It's time for another batch of Nintendo Download Update goodies in North America, and this week certainly has some enticing options. The 3DS gets a relatively high profile retail release, while the Wii U has a mix of highly anticipated and promising download titles. Throw in a Legend of Zelda DS title, tasty DLC, Pokémon 3DS HOME Themes and more besides, and it seems like there's a decent choice on offer. Let's get to the details.
Missed the European Nintendo Download Update earlier this week? Turn that frown upside down, the details are right here.
Wii U eShop
Super Meat Boy (Blitworks, $11.20 until 26th May, normally $14.00) - After being originally planned for WiiWare before the services' restrictions helped to scupper the idea, Team Meat's iconic title has finally made its way to Nintendo hardware. Brutal difficulty but tight, satisfying platfoming are hallmarks of this one, and we gave it a strong recommendation in our Super Meat Boy review.
Color Symphony 2 (Remimory, $9.99) - A rather intriguing puzzle platformer that's previously made its mark on PC, this utilises changes in the colour of the stage to add and remove platforms and obstacles. The concept looks similar in principle to Runbow, albeit slower paced and with a different emphasis in its gameplay; we'll bring you a review soon.
Tachyon Project (Eclipse Games, $9.99) - With a dramatic setting and storyline there'll be 10 levels in which the tale is told in this twin-stick shooter, with each having six progressive waves of enemies. There'll be three challenge levels with support for up to four players locally, while there are six weapons, nine secondary weapons, seven perks, over 30 enemy types and four bosses. A review will be with you this coming weekend.
8Bit Hero (RighteousWeasel, $4.99) - A debut effort on Wii U from Sean Garland, this has 30 levels in which you explore 3D stages that have 2D 8-bit aesthetics, finding chests and fighting assorted foes. It has three different modes and supports local co-op for up to five players, so on paper this certainly has the potential to be entertaining. We'll put on some rose-tinted spectacles and let you know what we think in a review.
Queen's Garden (Joindots, $6.99) - This is a colourful match-3 title that also has some very basic elements in building up and designing a garden. It's a competent and fairly enjoyable effort despite some shortcomings, as we explain in our Queen's Garden review.
Wii U Virtual Console
The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass (Nintendo, $9.99) - It's easy to forget now, but this DS title was a bold and creative move for the series. An isometric view with a 3D visual engine, stylus-based controls and features that put various tricks of the portable to work, it was a clever and pleasurable adventure. It still has the wind in its sails, too, as we gave it a hearty recommendation in our Wii U Virtual Console review.
Wii U DLC
Minecraft: Wii U Edition - The Super Mario Mash-Up Pack (Microsoft, free) - The pack will feature a whole lot of skins, world and item textures, along with music from Super Mario 64; full details are right here. Available from 17th May.
Wii U eShop Temporary Discounts
99Moves (EnjoyUp Games, on discount until 2nd June)
Word Search by POWGI (Lightwood Games, $5.99 until 19th May, normally $7.99)
Jewel Quest (PlayEveryWare, $3.99 until 1st June, normally $4.99)
Island Flight Simulator (Joindots, on discount until 19th May)
Midnight (Petite Games, $0.99 until 2nd June, normally $1.99)
TAP TAP ARCADE (RCMADIAX, on discount until 30th June)
BLOK DROP U (RCMADIAX, on discount until 30th June)
3DS eShop
WordsUp! Academy (CoderChild, $2.99) - The 3DS has some solid options in terms of word games, and CoderChild is now making this pitch with a title that offers six different modes and multiple languages, with the added bonus of online leaderboards. We'll use our words to let you know what we think in a review.
3DS Retail Download
Disney Art Academy (Nintendo, $29.99) - The latest in the popular drawing series makes its way to 3DS, this time leaning on Disney brand power to lure us in. With franchises like Winnie the Pooh, Mickey Mouse, Frozen and various others it'll try to appeal to a broad base of fans. We expect more accomplished, solid drawing features and lessons, but will let you know whether it paints a pretty picture in a review.
3DS DLC
Fire Emblem Fates – Heirs of Fate Part II: Realms Collide (Nintendo, $1.99) - The youths of Nohr must assist a wild dragon. Also part of Map Pack 2 which costs $7.99 and includes six maps.
3DS eShop Temporary Discounts
Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney Trilogy (Capcom, on discount until 18th May)
Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney - Dual Destinies (Capcom, on discount until 18th May)
2 Fast 4 Gnomz (QubicGames, on discount until 2nd June)
AiRace Speed (QubicGames, on discount until 2nd June)
Soccer Up 3D (EnjoyUp Games, on discount until 2nd June)
Toys vs. Monsters (EnjoyUp Games, on discount until 5th June)
Fantasy Pirates (EnjoyUp Games, on discount until 5th June)
Word Search by POWGI (Lightwood Games, $5.99 until 19th May, normally $7.99)
3D Game Collection (Joindots, on discount until 19th May)
My Pets (Neopica, $9.99 until 5th June, normally $24.99)
3DS eShop Demo
Witch & Hero 2 (CIRCLE Entertainment, free)
3DS HOME Themes
Pokémon Radiant Collection
Pokémon Red and Blue
Pokémon: Here Comes Ash-Greninja
That's your lot for the North American Nintendo Download Update this week; let us know what you're planning to download in the poll and comments below.
Comments 47
Phoenix wright!
After i checked the price im literally. 10 cents off!!
Zelda and Meat Boy
I'll be waiting for the Tachyon Project review before committing $10. And it's good to see that the 3DS VC is alive and well!
Will try out the Witch & Hero 2 demo, game looks cute.
Still undecided on Minecraft U, but may be worth it w/ the 20% off w/ Prime at Amazon next month. disc > download
http://www.amazon.com/Minecraft-Wii-U/dp/B01F04ZDO8/ref=sr_1_1_twi_gam_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1463060815&sr=8-1&keywords=minecraft+wii+u
Wow, you guys got this up early, still over 2 hours to go,will probably be several comments later wondering why it isn't up yet.
Phantom Hourglass is tempting, but my budget's tight and I'm going to buy the Hyrule Warriors DLC next week.
@BaffleBlend Why don't you get the season pass?
time to hone up my art skills in preparation for my exhibition at the tate!
I'm going to cross my fingers and throw down a fiver on 8-Bit Hero just based on the look of it and my desire for a new multiplayer game.
I've been waiting for a sale for Word Search by POWGI, this game is cross buy right?
Nothing for me this week. I've still got that Humble Bundle to play through (and also polishing off Fallout: New Vegas's platinum trophy).
I'm wrapped up in Hyrule Warriors Legends at the moment, but I might buy Minecraft now and play it later (this is why my backlog exists. I have a problem...) I also might buy Dual Destinies if the discount is impressive enough, since I just need to wrap up the Trilogy.
I'll finally get to play Phantom Hourglass. Super Meat Boy too, just because I haven't finished it on PC.
How do the DS games feel on the Gamepad? The ones that use the stylus. I actually find it harder to play stylus games on my New 3DS beause it gets heavy holding it with one hand after a while where as the DS Lite never gets heavy.
Seeing those Ace Attorney discounts and all I can say is that they really need to release Apollo Justice on the eShop.
Nothing. I've already gotten a game that's worse than crack last week.
Just an import copy of Disney Art Academy for me.
@allav866 It totally makes sense to buy games that you know you don't have time for just to squirrel them away for later. I tell myself this all of the time.
@Kilroy I did a review of Tachyon Project. it's actually pretty good!
http://whataboutthegame.com/review/tachyonproject
bunch of crap again
@rjejr Digital should be so much better. I keep buying physical when I have plenty of space on the hard drive and prefer sifting through games in a menu to swapping discs in and out. But still... physical ends up being so much less expensive so often.
I definitely, hugely recommend Super Meat Boy, but given how cheap it's gone in Steam sales, it's hard for me to seriously consider it at this price.
@Dankykong I disagree. Pretty strong week from where I'm standing. It is varied and full of solid options. Way more people here want something than those who want nothing. You may not like the options but that doesn't make them "crap".
@aaronsullivan Nothing is the top vote, and obviously everything else amounts to more than 24%, but you can still vote for things even if you're not going to buy anything. 3/5 of those eShop games for WiiU will be forgotten about in a day or less. As usual. All the 3DS discounts except 2 are on games nobody has really bought and have poor ratings. Your logic has a weak foundation. If you enjoy games with 2/5 stars or 4/10 ratings on Rumorlife then good for you.
Maybe Phantom Hourglass, but I am tempted by those Pokemon themes...
tempted to get the ash-greninja theme.
@aaronsullivan "physical ends up being so much less expensive so often."
Well there's that, and trading stuff in or giving it away. I am kind of getting used to having downloaded games to play, but they still just seem likes rentals or demos or something I've bought for $5. The disc and the box make it seem worth the money more.
And I'm certainly not paying more for a fixed download than a disc I can give away or trade in. All game downloads should have been 15% less from the beginning just due to manufacturing, shipping and paying the middleman. OK maybe the middleman is a wash w/ the servers, but that still leaves manufacturing and shipping. Being the same price has never made any sense to me. I know why they don't it - can't spit on the retailors or they'll give your product the boot - but that doesnt make any sense from a consumer perspective, not at all. Even pre-ordering and pre-downloading doesn't help much w/ Day 1 delivery w/ Amazon. Or, you know, just going to the store 5 minutes away.
So I'm ok w/ swapping discs, really I am.
Just the Witch & Hero 2 demo and one (maybe 2) of the Pokemon 3DS HOME Themes.
It makes me very happy every time a handheld Zelda comes to the Wii U VC. I hope they all make the jump eventually. Phantom Hourglass and Link's Awakening are the two handhelds I've never played that I want the most.
@Stu13 I have a massive backlog of physical games for this very reason, but my logic at the time (justified, at least somewhat) was that I should grab these games while I had the money and when said games were reasonably priced/easy to find. Time be damned until I make time for them. I can't think of any offhand that I regret not getting, but what made me realize it was after I bought:
Ikaruga (GameCube) for $25,
MM Anniversary Collection (GameCube) for $13
and MMX Anniversary Collection (GameCube) for $19,
then saw said games skyrocket in price.
With such a strong push for digital games in the market now, I've long since stopped many of my impulse buys that I assume would increase in value.
@Humphries90 Thanks for the heads up! I actually googled reviews and read a positive one from Nintendo World Report, but
they didn't go into as much detail as you and as such, didn't make it seem as exciting. I'll get the game tomorrow once I have time to sit down with it.
Witch & Hero demo + forgot to buy the 49 cent Fire Emblem map last week + will have a look at those 3DS discounts + finally have enough platinum points for zelda picross
Solid output and we've got that $1 game hitting next week, good times.
Unchained Blades is also on sale until the 18th.
So the noa discounts for ace attorney trilogy is 40% instead of EU's 50% and dual destiny is €10 vs $15. Seriously we're getting shafted on pricing as well?
Will get the new Minecraft update and that's it.
Minecraft-Mario mashup 4 me
just waiting on that 8bithero review and depending on that i might get it.
Nice to see Phantom Hourglass finally appear. Now we just need Spirit Tracks!
Nothing for me this week. I've always been interested in Ace Attorney and enjoyed the Dual Destinies demo a while back, however I'm not one to download retail titles. :/ I really wish Capcom would have a limited physical release or something.
I would like to get Disney Art Academy, but I can't decide between the Disney version or Pokemon Art Academy.
hmmmm....
Zelda is also a good pick, but I already own it. (^_^ )/
Getting Zelda, Super Meat Boy, 8 bit hero and Tachyon. I'm considering color symphony since I love puzzle platformers.
Disney Art Academy for me, but I'm buying the physical copy, I don't buy digital games unless they cost less than $5.
Fire Emblem Fates DLC
Zelda Phantom Hourglass
Super Meat Boy
Minecraft Mario DLC
Not a bad week. Well, it's never a bad week when there's more Fire Emblem in the cards
I don't see anything interesting this week.
Nothing for me this week..
I'm so glad ninty is giving so much love to the system that's keeping them afloat.
Oh, wait...
Since I'm behind on all the games I'm trying to catch up, I actually don't mind that there's nothing really here I want to play. My wallet is saved!
Heaven forbid NOA throws both Zelda DS games up....jerks!
@Dankykong
"bunch of crap again"
If you are just implying that there is crap mixed with games generally regarded as excellent I really shouldn't have said anything. I took it as a statement about all the games which was maybe a misunderstanding and my argument is off base.
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