3DS eShop News
April2014
Nintendo Download 17th April (Europe)
Pocket football, GBA goodies, big-name demos, discounts and more
Nintendo is once again brightening our Monday morning with the European Nintendo Download update, which this week includes a variety of genres covering three systems — yep, DSiWare is back. There are some promotions — present and future — to consider, new games and Virtual...
News Guacamelee! Developer Stirring Up A New Title, Severed
Hitting virtual shelves some time in 2015
DrinkBox Studios as a company has only existed for around 6 years, but in that time has produced some amazing titles, with a new addition coming down the pipes. The developer of Guacamelee! and Mutant Blobs Attack has announced Severed, a new title coming in 2015; it tells the story of a distraught warrior...
Feature Kickstarter's Wii U and 3DS Campaigns - 13th April
Successes and failures
Last week we ran our first weekly Kickstarter summary, which aims to keep us all up to date on the progress — and otherwise — of projects currently seeking funding that are targeting Wii U and/or 3DS. We're relatively selective in terms of focusing on projects that seem to have either a certain level of quality, a...
En Passable
VooFoo Studios took on a tough challenge in not only producing cross-platform online chess multiplayer, but achieving it on both the Wii U and the 3DS. Pure Chess immediately earns credit right away, in that case, as a technical example of what can be achieved on what is relatively old tech with the 3DS. Bonus points are due, then, but...
Review Mach Rider (3DS eShop / NES)
A forgotten gem from the NES launch library
Mach Rider is an impressive feat for an NES title — a faux-3D motorcycle combat game with dozens of courses, an endurance mode, and a track editor. Not only was Mach Rider an NES title, but it was an October 1985 NES launch title. Namco's Pole Position had only hit arcades three years earlier, and...
Nintendo Download 10th April (North America)
More Wii U GBA treats, farming, poker, puzzles, discounts and more
Nintendo's Download Update for North America has arrived a lot later than normal, but now we know what's landing on your Wii U and 3DS systems this week. There's more GBA goodness on Wii U, new titles on both eShop stores and an NES title on the portable's Virtual Console; on top of...
News You Can Now Pre-Order eShop Games Via Nintendo UK's Online Store
The future is now
If you wanted any more proof that Nintendo is moving with the times, it's now possible to pre-order eShop titles online — for those living in the UK, at least. Drop onto the Nintendo UK online store listing for Nintendo Pocket Football Club and you'll see the option to pre-order the title, with the download code being dispatched...
News Citizens of Earth Coming To Wii U And 3DS eShops This September
Charming, chivalrous, charismatic and charitable
Atlus will be bringing the Earthbound-inspired Citizens of Earth to the Wii U and 3DS eShops this September. The Kickstarter project which failed to reach its original goal was picked up by Atlus shortly after, who offered to publish the game. Developed by Eden Indus
Video This Nintendo Pocket Football Club Trailer Goes For Silverware
From strugglers to winners
Nintendo Pocket Football Club arrives in Europe next week on 17th April, and based on its development time and attention to detail it's certainly one to consider for football fans in the region. Some of you may have missed the fact that our review gave it a strong recommendation, as its publication time clashed with a...
News Subtle Character Design Changes Spotted for North American Version of Azure Striker Gunvolt
Ponytail and midriff mysteriously removed
Keiji Inafune and Inti Creates must think North Americans don't appreciate masculine heroes with luscious locks and bellies showing. NeoGAF user Rockman ZX noticed a subtle difference between the Japanese and North American artwork for Inafune-san's upcoming Mega Man X-style action platformer Azure Striker...
Review Nintendo Pocket Football Club (3DS eShop)
Back of the net
Although they are perhaps a little alien to those outside of Europe, soccer management titles have a long and respected pedigree among those who commit weeks, months and even years of their lives to playing them. In the United Kingdom especially, such games have existed since the days of the 8-bit microcomputers, with franchises like...
News 3DS eShop Exclusive Nintendo Pocket Football Club Will Be On Special Offer Until May
Become a sporting legend for slightly less cash
Nintendo Pocket Football Club — the European localisation of the Japanese title Calcio Bit — is almost with us, and Nintendo has revealed that the game will launch at a special reduced price this month. Early adopters will be able to pick up the soccer management simulation for £10.79 until May...
News Nintendo eShop Developers Teaming Up in Plan for 'Ninty Indy Con'
An online event to bring download gamers and devs together
Expos and conventions are certainly a major part of any gaming year, whether public events that allow gamers to try new games or industry-based alternatives that allow developers, publishers and platform holders to forge relationships. In an increasingly connected world, however, not all of...
News Official English Azure Striker Gunvolt Site Is Live
Progress towards a Western release
One month ago, Japanese studio Inti Creates announced it's collaborating with Mega Man creator Keiji Inafune on a new futuristic action-platformer for the 3DS eShop, titled Azure Striker Gunvolt. We still haven't heard anything about a firm release date outside Japan for the game [article updated to reflect NA...
News The Club Nintendo Rewards Are Confirmed for April
Classic Mario! Arty learning! Mario Golf! Trajectile!
It's been a whole month since the last update, so Club Nintendo in North America has confirmed the latest batch of downloadable treats that are available in exchange for your hard-earned and treasured coins. This time we have two Virtual Console games available on Wii and Wii U, joined by two...
News Two Tribes Highlights Sales Increase Following Permanent Discounts on Classics Range
EDGE on 3DS enjoys the biggest boost
One of the most significant issues with both the Wii and DSi online stores were the fixed price points, locking game publishers into their launch rate. As we've seen on the 3DS and Wii U eShop stores, however, Nintendo's decision to drop that requirement has brought us regular promotions and discounts on a...
Review I am an Air Traffic Controller Airport Hero Hawaii (3DS eShop)
Come fly the frazzled skies
All right, let’s address the 500-ton jumbo jet in the room: I am an Air Traffic Controller Airport Hero Hawaii is a long and silly name. Although IAAATC is actually an established series in Japan, it’s not the kind of title that tends to inspire great confidence in the West. That’s too bad, in a way, as Airport Hero...
Nintendo Download 10th April (Europe)
Batman, GBA goodies, The Hobbit, poker, discounts and more
It's that time again, Europe, as Nintendo kicks off our Monday with news of the download goodies that we can look forward to later in the week. This time around we have new games on the Wii U and 3DS eShop stores, more GBA treats on the home console, a major retail release across both...
Feature Kickstarter's Wii U and 3DS Campaigns - 6th April
A summary of potential Nintendo releases
Kickstarter is the crowdfunding platform loved by all — OK, maybe not all. It remains a fairly divisive platform, with some heavily delayed projects and certain multi-billion dollar sales of formerly crowdfunded products causing consternation; these negatives are arguably countered by a range of exciting...
Video Nintendo Shows Kirby's Silly Side in Triple Deluxe Trailer
Tickled pink
While April's confirmed and expected mix of GBA Virtual Console games on Wii U and eShop treats will have bank managers peering with interest at spikes in payments to Nintendo, we suspect May will be a strong month at retail. The 3DS kicks us off with Kirby: Triple Deluxe on 2nd May in North America — 16th May in Europe — while...
Review Rusty's Real Deal Baseball (3DS eShop)
A dog's life
To start with a key point, the actual games in Rusty's Real Deal Baseball are window dressing for Nintendo's rather quirky interpretation of the free-to-play microtransaction craze. A collection of ten baseball-themed minigames start out at $4.00 each, but players are encouraged to haggle with the eponymous middle-aged dog Rusty to get...
News Bit Boy!! Arcade Expected to Launch on North American 3DS eShop on 17th April
European release to follow
Kubi and friends will soon be making a return in their upcoming 3DS eShop title, Bit Boy!! Arcade. According to a software listing on Nintendo’s website, the eShop action game will be available from 17th April onwards in North America, with a European release expected shortly after. The game tracks the adventures of...
News Sin & Punishment Developer Treasure Working With Capcom On Sequel To Gaist Crusher
Still no sign of a Western release
Japanese video game developer Treasure, best known for critically acclaimed titles such as Sin and Punishment and the Sega Mega Drive classic Gunstar Heroes, is working with Capcom on a sequel to the 3DS action game – based on the manga, animation and toy series of the same name – Gaist Crusher. Gaist Crusher...
News Skypeace on 3DS Looks Like a Rival For Bird Mania 3D
Don't stop flying
There is a small but dedicated group of gamers in the Nintendo Life community that particularly enjoys Bird Mania 3D and its superior seasonal sequel Bird Mania Christmas. They're simple, budget priced endless runners — or fliers, to be more accurate — where the only task is to navigate the treacherous route and set a new high...
News 3DS eShop-Exclusive Harvest December Visual Novel Series Set To Be Localized
CIRCLE Entertainment is behind the translation
What do you get when you pull a Tokyo native from the city and drop him smack-dab in the middle of a snow-covered small town with an insane love triangle involving a goddess? Harvest December, a 13-part visual novel series from Japan, of course! Now, if CIRCLE Entertainment has its way, gamers in the...
Nintendo Download 3rd April (North America)
Rusty's the real deal, GBA on Wii U, Batman and more
It's that time once again, North America, when you can see what download delights are available on your Nintendo systems. There are two new titles on the Wii U, three GBA games on the home console, Rusty's free-to-play baseball, discounts and more. Let's get to it. Missed the European Download...
News Retro City Rampage: DX Update Available Worldwide Today
Launch sales in North America exceed equivalent Xbox 360 global results
Retro City Rampage DX has been causing mayhem on 3DS systems in North America and Europe for a number of weeks now, and it'll also bring its brand of chaos to Australia and New Zealand today. Vblank Entertainment has been working on a free update, too, to resolve a bug in the...
News Nnooo to Showcase Three Titles at PAX East
Playable demos available
In a recent press release Australian developer Nnooo, known for its 3DS download title escapeVektor, announced that it will be attending PAX East this year in Boston. While at PAX, it will be showcasing three of its games that are currently in development: Blast 'Em Bunnies, Cubemen 2, and ORBITOR. Blast 'Em Bun
Review Young Justice: Legacy (3DS eShop)
Downright offensive
Welcome to Young Justice: Legacy, where the mechanics don't work and "play" doesn't matter. The game purports to be a strategic turn-based experience but accomplishes nothing more than being a horrendous nightmare. It is astonishingly incompetent in every field. Its gameplay, engine, animations, and entertainment value are among...
Features The Biggest 3DS Games of 2014 - Spring Edition
Quality over quantity?
Just recently we published a list of ten titles that we've described as the biggest Wii U games of 2014, a relatively challenging task when considering the extensive upcoming eShop line-up, in particular. That's part of a quarterly tradition here at Nintendo Life, and we brought the 3DS to the party at the start of this year...
This cat ain't rad
There's been a surge of popularity when it comes to "runner" games over the last few years — games where you do little more than move right (or occasionally, left) while dodging everything that comes at you in an attempt to improve your high scores. While "endless" runners seem to be the most popular variant, Skater Cat falls...
March2014
Now that's Mega
How many times will we all buy old Mega Man games? Over and over again, judging by Capcom's actions, as it's lining up even more retro Blue Bomber adventures for Nintendo hardware; this time around the 3DS Virtual Console's getting the fun, adding to Game Boy title Mega Man: Dr Wily's Revenge and various NES entries that have already...
News Two Tribes Confirms Permanent Price Drop of its Classics Range in North America
Yours for just $1.99
Earlier today the European Nintendo Download update included some permanent price discounts from Two Tribes on its 'Classics' range. While the North American update isn't officially released until Thursday, the publisher has taken to Twitter to confirm that these price drops will also apply in North America. [tweet This price...
Nintendo Download 3rd April (Europe)
GBA on Wii U, bubbles, monkeys, and a load of discounts
It's Monday, which means Download Update news in Europe. This Thursday's treats include the first three Game Boy Advance games on the Wii U Virtual Console, an AR title on 3DS, a very late retail arrival and a number of tempting discounts. Without further pre-amble, let's get to it. Wii U...
Review Clu Clu Land (3DS eShop / NES)
Spinning from poles as a fish with human limbs...
Clu Clu Land is one of those unassuming early Nintendo Entertainment System releases that seems to show up all the time these days, from cameos in Super Smash Bros. to minigames in NES Remix, right alongside classics like Mario and Zelda. Even if you didn't grow up playing Clu Clu Land, most Nintendo...
News Rusty's Real Deal Baseball Has Some Interesting Localization Changes
The character himself underwent a full makeover
The folks over at Tiny Cartridge have discovered a couple of interesting design changes made to Rusty's Real Deal Baseball during the localization process. Nintendo's next foray into free-to-play garnered some attention for its unconventional take on the model, which involves in-game haggling to lower...
Review Yumi's Odd Odyssey (3DS eShop)
Ocean Belly River's back!
In some games, just moving around is a joy. Soaring through the skies in Pilotwings, loop-de-looping in NiGHTS into Dreams, wet-jetting around Isle Delfino in Super Mario Sunshine, and tumbling through town in Gravity Rush are all exhilarating experiences in their own right, as memorable as the games built around them.
Review Lola's ABC Party (3DS eShop)
P-A-R-T-WHY? Because I gotta learn my ABC's!
The adorable panda bear, Lola, is back at it again. This time she's putting her life as a train conductor in the past, and is instead throwing a party...of knowledge. Being the second game in the series to focus on basic ABC's and spelling, following Lola's Alphabet Train on DSiWare back in 2012, does...
News Win Big With Youdagames' Governor Of Poker on the 3DS eShop
Coming to US and EU April 10th
Amsterdam developer Youdagames has today announced its flagship Texas Hold 'em title – Governor of Poker – is coming to the North American and European 3DS eShop on 10th April for $4.99 and €4.99 respectively. The Teyon-published game previously released on PC, Mac, Facebook, Android and iOS plays out in the...
News Parking Star 3D Submitted For Approval in North America
New gameplay information and screenshots manoeuvre into space
Parking enthusiasts rejoice – EasyTech and CIRCLE Entertainment have just announced that Parking Star 3D has now been submitted to Nintendo of America for approval in the region, while also showing us all a little more of what we can expect in the title. Below are some of the details...
Matters Of Import Steel Empire Is Flying High On Nintendo 3DS
Chocks away!
First released on the Mega Drive over twenty years ago and then remade for the GBA in 2004, Steel Empire is a side-scrolling shoot ‘em up with a distinctive visual twist. Looking like a cross between Jules Verne’s imagination, a Hayao Miyazaki anime and World War I archive footage; Steel Empire’s biplanes, zeppelins and steam...
News Arc System Works Releases Ghostly Visual Novel Adventure On Japanese 3DS eShop
Looks sensationally spooky!
Arc System Works is bringing a ghostly adventure to the 3DS eShop in the form of a mystery visual novel entitled Ghost Detective: Shida’s Ayakashi Case Book – which also translates to "Mononoke Detective" in Japanese. The game’s trailer reveals players will take on the role of ghost detective Shida Mori, who has...
News Yoshinori Satake Lifts Steel Empire's Iron Curtain And Teases Possible Sequel, Burning Steel
Developer talks about steam engines, outer space and Dragon Quest
Over the past few days we’ve been relentlessly tweeting, videoing and generally getting ourselves lost in playing Steel Empire in every format it’s available on. But as enjoyable as the game is, experiencing it in its final form doesn’t give much insight into all the hard work...
News Game Boy Classic Donkey Kong Land Is Coming To The Japanese 3DS Virtual Console
You'll go bananas about this news
Fans of the naked ape wearing only a tie will be pleased to hear the 1995 Game Boy title Donkey Kong Land is being released in Japan on the 3DS Virtual Console early next month. Released a year after the success of the Super Nintendo original, Donkey Kong Land has the Kongs recapturing their banana hoard when...
News Rusty's Real Deal Baseball Gets Into the Swing of the 3DS eShop on 3rd April
Stepping up to the plate
During the most recent Nintendo Direct broadcast in February, Nintendo announced Rusty’s Real Deal Baseball, a quirky take on the "freemium" model coming to the 3DS eShop in North America. It'll come with one free mini-game in the download but will have a number more — incorporating different aspects of the sport such as...
Feature Looking at the 3DS Revolution on its Third Birthday
Born to be three
Let's think back, for a moment, to the DSi. The remixed version of the hugely successful DS Lite — which itself replaced the 'phat' model — included an online download store, which was a big deal at the time. It also had primitive technical capabilities while the DSi Shop, like its Wii equivalent, was a representation of...
Video We've Compared All Three Versions Of Steel Empire So You Don't Have To
Mega Drive, Game Boy Advance or 3DS - which is best?
In case you hadn't noticed from the amount of coverage we've been giving it, steampunk shooter Steel Empire recently launched on the 3DS eShop in Japan. A port of a 1992 Sega Mega Drive / Genesis blaster, the game is possibly best known for its eye-catching visuals, with massive steam-powered...
Nintendo Download 27th March (North America)
Free Sonic DLC, retro puzzling, a skating cat and more
Nintendo of America has been a little later than normal with its download update, but it's finally here. There are retro options on both Wii U and 3DS, free DLC and some additional new options on the portable's store; bizarrely, a couple of older titles have also been included. Throw in some...
News Ubisoft Discounts 18 Games on the North American eShop Stores
Wii U and 3DS both covered
Ubisoft has run some attractive promotions on the eShop platforms in recent months, and has struck again with 18 fresh discounts in North America. Announced earlier this week over on the Ubisoft blog, Nintendo has now updated its eShop offers web page to show off the discounts available. These prices are available now and...
News Industry Veteran Peter Molyneux Warns The Indie Craze "Won't Last"
"Don't think we're going to be all indies for the next five years"
In an interview with CVG, our old friend Peter Molyneux — who recently spoke about the Wii U and his thoughts on Nintendo in general — hopes the games industry won't take the recent indie boom for granted. The veteran developer — now in charge of indie studio 22Cans — likens...
Review Devil World (3DS eShop / NES)
Absolutely Diabolical
Very few developers can boast the introduction of as many unique and refreshing gameplay concepts as game-crafting master Shigeru Miyamoto. Nintendo’s iconic developer has reinvented and reinvigorated countless genres, breathing new life into stale and tired gameplay tropes and carving a name for himself as one of the...
Video Steel Empire Proves Sega Aren't The Only 3DS Remake Experts
Let battle commence!
Earlier today we had the pleasure of telling you that Steel Empire was coming to the US eShop, and now we can add to that exciting announcement with freshly-captured video footage of the Japanese version of the game. Steel Empire originally released on the Mega Drive over twenty years ago, and a GBA remake followed in 2004 (but...
Matters of Import 3D Fantasy Zone: Opa-Opa Brothers Powers Up A Sega Classic
This colourful classic is tougher than it looks
Sega’s enthusiasm for the 3DS continues unabated, which means that gamers have another excellent port-with-extras from the technical wizards at M2 available on the Japanese eShop: the twenty eight year-old Fantasy Zone. As we've now come to expect, this 3D remake is a port of the arcade version of...
News Steampunk Shooter Steel Empire Is Flying To North American 3DS Consoles This Summer
Taking to the skies
Steel Empire has just launched in Japan, and you'll be pleased to know that our resident import expert Kerry is already dodging shrapnel in order to bring you a hands-on preview very soon. In the meantime we have more good news — publisher Starfish SD has confirmed that it is coming to North America later this year. Based on...
Review Adventure Island II (3DS eShop / NES)
"Just you wait, Master Higgins!"
The original Adventure Island — though a fun little platformer in its own right — is most fondly remembered today for being a strikingly comprehensive clone of SEGA's Wonder Boy, as a result of developer Escape licensing the property (minus SEGA's character designs) to Hudson Soft for an NES port. Adventure...
Nintendo Download 27th March (Europe)
Mario's karting début, a puzzling court crossover, a skating cat and more
Monday morning can be a time for despair and gnashing of teeth, but not for Nintendo Download gamers. As usual Nintendo has issued its update for the treats on the way to Europe later this week — this includes a classic Super NES kart racer, a skating cat, a delightful...
News OutRun Confirmed As The Next 3D Classic Racing to Japan
3DS gamers, get ready to race
While Sega had us distracted with the excellent 3D Fantasy Zone: Opa-Opa Brothers, it's gone and announced another classic that Sega fans have all been patiently waiting for — Outrun. This information is so minty-fresh that nothing else is currently known — not even an estimated release date — but we can at least...
Video 3D Fantasy Zone: Opa-Opa Brothers Shoots Down The Competition
Pastel coloured pew-pew
We gave you a brief overview of Sega's latest 3D Classic Fantasy Zone: Opa-Opa Brothers last week, but now we've finally got our hands on it we can show you some real footage of our own. It should come as no surprise at this point to hear that M2 has once again produced an exceptional port, arcade accurate in the most minute...
Review Bubble Pop World (3DS eShop)
Burst in line
The hardest part of starting Bubble Pop World might be remembering where you left the “?” box AR card you’ll need to play it. Precious few 3DS games have taken advantage of the system’s augmented reality feature, with the majority employing it just for an amusing little extra. Developer Cypronia, however, has fully dived into...
News Keiji Inafune Stills Wants To Make Mega Man Legends 3 A Reality
"I could still gather most of the original team, even right now"
Mega Man Legends 3 didn't happen. We all know that, and for some the fact that the game never saw the light of day remains a sore point. You might assume that the chances of Legends 3 ever being produced are slim to none, but Mega Man creator Keiji Inafune has revealed that he would...
News CIRCLE Entertainment Announces Demon King Box For 3DS eShop
Heroes for hire
Our friends at CIRCLE Entertainment have gotten in touch to let us know about Demon King Box, a "defense and attack strategy game" developed by Lionant. Aside from two screenshots, details on this title are slim. It appears to be set in a magical fantasy world where you hire heroes to fight for your cause. We'll supply more details...
Review Cube Tactics (3DS eShop)
Strategy cubed
Given their relatively low asking price, it can be quite easy to fall into the trap of thinking that games on Nintendo’s eShop service amount to little more than short, throwaway experiences. You pay less and, therefore, you must get less value from that game, right? In terms of pure content, that may be true (unless you’re...
News Nintendo Considering 3DS Build of Unity Engine
Always room for more tools in the developers' shed
Nintendo's partnership with Unity Technologies has served well in attracting indie developers by making it easier to bring their games to a Wii U-specific build of the popular engine. The fact that Wii U development kits come with a free Unity license is certainly an encouraging gesture as well. So...
News Keiji Inafune Discusses the Indie Experience in Japan and Shows New Mighty No. 9 Footage
"It feels like a return to the golden days"
GDC (Game Developers Conference) 2014 is now approaching its close in San Francisco, and has hosted a variety of games, demonstrations and reveals. As is also the norm there have been presentations from various figures in the games industry, with a particularly high profile example being that given by...
Nintendo Download 20th March (North America)
Pokémon battles, chess, discounts, freebies and more
It's that time, North America, when Nintendo lets you know what download treats await you on the Wii U and 3DS this week. There are new download-only titles on both platforms, while there are also freebies on each through a trial and retail demo. Throw in discounts across the systems and there'll...
Nintendo was "open minded, forward thinking" with networking challenges
While it may not have been making major headlines across the web, Nintendo's Wii U eShop has been pushing some landmarks in 2014. The first was with Blok Drop U, developer RCMADIAX seizing the crown of being the first developer to release a game through the Nintendo Web...
Review Galaga (3DS eShop / NES)
Space: The Original Frontier
There are a few reasons so many early video games took place in space. While the most obvious one is budgetary — a flat black background being quite literally the easiest possible background to render, thereby making "space" a pretty natural choice of setting — there's a psychological reason as well: space is a...
News Pure Chess DLC Will Be Available Day One, And Won't Cost As Much As You Think
Standard game will still have three sets and environments
This week sees the launch of VooFoo's Pure Chess on Wii U and 3DS, and publisher Ripstone has dropped us a line to confirm that varied DLC for the game — which includes new pieces and locations — will be available from the moment the game goes live on the Wii U and 3DS eShop stores. Two...
News Skater Cat Aims to Bring Some Feline Style to the 3DS eShop
The grind begins on 27th March
Teyon, one of the most active publishers on the 3DS eShop — and DSiWare previously — has confirmed its latest title for the platform. Developed buy FUN UNIT, it'll be a side-scrolling runner called Skater Cat; you can guess a lot from that title. Taking the role of Ollie, you'll take on three worlds and over 25...
News Level-5 Has No Plans To Launch The eShop Version Of Inazuma Eleven In The UK
"Established" nature of the franchise to blame
The recent release of Inazuma Eleven on the North American 3DS eShop got many UK gamers wondering if they'd also get to see an updated edition of the Nintendo DS classic on their machines. However, Level-5 has issued a statement explaining why this new [EDIT: English language] version of the game will...
Nintendo Download 20th March (Europe)
Cross-platform chess, retro Dracula slaying, discounts galore and more
It's that time, Europe, and after two weeks of being delayed by a day the Download Update information has been unleashed promptly to kickstart our week. It includes an intriguing cross-platform release on Wii U and 3DS that could fill a nice gap in the eShop library, two NES...
Review Inazuma Eleven (3DS eShop)
A Beautiful Game
In Japan Inazuma Eleven is an institution — a multi-modal soccer sensation spanning several sequels and spin-offs, a wildly successful anime adaptation, and even a collectable card game; it's also enjoyed a number of releases in Europe. It's captured hearts from Kyoto to Cádiz, and now Level-5 is aiming to complete that...
News Park Cars Like You’ve Never Parked Cars Before, In Parking Star 3D
40 levels of parking madness
Whether it’s navigating the tight corners of underground car parks, or dealing with the complexities and pressures of parking meters, there’s always fun to be had when it comes to parking an automobile. Chinese eShop developer and publisher CIRCLE Entertainment has obviously caught onto this with the upcoming...
News Steel Diver: Sub Wars Update Applies Fixes and Tweaks to Online Play
Less waiting around in the lobby
As the first full free-to-play experiment from Nintendo, Steel Diver: Sub Wars can be considered a reasonable success. We certainly feel that it shows that Nintendo can make free-to-play work, and it provides some competitive online play at a fairly relaxed pace, emphasizing strategy over an itchy trigger finger...
News Ace Attorney Creator Wanted to End Series at Original Trilogy
Court continued against his initial wishes
There has always been debate within various forms of entertainment over whether a series or story idea has overstayed its welcome. People may cry out for more, but is it worth the risk of a weakened narrative or overall impact? In an interview with Official Nintendo Magazine, Ace Attorney series creator...
Video Extended Mighty No. 9 Footage and Details Released
Running, dashing, backward jumps and, of course, a death animation
In February we posted a video of Keiji Inafune testing Mighty No. 9, a short clip in which he seemed rather pleased with the work in progress. An extended version has now been released that shows a ledge climb animation, more of the background test and, right at the end, a...
News Tyrone Rodriguez Continues to Lobby Nintendo to Approve The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth
We have no objections...
Some may remember that, way back in 2012, Nintendo rejected The Binding of Isaac, a title developed by Edmund McMillen who is well known as one half of Team Meat. The rejection was due to "questionable religious content", though when talking about an improved version of the game in development shortly after McMillen...
Nintendo Download 13th March (North America)
Yoshi, retro Mario, Cubes, Bubbles, Discounts and more
It's Nintendo Download update time, North America, and this week brings you a major retail release on 3DS, some retro treats and three new download-only games on 3DS. There are also some tasty discounts, including one of the must-have eShop releases from 2013; you can check out all of the...
News 3DS eShop Bubble Pop World Fuses Match 3 Puzzle Action With Augmented Reality
The bubble pops this April in North America and Europe
Slovakian developer Cypronia has gotten in touch to share details on its latest 3DS eShop title, a unique release which mixes puzzle action with augmented reality. Bubble Pop World uses the AR card which came with your 3DS system to create virtual puzzles which have to be removed by firing...
News Strike Force Foxx Screens and Details Fly Into View
Sadly A-Team style doesn't let you build a chopper with tape and paper
Not too long ago we told you about Strike Force Foxx, a new title coming to the 3DS eShop from Big John Games that brings back memories of 1982 title Choplifter. Big John Games president Ken Patterson promised "over the top" 2D action, and the company has now revealed more...
News Shovel Knight Release Pushed Back "A Few Weeks"
"We’ve been working literally every day, and every waking hour"
The upcoming arrival of Shovel Knight on Wii U and 3DS is undoubtedly a potential highlight in the near future, with plenty of positive vibes around the title. We'll all have to wait a little longer to see whether it fulfils its potential, however, as Yacht Club Games has issued a...
Review Pokémon Link: Battle! (3DS eShop)
Match maker
DS title Pokémon Link — known as Pokémon Trozei in North America — was a fine example of how Nintendo has been able to diversify and expand the franchise in different directions. This download-only sequel — once again developed by Genius Sonority — continues that trend, but has more monsters to catch, locations to explore and...
News Pure Chess Will Checkmate Your Wii U And 3DS Very Soon Indeed
Developer VooFoo had to fine-tune the cross-platform multiplayer
There was a bit of a delay making the jump to Nintendo platforms, but Chess nuts need not wait much longer. Pure Chess publisher Ripstone has today announced that the highly anticipated digital title will finally be making its way to the 3DS and Wii U eShops on March 20th. The game...
News Sega's Classic Shooter Fantasy Zone Is Blasting Onto Japanese 3DS eShop This Month
Welcome to the... ah, you know
If you're a fan of Sega's 3D Classics range then you'll be pleased to know that the company has revealed that a new version of Fantasy Zone — entitled 3D Fantasy Zone: Opa Opa Brothers — will hit the Japanese 3DS eShop on the 19th of March. As with all previous 3D re-releases, the usual Sega love is on show —...
News Nintendo of America Releases Snaps of Young Celebrities Plugging Yoshi's New Island
Egging them on
When new games are on the horizon Nintendo occasionally reels out some celebrities to pose with the product in question, to give them an extra cool factor. We imagine that's the intention anyway, some of us older gamers have to consult Wikipedia to find out who these stars are, but we suspect that's not the case for the target...
News Nintendo of America Launches eShop Indie Website
Links, links everywhere
With the eShop platforms increasingly becoming integral parts of the Wii U and 3DS, Nintendo is likely to continue to increase its support for the stores. Much has been done to ease entry requirements, a process that began on the 3DS, while the Wii U store has opened up new avenues with development tools and access through...
Nintendo Download 13th March (Europe)
Yoshi, Pokémon, Luigi, Cubes and more
The Nintendo Download information is a day later than normal for the second consecutive week, yet the details are finally here. They bring two Virtual Console releases and a discount for Wii U, some more Luigi-themed discounts, and in addition the 3DS has a variety of new offerings — download-only and retail...
News The Club Nintendo Rewards Are In For March
Kid Icarus! Yoshi! Being a barber! Battling numbers! Accessories!
Our monthly routine is here once again, as Club Nintendo in North America has finally updated its rewards with more downloadable games that can be yours in exchange for some hard earned coins. This time around we have two Virtual Console games, a DSiWare option and a quirky WiiWare...
Review Vacation Adventures: Park Ranger (3DS eShop)
Park 'n Hide
Nature. The Great Outdoors. Land of beauty and majesty, where the earth itself holds reign over a freedom and intrinsic order spanning the eons. And, if you’re a hidden object game, a primo place to dump all manner of human-made junk imaginable for people to find. The nature of hidden object games can’t be denied, however, and...
Review Kung Fu Rabbit (3DS eShop)
Kung Fu-cious says hop
Today’s games industry has become infamous for its endless copycat efforts and yearly sequels, which tend to stick to a very specific template and only offer a modicum of improvement. Nevertheless, while it’s easy for us to call out these games for their lack of innovation (only for us to all then go and buy them anyway),...
Review Weapon Shop De Omasse (3DS eShop)
Well-crafted
Remember the Guild01 series from all the way back in late 2012? Of course you do. It’s the little eShop series that could. Defying all expectations, the Guild games jumped the pond from Japan and landed securely on the Western 3DS eShop stores, providing three indie games that span a variety of genres. The success of the original...
Video Manami Matsumae Performs Her Awesome Mighty No. 9 Theme Song
Tune those retro ears
Update: Unfortunately the live performance video and the related source article have been taken down. Below is another version of the theme tune in the meantime... [ Original Article: The release of Mighty No. 9 may still be over a year away on multiple platforms — including the Wii U and 3DS eShop stores — but we can...
News Californian Mobile Developer Robot Invader Expresses Interest In Wii U and 3DS Development
"Maybe someday" for Wind-up Knight
Californian game studio Robot Invader has recently expressed interest in bringing its medieval platform runner Wind-up Knight to the Wii U and 3DS. A question posed to the Android and iOS developer via its official Twitter account asked if it had any plans to bring Wind-up Knight to the 3DS or Wii U in the near...
Feature Lifting the Curtain on Game Ratings and the Headache of Worldwide Releases
Developers and publishers give us the details
In recent weeks some headlines have been made by the ratings agencies and the related processes for getting eShop games from development studios and onto our Nintendo consoles. An early shot was fired by Renegade Kid in an interview with us late last year, in which co-founder Jools Watsham explained why,...
Video This Steel Empire Footage Makes Us Jealous of Those With a Japanese 3DS
Gosh...
Our past coverage of Steel Empire, a 3DS conversion of the cult Mega Drive / Genesis shooter, may have betrayed the fact that some of the Nintendo Life team have fond — and increasingly distant — memories of Sega's 16-bit machine. More importantly, however, this shooter was loved by those who played it because it's rather good, so the...
Review Super Mario Bros. Deluxe (3DS eShop / GBC)
Super Small Screen Bros.
Especially in recent years, we've seen Super Mario Bros. re-released a ton, but back in 1999 it had been a number of years since the last release, Super Mario All-Stars. As such, Nintendo decided to port the original game to Game Boy Color and add some interesting new features at the same time. Naturally, at its core, this...
News Keiji Inafune And Inti Creates Announce Azure Striker Gunvolt For Nintendo 3DS
Releases this summer on the Japanese 3DS eShop
If you’re a fan of Mega Man franchise creator Keiji Inafune, you'll probably be aware of the fact that he’s currently busy with the upcoming Wii U and 3DS eShop title, Mighty no. 9. Despite this, it appears Mr Inafune still has time for other projects. He's working with Japanese developer Inti...
News The Denpa Men 3: The Rise of Digitoll Is Spreading To The West This Summer
Demo coming in May, Denpa Men 2 going on sale
Genius Sonority has confirmed that the third instalment in the Denpa Men series is making its way to the North American and European 3DS eShops this summer. A free demo of The Denpa Men 3: Rise of the Digitoll will be made available in May which will be limited to 30 plays, but users will be able to...
News Cube Tactics Is Storming American And European 3DS eShops On March 13th
Tactical cube warfare just got serious
Polish online game publisher Teyon, in collaboration with Japanese developer and publisher Fun Unit, will release Cube Tactics on the American and European 3DS eShop next Thursday for $4.99 and €4.99 respectively. Players will embark on an epic journey to become the ultimate cube master and defeat all evil...
News Yumi's Odd Odyssey Casting Into North American Waters this 20th March
Catch this release
It's been a long journey, but puzzle platformer Yumi's Odd Odyssey, known as Farewell Umihara Kawase in Japan, will finally be available on the North American 3DS eShop on March 20th, according to publisher Natsume: [tweet 441598023252975616] Natsume also confirmed a $29.99 price tag for the title. This is the first time the...
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