Tag: Nintendo - Page 139
E3 2012 Meet The Wii U GamePad
Sticky thumbs
The Wii U controller has a new name — it's now called Wii U GamePad. Nintendo President Satoru Iwata has revealed the redesigned controller, which now features two clickable analogue sticks rather than the sliders previously seen. It was decided that analogue sliders were better suited to handheld devices. Iwata also revealed that...
E3 2012 E3 Starts Early With Nintendo Direct
The party starts now
Nintendo is kicking off E3 a bit sooner than expected — it's just announced a surprise Nintendo Direct show for tomorrow, 3rd June. Even more excitingly, it's to talk about Wii U. There'll still be plenty to tune into the main E3 press conference for, though, as this is all about the console. Nintendo President Satoru Iwata...
News Nintendo UK and British Film Institute Team Up on 3DS
Competition and 3D content on the way
In recent weeks Nintendo UK has been making an effort to encourage 3DS gamers to make use of the camera on the system, expanding its photo competition with celebrity events in the 'Another Dimension' initiative. It's now going even further to promote use of the 3D video recorder, with a competition for budding...
News Nintendo Unleashed Joins Games Britannia in July
Get thee to Sheffield
It's not often games events venture north of Watford, so it's very good news that the Nintendo Unleashed tour is joining Sheffield event Games Britannia. Nintendo UK will be bringing recent and upcoming releases to Sheffield's Magna Science Adventure Centre on 7th and 8th July. The Big N joins other industry forces like Namco...
News 3DS Patent Covers Vibrating Stylus, New Kinds of Control
The plot thickens
Nintendo's filed a patent for a new kind of input on 3DS — one that requires no physical contact with the console at all. The application uses the 3DS console's inner-facing camera along with a stylus to manipulate 3D images on the top screen without the need for buttons, touch screen or moving the console. The inward-facing...
Feature How Nintendo Can Win E3
Drop the bomb
The time is nearly here. In just a few days, Nintendo has to make the presentation of its lifetime at E3 2012. After being hit by the first losses in the company's history in recent months, and with the weight of proving a brand new home console's worth on its shoulders, there's no doubt that nailing this conference is crucial. It'll...
News Nintendo Teases Wii U Launch Line-Up
How much more waiting?
Today's Thursday. Nintendo will show off Wii U games on Tuesday. Want to make that wait seem even longer? Start guessing what these teased Wii U launch games are. The official Wii U Facebook page posted the following teaser last night: Guess what the initial game releases will be for Nintendo’s new home console, Wii U?...
Feature Games We'd Love to See at E3
We're dreaming
This year’s Nintendo E3 conference is drawing a lot of attention because of Wii U, with the new console giving the company a big chance to seize the day. When it comes to the showcase press conference, however, there’s always one thing that is guaranteed to get the fans excited: games, games and more games. Give Reggie Fils-Aime,...
News UK 3D Photography Fans to Enter Another Dimension
It's a competition you see
Nintendo UK just announced a new 3D photography initiative called Another Dimension, heading to the UK from next week. Interested 3DS owners can head out on special photography field trips with celebrities, like pop group The Saturdays or bird-botherer Bill Oddie, with their 3D snaps displayed as part of an installation...
Feature Why EA and Nintendo's Partnership Is Big News
Crowd pleaser
Last year at E3, Nintendo promised a lot to core gamers. "Wii U will be right just for you," Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aime said, playing a showreel of hardcore shooters and action games to win over the crowd. Talking heads from big publishers all crowed about the machine's capabilities and its new controller — top...
Feature The Full E3 2012 Schedule
Bookmark this (updated 31st May)
With one week to go, we've put together a complete guide to this year's E3 show so you know exactly what's on offer, when and how to watch it. We've compiled a list of the major press conferences and live events and converted them into a range of time zones so you know exactly when to come to Nintendo Life to get...
News We May Yet See Inazuma Eleven Strikers in Europe
Better late than never
Europe's got two Inazuma Eleven games for DS but not the Wii entry Inazuma Eleven Strikers that came out in Japan in July 2011. Well, never say never, as Level-5's registered a trademark for the game in Europe. The Wii version follows the DS game's lead by blending football with RPG elements, but naturally with polygon...
News Play Upcoming Nintendo Titles at MCM Expo
Prepare to dance
This weekend's MCM Expo will give UK Nintendo fans the chance to play some upcoming titles for 3DS and Wii for the first time. Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance and Beat the Beat: Rhythm Paradise are the headliners, but there's also Heroes of Ruin, Mario Tennis Open and
Feature The Evolution of Nintendo's Controllers
From NES to Wii U
In over 25 years of home consoles, Nintendo's done more than just produce ever-improving gaming systems that give us more complex, better-looking games: it's also been a major influence on how we play our games. The company has often been responsible for bringing new control schemes to the mainstream, or adapting ideas from others...
News Shigeru Miyamoto Awarded Prestigious Spanish Prize
For communications and humanities
Shigeru Miyamoto has won a few major awards over the years as recognition for his exemplary contribution to the gaming industry. He's been awarded a BAFTA fellowship and was the first inductee into the Spike VGA Video Game Hall of Fame, to name just two honours. He's now been confirmed as the recipient of this...
Talking Point Should Zelda Go Episodic?
"Next time on The Legend of Zelda..."
For more than 25 years, The Legend of Zelda series has grapple-hooked the hearts of gamers across the globe. Thanks to the consistent quality of its library of titles, the Zelda brand has generated a worldwide recognition that few games achieve and has become the standard by which all other action-adventure...
News 3DS Nears 1 Million Units Sold in UK
But slower than DS
According to Pocket Gamer, 3DS is on the cusp of hitting the 1 million sales mark in the United Kingdom. The site claims the console sits just below 950k units after 61 weeks on shelves. By comparison, the original DS sold its first million after 51 weeks, so 3DS clearly still has some ground to make up. Last year Nintendo of...
News Add These Dates and Times to Your E3 Schedule
Straight from the horse's mouth
You might think your E3 experience starts and ends with Nintendo's press conference on 5th June? Not so, with two more dates and times to add to your diary. As well as streaming the press conference itself, Nintendo will also offer two exclusive videos at Here's the full rundown, in order. Tuesday 5th June: Press...
News Watch E3 Live Online, On TV and On the Go
Watch everywhere, really
Nintendo will once again stream its E3 press conference online at as well as via Facebook and on TV on Spike or MTV2. There'll also be game footage and developer interviews on Nintendo's YouTube channels. Of course we'll be bringing you live coverage, news, media and more as it happens so make sure you come here on 5th...
News Scour the UK for Mario Tennis Open Yoshi QR Codes
Smash and grab
Mario Tennis Open launches in the UK next week, and Nintendo is launching a nationwide treasure hunt for you to grab multicoloured Yoshis. On 25th and 26th May select Asda stores will give away the Black Yoshi via a special in-store QR code: scan it with your 3DS and Black Yoshi is yours to keep. Nintendo will release white, blue and...
News Colour-Based AR Patent is Hot Stuff
You'll see what we mean
The augmented reality games bundled with the 3DS are all well and good, but many of you want more. Nintendo's applied for a patent on a new colour-based AR concept that would make a very welcome addition to the system's AR suite. The document refers to using colour to influence the game world, giving several intriguing...
News Nintendo Patent Reveals Wii U and Remote Interactivity
Drag and drop
So far a lot of the Wii U video and technology has focused on how one player will use the Wii U controller and others will use Wii Remotes, but a new patent shows the potential for a single player using both controllers together. The patent outlines how a player could use the Wii Remote to interact with both the TV and Wii U...
News Organise a Big Kid Icarus Event, Win Prizes
Nintendo lays down shiny gauntlets
Every time Nintendo announces an event somewhere in the world, the response is always the same: "why couldn't it be where I live?" That won't be a problem on 19th May, as Nintendo is encouraging fans all over the world to hold their own events for Kid Icarus: Uprising. Designating 19th May as "multiplayer battle...
News Mario Kart 7 Update Available Now
Commence updating!
The exploit-fixing update for Mario Kart 7 is available now. It patches up glaring shortcuts in the game's Wuhu Island Loop, Wuhu Mountain Loop and GBA Bowser Castle 1 courses. You won't be able to play online if you don't download the update, so hopefully this'll level the online playing field. Here's how to update your game:...
News Aqua Blue 3DS Discontinuation Only Affects Japan
So cheer up
Last week we learnt that Nintendo Japan is discontinuing the Aqua Blue 3DS, and we anxiously wondered what it might mean for us in the West. We've heard back from Nintendo Europe now and it's good news. The official line is that "this announcement is only for the Japanese market", meaning there should be a steady stream of Aqua...
News These Are the UK's Biggest Selling Virtual Console Games
Mario makes a clean sweep
Nintendo UK has just revealed all-time sales charts for Wii's Virtual Console, and it contains a sum total of zero surprises. On NES, legendary platformer Super Mario Bros. 3 sits atop the chart, just above Super Mario Bros. and, strangely, Pac-Man. SNES players favour Super Mario World over all others, with
News Nintendo Applies for Patent on Wii U Golf Tech
Taking a swing
Remember Nintendo's bold new vision for sports games on Wii U, shown off at E3 last year? It's dead serious about making it a reality, applying for a patent on its concept for golf. The patent pertains to using the new controller on the ground to see the lie of the ball, but it goes into more detail, revealing it's possible to 'miss'...
News Japanese Charts Bring Golden Results for Nintendo
Holiday week brings extra sales
It's time for the weekly Japanese charts update, and if you've been reading these articles for the past couple of months you'll already know the story: Nintendo dominates sales in its homeland. The company's performance around the world may be a mixed bag at present, but results in Japan rarely let Satoru Iwata and...
News Felt Sew Good Sells Cushions of Your Favourite Consoles
Soft sell
An NES controller coffee table is all well and good, but we'd rather have something softer in our living room, wouldn't you? Online store Felt Sew Good just opened up and sells a range of cute cushions based on retro gaming consoles and controllers. NES, SNES, Game Boy and more are all represented in adorable form; there's even a Speak...
Feature The Magic of Console Launches
It’s all about day one
In the coming weeks, as we build up to the excitement and madness of E3 2012, we’re going to reflect on some major Nintendo console launches from the past. We won’t necessarily cover them all in this series, but we’ll be looking at some notable console arrivals and thinking about why these system launches were...
News Dress Up and Win at Kid Icarus Event
Even if you don't go you can still dress up
Nintendo UK is currently in the middle of a Kid Icarus: Uprising event tour, giving plucky gamers a chance to take on a 'battle squad' of professional gamers in multiplayer. Participants at the first event at HMV Oxford Circus in London received limited edition posters, while those who triumphed over the...
Feature Three Reasons Why Mario's Next Adventure Should Visit Subcon
It's from Super Mario Bros. 2, if you didn’t know
By the mid 1980s the world had fallen in love with a stocky Italian plumber named Mario. With the release of Super Mario Bros. on NES, the gaming icon left an indelible boot-shaped impression on the minds of gamers around the world and forever changed the landscape of the video game industry. After...
News Pokémon Conquest Details Revealed by Nintendo
Lots of kingdoms to conquer
Pokémon Conquest, a translated version of Japanese title Pokémon + Nobunaga's Ambition, is getting ever closer for gamers in North America. With the 18th June release date approaching, Nintendo has started to release details about the title and what 'mon fans can expect. With 17 kingdoms to conquer, and these being...
News Nintendo Confirms E3 2012 Press Conference Date & Time
It's coming
Nintendo will host its E3 press conference on Tuesday 5th June. It'll be our first look at Nintendo's Wii U games including Pikmin 3 and Super Mario Bros., plus new games for 3DS. It all kicks off at 9am Pacific Daylight Time, which we've handily converted into these time zones for you: 9am — Pacific 12 midday — Eastern 5pm —...
News Wii U Designed to Do The Impossible
Nintendoes what Nintendidn't
While Nintendo may have struggled to explain adequately the Wii U's unique charms at E3, the machine was created with one principle in mind: to do what Wii can't. Nintendo president Satoru Iwata told investors that while being an improved Wii — it does full HD output for a start — it's designed to be a brand new...
News Nintendo Games Back in Force at Game Stores
Back in One Piece
Nintendo-published games have returned to the shelves of UK retailers Game and Gamestation. Tekken 3D Prime Edition was the first game to skip the retailer in February, but is now available to buy in store or online. It's joined by fellow 3DS outing One Piece: Unlimited Cruise SP and DS sequel Inazuma Eleven 2, plus Pandora
News Nintendo "Very Eager" to Help Third Party 3DS Developers
Mi casa es su casa
As we all expected, so far Nintendo's arguably made the best use of the 3DS's stereoscopic screen, but it's not all high and mighty about it — it wants to help third party developers get up to the same level. Nintendo president Satoru Iwata told investors the company would happily pass on knowledge of how to leverage the 3DS...
News Iwata Won't Promise "Overwhelmingly Rich" Wii U Launch Line-Up
Has "several proposals"
The 3DS had a lacklustre line-up of games. You know it, we know it and Nintendo knows it. The real question is how the company will avoid a similar situation with Wii U when it launches later this year. Nintendo president Satoru Iwata told investors that it has plans in place but that it pledges to create...
News GameStop Won't Be Selling Spirit Camera Second-Hand
Frightening
Hoping to grab a cheap pre-owned copy of Spirit Camera: The Cursed Memoir from GameStop? Sorry, your luck is out — the chain won't be trading in Nintendo's augmented reality experience. The reason is the game relies on an intricate book bundled with new copies; without the book, the software's useless. Even a missing page could halt...
News Brain Training 3DS Confirmed for Worldwide Release
Available in both physical and digital formats
In its February Nintendo Direct broadcast Nintendo unveiled Onitore — basically Brain Training 3DS — which will focus on testing your concentration and working memory. Already confirmed for Japan this summer, the success of the DS titles in the series made a worldwide release inevitable; Satoru...
Rumour Midnight Purple 3DS Spotted on Retail Site
Prince nowhere to be seen
Update: Midnight Purple 3DS hits North America on 20th May. Retailer Sam's Club has listed a Midnight Purple 3DS — a colour Nintendo hasn't announced. Joystiq spotted the listing this past weekend. Purple was among the colours first shown off when 3DS w
News We'll Probably See Some New Nintendo Characters Soon
Who will they be?
Shigeru Miyamoto — creator of Mario, Zelda, Donkey Kong and more, of course — has dropped a seriously big hint we'll see new characters from Nintendo very soon. The Guardian asked Miyamoto if there was a particular game or style he wanted to work on, to which he replied: I don't have a big list of ideas I want to realise, I...
Talking Point Does Nintendo Finally 'Get' Digital?
Mario out of thin air
Now that Nintendo’s got the announcement of financial losses out of the way, it can look ahead to plans for the coming year. As expected, follow-up statements to investors revealed some interesting insights into the company’s plans, with the biggest news that Nintendo's 3DS retail games will be available to download later...
News Nintendo Still Has Secret 3DS Games to Reveal
Who knew?
Nintendo's got more 3DS games coming your way this financial year, but it's not saying what they are. Satoru Iwata — Nintendo president, of course — told investors the company has several unannounced 3DS games on the way before we flip our calendars over to April 2013. Referring to a list of announced first-party games due in the...
News Iwata: "Animal Crossing 3DS Won't Rely on Add-On Content"
Get what you pay for
To some, Animal Crossing on 3DS sounds like the ideal opportunity to sell as much digital add-on content as possible, but Nintendo president Satoru Iwata has again stated the company's strong opposition to this model. Iwata told investors Nintendo will stick to its ethos of not selling products that consumers would deem...
News New Super Mario Bros. 2 to Kick Off Retail Downloads
A while to wait
Nintendo president Satoru Iwata has revealed that New Super Mario Bros. 2 will be the first 3DS retail game to be available for download. Iwata spoke to investors at a financial results briefing and said that with user eShop connectivity at a good level — as much as 70% of 3DS owners in Japan and the U.S. have connected to the...
News Wii U Release Date and Price Announcements to Come After E3
Surprised?
Nintendo will reveal the release date and price for Wii U after its E3 show, president Satoru Iwata has revealed. Speaking at a financial results briefing, Iwata didn't reveal much about Wii U, other than emphasising that Nintendo would reveal the system's final format and software lineup during E3. Iwata then said: Please also be...
News Analyst Calls for Mario on Non-Nintendo Platforms
Is that a flying pig?
After today's financial reports confirmed major losses for Nintendo, there are once again calls for the company to take its greatest IP treasures onto other platforms, such as smartphones and tablets. We've heard this all before, with investors saying similar things when Nintendo dropped the 3DS retail price. It's as likely now...
Talking Point A Big Year for Nintendo
Time for a transition
Today Nintendo announced its annual financial results, and the big headline is that it made a loss of 43 billion Yen, roughly $529m USD or £327m GBP. While we don't need to fear for the future of the company at this stage due to its significant stockpiles of cash and assets, it’s nevertheless a blow for the big N. The loss...
News Remixed Pilotwings Soundtrack Takes Flight
Music to your ears?
SNES classic Pilotwings had a pretty good soundtrack, and it sounds better now it's been remixed. Pilotwings: Take Flight is a seven track project from OCRemix-ers halc and group Insert Rupee, available for free download now. We'd recommend it on the strength of its track names alone — You Don't Talk About Flight Club and The...
