Nintendo Download 17th August (Europe)
Sonic Mania! Chicken Wiggle! SmileBASIC! Much more!
Nintendo Download 10th August (Europe)
Ironcast! Phantom Trigger! Rocket Fist! Kirby Discounts! More!
Nintendo Download 10th August (North America)
Sonic Mania! Ironcast! Flip Wars! Phantom Trigger! Much more!
Nintendo Download 3rd August (Europe)
Slime-san! Retro City Rampage DX! Switch discounts! More!
Nintendo Download 3rd August (North America)
Slime-san! Retro City Rampage DX! I am Setsuna discount! More!
News Kirby Classics Get 25th Anniversary Discounts in North America
Absorbing some of the cost
Wii U eShop - News
December2015
Guide Learning How to Survive the Hostile World of Minecraft
It's dangerous to go alone
Though many are already veterans of Minecraft, some of you may be experiencing the open world sandbox game for the first time. Once you get the hang of things the mechanics seem pretty straightforward, but it can be a bit overwhelming when you're just getting your feet wet. As a result we've put together a list of...
Review Minecraft: Wii U Edition
The best at its craft
It's difficult to describe the appeal of a game such as Minecraft: Wii U Edition. Though there is technically an 'end' to it, the whole experience isn't really about anything. You can explore caves. You can build houses. You can fight mobs in the night. You can farm crops and animals. On the surface, Minecraft seems like a...
Video Check Out This Footage of Paradise Lost: First Contact
Another promising Indie game for the Wii U eShop
It seems like 2D Metroidvania games are all the rage these days among Indie studios. This isn't necessarily a bad problem to have, considering that Nintendo and Konami don't seem keen to make more Metroid or Castlevania games in this vein, but these Indie attempts do tend to blend together. It's nice,...
News Minecraft: Wii U Edition to Get Update 1.8.8 in 2016, Out Now on Sony and Microsoft Systems
A slow build
Earlier this week we tuned in to Microsoft Studios' Minecraft Monday to see if it was worth hosting on Nintendo Life; in other words, to see if Minecraft: Wii U Edition was being shown off. Unfortunately it wasn't, but the regular viewers over on Twitch were hugely excited; that's because update 1.8.8 - which is a notable one despite...
Through the Fire and the Flames We Rescue Cats
If you have a cat anywhere nearby when you play Jones on Fire, it's going to start snooping around at what you're doing. As this is an endless runner about saving kitties from a raging inferno you're going to be hearing a lot of appreciative meows, and your cat's going to want to know what's up...
Nintendo Download 17th December (North America)
Minecraft, Smash Bros. DLC, Temple of Yog, discounts galore and more
It's that time once again for the Nintendo Download Update, and this week brings us a long-awaited sandbox game, a promising Wii U eShop exclusive, some enticing 3DS eShop options, DLC, a lot of discounts and more besides. There's plenty to cover, so let's get to it. Missed the...
News FAST Racing NEO is Going Up a Gear in January Update
Have that minimap you always wanted
FAST Racing NEO has already established itself as one of the year's finest Wii U eShop releases, and Shin'en Multimedia is keen to make it the best game it can be. An update is on the way in January which will add welcome features along with some improvements to stability. In addition to a minimap on the TV while...
Review Animal Crossing: Wild World
Why this world?
The very idea of a portable version of Animal Crossing filled this reviewer with glee when he first read about it back in the days of magazines and routers without wi-fi as standard. Animal Crossing: Wild World has always been a very special game to fans as it expanded upon the original GameCube title (for this region at least) but...
News Prepare to Get Creative With Minecraft-Inspired Game Discovery Coming to Wii U eShop Soon
Minecraft competition
The long-awaited Minecraft: Wii U Edition finally arrives on the Wii U eShop today, so you'd be forgiven for thinking that the mighty Mojang-developed game would have sent pretenders to the throne running and screaming into their blocky pixel castles. Not so, Cube Life: Island Survival continues to receive updates, uCraft is...
News Napster is Coming to the European Wii U eShop on 17th December
OK then...
When people talk about the music streaming scene, they're often comparing familiar brands when considering which service to use. Some go with the big boys of Google, Apple or Amazon, and others maybe opt for smaller companies like Spotify or the Jay Z-led Tidal. Napster though? It's not normally in the debate. Napster was actually pretty...
News Ryu, Roy and Famicom Colour R.O.B. amiibo Will Be Released On 18th March
Cloud, Corrin and Bayonetta amiibo also confirmed
In the final Super Smash Bros. for Wii U & 3DS video presentation, series creator Masahiro Sakurai has revealed more amiibo will be arriving in store soon and also confirmed amiibo development for the three newly announced fighters. Ryu from Street Fighter, Roy from the Fire Emblem series, and...
Review Ninja Gaiden III: The Ancient Ship of Doom
Nice videogame, shame about the plot
After dealing with that dark sword business Ryu Hayabusa might have hoped to put his feet up, but more evil schemes are in motion and so he must do his ninja thing once more. The powerup from the previous game that could provide duplicates to help in his quest has gone, but it turns out there is still another Ryu...
Big changes happening at Nintendo's US-based studio
Nintendo Software Technology - as we've reported in the past - has endured a troubled history of late. The studio responsible for Wave Race: Blue Storm and Mario vs. Donkey Kong was once a major player in Nintendo's network of internal studios, but the costly disaster that was Proje
Nintendo Download 17th December (Europe)
Minecraft! Retro Mario! Onimusha Tactics! Loads of discounts! More!
Another week is underway and we have the Nintendo Download Update for Europe. This week the star attraction is undoubtedly Minecraft on Wii U, but there are also quite a few retro offerings and some intriguing download options, in addition to a huge number of 3DS HOME Themes and...
News Minecraft Developer Acknowledges Demand for a Minecraft amiibo
Now, wouldn't that be something
Minecraft: Wii U Edition was announced about a week ago and has been met with mixed opinion. Many say the port is too late and the suggested price will no doubt turn many away. Nonetheless, it's still exciting that a game that seems so well fit for the Wii U is finally making its way onto the eShop. It's also notable...
News An ESRB Rating of Super Mario Galaxy for Wii U Has Been Spotted
No, it's not an HD remake
It seems to be the case that timing video game ratings can be a struggle for many developers, and often leads to the game being outed ahead of an official confirmation. We've seen this numerous times in the past ahead of Virtual Console releases, and most recently, with the premature announcement that Minecraft would be...
News Digital Foundry Gives a Thumbs Up to FAST Racing NEO
"The end results are simply fantastic in motion"
FAST Racing NEO is out now on the Wii U eShop, and as far as we're concerned it's a fantastic racing game. It delivers pacey action and looks great, standing out one of the store's best titles and also helping to fill that sci-fi racing itch some may have. Intriguingly, our chums at Digital Foundry...
Rumour PEGI Rating Outs the Development of a Tharsis Port for Wii U
The latest from Choice Provisions
Choice Provisions is a prolific studio responsible for engaging and quirky gameplay experiences. Titles such as Woah Dave!, the Bit. Trip Saga, and Dragon Fantasy: The Volumes of Westeria, are its most notable releases and they've all done pretty well commercially and critically. Perhaps in an effort to provide...
Review Ninja Gaiden II: The Dark Sword of Chaos
Tough but fun Ninja action - Part 2
For the first NES Ninja Gaiden game, Tecmo created a tough but fun action platformer. It was very different to the scrolling beat 'em up action of the arcade game, but people liked it; sales must have been good too, because Ryu Hayabusa returned for a second NES outing. Gameplay in Ninja Gaiden II: The Dark Sword...
News Development is Progressing Smoothly on The Deer God for Wii U
We're absolutely fawning over those visuals
As was revealed back in mid-September, The Deer God will be making its way to the Wii U eShop, courtesy of Mobot Studios. The 2.5D action platformer from Crescent Moon Games sees players exploring a beautiful world as a humble deer, with the ability to reincarnate as other animals. Though it's already been...
News Jools Watsham Explains Why his Latest Game Didn't Release on Nintendo Platforms
"The market isn't quite as healthy as it once was for us"
Renegade Kid is a studio that has been supporting Nintendo consoles since the days of the DS. It arguably rose to prominence in current generation, though, as a higher volume of releases and the visibility offered by the eShop has catapulted it to higher levels of success. Generally speaking,...
News The New Shovel Knight Update Just Went Out on Wii U in Europe, 3DS Update Slightly Delayed
Paving the way for the amiibo
As many of you are aware, the Shovel Knight amiibo launches in Europe in about a week and in North America on 8th January. It'll bring a whole new wealth of features, such as a customizable knight, challenge stages, and co-op in the Wii U version. Yacht Club Games prepared an update to preempt the amiibo launch in...
Review Medabots AX: Metabee & Rokusho
Medaboring
The previous Medabots game was an RPG which had some cool ideas and stayed quite true to the source material, but ultimately was undermined by a handful of major annoyances. Medabots AX, strangely enough, was actually originally released shortly before it, but this time around has seen the light of day second. Surprisingly, this game is...
Safety in numbers
Known in Japan as Atsumete! Kirby, Kirby Mass Attack is the final title in the long-running HAL Laboratory series for the Nintendo DS. Originally released in 2011, Mass Attack moves away from traditional platform game design in preference of a completely touch-driven experience. Thankfully, unlike the original 2005 entry for DS –...
Nintendo Download 10th December (North America)
SteamWorld Heist! FAST Racing NEO! Terraria! Devil's Third! More!
It's time for the North American Nintendo Download Update, once again, and this week is full of enticing options. Two much-anticipated and terrific 'Nindie' download-only releases arrive on Wii U and 3DS, while each system also has a high profile retail release to consider. There are...
News Minecraft: Wii U Edition Will Support the Wii U Pro Controller, Voice Chat, and USB Keyboards
Taking the edge off
Minecraft: Wii U Edition was only announced a couple days ago, and naturally it's been the center of much attention. While it may be true that this is news that has been long-awaited, the unfortunate exclusion of GamePad inventory management has turned many potential buyers away from picking up this version. Additionally, the...
Video Five Ways FAST Racing NEO Isn't F-Zero
That's not a bad thing
FAST Racing NEO is hitting the eShop on 10th December, and we've already shared our review in which we say it's downright excellent. We even mention F-Zero in the opening paragraph, yet the devil's in the detail - this is very much its own game, not a tribute act. Our video man Alex has decided to make this clear, so has...
Poll Are You Excited About Minecraft: Wii U Edition, Or Is It Too Late?
Building the hype train
One of the great will-they-won't-they sagas of the Wii U generation has come to an end; Microsoft Studios is bringing Minecraft: Wii U Edition to the eShop on 17th December. The concept and the platform have long seemed suited for each other, yet such has been the wait for it to happen that smaller developers have attempted...
Review Kirby: Power Paintbrush
Time has passed
Kirby: Power Paintbrush – also known as Canvas Curse in North America – was originally released on the Nintendo DS in 2005. Following the trend of many other franchises during this new generation of handheld gaming, the HAL Laboratory-developed title moved away from traditional platform game conventions by utilising the defining...
News Medabots: Metabee and Rokusho Arrive on the Wii U North American VC This Thursday
Filling that robot combat gap in the library
Medabots is a series that never really caught on much in the West. Something of a 'me-too' Pokémon series, the franchise instead focuses on building robot warrior Medabots instead of training monsters. It has some interesting ideas, such as how individual robot parts have their own health gauges, but...
News Minecraft on Wii U Won't Feature Inventory Management on the GamePad Screen
Oh...
For those of you that are behind the curve, Nintendo's 'big news' this Monday was the official confirmation that Minecraft will be coming to the Wii U. This has been news that many have been waiting to hear for a long time, as the Wii U seems like it's set up almost perfectly for the game when one considers how the GamePad could be utilized...
News Tabletop Gallery and Avoider Release on 7th January in North America
The latest from RCMADIAX
RCMADIAX may not be the most popular studio on the Wii U eShop, but nonetheless it has about a dozen games under its belt. It was revealed about a month ago that there would be a new game called Avoider releasing sometime in Q1 and we now have a release date for that and another somewhat puzzling release. Avoider will be...
Where's the party at?
The Wii generation brought about countless games that ended with the word "party." Some were a blast, like Boom Blox Bash Party, while others were downright miserable minigame collections (we're never going to a Game Party again). Lightwood Games' latest word-inspired eShop title Word Party makes us think it's time to start...
Christmas comes early for race fans
FAST Racing NEO is a game that seeks to fill the F-Zero-sized hole in every Nintendo fan's heart. Shin'en's racer is quite different from Nintendo's classic franchise, but it still does a great job at giving that high speed racing fix that some Wii U owners are desiring the most. The first thing we should note...
News Gone Home is No Longer on its Way to the Wii U eShop
Looks like it's just gone home
As some of you may be aware, Gone Home was just recently re-confirmed to be coming to consoles. The popular Indie game got its start on the PC in 2013 and acquired something of a cult following. Majesco Entertainment was due to assist in bringing it to consoles earlier this year, but the deal unfortunately fell through...
Live Watch Microsoft's Minecraft Mondays Stream, Here's Hoping for Wii U Footage
"Exciting news", for those that haven't heard
Earlier today Nintendo confirmed that Minecraft: Wii U Edition is coming to the system's eShop on 17th December, and will include six free DLC packs as standard, with 16 more available to buy. With future Nintendo-specific content also promised, it may be worth watching this Microsoft Studios Minecraft...
Review Contra Advance: The Alien Wars EX
Contra-ry to popular opinion...
The Contra series of games includes some of the run-and-gun genre's greatest titles; along with the Metal Slug series you won't find a finer bunch of ridiculously tough, immaculately designed platform action experiences. We've already been blessed with a Wii U Virtual Console port of Konami's 1992 SNES masterpiece...
News Minecraft Finally Digs Its Way Onto the Wii U eShop on 17th December
Six free add-ons and Nintendo content in the works
Update: It's been confirmed in a Microsoft live stream that the Wii U Edition of Minecraft will get a physical retail release 'later', but is eShop only - as expected - on 17th December. Original Article: Just before Nintendo's November Direct a PEGI rating emerged for Minecraft on Wii U. It...
Nintendo Download 10th December (Europe)
SteamWorld Heist! FAST Racing NEO! AVGN! Terraria! More!
Another week kicks off with the European Nintendo Download Update, and it's certainly one of the stronger weeks in recent times for eShop fans. Both the Wii U and 3DS have highly anticipated 'Nindie' releases, while a hugely popular sandbox / crafting adventure also arrives on the portable as...
News SteamWorld Heist Will Have Over 100 Weapons and Nearly 100 Hats
Looking fresh
SteamWorld Heist is only a few days away from release now, and hype for the game is at an all-time high. Offering up a distinct experience from its predecessor, SteamWorld Dig, many are curious how Image & Form's latest entry in the SteamWorld series will stack up in comparison. Based off of what's been shown up to this point, it...
Video Check Out This Explanation of How Steamworld Heist Plays
Pulling a job
A few days ago, it was revealed that Steamworld Heist will be releasing on 10th December, a little less than a week from now. Those who buy it before the end of the year will receive a discounted price and 3DS buyers will have the added bonus of a home screen theme that will become unavailable once 2016 begins. In order to build hype...
Video FAST Racing NEO's Hero Mode Melts Further Faces with an F-Zero Twist
Shield your eyes
FAST Racing NEO is fast, we've certainly established that, but lurking in the game's menus is another mode that takes the speed to further levels of ridiculousness. Hero Mode bring in new rules and mechanics that aren't found in the rest of the game, so rather than just trying to get around and rank as high as you can, these...
Feature A Glimpse Behind the Scenes of FAST Racing NEO - Part Three
Martin Sauter talks about creating landscapes for racing
FAST Racing NEO is certainly set to be one of the year's biggest Wii U eShop releases, with its arrival due on 10th December. Shin'en Multimedia has established itself as a leading 'Nindie' developer capable of producing wonderful visuals and strong gameplay, while sci-fi racing is a genre...
Review Mega Man Battle Network 5: Team Colonel & Protoman
Playing it safe once more
While many would argue that Mega Man Battle Network 4 brought with it some unwelcome changes, Capcom did not seem to pay much heed to fan complaints. Indeed, the fifth (!) entry is a fairly by-the-numbers sequel, featuring little in the way of changes or additions and is mostly similar to its predecessor. Mega Man villains...
News Yacht Club Games Unveils Full Details of Shovel Knight amiibo
Arrives in Europe on 11th December, North America on 8th January
When Yacht Club Games lifted the lid on the Shovel Knight amiibo, it certainly came as a pleasant surprise. Third party amiibo were an inevitability, but few individuals likely expected the first one to be Shovel Knight, of all characters. The release date of the figure has been up in...
Nintendo Download 3rd December (North America)
Xenoblade Chronicles X! Dementium! Pokémon Picross! More!
The time is upon us, once again, for the North American Nintendo Download update. This week brings a huge retail release on Wii U, a couple of high profile 3DS eShop releases and some other tempting options. Let's get to the details. Missed the European Nintendo Download Update earlier in...
Video We Might Melt Your Face Off With This Speed Comparison for FAST Racing NEO
It's not called MODERATELY QUICK Racing NEO, after all
With FAST Racing NEO it's all in the name - it's futuristic sci-fi racing that's supposed to feel ludicrously quick, bringing to mind classic franchises like F-Zero and WipEout. In total it has three core speed settings - Subsonic, Supersonic and Hypersonic, or as we call them 'quite fast',...
Review Double Dragon III: The Sacred Stones
A tough but enjoyable adventure for Bimmy and friends
Bimmy. If there's one thing people know about Double Dragon III: The Sacred Stones, it's Bimmy – a typo during the game's (multiplayer) intro that humorously renames the main protagonist. There's more to this third NES entry in the Double Dragon series than a small chuckle however. There's a...
"There's a ton of game there, but there's always room for more!"
Wayforward is a studio that has made its name on the excellent 2D platformers that it's put it out. While titles like Ducktales: Remastered, Contra 4, and Aliens: Infestation do an excellent job of showcasing the studio's talent, it's Shantae – Wayforward's flagship franchise –...
Review Christmas Adventure of Rocket Penguin
Santa's not the only one flying through the skies
We love the holiday season here at Nintendo Life, so how could we pass up the chance to review Christmas Adventure of Rocket Penguin for the Wii U eShop? Released on the eve of the Christmas season as malls across the globe start pumping seasonal tunes to their shoppers, it's nice to see games get in...
News FAST Racing NEO Release Date and Pricing Speed Into View
Start your engines
It's an eagerly anticipated Wii U eShop exclusive, and now Shin'en Multimedia has finally confirmed the launch details for FAST Racing NEO; the good news is that we'll be on the grid soon. It will arrive in North America and Europe on 10th December, and even better it'll be at a rather reasonable €14.99 / $14.99 / £10.99...
Review The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass
An epic sail
When thinking about the best games from the Legend of Zelda series, many automatically jump straight in at the deep end with the big, home console releases; games such as Ocarina of Time and The Wind Waker always seem to make it to the top of peoples' lists. Games often overlooked are those that have appeared on Nintendo's portable...
Video Three Minute Showcase Demonstrates Action and Looting in Wii U Exclusive Lost Reavers
Or Project Treasure, as you may know it
When Bandai Namco confirmed Project Treasure as a free-to-start Wii U eShop exclusive at the start of 2015, it raised eyebrows and some hopes. Four-player co-op action games are relatively common, but a free-to-play entry in the genre on Wii U is certainly a unique proposition. Now called Lost Reavers it's...
Gallery Pretend to Make Your Devices Faster With Some FAST Racing NEO Wallpapers
'Big news' teased for 2nd December
FAST Racing NEO is heading to the Wii U eShop in December and certainly has the potential to be one of the download highlights of the year. While we await the final release date, however, we have some pretty wallpapers that we can add to our desktops to keep us going. You can see them below (click to enlarge), but...
Is this some sort of strange experiment?
We won't go so far as to accuse Cutie Pets series developer Yazar Media Group of a heinous plot to thumb its nose at the very laws of nature. It's certainly not a heinous plot, at the very least; we'd call it more stare-worthingly kooky. But if you believed the cryptozoological marvel known as Mandeer in...
News Dinox Will Fill That Dinosaur Trivia Gap in the eShop
Another box ticked!
We've often written about the Wii U eShop offering an impressively diverse range of genres in its games, catering to fans of platformers, shoot 'em ups, puzzle games, more platformers... There have also been some trivia / quiz games, but none have been solely about dinosaurs. Well, that gap in the market will be filled by...
November2015
Video New Mighty No. 9 Trailer Aims to Bring Back the Hype
Leaving those troubles behind
Comcept's Mighty No. 9 has had a curious development history. It stormed to success on Kickstarter seemingly off the back of Keiji Inafune's reputation and its potential as a spiritual successor to Mega Man, yet as development wore on and more footage emerged opinions cooled. The reaction to the visual style hasn't...
Nintendo Download 3rd December (Europe)
Xenoblade Chronicles X! Mario & Luigi! Wii games! More!
Another week begins with the Nintendo Download Update for Europe, and this week we have two major retail releases across the Wii U and 3DS; beyond that we have three rather good Wii games available on the eShop, some free-to-play Pokémon and a range of discounts. Let's get to the details. Wii...
News Lost Reavers Developers Reveal More Details About the Impending Release
Passing the torch to the younger generation
Remember when Namco Bandai announced that free to play game, then called "Project Treasure"? It seems like not much information has been surrounding the release since, yet it's supposedly due out in winter. While there's still lots we don't know about the game (now called Lost Reavers), Famitsu recently...
News Nintendo of Europe's eShop Cyber Deals End With a Bang on Wii U and 3DS
Xenoblade! Kid Icarus! Bayonetta 2!
Nintendo of Europe has been running discounts on the Wii U and 3DS eShop stores over the weekend in its Cyber Deals promotion, throwing in retail releases with discounts of 40-50%. There have been some decent deals but, in our opinion, the final batch is the best yet. Xenoblade Chronicles is the cross-platform...
Review The Adventures of Bayou Billy
Billy's swampland slog
In 2014 Nintendo suddenly realised that it could recreate the experience of a light gun game by using the pointer controls of the Wii Remote. Duck Hunt arrived on the Wii U eShop that Christmas and a few other NES Zapper games have followed since. Now we have Konami's The Adventures of Bayou Billy, although it should be noted...
News Kirby Stars Alongside Wario and Steamy Strategy in Nintendo of Europe Cyber Deals
Day three brings more different franchises
Nintendo of Europe is now into the third day of deals in its four day discount event across the Wii U and 3DS eShop stores. The first two batches have featured Mario and Donkey Kong franchise releases alongside thoroughly decent alternatives, and on the third day it's the turn of Kirby. As before there are...
News Nintendo of Europe Confirms Its Second Batch of eShop Cyber Deals
DK x2! Pikmin 3! Ultimate NES Remix!
While Nintendo of America went for a varied batch of Black Friday to Cyber Monday offers for its eShop cyber deals, Nintendo of Europe is opting for a smaller number of options spread across 24 hour windows. The first batch featured key Mario titles and The Wonderful 101, and the latest offerings blend some DK...
Feature A Glimpse Behind the Scenes of FAST Racing NEO - Part Two
Bernhard Wodok on its technology and a surprise DS cameo
FAST Racing NEO is certainly set to be one of the year's biggest Wii U eShop releases. Shin'en Multimedia has established itself as a leading 'Nindie' developer capable of producing wonderful visuals and strong gameplay, while sci-fi racing is a genre that's been long-neglected on Nintendo...
News Nintendo of Europe Launches Its Cyber Deals Weekend With Four Major eShop Discounts
Today only
While Nintendo of America has opted to put a whole range of titles on discount across an extended weekend, Nintendo of Europe is going for a different approach. It looks set to highlight a series of daily deals across four days, and has announced four retail games that are reduced today (27th November), on the eShop. Each system gets two...
Nintendo Download 26th November (North America)
Cyber Deals! A jumping Platypus! Konami Racing! More!
It's Nintendo Download Update time in North America, which also doubles as a Thanksgiving update in the US. This week's big draw is the glut of discount prices from the eShop Cyber Deals; these are below if you missed our original article. Beyond that we have a quirky Wii U eShop release...
News Angry Video Game Nerd Adventures Looks Set for Europe on 10th December
Festive fury
There can certainly be some frustrating eShop release gaps between Europe and North America, with the former coming off worse on most occasions. An example of this has been Angry Video Game Nerd Adventures, which came out in North America in Spring / Summer on Wii U and 3DS and has taken a little while to make the move to Europe. On a...
Review Pac-Man 2: The New Adventures
Waka-waka, or just plain wak?
If you were to download recent Virtual Console release Pac-Man 2: The New Adventures to your Wii U with no prior knowledge of what to expect, you'd be forgiven for anticipating a spot of maze-based pill-munching entertainment. In reality, this 'sequel' to arcade classic Pac-Man is a bizarre take on the point-and-click...
News The eShop is Opening Up in More European Countries Soon
Beginning on 10th December
Update: We've been able to verify this as accurate with other Europe-based eShop publishers. Original Article: It can be easy to take the eShop and various services for granted, but in various countries providers such as Nintendo can be rather slow in making everything available. This has been the case in a number of...
News Nintendo of America Confirms Its Black Friday eShop Cyber Deals
Retail, download-only and Virtual Console games all included
With Black Friday about to descend on the world with more deals than you can shake a stick at, Nintendo of America has now confirmed its eShop promotions that'll be part of the shopping madness - Nintendo of Europe is planning a similar swath of discounts to be announced later in the...
News Tiny Galaxy is Due to Receive an Update in the Near Future
Also, a price drop and a EU release
Tiny Galaxy is a rather fascinating 2D platformer that appears to draw some inspiration from Super Mario Galaxy. Unfortunately, we weren't overly fond of it, describing it as dizzying and difficult to control. Nonetheless, it likely appeals to certain gamers that appreciate playing games that are absolutely...
News Chasing Dead Developers Claim it's Awaiting the Approval Process
Shambling to completion
There aren't many survival horror games on the Wii U at the moment, with Fatal Frame V, ZombiU, and Resident Evil Revelations being the most notable in the genre. It may be a bit sparse in this regard, but that's all the more reason why 2020 Venture's upcoming game – Chasing Dead – will be welcome. The premise of the...
News Wii U eShop Exclusive Temple of Yog Will Begin Its Quest on 16th December in North America
7th January in Europe
There aren't many Wii U eShop exclusives, so when they come around they always grab attention. Temple of Yog will be the next to do just that, with the intriguing roguelike from CHUDCHUD Industries now confirmed for a debut in North America on 16th December, though it'll fall into early 2016 in Europe with a 7th January...
Feature Assessing Affordable Space Adventures and Its Ongoing Journey
KnapNok's Anchel Labena talks it over
The Wii U eShop has an expansive and - we'd suggest - fantastic range of download titles, covering a significant number of genres and styles. Many are cross-platform titles, naturally, as Indie developers seek to make a living and grab as wide an audience as possible, though plenty go to the effort to utilise...
No strategy, depth or appeal
In Totem Topple you have to drop heads down on top of a totem pole while weird spiny things idly float into it as they try to knock it down. It's hard to know what these spiny things' problems are, but they will never give up, only giving way to more persistent, different coloured spiny things until they eventually take...
Nintendo Download 26th November (Europe)
Double Dragon III! Two Ninja Gaidens! HOME Themes Galore! A bit more!
Another week begins with the European Nintendo Download Update, and this time around there's a bonanza of Virtual Console games and 3DS HOME Themes to consider along with some discounts; we're lacking new downloads beyond smaller retail games, though. Without further pre-amble...
Feature Our Top Wii U Games - Third Anniversary Edition
Retail and eShop go head-to-head
The Wii U is now over three years old having arrived in North America on 18th November 2012. In recent times we've celebrated some of the best games the system has to offer, with our staff voting (and readers through embedded polls) on their favourite Wii U retail and top eShop games. Now, as a little bonus, are the...
News 13AM Games Announces Upcoming Update for Runbow
Adds 2 player matchmaking and bug fixes
Runbow has been out for a few months now and by all accounts, it stands as an excellent couch multiplayer party game. We awarded it a 9/10, praising the distinct art direction and frantic gaming, and it's no doubt been a source of much entertainment to many fans over the last few months. 13AM Games is...
Time to Deactivate
There are games that need some work, and then there are games that need a complete overhaul. Then, there are games that feel so unfinished that they never should have been released in their current state. Lucentek - Activate falls in the last category. You can tell this is a budget game as soon as you see the first title screen...
Video New Hollow Knight Trailer Shows Off Some Ferocious Foes
Looks to be anything but hollow
The Wii U eShop is really a great place for Indie games to thrive. Affordable Space Adventures, Scram Kitty and his Buddy on Rails, and Runbow are just a few examples of the kind of creative endeavors that the storefront plays host to and - to put things in a more positive light – the lack of heavy hitting AAA third...
That'll rule New 3DS out too, then
The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth ended an intriguing saga for Nintendo download gaming when it came to the Wii U and New 3DS eShop stores. Having previously been rejected by Nintendo based on its content, a gradual change in the company's approach eventually opened the door for Edmund McMillen's critically acclaimed...
News Cube Life Update to Version 1.1 is Still Due This Year
Will include custom maps for Deathmatch mode
Earlier this month it looked like Minecraft was finally coming to Wii U courtesy of a PEGI rating listing, yet that's now disappeared. Quite why the listing has done its vanishing act - or indeed why it appeared in the first place - is a mystery to all but Microsoft and PEGI, we suspect. While we wait to...
Feature A Glimpse Behind the Scenes of FAST Racing NEO - Part One
Manfred Linzner talks us through an early car and track
FAST Racing NEO is certainly set to be one of the year's biggest Wii U eShop releases. Shin'en Multimedia has established itself as a leading 'Nindie' developer capable of producing wonderful visuals and strong gameplay, while sci-fi racing is a genre that's been long-neglected on Nintendo...
Feature Our Top 10 Wii U eShop Games - Third Anniversary Edition
A Nindie bonanza
The Wii U is now three years old, having arrived in North America on 18th November 2012. Though it's struggled commercially we think history will be kind to the system in years to come courtesy of the strength to be found in its game library. Whether titles catered to dedicated fans, less experienced gamers or a mix of both, the Wii...
Nintendo Download 19th November (North America)
Mario Tennis! Pokémon! Typoman! GBA Street Fighter 2! More!
With another week comes another batch of Nintendo Download goodies in North America, and 'tis the season for major retail releases on both Wii U and 3DS. The Wii U eShop also gets an exclusive while a range of options are available across both stores - let's get to the details. Missed the...
Man of letters
Many writers daydream of their words having a powerful impact on the world; effecting change against evil and oppression. Developer Brainseed Factory has sought to adopt this concept quite literally in the form of Typoman. The bleak yet somehow achingly beautiful world of Typoman is one where letters take form and serve functions...
News RCMADIAX Announces Skeasy, Expected to Release in Q1 2016
Yet another score chaser
Only yesterday, it was revealed that RCMADIAX – the infamous Wii U eShop developer – would be bringing a new game called Avoider to the eShop in early 2016. Evidently, RCMADIAX has multiple games being worked on simultaneously, as the developer recently lifted the lid on another game that is also expected to release some...
News RCMADIAX Announces Avoider, Due Out on the Wii U eShop in 2016
Hopefully won't be one to avoid
If nothing else, RCAMDIAX has certainly been faithful to the Wii U eShop, with about a dozen titles released on the storefront in a relatively short period of time. While it may be that none of these have been rated particularly highly here on Nintendo Life, the games nonetheless offer some cheap entertainment for...
News Mutant Mudds Super Challenge Has Been Delayed Until Early Next Year
It'll be worth the wait
Mutant Mudds Super Challenge is something of an interesting entry in the Mutant Mudds series; it's not a sequel, but it's standalone and supposedly will have more content than DLC ordinarily would. It's something of a "pseudo-sequel" then, the New Super Luigi U to Mutant Mudds' New Super Mario Bros. U
Better stick to Brain Age
Brain teasers and Nintendo consoles have long enjoyed a fruitful partnership; the Brain Age series proved that games could give a great mental workout while still being fun. Unfortunately, Test Your Mind doesn't fare as well. Test Your Mind is a simple title with three single-player modes and one multiplayer mode. The...
News Hover: Revolt of Gamers Will Be "Properly" Recreated For Wii U
A fusion of Jet Set Radio and Mirror's Edge
After a successful Kickstarter campaign and an Early Access release on Steam earlier this year, Hover: Revolt of Gamers is now looking towards a release on consoles – including Nintendo's system, the Wii U. Drawing inspiration from the likes of SEGA's Jet Set Radio series and EA DICE game Mirror's Edge,...
Happy happy, joy joy!
Girls Like Robots. They also like pie. They don't like nerds, but nerds like girls. And nerds also like corners. They don't like other nerds. But cows like being near people who are beside things they don't like. And sometimes, everyone is just being attacked by the bug king and no one really likes it. Girls Like Robots'...
Review Bike Rider UltraDX - WORLD TOUR
Not so ultra
Part racing game, part platform game: Bike Rider UltraDX - WORLD TOUR is the latest title to enter the eShop, this time moving from 3DS to Wii U. At first glance it's easy to mistake Bike Rider as a side-scrolling racing game, but take a further look and it becomes apparent that it has more in common with a traditional 2D platformer...
Nintendo Download 19th November (Europe)
Mario Tennis! New Style Boutique 2! Typoman! DS Animal Crossing! More!
Another week begins, and therefore we have the European Nintendo Download Update details to consider. This week brings notable retail releases on both Wii U and 3DS, along with a surprising DS Virtual Console arrive and a particularly promising Nindie release. There are some...
News Typoman For Wii U eShop Will Be Released In North America And Europe On 19th November
The power of letters
Headup Games has announced Brainseed Factory's elegantly crafted platform game, Typoman, will be released on the Wii U eShop in both Europe and North America on 19th November. The Wii U exclusive will be priced at € 13.99 (USD 13.99, GBP 9.99), with individuals who participated in the E3 [email protected] program in June eligible...
News Mother 3 Heading to the Wii U eShop in Japan on 17th December
Will it ever be officially localised for the West?
Though we've been following the Nintendo Direct festivities in North America and Europe, the equivalent broadcast in Japan has thrown up its own unique surprise; unfortunately it's an announcement that can perhaps be considered a bit of a long shot for the West. It's been confirmed that Mother 3 is...
They just appear, as if an apparition...
The Nintendo Direct broadcasts had a few surprises included, and in a segment dedicated to The Legend of Zelda Nintendo of Europe had an extra treat in store; this is in the form of a couple of DS releases for the Wii U Virtual Console. The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass and The Legend of Zelda: Spirit...
News FAST Racing Neo Given a Release Window of December
Hopefully, racing to Wii U consoles before Christmas
Today's Nintendo Direct was a pleasing return to form, with a plethora of new games, updates, and announcements to get gamers excited for Nintendo's lineup for the near future. One of the games briefly covered in the presentation was FAST Racing Neo, the exciting futuristic racer that aims to...
News The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess Is Receiving A High-Definition Face Lift
Wolf Link amiibo also confirmed
Earlier in October we reported a rumour about a popular data miner in the Nintendo scene who uncovered listings on the Wii U eShop for The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess. At the time the evidence available was not entirely concrete in regards to what exactly this release would be, but now we have an official...
Nintendo Download 12th November (North America)
Stella Glow! Nintendo Badge Arcade! Contra! Girls Like Robots?! More!
It may be 'Nintendo Direct Day', but we still have a Nintendo Download Update to look forward to, even if there are rumours of blocky surprises still to come. This week's line-up in North America has some varied and quirky offerings across both Wii U and 3DS, including a...
Popular Wii U eShop Games
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Kirby's Return to Dream Land Wii
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The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask N64
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The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past SNES
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Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards N64
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Contra III: The Alien Wars SNES
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