Category: Nintendo News

While it’s had to place its Super Retro Boy project on hold following an unfortunate trademark renewal earlier this month, throwback gaming hardware firm Retro-Bit continues to delve into the virtual vaults with its latest creation – the equally handheld Go Retro Portable.

While the Super Retro Boy was built around the concept of supporting your various Game Boy cartridges, this new model instead opts for a built-in setup, packing in over 350 licensed games into the same bit of kit. It’s an impressive collection, including titles from the likes of Capcom, Jaleco, Data East , Irem and many more. The device has an LCD colour screen that’s also scratch-resistant, and comes with a 3.5mm headphone jack for that all important headphone support.

Its on-board rechargeable battery will reportedly offer 7-10 hours of use on a single charge, so it’ll be ideal for long commutes or for extended sessions on the sofa. It’s due out in North America in September with a price tag of $34.99. No word just yet on an EU release.

Are you a fan of Retro-Bit’s growing portfolio of yesteryear-friendly tech? Will the Go Retro Portable be joining your collection? Drop us a comment or two…

With today’s Nintendo Direct going a long way toward filling out the Switch’s lineup for 2018, it’s easy to forget about the 3DS, a console which is slowly but surely fading into the background. Still, the handheld has amassed quite an impressive library of titles over its long run, with a pedigree that will probably still take the Switch a few years to pass up.

To celebrate this legacy, Nintendo has started a random sale on the 3DS eShop with a little over twenty games, some of which are relatively recent releases and some which have been out there for a while. The deals run until 18^th January, so you still have some time to pick something out. Here’s the list:

Bravely Second: End Layer – $27.99 (was $39.99)

Cooking Mama: Sweet Shop – $20.99 (was $29.99)

Dillon’s Rolling Western: The Last Ranger – $7.69 (was $10.99)

Dragon Quest VIII: Journey of the Cursed King – $27.99 (was $39.99)

Etrian Odyssey V: Beyond the Myth – $27.99 (was $39.99)

Fire Emblem Fates: Birthright – $27.99 (was $39.99)

Fire Emblem Fates: Conquest – $27.99 (was $39.99)

Hatsune Miku: Project Mirai DX – $19.99 (was $39.99)

Picross e7 – $4.17 (was $5.99)

Pocket Card Jockey – $4.89 (was $6.99)

Poochy & Yoshi’s Woolly World – $27.99 (was $39.99)

Professor Layton and the Azran Legacy – $27.99 (was $39.99)

Professor Layton and the Miracle Mask – $27.99 (was $39.99)

Professor Layton vs. Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney – $20.99 (was $29.99)

Puzzle & Dragons Z + Puzzle & Dragons: Super Mario Bros. Edition – $20.99 (was $29.99)

RPG Maker Fes – $27.99 (was $39.99)

Runbow Pocket – $10.49 (was $14.99)

Severed – $10.49 (was $14.99)

Story of Seasons: Trio of Towns – $27.99 (was $39.99)

Super Castlevania IV – $5.59 (was $7.99)

Super Mario Maker for Nintendo 3DS – $27.99 (was $39.99)

Yo-kai Watch – $27.99 (was $39.99)

Yoshi – $3.49 (was $4.99)

The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening DX – $4.19 (was $5.99)

What do you think? Will you be getting anything? What’s your favorite 3DS game? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle continues to astound us with its depth and seemingly effortless splicing of Mario, some imbalanced French rabbits and turn-based strategy, but did you know the the very first prototype was paper-based and involved dice, rulers and action figures?

In a new and enlightening video feature from Chris Bratt and the team at Eurogamer, it turns out creative director Davide Soliani was given such a small team for the game that would become Mario + Rabbids that they didn’t even have a programmer. However, keen to impress, Soliani and his fellow developers began playtesting and refining the concept in earnest, simplifying out the traditional turn-based mechanics and fleshing out the unique character moves that set the concept apart from similar titles such as X-COM.

Soliani and co would eventually get their hands on a programmer, who helped code together a playable demo in a mere three and a half weeks – just in time for a meeting with Nintendo. When they pitched said demo to the one and only Shigeru Miyamoto, the man behind Mario was so impressed he gave them another chance to pitch three months later. The rest, as they say, is history.

Check the video above and let us know what you think. We’re not sure we could love Davide Soliani any more if we tried. Oh, and Mario + Rabbids is getting some new DK-related DLC. Excite!

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• by Darren Calvert
• 11 hours ago

Nintendo Switch is starting to rack up a respectable collection of racing titles, and it’s about to get another as Bigben Interactive confirms Aqua Moto Racing Utopia will carve its way into North American from next month (although it’s been out in Europe since November).

The follow up to Aqua Moto Racing 3D features seven different game modes to choose from, including Championship, Freestyle Championship, Time Trials, Leisure and Party Games (because why not, eh?). You’ll be able to take on 12 championships and more than 50 races in single-player, as well as the option to race against up to four players in local split-screen multiplayer, or with up to eight players online.

It’ll retail for $39.99 – in the meantime, you can check out our review right here. Will you be taking to the waves with Aqua Moto Racing Utopia? Sound off, as usual, below…

After weeks of rumours Nintendo pulled a fast one by dropping a “mini” Nintendo Direct on us today, packed with information about all the lovely new content coming to Switch in the first part of this year.

If you’re logging on late or simply want a quick guide to what has happened, you’ve come to the right place. 

And here’s what was announced:

That’s a lot of cool new stuff in anyone’s book – Dark Souls on Switch has the potential to be absolutely huge, offering fans the chance to take the adventure with them on the road for the first time in the history of the franchise. Elsewhere, surprises like Mario Tennis Aces and Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze (now with added Funky Kong!) are sure to keep us busy during the start of 2018.

Naturally Nintendo will be saving its big announcements for this year’s E3, but maintaining momentum in the first part of the year was always going to be important; releases like the aforementioned Tropical Freeze and triple-dip release Hyrule Warriors should keep Switch owners contented until then, and we personally can’t wait to experience The World Ends With You again – it’s been too long since we last played that title on the DS.

What did you think of the Direct in general? Did it meet your expectations, surpass them completely or leave you a little disappointed? Vote in the poll below and leave a comment to tell us.

Damien has over a decade of professional writing experience under his belt, as well as a repulsively hairy belly. Rumours that he turned down a role in The Hobbit to work on Nintendo Life are, to the best of our knowledge, completely and utterly unfounded.

Today’s Nintendo Direct Mini has provided a bunch of new release dates for imminent Switch titles, one of which was for Zoink Games’ upcoming title, Fe.

Fe is a platform adventure where the story is up to you to discover as you play. At the heart of the game is a tactile song mechanic that allows you to communicate with each living thing in the dark Nordic forest you inhabit. You can have the birds guide you, the bears fight for you, or even have plants grow berries to help you overcome the Silent Ones.

It has also been revealed that the Switch version of the game will see some extra features thanks to unique properties of the hardware. Players will be able to use motion controls with the Joy-Con controllers as well as feel the distinct sounds and vibrations of each song in the game with HD Rumble.

Have you been looking forward to this one? Let us know if you plan on grabbing a copy yourself in the comments below.

Following a relatively quiet week for digital releases, the virtual floodgates have flung themselves open as a deluge of exciting new software roars onto the North American eShop. And there are some big names making themselves known, too. We’ve got the excellent The Escapists 2 bringing its jail-hopping antics to the party; the punishing yet invigorating platforming of Super Meat Boy and the charming sketch world of Draw A Stickman; EPIC 2.

There’s even a new addition on the Wii U eShop for our American and Canadian chums in the form of Jolt Family Robot Racer. Who says we don’t have the old school fans covered as well?

Switch eShop

The Escapists 2 (Team17, $19.99) – Bust out anywhere, with anyone on the Nintendo Switch. Team up with another inmate for local two player split screen mode, taking a Joy-Con each to either team up to break out, or work against one another to determine who’s the quickest convict to make an escape. Find out more in our The Escapists 2 review.

Furi (The Game Bakers, $19.99) – Fight your way free in this ultra-responsive, fast-paced sword fighting and dual-stick shooting game.  Feel the tension and adrenaline of one-on-one duels against deadly adversaries: you will need absolute focus and skill to defeat each of the guardians. Find out more in our Furi review.

Super Meat Boy (BlitWorks, $14.99) – In this tough as nails platformer you play as an animated cube of meat who’s trying to save his girlfriend (who happens to be made of bandages) from an evil fetus in a jar wearing a tux.

Rally Racers (System 3, $9.99) – Wacky cartoon racing at its best, Rally Racers is an action packed family racing game that’s fast and furious fun for all. Cars bash and battle each other to racing glory, picking up special weapons, boosts, recruiting race mates from the opposition team, performing stunts and completing challenges to be first over the finish line.

Of Mice and Sand -Revised- (Arc System Works, $9.99) – This game puts you in charge of a desert craft and its rodent crew. Brave an alien planet, and turn your squeaking subordinates into first-class shipmates, all in the name of adventure!

Moorhuhn Knights & Castles (Young Fun Studio, $29.99) – Finally, Moorhuhn strikes back! Get set, aim, fire … and never neglect your own cover. Fight against the AI, your friends … or your enemies! Pure Moorhuhn action!

Energy Invasion (Evgeniy Kolpakov, $2.99) – Energy Invasion – an arcade game inspired by the classic Breakout. Unlike the original game, your ball does not break blocks on its own, but can launch missiles in a chosen direction.

Draw a Stickman: EPIC 2 (Hitcents, $6.99) – Imagination is the key, as you enter a magical storybook land full of mystery and wonder, unusual creatures and enigmatic puzzles!

ACA NEOGEO Art Of Fighting 2 (HAMSTER, $7.99) – Twelve fighters compete to be crowned as the strongest one in the “King of Fighters” ultimate fighting championship. We didn’t quite feel that the game lived up to its immense promise when we reviewed it back in 2008 when it landed on the Wii Virtual Console, but we’ll take another look now that its made the jump to the Switch.

BRAWL (QubicGames, $9.99) – Step into the darkness of The Emporium with 8 unique characters, each with a rich back story and a surprising plot-twist. Fight your way to the end using different play styles, from pure brutality as a Wrestler to hiding in shadows as an elusive Thief. (Available from 12th Jan)

Azkend 2: The World Beneath (10tons, $7.99) – Step aboard a fantastic adventure! Enjoy amazing match-three gameplay and discover one of the most astonishing worlds ever imagined. (Available from 12th Jan)

Gunhouse (Other Ocean Interactive, $14.99) – Load your guns! Rain death from above! Protect your valuable orphans! Defeat giant, improbable bosses! Gunhouse is part puzzle, part active tower defense, as you make big combos to launch a hail of bullets and special attacks at the alien invaders who would like nothing better than to consume your delicious orphan friends. (Available from 15th Jan)

InnerSpace (Aspyr Media, $19.99) – InnerSpace is an exploration flying game set in the Inverse, a world of inside-out planets with no horizons. Soar through ancient skies and abandoned oceans to discover the lost history of this fading realm, where gods still wander. Your greatest journey is within. (Available from 16th Jan). This looks like it’s shaping up to be a great game, find out more in our interview with the developer PolyKnight Games.

Nightmare Boy (Badland Games, $9.99) – This story takes place in Donorok, in the state of Noctum. After the King of Noctum, Aster, disappears, chaos rules over the world. The relationships between Monsters, Mongos and Dreamers are completely unstable, and Donorok – the land so heavily affected by the chaos – slowly absorbs terrain from the surrounding regions. (Available from 16th Jan)

Energy Balance (Evgeniy Kolpakov, $2.99) – Energy Balance is a number puzzle. You have to swap power units in such a way that their sums form correct chains both vertically and horizontally. The game is easy to learn, but very hard to master. So, are you ready to peep under the hood of an alien spaceship? (Available from 16th Jan)

Switch Demos

Dragon Quest Builders (Square Enix, Free) – Gather, craft, and build the kingdom of your dreams to restore the ruined world of Alefgard! As the legendary Builder, you’ll construct rooms, towns and defenses while fighting monsters. The full version of Dragon Quest Builders launches for Nintendo Switch on 9 Feb.

3DS eShop

Operation COBRA (StickBit, $2.99) – You find yourself stranded in an unfamiliar place, surrounded by mud. You have no chance of escaping this zombie-filled island. Your only chance of survival is to fight off the zombies.

3DS Pre-Orders

Pokémon Crystal Version (GAME FREAK Inc) – 17 years from its original release, the 2D Nintendo eShop release invites you to explore the Johto region again – or for the first time. The Pokémon Crystal Version game is now available for pre-purchase in Nintendo eShop, with a launch date of 26 Jan.

Wii U eShop

Jolt Family Robot Racer (Cooply, $5.99) – The game at its core is a competitive platformer that’s all about maintaining momentum with skillful navigation. The players compete to be the last robot standing.

DLC / Add-On Content

Nintendo Switch

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As always Nintendo Of America wants you to browse the eShop and check out the official sales and deals website for discount details.

We weren’t lying when we said this is a big week for digital downloads. Question is, which games from the vast list above are you looking to add to your collection? Sound off below and let us know which new software will be keeping your Switch or Wii U in constant use…