It's time for the Nintendo Download Update, and it's another busy week in Europe. There are multiple intriguing retail arrivals on the Switch, along with various download-only options and DLC. The 3DS and Wii U also get in on the act along with the usual batch of discounts, so let's get to it.
Nintendo Switch Retail Downloads
DOOM (Bethesda, €59.99 / £49.99) - This intense and fast-paced shooter was critically acclaimed when it launched in 2016, and it's made an impressive transition to Nintendo's hybrid system. A full-on solo campaign is joined by some fun online multiplayer options, so it's an impressive package to have on the go. Despite a few day one flaws we still gave this a thumbs up in our DOOM review. Available from 10th November.
Sonic Forces (SEGA, €39.99 / £34.99) - The long-awaited next entry in the 3D Sonic series, drawing ideas from the likes of Generations and Colors. In this one there are wisp powers once again, and in addition you also create and control your own avatar characters in some stages. We gave it a modest recommendation in our Sonic Forces review.
Farming Simulator: Nintendo Switch Edition (Focus Home Interactive, €44.99 / £37.99) - While it's easy to dismiss a humble farming sim, this series is surprisingly popular. Farming Simulator 17 attracted a whopping one million players within the first month of its launch. Even the German Chancellor Angela Merkel can't get enough of ploughing virtual fields. If that's your thing, this may be worth a look.
Ben 10 (Outright Games, €34.99 / £34.99) - A single player action brawler which could certainly be fun for fans of the TV series. Available from 10th November.
Nintendo Switch Retail Download / DLC
Snipperclips Plus: Cut it out, together! (Nintendo, €29.98 / £26.98 for a 'bundle' of the full game plus new content, DLC alone is €9.99 / £8.99) - Coming to retail as a complete package with the new content also available as DLC for those that own the original; there'll be 30 new stages, remixes of old stages and some additional features such as a 'stamp' mode. Available from 10th November.
Nintendo Switch Retail Download Pre-Purchase
Xenoblade Chronicles 2 (Nintendo, €59.99 / £49.99 or €89.98 / £76.98 with the expansion pass) - Full game unlock on 1st December.
L.A. Noire (Rockstar Games, €49.99 / £44.99) - Full game unlock on 14th November.
Switch eShop
Octodad: Dadliest Catch (Young Horses Inc, €13.99 / £11.99) - A game based around tricky controls and chaos, it was actually a sequel and certainly earned plenty of plaudits when it first arrived. It eventually made its way to Wii U but, unfortunately, it wasn't a perfect port. Our review of the Switch version will be with you later today.
Cat Quest (Pqube, €12.99 / £9.99) - One of the quirkier titles that's been in the works for some time, this is "an open world RPG set in the pawsome world of cats!" Expect lots of cat-themed wordplay, but it also looks like it could be a relatively deep and fun game - we'll ask whether Dog Quest is in development and see whether this one is purrfect in a review.
Heroes of the Monkey Tavern (Monkey Stories, €9.99 / £8.99) - This one picks up the style of old-school first-person dungeon crawlers, with a mix of classes, enemies, puzzles and plenty of combat to tackle. It looks rather simplistic in footage but neverthelesss captures the stronger points of the genre; we gave it a recommendation in our Heroes of the Monkey Tavern review.
UNO (Ubisoft, €9.99 / £7.99) - No, that's not a typo, it is a Ubisoft game, and considering the fact that the company's version of Monopoly costs a slightly ludicrous $39.99USD / £29.99 on the Switch, this is at least reasonably priced. This spin on the card game includes online play and various customisation options to switch things up.
Tallowmere (Teyon, €6.99 / £6.29) - Perhaps you remember this one from its release on the Wii U eShop last year; we really liked it in our review. The challenge is to see how far you can get into the dungeons. Each randomly-generated room gets bigger, harder, and more rewarding the further you go, and you strive to earn better gear as you progress. We'll check it out on Switch and let you know what we think.
Koi DX (CIRCLE Entertainment, €5.00 / £4.99) - Released on the Wii U a while ago, Koi DX places you in the role of a lone fish which has become separated from its owner and is tasked with purifying waters polluted by mankind. To do this, you must explore the waters for other fish and guide them to flowers of the same colour while avoiding the malevolent black fish. The game includes "memory jigsaws", new skins and alternative fish to control. We'll swim towards a review soon.
Transcripted (Plug In Digital, €7.99 / £6.99) - This is a match three puzzler / dual stick shoot ‘em up hybrid that looks a bit like the love child of Nano Assault and Zuma. We'll see how it shapes up in a review.
Spellspire (10tons, €9.99 / £8.99) - Spellspire casts the player in the role of a nerdy wizard climbing a 100 level tower; plenty of monsters must be defeated and loot collected on the way. Combat uses a word game mechanic, where the player picks letters from a grid of ten to spell out words; these are cast out as spells, with longer words producing more powerful blasts. We'll dig out a thesaurus and get cracking on a review.
Maria The Witch (Naps Team, €4.99 / £4.49) - One of those 'tap to fly' games popularised on mobile and with a few similar experiences on Wii U and 3DS, your task is to collect mail and various items through a variety of stages. We'll see whether it casts a spell over us in a review.
Rock 'N Racing Off Road DX (EnjoyUp Games, €7.99 / £7.19) - Another title making its way across from the Wii U, it features a variety of tracks, an arcade mode, time trials, and multiplayer action to get stuck into as well as a rock 'n' roll soundtrack for accompaniment. We didn't have a great experience with the game on Wii U so we're hoping for a pleasant surprise on the new console.
Street Hoop (HAMSTER, €6.99 / £6.29) - The latest ACA Neo Geo release fills that Basketball gap in the line-up; we reviewed this back in 2010 when it landed on the Wii Virtual Console it netted an impressive 8/10.
Nintendo Switch DLC
Sonic Forces: Shadow Costume (SEGA, free)
Switch eShop Demo
Super Beat Sports (Harmonix, free)
Switch eShop Temporary Discount
Sparkle 2 (10tons, €6.79 / £5.94 until 16th November, normally €7.99 / £6.99)
3DS eShop
Bonds of the Skies (KEMCO, €9.99 / £8.99) - When we saw the artwork and title we instinctively thought 'that'll be a KEMCO RPG on 3DS', and so it came to be. In this one humans and Gods team up to find a demon that's 'cast a town into a sea of flames', which is a normal weekend for most of us.
Hiding Out (Green Lightning, €4.99 / £4.99) - Drawing inspiration from retro platformers, this looks like a simplistic title in which you hunt for photo parts.
New Nintendo 3DS eShop
RTO (nuGAME, €8.99 / £7.99) - This appears to be a scrolling gallery shooter in which you control multiple characters to shoot a whole lot of scary aliens, though the developer describes it as an "FPS survival horror game with permadeath".
3DS DLC
Culdcept Revolt - Challenge from Hell (NIS America, €0.99 / £0.89)
Culdcept Revolt - Soltis (NIS America, €0.99 / £0.89)
Culdcept Revolt - Zigzag Tour (NIS America, free)
3DS Demo
Worcle Worlds (Lightwood Games, free)
3DS eShop Temporary Discounts
Fun! Fun! Minigolf TOUCH! (Shin'en Multimedia, €2.24 / £1.87 until 30th November, normally €2.99 / £2.50)
Real Heroes: Firefighter 3D Download Version (Zordix AB, €4.99 / £4.49 until 16th November, normally €9.99 / £8.99)
Me and My Pets 3D (Treva Entertainment, €4.99 / £6.24 until 30th November, normally €29.99 / £24.99)
My Pet School 3D (Treva Entertainment, €9.99 / £8.24 until 30th November, normally €29.99 / £24.99)
3D Game Collection (Joindots, €5.24 / £3.74 until 23rd November, normally €6.99 / £4.99)
Atlantic Quest (Joindots, €5.24 / £3.74 until 23rd November, normally €6.99 / £4.99)
Secret Agent Files: Miami (Joindots, €5.99 / £4.49 until 23rd November, normally €7.99 / £5.99)
Kutar Apple (CIRCLE Entertainment, €0.69 / £0.69 until 23rd November, normally €0.99 / £0.99)
Kutar Burger Factory (CIRCLE Entertainment, €0.69 / £0.69 until 23rd November, normally €0.99 / £0.99)
Kutar End Credits (CIRCLE Entertainment, €0.69 / £0.69 until 23rd November, normally €0.99 / £0.99)
Kutar Powder Factory (CIRCLE Entertainment, €0.69 / £0.69 until 23rd November, normally €0.99 / £0.99)
Kutar Ski Lift (CIRCLE Entertainment, €0.69 / £0.69 until 23rd November, normally €0.99 / £0.99)
New 3DS eShop Temporary Discounts
Super Destronaut 3D (Petite Games, €1.59 / £1.43 until 23rd November, normally €1.99 / £1.79)
FIFTEEN (RCMADIAX, €0.99 / £0.93 until 23rd November, normally €1.49 / £1.39)
Wii U eShop
Annihilation (TreeFall Studios, €1.99 / £1.79) - A pixel-based top-down shooter in which you try to resist waves of enemies; also includes support for co-op.
Wii U Virtual Console
Digital Champ: Battle Boxing (Konami, €6.99 / £6.29) – An interesting idea and technically impressive for the time, this first-person boxing game falls short once it steps into the ring; that's what we thought in our review, anyway.
Wii U Demo
3Souls (RedColumn, free)
Wii U eShop Temporary Discounts
Bridge Constructor Playground (Joindots, €7.49 / £6.36 until 23rd November, normally €9.99 / £8.49)
Dracula's Legacy (Joindots, €5.99 / £4.49 until 23rd November, normally €7.99 / £5.99)
Frankenstein - Master of Death (Joindots, €5.99 / £4.49 until 23rd November, normally €7.99 / £5.99)
Island Flight Simulator (Joindots, €5.99 / £4.49 until 23rd November, normally €7.99 / £5.99)
Suspension Railroad Simulator (Joindots, €5.99 / £4.49 until 23rd November, normally €7.99 / £5.99)
Toon Tanks (Petite Games, €1.59 / £1.43 until 23rd November, normally €1.99 / £1.79)
BLOK DROP U (RCMADIAX, €0.99 / £0.86 until 6th December, normally €1.49 / £1.29)
BLOK DROP X TWISTED FUSION (RCMADIAX, €2.00 / £1.80 until 6th December, normally €2.99 / £2.69)
FIFTEEN (RCMADIAX, €0.99 / £0.93 until 23rd November, normally €1.49 / £1.39)
ORBIT (RCMADIAX, €0.99 / £0.93 until 23rd November, normally €1.49 / £1.39)
PINBALL (RCMADIAX, €0.99 / £0.93 until 23rd November, normally €1.49 / £1.39)
SPHERE SLICE (RCMADIAX, €0.99 / £0.93 until 23rd November, normally €1.49 / £1.39)
TABLETOP GALLERY (RCMADIAX, €2.00 / £1.80 until 23rd November, normally €2.99 / £2.69)
That's it for the European update this week - let us know what you'll be downloading in the poll and comments below.
Comments 36
Terrible week for Wii U all round.
Not happy with the way XC2 is being handled. €90 for the full game. All developers now try to bleed as much money as possible that they can from customers.
Edit: I paid €60 for the Collector's Edition of XCX, the same price they're charging for just the unfinished digital version of XC2.
I wanted to buy doom but due to poor planning ahead it will have to wait until christmas, atleast I will have skyrim, lego marvel 2 and xenoblade 2 to play until then.
What is going on with that RTO game ?
Side-scrolling FPS with permadeath. Ok. Cool. I totally get it. (I don't get it).
Transcripted is listed on the Nintendo UK website as being released on 23rd November. Is this a pre-load?
@WiltonRoots thought you 'd appreciate comment #1, rofl
Interested in both Doom and Snipperclips but if I go ahead will buy physical. Xenoblade 2's LE already ordered.
As for the digitalspace, nothing really on any platform; dead or otherwise.
Ooooh Uno...
Been playing Cat Quest for the past day as I couldn't wait and downloaded it from the Japanese eShop. It's a lot of fun.
@SLIGEACH_EIRE So like basically any other week for the Wii U then?
@SLIGEACH_EIRE
welcome to the modern game industry, 60 dollar is too cheap for a jrpg now. we who live in japan have been used to pay 7000 ~ 8000yen for a game for one decade.
No Hulu for Europe?
I'd be more annoyed at the expensive Xenoblade DLC if it was all available at launch. There's a very high chance that I will have moved on from the game before the DLC releases and I won't feel compelled to buy it so it doesn't bother me so much. That's what happened with Breath of the Wild for me.
@SLIGEACH_EIRE That's kind of true, but you should get 100+ hours from the baseline game, without shelling out the extra £40 or whatever it is for the DLC stuff. As a side note, the actual story expansion DLC isn't even due for about a year, so buying the full XC2 pack seems pretty pointless, unless you like essentially cosmetic changes.
Anyway, much as I'd love to rend some demons limb from limb, I'm going to stick with my backlog this week and probably now won't get anything new until Xenoblade arrives in the mail.
It would been nice if they had put the SNES or n64 doom on virtual console
What a terrible week.
Luckily 2DS is getting more games soon.
Just bought Chess Ultra, and downloaded the Beat Sports demo.
Waiting on reviews for Transcripted and Koi.
Good. Another week to save money.
Cat Quest looks good and UNO is tempting.
Currently playing Sonic Forces on the Switch.
@SanderEvers oh, I forgot that. So looking forward Netflix on Switch.
@SLIGEACH_EIRE the 'unfinished' game is as big as the previous games. The main DLC doesn't launch for a year. I worry about the levels of negativity you show and am concerned there may be an underlying medical cause.
@SLIGEACH_EIRE Another week of wonderful releases for Switch, another negative comment for ...wait a minute .... for Wii U(!!?) Are you serious?
Nothing this time around for me. I kind of want to play Doom, but I have a PC for that. I'm mostly just waiting for XC2 and Pokémon at this point.
Whilst I don't mind Nintendo detailing DLC plans, especially since the main parts usually a long way away from release are like the DLC I always imagined when the whole thing first started over 10 years ago, not really a fan of Season Passes as you don't even know much of what you are paying for. Plus it isn't gonna cost you any more later on.
My only disappointment is that you can't just buy the segments you really want; I thought the whole idea for a Season pass was to save money for the combined cost of all planned DLC but for publishers to get your money ASAP? Although I at least give Nintendo a little credit for giving their plans and what it will entail.
@SLIGEACH_EIRE Please! Do share with us your knowledge of the internal workings and minutes of Monolithsoft's meetings. How everything has been planned, at what state each segment is, when ideas were initially brainstormed. I mean you always have plenty of evidence for all your statements. Plus you always are eager to share them with the site's staff and users so you must have plenty of free time.
@BJQ1972 and @FX102A Well said.
I hope the Super Beat Sports demo gets a few more people on-board. It's an awesome game and deserves some more attention.
@BJQ1972 It's not as big, read this interview then come back and say that again.
https://www.gameinformer.com/games/xenoblade_chronicles_2/b/switch/archive/2017/11/07/xenoblade-chronicles-2-hands-on-feature.aspx
@SLIGEACH_EIRE I'm happy to pay this for quality content - it is obvious that a lot of work, car and attention has got into XBC2 - If you watch the gameplay video that went up earlier - it's oozing with quality ! To get that level of quality - financials have to be addressed - Developers have to be paid, hired et. It's called investment - and if a lot of investment goes into a project that ultimately ( XCX is a good example) has a level of risk attached to it - the you can reduce the risk by ensuring a higher sale value through quality and therefore a higher turnover and better profit. I hope you enjoy supporting these quality games and engaging with the top end of our gaming hobby industry.
DOOOOOM
@Mahe Of all the weeks for you to complain you pick the week that sees more big 3rd party content arrive on a Nintendo machine than at any other time since possibly the SNES.You could say in response that they are over priced ports but that doesn't change the fact we're getting them, where in the past we never. Doom, LA Noire, Skyrim, Rocket League,along with many others all playable on a handheld, plus we just had one of the highest reviewed games of all time 2 weeks ago. Yep terrible times. Enjoy your 2DS pal and keep telling yourself you were right with your Switch precious
@gortsi Solid gold.
@WiltonRoots Silver goes to the dude who's looking forward to 2DS games (!). Too bad the gator is American and doesn't share his wisdom on the European downloads page, so no bronze this week.
@gortsi No bronze for him but he does get a special brown medal for every post.
@WiltonRoots It looks like Hestu's gift methinks
Nothing to download this week, but I was convinced to order a physical copy of Doom after waiting for reviews of the port.
@OorWullie NS sales are weak and they're about to get weaker. The NS game lineup is total garbage. Enjoy.
@Mahe
So much wrong in one post. The first sentence is a actually a lie.
@Mahe
What planet are you living on?
The only thing that's garbage is your interpretation of reality.
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