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'Super Mario Maker 2' update adds Link from The Legend of Zelda
Super Mario Maker 2 level creators will have a few more tools to play with when the 2.0 update for the Nintendo Switch game drops Thursday. The biggest addition this time around is Link of Legend of Zelda fame.
The Link's Awakening Switch remake will let you create dungeons
When The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening remake arrives on Switch on September 20th, you'll have plenty of options to continue enjoying the game aside from the main story. That's because there's a dungeon creation mode that'll let you forge your own fiendish, heart-shaped stage. You can use chambers (essentially pre-made rooms) you earn while playing to build out your dungeon, and you can claim rewards as you play through your creations. Coming September 20th! #NintendoDirectE3 #E3 pic.twitter.com/1hbSgSgpdt — E3 (@E3) June 11, 2019
'Mario Kart 8 Deluxe' update adds Link from 'Breath of the Wild'
Is Link your favorite racer in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe? Good news! A new version of the Hylian hero has been added to the game. It's based, unsurprisingly, on the wonderful Breath of the Wild that was released for Wii U and Switch last year. You can play as Link in his Champion's Tunic and jostle for position, if you like, on the Master Cycle Zero that featured in the Breath of the Wild DLC Champions' Ballad. The update also includes some Ancient Tires and a new glider based on Link's handy paraglider.
'Super Mario 64: Ocarina of Time’ is the perfect Nintendo mashup
Super Mario 64 is considered to be one of the greatest video games of all time. Its large, imaginative levels and increasingly difficult challenges have defined the 3D platformer genre since its release on the Nintendo 64. Similarly, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time — the first in the franchise with 3D graphics — is considered a classic with a record 99 rating on Metacritic. Both have been celebrated with portable re-releases and a deluge of fan movies, artwork and soundtrack remixes. But never have the two games been combined in a fan-made ROM hack like Super Mario 64: Ocarina of Time.
The best gifts for a console gamer
Don't worry, we're not out to start a console war in our comments: If you're in the market for a new games system, the Xbox One S, PlayStation VR, Nintendo Switch and 2DS XL all made it into our holiday gift guide, for different reasons. Once you figure out which platform is best for your intended, we have a wide assortment of games and accessories, from a 400GB microSDXC card to a custom Xbox controller to the PlayStation Gold wireless headset, among other things. Find all that and more in our gift guide at the link below.
First 'Zelda: Breath of the Wild' DLC adds more reasons to replay
Nintendo's latest Zelda game is such a smash hit that copies of the Switch version outsold the console itself. Now, for players who've already traversed every corner of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild's open world, the company has revealed details of its first planned DLC expansion. Due sometime this summer, DLC will add the promised 'Hard Mode' where enemies are powered up by one level, have higher maximum levels and they slowly regain health -- oh, and enemies and chests can be found in the sky.
2017 is already an incredible year for video games
Every now and then, it's wise to stop and recognize the good things in life. And right now, it doesn't get much better than the video game industry. After dozens of Slack conversations about all the exciting titles and hardware coming out this year, a handful of Engadget editors got together to formally celebrate the year in gaming so far. Plus, we gazed into the future and offered suggestions on ways to make 2017 even better. So sit back, clear your mind and join us in an appreciation of everything good the video game industry has to offer in 2017.
'Zelda: Breath of the Wild' makes open-world games exciting again
At this point, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild has become a video-game phenomenon. Much has been said about how it's a new take on the dusty old Zelda formula, or on how it represents a fresh direction for Nintendo in general, by buoying its new Switch console. But Breath of the Wild deserves just as much credit for how it subverts and reaffirms the power of the open world.
'Zelda' fan creates an ocarina-controlled smart home
In the real world, an ocarina is a lot less functional than the magical one Link has in The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. As Nintendo 64 lovers know, the Hyrulian hero can use his instrument to do things like manipulate the rain and switch between night and day. In our realm, ocarinas just sound nice. Allen Pan, better known as Sufficiently Advanced on YouTube, decided he was tired of playing his ocarina without mystical results. So, he did what any Zelda fan with the technological know-how would do: create a smart home setup controlled by an ocarina.
'Zelda' concert tour to celebrate 'Breath of the Wild'
If you love The Legend of Zelda, or appreciate top video game tunes, there's nothing like a Symphony of the Goddesses performance. The live, orchestral concert series has dazzled fans of Link and Hyrule for the past five years, with epic renditions of classic tracks from A Link to the Past, Ocarina of Time and more. Today, concert organiser Jason Michael Paul Entertainment has announced the dates for the 2017 Tour. It's also teased some set list changes, including a new piece from Breath of the Wild, an "all-new movement" from Skyward Sword and an updated overture.
'Breath of the Wild' is the best 'Zelda' game in years
I replayed the first 30 minutes of Rise of the Tomb Raider the other day. In it, I scaled a mountain, leaping from platform to platform while the environment around me crumbled. I then headed into a tomb, worked through a few puzzles, and triggered a high-octane escape sequence. A year ago, I enjoyed those opening moments immensely. After playing The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, though, they felt lifeless and stale. From Tomb Raider to Uncharted, the modern adventure game is a tightly choreographed charade, a 20-hour quick time event (QTE) with a clearly defined path. When I jumped to evade an avalanche, Lara landed exactly where the game's developers wanted her to. When I needed to solve a puzzle, the game began pointing, beckoning me to do what the developers wanted me to do. In Breath of the Wild, I had heart-stopping, adrenaline-filled moments, I solved complex puzzles, but through it all, I walked my own path.
Initial thoughts on 'Zelda: Breath of the Wild'
Unlike my New York-based colleagues, I didn't get a Nintendo Switch early enough to give some thoughts on the hardware. Mine arrived yesterday, along with Just Dance 2017 and The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. For obvious reasons, the former is still in its plastic wrapping, and will likely remain so for the foreseeable future. I've since put five hours or so into Zelda, though, and I'm really enjoying it... when I can stay alive. Five hours isn't long enough to really make a substantial call on a game of this size's merits, but I can say a few things with certainty.
'Breath of the Wild' will be Nintendo's last Wii U game
The Wii U has had a difficult life cycle, and Nintendo is ready to leave it behind. Speaking with Polygon, Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aime confirmed that The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild will be the last internally developed game for the system. "From a first-party standpoint, there's no new development coming after the launch of Breath of the Wild," he said. "We really are at the end of life for Wii U." While understandable, some may be surprised at how quickly Nintendo is ceasing software development. The 3DS, for comparison, still has a handful of games coming out in 2017, including Pikmin and Fire Emblem Echoes.
Nintendo's Switch won't run 'Zelda' at 1080p
If you're the proud owner of a Wii U, you might be wondering whether the Switch is worth a day one purchase. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is coming to both, so what's the rush, right? Well, the two versions have a few key differences. In a statement provided to IGN, Nintendo confirmed that the Switch game will run at 900p on your TV, while the Wii U version will be stuck at 720p. Switch owners will also benefit from "higher quality environmental sounds," covering water, grass and ornate steps. These will be "more realistic and enhance the game's open air feel," apparently.
Peek at the drawings used to design the original 'Zelda'
To quote one of my favorite video game characters: Greatness, from small beginnings. To celebrate The Legend of Zelda's 30th anniversary, Nintendo has released a handful of drawings that were used to design the first game in the franchise. They're essentially graph paper, with shaded boxes to represent walls and bottomless pits. Careful markings indicate where doors and monsters should be, while a pair of tables explain which colors should be used. Each page offers some wonderful insights into how Shigeru Miyamoto, Takashi Tezuka and others mapped out one of the most iconic video games of all time. Looking at them, I can't help but crack a smile.
Lost Japan-only 'Legend of Zelda' game is available to play
Even the biggest Nintendo fan out there might not be familiar with Satellaview. It was a Japan-only peripheral for the Super Famicon (the country's version of our Super NES) that broadcast games via satellite -- one of which was a remixed version of The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past. Now, as reported by Kotaku, fans outside of Japan can give The Legend of Zelda: Ancient Stone Tablets a shot for the first time.
Play 'The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword' on Wii U today
The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword is available to purchase and download on the Wii U via Virtual Console today. This is the original version of Skyward Sword with no remastering or updates, Nintendo announced during its 3DS-focused livestream this morning.
Deconstructing the legendary dungeons of 'Ocarina of Time'
The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time is one of those games that practically everyone has played and regards fondly. The landmark 1998 game was incredibly influential, and when folks put together lists of "best games of all time," it's usually within the top ten. Ocarina also marked the long-running franchise's move from a top-down view to full 3D thanks to the leap in power that the Nintendo 64 provided. But how do its dungeons stack up to previous games in the series? Specifically, A Link to the Past and Link's Awakening? YouTuber Mark Brown answers just that with a smart and thoughtful examination of the game.
Nintendo's new NES commercial will toy with your nostalgia
Between the incredible popularity of Pokémon Go, game-themed sneakers and the NES Classic Mini console, Nintendo's nostalgia bombs show no signs of stopping. The gaming juggernaut is fueling that fire with a decidedly retro-style trailer for the new-old system, replete with the familiar "now you're playing with power" tagline from the '80s. It's a fun look at the analog past in our digital future. But upon closer inspection a few things pop out. For starters, folks who've played anything reissued via Virtual Console on Wii U or otherwise can attest that the games look dingy and dull.
Nintendo's E3 'Zelda' booth is almost as good as the game itself
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is easily one of the best games we've gotten to try at E3 this year. And in true Nintendo fashion, the company's booth is nearly as impressive as the game itself. The company pulled out all the stops this year, building a huge Hyrule environment in its booth for attendees to stroll through. You could take photos with a wonderfully detailed Link statue, cover in fear from various goblins and stroll through the Temple of Time. There was even real grass all around the booth to help simulate the wonderfully alive world that you get to explore in the game. Words don't quite do it justice, though -- check out this gallery of one of Nintendo's most lavish E3 booths yet. Follow all the news from E3 2016 here!
