News Persona 5 Will Not Be Coming to the Switch
Yakuza 0 will also remain a PlayStation exclusive
News New Hack Offers A Full Game Library On Your NES Classic Edition
Legally questionable, of course
News Yes, You Can Charge Your Nintendo Switch In Tabletop Mode
Worry not, there's an accessory for that
News - January, 2017
Tuesday31st Jan 2017
News NieR: Automata Designer is Open to the Idea of a Switch Port
We'd settle for a new Bayonetta, too
One of the most anticipated releases for the PS4 this coming year is that of NieR: Automata. The upcoming follow up to 2010's NieR is being developed by Platinum Games—of Bayonetta fame—but will be published by Square Enix. While it may be a console exclusive for PS4 at this time, both Square Enix and...
News Nintendo Is Ramping Up Switch Production Following "Good" Pre-Order Demand
Did someone say hot cakes?
Nintendo president Tatsumi Kimishima has revealed that there are plans to increase production of the Switch following encouraging levels of demand in terms of pre-orders. The company has already stated that two million Switch consoles will be available at launch. Pre-orders have been robust; in Japan, the demand for the...
Gallery Micro SD Card Slot Shown Off In Ridiculously Close-Up Nintendo Switch Photos
Every angle, every slot
As you'll know if you're a regular reader of this site we were lucky enough to go hands-on with the Nintendo Switch a few weeks ago, and tried to take as many snaps of the hardware as possible. However, given that units were connected to security systems or placed inside cabinets, we weren't able to be quite as detailed as we...
Monday30th Jan 2017
News Yooka-Laylee Formally Confirmed for Switch Along With Wii U Backer Options
"We continue to work closely with Nintendo"
There was understandable disappointment late last year when it was confirmed that Yooka-Laylee is no longer coming to the Wii U. Playtonic Games did give a strong indication that it would bring the title to Nintendo Switch, though the wording wasn't quite ironclad. It now seems to be a firm proposition,...
Tuesday31st Jan 2017
News Nintendo Details UK Pre-Order Bonuses For Zelda: Breath Of The Wild
More tat than you can Sheikah stick at
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is almost with us, and if you're currently weighing up a purchase you might want to cast your eyes over the pre-order bonuses detailed below. These are unique to particular UK retailers, and if you want everything listed on this page then you're going to have to dig deep...
News Hori Range of Nintendo Switch Accessories, Including LAN Adapter, Arrives on Amazon UK
Case, stand and more also included
Slowly and surely third-parties are emerging with a range of Nintendo Switch accessories. Hori is prominent among these, even to the point that it has officially licensed micro SD cards on the way in Japan; that said, the range long available to pre-order in North America has been slow to come to the UK, for...
Has the Pokemon Co. mastered it?
Following on from the amazing success of Pokémon GO comes the next mobile Pokémon game release, with Pokémon Duel - technically, though, this game came out before Pokémon GO due to its release in Japan in April of last year as Pokémon Co-master. We've actually been playing it ever since that original release and...
Feature The Rollercoaster Ride of Nintendo's Financial Reports
Poor sales revenues contradicted by profits and cash boost
Nintendo's most recent financial report, covering the first three quarters of the financial year, certainly qualifies as one of the most contradictory the company has issued. On the one hand there have been increases in 3DS sales across both hardware and software, while on the flipside...
News Zelda-Inspired RPG Oceanhorn Re-Confirmed for Switch
"Will run beautifully"
Many avid gamers will be aware of the Wind Waker-inspired Oceanhorn: Monster of Uncharted Seas, which released on iOS back in November 2013. After this the adventure was enhanced when making its debut on consoles last year. Now publisher FDG Entertainment has re-confirmed - via its Twitter account - that Oceanhorn will make...
News The Pressure Is Off With Super Mario Run's New Easy Mode
Unlimited time and bubbles for those who need it
Do you enjoy playing Super Mario Run but find it a bit too taxing for your tastes? If this is the case you'll be delighted to know that Nintendo have rolled out a update today which adds an "Easy Mode", giving the player unlimited time and bubbles to clear the course. This really takes the pressure...
Random 1-2-Switch Already Has Its Own Clone On Steam
Say hello to "1-2-Swift"
1-2-Switch isn't even on the market yet but it already has its own "tribute" in the form of 1-2-Swift. Inspired by 1-2-Switch's Wild West shoot-out mini game - where players try to out-draw each other using the Joy-Con controller - 1-2-Swift uses HTC Vive controllers, or a keyboard if you don't have those handy. The...
News Image & Form Gets SteamWorld Fans Speculating with New Tease
The reveal is close
Image & Form confirmed late last year that it's releasing a new SteamWorld game in 2017, which is unsurprising in light of the franchise proving a success for the company. It's expected on Switch, of course, and it's also been known for a little while that it'll be on show this March at PAX East. Image & Form has now...
News 3DS Enjoys Bumper End To 2016 With Hardware And Software Sales Both Up
3DS version of Super Mario Maker shifts one million copies
The 3DS may be getting a bit long in the tooth these days, but it enjoyed one of its best years ever in 2016, with encouraging sales of both hardware and software. According to Nintendo's fiscal report for the nine months ending December 31st, 2016, the console had sold 6.45 million units...
News The Third Pokèmon Sun and Moon Global Mission is Now Live
Third time's the charm?
The first global mission for Pokèmon Sun & Moon players unfortunately ended with sadness, and the second didn't fare so well either. Last week, Game Freak revealed what the third, hopefully more successful, mission would
News Bit Boy!! Studio Bplus Confirms Trio Of Titles For Nintendo Switch
Bit Boy!! Arcade Deluxe, Puzzle Box and Tank It! all coming this year
Indie studio Bplus has revealed that it is releasing three games for the Nintendo Switch this year, its tenth as an approved Nintendo developer. Bit Boy!! Arcade Deluxe, Puzzle Box and Tank It! are all scheduled for release during 2017. Bit Boy!! is arguably the flagship title of...
News Animal Crossing Mobile Game Delayed Until Later In The Year
To "accommodate the releases and operation" of other mobile games
Nintendo has confirmed that its Animal Crossing mobile game has been delayed, and will now release in the next financial year - after April, basically. The news was delivered in Nintendo's Consolidated Results for the Nine Months Ended December 2015 and 2016 report, with the...
Video A Look Beyond the Wool in Making the Poochy & Yoshi's Woolly World Animated Shorts
Behind the magic is painstaking work
One of the rather pleasing extras in the upcoming Poochy & Yoshi's Woolly World is a wide range of short stop-motion films featuring the core characters. We've shared some over recent weeks, and they're undeniably charming. Nintendo has shared a rather neat behind-the-scenes video showing the company behind...
Monday30th Jan 2017
News Official Hori Nintendo Switch Micro SD Cards Set a Handy Benchmark
Overpriced, of course
For some people having official and licensed merchandise is important, and Hori is going to ensure that Nintendo Switch owners will have officially branded Micro SD cards. Now, if your thought is "that's crazy, once you put it in the console you'll never look at it again", then we salute your savvy outlook on accessories. In...
News I Don't Always Agree With Shigeru Miyamoto On The Essence Of Zelda, Admits Eiji Aonuma
"We're not always on the same page"
The Legend of Zelda producer Eiji Aonuma has admitted that he doesn't always see eye to eye with series creator Shigeru Miyamoto when it comes to defining the "essence" of the franchise. Speaking to GameKult, Aonuma explained that there was much debate over Breath of the Wild, but the two have "eventually" agreed...
News Three Old-School Nintendo Racing Classics Get Translated Into English
Rev Up Your 8 and 16-Bit Engines
Long before Mario and crew jumped into karts back in 1992, they were already quite adept in the racing genre in Japan - Formula 1 to be precise. The popularity of this motorized sport in the Land of the Rising Sun meant that dozens of F1 games were released for both Famicom, Famicom Disk System and Super Famicom with...
Nintendo Download 2nd February (Europe)
Poochy & Yoshi! Punch Club! Lifespeed! Bomberman '94! Much more!
Another week begins, and that means advance warning of what to expect in this week's European Nintendo Download Update. It's a fairly busy line-up this week, with a retail Good-Feel release on 3DS leading the way. There are also promising download-only releases on the Wii U and 3DS...
News Namco Founder Masaya Nakamura Dies Aged 91
The man who spoke out against Nintendo and Hiroshi Yamauchi
One of the most influential names in the Japanese video game arena has passed away, it has been revealed. A former engineer in the Japanese navy, Masaya Nakamura established Nakamura Manufacturing in 1955 after purchasing two mechanical horse ride for $3,000. Due to the intense competition...
News Super Mario Run Now Costs £9.99 To Unlock In The UK
Taking a running jump
A while back we reported that Britain's decision to leave the European Union had resulted in Apple putting up the price of apps on its iOS App Store, and that it could potentially mean that Super Mario Run's unlock cost would rise. That has now come to pass; to unlock all of the game's worlds in single-player mode, you now...
Review Zombie Brigade: No Brain No Gain (Wii U eShop)
Brainless
A Miiverse post for Zombie Brigade: No Brain No Gain wrote, "Better than Meme Run." That's about the nicest thing that can be said about this horrendous title from Cypronia. An endless runner that you will want to end after about five minutes, Zombie Brigade is in the upper echelon of terrible eShop games. And to be clear, that's not a...
News Nintendo Uses Super Mario Maker for 3DS to Promote STEM Activities for Kids
"A new playtime activity", according to Bowser
The promotion of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) activities is considered hugely important in education around the world. Technology firms often send employees out to local schools, and companies of various kinds organise events to promote STEM learning. In a press release...
Video Tiny Cartridge Captures the Delicious Awkwardness of Milking in 1-2-Switch
"Good job JC"
1-2-Switch is an intriguing launch release for the Nintendo Switch - on the one hand it feels like an ideal pack-in that will instead cost a decent chunk of change, while on the other it'll likely be the best way to showcase the brilliant Joy-Con controllers. As a result it's tempting to pick up, even if we complain about it as we pop...
News SDK Spriter to Add New Level Modes in Free and Paid DLC
Platformers and turn-based battles on the way
SDK Spriter has been an interesting title on Wii U eShop, though it hasn't yet fought through our backlog for a review. It's understandable why the concept is appealing - it's an app that promises a whole lot of tools for creating retro game art for maps, sprites, tiles and levels. There are then some...
News Zoink Teases Its New Game for Nintendo Switch
Has also showed Zombie Vikings running on the system
Last year Zoink, best know to Wii U owners for the quirky and memorable Stick it to The Man, confirmed that it was bringing a game to the Nintendo Switch. It's evidently getting closer to its full reveal, as it's teased some new concept art. You can see this below: [tweet [tweet
News Specter Of Torment Will Make Use Of The Shovel Knight amiibo
"Summon a spirit of Shovelry to keep you company during your quest!"
Nintendo has revealed that the forthcoming Shovel Knight prequel Specter of Torment will include support for the Shovel Knight amiibo. The DLC - which will be available for free if you already own the game on Wii U or 3DS - will be released as a self-contained $9.99 download on...
Sunday29th Jan 2017
Rumour Nintendo Releasing New Super Mario Bros. On The Nvidia Shield In China
Cracking the big one?
It could be that Nintendo's relationship with Nvidia goes beyond simply working together on the Switch; if a report emanating from China is to be believed, Nvidia has been given permission to release some of Nintendo's older games on its Shield hardware. The report was brought to light by industry analyst Daniel Ahmad:
Poll What Are Your Nintendo Switch Pre-Order and Launch Day Plans?
Are you going beyond Breath of the Wild?
Since the big Nintendo Switch Presentation we've run a couple of polls to gauge your views and thoughts on the system, with a mixed outlook in our most recent set of questions. Over the past week, though, we've been publishing some guides for those that have decided they're picking up a Nintendo Switch on day...
Saturday28th Jan 2017
News New Hack Offers A Full Game Library On Your NES Classic Edition
Legally questionable, of course
A while back we reported on news that a hack had been released which allowed NES Classic Mini owners the ability to edit and add to the 30 games which come pre-loaded on the console out of the box. A new hack has now emerged which goes one better; you can now put the full NES library onto the machine. The process...
Feature Nindies and Nintendo Switch - Developers Reflect on the New Console
"It's a compelling and unique message in the console gaming market"
It's been a little while since the major Nintendo Switch unveiling, with a clearer picture now on the system's capabilities, games and prospects. Much is still up for debate, of course, but with its release a little over a month away opinions and thoughts on the new system are...
News Earthlock: Festival of Magic Is Close to Its Wii U Release
Switch version "is still an uncertainty"
Earthlock: Festival of Magic has been a significant project for Snowcastle Games since it launched its Kickstarter way back in 2014, though the ambitious RPG did eventually arrive on PC and Xbox One last year. The Wii U version was handed over to a third-party and was targeting a similar release window to the...
Friday27th Jan 2017
News Nintendo Will Replace Your Dead Switch Battery, At A Cost
Future proof?
We've known that the Nintendo Switch comes with a rechargeable battery which cannot be accessed by the end user for a while, in keeping with the vast majority of mobile consumer technology these days. However, Nintendo has today stated - via a Specifications page - that it will be offering a paid-for replacement service for batteries...
News Official Nintendo Switch Technical Specifications Have Been Shared
Includes details on weight, Wireless LAN standards and more
As is the norm when new hardware is either released or just around the corner, Nintendo has updated an official Specifications page for the Nintendo Switch. It has some broad details that we already know about, such as the HOME menu, the amiibo scanner in the right Joy-Con and the local...
News Gorgeous Nintendo Switch Game Boxes Get Shown Off in Japanese Stores
Each includes art on the inside
Japanese stores work a little differently when it comes to pre-orders on new systems and games - after all, while retailers around the world were selling pre-orders right after the Nintendo's Switch Presentation earlier this month, there was a wait before the same happened in Japan. Now images are popping up of game...
News Nintendo Switch Dips to €299 on Amazon France
Oh la vache!
When it comes to Nintendo Switch there's been a fair amount of hype, but also some question marks over the ideal pricing to truly get it flying off shelves. Early pre-order allocations have been selling out in various territories, but in some countries the system still isn't too hard to find. In fact, it seems that Amazon France is...
Video New Nintendo Switch Advert Shows Off Its Number Two Feature
Don't use this guy's Joy-Cons
When the Wii U GamePad was revealed way back in 2011, plenty joked about testing the range from the system to their bathroom. With the Nintendo Switch that's a thing of the past, with the portable aspect of the system ensuring that it can be played anytime and anywhere. Nintendo's decided that's a selling point it can't...
News Japanese Gamers Think Nintendo Switch Is Too Expensive, But Don't Mind Paying For Online Access
Polling interest
A poll conducted by Japanese firm Hachima has revealed that a lot of players from Nintendo's homeland consider the Switch to be too expensive, but they don't mind paying for online services. The first question in the survey asked about intent to buy, with the top answer (34.01 percent) stating that they had no interest in buying...
News Zelda: Twilight Princess HD Studio Tantalus Is Porting RiME To Nintendo Switch
Should launch alongside other versions
Remember when we reported last year that Australian studio Tantalus - which handled the Wii U port of The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess - was working on Switch content? We now know what some of that is, thanks to an interview with Tequila Works, the creator of RiME. Speaking to
Reminder Nintendo Wants You to Vote for Your Fire Emblem Heroes
Don't be Aversa to change
During its Fire Emblem Direct last week Nintendo lifted the lid on Fire Emblem Heroes, its mobile spin on a series that's enjoyed a significant revival on the 3DS. On the one hand it looks rather promising, while on the other the microtransactions and how they tie to building up your group could either be fair or, well,...
Soapbox You're Going To Love ARMS, And Here's Why
Boxing clever
It would be fair to say that ARMS received a somewhat lukewarm response when it was unveiled during the Nintendo Switch presentation. While some reacted positively to the colourful visuals, fetching character design and motion-sensitive action, others wrote it off as little more than Wii Sports boxing with better graphics, and...
News Double Dragon IV Packs an 8-Bit Punch But Isn't Confirmed for Switch, Yet
Would be great for playing on the go
Double Dragon IV is heading to PlayStation 4 and PC on 30th January in Japan, and seemingly around the same time in the West, and that would normally exclude it from an article here on Nintendo Life. Yet we can't ignore it, because Arc System Works has produced a visual style and gameplay that is basically the...
Video Mario Sports Superstars Trailer Goes In-Depth on Baseball
Play Ball!
Nintendo has released a fresh trailer that gives a little more insight into how Mario Sports Superstars will play, having recently confirmed its release date and amiibo details, among other things. The latest footage focuses entirely on the sport of Baseball, as we see the likes of Luigi and Bowser pick up the bat in the hopes of a...
News Check Out Barnacle Sports Club, One Of Splatoon 2's New Stages
Train to win
Splatoon 2 is likely to be one of the Nintendo Switch's biggest releases in 2017, thanks to the fact that the Wii U original sold like hot cakes despite the low install base of that console. Nintendo's first real foray into the world of online shooters, Splatoon won a legion of fans, many of whom will no doubt be keen to learn about the...
News The Pokémon Company And Nintendo "Thinking" About Safer Pokémon GO Device
Safety a key issue for company president Tsunekazu Ishihara
Since the arrival of Pokémon GO last year we've had reports of accidents - many of them fatal - directly attributed to the game. People have been caught playing the smartphone title whilst driving, for example, while others have run into misfortune because they've either strayed onto...
Thursday26th Jan 2017
News The Legend of Zelda: Breath Of The Wild Will Not Feature HD Rumble
No good vibrations?
With less than two months until launch anticipation for the next entry in The Legend of Zelda series could not be higher. New details have now emerged from french gaming website Gameblog who sat down with series producer Eiji Aonuma to discuss the release. In the interview, Mr Aonuma confirmed that the HD rumble feature will not...
News Nintendo Resolves Issue With Legend of Zelda My Nintendo Discounts
A quick fix
Update 2: It only took Nintendo a few hours (a pretty rapid turnaround) to resolve the issue with Legend of Zelda game discounts; you can now pick up any and all series titles on Wii U and 3DS with a 30% discount. Hat tip to Benson for the heads up. [tweet Update: Thankfully, it seems the originally intention of this promotion (as...
Feature Reflecting on Time Spent With the Nintendo Switch
Feeling positive about the big N's next move
It's nearly two weeks since Nintendo hosted its Switch Presentation in Japan, and lots of opinions and details have been shared since. We also had teams go to both the London and New York press / public events after the broadcast, and we wrote up quite a few articles about the system and games as a result...
News Kerbal Space Program Developer Reevaluating Proposed Wii U Port
"The industry landscape changed since we made that announcement"
If you'd clean forgotten that Kerbal Space Program had even been announced for the Wii U, don't worry - so had we, to be perfectly honest. We've heard pretty much nothing since it was revealed the game would be ported to Nintendo's current home console, but now developer Squad has...
Nintendo Download 26th January (North America)
Three Culture Brain NES games! Candy, Please! Word Search 10K!
It's that time once again, dear readers, for the North American Nintendo Download Update. This week is relatively light in content, though may have enough to tempt you into a download or two; there are three Culture Brain NES releases on the Wii U, while the 3DS has some word searching...
Random Mario Sports Superstars amiibo Cards Use Really Old Character Artwork
Bowser is from 2005's Dance Dance Revolution: Mario Mix
Nintendo's announcement that it is releasing a collection of amiibo cards to accompany Mario Sports Superstars came somewhat out of the blue, but it would seem very little effort has actually been spent on creating said cards. The artwork on the cards shown so far is lifted directly from...
News Mario Sports Superstars Heading to Europe on 10th March
amiibo cards and modes outlined a little further
Just recently we shared details on the release date for Mario Sports Superstars, which is due on 24th March in North America. In one of those scheduling quirks we see occasionally Nintendo of Europe is releasing it sooner on 10th March, giving Europeans a head start. Beyond that, the press release...
News New Nintendo 3DS Exclusive, Lifespeed, Gets a Fresh Trailer Ahead of February Release
Almost ready to take off
The 3DS eShop has had a handful of games that focus on racing at high speed, and New 3DS exclusive Lifespeed will aim to stand out in that group. The work of UK developer Wee Man Studios, it's been in the pipeline since 2015. It's now just around the corner, though, with the developer confirming a target of early February...
News Pokkén Tournament and ARMS in the Running for Evo 2017 Player's Choice Spot
Can't do any 'arm, surely?
Evo is always one of the year's most anticipated competitive fighting game tournaments, with Super Smash Bros. Melee (and the Wii U entry in the series) often drawing huge crowds on location and online. With the 2017 tournament coming on 14th July, the hype is building early for this year's contest. Eight games have been...
Video Fresh Shovel Knight: Specter Of Torment Footage Stalks The Earth
Altogether spooky
Yacht Club Games has released new gameplay footage for the forthcoming Shovel Knight expansion, Specter of Torment. As the title suggests, you'll be controlling Shovel Knight's foe Specter Knight in this prequel DLC. The action follows the evildoer as he attempts to form The Order of No Quarter, against which Shovel Knight faces...
Video This Infectious Song Teaches The Basics Of The Pokémon Card Game, Albeit In Japanese
"WELCOME TO POKEMON CARD"
Pokémon has always been popular, but the franchise has certainly benefitted from the timely arrival of Pokémon GO, which has increased mainstream awareness in the brand to levels that perhaps haven't been witnessed since it first launched in the '90s. As as consequence, associated merchandise has also been given a boost,...
Wednesday25th Jan 2017
Review Dragon Ball Fusions (3DS)
Better together
There have been many Dragon Ball games over the years, and one universal truth exists: they seem to get better as time goes by. Early efforts on the SNES, Mega Drive, PlayStation and Saturn left a bad taste in the mouths of series fans, but lately Bandai Namco's Dragon Ball Xenoverse sub-series has redressed the balance neatly...
Tuesday24th Jan 2017
Talking Point Important Features Yet to be Revealed for the Nintendo Switch
There's still time before launch
When Nintendo gave its major Switch Presentation earlier this month, following it up with details in press releases, social media and interviews, there was a fair bit of information that was shared. While the Presentation had the task of giving the first major showcase for the system, it did however skip over quite a...
Wednesday25th Jan 2017
Talking Point The Nintendo 3DS, A System That Still Has a Role to Play
It's not going anywhere yet
With the Switch coming out in just a couple of months, it seems that Nintendo is truly committing to a future in which it invests in just one platform that fulfils the needs of both portable and home console gamers (though it should be noted that it's pitched primarily as a home console at present). Obviously, the Wii U...
News Monster Hunter XX (Double Cross) Will Have Sailor Moon Crossover DLC
Sure, why not
The Monster Hunter franchise is so prolific that Capcom has struggled to keep up with localisation to the West, or has simply been unsure of whether some releases will sell well outside of its home nation. We're still waiting for Monster Hunter Stories, for one thing, and it's unclear whether Monster Hunter XX (Double Cross) -...
Parent Trap Nintendo Switch Parental Controls Beat Console Rivals To The Punch
Family Gamer's Andy Robertson loves no longer being the bad guy
With all the excitement of going hands-on with the games, controller and screen at the launch event it's easy to pass over some of the finer details of the Nintendo Switch. Chief among these details for families is the Parental Controls app. Other features may be sexier or more...
"I love Nintendo and I think the Switch is awesome"
Gearbox's Randy Pitchford caused a bit of a stir recently when he stated that the chances of Borderlands 3 coming to Nintendo Switch were slim, and that negotiations between his company and Nintendo had apparently stalled. Responding to a question on Twitter, Pitchford appeared to suggest that...
News Swedish Retailer Says Its Nintendo Switch Pre-Orders Are Higher Than They Were for PS4
Early enthusiasm
The Nintendo Switch is a vital launch for the company, as it seeks to move on from Wii U while also keeping the 3DS active. Following the formal presentation earlier this month plenty have shared their views on it, positive and otherwise, and pre-orders also went live. As we reported not long after listings went live, pre-order...
Guide How to Transfer Pokémon from Pokémon Red, Blue, and Yellow to Pokémon Sun and Moon
Get a Bulba in your life
Pokémon Bank has had the update Pokéfans have been anticipating for months, and finally we're able to transfer our beloved Pokémon from the Virtual Console versions of Red, Blue, and Yellow to the shiny new Pokémon Sun and Moon. But how do you go about this? Well if you'd divert your attention
News Ghost Blade HD Is Bringing Intense Bullet Hell Action To The Wii U eShop
Not dead yet
North American publisher 2Dream is bringing Hucast's bullet hell shooter Ghost Blade HD to the Wii U eShop this year, it has been announced. This vertically-scrolling blaster is the latest title from Germany's Hucast Games, previously responsible for the similarily manic Redux: Dark Matters. It boasts a two-player local co-op mode, 5...
News Rocket League Dev Psyonix Asks Players To Keep Fingers Crossed For Nintendo Switch Port
"We are excited as you are regarding the release of Nintendo Switch"
Rocket League has been one of the smash hits of recent gaming memory, finding a massive audience on PS4, Xbox One and PC thanks to its addictive brand of vehicular, arena-based sports action. It's the kind of title that would do incredibly well on Switch, and while developer...
News Nintendo Sponsors Nickelodeon's 2017 Kids' Choice Awards, Hosted by John Cena
You can't unsee those tight orange shorts
Nintendo of America has embraced the Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards in recent years, and with good reason - it's given valuable opportunities to promote games like Mario Party 10 and Splatoon, targeting a key demographic for the company. Nintendo is now listed as a core sponsor for this year's event, which...
News Pokémon Bank Update Adds Support for Pokémon Sun & Moon
Praise Helix!
An update is now available for Pokémon Bank that will enable the service to be compatible with the most recent series entries, Pokémon Sun and Moon. This update can be accessed through the Nintendo eShop, where players can then proceed to transfer Pokémon they have captured in Omega Ruby, Alpha Sapphire, X and Y over to the new...
News Poochy & Yoshi's Woolly World Delivers a Modest Launch in Japan
Does out-perform the Wii U original, at least
It's Media Create Japanese charts time once again, and this week includes a few new releases competing for top spot, including one from Nintendo and Good-Feel. In the software chart it's Gravity Rush 2 on PS4 that leads the way; Poochy & Yoshi's Woolly World on the 3DS made its debut in second...
Video Check Out This Cool Music Bug in Super Mario Bros. 2
A nod to its heritage
I've always enjoyed this time in the life cycle of gaming. You know, when one piece of hardware is retired and another is introduced; this time around we anxiously await to christen The Switch in our homes, while the Wii U gets ready for the viking funeral. But that all aside, it's a great time to look back and reacquaint...
News Warner Bros Resurrects Disney Infinity Studio Avalanche For Cars 3 Video Game
Back on track
Warner Bros has announced that it has purchased Avalanche Software, the studio which was shuttered by parent company Disney Interactive last year following the underperformance of its Disney Infinity franchise, which Avalanche developed. Warner Bros has succeeded in re-hiring many of the staffers which were let go last May, including...
Video Fire Emblem Heroes Trailer Shows Off Gameplay And Character Roster
Are you a Delightful Noble or Budding Flower?
Nintendo has released a fresh trailer for its upcoming mobile title Fire Emblem Heroes which not only shows off a little gameplay, but also introduces some of the characters that will be included in the final game. Fire Emblem Fates characters Ryoma, Azura and Elise make the cut, while Fire Emblem:...
Music Loads Of Classic Sega Albums Are Now Available On Spotify
Welcome to the Fantasy Zone
If you like tapping your toes to classic tunes from Sega games - and let's face it, who doesn't - then you'll be pleased to learn that the Japanese veteran has made many of its video game music album available for streaming on Spotify. The official soundtrack albums for games such as Out Run, NiGHTS, Virtua Fighter 5,
Tuesday24th Jan 2017
News Pikachu Yellow Edition New Nintendo 3DS XL Confirmed for North America
Arrives on 24th February
Nintendo is very keen to emphasize that the 3DS has plenty of life in it yet, and Nintendo of America has made a few notable announcements to emphasize that point. Perhaps most exciting for Pokémon fans and lovers of limited edition systems is a new variation on the way to North America. The Pikachu Yellow Edition New...
News Special Discounts for The Legend of Zelda Series Coming to the eShop in Europe
All games, some HOME Themes, My Nintendo rewards and more
There's little doubt that The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is the big one coming to the Nintendo Switch at launch, while eager Wii U owners will also get a chance to play it. The big N is evidently keen to build the excitement around the latest series entry, and has confirmed a range...
News LEGO Worlds is Indeed Coming to the Nintendo Switch
Warner Bros. confirms 'reveal' by TT Head of Design
Just recently we reported that the TT Head of Design, Arthur Parsons, had stated that LEGO Worlds was coming to the Nintendo Switch. Casually mentioned alongside LEGO City: Undercover in a Tweet, there was the potential that it was an innocent mistake, as no official word of a Switch release of...
News Two More 3DS Titles Are Joining the Nintendo Selects Range in North America
Mario & Luigi! Kirby!
The Nintendo Selects range is, unsurprisingly, a regular highlight for those that follow the company and enjoys its games. First-party titles often hold their value, so when they get official discounts through the Selects promotions it can be a chance to catch up on some quality titles. Nintendo of America has confirmed two...
Video Here's The Switch Touchscreen That Nintendo Apparently Doesn't Want You To Know About
Touch and go?
When the Switch was first officially announced the console's touchscreen wasn't even mentioned, and this led some to speculate that the console's display wouldn't even come with touch capability. The assumption was that because the screen would be covered when the unit was docked, touchscreen support would have to be rethought entirely...
News Mario Sports Superstars Is Getting Its Own Range Of amiibo Cards
Because why not?
Mario Sports Superstars arrives on the 3DS on March 24th, and Nintendo has confirmed that the game will be accompanied by a series of amiibo character cards. These can be used to unlock bonuses in-game, and will be available in blind packs, as was the case with the Animal Crossing amiibo card range. The game will also come with a...
Rumour A New CPSIA Listing Implies More Smash Bros. amiibo Are Coming
A new challenger approaches
Super Smash Bros. for Wii U saw the debut of the explosively popular amiibo line, and after several waves, nearly every fighter was given a figure. Nearly is the operative word there, as some of the newest DLC characters still have yet to receive an amiibo figure, but we do know that they're on the way. Now, a new CPSIA...
News Pokémon Duel Arrives on iOS and Android in the West
Known as Pokemon Comaster in Japan
Pokémon games on mobile aren't anything new, though Pokémon GO set a new bar in popularity as it went viral and generated significant revenue in 2016. The latest app is unlikely to reach those heights, but it'll be interesting to see how it performs. Pokémon Duel is out now in territories such as North America...
News Pre-Order Puyo Puyo Tetris, Get Some Fancy Keychains
As the old saying (doesn't) go
Puyo Puyo Tetris may be old news to Japanese players but the fact that it's finally coming to the west is certainly something to celebrate - and if you're keen enough to be contemplating a pre-order then you'll be pleased to know a neat bonus is being offered in North America. Pledge your cash now and when the game...
News Tomorrow Corporation is Bringing Its Back Catalogue to Nintendo Switch at Launch
All three games and their soundtracks
The launch line-up for Nintendo Switch is gradually growing, and now we know the eShop will have a bit more to offer. Tomorrow Corporation has confirmed that it's bringing its back catalogue of games to the system on 3rd March, with updated releases of highly regarded WiiWare and Wii U eShop titles. The...
Hardware Review Putting The Retro Freak's Range Of Accessories To The Test
NES! Sega Mark III! Game Gear! Controller adapter!
Retro gamers have really been spoilt for choice when it comes to picking a clone console these days. Not only have we had machines like the Retro-USB AVS which uses FPGA tech to accurately replicate the performance of the NES, but we've also seen all-in-one solutions like the Hyperkin Retron-5 and...
News Super Smash Bros. Melee Match Touted as One of Greatest Ever
"Wow, incredible!"
Having only just entered the year, tournament season is very much underway with the annual GENESIS 4 event taking place last weekend. The highly regarded tournament gathered fighters from around the globe to San Jose, California to prove who really is the best. With events setup for Street Fighter V, Towerfall Ascension and of...
News Unity-Made RPG Moon Child Could Be Coming To Nintendo Switch
Bark at the moon
Failed Kickstarter project Moon Child could be coming to the Nintendo Switch, if a tweet from the developer is to be believed. The Unity-made RPG adventure saw its crowd-funding attempt fall way short last year, with only €1,929 pledged against a sizable €150,000 goal. However, a tweet from Kefir Games Studio last month would...
News Game Freak Has Revealed the Third Global Mission for Pokémon Sun and Moon
Third time's the charm or third strike?
Although Pokémon Sun and Moon have done quite well critically and commercially--breaking many records in the latter category--it seems as though the games have been having trouble with maintaining player involvement. Global missions are run about once per month and task the playerbase with achieving a certain...
News Ultra Street Fighter II's Online And Ranked Modes Get Detailed
Taking the fight online
Ultra Street Fighter II: The Final Challengers may not be in quite the same league of importance as Street Fighter V, but it should scratch that one-on-one fighting itch neatly when the Switch arrives later this year. We've known from the start that the game would feature online conn
News Tank Troopers Will Blow Up on the 3DS eShop Soon
Confirmed for 16th February in North America
Revealed in the 3DS Nintendo Direct in Autumn / Fall of last year and already out in Japan, Tank Troopers is a Nintendo-published title heading to the eShop. The premise is simple - it's a tank warfare game with a hefty dose of quirkiness. Nintendo of America has confirmed a release date of 16th February...
News TT Head of Design Suggests That LEGO Worlds is Heading to Nintendo Switch
Either a spilled secret or an innocent mistake
A select batch of third-party games are confirmed for the Nintendo Switch, one of which is the re-release of LEGO City: Undercover (also coming to PS4 and Xbox One), with that title having previously been a Wii U exclusive. Inadvertently the Head of Design at Travellers Tales, Arthur Parsons, may have...
Monday23rd Jan 2017
Feature 10 Intriguing Third-Party Nintendo Switch Games for Your Wishlist
Not just the big names
With the Nintendo Switch getting rather close, interest in the line-up of games that we can expect this year is naturally starting to increase. We've already produced a breakdown of confirmed games that we periodically revisit and update, but we thought we'd pick out some particularly intriguing titles from third-parties. In...
Talking Point Is the Nintendo Switch a Handheld or Console? Does it Matter?
It's a Switch, that's all we need to know
Over the years we've had some quirky exchanges with Nintendo's PR department, but one of the best related to a light-hearted article about Yoshi. It turned out that an official Nintendo Character Guide from 1993 had said that Yoshi is "properly known as T. Yoshisaur Munchakoopas" and is a 'young dinosaur',...
Random Epic Haul Of Boxed NES Items Found In Abandoned RV
Seek and ye shall find
Retro collectors will know full well the thrill of unexpectedly finding a gaming gem at their local charity shop or car boot sale (thrift store and flea market to non-UK folks), but this latest discovery by the one and only Patrick Scott Patterson is on another level entirely. Patterson found many early NES items - including...
First Impressions Feeling Young Again With Sonic Mania
A delicious blend of the retro and modern
On occasions in the past we've bemoaned Nintendo's tendency to shut down work by talented independent developers remixing and re-imagining their games, when an alternative is to embrace them. Capcom did this with the quirky free PC release of Mega Man X Street Fighter, which was fun if a tad flawed, but SEGA...
News I Am Setsuna Confirmed as Launch Day Release on Nintendo Switch
We're still trying to avoid calling it I Am Satsuma
It's been clear for a little over a week that I Am Setsuna is arriving early on Nintendo Switch (initially given a March window), but now it's been confirmed as a download-only launch day title. Published by Square Enix and developed by Tokyo RPG Factory, this brings to mind classic JRPGs - with...
News Racing Apex Puts The Pedal To The Metal For A Nintendo Switch Release
Wii U release still on track, too
Lucky Mountain Games has revealed that Racing Apex is coming to the Nintendo Switch. Taking inspiration from early arcade 3D racers such as Virtua Racing and Winning Run, Racing Apex adds in combat elements which makes it look and feel a little like Activision's cult hit Interstate '76 - which is no bad thing at...
Nintendo Download 26th January (Europe)
Castlevania: Dracula X! Inchworm Animation II! More!
We're not quite sure why, but the Nintendo Download Update details for Europe have been elusive today; thankfully the ever generous Daan Koopman has forwarded the Dutch press release that finally came through, and Kenneth Jensen then provided UK prices. In any case, this week comes with an...
"Their approach is quite different from anything they've done in the past"
During the recent Switch presentation EA executive Patrick Söderlund took to the stage to confirm that FIFA would be coming to the console, and Famitsu has now published more comments from the man himself, taken directly after the event. Söderlund speaks about Nintendo's...
News Capcom Has No Plans To Infect The Nintendo Switch With Resident Evil "At The Moment"
"I'm looking forward to the possibilities of the system itself"
This weeks sees the launch of Resident Evil 7, a title that effectively serves as a reboot of the famous survival horror series which began life back in the '90s. Resident Evil 7 does away with the globe-trotting action feel of the much-maligned sixth entry and instead keeps things...
News Story of Seasons: Trio of Towns Secures North American Release Date
Little more than a month away...
As we're now well into 2017, Marvelous has now confirmed that Story of Seasons: Trio of Towns will be releasing in North America before Q1 ends. Yes, for fans of the farming simulator you will be able to pick up a copy of the anticipated sequel come on 28th February. To celebrate the 20th anniversary of the series...
News Footage Of New Mega Man Cartoon Slips Out In Promotional Sizzle Reel
UPDATE: Film Roman, LLC request a takedown of all videos and images
UPDATE: We've been contacted by Film Roman, LLC with a request to remove the video and any related imagery from the site as it infringes on the copyright of Dentsu, the copyright holder of this new Mega Man TV show. We can only offer our apologies for any inconvenience caused and...
News Japanese My Nintendo Store Goes Live For Switch Pre-Orders, Promptly Crashes
Gotta mix and match those Joy-Cons
Nintendo announced its Japanese My Nintendo Store a while back, but don't go thinking this is just an extension of the existing digital My Nintendo portal which sells virtual items for games like Miitomo - this is an actual online retail outlet in Japan, and Nintendo's main (official) channel for offering Nintendo...
News Nintendo Outlines Switch Booth and Plans for PAX South
Demos in 'creative environments'
Nintendo of America is running a handful of tour weekends to promote the Nintendo Switch around the region in the upcoming weeks and months, and it's now outlined its formal plans for PAX South - that expo is running at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center from 27th to 29th January. The following Switch games are...
Review Mega Maze (Wii U eShop)
Not so amazing
Do you remember that mesmerising screen saver from the '90s? The one that was an endless loop of twists and turns through a red brick maze? Well, Mega Maze is sort of like that, except everything is blue or white and it's just not all that entertaining. Mega Maze is exactly what its name implies; a game about solving mazes. There's...
News The Great Ace Attorney 2 on 3DS Gets a Flashy New Japanese Trailer
Quirky Sherlock returns
Capcom has brought some fantastic Ace Attorney titles to the West as eShop releases, but so far the spin-off The Great Ace Attorney hasn't followed - there have only been vague and unlikely teases on that front. While we wait, though, The Great Ace Attorney 2 - subtitled 'Ryunosuke Naruhodo's Resolution' - is most definitely...
News Dragon Quest VIII Begins Its UK Chart Journey in Top 20
With a few other 3DS titles in the top 40
The numbers of big-selling new releases on Nintendo hardware have been modest in recent times, but last week did bring another fantastic 3DS RPG to stores with Dragon Quest VIII: Journey of the Cursed King. Like its predecessor it seems to have made a solid start. The 3DS release made its all-format chart...
Sunday22nd Jan 2017
Poll A Week On, How Do You Feel About the Nintendo Switch?
Good, bad, numb to it all?
Well, it's been a little over a week since Tatsumi Kimishima took to the stage in Tokyo and kicked off a weekend of reveals, events and live streams to showcase the Nintendo Switch. Early pre-orders have been made, games have been confirmed, and opinions have been shared. Some of you may recall that we ran a poll shortly...
As simple as black and white
The Shift series has been around since 2008, when the first Shift title debuted as a Flash game. Four mainline games have released since then, with the first two receiving iOS ports as well. Shift DX collects all the levels from the first two games and introduces 100 more to the 3DS; we consider whether this is a treat...
News The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild Guide Highlights Range of Puzzles and Side Quests
Mini spoilers inside...
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, on both Nintendo Switch and Wii U, is now tantalisingly close. After years of mystery and about 7-8 months of intense build-up, we'll soon be able to enjoy the next full '3D' entry in the series. We already know that it has an enormous game world, the biggest yet in the series, and a...
Saturday21st Jan 2017
Interview with IGN Portugal Contradicts Nintendo Representative
In recent information regarding the possibility of dual-audio in The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, was from a Nintendo rep at the Paris hands-on event. Stating that the title would 'feature both the Japanese voices and the English/European dubs,' many took this exchange as a...
News Eiji Aonuma Teases Alternate Ending for The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
It will require you to meet certain criteria
Another fresh detail from the IGN Portugal interview with The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild producer Eiji Aonuma has been published, and it's one that's sure to be of interest to completionists. When asked if there would be any alternate endings in the title, Aonuma replied - Yes there is
First Impressions Getting Some Laps In With FAST RMX
The popular racer makes the switch
FAST Racing NEO was easily one of the best indie titles on the Wii U; in our review we referred to it as one of the few titles that is "...able to stand to-to-toe with Nintendo's first-party offerings." Unfortunately it didn't get the level of attention it deserved due to being released on a console with such a...
Friday20th Jan 2017
News Reggie on Wii U Support Going Forward
"We really are at the end of life for Wii U"
Now that the Switch has seen a full reveal and is rapidly nearing its worldwide release, the Wii U is already starting to become a fading memory. Developers left and right have been dropping planned ports of games in favor of the Switch, and now Nintendo itself has stated that its throwing in the towel...
Thursday19th Jan 2017
Editorial Pricing Blunders Have Distorted The Narrative Around Nintendo Switch
The cost of stubborn business
The reaction to Nintendo Switch since its presentation has been mixed, it's fair to say. In terms of metrics such as 'Likes' on YouTube and vibes among my own acquaintances, family and friends there's been a positive response. Yet to browse some specialist sites and similar channels on YouTube (or even comments sections...
Friday20th Jan 2017
News Miis Are Still Part Of Nintendo's Future, But They're No Longer Compulsory
Miis will have "more facial components and colors"
Miis have been a part of Nintendo gaming for over a decade now, and the company will continue to support the digital avatar system on Switch - although it won't be compulsory for players to create one. Speaking to Kotaku, Nintendo has confirmed that while Miiverse and StreetPass aren't part of its...
Soapbox It's Nintendo's Job To Make Switch A Success, Not EA's, Ubisoft's Or Capcom's
Playing the blame game doesn't work
The dust has settled on the big reveal of the Nintendo Switch and while we're almost certain to see more software support confirmed for the console before launch day arrives, it's hard to ignore the feeling that history is repeating itself, at least when it comes to third party support. Companies like EA, Capcom,...
Exclusive Unlikely Legend Of Rusty Pup Confirmed For Switch, Wii U Version Canned
3DS version "dependent on resources and time"
We've been following the development of Gory Detail's The Unlikely Legend of Rusty Pup quite closely since we broke news of its existence back in 2013. Created by two former Rare developers - Chris Seaver and Shawn Pile - this unique puzzle plaformer continues to shape up nicely, as we found when we...
Feature The Quest for the Ultimate NES Classic Edition Wireless Controller
8Bitdo NES30 Vs Nyko Miniboss
The NES Classic Edition is a wonderful micro-sized retro-gaming machine; availability issues aside its hard to find much fault with, it apart from the rather short controller cable which comes with the otherwise excellent replica of the original NES controller. At just 30 inches the cable that joins the pad to the...
Talking Point Let's Explore What Could Be Done with HD Rumble on the Nintendo Switch
There's more than a rumble in the jungle
HD Rumble was one of the more surprising reveals during the recent Nintendo Switch presentation, and whilst it might seem like a throwaway gimmick to some there could be more options at hand than people expect. Make sure you give the video above a watch where this video manufacturing monstrosity spews forth...
News DFC Intelligence Believes Nintendo Switch Can Shift 40 Million Units by 2020
"The Switch is a compelling piece of hardware"
As excited as we are about the Nintendo Switch, there are of course doubts and concerns doing the rounds. That's understandable considering Nintendo's record of boom or bust over the past decade, but it's not just passionate Nintendo fans that are believers in the Switch - research firm DFC Intelligence...
News It's Nintendo Switch Petition Time, With Miiverse on the Agenda
It's gone, let it go...
Online petitions rarely succeed, even when they accumulate a significant number of votes. They may sometimes get the attention of their targets, which is perhaps 'job done', but often struggle to achieve their end goals. This is especially true when related to video games and Nintendo; the big N typically does its own thing...
News Nintendo Switch Won't Have Video Streaming Services At Launch, But They're Being Considered
Nintendo also "researching the possibility" of USB hard drive support
While video game consoles are primarily about interactive entertainment, in recent years we've seen them offer other services such as video streaming via apps such as Hulu, Amazon and Netflix. Given the "bridge" nature of the console, you'd think that having these services on the...
News Nintendo Confirms Game Developers Conference 2017 Attendance
Takes place at the end of next month
This year's Game Developers Conference is due to take place between Monday 27th February and Friday 3rd March 2017 in San Francisco, and Nintendo has confirmed that it will be in attendance. GDC is one of the industry's most effective means of bringing together platform holders with the wider dev community and...
News Goodbye! BOXBOY! Has Some Lovely Kirby-Related amiibo Support
A Game Boy screen filter, too
Slowly and surely, heading towards its third release in Japan, HAL Laboratory's BOXBOY! series continues to gain fans and momentum. Though a Western release is yet to be confirmed, early February will see the release of Goodbye! BOXBOY! in Japan, known locally as Sayonara! BOXBOY!, with a physical retail edition on the...
Video Nintendo Trailer for Snipperclips Showcases Some of Its Charm
An early Switch title to watch
When people consider the games they plan to buy in March alongside their shiny new Nintendo Switch, we think Snipperclips - Cut it out, together! should be on the shortlist. Pegged as a $20 game on Nintendo's official website and likely to be an eShop release, it puts local co-op front and centre with a quirky sense of...
News Pokémon Sun and Moon Are Now the Fastest Nintendo Games to Clear 4 Million Sales
Also led the charge for the best ever software quarter for 3DS
Though it seems that the games have trouble rallying community support for certain in-game events, it's been common knowledge that Pokémon Sun and Moon have been a pretty big deal sales-wise. The pairing of games has had impressive numbers—even for the Pokémon series—and has...
Thursday19th Jan 2017
News Super Bomberman R's Retail Price Has Finally Been Confirmed
Boom, baby
Super Bomberman R is a pretty promising revival of one of gaming's most iconic characters, and we certainly enjoyed what we saw of it at last week's hands-on event. However, there's been some confusion over how much the game will cost when it arrives at retail. In the US, retailers have been pitching it at around $60, while in the UK it...
Video The Surprising Origins of the Wii Virtual Console Super Mario Bros. ROM
Claims and evidence that it was lifted from the internet
Here's an interesting topic to get debate going - what if Nintendo lifted a ROM of Super Mario Bros. from the internet and then repurposed it for the Wii Virtual Console a decade ago? It would certainly put Nintendo's policies against emulators in the spotlight. That's the claim made in a...
News Reggie on How the Switch Will Maintain Third Party Support
"We are going to be able to deliver that fully with Nintendo Switch."
It's well documented at this point that the Wii U didn't do too well from a third party support perspective. After a good start of unprecedented partnerships and definitive ports of major triple AAA games, developers started jumping ship left and right when the Wii U's sales...
News Princess Zelda is "Very Complex and Multi-Faceted" in Breath of the Wild, Aonuma Explains
So don't get carried away over 2 seconds of crying in the trailer
We think it's fair to say that the new trailer for The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild stole the show during last week's Nintendo Switch presentation, providing a strong flourish with which to end the broadcast. It was packed full of new scenes, characters and sent chills up many...
Wednesday18th Jan 2017
News Fire Emblem Warriors Arrives on Switch & New Nintendo 3DS This Fall
Surprise New 3DS support for the latest crossover
Nintendo's Fire Emblem Direct has just come to an end. With plenty of mobile, Switch and 3DS announcements, one of the more interesting morsels of information we got during the concise presentation was regarding the new cross-over title currently in development for multiple platforms. Fire Emblem...
Thursday19th Jan 2017
Nintendo Download 19th January (North America)
Dragon Quest VIII! Star Fox 64! Punch Club! Yoshi demo! More!
It's time for another Nintendo Download Update for North America, and this week has shaped up rather nicely. On 3DS there's a huge retail release and a tempting demo, while a notable download arrival brings a bit of punch to proceedings. On Wii U there are some interesting Nindie options...
They've done their homework
Moving any title from the Wii U to the 3DS is inevitably going to come with a fairly heavy graphical downgrade, but with Poochy & Yoshi's Woolly World the game stands up fairly well. Most notably the frame rate retains its glorious 60fps throughout (on New 3DS) and on the whole runs like butter. Make sure you check...
News Eiji Aonuma Outlines the Challenges in Developing The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Discusses changes made to incorporate the Switch
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is now just weeks away, arriving on the Nintendo Switch and Wii U on 3rd March. The anticipation is palpable, as it's not only the first new '3D' Legend of Zelda title since Skyward Sword on Wii, but it's the most ambitious game the series has ever seen. An...
Video Koei Tecmo Launches Trailers For Its Two Big Nintendo Switch Releases
We heard you like games about Eastern history
Koei Tecmo is supporting the Switch with two of its biggest franchises - Nobunaga's Ambition and Romance of the Three Kingdoms - and has just released some lovely trailers to promote them. Nobunaga's Ambition: Sphere of Influence and Romance of the Three Kingdoms XIII aren't entirely new releases and...
Preview Feeling Warm and Fuzzy With Poochy & Yoshi's Woolly World
This is how 3DS ports should be done
In recent times we've seen a very deliberate attempt by Nintendo to broaden the audience for key Wii U titles through 3DS ports. Hyrule Warriors Legends set the tone, and then Super Mario Maker for Nintendo 3DS gave an offline spin on the home console title. In both cases the ports had tweaks to suit the...
First Impressions Getting Strategic in Disgaea 5 Complete
Layin' the smackdown on jabronies
One of the most unexpected titles coming to Nintendo Switch is Disgaea 5 Complete, a tactical RPG in the vein of genre classics like Final Fantasy Tactics. We spent quite a bit of time with the game at Nintendo's New York Switch event, and came away quite impressed with the port. If you haven't heard of the Disgaea...
News Nicalis Seemingly Confirms 1001 Spikes And Cave Story For Switch, Then Deletes Post
"Isaac was lonely so we brought a few friends to keep him company"
Earlier today, Nicalis - which is already bringing The Binding of Isaac: Afterbirth+ and Redout to Switch - tweeted a photo which showed one of Nintendo's new consoles proudly displaying icons for 1001 Spikes and Cave Story, two titles previously published by Nicalis on other...
News The Binding of Isaac: Afterbirth+ Will Be A Launch Title For Nintendo Switch
First run of physical copies come with "something special"
If you were getting a bit worried about the lack of games to buy on Nintendo Switch launch day then you'll be pleased to learn that The Binding of Isaac: Afterbirth+ has now been confirmed as a day one release. Afterbirth+ will be available at both retail and on the eShop, and will cost...
News Fire Emblem Heroes Will Also Release on iOS on 2nd February
Well, that was fast
Fire Emblem Heroes—the upcoming smartphone debut of the popular turn-based strategy RPG series—was officially unveiled during the Fire Emblem Direct today, and part of the announcement was that it would be coming to Android first on 2nd February. No iOS date was given, just that it would be coming to the platform "soon", much...
News 1-2-Switch Looks Set To Include At Least 20 Minigames
Including air guitar, apparently
We recently brought you our first impressions of 1-2 Switch; we thought it was a relatively fun collection of minigames that would have made a lovely pack-in game with the Nintendo Switch -- unfortunately you'll have to pick it up separately. For anyone worried dropping £35 / $50 on this game, it seems it might be...
Wednesday18th Jan 2017
News Super Mario Run Sprints Onto Android This March
Not long to go now
Super Mario Run has been available on iOS for a few weeks now, while Android users have had to endure a rather annoying wait to get their hands on the plumber's first smartphone adventure. The good news is that the wait is almost over - Super Mario Run will arrive on Google-powered phones in March. This news shouldn't come as...
Thursday19th Jan 2017
News Ubisoft Buys Guitar Hero Live Studio FreeStyleGames From Activision
Studio renamed Ubisoft Leamington
Ubisoft has acquired the UK studio behind Guitar Hero Live and DJ Hero, it has been revealed. FreeStyleGames, which is based in Leamington Spa, will be renamed Ubisoft Leamington. Ubisoft Reflections boss Richard Blenkinsop will be stepping in as managing director, and had this to say: We're thrilled to have...
Wednesday18th Jan 2017
News Here's How Dragon Quest Heroes II On Switch Shapes Up Against The PS4 Version
It takes a graphical hit, unsurprisingly
The Nintendo Switch isn't as powerful as the Xbox One or PS4, despite rumours many months that argued the opposite. This isn't actually that much of a shock when you consider that the Switch can be taken out of the house with you, while the PS4 is distinctly un-portable. It's a trade-off that had to happen,...
News Fan-Made Prequel Metroid: Rogue Dawn Released On NES
Set before Metroid Zero Mission
Time and time again fans surprise us with projects born out of their love for Nintendo franchises despite the obvious legal issues. One franchise in particular that seems to generate substantial fervor is Samus Aran's very own backyard, the Metroid series. As years go by without a new mainline entry in this revered...
News Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia Coming to 3DS on 19th May
Inspired by Gaiden, two new amiibo inbound
Nintendo had a surprising new Fire Emblem title to announce today, and it's coming rather soon on 3DS. Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia is due on 19th May in both North America and Europe; it draws inspiration from Fire Emblem Gaiden, a Famicom title that originally only saw release in Japan. The...
Live Blog Watch the Fire Emblem Nintendo Direct - Live!
Are you Shura you're ready?
It's only been a matter of days since the Nintendo Switch Presentation, yet here we are for more live stream goodness. It's a Fire Emblem Nintendo Direct, with Fire Emblem Warriors and the upcoming mobile game likely to feature. Will there be any surprises? Let's find out... <liveblog...
News Fire Emblem Heroes Revealed for Mobile, Arrives on 2nd February
Update - now confirmed for iOS on the same day
Update: Since the Direct broadcast, it's been confirmed that the game will also be out on iOS on 2nd February, following a statement it was 'coming soon' in the stream. Evidently Apple stepped up to approve the date, which is great news for iPhone / iPad owners. Original Article: The bulk of...
Video The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild's Localised Voice Acting is Pretty Darn Varied
Hamming it up
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is a huge release for Nintendo, both as a last hurrah for Wii U and a launch title on Nintendo Switch. As a result the company is naturally pulling out all of the stops on production values, with the most recent trailer showcasing voice acting for the new release. Naturally it'll vary per region...
Talking Point Considering the Paid Online Service for the Nintendo Switch
An inevitable gamble
One of the surprise announcements from Nintendo's big Switch presentation was that it would be introducing a new subscription-based online service for which fans will need to pay a monthly fee. This seems as though it could come as something of a double-edged sword, so we're going to break down some of the pros and cons of this...
Video Let's Weigh Up the Good & Bad Things About the Nintendo Switch
Balance is the key
No system is perfect, and that idea applies to the Switch as well. We like to be as positive as we can be on Nintendo Life but we need to be critical and objective in our line of work. As such this video mogul has coupled ten good and bad points about the Nintendo Switch (five of each) and slung them together for you to indulge...
News Rayman Legends: Definitive Edition to Include Touch Controls for Portable Play on Switch
Touch controls clearly 'allowed' in games
One of the interesting debates around Nintendo Switch has been around whether it'll allow for touch controls in games, and whether there's potential for primarily touch-based games to come to the tablet-like console in the future. One side of the argument has suggested that the 'home gaming system' angle and...
News New Main Series Fire Emblem Title Coming to Nintendo Switch in 2018
The news so many were hoping for
The Fire Emblem Nintendo Direct has wrapped up, and it had a few surprises to catch fans off guard. One announcement came with little detail, but will generate much excitement. It was confirmed that a main series Fire Emblem game is headed to the Nintendo Switch in 2018. Though far away, it was the only all-new...
First Impressions Revisiting Hyrule in Breath of the Wild on Nintendo Switch
Link has never looked this good
Steve Bowling and Narelle Ho Sang collaborate their thoughts on The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild on Nintendo Switch. At E3 2016, Nintendo showed little from upcoming games in the Wii U's twilight year. Understandable given the Switch was on the horizon, and details were still under wraps. Instead, the...
News Super Bomberman R's Price Still Has Yet to Be Finalized
The bomb hasn't gone off yet
One of the rather random announcements to come from the Nintendo Switch presentation was that Super Bomberman R—a new Bomberman game—would be making its way to the platform. It's been many years since Hudson Soft's former mascot has starred in his own title, much akin to a certain blue bomber, and it seemed as though...
Video UK TV Advert for Breath of the Wild Plays Up the Switch 'Lifestyle'
Head out and hop on a plane with no luggage
The Nintendo Switch, as a concept, will be vital in its success or otherwise. Nintendo's portables have consistently outsold its home consoles, notably so in the current generation. Yet Nintendo is keen to promote the Switch as a home console, primarily, with the added bonus that it can then be swapped out...
Talking Point What We Hope to See in the Fire Emblem Nintendo Direct
Switch and mobile to the fore
If early year intentions can be taken as an indication of Nintendo's eagerness to have a big year, then so far things bode well. Despite the various positives and negatives around the Nintendo Switch and its launch offerings, Nintendo did at least go wholeheartedly into presenting it. The live event from Tokyo was...
Random A Free Water Bottle from the NYC Nintendo Switch Preview is Being Auctioned Off Online
"It's clear, 8 full ounces."
Nowadays, it seems like people will do just about anything to make a quick buck. The Nintendo Switch Preview that took place in NYC this past weekend was—in some ways—a historical moment for the company, as it was the first time ever that the public was given a chance to try out the new console. Plenty of cheap...
News Ubisoft Confident Switch Can Be A "Bridge" Between Home Consoles And Mobile
Pricing and launch slate not a concern, either
While it may have come under fire from fans in the past, there's little question that Ubisoft has been one of Nintendo's most loyal publishing partners over the past few years. The company made a big splash at the launch of both the Wii and Wii U, and is bringing three titles to the Nintendo Switch - a...
Review Spheroids (Wii U eShop)
It's time to break some balls
Spheroids has a simple plot that is well-suited to a platform adventure game. Giant alien blobs known as "the Spheroids" are attempting to take over the world, and it's up to a brave Canadian boy named Lucas - with the assistance of a crazy scientist known as Otto - to save the day. Based in a comical science-fiction...
News Nintendo Forces Us To Think Differently, Says EA's Patrick Söderlund
"We've been with Nintendo for a very long time"
EA is opening its Nintendo Switch account with a FIFA title, but the company's executive vice president Patrick Söderlund says that owners can expect more games in the future. Speaking to IGN, Söderlund outlined EA's decision to support to the console at launch, and why working with the Japanese...
Video The Voice Of Mario Talks About His History With The Famous Mascot
"The character brings out the best in me"
Charles Martinet may well be the nicest man on the face of the planet - we can say that with some degree of confidence having been lucky enough to spend some time in his company in the past - so it's always a pleasure to hear the man behind Mario's voice talk about his career and association with the...
Feature Switching It Up In NYC at the Nintendo Switch Event
Nintendo brings Mario and company to The Big Apple
Steve Bowling, Narelle Ho Sang and Lee Meyer share some thoughts on the press and fan event for Nintendo Switch in New York. Nintendo's New York Switch event took place in the heart of midtown Manhattan. Attendees were led up a staircase and funneled into a narrow hallway; on either end of the wall...
News Splatoon 2 Will Launch On 18th August, According To UK Store GAME
Colour me bad
One of the most eagerly-anticipated games in the Nintendo Switch's roster for this year is undoubtedly Splatoon 2, which promises to be a ruddy good time according to our resident master of ink splatting Alex. This upcoming game is said to be coming out in "Summer" according to Nintendo, which is a bit vague. Howev
News New PlayStation Releases Push Evergreen 3DS Titles Down Charts in Japan
3DS holds second behind PS4 in hardware stakes
The Media Create charts for Japan are out once again, and this week's line-up has a number of new releases - albeit not on Nintendo hardware. It's hard to keep track of the Kingdom Hearts series, but that hasn't stopped the oddly named Kingdom Hearts HD 2.8: Final Chapter Prologue from moving to number...
Tuesday17th Jan 2017
News Yes, You Can Charge Your Nintendo Switch In Tabletop Mode
Worry not, there's an accessory for that
So you're on a long flight and want to get some quality time in with your Nintendo Switch in tabletop mode. The rather large gentleman in the seat next to you has fallen asleep, so you don't feel too self conscious; it's time to make some serious progress on the amazing The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the...
News The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild Will Require a 3GB Install on Wii U
For all you physical buyers
Yesterday, it was announced that The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild would amazingly be just 13GB on Wii U and 13.4GB on Switch. Considering that it's one of the most ambitious projects Nintendo's ever undertaken, that's quite impressive, and its relatively small size will no doubt entice many buyers into picking up a...
News Constructor Will Be Building Up Hype On Nintendo Switch Launch Day
UPDATE: Actual release date is April 28th
UPDATE: After posts appeared on the official Constructor Facebook page which stated that the game was set to arrive on Switch in April, we asked the PR company behind the original press release exactly when this title is going to be released. Apparently they were given incorrect information, and the actual...
Video Digital Foundry Puts Breath of the Wild, MK8 Deluxe and Splatoon 2 to the Test
Gauging the step up from Wii U
There are a lot of early questions around the Nintendo Switch, some of which relate to its graphical capabilities - how big a 'leap' is it from Wii U? Based on early demos, there is a step-up in quality, but its portable nature means its not exactly enough to melt our eyeballs. Beyond viewpoints based on our eyes and...
News Here's a Transcript of what Suda51 Said During the Nintendo Switch Presentation
"eh... I guess that bombed"
One of the more unfortunate moments during the Nintendo Switch presentation was when a fumbling translator attempted to keep up with energetic Goichi Suda; a Japanese developer famous for being the figurehead behind titles such as No more Heroes and Killer 7. Thankfully, YouTube user iYakku has managed to provide a more...
First Impressions Round One With Ultra Street Fighter II On Nintendo Switch
Evil and Violent
Many modern-day Street Fighter fans cut their teeth on the Super NES version of Street Fighter II, the fighting game by which all others continue to be measured even to this day. It's therefore fitting that 25 years later, Capcom is releasing a new version for the Nintendo Switch. We were on-hand to play the latest entry in both...
Monday16th Jan 2017
News Gearbox CEO Doesn't See Borderlands 3 Coming To Nintendo Switch
"We were talking to Nintendo, but that stopped for some reason"
Gearbox may have come out second best when pitting Battleborn against the behemoth that is Overwatch, but the company still has Borderlands under its belt - and development on the third entry in the popular FPS series is already ongoing. Sadly, it doesn't look like Borderlands 3 will...
Tuesday17th Jan 2017
News Wonder Boy: The Dragon’s Trap Confirmed For Nintendo Switch Release This Year
"The game plays fantastic on the Nintendo Switch!"
DotEmu has confirmed that Wonder Boy: The Dragon's Trap is coming to the Nintendo Switch in 2017. A remake of the Master System classic, The Dragon's Trap boasts lush HD visuals and a revised soundtrack. It's not yet known if this fresh announcement impacts the proposed Wii U eShop version of the...
Rumour Fire Emblem Fates Could Be Getting A Nintendo Switch Port
Source code for Fire Emblem Warriors site contains an interesting link
Nintendo is holding a Fire Emblem direct tomorrow, but one of the big announcements during the broadcast may well have been revealed. The direct will no doubt focus on Fire Emblem Warriors and (perhaps) the announced mobile game, but digging into the source code of the Fire...
Random Of Course You Can't Fit The Nintendo Switch In Your Pocket
Unless you're MC Hammer, of course
The Nintendo Switch has taken some stick from the gaming press since last week's announcement over elements of its online functionality, accessories and price, but one complaint that is perhaps without merit is that the system isn't small enough to fit in your pocket - unless of course you're MC Hammer, or a clown...
First Impressions 1-2-Switch is an Ideal Pack-In Game That's Missing Its Chance
Milking the release
The Joy-Con controllers are a key part of the Switch appeal. Though the core mechanic of 'switching' between the TV and portable play is right there in the name, Nintendo's messaging has put plenty of stock in the controllers and what they can bring to the party. As we outlined in our Hands On write-up on the Nintendo Switch, the...
Reminder A Fire Emblem Nintendo Direct is Coming on 18th January
The hype continues
With the madness of Switchmas and the following weekend, some of you may have missed the news that there's a Fire Emblem Nintendo Direct on 18th January. Oh yes, there certainly is. As a reminder, it's going down at 2pm Pacific / 5pm Eastern / 10pm UK / 11pm CET, which is 19th January at 7am in Tokyo and 9am AEDT. [tweet What...
First Impressions Taking Aim in The Colourful World of Splatoon 2
Ink or sink
2015 was a funny time for Nintendo, against all the nay-sayers and all the 'Nintendoomers' the company managed to successfully re-evaluate what makes a shooter tick with Splatoon. Now it's at it again with the aptly named Splatoon 2 - sadly not Spla2oon - and we thought we should sit down to ink out the details of the preview event demo...
News Brexit Could Increase Super Mario Run's Unlock Cost In The UK
Potentially rising from £7.99 to £9.99
iOS App Store prices are due to rise in the UK and the main culprit is the weak Pound, a result of the nation's recent decision to leave the European Union. The Pound has dropped almost 20 percent of its value against the US dollar since the EU Referendum took place last year, and this has seemingly forced...
Video Mix It Up With This Puyo Puyo Tetris Switch Trailer
Mash up
One announcement that slipped through the cracks during the Switch broadcast last week was the news that Sega is (finally) bringing Puyo Puyo Tetris to the west. The game launched in Japan in 2014 on 3DS, Wii U, Xbox One, PS3, PS4 and PS Vita and many assumed it wouldn't be localised, but thankfully that isn't the case. In some ways,...
News Pokémon GO Update Improves Distance Tracking and Apple Watch Version
Along with the usual 'minor text fixes'
Pokémon GO was a major success in 2016, especially in its 'viral' stage in the Summer, and Niantic continues to add updates in order to tweak and - in theory - enhance the app. The company has now confirmed that version 0.53.1 for Android and 1.23.1 for iOS is rolling out, promising the following...
News Pokémon GO Racked Up $950 Million In Revenue During 2016
Top download for 2016, third in terms overall revenue
Mobile market researcher App Annie has revealed that Pokémon GO generated $950 million in revenue during 2016. Despite launching halfway through the year, the app was the most downloaded game on iOS and Google Play in 2016. In terms of revenue, it came third - trailing Monster Strike and Clash...
Video Take a Tour With Us Around the Nintendo Switch UK Premiere
It's like we were really there
Late last week we were allowed to go hands on with the Nintendo Switch, you may have heard about it. Well not being ones to let these things go unnoticed, we compiled a short video of our experiences at the event with close ups of the console and its various peripherals despite the low lighting conditions. We hope you...
Monday16th Jan 2017
Guide Deals and Pre-Orders for The Nintendo Switch, Games And Accessories
Don't miss out to the eBay scalpers!
The Nintendo Switch is going to be released on the 3rd of March in North America and Europe, and preorders are now beginning to open. We're fully expecting it to sell out at launch, so do yourself a favour and slap in a preorder today so you can avoid lining the pockets of eBay scalpers later. We've rounded up...
News Nintendo Switch Memory Can Be Expanded Up To 2TB
If you can find a Micro SD card with that capacity in 2017
It's now been confirmed that the Nintendo Switch's storage can be expanded up to 2TB, which will come as great news to those who wish to download all their games, rather than buying boxed copies with games on carts. The Switch comes with 32GB of internal flash memory like the Wii U Premium...
News By The Way, The Joy-Con Grip Bundled With Nintendo Switch Won't Charge Your Joy-Cons
You'll need the "premium" version, of course
Just when you thought the cost of owning a Switch couldn't get any higher, allow us to bring to your attention the fact that the Joy-Con grip that ships with the console doesn't actually charge your Joy-Cons when they're attached - you'll need to invest in a more advanced grip, which costs £27.99 in the...
Sunday15th Jan 2017
News Airplane Mode Symbol Spotted In Nintendo Switch UI, Sets Tongues Wagging
Mobile data, or something less exciting?
While Nintendo has spent much of this week spilling the beans on its new console the Switch, there's still an awful lot that we don't know about. The online side of things is sketchy at present, and there's a feeling that Nintendo is continuing to hold information back with the intention of drip-feeding it as...
Monday16th Jan 2017
News Investors React Negatively to Nintendo Switch Launch Details
Share value down since details emerged
Last week was certainly exciting for die-hard Nintendo fans, with the company putting on the Nintendo Switch Presentation and finally unveiling key details on the system. Yet for all the positives there are certainly some negatives, and at the very least some tough questions. It seems investors are concerned,...
Soapbox Nintendo's Switch Plan is Starting to Take Shape
At least we think it is
The Nintendo Switch reveal has polarised fans, as many expected it would, but now we've had a chance to sample the system for ourselves some of our fears have been subdued, and some have been unfortunately made greater. Make sure you check out the video above where this video 'dude' shares his opinions on Nintendo's upcoming...
News The Legend of Zelda: Breath Of The Wild Is A 13.4GB Download On Nintendo Switch
And 13GB on Wii U
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild will take up 13.4GB of internal storage on Switch, should you choose to download it rather than buy the physical game card. On Wii U, it takes up 13GB. That's quite an amazing achievement when you consider the sheer size of the game, but it could potentially cause headaches for those who...
News Nintendo Switch Pre-Order Stock - Tough to Find in the US, Easier in the UK
Assuming all pre-orders are met
As we start a fresh week after the Nintendo Switch Presentation and related madness, it's a chance to take stock - literally - of where the system is in the current market. Nintendo has made clear on multiple occasions that it's initially planned two million units for launch. That's not as much as it sounds - in...
News Nintendo Switch Lacks Pack-In Title Because It's $299, Says Reggie Fils-Aime
"It really needed to be at $299 without a piece of software"
The Nintendo Switch doesn't come with a game because it costs $299.99, according to Nintendo of America boss Reggie Fils-Aime. Both the Wii and Wii U came with a bundled title, and these were designed to show off the unique potential of their host platform. 1-2-Switch arguably does the...
First Impressions Explosive Action in Super Bomberman R
Bombs away!
One of the more pleasant surprises to come out of the weekend's Nintendo Switch announcements is Konami's Super Bomberman R. This pick-up-and-play title will be ready for the Switch's launch, and looks to be very charming, fun and accessible. For those unfamiliar with the 33-year-old franchise, Bomberman is a series in which the title...
Random Sony's Shuhei Yoshida Couldn't Resist Checking Out The Nintendo Switch
Wonder if he has a preorder yet
One mistake many platform loyalists make is assuming that the respective bosses of Sony, Microsoft and Nintendo only play on their own systems and don't acknowledge the existence of rival consoles. In recent years we've seen that perspective become increasingly outdated, with top-level execs admitting publicly that...
Nintendo Download 19th January (Europe)
Dragon Quest VIII! Poochy and Yoshi Demo! Toby! More!
Another week begins, and the latest Nintendo Download Update details are out for Europe. There's a major retail release on 3DS, while a notable demo and 'Nindie' release also stand out; let's get to the details. Wii U eShop: Toby: The Secret Mine (Headup Games, €9.99 / £6.99) - A rather...
First Impressions Going Hand-to-Hand With ARMS
Fun with fisticuffs
One of the biggest surprises during Nintendo's Switch Presentation was ARMS, a new one-on-one fighting game directly from The Big N in which you slug it out with springy, stretchy arms. We had the opportunity to spend some time with it at Nintendo's New York Switch event; we're not 100 percent sold, but there's no denying this...
News EA's Peter Moore Insists FIFA Switch Is "Custom Built" Following Last-Gen Engine Rumour
Based on the PS3 and 360 versions, or a new deal entirely?
While EA didn't have anything to show at the Nintendo Switch presentation, the fact that Vice President of EA Worldwide Studios Patrick Söderlund was on-stage showed that it considers the platform to be of some importance. It's also bringing one of its biggest brands - FIFA - to the machine...
News Rayman Creator Discusses Legends: Definitive Edition for Switch
"Preparing several surprises"
During all of the commotion that took place surrounding the Nintendo Switch presentation, Ubisoft uploaded a video detailing why Rayman Legends: Definitive Edition is making its way over to the console/handheld hybrid. In the two minute video we see Rayman's creator himself; Michel Ancel discusses his feelings on the...
News Tales of & Taiko Drum Master Franchises in Development for Switch
In addition to Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2, which appeared in the Presentation
Bandai Namco Entertainment made a somewhat brief appearance in the Nintendo Switch Presentation, with Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2 being shown in a sizzle reel. In a PR release a sidenote also mentions that Japanese role-playing IP Tales of and rhythm series Taiko Drum Master are...
News Nintendo's History With Playing Cards Directly Influenced The Switch
"You look opponents in the eye to read their strategy, and that is fun"
As we all know, Nintendo started life not as a video games company but as a maker of Hanafuda playing cards more than 100 years ago in Japan, and according to Switch's general producer Yoshiaki Koizumi, this inspired the local multiplayer approach taken with the new console...
Feature Thoughts on the Nintendo Switch Preview Event in London
A long but fun day
Late last week we attended press events for the Nintendo Switch in London and New York, the same venues that then hosted lucky ballot winners over the weekend. As the first real public pitch of the Switch, along with the main event in Tokyo equivalents in Paris and Frankfurt, these settings were an important first testing ground...
Video Take To The Streets With This Complete History Of Final Fight
Oh! My car
Before Street Fighter II arrived on the scene, Final Fight was the best option for arcade-going brawl fans. Capcom's seminal coin-op smash took the template laid down by classics like Double Dragon and Renegade and introduced bigger sprites, a more intuitive control scheme and - perhaps most importantly - a moustached wrestling mayor...
Sunday15th Jan 2017
News Reggie Fils-Aime Briefly Addresses Topic Of Carrying Over Online Purchases To Switch
"Stay tuned, we understand the concern, more information to come"
It's fair to say that if you're a Wii, Wii U or 3DS owner, then you've probably dropped a few coins on download software for one (or perhaps all three) of those consoles. With the Wii U and 3DS, Nintendo made everyone start from scratch when it came to Virtual Console titles, despite...
Guide A Breakdown of Confirmed Nintendo Switch Games and Release Dates
When can you buy the biggest hits?
With Nintendo Switch due so soon, on 3rd March, a lot of debate and focus is on the confirmed line-up to date. Eager to avoid ambiguity, we've looked through Nintendo's information and confirmation from third-party developers to get a picture of what games are coming, and when. Note that we're disregarding all...
First Impressions Back on Track with Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
Switching gear
Given that a number of gamers who pick up the Nintendo Switch may not have owned a Wii U, it makes a lot of sense to have Mario Kart 8 Deluxe in the launch window for the new system. Not only is it one of the most fun games on the Wii U, but it has also been the best-selling too — with over eight million copies sold worldwide...
News Nintendo Switch Will Be Easier To Find Than The NES Classic At Launch, Says Reggie Fils-Aime
3DS also has "long life" ahead of it, apparently
Nintendo of America boss Reggie Fils-Aime insists that the stock shortages which so badly impacted the launch of the NES Classic Mini won't be replicated when the Switch arrives this March. Speaking to Wired, Fils-Aime stated that Nintendo has two million consoles earmarked for the first month, and...
News State of Mind is a 'Futuristic Thriller' Heading to Nintendo Switch
No firm release window yet
A steady stream of developers have been outlining plans to support Nintendo Switch, and Hamburg-based Daedalic Entertainment is the latest to do so. Though it didn't make an impact on Wii U as was once planned, the company is bringing its next major release to the system - State of Mind. [tweet There's no solid release...
First Impressions A Switch Surprise - Cutting Snipperclips Down to Size
A potential gem for the launch month
If this writer is pressed on his favourite game from the Nintendo Switch preview event, it isn't one of the big-hitters. Some of them were grand, for sure, but tucked away in a corner - somewhat unloved in the shadow of the section for The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild - was Snipperclips - Cut it out,...
Video Alex Shares His First Impressions Of The Nintendo Switch With Nintendo UK
Switch army knife
At the recent Nintendo Switch premiere, which we attended at Hammersmith Apollo in London, our very own Alex Olney got to sit down for a few moments to be grilled on his first impressions of Nintendo's new hardware by Nintendo UK's (and former Editor-in-chief of Official Nintendo Magazine) Chandra Nair. While we work to bring you...
Video Watch the Nintendo Switch Experience from Tokyo, Day Two - Live!
Including 'Special Rockband'
It's time for more Nintendo Switch action, with additional footage on which to feast your eyeballs. Nintendo is streaming (in Japanese) from the fan event currently taking place in Tokyo, and you can watch the second day unfold below; including a 'special rockband'!(?). It starts at 10:30am Tokyo time, which is 5:30pm...
Video How Shigeru Miyamoto Designs a Game
Philosophy from the Main Man
After being in the video game industry for nearly 40 years, Shigeru Miyamoto knows a thing or two about how to design a game. The creator of such iconic franchises such as Super Mario, The Legend of Zelda and Metroid took time out from his busy schedule to explain his thesis and why after all this time why he still likes...
Saturday14th Jan 2017
News Breaking Down the Nintendo Switch Online Service Details
Putting a smartphone app front and centre
We've already seen with parental controls on the Nintendo Switch that the company is keen to utilise apps to link into the new system. In some respects that's a smart move, making it easy and flexible to adjust settings like that without needing to access the console; after all, we always have our...
News Reggie Fils-Aime Offers Hope for Those Dreaming of Mother 3, Metroid and More on Switch
"Talk to me in a year and let's look back"
As is often the way with any presentation focused on a launch, Nintendo unveiled a number of Switch titles while others, either rumoured or simply desired by fans, received no mention at all. There were some notable absentees as a result, but Reggie Fils-Aime has tried to sooth any lingering nerves around...
News Nintendo Switch Won't Have Miiverse Or StreetPass
End of an era
The Nintendo Switch won't use Miiverse or StreetPass, it has been revealed. Both services were introduced during the Wii U and 3DS cycle, and have proven to be a hit with fans. However, according to Nintendo of America's assistant manager of public relations David Young, they won't figure in plans for the new hybrid console: I can...
Gallery Here's What The Nintendo Switch Looks Like From (Almost) Every Angle
Hands-on with the new system
During yesterday's Nintendo Switch UK Premiere in London we got the opportunity to not only sample some of the forthcoming games for the new console, but also to lovingly fondle the Switch itself and some of its accessories. The tiny Joy-Cons are adorable but don't feel too small in use; time will tell if they're up to...
Video Did Ultra Street Fighter II's Trailer Just Reveal Its New Mode?
First-person fireballs
Capcom has already stated that Ultra Street Fighter II on Nintendo Switch will have special modes which haven't been revealed yet, but the game's freshly-released trailer appears to give of a hint of what one of them could be. Towards the end of the trailer there's a very short segment which shows the action taking place from...
Video Feast Your Eyes On Ten Minutes Of Splatoon 2 Gameplay
Ink it up
We got the chance to get our hands on Splatoon 2 yesterday during Nintendo's UK Switch Premiere, and we're happy to report that it's utterly fantastic. But don't just take our word for it; here's (almost) ten minutes of direct feed gameplay, captured on the show floor by our very own Alex Olney.
Video Watch the Nintendo Switch Experience From Tokyo, Day One - Live!
Yet more footage to enjoy
It's been quite a day, with the Nintendo Treehouse live stream running for a number of hours and showing off plenty of games. If you want more, though, there is extra footage to enjoy. Nintendo is streaming (in Japanese) from the fan event currently taking place in Tokyo, and you can watch it all unfold below. Yes, it'll...
Friday13th Jan 2017
Gallery Treading The Red Carpet At The Nintendo Switch UK Premiere
Hello Hammersmith Apollo!
Today we were lucky enough to attend the UK premiere of the Switch, the latest games console from the Japanese gaming giant Nintendo. The event took place at the Hammersmith Apollo in London and was filled with Switch units running some of the titles we'll be playing on the platform in 2017. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe had its own...
News Nintendo Switch Has 32GB Internal Memory, Expandable With Micro SD Cards
Ordering that 256GB card today
It has been confirmed that the Nintendo Switch will come with 32GB of internal memory, some of which will be reserved for use by the operating system. However it can easily be expanded with a Micro SDXC card to store lots of games to play while you are on your travels. We would imagine the maximum capacity for the...
Live Blog Watch the Nintendo Treehouse With Nintendo Switch - Live!
Going in depth with upcoming games
We've had the Nintendo Switch Presentation live out of Tokyo, and now the big N moves into promoting and showing off the goodies that were revealed. Nintendo of America's Treehouse team is going to go in depth with some major Switch games, so check it out below. <liveblog...
Live Blog Watch the Nintendo Switch Presentation - Live!
It is time!
It's been a long wait but it's finally here - the Nintendo Switch Presentation. Live from Tokyo, we're expecting a whole lot of reveals and details on Nintendo's next-gen system. The time is now. <liveblog id="watch_the_nintendo_switch_presentation_-_live" tags="#NintendoSwitch" video="
Hands On Putting the Nintendo Switch Hardware Through Its Paces
We consider its features, build and general performance
As you're no doubt aware, press events are currently taking place to showcase the Nintendo Switch, with some also open to the public this weekend. We attended the London event and took the opportunity to put the hardware through its paces, testing out its varied control options and functions...
News Here's Your First Look At The Nintendo Switch User Interface
Game news, but no Miiverse?
Nintendo blew the doors off the Switch today with a special hour-long presentation which covered hardware, launch details and initial software. While the presentation also covered elements of the console's functionality, there wasn't much focus on how the system's UI will work, although images are now online which show...
Poll What Did You Think of the Nintendo Switch Presentation?
Is the hype real?
It's now been a few hours since Nintendo wrapped up its Nintendo Switch Presentation, during which it revealed a whole range of launch details. We learnt more about what the system can do, saw a lot of games, and discovered how much it'll cost. Our Nintendo Switch section has all the news articles, while you can watch the...
Feature The Big Nintendo Switch Presentation Summary
Let's break it down...
The Nintendo Switch Presentation, live out of Tokyo, delivered a number of exciting reveals. There were some surprises, some absences from past rumours, and even a 4Chan post was ultimately proven right in multiple areas. For most, we hope, there were some genuine surprises to add to the buzz. We put together quite a lot of...
Gallery New Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Screenshots Look Pretty Fresh
Deluxe imagary inside
As we're sure you're aware by now, Nintendo Switch is getting an updated version of Mario Kart 8 in the form of Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, and it launches in April. In case you weren't excited enough already, here are some lovely screenshots from the Switch version. Feast your eyes. <screenshots...
News Zelda and Bokoblin Added to Breath of the Wild amiibo Range
More small delights
Today's Nintendo Switch Presentation had plenty of reveals, but some details have emerged through press releases and website updates. For example, two additional amiibo have been shown off for The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, which is coming to both the Switch and Wii U on 3rd March. These additions are Zelda, who made a
News Zelda: Breath Of The Wild Confirmed For Nintendo Switch Launch Day
Update: Wii U version on the same day
The saga of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild's release date has finally come to a close - the game will be available for the launch of the Nintendo Switch on March 3rd worldwide. Nintendo confirmed the news today during its Switch presentation, alongside a fresh trailer for the long-awaited adventure...
News Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Launches On Switch In April, Features Splatoon Inklings
Revamped battle mode and more
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe will make its way to the Nintendo Switch sometime in April in North America and specifically on 28th April in Europe. Here's some info from the official PR: With Nintendo Switch, fans can enjoy the definitive version of Mario Kart 8 anywhere, anytime, even with up to 8 friends in local wireless...
Soapbox The Switch Presentation Was Good, but Not Perfect
Generally good though
So by now we're assuming you've all seen the absolutely monstrous amount of Switch info we the public have been privy to, but it's just not complete without having someone's face tell you their own opinions about what happened. If that sounds like your sort of thing for whatever reason, make sure you check out the video above...
News Fire Emblem Nintendo Direct Confirmed for 18th January
Fire Emblem Warriors to feature, bets may also be on mobile title
There had been plenty of rumours of a new Warriors cross-over coming to Switch, so it was interesting to see that become reality with the announcement of Fire Emblem Warriors with a teasing trailer. Not much of it was seen but it seems Nintendo had a good reason for that approach,...
News Square Enix Announces Project Octopath Traveler For Nintendo Switch
"Every road is yours to take"
A whole variety of games were showcased during the Nintendo Switch presentation, including a few from partnering developers currently working for the console. One such offering is a brand new RPG from Square Enix entitled Project Octopath Traveler. Only a short trailer was revealed for the game, although it promised a...
News Super Mario Odyssey Will Be Trotting Globes On Switch This Holiday Season
The red capped hero returns, with a new friend
The newest instalment in the Mario franchise was revealed at today's Nintendo Switch presentation. Super Mario Odyssey is Mario's latest sandbox style game, exclusively on the Switch. Mario will travel and visit cities, jungles, castles, and various unique worlds. The worlds will be a sandbox style,...
News Minecraft, Sonic, Street Fighter And Bomberman Are All Coming To Switch
Third-party support delivers
During today's Nintendo Switch live presentation, a wide array of third party titles were shown during a montage clip. Surprisingly, Nintendo didn't make a big fuss about this particular section of the presentation, despite the fact that it contains some interesting reveals. Games shown include the following:...
News Square Enix Confirms Nintendo Switch Release For I Am Setsuna
Western release confirmed, too
Square Enix has revealed that it is bringing the RPG I Am Setsuna to the Nintendo Switch, and what's more, it will be getting a North American and European release. Developed by Tokyo RPG Factory, the game launched in Japan at the start of 2016. It's currently available in the west on the PS4 and Steam. Inspired by...
News Ultra Street Fighter II Introduces Evil Ryu And Violent Ken
Yoshinori Ono to demo game during Treehouse Live
Ultra Street Fighter II: The Final Challengers was confirmed for the Nintendo Switch during today's presentation, and now Capcom has given a few more details on the forthcoming fighter. Based on the original Street Fighter II - the arcade smash hit which made its home console debut on the SNES back...
News Fire Emblem Warriors Has Been Announced For the Nintendo Switch
From the Hyrule Warriors team
It was a bit of a random announcement when Nintendo revealed Hyrule Warriors way back when, but the idea turned out quite well in the end, and even warranted a port to the 3DS. There've been some rumours circulating for a while now that the same team from Koei Tecmo was working on another Warriors game with a new IP and...
News Dragon Quest Heroes 1 And 2 Are Brawling Their Way To Nintendo Switch In Japan
Enhanced gameplay compared to the PlayStation versions
Square Enix is bringing its two Dragon Quest Heroes titles to the Nintendo Switch in a special pack fittingly entitled Dragon Quest Heroes I•II. The pack - which launches alongside the console in Japan on March 3rd and costs 8,800 yen - includes Dragon Quest Heroes: The World Tree's Woe and...
News Xenoblade Chronicles 2 Is Currently in Development
Going back to the roots
We knew that Monolith Soft was working on something for the Nintendo Switch, but one of the surprise reveals at today's Switch event was that of Xenoblade Chronicles 2. Not a whole lot is known about the game so far, aside from the fact that it will apparently be a continuation of the first Xenoblade Chronicles. Also, it...
News Here's How Long the Switch's Battery Life Will Last
Not bad, not bad
It's been confirmed that the Nintendo Switch's battery will range anywhere from two and a half to six hours depending upon the game being played (assumedly due to how hard each game pushes the hardware). Additionally it's been confirmed that the Switch will utilize a USB Type-C port for charging, ditching the proprietary format...
News Sources Outline GameStop Trade-In Deals and Pre-Order Details for the Nintendo Switch
"Save when you trade"
Ahead of the Nintendo Switch presentation, a couple of sources have reached out to us revealing pertinent information regarding GameStop's US plans for Nintendo's latest console. You'll be able to pre-order the Switch (in the US, at least) starting at 10am tomorrow at your local GameStops; it's looking like allocation will be...
News Nintendo Switch to Introduce Paid Online Service in Autumn / Fall
Free for a trial period at launch
In a surprise move in the Nintendo Switch Presentation, it's been confirmed that Nintendo will start to charge for online services (like multiplayer), an approach similar to that seen on systems like PS4 and Xbox One. At launch online services will be free, but this is just for a trial period. In the Autumn / Fall...
News Nintendo Switch Release Date And Retail Price Confirmed, Region Locking Is Out
Earlier in March than expected
Nintendo Switch will launch worldwide on March 3rd, it has been revealed. The console's retail price has also been confirmed. It will cost $299.99 in North America and 29,980 Yen in Japan. The price in Europe is decided by individual retailers. Interestingly, Nintendo has also confirmed that the system will not...
Limit playtime remotely to suspend a youngster's play
Nintendo, no doubt employing the expertise of DeNA in particular, is utilising smartphone apps for managing key parts of the Nintendo Switch. There'll be an app for managing aspects of online features, and a trailer showcases how an app can be used to monitor a youngster's play habits and limit...
News Nintendo Switch Will Cost £279.99 In The UK
Better start saving
The Nintendo Switch will cost £279.99 in the United Kingdom. This follows the news that the console will retail for $299.99 in North America. As is the case elsewhere in the world, the base system will come with the Switch console, dock, Joy-Con grip, two Joy-Cons, a power supply and a HDMI cable. Is this more than you...
News Skyrim Confirmed for Nintendo Switch
Arrow in the Knee on the Go
After initially being showed off in the debut trailer for the Nintendo Switch, fans have eagerly been waiting for its confirmation. Today at the Nintendo Presentation Todd Howard of Bethesda confirmed that The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim will be making its way to the handheld. No official date has been given so far for the...
News Travis Touchdown Will Return In No More Heroes Sequel For Switch
It's about time
Goichi "Suda 51" Suda took to the stage during Nintendo's Switch presentation to reveal that a No More Heroes sequel is coming to the new console. While he didn't have anything to show in terms of gameplay as the project is still very early in development, he did voice the opinion that Switch is an easy platform to create content...
News Nicalis Bringing Redout And The Binding of Isaac: Afterbirth+ To Nintendo Switch
Arriving in the Spring
Nicalis is bringing anti-grav racer Redout and The Binding of Isaac: Afterbirth+ to the Nintendo Switch, it has been confirmed. Redout looks to follow in the footsteps of F-Zero, WipEout and FAST Racing Neo with its futuristic racing and white-knuckle intensity. Developed by 34BigThings, it's built using the Unreal Engine and...
News Nintendo Introduces ARMS, a New Boxing IP
Join the Arms race
Much in the same way that Splatoon was a new IP that acted as a poster child for the Wii U, it seems that Nintendo is bringing in another new IP to show off the motion controls for the Nintendo Switch. The new game is called ARMS, and features a colourful cast of characters in a high intensity boxing match. Character arms are...
News Nintendo Unveils Tricks and Features of the Joy-Con Controllers
Multiple colours, motion controls, advanced feedback, hand sensor
During the Nintendo Switch Presentation we were given an extensive demonstration of the Joy-Con controllers, which deliver on some of the ambitious rumours and patents of recent months. For starters, there will be two alternative colours to choose from early on, with Red and Blue...
News Atlus Is Bringing Shin Megami Tensei To Nintendo Switch
3DS title also in development
Atlus is bringing its popular Shin Megami Tensei series to the Nintendo Switch, it was revealed today. The game will be made using Unreal Engine 4, and the brief video shown off during the Switch presentation didn't show any gameplay as the title is still very early in production. The last game in the series was Shin...
News Splatoon 2 Hits Nintendo Switch This Summer With New Weapons And Stages
Including jetpacks and dual weapons
Splatoon 2 will be hitting the Nintendo Switch this summer, it has been confirmed. A full sequel rather than a simple update of the Wii U version, Splatoon 2 (not "Spla2oon", which is a shame) will feature new weapons and stages. You'll be able to dual-wield weapons and special items - such as jetpacks powered by...
News Nintendo Introduces 1-2-Switch, A Party Game Which Asks You To Ignore The Screen
"The game everyone can play together"
Nintendo has just revealed a new piece of software for the Nintendo Switch entitled 1-2-Switch. The multi-player title is based around a series of mini-games which, unusually, require you to watch the reactions of the other human player rather than look at the screen itself. An example given during the...
News The Massively Popular FIFA Franchise Is Coming To Nintendo Switch In 2017
The world's biggest game is back on Nintendo
Electronic Arts is bringing its popular FIFA franchise to the Nintendo Switch this year. The news was revealed during the Nintendo Switch Presentation, and while no footage was shown, the strength of the concept is clear. You'll be able to challenge friends in local co-op matches or play online with...
Thursday12th Jan 2017
News Hyperkin Shows Off RetroN 5 3-in-1 Adapter and Nintendo Switch Accessories at CES
All due in 'Q1'
CES highlighted quite a few interesting products for retro and current-gen gaming fans, and Hyperkin has now issued a press release and assets for the goodies it showcased at the event. Perhaps the key reveal for keen retro followers of the company is its 3-in-1 adapter for the RetroN 5, a rather solid clone console that can play an...
News Amazon UK Confirms Time for Nintendo Switch Pre-Orders
One per customer due to limited stock
Have you been working on your browser refresh action, clicking on that little button? If not then it's time to get up to speed, as the dash for Nintendo Switch pre-orders approaches. We expected a whole range of retailers to go live with orders tomorrow, and are plotting a guide to help you find them, but...
Feature What We Expect from the Nintendo Switch Presentation
It's nearly time...
The Nintendo Switch Presentation is almost upon us, which will be followed up by multiple streams and plenty of hands-on impressions - including our own - hitting the web. It's been a long wait, but we're finally going to get a good look at Nintendo's next system. When is the Nintendo Switch Presentation? The full presentation,...
Guide Getting to Grips With SOS Battles in Pokémon Sun and Moon
Sending out an SOS
S.O.S. Battles are the most noteworthy new battle element in Pokémon Sun & Moon because, well frankly, you will continually see them during your gameplay. So what are they? As you are battling a Pokémon, it will often call for help from another Pokémon, usually one of the same species, that will join the battle and give...
Video Ladies And Gentlemen, We Might Have Found The Worst Game On Wii U
Alex suffers for his art
Like any console, the Wii U has seen its fair share of stinkers. Not every game can be like Splatoon, Super Mario 3D World or Bayonetta 2; some will invariably fall short of greatness and make you wonder exactly what compelled you to hand over your hard-earned cash in the first place. However, if you've ever wondered...
Soapbox Why I Still Love the Wii U
Forgotten by some, but not gone
On what Steve (a reviewer on these pages) is calling 'Switchmas Eve', he shares his love for the system that's soon to be replaced by the Nintendo Switch. He raises a glass to the Wii U. It's Switchmas Eve, and like a child waiting for Father Christmas I couldn't be more excited for what the Nintendo Switch...
Nintendo Download 12th January (North America)
F-Zero X! Shift DX! Erm, did we mention F-Zero X?
Merry Switchmas everyone! Some things never change; we still have a Nintendo Download Update for North America. It has two games so, um, let's quit this intro while we're ahead shall we? Missed the European Nintendo Download Update details? Don't write a morose diary entry bemoaning your fate just...
Video These Five Titles Would Be Perfect on the Switch
S'which ones do you want?
Everyone's got a games wish list for the Nintendo Switch, and this video boffin is no exception. Make sure you check out the video just up there so see just a few of what series should be coming to the Switch. If you're appropriately inclined, we'd also love to hear what you've got to say on the matter in the comments...
News The 'January Digital Deals' Offer eShop Discounts in North America
Splatoon! Shantae! SEVERED! Games that don't start with an S!
Today's North American Nintendo Download Update was rather concise, but Nintendo is showing off its Sales and Deals website with some rather tasty 'January Digital Deals'. The best part is that some of the games also have an extra 10% off for My Nintendo members, too. All of the...
News Nintendo Will Live-Stream Its Tokyo Switch Hands-On Event This Weekend
Who needs sleep, right?
Nintendo will be showing off its new console to the press and general public this week and has a series of broadcasts planned, including tomorrow's official reveal and a Nintendo Treehouse event following afterwards. It has now been confirmed that Nintendo will also be live-streaming the hands-on event which takes place on...
Video LEGO City: Undercover Re-Release Gets a Shiny New Trailer
Coming to Nintendo Switch, remember
Back in November last year Warner Bros. added another game to the list of confirmed Nintendo Switch titles, including the system for a re-release of LEGO City: Undercover. Originally a Wii U exclusive, it's coming to the Switch, PS4, Xbox One and PC in Spring this year. A new trailer gives a reminder of the...
Editorial The Idea of VR on Nintendo Switch is Interesting, But Big Questions Remain
Virtual Insanity?
In early 2016 I wrote an article about why Nintendo and VR weren't a good fit for 2016, heady days when there was a chance of the Switch - at that point still the 'NX' - being a Holiday 2016 release (in our dreams). I concluded by saying that "Virtual Reality isn't well established, efficient or affordable technology, at least not...
News F-Zero X Comes to the North American Virtual Console Tomorrow
Hopefully it's the patched version
F-Zero X has had a bit of a rough time on the Virtual Console this generation. The high-speed racer ran into some serious control issues when it made its Wii U VC debut in Europe, and these issues actually rendered it nigh unplayable. Fortunately, Nintendo listened to fan outcry and fixed the issue a bit later, and...
News Famitsu Will Be Holding A Special Switch Report Following Nintendo's Broadcast
An hour long, but what will it show?
Japanese publication Famitsu will be holding its own Nintendo Switch video report after Nintendo's full reveal tomorrow, it has been revealed. The broadcast - which will be around an hour long - will air on the NicoNico channel around 9 to 10PM Japanese time. This will be a few hours before the Nintendo...
News Tony Rosato Passes Away at Age 62
Luigi's voice actor from those early Super Mario cartoons
Many of you no doubt remember Mario's early forays into the world of Saturday morning cartoon entertainment. Twenty years ago, times were quite different for the popular mustachioed plumber, and the three series' of cartoons that occurred over the period of 1989-1994 took some notable...
News The Wii U Generated Just 2.1 Percent Of UK Games Market Revenue In 2016
3DS did better with 6 percent
The UK physical games market fell 15.8 percent to £1.78bn in 2016, according to the latest figures from GfK. Sales of PS4, Xbox One, Wii U, 3DS and older systems suffered a considerable drop, falling by 27 percent. Home consoles generated £503m of revenue in 2016 compared to £689.5m in 2015. The only exception was...
News Super Mario Maker for Nintendo 3DS Returns to Top Spot in Japan
Wahoo etc...
The most recent Media Create results from Japan have a quirky circumstance this week - the software top 20 doesn't have a single new entry. As a result it's established games duking it out, which has suited some 3DS titles rather nicely. Intriguingly, Super Mario Maker for Nintendo 3DS has reclaimed top spot, and seems to be all set...
Wednesday11th Jan 2017
News Nintendo Apparently Told Square "Never Come Back" After Losing Final Fantasy VII To Sony
"We don't want you"
Final Fantasy is a series which began its life on Nintendo hardware, and its success - and the ultimate success of its publisher, Square (now known as Square Enix) - owes a lot to the incredible popularity of the Famicom in Japan during the '80s and early '90s. Final Fantasy was the franchise which put Square on the map and it...
News Hori Has A Wide Range Of Nintendo Switch Accessories On The Way
Charging stand! Controller! Compact playstand! Arcade stick!
With the full reveal of the Switch just days away it's perhaps unsurprising that we're seeing a number of peripheral and accessory manufacturers reveal their forthcoming wares, with Japanese firm Hori being the latest to join the list - albeit unwittingly, as all of the following info has...
News Homebrew App Allows Smartphones To Imitate The Wii U GamePad
Early days, but impressive nonetheless
Nintendo never did get around to releasing Wii U GamePads which could be purchased separately, but that might not matter all that much now that progress has been made on a homebrew app which allows a smartphone to replicate the performance of the much-maligned controller. Created by Rolando Islas, this drc-sim...
Rumour Target Will Sell Nintendo Switch For $299.99, 15 Titles Possible At Launch
Placeholder listings generate more chatter
Yesterday we reported on a rumour which suggested that the Nintendo Switch could retail for $249.99 in North America - the source being an employee at retailer Best Buy. Now it's the turn of rival store Target, which apparently has a placeholder listing for the console on its stock system with a price of...
News Nintendo Switch and VR/AR developer Talks Up the 'Evolution' The System Will Bring
Oddly, uses our April Fools' mock-up for 'Virtual U'
Stephen E. Dinehart IV is a game maker and creator that - prior to the formal reveal of the Nintendo Switch - outlined his involvement in developing for the system; he's now shared an interesting article titled 'Evolution - Nintendo & VR', in which he outlines a history of Nintendo innovation...
Feature Our Hopes for the Nintendo Switch Presentation
High hopes
With the Nintendo Switch presentation creeping ever closer the anticipation is undoubtedly building. It's been over four years since the launch of Wii U and nearly six years of the 3DS, so the prospect of new generation hardware is undeniably exciting. We have our usual batch of 'what we expect' and other editorial articles on the way...
News Shovel Knight Is Coming To Nintendo Switch With Gender Swapping And Co-Op Modes
Wii U and 3DS versions will also be updated
Shovel Knight is making the jump to the Nintendo Switch in a new version entitled Shovel Knight: Treasure Trove, it has been announced today. Treasure Trove isn't really a sequel but more a restructured release with new features. Those of you who already own the original game on any of the currently...
News Mandatory Pokémon Sun and Moon Update Fixes Glitches
Say goodbye to viewing your old battle videos
Pokémon Sun and Moon has been a significant success for The Pokémon Company, Game Freak and Nintendo, kickstarting a new generation for the series - naturally, though, there are always some flaws to address. A relatively modest update has now gone live to fix a few bugs (not the collectible kinds) in...
Hopefully not too limited...
The expectation is that after the dust settles on the Nintendo Switch Presentation pre-orders will start to go live. It'll naturally vary per region, and details like bundle options and pricing are still uncertain, but orders are expected to be available on 13th January. The Nintendo NY store has now pitched in with a...
News Pokémon GO Is Being Banned in China
Security concerns seem to be the cause
Pokémon GO took the world by storm when it came out this past summer, but in the wake of its launch, there came numerous negative reports. People were falling off cliffs, walking into traffic, finding bodies, and being mugged, and while such incidents were only experienced by a relatively small number of...
Book Review Hardcore Gaming 101 Presents: The Guide To Shoot-Em-Ups Volume 1
Bullet point
The humble 2D shooter may have fallen out of favour with the mainstream these days, but it's certainly one of the most important genres in the world of video gaming. Were it not for Space Invaders – the shooter that arguably birthed a genre – then our industry may well have evolved in an entirely different fashion. During the '80s...
Video The First 27 And A Half Minutes Of RiME Sure Look Pretty
You'll be playing this on your Nintendo Switch
Once a PlayStation 4 exclusive, RiME has now gone multi-platform and will be coming to the Nintendo Switch. Ahead of the console's full unveiling IGN has posted the opening segment of the game, which - to us, at least - feels like a cross between Zelda, ICO and Journey. That's certainly no bad thing...
Video More Poochy & Yoshi's Woolly World Cuteness is Shared by Nintendo
Peek-a-poochy
The upcoming release of Poochy & Yoshi's Woolly World seems rather promising; while it'll obviously lack the glorious HD visuals of the Wii U original, it will hopefully introduce the terrific platformer to a larger audience. It gives Poochy a more prominent role, as is obvious in the name, and other extras will be short animations...
Video Let's See These McDonald's Happy Meal Mario Toys in Action
Featuring you-know-who
Once again McDonald's and Nintendo have joined forces in the UK to bring Super Mario to the fast food giant's range of boxed meals for children. So we saddled up our green dinosaurs and rode over to our local establishment to see these things for ourselves. Make sure you check out the video above, which is sort of the whole...
News CIRCLE Entertainment Dips Into New Territory With Koi on Wii U
Koi blimey
The Wii U eShop has been a platform for some rather left-field releases, and we think that the upcoming Koi from CIRCLE Entertainment will be another one for the list. It appears to take place within a Koi pond - obviously - with missions, customisation and more involved in the gameplay. A trailer and some screens showing different...
News Fresh Pokémon GO Plus Stock Expected In March, Says Nintendo UK
Pre-orders open now
For such a small and apparently simplistic device, it's amazing that Nintendo hasn't been able to produce more Pokémon GO Plus units - especially when it's selling out all over the world like cakes that are rather hot. If you're in the UK and have so far struggled to get hold of one, then you'll be pleased to know that Nintendo...
Tuesday10th Jan 2017
Review Dragon Quest VIII: Journey of the Cursed King (3DS)
Return of the King
In addition to a steady stream of top-quality games, the 3DS' RPG library is filled with the sort of lifetime achievements most consoles can only dream of: a hat trick of Monster Hunters, two to four Fire Emblems (depending on your perspective), scores of Shin Megami Tensei titles, and enough Etrian Odysseys to field a curling...
News Pokémon Sun And Moon's Second Global Mission Ends In Failure
Zero for two
Pokémon Sun and Moon's most recent Global Mission - an online event which asks players to work together to achieve a particular goal - has ended in failure. The December event asked players to capture or defeat 1,000,000 monsters using the Island Scan functions, which can only be used once per day. Unfortunately, only 661,839 Pokémon...
Monday9th Jan 2017
News GameStop References Pokémon On Nintendo Switch Product Page
Thank your lucky stars?
Late last year it was rumoured that the Nintendo Switch was going to get an upgraded version of Pokémon Sun and Moon called Pokémon Stars - and now retailer GameSpot has given a subtle indication that this could well be happening. On GameStop's site there's a product description for the Nintendo Switch which appears to...
Tuesday10th Jan 2017
Soapbox The Nintendo Switch's Final Specs Don't Matter
Keep the comments clean, guys
With the Switch Presentation rapidly approaching, the conversation surrounding the final specs of the Nintendo Switch is flaring up yet again, and whilst it's fun to speculate a bit, this video chap is just bored of it all now. In the video above I put the point across that a system's specs aren't the be-all and...
News Best Buy Rumour Reinforces Talk of $250 Nintendo Switch Price
Word on the virtual street
For a little while now there have been conversations around the Nintendo Switch price point, and a number cited with increasing regularity is $250 in the US. A recent Nikkei report added some flames to that talk, with a 25,000 Yen pre-tax price-point giving some fuel to those in the $250 camp. Now the Reddit community has...
News The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask First 4 Figures Replica up for Pre-Order
"You've met with a terrible fate, haven't you?"
The 'Majora's Mask' featured in the The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask has entranced many since its inception all the way back in the era of the Nintendo 64. Becoming a prominent symbol for those who are familiar with the series, die-hard fans will soon be able to own a replica of the colourful mask...
Talking Point The Challenges and Opportunities of the Nintendo Switch Presentation
It can provide vital early momentum for 2017
With just days to go until Nintendo's Switch Presentation, anticipation is building for the first substantial official look at the system and - presumably - a number of games and launch details. Putting aside rumours and leaks, relatively little has been said since the initial preview trailer, beyond a...
News The Next Penelope Cancelled On Wii U, But Nintendo Switch Version Could Happen
"The game was made for a Nintendo console from the beginning"
You might recall that we covered The Next Penelope a while back, and were quite excited about the fact that it was being ported to the Wii U. Playing like a cross between F-Zero, Micro Machines and the classic French/Japanese cartoon Ulysses 31, this combat racer was the work o
News Bergsala to Open Its Doors for Nintendo Switch Preview Event in Sweden
'Several' games playable in Kungsbacka
Nintendo is lining up varied Nintendo Switch public hands-on opportunities in different regions, though we still hope to see more events to build hype and enable more players to go hands on. Nintendo's distribution partner in Scandinavia, Bergsala, has confirmed that it'll do its bit in Sweden. It's confirmed...
News Dark Horse Reveals Gorgeous Limited Edition for The Legend of Zelda: Art & Artifacts
With a Master Sword 'unsheathing' on the cover
Last year Dark Horse teamed up with Nintendo to announce The Legend of Zelda: Art & Artifacts, a handsome hardcover book in the same vein as the gorgeous Hyrule Historia. It's now unveiled the Limited Edition, which looks lovely. It addition to gilt-edged pages, this edition includes a sleeve...
News The Fan-Made Famicom Pocket Squeezes Nintendo's 8-bit Wonder Into A Game Boy's Frame
Famicom classics on the go
We recently got our hands on the Famicom Classic Mini and it is truly a thing of beauty. However, it's mighty tempting to sacrifice its innards for the greater good after we watched the video above. The modders over at Kei Studio have seemingly achieved the impossible and ripped out the guts of a Famicom Mini and...
News New Report Claims Pokémon GO Could "Measurably Affect US Life Expectancy"
Game has encouraged an additional 144 billion steps in the US alone
One of the key elements of Pokémon GO is walking - not only do you have to trek around to catch monsters and pillage PokéStops, but you also have to rack up steps to hatch eggs - and it has already been pointed out that the app encourages people to partake in additional physical...
Feature Experiencing Zelda: Symphony of the Goddesses & Pokémon: Symphonic Evolutions
Music to all ears
Arjun has attended both the Symphony of the Goddesses and Pokémon: Symphonic Evolutions tours, and shares his thoughts on the experiences. To most people, video games are a way to relax, unwind, be entertained, get competitive, or all of the above. To others, video games are that and then some - a tool to escape into worlds...
News Suda51 Wants To Harness The Nintendo Switch To Find "A Cool New Way To Play"
"Nintendo always makes really cool, interesting hardware"
Goichi "Suda51" Suda is one of Japan's most famous game designers, with titles like No More Heroes, Lollipop Chainsaw, The Silver Case and Killer7 under his belt. His company, Grasshopper Manufacture, is close to celebrating 20 years in the industry, and he's been speaking to VG247 about his...
News Awesome Games Done Quick Day 3 - Super Mario and Castlevania Triple Headers, and More
Over $340,000 and counting
One of the annual highlights in the speedrunning calendar is already underway; Awesome Games Done Quick 2017 (AGDQ) has started, with days of impressive gaming lined up. Here's a summary for the next 24 hours (day 3). The upcoming stretch includes a Super Mario triple-header of Super Mario Bros., Super Mario Bros.: The...
News Toby: The Secret Mine Arrives on the Wii U eShop Very Soon
It's about Toby and a secret mine, obviously
Late last year Headup Games, a publisher familiar for also developing and releasing Typoman on the Wii U eShop, confirmed that it was publishing another game on the system. That title is Toby: The Secret Mine, which is the work of Lukáš Navrátil, an independent developer from Czech Republic. It looks...
Monday9th Jan 2017
Feature Everything You Need to Know About the Nintendo Switch, So Far
Get clued in ahead of the big presentation
It's Nintendo Switch week, at long last. In a matter of days we'll have seen a lot more of Nintendo's next-gen system and will have a good idea of what it'll have to offer at launch. The arrival of a new console generation is always exciting, and there's the sense that Nintendo aims to go all-in with its...
News Prepare To Be Blown Away By Nintendo Switch, Says Nvidia CEO
"It's really delightful"
Nvidia's Shield range of micro-consoles, handhelds and tablets has done a fine job of getting company recognition in the gaming arena, and has paid off handsomely with the Nintendo Switch - a hybrid system with Nvidia's Tegra technology at its heart. Speaking to Venturebeat recently, Nvidia CEO Jen-Hsun Huang covered a wide...
Video Ocarina of Time Unreal Engine 4 Fan Project - One Year of Development
Give this Man a Cucco
If you're a regular on these pages you may have noticed, over the previous 12 months, that we have brought attention to a popular Ocarina of Time Unreal Engine 4 project. Now, one year of development has been shown off by its creator - YouTuber cryZENx. It's looked impressive across multiple videos, and it's now been...
News Nintendo Switch Accessories Outed By Finnish Retailer
Game card holder! Silicon case! Stand! Thumb grips!
The Nintendo Switch might be a few days away from its full reveal but we've already seen peripherals and accessories break cover online, and now we have some more to add to the list. Finnish retailer Konsolinet has listed
Random Hacker Finds Hidden Message Inside The Famicom Mini
"This is the hanafuda captain speaking"
Both the NES Classic Mini and its Japanese sibling the Famicom Mini have been hacked already, with the ultimate objective being the installation of additional games. However
Nintendo Download 12th January (Europe)
Mercenaries Saga 3! Shift DX! Discounts!
Nintendo Switch week is here, but the Wii U and 3DS eShop still have the usual updates on the way. In Europe this week's Nintendo Download Update has two new arrivals on the portable, while there are some tempting discounts across both systems; let's get to it. Wii U eShop Temporary Discounts: SEVERED...
Feature Ten Classic Games Which Would Be Great To Play On The NES Mini
If only there was legit way of adding more games
We really loved getting our hands on the NES Mini back in November last year; this diminutively-sized replica of Nintendo's nostalgic first home console really shows off some of the best games in the NES library. However, after a while even the greatest games in the world may feel a little bit stale,...
News Nintendo Of Europe Updates Regional Websites Ahead Of Full Switch Announcement
Red and white is quite alright
This week will see the full reveal of the Nintendo Switch, and as part of its preparation for this event Nintendo of Europe has given its regional websites a timely face-lift. The old grey, white and blue of the Wii and DS era has all but disappeared and now Nintendo is using a bold red and white design - which...
Review Teslapunk (Wii U eShop)
More like meh-slapunk
The Shmup genre is one that was quite popular in the halcyon days of pre-3D gaming, but it seems that the addition of the extra dimension largely rendered this style of gaming obsolete. Nowadays you may see new entries every now and then, but it seems that many are simple games designed for smart devices, or are otherwise too...
PlayStation Now is another example of the creeping role of cloud gaming
It seems an age ago now, but once upon a time Cloud Gaming was said to be an imminent reality - in 2010 it was hot news, with excitable talk about a revolution in how we play games. The concept has always been simple in theory - utilise remote processing power delivered by the...
News Hex Heroes Still Coming To Wii U, Dev Hints At Nintendo Switch News
Well, that's refreshing
While other developers are dropping Wii U support and shifting projects over to the forthcoming Switch, the team behind Kickstarter project Hex Heroes are bucking the trend by standing by Nintendo's outgoing home system. An update has just been posted on the project's Kickstarter page which shows the game running on a Wii U...
News Official Nintendo UK Store Opens Poochy & Yoshi's Woolly World Pre-Order Options
With extras to soften you up
Poochy & Yoshi's Woolly World isn't far away from release on 3DS, set to launch on 3rd February, and the official Nintendo UK store has now opened up its pre-order options. As always it charges the full recommended price, but throws in some extras to tempt you in. There are two specific options for the 3DS release,...
Over $150,000 already raised
One of the annual highlights in the speedrunning calendar is already underway; Awesome Games Done Quick 2017 (AGDQ) has started, with days of impressive gaming lined up. Here's a summary for day two. The second full day (or 24-hour window) includes gems such as Pokémon Emerald, Blaster Master, Super Smash Bros. Melee,...
Sunday8th Jan 2017
News Nikkei Reports a Nintendo Switch Price of 25,000 Yen, Prompting $250 Speculation
A good price?
It seems likely that the larger retailers will be jumping in with solid pre-order offerings and pricing for the Nintendo Switch at the end of this week, but Nikkei has weighed in with a report on the Japanese price - 25,000 Yen. At current exchange rates that converts to around $214 / €203 / £174, but taxes and so on make $250 /...
Video Super Retro Boy Hands-On Reveals Neat Form Factor, Lack Of Rear Shoulder Buttons
A deal breaker?
A few days ago we reported on one of the surprise announcements of CES 2017, the Retro-Bit Super Retro Boy. This cute portable plays Game Boy, Game Boy Color and Game Boy Advance software and offers features such as a rechargeable battery and backlit screen. CNET now has a more detailed hands-on video showing the console from all...
Amazing speedruns for a good cause
One of the annual highlights in the speedrunning calendar is already underway to get 2017 off to a rocking start. Awesome Games Done Quick 2017 (AGDQ) has started, with days of impressive gaming lined up. The first 24 hours have some neat Nintendo titles include - at the time of publication The Legend of Zelda:...
News Shift DX Arriving on 3DS eShop this Month
Looks a bit shifty...
Just before we launch into the crazy world of the Nintendo Switch, developer Fishing Cactus and Choice Publishing have announced that the puzzle game Shift DX will be released onto the 3DS eShop come 12th January. The series, known for its key concept of being able to "shift" the playing field to a different angle and therefore...
Saturday7th Jan 2017
News Say Hello To The Super Retro Boy, An All-In-One Game Boy Solution
UPDATE: Scoops CES 2017 award, gets shown off in video
UPDATE: Retro-Bit has published video of the Super Retro Boy in action via its Twitter account, and has reported that it has scooped a gaming award at CES 2017: ORIGINAL STORY: Retro-Bit has lifted the lid on its previously-announced Game Boy clone, the Super Retro Boy.
News Nintendo Switch Presentation Given Estimated Runtime of One Hour by Niconico
Switch on the coffee machine
Short of inevitably fake and potentially real leaks of the script, the Nintendo Switch presentation's hints and tips have been picked relatively clean. Presented out of Japan with an English voiceover, the live broadcast is eagerly anticipated by fans and intrigued followers of the gaming industry. The timing isn't...
Gallery A Close Look at the McDonald's UK Super Mario Happy Meal Toys, Including TV Commercial
It's a 'waving Mario', apparently
Just recently we shared some early images of the McDonald's Super Mario Happy Meal toys, which are rolling into the UK on 11th January. In a quirky turn, due to shortages of the current Furby toys, some were given out early - that was the source of our early images. Now a Nintendo Life regular with access to the...
Feature Delving Into The World of Accessories for the Classic Mini Famicom
Guidebooks, a pretend Mini Famicom Disk System and more
Its been about six weeks since the NES Classic Edition and its Japanese counterpart - the Classic Mini Family Computer - were released. While there have been a few complaints, mostly about the
Friday6th Jan 2017
News Super Mario McDonald's UK Happy Meal Toys Revealed, Evidently Much to Mario's Relief
What is he doing?
Late last year we reported on the rather pleasing news that Super Mario toys were coming back to McDonald's Happy Meals in the UK, all set to be the January campaign. Now we have some images of the toys, with one lucky reader even getting hold of one early. We were sent the following tweet showing the Mario toy from the range, in...
News Hackers Apparently Add Additional Games to NES Mini
One modder attempts to sell a hacked unit, that won't end well...
The Nintendo Entertainment System: NES Classic Edition / Nintendo Classic Mini: Nintendo Entertainment System has been around for a little while, is still no doubt loved by its owners and is still tricky to find in stock. Of course, as it's a game console it's also had modders and...
News Hopes for Mother 3 On Nintendo Switch Boosted by 1-UP Studio Facebook Post
Or it could be something new
1-UP Studio - formerly Brownie Brown - has been relatively quiet in recent times, though it has been contributing to some Wii U and 3DS releases, including The Legend of Zelda: Tri Force Heroes; in fact, its social media posts for much of last year were mostly focused on graduate seminars and recruitment. A Facebook...
Poll One Week to Go - How Are Your Nintendo Switch Presentation Hype Levels?
Let's get it goin'
2017 is still barely underway but, from a Nintendo fan's perspective, the coming week is surely one of the most anticipated in quite some time. After last year's teaser video, the big N is finally prepared to show off its next generation of hardware in the Nintendo Switch Presentation. It's now less than a week away, and the...
Thursday5th Jan 2017
Video Super Mario Land Gets the Super Mario Maker Treatment
Koopa Troopas with bombs on their backs...
Super Mario Land is one of the quirkier Mario titles, developed for Game Boy by a team led by Gunpei Yokoi. The Mario 'style' was still taking shape at that time and the first portable entry went its own way, even including some shoot 'em up-style levels for good measure. It would have two equally diverse...
Friday6th Jan 2017
Video Gorillas, Mechs And Lightning Bolts, Wii U FPS Draw The Line Has It All
"Give us your heart"
Way back in July last year we reported on the development of Draw The Line by indie studio Nexis Games, previously famous for the as-yet-unreleased Minecraft clone UCraft. Billed as the first in the The Dance of the Damned series, this FPS title is something of a melting pot of ideas. Your role is to protect a scantily-clad...
Soapbox You Should Probably Avoid Capcom's Mega Man Mobile Ports
Poor emulation, frame rate issues, dodgy controls - what went wrong?
Capcom may be reluctant to release an entirely new Mega Man game these days but it has no issues with mining its past and recycling existing titles from the series, and recently announced that it would be releasing all six of the classic NES entries on iOS and Android. Those games...
News Check Out This New Village Area in Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night
"The afternoon sky was dark as night and red as blood"
Though Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night is unfortunately quite some time away from being in the hands of gamers, Koji igarashi and his team have been doing a good job of communicating progress to their Kickstarter backers and showing how the game is shaping up. In the last post, we got a look...
News Pokémon Sun and Moon, Along With 3DS, Led 2016 Sales in Japan
Both also did well in the Holiday period
As we head into 2017 facts and figures are starting to emerge for sales over the festive period, which are always valuable in the gaming industry. As we skipped a week of Media Create results in Japan during the break, this time we're going for a bumper post with two weeks of results, along with some end of...
News Nintendo NY Store to Host Screening of the Nintendo Switch Presentation
First 250 fans get in
It's now less than a week before the year's first major Nintendo Switch Presentation, which is expected to get into the detail of the system's launch and games. Many are already setting aside the time to watch it, of course, but fans in New York have another tempting option to consider. The Nintendo NY Store is going to host a...
News Star Wars Rogue One Toys Were In The Works For Disney Infinity
Ninja Theory was working on the game content
It's a little odd that we had a new Star Wars movie in 2016 but no video game to accompany it, but it has now been revealed that there were plans for interactive content based on Rogue One: A Star Wars Story - the trouble is, it was attached to Disney Infinity 3.0, which had its plug pulled early last...
Thursday5th Jan 2017
News Super Retro Trio Getting A HD Upgrade This Year, NES Top Loader Clone Also Incoming
HDMI or bust
Retro-Bit is updating its Super Retro Trio console with HDMI output, it has been confirmed. Like the original Super Retro Trio, the new system will play NES, SNES and Mega Drive / Genesis carts and boasts support for original controllers, but with HDMI included the picture quality should be much improved. S-Video output is also...
News Retro-Bit Bringing Capcom-Themed Controllers And Jaleco Multi-Carts To Market This Year
What's old is new again
In addition to the Super Retro Boy - an all-in-one Game Boy clone - Retro-Bit has revealed at CES 2017 that it is bringing a range of retro controllers and multi-carts to market later this year. The controllers - for NES, SNES and Mega Drive / Genesis - all feature Capcom artwork and retail for $19.99. They're expected to...
Rumour You'll Be Able To Unleash Your Inner Octoling In Splatoon On Nintendo Switch
Octotastic news
Rumours about the possibility of playing as a Octoling in a future Splatoon update have been circulating on the web since August last year, so its surprising that this much requested bit of fan service hasn't been unveiled yet. To add more evidence to this rumour, we even reported on data miners uncovering
Art Xenoblade Chronicles Demake - Going Back to the 16-bit Era
It's still Reyn time
Earlier this week we shared some rather handsome Banjo-Kazooie reimagined as a Mario RPG artwork, as the first of what we plan to be daily posts celebrating amazing fan art. Now we have more pixel art, this time in honour of an iconic Wii / New 3DS title. AbyssWolf on DeviantArt - real name Daniel Oliver - was recommended to us...
News Nintendo Treehouse to Provide 'In-Depth Look' at Nintendo Switch Games on 13th January
A closer look at revealed titles
The Nintendo Switch presentation isn't far away, taking place at 8pm Pacific / 11pm Eastern on 12th January, which is 4am UK / 5am CET / 1pm Tokyo / 3pm AEDT on 13th January. Now, Nintendo of America has confirmed a follow-up presentation in which its Treehouse team will present Switch games revealed in the initial...
News The Retro-Bit Generations Portable is Expected in July
Can it do better than its predecessor?
Retro-Bit has been highlighting a number of products at CES 2017 that we've been covering throughout the day. The final part to cover is the Retro-Bit Generations Portable, which is expected in July for $69.99. If the name sounds familiar, that's because this is a handheld iteration of the Retro-Bit...
News Nintendo Switch Presentation to be 'Live From Tokyo', in Japanese with English Voiceover
Nintendo of Europe to post accompanying information on social media
The Nintendo Switch presentation is just a week away at the time of writing, and Nintendo of Europe has sent out a reminder with a couple of interesting remarks. It reinforces the fact that the broadcast is very much based out of Japan, as opposed to the approach of subsidiaries...
Live Blog Watch NVIDIA's CES 2017 Keynote Address - Live!
Gaming is part of the agenda
Here's a little bonus live stream action, as we have NVIDIA founder and CEO Jen-Hsun Huang giving the keynote address at the International Consumer Electronics Show (CES 2017) in Las Vegas. Confirmed topics are artificial intelligence, self-driving cars, virtual reality, and gaming. Naturally we're interested in the...
Nintendo Download 5th January (North America)
Pokémon Snap! Spheroids! Quiet, Please! More!
It's the first Nintendo Download Update of the year in North America, and the headline release is a much-requested N64 title on the Wii U Virtual Console. Beyond that there are some interesting Indie options to consider, so let's get to it. Missed the European Nintendo Download Update? No need to wail...
Matters Of Import Sega 3D Fukkoku Archives 3: Final Stage
The end of an era
While Sega has been curiously reluctant to update its existing Wii Virtual Console catalogue for the Wii U and 3DS, it hasn't entirely forgotten its past glories this console cycle. Courtesy of emulation experts M2 we've had some amazing updates of vintage Sega games on the 3DS, each one blessed with auto-stereoscopic visuals and a...
News The Latest Breath of the Wild Screenshot Potentially Reveals Beedle the Merchant
OOOOOOOOooooooohhhh!!!
Beedle was one of the more memorable additions to recent Zelda games, showing up in all the Toon Link games, along with Skyward Sword. The quirky merchant is always on the move, be it by boat or hot air balloon, and becomes a familiar face in your travels through the overworld. Sure, his prices can be outrageous at times, but...
Weirdness The Retro-Bit Mega Table is an Enormous $500 USB Controller
"A unique piece of furniture"
You'll have seen 'Retro-Bit' in quite a few of our headlines today, and we're not done yet. That's because the nostalgia-driven company has had a big blow-out at CES 2017, with some products that are rather tempting and others that are, well, less so. We're not sure where this one stands. The Retro-Bit Mega Table is...
News Confusion Reigns Over Zelda: Breath Of The Wild's Release Date In Europe
Could be March for Japan and NA, but what about Europe?
Just exactly when is The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild going to arrive? That's a question that will no doubt be answered properly next week when Nintendo shows off the Switch to the press and public, but for the time being reports appear to suggest that it will hit the March launch window...
News Check Out These SNES Inspired Sneakers
Only a handful of pairs being made
Many of you no doubt remember the Nintendo x Vans promotion that took place this summer, wherein Vans produced a line of fashionable shows with various designs on them related to popular Nintendo IP. They were certainly the Nintendo shoeware to own, but now it seems that a small-time custom shoe designer...
News Nintendo UK Has Begun Contacting Switch Hands-On Event Winners
Were you one of the lucky ones?
After months of silence Nintendo is finally getting ready to lift the lid on Switch, and plans to hold special hands-on events next week where members of the public can test the new system before it goes on general sale in March. One such event is being held in the UK and Nintendo has started contacting those...
Video This Poochy and Yoshi's Woolly World Short Film is Pure Fluffy Delight
Impossible not to smile
Nintendo has dabbled in short films and animations on multiple occasions, perhaps due to the desire of Shigeru Miyamoto and others to realise their creative visions in different forms. Poochy & Yoshi's Woolly World is the next game to include some short animations as bonuses within the game itself. Some examples have...
News Tomoya Tomita Leaves Good-Feel Games, Uploads Recent Compositions Online
The composer for Yoshi's Woolly World and Kirby's Epic Yarn
When it comes to famous Nintendo composers, Koji Kondo is usually the first name to come to mind, due in no small part to his significant contributions to the Super Mario and Legend of Zelda series'. One composer's name that you may not be quite so familiar with is that of Tomoya Tomita,...
News Retro-Bit Pitches in With Retro8 Wired and Wireless Controllers Supporting the NES Mini
A ten foot cable on the cheaper option
If the Nintendo Entertainment System: NES Classic Edition (Nintendo Classic Mini: Nintendo Entertainment System in Europe) has a big flaw, aside from being out of stock in many places, it's those darn controller cables. Some put forward theories for why the cables are so short, but in reality it's possibly just...
Feature Nintendo Life's 12 Days of Christmas - Day Twelve
It's all about the new year
In this video series Alex takes a look at a wealth of wonderful Nintendo-themed goodies, unboxing one parcel at a time over the course of twelve days. If you fancy picking up what Alex unboxed today, click here.
Wednesday4th Jan 2017
News Persona 5 Will Not Be Coming to the Switch
Yakuza 0 will also remain a PlayStation exclusive
Persona 5 ranks pretty high up on people's lists regarding what they want to be ported to the Nintendo Switch. We guess these requests started to become grating to Atlus/Sega of America PR manager John Hardin, as he tweeted out this statement and GIF which is appropriately accurate considering how...
Editorial The 3D Effect - A Smart 3DS Feature That Struggled to Find Its True Depth
It was the future, once upon a time
In early 2011 I went to a public demo event for the 3DS, getting an invite through Club Nintendo. This was long before I annoyed people with my opinions here on Nintendo Life; in fact at that point I was the unfamiliar name that had written a review for Spot the Differences! on WiiWare. As some of you no doubt...
News Snakebyte Announces Range Of Nintendo Switch And NES Classic Mini Accessories
Cleaning cloth! Screen protector! Protective controller nubs!
Accessory and peripheral maker Snakebyte has announced a series of accessories for the Nintendo Switch and NES Classic Mini at this year's CES. Switch accessories include a foldable headset, carry bag, cleaning cloth, screen protector and caps for the system's analog sticks. In the case...
Tuesday3rd Jan 2017
News Newzoo Estimates Less Than Five Percent of Users Have Paid For Super Mario Run
90 million installs, but only 3 million purchases
In typical fashion, Nintendo decided to buck conventional trends when it launched Super Mario Run for iOS. Rather than follow the pay to play, microtransaction-focused model that the mobile marketplace is built on, it instead opted to have a comparatively large upfront cost that would then give users...
Wednesday4th Jan 2017
Art Banjo-Kazooie Reimagined in the Mario RPG Style
It's a bear necessity
As a daily treat this year we're going to take a little time to step away from wondering about how leaky Nintendo has become, and simply focus on some lovely fan-made art. We've occasionally shared some stand-out examples in the past, but now we want to make it a daily occurrence; the only objective is to highlight some cool...
News GameStop Joins In With Premature Nintendo Switch Pre-Orders in Europe
Shame there's no final price, or bundle specs, or actual details...
We're just days away from what will presumably be a substantial set of reveals and details on the Nintendo Switch, yet retailers continue to struggle to hold their nerve. Last year we reported on GAME opening pre-orders in the UK with a bonker's placeholder price of £999.99. Some...
News Playtonic Games Adds Two More Former Rare Devs to its Ranks
"Super Scheduler and Handheld Hancho"
Playtonic Games - which is currently working on finalising Yooka-Laylee for launch - has published a blog post announcing that two former Rare designers have joined the ranks at the studio. Throughout the development of Yooka-Laylee the studio has been picking up various former Rare employees, including coders...
Video Get a Good Look at Freedom Planet 2 in Character Preview Footage
Carol and Lilac shown off
It was in late 2015 that Freedom Planet 2 was confirmed, and at the time it was stated that a 'Nintendo' platform was planned after PC / Linux / Mac, which may well mean Nintendo Switch. We'll see in time, but there has been a bit of news around the title over the past couple of weeks.
News RiME Developer Confirms May Release for Nintendo Switch Download
Coming to retail on PS4 and Xbox One, too
Earlier this week it was fully confirmed that RiME (that's the correct capitalisation) is coming to the Nintendo Switch. Developer Tequila Works, along with publishing partners Grey Box and Six Foot, have now confirmed that it'll arrive in May. The PS4 and Xbox One also have a physical retail version...
News Chicken Wiggle's Price Has Been Confirmed For The 3DS eShop
Value for money
The recent release of Super Mario Run on iOS has triggered quite a debate regarding how much people expect to pay for handheld video games. While the title is free to download, unlocking the entire game requires the kind of investment that mobile players perhaps aren't used to paying, and that has led to a rather poor conversion...
News Pokémon Snap Listed for North American Wii U eShop Release on 5th January
Picture perfect
One common topic that's come up in North American Nintendo Download comments sections has been "where's Pokémon Snap?" It arrived on the Wii U Virtual Console in Europe back in August 2016, so there's been an unsurprising desire to see the much-loved N64 title in NA. Well, the wait seems to be almost over, with Nintendo's game page...
Random If You Want Cheesy New Year Cards, Play Nintendo Has Got You Covered
It's all about Harvey
There are cards for any occasion, as we hand over colourful folded pieces of card for Birthdays, Holidays, Get Well Soon messages and more. Nintendo of America seems to think 'New Year Cards' are also a thing, though the messages of positivity for the year ahead are a nice touch. They're another little extra that's popped up...
Feature Nintendo Life's 12 Days of Christmas - Day Eleven
"Eleven pun"
In this video series Alex takes a look at a wealth of wonderful Nintendo-themed goodies, unboxing one parcel at a time over the course of twelve days. If you fancy picking up what Alex unboxed today, click here.
Tuesday3rd Jan 2017
Rumour Mother 3 Will Be Unveiled for the Switch VC at the Switch Reveal Next Week
Due out sometime in Q2
Well, even a broken clock is right twice a day, eh? Many of you no doubt will recall rumours from last February in which Mother 3 was reported to be coming to the Wii U VC sometime in the then coming months. Several sources ended up backing this claim, yet 2016 has come and gone without so much as a whisper from Nintendo on...
News A Trio Of Super Famicom RPG Classics Are Now Playable In English
Glory of Heracles IV! Xak The Art of Visual Stage! Super GokuDen Totsugeki!
When it rains, it pours. The world of fan translation is an active one, but it's rare that we get three notable releases so close to one another - but that's exactly what has happened; thanks to the dedication of Super Famicom translators we can now play Glory of Heracles...
News Masahiro Sakurai's Recent Toy Purchase Is Related To His Current Project
Rifle used as a visual reference, apparently
It's a fair bet that Masahiro Sakurai is working on something for the Nintendo Switch right now, but exactly what that might be is anyone's guess. However, Sakurai has revealed in an interview with Denfaminicogamer that his latest toy purchase is related to his current work. The robot in question is from...
Rumour More Reported Details on Ubisoft's Big Plans for the Nintendo Switch
Potential spoilers for Nintendo's Switch event next week...
In a familiar occurrence in the lead up to Nintendo's Switch presentation, reporter Laura Kate Dale has shared more details regarding three upcoming Ubisoft titles coming to the Switch. As always they're rumours, but Kate Dale has been correct in multiple past reports. If you don't want...
Review Skylanders Imaginators (Wii U)
Use your imagination
With the demise of Disney Infinity you may think that toys to life games are on the way out. However, with the Skylanders Academy show on Netflix and another new game for fans, Activision are pressing ahead - for the time being, at least. Skylanders Imaginators is this year's game and it offers a substantial twist on what has...
Poll Are You Optimistic for Nintendo's 2017?
There's a lot on the horizon
2017 is a vital year for Nintendo; we think that's beyond dispute. 2016 did have highlights and moments of significant interest for the company, particularly in mobile and with notable Pokémon releases across smart devices and 3DS, but it'll also be remembered as a year in which Nintendo went into a bit of a holding...
News Activision's Amazing Spider-Man Games Make A Sharp Exit From The Wii U eShop
The web-slinger runs out of time
Activision's two Amazing Spider-Man games for the Wii U have been yanked from the Wii U eShop. While neither title could be considered a solid-gold classic, The Amazing Spider-Man and The Amazing Spider-Man 2 presumably had an audience thanks to the licence alone - and it would seem that is also the reason for their...
News Rime Officially Confirmed for Nintendo Switch in Gorgeous New Trailer
Heading to Nintendo's system in addition to PS4, Xbox One and PC
Late last year we told you about a ratings listing that outed Rime for the Nintendo Switch; developed by Tequila Works, it's a title that was originally unveiled as a PS4 exclusive way back at Gamescom 2014, but that publishing agreement with Sony ended. The developer is now releasing...
News Mass Effect Producer Says There's No Plan to Bring Mass Effect Andromeda to Switch
Well, there's one to cross off
Remember the good ol' days of the early Wii U when Nintendo tried to market it as a 'hardcore' console? For a bit, the platform actually received ports of big triple A games from the time, such as Darksiders 2, Batman: Arkham City Armored Edition, and Mass Effect 3. That last one always seemed like a bit of an odd...
Feature A Year in Development - CIRCLE Entertainment Reflects on 2016 and Indie Challenges
"We won't give up on Nintendo platforms"
In this series of features we invite 'Nindies' to share thoughts on their experiences in 2016. In this entry we chat to Chris Chau, co-founder and CEO of CIRCLE Entertainment; the company is one of the most prolific eShop publishers, particularly on 3DS, and we discuss its continuing drive to release a...
Video Learn More About Ganon and His Legend of Zelda Canon
Pig out on factoids
Ganon / Ganondorf is one of the most iconic villains ever created by Nintendo, and his role in The Legend of Zelda endures; even in titles where he's not the direct villain, his influence and power often still hang over the scene. Now Did You Know Gaming has published a nice video looking at some quirky facts around the villain,...
Rumour Frederator Studios Could Be Working on a Castlevania Animated Series or Film
12 years in the making
About a week ago, we reported on the rumour that Fred Seibert (of Fairly Oddparents and Adventure Time fame), along with his production company 'Frederator Studios', would be animating a Nintendo property. However, some believe this referenced project might actually be an adaptation of a renowned third-party Nintendo classic,...
Feature Nintendo Life's 12 Days of Christmas - Day Ten
Ten-a-plenty
In this video series Alex takes a look at a wealth of wonderful Nintendo-themed goodies, unboxing one parcel at a time over the course of twelve days. If you fancy picking up what Alex unboxed today, click here.
Monday2nd Jan 2017
News New Features for 'Mario Kart 8 Switch' Appear in Box-Art
UPDATE: Well, this is awkward
UPDATE: Vooks editor Daniel Vuckovic has admitted that the images were fakes - we blame hangovers from Christmas dinners on this one, folks. ORIGINAL STORY: In one of our previous articles, we went over a couple of Switch game listings that were published (and then hastily taken down) on the EB Games Australia's...
News EB Games Listing Includes Mario Kart 8 and Skyrim for Switch
UPDATE: Fake, nothing to see here
UPDATE: Vooks editor Daniel Vuckovic has admitted that the images were fakes - we blame a hangover from Christmas dinner on this one, folks. ORIGINAL STORY: It's less than 12 days before the Switch event, and it seems as if a handful of early titles have been outed by EB Games in Australia; they reiterate...
News My Nintendo's New Year Rewards Add Some Fresh Discounts
Mario! Wario! Yoshi and more!
With a new year underway little time was wasted in adding some additional rewards to My Nintendo, with new options landing on 1st January. Anyone hoping for exciting surprises to kick off 2017 may feel underwhelmed, but there are nevertheless some quality games now on discount. Details for Europe and North America are...
Feature Hopes and Dreams for Nintendo's 2017
Our writers on their wishes for the year
With a New Year set to bring fresh hardware and all of that goodness, there's much to look forward to for Nintendo fans in 2017. There's a major Switch presentation just days away, too, so momentum should start strong and hopefully see us through to the start of 2018. In this feature a number of our writers...
News CoroCoro Magazine Reportedly Pegs The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild for Spring Release
Take a deep breath
Rumours have been circulating for a while now as to when The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild will finally be released. Estimates have ranged from the Switch launch, to 'Spring' and also 'Summer'. Fans have been wishing for Zelda will be part of the Switch launch lineup, of course, and now Japanese magazine CoroCoro has...
Nintendo Download 5th January (Europe)
Spheroids! Quiet, Please! Shin Megami Tensei DLC! Discounts! More!
It's the first Nintendo Download Update of the year, but as this is a public Holiday the European details have been slow in coming. At the time of publication no UK press release has come through, but the ever-generous Daan Koopman has passed us the Dutch PR. This week includes a few...
Feature Nintendo Life's 12 Days of Christmas - Day Nine
Nine gamers laughing
In this video series Alex takes a look at a wealth of wonderful Nintendo-themed goodies, unboxing one parcel at a time over the course of twelve days. Today features an excellent 3DS case from Waterfield Designs. To say Alex loved the gloriously soft interior and robust leather outer layer is an understatement If you fancy...
Sunday1st Jan 2017
News New Breath of the Wild Art Pays Homage to the Original NES Classic
"In the midst of a little kingdom, in the land of Hyrule"
The official Zelda Twitter page has released a new piece of art in line with its holiday pieces; if you missed the previous posts, here's Christmas, Thanksgiving, and Halloween. What's great about the latest art for
Feature Five New Year's Resolutions for Nintendo
Be bold and Switch things up
2017 is here, which means a fresh start and looking forward with optimism. Many also take the chance to set New Year's resolutions, goals for improving on what's come before. Nintendo, undoubtedly, has some of its own. There's plenty to be excited about for Nintendo's upcoming year and no doubt the company is gearing up...
Review Geki Yaba Runner Deluxe (3DS eShop)
Run, run, Gnomey
As smartphone gaming has become so popular, the runner genre has seemingly reached the popularity levels of the 2D platformer and first-person shooter before it. The latest title of the genre to grace the 3DS eShop is Geki Yaba Runner Deluxe. It's apparently titled Deluxe due to its presence as a mobile game on Android and iOS; on...
Editorial Happy New Year from All at Nintendo Life
Here's to an exciting 2017
We're posting this on UK time, as the clocks strike midnight and 2017 arrives. If you're reading this in Japan, Australia or anywhere in that region you're well into the New Year; for those of you with an evening of festivities still to come, have a great night. 2016 has been a mixed bag from Nintendo, to put it...
Feature Nintendo Life's 12 Days of Christmas - Day Eight
Greight stuff
In this video series Alex takes a look at a wealth of wonderful Nintendo-themed goodies, unboxing one parcel at a time over the course of twelve days. If you fancy picking up what Alex unboxed today, click here.
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