Scott Pelland can write. As a staff writer and later managing editor of Nintendo Power for 20 years (1987-2007), I can’t think of a better historian to tell “the history of Nintendo through the pages of the official magazine,” which is precisely what Pelland did in the special edition of 20 Years of Nintendo Power. After reading it, I’m convinced he’s the grandfather of Nintendo journalism.

(more…)

By far the smallest portable N64 I’ve seen. Hit the link for image angles of the cartridge slot and powered up gameplay.

link

I still can’t believe it’s already been ten years since I booted up Ocarina of Time for the first time and watched Link ride over Hyrule field on the back of Epona. Ten years ago today, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time released in the United States for the Nintendo 64.

What a masterpiece. I can’t tell you how many hundreds of hours my brother and I spent aimlessly riding around on Epona, cutting/reassembling signs and getting lost in the water temple. I have yet to come across a video game that tops my love for Ocarina of Time.

Bravo, Mr. Miyamoto! Bravo!

What you are about to see is by far one of the most risque Nintendo commercials ever released on TV. It was released for one of the most notorious mature rated N64 games, that was developed by Rare. I have to say you will never see a commercial like this on TV again with Nintendo logo following suit after.

(more…)

Wow, a double-double with Midnight Bowling and MadStone for WiiWare plus Mario Golf and Shining Force II for the Virtual Console.  Looks like a good week to be a gamer.  Anybody up for some slots golf with Mario?

Full release info after the break.

(more…)

Wow. I think I just glimpsed a little bit of Nintendo’s dark side.

Nintendo’s popular Legend of Zelda franchise has spawned more than a dozen games since its birth more than 20 years ago, but few would argue the series’ crowning moment and most absurdly brilliant incarnation wasn’t the much-heralded 1998 release Ocarina of Time.

It sold almost 8 million copies on the Nintendo 64 worldwide, easily the best-selling Zelda game of all time, and has also consistently been honored as the best video game ever made. But perhaps even more than for its undisputed commercial and critical success, Ocarina of Time is so fondly remembered by gamers today because of the countless memorable moments it has provided them.

We have given our best, most sincere effort to whittle down a list of the ten most emotional and intense moments the innumerable hours we’ve spent with Ocarina of Time over the last decade have had to offer. So purists and old-schoolers, break out those three-pronged Nintendo 64 controllers, and Nintendo newbies, tell mom to pick you up some Wii Shop points; we’re revisiting one of the most timeless and memorable video games in the history of the medium.

(more…)

It’s been over a months since a new N64 game has been released for the Virtual Console and this week we get one.

Pokemon Puzzle League - N64 - 2000 - 1000 Wii Points

Get ready for a new kind of Pokémon battle where the power and speed of your brain are just as important as the strength of your Pokémon. Join Ash, Brock, Misty and many more characters from the Pokémon animated series as they gather in Puzzle Village to compete for the title of Pokémon Puzzle Master. [Originally published by Nintendo]

Renegade - NES - 1988 - 500 Wii Points

Renegade follows the story of a vigilante who fights his way through countless gangs in order to bring peace back to his city. Battle your way through subways, parks, alleyways and parking lots. [Originally published by Taito]

Because it’s always encouraging to see another N64 title for the VC, our pick this week is Pokemon Puzzle League. What’s your pick?

This week marks the debut of Sega Master System games on the Virtual Console. What better way to kick it off than with Wonder Boy!

Wonder Boy - Master System - 1987 - 500 Wii Points
Just when things were going great with Tom-Tom and his girlfriend Tanya, some thug of a woodland king had to kidnap her and hide her away, and Tom-Tom doesn’t have a clue where. [Developed by Westone]

Cruis’n USA - N64 - 1996 - 1000 Wii Points
Slam the pedal to the metal and hang on for a wild race across the highways of America. [Developed by Midway]

Having a new console available virtually makes Wonder Boy our easy pick of the week! What’s yours?

Virtual Console goes psychedelic this week!

Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards - N64 - 2000 - 1,000 Wii Points
Kirby’s first 3-D adventure is also his Nintendo 64 debut, and it finds the always-versatile hero battling a new enemy called Dark Matter. Dark Matter is after a distant land’s powerful crystal, but a young fairy named Ribbon attempts to save it by escaping with the gem to Dream Land.

Psychosis - TG16 - 1990 - 600 Wii Points
This is a side-scrolling shooter played in a world created from the mind of a twisted demon. Your soul has suddenly wandered into that evil world that exists in every person’s heart.

Will either of these games entice some Wii Points out of your virtual pocket?