3DS eShop News
February2016
Review Pet Hospital (3DS eShop)
Even healthy pets won't make you happy
No one wants to feel as though they're doing a terrible job of taking care of their pets. Sadly, there are times when you may drop an animal and it gets hurt, or your beloved pet may get old and need veterinary medical attention; that's the real world. In the virtual world, though, Pet Hospital has you covered...
Video Bask in the Monochrome Glow of Extended Pokémon Virtual Console Footage
20 years of hype
It's not often that Virtual Console releases of 20-year-old games have their own hardware bundles and weeks of hype, yet that's the case with Pokémon Red, Blue and Yellow ahead of their 27th February arrival on the 3DS eShop. Such is the power of the brand that a nostalgia-tinged release date, combined with a first official...
Random Of Course There's Already A Custom Detective Pikachu amiibo
This needs to happen, for real
Detective Pikachu was officially revealed to the world last week, and the unusually deep-voiced sleuth already has his own amiibo, albeit a custom one. Crafted by GandaKris, the keen-eyed investigator comes with a hat, rug, tea and a pipe- everything a good detective needs, basically. To top it
Nintendo Download 4th February (Europe)
Smash DLC! Super Mario Galaxy! Legend of Legacy! More!
Another week is underway, and that means we get a look at the Nintendo Download Update treats that are on the way in Europe. This week's a bit of a corker, with high-profile DLC, an exceptional Wii download, RPG goodness on 3DS and some promising download-only games. Let's get to the details...
January2016
Or the 4th; don't you love time zones?
The long-awaited final bundle of DLC, or AOC as Nintendo likes to call it, for Super Smash Bros. including Bayonetta and Corrin will be landing on Wii U and 3DS systems on 3rd February in North America and the 4th in Europe. Nintendo has yet to confirm a time but judging from the official Nintendo of America...
Video Take a Quick Look at Some Cool SteamWorld Heist Trick Shots
Steampew-pew
SteamWorld Heist has proven rather popular so far on the 3DS eShop, but for those yet to dive in there can still be a little confusion over what kind of game it is. It's nothing like SteamWorld Dig, for one thing. So when we say it's a 2D skill-driven turn-based strategy game, putting together the pieces without play
News Unity Support on New Nintendo 3DS is Now Available to Developers
Ports ahoy!
In 2015 the happy news was confirmed that support for the Unity middleware development platform was coming to New 3DS; that was pleasing news in consideration of the large number of Unity-developed titles on the Wii U eShop. It's a very common tool for smaller developers, in particular, so supporting it - and offering free licenses, as...
News The North American eShop Winter Warm-Up Sale Concludes With 15 More Discounts
Two Metroid games! EarthBound! Shantae! Affordable Space Adventures! More!
The Nintendo Download Update for North America has already gone out for this week, but we also have discounts for the final week of the 'Winter Warm-Up' Sale to consider; the theme for this final batch is "Epic Adventures". There are 15 games discounted in total, with a...
Nintendo Download 28th January (North America)
Final Fantasy new and old! LEGO Avengers! Shadow Puppeteer! More!
It's that time again, dear readers, for the North American Nintendo Download Update. This week brings three high profile retail titles (well, one is on both platforms), an intriguing and shadowy Wii U release along with some other interesting download-only arrivals on both systems...
News Image & Form Hails SteamWorld Heist as "an Even Bigger Success Than SteamWorld Dig"
Language update delayed, with "new surprises and lots of polish" promised
SteamWorld Heist was a late year treat for 3DS owners in 2015, serving up a hugely accomplished follow-up to the much loved SteamWorld Dig. Its blend of charming steampunk visuals, a humorous script and clever 2D turn-based strategy worked rather well, seemingly impressing...
News Detective Pikachu Trailer is Revealed, Arrives as a Download in Japan on 3rd February
Weird CGI Pikachu arrives with a dapper hat
Do you remember the creepy CGI Pikachu reveal from October 2013, in which the 'mon had a very expressive face? It was teased back then as a 3DS title, with a magnifying glass as a rare clue, and it all went silent from there. Well, now we know it's called Detective Pikachu: Birth of a New Combination -...
News Musicverse: Electronic Keyboard Aims to Bring Music Composition to Life on 3DS
On its way to a global release
There are already a handful of music composition tools available on the 3DS, and now Abylight Studios is getting closer to releasing its own effort - Musicverse: Electronic Keyboard. Like some of its contemporaries it'll aim to offer substantial variety in features and instruments, as well as various options for...
Nintendo Download 28th January (Europe)
LEGO Avengers! Final Fantasy Explorers + a VC game! Shadow Puppeteer! More!
Another week begins with the Nintendo Download Update details for Europe, and this batch is certainly promising. We have major retail releases on Wii U and 3DS leading the way, while there are also some highly promising download-only options to consider along with DLC,...
Sequel aiming for both regions together
With a simplified and global rating system now in place, download developers have one less hurdle to clear when working towards bringing their games to both North America and Europe / Australia. Renegade Kid is one studio utilising the new system, and now has a tentative release target for Dementium Remastered...
Review RV-7 My Drone (3DS eShop)
An unmanned excursion
We live in an age where cars can drive themselves, robots are slowly preparing to overthrow their masters, and drones can be programmed to do anything from delivering vital supplies to filming botched attempts at BMX stunts. "Drone" in particular is the buzzword du jour, and for all you know this review could have been written...
Your pets are better than mine
If you've ever considered owning a pet, the 3DS game My Pets is a great way to dissuade you. It's not due to the fact that spending time taking care of virtual animals can never truly replicate the warm, fuzzy feelings of a pet's unconditional love. It's that this game highlights a lot of the seedier, dirtier sides of...
Clean cut
Do you consider yourself a samurai among slicers? Do you leave no pizza asymmetrically divided in your wake? Then Slice It! might have a challenge made for you. The goal of Slice It! is straightforward. Each puzzle provides a shape or design that the player must cut into a certain number of separate pieces using full cuts from one side to...
News Another 17 Games Get North American eShop Discounts in the Winter Warm-Up Sale
Super Mario 3D World! Freedom Planet! Runner 2! More!
This week's Nintendo Download Update for North America includes some high profile releases, but the good news is that the second week of 'Winter Warm-Up' sales brings some more enticing discounts. This is the middle week of the three week promotion across the Wii U and 3DS eShop stores, with the...
Review The Legend of Dark Witch - Episode 2: The Price of Desire (3DS eShop)
Unbewitching sequel
Episodic gaming isn't a new or very interesting concept anymore. The idea of partitioning a game's release into episodes for the sake of providing better content at the sacrifice of instant gratification is good in theory, but that's just a theory. In practice, this only works when a developer stays true to its promise of...
Nintendo Download 21st January (North America)
Minecraft: Story Mode! Mario & Luigi! Zack & Wiki! Classic Mario! More!
It's that time once again, dear readers, for the North American Nintendo Download Update details. This week brings a high-profile retail release on 3DS, an episodic Minecraft experience, some tempting Virtual Console arrivals and other offerings that include demos and discounts...
Review Lionel City Builder 3D: Rise of the Rails (3DS eShop)
A smooth ride
Oddly enough, there's a small trend of train simulator games coming to the Nintendo 3DS. Why developers prefer to put these on the portable console is anyone's guess, but there's a surprisingly large selection in the 3DS library considering the niche appeal of the genre. Lionel City Builder 3D: Rise of the Rails is the latest arrival...
News Rynn's Adventure: Trouble in the Enchanted Forest is Heading to Wii U Soon
A 3DS release is also planned
The eShop isn't exactly short of platformers, on both Wii U and 3DS, yet it's a genre that's pretty much always welcome. Running and jumping is still rather popular when done well, and Nintendo's systems have delivered some gems on this score. It's also a genre that provides a good jumping off point for young studios...
Nintendo Download 21st January (Europe)
Mario Kart 64! Adventures of Pip! Radiohammer! Themes galore! More!
Another week begins with the Nintendo Download Update details in Europe, and this time around we have a Nintendo 64 classic joined by a long-awaited retro-styled new release on the home console. Beyond that we have an exciting demo, 3DS Home Themes galore and a few discounts; let's...
News 17 Games Get North American eShop Discounts in the Winter Warm-Up Sale
Star Fox 64 3D! Gunman Clive 2! Punch-Out! More!
This week's Nintendo Download Update for North America had plenty of information, yet as expected Nintendo of America has followed it up with the first week of its 'Winter Warm-Up' sales. For three weeks there'll be themed discounts across the eShop on Wii U and 3DS, with the first batch coming under...
Nintendo Download 14th January (North America)
Metroid: Zero Mission! Space Hulk! Slice It! Discounts! More!
It's Nintendo Download Update time once again, with this week's North American offerings bringing a mix of old and new treats. The Wii U Virtual Console catches up with a long-demanded Game Boy Advance title, while there's also some strategy, gallery shooting and more coming to the home...
News Bravely Second: End Layer Demo Arrives in Europe on 11th February
A "prelude to the adventure"
Bravely Default was a popular arrival when it was localised in Europe and North America, and also had a demo that served as a prelude to the main game. With Bravely Second: End Layer approaching in Europe the same strategy is being revisited. With the game due on 26th February, including a gorgeous Collector's Edition
News Yes, You Can Scan The Shovel Knight amiibo While It's Still In Its Box
"We got a lot of feedback from fans before release"
Collecting amiibo is a full-time obsession for some Nintendo fans, and there will be a great many out there who are kept up at night by the eternal question - should you open the packaging and reduce the value of the figure in order to use it in the manner Nintendo intended? The reason collectors...
News Mini Mario & Friends amiibo Challenge Launches in Japan This Month
Could this be NST's rumoured project?
It's interesting to see how the Mario vs. Donkey Kong games have slowly changed over time. While the first game was a 2D platformer that echoed the philosophy of the classic Donkey Kong arcade game, each successive entry focused more and more on the miniature toy versions of characters. Now, it's become a...
News Word Puzzles by POWGI is Heading to Europe on 28th January, Including a Wii U Release
Supports all amiibo for extra puzzles
European fans of puzzles and word games have a double release on the way this month, with Lightwood Games confirming a release date of 28th January for Word Puzzles by POWGI in the region. Already confirmed for 3DS, the title is also heading to the Wii U eShop on the same day. These titles will provide a...
Nintendo Download 14th January (Europe)
Mega Man Battles! Final Fantasy Explorers pre-load! DLC! Discounts!
Another week begins and we have a modest batch of games to consider in the European Nintendo Download Update. There are the two versions of the final Mega Man Battle Network title on the Wii U Virtual Console, a neat demo on 3DS, DLC and the option to pre-purchase a major retail...
Nintendo Download 7th January (North America)
Light gun games! Ocean Runner! Discovery! More!
The time has come for the first North America Nintendo Download Update of 2016, and it includes a variety of options. The Wii U Virtual Console plays catch up with three light gun games, while new download offerings include a creative Minecraft-a-like, two RCMADIAX games and the return of Ninja Pig...
Review Ocean Runner (3DS eShop)
Shallow Waters
Deep within the vast, mysterious waters of our blue planet, the endless-runner genre is surprisingly still alive and well. As the name might suggest, Ocean Runner combines mobile friendly arcade gameplay with a nautical theme, perhaps creating the eShop's first endless swimmer title in the process, but is there enough here to keep our...
News BOXBOY! is Getting a Sequel
It's time for round two
Many of you will no doubt remember BOXBOY!, a quirky puzzle platformer from HAL Laboratories that came out last spring. We gave it a 6/10, noting that it's a solid game, but it plays things a little too safe. Nonetheless, it apparently was a fairly popular title, as Nintendo has just announced a sequel. The new game will be...
Nintendo Download 7th January (Europe)
New Super Mario Bros. Wii! Temple of Yog! Drill Dozer! More!
It's the first Nintendo Download Update of the year, kicking off with the European arrivals that are on the way. This week we have an enjoyable platformer from the Wii era and the EU debut of a Game Freak GBA title, along with a few varied fresh releases on both Wii U and 3DS. There are a...
News Alien Dinosaurs Will Be Invading The Wii U And 3DS eShops Soon
Do the dinosaur
Indie developer Ratalaika Games is bringing its action title Alien Dinosaurs to Nintendo platforms. The run-and-gun shooter - which wouldn't look out of place on the Game Boy - sees the player character getting abducted by alien reptiles who then set up a gauntlet of challenges to ascertain if the planet Earth is ripe for conquest...
December2015
Nintendo Download 31st December (North America)
1080° Snowboarding, Molly Maggot and various discounts
It's the final North American Nintendo Download Update of 2015, and it's a little thin on content. Despite that there is a gem from the N64 era and some promising discounts, so all hope is not lost; let's get to it. Missed the European Nintendo Download Update? Well, your New Years' Resolution...
Review The Delusions of Von Sottendorff and his Square Mind (3DS eShop)
He's no square
The Delusions of Von Sottendorff and his Square Mind is one of the weirdest - and consequently, one of the most interesting - 3DS titles we've encountered. It has just a single play mode, in which the titular baron must escape the confines of his own home. The trick, however, is that the baron is insane and believes himself to be...
Nintendo Download 31st December (Europe)
1080° Snowboarding! Wave Race 64! Story of Seasons! More!
Well, we have the final European Nintendo Download Update details of 2015, and there are a couple of iconic N64 games and an enticing 3DS option included. It's not exactly a packed week, but those with a taste for the slopes or the waves should be happy. At the time of writing we've only...
Review Petit Novel series - Harvest December (3DS eShop)
A novel experience
The visual novel is without a doubt the most niche game genre in the West. While some visual novels that combine more traditional game elements have found success — Ace Attorney and Zero Escape come to mind — the vast majority of visual novels are not considered for western audiences. CIRCLE Entertainment's eShop release Petit...
Review Rytmik Ultimate (3DS eShop)
A Major success? Or does it fall Flat?
Music production is gradually becoming more and more accessible and is now much more affordable than ever before. In years gone by top quality records could only be created with a huge amount of technical knowhow and financial backing in fancy recording studios. Now it's pretty commonplace to have people making...
Nintendo Download 24th December (North America)
Super Mario Galaxy! Discounts galore! Festive 3DS HOME Themes! More!
It's the final Nintendo Download Update before Christmas, which is a merry occasion indeed. However you treat the Holidays, the update should help make the week a bit more special; we have a Wii classic, some free DLC, 3DS HOME Themes and a whole load of discounts. Let's get to the...
Video Image & Form Launches Its Final SteamWorld Contest for 2015
Win the soundtrack, a stylish hat, games and more
SteamWorld Heist was one of a few high-profile and distinguished titles to land on the eShop in December, and unsurprisingly developer Image & Form is getting ready to step back and take a break for the Holidays. It's released one final episode of 'The Engine Room', however, with a neat prize on...
And how to get the perfect PEGI rating
Steamworld Heist may be one of the last games to release in 2015, but it's also one of the best. Riding high on Metacritic it looks set to be the highest-scoring 3DS game of the year, and is throwing a spanner in the works of many overeager publication's "game of the year" lists. We sat down with Brjann...
News Lost WiiWare Title Noitu Love: Devolution Is Coming To 3DS And Wii U Early Next Year
Better late than never
Back in 2010, we reported on the news that Noitu Love 2 was headed to WiiWare, but issues relating to the publisher meant it never happened. Thankfully, the title is being resurrected for the 3DS and Wii U eShops, and will be available in Q1 2016. Originally released on PC in 2008, the game uses a mouse-based control system...
Review Radiohammer (3DS eShop)
Hammer time
Between retail full-lengths like Hatsune Miku: Project Mirai DX, Theatrhythm Final Fantasy: Curtain Call, and Rhythm Thief and the Emperor's Treasure, and eShop singles like HarmoKnight and Dedede's Drum Dash Deluxe, the 3DS has put on quite a sh
News Project X Zone 2 EU Release Date Brought Forward, Demo Coming in January
A crazy new trailer arrives, too
Project X Zone 2 will be among a glut of promising releases in early 2016, and will also be relatively unique among the crowded batch of arrivals. The RPG will once again mash up Capcom, SEGA and Bandai Namco franchises, and this time will throw in a bit of Xenoblade Chronicles and Fire Emblem for good measure. If...
News Former Argonaut Staffer Is Reviving The Legendary Neo Geo Title Windjammers On 3DS
Say hello to Power Disc Slam
For those of you with fond memories of fast-paced sports arcade games like Windjammers from the good old days, it will come as great news to hear that newly-formed UK based Chequered Cow Games is bringing the magic back with Power Disc Slam, set to arrive on the 3DS eShop early next year. This modern take on the...
Nintendo Download 24th December (Europe)
Retro Mario goodness! Kung Fu fighting! Loads of Discounts! More!
It's the final Nintendo Download Update for Europe before Christmas, Xmas or 25th December, whatever you choose to call it. It brings a couple of popular retro Mario treats, a decent Wii U eShop title, a whole load of discounts and more besides. Let's get to it. Wii U eShop: Kung Fu...
News Sales for Dementium Remastered Have Been Much Lower Than Expected
Renegade Kid may pull out of 3DS development if trend continues
Not too long ago, we reported on Totes the Goat, a side project of Renegade Kid's Jools Watsham. When he was discussing how the game came about, it was mentioned how the studio has a tough time getting good footing in the eShop. Although most Renegade Kid games have been fairly well...
Nintendo Download 17th December (North America)
Minecraft, Smash Bros. DLC, Temple of Yog, discounts galore and more
It's that time once again for the Nintendo Download Update, and this week brings us a long-awaited sandbox game, a promising Wii U eShop exclusive, some enticing 3DS eShop options, DLC, a lot of discounts and more besides. There's plenty to cover, so let's get to it. Missed the...
News The Legend of Dark Witch 2 Will Cast Its Spell Very Soon on 3DS
Four HOME Themes arrive on the same day
The Legend of Dark Witch was a bit of a surprise on the 3DS eShop, with the action platformer proving to be a solid addition to the store; we gave it a recommendation in our review. Publisher CIRCLE Entertainment has now confirmed some key details around the sequel, including the fact it's arriving in North...
News Ryu, Roy and Famicom Colour R.O.B. amiibo Will Be Released On 18th March
Cloud, Corrin and Bayonetta amiibo also confirmed
In the final Super Smash Bros. for Wii U & 3DS video presentation, series creator Masahiro Sakurai has revealed more amiibo will be arriving in store soon and also confirmed amiibo development for the three newly announced fighters. Ryu from Street Fighter, Roy from the Fire Emblem series, and a...
BASIC Beast
We've said it before, and we'll say it again: The general-purpose, relatively simple programming environments of the BASIC family are a great place to get started with coding. Developer SmileBoom first brought its own variant of BASIC to DSiWare in 2012 with the charming Petit Computer, and now is back and stronger than ever with...
Big changes happening at Nintendo's US-based studio
Nintendo Software Technology - as we've reported in the past - has endured a troubled history of late. The studio responsible for Wave Race: Blue Storm and Mario vs. Donkey Kong was once a major player in Nintendo's network of internal studios, but the costly disaster that was Proje
Nintendo Download 17th December (Europe)
Minecraft! Retro Mario! Onimusha Tactics! Loads of discounts! More!
Another week is underway and we have the Nintendo Download Update for Europe. This week the star attraction is undoubtedly Minecraft on Wii U, but there are also quite a few retro offerings and some intriguing download options, in addition to a huge number of 3DS HOME Themes and...
News Jools Watsham Explains Why his Latest Game Didn't Release on Nintendo Platforms
"The market isn't quite as healthy as it once was for us"
Renegade Kid is a studio that has been supporting Nintendo consoles since the days of the DS. It arguably rose to prominence in current generation, though, as a higher volume of releases and the visibility offered by the eShop has catapulted it to higher levels of success. Generally speaking,...
News Image & Form Celebrates SteamWorld Heist Release With an Open Letter to Fans
"Games aren't indie or AAA - they're just better or worse."
We've seen a number of excellent eShop releases in 2015, and a handful of weekly updates that have been rather exciting, but the 10th December Nintendo Download Update is right up there among the best. On Wii U there's Shin'en's FAST Racing NEO while on 3DS there's Image & Form's...
Review SteamWorld Heist (3DS eShop)
You feelin' lucky, steampunk?
When a studio has a surprise hit such as SteamWorld Dig, it would likely be forgiven if a straightforward sequel rapidly followed. That doesn't seem to be the norm on the eShop, however, and Image & Form has produced an ambitious follow-up in the form of a turn-based strategy game with a twist, placing trick shots...
Video This Terraria Launch Trailer Goes for the Silent Treatment
Keep on digging
It's a bit of a bumper week on the eShop for both Wii U and 3DS owners, with the highest profile arrivals set to be FAST Racing NEO, SteamWorld Heist and Terraria. The latter, rather like the upcoming Minecraft: Wii U Edition, has been a hugely popular game on various systems that's finally making its way to Nintendo hardware...
News SteamWorld Heist to Add "Fun Game Stuff" in Free January Update as Launch Trailer Arrives
Extra steamy
SteamWorld Heist is out this week on the 3DS eShop, joining Terraria on the portable and FAST Racing NEO on Wii U; along with some other releases it's looking like a crowded update. Image & Form will no doubt be hoping that the SteamWorld brand and anticipation for the turn-based strategy shooter will see it t
News Steel Empire Blasts Into Europe on 17th December, With a Discount Also Heading to North America
Teyon announces a range of festive discounts
We're certainly fans of Steel Empire on the 3DS eShop, a classic shmup that's been given a quality remaster on the portable - we didn't exactly hold back any praise for it in our review. Unfortunately, however, it's been rather pricey in North America ($29.99 in the US) and has taken a while to arrive in...
Video Check Out Jools Watsham's Playthrough of Dementium Remastered's Introduction
Resident Evil-lite
While Europe still has to wait a bit, Dementium Remastered is out now in North America and stands as a pretty solid survival horror game; filling a gap in the eShop that very few have notably tried to fill. We awarded the game a 7/10 in our review, praising the upgrades this version received, while criticising certain gameplay...
Review Family Fishing (3DS eShop)
Fins with Kin
As the house of Guilty Gear and BlazBlue, Arc System Works is perhaps best known for its fighting games, but over the past few years it's also been quietly churning out a series of arcadey eShop sports games starring a multitalented Japanese family. Billy and his hyper-competitive clan have already brought charming, thoroughly decent...
Feature Behind the Scenes of SteamWorld Heist
A look at development, marketing and the game's pitch for success
SteamWorld Heist is out on 10th December on the 3DS eShop, and is a title that's intrigued us from the moment it was first revealed. Its predecessor SteamWorld Dig took off on the 3DS, gaining critical acclaim and a legion of dedicated fans, in the process also helping boost developer...
Review Johnny's Payday Panic (3DS eShop)
Minimum wage, maximum fun
Taking a look at the Cooking and Gardening Mama games, it's obvious that developer Office Create knows how to take menial tasks and turn them into surprisingly engaging video games. Though North America hasn't seen a new title featuring Mama on a Nintendo platform in the past year (the latest release was a little more...
Nintendo Download 10th December (Europe)
SteamWorld Heist! FAST Racing NEO! AVGN! Terraria! More!
Another week kicks off with the European Nintendo Download Update, and it's certainly one of the stronger weeks in recent times for eShop fans. Both the Wii U and 3DS have highly anticipated 'Nindie' releases, while a hugely popular sandbox / crafting adventure also arrives on the portable as...
News SteamWorld Heist Will Have Over 100 Weapons and Nearly 100 Hats
Looking fresh
SteamWorld Heist is only a few days away from release now, and hype for the game is at an all-time high. Offering up a distinct experience from its predecessor, SteamWorld Dig, many are curious how Image & Form's latest entry in the SteamWorld series will stack up in comparison. Based off of what's been shown up to this point, it...
Video Check Out This Explanation of How Steamworld Heist Plays
Pulling a job
A few days ago, it was revealed that Steamworld Heist will be releasing on 10th December, a little less than a week from now. Those who buy it before the end of the year will receive a discounted price and 3DS buyers will have the added bonus of a home screen theme that will become unavailable once 2016 begins. In order to build hype...
News Terraria Digs Its Way Into the 3DS eShop on 10th December
It's looking like a crowded week...
We already have FAST Racing NEO coming to Wii U and SteamWorld Heist to 3DS on 10th December, and now the eShop update will have another high profile arrival - Terraria. The 2D platformer / resource / sandbox game has become a huge success since it took off as an Indie title on PC, picking up 505 Games as a...
Review Pokémon Picross (3DS eShop)
Pika-p and play
During the Nintendo Direct in November one of the surprise announcements was Pokémon Picross. It seemed like a bizarre idea, but crossing over the Pokémon franchise with the quirky Picross series is precisely what the somewhat stagnant puzzle series needed, adding a considerable amount of replayability and strategy onto the...
News Festive 3DS HOME Themes Start to Roll Out in Japan
Ho ho ho
The Holiday season is upon us, which is rather jolly indeed. No, that's not cynicism, but actually sincere - it's a time of year when we can spend more time with family and friends, and either go all in with gift buying and giving or simply hand over the gift of our precious time. Don't offer 'time' to all loved ones, though, they might...
News Circle Entertainment Claims That Nintendo of America Only Allows Up to Four Themes Per 3DS Game
Maybe an attempt to promote variety?
Though most updates to the 3DS just make the device even more stable than before, there have been rare occasions where new, major features were added, such as the introduction of Miiverse to the platform. Another major improvement was the addition of home screen themes, providing gamers with a way to customize...
News SteamWorld Heist Release Date and Pricing Confirmed
The temperature's rising
We're stepping into an exciting period of releases at retail and on the eShop, and one of the most ambitious downloadable 3DS titles on the way has a firm release date and pricing. Image & Form has confirmed that SteamWorld Heist will arrive on 10th December and will have a launch discount until the end of 2015. As...
Parent Trap Is 3DS Download Play The Perfect Family Feature?
Family Gamer's Andy Robertson celebrates an underrated system-seller
The 3DS is quite a system, and has found its way into the hands of more than 50 million players all over the world. However, there are a few features on the console that families often overlook, one of which is Download Play. Of course, expert and avid Nintendo players know all...
November2015
Video New Mighty No. 9 Trailer Aims to Bring Back the Hype
Leaving those troubles behind
Comcept's Mighty No. 9 has had a curious development history. It stormed to success on Kickstarter seemingly off the back of Keiji Inafune's reputation and its potential as a spiritual successor to Mega Man, yet as development wore on and more footage emerged opinions cooled. The reaction to the visual style hasn't...
Nintendo Download 3rd December (Europe)
Xenoblade Chronicles X! Mario & Luigi! Wii games! More!
Another week begins with the Nintendo Download Update for Europe, and this week we have two major retail releases across the Wii U and 3DS; beyond that we have three rather good Wii games available on the eShop, some free-to-play Pokémon and a range of discounts. Let's get to the details. Wii...
News Nintendo of Europe's eShop Cyber Deals End With a Bang on Wii U and 3DS
Xenoblade! Kid Icarus! Bayonetta 2!
Nintendo of Europe has been running discounts on the Wii U and 3DS eShop stores over the weekend in its Cyber Deals promotion, throwing in retail releases with discounts of 40-50%. There have been some decent deals but, in our opinion, the final batch is the best yet. Xenoblade Chronicles is the cross-platform...
Review Dementium Remastered (3DS eShop)
A new horror with some old scares
Why are you in this abandoned hospital? Why are these monsters attacking you? Where did they come from? Is it really safe to down 38 bottles of pain killers? Dementium Remastered has few answers for you, but the mystery only enhances its eerie, lonely atmosphere. This new version completely rebuilds the original DS...
News Kirby Stars Alongside Wario and Steamy Strategy in Nintendo of Europe Cyber Deals
Day three brings more different franchises
Nintendo of Europe is now into the third day of deals in its four day discount event across the Wii U and 3DS eShop stores. The first two batches have featured Mario and Donkey Kong franchise releases alongside thoroughly decent alternatives, and on the third day it's the turn of Kirby. As before there are...
News Nintendo of Europe Confirms Its Second Batch of eShop Cyber Deals
DK x2! Pikmin 3! Ultimate NES Remix!
While Nintendo of America went for a varied batch of Black Friday to Cyber Monday offers for its eShop cyber deals, Nintendo of Europe is opting for a smaller number of options spread across 24 hour windows. The first batch featured key Mario titles and The Wonderful 101, and the latest offerings blend some DK...
News Weapon Variety and 60fps New 3DS Performance Outlined in SteamWorld Heist in Community Q & A
Lots of hats up for grabs, too
SteamWorld Heist is approaching a December release, so naturally Image & Form is doing its utmost to build awareness of the release. To that end it's revived its 'Engine Room' video series to tackle some questions from the community. The Q & A picks up on some key points for those curious about the upcoming...
News Nintendo of Europe Launches Its Cyber Deals Weekend With Four Major eShop Discounts
Today only
While Nintendo of America has opted to put a whole range of titles on discount across an extended weekend, Nintendo of Europe is going for a different approach. It looks set to highlight a series of daily deals across four days, and has announced four retail games that are reduced today (27th November), on the eShop. Each system gets two...
Nintendo Download 26th November (North America)
Cyber Deals! A jumping Platypus! Konami Racing! More!
It's Nintendo Download Update time in North America, which also doubles as a Thanksgiving update in the US. This week's big draw is the glut of discount prices from the eShop Cyber Deals; these are below if you missed our original article. Beyond that we have a quirky Wii U eShop release...
News Angry Video Game Nerd Adventures Looks Set for Europe on 10th December
Festive fury
There can certainly be some frustrating eShop release gaps between Europe and North America, with the former coming off worse on most occasions. An example of this has been Angry Video Game Nerd Adventures, which came out in North America in Spring / Summer on Wii U and 3DS and has taken a little while to make the move to Europe. On a...
News Pokémon Picross Launches on 3rd December in the West
I choose you!
One of the new announcements made in the recent Nintendo Direct was that of Pokémon Picross. The upcoming puzzle game aims to crossover the Pokémon and Picross series by featuring over 300 puzzle based off of various Pokémon from the popular series. Moreover, once each puzzle is solved, the Pokémon that it depicts is "caught" and...
News The eShop is Opening Up in More European Countries Soon
Beginning on 10th December
Update: We've been able to verify this as accurate with other Europe-based eShop publishers. Original Article: It can be easy to take the eShop and various services for granted, but in various countries providers such as Nintendo can be rather slow in making everything available. This has been the case in a number of...
News Nintendo of America Confirms Its Black Friday eShop Cyber Deals
Retail, download-only and Virtual Console games all included
With Black Friday about to descend on the world with more deals than you can shake a stick at, Nintendo of America has now confirmed its eShop promotions that'll be part of the shopping madness - Nintendo of Europe is planning a similar swath of discounts to be announced later in the week...
Poll Nintendo's Free-to-Play Experiments - Are You Still Playing?
We may as well get used to it
Nintendo's played its pricing pretty straight with the Wii U eShop, outside of supporting occasional diversions in standard models from Indie developers, and also dabbling in free-to-start with Fatal Frame / Project Zero: Maiden of Black Water. On the 3DS eShop, however, the company's been more experimental - a...
News Image & Form Launches Its Final SteamWorld Heist Ambassador Challenge
Have your words in the launch trailer
As SteamWorld Heist approaches its target of a December release on 3DS, developer Image & Form has announced the final part of its Ambassador Challenge series. These have been community events in which fans have designed hats or come up with slogans, and the winners have won the right to free copies on all...
News Bring a Bit of Splatoon Goodness to Your 3DS With This HOME Theme
Yoshi goes for a softer touch
If you're in Europe you may have gawked at the most recent Nintendo Download Update for the region just recently, which is mainly full of NES games and 3DS HOME Themes. Nintendo of Europe has shared images of the HOME Themes, and as one of them is the fetching 'Squid Sisters' Splatoon option we felt obliged to share it;...
News Acclaimed 3DS Shooter Steel Empire Finally Cleared For European Landing
Steamy
Steel Empire may be a distant memory to Japanese and North American players, but Europe still doesn't have access the cult 3DS steampunk shooter. Publisher Teyon previously stated that the game might not make the jump to the Old World, but that decision seems to have been overruled as the game is currently waiting on a USK rating, after...
Nintendo Download 26th November (Europe)
Double Dragon III! Two Ninja Gaidens! HOME Themes Galore! A bit more!
Another week begins with the European Nintendo Download Update, and this time around there's a bonanza of Virtual Console games and 3DS HOME Themes to consider along with some discounts; we're lacking new downloads beyond smaller retail games, though. Without further pre-amble...
That'll rule New 3DS out too, then
The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth ended an intriguing saga for Nintendo download gaming when it came to the Wii U and New 3DS eShop stores. Having previously been rejected by Nintendo based on its content, a gradual change in the company's approach eventually opened the door for Edmund McMillen's critically acclaimed...
Video Get Creeped Out By the Final Pre-Launch Dementium Remastered Trailer
Aiming for Europe / Australia in early 2016
It's a sign of the growing prominence of the eShop that titles considered to be retail releases in the DS can be enticing download-only games in the 3DS generation. Prominent 'Nindie' Renegade Kid knows this all too well, and the studio's latest enhanced re-release - Dementium Remastered - is heading to...
Nintendo Download 19th November (North America)
Mario Tennis! Pokémon! Typoman! GBA Street Fighter 2! More!
With another week comes another batch of Nintendo Download goodies in North America, and 'tis the season for major retail releases on both Wii U and 3DS. The Wii U eShop also gets an exclusive while a range of options are available across both stores - let's get to the details. Missed the...
News Dementium Remastered Launches on the North American 3DS eShop on 3rd December
The Nightmare Before Christmas
For those of you that weren't aware, Dementium: The Ward was a first person horror title originally developed for the Nintendo DS. Interestingly enough, there were aspirations early on in development to turn it into a new Silent Hill game for the platform, but Konami turned down the offer. After the relative success of...
News Mega Man Legacy Collection Gets a Budget Price as a Download-Only Release in Europe
Better than a Mega Buster shot to the face
Mega Man Legacy Collection is a slightly strange release on the 3DS - not so long ago Capcom released all six original 'classic' style NES games on the 3DS eShop as individual Virtual Console offerings; now you can play them again in a collection that throws in a Challenge mode and a Museum section to view...
Gallery Image & Form Shows Off More SteamWorld Heist 3DS Screenshots
Scan the QR code to see in 3D
SteamWorld Heist is due to arrive on the 3DS eShop in December, and as the latest entry in the series to follow SteamWorld Dig is sure to gain plenty of attention when it lands. As those that have been following it will be well aware, however, this 2D turn-based strategy title is a notable departure for the series...
News Mutant Mudds Super Challenge Has Been Delayed Until Early Next Year
It'll be worth the wait
Mutant Mudds Super Challenge is something of an interesting entry in the Mutant Mudds series; it's not a sequel, but it's standalone and supposedly will have more content than DLC ordinarily would. It's something of a "pseudo-sequel" then, the New Super Luigi U to Mutant Mudds' New Super Mario Bros. U
News Etrian Odyssey Untold: The Millennium Girl is Currently a Bargain in North America
With two other smaller Atlus discounts
Atlus often runs eShop discounts on its 3DS releases, either to grab some additional sales from those on the fence or to tempt players into trying a new franchise. More discounts were confirmed in last week's North American Download Update, and now that they're actually live (from 16th November) we can see if...