Tag: NES
News Mega Man 2 Director Explains Why The Game Was Developed So Quickly
"This was not something I was forced to do by the company"
Mega Man 2 is widely regarded as the absolute pinnacle of Capcom's side-scrolling series (though many, this writer included, hold Mega Man 3 as the best entry), boasting excellent level design, memorable Robot Masters, and some of the most incredible music you'll ever hear in a video game...
News New NES Game From Former Elite Beat Agents Devs Looks Totally Bananas
Like, literally
Work3 Studio, a new development team comprised of former Elite Beat Agents and Osu! Tatakae! Ouendan devs, has announced that it is working on a brand-new NES game, which is set to bring some monkey-based puzzling to real hardware (thanks for the heads up, VGC). Banana Bash! is a single-screen arcade-style puzzler being built on a...
News Nintendo Music Drops Three More Albums, Here's Every Song Included
A celebration of classic puzzle games
It's a new week and that means a new update for the Switch Online Nintendo Music mobile application. This time Nintendo has added not one but three - yes, three - soundtracks to the service. This includes the Game Boy hit Tetris, its NES counterpart, and the NES version of Dr. Mario. Dr. Mario for Game Boy is...
News Classic Super Mario Soundtrack Joins Nintendo's Music App For MAR10 Day
Bop to the beat
The MAR10 Day celebrations this year have been fairly lowkey, but we're not entirely done just yet. In case you missed it, Nintendo has added a new soundtrack to its Nintendo Music mobile application and sure enough it's a Mario one! Following on from Super Mario Bros. 2 last month and the Zelda: Link to the Past album last week,...
Poll Box Art Brawl - Duel: Ninja Gaiden III: The Ancient Ship Of Doom (NES)
Hyaaah!
Hello chums, and welcome back to another edition of Box Art Brawl! Last time, we looked at Pokémon Trading Card Game for the Game Boy Color, and the result was pretty definitive. The Western design won with 69% of the vote, with some of you noting that the Japanese variant didn't even look like it belonged to the Pokémon franchise. User...
News Ex-Nintendo Employee Spills The Beans On The Company's Weirdest Zelda Ad
"This is not what we were expecting"
Over the years, Nintendo has put out some truly weird adverts for its consoles and games, including the wonderful SNES collaboration with the late, great Rik Mayall, and the bizarre sing-a-long commercial used for Super Mario Sunshine. Many of them pale in comparison to the NES Legend of Zelda advert starring...
News An Unofficial New Book Celebrating Mario's 40th Anniversary Is On The Way
Wahoo!
After launching a beautiful book looking at the history of Club Nintendo, Oscar Bown is back with another upcoming Kickstarter project. This time, he's launching an updated and expanded version of the unofficial Super Mario Collection book with new content celebrating the plumber's 40th anniversary. Clocking in at 300 pages, this will be...
News Super Mario NES Banger Joins Nintendo's Music App, Here's The Full Tracklist
Pump the volume
Nintendo has continued the trend of releasing one soundtrack a week for its music app, and the latest addition is the album for the 1988 NES game Super Mario Bros. 2. Although the game itself might not be quite as popular as certain other Mario side-scrollers, the soundtrack is an absolute banger. This album contains a total of 14...
News Be Warned, Two NES Titles From Limited Run Games May Damage Your Console
Company issues an apology
Limited Run Games has issued emails to its customers confirming that both Rugrats: Adventures in Gameland and Piopow on NES may cause damage to the consoles or cartridges if used for prolonged periods of time. As highlighted on Bluesky (thanks, Time Extension), Limited Run has stated that these spec
And he'd like to turn his talents to Metroid
Scans: History of Hyrule The work of legendary Japanese artist Katsuya Terada can be seen all over game history. This is the man who designed the cover art for the Super Famicom's Prince Of Persia and the Sega Saturn's Virtua Fighter Remix, who worked with Nintendo on game guides for Dragon Warrior and
News DOOM Creator Calls Legendary Final Fantasy Programmer An "Inspiration"
"Without Nasir, there is no DOOM"
Co-founder of id Software and one of the minds behind the seminal FPS Doom, John Romero, has honoured a legendary Square programmer on social media, calling him an "inspiration". Sharing his thoughts in the wake of Japanese broadcaster NHK's interview with Nasir Gebelli, who lead programmer on the Final Fantasy...
News The OG Mega Man Is Getting The 'Hand-Drawn Game Guide' Treatment
And it looks glorious
Artist and author Phillip Summers is back with another 'Hand-Drawn Game Guide', this time looking at the classic hard-as-nails action title Mega Man. Soaring past its Kickstarter funding goal in just 12 hours, the Capcom-licensed book is aiming to launch in August 2025 for backers and will boast over 200 pages of stunning...
Poll Box Art Brawl - Duel: Zelda II: The Adventure Of Link
Second innings
Hello everyone, and welcome back to another edition of Box Art Brawl! Last time, Capcom's SNES classic Breath of Fire II was put in the spotlight as North America and Europe joined forces against Japan. It wasn't even remotely close either, as Japan absolutely nailed it with 71% of the vote. Well done! This week, we sifted through...
Feature The Famicom Failure That Almost Bankrupted HAL, But Shaped Nintendo's Future
HAL be there
Unless you’re a dedicated Famicom collector, it’s unlikely that you’ve heard of Metal Slader Glory. Released right at the tail end of the Famicom’s life in 1991, the year after the release of the Super Famicom, Metal Slader Glory never made it out of Japan, and it proved to be a massive flop for HAL Laboratory. But the very...
Feature Why Play Final Fantasy VII Remake When You Could Play FFVII 'Demake'?
"more than just pirate versions"
You’re probably aware of Square Enix’s lengthy and somewhat lavish efforts to remake the 1997 game Final Fantasy VII. The second instalment of this ambitious remake, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, was released just recently, and we’re still likely to be years away from any sort of conclusion. But you might not be...
Feature Meet Morphcat Games, The New-Gen NES Devs Pushing The 8-Bit Envelope
"No one has come close to exhausting its full capabilities"
Four decades after it became an international sales phenomenon and dominated a crowded games market, the Nintendo Entertainment System – the 8-bit box that gave birth to some of the medium’s biggest enduring franchises – today finds itself playing host to something else entirely: new...
News Nintendo Expands Switch Online's NES And Game Boy Color Library With Two More Classics
And a special message from Alexey Pajitnov
To celebrate the 40th anniversary of Tetris this year, Nintendo has added Tetris (NES) and Tetris DX (Game Boy Color) to the Switch Online service this week. As part of this, Tetris creator Alexey Pajitnov has also shared a special message - thanking fans for being part of the Tetris legacy for all of this...
News Nintendo Expands Switch Online's NES Library With Another Classic Next Week
Tetris returns
Earlier this year during a Tetris Forever 'Partner Direct' trailer, it was revealed the NES version of Tetris would be joining the Switch Online service "this winter". Now, in a new update, it's been confirmed this classic will be returning next week on 12th December 2024. This game will be available to all Switch Online subscribers...
Poll Box Art Brawl - Duel: Double Dragon (NES)
Double trouble
We are back, back, back with another edition of Box Art Brawl! Last time, we matched up two Game Boy covers for the weird Tetris sequel, Hatris, and oh boy was it a close contest! The colourful Japanese design just about clinched it in the end, taking 51% of the vote over North America's 49%. Talk about a photo finish! For a change...
Random This 2D Animator Is Remaking An NES Zelda Dungeon With Hand-Drawn Visuals
Gleeok glow up
We've seen a lot of Zelda remake projects over the years here at Nintendo Life, but every so often, one pops up that makes us think, "oof, yes please". Spoiler: that's exactly what we're thinking here. 2D animator Hugo Vasgestian dos Santos (Vasge on YouTube) has recently set out to remake the first dungeon from the OG The Legend of...
Poll Box Art Brawl: Kid Icarus (NES)
Angelic
Hey everyone, welcome to another edition of Box Art Brawl! Before we get cracking with this week's battle, let's see how things panned out last time. We took a look at Balloon Fight for the NES, a bonafide Joust-inspired classic from legendary developers such as Satoru Iwata and Yoshio Sakamoto. It was a close call on this one, but...
Poll Box Art Brawl: Balloon Fight (NES)
Full of hot air
Hey everyone, welcome to another edition of Box Art Brawl! Last time, we took a look at Mario Party Advance for the GBA (fittingly). There were only two different covers to take in, but it was the North American/European design that walked away with the gold, taking 63% of the vote and leaving Japan's rectangular variant with the...
News Final Fantasy Creator Jokes That He "Cheated On Nintendo" With PlayStation
But he credits the NES for his remarkable career
In a recent interview with One More Game, Final Fantasy creator Hironobu Sakaguchi joked that he "cheated on Nintendo" with PlayStation for the release of Final Fantasy VII in 1997. When speaking on the transition from console development to mobile, Sakaguchi looked back on his career and effectively...
News Nintendo To End Repairs For Famicom & Super Famicom Classic, New 2DS XL In Japan
Three more reach the end of the line
Nintendo has announced that it will be ending repairs for the Famicom Classic, Super Famicom Classic, and the New Nintendo 2DS XL in Japan "as our current stock of parts runs out". Shared by OatmealDome on Bluesky, both the classic "mini" cons
News 8BitDo Is Now Selling NES-Style Keycaps
Now you're playing with power!
Gaming peripheral company '8BitDo' has launched a new line of NES-inspired keycaps, which can be used on mechanical keyboards. These are apparently the same designs from its retro keyboard, which was released in 2023 (thanks, The Verge). These keycaps will set you back $49.99 USD (or your regional equivalent) and come...
News Nintendo Is Expanding Switch Online's NES Library With Another Classic
Tetris returns in Winter 2024
During the latest Partner Direct, Nintendo actually shared some surprise news related to the Switch Online service. In case you did miss the announcement, "this Winter" Nintendo will be adding the NES version of Tetris (dating back to 1989/90) to its digital retro library. There is no specific release date, but we did...
Random Bull-Airs Range Of Nintendo-Inspired Sneakers Is Extremely Cool
Power dressing
New York City-based clothing and sneaker company Bull-Airs has recently released a retro-inspired collection heavily referencing Nintendo's classic consoles, and a new set of pre-orders will be going live this Friday (thanks, GoNintendo!). The sneakers come in four different varieties, each one inspired by the colour scheme and...
News Nintendo Is Hiring 'Nintendo Experience Specialists' In Canada
Become a 'NES'
Nintendo is always hiring new talent, and in Canada, it's currently seeking 'Nintendo Experience Specialists'. This role, abbreviated as 'NES', currently has openings in British Columbia and Ontario. It is described as a "field support position" where specialists interact with consumers and retail staff, while also educating,...
Random Sakurai Shows Off His LEGO NES
He got it for his birthday
When he's not making games or recording videos about game design, Masahiro Sakurai likes to entertain himself in all sorts of ways. In his latest post on social media, the Super Smash Bros. Ultimate director revealed a LEGO set he received for his 54th birthday earlier this week. It's not just any old Lego set, either -...
Random Sakurai Breaks Down The Differences Between Famicom And NES Music
Explaining why Castlevania 3 sounds better in Japan
Masahiro Sakurai is once again delving into his video game knowledge with a video all about the intricacies of NES and Famicom audio. What begins as an introduction to the consoles' different audio processing channels (pulse, triangle, noise and DPCM), soon turns into a history lesson about how...
Poll Box Art Brawl: Duel - Gargoyle's Quest II: The Demon Darkness
Demonic
Hello folks, and welcome to another edition of Box Art Brawl! Last time, we looked at Kirby's Pinball Land for the Game Boy (jeez, how many Kirby games are there..? Don't answer that), pitting Europe and North America against Japan in a good ol' fashioned duel. It was closer than we were anticipating, though as expected, Japan won the...
News Switch Online NES Controller Limited-Time Sale Now Live (North America)
Get 20% off the regular price
Nintendo World Championships: NES Edition can be played with all sorts of controllers, but if you want to perfectly recreate the retro speedrunning magic, you're going to need the official wireless NES controllers. Thankfully, they're currently on sale. Switch Online members in the US and Canada can now get 20% off...
Random Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Overtakes NES Lifetime Sales
Nintendo's best-selling Switch game breaks another record
The 2017 release Mario Kart 8 Deluxe has been an absolute juggernaut for Nintendo during the Switch generation and if you needed a reminder about just how successful it's been, here's a little fun fact. The 61.97 million units shifted as of March 2024 actually means this single game has now...
Poll Box Art Brawl: Duel - Urban Champion
Urban brawl..?
Hello there! Welcome back to another edition of Box Art Brawl! Before we dive into this week's content, let's see how things panned out last time. We looked at DK: King of Swing for the Game Boy Advance in what turned out to be a pretty solid contest. In the end, Europe took home the trophy with 50% of the vote. North America settled...
Guide Every Nintendo Switch Online NES Game Ranked
All the NES games, ranked by you
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 change. Enjoy! The collection of NES games available to Nintendo Switch Online subscribers continues to grow over time, albeit slowly, and there are now nearly 80...
News Nintendo Expands Switch Online's NES Library With Seven More Games
Try them out today
Nintendo continues to bolster its Switch Online + Expansion Pack service with new game releases. Today, the focus is on the base tier, with a whopping seven games added to the NES library. The new titles now playable on the service include Urban Champion (1986), Golf (1985), Donkey Kong Jr. Math (1986), Mach Rider (1986),...
News Metroid, EarthBound & Tetris Composer Shares More Private Demo Tracks On New Album
Hear more than ever before
Back in 2021, the legendary composer behind the likes of Metroid, Mother and Tetris, Hirokazu "Hip" Tanaka, released the aptly-named 'Lost Tapes' album, providing a never-before-heard sample of his demo tapes from the '80s and '90s. Record label Super Fuji Discs has announced that a fresh bat
Round Up The Previews Are In For Nintendo World Championships: NES Edition
Here are the first impressions
Nintendo World Championships: NES Edition will revive classic speedruns next month and before the game's launch on the Switch, Nintendo has given multiple outlets a chance to go "hands on" with the title. In case you missed our coverage here on Nintendo Life, we can confirm it's a fun time and think it might even...
News Unofficial 'Nintendo World Championships' Cart Smashes Kickstarter Goal
Though we doubt The Big N will be happy
Update: And it seems the legal eagles have swooped. Read the original story below. An unofficial reproduction of the NES Nintendo World Championships cartridge has been successfully backed via Kickstarter, raising a total of £16,593 at the time of writing with an initial goal of £8,452.
News Homebrew Games Summer Showcase 2024 - Celebrating 120 Titles Across 15 Platforms
NES, SNES, Game Boy and Virtual Boy titles featured
Although the game industry is all about moving forward, there are still many talented individuals and teams out there developing titles for past-generation systems. That's where the 'Homebrew Games Summer Showcase' comes in - celebrating new games on retro consoles and classic handheld devices...
Random Unofficial Legend Of Zelda NES Remake Gets 20-Minute Gameplay Video
Link's Re-awakening?
If you've been longing for an official remake of the original Legend of Zelda on the NES, then chances are you'll have a pretty hefty wait on your hands. Thankfully, then, you can at least assuage your pain by checking out the latest gameplay video of an unofficial remake from fan Lloyd Empty (thanks, Wccftech). It's been up for...
Poll Box Art Brawl - Duel: Dragon Quest III (NES)
Before the remake(s)
We are back, back, back for another edition of Box Art Brawl! Before we dive into this week's topical match-up, let's recap what went down last time. Two 3DS covers for Bravely Default went head-to-head in our last duel and great Scott, was it a close one! The European 'For the Sequel' version put up a good fight but was...
Poll Will You Be Getting The Nintendo World Championships: NES Edition - Deluxe Set?
Go on, tell us
The Nintendo World Championships: NES Edition was recently announced for the Switch and as part of this there will be a special 'Deluxe Set' released, containing a physical game card, a set of five pins, 13 art cards, and a gold coloured replica NES cartridge. Nintendo has now released a new trailer showing off this 'Deluxe Set' and...
Video Nintendo World Championships Japanese Gameplay Officially Revealed
The Famicom 'Special Edition' comes with NSO controllers
Nintendo World Championships: NES Edition is on its way to the Switch this July and if you're eager to see more, you might want to take a look at the final episode of "Famicom Talk Shop: Kobayashi-Toy Store" starring comedian and actor Kendo Koybayashi and featuring other Japanese talent. The...
News Nintendo World Championships: NES Edition Estimated Switch File Size Revealed
You won't need much space for this one
Following a classification, the Switch game Nintendo World Championships: NES Edition was officially announced this week. If you're planning to download the title or are just curious to know how big the file size of this classic speed run compilation is, read on. According to Nintendo's official listings, the...
News Nintendo World Championships: Famicom Special Edition Includes NSO Controllers
Switch Famicom controllers will also be sold to the "general public"
Japan often gets different game bundles, and it seems this trend is set to continue with the upcoming Switch release, Nintendo World Championships: NES Edition. It's been revealed the 'special' Famicom Edition actually comes packaged with two Famicom wireless controllers. These...
Random Sakurai Talks About "The Most Incredible Year For The Game Industry"
In his "personal opinion" it's 1986
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate director Masahiro Sakurai is back at it with a new "Grab Bag" video - this time discussing the "most incredible year for the game industry". In his own "personal opinion", it's 1986 - a year that marked the beginning of multiple major franchises, the arrival of the NES in Europe, and the...
News Metroid For NES Could Be Inducted Into The Video Game Hall Of Fame
Other nominees include games like SimCity & Tony Hawk's Pro Skater
The Strong Museum has officially revealed its 'World Video Game Hall of Fame' finalists for 2024 and once again there's some Nintendo representation. The NES/Famicom title Metroid - starring Samus Aran - is featured as a nominee this year alongside an all-star cast made up of...
Random Paul McCartney Loved Koji Kondo's Work So Much, He Invited Him Backstage
Will you still need me, will you still feed me, Nintendo 64?
During a recent interview with Gene Park of The Washington Post, famed Nintendo composer Koji Kondo reminisced of his work with Nintendo and the impact that his music has had on the industry after its induction into the National Recording Registry. One particular anecdote that caught our...
Guide Best First-Party NES Games
Nintendo-developed NES games, as ranked by you
Looking for a list of Nintendo's first-party NES games? Wonder what the best first-party NES game is? You've come to the right guide. Our ranked list of the Top 50 Best NES Games Ever covers every game on the system, but here we're looking specifically at Nintendo-developed NES games released in the...
