Wii U eShop Features
Preview Hitting the Rails With OlliOlli on Wii U and 3DS
Totally sick, dude (is that right, ed?)
As a chubby thirty year old with the athleticism of a sloth and the cool-factor of a professional chess player, your humble writer will never be seen on a skateboard down at the local skateboarding-park-thingy. That's a reality of life, but video games are all about fantasy, so it's possible for even the least...
Preview Puzzling Our Way through Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Tipping Stars
Tips go in the jar, mate
Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Tipping Stars is just a few days away for North American fans, and those in Europe will only have to wait a little bit longer to get their hands on it. With the release date rapidly approaching, we've put together a short video to show you what you can expect to see in the game when it hits the 3DS and...
Talks self-publishing, New Nintendo 3DS XL and more at Indiecade East
Nintendo recently attended Indiecade East 2015 in New York, where Damon Baker - Senior Manager in Marketing and Licensing - met with fans and developers alike, and led a seminar called "Self-Publishing with Nintendo." Nintendo Life attended the informative seminar and then had a...
Talking Point Nintendo's Flirtation With Microtransactions May Step Up in 2015
Free-to-play needs to make money somehow...
Nintendo is just hours away - at the time of writing - from announcing its Q3 financial results, which will teach us much about its Holiday season performance. The company's stable share prices approaching the publication of these accounts suggests that we're not looking at apocalyptic target misses, and...
Feature 20 Wii Games We'd Love To Download From The Wii U eShop - Part Two
The second 10, plus your chance to vote
With Wii retail games now slowly making their way to the Wii U eShop for download, we kicked off a list of 20 games we hope to see make it to the store. In part one we listed our first 10, which included some likely releases and those that may have sketchier prospects. As the title suggests, however, they're...
Feature 20 Wii Games We'd Love To Download From The Wii U eShop - Part One
We list our first 10 choices
It seems strange, but a reveal in last week's Nintendo Direct broadcasts that prompted one of the biggest reactions in the Nintendo Life community was confirmation of Wii retail games coming to the Wii U eShop. Bearing in mind that the system is already fully backward compatible we were a little surprised, yet...
Interview Wales Interactive on its Wii U Breakthrough Year and 2015's Soul Axiom
"Why be limited by what's perceived to be real?"
2014 brought a number of new developer names to the Wii U eShop, in particular, one of which was Wales Interactive. Its first release on the home console was Gravity Badgers, a physics action puzzles that provided some fun and was relatively well received. It then showed an entirely different side...
Interview Grendel Games Discusses Underground's Blend of Entertainment and Medical Training
No need to provide surgery afterwards
Grendel Games is responsible for one of the most intriguing titles to arrive on Wii U in the early weeks of 2015; it's available in Europe and arrived in North American soon. Underground was originally conceived as an entertaining tool to assist surgeons with their laparoscopic surgery motor skills - or key-hole...
First Impressions The Next Penelope is Futuristic Retro Racing at its Best
A fast-paced odyssey
We've seen a number of HTML-based games come to the Wii U eShop, but few have succeeded in defying their humble code origins to stand alongside more complex offerings on the store - Construct 2 project The Next Penelope looks set to deliver new standards, however. The work of solo developer Aurelien Regard, we were naturally...
Feature The Biggest Wii U Games of 2015
The Legend of Zelda! Star Fox! Splatoon! More!
2015 is here, and for Wii U owners it could be the most exciting year of HD Nintendo gaming yet. The past couple of years have delivered some truly fantastic games, of course, with the just-departed 2014 bringing two of Nintendo's biggest franchises into the current generation. Excitingly, though, the...
Feature Year in Development: Nyamyam
Phil Tossell discusses the challenges turning the page with Tengami
In the fifth entry of this 2014 'Year in Development' series we chat to Phil Tossell, co-creator of Nyamyam. The UK based studio released its first game in 2014, Tengami, an experience with a pop-up storybook vibe and hugely attractive paper-based aesthetic. Including music by...
Feature A Year in Development - RCMADIAX
Michael Aschenbrenner on a landmark year and the Wii U eShop
In the fourth entry of this 2014 'Year in Development' series, we chat to Michael Aschenbrenner, the man behind Wii U eShop developer RCMADIAX. We chat over the developer's landmark achievement with the first Nintendo Web Framework game in the West — BLOK DROP U — his approach to...
Feature A Year in Development - Curve Digital
Curve's Rob Clarke highlights Nintendo's welcoming Indie policies
In the second entry of this 2014 'Year in Development' series, Curve Digital's PR and Marketing Manager — Rob Clarke — talks about the company's busy year of Wii U eShop releases and Nintendo's support for 'Nindies'. It’s six o’clock, and I’m at the bar alone at a busy...
Re-telling Greek legends on the Wii U eShop
Aurelien Regard isn't perhaps a name which will be instantly familiar with gamers. While fellow countrymen like Éric Chahi and Michel Ancel attract plenty of attention thanks to their famous titles, Regard has been dutifully plugging away in the shadows. Formerly of the now-defunct French studio Arkedo...
Interview Shin'en Multimedia on FAST Racing NEO and its Development Approach
"We hope we can deliver the best eShop title"
Shin'en Multimedia is a name that'll be familiar to keen Nintendo download gamers, releasing a series of highly regarded titles across WiiWare, the 3DS eShop and the Wii U eShop. The studio is typically praised for extracting impressive performance from Nintendo's hardware, producing some of the...
Feature Kickstarter's Wii U and 3DS Campaigns - 19th November
Second chances and missed targets
Last week brought us a fairly busy Kickstarter update with a few success stories to celebrate, albeit with the flipside of other notable projects not hitting their targets. This week brings us more titles that have fallen short, while some new entries arrive with their second attempts on the crowdfunding platform...
Interview Curve Studios on the Unique Charm of Thomas Was Alone
"The more eShop titles there are, the better it is for everyone"
In recent weeks Curve Studios has been responsible for adding three high-quality titles to the Wii U eShop library — it ported and published both Lone Survivor: The Director's Cut and The Swapper, while bringing its own Stealth Inc 2: A Game of Clones to th
Feature Kickstarter's Wii U and 3DS Campaigns - 12th November
Updates on successes, failures, and more campaigns
It's been a while since our last Kickstarter update, so this one will incorporate plenty of successes and failures covering campaigns that have closed, in addition to some new projects currently battling towards the finishing line. There's at least one more game on the way to Wii U, at least. As...
Interview Still Games Discusses Kickstarting a Legendary Tale With Animal Gods
"You are called upon to save the Gods"
Over recent weeks our Kickstarter summaries (which will resume this weekend) have featured Animal Gods, an intriguing project from US developer Still Games. Though listed for PC, Mac and Linux, as is the norm on the crowdfunding platform, the developer has also included the Wii U in its core goal, placing...
Feature Kickstarter's Wii U and 3DS Campaigns - 17th October
Build your own N64 and more project updates
Kickstarter, despite seeing funding amounts and success stories go down in recent times, is still a source of interesting crowdfunding projects for the Wii U, in particular. It also throws up occasional alternatives that can intrigue Nintendo gamers, even if the 3DS has been much less prominent in past...
Feature Ari Pulkkinen's Quest to Turn the Volume Up on Game Music
Music is "the biggest emotional aspect in any game"
There's surely little debating that music is absolutely integral to a video game experience. Nintendo has successfully riffed on iconic themes for decades, while still producing terrific new soundtracks in its current-day efforts that can only add to the excitement of the gameplay. This is...
Feature Bayonetta - Creating Gaming's Combative Heroine
A unique part of the gaming scene
While it's a release that'll perhaps be battling the odds to make a major commercial impact, Bayonetta 2 will arrive as a Wii U exclusive on 24th October in the West, joined by an enhanced port of its predecessor. The new entry arrives as a relatively unique arrival, one of few dedicated action games of its type in...
Feature Kickstarter's Wii U and 3DS Campaigns - 10th October
More titles to consider
It's been just over a week since our last Kickstarter summary, in which we caught up on past campaigns and looked at some fresh arrivals. Since then we've had a couple of success stories, while two intriguing new projects have emerged that may be worth your attention. As before we are showing projects with attainable goals...
Interview Mobot Studios Discusses Paper Monsters Recut and its Commitment to Wii U
Not papering over the cracks
It's already clear that, for devoted and keen Wii U owners, the eShop is a sanctuary of regular releases. Indie gaming is all the rage, and the eShop eco-system is already taking on a fairly unique identity with a mix of major download releases, occasional exclusives and — for better or worse, depending on the game —...
Feature The Biggest Wii U Games of 2014 - Fall Edition
Plenty of gaming on the way
By now you should be fairly familiar with our quarterly tradition of looking at the biggest games coming to the Wii U. Our Summer edition gave us a fairly strong line-up, and we now head into the final quarter of the year with a mixture of major retail titles and some select eShop entries. As we're sure you've figured...
First Impressions Blasting and Hacking in RIVE
Two Tribes gets less cerebral
Earlier this year Two Tribes endured a restructuring process and re-formed its development company, in the process shrinking the team down to three, still including original founders Collin van Ginkel and Martijn Reuvers. Previously associated with the Toki Tori brand and its publishing business, the struggles of Toki...
Feature Kickstarter's Wii U and 3DS Campaigns - 1st October
Successes, failures, maybes and newcomers
It's been a while since our last Kickstarter summary article — our apologies, please understand — so we thought we'd make a return to check on the success or otherwise of those that made the list last time, while also highlighting new projects currently doing the rounds. As before we are showing...
Feature We Go Hands On With SteamWorld Heist, The Next Image & Form Game
“A game about space adventure and survival”
Image & Form, the Swedish development studio that shot to prominence with the success of SteamWorld Dig on the 3DS eShop, which was subsequently ported to Wii U and other platforms, has announced the next game in the SteamWorld franchise. This isn’t a straight-up sequel, however, but a spin-off...
Hands On Exploring the Four New Tables of Zen Pinball 2
The Walking Dead! Guardians of the Galaxy! Deadpool! Doctor Strange!
It's tough for comic book fans these days – movies based on superhero comics are more popular than ever, but the comic books themselves are often lost in the shuffle. Everyone loved The Dark Knight, but have you been reading Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo's fantastic run on...
Interview Six Miles Under Developer Discusses Bringing Post-Apocalytic Brawling to Wii U
"We believe there is great potential for Nintendo's Wii U"
Kickstarter remains a source of multiple titles — current and on the way — for Nintendo's eShop platforms. Another that's potentially coming to the system, having just launched its own crowdfunding campaign, is Six Miles Under, which is shaping up to be a rather moody action brawler. It...
Feature Kickstarter's Wii U and 3DS Campaigns - 3rd September
Lots of close calls
In the past few weeks we've produced some Kickstarter summary articles highlighting intriguing projects that are recent successes and currently seeking funding. The Wii U in particular is still, it seems, a relatively popular target for developers on the crowdfunding platform. As before we are showing projects with attainable...
Feature Kickstarter's Wii U and 3DS Campaigns - 24th August
The list grows again
Just recently we revived our Kickstarter summary, as a means of sharing the progress on some current projects that may make it to Nintendo hardware through the crowdfunding platform. It's time for another go around, with some new projects and updates on those previously highlighted. We are generally targeting those with...
Interview Zen Studios Outlines Its Ongoing Support for Wii U
"We are aiming for Wii U parity in the future with updates and new tables"
The Wii U eShop has seen a growing library of games from various publishers and developers since the console launched in November 2012, and among the most supportive studios — in terms of the number of titles released — has been Zen Studios. Zen Pinball 2 is one of very...
Feature Kickstarter's Wii U and 3DS Campaigns - 13th August
Our weekly (maybe) summary is back
Earlier this year we kicked off a series of weekly Kickstarter summaries, with the intention of providing handy regular updates of what's happening in terms of crowdfunding projects on the platform that are targeting Wii U and 3DS. The last entry was on 2nd June, after which we took a hiatus for two reasons — E3...
Interview Two Tribes Discusses RIVE, Starting Again and eShop Support
Currently earning more from the eShop than "any other digital shop"
Just recently Two Tribes lifted the lid on its shooter, RIVE, which it had been teasing for a number of months. It was a welcome landmark for a company that's endured a difficult year, with co-founders Collin van Ginkel and Martijn Reuvers shutting down the development company and...
Talking Point Deconstructing Nintendo's Retail Releases of Wii U eShop Titles
Sensible cash-in or lack of focus?
The recent announcement of a NES Remix physical disc compilation coming to North America was the latest in a minor trend for Nintendo, as it is showing an increased willingness to convert download titles into retail releases. It was also surprising, as NES Remix Pack will combine two $15 titles, so presumably will...
Interview Eclipse Games on Driving for the Podium With Super Toy Cars
Charging off the grid
Super Toy Cars is a recent arrival on the Wii U eShop, satisfying the appetite some will have for even more racing on the system; it's also on PC. It takes a fairly unique approach and includes a track editor, though at launch the experience is offline-only, with online leaderboards on the agenda; the emphasis is on local...
Feature Ten Wii U and 3DS eShop Games That Are Perfect For Summer
Summer gaming for a little less
Earlier this week we brought you a list of ten Wii U and 3DS games that are perfect for summer, as a starting point to also get community feedback on other favourites for the season. As promised, though, here's a follow-up that's all about eShop titles. These eShop games are all download-only titles, and no Virtual...
Talking Point The Wii U eShop is Raising Tough Questions on Quality Control
Accessibility is generally considered wonderful, but has its downsides
In the coming weeks we're going to tackle a tricky issue here at Nintendo Life, in which we look at the direction of the Wii U eShop and ask whether a change in structure is required. In general the store shows excellent support for all download games, providing each and every...
Feature Ronimo Games Walks Us Through Swords & Soldiers II
Sheep transformations, hurling meat to heal and more
Swords & Soldiers on WiiWare, and subsequently on the 3DS and Wii U eShop stores, earned fans through its combination of solid real time strategy and bright, colourful humour. Taking a 2D perspective and tasking you with simply researching and deploying units as the battle unfolds, it's an...
First Impressions Exploring the Depths of Affordable Space Adventures
A unique challenge
After a first year of struggling momentum, the Wii U eShop library has steadily developed and now has a solid line-up of high-quality games. Some are multiplatform titles, a common reality in this era of game engines such as Unity being widely adopted, and there's also a small batch of experiences unique to the system. A...
Interview Nifflas Takes Us On An Affordable Space Adventure
Learn more about the collaboration with KnapNok Games and progress so far
The Wii U eShop is gradually expanding its horizons and bringing us more innovative projects. Two developers that typify a creative, in some cases artful approach, are KnapNok Games and Nicklas Nygren, the latter better-known as Nifflas. The former brought us the innovative,...
Feature The Biggest Wii U Games of 2014 - Summer Edition
E3 has shaken things up
You should now be fairly familiar with our quarterly tradition of looking at the biggest games coming to the Wii U. Our Spring edition had some games that have since fallen out of a 2014 release, as it was pulled together at a time when 'TBC' was far too common as a release window on Wii U games — alternatively, some...
Guide The Biggest Wii U and 3DS eShop Games Coming In 2014
With apologies, this time, to your digital wallet
The second half of 2014 is almost upon us, and we have a clearer idea of what games will arrive before those New Year bells take us into 2015. We already brought you a guide to the biggest Wii U and 3DS retail games coming in 2014, so naturally we'll now do the same for eShop games. Our goal with...
Interview DrinkBox Studios On Bringing Guacamelee! Super Turbo Championship Edition to Wii U
We learn about what's new and the inspiration for that title
The Wii U eShop is rapidly becoming a go-to store for keen Wii U gamers, with an improving library of diverse titles. One that's evidently not far away, based on the "coming soon" comment of its developers during a Nintendo Treehouse E3 appearance, is Guacamelee! Super Turbo Championship...
Interview Image & Form on its SteamWorld Dig Adventure and Hopes for Wii U
"I believe 2014 is going to be a great year for the Wii U"
Just recently Image & Form confirmed that SteamWorld Dig is coming to the Wii U this Autumn / Fall, which is certainly terrific news for fans of the 3DS original. In some senses it's entirely logical, as the title has been upgraded for HD releases on PC and PS4, while also making its way...
Feature Our Top 10 Wii U eShop Games - Summer 2014
Download delights
The Wii U eShop has come a long way since launch, though the day one line-up did also have some rather enjoyable options on offer. The library was particularly slow to grow in its first year, but an influx of excellent titles has since flowed. The platform's support for Unity and various tools in the Nintendo Web Framework have...
Feature Kickstarter's Wii U and 3DS Campaigns - 2nd June
Tougher times for Wii U and 3DS funding targets
Last week's Kickstarter update brought the happy news of a rather decent-looking title getting funded for Wii U, while some new titles joined the roster. There are some long-shot targets though, and this week shows plenty of well-intentioned campaigns struggling for support. Is Kickstarter fatigue a...
Feature Kickstarter's Wii U and 3DS Campaigns - 26th May
More crowdfunding to consider
Last week was a rather busy update, with quite a few promising titles hitting their targets and being confirmed for Wii U. This week we've added a few projects requested in the past week, while there's one success and a couple of updates to get through. Without further ado let's get to it. Funded Projects: Red...
Site News Check Out Nintendo Life's eShop Picks On Your Wii U And 3DS
Recommended viewing
Those of you with especially good memories will recall that Nintendo Life has been featured on the eShop twice in the past few years — back in 2011, we were asked by Nintendo of Europe to contribute a list of our favourite eShop titles, and a year later we supplied our red-hot summer picks for the North American eShop. We're...