Category: Nintendo News

Nintendo News

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Random: These N64 Box Art Covers Have Not Aged Well

We’ve all got plenty of fond memories of Nintendo 64 – which is why we’re excited for the inevitable N64 Mini and its third-party friends – but that doesn’t mean we look back on every game with a smile. In fact, just thinking about some those box art covers makes us a little queasy.

Over on N64 Today, erstwhile Nintendo Life contributor Martin Watts has put together a new feature on some of the worst box art covers to ever grace Nintendo’s 64-bit beast. And no, time hasn’t been kind to them, either. We get to look back on the sexed up NSTC cover for the forgettable shooter Forsaken (we just got the letter ‘F’ burned on the surface on a planet, which in retrospect, probably has more to do with the actual game than a wet model with a tattoo on her face).

Anyone remember the middling Holy Magic Century (as it was known here in the UK and Europe)? Well, the game might have been a little shallow for an RPG, but at least it had decent box art. Not only did our US chums get a name change (Quest 64? Really?) they got some really terrible artwork as well, too. Yikes.

What do you guys make of these old covers? Tell us about some your favourite terrible covers on Nintendo consoles in the comments below. 

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Review: TINY METAL (Switch eShop)

It’s been almost ten years since we last had an entry in Intelligent Systems’ superb Advance Wars series, but don’t let that depress you – we now have the next best thing in the form of Tiny Metal, the debut game from Japanese studio Area35. This is unashamedly a clone of the aforementioned Nintendo franchise and the nuts and bolts of its tactical, turn-based gameplay is lifted almost wholesale from the Advance Wars playbook. Despite its derivative nature, Tiny Metal hits all the right notes and throws in a few surprises of its own to liven up the blueprint.

In Tiny Metal, you control an army made up of different unit types, each with their own inherent strengths and weaknesses. Foot soldiers are weak, but they’re the only ones who can capture enemy cities (which in turn generate revenue for you to spend on new units), while Metals (tanks in the game’s parlance) boast incredible destructive power but have limited movement range. Helicopter gunships can fly over obstacles and pack powerful weapons, but can be dealt with effectively by mobile missile launchers, which – as you might imagine – are weak when under direct fire from other ground-based opponents. For every unit, there’s another against which it is painfully weak, creating a wonderfully balanced system where there’s always a solution for the issue at hand, no matter how dire things may be on the battlefield.

The game’s campaign mode places you in the boots of Nathan Gries, a lieutenant in the Artemisian army. When a plane carrying the Artemisian monarch is shot down, the blame is quickly directed at the island nation of Zipang, triggering armed conflict. Like all good narratives, the plot to Tiny Metal rarely sticks to the predicted path and very early on Gries’ loyalties to his nation are tested by a series of unexpected twists and turns. It’s a surprisingly engaging storyline which is brought to life by excellent writing, emotive Japanese voice acting and good character artwork.

Your mission objective is usually to destroy the enemy army or capture their HQ, and successful control of the battlefield is almost always a case of intelligent resource management. You can’t build units without owning the structures which create them, so your first task is often to locate a factory and capture it with your foot soldiers. You earn cash based on the number of buildings your own, making those a prime target also. All the while you’re expanding your sphere of influence on the map, you have to deal with incoming threats from a rival general who has the same militaristic ambitions as you.

In addition to the keeping in mind the strengths and weaknesses of each of your units, you also need to take into account variables such as terrain, relative unit health and – most important of all – opportunities for combining your military power. Units in dense woodland or cities benefit from a defensive bonus, while positioning your forces on higher ground makes their attacks more effective. Very early on, the game’s protagonist states emphatically that striking first is of the utmost importance; attacks which you initiate allow you to open the exchange of fire and deal the first blow, meaning that the enemy unit’s response will consequently be less powerful. In some cases, you can wipe out a weaker unit without giving them chance to retaliate.

“Focus Fire” – one of the few features created for Tiny Metal rather than borrowed from Advance Wars – is by far the most effective means of dominating the battlefield, but it requires some forward-planning to master. Using this system, you can combine the attacking power of your units and take down stronger enemies in one fell swoop. Instead of selecting “attack” you pick “lock on” and select the enemy unit. From that point, you can add more weight to the eventual attack by locking on with other units, before picking the final unit and issuing them the “Focus Fire” command. The ensuing barrage should be enough to take the enemy down, but you need to plan accordingly; any units which are locked-on will not attack until the Focus Fire command is executed, and if you don’t have any units which can be given that command at the end of your turn, it passes without any of your locked-on troops firing a single shot. Such wastefulness can be the difference between triumph and retreat.

Other wrinkles to the system include the “Assault” option, which is handy for pushing enemy units out of structures they’re either trying to capture or preventing you from capturing. Assault carries risk, as it allows the enemy to fire first – however, should your unit survive the blow, they will push the enemy one square back on the map and assume their position. Your units grow in proficiency as the battle rolls on, with each move, attack and capture attempt boosting their experience and making them more effective – which gives you a reason to keep them alive for as long as possible. Certain structures are capable of healing damaged units, and you can call in “Hero Units” at certain times by using communication buildings dotted around the map. These are variants of the standard units and have special abilities which make them prized members of your burgeoning army.

Visually, the game uses a 3D engine despite presenting the action in a rigid, grid-based format, just like the original Advance Wars series. The default perspective is almost isometric, but you can use the shoulder buttons to toggle to a more traditional viewpoint, as well as zooming right in for a good look at those stylish 3D models. Attacks switch to a short cutscene which shows each unit opening fire, and these can be turned off entirely if you find them time-consuming. We’d also recommend you switch off the unit voices, which quickly become annoying; there’s only so many times one can hear the same phrase uttered in a dodgy Scottish accent before you want to really hurt someone. Alternatively, you can switch the unit voices to Japanese to match the voice work heard during the narrative sequences, if you so wish.

The main campaign is generous in size and will offer even a skilled player around 15 to 20 hours of gameplay, and there’s also a Skirmish option which offers a series of challenges – each rated by difficulty – to tackle when you’re done with the main story. The most exciting element is the Multiplayer mode, which sadly isn’t available at the time of writing. It promises to bring both local and online 1v1 multiplayer, which – barring some major disaster – will drastically enhance the game’s playability. The Switch’s portable nature should make this an ideal tactical time-waster when you’re out and about, assuming you can find a willing opponent. Speaking of portability, it’s worth noting that the game allows you to save your progress at any point in an active mission and exit out to the main menu – a prime consideration when you’re playing in short bursts. Pleasingly, it only takes a few seconds to both save and load your progress. The only fly in the ointment from a technical perspective is that performance can become sluggish in handheld mode when there are a lot of units on-screen at once; animations become choppy and inputs become ever-so-slightly delayed, but it’s not a common occurrence and doesn’t impact your overall enjoyment (we also imagine it will be dealt with in a future update).

Conclusion

Tiny Metal has the core mechanics nailed down brilliantly, even if it has cribbed much of its structure from the famous Advance Wars franchise. Upon this handsome foundation Area35 has crafted a tactical wargame which is every bit as compelling, addictive and challenging as its inspiration, while adding in a storyline of surprising drama and complexity. The robust single-player campaign – twinned with some great one-off maps in the Skirmish mode – is worth the price of admission alone, but when the multiplayer mode arrives (presumably at some point next year) the game will become even more essential. Isaac Newton once attributed his remarkable discoveries in the realms of mathematics, astrology and theology to the fact that he was “standing on the shoulders of giants”; his outstanding work was only possible because of the geniuses that came before him. The same could be said of Tiny Metal; it may be light on original ideas, but it’s a towering achievement regardless.

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Pokémon GO Holiday Event Brings More Brand New Pokémon

Playing Pokémon GO over the next few weeks may not have been your top priority what with the weather turning so cold, but a new celebration for the holidays might just be enough to change your mind.

This event will see the return of the festive Pikachu, a noticeable increase in the amount of ice-type Pokémon appearing in the game all over the world, and even some brand new faces. It has been promised that more water and ice-type Pokémon from the Hoenn region (so Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire) that have never been seen in GO before will be making their debut appearance.

On top of all this, the first PokéStop you visit each day between 22nd December at 1pm PST and 25th December 1pm PST will grant you a single-use Egg Incubator when you spin the disc for the first time. You’ll also be able to get your hands on special boxes in the in-game shop including Super Incubators, Lure Modules, and the all-new Star Pieces which earn bonus Stardust for 30 minutes when activated.

The event will launch today at 1pm Pacific / 4pm Eastern (9pm UK / 10pm CET in Europe). Will you be braving the cold to find your favourite ice-type critters? Let us know your plans in the comments.

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More Festive Switch, 3DS And Wii U eShop Discounts Hit Europe

Olli Olli (Curve Digital)

Nintendo 3DS (Download)

Nintendo eShop from 18/12/2017 15:00 CET

€2.49 / £1.99 / CHF 3.50 until 06/01/2018, 23:59 local time Regular price €9.99 / £7.99 / CHF 14.00

Resident Evil™ Revelations (CAPCOM Europe)

Nintendo 3DS (Card/Download)

Nintendo eShop from 21/12/2017 15:00 CET

€6.89 / £5.70 / CHF 8.90 until 11/01/2018, 23:59 local time Regular price €29.99 / £24.99 / CHF 38.90

Resident Evil™ The Mercenaries 3D (CAPCOM Europe)

Nintendo 3DS (Card/Download)

Nintendo eShop from 21/12/2017 15:00 CET

€3.99 / £3.49 / CHF 5.49 until 11/01/2018, 23:59 local time Regular price €9.99 / £8.99 / CHF 14.00

Super Street Fighter IV 3D (CAPCOM Europe)

Nintendo 3DS (Card/Download)

Nintendo eShop from 21/12/2017 15:00 CET

€4.99 / £4.49 / CHF 7.00 until 11/01/2018, 23:59 local time Regular price €19.99 / £17.99 / CHF 28.00

Mega Man Legacy Collection (CAPCOM Europe)

Nintendo 3DS (Download)

Nintendo eShop from 21/12/2017 15:00 CET

€7.00 / £5.60 / CHF 8.60 until 11/01/2018, 23:59 local time Regular price €14.99 / £11.99 / CHF 18.40

Phoenix Wright™: Ace Attorney™ – Dual Destinies (CAPCOM Europe)

Nintendo 3DS (Download)

Nintendo eShop from 21/12/2017 15:00 CET

€7.99 / £6.39 / CHF 10.20 until 11/01/2018, 23:59 local time Regular price €24.99 / £19.99 / CHF 31.90

Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney Trilogy (CAPCOM Europe)

Nintendo 3DS (Download)

Nintendo eShop from 21/12/2017 15:00 CET

€12.85 / £10.70 / CHF 16.70 until 11/01/2018, 23:59 local time Regular price €29.99 / £24.99 / CHF 38.90

Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney Spirit of Justice (CAPCOM Europe)

Nintendo 3DS (Download)

Nintendo eShop from 21/12/2017 15:00 CET

€12.85 / £10.70 / CHF 16.70 until 11/01/2018, 23:59 local time Regular price €29.99 / £24.99 / CHF 38.90

2 Fast 4 Gnomz (QubicGames)

Nintendo 3DS (Download)

Nintendo eShop from 21/12/2017 15:00 CET

€2.49 / £2.24 / CHF 3.50 until 10/01/2018, 23:59 local time Regular price €4.99 / £4.49 / CHF 7.00

AiRace Speed (QubicGames)

Nintendo 3DS (Download)

Nintendo eShop from 21/12/2017 15:00 CET

€1.74 / £1.55 / CHF 2.44 until 10/01/2018, 23:59 local time Regular price €3.49 / £3.10 / CHF 4.89

AiRace Xeno (Qubic Games)

Nintendo 3DS (Download)

Nintendo eShop from 21/12/2017 15:00 CET

€1.24 / £1.14 / CHF 1.75 until 10/01/2018, 23:59 local time Regular price €2.49 / £2.29 / CHF 3.50

Geki Yaba Runner Deluxe (QubicGames)

Nintendo 3DS (Download)

Nintendo eShop from 21/12/2017 15:00 CET

€2.49 / £2.24 / CHF 3.49 until 10/01/2018, 23:59 local time Regular price €4.99 / £4.49 / CHF 6.99

10-in-1: Arcade Collection (Gamelion)

Nintendo 3DS (Download)

Nintendo eShop from 21/12/2017 15:00 CET

€0.99 / £0.89 / CHF 1.40 until 04/01/2018, 23:59 local time Regular price €1.99 / £1.79 / CHF 2.80

Crazy Kangaroo (Gamelion)

Nintendo 3DS (Download)

Nintendo eShop from 21/12/2017 15:00 CET

€0.99 / £0.94 / CHF 1.49 until 04/01/2018, 23:59 local time Regular price €1.99 / £1.89 / CHF 2.99

Hazumi (Gamelion)

Nintendo 3DS (Download)

Nintendo eShop from 21/12/2017 15:00 CET

€1.34 / £0.99 / CHF 1.49 until 04/01/2018, 23:59 local time Regular price €2.69 / £1.99 / CHF 2.99

League of Heroes (Gamelion)

Nintendo 3DS (Download)

Nintendo eShop from 21/12/2017 15:00 CET

€1.99 / £1.79 / CHF 2.80 until 04/01/2018, 23:59 local time Regular price €3.99 / £3.59 / CHF 5.60

Monster Shooter (Gamelion)

Nintendo 3DS (Download)

Nintendo eShop from 21/12/2017 15:00 CET

€2.00 / £1.60 / CHF 2.50 until 04/01/2018, 23:59 local time Regular price €4.00 / £3.20 / CHF 5.00

Pick-A-Gem (Gamelion)

Nintendo 3DS (Download)

Nintendo eShop from 21/12/2017 15:00 CET

€1.49 / £1.39 / CHF 2.10 until 04/01/2018, 23:59 local time Regular price €2.99 / £2.79 / CHF 4.20

Rage of the Gladiator (Gamelion)

Nintendo 3DS (Download)

Nintendo eShop from 21/12/2017 15:00 CET

€3.49 / £3.14 / CHF 4.90 until 04/01/2018, 23:59 local time Regular price €6.99 / £6.29 / CHF 9.80

PIX3D (Gamelion)

Nintendo 3DS (Download)

Nintendo eShop from 21/12/2017 15:00 CET

€1.99 / £1.79 / CHF 2.80 until 04/01/2018, 23:59 local time Regular price €3.99 / £3.59 / CHF 5.60

SpeedX 3D (Gamelion)

Nintendo 3DS (Download)

Nintendo eShop from 21/12/2017 15:00 CET

€1.49 / £1.34 / CHF 2.10 until 28/12/2017, 23:59 local time Regular price €2.99 / £2.69 / CHF 4.20

SpeedX 3D Hyper Edition (Gamelion)

Nintendo 3DS (Download)

Nintendo eShop from 21/12/2017 15:00 CET

€0.99 / £0.89 / CHF 1.40 until 28/12/2017, 23:59 local time Regular price €1.99 / £1.79 / CHF 2.80

3D Game Collection (Joindots)

Nintendo 3DS (Download)

Nintendo eShop from 21/12/2017 15:00 CET

€5.24 / £3.74 / CHF 5.24 until 04/01/2018, 23:59 local time Regular price €6.99 / £4.99 / CHF 6.99

3D MahJongg (Joindots)

Nintendo 3DS (Download)

Nintendo eShop from 21/12/2017 15:00 CET

€3.74 / £3.36 / CHF 3.74 until 04/01/2018, 23:59 local time Regular price €4.99 / £4.49 / CHF 4.99

Funfair Party Games (Joindots)

Nintendo 3DS (Download)

Nintendo eShop from 21/12/2017 15:00 CET

€5.24 / £3.74 / CHF 5.24 until 04/01/2018, 23:59 local time Regular price €6.99 / £4.99 / CHF 6.99

Gardenscapes (Joindots)

Nintendo 3DS (Download)

Nintendo eShop from 21/12/2017 15:00 CET

€5.99 / £4.49 / CHF 5.99 until 04/01/2018, 23:59 local time Regular price €7.99 / £5.99 / CHF 7.99

Jewel Match 3 (Joindots)

Nintendo 3DS (Download)

Nintendo eShop from 21/12/2017 15:00 CET

€5.24 / £3.74 / CHF 5.24 until 04/01/2018, 23:59 local time Regular price €6.99 / £4.99 / CHF 6.99

Alchemic Dungeons (CIRCLE Ent.)

Nintendo 3DS (Download)

Nintendo eShop from 21/12/2017 15:00 CET

€4.00 / £3.99 / CHF 5.20 until 11/01/2018, 23:59 local time Regular price €5.00 / £4.99 / CHF 6.50

Ambition of the Slimes (CIRCLE Ent.)

Nintendo 3DS (Download)

Nintendo eShop from 21/12/2017 15:00 CET

€3.00 / £2.89 / CHF 3.72 until 11/01/2018, 23:59 local time Regular price €5.00 / £4.79 / CHF 6.20

Castle Conqueror Defender (CIRCLE Ent.)

Nintendo 3DS (Download)

Nintendo eShop from 21/12/2017 15:00 CET

€2.99 / £2.89 / CHF 3.90 until 11/01/2018, 23:59 local time Regular price €4.99 / £4.89 / CHF 6.50

Castle Conqueror EX (CIRCLE Ent.)

Nintendo 3DS (Download)

Nintendo eShop from 21/12/2017 15:00 CET

€1.99 / £1.99 / CHF 2.60 until 11/01/2018, 23:59 local time Regular price €3.99 / £3.99 / CHF 5.20

Demon King Box (CIRCLE Ent.)

Nintendo 3DS (Download)

Nintendo eShop from 21/12/2017 15:00 CET

€1.99 / £1.99 / CHF 2.60 until 11/01/2018, 23:59 local time Regular price €3.99 / £3.99 / CHF 5.20

Drone Fight (CIRCLE Ent.)

Nintendo 3DS (Download)

Nintendo eShop from 21/12/2017 15:00 CET

€1.99 / £1.99 / CHF 2.60 until 11/01/2018, 23:59 local time Regular price €3.99 / £3.99 / CHF 5.20

Parascientific Escape – Crossing at the Farthest Horizon (CIRCLE Ent.)

Nintendo 3DS (Download)

Nintendo eShop from 21/12/2017 15:00 CET

€4.00 / £3.99 / CHF 5.20 until 11/01/2018, 23:59 local time Regular price €5.00 / £4.99 / CHF 6.50

Parking Star 3D (CIRCLE Ent.)

Nintendo 3DS (Download)

Nintendo eShop from 21/12/2017 15:00 CET

€1.49 / £1.49 / CHF 1.95 until 11/01/2018, 23:59 local time Regular price €2.99 / £2.99 / CHF 3.90

Frontier Days Founding Pioneers (CIRCLE Ent.)

Nintendo 3DS (Download)

Nintendo eShop from 21/12/2017 15:00 CET

€4.49 / £4.29 / CHF 5.62 until 11/01/2018, 23:59 local time Regular price €5.99 / £5.79 / CHF 7.50

KAMI (CIRCLE Ent.)

Nintendo 3DS (Download)

Nintendo eShop from 21/12/2017 15:00 CET

€1.49 / £1.49 / CHF 1.95 until 11/01/2018, 23:59 local time Regular price €2.99 / £2.99 / CHF 3.90

Puzzle Labyrinth (CIRCLE Ent.)

Nintendo 3DS (Download)

Nintendo eShop from 21/12/2017 15:00 CET

€3.00 / £2.59 / CHF 3.66 until 11/01/2018, 23:59 local time Regular price €5.00 / £4.29 / CHF 6.10

Swords & Soldiers 3D (CIRCLE Ent.)

Nintendo 3DS (Download)

Nintendo eShop from 21/12/2017 15:00 CET

€3.49 / £3.49 / CHF 4.55 until 11/01/2018, 23:59 local time Regular price €6.99 / £6.89 / CHF 9.10

TOUCH BATTLE TANK – TAG COMBAT – (CIRCLE Ent.)

Nintendo 3DS (Download)

Nintendo eShop from 21/12/2017 15:00 CET

€2.99 / £2.99 / CHF 3.90 until 11/01/2018, 23:59 local time Regular price €3.99 / £3.99 / CHF 5.20

World Conqueror 3D (CIRCLE Ent.)

Nintendo 3DS (Download)

Nintendo eShop from 21/12/2017 15:00 CET

€2.49 / £2.49 / CHF 3.25 until 11/01/2018, 23:59 local time Regular price €4.99 / £4.89 / CHF 6.50

Blasting Agent: Ultimate Edition (Ratalaika Games)

Nintendo 3DS (Download)

Nintendo eShop from 21/12/2017 15:00 CET

€1.49 / £1.34 / CHF 2.10 until 04/01/2018, 23:59 local time Regular price €2.99 / £2.69 / CHF 4.20

Defend your Crypt (Ratalaika Games)

Nintendo 3DS (Download)

Nintendo eShop from 21/12/2017 15:00 CET

€1.49 / £1.34 / CHF 2.10 until 04/01/2018, 23:59 local time Regular price €2.99 / £2.69 / CHF 4.20

Plantera (Ratalaika Games)

Nintendo 3DS (Download)

Nintendo eShop from 21/12/2017 15:00 CET

€3.34 / £3.00 / CHF 4.69 until 04/01/2018, 23:59 local time Regular price €4.99 / £4.49 / CHF 7.00

Squareboy vs Bullies: Arena Edition (Ratalaika Games)

Nintendo 3DS (Download)

Nintendo eShop from 21/12/2017 15:00 CET

€4.24 / £4.24 / CHF 5.95 until 04/01/2018, 23:59 local time Regular price €4.99 / £4.99 / CHF 7.00

Color Zen (Cypronia)

Nintendo 3DS (Download)

Nintendo eShop from 21/12/2017 15:00 CET

€2.09 / £2.09 / CHF 2.79 until 18/01/2018, 23:59 local time Regular price €2.99 / £2.99 / CHF 3.99

Color Zen Kids (Cypronia)

Nintendo 3DS (Download)

Nintendo eShop from 21/12/2017 15:00 CET

€2.09 / £2.09 / CHF 2.79 until 18/01/2018, 23:59 local time Regular price €2.99 / £2.99 / CHF 3.99

Fishdom H2O: Hidden Odyssey (Cypronia)

Nintendo 3DS (Download)

Nintendo eShop from 21/12/2017 15:00 CET

€3.49 / £3.14 / CHF 4.89 until 18/01/2018, 23:59 local time Regular price €4.99 / £4.49 / CHF 6.99

My Style Studio: Hair Salon (Cypronia)

Nintendo 3DS (Download)

Nintendo eShop from 21/12/2017 15:00 CET

€3.49 / £3.14 / CHF 4.89 until 18/01/2018, 23:59 local time Regular price €4.99 / £4.49 / CHF 6.99

Rubik’s® Cube (Cypronia)

Nintendo 3DS (Download)

Nintendo eShop from 21/12/2017 15:00 CET

€3.49 / £3.14 / CHF 4.19 until 18/01/2018, 23:59 local time Regular price €4.99 / £4.49 / CHF 5.99

Football Up Online (EnjoyUp Games)

Nintendo 3DS (Download)

Nintendo eShop from 21/12/2017 15:00 CET

€1.99 / £1.79 / CHF 2.80 until 18/01/2018, 23:59 local time Regular price €3.99 / £3.59 / CHF 5.60

Real Heroes: Firefighter 3D Download Version (Zordix AB)

Nintendo 3DS (Download)

Nintendo eShop from 21/12/2017 15:00 CET

€4.99 / £4.49 / CHF 7.00 until 28/12/2017, 23:59 local time Regular price €9.99 / £8.99 / CHF 14.00

Turtle Tale (Saturnine Games)

Nintendo 3DS (Download)

Nintendo eShop from 21/12/2017 15:00 CET

€1.99 / £1.66 / CHF 2.80 until 11/01/2018, 23:59 local time Regular price €2.99 / £2.49 / CHF 4.20

Squids Odyssey (The Game Bakers)

Nintendo 3DS (Download)

Nintendo eShop from 21/12/2017 15:00 CET

€4.54 / £3.49 / CHF 5.59 until 04/01/2018, 23:59 local time Regular price €12.99 / £9.99 / CHF 15.99

Lone Survivor: The Director’s Cut (Curve Digital)

Wii U (Download)

Nintendo eShop from 18/12/2017 15:00 CET

€2.99 / £2.49 / CHF 4.20 until 06/01/2018, 23:59 local time Regular price €11.99 / £9.99 / CHF 16.80

Nova-111 (Curve Digital)

Wii U (Download)

Nintendo eShop from 18/12/2017 15:00 CET

€2.49 / £1.99 / CHF 3.50 until 06/01/2018, 23:59 local time Regular price €9.99 / £7.99 / CHF 14.00

OlliOlli (Curve Digital)

Wii U (Download)

Nintendo eShop from 18/12/2017 15:00 CET

€2.49 / £1.99 / CHF 3.50 until 06/01/2018, 23:59 local time Regular price €9.99 / £7.99 / CHF 14.00

Pumped BMX + (Curve Digital)

Wii U (Download)

Nintendo eShop from 18/12/2017 15:00 CET

€2.49 / £1.99 / CHF 2.49 until 06/01/2018, 23:59 local time Regular price €9.99 / £7.99 / CHF 9.99

Stealth Inc 2: A Game of Clones (Curve Digital)

Wii U (Download)

Nintendo eShop from 18/12/2017 15:00 CET

€2.49 / £1.99 / CHF 2.49 until 06/01/2018, 23:59 local time Regular price €9.99 / £7.99 / CHF 9.99

The Swapper (Curve Digital)

Wii U (Download)

Nintendo eShop from 18/12/2017 15:00 CET

€3.74 / £2.99 / CHF 4.49 until 06/01/2018, 23:59 local time Regular price €14.99 / £11.99 / CHF 17.99

The Swindle (Curve Digital)

Wii U (Download)

Nintendo eShop from 18/12/2017 15:00 CET

€3.74 / £2.99 / CHF 3.74 until 06/01/2018, 23:59 local time Regular price €14.99 / £11.99 / CHF 14.99

Thomas Was Alone (Curve Digital)

Wii U (Download)

Nintendo eShop from 18/12/2017 15:00 CET

€1.99 / £1.74 / CHF 2.50 until 06/01/2018, 23:59 local time Regular price €7.99 / £6.99 / CHF 10.00

Ultratron (Curve Digital)

Wii U (Download)

Nintendo eShop from 18/12/2017 15:00 CET

€2.49 / £1.99 / CHF 2.64 until 06/01/2018, 23:59 local time Regular price €9.99 / £7.99 / CHF 10.59

Darksiders Warmastered Edition (THQ Nordic)

Wii U (Disc)

Nintendo eShop from 21/12/2017 15:00 CET

€3.99 / £2.99 / CHF 5.60 until 04/01/2018, 23:59 local time Regular price €19.99 / £14.99 / CHF 28.00

Darksiders® II (THQ Nordic)

Wii U (Disc)

Nintendo eShop from 21/12/2017 15:00 CET

€9.99 / £7.99 / CHF 12.98 until 04/01/2018, 23:59 local time Regular price €49.99 / £39.99 / CHF 64.90

Legend of Kay Anniversary (Nordic Games)

Wii U (Disc)

Nintendo eShop from 21/12/2017 15:00 CET

€5.99 / £3.99 / CHF 5.99 until 04/01/2018, 23:59 local time Regular price €29.99 / £19.99 / CHF 29.99

The Book of Unwritten Tales 2 (Nordic Games)

Wii U (Disc)

Nintendo eShop from 21/12/2017 15:00 CET

€3.99 / £3.59 / CHF 5.60 until 04/01/2018, 23:59 local time Regular price €19.99 / £17.99 / CHF 28.00

Resident Evil Revelations (CAPCOM)

Wii U (Disc)

Nintendo eShop from 21/12/2017 15:00 CET

€6.99 / £5.59 / CHF 8.20 until 11/01/2018, 23:59 local time Regular price €49.99 / £39.99 / CHF 59.00

DuckTales: Remastered (CAPCOM Europe)

Wii U (Download)

Nintendo eShop from 21/12/2017 15:00 CET

€4.90 / £3.95 / CHF 6.90 until 11/01/2018, 23:59 local time Regular price €14.99 / £11.99 / CHF 21.00

Dungeons & Dragons: Chronicles of Mystara (CAPCOM Europe)

Wii U (Download)

Nintendo eShop from 21/12/2017 15:00 CET

€3.99 / £3.20 / CHF 5.60 until 11/01/2018, 23:59 local time Regular price €14.99 / £11.99 / CHF 21.00

99Seconds (EnjoyUp Games)

Wii U (Download)

Nintendo eShop from 21/12/2017 15:00 CET

€0.99 / £0.91 / CHF 1.40 until 18/01/2018, 23:59 local time Regular price €2.49 / £2.29 / CHF 3.50

Darts Up (EnjoyUp Games)

Wii U (Download)

Nintendo eShop from 21/12/2017 15:00 CET

€1.24 / £1.14 / CHF 1.75 until 18/01/2018, 23:59 local time Regular price €2.49 / £2.29 / CHF 3.50

Rock ‘N Racing Off Road (EnjoyUp Games)

Wii U (Download)

Nintendo eShop from 21/12/2017 15:00 CET

€2.99 / £2.69 / CHF 4.20 until 18/01/2018, 23:59 local time Regular price €5.99 / £5.39 / CHF 8.40

Angry Bunnies: Colossal Carrot Crusade (Cypronia)

Wii U (Download)

Nintendo eShop from 21/12/2017 15:00 CET

€4.89 / £4.19 / CHF 5.91 until 18/01/2018, 23:59 local time Regular price €6.99 / £5.99 / CHF 8.45

Cake Ninja 3: The Legend Continues (Cypronia)

Wii U (Download)

Nintendo eShop from 21/12/2017 15:00 CET

€3.49 / £3.14 / CHF 4.89 until 18/01/2018, 23:59 local time Regular price €4.99 / £4.49 / CHF 6.99

Color Zen (Cypronia)

Wii U (Download)

Nintendo eShop from 21/12/2017 15:00 CET

€2.09 / £2.09 / CHF 2.79 until 18/01/2018, 23:59 local time Regular price €2.99 / £2.99 / CHF 3.99

Color Zen Kids (Cypronia)

Wii U (Download)

Nintendo eShop from 21/12/2017 15:00 CET

€2.09 / £2.09 / CHF 2.79 until 18/01/2018, 23:59 local time Regular price €2.99 / £2.99 / CHF 3.99

Cube Life: Island Survival (Cypronia)

Wii U (Download)

Nintendo eShop from 21/12/2017 15:00 CET

€6.99 / £5.59 / CHF 6.99 until 18/01/2018, 23:59 local time Regular price €9.99 / £7.99 / CHF 9.99

Cube Life: Pixel Action Heroes (Cypronia)

Wii U (Download)

Nintendo eShop from 21/12/2017 15:00 CET

€4.89 / £4.40 / CHF 6.86 until 18/01/2018, 23:59 local time Regular price €6.99 / £6.29 / CHF 9.80

My Style Studio: Hair Salon (Cypronia)

Wii U (Download)

Nintendo eShop from 21/12/2017 15:00 CET

€3.49 / £3.14 / CHF 4.89 until 18/01/2018, 23:59 local time Regular price €4.99 / £4.49 / CHF 6.99

My Style Studio: Notebook (Cypronia)

Wii U (Download)

Nintendo eShop from 21/12/2017 15:00 CET

€2.09 / £1.88 / CHF 2.94 until 18/01/2018, 23:59 local time Regular price €2.99 / £2.69 / CHF 4.20

Rubik’s® Cube (Cypronia)

Wii U (Download)

Nintendo eShop from 21/12/2017 15:00 CET

€3.49 / £3.14 / CHF 4.19 until 18/01/2018, 23:59 local time Regular price €4.99 / £4.49 / CHF 5.99

Zombie Brigade: No Brain No Gain  (Cypronia)

Wii U (Download)

Nintendo eShop from 21/12/2017 15:00 CET

€1.04 / £0.97 / CHF 1.47 until 18/01/2018, 23:59 local time Regular price €1.49 / £1.39 / CHF 2.10

Blasting Agent: Ultimate Edition (Ratalaika Games)

Wii U (Download)

Nintendo eShop from 21/12/2017 15:00 CET

€1.49 / £1.34 / CHF 2.10 until 04/01/2018, 23:59 local time Regular price €2.99 / £2.69 / CHF 4.20

Defend your Crypt (Ratalaika Games)

Wii U (Download)

Nintendo eShop from 21/12/2017 15:00 CET

€1.49 / £1.34 / CHF 2.10 until 04/01/2018, 23:59 local time Regular price €2.99 / £2.69 / CHF 4.20

Plantera (Ratalaika Games)

Wii U (Download)

Nintendo eShop from 21/12/2017 15:00 CET

€3.34 / £3.00 / CHF 4.69 until 04/01/2018, 23:59 local time Regular price €4.99 / £4.49 / CHF 7.00

Twin Robots (Ratalaika Games)

Wii U (Download)

Nintendo eShop from 21/12/2017 15:00 CET

€2.49 / £2.24 / CHF 3.50 until 04/01/2018, 23:59 local time Regular price €4.99 / £4.49 / CHF 7.00

Breakout Defense (nuGAME)

Wii U (Download)

Nintendo eShop from 21/12/2017 15:00 CET

€4.90 / £4.90 / CHF 7.00 until 18/01/2018, 23:59 local time Regular price €7.00 / £7.00 / CHF 10.00

Maze Break (nuGAME)

Wii U (Download)

Nintendo eShop from 21/12/2017 15:00 CET

€4.90 / £4.20 / CHF 7.00 until 18/01/2018, 23:59 local time Regular price €7.00 / £6.00 / CHF 10.00

Bridge Constructor Playground (Joindots)

Wii U (Download)

Nintendo eShop from 21/12/2017 15:00 CET

€7.49 / £6.36 / CHF 8.01 until 04/01/2018, 23:59 local time Regular price €9.99 / £8.49 / CHF 10.69

Dracula’s Legacy (Joindots)

Wii U (Download)

Nintendo eShop from 21/12/2017 15:00 CET

€5.99 / £4.49 / CHF 5.99 until 04/01/2018, 23:59 local time Regular price €7.99 / £5.99 / CHF 7.99

Frankenstein – Master of Death (Joindots)

Wii U (Download)

Nintendo eShop from 21/12/2017 15:00 CET

€5.99 / £4.49 / CHF 5.99 until 04/01/2018, 23:59 local time Regular price €7.99 / £5.99 / CHF 7.99

Island Flight Simulator (Joindots)

Wii U (Download)

Nintendo eShop from 21/12/2017 15:00 CET

€5.99 / £4.49 / CHF 5.99 until 04/01/2018, 23:59 local time Regular price €7.99 / £5.99 / CHF 7.99

Suspension Railroad Simulator (Joindots)

Wii U (Download)

Nintendo eShop from 21/12/2017 15:00 CET

€5.99 / £4.49 / CHF 5.99 until 04/01/2018, 23:59 local time Regular price €7.99 / £5.99 / CHF 7.99

Ohayou! Beginner’s Japanese (Finger Gun Games)

Wii U (Download)

Nintendo eShop from 21/12/2017 15:00 CET

€4.49 / £4.04 / CHF 6.30 until 10/01/2018, 23:59 local time Regular price €4.99 / £4.49 / CHF 7.00

Stone Shire (Finger Gun Games)

Wii U (Download)

Nintendo eShop from 21/12/2017 15:00 CET

€1.79 / £1.61 / CHF 2.52 until 10/01/2018, 23:59 local time Regular price €1.99 / £1.79 / CHF 2.80

Squids Odyssey (The Game Bakers)

Wii U (Download)

Nintendo eShop from 21/12/2017 15:00 CET

€4.54 / £3.49 / CHF 5.59 until 04/01/2018, 23:59 local time Regular price €12.99 / £9.99 / CHF 15.99

Turtle Tale (Saturnine Games)

Wii U (Download)

Nintendo eShop from 21/12/2017 15:00 CET

€1.99 / £1.66 / CHF 2.80 until 11/01/2018, 23:59 local time Regular price €2.99 / £2.49 / CHF 4.20

VRog (ByteRockers’ Games)

Wii U (Download)

Nintendo eShop from 21/12/2017 15:00 CET

€2.99 / £2.69 / CHF 4.20 until 11/01/2018, 23:59 local time Regular price €4.99 / £4.49 / CHF 7.00

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Nintendo of America launches Nintendo Power Podcast

Nintendo of America launches Nintendo Power Podcast

Nintendo of America has released the very first episode of its new Nintendo Power Podcast. With Nintendo Power Podcast, Nintendo employees, developers and special guests discuss the world of Nintendo – from Mario to the Legend of Zelda, and everything in between.

The first episode of the powered-up podcast features an in-depth interview with Nintendo developers Eiji Aonuma and Hidemaro Fujibayashi about the making of the Legend of Zelda™: Breath of the Wild game.

Also, Nintendo of America employees Chris Slate (previously editor-in-chief of Nintendo Power™ magazine), Damon Baker (from Publisher and Developer Relations) and Kit Ellis (co-host of Nintendo’s weekly YouTube show Nintendo Minute) take a look back at Nintendo’s action-packed 2017.

Nintendo Power Podcast is now available on Apple Podcasts, SoundCloud and YouTube, and is coming soon to Google Play Music.

We hope you enjoy the show!

–Your friends at Nintendo

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Dr. Coyle joins the fight! Now playable in ARMS

Dr. Coyle joins the fight! Now playable in ARMS

The mysterious scientist has revealed herself! Dr. Coyle is now playable as part of the free 5.0 update

As head of ARMS Lab, the good (?) doctor runs the Party Crash program, created Hedlock and Helix, and even experimented on herself! Talk about dedication to her craft.

Dr. Coyle’s special abilities include a spurt of invisibility after guarding, an extra ARM attack that appears after charging, and the ability to punch, dash, and block while levitating in the air.

Also included in this update is her stage called [NAME REDACTED]* and three new ARMS named Lokjaw, Parabola, and Brrchuk.

You can play as Dr. Coyle by updating your ARMS™ game to version 5.0. If you would like to update the game manually, please highlight the game icon from the Home Menu, press the + Button, and select Software Update (internet connection required).

If you don’t currently own ARMs you can learn more about the game at the official website.

*Yes, it’s actually called [NAME REDACTED]. Dr. Coyle is very secretive, indeed.

Game Rated:

Cartoon Violence

*Requires internet connection.

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Mario + Rabbids Director Reveals He Once Pitched A Wind Waker GBA Port To Ubisoft

Ubisoft Milan creative director Davide Soliani has already earned a place in Nintendo Life’s heart – mainly due to Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle being so good and because he’s not afraid to cry in front of the entire world – but he’s now booked himself a VIP seat in our affections following a recent Game Boy Advance-related revelation.

Turns out back in 2003, when Soliani was still working at Ubisoft Milan, the Italian developer approached Ubisoft internally with a pitch for a The Legend Of Zelda: The Wind Waker port for GBA. Yes, actual Wind Waker on that plucky old handheld. He even had Fabio Pagetti, an artist who was working with Soliani at the time, mock up the pixel art you see below to help sell the idea to the big cheeses at Ubi.

Sadly, the demo never got the green light – which is crying shame because a Wind Waker port could have been something truly special – but at least his efforts weren’t entirely in vain as years later he got the top job at Ubisoft Milan and went on to develop a much-loved Mario spin-off.

What do you guys make of Soliani’s tweet? Some of Link’s most memorable adventures were handheld, so this could have been a-maze-ing.

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Video: It’s Time to Look at the 31 Best Nintendo 3DS Games of All Time

The 3DS has been a stalwart system, holding on beyond the bitter end even with the monolith that is the Nintendo Switch looming over it. It’s had at least seven different hardware iterations, and that’s without going into the limited editions, and countless fantastic games.

So to celebrate our underpowered workhorse, we thought we should have a look at the 31 best games that have graced the system, and believe us when we say it was not difficult finding that many superb games. In fact if anything we had to be a bit brutal in cutting many out. Make sure you gasp in awe at all of them in the video above, and let us know your favourite 3DS memories in the comments below.

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Review: Puzzle Box Maker (Switch eShop)

With no news on a potential port of Super Mario Maker for Switch, it’s fallen to Austrian indie studio – and long-time Nintendo developer – Bplus Games to step in with its own slice of creative mayhem. Puzzle Box Maker distils the often daunting task of designing your own level into an instantly intuitive format, then lets you run wild with mini-games and platforming sections pulled straight from your imagination.

Bplus has drawn inspiration from its own back catalogue here, cherry picking the very best bits and stirring them together into a bubbling stew of mechanics that seemingly shouldn’t blend so well. The game comes loaded with hundreds of pre-designed levels, all of which can be tackled in a variety of different modes, including Copycat (where you fill in the colours on screen, racking up the scores like a high-speed colour-by-numbers), Bomb (which involves using the gyros in Switch to guide explosives into your creations and collect tokens) and Kubi (where you explore your level as a floaty, fly-collecting cube).

The colour painting action harks back to the motion-controlled madness of Plättchen Twist ‘N’ Paint on WiiWare, and while it doesn’t require the same hand-eye coordination of its virtual ancestor the end result is a level-building design suite that practically anyone could pick up and enjoy. With every canvas set on a 2D plane, and a set of basic colours tied to the face buttons, you can throw together a design in a matter of seconds. Then, just as quick, you can take on your own level in the fast-paced Run (where you’ll need to outrun a bubbling wall of danger) or leap into Classic mode and colour in your level on rails.

Being able to almost instantly start playing a mini-game set in your own brilliant/utterly embarrassing build is great, but the simplicity of its design suite does comes with a caveat. Since you only have access to the colours that enable you to build platforms, there’s no way to add enemies, power-ups or collectibles. All these are present when you play a mini-game, but they’re auto-generated, so there’s a frustrating glass ceiling as to how deep you can really customise. 

So it might not have the depth of choice in design features you’d find in Super Mario Maker, but this shouldn’t stop you getting a kick out of seeing your 2D level reimagined in the realm of 2.5D. Every structure you’ve built is automatically adjusted to create interior levels, entrances and exits, effectively turning any kind of level design into a playable level filled with collectibles to find, enemies to evade and bombs to throw. The floatiness of blocky platforming avatar Kubi (who’s already made a couple of appearances on Nintendo platforms, including 2014’s Bit Boy!! Arcade on 3DS) makes for a forgiving platforming experience, but one that can be ramped up depending on the complexity of your own work.

Not all of its modes land as well as others. Claw, which remaps your levels into a maze and requires you to fish coins from its recesses for points with a mechanical grabber, never quite comes together due to the aforementioned floatiness of physics, ultimately ending up as a mode too far for Puzzle Box Maker. Thankfully, most of the others serve as an endearing way to make playing the same layout in multiple ways.

So whether you’re controlling Kubi or conjuring up your creations in the design lab, there’s an invigorating player agency to be had in Puzzle Box Maker. Sure, you’ll get a prolonged kick out of its pre-designed levels (which you can unlock in chunks with the coins you collect along the way), but it’s the user generated potential that makes this indie title a worthwhile investment. It’s also refreshingly simple to use, making it ideal for younger Switch owners, while offering enough depth in both its content and premise to keep more experienced players returning for more.

Conclusion

Sprinkle in a raft of difficulty settings for those looking to test their mettle (and maybe grab a little inspiration on the way), online functionality (where you can share your levels with others, try out submissions from across the community and compete for high scores) and co-op shenanigans (via split-screen, no less) and you’ve got a package that strikes just the right balance between Pac-Man-esque high score chasing, arcade mini-game sensibilities and family friendly game design.

Though it doesn’t quite get everything right, Puzzle Box Maker has plenty to offer for those eager to get creative and enjoy the fruits of their labour.

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Video: Get Ready for Battle With This TINY METAL Pre-Release Trailer

The Advance Wars franchise is fondly regarded by plenty of GBA / DS era gamers, but it’s been quiet for a good number of years. Understandably that’s led to plenty of attention for TINY METAL, a title that isn’t shy about trying to assume the crown for turn-based strategy warfare.

It’s out this week in Japan (and seemingly everywhere) priced at US$24.99 / €24.99 / £22.99, and ahead of its launch there’s a snazzy new video that showcases its feature and content; it’s looking rather tasty to us.

We have a chat with game director Hiroaki Yura going live this week, while naturally we’re playing through it for review. Is this on your Switch eShop wishlist?