Wii U eShop - News
January2016
News Final Fantasy Tactics Advance Pegged for North American Release on 28th January
Europe and North America, sharing the goods
The Virtual Console can be a strange sub-platform, as Nintendo of Europe and Nintendo of America sit huffily on different sides of the room and rarely agree which games to release. Months can pass between regions with some releases, but thanks to the imminent Final Fantasy Explorers we seem to have parity,...
News Dual Core Aims to Blend Twin Stick Shooting, Co-Op and a "Dash of RPG Elements" on Wii U
Gray Fin Studios prepares to make its console debut
The Wii U eShop has attracted a range of new developers into the console space, and now we can add Gray Fin Studios to the list. A family-run studio with prior experience in the triple-A scene, it's planning to make its console and PC debut with Dual Core; the Wii U will be the first console to get...
Review Minecraft: Story Mode - Episode 1: The Order of the Stone
Gather around
While it's a fairly common trend for Nintendo games to be focused around the gameplay first and foremost, there are other games that go in a completely different direction. Some aren't so much about the gameplay as they are about the story or the experience, and while this is certainly different from a conventional video game, it's not...
News Gunscape, the Level Creator and Cross-Platform FPS, is Now Due on Wii U in Q2
It's like Minecraft and Quake II had a baby
Last year we told you about Gunscape, which is a retro-styled FPS in which players can design their own stages on which to do battle. If you think of the building blocks approach of Minecraft, then blend it with the cross-platform sharing and play of Cubemen 2, you'll have an idea of what it has to offer...
News Typoman Update Improves Performance, Demo on the Way
Spelling out the changes
Update: Brainseed Factory has been in touch to outline why the update may not be triggering automatically for everyone, therefore stopping some of us from enjoying its improvements. The studio's passed on the following information. We noticed that the updated version isn't triggered automatically, apparently related to...
Review Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros. 3
It's a'me, Mario 3! (again)
We all know about Super Mario Bros. 3 for the NES. It was a fantastic game worthy of all the praise that it received, and that remains true to this day. So, this review won't discuss all the merits of the original game. Instead, it will focus on the unique features of Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros. 3, released...
News Shutshimi Will Bring Shmup Mayhem to Wii U in North America on 4th February
Don't shoot these fish in a barrel
We've been looking forward to Shutshimi for quite some time - developed by Neon Deity Games and published by Choice Provisions, it's a shoot 'em up in a WarioWare style with extremely short levels and plenty of chaos on screen. It's previously arrived on PSN but has taken a little while to make it over to the Wii...
News Maintenance Will Bring a Little Downtime for Minecraft: Wii U Edition
Bricking it
Based on the eShop charts Minecraft: Wii U Edition has gone down rather well since its December launch, and no doubt a number of bizarre and wonderful creations are already in place. The latest batch of maintenance does, however, fall right in the middle of prime gaming time in North America, so it's worth bearing in mind. The...
White noise
This is not meant to be taken as an insult, but SKEASY could be a good game for winding down before bed. As with many titles from RCMADIAX, the design of SKEASY is very simple: guide your little skiing icon left and right down a never-ending slope, avoiding trees to last as long and attain as high a score as possible. There are no...
Nintendo Download 28th January (Europe)
LEGO Avengers! Final Fantasy Explorers + a VC game! Shadow Puppeteer! More!
Another week begins with the Nintendo Download Update details for Europe, and this batch is certainly promising. We have major retail releases on Wii U and 3DS leading the way, while there are also some highly promising download-only options to consider along with DLC,...
News Slain! Wii U Release Date Has Been Delayed to Summer
The game is simply too hard, at the moment
Some of you may remember Slain!, an old-school platformer revealed last year to be coming to Wii U. The game appears to be heavily inspired by Castlevania, with all manner of ghouls and monsters doing whatever they can to ruin the protagonist's day. Backed by a heavy metal soundtrack and featuring...
More karting fun for U
Taking a bunch of Mario characters and having them speed around race circuits using a range of special items to rush or smash past each other is something that has worked very well since the Mario Kart series began in 1992. The games are amongst the most enjoyable on whatever platform they turn up on, and many people buying...
News Oddworld: New 'n' Tasty! Has Been Approved for Release on Wii U
Release date impending
About a week ago, it was stated that Oddworld: New 'n' Tasty! was 'literally in the final steps' to completion. It wasn't stated exactly what this meant, but the implication was that there would be more news in the near future. It appears that this was indeed the case, as a new post recently went up on the game's website that...
Video See How Much Mario Kart has Changed Since Mario Kart 64
56 degrees of separation
It's been over a year since Mario Kart 8 was released on the Wii U and nearly 20 since its N64 sibling Mario Kart 64 graced our systems. A lot's changed in that time, and in order to highlight all the refinements a company like Nintendo can make in such a span, we've cobbled together another cheeky little comparison of the...
38 clever levels, just for you
Occasionally there's frustration at the slow roll-out of Virtual Console games, sometimes with good reason, but there are also occasions where Nintendo goes the extra mile and does far more than simply spruce up a ROM. In the case of Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros. 3, which is now on the Wii U Virtual Console...
News Shadow Puppeteer Begins Its Wii U Adventure on 28th January
$14.99 / €14.99 in a global release
Fans of puzzle platforming, either in solo play or multiplayer, have a promising title to consider for next week's eShop update. Sarepta Studio's Shadow Puppeteer - published by Snow Cannon Games - finally has a solid release date for Wii U, arriving in North America, Europe, Australia and New Zealand on 28th...
News Mario Kart 64 on Wii U VC Doesn't Have Support for Ghost Data
Controller Pak emulation seems to be the issue
Some of you from around the earlier days of the Nintendo 64 may remember the Controller Pak. This add-on slotted into the back of the controller and acted as a means of saving or transferring data between consoles. While it wasn't absolutely necessary in every N64 game, many used it to include features...
News FreezeME Has Been Approved for a Wii U Release by Nintendo of America
Bringing back the N64 platformer
On the Nintendo 64, games such as Super Mario 64, Banjo-Kazooie, and Donkey Kong 64 redefined what could be done with the platforming genre with another dimension tossed in. But now, it seems like the good old days of the adventure-style 3D platformers have all but gone away, with very few notable releases in recent...
News Another 17 Games Get North American eShop Discounts in the Winter Warm-Up Sale
Super Mario 3D World! Freedom Planet! Runner 2! More!
This week's Nintendo Download Update for North America includes some high profile releases, but the good news is that the second week of 'Winter Warm-Up' sales brings some more enticing discounts. This is the middle week of the three week promotion across the Wii U and 3DS eShop stores, with the...
Nintendo Download 21st January (North America)
Minecraft: Story Mode! Mario & Luigi! Zack & Wiki! Classic Mario! More!
It's that time once again, dear readers, for the North American Nintendo Download Update details. This week brings a high-profile retail release on 3DS, an episodic Minecraft experience, some tempting Virtual Console arrivals and other offerings that include demos and discounts...
News Asteroid Challenge Is Bringing Classic Arcade Action To The Wii U eShop
Coming exclusively to Nintendo's console this year
Indie studio Magique Productions has announced that it is working on Asteroid Challenge for the Wii U eShop, a tribute to classic arcade blasters like - you guessed it - Atari's Asteroids. Boasting 1080p 60fps visuals, multiplayer modes and over 70 levels, the developer is aiming for a Q1 release...
News Zack & Wiki and Super Mario Advance 4 Look Set for Nintendo Download Update in North America
e-Reader levels look to be included for Advance 4, too
As is often the case, Nintendo of America's official game pages seem to have unveiled a couple of new releases due in the 21st January Nintendo Download update. These are very likely to be accurate but, as always, be aware that details could change. First up is Zack & Wiki: Quest for...
To help players struggling to rustle up five controllers
Aperion Cyberstorm is a colourful twin-stick shooter that's on the way to the Wii U eShop this year, and will be the debut of UK studio aPriori Digital. We say twin-stick shooter as that's the way we've played it; you move with the left stick and aim / shoot with the right stick. Yet as it's a...
Best not served at all
Ninja Pig Studios, known for its infamous release Meme Run and some of its accompanying controversy, is back with another title for the Wii U eShop. Bigley's Revenge is - dare we say it - slightly more competent and tempered than its headache-inducing predecessor, but that's not saying a great deal. While this game - also...
News The Oddworld: New 'n' Tasty Wii U Port is Nearing Completion
"Literally in the final steps"
You'd be forgiven for forgetting about Oddworld: New 'n' Tasty!'s impending Wii U port. Though the development studio has been working fiercely to get the game onto the platform, it hit a wall getting the game to fit on the 8GB Wii U model. We haven't heard much about it since last August, but now it seems that the...
Video New Aperion Cyberstorm Trailer Shows Off the Campaign Mode
Keeping it cool in the Ice World
At EGX last year we enjoyed a marathon play session with upcoming Wii U eShop twin-stick shooter Aperion Cyberstorm; we came away rather impressed. Slick controls and carefully considered mechanics combine with bright visuals for a fun, arcade-like score chasing experience. In that session we tackled some...
News Rynn's Adventure: Trouble in the Enchanted Forest is Heading to Wii U Soon
A 3DS release is also planned
The eShop isn't exactly short of platformers, on both Wii U and 3DS, yet it's a genre that's pretty much always welcome. Running and jumping is still rather popular when done well, and Nintendo's systems have delivered some gems on this score. It's also a genre that provides a good jumping off point for young studios...
News Minecraft: Story Mode Hits The Wii U eShop This Week
Complete with off-TV play, screen mirroring and touch controls
Telltale Games has confirmed that the first episode of Minecraft: Story Mode will launch on the Wii U eShop this week in North America and Europe - Thursday 21st January, to be exact. The Order of the Stone will cost $4.99, and additional episodes are set to arrive "in the coming...
Review The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks
Choo-choo-choose the original format
No doubt partly driven by necessity as much as strategy, Nintendo's Virtual Console efforts on Wii U have been notable for including not only Game Boy Advance titles, but also various releases from the DS library. With the latter only possible courtesy of the Wii U GamePad questions of practicality are fairly...
News Gunman Clive HD Collection Has Sold 9000 Copies But Has Still Made A Profit
About 10 times the sales of Gunman Clive 2 on Steam
Gunman Clive HD Collection is one of the more recent indie gems on the Wii U eShop, and pulls together the two 3DS titles in a single, high-definition package. Given that many Nintendo fans will have played the two games in their handheld forms previously, it's perhaps unsurprising to learn that...
Nintendo Download 21st January (Europe)
Mario Kart 64! Adventures of Pip! Radiohammer! Themes galore! More!
Another week begins with the Nintendo Download Update details in Europe, and this time around we have a Nintendo 64 classic joined by a long-awaited retro-styled new release on the home console. Beyond that we have an exciting demo, 3DS Home Themes galore and a few discounts; let's...
Review Island Flight Simulator
Plane boring
Occasionally you can get a feel for how good (or bad) a game is going to be from the very moment you begin. This is one of those games. After selecting a profile (which you can't rename) Island Flight Simulator begins with a wonderfully impersonal piece of text: 'Welcome Profile 01!' If at this point you've also decided to utilise...
News Bigley's Revenge Has Been Removed From the eShop
Ninja Pig Studios does it again
UPDATE: The developer has since confirmed that the game was removed due to an incorrect ESRB rating. It is being re-rated and will be available again soon. ORIGINAL STORY: As some of you may have been aware, Ninja Pig recently released a new game on the eShop called Bigley's Revenge. The latest game from this...
Light and destruction in the stars
Near Earth Objects is the type of game that gets under your skin - the kind where you tell yourself you'll only play for five minutes and then you suddenly find it's been an hour. Solid music, pulsing colours, various enemies and screen-shaking explosions add a lot of appeal to this variation on Asteroids, creating...
Perplexing, indeed
The Perplexing Orb is a short, not particularly pretty game. Like many downloads we've reviewed it values gameplay over narrative or presentation; that's not a bad thing, but it isn't without flaws. The concept of The Perplexing Orb is simple: take control of the titular orb and guide it through a series of puzzles to a goal, in...
News 17 Games Get North American eShop Discounts in the Winter Warm-Up Sale
Star Fox 64 3D! Gunman Clive 2! Punch-Out! More!
This week's Nintendo Download Update for North America had plenty of information, yet as expected Nintendo of America has followed it up with the first week of its 'Winter Warm-Up' sales. For three weeks there'll be themed discounts across the eShop on Wii U and 3DS, with the first batch coming under...
Nintendo Download 14th January (North America)
Metroid: Zero Mission! Space Hulk! Slice It! Discounts! More!
It's Nintendo Download Update time once again, with this week's North American offerings bringing a mix of old and new treats. The Wii U Virtual Console catches up with a long-demanded Game Boy Advance title, while there's also some strategy, gallery shooting and more coming to the home...
News Yes, You Can Scan The Shovel Knight amiibo While It's Still In Its Box
"We got a lot of feedback from fans before release"
Collecting amiibo is a full-time obsession for some Nintendo fans, and there will be a great many out there who are kept up at night by the eternal question - should you open the packaging and reduce the value of the figure in order to use it in the manner Nintendo intended? The reason collectors...
Rumour The Binding of Isaac: Afterbirth May Be Coming to Wii U After All
It's lonely on top
For those of you that also game on other platforms, you may have been aware of The Binding of Isaac: Afterbirth. As yet another expansion to The Binding of Isaac, Afterbirth adds on potentially hundreds of hours of new content on top of the already massive campaign, with new game modes, characters, items, challenges, enemies, and...
News Metroid: Zero Mission Looks Set for a 14th January Arrival in North America
You can stop asking for it now
Every week we post the European and North American Nintendo Download Updates, the first on a Monday and the latter on a Thursday. The regional subsidiaries match up with some releases, but the Virtual Console is one area where they each follow their own path. North American Wii U owners, in particular, have been...
News Space Hulk Finally Arrives On The North American Wii U eShop This Week
For the Emperor
It's taken a while, but the Wii U version of Space Hulk is finally launching this week in North America. The game - which is a port of the PC original - was due to launch in May last year, but missed that release window. The Sony versions arrived in September, but the Wii U edition was held back until - we were told - Christmas...
News Mini Mario & Friends amiibo Challenge Launches in Japan This Month
Could this be NST's rumoured project?
It's interesting to see how the Mario vs. Donkey Kong games have slowly changed over time. While the first game was a 2D platformer that echoed the philosophy of the classic Donkey Kong arcade game, each successive entry focused more and more on the miniature toy versions of characters. Now, it's become a...
Video Watch as New Super Mario Bros. Wii Gets Pitted Side-by-Side with its Wii U Successor
HD-licious
New Super Mario Bros. Wii has joined its younger sibling New Super Mario Bros. U on the Wii U eShop in Europe. Many people jump to compare the two and believe them to be achingly similar, so in order to put this to the test once and for all we've put both games side-by-side in the video below. We chose to showcase levels that bore a...
News Strategy Puzzle Title Dungeon Hearts DX Is Coming Exclusively To Wii U Next Month
New engine, interface and possible amiibo support
Android and Steam gamers might remember Dungeon Hearts from a few years back - a strategy puzzle title which mixed strategy and music elements to create a pretty unique experience. Indie studio Wolfgame is now updating the game exclusively for the Wii U eShop under the title Dungeon Hearts DX...
News Developers Dig into Sales Failure of Toto Temple Deluxe
Dissecting the goat
This past fall, Montreal-based developer Juicy Beast released Toto Temple Deluxe on the Wii U, PS4, and Xbox One. It was that colourful, chaotic-looking game with a goat. Unfortunately for them, Juicy Beast have announced on their website that the game "didn't sell very well." Although they don't provide any sales numbers, they...
News Legendary Former Rare Character Artist, Kev Bayliss, Joins Playtonic to Work on Yooka-Laylee
Credited with DK's Country design, Killer Instinct work and much more
The words 'Rare' and 'Legend' go together very often, and we try not to use them unless they're necessary. In the case of former company Character Artist / Graphics Director Kev Bayliss it's a fair description, however, and the pleasing news is that he's now joined Playtonic...
News Epic Dumpster Bear is the Real Name of an Upcoming Wii U eShop Game
We can't bear it
The Wii U eShop has its share of slightly strange games, and Epic Dumpster Bear from Log Games is the latest in a long line. The developer previously released the decent Puzzle Monkeys, and has decided that the animal kingdom is well suited to even more genres. Epic Dumpster Bear is a platformer, and Log Games is promising over 70...
News Word Puzzles by POWGI is Heading to Europe on 28th January, Including a Wii U Release
Supports all amiibo for extra puzzles
European fans of puzzles and word games have a double release on the way this month, with Lightwood Games confirming a release date of 28th January for Word Puzzles by POWGI in the region. Already confirmed for 3DS, the title is also heading to the Wii U eShop on the same day. These titles will provide a...
Not likely to make you doze off
Game Freak is a developer known for its work on titles such as Pokémon Red and Blue, Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire and Pokémon Black and White. It does occasionally put out games that don't feature the pocket monsters, however, and one of those is Drill Dozer, a Game Boy Advance action platformer set across six...
Nintendo Download 14th January (Europe)
Mega Man Battles! Final Fantasy Explorers pre-load! DLC! Discounts!
Another week begins and we have a modest batch of games to consider in the European Nintendo Download Update. There are the two versions of the final Mega Man Battle Network title on the Wii U Virtual Console, a neat demo on 3DS, DLC and the option to pre-purchase a major retail...
News RCMADIAX to Temporarily Remove AVOIDER From the Wii U eShop
Due to audio track being a "close copy" from another game
RCMADIAX has been a prolific publisher on the Wii U eShop, particularly in North America, releasing a range of budget titles. These games are often inexpensive, simple releases, though the developer is now planning to temporarily withdraw its most recent title - AVOIDER - due to what seems to...
Easily avoided
RCMADIAX is a studio that has become well known for the relatively high volume of inexpensive titles that it's put out over the past couple of years. Their quality wavers from being barely worth their dollar price tag to being at least average games. AVOIDER is the latest entry in this line of titles, and while its rather barebones...
Nintendo Download 7th January (North America)
Light gun games! Ocean Runner! Discovery! More!
The time has come for the first North America Nintendo Download Update of 2016, and it includes a variety of options. The Wii U Virtual Console plays catch up with three light gun games, while new download offerings include a creative Minecraft-a-like, two RCMADIAX games and the return of Ninja Pig...
Giveaway It's Europe's Turn To Grab A Free Copy Of Cube Life: Island Survival
We have 100 copies to give away to lucky Europeans
Over the Christmas break Cube Life: Island Survival developer Cypronia was kind enough to give away 100 copies of their game to our North American readers to celebrate the recent v1.1 update. This time it's the turn of European players to get in on the action - we've got another 100 free copies to...
Let's get creative
Now that Minecraft: Wii U Edition has been released for the Wii U, one would think that the tide of block based sandbox games on the eShop would be stemmed. Evidently that's not the case quite yet, as Discovery is the next arrival on the Wii U eShop. So, how does the game stack up? While Discovery may feel a bit half-baked in...
News Get Ready for Light Gun Action in This Week's North American Nintendo Download Update
The Adventures of Bayou Billy! Wild Gunman! Hogan's Alley!
Starting with Duck Hunt in late 2014, Nintendo has been retrofitting and re-releasing - along with third-party partners - some iconic NES light gun / Zapper games for the Wii U eShop. They naturally utilise the Wii Remote pointer to recreate that old-fashioned practice of zapping pixels on...
Play your own better game
"Play your own music", Molly Maggot says as it boots up, which doesn't create high hopes for its quality. The clunky jumping controls, stilted animations and lifeless goals soon solidify that sense that you're sifting through trash. Save for a few sound effects that are almost funny, Molly Maggot doesn't have a single...
Review Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars
The Mario RPG that started it all
There are very few areas of life the Mario franchise hasn't at some point explored. Mario himself has been a doctor, an amateur kart racer and later on in his career was recognised as a professional athlete when he competed at the Olympic Games in the 100 metre dash against Sonic. Quite simply – he's a jack of all...
Wonderful water racer
Wave Race was not a well known series prior to its arrival on the Nintendo 64. Actually it wasn't a series at all, but rather a single release: a top-down racer on the Game Boy. With its 64-bit machine offering the opportunity for new 3D gaming experiences, Nintendo decided to have another crack at a Jet Ski racer and came up...
"We’ll be sure to alert the Wii U community as that changes"
Zen Studios has enjoyed plenty of success with its pinball titles, releasing various versions and DLC across PC, home consoles and smart devices. The Wii U and 3DS have been in on the action too, with the former receiving Zen Pinball 2 with a decent variety of DLC, in addition to Star...
News PictoParty's Release Has Been Pushed Back to Late January
A bug is the cause of the delay
Many of you have no doubt played Pictionary at parties before; it can be a wonderfully chaotic competition when everyone's really getting into it. Naturally, a game such as this which channels one's inner artist is a perfect fit for the Wii U GamePad and it was only a matter of time before one would appear on the...
News Wii U eShop Exclusive 3Souls Will Aim to 'Break New Ground' With the GamePad
From Berlin-based developer Red Column
The Wii U eShop has been home to a variety of new developers with bold ambition, and Berlin-based Red Column is the latest to set out its stall for the store. It's bringing 3Souls exclusively to Wii U in Q2, with the goal of utilising the GamePad "to break new ground in how you control your character and play...
Review Game & Watch Gallery Advance
Nintendo's Portable Hits: The Early Years
In the 1980's (before the Game Boy was released), Nintendo's series of Game & Watch handhelds provided people with portable gaming excitement. As LCD games they provided a stripped down gaming experience that Cranky Kong would approve of - basic sounds, none of those pointless fancy graphics and only a...
Nintendo Download 7th January (Europe)
New Super Mario Bros. Wii! Temple of Yog! Drill Dozer! More!
It's the first Nintendo Download Update of the year, kicking off with the European arrivals that are on the way. This week we have an enjoyable platformer from the Wii era and the EU debut of a Game Freak GBA title, along with a few varied fresh releases on both Wii U and 3DS. There are a...
News Alien Dinosaurs Will Be Invading The Wii U And 3DS eShops Soon
Do the dinosaur
Indie developer Ratalaika Games is bringing its action title Alien Dinosaurs to Nintendo platforms. The run-and-gun shooter - which wouldn't look out of place on the Game Boy - sees the player character getting abducted by alien reptiles who then set up a gauntlet of challenges to ascertain if the planet Earth is ripe for conquest...
December2015
Nintendo Download 31st December (North America)
1080° Snowboarding, Molly Maggot and various discounts
It's the final North American Nintendo Download Update of 2015, and it's a little thin on content. Despite that there is a gem from the N64 era and some promising discounts, so all hope is not lost; let's get to it. Missed the European Nintendo Download Update? Well, your New Years' Resolution...
News Blitworks Will Be Publishing The Next Penelope on Wii U
It's in good hands
Some of you may remember some coverage we gave on a game called The Next Penelope about this time last year. At the time, it was due out on PC in a few months and it was promised to be on its way to the Wii U later in the year. While it may be that Aurelien Regard wasn't quite able to push it out before the new year, the game is...
News New Super Mario Bros. Wii Looks Set to Hit Europe on 7th January
Wahoo!
Though the Wii U Virtual Console is missing a few obvious platforms and release - ahem, GameCube - it has brought some goodies. One of the welcome additions has been Wii downloads; a number of excellent games have arrived, including some that are relatively hard to find or expensive in physical form. It's certainly had its successes in terms...
Worse than a pen and paper
Sometimes, drawing with a time limit can be funny. Other times, it's pure frustration. Sketch Wars falls into the latter, giving the player a clumsy set of tools, a poor choice of words, and some awful presentation and sound just to round the whole unpleasant experience off. How does one even manage to mess up a game where...
Giveaway Grab Yourself a Free Copy of Cube Life: Island Survival
We have 100 copies to give away (North America only)
It's the season for giving, so we have a giveaway of a Wii U eShop release for those among you keen on adventure and creativity. Developer Cypronia has kindly offered to give-away 100 free copies of Cube Life: Island Survival to Nintendo Life readers because, well, it's Christmas! It's a sandbox...
Nintendo Download 31st December (Europe)
1080° Snowboarding! Wave Race 64! Story of Seasons! More!
Well, we have the final European Nintendo Download Update details of 2015, and there are a couple of iconic N64 games and an enticing 3DS option included. It's not exactly a packed week, but those with a taste for the slopes or the waves should be happy. At the time of writing we've only...
News Minecraft Has Become the Ninth Best-Selling Game on the Japanese eShop
A meteoric rise
Rumours of Minecraft: Wii U Edition - and its subsequent release - happened rather quickly, but it was something that wasn't entirely surprising. The eShop already had its fair share of Minecraft clones and they'd proven that there was demand for that particular type of game on the console. While it's maybe a bit of a stretch to say...
Feature A Year in Development - 13AM Games
"All game development seems to be like you're getting ready for a party"
In the second article of this 2015 'Year in Development' series 13AM's Managing Director, Dave Proctor, talks about a big year for the studio that saw Runbow arrive as a Wii U eShop exclusive. Runbow seemed to start gaining momentum in 2014, but how would you describe the...
Based on the animated BBC series, Walking with Dinosaurs
With such a name, you'd be forgiven for thinking Dinox wanted to recapture the magic of past dinosaur shooters such as Turok: Dinosaur Hunter. Sadly, this is not the case. Developed by Codix Games and published by Engine Software, Dinox is actually an educational quiz title for the Wii U eShop...
Black + white = fun exercise for the old grey matter
Draw a line. OK, you'll have to give it a bit more thought than that as you won't be passing through all the squares on screen, but Polarium Advance is a simple game to play. Each puzzle consists of white and black tiles and once you've picked a start point you must draw a single line, moving...
Nintendo Download 24th December (North America)
Super Mario Galaxy! Discounts galore! Festive 3DS HOME Themes! More!
It's the final Nintendo Download Update before Christmas, which is a merry occasion indeed. However you treat the Holidays, the update should help make the week a bit more special; we have a Wii classic, some free DLC, 3DS HOME Themes and a whole load of discounts. Let's get to the...
Yes, this is Yog
Human sacrifice usually comes across as a pretty big deal, but not so in Temple of Yog on the Wii U eShop. Here, the multitude of tributes you send to dungeon-crawly demises seems designed to be as disposable as a bag of crisps, and just as addictive to polish off one by one. Death is just part of the daily grind in the world of...
News Super Mario Galaxy May Arrive on the North American Wii U eShop on 24th December
A festive treat
A number of Wii titles have now made their way to the Wii U eShop, and there could be a rather wonderful pre-Christmas treat on the North American store. Following a recent ESRB rating, Super Mario Galaxy's official game page on Nintendo of America's website is now listing it for a 24th December release, at the standard $19.99 price...
Feature A Year in Development - Shin'en Multimedia
"All in all we did the best we can, and this has already made us happy"
In the first of this 2015 'Year in Development' series, Shin'en Multimedia's Manfred Linzner talks about a big year for the studio that culminated in the December release of FAST Racing NEO on the Wii U eShop. As a studio you were relatively quiet early in the year, though...
News Lost WiiWare Title Noitu Love: Devolution Is Coming To 3DS And Wii U Early Next Year
Better late than never
Back in 2010, we reported on the news that Noitu Love 2 was headed to WiiWare, but issues relating to the publisher meant it never happened. Thankfully, the title is being resurrected for the 3DS and Wii U eShops, and will be available in Q1 2016. Originally released on PC in 2008, the game uses a mouse-based control system...
Feature 505 Games On Bringing Terraria To Nintendo Consoles And Facing Off Against Minecraft
"There's a bit of rivalry between the Minecraft and Terraria communities"
With Terraria on the 3DS, Minecraft on Wii U and Terraria coming to Wii U soon, there's arguably never been a better time to be a Nintendo block-builder. Looking at the first direct capture from the Wii U game alongside some 3DS footage, Dean Scott - Producer on Terraria at...
News Final Fantasy VI Advance Arrives on the Wii U Virtual Console in Japan
Will hopefully journey to the West
Nintendo hardware may not be benefitting from all of the main-series Final Fantasy releases, but the recent arrival of Cloud in Super Smash Bros. and the upcoming release of Final Fantasy Explorers in the West are both indications of the solid relationship between Nintendo and Square Enix. Another small piece of...
Perhaps a sign of things to come?
The e-Reader was an interesting and quirky peripheral for the Game Boy Advance. It seems like it never quite reached its full potential, but the idea of scanning cards into games to get additional content was a fairly novel idea at the time. In a sense, it could even be viewed as DLC before the concept had really...
News ZeNfA Productions is Bringing Drop It: Block Paradise! to Wii U in Q2 2016
The first major collaboration between ZeNfA and RCMADIAX
Some of you may be familiar with ZeNfA Prodcutions' latest game, ZaciSa's Last Stand. The studio set out to deliver a budget tower defense game, and - for better or worse - that's exactly what was delivered. While it's initial release wasn't too well received, the enhanced re-release fared a...
Nintendo Download 24th December (Europe)
Retro Mario goodness! Kung Fu fighting! Loads of Discounts! More!
It's the final Nintendo Download Update for Europe before Christmas, Xmas or 25th December, whatever you choose to call it. It brings a couple of popular retro Mario treats, a decent Wii U eShop title, a whole load of discounts and more besides. Let's get to it. Wii U eShop: Kung Fu...
Trauma Drama
Back in the early days of the Nintendo DS, Trauma Center: Under the Knife was a standout example of how the then-new touch screen controls could provide a fresh experience on the go. Atlus would then take its anime-pumped surgery games to the Wii, translating touch controls to motion controls, and found a winning combination there as...
Guide Learning How to Survive the Hostile World of Minecraft
It's dangerous to go alone
Though many are already veterans of Minecraft, some of you may be experiencing the open world sandbox game for the first time. Once you get the hang of things the mechanics seem pretty straightforward, but it can be a bit overwhelming when you're just getting your feet wet. As a result we've put together a list of...
Review Minecraft: Wii U Edition
The best at its craft
It's difficult to describe the appeal of a game such as Minecraft: Wii U Edition. Though there is technically an 'end' to it, the whole experience isn't really about anything. You can explore caves. You can build houses. You can fight mobs in the night. You can farm crops and animals. On the surface, Minecraft seems like a...
Video Check Out This Footage of Paradise Lost: First Contact
Another promising Indie game for the Wii U eShop
It seems like 2D Metroidvania games are all the rage these days among Indie studios. This isn't necessarily a bad problem to have, considering that Nintendo and Konami don't seem keen to make more Metroid or Castlevania games in this vein, but these Indie attempts do tend to blend together. It's nice,...
News Minecraft: Wii U Edition to Get Update 1.8.8 in 2016, Out Now on Sony and Microsoft Systems
A slow build
Earlier this week we tuned in to Microsoft Studios' Minecraft Monday to see if it was worth hosting on Nintendo Life; in other words, to see if Minecraft: Wii U Edition was being shown off. Unfortunately it wasn't, but the regular viewers over on Twitch were hugely excited; that's because update 1.8.8 - which is a notable one despite...
Through the Fire and the Flames We Rescue Cats
If you have a cat anywhere nearby when you play Jones on Fire, it's going to start snooping around at what you're doing. As this is an endless runner about saving kitties from a raging inferno you're going to be hearing a lot of appreciative meows, and your cat's going to want to know what's up...
Nintendo Download 17th December (North America)
Minecraft, Smash Bros. DLC, Temple of Yog, discounts galore and more
It's that time once again for the Nintendo Download Update, and this week brings us a long-awaited sandbox game, a promising Wii U eShop exclusive, some enticing 3DS eShop options, DLC, a lot of discounts and more besides. There's plenty to cover, so let's get to it. Missed the...
News FAST Racing NEO is Going Up a Gear in January Update
Have that minimap you always wanted
FAST Racing NEO has already established itself as one of the year's finest Wii U eShop releases, and Shin'en Multimedia is keen to make it the best game it can be. An update is on the way in January which will add welcome features along with some improvements to stability. In addition to a minimap on the TV while...
Review Animal Crossing: Wild World
Why this world?
The very idea of a portable version of Animal Crossing filled this reviewer with glee when he first read about it back in the days of magazines and routers without wi-fi as standard. Animal Crossing: Wild World has always been a very special game to fans as it expanded upon the original GameCube title (for this region at least) but...
News Prepare to Get Creative With Minecraft-Inspired Game Discovery Coming to Wii U eShop Soon
Minecraft competition
The long-awaited Minecraft: Wii U Edition finally arrives on the Wii U eShop today, so you'd be forgiven for thinking that the mighty Mojang-developed game would have sent pretenders to the throne running and screaming into their blocky pixel castles. Not so, Cube Life: Island Survival continues to receive updates, uCraft is...
News Napster is Coming to the European Wii U eShop on 17th December
OK then...
When people talk about the music streaming scene, they're often comparing familiar brands when considering which service to use. Some go with the big boys of Google, Apple or Amazon, and others maybe opt for smaller companies like Spotify or the Jay Z-led Tidal. Napster though? It's not normally in the debate. Napster was actually pretty...
News Ryu, Roy and Famicom Colour R.O.B. amiibo Will Be Released On 18th March
Cloud, Corrin and Bayonetta amiibo also confirmed
In the final Super Smash Bros. for Wii U & 3DS video presentation, series creator Masahiro Sakurai has revealed more amiibo will be arriving in store soon and also confirmed amiibo development for the three newly announced fighters. Ryu from Street Fighter, Roy from the Fire Emblem series, and a...
Review Ninja Gaiden III: The Ancient Ship of Doom
Nice videogame, shame about the plot
After dealing with that dark sword business Ryu Hayabusa might have hoped to put his feet up, but more evil schemes are in motion and so he must do his ninja thing once more. The powerup from the previous game that could provide duplicates to help in his quest has gone, but it turns out there is still another Ryu...
Big changes happening at Nintendo's US-based studio
Nintendo Software Technology - as we've reported in the past - has endured a troubled history of late. The studio responsible for Wave Race: Blue Storm and Mario vs. Donkey Kong was once a major player in Nintendo's network of internal studios, but the costly disaster that was Proje
Nintendo Download 17th December (Europe)
Minecraft! Retro Mario! Onimusha Tactics! Loads of discounts! More!
Another week is underway and we have the Nintendo Download Update for Europe. This week the star attraction is undoubtedly Minecraft on Wii U, but there are also quite a few retro offerings and some intriguing download options, in addition to a huge number of 3DS HOME Themes and...
