This week certainly makes up for last week’s lackluster Nintendo Download. Why, you ask? Well, a couple of reasons. First, there is a 3DS release tomorrow that I’m very excited for. There’s also a demo for another fantastic game coming to the Switch. Besides that, there are many more digital releases and goodies this week. So let’s start with the one that has me most excited, shall we?
Yes, starting tomorrow, Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia comes out for the 3DS. While it’s no secret that many of us here at oprainfall weren’t huge fans of the latest Fire Emblem game, I personally enjoyed all the recent releases, and am cautiously optimistic that I’ll get a thrill out of Echoes. Though the old school mechanics, such as the lack of a weapon triangle and no marriage feature, may worry some, I want to play it for myself before I decide if the lack of those features is a positive or a negative. After all, I grew up with Fire Emblem on my Game Boy Advance, and those games didn’t really focus on marriage at all. I might miss the weapon triangle, or it might force me to be more strategic and focus less on grinding. We’ll just have to wait and see. If I have the time, I might even decide to review Echoes, but don’t expect that review immediately, if at all. My docket is pretty full with Disgaea 5 Complete right now.
Speaking of which, Disgaea 5 Complete has a demo out now for the Switch. This lets you try out a few levels to see if it’s for you. The full release is actually May 23rd, which is next Monday, but I’ll try my best to have our official review published by then. I apologize for any delay, and can only offer the excuse that it’s a gigantic game, even by Disgaea standards.
Back on the topic of Fire Emblem Echoes, you might be happy to hear that there is already a bunch of DLC available from day one to help flesh out your tactical experience. There is going to be a DLC Pack #1 – Fledgling Warriors Pack available tomorrow for $7.99, which will offer new ways to grind and get better items and currency. If, however, you know you’ll want all the DLC that comes out, you can buy the Season Pass for $44.99, which will unlock each of the 22 separate pieces of content as Nintendo releases it. While it’s a little frustrating the Season Pass costs as much as the game itself, nobody is forcing you to go hog wild and buy it all. I personally recommend you do some research and see what you’ll need, though you will purportedly save 30% off the cost of buying individual DLC using the Pass.
On the Virtual Console front, if you want to blast some ships to smithereens, you might be interested in Blazing Lazers. This Konami classic features 9 different levels packed with action and giant bosses, perfect for the aging shmup fan.
As far as sales go, unfortunately the Game Guide is once more not working, so this week I don’t have the time to search through thousands of games to find a handful. Hopefully the wait for my Disgaea 5 Complete review will justify the lack of that feature today. However, you can pick up one of the Alm or Celica themes from the eShop for your 3DS, if you still have some extra money to spare.
Last but not least, there are 3 great new digital only releases today that are worth a look. While I admit I never got into the Dark Witch series, Dark Witch Music Episode: Rudymical looks compelling for the Nintendo Switch. The bright and colorful chibi style graphics are totally up my alley, and the rhythm action style of the game doesn’t hurt any. For the more old school inclined, you can pick up ACA NEOGEO GALAXY FIGHT: UNIVERSAL WARRIORS. It seems like there are tons of these old arcade classics Nintendo has seen fit to dust off, and they all look great. Lastly, another rhythm based game comes to the Switch today called Thumper. No, not the rabbit from Bambi. This is more like the love child of F-Zero and a hard as nails rhythm game. It certainly looks compelling, but as its price point is high for a digital game, you might want to do some more research first.
That’s it for this week’s Nintendo Download! We hope you enjoy all these great games, and hope you’ll join us when I finally publish my Disgaea 5 Complete review. Stay tuned for more Nintendo coverage at oprainfall in the near future!
