
It's another download update, North America, and this week is jam packed full of retro offerings, including some that have been spruced up in fancy 3D ways. The 3D Sega series continues, a Konami classic lands on Wii U and it all goes a bit ape with retro Donkey Kong everywhere, plus there are a couple of alternatives if none of that excites you. Let's get on with it, shall we?
Wii U Virtual Console
The Legend of the Mystical Ninja (Konami, $7.99) — When you mention Goemon to fans of retro games, especially Konami enthusiasts, you're likely to prompt a wave of nostalgia. This Super NES title is certainly well loved, an action game full of creativity that can also be enjoyed in co-op. It may not be that well known, but we'll work on a fresh review to spread the word; in the meantime you can check out our Wii Virtual Console The Legend of Mystical Ninja review.
Wii U eShop Temporary Discounts
Donkey Kong (Nintendo, $3.49 until 12th December, normally $4.99)
Donkey Kong Jr. (Nintendo, $3.49 until 12th December, normally $4.99)
Donkey Kong 3 (Nintendo, $3.49 until 12th December, normally $4.99)
3DS eShop
3D Sonic the Hedgehog (Sega, $5.99) — This is the 16-bit début that truly launched the mascot to fame, and it now arrives in the second batch of Sega's 3D classics. We'll give this one a spin — and push nostalgia aside — for a review.
3D Altered Beast (Sega, $5.99) — This is a sidescrolling brawler that once caused one of the most lively Nintendo Life round table debates in recent times, with some dismissing its charms and other defending in to the hilt. We'll "Wise From Our Gwaves", or whatever, for a review this week.
Brilliant Hamsters! (Bergsala Lightweight LLC, $9.99) — The list of pet / animal sims on the 3DS eShop grows once again, with this latest entry being focused on caring for hamsters (in case that wasn't obvious from the title). You can feed the little critters, change their outfits (!) and cages, and even have them appear on your 3DS AR card. We'll buy some treats for the little delights and work on a review.
3DS Virtual Console
Donkey Kong 3 (Nintendo, $4.99) — The third entry in the original DK series now arrives on the 3DS Virtual Console, not long after it ambled onto the Wii U equivalent. It's quite a departure from its predecessors as you attempt to shoot the big ape with bug spray, which certainly is a change. If you want to know more then by all means check out our Wii U Virtual Console Donkey Kong 3 review.
3DS Retail Download
Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2 (GameMill Entertainment, $29.99)
3DS eShop Temporary Discounts
Donkey Kong (Nintendo, $3.49 until 12th December, normally $4.99)
Donkey Kong Jr. (Nintendo, $3.49 until 12th December, normally $4.99)
Game and Watch: Donkey Kong Jr. (Nintendo, $1.39 until 12th December, normally $1.99)
DSiWare
Hooked on Bass Fishing (Gamebridge, 500 Nintendo Points) — It seems that DSiWare continues on and on, this time with a fishing sim to reel us in. It sounds like this'll use many of the tried and trusted touch screen controls, and we'll dig out our waders for a review.
That's your lot, North America. Let us know what you plan to download in the poll and comments below.
What will you be downloading first this week? (275 votes)
- The Legend of the Mystical Ninja (Wii U Virtual Console)
- Donkey Kong (Wii U Virtual Console temporary discount)0%
- Donkey Kong Jr. (Wii U Virtual Console temporary discount)0.4%
- Donkey Kong 3 (Wii U Virtual Console temporary discount)0.7%
- 3D Sonic the Hedgehog (3DS eShop)
- 3D Altered Beast (3DS eShop)
- Brilliant Hamsters! (3DS eShop)
- Donkey Kong 3 (3DS Virtual Console)
- Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2 (3DS retail download)0%
- Donkey Kong NES (3DS Virtual Console temporary discount)0%
- Donkey Kong Jr. (3DS Virtual Console temporary discount)0.4%
- Game & Watch: Donkey Kong Jr. (3DS Virtual Console temporary discount)0.7%
- Hooked on Bass Fishing (DSiWare)0.7%
- Nothing for me this week
Please login to vote in this poll.
Comments 94
Sonic and maybe Altered Beast for me! ^_^
3D sonic i will try to get it
Keep 'em coming Konami, Legend of the Mystical Ninja for me!
Sadly, nothing for me this week!
Ooh yeah, Mystical Ninja!
I've been crossing my fingers for The legend of the Mystical Ninja since day one! This game is simply amazing, tons of variety and the prefect amount of difficulty! Cannot recommend this one enough!
Those SEGA 3D Classics sound tempting, but I'd need some eShop monies first. I'm sure Christmas might help in that department.
I was hoping for a VC push before Christmas......hopefully the next few weeks bring some wanted treasures. Although I'm sure Legend of Mystical Ninja is a forgotten gem.....I have never played it.
@SirQuincealot According to Nintendo's site, they are $5.99
http://www.nintendo.com/games/detail/vZKEr0P1-o6VfSUoPNb2P6p7KJxichpO
http://www.nintendo.com/games/detail/inoYV2ZMri0phR_1NRHu_Ld7xoRY-ImR
Not a bad update... but I expect better.
@SirQuincealot They're $5.99, sorry. Now fixed.
Sonic and maybe Goemon. I am gonna read the review, since that coop part really piqued my interest.
You guys really need too edit the Prices on the 3D Games.
Man, usually I see a game that I want to pick up down the road. I'm glad we are getting more releases per week, but this is a really sad week.
After Sonic Lost World's reviews, he needs to tag out to Mega Man. We do not need to see a Sonic game for a LONG time, but a new Mega Man is appreciated. (I know full well different companies, not going to happen, it's called wishful thinking.)
No Mario 3? No Wii U demos?
Okay then.
And before anyone says it, I would totally get 3D Sonic if I had a 3DS or even a 2DS. The fact they incorporated the spin-dash into the original game makes it worth it to me. And mayyybe I'll go with Mystical Ninja if it gets a good review, that's one of the many SNES games I missed out on growing up. But for now, nothing really interests me this week.
If Game and Watch is a DSiWare title, shouldn't you put it under "DSiWare temporary discounts?"
I don´t know what nintendo is thinking, they need to push the VC to the limit, GBA is not too much to ask, is it? release the pokemon games, minish cap, fire emblem, on wii u and possibly 3ds, it´s easy money, really, it does´n take a big investment and they will print money and move units
well maybe next week. i figured the WiiU eshop would start picking up but yet again zilch
Mystical Ninja is great game,
@XCWarrior A new Mega Man? Hahahaha, that's funny. You're funny.
As if Capcom has the money, let alone the intention, needed to produce a new Mega Man game. At best it would be another downloadable game.
Nothing for me. Oh well maybe I'll get some new games for Christmas. Or a Nintendo eShop card.
I want to know what makes these hamsters so brilliant
crappy week for Wii U .... just 3D Sonic for me.
I still want to see a few Virtual Boy games for 3DS VC. Seems like a match made in heaven to me. VB had a couple of good games that barely anyone got to experience because of the hardware. let people experience these games as they were originally intended without the bulky hardware! At the very least the VB Tennis game would have been a more interesting alternative to the GB tennis that they released.
Nada..it's a good thing I got the new pikmin dl content..
A DsiWare (G&W DKJr) discount? That would be a first, I hope more companies are able to discount those games every once in a while.
@ueI No. This offer is exclusive to Nintendo eShop. It is not valid on DSi Shop (in the most logical sense anyway because the latter uses a points system).
I might get 3D Sonic The Hedgehog.
Had a Japanese import of Mystical Ninja and could barely navigate my character out of the first couple of screens from what I remember
Darn it, when they are they going to discount Chain Blaster or Harmo Knight?!
@SirQuincealot @bezerker99 ALL SEGA 3D Classics are $5.99 (and other prices set by country). SEGA announced this on their blog.
http://blogs.sega.com/2013/10/30/announcing-prices-and-release-dates-for-sega-3d-classics-on-nintendo-3ds/
@daveh30 I doubt it, unless Japan gets VB classics, then there is hope...
I'd think that Donkey Kong '94 would've been one of the discounted games. It's one of the Game Boy's finest games on VC.
Three games for me today on 3DS (3D Altered Beast, 3D Sonic the Hedgehog, Hooked on Bass Fishing [Japanese developer support])
I'm behind on Wii U, especially on the VC. I have the entire VC catalog on the 3DS, except for last week and today.
I'll be upgrading Wii VC for Mystical Ninja.
Nothing that interests me, but that's probably a good thing with so many Christmas bills on the way.
Where is Mega Man X2?? Why are they so slow at rolling out Wii VC titles to the Wii U??
I'm getting all the donkey kongs. I never had a chance to own a nes or snes when I was a kid, so these are new to me. I'll consider the konami stuff. But my Wii U VC backlog is huge.
@NbaJunkie - Bought Pikmin 3 DL on Monday as a Hanukah gift for my kid. Did NL ever even mention it being available in the US? It was in Mondays EU update but I don't think the US ever got notification.
I guess we can expect a few bad Wii U eShop weeks as a few games have gotten pushed back to 2014.
Got a Redbox text for a free 1 day game rental today so at least tomorrow and Sat. will be taken care of.
@StraTTtheRipper Chain Blaster is discounted right now (in NA at least).
http://www.gonintendo.com/?mode=viewstory&id=217993
not a great week for the Wii U (as usual) but at least the Legend of the mystical Ninja is a pretty good game.
A Donkey Kong character sale where DK3 on the 3DS doesn't qualify. Well, at least Nintendo is kind of trying =)
Holding out for Super Mario Bros 3 or something else more interesting. At least there is next Monday's Club Nintendo offerings to wait for.
3D Sonic the Hedgehog for me! If it is anything close to the quality of the Sega 3D Classics of last week, it will be an outstanding revision!
The wait for SMB3 and Mega Man II-V continues...
@ThomasBW84 Just the NES Donkey Kong for the discount on 3DS.
The SNES Mystical Ninja is a great game but I have been waiting since the Virtual Console on the original Wii for Mystical Ninja Starring Goemon (N64). That game is so underrated and I would love to see it (and Goemon's Great Adventure) on the Wii U Virtual Console. I know it's a longshot but they really should bring those games over.
@kitroplious Excellent, thanks for that, Nintendo's just updated its offers site, too. Extraordinary that it wasn't made clear two hours ago, like the previous three weeks were!
Nothing for me this week.
Mystical Ninja Starring Goemon N64 where is it?
I don't see 3D Sonic... :/
...sighs
When I read "DK galore", I thought, for a split second, that maybe that could mean Donkey Kong Country games instead. Yeah, I'm a dreamer.
The Genesis Altered Beast rom instead of the superior arcade one?!
Facepalm, Sega.
But last week's ARCADE ports were awesome =)
I found the 3D Sonic Game, just do a search for Sonic & it should be the first one that comes up in the search.
Honestly Nintendo, where is A Link to the Past for Wii U? I really want to play it. Ugh, might as well just get it for Wii from Club Nintendo and not play it until it's released on Wii U, pay the 2$ or 3$ or whatever it is to upgrade... I've never played it yet and I've really been meaning to since getting A Link Between Worlds.
I guess I'll probably get Sonic, because I do enjoy 3D Classics a lot. But other than that, pretty barren week.
Maybe maybe Altered Beasts if it rates well. The master system version left a bad taste in my mouth!
I really don't understand how one region has VC discounts but another doesn't.
Doesn't look like a particularly great week.
@rjejr I don't think they ever did. But I was checking miiverse periodically..hope your kids enjoy it.They are very challenging. I can't get past a silver ranking on any mission!
Oh, so it is the NES game on sale...okay, Donkey Kong 94 it is.
3D Sonic the Hedgehog, a no-brainer
Grabbed Sonic, Altered Beast, DK3 and the gameboy version of Donkey Kong since it was on sale and I didn't have it yet. 2 more weeks and 4 more awesome Sega games to go even if next week is probably the weakest of the month with Ecco the Dolphin and Galaxy Force II and then we Shinobi III and Streets of RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGE!
Nothing for me unless I get something for free.
Ok...Nintendo...what is up with no SNES games on the 3DS? Sega is giving us Genesis games like Sonic--where are the Nintendo SNES games? I was hoping Goemon was coming to the 3DS. I can't even think of any SNES games that have been ported to the 3DS...
@TreesenHauser Mystical Ninja is an amazing game, a really underrated and hidden Gem!
Aw yeah, 3D Sonic!
Altered Beast.
Just Sonic for me!
I hope other companies (including Nintendo) learn a few things from Sega when it comes to re-releasing old games. Sonic looks great, the 3D effect enhances the game, and the new features are great.
I'd still like to see re-releases treated more like a special edition DVDs. Give us things like:
I've never played The Legend of the Mystical Ninja, but that Wii VC review definitely has my interest piqued! Might just have to check it out...
As for Altered Beast, a friend and I actually played that for the first time a few months ago. We didn't really make it very far, but the whole time we were thinking, "What the heck were these guys smoking when they made this game??"
I'm going to get 3D Sonic once I can link my accounts.
And I see there's still no Super Mario Bros. 3. There's only three Thursdays left in the year, Nintendo. What exactly are you waiting for?
Got Mystical Ninja the second it dropped. How can you not?
Also picked up Donkey Kong Jr. on discount because why not.
I'll still look at the Wii U eShop because I personally like new designs Nintendo makes. But I have one major complaint and I think most people will agree with me : Where's Super Mario Bros. 3, A Link to the Past, and Super Mario Kart? LBW launched almost 2 weeks ago and ALttP still isn't on the WU eShop. SMK has been in Japan for MONTHS. I really want January to finish off NES and SNES 1st party titles. February has got to start N64 and other consoles. Only 3 Thursday's left Nintendo in 2013. Make it happen. Oh, and don't forget the DKC trilogy in 2014.
Altered Beast and Sonic.
So many VC games with 0% votes lol... oh well, serves em right for this insulting list of VC releases and promotions. I'll buy Sonic 3D- that's a given, but as for the rest...
too bad Donkey Kong 3 for 3DSvc is not on sale. I was going to buy that.
MYSTICAL NINJA!!!!! NICE!!!!
n64 mystical ninja please
@NbaJunkie - Yeah they got mostly bronze adn silver on these after mostly golds adn plats on th previous ones, but they only play 2 player. They've played so much co-op - hardly any main game or Bingo - that I actually think when their adults there going to remember playing Pikmin 3 together. I have 2 younger sisters, no brothers, all my Atari memories are solo.
What the heck? Onsale DSIWear?
Can the DSi Access this too? I might put some points on my DSi if I can get the offer there too.
Man I'd love the N64 Goemon game on VC. Please make it happen Konami!
@Barbiegurl777 Yeah, people just don't realise that there is a market for those kinds of games so they become the butt of some sort of joke... Have fun with them hamsters mate and let the haters hate
Take em down, big time!

Goemon is awesome!
Also, in the digital age it's insulting that the special themed VC discounts are only offered to America.
On another note, in Australia today we got no WiiU digital releases. None.
Guys, Good news! Just in case you are waiting for the next kart game in Wii U, Steam is having an amazing sales on Sonic Racing Transformed with only $4.99! Before you buy it, you can even try the entire game for free until Sunday noon. I have my Wii U version, loved it, but I heard that the online gameplay for the PC version is much better! I am gonna get it!
Wow, DK3 was a nice surprise for the 3DS this week:) Grabbing Sonic 3D, Altered Beast 3D, and DK3. Good week for the 3DS!
@sleepinglion: I was hoping it would be the genesis version. I normally prefer arcade to console ports, but the genesis port blows the arcade right outta the water IMO.
@Barbiegurl777: I gotta ask, why is it that you only buy the really bad games? No offense, but I'm convinced you're some dude who's on here to mess with people or something...
I'm going to grab Sonic and Space Harrier after the Christmas Holiday is over. Very exciting times. I'm wondering when Mario Golf is coming. there has been no word on that and Amazon is still showing december 31st which at this point there is no way thats correct. If Mario Golf is done right it should be the best online game for the 3DS. Camelot did a great job on We Love Golf on the Wii. Very underrated Golf game with Online play for Wii.
@GreatPlayer ***shudders at the thought of playing on PC***
@Gold Those games you mentioned will come out but very slowly. Nintendo for some reason loves to hold back or hold out on games as long as they can. They could be and should be loading up the VC games each week but they don't. It's crazy. all they will do is make money
@Windy I just played Sonic Transformed, for free, online. When playing Wii U version usually the lobby is not full. To my surprise, the PC version is usually full, not to mention much smoother gameplay and more detailed HD graphics (due to computer power).
@GreatPlayer Nice
BTW Hooked on Bass Fishing looks just like Fishing Resort DSWare game. It looks like it's been skinned. Has anyone downloaded it yet. I liked fishing Resort but if its just been skinned I wouldn't want to pick it up
I wonder why NoA gives discounts every week now for many first party games, but NoE is not doing anything? What gives?
@Kolzig NoE gives new buyers a free Mario game if they purchased a 3DS together with a selected game. NoA does not have this promotion and it holds me off buying a 3DS. Probably 3DS is selling too well in America?
@GreatPlayer
No, NoE only gives the free Mario 3D Land in selected countries. They treat most of Europe as second rate citizens as the promotion for the free game is not available to all countries.
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