Today there is a lot more stuff for the Nintendo Download, both good and bad. Though I typically only cover the stuff I find most relevant, some is so laughably ridiculous or weird that it gets an exception. Lots of retro love this week, as well as a great sale for Fire Emblem fans. So let’s see what’s new.

Nintendo Download | LEGO City Undercover
Yay… Let me go hunt down my sense of excitement…

Ok, I know I’m somewhat in the minority here, because I could care less about any of the LEGO games. My stance on LEGO inspired media is that it was something I loved as a child but really don’t find that charming now (with the exception of The LEGO Movie and possibly LEGO Batman, though I have yet to see that one). Nevertheless, LEGO City Undercover is now available for Nintendo Switch, if you are looking to get your LEGO fix. More relevant, for me at least, is the release of Graceful Explosion Machine. Besides having a fantastic name, this shump is also quite colorful and frenetic looking. On the downside it’s only available for Switch, but that is also a good thing for those of us who jumped on the bandwagon early. Oh and if you like shovelware, Just Dance 2017 is also available today.

Nintendo Download | Graceful Explosion Machine
MUCH better!

On the Wii U Virtual Console front, there are some true vintage classics out today. First is the crazy retro World Sports Competition, which has you pit yourself against a variety of athletic feats, such as archery, swimming and track and field. But fret not, as the only thing getting a workout will be your button clicking fingers! While it isn’t the same as playing it at the arcade, I’m sure it will be fun as a console port. Another great VC release today is Super Star Soldier, also by Konami (back when they still made quality games). This old school shmup pits you against The Mother Brain (no, not that one) in massive space battles. Or as massive as the graphics card can handle. Either way, both these Konami classics are well worth owning.

Nintendo Download | World Sports Competition

On the sales front, there’s not a lot new from last week, so I’ll just mention some newly added sales. Lifespeed is discounted from $5.99 to $3; SDK Spriter is discounted from $10 to $5; Toys Vs. Monsters is discounted from $3.99 to $1.19 and AeternoBlade is discounted from $14.99 to $4.94. To see the full list of sales, just click here.

Nintendo Download | FE deals
Not a bad wallpaper, if I say so myself.

If you’re anything like me, you’re getting more and more excited about the upcoming release of Fire Emblem: Shadows of Valentia, and if so, Nintendo has you covered. You can use points in your My Nintendo account to get 30% discounts on the following games – Fire Emblem Fates: Birthright; Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones and Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon (though maybe skip that one). You can also use points to snag the nifty Shadows of Valentia wallpaper shown above, for either PC or mobile. Best of all, these rewards are available until July, so you can think about how best to spend your precious points.

Nintendo Download | Animal Gods

Lastly, there are a few fun new digital games making their way to Nintendo consoles. First up is Kickstarted Zelda inspired Animal Gods. I love the aesthetic style of this one, and even though I could have picked it up on Steam, I think it will fit the Nintendo Wii U even better. If you’re feeling ready for arcade mayhem on Switch, you should check out ACA NEOGEO ALPHA MISSION II. Because few things are as satisfying as old school arcade shmups! Finally, the curiously named Vroom in the Night Sky is making its way to Switch. Dubbed a “Magical Bike Action Game”, this quirky title looks like the love child of Nights and Urban Trial Freestyle. Very odd, I know, but that just makes it look more appealing to me.

Nintendo Download | Vroom in the Night Sky

That’s it for this week! Stay tuned to oprainfall next time for more Nintendo deals, games and reviews!

Josh Speer
Josh is a passionate gamer, finding time to clock in around 30-40 hours of gaming a week. He discovered Operation Rainfall while avidly following the localization of the Big 3 Wii RPGs. He enjoys SHMUPS, Platformers, RPGs, Roguelikes and the occasional Fighter. He’s also an unashamedly giant Mega Man fan, having played the series since he was eight. As Head Editor and Review Manager, he spends far too much time editing reviews and random articles. In his limited spare time he devours indies whole and anticipates the release of quirky, unpredictable and innovative games.