Latest Features
Editorial Don't Worry, We'll Be Avoiding Zelda: TOTK Spoilers On Nintendo Life
(Hylian) Shields up, red alert!
Over the weekend, images from the Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom art book leaked online revealing unannounced details about the most anticipated launch on this year's gaming calendar. With the 12th May release date still many weeks away, we thought it would be a good idea to make plain our approach to Zelda spoilers...
Talking Point What Is The Best Special Edition Switch Console?
The full range
Ah, special edition consoles. There is nothing else quite like them, is there? From the flashy to the subtle, these decked-out devices are a reminder of the series' that we love, the titles we cherish and the designs that make us ooh and ahh. They are a special way to stand out from the crowd and have something that feels a little...
Feature Super Nintendo World's Show Producer And Head Chef Shed Light On The New Park's Development
"Chef Toad is always working on something new"
Super Nintendo World is now open to the public, and our lovely Video Producer Zion got to go over and check out the new park for himself. As part of his visit, he managed to speak with two key figures from the park: Julia Thrash, the Head Chef at Toadstool Cafe, and Abbye Finnan, the Show Producer for...
Talking Point What Are You Playing This Weekend? (February 18th)
Adventures big and small
We all needed a quieter week after last week's Nintendo Direct blow-out, and that's exactly what we got. But don't worry, there's still plenty to talk about, and plenty of games on the horizon. Pokémon Scarlet & Violet's big patch is coming soon, and we've got all of the patch notes for you.
Soapbox As A Colour Blind Gamer, I Can Now Finally Beat Metroid Prime
Prime-ary colours
Soapbox features enable our individual writers and contributors to voice their opinions on hot topics and random stuff they've been chewing over. Today, Rory how the recent release of Metroid Prime Remastered has enabled him to settle an old score. Prime endboss spoilers inbound... I know. I was a handsome bugger. It’s always...
Talking Point Which Nintendo Console Has The Best First-Party Games Lineup?
Best of the best
With the Game Boy and GBA libraries getting added to the Switch recently, we've been thinking about all of the games that might be coming our way over the next few months. This, in turn, got us thinking about just how many great first-party games were available on those two systems. Indeed, we thought along the very same lines when...
Gallery Mario Characters' Movie Vs. Game Designs - Which Do You Prefer?
Flag poll
The Super Mario Bros. Movie will be coming our way in early April (be sure to check out our release date guide for region specifics) and it certainly looks like we are in for a video game adaptation that actually respects its source material. What a concept! With every new trailer and poster comes more detailed peeks at Illumination's...
Feature 19 Game Boy Games We'd Love To See On Nintendo Switch Online
Yes, that includes Game Boy Color
Well, it happened — Game Boy games are finally on the Nintendo Switch Online service. This is another one of those rumours that we've been hearing about for a good while now, and in february 2023, Nintendo just snapped its fingers and popped seven rather lovely classics onto NSO just like that. Originally, the...
Feature Samus' Suits, Ranked - Every Metroid Box Art Suit Design, From Worst To Best
"Honey, where's my super suit?"
Metroid's protagonist, Samus Aran, has a rather unique privilege in the world of Nintendo. Unlike characters like Mario, Link, and Kirby, all of whom retain the same general look across their respective franchises (okay, Link is a little more varied than the other two, but still), Samus' basic design can be altered...
Feature Rating The Best Zelda/Link Relationship In The Legend Of Zelda Games
Zelink 4eva xxx
Zelink might be one of the biggest ships out there, and it's hardly controversial to want Zelda and Link, the two owners of the Triforce that aren't evil, to end up together. They're entwined in destiny, fated to keep meeting, and falling into the princess/hero dichotomy that keeps them separate once more. And yet, they've never...
Talking Point 20 Years Of The Best Game Boy Ever - How Did You Get Your GBA SP?
Love letters to our SPecial ones
On 14th February 2003, Nintendo gave Japanese gamers a Valentine's to remember when it released the Game Boy Advance SP. Those outside Japan would have to wait until March to get their hands on this gorgeous clamshell redesign of the GBA which came — mercifully — with a front-lit screen (the back-lit AGS-101...
Feature 22 Game Boy Advance Games We'd Love To See Added To Nintendo Switch Online
GBA gems we'd dig on Switch
Finally, after over a year of rumours and leaks, Game Boy Advance games are now available to play on the Nintendo Switch Online service — if you're on the Expansion Pack tier, that is. We originally published this list back in April 2022, and back th
Soapbox Switch Is Great, But The GBA SP Was The Pinnacle Of Public Transport Gaming
SP-icy takes
Soapbox features enable our individual writers and contributors to voice their opinions on hot topics and random stuff they've been chewing over. Today, nearly 20 years to the day since the GBA SP launched in Japan, Jim argues the case for why it still has a very important role to play in his day-to-day... Ok, let's get this out of...
Poll What Review Score Would You Give Metroid Prime Remastered?
Scanning for scores
We are sure that many of you lovely lot have spent the weekend Morph Ballin' and we can't say that we blame you! After last week's Nintendo Direct finally brought us news of Metroid Prime Remastered we couldn't believe our luck; but when it dropped on the very same day we had to check if we were dreaming! Even more so was this...
Soapbox An Ode To Ramón Salazar, Resident Evil's Most Absurd Villain
"My, my, we've got a feisty one"
Soapbox features enable our individual writers and contributors to voice their opinions on hot topics and random stuff they've been chewing over. Today, Ollie looks back on the pantheon of resident evils in all the Resident Evils and pens a tribute to perhaps his favourite character in video gamedom... I have a bit...
Talking Point What Do You Name Link When You're Playing A Zelda Game?
New game, new name
We are but a few months away now from the release of The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom (finally) and it is fair to say that many of us are just a little bit excited. We recently got a look at the second trailer for it, and one of the ways that we have been channelling this excitement until 12th May is through replaying...
Poll Which Character Would You Like To See Return Next In Mario Kart 8 Deluxe?
The roster expands
The February Nintendo Direct Showcase gave us our first look at Wave 4 of the upcoming Mario Kart 8 Deluxe DLC, which will not only bring the all-new Yoshi's Island course our way but will also add Birdo to the roster of playable characters. This Wave will be the first of its kind to being a new character into the mix and we'd be...
Soapbox I Scoffed At Switch Lite, Then I Backpacked Through South East Asia
Travelling Lite
Soapbox features enable our individual writers and contributors to voice their opinions on hot topics and random stuff they've been chewing over. Today, Rory details how Nintendo's smallest Switch finally won him over... “Yes sir, it’s definitely a sleeper train. Don’t worry.” The lady at the ticket office chuckled to...
Talking Point What Are You Playing This Weekend? (February 11th)
Primed and ready
Phew - this was a pretty busy week, huh? To kick off the week, we took you through some of the highlights from Nintendo's latest financial report for Q3 of fiscal year 2023. This included the rather stupendous new sales milestone for the Switch, with the console now exceeding Game Boy and PlayStation 4 total sales. We also learned...
Feature Zelda Companions, Ranked - Who Was Link's Best Sidekick?
Hey! Listen!
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild brought with it myriad changes to Hyrule. Staggering levels of freedom. Plentiful shrines instead of themed dungeons. Link wearing blue instead of green. The Sheikah Slate. Breakable weapons of varying degrees of annoyance, and more. A change not often discussed was Link’s lack of a companion...
Feature Zelda: Tears Of The Kingdom Trailer #2 Breakdown & Speculation - Everything You Missed
An arm and a leg's worth
When a new The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom trailer drops, it's like Christmas, isn't it? All of the excitement at getting a rare glimpse of the game before it launches on 12th May, though, soon turns into fans donning their spectacles and putting on their investigative hats to see exactly what they can spot in the...
Round Up Everything Announced In The February 2023 Nintendo Direct - Every Game Reveal And Trailer
Pikmin! Metroid! Baten Kaitos! Katamari? LAYTON!?
It's been and gone — the first Nintendo Direct of 2023. It was another 40+ minute show packed with trailers, new details about upcoming games from Nintendo and third parties, and plenty of surprises. Below is the full video of the Nintendo Direct February 2023 presentation, plus a list of every...
Poll What Did You Think Of The February 2023 Nintendo Direct?
Metroid, Game Boy & more!
Nintendo has just aired perhaps one of the best Directs ever. Not only did we get some long-awaited release dates, but a number of long-running rumours were also finally confirmed. The broadcast started off strong with a release date for Pikmin 4 and was followed by a number of expansion pass reveals for Xenoblade...
Hands On Octopath Traveler II Looks Incredible, But Can It Forge Its Own Identity?
Boosting the original without breaking anything
Not every sequel needs to reinvent the wheel. Sometimes simple refinement does the job just fine. For every game that mixes things up, like Breath of the Wild, there’s another like A Link Between Worlds that takes a more subtly iterative approach to the standard formula. After playing through the...
Feature The Best Endings In Games On Nintendo Switch
All things must come to a GAME OVER
It's hard to say goodbye, but sometimes, it's for the best. Some of the more memorable and touching stories we've witnessed in games throughout the years have been the ones that ended tragically, or culminated in a bittersweet conclusion — there's a reason Shakespeare's most-loved plays are Hamlet and Romeo...
Feature Our Predictions For The February 2023 Nintendo Direct
Zelda! Pikmin! ...Metroid..?
Looking for the February 2023 Nintendo Direct stream to see if we predicted anything correctly? Watch it with us via the link below: <related ids="144773"> What's that, you say? There's going to be another Nintendo Direct? Great Scott! This is heavy... Yes, Nintendo is back with another showcase focusing on...
Hands On Afterimage Is The Most Beautiful-Looking Metroidvania We've Ever Played
Picturesque
We know there are a lot of Metroidvanias out there. But after spending about three hours with Afterimage, we're pretty confident in saying that this is one of the prettiest we've ever played. Even before we got our hands on the game, Afterimage stood out to us with its stunning hand-drawn visuals. Even next to the likes of Hollow Knight,
Feature Nintendo eShop Selects - January 2023
Our picks for the best Switch eShop games in January!
Thank goodness January is over, hey? It always feels like it's twice as long as it actually is, and it doesn't help that it's cold and a little quieter on the gaming front. So it's time to dig deep and take a look back at last month for our monthly eShop Selects picks! In New Year's traditions,...
Feature 25 Stardew Valley Secrets And Easter Eggs You Might Not Have Known About
More like ConfidentialApe
Fancy yourself a Stardew Valley nerd? Do you feel like you know the game inside and out? We're here to challenge that, with 25 niche and surprising things that you may (or may not) already know about the game! 25 Things You Didn't Know About Stardew Valley: Rarecrow references The Rarecrows, which as rare scarecrows...
Talking Point Who Did You Marry In Fire Emblem: Awakening?
Fire of love
For better or for worse, Fire Emblem today is a different beast to what it was a decade ago. Fire Emblem Engage brought back the weapons triangle, a combat-first focus, and the wonderful Engage mechanic, but at what cost? The social aspect (one of the biggest selling points in previous games) takes a tumble in the most recent entry. The...
Talking Point What Are You Playing This Weekend? (February 4th)
Game on!
Well folks, we made it through January and the upcoming months are looking bright (in gaming, at least). It's now fewer than 100 days until the release of Tears of the Kingdom so the countdown is well and truly on. This week at Nintendo Life, we had a chance to get hands on with Theatrhythm Final Bar Line, and we also
Soapbox Gaming Superstitions And Rituals Might Not Work, But They Matter
We're crossing our fingers
The God of Random Numbers is real, and he's in your house right now, sniffing all your dice. If you don't pray to him, you'll never see a natural 20 again, and all of your card decks will be stacked against you for the rest of time. Or... RNG is exactly what it sounds like. Random. Mashing B, or A, or whatever button you...
A projector for those ready to go all in
When shopping around for a new TV, it's easy enough to know what to look for and what questions to ask. What’s the picture size and resolution? How many HDMI inputs does it have? Does it come with any smart features built-in? Is it HDR-compatible? But what if you’re interested in a projector instead? What...
Feature The Real Songs That Inspired Iconic Nintendo Music
And a few non-Nintendo ones for good measure
Have you ever been listening to music, enjoying yourself, and then BAM, suddenly you hear the first four notes of a song from a video game — and then you have that song stuck in your head for the rest of the day? Well, that's not always a coincidence. Many musical composers take heavy inspiration from...
Guide Best Contra Games On Nintendo Systems
Compared, Contra-sted, and ranked by you
Contra is one of a handful of franchises that have become completely synonymous with gaming; indeed, chances are if you haven't played any Contra games, then you'll have at least heard of them. Konami's run-and-shoot-'em-up behemoth may have lost a lot of its lustre in recent years (pretty much par for the...
Soapbox Wario Land 4 Deserves More Love, And Indie Devs Are Doing What Nintendon't
Wario wary? HURRY UP! and play
Soapbox features enable our individual writers and contributors to voice their opinions on hot topics and random stuff they've been chewing over. Today, Scott ponders how Mario's nemesis number 2 deserves more respect... In the conversation of all-time great video games you have many Nintendo faces who show up near...
Talking Point Which Mario Suits Do You Want To See In The Super Mario Bros. Movie?
Thinking inside the box
We are still a couple of months away from the release of The Super Mario Bros. Movie on 7th April 2023, but that means that the publicity can only increase from here. Remember that brief period of trepidation where none of us knew what the movie would look, sound, or even remotely be like? Ah, what sweet bliss. Now, we know...
Talking Point 15 Years On, Should Super Smash Bros. Brawl's Subspace Emissary Return?
In Smash Space, no one can hear you brawl
Well blimey, Super Smash Bros. Brawl is celebrating its 15th anniversary in Japan today! That's right, the third entry in what is one of the most iconic Nintendo franchises launched on 31st January 2008, and for many — even with how huge Melee was — this is what created some of the most iconic Smash...
Hands On Theatrhythm Final Bar Line Feels Like A Perfectly Tuned Final Fantasy Celebration
Encore! ENCORE!
The curtains are open and the stage is set. Theatrhythm Final Bar Line marks the return of the Final Fantasy rhythm series to Nintendo consoles after a 10-year break. We've had a chance to go hands-on with an upcoming demo for the game, which will be available on 1st February, and if the early goings-on is anything to go on, then...
Talking Point Do We Need Another Pokémon Mystery Dungeon On Switch?
Putting the "fun" in d(f)ungeon
I've been thinking a lot about Pokémon Mystery Dungeon recently. Maybe it's the list of spin-offs I recently wrote up, which reminded me just how many excellent/terrible Pokémon spin-offs exist out there, or maybe it's the fact that when I was writing my answer to the question "What Pokémon game should be the next...
Feature Video Game Music That Didn't Need To Go That Hard
It had no right!
There is a lot of video game music out there that goes hard. By "goes hard" we mean it slaps. By "it slaps" we mean it's a bop. By "it's a bop" we mea— forget it. These are tracks that are really good. In the vast majority of these instances, the tracks match the situation pretty perfectly. A high-stakes moment in the game might...
Poll Which Of Rare's Classic N64 Games Would You Like To See On Switch Online?
Got GoldenEye, bagged Banjo, dare we dream of more?
Looking at the library of N64 games currently available if you're a Nintendo Switch Onlne subscriber at the Expansion Pack tier, we now have access to not one, but two of Rareware's all-time 64-bit classics in the form of Banjo-Kazooie and, now, GoldenEye 007. Just a handful of years ago this might...
Talking Point Where Should The Next Pokémon Legends Game Take Place?
And who should be the 'legend'?
It's hard to believe it, but Pokémon Legends: Arceus is a year old today. This Pokémon game took us back to the distant past and completely shook up the formula of what we all expected from a mainline Pokémon entry. And, quite frankly, we want more of what it gave us. Legends: Arceus sees you get thrown back in...
Talking Point What Are You Playing This Weekend? (January 28th)
Shaken not stirred
Well here we are folks. It's the final week of January and we have had our first big Nintendo release of the year. Consider 2023 to be well and truly underway! This week at Nintendo Life, we got all kinds of excited for the eventual release of GoldenEye 007 on the Nintendo Switch Online N64 library and suggested a quick fix for...
Soapbox Playing Games With Other People Made Me Realise That I'm A Monster
Just unplug the 2P controller already
My partner is the most patient man I've ever met. It's one of the things I appreciate about him the most — especially since I'm the opposite. He's the Lawful Good to my Chaotic Neutral. I'm a cyclone and he's calm waters. Opposites attract, right? For most of our relationship, this dynamic — his patience,...
Feature Best Japan-Exclusive 3DS Games - 13 Titles We Wish Had Come To The West
From strategy tributes to puzzle RPGs...
With the closure of the 3DS eShop fast approaching, it's got us feeling a little bit nostalgic here at Nintendo Life — particularly for games that we never got our hands on here in the West. It's a tale as old as time at this point. Many Japan-only games never get localised, and that's been the case for a...
Feature Everything Announced In Disney Dreamlight Valley's 2023 Roadmap: Multiplayer, Olaf, And More
Next update releasing in April
It looks like 2023 will be a very exciting year for Disney Dreamlight Valley, as the content roadmap released today includes a ton of new characters, new realms, new quests, and even the addition of multiplayer — and that's just in the first half of the year. The roadmap was posted today on the Disney Dreamlight...
Feature 6 Things We'd Love To See In Metroid Prime 4
It's been four years since development was restarted
This week — today, in fact — marks an astonishing four years since the announcement that work on Metroid Prime 4 had been restarted from scratch and shifted over to original developer Retro Studios. We all remember the day when Shinya Takahashi, Senior Managing Executive Officer at Nintendo,...
Feature 9 Unanswered Questions We Have About Zelda: Tears Of The Kingdom
Where's Tingle at?
We’re mere months away from The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom’s debut on 12th May. As it is, perhaps, the biggest release on the Nintendo Switch since the console’s launch year way back, we know remarkably little about the follow-up to Breath of the Wild – a game rightly hailed as one of the best ever made. Sure,
Poll What Review Score Would You Give Fire Emblem Engage?
Engaged or disengaged?
We're sure a lot of you lovely readers have been engaging with a certain strategy RPG over the weekend. Yep, we're talking about Fire Emblem Engage, which launched on Switch last Friday. Okay, so this is a huge 40-50 hour game and we're not expecting you all to have blasted through the entire thing over the past few days, but...