Retro Features
Ninterview Ste Pickford On The Ever-Expanding World Of Plok
"If you want to see a new Plok game, buy the comic books!"
Created by legendary developer siblings The Pickfords, Plok is a fondly-remembered cult smash which appeared on the SNES way back in 1992. Ste and John Pickford's history in the games industry pre-dates that game by quite some margin, and the talented duo were among the first British...
Soapbox It's High Time Seiken Densetsu 3 Got A Western Release
Forgotten, overlooked, lost… but why?
Allow us to turn the wayback machine to a couple of decades ago. The Internet was slowly but surely becoming an everyday part of our lives, cellphones were over-sized, expensive bricks and video games had gone from being a niche but blooming industry mostly aimed at children in the West to a mainstream...
Feature The History Of Technosoft's Thunder Force Series
With Thunder Force III coming to 3DS, we take a look back at the franchise
Although SNES fans will insist that Nintendo's 16-bit powerhouse had a more diverse range of software when compared to its bitter rival the Mega Drive, one genre in which it simply couldn't compete was the 2D shooter. Sega's console was quite literally flooded with top-notch...
Poll The GameCube is 15 Years Old - Pick Your Favourite Games
Can you handle the pressure?
The GameCube arrived in Japan on 14th September 2001 in Japan, meaning the handle-boasting wonder is 15 years old (even though it's 15th September in Japan as we publish this, thanks to time zones). To date it holds the dubious honour of being Nintendo's lowest-selling home console, though Wii U looks likely to take that...
The NES advantage?
After years of enduring sloppy imitators which offer patchy performance and incomplete compatibility, we're finally seeing clone consoles come of age. The RetroN 5 leveraged the versatility of Google's Android platform to offer HD visuals and save state support, while the super-premium Analogue NT took existing Nintendo chips and...
Poll What Are Your Favourite Mini NES Games?
30 for the 30th Anniversary in Europe
Here's a fun fact that fell under the radar on a rather busy day - the NES turned 30 in Europe on 1st September. It celebrated the equivalent North American anniversary nearly a year ago, but the system took a while to arrive in Europe and, actually, struggled to gain much of a foothold - initially at least - in...
Feature Pay A Visit To Rare's Local Indie Video Game Store
"They used to come in to buy their latest game to go in their vault"
The English market town of Ashby-de-la-Zouch can chart its history as far back as the 11th century and owes its rather unusual name to the Norman Conquest of England around the same time, when the settlement - then known as plain old Ashby - became the property of the La Zouche...
Poll What Are Your Favourite Super NES Games?
A tough call...
As you've likely been aware, the Super NES recently turned 25 in North America. It's another nice landmark for the iconic system, and one that's prompted us to get all misty-eyed and reminisce on our youth. That aside, it's a chance to celebrate the best of the SNES era, so with that in mind we thought it'd be nice to have an...
Feature From Paul Rudd to Dancing Link and Beyond - Some of the Best SNES Commercials
Can you handle all 24 Megabytes of Super Metroid?
With the Super NES / SNES reaching its 25th Anniversary in North America on 23rd September, we've been reminiscing over the 16-bit powerhouse a lot, and let our minds drift to the advertising that Nintendo used for the system. It was... quirky, though that is a comment admittedly made through a...
Hardware Review Everdrive GBA X5
Flash by name, flash by nature
In the world of flash carts, one name stands out from the rest: Krikzz. This individual has produced a long line of carts for various retro systems, including the NES, SNES, Mega Drive / Genesis and N64. With each product the aim is simple - make the user experience as sea
Discuss What Next For The Nintendo 64?
#N64Memories' Steven Smith asks the question
Considering the Nintendo 64 is a twenty-year-old console, the title of this piece may seem odd. However, I personally think there is a potential future for the N64's hardware and software. We are currently in an important period for the console – 2016 and 2017 mark its twentieth birthday, depending on...
Hosted at The Centre for Computing History, Cambridge
We had such a blast meeting you lovely people at the inaugural Nintendo Life Gaming Night last year, that it was a no-brainer to team up again with our chums at the Centre for Computing History in Cambridge, England and do another event. Thanks to everyone who joined us on Saturday 30th July 2016...
Hardware Review 8Bitdo x Analogue SNES Retro Receiver
Look Ma, no wires!
The removal of the pesky joypad cable has to rank as one of the most important advances in video game tech. For far too long were we resigned to dealing with tangled wires that shackled us to our games consoles, forcing us to sit within a range dictated by the length of the cable itself (Super Famicom owners will feel this pain...
Ninterview Stu Brett On Putting Super Famicom Guy To Rest And His Next Venture, Ghost Arcade
"My collection is done and dusted"
Long-time fans of the site will surely know the name Super Famicom Guy. It's been the online handle of Scotman Stu Brett for almost a decade, and using this moniker he has spread his love of Nintendo's 16-bit console to thousands via his Twitter account, Instagram feed and - most notable - his book Super Famicom:...
Poll What Other 'Classic Edition' Nintendo Systems Do You Want to be Released?
Dreaming of the good old days, but miniaturised
The Nintendo Entertainment System: NES Classic Edition (called Nintendo Classic Mini: Nintendo Entertainment System in Europe) has caused quite a stir since its announcement earlier this week - a budget Nintendo retro unit at $59.99 with 30 pre-loaded games is always likely to go down well. Its...
Interview Collector 'Metal Jesus' on His North American Nintendo 64DD Discovery
"I knew from the first moment that it was something special"
Earlier this week we reported on the discovery of a North American Nintendo 64DD unit, likely the first high-profile example to be shared online. Its stickers caused plenty of chatter as they suggested it was a Lotcheck / retail-ready unit, helping to confirm the fact that a North American...
Book Review The Unofficial Guide To Konami Shooters
A timely reminder that Konami was really good at making games, once
Konami may be retreating from the production of video games these days but not so long ago the company was seen as one of the leading lights in the industry, challenging the likes of Capcom, Sega and Nintendo when it came to creating compelling, must-have experiences. This...
Hardware Review EXEQ GameBox Game Boy Advance SP Clone
AGS-101 screen quality on a budget - what's the catch?
Love them or loathe them, clone consoles are very much here to stay. As existing hardware becomes harder to find or fails due to everyday use, the demand for replacement systems grows ever stronger, fuelled largely by the almost insatiable demands of a new generation of retro gaming enthusiasts...
Hardware Classics Pokémon Mini
Nintendo's smallest console, in both size and stature
It's somewhat ironic that one of Nintendo's most obscure consoles is so strongly aligned with one of its most instantly recognisable brands, but understanding why the Pokémon Mini wasn't quite as successful as it probably should have been is relatively easy; it was marketed poorly, the games...
Will you still love me when I'm 64?
To mark the 20th birthday of Nintendo's 64-bit wonder we're republishing this feature on the console, which originally went live on the site in December 2014. The Nintendo 64 is a console which divides opinions, even today. For some, it was an unforgivable fall from grace after the dizzying heights of the SNES;...
Ninterview Avid Retro Game Collector Justin "Jutman" Hickman
"I would say close to 60 percent of my total collection is Nintendo"
In the latest of our long-running Ninterview series we speak to a UK-based video game collector with the kind of haul you can't help be insanely jealous of. Lifelong Zelda fan Justin Hickman - known on Twitter as "Jutman / thec0llect0r82" - was kind enough to sit down with us for a...
Hardware Classics Game Boy Pocket
A refreshed icon
It would be fair to say that the Game Boy's longevity surprised everyone, including Nintendo. Originally released in 1989, it was still going strong by the middle of the following decade and experienced a notable boost thanks to the timely introduction of the first Pokémon titles, Red & Blue. The momentum provided by these...
Ninterview Preserving Gaming History With Arcade Collector ShouTime
"Without preservation, titles would be lost today"
If you're one of the many wise people who picked up the excellent Sega 3D Classics Collection on 3DS recently then you may spot the mysterious name "ShouTime" in the credits section. ShouTime assisted developer M2 with its port of Power Drift, and is one of the world's foremost collectors of arcade...
Ninterview Ahmed Bin Fahad Discusses Building the World's Biggest Nintendo Collection
"Don’t think purchasing games is a waste"
In 2014 Ahmed Bin Fahad made headlines when he received the Guinness World Record honour for the biggest Nintendo collection. Consisting of over 8000 pieces, it's an impressive range that shows his love for all things Nintendo, with the estimated cost coming in at around 1.5 million dirhams - the United...
Gallery Cover To Cover With Super Famicom: The Box Art Collection
Art attack
Super Famicom: The Box Art Collection launches this month, but we've been lucky enough to have the chance to thumb through an advance copy ahead of its official release. Published by Bitmap Books and created by fanatical Super Famicom fan Stu Brett, this 276 page tome highlights some of the best cover artwork of the 16-bit years.
Mitch Vogel on the experience of gaming in a simpler time
As a millennial, I was born long after the great heyday of arcades, but it was something that always fascinated me. It was bizarre to think that there was a time before home consoles were so prevalent when the typical video game fan would grab a fistful of quarters and pop down to the arcade...
Feature Smiles and Tears - A Mother 3 Retrospective
Cancellations, rebirths, fan translations and more
This week marks the 10th Anniversary of Mother 3, Shigesato Itoi's third and final instalment in the Mother series and the follow up to EarthBound that, unfortunately, never saw the light of day outside of its native homeland. Since that day ten years ago we've seen hopes dashed, rumours (some of...
Feature ENKKO's Andy Vargas on Breathing New Life into the N64 Controller
Sticking it to the past
Did you know that it's becoming increasingly difficult to find a Nintendo 64 controller that's in good, working order? While the controller may have ushered in a new era of full-analogue control in video games in 1996, it wasn't without its flaws. Its unusual three-pronged design was enough to put off some people from even...
Feature Batman V Superman In The Battle Of The Nintendo Games
Which superhero comes out on top? Find out within...
This article was originally published on 25th November 2014, and has been re-posted to celebrate the cinematic release of Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. Things are really heating up in the world of superhero movies, thanks to both Marvel and DC revealing their cinematic hands like two Texan...
Feature Ten Game Boy Advance Games You Should Play
Puzzle games, RPGs, action, platforming...
The Game Boy Advance just recently turned 15 years old, with that first model kicking off what would be the last Game Boy 'family' or systems, at least so far. It would be a platform that would take Nintendo's portable offerings forward in leaps and bounds, not just in terms of raw power but also...
Feature Poster Children - Your Guide to Collecting Nintendo Power's Awesome Classic Posters
A blast from the past
If you were a kid growing up at the end of the '80s and into the late '90s, you very well may have known that home console gaming was in its prime glory in the Bush Senior and Clinton era. The new and as-of-yet unexplored frontiers of companies like Nintendo and Sega were fertile planting ground for now-classic and beloved...
Chipping away
In the world of music vinyl is currently enjoying something of a resurgence, with the antiquated audio format coming back from the dead to take pride of place in any self-respecting hipster's living room. While it's unlikely that this trend has anything to do with the release of RIKI's 8Bit Music Power, parallels can nevertheless be...
Hardware Classics Bit Corp Gamate
From Taiwan with love
Given that we've covered pretty much every retro console of note in our Hardware Classics series, it was almost inevitable that we'd be forced to investigate systems which could hardly be considered noteworthy from a commercial or critical standpoint. That's certainly the case with Bit Corp Gamate, a handheld console...
Ninterview The History of Gaming, In Oil Paint
We have a chat with Randy Gallegos about his gaming art
If you've ever seen our Instagram account you'll know we love a bit of gaming art here at Nintendo Life. The majority of the art we come across is digital, however we recently came across the work of an American artist who does things a little differently. Artist Randy Gallegos has been...
Feature Why We're Still Playing... GoldenEye 007
Steven Smith revives the laser watch on N64
In the latest entry in this series we have Nintendo Life newcomer Steven Smith (@N64Memories) talking about GoldenEye 007; no, not that one on Wii, but the N64 original. GoldenEye 007 was my first true experience of a first-person shooter (FPS). Yes, I had played Doom – a classic, o
Hardware Review We Look at a Definitive GameCube HDMI Mod
Crystal quality
Long-time fans of Nintendo have often harped on about the GameCube controller being one of the best controllers in gaming history, and the console it attached to first was certainly not shy of some spectacular releases. It's a shame that we have to have a television the size of Snowdonia just to be able to appreciate the system...
Hardware Classics Nintendo Super Scope
In your sights
Despite their ingenious nature and futuristic feel, light guns have been part of the video game landscape since the industry began - in fact, crude examples of the tech can be found as far back as the 1930s. In the 8-bit era both Nintendo and Sega produced their own pistol-like light guns in the form of the NES Zapper and Master...
Ninterview Retro Video Gaming's Heidi stopXwhispering On Building The Ultimate Game Room
"Retro games are filled with 'spelglädje' for me!"
Nintendo Life: Can you tell us a little about yourself? Heidi stopXwhispering: My name is Heidi, I was born in 1984 and I'm from Sweden. I grew up in Sweden, but lived abroad during my college years - in the UK, Germany and Japan. Now I'm back in Sweden. When did you get into gaming? I always...
Feature Why We're Still Playing... Metroid Fusion
Mitch Vogel on how this portable title improved upon its predecessor
This is a series of features focussed on games that we keep playing again and again, either over an unhealthy number of hours or those that keep getting return visits long after they first graced our systems. After the release of Super Metroid on the SNES, it seemed that the...
Feature Wrestling On The Cube: A Complete History
From WWE to Ultimate Muscle, and Beyond
Ah, wrestling… one of our oldest guilty pleasures. That peculiar sport / reality show / soap opera is filled with ups and downs and this pattern is somewhat mirrored by its video game counterparts. After dusting off the trusty GameCube and taking a look at the extensive number of wrestling games of its...
Hardware Review Cyber Gadget Retro Freak
Freakishly good?
You should never underestimate the power of old games. When the Retro Freak was announced earlier in the year it triggered quite a stir online - a remarkable feat when you consider that the company behind it, Cyber Gadget, is a tiny and largely unknown Japanese outfit. The system's retro-gaming potential ensured that it set many...
Hardware Review Gamepad Digital GPD XD
That design reminds us of something
Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, but when you're creating mass-market electronic devices, slavishly cloning the work of others usually lands you in costly lawsuit - just ask Samsung and Apple. However, there are a multitude of hardware makers working out of China which are small enough to operate...
Feature Why We're Still Playing... Pokémon Gold / Silver / Crystal
The revolution of a revolution...
This is a series of features that focuses on games that we keep playing again and again, either over an unhealthy number of hours or those that keep getting return visits long after they first graced our systems. In this entry Arjun talks about his favourite Pokémon games. The beginning: There's no doubt that the...
Feature A Pokémon Retrospective: Generation 3 - 2002 To 2006
A period of evolution
As we build up to the 20th anniversary of Pokémon in February 2016, and look hotly ahead towards brand new things including the new Zygarde forms, we're continuing our monthly journey through each generation of Pokémon, this month we cover the generation that many ignored, the one that came after the Pokémon "fad" ended, but...
Feature Why We're Still Playing... Super Metroid
Mitch Vogel on why it’s just as good 20+ years later
This is a series of features that'll focus on games that we keep playing again and again, either over an unhealthy number of hours or those that keep getting return visits long after they first graced our systems. I believe that the true test of a game's value is found in how well it stands...
An evocative and surprising look at Nintendo's uncharted history
It's common knowledge that Nintendo has been around for over a hundred years, and that the company started out producing playing cards many decades before finding fame as a purveyor of interactive entertainment. However, the years in between are often overlooked by even the staunchest...
Feature A Pokémon Retrospective: Generation 2 - 1999 To 2002
Talking 'bout a generation
As we build up to the 20th anniversary of Pokémon in February 2016, and look hotly ahead towards brand new things including the new Zygarde forms, we're continuing our journey through each generation of Pokémon; this month we cover the much beloved second generation. Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments, and...
Book Review The Unofficial Game & Watch Collector's Guide
LCD legacy
Game & Watch was Nintendo's first foray into the world of portable electronic gaming. These small, pocket-sized devices used LCD screens to create crude but surprisingly playable games, perfect for passing the time on the way to and from work (in fact, creator Gunpei Yokoi even stated that he was inspired to create the range after...
Feature The Short But Sweet Games Journalism Career Of Renegade Kid's Jools Watsham
"It honestly didn't feel like work"
Arguably one of the most recognisable faces on the Nintendo indie scene, Jools Watsham is the founder of Renegade Kid, a Texas-based studio which has a long and proud history of producing high-quality content for Nintendo systems. Titles like Xeodrifter, Mutant Mudds, Moon and
Feature The Wild And Wacky World Of WarioWare
Minigame madness
Being an arch-rival to the iconic red-and-blue plumber and hunting for treasure on the side all have their perks, but what better way to get rich quick than to develop video games? Ever since he dropped the yellow overalls and snagged the stylish biker gear, Wario's name was cemented as the immature, garlic-chomping greedy pig who...
