Wii U News
July2015
A bucketload of goodness
Update: There's an update on Devil's Third right here, with Nintendo of America tweeting confirmation that it'll be sharing news on its released in the region soon. Original Article: A week is a long time on Nintendo Life, and due to the sheer volume of content it's easy to miss some super-important info. That's why we've...
News Splatfest Details Are Confirmed for 18th July Splatoon Battles
Pick a side
Splatoon's content continues to evolve and expand, and Nintendo has now confirmed the next Splatfest events for both Europe and North America. If you missed the previous memos, these are limited-time events in which you pick a side and battle for your team, with handy in-game prizes up for grabs. As you can see in the tweets below,...
Video Brace Yourself for these Top Five Most Exciting Intro Cutscenes in Gaming
Five alive
Intro cutscenes are generally the first real bit of a game you get to experience beyond the menu, so it's pretty important that they hook you as quickly as possible. We at Nintendo Life have coupled together five of what we feel are the most exciting examples, whether it be because of atmosphere, dialogue, or just downright awesomeness...
News Mojang is Still Open to Bringing Minecraft to Nintendo Systems
"If I had my way, we’d be on everything"
While the absence of a number of major multi-platform franchises and IPs from Nintendo hardware can be easily explained, the fact that Minecraft has never come to the Wii U or 3DS remains surprising. While technical limitations would hold a 3DS version back to being a lighter / smart device port, the Wii U...
"I want to grow Splatoon as an IP"
Splatoon was a bit of a risk for Nintendo - it was a new IP in a genre that the company has little experience in. However, the title has proven to be a sizeable critical and commercial smash hit all over the world, repaying Nintendo's faith in a young and creative development team. We were lucky enough to sit down...
News Devil's Third Will Be Released In North America, Just Not By Nintendo
The rumours appear to be true
Yesterday we brought you the shock news that Devil's Third has been canned by Nintendo of America in the U.S. due to concerns about the final quality of the product. We noted that an alternative publisher will have to be found if Devil's Third is ever going to see the light of day in America. It appears that the rumour...
News Stay Fresh This Summer With Some Colourful Splatoon Clothing
Jelly Fresh
Aside from being a totally rad game, Splatoon has currently inspired it's own frozen yogurt along with a range of awesome official and unofficial t-shirts. We just came across
News Catch Up With the Mario Kart World Cup as it Enters the Knockout Stages
A blue shell away from glory
Mario Kart is one of Nintendo's most beloved and bankable franchises - with just one release per system and the addition of DLC on Wii U, it's an integral part of any console from the big N and a must have. Mario Kart 8 on Wii U is no different. It's also a popular game to watch, and the next two weekends bring an...
"I see these as spin-offs"
In the general trend of E3 delivering Nintendo franchises in unexpected forms, Animal Crossing amiibo Festival on Wii U joined the previously announced Animal Crossing: Happy Home Designer as an unexpected update to the series. Aya Kyogoku, the series director, has been speaking to U
News "Moray Towers" Stage Coming to Splatoon Today
Towers above the rest
Nintendo UK, Nintendo of America and Nintendo of Europe have all tweeted confirmation that we will be seeing the new stage, "Moray Towers" dropping as the latest DLC stage for Splatoon today and early tomorrow. As the name would suggest, Moray Towers is set upon a skyscraper-like structure, set looming above all other...
Rumour Nintendo Isn't Bringing Devil's Third To North America
An alternative publisher may need to be found for the Wii U exclusive
Remember Devil's Third? An action title from the creator of the more recent Ninja Gaiden games - Tomonobu Itagaki - it was first announced a few years ago for the PS3 and Xbox 360, but when publisher THQ went under the game was left in limbo. Nintendo shocked everyone by picking...
News Nintendo Official UK Store Throws in a Neat T-Shirt With Super Mario Maker Pre-Orders
You can choose yellow, yellow, or yellow
Super Mario Maker pre-orders have been available in the UK for a short while, but the Nintendo Official UK Store has taken its time, sauntering in fashionably late. It is fashionable though, as its pre-orders come with a neat yellow t-shirt, below. In terms of price, the t-shirt is a free extra, with the...
Video This News Anchor Sure Is Excited About Super Mario Maker
"Oh man, this is so awesome!"
When Nintendo of America tweets a link to a TV news segment, we're normally inclined to shrug it off. We've seen enough news anchors stumble their way through a conversation about Nintendo games for one lifetime. Yet this one's a bit different. A Nintendo of America rep appeared on Fox 5 Morning News with some props,...
Video See Greninja's Taunt Actually KO Opponents At High Enough Damage
Bringing the hurt with a water spurt
It's no secret that a select few of Super Smash Bros. characters can deal damage (albeit very little) using taunts. In fact, it's been the case since the very first iteration on the Nintendo 64, with Luigi's shyly executed kick being able to hurt opponents by up to a whopping 2%. With the arrival of Super Smash...
Video Doctor Who Joins The Cast In LEGO Dimensions
Step into the TARDIS and save the world
LEGO Dimensions is shaping up to be something special featuring an ever-expanding cast of characters from a wide range of notable franchises. Unbelievably, the toys-to-life title coming to Wii U on 27th September is now even more impressive with the reveal the Doctor from Doctor Who will be fighting alongside...
News Ubisoft's Former Wii U Exclusive ZombiU Confirmed For PS4 & Xbox One Release
Now titled Zombi
At the beginning of last month, a reportedly reliable source informed Unseen64 that Ubisoft was busy porting its Wii U launch title, ZombiU, to the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One as it had failed to generate any profit for the French publisher as an exclusive to Nintendo’s latest home platform. While the news was filed under the...
Video Prepare Your Creative Appetite with these Top Five Things to Make in Super Mario Maker
A fistful of favourites
Super Mario Maker is just a few months away, and in order to keep those creative juices flowing we've compiled a super concise list of five things we feel you absolutely must create in this stand-out creation game. Of course you no doubt have your own ideas as to what your creative fingers will be most keen to create first,...
Coming to Wii U and 3DS
Back in April we brought you the announcement of Adventure Time: Finn and Jake Investigations, which is coming to a whole load of systems including Wii U and 3DS. Confirmed for 'Fall', the reveal was bizarrely accompanied by a 20-second proof-of-concept video that demonstrated how the popular duo would look in a fully 3D...
Video This Official Art Academy Timelapse of Mario and Luigi Should Warm Up Your Summer
Luigi needs swimming lessons
Though the market for a relatively pricey drawing app from Nintendo may not be as sizeable as it was in the DS glory days, we're big fans of Art Academy: Atelier - Art Academy: Home Studio in North America - as it incorporates the hefty touchscreen of the Wii U GamePad with some nice home console features. One neat...
News Wii and Wii U Get Special Treatment for Skylanders SuperChargers Dark Editions
Not a dark day
Activision has recently announced the Skylanders SuperChargers Dark Edition packs at Comic-Con San Diego; t
News Fire Emblem Fates Leads Japanese Charts Alongside Rhythm Heaven and Splatoon
3DS still dominates in hardware, too
With another passing week we have the latest Media Create charts out of Japan, and the focus this time is on momentum and solid sellers, with no major new releases arriving to shake up the results. From Nintendo's perspective the news is positive, with its releases showing decent numbers and hardware holding...
News The Peanuts Movie: Snoopy's Grand Adventure Will Bring Its Wit to Wii U and 3DS
Also suitable for those with nut allergies
The Peanuts comic-strip, by Charles M. Schulz, is a truly iconic part of the art-form. Readers of various ages are surely familiar with the adventures of Peanuts, Charlie Brown and company, and it's not surprising that celebrations are due for its 65th anniversary. A big part of the celebrations will be a...
News Camp Miiverse is Back, and Has Extra Splatoon
Take me take me take me take me NOW!
If there's one thing your humble writer likes to do, it's to recycle jokes and/or references that were barely funny first time around. Thank you Nintendo of America, for making this possible with Camp Miiverse. After its original spin last year, the challenge-based contest is back, and is predictably kicking off...
Feature Taking to the Skies for a Final Look at the Star Fox Zero E3 Build
Five more opinions on the divisive Wii U title
Star Fox Zero was a divisive reveal at E3, as it seemed to simultaneously delight and worry fans. Some loved the visual style, some compared them unfavourably to GameCube graphics. Some liked the gyroscopic GamePad controls, others thought they were awkward and poorly implemented. It's been a mixed bag...
News Japanese Gamers Share Their Views on Xenoblade Chronicles X
Many seem happy with Monolith Soft's huge RPG
Xenoblade Chronicles X is arriving in the West this December, but Japanese gamers have now been enjoying the RPG since 29th April. Some may only just be finishing it, too, as the adventure is said to clock in at 100 hours+ even with minimal messing around on side quests - we anticipate many Western...
News Two More New Weapons Are Coming To Splatoon Tomorrow
Arm up, Squids
The flood of new Splatoon weapons continues, with Nintendo UK confirming via Twitter that two new armaments are coming to the game tomorrow. The Sploosh-o-matic and the .96 Gal Deco are the weapons in question, and you can see images of them below. Will you be checking out these two new additions, or are you happy with your...
Fluttering arms animation "was all Miyamoto’s idea"
Star Fox Zero will be a key release on Wii U this Holiday season, likely to lead the Wii U charge alongside diverse titles such as Animal Crossing amiibo Festival, Mario Tennis: Ultra Smash and Xenoblade Chronicles X. The return of the franchise
News Splatoon Amiibo Scheduled to be Restocked in Japan
Initially kid, then squid
Splatoon has undoubtedly been a huge success since release, with the game already shifting over 1 million sales worldwide. Much of the title's success has been in its native home of Japan, and those sales - coupled with the characteristically low stock of amiibo - resulted in the Splatoon amiibo vanishing fast from Japanese...
News Yoshi's Woolly World and Splatoon Hang Tough in UK Charts
LEGO Jurassic Park on Wii U starts well
The UK chart results are in and, while Nintendo is hardly storming away at the top, it has some cause to be pleased. Some key titles are still shifting units, while a third-party effort's also had a reasonable start. Yoshi's Woolly World made its début in 4th place, and in its second week saw a 60% drop in...
Poll Does Nintendo's Drive Towards Multiplayer Gaming Appeal to You?
Big name IPs and co-op adventures
While Nintendo has plenty of single player experiences and adventures on the way, some of its notable recent reveals are determined to get us playing with others. The Legend of Zelda and Metroid Prime are two IPs announced recently that will try and tempt us to play with others online or locally on our 3DS, albeit...
News The Animal Crossing amiibo Range is Bigger Than We Thought
Four more figures pop up on official website
Update: A number of readers are correctly observing how these figures were listed in the last couple of weeks. Your humble scribe had missed that, so please understand. Original Article: As amiibo fans will know, there are new Animal Crossing figures on the way that'll be supported in Animal Crossing...
News Bill Trinen Will Compete at Evo 2015 as a Super Smash Bros. for Wii U Competitor
"Just dipping a toe in the water"
We know that Nintendo Treehouse staff are serious gamers, and a former member of the club and now a well known Senior Product Marketing Manager at Nintendo of America is aiming to show his commitment to a favourite game. Bill Trinen, well known for his Nintendo Direct appearances and ongoing role as translator for...
Will the tie-in pay off for Nintendo and Activision?
While Skylanders SuperChargers isn't - according to our surveys - particularly high up the wishlists of active Nintendo Life readers, it could be a notable release for Wii U, in particular. During E3 Nintendo and Activision confirmed a smart and unique collaboration that brings Bowser and Donkey...
News Super Smash Bros. for Wii U Updated to Version 1.0.9, Its Purpose is Unknown
Speculation that it's preparation for Tourney's and YouTube uploads
Super Smash Bros. for Wii U has been patched to version 1.0.9. Hooray! Does it fix the deadly Pac-Man glitch? No! So, what does it do? At the moment, no-one seems sure - the official changelog says the following:
Guide Master Splatoon's New Tower Control Mode with these Easy-to-Use Tricks & Tips
We all want control
Splatoon's new Tower Control game mode has been released to the public, and as with any new set of rules it can take a while to learn how best to approach the matter. That's why we've played and played since silly o' clock in the morning in order to better understand the ins and outs and more importantly deliver our findings and...
Miyamoto-san doesn't approve
Courtesy of the internet and its never-ending ability to make a lot of noise, Nintendo's senior management will know only too well that some of the company's most vocal fans were rather disappointed with the company's E3 showing. Its focus on near-term releases meant there were plenty of previously announced titles,...
"Development of Virtual Console titles require detailed manual work"
The Virtual Console promised so much when it launched alongside the original Wii all those years ago. Indeed, on that particular console it became something of a goldmine of amazing retro titles, and when Nintendo announced that the service would carry over to the Wii U, many...
Weirdness Splatoon Has Been Impressively Recreated In Team Fortress 2
Modding madness
Splatoon has been a critical and commercial success for Nintendo, and has introduced an entire generation of players to the concept of an online, team-based shooter. In fact, it has turned so many heads that even PC gamers - the chaps who live and breathe this kind of game - are paying tribute in their own unique way. A team of...
Video Rodea The Sky Soldier Takes Flight In This Fresh Gameplay Trailer
Sky fallin'
Rodea the Sky Soldier's rather drawn-out route to market would be enough to make any video game character feel a little downhearted, but this flighty protagonist isn't giving up. With the Japanese launch in the bag and a North American release just around the corner, we're being treated to some more gameplay footage from the Yuji Naka's...
News Hyperkin Is Working On The Ultimate Wii U Pro Controller
Meet the ProCube
Peripheral and hardware maker Hyperkin is working on what it hopes will be the ultimate Wii U controller option. The ProCube aims to fuse together the best bits of the Wii U Pro Controller and the GameCube pad. It works with all Pro Controller titles on the Wii U and is totally wireless - something that other Wii U GameCube clone...
News Super Mario Maker Won't Filter Your Naughty Levels, But Offensive Content Can Be Reported
Click a button and the level is "reviewed" by Nintendo
Super Mario Maker launches in September, and will give players the chance to create their very own Super Mario levels which they can then share with friends online. As is the case with any user-generated content, there's always the risk that some wannabe joker will create an offensive or...
News Smash Fighters Settling it at Evo in Big Numbers
Wii U edges out Melee in registered competitors
Evo 2015, the largest fighting game tournament event of year, is coming up this July 17-19, and hoo boy there will be a lot of Smashers there. According to figures released by Evo organizer Joey Cuellar, Super Smash Bros. for Wii U and Super Smash Bros. Melee are the second- and third-highest titles...
Talking Point It's the Community That'll Put the 'Super' Into Mario Maker
Its legacy could be outstanding
Just this week we got another look at Super Mario Maker at a UK press event, and were struck by its significant potential. Yet we've already done a first impressions article from E3, which goes into detail on how well it's shaping up. If you want a strong outline of its core features and why we think it's marvellous,...
News Fire Emblem Fates Storms to Number One in Japan
Beats equivalent launch sales of Awakening
The Japanese Media Create charts have brought positive news for Nintendo of late, and that continues this week with the arrival of the latest blockbuster from Intelligent Systems. Fire Emblem Fates - known as Fire Emblem: If in Japan - has launched in Nintendo's homeland and performed rather well. There...
Weirdness Yoshi Gets Mad in Latest Yoshi's Woolly World Commercials
Not so soft and cuddly
Yes, we know, Yoshi's Woolly World is so last week in Europe, and a source of frustration for North America fans, but the latest Japanese trailer just has to be shared. Why? Because Yoshi gets angry. Even when beating up on fools in Super Smash Bros., Yoshi is a happy presence - he's playful and cute, and can't be thrown off...
News We Could See Some Cult Lucasfilm Properties Coming To Disney Infinity In The Future
Nothing is off the table, apparently
Disney Infinity will be hitting its third iteration this year and has already covered an incredible amount of ground when it comes to using famous Disney and Lucasfilm IP. We've already seen the likes of The Avengers, Frozen, Toy Story, Cars and much more besides in the Disney Infinity universe, and this year...
News Miiverse is Getting a Massive Redesign this Summer
Screenshot Albums, Play Journals, Redesigned Communities, and more!
Miiverse is Nintendo's take on implementing a social network-like platform that integrates and directly ties in with the games that people play. At the tap of a button, players can post screenshots, share thoughts and discussion, or draw pictures, and share this with the rest of the...
June2015
News Shovel Knight is Coming to Retail
Will include the Plague of Shadows expansion and Challenge Mode
Shovel Knight is easily one of the best Indie games to come to the eShop. Created as a love letter to fans of the 8-bit era of gaming, the action platformer has been met by nearly universal critical acclaim and it's sold almost a quarter of a million copies. Not ones to let their...
Live Nintendo Treehouse Plays Splatoon's New Tower Control Mode
See the new Tower Control mode in action
Join us to watch the Nintendo Treehouse team tackle the new Tower Control ranked battle mode in Splatoon! Chat, laugh and basically be merry! [liveblog=splatoon_new_content_june_2015]#Splatoon
First Impressions Digging Up Details on Harvest Moon: Seeds of Memories
Meanwhile, back at the ranch
Natsume always has a diverse catalog of games to show at E3, but the cream of each year's crop is undoubtedly Harvest Moon, the premier farm-life simulation series that's been offering players quiet pastoral pleasures since 1996. This year, after having just produced their first in-house Harvest Moon with last year's The...
News Nintendo Confirms Splatoon Tower Mode Release and Live Nintendo Treehouse Broadcast
Jump on board, new stage may feature
Splatoon is the game that keeps giving, for free no less, and the latest major update has gone live to tidy up gameplay. More tangible content is also coming, though, with Nintendo confirming that the Tower Control mode will be joining Ranked Battles on 1st July. It'll launch at 7pm Pacific / 10pm Eastern in...
News Natsume Promises a Return to Basics in Harvest Moon: Seeds of Memories
"We heard what our fans had to say”
With Harvest Moon: The Lost Valley receiving mixed reviews, it's no surprise that Natsume is trying to replicate more popular games from the series. The terra-forming won't be included within the new title Harvest Moon: Seeds of Memories, as it is more of a throwback to retro titles in the series. In fact the...
News Shigeru Miyamoto Defends Star Fox Zero's Controls
"Compared to other games, it is a bit complex."
Though response to Star Fox Zero has been generally positive, one of the main criticisms seems to lie with how the Arwing controls. As we echoed in our first impressions of the game at E3, the dual screen, gyroscopic controls definitely have a learning curve to them and this has been a point of concern...
News Terraria Rating for North America Brings Its Wii U Release Closer
Let's just say it's a thing that is happening
Through the course of retail listings and Australian ratings, it's no secret that Terraria appears to be heading for Nintendo hardware. Though early rumours pointed to it coming to both Wii U and 3DS, a fresh ESRB listing for North America has it down only for Wii U, with the record in question also...
Guide How to Get Involved in Splatoon's First Splatfest
Ink-capable of resisting
After a short delay, Splatoon's fabled Splatfest event is arriving in the West this weekend beginning on the 4th July. If you're in North America the theme is Cats vs. Dogs, and if you're in Europe the choices are more musically orientated: Rock vs. Pop. We'll be taking part alongside our chosen teammates, but just in case...
News The Captain Toad Figurine Lamp is Now Lighting Up Club Nintendo in PAL Territories
Just look at it
Club Nintendo is going through a longer farewell in PAL territories than in North America - which closes very soon, we'll post a reminder - and is still introducing some charming new items to separate us from our final stars. One that was promised was the Captain Toad Figurine Lamp, which has now popped up in Europe and Australia...
News Nintendo Is "Exploring" The Idea Of Early Access Games On Its Consoles
"There could be some benefits there"
Nintendo of America's third-party relations and indie development boss Damon Baker has revealed that the company is currently pondering the idea of "Early Access" games on its consoles. Speaking to Polygon, Baker said: We don't have anything to announce, but I can say that we're certainly exploring options and...
Weirdness T-Pose Result Screen Glitch Found In Super Smash Bros. for Wii U
Although very difficult to perform
YouTuber Master0fHyrule has created a video of a glitch found by Miiverse user Glob in Super Smash Bros. for Wii U, and for once it's not one that can turn the tide in mid-battle. The glitch results in the winning character/team poised in a 'T-Pose' position during the results screen after a match. For those...
News Yoshi's Woolly World Cuddles Up to Fourth Spot in the UK Charts
Described as a 'great start' by Chart-Track
Last week brought two major new retail releases in the UK - Batman: Arkham Knight was always an absolute certainty to take top spot in the country's charts, but it was the launch of the fantastic Wii U platformer Yoshi's Woolly World that was of most interest to Nintendo fans. The pleasing news is that...
Talking Point The Mystery of Devil's Third and Its Drift Away from the Spotlight
Nintendo of America remains silent while Europe has a release date
Cast your mind back to E3 2014 - Nintendo's first 'Digital Event' had finished and, by many accounts, had gone down rather well. It was a broadcast designed for all audiences, so a surprise immediately followed with the announcement that mature title Devil's Third, originally planned...
Talking Point Nintendo's Approach to Transforming Franchises Clashes With Fan Expectations
New ideas that haven't necessarily been welcomed
It's safe to say that Nintendo's E3 efforts have been received with mixed responses from fans. Especially given that Microsoft and Sony arguably brought the thunder this year, many expected that Nintendo would have some similarly headline grabbing announcements to match. What we received instead was...
News Shigeru Miyamoto Suggests Low Key and Accessible amiibo Support in Star Fox Zero
"I’m really not thinking about there being locked content"
Just recently we all had our first real look at Star Fox Zero, and the response to its various E3 showings seemed to be a mix of excitement and hype, combined with some mutterings of disappointment and divided opinions on the control scheme. Nintendo has a number of months to convince...
News Splatoon Version 1.3.0 Update Due on 30th June, Gameplay Adjustments Detailed
Annoying Kraken Special Weapon to be powered down, a bit
Splatoon is being spruced up with new content on a weekly basis, adding new stages and weapons to the mix. It's also had fairly regular software updates, and the next major set of changes will be implemented on 30th June with version 1.3.0. It'll fix some Splatfest issues from Japan - prior to...
Video Unboxing the Yarn Yoshi amiibo & Seeing How it Works in Yoshi's Woolly World
A stitch in time
Nintendo's been making waves with its latest foray into the toys-to-life genre, namely the crocheted Yarn Yoshi amiibo which takes on a plush, more toy-like form than the plastic statues found in the rest of the lineup. In this video we unbox the blue version of this cuddly critter and see how he and the rest of the amiibo range...
Video Art Academy and Yoshi's Woolly World Combine Beautifully in This Time-Lapse Showcase
Worthy of any virtual gallery
A neat new feature in Art Academy: Atelier / Art Academy: Home Studio is the option to upload time-lapse footage of your creations to YouTube. It's a practice popular among artists on the video platform, and provides multiple options that are automated - rather like Mario Kart TV in Mario Kart 8. The new Art Academy is...
News Nintendo UK is Bringing a Few E3 Gems to HYPER JAPAN
Star Fox! Super Mario Maker! Tri Force Heroes! Other things!
HYPER JAPAN is one of the more diverse expo events to arrive in London every year. Rather than being focused on one particular hobby, it covers multiple aspects of Japanese culture - previous years have featured areas and exhibits dedicated to clothing, toys, art, food and - yes - video...
News Two More New Weapons Coming To Splatoon Tomorrow
Ink-credible staying power
Nintendo has confirmed that two more weapons will be added to Splatoon tomorrow. The Carbon Roller and Custom Dual Squelcher are the items in question, and according to the recent leak, these are the sub weapons they'll be shipping with: Carbon Roller - Burst Bombs & Inkzooka Custom Dual Squelcher - Squid Beakon...
Interview Knitting Together the Pattern of Yoshi's Woolly World and Cuddly amiibo
"We still have lots more ideas to explore"
Yoshi's Woolly World is out now in Europe - it heads to North America on 16th October - and is the latest major retail arrival on the Wii U. First teased back in 2013, its visual style and design brings a natural evolution to the yarn aesthetic seen in the excellent Kirby's Epic Yarn on Wii. Utilising the...
Gallery The Yarn Yoshi amiibo Is So Cute And Cuddly, It Hurts
We're not pulling wool over your eyes, either
Today sees the release of Yoshi's Woolly World in Europe, and we've been lucky enough to get some hands-on time with the Yarn Yoshi amiibo which accompanies the game. As you can see in the shots below, he's settled in nicely in the Nintendo Life office, even going as far as to have a friendly chat with...
News Splatoon Hackers Make Octoling A Playable Character
Are you an octoling or a squid?
It’s been nearly a month since Nintendo’s squid-shooter was released and already the community is hungry for more. Following on from a cheeky fan who "data-mined" a disc copy of Splatoon to find out what exactly Nintendo had in store for the game's player base, a video has now emerged of a playable octoling thanks...
News Animal Crossing Director Talks More About Happy Home Designer and amiibo
"To be sure, Happy Home Designer can be played without any Amiibo cards."
It's safe to say that fan reaction has been rather mixed towards the amiibo-centric focus of the two upcoming Animal Crossing games for Wii U and 3DS. While it's far too early to definitively judge the quality of these upcoming games, it's very apparent that these new games...
News The First Western Splatoon Splatfest Kicks Off on 4th July
"Sorry for the delay—we experienced some…tentacle difficulties"
Not so long ago Nintendo of America confirmed a delay to the first Splatoon Splatfest in the West, following matchmaking and connection problems in the first Japanese event. These are online challenges in which you pick a side in a simple debate and then fight for your choice in...
Video Spin a New Yarn with these Top Ten Ways to Waste Time in Yoshi's Woolly World
Lighter than lighthearted
Sometimes following the rules and going from A to Bin a game just isn't enough to cut it if you're in a sillier mood than usual, but does Yoshi's Woolly World allow such informal pastimes? You bet it does! Check out the video below to see the top ten ways you can have fun outside the rules and regulations that "the man"...
News Monolith Soft Open To Helping Get Zelda Wii U Ready For Launch
"Monolith Soft is always available and we would love to help"
The talented development team at Monolith Soft is busy polishing off Xenoblade Chronicles X for its Western release on the Wii U in December, but that hasn't stopped them thinking of their next project. In a recent interview with Game Informer, Xenoblade director Tetsuya Takahashi and...
News Working On F-Zero Wouldn't Have Been My Idea Of Fun, Says Former Criterion Boss
Alex Ward responds to news regarding the F-Zero that never was
We recently broke the news that Nintendo asked UK studio Criterion to create an F-Zero title for the Wii U, but sadly the discussion came to nothing. Criterion founder Alex Ward has responded to the story on Twitter, pointing out that F-Zero was simply one project amongst many pitched...
Talking Point E3 Highlighted Nintendo's Development Shift Towards NX, and Away from Wii U
3DS also delves into spin-offs and sequels to pass time
It's been a little over a week since E3 2015, the shared temperature of frustrated Nintendo fans has simmered down a little, and we can reflect on both what the big N showed and kept behind the scenes. Both tell us much, and also indicate that the Wii U seems to be heading for a short lifespan...
News Nintendo Gets Tough With Miiverse Bans, and Some Users Aren't Exactly Pleased
Rules aren't always there to be broken
Miiverse, Nintendo's bespoke social network, has been one of the company's most notable moves in this generation. Social networks are old hat now, of course, but with immediate access from games, screenshot sharing and the option to doodle drawings, it's proved a relatively popular app. As it's web based it's...
News Rhythm Tengoku: The Best Plus Tops Japanese Charts as 3DS and Wii U Lead in Hardware
Splatoon also performing well
The Media Create charts have rolled around once again, having brought some positive news for Nintendo in recent times; pleasingly, that trend continues. To start with software we have two 3DS games and a Wii U title leading the way - Rhythm Tengoku: The Best Plus is top (maybe thanks to its awesome commercials?) on...
News Splatoon Has Inked 1 Million In Sales Since Its Release
Are you a kid or a squid?
Nintendo’s Digital Event during E3 2015 was a challenging time for the Kyoto-based company. While many viewers hoped for a series of uplifting announcements stating the house of Mario was back in the game, the presentation sadly left a bitter taste in the mouth of Nintendo fans worldwide. Brushing this aside, Nintendo...
Gallery The Splatoon T-Shirt Market Has More Variety Than the Game's Store
Take that Jelly Fresh!
When it comes to fashion, Splatoon is cutting-edge gaming. Apart from those amiibo outfits that only dedicated collectors have, there are plenty of varieties of t-shirts, hats and shoes bopping around in the game's plaza at any time, while the stores rotate their offerings on a daily basis. Sure, you can pick outfits based on...
Video Here's Our Montage of the Latest Super Smash Bros. DLC
Be a kid, a squid, a Mega Man and more!
Nintendo has once again Smash-ed it out of the park with some brand new DLC content, all of which has been collected together in one handy bundle pack. Released just prior to E3, AOC Collection #2 features an eye-watering amount of costumes, new stages and - of course - new characters! You can check out the...
Hands On Logging More Flight Time With Star Fox Zero
“Impressive, Star Fox!”
In this second look at Star Fox Zero, Morgan Sleeper has a more positive experience than colleague Alan Lopez. To reflect the divisive nature of the controls, Alan's updated impressions from another playthrough are also included. When Miyamoto-san's Muppet started sprouting Star Fox features during the Nintendo Digital...
News Reggie Fils-Aime Tackles Metroid Prime: Federation Force and amiibo Criticism
"Look, we know that the fans want a straight Samus Aran game"
Reggie Fils-Aime has - as we observed during E3 - the propensity to talk a load of old PR guff at times, which to be fair is part of his job. His annual LA interviews conducted with Kotaku do occasionally get beyond copy-and-pasted standard responses, however, making the latest...
News Spooky 2D Adventure Whispering Willows Will Be Haunting Your Wii U This Summer
An out of body experience
Indie publisher Abstraction Games has confirmed that it is bringing Night Light Interactive's spooky adventure title Whispering Willows to the Wii U eShop. Originally released on Ouya, the game features gorgeous 2D visuals and an haunting soundtrack. The unique hook is that you'll be able to exit the main character's body...
Exclusive We Almost Got A Wii U F-Zero Created By Burnout Studio Criterion
Would have been shown off at E3 2011
F-Zero is one of those franchises which Nintendo fans are constantly clamouring for, and not an E3 passes without demands from the masses for a brand-new entry. The series has been dormant for quite some time, although recent events - such as a F-Zero mini-game in Nintendo Land and the inclusion of the legendary...
News Nintendo Says That Star Fox Zero's Gyro Controls Can Be Turned Off
Do a barrel roll, we guess!
Along with the sublime looking Super Mario Maker, Nintendo focused a lot of their E3 efforts this year on Star Fox Zero, a game which seems to be dividing opinion based on previews. A common sticking point seems to be the use of gyro controls to look around in cockpit view on the GamePad. It would appear that you either...
Parent Trap Woolly Yoshi amiibo Finally Turn Toys To Life Figures Into Actual Toys
Family Gamer's Andy Robertson has a yarn Yoshi, don't hate him
It may seem that the knitted amiibo for Yoshi's Woolly World are simply a gimmick. However, for children the difference here is more than aesthetic. They mark a new toys to life trend of offering playable toys rather than collectable figurines for the shelf. Of course, historically toys...
News Luna Blaster Weapon Arriving Tomorrow For Splatoon
It's out of this world
Nintendo UK have confirmed that the "Luna Blaster" - the latest new Splatoon weapon is available for us Brits from tomorrow morning (Wednesday the 24th). As of yet, Nintendo of America haven't tweeted out the news, but it will presumably be available this evening - in keeping with the usual DLC release patterns. Little...
News Yet Another PAC-MAN Glitch Has Surfaced In Super Smash Bros.
This is whacka-whacka
PAC-MAN has had his history of glitches in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U (the double-team infinite jump in 2v2, as well as the fire hydrant being able to go through the Smashville stage), but thankfully these were patched out. Not so fast Nintendo, there's a new glitch in town, and this one makes PAC-MAN an...
Music Tissues At The Ready For This Yoshi's Woolly World Song
Still a better love story than Twilight...
You know that music video you've always wanted? The one where a boy expresses his love for a tiny, knitted, fictional, egg-laying video game character? Well want no more! Yoshi has been my favourite character from the Nintendo universe for as long as I can remember. His gorgeous little face and that...
Review Yoshi's Woolly World (Wii U)
Knitting ideas together
Nintendo has long been the leading light in the platforming genre, a part of that legacy being the focus of Super Mario Anniversary celebrations this year. It's a genre with plenty of scope for variety, however, which is something Nintendo pushed forward with the superb Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island on Super NES,...
News Splatoon Holds Its Territory in the UK Charts
Still battling it out in the top 10
Splatoon's arrival at the end of May certainly brought some hype to the Wii U, and early chart results were certainly positive for the title. As it approaches one month on the market, however, we're left to wonder how it'll fare over the summer months. It's holding its momentum fairly well, it seems. Still...
News Unreleased Splatoon Maps And Weapons Get Detailed, Rainmaker Mode Explained
Look away now to avoid spoilers
There's plenty of fresh content coming to Splatoon, and one cheeky fan has "data-mined" the disc to find out exactly what it is. They've uncovered new stages, weapons and info - all of which counts as a leak, so if you'd rather find out through official channels, turn off your screen now and go outside for a walk or...
News Tablets Stole The Wii U's Thunder, Laments Shigeru Miyamoto
Legendary designer hoping that the NX will be a "big hit"
The Wii U's lack of commercial success is largely down to the rapidly-expanding tablet sector, says Nintendo's Shigeru Miyamoto. Speaking to NPR, Miyamoto stated that during early development the Wii U GamePad was seen as a game-changing controller, but by the time it made it to market in...
Feature The Biggest Wii U Retail Games of 2015 - Summer Edition
E3 has added some new hits
It's the Summer Solstice here at Nintendo Life HQ in the UK, the longest day of the year. That comes at the end of the longest week of the year following E3, at which Nintendo had a mixed showing. What the event did deliver, in addition to some controversy and a clutch of wonderful moments, was a clearer look at the...
First Impressions Celebrating a Gaming Icon With Super Mario Maker
Let's Super Mario!
Super Mario Maker, recently powered-up from its initial moniker of 'Mario Maker', was a huge part of Nintendo's E3 presence both this year and last. Just a few months ahead of its September release it still had plenty of new surprises in store for this year's show, and still managed to captivate attendees' imaginations. The...
News Australian Rating Confirms That ZombiU is Shuffling Its Way to Xbox One
Now it's just Zombi
Before E3 the rumour did the rounds that Wii U-exclusive ZombiU was heading to Xbox One and PS4, though the LA event passed by with no sign of the title. It seems to be on track, nevertheless, as a result of an Australian Classification
News Never Alone Will Start Keeping North Americans Company on 25th June
Snow kidding!
Never Alone is a unique puzzle platformer with a rather fascinating development background. After collaborating with about forty members of a native Alaskan tribe, Upper One Games crafted a folklore inspired game about the journey of a girl and an arctic fox as they travel to find the source of an eternal blizzard. Playable in either...
News Début Splatfest Postponed in North America
Though the Bluefin Depot stage is in action, at least
Splatoon has been a game that, since launch, has kept serving up new content to freshen up the experience. We've have new stages and guns, with Ranked Battles also being an early addition, which have all helped to spruce up the content on offer. One major new feature, the Splatfest, will...
Video Star Fox Zero - What We Know So Far
Alex tackles confirmations and maybes
Over the course of the last three crazy days we saw a fair amount of Star Fox Zero, which is being co-developed by Nintendo and PlatinumGames. It's had a mixed reception, but is nevertheless one of the most anticipated games on the Wii U this year. In the video below our man Alex tackles the confirmed details,...
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