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Nintendo Download: 26th January 2012 (North America)
Mutant Mudds invade
Renegade Kid's much-anticipated platformer comes to the 3DS eShop alongside some quality DSiWare releases. Let's jump in and see what's available today. 3DS Download SoftwareMutant Mudds (Renegade Kid, $8.99) — This cutesy 2D platformer is a bit of a belter, netting a 9/10 in our Mutant Mudds review. Don't be put off by the comparatively high price: this is quality download..
Review: Carmen Sandiego Adventures in Math: The Case of the Crumbling Cathedral (WiiWare)
In Russia, game disappoints you
If you’re wondering where in the world Carmen Sandiego is this week, or what in the world she’s up to, look no further than Moscow, capital city of Russia. As is generally the case, Sandiego is busy using one of her goons from the criminal organization V.I.L.E. to abscond with with a precious landmark. This time, St. Basil’s Cathedral has been turned to sand,..
Review: Stonekeep: Bones of the Ancestors (WiiWare)
Rock-solid or balderdash?
Stonekeep: Bones of the Ancestors, a remake of Interplay's mid-90's first-person dungeon crawler, sounds pretty good on paper. The Wii is a bit short on quality RPGs — especially on WiiWare — and Stonekeep was a decent-looking, competent RPG back in its day. But pre-rendered 2D environments and FMV characters are no longer the norm, and the resulting polygonal..
Nintendo Download: 26th January 2012 (Europe)
Balloons and caterpillars
It's time to look ahead to Thursday and see what games lucky European residents can download, with Wii, 3DS Virtual Console and DSiWare all represented this week. 3DS Virtual ConsoleBalloon Kid (Game Boy, Nintendo, £2.70/€3) — A sequel to Balloon Fight, this hasn't aged particularly well, sadly: our Balloon Kid review explains why. WiiWare
Nintendo Download: 19th January 2012 (North America)
The first 3DS demo lands
While there's some good games available to buy this week, we're pretty sure the most downloaded software this week will be the free Resident Evil Revelations demo, available from 9am PST/12pm EST today. 3DS DemoResident Evil Revelations (Capcom, free) — The first trial game comes to the eShop with this playable sample of Capcom's upcoming fright fest. We'll have a full..
News: TIGA Calls for Clarification on Download Sales Secrecy
The debate continues
In early January we reported that Icon Games broke its silence on WiiWare sales, breaching Nintendo's non-disclosure agreement in the process. It didn't take long for Nintendo to request that the figures be removed, prompting the developer to suggest that secretive Nintendo policies put jobs at risk. TIGA, the trade body that represents UK game developers, has released its own..
News: Your Favourite WiiWare Demos Are Now Back
Fire up your Wii
In an act of unprecedented generosity, Nintendo of America has reinstated a ton of WiiWare demos in the Wii Shop Channel, which now bulges with nearly 50 demos of some of WiiWare's brightest and best games. Europe, you have just the two demos still: MotoHeroz and Gnomz. Here's the full list for North American Wii owners: 3D Pixel RacingA Monsteca Corral: Monsters vs. RobotsAnd Yet..
News: Gaijin Games Explains Why RUNNER2 Won't Reach Wii
Talks Wii U too
Gaijin Games' BIT.TRIP series started life on Wii and has appeared on 3DS in the form of BIT.TRIP SAGA, but the next instalment, RUNNER2, won't come to WiiWare. Why not? Artist Chris Meyer explained: This game is too big and too detailed to work on Wii. We need the Xbox power in order for it to work. If you actually think about it, the original six games, some of them don't even..
Review: Zombii Attack (WiiWare)
iinsufferable
Zombii Attack is a very silly game. Its main mechanic — firing zombies out of a giant slingshot — is strange enough, but even more preposterous is the fact that this game actually got published on WiiWare. The game is so horrendous that the campy feel and OK music don't even come close to saving it from its abominable controls and broken mechanics. Your goal is to help Dr. Z find..
Nintendo Download: 12th January 2012 (North America)
Reach a state of Zen
After a few weeks' wait from its European release, the 3DS eShop in North America gets a piece of portable pinball, with DSi owners getting some balls and bumper action too. Elsewhere there's a little music and some more maths. Nintendo 3DS Download SoftwareZen Pinball 3D (Zen Studios, $6.99) — An excellent pinball title in its own right, Zen Studios plans to support this..
News: Majora's Mask and Dr. Mario Join Club Nintendo Rewards
Coins at the ready
North America's Club Nintendo site lets you buy downloadable games with your hard-earned coins. After the success of 3D Classics: Xevious and Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Minis March Again, there are four new games available to buy between now and 31st January. Here's what's available: 150 CoinsThe Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask (Wii Virtual Console)
Review: Carmen Sandiego Adventures in Math: The Big Ben Burglary (WiiWare)
Big Ben brain buster
Episodic gaming is becoming a regular occurrence on the Wii and DSiWare services, and whether that’s a good or bad thing is completely up to the individual. It is true, however, that if the first episode in a series isn’t very good, then there’s a chance that it won’t get much better moving forward. Carmen Sandiego Adventures in Math: The Big Ben Burglary is a perfect..
Nintendo Download: 12th January 2012 (Europe)
Three for the choosing
Nothing unique for 3DS owners this week as 3DSWare and Virtual Console take holidays, but WiiWare and DSiWare have the centre stage. WiiWareBobby Carrot Forever (FDG Entertainment, 800pts) — In development for years and years, little rabbit Bobby finally left the warren in July last year and brought a pretty good game with him. Check out our Bobby Carrot Forever review for..
News: Icon Games: "Nintendo's Policies Put Jobs at Risk"
Former WiiWare dev strikes out
A few days ago, Icon Games revealed its WiiWare sales figures, showing just how its games had fared on the service, breaching Nintendo's non-disclosure agreement in the process. Nintendo responded by asking Icon to remove the WiiWare sales figures from its post, prompting Icon boss Richard Hill-Whittall to slate Nintendo's "negative, damaging" policies..
Nintendo Download: 5th January 2012 (North America)
Meet your (samurai) destiny
For the fourth time in five weeks, the 3DS gets new Download Software. Elsewhere there's a spot of DSiWare and a WiiWare game back from the dead. Nintendo 3DS Download SoftwareSamurai Sword Destiny (UFO Interactive, $5.99) — A side-scrolling slasher with a Japanese bent, your heroine Akane must defeat all in her path to rescue her brother, making use of upgrades along..
News: Icon Games Breaks WiiWare Sales Figures Silence
Dev speaks out
All developers who sign up to work on Nintendo's download services have to sign a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) that forbids them from discussing sales numbers for their own games, among other things. However, British studio Icon Games has revealed sales figures for its WiiWare titles. The company's biggest-seller is Family Games, which has sold 14,439 units since release around one..
Nintendo Download: 5th January 2012 (Europe)
Hit the Pits
If you've registered two qualifying games in Club Nintendo, you can download a free game this week; if not, you'll have to choose from one of the other titles on offer in the first digital drop of the New Year. 3DS Download Software3D Classics: Kid Icarus (Nintendo, free to qualifying users) — You can only get 3D Classics: Kid Icarus if you registered two or more qualifying 3DS games..
Review: Soccer Up! (WiiWare)
Shoots too narrow
On the Wii Shop Channel, EnjoyUp! Games describes Soccer Up! as being "a funny soccer game." We're willing to bet you and EnjoyUp! Games have different senses of humour. But we're also willing to bet you have different definitions of "total control," "inertia" and "soccer." Indeed, much of Soccer Up!'s promises and intentions appear to be..
Game of the Year: Nintendo Life Staff Awards 2011
What won our votes this year?
With the launch of 3DS in March, the Wii U's unveiling at E3 and a Christmas period that included new Zelda, Mario and Mario Kart games, we rather think 2011 was a pretty good year all in all. But what were the very best stand-out games of the year? What moments will we think of when we reminisce about 2011? The Nintendo Life team filed their ballots for the biggest..
News: SEGA Confirms No WiiWare Outing for Sonic 4: Episode II
Sad times
SEGA's digital brand manager Ken Balough has confirmed that Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode II will not make it to Wii. In a post on the SEGA forum, Balough confirmed it wouldn't appear on Nintendo's home console: But no - the reason Episode I was on the Wii was because we wanted to bring the Sonic 4 saga to the widest possible audience. Episode II unfortunately will not be coming to the..
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