News Nintendo of America Expands Nintendo Selects Range and Unveils Small New 3DS Bundle
Wii U game + amiibo bundles are coming, too
News New Pokémon and Antagonists, Team Skull, Revealed for Pokémon Sun and Moon
Heading for the Alola region
News Pokémon Uranium is the Latest Ambitious Fan-Made Game to Run The Gauntlet
Servers melting as players rush to download it
News Nvidia Formally Ditches SHIELD Tablet Successor, Reinforcing NX Reports
Showcase range ended ahead of Nintendo's hardware
News - 2016, Week 32
Sunday14th Aug 2016
Review Disney Art Academy (3DS)
Whistle while you work
If you're an artistic soul, there's a good chance the Art Academy series has something to offer. These titles have been a great resource for learning artistic techniques and offer a digital atelier for you to explore your creativity. Years of entries have allowed the series to hone an already strong foundation upon which to...
Video Digital Foundry Puts GoldenEye and Perfect Dark to the Test on N64
Also dabbles in cleaning up the visuals
Digital Foundry is one of the premier online teams for technical analysis of games and hardware, often focusing on current-generation gaming to assess performance, frame rates and more. It's now turning its eye to some retro games, too, which provides some interesting context on classics from past generations...
Talking Point Nintendo's Future in Shared Gaming, From StreetPass Plus to Pokémon GO and AR
Playing up to the big N's strengths
If reports and common sense are correct, we're likely only 4-8 weeks from seeing Nintendo's next tilt at the gaming hardware market. Most bets - based on sources, patents and logic - are on a system that will primarily operate as a portable but also be usable on the TV, yet regardless of those reports a new...
Video A Look at Three Star Wars Games That Shared the Fate of Alderaan
As if millions of lines of code were suddenly deleted
Even when there are no movies or only controversial prequels, Star Wars games are ever-present. As many as we've seen, however, there are always those that go to the Dark Side and never see release. Liam Robertson, Unseen64 and Did You Know Gaming? have now shared a video that looks at some...
Saturday13th Aug 2016
News Nvidia Formally Ditches SHIELD Tablet Successor, Reinforcing NX Reports
Showcase range ended ahead of Nintendo's hardware
As you're no doubt well aware by now, substantial reports around the NX published by Eurogamer and reinforced by follow-up sources - some of which we've spoken to - have given the strongest indications yet of the make-up of Nintendo's next system. There are counter-rumours and reports, of course,...
Poll How Excited Are You About Pokémon Sun and Moon?
We know quite a lot about the games now...
Pokémon Sun and Moon, combined together, are the main event for 3DS this year. The hype and buzz around Pokémon GO hasn't exactly harmed awareness of the upcoming portable titles, and The Pokémon Company has also been upping its game with a number of major reveals. In recent times it's unveiled new...
Review Final Fight (3DS eShop / SNES)
Not quite the final word
In the late '80s and early '90s gamers gathered around arcade cabinets instead of playing from the comfort of their own homes, and one of the biggest draws in arcades of the day was undoubtedly Capcom's Final Fight. When Final Fight released for the Super Nintendo in the early '90s, some gamers weren't very pleased with it,...
Friday12th Aug 2016
Review Metroid Prime: Blast Ball (3DS)
Dropping the ball
Ever since its initial announcement, Metroid Prime: Federation Force has been fighting an uphill battle. After a hiatus for the Metroid series, some fans were expecting something a bit more back-to-basics than a co-op shooter with a chibi artstyle set in the Metroid Prime universe. While there's still a week left at the time of...
News Fresh Nintendo Patents Reinforce Concept of NX Featuring Detachable Controllers
Gesture recognition patents also get more details
It seems that as Nintendo gets closer to revealing the NX more clues surface, and a few freshly released patents - filed in January this year and now visible to the public - appear to reinforce aspects of notable recent reports on the system. NeoGAF poster Disorientator has picked up on these...
Review Vektor Wars (Wii U eShop)
Explosive robot annihilating fun
When you hear word that a game is retro-inspired, what's the first thing that comes to mind? Pixelated homages to platformers long past? The type of title that takes stalwart mechanics and filters them through decades of proven formulas to make them palatable to today's gamer? Something that straddles the line...
News Niantic CEO Talks Sponsorship Deals with Pokémon GO
More sponsorships means less in app purchases
Now that Pokémon GO has been out for a bit, conversations are beginning to turn towards whether or not the game will remain relevant in the coming months and years. Though Pokémon GO had an undisputedly successful launch, it's natural that the playerbase will level off in time. Niantic makes plenty of...
Review Power Disc Slam (3DS eShop)
Sluggish slams and dodgy discs
First, there was Pong, and lo the people deemed it to be worthy. Since then it has been immortalised as a test of skill for two players, two gladiators going head to head and shooting for goals and glory. Next, the early nineties would reveal the natural evolution of this classic challenge - Windjammers. A competition...
News SEGA 3D Classics Collection is Heading to Europe on 4th November
Physical and digital releases
Earlier in the week SEGA Europe teased the announcement of the region's release date for SEGA 3D Classics Collection, an excellent 3DS title that combines nine (10 with a fun bonus) games from the series. Four of those titles are new to the West, while the remainder have previously had eShop releases. To start with the...
News Nordic Games Rebrands With a Touch of THQ and Talks Up Future Projects
Majority of new games "former THQ owned IPs and franchises"
Nordic Games has been around for quite a while, and was previously associated with pleasant but rather low-budget games on systems like Wii - long-term Nintendo Life readers will recall multiple We Sing games. Yet when THQ hit hard times Nordic Games was a surprise buyer (along with various...
Video Learn More About the Rich History of Shin Megami Tensei
Even the Virtual Boy gets a mention
Shin Megami Tensei is a series familiar to DS and 3DS owners that keep a good eye on the output of Atlus, with Shin Megami Tensei IV: Apocalypse due in North America on 20th September. With various new entries and remasters / re-releases in recent years, it's an IP that's popped up a lot on these pages. Plenty of...
Gallery Get to Know the Cast of River City: Tokyo Rumble
Get ready to rumble
In the earlier days of gaming, sidescrolling beat 'em ups were far more common than nowadays, with classics such as Double Dragon and River City Ransom regularly lighting up TV screens. Though this genre has since become fairly niche, it's certainly not dead, as evidenced by the upcoming River City: Tokyo Rumble. We loved what...
News US Online Retailers Enjoy a Pokémon Merchandise Sales Spike During GO Craze
"It feels like the ’90s all over again"
Since Pokémon GO arrived and went viral in early July plenty of businesses have benefitted. Nintendo saw its shares spike and, despite a drop-off, still settle at a higher point than before the app's release. McDonald's in Japan has seen increased revenues with help from a GO tie-in, and even smaller...
News 2016 Pokémon World Championships Only Open to Competitors and Guests
Extensive online streams available, as always
The Pokémon World Championships are, naturally, the pinnacle of competitive Pokémon gaming in terms of the current-generation main games, the Pokémon Trading Card Game and now Pokkén Tournament. Often a hugely popular event for the public to attend, too, this year venue limitations seem to have...
News YouGov Estimates That Over a Million UK Players of Pokémon GO Have Bought In-App Purchases
With plenty going beyond a retail game price
Polls and related data can be inaccurate at times, with multiple recent elections in the UK doing the opposite of what polling suggested would happen - but they can still provide some interesting insight. YouGov has put its data gathering apparatus at work to learn more about Pokémon GO players in the...
Thursday11th Aug 2016
Nintendo Download 11th August (North America)
Tadpole Treble! Mega Man X! Wave Race 64! Ambitious slimes! More!
It's that time again, dear readers, for the North American Nintendo Download Update details. This week has some promising download-only titles across Wii U and 3DS, while it all gets rather sporty on the Wii U Virtual Console. The New 3DS VC gets a rather fun SNES title from Capcom,...
"Show them that 2D adventure platformers are still a thing people want"
As you've no doubt seen this week, a fan-made Metroid II remake called AM2R arrived to much acclaim before its various download hosts got hit by takedown notices. By that time many had already downloaded it, of course, as Nintendo asserted its ownership of the copyright. It was...
Gallery A Closer Look at Team Skull and New Pocket Monsters in Pokémon Sun and Moon
The 'Ruffians of Team Skull', no less
Over the past 24 hours, The Pokémon Company has reacted to leaks by bringing forward its latest set of reveals for Pokémon Sun and Moon. Originally due on 12th August, online leaks prompted the early posting of the Japanese trailer, with the Western equivalent following on 24 hours
Video New Pokémon and Team Skull Showcased in Fresh Pokémon Sun and Moon Trailer
It's in Japanese, but with more details leaked in English
The Western version of the latest information drop for Pokémon Sun and Moon hasn't arrived yet, but following a mix of leaks and a twitchy finger at The Pokémon Company the Japanese trailer has gone live. Before we break down what's new - with help from Serebii - let's take a look; you'll...
Review Rynn's Adventure: Trouble in the Enchanted Forest (Wii U eShop)
You Rynn some...
Nintendo is certainly no slouch when it comes to platformers. Mario, Kirby and DK all provide superlative experiences, but there's still plenty of room for newcomers. Rynn's Adventure: Trouble in The Enchanted Forest has the colour and whimsy to fit in with a top class of platformers at first glance, but could stand to be a bit more...
News Localised Trailer and Updates Show Off Latest Additions to Pokémon Sun and Moon
Western names ahoy!
As expected The Pokémon Company has revealed a bunch of new details for Pokémon Sun and Moon, with a new trailer and website updates showing new Pokémon, a feisty team of rivals and more Alolan varieties of existing 'mon. If this is giving you a sense of déjà vu, that's because the equivalent Japanese details were revealed...
News Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney - Spirit of Justice Begins Trial on 8th September
A demo is also on the way
Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney - Spirit of Justice is the next full entry in the series heading to the West, and the good news is that there's a confirmed release date and a demo on the way. The demo will arrive on 25th August and include part of the first courtroom scenario from the game, and the full title will arrive on...
Video Documentary Looks Over the Sad Demise of Mega Man Legends 3
A bold project that couldn't survive
In the early days of the 3DS few projects caused as much disappointment among dedicated fans as Mega Man Legends 3. Originally announced as an innovative collaboration between fans and developers - a fresh idea at the time - it gradually unravelled. Following the departure of Keiji Inafune from Capcom, the game...
News Mega Man X Lands on the New 3DS VC Tomorrow in North America
X marks the spot
Over this past summer, it seems that Nintendo of America has been focused on playing catch up with it's VC offerings. Of course, there are still some massive gaps to be filled, but the VC has been becoming more and more relevant as it's been gradually built up. The New 3DS SNES VC has also benefitted from this, and it seems that...
Video Rare Reminisces on the Development of It's Mr. Pants
"We decided to have a menagerie of animal and bird noises to reward you"
Rare is a studio that's always been known for being one of the most prolific and beloved developers on Nintendo consoles during the 16 and 64 bit eras. Responsible for classics like the Donkey Kong Country series, Banjo-Kazooie, Goldeneye 007, and more, the studio's resume is...
Wednesday10th Aug 2016
News Pokémon Uranium is the Latest Ambitious Fan-Made Game to Run The Gauntlet
Servers melting as players rush to download it
After the arrival, acclaim and takedown of Metroid II re-imagining "AM2R", there's now a Pokémon game 9 years in the making that's being distributed for free on PC. It's Pokémon Uranium, which is undoubtedly bold - it has its own area and all-new characters and Pokémon, along w
News retroUSB's HDMI NES, the AVS, Goes Up for Pre-Order
Supports all NES / Famicom cartridges
A while ago we told you about retroUSB's HDMI NES, the AVS, a rather slick-looking console that promises a 720p output and support for all current and future NES / Famicom cartridges. It's now close to release, with pre-orders going live over on the official website. The general pitch is that this hardware...
News Another Quirky Pokémon Has Been Spotted for Pokémon Sun and Moon
It's a bit weird
While we await the official information drop from The Pokémon Company this week, CoroCoro magazine revealed some interesting 'mon and an antagonistic rival team. The scans have one more little secret though, which is a quirky little Pokémon. Spotted in a small graphic with no real details on types or moves, the 'mon below is...
News Gurumin 3D: A Monstrous Adventure May Be One to Watch on the 3DS eShop
Heading to PAX West, trailer on the way
In the madness of E3 month some announcements can fall under the radar, and one that's been brought to our attention is the upcoming release of Gurumin 3D: A Monstrous Adventure on the 3DS eShop. Published by Mastiff, it's a 3DS version of a game that won a lot of plaudits on PSP and PC in the past. A 3D...
News Square Enix Wants to Hear Your Questions About Dragon Quest VII
Answers go live on Friday
As many of you are no doubt aware, Gamescom is set to take place very soon. The trade show is similar to E3 in many ways, but it's held in Cologne, Germany and is open to the public for attendance. Naturally, developers are keen to bring their A-game, and many major reveals are made here. Among other things, Square Enix...
News The Latest Super Sentai 3DS Tie-In Tries to Make Tile Matching Exciting
With lots of enthusiastic 'Haaaaaaa' attacks
This writer vaguely remembers Power Rangers on TV as a child in the '90s, and was surprised to recently discover that the series is still going, and there's a big-budget movie on the way in 2017 - some things just never go out of fashion. The series originated, back in the day, as a localisation (with...
News Pokémon Shuffle Has Passed 6 Million Downloads on 3DS
Oh yeah, that other Pokémon game…
Long before Pokémon GO was everywhere, Pokémon Shuffle was released on Nintendo 3DS to a curious audience. Free to play games aren't too common on the dedicated portable, so it came as with a somewhat different flavor to your typical 3DS game. We thought the in-app purchases were a bit much, but found it to be...
News Etrian Odyssey V and Dragon Ball Fusions Lead the Way in Japanese Charts
3DS games lock out top five
The Media Create chart results are out in Japan, and they make happy reading for Nintendo and an assortment of 3DS game publishers. Titles on the portable hold the top five software positions, with hardware sales also showing a modest boost. Starting with software, Etrian Odyssey V has made its debut at number one - its...
News SmileBASIC is Back on the North American 3DS eShop After a One Month Absence
Previously removed after Homebrew exploit in July
In July we reported that SmileBASIC had been taken off the 3DS eShop as a result of a Homebrew exploit targeting the app. As has been the case with multiple games, once Nintendo became aware of an exploit using the app it removed it promptly, leaving Smileboom with the task of producing an update to...
Video Nintendo Continues Its Rather Touching Miitomo Short Video Series
It's in Japanese, but you can figure it out...
Miitomo is an app that has rather dropped away from the public consciousness, earning a fast start before rapidly losing user engagement and interest. Though updates have improved it a fair bit, the overriding concept has struggled to capture the imagination. Nevertheless, it is an app with noble...
Tuesday9th Aug 2016
News Nintendo of America Expands Nintendo Selects Range and Unveils Small New 3DS Bundle
Wii U game + amiibo bundles are coming, too
Nintendo of America is jumping into the 'back to school' craze, but its latest announcements are good news for fans of all ages in North America. It's expanding the Nintendo Selects range, releasing a rather nice small New Nintendo 3DS bundle, and also planning some Wii U game + amiibo bundles. First of...
News New Pokémon and Antagonists, Team Skull, Revealed for Pokémon Sun and Moon
Heading for the Alola region
Though we can expect the usual new trailer and website updates from The Pokémon Company for the week's planned Pokémon Sun and Moon reveals on 11th/12th August, as always CoroCoro magazine has a handful (but probably not all) of the details; naturally scans have already leaked online. Serebii has done some initial...
News Niantic Issues a New Pokémon GO Update
Nearby Pokémon are replaced by "Sightings"
Another week, another Pokémon GO update. The last update wasn't too popular with fans, as it introduced nearly as many bugs as it fixed and it got rid of the three step tracking. That last part wouldn't have been too bad, but Niantic also made sure to shut down every third party tracking service it could,...
News Square Enix Graphic Designer Manabu Daishama Passes Away at Age 45
Best known for his work on Chrono Trigger
Ask any RPG fan to name their top 5 favorite games in the genre, and Chrono Trigger is likely to show up somewhere on the list. The development staff was a dream team of talent, most notably with the creators of Dragon Ball, Final Fantasy, and Dragon Quest all collaborating to create one of the most...
Video New Metroid Prime: Federation Force Trailer Arrives, and It's Still Fighting Dislikes
Game over man
Those poor Federation Force troopers, all they want to do is save the galaxy and be honoured for the effort, showing that on-the-ground grunts are valuable in the fight against Space Pirates, and probably cheaper than the fees for highly skilled Bounty Hunters like you-know-who. Yet they're doomed to be criticised forever more because...
Review Teddy Together (3DS eShop / 3DS)
Build-A-Bond
Teddy Together, to be clear from the start, is a game aimed at children. Mashing together aspects of Miitomo, Nintendogs and even Cooking Mama, it goes without saying that this title won't appeal to many older and experienced gamers. That said, it is a very well put together, varied and fun game which kids will definitely enjoy. Teddy...
Review Puzzle Labyrinth (3DS eShop)
A-maze-ingly strange
Without a plot, purpose, or any real explanation for what exactly is going on, Puzzle Labyrinth on 3DS lives up to its title by unceremoniously dumping the player into a complex maze filled with monsters, traps and strange riddles. Your only hope of escape lies squarely in your ability to complete each puzzle and unlock a...
Random SEGA Announces the Announcement of the SEGA 3D Classics Collection EU Release Date
Sure, why not
Being a SEGA fan is a strange experience, as it encompasses undying love and commitment to the company along with angst, suffering and fear. The at-times-disastrous Sonic the Hedgehog anniversary party was almost glorious in its shoddiness (with a couple of tasty game reveals to make us feel better), and the company continues to poke...
Video Ambition of the Slimes Looks Weird and Potentially Wonderful on 3DS
"From the mouth... Slime goes inside..." is actual dialogue
If you read our Nintendo Download Update details for Europe recently you'll have seen Ambition of the Slimes in the 3DS eShop category, a turn-based RPG in which you control slimes of various abilities. Developed by Altair Works and being published by CIRCLE Entertainment, it certainly...
Feature 1000 Live Pikachu Running Wild in Yokohama
A look at annual Summer Pokemon events in Japan
Its the summer of 2016, and the biggest craze going is Pokémon GO! If you've been too busy running around trying to catch em all, you might have missed out on the news of a few other Pokémon related events that are happening over in Japan right now. First up is the Pokemon Riddle Solving Rally...
Video Watch Super Mario World Get Beaten in Under 16 Minutes, Blindfolded
Panga strikes again for a World Record
World Records may be tumbling in the Olympic Games in Rio, but there are also new marks to be set in the speedrunning community. Panga, who we've featured in the past thanks to his outrageously complicated Super Mario Maker creations, has reclaimed the record for the fastest blindfolded run of Super Mario...
Monday8th Aug 2016
News Nintendo Issues Takedown Notices for Impressive Fan-Made Metroid II Remake, AM2R
Oh, Nintendo
Over this past weekend Metroid fans had a fan-made effort to thank for providing a welcome celebration of the franchise with AM2R, rather jokingly being an abbreviation for Another Metroid 2 Remake. Sadly, and predictably, Nintendo has reacted to the overwhelming positivity and broad coverage of the four year project by shutting it...
Feature Ten Ideal Launch Year Nintendo NX Games
In one writer's humble opinion, at least
Just recently we ran a poll asking you which Nintendo games / franchises you'd like to see in the NX launch window, assuming that to be a period of around six months. Plenty of you pitched in, with The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and a 3D Mario title being the leaders, with a new Metroid Prime title...
Nintendo Download 11th August (Europe)
Super Paper Mario! Frankenstein! 2 Mega Man games! Discounts galore! More!
With the start of another week we have the European Nintendo Download Update details, giving us the heads up on what treats to expect. Highlights this week include a puzzle adventure game with some potential on Wii U, an enjoyable Wii download and a couple of SNES Mega Man...
News Bethesda Doesn't Rule Out Nintendo NX Support, But "It's Too Early to Say"
"We talk to Nintendo all the time"
Bethesda isn't readily associated with Nintendo hardware - it's a widely admired developer and publisher that's devoted its efforts to Sony / Microsoft hardware in addition to PC. Yet whenever new Nintendo hardware is around the corner there's naturally the question over whether third-parties like this - with...
News Dragon Quest X Confirmed for Nintendo NX, Again
Probably for realsies this time
Way back in July 2015 we had the first NX 'game announcement', when Square Enix revealed that Dragon Quest XI would come to both the 3DS and the next-gen system, albeit in very different forms. Square Enix then backtracked, possibly because Nintendo may not have been delighted to see a platform a long way from its...
News A Pokémon Sun and Moon Manga Series is Coming to CoroCoro Comics
Something tells us it'll pop up online
Pokémon Sun and Moon are set to be significant releases for the 3DS this Holiday season, with The Pokémon Company taking plenty of opportunities to reveal exciting new details and features. In Japan there's more to come outside of game reveals, with a Sun and Moon manga on the way to CoroCoro Comics on 15th...
News PokéAdvisor is the Latest Third-Party Pokémon GO Service to Bite the Dust
Niantic continues to clear the server decks
A recent source of debate around Pokémon GO has been takedowns of third-party apps that, in the opinion of some, were offering features the main game should already have. Another has now joined the ranks, with the creator of PokéAdvisor stating that their website is having its access to GO data blocked...
News Metroid Composer Shares Personal Note About the 30th Anniversary
Also, a cool Metroid montage track
The Metroid series has always been known for crafting an effective atmosphere, there's just no other game that manages to capture that same sense of creepy isolation. Environment design plays a large role in this, but the soundtrack also contributes in no small way. Considering that we just passed the 30th...
News Nintendo System Exclusives Continue a Summer Run in the UK Top 40
Tell me more, tell me more
The Summer months have been relatively positive for Nintendo in the UK charts, with a mix of new and evergreen releases holding firm in the top 40. You know it was a quiet week at retail when Grand Theft Auto V is back at number one - it really is! The first Nintendo-exclusive is Pokémon Alpha Sapphire, sitting...
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News Nintendo of America Expands Nintendo Selects Range and Unveils Small New...
News New Pokémon and Antagonists, Team Skull, Revealed for Pokémon Sun and ...
News Pokémon Uranium is the Latest Ambitious Fan-Made Game to Run The Gauntlet
News Nvidia Formally Ditches SHIELD Tablet Successor, Reinforcing NX Reports
News Nintendo Issues Takedown Notices for Impressive Fan-Made Metroid II Rema...
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