Nintendo Download: 7th January (North America)

Terrible. I want RE 4.

Got some Star Wars & School Tycoon to do, nothing for me this week.

Nintendo give us something for the 3ds vc the console that is selling. The vita now has better online store now.

nothing...

Need a minecraft demo asap

What a bunch of garbage. LOL

Gamers probably aren't excited about those NES games but at least it's a start to hopefully getting all the VC games that EU already has.

Nothing for me. I just bought a copy of Pokemon X and I have a bunch of games coming in the next couple of months so I don't really need to download anything anytime soon. I'm getting Paper Jam & FF Explorers this month. Return to Polpocrois, FE Fates, PXZ2 in February. Plus Twilight Princess and Hyrule Warriors Legends in March. I think I'll be good game wise and I will also be downloading those Pokemon VC games next month too.

Nothing for me and no need after the Christmas deluge of games we received. I'm still working through Xenoblade 3D & Woolly World with little space filler sessions of Pokemon Shuffle & Picross and Guitar Hero. Guitar Hero is awesome by the way. I'm enjoying music games again!

I could see us downloading the two light gun games in the future though. Their usually good fun for a day or two; and the price of purchase is what I used to pay to rent NES games when I was a boy so I can justify the purchase.

So... no Super Mario RPG or Wave Race 64? For the first time basically ever, I'm starting to be jealous of EU releases lol.

I mightve been interested in the lightgun games during the back to the future day buzz ... which NoE was smart enough to capitalize on. NoA just has no clue what theyre doing at this point.

Pfffttt.. Why bother?

All this money + an impulse for something new/old/new again.... and week after week drip drop of ....JUNK!

Almost seems as if they intentionally want to go out of business, aye?

Not for me this week. Although the NES zapper (Wii Remote) games does pique my interest, especially since I never played them on the original system back then. Maybe in the future.

@mrchills Get the disc version. It's dirtcheap.

I heard the toilet flush when the eShop update dropped this week. Coincidense? I think not. Nay. I know 'tis no coincidense.

I'll add to my collection of demos, I guess. I have plenty of games to play at the moment, so I guess it's best Nintendo doesn't release something I would actually buy.

Finally Hogan's Alley!

In summary: NintendoLife gives the Zapper a 5/10.

Ugh... I was really hoping for some good discounts this week

@ggnorekthx You're just now getting jealous?! This isn't exactly anything new; NoA has been behind NoE for VC releases for quite some time.

Wow... 153 votes and 72% of nothing. lol

@ggnorekthx

it would do you good to never expect what the EU gets on the VC for at least 6 months up to never.

Nothing again....

@msvt lol they are a multi billion dollar company.

Another thursday, another week of bad choices as usual.

@whodatninja yeah. Im just waiting for it to get on the wii u vc. I guess you are right though.

@allav866

Fair enough, and you are probably right. I'm only noticing because SMRPG and Wave Race like my two favorite games, lol.

Absolutely nothing. Blah. Oh well, I've got retail releases up the wazoo to play. Even though I just beat Xenoblade Chronicles X, I'm totally addicted to the gameplay and fully intend to craft some Level 60 skells with master augments. Might dive into Xenoblade Chronicles 3D though, since I still have enough time to play it through to the end before Fire Emblem Fates releases...

@msvt
"Almost seems as if they intentionally want to go out of business, aye?"

Right, because the crux of their net income has always been the virtual console service...?

Wow. It's not a good feeling when you feel like you need to buy the zapper games out of pity. Nintendo, I want to support you so badly each week but it's so damn hard to do that.
Well... The zapper games it is, and don't get me wrong, I'll have fun with them but even for $5 a pop that's a lot!!!! Why can't we get a decent discount for buying all 3? Yknow... Like the Wave Race and 1080 EU had?...

Each week I'm so excited and I get let down almost always.

So, who's the brave staff member that will review Bigley's Revenge?

A whole lot of nothin'.

@faint

I know lol

They could add much more to that though, no?

Wii U got a demo, and of course it's a game I never heard of.

Though to be fair Wii U doens't have too many new games too demo. But Target does have Mario Tennis Ultra Smash, that might be a good choice to help push sales of that game. The game is beautiful, and I had a lot of fun w/ the demo, and you can never tell how limited a game is from a limited demo. And that mission from Starfox Zero at E3 would help pass the time during the 4 month delay so we could get used to the new controls before playing the entire game. Didn't somebody say you needed to play 3 or 4 hours just to get used to the controls? I don't think XCX would lend itself very well to a demo though. Trying isn't THAT hard Nitnedo, just try sometimes, you might make some money in the process.

What a super weak week overall. I guess it's to be expected now that the holiday season is over.

Had some really boring weeks recently!

I would suggest Unepic to anyone who hasn't played it. But other than that....nothing much...

Definitely feels like January.

How did Bigley's revenge get accepted by Nintendo?! HOW?!?! I thought Ninja Pig was practically banned from the eShop at this point...

@Crono1973 NOE dose what NOA can't.

Every week they should pick at least one well liked game to be on sale... Mega Man X, Mario World, Guacamelee, etc. Even if it's just a tiny sale.
Seeing something better in the lineup [even if it's a game many of us have already] would at least make these lists look like they're trying.

Why did I expect Super Mario RPG to show up here? :/

Nothing for me, but I'm hoping that those VC releases are the beginning of a 2016 filled with classic games coming out every week on Wii U and 3DS.

I can dream right?

I guess that Xmas eShop money will remain where it is for now. Back to Xenoblade yet again.

Another week another way for NOA to disappoint. No Super Mario RPG, thanks Nintendo. Just some games that use the lightgun..zzzzzzzzzzz

@mystman12 Nintendo must be humoring them. No company in their right mind would let a game like that on the Eshop.

You all are wrong, this is an awesome update. I had surgery and some big bills are coming. Nintendo is doing their part by not tempting me to buy anything.

Where is Super Mario RPG???
And Star Fox SNES???
And Mario Kart 64???

@MikeW

Star Fox is a problem since the company that owned the rights to the Super FX chip, Argonaut Software went under about twelve years ago, as to who owns the rights is anyone's guess. Super Mario RPG however, the fact the game isn't out in the US yet is inexcusable, top that off that NOA is a few months late with these games. Reggie can't run a company worth crap.

Was hoping for wave race 64

I'm in the minority. I was really excited to see these old NES classics arrive. I've been with Nintendo from the start and these are some of my old favorites.

@bezerker99 this guy gets it. Hope for the future.

@JaxonH

Don't be overly dramatic, anything I say is in humor. but it is no like they are releasing new games all that often -they have all these games even from the Wii Virtual console and we have all this money not being spent... Hmmm. Seems to me they could easily add several thousand additional sales from the eshop with some minimal amount of work. That doesn't make any sense to you or are you just looking for a debate?

I want Bayou Billy on my 3DS

@Platinumhobo Bad VC releases is not evidence of future good VC releases.

I will give them that they are trying with the virtual console games at least. Granted two of them are the equivalent to the overpriced eShop shovelware they are used to peddling, but it is a start.

One of these days Nintendo will realize that eShop demos (and not play limited one) serve a purpose. The Kiosks are great a being a baby sitter for kids in the mall, but don't really reach the audience that has disposable income to spend (well, maybe Gamestop employees).

@mikegamer
Yeah, Reggie needs to go. NOA is definitely in need of a change of leadership.

As for Star Fox, I would imagine since Nintendo was the original publisher, owns the Star Fox franchise and probably owns the proprietary software (I assume they paid Argonaut Software to develop the Super FX chip, but that Nintendo would ultimately own the actual chip/software). Maybe they are waiting to release it in an "Earthbound: Beginings" style... I can dream can't I?

Need that zero mission.

Better VC releases aren't the only thing Europe has better, better vacation, sick and pension benefits, free healthcare and GMO free food...

Damn. Slow week.

Another trashy week, surprise surprise.

Was hoping for the Final Fantasy Explorers lite Demo =(

@Don Though I'm sure the cost of living and taxes aren't a problem, right...? Right...??

Anyways, NA hasn't been doing a very good job, whoever's in charge of this should be fired.

@JohnBlackstar: I personally enjoy them adding VC titles, that were not on the previous service(Wii shop). Nintendo needs to also start releasing Super Scope games. Edit: I wish they would just understand, & follow through on considering that not every VC game/title needs to be "tested", as they say. At least, not thoroughly. In the case of the Nes, I'd say safely, most games, unless they required a unique device, like the Zapper, don't require much else in quality testing, & can almost be "just shoved" into an Nes emulator, w/ minor tweaking, of course.

@Everyone_Else: The lightgun games eventually, to hopefully incite Nintendo as a whole, to release more VC, hopefully stuff that is both good, & what has not already been put out on the Wii shop. Plus, while I have a top-loading Nes, & Hogan's Alley, I do not own a crt.

Also, it just dawned on me the Mii Fighter costumes from Smash, specifically certain recent ones(no spoilers given), are from a certain game that just came out, & I thought it was b/c ppl have been asking for a certain character for a long time, since Brawl. Apparently, it might have been that reasoning, but is also a shout-out drawing attention to the game that just came out, again. I wonder if the final character coming out w/in the next month, or 2, I think(Again, no spoilers given), will also be accompanied by 1 final wave of Mii Fighter outfits? Just a thought.

Another bunch of nothing for the 3DS - and amazingly, I'm still not used to it! I keep expecting something good to be released, but nope, Nintendo doesn't seem to give a hoot. Curious too, since it seems hell-bent on releasing as many VC games for the Wii U as it can, a system which is currently on death row, rather than the system of theirs that still has some mileage left.

Glad to finally see the zapper games come our way. I really enjoyed Hogan's Alley when I was young and never played Wild Gunman. It would be great to see all the Nintendo-made NES games get released so we could have a complete collection. Yes, even the ROB games.

Total crap. Nothing this week

@Tasuki
Your Wii U doesn't earn the right to collect dust until you've played Xenoblade Chronicles X through to completion.

Although, if you missed out on the bulk of its existing library, it would be criminal to not take advantage of this downtime and play some of those games.

Might I recommend (AFTER Xenoblade X)

1) DKC Tropical Freeze. It's the best platformer ever made, and I do mean ever. This game is perfection, if there is such a thing.

2) Pikmin 3. One of the strangest and most unique titles ever released, Pikmin 3 is a hidden gem... and one of Nintendo's finest. Absolutely must use a Wiimote- don't try to play with the analogs.

3) Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate. I can attest with 600 hours of playtime that MH3U is one of the top games on the U, and aside from MH4U is the best Monster Hunter to date- the advantage with this one is the fact it's in HD on a home console. And don't forget there's cross-save with the 3DS version!

4) Splatoon. If ya don't know, ask somebody! It's no exaggeration to say Splatoon is arguably the funnest and most addictive shooter since Team Fortress 2. Don't let the innocent aesthetic fool you- Splatoon is a game of depth and nuance, and a vital must-have for any Wii U owner

5) Super Mario Maker. It's every bit as fun as it sounds. If you can't have fun with Mario Maker you may just not like video games Seriously though, the game is a mandatory purchase for every Wii U owner. Making Mario levels is almost funner than playing them.

6) Super Mario 3D World. A flagship title 110% worthy of its heritage. It may not look as edgy and crazy as say, the Mario Galaxy games, but I assure you 3D World is a masterclass in game design. Absolutely brilliant this one is...

7) Mario Kart 8. Everyone loves Mario Kart, right? Despite being the first entry to completely botch battle mode (which is truly a shame), MK8 still stands as the best game in the series. And on top of the 32 tracks- most of which are extremely well designed- there are another 16 tracks available via DLC (including a Hyrule Castle course and Link added to the roster), effectively expanding the game by 50% for just $11.99

8) Super Smash Bros. If you own a Wii U then you really need to own Smash Bros. It's crazy, it's fun, and it's got the best roster of any video game ever made- from MegaMan to PacMan to Bayoneta to Cloud. Don't forget to grab your favorite character's amiibo and train them to fight like you!

9) Bayonetta 2. The highest rated game on Wii U and even one of the highest rated games of the generation on any platform- Bayonetta 2 is NOT one to miss. Add to that the fact that you get the definitive version of the original Bayonetta free with your purchase (digital of physical) and you have exactly zero excuse to not pick up this masterpiece.

10) Yoshi's Wooly World. The Yoshi's Island sequel we've been waiting for since the early 90's. YWW boasts one of the most charming and gorgeous aesthetics in all of gaming, and melds that with classic Yoshi's Island gameplay (minus the ever-annoying Baby Mario) to create what is one of the best platformers ever made (probably second only to DKC Tropical Freeze). This is an absolute joy to play, trust me.

OTHER RECOMMENDATIONS

*** Kirby and the Rainbow Curse. You won't find a game like this on any other current gen platform, and I appreciate the unique experience it offers. And make no mistake- there is a challenge to be had here- you'll need to develop a strong skillset to best this one

*** Captain Toad Treasure Tracker. Puzzle-platforming at its best. If you enjoy the Captain Toad levels in Super Mario 3D World, you'll want to go ahead and pick this one up. It takes that base concept from 3D World and expands on it, creating an affordable game packed with dozens of diverse levels and even boss fights

*** Zelda Windwaker HD. One of the best games on Wii U- only reason it's not a top recommendation is because it's a remaster and you may have already played the GameCube version. Either way, this is a beautiful release of a fan-favorite.

*** Rayman Legends. Although this is a multiplat, and I typically don't recommend games you can play elsewhere, Rayman Legends was made for Wii U from the ground up and the experience is unparalleled. The Murphy levels integrated into the gamepad are not only some of the funnest levels in the game, they make a great argument for why second screens should become an industry standard.

*** The Wonderful 101. If you like Bayonetta/Bayonetta 2, you'll absolutely adore W101. Only this game is crazier, wilder, more colorful and regularly experiments with new ideas throughout the game. This is definitely a game that deserves your consideration- after all, many rate W101 right alongside Bayo2 as one of the best games on the U

*** New Super Mario Bros U. I know there's a negative stigma surrounding the "NEW" series, but I assure you NSMBU is the exception to the rule. This is the one game in the NEW series that genuinely feels like a masterpiece, and I am convinced it's the single greatest 2D Mario to date as far as level design is concerned. In fact, it's a shame that it's named what it is, because this game deserves to be played by everyone and anyone who enjoys platformers or Mario.

*** Wii Sports Club GOLF. For the life of me I don't understand why Nintendo didn't take this concept and run with it for a new Mario Golf on Wii U, but at least we have this. Swinging the Wiimote like a golf club works so well, and is so natural, with even the slight turning of the wrists changing the angle of the club and affecting spin. The real kicker here though is placing the gamepad on the floor, where the screen shows the grass, the golf ball and the end of your club.

Using the Wiimote to hit the ball off the gamepad screen and into the TV is satisfying on a level I cannot even explain. Clearly Ninty knew this was the standout as they updated the game to include all courses from the original NES Golf, on top of the Wii Sports and Wii Sports Resort courses.

*** Fast Racing Neo. Like F-Zero and Wipeout? Then this is a game for you. It's definitely got its own flavor, but there is a "Hero Mode" that gives you a shield with a boost meter, and boosting drains your shield (just like F-Zero). You need only check the review scores to see this one is a cut above the competition.

*** Fire Emblem (GBA), Fire Emblem Sacred Stones (GBA), Fire Emblem Shadow Dragon (DS), Sin & Punishment 2: Star Successor (Wii), Metroid Prime Trilogy (Wii). The 5 Virtual Console games that I would deem necessities.

@KickButt_Gaming yes 2016 is off to a bad start.

Don't you guys think you're acting a bit too overboard to have someone fired just because you can't re-purchase a game, and if you didn't it's already available on the Wii Shop channel? EU never had a release of Super Mario RPG up until this year. Don't be so spoiled and salty just because you have a urge to spend every single week; saving money is pretty cool.

Wow. Terrible week.

@CatMarioTime

You may be right... But we have long been denied the pleasure of playing Metroid Zero Mission on our Gamepad with suspend points. This. This is a crime.

...
Where was this in October? Wild Gunman on the 22nd?

I mean really...

@JaxonH How much do want to bet that when Metroid Zero Mission or Super Mario RPG finally do come, the same people still complain?

@msvt
Of course that makes sense to me, and I agree. And no, I'm not really looking for a debate.

The fact is your original comment did not make sense. You can say "it was a joke" but how exactly is anyone supposed to know that? It sounded dead serious to me.

WTF NoA!!?? Why can't we have Metroid Zero Mission already? Does NoA not want my money?

Life's good, when you're a ninja pig.

I'm wondering why SNES VC on 3DS isn't a thing. Is the handheld incapable of running the games? What I'd give to have stuff like Earthbound, Mario RPG and Super Metroid on the go...

@CatMarioTime Nintendo fans are starved for games, releasing 3 VC games every week doesn't really seem like much to ask, especially when they are available in other territories.

@Tasuki A dust collector? Goddamn! You don't take care of your stuff huh? Except the PS4 right? I bet you that thing is on a trophy stand!

@Browny

3DS can run Snes games, supposedly, but I don't know too much as to the why it can't be done. A lot has to be done though to optimize the games when they're programmed for the VC at least, last I heard, that and Nintendo of America is just lazy as usual.

@CatMarioTime
"Don't you guys think you're acting a bit entitled because the battery saves in your old as @$!# GBA games are dying and you'd like the convenience of having some of the old great games be able to play on your new hardware and the TV/Sound System to which you've attached it?"

This is how you sound.

@firstnesfan you mean starved for games that they most likely already own.

My friend says "Konami didn't make bad games for the NES".
I say, "Bayou Billy?"
"Oh", he says with disapproval, "they made THAT?"

@IceClimbers
Well, without a doubt people will just complain about any number of the other games yet to be localized.

But I can't say I really blame them. While I do find it counterproductive to get your jimmies rustled every week over 20 year old games, I can definitely understand the frustration. Tbh, I'm a little miffed myself about all the VC games we're not getting.

I usually brush it off though because I can play any NES, SNES, GBA or DS games on 3DS using my DStwo, and I can play all those and even GameCube/Wii on my soft-modded Wii. I do like having official VC versions though, and I particularly enjoy playing them on the gamepad...

I'm happy to see the light gun games. I had been wanting Wild Gunman ever since they brought Duck Hunt to the VC, so better late than never I say.

Now I wish Taito would release Operation Wolf to the Wii U VC as the Wii VC version does not support the Wii remote as a Zapper. Taito doesn't seem to be supporting the Wii U VC though, so probably not gonna happen.

@HyperSonicEXE yea I see what you're saying, I'm just kinda amazed on how extreme people are. Like many others I do want certain games to appear on the shop, but when they're not there it's all good, there's many other ways to fix your old game carts and enjoy old games. But I wouldn't wish Reggie to be fired, have you seen his glorious face?

Nothing on the 3DS VC as usual.

That's a lot of nothing right there!

I got POTATOES 3D (Attack on Titan for those wondering : P ) recently on saIe and started playing it yesterday, will be playing as the POTATO GIRL and eat stuff while hunting those titans!

YA!!!
(Let's hope for something next week)

Btw people, Quell Memento is a fantastic game! I bought it on Vita and absolutely LOVED it. I didn't even know there was a 3DS version. For a little over $2 you can't go wrong...

@CatMarioTime I'm sure Reggie won't have to worry about retirement. The guy's net worth was at 21 million in 2012.

If discovery ever goes on sale I might pick it up. There are just too many MineCraft types out there now.. Well really there can never be too many the truth of the matter is I'm being cheap lol.

@Windy Would recommend getting MC once it goes on sale, then if ya wanted we could play if ya wanted, I don't bite

by far the worst week I've ever seen.

the last 2 months of virtual console as a whole have been pretty bad...

@Undead_terror haha I've always been tempted by MineCraft but never jumped in. I did get CubeLife on my 3DS and played quite a bit of it. I found I liked it so I probably would like MC as well. Maybe one of these days I will pick it up. My next big buy is Final Fantasy Explorers. I am hoping for a Phantasy Star Online type of game.

@umegames

Even the Wii VC had 400 games or so, this is pathetic

While the pickings are quite slim, I do find the complaints a bit overdramatic at times.

Oh, more nothing? Nice. Europe has SMRPG, Zero Mission, Fire Emblem Shadow Dragon, Super Mario 64 DS...oh, and a Wii download of Xenoblade Chronicles for GamePad usage.

Nice to see NoA releasing these three games almost 3 months after Europe got 'em. They must've strained themselves. I mean, three VC games in one week? We'll be lucky to get one next week, right!?

Pitiful.

I'm not even going to compare to Japan's eshop since...well, both regions are kinda screwed compared to Japan. I could go on about the great stuff they've been getting lately.

Oh, and for me? I have a legitimate reason to want the FF Advance games on Wii U VC: My carts got stolen. I want /legal/ copies to play. And don't tell me to go on eBay. GBA carts are so disgustingly easy to find forgeries of. Those that aren't are too expensive to consider now.

Once again NOA disappoints. They still can't hear what we really want to spend our hard earned money on. I don't have to say any game titles because every one else has said them for weeks on end. How ever you can call NOA direct and voice your request. Hope they will listen. 800 255 3700.

man, its a desert on the 3DS eshop

I think pretty much everyone I know with a 3DS wants Ocean Runner. Maybe if enough people buy it there'll be a Bird Mania type situation and we'll get the long-awaited OCEAN RUNNER XMAS.

Love light gun games, wish they'd bring out a Point Blank. Wasn't the same tapping on a DS and the wiimote seems perfect for it.

@Deadzero3 I opened a forum topic (although I do not know if it ever made it past the moderators last week) on Nintendo's site asking them when the 20+ titles on the European eShop would appear here in the US. Not saying it is related, but three of them showed up this week.

What a load of BS Nintendo! I got a 3DS because I wanted to play VC games on the go but nooooooooooooooo I get a bunch of crap! Nothing! Nada! I hate you Nintendo! Poop!

There are a bunch of good VC games on DS. Surely you haven't downloaded them all.

Terrible.

Terrible.

Maybe if a number of people didn't blow their cash purchase after purchase and took time with games, they would be enjoying what the 3DS eShop in general has to offer. There's like a buttload of good stuff there.

Well, I guess I'll give Hogan's Alley a go, whenever I get another eShop card. I'm saving my side money for the 19th - gonna get me some Lego Ghostbusters, Doc Brown and Cyberman.

I LOVE Aqua Moto Racing, especially in winter when I'm homebound and freezing. I highly recommend it.

i hate life

We can't even get good discounts in NA let alone decent games. Wow.

@WinterWarm well, as long as you don't hate Nintendo life...

No Wave Race 64. Once again Nintendo disappoints.

@CatMarioTime Too true. I try to play one game at a time, and while I don't always stick to that, every time I look at the eShop there's still just a bottomless pit of great games I'll never have time to play!

@ThomasBW84 Please don't bother posting the review of that Bigley's Return nonsense, please. Have you seen the trailer for the game?! Why in heaven's name did Nintendo allow that sort of game to grace its console?
Of course, I'm joking about the review thing, but you get my point....I didn't even finish watching the trailer for the game. So much pointlessness...

@Don I believe you may be right about better vacation times, but the current chancellor is setting about eroding all public services and welfare. One of the biggest problems is that there is no social mobility, so absolutely no chance to work yourself better - children work at the exact same level as their parents, the rich indulging in massive nepotism and keeping the doors firmly closed. Wages at the bottom end of the spectrum are too low relative to the cost of living and many jobs do not even pay a living wage. Healthcare is free only at the point of contact, but it does cost every single taxpayer in the form of high National Insurance contributions, so it really is not at all free. In fact, it is extremely expensive, wasteful and really cannot be called a first world service because despite high taxes, there still isn't enough capital to have it function even at the most basic level of keeping A and E (ER) departments open 24/7 365 days a year. All the idiots in charge have failed over the last half century to factor in an aging population. There are more people over 55, than under. So the UK is only an option if you want more holiday time, but will accept a terribly underfunded and resultantly poor health care system and low wages, ruled by an elite intent on keeping it that way. All very well wanting to decrease welfare, but the reality is the system is set up so that many people cannot get by without it, even if they work full time. There needs to be massive structural and social change to the whole job market.

Thanks for nothing, NOA, it's evident you don't want our money, so too bad.

@mikegamer @TruenoGT
Thanks for the replies. I know it all depends on they who make it, but it's nonetheless surprising to hear that a 3DS can't reasonably emulate a SNES while it's capable of something powerful like Xenoblade ported from the Wii.

Not the prettiest way to start the year :/

@Browny

Unfortunately, it's all down to effort on their programmers, which are proving to lazy as usual.

Everything is terrible

Nintendo has no idea how to run a video game company.

Good Lord... Ninja Pig Studios has a brand new release... I'm so glad they avoided a lawsuit again.

I saw a video of it out of sheer curiosity, not because I was serious, and I swear to God my ears were about to bleed. Wtf is wrong with that guy, seriously. I can't wait to read the 1/10 score when it shows up.

@JaxonH

Nice logical and in depth post and while I don't own all of them, 8 of 10 and a few of the others, I agree with most of it. I wouldn't say DK is the best platformer ever but it is fun, challenging, rewarding, and beautiful. I would add Shovel Knight, the upcoming Amiibo functionality makes this version unplayable elsewhere, Lego City Undercover, and Xenoblade Chronicles X to your list though. I'm sure the upcoming Twilight Princess will need a home as well.

@jmbarnes101

Oh, the reason Xenoblade X isn't on the list is because it transcends the list. In my original post, I was making a list of recommendations for him to play "after completing Xenoblade X". Otherwise it would have been plastered right in to that #1 slot.

Shovel Knight is definitely a good recommendation, really good, but I know he has a PS4 and Vita which both have Shovel Knight. Not sure he's into buying amiibo since he's more of a PS gamer.

As for Lego City Undercover, I know number of gamers who swear by it as a top Wii U exclusive, but I've never really enjoyed the Lego games much myself. I did pick up Lego City Undercover at launch, and managed to sink a couple hours in, but then I got distracted by Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate (which released the same day iirc) for a good 600 hours. LC: U was exceptional for a Lego game, but again they've never really been my thing. If you're a fan of those games though, Undercover is the cream of the crop for sure.

Once it releases, Twilight Princess HD will receive a very strong recommendation next to Windwaker HD. Despite being two of the best Zelda games ever made, neither can claim a top 10 recommendation as a remaster because most have already played at least once. But if someone has yet to play either game, then I would definitely give priority to doing so.

Regarding DKC Tropical Freeze, I definitely think it's the best, bar none. The mechanics are so incredibly precise- everything is fine tuned to perfection. The characters actually feel like they have weight when they jump, unlike Mario or Rayman. The ability to roll off a ledge and jump mid air, the ability to roll indefinitely with a partner as opposed to a quick, short roll solo, the added mechanics of Diddy's jet pack hover, Dixies hair flutter and Cranky's cane bounce all combine for some of the most technical platforming ever devised.

But what really sets the game apart from the rest is the expertly crafted level design. You get a small taste of this throughout the single player campaign, but the time trials mode is where you start peeling back the layers and realize that absolutely everything has a purpose and/or has been placed in the exact right spot- things you can't really notice when you're just trying to beat the stage.

Every stage has 50 little shortcuts that can trim a few seconds off your time, usually the more difficult and tricky to pull off the more time it saves you. It's something that really has to be seen to be understood. If you have the game, add me as a friend on Wii U (NNID: JaxonH) and view my time trial videos for 6-1, 5-K or 6-K. At one point I was #2 globally for 6-K without taking damage- #12 globally including damage runs. It's been a couple years though, I'm sure my rankings have been knocked down considerably.

i recommend rock zombie to the beat em up fans.
its a long game and its fun

@brooks83 seeing vc games by Taito would be awesome. The Taito classics are now fully owned by square enix and although they've posted quite a few classics on the Wii u in Japan ...no such luck here in America- hell I'll settle for space invaders at this point. The killer is Taito has sooo many classics from their past and Square isn't doing a darn thing with them- what a shame!! Maybe on the NX??😞

@mikegamer for real- I thought when Wii u first came out the vc service would've been expanded upon even further with platforms like the Dreamcast and the GameCube being added! Hell Wii u doesn't even have Genesis and turbographx 16 & Neo Geo still...so frustrating!!

@JaxonH
Good point on Xenoblade, I missed that. I'll have to add you as a friend (mine is jmbarnes101 if you wanted to add me) so I can watch those. The Wii U is such an underrated killer system that it's just sad how poorly it's done compared to the other two systems. It's definitely the Dreamcast of our generation. Thankfully it won't be Nintendos last console.

Frankly, I don't get the drama, nor the low/middle scores for Wild Gunman, and Hogan's Ally, as they're every bit as good as Duck Hunt IMO. (Which got a pretty generous score in comparison, as it offers just as much gameplay as they do.) Bought both, and I don't regret it.

I think the Zapper games need more love, and I hope to see "Gumshoe" eventually too.

@JaxonH Nice list.

So I recalled a conversation we had about a year ago concerning Amazon Prime. Now I know w/ BB GCU you don't need it, but Amazon seems to be promoting Prime to gamers in a bigger way. (Though I suppose this could be old news, but I like the webpage design all the same.)

http://smile.amazon.com/b/ref=amb_link_455162582_2?ie=UTF8&node=13584215011&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=product-alert&pf_rd_r=0ZHTWNZH7FGS0BVRXMGJ&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_p=2383059602&pf_rd_i=B017W1771Y

I do like the part where the 20% discount is valid up to 2 weeks after release, so if I don't pre-order and wait for a sale at BB or Target or Gamestop I can still get 20% off. Though Day 1 delivery is a nice bonus for pre-ordering. Too bad my Prime expires in 2 weeks, I'll have to see how many pre-orders I can get in now. TP HD w/ the amiibo seems very likely. FFVII Remake, FFXV and KH3 are all avaible for pre-order. They might as well FFXVI while they are at it.