There might not be a big Nintendo Direct dropping like we had last week, but that doesn't mean today's Nintendo Download drop is going to be any less exciting. In fact, we've got a huge haul of new titles, ranging from classic Neo Geo ports (because HAMSTER always has one of those up its sleeves), a post-apocalyptic adventure, some colourful puzzles games, and yes, a Bingo game. Because why the hell not. As always, drop a vote in the poll at the end of the article, and be sure to leave us a comment, too. Enjoy!
Switch eShop
Kirby Star Allies (Nintendo, $59.99) – When a new evil threatens Planet Popstar, Kirby will need a little help from his … enemies?! By making friends out of Kirby’s foes, up to three players can drop in or out of the adventure at any time. With new and expanded copy abilities, classic Kirby action is deeper than ever. Combine abilities with elements such as ice or fire to create new friend abilities. The Kirby Star Allies game will be available on March 16. (Additional accessories may be required for multiplayer mode. Game, system, and some accessories sold separately.) Out 16th March. Read our review.
Attack on Titan 2 (Koei Tecmo, $59.99) – Experience the immense anime story alongside Eren and his companions as they fight to save humanity from the threat of the deadly human-devouring Titans. Try your hand at operating the omni-directional mobility gear, maneuvering and flying through the sky to counter the Titans, and feel the thrill and satisfaction of battling giant opponents. The Attack on Titan 2 game will be available on 20th March.
ACA Neo Geo Aero Fighters 3 (HAMSTER, $7.99) - "AERO FIGHTERS 3" is a side-scrolling shooting game released in 1995 by VIDEO SYSTEM. Ten teams comprised of 14 humans and 2 animals have gathered from around the world and are flying on high-powered reciprocating engine planes, such as the ZERO FIGHTER, to save the world. The game offers route selection and multiple endings.
BINGO for Nintendo Switch (Starsign, $4.99) - This game is four kinds of party games arranged BINGO: Buzzer BINGO (Buzzer BINGO is a game in which 4 players scramble for the number that appears), Slide BINGO (Slide BINGO is a game in which you move the rows around to align the red tiles on your card to make a row), BINGO Poker (BINGO Poker is a game in which you try to get a BINGO using both the pre-existing red tiles and the new numbers you get. However, when you acquire a new number, you must throw away one existing number in return) and Classic BINGO (a simple game in which you take in all the numbers that appear on your card).
Clustertruck (tinyBuild Games, $14.99) - Use agility and acrobatics through insane levels in a game of "the floor is lava" on top of unpredictable, speeding trucks! The game only gets harder when dangers such as swinging hammers, lasers and flamethrowers are added! Unlock new abilities like the Grappling Hook, Truck Cannon and Time-Control!
Enchanting Mahjong Match (D3Publisher, $4.99) - The main goal of this game is to connect the identical tiles with lines and remove them from the board. In Enchanting Mahjong Match, The line can change direction only twice. Or less, of course. Also known as Mahjong Solitaire, Shisen-sho, Onet, Lianliankan.
Gem Smashers (TREVA Entertainment GmbH, $19.99) - Long ago, the Earth was devastated by a fearsome creature: the scientist IMBU and his henchmen robbed the Earth of all its energy and trapped its peaceful inhabitants in sparkling gemstones. Miraculously, three heroes escaped: BAU, BAM and BOM. They became the Gem Smashers – with impressive leaps and quick spins, they skillfully smash the colorful crystals to free their friends.
Neonwall (JanduSoft, $9.99) - Escape your way out of Neonwall by solving puzzles and overcoming a variety of challenging levels. Over the course of the game you will need a combination of skill, concentration and precision to be victorious. Read our review.
Sparkle 3 Genesis (Forever Entertainment, $4.49) - Step into the amazing world of Sparkle and take the evolution into your own hands. Discover a surreal ocean thriving with life, with conditions perfect to grow and evolve. Play as a tiny Spark of life, and start a journey filled with quests and battles against powerful bosses. Collect micro-elements, complete missions and stand on top of the food chain!
The Long Reach (Merge Games, $14.99) - The Long Reach takes place in New Hampshire, in the fictional town of Baervox. The game draws its inspiration from Lone Survivor and The Cave and all the classical adventures (except that The Long Reach is set in the present day). You don't play in a post-apocalyptic world or explore a fairy-filled fantasy world. You're in the thick of it, just around the corner from the place where you buy your groceries.
WorldNeverland: Elnea Kingdom (althi, $29.99) - This is the latest game of the World Never Land (Nickname is WorNeva) series. This is the imaginary kingdom that lives in the computer. You can walk wherever you wish to go. Beautiful woods, river, farms, stock farms, mines, schools, churches, and castles... And, it simulates the lives of the people who live there finely.
Bad Dudes (FTE Games, $9.99) – "Rampant ninja related crimes these days... Whitehouse is not the exception..." As soon as that occurs, a Secret Service agent asks two street-smart brawlers, the "Bad Dudes" named Blade and Striker: "President Ronnie has been kidnapped by the ninjas. Are you a bad enough dude to rescue Ronnie?" Available 21st March.
Kona (Koch Media, $19.99) - Northern Canada, 1970. A strange blizzard ravages Atamipek Lake. Step into the shoes of a detective to explore the eerie village, investigate surreal events, and battle the elements to survive. The first installment in a series of four games, Kona is a chilly interactive tale you won't soon forget.
Last Day of June (505 Games, $19.99) Last Day of June is inspired by Steven Wilson's haunting song "Drive Home." Recreated as an interactive adventure, Last Day of June takes players on a profound and poignant journey. – Available 16th March.
Shantae and the Pirate’s Curse (WayForward, $19.99) – When she loses her magic, Shantae must team up with her nemesis, the nefarious pirate Risky Boots in order to save Sequin Land from an evil curse. As a pirate, Shantae gains new weapons to advance her quest, slay monsters, battle epic bosses…and hopefully get her magic back in the bargain! But can she really trust her deadliest enemy? Available 20th March.
Tesla vs Lovecraft (10tons, $14.99) – Play as the enigmatic inventor Nikola Tesla! Use devastating weapons to mow down hordes of nightmarish monsters, collect mighty powerups to boost the carnage, and finally overwhelm your enemies with the immense firepower of the Tesla-Mech battle robot! Available 16th March.
Swim Out (Lozange Lab, $5.99) - Dive into the relaxing and refreshing atmosphere of Swim Out, a strategic, turn-based puzzle game, that will transport you into a sunny day by the swimming pool, the river or the sea. Plan each of your strokes wisely and be sure to never cross any other swimmer's path if you want to peacefully enjoy the sea view on a cosy chaise-longue.
Switch DLC
Splatoon 2: Octo Expansion – INKoming DLC! Play as an Octoling for the very first time in this large-scale downloadable content for the Splatoon 2 game. This full-on single-player adventure launches this summer and spans 80 missions starring Agent 8, a new character who awakens on a dark subway platform. Navigate this mysterious underground test facility in a desperate battle to reach the surface of Inkopolis. Escape from these twisted depths, and you’ll finally be able to join multiplayer matches as an Octoling! You may think you know everything about the world of Splatoon, but these waters run deep, and so does the lore. Octo Expansion launches this summer, but players can purchase this content in advance today for $19.99 for immediate access to special octo-themed in-game gear. (The full game is required to use the DLC. Additional games and systems required for multiplayer mode.)
Switch demos
- TorqueL -Physics Modified Edition- – Demo Version (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch)
- Deep Ones – Demo Version (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch) – Available 19th March 19.
- Vostok Inc. – Demo Version (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch)
- Plantera Deluxe – Demo Version (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch)
What are you downloading this week? (319 votes)
- ACA Neo Geo Aero Fighters 3
- BINGO for Nintendo Switch
- Clustertruck
- Enchanting Mahjong Match
- Gem Smashers0%
- Neonwall
- Sparkle 3 Genesis
- The Long Reach
- WorldNeverland: Elnea Kingdom
- Kirby Star Allies
- Attack on Titan 2
- Bad Dudes
- Kona
- Last Day of June
- Shantae and the Pirate’s Curse
- Tesla vs Lovecraft
- Swim Out0%
- Splatoon 2
- TorqueL -Physics Modified Edition-0%
- Deep Ones0%
- Vostok Inc.
- Plantera Deluxe0%
- Nothing for me!
Please login to vote in this poll.
So that's your lot for the week! Be sure to pop or vote or two in the poll above, and if nothing takes your fancy - or you just want to chew the fat - leave a comment below and get the conversation going...
Comments 76
Nothing new seems all that exciting to me this week. The Mummy Demastered has been burning a hole in my wish list for months now so maybe I'll finally give that one a go over the weekend.
4 Switch demos, that's impressive.
Got a little confused by the Octoling DLC listing, guess people need to hurry up and pre-pay for that summer release before they run out of digital stock. 😛
Kirby, AoT2 and the Octo Expansion for me.
I'll grab the Splatoon 2 DLC by weeks end. The single player is my favorite part......my sons can keep at the online multiplayer
Impressions so far -
Clustertruck seems odd considering it was more catered to VR units (it definitely could use gyro aiming instead of right analog) but I found it to be a surprisingly addictive little game.
Enchanted Mahjong Match is....well, it's mahjong. Split into levels that either time you or limit the amount of moves you could make. The fanservice selling point seems incredibly tacked on, especially when the unlockable pictures are just that. Standard, clothed pictures of anime women.
Shantae, I still have got to play on my 3DS
Aero Fighters 3, NeonWall and Bad Dudes. I've got gold coins so Neon Wall won't cost me anything.
I'm looking forward to Attack on Titan
just kirby.
Think Shantae is the only thing that remotely interests me this week, though I'll almost certainly pick up the Splatoon expansion when it actually exists. Poor Kirby - it's rare that a demo actually makes me less excited about a game. Looks beautiful, and I hope it does well, but there just isn't enough to get my teeth into there.
@RyanSilberman That's what's putting me off Cluster Truck. I like the look of it but feel it will be frustrating to control.
all around Meh... The Switch's early 2018 releases just cant compete in the 59.99 price point - March and April looks like the same situation.
No reason to pick up any of this instead of NinoKuni2 or Alliance Alive. And now Shadow of the Tomb Raider is out in September - Nintendo needs to take out their big guns.
Kirby and Shantae!
The Bingo game made me laugh so much when I saw it on the eshop... what a joke
Maybe Shantae, but probably nothing I'm still playing Monster Hunter World on my PS4, but hopefully something comes around soonish to work on after I finish it up. Worst case scenario will probably be picking up Dark Souls Remaster in May.
Shantae, Kirby, and splatoon. Looking forward to seeing my son blast his way through Kirby.
I’ve got a physical copy of Kirby coming in the mail tomorrow, and I’ve already pre-ordered the Splatoon DLC (heaven knows why I blew $20 on something I could’ve just bought this summer just as easily).
EDIT: I didn't have to wait until tomorrow for Kirby! Walmart in my area broke the street date and I got a copy. Now I'[ll just return the sealed one that comes in the mail from Amazon to Walmart tomorrow and get my money back. Win-win.
Anyone else find it kind of disturbing that Kirby is the first Nintendo retail release on Switch since early December? And other than Mario Tennis and Sushi Striker, everything else coming directly from Nintendo this year (with a firm release date) is a port. Yikes.
Oh man! I really want The Last Day of June, but I also want Bad Dudes! I would consider Kirby, if only because my four year old really got a kick out of the demo, but.....I'm sorry, I can't bring myself to pay $60 for it.
@thesilverbrick
has it seriously been three months?! That doesn't bode well. I hope that the slowdown isn't a permanent thing.
Bad Dudes!
Have bought very little this year on any format and that looks like continuing this week. More time to work on my backlog (both bought and unbought)
@rjejr It's all about that octo gear. You can show off you're an octoling fan right now for only $20!
Waiting for LDoJune review.
Just noticed the discount on Floor Kids. With my gold coins and left over balance I had $23.33. Enough to get Floor Kids and Neon Wall with 1 cent to spare. Nice one
Kirby is going to be a physical purchase for me. I'm a sucker for games like The Long Reach and Bad Dudes.
Just a heads up to those getting Cluster Truck: I cant seem to change the Y-Axis camera to Inverted, no matter if I toggle it On or Off.
It's not a game breaker (I've made it to World 5 so far), but having to be mindful of controls in an already chaotic First Person Platformer creates an unecessary hurdle. Hopefully they'll update the issue soon.
Kirby physical for me this week and Castle of Heart next. That'll be my March games.
@thesilverbrick Yes, my thoughts exactly. Hope we get quite a few new games in the second half of the year. Fire Emblem will be new, hopefully Pokémon releases this holiday season, & there is debate if Smash is new or a port. But if Pokémon is delayed into 2019 Nintendo will need help from third party developers to bring new content to the Switch. It looks worrisome.
@thesilverbrick Oh & don't want to forget Yoshi but...could be a great game but not exactly what I'd consider AAA.
@BanjoPickles I doubt "the slowdown" will last too long because next month a major new game is coming (Labo, which looks like it could be a hit) and June is after that with Mario Tennis. Plus, Switch is replacing 3DS and getting exactly what I would expect the 3DS successor to get at this point in its life: ports of console games that didn't sell quite as well as it could have (meaning make a ton of money) on the original non-portable hardware, combined with new games. Frankly, I see nothing wrong with how Nintendo is handling the Switch atm. Either way, when Switch really hits its stride by the end of this year, this conversation will seem like a very distant memory.
Jesus Christmas my wallet!!!!
@Flowerlark I wrote some findings here: https://www.resetera.com/posts/5430241/
Also a 4/10 score I found here: https://www.bonusstage.co.uk/2018/03/13/worldneverland-elnea-kingdom-review/
And the Wiki for the mobile game: http://worldneverland.wikia.com/wiki/World_Neverland_Wiki
The mobile game-turned Port is a red flag for me, as is the promise of Premium Content, such as “Magical Makeup (a magical cosmetic item that changes your appearance or that of those close to you)“...but like you I am interested so I caved.
Kirby coming in mail tomorrow.
Might get Aerofighters 3. Need to spend some gold coins by march 31st or they'll disappear on me.
Definitely grabbing those demos.
Pretty great (and expensive) week for me with Danmaku Unlimited 3, Aero Fighters 3, Kirby and Attack on Titan.
Switch gets 4 worthy releases in 1 week, the Wii U got 1 worthy release in 4 months - the times have certainly changed.
I'm getting Splatoon 2 dlc and Attack on Titan 2.
Splatoon 2 DLC is perfect to use up gold coins on before they expire.
AOT 2 is the 1st non Nintendo game I've ordered. I'm a big fan of anime and really liked the first game. It's great I can play the new one on a Nintendo system.
There's so many shoot em up games on Switch, it's hard for a guy to choose.
I was excited when I saw the Splatoon 2 DLC but then realized it was just a pre-order. Oh well...soon enough.
Aero Fighters 3 and Bad Dudes, definitely! Aero Fighters 3 looks way out there crazy this time around, wow!
@aaronsullivan That octoling gear is as useful as Link wearing a Switch t-shirt in my Wii U version of BotW. 😉
If we could pre-order Labo and get Garage for free I might be tempted. 😊
I didn't realize that the Splatoon dlc was out so quick.
@rjejr the Octoling gear is pretty good, depending on the sub-abilities you end up with. Since mine work for my play style, I like the Octogear.
@OorWullie Floor Kids is on sale? Yo whattttttttttttttttttttttttttttt I have been waiting for that.
@BradC40 I have no doubt there are new games from Nintendo in the way, but we likely won’t hear about them until E3. And third party developers are even worse when it comes to porting. I believe Super Bomberman R and Mario + Rabbids are the only new third-party exclusive Switch games (and Bomberman is making the jump elsewhere soon, anyway)...
DONDE ESTA EL 3DS STUFF?
R.I.P.
So once again I must choose between a Nintendo based game (Kirby) or an Anime based game (AoT2). I'll go the nintendo route this time since there is less of a chance going on sale anytime soon compared to other publishers.
@Flowerlark it’s very chill about everything. Maybe too chill. Like I can see how people can say there is no motivation to do anything.
But -shrugs- from my very small hour with it so far and what I’ve read, it’s harmless. Just seems like a game which is trying to do too much and probably fails to do any perfectly.
For example, it can boast 300 people in the city, but none have personality (well there are 64 personality types but I’m not sure they differ much). Like I don’t think they will be your friend unless YOU speak to them a lot. I would love if they came up to me to talk a lot. Show interest in me haha!
Atleast when they are your friend, they come up to you and ask to fish with you.
But overall, I would urge people to wait until they show their Premium Content and update plans.
Huh.
Glad to know a brand new Kirby, brand new Attack On Titan and the best Shantae game is considered a "slow week"
Sure gives perspective as to how far we've come
@IronMan28 Wait? The free stuff you get for pre-ordering this? You've already played with it? That was fast.
I still don't think it's worth it to pre-pay $20 4 or 5 or maybe 6 months in advance but I guess as long as you're enjoying it. 😊
As much as I love Shantae and the Pirate's Curse, I've paid full price for it twice over, so I'm going to wait for a steep sale or something.
Nothing else interests me.
And that's all OK. Lots of stuff coming out in April/May/July, so I'm going to focus on my backlog while I can.
Aero Fighters 3 and Bad Dudes for me. Maybe Attack on Titan at some point after I watch the anime. Lol
@thesilverbrick Don't forget about Fire Emblem and Yoshi. Both should be dropping later in the year and are new games.
@Prof_Yoshtonics Read my original post again. I said “with a firm release date.” Fire Emblem hasn’t been mentioned in over a year, and Nintendo is being very cagey with details on Yoshi. We have no idea when to expect them. They very likely could be coming this year, but as of yet we have no idea exactly when.
Not much
Have Kirby pre-ordered. Kona and Last Day of June both look interesting
@JHDK I was in the same boat as you. I saw it go on sale around last December and was waiting for another sale. I couldn’t wait any longer and finally bought it, especially since that update came out, and I LOVE it. It really is an amazing game and totally worth $19.99. Go get it!!
@thesilverbrick Oh right on. Hopefully all of the ports are just to pad out the first half of the year. Could you imagine not having a WiiU and getting DKC and Hyrule Warriors back to back now on Switch. I'm sure those people will be happy.
Eventually, I intend to get Risky's Revenge, & Pirate's Curse on my 3DS, so I have all 3 on the go. Half-Genie Hero will be a physical pick-up for me. On a related note: Shantae for the next Smash!
I'll have to look some of these releases over, when I get the time.
@RyanSilberman clustertruck does not have vr support nor is it catered to vr. That fast movement would feel terrible for most people.
Downloaded mutant mudds collection the other day first time playing it and i must say its a great game really enjoying the original one at the moment not tried the super levels version and the brick based game the collection comes with. For £5 what a steel.
Play physical Kirby, which I pre-ordered through Amazon for the Prime discount
A question for the people who vote nothing for me every week:what would have to release for you to vote for something?There are so many good games coming out that it blows my mind how almost 20% can not find something they like.
@Prof_Yoshtonics Don’t get me wrong. I love the idea of porting games to give them portability and a second sales life. I just don’t want more ports than new games, but unfortunately that’s what’s happening this year.
@thesilverbrick I agree completely. Hopefully after E3 we will be more in the realm of new game releases. Can't wait for Y's VIII.
Got some fond memories of Bad Dudes, definitely picking that one up.
Grabbed the Splatoon 2 dlc right after the direct. Getting Kirby tomorrow and super hyped for it.
@Prof_Yoshtonics I bet Nintendo is saving a significant lineup of original titles to show off at E3. Makes sense to pump out your more compelling software leading up to the holiday season.
I'm finally going to get round to finishing Samus Returns and start the 3rd campaign on Fire Emblem Fates. Not to mention I've still got stuff to do in Xenoblade Chronicles 2 and Odyssey. How people don't have something to enjoy seems bizarre to me, I play games a lot and I've manage to build up a backlog without even trying. I'm actually quite pleased there hasn't been anything big since December. It's a shame Kirby is so average, the metro review making a case for him being a super villian that goes round destroying everything in his path did make me laugh though.
@Old-Red I still go back and forth on picking up Xeno 2. Did you play the first 2 and if so, how does 2 compare to them?
Nothing for me this week.
Picking up Kirby in physical today. The tiny bonus for buying digital isn't worth it to me. And I might download Splatoon 2's DLC too. I have a nice 5 day weekend next week so I will have plenty of gaming time.
nothing for me... "GO HOUSTON ROCKETS"
Be picking up Kirby for the kids, probably digital. Finding we are changing the cartridge very rarely these days.
So many releases ... 20+ in a week. I'd hate to be a small developer and have a release in a week like this.
@Prof_Yoshtonics
I think it was a bit rushed as the framerate is a bit janky in places and there were some qol issues here and there. The game really grew on me though and now I think it's one of the best RPGs I've played. It's been patched and given a lot of extra stuff like ng+ which I'm prepping for.
I'd say the main thing to focus on is understanding the fighting system, it was a good 40 hours before I understood it fully, but man, when you start knocking out high damage combos in the millions it's awesome!
My only gripe is the dlc is £26, which is obscene and I'm highly suspicious it was content originally planned for the main game that they didn't finish in time for release. Had the game has another year in development I think it could have been a stone cold classic. Still, as it is it has a messy charm that rewards you for sticking with it.
@Old-Red Well. That sounds pretty nice. I was going back and forth between Xenoblade and FE Warriors. I just don't know if want play a Musou game right now. I think I'll grab Xeno. Thanks for the information.
A Switch demo finally got me. Really enjoyed Vostok Inc. Going to have to be a purchase from me so I can keep micromanaging and shooting things forever...
Pretty good week imo.
Bad Dudes is a terrible ripoff. You used to be able to buy the Data East Classics Collection on Wii for $9.99 which included that game until scalpers jacked it up to $40.00 online. Besides, I just paid $12.50 for a Data East Pixel Player handheld which includes Bad Dudes plus 9 other Data East Games and nearly 300 other tittles.
Sparkle 2 Evo is on sale for $1.24 right now... Once you own it, the recently released Sparkle 3 Genesis also becomes $1.24!
Shinzou wo SASAGEYO!
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