Wii U eShop News
June2015
News Co-Op Teleporting Platformer Roving Rogue Releases On Wii U eShop July 2nd
What's left to do after the final boss?
Roving Rogue is a unique take on a classic formula. Players control an adventurer named Kurt who has just defeated the final boss in a castle. Traditionally the reward is a kiss from a princess, but on this particular occasion, the hero has forgotten why he’s even in this castle in the first place. This...
Feature The Biggest Wii U eShop Games of 2015 - Summer Edition
Plenty of choices
Not long ago we published our updated list for the biggest Wii U retail games of 2015, opting out of continuing our recent approach of combining retail and selective eShop titles in one. This was to give the eShop its fair due - there are plenty of promising titles heading to the home console's download store, and we wanted to give...
News The Swindle is Sneaking Closer to a Wii U eShop Release
Will come after PS4 and Xbox One, though
The Swindle looks set to be the next Curve Digital-published release heading to the Wii U eShop. Developed by Size Five games, it's a "platforming, action and stealth game set in a Victorian Steampunk world" with procedurally generated levels. It's not far from release, too, though unfortunately the Wii U...
Nintendo Download 25th June (North America)
Star Fox and Mario & Luigi DS games! Art Academy! Shiftlings! More!
It's Nintendo Download Update day, and as usual we now have the North American details. It's a busy line-up with three interesting Wii U eShop titles, two popular franchises on the Virtual Console, some discounts and another hefty batch of DSiWare. Yep... DSiWare. So, let's get to...
Video New Nintendo Game Seminar Titles Make Début Ahead of Japanese Wii U eShop Releases
Developed in Unity to utilise the GamePad
Last year we reported on the Nintendo Game Seminar event in Japan - open to University Students in the Tokyo metropolitan or Kansai region, those lucky enough to be included received support and advice from Nintendo in creating simple gaming experiences. The challenge, from August 2014 to March 2015, was to...
Review Never Alone (Wii U eShop)
A beautiful mess
One of the best things about indie games is the freedom available to the developers; with all the money involved in publishing triple-A titles, there's little incentive to take risks. There's no way you'd ever see a title like Never Alone coming from a major publisher, and that's what makes it so refreshing. Developed with the input...
News Titan Tank Rumble Is "Twisted Metal Meets N64-Era Rare", Says Developer Hexagon Games
Rumbling towards the Wii U eShop
Indie studio Hexagon Games has revealed that its vehicular combat title Titan Tank Rumble is headed to the Wii U eShop. Originally called DestructoTanks, the game is a "4-player online competitive game with leaderboards, featuring lots of hectic tank mayhem and explosions". The developer has compared the title to...
News Splatoon Has Inked 1 Million In Sales Since Its Release
Are you a kid or a squid?
Nintendo’s Digital Event during E3 2015 was a challenging time for the Kyoto-based company. While many viewers hoped for a series of uplifting announcements stating the house of Mario was back in the game, the presentation sadly left a bitter taste in the mouth of Nintendo fans worldwide. Brushing this aside, Nintendo...
News Quadcopter Pilot Challenge is Flying Into North America Soon
Gives a first-person view on the GamePad
Not so long ago we told you about Quadcopter Pilot Challenge, an upcoming Wii U eShop release from TACS games. Incorporating a third-person view on the TV and a first-person camera angle on the GamePad, it has a Pilotwings vibe while utilising the popular vehicles / toys as the star attraction. For those in...
News Spooky 2D Adventure Whispering Willows Will Be Haunting Your Wii U This Summer
An out of body experience
Indie publisher Abstraction Games has confirmed that it is bringing Night Light Interactive's spooky adventure title Whispering Willows to the Wii U eShop. Originally released on Ouya, the game features gorgeous 2D visuals and an haunting soundtrack. The unique hook is that you'll be able to exit the main character's body...
Review Cube Blitz (Wii U eShop)
More like a square than a cube
Every once in a while, you play one of those games where it just makes one wonder how exactly it got published in the first place. Usually, this is due to a woeful lack of polish or because some part of it could be argued as being fundamentally broken, be it due to core game mechanics or unforgivable performance...
News Don't Hold Your Breath, But Axiom Verge Is "Probably" Coming To Wii U Next Year
Developer Tom Happ gives us a solid "maybe"
Axiom Verge is one of the best Metroid-style games we've seen in a long time, and we already know that Nintendo is super-keen to get the game onto its consoles. It would appear that developer Tom Happ is actively working towards that goal, as he has told Destructoi
Review Funk of Titans (Wii U eShop)
Funk off, Titans
On the surface, it seems like Funk of Titans might be crazy enough to work. Take a jive-talkin', funk-lovin' interpretation of Perseus, toss him in a Mount Olympus setting occupied by an Aretha Franklin-inspired goddess, add a dash of hop-and-bop auto-running and stir vigorously. This project had the recipe for cheesy goodness, but...
News There Will Only Be One Physical Copy Of Rusty Pup In The Entire Universe
You'll have to solve the title-screen codex conundrum to win it
UK studio Gory Detail has revealed during its first devlog that it will be producing just one physical copy of its forthcoming Wii U and 3DS adventure title The Unlikely Legend of Rusty Pup. The copy - hand-made by Gory Detail's Chris Seavor, the man behind Conker's Bad Fur Day - will...
Exclusive First Gory Detail Devlog Shows Off More Of The Gorgeous-Looking Rusty Pup
Mind the gap
You may recall that a while back we lifted the lid on Gory Detail's new adventure title The Unlikely Legend of Rusty Pup, which is coming to the Wii U and 3DS eShops in the not-too-distant future. The work of former Rare staffers Chris "Conker" Seavor and Shawn Pile, Rusty Pup is shaping up to be a truly sumptuous 2D brain-teaser with...
Nintendo Download 25th June (Europe)
Yoshi! Kirby! Art Academy! Samurai Warriors! More!
It's the start of a normal week in the world of the big N, so naturally it kicks off with the Nintendo Download Update details in Europe. This week brings three promising and relatively high profile retail releases, two diverse offerings on the Wii U eShop along with some retro goodies, some...
Feature The Biggest Wii U Retail Games of 2015 - Summer Edition
E3 has added some new hits
It's the Summer Solstice here at Nintendo Life HQ in the UK, the longest day of the year. That comes at the end of the longest week of the year following E3, at which Nintendo had a mixed showing. What the event did deliver, in addition to some controversy and a clutch of wonderful moments, was a clearer look at the...
Feature Our Impressions of the Full Nindies@Home Line-Up
Some delights are on the way
One of Nintendo's earliest E3 announcements may not have drawn the headlines it deserved, but is a promotion that is worthy of praise. The Nindies@Home promotion has served up nine free eShop demos on the Wii U, featuring some hugely promising games that are on the way to the store. Once you've downloaded the demos...
News Never Alone Will Start Keeping North Americans Company on 25th June
Snow kidding!
Never Alone is a unique puzzle platformer with a rather fascinating development background. After collaborating with about forty members of a native Alaskan tribe, Upper One Games crafted a folklore inspired game about the journey of a girl and an arctic fox as they travel to find the source of an eternal blizzard. Playable in either...
News Take More Risks With Your eShop Purchases, Pleads Nintendo's Damon Baker
"Nintendo fans and consumers...gravitate towards nostalgia"
Nintendo's Damon Baker has lamented the fact that fans don't seem to be leaving their comfort zones when it comes to buying eShop games. The senior manager of marketing in Nintendo of America's licensing department has been speaking to Gamasutra about indie games on Nintendo systems, and...
Exclusive 2D Hack And Slash Title Wulverblade Has A Fighting Chance Of Coming To Wii U
Already speaking to Nintendo about porting the Xbox One brawler
Fully Illustrated's Michael Heald has revealed that 2D fighting title Wulverblade has a chance of coming to the Wii U. The game - which is like a mixture between Golden Axe and Final Fight set in Roman Britain - was previously unveiled as one of the Xbox One's mo
Nintendo Download 18th June (North America)
Classic Fire Emblem! Weird Smash 3DS controller thing! Discounts! More!
Some things don't even change in E3 week, whether it be the underwear of those of us watching everything unfold over three days or the arrival of the Nintendo Download Update. This week's North American update has a treat for Fire Emblem fans, some new eShop-only releases,...
Review Journey of a Special Average Balloon (Wii U eShop)
Balloon Fight this ain't
TreeFall Studios has had a rocky experience on the Wii U. The Letter, which is one of our worst-rated titles, was followed up by Maze, which was poorly received but at least contained some semblance of functional gameplay. Its latest title, Journey of a Special Average Balloon, continues to show TreeFall's growth and...
Video Blow Off Some Steam With This New SteamWorld Heist Trailer
Coming Fall 2015
If you were a fan of Image & Form’s SteamWorld Dig, then this trailer of its upcoming Wii U and 3DS release on the eShop, SteamWorld Heist, may be of interest. Coming fall 2015, SteamWorld Heist promises plenty of tactical stand-offs with the opportunity to punch, shoot and generally just beat-up on robots. Players will have...
Video Here's Our Nindies@Home Showcase
Tasters for all nine demos
As if you weren'l already aware, as part of E3 Nintendo has partnered with nine independent developers to bring you a heap of free demos for upcoming Wii U eShop games. Nindies@Home gives you a rare chance to try out some new indie games for the grand total of nothing. What's more, downloading each of these demos before...
News Yooka-Laylee Reaches Final Stretch Goal On The Last Day Of Its Kickstarter Campaign
Now the real work begins
Playtonic's Banjo-Kazooie successor Yooka-Laylee has hit its final Kickstarter stretch goal, unlocking free-of-charge DLC for those who backed the project. Yooka-Laylee's original target was a modest £175,000, but it quickly
Sorry New Zealand
The Nindies@Home promotion may have arrived in North America and across Europe yesterday, but one area on the map which falls under the PAL region has been left behind due to local classification laws. Nintendo’s branch down under has revealed the nine game demos, including a 15 percent discount on the final releases, will need...
Video Check Out the Official Trailers for the Nindies@Home Games
All available to try for free right now
Earlier today Nintendo launched its Nindies@Home E3 promotion in North America and Europe; it's a limited-time promotion in which you can download nine free demos and, should you do so, you'll be eligible for a 15% discount on the games when then launch. There are some exciting titles in the line-up that you...
Nintendo Download 18th June (Europe)
Harvest Moon, Xeodrifter, Comic Workshop 2 and more
Surprisingly, and later than normal, we now have this week's Nintendo Download Update details for Europe. This week's new offerings are all on the 3DS, with a retail title and two high quality eShop options, though the official press release doesn't mention EarthBound Beginnings, which is an option...
News Nindies@Home E3 Promotion Offers Wii U eShop Demos With 15 Percent Off The Final Game
Nintendo brings E3 to you
Nintendo has just lifted the lid on a new Wii U eShop promotion aimed at driving interest in some of the console's forthcoming indie titles. Nindies@Home runs from today until June 22nd and features demos for 9 different titles, all of which are being showcased at E3 in some shape or form. Downloading any of these demos...
Review Big Brain Academy (Wii U eShop / DS)
So keep on playing those mind games
The advent of the Nintendo DS into the handheld arena back in 2004 ushered in a fresh experience for many gamers, made possible by the system's many new features and abilities. This brand of entertainment was often referred to as "Touch! Generations" by Nintendo, and ran throughout the Nintendo DS and Wii era...
Exclusive Get Revved Up With the First FAST Racing NEO 60fps Footage
Hitting top speed
E3 week may typically be associated with the big beasts of gaming, but there's more to be enjoyed from the LA extravaganza. It's an industry event also graced by many smaller Indie developers, and the Nindie contingent will be there in force to show off exciting new downloads on the way. We have a Nindie treat before the expo...
News The First Mother Game Is Finally Coming To The West As EarthBound Beginnings
1989 NES prequel gets localised at last
The very first title in the critically-acclaimed Mother series is finally coming to the West. EarthBound Beginnings is the new name for this Western release of the 1989 NES/Famicom prequel to the SNES title EarthBound, which was known as Mother 2 in Japan. This is the first time that the game has ever been...
News Nintendo Apologises for eShop Issues Caused by High Super Smash Bros. Traffic, Urges Patience
The DLC will be waiting for you later on
Nintendo knew what would happen when Masahiro Sakurai announced the immediate release of a substantial batch of Super Smash Bros. DLC, with the creative lead of the franchise stating in the broadcast that we should expect busy servers when trying to purchase the
News Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night Smashes Records and Hits All Stretch Goals
Over $5.5 million raised
Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night, widely regarded as a Castlevania successor and led by Koji Igarashi, has been a phenomenon on Kickstarter. It's become the most successful game project ever on the platform, and its success has brought plenty of stretch goals and a
Video UCraft's CraftyKart PowerPack Mod Gets Its Own Hard Rockin' Trailer
The need for speed
Minecraft clones are hitting the Wii U eShop thick and fast these days, and just in case you've not already had your fill, here's a fresh look at the forthcoming UCraft. In this trailer - which is accompanied by some of the most obnoxious guitar playing we've heard since Spinal Tap last toured - the game's modular credentials are...
News The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth Pricing and Features Outlined by Nicalis
New 3DS misses out on multiplayer
The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth was a slightly surprising announcement for Wii U and New Nintendo 3DS earlier this year, for multiple reasons; it's a game that was previously rejected by Nintendo due to its themes and content, and it'll also likely be the first eShop title exclusive to the New models of the portable...
Third playable character and prequel mini-game also confirmed
Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night is already Kickstarter's most successful video game campaign ever, and with just over a day remaining on the clock the momentum shows no signs of dropping - in fact, the total is getting dangerously close to the $4.5 million mark. New stretch goals have...
Review Cube Life: Island Survival (Wii U eShop)
A summer blockbuster?
For the past few months, multiple developers have been releasing their own clones of Minecraft in an effort to provide Nintendo gamers with the closest approximation to that source material as possible. Though the concept may seem simple initially, most developers have failed to recreate it in any meaningful way, with...
News Mighty No. 9 Features on Wii U and 3DS Versions are Outlined
So long, amiibo dreams
Mighty No. 9 is just a few months away, a project treated by many as a spiritual successor to Mega Man. Though we don't yet have a final date for the 3DS port, it's heading to Wii U in September on the eShop and as a physical retail release. A development update has now been posted outlining features for each platform, and...
Nintendo Download 11th June (North America)
LEGO Jurassic Park x2, more Harvest Moon, Dr. Mario and much more
It's the final North American Nintendo Download Update before the E3 shenanigans in LA, and there's a diverse range of options. We have the first GBA Harvest Moon, two versions of LEGO Jurassic World, the return of Dr. Mario, some quirky eShop offerings and four DSiWare games. Let's...
Review Don't Starve: Giant Edition (Wii U eShop)
Tim Burton meets Minecraft
The general approach of playing Don't Starve: Giant Edition is set rather early. Once you reach your first rank up - no doubt through a few feeble run-throughs where you are easily offed by the environment, whimpering and confused - you're awarded with a pyromaniacal character with which you can prattle about and convert...
News Shantae: Half-Genie Hero Looks Stunning in New E3 Trailer
Bring on the hair-whipping and belly dancing
With E3 on the way next week, the talented folk at WayForward have belly danced past all the cacophony and released their E3 trailer for the upcoming Shantae: Half-Genie Hero. As the fourth game in the esteemed Shantae series, Half-Genie Hero marks the first cross-platform HD outing for the hair-whipping...
News Bloodstained Is Officially Kickstarter's Most Successful Video Game Campaign
Over $4 million raised and there's still hours to spare
Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night is officially Kickstarter's most successful video game venture after pushing past the $4.1 million record set by Torment: Tides of Numenera back in April 2013. Bloodstained currently stands at $4,194,391 with 41 hours remaining. Almost 50,000 people have...
News Online Co-Op and Versus Modes Confirmed for Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night
Armature to share Unreal Engine 4 Wii U code
Though Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night won't arrive until 2017, the spiritual Castlevania successor led by Koji Igarashi has become an outstanding success in crowdfunding on Kickstarter and Paypal. In fact, combining both sources it's now raised over $4 million, unlocking an exciting stretch goal in...
News Free DLC Heading to Affordable Space Adventures, With Plans for Future Paid Content
Extra Value Space Adventures
Affordable Space Adventures is one of a small group of Wii U exclusives, and arguably does more for the cause of the Wii U GamePad's unique capabilities than a number of Nintendo's own efforts. A collaboration between KnapNok Games and Nifflas, we gave it a strong recommendation in our review. It's a premium-priced...
Review Vector Assault (Wii U eShop)
Identity theft
Imitation may be the sincerest form of flattery, but in the case of WizByte Games' Vector Assault, it isn't flattering. Heavily inspired by Geometry Wars - a game that in many ways helped usher in the era of downloadable console games - Vector Assault is not nearly as polished, addictive, or fun. While it's playable and functional on...
Video Check Out What Can be Done in Art Academy: Atelier Without Any Experience
Hung, drawn, & water-coloured
Nintendo's latest foray into its Art Academy series will no doubt appeal to the arty and the creatively-minded, but that's not the only audience that can benefit from Art Academy: Atelier (known as Art Academy: Home Studio in North America). This reporter has barely touched an art supply in ten years, and has never...
News Image & Form Tackles SteamWorld Heist E3 Plans, Pricing and Development Progress in Q & A
Not digging too deep, though
With SteamWorld Heist building up, well, steam for its release later this year, the studio's latest Q & A provides some further update on development progress, plans for E3 and planned pricing. As for E3, company CEO Brjann Sigurgeirsson will be in LA to show off the game to the media, including your humble Nintendo...
Review FullBlast (Wii U eShop)
A blast from the past
Fullblast is the latest indie title to make the transition from mobile platforms onto Wii U, having been available on iOS and Android since the end of last year. Harking back to the days when arcades were king, Fullblast is an old school vertically scrolling shoot-em-up presented with modern 3D graphics. The gameplay remains...
"I like their wobbly movements"
Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night's crowdfunding drive has just three days to go and has raised over $3,700,000 at the time of writing. To drum up even more interest and perhaps encourage a final surge of backers, creator Koji Igarashi has published a video showing some off-screen footage from a very early version of...
Reminder Time's Running Out to Grab the Humble Nindie Bundle
It ends at 11am Pacific / 2pm Eastern on 9th June
The Humble Nindie Bundle has been an intriguing development for the Wii U and 3DS eShop; though limited to the Americas, it has caused a notable impact as the first Humble Bundle to support console platforms. It was a pretty bold move by both Nintendo of America and Humble itself, and allows gamers...
News USK Reiterates That IARC, A Quick and Global Age Ratings Option, Will Come to the eShop
Should help developers to release globally quicker
We've highlighted in the past how obtaining age ratings can be a complicated and expensive process for Indie developers on tight budgets. While the ESRB service in North America is free and based online, complaints over the slower processes in PAL territories - which also cost a fair amount of money...
News Cube Life: Island Survival Confirmed for 25th June Release in Europe
Cypronia highlights positive early reception in North America
We now have a few games available - depending on your region - that are heavily influenced by Minecraft, seizing the day in the absence of Nintendo system ports of the best-selling title. The latest is Cube Life: Island Survival from Cypronia, which aims to provide both an open-world...
News Momonga Pinball Adventures Is Bouncing And Flipping Its Way To The Wii U eShop
Another mobile title makes the jump
Update: D'oh. We've just realised that we actually reported on this back in 2013 - presumably Paladin Studios has reconfirmed the arrival of the game on the Wii U eShop. We'll find out and let you know when we know. Original story: Paladin Studios has revealed that its 2013 mobile title Momonga Pinball...
Nintendo Download 11th June (Europe)
Dr. Mario, LEGO Dinosaurs on the go, Mega Man and more
Another week begins with the Nintendo Download Update in Europe, and this particular batch brings us the result of a Nintendo Direct reveal, a LEGO movie adaptation, more classic Mega Man and some discount options. It's a relatively short list, bringing us a slight pre-E3 lull. Wii U Virtual...
News Xeodrifter Port Confirmed for Wii U eShop
Time for another run through Renegade Kid's Metroidvania
Back in early December, Renegade kid released a new bite-sized Metroidvania called Xeodrifter to generally positive feedback. We awarded it an 8/10, citing the short length and occasionally frustrating platforming as drawback, but we were overall quite pleased with it. It may have been over...
News Reggie Has Been Pushing For Binding Of Isaac To Come To Nintendo Consoles Since 2012
Nintendo of America boss is quite a fan, it seems
The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth will be hitting Wii U and 3DS this year, and boy has it been a long time coming. The game was teased for Nintendo systems way back in 2012, but Nintendo was initially opposed to the idea - citing the game's "questionable religious content" as the reason for blocking a...
News World of Goo and Little Inferno Developers Announce New Game - Human Resource Machine
"A puzzle game for nerds"
Tomorrow Corporation - a studio set up by former members of World of Goo developer 2D Boy - has ended its relatively lengthy spell away from the spotlight to announce its next game - Human Resource Machine. Eager Wii U eShop gamers may remember its release that greeted the console launch - Little Inferno - which was a...
News Curve Is Bringing RageSquid's Action Henk To The Wii U eShop
It figures
Curve Digital has revealed that it is bringing RageSquid's PC title Action Henk to consoles this Summer. The game features a wacky action figure who loves nothing more than racing across various environments in the quickest time possible. You'll be able to run, jump and butt-slide across 70 different levels, with the objective of shaving...
News Antipole DX to Defy Gravity on Wii U and 3DS This Year
This ain't no DSiWare any more
DSiWare was / is a quirky yet admirable service, bringing some excellent slices of gaming in just 16MB or less. One title that was certainly in the top tier was Antipole, a gravity flipping action platformer that we rather enjoyed in our review. The good news is that it's heading to the eShop on Wii U and 3DS later...
Review Mega Man Battle Network 4 Red Sun & Blue Moon (Wii U eShop / Game Boy Advance)
Nothin' but net
In every long running game series, there's always "that" one game which greatly splits the fanbase. Usually due to a major overhaul of an aspect that flies in the face of series tradition, these black sheep games typically are wrongfully seen as a bad or disappointing release simply because they did something different. Mega Man...
Review Rival Turf! (Wii U eShop / Super Nintendo)
Pulls too many punches
Double Dragon may have kicked off the beat 'em up craze, but Capcom's Final Fight was the game that came out of nowhere and quickly became the measuring stick for the genre. So when Capcom had to cut the beloved cooperative play mode from the Super NES home version of the game, Japanese developer Jaleco decided that it would...
News Mighty No. 9 Signature Edition Will Not Be Available For Wii U
Ouch!
It seems Wii U owners have once again been excluded from the pack, with publisher Deep Silver revealing the recently announced US-only signature edition of Mighty No. 9 will only be made available to PlayStation 4 and Xbox One owners. The collectors edition deal – including a physical copy of the game, DLC, a foil signature and a posable...
News Natsume Is Bringing Smartphone Title Ninja Strike To The Wii U eShop
Will be showing it off at E3
Natsume has just confirmed the titles it will be showing off at E3, and among them you'll spot a new name: Ninja Strike. Before you get your hopes up, it's not some exciting simulation of what it must have been like in ancient Japan when the Shogun's best assassins decided to down tools over low pay - instead, it's a...
Nintendo Download 4th June (North America)
Pip, Cube Life, AVGN on 3DS, Lord of Magna, DSiWare rebirth and more
It's that time again, North America, for the latest Nintendo Download Update details, and this week is varied and a tad bizarre. We have an eagerly anticipated eShop platformer, a world-building title aiming to bring a bit of Minecraft-style glamour to the home console, while the...
Video Check Out This Q.U.B.E: Director's Cut Speed Run
New video shows extended puzzling gameplay
We first heard that first-person puzzler Q.U.B.E. - The Director's Cut would be arriving on the Wii U back in April 2013. You'd be forgiven if you had forgotten all about this intriguing Portal 2-style game, but thankfully GRIP Games hasn't given up on the idea of a Wii U release; we're assured that it wil
Review Adventures of Pip (Wii U eShop)
It's Pip to be square
Pixel art has certainly not disappeared into the mists of gaming history. If anything, in our nostalgia-heavy age of reboot-a-thoning, the pixelated style holds its place firmly as a manageable form that can evoke those classic retro feels, whether by intention or not. While it's a sound gimmick, it's not as often that we see...
Video RIVE's Latest Explosive Trailer Invents An Entirely New Word For Destruction
"SHMUPSTRAVAGANZA" indeed
Two Tribes has just launched the latest trailer - amusingly dubbed "SHMUPSTRAVAGANZA" - for its shooter RIVE, and it's so packed with pyrotechnics you might want to don a pair of shades before clicking the "play" button. The trailer contains content that has been added since the game was shown off at PAX, and shows off...
Review Flying Warriors (Wii U eShop / NES)
"I won’t stop at this"
Culture Brain USA's NES title, Flying Warriors, draws its inspiration from the previous North American release in the Hiryū no Ken series which debuted in 1988, Flying Dragon: The Secret Scroll. Starring a Shorinji Kempo warrior named Rick Stalker, the story basically mirrors the tale of the original NES entry, with the...
News Playtonic Wants Yooka-Laylee To Eclipse Banjo-Kazooie When It Comes To Sheer Size
Putting those fears to bed
Yooka-Layee's amazing Kickstarter campaign has ensured that Rare fans will be getting the next best thing to a Banjo-Kazooie sequel, but some supporters have expressed doubts about the size of the adventure, given that the game will retail for a low price and - comparatively-speaking, at least - its budget remains modest...
News Humble Nindie Bundle Has A Dramatic Impact On eShop Charts
All change in the top 10
The Humble Nindie Bundle has been a massive success - despite the lack of cross-region availability - and has, at the time of writing, raised $618,463.11 over more than 67,000 bundles. If you needed any further indication of its popularity, you need look no futher than this week's Wii U and 3DS eShop charts. While Splatoon...
News Asynchronous Online Multiplayer to Feature in Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night
Virtual gravestones are on the agenda
In a trend typified by titles such as Mighty No. 9 and current crowdfunding effort Yooka-Laylee, hugely respected veteran developers are forming teams to bring retro back. Or, if not retro, a return to classic design that isn't necessarily enough of a sure thing to receive backing from major publishers...
News Mighty No.9 Looks Rather Neat in This 60fps Trailer
Mega Man says hi
Keiji Inafune may not always spin gold in the many projects with which he's associated, but the hype is very real for Mighty No. 9. A hugely successful crowdfunding campaign, it drifted off the radar a little - while also missing its original release window - but is rapidly coming back into view. At the end of April it was given...
News FAST Racing NEO Details Finally Exit The Garage
Coming this year, online and 60fps confirmed
Shin'en's FAST Racing NEO has been in development for what seems like forever and we've heard - and seen - very little of the Wii U eShop racer so far. Thankfully, that has changed today as the developer has kindly shared some screenshots - taken from the Alpha version of the game - to the official FAST...
News Humble Nindie Bundle Adds Three New Games
Two for Wii U and one for 3DS
After a week the Humble Nindie Bundle has raised over $500,000 and sold more than 58,000 bundles; eShop gamers in the Americas have had the option of paying whatever they want for three games, or adding an extra five titles by paying just $10 - some have been voluntarily paying much more, of course. It's a first for...
News The Latest SteamWorld Ambassador Challenge Seeks Your Witty Social Media Ideas
#wittytagline
Image & Form has been running a series of SteamWorld Ambassador Challenges every two weeks, with lucky winners set to receive copies of SteamWorld Heist on all available platforms later this year. Contests so far have included designing hats for robots and thinking up witty one-liners, accommodating those with creative minds and...
Review Little Ninja Brothers (Wii U eShop / NES)
Big trouble in little China
With origin characters Jacky and Lee a distant memory, Culture Brain's successor to Kung-Fu Heroes follows the adventure of two new upbeat ninjas named Jack and Ryu as they attempt to put a stop to the evil Blu Boltar and the Yoma Clan who have invaded Chinaland. Little Ninja Brothers – known as Super Chinese 2 in...
Video Here's All Your Pre-E3 Nintendo Direct Video Content In One Handy Place
Moving images are fun!
Nintendo's final Direct broadcast before E3 was something of a surprise - we knew the Japanese event was happening but the Western Nintendo Direct Micro came out of nowhere. Still, when it delivered so much new-game goodness, it's hard to grumble about being blindsided - even if poor old Tom had to be shackled to his PC...
Video Teaser Trailer Illuminates Forthcoming Wii U JRPG Project Light
Turn-based combat in a cyberpunk world
Indie developer Neko.Works has released a teaser trailer for its upcoming Wii U eShop JRPG, Project Light. Inspired by "mid '90s classics" such as Chrono Trigger, Final Fantasy VII and Secret of Mana, Project Light takes place in a cyberpunk-style city ruled over by an evil empire. The main protagonist teams...
Feature Humble Nindie Bundle - The Developer's Perspective
"I won't pretend I saw it coming, but it does make sense"
Humble Bundle is long established as a service that groups together games, eBooks and music into affordable packages, for which you pay what you want and determine how much money goes to the creators, Humble itself and a chosen charity. It's in gaming circles that it's best known, is hugely...
Review Super E.D.F. Earth Defense Force (Wii U eShop / Super Nintendo)
All buck and no bang!
Its certainly no secret that the 16-bit era of gaming was a great time to be a shoot em' up fan. Not only were there a large number of titles released, there were also some of the best the genre ever had to offer on display. While the Sega Mega Drive and NEC PC Engine were the definitive hot spots to get your shooter fix, the...
News Art Academy: Home Studio Heading to North America as Wii U eShop Exclusive
$4 discount for SketchPad owners
It's been a while coming, but just recently we learned that Art Academy: Atelier is heading to Wii U in Europe on 26th June, this being the full home console retail entry in the series. It's now been confirmed in a Nintendo Direct Micro that'll it'll be called Art Academy: Home Studio in North America, and will...
Review Mega Man Zero 4 (Wii U eShop / Game Boy Advance)
The battle for Neo Arcadia
After three enjoyable Mega Man Zero entries, Capcom just had to sneak in one more. Released extremely late into the Game Boy Advance's life - after the Nintendo DS had already been released, in fact - Mega Man Zero 4 is the final game in the series and mostly follows along with the previous three titles. Once again...
News Nintendo Wants Metroid-Style Title Axiom Verge On One Of Its Systems
We don't mind which, personally
Axiom Verge is a fantastic Metroid-style action title which really belongs on a Nintendo system, and if former NoA employee Dan Adelman - who is in charge of PR for the game - is to be believed, it's only a matter of time. Speaking to Game Informer, Adelman was asked if Nintendo had been in touch about the game:...
Nintendo Download 4th June (Europe)
Don't Starve, Lord of Magna, Big Brains, FullBlast and much more
Another week begins, which means European gamers have Nintendo Download Update details to peruse. This week's offerings include a critically acclaimed indie title on Wii U, a shmup, another DS Virtual Console release and a promising RPG on 3DS; in addition there are a huge number of...
May2015
News Super Mario Galaxy Out Now on the Wii U eShop in Japan
Kiss those Super Mario Galaxy HD dreams goodbye
Early this year Nintendo surprised and delighted us by bringing Wii games to the Wii U eShop; though they're the same basic Wii titles and they're booted in the system's Wii Mode, it nevertheless allows us to download some retail games we may have missed in the last-gen. It kicked off with Super Mario...
News First Footage Emerges of Bandai Namco's Project Treasure on Wii U
Free-to-view
Earlier this year Bandai Namco's Katsuhiro Harada appeared in a Nintendo Direct broadcast to announce free-to-play Wii U title Project Treasure. It was described as a four-player co-op action title, as you battle through stages and tackle dangerous foes; there was no footage, however. In today's Japanese Nintendo Direct that changed,...
News New SNES Title Gets Funded for a Wii U eShop Release
Will also have a NES version
It may be a particularly niche area, but there are still developers producing new games for retro systems, including the NES and SNES. Sold with charming cartridges, often with all of the boxes and manuals that retro gamers know so well, they remain a key - albeit small - part of gaming culture. We can add Sydney Hunter...
Pleased with Humble Nindie Bundle progress
Curve Digital was a relatively late bloomer on the Wii U eShop, making its break onto the store in Autumn / Fall 2014 - notably, though, it arrived with a rapid sequence of releases comprised of ports and the timed-exclusive Stealth Inc 2: A Game of Clones. While Curve is still a developer, much of its...
News Cube Life: Island Survival Hits the NA Wii U eShop on 4th June
The battle of the Minecraft clones rages on
Slovakian indie developer Cypronia have revealed to us that its upcoming Minecraft-like game Cube Life: Island Survival will be hitting the North American Wii U eShop on Thursday 4th June; it'll cost $6.99. The title offers crafting with over 200 items and tools, wild animals to fend off, local...
Review Blocky Bot (Wii U eShop)
Simplicity at its best
There's something to be said about the power of simplicity. Some of the best experiences to be had in gaming are compelling not because of their depth or complexity, but because of how they offer a distilled example of an excellent gameplay concept. Nintendo has seemingly adapted this approach in many of its current generation...
News Curve Digital Discounts Wii U Titles By 50% in Europe
As some compensation for the lack of a Humble Nindie Bundle
Since the Humble Nindie Bundle prompted some grumbling about its Americas-only availability, gamers in other regions such as Europe have simply had to gaze on enviously at the deal on offer. Curve Digital, which has three games in the promotion, has therefore launched discounts on some of...
Nintendo Download 28th May (North America)
Splatoon, Double Mega Man, Don't Starve, Nicalis discounts and more
The information has come through a little later than normal, but we now have the full Nintendo Download Update run-down for North America. There's a big-name retail arrival on Wii U that's been inked in for some time, a critically acclaimed indie release, two doses of classic Mega...
May also own the brand, as well
German publisher Koch Media - the parent company of Deep Silver - has recently filed a video game-related trademark for Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night, which would appear to confirm that the company is handling publishing duties for the forthcoming title. Created by Koji "IGA" Igarashi, Bloodstained is the...
Review Stone Shire (Wii U eShop)
As plain as a stone
In the absence of Minecraft on Nintendo platforms, many developers have opted to try to recapture the legendary game's magical gameplay in their own knockoff attempts. These have, by and large, fallen short of the high standard that's been set and failed to present any meaningful contributions to the popular formula. Stone Shire...
Feature Explaining Humble Bundle and What it Could Mean for Nintendo and Nindies
There are many winners
A rather surprising promotion went live this week - the Humble Nindie Bundle. It's only available in the Americas, though Nintendo of America's Damon Baker has stated that there were efforts to make it global and there's scope for future promotions. The frenzy of attention is naturally on the pay-what-you-want angle, which...
News BBC iPlayer Finally Arrives On The Wii U eShop
But only for UK users
UK Wii U owners have been waiting for the BBC iPlayer to come to their consoles for ages - the last we heard about it was back in January last year, when the esteemed broadcasting corporation insisted that it was still working hard on making an eShop release possible. Seemingly without warning, that time has now come - the BBC...
Review Metal Marines (Wii U eShop / Super Nintendo)
Modern(ish) warfare
Strategy is a somewhat niche genre among gamers. While there have been excellent strategy games released on consoles - turn-based RPGs like Fire Emblem to the RTS-style Swords and Soldiers series come to mind - the gameplay has always lent itself more to the PC, where players can be more methodical and control units with relative...
News FullBlast is Bringing Some Shmup Action to the European Wii U eShop Soon
Save humanity, shoot everything
Retro may be the 'new' new, but the humble shmup seems to be loved a little less than other genres, especially in terms of Wii U and 3DS releases. EnjoyUp and UFO Crash Games are hoping to fill a gap with FullBlast, however, which is making its way to the Wii U eShop; in fact, it arrives in Europe on 4th June with a...