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It's time once again for the North American Nintendo Download Update, and this week brings a fairly busy and diverse line-up. The Wii U is offering a triple-header of Kirby games, alongside a welcome port from Renegade Kid and a promising Game of the Year Edition. On 3DS we have a smartphone smash hit making its début, while there are some discounts available across both systems. Let's get to the details.

Missed the European Nintendo Download details? Don't panic! The info is all right here.

Wii U eShop

Kirby's Return to Dreamland (Nintendo, $19.99 / $24.99CAD) - A part of a triple Kirby release to celebrate the mascot's upcoming anniversary, this Wii platformer stuck to the core play-style and principles of the IP. Cute, fun and accessible, with plenty of cool transformation to try out. We were big fans of this in our Kirby's Return to Dreamland review.

BADLAND: Game of the Year Edition (Frogmind, $9.99 / $11.99CAD) - A stylish and promising release, this is a sidescrolling flying title which is part action and puzzle solving depending on the scenario. With new controls and HD visuals over the previous smart device version, the new edition also promises over 15 hours and 100 levels of single-player story content, 100 co-op levels, and 27 multiplayer deathmatch stages. We'll see whether it truly takes flight in our review.

Xeodrifter (Renegade Kid, $9.99) - The latest pixel-based title from Renegade Kid that began life on 3DS, this is an exploration adventure title in which you explore four different planets in a bid to grab resources that'll repair your ship's warp core. There's a clear Metroidvania inspiration and some varied gameplay, with this title being produced in an impressively short time - we were fans of this in our Wii U Xeodrifter review.

Endless Golf (Fanttum Games, $1.99) - This one has simplistic visuals and gameplay, while promising "an endless amount of procedurally generated golfing holes that increase with difficulty, more hills, and tricky traps". We'll see whether it's a 'fore', a hole-in-one or, well, just a one.

Wii U Virtual Console

Kirby Squeak Squad (Nintendo, $9.99) - This gave the DS a fairly conventional Kirby platformer, albeit with some touch controls thrown in for good measure. Though a little bit on the short side and playing it safe, we gave this one a recommendation in our Kirby Squeak Squad review.

Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards (Nintendo, $9.99) - From those simple times when Nintendo liked to put '64' at the end of titles, or fans would regardless of whether it was supposed to be there, this is a 2D platformer rendered in chunky N64 polygons. Though we were disappointed with this in our original review back in 2008, a fresh look on Wii U brought a more favourable impression.

Wii U eShop Temporary Discounts

Elliot Quest (PlayEveryWare, $10.99 until 13th August, normally $12.99)

High Strangeness (Midnight City, $4.99 from 3rd August to 9th August, normally $9.99)

99Moves (EnjoyUp Games, on discount until 27th August)

Abyss (EnjoyUp Games, on discount until 27th August)

Rock Zombie (EnjoyUp Games, on discount until 27th August)

Wii U eShop Permanent Discount

Lego Batman 3: Beyond Gotham (Warner Bros., $19.99, was $29.99)

Wii U Retail Demo

Just Dance 2016 (Ubisoft, free)

3DS eShop

Flick Golf 3D (Full Fat Productions, $5.99 / $6.99CAD) - Hugely popular on smartphones, this touch-based arcade-style golfing now makes its way to the 3DS. There are three different modes to match your mood or time limitations, with simple gameplay that's designed to be addictive; we'll get into the swing of it for review, but until then you can check out our first impressions from earlier this year.

Best of Board Games - Mahjong (Bigben Interactive, $9.99 / $12.99CAD) - More Mahjong for the 3DS, no doubt of the tile-matching Shanghai variety. That's not necessarily a bad thing, of course, with this particular entry promising 60 boards in its 'Adventure Mode'. Despite that we weren't big fans in our Best of Board Games - Mahjong review.

Best of Board Games - Solitaire (Bigben Interactive, $9.99 / $12.99CAD) - We're not short of Solitaire options on the 3DS, with this one offering five variations and an Adventure mode with 40 challenges. A bit pricey for Solitaire, though, earning it a middling Best of Board Games - Solitaire review.

3DS eShop Temporary Discounts

Castle Conqueror Defender (CIRCLE Entertainment, on discount until 20th August)

Demon King Box (CIRCLE Entertainment, on discount until 20th August)

Quell Memento (CIRCLE Entertainment, on discount until 20th August)

Toys vs. Monsters (EnjoyUp Games, $1.99 until 23rd August, normally $3.99)

3DS HOME Themes

Etrian Odyssey Untold 2: Classic Theme (Atlus)


This week Nintendo of America also references the major Splatoon update, which is heading to North America on 5th August (6th August elsewhere, it's a time zone thing).


That's everything for this week in North America. Let us know what you'll be downloading first in the poll and comments below.

What will you be downloading first this week?