Tag: Anniversaries - Page 4
Feature Evolving With Pokémon: How The Games Helped Me Navigate A Confused Childhood
This coping mechanism was super effective!
The Game Boy turned 35 years old on 21st April 2024. Today, Tim thinks back on how Pocket Monsters came to his aid in his formative years, and how the series that started on Nintendo's iconic portable would stay beside him in the years that followed. Pokémon is a clockwork franchise. Its cyclical...
Soapbox 20 Years On, Pikmin 2's Waterwraith Remains Nintendo's Scariest Moment
H2Oh no
Soapbox features enable our individual writers and contributors to voice their opinions on hot topics and random stuff they've been chewing over. Today, Jim is reliving a childhood trauma to mark Pikmin 2's 20th anniversary... To the casual observer, Pikmin must seem like a pretty relaxed experience. Everything is colourful. The characters...
The sweat, the tears, the evil babies
To celebrate the 10th anniversary of Mario Kart 8, George enlisted a troupe of willing racers (at least that's what he told us) to tackle every single track in the upgraded, DLC-laden Deluxe version in a local four-player blowout to end them all. What follows is a twisting tale of glory and grief, friendship...
Soapbox Vanillaware's Most Underrated Game Is More Than Just A Pretty Picture
Deserving of a Rebirth
Soapbox features enable our individual writers and contributors to voice their opinions on hot topics and random stuff they've been chewing over. Today, Alana is talking about a Vanillaware oldie — Muramasa: The Demon Blade, a Wii title that is celebrating its 15th anniversary. And, in the wake of 13 Sentinels and Unicorn...
Anniversary Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Is Now Six Years Old
Time flies when you're all-star brawling
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate fans around the world have this week taken to social media and other parts of the internet to celebrate the game's sixth anniversary. This entry was originally released exclusively for the Switch on 7th December 2018 and was followed up with multiple major game updates as well as...
Poll Okay, It's Time To Ask The Obvious - Will We Get Donkey Kong 64 On NSO?
The game turns 25 in Europe
Donkey Kong 64 — not the most beloved of Rare's titles, but probably the developer's most ambitious 3D platformer — turns 25 here in Europe today, 6th December 2024. DK and friends have a lot to celebrate lately: the Donkey Kong Land trilogy on Game Boy has trickled onto NSO over the past few weeks; the Donkey Kong...
News Pokémon Gold And Silver Celebrates 25 Years With Commemorative Plush
Featuring posable arms!
The Game Boy Color classics Pokémon Gold And Silver are now officially 25 years old and The Pokémon Company is celebrating with some new merch. If you have any fond memories of these titles or are just a fan of Pokémon Plush in general, you might be interested to know the Pokémon Center is now offering special...
Poll Was The Nintendo DS Prototype Really So Ugly?
Or just misunderstood?
It's hard to believe that it's been 20 years since the Nintendo DS launched, yet here we are. It's been even longer since it was revealed too, with the newly-appointed VP of sales and marketing Reggie Fils-Aimé taking to the stage at E3 2004 to showcase Nintendo's vision for the future of handheld gaming. We know now, of...
Talking Point What Are Your Top 5 Nintendo DS Games?
Phat wad
Believe it or not, it's now 20 years since Nintendo launched the DS. Rather than getting caught up in where the last two decades disappeared to, we thought it was worth looking back at our personal top five games for a system with a staggering amount of superb software. From delightful minigame gimmicks to full-blooded games in the...
Feature It's 20 Years Since The Launch Of Nintendo's Most Important Console
The rise to heaven
One of the joys of Nintendo's Switch is how it marries the company's home console heritage with its equally prestigious handheld line. Ask anybody over the age of 30 to name a handheld system and "Game Boy" will likely still be the first answer; that system became synonymous with portable gaming in the same way as all home...
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...
"If you've got a cool idea for a game, you can pitch your cool idea for a game."
Raise your hand if you haven’t played a Jackbox game… okay, trust us, if this were a real room, this would have created a pretty solid visual for how prolific the Jackbox party games have become over the years. Almost everyone has played one, and this week, believe...
Anniversary 20 Years On, Metroid Prime 2 Represents The Franchise At Its Experimental Best
Crossing worlds
Following up on Metroid Prime was never going to be easy. Although many (this writer included) were sceptical of Retro Studios’ abilities to move Metroid into the 3D, first-person realm, the team not only managed to put its own spin on an established Nintendo franchise successfully, but it also created one of the greatest games of...
Opinion No, Zelda: The Minish Cap's Worst Sidequest Isn't The Kinstones
Go figure
I've banged the Minish Cap drum so many times by this point that my adoration for Link's littlest adventure is old news. With today marking 20 years since this GBA gem landed in Europe, it felt too easy to sit down at my desk and gush over the tight six-dungeon structure, the brilliant puzzle design or the somehow still under-discussed...
Scarf out loud
Sonic Boom was one of the most ambitious projects Sega has ever undertaken with Sonic the Hedgehog. It was a full-throttle attempt at creating a brand-new sub-franchise for the blue blur, complete with new world, radically different character designs, and an accompanying animated series. Nintendo fans certainly had a lot to be...
Anniversary The Legend Of Zelda: The Minish Cap Turns 20 Today
Picori of the bunch
We're used to donning our finest party hats when a big birthday rolls around here at Nintendo Life, but today's celebration calls for a special piece of talking headwear. No cardboard cone will suffice today. We need something green, something intrusive, something with the spirit of an acclaimed mage trapped inside it... and with...
News Bayonetta Character Designer Celebrates Series' 15th Anniversary With New Art
The first game debuted in Japan in 2009
PlatinumGames' icon Bayonetta is currently celebrating her 15th anniversary, and while there have been no major announcements, the development team and creators have now taken to social media to acknowledge the Umbra Witch's time in the spotlight Platinum shared a brief message on social media featuring a...
News Level-5 CEO Reconfirms Three Switch Game Releases For 2025
"Three new titles next year"
Japanese developer Level-5 celebrated its 26th anniversary earlier this week and as part of this, its CEO Akihiro Hino shared a message to fans about the company's game schedule for next year. Hino reconfirmed how the plan is to release "three new titles" in 2025. In case you missed the original announcements, this...
Anniversary 8 Years Since Nintendo Unveiled Switch, The World Awaits The Next Reveal
Ha ha ha ha yeah!
20th October marks the eighth anniversary of the day we first laid our eyes on the console previously known as the mysterious ‘NX’, the Nintendo Switch. Revealed in a snappy trailer (teased in a tweet that was apparently controversial inside Nintendo) showcasing the system’s hybrid nature, the video was a dynamic...
News F-Zero Climax Celebrates 20th Anniversary With Free Course
It made its debut on Switch Online last week
The recent Switch Online + Expansion Pack release F-Zero Climax is celebrating its 20th anniversary tomorrow. As part of this, former Nintendo employee Takaya Imamura (who worked on the GBA title and the F-Zero series) back in the day has shared a special code. This code which commemorates the...
Feature 10 Years Ago, Nintendo Launched The Very Best 3DS
Practically perfect in every way
When it comes to Nintendo handhelds, it's standard for the first iteration to get the job done just sufficiently to sell the idea, but by the end of the system's lifecycle there are several upgrades available that, by comparison, make the original feel like a dev unit or pre-release prototype. We love the original...
News Nintendo's Xenoblade Chronicles Dev Monolith Soft Is Now 25 Years Old
"May your future games be just as amazing and loved"
Update: Nintendo has now published a special anniversary video celebrating 25 years of Monolith Soft. The developer has also opened a special 25th anniversary webpage featuring multiple commemorative wallpapers as well as a special message from Representative Director Hirohide Sugiura: Monolith...
Anniversary Nintendo Is 135 Years Old Today
Where does the time go?
Here's a big old number for you: Nintendo is 135 years old today. Not on the red-capped platforming front, of course, but it has been 135 years since Fusajiro Yamauchi founded the hanafuda playing card company, Nintendo Koppai, in Kyoto on 23rd September 1889 (at least, that's the most commonly agreed-on starting date). We...
News Overwatch 2 Celebrates World Of Warcraft's 20th Anniversary With "Legendary Crossover Event"
Worlds collide next week
The PC gaming giant Blizzard has announced it will celebrate 20 years of its massive multiplayer online game World of Warcraft in its free-to-play hero shooter Overwatch 2 later this month. Players will be able to go on an epic ride in this "legendary crossover event" which features iconic characters from Azeroth. The event...
News Tony Hawk Has Been "Talking To Activision Again" Ahead Of Pro Skater's 25th Anniversary
What's in the (half)pipeline?
Believe it or not, the 25th anniversary of Tony Hawk's Pro Skater is right around the corner (29th September, if we're being specific) and the titular Birdman himself is teasing that he and Activision might have something in the works (thanks, VGC). That's according to Hawk on the latest episode of Mythical Kitchen's...
Anniversary Pokémon FireRed And LeafGreen Turn 20 Years Old In The US
Fans would love to see them return
Try not to get too excited, but the official Pokémon social media account has this week acknowledged North America's 20th anniversary of Pokémon FireRed Version and LeafGreen Version. These Game Boy Advance titles originally released in September 2004 in this region, and were remakes of the original Pokémon...
News Tony Hawk's Pro Skater Socials Updated With 25th Anniversary Banner
Could the Birdman rise once again?
The Tony Hawk's Pro Skater series celebrates 25 years this month and although there's not been much talk about this milestone, the social channels for this series have now generated some discussion online. Activision's official social media account for Tony Hawk's Pro Skater on 'X' has been updated with a new...
Guide Best Castlevania Games, Ranked - Switch And Nintendo Consoles
Far from a miserable pile
To celebrate the release of the excellent Castlevania Dominus Collection, we're republishing this ranked list of every Castlevania game to appear on Nintendo systems. Remember, this is a reader-ranked list governed by each game's User Rating on our games database. As such, it is subject to real-time change as the ratings...
News Worms Armageddon: Anniversary Edition Has Been Confirmed For Switch
Launching next month
Update [Tue 27th Aug, 2024 16:45 BST]: Worms Armageddon: Anniversary Edition has been confirmed for the Switch and will launch on 26th September 2024. The game was revealed as part of a sizzle reel during the recent Nintendo Direct Partner showcase, so we don't have a great deal to report at the moment in terms of new...
News SNK Getting Ready For The King Of Fighters "Big" 30th Anniversary
30th anniversary project announced, multiple "exciting surprises" planned
Update [Sun 25th Aug, 2024 04:00 BST]: SNK's 30th anniversary celebrations for King of Fighters are just getting underway. Today's countdown has seen the opening of an official 30th anniversary website and the launch of the King of Fighters 30th project. The official SNK...
Guide Metroid Prime: The Story So Far - Everything You Need To Know Before Metroid Prime 4: Beyond
It's just a Phaaze
After several years of radio silence from Nintendo regarding the next instalment in the Metroid Prime series, the company finally revealed Metroid Prime 4: Beyond during the June 2024 Nintendo Direct broadcast. With its release set for 2025, this would mark a staggering 18 years since the last mainline entry: 2007’s Metroid...
News Sonic Mania Team Celebrates 7th Anniversary With Trivia, Art And Unreleased Tracks
Can you believe it?
This week marks the seventh anniversary of Sonic Mania and although there are no announcements to go with it, the game's developer Christian Whitehead has taken to social media - sharing some trivia you might not have known about. He detailed how the 'Special Stage UFO' in the game was "meant to get angry after you reached the...
News New Fire Emblem: Three Houses Figures Announced, Pre-Orders For Dimitri Live
Update: Here's a first look at Byleth
Update [Sat 3rd Aug, 2024 13:00 BST]: Following the announcement of 'Pop Up Parade' versions of the male and female versions of Byleth from Fire Emblem: Three Houses, Good Smile Company has now shared a first look. When we find out more about a release date and price, we'll let you know. Original story...
News Zelda: Tears Of The Kingdom Soundtrack Now Available, But Only In Japan
You can import a copy, if you really want it
To mark the first anniversary of The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom earlier this year, Nintendo lifted the lid on a new soundtrack featuring a whopping 344 tracks across 9 discs. The Limited Edition version also includes a Master Sword USB containing 15 high-resolution sound sources. As of this...
Anniversary The Game Boy Is Now 35 Years Old (North America)
Now you're playing with portable power
There were already some celebrations for the Game Boy's 35th anniversary earlier this year in April, but this week technically marks 35 years since the western release of Nintendo's popular handheld. Yes, this classic system - packed with experiences like Super Mario Land, Tetris, and the Pokémon series...
News Xenoblade Chronicles 3 Artist Celebrates Second Anniversary With New Illustration
Spotlighting Eunie
This week marks the second anniversary of the Switch exclusive Xenoblade Chronicles 3 and while there's nothing planned for this occasion, it seems the game's character designer Masatsugu Saito has shared some new artwork on his social media page. It's an illustration of the character Eunie, with some English text on the side to...
Poll Do You Prefer Fire Emblem: Three Houses Or Engage?
Fight fire with fire
Believe it or not, today marks five years since Fire Emblem: Three Houses launched on Switch. We'd imagine that most of you SRPG fans out there have polished it off by this point — we'd go even further to wager that you have likely done the same for its successor, Fire Emblem Engage, which is now a little over a year old...
News Nintendo Reminds Us Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door Is Now 20 Years Old
The GameCube classic debuted in 2004
Nintendo doesn't tend to acknowledge the GameCube too often, but it has made a special exception this week, reminding followers on social media accounts about one important anniversary. Yes, today marks, the 20th anniversary of Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door on the GameCube in Japan. This classic is often...
Soapbox New Roots - How Pikmin 4 Made My Move Abroad Bloom
Pik up your life
Soapbox features enable our individual writers and contributors to voice their opinions on hot topics and random stuff they've been chewing over. Today, on Pikmin 4's first anniversary, Alana thinks the half-plant, half-animal creatures known as Pikmin helped her move across the globe... I define many of the biggest moments in my...
Video Mojang Reveals What Goes Into Making A Minecraft Painting
The anniversary celebrations included 20 new paintings
If you've played Minecraft on the Switch or another platform, you're probably more than familiar with the paintings in the game by now. As part of the 15th anniversary celebrations as well as the recent 'Tricky Trials' update, Mojang added 20 new paintings to the game. Five of these were done...
Talking Point Is Shovel Knight Now A Retro Gaming Icon?
Let's dig in
Shovel Knight is the very definition of an indie darling. Bursting onto the scene in 2014, Yacht Club Games’ slick, throwback platformer caught the imagination of gamers both old and new. Its stunning aesthetic, tight controls, and humorous writing made it a must-play, while its ample secrets, tough but never punishing difficulty, and...
News Sega Won't Be Airing A 'Sonic Central' Broadcast This Month
Sonic turned 33 this week
Sega has been hosting a special broadcast titled 'Sonic Central' around the time of the blue blur's birthday since 2021, but this year the anniversary celebrations are a little different. Sonic brand social media and community manager Katie Chrzanowski explained during a surprise live stream this week how a Sonic Central...
News Surprise! Shovel Knight's Original Adventure Is Getting The Deluxe Treatment
Dig into an enhanced edition "soon"
As part of Shovel Knight's 10th anniversary celebrations, Yacht Club Games will be going back to where it started, with the original game Shovel of Hope - only this time it's getting the 'DX' treatment! You might remember a few titles of yesteryear getting the same treatment after their initial run and now we've...
Soapbox Game Boy Tetris' True Genius Was Teaching A Generation How To Play Video Games
Building gaming literacy one tetromino at a time
Soapbox features enable our individual writers and contributors to voice their opinions on hot topics and random stuff they've been chewing over. Today, Tim thinks back on 35 years of Tetris on the Game Boy and considers how it taught a generation — multiple generations, in fact — how to play...
Video Donkey Kong '94 - The 101-Level Sequel To Arcade DK
It's on like (101 stages of) Donkey Kong
14th June 2024 marks the 30th anniversary of Donkey Kong for the Game Boy's Japanese release. It's one of the finest games on the system and a hybrid arcade port/spin-off that ushered in the Mario vs. Donkey Kong series which recently came to Switch. In honour of the occasion, we thought we'd highlight this...
Anniversary Mario Golf On N64 Is Now 25 Years Old
Par-fect
Believe it or not, Mario Golf for the N64 is now 25 years old following its Japanese release on 11th June 2024. 25 years! A quarter of a century! We need to sit down... The game has received multiple re-releases since on the Wii, Wii U, and Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack, so if you're a paying member of the higher tier on Switch,...
Talking Point amiibo Were First Revealed 10 Years Ago Today, And We Still Want More
Will they continue with 'Switch 2'?
10th June 2024 marks the 10th anniversary of the reveal of Nintendo's toys-to-life line of figures at E3 2014. A stop-gap project for Nintendo to fill a void between the foundering Wii U and the company's next 'NX' hardware, it's hard to argue that the interactive potential of these little Near-Field...
News Yacht Club Broadcasting Shovel Knight 10th Anniversary Presentation Next Week
Celebrate a decade of digging!
Yacht Club Games has announced it will be hosting a "special edition" of its broadcast to celebrate the 10th anniversary of Shovel Knight. This event will take place next week on 14th June 2024 and will be live-streamed via YouTube with a runtime of approximately 20 minutes. You can see your local time and date for...
News Minecraft: The Manga English Release Coming Spring 2025
Minecraft is currently celebrating its 15th anniversary
Minecraft has now turned 15 and as part of the celebrations, the official manga (which originally made its debut in CoroCoro Comic in April 2020) will finally be released in English. VIZ Media is handling the localisation of Minecraft: The Manga, with it expected to launch at some point in...
News Minecraft Celebrates 15 Years With Free Anniversary Map
Journey through Minecraft history
Minecraft is currently celebrating its 15th anniversary and on day six of the celebrations it's taking a "literal" trip down memory lane with a "free map full of nostalgia". Here's the rundown along with some screenshots: "Celebrate 15 years of Minecraft with our free anniversary map! Made in partnership with our...
