3DS eShop News

December2011

  • Review Metroid Fusion (3DS eShop / GBA)

    Like cold fusion, only cooler

    Metroid Fusion slipped out of the airlock between two behemoths, simultaneously having to live up to the legacy of its predecessor Super Metroid, which is a big Power Suit to fill, and keep the advancing Metroid Prime at arm cannon's length. It would have been easy for Fusion to have become lost in the vacuum created by...

  • Review The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap (3DS eShop / GBA)

    Small but mighty

    Those poor Hylians just can't have any fun, can they? Just when everything seems to be all well and good, some creep with bad skin comes along, unleashes a whirlwind of evil and shrouds the land in darkness. It's tough for us to feel too bad for them, though. Because as history has shown, bad news for Hyrule means great news for...

  • News Watch a Slice of Sakura Samurai: Art of the Sword

    Looking sharp

    Sakura Samurai: Art of the Sword was on Nintendo's eShop Q1 2012 release schedule, and now we have the first English language trailer. As well as timing-based sword fighting the game also features a little bit of exploration as you walk around talking to villagers and learning that throwing frogs at your opponents "gives them the...

  • News Roll Up, Roll Up, It's the Dillon's Rolling Western Trailer

    Towering above all

    Dillon's Rolling Western has one of the weirder set-ups of any 3DS download game: you're an armadillo in the Wild West who has to spin into enemies and build towers. It's odd, but as it's developed by Nintendo it's probably going to be pretty good. We reported yesterday that Nintendo America put new 3D trailers in the eShop but...

  • Out Now Nintendo 3DS Ambassador GBA Games

    Every region has GBA Ambassador games now

    The 3DS Ambassador games are available all across the globe now: after Australians got their free games, lucky gamers across Europe and North America can pick theirs up too now. To download your 10 free games, follow these steps: 1 - Enter the eShop from the 3DS Home Menu.2 - Scroll to the far left and...

  • News Mighty Switch Force Gets Release Date

    Get ready to switch!

    We've just gotten word from WayForward that its upcoming 3DS eShop platformer Mighty Switch Force is coming to Nintendo 3DS eShop in North America, Europe and Australia on 22nd December. The game will also only set you back a paltry $5.99 (€6 in Europe). If you're somehow still on the fence, you can check out our Mighty Switch...

  • News 3DS Ambassador GBA Games Out Friday in Europe

    Good news, everyone

    After news of the Japanese 3DS Game Boy Advance Ambassador games we now have official confirmation from Nintendo Europe that the following games are on the way this week. SpotPass notifications through the 3DS Ambassador certificate are rolling out from today. From Friday 16th December 3DS Ambassadors in Europe will be able to...

  • News 3DS Ambassador Game Boy Advance Games Revealed

    All inside!

    After a long wait, Nintendo of Japan has revealed the full line-up of ten Game Boy Advance games that will be available to Nintendo 3DS Ambassadors. In Japan the games are available from this Friday, but we're just waiting on confirmation from Nintendo of Europe and America on the dates. F-Zero: Maximum VelocitySuper Mario Advance 3:...

  • News Kirby's Block Ball Bouncing to 3DS Virtual Console

    Brick your 3DS

    Considering how well 3D Classics: Kirby's Adventure and Kirby's Dream Land have been performing in the 3DS eShop Charts, it's no surprise Nintendo is bringing more pink-themed games to the 3DS next year. Nintendo's latest release schedule reveals Kirby's Block Ball is coming to the 3DS eShop

  • News 3DS eShop Has All These Games Launching in Quarter 1

    It's a good list

    The 3DS eShop is picking up steam lately, what with the recent update and excellent software like Pushmo, and Nintendo wants to keep that momentum going into early 2012. The company just released a broad outline of its release schedule for the eShop in the first quarter of next year, with some good titles in the mix. Sadly there's...

  • News Nintendo Outs Jett Rocket Super Surf for 3DS eShop

    No secrets in this place

    Nintendo just took the lid off Shin'en Multimedia's long-teased 3DS follow-up to WiiWare hit Jett Rocket. Called Jett Rocket Super Surf, the game will hit the 3DS eShop in early 2012. Other than that, we know next-to nothing about the game, but we're going out on a limb and suggesting it involves surfing. More details as we...

  • News Nintendo Dates 3DS Download Software for Early 2012

    Roll up

    Nintendo of Europe just released some vague dates for upcoming 3DS download software to kick off 2012. WiiWare puzzler ThruSpace is set for a 3DS sequel as Nintendo Europe has announced SpeedThru: Potzol's Puzzle is coming to the eShop in February 2012. It's already out in Japan but we'll get to try it out in a few months time. Elsewhere...

  • Review Pullblox (3DSWare)

    Mega blox

    Intelligent Systems is mostly known for its work on the Advance Wars, Fire Emblem and WarioWare series, but occasionally, when it's not too busy, it develops some unique games: it's created titles like Cubivore on the GameCube and Eco Shooter Plant 530 on WiiWare. Now it's back with another original creation for the eShop, and it can quite...

  • Review Blaster Master: Enemy Below (3DS eShop / GBC)

    Underground hit

    When the original Blaster Master made its appearance on the NES in 1988, it was lauded for its unique gameplay style and vast environment. Sunsoft would follow up the game with releases on Sega's Genesis and Nintendo's Game Boy, but it wasn't until it decided to create a sequel for Nintendo's Game Boy Color that Nintendo fans really...

  • Review Lock 'N Chase (3DS eShop / GB)

    Puzzle Pac-Man

    Data East had quite a few relatively unknown Game Boy games back in the day. Much BurgerTime Deluxe, released a few weeks ago, Lock 'N Chase is essentially a "sequel" to the original arcade game, with the same general gameplay but with many more levels and even a few new gameplay mechanics. If you've played the arcade game,...

  • News Japanese eShop Takes a Trip to Wario Land Next Week

    He's-a gonna ween

    Japan's Super Mario Land trilogy reaches completion next week, as Wario Land: Super Mario Land 3 reaches the Virtual Console. Regarded as one of the best platformers on the Game Boy, Wario Land was OFLC rated so we expect to see it in Europe and North America pretty soon, perhaps even before Christmas. Cross those fingers now.

  • News Hunting King is an Augmented Reality eShop Shooter

    Oh deer

    The 3DS comes with a few augmented reality games built-in, but Arc System Works is going one better than arrows and boards: it's going hunting. Hunting King hits the eShop in Japan next week for 500 Yen (£4.00/$6.50/€4.75), and while it uses computer-generated backdrops as you try to shoot deer and secret animals, you can also engage its...

  • Review Zen Pinball 3D (3DSWare)

    Flippin’ fun

    As gaming arcades and old-fashioned pinball tables become increasingly rare in public spaces, pinball enthusiasts can now revert to digitised versions for their fix. It’s good news for these gamers as the 3DS eShop’s latest 3D offering is Zen Pinball 3D, a stereoscopic edition of the highly rated PlayStation Network release. We...

  • News First 3D Classics: Kid Icarus Footage Flies In

    The pits?

    Club Nintendo members in Europe who register 2 3DS games could win a Mario 3DS, with everyone who registers getting a free download code for 3D Classics: Kid Icarus. Want to see what the game looks like before you go rushing out and buy two 3DS games? Here's the first trailer. As you can tell the game adopts the same aspect ratio as 3D...

  • News Shin'en Putts Fun! Fun! Minigolf TOUCH! Into the eShop Cup

    !

    As proof that three exclamation marks is just enough to express excitement, Shin'en Multimedia has announced Fun! Fun! Minigolf TOUCH! for the 3DS eShop. After an outing on WiiWare, the 3DS version brings with it several key features, including the ability to play as your Mii using either touch or button controls. There are 54 holes — half as...

November2011

  • Preview Mutant Mudds

    Muddin' makes you feel good

    For those who don't know, Mutant Mudds began life as a 3D polygonal platformer called Maximillian and the Rise of the Mutant Mudds that was to be released as a retail title on Nintendo DS. Sadly, the retail release and a pitched DSiWare rendition were never able to get off the ground, leaving developer Renegade Kid to...

  • Review Metroid II: Return of Samus (3DS eShop / GB)

    Exploring colourless lands

    When Metroid was first released it was a unique game: with a lot of exploring to do across a giant map and with plenty of hidden items and paths, those willing to spend the time to find everything were well rewarded. The original title has aged fairly poorly though — the game lacks many things we take for granted...

  • News Mutant Mudds 3DS eShop Trailer Released

    Mudds in 3D!

    Nintendo has just released the first 3D trailer of Mutant Mudds on the 3DS eShop, so those who've wanted to see how the game looks in 3D, here's your chance. It's a short clip from the first world, but you can see how the different layers look with the 3D depth. You can find the clip in the "Coming Soon to Nintendo eShop"...

  • News Zen Pinball 3D is Pinging to Europe Next Week

    Don't flip out

    The 3DS download software is flowing like a three-dimensional river these days: after Freakyforms: Your Creations, Alive! this month we've now got Zen Pinball 3D on the horizon, with a European release date and price locked in. The 3DS eShop states the game will see release next Thursday, 1st December, at a price of £4.50. If you...

  • News Here's a New Pushmo Trailer to Grab You

    Intelligent Systems at work

    Pushmo — known as Pullblox in Europe and Hiku-Osu in Japan — is coming to the 3DS eShop next month, and to get you geared up Nintendo has released a new trailer and some screenshots for the download release. Created by Intelligent Systems — the team behind Fire Emblem and Advance Wars — the game is designed to...

  • News New Mutant Mudds Trailer Released

    Gets ESRB rated as well

    Few titles excited us back at E3 in June more than Renegade Kid's upcoming 3DS eShop platformer Mutant Mudds, so to say that we've been keeping an anxious eye on the project over the past few months would be an understatement. Thankfully, Jools Watsham, lead director of Mutant Mudds, has been kind enough to send over the...

  • News Samus Shoots 3DS VC in North America This Week

    Double bounty

    It's another simultaneous release on the 3DS Virtual Console this week, as Nintendo of America has confirmed Metroid II: Return of Samus is coming to the eShop on Thursday. Set before Super Metroid, Metroid II is — as surely everybody knows — completely devoid of Space Pirates, despite the official Nintendo press release stating:...

  • News Sakura Samurai: Art of the Sword Journeys West in 2012

    Ken-do attitude

    You might remember our recent story on Samurai Hirari Sakura, a samurai sword fighting game that hit Japan's 3DS eShop last week. Nintendo of America has now confirmed the game is on the way to North America next year with a new name. Called Sakura Samurai: Art of the Sword, the downloadable 3DS game is due out in January for an...

  • News Metroid II Returns to 3DS VC in Europe This Thursday

    Having a (morph) ball

    Less than one week after Mario leapt to 3DS, galactic heroine Samus Aran is readying her first real appearance on the console as Metroid II: Return of Samus is confirmed for a European release on Thursday. The Game Boy title hits the 3DS Virtual Console for £3.60/€4.00, in line with the premium pricing of other high-profile...

  • Review 3D Classics: Kirby's Adventure (3DSWare)

    A great game gets an underwhelming paint job

    In 1993 the NES got a latter-day boon from a truly brilliant addition to its library: Kirby's Adventure. Still regarded today as one of the strongest titles on the console, it boasted an unforgettable soundtrack, stunningly creative visuals and gameplay innovations that became Kirby staples from there...

  • News Blaster Master: Enemy Below Joins Japan's GBC VC Library

    Always growing

    The options for colourful Virtual Console games in Japan keep on growing: after The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening DX kicked off the chromatic revolution back in June, the Japanese service has grown to welcome three more GBC titles, while Western gamers still have just the one. Next week the gap widens further, with Blaster Master:...

  • News WayForward Working on Shantae for 3DS Virtual Console

    (Still)

    In the five months or so that the 3DS Virtual Console has been up and running, we've only seen one Game Boy Color game, the rather magnificent The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening DX. Other developers and publishers are looking into the service though, with WayForward investigating rereleasing its GBC classic Shantae. The studio used its...

  • Review Freakyforms: Your Creations, Alive! (3DSWare)

    It’s alive!

    The touch screen in the DS family of consoles has often been the focus for artistic experiences. The mere act of holding the stylus should inspire artists, and it’s this instinct that forms the foundation for Freakyforms: Your Creations, Alive! on 3DS. It’s a strange name that doesn’t exactly roll off the tongue, and is perfectly...

  • News Bionic Commando Swings to Japan's 3DS VC Next Week

    Who's next?

    Capcom's already put two Game Boy titles on 3DS Virtual Console in the West — Mega Man: Dr. Wily's Revenge and Gargoyle's Quest — and next week it adds a third title over in Japan: Bionic Commando. We already know the game is heading to the West in "Quarter 4" thanks to an announcement in

  • Review Balloon Kid (3DS eShop / GB)

    Somewhat deflated

    Balloon Kid is the Game Boy sequel to the NES original Balloon Fight. That game is remembered by some as a stone-cold classic of addictive action, and by others as a pointless, repetitive chore. In our Balloon Fight review we fell somewhere in the middle. And so it's quite fitting that we also find ourselves there for the sequel...

  • News Freakyforms Come Alive on the eShop Next Week

    Price and date confirmed

    Formerly known as Picture Lives!, Freakyforms: Your Creations, Alive! is coming to the 3DS eShop in North America this coming Thursday. Priced at $6.99, the game lets you form your own freaky creatures and explore the world with them, like Spore but even more bizarre. Here's the trailer below along with some new screenshots...

  • News Enjoy Gaming Cuts the Ribbon on Block Factory for eShop

    Open for business soon

    After the success of Pyramids, Enjoy Gaming has just revealed its next eShop title, Block Factory. As you'd expect it's a puzzle game, but with a vital twist: essentially you can create your own games by choosing pieces and defining the rules. You can then export these as a QR code and share them online to show off your...

  • Review Adventure Island (3DS eShop / GB)

    Master Higgins' first Game Boy adventure

    There were a good number of NES franchises that ended up making appearances on the Game Boy system, some better than others. Hudson had already enjoyed some popularity on the NES console with their Adventure Island titles, so it was pretty much a no-brainer that they'd eventually bring the series to...

  • Review BurgerTime Deluxe (3DS eShop / GB)

    A tasty treat

    When people think of Data East's games, they tend to think of Joe & Mac and Karnov, but one title that's just as much of a classic but never seems to get mentioned that often is BurgerTime. Originally debuting in arcades and being ported to many platforms, it was an endlessly looping, fast-paced game with six levels that required...

October2011

  • News Excavate the Pyramids Facebook Page for QR Levels and Tips

    Enjoy Gaming celebrates NA release with new stages

    Pyramids released last week on the North American eShop, and publisher Enjoy Gaming is celebrating with a new QR code stage, which you can scan below. The company also let us know that for those players who find themselves stuck in a particularly challenging spot, the team will happily provide...

  • Review Pyramids (3DSWare)

    An ancient relic

    It may be early days for download content exclusive to the 3DS, but we can confidently say that it's been a slow start. In fact, if you disregard 3D Classics and a free Pokédex 3D produced by Nintendo, Pyramids is only the second game to utilise the capabilities of the 3D screen. This adds a certain level of expectation to this...

  • News ThruSpace Slides Through the 3DS eShop Keyhole

    A game about fitting in

    WiiWare's ThruSpace is in line for a 3DS eShop update, as a sequel has just hit the Japanese download service. The trailer below shows what to expect, but anyone familiar with the WiiWare original should already have a pretty good idea: you fit different shapes through holes. The translation of the Japanese genre is...

  • First Impressions Mighty Switch Force

    The Mighty series just got a lot mightier

    While Shantae will probably always be the series WayForward is best known for, it's also been quite successful on Nintendo's download services, especially with its two previous Mighty releases, Mighty Flip Champs and Mighty Milky Way. Now the developer is looking to continue that success with its first 3DS...

  • News Kid Icarus, Kirby Getting 3D Classics Makeovers

    And PictoChat lives on, sort of

    Following the illustrious lead of Excitebike, Xevious, Twinbee and, uh, Urban Champion, Nintendos of Japan and Europe announced that NES gems Kid Icarus and Kirby's Adventure are next i

  • News AiRace: SPE3D Racing to 3DS with Online Multiplayer

    Not until next year, though

    DSiWare flight game AiRace and its sequel AiRace Tunnel were two fine titles for DSi, and now publisher QubicGames has revealed exclusively to us its plans for a 3DS eShop sequel. Development work on the follow-up — cleverly titled AiRace: SPE3D — has just begun at the studio, with new tracks, planes and online...

  • News Picture Lives! is Now Freakyforms: Your Creations, Alive!

    Straight to the point

    Oddball 3DS eShop download Picture Lives! has been rechristened Freakyforms: Your Creations, Alive! in Australia. The Australian Board of Classification gave the game a G for General rating, you'll be pleased to know. You can check out a

  • News Europe, Your Next Original 3DS eShop Game Launches on 20th October

    Visit Pyramids before the end of the month

    It's been slim pickings as far as 3DS eShop games go, and that counts double for non-3D Classics. That's set to change on 20th October with Pyramids, a puzzler-platformer from Enjoy Gaming and Visual Impact. The publisher has also informed us that it's set to retail for €4, or about £3.60. The game is...

  • Interview Enjoy Gaming - Pyramids (3DS eShop)

    We talk about the eShop's first 3D puzzler-platformer

    We at Nintendo Life love a good puzzle, and Pyramids looks to provide just that. It originally caught our eye as one of the first announced third-party eShop titles, and it's still only one of less than ten in the running so far. We sat down with Enjoy Gaming's Production Manager, Janice Spencer,...

  • Review Catrap (3DS eShop / GB)

    Definitely not a trap

    Nintendo's been releasing 3DS Virtual Console games at a very nice pace so far. In just a few months, we've already had classics like Donkey Kong and Gargoyle's Quest. The newest release, Catrap, however, is probably the most obscure title yet. Originally released in Japan under the title Pitman, and based on a game earlier...

  • Review Side Pocket (3DS eShop / GB)

    Dead ball

    The great thing about the Virtual Console is that it allows people to experience games that they somehow missed out on the first go around and encourages discovery of forgotten and overlooked gems. The flip side is that not everything dug up has aged particularly well, like Data East's portable version of once-esteemed billiards game Side...

  • Interview Collecting Smiles - Colors! 3D

    Take a look at the upcoming 3D painting app along with the first two screenshots

    The 3DS eShop is slowly gaining steam, but most will admit that the download service doesn't quite have the robust library we might hope for four months in, especially when it comes to third-party software. That's set to change soon with the help of Colors! 3D, an art...

  • Talking Point Should Nintendo Regularly Offer Free Games for Download?

    Is continuing in Four Swords' footsteps the answer to the $0.99 download mentality?

    As of last week, every DSiWare gamer can download The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Anniversary Edition for free. This was originally a full retail title, now with added wireless connectivity, a new single-player mode and bonus levels. Compare that to Super Mario...

  • Interview Gameloft - Let's Golf! 3D and the State of the eShop

    Talkin' shop

    The 3DS eShop is entering its fourth month, but besides the 3D Classics series and Pokédex 3D, the only original software available for download is Let's Golf! 3D from Gameloft. As we look forward to the future of Nintendo's online shops and back at their predecessors, we decided to sit down with the team and chat about the Big N's...

September2011

August2011

  • News Picture Lives! Comes to Japan on 7th September

    Drawing more details

    One of the handful of 3DS downloadable games shown off at E3, Picture Lives! caused a stir with its strange premise: you draw a picture, and it comes to life. The clue's in the name. We haven't heard much about it since that day in June, but we're about to see a lot more as it's reaching Japan on 7th September. Among the new...

  • Review Gargoyle's Quest (3DS eShop / GB)

    Firebrand is so hot right now

    The Game Boy enjoyed one of the longest lifespans of any system to date, outlasting rivals and finding its way into the hearts of gamers the world over. Following a very basic logic, a system with a long lifespan will typically have a large amount of titles worth your time. In fact, games were being released for the...

  • News Capcom Sets Three Game Boy Games Onto 3DS VC

    Gargoyle's Quest next week

    Capcom has supported Virtual Console on Wii for years, so it's good to see it getting behind the 3DS Virtual Console with the same gusto. The company has just announced its line-up of 3DS Virtual Console games for the rest of the year, with some quality titles in there. Next week in Europe sees the release of Gargoyle's...

  • News These 3DS Download Titles Are On Their Way This Year

    Promise

    So far we've only seen third-party download game in the Nintendo 3DS eShop, the decent but could-do-better Let's Golf! 3D. That offering is set to multiply significantly by year's end though, as Nintendo announces the 3DS download games on the way before 2012. Mighty Switch Force from WayForward will see release this Autumn, followed by...

  • News Super Mario Land 2 and Metroid II Heading to 3DS Virtual Console

    GB sequels confirmed

    Nintendo just announced two more classic Game Boy outings on their way to the 3DS Virtual Console in the coming months: Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins and Metroid II: Return of Samus. Both games are down for a vague "Quarter 4" release date so don't expect to see them long before Christmas. Will you be picking up...

  • Review Avenging Spirit (3DS eShop / GB)

    Like Kirby... if Kirby were SERIOUSLY TERRIFYING

    It's a story as old as time itself: boy meets girl, boy takes girl out for a walk, boy is murdered by mobsters who kidnap girl, boy possesses vampires and kangaroos to get her back. Jaleco not only provides us with a bizarre and attention-grabbing backstory for the game, but they made sure to craft a...

  • Review Pac-Man (3DS eShop / GB)

    Pac's back to steal your money

    Everybody knows Pac-Man. The game's been ported to just about every platform under the sun, including the NES version on the Wii Virtual Console. It's now being released yet again on the 3DS Virtual Console, but is it worth another investment? Of course, there is absolutely nothing different about the gameplay in this...

  • News Europe, Your Spirit Will Avenge on 3DS VC Soon

    Get your dollface

    Jaleco's Avenging Spirit is the next 3DS Virtual Console game to hit Europe; its spectre will inhabit the service and start knocking things over on 11th August. For £2.70/€3,00 you'll be able to relive the story of a murdered mobster out for revenge in ghostly form, taking hold of 20 different creatures as you try to rescue your...

  • News Nintendo Rep Backpedals on Game Boy Advance Kirby

    Sad.

    Last week we heard a rumour that Kirby and the Amazing Mirror made up part of the Game Boy Advance section of the 3DS Ambassador program. We marked this as a rumour, and now it seems that rumour may not be true. Nintendo customer service sent out a follow-up email to Brandon Drumheller, correcting the earlier information that put Kirby and the...

  • News Twinbee is Your Next 3D Classic on 3DS

    What do you mean, 'what's Twinbee?'

    Top-down shooters are ripe for resurrection in Nintendo's 3D Classics line: recent release 3D Classics Xevious did a decent job, and next it's Konami's turn with a version of classic arcade shooter Twinbee. The revamped game takes flight to Japan on 10th August for 600 Yen, the same price as Xevious. Interestingly...

  • Review Let's Golf! 3D (3DSWare)

    Pitch perfect?

    Gameloft's Let's Golf! 3D may be the first third-party 3DSWare title to download, but it's not the company's first swing at portable pitching and putting: DSiWare has the original Let's Golf!, so this new outing has to bring more to the table. In some ways it delivers, but it doesn't quite hit the pin. For one thing, you're getting a...