Nintendo

Understanding The Hype (and Hate) For Nintendo Labo

Nintendo’s upcoming grand experiment with cardboard is unexpected enough that people have reacted dramatically to the announcement. Largely, fans seem to fall into two camps: either they’re psyched to build their own contraptions, or they don’t understand why something like this exists at all. Isn’t Nintendo a video game company? What are they doing messing…

Miitomo Is Shutting Down In May

Miitomo, Nintendo’s first tentative step into the world of mobile gaming, will be ceasing operations at 12:00am on May 9. While Nintendo can’t reach into your phone and delete the app, they’ll be shutting down pretty much everything it relies on, saying “If you launch the app after the end of service on 5/9, you’ll…

Here’s What Nintendo’s HQ Looked Like In 1889

It’s well-known that Nintendo was originally founded in Kyoto, Japan as a maker of playing cards in 1889. But a recent historical project by the city of Kyoto has turned up, for the first time, a photograph of what the company’s headquarters looked like in that year. The photo, and an accompanying blog post, were…

Your Uncle Who Worked At Nintendo Still Had To Pay For His Games

Even if someone’s uncle really did work at Nintendo, guess what: he probably didn’t get that kid down the street a copy of Mario for free. Chris Bieniek from Video Game Ephemera has got hold of some 1991 “Employee Purchase Order” paperwork from Nintendo of America, which shows how workers were able to buy their…

Nintendo Switch Joy-Con Controllers Make Excellent Grasshopper Legs

If Nintendo is short on Labo ideas, which I doubt, here’s one from Twitter user Colonel Odonger: a cardboard grasshopper. I have no idea what kind of game could be made with it, but putting those Joy-Cons in the grasshopper’s legs is neat. The building level, though, looks high Colonel Odonger has already been running…

Splatoon Player Clinches Win With The Most Satisfying Dunk

Most players might just use Splatoon 2‘s high-flying super jump to get back into the action after you’ve respawned. Saffron Rice’s DNerd found a different use: to sink the game-winning clam. During yesterday’s Splatoon 2 tournament at Genesis 5, Saffron was down in a game of Clam Blitz that had gone into overtime. Their opponents,…

The Competitive Smash 4 Scene Is Anxiously Awaiting Nintendo’s Next Big Move

The last few years have been pivotal in establishing Super Smash Bros. For Wii U as its own game, separate from its everlasting older sibling Melee. The Smash 4 scene has grown, developed major personalities and storylines, and saw its Evo grand finals live on cable television. Now all eyes are on Nintendo for what’s…

An In-Depth Look At Breath Of The Wild‘s Divine Beasts

For over a year, YouTube critic Mark Brown hasbeen exploring the dungeons in each Legend of Zelda game. His series concluded today with a look at Breath of the Wild outlining how the design of the game’s Divine Beasts is great but also frustrating. Brown’s gone to great lengths investigating the design of dungeons in…

That Nintendo Labo Robot Game Looks Awfully Familiar

Those who watch Nintendo closely probably got a whiff of déjà vu from today’s announcement of Nintendo Labo, its new line of Switch games with DIY papercraft controllers. And for good reason. Two Nintendo Labo sets, which include the game cartridge and the materials to put together the mechanical controllers, will release on April 20.…

In case you were wondering whether you can actually buy the Official Nintendo Tape and Stickers seen in the Labo trailer…of course you can. From Labo’s announcement press release: A special Customization Set that includes fun stencils, stickers and colored tape will also be available to purchase on April 20 at a suggested retail price…

The Internet Reacts To Nintendo Labo 

Nintendo Labo is basically high-tech cardboard, so naturally the internet is still trying to process the Japanese developer’s “new interactive experience.” While some people hoped for news of new Switch functionality, or perhaps Smash Bros., nobody guessed it would end up being DIY arts and crafts. Leave it to Nintendo to continually subvert expectations and…

Nintendo Announces Nintendo Labo, A Wild New Experiment For Switch

Nintendo today announced Nintendo Labo, a wild new experiment for the Switch that will allow players to insert the console into assorted pieces of cardboard, creating items like robots, fishing rods, and pianos. “Nintendo Labo combines the magic of Nintendo Switch with the fun of DIY creations,” the company explains on the Labo website. You’ll…

Today at 5pm EST, Nintendo is announcing, as the Japanese site states, “a new way of playing” for the Switch. Nintendo UK (pictured) calls it a “new interactive experience” that is “specially crafted for kids and those who are kids at heart.” Nintendo’s US arm has yet to make an announcement.

Poll: The New Games That Japan Wants On The Switch

Even though it’s early in the Switch’s life, the console already has some truly wonderful games. But what new titles in popular franchises do people in Japan most want? Like, that will make them buy a Switch? The answers might—or might not—surprise you. Research site GooRanking got over two thousand replies (2,423 to be exact)…

According to Gamemeca (via tipster Sang), during the Nintendo Switch’s first three days on sale in South Korea, over 55,000 units were sold. Sure, PC gaming rules the country, but that three-day number is better than the first month for any Nintendo system ever released in South Korea.

I Farmed 9999 Coins So My Son Could Have The Stupid Skeleton Outfit From Super Mario Odyssey

This is what love is. Love is patient. Love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonour others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Except for that one time my 5-year-old son made me farm 9999…

What Is Your Favorite Game Level?

Super Mario Odyssey did a fantastic job melding a nostalgic love for the older retro Mario titles and its more modern 3D games. Its levels are inspired, creatively designed to balance a sense of wonder with a good challenge. Minor Spoiler Alert New Donk City’s Traditional Festival is the perfect example of that. Mario takes…

Ninja Gaiden II’s Brilliant Use Of Weather

When I think back on the NES era, the Ninja Gaiden series stands out for having gorgeous cinematics, tough as nails gameplay, and amazing music. The first game had one of the most engaging stories of the 8-bit era. And while the second wasn’t as strong in the narrative department, it introduced a lot of…

The Nintendo Switch Had An Incredible Year In Japan

It’s January. A good time to take stock and reflect on 2017. And for the Nintendo Switch in Japan, what a year it was. Throughout 2017, the Switch drew long (and sometimes hellish) lines. Even by the year’s end, when the Switch became more available, it still continued to post strong sales numbers. But, really,…

Splatoon 2‘s Next Update Could Finally Fix Some Issues With Its Warehouse Map 

Nintendo has been keeping up with Splatoon 2‘s development and as such the game’s new version, 2.2.0, is scheduled to go live on January 16 and address a number of existing problems, including imbalances on its Walleye Warehouse map. Following the game’s initial release in July of last year, Splatoon 2 has been getting substantial…