Category: Nintendo News

It is with great sadness that we have to report the passing of Bob Wakelin, one of the most prolific video game cover artists of his generation.

The name might not be familiar – especially if you’re reading this in North America – but Wakelin’s creations will be instantly recognisable. A one-time Marvel UK contributor, he is perhaps best known for his work with the now-defunct UK publisher Ocean, and throughout his career produced covers for Nintendo titles such as Contra (NES), Rainbow Islands (NES), The New Zealand Story (NES), Mr. Nutz (SNES) and many more besides. 

However, it would be his work on computer formats such as the Spectrum, C64, Atari ST and Amiga which would give him enduring fame, at least in Europe; he illustrated the covers for titles such as Midnight Resistance, Batman, Wizball, Head Over Heels and Hunchback, to name but a few.

Wakelin’s art was one of the key reasons Ocean became as big as it did during the ’80s and ’90s; he once admitted that the publisher looked to him as a means of making average games sell:

A couple of times the guys at Ocean said to me ‘Look Bob, this game really isn’t very good so we need an extra special cover.’

I suppose I should feel guilty for it.

The gaming community has taken to Twitter to pay tribute to the great man:

Our thoughts are with Wakelin’s family at this very sad time. Bob, you made countless childhoods that little bit more exciting with your work; you will be sadly, sadly missed.

The Legend Of Zelda series of games is loved by Nintendo fans world-wide, and has proved popular with cosplayers around the globe as a way of showing their appreciation for its myriad characters and creatures. With Breath Of The Wild winning multiple awards in 2017 and frequenting the top of many ‘game of the year’ lists (including topping Nintendo Life’s own staff and reader picks), the popularity of cosplaying Zelda characters has exploded. 

Although the games always follow the adventures Link, the variety of different characters he’s met on the way (and the various forms he’s taken) offers plenty of inspiration for those with an eye for homemade fashion. To celebrate this diverse community of talented fans, we’ve gathered together 10 of our favourite Zelda-themed cosplays from cosplayers around the planet. 

Fi (by Caelnu)

Fi is Link’s faithful companion during The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword. A humanoid spirit residing within the Goddess Sword, she was a dream cosplay for German cosplayer Caelnu. Caelnu has been cosplaying since 2014, and in 2016 she spent roughly 45 hours putting her Fi cosplay together. Now that’s dedication to your craft.

She enjoyed going around conventions telling people about their low batteries! The attention to detail in the costume, wig and location of the photos provides a perfect vision of Fi. As you can imagine, Calenu is a big Zelda fan, and has since gone on to make cosplays of Ghirahim and the Skyloft version of Zelda.

Hilda (by Yuko Scarlet)

Hilda is a dark counterpart to Princess Zelda, appearing as an original character in The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds. Yuko Scarlet is a French cosplayer who portrays Hilda perfectly. She has been cosplaying since 2014, and when she played A Link Between Worlds, Yuko fell in love with the character’s look and story. 

The dark purple make-up, 3D shading and inclusion of the staff to Yuko’s Hilda really adds to the excellent cosplay. What makes Yuko’s Hilda even more impressive is that she was only a beginner in the cosplay world at the time of making Hilda, and that this was her first attempt at an armoured outfit and using worbla (a thermoplastic popular with cosplay builds).

Ocarina Of Time Zelda (by Superdebz Cosplay)

The adult version of Zelda’s costume from The Legend Of Zelda: Ocarina Of Time is one of her more complex outfits, but due to the admiration for this game it’s also a popular choice for cosplayers around the world. One such cosplayer that does justice to the costume is Superdebz Cosplay from the UK. A very talented seamstress, Debz handmade the entire costume from scratch. 

She used different types of silks and satins for the dress, and worbla and clay for the armour parts, as well as then going on to hand paint each component. The tabard for Zelda in Ocarina Of Time has a very complicated pattern, but Superdebz nails the details superbly. She has since gone on to make many elaborate costumes, including Zelda’s Hyrule Warriors costume, but says she loves the Ocarina version due to how regal it is and how much fun she had making the costume.

Link (by Hikari & Lorian Cosplay And Crafts)

Just like Zelda, there are also many different versions of Link out there in the cosplay community. There are many cosplayers that love to assume the role of the Hero Of Time, but a costume designer that stands out from the crowd in a convention full of Links is the super-talented Hikari & Lorian Cosplay And Crafts. As well as making the costume from The Legend Of Zelda: Twilight Princess, Lorian made 15 props to go alongside the outfit so that Link would have a full inventory. 

Attention to detail is very important to Lorian, so she made the chainmail herself from little rings, as well as making the boots, belts and pouches for authenticity. Lorian spent six months making everything from scratch and her hard work paid when she was chosen to represent Greece in the 2016 EuroCosplay Championship finals (held at MCM London). Hikari and Lorian are best friends from Greece, and together they have made over 50 cosplays that have won myriad awards.

Malon (by Simona Dahlborg)

Malon is another well-loved character from The Legend Of Zelda: Ocarina Of Time, but very few people have cosplayed her as well as Swedish cosplayer Simona Dahlborg. The addition of her horse and rolling fields to the photos really makes it look like the images could have been captured right there on Hyrule’s Lon Lon Ranch. 

Her Malon cosplay was hand-sewn, and she has created both the young and adult versions of Malon’s costumes. Simona has been cosplaying since 2013, has made roughly 40 costumes and is a self-confessed Zelda super fan. She’s created many cosplays of different characters from the series as well as her Malon outfit, all of which can be found on her various cosplay pages.

Mipha 

One of the only The Legend of Zelda: Breath Of The Wild-centric characters to make this list is the fantastic Mipha by Lara Wegenaer Arts. A Champion and Princess of the Zora race, Mipha is a character that was known for her skills with her trusty Lightscale Trident, which Lara has also made herself as a fantastic addition to the cosplay. 

Lara previously made a The Legend Of Zelda: Twilight Princess Zora cosplay, so as soon as she saw Mipha’s design she knew she had to cosplay the character as well. Lara spent six weeks crafting Mipha, and says the headpiece was the hardest part to make due to the shape of its design. She has a progress album on her Facebook page, where you can see the details of how she made each intricate part of the costume, as well as tutorials on her webpage about how to make Mipha’s costume and a Zora head.

Breath Of The Wild Zelda (by Hannah Éva Cosplay)

The beautiful gown that Zelda wears in The Legend of Zelda: Breath Of The Wild was created flawlessly by US-based cosplayer Hannah Éva Cosplay. Hannah is a lifelong artist who has won many awards throughout her career, but only got into cosplay a few years ago. She loves to put her own creative touches on her cosplays to help bring the characters to life. 

The Zelda costume took about her about a month to make, with many sleepless nights, and it features a lot of details as a result. It contains 10 yards of hand-dyed velvet, hand-sewn lace appliqués, custom beading and plenty of other intricate details. An extra addition to the costume that makes it stand out from the rest is the fact Hannah even made the wig herself.

Ganondorf (by AlphaNerd Cosplay)

The villain that everyone loves to hate, Ganondorf has appeared in multiple Zelda games trying to destroy Hyrule and thwart Link’s heroic adventures along the way. AlphaNerd Cosplay portrays the evil character excellently, and he loves walking around in Ganondorf’s billowing cape and really getting into character. 

The cosplay takes dedication not only to make but to wear as well, as it takes the Canada-based cosplayer over two hours to do all the makeup, facial hair and don the armour to transform himself into Ganondorf. AlphaNerd goes into great detail on both his Facebook page and website about how he made the epic character, and why his award-winning costume means so much to him. A cosplayer since 2011, he is a regular judge and panellist at conventions.

Skull Kid (by Kaldorei Cosplay)

Skull Kid is the pesky character from The Legend Of Zelda: Majora’s Mask that likes to play tricks on the lovable Link. Kaldorei Cosplay shows a different side to the cheeky character by cosplaying Skull Kid both with the bird’s head and Majora’s Mask. Cosplaying since 2012, Kaldorei has even represented the UK on numerous occasions with her amazing costumes. 

Skull Kid was a dream cosplay for Kaldorei, and she says the most difficult part of the costume to make was the bird’s head. The famous mask is a mixture of foam and worbla. The hat, which is her favourite part of the cosplay, was made completely collapsible so it could fit into Kaldorei’s suitcase. Work in progress photos can be found on Kaldorei’s Facebook page, where she goes into more detail about how she made each part of the costume.

Wind Waker Group (by StarKey Studios, Ickle Cosplay, Emi-zone, Typicaldarcy and Komali Keekal)

The top spot on the list goes to the awesome The Legend Of Zelda: The Wind Waker group, because not only do they all have awesome cosplays (and a deep love of the game), but they even built the giant boat The King Of Red Lions to go with it! The group consists of UK cosplayers StarKey Studios as Link, Ickle Cosplay as Medli, Emi-Zone as Tetra, Typicaldarcy as Zelda and Komali Keekal as Komali. 

The boat was made by StarKey Studios. Staggeringly, The King Of The Red Lions only cost £80 to build as it was mainly made from scraps. The electronics were from an old binned mobility scooter, mounted on a steel frame with a plywood base, and the body of King was built up from MDF, EVA foam and PVC pipe salvaged from a tip. The head was carved from leftover polystyrene and insulation foam and laminated in fibreglass before being hollowed out so it was light enough to mount on the neck of the boat. Another fun fact about the boat is that it’s too large to get through doors, so transport and storage is always a challenge!

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Thanks to all the cosplayers who agreed to share their cosplays, and their photos with Nintendo Life. You can visit each of their respective websites and portfolios in the links above. Let us know what you make of these brilliant designs, and share some of your favourites from the Nintendo-themed community in the comments section below…

We throughly enjoyed Netflix’s animated adaptation of Konami’s Castlevania series, and if you did too then you’ll be pleased to learn that the promised second season is coming this summer.

Scribe Warren Ellis announced the news on Twitter, pointing out that eight episodes will go live later this year.

The episodes will follow the continuing exploits of Trevor Belmont, who teamed up with Alucard and Sypha at the conclusion of the first season with the aim of taking down Dracula.

Season one consisted of four episodes and was very much about “getting the gang together”, so expect a lot more action in this second, longer series. Looking forward to it? Let us know with a comment.

A short time ago, shiny new Nintendo Life Editor (TM) Dom wrote an excellent piece about Dark Souls coming to Switch, and why it’s such a spiffing idea.

His decision to pen this piece was also a spiffing idea; so much so in fact that we decided Dom and our resident video guru Alex should have a wee natter about the concept, why it will work, why it might not work and much more besides.

So kick off those shoes, grab a hot beverage and make sure your eyes and ears are in good working order before pressing that play button and allowing moving images and sounds to wash over you. When that’s all done, be sure to post a comment to let us know what you think – and be sure to follow us on YouTube for more video-related goodness.

With the new year no longer that new, and with Nintendo Switch having had one of the best first years in the industry’s history, we thought it was a good time to revive our ‘Biggest Games’ lists, which were previously started to feel a tad stretched for Wii U and 3DS. So with so many games already hitting the platform, and no doubt more to come in the months to come, we thought it only right to kick things off with the big hitters hitting retail shelves in the next 12 months.

Our usual criteria apply – only confirmed games are included, no rumours, and we’ve tried to stick to games with a 2018 release date or window. Some are expected in 2018 and make the list, but most of these are so big or so hotly anticipated we know you’d be outraged if we left them out so sit back and prepare to gorge yourselves on just a taste of things to come in 2018…

While it might look like a shameless way to shill characters from the Dragon Quest series into a Minecraft-style playground, Dragon Quest Builders is a far more nuanced hybrid. With the gameworld divided into familiar blocks, the game uses more familiar RPG questing to drive your building exploits forwards, while the focus on managing and maintaining villages and forts from attack adds in a tower defence angle to break up all that creative building work.

With the titular gun-toting witch polishing her pistols for a third round of acrobatic gunplay in Bayonetta 3, Nintendo Switch owners will have time to practice their combos with Bayonetta and Bayonetta 2 getting the port treatment in one tidy package. They’ve both already done the rounds on Wii U, but there’s no getting past the fact both remain some of the best titles PlatinumGames have ever made. 

Dallas, Wolf, Chains and Hoxton are breaking into the vault that is Nintendo Switch, and they’re bring new character Joy (a month-long platform exclusive, no less) for the ride. Overkill’s FPS is a shooter like no other as you scope out jewellery stores, banks and security trucks then attempt to pull off the ultimate heist with guns, drills and all the masks you could possibly ask for. Teaming up with friends via Crime.net makes for the ultimate con.

The pink ball with an unending appetite is preparing to make his Nintendo Switch debut and he’s bringing some pals along for the ride. It’s still your usual Kirby platforming fare, only now you can play with up to three other players locally (or go solo with AI at your side). Abilities can still be eaten and acquired, but now you can combine them with your allies to create unusual combos for puzzle solving and platforming alike.

Nintendo Switch is finally getting an Attack On Titan game, with the hotly- anticipated AOT2 following the story arc of the anime’s second season. If you’re new to the franchise, the game takes the central premise – humans seeking shelter in high-walled cities while naked giants roam the wilderness trying to eat them – and spins it into an acrobatic take on the giant monster hunting of, err, Monster Hunter. The sequel enable you to create your own custom character but you’ll be able to play as fan faves Eren Jaeger, Mikasa Ackerman, Armin Arlert and more.

It’s barely been revealed for a day and Nintendo Labo has become one of the most talked about games on Nintendo Switch. Whether you’re mildly intrigued or all in, this cardboard-based gameplay revolution is going to be one of the most important releases on the Nintendo Switch calendar. With two Toy-Con packs already announced, and plenty more designs shown off in the reveal video, the new origami-esque concept is one to firmly watch when it arrives in April.

Retro Studios’ much-loved addition to the Donkey Kong Country saga was one of the few genuine highlights of the Wii U era, and we can’t wait to see DK and the gang swing, roll and smash their way onto Nintendo Switch for the first time. Now you’ll not only get to play as Cranky Kong, but surfing bro Funky Kong and his new (and far more forgiving) Easy mode. So whether you’re taking it on for the challenge, or just for giggles, Tropical Freeze is sure to leave you anything but cold. 

It’s finally time for Nintendo Switch to visit Lordran, a Gothic kingdom filled with dangers of in many forms, all of which want to kill you ad infinitum. Okay, that might not sound like an attractive premise for a video game, but its war of attrition makes for one of the most rewarding experiences you’ll ever play. From memorable boss designs to terrain that wants to kill you as much as its inhabitants, Dark Souls: Remastered is a game like no other on Switch.

We’ve already got a tasty slice of Capcom fisticuffs on Nintendo Switch in the form of Ultra Street Fighter II: The Final Challengers, but it’s going to pale in comparison to the retro goodness of the series’ next collection. This vault of classic entries includes 12 entries from across the franchise, with online support included for four of them so you can test your skills against the best competition Switch has to offer. You can even adjust the latency settings to ensure every move is sharp and on point.

The Legend Of Zelda series has enjoyed plenty of unusual outings over the years, but it’s not seen anything as crazy as the ‘musou’-style of Hyrule Warriors: Definitive Edition. The benefits of a later release on Nintendo Switch means this version packs in all the post-release DLC into the one package, so that’s 29 playable characters and the maps you could possibly ask for. It’s the first time content from the Wii U and 3DS versions have been bundled together, so we’re looking forward to flexing our Hyrulian muscles this spring.

We’ve seen plenty of Mario Tennis games over the years, but not every one has lingered on positively in the memory. The latest instalment, and first to grace the courts of Nintendo Switch, aims to change all that by bringing back one of the most requested features absent from recent entries – a bona fide story mode. Add in a plethora of familiar faces, arcade-style physics and support for them there Joy-Cons, Mario Tennis Aces has sights set firmly on gaming silverware. 

While Nintendo Switch might not have a Tekken Tag Tournament to its name (well, not yet, anyway), it’s soon to enjoy the next best thing as the ass-kicking ladis from the annals of SNK team up in SNK Heroines: Tag Team Frenzy. You can swap between your chosen femme fatales during a fight, and you can spend your winnings on everything from new costumes to voice clips. The game will also support four-player battles in either local play or at a distance online.

While we’ve known about Skyrim’s Switch arrival since the console’s reveal in 2016, we weren’t expecting the one-two punch of DOOM and Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus. Id Software’s rebooted shooter was the most surprising port success of the year, and now we’re hoping BJ Blazkowicz’s latest Nazi-slaying odyssey can live up to the same precedent. It’s proved a huge critical hit everywhere else, so we can’t wait to unleash some revolutionary hell when it (hopefully) drops in 2018.

Taking cues from his past adventures – including the brilliant Yoshi’s Woolly World on Wii U and the ingenuity of Yoshi’s New Island – the green dino’s first Switch outing will keep the side-scrolling platforming, although now it’s all about flipping the level around to reveal a new layout on the other side. With a miniature diorama-style look, there’s plenty of scope to to find alternative paths around certain obstacles or enemies. Oh, and it supports two-player co-op for when one Yoshi just isn’t enough. 

Coming from the producers who brought you Bravely Default, this brand new JRPG promises to combine CG, pixel art, and more graphical alchemy to create what its developer has coined as ‘HD-2D’. You can choose from up to eight different characters, each with unique traits and abilities that will enable them to interact with the world and NPCs around them in special ways. It’s a turn-based affair, but there’s a real-time Boost system that gives you power to increase your attack’s potency mid-battle. The demo version has trended really well on Switch, so we can’t wait to see the full package later this year.

Having provided 3DS with some of its most memorable titles, it was only a matter of time before the heroes and heroines of the Fire Emblem series got a proper outing on Nintendo Switch. While we don’t know the official title or an exact date, we do know it’s the first home console Fire Emblem since Fire Emblem: Radiant Dawn on Wii (which was, by the way, a whole 10 years ago) and that it’s slated do arrive sometime in the next 12 months. Fire Emblem Warriors was fun, but we’re ready for a proper, full-fat entry.

We’re not ashamed to show our love for the work of Suda51 here at Nintendo Life, so when we heard No More Heroes was getting a sequel – and a Switch exclusive one, at that – we knew 2018 was going to be one hell of a year. Set seven years after the previous game, Travis Strikes Again will be using Epic’s Unreal Engine 4 and if a certain cameo from Hotline Miami is to be taken into consideration, we could even see some potential crossover with other hyper-stylised games. That, or Suda51 just really loves Dennaton Games’ top-down classic. 

Ten years after the original cemented itself as one of DS’ most memorable (and most unusual) titles, The World Ends With You is getting the modern update treatment with a Switch-bound 2018 Final Remix. Updated for Switch with some shiny new HD visuals, TWEWU:FR will also feature a new epilogue chapter that sheds new light on the game’s story (making it a must if you loved this curio the first time around). Those unique rhythmic battles can now be enjoyed either with your Joy-Con controllers or via Switch’s touchscreen.

Not only is Metroid Prime 4 one of the most anticipated games coming to Switch, it’s also one the most mysterious considering how little we know about it. Longtime series collaborator Kensuke Tanabe is now in the director’s chair, with the fourth outing returning to the FPS roots of the original with a storyline that ties it to the series’ law while heading off in some new directions. What these new directions might be, and how it’ll influence the final experience has us chomping at the bit to fall in love with Samus all over again. Let’s hope we get to see her again this year.

There’s no denying Bayonetta’s first two outings were some of the best of the last generation – and the previously Wii U-only Bayonetta 2 definitely lifted the otherwise flat console – but now we’re starting to wonder where the witch with the wicked hair will be pointing her heel-based weaponry for her third outing. PlatinumGames is, thankfully, once again on development duties so expect the next entry to be as over-the-top in both action, player agency, combos and enemy design. We hope this one blasts onto Switch in 2018, but it could slip well slip beyond.

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So there you have it, 20 tempting games that we think highlight some of the best retail games coming to Switch. Let us know which games you’re most looking forward to in the poll and comments below, and also remind us of anything blindingly obvious that we’ve missed!

Over 19 months ago, Game Maker Toolkit’s Mark Brown undertook the gargantuan task of revisiting every major entry in The Legend Of Zelda series to investigate what made their defining features – namely those deep and challenging dungeons – so memorable. A good 13 videos later and Mark has finally come to the end of his journey (for now, at least) with the release of today’s Breath Of The Wild video.

So sit back, grab a bite to eat and see how the Divine Beasts broke away from the original template Nintendo had adhered to for so long while ticking so many of the boxes true to the series’ DNA. It’s a fascinating watch and a must if you a) have a deep appreciate for the nuance of game design and b) have a disturbingly powerful obsession with all things Hyrulian. 

Let us know what you what you think, and be sure to share some of your memories of Zelda dungeons both new and old…

We love Sonic Mania here at Nintendo Life – so much so former editor Thomas Whitehead gave the triumphant retro revival a glowing 9/10 back in 2017 – but did you much of its innovation follows in the footsteps of the equally ingenious Sonic CD? 

The Power Team over on the iretrogamer channel have had that very thought on the brain, so they’ve sat down to discuss how Sonic CD helped evolve the classic speedster formula and how both a technical and creative leap lives on in the throwback love letter that is Mania. 

Did you enjoy Sonic Mania much as we did? Did you pick up Sonic CD back in the day, or were you were more of an OG Mega Drive/Genesis kind of gamer? Let us know your thoughts in the usual fashion…

2018 is going to be a huge year for Nintendo Switch – just look at the reveal of Nintendo Labo earlier in the week for a taster of that – and that includes the return of Link and the rest of The Legend Of Zelda gang as Hyrule Warriors returns for a second round of crowd-clearing brawling. 

So to get you excited for the Switch-bound arrival Hyrule Warriors: Definitive Edition, publisher-cum-developer Koei Tecmo has released a brand new, action-packed trailer. Filled with a few snippets first glimpsed in last week’s Ninendo Direct Mini, the trailer also comes filled to the seems with new footage. Considering this new edition combines content from both the 3DS and Wii U versions, even a trailer aimed at the Asian market is enough to keep our eyes secured firmly on its 24 March release date.

Are you planning to pick up Hyrule Warriors: Definitive Edition on Switch? Let us know in the comments below…