Nintendo
The truth about Miyamoto’s employment: Keeping seniority but making indie games
The revelation last week that Miyamoto was demoting himself to focus on smaller games was only half true. By now, most of you know the demotion part was “sarcasm lost in translation,” Nintendo says. But all indications suggest Miyamoto indeed wants to focus, if not work alongside, smaller and younger development teams within Nintendo, instead of the upper-level oversight roles he̵...
What’s your favorite new gameplay element in Mario Kart 7? Mine buys kart parts
Don’t you love diving into a new Mario Kart game? You get the fun of discovery, the return of old friends, the annoyance of that one guy online picking SNES Rainbow Road every single time… In this generally terrific game, I’ve discovered additions I like more than I thought I would (Lucky 7) and some not so much (Super Leaf). The return of Gold Coins, however–and their new ...
Review: Don’t pass up Pushmo!
Nintendo’s software winning streak continues with Pushmo, another brilliant eShop title. In this odd, ingenious puzzle/platformer, you play a roly-poly little guy named Mallo on a mission to save children who’ve gotten trapped on Pushmo climbing walls, created by a loveable old carpenter who’s made it his life’s mission to build incredibly dangerous playground equipment. Th...
Breaking: Miyamoto steps down from his position at Nintendo, will focus on smaller games
Miyamoto. The man needs no introduction. He has been a mainstay in the industry almost since it’s inception, and today it has been revealed that he is stepping down from his position as Senior Managing Director and General Manager of Nintendo’s Entertainment Analysis and Development Division. In an interview with Wired’s Chris Kohler, Miyamoto stated will be passing the torch to ...
Review: Mario Kart 7 delivers incredible gameplay, the best Rainbow Road ever and one aggravating omission
Before playing Mario Kart 7 for the first time, keep your expectations realistic. This game doesn’t blow away Mario Kart DS or Mario Kart Wii, but instead stands confidently beside them as another great, vastly entertaining installment. It looks and sounds amazing, plays perfectly, and pulls some terrific tricks out of its sleeve, but in the end it’s 100% good old Mario Kart. It brings...
Wayward Nintendo fan buys Wii for first time, falls head over heels again
The following letter comes Infendo reader Verno, who until last week, hadn’t owned a Nintendo console since the Nintendo Entertainment System in the ’80s. He never left games’opting instead to play Xbox, PlayStation, and Sega hardware in that time. But man does he like Nintendo again. Not only that, his letter is a nice reminder of why most of us like Nintendo as much as we do. We just...
Mario Kart 7 is more Texan than you think!
It’s official: Retro Studios in Austin, Texas is one of the coolest places to work on the planet. Right after Retro had finished Donkey Kong Country Returns, Nintendo enlisted them for the next chapter of Mario Kart. Their involvement reached much deeper than merely designing a DKCR-based track: Retro ended up designing half the tracks and handling the character animation, among other creati...
Some love for the blue shell
Ah, the blue shell’gaming’s most infamous power-up. It makes grown men cry. It gives the worst player in the room a fighting chance. It punishes the skilled. And it’s pretty darn funny. On the eve of Mario Kart 7 Weekend, I’d like to stand up for the poor, misunderstood blue spiky thing (no, not you, Sonic) and show some appreciation for the weapon everyone hates unless they happ...
How do you like Mario Kart 7’s choice of retro tracks?
Just a few more days until Mario Kart 7 turns your 3DS into a portable Grand Prix of insanity! Of all the games announced this year, this one tops my wish list. I love Mario Kart–every single incarnation. As fans know, most Mario Kart games since Super Circuit have featured two sets of tracks: New and Classic. We can’t judge the new courses until we play the game, but it’s fun to...
Nintendo turning the ship around in time for holidays
I have been and still am critical of the 3DS. But it’s good to see Nintendo lining their pockets during the holidays with record Mario, 3DS, Zelda, and even Wii sales. In brief, 3DS has surpassed DS sales for the same period (although the former is not entirely out of the woods since DS started poorly). Super Mario 3D Land became the fastest selling Mario ever this weekend, helping to spur ...
What are your holiday Nintendo traditions?
Infendo’s Derek has played Zelda: Ocarina of Time at least once a year ’ sometimes twice ’ since the game’s debut in 1998. “All told, I’ve probably beat it 20 times,” he says. “It’s my favorite game, although admittedly it’s also a nostalgic ritual.” Derek didn’t say what time of the year he returns to this ritual, but I suspect it happen...
If I was a kid, I know what I’d put on my Christmas list
I remember hearing, months, ago, that K’nex was releasing a line of Mariokart Wii sets. Apparently, they’ve been out for a while. But I’d never actually seen them in person until I stopped by Target’s toy section after picking up my copy of Skyward Sword at 8:00 Sunday morning. Chain Chomps! Thwomps! Multiple expansion packs! If these had been around when I was a kid, I wou...