar 2016
News My Nintendo and Its Rewards Are Live
Huzzah!
The time is finally here - My Nintendo has launched in the West. The replacement to Club Nintendo appears to have beaten Miitomo to the punch as you can visit the official website, register and start earning and redeeming coins. We'll be rustling up a short Getting Started guide, but for now we have the European reward details below...
Guide Getting Started With My Nintendo
Making the most of early days with the Club Nintendo replacement
It's been a busy day for Nintendo, as it rolled out both My Nintendo and Miitomo across various countries in the West. We sense that it's the former that excites people the most, as it replaces the much loved and long lost Club Nintendo loyalty programme. We've published quite a lot...
News My Nintendo Platinum Points Are Being Gifted to Former Club Nintendo Members in North America
Check your mail
It's pretty hard to avoid the news that My Nintendo has launched, and plenty will already be accumulating plenty of points to redeem on goodies. That certainly applies to Platinum Points, which are earned through various one-off activities along with weekly and daily 'missions'. It seems that former Club Nintendo members in North...
News Nintendo's Gold Coin Prices Point the Way to Freebies
Spend a little, win a little
As you're likely already aware, the My Nintendo loyalty programme is now live, and it's all rather exciting. It's possible to pick up some early Platinum Points right off the bat, and Europeans can also grab their copy of Flipnote Studio 3D. Just head to the official website and login with your Nintendo Account. An...
News The Nintendo DSi Shop Shuts Down Next Year
The end of an era
When Nintendo released the Nintendo DSi, it featured numerous simple, yet effective, new features to the original DS that gave it more multimedia functions. One of these introductions was the Nintendo DSi Shop, Nintendo's first foray into implementing a digital storefront on a portable console. While the quality of the games...
Weirdness This Has To Be The Most Underhanded Way Of Obtaining The N64's Rarest Fighter
The "old switcheroo"
ClayFighter is one of those series which can hardly be deemed classic, but the popularity of fighting games back in the '90s ensured that it sold pretty well, despite not being that much fun to play. However, by the time the N64 rolled around, the genre was on the wane and following the rather disappointing ClayFighter 63⅓,...
News Nintendo's Official Website eShop Purchases Are Up and Running
In Europe, so far, includes 'Nindie' games
Among all of the excitement around the launch of My Nintendo, gamers in Europe and PAL territories can also see another promised feature in action - the option to purchase over 2000 games from the official website, with those downloads then sent automatically to their system. We've already tried this out...
Nintendo Download 31st March (North America)
Mario Super Sluggers! Pokkén Tournament demo! Lovely Planet! More!
It's that time again, dear readers, for the North American Nintendo Download Update details. Around all of the buzz for My Nintendo, there are a number of new releases to choose from that could earn some precious Gold Points, along with some discounts and DLC to consider. Let's get...
News Hurrah, Miitomo Is Now Available In The West
Time to get social
Miitomo is now available in the west. After making us wait all morning, the app has just gone live on Google Play and iOS App Store. If you're on Android and are already using the Japanese version after following our guide, you'll be able to automatically update the app by downloading it on
News You Can Have 1000 Friends In Miitomo, But No More Than That
Being selective
Miitomo launches today in the west, and one of the big questions users have regarding this unique social networking app relates to the number of friends you're allowed. Other networks like Twitter and Facebook place no limit on the amount of contacts you can add to your profile, and as a result these services become quite hard to...
News Miitomo Trends on Twitter as Nintendo's Charm Strikes Again
Mii-ting its targets
Miitomo is out now in a number of countries in the West, and in its first few hours has managed to seize a lot of attention on social media. That's the whole point, of course, and we suspect Nintendo will be rather happy with the start it's made. #Miitomo has started to trend on Twitter, at the time of writing appearing near...
Review Infinity Runner (Wii U eShop)
Keep on running...
Wales Interactive has become a new name to Nintendo gamers in the Wii U generation, with Gravity Badgers being a fun but 'casual' game and Master Reboot being a rather intriguing, story-driven experience. Next up is another typically diverse approach with Infinity Runner - as the name makes clear it's a runner title, utilising a...
Dreamal a little dream of me
Have you heard the one about the goat, the parrot, and the raccoon? It may sound like the setup to a bad joke, but it's actually the cast of Dreamals; it's a puzzle-platformer that's got cute animals and dreamy landscapes in abundance - which is probably almost definitely where the name comes from. While it isn't...
News Road Redemption's Wii U Release is Looking Rather Doubtful
"It will take a tremendous amount of optimization to make it happen"
Road Redemption was a high profile Kickstarter campaign way back in Spring 2013, as it called upon nostalgia for titles like Road Rash when making its pitch. Having been successfully funded it then had a slightly sticky period where early gameplay videos were poorly received,...
Video Japanese Miitomo Commercial Shows How The Social App Breaks Down Barriers
Helping you to discover more about your friends
Miitomo launches today in the west, but has been available in Japan for a short while. However, Nintendo has decided to release a few TV commercial in its homeland to mark the worldwide launch, and it does an effective job of capturing the aim of the app - to enable friends to share information in a...
News Lovely Planet Arrives on the North American eShop Next Week
Lovely stuff
The first person shooter genre is one that has occasionally come under fire for its occasionally derivative design. After all, you can only play so many militaristic "dudebro" shooters until they all just begin to blend together. Fortunately, there's been a stronger movement in the latest generation towards more innovation in this...
Wednesday30th Mar 2016
From Mii to you
After all the hype and anticipation surrounding Nintendo's move into mobile, it's perhaps a little surprising that the game which kicks off this new era for the Japanese veteran isn't really a game at all; Miitomo has more in common with the likes of Twitter and Facebook than it does Super Mario and Zelda. Despite expectations being...
Thursday31st Mar 2016
News Nintendo Treehouse Product Marketing Specialist Alison Rapp Has Employment Terminated
UPDATE: Nintendo of America issues official statement
Update: Nintendo of America recently issued this statement to clear up their position on the matter: Alison Rapp was terminated due to violation of an internal company policy involving holding a second job in conflict with Nintendo's corporate culture. Though Ms. Rapp's termination follows her...
Wednesday30th Mar 2016
News GAME Grabs UK Exclusivity of Fire Emblem Fates Special Edition
Best to ensure you have at least £1000 spare in your account
Update: Thanks to all that have highlighted the following paragraph which points to this potentially also coming to the Official Nintendo UK Store. Fire Emblem: Fates Special Edition is only available at selected GAME stores, GAME.co.uk and Nintendo.co.uk. This does not affect your...
Review Shantae: Risky's Revenge - Director's Cut (Wii U eShop)
Risky business
Late in the life of the Game Boy Color, the world received Shantae, the first in WayForward's flagship series. A love letter to fans of 16-bit action platformers, the game was highly praised and developed a cult following, but it didn't do terribly well due to being released after the launch of the Game Boy Advance. Eight years later,...
Generica
From old-school platformers like Shovel Knight to the pixel-art renaissance, what's old is new again these days, and retro revivals have made for some wonderfully received games in recent years. The best of these projects leverage clever design, modern sensibilities and plenty of polish to craft experiences that feel like games as we...
News World Video Game Hall of Fame 2016 Nominees Announced
Who will win?
Some of you may remember that the World Video Game Hall of Fame began last year, kicking off what will hopefully be a long term project to preserve gaming's greatest contributors. The first class consisted of DOOM, Pong, Pac-man, Super Mario Bros., Tetris, and World of Warcraft, all genre defining or innovative in their own right. Now,...
News Digital Foundry Breaks Down the Resolution and Framerate in Pokkén Tournament
60fps but sub-720p
Pokkén Tournament, the Pokemon fighter developed by Bandai Namco, has now been out on Wii U for a couple of weeks. It's performed relatively well in the chart results that have emerged and helped fill a gap in the console's library. The priority for any fighting game, of course, is a solid framerate. In our review we praised the...
News Dragon Quest Monsters: Joker 3 Makes Impressive Sales Debut in Japan
Wii U hardware sales drop significantly, however
As we're in the middle of another week we have the Media Create Japanese charts to consider, and this time around there's a new release on 3DS that's stealing the headlines. It's Square Enix's 3DS RPG Dragon Quest Monsters: Joker 3, the latest entry in the spin-off series, that's stormed to the top...
News Were It Not For Rare's Tim Stamper, Wave Race Would Have Featured Boats
Water difference that would have made
Back when Rare and Nintendo were partners, it seemed as if the two companies shared an almost unspoken rivalry, competing for recognition as the premier developer of the day - especially during the N64 era. In the latest issue of Retro Gamer magazine, several former Rare staffers have spoken about this glorious...
News Pokémon Snap Comes Into Focus for Wii U Virtual Console Release in Japan
Centre frame
Whenever there's a conversation around Pokémon and desired games, it naturally turns to a new entry in the Snap series. In the current day it's questionable how relevant such a release would be, especially when the likes of Pokémon Go will have us pointing our smartphone cameras into the real world to catch pocket monsters. In any...
Video More Footage And Details Emerge For The Cancelled Bonk: Brink Of Extinction
Cave story
Bonk is one of video gaming's most unlikely mascots. Originally named PC Kid and seen as the PC Engine's lead character in Japan, he was renamed Bonk when that console was released in North America as the TurboGrafx-16. Bonk would enjoy three mainline adventures on NEC's hardware - all of which were very well recieved - as well as...
News Nintendo UK Staffs Up Following High Ranking Departures
Matthias Hempfling and Kalpesh Tailor take on senior roles
Nintendo UK has had a pretty busy period in terms of staff changes. Leading figures such as marketing boss Shelly Pearce, head of PR Jo Bartlett, brand manager Roger Langford, product manager Vanisha Kavia, community manager Jonathan Town and Junior PR manager Emily Wooliscroft have all left...
Video The Legendary Starfy Joins Super Mario Maker as a Costume
The star of the show
The Legendary Starfy was a mostly Japan-only platforming series that starred (sorry) the eponymous aquatic character and propelled him to relative fame. Drawing many comparisons to the Kirby series, Starfy games rose to popularity by smartly designed stages that mixed aquatic themed platforming stages with some light puzzle...
News Sonic Boom: Fire & Ice Confirmed for 30th September in Europe
Yo, Sonic, let's kick it!
Not so long ago Sega of America was rather silly - it arranged a panel at SXSW that was streamed online and promised a 'special reveal'. To say that fans were unimpressed at the end would be an understatement. In addition to announcing a Sonic 25th Anniversary Event in San Diego on 22nd July, it was also confirmed that...
Tuesday29th Mar 2016
News Enhanced Digital Store With Over 2,000 Games Launching Alongside My Nintendo This Week
Can be accessed via personal computers and smart devices
Nintendo is launching its first smartphone app Miitomo and its My Nintendo loyalty program this week, and has confirmed that an "enhanced" digital shop will go live on the same day - March 31st. The unified store - which will cover 3DS and Wii U - will allow users with a Nintendo Account and...
News My Nintendo and Miitomo to Launch in the West on 31st March
In the US and "several other countries"
Well, we finally have a date for the launch of Miitomo and the My Nintendo loyalty programme in the West, and Nintendo has been good to its word and hit its target for a March release. It's been confirmed that the app and the Club Nintendo replacement will land in the US and 'several other countries' on 31st...
Nintendo Download 31st March (Europe)
Metroid: Other M! FreezeME! Loads of Fire Emblem discounts! Much more!
A day later than normal courtesy of the holiday Monday, we now have the full Nintendo Download details for Europe. It's a packed week with multiple new downloads across Wii U and 3DS that have plenty of potential, along with a Wii Metroid arrival and a highly rated retro-style...
Talking Point My Nintendo and Its Account System Start The Process of Unifying Platforms
One happy family
It's only in recent years that Nintendo's embraced connectivity and unified platforms in a meaningful way. Though it dabbled with extensions, add-ons and cables in past pre-broadband generations, the Game Boy range and home consoles retained distinct identities from each other. That's continued a great deal in this generation with...
News Nintendo Of Korea Lays Off 80 Percent Of Its Staff Following Sustained Losses
Reduced workforce relocating to new office outside of Seoul
Nintendo of Korea has reduced its workforce from 50 employees to just 10, it has been revealed. Referred to as "large-scale restructuring", the move will also see the Korean arm relocate to a new office outside of Seoul. Fukuda Hiroyuki will remain in place as CEO. Nintendo of Korea has...
News Pokémon Go Field Test is Underway in Japan, Though Leakers Are Getting Removed
Secret field ops
Pokémon Go is an smartphone game carrying a lot of expectation. Developed by the highly-regarded Niantic and funded by Nintendo and The Pokémon Company, the real-world AR experience has been attracting plenty of attention. Details are starting to solidify, too, with an official information dump last week telling us much more...
Wednesday30th Mar 2016
Reminder Flipnote Studio 3D Debuting in Europe as My Nintendo Account Incentive
Register before April's end and flip away
As if anyone needed much more reason to sign up for a My Nintendo account, don't forget that European users who register before 30th April can download a free copy of Flipnote Studio 3D for their punctuality. The offer was previously announced in the European Nintendo Direct for March and has been further...
Tuesday29th Mar 2016
Random Here's Every Level In Super Mario 3 Played Simultaneously
Because why not?
One of the biggest selling points of Super Mario Bros. 3 when it originally launched was its sheer size; compared to other platformers of the period, this was a seriously epic experience with a multitude of stages to discover - many of which required multiple playthroughs to find. YouTuber Viktor Bohush has decided to show off the...
News Unreleased SNES Game Starring Bill Clinton's Cat Could Yet See The Light Of Day
Letting the cat out of the bag
You have to wonder exactly what the guys at Kaneko USA were thinking when they began work on Socks the Cat Rocks The Hill, a 16-bit platformer featuring Bill Clinton's moggie. Boasting a risible plot which involves Socks saving the world from nuclear destruction and featuring bosses based on caricatures of former...
Video See the Super Mario e-Reader Levels You Never Played in Super Mario Advance 4
33 'new' levels of delight
Super Mario Advance 4 was a common enough game back in the day, but one area of this game was elusive to all but a handful of individuals who were of the importing nature. Now with the release of the game on the Wii U Virtual Console these exclusive levels are now available for all to play. Check out our video below where...
Rumour The Next Call Of Duty Game Is Boldly Venturing Into Space
Could it come to NX?
Call of Duty: Ghosts was a first for Activision's famous FPS series as it featured an opening segment which was set in space. If you liked that bit - we sure did - then you'll be pleased to know that the franchise could go one better by taking place entirely in this environment. The rumour - as reported by our pals over at
News The Guy Who Designed Sonic The Hedgehog Supervised On Mario & Sonic At The Rio Olympics
Not Yuji Naka, the other one
The credits for Mario & Sonic at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games have revealed that Arzest was involved with the game's development. Sega fans will recognise Arzest as the home of several former Sega employees, including Naoto Ohshima - perhaps better known as the guy who designed Sonic the Hedgehog. While Yuji Naka was...
News Official Miitomo Site Reiterates March 2016 Release
You've got three days, Nintendo
Nintendo's first official smartphone app, Miitomo, has been out in Japan for a few weeks now, along with the accompanying new loyalty program, My Nintendo. While the download numbers may have dwindled since its launch week, the app had a very strong showing when it made its big entrance, topping the storefronts on...
News Chromophore: The Two Brothers Faces Another Delay
Now expected in the latter half of the year
Some of you may remember Chromophore: The Two Brothers, an upcoming Wii U game that appears to take plenty of inspiration fromThe Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening. Back in September, it was announced that the game would be delayed on the Wii U due to a bad deal made with a third party, with a planned...
News Hyrule Warriors Legends is Best-Selling New Release in UK, But Can't Crack Top Ten
Easter discounts keep new release out
With the public holidays over the past week there were plenty of discounts running in UK stores, and it's these promotions that have likely denied Hyrule Warriors Legends a top 10 place in the charts, though the results aren't all bad. The 3DS release has secured 13th place in the all-format chart on its debut...
News Aperion Cyperstorm Adds Bots, Teams and Modifiers to Shmup Mayhem
Revenge mode sounds fun...
We've been talking up Aperion Cyberstorm since its announcement, having much enjoyed the Wii U exclusive when playing it last year - with bright visuals and tight dual stick shoot 'em up action it certainly ticks some boxes. Comprised of a story-driven campaign and a series of multiplayer modes, the debut release from...
Monday28th Mar 2016
News Digital Foundry Breaks Down The Improved Performance of New 3DS
Plus how Hyrule Warriors Legends out-performs Wii U version
Since the New 3DS arrived it's not always been particularly clear to the end user how much of an enhancement it offers. We can count on one hand (ok, maybe two hands at a stretch) how many games have been exclusive or improved on the hardware, and beyond integrated amiibo scanning owners of...
Feature Some of Our Favourite 3DS Games - Fifth Anniversary Edition
We recommend them all
The 3DS is five years old, a grand age for a portable family that had a rough start but recovered to establish itself as a success for Nintendo. As it heads into - potentially - a home stretch that will include highlights such as Pokémon Sun and Moon, we've been looking at some of its best games. We already published the...
News Fan-Made HD Twilight Princess Update "On Hiatus" Following YouTube Takedowns By Nintendo
Entering the twilight zone
Last year - around the same time that Nintendo announced it was releasing a HD remake of Twilight Princess - we spoke to Tomoya Hamasaki, the leader of a team working on its own fan-made upgrade of the esteemed title. The project was incredibly ambitious, with the aim being to use the incredible power found in modern PCs...
News Debut Pokémon Sun and Moon Footage is Expected on 3rd April
Hype engaged
After all of the rumours and speculation, the brief reveal of Pokémon Sun and Moon for 3DS prompted plenty of excited chatter among fans. Though The Pokémon Company gave a five minute video presentation all we saw of the new games was some logos and artwork, with enthusiasts deconstructing brief snippets that appeared. The game...
Random Metroid Resurrection - The Super Mario Maker Series With a Plot and Marketing
'The Chozo One' - zing!
Many of us like to talk a big game with Super Mario Maker creations, how we're planning to wow the world and change the way we play platformers in the Mario universe. In most cases, of course, a level creation is often abandoned early to do something a little less taxing; it's harder than it seems to make a good level. Some...
Editorial The Weird World Discovered When Searching for Miitomo on Google Play
Emulators everywhere
After a storming opening week in Japan during which it led the download charts on iTunes and Google Play, Miitomo has started to slide back a little from those giddy highs. That's no surprise, as its regular rival at launch - the new Puzzle & Dragons title - has actually fallen further back; after the initial boom apps start...
News The Falco amiibo Unlocks a Special Black Arwing in Star Fox Zero
Double lock on, but it takes three times the damage
Star Fox Zero is just about a month away from release as of now, and naturally there's plenty of buzz being drummed up around the newest entry in this classic franchise. Though we never got the transformable Arwing amiibo that Miyamoto wanted to make, it was revealed earlier that the game will be...
Random Runner Injects Flappy Bird Code into Super Mario World
An interesting work of sacrilege
The ability to practically program code into Super Mario World through the use of glitches opens up all sorts of possibilities, some definitely more bizarre than others. Just look toward speedrunner and tinkerer Sethbling, who managed to turn Mario into a Flappy Bird clone. Sethbling injected the code using...
Sunday27th Mar 2016
Feature The Nintendo Easter Egg Hunt - Greatest Hits
With a couple of new ones, too
Many people around the world are currently celebrating Easter, either observing an important religious occasion, using it as an excuse to scoff chocolate or perhaps a bit of both. One of the traditions of the day for kids and big kids, meanwhile, is going on an Easter Egg Hunt. With that in mind we thought we'd pick...
Community Your Favourite 3DS Games - Fifth Anniversary Edition
The results are in
With the 3DS now being five years old we thought it'd be a good time to reflect on its impressive game library. To do this we asked you to pick your favourite games through the user review feature on the site, covering both retail and eShop releases. It proved to be an interesting experiment, taking into account the sheer size...
News Marin Will be Part of the Summer's Hyrule Warriors Legends DLC Pack
An awakening for the character
Hyrule Warriors and now Hyrule Warriors Legends aren't short of interesting choices for playable characters, and now we have another intriguing addition on the way. It was confirmed during a Wondercon panel that Marin will arrive in the Summer's Link's Awakening Pack. You can see some character art from the reveal...
News Natsume May Bring Some of its DS Games to Virtual Console Soon
Keep your eyes peeled
Though it maybe doesn't get updated nearly as often as many would like, the DS library on the Virtual Console continues to grow at a fairly steady pace. Naturally, there are plenty of holes in the lineup thus far, but the process for making games available on the service is supposedly much more difficult than it seems on the...
Saturday26th Mar 2016
Feature Thoughts on the 3DS as It Reaches Its Fifth Anniversary
Dave Letcavage and Jose Acosta share their perspectives
The 3DS has reached its fifth Anniversary for its release in the West, and in the first of multiple feature articles focused on the portable Dave Letcavage and Jose Acosta share their thoughts and memories related to the portable. Dave Letcavage: I haven't been in the best heath for the...
News 7th Dragon III Code: VFD Arrives in North America on 12th July
Surprisingly, this one's not from Atlus
A couple months ago, SEGA announced 7th Dragon III Code: VFD for Nintendo 3DS in North America. While the game's premise is certainly a bit off the wall – you travel through time to fight dragons, or something like that – it looks like an interesting choice for any fans of the RPG genre. Previously, we...
Editorial A Week When NX 'Leaks' Were Thankfully Fake and New Tricks Were Used
Tom Whitehead was concerned, very concerned
The pre-E3 silly season is early this year, and it's all Nintendo's fault. We know full well that this year, likely at E3 or potentially a little beforehand, the company will reveal its next generation of hardware. It's potentially a 'third pillar' of hardware but, in light of declining 3DS momentum and...
Review Blast 'Em Bunnies (3DS eShop)
Cracked egg
Nnooo has released several titles on Nintendo platforms since Pop launched with WiiWare. While not all of its releases have been successes — the DSiWare myNotebook line and Spirit Hunters showed ingenuity but just weren't very fun to play — the studio's nonetheless been consistent in developing new IP with a unique style. Blast 'Em...
Review The Hand of Panda (3DS eShop)
Sad panda
With perhaps a few notable exceptions, such as Harmoknight or Theatrhythm: Final Fantasy, the rhythm genre has had something of a slight showing on the 3DS. While it may be a somewhat niche genre, it's one that everybody can easily relate to, as it can be as universal as tapping one's foot to good music. The Hand of Panda does its best to...
Friday25th Mar 2016
Guide Which Nintendo 3DS or 2DS System Should I Buy?
There's life in the old dog yet
Though we have a new generation of Nintendo hardware set to be revealed this year, there's life yet in the current generation. With the 3DS family of systems celebrating its fifth year anniversary in the West, it's worth taking the time to consider how much it still has to offer. With the range of portables...
News Fooling The World With a 3D Printed NX Controller
Frank Sandqvist reveals all
The latest update in the 'leaked NX controller' saga is also hopefully the last as a video by hoaxer Frank Sandqvist has appeared on YouTube that explains the production of his impressive fake. Sandqvist explains that after finding out that the original 'white' Nintendo NX controller leak
Review Shodai Nekketsu Kouha Kunio-Kun (SNES)
16-bit barf
If you were to ask kids in the late '80s and early '90s for iconic NES video game characters, alongside the usual gang of Nintendo, Konami and Capcom regulars, you would often hear the name "Alex". No, not our own Alex "Lovely People" Olney - this Alex was none other than the western version of Kunio, the short-tempered high school...
Review F-Zero (New 3DS / SNES)
Retro future racing fun.
A launch title for the SNES, F-Zero is a game that showed off the system's Mode 7 visuals, provided great racing action and is now available for New Nintendo 3DS; now you can enjoy the high-speed thrills at home, in the park or in the bathroom. There's a lot of love for the futuristic racing series, but not from Nintendo;...
Video Digital Foundry Shows Off the New 3DS Improvements in Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate
For any doubters out there
Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate has been obsessing a core of 3DS fans for over a year now, and with Monster Hunter Generations on the way there's now renewed focus on the series. To demonstrate that point Digital Foundry has revisited the Capcom title to show the improvements in performance when played on a New 3DS. We and many...
Reminder North American Gamers Can Buy an amiibo and Get Mini Mario & Friends Now
From Amazon, Best Buy and GameStop
Mini Mario & Friends: amiibo Challenge, a free-to-play entry - of sorts - in the Mario vs. Donkey Kong series, isn't available for all-comers on the Wii U and 3DS eShop yet, but there is an 'early access' promotion underway in North America. Announced in the early March Nintendo Direct broadcast, North...
Video Check Out This Unbeatable Combo Recently Discovered in Pokkén Tournament
As if Shadow Mewtwo wasn't already strong enough
Fighting games are notoriously difficult to balance, as the extraordinarily technical nature of the gameplay can lead to certain methods simply being more effective than others. Playtesting helps greatly in this regard, but nothing can quite replicate the phenomenon of the full public having access,...
News Shovel Knight Is Playable in Mutant Mudds Super Challenge
Digging deep for fan-service
If the challenge of simply getting through the gruelling levels of Mutant Mudds Super Challenge isn't enough for you there are a range of hidden characters to track down. Today we have the official reveal of the Shovel Knight character. Jools Watsham, creator of the game, today drew back the curtain on how exactly to...
News TT Games Wanted To Include Mortal Kombat In The Lego Dimensions Midway Pack
"We had to take into account the typical age of our players"
The expansion of the core Lego Dimensions experience is continuing nicely, with the recently-released Midway pack granting access to an incredible selection of arcade classics. These include such coin-op hits as Gauntlet, Joust, Spy Hunter and Defender, but developer TT Games has revealed...
Video See the Contents Spilled of the Hyrule Warriors Legends Limited Edition in our Unboxing
A Linkle between consoles
Hyrule Warriors Legends allows those lacking a Wii U to enjoy the ludicrous combat and unwavering demise of thousands of usually evil creatures, and if you can look past some of the graphical limitations and performance issues when on an original 3DS, it's a ruddy cathartic way to spend a few hours at a time. But if your...
News There's Another Resident Evil CGI Movie in Development
V for Vendetta
As some of you may be aware, the Resident Evil series has had some extensive forays into films. While the live-action ones certainly haven't done too well critically, the two CGI films – Resident Evil: Degeneration and Resident Evil: Damnation – were at least received a little more warmly. Perhaps in an effort to make the best of...
Thursday24th Mar 2016
Feature Batman V Superman In The Battle Of The Nintendo Games
Which superhero comes out on top? Find out within...
This article was originally published on 25th November 2014, and has been re-posted to celebrate the cinematic release of Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. Things are really heating up in the world of superhero movies, thanks to both Marvel and DC revealing their cinematic hands like two Texan...
News Nintendo NX 'Controller' Image Confirmed Fake By Its Creator
#TeamFake wins
In the past week two separate sets of images emerged that were claimed to be sneaky pictures of NX kits by developers. The first was a white unit which we gave the 'rumour buster' treatment, and then the second set were higher resolution images of a black unit that were somewhat more convincing. We were shown information that we then...
Soapbox Nintendo Was Wrong To Turn Its Back On The Wii Remote
Damien McFerran sticks up for the device that gave the world some waggle
One of the greatest things about having children - aside from the free manual labour and the unspoken understanding that you'll have someone to wipe your bottom for you when you're old and infirm - is getting to reappraise video games. I have a seven-year-old son who, over the...
Nintendo Download 24th March (North America)
Hyrule Warriors Legends! Yoshi's Story! SNES on New 3DS! More!
It's that time again, dear readers, for the North American Nintendo Download Update. This week has plenty of tempting options to consider, with four Virtual Console games across Wii U and New 3DS, a major retail release on the portable, a Director's Cut from WayForward, some tasty...
News 80's Overdrive is Coming to the 3DS
A new arcade racer from a mysterious developer
The 3DS has had a fairly diverse library of games so far, but the one thing that it seems to be somewhat lacking in is the racing genre. It could be that this is just due to the limitations of the portable format, but it nonetheless comes as a slight disappointment that there aren't too many games of...
Review REPLAY: VHS is Not Dead (Wii U eShop)
Taking it to the Betamax
'Going retro' is all the rage in modern download gaming. Pixels and chiptunes aren't hard to find in any download store, from the eShop to PSN to Steam and beyond, as gamers of all ages embrace titles that offer an enhanced twist on gaming's past. REPLAY: VHS is Not Dead aims to distinguish itself with retro-styled visuals...
News More Official Pokémon Go Gameplay Details Emerge
Teams! PokéStops! Evolutions! Battles! Great Balls!
Just recently some stealthy off-screen footage emerged of Pokémon Go, the hotly anticipated AR (augmented reality) smartphone app being developed by Niantic and published by The Pokémon Company and Nintendo. It looked pretty much as expected, with the demonstration showing a stylised Google Maps...
Video Get a Closer Look at the Charming Monster Hunter Stories on 3DS
A new breed of pocket monsters
Now that Monster Hunter Generations is set for a Summer release in the West, we turn our localisation attention on Monster Hunter Stories. This spin-off title sees you work with and train monsters rather than hunt them, and adopts a mixture of adventure and turn-based battles in its gameplay - add to that a lovely...
News Star Fox Zero's Stage Names Are Another Delicious Throwback
The path to Venom
Star Fox Zero contains a lot of references and throwbacks to iconic past entries. Whether on-the-nose goodies like the 16-bit Arwing that can be unlocked with a Fox amiibo, or the strikingly familiar opening cutscene, it's sure to bring back a lot of memories while also introducing the series to a new audience. There's a sense of...
Review City Connection (Wii U eShop / NES)
Missed Connection
If you don't remember City Connection, we wouldn't blame you. In 1985, arcades in the U.S. and elsewhere were booming in popularity, and as a result that particular industry was rather strong. This title came to NES owners a little later, however, releasing in the middle of 1988. It looks and feels like a relic of a bygone era, and...
Video Check Out the Launch Trailer for Slain!
It's pretty metal
Some of you may remember Slain!, the upcoming sidescrolling action game that seems to be drawing plenty of inspiration from Castlevania. A while back, it was delayed until summer due to the fact that the developers made the game just a little bit too hard for most audiences. Fortunately, it seems that this issue has been cleared...
Video Check Out the New Hyrule Warriors Legends Characters on Wii U
Going for the quirky kills
With the launch of Hyrule Warriors Legends plenty will be switching the portable entries new characters across to Wii U in order to enjoy them in their full HD glory. It's one of the perks on offer for those that double dip on the Koei Tecmo button masher. We've naturally redeemed Linkle, Toon Link, Tetra, King Daphnes...
Video Anki Overdrive Update Apes GoldenEye 007's One Shot Kill Mode
The car with the Golden Gun
If you've not seen it already, Anki Overdrive is a little hard to get your head around. It's a slot car-style game with no slots that's controlled via an app. The racing happens on the clip-together track but is augmented with the app that steers, shoots and triggers weapons. In the latest update t
Wednesday23rd Mar 2016
Rumour New Nintendo NX Controller Images Surface and Set the Web Alight
UPDATE: Trusted source claims images "aren't legit"
Update: Occasional Nintendo Life contributor Liam Robertson has passed us some information from a source that has access to prototype hardware for the 'NX'. They've advised that the images 'aren't legit', and we're certainly inclined to have faith in that source. Of course, as is the nature with...
Review Super Mario Kart (New 3DS / SNES)
Classic karting on the small screen
Many Mario Karts later it can be a little disorientating to go back to where it all began. Each cup has five races. Laps are short, but there are five of them. Item boxes are squares laid flat on the ground and put out of use after you've run over them. The CPU characters don't collect items at all, but have a...
News North American Pricing Confirmed for Hyrule Warriors Legends DLC and Season Pass
A little higher in Canadian dollars
A little while ago we reported on the European pricing for the rather extravagant (and slightly fiddly) Hyrule Warriors Legends DLC and Season Pass. There are separate passes for 3DS and Wii U, along with a supplemental character pack for those with the Wii U game that don't plan on buying the portable iteration...
Community Pick Your Favourite Nintendo 3DS Games - Fifth Anniversary Edition
Let's do things a little differently
Though the landmark has already passed in Japan, we're now approaching the fifth anniversary of the 3DS in the West. The first model launched on 25th / 27th March 2011 in Europe and North America, respectively, with the original model focusing much of its sales pitch on autostereoscopic 3D. That feature would...
News Nintendo Seeks a Trademark for Mario Coin Sound
Going for gold
It's one of gaming's most iconic sounds, immediately recognisable to millions around the world. When Mario picks up a coin or bashes one out of a block there's a classic two-note jingle. You know the one. It's used very widely, but not just by Nintendo. It appears in pop culture in videos, podcasts and music, including our own...
News Fire Emblem Fates Fan Translation Project Shuts Up Shop
"We're all burned out and don't care anymore"
It's fair to say that not everyone was happy with the Fire Emblem Fates localisation on 3DS, but a glimmer of hope for dedicated fans was the fan translation project which was confirmed well before a western release was announced. According to "Team If" member luyairis, the group behind
News Miitomo Contains A Cool Easter Egg Which Pays Tribute To Satoru Iwata
Secrets "directly" to you
Miitomo might not be available globally yet but if you've used our handy guide then you'll know it's pretty easy to get it on your device no matter where you happen to be in the world. Since the game launched there's been a lot of interest - which is perfectly understandable, given that it's Nintendo first serious attempt...
News Pokkén Tournament Beats Digimon to Number One in Japan and Boosts Wii U Sales
Splatoon is still rocking it in fifth place
It's time once again for the Japanese Media Create charts, and this week is particularly fascinating as it pitches the Pokémon and Digimon brands against each other. The good news for Pokémon fans is that the franchise came out on top in the head to head, with Pokkén Tournament seizing top spot for Wii...
Review Jewel Quest (Wii U eShop)
Once a Jewel Quest addict, always a Jewel Quest addict.
iWin, Inc. is joining the puzzle fray with Jewel Quest for the Wii U eShop, this time with PlayEveryWare behind the developer's wheel, releasing the classic puzzle game on a console that's been surprisingly devoid of Match-3 games for a while now. Originally developed for PC by iWin in 2004,...
News Pokémon Shuffle Gets a Major Update and New Features
SpotPass! Survival Mode! Other Stuff!
Pokémon Shuffle is one of multiple 'mon free-to-start downloads on 3DS, and has also been released on mobile. A major update to version 1.3.0 for the 3DS iteration has now, seemingly, brought it into line with features that have previously rolled out on smart devices. First of all, if you're jumping into the...
News Miitomo Update to Expand Friend Options and Features
Including "Everybody Answers", which actually sounds slightly menacing
It's certainly normal for smart device apps to be updated frequently, and Miitomo is no different. It's already up to version 1.0.2 in Japan as Nintendo and DeNA have fixed some early issues in the app. What does seem to be on the way is a more detailed update to add new...
Video Mekazoo Continues to Look Like a Platforming Gem in Latest Trailer
Get a look at some bosses
Mekazoo is a particularly promising platformer, with eye-catching visuals and gameplay that brings to mind a rather quirky take on the Retro Studios Donkey Kong Country titles. The Good Mood Creators, the studio that's been working on this title, has now released a fresh trailer to show off more game footage and one of the...
Video Nintendo Unleashes a Snazzy History of Star Fox Showcase
With some awesome Star Fox Zero footage included
Star Fox Zero isn't far away, and as the name suggests it will serve in part as a greatest hits showcase for the modern generation. From stages and plotlines inspired by Star Fox 64 through to the fact you can unlock a retro-styled 16-bit Arwing with a scan of the Fox amiibo, it's full of nods to the...
News Nintendo is Planning a National Streetpass Weekend for North America
Get ready to see that little green light
One of the most passive, but no less entertaining, features of the Nintendo 3DS is Streetpass. By simply walking by another individual with a 3DS, one can acquire various little extras for games that support it, and while this is admittedly a fairly marginal thing in most cases, it's still nice to see that...
We have a good feeling about this
Warner has released the first gameplay trailer for LEGO Star Wars: The Force Awakens, and it gives a solid taster of what we can expect to see in the finished product. Firstly, the variety on show is impressive - not only will it include the usual on-foot sections with puzzles, multiple "build" solutions and...
News Star Fox Zero / Guard and Metroid Prime: Federation Force to be Playable at Wondercon
Hyrule Warriors Legends panel also included
Wondercon is just days away from landing in LA, running from 25th - 27th March, and Nintendo of America has confirmed some key playable titles and a promising panel event. The headline grabber is that the main Metroid Prime: Federation Force game will be playable for the public for the first time, as...
Video Check Out This Trailer for Fire Emblem Fates DLC
Keeping the action fresh
One of the rather controversial, yet generally welcome, features of Fire Emblem: Awakening was the wealth of DLC made for the game. Some claimed that it made the game unbalanced by offering opportunities to grind experience or money in a much quicker manner than one could normally do, while others argued that it properly...
Video Learn About the True Age of Virtual Reality Technology
It's been around longer than you think
Virtual Reality - VR - is generating a lot of headlines right now. PS VR, Oculus Rift and HTC Vive are all offering rather different options and targeting their own demographics, and a lot of talk around VR video games is down to how successful they'll be and whether the likes of Nintendo should be jumping on...
News Chompy Chomp Chomp Party Bites Into A Fresh Trailer And Release Date
Europe first, US afterwards
Our chums at Utopian World of Sandwiches have gotten in touch to let us know that Chompy Chomp Chomp Party is coming to the European Wii U eShop at the end of this month - March 31st, to be exact. A North American release will follow shortly afterwards. Described by the developer as "a fast paced multiplayer party game...
News Digger Dan DX is Tunnelling Towards a Summer Release on 3DS
A fresh take on Digger Dan and Kaboom
The DSiWare platform has plenty of well-constructed and enjoyable puzzle games, with Digger Dan & Kaboom being an example; we rather liked it in our review. Now publisher Four Horses is sprucing it up for a 3DS eShop release this summer, rebranding it as Digger Dan DX. In this
Tuesday22nd Mar 2016
Feature Ten Game Boy Advance Games You Should Play
Puzzle games, RPGs, action, platforming...
The Game Boy Advance just recently turned 15 years old, with that first model kicking off what would be the last Game Boy 'family' or systems, at least so far. It would be a platform that would take Nintendo's portable offerings forward in leaps and bounds, not just in terms of raw power but also...
Fated for fun
The name 'Intergrow' might not mean much to most gamers in Europe or North America, but if you've spent much time with a Japanese 3DS it should ring a bell as it's the publisher responsible for bringing Western Nindie titles like SteamWorld Dig and Mighty Switch Force! to Nintendo's home country. Now Intergrow's teamed up with Rising...
Review Parascientific Escape Cruise in the Distant Seas (3DS eShop)
Sail through this story
You receive an anonymous invitation to board a luxury cruise ship… Do you heartily say yes? Do you politely say no? Or do you think to yourself: "Hang on a minute, isn't this like the start of a horror movie?" before running as fast as you can in the opposite direction? Well, our lead character from CIRCLE Entertainment's...
News Version 1.4.0 of Wii U Emulator, Cemu, Shows More Rapid Progress
Still a long way from full emulation
It's hard to know what Nintendo makes of Cemu, a Wii U emulator that's been making rapid progress. Often these fan-based projects take years to come together, but in this case there have been frequent updates, perhaps helped by the similarity - in some respects - of the current-gen system to the Wii. In any...
News Popular Super Mario Maker Speedrunner and Streamer Has All His Levels Deleted by Nintendo
"Streaming Mario Maker is 90% of my stream"
When it comes to engaging an enthusiastic community and holding the attention of online streamers and speedrunners, Super Mario Maker has all of the key ingredients. As a creation tool it allows fans to create and tackle extraordinary levels and to share them with followers on various platforms - it's...
News UK Gamers Can Now Catch a Legendary Pokémon Bird
Beautifly and Zebstrika and moonbeams...
Though the main 3DS Pokémon releases are now getting slightly long in the tooth, they continue to stay interesting courtesy of regular distributions. Now another neat giveaway is underway in the UK for those that either head to a Smyths Toys Superstore or wait for their Pokémon Trainer Club Newsletter...
News Nikkei Report Suggests That Wii U Production Will End in 2016
UPDATE: "The report didn't come from us", claims Nintendo
UPDATE: Nintendo has commented on this news, stating that "the report didn't come from us". ORIGINAL STORY: The Wii U has underperformed for Nintendo, failing to gain early momentum and only achieving modest sales each year since its arrival in late 2012. Though momentum in this financial...
Random Fan Ports Super Mario Kart to HTML5
Not exactly perfect, but it works
Though it can seem a bit basic by modern standards, Super Mario Kart was an innovative racer for its time, and it kicked off one of the most successful racing game franchises to date. It did have some unique mechanics that haven't completely been translated to the newer games, and there's certainly still a fan...
Video Nintendo UK Would Like To Remind You That The 3DS Has Some Amazing RPGs In 2016
Are you ready for your #3DSAdventure?
While the 3DS may be getting on a bit these days, it's set to enjoy a bumper 2016 in terms of RPG titles. So much so that Nintendo UK is running a campaign which aims to promote the handheld as the RPG fan's system of choice. Dubbed #3DSAdventures, the campaign is intended to spread the word about the following...
News Impressive Miitomo Download Numbers Credited For Sizeable Jump in Nintendo Share Value
"They didn't even have to use Mario to get 1 million downloads"
Following its launch in Japan on 17th March Miitomo has achieved some impressive results. It passed one million downloads in three days, and at the time of writing is still topping the free-to-download charts for iPhone and Google Play in the country. As Nintendo's goal is to boost...
Video SEGA Shows Off Three Neat Locations for Time Travel in 7th Dragon III Code: VFD
Time travelling and fighting dragons, that is
Some games have a concept that suggests they had a light-hearted pre-production meeting with the agenda of 'thinking of really cool things'. We suspect the pitch meeting for 7th Dragon III Code: VFD on 3DS was one of these, as it's all about time-travelling through fantastical locations to fight dragons,...
News Capcom Celebrates Resident Evil's 20th Anniversary
Team "hard at work to deliver some amazing new surprises"
Resident Evil is now 20 years old, another landmark to make some of us feel rather old. Beginning with fixed camera angles, limited ammo and a spooky mansion, it's a series that's evolved to incorporate faster action - for better and worse, depending on the game - and a whole load of movies...
News Edmund McMillen Announces The Legend of Bum-bo on Binding of Isaac Blog
"A turn based puzzle RPG type thingy that's randomly generated"
It may have had a somewhat round-the-houses route to Nintendo hardware, but Nintendo gamers finally got to play The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth on both the Wii U and New 3DS. The man behind those games, Edmund McMillen, has now announced another project on that title's blog. The Legend...
Video Check Out the Launch Trailer for Shantae: Risky's Revenge Director's Cut
The Half-Genie Hero's second outing
A little while ago, WayForward made the announcement that Shantae: Risky's Revenge - Director's Cut would be launching on 24th March in Europe, followed shortly by the announcement that North America would be receiving it on the same day. While the 3DS version still remains more or less a mystery, Wii U gamers...
News PixlCross Will Reveal Its Full Picture in North America on 31st March
With a puzzle editor and sharing tool
In August 2015 we shared details on PixlCross, an ambitious Wii U eShop title that'll combine 150 Picross puzzles with level creation and sharing options. The good news for puzzle fans in North America is that it'll arrive on 31st March for $5.99. Utilising GamePad controls for solving and creating Picross...
Monday21st Mar 2016
Review The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past (New 3DS / SNES)
A gem from the past
With A Link Between Worlds, 3D versions of the Nintendo 64 games and a number of other titles available via the Virtual Console and backwards compatibility, 3DS owners are not exactly short of main series Zelda games to play on their machine. For those with one of the New Nintendo 3DS models The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the...
Review Hyrule Warriors Legends (New 3DS / 3DS)
A Link in your pocket
The original Hyrule Warriors was a solid if slightly forgettable attempt at fusing the worlds Zelda and Koei Tecmo's Musou series, and despite its occasionally repetitive gameplay managed to alleviate fears that it would be little more than a shameless cash-in. Now, with the 3DS badly in need of top-drawer software as it...
Review Super Metroid (New 3DS / SNES)
Superb Metroid
Nintendo has certainly brought out the big guns for the opening salvo of SNES games on the New Nintendo 3DS, with classic game after classic game arriving on the portable. It won't last and there may even be mediocre spin-offs or complete dross in the future, but for now New 3DS owners should enjoy the brilliance that is Super...
Nintendo Download 24th March (Europe)
Hyrule Warriors Legends! Shantae 2 on Wii U! Star Fox 64! DKC! More!
Another week begins, and depending on where you are it's the start of Spring with blue skies, chirping birds and the emergence of unholy insects back into our lives. The Nintendo Download has a sense of freshness to it with a major retail arrival on 3DS, some more SNES 3DS goodness...
News Scribblenauts Studio 5th Cell Is Closing Its Doors
UPDATE: Layoffs rather than closure, says CEO
UPDATE: 5th Cell CEO Jeremiah Slaczka has spoken to Polygon about the news, and has confirmed that the studio remains open but layoffs have taken place: WB cancelled [Scribblenauts: Fighting Words] today so we had to lay off the staff. It happened so quick we're not sure what the plans are going...
Video See How Hyrule Warriors Legends on the Original 3DS Compares to the Wii U
Hey! Watch!
Hyrule Warriors Legends is a technical marvel, there's no denying that. To get such a complex and character-heavy game to run on such simple hardware is an incredible feat, but it's not as plain sailing on the original 3DS as it is on the New 3DS. Check out the comparison video below where you can see the performance of this new...
News The Game Boy Advance is Now 15 Years Old
The last of an iconic family
The Game Boy brand was one of the most powerful in gaming during the 1990s with the original system and its iterations. Though the Game Boy Color offered some enhanced power, it nevertheless took an exceptionally long time for a true successor (aside from the ill-fated Virtual Boy) to arrive. The Game Boy Advance made...
Video Watch the Leading US Presidential Candidates Battle It Out in Super Smash Bros.
Redefining 'battleground states'
When Mii characters were introduced in Super Smash Bros. for Wii U and Nintendo 3DS, the potential for entertaining videos was rather obvious. As a result they're everywhere on YouTube, but we have recently been directed to a rather good example. The Nostalgia Trip channel has put together a fun 'Super Smash...
Video Early Pokémon Go Footage Shows Off AR Pocket Monster Catching
Time to look slightly silly in public!
Pokémon Go is coming this year, though The Pokémon Company, Nintendo and developer Niantic have largely stuck with fancy concept CG commercials to date. The realities of the reveal trailer's pitch and the app itself will, naturally, be different, but the core idea of augmented reality (AR) gaming to catch...
Video Looking Into The History Of Nintendo's Longest-Serving Video Game Character
Is this Nintendo's first mascot?
Nintendo's library of characters is the envy of the gaming world, with a history that stretches all the way back to the dawn of the industry. While many might assume that the company's first mascot is Mario, there have been several other individuals who can lay claim to being the Japanese firm's leading character...
News Pokkén Tournament Has a Super Effective Launch in the UK Charts
On the podium
Last week brought us the launch of Pokkén Tournament in various territories, and the fighting game developed by Bandai Namco has registered a positive start in the UK. The fighter has made its debut at third place in the all-format charts and 5th in the single format results - it's only lost out to multi-platform titles EA Sports UFC
Random The Pokémon Company Commissioned a Pikachu Mosaic Made From 12,987 Trading Cards
Why not?
Big companies can get a little carried away when celebrating a major anniversary, and that seems to be the case with The Pokémon Company. It commissioned British artist Quentin Devine to produce a mosaic of Pikachu, following up similar projects he's completed in the past such as a Mona Lisa and a Queen Elizabeth II mosaic made out of...
News New Capcom Survey Points to Potential Future Plans for the Mega Man IP
Hang in there, Mega Man!
Ever since Keiji Inafune – the creator of Mega Man – left Capcom, the Mega Man series has more or less been put on ice. Though we technically got another entry in the classic series with the Capcom-approved fan game, Street Fighter X Mega Man, it still isn't much of a stretch to say that the series hasn't been at its...
Random An Official Splatoon Lint Roller is a Thing You Can Own
Keep your threads fresh!
The world of Splatoon is populated almost entirely with cephalopods as far as we know. Although Judd may be the only furred creature left on the planet, any cat-owner knows he'll still find a way to get his hair over everything every squid in a 10-km radius owns. Do they even have, like, bones and stuff under all that fluff?...
News Miitomo Passed One Million Downloads in Just Three Days
Lots of mii-tings are happening in Japan
Miitomo has started rather well in Japan, we know this due to the fact it's still (as of 21st March) the leading free app on iPhone, and number two on Android. A number of keen Nintendo fans online may be rolling their eyes at the social app, but Nintendo won't mind too much if the wider public continues to...
News Dara O Briain to Host Go 8 Bit, a Gaming TV Show
Like GamesMaster, but with a lot more comedy
Gamers in the UK of a certain age - like this writer - may remember GamesMaster, a quirky '90s TV show that pitched competitors against each other in the latest games. Part of the appeal was in seeing new games - which a current-day TV show can't possibly replicate courtesy of the web's dominance - but a...
News MercurySteam Reunites With Castlevania Producer Dave Cox For New Secret Project
"I'm extremely excited about this very ambitious work they're undertaking"
Spanish developer MercurySteam - which created the Castlevania: Lords of Shadow sub-series and produced Mirror of Fate for the 3DS - has revealed that it has reunited with Dave Cox, the former Konami producer who worked with the studio on those titles. Cox enjoyed 17 years...
Video Catch Up With Nintendo's Pokkén Tournament Early Access Competition
All four hours and 22 minutes, if you're really keen
Last week Nintendo of America hosted the Pokkén Tournament Early Access Competition, in which eager finalists battled over some neat prizes and a place in the official National Pokémon Championships later this year. It was a fun event and we enjoyed live streaming it, but Nintendo has now...
Sunday20th Mar 2016
Talking Point Nintendo Wants Us to Download More and Move On From Discs - Will It Work?
It's a tough sell
Nintendo is in an interesting position in terms of how it sells us retail games. On the one hand it continues to produce handsome special editions and 'first print' runs not only to appease fans, but also to promote amiibo or emphasize the significance of a particular release. On the other hand it's had a tough generation in...
News Tsunekazu Ishihara on the Difficulty of Naming Pokémon for Different Regions
Guess what Pikachu means in Japanese?
One of the aspects of the Pokémon games that gives them so much character is the creative names that many Pokémon are assigned. The name can make or break a Pokémon's reception, yet Game Freak has consistently managed to nail the naming with clever puns and plays on words that indicate attributes of the...
News Looks Like The Pokkén Tournament Pro Pad Was Supposed To Have LEDs And Force Feedback
Pokémon Rumble?
If you've had the good fortune to have played Pokkén Tournament in its arcade guise then you'll be aware that its controller is festooned with cool-looking LED lights. LED lights make everything look better - it's a fact. If you've also played the Wii U version with the exclusive Pokkén Pro Pad, then you'll know that this feature...
Video Learn More About Superman: Blue Steel, Factor 5's Final Project
Kryptonite to an excellent studio
Factor 5 was a studio that had plenty of fans, with its Rogue Squadron titles in particular being standouts for Nintendo fans. Unfortunately its later years were punctuated by aborted projects and difficult generational transitions, an example being an attempt to produce a Kid Icarus game for Wii. Now occasional...
Saturday19th Mar 2016
Live Blog Watch Sonic the Hedgehog's 25th Anniversary SXSW Panel and its 'Special Reveal' - Live!
It'll be over in a blur
Sonic the Hedgehog is a franchise with a big Anniversary in 2016, as SEGA celebrates the mascot's 25th Birthday. Of course, with a landmark date fans expect a big game, and this SXSW panel has been teased to include a 'Special Reveal'. What will it be? Join us to find out! <liveblog...
Nintendo Life Weekly "Leaked" NX Controller, Miitomo Japanese Launch Success and More
Even pictures can't cure our thirst for salt
With Miitomo's Japanese debut it's been all go here at Nintendo Life Towers, so if you're someone who thinks they've missed out on some seriously spicy news, we've got you covered once again with our regular video feature Nintendo Life Weekly. This week we look at the supposedly leaked image of what some...
News Miitomo Continues Strong Run in Japan
Tops iPhone overall chart and climbs to second on Android
Just recently we reported on the first two days of download results for Miitomo in Japan. It made a storming debut across iOS on 17th and 18th March, and now we have information on more results and the earliest Android chart placings. Once again we've been checking up on App Annie, and what...
Review Volcanic Field 2 (Wii U eShop)
All fizzle, no boom
Playing Volcanic Field 2 is a lot like throwing lasagna against the wall. It can be fun and even primally satisfying for a short while, but you'll soon take a closer look and realize how much of a mess it is. The game can be described as a 2D, sidescrolling, twin-stick shooter. The left stick, d-pad, or even shoulder buttons on...
Video Learn About the Quirky History of Wii Sports and Its Role in Bringing Us Mii Characters
Wuhu Island could have been more important, too
Wii Sports is the biggest-selling retail game of all time. Sure, the fact it was bundled with many Wii systems outside of Japan made that a reality, but it's still an extraordinary statistic. It's a title with an interesting history, too, especially in its integral role in helping the concept of Mii...
Random Check Out This Monster Hunter Generations Themed Honey
Make your own Mega Potions
One of the key components of any Monster Hunter game is the elaborate crafting system that backs the majority of the item economy. While it is certainly possible to buy items in shops, it's almost always a better choice to go out and make it yourself by finding and combining the right materials. Arguably one of the most...
Friday18th Mar 2016
News Nintendo Issues Statement On Side Quest Changes In Bravely Second
Aim was to improve the "game experience" and avoid "undue regret"
Earlier this month, we reported on a rumour that the western edition of Bravely Second: End Layer only had "good" endings to optional side quests - a change which, when twinned with alterations to one of the character costumes, triggered quite a stir among fans.
Rumour Buster Let's Have A Good Look At That "Leaked" NX Controller
Seems to use "Free-Form" LCD Screen seen in patent
With the run up to E3 and the nature of the internet, it's inevitable that we're going to get some fanciful Nintendo NX rumours floating around. We recently tackled some rumours which the internet got in a flap about, as there wasn't much substance to back them up. Now we've been hit by another...
News Nintendo Announces Separate Hyrule Warriors Season Passes for Wii U and 3DS
With some shared content - it's... slightly confusing
With Hyrule Warriors Legends around the corner we knew there'd be a season pass and plenty of download content as Nintendo looks to recreate the success of its predecessor. What's a little unexpected is that the Wii U original will also have a version of the same season pass but with a separate...
Poll Are You Ready to Download More of Your Retail Games From the eShop?
Nintendo's keen, but are you?
Though we wait (im)patiently for My Nintendo - and Miitomo - to arrive in the West, the launch in Japan has given an early look at how the Club Nintendo replacement is shaping up. We expect tweaks and even alternative rewards for the West, but the general structure and broad detail is likely to be largely the same...
News Pokkén Tournament Punishes Players Who Rage Quit
"Quitting in the middle of a battle is rude to your opponent"
Pokkén Tournament punishes rage quitters, Eurogamer has reported. Dropping out of a match in an attempt to avoid a "loss" being registered on your record costs you some of your precious Poké Gold. The game even goes as far as to warn you of the consequences of rage quitting before you...
Hardware Review Pokkén Tournament Pro Pad by Hori
Are you pro enough?
Having started life as an arcade game it's no surprise that Pokkén Tournament has its own controller. What is a surprise is that it's been shrunk down, had a few extra buttons added and been released for the Wii U version. Despite its most obvious shortcoming being the fact that Pokkén is the only Wii U title that's compatible...
News Miitomo Makes Storming Debut on iOS in Japan
"Should remove any doubts" about Nintendo brand power on smart devices
Miitomo, as many reading this will know well, launched on 17th March in Japan. Nintendo and DeNA's social app is certainly under pressure to deliver big download numbers, while shareholders will be watching closely to see what kind of revenue it and future apps will generate. A...
News The Pokémon Company Confirms Outstanding Lifetime Sales for the Franchise
About 279 million sales all in
The Pokémon Company is well into its year-long anniversary celebrating its franchise, with Pokkén Tournament the latest arrival in stores, while Pokémon Sun and Moon and Pokémon Go will be a huge arrivals later in the year. We all know that the series is successful, but there are now some clear figures that...
News Stretchy And Sticky Splatoon Squid Toys Are Coming To Japan, Thanks To Taito
Easy squeezy
Video game veteran Taito is producing a series of stretchy, goo-filled Splatoon squid toys. Now there's a sentence we didn't think we'd be typing when we woke up this morning. Due for release in Japan (where else?) on April 5th, the toys can be seen in action in the teaser video below. You can squeeze 'em, splat 'em and throw 'em in a...
News Pokkén Tournament Demo Comes Out Fighting On The European Wii U eShop
Try before you buy
Well, that was unexpected. Without any warning, Nintendo has pushed a demo of Pokkén Tournament onto the European Wii U eShop, giving players the chance to sample the title for free. The download went live last night, and weighs in at an impressive 1150MB. There's currently no sign of a similar demo on the North American eShop,...
Video Yuu Ayasaki, Voice Actress for Mashiko / Mary-o, is Next Up in Super Mario Maker
Also stars in Daigasso! Band Brothers P
Super Mario Maker has had a good mix of familiar and lesser known characters in its regular Event Course unlocks, and the next in line is certainly in the latter category. Having seen the latest video on Nintendo's Japanese channel we had trouble figuring out who it was, so hat tip to Perfectly Nintendo for...
News LEGO Marvel's Avengers Season Ticket Goes Big With New Levels and Characters
Plenty for $10
DLC Season Passes are currently looked upon with some suspicion, as some high profile examples have failed to deliver on the goods in the current generation. At £8 / $9.99, however, the LEGO Marvel's Avengers Season Pass on Wii U (and other platforms) is actually looking like great value with a lot of characters and new levels...
Video Watch The Conclusion Of The 'Guess the amiibo' Mini-Series
Kids at heart
Over the past week Nintendo of Europe has uploaded some fun 'Guess the amiibo' videos, where figureheads like Shigeru Miyamoto and Splatoon co-director Tsubasa Sakaguchi pose in an identical position to an amiibo figurine for us to guess which character they're imitating. Nintendo's now posted the videos in full, revealing the answers...
Thursday17th Mar 2016
Guide Here's How To Get Miitomo Early On iOS And Android
Fun with the Japanese release
Miitomo is out in Japan, and the surprising thing is that despite the regional exclusivity, it's possible to play the "game" entirely in English. Doing so requires a bit of additional legwork and (please read this disclaimer twice or maybe even three times) you won't be able to use your Nintendo Account unless you...
Feature Getting Friendly in Surprising Ways With Miitomo
Knowing Mii, Knowing You
The pressure has been on Nintendo for many years from some fans (and not to mention shareholders) to create games and apps for smart devices. It resisted for quite some time but a partnership with DeNA was announced in early 2015; thoughts of a Mario endless runner sprang to mind, but Nintendo's first entry into the crowded...
Feature Breaking Down the My Nintendo Loyalty Economy
Show Nintendo some love
The Club Nintendo replacement - My Nintendo - hasn't launched in the West as yet, mainly due to the fact we're waiting for the accompanying launch of Miitomo to make its way out of Japan. It's going to happen this month, but the vagaries of mobile app releases mean it could be tomorrow, 31st March or anything in between;...
Review Advance Wars: Dual Strike (Wii U eShop / DS)
War has twice before been this much fun
Intelligent Systems' long-running Famicom Wars series didn't arrive in the west until the release of Advance Wars on the Game Boy Advance, but the colourful turn-based tactical gameplay quickly acquired many fans. A GBA sequel arrived, followed by this DS entry. Like the two proceeding GBA instalments Advance...
Nintendo Download 17th March (North America)
Pokkén Tournament! Mutant Mudds Super Challenge! Mario & Sonic! More!
It's time for another North American Nintendo Download Update, and this week brings a few notable releases. We have a big-name fighting title on Wii U, Mario & Sonic competing in the Olympics, cross-buy goodness from Renegade Kid and more besides. Without further pre-amble...
News The My Nintendo Rewards 'Missions' Show What's Needed to Earn Freebies and Discounts
Miitomo naturally plays a big early part
Earlier today we shared the My Nintendo rewards that are on offer in Japan, with plenty of coins required to unlock exclusive downloads, discounts and DLC. The question is, how easy is it to earn these coins? Well, the graph below shows that the options for Platinum Coins are certainly varied, with Nintendo...
News My Nintendo Has Gone Live in Japan, Introduces Exclusive Content and a DS Download on 3DS
The start of something new
Nintendo's upcoming loyalty program – My Nintendo – may still have yet to launch in the west, but it just recently went live in Japan along with the new Miitomo app. The news doesn't come as much of a surprise, but it's interesting to see the kind of goodies that are being given away over the new service. Here's the...
Review Mutant Mudds Super Challenge (Wii U eShop)
Git gud or get rekt
Way back in 2012 when the eShop was still in its earliest stages, Mutant Mudds was released to general critical acclaim. Indeed, it was one of the earlier original titles released for the eShop, and paved the way - in a sense - for what would go on to become a very prolific service. Now, four years later, does the follow-up live...
Review Mutant Mudds Super Challenge (3DS eShop)
For super players only
One extremely welcome perk that comes with buying a copy of Mutant Mudds Super Challenge is cross-buy; picking up a digital copy of the game on either Wii U or 3DS will net you a free copy on the other platform. Naturally, this makes one wonder: which platform is the better experience? For the purpose of this review, we'll be...
News Nintendo's Official UK Store Opens Up Star Fox Zero Pre-Orders
Including an 'interesting' t-shirt
Star Fox Zero is now a little over a month away from release on Wii U, and it's set to be a key Spring release on the system. In Europe there'll also be a First Print Edition that includes a Steelbook case and a disc copy of Star Fox Guard, a shorter spin-off release that's evolved from Project Guard. Nintendo UK...
News Satoru Iwata Honoured At GDC 2016 With A Touching Animated Short
Have some tissues ready
The late Nintendo president Satoru Iwata - who sadly passed away last year - has been honoured in a short animated film which pays tribute to the incredible impact he had on the gaming world. Created by Raber Umphenour, Shawne Benson, David Hellman and Chris Kohler, the clip begins with Iwata mulling over gameplay concepts...
News Zero Time Dilemma Launches on 28th June in North America and Europe
Digital and physical for NA, digital only for Europe
The Zero Escape series is an interesting entry in the genre of visual storytelling. Depicting a riveting tale of imprisonment and escape, the previous two games have been critically acclaimed for their dynamic approach to storytelling. While it is true that this type of game is something of an...
News Reggie Fils-Aime Shares Hope That Miitomo and My Nintendo Will Connect Users With Company Brand
Expects Miitomo to "expand and evolve over time"
With the launch of Miitomo and My Nintendo in Japan there's plenty of conversation around both as we await their release in the West. Set to arrive together, combined they'll represent a new era in Nintendo's loyalty offering in addition to the company's first full smart device app. The Western...
Video Explore The Appeal Of Miitomo With This New Launch Trailer
Posted on "Nintendo Mobile" YouTube channel, no less
Miitomo has launched in Japan, and we've already given you hands-on impressions and showed how to install the game elsewhere in the world. Now, it's the turn of Nintendo - via its shiny new Nintendo Mobile YouTube channel - to expla
News Devil's Third Developer Valhalla Game Studios Goes International and Launches Vancouver HQ
Itagaki in "state of bliss that can sail against this endless challenge"
Devil's Third was one of the most talked-about Wii U releases in the latter half of 2015, for better and for worse, dividing opinion after its long development route that eventually brought it to Nintendo's system. Despite being so many years in the making it was the first game...
Weirdness Jackie Chan Backed A Motion-Controlled Fitness Console That Pre-Dated The Wii
Say hello to the XaviX Port!
The Wii was revolutionary in that it introduced the mainstream gaming market to motion controls and the concept of "keeping fit" through gameplay. However, it was by no means the first gaming platform to achieve this - in 2004, Japanese firm SSD Company Limited released the XaviX Port alongside a range of sports-focused...
Live Blog Watch the Pokkén Tournament Countdown Clash and Early Access Finals - Live!
Hours and hours of live matches
Pokkén Tournament is due in stores on 18th March, and Nintendo is doing its utmost to ensure that we're all excited for the Wii U release. In this live blog we'll start with an hour of live action from Nintendo UK, before shifting to the 5 hour+ Early Access finals from the Nintendo NY store in New York...
News Toadette is Next in Line for Super Mario Maker's Mystery Mushroom Unlocks
Backpack 'n all
Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker is a bit of a gem on Wii U, and certainly worth considering for those eager to bulk up their Wii U game collection. With lovely visuals and clever puzzle gameplay it's certainly enjoyable to play, and has two of Nintendo's cutest stars in Captain Toad and Toadette. The first of the duo has already been...
Wednesday16th Mar 2016
News Pokémon Creative Director Dies at Age 42
Thank you for everything, Mr. Medalle
It was recently reported that Eric Medalle – the Creative Design Director at The Pokémon Company International – passed away yesterday afternoon in an accident. Medalle was taking his daughter for a Sunday drive through a nearby park when a Douglas Fir was pushed over onto their SUV by heavy winds. His...
News Nintendo Seems To Be Deleting Super Mario Maker Levels Without Explanation Or Warning
"I know this has been post about before, but I am so angry"
Nintendo appears to be removing user-generated Super Mario Maker levels without warning or reason, and is refusing to comment on the reasons why. Kotaku has reported on various posts online from users who have had their beloved creations taken down despite the absence of any objectionable...
News Smash 4 Receives Yet Another Patch
We thought it was all over...
One of the niftiest things about Super Smash Bros. for Wii U & 3DS is the developers' ability to send out live updates to further tweak its gameplay mechanics, ensuring balance amongst the roster of fighters. It's definitely something that's needed - just look at the controversy the infamously over-powered Meta...
News Meet The Famicom Machine Gun Peripheral That Never Made It Out Of Japan
Complete with realistic recoil system
It's easy to forget just how massive the NES was back in its glory days, but even that system paled in comparison to the near-domination that its Japanese counterpart - the Famicom - enjoyed in its homeland. Simply put, the Nintendo "Family Computer" was the only real game in town if you were a Japanese player,...
News Admit It, You Want This Splatoon Splattershot Water Pistol
Available for pre-order "soon"
The guns in Splatoon take a lot of inspiration from real-world water pistols, so it's perhaps a little surprising that Nintendo hasn't taken more advantage of this fact - an entire range of themed water shooters should have been available at launch; it would have been a licence to print money. Thankfully, the company...
Timing is everything
Well, Sony has finally put its cards on the table in terms of Virtual Reality. Following Oculus Rift and the HTC Vive's release details the PlayStation bosses confirmed an October arrival for its headset, at $399.99 for the basic offering. The PS4 add-on is arriving after its biggest rivals and, predictably, at a lower price...
News Akira Tago Passes Away at Age 90
The Professor Layton series' "Puzzle Master"
The Professor Layton games form a popular portable series that's spanned across the DS and 3DS, famous for their puzzle-based gameplay. Though fans still await the coming of the mysterious 'Layton 7', the series recently lost a great contributor on its development side. It was recently reported that...
Review Inside My Radio (Wii U eShop)
Inside my '90s accessory
Inside My Radio is yet another heavily stylised 2D Indie platformer with a little twist of rhythm added into the mix. The player is tasked with journeying through the insides of a dying Boombox in order to resurrect it back to life through tuning dials, jumping gaps and defeating the occasional boss. There's a basic slice of...
News Twilight Princess HD Loses Out to The Division on Japanese Launch
Outperforms equivalent Wind Waker HD sales, however
It's Japanese charts time thanks to Media Create, and we have a major Wii U release joining in to try and start the party for Nintendo. The results are ok, but not spectacular. Kicking off with software we have the first week for The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess HD, which arrived seven days...
Video Nintendo Shows Off amiibo Functionality in Hyrule Warriors Legends
The Master Scan
The original Hyrule Warriors on Wii U made use of amiibo to allow daily scans in exchange for random goodies. That continues in 3DS expansion Hyrule Warriors Legends, but as expected there's extra content to be grabbed compared to the original. Details on these extras have dribbled out in recent weeks, but Nintendo has now produced...
Video Zordix Makes a Splash With Updated Aqua Moto Racing Utopia Footage
Maximum Power!
Aqua Moto Racing Utopia seems to have been in our 'Upcoming Releases' list for a little too long, having been originally revealed in February 2014 for the Wii U eShop. As a HD follow-up to Aqua Moto Racing 3D we naturally thought "oh boy, it could be the next best thing to a new Wave Race", and we cling to that hope to this very day...
News Shantae: Risky's Revenge Director's Cut Launches on the European Wii U eShop on 24th March
North American announcement coming soon
A little over a month ago, WayForward issued an update regarding the impending release of Shantae: Risky's Revenge – Director's Cut for Wii U. A re-release of the popular DSiWare title, Shantae: Risky's Revenge – Director's Cut aims to recreate the original in HD with some helpful new additions, like a...
Video Splatoon Head Honcho Tsubasa Sakaguchi Joins In With an amiibo Impersonation
A balanced approach...
Just recently we shared a video of Shigeru Miyamoto impersonating an amiibo, sort of, which certainly demonstrated his awesomeness rather nicely. It evidently wasn't a one-off, as Nintendo of Europe has released another neat video with a different development star. This time around it's the public face of Splatoon's...
Live Blog Watch Two Hours of Monster Hunter Generations as Capcom Names a Giant Owl - Live!
Because HororoHoruru doesn't cut it
We're rather excited about Monster Hunter Generations here in Nintendo Life towers, the Western localisation of Monster Hunter X (Cross) that's coming in the Summer. So we're happy to watch Capcom fight and name Hororohoruru in the localised version - it's a big deadly owl, basically, and it's going to have a new...
A shot at glory awaits
Back in late February Nintendo of America (and GameStop) hosted some small regional contests for Pokkén Tournament as part of its 'Early Access' tournament. The idea was simple, regional winners progress to a live final and - should they win that - they can then have a crack at winning the Nationals and then Worlds of the...
News Infinity Runner is Dashing Towards a 24th March Release on Wii U
A werewolf in space, because why not?
Wales Interactive has released a couple of titles on Wii U to date - Gravity Badgers and Master Reboot - with Soul Axiom still to come, and has now given a final release date for one of its long-standing announcements. It's taken a while, but Infinity Runner has firm release details. This is a first-person...
News RCMADIAX Confirms Release Date for SUPER ROBO MOUSE and More in Europe
European gamers to catch up soon
RCMADIAX has been one of the most prolific game developers on the Wii U eShop, though with upcoming title SUPER ROBO MOUSE is planning to start a shift in development approach to more sizeable - and less regular - releases. The studio has now issued an update on a number of its upcoming releases. Super Robo Mouse...
Tuesday15th Mar 2016
Review Pokkén Tournament (Wii U)
Nintendo used Smash Hit. It's super effective!
Pokkén Tournament: it's not quite what a select few may have imagined when they dared to concoct a Pokémon / Tekken crossover game in the recesses of their wildest dreams, but few had even considered such a ludicrous idea until it actually came to fruition. Nevertheless, it's a real thing that...
Reminder Create Your Nintendo Account for a My Nintendo and Miitomo Bonus
The clock is ticking
We know that Miitomo and the new My Nintendo loyalty programme launch on 17th March in Japan - the trouble is that we don't yet have a firm release date for the Americas and PAL territories. They're both coming in March, but as can be the way with smart device apps - and some Nintendo initiatives - the launch could come at...
News 3DS System Update 10.7.0-32 is Now Live
At this rate, it'll become a singularity
3DS firmware updates are something that are fairly common occurrences nowadays. While it may be that these typically don't add any new or exciting features, there is one thing that every update adds that we simply can never have enough of: stability. Fortunately, the Nintendo R&D wizards have managed to...
News My Nintendo Rewards Start on 17th March in Japan, Alongside Miitomo Launch
As expected, though DLC and HOME Themes don't earn coins
It's always been the case that the new My Nintendo loyalty scheme - for those that have setup a Nintendo Account - would launch alongside Miitomo. With Nintendo's social app launching in Japan on 17th March the loyalty scheme will also arrive on the same day, and Nintendo's official website...
News The Midway Arcade Level Pack for LEGO Dimensions Has Lots of Retro Goodness
Loads of retro arcade games unlocked
When we reviewed LEGO Dimensions last year we enjoyed various aspects of it, with the NFC technology used in clever ways and some stand-out levels winning our favour. However, it's also a game - or 'platform' - that's particularly aggressive in its upselling, locking a lot of extra content and even areas within...
News Carnegie Mellon Professor Thinks Nintendo Is Working On A Fully-Mobile Virtual Reality Headset
"Imagine if you strapped a DS to your face"
Virtual Reality is set to go big this year, with challengers like the Oculus Rift, HTC Vive and PlayStation VR all entering a market which is predicted to be worth hundreds of millions over the next few years. Despite tentatively dipping a toe into this sector two decades ago with the ill-fated Virtual...
Random You Can Have the Animal Crossing Mayor Figurine You Always Wanted
Unfortunately you can't pay with Bells
Part of the enduring charm of the main entries in the Animal Crossing series is the customisation you can carry out on your Mayor. Goofy clothes and accessories mean that, beyond the very limited initial customisation you can have a political leader that's as irreverent, silly or dashing as you see fit. Though...
Video Shigeru Miyamoto Accentuates His Awesomeness With an amiibo 'Impersonation'
We love you Miyamoto-san
Shigeru Miyamoto is awesome. We're pretty sure anyone that's played his games, seen him in E3 / Nintendo Direct presentations or simply read his interviews will agree. A master of the gaming industry and, lest we forget, one of the three most senior figures within the whole of Nintendo. He may be a senior executive, but...
Video This Trailer Will Remind You Why You Should Still Be Excited About The Deer God
Official Wii U eShop trailer emerges from the undergrowth
Indie hit The Deer God was originally supposed to arrive on the Wii U eShop last year, but seems to have suffered a slight delay. Thankfully, it would appear that we don't have to wait that much longer for the game, as publisher Mobot Studios has released a fresh trailer - presumably ahead of...
News Forsooth, We Badly Need To Cuddle These Shovel Knight Plushes
Plague Knight has no right to be this adorable
Not long ago, we reported on the simply irresistible Shovel Knight plush, which we sincerely hope you all purchased at least one of. Now, we're once again ready to assist in the emptying of your bank account by showing off the full range of soft toys based on Yacht Club's excellent game - including an...
News Gear Gauntlet is Spinning Towards the Wii U eShop
Cystalline Green working on the port
The eShop continues to be a key part of the Wii U platform, with a range of exclusives and ports giving owners of the home console new content to consider. It also introduces Nintendo fans to plenty of new Indie names, and this year we'll be playing a game by another relatively unknown studio - Drop Dead...
News North America's Next Splatfest Will Take Place This Friday
Do you want to build a snowman?
Following hot on the heels of the announcement of Europe's next Splatfest, Nintendo of America has recently confirmed a Splatfest to be taking place this weekend at the same time. While it may be that this latest topic still isn't as awesome as its Pokémon predecessor, it nonetheless seems to be an appropriate topic...
Monday14th Mar 2016
Review Fire Emblem: Mystery Of The Emblem (SNES)
All Hail Prince Marth! (Yes, that Marth)
Ask any western gamer who Marth is and they will quickly reply something along the lines of "That cool sword-wielding guy from Super Smash Bros." - something that is understandable since the Fire Emblem series that began all the way back to 1990 on the Famicom only reached the West in 2003. But behind his...
Nintendo Download 17th March (Europe)
Pokkén Tournament! Mutant Mudds Super Challenge! New 3DS VC! More!
With another week's beginnings we have the Nintendo Download Update details for Europe, and this time around we have a major Wii U release and a cross-buy Nindie title leading the way. There are also two classic Super NES racing games coming to the New 3DS Virtual Console, a shooter...
News Star Fox Zero Will Include An Invincible Mode For Inexperienced Players
Other modes for those "looking for an even harder challenge", too
Shigeru Miyamoto has given an interview with Time about the forthcoming Star Fox Zero, and has revealed that an "invincible" mode will be included for those who find the challenge a little too daunting. While this might sound like dumbing-down, the legendary designer reveals that...
News Unreal Engine 4 Programmer Returns With Fresh Batch of HD Ocarina of Time Scenes
It's nice to dream
Considering the fact Nintendo's already done the whole 'HD remaster' thing twice with The Legend of Zelda games, it seems rather optimistic to wish for the same treatment for Ocarina of Time, especially as it's already had an excellent 3D remaster. As the real deal seems so unlikely we have to rely on skilful and dedicated fans to...
News Future Of Project Giant Robot Is Still Up In The Air, Says Miyamoto
"Unfortunately we haven't yet decided to turn that into a full game"
When Nintendo lifted the lid on Star Fox Zero, it also showed off two titles which were intended to leverage the unique nature of the Wii U's GamePad controller. Project Guard has since become Star Fox Guard and will launch alongside Star Fox Zero in April, but the other title -...
Editorial Accessibility Through Optional 'Invincibility' Buffs Can Only Be a Positive for Nintendo
Let's try to be Super Guides and spread the gaming bug
So, Star Fox Zero will not only have a co-op mode that'll allow less experienced players to play as a gunner and pew-pew stuff through the GamePad, but also a friendly option where gamers will have an invincible Arwing and simply fly through a level regardless of their performance. In the very...
News Axiom Verge Confirmed for Wii U Release Later This Year
Huzzah!
Axiom Verge is the critically acclaimed work of Thomas Happ, who produced the game on his own over a number of years. Incorporating elements of Metroid, Contra and more with its own distinct touches, its eventual publication on PSN was also helped along be former Nintendo of America Indie head honcho Dan Adelman. Talk of the game coming to...
Crikey
Oddworld: New 'n' Tasty finally arrived on Wii U recently, which is an excellent re-imagining of the classic Oddworld: Abe's Oddysee. Now it seems that developer Oddworld Inhabitants is planning to repeat the trick for its next release. It's announced Oddworld: Soulstorm for a planned 2017 arrival; based on the official website it does sound...
News Wii U Exclusive Twisted Fusion Gets a Playable Browser-Based Beta
Pick the single or dual screen option
Way back in Spring 2014 Twisted Fusion was one of a number of eShop projects that was successfully funded on Kickstarter. The work of Leuvsion - a studio led by UK-based developer Lewis Pugh - it's an ambitious "open platformer" in which players can tackle the adventure alone or with up to five co-op buddies...
News Renegade Kid Once Pitched A GBA Port Of Demon's Crest To Capcom, But Was Rebuffed
Poor sales of the SNES original to blame
Demon's Crest is one of the true underrated gems of the SNES library, yet it sold terribly upon its initial release back in 1994. In issue 100 of Nintendo Power it was even reported that the game had registered negative sales one week, as more people returned it for a refund than bought it. Thankfully, Capcom...
News Twilight Princess HD Holds Top 10 Place in UK Charts
Pokemon gives 3DS a minor presence
The UK chart results for last week have emerged, and in the absence of any knockout new releases for Nintendo - though next week will include Pokkén Tournament - the focus has been on momentum for key titles. Namely, we're referring to The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess HD, which had an impressive debut week...
News Pokémon Composer Tsukasa Tawada Shows Off Musicverse: Electronic Keyboard
Those with the app can download 'Tokyo Polka'
The 3DS eShop has a few options when it comes to music composition, with the latest being Musicverse: Electronic Keyboard. Abylight is keen to highlight how its creative and sharing tool can be used, and has recruited a highly-regarded composer to help with the task. Tsukasa Tawada worked in sound...
Video Get a Good Look at Disney Art Academy
Oh, and some rad New 3DS cover plates
Disney Art Academy may not have been a knockout announcement for those that follow the 3DS closely, but it has the potential to be a major success for the portable. Combining the solid line-up of Art Academy games with the brand power of Disney seems like a smart move that could pay off in a significant way...
News Futuridium EP Deluxe Approaches Wii U Release, Though the New 3DS Will Need to Wait Longer
April is the target release month
MixedBag is another development studio gearing up for its Nintendo eShop debut, having announced its intentions in early 2014. One of its planned releases is the intriguing forma.8, but first up will be Futuridium EP Deluxe, which is increasingly close to its Wii U arrival. Previously a PS Plus offering on PSN,...
News Elliot Quest Developer on the Upcoming 3DS Port
Targeting a late fall release
Elliot Quest was an excellent 2D platformer from last year that took lots of inspiration from Kid Icarus and Zelda games. It received an 8/10 here, with minor pacing and technical issues being the only things that really hold it back from perfection. Last year, the game's creator mentioned that a 3DS port was being...
Video Mutant Mudds Super Challenge Trailer Opts for Retro Charm
Time for a real challenge
We may have praised optional invincibility options very recently, but as noted there we also highlighted how third parties and download games can provide old-school difficulty to keep gaming ninjas busy. An example of this is Mutant Mudds Super Challenge, which takes the formula of the first game and adds a whole lot of...
Sunday13th Mar 2016
Probably won't, but it's nice to think about it...
After following Nintendo for a number of years certain trends jump to the fore. Introducing new IPs is a minefield - Splatoon had buzz from day one, but Code Name: S.T.E.A.M's 2014 reveal was greeted with 'where's Advance Wars' questions and it struggled at retail. Too much of one franchise does...
Soapbox It's too Early to Judge Paper Mario: Color Splash
Is there a colour for disappointment?
Paper Mario: Color Splash has been grossly panned by many disappointed fans, and considering how mixed the response was to its predecessor Sticker Star, it's understandable that any hallmarks of that game would illicit this response. Nevertheless, this video maker feels it's far too early to be passing such...
Video Learn a Little More About Nintendo's Funniest Anti-Hero, Wario
Began as a symbol of independence
We're pretty sure that a number of Nintendo fans have a soft spot for Wario. The overweight, gold-loving and wacky trouble maker began life as a villain, but has gradually become the face of his own quality platformers and some wacky minigame collections. As a character his history is rather interesting, as he's...
News The Next Splatfest Topic for Europe Has Been Announced
How would you like to get around?
Earlier this week, a fairly substantial update for Splatoon went out, making numerous changes to several different aspects of the game. One of the things that was overhauled with this update was how Splatfests will be conducted; basically, 'Splatfest Power' will now more closely tie in with the rank of individual...
Saturday12th Mar 2016
Review EarthBound (New 3DS / SNES)
This game smells lovely
Well here's a treat for New Nintendo 3DS owners: EarthBound! Back on the SNES, this second instalment of Shigesato Itoi's much-loved Mother series only received a western release in North America (where it sold poorly). Buying a second-hand copy for silly money was most people's only option until the Wii U came to the rescue,...
Nintendo Life Weekly New Nintendo Patent Spotted, Ubisoft Responds to NX Rumours and More
Nintendo tries to Kinect with its audience
It's been another whirlwind week in the world of Nintendo, and in order to help you digest all that's been occurring, we have once more condensed all the week's goodness into a single creamy video for your viewing pleasure. This week we look at a new Nintendo patent recently made public, Ubisoft's unusual...
News Shigeru Miyamoto on the Development of Yoshi's Island
An oldie, but a goodie
Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island was definitely something of a gamble for Nintendo when it launched back in the days of the SNES. The Super Mario series was only four (technically five) games long, and instead of making a safe sequel to the popular Super Mario World, a game was made starring his dinosaur companion, Yoshi...
Feature Nintendo Life's Favourite Mario Spin-Offs
The mascot's about more than platforming
This past week brought us Mario Day, or 'Mar10 Day' as Nintendo of America promotes it. Goofy campaign it may be, but it's nevertheless an excuse to celebrate the mascot and his many, many games. Having already extensively covered the series for its 30th Anniversary and having considered our favourites out...
Interview Renegade Kid on Stepping it Up With Mutant Mudds Super Challenge
It was nicknamed Uber Mudds, after all
A number of development studios have become well-known and familiar names to eShop aficionados - Renegade Kid is certainly a studio that most 'Nindie' followers will know from their releases across 3DS and Wii U. Though the company has a previous track record in the DS retail scene, and has also extensively...
Friday11th Mar 2016
News Twilight Princess HD Nearly Had Wii Remote Controls
A blessing or a curse?
The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess HD has been out for about a week now, and it is certainly the definitive version of the game. Of course, one aspect of it that has somewhat split the fanbase is the fact that it primarily features button controls, as opposed to the Wii version which had an increased focus on motion...
Review Steel Rivals (Wii U eShop)
Steel your nerves
The fighting genre has been around since the glory days of the arcade, and while it may not be quite as popular today as it's always been, there's still quite a following for this rather technical type of game. Though fighting games may initially seem to be quite simple, they usually have a fairly deep combo system that requires...
Review Dragon Ball Z: Super Butoden 2 (SNES)
Just Saiyan
Dragon Ball Z fever was very much a real thing in the '90s, but this blonde hair, Kamehameha-throwing insanity hit the UK and America much later than the rest of Europe. As such, it might still not be common knowledge that all four of Super Famicom's Dragon Ball Z one-on-one fighting games received PAL localization and distribution -...
News Impressive Fire Emblem Fates Sales Ensure It Makes an Impact on US Charts
What a revelation
It's well established, courtesy of Nintendo shouting it from the rooftops, that the launch of Fire Emblem Fates in North America has been successful. Over 300,000 sales between Birthright, Conquest and Special Editions in the launch weekend alone made it the most successful ever US debut for the series, for example. The February...
News Nintendo Badge Arcade Updated, More Free Plays For Everyone
Pin this one on me
Nintendo Badge Arcade has been updated in Europe, a fact which should make it a little more appealing to those who have resisted its free-to-play charms thus far. Version 1.3.1 requires 627 blocks of free space and ups the number of free plays offered to players. The super bonus from the Practice Catcher now gives three free...
Only in Japan, obviously
Volcanion & The Ingenious Magearna is the latest Pokémon movie to surface in Japan, and those who pre-book tickets for this cinematic event will get a Volcanion to use in Pokémon X & Y or Pokémon Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire. As revealed in CoroCoro magazine, pre-booking runs from April 16th through July 15th,...
Weirdness Check Out These Ditto Inspired Pokémon Plushies
Has science gone too far?
For those of you that are unfamiliar with Pokémon, Ditto is a very popular Pokémon for, erm, breeding purposes. Essentially, Ditto is just a big, purple blob that's capable of assuming the form of any Pokémon it chooses, copying nearly everything about it. Of course – when Ditto is in its standard form – it's...
News Rhapsody is Now Available on the Wii U
The first music streaming app for Wii U
The Wii U has always been a video game console first and foremost, as opposed to its competitors which have branched out to have other multimedia functions in addition to playing video games. Though there's something to be said about the console being 'focused', it does feel like a bit of a letdown that there...
Taisuke Kanasaki is at the helm
It's going back quite a number of years now, but the DS and its dual-screen format helped deliver some intriguing narrative-driven gaming experiences. Fans of interactive storytelling with a grown-up approach may recall three particular DS releases that provided some notably stylised narratives on the portable - Trace...
News River City Ransom SP is Looking Fighting Fit in Latest Trailer
'Fighting of Double Dragon 2016' adds fun duelling, too
Announced quite some time ago now, River City Ransom SP - a modern remake of the NES title known as Street Gangs in some territories - is nearing its release on 3DS in Japan. Based on a new trailer out in the wild Arc System Works is evidently doing some good work with its licenses. The beat...
News Miitomo Launches in Japan on 17th March
Hopefully the western launch isn't far off
This month, Nintendo will be releasing its first official app for smart devices in the form of Miitomo, and naturally there's lots of chatter around what it'll be like. Though some were expecting a game, it seems that Miitomo will be a more social experience, centering around interesting facts and questions...
News Chronicles Of Teddy: Harmony Of Exidus Arrives On The Wii U eShop Later This Month
After slipping from its Fall 2015 release
Aksys Games has announced that it is bringing LookAtMyGame's Chronicles of Teddy: Harmony of Exidus to the Wii U eShop at the end of this month. A 2D platforming epic with RPG elements, Chronicles of Teddy has NPC interaction, over 30 hours of gameplay and plenty of unlockables. It was originally expected...
Weirdness Minor League Baseball Team Is Making Its Players Wear Game Boy Jerseys
Knocking it out of the park
Minor league baseball team Frisco Roughriders has something of a habit of getting its players to wear unique shirts based on pop culture icons, and this year the team is harnessing the power of Gunpei Yokoi's finest creation, the Nintendo Game Boy. The Roughriders - who play at the amusingly-named Dr Pepper Ballpark -...
Thursday10th Mar 2016
News Here's Why SNES VC Games Can Only be Played on a New 3DS
CPU seems to be the main problem
One of the surprise announcements from the last Nintendo Direct was the revelation that SNES games would be playable on the New 3DS, with the famous "available after this presentation" line being delivered. While many fans were no doubt thrilled to see the classic 16-bit console's games being made available...
Review Super Mario World (New 3DS / SNES)
Same great adventure, smaller screen
As everyone knows, the best use of your latest piece of gaming machinery is to play games from yesteryear. Should a Nintendo Direct mention a 'new old' system is joining the Virtual Console line-up there is much excitement, and so it was when it was revealed that SNES titles were going portable. Though limited to...
News Five Wii U Releases Confirmed for Nintendo Selects Range in Europe
Will be joined by an equivalent eShop price cut
Update: A kind European tipster (PtM) has pointed out that Nintendo Land is also going to be part of this range in mainland Europe, though evidently not in the UK. Original Article: In recent times Nintendo of America has confirmed a handsome expansion to its Nintendo Selects range (due to launch on...
Nintendo Download 10th March (North America)
Fire Emblem Fates: Revelation! Star Ghost! Blasting Bunnies! More!
It's that time of the week when we look at the download treats on the way from Nintendo, and this time around the North American update certainly has some promising options. The headline arrival is major campaign DLC on 3DS, while there are some quirky and interesting offerings...
News Fans Should Expect "Something New" With Zelda Wii U, Says Eiji Aonuma
"I think the base of our secret sauce has always been Ocarina of Time"
Zelda producer Eiji Aonuma has spoken to Japanese magazine Famitsu about the forthcoming Legend of Zelda on Wii U, and the good news is that development appears to be progressing well. Aonuma says he and his team have been "busy", and observes similarities between development of...
Review Star Ghost (Wii U eShop)
Spirited away
Star Ghost's arrival on the Wii U eShop might appear to be fairly sudden - the game was announced mere weeks ago - but its inception and gestation have actually taken quite some time. Based on the 2015 iOS release Star Drift, this unique take on the old-school arcade shooter concept is notable for the fact that its developer -
Poll Which Is The Best Mario Spin-Off Series or Game?
There are so many...
Nintendo of America is keen for today to be 'Mar10 Day', a charming little spin on date conventions which doesn't have the same ring to it elsewhere - it's 10Mar day in the UK, for example, which isn't anywhere near as catchy. With a cute video to celebrate and some social media shenanigans afoot, it is at least an opportunity...
News Nintendo Handheld Patent Focuses on Infrared and Gesture Recognition Technology
Pitching in with a fresh control concept
As we get ever closer to Nintendo lifting the lid on its NX hardware this year, patent applications are naturally a focus as we explore the areas of technology that the company has been exploring. Past examples that have been of interest have included a cloud-based computational device and an intriguing...
News Pokémon Comaster is Revealed as Another Upcoming Smart Device Release
If 3D chess and checkers mega evolved...
The Pokémon Company is relatively experienced in utilising smart devices, even if its parent company Nintendo is gearing up to release its first major app this month. In another effort to expand the reach of the 'mon franchise the company has announced another spin-off that's heading to phones and tablets -...
News Two Tribes Announces That RIVE is Now a Development Farewell
Will still support partners following release
RIVE is a hugely promising title from Two Tribes, a fast-paced action shooter that gave us a new appreciation for being blasted to bits following an extended hands on last year. Coming to Wii U, PS4, Xbox One and PC it's now confirmed for a September release; the surprising addition to this news,...
Video Today Is Officially Mar10 Day
Mario goes marching on
Today is Nintendo's equivalent to Star Wars' May 4th, in that March 10th marks the official day for its mascot, dubbed "Mar10 Day" (get it?!). Nintendo has acknowledged this by producing a video on its YouTube channel, so have a watch and let us know if you were charmed by it like this writer was. How will you spend Mar10...
Gallery Take a Look at Famitsu Scans and Screenshots for Zero Time Dilemma
If you have the time
Zero Time Dilemma is certainly one of the most intriguing releases due on 3DS this year, as it promises to answer questions left over from 999: Nine Hours, Nine Persons, Nine Doors on DS and Zero Escape: Virtue's Last Reward on 3DS. As it's a sequel to two of the finest examples of interactive storytelling in recent generations...
News Jools Watsham on the Difficulty Level of Mutant Mudds Super Challenge
A game for the fans
Just last week, it was announced that Mutant Mudds Super Challenge will be releasing on 17th March in all territories. The follow-up to the original Mutant Mudds may not be technically considered a sequel, but something of a 'continuation'. Naturally, this means that it's a game being tailored to the fans, and the difficulty is...
News Super Mario Maker and Splatoon Pick Up BAFTA Game Awards Nominations
3DS games miss out entirely
The BAFTA Game Awards aren't far away, with comedian Dara O'Briain once again signed up to host the extravaganza on 7th April at Tobacco Dock, London. With plenty of awards up for grabs Nintendo will have a chance to walk away with a few prizes, though does miss out entirely in one key category. Let's start with the good...
News Pentapuzzle Launches in Europe and Australia on 5th May
The fifth day of the fifth month
Pentapuzzle was a puzzle game released by RCMADIAX for the Wii U eShop last March, centered around the concept of fitting different pentomino blocks together inside a grid. We rather liked the idea of the game, though it did feel somewhat unfinished and static. That aside, Pentapuzzle initially launched in North...
Wednesday9th Mar 2016
DLC Review Fire Emblem Fates: Revelation
The gang's all here
Note: Mild spoilers ahead for Fire Emblem Fates Birthright and Conquest. You've been warned. No matter which path you initially took, Fire Emblem Fates' two campaigns left a number of open questions around what's really happening in the world. Where did all those shadow enemies come from? Who is Azura, really? Why didn't the...
Weirdness You Can Now Play 3D NES Games In Your Web Browser
Wonders never cease
Next time you're bored at work you might want to try out this pretty incredible piece of programming which runs NES games via your browser in - wait for it - 3D. 3DNES only runs in Firefox and isn't operating at full speed at present, but as a technical feat it's pretty impressive. It takes original NES games and presents them...
Review Joe's Diner (Wii U eShop)
Scary bad
Joe's Diner sounds compelling on paper: you're a new employee at a lonely diner on an abandoned stretch of highway. The diner is set atop an Indian burial ground and is rife with other-worldly activity; your goal is to survive through the night and by keeping the spirits at rest. Unfortunately, ideas don't always come out the way one might...
News 'Special Reveal' Teased for Sonic the Hedgehog Anniversary Panel at SXSW
We can safely say it's not a new Wii U-exclusive Sonic Boom sequel
In this year of landmark anniversaries we can add Sonic the Hedgehog to the list, with SEGA's iconic mascot turning 25 in the Summer. The mascot has had his ups and downs but still remains an integral part of the gaming scene in the eyes of plenty of fans, and we can be sure that...
Feature Poster Children - Your Guide to Collecting Nintendo Power's Awesome Classic Posters
A blast from the past
If you were a kid growing up at the end of the '80s and into the late '90s, you very well may have known that home console gaming was in its prime glory in the Bush Senior and Clinton era. The new and as-of-yet unexplored frontiers of companies like Nintendo and Sega were fertile planting ground for now-classic and beloved...
News Controversial FPS Paranautical Activity Will Be Plumbing The Depths Of The Wii U eShop Soon
From the dev who threatened to kill Gabe Newell
Digerati Distribution is bringing Code Avarice's Steam shooter Paranautical Activity to the Wii U eShop. The game - which is a mixture of FPS action and Roguelike elements, all wrapped up in a graphics engine which calls Minecraft to mind - is perhaps most famous for the furore which surrounded its...
"There are stories waiting to be told"
The competitive Super Smash Bros. community is one of the most committed in the Nintendo sphere of gaming, driving the series' popularity and value in major tournaments and keeping interest in the games alive long after release. It's a community that's had its difficult times, too, but there's much to praise...
Video The Mashiko Mystery Mushroom Outfit in Super Mario Maker is Evidently Self Aware
We have a special Zelda-themed idea for the next outfit...
We love Super Mario Maker. We love free stuff. So the regular Event Courses and unlockable Mystery Mushroom outfits are a nice treat. We don't necessarily mind that some are Japanese characters we haven't really heard of, because they look cool and they cost us nothing. Yet still, the...
Video Nintendo Details Super Mario Maker's "Key Update"
Get it? 'Cause there's keys.
Super Mario Maker just keeps on giving. With the next update planned for 9th March, even more tools and bits will be added to the mix, providing savvy creators all the more opportunities to force players through the products of their gorgeously twisted little minds. Right next to when the update is scheduled to arrive,...
News You Can Now Import Japanese Games and Systems from Amazon Japan
Oh the humanity!
Thanks to region locking on some hardware and occasional Japan-only releases, importing has become a regular part of life for some gamers. Various online stores offer the service, but import costs can take something like a New 3DS cover plate (for example) and add around 33-50% onto their price compared to their cost if they were...
News Nintendo Gears Up for Quite a Bit of Network Maintenance This Week
Nintendo Badge Arcade update also inbound
Oh, Nintendo Network maintenance. If it was a person it'd be a slightly cheeky but suspicious boiler repair man, who's friendly and witty but never seems to actually do anything. Nintendo sure likes maintaining its network, and to be fair without this work it'd probably be a hot mess that we'd all complain...
News Nintendo Hardware Sales Climb in Japan Despite Limited New Releases
Vita and PS4 lead the way
It's Media Create Japanese charts time once again, with 3DS and Wii U facing off - as always - with Sony systems. The software results bring new releases in the top three, once again with a dual release across Vita and PS4 (sometimes there are triple releases that also include PS3) leading the way - Gundam Breaker 3. The...
Video Splatoon Co-Director Tsubasa Sakaguchi Has Some Top Tips For Budding Inklings
Newcomers, take note
Splatoon is getting new content this year and has recently passed one million units shipped in Europe. That means there's a lot of new players flocking to the game, and these individuals may well be wondering how they can improve their tactics and get on a level playing field with those who have mastered the title over the past...
Video Take a Tour of Super Mario Maker's Key Update and All its New Features
The pun train keeps rolling
Super Mario Maker version 1.6 has arrived on all our Wii U systems, and what a delightful update it is. We decided it was so lovely that it was worth showcasing everything that's new this time around and what better way to do it than an unscripted video where the host stumbles over his words every nine seconds? Check out...
News Splatoon Has Now Shipped One Million Copies In Europe
Staying fresher for longer
Nintendo has confirmed that Splatoon has shipped over one million copies in Europe. The Wii U shooter was one of Nintendo's most robust titles throughout 2015 in terms of sales, and will continue to get new downloadable content in 2016. As well as being a commercial success it has earned considerable critical acclaim,...
News Abylight Is Bringing The Award-Winning AfterZoom To The 3DS eShop
Turn your console into a microscope
Abylight Studios has confirmed that it is resurrecting its DSiWare title AfterZoom on the 3DS. The DSiWare version - originally released in 2011 - was awarded with a part-grant by the Ministry of Culture of the Spanish government, and mixed real-world biology with fantasy elements. There's no release date as...
Tuesday8th Mar 2016
Review Pokémon Ranger (Wii U eShop / DS)
Gotta circle ‘em all!
Welcome to the Fiore region, a relaxed place where Pokémon are free from Poké Balls, able to roam around in the wild or stay as someone's pet if they've taken a liking to a particularly snug blanket. You are the newest recruit to the Rangers, a group of dedicated (but often dull) individuals who provide help to citizens or...
News Ubisoft Is Trying To Quell Beyond Good And Evil 2 NX Rumours
Pigs might fly after all?
Last week, we reported on the rumour that Nintendo was funding the development of Beyond Good And Evil 2 in order to make the game an NX exclusive in 2017. Reaction to this rumour was somewhat mixed, with many assuming it was simply wishful thinking - an Ubisoft exclusive on a Nintendo system? Yeah, we've been there before...
Video Here's All the Changes in Splatoon's Latest Update to Version 2.6
Oh the Tenacity
Splatoon's had more than its fair share of free content updates, and since last week's Nintendo Direct we now know that they haven't finished fiddling with the game just yet. In in effort, we assume, to try and make the game more varied, several changes have been brought into effect for version 2.6. Most notable are the changes to...
Talking Point Nintendo's Fortress of Secrecy Needs to Tighten Security for the Year Ahead
Sharing isn't always the best policy
It seems that not so long ago Nintendo's ability to keep secrets was legendary. When leaks or early slip-ups emerged in past years it was normally a trusted partner that spilled the beans - examples included the occasion when a TT Games employee tweeted a picture of the re-designed Wii U GamePad prior to its...
Interview Former Retro Studios Man Rhys Lewis on Going Alone With Star Ghost on Wii U
"I reflected on Iwata-san's words" with move from iOS to eShop
When a one-man studio developer states - with as much humility as possible - that they've previously worked at both Rare and Retro Studios, you can't help but be intrigued. These are two of the most storied Western development studios in Nintendo history, with Rare being an integral part...
News Takashi Tezuka Began Development On Zelda: Link's Awakening Without Nintendo's Permission
Director wanted to "defy Zelda conventions" with Game Boy outing
The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening might seem like the pint-sized sibling of the sublime Link to the Past, but many regard it as the superior release, despite the cruder visuals and sound. The 1993 Game Boy release was one of the first titles for the handheld which showed it could...
News The Original Mega Man Gets a Fresh Coat of Paint with Mega Man Redux
If only Capcom loved this series as much as the fans
Mega Man was the game that started it all, catapulting the Blue Bomber to fame and kicking off what would be a long and rich line of action games. Though the Mega Man games have all but screeched to a halt in more recent times, Capcom did decide to throw fans a bone and put out the Mega Man Legacy...
Video Star Fox Zero's Opening Cutscene Gets Compared to Star Fox 64's
Let's see how you handle our new ships
The release of Star Fox Zero's opening cutscene is still only available in Japanese, but upon closer inspection it looks like we may not need an English translation to know what's going on. The slideshow of stills not only looks familiar, but it's clearly been made as a direct replica of the original opening...
News Mario Kart TV Website Confirmed for Closure on 5th April
In-game functionality remains, however
Mario Kart 8 has had a lot of excellent features that have earned it plaudits, such as anti-gravity mechanics, amiibo support and paid-DLC. A much trumpeted feature when it launched, also, was Mario Kart TV, which allows you to upload highlight reels directly to YouTube. Though you can access much of this...
Random Check Out This Japanese Transformable Skell Toy
More than meets the eye
One of the interesting new additions to Xenoblade Chronicles X is the introduction of Skells (or Dolls, for Japanese players), which are basically giant, drivable mechs that make traversing the colossal world of Mira that much easier. While it may be that it takes a large chunk of game time to actually reach a point where you...
News The Binding of Isaac: Afterbirth is Coming to Wii U
Hopefully launches next month
A little while back, it was heavily teased that The Binding of Isaac: Afterbirth would be coming to Wii U. The massive expansion to the randomly generated roguelike was originally expected to skip Nintendo platforms, but it sermed that the developers evidently had changed their minds with the Wii U, though a New 3DS...
News Zero Time Dilemma Aiming to Resolve All Series Mysteries and Tackle 'Extreme' Scenes
Game director jokes about potential CERO Z rating
Zero Time Dilemma may have been announced and revealed in a limited fashion in the West since 2015, but Famitsu magazine is currently gearing up to run an 8-page feature to formally reveal the 3DS and Vita title to the Japanese market. With any Famitsu feature comes, of course, a batch of intriguing...
Video Sit Back and Enjoy Two Hours of Monster Hunter Generations Gameplay
A monstrously long stream
Following the recent Nintendo Direct announcement that Monster Hunter Generations is coming to the 3DS this Summer, this writer missed the boat. Two hours could have been spent (on 4th March) watching the localised version of the game in action in a live stream, including a segment of the neat new mode where you can tackle...
News The Pokémon Company Steps Up Its Promotion of The Pokkén Tournament Championship Series
A trip to the world finals in San Francisco is up for grabs
As competitive Pokémon players know very well we're starting to approach the competitive season. While the current-gen 3DS titles and the Trading Card Game will be in the contests as always, this year is a little different as Pokkén Tournament is also coming into the mix. Having...
Monday7th Mar 2016
Review Pokémon Red and Blue (3DS / GB)
Twenty years ahead of their time
When these games were released back in the late nineties, the air around younger Game Boy owners was one of excitement and rivalry. Nintendo is clearly trying to capitalise on the nostalgia factor for all of us who were within the target age group (and some who weren't) when these titles were originally released,...
Review Return to Popolocrois: A Story of Seasons Fairytale (3DS)
A heartwarming harvest
As a crossover between Yohsuke Tamori's PopoloCrois (an enduringly popular fantasy manga from 1978) and the evergreen Bokujō Monogatari series (formerly known as Harvest Moon and now Story of Seasons in the West), Return to PopoloCrois: A Story of Seasons Fairytale stands out, even in the 3DS' impressively varied RPG garden...
Editorial Nintendo's Virtual Console Revolution Must Wait as We Pay Once More for SNES Games
This cycle is surely ending...
In one sense Super NES games on the New Nintendo 3DS is rather exciting - it's the first (legitimate) time a lot of these games can be played on a portable device, after all. That's something to celebrate, but the reveal and pending line-up also comes with its own nagging issues and annoyances, some of which could...
Rumour Buster No, That Person You StreetPassed Is Not Playing Pokémon Sun
Sneaky homebrew malarky to blame
We get some quite exciting news tips submitted by you, our dear readers, from time to time. One such tip arrived in our email inbox from one such follower who was kind enough to alert us that a person they had recently StreetPassed appeared to be enjoying Nintendo's recently-announced Pokémon title, Pokémon Sun...
Nintendo Download 10th March (Europe)
New 3DS VC classics! Stella Glow! Star Ghost! Blast 'em Bunnies! More!
Another week begins, and on this occasion delivers a corker of a Nintendo Download Update for Europe. There are a total of five high quality Virtual Console releases across the Wii U and New 3DS, along with a retail arrival on 3DS and a variety of promising download-only releases...
Review World Driver Championship (N64)
The N64's Gran Turismo?
Boss Game Studios off-loaded sequel duties to their dumb-fun hit Top Gear Rally in order to commence work on what would be an altogether more serious, authentic project – 1999's World Driver Championship. It would be the last significant output from the assured Redmond-based team, but remains amongst only a handful of truly...
Video Feast Your Eyes On Star Fox Zero's Opening Story Cinematic
In Japanese, but still
The story cinematic for Star Fox Zero has appeared online, and although it's entirely in Japanese, it gives you a flavour of the game's plot. As the title is essentially a remake of the N64 title, it's unsurprisingly to learn that Andross is the main antagonist. A few familiar faces appear elsewhere in the footage, and the...
News The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess HD Leads the Way for Nintendo in UK Charts
Number one in the single-format results
The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess HD is the first of what Nintendo hopes will be a few key releases for Wii U in the next few months. The remaster of the previously successful Wii launch title (which also landed late on GameCube), it's also responsible for kickstarting the year's 30th Anniversary...
Rumour A My Nintendo Exclusive Picross Game Will Be Based On Twilight Princess
Apparently set to release alongside the new loyalty program
Jupiter has been the primary developer behind the most recent Picross games, which have all been released on the eShop. While the first several games were just simple entries in the series that featured pixel art recreations of common things, the series branched out into new territory with...
Video Learn Some Fun Facts About Conker, His Descent to Badness and Nintendo's Naughty Side
Not cute and cuddly
Conker's Bad Fur Day is undoubtedly a cult classic on Nintendo 64, as Rare evidently decided all bets were off and turned a previously 'cute' project into a rather mature outing on the system. That history and transformation into one of the few mature Nintendo-published games - though there have been a handful over the years -...
News Synthwave Artists Celebrate N64's 20th Anniversary with Free Music Compilation
Two decades "synth" Nintendo's 64-bit powerhouse released
This June marks an important occasion in Nintendo history: the 20th anniversary of Nintendo's first 3D home video game system, the Nintendo 64, which released in Japan on 23 June 1996. To mark this momentous occasion, a group of artists has released a free unofficial synthwave compilation of...
News We'll Be Cursing At Super Meat Boy's Insane Difficulty "Very Very Very Soon"
"You should be playing it in a couple months! Hooray!"
Super Meat Boy for Wii U was hinted at not so long ago, but its appearance during the recent Nintendo Direct broadcast (the European one, at least) is the first solid confirmation we've seen that the indie platformer is indeed bound for a Nintendo system. Now, co-creator Tommy Refenes has taken...
Review SMART Adventures Mission Math: Sabotage at the Space Station (Wii U eShop)
Space Case
There's a distinctive feel to many educational games that makes their genre immediately identifiable. If you grew up with the likes of Spy Fox and Pajama Sam, you likely know what kind of style we're referring to. SMART Adventures Mission Math: Sabotage at the Space Station fits this bill rather well, which has both positive and negative...
Video Here's What A DJ Battle On Game Boys Looks (And Sounds) Like
Live from the Niche Nights ChipBattles event
Game Boy modder and chiptune master Joe Heaton is here to give us an official on-the-floor report from an amazing musical event - enjoy! On February 12th 2016, Niche Nights hosted the first ever ChipBattles event at Fab Cafe in Manchester. This is a brand new event within the scene of "Chiptune" music,...
Exclusive Check Out Star Ghost's Second Trailer Ahead Of Its eShop Launch
A ghost in the machine
Star Ghost is docking with the Wii U eShop later this week, and to mark this event we've got an exclusive trailer for the game. Produced by former Rare and Retro Studios staffer Rhys Lewis, the game is a procedurally-generated shooter which borrows the control scheme from the rocket-barrel sections in Donkey Kong Country...
Sunday6th Mar 2016
Particularly on the 3DS
Nintendo, for reasons covered frequently on previous occasions, can no longer rely on sheer volume of releases for 3DS and, in particular, Wii U. What it can do is share its passion for its hardware through its own game releases and how it delivers them to fans. In its 3rd March Nintendo Direct broadcast the company did just...
News Star Fox Guard's Japanese Site Reveals More Details About the Game
Slippy's time to shine
One of the rather surprising announcements to emerge from the recent Nintendo Direct was that the previously shown "Project Guard" was to be repurposed as a new game starring Slippy Toad – called Star Fox Guard – to be launched alongside the release of Star Fox Zero. The Five Nights at Freddy's-esque style gameplay...
Nintendo Life Weekly Pokémon GO! Closed Beta Announced, Beyond Good & Evil 2 NX Rumour and More
Japan only, unsurprisingly
What with a full Nintendo Direct and a whole host of other happenings, you could easily be forgiven for missing some Nintendo news amidst all the hustle and bustle, so as usual we've distilled everything down into a quick and convenient video for your viewing pleasure. This week we're tackling Pokémon GO!'s invite-only...
Saturday5th Mar 2016
Feature Exciting Wii U and 3DS Games to Play in Spring and Summer 2016
Nintendo upped the ante in its most recent Direct
Following Nintendo's latest Direct broadcasts, a much clearer picture of the upcoming goodies on Wii U and 3DS has emerged. It was pitched as a presentation to show off current-gen games in our near-future, and it delivered on just that. Following on from our equivalent list for the first quarter of...
Video The Entire Zelda Timeline Is Explained By Popular YouTube Theorists
Another chance to get your head around it all
Whether you buy into it or not, an official timeline for The Legend of Zelda series very much exists - and that's thanks to the Hyrule Historia book released in 2011. For years, diehard fans of the franchise carefully constructed their own theories, containing as much detail as possible from clues...
News Twilight Princess Developers Discuss the New Additions to the HD Edition
Also, Aonuma talks a bit more about Zelda U
The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess HD just came out today, allowing western gamers the opportunity to play through the definitive version of the game. While it may be that this is the third release of the game, there have been several small, but no less welcome, tweaks to the gameplay and structure to...
News Reports Point to a 'Nintendo Land' Universal Studios Theme Park Area for 2020 in Osaka
Aiming for Olympic year
It was announced some time ago that Nintendo was teaming up with Universal Studios on theme park locations and attractions. While there has been some speculation around the Orlando site, a report from Sankei points to definitive movement and investment on a 'Nintendo Land' attraction area at Universal Studios in Osaka...
Video Nintendo Minute Celebrates Pokémon Day and the Revamped Nintendo Store in New York
So many Pikachus...
27th February was dubbed 'Pokémon Day', celebrating the 20th Anniversary of the franchise and the launch of the first-gen games on the 3DS Virtual Console. Naturally there were some promotional shenanigans afoot, and this week's Nintendo Minute provides a nice look at the events in and around the recently revamped Nintendo NY...
Friday4th Mar 2016
News This Massive Snorlax Plush Doubles As The Perfect Pokémon Bed
59 inches long, weighs 12kg, costs $430
The Pokémon Snorlax is famous for being a bit sleepy, so you can forgive Bandai for taking advantage of this trait by creating what is best described as a giant cushion based on the character. Available in Japan for 52,000 Yen (around $430 / £300 / 390 Euros), Snorlax (or Kabigon has he's known in his...
News Konami and Capcom Are Bringing Some SNES Classics to New 3DS
More Nintendo titles on the agenda, too
One of the most pleasing reveals of the most recent Nintendo Direct broadcasts - for retro fans, at least - was confirmation of Super NES titles coming to the New Nintendo 3DS Virtual Console. Various titles were confirmed for the first few weeks of the service in North America and Europe (see link above for...
Feature The Big Nintendo Direct Summary - 3rd March 2016
Setting the scene for longer gaming days
It had been a little under four months since the last full broadcast - aside from game-specific efforts - so Nintendo came into its most recent Direct broadcasts with a remit to seize momentum and excite Wii U and 3DS owners. Overall there was plenty to mull over with some surprises and big announcements,...
News Nintendo Warns It'll Block Rule Breaker's Access to Super Mario Maker's Online Features
"We hope you understand"
After all the hubbub of the Nintendo Direct, which included confirmation of a major update for Super Mario Maker, Nintendo rather quietly provided a reminder of some key rules that, if broken, could lead to bans from the online 'Course World' component of the game. The notification came on Miiverse, outlining three key...
News We'd Sure Love to See This Japanese Super Famicom New Nintendo 3DS XL in the West
It's Super
If you're yet to get around to watching the Japanese Nintendo Direct, it's worth taking a look. Much of it is either the same as in the West or focusing on titles long established outside of Japan (such as Shovel Knight and Terraria), but it had some unique segments that certainly catch the eye. For one thing a lot more SNES Virtual...
Poll Did the Wii U and 3DS Nintendo Direct Kickstart 2016?
Aiming for current-gen buzz
Well, Nintendo certainly tried to wow its fans with its first full Direct of the year. Regardless of opinions over the content, what is clear is that there was plenty of it across the different key regions, with a mix of solidified details and surprises thrown in. Considering the timing and content here it's certainly...
News The Legend Of Zelda's Link Is A Guest Star On Google Maps
To mark Twilight Princess HD release, we're assuming
The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess HD is out this week, and it would appear that someone at Google is a bit of a fan, as hero Link is making a guest appearance in Google Maps. Open up Google Maps in your browser and hover your mouse pointer over the little "Street View" character in the...
Exclusive Mutant Mudds Super Challenge Launch Details are Confirmed
Cross-buy and loyalty discounts up for grabs
Mutant Mudds Super Challenge may not have '2' in the title, but it's shaping up to be an intensely challenging follow-up for fans of Renegade Kid's original action platformer - Mutant Mudds. Following the first game's break-out success on the 3DS eShop, in particular, this one's sure to get quite a bit of...
News Hyrule Warriors Legends Season Pass Confirms Four Waves of DLC for 3DS Release
Medli to arrive as a freebie in both versions of the game
Hyrule Warriors Legends aims to catch lightning in the bottle, converting the excitement that surrounded the Wii U original into strong sales to the far larger 3DS userbase. Of course, that original title was jam packed with paid DLC, and Nintendo has now confirmed that the portable iteration...
News Mini Mario and Friends amiibo Challenge Launching April 28th in North America
Or March 25th from partipating retailers...
A new amiibo tie-in title is coming to both the Wii U and 3DS, paying homage to the Mario and Donkey Kong series. Mini Mario and Friends amiibo Challenge is a free game available on the eShop and is compatible with select amiibo figures, mostly from the Super Mario series. With over 60 levels, you will...
Video Catch Up With All of the North American and European Nintendo Direct Videos
Wrapped up in a nice bow
Well, the Nintendo Direct broadcasts have passed. There were some surprises, quite a few details that were expected, and also information had been on the web ahead of time. We suspect both the European and North American subsidiaries will be looking to plug some leaks in the coming days... There was plenty to enjoy,...
News Nintendo Wanted To Produce A Transforming amiibo For Star Fox Zero
Argh-wing
With it being one of the next big home console releases, Star Fox Zero is on the tips of the tongues of many at the moment - especially with yesterday's Nintendo Direct revealing further detail about what the game has to offer. However, some were left disheartened at the lack of a Star Fox amiibo series to enter Nintendo's toys-to-life...
Book Review Artcade: The Book Of Classic Arcade Game Artwork
Got any spare change?
It's hard to believe it now, but there was a time when the evolution of the video game industry happened not in the home, but at locations like bowling alleys, cinemas, bars and - if you're from the UK - humble fish and chip shops. While home consoles have been a massive part of gaming for decades, they traditionally lagged...
News Pocket Card Jockey Comes to the 3DS This May
The latest from Game Freak
It seems that Nintendo really brought the thunder with today's Nintendo Direct, with announcements of new games, release dates, DLC updates, and more making it a very packed forty-one minutes. One of the things that seemed to get a little bit ignored in all the hype was the announcement that Game Freak's Pocket Card Jockey...
News Pokémon Go is All Set for a March 'Field Test' in Japan
The adventure begins, sort of...
Though Pokémon Go recently saw its GDC presentation get cancelled, there's no real suggestion as yet that the project is in trouble; to the contrary developer Niantic is gearing up to send its app into the real world. In a short but sweet blog update the developer has stated that it's planning a field test of the...
News Nintendo's Third Party Game Sizzle Reel Shows Off Some Download Gems
Pinball Arcade is back! Noitu Love: Devolution! PixelJunk Monsters! More!
Well, Nintendo of Europe rolled out its traditional sizzle reel for Nintendo Direct, though rather than being an eShop-only effort it aimed to show off third party games in general. Admittedly the first minute is a mix of retail and download games that are rather familiar and...
Video Shigeru Miyamoto's Star Fox Zero YouTube Blitz Has Landed
Lots of talk of an evolving project, utilising the GamePad and more
During the most recent Nintendo Direct broadcast Shigeru Miyamoto appeared on our screens to present Star Fox Zero and Star Fox Guard, confirming their dual release in April. It was a pleasing affirmation that the title has been finished as planned, and we don't have long to wait...
News Rain Games Announces World to the West
From the makers of Teslagrad
2014 saw the release of Teslagrad, an innovative new metroidvania title that utilised a unique, hand drawn visual style. We rather liked it in our review, and even got to discuss the game at length with the developers. One of the points brought up in the interview was that Teslagrad was set in a greater universe, and...
Video New Azure Striker Gunvolt 2 Trailer Showcases Summer Release
First game currently on discount
During today's Nintendo Direct, it was reiterated that the hit sequel Azure Striker Gunvolt 2 will launch in summer of 2016 on the 3DS eShop. The sequel to the original Azure Striker Gunvolt, the newest installment brings new features and characters to the mix. Gunvolt's rival Copen is now a playable character and...
News The Bravely Second Demo Comes to North America on 10th March
Get ready to bust some Ba'als
Bravely Second: End Layer is yesterday's news over in Europe, but North America still has to wait for another month before getting a shot at some of that RPG goodness. In the lead up to the game's launch in Europe, there was a demo released that functioned almost as its own standalone game; it featured a ten hour...
Thursday3rd Mar 2016
News SNES Games Finally Arriving on the New Nintendo 3DS Virtual Console
Launching in waves over the coming weeks
During today's Nintendo Direct, an announcement many have anxiously been awaiting finally surfaced. Super Nintendo games are coming to the New Nintendo 3DS; they're not, however, coming to older models. Over the next few weeks, many of Nintendo's most beloved titles will be rolling out for the system. For...
Live Blog Watch the North American March 2016 Nintendo Direct - Live!
Wii U and 3DS goodies inbound
It's the first full Nintendo Direct of the year, which promises news on Wii U and 3DS games that we'll get to play in Spring and Summer. We're expecting updates on much anticipated games and even some surprises, with Reggie Fils-Aime and Bill Trinen likely to lead the way. <liveblog...
Feature What We Expect from Nintendo Direct - 3rd March
The temperature rises for Wii U and 3DS
Following the quickfire Pokémon Direct that arrived in late February, we now have a full-fat Nintendo Direct to look forward to. With clear expectations set by Nintendo - Spring and Summer games for Wii U and 3DS - along with trademark postings and the obligatory 'leaks' that always precede any broadcast,...
News Paper Mario Colour Splash Coming to Wii U
The next entry in the beloved series
After much anticipation, the next console title in the Paper Mario franchise was announced during the most recent Nintendo Direct - Paper Mario Colour Splash. Equipped with his new weapon, the Paint Hammer, Paper Mario must help the citizens of Prism Island bring colour back to their home. Once in battle, using...
Nintendo Download 3rd March (North America)
Twilight Princess HD! Pac-Man 2! Chasing Dead! Discounts galore! More!
There may be the small matter of a Nintendo Direct around the corner, but we still have the standard North American Nintendo Download Update details to enjoy beforehand. The star appearance this week is for a HD remaster on Wii U, of course, though there are also varied...
News Niantic Cancels Pokémon GO Presentation At Game Developers Conference
No GO?
This year's Game Developers Conference takes place later this month, and Pokémon GO developer Niantic was due to hold a talk on March 14th about its latest game. Studio CEO John Hanke was supposed to give attendees "a first-hand, in-depth look at how players are interacting and exploring the world with one another through Pokemon GO," with...
Rumour Beyond Good And Evil 2 Is Being Developed As A Nintendo NX Exclusive
Just like Bayonetta 2?
Beyond Good and Evil is one of those cult hits which performed poorly at retail yet gained a massive following, and as a result fans have been clamouring for a sequel for years. Ubisoft, for its part, has employed a "never say never" approach, and while it seemed that the game was in active development a long time ago, things...
News Star Fox Zero Launching April 22nd on Wii U
Comes bundled with a special surprise
During today's Nintendo Direct, it was confirmed that Star Fox Zero will make its long awaited debut on 22 April 2016, exclusively on Wii U. Producer Shigeru Miyamoto detailed that the game pays homage to Star Fox 64 while featuring many new game mechanics. Throughout the game's levels branching paths will...
Live Blog Watch the European March 2016 Nintendo Direct - Live!
The time is now
It's been quite a wait, somewhat punctuated by a special Pokémon broadcast, but we now have the first full Nintendo Direct of 2016. Satoru Shibata and Ed Valiente will be our hosts to show off Wii U and 3DS games on the way in Spring and Summer. <liveblog id="watch_the_european_march_2016_nintendo_direct_-_live"...
News Genei Ibun Roku #FE Is Now Called Tokyo Mirage Sessions #FE In The West, Arrives In June
Let's dance
Shin Megami Tensei and Fire Emblem mash-up Genei Ibun Roku #FE finally has a solid release date in the west, as well as a flash new title. It's going to be called Tokyo Mirage Sessions #FE in North America and Europe, and arrives in both regions on June 24th. It was also confirmed that the game's Japanese vocal track will remain...
News Metroid Prime: Federation Force is Coming Sooner Than Expected
Game will also feature RPG elements
There has been much scepticism about Metroid Prime: Federation Force, which series producer Kensuke Tanabe addressed head on in today's Nintendo Direct broadcast. He also showed how Samus Aran will make a cameo appearance in the game, although she will not be a playable character, and we learned that this one is...
News Super Mario Maker To Get Major Update On March 9th
Spike pillars, keys, pink coins and more
We've said it many times already, but Super Mario Maker truly is the game that keeps on giving. On 9th March a free software update will add a Super Expert mode to the 100-Mario Challenge; it's unlocked after players clear Expert mode. Super Expert Mode dishes out six extremely tough courses - additionally,...
Rumour Monster Hunter Trademark Points to Potential Nintendo Direct Reveal
Title spoilers within
It's off to the rabbit hole for those that feel inclined as pre-Nintendo Direct rumours swirl around the web. Having look at the apparent leaks we're not fully comfortable on their accuracy or whether it's something that should even be shared in the first place; yet an actual trademark is hard to ignore. If you don't want to...
Review 6180 the moon (Wii U eShop)
You are my sunshine, my only sunshine
Many games are based around a quest to restore the light. Normally it's a kind of metaphorical light used to symbolize peace and hope; an attempt to fight back against the darkness and restore balance. 6180 the moon does away with pretense and sets up the most universally pivotal journey of all - bringing the...
News Lost Reavers Open Beta Kicks Off On The Wii U eShop This April
With the full release following closely behind
Bandai Namco's free to play Wii U eShop offering Lost Reavers - once upon a time known as Project Treasure - is coming to the west this year, it has been confirmed. An open beta for the game will launch on April 14th, with the full release happening on April 28th. These release dates apply for both...
News Three 'Solid' Pokémon Offered as Free Extras to Pokémon Bank Users
You have to regi-ster...
Pokémon Bank may not have had the most auspicious of starts, with the success of its festive launch in Japan causing the infamous Nintendo Network Christmas meltdown of 2013, but it's become an integral part of the Pokémon experience. For a relatively small annual fee ($4.99 in the US, for example) players can store their...
News Splatoon Updates to Continue Into 2016
Contains balancing, tweaks, and weapon sets
The hit multiplayer title Splatoon will be receiving some new updates throughout 2016. Beginning on March 8th, an update will address balancing issues regarding specific gear abilities. Some will recieve a buff making them stronger on the battlefield, while others a small nerf. Additionally, tweaks to...
News Monster Hunter Generations is Heading to 3DS This Summer
As expected it's the localisation of Monster Hunter X (Cross)
Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate provided a notable sales breakthrough for the series in the West, so it's no surprise that the series will aim to keep up momentum outside of Japan. Monster Hunter X (Cross) has been a huge success for Capcom in Japan, and as expected - following a trademark...
News Fire Emblem Fates Finally Has a Release Date and Details for Europe
Special edition pack and New 3DS XL model also incoming
Well, it's taken a while, but European 3DS owners finally have details on when they can get their hands on Fire Emblem Fates; thankfully the wait won't be too long. The games - Birthright and Conquest - will arrive on 20th May, while the third storyline - Revelation - will be available from...
News Kirby Is Taking A Trip To Planet Robobot This June
Complete with amiibo support
During today's Nintendo Direct broadcast it was confirmed that Kirby is getting another outing on 3DS in the shape of Kirby: Planet Robobot. The title retains the 2.5D look of Kirby: Triple Deluxe, but adds mechs to the mix. It also comes with a special Team Kirby Clash mode: Invaders have mechanized Dream Land. To...
News Super Meat Boy Confirmed For Wii U eShop Release
Finally!
Back in October of last year, it was hinted that the super-hard platformer Super Meat Boy - previously intended for the original Wii - might be headed to the Wii U. During today's European Nintendo Direct broadcast, footage of the game was shown during a segment intended to highlight the various games already available for Nintendo...
News Rhythm Heaven Megamix Dancing onto 3DS
Includes new and unreleased content
Nintendo shocked the Rhythm Heaven community during today's Nintendo Direct with the announcement of the next installment in the hit franchise, Rhythm Heaven Megamix, a localisation of a previous retail release in Japan. The game will contain more than 100 rhythm games, 30 of which are brand new to the series...
News Mario & Sonic at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games Gets a Summer Release Date for Wii U
Nintendo shows off Sevens rugby, too
Mario and Sonic used to be arch enemies, but now they settle their differences in sporting competitions. Mario & Sonic at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games is the next in this sports-crossover series, and will be hitting the Wii U on 24th June, following the closer arrival of the 3DS version. Footage showed off two...
Random Fan Intends to Recreate All 721 Pokémon as Stained Glass Artwork
Quite the undertaking
Be it by artwork, music, or something else, many artists have found creative ways to express their love for their favorite games. Seeing as how it's the 20th anniversary of Pokémon, it's no surprise that there's been something of a surge in Pokémon related content that's appearing around the web. While this will no doubt...
Video Check Out the Tanooki Statue Mario Costume in Super Mario Maker
How stealthy
The regular costume updates for Super Mario Maker keep right on rolling, with Barbara the Bat and Chitoge Kirisaki being the most recent additions. Though many of you will soon be able to scan in the Wolf Link amiibo, one more classic costume has just been added ahead of the canine hero's appe
Video Satoru Shibata Celebrates Yo-Kai Watch European Release News With Some Killer Dance Moves
Arriving in April, demo available on the 3DS eShop now
Yo-Kai Watch is coming to Europe on April 29th, and to mark that news, Nintendo of Europe president Satoru Shibata has performed a dance which is sure to generate a near-endless stream of gifs over the next few months. The game has taken Japan by a storm and launched in North America not that...
News Unleash Your Creative Side with Disney Art Academy
Launching on 3DS in May 2016
Grab your styluses! Disney Art Academy launches on May 13th for 3DS in North America, though Europeans will have to wait until 15th July. Using a variety of tools and enhancements, you can learn to draw characters such as Elsa and Olaf from Frozen, Mickey Mouse and Friends, Winnie the Pooh, and characters from Pixar's...
News First Etrian Odyssey V Story Details Emerge From the Depths
Climb the tree and achieve your dreams
Just earlier this week, it was finally announced that Atlus' long anticipated Etrian Odyssey V would in fact be coming to 3DS, with an August release confirmed for Japan. Naturally, there's no word yet on a western localization, but Atlus has a good track record for bringing game in this series to overseas...
News New Animal Crossing amiibo Coming to North America in June
More cards and figures for amiibo collectors
Amiibo fans rejoice! A new Animal Crossing amiibo will be launching on June 10th, alongside series 4 of the popular amiibo cards. The brand new Isabelle amiibo - in her summer outfit - will debut alongside Isabelle in her winter outfit, previously only available in the Animal Crossing: amiibo Festival...
Video Unleash The Monster Inside With These Japanese Pokkén Tournament Commercials
Father and son bonding
Pokkén Tournament is almost upon us, and Nintendo has published two light-hearted commercials in Japan to build up interest in the crossover brawler. Both spots feature a father and his son huddled around the television, happily duking it out in the game. This tranquil scene is interrupted by comical turns to camera and...
Video Catch Plenty of Pokkén Tournament Footage in the First Nintendo Countdown Clash
With surprising results
Earlier this week we told you about the Pokkén Tournament 'Countdown Clash' series, in which Nintendo UK seeks votes via social media for a range of battles that are played out in the game. Those that enter (and are in the UK) have a chance of winning a copy of the game and one of the special pro pads, but more importantly...
News Bird Mania Party Aims to Bring Addictive Portable Gaming to the Wii U eShop
Have you heard about the bird?
For some there are few more addictive score-chasers than runner games, or in the case of Bird Mania 3D 'flyer' games. The 3DS eShop title has provided some simple fun at a budget price, and now Teyon wants to repeat the trick on Wii U eShop. This series is making its way to the home console as Bird Mania Party, with...
Wednesday2nd Mar 2016
News A Wii U and 3DS Nintendo Direct Is On the Way
Spring and Summer releases are on the agenda
Following the recent Pokémon Direct and reveal of Pokémon Sun and Moon, Nintendo has opted to maintain momentum and hype with a fresh Nintendo Direct focused on Wii U and 3DS. As you can see below, this will be focused on Spring and Summer releases and is going down on 3rd March at 2pm Pacific / 5pm...
Release window discrepancies point to varied regional broadcasts
Thinking back to some older Nintendo Direct broadcasts between Europe and North America, the formula used by both was often largely the same - there'd be shared segments from Japan led by former company President Satoru Iwata, and then regional sections that specified local promotions...
Interview Eiji Aonuma and Tomomi Sano Shed Light on The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess HD
The balance of modernising and showing faith to the original
The Wii U is about to receive its second Legend of Zelda HD remaster. Following the success of The Wind Waker HD, we now have Twilight Princess HD on the way to share the decade-old GameCube / launch Wii title with a new audience. We think that the upcoming release is
Poll The World Can't Get Enough Of Pokémon Yellow, But Which One Did You Buy?
Pikachu Edition comes out on top on the 3DS eShop
Nintendo finally got around to re-releasing the very first batch of Pokémon entries on the 3DS eShop last week, with Red, Blue and Yellow arriving on in the west while Japan was also gifted Pokémon Green. While Nintendo won't give actual sales figures, it has confirmed which of these titles has...
Video New Bloodstained Development Update Blurs The Line Between 3D And 2D Art
"We thought cosplayers would especially like to see the back view"
When Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night launched on Kickstarter a while back, the concept art shown off made many assume that it would take inspiration from the likes of Muramasa and Dragon's Crown by using 2D sprites, but subsequent development updates stated that it was in fact...
Video Check out this footage of the SNES Super Disc Boot Software
Witnessing gaming history
It's a fairly little known fact that Nintendo was, at one point, working with Sony to develop a console. Back when CDs were all the rage, Nintendo was in the market to develop a CD add on with Sony, which was not affiliated with games at the time. It wasn't to be, unfortunately, and there was a falling out between the two...
News Nintendo Will Do Well On Mobile Because That's Where Its Core Audience Is Now, Claims Analyst
"Everybody wants Mario Kart on their mobile"
2016 is a big year for Nintendo. It's celebrating 20 years of Pokémon on one hand, but is also taking a momentous step into the future with Miitomo, the first of a new wave of exclusive smartphone titles created by the firm. In addition to this, Nintendo is taking Pokémon in an exciting new direction...
News Nintendo Finalises Wii Patent Win Over UltimatePointer
"Nintendo will vigorously defend itself" and so on...
We think it's fair to say that a decent percentage of patent claims filed in the US could best be described as being in 'bad faith'. Though Nintendo has lost a small number of notable cases, being forced into payments or shared royalties, it wins the majority of patent cases launched against its...
News Mega Man Legacy Collection Busts Into Japanese Charts as Nintendo Hardware Sales Climb
Slow and steady
It's Media Create charts time for Japan once again, and this week brings some smaller new releases and some modest (but still welcome) gains for Nintendo hardware. The big winner this week is Kamen Rider: Battride War Genesis, which claimed top spot on PS4 along with 3rd and 4th on Vita and PS3. The retail release of Mega Man Legacy...
News Digital Foundry Gives a Thumbs Up to Twilight Princess HD, Though There Are Framerate Dips
A few effects can't quite hold 30fps in 1080p
With The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess HD around the corner you'll have seen that a glut of reviews have popped up, including ours, and now Eurogamer's Digital Foundry has produced an updated 'face-off' article comparing the new release with its GameCube and Wii predecessors. Overall, the...
News No Disney Infinity 4.0 In 2016, But Support For 3.0 Will Continue Via New Play Sets
"We've heard your requests to extend the life of our Starter Packs"
Disney Infinity won't be getting another sequel this year, but the existing Disney Infinity 3.0 will continue to get support in the form of new play set packs. In an official statement, the team behind the series said it had listened to fan feedback before making the decision: We...
News Activision Won't Have a Booth at E3 This Year
Still intends to show off new COD footage at the event
Activision is one of the most pivotal third party companies in the industry, with Skylanders and Call of Duty obviously being its most popular properties. While Call of Duty has a somewhat hit or miss history with Nintendo consoles, Skylanders still shows up year after year, with the most recent...
Video Nintendo's Super Mario Maker Showcase of the Wolf Link Costume is Rather Cute
D'aww, look at the heroic puppy
As discovered recently, in an article that also had 'cute' in the headline, the Wolf Link amiibo unlocks a rather charming mystery mushroom outfit in Super Mario Maker. It might as well, too, as there seem to outfits for every other darn thing Nintendo and its partners can think of - that's not a complaint, but an...
Tuesday1st Mar 2016
Review The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess HD (Wii U)
I have come to play!
It's been the generation of remakes for The Legend of Zelda. The main entries from the N64 and GameCube have now all been given the remaster treatment, though many will think of this title as a Wii game. A decade on from its original waggle-heavy release, The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess HD gives a second chance to one of...
Rumour The European Version of Bravely Second Only Has "Good" Sidequest Endings
Oh, boy...
Though North America still has a little bit longer to wait before it receives Bravely Second: End Layer, the game has been out in Europe for a couple days. In the lead up to its release, the game took some heat for localisation changes made for the western release where the Tomahawk class was changed to the Cowboy class. It seems that's...
Crows of Metal, Soldiers of Sorrow
War never changes. Unless someone replaces tanks with giant walking robots, then it looks much, much cooler yet is still quite tragic. That is exactly the point of Squaresoft's 1995 mech tactical RPG Front Mission. How does a man survive on the battlefield of the future? Canny strategy, pots of money and making...
News Etrian Odyssey V Finally Has A Release Date, And Yes, It's Coming To 3DS
August in Japan
Atlus has been somewhat quiet on Etrian Odyssey V since teasing that the game was in development. However, the company has now broken that silence to not only give us a solid Japanese release date of August, but to also confirm what we all hoped was the case - the game is indeed coming to the 3DS. An upcoming issue of Japanese...
Reminder Mythical Pokémon Celebi Is Now Available to Download in Current-Gen Games
Just download it
As part of the Pokémon 20th Anniversary celebrations various Mythical 'mon are making their way into the current-gen games. Mew was the first of the monthly distributions, and now Celebi is joining in. Originating on the Game Boy Color, this modern iteration has the same moves as it did in Silver & Gold, including the ability...
News Enjoy the Madness of the CoroCoro Splatoon Manga For Free
Admire the artwork online
CoroCoro Magazine often has some handsome exclusives and details in Japan, the latest of which is a Splatoon manga series. The inky shooter has gone from strength to strength in less than a year on the market, rapidly becoming a popular franchise - with all the licensing and merchandise that can entail - for Nintendo...
News Treehouse Veteran Erik Peterson Is Leaving Nintendo After 13 Years
"I'll miss my Nintendo family"
One of Nintendo of America's most recognisable faces is leaving the company after 13 years. Erik Peterson has been a regular fixture in many of Nintendo's Direct broadcasts and Treehouse livestreams. A spell at Nintendo Power magazine back in 2003 opened the door for him to join Nintendo as a Localisation Writer and...
Feature Why We're Still Playing... Star Fox 64 / 3D
Hey, Einstein! I'm on your side!
In this series reflecting on older games still getting regular boot-ups among Nintendo Life staff, Tom Whitehead talks about why he's still playing Star Fox 64 3D with worrying frequency. After all, it's worth warming up for Star Fox Zero, right? I was reminded today by my tweeting mother (who has been described...
Feature Eiji Aonuma Reminisces on How Twilight Princess Connected His Work and Family
An adventure for his wife and son
The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess HD is out this week (3rd March) and in our review we've been full of praise for the release. An entry in the series that can certainly cause some debate among fans, this writer is firmly in the camp that believes in its merits, with the Wii U edition being a definitive version...
News Jotun: Valhalla Edition to Bring Hand-Drawn Norse Mythology to Wii U This Summer
Praise the Gods
The Wii U eShop has often been a saving grace for the home console, delivering some intriguing and enjoyable download-only games to Nintendo gamers. It looks like another is on the way, too, with Thunder Lotus Games planning a Summer release of Jotun: Valhalla Edition. Previously funded on Kickstarter and released to some acclaim on...
Hands On How Indie Hit Terraria Is Building Multiplayer Mayhem Into Its Wii U Port
Will provide "content parity" with other console editions
Terraria still doesn't have a firm release date on Wii U yet, but it's getting close. Spending time with the game recently we had the chance to see first hand how it used the touch screen of the Wii U's GamePad and multiplayer via its Wii Remotes. The first thing to say is that it looks...
Video Watch Pokémon Get Juggled in This Pokkén Tournament Combo Showcase
Ouch
While the standard flashy marketing trailers are steadily rolling out for the upcoming release of Pokkén Tournament, Nintendo UK is keeping its capture device busy in order to produce its own run of videos. It's kicked off a Countdown Clash series, but has also clearly been working on other videos to show the game off. The latest is a combo...
News Tomodachi Life Sales Reach Two Million in Europe
A hefty percentage of total global sales
Tomodachi Life enjoyed a successful move out of Japan to Western markets, boosted by a heavy marketing campaign and the instant familiarity of its Mii characters. Not so much a sim as a game of random and quirky happenings, it evidently captured the hearts of many 3DS owners. Nintendo of Europe has now...
News More Details Emerge Around the Upcoming Minecraft Movie
Producer claims that it'll be aimed at the Jurassic World audience
Minecraft has gone on to become quite a success, spawning countless multimedia spinoffs, not to mention the fact that it's one of the best-selling games of all time. Of course, it was inevitable that there would be a movie made about it someday, and while the upcoming film is still...
