3DS eShop News
December2012
News Space Harrier 3D Is Real, Hits Japanese 3DS eShop Next Week
Welcome to the fantasy zone
Back on November we reported on a rumour that stated SEGA was about to bring some of its classic arcade titles to the 3DS with fancy 3D visuals, and that Space Harrier was set to see release first. Turns out it was more than just a rumour, and SEGA is launching Space Harrier 3D on the Japanese 3DS eShop on December 26th...
Nintendo Download 20th December 2012 (Europe)
Escaping vektors, Clive in the Wild West and heroes in castles
It's the final Nintendo Download update before Christmas, so Nintendo's got a helping of festive cheer for us to download. Only Wii is left out to ask Scrooge for some new content, with both handhelds getting new games and Wii U joining in with some juicy price reductions. Let's get to...
News Mega Man 1 to 6 Blasting Onto 3DS Virtual Console
No need to be blue
In early November we reported that Capcom was aiming to bring the NES Mega Man games to the 3DS Virtual Console, and it's now been confirmed that this will be a reality. With all of the NES titles already released in Japan and the original Mega Man available on the European eShop, the time for North America to join in has now...
Rumour Capcom Is Bringing Its Arcade Classics To 3DS And Wii U eShop
Coin-op titles headed to Nintendo systems in 2013?
Capcom is working on bringing its arcade classics to digital platforms in the form of Capcom Arcade Cabinet, and according to French site Pockett Videogames, the Wii U eShop and 3DS eShop will be joining the retro party. So far, it would seem as if Capcom Arcade Cabinet is only coming to the Xbox...
News Unchained Blades Coming To North American 3DS eShop In The New Year
Will be the first download only retail title
Last month XSEED confirmed via Facebook that it was struggling to get the artistic dungeon crawling RPG Unchained Blades onto the 3DS eShop in North America, but said it hoped the game would make it before the New Year. Well there's good news, and there's bad news. The good news is that Unchained Blades...
News Riki Densetsu Footage Roughhouses Its Way Out Of Japan
River City Ransom sequel is now available on the Japanese 3DS eShop
Footage from Arc System Works' River City Ransom spin-off Riki Densetsu has appeared online, showing off some impressive old-school brawling action. The game is available in Japan now but there's no word on a western release at present. It features series antagonist Riki as the...
Rumour iOS Smash Hit Super Hexagon Could Be Coming To 3DS
Developer Terry Cavanagh “definitely thinking about it”
If you've got an iPhone or iPod Touch then you may have already heard about Super Hexagon. Described by its creator Terry Cavanagh as a "minimal action game", it's one of those insanely addictive experiences which you intend to play for just a minute or two but end up wasting hours on...
Nintendo Download 13th December 2012 (North America)
Crimson RPG questing, ninja action, world music and more
It's time for another Nintendo Download update, and this one brings with it quite a few titles on all platforms. There are some retail goodies, the conclusion of the Guild01 trilogy, a long awaited 3DS Virtual Console release and more. Let's get on with it, shall we? 3DS download software:...
Review Wario Land 3 (3DS eShop / GBC)
Warioid
Nintendo loves to experiment with the Wario Land series. The second game diverted from the first in that it was more of a puzzler than a platformer, as Wario was invincible, and the third game continues that trend by offering yet another twist: an almost Metroid-like exploration system. This time, Wario finds a mysterious music box in the...
News escapeVektor Hacks Into 3DS eShop on 20th December
The wait is over
escapeVektor: Chapter 1 is one of WiiWare's finest games, though its arrival in late September 2011 didn't spark the multiple follow-ups that were expected. Developer Nnooo decided, after the first part was released, that it'd be better served releasing all four planned parts as one title — though Chapter 1 was an excellent...
Nintendo Download 13th December 2012 (Europe)
Details updated: crimson battling, a hydroventure and a wizard defence
This week's European update has swooped in via YouTube, with both handhelds accounted for while the home consoles are neglected. Two 3DS eShop releases can be classified as "highly anticipated", while the DSiWare title is more along the lines of "hm, never heard of it". You can...
News Gunman Clive Blasting Onto The European 3DS eShop Before Christmas
North America must wait a little longer
Mobile gaming, whether you like it or not, is fast becoming a popular platform for game developers. Sometimes though, the games spread their wings and make the move onto a dedicated gaming device such as the 3DS; take for example SpeedX 3D, a hugely popular mobile game that now resides in the 3DS eShop...
News BIT.TRIP SAGA On The Way To 3DS eShop
Download some bits
As the weeks pass Nintendo has been gradually bringing more 3DS retail titles to the handheld's eShop, and it seems that a series that began life as a download exclusive is set to join in — BIT.TRIP SAGA is next in line. According to an updated page on the eShop, the collection from Gaijin Games will be available to download...
Nintendo Download 6th December 2012 (North America)
Titanic murders, mighty bombs, burgers and retail goodies
It's Nintendo Download update time, and this week brings a rather lengthy list of titles for North America. All four systems are covered, with quite a few retail games making their download début, so let's get on with it. 3DS download software: Murder on the Titanic (Joindots GmbH, $7.99)...
News Resident Evil: The Mercenaries 3D Rises From The Dead For Japanese eShop Release
Updated version also allows you to wipe save data
Capcom has confirmed that 3DS title Resident Evil: The Mercenaries 3D is getting an eShop release in Japan, alongside a "Best Price" physical release. The game was an early release for the 3DS back in 2011, and is possibly more famous for its undeletable save data than the quality of its...
News Fractured Soul Locked In For 10th January Release In Europe
3DS eShop action title also getting free demo in North America tomorrow
Australian developer Endgame Studios has confirmed exclusively to Nintendo Life that its 3DS eShop action title Fractured Soul will launch in Europe, Australia and New Zealand on 10th January, 2013. Endgame also confirmed the release of a North American demo, which we reported...
News Check Out The Wii U and 3DS eShop Titles That Are Coming Soon
Throwing humans, puzzling action, pinball and more
Did you miss both Nintendo Direct presentations from North America and Europe today? Not to worry, as we've gathered all the latest Wii U and 3DS eShop announcements and included them for you below. Tokyo Crash Mobs — A truly bizarre title where you have to throw people at other people, Tokyo...
Nintendo Download 6th December 2012 (Europe)
UPDATE: Wario 3 joins Denpa men, hyper mighty switching and a paper adventure
After a few days of suspense — the release day of EU download details varies every week — we finally know what to expect in the Wii U, 3DS, DSi and Wii online stores this week. All four systems are accounted for, which should warm up any Nintendo gaming Europeans...
News River City Ransom Sequel Punching Its Way To Japanese 3DS eShop This Month
Villain Riku becomes the hero
The WiiWare sequel may be on hold, but that doesn't mean that 3DS gamers won't get their fix of River City Ransom in 2012. Arc System Works is launching a spin-off title for the Japanese 3DS eShop called Riki Densetsu. As the title suggests ("Densetsu" means "Legend" in Japanese), the game will focus on series...
November2012
News Crimson Shroud Confirmed for 13th December Release On 3DS eShop
Third Guild01 titles gets a confirmed date
Level-5 has confirmed that Yasumi Matsuno's Crimson Shroud will launch on the North American and European 3DS eShop on 13th December. This is the third game to be taken from the Japan-only Guild01 collection, with Liberation Maiden and Aero Porter having already made the jump to the west. The fourth game...
News Urban Trial Freestyle Revving Up For 3DS eShop
Parkour on two wheels
When the 3DS launched way back when, Nintendo made NES classic Excitebike available on the eShop to download for free; yet since then we've had little to satisfy our bike racing needs. Luckily for fans of the genre Tate Interactive has revealed it is bringing its newest game, Urban Trial Freestyle, to the 3DS eShop. The game...
Nintendo Download 29th November 2012 (North America)
Should you drag yourself away from your Wii U for these downloads?
While Europe readies itself for the Wii U and North America enjoys yet another week with the new system, the Nintendo Download roller-coaster continues. There's not a great deal to choose from this time, we're afraid - but then again, you're probably still enjoying New Super Mario...
News Fractured Soul Demo Blasting Onto North American 3DS eShop
Update for the game also on the way
Sidescrolling shoot ‘em up Fractured Soul has been available in the North American 3DS eShop since September. The game was developed by Endgame Studios, which spent eight years working on the title, and sees you blast your way through some of the hardest levels ever seen on 3DS. The Australian developer has now...
Review Pac-Man (3DS eShop / NES)
Ghost gobblin' on the go
If you were to ask one hundred people to make a list of the most classic video games of all time, you shouldn't be surprised to find Pac-Man on every one of those lists. It's an unrivaled masterpiece of gaming simplicity, an experience that involves nothing more than moving endlessly around a single maze, yet which somehow...
News Nano Assault EX Blasting Onto The 3DS eShop Soon
Should be available before the new year
Nano Assault Neo is available in the Wii U eShop right now in North America — and will be in Europe on Wii U launch day — but there's also a portable release coming to the 3DS eShop that takes its cues from retail release Nano Assault. As Shin'en man Manfred Linzner described it to us, it's really Nano...
Nintendo Download 29th November 2012 (Europe)
Pokémon, Airplanes, Dots and a couple of demos
Although the eyes of many European Nintendo fans may be fixed on this Friday - we hear that there's a big hardware launch, apparently - the crazy world of downloadable software trundles along regardless. We've got a handheld-focused selection for you this week, with games for your 3DS and DSi consoles...
News XSEED Struggling To Get Unchained Blades Onto The 3DS eShop
Still hoping for a 2012 release
Expansive dungeon crawler Unchained Blades is a glorious looking RPG filled with unique hand-drawn characters, each one from a different artist. The game has been available in Japan for well over a year now but has only arrived overseas on Sony's PSP, with news on the 3DS eShop release being thin on the ground...
Rumour SEGA Looking To Bring Classic Titles To 3DS eShop
Space Harrier coming first?
The 3DS eShop is the perfect place for old favourites from yesteryear to gain a new lease of life, and rumour has it SEGA has made plans to port some of its biggest classic titles to the service. According to gamer.ne.jp, SEGA is bringing the extremely popular arcade title Space Harrier to the 3DS in what will be known...
Review Ninja Gaiden (3DS eShop / NES)
Frustratingly fun
Gamers nowadays might be more familiar with the rebooted series, but now you've got yet another chance to experience the original NES Ninja Gaiden, the game that started it all. A classic 2D action platformer, you assume the role of Ryu Hayabusa as he seeks to kill Jaquio, who murdered his father. This original is frequently...
News Nicalis Blasting onto 3DS eShop with Guxt
Shmup from Daisuke "Pixel" Amaya, creator of Cave Story
Nicalis may have a rather questionable record of localising its download titles in all regions — mention Cave Story on DSiWare or the 3DS eShop to a European and see what happens — but it does actively seek to bring high-quality indie releases to Nintendo systems. When you consider that...
News Pokédex 3D Pro Tops 3DS eShop Chart in North America
Not too high a price to pay, clearly
Pokédex 3D Pro was a high profile release on the eShop in last week's Nintendo Download update, bringing enhancements and extra features from the original freebie, Pokédex 3D. That said, many members of the Nintendo Life community were unhappy with the price, which is $14.99 in the US, €14.99 in Europe and...
News Fallblox Crashes Into Europe on 15th November
Mallo returns
Fallblox — or Crashmo in North America — is one of a number of highly anticipated eShop games arriving before the end of the year. It hits North America on 22nd November, but anxious Europeans wondering about their release date can now relax, as it's arriving in the region one week earlier on 15th November. Nintendo's also...
News Crashmo 3D Screens Are Just a QR Code Away
A sneak peak
Crashmo — known as Fallblox in Europe — is one of the 3DS eShop's big releases due before the end of the year. As a follow up to the critically acclaimed Pushmo, it's likely to be on a number of 3DS owner's wishlists. Of course, 2D screenshots don't necessarily do this title justice, especially with the extra depth to the new...
October2012
Review Mighty Bomb Jack (3DS eShop / NES)
Not so mighty
The original Bomb Jack was an addictive little arcade game in which the objective was to collect all the bombs in each level while avoiding enemies. Sounds like a simple concept - and it was. For the NES, though, Tecmo decided to make a sequel with a bit of an adventure game element to it. The bomb rooms from the original game are...
Review Ghosts 'n Goblins (3DS eShop / NES)
A Halloween greeting from Satan himself
Capcom couldn't have picked a better time to release Ghosts 'n Goblins onto the 3DS Virtual Console. It's Halloween, after all, and this is one of the most classic spooky games there is. The real question is how well it holds up today, and that's one we're happy to answer: quite well, actually. Despite the...
News Nintendo Download Sales Increase With 3DS
Online connectivity rate also on the rise
With plenty of information coming out of Nintendo's recent financial results and briefings, one particularly positive outcome is confirmation that the company's download sales are increasing for the first time since 2010. Considering the fact that Wii and DSi are on the decline due to newer systems, the...
News Liberation Maiden Bringing the Fight to North America Right Now
Reggie brings the good news
Announced in today's Nintendo Direct broadcast, SUDA51's Liberation Maiden is now available in the 3DS eShop. This title arrived in Europe after a similar broadcast earlier this month, bringing its brand of shooting action and quirky storyline to the handheld. As expected, this is part of the plan to release three of the...
Review Gradius (3DS eShop / NES)
Dated, but legendary
To say that the original Gradius was influential on the evolution of the side-scrolling shoot 'em up would be a gross understatement. When the game hit arcades in 1985 it was lauded for its amazing level designs and simple, yet wildly playable, power-up system. This NES release was one of the first home ports of the game and has...
News 2 Fast 4 Gnomz Socking it to 3DS eShop Soon
You collect socks, by the way
Some of you may remember 2 Fast 4 Gnomz from earlier this year on WiiWare, its February release making it one of a small group of 2012 arrivals on the platform. It seems that developer QubicGames is more than aware of the fact that this one was maybe a little late to the Wii Shop party, as it's now confirmed 2 Fast 4...
Review Mega Man (3DS eShop / NES)
The NES experience, now on 3DS
A while back, the 3DS Virtual Console got Mega Man: Dr. Wily's Revenge, the Blue Bomber's first Game Boy outing. It's a decent conversion of the console game, but many would agree that the handheld Mega Man games didn't really begin to shine until later in the series. Curiously, instead of working their way closer to...
A perfect circle
Three years ago, Nicalis announced a game called NightSky for release on WiiWare. Needless to say that never happened, but the project was far from dead. Last year our excitement was renewed by the news that NightSky would instead be released for the 3DS eShop, and now, at long last, it's finally here. The question everyone should...
Developer Interview Nnooo Talks About Working With Nintendo and Moving to the 3DS eShop
Stepping into a new generation
As the 3DS eShop continues to evolve and expand its library, Nintendo is currently preparing to introduce the Wii U eShop — it's assumed that'll be its name — and continue to expand its download gaming options. It's been a rocky road, of course, with the DSi and Wii online stores both being flawed in terms of both...
News Nnooo: Let us "Browse, Buy and Gift Content Outside of the eShop"
Miiverse E3 preview suggests it may happen
Most would agree that the 3DS eShop, as a platform, is an improvement over its predecessors on DSi and Wii. That's to be expected, of course, but for developers intent on publishing downloads with Nintendo the enhancements in layout, functionality and the easing of restrictive file size limits have all been...
Review Mario Golf (3DS eShop / GBC)
A beautiful day on the links
Released in 1999 to dovetail with the N64 game of the same name, the Game Boy Color version of Mario Golf is more than just a scaled-back, portable edition. In fact, it stands well enough on its own merits, and it's almost unfortunate that it shares a name with its console counterpart; it really does have an identity all...
Is this Japan-only eShop release going to be music to your ears?
As games get more complicated, with motion controls and complex button layouts, is it still possible to have fun while playing a game using only one button? With the Japan-exclusive eShop title Dopamix (made by G-mode, the current owners of the Data East back catalogue, which includes...
Talking Point Nintendo's Focus on the 3DS eShop
Gaming on a budget
This week’s European Nintendo Direct prompted the usual range of predictions before the event, ranging from optimistic but unlikely hopes to pessimism and predictability. What Nintendo of Europe boss Satoru Shibata gave us, surprisingly, was a broadcast heavy with eShop exclusives, some new and surprising and others with...
News Nintendo Announces Big eShop Releases Coming This Year
Hydroventure, Denpa Men, Hana Samurai and Nano Assault EX on the way
For those that enjoy filling up their 3DS SD card with a variety of high-quality download titles, Nintendo of Europe's Nintendo Direct broadcast brought a fair bit of good news regarding games that we can expect to see soon. Perhaps the most eagerly anticipated is Hana Samurai: Art...
News Fallblox Confirmed for November Release in eShop
Sequel to Pullblox known as Crashmo in NA
When speculating before Nintendo of Europe's latest Nintendo Direct broadcast, it's unlikely that many gamers would have predicted the confirmation of Fallblox, a sequel to the rather excellent Pullblox on 3DS eShop; just as Pullblox was known as Pushmo in North America, this latest entry will be known as...
News Guild01 Titles Heading to eShop
SUDA51's Liberation Maiden Available Now in Europe
Not long ago we reported a rumour that Level-5's Guild01 could be coming to North America, which was exciting as it's a collection of four 3DS games developed by different studios in Japan. Today's Nintendo Direct in Europe sprung a surprise, with confirmation that three of those titles will be...
News 3DS eShop Set for Maintenance in Europe, Right Before Nintendo Direct
Speculation ahoy!
Update: Courtesy of a tweet from Nintendaan, it appears to be the case that the Japanese eShop is scheduled to go down for maintenance from 3am until 12pm on 4th October, making this a little more intriguing. So, Nintendo of Europe is hosting a Nintendo Direct broadcast on Thursday 4th October at 7pm British standard time/8pm...
Review Hitori by Nikoli (3DS eShop)
Brainy cells
Connoisseurs of the eShop should be well acquainted with Japanese puzzle maker Nikoli: Hamster has trickled out an assortment of its brand of logic puzzles for months now, with varying success. Hitori by Nikoli offers a clever inversion on typical puzzle design, a Jeopardy!-style twist to its approach by handing over a grid of answers...
Review Quarth (3DS eShop / GB)
Break it down
Originally released for the Game Boy in 1990, Konami's Quarth takes the presentation of a Space Invaders-type shooter, and instead gives us a puzzle game. As tempting as it might be to enter these stages with guns blazing, what Quarth actually requires is a healthy amount of foresight and on-the-fly problem solving. It's not without...
September2012
News Wii U and 3DS Pre-Paid eShop Cards Spotted
DSiWare and WiiWare left out of the party
The arrival of the 3DS eShop saw Nintendo move away from Nintendo Points, the custom currency that, in the opinion of some, was far from ideal. The 3DS eShop has continued to evolve and now allows top-ups of a download's value, for example, so the days of buying a block of 1000 points when you only need 100...
Guide A Beginner's Guide to The Denpa Men: They Came By Wave
Five tips to keep your Men alive!
Ready to plunge into The Denpa Men: They Came By Wave? Well, don't be fooled by its cuddly exterior,as this game offers some absolutely devious challenge! Of course you could learn the ins and outs of the quest through trial and error, but that's liable to leave your conscience strewn with avoidable — and adorable...
News Quarth is Blasting Onto the 3DS Virtual Console Soon
Think of it as Tetris X Space Invaders
The slow drip-feed of Game Boy titles on the 3DS Virtual Console may frustrate some that would prefer a deluge, but we can confirm — thanks to our source at Nintendo of America — another title from the extensive back catalogue that's due to arrive in the next couple of weeks. This time around it's Quarth,...
News Rhythm Hunter: HarmoKnight May Get Groovy in the West
Gotta catch the beats
There are a good numbers of gamers in the West that love Japanese culture and look on with envy at some of the creative, and occasionally wacky, delights that are released in Nintendo's homeland. One of these we may not have expected to see was Rhythm Hunter: HarmoKnight, a rhythm game on the 3DS eShop from Pokémon developer...
Review Zelda II: The Adventure of Link (3DS eShop / NES)
The underdog of the Zelda series returns
Back in the early days of several franchises, the second game in a series tended to be radically different from the first, because developers had not quite pinned down what they wanted the series to become - take a look at Castlevania II or the western Super Mario Bros. 2 for example. Zelda II is another big...
News Nintendo Lists Game Boy Advance Title for 3DS Virtual Console
Dr. Mario ordered into Australian eShop
Those that bought a 3DS at launch, and subsequently got stung by a drastic price cut, received 10 NES and 10 Game Boy Advance games as compensation. The NES games, and others from the system's library, have been gradually arriving in the eShop so that non-Ambassadors can join in, but Nintendo has consistently...
Interview Endgame Studios and the Long Road to Fractured Soul
An eight year journey ends on eShop
Recently, Australian developer Endgame Studios announced that it was self publishing Fractured Soul on the 3DS eShop, a title that has been eight years in the making. The action takes place over two screens at the same time with platforming, run and gun and shmup sections featuring throughout; it'll be released on...
News Rising Board 3D Hits The eShop Surf on 20th September
3DS debut for the Pop Island series
DSiWare has had its share of fun, addictive titles, with both Pop Island and Pop Island: Paperfield being good examples. Developer Odenis Studio is now taking this series in a new direction on the 3DS eShop, with Rising Board 3D set to take to the waves. This new entry seems to move away from capturing flags,...
News Rhythm Hunter: HarmoKnight Brings The Beat Down
Hit them with your rhythm stick
Last week brought us a rather entertaining Nintendo Direct broadcast from Japan, which focused on upcoming titles on the way to 3DS in Nintendo's homeland and, hopefully, other regions as well. For those of us that don't speak Japanese half the fun was figuring out what was going on, though if you're still uncertain...
Review Kirby's Star Stacker (3DS eShop / GB)
Stacked
Anybody who plays video games probably knows all about the likes of Tetris, Dr. Mario, Puzzle League and other puzzle games, but Kirby had his own original puzzler (as in, not a reskin of Puyo Puyo) as well. The last Kirby game for the original Game Boy, Kirby's Star Stacker is actually a fairly fun game, if a little shallow. Like most...
August2012
News Heavy Fire: Special Operations 3D Gunning for eShop on 13th September
If you see it, shoot it
If you want to shoot stuff on your 3DS, Teyon has you covered. The publisher has recently brought us the light-hearted Crazy Chicken Pirates 3D, and then a title that caused a bit of debate with Outdoors Unleashed: Africa 3D. But if you've had your fill of shooting cartoon animals and real animals, you can go back to shooting...
News Outdoors Unleashed: Africa 3D Hits North American eShop This Week
It's sport, apparently
Teyon has today confirmed that Outdoors Unleashed: Africa 3D arrives in the North American eShop tomorrow, priced at $3.99. It's an arcade shooting game with the goal of bringing the "thrilling excitement of becoming a hunter" to 3DS through 35 missions, with over 30 guns and accessories thrown in for good measure. Of course,...
News Nicalis Bringing The Fight to eShop With Yatagarasu
Cue custom rock music
Nicalis is one of the most well-known publishers on Nintendo's download services, and has already weighed in on the 3DS eShop with indie classic VVVVVV, which we voted as our favourite eShop game back in June. The developer and publisher is also well known by Nintendo download enthusiasts for producing three separate versions...
Review Mystical Ninja Starring Goemon (3DS eShop / GB)
Not so mystical
Shortly after the original release of the excellent Mystical Ninja Starring Goemon for Nintendo 64, Konami released another game with the same title for the original Game Boy. Tragically, the N64 game has still not been released on Wii Virtual Console, but is this handheld offering a good alternative? This instalment of the Goemon...
News Original Freakyforms to be Removed From European eShop
Oh dear
Earlier today we shared the news that New Art Academy and Freakyforms Deluxe will be retail downloads in Europe, arriving on 17th August alongside New Super Mario Bros. 2. Of course, that meant that there could potentially be two Freakyforms titles in the eShop, with the original download version including less content but coming in at a...
News Nintendo Hypes 'eShop Heroes' in New Trailer
Get a load of that music
Just yesterday we posted a feature arguing that the 3DS eShop deserves big franchises, and that providing a variety of bite-sized download titles with recognisable names or neglected series could be a good thing for the platform. On the flip-side, however, Nintendo has used the store to introduce new characters and IPs to...
Talking Point 3DS eShop Deserves Big Franchises
Boosting digital downloads
For many Nintendo gamers, we suspect, the release of New Super Mario Bros. 2 looms large as the highlight of the next gaming month. Even if the game doesn’t innovate the plumber’s series in any major way, the purchasing options do just that. For 3DS owners it’ll no longer be a case of simply picking up a boxed game...
Review Toki Tori (3DS eShop / GBC)
A good egg
Many will be familiar with Toki Tori on WiiWare, released a few years ago and since on several systems; it's been quite the popular game, but not many people are familiar with the original entry in the series. This is understandable, because it was released at the tail end of the Game Boy Color's life cycle back in 2002, but now has a...
News Nano Assault EX Blasting Onto 3DS eShop
Based on the retail release
Shin'en Multimedia, a development studio that's already shown plenty of enthusiasm for Nintendo platforms, has confirmed that Nano Assault EX is on the way to the 3DS eShop in both North America and Europe. It's less than a year since Nano Assault arrived as a retail title — though it wasn't released in Europe — and...
July2012
News 3D Solitaire Hits North American eShop on 2nd August
It's Solitaire, with 3D
Occasionally a game title can be mysterious or confusing, but Zen Studios kept it simple with 3D Solitaire. It's a basic app for the popular card game with some pretty stereoscopic 3D backgrounds, and that's all it is; it couldn't be simpler. It did hit Europe at a budget price, and the good news for North America is that...
News SpeedX 3D Races Onto eShop on 9th August
PAL regions only for now
Gamelion Studios, the developer behind plenty of Nintendo download titles including the Carmen Sandiego series, has confirmed that SpeedX 3D will hit the 3DS eShop in PAL regions on 9th August. It's the developer's first title on the handheld and will come in at the budget price of £2.70/€3, though it doesn't yet have a...
Review Mole Mania (3DS eShop / GB)
Dig in
Poor Muddy Mole has returned home to find his family kidnapped by the evil farmer Jinbe. That's the entire plot, and we're happy about that. After all, Mole Mania isn't about storytelling; it's about a massive gauntlet of clever puzzles, and that's exactly why we like it. Divided into eight very large levels, Muddy's adventure finds him...
Site News Nintendo Life's "Summer Picks" eShop Shelf
We're back!
You might remember that last year Nintendo Life got its very own eShop shelf, and we directed your attention to a variety of DSiWare and 3DS Download gems. It was such a success that Nintendo has decided that we're awesome enough for a second run, so we're back in the store with our recommendations of the hottest games to get you through...
Review Masyu by Nikoli (3DS eShop)
Circle gets the square
The ...by Nikoli series is nothing new to the eShop, but Masyu by Nikoli stands out for being a puzzle of Nikoli's own creation. This means that if you'd like to play it, more than likely this will be your only option on the service. Therefore the question really boils down to whether or not that puzzle is worth seeking out on...
News Retro Mario Discounts Jumping Onto North American eShop
Celebrating New Super Mario Bros. 2
When it comes to New Super Mario Bros. 2, you'd have to live in a deep, dark cave to not know about it. Trailers and videos swarm the web and its status as the first retail download being offered by Nintendo has given it even more profile. Still, that won't stop Nintendo of America doing some additional marketing...
News pitchWinPLAY Competition Cancelled
Lack of interest to blame
In March this year a competition called pitchWinPLAY was announced that'd give creative gamers an opportunity to see their game produced by Renegade Kid, of Mutant Mudds fame, and then released on the 3DS eShop. It was an exciting grand prize, but a lack of interest since launch has brought the contest to an end. Our very...
Review Wario Land II (3DS eShop / Game Boy)
Greed is good
After the success of the first Wario Land, Nintendo decided to take another shot at putting its beloved new anti-hero in the spotlight. To differentiate it from Mario even further, it removed the "Super Mario Land" prefix and also made a massive gameplay change for Wario Land II. But is it one for the better? Defeated at the end of...
Review Sparkle Snapshots 3D (3DS eShop)
Take a pretty picture
It’s easy to forget about all of this multi-functional nonsense and think of 3DS as an all-out gaming machine, but occasionally a new app appears to remind us that, actually, Nintendo intends for the system to offer much more. The arrival of Sparkle Snapshots 3D in the eShop is one such reminder, a camera app designed to...
Review The Sword of Hope II (3DS eShop / GB)
The great black and white hope
Poor Prince Theo. Not only is his first game still unavailable in the eShop, but his second adventure begins with all of his previous hard work being undone, an evil spirit being set free by would-be grave robbers, the Sword of Hope being stolen, and a young orphan accusing him of murdering his father. He really can't...
Review Kirby's Pinball Land (3DS eShop / GB)
Less than the sum of its parts
While primarily known as the star of a reliably charming series of platformers, Kirby has also starred in a fair share of spin-offs. One of those, Kirby's Block Ball, came to the eShop just a few months ago. It's a flawed but fun reimagining of Breakout. It plays to the strengths of both Breakout as a template and...
News 8-Bit Summer Flips Out With Kirby Pinball Tomorrow
There's also a sword of hope
Nintendo of America normally releases details of eShop downloads on the morning of the update, but our source has given us a heads-up on the Virtual Console '8-bit summer' titles that you can look forward to this week. As you've no doubt guessed, the headline Game Boy title is Kirby's Pinball Land, which sees the...
News Escape! Zombie City Set to Infest Japanese eShop
The latest from Tom Create
Tom Create is a Japanese developer that may be familiar to gamers who enjoy a lot of download titles from the GO series. The studio has produced DSiWare titles such as GO Series: Earth Saver and GO Series: Tower of Deus, with many being thoroughly decent downloads at a budget price. It now seems that the developer is...
Review NES Open Tournament Golf (3DS eShop / NES)
Retro golf gaming at its finest
While the eShop already has Golf for the Game Boy available, anyone who purchased that game may now start to wish they had saved their money. NES Open Tournament Golf is a superior experience in every way. Perhaps not substantially so, but it's certainly a more rewarding way to spend a day on the links. NES Open...
News Ice Climber Now Has Download Play Multiplayer in Japan
Double the fun
With a steady increase of retro titles on 3DS Virtual Console, including those from NES and Game Boy Advance for 3DS Ambassadors, notable omissions from most re-releases have been multiplayer modes. For those hoping to recreate nostalgic days of 8-bit goodness with a friend, 3DS iterations have been a disappointment. It seems to be...
Review Castlevania: The Adventure (3DS eShop / GB)
Belmont's first portable adventure
When the Game Boy hit store shelves in 1989 it didn’t take long for a vast swathe of third-party publishers – many of which had grown fat on the profits generated by Nintendo’s astonishingly popular NES – to sign up to produce software for the device. Konami was one of the first to pledge its allegiance to...
June2012
Review Sonic Blast (3DS eShop / GG)
From the past, not a blast
Not to be confused with Sonic 3D Blast, Sonic Blast only really shares a fondness for rendered sprites with its 16-bit namesake, sticking to more mainline Sonic staples like running, spinning and grabbing Chaos Emeralds. The rendered sprites weren't particularly impressive back in 1996 and they don't stand up too well...
News Ten Games Discounted in European eShop Sale
Demos and free apps, too
During this morning's Nintendo Direct broadcast in Europe it was announced that there would be a sale promotion on the platform, to celebrate its one year anniversary. Ten titles will be available at 20% off, with half being reduced this week and the others next week: details are below. 22/06/2012 — 14:59 CET 28/06/2012...
Review Tumble Pop (3DS eShop / GB)
Tumble Pop and lock
In the future, nests of hornets will be the least of pest control's worries. Tumble Pop is filled with strange beasts, from living skeletons to little grey aliens, manic clowns and Sweetums from The Muppets. In this arcade platformer, it's your job to clean them up with nothing more than a trusty – and presumably engine-powered...
News Bomb Monkey Gets Explosive New Site
North American release may be this month
Renegade Kid has already brought us the highly-rated Mutant Mudds on the 3DS eShop recently, with European gamers finally getting the chance to download it this week. A little while ago the developer announced a new title hot-on-the-heels of its retro platformer, with puzzler Bomb Monkey bringing an entirely...
Review Donkey Kong Jr. (3DS eShop / NES)
Defeat the villainous Mario!
Donkey Kong Jr. was the inevitable sequel to the massively popular arcade smash Donkey Kong. Surprisingly — and rewardingly — it inverted the formula, casting Mario as the villain to be defeated, and Donkey Kong's diaper-clad son as the avenging hero. Is there any wonder Nintendo released this one just in time for...
Round Table Let's Talk About a Year of the 3DS eShop
Filling up those SD cards
This week we've celebrated one year of the 3DS eShop, with our own top ten eShop games and a retrospective on a year of the platform. To round off the week a few members of the team discuss the eShop's first year and consider the positives so far, and where it can improve. Joining features editor Thomas Whitehead are...
Review 3D Solitaire (3DS eShop)
The title says it all
Nintendo’s digital stores have given us plenty of titles based on old-fashioned games of cards, for those who no longer play with real decks or other people. The thing about solitaire, or course, is that it’s a card game for just one player, and anyone’s who owned a Windows PC in the last 15 years is likely to have played...
Feature One Year of the 3DS eShop
Happy birthday!
You might not have noticed with a little thing called E3 going on, but last week the Nintendo 3DS eShop turned one year old. Though the service started slowly, not even making it to the system's launch, it has morphed over the course of the last 12 months to become the decent digital portal that DSiWare and WiiWare should always have...
News Balloon Pop Remix Rated for 3DS
Extra 3D popping included?
Nintendo's download platforms haven't been lacking for match-3 puzzle titles, and Balloon Pop Festival from UFO Interactive was one of quite a few on WiiWare. That said, it was a thoroughly decent, colourful title that earned a respectable 7/10 in our Balloon Pop Festival review, though it seems that it was only released...
Monkey + bombs = puzzler fun
When you mention developer Renegade Kid's name, some gamers' minds immediately gravitate towards the spine-chilling first-person shooters the developer has created like Dementium and Moon. So when the group released its retro platformer Mutant Mudds, most were fairly caught by surprise. There's another surprise as...
Feature Our Top Ten eShop Games
A year of old and new
The Nintendo 3DS eShop recently turned one year old, a year that's seen updates, a new look and a broad range of games. In its early weeks it struggled with a lack of exclusive releases, but after a year we've seen a number of developers pitching in on the service with high quality titles. The 3DS Virtual Console has also...
News Shantae eShop Release Gets Closer
WayForward waiting for ESRB rating
Shantae: Risky's Revenge is one of the best-rated DSiWare releases, but it may not be well-known to all that it was actually a sequel to Shantae on Game Boy Color, which was developed by WayForward Technologies and published by Capcom. Now that we have the 3DS Virtual Console, fans of the original naturally wonder...
Review Sweet Memories Blackjack (3DS eShop)
Not fond memories
Sweet Memories Blackjack is a strange arrival on the 3DS eShop, with a Japanese concept and style that typically doesn’t make it outside of the Land of the Rising Sun. While card games are common on DSiWare, this 3DS exclusive follows a different approach that aims to bring a relationship dynamic to proceedings. This title may...
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