DS News
May2014
Matters of Import Tomodachi Collection
The best of friends?
Tomodachi Collection is more a toy than a game in that very special Nintendo way: your own mad little island full of Miis that you never knew you wanted but you suddenly find yourself unable to live without, and while it may be the five-year-old prequel to the upcoming English language Tomodachi Life, that doesn't mean the...
News Here's a Handy Guide to Pokémon Services That'll Stop With Nintendo's Wi-Fi Shutdown
Sad times
As switched on DS and Wii owners likely already know, a number of Wi-Fi services will be shut down on 20th May, with high profile examples being the loss of online play in Mario Kart entries on both systems and other examples such as Super Smash Bros. Brawl. For Pokémon fans, meanwhile, the impact on those last-gen games could be...
News Pokémon Black and White 2 Soundtrack Album Completes Set on iTunes
The era of the Super Music Collection is over...
Over recent months Game Freak has released six substantial Pokémon albums, and has now confirmed the final entry — Pokémon Black 2 & Pokémon White 2: Super Music Collection. This is available on iTunes right now for $9.99 / £7.99 / €8.99. It features a whopping 172 tracks from Pokémon...
News EA Releases Lengthy List of Online Services to be Shut Down on DS and Wii
Oh no, not Bejeweled 2!
Closing down online game services is all the rage at the moment, with Nintendo switching off elements of its Wi-Fi services on the Wii and DS on 20th May. It appears that EA is now joining in the fun, with online services for over 50 games closing at the end of June. The range of games is old enough to incorporate a period...
News Here's an Updated Summary of Nintendo's Software Bestsellers
Pokémon and Mario lead the way
When Nintendo releases its updated financial reports, it also publishes fresh figures for hardware and software — we've covered the former in our main summary of the year-end results. The software highlights tell their own tale, however, and perhaps help to explain why Nintendo opts for particular franchises and...
April2014
News Animal Crossing and Metroidvania GDC Talks Now Available For Your Viewing Pleasure
New Leaf and Castlevania devs discuss the intricacies of game development
Many of the presentations at last month's Game Developers Conference are now available to view for free on the GDC Vault website, including Animal Crossing: New Leaf producer Katsuya Eguchi and co-director Aya Kyogoku's "How to Turn a New Leaf at the Animal Crossing" and...
News Pokémon Black and White Soundtrack Now Available on iTunes
Remastered music collection joins iTunes' growing Pokémon library
A few short weeks after the release of the Pokémon Diamond & Pokémon Pearl: Super Music Collection on iTunes, today we get the Pokémon Black & Pokémon White: Super Music Collection, which you can preview and purchase here for $9.99 / £7.99 / €8.99. This digitally...
News GameSpy Shutting Down All Online Servers on 31st May, Following Wii and DS Wi-Fi Disconnection
End of an era
In late February we had the disappointing news that online multiplayer, online-based communication apps and even some DLC will become unavailable on Wii and DS, due to Nintendo switching off the Wi-Fi connection. This happens on 20th May — though the Wii Shop and DSi Shop will remain open for business — and prompted some to...
March2014
News Pokémon Diamond & Pokémon Pearl: Super Music Collection Available Now on iTunes
Prince will not be happy
In recent weeks and months Game Freak has been releasing rather impressive soundtrack albums on iTunes for various titles in the Pokémon franchise. Pokémon Diamond & Pearl, the DS titles, have now been covered with the arrival of Pokémon Diamond & Pokémon Pearl: Super Music Collection on the download store. For...
News Koji Igarashi, Best Known for the Castlevania Series, Departs from Konami
"I've decided to break out on my own"
It's possible that gamers relatively fresh to Nintendo hardware won't know much of Koji Igarashi's work, but Castlevania fans that enjoyed the terrific series entries on the Game Boy Advance and DS — in particular — may mourn the formal passing of an era today, even if it's been on the cards for a...
"We wanted to offer two intelligent characters"
Professor Layton and the Azran Legacy has now arrived in stores around the world, bringing a close to the prequel trilogy and, it seems, the adventures of the iconic Professor Hershel Layton. It was a fantastic finale that was also tinged with sadness, as it closed the door on the top hat wearing...
News Club Nintendo in North America to Remove Post-Play Survey Coins for Wii and DS Games
Sad face
Times keep on changing, and Nintendo is reminding gamers still rocking the Wii and DS that they should really consider an upgrade. There's the sledgehammer approach of disconnecting the Wi-Fi online multiplayer service on the systems, which is as loud a prompt as possible, but there are more subtle ways the message is being made. For those...
News Aksys Games Confirms 999: The Novel For iOS
The official website does plug the full games, at least
During February Zero Escape series creator Kotaro Uchikoshi emphasized the challenges he was facing to make a third game in the franchise, with publishers apparently not deeming another entry financially viable. Uchikoshi-san was touched by fan support, however, and is contemplating alternative...
Soapbox The Nintendo Wi-Fi Disconnection Reminds Us Why Local Multiplayer Still Matters
Tom Whitehead goes on about online multiplayer's pitfalls, like an old man
I was disappointed to learn about Nintendo switching off online play on the Wii and DS; at the time I was on a short break spending some time with my family and, funnily enough, getting ready for some memory-jogging multiplayer gaming with my older brother. Growing up playing...
Rumour Wii and DS Wi-Fi Disconnection May Be Tied To Glu Mobile Takeover of GameSpy Technology
Both system's online infrastructures use GameSpy middleware
News last week that Nintendo is switching off the Wi-Fi connection services for Wii and DS on 20th May understandably caused some disappointment. While the Wii Shop and DSi Shop will remain open, online multiplayer and some services on both systems will cease to be, which will affect major...
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...
Video These Are The Ten DS Games We Want To See On The Wii U Virtual Console
Which one did you vote for?
The news that Nintendo is bringing DS games to the Wii U had us dreaming of all the amazing titles we wanted to see arrive on the eShop. Like some kind of benevolent moving-image god, our resident video guru Rory has transcoded these desires into magical lights and sound, and has lovingly deposited the results onto the...
News Zero Escape Series Director Struggling to Find Funding for Third Title
Takes to Twitter for help
The Zero Escape series, which features the puzzle-based visual novels 999: Nine Hours, Nine Persons, Nine Doors on the DS and Virtue's Last Reward on the 3DS and Vita, has always included the carrying of hope in desperate times as a theme. Series director Kotaro Uchikoshi is now finding himself trying to maintain a similar...
News 3DS Sales Tracking Ahead of Game Boy Advance In Japan
Unsurprisingly lagging behind DS sales figures
The 3DS has demonstrated its solid market performance yet again, with the latest Japanese sales tracking figures from Media Create revealing Nintendo’s beloved handheld is selling faster than the Game Boy Advance. After 154 weeks since the system’s original release in Japan, a total of 15 million...
January2014
News Nintendo Still Working On Bringing Game Boy Advance Titles To 3DS Virtual Console, Says Natsume
Publisher excited about DS support on Wii U, more GBC on the way
Remember the 3DS Ambassador campaign? Of course you do — it rewarded early adopters by giving them a raft of awesome Game Boy Advance titles for free. At the time, many assumed that the exciting prospect of downloading and playing even more GBA games on the 3DS Virtual Console was...
Feature 10 Nintendo DS Games We Want To See On The Wii U Virtual Console
Dual-screen desires
Nintendo has just lifted the lid on its plans to bring DS games to the Wii U Virtual Console, which means that owners of that particular machine will soon be able to enjoy a library of classic releases from one of the company's most popular formats. The DS has played host to some truly stunning pieces of software since its...
News Satoru Iwata Confirms That DS Games Are Coming To The Wii U Virtual Console
Quick loading using the GamePad also on the way
Update: The official English translation of Satoru Iwata's briefing confirms that the quick-start GamePad feature — outlined below — will come in a system update due in the early summer. All other details below are accurate as per the translated briefing. Original Article: We will be providing a...
News Pokémon HeartGold & SoulSilver Soundtrack Available For Download
Additional soundtracks coming later this year
Video game music is perhaps one of the most cherished and appreciated aspects of a game’s reputation. Titles in franchises such as The Legend of Zelda and Super Mario are loved not solely for their gameplay, but for their connection to the player through wit, charm, and music; some of the most beloved...
News Pokémon Composer Leaves Game Freak for Independent Quest
Possibilities for the Poké-future still open
Shota Kageyama, a composer for recent Pokémon titles including X &Y and Black & White, has announced via Twitter that he has left developer Game Freak to pursue independent music. Kageyama's tweet has been translated and reported by
December2013
Feature 12 Days of Christmas - The Azran Legacy Solves The Professor's Last Puzzle
We hope the franchise will find a solution
Professor Layton and the Azran Legacy is already out in Europe and arrives in North America on 28th February; for some the end is still to come while others have already closed their 3DS lid — or hit a button on the 2DS — with a regretful sigh. Level-5 may have kept the door open for the series to...
Matters Of Import Shining Force Feather
We take a look at Sega's Japan-only DS strategy RPG
Sega's Shining Force series is still well thought of, even if the PS2 instalments arguably got off on the wrong foot by drastically rewriting series canon and deviating from the strategic gameplay found in older titles. Evidently someone was buying these games anyway, as after four entries on the...
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 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...
October2013
News Ghostlight Now Shipping Devil Survivor 2 Pre-Orders To Customers
There are even a few spare copies left
Back in July, Ghostlight made the DS title Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor 2 available for pre-order in Europe on its website and said it would sell the games if enough people reserved a copy. Sure enough, there were plenty of eager gamers in Europe who did just that, despite the possibility of the enhanced...
News Moshi Monsters: Katsuma Unleashed Now Available On 3DS And DS In The UK
Coming to the US in November
When you think of pint-sized monsters on a Nintendo handheld you're bound to think of Pokémon, but there is in fact another adorable creature-based title available right now in the UK in the form of Moshi Monsters: Katsuma Unleashed. A whole day before Pokémon X & Y is officially launched - though many retailers in...
News Doodle Jump Is Making The Journey To Nintendo DS
The forthcoming 3DS version gets a companion
A short time ago we reported on the impending release of Doodle Jump Adventures for the 3DS — a console port of the popular smartphone title, Doodle Jump. It has now been confirmed that the DS will also be getting a version of Lima Sky's title, named Doodle Jump Journey. It's a scaled-down offering...
September2013
Rumour Nintendo Renaming The 3DS Page On Facebook
"Nintendo Handheld Gaming" looks set to replace it on 19th September
Nintendo is renaming the Nintendo 3DS Facebook page, according to an email sent from the social network to a selection of people who like the page. When Facebook pages change their names, an email is sent out by the social network to inform people of the change. Nintendo hasn't...
News Devil Survivor 2 Hits Pre-Order Target to Confirm EU Release
Additional pre-orders are now guaranteed
Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor 2 has had a rather odd route to release in Europe. Ghostlight picked up publishing duties for the DS title in Europe, but not before a 3DS port was confirmed for Japan. With time and effort invested in the DS original, Ghostlight has nevertheless persevered. Its path to the...
August2013
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,...
Video Check Out the Masters Final From the 2013 Pokémon World Championships
These guys don't mess around
In recent times the 2013 Pokémon World Championships have had a couple of mentions on Nintendo Life, with the Vancouver event hosting gamers from around the world and champions stepping forward from the battling chaos. Not all of us could be there for the action, of course, so The Pokémon Company has kindly uploaded...
News More Than 1500 Cheaters Took Part in Pokémon's 2013 Global Showdown
Those monsters
Earlier in the Summer The Pokémon Company hosted the 2013 Global Showdown, a WiFi tournament for Pokémon Black and White 2, which some undoubtedly used for practice ahead of other tournaments. It was open to 50,000 competitors, but it's now been revealed that 1,558 of those that took part were cheaters, utilising smartphone apps to...
News Former EA VP Named New President of n-Space
Takes place at head of longtime developer
Dan Tudge, a former vice-president and executive producer at Electronic Arts, has ranked up in title to become President of Orlando, Fla.-based independent developer n-Space. According to GamesIndustry International, the former president of n-Space, co-founder Dan O’Leary, is now the company’s CEO...
Review Art Academy: SketchPad (Wii U eShop)
A masterpiece or sketchy at best?
One of the most fascinating things about Miiverse is how Nintendo is paying such close attention to it. Not just in the sense that it is regularly updating it, but rather the company is actually listening to what its consumers are saying on the platform. It's remarkably unusual for a company that until now had been...
News Nintendo Now Selling Refurbished SD Cards and 3DS XL Consoles
Original 3DS and DSi XL models are also available
Earlier this year Nintendo announced it was selling authentic refurbished products on its official website in North America, stating the systems are the only refurbished products on the market that have been cleaned, tested and inspected to meet the company's high standards. At the time, Nintendo...
To Smurf, or not to Smurf?
Recently we got a little down and smurfy with our review of The Smurfs 2 for the Wii U, and now, we’ve set our focus on the DS version which offers a completely different gameplay experience, despite sharing the same title. Where the former offered up uneventful platforming that should only appeal to novice players or...
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 Ghostlight Opens European Pre-Orders For Devil Survivor 2
Requires 1,800 pre-orders for release
Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor 2 has been available in North America for over a year now and has yet to emerge in Europe. UK-based publisher Ghostlight has the rights to release the DS game, however, the European market is a bit tricky these days and it would be taking a gamble to manufacture the game and...
July2013
News Retailers Preparing Multi-Region Shiny Legendary Pokémon Distribution Events
They're rare, too
With Pokémon X & Y creeping ever closer, The Pokémon Company continues to have the clever idea of promoting the new 3DS game with the previous DS games, thus successfully hyping three (or six) titles at once. As a result there's another distribution event coming to various retailers in the coming weeks, so it's time to dig...
News Devil Survivor 2 European Pre-Order Threshold and Details Outlined by Ghostlight
1800 pre-orders needed for release
DS title Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor 2 has been available in North America — published by Atlus — for well over a year now, yet it's taken time for a publisher to successfully pick up the reins in Europe. Ghostlight has stepped in, but successfully selling a DS game is increasingly difficult in the...
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 LEGO Marvel Super Heroes To Feature Stan Lee as a Playable Character
And lots of others, naturally
In the coming months we're going to see an epic face-off, of sorts. Nope, we're not talking about the Wii U vs Xbox One vs PS4, or even 3DS vs anything with a small-ish screen, but a battle between superheroes for the public's affections. Yep, we have Scribblenauts Unmasked: A DC Comics Adventure coming to the Wii U and...
News Ghostlight Will Open Pre-Orders For Devil Survivor 2 Next Week
Europe finally gets the chance to play it
Last week Ghostlight revealed it would be giving Europeans the chance to get hold of Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor 2 by pre-ordering the game from its online store. However, the publisher will only release the DS title should it receive enough requests. Well, the chance to reserve a copy will start...
News Ghostlight Hatches A New Plot To Bring Devil Survivor 2 To Europe
A cunning plan
Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor 2 was released in the US well over a year ago now and poor old Europe has yet to have the game grace its presence. It appears that day may not be too far off, as UK-based publisher Ghostlight has devised a scheme to finally bring the DS game to European shores. Essentially, it's playing it very...
News Nintendo Wins Another Court Battle with R4 Cartridge Manufacturers
Nintendo and others to be paid nearly $1 million in damages
The DS family of systems has long since been replaced by the 3DS, but almost as an ironic tribute to the slowly grinding gears of legal systems, Nintendo and around fifty other companies have just been awarded nearly $1 million in damages; this will be paid by two R4 device sellers based in...
Poll How Important is Dual / Second Screen Gaming?
A major part of Nintendo's strategy
Yesterday brought us some interesting comments from Ubisoft Managing Director Nicolas Rioux, who spoke about the potential prominence of "second screen" gaming, even going so far as to praise the Wii U as an innovative first step. As we observed in that article, it'd be a nasty piece of irony if technical...
News Global Link For Pokémon Black And White Titles Will Cease On 14th January 2014
Black and White 1 & 2 will lose use of the service
According to a special notice on the Pokémon Global Link website, the service is set to completely shut down for Pokémon Black and White and Pokémon Black and White 2 on 14th January 2014. Certain features will begin to switch off this October over a three month period, starting with the Dream...
News Renegade Kid To Regain Rights To Moon Next Year
Could a sequel be in the works?
Moon is something of a cult classic, and many Renegade Kid fans hold out hope for a sequel of some sort. The studio itself is open to the idea, but has always maintained that the rights to the name are an issue — the original was published by Mastiff, which currently has ownership of the IP. However, it would seem...
June2013
News Australia Gearing Up For Pokémon Video Game National Championships At PAX
Winners get the chance to compete at the World Championships
Nintendo Australia has announced the upcoming PAX event to be held in Melbourne will host the Pokémon Video Game Australian National Championships for trainers in Australia and New Zealand to take part in. Trainers will battle it out using their copy of Pokémon Black and White 2 at the...
News Pokémon US National Championships Set To Commence Next Week
All attendees will receive a special Metagross
Back in January, thousands of Pokémon trainers flocked to several different US cities with their copies of Pokémon Black and White 2 to compete in the Pokémon Video Game Winter Regional Championships. Each region had three different age divisions to compete in and the winners are now preparing for...
News The Pokémon Company Lays Down The Law On Cheaters
Users of "illegal Pokémon" will be banned
Considering how fun and addictive Pokémon battles with friends are, it's no surprise tournaments have cropped up all over the world for trainers to show off their 'mon's skills. However, one blight that has been attached to the competitions is the use of modified Pokémon. Essentially, people can use...
Video LEGO Marvel Super Heroes E3 Trailer Saves the Day
It's a LEGO Wolverine, at last
There are so many LEGO games out on the market — so, so many. Yet we seem to keep wanting more, possibly because in the majority of cases they're a lot of fun, and LEGO Marvel Super Heroes looks set to be a big release this Fall; versions will grace the Wii U, 3DS and DS. With the E3 madness now well underway, the...
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...
Video Asgard Looks Pretty Epic In Lego Marvel Super Heroes
Plastic blocks, assemble!
TT Games is currently hard at work on Lego Marvel Super Heroes, the latest in its wildly successful line of video games based on the popular Danish building block. Our good friends over at Family Gamer TV have visited the TT Games studio for some hands-on time with the new title, the results of which you can view below...
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
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 Tecmo Koei Hints At A Pokémon Conquest Sequel
"There was a lot of unfinished material for Pokémon Conquest"
The Pokémon Company and Tecmo Koei recently collaborated to make a strategy RPG crossover called Pokémon Conquest that took the Nobunaga's Ambition style of gameplay and threw in a flurry of Pokémon to do the battling. Even though the 3DS had been out a while at the time of the...
News LEGO Friends Coming to 3DS and DS
Explore Heartlake City this fall
OK, now. Deep breaths. Not all LEGO games are about undercover cops or action-packed film and comic licenses. Some of them can be about dancing and taking care of pets and scrapbooking and... and that’s perfectly fine. Warner Bros. Interactive has announced LEGO Friends, a game based on the popular toy line...
News There's Still Plenty Of Interest In Older Pokémon Games
People are still buying the previous titles
This year Nintendo announced it would be bringing a brand new Pokémon title to the 3DS in the form of Pokémon X & Y. This new iteration breaks the mould set by previous games and incorporates full 3D environments instead of the conventional top-down view we're all used to. Of course, Pokémon Black...
April2013
News Nintendo Selling Refurbished 3DS and DSi Consoles
All systems come with a one year warranty
Nintendo is now selling authentic refurbished products on its official website. The company says the systems are the only refurbished products on the market that have been cleaned, tested and inspected to meet its own high standards. According to the website listings the consoles are guaranteed to be fully...
News Pokémon Black & White 2 Owners Can Catch Deoxys In May
From the comfort of your own Wi-Fi
Legendary DNA Pokémon Deoxys will be made available to English language copies of Pokémon Black & White 2 from 8th May until the 31st May. Players will be able to snag Deoxys in all its Level 100 glory through Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection. Once acquired, Nacrene City will be the place to alter Deoxys between...
Interview Meet Christopher Robin Miller - Voice Actor For Professor Layton
An interview with a gentleman
We were first introduced to Professor Layton back in February 2007 with his debut title, Professor Layton and the Curious Village. Since then, the 'Sherlock Holmes' inspired character has gone from strength to strength with an original trilogy, a prequel trilogy, a movie, and an upcoming crossover with defense attorney...
Rumour Ni no Kuni Could Yet See A Western Release, According To Publisher Namco Bandai
DS role-player could find a new lease of life on the 3DS
You might be familar with Level-5 and Studio Ghibli collaboration Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch from its recent release on the PlayStation 3, but the origin of the series actually stretches back to a Nintendo DS game, released in Japan in 2010. Ni no Kuni: The Jet-black Mage shares the...
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 LEGO Legends of Chima: Laval's Journey Begins This Summer
Coming to 3DS and DS
Today seems to be LEGO day, with the fresh screens of LEGO Marvel Super Heroes now being followed up by the announcement of a new title coming to both 3DS and DS, LEGO Legends of Chima: Laval's Journey; it's also on the way to the PlayStation Vita. The 3DS release is set for the Summer, with the DS version pegged for Autumn,...
News Indie Dev Island Officials Turning To Kickstarter To Fund Boxed DS Game
Don't count out the dual-screen console just yet
Kickstarter has become a popular way for small indie developers to fund their projects, with games like Shovel Knight being targeted for release via the Nintendo eShop, but every so often there's a campaign that aims for something a little different. New Jersey-based developer Island Officials is...
March2013
News Renegade Kid Open To Idea Of Moon Sequel
IP rights present an issue, however
Renegade Kid recently announced its new FPS, Cult County, which is to be released on the 3DS eShop episodically later this year and into next year. Speaking to Nintendo Force magazine about the horror-themed shooter, co-founder Jools Watsham made reference to his studio's DS horror series Dementium and the...
News Ghostlight May Yet Bring Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor 2 To Europe
Publisher is considering its options
Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor Overclocked will finally be released in Europe on 29th March. It's being published by Ghostlight, which took up the task due to Atlus only localising it for North America. Attention has now switched to the game's sequel Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor
News The Nano Soundtrack Collection is Blowing Up Speakers Right Now
Shin'en delivers a gift to the fans
After confirming the imminent arrival of Nano Assault EX on the 3DS eShop last week, Shin'en Multimedia stated that it had a much-requested surprise on the way for fans of the series — that new treat is The Nano Soundtrack Collection. As anyone who's played any of the "Nano" titles — from DS to Wii U — will...
News The Nintendo DS Celebrates its 8th Birthday in Europe Today
Blow into the mic to put out the candles
Eight years ago today, Europe became the last major territory to get its hands on the original DS, that now known as the "phat". It can be easy to forget that it was a handheld that truly innovated the concept of mainstream handheld gaming, incorporating a clamshell two screen design famously pioneered in the...
Review Puzzler World 2013 (DS)
A puzzling affair
There are a number of reasons why the Puzzler World series continues to see new life on DS. For one, it's still a bestselling series, which is no doubt partly down to the DS's impressive install base around the world. However, it's also the fact that the titles' word and logic puzzles — which historically have been restricted to...
News Ace Attorney Collection for 3DS Has Been Proposed "Many Times" at Capcom
We should "hang in there"
While the 3DS has seen some notable franchises carry across from its predecessor, the DS, one that hasn't done so in the West is Ace Attorney. Japan has been enjoying Professor Layton vs Ace Attorney since late last year, while Ace Attorney 5 is expected in the same region later this year; alas, localisation hasn't even...
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 Scribblenauts Collection Out Now in North America
Both DS instalments on one handy cartridge
North American gamers have been pleasantly enjoying Scribblenauts Unlimited on Wii U and 3DS for a while now, while Europe is still waiting to get its deprived mitts on it. It looks as though Europeans will have more reasons to be jealous now, as Warner Bros. has released Scribblenauts Collection on the DS...
February2013
News Mythical Pokémon Meloetta Available at GameStop in March
Music to our ears
Pokémon fans in North America are to receive a special treat in March, as the mythical Meloetta will become available to download onto your Pokémon Black and White or Pokémon Black and White 2 cartridges at GameStop. Meloetta is a Normal Pokémon that can double up to become either a Psychic or a Fighting type during an actual...
Hardware Classics Nintendo DS Lite
This is how you redesign a console
Let's be brutally honest here — the original DS design was ugly. Quite what Nintendo's designers were thinking when they came up with it we'll never know, but the dumpy, two-tone casing hardly got pulses racing, even back in 2004. It felt like a system that was rushed out of the door purely to meet a deadline,...
News "Emergency Maintenance" Planned For Nintendo Online Services on 26th February
Don't get too excited
It seems we have a monthly trend of service maintenance kicking into effect with Nintendo online functionality, as more "Emergency Maintenance" is on the way in major territories next week. There was a round of downtime on various platforms on 28th January, and a similar period is on the way from 26th February, or very late on...
News Legendary Pokémon Meloetta Distribution Date Announced
This one's a real fighter
Good news Pokémon fans! Starting 4th March, the mythical Pokémon Meloetta will be distributed by participating GameStop stores across North America for Pokémon Black & White and Pokémon Black & White 2, for a limited time only. Meloetta is the very first Pokémon able to change its Forme and type during a...
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...
January2013
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...
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...
News Scribblenauts Is Doubling Up On Nintendo DS
New bundle includes the two DS instalments
Warner Bros. is bundling together the first two Scribblenauts games - Scribblenauts and Super Scribblenauts - for the Nintendo DS in Scribblenauts Collection. Amazon's US site has a release date of February 26th. It's not currentl
News Pokémon Video Game Winter Regional Championships Begin This Sunday
A special Cloyster up for grabs
This Sunday thousands of dedicated Pokémon trainers will flock to several host cites with their copies of Pokémon Black and White Version 2 to attend the Pokémon Video Game Winter Regional Championships. The tournament will see competitors from three different age divisions battle it out for the title of Pokémon...
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 Footage of Renegade Kid's Crash Bandicoot DS Demo Emerges
No kidding
Crash Bandicoot, a series that originated as an exclusive on the Sony PlayStation but evolved to appear on multiple platforms, has been relatively quiet of late. In fact since Activision attained rights to the series in 2008, when it co-published Crash: Mind over Mutant, it's only appeared on mobile platforms. That's not the say that more...
Review Adventure Time: Hey Ice King! Why'd You Steal Our Garbage?! (DS)
I'm ready for you now Brad
Back in March 2012 fans of the cult TV series Adventure Time rejoiced around the world, as series creator Pendleton Ward announced via a doodle on his Twitter page that WayForward Technologies and D3 Publisher would be working on a video game adaptation for the DS and 3DS, the absurdly named Adventure Time: Hey Ice King!...
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 LEGO Laying More Bricks With Legends Of Chima This Year
Coming to 3DS and DS
Warner Bros. and TT Games have revealed the next installment in the increasingly popular LEGO series. The title isn't based on a popular TV series or movie - it's a completely new game, based on LEGO's new Legends of Chima line of figures which is set to launch in 2013. The game - LEGO Legends of Chima: Laval's Journey, to give...
News Goodbye Galaxy Games Responds To Renegade Kid's Piracy Claims
Indie developer says plenty of other factors contribute to poor sales
Over the weekend Jools Watsham, co-founder of Renegade Kid, wrote in a blog post that he felt hacking into the guts of the 3DS would result in an increase in piracy - something that could force developers to stop supporting the system. Watsham pointed to the DS which suffered...
December2012
News Nintendo DS Inspired The Uniqueness Of Wii U
Former president's philosophy still being put into practice
Wii U is currently the system on everyone’s lips. It’s the first home console to add an extra screen to the television with the inclusion of the GamePad, but it’s not the first time Nintendo has added one to its hardware. In an interview on Hobo Nikkan Itoi Shinbun, President of...
News Fresh Figures Suggest Nintendo DS Is The Most Popular Console Of All Time
Overtakes the PS2 in global sales
According to VGChartz, the Nintendo DS is now officially the most popular games console of all time. Updated sales state that Nintendo's dual-screen handheld has shifted an amazing 153.69 million units worldwide, while the PS2 has sold 153.68 million. The DS - which hit the market in 2004 - has sold 56.47 million...
News Level-5 Responds To SEGA's Legal Threats Regarding Inazuma Eleven
"We've concluded that there is no patent violation"
Japanese developer Level-5 has responded to SEGA's recent legal campaign to have the company remove its Inzauma Eleven series from sale due to an alleged patent infringement. SEGA is claiming that Level-5's soccer RPG features a touch-driven interface which violates two of its patents. The...