SNES News
News Nintendo Left Sony "Standing At The Altar" With SNES Disk Add-On, Says Former PlayStation Exec
PauseStation
Those with an appetite for Nintendo history likely will have heard of the 'SNES PlayStation' — a collaboration between Nintendo and Sony which was intended to bring CD-ROM gaming to the former's latest console. The partnership never materialised, naturally, with Nintendo announcing that it was pivoting to work with Phillips at the...
Random New 3D Scans Stop Classic Donkey Kong Country Figures From Being Lost To Time
Keshi Kong
We love a bit of niche video game history here at Nintendo Life, and the work of Mr Talida (aka Keshi Corner) has caught our attention on more than one occasion. This is the 3D scanning specialist that has ensured rare Zelda and Mario figures from the 1980s and '90s live to fight another day and now, they ha
Anniversary Donkey Kong Country Is Now 30 Years Old (SNES)
King K-O-N-G
Believe it or not, Donkey Kong Country for the SNES has turned 30 years old after originally launching in the UK on 18th November 1994. Often regarded as one of the greatest platformers of all time, Donkey Kong Country was the first in an SNES trilogy from developer Rare, and was really the game that properly kickstarted a fruitful...
Random Movie Star James McAvoy Says His Favourite Game Is Secret Of Mana
Fine taste
Scottish movie star James McAvoy, arguably best known for his role as Charles Xavier in the X-Men movies, is currently doing the press rounds for his new psychological horror thriller 'Speak No Evil' and during a recent promo event was asked to name his favourite game. Appearing on an episode of 'Hot Ones' Versus with Mackenzie Davis,...
Random Nintendo's Museum Might Be Emulating SNES Games On Windows PC
It sure sounds like it...
In case you missed it, Nintendo recently opened a museum in Japan and it's filled with all sorts of displays featuring the company's classic titles. For anyone who has been wondering how exactly Nintendo might be showcasing these retro games in its museum, it seems it could be making use of emulation on Windows PC. As
Random Spare A Thought For The Kid Whose Dad Returned Zelda: A Link To The Past
"Dad had the audacity to return the game"
It's just accepted wisdom these days that Zelda: A Link to the Past is one of the best entries in the entire Zelda canon. This 16-bit classic updated the Zelda formula in amazing ways, offering a large and expansive game world packed with unique enemies and tricky dungeons. Later ported to the GBA, it...
News Nintendo To End Repairs For Famicom & Super Famicom Classic, New 2DS XL In Japan
Three more reach the end of the line
Nintendo has announced that it will be ending repairs for the Famicom Classic, Super Famicom Classic, and the New Nintendo 2DS XL in Japan "as our current stock of parts runs out". Shared by OatmealDome on Bluesky, both the classic "mini" cons
Rumour Nintendo May Be Looking To Add SNES Mouse Support To Switch Online
Get yer paintbrushes ready
Thanks to a bit of cheeky datamining, it looks like Nintendo may be considering implenting SNES Mouse support to Nintendo Switch Online, potentially opening the door to releases such as Mario Paint and the Japan-only Mario & Wario. This comes via reliable dataminer LuigiBlood (delightful name) and reported by VGC.
Guide Every Nintendo Switch Online SNES Game Ranked
All the SNES games, ranked by you
Remember, this list evolves as users rate the games within, so head to the game profiles and rate them out of 10 if you'd like to see the rankings below alter. Enjoy! The library of SNES games available on Switch as part of the Nintendo Switch Online subscription service now stands at 67 titles, and while it may...
News Nintendo Expands Switch Online's SNES Library With Four More Titles
Including some Super Famicom games
In a new Switch Online update, Nintendo has just added four more titles to the Super Nintendo game library. The first game is the SNES beat 'em up Battletoads Double Dragon (1993) and the three Super Famicom titles include the racing game Big Run (1991), the action-puzzle title Cosmo Gang The Puzzle (1993, though...
Random Zelda Fan Project Turns 'A Link To The Past' Into Roguelike Dungeon Crawler
Introducing 'Dungeons of Infinity'
Zelda fans are constantly reimagining Link's classic adventures, and with this in mind, one talented individual known as Justin Bohemier has spent over four years transforming the Super Nintendo hit A Link to the Past into a procedurally-generated roguelike dungeon crawler. Dungeons of Infinity is "not a ROM hack"...
Poll Box Art Brawl: Super R-Type
Make a choice, R-kid
Hi folks, and welcome back to another edition of Box Art Brawl! Last week, we checked out Astro Boy: Omega Factor for the Game Boy Advance, and would you believe it, we had a draw! Both the EU/NA and Japanese variants bagged 50% of the vote each, so uhh... We've either got two winners or no winner at all. We'll let you decide!...
News 'Assault Suits Valken Declassified' Is Getting A Limited Switch Physical Release
Limited Run's pre-orders run until Sept. 29
Limited Run has revealed a physical release of Assault Suits Valken Declassified, the Switch re-release of the 1992 SNES mecha classic (also known as Cybernator). Number 202 in the boutique publisher's Switch series, the release comes in two flavours: the standard version for $34.99 USD, and a Classic...
Random Donkey Kong Country 3 Fan Creates Incredible Epoxy Resin Statue
Yes, we want one
There have been some truly gorgeous video game statues in our time, from the likes of the First 4 Figures Samus Gravity Suit statue from Metroid to the ludicrous Ghosts 'n Goblins statue from Dream Figures. We love one-off designs though; statues that likely won't be made available to the general public,
News DOOM Is Getting A New And Improved Definitive Release On Super Nintendo
Courtesy of Limited Run Games
As part of this year's QuakeCon celebrations, physical distributor Limited Run Games has surprised Doom fans with a new "definitive" experience for Super Nintendo. It's releasing a "new" and "improved" version of the SNES cartridge, including all four Doom episodes (including Thy Flesh Consumed), circle-strafe,...
News Switch Online's Missions & Rewards Adds Donkey Kong Country Icons
Play the SNES classic to unlock them
Nintendo has announced another batch of Switch Online icons you can only unlock by playing its digital retro library. After events for Super Mario World, The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past and even the original Donkey Kong game, it's now moved on to Rare's 1994 SNES hit Donkey Kong Country. Switch Online...
News Super Mario World Lego Set Revealed, Here's A First Look
Pre-orders are now live
Update: Pre-orders for this set are now live on the Lego website. It's priced at $129.99 / £114.99. Below is a look: <products id="27207"> <products id="27206"> Original: It looks like another premium Mario Lego set is on the way, and this time it's based on the SNES hit Super Mario World. Following leaked...
News Metroid, EarthBound & Tetris Composer Shares More Private Demo Tracks On New Album
Hear more than ever before
Back in 2021, the legendary composer behind the likes of Metroid, Mother and Tetris, Hirokazu "Hip" Tanaka, released the aptly-named 'Lost Tapes' album, providing a never-before-heard sample of his demo tapes from the '80s and '90s. Record label Super Fuji Discs has announced that a fresh bat
News Homebrew Games Summer Showcase 2024 - Celebrating 120 Titles Across 15 Platforms
NES, SNES, Game Boy and Virtual Boy titles featured
Although the game industry is all about moving forward, there are still many talented individuals and teams out there developing titles for past-generation systems. That's where the 'Homebrew Games Summer Showcase' comes in - celebrating new games on retro consoles and classic handheld devices...
News WayForward's 'Clock Tower' Switch Port Receives Stunning Physical Editions
Game launches later this year
It's been a fair while since we received some concrete news regarding WayForward's enhanced port of Clock Tower for the Switch, but we've just received confirmation that the game will receive two gorgeous physical editions via Limited Run Games. With pre-orders opening on 31st May 2024 and closing on 30th June 2024,...
Poll Box Art Brawl - Duel: Demon's Crest (SNES)
It's Blaz-on
Hi folks, and welcome back to another edition of Box Art Brawl! Before we get cracking with this week's battle, let's see what happened last time. We looked at Mario Paint for the SNES, with North America and Europe taking on Japan. Rather predictably, the Western design won the vote comfortably at 89%, proving that colour and whimsy...
News Switch Online's Missions & Rewards Adds Zelda Icons You Can Only "Get By Playing"
Play Link's Super Nintendo adventure to unlock them
Earlier this year, Nintendo introduced a new system to Switch Online 'Missions and Rewards' where users unlock icons when they play particular retro games. We've seen it with Super Mario World previously, and now the same type of promotion is live for The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past. This...
Poll Box Art Brawl - Duel: Mario Paint (SNES)
Vincent van Goomba
Hey folks, and welcome back to another edition of Box Art Brawl! We had a veritable doozy last week when we checked out Pokémon Yellow Version for the humble Game Boy; truly one of the standout titles in the gargantuan franchise. It was a good ol' duel in which North America and Europe teamed up against Japan, and we must admit...
Poll Box Art Brawl - Kirby Super Star
Deep breath
Welcome back to this week's edition of Box Art Brawl! Before we check out the latest clash of the covers, let's remind ourselves what happened last time when three Super Bomberman box art variants went up against each other. It was Europe's bright design that walked away with a commanding lead in this one, taking 58% of the vote. Japan...
News Nintendo Expands Switch Online's SNES Library With Three More Titles
Including a few Japanese exclusives
Nintendo continues to bolster its Switch Online retro library and today it's added three more titles to the Super Nintendo collection. This line-up is a little bit different as includes a few Japan-only Super Famicom releases. This includes Wrecking Crew '98 - a sequel to the original NES title, and Sunsoft's...
Poll Box Art Brawl - Super Bomberman (SNES)
Da bomb
Hi folks, and welcome to another edition of Box Art Brawl! Before we get cracking, let's see how things panned out last time. We checked out Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Tournament Fighters on the SNES, pitting North America and Europe against Japan in a dual for the ages. It's funny, there are definitely certain instances where we can...
News Switch Online's Missions & Rewards Adds New Batch Of Icons You Can Only "Get By Playing"
Boot up Yoshi's Island to unlock them
Last month, Nintendo made a new batch of Switch icons available that required NSO subscribers to actually play a game. This same type of mission has now returned for an event tied to the Super Nintendo title Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island. There are five icons for 10 Platinum Points each and to unlock...
Poll Box Art Brawl - Duel: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Tournament Fighters (SNES)
Nothing to Raph about
We are back, back, back for another edition Box Art Brawl! Last time we matched up three regional covers for the DS' Super Scribblenauts and it was North America's character-focused design that walked away with the win, receiving 55% of the vote. Europe followed in second with 33% while the Japanese variant brought up the rear...
Soapbox 30 Years Later, Super Metroid's Foreboding Atmosphere Is Still Unmatched
Zeb-easily the best
Soapbox features enable our individual writers and contributors to voice their opinions on hot topics and random stuff they've been chewing over. Today, to celebrate Super Metroid's 30th anniversary, Ollie sings the praises of the game's enduring foreboding atmosphere... The Metroid series is perhaps best known for its...
Random Check Out This Cool SNES-Style Digital Game Manual For Pepper Grinder
Dig into the "free demo" today
During last week's Partner Showcase, Devolver Digital provided an update for game Pepper Grinder, revealing the action-packed platformer would be released for Nintendo Switch on 28th March 2024. Apart from a demo, which you can download now from the Switch eShop, Devolver Digital has now also shared a cool Super...
Guide Best First-Party Super Nintendo (SNES) Games
Nintendo's Super NES games, as ranked by you
Looking for a list of Nintendo's first-party Super NES games? Wondering what the best first-party Super NES game is? Our round-up of every first-party SNES game is, unsurprisingly, a good place to start! Our ranked list of the Top 50 Best Super NES Games Ever covers every game on the system, but here...
Random Japan Is Getting Another Mother-Themed G-Shock Watch
Earthbound celebrates 30th anniversary this year
The cult hit EarthBound (Mother 2) is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year, so naturally, that means that Japan is getting another collaboration between Mother and watch manufacturer Casio. Due for launch on 14 March, 2024 via a lottery purchase system, the 'Mother Red's GW-6900' follows a...
News Nintendo's Switch Online Service Spotlights Donkey Kong With New Hub
The DKC series celebrates 30 years in 2024
Nintendo seems to be slowly putting the spotlight back on Donkey Kong with a series of announcements in recent times. He will also star in the upcoming release Mario vs. Donkey Kong, due out on the Switch later this month. With this in mind, Nintendo has now launched a special section in the Switch Online...
Random 'Resident Evil Kart' ROM Hack Brings Fixed Camera Angles To Super Mario Kart
Up for a challenge?
Resident Evil and Mario Kart. Hardly the most likely pairing, eh? We'd be pretty confident assuming that a crossover isn't coming our way anytime soon, but if the last few years have proven one thing, it's that you can never rule out the hacking community. 'Resident Evil Kart' is a new ROM hack from SNES hacker MrL314 which...
Random Super Metroid's Mother Brain Comes To Life In This Awesome 16-Bit Cosplay
The great eye is ever watchful
We love a good cosplay, and boy are there a lot of good ones out there. From the uber-realistic to hyper-stylised, we have seen some certified bangers over the years. Very few, however, have been quite as mind-blowing as the little Super Metroid number we saw over the weekend (thanks, @MetroidDatabase). Showcased at...
News Plans Are Reportedly In Place To Celebrate Earthbound's 30th Anniversary
We all know what we want, though
This year marks the 30th anniversary of EarthBound (known in Japan as Mother 2) and, according to the official X (formerly Twitter) page, plans are in place to celebrate the hefty milestone (thanks, My Nintendo News). What these plans are, exactly, is up in the air at the moment, but we're not expecting anything...
Memory Pak Secret Of Mana's Dazzling World Of Colour Opened My Eyes
You're looking a bit green
Welcome to the latest instalment in our nostalgia-inducing column, Memory Pak, where we deep-dive into some of the most memorable moments in gaming – good and bad. Today, Secret of Mana turns 30 years old in Japan, and to celebrate this seminal action RPG's anniversary, Alana is reminiscing about how the game's use of...
Soapbox Mega Man X's Tutorial Is The Perfect Intro To Capcom's Sublime Sub-Series
Wall-to-wall perfection
Soapbox features enable our individual writers and contributors to voice their opinions on hot topics and random stuff they've been chewing over. Today, to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the launch of Mega Man X in Japan, Ollie dives into what makes its introductory stage so darn good... The original Mega Man series is...
Random Super Mario RPG Dev Shares Scrapped Sketch Proposals For SNES Original
Featuring Three Musketeers concept art
We're all having fun with Super Mario RPG on Switch, right? The return of this SNES classic has brought smiles to our faces with constant reminders of Nintendo at its weirdest, but, according to one Square developer who worked on the original title, it was almost a whole lot weirder. In 1994, Jiro Mifune had...
News EarthBound Documentary Is Out Now For Digital Rental
Update: Available from Fangamer
Update [Tue 28th Nov, 2023 14:45 GMT]: EarthBound, USA is now available for digital rental from Fangamer. For $7, you'll be able to watch the long-awaited documentary, which highlights the online community that's built around cult SNES RPG EarthBound over the years. It's an examination of the power of online...
Guide Super Mario RPG: Walkthrough, Tips, All Secrets, Minigames & Bosses
Your guide to the Switch remake (and the SNES original)
Welcome to our Super Mario RPG Full Walkthrough Guide hub! The Super Mario RPG Walkthrough will have you covered for both the Nintendo Switch remake, Super Mario RPG, and the original SNES title, Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars. Our walkthrough contains strategies for all bosses,...
Guide Super Mario RPG: SNES Vs. Switch - What Are The Differences? All New Features
Everything changed and added in the Switch remake
Super Mario RPG is a remake of Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars on the Super NES, and with it, a whole host of tweaks and changes have been made to the game. While the Switch version is incredibly faithful to the 1996 game, there are lots of new additions and tweaks that modernise the...
News Super Mario RPG Switch Is Getting A Physical SNES Style Instruction Manual
Will be available in Japan at launch
Physical game manuals have been phased out over the years, but as part of the return of Super Mario RPG on the Switch next week, Nintendo is releasing a new one. As highlighted by Game Watch, Nintendo has revealed an authentic SNES-style manual based on the original 1996 instruction booklet. It will be available...
Poll Box Art Brawl - Duel: The Lion King
Which box can't wait to be king?
Hello, and welcome back to another edition of Box Art Brawl, folks! Before we get cracking, let's take a peek at what went down last week. The delightful Wario Land: Shake It! entered the ring with a classic three-way brawl. It was, expectedly, a tense battle, but the European design took home the rhetorical trophy...
News SNES Racer Series Top Gear Is Being Revived As A Switch Collection In 2024
Includes crossover with Horizon Chase, Top Racer Crossroads
If you ever played Kemco's Top Gear series, which started out on the Super Nintendo in 1992, you might be interested to know QUByte Interactive has announced it will be bringing a whole collection to the Switch next year on 11th January 2024. And just to clarify, this series obviously has...
Poll Box Art Brawl - Duel: Actraiser
Get your act together
Welcome back to another edition of Box Art Brawl! Let's take a look at what happened last week before we crack on, shall we? We picked the Game Boy version of Yoshi's Cookie, pitting the Western design against the Japanese variant. We honestly weren't surprised by the outcome of this one: the Japanese version took the crown...
Random Star Fox Dev Thinks Star Fox Adventures "Was Too British"
"I think Star Fox is a very complex title"
The Star Fox series has been a bit of a mixed bag, hasn't it? There have been huge genre shifts, recreations, and attempts to capture that same magic that the SNES original — and the N64 sequel — captured. Now, in an interview with VGC, Dylan Cuthbert, a programmer on the original Star Fox and Star Fox...
News Nintendo Expands Switch Online's Game Boy Color, SNES & NES Library With Four More Games
Three "Japan-only" titles and a Warner Bros. licensed game
Nintendo has added four more games to the Switch Online library today but it's not the sort of lineup you might be expecting. Three of these games are "Japan only" and were never translated into English. Starting off with the NES lineup, there's the 1993 release Joy Mech Fight. This is a...
News GuliKit Reveals New SNES Themed Docking Station, Compatible With Switch
And other handhelds like Valve's Steam Deck
Gaming accessory maker GuliKit is back at it with another interesting product reveal. This time it's a new docking station, designed not only for the Nintendo Switch but also for the Steam Deck, ROG Ally and Ayaneo' consoles. As you can see, the design is inspired by the Super Nintendo model released in...
Poll Box Art Brawl: Illusion Of Gaia
Or 'Time', if you will
Welcome, one and all, to another edition of Box Art Brawl. Taking a look at last week's battle, Europe went up against two opposing forces from North America for the DS release of Magic & Might: Clash of Heroes. Full blown civil war, over here. Europe came away with the victory, though, bringing in 56% of the vote with...
News Final Fantasy Developers Reminisce On IV, V, And VI In Anniversary Chat
The Super Famicom trilogy
The second part of the Final Fantasy 35th Anniversary Special Interview has been shared today on the official Final Fantasy YouTube, and this nostalgia-filled interview focuses on the Super Famicom / SNES trilogy that was recently rereleased in the Pixel Remaster series on Switch — Final Fantasy IV, V, and VI. Hosted...
Random Super Mario World's Lemmy Referenced In '90s Home Insurance Ad
Princess abduction not covered
Nintendo and its games have been referenced countless times in pop culture over the years. Heck, it's even seeped outside the world of pop culture, as demonstrated by this rather bizarre discovery from Supper Mario Broth. In a tweet posted on July 24th, 2023, it's been revealed that none other than Super Mario World...
Poll Super Mario All-Stars Is 30 Years Old - Do You Prefer The NES Or SNES Versions Of The Classics?
NES is more?
Video game compilations might feel like a new-ish thing — a bevvy of digital treats all packed into one cartridge (or disc, or download), but they're practically as old as the medium. When we think of classic compilations, one of the first that springs to mind is the SNES's Super Mario All-Stars. This 16-bit collection launched on...
Random Some Square Enix Staff Really Want A Final Fantasy VI Remake
But it would be "difficult", says Square Enix VP
We've already got Final Fantasy VI on modern consoles thanks to the Pixel Remaster, but what if Square Enix decided to remake its beloved 1994 RPG? Apparently, some staff at the studio want to see it, according to vice president and Final Fantasy VII Remake producer Yoshinori Kitase (via @Genki_JPN)...
Poll Box Art Brawl: Duel - Donkey Kong Country (SNES)
Go bananas
Hello and welcome back to your weekly round of Box Art Brawl! Before we leave the courtroom behind and move on somewhere a bit warmer, let's take a look at last week's results. Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney, the original Ace Attorney game, stood in the BAB docks, but it was an easy win for North America, which took 53% of your votes...
News Nintendo Expands Switch Online's Game Boy Color, SNES & NES Library With Four More Titles
Kirby Tilt 'n' Tumble, Harvest Moon and more!
Nintendo has announced a new batch of games to the Switch Online service. The latest additions are part of the standard tier - adding two Game Boy Color titles, a SNES title (previously Japan-exclusive on NSO), and an original NES game. The games include the action title Kirby Tilt 'n' Tumble (2001),...
Poll Box Art Brawl: Duel - Batman Returns (SNES)
Back with a vengeance
Welcome, one and all, to another week's Box Art Brawl (rhyming unintentionally, we promise). Before we head into this week's super picks, let's first take a look at how the previous battle went down. Last week, we took a look at the covers for Final Fantasy IV on the DS and it wasn't a remotely close race. The colourful...
News The Jurassic Park Games Are Getting A 30th Anniversary Retro Collection
"Hold on to your butts"
If you're eager to sink your teeth into some more retro game collections, you'll be pleased to know physical distributor Limited Run Games has announced a Jurassic Park 30th Anniversary Collection. This collection will be released at some point later this year. No platforms have been announced just yet. Attached to this...
Random Rare Co-Founder Tim Stamper Teases 'Dream 64' Development Cartridge
"Dream 64 does exist after all"
Update [Tue 11th Apr, 2023 00:05 BST]: Tim Stamper has now posted a follow-up tweet featuring video footage of Dream 64. In it, he notes how it was "probably" shown at Japan's Nintendo Shoshinkai show (Space World) in 1996. In the video, there's a pirate mentioning how "the Nintendo 64 treasure does exist after all"...
Random Donkey Kong Country Artist Reveals DK's Early Character Design Sketches
"He looks a lot more polished now"
The release of The Super Mario Bros. Movie has meant that Donkey Kong is somewhat the talk of the town at the moment. While Illumination's take on the character has managed to stick pretty close to the DK that we all know and love, a recent livestream from one of the original Donkey Kong Country artists, Kev...
Random Ex-Rare Dev Explains The Origin Of Donkey Kong Country's Name
Take me home, country roads
When you think of the titles of some of Nintendo's most iconic platform games, many of them just make sense as they are: Super Mario World, Kirby's Dream Land, and Donkey Kong Country. It all fits as a naming convention, right? Well, according to ex-Rare dev Kev Bayliss, the inclusion of the word 'Country' in Donkey Kong...
Anniversary Capcom's Breath Of Fire Series Is 30 Years Old, And We Miss It
Come on, Capcom...
Today marks a milestone anniversary for Capcom's very first traditional RPG series. Breath of Fire launched on the Super Famicom on 3rd April 1993, kickstarting what would become a beloved franchise for many turn-based RPG fans. While North America would have to wait until the following summer to get their hands on Capcom's first...
Random Bridgerton, Dungeons & Dragons Star Regé-Jean Page Is A Fan Of Chrono Trigger
Breath of Fire, too!
It's a pretty great time for movies about video and tabletop games right now. The Tetris movie just dropped on Apple TV+, The Super Mario Bros. Movie is out next week, and Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves is out in cinemas today. And it turns out one of the movie's stars, Regé-Jean Page, is a pretty big fan of RPGs...
Random Street Fighter II Features In Japanese Commercial For Eye Drops
Wait till Ryu see this!
Unusual video game adverts aren't uncommon, but more and more we see product placements and advertisements for other items that use video games. But an ad for Rohto eye drops in Japan has caught people's attention because the whole commercial uses edited Street Fighter II footage. (Thanks for the tip, GreatSong1!) Posted on...
News Super Mario World Prototype Map Has Been Discovered
Mushroom island
The Nintendo Gigaleak has delivered once again. A prototype map from Super Mario World (that was found in the Gigaleak) has been fixed, and we can see what could've been for the first time ever. MrTalida shared the world of Super Mario World hacker and researcher
News Switch Online NES And SNES Controllers Are Back In Stock (UK)
A Switch Online exclusive
Update [March 20th, 10.55am]: If you missed out on the Nintendo Switch NES and SNES controllers, exclusive to Switch Online subscribers, now's the time to get them while you can. They've been restocked at the My Nintendo Store UK – but don't hang around, they usually sell out pretty fast! <products...
News Nintendo Expands Switch Online Game Boy, SNES & NES Service With Four More Titles
Out now!
Nintendo has announced a new batch of games for the Switch Online service. The latest additions are part of the standard tier - adding two Game Boy titles, a SNES title, and an original NES game. This includes the 1995 Game Boy release Kirby's Dream Land 2, Data East's 1991 Game Boy game BurgerTime Deluxe, the 1993 Data East game Side...
Poll Box Art Brawl: Duel - Mega Man X2
Wily Wars
Hi Folks - welcome back to another edition of Box Art Brawl! In last week's battle, we took a look at The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess for the GameCube, pitting North America and Europe against Japan. It wasn't a close one, either: North America and Europe absolutely smashed it, bringing in 86% of the vote at the time of writing...
Random Super Mario Kart Composer Launches Retro-Inspired Chiptune Album
LOOP816 is out now
If you're a fan of games like Super Mario Kart, Super Mario All-Stars, and Pilotwings, then you may have heard of Soyo Oka, a composer who worked with Nintendo from 1987 to 1995. Even if you're not aware of her by name, you will have no doubt heard a number of her more famous tracks, including Mario Circuit and
News Star Fox Character Designer Celebrates 30th Anniversary With Special Artwork
30 years and counting
Nintendo legend and artist Takaya Imamura is today celebrating 30 years of the original Star Fox game in Japan, with a special drawing of the one and only Fox McCloud. He also shared a special message thanking Fox for supporting him and everyone else who has worked on the games he's appeared in: Inamura departed from...
Video Star Fox Dev Gets Nostalgic Ahead Of SNES Game's 30th Anniversary
Too old for a barrel roll now?
Star Fox is 30 years old next week — yes, really. The SNES on-rails shooter celebrates its 30th anniversary on 21st February, so Q-Games CEO and lead programmer on the original game Dylan Cuthbert has sat down and shared anecdotes, stories, and tips on the game, and how Star Fox has influenced his game development...
Random Japanese Museum Wants To Reunite People With Their Lost Game Cartridges
Family-com reunions
Here's some balm for your soul on this Thursday morning: there's a museum in Japan that aims to reunite people with the Famicom games that they once owned (via Kotaku). Did you ever scribble your name down on an old game cartridge or box, only to sell it later on? You might just find it at the Named Cassette Museum in Tokyo...
News Zelda: A Link To The Past's Code Has Been Reverse-Engineered And Unofficially Enhanced
Unofficial console ports could now be possible
The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, one of the most beloved entries in Nintendo's storied franchise, has been successfully reverse-engineered, adding key enhancements to the experience and potentially opening the door to some unofficial ports. As reported by NeoWin (thanks,
News Zelda: A Link To The Past Artwork "Brought To Life" In Absolutely Stunning Animation
A full series of this could be amazing!
If you've ever wondered what classic game art might look like if it was brought to life, well here's a great example. American animator Parker Simmons has transformed parts of The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past SNES manual and other materials into living, breathing animations. The results are absolutely...
Poll Box Art Brawl: Prince Of Persia
The sands of time
Hi everyone, and welcome to another edition of Box Art Brawl! In last week's brawl, we took a look at the GBA karting classic, Mario Kart Super Circuit. North America and Europe joined forces against Japan and came away with the win, garnering a whopping 75% of the vote. It's clear that the more simplistic composition proved...
Random Zelda Fan Uncovers A Link To The Past's Original Dungeon Designs In Proto Data
Goron-level mining
When it comes to stone-cold classics like A Link to the Past, we have to ask how much content can there really be that we don't already know about? The answer, so it seems, is quite a lot actually. For the past little while now, a Zelda fan by the name of @Dark_Linkael has been working their way through the prototype data for...
Anniversary Super Famicom Favourite 'Final Fantasy V' Is 30 Years Old
A Tycoon of the series
Final Fantasy V is celebrating its 30th anniversary in Japan today! Geez. Released on the Super Famicom on 6th December 1992, Final Fantasy V was a return to the Job System set-up of Final Fantasy and Final Fantasy III on the NES. It's also sandwiched between what many consider two of the best Final Fantasy games ever —...
Random Musician "Restores" Chrono Trigger Soundtrack Using Uncompressed Samples
Music Revolution
Update: The video has been made private, and it appears that Mathew Valente's account has been hacked. We'll be sure to update this post once the soundtrack has been made available again. For now, you can listen to some samples over on his Twitter account: Mathew Valente, known as TSSF and who worked on the cancelled fan game...
News The Samurai Collection Brings Two Classic Beat 'Em Ups To Switch This Week
Crouching Tiger Hidden Release
Around this time last year, we heard of the formation of QUByte Classics - a partnership between Publisher QUByte and Piko Interactive - and we have subsequently seen a whole host of classic 8- and 16-bit titles brought back to the Switch (The Humans, Tinhead, Jim Power: The Lost Dimension, amongst others). Well,...
News Terranigma Artist Kamui Fujiwara Releases Special Movie For 27th Anniversary
"The planet had two hearts..."
If there's a Nintendo console that's absolutely loaded with stellar RPGs, it's the Super Nintendo. This little system is filled to the brim with classics from Squaresoft), Enix (prior to merging with Square), Nintendo, Capcom, and tons more. Terranigma, from developer Quintet, is one of the standouts, despite not...
Random 'Super Mario Kart Deluxe' Romhack Gets The Franchise's Most Notorious Item
Feeling blue?
Everyone's got their favourite items when it comes to the Mario Kart franchise, but we'd be willing to bet that it probably isn't the Blue Shell. Introduced in Mario Kart 64 and subsequently becoming a mainstay in the franchise to this very day, the Blue Shell is a veritable nightmare for those cruising along in first place,...
Random Modder Creates Stunning Portable SNES, And We Want One
Too cute!
Over five years ago (or exactly five years if you're in Japan), Nintendo launched the Super NES Classic Edition, an adorable and convenient miniature console loaded with some of the best games available on the SNES. But what if you could take it on the go? As spotted by the fine folk over at Time Extension, a fan-made portable SNES (or...
Random Nintendo Censored Famous Marvel Location In SNES Spider-Man Game
Changing places, literally
Retired game developer Kevin Edwards has recently been taking to Twitter to share his experience of the industry in the 1990s. While these posts certainly provide a deep dive into the intricacies of building a video game, so too do they demonstrate the trials involved when the development team is placed under high pressure...
News Star Fox 2 Made Its Debut On The SNES Classic Console Five Years Ago
You can now play it on the Switch Online service
The Star Fox series has been a staple of Nintendo systems since the Super Nintendo era, but there was one game in the series that went missing during this generation - Star Fox 2. While the game was mostly ready to go by 1995, by then PlayStation had entered the market and the N64 was just around the...
Anniversary Dragon Quest V Is 30 Years Old Today
The best Dragon Quest?
One of the Super Famicom's most-celebrated RPGs turns 30 today in Japan. Dragon Quest V: Hand of the Heavenly Bride was the series' first game on the 16-bit console, and even today, Dragon Quest V is fondly remembered, despite the game not receiving an official Western release until its 2009 DS port. The Super Famicom (or...
Poll Box Art Brawl: Duel - Mega Man X
Mavericks, assemble!
Hi folks; welcome to another edition of 'Box Art Brawl'! Last week, poor ol' Solid Snake got himself trapped in a digital space and needed your help to escape by voting for your favourite Metal Gear Solid: Ghost Babel box art. In the end, despite strong competition from North America, it was Europe that won out with 45% of the...
Video Our Video Producer Showcases His Top Five Rarest Games
Yes, "you know what" is one of them
A few months back, our delightful video producer Zion was challenged by Jon Cartwright from Good Vibe Games to showcase the top five rarest games in his collection. While he didn't get around to it right away (hey, we're a busy bunch, okay?) Zion has now fulfilled his oath and produced a new video showcasing the...
Poll Box Art Brawl: Duel - Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles IV: Turtles In Time
Turtle-y brawling
Happy Bank Holiday weekend to you folks in the UK, and welcome everyone to another edition of Box Art Brawl! Last week, it was the turn of Wave Race 64 to come under BAB scrutiny — which was fitting as the game launched on the Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pass service. it was a close (wave) race between the top two, but...
Feature Super Mario Kart At 30: How 16-Bit Limitations Created A Franchise-Defining Mechanic
The gift of the drift
The landscape of the Mario Kart series looks very different today than it did back in 1992 when Super Mario Kart was released for the Super NES. Of course, there is a clear improvement with respect to visuals and we now have new characters, karts, and courses dropping all the time thanks to the Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Booster...
News 20th Super Mario Kart Championships Start Their Engines On Twitch Today
Off to the races
We are rapidly approaching the 30th anniversary of Super Mario Kart's Japanese release on the Super Famicom, but what if we told you that there is another SMK-adjacent anniversary happening today? We are, of course, talking about the Super Mario Kart Championships, which will be racing off the start line today in its 20th year of...
News Live A Live Producer: Nintendo Wanted Game On Virtual Console, Led To Remake Conversation
Nintendo lived for the game
For a long time, we didn't think we'd ever see an official localisation of Live A Live, but it's 2022, and we're still pinching ourselves over the existence of the HD-2D remake. Live A Live is brilliant, and we're glad we finally got to experience it, but the game's director (and remake's producer) Takashi Tokita has...
News Super Punch-Out!! Hidden Two-Player Mode Discovered 28 Years Later
No hacks or mods required
There's been a historic discovery made within the 1994 Super Nintendo release Super Punch-Out!! today. A Twitter account known as 'Unlisted Cheats' has uncovered a hidden two player mode in the game. To access this option, on the game's start screen you'll have to hold the 'Y' and 'R' buttons on the second player's...
Random Super Mario World Is One Billion Seconds Old Today
One billion candles, then?
We celebrate video game anniversaries all the time here at Nintendo Life. Who doesn't like a birthday or anniversary? Now, we all know Super Mario World is going to be 32 years old in November this year (who remembers playing it when it first came out?), but it's already reached another milestone in digits. Blogger Supper...
News Nintendo Expands Its Switch Online SNES And NES Service With Three More Titles
Available now!
Nintendo has added three more games to Switch Online retro libraries today. There are two SNES games and one NES title. These games include Fighter's History (1994, Data East Corporation), Kirby's Avalanche (1995, HAL, Banpresto, Compile) and Daiva Story 6: Imperial of Nirsartia (1986, Toshiba Emi) Here's a look: Japan's Switch...
Random Have You Seen This Cute, Unreleased Precursor To The Top Loader NES?
What could have been...
The North American version of the top-loading NES-101 All the way back in 1988, Nintendo would show to the media a brand new piece of hardware that would eventually become the Super Famicom, or the Super NES in the West. It was an exciting time for the gaming community as Nintendo entered the 16-bit era, though it seems...
Random We Need To Play This Gorgeous Fan-Made Super Mario RPG Remake Now
A thing of beauty
Back in the '90s, whoever thought that Nintendo would team up with JRPG giants Square Enix (then known as Square or Squaresoft) to create a Mario RPG starring the Italian plumber, Princess Peach, and Bowser? Not us! But they did, and we're forever grateful for the existence of Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars. Despite...
Random This Fan-Made Mini TV With A Built-In Super NES Is Totally Adorable
Bite-sized classic gaming with a TV to match
One of our favourite console peripherals is the Joytech GameCube screen, a little attachable screen for the little box-shaped console that turned it into a portable console of sorts. Lots of mods for other consoles have been inspired by this little add-on, but today, we have something extra dinky that...
Random This Incredible Super NES Manual Archive Will Get You All Nostalgic
All 844 English language manuals
We really miss physical game manuals. There was always a particular kind of joy that came from opening the box of a brand new video game and flicking through the pages of a manual to find out what the game was going to be like. Some of our favourites would get dog-eared, and torn up, but they were always well-loved...
Random This Browser-Based Version Of Mario Paint Composer Will Entertain For Hours
Face the music
What's the best part of Mario Paint? No, not the painting! The Composer mode! Who didn't spend hours on Mario Paint making tunes with fire flowers, mushrooms, coins, and boos? Mario Paint Composer has become something of an online hit in the years since the SNES game's release, with many budding musicians picking up their SNES mouse...
News Undertale Creator Toby Fox Explains How EarthBound's Fans Kept The Game Alive
Praises the "active and aggressive" fan community
Undertale creator Toby Fox has made no secret of the fact that he was heavily inspired by EarthBound when crafting his legendary post-modern take on the humble RPG, and he's one of many people who has spoken to Lost in Cult for the next issue of its boutique video game publication, Lock-On. Lock-On
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