Donkey Kong 64 now available on Wii U Virtual Console

The classic title Donkey Kong 64 is now available to download on the Wii U Virtual Console. The game is priced at $8.00, just like all the other N64 re-releases on the eShop. It's safe to say that DK64 is one of the most wanted vintage titles, and fans have been clamoring for it's reappearance for quite some time.

The 3D platformer includes 5 playable characters, including the titular ape himself. Players are tasked with collecting hundreds of bananas and other items, many of which are quite difficult to reach. Each of the playable characters has their own unique set of moves and abilities, and you will need to make use of all them in order to achieve a rating of 101%.

Doing so is no easy task, and it will take you quite some time to collect everything, let alone beat the game. If you are a fan of collectathon platformers, DK64 should be right up your alley. Be warned, though, Donkey Kong 64 does have a reputation for overdoing the whole collecting thing, and it may be overwhelming for even the most hardcore gamers to play to completion. Nevertheless, there is still a lot of fun to be had for gamers of all ages.

I would like to point out that the arcade version of the original Donkey Kong game makes an appearance in playable form, which is a special treat since Nintendo has continuously re-released the inferior NES version many times over the years.

I would also like to point out that Jetpac, a classic game created by developer Rare back in the '80s, is also featured in Donkey Kong 64, and it makes an appearance in this Virtual Console re-release. It seems that any legal issues between Nintendo and Microsoft have been resolved, not that they were preventing the game from being re-released in an altered form.

If you're not familiar with the ape's first and only true 3D outing, you're in luck: You can watch a gameplay video after the break.

Wii U eShop updates - 11/6/14 (North America)

The award-winning title The Swapper has arrived.

This is yet another massive week for the North American Wii U eShop, as there are ten newcomers to the digital store. The highlights are The Swapper, an award-winning indie game; and Super Mario Advance, an enhanced version of the classic Super Mario Bros. 2. It's also worth noting that the digital versions of Sonic Lost World and Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed have received permanent discounts. Due to the sheer number of releases this week, we will once again be posting links to videos on YouTube, rather than embedding them. Details and links after the break.

Wii U eShop updates - 10/23/14 (North America)

Bayonetta 1 and 2 are coming to Wii U tomorrow. You can get both games for the price of one.

This is a very big week for the North American Wii U eShop. Bayonetta 1 and 2 are going to arrive on the digital store tomorrow (and real store shelves too). Also, the Virtual Console version of Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow can be downloaded right now, complete with restore points. In addition, there are a couple of music-based titles which have just been released, and these are Just Dance 2015 and The Voice. Details after the break.

Wii U eShop updates - 10/16/14 (North America)

The new Hyrule Warriors Master Quest DLC lets you ride Epona the horse, and it includes 3 new playable characters.

This is a very busy week for the North American Wii U eShop. Five modern games have arrived, the Game Boy Advance classic Castlevania: Harmony of Dissonance is now on the Virtual Console, and the Master Quest Pack can be purchased by those who own Hyrule Warriors (the pack is DLC). There are also quite a few discounts to report. Details and videos after the break.

Wii U eShop updates - 10/9/14 (North America)

You can now download a free demo for this Wii U exclusive. 

A handful of new games are hitting the North American Wii U eShop this week. Pac-Man and the Ghostly Adventures 2 will be released on October 14th, the demo for Bayonetta 2 can be downloaded for free right now, Art of Balance will provide puzzle fans with some physics-based challenges, Turtle Tale has arrived, and the Game Boy Advance classic Castlevania: Circle of the Moon is now available on the Virtual Console. Details and videos after the break.

Wii U eShop updates - 10/2/14 (North America)

Castlevania: Dracula X is now on the Virtual Console.
(Screenshot courtesy of The Video Game Museum - vgmuseum.com)

There are three newcomers to the Wii U eShop this week. The retro-style action game 99Seconds has just arrived, and an edutainment title called Red Riding Hood is now available to download as well. In addition, the SNES classic Castlevania: Dracula X just hit the digital store, and it appears quite a few gamers are looking forward to playing it. There are also a couple of discounts to report, one of which is permament. Details and videos after the break.

Blossom Tales could come to Wii U if Kickstarter succeeds

Indie developers Castle Pixel have announced their upcoming game Blossom Tales will come to the Wii U if the Kickstarter Campaign reaches its stretch goal. As you can see from the animated GIF image above, it bears quite a resemblance to The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past in both art style and gameplay.

The action RPG features a top-down view just like the classics it draws inspiration from, but it features some modern touches as well, including a Target-Lock system. Players will use said system to target specific enemies or lock on to the weak spots of bosses, and there appears to be a good number of weapons to use. In addition, spells will play a large role, as will puzzles.

As you would expect from an action RPG, there will be plenty of hand-crafted dungeons. However, the dungeons will combine pre-designed layouts with randomized areas, which is something you don't see very often in these types of games. It sounds like the developers have quite a few fresh ideas for a classic genre.

Unlike the Zelda games, Blossom Tales will feature a female protagonist, something that quite a few gamers have been clamoring for over the years. That's right, the knight you see in shining armor is a young woman. Here's a brief summary of the game's plot:

Always eager to hear stories of heroism and danger, the young Lily asks her Grandpa for another one of his delightful adventures. Unable to resist her adorable plea, the old storyteller begins his tale of a kingdom where a youthful warrior (also named Lily, of course!) had just been initiated into the esteemed Knights of the Rose. However, that same day the evil wizard Crocus placed the King into an everlasting sleep with one of his dreaded spells. Sworn to aid the crown at all costs, Lily must explore dark dungeons, face terrible creatures, and meet many peculiar characters all in hopes of finding the mystical ingredients capable of forming a cure for the King. The future of the Kingdom of Blossom rests on her shoulders!

Blossom Tales is currently in development for PC with a planned release scheduled for 2015. A Wii U version would likely hit the eShop some time afterward. As of this writing, the Kickstarter has 27 days to go, and it has already raised a significant amount of cash. You can find much more info and screenshots via the source link below. Trailer after the break.

Source: Kickstarter

GravBlocks+ coming to Wii U soon

The new Story Mode features aliens.

From Nothing Game Studios have announced that GravBlocks+ is coming to the Wii U very soon. According to an e-mail we received from their staff, they are now putting the finishing touches on the indie title, and their targeted release window is October 2014.

GravBlocks+ is an enhanced version of the original game which was released on Android a little while ago. As you can tell from the screenshot above, it is a match-three puzzle game. While there are quite a few of those, this one boasts some unique gameplay elements, and it also features more modes than the average puzzler.

Here's the description from the official website:

GravBlocks is both a falling-block puzzle game (like Tetris) and a match-three puzzle game (like Pokemon Puzzle League, Bejeweled), but is also drastically different than either of those titles.  The most unique aspect of GravBlocks is the aptly named Gravity Blocks.  Aligning three of these blocks facing the same direction will alter gravity to that direction.  So if you align three “left arrow” Gravity Blocks, then the gravity will shift to the left side of the screen, and the left wall now becomes the floor, with the opposite wall being the new ceiling where blocks drop in.

In the most basic aspect of the game (and also the original gameplay mode), players change gravity in order to build score multipliers, but must do it carefully!  The walls contain hazards, and the higher the difficulty level and the longer the player plays, the more Destruction Hazards there will be to contend with!  Dropping blocks into these Hazards resets the score Multiplier.

In order to survive this ordeal, players use Wild Blocks to temporarily close all the Hazards (for about 12 seconds) so that they can change gravity safely.  There are also Bomb Blocks which will destroy all of one (or more, if you’re really clever) block type onscreen at once.

The Wii U version of GravBlocks features five gameplay modes, including a new Story Mode. For more details and screenshots, you can check out the official website via the source link below. Trailer after the break.

Source: fromnothinggamestudios.com

Wii U eShop updates - 9/18/14 (North America)

Arrow Time U.

There are just three new games on the North American Wii U eShop this month. They are Arrow Time U, SPIKEY WALLS, and Wild Guns. The first two are modern titles, while the third is an old Super NES classic. In addition, there are some sales on certain first-party Nintendo titles in honor of Super Smash Bros. Details and videos after the break.

Mega Man 7 now available on Wii U Virtual Console

Screenshots courtesy of The Video Game Museum - vgmuseum.com

In a surprise announcement today, Nintendo revealed that the SNES version of Mega Man 7 is now available to download for the North American Wii U Virtual Console. The game can be found on the eShop with a price point of $7.99.

As you can guess, this is the seventh installment in the classic series, excluding the Game Boy titles. It is also one of the few 16-bit games that feature the original Blue Bomber. Like all of the entries in the classic series, it has the usual run-and-gun gameplay with perilous platforming.

There are eight new robot masters for our hero to take on, and players will earn each boss's weapon after defeating them. As usual, players will need to discover each boss's weakness through trial and error, a process which extends the lifespan of the game. Strangely, players can only choose four robot masters to challenge when they first begin, and the second group of four can only be challenged after the first four have been defeated. Even so, the game is still pretty nonlinear, allowing you to take on some of the levels in the order you choose.

When Mega Man 7 was first released, it received solid scores, but it was also seen as a step back from Mega Man X, which had been released the previous year on the same console. Nevertheless, MM7 is still seen as a classic by many gamers, even if it's not among the best in the series.

Nintendo has released a trailer for the Wii U edition. You can watch it after the break.

Wii U eShop updates - 9/11/14 (North America)

Teslagrad is finally here.

This is yet another busy week for the Wii U eShop. The critically acclaimed puzzle platformer Teslagrad has arrived, the classic NES title Adventure Island has hit the Virtual Console, Unepic is temporarily on sale, and KickBeat will be available on the 16th. However, the best news of all may be the second week of Super Smash Bros.-related discounts which will allow you to pick up quite a few classics for cheaper than usual on both the 3DS and Wii U. Details and videos after the break.

Wii U eShop updates - 9/4/14 (North America)

Super Mario 3D World is $10 cheaper than usual until next Thursday

This is yet another busy week for the eShop. There are three new titles available, including two modern games and one classic SNES re-release, but that isn't the real story. The real story is the sheer number of discounts on Nintendo's own first-party titles. For the next week, you can download quite a few awesome games for significantly less than their usual prices. Details and videos after the break.

Shulk confirmed for Super Smash Bros. Wii U and 3DS

Nintendo has confirmed that Shulk will be a playable character in the upcoming Super Smash Bros. games for Wii U and 3DS. The news came during today's Japanese Nintendo Direct, complete with a reveal trailer.

Earlier this month, it was rumored that Shulk, Bowser Jr., and the Duck Hunt Dog would appear in the brawlers, and a handful of videos were posted on YouTube which were allegedly "leaked" by someone in the industry. The videos appeared to be too convincing to be faked, and Nintendo had them pulled from YouTube by filing claims of copyright infringement. Given today's news, it appears that some of the other rumored characters may be officially announced sometime soon, thought it should be noted that the Duck Hunt Dog did not appear in any of the leaked videos.

For those of you who aren't familiar with Shulk, he is the sword-wielding young man who made his debut in Xenoblade Chronicles, which was released on the Wii a few years back. While it was a Wii exclusive, that is no longer the case.

Coinciding with today's Smash Bros. news, the Big N announced two brand new models of the 3DS called the "New Nintendo 3DS," and "New Nintendo 3DS LL" (Japanese name for XL model). The new models feature a stronger CPU, more buttons, and a right analog stick, in addition to NFC technology for use with Amiibo figures. Right after the portable consoles were revealed, Nintendo announced that the critically acclaimed Xenoblade Chronicles is being ported to them. The stronger hardware and extra buttons have made the conversion that much easier for the development team, and it appears that the existing 3DS and 2DS systems will miss out.

Getting back to Smash Bros.... a two-CD soundtrack for the game was announced, and those who register both the Wii U and 3DS games with Club Nintendo will receive it for free. The offer will be valid for a limited time only, and it will be reserved for members who live in North America and Europe. Here's the official announcement:

"As another offering for fans, those who register both Wii U and Nintendo 3DS versions of the games in Club Nintendo – before a set time - can claim the Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS & Wii U: Premium Sound Selection, a free soundtrack CD packed with tunes taken from and inspired by the games. Further details on the timings pertaining to this offering will follow at a later date."

The reveal trailer for Shulk is titled "Looks like we don't have a choice," which is something he says in Xenoblade Chronicles, though it may also be a joke about the spoiled surprise. If that's the case, it's nice to see that Nintendo has a sense of humor about the situation. You can watch the video after the break.

Wii U eShop updates - 8/28/14 (North America)

There is a ton of activity on the North American Wii U eShop this week. Two modern games have arrived, two classics can be yours for a few bucks, free DLC can be downloaded for Mario Kart 8, new tables are coming to Zen Pinball 2, and there is a sale on some popular Capcom titles, and a permanent discount on Splinter Cell: Blacklist. Full details and videos after the break.

Wii U eShop updates - 8/21/14 (North America)

This is an interesting week for the Wii U eShop. Disney Infinity is now completely free to download, and a couple of classic NES titles have been released on the Virtual Console: Mega Man 6 and Life Force. There is also an indie driving game that has arrived: Midtown Crazy Race. Details and videos after the break.

Wii U eShop updates - 8/14/14 (North America)

There's tons of activity on the North American Wii U eShop this week. Two scrolling shoot 'em ups by the names of GAIABREAKER and XType Plus have arrived, and Dahku Creation's touchscreen-based Soon Shine is now available to download.

The Virtual Console has received two new additions: Mega Man Battle Chip Challenge, which was originally released on the Game Boy Advance, and Double Dragon II: The Revenge, a classic beat 'em up released on the NES in the late 80s.

That's not all. There are four eShop titles on sale, although the quality of said titles is a mixed bag. Details and videos after the break.

Wii U eShop updates - 8/7/14 (North America)

This is a busy week for the North American Wii U eShop. Jett Tailfin has arrived after a long development process. SHUT THE BOX is also here, which can be had for just 99 cents. Internal Invasion is on sale until tomorrow morning. And there are three classics available on the Virtual Console, including the awesome Super Mario Kart from Nintendo, the solid Mega Man 5 from Capcom, and the beloved SNES shooter Cybernator from Konami. Details and videos after the break.

Wii U eShop updates - 7/31/14 (North America)

There are some new arrivals on the North American Wii U eShop. In no particular order, they are XType Plus, Frederic: Resurrection of Music, IQ Test, and Mega Man Battle Network. That last one is sure to be the most popular of the group. In addition, the price of Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag is about to drop in a few days. Details and videos after the break.

Wii U eShop updates - 7/24/14 (North America)

There's a lot of activity on the Wii U eShop this week. Master Reboot, Super Toy Cars, and Wooden Sen'SeY are three new games available on the digital store. An oldie from the NES era by the name of Ufouria: The Saga has also arrived. In addition, there are some sales you should check out. Details and videos after the break.

Mr. Driller 2 now available on Wii U eShop

There's just one title on the North American Wii U eShop this week: Mr. Driller 2. This game was originally released on the Game Boy Advance a while back and was developed by Bandai Namco. It is priced at $6.99 in the US. Just like every other GBA game on the Virtual Console, it only supports one player.

Here's a brief description from the game's detail page on Nintendo's official website:

Join Susumu and Anna as a mysterious outbreak of Blocks threaten the world's existence. Armed with a mighty drill, dig deep through multi-colored blocks until reaching safety. Not all of the blocks will be breakable, but be careful that the blocks you break don't end falling on you, or cut off your air supply! Scramble to grab air capsules for a recharge, and you'll be just fine to reach your goal. How deep can you dig underground? Drill to your heart's content in these three modes: Mission Driller, Endless Driller and Time Attack Driller!

Mr. Driller 2 is a puzzle game, which means it is best to see it in action to get a feel for how it plays. As such, you can find a gameplay video after the break.