Nintendo

The Bootleg Amiibo Business Is Booming, Thanks To Nintendo

With Legend of Zelda Amiibo figures perpetually sold out and fetching prohibitively high prices on eBay, many fans are turning to bootlegged “Amiibo cards” instead. Many sellers of these cards see themselves not as mere pirates, but as modern-day Robin Hoods, providing fans with the in-game content that Nintendo won’t sell them. One seller from…

Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows Of Valentia: The Kotaku Review

There’s a special kind of beauty in tactics games. Navigating the intricacies of battle and bringing your soldiers home alive is a unique thrill; half puzzle, half bloodbath. Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia excels in providing such thrills. Rich combat and a well-presented narrative drive a satisfying experience, even if it might be a…

There will be a Nintendo Direct tomorrow at 6pm Eastern, “exclusively focused on ARMS.” Nintendo adds that there’ll be a Splatoon 2 trailer at the end of the presentation. We’re not getting our hopes up for surprises this time.

Those Aren’t DS Games, They’re Windows

Surely you can see it? I know I can. Those windows look like DS game cards. Twitter user Yorunotobari spotted a shopping mall in Chiba, Japan with windows that look like Nintendo DS games. Inside the windows are advertisements for the building’s shops. They really look like DS cards. In case you forgot what those…

Two Months In, I’ve Barely Taken My Nintendo Switch Off The Dock

The big concept behind the Nintendo Switch is that it can be enjoyed both on the TV, and in handheld mode. Instead, the Switch largely operates like any other console system in my household, and I like it that way. Oh, I’ve tried to take the Switch with me. I’ve braved the dangers of on-the-road…

Japanese Game Companies That Won’t Allow YouTube Comments 

Nintendo America, for example, allows comments on its YouTube videos. The company’s Japanese headquarters does not, and some people online in Japan don’t sound too happy. This has been going on for a while now, but a recent 2ch thread shined a light on the discrepancy. It’s kind of strange that Nintendo doesn’t allow comments…

Report: Nintendo Is Bringing The Legend of Zelda To Smartphones

Nintendo’s beloved Zelda series is headed to smartphones, states The Wall Street Journal in an unconfirmed report. It’s somewhat unclear if this is a port or an entirely new game like Super Mario Run. If true, that seems most likely. According to The Wall Street Journal, sources say this is Nintendo’s latest effort to expand…

Modder Adds Sonic To Mario Kart 8

Between his inclusion in Smash Bros. and his own kart racing title, Sonic fits into Mario Kart 8 like a puffy white glove. Modder CorBond57 makes it happen by swapping the hedgehog’s model with Mario’s. He looks like Sonic, he drives like Sonic, but he sounds like Metal Mario. That’s because CorBond57’s work-in-progress mod overlay’s…

A Super Famicom Cartridge Is Being Released In 2017 

For those who still own a Super Famicom (or are planning to get one), good news! The console is getting a new cartridge this year. The Super Famicom is the Japanese version of the SNES. In 1995, a satellite modem peripheral called Satellaview was released in Japan (though it was later discontinued in 2000). Setallaview…

Wind Waker HD Speedrunner Averts Disaster With Clutch Trick

Even the best players run into bad luck. Dying to some enemies should be enough to kill a speedrunner’s attempt at a fast time. But thanks to some quick thinking and a tricky glitch, a Wind Waker HD speedrunner brought Link back from the dead and saved their run. gymnast86 is a Zelda speedrunner who runs…

Live Spiders Found Smuggled Inside Bootleg Nintendo Cartridges

Mexico’s Federal Police yesterday intercepted a shipment of contraband goods headed for the US at Guadalajara Airport. Inside was not drugs, or weapons, but vials full of live spiders hidden inside what look like fake Famicom games. As Cronica report, authorities opened a box that contained ten cartridges with labels like Jurassic Park and Robocop…

Nintendo just revealed its E3 plans, which are similar to years past. On June 13 at 9am PT, there will be a Nintendo Spotlight presentation for Switch games, including Super Mario Odyssey. That will be followed by a Treehouse Live event. 

Look At This SNES-Themed Nintendo Switch

Here’s an unofficial SNES (well, Super Famicom) theme for the Nintendo Switch that looks incredible Made by Pop Skin, it covers everything. The base, the Joy-Cons, their backs, even the Switch itself. Because it’s a skin and not a paintjob, there are naturally going to be some rough edges, particularly at the points where there…

Four Hours In, I’m Enjoying The Challenge Of Fire Emblem Echoes

I’ve just started up playing Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia. It’s a remake of the Famicom exclusive Fire Emblem Gaiden. I’m making my way through the early hours of the campaign. It’s been a challenging game that I can’t put down. Fire Emblem Echoes tells the story of Alm, a simple peasant, and Celica,…

Nintendo Releasing Standalone Switch Dock In Europe

For those with multiple TVs, good news. Nintendo is releasing a standalone Switch dock this May in North America and this June in Europe. Update May 10 – 7:40am: An earlier version of this story incorrectly state that this hadn’t yet been announced for North America. However, this was previously announced for the US and…

The ‘Worst’ Pokémon Sun and Moon Legendary Guardian Scores Big Competitive Win

Nick Navarre, a top competitive Pokémon player from the US, won last weekend’s Roanoke Regional Championships with a unique team that included what many consider the weakest Alolan Guardian: Tapu Bulu. Tapu Koko is by far the most common and successful guardian in competitive Pokémon, with Tapu Lele and Tapu Fini competing for the second…

The Zelda Escape Room Is A Little Disappointing (And Not Really An Escape Room)

When I first heard that there was a Zelda escape room coming to the United States, I imagined a labyrinth of elaborate puzzles, growing more challenging and complicated with each subsequent chamber. I did not expect to be solving brainteasers at a conference table. But I am pleased to report, dear Kotaku readers, that my…

Beating Pokémon Ruby with Magikarp Took Nearly Six Years

Back in 2011, a live-streamer named Leomon began playing with a Shiny of the most useless Pocket Monster. Almost six years later, the trainer has finally become a champion with that fish. After the stream, Leomon posted on Twitter that it didn’t matter if you had a strong or a weak Pokémon, that if you…

Only 90s kids will remember Mega Man’s nightmarish mascot visage. From Blake J Harris’ book Console Wars, via VideoGameArt&Tidbits

Rapidly Deflating Pikachu Rushed To Safety By Small Horde Of Suited Men

Tragedy struck in mid-dance number during the Pokemon World Festivalin Incheon, South Korea earlier this week, as the lead Pikachu sprung a leak during “You Can’t Stop The Beat.” Fortunately an elite squad of suited men was standing by. The incident occurs at the 1:00 mark in the video below, posted by YouTube user Green…