Last week, cinematic shooter Metroid: Other M made a Wii U appearance for a rather pricey £17.99. This week it’s the turn of another often ignored gem – the vibrantly animated Wario Land: The Shake Dimension.
Alas, it’s also arriving at £17.99. Although it isn’t the easiest game to find in physical form, the price is incredibly off-putting. Remember the days when Wii games would debut on Wii U with a sizeable discount in place? Nintendo clearly doesn’t.
Four other new releases are set to launch on Wii U this week. Specifically, Kemco’s 2D JRPG Asdivine Hearts (£8.99) – which went down well on Steam – abstract pastel hued shooter Lovely Planet ( £7.99 or £6.74 to those who downloaded the Nindies@home demo), pixel art platformer Chronicles of Teddy: Harmony of Exidus (£12.09), the sketchy looking Epic Dumpster Bear (£7.49) and the top-down puzzler SUPER ROBO MOUSE (£4.09).
Lovely Planet launched on Xbox One earlier this year. Don’t be fooled by the cutesy exterior – its one tough cookie. “It’s beyond challenging, but when you finally put together the perfect run there isn’t anything more satisfying†said Pure Xbox.
Chronicles of Teddy is also due on PS4 this week. We Got This Covered gave it the review treatment, where it bagged an impressive 4/5. “Chronicles of Teddy: Harmony of Exidus is a gorgeous title that is very rewarding, even if it doesn’t make the best first impression†they said, while adding that it’s one of this year’s best surprises so far.
We’re still waiting on reviews of SUPER ROBO MOUSE and Epic Dumpster Bear, so approach these two with caution. Incidentally, it looks like SUPER ROBO MOUSE is lined-up for an Xbox One release at some point. All-caps fun for everyone.
As well as a few Disney themes, the 3DS sees two new releases – Mario & Sonic at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games (£34.99) and Witch & Hero 2 (£3.19). We’ve heard good things about Witch & Hero 2 via Twitter. At the time of typing however, no professional reviews are available.
Mario & Sonic at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games reviews meanwhile haven’t been too positive so far, including 3/5 from The Examiner and 4.6/10 from Digital Chumps.
Nintendo Enthusiast wasn’t too impressed either, giving it a middling 5/10. “Nothing about the game is really satisfying, nothing about the game stands out, and poor and lazy design choices make it feel much more like a cash-grab than a full fledged experience†they warned.
Likewise, this week’s 3DS discounts aren’t anything special, including the same old familiar faces – Funfair Party Games, Jewel Match 3, Undead Bowling and the allegedly terrible Football Up Online. Minecraft-influenced adventure The Magic Hammer does however see a permanent price drop to £2.99.
The Wii U’s discounts look far more appealing: SteamWorld Dig (£4.49), Nano Assault Neo (£6.70), Master Reboot (£4.99) and recent release Joe’s Diner (£5.39). As we’re sure many will agree, SteamWorld Dig is eShop gold.
Launch title Nano Assault Neo is well worth a look too. “It combines ‘old skool’ sensibilities with a sprinkling of innovation and has some flashy visuals thrown in for good measure. For a launch title we couldn’t have asked for much more†we said, way back in 2012. Having played it again recently, we can vouch that it holds up well.
