Nintendo hopes its wacky Wii U console will herald better times December 5, 2012 It’s been a tough old year for Nintendo. The grand old company, which started life in 1889 selling playing cards (an operation it still continues in its native Japan), this year slumped to its first annual loss since going public in 1981. Lots of things were to blame: the end of the cycle of its [...]
Mario Bros U is fun — but is that enough? December 5, 2012 GAMES NEW SUPER MARIO BROS U From £42, amazon.co.uk *** THAT THE Italian plumber is the flagship launch title for Nintendo’s make-or-break console isn’t much of a surprise. The decision to make New Super Mario Bros U the most retro imagining of the franchise in years, though, is a bold choice, given that Nintendo has [...]
Make or break titles December 5, 2012 ZOMBI U A first person survival horror game that is a tantalising glimpse of how the Wii U could appeal to serious gamers as well as casual players. Makes innovative use of the GamePad. NINTENDO LAND A series of mini-games in the mould of Kinect Sports, with an emphasis on solving puzzles. Features lots of [...]
Chanel’s Highland fling December 5, 2012 The fashion label revisits its rich Scottish connections It’s TAKEN place in Shanghai, Moscow and Monte Carlo but this week Scotland was the destination of choice for Chanel’s Métiers d’Art fashion show. The annual spectacle took place within the walls of Linlithgow Palace, birthplace of Mary Queen of Scots, and the lucky 300 guests were [...]
Lara Mohinc menswear December 5, 2012 Lara Bohinc has mastered the world of women’s accessories. Over the years her designs have adorned the likes of Michelle Obama and Cheryl Cole, propelling her from fashion’s best-kept secret to one of the most sought after accessories designers in the UK. Now she’s branching out and spreading the love to men, too. This month [...]
The new VW 4×4 is practical but dull December 4, 2012 Audi’s A6 Allroad may be the default choice for Europe’s wealthiest equestrians but the new VW Passat Alltrack is more of a four-wheel-drive estate for the rest of us. This then is the people’s version of a car that, theoretically, nobody needs. With so many choices of SUV out there that are just as roomy [...]
Car talk December 4, 2012 The new Porsche Cayman is set to be the star of 2013 This third generation Porsche Cayman was unveiled at the Los Angeles Auto Show and looks sets to be one of the stars of next year. It has a longer wheel base, an all-new chassis and is almost 30kg lighter than its predecessor. It [...]
The men who would be kings of the club scene December 4, 2012 During its short life, Public, Guy Pelly’s London nightspot, met with both triumph and disaster. Soon after it opened in December 2010 it had garnered a reputation as a firm favourite of his pals, Princes William and Harry. And, as one might have expected, it wasn’t long before the youthful, moneyed denizens of the Royal [...]
Mexican is the flavour of the month, with a glut of exciting new openings December 4, 2012 Guy Pelly (above) isn’t the only one to have opened an establishment with a hint of Mexican flavour in recent weeks. And, like the vogue for unfussy but high-quality burgers and barbecue that encouraged the rise of Meat Liquor, Pitt Cue and Burger & Lobster, a trend that first gathered momentum in New York has [...]
1776 is old-fashioned City and it’s all the better for it December 3, 2012 RESTAURANT 1776 1 Lombard Street, EC3V 9AA Tel: 020 7929 6611 FOOD **** VALUE *** ATMOSPHERE *** Cost per person without wine: £55 ONE LOMBARD Street is one of those archetypal City restaurants – like the Mercer – that you go because you work in the City and, you know, that’s just what you do. [...]