Wii U eShop News
November2014
Video Take a Closer Look at the Awesome GamePad and Co-Op Features of Stealth Inc 2
Be stealthy together
We're big fans of Stealth Inc 2: A Game of Clones here at Nintendo Life, a Wii U eShop exclusive that combines solid platforming, a Metroidvania world and terrific level design; we awarded it a handsome 9 out of 10 in our review. A key feature that we appreciated in that review is the local co-op, which utilises the GamePad...
Review Falling Skies: The Game (Wii U eShop)
Falling to pieces
Video games have relied on the standard 'alien invasion' plot since the very beginning. It takes a unique twist to make it work in this day and age, whether it's a new gameplay style or a refreshingly original storyline, and that isn't an easy task. Falling Skies: The Game takes fun, tactical gameplay and blends it with the...
News Citizens of Earth Release Pushed Back to 20th January
Electing for more dev time
Citizens of Earth is a quirky RPG with origins on Kickstarter, though a failed campaign was saved when Atlus stepped in to publish Eden Industries' project. With a promise of a lengthy campaign and classics such as EarthBound cited as influences, there are high hopes for this one. It'll be a little longer before we take...
Review Pixel Paint (Wii U eShop)
Almost pixel-perfect
Let’s face it: at some point, every gamer has been caught off guard by the alluring retro beauty of pixel art. Say what you will about its overuse in today’s onslaught of independent games — chances are you still love it. There’s something majestic about the way tens, hundreds, or thousands of tiny dots come together to...
Review Tetrobot & Co (Wii U eShop)
Acute brain-bending pleasure
Many puzzle games – particularly on mobile devices – can be argued as being insultingly easy or too mind-numbingly obtuse to even be comprehended by human minds. Luckily *Tetrobot & Co. doesn’t fit into either of these categories. The story of this game revolves around an intelligent young lady who spends her...
Nintendo Download 6th November (North America)
Sportsball, The Swapper, Pikmin movies, GBA Mario, Sonic discounts and more
It's that time again, North American gamers, as we have more downloadable treats to consider. Some arrivals dropped onto the eShop stores following this week's Nintendo Direct broadcast, while there are a host of additional attractive options for Wii U and 3DS landing today...
News Pikmin Short Movies Available to Buy Now on Wii U and 3DS
Pikmin 3 demo also released
Pikmin 3 has clearly been a title of great personal importance to Shigeru Miyamoto, a point highlighted by the recent Tokyo International Film Festival première of three short films that the legendary game designer has overseen. These animated shorts allowed Miyamoto-san to step away from games and work on a fresh...
News Nintendo Highlights Huge Indie Line-up for Winter and Beyond
Lots and lots of games
It's little secret to Nintendo gamers that the eShop platforms on Wii U and 3DS — particularly the former — have picked up a lot of steam in 2014. Both Nintendo of America and Europe (in their respective Direct broadcasts) took the opportunity to highlight just that, showing off games out now and on the way. In Europe...
News The Original NES Duck Hunt Is Coming Soon To The Virtual Console On Wii U
No dogs laughing at this
Since Duck Hunt Duo — simply known as Duck Hunt in North America — emerged as a part of the character line-up in the latest Super Smash Bros. for Wii U & 3DS, fans have been holding out for the return of the classic pairing in some other way or form; now that very day has arrived. Nintendo has revealed the 1984...
News Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker Now Launching In Europe On 2nd January 2015
70 stages also showcased
The latest Nintendo Direct has revealed that Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker will now launch across Europe on 2nd January 2015. The release date previously listed for this region was the 9th, so this will no doubt come as welcome news for Wii U owners located in PAL regions who were eager to get stuck into what appears to be...
Review Pier Solar and the Great Architects (Wii U eShop)
Build me up and tear me down
While playing Pier Solar and the Great Architects, it’s important to consider what a labour of love the title really is. With origins as a Sega CD homebrew project from the now-defunct Sega fansite Eidolon’s Inn, it was originally meant to star members of that website’s "Tavern" message board before evolving into a...
News Shovel Knight Now Available In Europe On The Wii U And 3DS eShops
Release day has arrived!
While North American Nintendo fans have been enjoying Shovel Knight since June, Wii U and 3DS owners in Europe have been waiting for the release of the title in their own region for some time now. With what's likely to be the final Nintendo Direct presentation for the year now out of the way, European Wii U and 3DS owners...
News Paper Monsters Recut Now Pencilled In For 13th November in Europe
Another download fighting for your eShop credit
The Wii U eShop has had its share of enjoyable releases recently, and another to make its presence felt is Paper Monsters Recut, a platformer originally released on smart devices that has been re-purposed and improved for the home console. It arrived in North America in mid-October, though publisher...
News Shovel Knight is Getting a Cross-Buy Discount in Europe
And Australian regions too!
Gamers in Europe, Australia and New Zealand have been champing at the bit to get their grubby mitts on Shovel Knight for some time now. We know Yacht Club Games is doing its best to get the PEGI and OFLC ratings sorted out and we're expecting some good news on that front very soon. In the meantime as a sweetener to thank...
Review My Style Studio: Hair Salon (Wii U eShop)
Bad hair day
In the grand scheme of things, hairdressers can seem pretty insignificant, but deep down they hold the secret, terrible capacity to utterly ruin your entire week. You put your faith into them and trust that they know what they're doing, or else just one bad haircut will stick with you for a month. If a new generation of these stylistic...
News Moon Chronicles Developer Seeking Interest for Wii U Version Through Kickstarter Campaign
Fly Wii to the moon
Developer Renegade Kid is asking the Twitter community if they'd be interested in supporting a possible Kickstarter campaign they have in mind. The campaign is suggested for a Wii U version of Moon Chronicles, which was released earlier this year on the 3DS eShop. No details about whether or not this potential title would be...
News Retro Adventure Title Elliot Quest Coming to Wii U in 2015
Fighting to avoid a fate worse than death
If you like your adventure/RPGs with 8-bit style and a dark-sounding plot, then Ansimuz Games's Elliot Quest may be one to keep an eye on. Developer Ansimuz Games has announced that the title will be expanding out from its original PC platform and should appear on the Wii U early next year. The story of...
News uWordSmith Is In Development Exclusively For The Wii U
Coming to the US this December for $1.99
If you’ve ever wanted to be a writer, perhaps this upcoming Wii U eShop release will let you start to make those dreams a reality (on a very basic level). uWordSmith is a new puzzle game for Wii U by Temple of Yog developer CHUDCHUD Industries. The creator, Cody Diefenthaler, has been promoting the project...
Interview Still Games Discusses Kickstarting a Legendary Tale With Animal Gods
"You are called upon to save the Gods"
Over recent weeks our Kickstarter summaries (which will resume this weekend) have featured Animal Gods, an intriguing project from US developer Still Games. Though listed for PC, Mac and Linux, as is the norm on the crowdfunding platform, the developer has also included the Wii U in its core goal, placing...
Showcase Exploring Runbow - The Depths of 13AM Games’ 9-Player Platformer
“Why settle for eight when you can have nine?”
Runbow is a nine-player, fast-paced mutliplayer platforming game developed by 13AM Games that's coming to the Wii U eShop next year, and looks to be a very promising example of indie development for Nintendo. The guys working on the game are nothing if not ambitious, and we managed to get some fresh...
October2014
Review Demon's Crest (Wii U eShop / SNES)
Fire-grand
Fans of the Ghosts 'n Goblins series should be familiar with the rather annoying little demon Firebrand; he would be the main reason Arthur would spend his time walking around the many levels of the games in his underwear. Capcom obviously thought enough of the guy to give him a series of his own, which began life on the Game Boy systems...
News Electronic Super Joy: Groove City Bringing Mayhem To The Wii U eShop
Help JoJo reclaim her Laser-Nipples!
Michael Todd revealed today that he'll be bringing a port of his mischievous platformer Electronic Super Joy: Groove City to the Wii U eShop soon. The game has already received many positive ratings within the Steam community so it should be one to watch out for. The basic plot of the game involves a gia
News Moving Player Announces Game Adaptation And Publishing Program “Xport” For Indie Developers
Rakoo’s Adventure for Wii U also revealed
With Cosmophony for Wii U now available to the masses, Moving Player is looking towards a bigger and brighter future with its latest announcement at Game Connection Europe 2014; a console game adaption and publishing program for indie developers. The new program known as "Xport", allows indie developers...
Review Castlevania: Harmony of Dissonance (Wii U eShop / GBA)
A perfect harmony?
The Wii U eShop is becoming an embarrassment of riches, with a robust library of indie titles complemented by a growing lineup of strong Virtual Console games. Konami's Castlevania: Harmony of Dissonance is the second of three Castlevania titles released on the Game Boy Advance, and while it controls and plays similarly to its...
News Tengami is Coming to the Wii U eShop in November
Folded fun
Nyamyam have revealed to us that the beautifully crafted Tengami will be released in North America and Europe on 13th November. Tengami is a gorgeous puzzle game set in a pop-up book, where you have to slide, fold, and otherwise manipulate your paper surroundings in order to solve the intricate puzzels that are presented to you. Words...
Review Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest (Wii U eShop / SNES)
The ape escape
Rare managed to do something incredible with Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy’s Kong-Quest; it took the well refined gameplay and style of the first Donkey Kong Country game and made it even better. This second entry in the series features gameplay almost identical to its predecessor’s, but this time everything’s been streamlined...
News Curve Digital Talks Over Stealth Inc 2, Wii U Releases and Fluidity
A Fluidity Wii U title was pitched, but never happened
Curve Digital — or Curve Studios in its development guise — is particularly busy with the Wii U at the moment. This week it releases Stealth Inc 2: A Game of Clones as an exclusive on the home console, while it's publishing a range of enticing ports on the system, with Lone Survivor: The...
News Nexis Games Launches Kickstarter For Minecraft Clone, UCraft Today
Developer needs to dig a little deeper for funding
We like to keep an eye on Kickstarter here at Nintendo Life, as it's helped some pretty fantastic projects to get off the ground in the past. Today, news has emerged that the outspoken developer behind UCraft has taken to crowd-funding in order to see the title through to completion. Nexis games...
News "Pre-Download" Service to Kick Off With Super Smash Bros. for Wii U
Download most of the game in advance
While the Wii U and 3DS eShop stores have taken great strides in bringing Nintendo towards current-day standards in digital retail, there are still various areas of improvement. Just recently Nintendo has begun to sell retail downloads online that can, by purchasing from the official website in North America...
News Runbow Developers Picked Wii U for its Massive Local Multiplayer Capability
Nine is enough
The Wii U's position as a party console seems to be cementing itself lately. It's now well known that the Wii U version of Super Smash Bros. can support 8-player offline play, but Toronto-based indie studio 13AM has been working on Runbow, a game that can cram a full nine people around the TV (well, one can probably sit to the side...
Review Lone Survivor: The Director's Cut (Wii U eShop)
Where is your mind?
Lone Survivor:The Director's Cut seems to have arrived on the Wii U eShop as a sudden apparition; creeping unnaturally under the radar during a slew of indie title announcements that emerged from E3 this year. Now, Jasper Byrne's twisted horror is ready to infect your mind just in time for the Halloween season, and it will not go...
Review Stealth Inc 2: A Game of Clones (Wii U eShop)
A sneaky classic
Stealth Inc: A Clone in the Dark was — after a name change from its risqué PC début — a well-received puzzle platformer on various platforms. Its simple but cute aesthetic was matched by some lovely level design, making it a surprise when Stealth Inc 2: A Game of Clones was announced as a Wii U exclusive by Curve Studios,...
News Capcom Offering Spooky Savings In North America On Resident Evil eShop Titles
Three games available for absolutely killer prices
If you live in North America and want to ramp up the scare factor this Halloween, then Capcom might have just the offer to get you in the mood. In a special Nintendo Halloween sale, Capcom will be offering three Resident Evil titles at significantly reduced prices across both the Wii U and 3DS...
News Pixel Paint Lands On North America’s Wii U eShop This Week In All Its Retro Glory
Relive the pixelated past
If you’ve ever wanted a tool outside of a regular computer program to assist you with the recreation of retro pixel art, then Pixel Paint – brought to you by developer and publisher Two Kernel Connection – might just be the game for you. Due out on the North American Wii U eShop on 30th October for the price of...
News Dungeons & Robots Targeting Wii U in 2015
It features dungeons and robots, unsurprisingly
The Wii U eShop isn't, at present, short of projects confirmed for a release in the coming year. They range from high-profile titles to others from new studios; Dungeons & Robots by Glow Games Studio falls into the latter category. The lore is fairly lengthy, incorporating robotic figures that...
Review Cosmophony (Wii U eShop)
Off the beaten track
We can’t help but think that a parallel universe exists in which Cosmophony plays a central, cruel role in deciding a person’s fate. In this somewhat dystopian, yet oddly hip and cool universe where drum and bass is the norm, a technocratic regime (made up of original developer, Bento–Studio, and Wii U porting pros,...
Review Arrow Time U (Wii U eShop)
Let us point you in the direction of something more fun
Back in 1994, a company called Clickteam debuted Klik n Play, an amateur development program that allowed anyone to participate in the process of creating and sharing their own video games. One of the best parts of the software was its simplicity, which forewent complex coding in favor of a...
News Costume Quest 2 Confirmed for European Wii U Release This Week
Despite its absence from the Download Update details
When Double Fine confirmed that it was bringing Costume Quest 2 to the Wii U, it wasn't surprising that a number of fans were rather pleased. The original gained serious popularity thanks to its cute visuals and solid adventure RPG gameplay, so the promise of a sequel that'll improve on that...
Review Castlevania: Circle of the Moon (Wii U eShop / GBA)
Over the moon
Konami's Castlevania has changed directions in recent years, with the Lords of Shadow titles polarizing fans of the long-running series. That's why fans of the "Metroidvania" outings should flock to the Wii U eShop and download the Game Boy Advance Castlevania titles, which feature the series' signature exploration-based, semi-linear...
News You'll Be Able To Explore The Artistic Imagination Of An 8-Year-Old In Wii U Title Child's Mind
The result is "Marble Madness meets Jetpack Joyride"
Christian Sanders has an 8-year-old son, and like so many children of this delicate age, he loves to doodle. However, the crude creations committed to paper by Sanders' offspring are destined for a greater purpose than simply being stuck on the wall — they form the basis of Child's Mind, a title...
Review Namco Museum (Wii U eShop / GBA)
Does it deserve to be exhibited on your Wii U?
Originally released for the Game Boy Advance in 2001, Namco Museum is part of a long-running series (which goes by the same name) that saw regular releases over a 15-year period all the way up until 2010. This game is a compilation, featuring five classic arcade games: Ms. PAC-MAN, Galaga, Galaxian,...
Nintendo Download 30th October (Europe)
Stealth Inc 2, Shin Megami Tensei IV, Rare DK treats and much more
With this coming weekend being the spookiest of the year, the latest Nintendo Download Update details for Europe show us that the big N's keen to keep us all entertained in the safety of our own homes, avoiding the ghouls outside. This week is packed with new titles on Wii U and 3DS,...
News Activision Retail Titles Are Coming To The Wii U And 3DS eShops
Transformers and Spider-Man incoming
Activision hasn't really supported the Nintendo eShop in quite the same way as some of Nintendo's other third-party partners, but it looks as if that's going to change fairly soon. North American eShop listings have been spotted for Transformers: Rise of the Dark Spark and The Amazing Sp
Review Ballpoint Universe: Infinite (Wii U eShop)
Scribbles and bits
Creatively, the world of Ballpoint Universe: Infinite possesses an enchantingly bizarre kind of beauty that sets it apart. It truly feels like a tribute to the underappreciated act of doodling, where both mind and pen wander to create wide, rolling swaths of who knows what. This is only the visual part of Ballpoint’s design,...
News Nintendo Outlines Generous eShop Publication Policies
In theory opens the door to games like Binding of Isaac
It's no secret to those that frequent these pages or that browse the 3DS and Wii U eShop stores on a regular basis, but Nintendo is now open and supportive of all kinds of developers. That's come about through a consistent loosening of its publication rules, making it easier for studios and...
Review Donkey Kong Country (Wii U eShop / SNES)
Hasn't aged a day
Back in 1994, before 3D games had taken off, a little UK-based games developer called Rare decided that if it couldn’t have good looking 3D models in a game, it'd have to get creative. Donkey Kong Country used a pioneering new technique for the time that took images of pre-rendered three dimensional models and turned these...
Video Project CARS Halloween Trailer Shows Off Weather Effects
Wii U wording changes to "later on in 2015"
Project CARS recently suffered a delay until March 2015 on PS4, Xbox One and PC, with the Wii U release simply given a '2015' window. When sending out a new Halloween-themed trailer publisher Bandai Namco has now stated that the Nintendo home console's version will land "later on in 2015" which,...
News Slender: The Arrival Is Stalking Its Way To The Wii U eShop
Cult survival horror title is being published by Majesco
A PEGI rating has revealed that Majesco is publishing the Blue Isle Studios title Slender: The Arrival on the Wii U eShop. The game originally launched on PC and Mac back in 2013 and has since become something of a cult classic. It features the iconic Slender Man, a faceless antagonist who...
News Rhythmic Rail Shooter Cosmophony Arriving In Europe & The Americas on 30th October
Fallen goddess
Last month it was revealed that Bento Studio’s musical rail shooter, Cosmophony, would be adapted and ported to the Wii U by Moving Player. Now, the latest announcement has revealed the upcoming Wii U eShop release will be arriving in both Europe and the Americas on 30th October, for the price of £3.49, €3.99 & $3.99...
Nintendo Download 23rd October (North America)
Double Bayonetta, Aria of Sorrow, Fantasy Life, Pokémon, Shantae and more
It's Nintendo Download news time, North America, and this week has some seriously tempting options on both Wii U and 3DS to test your eShop funds to the limit. There's intense action on Wii U, retro Castlevania goodness, along with retail and download goodness on the 3DS...
Review Turtle Tale (Wii U eShop)
Half-shelled
Retro-styled platformers have become very common in the current generation of games, thanks to download platforms and readily available, inexpensive development tools. Some titles, such as the insanely difficult, finely crafted 1001 Spikes, show an immediate artistry and sense of game design. Others, unfortunately, are bare experiences...
News A World of Keflings Unleashes On The North American Wii U eShop November 13th
European release underway
The last time we received an update on the status of A World of Keflings, was when NinjaBee Games reassured Wii U owners in August, that the long-awaited title was still on its way to Nintendo’s latest home console. Now, after much anticipation, NinjaBee has finally confirmed the game will be released on the Wii U eShop...
Review 99Seconds (Wii U eShop)
A twitch in time saves 99
Time is a very valuable commodity. At least that’s what people say, but there always seems to be time for sneaking a quick little game of something between tasks. 99Seconds seeks to fill those blips in your life, and perhaps a few more, with a classic dodge ‘em style of gameplay. The Wii U version of 99seconds is...
News Pilgrim is Another Download Game Making the Journey to Wii U
A land where it's often raining
The Wii U eShop continues to attract a diverse range of projects, and another on the way is an ambitious game called Pilgrim from developer Disintegration Games. Its target scope is rather grand, as it incorporates a period of 100 years and multiple characters, starting with a young Scottish immigrant travelling to...
News Tetrobot and Co. Puzzles Its Way Onto Wii U Next Week
Neko Entertainment returns to publish another eShop game
Neko Entertainment has announced its PC-hit, Tetrobot and Co.’s, arrival onto mobile and tablet devices. It’s not surprising, for this popular puzzle game has become quite a hit on Steam, providing PC gamers with hours of mind-boggling fun — the big news however, is that it will also...
Review Paper Monsters Recut (Wii U eShop)
The power of papercraft
In an increasingly busy eShop with titles that are wildly inconsistent in quality, download games have to make an immediate impression to get noticed. With a lovely visual style, Mobot Studios' Paper Monsters Recut instantly stands out among the crowd — an enhanced port of a mobile game, Paper Monsters Recut is a fun,...
News Pixel Galaxy: Enemies Aren't Forever is a Shooter That Looks Like an Eye Exam
We mean that in a good way, we think
The download scene isn't short of retro-styled titles, as they can be an effective way to develop on a budget and appeal to a wide range of gamers. Another throwing its hat into the ring, through Kickstarter, is Pixel Galaxy: Enemies Aren't Forever; it's only looking for $6000 in funding, too. Apparently...
News Hazewalker Kickstarter Campaign Launches With $100,000 Goal
We missed it from our summary, oops
We made a slightly odd omission in our last Kickstarter summary article, in that we failed to include a title we'd written about prior to its campaign's launch — Hazewalker. Let's remedy that right now, shall we? It caught our eye with its pre-launch press release and footage, as it has some ambitious scope and...
Nintendo Download 23rd October (Europe)
A Bayonetta double discount, Disney magic, more Rare DK, Themes and more
It's time to brighten up our Monday with the European Nintendo Download Update, and this week's line-up is full of fantastic titles. We have a double-helping of Platinum Games action on Wii U, some Disney magic on 3DS, some classic retro games across both systems, a new 3DS...
News Mad Men Football Shows Off Its New N64-Inspired Sports Uniform
"It's time for another revolution"
AE Games caused quite a stir when it announced Mad Men Football a while back. Showing off little more than concept artwork, the indie developer made some bold claims about the final product — despite not having any real industry experience — and predictably attracted quite a bit of criticism online. This...
News Oddworld: New 'n' Tasty Wii U Delay Seems to be Due to 8GB Basic Model
"If you're going to make a Wii U game, it better run on the 8GB unit"
Oddworld: New 'n' Tasty is a critically acclaimed title that has been praised for being an accomplished reboot of a retro classic. It arrived on PSN earlier this year, though the promised Wii U eShop iteration has been absent. An explanation for the delay seems to have arrived,...
News Pier Solar and the Great Architects Landing in North America on 23rd October
Actually, no it's not
Update: Publisher Watermelon has now confirmed that the Nintendo listing for 23rd October was inaccurate; as a positive it's stated on Facebook that a release date will be confirmed in the coming week. Original Article: After a series of delays, former Kickstarter campaign
Video Curve Studios Shows Off Some Stealth Inc 2 Gadgets
Delightfully tricky
Stealth Inc 2 is due for release on 30th October, bringing its blend of tough Test Chambers that are well known from the first title, and a sizeable 'Metroidvania' world, exclusively to the Wii U. Last week we brought you a developer commentary video showing off that overworld, and now we can share the second video — along...
Feature Kickstarter's Wii U and 3DS Campaigns - 17th October
Build your own N64 and more project updates
Kickstarter, despite seeing funding amounts and success stories go down in recent times, is still a source of interesting crowdfunding projects for the Wii U, in particular. It also throws up occasional alternatives that can intrigue Nintendo gamers, even if the 3DS has been much less prominent in past...
Feature Ari Pulkkinen's Quest to Turn the Volume Up on Game Music
Music is "the biggest emotional aspect in any game"
There's surely little debating that music is absolutely integral to a video game experience. Nintendo has successfully riffed on iconic themes for decades, while still producing terrific new soundtracks in its current-day efforts that can only add to the excitement of the gameplay. This is...
Nintendo Download 16th October (North America)
Harmony of Dissonance, Lone Survivor, Ballpoint Universe and much more
It's that time again, North American gamers, for Nintendo Download Update details to brighten your day and lighten your wallet. This week sees a collection of promising new download games across Wii U and 3DS, along with high quality retro options on both systems. Throw in a...
News Trailer Shows Off Today's First Batch of Hyrule Warriors DLC
"Master Quest Pack" gallops its way onto the eShop
The first batch of Hyrule Warriors DLC arrives today in Europe and the US, bringing a treasure chest full of exciting extras. The "Master Quest Pack" (the first of four announced DLC packages) will provide Hyrule Warriors owners with the following downloadable content: Three new playable...
News Curve Studios Outlines Release Details of Four Wii U Titles
All before December
Curve Studios has a strong history of working on Nintendo hardware, perhaps most notably with Nintendo-published titles Hydroventure / Fluidity on WiiWare and Hydroventure / Fluidity: Spin Cycle on the 3DS eShop. The development studio's work goes way beyond those two games, of course, and it's been responsible for a range of...
Feature Bayonetta - Creating Gaming's Combative Heroine
A unique part of the gaming scene
While it's a release that'll perhaps be battling the odds to make a major commercial impact, Bayonetta 2 will arrive as a Wii U exclusive on 24th October in the West, joined by an enhanced port of its predecessor. The new entry arrives as a relatively unique arrival, one of few dedicated action games of its type in...
News UCraft Developer Promises Extensive Features and Releases New Trailer
Online modes included
The recent announcement of UCraft for the Wii U eShop made it one of a small band of titles on the way to Nintendo hardware that cite Minecraft as a source of inspiration. This effort from Nexis Games is targeting a Holiday 2014 release window, and the developer has now released more details and an extended video of footage...
Review Nobunaga's Ambition (Wii U eShop / SNES)
Feud of dreams
Nobunaga’s Ambition, long one of publisher Koei’s flagship series, deserves its rightful place in the history of strategy titles. This SNES iteration, like many of its brethren, has an engaging setup that rewards careful planning and execution once the learning curve is cleared. Actually, “curve” might be too gentle a term...
News Shovel Knight For Wii U & 3DS Launches In Europe And Australia This November
Finally!
Whilst North American Nintendo fans have been enjoying Shovel Knight for what feels like an eternity now, Wii U and 3DS owners in other parts of the world are still yet to experience the joys of this medieval side-scroller. Thankfully, the wait is nearly finally over for these remaining locations, with developer Yacht Club Games today...
News The Club Nintendo Rewards for October Have Been Confirmed
Kersploosh! 3D Classics: Kid Icarus! StarTropics II! More!
It's that time again, North American Club Nintendo fans, for the monthly rewards update that will try to separate you from your hard-earned virtual coins. This batch shakes things up a little from the last two months, with two 3DS eShop releases included in the portable offerings along with...
News Inquisitive Gamers Stumble Across Potential eShop Web Store
It already works, apparently
Nintendo has consistently maintained that it would explore options to make the eShop easily accessible in web browsers, a policy that's brought us Miiverse and Mario Kart TV on PC, Mac and mobile devices. With the eShop platforms on Wii U and 3DS becoming increasingly important to Nintendo, it's unsurprising that calls...
Nintendo Download 16th October (Europe)
DK delights and discounts, Lone Survivor, themes, PAC-MAN and more
The start of a fresh week can be a happy occasion for European Nintendo gamers, as it means Nintendo Download Update news. While it doesn't always provide thrills and spills, this week's selection certainly has some tempting options, including a new title on Wii U, some retro...
Review Mon Premier Karaoké (Wii U eShop)
Should you take a chanson this?
Rarely is it possible to describe a game in a single word, yet after mere minutes of playing Mon Premier Karaoké you can aptly sum it up as “niche”. After all, this is a game that’s aimed squarely at young, French-speaking children, and so to be able to use a word of French origin to describe it is...
Feature Kickstarter's Wii U and 3DS Campaigns - 10th October
More titles to consider
It's been just over a week since our last Kickstarter summary, in which we caught up on past campaigns and looked at some fresh arrivals. Since then we've had a couple of success stories, while two intriguing new projects have emerged that may be worth your attention. As before we are showing projects with attainable goals...
Review Castlevania: Dracula X (Wii U eShop / SNES)
Tainted blood
When you think of the definitive side-scrolling Castlevania experience, we imagine for most people it’s imagery of Symphony of the Night or Super Castlevania IV that first creeps into the ol’ noggin. But while those might be the most popular of responses, there’s a slightly more obscure game in the franchise that many die-hards...
News Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow to Complete GBA Trilogy on Wii U Virtual Console
Scarily good
The Game Boy Advance enjoyed a terrific trilogy of 2D Castlevania titles — as did its successor, the DS — which set impressive standards for portable entries in the franchise. With GBA games on the Wii U, the prospect of playing them on the GamePad — or the TV if you like enormous pixels — must have come to the minds of Konami...
News Bayonetta 2 Demo Now Live In The European Wii U eShop
Climaxing too soon?
A demo for the forthcoming Wii U action title Bayonetta 2 is now available on the European Wii U eShop. The game doesn't launch until October 24th in North America and Europe, but Nintendo is clearly aiming to build up hype prior to release. A Wii U-exclusive sequel to the 2010 original — which is also coming to Nintendo's...
Video 'Nindie' Trailers Flood Nintendo's Official YouTube Channel
Strong, nindependent titles
Nintendo has released a wealth of new trailers for upcoming indie games that it is showcasing at IndieCade 2014. Charmingly referred to as 'Nindies', these developers have all declared their commitment to Nintendo's systems, and you can see just a snippet of the fruits of their labour in the trailers that you can see...
Review Red Riding Hood (Wii U eShop)
All the better to bore you with, my dear
Clearly aimed at children, Brave Rock Games' Red Riding Hood is a vaguely interactive storybook that, while certainly not a scam at the inexpensive asking price of $1 USD, will take users no more than 15 minutes to play through. With bare-bones presentation, narration that moves at a snail's pace and nearly...
Interview Mobot Studios Discusses Paper Monsters Recut and its Commitment to Wii U
Not papering over the cracks
It's already clear that, for devoted and keen Wii U owners, the eShop is a sanctuary of regular releases. Indie gaming is all the rage, and the eShop eco-system is already taking on a fairly unique identity with a mix of major download releases, occasional exclusives and — for better or worse, depending on the game —...
News Nintendo Highlights 'Nindies' and Their Games at IndieCade 2014
We're not sure we can forgive that name, though
Nintendo has compiled a long list of prolific indie games that will be making an appearance at IndieCade 2014 which runs from the 10th to the 12th of this month in California. Nintendo is quick to showcase this promising batch of titles that are coming to the systems. This list of titles that will be...
Video Join Curve Studios On An Exploration Of Stealth Inc 2's Overworld
Developer gives us an exclusive video commentary
Stealth Inc 2 is coming to the Wii U eShop very soon, and to mark this event we've teamed up with developer Curve Studios (the guys who are officially the best at Mario Kart 8, don't you know) to bring you a series of videos which focus on different elements of the title. The first video — shown...
News Demo Of ZaciSa's Last Stand Touching Down On The Wii U eShop Soon
Try before you buy
ZeNfA Productions has announced a demo of ZaciSa’s Last Stand is now in the hands of Nintendo, ready to be approved for the Wii U eShop. This latest news about the 2D tower defence title follows this year's July release in North America, and Patch 1.01 for the game in August that added extra content, as well as many improvements...
News Tengami Wii U eShop Release Expected Next Month
Worth the paper it's written on?
The visually stunning Tengami may have launched on iOS earlier this year, but we're still waiting on the Wii U eShop version. Developer Nyamyam previously stated that June would be the month, but that soon came and went with no sign of a release. Last we heard, the game was complete pending age ratings and general...
Nintendo Download 9th October (Europe)
Turtles, Sagas, Painting and MIGHTY FINAL FIGHT!
It's time to brighten our Mondays with the European Nintendo Download Update, once again, and this week serves up a lot of options across the Wii U, 3DS and even DSi. There are some new releases on both eShop platforms along with Virtual Console entries, plenty of discounts and even a DSiWare release...
Video Début Footage of UCraft Aims to Show Minecraft Credentials
Building trust?
We're in the middle, it seems, of a Minecraft clone — or 'inspired by' Minecraft — phase on Nintendo systems, with UCraft from Nexis Games being an example on the way to the Wii U eShop. With Mojang staying away from Nintendo systems and now under Microsoft ownership, it's possible these small studio downloads will be the closest...
Feature The Biggest Wii U Games of 2014 - Fall Edition
Plenty of gaming on the way
By now you should be fairly familiar with our quarterly tradition of looking at the biggest games coming to the Wii U. Our Summer edition gave us a fairly strong line-up, and we now head into the final quarter of the year with a mixture of major retail titles and some select eShop entries. As we're sure you've figured...
Review Art of Balance (Wii U eShop)
The perfect balance
Art of Balance is a game that was first released on WiiWare, and was easily one of the best titles to grace the platform. Soon after a portable version was released on the 3DS, and now we get the biggest iteration yet on the Wii U eShop; as it's the third title you’d expect it to pull out all the stops, and Shin’en Multimedia...
News Actos Games Launches Tutorial Video Series To Explain Wii U eShop Exclusive, psyscrolr
Get psyched!
North Carolina-based Actos Games, the creator of the recently announced Wii U eShop platformer psyscrolr, has released a new tutorial video series explaining how the GamePad will be utilised in the project that promises to feature strong narrative elements, epic boss battles and seamlessly integrated puzzle mechanics. The first video...
News Nintendo Confirms Two More Début Releases Coming to the Virtual Console
Wii U and 3DS both covered
The Nintendo of America download update is always a popular arrival, but the region's habit of announcing future arrivals is also a neat bonus. It helps when the announced Virtual Console games are enticing, too, which was certainly the case last week with confirmation of two Castlevania titles making their VC débuts...
Nintendo Download 2nd October (North America)
Smash Bros. arrives, Castlevania goodness, 99Seconds and more
It's that time again, North American gamers, with details of this week's Nintendo Download Update treats now here. The headline arrival is rather obviously Super Smash Bros. on 3DS, though we have some other choices — including a Castlevania title's Virtual Console début — to...
News Tadpole Treble's New Trailer Shows the Lighter Side of Developers
Throwing money into the mix
BitFinity – the developer behind the upcoming Wii U eShop title Tadpole Treble – has put together a new trailer to show off how far the game has come in its development cycle, taking a similar approach to Curve Studio's recent trailer for Thomas Was Alone. The game initially began as a Kickstarter and reached its
News Defense Dome Aiming for Super Scope Nostalgia on Wii U This Holiday
Shoot on sight
Hullbreach Studios has announced an additional confirmed title as a Wii U eShop exclusive, a project that aims to tap into nostalgia for the SNES Super Scope game, Intercept. The clunky bazooka-like peripheral won't be used on the Wii U, of course, but Defense Dome will use the GamePad's gyroscope for aiming; it'll be a budget-priced...
First Impressions Blasting and Hacking in RIVE
Two Tribes gets less cerebral
Earlier this year Two Tribes endured a restructuring process and re-formed its development company, in the process shrinking the team down to three, still including original founders Collin van Ginkel and Martijn Reuvers. Previously associated with the Toki Tori brand and its publishing business, the struggles of Toki...
Feature Kickstarter's Wii U and 3DS Campaigns - 1st October
Successes, failures, maybes and newcomers
It's been a while since our last Kickstarter summary article — our apologies, please understand — so we thought we'd make a return to check on the success or otherwise of those that made the list last time, while also highlighting new projects currently doing the rounds. As before we are showing...
News Thomas Was Alone to Make Friends With Wii U in November
Next-gen shapes
Not so long ago a German rating revealed that Mike Bithell's million-selling title Thomas Was Alone is coming to the Wii U, with Curve Studios following up on its previous ports to Vita and PS3. The publisher has now confirmed the title will arrive in November for £6.99 / $9.99; it'll also arrive on PS4 and Xbox One. Thomas Was...
News Hazewalker to Target Wii U for Dual-Screen Metroidvania Experience
Kickstarter campaign to launch on 15th October
The term Metroidvania is thrown around a lot, possibly because it represents one of the most popular styles of game available; you play, you learn, and you triumph over obstacles with new abilities. When you combine action gameplay with exploration it can be a winning formula. The latest developer to...
