Author Profile

Ryan permanently joined the Nintendo Life team in 2017, specialising in keeping readers up to date with the latest news. He can list the first 151 Pokémon all in order off by heart – a feat he calls his ‘party trick’ despite being the biggest introvert we know.

Ever since I first discovered the magic of Pokémon Red & Blue and Nintendo's Game Boy Color at the age of six, gaming has been an ever-present factor in my life. It will forever be one of my favourite hobbies1 After pouring this passion into Nintendo-focused music videos on YouTube, the Nintendo Life team spotted my work and eventually brought me on board as a full time member of staff, giving me a career I wouldn't have even thought possible!

Experience

Ryan’s been a member of the Nintendo Life team in one form or another since 2015! After joining the site full-time in 2017 as a News Reporter, Ryan spent a spell as Staff Writer before becoming News Editor for the site in 2020.

In his current role as Ecommerce Writer, Ryan is responsible for all of the product reviews and buying guides you’ll find on Nintendo Life.

Timeline

  • 2015: Begins contributing to Nintendo Life
  • 2017: Joins Nintendo Life as a News Reporter
  • 2018: Becomes Staff Writer on Nintendo Life
  • 2020: Promoted to News Editor on Nintendo Life
  • 2022: Becomes Ecommerce Writer across Nintendo Life, Push Square and Pure Xbox

Qualifications & Awards

  • BA (Hons) Music and Sound for Image (2018)

Expertise

Ryan’s first ever console was a Game Boy Color, which was swiftly followed by a Nintendo 64! Since then he’s owned pretty much every console Nintendo has ever released, as well as every Sony PlayStation from the PS1 to the PS5.

His favourite console of all-time is the Nintendo 64 - not necessarily because it’s the best, but because of the nostalgia triggered by the console and its library of games. The N64 was the first home console he owned, and playing games on it with his Mum and spending every waking moment thinking about / talking about Pokémon was the happiest he’s ever been!

Picking a favourite genre is difficult because I usually need quite a mix of different experiences and to jump from one genre to another to keep things fresh. There's something about platformers, though – 2D, 3D, whatever it is, they're easy to understand and very hard to put down.

Ryan’s Favourite Games

Pokémon Red, Blue & Yellow (Game Boy):

OK, so I'm cheating a bit with this first one, but these almost identical games were what kicked off a lifetime of gaming for me. From a technical point of view, they're definitely not the best the industry has to offer, but they meant everything to me as a kid and you can't really ask for more than that.

Pokémon Snap (Nintendo 64):

This one's also largely in my top three thanks to nostalgia, but even today I find it so satisfying to play through a game that can be completed within a handful of hours on a lazy Sunday afternoon. I'm quite into photography and like to pretend I'm good at it – I think the passion probably started here!

Guitar Hero 3: Legends of Rock (Wii, PS2, Xbox 360):

My final choice is a bit left-field, but my love for Guitar Hero 3 largely comes down to the fact that it was one of a couple of major factors that influenced me to play real guitar – and in turn, make my own music. I can't imagine life now without being so into music and writing and recording my own stuff, and maybe that wouldn’t have happened if I hadn't spent the entirety of 2008 rocking out in my living room with Guitar Hero's plastic controller.

From the Archive

We asked Ryan to pick out his three favourite pieces of work from across his personal archive, and tell us why he picked them!

Feature: Game Of The Decade Staff Picks - Pokémon GO

My time as a full-time writer on Nintendo Life was almost exclusively news-focused, so opportunities to write more personal pieces were rare. I knew this GotD decision would be controversial, but I didn't care – it was fun to write and I'm glad that we put it out.

One Month Later, Animal Crossing: New Horizons’ Review-Bombing Is Only Getting Worse

Purely for the wild attention it received. New Horizons was a huge event, and this story blew up, achieving page view numbers I'd never experienced in such a short space of time and appearing all over social media sites, YouTube videos, and more. It was bizarre but thrilling seeing my headline and byline be talked about and screenshotted all over the place for a few weeks.

Super Mario Odyssey Power Moon Locations And Walkthrough

Creating a full guide campaign for any game is an absolute slog, and this was my first experience of doing so. It's definitely not the best way to enjoy a game, and the amount of work needed is frankly ridiculous, but the sense of achievement having finished a full guide like this isn't really matched by creating any other article type.

Username
ryancraddock
Articles
67
First Article
Mon 7th, February 2022
Find Them On
LinkedInMuck RackInstagramYouTube
  • Deals Not Feeling the PS5 Pro? PS5 Slim Consoles Are Currently $50/£50 Off

    Update: Sale ends today

    Update: Sony's deal offering $50/£50 off PS5 Slim consoles comes to an end today, Monday 14th October. If you're looking to pick up a discounted system, we'd urge you to get on one of the deals shown below pronto before the sale ends tonight! Original Article (Mon 7th Oct, 2024 17:00 BST): If you're after a shiny new PS5...

  • Guide Best PlayStation Christmas Gifts 2024 - PS5 Consoles, Games, Gift Cards, Accessories & More

    The best PlayStation presents and stocking fillers!

    If you're on the lookout for the best gift ideas for gamers or the top Christmas presents for PlayStation fans, we've got you covered right here on this page. The holiday season is right around the corner, so we've been busy tracking down some of the best gifts money can buy to help you find a...

  • Guide How to Pre-Order PS5's 30th Anniversary Collection

    Update: More pre-orders now live!

    Update (10th October, 2024): More pre-orders have appeared for the PS5 Slim bundle. <products id="28384,28385,28344"> Looking to pre-order the PlayStation 30th Anniversary Collection consoles and accessories? Sony has revealed a wave of glorious new hardware inspired by PlayStation's past – a PS5 Pro,...

  • Guide Amazon Prime Big Deal Days 2024 - Best Deals on PS5 and PS4 Games, Controllers, SSDs, 4K TVs, and More

    Update: It's Day 2!

    Update [Weds, 9th October]: The second day of Amazon's Big Deal Days sale is here, bringing even more deals along with it. Day 2 highlights so far include a very welcome £60/$50 off PS5 Slim consoles, as well as discounts on our top pick for PS5 headsets, the SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro: <products id="27754,26755">...

  • Guide Where to Buy PlayStation Portal

    Where and how to get PS Portal in USA, UK

    PlayStation Portal, Sony's dedicated Remote Play handheld device for PS5, is now available to purchase at retail. Below, we're keeping tabs on stores stocking the device to help you secure a PlayStation Portal at the best price. Initially, you could only pre-order the accessory via PlayStation Direct, but...

  • Guide PS5 Stock: Where To Buy PlayStation 5 and PS5 Slim in October 2024

    Best deals and cheapest prices

    Which shops have PS5 stock for October 2024? What are the best PlayStation 5 console deals? After a lengthy period of stock struggles, Sony has finally managed to make PS5 consoles much easier to find at retail. As part of our PS5 guide, we're keeping tabs on which stores have PS5 consoles available, including the...

  • Guide Where to Buy Cheap PS Plus Subscriptions, PlayStation Wallet Top-Ups and Gift Cards

    And how to save money on every digital game you buy

    Sadly, these PS Plus retail cards no longer exist – but there's still a workaround! Where can you buy discounted PlayStation Store credit? How can you save money on PS Plus subscriptions? If you find yourself asking either of those questions whenever you're looking to pick up new games for your...

  • Guide Upcoming PS5 Games for October and November 2024

    Silent Hill! Call of Duty! Dragon Age!

    Wanting something new to play on PS5? Well, thankfully, there are lots of great games headed to the system over the next couple of months – and even a new console to consider (if you don't mind handing over a small fortune, that is)! As always, we've been busy putting together a list of some particularly...

  • Guide All DualSense PS5 Controller Colours and Limited Editions

    Where to buy DualSense Edge + all colours

    What are all the DualSense PS5 controller colours? What limited edition DualSense PS5 controllers are available? As with all previous PlayStation consoles, the PS5's official controller comes in a variety of different colour schemes. Sony usually spreads these out over the course of a generation, but we end...

  • Guide PS5 Console Covers: All Colours and Where to Buy Them

    Every PS5 faceplate design available

    What are all the PS5 console cover colours? After offering the default white colour scheme since launch with all systems, Sony is expanding its PS5 console customisation options with new covers you can purchase in a variety of colours. The first batch launched in January 2022, and more colours have been released...

  • Black Friday 2024 Best Deals on PS5 Consoles, Games, Controllers, SSDs, and More

    Get prepared for Black Friday

    Looking for the best PS5 and PS4 Black Friday deals? In 2024, Black Friday returns on Friday 29th November, with deals set to run through until the following Monday, known as Cyber Monday. Often, deals start to appear slightly earlier than the day itself. In past years we've seen some fantastic deals on PS5 consoles,...

  • Guide PlayStation Christmas Gifts: Best Cheap, Mid-Range And Luxury PS5, PS4 Presents

    Best PlayStation presents for every budget

    If you're on the lookout for the best cheap PlayStation gifts for your friends and family this holiday, the perfect gaming stocking filler, or even the absolute best PS5 and PS4 presents that money can buy, you're in the right place. Below, we've gathered up some of 2024's top PlayStation gifts to offer...

  • News Where to Buy Astro Bot and Limited Edition PS5 DualSense Controller

    Get 15% off in the UK!

    Astro Bot is out now on PS5, and we awarded it a 10/10 in our Astro Bot PS5 review. If you're looking for the best deals and cheapest pre-order prices for the game, or if you're wanting to get your hands on the glorious limited edition Astro Bot DualSense controller, you're in the right place. Remember, if you do grab a copy,...

  • Guide Upcoming PS5 Games for September and October 2024

    Astro Bot! EA Sports FC! Black Ops 6!

    We're truly headed towards the business end of the year now, and if this current list of upcoming PS5 games is anything to go by, we're in for a real treat. As always, we've been busy putting together a list of some particularly noteworthy physical releases headed to PS5 over the next few weeks, as well as a...

  • Guide PS5 Buyer's Guide: Best Deals On Consoles, Games, Accessories & More

    SSDs, Dualsense, TVs and more!

    Looking for the best deals on PS5 consoles and games, or the cheapest prices on accessories like SSDs, external hard drives, controllers, and more? Well, you're certainly in the right place. In this comprehensive PlayStation 5 Buyer's Guide, we've scoured the internet for the very best products available to ensure you...

  • Guide Where to Buy PSVR2

    Best deals, physical PSVR2 games, and accessories

    The hottest new piece of hardware on the PlayStation scene is the PSVR2 (or PlayStation VR2, technically), the latest VR headset from Sony. The PSVR2 is finally available at a wide range of retailers and we're tracking all the best prices and deals for you in this guide. The successor to the...

  • News PS5 Gets a Staggering, Officially Licensed 8TB SSD

    The price is pretty staggering too

    Western Digital has added a brand new SSD to its officially licensed lineup, this time offering PS5 owners the chance to upgrade their system with a whopping 8TB of extra storage – the most that PS5 consoles allow. The 8TB WD_BLACK SN850P NVMe SSD is the latest product in the company's partnership with Sony,...

  • Guide Best PS5 SSD 2024: Boost Your PS5 Storage Capacity

    All PS5 M.2 NVMe SSD requirements and best Solid State Drive to buy

    What is the best PS5 SSD and which PS5 SSD should you buy? Expanding your PS5's storage might seem like a daunting task with so many different SSD options available on the market, but this guide aims to simplify the process, showing you exactly which SSD products are the best...

  • Deals PS5 Price Cuts Continue with Savings on Consoles, Games, and Accessories (Europe)

    Update: £40 off PS5 Slim, up to 60% off games

    Update: Today is the final day of PlayStation Direct's UK and EU sale – deals end at midnight tonight, 14th August 2024. Consider this your final chance to grab anything that takes your fancy below! Original Article (30th July, 2024): This summer has been a pretty spectacular time for savings on...

  • Guide Upcoming PS5 Games for August and September 2024

    Astro Bot! Concord! EA Sports FC!

    Things are starting to heat up as we enter the busy end of the year for game releases, with August and September serving up some delectable treats on PS5. As always, we've been busy putting together a list of some particularly noteworthy physical releases headed to PS5 over the next few weeks, as well as a larger...

  • Guide Upcoming PS5 Games

    Star Wars! Madden! Concord!

    Things are starting to get pretty busy on the old games front, with lots of new releases headed our way over the next couple of months. As always, we've been busy putting together a list of some particularly noteworthy physical releases headed to PlayStation 5 over the next few weeks, as well as a larger selection of...

  • Guide Upcoming PS5 Games for June and July 2024

    Elden Ring! SMTV! College Football!

    The Days of Play sale may well still be going strong, and we're sure this week's State of Play presentation is still very much on your minds, but let us have your attention for just a moment to talk about the games headed to PS5 over the next couple of months. As always, we've been busy putting together a list of...

  • Deals PS5 Consoles, PSVR2, Games and Accessories Reduced in Sony's Days of Play Sale

    $50/£40 off PS5 Slim, $100/£90 off PSVR2!

    Sony's Days of Play sale is well underway, and there are plenty of discounts now live at retail that may well take your fancy. In addition to the 500+ games currently discounted on the PS Store as part of the celebrations, we now have deals on PS5 Slim consoles, PSVR2 bundles, accessories such as...

  • Guide Upcoming PS5 Games for May and June 2024

    Dragon Ball! Elden Ring! SMTV!

    On the hunt for some shiny new games for your PS5? Well, you're certainly in the right place! As always, we've been busy putting together a list of some particularly noteworthy physical releases headed to PlayStation 5 over the next few weeks, as well as a larger selection of games that could well be worth a look too...