3DS eShop News
June2012
E3 2012 3DS Downloads on the Way
Plenty for all tastes
Nintendo has unveiled a list of upcoming download titles on the 3DS eShop with some release periods for us to take in. There aren't any specific dates, but we at least have an idea of when we can expect the titles to arrive. These are all North American details, but we'll optimistically hope that PAL region releases won't be...
News Mutant Mudds Closer to European Release
21st June is a possibility
The eShop release schedule can be unpredictable. Sometimes North America and Europe get titles on the same day, sometimes there's a brief delay in one region, while on other occasions one side is left waiting for far too long. For European 3DS gamers, Mutant Mudds definitely falls into that last category. It arrived in...
News NightSky Rated for North America
On its way at long last
NightSky has had a long, drawn out history in the eyes of many eager Nintendo gamers. The attractive action-physics puzzler was in the works for WiiWare way back in 2009, but then the updates went silent and we heard very little about it, the Wii release drifting away. The good news is that the 3DS eShop appears to be going...
Review Rayman (3DS eShop / GBC)
Rayman, fighter of the Night Man
In 1995, the platformer Rayman was released to great critical acclaim on the PlayStation. It was the first entry in a hugely successful franchise that also spawned an entirely separate sub-franchise along the way. Rayman had charm, class and above all a tremendous sense of fun. Five years later, the game was still...
May2012
News Rayman Arrives on North American eShop This Week
Not just in Europe
We normally find out about the North American download offerings on Thursday each week, but we've been advised ahead of time that Rayman will be hitting the 3DS Virtual Console stateside. Europe gets the Game Boy Color title this week too, so gamers on both sides of the Atlantic will have the chance to warm up ahead of the...
News Mighty Switch Force Update to Remaster All Levels
Free is the magic word
We already know that WayForward Technologies is entering into the world of eShop DLC with five additional levels in Europe this week, available for free if you already own the game or included with new purchases. The developer has now posted a new entry on its website blog stating that the updated version will have more to...
Review Kirby's Dream Land 2 (3DS eShop / GB)
Dreamy
Dream Land's peaceful moniker is surely false advertising. There are constant problems with invasions and takeovers, the bad guys are apparently impossible to evict, based on how often they show up and the fact that some buffoon keeps dumping huge piles of those star blocks in everybody's way. It's an absolute nightmare. You wouldn't get that...
Review Sonic Labyrinth (3DS eShop / GG)
Maze craze
Failed game pitches from the 1990s: Madden without the ball. Mario without the jumping. Sonic without the speed. Except someone at SEGA must have thought the last one was a good idea, and gave Minato Giken the go-ahead to develop Sonic Labyrinth for Game Gear. As the story goes, Dr. Robotnik has tricked Sonic into wearing special shoes...
Review Game & Watch Gallery 2 (3DS eShop / GBC)
Now in colour!
After successfully remaking and re-releasing four Game & Watch games with Mario characters in Game & Watch Gallery, it was only a matter of time before Nintendo selected another bunch to redo. With around 50 different Game & Watch games originally released, there certainly isn't a small pool to pick from, but here we have...
News Bird Mania 3D Confirmed for May Flight in PAL Regions
Trailer and details inside
As some of you may already know, Bird Mania 3D arrives in the North American 3DS eShop on 3rd May at a budget price of $1.99. Developer Teyon has now confirmed that the title will also arrive in PAL regions later this month, so it won't take long for Europe to catch up. It appears to be a non-stop 'runner'-style title —...
April2012
News Tumblepop Set to Suck on 3DS Virtual Console Soon
Sucking up enemies is the main activity, honest
Despite describing it as Tumble Pop, the Australian Classification Database has now listed Tumblepop, originally a Game Boy title and now on the way to 3DS Virtual Console in PAL regions. Tumblepop was originally an arcade game and has been described as a cult classic, though it's unclear whether that...
News VVVVVV Set to Flip Into Europe on 10th May
About flippin' time
While gamers in North America have been fortunate enough to enjoy VVVVVV on their 3DS since late last year, those of us in Europe have been patiently — or impatiently — waiting for our own release. After announcing that it expects a European release in early May, publisher Nicalis has now nailed a date down on its Twitter...
First Impressions ATV Wild Ride 3D
ATV racer goes 3D
When the original ATV Wild Ride was released on Nintendo DS last year, it was praised for its impressive play controls and solid track designs. Unfortunately the game's limited release made it difficult to find at retail outlets, thus keeping it from reaching a wider audience. Now developer Renegade Kid has decided to give the DS...
First Impressions Art of Balance TOUCH! (3DS eShop)
Small scale
Art of Balance on WiiWare is one of the service's best puzzlers — the second highest-rated puzzler on Wii, according to Metacritic — so an enhanced, portable version for 3DS sounds like a winner. Surprise! It is. Art of Balance TOUCH! follows the same format as previous Shin'en WiiWare-to-eShop transition
Interview Ludosity - Alien Chaos 3D
Signs of intelligent life
Developer Ludosity and publisher Reef Entertainment just revealed a new 3DS download game for Europe called Alien Chaos 3D, so we tracked down the developer and convinced it to spill the beans on its upcoming eShop shooter. Nintendo Life: First of all, can you tell us a little bit more about the Ludosity studio? Ludosity:...
Review The Legend of Zelda (3DS eShop / NES)
Rough around the edges, but an unforgettable adventure
When The Legend of Zelda was released in 1986, it was at least as much an eye-opening experience for gamers as Super Mario Bros. had been. Whereas that game expanded and solidified the left-to-right nature of platformers for generations to come, The Legend of Zelda opened sprawling worlds before...
March2012
Review Dr. Mario (3DS eShop / GB)
The doctor’s out
If there’s one thing the 3DS eShop has plenty of, it’s puzzle games. It’s a genre that's always been commonplace on Nintendo handhelds, with Tetris probably the best known example. It’s hardly surprising that Nintendo’s mascot extraordinaire, Mario, invaded Game Boy with his own puzzle title, Dr. Mario. Does it make us...
Review Dragon Crystal (3DS eShop / GG)
Manageable masochism
For a system known for its incredible appetite for AA batteries, the Game Gear makes quite a strange home for the hardcore, permadeath-filled roguelike Dragon Crystal. With absolutely no save option or password system, the game must have caused some incredible bouts of rage when those last spurts of juice ran out. Dragon Crystal...
Review Sonic the Hedgehog: Triple Trouble (3DS eShop / GG)
Need for speed
While SEGA's Sonic the Hedgehog series pulled in monstrous sales on the Mega Drive/Genesis, many gamers aren't aware that Sonic also enjoyed a number of releases on the Master System and Game Gear. Sonic Triple Trouble is the follow-up to Sonic Chaos and while the game still suffered from the hardware limitations of the Game Gear's...
News GameStop Starts Selling eShop Download Codes
Lots in store
Want to download Pushmo or Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins but don't want to type your credit card details into the 3DS? GameStop has started selling DLC codes for both games through its website and stores. GameStop.com lets you purchase a digital redeem code for either game at exactly the same price it'd cost you through the eShop...
Feature The Life and Times of SEGA's Game Gear
Black beauty
Ask any gamer of a certain age which handheld they grew up with and the overwhelming response will be "Game Boy". Long before the Pokémon explosion of the late 90s, Nintendo's portable dominated the competition — not even closest competitor SEGA could upset the balance with the release of its Game Gear in the early part of...
Review Shinobi (3DS eShop / GG)
On-the-go ninja, go ninja, go.
The Shinobi series has been sneaking about the gaming world for over two decades, and the 1987 original arcade entry remains a classic to this day. The 1991 Game Gear instalment — also called Shinobi — has now infiltrated the 3DS eShop, and we're happy to say that it's aged better than we would have expected. You...
News 3D Beauty Clock Timing a Release on 3DS in Japan
And it's free
Nintendo's download services have seen some peculiar releases in their time, with the 3DS eShop slowly joining in the fun. Today, courtesy of Andriasang, we bring you Beauty Clock 3D. From the creatively-named publisher Beauty Clock Co., this is a free app due for release on the Japanese eShop next week. A total of 360 women pose with...
News Zombie Slayer Diox Trailer is Dead Musical
A rhythmic slash-fest
UFO Interactive has officially confirmed that its next eShop title, Zombie Slayer Diox, will be released in North America on 22nd March. It's a rhythm-action game that sees the hero slashing through waves of zombies to a hard-rock soundtrack: not your typical eShop release. The developer has wasted little time since its last...
News Mad Dog McCree Takes Aim at 3DS
Strictly old-school
In its relatively short existence so far, the 3DS eShop has already enjoyed its fair share of vintage download titles. The latest to emerge — somewhat unexpectedly — is Mad Dog McCree, a full motion video (FMV) arcade shooter. Originally an arcade machine, this simple point-and-shoot title made its way to different disc-based...
News Bomb Monkey Aiming for a Spring Explosion
Renegade Kid co-founder hopes so
Last week we brought you the news that Renegade Kid had teased a new game for eShop, Bomb Monkey. There were no significant details on the title's web page, but we made a guess that its a puzzle game that involves using the monkey to blow up blocks in an aztec setting. The lack of details, however, doesn't...
Review Kid Icarus: Of Myths and Monsters (3DS eShop / GB)
Heavenly
When the original Kid Icarus hit the NES, many gamers weren't sure exactly what to think of it. For starters the game's protagonist was a cute little winged angel (at least we thought so) who ran around shooting tiny arrows at mythological enemies. Of course it didn't help matters that the game was released around the same time Nintendo's...
Review Punch-Out!! Featuring Mr. Dream (3DS eShop / NES)
Dreamy
With ten NES titles originally released on the 3DS for Ambassadors only, it wasn't much of a stretch to expect the first ten put up for sale to be the same games. But we've already received a title that actually wasn't part of the Ambassador batch, and Nintendo has picked one of the best possible games. Originally released in 1987,...
News Renegade Kid Teases New eShop Game
No Mutant Mudds here
Renegade Kid, developer of the critically acclaimed Mutant Mudds, has launched a teaser website for its next game, Bomb Monkey. The image in this article is the whole website, a one page image of a monkey with a bomb on its head standing on aztec-style blocks, with the word 'puzzling' in place of a normal Flash loading bar. So,...
News Game Gear Hits North American eShop on 15th March
Treble trouble?
When the eShop was announced, SEGA aficionados welcomed the news that Game Gear titles would arrive on the platform. Famous for guzzling batteries and offering a high-tech alternative to the humble Game Boy, this was a handheld that took many console favourites on the go. The wait is almost over with confirmation that three titles...
Review Metroid (3DS eShop / NES)
The classic that inspired so many still holds up today
The NES section of the 3DS's Virtual Console expands by another notch with the addition of Metroid, regarded by many as one of the best entries that amazing series has to offer. The great news is that it's every bit as wonderful as you remember; the bad news is that it's no more interested in...
News Fun! Fun! Minigolf TOUCH! Rattles into 3DS Cup Next Week
Well, in Europe anyway
Shin'en's first eShop game Fun! Fun! Minigolf TOUCH! is coming to Europe next week. 3DS owners in the continent can fire up their consoles, head over to the eShop and watch a 3D video of the game in action. If you're on a computer you can read our First Impressions: Fun! Fun! Minigolf TOUCH! and anticipate all the Fun! Fun!...
Review Super Mario Bros. (3DS eShop / NES)
Yet another way to experience a masterpiece
Mario. Say it loud and there's music playing. Say it soft, and it's almost like praying. Super Mario Bros. was, is, and will always be one of gaming's great masterpieces, and its availability on any additional format is a good thing. Now it's come to the 3DS Virtual Console, and we couldn't be happier. For...
February2012
Review Dillon's Rolling Western (3DSWare)
On a roll
After an initial launch period when the 3DS eShop was struggling for exclusive software, it’s now gaining genuine momentum. As well as some excellent third-party efforts, Nintendo itself has jumped into the fray with its latest title, Dillon’s Rolling Western, arriving to some fanfare. This title continues the trend set by Pullblox,...
News Dillon's Rolling Western Has Arrived in North America
Hitting the Wild West
European gamers celebrating the release of Dillon's Rolling Western today can be joined by their North American friends, as it's been confirmed that the title is now available in the eShop. Footage of the title with some information on features and gameplay can be found on Reggie Fils-Aime's Nintendo Direct broadcast, which you...
News Nintendogs + Cats Demo Hits Europe on Thursday
Thought for paws
Cuddly pet 'em up Nintendogs + Cats is the next 3DS demo to land in Europe, due this Thursday. It's a bit of a change of pace from last week's demo of Metal Gear Solid: Snake Eater 3D but then variety is the spice of life. We'll have the full download for you in just a few minutes.
Review Wario Land: Super Mario Land 3 (3DS eShop / GB)
Third time’s a charm?
While Nintendo kept things fairly standard with the first two Super Mario Land releases, it obviously decided to make some changes when it got ready to create this third title in the series on Game Boy. Instead of featuring Mario, it decided to give players a chance to shake things up and take on the role of its newest bad...
First Impressions Fun! Fun! Minigolf TOUCH! (3DS eShop)
Shin'en star?
Fun! Fun! Minigolf TOUCH! might lay it on a bit thick with its overly exclamatory title, but it does a decent job of summing up the first 3DS eShop game from long-time Nintendo supporter Shin'en Multimedia. It's worth saying right off the bat this isn't a portable version of WiiWare original Fun! Fun! Minigolf: while that was intended...
News VVVVVV Flip Fix Submitted to Nintendo
Isaac still waiting for word
Last week we reported that the European release of VVVVVV was getting nearer with Nicalis confirming, via Twitter, that the title had been given a PEGI rating. Once again the publisher has been tweeting good news, with confirmation that the final bug fix in the European version is complete and the game is being sent to...
Review Kirby's Block Ball (3DS eShop / GB)
Ball breaker
Outside of the popular platformers for which he was first known, Nintendo is always more than happy to take advantage of Kirby’s robust, rotund appearance for spin-offs. In the past the happy little chap has been flipped and lobbed about in Kirby’s Pinball Land and abused with golf clubs in Kirby’s Dream Course. It was never a...
Review Maru's Mission (3DS eShop / GB)
Mission: Unbearable
Several months ago, the eShop saw the release of Avenging Spirit, a gleefully eccentric title that made us all sorry we missed it the first time around. Lightning doesn't strike twice for Jaleco with Maru's Mission, however, as this time the publisher has dusted off a forgotten title that really should have stayed that way. The...
First Impressions Block Factory (3DS eShop)
Bricking it
Upcoming 3DS eShop title Block Factory — from the makers of Pyramids — is trying to do something a little different with the puzzle genre. Instead of sticking resolutely to one kind of block-dropper, you can create your own take on the genre with its built-in creative tools. While the game comes with four preset games that ape famous...
Exclusive SpeedX 3D Racing to 3DS eShop
Start your engines
Gamelion Studios is bringing its popular mobile game SpeedX 3D to the 3DS eShop. The tunnel racer has racked up over 10 million downloads on iOS, Android and other operating systems, and a new version is on the way to 3DS later this year. The concept is simple: race as far as possible down a brightly coloured — psychedelic, even...
News Kirby's Dream Land 2 On the Way to Japanese eShop
Sweet dreams
Kirby's Dream Land is one of the best-selling Virtual Console games on 3DS, so it's no surprise Nintendo is preparing 1995 follow-up Kirby's Dream Land 2 for Japan's eShop next week. The portable platformer heads to Japan's store on 15th February, and will hopefully bound its way over to Europe and North America before too long. In the...
News Kirby's Block Ball Bounds to Europe on 9th February
Question: what's pink and blocky?
Kirby's Block Ball, of course, down for a European release on 3DS Virtual Console next week. The little pink thing's second appearance on 3DS VC after Kirby's Dream Land, Block Ball is a Breakout-like game with Kirby in it. It's not complex. No price yet but expect it around the £3.60 mark.
News Swapnote Could Have Been Released on DSiWare
Development detailed
Popular 3DS app Nintendo Letter Box (aka Swapnote) could have been the light of day on DSi, a new Iwata Asks reveals. Members of the development team reveal the game was originally in the works as DSiWare and had entered the debug phase at the tail-end of 2009, but several limitations imposed by the console's firmware held it...
January2012
Review Sakura Samurai: Art of the Sword (3DSWare)
Patience, young grasshopper
We're only a month into 2012 and the eShop's offerings this year are already weighted heavily with samurai-themed games. In truth, the two couldn't be more different: whereas UFO Interactive's Samurai Sword Destiny favours the straightforward button-mashing approach, Nintendo's own Sakura Samurai: Art of the Sword puts...
News Punch-Out!! is Japan's Next NES 3DS VC Game
OK?
NES pugilist title Punch-Out!! is the next game coming to Japan's 3DS Virtual Console. Due next week for 500 Yen, it's the third NES game to join the service but the first that wasn't released to 3DS Ambassadors: both Super Mario Bros. and The Legend of Zelda are available to buy in Japan. Looks like hopes for a 3D Classics: Punch-Out!! just...
News Mutant Mudds OST Tracks Now Available
A little Mudd mood music
For those of you who are gearing up for the Mudds invasion on Thursday in North America, Renegade Kid has just the thing to put you in the mood. The developer has already added 11 tracks from the official Mutant Mudds OST on its bandcamp page and the good news is that you get to choose the price you pay for the soundtrack...
News Brighten Up Your Day with Colors! 3D Screenshots
Palette cleanser
While we wait for a release date for Colors! 3D, the developer Collecting Smiles has released the first 3D screenshots of the game online. The shots are available at 3DS Screenshot, though you'll find one 3D shot embedded in the post below: simply load up this page in your 3DS web browser and tap the image below to open it up in 3D...
Review Prince of Persia (3DS eShop / GBC)
Lowly servant of Persia
There's no question the original Prince of Persia is a classic game, with its iconic realistic movements, precision platforming and time limit. It's been ported to many, many platforms over the years, but does this handheld version hold up as well as other versions? In the transition to Game Boy Color, most of the game has...
Here's Mudd in your eye
Mutant Mudds started out as a 3D polygonal platformer called Maximillian and the Rise of the Mutant Mudds intended as a retail title for the DS. Sadly, this retail release and a pitched DSiWare rendition never got off the ground. Not ones to let a good concept die, Renegade Kid instead decided to morph and move the project...
Feature Nintendo Life Presents... Pullblox Levels
Give 'em a try
Not only is Pullblox — or Pushmo in North America — one of the finest titles available on the 3DS eShop, but it also features a rather nifty level creator. It's quickly become a favourite feature amongst 3DS gamers, so our staff decided that they'd join the fun and produce some levels, just for you. Four members of the team have...
News Unsheath Sakura Samurai: Art of the Sword on 2nd February
$6.99 to pay
Nintendo has revealed the North American release date for Sakura Samurai: Art of the Sword — 2nd February. The Nintendo-developed sword fighting game will cost you $6.99. No European release details have been revealed yet, so sit tight. Here's a recent trailer to get you ready. Thanks to Twitter follower @franklero for the tip!
News Mutant Mudds Hits eShop on 26th January
The wait is nearly over
Renegade Kid has just announced that its upcoming eShop platformer Mutant Mudds will be released on 26th January in North America and will set you back $8.99. We'll have a full review of the game up shortly, but in the meantime, you can check out the screenshots gallery below for a taste of what you can expect from the game...
Review Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones (3DS eShop / GBA)
Once more, to arms!
For such a long-running series, it's hard to believe Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones was only the second game to leave Japan after GBA predecessor Fire Emblem. Since then the series has had a far bigger presence in the West, a fact underlined by Sacred Stones' status as a 3DS Ambassador title. If Sacred Stones is your first Fire...
Review Super Mario Advance 3: Yoshi's Island (3DS eShop / GBA)
Drawing you in
Super Mario Advance 3: Yoshi’s Island joined a Nintendo tradition of re-releasing classic titles for a new audience. Bringing an iconic Super Nintendo platformer to the Game Boy Advance seemed perfectly apt, with the handheld more than capable of 16-bit standard visuals. The question remains, is this port worth playing today?...
Review Trip World (3DS eShop / GB)
Bad trip?
Sunsoft made a ton of great games for Nintendo systems back in the day. Everybody knows the likes of Blaster Master and the NES Batman game, but they also had a ton of equally great games which people simply didn't find out about. We've already had some, like Ufouria: The Saga and Lock 'N Chase, but thankfully it's continuing its support,...
News 3D Screenshots of Mutant Mudds Available
Fire up that 3DS browser
You may have seen our news article earlier in the week with launch details for a new Mutant Mudds website. It's got plenty of content to whet your appetite for the game, but as some readers have already spotted there's a neat sub-site that's worth a look. Renegade Kid has set up a page specifically designed for viewing on...
Review WarioWare, Inc.: Mega Microgame$! (3DS eShop / GBA)
No time to catch your breath
Nintendo has made its name in the games industry by providing tightly focused and highly polished experiences for over 20 years. Its games are always regarded as some of the best in their respective genres, so what to do when it's conquered all charted territory? Invent new ones, of course. WarioWare, Inc.: Mega...
Review Samurai Sword Destiny (3DSWare)
No ninja, no ninja, no
There's been a lot of ballyhoo about the death of the dedicated handheld at the hands of smartphones and tablets, and given the amount of doom-and-gloom headlines penned about portables in the past year it can be easy to think that the chair has been kicked so forcefully out from under them that it's shattered against the...
Review Mario vs. Donkey Kong (3DS eShop / GBA)
A worthy successor
The Mario vs. Donkey Kong series has been going for quite a while now, with four entries under its belt. If you've never played the original, you'd be forgiven for thinking that it's not much more than a fun Lemmings clone, but that's actually not true. In fact, Mario vs. Donkey Kong is closer to the Game Boy version of Donkey...
News Renegade Kid Launches New Mutant Mudds Site
Information and trailers galore
Renegade Kid has just launched a brand new site for its upcoming 3DS eShop platformer Mutant Mudds, and it's chock full of information and media about the game. Everything from screenshots and gameplay trailers, to many of the cast of characters that you're likely to run into during your quest to collect the Water...
Review 3D Classics: Kid Icarus (3DSWare)
Pit of class
Kid Icarus was always a bit of a weird game. Originally released alongside Metroid and using an almost identical game engine, it was quickly overshadowed by the popularity of Metroid's giant game world full of areas to explore and, save for a (more entertaining) Game Boy sequel, the series was never heard from again until Pit suddenly...
Interview Mutant Mudds Reader Questions
Renegade Kid answers your questions
With Mutant Mudds getting closer to release we recently gave you, the readers, the opportunity to ask Renegade Kid any questions you had about the game. Jools Watsham, director of Mutant Mudds and co-founder of Renegade Kid, was kind enough to take time out of his busy schedule to answer your questions...
News Zen Pinball 3D Lights Up North America on 12th January
Bing! Ding-ba-ding!
Zen Studios has just confirmed Zen Pinball 3D will reach the North American eShop on 12th January, costing $6.99. The balls-and-bumpers game was released in Europe on 1st December 2011, but North Americans get their chance to try it out next week. The studio has also confirmed it will support the game with downloadable content in...
News Three New Stages for Pyramids Available Now
QR codes ahoy
3DS Download Software Pyramids might not be setting the charts alight, but those who took a chance on its chunky charms will be pleased to find three new stages for the game available below. Here's how you use the codes: Launch Pyramids On the title's front screen, select 'QR CODE' The top screen will show nine level slots, under a...
Review Bionic Commando (3DS eShop / GB)
Don’t mean a thing if you ain’t got that swing
If there’s one sacred cow in the entire platforming genre, it’s jumping. According to our highly scientific calculations, there are one hojillion sidescrollers that rely on hopping all about to climb, collect and kill. Capcom’s Bionic Commando series has plenty of climbing, collecting and...
Review Nintendo Letter Box (3DSWare)
A note to remember
Until mid-December, the only online communication built into the 3DS was a 16-character status message on your friends list. Even by Nintendo standards, that's extremely constrictive. Now we all have the chance to download Nintendo Letter Box — aka Swapnote — for free. The first thing to note about Nintendo Letter Box is it is...
December2011
VVVVVVery impressive
When VVVVVV burst onto the indie scene in 2010, it was immediately lauded for its simple, addictive gameplay and unique vector visual style. After enjoying quite a bit of success on PC and Mac over the past two years, the game is now making an appearance on a dedicated game system for the first time via Nintendo's 3DS eShop...
News Trip World Visits Europe's 3DS Virtual Console on 5th January
Sends postcard
Trippy Game Boy release Trip World is part of next week's Nintendo Download in Europe. Sunsoft's second 3DS Virtual Console game after Game Boy Color outing Blaster Master: Enemy Below, Trip World is pretty graphically impressive for a Game Boy game, with a barmy plot about a stolen flower and an innocent hero who can transform...
News Renegade Kid Wants Your Mutant Mudds Questions
Ask away!
With the upcoming release of Mutant Mudds coming in early 2012, we know many of you obviously have questions about the game. Thankfully the game's director Jools Watsham has kindly agreed to take part in an exclusive question and answer interview, and you get to ask the questions. All you have to do is submit your questions in the comments...
Review Wario Land 4 (3DS eShop / GBA)
A treasure
Wario is pretty good, for a bad guy. To look at him you wouldn’t think he’d have a heroic streak at all; he’s got the squiggly moustache of a pantomime villain and a nose that would put any alcoholic to shame. Despite all this he’s secretly a sweetheart: considering that the rotund treasure hunter started life as an antagonist to...
News Link's Awakening DX is 2011's Best-Selling 3DS VC Game
The results are in
It's official: The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening DX is the 3DS Virtual Console's best-selling game of 2011 in Europe and North America. Link's legendary adventure tops the all-time Virtual Console charts in the UK and North America — live later today — beating off competition from Mario, Samus and Kirby. In fact, the game...
Review Tetris (3DS eShop / GB)
From Russia with fun
Saying that Tetris shifted a few Game Boys is like saying caffeine sold a few energy drinks. Already an established favourite by the time Nintendo's handheld hit the market in 1989, Tetris proved to be the perfect pick-up-and-play experience to go along with the fledgling portable system; while many people initially questioned...
Review F-Zero Maximum Velocity (3DS eShop / GBA)
Gotta go fast
F-Zero has always been Nintendo’s way of flaunting how on the cutting-edge of technology it can be when it so chooses. Like a bat out of Hell, the original F-Zero launched alongside the Super NES to draw a clear distinction between where 16-bit Nintendid and SEGagged. Later on N64, F-Zero X boasted 30 on-screen polygonal racers and...
News eShop Meets Its Samurai Sword Destiny on 5th January
More swordplay on the way
We know what you're thinking. "Silly Nintendo Life editor," you scoff. "The 3DS eShop's upcoming swordfighting game is called Sakura Samurai: Art of the Sword, not Samurai Sword Destiny." You roll your eyes and tut, forgetting we're the most knowledgeable people in the world when it comes to downloadable...
News VVVVVV eShop Release Date Revealed for North America
Price too
VVVVVV lands in the 3DS eShop across North America next week for $7.99. Terry Cavanagh's retro-styled action platformer lands on the service courtesy of Cave Story publisher Nicalis, and arrives with its original stages, music and art style all intact. Nicalis also promises "future content updates" — could this be the first 3DS...
Review Mario Kart Super Circuit (3DS eShop / GBA)
Short circuit
It’s hard to believe that the Mario Kart franchise has been around for nearly 20 years and appeared on eight different consoles. Mario Kart: Super Circuit may have been first released in 2001, but now it’s back for a whole new generation of players ten years after release through the 3DS Ambassador program. There are four cups to...
News Bionic Commando Grips 3DS VC in North America Next Week
Heads up
Here's a truly rare event: Nintendo of America has announced a 3DS Virtual Console game a week in advance. Bionic Commando is coming to the service on 29th December, as revealed by the Nintendo Facebook page. There's no official price yet but expect it to come in around the $3 mark. Are you polishing your grappling gun in anticipation?
News First NES Game Hits 3DS Virtual Console in Japan Today
It's Zelda
Japanese 3DS owners can now download The Legend of Zelda for Virtual Console for 500 Yen. It's the first of the 3DS Ambassador games to be sold on the service, and goes for around £4/€6.40. The game now comes with a digital manual and a new VC menu that offers improved save and suspend features. We'll update you when we know more about...
News Japanese eShop Gets Picross e Sequel Next Week
Picture this
Japanese puzzle fans are well catered-for already on the 3DS eShop, with Mario's Picross on Virtual Console and the eShop-exclusive Picross e available too. Next week sees another picture puzzle crossword added to the store: Picross e2. The 500 Yen download includes another 150 puzzles and a new Micross mode, where you're given a series...
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...
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...
