Popular Games by Nintendo EAD
Reviews of Nintendo EAD Games
Review Donkey Kong (GB) - One Of The Game Boy's Very Best
It's on with the King of the Kongs
This review was originally published in June 2011. We're updating and republishing it to mark the arrival of the game in the Nintendo Switch Online Game Boy library. In 1994, Nintendo had a great idea; why not make a true sequel to the original Donkey Kong arcade game? The result is Donkey Kong for the Game Boy,...
Review 1080° Snowboarding - Effortlessly Cool Shredding That Demands Perfection
Shreddin’ the gnar
This review originally went live in 2016, and we're updating and republishing it to celebrate the game's arrival in Switch's N64 library via the Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pack. Originally released for the Nintendo 64 in 1998, 1080° Snowboarding was Nintendo's attempt to bring the snowboarding experience to its home...
Review Pokémon Stadium 2 - A Sequel Of Gold (& Silver) Standard
Second gen magic
This review originally went live in 2016, and we're updating and republishing it to mark the game's arrival in the Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack N64 library. After all the groundbreaking success that Pokémon's first generation had, it would've only been wise for the powers that be to capitalise on the franchise. How was...
Review Pokémon Stadium - The Original 151 Brought To Life With Style
Your stadium tour awaits
This review originally went live in 2016, and we're updating and republishing it to mark the game's arrival in Switch's N64 library via the Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pack. With the Pokémon franchise being as super effective as it was during the late '90s due to its handheld games, trading cards, television anime...
Review Pilotwings 64 - A Real Gem, Sparkling In The Shadow Of Mario 64
Top flight
This review originally went live in 2013, and we're updating and republishing it to mark the game's arrival in Switch's N64 library via the Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pack. Releasing alongside Super Mario 64 when the Nintendo 64 launched back in 1996 (1997 if you're European), it was somewhat inevitable that Pilotwings 64 was...
Review Wave Race 64 - A Thrilling Racer That's Still Deeply Impressive
Splash wave
This review originally went live in 2016, and we're updating and republishing it to mark the game's arrival on Switch as part of the Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pack. Wave Race was not a well-known series prior to its arrival on the Nintendo 64. Actually, it wasn't a series at all, but rather a single release: a top-down racer on...
Latest Nintendo EAD News
Tuesday27th Aug 2024
News MySims Is Officially Returning In November With The 'Cozy Bundle'
MySwitch
Remember those MySims rumours from last week? Well, they were very much true! But a little different from what we were expecting. MySims Cozy Bundle was announced during today's Nintendo Direct Partner Showcase and it contains both the original
Wednesday14th Jun 2023
News Metroid Prime 4 Developer Retro Studios Is Hiring New Talent
It's now been six years since the project was announced
Metroid Prime Remastered launched on the Switch earlier this year, and Metroid Fusion followed with a release on the Switch Online GBA service. Obviously, there's still more to come for Metroid fans, and today actually marks six years since Nintendo originally announced Metroid Prime 4 was in...
Friday17th Mar 2023
Countdown 3DS eShop Spotlight - Flipnote Studio 3D
#22 - Flipping amazing
For the month before the 3DS and Wii U eShops close for new purchases on 27th March, each day we're going to highlight a specific eShop game for one of those consoles and give a short pitch as to why we think it deserves your love and attention — before it's too late. The chance to add these to your library will be gone for...
Saturday20th Aug 2022
Poll So, Wave Race 64 Or Blue Storm - Which Is Best?
Or are you a GB purist?
The arrival of Wave Race 64 on Switch as part of the Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pack has been the cause of much celebration in the Nintendo Life office. Those water physics have the power to impress some two-and-a-half decades on, and it still handles like a dream. If you've never played the game — or if you're a PAL...
Wednesday20th Jul 2022
News The First Review For Live A Live's Switch Remake Is Now In
The score is live
Update [Thu 21st Jul, 2022 16:45 BST]: Reviews for this JRPG are now live, including our own. And, guess what? We really, really like this one. Live A Live deservedly earns its second life, it seems. Original article [Wed 20th Jul, 2022 14:30 BST]: Square Enix's remake of 1994's Live A Live is out this Friday, and while many of...
Monday25th Apr 2022
Video Wii Sports - What Makes It Iconic?
The legacy of a lovely family game
Wii Sports has a heck of a legacy behind it. Packaged with the Wii console at launch, it's the best-selling single-platform game of all time, as well as the fourth best-selling game ever, behind only Tetris, Gran Theft Auto V, and Minecraft. Wrap your head around that. It's no surprise, really. Being included with...
Tuesday3rd Aug 2021
Soapbox Playdate Sold Out In 20 Minutes - Is It Time For A New Nintendo Handheld?
The Game Boy... 2
Many of us at Nintendo Life have been patiently, excitedly waiting for the Playdate to go on sale, because we're suckers for bits of colourful plastic. Well, it did, and we missed it, because all 20,000 initial units (for the 2021 batch, at least) sold out in just 20 minutes. [Not all of us missed it! - smug Ed] It's hardly...
Saturday29th May 2021
News The Guy Who Made The Stretchy Super Mario 64 Face Also Almost Gave Us Portal Zelda
The cake was a lie
We do love a good retro infodump here at Nintendo Life, and the latest is a podcast interview between Ben Hanson from the MinnMax Show and legendary game developer Giles Goddard. We reported on the interview earlier in the week, in fact, but the full show (above) featured so many intriguing titbits that we wanted to explore them...
Friday28th May 2021
Feature Zelda: A Link Between Worlds Foreshadowed Breath Of The Wild's Big Changes
A Link to the Past Between Worlds
To celebrate the 35th anniversary of The Legend of Zelda, we're running a series of features looking at a specific aspect — a theme, character, mechanic, location, memory or something else entirely — from each of the mainline Zelda games. Today, Kate marvels at the way A Link Between Worlds snuck in a bunch of...
Sunday23rd May 2021
News 1080° Snowboarding Creator Would Be Happy To Bring The Series To Switch
If Nintendo wants to make a new one...
During the peak of the N64 era, Nintendo EAD released an extreme sports title known as 1080° Snowboarding. While it wasn't quite as popular as Nintendo's big hitters like Super Mario 64, Mario Kart 64 and The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, it got enough attention to spawn a follow-up on the GameCube. The...
Sunday27th Dec 2020
Poll Box Art Brawl #73 - 1080° Snowboarding
What's the ALT key shortcut for degrees again?
Welcome to the Box Art Brawl, our weekly (well, most of the time) vote to decide which of two or more regional retro box art variants is the best. Last time, we sized up Tuff E Nuff, one of the latest additions to the Nintendo Switch Online SNES catalogue. The
Tuesday15th Sep 2015
News Nintendo Is Merging Its Prized EAD And SPD Teams Into A Single Group
Say hello to the Entertainment Planning & Development Division
Shinya Takahashi and Shigeru Miyamoto As well as confirming yesterday that Tatsumi Kimishima is its new president, Nintendo also detailed some organisational changes which will impact the day-to-day running of some of its famous internal teams. The big news is that EAD (Entertainment...
Saturday25th Jul 2015
Video Japanese Splatoon Advert Teases New Weapons, Gear, Map & Rainmaker Mode
Lock n' load with new paint bucket and mini-gun weapons
Since its release at the end of May, Nintendo’s third-person squid shooter, Splatoon, has received several updates enhancing the overall game experience – with new content arriving on a regular basis. It appears more free DLC is now on the way, with a new Japanese Splatoon trailer...
Wednesday15th Jul 2015
Digital download block size also revealed
Nintendo has officially begun promoting its upcoming 3DS release, Animal Crossing: Happy Home Designer, due out in Japan at the end of July. The two ad spot commercials highlight the seemingly endless amount of design possibilities featured within the title. In addition to this, the Happy Home Designer...
Thursday11th Jun 2015
News Splatoon’s Kelp Dome Multiplayer Map Is Now Live
The game that keeps on giving
Nintendo’s squid shooter, Splatoon, continues to grow, with the latest update now live. The Kelp Dome map, previously featured in the single player portion of the game, will now appear in the multiplayer modes. Kelp Dome is a map featuring maze-like greenhouses. There are two pathways to take in this arena – above...
Wednesday3rd Jun 2015
Video We Check Out The Squid amiibo Challenges
We have an Inkling you're having problems tracking these amiibo down
We have yet more Splatoon videos coming your way. By now you should be aware of the amiibo challenges available in Splatoon, and thanks to a lack of stock - or certain unscrupulous folk spoiling the fun for UK GAME shoppers - you may be struggling to obtain all three...
Thursday14th May 2015
News New Super Mario Bros. Releases On The North American Wii U eShop This Week
Will be available for $9.99
After yesterday’s ESRB rating for the 2006 release, New Super Mario Bros., it was expected the title would launch soon on the North American eShop. It appear fans of the DS hit won’t have to wait much longer with Nintendo’s official game page revealing the now classic Mario adventure will be made available thi
Thursday2nd Apr 2015
News Animal Crossing: Happy Home Designer Launching With amiibo Cards And NFC Reader This Autumn
Lend your interior design talents to the animals
Not long ago, Nintendo revealed it was looking for alternate ways to make the new amiibo line more readily available to the masses and that it was even considering collectable cards which could be scanned into games as an option. The latest Direct has now revealed Animal Crossing: Happy Home Designer...
Thursday12th Mar 2015
Video What If Super Mario World Was A 3D Classic?
We make dreams into realities!
Now that the New Nintendo 3DS is here, everyone wants to see SNES games hit the Virtual Console. But why stop there? Why can't we have some 3D Classics based on SNES games? After all, we already have some excellent Mega Drive games, so 16-bit 3D remakes are already a possibility. Using a very painstaking process,...
Friday23rd Jan 2015
News Animal Crossing Announcement Community Launches On Miiverse
New Leaf director welcomes fans
Following the discontinuation of Animal Crossing Plaza and the Animal Crossing Series Community at the end of last year, New Leaf director, Aya Kyogoku, has today launched the Animal Crossing Announcement Community on Miiverse. This community will be used by Nintendo to deliver news and messages related to Animal...
Wednesday14th Jan 2015
Video Does Super Mario Galaxy 2 On Wii U Offer Anything New?
We check out the new digital re-release
A nice surprise during today's Nintendo Direct webcasts was the announcement of digital re-releases for some of the Wii's best games. The very first game is available right now, and it's a stone-cold classic - Super Mario Galaxy 2! If you've never played this game, now is the best chance you hav
Monday8th Dec 2014
News Animal Crossing Plaza Service Stops At the End of This Month
More related news to arrive in 2015
With the Animal Crossing Plaza service ending this month, New Leaf Director, Aya Kyogoku, has issued a reminder and a message of thanks to loyal fans of the service. The plaza remains available on the Wii U eShop until 22nd December 2014, and when this year comes to a close, monthly surveys and the ability to...
Monday10th Nov 2014
Video The Top 10 Mario Platformers, As Selected By You
You voted, and the winner is...
Way back in August, we asked you wonderful readers what your favourite Super Mario platform game was. You voted, and from those votes we came up with a Top 10 list, which we have immortalised in this video. If you ever played a Super Mario game, then you must be curious about what game is number one, right? Could it...
Friday9th May 2014
Mario Kart Month Mario Kart 8 Character Profiles: Koopalings Galore
Our profile series concludes with the new MK8 contestants
With Mario Kart's ever-expanding roster of eligible drivers, it can be tough to keep track of them all. When you're out there on the crowded raceway, how are you supposed to tell your Birdos from your Koopa Paratroopas? Have no fear: Nintendo Life is here to help you with handy character...
Tuesday6th May 2014
Mario Kart Month Mario Kart 8 Character Profiles: Mo' Babies, Mo' Problems
Imagine: Karting Babyz
With Mario Kart's ever-expanding roster of eligible drivers, it can be tough to keep track of them all. When you're out there on the crowded raceway, how are you supposed to tell your Dry Bowsers from your Honey Queens? Have no fear: Nintendo Life is here to help you with handy character profiles on every racer in this May's...
Sunday4th May 2014
Mario Kart Month Mario Kart 8 Character Profiles - The Veterans
It's a Mario (Kart) Party!
With Mario Kart's ever-expanding roster of eligible drivers, it can be tough to keep track of them all. When you're out there on the crowded raceway, how are you supposed to tell your Petey Piranhas from your Ludwig von Koopas? Have no fear: Nintendo Life is here to help you with handy character profiles on every racer in...
Thursday24th Apr 2014
News Animal Crossing and Metroidvania GDC Talks Now Available For Your Viewing Pleasure
New Leaf and Castlevania devs discuss the intricacies of game development
Many of the presentations at last month's Game Developers Conference are now available to view for free on the GDC Vault website, including Animal Crossing: New Leaf producer Katsuya Eguchi and co-director Aya Kyogoku's "How to Turn a New Leaf at the Animal Crossing" and...
Tuesday22nd Apr 2014
News Possibility of SNES Remix and Other Remix Titles Depends on Fan Support
NES Remix director: "Does the marketplace want it or need it?"
In an interview with IGN, NES Remix and NES Remix 2 director Koichi Hayashida explained that the possibility of a SNES Remix, Game Boy Advance Remix, or other Remix brand titles will depend on the market's support and fan outcry. There could even be a Remix title based on third-party...
Monday21st Apr 2014
News Koichi Hayashida Explains Absence of NES Remix 1 & 2 on 3DS
Extra grunt of Wii U made it preferred platform
During an insightful exchange with IGN, NES Remix 1 & 2 Director Koichi Hayashida has explained how previous work with Super Mario 3D World, along with the power of Nintendo’s Wii U – and his own familiarity with the system's architecture – led to the development of the classic compilation...
Wednesday16th Apr 2014
Video Here's a Comparison of Mario Kart's Donut Plains 3 from SNES to Wii U
Generations apart
Comparison videos of retro tracks in Mario Kart 8 are certainly doing the rounds at the moment, and popular YouTube channel GameXplain has created a nifty split-screen video comparing the classic Super Mario Kart track Donut Plains 3 to its reimagining in the upcoming Wii U title. Check it out below: Nintendo EAD and its...
Friday15th Nov 2013
News Miyamoto: Nintendo Has Unfinished Business With Super Mario Galaxy Series
Release of Super Mario 3D World got in the way
Following on from Super Mario 3D World producer Yoshiaki Koizuma comments about the possibility of the Mario series returning to an open-world style approach if there was enough demand for it, EAD General Manager Shigeru Miyamoto has now assured fans in the latest Iwata Asks Interview that the...
Friday1st Nov 2013
News Super Mario Galaxy Is Eurogamer's Game of the Generation
It's not a Golden Joystick, but it'll do
Over the past 10 days or so, our friends over at Eurogamer have been charting the best games of the past generation - a feat that's easier said than done. Naturally, we kept an eye on proceedings, looking out for any Nintendo titles that might crop up. We watched blockbuster after blockbuster take the...
Tuesday2nd Jul 2013
News Mario Kart 8 Team Talk GamePad Features, Track Design And F-Zero
Hideki Konno and Kosuke Yobuki spill some beans
French site Gamekult sat down with Mario Kart 8 producer Hideki Konno and director Kosuke Yobuki at E3 to talk about the inspirations and intentions around the latest, gravity-tumbling installment of the series. According to a translation of the interview, the reverse gravity idea showcased in Mario...
Wednesday19th Jun 2013
News Super Mario 3D World Producer Teases New Annoucement
What could it be?
Were you one of the people left slightly underwhelmed by the announcement of Super Mario 3D World at this year's E3? Then you should be interested to know that Nintendo's Tokyo EAD team might be hard at work on a second title. Super Mario 3D World Producer Yoshiaki Koizumi was asked by Spain's El País what his next project would...
Friday28th Sep 2012
News Reggie: Big Guns Focusing on Future Wii U Projects
To appear at E3 2013, or earlier if we're lucky
Nintendo of America President Reggie Fils-Aime recently conducted an interview with gametrailers.com, talking about all things Wii U and no doubt mentioned that "it's all about the experience" on at least one occasion. When asked about future Wii U projects, Fils-Aime stated that arguably Nintendo's...
Tuesday5th Jun 2012
E3 2012 Pikmin 3 Sprouts On Wii U
Planting the seed
We've had to be very patient, but Pikmin 3 has finally been announced for Wii U. Shigeru Miyamoto, Pikmin leaf poking out of his jacket pocket, announced the real time strategy game for the HD console. Miyamoto was happy to note that you can see the movement of each Pikmin. There's a new Pikmin type too — the rock Pikmin can be...
Saturday23rd Jul 2011
News Aonuma Opens a Treasure Chest of Skyward Sword Details
Dun-dun-dun-dunnnn!
In a recent interview, veteran Nintendo developer Eiji Aonuma revealed some interesting details about The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword, on which he's currently working. If you're not a fan of spoilers stop reading now! Ganon, Link's adversary since the early days, will not appear in the game. In fact, the odd-looking Lord...
Monday13th Jun 2011
Features A View from Hyrule Field
We remember why Ocarina of Time is more than just a game
As we move through life, we will at times look back fondly at memories that we hold dear. And, as gamers, many of us merge recollections of the virtual world with those of reality. Some titles simply bring the right elements together in the perfect way, making this feel natural, normal,...
Sunday13th Feb 2011
News Super Mario All-Stars 25th Anniversary Edition Gets an Extra Life
Retailers restock the limited edition
What was supposed to be a celebration of Super Mario Bros.'s 25th anniversary was unfortunately met with iffy reviews and sales figures that were both encouraging and disappointing. With Super Mario All-Stars 25th Anniversary Edition topping the