Tag: Downloads
News The Nintendo Switch Downloads Faster in Sleep Mode
Every bit counts
The eShop is a prominent part of the Nintendo Switch's lightweight OS, and for our money, it certainly seems to be more efficient at downloading games than the Wii U or 3DS. Granted, there may be some minor issues with the download interface (i.e. no time estimates), but it does its job exceedingly well. And for those of you that...
News Nintendo Switch eShop Purchases Will Be Tied To Your Nintendo Account
Confirmation at last
One of the common complaints about making digital purchases from the eShop on the Wii U or the 3DS is that your games are tied to your hardware rather than your Nintendo Account in the cloud. So unlike Steam, PlayStation or Xbox, you cannot recover your purchases if your device gets stolen or damaged. In many cases you might...
Codes being given away seems to be the issue
It's no secret that Nintendo has been behind the times with online services for quite some time. While the company has made fantastic leaps ahead over this past hardware generation, and the new My Nintendo system points towards a bright future, there's definitely been some glaring issues that will have to...
News Miitomo Tops iOS Chart in the US and Hits Three Million Global Downloads
It's quite popular then...
Miitomo was arguably the second most exciting new thing from Nintendo on 31st March, as much attention among fans was on the My Nintendo loyalty programme. Out in the broader world, however, it's certainly Nintendo and DeNA's first app that's made a significant splash, even trending for a time on Twitter. For starters,...
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...
Editorial It's Far Too Soon to Go Download-Only, and Physical Retail Still Matters
Increases in downloads don't equal death for discs
Just recently Fatal Frame: Maiden of Black Water arrived in North America as a download-only game, making it a relatively high-profile retail title to be exclusive to the eShop. It's happened in the past with Ace Attorney titles, yet for fans of the niche horror series - developed by Koei Tecmo -...
Poll The Tricky Issue of Retail Games as Download-Only Releases
We want to know how much it bothers you, if at all...
The most recent download update in North America - at the time of writing - is actually a rather good one. Not all weeks can be counted as such, but this week has some key retail titles and promising download-only games. There's plenty of variety in genres and prices, along with a few demos, so...
Download 'Photos with Animal Crossing' for Nintendo 3DS (UK Only)
We've got 5,000 download codes to give away...
With Animal Crossing: Happy Home Designer being one of the major 3DS retail releases of the year, Nintendo has been keen to get the franchise back onto the agenda. In the UK the company has been heavily promoting free 3DS app Photos with Animal Crossing, distributing it at Hyper Japan in London, on its...
Download Pokémon Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire - Special Demo Version
Catch yourself an exclusive UK download code
Not long ago Nintendo of Europe announced that Pokémon Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire - Special Demo Version was on the way; it's been confirmed for PAL regions and Japan but not, as yet, North America. The demo will naturally introduce gamers to the upcoming releases and allow some exploration and...
News Nintendo Rolling Out New In-Store Digital Distribution Service For The UK And Europe
Pick your game and DLC, get a unique download code
For some time now, you've been able to walk into your typical European high street games retailer and buy download cards — like the ones shown above — for 3DS and Wii U eShop titles. However, Nintendo is looking to dramatically expand the remit of this in-store service by offering an even more...
News Download Sales On Nintendo Formats Have Trebled In The Last Two Years
$235 million in digital sales gained in the past 12 months
Nintendo has confirmed that digital revenue across its consoles has tripled in the past two years. Nintendo President Satoru Iwata revealed the statistic at the recent investor's briefing, explaining that during the financial period between April 2013 and March 2014, around 24 billion Yen...
News Wii Party U Can Be Downloaded Digitally Down Under
New title is available on the Australian Wii U eShop
Wii Party U was released last week, but it bypassed the North American and European Wii U eShops and is available exclusively as a physical purchase at the time of writing. It has been assumed that the game's reliance on physical items — such as a Wii Remote and GamePad stand — has resulted in...
News Zelda: A Link Between Worlds Will Lay Claim To This Much Space On Your 3DS Console's SD Card
If you take the digital download version, of course
Yesterday we had the scoop on the download size of Professor Layton and the Azran Legacy, while earlier today we revealed how much space Super Mario 3D World would take up on
News This Is How Much Space Super Mario 3D World Will Gobble Up On Your Wii U
Perhaps not as much as you'd expect
Super Mario 3D World is just around the corner, and we can reveal how much space the game will take up if you opt for the digital download route. The eagerly-awaited platforming epic clocks in at 1702MB, which isn't too bad when you consider that Sonic Lost World was a 8475MB download. How has Nintendo managed...
News The Mystery of Professor Layton and the Azran Legacy's File Size is Solved
Every puzzle has an answer!
Professor Layton and the Azran Legacy is the final iteration in the current trilogy and is due to arrive on 8th November in Europe, while North America will get puzzling next year. The 3DS title will of course be available in the eShop and will be a fair sized download. You'll need to have 7,309 blocks available in order...
News Deus Ex: Human Revolution Director's Cut Is A 14GB Download On Wii U
Hope you've invested in a hard drive
It has been revealed that Deus Ex: Human Revolution Director's Cut will occupy 13833 MB of space on the Wii U. That's not the largest download game on the system by any means, but it will surely cause headaches to those who have had their console for a while and haven't yet invested in a hard drive for...
News Wii Party U Gets It Started With a Relatively Hefty File Size
That'll explain why the Basic Bundle has a disc copy...
Wii Party U may not have been blessed with excessive hype in recent weeks, but it's getting rather close to its European and North American release on 25th October. It's sure to be a notable part of Holiday Wii U adverts targeting families, too, especially with the hardware bundle confirmed for...
News Nintendo Reports 150% Download Revenue Increase Over Equivalent Quarter Last Year
Wii hardware and 3DS software sales each pass 100 million units
Nintendo has released its first quarter financial results which delivered a net profit, significant 3DS success and some cringe-worthy Wii U figures. Alongside the main results, Nintendo has released some other tid-bits of information to highlight notable landmarks and game sales over...
News Don't Worry, Those Early Pikmin 3 Downloads Are Eligible For The Wonderful 101 Promotion
Nintendo confirms details, pricing and Nintendo Network Points
Last week we shared the happy news that eager European gamers could download Pikmin 3 early with GAME code purchases, which was great news for those planning to go the eShop retail route. Unfortunately, concern started to spread around the web when some Wii U Premium Pack system owners...
News Nintendo Files New Eternal Darkness Trademark
Adds downloadable options
Don’t worry, your sanity meter is full: Nintendo has in fact filed a new trademark for Eternal Darkness: Sanity’s Requiem that suggests a possibility of seeing the 2002 GameCube title in download form. According to Siliconera, Nintendo filed the new trademark with the United States Patent and Trademark Office on 23rd...
News Purchase Pikmin 3 And Receive A 30% eShop Discount On The Wonderful 101
Exclusive promotion for European buyers who go digital
During Nintendo of Europe's surprise Nintendo Direct Mini broadcast, the company revealed that customers who purchase a download copy of Pikmin 3 will receive a fantastic 30 per cent discount on the highly anticipated The Wonderful 101 on the eShop. Satoru Shibata, President of Nintendo of...
News Mario & Luigi: Dream Team Download Needs 6,789 of Your 3DS Blocks
A smidge bigger than Animal Crossing: New Leaf
Mario & Luigi: Dream Team — known as Mario & Luigi: Dream Team Bros. in Europe — hits in its European Bros. form on 12th July, and around a month later on 11th August in North America. As the latest in the adventure RPG series from AlphaDream, there's every chance that it could be a fairly...
News Club Nintendo Rewards Updated for May
The fresh batch brings giant, talking, castle-impaling swords
It’s that time when Club Nintendo’s North American branch clears its shelf and refreshes its selection of downloadable rewards. Mario’s first foray into the RPG realm is up for the taking on the Wii Shop — which can also be redeemed via the Wii Mode on Wii U — as is a...
News Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D's Beastly Block Size Revealed
Clear your fridge of any loose bananas
Players looking to download Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D from the eShop in May should get a sizable SD card ready. We can confirm that the platformer, a remake of the Retro-developed Wii hit, weighs in at a hefty 17,693 blocks, making it one of the largest downloads in the eShop — for comparison Monster...
News Digital Game Sales Growing 33% Year-on-Year in US and EU
Analysts reveal new data at GDC
The digital distribution of games has grown substantially in recent years with an increasing number of titles finding themselves in the Nintendo eShop, PSN, Xbox Live Arcade and Steam. Analysts from NPD, iResearch and Digi-Capital presented data at this week's Game Developers Conference on the state of the global...
Talking Point The Download or Disc Dilemma
Do you download?
In moving from the Wii Shop and DSi Shop to the Wii U eShop and 3DS eShop, Nintendo has shown a desire to compete head on with the Xbox, PlayStation and Steam online marketplaces and offer full retail downloads. It's amazing to think that downloads from the Wii Shop were limited to a meagre maximum of 40MB, yet now we can download...
News Nintendo Removes Restriction On 18+ Content For the Nintendo eShop
Adults, now you can browse whenever you want
It seems that the restriction on 18+ content on the Nintendo Wii U eShop — and 3DS eShop, it should be noted — has finally been lifted. Games rated PEGI 18 (USK 18 in Germany) were only accessible during certain hours each day, from 11pm in some European countries until 3am — only giving four hours...
News Rhythm Hunter: HarmoKnight's US Price Is Revealed
Better start saving those pennies now
A listing for Rhythm Hunter: HarmoKnight has appeared on the US 3DS eShop, suggesting that the title will go on sale for $14.99 when it releases next month. The rhythm platforming game, developed by Game Freak (famous for the Pokémon games), is a download-only title for the system. While the US price point may...
News 3DS eShop Version Of Gunman Clive Outsells Android Edition
Quick on the draw
Gunman Clive developer Bertil Hörberg has confirmed via his Twitter account that the 3DS eShop version of the game has now passed the Android edition in terms of units sold. We reported last month that the 3DS eShop version had outsold its iOS sibling, but the Android version was the clear leader. It's amazing that the Nintendo...
Review Travelling the World with Wii Street U
Quality streets
Wii U Panorama View remains one of the most impressive demonstrations of Wii U's potential: a collection of videos filmed with a special camera array so that you can look around 360 degrees and see the film from every possible angle by moving the GamePad. It's coming to the Wii U eShop at some point this year – at least in Japan...
When $200 of credit can't replace $400 of downloaded games
As we've spoken about before, Nintendo's current attitude to downloadable games leaves quite a bit to be desired. The Nintendo Network ID system introduced with the Wii U is a step in the right direction, but the fact that purchases remain tied to a single piece of hardware is, in this day...
News Trine 2: Director's Cut Update Now Live In Europe
Download it while it's hot
Trine 2: The Director's Cut has been updated in Europe by developer Frozenbyte. Frozenbyte confirmed the update was coming when we spoke to them last year, and more recently stated that it should be arriving this month. We can confirm that the update is now live in Europe, as we've just downloaded it to our
Talking Point The Future Role of High Street Games Retailers
Tough times ahead?
The past twelve months have shown just how volatile the current market is for retailers. With the global recession taking its toll, several high street businesses are finding it difficult to compete. This week alone saw both HMV and Blockbuster slip into administration in the UK, putting thousands of jobs at risk. Video game...
News Fist of the North Star: Ken's Rage 2 Is Download-Only In North America, Too
Following Europe into digital realms
Last week, we revealed that Wii U slugfest Fist of the North Star: Ken's Rage 2 would be only available as a digital download in Europe. Today, we've been told that the game will adopt the same distribution platform for North America. That means that Japan is only region to get a physical copy of the game -...
News Amazon Instant Video App Hits The Wii Today In North America
Nice and simple
Amazon has announced today that its video streaming service, Instant Video, has launched today for Wii consoles across the US. The app can be found in the Wii Shop Channel, and subscribers of the service will gain access to over 145,000 movies, TV shows and documentaries. Prime customers are able to watch over 30,000 of these videos...
News Fist of the North Star: Ken's Rage 2 Will Be Download-Only In Europe
Becomes first ever download-only Wii U retail title
Tecmo Koei’s Fist of the North Star: Ken's Rage 2 is a 3D fighter that has you beating your way through countless hoards of enemies. The game is based on the popular manga series Fist of the North Star, which has been running in one form or another since 1983. The game is set to be released on...
News Animal Crossing: New Leaf Has Been Downloaded Half A Million Times In Japan
Iwata reveals that smartphones have played a huge part in the game's success
Animal Crossing: New Leaf has become something of a smash hit in its native Japan; as of December, it has sold 2 million copies, becoming one of the most popular 3DS games yet and illustrating just how massive Nintendo's console is in the far east. Download sales haven't...
News Nintendo Europe Working On Fix For Wii U eShop 18+ Restriction
Growing up
We've already reported (and ranted) about the absurd mature content restrictions which impact the Wii U eShop in Europe. Games like ZombiU cannot be purchased outside of a four-hour window thanks to German law regardin
News Code of Princess Is Going Digital On January 3rd
eShop release incoming for 3DS classic
Atlus' Code of Princess is getting a North American 3DS eShop release in January, as indicated by the game's eShop page. The 2D fighter/RPG hybrid launched at North American retail in October, and met with a positive response from critics and consumers alike. The game still hasn't made its way to Europe. As...
News Cloudberry Kingdom Leaps To March 2013 Release
New game also in development at Pwnee
We reported last month that Wii U eShop title Cloudberry Kingdom wouldn't be available for download in the Wii U's launch month in Europe and North America. Developer Pwnee Studios has confirmed that the game - apparently set to be the Wii U's most insanely difficult download title - is now set for a March 2013...
News 18-Rated Content on Wii U eShop Only Accessible for Four Hours a Day
Yes, really
Earlier this week we received messages from readers that couldn't download ZombiU or Assassin's Creed III from the Wii U eShop. We tested this and received the same error message, which made it seem as if there were botched parental controls on the platform. You cannot view this content. The times during which this content can be...
News Error Prevents Purchase Of ZombiU And Assassin's Creed III On Euro Wii U eShop
Botched parental restrictions in EU to blame?
Update: Despite testing this issue throughout the day we've now discovered, thanks to prompts from readers who've encountered the issue with some videos on 3DS systems, that this issue is caused by a restriction to accessing 18-rated content before a specific time. A test after 11pm UK time brought us...
News Wii U And 3DS Firmware Updates Go Live
"Further improvements to overall system stability"
Nintendo has pushed out firmware updates to its Wii U and 3DS consoles. In the case of both updates, Nintendo states that they offer "further improvements to overall system stability". This is the second update for the Wii U, following the 1GB install which occurs when new systems are switched on...
Talking Point The Wii U eShop Could be a Developer's Dream
Nintendo hands over the reins
When it comes to download game platforms, Nintendo's had to evolve rapidly. The arrival of the DSi and Wii online stores brought the famous company into the realm of the download market for the first time; both services have produced a number of top-notch gaming experiences, and in some cases proved to be the making of...
News Wii U Digital Promotion Giving You More Bang For Your Buck
Nintendo delves deeper into its Deluxe Set promotion
We already knew that Nintendo had mentioned a digital promotion for those who purchased the Wii U Deluxe Bundle - buyers of said bundle who purchase a game from the Nintendo eShop will receive 10% of their value back in the form of points. This in turn allows users to purchase more content from...
Feature The Nintendo Life Crypt of Downloadable Horrors
Great for scares
It's Halloween: a time for ghosts and goblins, a time for tricks and treats, and a time for monsters and mashing. But mainly it's a time for good, solid scares. Horror movies run on every channel, children dress as demons and beasts, and macabre decorations taunt us with our own mortality. We get chills just thinking about it. But...
News Teens Losing Interest In Social Gaming, Turning To Traditional Consoles
Research also shows the growth of digital downloads
Everywhere you look, there seems to be a story about how traditional consoles are under threat from social gaming, and that the console market as we know it is all but doomed. However, new research from Analyst firm Piper Jaffray reveals that attitudes towards social gaming are changing, with teen...
News Two More Retail Releases Arrive in 3DS eShop in North America
Get Donkey Kong: Original Edition for free
As more retail games gradually make their way to 3DS eShop, we're sure to see a steady stream of promotions and incentives to tempt gamers into going digital. Today sees two more joining the ranks, with Art Academy: Lessons for Everyone! and Crosswords Plus both arriving at a price of $29.99. Both will be...
News You'll Be Able To Play Your WiiWare and Virtual Console Games On Wii U
Put down those pitchforks
Today's Japanese Nintendo Direct presentation was packed full of cool new information, but one item that will prove especially interesting for hardcore Wii downloaders is the news that digital Wii purchases will be transferable to the Wii U. That means you'll be able to re-download all of your existing WiiWare and Virtual...
News New Super Mario Bros. 2 Will Cost £39.99 to Download
Coin rush
It's been confirmed by Nintendo UK today that New Super Mario Bros. 2 will cost £39.99 (€50.88) to download when it hits the eShop later this week. As Nintendo's first foray into selling full retail games via its eShop, it's understandable that they have opted to stick to the recommended retail price (RRP) to test the waters. But when...
