News Nintendo Expands Switch Online's Game Boy Color, SNES & NES Library With Four More Titles
Kirby Tilt 'n' Tumble, Harvest Moon and more!
News Switch Online NES And SNES Controllers Are Back In Stock (UK)
A Switch Online exclusive
Random Donkey Kong Country Artist Reveals DK's Early Character Design Sketches
"He looks a lot more polished now"
SNES - News
August2023
Memory Pak Secret Of Mana's Dazzling World Of Colour Opened My Eyes
You're looking a bit green
Welcome to the latest instalment in our nostalgia-inducing column, Memory Pak, where we deep-dive into some of the most memorable moments in gaming – good and bad. Today, Secret of Mana turns 30 years old in Japan, and to celebrate this seminal action RPG's anniversary, Alana is reminiscing about how the game's use of...
July2023
Poll Box Art Brawl: Illusion Of Gaia
Or 'Time', if you will
Welcome, one and all, to another edition of Box Art Brawl. Taking a look at last week's battle, Europe went up against two opposing forces from North America for the DS release of Magic & Might: Clash of Heroes. Full blown civil war, over here. Europe came away with the victory, though, bringing in 56% of the vote with...
News EarthBound Documentary Will Examine The Power Of Online Communities
Set for release in November
An EarthBound documentary ten years in the making will debut on November 27th, 2023, examining the power of online communities and how an Earthbound fansite gained remarkable traction while "butting heads with corporate goliaths". Christened 'Earthbound USA', the documentary will be available via the Fangamer website and...
News Final Fantasy Developers Reminisce On IV, V, And VI In Anniversary Chat
The Super Famicom trilogy
The second part of the Final Fantasy 35th Anniversary Special Interview has been shared today on the official Final Fantasy YouTube, and this nostalgia-filled interview focuses on the Super Famicom / SNES trilogy that was recently rereleased in the Pixel Remaster series on Switch — Final Fantasy IV, V, and VI. Hosted...
Random Super Mario World's Lemmy Referenced In '90s Home Insurance Ad
Princess abduction not covered
Nintendo and its games have been referenced countless times in pop culture over the years. Heck, it's even seeped outside the world of pop culture, as demonstrated by this rather bizarre discovery from Supper Mario Broth. In a tweet posted on July 24th, 2023, it's been revealed that none other than Super Mario World...
Poll Super Mario All-Stars Is 30 Years Old - Do You Prefer The NES Or SNES Versions Of The Classics?
NES is more?
Video game compilations might feel like a new-ish thing — a bevvy of digital treats all packed into one cartridge (or disc, or download), but they're practically as old as the medium. When we think of classic compilations, one of the first that springs to mind is the SNES's Super Mario All-Stars. This 16-bit collection launched on...
June2023
Random Some Square Enix Staff Really Want A Final Fantasy VI Remake
But it would be "difficult", says Square Enix VP
We've already got Final Fantasy VI on modern consoles thanks to the Pixel Remaster, but what if Square Enix decided to remake its beloved 1994 RPG? Apparently, some staff at the studio want to see it, according to vice president and Final Fantasy VII Remake producer Yoshinori Kitase (via @Genki_JPN)...
Poll Box Art Brawl: Duel - Donkey Kong Country (SNES)
Go bananas
Hello and welcome back to your weekly round of Box Art Brawl! Before we leave the courtroom behind and move on somewhere a bit warmer, let's take a look at last week's results. Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney, the original Ace Attorney game, stood in the BAB docks, but it was an easy win for North America, which took 53% of your votes...
Guide Every Nintendo Switch Online SNES Game Ranked
All the SNES games, ranked by you
Updated with Harvest Moon following the June 2023 update. Remember, this list evolves as users rate the games within, so head to the game profiles and rate them out of 10 if you'd like to see the rankings below alter. Enjoy! The library of SNES games available on Switch as part of the Nintendo Switch Online...
News Nintendo Expands Switch Online's Game Boy Color, SNES & NES Library With Four More Titles
Kirby Tilt 'n' Tumble, Harvest Moon and more!
Nintendo has announced a new batch of games to the Switch Online service. The latest additions are part of the standard tier - adding two Game Boy Color titles, a SNES title (previously Japan-exclusive on NSO), and an original NES game. The games include the action title Kirby Tilt 'n' Tumble (2001),...
April2023
Poll Box Art Brawl: Duel - Batman Returns (SNES)
Back with a vengeance
Welcome, one and all, to another week's Box Art Brawl (rhyming unintentionally, we promise). Before we head into this week's super picks, let's first take a look at how the previous battle went down. Last week, we took a look at the covers for Final Fantasy IV on the DS and it wasn't a remotely close race. The colourful...
News The Jurassic Park Games Are Getting A 30th Anniversary Retro Collection
"Hold on to your butts"
If you're eager to sink your teeth into some more retro game collections, you'll be pleased to know physical distributor Limited Run Games has announced a Jurassic Park 30th Anniversary Collection. This collection will be released at some point later this year. No platforms have been announced just yet. Attached to this...
Random Rare Co-Founder Tim Stamper Teases 'Dream 64' Development Cartridge
"Dream 64 does exist after all"
Update [Tue 11th Apr, 2023 00:05 BST]: Tim Stamper has now posted a follow-up tweet featuring video footage of Dream 64. In it, he notes how it was "probably" shown at Japan's Nintendo Shoshinkai show (Space World) in 1996. In the video, there's a pirate mentioning how "the Nintendo 64 treasure does exist after all"...
Random Donkey Kong Country Artist Reveals DK's Early Character Design Sketches
"He looks a lot more polished now"
The release of The Super Mario Bros. Movie has meant that Donkey Kong is somewhat the talk of the town at the moment. While Illumination's take on the character has managed to stick pretty close to the DK that we all know and love, a recent livestream from one of the original Donkey Kong Country artists, Kev...
Random Ex-Rare Dev Explains The Origin Of Donkey Kong Country's Name
Take me home, country roads
When you think of the titles of some of Nintendo's most iconic platform games, many of them just make sense as they are: Super Mario World, Kirby's Dream Land, and Donkey Kong Country. It all fits as a naming convention, right? Well, according to ex-Rare dev Kev Bayliss, the inclusion of the word 'Country' in Donkey Kong...
Anniversary Capcom's Breath Of Fire Series Is 30 Years Old, And We Miss It
Come on, Capcom...
Today marks a milestone anniversary for Capcom's very first traditional RPG series. Breath of Fire launched on the Super Famicom on 3rd April 1993, kickstarting what would become a beloved franchise for many turn-based RPG fans. While North America would have to wait until the following summer to get their hands on Capcom's first...
March2023
Random Bridgerton, Dungeons & Dragons Star Regé-Jean Page Is A Fan Of Chrono Trigger
Breath of Fire, too!
It's a pretty great time for movies about video and tabletop games right now. The Tetris movie just dropped on Apple TV+, The Super Mario Bros. Movie is out next week, and Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves is out in cinemas today. And it turns out one of the movie's stars, Regé-Jean Page, is a pretty big fan of RPGs...
Random Street Fighter II Features In Japanese Commercial For Eye Drops
Wait till Ryu see this!
Unusual video game adverts aren't uncommon, but more and more we see product placements and advertisements for other items that use video games. But an ad for Rohto eye drops in Japan has caught people's attention because the whole commercial uses edited Street Fighter II footage. (Thanks for the tip, GreatSong1!) Posted on...
News Super Mario World Prototype Map Has Been Discovered
Mushroom island
The Nintendo Gigaleak has delivered once again. A prototype map from Super Mario World (that was found in the Gigaleak) has been fixed, and we can see what could've been for the first time ever. MrTalida shared the world of Super Mario World hacker and researcher
News Switch Online NES And SNES Controllers Are Back In Stock (UK)
A Switch Online exclusive
Update [March 20th, 10.55am]: If you missed out on the Nintendo Switch NES and SNES controllers, exclusive to Switch Online subscribers, now's the time to get them while you can. They've been restocked at the My Nintendo Store UK – but don't hang around, they usually sell out pretty fast! <products...
News Nintendo Expands Switch Online Game Boy, SNES & NES Service With Four More Titles
Out now!
Nintendo has announced a new batch of games for the Switch Online service. The latest additions are part of the standard tier - adding two Game Boy titles, a SNES title, and an original NES game. This includes the 1995 Game Boy release Kirby's Dream Land 2, Data East's 1991 Game Boy game BurgerTime Deluxe, the 1993 Data East game Side...
Poll Box Art Brawl: Duel - Mega Man X2
Wily Wars
Hi Folks - welcome back to another edition of Box Art Brawl! In last week's battle, we took a look at The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess for the GameCube, pitting North America and Europe against Japan. It wasn't a close one, either: North America and Europe absolutely smashed it, bringing in 86% of the vote at the time of writing...
Random Super Mario Kart Composer Launches Retro-Inspired Chiptune Album
LOOP816 is out now
If you're a fan of games like Super Mario Kart, Super Mario All-Stars, and Pilotwings, then you may have heard of Soyo Oka, a composer who worked with Nintendo from 1987 to 1995. Even if you're not aware of her by name, you will have no doubt heard a number of her more famous tracks, including Mario Circuit and
February2023
News Star Fox Character Designer Celebrates 30th Anniversary With Special Artwork
30 years and counting
Nintendo legend and artist Takaya Imamura is today celebrating 30 years of the original Star Fox game in Japan, with a special drawing of the one and only Fox McCloud. He also shared a special message thanking Fox for supporting him and everyone else who has worked on the games he's appeared in: Inamura departed from...
Video Star Fox Dev Gets Nostalgic Ahead Of SNES Game's 30th Anniversary
Too old for a barrel roll now?
Star Fox is 30 years old next week — yes, really. The SNES on-rails shooter celebrates its 30th anniversary on 21st February, so Q-Games CEO and lead programmer on the original game Dylan Cuthbert has sat down and shared anecdotes, stories, and tips on the game, and how Star Fox has influenced his game development...
Random Japanese Museum Wants To Reunite People With Their Lost Game Cartridges
Family-com reunions
Here's some balm for your soul on this Thursday morning: there's a museum in Japan that aims to reunite people with the Famicom games that they once owned (via Kotaku). Did you ever scribble your name down on an old game cartridge or box, only to sell it later on? You might just find it at the Named Cassette Museum in Tokyo...
January2023
News Zelda: A Link To The Past's Code Has Been Reverse-Engineered And Unofficially Enhanced
Unofficial console ports could now be possible
The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, one of the most beloved entries in Nintendo's storied franchise, has been successfully reverse-engineered, adding key enhancements to the experience and potentially opening the door to some unofficial ports. As reported by NeoWin (thanks,
News Zelda: A Link To The Past Artwork "Brought To Life" In Absolutely Stunning Animation
A full series of this could be amazing!
If you've ever wondered what classic game art might look like if it was brought to life, well here's a great example. American animator Parker Simmons has transformed parts of The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past SNES manual and other materials into living, breathing animations. The results are absolutely...
December2022
Poll Box Art Brawl: Prince Of Persia
The sands of time
Hi everyone, and welcome to another edition of Box Art Brawl! In last week's brawl, we took a look at the GBA karting classic, Mario Kart Super Circuit. North America and Europe joined forces against Japan and came away with the win, garnering a whopping 75% of the vote. It's clear that the more simplistic composition proved...
Random Zelda Fan Uncovers A Link To The Past's Original Dungeon Designs In Proto Data
Goron-level mining
When it comes to stone-cold classics like A Link to the Past, we have to ask how much content can there really be that we don't already know about? The answer, so it seems, is quite a lot actually. For the past little while now, a Zelda fan by the name of @Dark_Linkael has been working their way through the prototype data for...
Anniversary Super Famicom Favourite 'Final Fantasy V' Is 30 Years Old
A Tycoon of the series
Final Fantasy V is celebrating its 30th anniversary in Japan today! Geez. Released on the Super Famicom on 6th December 1992, Final Fantasy V was a return to the Job System set-up of Final Fantasy and Final Fantasy III on the NES. It's also sandwiched between what many consider two of the best Final Fantasy games ever —...
November2022
Random Musician "Restores" Chrono Trigger Soundtrack Using Uncompressed Samples
Music Revolution
Update: The video has been made private, and it appears that Mathew Valente's account has been hacked. We'll be sure to update this post once the soundtrack has been made available again. For now, you can listen to some samples over on his Twitter account: Mathew Valente, known as TSSF and who worked on the cancelled fan game...
October2022
News The Samurai Collection Brings Two Classic Beat 'Em Ups To Switch This Week
Crouching Tiger Hidden Release
Around this time last year, we heard of the formation of QUByte Classics - a partnership between Publisher QUByte and Piko Interactive - and we have subsequently seen a whole host of classic 8- and 16-bit titles brought back to the Switch (The Humans, Tinhead, Jim Power: The Lost Dimension, amongst others). Well,...
News Terranigma Artist Kamui Fujiwara Releases Special Movie For 27th Anniversary
"The planet had two hearts..."
If there's a Nintendo console that's absolutely loaded with stellar RPGs, it's the Super Nintendo. This little system is filled to the brim with classics from Squaresoft), Enix (prior to merging with Square), Nintendo, Capcom, and tons more. Terranigma, from developer Quintet, is one of the standouts, despite not...
Random 'Super Mario Kart Deluxe' Romhack Gets The Franchise's Most Notorious Item
Feeling blue?
Everyone's got their favourite items when it comes to the Mario Kart franchise, but we'd be willing to bet that it probably isn't the Blue Shell. Introduced in Mario Kart 64 and subsequently becoming a mainstay in the franchise to this very day, the Blue Shell is a veritable nightmare for those cruising along in first place,...
Random Modder Creates Stunning Portable SNES, And We Want One
Too cute!
Over five years ago (or exactly five years if you're in Japan), Nintendo launched the Super NES Classic Edition, an adorable and convenient miniature console loaded with some of the best games available on the SNES. But what if you could take it on the go? As spotted by the fine folk over at Time Extension, a fan-made portable SNES (or...
Random Nintendo Censored Famous Marvel Location In SNES Spider-Man Game
Changing places, literally
Retired game developer Kevin Edwards has recently been taking to Twitter to share his experience of the industry in the 1990s. While these posts certainly provide a deep dive into the intricacies of building a video game, so too do they demonstrate the trials involved when the development team is placed under high pressure...
September2022
News Star Fox 2 Made Its Debut On The SNES Classic Console Five Years Ago
You can now play it on the Switch Online service
The Star Fox series has been a staple of Nintendo systems since the Super Nintendo era, but there was one game in the series that went missing during this generation - Star Fox 2. While the game was mostly ready to go by 1995, by then PlayStation had entered the market and the N64 was just around the...
Anniversary Dragon Quest V Is 30 Years Old Today
The best Dragon Quest?
One of the Super Famicom's most-celebrated RPGs turns 30 today in Japan. Dragon Quest V: Hand of the Heavenly Bride was the series' first game on the 16-bit console, and even today, Dragon Quest V is fondly remembered, despite the game not receiving an official Western release until its 2009 DS port. The Super Famicom (or...
Poll Box Art Brawl: Duel - Mega Man X
Mavericks, assemble!
Hi folks; welcome to another edition of 'Box Art Brawl'! Last week, poor ol' Solid Snake got himself trapped in a digital space and needed your help to escape by voting for your favourite Metal Gear Solid: Ghost Babel box art. In the end, despite strong competition from North America, it was Europe that won out with 45% of the...
August2022
Video Our Video Producer Showcases His Top Five Rarest Games
Yes, "you know what" is one of them
A few months back, our delightful video producer Zion was challenged by Jon Cartwright from Good Vibe Games to showcase the top five rarest games in his collection. While he didn't get around to it right away (hey, we're a busy bunch, okay?) Zion has now fulfilled his oath and produced a new video showcasing the...
Poll Box Art Brawl: Duel - Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles IV: Turtles In Time
Turtle-y brawling
Happy Bank Holiday weekend to you folks in the UK, and welcome everyone to another edition of Box Art Brawl! Last week, it was the turn of Wave Race 64 to come under BAB scrutiny — which was fitting as the game launched on the Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pass service. it was a close (wave) race between the top two, but...
Feature Super Mario Kart At 30: How 16-Bit Limitations Created A Franchise-Defining Mechanic
The gift of the drift
The landscape of the Mario Kart series looks very different today than it did back in 1992 when Super Mario Kart was released for the Super NES. Of course, there is a clear improvement with respect to visuals and we now have new characters, karts, and courses dropping all the time thanks to the Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Booster...
News 20th Super Mario Kart Championships Start Their Engines On Twitch Today
Off to the races
We are rapidly approaching the 30th anniversary of Super Mario Kart's Japanese release on the Super Famicom, but what if we told you that there is another SMK-adjacent anniversary happening today? We are, of course, talking about the Super Mario Kart Championships, which will be racing off the start line today in its 20th year of...
News Live A Live Producer: Nintendo Wanted Game On Virtual Console, Led To Remake Conversation
Nintendo lived for the game
For a long time, we didn't think we'd ever see an official localisation of Live A Live, but it's 2022, and we're still pinching ourselves over the existence of the HD-2D remake. Live A Live is brilliant, and we're glad we finally got to experience it, but the game's director (and remake's producer) Takashi Tokita has...
News Super Punch-Out!! Hidden Two-Player Mode Discovered 28 Years Later
No hacks or mods required
There's been a historic discovery made within the 1994 Super Nintendo release Super Punch-Out!! today. A Twitter account known as 'Unlisted Cheats' has uncovered a hidden two player mode in the game. To access this option, on the game's start screen you'll have to hold the 'Y' and 'R' buttons on the second player's...
July2022
Random Super Mario World Is One Billion Seconds Old Today
One billion candles, then?
We celebrate video game anniversaries all the time here at Nintendo Life. Who doesn't like a birthday or anniversary? Now, we all know Super Mario World is going to be 32 years old in November this year (who remembers playing it when it first came out?), but it's already reached another milestone in digits. Blogger Supper...
News Nintendo Expands Its Switch Online SNES And NES Service With Three More Titles
Available now!
Nintendo has added three more games to Switch Online retro libraries today. There are two SNES games and one NES title. These games include Fighter's History (1994, Data East Corporation), Kirby's Avalanche (1995, HAL, Banpresto, Compile) and Daiva Story 6: Imperial of Nirsartia (1986, Toshiba Emi) Here's a look: Japan's Switch...
Random Have You Seen This Cute, Unreleased Precursor To The Top Loader NES?
What could have been...
The North American version of the top-loading NES-101 All the way back in 1988, Nintendo would show to the media a brand new piece of hardware that would eventually become the Super Famicom, or the Super NES in the West. It was an exciting time for the gaming community as Nintendo entered the 16-bit era, though it seems...
Random We Need To Play This Gorgeous Fan-Made Super Mario RPG Remake Now
A thing of beauty
Back in the '90s, whoever thought that Nintendo would team up with JRPG giants Square Enix (then known as Square or Squaresoft) to create a Mario RPG starring the Italian plumber, Princess Peach, and Bowser? Not us! But they did, and we're forever grateful for the existence of Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars. Despite...
Random This Fan-Made Mini TV With A Built-In Super NES Is Totally Adorable
Bite-sized classic gaming with a TV to match
One of our favourite console peripherals is the Joytech GameCube screen, a little attachable screen for the little box-shaped console that turned it into a portable console of sorts. Lots of mods for other consoles have been inspired by this little add-on, but today, we have something extra dinky that...
Random This Incredible Super NES Manual Archive Will Get You All Nostalgic
All 844 English language manuals
We really miss physical game manuals. There was always a particular kind of joy that came from opening the box of a brand new video game and flicking through the pages of a manual to find out what the game was going to be like. Some of our favourites would get dog-eared, and torn up, but they were always well-loved...
Random This Browser-Based Version Of Mario Paint Composer Will Entertain For Hours
Face the music
What's the best part of Mario Paint? No, not the painting! The Composer mode! Who didn't spend hours on Mario Paint making tunes with fire flowers, mushrooms, coins, and boos? Mario Paint Composer has become something of an online hit in the years since the SNES game's release, with many budding musicians picking up their SNES mouse...
June2022
News Undertale Creator Toby Fox Explains How EarthBound's Fans Kept The Game Alive
Praises the "active and aggressive" fan community
Undertale creator Toby Fox has made no secret of the fact that he was heavily inspired by EarthBound when crafting his legendary post-modern take on the humble RPG, and he's one of many people who has spoken to Lost in Cult for the next issue of its boutique video game publication, Lock-On. Lock-On
Random Get A Glimpse At The Glory Days With This Retro SNES Video
Featuring the famous Nintendo Gameplay Counsellors
Just recently, we caught a sneaky glimpse at the dedicated workers testing and packing NES consoles back in 1989. While it hardly contained any surprises or revelations into how consoles were manufactured back in the day, it was nevertheless a fascinating look at the fine folks who worked tirelessly...
News Brand New Details On The Cancelled SNES Kirby Game Have Been Discovered
Manual pages and story details
A major discovery has been made on the cancelled Super Nintendo Kirby game, Kid Kirby. This unusual title, which was being developed by DMA Design (who are now Rockstar North — yes, that Rockstar North), the game was meant to use the Super NES Mouse to launch Kirby across the levels, but slow development and poor...
News Nintendo Expands Its Switch Online SNES Service With Three More SP Titles
A celebration of Kirby
Nintendo has added not one, not two, but three more Kirby games to its Switch Online Super Nintendo service. The catch is they're technically existing releases but are the 'SP' versions. They include Kirby Super Star, Kirby's Dream Land 3 and Kirby's Dream Course. This also bumps the Switch Online SNES application to Version...
Random These All-In-One SNES And Famicom Consoles Are True Works Of Art
We'll take two!
We've seen our fair share of custom designs for retro consoles over the years, but we reckon this one takes the cake. Swedish audio-visual artist Love Hultén has created all-in-one devices for the Famicom system and the SNES, combining the genuine consoles with a 9" Sony Trinitron PVM-9042QM display monitor. The result is not only...
News Rendering Ranger: R2 Is Officially Making Its Way To Switch And SNES
1995 SHMUP was previously one of the rarest games in existence
Update - Tue 7th Jun, 2022 13:00 BST: Rendering Ranger: R2 has been announced for western release by Limited Run Games, officially ending its absurd scarcity since its initial Japan SNES launch in 1995. No release date has been set at the time of writing, however a physical edition of...
Random Hyperkin Recreates The 'Americantendo' From Stranger Things 4
We award this 11/11
If you've managed to watch Stranger Things 4 by now, you might have caught the rather bizarre mention of the 'Americantendo', a hypothetical 16-bit console that's mentioned by the character Argyle. Don't worry if you haven't seen it yet, that's all the context we'll be providing here for fear of spoilers! Well, Hyperkin has gone...
May2022
News Nintendo Expands Its Switch Online SNES And NES Service With Three More Titles
Out now!
Following on from the news that we could be getting more NES and SNES games this week, Nintendo has now added three classics to its Switch Online service. The titles joining the service on this occasion include Congo's Caper (Data East, 1993) and Rival Turf! (Jaleco, 1992) for Super Nintendo, along with Pinball (Nintendo, 1983) for NES.
News SNES Platforming Shooter 'Jim Power: The Lost Dimension' Returns On Switch
With multiple physical releases
In another obscure retro rerelease, publisher QUByte Interactive and developer PIKO Interactive have announced the return of the SNES platformer Jim Power: The Lost Dimension in 3-D in the form of a brand new release — Jim Power: The Lost Dimension. Released in 1993 on the Super Nintendo, Jim Power is an action...
News This Important Piece Of Star Fox History Was Almost Thrown Away
I can't let you do that, Fox
Star Fox might not be one of Nintendo's biggest-selling franchises, but it certainly has a passionate following; the first SNES game was revolutionary in that it harnessed the Super FX chip to create a convincing 3D world, while subsequent titles both refined the format and took it in new directions. However, since...
News Newly-Translated Article Reveals Sega And Nintendo's Worries Of A '90s Atari-Style Crash
“It’s almost like a return of the 1982 Atari Shock"
Many of us think of the '90s as the golden age of video games. The Super Nintendo and Sega Genesis / Mega Drive were brimming with a huge variety of games. But when Sony's PlayStation hit in 1995, it was an indication of another huge shake-up in the video game industry — though even then,...
Random Here's Why Wolfenstein 3D On SNES Replaced Dogs With Rats
"You can't shoot dogs!"
We love a good documentary here at Nintendo Life, and CREATORVC's upcoming film, First Person Shooter, looks like it will fill a big gap in our lives. Shooting for a Q4 2022 release, this 3+ hour documentary is all about the genre's rise. Ahead of its release later this year, CREATORVC has shared a six-minute snippet with IGN...
News Get Your Funky Kong On With This Donkey Kong Country Ska Album
In a ska-bound land
David Wise's work on the Donkey Kong Country series soundtracks is arguably some of the most iconic of the SNES era. The original set the tone, from the 'Main Theme' to 'Aquatic Ambience' to 'Gan-Plank Galleon'. And because of Wise's excellent work, we've all heard of 'Stickerbush Symphony' from Donkey Kong Country 2 and the...
News David Ward, Co-Founder Of UK Game Developer Ocean Software, Has Passed Away
A "legend of the UK games industry"
Co-founder of Ocean Software, David Ward, has sadly passed away. A titan of the UK games industry, Ward's Ocean Software was one of the biggest European game developers and publishers in the '80s and '90s. This news was revealed by Just Flight founder Andy Payne on Twitter, and there has been an outpouring of...
Poll Box Art Brawl: Duel #95 - Earthbound / Mother 2
It's going to get Ness-y
Greetings, and welcome to another edition of Box Art Brawl! Last week, we took a look at the SNES classic Super Castlevania IV, and boy, you folks really didn't like the Japanese box art, did you? The North American variant took a resounding victory with 94% of the vote; one of the most decisive Box Art Brawls we've perhaps...
April2022
News Limited Run Games Releasing SNES Cartridge For Side-Scrolling RPG 'Dragon View'
It's worth a look
We have another beautiful-looking Limited Run Games release for you today — or in this case, a rerelease. The video game distributor has announced a brand new retro release for the SNES side-scrolling action RPG Dragon View. Limited Run revealed the rerelease of this cult classic yesterday, complete with a green SNES cartridge:...
Random You Can Play SNES Games On A Toaster With This DIY Kit
ToastBound
When we think of custom consoles, the first thing that comes to mind is custom plates, portable versions of home consoles - like this portable GameCube, which, in the absence of GameCube games on the Switch, we need. Yes, need. We're going a bit beyond these examples today, though! Japanese manufacturer Columbus Circle, who creates parts...
Gallery This Incredible Axelay Art Proves We Need A Modern Remake
Created by Housemarque's Tomi Väisänen
While the end credits of Konami's stunning SNES shmup Axelay promised a sequel, we sadly never got one – and the game remains a true one-of-a-kind thanks to its gorgeous visuals, fantastic level design and brilliant music. Someone else who is clearly a huge fan is Housemarque's Tomi Väisänen. When he's...
News As 'Power Instinct' Approaches 30, The Chances Of A Re-Release Seem Slim
Character designs not "politically correct"
While it might not be quite as well-known as Street Fighter or King of Fighters, Atlus' zany Power Instinct (Gōketsuji Ichizoku in Japan) still has many fans – and those same fans might be expecting some kind of celebration to mark the series' 30th birthday in 2023. However, according to one source in...
News Switch Online SNES And Sega Genesis Wireless Controllers Are Back In Stock (North America)
Get 'em while you can
One of the best ways to experience Nintendo's Switch Online retro library is with authentic wireless controllers. If you've not been able to get your hands on the SNES or Sega Genesis wireless controllers just yet though, the good news is that they're now both back in stock on Nintendo's official websites in North America...
March2022
News Nintendo Adds Super Mario World And Super Punch-Out!! Switch Online Special Versions
Special World and 'Champion Edition' await
As you're likely aware, Nintendo bolstered the NES and SNES Switch Online line-ups with three new games, but there are a couple of other additions to check out. We have another two 'Special' editions to try, both for iconic games in the Super Nintendo app. First up we have 'Champion Edition' in Super...
Rumour Could We Be Getting New NES And SNES Games This Week?
Update: Three more classics have been added!
Update [Thu 31st Mar, 2022 02:05 BST]: It's official, Nintendo has expanded its SNES and NES service with three more titles. Nintendo Expands Its Switch Online SNES And NES Service With Three More Titles Original story [Wed 30th Mar, 2022 13:45 BST]: New games for the Nintendo Switch Online service...
Rumour Buster No, The Original DOOM Doesn't Take Place In March 2022
"that date did not come from anyone at id"
At the start of this year, a rumour was apparently doing the rounds online that the original 1993 DOOM video game (released on the Super Nintendo in the same year) was set during March 2022. This "rumour" comes from the game's SNES manual. FPS specialist magazine E1M1 (via PCGamesN) previously confirmed...
Random Discover How Mode 7 Works On Super NES, In Just 10 Minutes
Who needs blast processing?
Mode 7 is definitely one of the coolest features of many SNES games. Remember hopping into your first go-kart in Super Mario Kart and seeing your favourite characters drive around "fully-3D" courses? Or playing Secret of Mana and getting on Flammie's back for the first time, and looking down at the world map? Don't forget...
News Unofficial F-Zero 'World Championship' Aims To Celebrate The 30th Anniversary Of The Series
(That's 30 years in Europe, by the way)
F-Zero burst onto the scene over 30 years ago now as a launch title for the Super Famicom. Since then, Captain Falcon and his pals have enthralled millions of players – but even so, there hasn't been a new entry in the franchise since 2004's F-Zero Climax. For shame, Nintendo. Pop culture publication Cool...
Random Portal 2's Intro Was Apparently Inspired By Super Metroid's Opening
Game's project lead reveals all
The 1994 action-adventure Super Metroid is arguably the best entry in the mainline Metroid series and as a result, it's inspired many other games over the years. One game that you may not have realised took a little bit of inspiration is Valve's 2011 puzzle-platform game is Portal 2. Speaking to YouTube channel Kiwi...
February2022
News Square Enix Is Looking Into More HD-2D Remakes Of SNES Classics
"The president ordered us to make more use of HD-2D"
Square Enix is looking to follow up the likes of Octopath Traveler, Triangle Strategy and Live A Live with more 'HD-2D' remakes, it has been revealed. The report comes via Japanese publication Famitsu (thanks, VGC), which reveals that the deve
News Thousands Of Dollars Of Rare Factory-Sealed SNES Games Unearthed After 27 Years In Storage
TMNT! Evermore! Chrono Trigger! Sunset Riders!
When a video game store in Nebraska closed its doors for the final time in 1994, its entire stock was packed away and placed in storage, waiting for a new owner. Now, almost 30 years later, the stock has been unearthed and documented – and YouTube channel THISISGAMEROOM was there to record it. As you...
News Super Mario RPG Director Would Love His Final Game To Be "Another Mario RPG"
Super Mario RPG celebrated its 25th last year
Before Paper Mario and the Mario & Luigi series, there was the 1996 SNES title, Super Mario RPG. If you've ever wondered about a possible sequel, you're not alone. In fact, Chihiro Fujioka - one of the game's directors is also up for it. In a recent interview with the YouTube channel MinnMax, Fuj
Review EarthBound - A Quirky, Cosmic Adventure Bound To Warm Your Heart
Mother!
This review originally went live in 2016, and we're updating and republishing it to mark the arrival of Earthbound in the Nintendo Switch Online Super NES library. Fuzzy pickles! Back in 1995, this second instalment of Shigesato Itoi's much-loved Mother series (as it's known in Japan) only received a western release in North America, where...
News Square Enix's SNES JRPG 'Live A Live' Is Coming To The West After Almost 30 Years
Better later than never, right?
The Japan-exclusive SNES RPG Live A Live is finally coming to the west, it has been revealed. Originally released in 1994, the marked the directorial debut of Takashi Tokita - who worked on Chrono Trigger the following year. Live A Live was made available (in Japan) on the Wii U Virtual Console in 2015, and this was...
Random Check Out This Adorable 'Coat' For Your SNES
It's cold outside
If there's one video game accessory that's been unfairly ignored over the decades, it's console clothing. We live in a world where people will happily dress up their pets without any fear of rebuke, so why not their beloved gaming systems, too? It would seem that, once upon a time in Japan, someone thought this might catch on...
January2022
Random This Fan-Made SNES Hack Combines Celeste With Super Mario
It's also Celeste's 4th birthday!
Remember the Super Mario Maker craze, when a bunch of masochistic platforming-obsessed players would show off their near-impossible levels? And then, just days later, some even more masochistic platforming-obsessed player would post a video of themselves beating it? Well, now you can relive those glory days with...
News Metroid Prime Dev Confirms That Nintendo Blocked The Addition Of Super Metroid To The Game
...but it paved the way to the inclusion of the original Metroid
A few years back, it was reported that Super Metroid almost made it into Metroid Prime but Nintendo decided against it because the emulator used was an unofficial third-party one. In a conversation with Kiwi Talkz, Metroid Prime developer
With "high stability and low latency"
Taiwanese accessory maker Brook has made a name for itself via its innovative 'Wingman' series of adapters, and the company's latest product will be of particular interest to Nintendo fans. The 'Wingman SNES' makes it possible for retro gamers to use modern controllers on their classic systems. The adapter will...
News Legendary SNES Emulator Liberated Using NSA Tool
Swedish programmer bags long-rumoured SNESticle
The fabled SNES emulator known as SNESticle, which for much of the past two decades was considered to be nothing more than a rumour, has finally been unearthed and excavated by a Swedish programmer using, of all things, a National Security Agency-designed open source tool. SNESticle, the follow-up to...
December2021
Feature Artist Kamui Fujiwara Talks Terranigma Amid Drive To Resurrect Classic SNES RPG
"It means the quest is not over, right?"
Terranigma is a SNES title that holds a special place in the heart of many an RPG fan, which is remarkable when you consider that it was only released in Japan and Europe, and bypassed North America entirely. Part of Quintet's loose RPG trilogy (which also includes Soul Blazer and Illusion of Gaia),...
News Almost 30 Years Later, This Super Mario Kart Player Has Achieved An "Impossible" Record
From legend to Myth+
Super Mario Kart may have launched way back in 1993 and spawned several sequels since then, but it has lost none of its power when it comes to attracting record-breaking attempts. We've covered the likes of Sami Cetin on Nintendo Life in the past, as well as Guillaume "Antistar" Leviach – two of the world's best Super Mario...
News Yes, This Is Stunt Race FX Running On The Game Boy
Seriously impressive stuff
Stunt Race FX (known in Japan as Wild Trax) was quite an impressive feat when it launched. Sure, it looks hopelessly crude by modern standards, but back in the early '90s when 3D visuals were still in their infancy, it really turned heads – lest we forget, consoles like the SNES simply were not designed for this kind of...
News Masayuki Uemura, Creator Of The NES And SNES, Has Passed Away
"I think we have accomplished all the things we could accomplish with console games"
It has been revealed that NES and SNES lead architect Masayuki Uemura passed away on December 6th at the age of 78. The Famicom – the system that would become the NES in the west – was the brainchild of Uemura, who joined Nintendo as an engineer from Sharp in...
November2021
News Music From Kirby Super Star Has Just Been Nominated For A Grammy
'Meta Knight's Revenge'
Today in 'headlines we didn't expect to be writing in 2021 – or indeed, ever', we bring you the news that a track from SNES classic Kirby Super Star (known as Kirby's Fun Pak in PAL regions) has been nominated for a Grammy. The prestigious awards ceremony is gearing up for its 64th event and the full list of 2022...
News There's A $5,000 Reward For Anyone Who Can Find These 'Lost' F-Zero Tracks
"More like a lottery at this point"
Long before DLC become a regular part of our gaming lives, Nintendo broke new ground with its Satellaview service for the Super Famicom. Using satellite broadcasts, this system allowed players to download and store games on special rewritable BS-X memory packs – and preserving these titles has become a serious...
Random Want A Live Band In Zelda: A Link To The Past? The Game Brass Has You Covered
Yes, it's called A Link to the Brass
It's a big anniversary year with The Legend of Zelda turning 35, but it's also notable that 21st November brings us the 30th anniversary of The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past arriving in Japan. It's one of the greatest games in the series, and indeed gaming history, and of course fans will be celebrating in...
October2021
Gallery Breaking The Seal On Retro-Bit's 'Undercover Cops' Reissue
One of the rarest Super Famicom games lives again
Irem's Undercover Cops is one of the most expensive Super Famicom titles, regularly changing hands for $200 just for the loose cartridge. However, Retro-Bit has come to our rescue with a reissue of the game which comes with a bunch of other goodies that collectors will want to check out. Retro-Bit...
Random This Normal-Looking LEGO SNES Is Secretly Four Robots
Same
Baron von Brunk is at it again. We know that sounds like the beginning of a video game about shooting evil guys who definitely aren't Nazis but kind of are, but Baron von Brunk is a REAL MAN, whose actual name is Julius von Brunk, and he makes LEGO transformers. He's made a LEGO Game Boy Transformer, a LEGO N64 Transformer, a
September2021
News Don't Worry, Nintendo Isn't Abandoning Switch Online's SNES And NES Libraries
People who "don't upgrade" can still look forward to new additions
Nintendo's new tier for the Switch Online service has raised some concerns about future support for the SNES and NES libraries. Will games continue to be added to this service, or is Nintendo done with these older retro libraries for good? It seems there's no need to worry. Axios...
News Retailer Appears To Have Uncovered New And Sealed '90s SNES Games, And They're Up For Sale
What a find!
It's not often you stumble across brand new stock of games released in the '90s when browsing your favourite game store, but here we are with one of the most intriguing retail listings you're likely to see all year. German retailer Galeria Kaufhof has today added a brand new listing for Lufia II: Rise of the Sinistrals, known simply as...
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