Well, it’s officially a new year, but so far it doesn’t feel all that different to me. But maybe that’s cause it feels like the entire Nintendo fandom is collectively holding their breath until we get more news about the Switch. It seems Nintendo themselves are gearing down on everything else as well, judging by the slim fare available in the Download of late. But, I didn’t take this series cause it was glamorous, but because I like finding good Nintendo games to share with all my brothers and sisters with Wii U or 3DS. So, with that in mind, let’s get down to business!
First up is another classic making its way to the Virtual Console. Pokémon Snap, the odd visual safari that released for the Nintendo 64, is now on the Wii U. Go on your island cruise and try and get fantastic images of 60+ Pokémon, a feature that now seems to have been revived somewhat in the latest Pokémon outing of Sun/Moon.
There are also a handful of games on sale this week. Not as many as during December, but some worthwhile finds nevertheless. First up, the fun and unique Polara is on sale for $3.49. As someone who finally picked that game up, I can highly recommend it for anyone looking for a inexpensive yet fun challenge. Also worth a look is Mercenaries Saga 2 for $3.99. I played that a couple years back and found it a good budget tactical RPG. It’s basic but also enjoyable, especially if you have the itch to try a game akin to Final Fantasy Tactics. The intriguing looking Master Reboot is really cheap at $4.99 and last but not least, the utterly ridiculous looking Gravity Badgers looks like a decent puzzle / action game, especially for the low price of $0.99. It’s worth checking out for the 90’s cheese if nothing else.
In their constant struggle to give us worthwhile extras through My Nintendo, Nintendo has decided to add Kirby and Yoshi themed goodies to the service. Considering those are two of my all time favorite Nintendo icons, I have to say I approve. There are some good games on offer, including Kirby’s Epic Yarn, Dedede’s Drum Dash Deluxe, Kirby & the Amazing Mirror, Yoshi’s Woolly World and the original Yoshi. I admit I’m surprised that Kirby and the Rainbow Curse didn’t make the cut, though.
Finally, there is one new game released this week that is worth mentioning. Developed by Eclipse Games, who were responsible for the great Tachyon Project, this one is called Spheroids. The art style might not appeal to everyone immediately, but I am intrigued by any game that mixes pixels with vector art. Also in its favor is that it reminds me of Mutant Mudds, another classic new platformer. If you’re not sure about Spheroids, be sure to check back when we post our review of the game on the site!
So that’s it for this week. Some decent stuff, for sure. Check back with oprainfall next Thursday for the latest and greatest Nintendo offerings from the Nintendo Download.
