Wii U eShop News
August2014
News Citizens of Earth Pushed Back to November, Priced at $14.99
30+ hour campaign promised
Citizens of Earth could be one of the most intriguing download titles on Wii U and 3DS to arrive later this year. Developed by Eden Industries, it failed in a Kickstarter campaign before well-known publisher Atlus jumped in to the rescue. A cartoonish style with heavy doses of humour will combine for a promised 30+ hour...
News Road Redemption's Alpha Release Shows Off Rough Edges and Wacky Gameplay
Sticky bombs are always a nice tough
After earning plenty of interest in its successful crowdfunding campaign, Road Redemption has had a relatively turbulent development period. Some early videos were criticised due to a focus on gun weapons, which were then seemingly dropped, while its general physics have also come under fire. The concept —...
News Don't Touch Anything Red Close to Release, Helix Games Planning Ambitious Wii U Media Player
Also planning Kickstarter campaign for "Altered"
Helix Games founder Bailey Earley has recently conducted an interview on Miiverse with user Folkloner, providing some details on the studio's upcoming Wii U eShop release Don't Touch Anything Red, as well as explaining some of the company's future plans. There are some interesting ideas, should they...
News Paper Monsters Recut Will Arrive on the Wii U eShop "Very Soon"
New trailer sets the scene
Last year we told you about Paper Monsters Recut, a platformer with a charming aesthetic that had been confirmed for Wii U. Its arrival has taken longer than expected, yet Mobot Studios has now confirmed to us that the game has been submitted to Nintendo for approval, with the goal of releasing "very soon". Although this...
News Night Trap ReVamped Developer May Flip-Flop on its Wii U Decision
A Wii U-turn
Update: It appears the developers have now officially applied for a Wii U developer kit. You can see the extent of their update here. Original Article: The developers of Night Trap ReVamped appear to have had a bit of a re-think in regards to how their full-motion interactive horror experience will be distributed. Despite previous...
News Donkey Kong Jr. Math Arriving on the Wii U Virtual Console on 28th August
Layton vs. Ace Attorney is the day after, remember
Last week Nintendo of America changed things up by giving a preview of a couple of choice Virtual Console releases on the way, highlighting Double Dragon II and Life Force as arrivals over the following two weeks. Thanks to that we already know Life Force is due on 21st August, yet the latest
Nintendo Download 14th August (North America)
XType Plus, GAIABREAKER, Mega Man, Double Dragon and more
It's time again for the Nintendo Download Update news, and this week's North American list brings us multiple new titles on the Wii U, along with some retro goodies to consider. There's also a free demo on 3DS, a host of discounts across both current-gen systems and even a DSiWare game. Let's...
News XType Plus Arriving Today on North American Wii U eShop
Short-notice squeals of delight
That's right ladies and gentlemen! XType Plus is finally out of the Web Framework hospital and will be released in North America on the Wii U eShop today, 14th August. It's been a while coming, but hats off to the developer for sorting the issue out instead of just ignoring it. You can now blast away all your worries...
Video Flying Carpet Level in Shantae: Half-Genie Hero is Weaving Together Nicely
More playable characters may also be coming
WayForward has been living up to its name, steadily chugging along on Shantae: Half-Genie Hero ever since the project exceeded its Kickstarter goal last fall. In their most recent update, the team provides a taste from one of the ga
Video The Demon Legion Look Fiendish In This New Swords & Soldiers 2 Walkthrough
Still due this year
Swords & Soldiers II isn't just a sequel to one of the best WiiWare games, but is also lined up to be a Wii U eShop exclusive. Ronimo Games seems to be going all out to deliver a top-notch experience, too. The developer is currently showing the game off at Gamescom in Cologne, and has also released a new video to showcase...
Feature Kickstarter's Wii U and 3DS Campaigns - 13th August
Our weekly (maybe) summary is back
Earlier this year we kicked off a series of weekly Kickstarter summaries, with the intention of providing handy regular updates of what's happening in terms of crowdfunding projects on the platform that are targeting Wii U and 3DS. The last entry was on 2nd June, after which we took a hiatus for two reasons — E3...
News The Walking Dead's New Table is Shambling Onto Zen Pinball 2 on 28th August
Yep, that's for the Wii U version
Earlier this week Zen Studios clarified to us that pinball news "is coming soon" for Wii U, as we followed up on some vocal discontent that had been expressed by some Nintendo gamers on the developer's forums. The company has been good on its word, having today confirmed that the latest new table in Zen Pinball 2...
News The Letter Version 1.1 Update Has a New Trailer
Reaching for more stars?
Notorious indie title The Letter has had a storied history at Nintendo Life, being something of a poster child for quality control on the Wii U eShop and the recipient of a rare if not prestigious single star rating, with the major complaint being that there wasn't much to do, and what content there was ultimately didn't add...
News Nintendo Confirms a Huge Range of eShop Discounts to Celebrate Super Smash Bros.
Kid Icarus: Uprising! Tomodachi Life! Animal Crossing! Mega Man! More!
As part of an exciting batch of Super Smash Bros. reveals today, Nintendo has announced an impressive range of discounts coming to the Wii U and 3DS eShop stores this week. These details are for Europe, though we'll update accordingly should Nintendo of America announce an...
Review Mega Man Battle Network (Wii U eShop / GBA)
Net neutrality
While the Mega Man series is mostly known for its action platformer instalments, in a move to perhaps appeal to more audiences Capcom decided to try pairing the Blue Bomber with some other genres, first in the form of Mega Man Legends, an action RPG, and then again with this title, Mega Man Battle Network. Released on Game Boy...
Video Japanese Wii U Owner Gives a Handy Demonstration of SUICA NFC Payments on eShop
We'll excuse the dodgy music overlap...
After a fairly lengthy period in the works, Nintendo implemented NFC SUICA card payments on the Wii U eShop in Japan, launching the service on 22nd July. The basic idea is that a typical swipe card used for public transport in the country, as an example, can also be utilised for applying funds to an eShop...
News Zen Studios States That Wii U Pinball News is "Coming Soon"
Tells us it remains "committed to supporting players on Wii U"
Last week we were pointed to the Zen Studios forums, in which a few disgruntled gamers voiced unhappiness at a perceived falling away of support for Wii U, especially with a succession of pinball releases and DLC initially skipping Nintendo's system. An administrator on the thread stated...
News Goodbye Galaxy Games Reveals First Teaser Image of Wii U FPS
Tappingo soundtrack now available for free
Earlier this year we spoke to Hugo Smits, the man behind Goodbye Galaxy Games, to talk a little about the upcoming Tappingo 2. A surprising detail was that, when asked about other projects in the works, the answer was an "FPS with guns and blood" for the Wii U. The developer has now sent us a teaser image...
Video Citizens of Earth Recruitment is All About Favours
Being Vice President of the World isn't enough
Citizens of Earth has had an interesting history, with the charming RPG struggling and missing the mark on Kickstarter before Atlus stepped in to publish. Coming to Wii U and 3DS, among other platforms, it's been described — stylistically — as having similarities to Super NES classic EarthBound,...
News RCMADIAX Reveals SPIKEY WALLS for Wii U, a Block Capitals Flappy Bird Clone
Has a revolutionary “HIGHSCORE” tracker
It's an age of clones in gaming, and one of the most peculiar, humorous and troubling instances of game cloning in the market was when Flappy Bird inexplicably went viral on smart devices. Clones followed, some tacky — oh, who are we kidding, all of them were — that attempted to repeat the success that...
Nintendo Download 14th August (Europe)
More Mega Man, Pets and a whole load of discounts
It's time for our regular Monday fix of Nintendo Download Update news for Europe, with this week's releases not bursting at the seams with new content. We do have a particularly good Game Boy title on offer, however, while there are some tasty discounts including some of the best games for Wii U and...
News The Letter Plummets to a New Low With eShop Discount
Less than 50¢
In the last generation there were consistent arguments that the DSi and Wii download stores were a little too expensive and inflexible, while access for developers was excessively difficult. We've seen changes on both scores in the 3DS and Wii U eShop platforms, while lower-priced games have begun to gain more interest, with Gunman...
Interview Two Tribes Discusses RIVE, Starting Again and eShop Support
Currently earning more from the eShop than "any other digital shop"
Just recently Two Tribes lifted the lid on its shooter, RIVE, which it had been teasing for a number of months. It was a welcome landmark for a company that's endured a difficult year, with co-founders Collin van Ginkel and Martijn Reuvers shutting down the development company and...
News Shapes of Gray is Aiming to Bring Less Colour to the Wii U eShop
Has apparently been described as "“the WarioWare of Dark Souls"
We're seeing a number of simplistic but potentially snappy titles coming to the Wii U eShop, and another that may fit that description is Shapes of Gray from Secret Tunnel Entertainment. It's a title with a simple aesthetic and quickfire challenges. This has already been released on...
Review SHUT THE BOX (Wii U eShop)
What's in the box?!
It's strange how little a concept matters as long as the execution is done well; just recently we criticised Dahku Creations' Soon Shine for playing too much like a mobile game rather than a home console title. Yet here we are with SHUT THE BOX (which seems like it's yelling at you), created by one-man studio RCMADIAX of BLOK...
News Nintendo of America Confirms Wii U Virtual Console Titles For Next Two Weeks
Fighting and shooting, NES style
Nintendo of America has taken the opportunity, in its standard Download Update details, to confirm two games that'll be arriving on the Wii U Virtual Console in the next two weeks. They're both familiar NES titles, though with Capcom keeping the lid on the running order for its month of Mega Man releases this doesn't...
Nintendo Download 7th August (North America)
Super Mario Kart, Mega Man, Murasame, Cybernator and more
It's that time again, North American gamers, to see what treats are in store in this week's Nintendo Download update. There are plenty of enticing retro options, with three quality entries on Wii U and a North American début on 3DS; elsewhere there are two new download titles on the home...
News Nocturnal Outlines Flowerworks HD Sales and Future Wii U Plans
Interested in supporting user creation through the GamePad
Earlier this year Flowerworks HD: Follie's Adventure bloomed on the Wii U eShop, a HD remake of the colourful and rather popular WiiWare title. Available in North America and Europe, it's one of a small handful of titles that have made the transition Nintendo's most recent home console...
News Dakko Dakko Confirms Development of Update for Scram Kitty and his Buddy on Rails
Purrfect
Scram Kitty and his Buddy on Rails is a colourful and rather challenging Wii U exclusive from Dakko Dakko, and has already gathered a band of devoted fans. The literal approach to on-rails shooting is certainly fun, albeit a number of gamers may find the level of challenge a bit too much to handle. As a positive for those unsure of whether...
News SNES Classic Cybernator Is Suiting Up For An Assault On The Wii U Virtual Console Tomorrow
In North America, that is
The SNES was a system which was lucky enough to enjoy amazing support from the best publishers and developers of its era, and one of the console's best third-party releases is set to stomp its way to the North American Virtual Console tomorrow. Cybernator — also known as Assault Suit Valken in Japan — was launched by...
Review Soon Shine (Wii U eShop)
Here Comes the Soon
It's wonderful to see indie developers on Wii U find enough commercial success to produce more than one title for the platform, and two-man studio Dahku Creations has followed up June's Chubbins with a new family-friendly offering: Soon Shine. Our biggest criticisms of Chubbins were its torturous difficulty and lack of visual...
News Super Mario Kart Speeds Onto the North American Wii U eShop
At last!
Earlier today Nintendo confirmed release details for a Mario Kart 8 update and the free Mercedes DLC, with the content arriving on 27th August. That was European confirmation, but now Nintendo of America has confirmed the same date and changes to the game, along with an extra treat. A day before the standard Download Update, Super Mario...
News XType Plus Bug Resolved With Download Now Available on the European Wii U eShop
Concrete release date for North America is pending
Last week's Nintendo Download Update had some unexpected drama related to budget shooter XType Plus, when it arrived on the European store and an online leaderboard error caused some Wii U systems to freeze. It was pulled from the eShop within a few hours, and due to time zone differences in store...
Review Midtown Crazy Race (Wii U eShop)
Will drive you crazy
You know when you’re playing a game and it’s all going well when, suddenly, it introduces some arbitrary racing section just to add a little variety? Until now you’ve been jumping around, exploring, but for the next half an hour you’re stuck trying to complete this side mission just to continue. The driving controls are...
News Shovel Knight Sales Numbers Revealed by Yacht Club Games
Indie developer rocks the boat
Actual sales figures are some of the most closely guarded secrets in the games industry, but Yacht Club Games has posted the full story of developing the indie hit Shovel Knight from its initial Kickstarter campaign to first full month of release, complete with approximate sales figures on Wii U eShop and 3DS eShop in...
Review Frederic: Resurrection of Music (Wii U eShop)
A decomposing composer, recomposed
Public domain is often seen as the place cheap music games go to die, but it does not have to be this way. There is a lot of great music from the past that remains untapped; a multitude of virtuosos from previous centuries whose works can appeal within the context of a game. All that’s needed is the right...
News XType Plus' Game-Breaking Bug Nearly Squashed
Get back to blasting
Due to the presence of a game-breaking bug, XType Plus was recently removed from the European Wii U eShop and omitted completely from the North American equivalent. Luckily, today the developer PhobosLab announced through its Miiverse account that the team behind the title have managed to locate the bug that has been causing...
Review Pop'n TwinBee: Rainbow Bell Adventures (Wii U eShop / SNES)
Jump'n TwinBee
Although the TwinBee series is mostly remembered as a shoot 'em up franchise, it might come as a surprise that there were actually a few games which took on different genres. Rainbow Bell Adventures — which is coincidentally also the last game released outside Japan — tries its hand at platforming, bringing its own unique little...
News The Club Nintendo Reward Details Are In For August
Nintendo doubles up with 8 games
It's that time again, as Club Nintendo in North America has updated its rewards for August; there's a fresh batch of download treats that you can exchange for your treasure trove of coins. In a break from tradition, there are now eight games to choose from. This extended batch has six Virtual Console games and two...
News Shovel Knight is Burying Sales Expectations
Moving more green than previously imagined
Yacht Club Games' critically acclaimed love letter to the 8-bit era, Shovel Knight, is exceeding sales expectations across all platforms, an impressive feat considering the game was released for 3DS, Wii U, and PC a little over a month ago. In an interview with Game Informer, Yacht Club Games' captain Sean...
Review Master Reboot (Wii U eShop)
Or Enaid Coll, if you prefer
With its continual growth the Wii U eShop library is bringing us a diverse range of games across various genres, yet Master Reboot from Wales Interactive nevertheless succeeds in delivering something unique to the platform. Previously released on PC and PSN, it's an ambitious effort that has moments of brilliance and a...
News The Man Responsible For Reviving Nintendo's Relationship With Indies Has Left The Company
So long, Dan Adelman
Nintendo's approach to indie developers has undergone a massive overhaul in recent years, and that is partly thanks to the considerable efforts of one man: Nintendo of America's Head of Digital Content and Development, Dan Adelman. Adelman was instrumental in getting indies on board with the Wii, Wii U and 3DS, and has been...
Review XType Plus (Wii U eShop)
The Citizen Kane of Web Framework games on the Wii U
Note: XType Plus was meant to be released on 31st July along with online leaderboards, but due to a bug in the ranking functionality the game was delayed. It was reinstated on the European eShop on 6th August, and is awaiting a North American release. Nintendo has opened up the floodgates to...
News James Pond: Robocod Reboot No Longer Coming To Wii U
System 3 clarifies supported platforms
Earlier this year, there was a Kickstarter campaign for an all-new adventure based on the James Pond character created by Chris Sorrell in the early '90s. The campaign was cancelled when it failed to get anywhere near its £100,000 target. The whole matter was made all the more confusing by the...
Nintendo Download 7th August (Europe)
Mega Man times two, Xtreme Sports, Rabi Laby, discounts and more
It's Monday morning, which means it's time for the Nintendo Download Update news in Europe, as we're informed of the delights on the way this week. There's a double helping of Mega Man, more retro treats, a new title and a host of discounts. Let's get to the details. Wii U Virtual...
News Shin'en Multimedia to Finally Show Off Fast Racing NEO in September
Some screens to start the race
FAST Racing NEO has had an odd but short history to date. The sequel to the popular and rather fun FAST - Racing League on WiiWare, it was unveiled with a teaser website in late 2013, with some minor noises about plans for the game in early 2014. Though the teaser site launched with "Coming 2014" text, however, a
Prepare to put on your dunce cap
The Wii U eShop is filled to the brim with low-budget kids' games these days, and Ninja Pig Studios' IQ Test seems like just another to heap on the pile... but looks can be deceiving. Beneath the simplistic exterior, IQ Test is a real mind-bender: a series of trick questions designed to get you to think outside
Review Ufouria: The Saga (Wii U eShop / NES)
A Ufouric experience
Retro-style indie platformers are all the rage these days, so you'd be forgiven for thinking Sunsoft's Ufouria: The Saga is simply another in the long line of 2D NES-inspired modern titles on the eShop like Shovel Knight, 1001 Spikes, and Insanity's Blade. Released in 19
Review Ice Cream Surfer (Wii U eShop)
Ice Cream Snorer
Shoot 'em ups aren't really a popular genre these days, but there seems to be a bit of a resurgence on the downloadable front. Not long ago we received Gaiabreaker, and now here we have Ice Cream Surfer, a game which had an unsuccessful crowdfunding campaign, but nonetheless ended up being developed anyway. Upon launching the game...
Talking Point Deconstructing Nintendo's Retail Releases of Wii U eShop Titles
Sensible cash-in or lack of focus?
The recent announcement of a NES Remix physical disc compilation coming to North America was the latest in a minor trend for Nintendo, as it is showing an increased willingness to convert download titles into retail releases. It was also surprising, as NES Remix Pack will combine two $15 titles, so presumably will...
Review Wooden Sen'SeY (Wii U eShop)
More training required
The Wii U eShop, unsurprisingly, isn't short of options when it comes to platformers, especially as it's a genre typically associated with Nintendo systems and their gamers. Wooden Sen'Sey, published by Neko Entertainment, aims to capitalise on that popularity and remind gamers of old-fashioned difficulty; these are noble yet...
News Rain Games' Upcoming Wii U eShop Title Teslagrad Will Also Be Released In-Store
Has also been sent in to Nintendo for approval
After the delay of the Wii U eShop title Teslagrad towards the end of 2013, fans of the Big N haven’t heard much about the upcoming puzzle-platformer except that its developer Rain Games is intent on delivering a quality product. Whilst Wii U owners were also teased with a lovely
July2014
News XType Plus Delayed in North America Due to Online Leaderboard Bug
High score table causes system lockups
Update 2: Nintendo of Europe has issued the following statement: Please be informed that the Wii U title "XType Plus" has been temporarily removed from Nintendo eShop due to an issue with online leaderboards which causes a critical error. XType Plus was, however, available for a short time today and if this...
News One Classic Mega Man Game Is Coming to Wii U Every Week in August
A Mega Man in every North American home
Update: The Capcom Unity blog has now confirmed the titles that will be included in this August promotion (thanks to Ryan Millar for the heads up). The release order is remaining a mystery for now, but the following four games are all coming to the Wii U eShop in the next month. Mega Man 5 (NES)
Nintendo Download 31st July (North America)
XType, music, Mega Man battles, Steel Empire and more
It's Nintendo Download Update time, North America, and this week serves up a decent number of new games on both Wii U and 3DS, along with a Game Boy Advance Mega Man title. Throw in some discounts and a free demo and there's a decent selection this week, so let's get to it. Missed the European...
Interview Eclipse Games on Driving for the Podium With Super Toy Cars
Charging off the grid
Super Toy Cars is a recent arrival on the Wii U eShop, satisfying the appetite some will have for even more racing on the system; it's also on PC. It takes a fairly unique approach and includes a track editor, though at launch the experience is offline-only, with online leaderboards on the agenda; the emphasis is on local...
News Collectorvision Announces Justice Beaver for Wii U eShop and Super Nintendo
Not to be confused with trouble-making pop sensation, Justin Bieber
Retro-inspired video games have to be authentic, and the team over at Collectorvision knows this. Since 2008, Collectorvision has been developing, publishing and manufacturing a quality line of new but retro-inspired home-brew releases for classic video game systems of yesteryear...
News Doodle To Your Heart’s Content in Upcoming Wii U eShop Exclusive, Doodle Dash
Multiplayer doodling, what could possibly go wrong?
Nintendo’s expansion of the eShop library continues with yet another newly authorised developer today announcing a game exclusively for the Wii U. If you like doodling on a sketch pad, Pocket Dragon Games' upcoming title Doodle Dash is one to keep an eye on. Doodle Dash is a multiplayer and...
News The Next Penelope Boasts Shooting And Racing, And Is Speeding Towards The Wii U eShop In 2015
A mad dash through futuristic Greece
French developer Aurelien Regard has revealed that it is bringing The Next Penelope to the Wii U eShop in early 2015. The game is a curious shooting and racing hybrid which calls to mind Kingdom Grand Prix, a fantastic arcade shooter from the late '90s. It also reminds us a lot of the classic '80s cartoon series...
Review Super Toy Cars (Wii U eShop)
Straight out the toy box
This summer, it could be argued that the demand for a non-realistic racing game on Wii U has well and truly been met, and another kart-style title is perhaps at the bottom of our wish list as a result. However, standing tall in the face of its moustachioed overlords, Eclipse Games has treated the eShop to an extra slice of...
News Two Tribes Announces New 2D Shooter, RIVE
Keen to bring it to Wii U
Two Tribes is a download developer best known for its Toki Tori releases, but has also published and ported a wide range of titles to Nintendo hardware, with notable recent examples being the Two Tribes Classics range on the Wii U. After financial problems the company had to reboot and shut down its development business,...
News Giana Sisters Developer Under Fire Over Dieselstormers Name
A different sort of fuel crisis
You’ll most likely know the Germany-based Black Forest Games for its excellent Giana Sisters: Twisted Dreams on the Wii U eShop, but in the run up to its new project — DieselStormers — the developer has come under fire for choosing that particular title. Italian clothing company DIESEL has filed legal...
News Did You Realise Lone Survivor Was Coming to Wii U Later This Year? Well, It Is
Included in the E3 listing
E3 was particularly busy for Nintendo, as the company revealed a number of games for the first time for Wii U — in particular — and 3DS. One that slipped us by was Lone Survivor, which is coming to the Wii U eShop in Q4. In the madness of the event we missed this one in a downloadable release list — it didn't appear...
Review Mega Man 6 (Wii U eShop / NES)
Let battle commence. Awooga!
Arriving on the same day as Mega Man 5 on the Wii U Virtual Console, Capcom has decided to grace us with the final NES entry to wrap up that era of the franchise. Released in 1993, when the SNES was already out and Mega Man X was on the verge of release, Capcom just couldn't let itself say goodbye to the NES and made one...
News Take Pleasure In The Stupidity Of Your Friends In IQ Test, Coming To The Wii U eShop July 31st
“Have a great time watching your friends fail”
Ninja Pig Studios has announced its latest game IQ Test will be released in the US on July 31st, at a special launch price of $3.99. After this short period the price of the Wii U eShop title will be bumped back up to an MSRP of $4.99. Alongside this announcement was the official trailer reveal,...
Review Kirby: Nightmare in Dream Land (Wii U eShop / GBA)
Full of promise, or just hot air?
Kirby: Nightmare in Dream Land is in fact a remake of Kirby's Adventure, Kirby's first outing on the NES from 1993. While it isn't his original adventure (that honour goes to Kirby's Dream Land), it is the first instance in which he was able to use his now classic copy ability. The remake — which originally...
Nintendo Download 31st July (Europe)
XType, Ice Cream heroes, racing, bombing, loads of discounts and more
Monday morning means Nintendo Download Update news for European gamers, as we learn what's coming to the region later this week. It's a packed schedule, with a mix of new titles on both Wii U and 3DS, along with a host of discounts and a new Virtual Console entry. There's lots to...
Review Mega Man 5 (Wii U eShop / NES)
Proto Man problems
Over a year ago, the first four Mega Man games were released on Wii U Virtual Console in quick succession. We don't know exactly what took so long for the remainder, but the fifth entry is finally here. As you might expect, Mega Man 5 is quite similar to the four games before it; eight new Robot Masters have appeared, and it's up...
Feature Ten Wii U and 3DS eShop Games That Are Perfect For Summer
Summer gaming for a little less
Earlier this week we brought you a list of ten Wii U and 3DS games that are perfect for summer, as a starting point to also get community feedback on other favourites for the season. As promised, though, here's a follow-up that's all about eShop titles. These eShop games are all download-only titles, and no Virtual...
News The Mysterious Murasame Castle Set For North American Début on 7th August
See the origin of that Nintendo Land mini-game
The Mysterious Murasame Castle is a Famicom Disk System game from 1986 that's only been known in the West through some cameo appearances and references — most recently through the Takamaru's Ninja Castle game in Nintendo Land. Having recently made its Western début on the European 3DS Virtual Console...
News Curve Studios Is Bringing Spooky Puzzle Title The Swapper To The Wii U eShop
Space, man
Curve Studios has revealed that it is bringing Facepalm Games' space-puzzle title The Swapper to the Wii U eShop. The game — which is already available on PC and is also coming to the PS3 this August — places you in the shoes of a spaceman exploring a seemingly derelict space station. You are armed with a gun which can create up to...
Review Bases Loaded (Wii U eShop / NES)
America’s 8-bit pastime
Is there anything more American than hotdogs and apple pie? Yes. Yes there is. It’s baseball. The answer is baseball. It’s a game that has permeated the American culture and inserted itself firmly into so many of our lives. As such, it comes as no surprise that there are a plethora of video games available based on the...
Review Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse (Wii U eShop / NES)
Blood relative
After the success of the original Castlevania title on the NES system, Konami decided to change things up quite a bit for Castlevania II: Simon's Quest. Gone was the straight-ahead platforming action of the original, replaced with a much more rpg-flavored approach that placed more emphasis on item collection and exploration. While...
News Capcom's Mega Man 7 Is Dashing To The Wii U eShop
More Mega Man action
Capcom have been on a roll supporting the Wii U eShop lately, with Mega Man 5, Mega Man 6 and Mega Man Battle Network hitting the store in Europe this week. European ratings agency
News Rivyd Announces Kenji: Rise Of A Hero For Wii U eShop, November Launch Expected
Team aiming to create "one of the most difficult games for the Wii U"
Indie studio Rivyd Incorporated has revealed that it is producing a platform title exclusively for the Wii U eShop by the name of Kenji: Rise of a Hero. The title is expected to launch on November 25th, and is being billed as a title for "advance players, or beginners that want...
News Wii U Download Developers Preparing to Host a Live Q & A Chat Next Week
All are welcome
As the Wii U eShop continues to attract more developers onto Nintendo hardware, we're sure to see various approaches as studios seek to reach out and communicate directly to their potential audience. Some download developers with content coming to the store are planning an online event to do just that, through a nine hour live chat Q...
Review GAIABREAKER (Wii U eShop)
Shoot meh up
Although there are plenty of shoot 'em ups to pick from on the Wii Virtual Console, new games in the genre tend to be quite rare; as a result it's always exciting to see a new addition to a challenging field. Developed by a relatively unknown developer that's only dabbled in mobile phone games before, this particular shoot 'em up is of...
News Trine Enchanted Edition Will Be Casting A Spell On The Wii U Later This Year
Uses the Trine 2 game engine
Finnish studio Frozenbyte has revealed that the original Trine will be launching on the Wii U eShop later this year under the title Trine Enchanted Edition. An updated version of the first title which uses the Trine 2 game engine, Enchanted Edition will boast improved visual effects and mid-level saving. You'll also be...
Nintendo Download 24th July (North America)
Fiesta time, toy cars, a Master Reboot, Wooden Sen'SeY and more
It's that time again, North America, for the Nintendo Download details to tempt you into parting from your eShop funds. We have three new titles on the Wii U eShop, an excellent arrival on 3DS eShop, Virtual Console entries on both systems, discounts and more. Let's get to it. Missed...
News Ice Cream Surfer Rides The Waves to the Wii U eShop on 31st July
Here’s the scoop!
A little while back, we told you about a new game from Dolores Entertainment called Ice Cream Surfer, a side-scrolling shoot ‘em up where you play as one of five unique surfers and fight against the evil forces of vegetables to protect the right to eat desserts. It sounds like a suitably wacky experience; for those of you...
News Areal Campaign Suspended By Kickstarter
Update: West Games responds
Update: West Games has issued the following statement: Our Kickstarter was suspended without any warning. As per Kickstarter’s policy, we cannot contact them to find out why. Areal is the spiritual successor to STALKER, in terms of our vision for it and in terms of the team that we have (which includes Alexey...
Talking Point The Wii U eShop is Raising Tough Questions on Quality Control
Accessibility is generally considered wonderful, but has its downsides
In the coming weeks we're going to tackle a tricky issue here at Nintendo Life, in which we look at the direction of the Wii U eShop and ask whether a change in structure is required. In general the store shows excellent support for all download games, providing each and every...
News Angry Video Game Nerd Adventures To Utilise Touch Screen and 3D Effect
Character swapping, stats and info on Wii U and 3DS second screens
Angry Video Game Nerd Adventures has been available on PC for a good while now, yet considering the relevance of Nintendo systems to the YouTube series — which now has a feature movie approaching release — some have been particularly keen to play it on Wii U and 3DS. A recent...
News Areal Passes Kickstarter Goal, Yet More Peculiarities and Questions Remain
S.T.A.L.K.E.R. developers claim support from Vladimir Putin
A while ago we wrote about a Kickstarter campaign from developers (West Games) claiming to be those behind S.T.A.L.K.E.R. and Metro: Last Light, with the Wii U raised as a target. It then all got rather peculiar, as the credentials of the studio were called into question, with much of the...
News XType Plus Blasting Onto The Wii U eShop on 31st July
Impressive new trailer sets the scene
Earlier this year we drew your attention to XType Plus, an enhanced version of a web shoot 'em up arriving on the Wii U courtesy of the Nintendo Web Framework. It caught the eye by virtue of looking like, on the surface, one of the slickest titles to emerge from Nintendo's accessible development platform...
Nintendo Download 24th July (Europe)
A Sen'SeY, Master Reboot, Siesta Fiesta, Mega Man, discounts and more
It's Monday morning, which means it's time for the European Nintendo Download Update, and the latest line-up certainly starts off our week with a bang. There are three promising new titles on the Wii U eShop, an equally tempting and colourful release on the 3DS eShop, three Mega...
Review Pop'n TwinBee (Wii U eShop / SNES)
WinBee
It's not particularly well known outside Japan, but for a while TwinBee was one of Konami's main shoot 'em up series. A lot more cutesy than Gradius and the like, its colourful graphics and characters were its biggest appeal. A while back the original TwinBee was remade as a 3D Classic, but now here we have Pop'n Twinbee, one of the few...
News SteamWorld Dig May Have a Discount on Wii U For Those With the 3DS Version
Studio is looking into the possibility
A continual complaint for some that own both a Wii U and 3DS is the absence of cross-buy promotions, particularly with Virtual Console games but also with some download titles available on both systems. We have seen recent examples from Nintendo with Pushmo World discounts, and there's been a genuine cross-buy...
News Nintendo of Europe Launching Wii U Virtual Console NES Remix Promotion
Up to 50% off for four weeks
While the Wii U Virtual Console hasn't yet served up all the downloadable treats that we desire, it has thrown up EarthBound and Game Boy Advance games. Nintendo of Europe's keen for you to remember there are a host of NES games, too, and has announced a campaign to encourage you to pick up more of these retro gems...
News Yacht Club Games Gives a Shovel Knight Localisation Update, With Pixel Graphics
Still only at the early stages, sadly
Shovel Knight, from Yacht Club Games, is one of the best titles to arrive on the Wii U and 3DS eShop stores this year — it's a platformer with plenty of loving nods to retro ideas and aesthetics, yet moves beyond mere nostalgia with terrific design and wonderful gameplay. We put it through its paces on both...
News Master Reboot to Arrive on the Wii U eShop on 24th July
In both North America and Europe
Throughout this year Wales Interactive has outlined its plans to bring three games to the Wii U, with Gravity Badgers being the first arrival at the end of May. Infinity Runner will be another, which includes 32-player multiplayer, but the next arrival on Nintendo's system will be a title announced at the turn of the...
News Suica NFC Cards To Finally Be Used, From 22nd July, For eShop Payments in Japan
Here's hoping for Western equivalents
For well over a year now, Nintendo has been stating that it would utilise the NFC capabilities of the Wii U GamePad to support "Suica" cards in Japan. Typically used on public transport — in Japan and around the world in various forms — these swipe cards will allow gamers to quickly pay for a game on the...
Review My Arctic Farm (Wii U eShop)
Feeling frigid
If you read our recent review of BiP Media's pet management sim My Jurassic Farm, you'll know what to expect with its sister release, My Arctic Farm: the exact same experience, but instead of T-rexes and triceratops (triceratopses?) you'll be raising penguins and polar bears. The long-running "My ____ Farm" series began humbly enough...
News Dig Your Claws Into The Cat Mario Show On Your 3DS Or Wii U
Child-friendly video now available for free via your Nintendo console
Nintendo of Europe has launched The Cat Mario Show, a new episodic video feature on the 3DS and Wii U eShops aimed at educating and entertaining younger players. The show originally aired in Japan under the title Nyan Nyan Neko Mario Time, and has been dubbed into English...
Nintendo Download 17th July (North America)
Strike Force Foxx, Mr. Driller 2, making comics and discounts
It's time for the weekly Nintendo Download Update, North America, and this week brings a relatively short list for consideration. The Game Boy Advance library on the Wii U Virtual Console grows again, while we have a mix of helicopter action and comic book production over on the 3DS...
Review The Letter (Wii U eShop)
Return to sender
In The Letter, players take on the role of Michael Kennedy as he investigates the mysterious disappearance of his father. Through a series of hidden letters left by his dad – these are actually labelled “Hidden Letter” despite their pronounced placements in the landscape – Michael receives clues which he follows in his...
Feature Ronimo Games Walks Us Through Swords & Soldiers II
Sheep transformations, hurling meat to heal and more
Swords & Soldiers on WiiWare, and subsequently on the 3DS and Wii U eShop stores, earned fans through its combination of solid real time strategy and bright, colourful humour. Taking a 2D perspective and tasking you with simply researching and deploying units as the battle unfolds, it's an...
Review Mario Power Tennis (Wii U eShop / GBA)
Raising a racquet
Originally released on Game Boy Advance in 2005, Mario Power Tennis is unusual in that it takes the tennis simulation genre and embeds it into a role-playing game experience. It’s a combination that works surprisingly well, with the biggest success being a player progression system which allows you to level up your character and...
News eShop Funds Now Buyable or Giftable via PayPal in UK
No plastic? No problem!
Update: This payment option is also available via the German PayPal site; thanks to those that highlighted this in the comments section. Original article: Digital downloads just got more convenient for UK gamers now that PayPal has been added as a payment option for the Nintendo eShop. PayPal accounts can now be used to...
Review My Jurassic Farm (Wii U eShop)
Different skin, exact same game
My Jurassic Farm is an exciting concept. Everyone loved Jurassic Park back in the day, right?! It would make a great video game! Sadly, the dino-management genre has been left relatively barren since the wondrous days of DinoPark Tycoon back in 1993. Is BiP Media's My Jurassic Farm the answer? No. No it's not. My...