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eShopping - November 24, 2016

by Daan Koopman - November 24, 2016, 4:52 pm EST
Total comments: 4

Octopi, fish, balls and cats? Nope, nothing stops this digital train from its next destination.

Welcome to the belated second edition of eShopping! A lot of games happened in the last week and a half, but we finally return to normality to bring you thoughts on downloadable games for Wii U and Nintendo 3DS. As we hit the holiday season, the pickings will be slimmer, but that won't stop us from delivering the goods. In this week's showcase, we spin with an octopus, fish and balls. There is also a look at the first five games of the grand Kutar apocalypse!

Octocopter: Super Sub Squid Escape (Wii U, NA/EU)

Octocopter is similar to Kuru Kuru Kururin, the legendary GBA game that released for the first time in North America earlier this year. As in Kururin, the Octocopter is a constantly-rotating stick shaped machine that moves while solving puzzles and avoiding obstacles. Playing Octocopter brought all of those feelings back, but there are a few differences. There are new collectibles to find, and the ship can fire missles that destroy obstacles and defeat bosses. The levels have their own explosives, which when added to the other impedements create a fun tempo and more than a few tense moments. If taking a leap of faith seems fun, Octocopter has a low price, so definitely check it out!

Recommended: Yes

Aqua TV (Wii U, EU)

Back in the days of WiiWare, in addition to a lot of interesting games, there was also a section featuring fireplace and aquarium simulators. Aqua TV tries to bring that feeling back in spades with aquariums of different sizes, fish and accessoires. Where it falters comes down to two specific areas and these really can't be ignored. A lot of content is put behind an additional paywall. You will need to purchase DLC to get access to all the features in Aqua TV, which sounds fishy (pun completely intended) to me. At the base price, you really aren't getting that many customization options. Next to this, the framerate really chugs in the bigger aquariums. You will notice that the game significantly drops once you try to put a large number of fish into it. Once you let this scroll by like a screensaver, you will truly see the monster you created. If I am being totally honest, the WiiWare versions are a lot better if you need one of these.

Recommended: No

Shoot The Ball (New Nintendo 3DS, EU/NA)

I would call RCMADIAX's track record neither here or there, but Shoot The Ball brings extremely little to the table. In the game, you will have to tap on the touchscreen to make a ball shoot away. What you are trying to achieve is that the ball escapes by launching through one of the gaps surrounding it. It is easy enough that anybody can understand what is going on. That being said, I am not a fan of using the touchscreen in this instance. You don't have that direct button control, which allows you to put your focus on the screen. Next to that, there is no challenge beyond the same couple of shapes that pop up. After a couple of rounds, you will know your way through the obstacles and the timing you need to succeed. There is no real reason to return after a little bit and that is what makes Shoot The Ball not even a solid budget title.

Recommended: No

Kutar Apple (Nintendo 3DS, NA)

Catch apples in the basket on your back and avoid everything else that comes down. You will move left and right and make sure that it lands at the right angle. If the objects land on your head, they will bounce off, which may result in some unexpected circumstances. It is fun the first couple of times, but it doesn't really have any staying power.

Recommended: No

Kutar Burger Factory (Nintendo 3DS, NA)

You will need to help assembling burgers in this Kutar minigame. Your tasks are simple: place the top bun if the burger is correct or send it back down the line. With easy controls and instructions, it is really hard to fail on this one. This is what makes the Burger Factory actually one of the more boring offerings in the entire collection.

Recommended: No

Kutar Concert Staff (Nintendo 3DS, NA)

In this fast paced game, you will need to push lines back before they get a chance to reach the artist performing. As you deal with these naughty kittens, they will try to trick you in clicking on their respective lines (resulting in a game over). Concert Staff becomes increasingly challenging over time with multiple lines trying to push more and more. This one kept being entertaining!

Recommended: Yes

Kutar Magic Ball (Nintendo 3DS, NA)

In this Kutar game, you try to hit the ball on the touchscreen. It will approach you and stop for a short moment, so there isn't much time to react. Magic Ball will trick you will multiple balls, which is where you likely fail. After a couple of times, you have seen it all.

Recommended: No

Kutar Quiz (Nintendo 3DS, NA)

Did you ever wanted to answer easy questions in never ending succession? No, me neither. Sadly, that is what you will be getting when you decide on purchasing Kutar Quiz.

Recommended: No

Pick of the Sales - Oddworld: New 'n' Tasty (Wii U)

Europe: €9.99/£7.49 (Ends December 4, normally €19.99/£14.99)

North America: $9.99 (Ends December 5 at 8:59AM PT, normally $19.99)

What better way to kick off the end of November with an awesome puzzle-platformer! You play as Abe, a wonderful fellow who works as a cleaner for the Rupture Farms food processing plant. Everything seems swell until he finds out that his boss has plans to turn him and the other Mudokans into tasty snacks. Now it is up to you to save Abe and his friends by destroying traps and misleading enemies. The world is a playground and it is up to you to figure out all the tools in it. You can find more information in the review that I wrote when it came out: it was an 8.5.

Talkback

Order.RSSNovember 25, 2016

Hey I like this type of round-up, are there gonna be more of them maybe once a month or so?

DaanDaan Koopman, Associate Editor (Europe)November 25, 2016

Quote from: Steefosaurus

Hey I like this type of round-up, are there gonna be more of them maybe once a month or so?

The last one came out two weeks ago, so expect them at that rate usually!

Order.RSSNovember 25, 2016

Quote from: Daan

The last one came out two weeks ago, so expect them at that rate usually!

Neat, thanks! The eShop has really saved the Wii U for me. I mean, the Nintendo titles were always going to be quality, but things like Severed, Affordable Space Adventures, Year Walk, Shantae, Octodad, Spy Chameleon etc. have really been the highlights of Wii U for me. So seeing more stuff you'd normally overlook is aces.

PhilPhillip Stortzum, November 26, 2016

I agree with Steefosaurus, Daan. This is a great segment to allow you to cover the smaller games where it might be hard to write a normal-sized review for. Also, it's awesome for covering more downloadable games that might otherwise not get coverage.

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