SNES - News

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December2013

  • Review The Legend of the Mystical Ninja (Wii U eShop / SNES)

    The true karate kid

    Konami's classic action title The Legend of the Mystical Ninja is a welcome addition to the Wii U's slowly expanding library of Virtual Console offerings. In an era where lighthearted, fun characters have all but been forgotten in favour of grim shooters, playing as "Kid Ninja" — or Goemon, for fans of his Nintendo 64...

  • Weirdness Scrub Up With These Nintendo Cartridges

    Promotes gamer hygiene

    Like professional athletes, Nintendo gamers are commonly known for generating foul odours during long and enduring marathons. It’s part of the whole experience. Whether it involved gaming with friends back in the day with a copy of GoldenEye 007 on the Nintendo 64, or more recently playing through the latest Zelda adventure...

  • Review Contra III: The Alien Wars (Wii U eShop / SNES)

    Lasers and missiles and heliobombs, oh my

    Just when you thought the Wii U eShop had reached a maximum capacity of irresistibly cute little creatures with the likes of Pikmin 3, Toki Tori and Kung Fu Rabbit, here comes Contra III: The Alien Wars to mow down the competition with its terrifying alien invasions, flamethrower-wielding protagonists and...

November2013

  • News Signed EarthBound Cartridge to Be Auctioned Off for Cancer Patient

    “For James”

    EarthBound is all about strong bonds; not only within the game but also its fan community. There is nothing that may demonstrate this point more fluently in recent days than the story of a special EarthBound cartridge that will soon be auctioned off during the EarthBound Bash marathon. The cartridge began in the hands of James...

  • News Give Your Apple TV That All-Important Nintendo Vibe With These Retro Skins

    Love the skin you're in

    If you happen to own an Apple TV unit then you may feel that it's a little too plain for your liking, but fear not — Killer Duck Decals has the solution. The company has produced skins for the Apple TV unit which allow it to mimic classic Nintendo systems like the NES, SNES and

  • News Fangamer Announces Earthbound Charity Event

    Weekend marathon of the timeless RPG for a good cause

    Fangamer has been hinting at something big and Earthbound-related for a while now, which should come as no surprise to those who know the company. They wear their passion for the cherished Mother series on their sleeves, so using this love to raise money seems like the perfect marriage...

  • Video Experts Believed Nintendo Was In Trouble Back In 1990, Too

    Some things never change

    When you're one of the world's most recognisable brands then it's only natural for people to predict your downfall. That has happened to Nintendo many times in the past, and history is repeating itself as a new console war begins in earnest. Sony's PS4 and Microsoft's Xbox One launch this Christmas, and these hardware...

  • Review Goof Troop (Super Nintendo)

    Gawrsh!

    In the late '80s and early '90s Capcom created a range of games, based on Disney franchises, for the NES and SNES. The likes of Darkwing Duck, Chip 'n' Dale Rescue Rangers and DuckTales all made appearances, the latter of which has even been given the HD treatment for modern systems, including Wii U. One of the more interesting titles was...

October2013

September2013

August2013

July2013

  • News SNES Platform Hero Plok Makes A Long-Overdue Return

    Comic book series revealed - could a new game be next?

    Those of you with keen memories will no doubt recall a SNES platform title by the name of Plok. Released in 1993 and created by Ste and John Pickford — The Pickford Brothers, to you and me — the title was something of a cult classic and fans have been asking for a new entry for years. It...

  • Review EarthBound (Wii U eShop / SNES)

    An RPG experience unlike any other

    EarthBound landed on the SNES in 1995 with a dull thud. While the game didn't exactly light up the sales charts in North America and failed to make it to Europe, it has certainly gone on to become one of the most sought-after games in the second-hand market, selling for upwards of $80 as nothing more than a loose...

  • News UK Store GAME Pulls Mention Of SNES Emulator From Ouya Sales Page

    Super GNES no longer featured in advertising

    Android-based micro-console Ouya is now available in both the US and Europe, and brings with it the ability to play specially-adapted smartphone and tablet games on your TV. It also comes with support for various emulators which allow you to play retro titles on the system — so long as you source the...

June2013

  • News Don't Look Now, But There Could Be A New Shaq Fu Game Inbound

    Be very afraid

    Those of you old enough to recall the 16-bit era will no doubt remember a fighting game for the SNES by the name of Shaq Fu. It took the famous basketball star Shaquille O'Neal and placed him in a fantasy world when he had to use his intense B-Ball skills to defeat the malevolent Sett-Ra. Despite being created by the respected French...

May2013

  • News Super Retro Trio Plays SNES, Genesis, NES and GBA Games

    The RetroN5 has a challenger

    It would seem that 2013 is going to be a big year for new gaming hardware — not only will we see the PlayStation 4 and Next Xbox, but we've got two new retro systems to look forward to as well. Hyperkin's RetroN 5 will be joined by the Retro-Bit Super Retro Trio, which plays SNES, Genesis / Mega Drive, NES and (with an...

April2013

March2013

  • News Star Fox Developer: I Wanted To Say "Screw That" To Shigeru Miyamoto

    Dylan Cuthbert reveals the magic of working with Nintendo

    Star Fox is one of the Super Nintendo's most enduring classics, thanks largely to its ground-breaking use of 3D and tight, immserise gameplay. However, had Dylan Cuthbert — one of the game's key developers — had his way, it might have turned out very differently; something he now admits...

  • News Android-based Ouya Console Will Have NES and SNES Emulation At Launch

    Wii U rival to offer ability to play ROMs on your TV

    Ouya is one of the more high-profile Kickstarter campaigns, having raised a staggering $8.6 million in 2012. The system will run on Google's Android operating system and should retail for less than $100 when it launches in June this year. Although its primary objective is to host titles similar...

  • Video Zelda: A Link To The Past Gets Condensed Into Just Four Minutes

    One of the best games ever in less time than it takes to eat a burger

    The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past is unquestionably one of the best Zelda instalments, and quite possibly one of the greatest video games ever made. The games offers hours of top-notch entertainment, but YouTube user vgcuts has managed to cram all of that awesomeness into...

  • News There's A New Turrican Game Inbound, But Super Turrican Is Off The Table

    News of a new entry is sullied by the removal of the SNES version from the Virtual Console

    The latest issue of German Retro Gamer magazine has revealed that a new entry in the Turrican series is on its way. Turrican Rebirth will be a 2D shooter with a heavy emphasis on customisation, allowing players to make their own weapons and stages to share...

  • News Harvest Moon Gets The Hollywood Reboot Treatment

    Down on the farm

    Hollywood reboots are pretty tiresome these days — it would appear that film-makers have run out of new ideas entirely. Still, every cloud has a silver lining, because the loathsome trend of pilfering ideas from the past has inspired the YouTube series Gritty Reboots, which parodies the process but uses video games for its ideas,...

  • News Kickstarter Launched For SNES Super 4-in-1 Multicart

    $10,000 funding goal in place

    A Kickstarter campaign has been launched to produce a Super 4-in-1 cartridge for the SNES. The cart will contain four homebrew titles: Mazezam, UWOL: Quest for Money, Skipp and Friends Unexpected Journey and N- WARP Daisakusen. The creators are looking to secure $10,000 to fund the project. At the time of writing, they...

February2013

  • News The Secrets Of The Nintendo Power Line Experts Are Revealed

    Game Counselors were mere mortals after all

    Those of you in North America old enough to remember the days before the internet will no doubt recall the Nintendo Power Line. This telephone service offered gameplay tips and hints for struggling players, and was your only hope in a period where online FAQs and strategy guides didn't exist. The service...

January2013

December2012

  • News Entire SNES Game Collection Up For Sale

    Yours for just $24,999

    Every now and then an eager retro collector raises eyebrows by offering something unique at an eye-watering price, which in the past has included items such as demo NES cartridges. This time around we have an entire collection of Super NES games up for sale, which includes all 721 retail releases for the system that hit the...

November2012

  • News 47,096 Perler Beads Made This Awesome Chrono Trigger Artwork

    A labour of love

    When you love a video game very much there are a number of ways in which you can express that adoration to the world. One is to simply tell anyone that will listen, while another is to create a fan-site or something similar which communicates why it's such a fantastic game. However, this imgur user decided that he wanted to do...

  • News SNES Campus Challenge & One-Of-A-Kind Console Go On Sale

    Got a few thousand dollars to spare?

    Video game collecting is something that's taken very seriously by some, and there are hundreds of expensive eBay auctions to back it up. The latest example to catch our eye is a listing on Game Gavel, with a very unique game and console up for auction. On sale is a copy of SNES Campus Challenge, a custom made...

October2012

  • News French Firm Recycles SNES Consoles With a Unique Twist

    What once was old is new again

    We've got a saying here at Nintendo Life Towers: Old consoles don't die, they just go into storage. It's heartening to discover that French firm Lëkki feels the same way; the company is focused on taking existing retro hardware and making it new again with a fresh lick of paint - and we mean that literally. Lëkki...

  • News The Truth Behind Donkey Kong Country's Opening Level Theme

    It's a stitch-up

    Remember the music for the opening level on Donkey Kong Country? Do you recall how it moves from one musical style to another, almost as if it's three different songs that have been fused together? That because it is. In an interview with CVG, former Rare composer David Wise reveals the truth behind the track: I was on holiday in...

September2012

August2012

April2012

  • News Does Ocarina of Time Look Better with Link to the Past's Graphics?

    You decide

    Many of us know The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time's Hyrule like the back of our hands, but did you ever stop to consider what the Great Deku Tree might look like Link to the Past-style? Zelda Fan Game Central member MaJoRa has spent the past two years recreating Hyrule with sprites and tiles from Link's SNES adventure, wrapping up the...

  • News Super Mario World Music Video Crams In a Marimba

    Everyone likes a marimba

    You're probably thinking you've heard every imaginable variation on every single Super Mario theme, jingle and ditty, but this Super Mario World overworld theme contains a marimba and a melodica. It's also pretty good. The list of instruments in Adam Mormolstein's video might even eclipse the number of levels in Mario's...

March2012

  • Hardware Review Hyperkin SupaBoy Portable SNES

    The biggest retro hardware release in more ways than one

    The lapse of hardware patents on retro platforms has resulted in an explosion of clone machines, most of which are produced cheaply in the Far East. These systems emulate the performance of consoles such as the NES, Super Nintendo and Genesis/Mega Drive, all of which are no longer covered by...

  • News Harvest Moon Creator Reflects on Hellish Development

    Where did it all go right?

    The very first Harvest Moon was a seminal moment in gaming history — at least, it was if you like farming games — but series creator Yasuhiro Wada recently spoke at GDC 2012 about how close he came to giving up on the game before release. Initially the game began as a cow-raising simulator, inspired by the ever-popular...

December2011

  • News Skyward Sword's Music Sounds Even Better When SNES-ified

    Who needs an orchestra?

    The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword's music is up there with the best of the series, and made all the more powerful by its use of a real orchestra. But how do the melodies themselves hold up when taken back to something a little less realistic? "Very well indeed" is the answer. YouTube user MischievousMusings has...

  • Feature Memorable Zelda Moments

    The wonderful world of Hyrule, and beyond

    The Legend of Zelda is one of the best loved Nintendo franchises, over 25 years old and still finding new ways to thrill gamers. The significant number of Zelda releases means it boasts an incredible history and reputation, with each new entry’s adventure contributing its part to the lore of the series...

November2011

  • News Super Famicom Reaches 21 Years Old Today

    Finally able to drink

    It might seem like just yesterday, but it's 21 years ago today that Nintendo's 16-bit leviathan took its first step onto Japanese soil. The Super Famicom launched on in Japan on Wednesday 21st November for ¥25,000, selling out of its first shipment of 300,000 units within a few hours: hardly surprising considering it launched...

August2011

  • Talking Point What Was the Best Super NES Game Ever?

    It's time to decide

    It's 20 years ago today since the Super Nintendo saw official release in North America, and over the following years it amassed a truly incredible library of games still thought of today as some of the finest ever. But what really was the top dog on Nintendo's 16-bit wonder machine? Did the 96 levels of Super Mario World do it...

  • Feature 20 Years of the Super NES

    Time flies when you’re having 16-bit fun

    It’s been a year of major anniversaries, proving the fact for many of us at Nintendo Life that we are, indeed, getting old. We’ve seen anniversaries for Zelda, Metroid and Sonic, with Mario enjoying a celebratory cake with Princess Peach only last year. Next up is the Super Nintendo Entertainment System

July2011

June2011

April2011

December2010

September2010

August2010

  • News Super Earth Defense Force Enlists to Defend Europe and Australia

    Virtual Console rating uncovered

    Can't get enough of blasting aliens on Virtual Console? Then prepare to give your trigger finger another workout as the Australian Classification Board (OFLC) has outed Super E.D.F. Earth Defense Force for Super Nintendo, heading to the PAL region for the first time ever. There's naturally no release information...

  • News Fifteen Years On, Chrono Trigger Collectables Emerge from the Portal

    They're called Formation Arts, apparently

    While Square Enix's other main RPG series have received countless merchandise tie-ins over the years, Super Nintendo RPG Chrono Trigger has always been a little thin on the collectables front. Fans of Crono and friends can soon bolster their collection with a range of new figures on the way later this year...

  • Nintendo Download 13th August (Europe)

    Cowboys, card games, racing and more

    As we already reported earlier this week, the Virtual Console is keeping up its streak of weeks with a new game a bit longer, with today's new retro release easily being the most interesting new title this week. All five of this week's games have already been released elsewhere, so you don't have to wait for any...

  • News Wild Guns Yee-Haws to Virtual Console on Friday

    Two in a row!

    European Virtual Console fans relax: you're not dreaming. After the excitement of Ufouria: The Saga, Aero the Acrobat and its sequel in the past month, there's another title on the way this Friday in the form of SNES steampunk Wild West shooter Wild Guns. Out in North America at the end of May, this is one game that deserves a download...

  • News Clean Yourself with Retro Nintendo Carts

    Zombies Washed My Neighbors

    Many of you likely have collections of old Nintendo cartridges lying about; boxy relics of gaming's yesteryears great for some nostalgic fun. Still, there has always been one core functionality that these old carts lack: they don't clean dirt off your body. Well, Etsy shop DigitalSoaps aims to change all that with its...

July2010

  • Nintendo Download 23rd July (Europe)

    Acrobats, skaters and more

    While North America has now suffered three consecutive weeks without a new retro game available for download, we're about to get another. It's accompanied by a bunch of DSiWare and WiiWare games that might not be to the liking of everybody. WiiWare: Arcade Sports Air Hockey, Bowling, Pool, Snooker (800pts - Icon Games) –...

June2010

  • News Brace Yourself for the Best Super Famicom T-Shirt You'll See Today

    Japanese Super NES shirt all kinds of cool

    If you like your gaming t-shirts, there's no finer feeling than finding fancy new threads, and thanks to the ever-increasing popularity of Nintendo you're never likely to be short of choice, and here's another one to add to your shopping list. Based on the classic Super Famicom, the "Ultimate 16-Bit...

  • Nintendo Download 11th June 2010 (Europe)

    Plenty of puzzling, some strategy and racing, and an import

    Despite the release of Super Mario Galaxy 2 today, Nintendo of Europe isn't neglecting their download services. The Virtual Console gets a new one-off import game while WiiWare and DSiWare get a whole bunch of catchup titles, plus one completely new game. WiiWare: NEVES Plus: Pantheon of...

  • Feature Hyperkin Retron3 Console Review

    The unholy three-in-one

    Those of you with sharp memories will recall that we reviewed the Retro Duo console a few months back and were quite impressed with the system's power to grant new life to dusty old Nintendo cartridges. We've since been sent yet another of these "clone" systems to take a look at, but this time there's a twist -...

May2010

April2010

February2010

  • Nintendo Download 5th February 2010 (Europe)

    Two anticipated titles finally arrive.

    The Virtual Console seems to be in full swing in Europe again, after a rather lackluster period - We got Street Fighter Alpha 2 last week, and we're getting Sonic & Knuckles the next. The space inbetween isn't empty either, because Capcom has chosen to release two games in a row. Meanwhile, on WiiWare,...

  • Hardware Review Yobo FC-16 Go Portable SNES

    Attack of the clones

    Those of you with especially keen memories will recall that we reviewed the RetroDuo console not so long ago. One of the growing number of unlicensed clones hitting the market at the moment, this neat machine is now joined by something a little more portable - namely the Yobo Gameware FC-16 Go. This is essentially a portable...

January2010

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