This week in the Nintendo eShop: Yo-kai return to wreak havoc on your emotions, Gunvolt strikes back, and Pikmin swarm the Wii U Virtual Console.

The amazingly wonderful and mouthful of a title BIT.TRIP Presents… Runner2: Future Legend of Rhythm Alien headlines this week in sales, clocking in at just $7.49 (50% off) until October 3rd. Don’t forget about Activision’s offerings from last week, featuring steep discounts on games like Skylanders SuperChargers, The Amazing Spider-Man 2, and The Legend of Korra: A New Era Begins. Be sure to act fast though, because they’re only sticking around for the next 24 hours!

Finally, every Thursday in September Nintendo will be showcasing a new indie title in a series it calls Nindies Summer Jam. Best of all, each title will be given a 10% discount for those that purchase within the initial launch week! Wrapping up the promotion today is Azure Striker Gunvolt 2: a Mega Man Zero inspired platformer featuring tight controls, frantic action and excellent pacing.

WII U DOWNLOAD SOFTWARE

Soul Axiom (Wales Interactive Ltd., $14.99 | $12.74 until 10/15 if you downloaded the Nindies@Home demo) – Soul Axiom feels somewhat like a cross between Mirror’s Edge and Bioshock set in an evocative cyberpunk universe. In essence, it’s a psychological thriller that combines elements of exploration and puzzle solving with a compelling storyline. Despite an intriguing premise, it suffers from shallow and frustrating puzzle design and a narrative that leans far too heavily on epistolary storytelling. Still, I’d recommend it to anyone looking for a leisurely, atmospheric journey through some very gorgeous looking environments. Also, fingers crossed that the game-breaking bugs plaguing the PS4 version were fixed this time around.

Quest of Dungeons (Upfall Studios, $8.99) – A classic, turn-based dungeon crawler at its finest, Quest of Dungeons easily stands out in an overpopulated market of roguelike games. Sure, it doesn’t necessarily bring anything new to the table, but it perfectly nails down the key elements associated with the genre under a beautifully 16-bit retro look. Procedurally generated dungeons, weapons and bosses provide a healthy dose of replayability, as well as leaderboards to compare your best runs with the community at large. Be sure to give it a shot if the term ‘permadeath’ makes your heart sing as opposed to coming under attack.

Archery by Thornbury Software (Thornbury Software, $19.95) – Just in case you need reminding of who to send angry letters to when demanding your $20 back, it’s fortunately right there in the name. Unsurprisingly, Archery is a game about shooting targets with bows and arrows tournament style. What immediately stands out is just how ugly the game looks: a term not nearly worthy of the torment you’ll be putting your eyeballs through, featuring janky looking forearms and a menu screen straight out of a ‘90s powerpoint presentation. Also, is that a mouse cursor floating around in many of their official screengrabs? Avoid this one like the plague, folks.

 
DREAMALS: DREAM QUEST (XINESS Co., Ltd., $9.99) – “Three wounded and homeless animals happened to enter Dreamland. Will they be able to find the lost treasures of Dreamland and save the world?” It’s highly likely you’re simply playing the tripped out hallucinations of abandoned, drug addicted pets. Nonetheless, DREAMALS (enough with the all caps titles already, devs!) is a quirky puzzle platformer featuring 100 levels of trap filled mayhem. The gimmick? Combining animals creates new animals with varying abilities to help clear stages quicker. The game’s presentation is charming enough to warrant a try, though you might want to wait for the inevitable price drop in the weeks to come.

WII U ADD-ON CONTENT

FAST Racing NEO: NEO Future Pack (Shin’en, $4.99 | available 9/30) – FAST Racing NEO is basically the high-octane racing game long time F-Zero fans have been waiting for. Now you can take those breakneck speeds to new heights in the first DLC pack to be released since NEO’s debut back in December, featuring 8 new tracks, 10 new vehicle profiles and 18 new audio tracks. So what are you still doing here? Hit that pavement and show me your moves!

Minecraft: Wii U Edition – Chinese Mythology Mash-Up Pack (Mojang, $4.99 | available 10/4) – Explore ancient temples hidden among the cherry blossoms and survive the night at the Great Wall! Wander through the streets of an ancient great city, marvel at the dragons that dwell around the high mountains, contemplate on your crafting within a mythical monastery, or just enjoy the view as you walk through fields and discover how mobs would look in ancient China. This DLC also features 41 new skins, 13 themed music tracks, a special battle mode map and all new world items and textures to help give your Minecraft worlds some oriental flare.

WII U VIRTUAL CONSOLE

Pikmin (Nintendo, $19.99) – The microscopic fantasy world of Pikmin just got a little bigger today, as the original title crash lands on Wii U Virtual Consoles! Originally released on the GameCube back in 2001, and later re-released on the Wii in 2009 under the “New Play Control” moniker (featured here), Pikmin is a blend of real-time strategy, adventure and puzzle elements. Captain Olimar has crash-landed on a strange world, and his only hope for survival lies with impressionable little creatures called Pikmin. Wii Remote and Nunchuck in hand, players set out to explore the strange, lush planet before Olimar’s life support depletes, commanding and micromanaging a small army of up to 100 adorable Pikmin to do their bidding. Today, it remains just as intuitively intelligent and fresh as it did back in 2001 with the added benefit of enhanced motion controls that fit in perfectly with the genre. If you’ve never played Pikmin before and were wondering where to start, look no further.

WII U PRE-PURCHASE

Paper Mario: Color Splash (Nintendo, $59.99 | available 10/7) – Mario’s latest foray in papercraft debauchery is nearly upon us, unless of course you’re one of the lucky few who accidentally received early access to the full game late last week. In this action adventure spin to the series tried and true RPG formula, master the Paint Hammer and new battle card system to restore the drained color to Prism Island. Pre-purchase today to save yourself the agony of sitting through lengthy download screens and hefty installs on the eve of its official release on October 7th.

WII U SPECIAL OFFERS AND DEALS

BIT.TRIP Presents…Runner2: Future Legend of Rhythm Alien ($7.49 | 50% off) until 10/3
Skylanders SuperChargers Portal Owner’s Pack ($19.99 | 50% off) until 9/30
The Amazing Spider-Man 2 ($14.99 | 70% off) until 9/30
Wipeout Create & Crash ($9.99 | 75% off) until 9/30
Queen’s Garden ($5.99 | 14% off) until 10/6
Epic Dumpster Bear ($4.49 | 40% off) until 10/27
Blackjack 21 ($0.99 | 66% off) until 9/30
Super Hero Math ($3.99 | 50% off) until 9/30
ZaciSa’s Last Stand ($1.99 | 50% off) until 11/1
KEYTARI: 8-Bit Music Maker ($3.99 | 20% off) until 10/5
Art of Balance ($5.20 | 42% off) until 10/20
Grumpy Reaper ($2.49 | 50% off) until 10/20
Dual Core ($6.99 | 30% off) until 10/2
STEEL RIVALS (5.00 | 28% off) until 10/12
Hold Your Fire: A Game About Responsibility ($0.99 | 50% off) until 10/3
Master Reboot ($4.99 | 66% off) until 10/13
Vector Assault ($3.99 | 20% off) until 9/30
Midnight ($1.59 | 20% off) until 10/6
Gravity Badgers ($0.99 | 80% off) until 10/6
Chubbins ($1.99 | 50% off) until 9/30
Soon Shine ($0.99 | 50% off) until 9/30
Run Run and Die ($1.99 | 50% off) until 10/6
Unepic ($4.99 | 50% off) until 10/6

Check Nintendo’s website for the full list of deals available.

3DS RETAIL

Yo-Kai Watch 2: Bony Spirits & Fleshy Souls (Nintendo, $39.99) – The strangely charming troublemakers, Yo-kai, are back for an all new adventure! Often times deemed as Pokémon for a new generation, Yo-Kai Watch 2 is a relatively traditional RPG that has players battling and befriending wild and wacky spirits tied to our emotions known as Yo-kai. In the sequel, you set out to investigate mysterious happenings taking place in Harrisville, traveling back and forth in time to uncover the origins of the titular watch itself. Despite large similarities to its predecessor, there are plenty of new features to keep gameplay fresh and exciting, most notably over 184 new species of Yo-kai to collect (as well as a handful of version exclusives). Bottom line, it’s sure to be a fun and engaging adventure that both fans of the series and newcomers alike can enjoy.

 
Azure Striker Gunvolt: Striker Pack (Init Creates Co., Ltd., $29.99 | available 10/4) – With Mega Man on forced sabbatical somewhere in the depths of Capcom’s break room freezer and Mighty No. 9 failing to aptly fill the blue bombers shoes (er… leg armor?), there’s seemingly little hope for fans of super fighting robot action. Enter the Azure Striker Gunvolt series: a lovingly crafted spiritual successor to the Mega Man Zero franchise that harkens back to the Japanese classics of yesteryear featuring tight controls, crisp graphics, unique gameplay mechanics and epic boss battles. This convenient package includes both the original game (with added bonus features originally exclusive to the Japanese version) bundled with today’s highly anticipated sequel. Trust me, this is one action-packed platformer that absolutely deserves your attention.

3DS DOWNLOAD SOFTWARE

Azure Striker Gunvolt 2 (Init Creates Co., Ltd., $14.99 | $13.49 until 10/6) – Already own the first Azure Striker game or simply prefer the convenience of going digital? Download the 2D high speed, old-school sidescrolling sequel separately! Cut from the same cloth as some of the best action franchises in gaming, Gunvolt 2 plays a lot like Mega Man Zero on steroids. It does, however, borrow a bit too heavily from its predecessor, which no doubt will be a shame for players expecting a new twist on the established formula. For the rest of us, expect more of the same grueling challenge, excellent pacing and deep customization options that stole our hearts in the first place.

Quest of Dungeons (Upfall Studios, $8.99) – This is the same classic, turn-based dungeon crawler available today for Wii U, though in a nifty portable format! Personally, I prefer my roguelikes quick, dirty and on the go, making this the superior version of the two. Fortunately, the game features cross-buy, so you don’t have to choose! There’s also some pretty sweet StreetPass functionality included where passing others downloads a ghost of one of their failed attempts, which you can then try to kill and loot.

Ninja Usagimaru: The Mysterious Karakuri Castle (Aksys Games, $5.99) – Winning this week’s gold star for longest title is Ninja Usagimaru: an action puzzle game set to challenge players to put their sharpened ninja skills to the test. As legendary hero Usagimaru, you’ll travel through 60+ mind-boggling stages battling ruthless monsters, rescuing helpless villagers and restoring order to the world. Just note that this one’s far more puzzle than action oriented, so don’t go in expecting Ninja Gaiden levels of twitch reflex gameplay and you’ll do just fine.

3DS ADD-ON CONTENT

Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney – Spirit of Justice: Turnabout Time Traveler (Capcom, $5.99) – The final episode in the past month’s weekly proceedings of Ace Attorney 6 DLC is an all new chapter that’s sure to help budding lawyers stretch out those pointer fingers! Unlike previous DLC, this is very much a full-fledged case, featuring all the sleuthing and cross examinations your little heart could possibly desire.

Hyrule Warriors Legends – Bonus Items (Nintendo, Free) – Some bonus swag is being distributed via SpotPass as a special gift to all players of Hyrule Warriors Legends! Boot up the game today to receive a whopping 1,000,000 rupees and various food items to feed your growing army of fairies, including five delicious pumpkin soups, delicious sacred waters, delicious mushroom spores and delicious pumpkins. If you don’t receive your items automatically while your 3DS is in sleep mode, be sure to manually check for new SpotPass data in the game’s settings menu.

Shin Megami Tensei IV: Apocalypse – Bonus Add-On: Extra Difficulty Levels (Atlus, Free | available 10/4) – This free add-on unlocks “Paradise,” the easiest difficulty setting for RPG newcomers and “Apocalypse,” the hardest difficulty setting for the most hardcore Shin Megami Tensei fans.

Shin Megami Tensei IV: Apocalypse – Bonus Add-On: Lore 1: Parallel Universes (Atlus, Free | available 10/4) – This lore add-on is a secret entry in the Hunter database, for those interested in more of the game’s back story. Spoiler alert! This entry contains several spoilers for the main story. Must become an official Hunter before you can access it.

Shin Megami Tensei IV: Apocalypse – Bonus Add-On: Lore 2: “Observation” Explained (Atlus, Free | available 10/4) – This lore add-on is a secret entry in the Hunter database, for those interested in more of the game’s back story! Spoiler alert! This entry contains several spoilers for the main story.

Shin Megami Tensei IV: Apocalypse – Bonus Quest: The Inverted Pyramid (Atlus, $1.99 | available 10/4) – This is a Challenge Quest that unlocks Cleopatra for fusion after you’ve beaten her in battle. Recommended for players who are near to completing, or have completed, the game.

Shin Megami Tensei IV: Apocalypse – Bonus Quest: A GodSlayer Needs Jewels – (Atlus, $2.99 | available 10/4) – This Challenge Quest helps you collect jewels to trade for powerful items. Must become an official Hunter before you can access it.

Shin Megami Tensei IV: Apocalypse – Bonus Quest: Explosive Epidemic in Mikado (Atlus, $1.99 | available 10/4) – This is a Challenge Quest that sends you back to Mikado to solve a mystery within a limited number of turns. Recommended for players who are near to completing, or have completed, the game.

Shin Megami Tensei IV: Apocalypse – Bonus Quest: A Trip to Hawaii (Atlus, $2.49 | available 10/4) – This is a Challenge Quest that unlocks Mephisto for fusion after you’ve beaten him in battle. Recommended for players who are near to completing, or have completed, the game.

3DS HOME MENU THEMES

Pokémon: A Sinister Organization—Team Galactic – $1.99
Pokémon: A Sinister Organization—Team Rocket – $1.99
Shantae Beach – $1.99
Pirate Pop Plus – $1.99
YO-KAI WATCH Komasan – $1.99 | available 9/30
YO-KAI WATCH Komajiro – $1.99 | available 9/30
YO-KAI WATCH Robonyan – $1.99 | available 9/30

3DS SPECIAL OFFERS AND DEALS

Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor 2: Record Breaker ($24.99 | 37% off) until 10/3
The Amazing Spider-Man 2 ($9.99 | 66% off) until 9/30
The Legend of Korra: A New Era Begins ($9.99 | 66% off) until 9/30
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Danger of the Ooze ($14.99 | 50% off) until 9/30
Wipeout Create & Crash ($9.99 | 66% off) until 9/30
Nano Assault EX ($7.49 | 25% off) until 10/6
Wings of Magloryx ($11.99 | 20% off) until 10/3
3D Game Collection ($4.99 | 16% off) until 10/6
Art of Balance TOUCH! ($5.20 | 25% off) until 10/20
Parking Star 3D ($1.99 | 33% off) until 10/20
Swords & Soldiers 3D ($3.99 | 50% off) until 10/20
Epic Word Search Collection ($5.99 | 25% off) until 10/6
Epic Word Search Collection 2 ($5.99 | 25% off) until 10/6
TOYS VS MONSTERS ($0.99 | 75% off) until 10/20
Pet Hospital ($9.99 | 66% off) until 10/1
Dress to Play: Cute Witches! ($1.99 | 50% off) until 10/7
Dress to Play: Magic Bubbles! ($1.99 | 50% off) until 10/7
Classic Games Overload: Card & Puzzle Edition ($14.99 | 50% off) until 10/3
4 Elements ($0.99 | 83% off) until 12/29
Azada ($0.99 | 83% off) until 12/29

Check Nintendo’s website for the full list of deals available.

What games will you be downloading this week? Be sure to let us know in the comments!

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