3DS eShop - News
January2015
News Soccer Up Online Kicks Off In North America on 15th January
Question marks over whether it's a sensible soccer purchase
It's taken a little while - and the Major League Soccer season is still a couple of months away - but EnjoyUp Games has now confirmed a North American release date for Soccer Up Online, which is Football Up Online in Europe. It'll arrive in this week's update (15th January) with a price tag...
News Capcom Outlines Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate Localisation Challenges
Speeding up the tutorial
Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate is on the way soon, giving the iconic Capcom franchise another major opportunity to take off in the West. Though it's a sales phenomenon in Japan, it's struggled to create the same level of success elsewhere in the world. Will Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate change that? Time will tell, but with an...
Review Mes Comptines (3DS eShop)
Straight Outta Comptines
If you know My First Songs or its sequel on the 3DS, then Mes Comptines (French for “My Rhymes" or “My Nursery Rhymes") will be very familiar territory, even with a language shift. This is the same simplistic rhythm game for small children as its predecessors, and that's really not such a bad thing. Mes Comptines comes...
Review League of Heroes (3DS eShop)
Leaving out the legends
Ports of mobile games making their way onto Nintendo platforms was once considered disgraceful, but as time passed and the phenomenon became more commonplace the discussion seems to have died off a bit. We like to think that the quality of mobile games has increased over the years, essentially eliminating the idea that cell...
Nintendo Download 15th January (Europe)
Axelay, 3D After Burner II, Demon's Quest and much more
It's another Monday morning, but we won't let that get us down as we have the European Nintendo Download Update to cheer us up. There are new titles to enjoy across Wii U and 3DS, some classics on the Virtual Console and a whole load of tempting discounts. Let's get to it. Wii U eShop: Family...
News Natsume Thanks Fans for Strong Launch of Harvest Moon: The Lost Valley in North America
Performing beyond expectations in the region
Harvest Moon: The Lost Valley is a diversion for the series, as Natsume took the franchise in some new directions, with the title being the first to go "fully three-dimensional". Story of Seasons, previously released as a Harvest Moon game in Japan but being published under a different name - due to IP...
Nintendo Download 8th January (North America)
Chariot, Mega Man battling, Shantae discount, mazes and more
It's that time of the week once again, when an assortment of goodies are revealed in the North American Nintendo Download Update. This week brings a variety of titles for Wii U and 3DS, including a particularly stylish effort from Frima Studio; there are also some discounts on both systems...
News Nintendo Adds a Bunch of Virtual Console Titles to North American Web Store
Over 100 retail and VC games across Wii U and 3DS
Last year Nintendo of America began selling retail downloads on its website, in what we hoped was a baby step towards a future where any game on the eShop can be easily bought online. Utilising the online capabilities of the Wii U and 3DS, it's possible to buy a game directly from the website and...
Review Toys vs. Monsters (3DS eShop)
Manufacturer refurbished
If you've ever been disappointed that you can't play a recent and improved version of the hugely successful Plants vs. Zombies on your 3DS - aside from the DS release - you may be intrigued by the shamelessly similarly-named Toys vs. Monsters on the eShop. All of the information about it points to a fun little experience...
Video Here Are Your Game Of The Year 2014 Picks, In Video Form
Last year we asked you — the wonderful Nintendo Life readership — to select your most beloved titles of 2014. The results were truly illuminating, and prove that the past 12 months were pretty darn good for Nintendo fans. Just like we did with yesterday's Staff GOTY video, we've taken the reader results and transformed them into a wonderful...
News Undead Storm Nightmare Will Bring The Zombie Apocalypse to 3DS
A sequel to the terrific DSiWare action shooter
DSiWare brought us some terrific bite-sized games, and one of the stand-outs was GO Series: Undead Storm - essentially a mindless zombie-shooting action game from a top-down perspective, it included local multiplayer and seemed like a portable spin-off from the Left 4 Dead series. Fans of action games...
News Gunman Clive 2 Delayed for a Few Weeks More
Sharpshooting some serious bugs
Hopeful townsfolk have been waiting for Gunman Clive 2, the sequel to the stylish, breakout 3DS eShop title, to ride in with the sunrise. It's still slated to come, but one-man development team Bertil Hörberg has pushed the release back to address some troublesome bugs found over Christmas. Hörberg announced the...
Video Remind Yourself Of Nintendo Life's Top Picks For 2014
Our Game of the Year Awards, presented in video form
Before Christmas, we delivered the Nintendo Life Staff Game of the Year Awards for 2014, and the list was predictably packed with amazing software. Just in case you missed it -- or in case you loved it so much that you'd like a recap -- we've put together a video based on the same results. We'll...
News The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask 3D Limited-Edition Bundle Confirmed for North America
Comes with a Skull Kid figurine
Update: Nintendo's Facebook post specifies this bundle as exclusive to Amazon, GameStop and Fry's Electronics (thanks for the heads up @Ryno). The bundle is already a 'best seller' and sold out on Amazon and GameStop, the latter of which includes an 'ultimate' set with the Prima strategy guide. Based on social...
News 3D After Burner II Set to Jet Into Europe on 15th January
Start your hype engines, Sega fans
Relatively late last year Sega gave us some news that we'd been waiting for - the second wave of 3D Classics on the eShop are coming to the West. Those with a Japanese 3DS have been enjoying these for a while, but the confirmation that 3D After Burner II would come early this year brought optimism; Sega wasn't...
Feud for thought
The best kinds of board games don't force you to rely on sheer luck to win. There are plenty out there which encourage the use of logic and quick thinking to seize victory, which makes for a more satisfying experience overall as a result. All manner of puzzle games have enjoyed a wide level of success on 3DS, but MindFeud from...
Review My First Songs 2 (3DS eShop)
More of the same
For those who haven't read our review of the original My First Songs on 3DS, you may want to read that before going any further in this one. My First Songs 2 is the sequel to My First Songs and generally follows the same formula as the original. You have a variety of nursery rhymes which you can tap along to using the touch screen...
Nintendo Download 8th January (Europe)
Chariot, Crunchyroll, Underground, Turtles, discounts and more
After a quiet start to 2015 in terms of new download releases, we see things ramp up in the most recent European Nintendo Download Update details. The Wii U is the main beneficiary with some promising arrivals, while on 3DS one of our favourite HOME themes previously released in Japan...
To sum up
Puzzle games are ten-a-penny these days and usually take the form of a clone of an existing puzzle game – most notably Bejeweled – so it's nice to see new ideas sprouting forth from developers such as those found in Sumico for the 3DS. Does its shiny new gameplay offer something fresh and enjoyable, or is it puzzle pitfall? The basic...
Feature The Biggest 3DS Games of 2015
Majora's Mask 3D! Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate! Code Name: S.T.E.A.M! More!
We've now kicked off into a New Year, and to get us going we've already published our feature for ten of the biggest Wii U games of 2015; now it's the turn of the 3DS. While Nintendo has been going all out to emphasize a relatively busy 2015 line-up for Wii U, it's been a lot...
Review Brutus & Futée (3DS eShop)
Et tu, Futée
You'd be forgiven for not being especially inspired by the title of Brutus and Futée, as two unknown character's names doesn't really strike that much confidence in consumers. The title also doesn't give anything away in regards to the gameplay itself, so is this strangely named game worth your time? The two titular characters in...
News Two Tetris Titles Pulled From the 3DS eShop in North America
Just like in Europe, but without the warning
In late November Nintendo posted a notification on the 3DS eShop to advise that the Game Boy Virtual Console version of Tetris and the retail game of the same name would be withdrawn at the end of 2014. No reason was given, but we'd bet it's down to licensing rights, as this coincidentally happened...
Nintendo Download 1st January (North America)
Pokémon Pinball, Bionic Commando, discounted Shovel Knight and more
It's the start of 2015, and Nintendo of America's first Download Update is a fairly slim affair, with each system enjoying a Virtual Console arrival alongside a few tempting discounts. Let's get to the details. Missed the European Nintendo Download Update details earlier in the...
December2014
News No Protests Against this Holiday-themed Citizens of Earth Trailer
Like a good fruitcake, it's still sturdy past its date
The holidays are all but over and it's time to move on to 2015... but wait, what's that? Behind the desk, against the wall over there. Why don't you go check it out? Why, it's a new trailer for the upcoming RPG Citizens of Earth! It must've been sitting here since Christmas Eve but got lost in...
News Pixar Movie, Up, is Now Available for 3DS in Japan
Random but true
In the early days of the 3DS, Nintendo was keen to promote the portable as an all-round entertainment device; the Nintendo Video channel was relatively prominent with weekly updates, and in Europe there was even a Eurosport channel with regular videos. There were multiple issues with this approach - there wasn't enough content or app...
Nintendo Download 1st January (Europe)
Captain Toad, Fire Emblem, an F-Zero first and more
The timings of Nintendo's Download Updates have certainly been festive this year, with the next batch of download treats set to arrive on New Year's Day to give us a perfect start to 2015. The European update confirms the arrival of Captain Toad's starring début, in addition to some Game Boy...
Review Shadow of the Ninja (3DS eShop / NES)
Gaming pleasure and pain, oh look it's ninjas again
There's a great moment early on in Shadow of the Ninja where an armoured trooper stands atop a ledge occasionally shooting at you. You can't simply wait for the firing to stop before attacking as the gun doubles as a shield against your slashing blade. As you contemplate jumping between bullets to...
Nintendo Download 25th December (North America)
Festive delights with Duck Hunt, Shantae, classic Mario and more!
It's Christmas Day, and there's also a Nintendo Download update to make the day even better. In the absence of an official press release we've pieced together details from Nintendo's official website, but be sure to jump on the eShop and see what else you can find. Missed the...
An Ys-y purchase
The RPG genre is still rather popular, with several big-name releases arriving every year. While these are usually grand spectacles, Fairune keeps things quite simple. As with many "retro-esque" games these days, it attempts to emulate the look and feel of a classic '80s game, and that comes with matching game mechanics. Combat is...
Review Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney Trilogy (3DS eShop)
No appeal needed
The Ace Attorney franchise is well known but, when considered in isolation, it's a bit of an oddity. With its exaggerated characters, stilted animations and a tendency to be as wordy as a Tolstoy novel — not really, but there's a lot of reading — we'd have perhaps expected it to be a one off release in the West before being...
Feature A Year in Development - Renegade Kid
Jools Watsham on a mixed 2014 and big plans for 2015
In the third entry of this 2014 'Year in Development' series, we chat to Renegade Kid's Jools Watsham on a challenging 2014, the realities of being a small Indie studio and promising plans for 2015, including early year arrivals to complete the Moon Chronicles first season. First of all, can...
Nintendo Download 25th December (Europe)
Duck Hunting, Kuru Kuru Kururining and lots more festive fun
Christmas is nearly upon us. What better way to celebrate than vegetate on the sofa after all the festivities and play some Nintendo games with your loved ones? There are lots of new goodies for you to download on this week, not least a Wii Remote-enabled Duck Hunt on the Wii U Virtual...
Review Pokémon Puzzle Challenge (3DS eShop / GBC)
Pokémon! Blocks! What more do you need?
The eShop is rife with puzzle games, and it’s understandable as to why; they’re fairly simple in design and can provide a huge amount of entertainment to an incredibly broad audience. Some of them can be a little bit monotonous or shameless clones of another game, but you’ll sometimes find something...
It's a breakout hit
The 3DS eShop has amassed quite the catalogue of affordable downloadable releases, but while a healthy number of the games available are of high quality, there are also many duds that deserve to be ignored completely. Fortunately, Hazumi is not one of those lesser-desired games. If you’re on the market for a challenging...
News Level-5 Confirms Some Handsome 3DS eShop Festive Discounts
Inazuma Eleven! All of the Guild01 and Guild02 games!
With the next download update set to fall on Christmas Day, we can certainly hope for some exciting releases and discounts across the Wii U and 3DS eShop stores. The home console's Virtual Console already has a tweaked version of Duck Hunt on the way in North America, and Level-5 has now...
Video SEGA's 3D Classics Collection Now Available In Japan, Looks Delightful
Includes an array of retro experiences
While 3DS owners in the West are still anticipating the release of the second batch of SEGA 3D Classics on the eShop in 2015, Japan is already being treated to a boxed collection of the series, including 6 of the 12 games currently ported, enhanced and released by developer M2. Announced in September as Sega...
Matters Of Import Collectible Badge Centre Brings A Personal Touch To 3DS Customisation
Gotta catch 'em all, quite literally
Nintendo is in something of a quandary at the moment. Their handheld business is obviously doing very well, but at the same time the company can’t help but glance over at the millions made from cheap smartphone apps and their "free" alternatives and long for a slice of that lucrative revenue stream. So, with...
Nintendo Download 18th December (North America)
Mega Man treats, 99Moves, Meme Run, discounts galore and more
It's time for the final Nintendo Download Update before Christmas Day, and it's a meaty line-up in North America. We have a host of new downloads on both the Wii U and 3DS, two retro offerings on the home console and a whole load of tempting discounts. There's lots to see, so let's get to...
News Shin'en Multimedia Wii U and 3DS eShop Discounts Arrive Today
Nano Assault! Art of Balance! Jett Rocket II!
We may have already had this week's Nintendo Download Update details for Europe, but a few more surprise discounts will arrive as the stores freshen up today (18th December). While one Shin'en Multimedia game was listed in the 3DS eShop discounts initially, it's now been confirmed that a total of six...
News Latest Steel Diver: Sub Wars Update Takes Community Feedback Onboard
Fixes based on player advice
Following the release of version 4.0 earlier this month, Nintendo has updated its unconventional but addictive multiplayer shooter, Steel Diver: Sub Wars, to version 4.1. The latest update reverts changes made to submarine diving and surfacing angles to an earlier state, after feedback from the community’s player...
Review S.C.A.T.: Special Cybernetic Attack Team (3DS eShop / NES)
Invading aliens, a fight for survival and all that jazz
It is the year 2029 and aliens are attacking the earth. Have they observed mankind’s violent nature and opted for a pre-emptive strike to protect themselves? Or do they just dislike the way the people of S.C.A.T.: Special Cybernetic Attack Team have taken to painting their buildings a shade...
News Donkey Kong Land Rated And Ready For North American 3DS Virtual Console Release
Monkey business
After a successful 3DS Virtual Console début in both Japan and Europe earlier this year, the 1995 Game Boy title Donkey Kong Land is finally on its way to North America. Evidence of the anticipated re-release has appeared via the ESRB. Released a year after the success of the Super Nintendo original, Donkey Kong Land has the Kongs...
Review My Life on a Farm 3D (3DS eShop)
E - I - E - I - NO
My Life on a Farm 3D is standing proof that you can take a poor game concept and, with the proper lack of care and ingenuity, rework it into something that is just as poor as — if not potentially worse than — its source. Life on the farm feels a lot like life in a previous TREVA title, Me & My Pets 3D. This is because the...
News December's Club Nintendo Rewards Aim to Bring Festive Cheer
Super Mario Kart! Kid Icarus! Kirby! More!
It's now time for the final North American Club Nintendo rewards update of 2014, with the December offerings taking us well into 2015 and giving keen coin collectors their last chance to splash the virtual cash before Christmas. This batch has the now-standard eight games, with four across Wii U and Wii...
News Renegade Kid Is Bringing Survival Horror Title Dementium To The Nintendo 3DS
eShop release coming next year, Dementium II and III could follow
Renegade Kid’s Jools Watsham revealed not so long ago that his company had regained control of the Dementium brand, and that he had plans for the series moving forward. Speaking to Twitch channel Vinesauce, Watsham has now delivered more details on the proposed revival of the...
Nintendo Download 18th December (Europe)
99Moves, retro fighting, 3DS battles, puzzling sums and more
It's the final download update before a Christmas Day line-up, and it may be best to consider it a calm before a storm. There are some relatively promising new downloads on both Wii U and 3DS, along with discounts and demos, so there may be some games to part you from some cash before the...
Review Christmas Wonderland 4 (3DS eShop)
Straight on the naughty list
Shovelware is as much a part of Christmas as roasted livestock and silly jumpers, particularly for children whose parents don’t know any better, and it seems that Microvalue isn't happy with ending its Christmas Wonderland series as a trilogy. Christmas Wonderland 4 is a point and click game that has you looking at a...
Drift compatible
Renegade Kid has pretty much lost its element of surprise. When a developer consistently releases interesting games that are made well with attractive art, it's not really shocking when their next release follows suit. Surprising no one, Renegade Kid's latest release Xeodrifter is another excellent game brimming with style and...
Nintendo Download 11th December (North America)
Ace Attorney trilogy, Xeodrifter, Lucadian Chronicles and much more
It's that time again, North America, for a whole load of download goodies to arrive on Wii U and 3DS. This week brings a high profile Capcom arrival and some promising options on the 3DS, while free-to-play appears (sort of) on the Wii U; both Virtual Console platforms get a game,...
Out Today Rune Factory 4 Finally Arrives in Europe
We dig it
Today's European Nintendo Download Update is one of the most crowded in recent memory, with six new downloads on 3DS, two on Wii U (including a Virtual Console release) and a ludicrous number of discounts. The most prominent release is arguably Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney Trilogy, so we thought we'd raise a flag for one of the stand-out...
News Shantae And The Pirate's Curse Delayed Into 2015 For Europe
Wii U version also set for late January / early February
WayForward's Shantae And The Pirate's Curse is already out in North America on the 3DS eShop, and we think it's fantastic, but it's been a frustrating wait for localisation in PAL countries. Unfortunately, it's been confirmed that the previous goal to get the 2D action adventure game out this...
News Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor 2 Record Breaker Heading Exclusively to 3DS in Early 2015
Supposedly "nearly doubles" length of original
Like the DS before it the 3DS is becoming a terrific portable for RPG games, with Atlus delivering some of the very best examples. The publisher and developer has been busy in recent times yet has, nevertheless, announced another exclusive title for the portable — Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor 2...
News 40 Percent Blasted Off The Price Of Classic Steampunk Shooter Steel Empire
3DS eShop side-scroller reduced to just $15.99 this week
Teyon has today announced that it is knocking 40 percent off the price of critically acclaimed eShop steampunk shooter Steel Empire. Originally released on the Sega Genesis / Mega Drive back in the early '90s, this classic blaster was recently updated for the 3DS. We gave it a glowing 9/10...
News Nintendo Shows Off NFC eShop Payments for New Nintendo 3DS in Japan
The amiibo menu is also live, despite the lack of compatible games
Since summer this year gamers in Japan have been able to use a variety of NFC (near field communication) cards to buy content on the Wii U eShop; this includes commonly used cards such as the SUICA brand, which are often kept topped up by consumers for use on local transports...
News Sumico Bringing Its Brand of "Super Smart" Puzzling to 3DS eShop on 18th December
Previously on iOS and Android
The 3DS eShop, with its dual screen setup and multiple control options, is a natural home for affordable puzzle games. While they can vary in quality — not to mention repeat themselves in the act of matching three objects — it's not a platform short of games to keep our brains busy. While it may be a competitive...
Review Castle Conqueror Defender (3DS eShop)
Just another castle to conquer
CIRCLE Entertainment's Castle Conqueror series has seen a healthy number of instalments in its release history, so it's no surprise when a new game hits the Nintendo eShop. The series has stuck to a simplistic RTS (real-time strategy) style of gameplay for the majority of its entries, but the developers decided to...
Nintendo Download 11th December (Europe)
Ace Attorney trilogy, Rune Factory 4, Pokémon Pinball, discounts and more
It's the start of another week, and Nintendo of Europe has served up what must be one of the lengthiest download updates we've seen to date. There are some new titles, including a couple of big hitters on the 3DS, while there's plenty of pinball of various types gracing the...
Review My First Songs (3DS eShop)
Just watch the world learn
Not content with its current offerings on Wii U, Ringzero Game Studio decided that, despite system limitations, a 3DS outing of the My First Songs franchise should be made. To the developer's credit it holds up well despite the 3DS’ lower power, but it’s not quite the same game as it is on Wii U. For starters, the...
News Shovel Knight Digs For Victory With 300,000 Copies Sold
That's across all formats
Yacht Club Games has revealed that Shovel Knight has sold 300,000 copies since launch. The Kickstarter-funded faux-retro platformer is available on PC, Wii U and 3DS. Back in August, Yacht Club Games revealed sales figures for the game, with 180,000 units sold at that point. Its crowd-funding goal was set at $75,000, but...
News Renegade Kid’s 3DS Metroidvania Title Xeodrifter Blasting To North America Next Week
From the creator of Mutant Mudds
After Renegade Kid’s mid-year announcement of Xeodrifter for the 3DS eShop — followed by the launch of the debut trailer — Jools Watsham and company have now revealed the game will be released in North America next week: on 11th December to be exact, for the price of $10. As previously described; Xeodrifter is...
Review Mighty Gunvolt (3DS eShop)
Mighty good mini
First appearing as a free download to those who purchased the exceptional Azure Striker Gunvolt on the 3DS eShop, Mighty Gunvolt is a run-and-gun platformer from the mind of Keiji Inafune and produced by Inti Creates. Aiming for an old-school vibe, it’s no surprise that this new title from one of gaming’s pioneers feels a lot...
News Curve Studios Announces Titan Attacks for 3DS and Ultratron for Wii U
More "insane announcements" coming in the next few weeks
Curve Studios is already one of the most prolific publishers on the Wii U eShop in the latter half of 2014, but has now announced yet more projects coming to Nintendo hardware; this is hot on the heels of OlliOlli being confirmed for Wii U and 3DS in early 2015. As per that previous...
Feature Five Reasons To Choose Nintendo 3DS This Holiday Season
Gaming on the go
Not too long ago we published five reasons to choose Wii U this Holiday season, so it now seems only fair to do the same for the 3DS. With so many systems and games competing for our time the little portable has plenty of rivals, but it's also a terrific option in a time of the year typically full of travelling and relaxation away...
Nintendo Download 4th December (North America)
Fire Emblem, Captain Toad, Running Lodes, discounts and more
Feeling festive? Then get ready for a generous helping of downloadable delights courtesy of Nintendo. Wii U title Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker is leading the pack, with retro favourite Fire Emblem also arriving on Wii U. It's a slightly slimmer overall offering, though some discounts may...
News Rune Factory 4 Arrives On The European and Australian 3DS eShop On 11th December
One week to go
Following on from the classification of Rune Factory 4 by the German videogame rating board in October, XSEED Games — in conjunction with Marvelous Europe — has announced the most successful iteration in the series to date will arrive in Europe and Australia exclusively via the 3DS eShop next week, on 11th December. The latest...
Video Nintendo Minute Kicks Off Its Game of the Year Series, and Wants Your Votes
The eShop starts us off
It's that time of year again, when we all look back and think about our favourite games of the past 12 months. Official video series Nintendo Minute is naturally joining in, and has kicked off a run of videos that'll work through and award the host's Game of the Year nominees and winners. In this first video series hosts —...
News Rad Skating Game OlliOlli is Tricking Its Way Onto Wii U and 3DS in Early 2015
Totally audacious, dude
Curve Studios has shown a great deal of support for the Wii U eShop recently, and has history with the 3DS eShop (and WiiWare before that) in developing Nintendo's Hydroventure: Spin Cycle / Fluidity; the company has also expressed its interest in bringing more content to the eShop should its recent titles — including...
News Steel Diver: Sub Wars Version 4.0 Is Now Available
Dive in and check it out
Less than six months after the release of version 3.0, Nintendo has updated its unconventional but addictive first-person shooter, Steel Diver: Sub Wars, to version 4.0. The full details about version 4.0 have been revealed on Miiverse by the 3DS eShop title's director, Takaya Imamura: In Version 4.0, we've added the
Preview Picking Up The Pace With Proun+ on 3DS
Light at the end of the tunnel
It seems, in recent times, that the majority of intriguing and exciting new projects on the eShop platforms brings us to the Wii U, with the home console's power and development tool support attracting plenty of companies. The 3DS eShop does have excellent titles of its own, but the volume seems lower in terms of...
Nintendo Download 4th December (Europe)
Legend of Dark Witch, S.C.A.T., Mindfeud, loads of discounts and more
It's the first download update of December in Europe, and it brings a host of new games, decent Virtual Console options and plenty of discounts. There are also a couple of seasonal arrivals that need to improve a lot over previous entries, but overall there's a fair amount of...
November2014
News Toys vs. Monsters Brings Childhood Battles to 3DS on 18th December
Our money's on the rubber duck...
Whether publishing or developing, EnjoyUp Games continues to bring plenty of budget download games — some rather good — to the eShop platforms. The company has now announced a festive release date for its next title on 3DS, Toys vs. Monsters — it'll arrive in North America and Europe on 18th December. This is...
Review Gargoyle's Quest II: The Demon Darkness (3DS eShop / NES)
Little monsters
It might not be too off kilter to think that, in some alternate universe, things could have shaken out differently in Capcom’s stable and Firebrand the Red Arremer/Gargoyle would have become a bigger star. The company could have been associated more with crimson than true blue, and fans today could be crying out over the absence of...
Review Talking Phrasebook (3DS eShop)
It's translation time
Call us pessimistic, but we think it's fair to say that travelling abroad can be a pretty stressful experience. Sure, the exotic locales and sunny weather is always worth it in the end, but making the trip often takes no shortage of patience and more than a few embarrassing attempts to drag up half-remembered phrases in the...
News Nintendo eShop Maintenance Planned for 1st December
Get your shopping done
While perusing the 3DS eShop notifications and wondering why on Earth Tetris is being removed from the store, we saw a far more helpful message outlining that the download platform has a hefty chunk of maintenance on the way. There'll be a little over seven hours of downtime, though maintenance taking down the eShop stores is...
News Two Tetris Downloads to be Removed from the 3DS eShop in Europe
Blocks dropped
Occasionally we see some enjoyable titles disappear from Nintendo's download stores, often retro titles and likely the result of a licensing issue. We're a little surprised by the latest victims, however, which are set to disappear from the European 3DS eShop after 31st December. Following that date the store will lose the Game Boy...
News Let's Summarise the Remaining eShop Deals on Wii U and 3DS
As Nintendo decided not to share...
Earlier this week a host of titles went on discount in North America, some of which were outlined in last week's download update without firm prices, and a whole load of others that came as surprises. We held off believing they'd all be covered in today's download update only to be foiled; there are plenty of...
Nintendo Download 27th November (North America)
Persona Q, Thomas Was Alone, Hyrule Warriors DLC, discounts galore and more
For those of you in the US celebrating it today, here we have the Thanksgiving edition of the Nintendo Download Update, while for everyone else in North America it's simply the 'wow look at all the discounts' edition. Alongside more price reductions than you could shake a...
Textual healing or vocal underperformity?
Want to turn your 3DS into a social device that allows you and your friends to exchange text messages and partake in voice chat while collaborating on doodles? That’s the experience that Chat-A-Lot advertises, and while it delivers in some regards, overall this simple application falls very flat. Part of...
Another pack of Picross
While the first few Picross e games mixed things up a little with slightly different modes each time, the previous game in the series — Picross e4 — didn't do anything unique; it simply brought back all of those previous special modes. Picross e5 also plays it safe and is essentially an expansion of the previous game,...
News Image & Form Reveals That Steam Powered Giraffe is Producing the SteamWorld Heist Soundtrack
Will appear in-game, too
SteamWorld Dig, the 3DS eShop title — since ported to other platforms including Wii U — propelled Image & Form to prominence among Nintendo gamers and the wider gaming community, so there'll be plenty of attention on the upcoming SteamWorld Heist. Less a sequel and more of a spin-off, it sees the steam-driven robots...
News Pokémon Omega Ruby And Alpha Sapphire Version 1.1 Now Available To Download
Gotta patch 'em all!
Following the release of Pokémon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire in North America, Australia, and New Zealand last week, The Pokémon Company has released an update for the new entries in the series that irons out various bugs and provides a smoother game experience. All 3DS owners who have a copy of either of these games will...
News Nintendo of America Announces Upcoming eShop 'Cyber Deals'
Like Black Friday without the crowds
We're heading into one of the biggest shopping weeks of the year, but Nintendo's keen to accommodate those that don't feel like venturing out into crowded shops. While there are hot releases arriving on the eShop in multiple regions, Nintendo of America has now confirmed that it'll also be running eShop 'Cyber...
Nintendo Download 27th November (Europe)
Smash Bros., Pokémon, Thomas Was Alone, Hyrule Warriors DLC and much more
Another week begins, but the European Nintendo Download Update should have some exciting titles to cheer anyone up, with two of the year's biggest retail titles arriving on both Wii U and 3DS. Beyond those big contenders we have some enticing download options, so let's get to...
News Shigeru Miyamoto Discusses Production of the Pikmin Short Movies in a Miiverse Interview
A new HOME theme for the 3DS also revealed
The creator of Mario, Shigeru Miyamoto, has dabbled in many new and exciting experiences this year, including the production of animated shorts – he even had the opportunity to show his recently released Pikmin movies at the Toyko International Film Festival. Now, in an interview with Nintendo’s...
Review Safari Quest (3DS eShop)
Safari Meh-st
As consumers of entertainment, we all generally gravitate towards the extreme sides of the spectrum. When a product is amazing, it's really amazing — and we can't say enough about it. When a product is awful, it's really awful — and we're going to let everyone know. That's why it's such a disappointment when a product falls...
Review Lufia: The Legend Returns (3DS eShop / GBC)
The legend isn't feeling so good
Young Wain is the protector of his small village; it’s not a tough gig, with just the occasional blob-creature to slash on the outskirts, but things are about to change. As a spiritual force awakens inside him, the powerful Sinistrels re-emerge to release a threat of “unseen terror on the land”. His bloodline...
Review Vacation Adventures: Park Ranger 2 (3DS eShop)
The mediocre outdoors
The thing about vacations is that once you go back somewhere, no matter how much you loved it the first time, it's never really going to be quite the same. The people are new, the places might have changed, and your overall experience is likely to be largely different. This isn't the case with Vacation Adventures: Park Ranger...
Review Castle Conqueror EX (3DS eShop)
Back to basics
Four years ago, at the time of the original Castle Conqueror title's DSiWare release, we made a somewhat snarky remark in our review about the absence of Real-Time Strategy games on the Nintendo DS. With its touch controls and capability to display information on one screen and action on the other, the dual-screened console seemed...
Nintendo Download 20th November (North America)
Smash Bros., Pokémon ORAS, Watch Dogs, GBA DK, Battleminer and much more
It's time for the Nintendo Download update, North American gamers, and this week's update brings massive releases on Wii U and 3DS. Beyond the big-name retail titles we have some new download-only titles, a host of other retail downloads both old and new, retro GBA DK and a...
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...
News You'll Never Get Lost In Translation With Talking Phrasebook On Your 3DS
The essential travel companion with 7 different languages
The 3DS isn’t just a portable gaming system – it’s a device of many uses. Sanuk Games and Connected Cavern appear to be well aware of this having just announced the release of Talking Phrasebook – 7 Languages for the 3DS next week on November 27th. Coming in at an affordable price of...
News Upcoming DLC for Mighty Gunvolt Unleashes New Stages and Bosses
A mighty update to version 2.0 is also on the way
DLC in the form of new bosses and stages has been on the cards for Mighty Gunvolt since it was revealed back in August that the title would be a free download for Azure Striker Gunvolt owners in Japan. Now, the first details about the downloadable content for the Inti Cr
Review Football Up Online (3DS eShop)
The life of lag
Amidst the clamouring hands of football fans over the next entry in the FIFA series, EnjoyUp Games saw a gap in the market, namely the 3DS eShop, and so decided to release its original Football Up 3D. Not content with simply remaining a sub-par local multiplayer experience, Football Up Online has since been released to little...
News Pokémon Bank Version 1.2 Is Now Available To Download
Gotta patch ‘em all!
In preparation for the release of Pokémon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire later this week, The Pokémon Company has released an update for its digital storage box, Pokémon Bank. All 3DS owners who own a copy of Pokémon Bank can download the update from the eShop or through the software itself. A total of 210 blocks of free...
News The November Club Nintendo Rewards Are Now Up For Grabs
Pilotwings! Tokyo Crash Mobs! Metroid II! More!
Update: Shortly after publication four more games were added to the list, so the original article now reflects this. Original Article: It's time for the penultimate North American Club Nintendo rewards update of 2014, with details for November now available to tempt you into parting with hard-earned...
News Teyon Games Adds Text and Voice Chat to 3DS eShop Mix With Chat-A-Lot
Baby got chat
Teyon and WaiS Co. Ltd. have teamed up to bring their text and voice chatting app for the Nintendo 3DS, Chat-A-Lot, to the North American eShop starting this Thursday, 20th November for $7.99. Originally developed in Japan by WaiS Co. Ltd. and localised for the western regions by Teyon Games, Chat-A-Lot is a bright and colourful app...
Nintendo Download 20th November (Europe)
Watch Dogs + DLC, Sonic Boom x2, Natsume retro goodies and more
Another week begins, but at least those of us in Europe have the Nintendo Download news to cheer up our day. This week's line-up includes some major retail releases, new download-only options across the board (even DSiWare makes an appearance) and a range of DLC, HOME themes and more...
Review Bionic Commando: Elite Forces (3DS eShop / GBC)
Well, it ain't too young or pretty but it sure as hell can swing
The evil Avar Empire and their evil leader are planning evil things such as an evil invasion of the peaceful and generally lovely Karinia. Commander Joe was sent in to sabotage their evil plans but unfortunately he was a bit rubbish and got himself captured (again!? – no wonder they...
Review Secret Journeys: Cities of the World (3DS eShop)
The road less littered
If you enjoy global sightseeing, but feel it needs the excitement of a flea market exploding all over it, then Selectsoft’s series of hidden objects games are made for you. Secret Journeys: Cities of the World plays almost exactly like its predecessor, City Mysteries, only shifting the backdrops to different parts of the...
Review Adventures of Lolo (3DS eShop / NES)
Bubbles and puzzles and DEATH
The fine folks over at HAL Laboratory have an affinity for protagonists who could double as pretty decent basketballs, and the often-forgotten NES puzzler Adventures of Lolo features our first example of a blob hero. Unlike the platforming cuteness of the Kirby series, arguably HAL's most famous creation, Lolo has a...
3DS eShop - Features
Most Read
Guide 39 Best 3DS eShop Games You Should Get Before They're Gone Forever
Guide When Does The 3DS And Wii U eShop Close? Nintendo eShop Closure Guide
Guide 31 Best DSiWare Games You Should Get Before They're Gone Forever
Feature Best Japan-Exclusive 3DS Games - 13 Titles We Wish Had Come To The West
PSA 3DS And Wii U eShop Download Codes Can No Longer Be Redeemed
News Two 3DS HOME Themes Are Now Free To Download (North America)
News Nintendo Badge Arcade 3DS Service Ends 'Daily Free Plays'
Random YouTuber Spends Nearly $23K Buying Every 3DS & Wii U eShop Game