There are a plethora of downloadable titles available for the 3DS and Wii U, most of which are good games, but to sift out the gems can be difficult and costly. I’m really liking the new and less expensive Affordable Space Adventure for the Wii U and BoxBoy! for the 3DS.
Affordable Space Adventure takes the player on a (surprise) space adventure aboard a space ship navigating an alien world. The ship is controlled with lots of switches and buttons which would be confusing for one player with a normal controller, but the Wii U’s Gamepad makes controls a breeze. Where this game really shines is in two player mode. Both players control one ship, each delegated certain responsibilities, from navigation, to engines, mass control and signal flares. This may sound confusing and convoluted, but actually it works quite well. Navigating to the next area is often a puzzle where players must work together and communicate well in order to proceed. This is great for my son and his daddy- this game gets the two of them to work together and talk out what they need in a reasonable way or the puzzle will be unsolved. This game is great fun and was developed by Swedish Indie developer Nifflas. The graphics are eye catching and colorful, yet dark and foreboding. Not only is the game fun to play but as a by stander not playing it is interesting to see the player dynamic between two players working together constantly.
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Nintendo’s Box Boy and Affordable Space Adventure
Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask 3D
The Nintendo classic Zelda franchise is full of great games which are the reason Zelda games are classics. One of the most popular is Majora ‘s Mask, which was originally released for the Nintendo 64. The newest version of this game Legend of Zelda: Majora ’s Mask 3D, is a reworked, updated, cleaned up, and enhanced version of the original.
Majora’s Mask follows the story of Link as he tries to keep the moon from falling from the sky leading to the destruction of Termina. The twist is that you only have 3 days to complete this epic quest. In this 3 day period, Link will have to explore dungeons, solve puzzles, and fight gigantic bosses (of course).
Throughout the game there is a reoccurring theme of masks, and masks are one of the main collectables in the game. There are 20 in total, each of which gives Link a new power or ability, like the ability to transform into a Deku, Goron, or Zora.
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Fossil Fighters Frontier for Nintendo 3DS
We recently tested out a new game at the New York City Nintendo store called Fossil Fighters Frontier, for the Nintendo 3DS. At that time, the game was being demonstrated for kids 10 and up, since it has quite a bit of reading and bigger words. There are options for 3D and non 3D play, depending on the use of parental controls. You can use the Parental Controls to restrict 3D mode (always recommended for children 6 and under) for your child or yourself if you don’t like the way it looks or affects you.
You act as a paleontologist, excavating dinosaur bones, as well as battling your Vivosaur (dinosaur) with others that you encounter along the way.
Check out this video of the demo-
More about the game (courtesy of Nintendo);
The latest game in the Fossil Fighters series delivers a first: Players can now hop into their vehicles and drive around exotic locations to excavate fossils, which transform into real-life dinosaurs known as Vivosaurs. Players battle their Vivosaur with wild Vivosaurs they encounter on digging adventures.
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Kirby and the Rainbow Curse Video Game
Disclosure- we received the below in order to facilitate this review. All opinions are our own and honest.
My son and his friend, trying the game out in the Nintendo store.
Nintendo has a quite a few classic characters but few are as fun as their pink fluffy one, Kirby. Kirby is the pink, round guy with a vacuum mouth, for those who don’t know. There is a new Kirby game by Nintendo, which is available now. The game is called Kirby and the Rainbow Curse and brings Kirby into a new style of game play, clay. The clay style is really neat, and must be seen in action. The animation smooth and seamless. It is like playing a cartoon of years ago like Gumby in game version. However, this cartoon stars our favorite little pink guy- Kirby.
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Nintendo eShop and Parent Portal
If you have a video game lover in your life, this year for Valentines Day, why not make them feel extra special with some Nintendo digital goodies while being sure they don’t have the items already? You will want to take a look at the eShop- great for special occasions and last minute shopping, too. (Not to mention it makes shopping easier for those of us who are not up and current on all things gaming.)
Both my son and husband love Nintendo, and my husband especially enjoys eShop store credits. These can be used in either the eShop for the Wii U or the eShop for the 3DS. My son recently received an eShop gift card, with which he bought a few fun digital items. One of his favorites has been the new Pikmin movie shorts, which are available now for both the 3DS and Wii U in the eShop. Retailing for $4.99, the cute little critters are a welcome treat and at just under $5, the price is perfect. In addition to new treats for gamers and fans of well known franchises, there are also new indie gems to uncover available for the first time on the Wii U in the eShop. One such title is “Shovel Knight”, which has a classic game feel with a modern spin on it. It’s roots are clear and it is a welcome change to the super shined, polished treats of recent. Sometimes a hidden gem is great to find. No matter what the gamers level of intensity or age, there is always a fun game to find in the eShop. Shovel Knight is available now in the eShop and retails for $14.99. There is one unfortunate event which does occur with digital games, stock can change. So if you see something you are interested in be sure to grab it quickly because it might not be there forever.
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Captain Toad: Treasure Hunter
Disclosure- We received the below in order to complete this review. All opinions are our own and honest.
There are many Nintendo characters out there who, after a major to minor introduction in a Mario game, received their own spin off game. Some of this elite crew are Yoshi, Luigi, and Princess Peach. Of these classic characters the newest addition is Captain Toad. Captain Toad started out life as a series of mini games in Super Mario 3D world. The mini games were puzzles where the player manipulated the point of view using the Wii U game pad to navigate carious 3D worlds based on the current levels Mario is working on.
Captain Toad: Treasure Hunter builds upon this premise of puzzle solving through point of view manipulation and changing camera angles. The interesting bit about Captain Toad is he has no powers, no jumping at all, just running and walking. Of his unique talents, he can puck plants which reveal themselves to be gold coins or turnips which can be used to defeat enemies. Also Captain Toad can collect a pickaxe which can destroy enemies and blockades.
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New amiibo From Nintendo
Disclosure- we received the below in order to facilitate this review. All opinions are out own and honest. My son is a Nintendo Kid Reviewer.
Brand new and just in time for the holiday season are Nintendo’s new amiibo (Wii U compatible). The best part about these video game figurines is that you don’t need to buy a portal or system upgrade to use them- just the figurines. This cuts the cost and makes them more accessible to everyone. Buy only the ones you want, customize them in the games, and interact the way you want to. This is new experience for Nintendo fans in the game play and toys coming to life area, joining the likes of Skylanders and Disney Infinity. These amiibo characters are ONLY Nintendo, and they interact with Wii U games and across multiple games (like the relatively new Super Smash Brothers). The figures retail for about $15 each, and you can collect many of your favorite characters now.
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Play Nintendo: Game Showcase series
The first episode of the Play Nintendo: Game Showcase series for kids is now available!
Check it out- it might give you some great ideas for the holiday season. (It can also help the “less video game inclined” among us to know what the kids in our lives are looking for right about now- so, useful!)
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