Wii U eShop Features
Exclusive Lost Wii Game, Sadness, To Be Revived as Wii U Exclusive
HullBreach Studios and Cthulhi Games are collaborating on development
Update 2: Following a rapid progression of events, HullBreach Studios and Cthulhi Games have retracted their claims to the Sadness brand — the details are available in this updated article. Update: In follow-up comments to our colleagues at Euro
Preview Ripping It Up With Wii U eShop Action Title Insanity's Blade
Armless fun for all the family
While Capcom, Konami and many of the other games companies which forged their reputations during the 8-bit era have since moved on to creating next-gen experiences, they have left a rich legacy of retro gaming brilliance which is proving to be particularly fertile ground for indie studios — one of which is Causal Bit...
Feature Kickstarter's Wii U and 3DS Campaigns - 19th May
Yet more games make the cut for Wii U
It's been a busy week in the world of Kickstarter funding, with plenty of positive news for Nintendo gamers. There are three projects that have hit Wii U targets, a new entry that looks promising for the 3DS, and unfortunately some that have failed to make their mark. Plenty to consider, then, so let's get to...
The best of both worlds
The WiiWare platform may not always be considered in a particularly glowing light, but it's undeniable that it did deliver some top-class download experiences. One of these was Swords & Soldiers from Ronimo Games, a side-scrolling real-time strategy title that made use of the Wii Remote pointer in an intuitive, natural...
Feature Kickstarter's Wii U and 3DS Campaigns - 12th May
Some fresh projects to consider
It's that time again when we provide updates on a batch of Kickstarter projects currently doing the rounds for Wii U and 3DS. It seems that there's some momentum around the Wii U eShop, in particular, as we're consistently being pointed to fresh projects that have included Nintendo's home console in their funding...
Interview Yanim Studio on its Kickstarter-Funded Wii U Adventure, Red Goddess: Inner World
"Nintendo's audience will love what this game has to offer."
On Tuesday we reported on Red Goddess: Inner World, a beautiful new Kickstarter-funded Metroidvania-style title headed to Wii U, PS4, PS Vita, and PC next year if the campaign reaches its funding goal. If you haven't checked it out yet, take a gander at the Kickstarter trailer:
Feature Kickstarter's Wii U and 3DS Campaigns - 5th May
Ups and downs
We're a day later than normal, but we haven't forgotten our regular Kickstarter project update; the previous week has brought quite a few notable updates. We have successes and failures to consider, and some additions over which to cast our eye. As always the focus is on current campaigns or those that have been completed in the past...
Feature Kickstarter's Wii U and 3DS Campaigns - 27th April
Confirmed Wii U games and tough campaigns
It's time for another Kickstarter campaign summary, with quite a few details that have changed since last week. We have two notable success stories, including a campaign that looked like a close call but secured success late in the day; there has also been a cancellation and others that look doomed to...
Interview MixedBag on Bringing forma.8's Mysterious Adventure to the Wii U eShop
"I think there's a lot of untapped potential in the GamePad"
Earlier this year Italian developer MixedBag caught the attention of Wii U gamers by teasing an announcement for the system; this turned out to be forma.8, an exploration game with a stylish visual approach. The studio's announcement reserved particular praise for Unity, Nintendo and Sony,...
Feature Kickstarter's Wii U and 3DS Campaigns - 20th April
Cancellations and close calls
In recent weeks we've produced Kickstarter summaries to show how campaigns are progressing, and this entry includes successes, cancellations and some close calls. Considering the fact that some exciting games have arrived and are on the way from successfully crowdfunded campaigns in the past, it's certainly worth...
Feature Kickstarter's Wii U and 3DS Campaigns - 13th April
Successes and failures
Last week we ran our first weekly Kickstarter summary, which aims to keep us all up to date on the progress — and otherwise — of projects currently seeking funding that are targeting Wii U and/or 3DS. We're relatively selective in terms of focusing on projects that seem to have either a certain level of quality, a...
Interview 4 Corner Games Tells Us Why It's Got to Run to the Wii U eShop
"I applied to Nintendo because I love playing games on Nintendo platforms"
Not too long ago 4 Corner Games announced that it'd be making its début with the Wii U-exclusive I've Got to Run, a runner title that'll include multiple modes and will run at a silky smooth 60 frames per second. In a wave of multi-platform download-only releases, this joins...
Feature Kickstarter's Wii U and 3DS Campaigns - 6th April
A summary of potential Nintendo releases
Kickstarter is the crowdfunding platform loved by all — OK, maybe not all. It remains a fairly divisive platform, with some heavily delayed projects and certain multi-billion dollar sales of formerly crowdfunded products causing consternation; these negatives are arguably countered by a range of exciting...
Interview Renegade Kid Discusses Its Cult County Kickstarter Adventure, With Wii U Included
We’re told why the 3DS version has been replaced
After Renegade Kid’s announcement last week that it would be launching a Kickstarter campaign for a home console project, it’s now lifted the lid on what that will be. It’s not an all-new previously unannounced title, nor is it the much anticipated Mutant Mudds 2, but actually Cult County for...
Feature The Biggest Wii U Games of 2014 - Spring Edition
Time for some additions
At the start of this year we continued our quarterly tradition of looking at the biggest games coming to the Wii U, this time considering 2014. Even with an admittedly shallow confirmed line-up for the year we'd like to think that it was a list to give optimism to Wii U owners anxious for exciting games to play. It's now...
Poll Have Your Say On The GamePad's Role With The Wii U Virtual Console
Perfect for enjoying retro classics?
Since the Wii U's launch there's been much talk about the role of the GamePad with the system, and we're sure most would agree that — to date — it's failed to have the same impact on how we play games as the Wii Remote in the last generation. The thinking behind the controller is clear, as Nintendo saw the...
Talking Point Nintendo's Major Wii U Retail Titles Can Benefit From More eShop Trials and Demos
A taste before taking the plunge
Whether you want to call them free trials or demos, the ongoing absence — for the most part — of these offerings on the Nintendo eShop stores is noticeable. What's peculiar, at least from our perspective, is why that gap exists with some of Nintendo's finest first-party releases; in an increasingly competitive...
Nintendo was "open minded, forward thinking" with networking challenges
While it may not have been making major headlines across the web, Nintendo's Wii U eShop has been pushing some landmarks in 2014. The first was with Blok Drop U, developer RCMADIAX seizing the crown of being the first developer to release a game through the Nintendo Web...
Interview Nocturnal on Flowerworks HD's Blossoming Development for Wii U
"The eShop is much improved over the Wii Shop"
In February it emerged that Flowerworks HD: Follie's Adventure was coming to the Wii U eShop, an updated version of the thoroughly enjoyable Flowerworks on WiiWare. Developer Nocturnal Entertainment, which had been relatively quiet after the WiiWare release, joined the ever-growing list of small...
Developer Interview Causal Bit Games On Scratching That Hardcore Itch With Insanity's Blade
"This is how I want to feel while I split my enemies in half"
We recently reported on the confirmation that Causal Bit Games is bringing its retro-inspired action title Insanity's Blade to the Wii U eShop. Looking like the best 16-bit hack-and-slash game you never played, this digital download aims to capture the feel of genre classics like R
Feature Lifting the Curtain on Game Ratings and the Headache of Worldwide Releases
Developers and publishers give us the details
In recent weeks some headlines have been made by the ratings agencies and the related processes for getting eShop games from development studios and onto our Nintendo consoles. An early shot was fired by Renegade Kid in an interview with us late last year, in which co-founder Jools Watsham explained why,...
Interview BNC Design Studios on Gemology, the Wii U eShop and Utilising the System's Capabilities
"There is no other platform that could support our games"
Just this week we revealed that Gemology is on the way to the Wii U eShop, another title from a new developer. In this case that company is BNC Design Studios, and those of you with good memories may recall that we spoke to its founder Jake Taylor about his desire to explore licensing...
Interview HullBreach Studios Outlines Its Ambitions for a Wii U Space Epic
Wants to "give reason to go back to the console day after day"
Earlier this year HullBreach Studios announced HullBreach Uncloaked, a Wii U follow-up and modernisation of a Wii browser-based MMORPG (Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game) called HullBreach Online. It's quite possible that many won't have heard of the Wii title due to its...
Talking Point The Nintendo Web Framework and the Return of 'Old-School' Indies
The Wii U eShop could have quite a mix of games
Considering the fact that Nintendo Life began in part — through the pre-merger WiiWare World — as a resource dedicated almost exclusively to covering download games, we've seen hundreds come and go in the continually evolving online stores. WiiWare was a big deal when it launched, as for the first...
Interview Ripstone and Zoink on Prioritising Fun in Stick It To The Man
"I just did something I thought looked cool"
Stick It To The Man by Zoink! promises to be an intriguing release when it arrives on the Wii U eShop in Spring. After previously arriving on PS3, PS Vita and PC, its arrival on the Wii U will make use of the GamePad to enhance the mind-reading mechanic, with Zoink! founder Klaus Lyngeled referring to the...
Video These Are The Ten DS Games We Want To See On The Wii U Virtual Console
Which one did you vote for?
The news that Nintendo is bringing DS games to the Wii U had us dreaming of all the amazing titles we wanted to see arrive on the eShop. Like some kind of benevolent moving-image god, our resident video guru Rory has transcoded these desires into magical lights and sound, and has lovingly deposited the results onto the...
Developer Interview PhobosLab on XType Plus, Impact and Why the Nintendo Web Framework Matters
The HTML5 revolution begins
While there are aspects of the Wii U that can questioned and put under scrutiny, its role in engaging and encouraging download-only developers should be emphasized as a major positive. The support for the widely used Unity engine — with free licensing and tools — has opened the platform up to a number of developers,...
Feature What We Want to See in SNES Remix
Because it must be on the cards...
Following on from this week's Nintendo Direct where NES Remix 2 was revealed, our hopes were raised for a SNES Remix to be announced in the near future. It's got to only be a matter of time, right? With this in mind we devised a likely list of candidates for a 16-bit remix mash-up. These are all Nintendo-published...
Interview We Chat to BNC Design Studios, A New Wii U Developer With An Eye on Licensed Products
"Mario is still the greatest name in entertainment"
While the third-party retail game scene may be increasingly desolate on Wii U, it seems the download-only market is very much alive and kicking. There are a broad range of multi-platform and exclusive games on the way, from established and experienced Nintendo download developers to newcomers...
Interview Shin'en Multimedia on the Wii U Difference for Art of Balance
We break down what's new, including numerous multiplayer modes
Earlier today we revealed that Shin'en Multimedia is bringing Art of Balance to the Wii U eShop, with a target release window of Q2 — before the end of June. It's a title that first appeared on WiiWare, before there was an updated version on the 3DS titled Art of Balance: TOUCH. Th
Interview Rainy Frog Talks About eShop Publishing in Japan
"The Wii U in Japan is more family orientated"
Earlier this year we told you about Rainy Frog, a publisher with ambitions to bring a number of Western download games to the Japanese eShop stores and, in the future, vice versa. Its one of a group of companies that establish offices in Japan — in order to be eligible as publishers in the region —...
Feature 10 Nintendo DS Games We Want To See On The Wii U Virtual Console
Dual-screen desires
Nintendo has just lifted the lid on its plans to bring DS games to the Wii U Virtual Console, which means that owners of that particular machine will soon be able to enjoy a library of classic releases from one of the company's most popular formats. The DS has played host to some truly stunning pieces of software since its...
Video The 10 Biggest Wii U Games Of 2014
It's a bumper year ahead
Not so long ago, we asked you to pick your most anticipated Wii U game for 2014 from a list of the 10 titles we thought were worth getting excited about. Fast forward a short while and the results have finally been counted and verified, and our trusty video expert Rory Cocker has duly created this handy presentation which...
Interview Wales Interactive on its Upcoming Wii U eShop Games and Working With Nintendo
"We love the GamePad concept and being able to connect to another display"
It seems fair to say that, though some quality releases have graced the Wii U eShop, we're still awaiting — due to various delays — a consistent flow of tempting download-only content on the store. With each passing week the list of promising and confirmed titles creep...
Interview Codemasters - F1 Race Stars: Powered Up Edition
Vroom vroom
Codemasters’ F1 Race Stars: Powered Up Edition finally zoomed on to the Wii U eShop this week in Europe and North America; its marketing promises fast and fun arcade racing on the Wii U, with four-player split-screen racing. Formula One fans may get a kick out of seeing stars such as Lewis Hamilton, Alonso and Vettel make an appearance...
Interview RCMADIAX on BLOK DROP U and Working On the Nintendo Web Framework
"At $1.99, that's about the cost of a pack of gum!"
Throughout 2013 Nintendo went to a good deal of effort to spread the work that its platforms, particularly the Wii U, were supportive of small, download-only developers. Much focus and, by extension, confirmed releases fell into the Unity engine camp, with Nintendo offering free tools and usage of...
Talking Point An Unplanned Flash Sale Looked Like Retail Download Genius from Nintendo
A flash sale... well, 'flashed' before our eyes
There was a moment this week when, for a brief and glorious moment, Nintendo ran a Steam-like flash sale on retail games. It may have passed plenty of people by, especially as it was for download codes on the official Nintendo UK store, but it was a glimmer of a brave new world where Nintendo creates...
Feature The Biggest Wii U Games of 2014
Some good 'uns are on the way
A new year is here, and with it comes the opportunity for Nintendo and its partners to excite Wii U owners in the best possible way — with great games. We've decided to list some of the most anticipated and exciting games coming to the Wii U in 2014, all as a taste of what's to come. Our aim with this list is to...
Feature A Year in Development - Shin'en Multimedia
Life in the FAST lane
In our third Year in Development feature we have a guest article from Shin'en Multimedia's Manfred Linzner. The eShop developer has, over a number of years, forged a reputation for developing high-quality, polished games on Nintendo's download platforms. In this article Linzner summarises the studio's 2013, including surprise...
Feature A Year in Development - Renegade Kid
A Q & A with Jools Watsham on 2013
In the second of our "Year in Development" mini-series, we sit down for a Q & A with Jools Watsham, co-founder and main spokesman for Renegade Kid. We already reported on confirmation of Mutant Mudds Deluxe content as a free update on 3DS, and below is the full manuscript that focuses on the studio's year, from...
Feature 12 Days of Christmas - EarthBound Escaped The Wilderness
Fans rejoiced
If you tell a non-interested observer that the release of a Super NES game on the Wii U caused a frenzy of excitement online, they may raise an eyebrow or, more likely, give you a quizzical look. Why would a game from so long ago be thrilling, when we have all of these highly cinematic HD experiences to enjoy? Of course, being a gamer...
"Child of Light has many unique and distinctive features"
Upcoming Wii U eShop releases that catch the eye are often from small, independent developers, with a sense that it's these small teams that have freedom to express new ideas or conventionally niche approaches. For multi-national, multi-million dollar publishers the focus can be different,...
Developer Session Nifflas and Ripstone Talk Over Design Principles, Age Ratings and What's Next
"It’s a hobby that just kind of escalated"
Just last week we published the first part of our chat with Nifflas, in which the game designer — full name Nicklas Nygren — outlined many of the ideas that form upcoming Wii U eShop title Knytt Underground. We learnt a great deal about the complexity and depth that the title is striving for, in the...
Developer Session We Chat to Nifflas About His Knytt Underground Vision
"I would say it’s a beautiful, slow-paced experience, very ambient."
We've emphasized in recent times that there are a good number of intriguing download-only titles coming to the Wii U eShop, bringing a variety of experiences to the fore. One that could be particularly involving and complex for players to tackle may be Knytt Underground, a title...
Interview Dakko Dakko on Scram Kitty and his Buddy on Rails, Clever Cats and Utilising the Wii U
"We’re making an interesting hybrid of some of our favourite games"
While the Wii U eShop has a fair number of download-only projects on the way, it's a relatively modest number that are exclusive to the platform. That's unsurprising, as development tool such as Unity — combined with supportive low cost-of-entry platforms — allow smaller...
Working on Nintendo hardware "makes you feel legit"
While we're yet to quite see the promised influx of games onto the Wii U eShop, the lengthy list of projects in development is certainly exciting for download gamers. Small and independent developers could play an integral role in how attractive Nintendo's platform is to its adopters, and one...
Soapbox The Wii U Virtual Console Needs to Freshen Up
Tom Whitehead's frustrated at the untapped potential of the Virtual Console
OK, I'll join the club and say it. The Wii U and, to a degree, the 3DS Virtual Console are becoming rather frustrating, stale affairs. There's something odd that, years after working through the NES library on the Wii, we're now doing it all over again, despite the fact the...
"Think of Spelunky mixed with Zelda"
There are a number of intriguing projects on the way to the Wii U eShop, though not all have featured at expos or in Nintendo Direct sizzle reels. Imagine Me by KinifiGames is one such game, a title that was Kickstarted over two years ago for PC, Mac and Linux, and has now emerged as another experience bound for...
The game where co-op is the way to play
Earlier this year Nintendo of Europe released a Wii U eShop sizzle reel of upcoming games, some of which were seen for the first time in that Nintendo Direct broadcast. One of the many games given a few seconds to shine was FORCED from BetaDwarf (a studio based in Copenhagen, Denmark), an arena brawler with a...
First Impressions Shovel Knight
We dig it
Yacht Club Games' Shovel Knight for Wii U, which made waves with an incredibly successful Kickstarter campaign, was on display at the recent New York Comic-Con. While more mainstream releases were generating huge lines and impatient parents, the deceptively simple-looking Shovel Knight was something of a hidden gem, making a great...