Wii U eShop Features
Countdown Here's A Recap Of Every 3DS & Wii U eShop Game We've Highlighted In The Last Month
And now, the end is near
For the month of March, we've been looking back daily and highlighting a 3DS or Wii U eShop game in our eShop Countdown series before those stores close for new purchases. Well, today — 27th March 2023 — is the end of the line. The stores will close for business in a matter of hours, so it's time to bid them adieu and...
Countdown Wii U eShop Spotlight - Dungeons & Dragons: Chronicles Of Mystara
#30 - A natural 20
For the month before the 3DS and Wii U eShops close for new purchases on 27th March, each day we're going to highlight a specific eShop game for one of those consoles and give a short pitch as to why we think it deserves your love and attention — before it's too late. The chance to add these to your library will be gone for good...
Countdown Wii U eShop Spotlight - Duck Hunt
#24 - Zappy days
For the month before the 3DS and Wii U eShops close for new purchases on 27th March, each day we're going to highlight a specific eShop game for one of those consoles and give a short pitch as to why we think it deserves your love and attention — before it's too late. The chance to add these to your library will be gone for good...
Countdown Wii U eShop Spotlight - Year Walk
#19 - Walk this way
For the month before the 3DS and Wii U eShops close for new purchases on 27th March, each day we're going to highlight a specific eShop game for one of those consoles and give a short pitch as to why we think it deserves your love and attention — before it's too late. The chance to add these to your library will be gone for...
Countdown Wii U eShop Spotlight - Affordable Space Adventures
#11 - One more hand for the Wii U's finest exclusive
For the month before the 3DS and Wii U eShops close for new purchases on 27th March, each day we're going to highlight a specific eShop game for one of those consoles and give a short pitch as to why we think it deserves your love and attention — before it's too late. The chance to add these to...
Countdown Wii U eShop Spotlight - Mario Vs. Donkey Kong: Tipping Stars
#7 - Let's-a go this way
For the month before the 3DS and Wii U eShops close for new purchases on 27th March, each day we're going to highlight a specific eShop game for one of those consoles and give a short pitch as to why we think it deserves your love and attention — before it's too late. The chance to add these to your library will be gone...
Countdown Wii U eShop Spotlight - Star Fox Guard
#5 - We need to guard this one
For the month before the 3DS and Wii U eShops close for new purchases on 27th March, each day we're going to highlight a specific eShop game for one of those consoles and give a short pitch as to why we think it deserves your love and attention — before it's too late. The chance to add these to your library will be...
Countdown Wii U eShop Spotlight - Pushmo World
#2 - Pull or push?
For the month before the 3DS and Wii U eShops close for new purchases on 27th March, each day we're going to highlight a specific eShop game for one of those consoles and give a short pitch as to why we think it deserves your love and attention — before it's too late. The chance to add these to your library will be gone for good...
Feature The Story Of Affordable Space Adventures, The Wii U eShop's Best Exclusive
"I don’t know why, but Nicklas was hanging around in the office!"
When Nintendo confirmed the upcoming closure of the Wii U eShop (and the 3DS store, too), thoughts immediately turned to exclusives that'll be lost. The most prominent of these on the system, we'd suggest, is Affordable Space Adventures, a unique game only on Wii U and destined to...
Guide Best 3DS And Wii U DLC You Should Get Before The eShops Close Forever
Paid and free DLC to download ASAP
So. The 3DS and Wii U eShops are closing. You probably got that from the title. The full closure will be on the 27th March, 2023, with some games becoming unavailable even before that. We've got the full rundown on the closure here: When Does The 3DS And Wii U eShop Close? Nintendo eShop Closure Guide Of course,...
"I guess architecture and cave paintings win this race"
While many of us treasure the broad range of games that modern gaming brings us through download stores, we're regularly reminded that these platforms — and the creations they host — are finite. That came into focus recently when Nintendo announced the timeline for closing both the Wii U...
Soapbox A Week After Jailing One Pirate, Nintendo Just Made Piracy A Reality For Countless Fans
The timing is impeccable, even by Nintendo's standards
Soapbox features enable our individual writers and contributors to voice their opinions on hot topics and random stuff they've been chewing over. Today, Damien discusses the less-than-ideal timing of Nintendo's announcement regarding its 3DS and Wii U eShops... Nintendo has just announced that...
Poll The End Is Coming, But How Much Will You Miss The Wii U And 3DS eShop?
Be honest...
Recently we've had news that isn't necessarily surprising, but has undoubtedly ruffled feathers and caused some upset among Nintendo fans: Nintendo is beginning a phased shutdown of the Wii U and 3DS eShop stores. This means that there's now limited time to purchase download-only games and content on both platforms. You will be able to...
"It's mostly my daughter Maddi's fault!"
Capcom's Ghouls 'n Ghosts series is held in high esteem by many a retro gamer, yet the franchise is currently dormant and we're unlikely to see a sequel any time soon. However, we may be getting the next best thing in the form of Battle Princess Madelyn, a spiritual successor created by Causal Bit Games and...
Interview Preparing for Adventure in forma.8 on the Wii U eShop
"We can't wait to work on Switch, it's such a lovely bit of kit!"
MixedBag rightly earned praise for Futuridium EP Deluxe, which brought its colourful and high tempo gameplay to both the Wii U and New 3DS. Yet forma.8 was the first project we heard of from the Italian studio - it emerged in early 2014, was part of the Nindies@Home demo promotion...
Feature 30 Essential Wii U eShop Games
Because it's cold outside
Oh, the weather outside is frightful, But the fire is so delightful. And since we've got no place to go, Let it download, let it download, let it download. (Tsk, must do better, Ed.) So yeah, we're too much into the festive spirit to really make that opening 'bit' work, but in any case we thought the timing was good for...
Feature The Nindie Christmas Celebration - Affordable Space Adventures Edition
A journey best shared
With Christmas just around the corner, many a Nintendo gamer is perhaps asking "what should I buy?" Alas, there isn't a whole lot to look forward to in terms of new releases, so in this series we'll be spotlighting a menagerie of quality indie games that have shown up on the eShop over the years. In this edition, Tom Whitehead...
Feature The Nindie Christmas Celebration - Runbow Edition
Mitch Vogel on one of the multiplayer highlights of the eShop
With Christmas just around the corner, many a Nintendo gamer is perhaps asking "what should I buy?" Alas, there isn't a whole lot to look forward to in terms of new releases, so in this series we'll be spotlighting a menagerie of quality indie games that have shown up on the eShop over...
Interview Learning More About the Adventure in Wii U Exclusive Twisted Fusion
"I think the Nintendo audience is perfect for this game"
The list of Wii U exclusives is getting rather short as the system heads into its twilight, perhaps ahead of its time, but there are still intriguing games to keep us busy. One of them is Twisted Fusion, a title that emerged from a successful Kickstarter campaign back in Spring 2014 and is...
Interview Learning More About Ectoplaza, A Spooky Wii U Multiplayer Game for Halloween
"Nintendo of America have been tremendously supportive "
With Halloween approaching there are some appropriately themed discounts currently on offer for eShop fans. Ectoplaza, though, is an award winning upcoming arrival on Wii U that's perfect for the season - it's exclusive to Nintendo's system and features chaotic multiplayer action, with...
Feature Taking the FAST Racing NEO Future Pack DLC for a Test Drive
YOU GOT BOOST POWER
Has it really been nine-or-so months since FAST Racing NEO first graced our consoles? This writer finds it hard to believe and yet here comes an incessant rattling that many might consider to be an opinion on its DLC pack we've been dying for. To say that we at Nintendo Life are fans of Shin'en and the games they produce is no...
Interview Shin'en Multimedia Explains How FAST Racing NEO's Future Pack DLC Got on the Grid
"We see it as a fan service"
This week there are certainly some high profile arrivals due on the eShop, one of which is the NEO Future Pack DLC for Wii U exclusive FAST Racing NEO. It looks set to be a good deal, too, confirmed with a price tag of $4.99 / €4.99 / £4.20; as the racer is fondly regarded by many, the opportunity to jump into eight...
Interview Learning More About Tom Happ and the Making of Axiom Verge
Getting to know the man behind the masterpiece
Have you ever been so wrapped up in a project that it began to seep into your personal life? What if your passion became your day-to-day? Imagine spending so much time and energy working on something that it eventually outgrew your expectations and became your bread and butter. It's the dream of so many...
Feature 13AM Games and Its Next Hits - Runbow Pocket and Pirate Pop Plus
Testing out the latest and greatest from the developer and publisher
Beyond playing new games, seeing your industry heroes and getting tons of swag, one of the most rewarding aspects of going to a convention such as PAX is being able to share your passion for video games with like-minded individuals. Sometimes, when you're really lucky, those...
Feature Future Nindie Hits for the eShop - October to December
A look at the titles that Nintendo is keen to promote
September has already proven to be a good month for high quality Nindie downloads, and there are more to come. The 'Summer Jam' promotion has already delivered games like Axiom Verge and Jotun: Valhalla Edition, and we still have Noitu Love: Devo
Interview Will Dubé on Mythology, Art and Big Bosses in Jotun: Valhalla Edition
"We want to make beautifully powerful game experiences"
If you haven't already, do yourself a favour and take the time to look at some screenshots and trailers for the upcoming Wii U release of Jotun: Valhalla Edition. It's a beautifully crafted adventure game that pulls its story right from the pages of Norse Mythology. Not long ago we posted a...
Feature Exploring the Licensed Content in RCMADIAX Games on the Wii U and New 3DS eShop
Origins on asset stores
In recent days we've had multiple readers and colleagues direct us to licensed game assets available to buy online that appear to have been utilised extensively for games sold on the eShop. The developer in question is RCMADIAX, a studio that has produced a substantial volume of releases over the past year, in particular...
Feature Over The Moon on Lessons Learned With The Fall and Continuing ARID's Story in Part 2
"We try to have something that appeals on lots of levels"
As you may have seen, the Wii U eShop is thankfully being included in the line-up of platforms that'll receive The Fall Part 2: Unbound in Q1 2017. A follow-up to The Fall, an intriguing adventure game with a strong narrative that blended action and puzzles, this title with a focus on a...
Exclusive RIVE Delayed for Wii U and Could Switch to NX, Two Tribes Tells Us Why
"A better RIVE is preferable to an early sub-par RIVE"
In the steadily decreasing list of enticing titles still coming to the Wii U and its eShop, RIVE was among the most anticipated in the download scene. The final game from Two Tribes, it made a favourable impression as one of the demos in the E3 2015 'Nindies@Home' promotion, and we rather...
Interview Jason Behr on Buddy & Me: Dream Edition, Going Independent and His History With Nintendo
"We just needed some space to prove we could carefully craft our own world"
Along with the regular slew of digital releases in the weekly update of eShop downloads, today marks the release of Buddy & Me: Dream Edition. Starting life as a mobile game born of a Kickstarter campaign, Dream Edition takes the best of the endless runner and...
Feature The Biggest Wii U and 3DS Games of 2016 - Summer Edition
Yes, we're combining the lists...
Summer is pouncing upon us and at the time of writing it's Independence Day in the US and a tad drizzly in this writer's part of the UK. It seems like a typical early July day, but we are shaking things up a little in this latest quarterly entry of the 'Biggest Games' series. We're combining the Wii U and 3DS...
Hands On Painting the Walls Red with Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night
Oh, it's good. Very good.
Back in 1997, Koji Igarashi made gaming history with the extremely successful Castlevania: Symphony of the Night. The reason that Castlevania shares half of the name with "Metroidvania", Symphony of the Night was lauded for its fantastic art direction and intricately designed castle. Later on, the formula established by...
Hands On Dealing Death by a Thousand Cuts with SEVERED
The latest from DrinkBox Studios
Many of you will no doubt recall Guacamelee! Super Turbo Championship Edition, a wildly inventive and colorful 2D Metroidvania that set the eShop alight when it released back in 2014. We absolutely loved it, and if early impressions are anything to go by, it seems as though DrinkBox Studio's next game - coming to...
Feature Tom Happ on Axiom Verge Coming to Its 'Home Turf' on Wii U
We still can't believe this game is the work of just one guy
It boggles the mind how Axiom Verge is the work of one man. It took five years for creator Tom Happ to produce the game on his own, putting together this game that deftly incorporates elements of Metroid, Contra, and other retro classics. With a list of influences like that, it's tough...
Feature Thunder Lotus Games Dives Into Norse Mythology With Jotun: Valhalla Edition
Ragnarok and roll
Unveiled earlier this year for the Wii U eShop, Jotun: Valhalla Edition is certainly an eye catching game. Thunder Lotus Games dives into Norse mythology, putting the player into the shoes of Thora, a Viking Warrior that must prove herself to earn a place in Valhalla. Those are big stakes for an action-exploration game. A hit on...
Talking Point Five Years of eShop Progress Doesn't Mask Nintendo's Next-Gen Challenge
Gamers want a lot, it seems
Earlier this week the 3DS eShop - and the eShop as a broader brand - celebrated its 5th Anniversary, and we shared a rather cheerful article in praise of the progress made with the store. Though Nintendo was relatively early in the download scene with the Wii and DSi stores, both had a number of issues and over-stringent...
Interview Playtonic On Yooka-Laylee Progress And Its New 2017 Release Window
Going behind the scenes on the exciting platformer
Yooka-Laylee is aiming to bring back the long-forgotten 3D platforming/collectathon genre that helped make developers such as Rare juggernauts of the industry, and is also one of the last shining beacons of hope for long-suffering Wii U owners. We were lucky enough to have a first-hand look at the...
Interview Exploring the Ambition Behind 3Souls, the Episodic Wii U eShop Exclusive
Utilising the GamePad and "kishōtenketsu" approach
Though the console is in the midst of a disappointing sales decline, the Wii U is a system that - for those already on board - still has plenty to offer. It's in the download scene where intriguing titles can still be found, and the eShop on the home console continues to attract ambitious new...
"Now that I’m on my own, I have complete freedom"
While Dan Adelman had a rather grand formal job title at Nintendo of America - Head of Digital Content and Development - he was, in the eyes of many, the Indie Champion; he was highly regarded for his efforts to bring quality download games to WiiWare, and then the eShop on 3DS and Wii U. A little...
Feature Developer's Perspectives on the Humble Friends of Nintendo Bundle
"I would change nothing about this bundle. This bundle is pure joy."
The Humble Friends of Nintendo Bundle is, at the time of writing, in its final stretch. The final offering includes 11 games (and a neat 3DS HOME Theme) - three of which are retail titles - for $13 or more, with three tiers from which to choose. The mix of big-name games and high...
"Nintendo is showing that they are forward thinking in their approach"
The Humble Friends of Nintendo Bundle, now in its final few days, has demonstrably been a success. Unlike 2015's Humble Nindie Bundle it's been available in multiple territories around the world, with a mix of retail and download-only titles tempting eShop gamers to part with...
Feature Taking a Dash at Runbow's DLC Offerings
The Colours Out of Space
It's really no secret at all that many of us at Nintendo Life are giddy for Runbow and its perilous, polychromatic platforming. We scored it a 9 in our review and it ranked on both staff and readers' digital picks for last year. The crew at 13AM Games has since released some additional c
Interview Solving the Puzzle of PixlCross on Wii U
PixlBit Studios went from Picross addicts to Wii U developers
Nintendo's systems have played host to various unlikely game genres, and Picross can certainly be considered one example. The history of the puzzle genre goes right back to the Game Boy, and on the 3DS eShop we've also had numerous Picross e releases. Let's not forget, either, that My...
Poll Are You Ready to Download More of Your Retail Games From the eShop?
Nintendo's keen, but are you?
Though we wait (im)patiently for My Nintendo - and Miitomo - to arrive in the West, the launch in Japan has given an early look at how the Club Nintendo replacement is shaping up. We expect tweaks and even alternative rewards for the West, but the general structure and broad detail is likely to be largely the same...
Interview Former Retro Studios Man Rhys Lewis on Going Alone With Star Ghost on Wii U
"I reflected on Iwata-san's words" with move from iOS to eShop
When a one-man studio developer states - with as much humility as possible - that they've previously worked at both Rare and Retro Studios, you can't help but be intrigued. These are two of the most storied Western development studios in Nintendo history, with Rare being an integral part...
Talking Point Pokémon and Mega Man Show Us Extremes of Nostalgia's Value
Will you be putting down the cash for all three gen 1 Pokemon games?
This week brings a delicious nostalgia overload on the 3DS, with Pokémon Red, Blue & Yellow making their way to the portable on 27th February, while Mega Man Legacy Collection lands on 23rd February. That's nine games across the two franchises, considering all the parts in...
Interview RCMADIAX's Michael Aschenbrener Reflects on his Development Experience and Moving Forward
"I've learned to just ignore the negative and embrace the positive"
The legacy of the Wii U will likely be rather complicated and hotly disputed in years to come, yet a notable positive has been its eShop. After the structural limitations of the Wii and DSi stores, and then the hardware restrictions of the 3DS, the current-gen home console's support...
Feature Learning More About the Nindies Love You Wii U eShop Promotion
Up to ten Nindie games on discount
The most recent European Nintendo Download Update details contained plenty of discounts on the Wii U eShop, but a number of those are actually part of a themed campaign that'll reach all regions. Nindies Love You will feature on the store with its own banner and sections, and is the latest promotional campaign...
Interview Learning More About FreezeME, a Surprising 3D Platformer for Wii U
"I think FreezeME is a perfect fit for the Wii U"
The coming week is already confirmed to include some highly promising download content, and one that's certainly caught our eye is FreezeME. Heading to North America on 4th February at a launch price of $9.99 - then $13.99 after its first week - it looks a cut above the usual 3D platformers that are...
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...
