Nintendo

Hate Using the Classic Controller on the Wii U? Use the PS2’s Instead.

A conversion kit going on sale soon in Japan allows gamers to connect a PlayStation 2 DualShock to the Wii U. It’s an alternative for those who don’t prefer the Wii Classic Controller to play old Wii games, and find themselves unable to use their good old GameCube controller because the new console lacks a…

That New 3DS Game By The Creator Of Vagrant Story Is Out December 13

I’m quite interested in Crimson Shroud, a downloadable 3DS game that was just announced for release on December 13 Mostly because it was designed by Yasumi Matsuno, he of Final Fantasy Tactics and Vagrant Story fame. But also because it sounds kind of awesome. Here’s the official description: LEVEL-5 and Yasumi Matsuno have brought together…

Watch Nintendo’s Hardware History Come to Life in This Really Cool Animated Video

The Wii U just launched in Europe last night. And, just like the console’s U.S. launch, pictures of long lines and complaints about the long day-one update popped up on Twitter and Facebook. But good things appeared, too, like this sharp video by graphic designer Anthony Veloso. I really dig how the music and motion…

How To Beg Your Dad To Buy You a Console

In 1999, Buzzfeed’s Josh Fjelstad really, really wanted an N64. And hey, it was 1999, so did a lot of kids. But what Josh did to actually get one was… different. Instead of just asking, or sulking, or whatever else kids do to try and get their way, Josh sat down and wrote a letter.…

Turns Out a Lot of People Have no Idea What the Hell a Wii U is

Last night, an Australian TV commercial for the Wii U came on. My wife looked at it, then at me, then back at it, then at our Wii, before finally asking “wait, don’t we have a Wii? What’s this?” While a single anecdote, it sums up my biggest concern for Nintendo’s new console, at least…

The Final Nintendo Power Cover is Awesomely Nostalgic

On the left, the cover of the final issue of Nintendo Power magazine, a publication that’s been running since the 80s. It’s great on its own, but when you remember what the first issue of Nintendo Power looked like, on the right, it’s enough to bring a tear to the eye. Nintendo Power’s closure was…

The Ups and Downs of a Night Out at the Official Zelda Concert

Nintendo’s Zelda games are usually very good. Their music is among their better qualities. So an official Zelda concert should be good, right? I went to one last night. I liked it, didn’t love it… meaning it was a little more Zelda II for me, not so much Ocarina Of Time. And definitely not Majora’s…

Hacker Says He’s Cracked Open The Wii U, CPU Is ‘Nothing To Write Home About’

Hector Martin, he who put together the first open-source driver for Microsoft’s Kinect two years ago, now says he’s cracked open the Wii U. He won’t say what he did to get the details out of Nintendo’s latest console, but he did tweet some juicy (and very, very technical) tidbits about the system: So what…

Pac-Man, Wii U YouTube and a Romantic Airport Management Game from the Makers of Professor Layton Arrive in The Nintendo Download The Week

You get an all-time classic game, a Wii U app for the video service that changed the face of media and an unexpected entry from Level-5 with the downloadable bits coming to Nintendo platforms this week. Games Aero Porter Platform: 3DS/3DS XL Price: $4.99 LEVEL-5 and Yoot Saito, from VIVARIUM Inc., team up to bring…

9 out of 10 Game Creators Who Praised The Wii U Made a Wii U Launch Game

E3 is a time for a lot of huffery and puffery about video games, much of which turns out to be true—just not all of it The bluster is biggest when a new console is being launched. Promises are made or at least implied. Then the system comes out. So. The Wii U. It just…

The SNES is Back, And in Four New Pastel (?) Colour Schemes

Lekki, a French company specialising in the restoration and resale of old electronic devices, has recently turned their eyes towards the PAL version of the Super Nintendo console. Fixing old units, cleaning them up and giving them a new coat of paint, they’re not cheap—around €150—but considering the work that’s gone into it, and the…

Nintendo’s President is “Very Sorry” About All Those Wii U Updates

When users first got a Wii U home after its launch, it was tough to just plug it in and play. There were firmware updates. Many services then required their own updates. You couldn’t play Wii games without downloading updates. Updates updates updates While it was an understandable inconvenience – come on, it’s a new…

Michelle Obama Had No Idea What a Wii U Was (But It’s OK, Some Kid Told Her)

You’d think being the First Lady of the United States would mean you’re on top of things, but not even the most powerful household on Earth is up to speed on everything Take Nintendo’s new Wii U, for example. Because it’s got kinda the same name as its predecessor, it’s understandable some people are a…

Crashmo: The Kotaku Review

My enthusiasm for 2011 puzzle game Pushmo was borderline unprofessional. Also: nearly irrational. Pushmo was a block-pushing game and, really, the last thing the world needs is a game that doesn’t just feature more block-pushing puzzles but is all about them. But Nintendo did good with Pushmo. I’ve long said it’s the best game on…

New 3DS XL Bundle with Mario Kart 7 Races Out

Just in time for the holidays, Nintendo is releasing a Blue/Black Nintendo 3DS XL bundle with Mario Kart 7 already installed. It’s out December 2 for US$199.99.

We Might be Getting a Game Called Yoshi’s Land for the Wii U

So, remember how last week a guy got accidental access to a “mock” debug menu for the Wii U? There might be more to it than that. While messing around in there, a description of a game called Yoshi’s Land Wii U was found. That listing has since been found on retail sites. Seeing as…

Look Out, Nintendo Has An Official Gesture, And It’s Chopping At Your Face

Here’s a hilariously odd piece of corporate expression; it seems Nintendo has adopted an official gesture when its senior employees are mentioning the word “direct”. Tiny Cartridge’s Eric has spotted that, too often for it to be a coincidence, when the word (part of Nintendo’s term for its impromptu press briefings) “direct” is mentioned, the…

Microsoft Sold 750,000 Xbox 360s Last Week

Turns out people like video games, and buying video games, and buying machines to play video games on. Microsoft sold a whopping 750,000 Xbox 360s in the United States between Sunday, November 18 and Friday, November 23 (Black Friday), according to spokesman Major Nelson. Not too shabby! For comparison, Nintendo sold 400,000 Wii U consoles…

New Super Mario Bros. 2‘s New, Free* Levels Are Re-Makes Of Old Ones

The new Nintendo Direct Mini isn’t about the Wii Mini. It’s about new/old New Super Mario Bros. 2 levels that are temporarily free on the Nintendo 3DS. Not too confusing, right? Skip to 3:50 to see the levels. They may ring some bells. Nintendo Direct Mini — November 27, 2012 [YouTube. Thanks, Philip!]] UPDATE: So……

Ian Bogost’s appraisal of the Wii U looks at the new console and Nintendo’s long, twisting history in shifting contexts.