Wii News
March2014
Weirdness See Through the Eyes of Samus Aran in Metroid Prime with Oculus Rift
Check out this visor
If Metroid Prime wasn’t already immersive enough, YouTube personality Chadtronic has stepped it up a notch, sharing his own Oculus Rift experiences with Retro Studio’s now-classic 2002 GameCube title. After many requests and much troubleshooting, he was finally able to get the game up and running. Coming in just under 10...
Video What Could Super Mario Galaxy Look Like In HD?
We give a Wii classic the High Definition treatment
While many other console owners made the leap into HD with the launch of the Xbox 360 and PS3 many years ago, Nintendo fans had to wait a little longer — lest we forget, the entire Wii era was spent in Standard Definition. This got us thinking — what would some of the Wii's best games look like...
February2014
News Nintendo Switching Off Wi-Fi Connection Service On Wii And DS
You've got until May 20th to play online
Online gaming may be a big part of our hobby these days, but it doesn't come for free — companies have to spend cash to keep the infrastructure in place and running smoothly. That also means that over time, services will be switched off when they're no longer deemed to be as vital as they once were. That's...
News New and Sealed Xenoblade Chronicles Copies Available in North America
A rare opportunity
For a Wii game released in 2012 in North America (2011 in Europe), Xenoblade Chronicles has shown an impressive ability to remain relevant to enthusiastic Nintendo gamers. Its limited run in Nintendo of America's domain took on a controversial tone when retailer GameStop began charging $89.99 for copies, while there were even...
News Nintendo Patented an "Illumination Device" for Gaming Use
A little mood lighting, perhaps?
Nintendo has proven itself a company willing to buck standard conventions and try out new concepts. Some ideas, such as dual screens and motion controls, become a solid entry into gaming culture. Others may never leave the drawing board. A Nintendo patent that was filed in September 2010 and widely spotted today...
Rumour Disney Infinity 2 Coming To Wii U, But Not Wii
Job listing appears to confirm sequel is on the way
Last year, we saw Disney Infinity hit multiple formats and impress with both its toy-based gameplay and commercial performance. Unsurprisingly for such a high-profile, family-friendly franchise, it would appear that Disney is keen to turn the series into a yearly event; a new job listing seems to...
Weirdness New Scientific Research Reveals The Horrifying Impact Of Texting On Mario Kart Drivers
Don't text and handle red shells, kids
As we all know, texting behind the wheel isn't a wise move — it has caused countless accidents on roads all over the world, and you should never, ever do it. Ever. However, less is known about the effect texting has on road safety in Mario Kart. Thankfully, some pioneering scientists (in reality nine adults...
January2014
Video Short Film Extols The Virtues Of Buttons, Features Nintendo Quite Heavily
Can you spot R.O.B. the Robot?
Gaming used to be exclusively about buttons, but with the rise of touch-screen gaming — pioneered by the Nintendo DS and taken to the next level by the proliferation of smartphones and tablets — we've got an entire generation of players growing up in a world where buttons aren't necessarily the default gaming...
News Nintendo's Expanded List of Million Selling Games Includes Some Surprises
Mario Kart Wii shifted one million units in nine months
Earlier today Nintendo's initial financial results highlighted some million sellers for the financial year so far, which covers nine months from 1st April to 31st December 2013. Fully updated results now include more details on some of those loosely confirmed earlier today, along with some...
News Ubisoft Describes the Origins of Just Dance and Reflects on its Success
"People dared to dance in front of a screen and in front of people"
Gone are the days when any gamer with respect for the enjoyment of others can casually dismiss the Just Dance series. It may not be to all tastes — this writer would rather play Urban Champion again than dance — but it is hugely popular, with yearly releases doing little to...
News Silent Hill: Shattered Memories Was "A Great Opportunity to Explore New Ideas and Techniques"
The aim was to exploit "different ways of using interactivity"
Silent Hill: Shattered Memories certainly stands out within its franchise, and was a notable Wii release back in late 2009 — early 2010 for Europe. Its attempts at psychological profiling and a focus on avoiding combat were divisive, but for our money it was an unmissable horror title,...
News Dallas Tech Company iLife Thinks Nintendo Stole Its Idea For Motion Control
Federal lawsuit has been filed by the firm
A Dallas-based technology company has filed a federal lawsuit against Nintendo claiming that the Japanese video game manufacturer has violated six of its patents by including motion-sensing tech in its Wii and Wii U consoles. iLife Technologies and Solutions — which claims to invent "innovative...
December2013
Matters Of Import Welcome To The Bizarre World Of Namco's Numan Athletics
'80s popstar Gary Numan sadly not involved
Nintendo’s Virtual Console service has been a constant treasure trove of classic gaming for many years now, covering hundreds of titles across some of the greatest systems to ever exist. It’s thrown up more than a few unexpected surprises along the way too – including this Japan-only port of the...
News Refurbished Wii Remote Plus / Nunchuk Combos Discounted at Nintendo Online Store
Hagglin' for some wagglin'
Need an extra Wii Remote Plus? Don't want to be caught woefully lacking when friends show up to play Super Mario 3D World? Nintendo's online store has a new price on used but working Remote-and-Nunchuk combos that may interest you. The store has temporarily reduced the price on its refurbished combos from $30 to $20 for...
News Reggie Fils-Aime: Petitions Don't Affect Nintendo's Decisions
“100,000 signatures doesn’t mean 100,000 sales”
Movements like Operation Rainfall demonstrate a community’s interest in seeing certain games or features become accessible; in Operation Rainfall’s case, advocates eventually saw their wishes granted by Nintendo, but was that a direct result of their efforts? According to Nintendo of America...
November2013
News Rune Factory Developer Neverland Closes Its Doors
Where now for Rune Factory 5?
After a sluggish financial performance due to business changes, Rune Factory developer Neverland has announced it will be closing its doors. The Japanese company made the announcement via its official website, explaining that its financial status had deteriorated considerably in recent times. After failing to raise the...
News Black Friday Madness Arrives in the UK, Too
Plenty of Nintendo options to consider
Black Friday used to be a single insane shopping day mainly limited to North America, potentially causing bemusement in other parts of the world seeing footage of enormous crowds fighting over discounted nappies. But still, like all things that make retailers and companies lots of money it's expanded, to the...
Weirdness Wii Love This Nintendo Polar Bear
Fashioned entirely from Wii controllers
Christmas is fast approaching, soon you'll see that Coca-Cola advert on TV, but what better way to get into the festive spirit than a Nintendo polar bear made from 142 pieces of Nintendo gaming history? John Lewis, famed for its lavish Christmas advertisements and decorations, has a new display at its flagship...
News Miyamoto: Nintendo Has Unfinished Business With Super Mario Galaxy Series
Release of Super Mario 3D World got in the way
Following on from Super Mario 3D World producer Yoshiaki Koizuma comments about the possibility of the Mario series returning to an open-world style approach if there was enough demand for it, EAD General Manager Shigeru Miyamoto has now assured fans in the latest Iwata Asks Interview that the...
News Activision Rolls Out Transformers Combo Packs For Wii And DS
Just in time for Christmas
While it's easy to get excited about the new games coming to the Wii U and 3DS, it's worth remembering that there are an awful lot of Wii and DS consoles out in the wild, and plenty of people still rely on these superseded formats for their interactive entertainment — hence Activision's recent announcement of...
News Famitsu Reveals Japan's Best Selling Games Of The 21st Century
New Super Mario Claims Top Spot
Japanese video game publication Famitsu has just unveiled the top 100 Best Selling Video Games in Japan for the 21st Century (the period 1st January 2001 until 29th September 2013), and as expected Nintendo games feature heavily, with nine of the top ten games being for Nintendo platforms — seven of which are for...
News Nintendo Releases Handy Wii U Comparison Chart
Spot the difference
Since its launch, consumers — and even some retailers — have had trouble differentiating between the Wii U and its older sibling, the Wii. In a move to help consumers clearly distinguish between the two consoles, Nintendo has distributed a comparison chart detailing the different features of the Wii U and the Wii. The chart...
News Nintendo Updates Available Club Nintendo Reward Games in North America
Better start counting those coins
Update: WiiWare title Art Style: Cubello is also available as a reward until 8th December, at a cost of 150 coins. Original Article: Nintendo has updated its North American Club Nintendo Rewards service with three new games to download. From now until the 8th December 2013, users who have enough Club Nintendo...
News Take A Look At The Red Steel 2 We Never Got To Play
Leaked production screens show a different style
Red Steel was Ubisoft's big Wii launch title many years ago, and despite its cool visuals, it didn't quite get the gameplay right. Ubisoft atoned for its sins to a certain extent with Red Steel 2, but the game was almost unrecognisable thanks to a totally different "Samurai Western" setting. However,...
News The Wii Mini Will Arrive in the U.S. in November
Includes a copy of Mario Kart Wii and will cost $99
Back in December 2012 we imported a Wii Mini from Canada — before it was confirmed for Europe — and gave our assessment in a hardware review. Here's what we said in summary: The Wii Mini is, as we were largely aware - a scaled-down version of Nintendo's best-selling system. The lack of online...
News Super Mario Galaxy Is Eurogamer's Game of the Generation
It's not a Golden Joystick, but it'll do
Over the past 10 days or so, our friends over at Eurogamer have been charting the best games of the past generation - a feat that's easier said than done. Naturally, we kept an eye on proceedings, looking out for any Nintendo titles that might crop up. We watched blockbuster after blockbuster take the...
October2013
News EA's Financial Figures Reveal Dismal Wii U Software Sales
Wii not so great, either
Although EA has received much criticism for its poor support of the Wii U in recent times, it appears to make sense to the video game giant from a business perspective. EA’s decision to abandon Nintendo’s current generation home console has been validated with its most recent financial figures, which reveal that just...
News Kapow! Wii U And Wii Versions Of Young Justice: Legacy Are Cancelled
3DS version is still coming, though
We've been hearing some ominous rumours of late, but it has finally been confirmed via the game's Facebook page that the Wii and Wii U versions of Young Justice: Legacy have been cancelled. The superhero title — which is based on the Cartoon Network series — is still coming to the 3DS, however. Here's the...
News Nintendo UK Joins Japan By Calling Time On Wii, Wii Mini Expected To Fill The Void
"Wii imports to Europe have been discontinued"
Nintendo has recently confirmed that production of the Wii is set to cease in Japan and despite some assurances from Nintendo of America, it's inevitable that western regions will follow suit. MCV has had confirmation from Nintendo UK that the system is also b
News Nintendo Provides Reassurances on Wii Availability This Holiday Season
What happens once sold out, though?
This week came confirmation from Nintendo Japan that it's ceasing production of the Wii, suggesting that the end is nigh for the system. Of course, in territories such as Europe and North America there's been data — during the Wii U's quietest months — placing the last-gen little box of wonders only narrowly...
News Just Dance Kids 2014 Features Over 30 Tracks And A Dance Director Mode On Wii U
The kids are on the dance floor
Just Dance 2014 was released earlier this month and its younger sibling Just Dance Kids 2014 has now joined the party as well. It's available on both Wii U and Wii and as the title suggests this one is aimed mainly at children and therefore features appropriate songs and content. The tracklist boasts more than 30...
Soapbox The Wii Changed The Face of Gaming, Before The Console Industry Promptly Forgot Its Lessons
Tom Whitehead believes that the Wii's good work has, in part, been wasted
This week the Nintendo Japan website updated the status of Wii production, officially bringing it to an end. We'd previously argued that Nintendo could have ruled the micro console market with Wii and the company, potentially, missed a trick; it seems to be a decision made on...
News Nintendo Japan Confirms an End to Wii Production
Wii will miss it
Not so long ago Nintendo Japan issued a statement to confirm that it was planning to bring Wii production to a close; this very much followed the manufacturing policy that had been taken with the GameCube to Wii transition. As we argued, however, Nintendo may be missing an opportunity by dropping the hugely successful system so...
News New Nintendo Selects Titles Coming to Australia and New Zealand
Price drops scheduled Down Under
With the holiday season just a few months away, Nintendo of Australia has announced a list of "Nintendo Selects" titles set to be released in Australia and New Zealand at a new, cut price. Some of the most popular titles for the Wii are being offered up to those who may have missed these titles orginally. The...
Feature Active Gaming is Here To Stay And is Helping People Get Fit
Games like Wii Fit U can make a big difference to people's lives
Many people in the world claim video games are partially to blame for rising obesity levels, with individuals disregarding physical exercise in favour of a round of Mario Kart or a bout of Call of Duty, but there are doctors and scientists out there who say playing active games such as...
News Nintendo UK: Awareness Is The Real Issue With The Wii U, Not Price
"Many mums don’t know what this is"
Nintendo UK's marketing head Shelly Pearce has been speaking to MCV about the challenges facing the Wii U this Christmas, and admits that the company still has work to do when it comes to educating buyers about the difference between the original Wii and its successor: There was a big misconception at launch...
Parent Trap The Wii Is Still Crucial To Family Game Success
Andy Robertson (not pictured) on why Nintendo's old console is still vital
While core players slowly turn their attention to the next generation of consoles, families are still getting a lot of value from the Wii. Families don’t buy as many games for their gaming systems as other demographics — the long tail of family gaming habits means that...
Weirdness Beautiful Master Sword Replica Up for Auction
Must pick up in Lost Woods
Would you like a sword? All right, dumb question. If someone were just handing them out on the street, who wouldn’t take one? Let’s rephrase: are you looking for a nicely made replica of Link’s Master Sword? Because if you are (or just realized you need to be), it’d be hard to go wrong with this beauty currently...
News Yoshi's Cookie to Be Removed From European Wii Shop Channel
Oh how the cookie crumbles
Nintendo has updated the Wii Shop Channel with a new message stating that Yoshi's Cookie will be no longer available for sale as of 11th October. The surprise announcement doesn't provide any details as to why the NES game is being removed. It was originally developed by Bullet-Proof Software, with Nintendo acting as...
Soapbox Nintendo Could Have Ruled The Micro-Console Market With Wii
Has Nintendo missed a trick by dropping the Wii so soon?
In January Sony officially discontinued production of the PlayStation 2 console after selling an incredible 150 million systems over a 12 year period. Despite the unstoppable march of technology, Sony had managed to keep its best-selling console running — albeit in a much diminished capacity...
News Toys "R" Us Confirms Exclusive Range of Skylanders SWAP Force Characters
Legendary Grim Creeper has a cool name
When you combine a video game with toys that bring characters to life, you get monster profits. You also get plenty of promotions from one of the world's most recognisable toy store brands, and Toys "R" Us is continuing its record of promoting and gaining exclusives for the Skylanders series with some special...
News Nintendo of America Selling Wii Remote Rapid Charging Cradle and Rechargeable Battery Set
No more scrambling for batteries
Earlier this year, Nintendo stated in an online customer survey it was exploring the possibility of releasing an official Wii Remote Plus fast battery charger to give gamers a bit more juice when playing for prolonged periods. The company has now decided to release one and Nintendo of America has started selling the...
News Mario and Luigi Wii Remote Plus Controllers Jumping to Stores
Can you resist?
We'd bet reasonable money that a good number of Wii gamers have multiple varieties of Wii Remotes, with plenty of colours and limited editions available over the years. Nintendo has now confirmed two new designs for the Holiday season to celebrate the most famous brothers in the industry. The Mario and Luigi designs, above, will...
News Nintendo Set To End Production of the Wii
Wii don't want to hear any more
Update: Nintendo of Europe has provided a statement to Eurogamer regarding this news. Yes, NCL did update their website on 29th August with a small notice to state that Wii hardware production will stop in the near future. This specific message was referring to the Japanese market. No specific time frame has been...
September2013
News Splinter Cell Blacklist Homeland DLC Available Now on Wii U
Missions, weapons and gear included
Splinter Cell Blacklist is Ubisoft's latest entry in one of its most popular franchises, blending its recent focus on action with the option — should you prefer — of reverting back to the classic sneaking for which the series is renowned. As is standard for any high-profile triple-A title, there's optional...
News Lifetime Sales for the 3DS Have Now Surpassed the Wii in Japan
Cripes...
It's a weekly theme here at Nintendo Life that we report the ups and downs in the Japanese software and hardware charts, yet in the case of the 3DS it's often almost exclusively ups. It tops the hardware results almost every week, occasionally outselling all other system combined, and has a reliable set of ever-green titles in the software...
News Ubisoft Reveals Full Just Dance 2014 Tracklist
Daft Punk, Lady Gaga, ABBA and a bloke called PSY all feature
Just Dance 2014 will be grooving its way onto Wii U and Wii in early October and Ubisoft has now revealed the full list of tracks you can jive along to. It's set to feature a blend of old and new, with artists such as Bob Marley and ABBA standing alongside Lady Gaga, One Direction,...
News Four Turbografx-16 Games Return to the Wii Virtual Console in PAL Territories
A rather pleasant surprise
The Wii Virtual Console was not only the first of its kind on Nintendo hardware, but it had terrific diversity in the platforms and games that it offered; we'll have to see how far the Wii U Virtual Console progresses on those terms. One of the platforms that was supported, giving excellent opportunities to those that...
News Publishers Reveal Sales Figures for Skylanders and Disney Infinity
Activision and Disney prepare themselves for a festive battle
The war between the two major players in the figurine beaming adventure game genre has been raging lately what with the release of Disney Infinity last month. Naturally, the ambitious project takes a lot of influence from Activision's Skylanders series and according to Disney Interactive...
News Nintendo Cleared in Wii Patent Dispute With Creative Kingdoms
It threatened the U.S. import of Wii systems
Nintendo has to regularly defend itself in patent disputes, winning in many cases with the occasional exception. While the 3DS screen technology loss to Tomita Technologies USA could cost Nintendo $15.1 million, other cases have the potential to prevent imports of Nintendo systems to major territories —...
News 2013 Skylanders Champion Walks Away With All 56 Swap Force Figures
Quite a prize
At an event in London’s Olympic Park, James Tubb (9) was crowned Official Skylanders Champion. He not only wins the crown but also every Swap Force figure. Nice haul! The Official Skylanders championships started out in various UK regions in GAME stores. Each of these qualifier events called Skylanders fans to come into the store...
News Four New Titles Added to Wii "Nintendo Selects" Budget Range in Europe
Karting chaos, brawling and monkeying around included
Late last week Nintendo of America revealed three Wii classics getting a price reduction in the region ahead of the Holiday season. Nintendo of Europe is now making the same move, in its case adding four new titles to the Nintendo Selects range. Although recommended prices aren't provided in...
News Just Dance Steps Up To 5 Million Sales in the UK
The series has been most successful on Wii so far
Ubisoft has confirmed Just Dance has now sold over 5 million units in the UK, with the Wii being the most successful platform for the series. The French publisher revealed the numbers just before the launch of Just Dance 2014, which is set to land on Wii U and Wii, as well as PlayStation 3 and Xbox...
News The Wonderful 101 Could Have Been Released on Wii
Wii U eventually became the console of choice
The Wonderful 101 has been out on Wii U for a good few weeks now in Europe and Japan, but it all could have been so different as Hideki Kamiya, the director behind the unique title, has revealed it was tentatively scheduled for a Wii release instead. In an interview with USgamer, Kamiya said the game...
Rumour Nintendo Set To Rename The Wii U Facebook Page
It'll soon be known as "Nintendo Console Gaming"
Earlier today we reported that the 3DS Facebook page would be getting a name change after several people received emails from the social network telling them that from 19th September it would be known as "Nintendo Handheld Gaming". Well, it appears Nintendo has also decided to go down the same route...
News Three Wii Classics Get A Price Reduction in North America
Two Mario titles and a visit to Wuhu Island now available for $29.99
Part of Nintendo's push for the Holiday season is to promote the good value of its various systems and games, and with that in mind Nintendo of America has confirmed three major Wii titles that, as of today, will have a suggested retail price of just $29.99 in the region. These are...
News Club Nintendo Rewards Updated for September
Take to the skies and march with the minis
It's that time of the month when Nintendo offers up some tasty rewards for North American Club Nintendo members to enjoy. This year really is flying by isn't it? Two Wii Shop and two 3DS eShop games will be available to download in exchange for your hard earned coins and of course Wii U owners can access...
August2013
News Peter Molyneux Reveals His Favourite Zelda Title Of All Time
You might be surprised
The highly quotable Peter Molyneux has told TechRadar his top five games of all time, and like many seasoned gamers, one of his favourite titles happens to be part of the Zelda series. However, while many would cite Link to the Past, Wind Waker or
News HackYourConsole.com Goes Offline and Closes Pre-Orders
Nintendo opened legal proceedings earlier this month
On 7th August Nintendo announced that it was opening legal proceedings against HackYourConsole.com, a subject that unsurprisingly caused plenty of debate and disagreement within the Nintendo Life community. The site had sold R4 cards and offered mods to Nintendo hardware for a good amount of time,...
News Just Dance Kids 2014 Bringing its Groovy Moves to Wii U and Wii
Arrives in late October
The Just Dance series has been selling millions of copies and embarrassing gamers without much rhythm for a good few years, and the Kids series has been doing the same for a younger audience. Unsurprisingly, then, Ubisoft has confirmed Just Dance Kids 2014 for both the Wii U and Wii, with a release date of 22nd October in...
News The Wonderful 101 Misses the Top 20 in UK All-Format Charts
Not enough wonder-green spent on the game
Last week brought the arrival of The Wonderful 101 to the Wii U, which in our view is a terrific and unique exclusive for the system. Unfortunately for PlatinumGames' bombastic action title it's had a major struggle to earn early sales in the UK, with this week's UKIE all-format chart showing the new title...
News Sales Data Demonstrates a Slow Wii to Wii U Transition Compared to Past Generations
The little system goes on and on
Over the past nine months, since the Wii U arrived on the scene, we've seen the inevitable launch day sell-outs make way for a drop-off in sales. As a trend that's fairly common, though in the case of Nintendo's system the loss of momentum was pronounced by an absence of killer software, and it's endured some...
News Metroid Prime Trilogy Now Available At GameStop For $84.99
Part of its "vintage" selection of titles
Earlier this week GameStop made a brief statement regarding the pricing of used copies of Xenoblade Chronicles in its various retail outlets. The company said it had sourced new copies of the "vintage" title and claimed many more were on the way, including Metroid Prime Trilogy, which has become n
News Disney Infinity Has Reportedly Cost "Well Over $100 million" to Produce
"It's a Hail Mary with a tremendous amount of pressure to be a hit"
Disney Infinity is a game with the substantial muscle of its namesake company behind it, as it attempts to barge into the game-plus-collectible toy formula that's made Activision's accountants so very happy with the Skylanders franchise. With the build-up and range of add-ons and...
News Toys R Us Announces Exclusive Range of Disney Infinity "Crystal" Figures
Also appear differently in the game
Toys R Us has just announced its exclusive line of Disney Infinity figures and power discs, or at least couple of the first items in its range. A special "Crystal" series will offer semi-transparent versions of the toys that also appear and behave differently in the game; they will only be available from the...
Video A Rundown of the Disney Infinity Wave 1 Toys
It's a 'Toy Story'
With the approaching release of Disney Infinity and incoming news of more play-sets (featuring Toy Story and Mickey no less), as well as mobile apps, it’s easy to lose sight of the small action figures at the heart of this new franchise. Of course the game is hugely important, and the quality of experience in both the Campaign...
"As always, our pricing for these games is competitive"
Earlier today we reported that questions had been raised about GameStop's increase in Xenoblade Chronicles stock; the title had been difficult to find for an extended period. Despite the title's rarity for a number of months, many GameStop stores now have multiple "used" copies available, as...
News GameStop Accused of Re-Printing Xenoblade Chronicles, Then Selling as "Used" For $90
A product monopoly gone too far?
Xenoblade Chronicles took its sweet time coming to the Wii in North America, with Nintendo eventually publishing as a limited release on the Nintendo Store and through GameStop. It had been long anticipated and clearly sold well for the available stock, as it reportedly became hard to find and rare after launch...
News Nintendo Opens Legal Proceedings Against HackYourConsole.com
Continuing the fight against piracy
The Wii U and 3DS have so far maintained robust security, against flashcards and illegal modding, in comparison to the DS family of systems and the Wii. Both of the last-gen systems were easily cracked, and to date both current systems have stayed secure, which is perhaps particularly impressive in the case of the...
News Young Justice: Legacy Will Come To Wii U, 3DS and Wii in November
Nintendo versions suffer a delay
Young Justice: Legacy is an action RPG from Little Orbit and is based on the now cancelled cartoon show of the same name. It's coming to all major platforms including Wii U and 3DS and is scheduled for release this September. However, the developer has now announced on its Facebook page that the Nintendo versions of...
News Club Nintendo Rewards Get Active for August
Going retro and training your brain
It's that time again, North America, when you can trade your Club Nintendo coins for a free downloadable game. This week has an undoubtedly retro feel, with a good variety on option for redemption as 3DS or Wii Shop downloads — the latter can also be accessed on Wii U via the Wii Mode. There are a couple of...
July2013
News Nintendo Reports 150% Download Revenue Increase Over Equivalent Quarter Last Year
Wii hardware and 3DS software sales each pass 100 million units
Nintendo has released its first quarter financial results which delivered a net profit, significant 3DS success and some cringe-worthy Wii U figures. Alongside the main results, Nintendo has released some other tid-bits of information to highlight notable landmarks and game sales over...
News Disney Infinity's First Wave of Power Disc "Blind Packs" Is Revealed
The wails of parents reverberate around the world
The upcoming Disney Infinity — which will arrive on Wii U, Wii and 3DS — is undoubtedly Disney's pitch at the lucrative toy / collectible market that Activision has so effectively exploited with its Skylanders franchise. If you can sell a game and then earn money through on-disc DLC with...
News Rodea the Sky Soldier Still in Development for Wii and 3DS
Quite a delay for a Wii flight
Rodea the Sky Soldier has been a project in development purgatory, or so it seems to us here at Nintendo Life. For a couple of years infrequent updates have confirmed that the game is still set for Wii and 3DS, with the title being strung along every step of the way; for his part Sonic the Hedgehog co-creator Yuji Naka...
Feature A Brief History of Pikmin
Three down, more surely to come
Pikmin 3, after a lengthy development period, is now beginning to grace Wii U systems around the world, and is clearly a source of great pride for Shigeru Miyamoto. The famous Nintendo designer has described it as the "ultimate version of Pikmin 1", and to date it's received substantial critical praise, including a...
News SpongeBob SquarePants: Plankton's Robotic Revenge Confirmed For Wii U, Wii, 3DS And DS
Five player co-op will feature on the Wii U version
Activision and Nickelodeon have announced everyone's favourite water-absorbing sea creature will be starring in a new game later this year known as SpongeBob SquarePants: Plankton's Robotic Revenge. The game will be released on Wii U, Wii, 3DS and DS - as well as other platforms - and is being...
News Phineas And Ferb: Quest for Cool Stuff Begins on 13th August
On Wii U, Wii, 3DS and DS
What do you do when you have a quirky, successful and relatively long-running cartoon on the Disney Channel? You release a video game, of course, with confirmation today that the Majesco-developed Phineas and Ferb: Quest for Cool Stuff will arrive on the Wii U, Wii, 3DS and DS in North America on 13th August. That's not...
News Ben 10: Omniverse 2 Coming Later This Year on Wii U, Wii And 3DS
A new trailer emerges at Comic-Con
Ben 10: Omniverse was a Wii U launch title and it appears to have done well enough as a sequel will be coming later this year, courtesy of D3Publsiher and Cartoon Network. The original was also on Wii and 3DS and both these platforms are being supported again. Appropriately titled Ben 10: Omniverse 2, this...
News New Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Game Coming To Wii And 3DS
Turtle power!
A new Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles video game is coming to Wii, 3DS and Xbox 360 later this year, which will be based on the current animated series on Nickelodeon. It's going to be a sidescrolling brawler and will feature local multiplayer for the home console versions in which four people can drop in and out of the action...
News Retailer Listings and Comic-Con Reveal New Figures for Skylanders Swap Force
Prepare your bank accounts
Skylanders Swap Force, the latest entry in the hugely successful toy-based Activision series, is getting ever closer to its October release on Wii U, Wii, 3DS and other consoles. As it approaches we can look forward to details on what new figures will be available and in what waves, though it seems that a combination of...
News Nintendo Reporting Technical Difficulties in Online Services
Update: Issues now resolved
Nintendo has now updated its status messages in North America and Europe to state that its network services are once again operating normally, after a downtime of one hour and 25 minutes. Original article: Nintendo has posted a network status update for North America and Europe advising that there are currently issues...
News Shigeru Miyamoto "Wanted to go to HD Sooner" With the Wii
Consumer take-up of HD TVs quicker than expected
During the Wii's lifespan there was one unavoidable fact, regardless of wonderful games and innovative experiences; it was a standard-definition system in an increasingly high-definition world. Its limitation to 480p and graphical capabilities that — brilliant art design aside — were struggling to...
News Angry Birds Star Wars Confirmed for Wii U, Wii and 3DS
That's impossible!
So, who wants to buy a smartphone game for a retail price? Well step on up, games fans, because Angry Birds Star Wars is coming to Wii U, Wii and 3DS; tough luck, DS owners. Once again Rovio's iOS and Android phenomenon is being brought to consoles by Activision, with a North American release date set for 29th October and a global...
News UK Store GAME Now Selling Original Wii Consoles For Just £35
Even less reason to consider picking up a Wii Mini, then
As part of its summer hardware and software sale, UK video game retailer GAME is now selling Wii consoles for just £35 (around $50 / €40). That's a considerable saving on the recently-released Wii Mini, which lacks internet connectivity, doesn't have an SD card slot and won't run on...
News Satoru Iwata - Tech Limitations Held Wii Vitality Sensor Back, But Launch is Still Possible
It has a pulse
Ah, the Vitality Sensor. Remember that? It was shown off at E3 2009, leading to the raising of many eyebrows as Nintendo President Satoru Iwata pitched its ability to track the pulse and other readings, and explained how it could be suitable for games of relaxation. It's gone down as one of Nintendo's quirkiest product announcements,...
News Beenox Aiming To Give Wii Skylanders Swap Force Parity With Next Gen Versions
Gameplay, levels and toy compatibility will be the same
Skylanders Swap Force is going to be a big title for the Wii U this year, but it's easy to forget that the original Wii is getting its own version, too. Family Gamer TV got chance to speak with Vicarious Visions CEOs Guha and Karthik Bala about the Wii version and was given some very positi
June2013
News Nintendo Wins Another Patent Battle, This Time Over MotionPlus
That legal team is on fire
Nintendo faces its fair share of patent battles, which in most cases — not all, with a notable loss on 3DS screen technology — go the Kyoto company's way. Plenty of these disputes focus on the Wii and its various peripherals, which is more than likely due to the console's phenomenal sales success and its various...
News Xbox 360 Sales Set to Pass the Wii's in the UK
Dem FPS and footie gamez
The Wii has kicked some serious booty in terms of global sales, getting close to 100 million sales and 'winning', at the time of writing, its generation of systems. That impressive success can mask the fact that the diminutive console has seen momentum go off the cliff since early 2012, as games dried up and the Wii U...
News Angry Birds Trilogy Flocks to Wii and Wii U in August
Just when you thought the piggies were safe...
If by chance you're one of the three people that hasn't yet played Rovio's mega-popular Angry Birds series, or prefer to play your pig-killing physics puzzlers on the big screen, you're in luck — Rovio has announced that Angry Birds Trilogy will launch on both Wii and Wii U in North America as retail...
News A Study Suggests the Wii Could be Used to Improve the Balance of Parkinson's Sufferers
Could reduce fall risks as part of exercise routine
We know the Wii brand has often been promoted to push activity and fitness, but a preliminary study reported in Medpage Today suggests that Wii games, and specifically the Balance Board, can play a role in strengthening the balance of Parkinson’s patients. According to the report, the “use of...
News Nintendo Succeeds in Wii Fit Balance Board Patent Appeal
Original decision in the company's favour is upheld
Nintendo, and particularly the Wii, have faced a number of patent challenges in recent years. In most cases Nintendo has emerged as the victor, with a loss on the 3DS screen technology being a rare blip. The big N has faced challenges to its Wii Remote, in particular, and various devices and gizmos...
Review Sengoku 3 (Wii Virtual Console / Neo Geo)
Third time's the charm
While SNK was far more well known for its one-on-one fighting games, it did toss out a few beat 'em ups along the way. Some of the attempts were better than others: Sengoku 3 is one such example. It basically takes many of the solid gameplay perks of the first two games and amps things up considerably. Toss in a fresh coat of...
News FIFA 14 Is Coming To Nintendo Consoles After All - Except The Wii U
Coming to a Wii and 3DS near you
In April this year, Electronic Arts announced the newest addition to its FIFA franchise, FIFA 14. Sadly, the Wii U wasn't shown in the initial line-up, but EA promised other consoles would be revealed at a later date. It didn't help that before this, EA confessed that Madden NFL would be skipping a Nintendo console...
News Activision Bringing Skylanders Swap Force And Call of Duty: Ghosts To E3
"This is obviously a big year"
There has been a lot of confusion surrounding Call of Duty: Ghosts, the latest in Activision's long-running franchise. Nobody seems to definitively know if it's coming to Wii U or not. When it was announced in early May, the publisher did not mention Nintendo's home console, however, since then several media outlets...
Feature The Humble Origins of Animal Crossing
How an obscure little N64 title grew into a hit franchise for Nintendo
The hype and excitement for Animal Crossing: New Leaf across the web is reaching a critical level. Hitting North America on 9th June and Europe on 14th June, it begs the question whether some people might literally explode as a result of not being able to contain their...
News Armature Studios Gains Another Ex-Retro Staff Member
Donkey Kong Country Returns designer Tom Ivey moves on
As we all know, Armature is a company founded by former Retro Studios staff members — and it would appear that they've added another to their ranks. According to his CV on LinkedIn, Tom Ivey — who was one of the designers on Donkey Kong Country Returns, which was recently ported to the 3DS...
Video Disney's Planes Trailer Flies Into View
Exclusive to Nintendo systems
Earlier this year it was confirmed that Disney's Planes will be coming exclusively to Nintendo systems, covering Wii U, Wii, 3DS and DS. It'll arrive in North America on 6th August, just before the film arrives on 9th August; as most of you probably already know — or will have guessed — this is a follow up to the...
May2013
Nintendo Download 30th May (North America)
Legendary Zelda, Mega Man X, free Project X, Denpa Men (X?) and more
It's Nintendo Download time once again, North America, and this week we've got retro goodies for your newest console, some top-notch gaming for the 3DS and a lot of discounted dancing. Let's get right to it. Wii U Virtual Console: Mega Man X (Capcom, $7.99) — The first of the...
News Namco Bandai Is Bringing Barbie And Monster High To Wii U, Wii, 3DS And DS
Thank goodness for that
While other publishers and developers fall over themselves to find excuses not to produce software for the Wii U, Namco Bandai is making a little bit of effort — although we're not entirely sure that Barbie Life and Monster High: 13 Wishes are the kind of games that dedicated Nintendo fans are waiting for. Both titles are...
News Zumba Fitness World Party Is Dancing Awkwardly Towards Wii U And Wii This October
Burning blubber
Majesco has confirmed that the next instalment in its best-selling Zumba Fitness range will be hitting the Wii U and Wii this October. With 40 new songs to get fit to and an "extraordinary" roster of celebrity Zumba instructors, Zumba Fitness World Party is a significant enhancement of what has gone before. On both Wii U and Wii,...