Retro - News
January2019
Random Talented Individual Creates Arcade Stick For Nintendo’s Virtual Boy
Touted as the “world’s first”
The Virtual Boy was universally panned by critics and goes down in history as Nintendo’s worst system of all-time. Despite this, the 32-bit table-top console with a red monochrome head-mounted display has still managed to develop a cult following over the years. Surprisingly, there’s even a supportive...
News The Retro Champ Is A Switch-Like Hybrid Console That Plays Your Original NES Games
Take your NES on the go
The Switch is slowly but surely becoming a super-useful tool for playing NES games on a modern display, and even on the go in handheld form, with the Nintendo Switch Online service throwing in three more games from the original system's library each month. Still, for anyone who has a large collection of real, physical NES...
Random Totaka's Song Has Been Discovered In Pikmin 2, Again
Nearly 15 years after the game's original release
A famous melody which has appeared in multiple Nintendo games over the years is Totaka's Song. It was originally created by Nintendo composer and sound director Kazumi Totaka and first appeared in X - a 1992 shooter on the original Game Boy - as a secret. Since then, it's become somewhat of an iconic...
Random This 1991 Nintendo Calendar Is Pretty Bizarre, And It Can Be Used Again In 2019
Samus, is that you?
Rummaging through your basement to look back over old goodies can be a wonderful experience - you should see some of the relics we have knocking about at Nintendo Life HQ - and can sometimes reunite you with things long forgotten. One such basement search has uncovered this Nintendo calendar from 1991, and some of the designs...
Video You Can Actually Play Games With The NES Controllers Still Attached To Your Switch
A weapon to surpass Metal Gear
Peripherals come and peripherals go, and one of this we thought would be going very swiftly out of people's minds was the NES Controllers for Nintendo Switch. They look clunky, they were reportedly only going to work with NES games via Nintendo Switch Online, and the price didn't fill a lot of fans with confidence...
Talking Point It's A Pretty Sweet Time For 'New' Retro Games, But What Does It Mean For Collectors?
Are you a fan of 'official' repro releases?
One of the most annoying things about collecting and playing vintage games is the cost. While a great many classic carts are available at cheap prices on the second-hand market, the most desirable examples are rising in value all of the time, which means many people simply don't bother with physical games...
Video Unlocking The "Minus Worlds" In The NES Version Of The Legend Of Zelda
Exploring the uncharted
If you haven't heard about the "minus worlds" before, it's basically a glitch found in multiple classic games such as Super Mario Bros. on the NES. Now, decades after the release of The Legend of Zelda on the same platform, the minus worlds in this title have been discovered. YouTube channel Skelux has accessed the minus...
News This Custom Game Boy Cartridge Turns Your Old Handhelds Into GameCube And Wii Controllers
Play Virtual Console with a real Game Boy
Ever played an old Game Boy classic on the Wii's Virtual Console and thought, "hey, this is great, but it still doesn't feel quite like it used to in the good old days"? Well, this custom cartridge could well solve that dilemma as it allows players to use any Game Boy system as a controller for your GameCube...
Video This Pocket-Sized Portable Plays GameCube And Wii Games
But you can't buy it
Portable Wii consoles aren't a new thing – we've seen one that fits inside a coat, lest we forget – but few fan-made mods come as elegantly packaged as this one. The PiiWii Pocket is the creation of YouTuber Shank Mods, and uses actual Wii internals rather than emulation. It comes with a suite of controls, internal cooling...
December2018
Feature How Mortal Kombat Defined The Console War Between Sega And Nintendo
The inside story on the game launch that made $50 million in a single day
No, you're not suffering from déjà vu; this article originally appeared on the site in September this year, and we're republishing it as part of our 'Best of 2018' series which celebrates what we feel were our finest features of the past twelve months. Enjoy! September...
News Unreleased NES SimCity Gets Preserved, Publicly Released
An 8-bit Christmas miracle!
You may remember last year this humble NL scribe reported on the surprising discovery of two NES SimCity prototype cartridges in the wild. This unreleased, Nintendo-developed version was one the NES holy grails of prototypes but not many people got their hands on the content of those two cartridges... until Frank Cifaldi...
Feature 20 Years After The Release Of Banjo-Kazooie, We Speak To The Guys Who Made It
The N64's beloved duo celebrate two decades
No, you're not suffering from déjà vu; this article originally appeared on the site in June this year, and we're republishing it as part of our 'Best of 2018' series which celebrates what we feel were our finest features of the past twelve months. Enjoy! Here is a sobering thought. It’s been twenty...
Feature The Day I Met Donkey Kong On Live TV
Alex Norton talks of TV fame and people in ape suits
No, you're not suffering from déjà vu; this article originally appeared on the site in August this year, and we're republishing it as part of our 'Best of 2018' series which celebrates what we feel were our finest features of the past twelve months. In this special one-off piece, reader Alex...
Feature How One Nintendo Christmas Shaped The Rest Of My Life
Chris Scullion recounts how the NES altered his destiny one festive morning
It was the summer of 1987. My aunt had fallen in love with an American chap and moved to the States to marry him and live there. And so, my family – including a 4-year-old me – flew out from Scotland to Parma, Ohio to visit them during the summer. That was when I saw...
Feature The Real Wizard: A Nintendo World Champion's Tale
Jeff Hansen talks about his past life as a gaming superstar
No, you're not suffering from déjà vu; this article originally appeared on the site in June this year, and we're republishing it as part of our 'Best of 2018' series which celebrates what we feel were our finest features of the past twelve months. Enjoy! Nintendo – perhaps more so...
Feature Creating The Ultimate Game Boy
The DMG-102 is the handheld of your dreams
The humble Game Boy is probably older than many of the people reading these words right now, but it nonetheless remains an utterly iconic piece of consumer tech. Since the start of the Game Boy line way back in 1989, the range has undergone several revisions and has sold millions of units all over the...
Hardware Review To Enjoy The New BittBoy, You'll Need To Get Your Hands Dirty
Games not included
If you cast your minds back a short while, you'll recall that we reviewed the BittBoy Portable Video Game Handheld, a dinky little Game Boy clone that came packed with 300 NES games, many of which were pretty dire – not to mention legally questionable. Despite this, we couldn't help warming to this truly pocket-sized portable,...
News Early Pokémon Red And Blue Concept Art Shows How Different Some Classic 'Mon Originally Looked
Gyarados was terrifying
For many Pokémon fans, the names and faces of the series' ever-growing collection of monsters are forever imprinted in our minds, and especially the 'classic' set of Generation 1 creatures that debuted in Pokémon Red and Blue. Of course, the new release of Pokémon: Let's Go, Pikachu! and Let's Go, Eevee! has only enhanced...
Random John Cena Is A NES Aficionado
"Yay, technology"
American actor, professional wrestler, rapper and all-around good guy John Cena recently spoke about his love of the original Nintendo Entertainment System during an IGN video promoting the new Transformers film, Bumblebee. The cast of the movie was quizzed about '80s toys, and the most knowledgeable of the bunch was John. After...
Video SNES Classic Runs PSone Games Better Than The PlayStation Classic
Classic Sony
If you keep tabs on the competition, you will have no doubt have heard about the PlayStation Classic. Following Nintendo's success with NES and SNES Classic systems, Sony decided to release a miniature version of its own legacy hardware. Unfortunately, this particular system hasn't lived up to expectations, with an underwhelming...
Video Here's How Smash Ultimate's World Of Light Trailer Might Have Looked On Game Boy Color
"Don't let a single one get away"
Despite having now owned the game for several days - and having beaten up more innocent Jigglypuff than we care to admit in that time - we still find ourselves occasionally reminiscing over that wonderful World of Light trailer. It's hard not to fall in love with a video depicting so many of our beloved childhood...
News This Awesome Hand-Drawn Ninja Gaiden Guide Brings Back Lovely Pre-Internet Memories
And you can have it for free
Before strategy guides and that pesky, know-it-all internet came along, completing tricky games was a serious challenge. There was a time when players couldn't simply Google "how do I unlock Simon Belmont's luscious locks in Smash Bros.", and instead had to figure everything out by playing over and over again. Often,...
News The New BittBoy Can Play NES, Game Boy And Game Boy Color (Ahem) Games
Let's hope Soulja Boy doesn't find out
We reviewed the original BittBoy some time ago and found it to be a perfectly likeable – if legally questionable – handheld system. Now, the company behind it is releasing a successor, and while it retains the same basic design, there are a few extra features worth noting (and no, it's no less dubious from...
News SNES Classic King Arthur's World Is Getting A Modern Day Remaster 25 Years Later
Recreated by the original team
It may well have been around 25 years ago that SNES classic King Arthur's World invaded our screens for the first time, but a brand new remaster for modern platforms is currently in the works. If you need a quick refresher, or if you're simply too young to have been around, the game has you playing as the titular King...
Feature SNES Classic Edition Vs. PlayStation Classic - Which One Should You Choose?
16-bit or 32-bit?
Nintendo wasn't the first company to wake up to the idea of repackaging its games in tiny versions of classic consoles – Sega and Atari (from a licencing perspective, at least) were there a long, long time ago – but its entry into this previously niche sector certainly made an impact. The NES Classic Edition and SNES Classic...
News Analogue Announces New Limited Edition Super Nt, And You Can Order One Right Now
Limited to 1,000 units, so be quick
If you're a fan of your fancy tech and intriguing video game consoles, you may already be aware of the Analogue Super Nt. Inspired by the design of the Japanese and European Super Famicom / SNES systems, this machine can play your original games on your modern 1080p setups with beautiful ease, and a new Limited...
Video Obscure Mario Facts You Probably Didn't Know About
No, really
If you thought you already knew everything about Mario, perhaps you should watch the above video first. Did You Know Gaming has managed to compile 10 minutes of obscure Mario facts you probably had no idea about. For example, during the Super Famicom era, Nintendo experimented with digital magazine publishing. Despite being officially...
November2018
News Paprium's Disastrous 'Launch Party' Leaves Backers Furious As Unfinished Prototype Is Shown Off
"I'm starting to think this situation is beyond repair"
The saga of Paprium – the next game from Pier Solar developer WaterMelon – rolls ever onwards. Earlier this year we spoke to one of the game's artists about the stop-st
Troubled over which version to pick? We're here to help...
The 'classic console' market is getting pretty busy right now, what with the NES Classic, SNES Classic and PlayStation Classic sure to keep the tills ticking over this Christmas, and the
Feature Dave "The Games Animal" Perry On Picking Sega Over Nintendo And Returning To Mario 64
"This time maybe I will know what the buttons do"
The recent news that one of the UK's most well-known gaming celebrities had returned from the wild to begin a new YouTube channel caused quite a stir recently, but not just for nostalgic reasons. Dave "The Games Animal" Perry might not be famous outside of the British Isles (and even then, Brits...
Random Only 300 Of These Fiorentina-Themed Game Boy Pockets Were Ever Released
Football in your pocket
If you live and breath calcio, you might be fond of the Serie A Italian football side Fiorentina. Even if you just love the global game and are also a fan of Nintendo, you'll probably remember this team's classic 'Nintendo' kit of 1998. To this day, it remains one of the club's most iconic and memorable designs. During this...
Hardware Review Krikzz Joyzz Wireless Sega Mega Drive Controller - Perfection Comes At A Price
The best wireless option for Sega fans
If you're a keen follower of the modern-day retro gaming scene then you'll no doubt have heard of Igor Golubovskiy, better known as Krikzz. Over the past few years, Krikzz has built up a solid reputation thanks to his superb line of flash cartridges which cunningly allow you to play ROMs on vintage hardware...
Random The Famous Basketball From The Front Cover Of NBA Jam Is Actually Real
But how is it not on fire?
The famous arcade basketball game NBA Jam was originally released by Midway in 1993 and made available on the Super Nintendo the year after. Anyone who played it will no doubt remember the game's cover art depicting a basketball exploding through a paper-like banner. For those who didn't know, this wasn't a CGI render or...
Video Family Guy Pays Respect To GoldenEye 007 On N64 With Suprisingly Accurate Skit
"Almost James Bond"
Rare's 1997 Nintendo 64 release GoldenEye 007 is considered as one of the greatest games of all-time. Not only did it provide Nintendo fans of this era with mature-themed gameplay, but it also gave the FPS genre on consoles some much-needed recognition. It was so influential, it spawned its own PC mod and has basically become...
News Reggie: N64 Classic Mini Is "Not In Our Planning Horizon", But Wouldn't Ever Rule It Out
NES and SNES were "limited time opportunities"
With the NES Classic hitting stores in 2016, and the SNES Classic following suit in 2017, it likely comes as no surprise that fans were expecting a potential Nintendo 64 Classic (the next home console in Nintendo's historic lineup) to arrive at some point this year. A couple of months ago, an N64...
News EON Is Launching A Successor To Its Popular GameCube HD Adapter
And it's got the blessing of Smash champ Juan “Hungrybox” DeBiedma
We covered the EON GCHD not so long ago and found it to be a superb - if somewhat pricey - means of retrofitting your GameCube for the HD era without having to perform any awkward modifications. EON has today announced that it is producing a successor to the unit which promises...
News Mega Drive Kickstarter Success Xeno Crisis Is Getting A Limited Physical Edition On Switch
Don't mind if we do
Bitmap Bureau has revealed that Xeno Crisis - an arcade-style shooter set to launch for the 30-year-old Sega Mega Drive - will also be receiving a physical release on Nintendo Switch. You may remember that, right at the start of the year, we reported on the game's Kickstarter progress, noting that a $65,000 stretch goal was...
News Columbus Circle Is Releasing A Converter That Lets You Play Game Boy Color Games On Your SNES
Colour me excited
The Super Game Boy was great, especially if you were a Nintendo fan who was short on cash and wanted to extract as much enjoyment as possible from your small library of games. Being able to experience your Game Boy games on the big screen was a real boon, and if you're anything like us then you'll have many happy memories of...
Not a bad decision, huh?
At this point, everyone and their cat knows about Tetris; the highscore-chasing, block-placing phenomenon has sold hundreds of millions of copies around the world, captivating the minds of its players for years on end. One cog in the Tetris success machine is Henk Rogers, a game designer known for securing the rights to...
News Brush Up On Your Gaming Music Knowledge With A Diggin' In The Carts Radio Marathon This Weekend
Final episode airs this week
A little while ago, we reported on the return of Diggin' In The Carts - an eight-part radio series which has been celebrating all different aspects of video game music over the last few weeks. With special guests including none other than Donkey Kong Country composer David Wise, the show has been going along swimmingly,...
News A Garish Neo Geo Mini Christmas Edition Is On The Way With More Games Included
Now with 48 titles
SNK has announced that the Neo Geo Mini is set to receive a limited edition Christmas variant which will come with more games included. This edition has 48 games available to play, as opposed to the standard edition's 40. From the 48 titles set to be available in the Christmas edition, nine are not available on the standard and...
Video Learn About Nintendo's Failed Harry Potter Pitch For The N64
Expelliarmus!
With the sequel to Fantastic Beasts arriving in cinemas worldwide on 16th November, there's no better time to talk about the secret history of the Harry Potter video game series. In a new Did You Know Gaming video, independent game researcher Liam Robertson takes a look at Nintendo's failed Harry Potter pitch during the N64 era. Prior...
Feature How One Magazine Told The World About Pokémon
"This felt like real magic"
Paul Davies is a game design consultant, editorial manager and writer who has been working in the UK games industry since the early '90s. During his career, he has edited best-selling publications such as Nintendo Magazine System and Computer & Video Games, and has contributed to countless other sites and magazines...
Random NPD Reveals Best-Selling N64 And Game Boy Color Games From The Mid To Late Nineties
Retro flashback
While we're used to seeing the latest video game charts, it's easy to forget how they looked roughly twenty years ago. NPD Video Game Industry Analyst Mat Piscatella recently shared the best-selling game charts from the mid to late nineties. In terms of Nintendo charts, he featured the big systems of the time including the Nintendo...
News SEGA AGES Sonic The Hedgehog 2 Might Be The Best Version We've Ever Had
An improved version of Virtua Racing is also expected
SEGA and M2 are doing a great job of bringing classic Mega Drive games to the Switch with the SEGA AGES series of games. As with the 3DS 3D Classics range, these aren't just lazy efforts. M2 really get into the original games source code so you know you are getting a port worthy of your time. In...
Wants to make sure Sega AGES volume one is a hit first
M2 - the development team behind the Sega AGES line - is currently busy bringing Sega's retro line of games across to the Switch. Sega itself even ran a poll not long ago asking fans what games they wanted to see added to the series in the future. Surprisingly, the Dreamcast classic Jet Set...
October2018
Feature One Company Is Retrofitting Classic Systems With HDMI Output Without Costing The Earth
...and a SNES HDMI cable is on the way
As the years roll by and vintage consoles get older and older, it stands to reason that the AV connection standards these machines were intended to use will become obsolete. S-Video, Composite, Component and even RGB SCART are all legacy connections that are slowly but surely being phased out in favour of...
News SNES Mini And NES Mini Combined Global Sales Surpass 10 Million Mark
Retro revival
The SNES and NES Classic Mini have proven to be a huge success for Nintendo since the systems were launched and resulted in many companies trying to emulate this success with their own retro devices. It turns out, both of Nintendo's miniature systems have been so successful, combined global sales have now surpassed 10 million units...
Feature Celebrating 30 Years Of The Mega Drive, 500ft Above London
Taking to the skies with REZtron
On Monday 29th October 1988, Sega of Japan released the Sega Mega Drive; a 16-bit system that elevated console gaming to a new level, took Nintendo by surprise and would go on to make Sega a household name across the world. 30 years on, and the console is still fondly remembered by many gamers all over the world and...
Video Learn About The Unreleased Game Boy Title Starring The Rapper Vanilla Ice
Ice ice baby
Back when licensed video games first caught on during the '80s and '90s, it wasn't just cartoons, comics and movies that were being adapted to the newest form of entertainment at the time, there were also games based on musicians. The most famous was Michael Jackson's Sega-developed title Moonwalker - requiring the player to execute...
Hardware Classics Sega Mega Drive / Genesis
The genesis of Sega's superstardom
To mark the 30th birthday of Sega's 16-bit system, we thought you might like to reacquaint yourselves with this feature, which was originally published back in March 2013. It's fitting that the first non-Nintendo entry in our Hardware Classics series should be the Sega Mega Drive. This sleek 16-bit powerhouse...
Video This Personal Video Game Collection Is The Greatest Of All-Time
A world record holder
If you're a fan of video game history, it might be worth checking out the above video posted by Australian super-collector Joel "Last Gamer" Hopkins. He's got an entire house dedicated to games - with a total of five rooms covering every aspect of his beloved hobby. We previously posted about this world record holder last year...
Savage Reign and Alpha Mission!
Good old HAMSTER. This Japanese company has become quite reliable when it comes to bringing retro classics to the Switch eShop, and this week is no exception with Neo Geo brawler Savage Reign and arcade shmup Arcade Archives: Alpha Mission being offered for your consideration. Both of these SNK classics will be...
News Sega AGES Devs Discuss Possibility Of Dreamcast Games On Switch Again, Emulation The Way To Go?
Only a matter of time?
The first entries into Sega's AGES range on Nintendo Switch have finally arrived, with plenty more games still lined up to follow suit, but there's one question still hanging in the air. That question revolves around Dreamcast games and, in particular, whether or not the Switch will receive any games from the long-discontinued...
News AtGames Disappoints Again With The Bandai Namco Flashback Blast
Bait and switch
With Christmas on the way, lots of folks will be tempted to pick up something like the AtGames' Bandai Namco Flashback Blast for their loved ones who enjoy retro gaming. At only $20 with classic Namco arcade titles packed on to a retro style 6 button joypad with an HDMI dongle, this seems like a bargain too good to be true. For the...
Anniversary Super Mario Bros. 3 Turns 30 Years Old Today
Feel old yet?
Thirty years ago today, on 23rd October 1988, Super Mario Bros. 3 launched in Japan. Following the traditions already put in place by previous Mario games, Super Mario Bros. 3 had players controlling either Mario or Luigi as they went on a quest to save Princess Toadstool from the dastardly claws of Bowser. There were enemies to stomp...
News 16-Year-Old Joseph Saelee Beats Seven-Time Tetris World Champion For The Ultimate Crown
The hard work pays off
Joseph Saelee, a 16-year-old Tetris prodigy, has just emerged victorious at the Classic Tetris World Championship, defeating a seven-time world champion in the process. The event took place at Portland, Oregon this weekend, ending yesterday on 21st October, with Joseph taking on Jonas Neubauer in the grand final. The...
With new content and images
Back in 2013, video game journalist and historian John Szczepaniak embarked on a crowdfunded adventure to chart the hitherto untold stories of the Japanese game development community. He flew out to Japan and spoke to some of the unsung heroes of the gaming world - as well as few true legends, such as Henk Rogers and Yuzo...
Video The Nintendo 64 Classic Mini "Leak" is Completely Fake
"I would bet money that this isn't real"
If you keep up to date with the latest happenings in the world of Nintendo, you might have seen a few photos doing the rounds over the weekend of a supposed Nintendo 64 Classic Mini. It's the device that is expected to succeed the incredibly popular mini versions of the NES and Super Nintendo. After a closer...
Feature The Console Wars Are Back With The Analogue Mega Sg, The First FPGA Sega Console
"We've got no interest in nostalgia gimmicks or making toys"
In the field of 'new' retro hardware, one name arguably stands out. Analogue started its life with the gloriously insane (and incredibly expensive) wooden Neo Geo MVS, but it was the Analogue Nt that really took the firm to the big leagues. Authentic NES hardware contained in an a
Random This Unreal Version Of GoldenEye 007 Aims To Recreate Rare's Iconic FPS
Releasing in 2022
Rare's beloved 1997 Nintendo 64 classic GoldenEye 007 might be stuck in licensing limbo, but that won't stop the modding community from trying to revitalise the iconic first-person shooter. For years now, GoldenEye: Source - a fan mod available through Valve's Steam service - has allowed players to live out their old-school...
News Rare Is Set To Open Its Own Online Store, Banjo-Kazooie Plush Toy Among The Products Available
And there goes all our money once again
British game developer Rare has announced that it is "making plans" for its very own online store which looks set to feature merchandise based on its popular creations. The news comes from the tweet below, with the company also taking the opportunity to show off an adorable Banjo-Kazooie plush that has us...
Hardware Review EON GCHD GameCube HDMI Adapter
Another mod-free HD option for Nintendo's famous box
While the world waits for Nintendo do something - anything - constructive with its enviable back catalogue of games on its latest console beyond giving us a few dusty old NES titles, there's a burgeoning community which aims to harness the power of vintage hardware to experience the best titles...
News Sega Says Its Retro Release Strategies "Can Be Opportunistic As Well As Strategic"
"There is a thought process that goes behind it"
Wherever you look, and whichever current gaming platform you own, there's a wealth of retro Sega content to sink your teeth into at the click of a button. From the recent launch of the Sega AGES line on Switch and the Sega Mega Drive Classics collection on all major consoles (Switch coming soon), to...
News The Power Glove Was "Way Ahead Of Its Time" According To One Of The Men Behind It
"It was pretty cooly designed, for that time"
Ah, the Power Glove. It may have sold a million units but it has become something of a joke among Nintendo gamers; a product which arguably looked much better than it played. The device was supposed to immerse players like no other controller, but the reality was rather less appealing; the glove was a...
Random Banjo-Kazooie And Conker Are Being Added To The Totaku Collection
Retro-inspired
If you were around during the years of the Nintendo 64, you'll no doubt remember Rare's foul-mouthed squirrel Conker and the beloved bear and bird duo, Banjo-Kazooie. To help you remember the glory days of these iconic characters, the Totaku Collection is adding the characters to its officially licensed figurine line. Both the...
Feature Remembering Super Mario 128, The Groundbreaking Masterpiece That Never Really Existed
When is a game not a game?
The Super Mario series has been responsible for some pretty amazing forward strides in the video game industry; the NES original arguably triggered a 2D platforming goldrush which would dominate the ‘80s and early ‘90s, while Super Mario 64 did the same for 3D gaming in general. Later, Super Mario Galaxy would allow...
News Liquid Media Acquires Acclaim Entertainment Video Game Properties
Retro revival
Candian Studio, Liquid Media Group, has reportedly acquired the rights to 65 Acclaim Entertainment video game properties for $1 million. The fellow Canadian company, Throwback Entertainment, originally bought the collection of titles from Acclaim after its collapse in 2004. Website Geekwire has published the full list of properties...
September2018
News David Wise And More Set To Appear On Video Game Soundtrack Radio Series Diggin' In The Carts
A special eight-part series
Red Bull Radio has today announced the return of Diggin' in the Carts - a show which examines the music, creators, legacy and global impact of video game music. Several well-established guests are set to make an appearance, including none other than Donkey Kong Country composer, David Wise. Hosted by Nick Dwyer, this...
News The Man Behind SNES Star Fox Talks About The Nintendo VR Console That Never Was
"VR gaming could have happened 20 years ago"
No images of the Super Visor exist online, but we'd like to imagine it would have looked like this Argonaut Software founder Jez San has been speaking about a hardware project he worked on with Nintendo that could have given the games industry affordable and effective home VR decades before the Oculus...
Exclusive Polymega Creator Playmaji On FPGA, Sega Saturn And Dealing With 'Healthy' Scepticism
"There are things we definitely could have done better"
Like a great many retro gamers out there, we've been following developments surrounding the Polymega console closely for quite some time now. Originally announced as RetroBlox, this modular system is built on a single goal: to offer modern-day players access to the original, physical-media...
Random Fans Ask For A Philips CD-i Classic, Philips Says "We Will Try Our Best"
Is this actually happening?
Philips, the electronics company behind the ill-fated Philips CD-i, has responded to fan requests for a classic, miniature version of the console. Amazingly, it looks like it could actually happen. A system easily forgotten about by fans, and possibly even more so by Nintendo, the Philips CD-i was initially released as a...
News Polymega Answers Critics With 25 Minutes Of Sega Saturn Gameplay Footage
Sega Rally! Guardian Heroes! Panzer Dragoon!
It's fair to say that the launch of the Polymega pre-order campaign didn't exactly go according to plan. The Polymega site was subjected to an attack just as the campaign went live which sent it down for a few days and meant many people weren't able to place their orders, and when the dust had settled...
News Sega Mega Drive Mini Release Has Been Delayed Until 2019
Now aiming for simultaneous worldwide launch
Gematsu reports Sega has now delayed the Mega Drive Mini originally scheduled to arrive in Japan this year. According to Sega, the response to the announcement in the west was bigger than it expected. There are now plans to give the system a simultaneous release worldwide in 2019. This covers the Genesis...
Random Canadian Actor And Comedian Seth Rogen Shares Mind-Blowing Duck Hunt Secret
Did you know?
The 1984 NES game Duck Hunt might not have been announced for the Nintendo Switch digital service just yet, but that doesn't mean fans of the NES Zapper title have forgotten about it. Out of the blue, Candian actor and comedian Seth Rogen has shared a "hot tip" about the original Duck Hunt game that appears to have surprised many...
Soapbox Why I'm Not Excited About Playing NES Games On The Nintendo Switch
All NES'ed out
Soapbox features enable our individual writers to voice their own opinions on hot topics, opinions that may not necessarily be the voice of the site. In this piece, Nintendo Life Operations Director Darren Calvert admits that he's not in the least bit excited about the prospect of playing NES games again in 2018... They say that...
Hardware Review The Retro-Bit Go Retro! Portable Is A Rose-Tinted Disappointment
Even Capcom and Data East can't save this one
We've seen plenty of home console revivals recently, like the NES Classic, SNES Classic, Neo Geo Mini and – coming later this year – the
Hardware Classics Exploring Luigi's Debut, The Mario Bros. Game & Watch
Everyone has to start somewhere
Luigi may not be quite as famous as his illustrious sibling, but there's a fair chance that you could stop a random person on the street and they'd still be able to identify him or at the very least acknowledge his association with the Super Mario Bros. series. Keeping this in mind, it's an odd sensation to play the...
Feature As Team17 Launches Its 100th Game, We Look Back On Its First Nintendo Outing
"My monitor did go zipping across the office in a moment of rage"
Recently, UK publisher Team17 passed a significant milestone - it released its 100th game. Since the company was founded in 1990, the firm has gone from being a developer to a fully-fledged publisher and has been behind classic titles such as Alien Breed, Superfrog, Body Blows and -...
"We didn't have time"
The recent release of Marvel's Spider-Man on the PlayStation 4 has ignited many conversations about the video game history of the web-slinger. Gadgets 360 recently spoke to Indiagames alumni Hrishi Oberoi, Srinivasan Veeraraghavan, and Vishal Gondal to discuss the first ever mobile phone Spider-Man game made in Mumbai...
News Polymega's Grand Vision For The Ultimate Retro System Includes A Virtual Console Successor
Plans in place to sell cartridge and CD games digitally
We've had our eyes on Polymega for quite some time, and even got the chance to go hands-on recently, which only made the wait for this amazing retro system even harder. The unit was supposed to go up for pre-order this week, but there have been teething issues - one of which invol
News Pre-Orders For The International Edition SNK Neo Geo Mini Go Live Next Week
First come, first served
We really liked the SNK Neo Geo Mini when we took a look at it recently. This miniature retro arcade packs in 40 classic Neo Geo games and has a lovely 3.5-inch display; it's like a SNES Classic with the added bonus of portability, and it looks super cute on your desk as well. We've just got word from UK retailer...
News Polymega Launch Trailer Reveals Sega Saturn Support
Pre-order now
Touted as the world's "most compatible" games console, the Polymega is now available to pre-order from the official website (note: the site is currently down due to the sheer demand for the device). To coincide with the system's availability, the team behind it has released a launch trailer, which also reveals Sega Saturn...
Video It's The Perfect Time To Remember How Amazing Streets Of Rage Was, And Still Is
Knuckles laid bare
The news that Streets of Rage 4 is happening came rather out of the blue, but the response has been an overwhelmingly positive one. Sega's side-scrolling fighting franchise has gone down as one of its most beloved series, thanks solely to three solid entries on the 16-bit Mega Drive / Genesis. Our friend Tyler over at iRetrogam
August2018
Hardware Review The Sega Saturn Bluetooth Pad Doesn't Live Up To Its Inspiration
So near, and yet so far
Despite this being a Nintendo site, we've never made any secret of the fact that we hold a tremendous amount of affection for the Kyoto company's erstwhile rival, Sega. Here in Europe – where Nintendo Life is headquartered – Sega was the dominant force during the late '80s and early '90s. While the NES, SNES and Game Boy...
Random Talented Individual Finishes Super Mario 64 With Nintendo 64 Mouse
Crazy as well
If you're not familiar with the Nintendo 64 mouse, after this video you certainly will be. YouTube channel Critbox has managed to complete Super Mario 64 - collecting 70 stars and defeating Bowser - using this rare and official peripheral. Exclusive to Japan, the old-school ball mouse was bundled with the 1999 Nintendo...
News Nintendo Classic Mini Double Pack Releasing In Japan On 15th September
Double the fun!
The NES Classic Mini and SNES Classic Mini have been a roaring success, with sales for both devices temporarily outperforming modern generation video game systems during certain mo
News Use Original Cartridges On Your SNES Mini With This Classic 2 Magic Attachment
Also plays ROMs
One less favourable aspect of Nintendo’s mini line of retro systems is the fixed library of games. As fantastic as the collection is on the SNES Classic Mini, some fans are admittedly disappointed by the closed state of the console - with no ability to update the device or download more nostalgic hits. The Classic 2 Magic...
Random Ever Wondered What's Inside A SNES Controller? Here's A Look
Helpful instructions
If you think back to the glory days of the Super Nintendo, you might recall how there were two versions of the system available. Even now, the unique controllers are still used to debate which one is the best. A recent post on Reddit has brought attention to the fact SNES controllers include assembly instructions on the inside...
Gallery A Closer Look At The Nintendo Snack Pack, The Portable Solution For Retro Gaming
All the old favourites
Earlier this month, we shared the progress of Marcel J. de Haan's 'Snack Pack' - a fan-made portable TV that had been fully customised to play a whole host of NES, SNES, and Sega titles. Since then, more images have been shared online, showing the final result in a little more detail; as you wonderful bunch seemed to fall...
Random Perfect Dark Speedrunner Matches Air Force One World Record
Less than a minute
The speedrunning community is known for supporting classic games over a prolonged period of time. To this day, there are still many people worldwide actively playing older games in a competitive fashion on a daily basis. Twitch speedrunner, Kevin “KevinDDR” Birrell is one of them. Kotaku UK reports h
Feature The Unlikely Story Of Sega And Nintendo's Early Coin-Op Alliance
Before they were enemies...
They didn't call it a 'console war' for nothing; the titanic struggle for domination of the living room that took place between Sega and Nintendo in the 1990s has gone down as the stuff of video gaming legend. The two companies fought tooth and nail during the 16-bit era, with the SNES and Mega Drive (Genesis if you're in...
Random A 1990 TV Interview With Shigeru Miyamoto Talks About Nintendo's Work Culture
A resurfaced treasure
We've seen Shigeru Miyamoto's ever-beaming self quite a lot over recent years, often during big events such as E3 where he's essentially presented as the face of Nintendo and an all-round gaming icon, but we don't often get the chance to see him in his younger days. Thanks to this rediscovered interview with the BBC,...
Video Exploring The Process Behind Mickey Mania's 'Into-The-Screen' Chase
A gaming first
If you cast your minds back to 1994, or allow yourself to simply imagine that time if you weren't born yet, you may remember Mickey Mania on the SNES. Developed by Traveller's Tales, this platformer also arrived on Sega Genesis and Sega CD, with one noteworthy element being its 3D, 'into-the-screen' chase - seemingly a first in...
"It's not worth it for us to risk potentially disastrous consequences"
Recently, we heard the news that Nintendo had filed a lawsuit in the US state of Arizona, calling out two ROM and emulator websites for unfair competition and copyright and trademark infringement. It appears that this has helped spark a new level of fear among such...
Feature What Does Nintendo's Shutdown Of ROM-Sharing Sites Mean For Video Game Preservation?
Is gaming history in danger of being lost?
The recent news that Nintendo is taking legal action against two sites which illegally distributed ROMs has been met with an overwhelmingly positive response, and rightly so. The individuals sharing these files online care little for the intellectual property rights of the developers who slave away to make...
News Meet The Nintendo Snack Pack, A Fan-Made Portable TV With Built-In Retro Games
NES, SNES and Sega titles
For most of us, having dreams of creating an ideal gaming setup is easy - you can probably picture how it would look, and even the various items you'd need - but the dream ends right there and then. There's no way you could actually make it happen, right? Well, that's not the case for everyone as you're about to find out...
Gallery Unboxing Retro-Bit's Incredible R-Type And Holy Diver Limited Editions
Limited to 2,900 copies each
Retro-Bit is doing an excellent job when it comes to keeping the past alive, and has already released a couple of welcome compilations for the NES and SNES. However, the company has really outdone itself with its latest project, which features limited edition versions of Irem's R-Type and Holy Diver, for the SNES and...
Feature Take A Peek Behind The Curtain At Rare With This New Exhibit
"That’s what gaming has gone through to get to where it is now"
You're probably sick to death of us mentioning Rare on Nintendo Life – especially since the company has long since parted ways with Nintendo itself and is now firmly ensconced as a Microsoft studio. Still, we have our reasons – Nintendo Life Towers is located in the English...
News These Are The Most Insanely Gorgeous NES Cartridges You'll Ever See
Hand-made goodness, and they actually work!
Remember Mega Cat Studios? Well, they've joined forces with another major name working in the 'new-retro' biz - Rose Colored Gaming - to create some pretty unique NES cartridges which will no doubt have hardcore collectors reaching for their wallets (or mulling the sale of a kidney). Carts emblazoned with...
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