As is often the case, Nintendo of America's official game pages seem to have unveiled a couple of new releases due in the 21st January Nintendo Download update. These are very likely to be accurate but, as always, be aware that details could change.
First up is Zack & Wiki: Quest for Barbaros' Treasure ($19.99), a Capcom title and the latest Wii download. A quirky point-and-click adventure with a sharp script, this used the Wii Remote in various clever ways; it was very much a concept title for the system. This has already been released on the eShop in Europe and we also loved it in our original Zack & Wiki: Quest for Barbaros' Treasure review.
Next is Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros. 3 ($7.99). As the confusing name states this is the Game Boy Advance port / remaster of the third NES entry in the series. This has already arrived in Japan, and thankfully North America will also get access to what were originally e-Reader levels; they'll be available on the File Select screen.
Are any of you in North America planning to pick these up? Let us know.
With thanks to Ryan Millar for the heads up.
Comments 66
WHY ARE YOU GIVING US MARIO ADVANCE 4?!
WHERE IS THE DRILL DOZER AND XENOBLADE?!
Zack and Wiki is an excellent game. For those on the fense or have never played it I highly suggest you give it a try!
i'm glad Mario Advance 4 is coming but i agree where is Xenoblade, RE4, Drill Dozer, and Startropics 1 & 2
@Tuosev for the e-reader levels
Awesome! Definitely interested in Zack and Wiki, so I'll be sure to grab it.. when I have the cash.
@maximo_jd Eh... I'd rather take a Drill Dozer 2 for the 3DS. Surprised Game Freak hasn't done so yet.
Yes! I am getting SMA4 tomorrow for sure!!!
I might try Zack and Wiki later on...
Probably getting SMB3 for the e-Reader levels. Z&W's a good time, but I have too many games on my plate to play it right now.
Still waiting for Mario RPG and other virtual console titles. Why Nintendo of America...
I own Zack and Wiki already and never tried it. It's the collector's curse.
Oh no. NoA getting all the goods, while NoE can only beg for SMA4.
Oh no it's mario You guys hate mario.
Seriously tho. Hacking in the E-readers in as a package deal is wonderful. I thought they would be added in as seperate DLC.
Nintendo, you need to do this with more games like Street fighter 2 GBA with the Akuma glitch patched out! [Edit; It seems like they did.]
And freaking Zack and Wiki. Never thought this would see the light of day.
Am I sensing a vc resurgance?
Zack & Wiki! Amazing game! Do we have it in Europe? If not, America, buy it!
I didn't notice this on here. Zack & Wiki is an awesome game. It's so good. This game is one of the best for the Wii.
Get Zack & Wiki if you haven't played that game yet. Very underrated.
Looking forward to revisit Zack & Wiki! One of the most memorable Wii games.
So, does this mean it includes all the e-reader levels, including the ones that were previously JPN only?
Wait, we're getting the ereader levels?!? Yes!!! I only got to play one in the original version, I'm so excited!
Plus I missed out of Zak and Wiki - too bad I have Mario & Luigi coming Friday and Final Fantasy Explorers next week. Don't get me wrong, I'm getting both of these, just won't be able to get to them right away.
Getting SMA4 for the e reader levels.
Those levels are alone worth the price.
Simply put, they are the best levels I have ever played from and official mario game.
Which levels does it include? Can you guys put that info in the upcoming review?
I will probably get zack and wiki, but it depends what games are part of the warm up to winter sale tomorrow. Unsure about sma4, I might pick it up eventually.
Just picked up Zak and wiki for £2 last week in GAME, haven't replayed it yet though. A real gem of a game.
Wohoo! Two awesome games!
Zack and Wiki is a nice one. I know it's a fat chance but I wonder if they fix the motion controls when it comes to the sword fighting stage with a Wii Motion Plus touch. A big mood killer when the on-screen sword moves in your Wii Remote direction 1-2 second later. Never 100% it because of that.
Try Zack and Wiki if you've never played it, genuinely won't regret it
I will definitely double-dip on SMB3. I have the original on 3DS, but this remake seems like the perfect way to play on the big screen! The e-reader levels are the icing on the cake, so glad to have gotten them!
I've always wanted to try out Zack and Wiki, but I do wish that the US would get more Wii games that don't require the Wii Remote. I was very excited to when they announced being able to play Wii games on the GamePad, but in practice very few of those titles have actually come out here. I was never crazy on the Wii Remote to begin with, so I've never been eager to go back to those days.
All that hard work that guy did to make versions of the levels for Mario Maker.
I remember I could never get Zack & Wiki to work when I picked it up first. The motion controls on the remote wasn't responsive (it might have been a lighting issue) so I had to return it. Strangely the remote worked fine with every other game.
So I never got to play it even though I was interested. To be honest I'm not sure I'm as interested now as I was back then.
@ThomasBW84 Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros. 3 on Wii U will actually have all 36 eReader levels, most of which were never released outside of Japan.
I still have my unplayed physical copy of Z&W so I'll pass on that. SMA4, on the other hand, seems enticing.
I think you're right, regardless they're all supposed to be there. Thanks for the correction btw.
SMA4? I'll take it.
Zack and Wiki is easily in my Top 5 Wii games. This game was everything third party games should have been on the Wii. It is so worth it to play. There was at one time the talk of a sequel. I would welcome seeing that game on the NX. It won't happen, but a guy can dream.
Still one VC game a week and no Mario RPG and Kirby Mass Attack? NOA fails again.
@Don Both of zack and wiki and mario gba 3 is coming tomorrow, bruh.
Only for the e-reader levels... Glad they did that!
Zack and Wiki is a HUGE surprise.
@Clownshoes The battery life of the Dualshock 4 really isn't that much better than the GamePad's. Maybe an hour more of battery life?
Zak and Wiki is a weird happy edition, but $19.99 now seems insane. I think it was $19.99 years ago on Wii and going for a few $ used. $10 would be ok, but $20 for what is probably a very small DL just seems wrong.
I wonder if Elebits will be next, one of my favorite Wii games.
Zack n wiki is a nice addition to the eshop for those who missed it. But again would it kill NOA to throw another vc game up there with Mario?? I'm getting sick of Mario man! How bout a little friggin variety??? My lord!
Kind of related to another comment, but remember SFA2? Well, apparently the little wait between matches was removed from the Wii U VC release. Nintendo likes to make the nice little improvements when they feel like it.
What about the other e-reader exclusives, like the turnips from Mario 2 and the cape from World??
@joey302 the Wii stuff is considered vc
Could it be?!? I'm actually starting to look forward to Thursdays again!!!! It's only been about a year and a half since the downward spiral began... Perhaps... Perhaps things are bouncing back?!
would consider zack and wiki if it weren't $20. can get it for much cheaper physically.
Zak & Wiki and SMA4? Look everyone, even if the games you want still haven't came yet, you can't say this week sucks. Those are two gems that are easily worth their asking price, especially SMA4.
And yet Europe gets away with Mario Kart 64, and we don't this week. When the hell are we going to get all the games they got that we don't have yet?
Zack and Wiki isn't worth purchasing for $20 when I can get a physically copy for $6. As for SMA4 I don't really think I need it I done own Super Mario Bros 3 nes version on the VC what the difference between them?
For those of you who had never play Zack and Wiki I urge you to go and play it. It's a fantastic Wii exclusive game and one of the few hidden gems from Capcom that got overshadow by much hyper games like DMC and Street Fighter IV.
Good to read a lot of support for Zak and Wiki here.That wasn't really the case when it was announced as coming to the EU Eshop.Really fantastic game and without doubt one of the Wii's most memorable.
@mowerdude It's still the same game basically but it's based on the SNES Super Mario Allstars remake.You can see just from the screenshot at the top,there's quite a difference in the graphics.Plus there's the original Mario Bros included too and now with the added E-Reader levels available to all for the first time,it's definitely worth owning.It's actually the 3rd highest rated Mario game on Metacritic after the 2 Galaxies.
@Neko_Ichigofan Where does it says that?
Unless they modded the game, the game's save file can't hold more than 32 levels at a time.
@retro_player_22 I'm sold.
Things are definitely looking up for NA VC this year. Maybe they were actually planning a big push for 2016. Let's hope the momentum continues.
Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros. 3
Sounds like an epic football match
Everyone is hyping zach and wiki. Looks like you can get a physical copy for around $10 on amazon if you're into that sort of thing.
@faint not officially no
Never played the e-reader levels,so I will definitely buy SMA4 if it comes to Europe.
Zack and Wiki is great, but the motion controls aren't perfect and will throw some people off. (It's also got a bit too much sudden death trial-and-error going on for my liking... but makes up for that with the charm and great animation.)
As others have said, you can almost certainly pay less by buying a used retail copy of this Wii gem though. Plus, if you don't like the game you can re-sell to get most of your money back. So even though I recommend the game highly, I'm less excited about recommending the digital release.
(Wish we would get Xenoblade released over here - that's a great game where it makes a lot of sense to offer digital distribution because retail copies cost much more.)
I have Zack & Wiki but seriously to echo everyone else here: If you don't have it...get it! Getting Mario for the extra levels.
@Neko_Ichigofan An extra 36 levels! That's pretty much sold the game to me, provided it's released in Europe of course
@Spin I have Zack and Wiki but haven't played it too. Haven't found the cure for the collectors curse yet, I'm not sure there is one.
Sweet! Never had access to the e-Reader levels as a kid. Gonna have to grab an eShop card today.
Super Mario Bros. 3 is still one of my favorite games of all time and I already have the original NES game on my virtual console, but I can't pass up the opportunity to check out these exclusive e-Reader card levels I never played. I'll be downloading SMB Advance 4 for sure.
Getting those e-reader levels is HUGE for me. I always wanted to play some of those levels, especially airship's revenge which was the walmart exclusive card that is now impossible to get. I'm all over this if it indeed comes with the ones never released here as well.
Kind of on the fence about Mario Advance 4 as I of course already have NES Mario 3 on VC...and e-reader levels were re-created in Mario Maker too
Wow, I really want SMB3 Advance to be released on the VC in Europe. I've never played the e-reader ones ever.
New Super Mario Bros. 3 levels after decades? Yes please!
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