Author Profile
James started his career in video games as News Editor on Nintendo Life. Since leaving in 2012 to join Nintendo of Europe, James has risen through the ranks to become NoE's Senior Product PR & Corporate Communications Manager.
Out Now History of Nintendo: Volume 2 - Game & Watch
Book 'em
The second instalment in Pix'n Love Publishing's History of Nintendo book series is out today. The 200-page tome looks at the history of the Game & Watch, with reviews of every unit, over 1,500 pictures and exclusive documents too. If you've ever wanted to know more about Nintendo's 1980s portable games, this book should scratch that...
News Be Careful When Watching This Kid Icarus Medusa Trailer
It might turn you to stone
Haven't had your fill of Kid Icarus: Uprising media after the 3D anime and 3D screenshots, here's some — 2D — footage of the game in action. The Medusa trailer below is one of the better videos Nintendo's released, with new bosses, weapons and wizards of various foods on display. At 4:38 it's got everything you could...
News Europe's Virtual Console Loses 6 Games This Month
Some in, some out
Recently we reported that two more games will leave Europe's VC service at the end of this month, but that's not the extent of the damage. At least six games will disappear from the Virtual Console on 31st March: R-Type (TG-16)Vigilante (TG-16)Ninja Spirit (TG-16)
News Kid Icarus 3D Anime Hits North America This Week
Two-parter inbound
Europe got a Shaun the Sheep 3D episode this week; North America gets a two-part 3D anime based on Kid Icarus: Uprising. We'll leave you to decide who got the better end of the deal. 3DS owners in North America can power up their Nintendo Video applications to find the first (and, depending on when you read this, second) part of...
News Inafune Plans to Release King of Pirates Worldwide
Sailing the seven seas
Mega Man creator Keiji Inafune's next project, King of Pirates, is only confirmed for Japan at the moment, but if Inafune has his way we'll see it leave the Land of the Rising Sun and come to the West. Speaking to Joystiq, Inafune said that like all his titles, he's aiming King of Pirates for a global release: For all my...
News Harvest Moon Creator Reflects on Hellish Development
Where did it all go right?
The very first Harvest Moon was a seminal moment in gaming history — at least, it was if you like farming games — but series creator Yasuhiro Wada recently spoke at GDC 2012 about how close he came to giving up on the game before release. Initially the game began as a cow-raising simulator, inspired by the ever-popular...
News Super Mario Galaxy Blasts Past 5 Million Milestone
Come in, number nine
Super Mario Galaxy just became the ninth Wii game to pass 5 million units in the United States after just four years on sale. Mario's first intergalactic adventure joins an auspicious list of other games sitting above the 5m mark in the U.S.: Wii Play (13.06 million) Mario Kart Wii (11.3 million) New Super Mario Bros.
Nintendo Download 8th March 2012 (North America)
Minigolf and Mr Dream
Next week sees Game Gear games come to North America, but until then you can engage in some sporting digital delights, with golf and boxing represented in this week's download leaderboard. Here's what's competing for your cash. 3DS Download Software: Fun! Fun! Minigolf TOUCH! (Shin'en, $4.99) — A much-enhanced version of...
News Bathe in the Glory of Miyamoto's Development Wisdom
Quotes from the master
Shigeru Miyamoto knows a thing or two about making games. As general manager of Nintendo's Entertainment Analysis Division he's worked with staff including Yoshiaki Koizumi, Takeshi Tezuka and many more. One of his protégés is Koichi Hayashida, director of Super Mario 3D Land, who took to the stage at GDC 2012 yesterday and...
News Super Mario 3D Land Could Have Had Skateboarding
Cockroaches too
Super Mario 3D Land director Koichi Hayashida took to the stage at Game Developers Conference and revealed some of the stranger ideas Nintendo's EAD team cooked up but ultimately left out of last year's platformer. Among the oddball ideas were a pro skater Mario, where the plumber rode a Koopa shell around a half pipe; an elongated...
News Take a Good Look at Ketzal's Corridors
They're through here
It's not long until you'll be able to download Ketzal's Corridors for 3DS, and Nintendo has released a new trailer for the game showing what you can expect. It'll all look pretty familiar to anyone who's played ThruSpace on WiiWare, but hopefully the 3D screen will add something fresh to the experience. Nintendo of America's...
News Castlevania: The Adventure Whips Japan Next Week
3DS VC gets spooky
Castlevania: The Adventure will take a bite out of the 3DS Virtual Console in Japan next week. The Game Boy game reaches Japan on 14th March alongside the previously-announced launch of Game Gear. Christopher Belmont's solo outing will cost ¥400, and while it's not the best 'vania title on Nintendo's humble black and white...
News Shin'en Licensed to Develop for Wii U
Rocket start
German developer Shin'en Multimedia is licensed to develop for Wii U. The team behind WiiWare hits Art of Balance, FAST Racing League, Jett Rocket recently updated its home page with the following message: Welcome to Shin'en's web-site. If you're interested in our services and productions, you've come to the right place. Shin'en was...
News Havok Physics and Animation to Power Wii U Games
Some of them, anyway
Havok will provide its physics and animation tools to developers working on Wii U. Havok Physics is arguably the most recognisable in-game physics engine — a small field, admittedly — and has powered games including Half-Life 2, The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim and more. Managing director David Coghlan is very excited: We are...
News Darksiders II Creative Director: "Don't Compare It to Zelda"
There's no link
THQ's original Darksiders on PS3 and Xbox 360 drew a lot of comparisons with Nintendo's The Legend of Zelda series, but creative director Joe Madureira wants the upcoming Wii U sequel to skip those analogies this time. Joe Mad told Official Nintendo Magazine he only wants to compare Darksiders II to its predecessor: I'll be curious...
News Junction Point Holding "Epic" Event on 27th March
What could it be?!
After months of speculation, rumour and cat-out-of-bag-letting, it seems Junction Point is finally ready to lift the lid on Disney Epic Mickey 2. The developer has scheduled a press event for 27th March, saying nothing more than it will reveal an "epic project". Late last year a Disney newsletter mentioned Epic Mickey 2, and...
News Two More Sonic Game Gear Games Rated
Have a Blast
The Australian Classifications Board has rated two more Sonic the Hedgehog games for 3DS Virtual Console. The Game Gear titles Sonic Blast and Sonic Labyrinth have both been rated for 3DS Virtual Console, indicating we'll see them somewhere further down the line. While neither is fondly remembered as a classic title in the Sonic canon...
News Pokémon Champion Stripped of Title After Hotel Incident
Update: Puig tells his side
After the unsavoury hotel incident at the Pokémon Video Game Championships this past weekend, it seems Masters champion Rubén Puig Lecegui has had his title taken off him. Puig was allegedly involved in the incident that threatened to overshadow the tournament, and although he emerged victorious in his division the...
News North America, These Are Your Upcoming eShop Games
Lots on the horizon
While Europe is celebrating something of a Virtual Console revival this month, North America has a stack of 3DS eShop content on the way in the coming weeks and months. For a start, Game Gear games hit the North American eShop on 15th March, but there's more. Here's what's on the cards according to Nintendo's latest press...
Nintendo Download 8th March 2012 (Europe)
Minigolf ahoy
It's a big old Nintendo Download this week, with a 3DS demo, Game Boy game, two Wii Virtual Console games and original 3DS download software hits alongside DSiWare puzzlers and a WiiWare demo. Let's get to it. 3DS Virtual Console: Kid Icarus: Of Myths and Monsters (Game Boy, Nintendo, £2.70/€3) — Pit's second adventure comes to...
News Dead or Alive: Dimensions Demo Punches Europe This Week
On guard
Tecmo Koei scrapper Dead or Alive: Dimensions is the latest 3DS game to get a playable demo in Europe this week. The fighter gets a free trial version in this week's eShop update, due as always on Thursday. You can always read our Dead or Alive: Dimensions review to see if this is 3DS's king of fighters or just a jobber.
News Nothing Says "Marry Me" Like Swapnote
Romance is alive
Communication freebie Nintendo Letter Box/Swapnote is ideal for sketchy doodles and sharing glorious 3D photos of your dinner, but could it have a higher purpose? Could it be used to bring about a life of blissful matrimony? Yes. The video below is simultaneously the nerdiest and most heartwarming video we've seen all year. Call us...
News 3DS Notches Up 4.5 Million U.S. Sales So Far
Outstrips DS
3DS recently hit 4m console sales in the United States, and Nintendo of America has just revealed the system sales now stand at over 4.5m in the U.S. alone. By comparison, the Nintendo DS sold 2.4m units in the United States in its first 12 months, so 3DS has had a pretty good opening year. Nintendo's other figures for comparison make...
News Assassin's Creed III is Coming to Wii U
Sneaky
Ubisoft's Assassin's Creed III will be released on Wii U, the publisher has revealed. The game reaches PS3 and Xbox 360 on 31st October but as we don't know when Wii U is out don't take this as a day one Wii U release. Still, the news that Ubisoft's supporting Wii U with one of its biggest upcoming titles has to be a reason to be cheerful,...
