Tag: Iwata Asks
News Japan-Exclusive Iwata Asks Interview Translated Into English After 10 Years
Iwata's chat with Final Fantasy: Crystal Bearers exec producer gets us all nostalgic
The Iwata Asks interview series was a wonderful resource for anyone wanting to get a behind-the-scenes perspective on the decisions and processes that go into making video games. They also gave us a glimpse of the personalities behind our favourite games,...
News Fire Emblem Fates Iwata Asks Explores Multiple Storylines, Its 500 Page Plot and My Castle
"I ended up writing so much that it could be turned into about two books"
Fire Emblem Fates - known as Fire Emblem If in Japan - is out in Nintendo's homeland this week, before heading to the West in 2016. After the franchise-saving antics of Fire Emblem: Awakening the new title seems like a somewhat dramatic step-up for the series, with two...
News Splatoon's Iwata Asks Interview Considers Its Origins of Tofu, Rabbits and More
Iwata: "Well, I guess ink-an't be helped. (laughs)"
Splatoon isn't far away, arriving on 29th May on the Wii U, bringing its own blend of chaotic and colourful shooting. It's also a new IP, which is rare enough from Nintendo to be something worth mentioning, and there's certainly hype around the exclusive. Nintendo has now published a new Iwata...
News Xenoblade Chronicles X Development Details Emerge in Iwata Asks Interview
Going into detail on the huge adventure that awaits
Xenoblade Chronicles X is about to arrive in Japan, bringing an end to a huge development undertaking for Monolith Soft. While Wii U owners in the West need to wait until later in the year, the build up to release in Japan has brought plenty of fascinating details, also boosted by a recent
News A New Iwata Asks on Xenoblade Chronicles 3D Recently Went Up
(laughs)
The Iwata Asks series is a quirky little tradition at Nintendo that was started sometime during the last generation of consoles. Each post revolves around Satoru Iwata - the President of Nintendo - interviewing key developers behind various major titles that come to Nintendo consoles. After a year long hiatus, the series came back on with...
News Iwata Asks Returns For The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask 3D
We summarise the laughs
Iwata Asks articles are an old favourite here on Nintendo Life, but they've been absent for over a year. In a delightful turn of events, however, a new article has today been posted to coincide with the launch of The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask 3D. Satoru Iwata opens by explaining that the articles have been absent due to...
News Nintendo Pocket Football Club Confirmed for 17th April in Europe
Football Manager 3DS, sort of...
During yesterday's Nintendo Direct broadcast, Nintendo of Europe President Satoru Shibata confirmed that Nintendo Pocket Football Club will arrive on 17th April. It's a title that was shown last year, and brings a rather light-hearted approach to the football management sim genre; don't expect head-scratching...
News Fit Meter Iwata Asks Outlines Panasonic Partnership and Moving Beyond Pedometers
Also highlights the game maker's lack of fitness
Wii Fit U's retail release is creeping closer — it hits stores in Europe and North America on 13th December — yet it's been available for over a month as a free trial. In a change from the Wii original that best reflects the stronger distribution options that the eShop gives Nintendo, the trial...
News New Iwata Asks Takes In the Louvre and its 3DS Guide
A project Miyamoto-san indirectly "worked on for five or six years"
It arrived somewhat out-of-the-blue today, but Nintendo has released Nintendo 3DS Guide: Louvre on the 3DS eShop in Europe, a commercial version of the interactive guide that's been available at the Paris museum since Spring 2012; there's even an accompanying Mini Nintendo Direct...
News Here Are Some Lighter Moments from the Link Between Worlds Iwata Asks
Because we all need to (laugh)
Earlier today we provided a short summary and directed your attention to the recently-published Link Between Worlds Iwata Asks, in which Satoru Iwata discussed the title's development and design with five members of the team — design leader Koji Takahashi, assistant director Kentaro Tominaga, lead programmer Shiro...
News Latest Iwata Asks Highlights Protracted, On-Off Development of Link Between Worlds
Initial wall concept featured Link design from Spirit Tracks
The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds is now just days away and has been critically acclaimed — we awarded 10/10 in our own review. Much has been revealed in various ways since then — we imagine many are studiously dodging spoilers — but the latest Iwata Asks provi
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...
"The team had a strong desire from the very start to call it "3D World"
Earlier today we posted a summary of some key points from a recently published Super Mario 3D World Iwata Asks, in which the team discussed camera angles, Rosalina and the desire to feature a large amount of content. The discussion took in plenty of other topics, naturally, as...
Miyamoto & Co. take Iwata through the warp pipe
Nintendo President and CEO Satoru Iwata exercised his gift of gab yet again in the latest Iwata Asks, this time leaving no koopa shell unturned in a rousing discussion with the developers of Super Mario 3D World. Legendary Nintendo producer Shigeru Miyamoto sat down with his fellow 3D World designers...
News Wii Sports Club Will Download Automatically With SpotPass
Assuming you have 1.3GB of space available
Yesterday we brought you some information from the latest Iwata Asks, in which it was explained that Namco Bandai had stepped in to take on development duties. Naturally those in attendance spoke about a variety of topics, another of which is the fact that — if you have 1.3GB of available space (on the...
News Wii Sports Club Is The Handiwork Of Namco Bandai, With Nintendo Assisting
External studio was instrumental in getting online Tennis working
It has been revealed during the latest Iwata Asks that Namco Bandai is handling development duties on the forthcoming Wii Sports Club. The selection of sporting titles — upscaled and improved from the Wii originals — joins the ever-increasing list of Nintendo franchises to be...
News Pokémon X & Y Iwata Asks Explains Sky and Horde Battles
Also has a few (laughs)
With Pokémon X & Y now just days away, or hours if you ordered from a cheeky online retailer, Nintendo's lining up its final marketing push for the title's global release alongside the 2DS handheld. One part of this is a new Iwata Asks, which is a follow up to the dedicated Nintendo Direct video that was broadcast...
News Iwata Asks Explores The Origins of Toon Link and The Process Behind Making The Wind Waker HD
Satoru Iwata takes to the Great Sea to find out more
The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker HD is tantalisingly close to being released on Wii U. It emerges in North America and Europe on 4th October and will even have its own special limited edition console bundle for those who haven't embarked on their Wii U adventure yet. With the release date...
News Iwata Asks Connects With The Team Behind StreetPass Relay
Discusses the origins, the implementation and International StreetPass
The StreetPass relay points are starting to spread across the globe giving 3DS owners more chance to connect with fellow gamers using the unique feature. Nintendo President Satoru Iwata recently sat down with the team behind the project in the latest Iwata Asks interview where...
News Iwata Asks Delves into The Wonderful 101, Reveals Hidden Characters
Kamiya unites with allies for part two of this wonderful interview
The Wonderful 101 is being released tomorrow in Europe (23rd August) and part two of Iwata Asks has now emerged. This time round the game’s director Hideki Kamiya has united with some familiar allies to assist him in his interview with Nintendo President Satoru Iwata: Atsushi...
News Iwata Asks Interview With Hideki Kamiya Explores His Development Process
"At some point the God of Video Games descends upon us"
The Wonderful 101 may be, for some, the next big Wii U release on their radar. Exclusive to the system and published by Nintendo, it's a game that bears many of the hallmarks of its developer in that it's undeniably a PlatinumGames title — it looks and feels like the work of the studio...
News Nintendo Wanted To Take A Different Approach To DLC With New Super Luigi U
A distinct move away from the packs found in New Super Mario Bros. 2
New Super Luigi U has been available to download from the Wii U eShop for a short while and has breathed new life into New Super Mario Bros. U. Although, technically deemed DLC, it's a much longer experience than the downloadable software added to New Super Mario Bros. 2 and this...
News Mario & Luigi: Dream Team Iwata Asks - Development, Accessibility for All Gamers and More
Sweet, sweet pixels
Mario & Luigi: Dream Team — known as Mario & Luigi: Dream Team Bros. in Europe — hits North America on 11th August, while European gamers are lucky enough to get their hands on it from 12th July. We're currently playing through this for review and will simply say that if this isn't on your radar, it should be. Ahead...
News Game & Wario Was Originally Intended As A Pre-Installed Wii U Title
Iwata Asks reveals more on the upcoming mini-game fest
The latest Nintendo Direct showed off a trailer for the upcoming Game & Wario, which sees the WarioWare franchise continue onto Wii U. Satoru Iwata sat down with the team behind the game during a recent Iwata Asks interview to explore more about how it was developed. It turns out, the game...
News Iwata Asks Delves Into Animal Crossing: New Leaf
Nintendo's President talks Mr Resetti, being mayor and panning for gold
Animal Crossing: New Leaf is edging closer and closer towards its Western release date and we think it's fair to say there are a lot of 3DS owners out there chomping at the bit to get hold of it. As if the hype needed building up any more Nintendo has kindly translated the...
News Iwata Asks Shines A Light On Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon
Shigeru Miyamoto joins Nintendo's President in the latest interview
It's been 12 years since Luigi's Mansion was released on the GameCube, and the long arduous wait for its sequel Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon is close to being over. Next Level Games is the developer behind the title, and Nintendo President Satoru Iwata caught up with the studio in...
News Game Freak Reveals The Origins of Rhythm Hunter: HarmoKnight
A demo will be in the 3DS eShop soon
Rhythm-based platformer Rhythm Hunter: HarmoKnight is a new IP from Game Freak, the developer behind the Pokémon series. It was released in Japan last August and will be jiving on over to North America and Europe in March. As the release is almost upon us, Nintendo President Satoru Iwata has put on his...
News Wii Street U Developers Discuss its Incredible Attention to Detail
Latest Iwata Asks delves into Wii Street U
Wii Street U is available to download right now from the Wii U eShop. The expansive application allows you to explore the world through 3D environments made up of thousands upon thousands of photographs taken by Google. It's based on Google Maps' Street View, though it doesn't include any additional...
News Dragon Quest VII Tweaks on 3DS Explained by Developers
Satoru Iwata interviews the team behind the 3DS remake
The Dragon Quest VII remake for 3DS is out now in Japan, so it seemed only right for Nintendo President Satoru Iwata to interview a few of the people involved with the making of the game in his Iwata Asks series. In the interview, helpfully translated by Siliconera, the series creator Yuuji...
News Fire Emblem: Awakening Was Almost Set On Mars
Nintendo's President conducts an eye-opening Iwata Asks
With Fire Emblem: Awakening emerging on North American shores this week, it seemed only fitting that Nintendo President Satoru Iwata was joined by the team behind the game in the latest instalment of Iwata Asks. Usually Iwata-san interviews three or four members of the development team, but...
News Platinum CEO: Super Ghouls 'n Ghosts Restored My Faith In Games Development
Tatsuya Minami explains how the SNES classic helped him out of a rut
The latest Iwata Asks focuses on Japanese studio PlatinumGames, which is currently hard at work creating Bayonetta 2 for the Wii U. In the interview, Iwata chats with PlatinumGames President and CEO Tatsuya Minami about his development past, and uncovers an interesting piece of...
News First Ever 'Reggie Asks' Delves Into TVii
Channel surfing, TV Tags, Miiverse integration and more
President of Nintendo Satoru Iwata has been running the highly informative and occasionally hilarious (laughs) Iwata Asks interview series for a while now, and so far he's been the only one conducting the interviews. That all changed today as President of Nintendo of America Reggie Fils-Aime...
News How A Modified Wii Zapper Inspired The Wii U
Prototype also impacted the development of the 3DS
With the Wii U launching in Japan tomorrow, the latest edition of Iwata Asks focuses on Nintendo Land, one of the console's most significant first-party titles. During the interview, Takayuki Shimamura from EAD's Software Development Department revealed a prototype Wii Zapper - with a screen...
News Iwata Explains Where The Name HAL Laboratory Came From
Not what you'd expect
We, like many other Nintendo fans out there, were under the pretense that HAL Laboratory - the company responsible for our lovable pink hero Kirby and the Super Smash Bros. series - was named after the computer from 2001: A Space Odyssey, HAL 9000. Nintendo president Satoru Iwata even stated that the name was "very cool" during...
News Latest Iwata Asks Episode Reveals Why Paper Mario Sticker Star Abandoned RPG Elements
It was all Miyamoto’s idea!
Paper Mario: Sticker Star takes a bit of a step away from previous iterations of the game in that many RPG elements are missing. This is something that has divided opinion throughout the Paper Mario fanbase and it’s been revealed Shigeru Miyamoto is to blame. During the latest Iwata Asks, President of Nintendo Satoru...
News Latest Iwata Asks Episode Reveals How Killer Freaks Became ZombiU
From hyperactive alien Rabbids to slow lumbering zombies
During E3 back in 2011 Ubisoft revealed a trailer for a Wii U exclusive game known as Killer Freaks from Outer Space. The game looked to be a light-hearted survival horror game that featured strange intergalactic creatures that were hell bent on consuming every living being in their path...
News Iwata Asks Reveals New Super Mario Bros. U Took Three Years To Develop
And it's not child's play either
New Super Mario Bros. U will be one of two first party Wii U launch titles when Nintendo’s new console finally becomes available to buy - the other of course being Nintendo Land - and it has been revealed in the latest edition of Iwata Asks that the game has been in the works ever since its predecessor New
News Wii U Browser to Use Multiple GamePad Control Options
Gyro sensor, touch screen and buttons
Nintendo hasn't always enjoyed the most success with its console web browsers, often due to modest specifications or a lack of system memory. Nintendo's now released a new Iwata Asks transcript where the team discuss the development of the Wii U Browser, and why it'll be a pleasant surprise for gamers. Part of...
News Satoru Iwata Would Like Miiverse to Become a "Game Diary"
Oh, and there's a cardboard GamePad
As more information continues to arrive in the final days before Wii U hits stores, additional Iwata Asks transcriptions are arriving in English to spread the word. One of the more recent additions features the Nintendo boss interviewing the developers behind Miiverse, a team with extensive experience in web...
News Wii U Branded Remotes Feature External Sync Button
Nintendo's making sure everyone's in sync
Impatient gamers rejoice! Nintendo Connect has discovered that Wii U-branded remotes will sport a handy, external sync button. As a result, players will no longer be required to remove the remote's battery cover in order to sync it with their console. Located on the underside of the remote, this surprise...
News Iwata Asks Talks Up Style Savvy: Trendsetters as a Game For Everyone
It's "like a fighting game! (laughs)"
Style Savvy: Trendsetters is now available in North American stores and on the 3DS eShop, which may not be news to excite a large number of gamers. That said, we awarded this 8/10 in our review, suggesting that perhaps the theme shouldn't completely distract us from the quality of the gaming experience. We...
News Wii U GamePad Wireless Range is "Fine Within The Same Space"
If your walls are thin, the bathroom may be an option
The Wii U GamePad is Nintendo's next big home console innovation and the main selling point of the system. A big part of that appeal is the fact that it wirelessly streams the game, whether it's a match for the TV images or alternative features, from the console to the controller. We all know...
News Take A Look At The Inside Of The Wii U
It's the inside that counts
Ever wondered what the inside of the Wii U looks like? As part of the Iwata Asks series, four Nintendo product developers and general managers sat down this week to discuss the engineering behind the Wii U, as well as how it differs to the Wii. There is an incredible amount of detail on the challenges and processes that...
News 3DS XL Represents 'The Progress of Technology'
More than just a super-sized 3DS
3DS XL lands in Europe and Japan a week from now, with North America joining in on 19th August. There's been a justifiable temptation for some to readily dismiss the new model as a re-scaled 3DS with no actual technological improvements. While that's a true comment in terms of processors and graphics chips, the new...
E3 2012 Iwata Asks Eguchi About Wii U
The ideals of Wii U
Satoru Iwata has conducted another of his famous Iwata Asks interviews. The lucky guy on the receiving end of the questions this time is one Katsuya Eguchi, the general software producer of Wii U. Eguchi is perhaps best known as the creator of Animal Crossing and the producer of Wii Sports. During the 18 minute chat, Eguchi...
News Kid Icarus: Uprising Development Landed on Wii, Briefly
Took in PC too
Masahiro Sakurai started work on Kid Icarus: Uprising so long ago there weren't even 3DS development kits, according to a new Iwata Asks. Sakurai told Nintendo president Satoru Iwata that his Project Sora team made do with the other hardware available, including Wii: At first we didn’t have the Nintendo 3DS development kit, so we...
News Intelligent Systems Rejected Modern-Day Fire Emblem Idea
Gunfire Emblem?
As we prepare for Fire Emblem: Awakening to reach the Western world, Nintendo president Satoru Iwata sat down with some of the game's development staff to discuss this latest entry in the tactical fantasy series. Producer Hitoshi Yamagami and project manager Higuchi Masahiro began discussing the 3DS instalment while working on 2010's...
News Tekken 3D's Multiplayer Mode is 2D Only
Pulling punches
Tekken 3D Prime Edition's bulging cart of 41 characters and a full-length 3D movie is nothing to be trifled with, and the latest Iwata Asks reveals plenty of interesting nuggets — and, indeed, noodles — about next week's scrapper. One such fact is that the stereoscopic display isn't available in wireless multiplayer. A footnote...
News Swapnote Could Have Been Released on DSiWare
Development detailed
Popular 3DS app Nintendo Letter Box (aka Swapnote) could have been the light of day on DSi, a new Iwata Asks reveals. Members of the development team reveal the game was originally in the works as DSiWare and had entered the debug phase at the tail-end of 2009, but several limitations imposed by the console's firmware held it...
News Capcom Had Resident Evil 5 Running on 3DS
Now that's magic
Resident Evil Revelations's road to retail ends in Europe this week, and Nintendo president Satoru Iwata sat down with Capcom staff to discuss how the title came about. Before Revelations, of course, there was Resident Evil: The Mercenaries 3D, but even before that Capcom had a very different game running on the machine, as director...