News UK Retailer Tesco Adds Nintendo NX Order Page With £349.99 Price
Could the reveal be this week?
News - September, 2016
Friday30th Sep 2016
Video New NES Mini Trailer Shows Off Games, Display Options And User Interface
Up to four save states per game, too
The NES Classic Mini launches in November, and Nintendo has released a new trailer for the console which not only shows off some of the included games but also goes into detail regarding the various new modes and options available on the system. One of the big draws for PAL gamers is that the system plays games...
News The Mini Famicom Has Been Announced for Japan, and It Looks Amazing
Time to do some importing
In November plenty of gamers with a love of retro gaming are likely to pick up the Nintendo Entertainment System: NES Classic Edition / Nintendo Classic Mini: Nintendo Entertainment System. Now, Nintendo has confirmed an equivalent for Japan; yep, it's a mini Famicom. What's particularly charming about this one is that...
Poll What Are Your Most Anticipated Wii U and 3DS Games For the Rest of 2016?
Have your say for our updated 'Biggest Games' list
It's that time, once again, for our quarterly 'Biggest Games' list for Wii U and 3DS. As some of you may recall we ditched the idea of having separate Wii U and 3DS lists for our Summer Edition, mainly because the Wii U didn't have enough high profile games. It was a pragmatic decision, yes, but we...
News BBC iPlayer App to End Service on Wii U in Early 2017
It's a Poldark day for Wii U
Nintendo's systems have always struggled to offer the same breadth of entertainment and streaming apps as rival consoles, though for a spell the Wii U reasonably well in that area. As the system heads towards its inevitable discontinuation, however, licenses and services could start to go offline. That'll be the case...
Random Mario Is Younger Than His Mighty Moustache Suggests
Miyamoto says he's in his mid 20s
Here's a fun fact for a Friday morning. Mario is apparently in his mid 20s, more precisely just "24 or 25" years old according to none other than Shigeru Miyamoto in a newly unearthed Japanese interview from 2005. According to the interview, although Mario has evolved in lots of ways over the years since his...
News Mythical Pokémon Keldeo Confirmed for Anniversary Distribution in October
An inclusion that's definitely justified
With Pokémon in its 20th Anniversary year we've been getting one Mythical Pokémon every month for the current-gen games, each available for a few weeks. This month's offering is Keldeo, which will arrive on 1st October and be available until the 24th of the same month through the Nintendo Network; it...
News Best Buy Opens Pre-Orders on Some Re-Stocked amiibo in the US
Pit! Samus! Lucina! Sonic! Gold Mario! Ness!
It's surprising that a number of Smash Bros. amiibo figures are still relatively rare, depending on where you live. Some figures that are as common as rainy days here in the UK require pre-orders in the US, even when they were originally released in 2014 / 2015. That seems to be the case with some...
Feature Taking the FAST Racing NEO Future Pack DLC for a Test Drive
YOU GOT BOOST POWER
Has it really been nine-or-so months since FAST Racing NEO first graced our consoles? This writer finds it hard to believe and yet here comes an incessant rattling that many might consider to be an opinion on its DLC pack we've been dying for. To say that we at Nintendo Life are fans of Shin'en and the games they produce is no...
News Teslagrad Developer Rain Games Hints At NX Release For World To The West
"It will show up on additional platforms, but our lips are sealed"
Teslagrad developer Rain Games is currently hard at work on World to the West, which is already confirmed as coming to Wii U. Rain's Ole Ivar Rudi has been answering questions about the title, and having already shot down hopes of a 3DS edition, he was (perhaps unsurprisingly)...
News Google Engineer Reflects on the Technical Side of Pokémon GO's Launch
Suffice to say, they weren't prepared
Though the craze around Pokémon GO has mostly subsided by this point, few will forget the record-smashing launch that it had. Obviously, all those involved with the game's development grossly underestimated how popular it would be, and the game was positively riddled with bugs and instability in the first...
Video Episode 4 of Pokémon Generations is Now Live
'The Lake of Rage'
The 20th Anniversary year of Pokémon has been rather busy, with 3DS Virtual Console releases, Pokémon GO, the upcoming Pokémon Sun and Moon and a whole load of distributions among the events and celebrations. A neat recent addition has been the Pokémon Generations video series, which recreates iconic moments for the games in...
News Azure Striker Gunvolt Double Pack Confirmed For Euro Release
Will this make you hold off downloading?
Earlier this year Inti Creates revealed that Azure Striker Gunvolt and Azure Striker Gunvolt 2 would hitting Japanese retail in a single pack, and shortly afterwards it was confirmed that this same bundle would be launching in
News Unseen 64 Spotlights Mythri, a Cancelled GBC/GBA Project
Gone, but not forgotten
It's interesting to see how far the indie development scene has come over the years. Nowadays, anybody with a laptop and some ambition can get a game out to the world, but it hasn't always been that way. Back in the day, there were far less channels to distribute games, and it was quite competitive within the few that were...
News The FAST Racing NEO Soundtrack is Now Available to Buy
DRM-free and pay what you want
FAST Racing NEO, a standout Wii U eShop release in late 2015, got a little more enticing this week with the release of the NEO Future Pack DLC, with a price of $4.99 / €4.99 / £4.20. The gameplay is naturally a major part of the appeal, but another strength of this game (and various others by Shin'en Multimedia) is...
News Hex Heroes Still Alive, Studio Issues Combat Engine Update
"Wii U development is tough"
"Party RTS" Hex Heroes launched on Kickstarter back in 2014 and was originally scheduled to arrive last year. However, developer Prismatic Games has run into some stumbling blocks which have not only delayed production but also forced them to entirely rebuild parts of the game. Thankfully, the studio hasn't thrown in...
Interview Image & Form Discusses Development Challenges and Continual SteamWorld Growth
"We really wanted to prove ourselves"
This week brings two intriguing retail releases in Europe, published under Nintendo's eShop Selects label. FAST Racing NEO and SteamWorld Collection will be available on disc, and in the latter case Image & Form is also bringing the same compilation to North America (in October) with a different publisher...
Thursday29th Sep 2016
Nintendo Download 29th September (North America)
Yo-kai Watch 2! Sonic Boom! Azure Striker Gunvolt 2! FAST DLC! Much more!
It's time once again for the North American Nintendo Download Update details. This week includes some tempting and - in some cases - high profile download-only releases on both systems, while the 3DS also has two retail releases to consider. Throw in some rather exciting...
News Prototype Of Unreleased SNES Title Shadowhawk Surfaces Online
Quite a saga
Update: Jim Valentino has since gotten in touch to clarify that he did not give permission for the game to be reproduced: Please be advised that Rose Colored Games did not have my blessing to make this game and I filed a suit against them over it. Original story: Jim Valentino's ShadowHawk was one of many super heroes birthed...
News Guillemot Praises NX Again as Ubisoft Shareholder Meeting Ends Without Vivendi Intervention
"Nintendo will come back in the race with the NX"
Earlier today we shared an Instagram post by Michel Ancel that served as a second recent teaser for Beyond Good & Evil 2. Notably, his message said "ready for the fight, Independence Day" in reference to today's Annual Shareholder Meeting for the company. This referred to nerves within the...
News European My Nintendo Rewards Include New Nintendo Selects Discounts
Hard to resist
My Nintendo hasn't exactly blown the doors off since its launch earlier in the year, but the loyalty / rewards programme does occasionally have some positive offerings. In Europe that now includes discounts on the latest Nintendo Selects games, which hit stores and the eShop on 30th September. Until 16th October all four of this...
News Nintendo to Skip Paris Games Week at the End of October
Cue NX speculation in 3, 2, 1...
Right now forums on the web have various threads attempting to predict when Nintendo will unveil the NX, and one theory we've seen (which didn't make a whole lot of sense) was that Paris Games Week could be the time to showcase the system to the world. Well, that won't be happening, as Nintendo has confirmed that...
News 'Turnabout Time Traveler' DLC for Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney - Spirit of Justice Out Today
Capcom testifies that it's a "full-length episode"
Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney - Spirit of Justice has already had two relatively small DLC scenarios, which have been non-canon 'what if' offerings. Now there's a full length episode that follows on from the events of the game, making it the heftiest extra yet. You can see details below, but don't...
Random These Krispy Kreme Pokémon Doughnuts Look Truly Scrumptious
Only in South Korea, sadly
Krispy Kreme doughnuts are pretty delicious, but Pokémon Krispy Kreme doughnuts are on an entirely different level of yumminess - as South Korean fans are discovering. They've been graced with a new range of doughnuts based on the famous monster-catching franchise, including a Squirtle, Pikachu and Pokéball. It's...
Hands On A Blast From the Past With Gurumin 3D: A Monstrous Adventure
Monster Masher
You're probably not alone if you've never heard of Gurumin: A Monstrous Adventure. First released as a PC game way back in 2004 and a PlayStation Portable title shortly after, Gurumin has stayed largely off the map since its initial launch. Despite the favourable reviews that it received, this action-adventure RPG never saw a sequel,...
News Michel Ancel Posts Another Beyond Good & Evil 2 Teaser Ahead of Vital Shareholder Meeting
Vivendi could continue its moves to gain some control of Ubisoft
Just recently we shared some relatively unambiguous art shared by Michel Ancel to tease Beyond Good & Evil 2. It's a game that we know is happening, which was re-affirmed in Ancel's image and message, and it certainly gave fans an appetite to hear more about the sequel. It's...
Video Here's Proof There's More To Sega Beat 'Em Ups Than Golden Axe And Streets Of Rage
Checking out some of the more obscure fighters on the Genesis
When you think Sega Genesis (or Mega Drive, if you'd prefer) beat 'em up chances are the first things that come into your mind are names like Golden Axe, Alien Storm and - of course - Streets of Rage. The scrolling fighter was the arcade genre of choice before Street Fighter II
Weirdness Gummy Super Mario Maker Looks Like More Trouble Than It's Worth
Hey, at least it's in 3D
Nintendo's games tend to attract some pretty off-beat merchandise, especially in Japan. We've already seen Splatoon sweeties but now there's a Super Mario Maker Gummy kit - and as you would expect, it allows you to craft your own chewy sweets in the comfort of your own home. As you can see from the video above, the process...
News Sonic Developers Discuss How Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games Came About
Two worlds colliding
The rivalry between Sega and Nintendo back in the day was the stuff of legends; there arguably has never been a more heated competition between two game companies since. After Nintendo's near monopoly on video games in the NES days, Sega's Genesis console represented a tectonic shift and proved that there was room for other...
News Ryuichi Nishizawa Seems Pretty Pleased With Wonder Boy: The Dragon's Trap Remake
"It would be a good idea to add more doors in the remake!"
In July BitSummit 4th took place in Japan, and Lizardcube's Omar Cornut and Ben Fiquet were in attendance showing off Wonder Boy: The Dragon's Trap, a HD remake of the Master System classic. During the show the team recorded a development diary which not only shows off the public reaction...
Video Image & Form Talks SteamWorld Heist on Wii U and States Its Next Project Will Be in the Series
Keep an eye out for an NX gag, too
SteamWorld Heist is out this week on the Wii U eShop, and is also coming to stores as the SteamWorld Collection. Quite a number of players have been waiting for the HD version, and now will have the chance to play it on Nintendo hardware. The latest 'Engine Room' video from Image & Form talks about the Wii U...
News Waluigi Joins the Ranks in New amiibo Pre-Orders on Official Nintendo UK Store
Waluigi Time!
Earlier this week we highlighted pre-orders for Mario Party: Star Rush and Super Mario amiibo that had opened on the official Nintendo UK store. There were some decent options but also a handful of omissions; thankfully that seems to have been addressed. First of all, it's worth noting that the bundles including the game, a notebook,...
News Super Destronaut 2: Go Duck Yourself Is Blasting To The Wii U eShop In October
Fowl play
Petite Games is bringing the excellently-titled Super Destronaut 2: Go Duck Yourself to the North American Wii U eShop on October 20th, it has been revealed. Looking very much like a clone of Taito's seminal Space Invaders, the game involves blasting oncoming enemies, collecting power-ups and grabbing coins to boost your score multiplier...
Wednesday28th Sep 2016
Editorial Rediscovering the Gems of the Wii U Library
A legacy to appreciate
A little while ago I wrote an editorial called 'Losing It All - When a Wii U's External Hard Drive Dies', in which I recounted the tale of just that very thing happening to me. I bemoaned the weird setup of Nintendo's data management on the home console and in particular its treatment of save data, which rather bizarrely is...
Review Quest of Dungeons (Wii U eShop)
Isn't it dangerous to go alone?
For some individuals, roguelike games are a lifestyle. For others, it may be a case of playing one and ignoring the rest. Either way you look at it, this genre is as popular as ever on the indie development scene, with these types of games released on a regular basis across multiple platforms. While the Wii U eShop...
News Amazon UK's NES Classic Mini Launch Stock Is All Gone
Retailer expects to "fill all pre-orders by mid-December 2016"
The NES Classic Mini launches on November 11th but unless you've already pre-ordered one, it's unlikely that you're going to get it on that particular date. Amazon UK has stated that its launch allocation for the console - which contains 30 classic games and comes bundled with an...
Review The Legend of the Mystical Ninja (3DS eShop / SNES)
Still hanging in there
The Legend of the Mystical Ninja is a perfect throwback to the '90s: a time when Konami was still revered among gamers, games were heavily edited for Western markets, and Nintendo reigned supreme. If you haven't heard of the Mystical Ninja series, we won't hold it against you. It's something of a cult-classic in the Western...
News Reports Suggest Pokémon GO's Rare Spawning Nests Have Been Totally Randomised
Don't worry, you'll still get lots of Pidgeys
It would seem that Pokémon GO's "spawn nests" have been entirely randomised for rare 'mon. Reports are appearing online that Niantic has changed things up for hard-to-find monsters, deviating from its previous approach of simply switching one type for another at predetermined spawn locations...
News Turns Out There's No Such Thing As Too Many Wonder Boy Games
Wonder Boy Returns (again)
After years of waiting, Wonder Boy fans are getting two new titles to sink their teeth into. Brand-new outing Monster Boy is being developed by The Game Atelier, while HD reboot Wonder Boy: The Dragon's Trap is the work of Lizardcube. Both titles have input from
Reminder Darkrai is Now Being Distributed in North America
Sweet dreams...
This is certainly the year of Pokémon, what with the release of Pokémon GO and the impending release of Pokémon Sun and Moon, but the main games have been getting some love, too. For the past several months, a new Legendary or Mythical Pokémon has been distributed to the 3DS games, offering players a chance to get rare Pokémon...
News Shantae and the Pirate's Curse Physical Edition Has Been Delayed to 18th October
But, at least we get a new theme this week
Earlier this summer, a Gamefly listing outed the existence of a boxed 3DS edition of Shantae and the Pirate's Curse. A few days later, it was confirmed that the game would indeed be receiving a physical release with some extra content, and that it would be arriving roughly at the same time that Shantae:...
News New Super Mario amiibo and Mario Party: Star Rush Pre-Order Options Opened by Nintendo UK Store
Including glow in the dark Boo
Mario Party: Star Rush isn't too far away, and based on our time with it so far it could be a nice bit of 3DS fun. In a bit of a turn up for the books is that it's arriving in Europe nearly a month sooner than in North America, landing in the region on 7th October. The Official Nintendo UK store has emailed customers...
News SNES Classic Mega Man 7 Gets Screeching Guitars Thanks To Digital Audio Patch
Putting the "Rock" in "Rockman"
DarkShock is back with another quality MSU1 effort to bring a digital audio soundtrack to a Super Nintendo classic: this time, it's Capcom's Mega Man 7. Replacing the original SPC soundtrack is none other than the complete soundtrack of covers by Polish musician Krzysztof Slowikowski taken from his album
News Free Dragon Ball Fusions Update Adds Online Battles and a New Stage in Japan
Here's hoping they'll come with the Western version on day one
It can be hard to predict, at times, which enticing and notable releases will make it out of Japan to the West. It was certainly good news, then, when Bandai Namco recently confirmed Dragon Ball Fusions for a 13th December release in North America; it'll arrive in Europe sometime in...
News Sony Holds Lead in Japan as 2DS Keeps Solid Momentum in Charts
One Piece: Great Pirate Colosseum has modest start on 3DS
It's Japanese chart time again, and the results this week include a notable release on Sony hardware and some modest results from Nintendo's perspective. Starting with software we have Utawarerumono: The Two Hakuoros leading the way on Vita, with PS4 and PS3 versions also in the top 10. The...
Preview Singing and Dancing in Disney Magical World 2
"Oh boy!"
Cast your mind back to approximately two years ago and you may remember the release of Disney Magical World, a 3DS simulation game similar in style to titles such as Animal Crossing: New Leaf but set – completely unsurprisingly – in a Disney universe. Rush yourself back to the present and here we are with a sequel on the horizon –...
News Free-To-Play Version Of Puzzle & Dragons X Released On Japanese 3DS
Try before you buy
GungHo Online has released a scaled-down, free-to-play version of Puzzle & Dragons X on the Japanese 3DS eShop. Battle Puzzle & Dragons X includes a "Battle Mode" identical to that seen in the main game, which features "Fixed" and "Free" contests. In these you can customise your team of monsters and also battle against...
Hands on Getting Down With Chicken Wiggle
An unlikely pairing, together at last
We recently reported on the disbandment of indie developer Renegade Kid and followed it up with an interview featuring both founding members, Jools Watsham and Gregg Hargrove. As part of their surprisingly amicable split, both devs have already formed new teams and star
Tuesday27th Sep 2016
Random Nintendo Censors Canadian Interview For Daring To Mention NX
[REDACTED]
To say that Nintendo is being tight-lipped about its forthcoming NX system is something of an understatement. We know it's coming in March next year and we know that an announcement will happen before then, but aside from that there's very little else to go on right now, at least on an official level. Nintendo is keeping such a tight lid...
Review Gotta Protectors (3DS eShop)
You've gotta download this
Here's a typical snapshot of a battle in Gotta Protectors. Hundreds of enemies are hammering on the defenses from four different sides, the turrets and barricades are slowly but surely succumbing to the hordes, you and the Princess desperately attempt to beat them back with magic and arrows, and for every felled enemy four...
Review Sonic Boom: Fire & Ice (3DS)
Lukewarm
Sonic the Hedgehog is a mascot still loved by many, but which is continually fighting to hit top form once again. The Sonic Boom spin-off franchise is an interesting case and point - despite a successful animated series and a reasonable 3DS platformer, in the eyes of some it'll remain tainted by a shoddy Wii U game. That's not entirely...
News Lovely Twilight Princess Figma Zelda and Link Available to Pre-Order Now
And they don't come with a ridiculous price tag
We often like sharing some of the handsome Nintendo-themed collectables and figures that are up for grabs, though some come with prohibitive price tags. The Figma ranges by Good Smile, however, often stand out for being both handsome figures and affordable to boot. Pre-orders have now opened on three...
Video Let's See How That Xbox One N64 Emulator Held Up
Gone but not forgotten
Despite the recently infamous Win64e10 emulator being removed, we managed to download it before Microsoft pulled it from the Xbox One Store and put it through its paces. The blurb promised it to be the most powerful N64 emulator on Windows 10, but if it runs anything like it does in the above video, colour us unimpressed. The...
News Lifetime American Hardware Stats Show The Size Of Nintendo's Task With NX
"The demand for dedicated portables isn't there"
As any long-time Nintendo fan will know, the company's fortunes over the past 30 years have varied wildly. The trailblazing successes of the NES and SNES were tempered by the performance of the N64 and GameCube, while the Wii's incredible market penetration has been followed by the Wii U, one of the...
News Nintendo 64 Emulator Unceremoniously Yanked From Xbox One Store
Double quick
Yesterday we reported on the fact that a Nintendo 64 emulator was available for download on Microsoft's Xbox One console. Win64e10 - which retailed for $9.99 - allowed Xbox One owners to run N64 ROMs on their consoles by copying the games to a OneDrive account and loading them into the emulator. The app actually went live over the...
Review Gear Gauntlet (Wii U eShop)
Is this the gears game we've been waiting for?
Too often, spinning cogs are portrayed as a danger in video games. Consider a lot of platform levels in the earlier Mario and Sonic titles, and dangerous spiky gears would normally make an appearance a few levels in - ready to slice the famous mascots to shreds. So how about a game where gears are for...
News Michel Ancel Gets Fans Excited With Apparent Beyond Good & Evil 2 Tease
We hope he's not telling porkies
Beyond Good & Evil is an iconic title for a number of gamers, and it made quite a mark in the GameCube generation; back in 2006 we reviewed it and said it was "an intelligent, refreshing, well-balanced, and entertaining piece of genius". Now Michel Ancel, the hugely respected developer who runs his own studio...
Video Fresh Yooka-Laylee Footage Emerges From EGX 2016
We also speak to Chris Sutherland about the Wii U version
Those of you in the UK will know that EGX 2016 - the UK's biggest gaming show - took place last weekend and there were plenty of lovely games to gawk at. Sadly Nintendo sat it out this year, so there wasn't a lot for us to report on specifically, but we did get some hands-on time with...
News New Play Control! Pikmin Arrives on the North American eShop This Thursday
The defintive version of Olimar's debut
Though the Pikmin series made its debut on the GameCube, it always felt more at home on the Wii. The style of gameplay that Pikmin employs just seems like a natural fit for pointer controls, so it was quite nice when the first two games were redone for the Wii. Perhaps in light of the recent announcement of...
News Fangs For The Memories Castlevania, You're Now 30 Years Old
Three decades of miserable secrets
Want to feel old? Konami's Castlevania series has now been going for 30 years. The franchise began life on the Japan-only Famicom Disk System as Akumajou Dracula. This title was released in North America as Castlevania in May the next year and was followed by two NES sequels - 1987's Castlevania II: Simon's Quest...
News Mercenaries Saga 3 Headed To Japan Next Week
Tactical!
Rideon Japan is releasing the next game in the Mercenaries Saga series on the 3DS eShop next week. Mercenaries Saga 3 will launch on October 5th in Japan for 500 Yen. The launch trailer can be viewed above. The gameplay - which is a close match to Square Enix's excellent Final Fantasy Tactics franchise - looks largely unchanged, which is...
News Choice Provisions Announces Runner 3 for 2017
A hat trick for Commander Video's platforming escapades
The BIT.TRIP series was one of the standout experiences of WiiWare, offering up a handful of artistic games that told of the bizarre journey of Commander Video. The fourth game in this series, BIT.TRIP Runner, was arguably one of the better games, mixing rhythm game elements with platforming to...
Video It's Off to the High Seas for the Latest Paper Mario: Color Splash Rescue V Episode
For the patient among you
It seems that someone at Nintendo forgot to set videos to 'Private' by default earlier in the week, with the final episodes of the 'Rescue V' series popping up online. If you're still waiting for the scheduled releases, in any case, the penultimate episode for promoting Paper Mario: Color Splash is out now. This time...
Monday26th Sep 2016
News UK Retailer Tesco Adds Nintendo NX Order Page With £349.99 Price
Could the reveal be this week?
UK supermarket retailer Tesco has sparked rumours of an impending Nintendo NX reveal by posting a landing page for the console on its site. The page - which at the time of writing says "Nintendo NX Wii U" and gives a placeholder launch date of 31/12/16 - originally listed the cost of the system at £349.99. The page...
News The Xbox One Now Has A Nintendo 64 Emulator
But for how long?
Given the recent fuss surrounding a NES emulator on the Xbox One - and the resultant "will it, won't it" saga - it's perhaps a little surprising that you can now boot up your Xbox One system and download an N64 emulator. Win64e10 - a modified version of the Nintendo 64 emulator Mupen64plus - was previously available on Windows...
Talking Point The Pros and Cons of Nintendo's NX Secrecy
Time ticks down for a reveal ahead of planned March release
In recent days there have been some interesting observations around the web, namely that the current timeline for reveal-to-release of the Nintendo NX could be the shortest in the company's history. That's assuming the system arrives in March 2017 as planned, and if you also disregard some...
Nintendo Download 29th September (Europe)
SteamWorld Heist Wii U! FAST Racing NEO DLC! Nintendo Selects! Much more!
Another week begins, and as always there are the European Nintendo Download Update details to tease us about goodies on the way. This week has some potential beauties, it must be said, across both Wii U and 3DS. Download-only games, retail downloads and DLC all feature, and...
Red gives way to blue
As game generations pass, different genres become more popular. From the space shooters of the arcade era to the mascot-driven platformers of the 1990s to the military first-person shooters in recent years, there's always a genre ripe for exploiting. With the explosion of mobile games has come an increase in endless runner...
Weirdness Father Complains After Beach Trip Is Ruined By Lack Of Pokémon
Don't visit Holland-on-Sea if you're a keen Pokémon GO player
We've all done it. When you're out and about on a family trip it's all too tempting to pull out your phone, fire up Pokémon GO and check to see if there are any rare 'mon lurking nearby. However, for one father on a visit to the British seaside town of Holland-on-Sea, getting a catch...
Interview Shin'en Multimedia Explains How FAST Racing NEO's Future Pack DLC Got on the Grid
"We see it as a fan service"
This week there are certainly some high profile arrivals due on the eShop, one of which is the NEO Future Pack DLC for Wii U exclusive FAST Racing NEO. It looks set to be a good deal, too, confirmed with a price tag of $4.99 / €4.99 / £4.20; as the racer is fondly regarded by many, the opportunity to jump into eight...
News Multiple Discount Options Coming with SteamWorld Heist on Wii U
Launch and loyalty deals
Earlier today we shared the usual Nintendo Download Update details for Europe, which included the details for SteamWorld Heist arriving on Wii U. Well, some of the details. Though its full price will be $19.99 / €19.99 / £14.99, Image & Form has passed on details of launch promotions it's running when the game...
Matters of Import The "Perfect" Super Famicom Compendium
Perfect in every way
If you didn't know, Nintendo celebrated its 127th birthday recently. With so many years of history, there are naturally going to be retrospective books that pop up from
News Gotta Protectors Was Translated By Just One Person
"Why hasn't this been localized? I want to translate this"
Gotta Protectors has been something of a sleeper hit with North American 3DS owners thanks to its mixture of NES-style visuals, engaging gameplay and the involvement of Japanese company Ancient, perhaps best known as the home of the legendary composer Yuzo "Streets of Rage" Koshiro. While...
Video Ben Heck Creates The Ultimate Pokémon GO Survival Kit
Not at all cumbersome, honest
Seasoned Pokémon GO players will no doubt have their own techniques and strategies for catching as many monsters as possible in a typical 24 hours, but for the average person, a little help is sometimes needed. That's where Ben Heck's amazing "Pokémon GO Survival Kit" comes in. The famous hacker and his team have...
News Chinese Mythology Mash-Up Coming To Minecraft: Wii U Edition Next Week
41 new skins, 13 songs and a new Battle Mini Game map
October 4th will see the release of a new mash-up pack for Minecraft: Wii U Edition. It follows the introduction of the Tumble Mini Game and a mysterious update, both of which went live recently. The Chinese Mythology
Sunday25th Sep 2016
Feature Ten of Our Favourite DSiWare Games
Remembering some of the best from Nintendo's first portable eShop
The DSi was a console that had some important 'firsts' for Nintendo's portable efforts, chief among them was a digital storefront. Though the DSiWare shop may seem rather primitive compared to the eShop nowadays, there were still plenty of quality titles to be found on the service...
News Shovel Knight Confirmed for Surprise Role in Yooka-Laylee
We dig it
Shovel Knight is a stand-out game on Wii U and 3DS, and the hero sure gets around. The character's had a handful of fun cameos confirmed to date, and has now secured what may be his most high-profile gig yet. It's been confirmed that Shovel Knight will appear in Yooka-Laylee, showing off some some chunky armour in the 3D world. You can...
Saturday24th Sep 2016
Feature Five Franchises That Deserve A Fresh Chance on the Nintendo NX
Comebacks, revivals and shifts in direction
The Nintendo NX obsession is strong right now among many vocal Nintendo fans online. You can't get far in comments on Nintendo's social media posts / YouTube videos without encountering lots of "where's NX" posts; as the days tick by the anticipation for the eventual reveal only builds in intensity. It's...
Review Aenigma Os (Wii U eShop)
Far from a perfect match
Indie tile-match games normally feature a unique twist in order to stand out among well known competition. Aenigma Os by Akies Games tries to deliver on this expectation - the problem is, it's nothing we haven't already seen before. After selecting from one of the many game modes, you are presented with a grid filled with...
Friday23rd Sep 2016
News Nintendo is Reportedly Taking 'Final Orders' on Wii U Consoles From Retailers
The end is nigh
It's likely that history won't look too kindly upon the Wii U, at least in terms of its sales performance. It's set to be Nintendo's worst-selling home console when all is said and done, a sad fate for the follow-up to the phenomenally successful Wii. As of 30th June this year just 13.02 million Wii U systems had been sold, and...
Rumour NX Entering Trial Production At Foxconn, Annual Output Pegged At 10 Million
The NX level
Trial production of the Nintendo NX has apparently begun at Foxconn Electronics, one of the companies involved in the manufacture of console. According to sources consulted by DigiTimes, Foxconn is sharing production with Japan-based Misumi Electronics and Hosiden. Annual production is said to be between 9.5 to 10 million units...
News Some Grab Paper Mario: Color Splash Early in North America Due to Preload eShop Error
Oops
Well, someone at Nintendo of America hit the wrong button. It turns out that a number of people that pre-purchased / pre-loaded Paper Mario: Color Splash on the eShop in North America have been able to download the full game early, two weeks ahead of release on 7th October. The first to spot it was @Electivirus on Twitter: A thread on...
News Ubisoft CEO: "Nintendo Has Learned from the Wii U"
Just in time?
Just yesterday, Yves Guillemot – CEO of Ubisoft – talked about what he thinks of the NX and seemingly had nothing but high praise for the upcoming device. The good news comes as a hopeful indicator of what's to come, as Nintendo's next console has lots riding on it. At this point in time, it's safe to say that the Wii U was far...
News My Nintendo Picross: The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess Now Available 'Indefinitely'
The legend will live on
The My Nintendo rewards programme has both fans and critics, but one of the better offerings has been My Nintendo Picross: The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess. One out of ten in terms of having a snappy name, but we were full of praise and gave it 8/10 in our review, as there's a lot of puzzle goodness included for your...
News Nintendo Patents an Innovative Projector for Displaying Flat Images on Uneven Surfaces
A potentially lucrative product, but maybe not for the mainstream yet
Some of Nintendo's most intriguing ideas can be found in patents; indeed it's through filings that potential glimpses at the NX have been seen. We don't think this particular patent is NX related, as such, but it's an indication of Nintendo's ongoing interest in adopting and...
Reminder More Nintendo Selects Titles Arrive in Europe Next Week
Including SteamWorld Collection and FAST Racing NEO
The Nintendo Selects range remains one of the best ways to try out top-notch games at a great price (£19.99 in the UK), and Nintendo's issued a reminder of the goodies on the way to Europe on 30th September. New additions coming to the region's range are as follows, in case you need the reminder:...
Video Take a Look at Paper Mario: Color Splash in All its Polychromatic Splendour
Infinite coins and an upside down world
Paper Mario: Color Splash may already be available for a few lucky customers in North America, but that doesn't mean there's not plenty to indulge your senses in should you not fall into the aforementioned category. We've been playing through this and have been picking out some fun sections for videos. Below...
Video Take A Rare Look Behind The Scenes At Nintendo's Hit Factory, Circa 1990
Starring a youthful Shigeru Miyamoto
These days, Nintendo employees like Shigeru Miyamoto and Takashi Tezuka are well known with gamers, but back in the days before the internet came along and enriched/ruined everything, these individuals were largely mysterious to the average player. That's what makes this 1990 visit to Nintendo's Kyoto HQ so...
News New Pokémon GO Update Allows You To Capture Incense-Lures On The GO Plus
Still no fix for tracking, alas
These Pokémon GO updates sure are coming thick and fast. The release of the Pokémon GO Plus accessory has triggered a few new versions of the app and now Niantic is preparing to release another update. It's apparently rolling out to iOS (1.9.0) for Android (0.39.0) and and Android devices as we speak and allows you...
Retro Freshly Translated Interview with Miyamoto Delves into the Development of Super Mario 64
The game that started it all
Super Mario 64 was a remarkably innovative game for its day, and still holds up pretty well even by today's standards. At the time, nobody had any idea how to craft a solid platformer in three dimensions, which makes it all the more impressive that this first attempt turned out like it did. Now, a recently translated...
Video Check Out the Third Episode of Pokémon Generations
A new challenger enters the fray
There's plenty of Pokémon hype around at the moment, with Pokémon GO going viral over the Summer and Pokémon Sun and Moon now around the corner. The Pokémon Company, for its part, has been keen to promote these releases and the 20th Anniversary of the franchise. A recent feature has been the Pokémon Generations...
Book Review Hardcore Gaming 101 Presents Data East Arcade Classics
Are you a bad enough dude to read this book?
Alongside the likes of Capcom, Konami and Namco, Data East was one of the quintessential software makers of the '80s arcade scene, but unlike those other firms it perhaps didn't have the pulling power to ensure long-term success. The company has long since been dissolved and its properties sold to the...
Video These Sonic Boom: Fire & Ice Trailers Will Get You Up To Speed
Cold and hot
It's rather sad that Sonic Boom: Fire & Ice is the only new Sonic game we're going to get during the character's 25th birthday year, but the 3DS outing is shaping up nicely - as you'll know if you checked out our preview from a short time ago. To keep you interested, a selection of short trailers have been released in Japan - where...
Thursday22nd Sep 2016
News Nintendo NX Is "Fantastic" And "Something New", Says Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot
"We love it"
Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot has spoken in glowing terms about Nintendo's forthcoming NX console and has confirmed that his company has unannounced projects in development for the machine. Guillemot was speaking at a recent Ubisoft presentation and claims that NX is a fresh and new approach: The new Nintendo is a fantastic machine...
Random The First Skunk Bundle is Free on the North American eShop Right Now
In other words, 30 free Gold Coins on My Nintendo
Many of you have no doubt heard of Skunk Software by now, a somewhat recent developer that has drawn plenty of criticism on the Wii U eShop. If you'll take a look at the company's page, Skunk Software's average review score is sitting at a solid 3. Whether or not you think that score is merited, it...
Nintendo Download 22nd September (North America)
SMTIV: Apocalypse! SEVERED! River City: Tokyo Rumble! DKCR! More!
It's Nintendo Download Update time, dear readers, and the North American line-up has some gems this week. The latest major RPG release from Atlus has arrived, with an enticing localised retail title from Natsume coming later in the DL week. On the download-only front we have an...
News Fan-Made Title Pokémon Uranium Is Officially Dead
No longer catching 'em all
Pokémon Uranium made quite a splash when it launched a while back, with 1.5 million downloads being racked up. Sadly download links for the fan-made game were removed following fears of legal action, but the developers insisted that the project was
News Nintendo is Now 127 Years Old
That's 889 in Duck Hunt Dog years
When most people think of Nintendo they likely picture things like Mario, Legend of Zelda, Shigeru Miyamoto, Mario again, and then Pokémon. It doesn't take a genius to figure out that none of those existed when the company was founded on 23rd September 1889; back then Nintendo specialised in hanafuda playing cards,...
Preview Being Fashionably Late With Mario Party: Star Rush
A good workout for the A button
The Mario Party series has, believe it or not, had a relatively interesting history. Despite being a minigame series that most don't take too seriously, it prompted injuries and glove distributions on N64, was developed by Hudson Soft for a long time until that studio went out of business, and nowadays attracts...
News Bases Loaded Is Being Resurrected On Nintendo 3DS
Complete with 8-bit visuals
Bases Loaded is considered to be something of a classic with North America NES players, and many rejoiced when the title got a new lease of life via the Virtual Console service a while back. Those same fans will no doubt be tickled pink to discovered that the game is getting a sequel of sorts in the form of Bases Loaded...
News Super Smash Bros. Was the 7th Most Watched eSport in August
In your face, Call of Duty: Black Ops III...
The growth of eSports remains a major talking point in the games industry. When the Rio Olympics rolled around it was an opportunity to debate where eSports stand in the broader picture, and it's not hard to find eye-watering viewing figures and revenues from the global industry, with full stadiums in...
News Donkey Kong Country Returns Swings to the North American Wii U VC This Week
*Cue bongo drums*
Rare's Donkey Kong Country trilogy is a collection of three absolutely classic games, so there was obviously plenty of trepidation when Donkey Kong Country Returns was announced back at E3 in 2010. However, if there were ever a capable studio, it would be Retro Studios, and the development team did an excellent job of revitalizing...
Friday23rd Sep 2016
Video Let's Break Down What You Need to Know About Pokémon GO Plus
Alex does his best 'buzz' impression
The Pokémon GO Plus has had a bit of an iffy run to market, getting delayed initially and generally proving to be rather elusive even when it is meant to be on sale. There are also nitty-gritty questions over the fine details of what it does, as the included instructions are 'succinct', to put it politely. The...
Thursday22nd Sep 2016
Video Pick Up Some Key Tips and Tricks for SEVERED on Wii U and 3DS
Stylus slashing
The latest Nindies 'Summer Jam' release is out today, with DrinkBox Studios releasing SEVERED on Wii U and 3DS. It supports crossbuy and is out on both systems in Europe, though only the home console version is out in North America today; the 3DS version is expected soon. In any case, it's a title that Nintendo has been keen to...
Wednesday21st Sep 2016
Editorial Losing It All - When a Wii U's External Hard Drive Dies
The quirks and annoyances of Wii U data management
There are lots of things that many people assume will never happen to them, just to 'others'. You don't think you'll be the victim of a crime, or get stranded overnight when a flight gets cancelled, or perhaps get addicted to amiibo collecting. These are all problems that other people have to deal...
Review Shin Megami Tensei IV: Apocalypse (3DS)
Waiting for the End of the World
Whether you know it from its earliest Famicom days, the immensely popular PlayStation-bound Persona spinoffs, or crossover efforts like Tokyo Mirage Sessions #FE, ATLUS' Shin Megami Tensei is one of gaming's most enduring and recognizable series, full of top-shelf JRPGs with deep combat systems and intriguing...
News Super Mario Maker for 3DS Won't Have 3D Support
A 2D platformer, through and through
One of the surprise announcements from the last 3DS Direct was that Super Mario Maker would be coming to 3DS. It makes sense given the device's renewed importance to the company, and the game could easily take advantage of 3DS features like Streetpass and Download Play. Unfortunately, it seems the game won't have...
Video This Studio Ghibli-Inspired Zelda Trailer Is Just Too Perfect
It's dangerous to dream alone
While every Zelda fan on the planet probably has different aspirations for a Zelda movie, it's fair to say that were Nintendo to make one it would generate an awful lot of interest - even more so if famed anime company Studio Ghibli was involved. Studio Ghibli is Japan's Disney, with a whopping eight of company's films...
Weirdness "Lapras Panic" Grips Tokyo After Rare Pokémon GO Sighting
In hot water
Police had to be summoned to deal with a massive crowd of Pokémon GO players following a Lapras sighting in Tokyo's Odaiba district. Reports of the monster's existence caused hordes of players to descend on the location, with many spilling onto the road and causing a safety hazard. Some have even gone as far as to name the event...
News Dragon Ball Fusions Arrives in North America This Year, Europe Shortly After
Better late than never
Dragon Ball Fusions arrived not too long ago in Japan, and we've been admiring its slightly wacky trailers and footage. Recent ratings and listings pointed to localisation for this one, and now it's official - it'll arrive on 3DS in North America on 13th December, and February 2017 in Europe. In case you're unaware, this...
News 2DS Relaunch Makes Decent Chart Debut in Japan as Persona 5 and PS4 Run Riot
'Slim' model takes PS4 top again
The Media Create chart results are out for Japan, and after some quiet weeks they've brought some notable releases and changes in momentum; not necessarily in Nintendo's favour, either. Persona 5 is the week's biggest success story, taking the top two spots on PS4 and PS3, followed by Pro Evolution Soccer 2017 on...
News Pokémon Company President Doesn't Think We'll See Mainline Games On Smartphones
"Chance of success" in porting concept to phones "quite low"
Despite the incredible success of Pokémon GO on smartphones, Pokémon Company president Tsunekazu Ishihara doesn't sound so keen about bringing the mainline RPG series to mobile. Speaking to The Wall Street Journal, Ishihara was asked if the popularity of Pokémon GO - which has now been...
Video Remembering Alex Kidd, Sega's Forgotten Answer To Super Mario
Hey, hey, he's a monkey
Before Sonic arrived on the scene, Sega's mascot was a monkey boy in a jumpsuit who liked playing Rock, Paper, Scissors. Alex Kidd may have been dumped as soon as the Blue Blur appeared on the Mega Drive and turned Sega into the coolest brand on the planet, but for truly dedicated fans he holds a special place in gaming...
News Sega 3D Classics Dev M2 Is Developing The Legend Of Dark Witch 3 For 3DS
Consider us interested
The Legend of Dark Witch and its sequel can hardly be considered 3DS eShop classics, but they have their fans, and there's a good chance that the third outing will attract even more followers now that we know who is handling development duties. The Legend of Dark Witch 3 was teased back in August and was recently shown off at...
Video Check Out James Farr's Awesome Nintendo / Star Wars: The Force Awakens Mashup
Spot the references
We've often shared the animations of James Farr here on Nintendo Life; he draws inspiration from Nintendo franchises and mashes them up with iconic movies, in particular. He previous did this with the Star Wars Trilogy, among other well-known films, and has now returned to give the same treatment to Star Wars: The Force Awakens...
News Noah's Cradle is Taking to the Skies on 3DS Soon
It's a bit like Ace Combat, basically
CIRCLE Entertainment is still extremely active on the 3DS eShop, and is publishing another title in the coming days. This time around it's Noah's Cradle, developed by Silver Star Japan. While the name may make it sound like a peculiar religious edutainment title, it's actually an action flying game that brings...
Tuesday20th Sep 2016
"We will make games for the NX"
Pokémon Company president Tsunekazu Ishihara has told The Wall Street Journal that Pokémon titles will be forthcoming on the new Nintendo NX, a system which he describes as blurring the lines between home console and handheld. Ishihara refused to confirm if a Pokémon title would launch alongside the NX in March...
News Pokémon Bank Update for Sun, Moon and Virtual Console Titles Now Due in January 2017
Makes us feel a bit blue
Well known for launching in Japan and contributing to a Nintendo Network meltdown over the festive period in 2013, Pokémon Bank is a key part of current-gen Pokémon gaming for some; for a small annual fee it allows you to store 'mon online and transfer them between games. Somewhat subtly, The Pokémon Company has now...
News Atlus Issues Apology for SMTIV:A Translation Error
Whoops
As many of you are no doubt aware, Shin Megami Tensei IV: Apocalypse is a day away from releasing in North America. The hotly anticipated RPG released in Japan months ago, and Atlus has been busy over the past year getting the game ready for Western audiences. In a rare oversight, though, it seems that the localization team accidentally left...
News PlatinumGames Reveals Obscure Bayonetta 2 Secrets for Second Anniversary
Also, a sneak peek at the upcoming amiibo
It's rather hard to believe, but Bayonetta 2 has already been out for a couple years now. The excellent hack 'n' slash still stands as one of the best exclusives available in the Wii U library, and it made plenty of sense when the titular character inevitably made her appearance in Super Smash Bros. Now that...
Feature The History Of Technosoft's Thunder Force Series
With Thunder Force III coming to 3DS, we take a look back at the franchise
Although SNES fans will insist that Nintendo's 16-bit powerhouse had a more diverse range of software when compared to its bitter rival the Mega Drive, one genre in which it simply couldn't compete was the 2D shooter. Sega's console was quite literally flooded with top-notch...
Wednesday21st Sep 2016
News Warp in The Legend of Zelda Opens Up Ability to Beat the Game in Under 3 Minutes
Link's in a hurry
Speedrunning takes various forms, especially in the retro scene. Some seek to make 'pure' runs as quickly as possible, while others exploit loopholes in game code to find shortcuts and warps that drastically cut a run's time. A recent discovered for The Legend of Zelda on the Famicom Disk System is in the latter category, and in...
Tuesday20th Sep 2016
News New Version-Exclusive Pokémon, Pokémon Refresh and More Shown Off for Sun and Moon
Pikachu does a Z-Move dance, too
New details were promised today for Pokémon Sun and Moon, and thankfully they've been delivered. A new trailer unveils some new 'mon, shows off some details previously seen in CoroCoro Magazine and highlights other key features. First of all, the new video is below; if you don't want to see the new Pokémon or...
Gallery Check Out Pokémon Refresh, New Z-Moves, Pokémon Bank and More For Sun and Moon
New Pokémon too, obviously
Earlier today The Pokémon Company unveiled plenty of new details for Pokémon Sun and Moon. It's a regular occurrence now, and today's information drop included some new Pokémon, snazzy Z-Moves, update information on Pokémon Bank, the 'Pokémon Refresh' feature and more besides. As always we thought we'd gath
News Award Winning Writer and Nindie Hints at Work on NX
Is it breaking an NDA to say you've signed an NDA?
It's quite likely that most reading these pages will, at some point in their lives, have signed a non-disclosure agreement (NDA). Even relatively simple employment contracts have them, though naturally major companies also trust third-party individuals and businesses with un-announced information...
News Castlevania Dev MercurySteam Denies It Ever Pitched A New Metroid To Nintendo
"People have a lot of imagination and time to think about stuff"
A while back we reported that Spanish developer MercurySteam - famous for rebooting Konami's Castlevania series - was working on a new Metroid concept for 3DS and Wii U that it was going to pitch to Nintendo. Apparently this project was disclosed during interviews with potential...
News UK Streetwear Brand HYPE Announces New Pokémon Range
HYPE x Pokémon
UK clothing firm HYPE has lifted the lid on its Pokémon range, due for release on September 23rd. The new range includes caps, jackets, hoodies, backpacks and bags, and will showcase famous Pocket Monsters such as Pikachu, Jigglypuff, Charizard and Squirtle. Some of these products are showcased in the delightfully cheesy video,...
Review Free Balling (Wii U eShop)
Gonna free fall, out into nothin'
Some people consider video games to be art, but there are also games that let gamers make art. Titles like Mario Paint (and the more app-like Art Academy titles) allow you to create straight-up paintings, while WarioWare DIY gives players the tools to create their own microgames. Skunk Software's Free Balling tries...
Video Green Toad Snoozes as Nintendo Shows Off Green Woods Area of Paper Mario: Color Splash
Shouldn't he be envious?
With the release of Paper Mario: Color Splash not far away, Nintendo continues to release more mini-episodes of the quirky 'Rescue V' series. A chance to show off stages, it also gives each colour of Toad particular character traits; Green Toad, it turns out, is the type that needs to sleep off an over-indulgence in green...
Video Learn a Little More About Monster Hunter Generations
It gets the Did You Know Gaming? treatment
One of the year's biggest releases on 3DS (in multiple ways) has been Monster Hunter Generations, the latest series entry to be localised to the West. It seems to have achieved decent sales, and it delivers a nice blend of nostalgia and new ideas for series newcomers or veterans. Some may still be on the...
Monday19th Sep 2016
News Axiom Verge Dev Tom Happ Opens Up About The Challenge Of Raising A Son With Special Needs
"My work is directly correlated with my son's well being"
A short time ago we were lucky enough to chat with Axiom Verge developer Tom Happ about the challenges of making what many consider to be a spiritual successor to the iconic Super Metroid; a massive, open-ended 2D adventure which exercises your trigger finger and tests your grey matter at the...
Talking Point Nintendo's Continued Commitment to the 3DS Makes Sense
Sales in the US enjoy a boost as Nintendo keeps the portable going
It wasn't that long ago that we had a rather encouraging 3DS Nintendo Direct, even if the short term memory of some means it may as well have been a decade ago. The reaction to it was generally positive, a reward for the fact that Nintendo revealed some genuine surprises, including...
Nintendo Download 22nd September (Europe)
SEVERED! Noitu Love: Devolution! Ace Attorney DLC! Polara! More!
Another week begins, and we have the Nintendo Download Update details of the goodies coming to Europe later this week. Wii U and 3DS are sharing a couple of big name 'Nindie' titles, while there are also a number of other download-only arrivals to consider. There are some discounts,...
News Sega Has Acquired The IP Of One Of Japan's Most Underrated Studios
Thunder Force III the first of many Technosoft resurrections
Over the weekend we reported that Sega is adding the superb Thunder Force III to its third and final 3D Classic retail collection, which is due for release in Japan this December. The reason that Sega has been able to add this title to the roster is simple - it now owns the rights to all...
Review Ninja Smasher! (3DS eShop)
Go Ninja Go!
Every once in a while you come across one of those games that you haven't really heard of, you buy it on impulse, and are immediately glad that you did. In a game industry that's rife with overhyped disappointments, there's something poetic about a little-known game turning out to be excellent. Ninja Smasher! exemplifies this perfectly;...
News Livestreamed Mugging Highlights The Dangers Of Playing Pokémon GO Late At Night
Warning: distressing footage contained within
Pokémon GO has enraptured millions, generated plenty of cash for the companies involved and encouraged plenty of players to get on their feet in search of monsters. However, it's worth noting that despite the promise of elusive beasts and the obvious health benefits involved, there are risks worth...
Review Super Hero Math (Wii U eShop)
It's a bird! It's a plane! It's... a lousy game
Educational games typically aren't contenders for "best games ever" lists, but occasionally one rises above mediocrity and provides a fun gaming experience for kids while also offering some knowledge to take away. However, the majority of "edutainment" games come off as textbook problems slapped onto a...
News Dragon Quest VII: Fragments of the Forgotten Past Enjoys a Solid UK Debut
Not quite forgotten
After a long wait, last week brought a notable release for plenty of 3DS gamers in the West - Dragon Quest VII: Fragments of the Forgotten Past finally made it out of Japan. Based on the UK chart results it's done relatively well. The Square Enix release (with publishing help from Nintendo) has made its UK chart debut in 12th...
News Square Enix Confirms New Dragon Quest Monsters Title At Tokyo Game Show 2016
Call the professionals
Square Enix has announced at the Tokyo Game Show 2016 that it is releasing an updated version of Dragon Quest Monsters: Joker 3. Dubbed Dragon Quest Monsters: Jokers 3 Professional, the enhanced edition adds new scenarios to the base game as well as characters from previous Joker outings. You'll also meet famous monsters from...
News More Details Emerge On EA's Cancelled 3DS Title MySims Friends
StreetPass connectivity was planned for this "online only" outing
While EA's relationship with Nintendo has cooled in recent years, during the DS and Wii era the two companies were very close, with EA releasing numerous games aimed at families on the consoles. One franchise which really found its feet on Nintendo platforms was MySims, a spin-off of...
News Sky Skipper Project Aims to Revive a Rare Nintendo Arcade Game
It'll take off in 2017
Nintendo's video game history is well documented, with the original Donkey Kong arcade helping to kickstart the career of Shigeru Miyamoto and provide the company with a notable success outside of Japan. The rest, as they say, is history, though sometimes the smaller details are forgotten. One of these is Sky Skipper, one of...
News LEGO Batman Movie and Knight Rider Expansions Coming to LEGO Dimensions
Hoff you had enough yet?
Though the add-on pricing and overall cost for collectors can make adults cry when they think about LEGO Dimensions, Warner Bros. and TT Fusion have lived up to the promise that the game would be a 'platform' in its own right. Resisting the urge to release a direct 'sequel' so far, we've had continual updates and new packs...
Video Take a Closer Look at the Cute Shenanigans of Disney Magical World 2
We're not taking the Mickey
We bet you forgot that Disney Magical World 2 is out on 14th October. Go on, admit it, we're all friends here. Well, it's not far away, and it gives marketing types the opportunity to be creative with the 'Whole New World' tagline, in the process making us reminisce about classic Disney movies. This looks set to be a...
Sunday18th Sep 2016
Review LEGO Star Wars: The Force Awakens (Wii U)
It's LEGO, all of it...
The LEGO series has been an ever-present for a number of years, covering a broad range of franchises. It seems that as long as an IP has scope for action, it can be a LEGO game, though the success rate can vary when TT Games struggles to turn the source material into exciting gameplay. This summer LEGO Star Wars: The Force...
Review Noitu Love: Devolution (3DS eShop)
Evolution on the Go
For all intents and purposes, Noitu Love: Devolution for Nintendo 3DS is the same as the Wii U version we previously reviewed. In this review we'll focus on the differences in the 3DS version and how it stacks up to the HD equivalent, so check out the Wii U review for a more detailed breakdown. As a reminder, Noitu Love:...
Saturday17th Sep 2016
Talking Point Nintendo Now Battles for Our Time, Not Just Loyalty
It's a battle it can win
Thanks to technology, skilful developers and consumer demand, gaming has never been so varied. That may be a statement that goes against the sense some have of a gaming scene packed with remasters, sequels and iterations of long-established genres, but it reflects the broader picture. We have consoles, portables, PC / Mac...
Review Picross 3D Round 2 (3DS)
Pleasantly puzzling
A wise gentleman once said that every puzzle has a solution. In Picross 3D Round 2, finding those answers may have players tearing out their hair while simultaneously cracking a smile. Picross 3D Round 2 is a game that is as addictive as they come. Like its predecessor puzzles are in 3D (as the name so helpfully points out) and...
Save yourself, princess
Damsels in distress are becoming less of a common theme in video games nowadays. Instead we see plenty of titles with independent women who are more than capable of solving their own problems and even saving the day. Not every princess needs someone to come to their aid - as Rorrim illustrates. Players take control of the...
Video Capcom Celebrates 15 Years of Ace Attorney
Worth a watch for the music alone
We've just recently seen the release of Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney - Spirit of Justice in the West, and as the Tokyo Game Show heads towards its conclusion we now have an official video focused the broader franchise. Notably, Capcom is celebrating the 15th Anniversary of the series. The video below is, naturally,...
News Sega 3D Fukkoku Archives 3: Final Stage Adds Thunder Force III
Riding the thunder
Japan is getting its third and final retail collection of Sega 3D Classics this year, and Sega has been teasing the new games which will be included. We recently discovered that Turbo Outrun is making the cut on Sega 3D Fukkoku Archives 3: Final Stage, but there were still three more unknown games to be confirmed. We now know...
Friday16th Sep 2016
Video Fans Are Getting Bent Out Of Shape By The New Pokémon Sun And Moon Anime
"Is this fan-made?"
The Pokémon anime is officially one of the longest-running animated franchises of all time, and over its five different series - split into 19 seasons - we've seen the lead characters change a little in general appearance. However, some fans have reacted rather badly the the teaser for the new Sun and Moon anime, based on...
Guide Getting Started In Dragon Quest VII: Fragments of the Forgotten Past
Key early tips for this massive adventure
Dragon Quest VII: Fragments of the Forgotten Past is out now on 3DS in North America and Europe. If you've never experienced this PlayStation RPG classic, you're in for quite an adventure — the game clocks in at around 100 hours just for completing the main story! More importantly,
Review Pokémon GO Plus - The Original PGO Companion Device
It's all in the wrist
When The Pokémon Company revealed Pokémon GO last year, it also proudly displayed the Pokémon GO Plus device. With a design which playfully mixed the iconic Pokéball with Google's map pin, this Bluetooth-powered lump of plastic was pitched as an optional extra that would make the process of playing the game every day that...
News Apparent amiibo Release Date for The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild Leaked Online
Excitable chat about NX follows, of course
With The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild coming to both Wii U and NX in 2017, many are watching closely to see if the title leads to any inadvertent NX details or leaks ahead of time. So what's got parts of the web buzzing today? Well, the eager gamers over on the NX subreddit found what seems to be an...
Video Watch the First Two Episodes of Pokémon Generations
Let's begin at the beginning...
Just recently The Pokémon Company announced that there'd be weekly episodes of Pokémon Generations, a series of short animations working through the history of the main games. It seems Friday will be the day to watch these, as a double helping has been uploaded. You can see Episode 1: The Adventure, and Episode 2:...
"For evil to win all that is required are good people doing nothing"
The original Castlevania game released on the Famicom in 1986 offered a dark and challenging action-platform adventure, the likes of which had not previously been seen before; to this day, Konami's classic continues to inspire developers. Citadale, by Ezekiel Rage and Nitrolic...
News Merchoid’s Official Nintendo Beanies Will Keep Your Bonce Warm This November
If you want to get ahead, get a hat
Merchandise retailer Merchoid has revealed its new range of official Nintendo beanie hats, due for launch this November. The series includes Yoshi, Goomba, Red Mushroom, Green Mushroom, Question Mark Block, Donkey Kong, Bullet Bill, Boo, Princess Peach, Fire Flower, Monty Mole (of Mario World / Kart fame), Shy...
Review Games For Toddlers (Wii U eShop)
By toddlers, for toddlers
While many gamers fall into a certain age demographic, there are plenty of players younger and older than the average age. For games aimed at the young, the tradition has been to either create an educational experience or something dumbed-down and almost insulting to kids' intelligence. If you've got a young one who is...
News Chase: Cold Case Investigations - Distant Memories Arrives on the 3DS eShop Soon
From Taisuke Kanasaki and his team
It often happens that a rather niche and intriguing title is announced for the Japanese market, and we sigh and doubt it'll ever come to the West. With that in mind it was pleasing in the Summer when Chase: Cold Case Investigations - Distant Memories was confirmed for localisation to the West by Aksys, given a Fall...
Interview Learning More About Tom Happ and the Making of Axiom Verge
Getting to know the man behind the masterpiece
Have you ever been so wrapped up in a project that it began to seep into your personal life? What if your passion became your day-to-day? Imagine spending so much time and energy working on something that it eventually outgrew your expectations and became your bread and butter. It's the dream of so many...
News Corpse Party is Coming to the 3DS in Europe
And…exhale
For those of you out of the loop, Corpse Party made its initial debut on the PC back in 1996 as a project produced in RPG Maker. Since then, the game received a few ports to different platforms – most notably on the PSP in 2011. When the game was confirmed to be coming to the 3DS, fans in North America rejoiced, but similar news was...
Video Take a Look at the Nintendo Game Counsellor Guide
A tough job
Nowadays it's pretty difficult to get stuck in a game - a lot (though not all) of current day game design helps you along, and there are also guides everywhere online. Before the internet, and back when a number of games went out of their way to be secretive and baffling, it was very different. In North America, famously, NES and Game...
News New Rewards Are Now Available On My Nintendo
Kirby! Yo-Kai Watch 2!
If you've got a wealth of coins to spend on your My Nintendo account then you might want to visit the rewards site today as some new items have just gone live. For 200 coins you can get either a Kirby Robobot Armor T-shirt or Kirby & Qbby (of BOXBOY fame) T-shirt, both of which can be used in Miitomo. In North America, a...
News Turns Out You Can Capture New Pokémon With The Pokémon GO Plus
Does anyone really know exactly what this thing does?
The Pokémon GO Plus is released today, and is sure to be a must-have item for seasoned fans of the app. When it was first announced, information regarding its functionality seemed to indicate that it would be an optional accessory rather than something that is instrumental to the core...
Video Bandai Namco Goes Big on Iconic Franchises for Mobile Through 'IP Open Project'
From Pac-Man to Mappy, to Vampire Holmes Pac-Man?
Way back in March 2015 we told you about an intriguing 'IP Open' project being run by Bandai Namco in Japan. A number of iconic franchises were included, and the initiative enabled developers of various types to submit games using those IPs, with an approval and selection process in place. As you...
News Capcom Unveils a Fresh Trailer and Three More Crossovers for Monster Hunter Stories
Putting on a show at TGS
We're still crossing our fingers for a 2017 localisation of Monster Hunter Stories to the West, but while we wait there's plenty to see from the marketing for its October release in Japan. During Tokyo Game Show, Capcom has been showing the game off and announcing new crossover content. First of all, below is a new extended...
News Yo-Kai Watch 2 is Now Available to Pre-Load in North America
Bony Spirits or Fleshy Souls?
With all the good press and attention that the Pokémon franchise has been getting lately, it's easy to forget that Yo-Kai Watch is due to receive its sequel later this month. The Yo-Kai Watch series has always felt like second fiddle to Pokémon, but the original 3DS release was really quite good. It may not seem like...
Thursday15th Sep 2016
Review Noitu Love: Devolution (Wii U eShop)
Do the Evolution
Although you can't seem to walk down the street these days without tripping over a retro-revival of some sort, it's refreshing to see a game that harkens back to play styles you thought were gone or, as is probably more likely, you just simply forgot about. Noitu Love: Devolution feels like a love letter to the likes of Gunstar...
Nintendo Download 15th September (North America)
Dragon Quest VII! Yo-kai Watch 2 demo! Noitu Love: Devolution! More!
It's that time, once again, for the North American Nintendo Download Update details, and this week has some enticing options. The 3DS has a huge retail release and a high profile demo, along with some interesting download-only titles. The Wii U shares a particularly promising...
First Impressions Monster Hunter Stories Borrows Liberally From Iconic Nintendo Franchises
And it's not afraid to show it
Nintendo didn't show up to the Tokyo Game Show this year - it rarely does - but that didn't stop Capcom from bringing one if its most popular franchises on the 3DS along. In fact, Monster Hunter Stories was one of the only Nintendo exclusive games prominently displayed. Fitting, because playing the game felt like an...
News Nintendo Titles and Exclusives Clean Up At The Japan Game Awards
Masahiro Sakurai wants Japanese games to have more global success
The Japan Game Awards don't receive a lot of attention outside of the Tokyo Game Show itself, but the people who make games within Japan or for Japanese audiences take them rather seriously. The Game of the Year awards were voted on by many fans, so it wasn't surprising to see...
News Turbo Outrun Is The Next Sega 3D Classic In Japan, Three More New Games Coming
Going turbo
Not so long ago we reported that the next Sega 3D Classics retail collection to arrive in Japan would contain a mystery title which had been voted for by fans. Sega has now released a trailer which shows that the game in question is Turbo Outrun, the 1989 sequel to original racing smash hit. The trailer also gives us a tease of what the...
News "Slow Living Miniscape RPG" Picontier Coming To 3DS, Gives Us Earthbound Feels
From the creators of Fairune
CIRCLE Entertainment is bringing Skipmore's "slow living miniscape RPG" Picontier to the 3DS, it has been revealed. The game features crafting, combat, fishing and dungeons to explore, and its pixel-rich visual style reminds us an awful lot of Earthbound. Here's some info taken from the game's Steam Greenlight page:...
News EA Had Plans To Create Its Own Pokémon Competitor
PokEAmon?
Even long before Pokémon GO, rival games companies looked on enviously at the Pokémon franchise and wanted to get a slice of the action for themselves. Who can forget Invizimals on the Sony PSP? OK, bad example! Australian indie developer Nic Watt, from Nnooo which has published multiple Nintendo eShop titles, recently revealed on the...
News New Patch Goes Live For Minecraft Wii U Edition
But no details on what's included
Minecraft: Wii U Edition got a pretty significant update a while back which introduced the Tumble Mini Game, and another patch has just gone live. "Patch 12" wasn't pre-announced and 4J Studios hasn't revealed any details on what's included in the update. Until those details are forthcoming, it's fair to assume...
News Metroid Prime: Federation Force Version 1.1 is Now Live
Primarily fixes issues with Blast Ball
Metroid Prime: Federation Force has been out for a few weeks now, offering fans a unique – albeit divisive – take on the world of Metroid Prime. Considering the online-centric gameplay – both in the main game and its extra mode, Blast Ball – one would think that it would be updated fairly regularly, yet...
News WarioWare Smooth Moves Arrives on the North American eShop This Week
Smooth like butter
The WarioWare series is easily one of the weirdest in Nintendo's stable, centered around a broad array of crazy minigames created by Wario and all his weird friends. After its initial debut on the GBA, it's had an entry on every console since – with the notable exclusion of the 3DS. It's certainly a series unlike anything else,...
Feature 13AM Games and Its Next Hits - Runbow Pocket and Pirate Pop Plus
Testing out the latest and greatest from the developer and publisher
Beyond playing new games, seeing your industry heroes and getting tons of swag, one of the most rewarding aspects of going to a convention such as PAX is being able to share your passion for video games with like-minded individuals. Sometimes, when you're really lucky, those...
Review TOUCH SELECTIONS (Wii U eShop)
You might want to AVOID[ER] this one
Hot off the heels of TAP TAP ARCADE 2, RCMADIAX has released TOUCH SELECTIONS; this title is a two-in-one game purchase, much like the existing ARCADE series. The games on offer this time are PEG SOLITAIRE and AVOIDER - which have been previously reviewed by other writers. The first offers a basic puzzle...
Wednesday14th Sep 2016
The NES advantage?
After years of enduring sloppy imitators which offer patchy performance and incomplete compatibility, we're finally seeing clone consoles come of age. The RetroN 5 leveraged the versatility of Google's Android platform to offer HD visuals and save state support, while the super-premium Analogue NT took existing Nintendo chips and...
Poll The GameCube is 15 Years Old - Pick Your Favourite Games
Can you handle the pressure?
The GameCube arrived in Japan on 14th September 2001 in Japan, meaning the handle-boasting wonder is 15 years old (even though it's 15th September in Japan as we publish this, thanks to time zones). To date it holds the dubious honour of being Nintendo's lowest-selling home console, though Wii U looks likely to take that...
Video Nintendo Releases Showcase Video for Paper Mario: Color Splash
Mario madness
The Wii U doesn't have many major retail games left in the locker, though one of those is getting quite close to release - Paper Mario: Color Splash. The latest entry in the series hasn't been warmly greeted by all, but based on what it is offering we've rather enjoyed it so far. Keen to emphasize its strong points, Nintendo's...
Guide Everything You Need To Know About The Pokémon GO Plus
Catching them all just got easier
The Pokémon GO Plus arrives at retail this week after a lengthy delay, but there's still an awful lot of confusion about what this diminutive device actually does, what it's limitations are and how it can be used to improve your Pokémon GO experience. Fear not however, because we've compiled this handy one-stop...
News Check out These Pokémon Stickers for iMessage
Worth $2?
One of the cool new additions to iOS 10 is the ability to use Stickers in iMessage to give messages a bit more visual flair. Super Mario Run already led the charge on these, and now it seems that Pokémon is getting in on the action. If you look here on the app store, you can download a set of Pokémon stickers for $2. The popularity of...
Review Final Fight 3 (New 3DS / SNES)
Metro City rampage
It was a mistake to come back to Metro City, Guy realised. With the Mad Gear gang defeated he'd hoped for a pleasant day where he could catch up with people, but instead he finds himself in a tricky situation. Stood in the Mayor's office, he's trying desperately not to comment on Haggar's ridiculous ponytail. He can't take it any...
News Splatoon Version 2.12 is Now Live
Splatting those pesky bugs
Though the online community for Splatoon is still going strong, it's safe to say that the game has passed its prime. It got its last hurrah with the release of the new Callie and Marie amiibo this summer, and now that Splatfests are over, it seems that Nintendo has moved on (hopefully to make the sequel). That being said,...
Video Official Trailer Shows Off More Pokémon Sun and Moon Ultra Beasts
Next batch of information due on 20th September
Earlier this week we had the traditional CoroCoro magazine leaks that included new details around Pokémon Sun and Moon. Now there are official trailers to show off two of the Ultra Beasts that were shown; so, as always, only read on if you want to see them. Sun and Moon will have different 'UB-02'...
News Pokémon GO Plus Does Track Distance Covered, Contrary To Nintendo's Official Line
Early reports spill the beans
Distance plays a huge role in Pokémon GO. It's used not only to hatch eggs, but since the recent update it also allows your buddy Pokémon to earn candy. Therefore, when it was announced that the Pokémon GO Plus device - which launches this week - would not track your distance when in use, many people expressed...
News One-On-One Battles Could Come To Pokémon GO In The Future
"It's probably something that will make its way onto our roadmap"
Pokémon GO developer Niantic has already promised more updates to the core app - including the ability to trade monsters with other players - but studio CEO John Hanke has revealed that one-on-one battles may also be featured in the future. Speaking at TechCrunch Disrupt
News New 3DS Stays on Top in Japan As Wii U Holds Top Spot Among Home Consoles, For Now
Release of updated PS4 model likely to end brief Wii U run
Though there are more exciting times ahead in terms of new games, we're in the middle of a relatively quiet spell of major releases. That's certainly the case in Japan, where the limited number of new releases are struggling to make much of an impact. In fact, the Media Create charts are...
"We have customers that collect every single book since the beginning"
In late August we reported on a Kickstarter campaign by French publisher Third Editions Books. The company's goal is simple - to fund the translation of (at least) three of its most popular books into English, enabling it to gain a foothold in major territories like the US...
News Professor Kawashima to Appear in Event to Discuss "Secrets of Healthy Ageing"
Potential spoiler: play the Brain Training / Brain Age games
Though they're less frequent nowadays, those that enjoyed the DS years in particular are likely to remember the Brain Age / Brain Training games with fondness; in fact, there are still persistent European fans that bemoan the fate of Dr Kawashima's Devilish Brain Training: Can You Stay...
Video Check Out the Launch Trailer for Shin Megami Tensei IV: Apocalypse
The end of the world as we know it
It's rather hard to believe, but Shin Megami Tensei IV: Apocalypse is only a week away from launching in North America. The hotly anticipated sequel(ish) to Shin Megami Tensei IV is filling an otherwise quiet period for the 3DS, while also giving RPG fans something to root for. In order to generate a little bit...
News Pokémon GO "Pretty Likely" To Come To Android Wear As Well As Apple Watch, Says Niantic CEO
"We’ll look into supporting those, too"
Apple made quite a splash the other week when it revealed that its Apple Watch wearable will be getting a special version of Pokémon GO. Many assumed that this new app would be exclusive to Apple devices, but that doesn't seem to be the case. John Hanke, CEO of Niantic, has revealed in an interview with...
Tuesday13th Sep 2016
Review Dragon Quest VII: Fragments of the Forgotten Past (3DS)
Islands in the Sun
Whether you know it as Dragon Quest or Dragon Warrior, Yuji Horii's enduring role-playing series has been delighting fans and inspiring adventurers consistently since 1986. Like its Square-Enix stablemate Final Fantasy, each Dragon Quest is a standalone story, with shared elements and lore connecting it to other entries; in...
News Capcom Working On New Monster Hunter To "Aggressively" Increase Sales
But of course
Capcom has confirmed that it is working on a new Monster Hunter title as part of its plan to "aggressively" speed up the number of mainline games it releases. Monster Hunter Generations was the last mainline game in the franchise, while Monster Hunter Stories - which launches in Japan soon - is considered a spin-off. The new Monster...
Dual Pack also confirmed, with extra Poké Balls
A lot of focus will go to Pokémon Sun and Moon as we head towards November, with Nintendo and The Pokémon Company likely to go big with their arrival on 3DS. In good news for North American gamers a limited edition hardware iteration previously confirmed for Europe and Japan is now definitely coming...
News Pokémon GO Has Lost 79 Percent of its Paying Population
Still remains most profitable mobile game
It's been a few months since Pokémon GO made its official debut, and although there's some pretty cool new features being added, it was inevitable that the app would struggle to maintain its initial level of success and popularity. After breaking several records for sales and downloads at launch, Pokémon...
Preview Buckets Of Fun With Paper Mario: Color Splash
Colour us impressed
Paper Mario: Color Splash is one of the Wii U's last major releases of the year, and by all accounts it should be cause for some real excitement among fans. It's the latest entry in a series that's filled with humour, character, charm and amazing environments, with an interesting new paint mechanic to keep things fresh. Our time...
News Yacht Club Games Reveals Shovel Knight: Specter of Torment
That's the spirit
Yacht Club has been fairly quiet for some time now, and it's been easy to forget that Shovel Knight is still due to receive more free content. About a year ago we got the first expansion, Shovel Knight: Plague of Shadows, which showed us a parallel storyline featuring the scheming Plague Knight. After that, the Shovel Knight amiibo...
News 3DS Update 11.1.0-34 Brings Even More Stability To Nintendo's Incredibly Stable Handheld
None more stable
A new 3DS firmware update has just gone live, and yes - you guessed it - it's all about the stability. In fact, there's nothing else included with this update: Further improvements to overall system stability and other minor adjustments have been made to enhance the user experience. Just how much more stable can the 3DS get...
Interview We Embark On A Dragon Quest With Noriyoshi Fujimoto
"We make sure that the users are able to resonate with the storylines"
This year's PAX West was good to us here at Nintendo Life. We had the chance to play some upcoming games, meet some interesting people, and talk to some of our favourite game developers. Between all of the commotion and excitement, at the top of our list of "best PAX moments" was...
News Pokémon Generations Animated Series to Have Weekly Episodes on YouTube
Pokémon Origins Episode One: Red also ready to watch
The Pokémon Company is - as it often does with a new generation and games on the way - going into promotional overdrive. That's no bad thing, as it often means plenty of goodies and extras to dive into as the hype train picks up speed. Now we have 'Pokémon Generations', a series of animated...
Review Final Fight 2 (New 3DS / SNES)
Samey sequel (sans selling point)
When Final Fight arrived on the SNES it had problems. The port of the side-scrolling beat 'em up classic looked reasonably close to the arcade title, but it cut out the industrial area, the two-player option and playable character Guy as well. A second attempt was made with Final Fight Guy that saw the Bushin ninja...
Random Shigeru Miyamoto Highlights the Pleasure of Eating a Burger While Playing Super Mario Run
Watch out for dribbling sauce, though
When Nintendo posted a short video of Shigeru Miyamoto talking about Super Mario Run at the start of the week, we resisted. The hugely likeable and respected game creator is repeating lines from the Apple conference reveal, and it's silly - it's not news. Well, who cares, it's quirky. If you don't like seeing...
Video Yellow Toads are Hawkish Warmongers in This Paper Mario: Color Splash Rescue V Episode
"Might makes right!"
Ahead of its October release, Nintendo has been releasing a series of quirky 'Rescue V' videos to promote Paper Mario: Color Splash. Mimicking '80s TV, they feature different groups of Toads helping Mario through tough spots. This week showcases the Coliseum stage first seen in last week's Nintendo Minute episode, with the...
Video Nintendo Gives Us All a Taste of This Year's Nindies@Night PAX Event
Showcasing the talent
One of the pleasing progressions in this generation of hardware has been Nintendo's increasingly open and supportive stance towards indie developers, particularly those producing rather high quality efforts that earn the term 'Nindie'. There are always improvements to be made, but we've seen the big N support Humble Bundles,...
Monday12th Sep 2016
Weirdness Fans Think They've Found Mario And Luigi's Father
Just who is "SR"?
They may be entirely fictional characters but it's fair to assume that in Super Mario canon, the famous Italian siblings must have a father - but Nintendo has never really acknowledged the fact. Or has it? Reddit user l33tredrocket appears to have found evidence that Mario and Luigi's papa does indeed exist in some form - the form...
News Microsoft Blocks NESBox Emulator On Xbox One
That was quick
The NESBox saga appears to be drawing to a close with Microsoft "unpublishing" the app after it was submitted for launch on its Xbox One console. Many questioned whether or not the company would allow it to stand, given that NESBox effectively turns the Xbox One into a NES. However, on Friday it looked certain to be on the way as it...
News CoroCoro Reveals Rockruff's Evolution & New Ultra Beasts for Pokémon Sun and Moon
Night and Day, Beauty and Expansion
The newest batch of information about Pokémon Sun and Moon has come from CoroCoro, with leaked scans making their way online as per tradition. If you don't want to know more, then we do wonder why you clicked on this article; if you do want to know and see more, read on. For a start, Rockruff's evolved form has...
Nintendo Download 15th September (Europe)
Dragon Quest VII! Futuridium on New 3DS! Gear Gauntlet! More!
It's the start of another week, and that means we can check out details on the Nintendo Download Update goodies heading to Europe in the coming days. The stand-out is a long awaiting localisation coming to retail on 3DS, while the Wii U Virtual Console adds a first-party DS game to its...
News Animal Crossing: New Leaf's Fall Update Will Handle The Weeding So You Don't Have To
Cleaning up
Animal Crossing: New Leaf may be getting on a bit these days but the game is set to get a new lease of life thanks to an update this November which adds amiibo functionality. As if being able to use your amiibo toys and cards with the game wasn't enough of a bonus, the free update will also rid your village of pesky weeds - something...
Feature Future Nindie Hits for the eShop - October to December
A look at the titles that Nintendo is keen to promote
September has already proven to be a good month for high quality Nindie downloads, and there are more to come. The 'Summer Jam' promotion has already delivered games like Axiom Verge and Jotun: Valhalla Edition, and we still have Noitu Love: Devo
Review Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Sky (DS)
The sky's the limit
Though the core series still delivers by far the most popular kind of Pokémon games, the Mystery Dungeon series has still done a good job of establishing its own identity and setting itself apart. As the third and final game in the DS set of games for the series, Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Sky provides a charming...
Random Walking 10km With Pikachu As Your Buddy Creates A Stronger Bond In Pokémon GO
Just like Ash!
Pokémon GO's latest update introduces the Buddy system, which has to rank as one of the most significant changes since the title launched a few months ago. Using this system, you can assign a 'mon as your buddy and they will walk alongside you, earning candies as they go. This new mechanic also introduces a cool Easter Egg which...
What is art?
140 - created by Jeppe Carlsen (lead puzzle designer, LIMBO) with music by Jakob Schmid - is a minimalistic rhythm-based puzzle-platform game that has clearly been inspired by the Bauhaus artistic movement. For those who aren't great lovers of art, Bauhaus was a school of art located in Germany that combined crafts with fine arts, and...
Random Someone Has Created A SNES Mini Out Of Clay And A Raspberry Pi Zero
Nintendo, take note
The NES Mini is coming this year and looks set to be quite a popular Christmas present, but a great many Nintendo fans will have their fingers firmly crossed that the SNES Mini follows shortly afterwards. For those of you who can't wait - and don't mind getting your hands dirty - there's always the unofficial route. Modder Hugo...
News Suda51 Would Love To Revisit Killer7 At Some Point
"It’s up to Capcom to allow something like this"
Killer7 was one of the fabled "Capcom Five", a selection of titles that the Japanese publisher pledged would be exclusive to the GameCube. As we all know, that claim didn't last long; out of the five, only P.N.03 remained Nintendo-only, with Dead Phoenix being canned in 2003 and the remaining three...
News Soul Axiom Arrives on Wii U in Late September, at a Reduced Price
An extra 15% off for those with the Nindies@Home demo
Master Reboot, by Wales Interactive, is a particularly intriguing title on the Wii U eShop, and it's been quite a long wait for its spiritual successor - Soul Axiom. It now has a firm release date, and patient Wii U owners will also pay a little less to try it out. It's coming on 29th September...
Feature Dragon Quest Museum Wraps Up in Tokyo, Re-Opens in Osaka Next
Thirty years of history, art and slimes
The Dragon Quest Museum has ended a fantastic six week run in Tokyo, Japan. The museum was held in honour of the 30th anniversary of the release of the first Dragon Quest game in Japan, in 1986. Its not the only thing Square-Enix has done to mark this milestone. There have been smaller promotional events like...
News Digger Dan DX Returns to the 3DS eShop With Extra Content
25 extra caves to dig through
Earlier in the year the rather charming Digger Dan DX was taken down from the 3DS eShop - First Star Software, which owns the rights to Boulder Dash, had issued the takedown. Thankfully the matter was resolved, and developer Four Horses has been working to get Digger Dan back on the store. The good
Sunday11th Sep 2016
News Nintendo Sends a Lovely Legend of Zelda Care Package in Honour of a Young Fan
"May your brother's legend live on forever"
There may be a lot of bad news and cynicism to be found online, but there are also some touching, uplifting occurrences that remind us of how powerful generosity and kindness can be. Nintendo, it so happens, has captured plenty of hearts and minds over on Reddit by sending a care package of Legend of Zelda...
Video Learn a Little More About Super Mario World
Did You Know Gaming digs up some neat information
It's likely that many reading these pages know an awful lot about Super Mario World; after all, it's one of the standout and iconic games of the 16-bit era, and is often in the conversation when considering the best Super Mario games. In any case, it's always interesting to learn a little more about...
Saturday10th Sep 2016
Iterative generations and shrinking technical leaps change the game
It's been a slightly peculiar week in the gaming industry. Nintendo made an appearance on stage with Apple to announce Super Mario Run, which was both smart business and a strange landmark moment; it's not often you see Shigeru Miyamoto pitching a Mario game on someone else's stage...
News Buddy Pokémon Arrive in GO Update as Niantic Continues to Target "Bots and Scrapers"
Rolling out right now
A little while ago we told you that Buddy Pokémon had been confirmed for Pokémon GO; this allows you to pick your favourite 'mon to appear next to your Trainer's avatar, and will also bring some extra rewards. Niantic has now confirmed that the update is going live around the world, so it should be a matter of time before...
Review Mega Man X3 (New 3DS / SNES)
Flawed finale
It was 1995 or 1996 (depending on where you lived) and for the third year running Capcom released a Mega Man X game on the SNES. Further games in the series would follow but whilst X's 1-6 would arrive on the GameCube in Mega Man X Collection, Mega Man X3 would be the last in the series for the SNES and now presumably the New Nintendo...
Video Nintendo Minute Shows Off a New Area of Paper Mario: Color Splash
"You got Bone"
In terms of major retail releases, you could quite easily count the number of notable Wii U titles still due in 2016 on one hand. Perhaps quality can make up for a lack of quantity, though, and we're hopeful that Paper Mario: Color Splash can bring some added colour to the release line-up. Nintendo Minute's latest episode takes a...
Friday9th Sep 2016
News Xbox One NES Emulator Passes Certification, Could Hit Console In The Next Few Days
Your move, Nintendo
We reported on the development of a NES emulator for the Xbox One console a few days ago, and we're now hearing that the app has passed certification, meaning it could arrive on the system any day now. NESBox will allow Xbox owners to play classic NES titles on their consoles, as well as load up fan-made games. ROMs will be...
Video A Modder Has Made Super Mario Run 64
Of course they have...
For some there's no escaping from the 'good old days', which in the Nintendo scene means - for some - delving into Nintendo 64 goodness. Nintendo's powerhouse console (at the time) was home to iconic games that are still much loved today. Super Mario 64 is right up near the top of the list when considering the most beloved...
News Industry Veteran Interplay Puts Its Entire Library Of Properties Up For Sale
He's dead, Jim
Interplay is selling off its entire catalogue of IP, it has been revealed. The veteran firm - which can count Earthworm Jim, Clayfighter and MDK amongst its titles - is offloading "video game assets and intellectual property" which covers some 70 titles. Established in 1983 by Brian Fargo - who now runs inXile Entertainment -...
News Super Pitfall Gets The Fan-Made 30th Anniversary Makeover It So Badly Needed
Turning A Lump Of Coal Into a Diamond
The adventures of Pitfall Harry are a big part of many a gamer's childhood. His escapades were the closest we got to play (outside of licensed games of varying quality) as Indiana Jones on second generation consoles such as the Atari 2600. However, one particular game in the series was a lot more Kingdom of the...
News Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night Has Been Delayed To 2018
Ouch…
It could be said that Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night is one of the most highly anticipated Kickstarter projects bound for Nintendo platforms. We absolutely loved what we saw of it at E3, and it seems as though development has been progressing quite well. The game was set to launch in March of 2017, but it seems now that fans will have to...
News Nintendo Is Interested In Bringing amiibo Support To Smartphones
"We might have an opportunity to use that"
Nintendo could extend the reach of its amiibo range by making the NFC toys compatible with smartphones, Shigeru Miyamoto has hinted. Speaking to IGN after appearing on stage at the recent Apple conference - where he announced Super Mario Run - Miyamoto said: There's nothing we can announce today but It's...
News Pokémon GO Sets Another Record as it Reaches $500 Million in Customer Spend
Yep, it's super effective
Earlier this week it was announced that Pokémon GO had passed 500 million downloads. According to App Annie, that's also a significant number in terms of revenue from customers, with the analytics company declaring that GO is the fastest mobile game to make $500 million worldwide in customer spend. You don't need to be a...
Review Skunky B's Super Slots Saga #1 (Wii U eShop)
An unintended anti-gambling PSA
Throughout the history of video games, players have discovered that some real-life events and ideas translate better into interactive experiences than others. Playing football, marching into battle and exploring a dense forest are all exciting in their own ways, but others aren't quite as suitable when it comes to...
News Unreleased Game Boy Color RPG Infinity Gets Unexpected Soundtrack Release
A unique situation
Usually video game soundtracks are released because a game becomes a commercial success and the demand therefore exists for such a product, but in the case of the unreleased Game Boy Color RPG Infinity - which we reported on a while back - the situation is a little different. Originally intended for release over 15 years ago, the...
Review TAP TAP ARCADE 2 (Wii U eShop)
Double tapped
RCMADIAX returns, this time with TAP TAP ARCADE 2 for the Wii U eShop. Don't let the name fool you, as promising as it may sound this one doesn't quite live up to the name. With such a title naturally one would expect a compilation of games. Oddly, though, TAP TAP ARCADE 2 only includes two - just like the original TAP TAP ARCADE. The...
News Kirby Gear is Coming to Miitomo
How dreamy
Miitomo has been gradually incorporating clothing and items from various other Nintendo franchises, with Super Mario, Metroid, Zelda, and Splatoon all making an appearance in timed events over the past several months. Now, it seems that everybody's favorite super-tuff pink puff is about to get in on the action; Kirby gear is coming to...
Thursday8th Sep 2016
News Analysts Expect Nintendo NX Reveal by Early October and Make Bold Super Mario Run Predictions
One billion+ free downloads possible
With the unveiling of Super Mario Run there's a lot of talk around Nintendo, its brand and its potential profitability. Share prices have jumped, which is something we've seen before with Pokémon GO; there's certainly a sense that bringing Mario to mobile is a key moment for Nintendo's efforts in the sector, and...
Review Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney - Spirit of Justice (3DS eShop)
Turnabout Traveller
There's never been a lawyer who's captured the hearts of gamers quite like Phoenix Wright, Ace Attorney. That's not only because Capcom's Ace Attorney is perhaps the only Bar-based game to hit the big time, but also because of the excellent writing, memorable characters, satisfying gameplay, and fast-flying 'Objection!'s that...
Review Jotun: Valhalla Edition (Wii U eShop)
The Gods are definitely pleased
Quietude is not a word synonymous with videogames. Most of the time there are peaks and valleys - an ebb and flow of exuberance and bombast, quickly followed by a period of downtime filled with storytelling and world building. Sometimes they eschew one focus for the next, either by being filled with a constant barrage...
Retro Remember When Nintendo Ditched The Headphone Socket?
Paving the way in more ways than one
In case you missed it, Shigeru Miyamoto appeared on stage at Apple's 2016 conference yesterday to announce Super Mario Run, a brand-new Mario game for iOS. As if that wasn't shocking enough, Apple also revealed its new iPhone 7 which - as had been rumoured - does away with the traditional 3.5mm headphone socket...
Nintendo Download 8th September (North America)
Ace Attorney! Jotun! Mario Strikers Charged! Futuridium on New 3DS! More!
Here we are, once again, with the North American Nintendo Download Update. This week most certainly has some tempting options; on 3DS we have the latest in an iconic Capcom series and a welcome port on New 3DS, along with a Konami classic on the Virtual Console. Wii U is led...
Review Mega Man X2 (New 3DS / SNES)
Extra X
Thanks to 16-bit visual loveliness and some new moves, the first Mega Man X stood out from the many 8-bit Mega Man games that had popped up on the NES and Game Boy. Released the following year, this sequel may lack the freshness of that first title, but Mega Man X2 still provides the expected action-platforming fun, backed by some great...
Talking Point The Inevitability of Super Mario Run, Nintendo's Ace for the Mobile Market
Nintendo's giving mobile a run for its money
When the Nintendo and DeNA corporate partnership was announced in early 2015, the most obvious concept that came up in the Nintendo Life team's conversation was a Mario runner. It's hardly rocket science - franchises such as Rayman and Sonic the Hedgehog have had multiple runner iterations of different...
News River City: Tokyo Rumble Will Be Roughhousing 3DS Consoles At The End Of This Month
Digital and physical releases planned
Natsume has confirmed that River City: Tokyo Rumble will launch on the 3DS in North America on September 27th. Developed by Arc System Works, the game will be released in physical and digital formats, and those who order a copy from Natsume's new Amazon store will receive a limited edition Kunio keychain. Here
News Snazzy Japanese Pokémon Sun and Moon Trailer Showcases Fresh Footage
More reveals due on 14th September
Earlier this week there was a glut of new information related to Pokémon Sun and Moon, which are all set to keep 3DS owners busy later this year. The Pokémon Company is eager to ensure that the hype train doesn't slow down, either, as another set of reveal details is due on 14th September at the now-usual time of...
Video Check Out Monster Hunter Stories' Zelda Crossover Content
Felyne groovy
Crossover content has been pretty popular in the world of Monster Hunter, and Capcom is continuing that trend by introducing elements from Nintendo's famous Legend of Zelda series. A new trailer has just been issued which shows off the Zelda content that will be included in Monster Hunter Stories. You'll be able to dress up the main...
Phones are the "first place that kids are encountering games"
With Super Mario Run now announced for a December release on iOS, plenty of talk has been on its potential success, the boost to Nintendo profits and similar numbers-based areas of conversation. For Nintendo these are clearly considerations, though for Shigeru Miyamoto the interest is in...
News Pokémon GO Plus Launches On September 16th
Delayed device finally hitting retail
Nintendo has confirmed that the delayed Pokémon GO Plus will be arriving in stores on September 16th. The device - which connects to your phone via a low-energy Bluetooth link and allows you to plunder Pokéstops and catch monsters in Pokémon GO without having to pull your handset out of your pocket - was...
News Nintendo And DeNA Experience Share Price Jumps In Light Of Super Mario Run Announcement
18 and 21 percent respectively
Yesterday, Nintendo caused quite a stir by confirming Super Mario Run for iOS devices at Apple's yearly conference. Unsurprisingly, the news triggered Nintendo's share price to leap sharply, rising as high as 18 percent before settling down to a still-remarkable 11 percent at the end of the trading day. DeNA - the...
News Kirby: Planet Robobot Director Discusses How Copy Abilities Are Chosen
Balancing is key
Though the Kirby series is well known for branching out frequently into new and different gameplay styles, the core platforming series still firmly remains centered around Kirby's cope abilities. Ever since Kirby's Adventure, dozens of copy abilities have made their debut, though many have a tendency to disappear for a few games...
News PAX West Omegathon Ends in Super Mario Showdown
It's like The Wizard all over again
Those of you who follow the events of PAX West are no doubt aware of the "Omegathon", a three-day tournament where twenty contestants compete in various games for a grand prize. Last Year, the Omegathon finale was centered around clearing a grueling Super Mario Maker course specially developed by Nintendo for the...
Video Polara, the Fast-Paced Runner Heading to the 3DS eShop
CIRCLE Entertainment steps in as publisher
As both a publisher and developer, CIRCLE Entertainment is among the most prolific content creators on the 3DS eShop, and it has yet another title to show off; it looks rather promising, too. It's a futuristic fast-paced runner (developed by Flyhigh Works) with the emphasis evidently on difficulty. The...
Wednesday7th Sep 2016
News The Dolphin Emulator Can Now Play the Entire GameCube Library
Many years in the making
Most that have been following Nintendo over the last decade will have heard of the Dolphin emulator at some point. Over the course of many years it's offered a means to run the GameCube library, and has even been used by enthusiasts to test out Wii games in HD. It's actively used by various communities; earlier this year...
News Nintendo Appears at Apple Conference to Announce Super Mario Run
Super MariOS
In a surprising appearance, Shigeru Miyamoto and Bill Trinen appeared on stage at today's Apple conference to announce Super Mario Run, a game that has been designed specifically for mobile and will come to iOS first in time for the Holiday season, with a December release confirmed. As the name suggests this is a runner in which you go...
Thursday8th Sep 2016
News Wii U Version Of Hyper Light Drifter Is Officially Cancelled
Adrift
Heart Machine's Alex Preston has confirmed that the Wii U version of Hyper Light Drifter has been officially cancelled, along with the PS Vita edition. The title was previously described as being "in limbo" following development issues and Preston cites problems regarding the porting process as the reason for its ultimate demise...
Wednesday7th Sep 2016
Video Check Out Some Official Footage of Super Mario Run
Mario on tap
Earlier today Shigeru Miyamoto made a star appearance at Apple's major event, with able assistance from Bill Trinen, and revealed Super Mario Run. Coming to iOS in December - Apple gets the first bite (sorry) - it's a runner with the big pitch that you can play with just one hand. Be careful with those marketing slogans Nintendo, the...
Sure, we'll ask about Pokémon GO on Apple Watch, too
As another indication - not that it was needed - that the Nintendo name still has broad appeal and brand power, Apple gave up an early chunk of its 'Special Event' to introduce Shigeru Miyamoto and Bill Trinen - they unveiled Super Mario Run. A left-to-right runner in which you tap to make the...
News A Samus Costume Was Almost in the Wii U Axiom Verge Port
Nintendo axed the idea, of course
Despite its popularity, the Metroid series has fallen on hard times as of late. Nintendo has done little to address the series over the past several years, and while we got a pretty good spinoff on the 3DS this year, it's struggled greatly commercially. Axiom Verge, while not a Metroid game, was obviously made as a...
News Super Mario Run Release Prompts Delay to Animal Crossing and Fire Emblem Mobile Games
Still due before 31st March 2017
In all of the hubbub around Super Mario Run being announced at Apple's event, Nintendo has pushed its anticipated Autumn / Fall apps - Fire Emblem and Animal Crossing - back. They're still due before 31st March 2017, but will come after the December iOS release of Super Mario Run. Super Mario Run represents the...
News ESL Go4Splatoon Tournament Winners Will Get A Nintendo NX Console
The ultimate splatfest
This Sunday sees the start of the ESL Go4Splatoon Tournament, a six-month event which will end in a 2017 grand final to decide Europe's best Splatoon team. As if being recognised as one of the best Splatoon players in the world wasn't enough, the overall winners of this tournament will each receive a shiny new Nintendo NX...
News New 3DS LL Stays on Top in Japan as Wii U Leads Home Consoles Courtesy of PS4 Drop
Strange circumstances as new PS4 models are on the way
The Media Create charts are out in Japan, as expected, and the surprises mostly come in the hardware stakes; there's only one major newcomer in the software top 20. Starting with software, Yo-kai Watch 3 - in two versions - continues to lead and accumulate a decent number of sales. It's closely...
Guide How to Build a Level Ten Gym in Pokémon GO in Under an Hour
Ten monsters to a landmark
Gyms are a key part of the whole Pokémon GO experience, but you often have to spend hours or amass a giant group to effectively defend any one you may be a part of. Well, not any more! By following the strategy detailed in the video above - props to The Silph Road for discovering this - you too can make a gym level ten...
News Niantic Already Working On New Apps As Pokémon GO Passes The $440 Million Mark
"We have some projects that are in the early stages now"
Niantic has gone from being a near-unknown to one of the most famous developers on the planet thanks to the astonishing success of Pokémon GO, the monster-catching smartphone app which the company developed in conjunction with The Pokémon Company. Niantic's previous release, Ingress, laid...
News Pokémon GO Confirmed for Apple Watch
Due out this year, primarily focused on fitness
With Pokémon GO Plus add-on expected soon and the app still performing well, Niantic CEO John Hanke appeared at the Apple Conference today to unveil a version of the game for Apple Watch. This version is an accompaniment rather than being an iteration of the full game, with its focus very much on...
Talking Point The Scale of the Mobile Industry Makes it an Important Market for Nintendo
Animal Crossing and Fire Emblem are only the beginning
As the Summer months drift towards their conclusion (in the Northern Hemisphere, at least) we head into Fall / Autumn, and what that brings is a period of great intrigue in the world of Nintendo. On the one hand the company will eventually need to spill the beans on its NX system and - in one...
News Super Play's Wil Overton Is Creating Cover Art For HyperPlay Issue 2
Legendary artist goes full circle
Gamers of a certain age will almost certainly recall the days before the internet when fan-made magazines were all the rage. These crude, monochrome publications were put together thanks to the sheer enthusiasm of their creators and provided a sense of community that wasn't always present in professional mags, but...
News The Lead Composer for Dragon Quest is Officially the Oldest Game Music Composer
Here's to many more, Sugiyama-san
In the space of Japanese Role-Playing Games, few names are as recognizable as that of Dragon Quest. The popular series has been running since 1986 – longer than Final Fantasy, we might add – with dozens of entries and spinoffs appearing on a plethora of platforms. Of course, music has been a big part of the...
News Grand Prix Rock 'N Racing Gets Close to the Finish Line on Wii U
Good enough for a podium place?
A little while ago EnjoyUp Games confirmed that it'd be bringing Grand Prix Rock 'N Racing to the Wii U eShop, the latest entry in the top-down racing series. It now has firm release details; it'll be getting off the grid in Europe and North America on 15th September, priced €7.99 / $7.99. In terms of features for...
Interview Will Dubé on Mythology, Art and Big Bosses in Jotun: Valhalla Edition
"We want to make beautifully powerful game experiences"
If you haven't already, do yourself a favour and take the time to look at some screenshots and trailers for the upcoming Wii U release of Jotun: Valhalla Edition. It's a beautifully crafted adventure game that pulls its story right from the pages of Norse Mythology. Not long ago we posted a...
Tuesday6th Sep 2016
News The Xbox One Might Be Getting A NES Emulator
Nintendo's legal team, take note
Given this is a Nintendo-focused site many of you may not be aware that it is now possible for Windows developers to submit their applications for release on the Xbox One. It's all part of Microsoft's overarching plan to unify its business interests and should - on the whole - result in benefits for console users...
Gallery A Closer Look At The Aether Foundation, Ultra Beasts and More in Pokémon Sun and Moon
Also the Poké Finder and reasons for the time split between versions
Earlier today The Pokémon Company unveiled more details on Pokémon Sun and Moon. Somewhat appropriately considering the fact these entries are kickstarting a new generation, there were entirely new features, a notable nod to a retro classic, all-new Pokémon and some surprises...
News Lost Nintendo 64 Racer Rev Limit Rolls Out Of The Garage
The Gran Turismo beater that never was
Seta is a name that will be familiar to SNES owners thanks to the firm's well-recieved Exhaust Heat / F1 Race of Champions titles and the Castlevania-inspired Nosferatu. During the N64 era the firm pledged its support to Nintendo with a raft of titles including Wild Choppers (Chopper Attack in the west) and a...
News Different Time Periods, New Pokémon and Snap-style Mode Confirmed for Pokémon Sun and Moon
Allies and interesting story focus also revealed
Pokémon Sun and Moon now have their latest trailer full of reveals, and it's a goodie. It packs a lot into a short video, and even includes a few surprising revelations that not many (outside of coming across leaks) would have predicted. If you want to see it all for yourself, check out the trailer...
News Risa Tabata Talks Paper Mario's New Focus on Puzzle-Solving
"The old Paper Mario games... they weren't just about the RPG elements"
When Paper Mario: Color Splash was first announced, it was met by some mixed reception from fans. This was largely due to the removal of significant RPG elements in favor of more puzzle-solving, something Paper Mario: Sticker Star also took some heat for. Nintendo obviously is...
News Gurumin 3D Price Revealed, Free 3DS Theme To Be Included With Purchase
Could release as early as the end of this month
Mastiff has confirmed to us that Gurumin 3D: A Monstrous Adventure will cost $14.99 when it launches on the 3DS eShop. The publisher has also revealed that the download will come with a free 3DS theme. The action RPG title is developed by Nihon Falcom Corporation and was originally released on PC back...
Review Tadpole Treble (Wii U eShop)
Pretty sharp
Fans of video game-themed webcomics have no doubt seen or are familiar with the Nintendo-inspired Brawl in the Family strip. Though the comic has concluded now, its creator – Matthew Taranto – went on to create a music themed game featuring the art that made his comic so popular. Tadpole Treble is a wonderfully charming experience...
Preview Taking the Temperature of Sonic Boom: Fire & Ice
It's not a bust
When you say 'Sonic Boom' to a Wii U owner that wants the best for SEGA's veteran mascot, they may react in any number of ways - they could turn red and embark on an explosive rant, they may quietly cry in a corner, or potentially just stare vacantly into the distance, their gaze devoid of all hope. That's the fault of Sonic Boom:...
Video Latest Pokémon Sun And Moon 'Train On' Featurette Tests The Limits Of Friendship
Try not to fall out over Pokémon battles
Part of the promotional activity for Pokémon Sun and Moon includes a mini-series of featurettes which focus on a Japanese boy making friends in a new country. The first episode showed how the power of Pokémon can build bridges, and now we've got a sequel which focuses on the game's ability to mend battered...
News ACT IT OUT! is Bringing Charades and Shenanigans to the Wii U eShop
Photogenic players are optional
The Wii U has a handful of group party games of various types, from mini-game collections to budget quiz releases and more besides. Now ACT IT OUT! is coming to the system, a 'Game of Charades' - previously seen on PS4 - that also throws in aspects of Pictionary and singing. For starters the trailer below gives you a...
Monday5th Sep 2016
Talking Point What Approach Should Nintendo Take With Its NX Reveal?
Sudden and viral, a Direct, or a conventional press-focused event?
The silly season of rumours has been underway for a while now with the Nintendo NX, and some have recently focused on how the system will be revealed. It's a welcome change of pace from figuring out what the system is, admittedly, and it's raised an interesting question - how should...
News Hello Kitty And Friends Are Linking Up With Animal Crossing: New Leaf
New amiibo+ cards will unlock themed furniture in the game
Animal Crossing: New Leaf is getting an amiibo-style facelift later this year, and Nintendo has just revealed that a collaboration with Sanrio will see some of its most beloved characters appear in the game. Scanning the new range of amiibo+ cards will grant access to items of furniture...
Nintendo Download 8th September (Europe)
Ace Attorney! Jotun! 140! Final Fight trilogy! Much more!
With the start of another week we have the European Nintendo Download Update details, and this time around there's plenty on offer. We have some highly promising options on the Wii U, while the 3DS has a major release from Capcom and a trilogy of SNES releases on the New 3DS Virtual Console...
News Turns Out Nintendo Came Up With Metroid Prime's Most Compelling Feature
"Nintendo was like, this is going to be about the scan visor"
The Metroid Prime sub-series has to rank as one of the most beloved of all Nintendo's franchises. The three mainline Metroid Prime titles are sublime pieces of software, yet it's easy to forget that the public reaction to early footage of the first instalment was met with widespread...
Review Unholy Heights (3DS eShop)
Movin' on down
The economy can be a merciless force, even if you're a malevolent being bent on world domination. The Devil, finding the life of a salaryman just isn't cutting it with his plans, leaves his job and buys an apartment out in the surprisingly picturesque projects, hoping to raise an army of monstrous tenants to storm the globe. Yep,...
News Mario Sports Superstars Is A Collaboration Between Camelot And Bandai Namco
Teaming up
Last week's Nintendo Direct gave us some nice 3DS-sized surprises, one of which was the previously-unannounced Mario Sports Superstars. The next entry in the long-running Mario Sports series of games, it aims to pull together several different disciplines into one package. Now, thanks to the Australian Board of Classification, we have...
News Metroid Prime: Federation Force Flops on UK Debut
A long way off the top 40
Recently we reported on Metroid Prime: Federation Force enduring a poor launch in Japan, missing the country's top 20. Unfortunately, today's Chart-Track UK charts don't bring any better news. The Next Level Games-developed title is absent from the all- and single-format top 40 charts for the country, and the picture is...
Review Tallowmere (Wii U eShop)
Deeper into the dungeon we go
Roguelike games — where you journey through procedurally generated levels with the risk of losing everything if you die — can be a hard sell to some players. While some gamers live to get just a bit further in each subsequent playthrough, others are turned off by the idea of having to start from the beginning every...
Random How One Of Sega's Worst TV Ads Sparked An Epic Quest To Track Down A Fictional Barber
"In truth I was really surprised - in a good way"
Sega and Nintendo's history has been well documented in the past, with the two firms being bitter rivals during the 16-bit era. In recent years things have become a little more rosy, what with Nintendo publishing some of Sega's games on its consoles. Sega's transition from hardware maker to...
News Pokémon GO's Success Has Convinced Sony To Perform About-Face On Mobile Gaming
"Pokémon GO is a real game-changer"
Sony boss Kaz Hirai has revealed that the incredible success of Pokémon GO has encouraged the company to reassess its stance in the smartphone gaming arena. Sony's ambitious PlayStation Mobile platform was put out to pasture last year after failing to find lasting success, but Hirai has told
Review Stickman Super Athletics (3DS eShop)
Sports done simply
With all the buzz around the Olympics this year, Stickman Super Athletics arrived just at the right time. Coderchild's latest offering sees you qualify for Olympian sports such as swimming, long jump and the 100m dash. Those who enjoyed games like Track and Field in past times will appreciate Stickman Super Athletics, but the...
Random Car Insurance Firm Pokes Fun At Those Who Pokémon GO Behind The Wheel
"Don't catch and drive"
You should never play Pokémon GO when you're behind the wheel of a car - that much is obvious. Just like sending a text or taking a phone call, it's a distraction which dramatically increases the chances of you getting into an accident. Niantic has even gone as far as to include a warning message in the game which pops up...
News The Battle Cats POP! Returns to the European 3DS eShop
It's feline fine again
The Battle Cats POP! is one of the quirkier efforts on the 3DS eShop, a popular smart device title that's made a decent transition to Nintendo's portable. Its localisation out of Japan was a welcome surprise, but around six weeks after its release it dropped off the European eShop; oddly, it wasn't clear why it disappeared...
Sunday4th Sep 2016
Feature Exploring the Licensed Content in RCMADIAX Games on the Wii U and New 3DS eShop
Origins on asset stores
In recent days we've had multiple readers and colleagues direct us to licensed game assets available to buy online that appear to have been utilised extensively for games sold on the eShop. The developer in question is RCMADIAX, a studio that has produced a substantial volume of releases over the past year, in particular...
Review Tetraminos (Wii U eShop)
Now with new shapes
Tetris was created by Russian game designer Alexey Pajitnov and originally released in 1984. It wasn't until the title's debut on the Nintendo Game Boy in 1989 that the tile-matching puzzle game became a truly global sensation and established itself as one of the most popular video games of all time. To date, Tetris and more...
Feature Looking for Hits in the Latest StreetPass Games
From capitalism to near-naked Ninjas
The most recent Nintendo Direct broadcasts had a number of pleasing reveals, but one of the most satisfying for eager explorers and walkers was confirmation of a major StreetPass update. The update does multiple things; it introduces the Quick Plaza / SwiftPlay Plaza, designed to shave time off playing games and...
Saturday3rd Sep 2016
Talking Point The 2017 Role of the 3DS Was Established in its Nintendo Direct
Ports, updates and occasional big-hitters to keep it ticking
It's not uncommon that, with new hardware around the corner, console manufacturers keep some content trickling onto the soon-to-be last-gen hardware. Often they rely upon third-party multi-platform titles, as we saw with PS3 and Xbox 360 after the arrival of their successors, though in...
Friday2nd Sep 2016
News Wall Street Journal Reports That Nintendo NX Will Indeed Use Flash-Based Game Cards
Disc-continued?
The Wall Street Journal has given more weight to existing rumours that the Nintendo NX will shun optical media in favour of flash-based game cards. Citing sources "familiar with the matter", the WSJ claims that Nintendo has made the decision based on "renewed attention" in the marketplace for chip-based storage options...
News Nintendo of America Issues Takedown Request on AM2R, Ending the Project
"There will be no more AM2R updates, and no more releases"
We suspect many regular readers of these pages are very familiar with AM2R (Another Metroid 2 Remake), a terrific fan effort that was released as a free download in August. We wrote an impressions piece praising it as "the Metroid game that fans deserve". The work of Milton Guasti, known...
News Retro-Bit Generations Game List Contains Capcom, Irem And Data East Classics
Rest easy, Super Noah's Ark is included
Clone consoles are all the rage at the moment, what with Nintendo's own NES Mini and RetroUSB's AVS arriving on the scene to remind everyone just how great the NES was, and still is. However, Retro-Bit is taking a slightly different approach by not focusing on a single system but instead creating an "all in...
News Collector 'Metal Jesus' Reveals More About His Rare North American Nintendo 64DD
Breaking down the mysteries of the system
A while ago we spoke to Jason Lindsey, who's well known on YouTube as MetalJesusRocks, about a remarkable discovery for his collection. He picked up a North America Nintendo 64DD, which was seemingly the first of its kind. The 'Lot Check' sticker suggested it was used to test games at Nintendo of America,...
Poll Did the 3DS Nintendo Direct Boost Your Hype for the Portable's Line-Up?
From Wii U game ports to all-new reveals
It was nearly six months between Nintendo Directs, with E3 and a smattering of reveals and extended commercials in between (and some Japan-only Directs). It had ben quite a wait, though it seemed that Nintendo did a pretty good job with its 3DS Nintendo Direct on 1st September, albeit with some caveats. As...
News Buddy Pokémon Confirmed by Niantic for Pokémon GO
You've got a friend in Meowth
Earlier this week data miners sifted through the latest Pokémon GO update and discovered code for Buddy Pokémon. That leak was clearly spotted by Niantic, as it's now confirmed that the feature is on the way; it's "just around the corner", so could arrive any time soon. The details are as expected, ultimately -...
Poll What Are Your Favourite Mini NES Games?
30 for the 30th Anniversary in Europe
Here's a fun fact that fell under the radar on a rather busy day - the NES turned 30 in Europe on 1st September. It celebrated the equivalent North American anniversary nearly a year ago, but the system took a while to arrive in Europe and, actually, struggled to gain much of a foothold - initially at least - in...
Video Remembering Trevor McFur, Atari's Not Entirely Convincing Answer To Star Fox
Out-foxed
1993 was a bumper year for gamers, and Nintendo's groundbreaking Star Fox was possibly the cream of the crop. Powered by the Super FX chip and offering intense 3D graphics, it set a new standard for visuals on home consoles and gave its host platform a new lease of life. Also released in 1993 was the Atari Jaguar, the veteran company's...
News Monster Hunter Generations September DLC Includes Star Fox and Strider Gear
Foxy felynes
Monster Hunter Generations is likely still keeping plenty of players busy, and Capcom has now rolled out the second batch of free monthly DLC to add a little extra to the game. The headline additions this time tie into the Star Fox and Strider franchises, though there's more to pick up as well. The Fox McCloud Felyne outfit and...
Brick Rolled
After passing the 60th car, players will have experienced all of what Brick Race has to offer. Brick Race for the New 3DS is an oddity that can lose its appeal after just a few minutes; even that may be generous in terms of the amount of time anyone would want to spend playing the game. The title, "Brick Race", is a literal translation...
News Azure Striker Gunvolt: Striker Pack Has Been Delayed to 4th October
Digital release date remains the same
As many fans are no doubt aware, Azure Striker Gunvolt 2 is due to launch later this month. The action platformer looks set to deliver a worthy follow up to the excellent Azure Striker Gunvolt, and those who haven't played the original will have an opportunity to pick both up physically with the Azure Striker...
Video Awesome Japanese Trailer Localised for Pokémon Sun and Moon 'Train On' Series
Charm is super effective
Way back when Pokémon Sun and Moon had their full unveiling - through full commercials after an initial tease weeks earlier - we saw different marketing approaches. The Western reveal trailers featured familiar music and lots of clips of the game, while in Japan there was a video with a short narrative. We rather liked the...
Video Here's Some Pointers on How to Get the Most Out of Axiom Verge
Axioms to live by
Axiom Verge launched today on Wii U, much to the anticipation and excitement of many Nintendo fans. We thought it was an absolutely outstanding piece of game design, praising its innovative gameplay and gorgeous visuals. Of course, as with any 'Metroidvania', it's a pretty dense game by design, and there's no doubt many things...
Thursday1st Sep 2016
Review Axiom Verge (Wii U eShop)
Welcome to the Minus World
"It's not a bug, it's a feature." This is a phrase that's often thrown around in a lighthearted manner, but there's some truth behind the words. Programming errors can often lead to fascinating results that were never intended, creating a sense of excitement when one stumbles across a curious glitch that's obviously not...
Feature The Big Nintendo Direct Summary - 1st September 2016
Surprises, ports and a fake beard
We had to wait nearly six months, but we finally had another Nintendo Direct to sink our teeth into. This time around the focus was primarily on the 3DS, with a couple of relatively minor Wii U details sneaking in. There were most certainly some surprises, and Nintendo of America maintained its recent record of...
Live Blog Watch the North American 3DS Nintendo Direct - Live!
Portable delights
It's been quite a while since the last full Nintendo Direct, so it's great news that we'll now get a good look at a whole load of 3DS games and goodies. We're hopeful of surprises, and expect Reggie Fils-Aime and Bill Trinen to be our hosts, though if we're lucky a certain Miyamoto-san could feature as he did back in March...
News Super Mario Maker Is Coming To 3DS
Released this December
Nintendo has confirmed that Super Mario Maker is making the jump from Wii U to 3DS. This portable version is focused on creating local connections rather than sharing online, with StreetPass being used to exchange courses with close friends. It will include access to some Wii U courses to play, but not every level from the...
News The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword is Out Today on the Wii U eShop
Just flown in
Update: In Europe (not North America, sadly) this is part of a promotion where you can get this and New Play Control! Pikmin with 50% off the second title downloaded, until 15th September. Original Article: Today's Nintendo Direct had a few surprises on offer, and in a segment around The Legend of Zelda both European and North...
News New Legend of Zelda amiibo Are Coming In December
Ta-da-da-daaa!
Nintendo has announced in its latest Nintendo 3DS Direct that in honour of the franchise's 30th anniversary, a "special series" of classic Legend of Zelda amiibo figures are set to hit the shelves on December 2nd; that date is for both North America and Europe. The figures will work as standard Link and Zelda amiibo respectively, but...
Nintendo Download 1st September (North America)
Axiom Verge! Picross 3D Round 2! Skyward Sword! Much, much more!
Well, it's later than normal thanks to Nintendo holding off until after its Direct broadcast, but here are the North American Download Update details. It's a whopper of a week, with a surprise retail download (though it's technically eShop-only) on 3DS, a Legend of Zelda Virtual...
News StreetPass Update Adds New Minigames and Premium Option to Hold 100 Hits
Go premium or go home
For those of us still carrying our 3DS systems around with us every day, it's possible that the existing StreetPass games have run their course. An update going live today, though, adds new minigames and a couple of enhancements. For starters, it's adding Quick Plaza / SwiftPlay Plaza (as always North American and European...
News A New Pikmin Game is Coming to 3DS
2017 can't come soon enough
The 3DS Direct carried a lot of big surprises with it, one of which was the confirmation of a new Pikmin game for 3DS. Word's been floating around for a while about there being a Pikmin 4 on the way, and – unless there's another Pikmin in development – it seems likely that this is what Miyamoto was talking about. The...
News More Discounts Added to My Nintendo Rewards in North America
A mix of old and new
Alongside everything else going on today we've had updates to the My Nintendo rewards. We've already reported on the offerings in Europe, and the North American details revolve exclusively around discounts. In total nine more games have discounts; there's a mix of retail and smaller downloads, with some Virtual Console titles...
News Mario Sports Superstars Is A Collection Of Five Games In One
Arrives Spring 2017
Mario sports titles have been a staple of Nintendo gaming since the days of the NES. From Mario Golf to Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games in more recent times, these titles are known to provide fun for the whole family. It appears the house of Mario is raising the bar for this specific genre in Spring 2017, with the...
News Yoshi's Woolly World Will Soften Up Your 3DS In 2017, Poochy amiibo Also Incoming
A ripping yarn
During today's Nintendo Direct it was confirmed that the Wii U classic Yoshi's Woolly World will be coming to the Nintendo 3DS alongside a Poochy Yarn amiibo. The portable version - known as Poochy & Yoshi's Woolly World - will also showcase a new "Poochy mode" where Poochy Pups act as a guide to aid your progress. To support...
News Animal Crossing Mini Nintendo Direct Confirmed for 2nd November in Japan
Details on New Leaf's free amiibo-centric update expected
As part of today's Nintendo Direct broadcast, we were shown a little more of the upcoming free update to Animal Crossing: New Leaf. The update will introduce amiibo support and also be accompanied by a new wave of amiibo cards and a new retail edition of the game; the goal is clearly to give...
News Animal Crossing: New Leaf's amiibo Update Coming Later This Year Along With Fresh amiibo Cards
Animal Crossing Direct also on the way this year
Nintendo has just confirmed that Animal Crossing: New Leaf will be getting a fresh lease of life this year thanks to a free update which will enable amiibo support in the million-selling 3DS title. While this isn't news in itself - we knew about this a while back - the game will also be getting a...
Feature Pay A Visit To Rare's Local Indie Video Game Store
"They used to come in to buy their latest game to go in their vault"
The English market town of Ashby-de-la-Zouch can chart its history as far back as the 11th century and owes its rather unusual name to the Norman Conquest of England around the same time, when the settlement - then known as plain old Ashby - became the property of the La Zouche...
Rumour Buddy Pokémon Could Be on the Way to Pokémon GO
Have a companion for your travels
Pokémon Yellow Version did something a bit different when it came out by allowing players to have their Pikachu out of its Pokéball, faithfully following the player around the overworld if it was in their party. The feature then disappeared and didn't come back until Pokémon Heartgold and Soulsilver, where it was...
News New Play Control! Pikmin Out Now on the Wii U eShop in Europe
Get a discount if you also buy Skyward Sword
During today's Nintendo Direct festivities it was confirmed that a new Pikmin game is coming to the 3DS in 2017, and it adopts a 2D side-scrolling approach. In Europe there's an extra treat available on the Wii U, to celebrate the news. New Play Control! Pikmin is available now on the Wii U eShop in...
Live Blog Watch the European 3DS Nintendo Direct - Live!
Shibata-san has some treats to share
It's been quite a long wait for a Nintendo Direct, but now Nintendo of Europe President Satoru Shibata and his colleague Ed Valiente will be outlining details on what 3DS owners have to look forward to in the region. Join us for all of the action live! <liveblog...
News Mythical Pokémon Victini Now Available in Latest Anniversary Distribution
This is what winning feels like, Pokémon fans
With Pokémon in its 20th Anniversary year we've been getting one Mythical Pokémon every month for the current-gen games, each available for a few weeks. This month's offering is Victini, which is available until 24th September through the Nintendo Network; it originally appeared in Pokémon Black and...
News Alolan Rattata and Special Z-Moves Revealed for Pokémon Sun and Moon
Who knew Snorlax could move so fast?
Among some of the first news out of today's 3DS-focused Nintendo Direct was some new information about the upcoming Pokémon Sun and Moon, including some interesting insights about Z-Moves. Truly one of the most ubiquitous Pokémon, Rattata seems to now have an Alolan form. Alolan Rattata is Dark/Normal type and...
News Nindies and DLC Included Among New My Nintendo Rewards in Europe
Full DLC option and discounts on offer
We've been waiting for the next batch of My Nintendo rewards, and with the first day of the month rolling around some additional options have now been confirmed for Europe. We're not sure they're going to blow any minds, but do include discounts and one full code for some high quality content. Overall we have...
News Hyrule Warriors Legends Phantom Hourglass & Spirit Tracks DLC Pack is Out Today
Koei Tecmo kept it on track
Hyrule Warriors Legends owners (and those with the Wii U original) have been waiting for the third DLC pack, and it was thrown in as part of the Nintendo Direct shenanigans - it's out today. As you'd expect the Phantom Hourglass & Spirit Tracks riffs on the character designs from those two games, with the official...
News Devs Look Back At The Original Street Fighter, The Clunky Classic Which Birthed A Genre
"It's bad and Ryu has red hair. I played it for like 5 minutes"
Street Fighter is one of the most famous video game brands in the world and has sold millions of units as a series, but ironically the game which began the franchise in 1987 is often totally ignored in favour of its much more successful 1991 sequel. The original Street Fighter is...
News Picross 3D Round 2 Launches Today on the North American 3DS eShop
Also, a free demo to sway the skeptics
In today's exciting 3DS Direct, it was not only announced that Picross 3D Round 2 would be coming to the West, but that it'd be launching today in North America as an eShop-only title; it'll come to Europe as a download and boxed game on 2nd December. Previously, the game was only out in Japan, and there was...
News Shantae: Half-Genie Hero Has Been Delayed by Six Weeks
Bug testing is the reason for the hold up
Many have no doubt been looking forward to the release of Shantae: Half-Genie Hero, the latest in WayForward's flagship action platforming series. The build we played at E3 a few months back was top notch, and there's little doubt that the rest of the game will hold to the series' standard. Previously the...
News TANK TROOPERS Reporting For Duty On 3DS This Winter
Everyone loves tanks
The latest Nintendo Direct - focused primarily on the 3DS - delivered a number of expected announcements and updates, but TANK TROOPERS came as a surprise in between Pokémon and Mario. This newly announced game for the 3DS will allow players to customise their very own tank via special characteristics of tank-pilot troopers...
News Demo Of Yo-Kai Watch 2 Arrives On The North American eShop Soon
Try before you buy
If you live in North America and were a fan of the original Yo-Kai Watch game on the 3DS, you'll probably already be aware the dual release sequel launches later this month on the 30th September. In the latest Nintendo Direct it was also revealed a free demo for Yo-Kai Watch 2: Bony Spirits & Fleshy Souls will arrive on the...
Video Take a Look at More Modes and Features in Mario Party: Star Rush
Mario madness
Mario Party: Star Rush, the mini-game bonanza arriving later this year, had a relatively brief segment in today's Nintendo Direct. Nintendo showed off some additional modes, which will offer different spins on the usual mayhem. The trailer below is a decent showcase, also giving a brief glimpse of amiibo play. A key announcement...
Better tell Santa
Atlus and Sega's publishing partnership with Deep Silver was confirmed a while back and came as incredibly positive news for European fans, as it means they should be getting access to all of the lovely RPGs produced by those two firms. 3DS titles Shin Megami Tensei IV: Apocalypse and 7th Dragon III Code: VFD were both confirmed...
News Gear Gauntlet Arrives on the Wii U on 15th September
In Europe and North America
Announced earlier in the year for Wii U, Gear Gauntlet is a challenging - but potentially addictive - title in which you try to keep up a relentless pace through tricky courses. Previously released on Xbox One, developer Drop Dead Interactive now has a firm release date for the eShop - it'll arrive on 15th September in...
News Rhythm Paradise Megamix Demo Arrives in Europe Today
Feel the beat
Today's Nintendo Direct had a few 'out today' moments to get us logging into the eShop, and in Europe we've received a demo for Rhythm Paradise Megamix, which hits the region on 21st October. In today's presentation Nintendo pointed out that it'll be possible, with quite a lot of the content in the game, to switch between English and...
News Kickstarter Launches for Futuristic Racing / Rhythm Game - Flight of Light
It's a world in motion on Wii U
A little while ago we had a brief play of an early Wii U build of Flight of Light, the next project from Cystalline Green. The studio released Totem Topple, which had some notable post-launch updates to improve the experience, and is also publishing the Wii U port of Gear Gauntlet. Flight of Light has a fairly neat...
