Wii - News
April2013
News WayForward and Ubisoft Releasing The Smurfs 2 on Wii U, Wii and DS
Hopefully it won't make us feel blue
The Smurfs are making a comeback this Summer with the release of the aptly named The Smurfs 2 in cinemas across the world and Sony Pictures has decided to release a platforming game alongside it. Now, before you throw your arms up in despair, it might not actually be that bad as it's being developed by Ubisoft...
News Disney's Planes Jetting Onto All Nintendo Platforms This Year
Wii U, Wii, 3DS and DS editions coming in August
Disney Interactive Studios has revealed that Disney's Planes — which is based on the forthcoming CGI film — will be hitting all Nintendo platforms later in 2013. Wii U, Wii, 3DS and DS versions are in development, with August 6th being the take-off date in North America — just a few days before...
News Nintendo Working On Wii Remote Fast Charging Battery Pack
Online survey points to long-awaited accessory release
If there's one thing that really annoys us about using Wii Remotes in the Nintendo Life office, it's the fact that you need a constant supply of AA batteries on hand at all times, or a stock of rechargeable AA batteries which take ages to fully juice-up. Both the Xbox 360 and PS3 feature bespoke...
News Pandora's Tower Release Date Announced for North America
The slaying and serving up of monsters is set for 16th April
The forecast for the final Operation Rainfall title is shaping up: XSEED Games has announced that Pandora’s Tower for the Wii will begin hitting North American stores on 16th April. Pandora’s Tower sees chain-wielding protagonist Aeron taking on The Thirteen Towers, in order to slay...
March2013
News UK Gamers Rate Wii As "Best Ever" Console
2,000 GAME customers cast their vote
A survey of GAME customers in the United Kingdom has revealed that the general public rates the Wii as the world's best ever console. The high street chain quizzed 2,000 of its customers to obtain the information, and the Wii claimed 15% of the total vote. The Super Nintendo was the next most popular Nintendo...
Ninterview Meet Adam Howden - Voice Actor For Shulk
This is the Monado's power!
Xenoblade Chronicles is an epic adventure on Wii, receiving universal praise from critics and gamers alike. Its release was so desired that it partly prompted fan-movement Operation Rainfall, and was the first of a trio of fantastic JRPGs to be localised for the West - The Last Story being second, and Pandora's Tower...
News Wii Mini Generating Little Interest in The UK
Maybe the cold weather is putting people off...
The Wii Mini emerged as a Canadian exclusive back in December and, relatively speaking, it did reasonably well - shifting 35,700 units between its launch and 31st January. This lead Nintendo to bring the bizarre little console to other markets - one of which was the UK, where it was rele
News Pandora's Tower Will Be Invading North America in April
XSEED reveals first US trailer
Back in January, XSEED Games announced that it would be bringing the long awaited Japanese action-RPG Pandora's Tower to North America in Spring 2013. It's now been narrowed down a little bit more, as the publisher has announced it will be releasing it at some point in April. XSEED has a bit of a reputation for...
Video Possibly the Most Legendary Zelda Cake Ever
Seriously, this is ridiculous
Some video game fans, particularly those in the Nintendo camp, sure go to a lot of trouble to demonstrate just how much they love their chosen games or franchises. It also seems that there's no better combination than big gaming fans doing something for their own little gamers, as this cake based on The Legend of Zelda:...
News Another Study Claims Playing Wii Can Benefit Surgeons
An hour a day keeps the doctor away
Way back in 2008, while most of the world was getting to grips with the wonder of the Nintendo Wii, a group of researchers was looking into how the system could help with important medical procedures. That's right, a US study discovered that surgeons performed their duties much more effectively and efficiently...
Feature Series Reboots That Have Divided Gamers
They did WHAT with [insert treasured franchise name here]?
There are some undeniable truths in life, death and taxes being two examples, and the video game industry has its own rules and obligations that can never be avoided. One of these revolves around reboots of treasured franchises — if you're going to "re-imagine" a popular character or...
News Wireless Wii Portal Inspires Skylanders Chess Invention
There's a use for those old Portals of Power after all
As you will have no doubt read, Skylanders Swap Force will require a new Portal and Starter Pack this year. Family Gamer TV owner and occasional Nintendo Life contributor Andy Robertson asked his kids what they should do with their old Portal of Power, and they came up with a version of Chess...
News The Conduit Getting HD Remake For Mobile Tegra Devices
...but will it come to Wii U?
The Nvidia TegraZone website has been updated with game information for the mobile port of High Voltage Software's The Conduit, and it appears that the game will be receiving a HD update. Tegra-based chipsets can be found in smartphones and tablets. Eric Nofsinger, Chief Creative Officer for High Voltage Software, has...
February2013
News Wii Mini Shifts 35,700 Units in Canada
Who needs internet connectivity?
It's been announced recently that the Wii Mini is on its way to European shores. Once a Canadian-exclusive, the stripped down system cannot play anything other than Wii games, has no slot for an SD card and is unable to connect to the internet. So how has the Wii Mini done in Canada? Since its release on 7th...
News Amazon UK Lists Wii Mini For £79.99
...after initially giving it a price of more than £100
Nintendo has so far refused to stick a price on the Wii Mini — which is coming to the UK on March 22nd — which means it's up to retailers to come up with a figure. Amazon UK initially went with the rather obscure amount of £103.56, while rival online store ShopTo picked £84.85, which is...
News Wii Mini Is Hitting The UK On March 22nd
Don't all rush out at once
The Wii Mini — otherwise known as the hardware revision that nobody asked for — is coming to the UK on March 22nd. The system was launched last year as a Canadian exclusive, but we'd recently heard rumours that it was getting a wider release this year. A scaled-down edition of the original Wii console — which has...
Rumour Wii Mini on the Way to Europe
Just, well... because
Remember the Wii Mini, released in Canada late last year? With a top-loading disc-drive, no online connectivity of any kind, SD slot or even support for component cables. It's the basic Wii with much stripped out to allow an even lower retailer price than the standard last-gen model, no doubt targeting those on exceptionally...
News Cars Confirmed As Another Disney Infinity Play Set
Parents, hide your wallets!
Ahead of the summer release of Disney Infinity on Wii U, 3DS and Wii, we can expect Disney to continually reveal more details about the optional extras that we'll be able to buy. Like Activision's Skylanders series, there'll be all manner of toys that unlock characters, as well as other add-ons that'll act as buffs for...
News John Lasseter Speaks of His Appreciation For Video Games
Pixar's chief creative officer is excited by Disney Infinity
Disney Infinity is due to be released this summer on Wii U, Wii and 3DS as well as other platforms, and it looks to be Disney Interactive's most ambitious project yet. It allows the player to scan real-life toys into the virtual world from all sorts of Disney universes like The Nightmare...
News Activision: New Skylanders Portal Of Power Down To "New Functionality"
Still works with the old figures, though
Eric Hirshberg, CEO of Activision has spoken to Family Gamer and given a few more details about Skylanders Swap Force, which is due out on Wii, Wii U and 3DS later this year. One of the hot topics is the new Portal of Power, which is name for the USB portal that you plug into your console to access the toy...
News Angry Birds Trilogy Flapping To Wii And Wii U This Year
Birds of a feather
Activision and Rovio have confirmed today that Angry Birds Trilogy will be coming to the Wii and Wii U in 2013. The game — which is based on the stunningly popular mobile phone iteration — has just passed one million sales worldwide. It launched on the Nintendo 3DS last year, as you'll already know if you consulted our Angry...
News Xbox 360 On Track To Surpass The Wii's UK Sales Record
Nintendo's console set to lose its UK crown
Microsoft's Xbox 360 console has topped 8 million consoles sold in the UK to date, and is now on track to surpass Nintendo Wii's sales record in the region. This would secure the system's position as the UK's number 1 selling console. But that incoming PlayStation announcement on February 20th could...
News Paper Mario, Kirby Super Star and More Join Club Nintendo Rewards
Sucking up your coins
It's Club Nintendo Rewards time again, North American gamers, with more downloadable goodies becoming available in exchange for some treasured gold coins. This month offers a mixture of retro Virtual Console treats and some DSiWare titles, detailed below. Bird & Beans — 100 Coins Metal Torrent — 150 Coins Paper Mario...
Activision's latest money-spinner takes shape
As we wrote earlier this week, Activision has announced the next game in the Skylanders series: Swap Force. At the New York event we had a chance to see some early levels of gameplay. What was immediately obvious was the higher fidelity of visuals this time round. With new developer Vicarious Visions...
News Activision Announces Skylanders Swap Force For Wii U, Wii And 3DS
Swap shop
It seems our intuition was correct - we predicted yesterday that a new Skylanders release was in the offing, and Activision has dropped the bombshell by announcing Skylanders Swap Force, the next instalment in the million-selling series. It's coming to all major Nintendo platforms, too. As the name suggests, the focus of this new range is...
News Nintendo Hints At An Additional Platform In The Future
Because Wii U and 3DS are not enough
Nintendo recently confirmed that it would be merging its handheld and console divisions into one single entity this month. The two departments have always run separately in the past, but Nintendo now feels the time is right to bring them together under one roof. With the two departments merged, Nintendo's...
News Super Mario 3D Land Sales Outpacing Super Mario Galaxy's In First Year
Mix of 2D and 3D appealed greatly in Japan
Nintendo President Satoru Iwata held a Corporate Management Policy Briefing recently in which he explained how the video game market had begun to contract in recent years, meaning hardware and software sales were flagging. There has been some cause for optimism this week, though, with the revelation that...
January2013
News Latest Figures Show The Video Game Market Is Contracting
Satoru Iwata briefs investors and reveals many challenges for the industry
Nintendo is certainly having a good old time in Japan. The 3DS is dominating hardware sales in the region, so much so it has already surpassed the 10 million sales mark. However, things aren't looking as rosy in the overseas markets, namely the US and Europe, where Nintendo's...
News XSEED Talks Wii Support And Why It Isn't Touching Retro Game Challenge 2
"Our love for the game blinded our business reasoning"
XSEED Games has a reputation for localising great Japanese-only titles for the west. The publisher has been very successful with its choices, with The Last Story becoming its most successful title of all time. Another highly-regarded title is Pandora's Tower, a game that has already made it to...
News Disney Infinity Will Have A New Game Released Every Year
Games will be forwards and backwards-compatible
Disney Interactive will be launching its ambitious Disney Infinity title this summer on pretty much every platform you can imagine, including Wii U, Wii and 3DS. The game allows the player to scan real-world toys into the environment and will feature characters from the Pirates of the Caribbean, The...
Talking Point The Trends and Inconsistencies of Localisation
Predicting releases is getting tougher
Yesterday brought the news that Project X Zone is being localised and released in PAL regions and North America this summer. To many that would arguably be a surprise, as the title has endured a relative failure in Japan, culminating in a major price-cut. Yet recent years have taught us that predicting...
Feature Nintendo and Bond Through the Ages
A license to thrill
While film tie-ins are expected these days, few games can attest to having their origins found in novels, and fewer still can claim to have outgrown those origins and become a success in their own right. But that is exactly what the James Bond franchise has done. What initially began as a series of novels by Sir Ian Fleming,...
News Sony and Kevin Butler Actor Settle Lawsuit Over Wii Appearance
No more Mario Kart Wii for Jerry Lambert
Last year we reported the peculiar news that Sony was taking 'Kevin Butler' actor Jerry Lambert to court over an appearance in a Bridgestone advert in which he was part of a Wii promotion. The Kevin Butler character was, for a significant period, the figurehead of Sony's advertising for PlayStation 3 and...
News Monster Hunter Tri Servers To Be Shutdown At the End of April
Go hunting on your own
As newer consoles and titles come along, it's inevitable that games with healthy online components have their support taken away, leaving what remains for gamers to pick over. Unfortunately that fate awaits Monster Hunter Tri, with the servers for the online co-op in the Wii title being taken down on 30th April. Described as...
News Disney Infinity Pricing Emerges
Warn the bank manager
We can imagine a tired old Executive at Activision in late 2011, working through yet more paperwork and then coming across sales figures for the experimental Skylanders: Spyro's Adventure, a game where the publisher was boldly asking parents and enthusiasts to buy the game and a load of toys. Their eyes would have widened,...
News Pandora's Tower Finally Heading To North America
Will be available spring 2013
Japanese action RPG Pandora's Tower has been available in Europe since April 2012, and no news was ever heard regarding a North American localisation - until now. It looked as though the critically acclaimed Wii game had slipped through the net, but localisation specialist XSEED Games has revealed it has picked up the...
News Disney Infinity Developer Would Like to Include Star Wars And Marvel
No decision made as yet
Yesterday Disney Interactive revealed that Disney Infinity — possibly its most ambitious project yet — would be coming to Wii U, Wii and 3DS this summer, as well as mobile devices and other platforms. The game allows the player to bring real-world toys to life by scanning them into the game in the same way that...
News Epic Mickey Future In Doubt After Sequel Falls Short In Sales
Epic Mickey 2 only sold 270,000 copies to the original's 1.3 million
Let's face it, Epic Mickey 2 was something of a critical disappointment. After the promise of the first game, we had high hopes that the follow-up would be even better, but as our Epic Mickey 2 Wii U review shows, it was a bit of letdown. It would seem that the poor reaction has...
News Disney Infinity Heading to Wii U, Wii and 3DS This Summer
Golly, that's a lot of platforms
Late last year details emerged of Disney Infinity, a title that incorporates real-life figurines and a portal concept made popular by the Skylanders series, while adding a great deal of customisation and a sandbox environment to encourage freedom and experimentation. Disney Interactive has now unveiled a host of new...
News Amazon Instant Video App Hits The Wii Today In North America
Nice and simple
Amazon has announced today that its video streaming service, Instant Video, has launched today for Wii consoles across the US. The app can be found in the Wii Shop Channel, and subscribers of the service will gain access to over 145,000 movies, TV shows and documentaries. Prime customers are able to watch over 30,000 of these videos...
News Evidence Indicates Wii Fit Is Beneficial For Children With Movement Difficulties
Some positive press attention for gaming, for a change
A UK-based pilot study has uncovered evidence that using Wii Fit could aid the development of children with movement difficulties. The study is a collaboration between Sussex Community NHS Trust, Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Trust and academics at Goldsmiths, University of London and Oxford...
News Nintendo Announces 890,000 Wii U Sales in U.S. Launch
Higher revenues than Wii launch, 3DS has over 1.25 million sales in Holiday period
Nintendo of America has issued a series of facts and figures for its Holiday period performance in the U.S., following publication of the latest NPD figures that cover 25th November to 29th December. There were some solid results and, perhaps most importantly, decent...
News Hacker Combines Game Boy, Wii Remote and Android To Create Portable Nirvana
But only if you play games which use two buttons, obviously
Retro emulation on Android isn't going to go away, regardless of how questionable and legally dubious it is. However, the exploits of a hacker by the name of alpinedelta prove that even those who resort to playing ROMs on their phone often yearn for the feel of the real thing. alpinedelta...
News The Gold Nunchuk Shines Again on Club Nintendo
Hurry!
Last year we brought you the happy news that the gold Nunchuk was set to return to Club Nintendo in North America, a relief for those that want to use their limited edition The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword golden Wii Remote with even more style. Well, it's back in stock, so you'd better hurry. Available for 900 of your hard-earned coins,...
News The Conduit Looks Set for Nvidia's Project Shield
From Wii to the Tegra mobile gaming platform
Yesterday we reported on Nvidia's announcement of Project Shield, a device that incorporates a conventional home console controller with a high-quality retina display touchscreen, impressive all-round specs and the ability to stream PC games without the need for a meaty broadband connection. Whether it'll...
Feature Nintendo in 2012 - Part Two
Lots of Mario and Wii U's arrival
In the first six months of 2012, which we looked at in the first part of our 2012 retrospective, Nintendo oversaw some major releases on 3DS and announced the XL model, the Wii had a few memorable arrivals and E3 came and went with its own brand of madness. There were also a number of quirky stories that passed by,...
Feature Nintendo in 2012 - Part One
3DS fought back, hype mode was engaged
Not so long ago it could be argued that Nintendo was having some relaxing times, with DS and Wii systems flying off shelves and console rivals rushing to the platform in order to hop on the motion-control train. Of course, technology and the gaming industry evolve, and in 2011 Nintendo found itself trying to...
News The Disney Projects That Never Came To Life
Mickey Mouse titles that could have been
It's come to light that Buena Vista Games - now known as Disney Interactive Studios - was experimenting with different ideas for a Mickey Mouse game long before Disney Epic Mickey became a reality. The proposed Mickey Mouse title - given the working title Spy Mickey - sadly never got past the concept phase,...
December2012
News The Last Story Was Almost Left Untold In North America
XSEED came close to passing up the opportunity
The Last Story is one of the stronger titles on Wii, which we've just named as our staff's second favourite on the system in 2012. Originally released in Japan in early 2011, it took a long time to make an appearance in the West. It was early 2012 when it was published in Europe by Nintendo, however it...
Review Disney Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two (Wii)
Golly gosh, Mickey
When Disney Epic Mickey arrived on Wii in time for the Holiday season in 2010, it attracted a lot of attention due to its concept and the development leadership of Warren Spector, one of the industry's most respected figures. Its relatively late arrival in the system's lifespan meant it pushed attractive visuals "for a Wii game",...
News Nintendo Releases a Video Guide for Wii to Wii U Transfer
Don't forget the extra TV
Though Wii U has been available in North America for nearly a month, Nintendo is still producing information and videos to help new owners get the most out of their systems. One strength of the new console, something that Nintendo's been offering for a number of years on different systems, is full backward compatibility...
I shall call it Mini Wii
To say the Wii Mini's announcement was something of a surprise is an understatement. Having just launched the Wii U you would have assumed that Nintendo would want to focus all of its attention on its next-gen system and not risk any other hardware-based distractions. Strange timing aside, the Wii Mini is now a reality - and...
Feature We've Unboxed A Wii Mini So You Don't Have To
Getting to grips with the newest Nintendo console
Exclusive to Canada and lacking online functionality, the Wii Mini might seem like an afterthought on Nintendo's part but that didn't stop us ordering one as soon as they became available and mobbing the courier the moment the package arrived. Nintendo hardware is still Nintendo hardware, after all...
News Nintendo Now Involved With Twilight Symphony
Set to be released before Christmas
Twilight Symphony, the epic 3-disc orchestral rearrangement of music from The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, was set to be released mid-November but never actually made it through the letterboxes of those who placed an order. The box-set, made by the extremely talented Zelda Reorchestrated and distributed by...
News LOVEFiLM Arrives on Wii, Wii U App Will Go Live "Soon"
Or you could use Wii mode on your Wii U
Wii may be fading into the shadows in the face of its HD successor, but today brings a new release to the little white box in the UK. It's the LOVEFiLM app, which will allow subscribers to stream TV shows and movies directly to their TV, assuming they have a suitable online connection. If you're a subscriber,...
News Wii Mini Doesn't Include an SD Slot
Just another thing to add to the list
It has been discovered that the recently unveiled Wii Mini system does not have an SD card slot. The new miniaturised Wii, which — bizarrely enough — will only be available to purchase in Canada, is a cut-down version of the original Wii that lacks online functionality or GameCube backward compatibility...
Feature Your Guide to a Nintendo Holiday
Christmas time, Mario and Trine...
It's Christmas time, and we all know what that means — rapidly depleting bank accounts, lots of food and merriment, and plenty of video gaming. The Holiday season actually means different things depending on your own perspective, of course, but to many it's a great opportunity to spend time with family and...
Tonight we're going to party like it's 1989
Ah, the eighties: a time of dodgy haircuts, peculiar outfits and synthesizers dominating the airwaves. In truth, the Nintendo Life office is still a bit like that, but never mind. What we have here with We Sing 80s is a singing game dedicated to that decade, making oldies or retro-minded youngsters all the...
News Gold Nunchuk Returns To North American Club Nintendo In January
Third time's a charm
Back in August Nintendo made a Gold Nunchuk available on Club Nintendo in North America, for those who wanted to have a bit of an Olympic feel to their Wii gaming. It really was a thing of beauty and a must have item for those with the limited edition Skyward Sword Gold Wii Remote. Naturally they were snapped up very quickly,...
November2012
News Nintendo Has No Plans To Launch Wii Mini In The UK
For Canada's eyes only
It began as a rumour which led to an official announcement, but we now know that the Wii Mini is real. It's a Canadian exclusive for the time being, but for those of you who may have been hoping that the pint-sized console could travel to the UK in the near future, we've got some bad news. Speaking with
Talking Point Nintendo Shrinks Prices and Consoles
It's all about the money, mini, money
When we first reported the rumour of a Wii Mini, we made the mistake of including a slightly mocking tagline that referred to flying pigs. With the existing Wii models already selling at such low prices, the concept of Nintendo arranging the manufacturing, packaging and advertising for a new model this late in...
News Wii Mini Is Official And Has No Online Connectivity
$99 price, December launch in Canada
The leak of the Wii Mini this morning has turned into an official announcement, with Nintendo confirming the existence of the system and launching a dedicated site. The new machine features a fresh two-tone design and retails for $99. At the moment, it looks like being exclusive to Canada, but there's a chance...
News Best Buy Canada Website Outs Wii Mini, States December 7th Launch
Where there's smoke, there's fire
Remember that Wii Mini rumour we posted the other day? Well Best Buy Canada just upgraded it from "huh?" to "legit". The store's site features an image of the new-look console, which appears to be more akin to a set-top box than the old design. Sadly, clicking the image itself currently takes you to the Wii section...
News Wii U Shifts 400K Units in Début Week
It's "essentially sold out of retail"
Nintendo's revealed its sales results to incorporate the Wii U launch and the Black Friday festivities, with NoA COO Reggie Fils-Aime weighing in with the company's perspective in an interview with CNET. Nintendo's total hardware sales — according to internal data — hit around 1.2 million units in the U.S.,...
Rumour Wii Mini Console Outed By Retailer Release Schedule
Flying pigs also sighted
We like a good rumour here at Nintendo Life, but the latest delicious morsel to grace the internet is crazy enough that it might be true. This one's definitely a case of "only Nintendo", we give you... Wii Mini. While "mini" devices are quite the craze right now courtesy of a certain fruit-named tablet device, the concept...
News Bumper Sales Make The Last Story XSEED's Most Successful Title Ever
New print run should continue the positive performance
Publisher XSEED - a specialist in localising Japanese titles for western consumption - has announced that RPG The Last Story is its most popular title yet, although it stopped short of divulging precise figures. The game - which is developed by Hironobu "Final Fantasy" Sakaguchi's studio...
News Nintendo Has No New Wii Games In The Pipeline
Focus fully shifts to Wii U
The Wii has been Nintendo’s most successful home console of all time, with close to 100 million units sold worldwide. Now that Wii U has been officially launched many have wondered what will become of its plucky old predecessor, which has served Nintendo so well over the past six years. Well it appears that where first...
Review Skylanders Giants (Wii)
Big friendly giant
Fe, fi, fo, fum, we smell the coins of dads and mums. Since its first release on consoles last year, Skylanders has exploded into a multi-million dollar franchise and a children's favourite. What would have been a fairly standard hack-and-slash game by itself was taken to new heights thanks to a clever reliance on collectable...
News Donkey Kong Country Trilogy To Be Pulled From Wii Virtual Console
Donkey Gone-ga
According to an image uploaded onto Twitter by Daan Koopman (@NintenDaan), Nintendo is to remove Donkey Kong Country and its SNES sequels from the European Wii Virtual Console this month, on 25th November. The following games will be removed: Donkey Kong Country Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest
News Official Youtube App Launches On The Wii In North America
Better late than never?
Just days ahead of the Wii U launch in the US, Google has announced today that it has launched the official YouTube app for the Wii. For the time being, the app will only be available in North America, but Google has plans to bring it to other countries soon. The app has previously been available on the PlayStation 3 and the...
News The Wii Was Born Thanks To Microsoft And Sony's Rejection
And boy, does that feel good
Motion Control has quickly become an important part of how we play games today. The Wii's success has been based around this bold invention but in reality, the patent, idea and various concepts came from an independent inventor named Tom Quinn. Nintendo bought a small stake in Quinn's company and as part of the deal...
News Wii Version Of PES 2013 Looks Rather Familiar
Reduce, reuse, recycle
The Wii has rather awkwardly come to the end of its product life cycle at around the same time that sports franchise games emerge for their yearly updates. This has meant that companies like EA have had to ponder whether or not to bring games like FIFA to Wii, as well as the other major consoles. Of course EA did decide to...
News Epic Mickey 2: The Power Of Two Receives Collector's Edition Treatment On Wii
Epic is the word you're looking for
Disney's Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two is due to release for the Wii on November 23rd, and fans can look forward to a special Collector's Edition of the game as well as the standard retail copy. UK retailer GAME has the exclusive on this bundle, which features a copy of the game, an 8GB Oswald-shaped USB stick...
News Wii U Holiday Sales Projected to Exceed Wii Launch
Four year sales expected to be lower, though
With Wii U set to arrive, and Nintendo needing a strong performance to appease shareholders, market analysts are inevitably checking various sources of data and making their predictions on the system's outlook. The latest to do so is research firm IHS Screen Digest, with projections that bring good and...
News Capcom Loses Rights to Sell Tatsunoko vs. Capcom: Ultimate All-Stars
Combo fail
Tatsunoko vs. Capcom: Ultimate All-Stars is one the Wii's finest exclusives, a 2D fighter with colourful, bombastic visuals and enough crazy combos to satisfy the most extravagant of gamers. Its accolades from us include a 9/10 in its review and 16th place in our Wii top 20. Not just one of Wii's best fighting games, but arguably one of...
News Wii to Wii U Data Transfer Details Emerge
Pay close attention
One feature pre-occupying the minds of some potential Wii U owners is the process to move their WiiWare and Virtual Console data onto the new console. With backwards compatibility a big part of the system — for some gamers — having access to years' worth of purchases is a welcome bonus. Of course, with Wii not having a user...
News Nintendo Download Shops Offline For Maintenance This Tuesday
Could a surprise be in store?
Nintendo has revealed that its online stores will be temporarily offline on Tuesday for scheduled maintenance. The 3DS eShop, DSi Shop and Wii Shop Channel will all be inaccessible from 10:00 PT to "about" 17:00 PT. What's coming? It could be all manner of things. Nintendo could be preparing its online portals for the...
Talking Point Wii U and the Importance of Backward Compatibility
Long live the Wii
In future years, maybe even in a matter of weeks, there's likely to be plenty written about Wii and its lifespan, with judgements made on its strengths and weaknesses. The list of negatives is fairly predictable: it was underpowered, with motion controls that brought an unrelenting wave of sub-par games, it struggled for major...
News Wii Owners: Microsoft Wants You To Buy The Xbox 360 This Holiday Season
"I can't think of a better console for them to choose" says Microsoft manager
With the Wii U launching this month, you might assume that most Nintendo fans are saving up their pennies and getting very excited indeed about the new console. However, Microsoft's general manager of Interactive Entertainment product marketing Matt Barlow believes that...
October2012
Podcast NLFM Episode 23: Revenge of the Halloween Hootenanny
Best served as cold as a corpse
Grab your bluntest instruments and aim for the head because NLFM has risen from its grave for the third annual Halloween Hootenanny! More spooky, more sinister and more deathly, this episode is best listened to in a dark castle dungeon while eating raw pumpkins. Failing that, anywhere else will do. 1. Masanao...
News Super Punch Out!!! Goes For a Club Nintendo Knockout
150 coins to get into the bout
Another week, another North American Club Nintendo treat to share with you. This time around there's classic SNES action to enjoy on Wii, with Super Punch Out!!! available until 14th November and stepping up for 150 of your gold coins. To say that Little Mac's 16-bit appearance is iconic is probably an understatement,...
Feature Halloween Scares on Wii
The cute little console's horrors
The scariest night of the year is now only two days away, a horrifying evening when strange children knock at the door and refuse to leave without a toll of sweets and candy. If you don't hand some tooth-rotting treats over, then you could find out what tricks they have up their sleeve; that's not always a smart...
News Australian Connection Ambassador Promotion Ends 21st November
Connect those friends, fast
You may or may not remember the Connection Ambassador program that Nintendo started three years ago. For those catching up, it granted those who could get ten friends to connect their Wii to the internet the ability to download every NES game from the Virtual Console for the grand price of absolutely nothing. Nintendo...
Feature Nintendo Life's Quirky Wii Memories
We all have them
With its successor around the corner and a six year anniversary just a few weeks away, we've shown some love for Wii this week. Despite its modest graphical power and SD output, it's outsold its rivals, made motion gaming a mainstream pastime and given us some terrific games. We've already looked back at six years of Wii and listed...
Nintendo Direct Watch The North American Presentation Live
Tune in
Nintendo of American is holding a Nintendo Direct presentation today at 7AM PT. You can watch the live feed right here. The video is expected to last around 30 minutes. Expect news relating to new 3DS titles, with a look at what the system has in store for 2013.
Nintendo Direct Watch The Japanese Presentation Live
Live analysis provided at no additional cost
Nintendo of Japan will host a new Nintendo Direct presentation today at 8PM JST (around 4AM PST for North American readers, and 12PM BST for those of you in UK). The presentation is expected to focus on both the Wii U and 3DS, and will last around an hour. It will be followed by a selection of trailers...
News Become a Superstar with WWE '13's Box Art Creator
You're a Superstar
Ever wondered what you'd look like on a video game box? Ponder no more; THQ has you covered with a custom box art creator to coincide with the release of wrassle-'em-up WWE '13. The "Be on the Cover" application on the WWE Games Facebook page lets you take a photo from your existing Facebook gallery or a webcam and save it as...
Feature Nintendo Life's Top 20 Wii Games
The best of Wii
Yesterday we brought you a retrospective for six years of Wii, as we prepare for the not-too-distant future when the system will become Nintendo's "last generation" console. It's an emotional time, to be sure, and nothing touches raw and frayed nerves quite like a top 20 games list. With most of the likely candidates already in...
News Nintendo Reveals New Wii Bundles For The Holiday Season
Wii still going strong?
Nintendo has revealed a pair of new Wii bundles which will be available from 4th November across North America. The Just Dance 4 option retails for $129.99, and includes a copy of the game alongside a white Wii with matching Wii Remote Plus and Nunchuk. The Skylanders Giants bundle sells for $149.99. and will include the...
News Wii U Branded Remotes Feature External Sync Button
Nintendo's making sure everyone's in sync
Impatient gamers rejoice! Nintendo Connect has discovered that Wii U-branded remotes will sport a handy, external sync button. As a result, players will no longer be required to remove the remote's battery cover in order to sync it with their console. Located on the underside of the remote, this surprise...
News River City Ransom 2 On Hold Indefinitely
WiiWare release wasn't worth saving
River City Ransom 2 was announced for WiiWare and PC over a year ago, and was slated for release in 2012. Developer Miracle Kidz, however, has now confirmed via Twitter that this on hold indefinitely; this means it may never see the light of day at all. The developer has said that it will continue to focus on...
Feature Looking Back at Six Years of Wii
Time to say goodbye?
Despite strong first-party support, 2005 marked the beginning of the end for Nintendo’s GameCube, prompting the company to reveal its next system, the Revolution. The next year would see not only the unveiling of the revolutionary Wii Remote, but also the controversial unveiling of Wii; it was perceived by some as outrageous...
News Gangnam Style Confirmed for Just Dance 4
Ubisoft seems Psy-ched
Ubisoft announced earlier today that Gangnam Style, the number one hit song by South Korean rapper Psy, will soon be available as downloadable content for Just Dance 4. Having attracted more than 490 million views since it first appeared on YouTube in July, Gangnam Style has become one of the most viewed videos on the...
Review Inazuma Eleven Strikers (Wii)
Crazy super-duper Strikers!
When it comes to Inazuma Eleven Strikers, don't let any references to football (soccer if you're of the North America persuasion) or the snazzy kits fool you, this isn't a football game. It's a ball game with football-style rules, infused with extravagant special moves and buckets of charm, which is guaranteed to raise an...
News Disney Paints A New Epic Mickey 2 Trailer
Now with 100% more Warren Spector
Disney Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two is set to release next month, and to celebrate we've been given a new video which shows off some paint and thinner gameplay. Here's the official blurb: This new video features exciting gameplay as game developer Warren Spector discusses Mickey’s magic paint brush and his...
News Nintendo Drops Price Of Wii Ahead Of Holiday Season
Inexpensive family fun this Christmas
Good news for those of you who don't have a Wii, Nintendo is dropping the suggested retail price to $129.99 in advance of the busy holiday shopping season. This new console bundle will be available across the US on October 28th. Both Wii Sports and Wii Sports Resort will come included on a single game disc, as...
News Kylie Sing & Dance Coming To Wii Next Month
We just can't get you out of our heads
This year will mark Kylie Minogue's 25th year in music, and what better way to celebrate by singing and dancing the night away with Kylie Sing & Dance for the Wii in November. The game will feature 25 of Aussie starlet’s globally recognised smash hits, including tunes such as ‘Spinning Around’, ‘I...
News Rayman Origins Was In The Works For The Wii U
Rayman Legends predecessor could have been on the Wii U
Once upon a time, Rayman Origins was in the works for the Wii U, as Ubisoft expected an earlier launch date for the console. Sadly the team had no choice but to scrap development once they discovered that the system wouldn't be released in 2011. Rayman creator Michel Ancel told Nintendo Power...
News Justin Bieber Surprises Just Dance 4 Fans
The girls just couldn't 'Belieb' it
Ubisoft invited a bunch of young girls to come and play Just Dance 4 early for what they thought was a research focus group. The girls figured they were being asked to give some feedback on the game, but little did they know that Ubisoft had another trick up its sleeves. Justin Bieber was called upon to help...
News Activision Releases New Trailer For Transformers Prime
Planes, trains and Autobots
Based on the award-winning animated television show produced by Hasbro Studios, Transformers Prime lets you play as your favourite Autobot character and embark on an action-packed adventure to save the earth from the evil Megatron and his new secret weapon. Get a preview glimpse of the Wii U version in the video below,...
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