DSiWare News
News Furry Legends DSiWare Sent to Lotcheck
First screenshots here
We haven't heard anything on Gamelion's Furry Legends: Beginnings, the second volume in the series that began with WiiWare's Furry Legends, for a very long time. But that's all changing right now. Gamelion has just informed us that it has submitted the title to Nintendo's lotcheck, where it'll be tested for bugs and given...
Review Successfully Learning German: Year 4 (DSiWare)
What’s the German for deja-vu?
Successfully Learning German: Year 4 has arrived, looming on the DSiWare landscape with a sense of inevitability. The decision by Tivola to convert a retail release into multiple downloads means that fans of edutainment titles have been spending a lot of money on their DSi. Moving on from Year 3, Freddy the Vampire...
Review Jewel Keepers: Easter Island (DSiWare)
Semi-precious stones
No one knows what it is that makes match-three puzzle games so fun and addictive to play, but it’s unavoidable. Wherever you turn, match-three puzzles exist, and it’s clear that DSiWare is no exception to that rule. With games such as Bejeweled Twist and Ikibago already available, Jewel Keepers: Easter Island is in good...
News Your Free Antipole Soundtrack Awaits
Game out this Thursday
Antipole is ready for release in North America this Thursday, and to get you in the mood Saturnine Games has released the game's soundtrack for free via its website. The nine-track aural accompaniment was composed by Cosmos X2 musician Zack Parrish, with tracks ranging from retro tunes to pieces like You Think You're Tough?...
Review Make Up & Style (DSiWare)
Shaky foundation
Looking good is hard work. For those who want to learn or just enjoy playing around with lipstick and powder comes Make Up & Style, attempting a fun and informative take on facial beautification. But is this title good enough to make you blush, or is it only the eye-shadow of a good game? While Beauty Academy went for a...
Cock-a-doodle-don't
Running a farm is hard work – there are animals to feed, goose eggs to collect and bears to capture and sell to market. Such is the setting of Farm Frenzy, an agricultural time and resource management adventure. But is this a prize pig or should it be put out to pasture? The small, symbiotic playing field divides between...
Nintendo Download 14th July 2011 (Europe)
Will you pick up Picross?
North America is revelling in a delight of digital downloads today, but let's see what European Nintendo fans can spend those funds on this week. 3DS Virtual Console: Mario's Picross (Game Boy, Nintendo, £3.60/€4) — Mario's first foray into the world of picture crosswords, this is developed by Jupiter, the team behind...
Nintendo Download 14th July 2011 (North America)
Pixels and Netflix!
3DS gets its first "proper" downloadable application today in the very red form of Netflix. If you want something just a bit more interactive, there's plenty of new games to download too, as you'll read in the beautifully formatted list below. 3DS eShop: Netflix (free) — The streaming video app comes to 3DS, and is...
Don't catch it
Cast your mind back a few months to the launch of Ubongo on DSiWare. In that instance, Korner Entertainment took a popular board game and turned it into a mediocre puzzle/board game; here, Korner has removed the board game licence, the story and the gem-grabbing puzzle mode to reduce the package right down to its barebones. Is it...
Competition Free Buy-In for Our Ante Up: Texas Hold'em DSiWare Competition (North America)
Five copies up for grabs
Ante Up: Texas Hold'em is one of the better poker games available on DSiWare, and now we have five copies of the game to give away to DSi owners in North America, coinciding with the happening-right-now World Series of Poker. If you want to win the game, be sure to follow MonkeyPaw Games on Twitter and follow Nintendo Life...
News Flip Over Antipole on 21st July
500pts for puzzle platformer
After shooter Cosmos X2, Saturnine Games is ready to release its second DSiWare game. Antipole, next week. The gravity-bending platform puzzle game will reach DSiWare in North America on 21st July and sell for 500 Points. Saturnine also sent over the launch trailer below, so check it out and pop back after the 21st for...
Review Roller Angels (DSiWare)
Angelic
Roller Angels doesn't know what it wants to be; it's torn between Canabalt's forward-moving platforming action, Jet Grind Radio's alt-rock rebelliousness and de Blob's sense of beautification, without really committing fully to any one of them. Maybe that's a good thing. Yes, it lacks the first's pitch-perfect mechanics, the middle one's...
News Warning: Deranged Rodent DSiWare Coming This Summer
Get prepared with these Crazy Hamster screenshots and trailer
Man has always loved his hamsters. But what happens when those hamsters say "No more"? You help them navigate their world without dying, of course. The new DSiWare title Crazy Hamster from Gamelion, creators of Furry Legends, sees you build ladders and bridges, extinguish fires,...
Review The Lost Town - The Dust (DSiWare)
Diamond in the Dust
Quite a few attempts have been made at producing a good DSiWare action RPG by now. Some of these games turned out to be top-notch, and others not so much. Thankfully, The Lost Town - The Dust falls into the category of games that are definitely worth their weight in Nintendo Points. This lengthily titled action RPG combines...
News Amoebattle Featured in Indie Showcase Top Ten
Only Nintendo game nominated
Real-time strategy game Amoebattle is evolving onto DSiWare later this year, and it's already lined up in a high-profile indie games showcase this month. The Develop Expo's Indie Showcase highlights the best independent studios in the world, with Intrinsic Games featuring alongside nine other teams. Amoebattle is also...
Nintendo Download 7th July 2011 (North America)
A strong week?
Another one-two punch of 3DS Virtual Console games this week, as well as a mixed bag of DSiWare and a little musical entertainment on WiiWare. Let's do this. 3DS Virtual Console: Fortified Zone (Jaleco, Game Boy, $2.99) — Guide a male and female soldier through the fortified zone in this top-down shooter. It may not be the most...
Nintendo Download 7th July 2011 (Europe)
A double 3DS delight
Frustrated that Japan is getting all the 3DS Virtual Console games before Europe? The comeback starts here, with two games released on the portable's download retro service this week, as well as a pair of DSiWare games and even a WiiWare adventure too. Read on. 3DS Virtual Console: Fortified Zone (Jaleco, €3/£2.70) — A spot...
Motorcycle platforming?
Motorcycle racing games have long been a staple of video gaming over the years, and while we've seen some extremely unique gameplay ideas injected into them, there's probably never been one quite like Moto eXtreme. Rather than stick to the traditional racing action, developer Chillingo has instead crafted a motorcycle...
Review Successfully Learning German: Year 3 (DSiWare)
Freddy is back, and tougher than ever
It’s another week and another Successfully Learning title from edutainment specialists Tivola. This relentless schedule of language learning titles on DSiWare continues with Successfully Learning German: Year 3. Young German speakers are once again led to the classroom by the smiling and freckled vampire...
Review Hearts Spades Euchre (DSiWare)
A game with a lot of heart
Card enthusiasts searching for quick and casual DSiWare fun are in luck with Hearts Spades Euchre from Cosmigo, the same company that brought us the surprisingly high-quality 505 Tangram. The studio returns here with another above average title with a modest, to-the-point name that risks seeing potential customers...
News Submit Your Amoebattle Questions for Intrinsic Games
Get DSiWare RTS answers
Amoebattle for DSiWare isn't your average DSiWare game: it's not a puzzler or a card game, it's a real-time strategy played on a molecular level. Coming from Intrinsic Games, the team behind the pretty good Divergent Shift, Amoebattle puts you in charge of a squad of single-celled organisms fighting off an infection. We'll be...
Review Boardwalk Ball Toss (DSiWare)
Not quite as big a rip-off as the real thing
For as long as humans have stacked milk bottles in pyramid formations, people have yearned to topple them. Salvation for these individuals came by way of the carnival – but what's a toppling enthusiast to do on the walk home, or on the bus the next day? Enter Boardwalk Ball Toss, the perfect solution...
Nintendo Download 30th June 2011 (North America)
This doesn't suck
Long-awaited Virtual Console games are where it's at today, with Wii and 3DS both receiving quality titles just in time for July. Wii Virtual Console: Final Fantasy III (Super NES, 800pts) — The wait is finally over as another 16-bit Square epic reaches Virtual Console in North America. Check out our Final Fantasy III review to...
Nintendo Download 30th June 2011 (Europe)
A dreamy download
This week it's fairies, vampires and dreams on the European Nintendo Download, including the first outing of a famous and beloved mascot from the Big N. What games are you dreaming of downloading? 3DS Virtual Console: Kirby's Dream Land (Game Boy, UK: £3.60, EU: €4) — Kirby floats onto the 3DS with his first dreamy adventure,...
Review Just Sing! 80s Collection (DSiWare)
Shoulder pads and mullets optional
DSiWare has seen some glorious titles since its launch, but for wannabe pop stars, there's been something missing. Stepping forward is DTP Entertainment, filling the void in the DSiWare catalogue with Just Sing! 80’s Collection. Time to get busy with the hairspray, dig out those old shoulder pads and return to...
News Flipper 2 Trailer Released
Don't forget to flush!
For those of you out there who've been anxiously awaiting news on Goodbye Galaxy Games' Flipper sequel, have we got some great news for you. Developer Hugo Smits has just released the brand new trailer for Flipper 2: Flush the Goldfish and it's chock full of gameplay and wacky humor. Smits also promises more information in the...
Review Pro Jumper! Guilty Gear Tangent!? (DSiWare)
There is no tagline for a title like that
If you’ve never been confused by a video game’s title, now’s your chance! With all of its punctuation and absurdity, Pro Jumper! Guilty Gear Tangent!? is easily one of the most interesting titles on the DSiWare service. As the name suggests, this is a spin-off of the Guilty Gear series of fighting...
Review Stratego: Next Edition (DSiWare)
Stratego on the go
Ah, Stratego. A game with rules so simple you'll understand them fully the first time you play, and yet so open to strategy and cleverness that you'll never play the same game twice. With its fast setup and addictive play style, it's the kind of game you find yourself playing twenty rounds of when you only wanted to play one or...
Review Successfully Learning German: Year 2 (DSiWare)
Mein Name ist Freddy, ich bin ein Vampir
It seems that Tivola is keen to make the humble DSi the definitive language learning tool of the 21st Century. Perhaps that is an exaggeration, but Successfully Learning German: Year 2 has arrived to help young German speakers improve their language skills. Freddy the Vampire returns as the series mascot,...
Review Zimo: Mahjong Fanatic (DSiWare)
Nah-jong
Legend has told of a Mahjong game that would stand out above the rest. This game would be different, original, and would finally bring an end to the dull and lifeless Mahjong games of the past. This game would be unlike the usual Mahjong Solitaire games that have players simply matching pairs of tiles, but would instead be like the...
Turns out hell is actually pretty fun
Long, long ago, in a place no one remembers, a young maiden was praying to the heavens to bring back her lover, who had perished. All at once, she was surrounded by an infinite number of glittering crystal orbs. A voice from above called out to her, "...These crystal orbs hold the secret to your lover's...
Nintendo Download 23rd June 2011 (Europe)
No Sonic in sight
Tomorrow marks the 20th anniversary of Sonic the Hedgehog, but Europe's not getting into the spiky spirit in the eShop at least. Nintendo has just sent over the list of games you can expect to play form this weekend, so let's see what lucky European guys and girls can download. 3DS Virtual Console: Double Dragon (Game Boy, €3)...
Nintendo Download 23rd June 2011 (North America)
Anyone for Tennis?
Over in little old London, the Wimbledon Championships are ongoing, so Nintendo is looking to capitalise on it with its 3DS Virtual Console release this week. Let's see what else is available. 3DS Virtual Console: Tennis (Game Boy, $2.99) — A simplistic but moderately enjoyable portable rendition of the sport, this should tide...
News After 1980s Valet Parking Comes 1950s Lawn Mower Kids
We're not making this up
DSiWare's one and only valet parking game, Valet Parking 1989, certainly doesn't lack style: set in a world of big hair, shoulder pads and neon lights, it's like nothing on DSiWare. Where do you go from there? The world of grass-cutting in the 1950s, of course. 1950s Lawn Mower Kids — which we're not entirely sure isn't a...
Shutterbug fun, or shudder and run?
Two of today's most cherished timewasters are fun with photographs and hidden object puzzles, so it's a wonder that it's taken so long for someone to combine the two. Continuing on their recent trend of porting retail DS titles to downloadable DSiWare, Most Wanted and Subdued Games bring us Hidden Photo – but is...
News Elite Forces: Unit 77 Getting a Re-Release on DSiWare
Our intel from ESRB
According to a classification from the Entertainment Software Rating Board, Gammick Entertainment will be bringing an old retail release to one of Nintendo's download service. Elite Forces: Unit 77 was originally released in 2009 for the DS and it appears the publisher is hoping to bring the game to a wider audience by...
News Pay a Visit to The Lost Town Next Thursday
Upcoming DSiWare title dated
CIRCLE Entertainment has announced the release date of its upcoming action download title for the DSi. The publisher ― whose previous DSiWare releases include Castle Conqueror, Peg Solitaire and The Seller ― has got in touch to let us know The Lost Town - The Dust will be launching in North America on 30th June. Set
News Remember, the Nintendo Download is On Thursdays Now
Nothing out today
Those of you tuning into Nintendo Life expecting to find out what's available to download in North America today may be confused, but not to worry, we haven't given up — as of last week, the Nintendo Download has moved to Thursdays. While it was initially believed that press releases would be available on Monday to prepare for...
Review Beach Party Craze (DSiWare)
Worth the day trip?
Though Diner Dash has yet to make an appearance on DSiWare, other publishers have stepped up to offer fans similar action on the platform. Alawar Entertainment is now bringing Beach Party Craze to the service, but is this PC port worth a download? The storyline in Beach Party Craze is simple, as you fill in for a friend as an...
Nintendo Download 16th June 2011 (Europe)
What's new today?
The European Nintendo Download is now live too, so let's see what's ready and waiting for you right now. 3DS Virtual Console: Donkey Kong (Game Boy, UK: £3.60, EU: €4) — The classic story of a gorilla and a plumber retold once again in this Virtual Console revisitation of the game also known as Donkey Kong '94. Expect our...
Nintendo Download 16th June 2011 (North America)
Roll up, roll up!
Now the 3DS eShop is available, all Nintendo's downloadable store fronts will be updated on Thursdays. That means WiiWare, DSiWare and 3DS software will all go live on Thursday, with press releases on the same day. We now have a full list of what's available today. Wii Virtual Console: Mega Man 5 (Capcom, NES, 500pts) — The Blue...
News Four Swords Freebie is the Game Boy Advance Version
That settles it
You may remember Nintendo announcing that The Legend of Zelda multiplayer game Four Swords will be available for free for DSiWare. Further clarification from the company has cleared up which version it will be. Nintendo has now verified that the freebie will be the version that came with The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past for...
Review Crazy Cheebo: Puzzle Party (DSiWare)
Just crazy enough to work
If there’s one thing that can certainly be said about DSiWare games, it’s this: no matter how ridiculous the name of your game is, it can be made. Proving this point with much gusto is Crazy Cheebo: Puzzle Party, the latest addition to the countless puzzle games already available on the service. But, beyond the title,...
A dream come true
We all know that there are plenty of puzzle games available on the DSiWare service, but every now and again one pops up that has just the right amount of charm to merit attention. Dreamwalker, the intriguing new puzzle game from Code Mystics, fits that description perfectly. From a silly concept to engaging and endearing visual and...
News Focus on this New AfterZoom DSiWare Trailer
Augmented reality comes to DS
Abylight's next offering for DSiWare isn't another entry in its Music On series, but a neat augmented reality offering called AfterZoom. The studio just sent over a new trailer of the title which you'll find below. The concept is that players will use the DSi camera to hunt out microscopic organisms in everyday objects:...
News Extreme Hangman 2 Trailer Fills in the Gaps
From G__e_io_
Extreme Hangman was a sleeper hit for DSiWare, so when Gamelion announced Extreme Hangman 2 none were surprised. If you were keen to see more of what was on offer, here's the first trailer below. The sequel will contain over 3000 words in 14 brand new categories, alongside new animations of extreme hangman behaviour. The trailer...
First Impressions Spirit Hunters Inc. Light/Shadow (DSiWare)
The thrill of the hunt
After the success of their pOp release on both the WiiWare and DSiWare services, Nnooo took a little time to create some unique applications for DSiWare before getting the urge to create another game. Spirit Hunters Inc. Light/Shadow represents not only a return to gaming for the studio, but also their first dip into the...
Everything you need to know about the 3DS eShop, internet browser and DSi transfer functionality
For those who bought their 3DS on launch day there was some disappointment. The eShop, internet browser and the ability to transfer DSiWare games and data were unavailable, promised in a ‘late May’ update. The update slid to early June, but it's...
Puzzles rock
Cinemax has seen both highs and lows on DSiWare — its Rytmik games have proven to be excellent composition tools, but games like Snakenoid, a bizarre mix of Snake and Arkanoid have missed the mark. Puzzle Rocks is a puzzle game, but we're not quite sure it's really similar to anything else, except maybe Connect Four. It's one of very...
Review B Team - Episode 1: Dust & Steel (DSiWare)
Run and gun and not so fun
Run-’n-gun shooters usually wind up one of three ways: either they’re totally crazy awesome with intense action, really really boring, or rock-solid efforts that do no real wrong but regardless fail to spark much of anything in players. B Team - Episode 1: Dust & Steel is the heart-breaking latter kind of game. It...
News Zelda: Four Swords to Be a Free DSiWare Game in September
Rejoice!
Nintendo just announced as part of its Zelda: 25th Anniversary package the release of Legend of Zelda: Four Swords for DSiWare in September this year. The four-player game will be a free download to all DSiWare users, presumably meaning it'll be available for nothing in the 3DS eShop too. Are you excited about playing more Zelda: Four...
Review House, M.D. - Episode 1: Globetrotting (DSiWare)
The doctor is out
Everyone’s favourite sharp-tongued, cane-wielding, drug-addicted TV doctor has finally arrived on DSiWare in House, M.D. – Globetrotting Episode 1. In this game it is your job to join the medical team at Princeton-Plainsboro Hospital and uncover the truth behind a mysterious ailment afflicting an elderly television host...
Nintendo Download 6th June 2011 (North America)
Picture dungeons and puzzles abound
The pre-E3 Nintendo Download is here, and there's not much to crow about for Nintendo's existing downloadable offerings; a handful of titles on DSiWare and a single WiiWare game are here to tide you over until the 3DS eShop update hits in the next 24 hours. WiiWare: Ubongo (Korner Entertainment, 800pts) — A...
News Nintendo Updates DSiWare to 3DS Transfer List with More Titles
Better than first thought
IGN recently published a list of 19 DSiWare games that cannot be moved to 3DS, but now Nintendo has released an official list of non-transferrable games that runs to just 11 titles. The list of games stuck forever on your DSi are: Asphalt 4: Elite Racing Earthworm Jim
Nintendo Download 3rd June 2011 (Europe)
Yard sales, restaurants and rocks
Not many surprises today, with just one new WiiWare game two DSiWare titles. There's no Virtual Console game, perhaps because we got one two weeks in a row a while back? Here's what you can grab this week. WiiWare: Yard Sale Hidden Treasures: Sunnyville (Konami, 500pts) — Another hidden object puzzle game, it's...
News These DSiWare Games Cannot Be Moved to 3DS
Leaving old friends behind
Update: Nintendo has released an official list of the 11 DSiWare games that cannot be moved to 3DS, superseding this list. Original post: Nintendo always maintained that "most" DSiWare games would be transferable to the 3DS, but naturally not all have made the grade. According to IGN, these are the 19 games...
Review Successfully Learning English: Year 5 (DSiWare)
Saved by the bell…
Tivola’s campaign to help young DSi owners master the English language has reached its finale, with Successfully Learning English: Year 5 bringing the series to a close. It’s time to pack up your pencil cases, give the teacher a farewell gift – if you’re a gold-star student – and take your new English language skills...
News Intrinsic Unveils Real Time Strategy Amoebattle for DSiWare
Gene-ius?
You can count the number of interesting looking games coming to DSiWare on your fingers, but it might be time to break out a toe as Intrinsic Games announces Amoebattle coming to the download service later this year. The team behind Divergent Shift is bringing a new real-time strategy title to DSi, putting you in charge of an army of...
News Mario and Link Make eShop Cards Look Good
Is this to trick us into buying more?
With the worldwide 3DS system update just around the corner, Nintendo still hasn't officially announced what the new prepaid cards will look like, and as Japanese gamers start snapping theirs up, we can't help but think: "The eShop Cards in Japan look cool!" In revamping its virtual currency system,...
Nintendo Download 30th May 2011 (North America)
Leagues, islands, houses, valets and B-teams
All being well, next week we'll be able to access the 3DS eShop, hopefully creating an upsurge in the number of interesting handheld titles to download. Here's what's on the way this week for all you North American Nintendo Points-lovers. WiiWare: FAST — Racing League (Shin'en Multimedia, 1000pts) —...
Review Puzzle Quest: Challenge of the Warlords (DSiWare)
All of the pieces fit
In many cases, the idea of combining two unlike video game genres into one game can be very off-putting. The result usually consists of clunky controls, confusing gameplay, overbearing tedium, or any combination of these factors. Sometimes, however, a game comes along that finds a way to balance out the genre differences and...
Feature The Past, Present and Future of the GO Series
Exclusive: two new games announced
It seems like DSiWare's GO Series has been around for forever, but the first title — GO Series: 10 Second Run — only launched in September 2010, followed by a series of quick-fire games in every genre from pinball to platforming. At the time of writing, the series stands at 10 titles but it's not over yet, with...
Blast or dud?
The shoot 'em up genre hasn't exactly seen a lot of love on the DSiWare service to date, but EnjoyUp! Games is looking to change that with the release of 99Bullets. While the basic core of the game does revolve around an old-school shooter premise, there's a unique twist that injects a very puzzle-like atmosphere into the mix. The...
Review GO Series: Picdun (DSiWare)
First person picture puzzler
In the 8- and 16-bit eras, there were quite a few games that featured first-person dungeon crawling. Looking through your character's eyes, you had to navigate a maze by moving forward one square at a time, possibly also having to collect treasures and fight monsters along the way. Games like The Legend of the Mystical...
Nintendo Download 27th May 2011 (Europe)
Let's go FAST
The wait for F-Zero to hit Wii may be never-ending, but the next best thing is about to arrive in the shiny ship shape of Shin'en's latest WiiWare outing. Elsewhere there's intergalactic planetary action and more English words with an education-loving vampire. Only on the Nintendo Download. WiiWare: FAST - Racing League (Shin'en...
News House, M.D. - Globetrotting has an Appointment with DSiWare
First of five sessions booked for Monday
Legacy Interactive is teaming up with Glyphic Entertainment to bring us a medical DSiWare series and just like the award-winning drama that it's based on, it will all be split into episodes. Based on the NBC series House, M.D., House, M.D. - Globetrotting puts players in the role of Dr. House as he leads his...
Review Big Bass Arcade (DSiWare)
Nice catch
Big Bass Arcade seems to be as good an adaptation as DSiWare can reasonably offer the sport. We say that not in a back-handed way, but knowing that whatever potentially horrible type of fishing game could have been released on DSiWare, Big Bass Arcade manages to break on through and be kind of fun anyway. True to its name, Big Bass is as...
Nintendo Download 23rd May 2011 (North America)
Puzzles, bullets, objects and liquids
DSiWare has a lot of puzzle games, but today sees the launch of one of the Kings of the genre: Puzzle Quest comes to DSiWare, alongside a retro shooter and an object-twisting game. DSiWare: Puzzle Quest: Challenge of the Warlords (1st Playable Productions, 800pts) — Interestingly, this game is already...
Does it add up?
Although the majority of titles on the DSiWare shop are games, since launch there have been some items that would more accurately be described as ‘apps’. Common on smartphones, they have become increasingly less frequent on DSiWare. Cinemax are bucking the trend with Calculator; does it get the sums right? The list of features...
News Puzzle Rocks' European Launch Details Have Fallen Into Place
Cinemax back with another DSiWare release
Cinemax has been in touch to let us know when its upcoming puzzle game will be released and how much we'll be coughing up when it hits the DSi Shop next month. The studio behind the Rytmik series ― the latest of which being Hip Hop King: Rytmik Edition, puzzle games such as Snakenoid, Sokomania and the...
News DSiWare Owners, Prepare to Cut the Rope
Gaming in a snip
Chillingo's portable sales hit Cut the Rope is on its way to DSiWare, according to DS-X2. Last year we reported that Chillingo and Rovio were in the process of bringing Angry Birds to DS and WiiWare too, hopefully joining their rope-snipping brethren on the download services later this year. We'll br
Nintendo Download 20th May 2011 (Europe)
Chrono Trigger finally reaches Europe!
There's only one headline game this week: the long-awaited European arrival of another legendary Super NES RPG from Square. Virtual Console: Chrono Trigger (Square, Super NES, 900pts) — Today is an auspicious event: the first time Square's time-travelling epic has landed on the Super NES in Europe. Our Chrono...
Review Word Searcher 3 (DSiWare)
The same old search
It has become apparent that each of Digital Leisure's Word Searcher titles is intended to vary the content rather than improve the design toward a more interesting take on the activity. If you’ve played any of the previous entries, then you know exactly what’s in store with their newest addition to the DSiWare service, Word...
News Double Bloob Now Bouncing on DSiWare Instead
Nibris project lives on via Bloober Team
When Polish developer Nibris closed its doors and transformed itself into a coordinator of the European Games Centre, that was probably the final nail of many that were driven into the coffin belonging to the all-talk-no-walk Wii game Sadness. Ratings from the Entertainment Software Rating Board and Pan...
Review Successfully Learning English: Year 4 (DSiWare)
Can you spell re-pet-i-tive?
Tivola’s series of edutainment titles keeps rolling on, Successfully Learning English: Year 4 representing the third entry in this particular DSiWare series. In our review of Successfully Learning English: Year 3, we observed that the classroom was unchanged from Year 2; does graduation to Year 4 bring exciting change...
Nintendo Download 16th May 2011 (North America)
The long-awaited Chrono Trigger is finally here!
The wait may have seemed like an eternity for RPG fans, but Square's Chrono Trigger, considered by many gamers to be one of the finest role-playing offerings in video game history, has finally arrived on Nintendo's Virtual Console service. The world can now start spinning again. WiiWare: Gabrielle's...
News Dreamwalker Website and Trailer Wakes Up, Stretches Out
Rub your eyes, DSiWare users
You probably don't know the name Code Mystics, although you may have played some of their previous efforts, porting Dragon's Lair and Atari Greatest Hits to the DS. You might even have played Ed Fries' legendary Halo on an Atari 2600 via Code Mystics' web-based emulation technology. The studio's ready to create something...
News Nintendo Originally Intended Steel Diver to Surface on DSiWare
Jumped to retail to increase depth
Recent 3DS release Steel Diver has had a long, long road to release: starting out as a DS demo back in 2004, the title eventually wound up on 3DS, but it could have been released much earlier if its original course had been followed. A recent Iwata Asks article focuses on the 3DS sub title, with producer Tadashi...
Review Whack-A-Friend (DSiWare)
Totally wack
Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, children of all ages, step right up and see Whack-A-Friend, Agetec’s latest incarnation of the ever popular arcade game Whac-A-Mole! Or don’t. Either way, you won’t be missing out on much. The game starts with you choosing to either play using the picture provided, or you can use your own...
Review Mighty Milky Way (DSiWare)
Très amusant
WayForward's first DSiWare release Mighty Flip Champs was arguably the first must-have title for the service, and given the game's popularity it's understandable that fans have been clamouring for a sequel ever since. But rather than create a direct sequel, the developer has instead chosen to throw gamers into a completely new gameplay...
News Egypt: Engineering an Empire Taking Over WiiWare and DSiWare
Two more strategy games headed to Nintendo's digital stores
Originally announced for the DS, Egypt: Engineering an Empire will now be launching on two different platforms. Based on a documentary from The History Channel of the same name, Egypt: Engineering an Empire is a turn-based strategy game from Bloober Team and is already available on iOS...
News Mighty Milky Way - Gameplay Trailer
Planet jumping madness now playing
Although Mighty Milky Way was released on the DSiWare service yesterday, there still wasn't a gameplay trailer of the game anywhere to be found. Now thanks to the kind folks at WayForward, gamers can finally see the game in action in the exclusive Nintendo Life Mighty Milky Way gameplay trailer below. We'll also...
News Gamelion Filling More DSiWare Dashes with Extreme Hangman 2
More words to guess
Extreme Hangman was — and still is — one of the best-selling games on DSiWare, so it's no surprise that developer Gamelion wants to bring more of the same to handheld downloaders. Extreme Hangman 2 will feature 14 new categories containing over 3,000 words, as well as more of the humorous animations that made the original...
Nintendo Download 9th May 2011 (North America)
Mighty Milky Way and MDK 2 mark a good week
Certainly one of the stronger Nintendo Downloads in recent memory, today sees a new DSiWare game from Shantae: Risky's Revenge creators WayForward on the same day a well-respected classic hits WiiWare. WiiWare: MDK 2 (Interplay, 1000pts) — Here are some words you don't often see in the Nintendo Download:...
Ahoy, mateys!
So, you’re already thinking “really? Another puzzle game? Really?” But wait! Ikibago, the latest DSiWare title from Neko Entertainment, has got pirates in it! It may be lacking in the ninja, robot, zombie and unicorn territories, but there are plenty of pirates in this fun and addictive puzzler to go around. In the...
Review Anonymous Notes Chapter 2 - From The Abyss (DSiWare)
Second verse, same as the first
Anonymous Notes Chapter 1 - From the Abyss turned out to be a mechanically sound albeit slightly aimless dungeon crawler with a couple of interesting ideas up its sleeve. Save for a different main character, this is the exact same game as before. Not that we were expecting anything else — both games selectively pull...
News Mighty Milky Way Hits DSiWare on Monday
Planet-hopping fun is almost here
WayForward has just announced that their newest release Mighty Milky Way will be coming to the North American DSiWare service on Monday, May 9th. The game will cost you 800 Nintendo Points, but considering the developer's track record on the service, it would seem a small price to pay. We'll have a full review of...
Review Ice Hockey Slovakia 2011 (DSiWare)
Wayne not-so-greatzky
Many people are familiar with table football – sometimes referred to as "foosball" — that consists of a table containing little miniature football/soccer players on rods with handles sticking through the case that you can pull, push and twist. A ball is dropped in the centre of the table, which the opponents must...
Review Successfully Learning English: Year 3 (DSiWare)
Are these A, B, Cs as easy as 1, 2, 3?
It seems that Tivola’s campaign to bring educational entertainment, or edutainment, to Nintendo consoles is yet to run out of steam. Successfully Learning English: Year 3 is the second entry in this DSiWare series, and the sixth ‘Successfully Learning’ title overall. The first Successfully Learning...
Nintendo Download 6th May 2011 (Europe)
Plants, pirates and pianos
Puzzle fans are typically well catered-for in this week's update, so let's get down and see what's available tomorrow. DSiWare: Plants vs. Zombies (PopCap Games, 800pts) — Essentially a cut-down version of the recent retail release, this is still brimming with horticultural strategy and is well worth your 800 Points...
Review Zoonies - Escape from Makatu (DSiWare)
A great escape?
New developers have gravitated towards DSiWare since it launched, resulting in a broad variety of titles on the service. Kiloo Games is another developer making its DSiWare debut, having previously focussed on developing for smartphones, entering the fray with puzzle platformer Zoonies – Escape from Makatu. In Zoonies you play as...
Nothing funny rhymes with "Ubongo"
Ubongo is a board game that's won its fair share of awards in continental Europe, and came to WiiWare via a not-so-great adaptation. Shrinking the game to the DSiWare platform doesn't do it any favours either, sadly, and comes with a host of new problems. As opposed to the four-player original board game and...
Competition DSiWare Reels In Big Bass Arcade Later This Month
The DSi Shop must sell good bait, and our Facebook page is featuring a not-so-fishy competition...
You saw what you can catch in the Big Bass Arcade trailer, now you can find out when you can cast your line out. Big Bass Arcade from Big John Games is the latest in the growing line of fishing games from the Minnesota-based development studio. The...
Nintendo Download 2nd May 2011 (North America)
Rival Turf! Hair cuts! BINGO!
The Nintendo Download continues its merry path this week with releases on all formats, though only one genuinely new game in the form of DSiWare's pirate puzzler Ikibago. Read on and see what's in store this week. Virtual Console: Rival Turf! (Jaleco, Super NES, 800pts) — A relic from the days when scrolling beat 'em...
Review GO Series: Tower of Deus (DSiWare)
Prince of Persia Lite
With the absence of any Prince of Persia titles on Virtual Console, there's not really anything available for download in the way of acrobatic platformers in which the objective is to nimbly climb up ledges and perform almost pixel-perfect leaps. DSiWare's GO Series Tower of Deus somewhat fills this empty space, but mostly...
News Antipole Contains a Surprise for Cosmos X2 Owners
Submitted to lotcheck now
Topsy-turvy DSiWare outing Antipole is on its way to the download service in the coming months, as developer Saturnine Games has announced the game's submission to Nintendo's lotcheck. Any players who've picked up Saturnine's DSiWare shooter Cosmos X2 can expect a special surprise too, with a bonus mode included that's only...
Nintendo Download 29th April 2011 (Europe)
WiiWare MIA
After several months of finding out the download days in advance, it's back to a wait and see approach this week, so let's see what's available for you to buy right now. Virtual Console: The Ignition Factor (Jaleco, Super NES, 900pts) — A top-down firefighting game, this is one of a kind on Virtual Console, so look out for our full...
Review Airport Mania: First Flight (DSiWare)
Smooth skies
Good news, everyone! The wait for the DSiWare port of Airport Mania: First Flight is finally over. Combining aspects of both the WiiWare version and the watered-down Airport Mania: Non-Stop Flights — already available on their respective services — this is definitely a game worthy of closer inspection. As stated above, this game...
News Mighty Milky Way Takes to the Stars on 9th May
800 Points at the ready
WayForward's next DSiWare title is Mighty Milky Way, and it's coming to North America on 9th May for 800 Nintendo Points. The new game from the creators of the acclaimed Shantae: Risky's Revenge is a sequel of sorts to Mighty Flip Champs, as the game's director Sean Velasco explained in our Mighty Milky Way interview:
News Infinite Dreams Sculpts Itself an ESRB Rating for Pottery Game
Let's Create! Pottery spinning its way to DSiWare
We all know there's hardly any simulation games about pottery, so it's about time someone did something about it, right? Right? Well, Infinite Dreams actually did do something to address that lacking genre last year when it released Let's Create! Pottery on the Apple App Store, and a recent...
