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It’s another busy week on the Nintendo eShop as we enter the final stretch in the run up to Christmas. There are two big retail releases for Wii U and 3DS respectively, as well as a download-only release for each system. Mix these up with a bunch of discounts and offers and suddenly you’re surrounded by a plethora of games and a whole load of decisions to make. Now, where to start…
Releases
Wii U eShop
- FAST Racing NEO – $14.99
- Dinox – $4.99
- Jones on Fire – $5.99
- Sketch Wars – $4.99
Wii U Virtual Console
- Medabots: Metabee and Rokusho – $6.99
Wii U Retail Download
- Devils Third – $59.99
3DS eShop
- SteamWorld Heist – $16.99 until December 31, then $19.99
- Rytmik Ultimate – $17.99
- Radiohammer – $5.99
- Petit Novel Series – Harvest December – $11.99
3DS Retail Download
- Terraria – $19.99
Discounts
Wii U eShop
- Phineas and Ferb: Quest for Cool Stuff – $4.99 from December 14 to December 28 (normally $19.99)
- Trine Enchanted Edition – on discount from December 15 to January 5
- Trine 2: Director’s Cut – on discount from December 15 to January 5
- Life of Pixel – $4.99 until January 10 (normally $9.99)
- KEYTARI: 8-bit Music Maker – $4.99 from December 13 until January 3 (normally $7.99)
- ZaciSa’s Last Stand – $0.99 until January 7 (normally $3.99)
- COLOR BOMBS – $1 until January 6 (normally $1.49)
3DS eShop
- Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor Overclocked – $9.99 from December 14 to December 28 (normally $29.99)
- Phineas and Ferb: Quest for Cool Stuff – $4.99 from December 14 to December 28 (normally $19.99)
- AeternoBlade – $4.99 until December 31 (normally $14.99)
- Adventure Bar Story – on discount until December 31
- KAMI – on discount until December 31
- Zombie Panic in Wonderland DX – $4.99 until January 9 (normally $8.00)
- Classic Games Overload: Card & Puzzle Edition – $14.99 until January 4 (normally $29.99)
Source: Nintendo
Itagaki’s masterpiece, here I come.
Going to get Fast Racing Neo for sure. SteamWorld Heist, well I think I’ll wait until it comes to Wii U. I have more space to fill on the external drive, and no doubt it will come out eventually. SteamWorld Dig did.
Fast Racing Neo is great. Very F-Zero/Wipeout like, and I’ve missed these kinds of good games. Makes you wonder why in the world certain companies just will not make new entries in great franchises. I mean, Castlevania, Mega Man, F-Zero, Metroid, etc are just either being dropped or flat out ignored in favor of garbage such as Call of Duty and the like. This is why the kickstarter campaigns for Bloodstained, Mighty No. 9, Yooka Laylee and others are so successful. People want good games, but the big companies just won’t do it.
“Call of Duty” sells more copies with each new entry than all of the franchises you mentioned put together in their most recent releases (just a guess, didn’t bother looking it up.)
Plus, Kickstarter campaigns aren’t easily translated into potential sales success in a traditional marketplace. Not one of the kickstarter campaigns you mentioned (two of which I’ve backed) has more than 75,000 backers. Those kind of numbers don’t scream “success.” If anything, Kickstarter is providing a loud minority of gamers with the products we want. Big companies make games that they “think” will bring a profit.
In the case of Call of Duty and the like, companies would have to be stupid NOT to make those games.
For my part, I can’t wait for Bloodstained and Yooka Laylee, however I teach young adults and they all think I’m crazy for liking/supporting such “retro garbage”. The sad part is, it’s their consumer dollars that are driving a large part of the industry.
Bloodstained looks amazing. Looks like we have a wait on our hands though. Yooka Laylee seems like its shaping up well. Would have rather it been Wii U exclusive to give it more attention.
Good point about the cash cow that is Call of Duty and the like. At least these games that are I guess now niche are getting made for those of us who like quality old school titles. Sad state of affairs though when you get hassled for liking “retro garbage.” If it wasn’t for that stuff there might be no cash cow/broken upon release/needs updates/fixes that are the majority of non Nintendo titles. This is why Nintendo is still tops as a game maker, now I sure hope the NX isn’t a fail. Please, let it be good!
dpw74 says “If it wasn’t for that stuff there might be no cash cow/broken upon release/needs updates/fixes that are the majority of non Nintendo titles.”
Couldn’t agree more! Know (and respect) your roots, right?
I should have added that the “retro-garbage” comments I hear from my students are good-natured ribbing. It’s funny though how now that gaming has been popular for so long how there’s a definite generation gap (made even more visible when you teach).
Did anyone else notice “Devils Third” snuck onto the market yesterday? It’s already almost impossible to find.
I wonder if Nintendo only made a smattering of copies because they know it’s going to fail. It’s available on Gamestop’s website, but is already sold out on Amazon and Bestbuy’s websites. Plus many major retailers aren’t even carrying it.
If the initial shipment is all she wrote, look for this one to be highly sought by collectors after it sells through traditional channels.
I preordered Devils Third last Saturday from Best Buy, said it should be here Tuesday. We will see.
I hope yours arrived Drew! Mine arrived today (I had bought mine off of Amazon just before they went “unavailable”.)
The scalpers/re-sellers are already listing the US version for well over $200 on Amazon and ebay. They are probably elated with the rumors of a limited run of physical copies adding to the “value”. Craziness. I wonder if Gamestop will up their asking price for pre-owned copies. (I also wonder it the shortage is just temporary and the asking prices will come down.)
I like your line about “Itagaki’s masterpiece”. Not that I have crazy expectations or anything, but my bet is that I’ll be playing it tonight and thinking to myself “I wonder what all the hate was about.”
It arrived!! Happy is an understatement.
Going to take a chance on Adventure Bar Story. The demo was kind of interesting, but while it’s on sale why not? The rest of the stuff looks kind of boring.