Retro - News
August2019
News Trademarks Hint At A Game Boy Clone From The Aces At Analogue
FPGA or bust?
Analogue is responsible for some of the most accurate hardware clones money can buy, having already released systems that emulate the performance of the NES, SNES and Mega Drive at a hardware level, bringing ref
News The Evercade Handheld's Latest Cartridge Features Several Rare SNES Games
More retro delights
Yet another wave of games set to be released on Evercade have been shared - the upcoming cartridge-based handheld system which can connect to your TV. You can read all about the new system here if you're not familiar, but for those of you who have seen our previous coverage, let's dive into the good stuff. This latest set of...
Reminder Vote For Your Favourite Nintendo DS Games
We need your help to rate the finest Dual Screen games
Update: A big thank you to everybody who has already voted when this went live over the weekend - to anyone who missed it, feel free to dive in below and help us rank the top 50 Nintendo DS games ever. Carry on! Later this year we'll be celebrating the 15th anniversary of the Nintendo DS, a...
Poll Box Art Brawl #2 - Contra / Probotector
I Think Ur A Probotector
Welcome back for round two of the series where we throw the regional box art variants of a particular retro game into a pit and see which one scrambles out victorious. Last time we kicked things off with Super Metroid for the Super Nintendo. After a week of voting, the Japanese art has emerged with a very comfortable win,...
Talking Point Are Retro Repro Firms Exploiting Demand With Shoddy Products?
Gleylancer is the latest to disappoint
Given that many of retro gaming's most collectable items now sell for hundreds (and occasionally thousands) of dollars, it's unsurprisingly that enterprising companies are turning their hand to officially-licenced reprints to satisfy demand and make a quick buck in the process. The latest example of this is...
Hardware Review You Don't Need The SNK Neo Geo Samurai Shodown Mini, But You'll Want It Anyway
Less a console, more an objet d'art
You might think that Nintendo has embraced the 'Classic Mini' craze with gusto thanks to its NES and SNES Classic Editions, but the company's efforts in this field pale in comparison to that of SNK, which has been pumping out miniature hardware with extreme prejudice for the past year or so. First, we had the Neo...
News A 1987 NES Game Just Sold For $9,000 After Sitting In An Attic For 30 Years
Wowzers
If you happen to have any old Nintendo games stored away in your attic, you might want to dig them out and check what their value might be today. You might just end up being $9,000 better off. Scott Amos of Reno, Nevada recently found an old, 1987 NES game in his attic after looking through his childhood possessions. The game in question...
News SNK's Action Game Victory Road Is The Latest Arcade Archives Release
And it's out today
Hamster's latest Arcade Archives release for the Switch eShop is this time the 1986 SNK action game, Victory Road. It's a sequel to Ikari Warriors, which was released on the Switch eShop earlier this year. This story continues on from the first game. After Ralf and Clark finish their mission, they suddenly find themselves dragged...
July2019
Anniversary Game Boy Turns 30 Years Old In North America
Three decades of playing with portable power
Back in April we celebrated the 30th anniversary of the one handheld to rule them all - the humble Nintendo Game Boy. We ran a series of features on the all-conquering lump of grey plastic and had fun reminiscing about green screens, AA batteries and some incredible games. Well, that was in celebration...
Random GoldenEye N64 Can Be Beaten With Just One Bullet
Slappers only!
Ah, GoldenEye 007. If you owned a copy of this N64 classic during your youth, you probably also have an ample supply of nostalgic memories to go alongside it, as well as a few angry ones aimed at your friends who chose to play as Oddjob. What you probably don't have, though, is the ability to say that you've completed the game firing...
Poll Box Art Brawl #1 - Super Metroid
Vote for your favourite retro box art variant
Welcome one and all to the first in a series where we pit regional retro releases against each other to decide once and for all which territory got the very best box art! And no, it's not always Japan. Over the years, the art on your video game box has increasingly taken a backseat as digital purchases...
News PEGI Rating Suggests DOOM 64 Is Making A Comeback
Return to 64-bit Hell
This weekend QuakeCon is celebrating DOOM's 25th anniversary. Adding to the announcement of DOOM, DOOM II and DOOM 3 for Switch, a
News Two More Classic Star Wars Games Get A Limited Run Later This Week
LRG Hyperkin accessories also announced
The major surprise during the Limited Run E3 2019 presentation was when the physical video game specialist announced it was partnering with Lucasfilm to re-release classic Star Wars games. This began with the re-release of the original Star Wars game in June and now the company will be following this up with...
Random Beating GoldenEye 007's First Level Using Only A Piano Looks Surprisingly Easy
This might be the best controller ever
Have you ever considered playing through N64 classic GoldenEye 007 using only a piano? No? Of course you haven't. Luckily, though, YouTube user Jackson Parodi has done just that and it's strangely satisfying to watch. Now, we know that beating a game with a weird controller isn't all that special these days -...
Hardware Review The EON Super 64 Gives Your N64 HDMI Output, But Is It Really Worth $150?
Plug-and-play HD for your Nintendo 64
We're big fans of EON here at Nintendo Life. The company has already produced some amazing GameCube HDMI adapters in the form of the GCHD and GCHD Mk II, both of which harness the console's digital output to give a crisp picture without the need for pesky internal modification. However, for its next trick, EON...
Gallery Gorge Your Face On These Images Of The First Evercade Prototype
Retro ridiculous
The Evercade is promising that ever-so niche but ever-so dedicated market of retro-leaning types who want more and more ways to play their old games rather than just firing up the consoles for which they were made something rather special. Unique multi-carts of games from proper publishers, which is certainly a bold idea, and one...
News Polymega TurboGrafx-16/PC Engine Module Includes Five Pack-In Games
Moto Roader! Double Dungeons! Shockman!
It's been announced that the TurboGrafx-16/PC-Engine module (or the EM04 “Turbo” Element Module Set to give its full title) for the upcoming modular retro console Polymega will include five licensed pack-in games playable from the module itself. The five bonus titles are Moto Roader (NA and JP versions),...
News Two More Ways To Play Contra Arrive This Holiday Season
Can you ever have enough ways to play Contra?
Fans of Konami's seminal run-and-gun series Contra have no shortage of ways to play the classic game, whether you're a fan of the arcade original, the NES port or the numerous sequels we've seen over the years. The recent Contra Anniversary Collection brought together a bunch of them in a package that we...
News Give Your Game Boy Advance Library An Airing With GBA Consolizer
Play GBA games where they weren't meant to be - on the telly
The Game Boy Advance was a wonderful handheld with a huge library of brilliant games, many of which still stand up today. Although they were designed for the non-backlit successor to Nintendo's all-conquering Game Boy, many of its classic titles look and feel fantastic when played on a TV...
Random Valve Supposedly Made Changes To Half-Life After Playing GoldenEye 007
Inspiring a generation
Reflect on the Nintendo 64 era and one game that will probably come to mind is Rare’s GoldenEye 007. It was considered to be a revolutionary take on the first-person genre in more ways than one. In fact, even the developer and publisher Valve Corporation took inspiration from Bond’s 64-bit outing at the time. As explained...
News Old-School Platformer Phantom Gear Hoping For A Sega Mega Drive Release
What year is it?
Retro indie publisher Mega Cat Studios and Bits Rule Games are hoping to launch a new, but very old-school platformer called Phantom Gear on the Sega Mega Drive. New games for old consoles sure are popular at the minute. The game is made up of a mix of elements from your favourite classic action platformers - you'll find multiple...
Feature The Legacy Of Nintendo 64's Transfer Pak
Marrying console and handheld hardware long before Switch
Following the 16-bit glories of the Super Nintendo, its successor often gets short shrift from gamers these days. Of course, it’s adored by Nintendo fans of a certain age who doubled down on it during the PlayStation generation, but it’s a wilfully ‘odd’ system and arguably tough to...
News Nike Is Releasing Air Max Inspired By The Nintendo 64 Generation
Get some fresh kicks
According to House of Heat, Nike is releasing Air Max 97 inspired by Nintendo's beloved 64-bit system. Both the shoes and the system were released months apart back in 1996/97, so it's fitting to see these generational icons honoring the era together. The grey on the shoe symbolises the system's controller and the splash of...
News The Evercade Handheld System Will Get New Retro-Style Indie Games, As Well As Old Classics
Update: Its first trailer has landed
Update: The first trailer for the system has now arrived, giving us our first look at its packaging and showing off some of the games you'll be able to play. Original Article: If you've been following our stories on the upcoming Evercade handheld system, you'll likely know that it's set to feature a whole...
Hands On This $50 Handheld Plays Pretty Much Every Game From Your Misspent Youth
The BittBoy Pocket Go really is something
We've covered previously BittBoy handhelds on the site before, so you guys should know the drill by now. These are super-cheap emulation-focused portables that feature off-the-shelf SoC tech and cost peanuts, and the latest addition – the BittBoy Pocket Go – is no different. Where this new version...
News The Evercade Handheld's First Collection Of Retro-Style Indie Games Has Been Revealed
10 games from Mega Cat Studios
Yet another cartridge full of retro-flavoured games has been revealed for the upcoming Evercade handheld system, this time featuring newer titles from an indie developer. The ‘Mega Cat Studios Collection 1' cartridge contains ten original games from - you guessed it - Mega Cat Studios, an indie developer known for...
June2019
News Nintendo Thinking About Extending Switch Online Retro Library Beyond NES Software
Are more legacy platforms on the way?
At Nintendo's 79th annual general meeting of shareholders yesterday, company president Shuntaro Furukawa was asked about the possibility of retro software from platforms such as the Nintendo 64 and GameCube era appearing on the Switch in future. In response, Furukawa said he had no "new information" to share,...
Random Banjo-Kazooie Meets The Wind Waker In This N64-Compatible Mod
A delightful crossover
Ever wondered what a mash-up of Banjo-Kazooie and The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker might look like? Yes, no, maybe? Well, this mod – The Legend of Banjo-Kazooie: The Bear Waker – by Mark Kurko shows us a location from Wind Waker inside Banjo's game. The demo (see the video below) takes place on Outset Island – the...
News Clu Clu Land Joins Hamster's Arcade Archives Range On Switch
Arcade and NES now both available
Hamster's latest Arcade Archives release on Switch has been revealed, and this time we're being treated to 1984 arcade title, Clu Clu Land. The game released both as an arcade game and on the NES in the same year, and has actually recently joined the Nintendo Entertainment System - Nintendo Switch Online line-up of...
News Play Your Nintendo 64 On Modern Displays With The Super 64 HDMI Adaptor
Just plug in and play
Depending on your setup at home, getting your beloved Nintendo 64 to work on a modern display isn't as easy as it once was. Some fancy monitors just aren't expecting you to plug in a 23-year-old machine (we can't relate) but this little adaptor should sort out any issues wonderfully. The EON Super 64 is a plug-and-play...
News Japanese Mega Drive Mini Collector's Edition Comes With 22 Tiny Cartridges
A framed set of cute (mock) carts
The Mega Drive Mini is shaping up to be an excellent tribute to Sega's classic 16-bit console, and it's taken many years of sub-standard efforts (and, arguably, the huge success of Nintendo's HDMI-friendly Mini Classic consoles) to get to this point. With M2 taking charge of emulation on this one, Mega Drive /...
News Sega Not Worried About Overwhelming Audiences With Retro Content
"We're never going to saturate the audience"
Sega is quite happy to re-release its retro library of games on each and every system. If you're like us, you've probably played the original Sonic the Hedgehog on a dozen different devices over the years. In a recent interview with GamesIndustry.biz at E3 2019, Sega Europe's John Clark defended the...
News Limited Run Games To Release Physical NES And Game Boy Star Wars Cartridges
Get your orders in this week
During E3, physical indie publisher Limited Run Games teased what appeared to be a huge Star Wars announcement. The reveal showed that the company would be teaming up with Lucasfilm Games for some physical releases, but it wasn't 100% clear how this would actually work. Today, Limited Run has shared the news that...
Gallery Flicking Through Sega Master System: A Visual Compendium
Bitmap Books' latest epic is up for pre-order now
UK publisher Bitmap Books' latest Visual Compendium is now available to buy, following its successful crowdfunding campaign on Kickstarter. The next in the company's long-running series of books which focus on a single format (past entries include the NES and
News This FPGA-Powered Mega Drive / Genesis Flash Cart Can Play CD Games
A world first
Spanish company Terraonion – the same team responsible for the excellent Super SD System 3 for the PC Engine – has lifted the lid on its next project in a special ‘Terraonion Direct’ broadcast. (Wonder where it got that idea from?) The big news is the firm has created the world’s first Mega CD / Sega CD FPGA optical disc...
News A Forgotten (And Kirby-Free) HAL SNES Title Has Been Preserved For The Ages
Anyone for golf?
Some great news for retro gaming enthusiasts as the year of noteworthy Super Nintendo efforts continues unhinged. Reports of successful preservation of HAL Laboratory's Special Tee Shot prototype and subsequent public release means that we can all now enjoy the isometric mini-golf game that was meant to show up as a regular SNES...
Video The Making Of SNES Classic Star Fox And The Super FX Chip
And so, the Lylat System was born
Whether you're a diehard fan of the series, or even just familiar with the team thanks to the Super Smash Bros. games, Fox, Falco, Slippy, and Peppy hold a special place in the hearts of many Nintendo fans (yes, we're including Slippy here). The series' Lylat System was born in 1993, when Star Fox (known as Starwing...
Feature The Making Of The PC Engine, The 8-Bit Wonder That Took On Nintendo
With new 'Mini' hardware on the way, we look back at this 8-bit wonder
This piece was originally published in 2012. With the news that Konami is producing a PC Engine Mini, we thought you might like a fresh look. Enjoy! Western gamers tend to consider Nintendo and Sega as the two major players in the 16-bit war. On European and American soil this...
Random Have We Been Missing A Zelda Easter Egg In Mario 64 All These Years?
Amazing planning, or sheer coincidence?
Easter eggs in video games aren’t a new thing, but it’s rare to spot one decades after the event – but that’s what Twitter user Hitei he’s found in Super Mario 64. There’s a picture in Peach’s castle which we’ll all have dashed past many, many times over the years, and Hitei thinks this image...
Video Cadence Of Hyrule Guitarist And Grant Kirkhope Combine For Epic Banjo-Kazooie Collab
Turn it up to 64
In what is quite possibly one of the best videos of all time, and amazingly relevant considering what's been going on in the world of Nintendo this week, you're about to see Cadence of Hyrule guitarist FamilyJules rock out to a classic Banjo-Kazooie track with none other than the game's original composer, Grant Kirkhope. Unless...
Random God Of War Artist Shows Us How The Battletoads Reboot Should Have Looked
Can you imagine?
Beloved Rare franchise Battletoads made an appearance at this year's E3, albeit sadly not for a Nintendo platform, in the form of a new three-player beat 'em up. It all looks pretty fun and all, but just imagine if it looked like this. The artwork comes from Raf Grassetti, Art Director at God of War studio Sony Santa Monica. We've...
News Hyperkin Isn't Quite Sure What Route To Take With Its N64 Clone Console Yet
"We don't we know what the end solution might be"
At E3 2019 this week, our video producer Zion Grassl had the chance to catch up with Terence Calacsan from Hyperkin and have a chat about the Retron Ult - an N64 clone that is "super early" in development. It's compatible with Nintendo 64 cartridges, controllers, targeting 720p HD output and will...
News Atari's Take On The "Classic Edition" Trend Will Cost You At Least $250
Or $390, if you want to go all-in
We've reported on the Atari VCS (not that one, the new one) in the past, mostly out of morbid curiosity; it's not a Nintendo system but given the popularity of 'classic' retro consoles – such as the SNES Classic Edition and Mega Drive Mini – we found the whole concept incredibly interesting, as well as little...
News Konami Just Revealed The PC Engine / TurboGrafx-16 Mini
UPDATE: Japanese titles also confirmed
Konami – which holds the rights to the PC Engine / TurboGrafx-16 brand via its ownership of the now-defunct Hudson Soft – has lifted the lid on yet another retro-themed micro-console. This time, it's NEC / Hudson's legendary PC Engine, the system which took Japan by a storm in the late '80s and came to the...
News Limited Run Partners With Lucasfilm To Re-Release Classic Star Wars Games
Fingers crossed for a Switch release
Limited Run Games today held its second annual E3 2019 video presentation. Right before the end of the showcase, the physical distributor made an incredibly exciting announcement, revealing it would be teaming up with Lucasfilm Games to release definitive collector's editions of classic Star Wars titles. As...
News A Second Namco Collection Has Been Revealed For The Evercade Handheld System
Galaga, Pac-Attack and more
The new Evercade system is starting to sound more and more appealing with each announcement; this time, a second batch of Namco classics has been confirmed for the handheld system. If you've missed the news on this one, Evercade is a new handheld console that can connect to your TV (sound familiar?). You can pick up...
News Polymega's "Next Gen" Light Gun Controller Will Let You Play Duck Hunt On Your HDTV
And House of the Dead and Time Crisis!
Light gun-based video games are as old as the games industry itself – in fact, the very first consoles came with gun accessories which could be used to shoot objects on-screen. However, these devices were heavily-reliant on CRT technology found inside old television sets, and the move to flat-screen, LCD and...
News Save Up For Your Switch Games With This Officially Licensed Donkey Kong Money Box
Super Mario Savings!
Saving up for all of your favourite video games can be tricky, and while even the coolest of money boxes can't help you to buy them all, it can certainly help you store your cash in style. This officially licensed Donkey Kong money box is set to release next month, available directly from Merchoid. It stands at 30cm tall and...
News Solomon's Key Joins Hamster's Arcade Archives Series On The Nintendo Switch
Magical
Hamster is adding Tecmo's 1986 release Solomon's Key to its Arcade Archives line on the Nintendo Switch. The title supports 1-2 players and will set you back $7.99 / €6.99 / £6.29. From June 6th, 2019, Arcade Archives Solomon's Key will be available digitally for Arcade Archives, the downloadable series by HAMSTER for Nintendo Switch...
News New Banjo-Kazooie Merch Fuels Fresh Speculation Over A Series Revival
Update: Banjo teased as Smash DLC by prominent leaker?
Update: In the original version of this article (which you can read below), we speculated that - if anything - the new Banjo-Kazooie merch might be linked to a potential remake. Now, it would seem that the idea of Banjo appearing as a DLC fighter in Smash Ultimate is perhaps the more likely...
News There's Actually A Third Version Of The Sega Mega Drive Mini
The Asian variant also has exclusive games
With all the news yesterday concerning the final games announced for Sega's upcoming Mega Drive / Genesis Mini console, it's easy to get a little confused over the regional exclusives for each version of the console. To add to that confusion there's also a third version of the plug-and-play mini console to...
News Mega Drive Mini Port Of Darius Is "Totally New" And Not Based On "Fan Work", Says Sega
A new conversion is approaching fast!
Update: A few eagle-eyed Darius fans have noticed a striking similarity between the new version of Darius included on the Mega Drive / Genesis Mini and an unofficial port created by 'bedroom coder' Hidecade. This has led to some assuming that Sega and M2 have used Hidecade's work as the basis for this port...
News Hyperkin's Next Party Trick Is A Nintendo 64 Clone
Say hello to the 'Ultra Retron'
Console and accessory maker Hyperkin has revealed the next entry in its long-running line of clone systems: the Ultra Retron. This N64 clone plays original carts and outputs over HDMI. It has four controller ports and is compatible with original N64 pads, although Hyperkin is also shipping the system with its own...
News Mega Drive / Genesis Mini Gets Tiny Mega CD, 32X, And Carts, But There's A Catch
Update: Now available for pre-order on Amazon Japan!
Update: The bundle is now available for pre-order on Amazon Japan. Feast your eyes on these shots: While the cartridge included is for Sonic the Hedgehog, it's notable that the game isn't actually on the Japanese version of the console. Seeing as most people will already own multiple versions,...
News Here Are Your Nintendo Switch Online NES Games For The Month Of June
Fight, drive and play
Nintendo has announced the three games coming to the Nintendo Switch Online NES service in the month of June. Both North America and Europe will receive Double Dragon II: The Revenge, Volleyball and City Connection. These games will be released on the service on 12th June. Below are the full details about each title, courtesy...
News Mega Drive Mini Games List: All 42 Titles Revealed
Yes, 42! Extra games for all!
Update #3: The final 10 games for the upcoming Sega Mega Drive Mini have been revealed including two surprise extra games in the form of a brand new port of Darius from Taito - a game which never originally came to the Mega Drive (although Darius II did) - and possibly the rarest game on the system, Tetris! Here is the...
A brawl in the family
For a system that's no longer in active production, the Nintendo 64 has sure seen a lot of new controllers recently. We reviewed the Tribute64 pad not so long ago, and now it's the turn of the Retro Fighters Brawler64 – a pad that was crowdfunded on Kickstarter as a "next generation" offering for Nintendo's much-loved 64-bit...
News Previously Unseen Footage Of EarthBound 64 Emerges Online
Take a trip back to 1996
One Nintendo 64 game that never saw the light of day, in the end, was EarthBound 64 – also known as Mother 3. The project started out life as a Super Nintendo release before being moved across to the Nintendo 64 and was eventually axed in August 2000. It ended up arriving on the Game Boy Advance in 2006 and since then, all...
News Super Famicom Exclusive Fire Emblem: Thracia 776 English Fan Translation Released
The epic tale of Prince Leif, twenty years later
You might have noticed that the first half of 2019 has been rather exciting for Super Nintendo fans worldwide – with several new hardware and fan projects ensuring that the old 16-bit powerhouse remains relevant to this day and age. This latest news will do very little to dimmish such a trend...
Feature Here's Why Perfect Dark Has Three Different Covers
Three regions, three covers - but why?
Perfect Dark is perhaps one of the most accomplished games in the N64 library. It built on the solid work seen in the sublime GoldenEye 007, pushing the host hardware to its limits and making excellent use of the N64 Expansion Pak to deliver the kind of visuals that rival systems could only dream of. It remains...
May2019
News Three New Collections Announced For Upcoming Retro Handheld Evercade
Namco are on board, plus new carts from Interplay and Atari
The makers of the Evercade, an upcoming handheld console that connects to your TV and plays collections of retro games which come on cartridges, have announced three new carts, each containing a fresh selection. The biggest news is that there's a new publisher on the platform in the form...
News The N64 Version Of Joanna Dark Joins The Totaku Collection This September
Relive the glory days
If you still have fond memories of the original Perfect Dark game on the Nintendo 64, you'll likely be interested to hear Totaku has announced a figurine based on the Carrington Institute agent, Joanna Dark. This particular figurine is expected to join the series later on this year in September and follows on from the previous...
News Former Rare Developer Shares New Details About Conker's Cancelled Sequel
The game we never got to play
Conker's Bad Fur Day designer Chris Seavor has once again taken to Twitter to share new details about the sequel that never saw the light of day. Well before the open-world multiplayer game Sea of Thieves, Rare had plans for a direct follow-up to Conker's original and mature-themed outing on the Nintendo 64. According...
Exclusive The Evercade Handheld Is Getting Earthworm Jim, Clayfigher And Midnight Resistance
Plus many other classic Data East and Interplay titles
A short time ago, we lifted the lid on a new handheld games system aimed at retro players, called the Evercade. Rather than attempt to go head-to-head with the Switch, this pocket-sized marvel will instead focus on running old-school games, and it will come bundled with a cartridge (remember...
News The NES Encyclopedia - Everything You Wanted To Know About The NES, But Were Afraid To Ask
Over 870 games detailed within...
There are certain video game platforms that stick in our memory longer than most, and these are often the systems that we cut our gaming teeth on; not necessarily our first, but certainly the ones that had the most impact on our formative years. You never forget your first love, as the saying goes. Video game...
Video Star Wars: Rogue Squadron Gets A Stunning HD Makeover In Unreal Engine 4
If only it was official
Long before EA got the rights to create Star Wars video games, LucasArts and Factor 5 produced the Rogue Squadron trilogy. The first game was released on the Nintendo 64 and PC in 1998 and the second and third game landed exclusively on the GameCube a number of years later. While Star Wars Rogue Squadron II: Rogue Leader and...
News Retro Shoot ‘Em Up Cotton Making A Surprise Comeback On Switch
Bewitched!
Great news for shoot 'em up aficionado as Beep has officially confirmed it is working on a brand new Cotton franchise reboot – heading to multiple platforms including the Nintendo Switch. While there isn't much information about this new entry at the moment, the company has revealed it will be based on the X68000 Japanese computer home...
News Earthworm Jim 1 & 2 Getting A SNES Reprint Courtesy Of iam8bit
Woah, Nelly!
Recent news that the original team behind beloved 16-bit platformer Earthworm Jim is getting back together for a sequel on the Intellivision Amico confirmed that there's still an audience for the worm and his zany antics. His games on SNES and Genesis / Mega Drive were f
News This Game Boy Color Watch Is Effortlessly Cool, And Pre-Orders Have Just Gone Live
Order now with free delivery
Let's face it: if you're on the lookout for a new watch, or even if you're not, you probably won't come across one that's quite as cool as this. Clearly based on the trusty Game Boy Color handheld console, this watch is an officially-licensed product available to order from Merchoid. It features the expected time, date...
News Buta san Explodes Onto Switch Today As Part Of Hamster's Arcade Archives Range
This little piggy went BOOM
Hamster's latest Arcade Archives release on Switch has been revealed, and this time we're being treated to 1987 arcade title, Buta san. Featuring the perfectly reasonable blend of playable pig characters and explosives, the game has you picking up randomly generated bombs and attempting to blow up other pigs. Each bomb...
Random Modder Makes Ganondorf A Playable Fighter In Smash Bros. 64
The king of the Gerudo tribe joins the battle
When Super Smash Bros. started out life in 1999 on the Nintendo 64, there were only 12 fighters to select from. As "all-star" as this original cast was, unfortunately, Link was unable to duke it out with Ganondorf. Now, 20 years on, a modder by the name of JSsixtyfour has released a new ROM hack...
News Soko Banana Is A Brand New Game Being Developed For The NES
Yes, for the actual NES hardware
Almost every day, we see waves of online users replying to game reveals with something along the lines of "yeah, but is it coming to Switch", desperate for another game on their platform of choice. Isn't it about time we started asking new questions instead of simply port-begging for more games on Nintendo's newest...
Random The Captivating Mystery Of Pilotwings’ Crashing Plane
And what it means for the art of emulation
These days, we’re used to games evolving over time; developers add content, patch out bugs and generally tinker with their creations for months (if not years) after their publication, subtly re-shaping them into a form which often differs quite wildly from the initial release. Even though this practice...
Feature Every Nintendo Console Ranked From Worst To Best
Get your pitchfork ready...
Nintendo has a storied history of riding the crest of the video game wave, starting with 1977's Color TV-Game, which was exclusive to Japan and kicked-off the company's habit of revising its hardware (four iterations appeared between '77 and '80). However, it would be the NES that marked Nintendo's true entry into the...
News Tecmo Bowl Is Joining Hamster's Arcade Archives Series On The Switch
Coming soon
If you're fond of retro sports titles, you'll be pleased to hear Hamster will soon release the 1987 arcade game, Tecmo Bowl, on the Nintendo Switch. This new entry in the Arcade Archives line, as the name suggests, was originally developed by the Japanese company Tecmo. Nintendo fans are likely to be more familiar with the NES iteration...
News Arcade Archives Ninja Gaiden Sneaks Onto Nintendo Switch Tomorrow
Not the NES version
Hamster has revealed the next game in its ever-growing Arcade Archives series on Switch, and this time we're being treated to Ninja Gaiden. Released in Japanese arcades back in 1989, Ninja Gaiden is a side-scrolling beat 'em up which actually first arrived in North America and Europe just months before. It's worth noting that...
Random Someone's Working To Fix SNES Shooter Gradius III's Slowdown Issues
SA1 to the rescue!
As one of the earliest shmups to hit the Super Nintendo along with Super R-Type, it was hard not to love Konami's Gradius III. It remains an absolute luxury to have such a great exclusive home port, but reviewers at the time were unanimous in pointing out a single flaw which was somewhat common among earlier SNES releases. The...
Feature The History Of Virtua Racing, One Of The Most Influential Coin-Ops Of All Time
Now the Switch version is with us, we look back on the arcade classic...
Far more than any other factor, it was undoubtedly the advent of new hardware that propelled Sega’s arcade games to a whole new level. The ‘90s saw video games make the transition from sprites to polygons, a charge Sega led from a position of uncontested leadership despite...
Random Game Boy Classic Super Mario Land Gets A Fan-Made DX Update
A splash of colour, plus a facelift!
Everyone found ways to celebrate the Game Boy's 30th anniversary (we certainly contributed our share) but toruzz's effort certainly went above and beyond. Nintendo never gave us an updated 'DX' edition of their first Mario outing on the Game Boy, but if it did, it might just look a bit like this. Sarasaland...
News You Can Now Make Your Own Game Boy JRPGs With GB Studio
No programming knowledge needed!
If, back in the day, you planned your Link's Awakening killer for the Game Boy but never got past the concept phase, it might just be the time to dig up those plans, because thanks to GB Studio and some effort, you can finally make your dream Game Boy game a reality. Released to coincide with Nintendo's...
News Super Nintendo Emulator Brings HD To Mode 7 Retro Classics
Beyond super, beyond 4:3!
There's no shortage of options when it comes to playing SNES games on a PC, but programmer Byuu's extensive work on bsnes throughout the years has ensured that it remains by far the most cycle accurate Super Nintendo emulator ever developed. While not as user friendly or CPU-light as other offerings, it remains an...
Feature What It’s Like To Run An Online Game Store In Japan
“You could buy a car with this kind of money”
While a great many of the world’s best games come from western developers, for a certain sector of the gaming world, Japan is where it’s at. Not only is it the home of Nintendo, Sony, Sega and Capcom – as well as numerous other key players in the industry – but in the ‘80s and ‘90s it was...
News Forgotten Interview With Miyamoto Sheds Light On A Classic Zelda Production
A link to the past
A forgotten interview dating back to 1992 has been spotted on archive.org. It's from issue 25 of the publication Electric Brain and features the one and only Shigeru Miyamoto talking about the development of The Legend of Zelda: A Link To The Past along with the first two Zelda entries on NES. Throughout the interview, Miyamoto...
Feature The Game Boy's Biggest Rival Gets Revived By The Modding Community
Where there's a McWill, there's a way
In the early 1980s, portable gaming was mainly limited to LCD-based games. Companies such as Casio, Grandstand and Tiger Electronics would all release various watches and devices to keep us entertained on those tiresome journeys. Nintendo wasn't really known here in the UK back then, but it stood out from the...
April2019
News GoldenEye 007 Nintendo 64 Demo Footage Shows What Could Have Been
'Train' wasn't the only level on-rails
For many gamers of the late '90s, GoldenEye 007 was a fixture of both solo and multiplayer gaming sessions that is burnt into their very consciousness. Watching the above clip from a contemporary promotional video will surely bring back memories, but veterans of the game will immediately notice that something's...
Random Miyamoto Has A Taste For British Biscuits, According To Star Fox Veteran Dylan Cuthbert
"I used to love McVitie's chocolate biscuits during those all nighters”
Dylan Cuthbert, founder of Q-Games and best-known as lead programmer on the original Star Fox, has recently been on Twitter sharing some personal Nintendo stories from back in the day. His most recent account details a particular cold December night when he stayed late working...
News Troubled Genesis Brawler Paprium Is Apparently Back On Track
Going into production soon
Remember Paprium? Developed by Watermelon — the studio behind the excellent Pier Solar — this side-scrolling fighter was supposed to launch on the Sega Genesis / Mega Drive some time ago, funded by pre-orders pledged by the many fans desperate to see a new Streets of Rage-style brawl
Hardware Review Retro-Bit Tribute64 - A Fine N64 Controller, And Perfect For Smash On Switch
But which version do you buy?
It's fair to say that the Nintendo 64 controller was a groundbreaking release. While it wasn't the first games controller to showcase analogue input, it was the first to be shipped as standard with its host console and therefore became the first taste of this now-ubiquitous control method for many players. The N64 pad...
News Charles Martinet, Voice Of Mario, Clears Up A Decades-Long Debate
We all agreed on the "so long" bit
Anybody who's trounced Bowser in Super Mario 64 (and if you haven't, away with you this instant!) will likely be familiar with the line Mario utters as he flings Bowser, King of the Koopas, from the floating platform during the boss battle. Or, more accurately, they'll likely be familiar with the confusion...
News Check Out The Title Screen Music Of This Mario Kart 64 Prototype
"Welcome to Muzakart!"
Every week we get fresh little peeks behind the curtain of games both big and small. Recently, Forest of Illusion posted this original theme tune for Mario Kart 64 on Twitter. It comes from a prototype build of the game and it's not the most inspired track in the plumber's songbook. Take a listen below: As you can hear, it...
News First Images Of Cartridge-Based Retro Console The Evercade Revealed
It's a handheld that plugs into your TV! Hang on...
The first pictures of the Evercade, a retro-oriented handheld console, have been released showing off the cartridges the system will use and announcing the first publisher to jump on board: Atari. As you can see, the system features a traditional control template with the face buttons adopting the...
News NES And SNES Mini Are Still Big Sellers For Nintendo
Retrotastic
Nintendo's year-end financial report has some fascinating tidbits in it, including this line: Nintendo Entertainment System: NES Classic Edition and Super Nintendo Entertainment System: Super NES Classic Edition recorded total sales of 5.95 million units. It's a shame that the NES and SNES Mini financial year sales are combined, as...
News Retro-Bit's Tribute64 Controller Can Be Used With The N64 Or Your Switch
Paying tribute to a classic
Love it or hate it, the N64 Controller is quite iconic and during the Nintendo 64's lifetime, many third-party peripheral manufacturers attempted to refine Nintendo's original design into something a little bit more comfortable. Years later it seems not much has changed, as Retro-Bit will soon be releasing a new line of...
Weirdness The Hot Seat Allowed You To Play NES Games With Motion Control
No, we're not talking about some obscure game show
Nintendo may have released some incredibly odd devices over the years ranging from motion-controlled Power Gloves to Game Boy compatible sewing machines, but one lesser-known product designed by Power to the 10th Inc. for the NES might outdo them all. Introducing the NES Hot Seat – a small chair...
Video Highlights From The Midwest Gaming Classic
North by Midwest
The retro video game convention Midwest Gaming Classic celebrated its 18th year in Milwaukee, WI a little over a week ago, and we just so happened to have been in attendance! The convention is host to hundreds of pinball and retro arcade games that are all open for free play, a vendor hall where you can buy almost any game you can...
News Remarkable Commodore 64 Port Of Super Mario Bros. Attracts Nintendo's Watchful Eye
Completed fan project seven years in the pipeline gets taken down
Last week a truly remarkable programming feat came to light with the release of Super Mario Bros. 64, a port of the original NES Super Mario Bros. for the Commodore 64. Seven years in the making, it came courtesy of programmer and fan ZeroPaige. It's a painstaking recreation that...
Feature Keeping The Game Boy Retail Dream Alive, 30 Years After Launch
"It’s a borderline addiction"
The Nintendo Game Boy turns 30 this Sunday, and to celebrate this amazing occasion we'll be running a series of related features this week, right up to the big day. The Game Boy may be 30 years old this week, but that doesn’t mean the system is dead and gone from a retail perspective; over the past few years...
Feature Our Favourite Memories Of The Original Game Boy
Nostalgia for Nintendo’s most humble of handhelds
The Nintendo Game Boy turns 30 this Sunday, and to celebrate this amazing occasion we'll be running a series of related features this week, right up to the big day. As the 30th anniversary of the Game Boy’s Japanese debut approached, we here at Nintendo Life Towers were thinking a lot about the...
Guide Celebrate Game Boy's 30th Anniversary With This Lovely Merchandise
Dress to impress
The Nintendo Game Boy turns 30 this Sunday, and to celebrate this amazing occasion we'll be running a series of related features this week, right up to the big day. As the humble Game Boy's 30th anniversary approaches, Nintendo's classic handheld has never been cooler. If you want to make a statement about your love for all things...
Feature How R-Type Was De-Made For The Game Boy, Before Demakes Were A Thing
"It was thought it would be impossible to convert it to the Game Boy"
The Nintendo Game Boy turns 30 this Sunday, and to celebrate this amazing occasion we'll be running a series of related features this week, right up to the big day. The concept of 'de-making' a game is one that most modern players will be familiar with; you take a recent title,...
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