Top up your eShop accounts – it’s another busy week for new arrivals on Nintendo’s download services. We’re also going to use this opportunity to remind Wii U owners to check their Nintendo Network Premium Account – the 31st December deadline for earning points is quickly looming.
On Wii U this week there’s a curiously timed pairing of papercraft adventures – point ‘n’ clicker Tengami (£6.99) and Paper Monsters Recut (£5.49).Tengami favours puzzles and has an oriental setting while Paper Monsters Recut is a colourful 2D platformer with 3D visuals (£5.49).
Our man Jake wasn’t too impressed when reviewing the iOS version of Tengami earlier this year: “It’s a slow moving game – literally. Literally literally. The protagonist walks at a leisurely saunter, which is in-keeping with the tone, but with fairly sparse landscapes doesn’t do much to keep your mind occupiedâ€.
Paper Monsters Recut may be the better option, even if it does look a little generic:
They’re joined by LEGO Batman 3: BEYOND GOTHAM. At £44.99 however you’d be best off pre-ordering a copy online. The 3DS version – also due on the eShop this Friday – is rather expensive too, priced at £39.99. Eek!
If none of these take your fancy then this week’s Virtual Console releases might – Castlevania Dracula X – aka Castlevania: Vampire’s Kiss – (£5.49) and GBA RPG sequel Golden Sun: The Lost Age (£6.29). Nintendo’s press release reminds us that those who have finished the first Golden Sun can transfer save data via a password. On 3DS VC meanwhile there’s Bionic Commando: Elite Forces (£4.49). This was in fact both developed and published by Nintendo rather than Capcom. IGN’s review from 2000 is still up, where it was awarded an 8.0.
Also on 3DS this week: catwalk simulator Top Model 3D (£24.99), puzzler PICROSS e5 (£4.50) and Vacation Adventures: Park Ranger 2 (£4.49) which is another one of those hidden object things. Fishdom (£4.49) for DSiWare sounds like a hard sell too – it’s yet another match-3 puzzler, albeit one that gives the chance to customise an aquarium.
As for the week’s discounts, highlights include AiRace Xeno (£1.59), Balloon Pop Remix (£4.99) and VAN HELSING SNIPER ZX100 (£3.77). Perhaps we should have downplayed the emphasis on “highlights†in that last sentence.
Last, but not least, a quick reminder that Shovel Knight finally arrived on Wii U and 3DS last Friday. It’s destined to become one of the eShop’s greatest, this. Those who buy it before 13th November get a bonus 3DS theme too. Here’s the launch trailer:
Want to read more about it? There’s an interview with developer Yacht Club Games over on the Nintendo site.