SNES News (Page 6)
News Fan Turns Broken SNES Into A Working Switch Dock
Even the eject button (kind of) works
If you fancy a new project to take on while you're stuck at home, or if you happen to have a broken SNES already lying around, perhaps it's time to turn one into a custom, fully-working Switch dock? Remember last month when we shared Reddit user IMOKRUOK's work on a broken NES, which transformed the faulty...
Poll Box Art Brawl #49 - Bust-A-Move / Puzzle Bobble
Bust-a-Bobble
Welcome once again to Box Art Brawl, our weekly poll to discover which of three regional box art variants sits at the top of the tree. Last week we scrutinised Natsume's Wild Guns on Super NES. Following a classic Western-style gunfight, North America emerged from the smoke victorious, growling at second place Japan and third place...
Poll Box Art Brawl #48 - Wild Guns
Wild world
Welcome to Box Art Brawl, our weekly dust-up to find out which of three regional box art variants is the best. Last week it was Shadowrun's turn to battle itself. Japanese Shadowrun obliterated the competition with over 70% of your approval, leaving second-place North America and third-place Europe to mop up the remainder. This week...
News The Super Game Boy Is Now 26 Years Old
Only for Super Nintendo
If you're as old as some of us here are at Nintendo Life, you might have fond memories of the Super Game Boy. It was an adapter cartridge for the Super Nintendo that allowed you to play Game Boy and dual-mode Game Boy Color cartridges on the big screen - aka your television. Some games, like the Pokémon titles, even had...
Anniversary EarthBound Turns 25 In The USA, And A Whole Generation Feels Old
Mother!
As time continues to march on relentlessly, it's time for another significant video game anniversary - and today's is a particularly nostalgic one. It's 25 years to the day since Shigesato Itoi's lovely EarthBound first arrived on US shores and gamers in the West got to take on Giygas with Ness and his band of young heroes on the SNES. They...
Poll Rate Your Favourite Nintendo Switch Online SNES Games
Help us rank the 29 SNES games on Nintendo's online sub service
They might have taken a while to arrive, but the library of 29 SNES games available as part of Nintendo's Switch Online subscription service adds considerable value to Switch's online offering for many retro gaming fans. Throw in authentic-feeling wireless controllers that mimic the...
News Blimey, Donkey Kong Country 2 Looks Lovely In HD
The SNES classic gets a new lick of paint
Thankfully, fans of the Donkey Kong Country series have been treated rather well over the past few years, with Donkey Kong Country Returns and its sequel Tropical Freeze launching across all of Nintendo's latest systems. We can't sing the praises of Tropical Freeze enough - se
News Nintendo Expands The Switch Online SNES And NES Service With Four More Titles
Update: Out today!
Update: Here's your friendly reminder that these games are out today! Original Story [Fri 15th May, 2020 02:05 BST]: It's been quite a while since Nintendo updated its Switch Online service. Fortunately, it's now announced three SNES games and one NES game will be arriving next week, on 20th May. The three SNES titles include...
News Sega's Blast Processing? We Did It On The SNES First, Says Former Sculptured Software Dev
"That was before Sega adopted the slogan"
During the epic console war of the early '90s, Sega and Nintendo used every weapon in their arsenal to gain the upper hand on each other. Any feature or technique that was seen as an advantage was quickly turned into a marketing point, and when Sonic the Hedgehog arrived on the scene, Sega was quick to focus...
Video Secret Of Mana Fan Creates Stunning 2D Animation Tribute
Straight outta the '90s
If you've been following the Mana series ever since Secret of Mana came to the SNES in the early '90s, you might want to prepare yourself for a wonderfully nostalgic trip down memory lane. YouTube user Benoit Tranchet has created a lovely 2D animation based on the classic RPG, releasing it on the platform just as the series'...
News The Japan Retro Game Association Offers Super Famicoms To Avoid Lockdown Boredom
Donkey Kong Country saves the day
Despite all the difficulties presented by the COVID-19 pandemic, the situation has also brought out some amazing acts of human kindness. Now we can add the Japan Retro Game Association to our list of lovely people, as they have offered to loan out 100 slightly yellowing Super Famicom consoles to Japanese residents...
News Developer Creates New SNES Game In Just 10 Hours
And you can play it for free
It's not often you hear about developers working on new SNES games these days, and it's even rarer to hear about one that was fully created in just ten hours. 'Keeping SNES Alive' is a brand new game from developer Dr. Ludos, who recently released another game for the SNES called Yo-Yo Shuriken - which came on a...
Random Nintendo's Hotline Guided Super Metroid Players With This Forbidden Map
Featuring an extra room
Before we had the internet at our fingertips, players had to call up companies and ask for some assistance when they got stuck in a video game. One Nintendo game a lot of people found a little confusing at times was the 1994 title, Super Metroid. Back in the day of the Nintendo Power hotline, gameplay counselors were using a...
News The Winner Of The Nintendo PlayStation Isn't Oculus VR Founder Palmer Luckey After All
"I'm looking to not have this machine just buried in a closet somewhere"
As you might have heard, earlier this week the elusive Nintendo PlayStation was sold for $360,000 USD. A tad underwhelming after the owner previously knocked back a $1.2 million offer. Who ended up buying it, though? While it was believed to be Oculus VR founder Palmer Luckey,...
Review Pop'n TwinBee (Switch) - Konami's Colourful 16-Bit Shmup Shines With Couple Mode Co-op
Colour me glad
The TwinBee series enjoyed relative success in Japan throughout the late ‘80s and early ‘90s. Pop’n Twinbee was the sixth game in the series, and the last proper shoot ‘em up entry before Konami took it in a different direction with things like spin-off platformer Rainbow Bell Adventures. Because it was never released in...
Reminder Four Classic SNES And NES Games Have Launched On Switch Today
Two for each system
Just in case you'd forgotten what with all the sudden Animal Crossing Direct excitement, today sees the launch of four new games on Nintendo Switch Online's NES and SNES apps. Pop'n Twinbee and Smash Tennis have now joined
Review Smash Tennis - One Of The Best Sports Games Of The 16-Bit Era
A stroke of genius
There have been plenty of underrated games over the years, but every now and then you get an entire series that hasn’t enjoyed the level of success and attention it deserves. That’s the case with Namco’s Smash Court Tennis franchise, which has consistently served up (ahem) some top-quality arcade-style tennis action, but –...
Reminder Nintendo's Wireless SNES Controllers Are Back In Stock (North America)
Get 'em while you still can
Arguably the best way to experience Nintendo's SNES library on the Switch is with one of the original controllers. Unfortunately, getting hold of one within North America in recent times has been quite tough due to ongoing demand. Now, though, after an update last week, the wireless Super Nintendo controllers designed...
News News On Nintendo Switch SNES Controller Stock Expected This Month (North America)
More on the way?
Update (Fri 14th Feb, 2020 16:30 GMT): After reappearing online for a terrifyingly short amount of time towards the end of last month, the official SNES controller for Nintendo Switch has once again been completely out of stock for the last couple of weeks. If you missed out last time, you might want to keep an eye on Nintendo's...
News Nintendo Expands The Switch Online SNES And NES Library With Four More Games
Arriving February 19th
The first update of the year for the Switch Online SNES and NES service has been announced and it will add four more games. First up, we have the classic cute-'em-up shooter Pop'n Twinbee and the 16-bit competitive sports title Smash Tennis. Both of these Super Nintendo titles have never been released in the United States...
News The Switch Has Overtaken The SNES In Lifetime Hardware Sales
It's now Nintendo's third-best-selling home console
The Nintendo Switch's robust performance over the Christmas 2019 period has given it the momentum to overtake the SNES in terms of total lifetime sales. Thanks to sustained demand and the timely arrival of the cheaper Switch Lite, the Switch enjoyed its strongest quarter so far during the festive...
Random Pixel Artist Imagines What Zelda: Breath Of The Wild Would Look Like On The SNES
...and now we want to play it
Zelda: Breath of the Wild redefined what we expect from a Zelda game, pushing the series forward in exciting new directions but also shedding some of the baggage the franchise has been saddled with since the '80s. Still, that doesn't mean we don't have a soft spot for Zelda's past glories, and it goes without saying...
Poll Box Art Brawl #26 - Castlevania: Dracula X
Whip it good
Welcome back for another edition of Box Art Brawl, the weekly vote to see who triumphs over the first and second losers in a box art beauty pageant. Three regional versions of the same game cover battle it out to see who is the sharpest looker. Last week we had a returning series in the form of Resident Evil 2. We looked at the N64...
News 23 Years On, And We Still Can't Believe This Classic SNES RPG Didn't Get A US Release
Time to celebrate with a new remix album
On December 19th, 1996, Terranigma was released in the west. Quintet's final SNES release and part of a loose trilogy which also includes the superb Soul Blazer and Illusion of Gaia / Time (and ActRaiser, if you're feeling generous), Terranigma ranks as one of the best RPGs to grace Nintendo's 16-bit system...
News Someone Has Already Offered $1.2 Million For The SNES PlayStation Prototype
Big money
The owner of what is believed to be the only remaining Super Nintendo PlayStation prototype (outside of Sony's archives) has decided to sell this extremely rare system early next year via Heritage Auctions, after knocking back a million-dollar offer previously. For the uninformed, this unreleased system is able to play both Super Famicom...
Random Reggie Probably Had A Bigger SNES Collection Than Most Nintendo Fans
"I had over 80 games on that system"
The former Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aimé has always said he was a fan of the company and while we've heard many stories in the past about the time he spent with Mario and the other Nintendo mascots in his younger years, we don't ever recall him mentioning the sheer amount of games he actually...
Reminder Nintendo Switch's NES And SNES Library Gets Six New Games Today
Star Fox, Kirby and more!
Just in case it had slipped your mind over the last week or so, we thought it best to remind you that you can now get stuck into six new (well, old but new) games on your Nintendo Switch. Today sees the release of Star Fox 2, Super Punch-Out!!, Kirby Super Star, Breath of Fire II, Journey To Silius, and
News Nintendo Expands The Switch Online SNES And NES Service With Six Classic Games
Arriving next week
Well, what a surprise. The day after Nintendo told us to try out F-Zero and other classic SNES games, it has now announced it will be adding six – yes, six – games to the Switch Online service on 12th December. Four are for the SNES app and the other two are for the NES app. Arguably the most exciting of the lot is Star Fox 2
News Nintendo Reminds Switch Online Users To Check Out F-Zero And Other Classic SNES Titles
How about a service update?
When Nintendo launched the SNES digital library on the Switch in September, it also revealed that additional titles would no longer appear on a monthly basis. Since then, there have been no game updates to the service, and the last time we received an update for the NES digital library was in August. You'd be forgiven...
Gallery This Gorgeous SNES Pixel Art Book Will Make The Perfect Christmas Gift
272 pages of pixel-perfect goodness
Award-winning specialist publisher Bitmap Books has just announced an English-language version of Robert Bannert and Christine Bauer's Unofficial SNES Pixel Book – and you can order it today. Translated from the original German in collaboration with Elektrospieler, this 272-page tome is packed full of lovely...
News The SNES PlayStation Was Going To Have A Super FX Chip Built-In
"Then Sony and Nintendo fell out"
The Super FX chip was a groundbreaking piece of tech; a "console on a chip" which massively enhanced the SNES, allowing it to push polygons with aplomb. Created by Argonaut Software, a small UK-based firm, the chip was created when Nintendo enlisted the help of Argonaut's Jez San to assist the company in making 3D...
News Yo-Yo Shuriken Is A Brand New Action Game That's Just Released For The SNES
What year is it?
We're positively swimming in new Nintendo Switch releases every week at this point - our constantly overflowing inbox serves as a regular, major indicator of this (send help) - but we don't expect to see new games arrive for the nearly-30-years-old SNES. That's exactly what we've been treated to today, however, with the launch of...
Video Turns Out Zelda: A Link To The Past Features 12 Hidden Rupee 'Pull' Spots
Did you know about these?
Zelda games often contain hidden secrets and little treats for players to discover, and The Legend of Zelda: A Link To The Past is no different. One such secret found within the SNES classic is Link's ability to 'pull' on an object to receive rupees, the in-game currency. You may well be aware of this already, as one such...
Feature The Story Behind New Super Mario Land, The Homebrew Marvel Intended As A Christmas Gift
"As far as I'm concerned, the project is terminated already"
Yesterday's news that a talented modder had managed to 'update' (if such a term could be used) Super Mario Land in the form of New Super Mario Land – and get it working on a SNES, no less – caused quite a stir online. We've been lucky enough to not only play this incredible feat of...
News Playtonic's Steve Mayles Releases Special Donkey Kong Country Artwork To Mark Its 25th Birthday
As other staffers share mementoes from the period
Donkey Kong Country turned 25 yesterday, an event which is sure to have made many of us feel very old indeed. To celebrate the anniversary, Playtonic's Steve Mayles – who worked on the game during his tenure at Rare – has posted a special piece of artwork showcasing the game's heroes: Mayles...
Random Super Mario Land Has Been Ported To The SNES, And It Looks Amazing
If only it were official
Super Mario Land is one of the most beloved entries in the early Mario canon, despite the fact you can finish it in an evening and it has rather crude visuals, even by Game Boy standards. Still, it was, for many gamers, their first taste of 'Mario-on-the-move', and its gloriously oddball shooter levels, engaging soundtrack...
Random So, Someone Made A Portable SNES Out Of... A SNES
Because why not?
Over the past few years, we've seen hackers and modders create some pretty impressive pieces of hardware based on existing classic systems. Portable N64s, GameCubes and even Wii Us have come and gone, each one trying to turn a beloved platform into something subtly different.
News High-Quality Super Nintendo Poster Set Up For Grabs On My Nintendo (Europe)
And go in the draw to win a SNES Mini
Fancy some new Super Nintendo games for the Switch Online service? How about some themed posters instead? If you happen to be located in Europe, you can now redeem and order an exclusive set of posters from the My Nintendo Store. This poster set is priced at 300 Platinum Points and features three iconic SNES...
News Unreleased Super NES Prototype Tarzan: Lord Of The Jungle Emerges After 25 Years
Me Tarzan, you game
A playable prototype for a planned Super Nintendo game called Tarzan: Lord of the Jungle has been unearthed by Gaming Alexandria and a collection of assets and documents have also been made available on the site alongside an article detailing the game's history. The side-scrolling platformer was originally scheduled for release...
News Zelda: A Link To The Past's Map In LEGO Form Is A Sight To Behold
Spotted at BrickCon 2019
Setting off on a new adventure in The Legend of Zelda series is always pretty special, so much so that the maps and locations contained within each game are practically etched into our minds at this point (apart from Breath of the Wild, because that thing's huge). If you've played and loved Zelda: A Link to the Past, you're...
News Cripes, That SNES PlayStation Prototype Is Up For Sale Now
Time to remortgage the house, then
A few years back, a pretty incredible event occurred: a SNES PlayStation prototype was discovered in the wild. Owned by Terry Diebold (and discovered by his son in a box of junk that was about to be thrown out) the unit is the only known example outside of Sony's archives and dates back to the time when
Guide Where To Buy The Nintendo Switch Online Super NES Controllers
Update: "Currently unavailable"
Now that Super NES games have finally dropped on Switch for Nintendo Switch Online subscribers, you'll probably be wanting to play them with the controller they were designed for. Fortunately, Nintendo also announced that wireless Super NES controllers are available to purchase by anybody signed up to Nintendo's...
Review Pilotwings - 16-Bit Flight Simulation, The Nintendo Way
Mode 7 is the wind beneath my Pilotwings
Upon introducing its new Super Famicom console in late 1990 it wasn't just critical for Nintendo to showcase technical advantages over its 16-bit competition, but it was also important to persuade gamers who were clinging on to their 8-bit systems to purchase the new hardware. Considering parents in North...
News The Wireless SNES Controller For Switch Unlocks Super Mario World Sound Effects
A nice surprise
The SNES Collection for Nintendo Switch Online subscribers has a lot of fancy built-in features such as the ability to rewind games, re-order games, play online with friends and save your progress at any time. If you were lucky enough to get your hands on one of the wireless Super Nintendo Controllers though, you may or may not have...
Review Super Mario World - Phenomenal Platforming Perfection
It's-a Mario masterpiece
Impressive software is vital for a console's launch, and the powerful one-two combination of the Mode 7 razzmatazz in F-Zero and sublime gameplay in Super Mario World ensured that Nintendo's November 1990 Japanese launch of the Super Famicom would sting its Mega Drive and PC Engine competition from the outset. Since then...
Reminder Wireless SNES Controllers For Switch Online Can Now Be Purchased (North America)
Exclusive offer for members
Update: The wireless SNES controllers are temporarily out of stock on the Nintendo website. If you want to properly relive the glory days of the SNES on your Nintendo Switch, you must absolutely get the fancy wireless controllers Nintendo showed off during its most recent Direct broadcast. The good news is if you live...
Review F-Zero - The Game That Sold Us Mode 7
What a way to launch a console
At their very core, futuristic racing games should have visual flair, and there was already an early history of this sub-genre before F-Zero released – including Nintendo's Mach Rider on NES in 1985, Powerdrome on 16-bit computers, and Atari's arcade S.T.U.N. Runner in 1989. Following these games, late 1990 became an...
Poll So, Which SNES Games Have You Been Playing On Nintendo Switch?
Mario? Zelda? Star Fox?
Last week, Nintendo Switch Online subscribers were treated to a whole new bunch of retro delights in the form of the new SNES app. Available to download as we speak, the new collection lets players jump into 20 classic games on the go, and we're sure plenty of you have been enjoying your time with them. As such, we thought...
News Yoshi's Island On Switch Fixes The Glitch Found In The SNES Classic Version
All better now
If you've booted up the Nintendo Switch Online's fancy new SNES app, you may well have already given Yoshi's Island a fresh spin. The 1995 classic is now available at no extra cost to Switch Online subscribers - and we'd definitely recommend diving into it. Now, we wouldn't blame you for missing it
News Switch's NES And SNES Games Will No Longer Be Added Monthly
Mixing it up
SNES games have finally arrived on Nintendo Switch, joining the already existing NES library to create an ever-growing treasure trove of retro delights for Nintendo Switch Online subscribers. Previously, when we only had the NES games to enjoy, new titles were released (almost) religiously on the second Wednesday of every month, but...
