It's that time again, dear readers, for the Nintendo Download Update details for North America. This week's listing includes a rather pleasing arrival in Switch, a quality sequel on 3DS and some quirky choices across various platforms. Let's get to the details, shall we?
Nintendo Switch eShop
Wonder Boy: The Dragon's Trap (DotEmu, $19.99) - This stylish remaster has been on some wishlists for quite some time and arrived earlier this week on Switch; it's a faithful recreation of Wonder Boy III: The Dragon's Trap that even allows you to switch between lovely updated visuals and sound or their 8-bit equivalents. We gave this a strong recommendation in our Wonder Boy: The Dragon's Trap review.
Fatal Fury (HAMSTER, $6.99) - Pretty much the original SNK fighting game, opening the door for so many that would follow; at the time it went to battle with Capcom's Street Fighter II. As an ACA release it'll have the usual extras and goodies, and we'll let you know what we think in a review.
3DS eShop
Urban Trial Freestyle 2 (Tate Multimedia, $6.99) - A side-on motorcycle racing / stunt game with similarities to console series Trials, this sequel has twice the number of stages seen in the original along with the ability to create and share tracks. We enjoyed this in our Urban Trial Freestyle review.
Ping Pong Trick Shot 2 (Starsign, $1.99) - Like its predecessor this challenges you to propel a ping pong ball towards targets, albeit this time there's a futuristic aesthetic and four core modes.
New Nintendo 3DS eShop
Breakout Defense (nuGAME, $7.00) - Based off the classic Breakout formula, this seems focused on two paddles competing against each other as you take on the AI. Previously released on Wii U.
DON'T CRASH GO (RCMADIAX, $1.49) - A portable iteration of this simple score chaser; we were scathing in our assessment of the original in our DON'T CRASH review.
3DS eShop Demo
Pic-a-Pix Color (Lightwood Games, free)
Blasting Agent: Ultimate Edition (Ratalaika Games, free)
Wii U eShop
Zombeer (PadaOne Games, $4.99) - It seems quite some time ago that this stylised and quirky shooter was announced for Wii U, but here it is. With some grown-up themes you go through a trashed town shooting anything that looks vaguely undead.
Booty Diver (Xavier Orion Games, $7.99) - This is a retro-styled title in which you work through underwater stages to retrieve treasure and tackle foes, including boss battles. It could be fun, though we hope its ambition isn't drowned out by its execution.
MOP: Operation Cleanup (EnsenaSoft, $5.00) - This is a platformer with a bit of an environmental message, as you run through 50 levels to 'clean up' your world.
ORBIT (RCMADIAX, $1.49) - In this game you manipulate a forcefield (or orbit) around your planet to protect it from dangerous items trying to get through.
Wii U Virtual Console
Rayman Advance (Ubisoft) - The Game Boy Advance returns to the Wii U with this Ubisoft title, in this case a portable iteration of the PlayStation original.
Rayman 3 (Ubisoft) - This was a portable take on Rayman 3: Hoodlum Havoc, but unlike the console iteration is a 2D platformer in a similar vein to the original game in the series.
Wii U eShop Demo
Pic-a-Pix Color (Lightwood Games, free)
As always Nintendo of America wants you to browse the eShop and check out the official sales and deals website for discount details.
Plenty to choose from this week, so let us know what you'll be downloading in the poll and comments below.
Comments 69
Wonderboy's art style isn't for me. I'll be twiddling my thumbs (or playing Zelda, Shifty and Kamiko) until MK8 gets delivered next week.
Woohoo! Wonder Boy!
Probs gonna cop those Rayman games.
Also, Zombeer was on Wii U last week. I bought it. I regret it.
Nothing for me. No Switch and no 3DS games I want, which is fine. Amazon.ca has some games on sale and Nintendo's online store has Bravely Second for $26.
Being that wonder boy hit on Tuesday, a slow week for the Switch!
The Rayman Gba games are a surprise tho
Why no rayman 2 GBC on 3ds and no Kirby dream land 3 on n3ds or super Mario piccross
@JHDK you do have the option of playing it in 8-bit mode as well FYI
Love me some fatal fury
@joey302 yes on the failed u
After King of Fighters 98, do we really need a Fatal Fury when we also know Fatal Fury 2 will eventually be on the way?
I already downloaded Wonder Boy: The Dragon's Trap on Tuesday.
@gatorboi352 Was it? I missed that, it was sitting in the DL press release so that's why it's there.
@andrew20
Because Nintendo likes to abandon the 3DS in lieu of the sunken ship. It's cool that they still support the Wii U VC, but they constantly drop VC support for the 3DS. I've talked about this, on so many occasions, but there are so many first party titles that they could have released that they didn't bother with. Nope, their attitude seems to be "good enough."
@andrew20 I'm not sure what you mean about Wii U. @joey320 was saying Dragon's Trap can be played in 8-bit. This was in response to @JHDK saying he doesn't like the remake's artstyle
@sketchturner it failed so now it is the failed U
@andrew20 I think it is because Rayman 2 GBC is basically the first game except with different level layouts.
And 3DS Virtual Console is just plain dead
..sweet ..time for some Trial Freestyle 2 ...LOOK MOM, NO HANDS!..
Already bought Wonder Boy and it's great : -]
I already beat and 100% Wonder Boy on Tuesday. You're cheating yourself out of a great time if you're talking yourself out of it. I adore it. I want Fatal Fury, and I loved my Genesis cart I got cheap at Kroger when I was in 6th grade... its what started it all for me. However, after owning Waku Waku 7 and KOF 98, I might wait for one of the Fatal Fury Specials. I don't want my Switch bogged down with fighting games. At this rate we need a folder option!
@VR32F1END thanks mate, you just persuaded me more into getting it, gonna download once I get home!
@ThomasBW84 interesting.. yeah I saw it in my 'What's New' section of the Wii U eShop last week so I grabbed it.
Now to putter around my 2nd playthrough of Zelda BOTW for one more week waiting for mario kart...
Switch desperately needs games that aren't just retro releases or retro-feeling releases. Where are the new/modern games?
Hey RCMADIAX, stay away from the Switch, please.
Not one, but TWO new instant classics from RCMADIAX! The video game gods have surely smiled upon us this day...
Wii U edges out Nintendo Switch when it comes to this week’s new games
http://www.polygon.com/2017/4/20/15370152/new-nintendo-switch-games-eshop
It's pretty dreadful when the supposed old dead console has more life in it than the new kid in town.
There are still titles I want to get off the 3DS/WU e-Shops, So, I'll either compile a few cards, or my next purchase will be SMA4(:SMB3). The e-Shop taxes make me prefer getting ElectroPlankton off e-Bay, plus I'd rather have all the mini-games in one. Yes, yes, I'm aware ElectroPlankton's games are technically DSi-Ware on that shop, even though it's integrated into the e-Shop.
Edit: Sidenote: I really wish the Hannenbow was included in Smash 4.
Edit#2: @SLIGEACH_EIRE: Kind of funny, since to me, at least, Nintendo likes to pretty much move on to the newer thing, when it comes out, & leave the previous console getting trickle treatment. I know they do continue supporting the previous hardware, but usually I've always found them to go full throttle on brand-new hardware. Maybe Nintendo has not yet hit their peak/apex stride with the NS, sorta like how lots of people generalize, & say WU didn't until 2014. Edit#3: Or, perhaps, Nintendo is doing what they did with the 3DS/WU launches: banking on 3rd parties until MK8Dx. Just food for thought. Not defending Nintendo, or counterpointing you, just food for thought.
@gatorboi352 Same here. Plus for $5 it's not a total waste.
Booty diver sounds like a adult film
@andrew20 I really don't mind that if the Switch vc service was up and running! Good thing Hamster is cranking out Neo Geo games on Switch!! Nintendo just kills me man!
And so the Wii U now stands at 280 VC titles. The original Wii had 412!! I wonder whenever Nintendo finally gets the vc service going on Switch how they will approach this service?? 🤔🤔
Fatal fury and wonder boy!
Zombies is a pile of poo
@SLIGEACH_EIRE most of those wiiu games are shovel ware. Lol one of the is from the asset flipping shovel ware king. Whatever spin you need mate. 😂
Pretty sad when the Wii U is still getting more games than the console actually in production...
@thesilverbrick have you seen those games tho?
@thesilverbrick I don't get it. Everyone complained about shovel ware on the wiiu eshop. The switch gets two excellent games and the wiiu gets one good game and three pieces of shovel ware. Everyone complains that the wiiu got more games. I just don't get it.
You said Rayman Advance is based on the Playstation original, but it came out on the Jaguar four days before the Playstation version. Technically, it's a Jaguar game.
I'm curious to see how the Rayman 3 game looks.
RCMADIAX is still making games huh? I thought he got mad and quit? Or was he just mad at NintendoLife?
Anyway both rayman games, wonderboy and fatal fury for me.
@faint Sure the Switch is full of Wii U ports and last gen indie game ports with very little high quality 3rd party support. Half its library is made up of 20+ year old NEO GEO ports. How's that for spin? No, that's the truth!
@Darius_Truxton
Yeah. I'm loving these NeoGeo games and I've bought NAM, King of Fighters 98, the Metal Slugs, Neo Turf Masters, Alpha Mission, Samurai Showdown. But man, I wish they could give us another game to choose from in addition to when they release another fighter especially there is already another version on there. Oh well.
@SLIGEACH_EIRE these neo geo games have been updated a ton. I guess you wouldn't know about that. Do you remember how many ports the PS4 had during launch time which was a holiday period? I do. The Wii U got mostly shovel ware this week. Do you deny this? The switch revived two great games. One is brand new launching on all platforms at the same time. See things how you want bra but when you hold a bunch of crap shovelware above two great releases due to quantity I will call it out.
@rdrunner1178 The more the merrier I guess. I am going to wait for Fatal Fury 2 which is my favorite in the series. Has the pro controller worked ok for you? I've noticed the opening menu are a bit out of control and the game did once spaz out on me during gameplay
@Darius_Truxton
I actually have not gotten the pro controller yet. I opted for an extra set of the joycons first, for when Mario Kart comes.
@SLIGEACH_EIRE i wonder if you'll immediately stop bashing the switch once you get one...
The link for Pic-a-Pix Color takes you to the 3DS game page, not the Wii U game page.
https://www.nintendolife.com/games/wiiu-eshop/pic-a-pix_color
ok thanks. I have only tried King Of Fighters 98 so far. I'll give Metal Slug 3 and Shock Troopers later on. The controller for the most part works fine with KOF
@faint I dunno. Wouldn't you prefer the latest and greatest from RCMADIAX over getting a lovingly remastered classic for current generation systems at the same time as it launches on other platforms? IS RCMADIAX THE ONLY DEVELOPER LEFT WITH LOYALTY TO THE WII U?!? Getting those sweet, sweet exclusives makes it all worth it and proves the eternal dominance of the Wii U! It should be pretty obvious that the Wii U is the best system ever and the Switch will forever be trash, no matter what comes out for it.
if your not getting Wonder Boy and you have a Switch, your missing out on a great game.
I nabbed wonder boy, but that's it for me.
I don't know how I behaved well enough to justify multiple demos this week but sure thing.
I hope there's plans for a third humble nindie bundle this year, so many titles I never would have got otherwise.
@faint No, you're right. I'm just a little bored with the lack of new games on Switch.
@Zach777
For what it's worth, it sounds like Nintendo is being a lot more stingy with who's getting dev kits this time around.
I know quality is a subjective thing, and at least it's not a copyright fouling asset flip, (coughSkunkGamescough) but if it only takes you an hour or two to produce your games, you don't deserve to be on the eShop right alongside indie games that actually took effort to produce like Fast RMX and Has Been Heroes.
I say RCMADIAX needs to stick to the Google Play Store where all his games belong.
Just the demos for me.
@SLIGEACH_EIRE Or it's indicative of just how much time is required for game development.
How many new, that is, exclusive to switch games are there? It's so funny that people paid all this money for that system just to play old games. Why?! 😂
WonderBoy Switch, urban Trial Freestyle 3ds and Quest of Dungeons went on sale in the Eshop. Pretty good week for me. Cant wait for Xenoblade 2 after putting in 120 hours so far on Zelda. Still loving Zelda awesome!
@CheezIt when Xenoblade 2 ......oh Mariokart too. Hmmmm theres another little game called Breath of the Wild you wont be playing on any other systems. There are actually quite a few more games coming I could name too that are huge heavy hitters and worth having a Switch. Btw when you buy a system that came out what a month ago......it usually doesnt have a huge amount of software and takes time to build a library.
@sketchturner yup at the touch of a button...and the 8-bit/ new music score can be flipped as well and also instantaneously! I thought that was pretty cool!
@thesilverbrick we got a few good ones coming up in the next 2 weeks. Puyo puyo Tetris this Tuesday and of course Mario Kart the 28th. Hamster is gonna keep bringing it with a racer next Thursday "over top" which is a overhead view racing game which is not a bad little game and adds a bit of retro variety. They're saying Tumbleseed due May 2nd is supposed to be a fun game as well! Switch is only out 2 months. The pace will quicken!! 😊 Now.....if only Nintendo can get the virtual console going! 🤔
@CheezIt I hope you ask that about the ps4 and the xbone...both had ports (and people hollering about BC) in their launch window. Also VC is pretty popular for a reason. People like old games.
Exclusive to switch is also a mixed term as we are getting games that didn't go to a Nintendo system (or leave Japan) on the switch. Plus switch has greater potential for multi-plats now.
@Ryu_Niiyama my husband has the PS4. I don't play it. There's not a single game I'd like on that system. And he has about 10 games for it but really only likes maybe 2 or 3 at most. The problem here is the genre variety does not exist anymore for these "next gen" systems as it did a few years back. They are back to how it was in the 80s, catering to the "hardcore gamers" and leaving the more casual (but heavy gaming) gamers behind. It's a bad move financially for game developers because in the end it means millions of dollars in lost profit that they once had in abundance when they catered to the larger population of gamers. Ahh but what do I know, eh? Oh yeah, anyone heard the news that the largest game store in America is closing a large number of stores? 🤔
Wonderboy is solid gold. Wow.
Just tried the game and the seamless transition from retro graphics with RZ and retro audio with R3 is fantastic! Such a high quality remake. I never played the original, but I'm loving this. I like to occasionally switch between new and old for comparison. Even the password screen is hidden in the retro visuals, but not seen with modern visuals. You have to switch over to catch it. Nice touch.
Fatal Fury, gonna go download that now. I've got quite a nice little NeoGeo collection on my Switch now. Keep em comin! I love NeoGeo! They're a crucial part of any VC collection, and amassing a large pool of NeoGeo while waiting for Nintendo's own VC is perfect. I mean, it is VC, really. In all but name.
@CheezIt
People love old games. It's why people shout about VC all the time. At least now they can play those old games portably in HD. Be it NeoGeo, future VC, beautiful remakes like Wonderboy or modernized sequels like Ultra Street Fighter II.
But it's about more than "exclusives" anyways. It's about the total experience. It's about playing a game as great as Zelda, and doing it at home or at work or anywhere you want. It's about playing a game as timeless as Mario Kart 8, and battling people at your job or friend's house on demand. It's about all the NeoGeo classics and quirky eShop titles, all of which now have a fantastic handheld release. It's about the future titles in the pipeline, like Arms and Splatoon 2, Xenoblade Chronicles 2 and Dragon Quest XI, Mario Odyssey and Fire Emblem, Shin Megami Tensei V and FE Warriors, Project Octopath Traveller and Tales and Skyrim and all that jazz.
It's about having great games, both new and old, both exclusive and ports, and playing those games both at home or on the go. Like any system, it's the total experience that counts. And that is why people are buying this system. Exclusives are part of it. Ports are part of it. Remakes are part of it. VC classics are part of it. Functionality and versatility is a huge part of it. The value in getting dual versions with every game with cross save needs eliminated is part of it. The future lineup is part of it, and the historical fact Nintendo loads all its systems with great games over the years (especially when a system does well, and the Switch is looking like it's gonna do well) is part of it. It's all part of it.
@CheezIt hmm, I can't comment to gaming before the NES unfortunately, but I've been saying for a while to a few of my gaming buddies that the industry in heading for another crash as is. Part of the reason why I love Nintendo so much is that their systems even with the dearth of 3rd party support tend to be cornucopias of game genres. Many games that get sneered at and dismissed because playing is serious business (tm) and gatekeeping makes gaming not about having fun anymore and all about chest pounding. That is bad all around as it leaves many potential gamers by the wayside.
Still there are a few studios that have some new ideas or at least those that keep their longstanding IPs interesting. Which means that the new systems are still worthwhile purchases...even without old games. Still, gaming is becoming a bloated enterprise with rising dev costs and over reliance on annual releases. Yet I'm still optimistic; who knows what the future holds?
Why the heck are they giving us a demo of Blasting Agent on the 3DS but not the superior Wii U version?
@JaxonH downloaded tonight and having a great time with it!! Retro goodness!!
@JaxonH @cheezit wow that was just beautiful!! I couldn't have said that better myself! Amen!! Your husband is a lucky guy in that you both enjoy gaming! My wife hasn't touched a game since Tetris on the early 90s!! Maybe a little Ms Pac-man here n there lol!!
@JaxonH I believe over top is next week! 😊
@Zoda_Fett
Nice name! You like Startropics...
Yeah man! I just went through it on Hard Mode as Hu-Girl. Took me much less time knowing where everything is at. It's probably one of the best Master System / Game Gear games I know of (I didn't grow up with it. 31, was a Nintendo kid.) I love this one and Monster World IV (played that version on PS3.) Two of the other Wonder Boy games I tried didn't seem all that great. Forgot which ones they were. Technically you could get the old one on Wii Shop Channel for 500 points, but I felt all the work they did to this new version made it definitely worth the price and upgrade. I'm a cartoonist and graphic artist, so I REALLY appreciated going through the gallery and soaking in all the artist's renderings throughout the game. I really liked his style and how he used a dark pencil (or brush that simulated it.) You can see hints of shading and hatching throughout the imagery that worked with the digitally painted colors. Loved it. Beat it twice. Lol
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