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726

Nintendo Gaming / Best of the Wii U eShop (Round 9: 2017 - Present)

« on: January 17, 2021, 05:57:43 PM »

Background
The Wii U eShop will only be open for a limited time so it is worth looking at the games there while there is still time to buy them. I will be going through the list of eShop games chronologically by release date using Nintendo's Game Store site. I will be skipping over Virtual Console releases for now, but I will cover them at the end. I am also skipping games that were released on disc, unless the disc version costs more than the download.

The Games: Round 9 - 2017 - Present
While it took 8 rounds to cover the first four years of the console, we can cover the remaining four years in a single round. There are 71 titles listed on Nintendo's Game Store site but very few of these were reviewed so I will eschew the typical format and jump right to the highlights.  The list below is severely abridged so feel free to comment with any other titles released during this time frame that are worth mentioning.

Plantera (Ratalaika Games, $4.99, 3DS/Vita) is the final game to offer a the cross-buy promotion with the 3DS.  A demo is also available.

Back to Bed (Bedtime Digital Games, $9.99, Switch/Vita/PS4) has a 56 on Metacritic and, according to my list, last in line to get reviewed as a Wii U game by NWR (NWR Review).

Pic-a-Pix Color (Lightwood Games, $5.00, PS4) also has a free demo available.

The switch version of Use Your Words (Smiling Buddha Games, $14.99, Switch/PS4/XB1) received an 8 from NWR (NWR Review).

In an earlier round, Discord.RSS asked about Kemco RPGS. The switch version of Revenant Saga (EXE-Create/Kemco, $4.99, Switch/Vita/PS4/XB1) got a 7 from NWR (NWR Review).

If you have some extra space on your Wii U, then you might want to pick up Daikon Set (Butterfly) and Cubeshift (Jace Voracek), both of which are free downloads.

Now let's talk about the games developed by Ultra Dolphin Revolution. In addition to Shadow Archer, mentioned in round 8, UDR released Space Hunted ($2.99), Super Ultra Star Shooter ($1.99), Spellcaster's Assistant ($3.99), Shadow Archery ($0.99), Sinister Assistant ($3.99), and Space Hunted: The Lost Levels ($3.99) during the post-switch era. Normally when a developer releases this many games with similar assets and titles, I pass them off as shovel ware. On the other hand, their loyalty to the Wii U (these are all Wii U exclusives as far as I can tell), their clear love of Nintendo (just check their social media), and even their name (a combination of the codenames for past Nintendo systems) garners them some decent street-cred and makes me wonder if there is something here . Unfortunately, the closest thing I can find to a review for any one of these games is Discord.RSS's comment from round 8. I will try to check one of these out and post my thoughts later.

The most recent, and probably last release, on the Wii U eShop is Shakedown Hawaii (Vblank Entertainment, $7.49, Switch/3DS/Vita/PS4/XB1). The switch version scored a decent 6.5 on NWR NWR Review. Vblank's follow up to Retro City Rampage was seemingly disappointing to some, but served as the sole disc release in 2020, providing a satisfying bookend for Wii U collectors. If you missed out on that limited pressing, the physical version will cost you around $50, making the $7.50 eShop price quite the bargain.



Bonus Rounds
As we reach the present day with eShop releases, our attention turns to the Virtual Console. In the coming weeks we will take a look at each system represented and see what might be trapped on the little console that couldn't. Whether you collect the original carts or rely on the switch online service, we should have a few notable titles for all Nintendo fans. This all starts next week with games from the NES.

727

Nintendo Gaming / Re: What games will make your "Year In Review: Most Played" 2021 List?

« on: January 16, 2021, 02:38:47 PM »

Backlog
I try to get to each system at one point or another so here are the top priorities for each:

• Axiom Verge - We just covered this on the best of the Wii U eShop postings and it is burning a hole in my bookshelf. I have to finish my replay of 3D World and a few others but I am determined to complete this one in 2021.
• Monster Boy and the Cursed Kingdom - My Switch backlog is ashamedly large but this what I am most excited to get to. It will actually be my first Monster Boy game
• Ghost Giant - This PSVR title looks really cool and should not take long to complete
• Banjo-Kazooie - I have played a number of titles on Rare Replay but have not yet crossed this rubicon. What is worse, I have never played it as I skipped the N64 generation altogether!
• Mario & Luigi - Partners in Time - I hope to do a little more traveling this year so that means more time with the 3DS. This will be my first M&L game as well. I have heard these are quite long but as long as I can finish FE Fates soon, I should be able to complete this as well.
• Rhythm Heaven Fever - This is the next game to play on Wii and it was the talk of the town on RFN's game of the decade episode. I am really looking forward to it.
• Half-Life 2 - I picked up the Orange Box to play Portal and have not touched the other titles. I want to get to Alyx eventually so I figured I would start with what I already have. I hope it's okay to skip the first one as I don't know how I would even play it.

Replays
I also like to replay games or go back and 100% them. Here are a few planned for 2021

• Alien Isolation I talked about revisiting this during Shocktober last year so hopefully that happends this year. I will either go for a platinum trophy or complete the DLC
• Mega Man Luigi Dude's list of games from last year made me realize I need more Mega Man in my life. I want to play one title each month and finally get to the Z-collection.
• A Link to the Past I have yet to replay this recently so it is long overdue
• Shantae: Half-Genie Hero I have only scratched the surface on the alternate modes in this one so at least one playthrough this year would be nice.
• Death Stranding My partner and I fell for Death Stranding hard. We put 100+ hours in and are only at 80%. After seeing the credits roll we decided to give it a break but I think we will go back and platinum it during the summer. That will probably be another 100 hours!

New Games
When I filled out the hype meter survey I realized I did not have a whole lot on the horizon for new titles this year, but here are the few I know of.

• Balan Wonderland This did not make NWR list but it was at the top of mine. I really hope the Switch version runs well
• No More Heroes 3 I am all caught up on the series after playing one game the past three years. Come on Suda, don't make me buy Lollipop Chainsaw just to get my fix.

728

TalkBack / Re: Bowser's Fury Revealed In New Super Mario 3D World+ Trailer

« on: January 14, 2021, 05:40:47 PM »

From the site https://supermario3dworld.nintendo.com/bowsers-fury/:

"Mario is sent to Lake Lapcat, where everything is cat-themed—and Bowser has gone berserk! Team up with Bowser Jr. to help his dad chill out in this short but action-packed standalone adventure."

"In this free-roaming adventure, you’ll travel to various islands in Lake Lapcat to collect Cat Shines to reignite lighthouses and clear darkened terrain. Watch out for Bowser, though!"

729

Nintendo Gaming / Re: Switch SNES Online: Now You're Playing with Khushrenada!

« on: January 13, 2021, 10:11:27 PM »

Yeah, we totally should... I mean did

730

Nintendo Gaming / Re: Best of the Wii U eShop (Round 8: 2016 - Part 2)

« on: January 13, 2021, 05:46:33 PM »

I havent played any of those, but if I remember correctly, Twisted Fusion was talked about on RFN a bunch a long time ago with Jonny. Maybe even the developer was a guest? I cant remember exactly.

I know the developer, Lewis Pugh, hosts a podcast called Nintendo Voice. I used to listen and was hoping the game would turn out well, but it appears it had too many technical problems.

731

Nintendo Gaming / Best of the Wii U eShop (Round 8: 2016 - Part 2)

« on: January 10, 2021, 02:18:22 PM »

Background
The Wii U eShop will only be open for a limited time so it is worth looking at the games there while there is still time to buy them. I will be going through the list of eShop games chronologically by release date using Nintendo's Game Store site. I will be skipping over Virtual Console releases for now, but I will cover them at the end. I am also skipping games that were released on disc, unless the disc version costs more than the download.
The Games: Round 8 - 2016 - Part 2
Wrapping up 2016 we get our eighth set of eShop titles. There are 40 titles below with info in the following format:
Title (Developer/Publisher, price, availability on other consoles, Metacritic score (Metacritic Rank on Wii U), NWR review score [link to review])

• Defend Your Crypt (Ratalaika Games, $2.99, 3DS)
• Humanitarian Helicopter (Peaceful Games, Free, Wii U only)
• Buddy & Me: Dream Edition (Sunbreak Games, $4.99, App Store, 63, 7 NWR Review)
• Hot Rod Racer (ZeNfA Productions, $0.99, Wii U only)
• Vektor Wars (Super Icon Limited, $7.99, Switch/PS4)
• 3Souls (Red Column, $3.90, Wii U only, 49)
• Dracula's Legacy (Joindots, $3.99, Switch/PS4)
• Overworld Defender Remix (PJ Perretta/Stereo Chromatic, $5.99, Wii U only)
• Dragon Skills (Stargush/Joindots, $7.99, Wii U only)
• Blasting Agent: Ultimate Edition (Ratalaika Games, $2.99, 3DS/Vita/PS4)
• Ziggurat (Milkstone Studios, $14.99, Switch/PS4/XB1)
• Adventure Party: Cats and Caverns (E-Regular Games, $12.99, Wii U only)
• Word Logic by POWGI (Lightwood Games, $9.99, 3DS/Vita/PS4)
• MikroGame: Rotator (Studio de la Torre, $1.99, Wii U only)
• Armikrog (Pencil Test Studios/Versus Evil, $9.99, PS4/XB1, 56)
• Shadow Archer (Ultra Dolphin Revolution, $2.99, Wii U only)
• 140 (Carlsen/Abstraction Games/Double Fine Productions, $7.99, Switch/PS4/XB1, 6.5 NWR Review)
• Axiom Verge (Thomas Happ Games, $7.99, Switch/Vita/PS4/XB1, 89 (10th), 9 NWR Review)
• Tallowmere (Chris McFarland, $4.99, Switch)
• Letter Quest: Remastered (Bacon Bandit Games, $9.99, Switch/Vita/PS4/XB1)
• Jotun: Valhalle Edition (Thunder Lotus Games, $14.99, Switch/PS4/XB1, 79, 8.5 NWR Review)
• SphereZor (James Guard, $9.99, Wii U only)
• Rorrim (Nitrolic Games, $5.00, Wii U only)
• Noitu Love Devolution (MP2 Games, $9.99, 3DS, 79, 7.5 NWR Review)
• Wings of Magloryx (Arbelos Interactive, $9.99, Wii U only)
• Severed (DrinkBox Studios, $14.99, Switch/3DS/Vita, 83 (41st), 8 NWR Review)
• Soul Axiom (Wales Interactive, $14.99, Switch/PS4/XB1, 45)
• PSIBO (Nami Tentou, $4.99, AppStore)
• SKORB (Stereo Chromatic, $8.99, Wii U only)
• Bit Dungeon+ (Dolores Entertainment, $6.00, Switch/3DS,Vita/PS4/XB1)
• Pirate Pop Plus (dadako/13AM Games, $1.99, Switch/3DS, 68, 7 NWR Review)
• Super Destronaut 2: Go Duck Yourself (Petite Games, $1.99, Wii U only)
• Ectoplaza (Syndicate Atomic, $7.99, Wii U only)
• Gravity+ (Nitrolic Games, $7.00, Wii U only)
• Twisted Fusion (Leuvision, $5.00, Wii U only, 36, 5 NWR Review)
• Ohayou! Beginner's Japanese (Finger Fun Games, $4.99, PC)
• Exile's End (Magnetic Realms/Marvelous/XSEED, $9.99, Vita/PS4/XB1, 58, 6 NWR Review)
• Teslapunk (klutzGames, $9.99, XB1, 62)
• SDK Spriter (HullBreach Studios, $7.00, Wii U only)
• Scribble (Bear Box Media, $2.99, Wii U only, 72, 7 NWR Review)

Highlights
As the last big year for the Wii U comes to end we see one more big dump of games. There are of 68 games in this time frame, so I carefully selected the better looking games for the poll and the list. If you recommend any games from the second half of 2016 that are not included, just post a comment. Those looking for a good deal might want to pick up Pirate Pop Plus for only $1.99. If that is too rich for your blood then you can download Humanitarian Helicopter for free. The best reviewed game this round is Axiom Verge, which is the only game, other than Guacamelee, to crack the Metacritic top 10 Wii U games of all time! There was a disc version released by Limited Run on this one but it goes for around $100, so the sale price of $8 in the eShop is looking pretty tasty. Although this title is available on all the platforms, according to Zachary Miller, "This Wii U version is arguably the best one".  The lowest reviewed game is the Kickstarted Twisted Fusion which only eked out a 5 from NWR. If you want to try-before-you-buy then get some free demos for 3Souls, Blasting Agent: Ultimate Edition, Word Logic by POWGI, and SDK Spriter. Mr. Bungle's pick of the week is the Wii U exclusive Scribble. For the low price of $3, you can play your own version of Win, Lose, or Draw (Come on Mr. B, the readers weren't even born when that show was on  ). According to the boys from Talk Nintendo, "Scribble hits all of the marks of a solid multiplayer party game". 



Comments
I welcome any corrections to the information I found when compiling the list. The information here is for the US so let me know about differences in other regions. Not sure what to comment, consider questions like:

• Should you get Severed on Vita, 3DS, or Wii U?
• Who publishes Shooting Range by Thornbury Software?
• How do I duck myself?

732

Nintendo Gaming / Re: Switch SNES Online: Now You're Playing with Khushrenada!

« on: January 07, 2021, 12:10:42 PM »

No problem. Let's just shoot for next Wednesday.

733

Nintendo Gaming / Re: Switch SNES Online: Now You're Playing with Khushrenada!

« on: January 06, 2021, 03:49:00 PM »

Anyone for tennis? Smash Tennis that is. Usual time tonight Khushrenada?

734

Nintendo Gaming / Re: Oh you like video games? Name every game you beat in 2020

« on: January 04, 2021, 12:27:29 PM »

Lets see if I can remember them in order.

Hmm... Doing this from memory, so in order of remembrance:

I am impressed with your memory. I have to check my gaming log just to remember the games I am currently playing!

735

Nintendo Gaming / Best of the Wii U eShop (Round 7: 2016 - Part 1)

« on: January 03, 2021, 01:28:44 PM »

Background
The Wii U eShop will only be open for a limited time so it is worth looking at the games there while there is still time to buy them. I will be going through the list of eShop games chronologically by release date using Nintendo's Game Store site. I will be skipping over Virtual Console releases for now, but I will cover them at the end. I am also skipping games that were released on disc, unless the disc version costs more than the download.
The Games: Round 7 - 2016 - Part 1
In our seventh set of games we look at the first half of 2016. There are 43 titles are up for discussion with info in the following format:
Title (Developer/Publisher, price, availability on other consoles, Metacritic score (Metacritic Rank on Wii U), NWR review score [link to review])

• Wicked Monsters Blast! HD+ (Corecell, $3.99, PS3)
• The Perplexing Orb (TreeFall Studios, $2.00, PS4)
• Level 22 (Moving Player, $6.99, Vita/PS4/XB1, 70)
• Joe's Diner (VIS games/Joindots, $3.99, PS4)
• Shadow Puppeteer (Sarepta Studios/Snow Cannon Games, $14.99, PC, 57, 5 NWR Review)
• Shutshimi (Neon Diety/Choice Provisions, $9.99, Vita/PS4, 77, 8 NWR Review)
• Word Puzzles by POWGI (Lightwood Games, $9.99, Switch/3DS)
• Oddworld: New 'n' Tasty (Just Add Water/Nephilim Games/Oddworld Inhabitants, $19.99, Switch/Vita/PS4/XB1, 81, 8.5 NWR Review)
• Outside the Realm (TreeFall Studios, $0.99, Wii U only)
• Smart Adventures - Mission Math (Engine Software, $2.99, App Store)
• Inside My Radio (Seaven Studio, $1.99, Switch/PS4/XB1, 56, 6 NWR Review)
• Steel Rivals (nuGame, $6.99, PC, 19)
• Twilight Princess HD (Nintendo, $49.99, Wii U only, 86 (22nd), 9 NWR Review)
• Jewel Quest (PlayEveryWare/iWin Inc, $4.99, App Store)
• Grumpy Reaper (EnjoyUp, $4.99, Wii U only, 55)
• Infinity Runner (Wales Interactive, $6.99, PS4/XB1, 59, 6 NWR Review)
• U Host (Andy Ford/Bear Box Media, $1.99, Wii U only)
• Bird Mania Party (Teyon, $1.99, 3DS)
• Mutant Mudds Super Challenge (Renegade Kid/Atooi, $9.99, Switch/3DS/VitaPS4, 83 (38th), 7 NWR Review)
• Lovely Planet (Quicktequila/TinyBuild Games, $2.49, PS4/XB1)
• Emojikara: A Clever Emoji Match Game (Intropy Games, $2.99, Wii U only)
• Paranautical Activity (Code Avarice/Saturnine Games/Digerati, $9.99, Switch/Vita/PS4/XB1, 46)
• Asdivine Hearts (Exe-Create/Kemco, $4.99, Switch/Vita/PS4/XB1, 57, 6 NWR Review)
• Pinball Arcade (Farsight Studios, Free, Wii U only)
• Mini Mario & Friends: amiibo Challenge (Nintendo, Free, 3DS)
• Sudoku and Permudoku (Sebastian & Tosha Küpper/Diplodocus Games, $0.99, Wii U only)
• PixelMaker (Nostatic Software, $4.99, 3DS)
• The Beggar's Ride (Bad Seed, $5.99, App Store)
• SpaceRoads (Wurd Industries, $9.99, PC)
• Midnight 2 (Petite Games, $1.99, Wii U only)
• Super Meat Boy (Team Meat/Blitworks, $14.00, 83, 8.5 NWR Review)
• Tachyon Project (Eclipse Games, $9.99, Switch/Vita/PS4/XB1, 7 NWR Review)
• Queen's Garden (Seven Sails/Joindots, $3.49, App Store)
• 8Bit Hero (Sean Garland/Righteous Weasel, $4.99, Wii U only)
• Sweetest Thing (Seven Sails/Joindots, $3.49, PC)
• Dragon Fantasy: The Black Tome of Ice (Choice Provisions, $9.99, 3DS/Vita/PS4, 7 NWR Review)
• Rynn's Adventure: Trouble in the Enchanted Forest (Arcane Four Studios, $9.99, PC)
• Dual Core (Gray Fin Studios, $9.99, PC, 75)
• The Book of Unwritten Tales 2 (King Art/Nordic Games, $11.99, Switch/PS4/XB1)
• Olympia Rising (Paleozoic Games/Play Every Ware Games, $4.99, PC, 64, 6 NWR Review)
• Twin Robots (Ratalaika Games, $4.99, Vita/PS4)
• Run Run and Die (EnjoyUp, $3.99, Vita)
• Rubik's Cube (Cypronia, $4.99, 3DS)
• Prism Pets (Mouse Potato Games/Intropy Games, $2.99, Wii U only)

Highlights
2016 was the last big year for the Wii U eShop. The full list of 58 games is too long, so I not only selected the better reviewed games for the poll, but I also left some titles off this post entirely. If you recommend any  games from the first half of 2016 not included, just post a comment. Those looking for a good deal might want to pick up Pinball Arcade and Mini Mario and Friends as both are free. The most expensive title this week is the digital version of Twilight Princess HD. Even at $50 you are saving over the physical copies which sell for around $60 CIB.  The Book of Unwritten Tales is also rare, averaging $25 for the disc alone, so check out the sale price of $12 in the eShop. After Twilight Princess HD, the best reviewed games are: Oddworld, Super Meat Boy, and Mutant Mudds, which like last week are three independent title available on Switch. The lowest reviewed game is Steel Rivals which has a paltry 19 on Metacritic. The cross-buy program goes silent this week, but those interested in a demo should check out Word Puzzles by POWGI. My personal pick this week is Dual Core, a slower-paced twin stick shooter with a sci-fi storyline. I really enjoyed this one, it has a 75 on Metacritic, and is a Wii U console exclusive.



Comments
I welcome any corrections to the information I found when compiling the list. The information here is for the US so let me know about differences in other regions. Not sure what to comment, consider questions like:

• Will Nintendo re-release Twilight Princess HD on Switch this year?
• Is Mutant Mudds Super Challenge harder than Super Meat Boy?
• Do you have all the amiibo needed for Mini Mario and Friends?
• Who is your 8 bit hero?

736

Nintendo Gaming / Re: What will Nintendo release in 2021?

« on: January 02, 2021, 02:09:49 PM »

Mr. Bungle's predictions for Nintendo in 2021

- New Switch Model improved Switch hardware releases holiday 2021
- New Game from Ubisoft Uses a Nintendo IP like Mario + Rabbids and Starlink
- Zelda re-releases For 35th anniversary several older games are released on switch, not as a collection
- New Kirby Game Not a platformer
- New Wario or WarioWare Game
- Battletoads (2020) ported to switch
- Games without release dates Bayonetta 3 will release in Summer 2021, Breath of the Wild 2 delayed to 2022, Metroid Prime 4 teaser trailer with 2022 release window
- Wii U eShop Announcement of closure in 2022
- Smash DLC Challengers include a Pokemon and two 3rd party characters, one from Koei Tecmo
- Super Mario Movie Delayed to 2022

737

Nintendo Gaming / Mr. Bungle's 2020 Playthroughs

« on: January 01, 2021, 08:17:03 PM »

Here is what I managed to play in 2020:
Game Title: completion type (if different from first play and any%), system played on, play time, rating

• Gris: Switch, 5 hours, 8/10
• Uncharted 4: A Thief's End: PS4, 16.5 hours, 8/10
• Donkey Kong 64: Wii U, 31 hours, 8/10
• Professor Layton and the Azran Legacy: 3DS, 31 hours, 10/10
• Tomb Raider (2013): PS4, 7/10
• Astro Bot Rescue Mission: PSVR, 10/10
• Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair: 100%, Switch, 31 hours, 10/10
• Sly-Cooper: Thieves in Time: Vita, 7/10
• Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night: 100%, Switch, 23 hours, 8/10
• Tokyo Mirage Sessions #FE: 100%, Wii U, 63 hours, 9/10
• We Happy Few: Replay/100%, PS4, 33.5 hours, 10/10
• Super Mario Party: 100%, Switch, 20 hours, 9/10
• Trine: Enchanted Edition: PS4, 7/10
• Shovel Knight: King of Cards: 100%, Wii U, 13 hours, 9/10
• No More Heroes 2: Desparate Struggle: Wii, 10 hours, 8/10
• Fantasy Zone II: 3DS, 7/10
• ReCore: XBoxOne, 12 hours, 7/10
• James Cameron's Avatar: The Game: PS3, 8.5 hours, 8/10
• Resogun: Replay/Humanist Trophy, Vita, 4.5 hours, 8/10
• New Super Mario Bros.: 100%, 3DS, 12 hours, 8/10
• Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed: Wii U, 9 hours, 7/10
• Air Zonk: Turbo Grafx 16 mini, 8/10
• Trover Saves the Universe: PSVR, 8/10
• Metroid Prime 3: Corruption: Wii U, 15.5 hours, 10/10
• Sonic Mania Plus: Switch, 3 hours, 8/10
• Scribblenauts Unlimited: Wii U, 9.5 hours, 7/10
• Arms: Replay/Grand Prix on hardest difficulty, 50 hours (total for all modes), 10/10
• Super Mario World: Replay/100%, SNES Classic, 10/10
• Dreams: PS4, 8/10
• Splatterhouse (1989): Switch (Namco Museum Arcade Pac), 8/10
• The Wonderful 101: Wii U, 15 hours, 8/10
• The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword: Replay, Wii, 46 hours, 9/10
• Jetpac, Lunar Jetman, Atic Atac: 100%, XBoxOne (Rare Replay), 6/10
• Florence: Switch, 1 hour, 5/10
• Super Mario Sunshine: Switch (Super Mario 3D All-Stars), 20 hours, 7/10
• The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass: Wii U, 23 hours, 9/10
• The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild: Replay/Master Mode, Switch, 90 hours, 10/10
• Shantae and the Seven Sirens: Switch, 9 hours, 9/10

738

Nintendo Gaming / Re: Switch SNES Online: Now You're Playing with Khushrenada!

« on: December 30, 2020, 06:04:33 PM »

Sure. Maybe we can finally complete Pop'N Twinbee on hard this time! Or were you thinking of something else?

Cool, see you in a few hours. Let's put an end to Dr. Mardock, for good!

739

General Gaming / Re: Oculus Quest 2: Entering the VR from the comfort of my BR

« on: December 30, 2020, 04:03:50 PM »

Congrats on joining the VR revolution 
Beat Saber is my favorite so good choice there. I also have Space Pirate Trainer which is like a VR Space Invaders. There is a demo so just try that out first. My new favorite is Dance Central which is a VR dancing game. I think it is way more fun than Just Dance but the music selection might be the deciding factor. I wold also recommend getting a VR counter-balance like the one here. It really helps stabilize the headset if you move around a lot (which you totally should be  )
I almost forgot, Superhot is really awesome. I played on PSVR, but think it would be a better fit for Quest because you are standing and moving around.

740

Nintendo Gaming / Re: Switch SNES Online: Now You're Playing with Khushrenada!

« on: December 29, 2020, 05:43:54 PM »

Hey Khushrenada, are you available for SNES online tomorrow (12/30) at the usual time?

741

Nintendo Gaming / Best of the Wii U eShop (Round 6: 2015 - Part 2)

« on: December 27, 2020, 02:18:34 PM »

Background
The Wii U eShop will only be open for a limited time so it is worth looking at the games there while there is still time to buy them. I will be going through the list of eShop games chronologically by release date using Nintendo's Game Store site. I will be skipping over Virtual Console releases for now, but I will cover them at the end. I am also skipping games that were released on disc, unless that disc is not available or prohibitively expensive.
The Games: Round 6 - 2015 - Part 2
This sixth set of games covers the back half of 2015. The following 49 titles are up for discussion with info in the following format:
Title (Developer/Publisher, price, availability on other consoles, Metacritic score (Metacritic Rank on Wii U), NWR review score [link to review])

• Don't Crash (RCMADIAX, $1.49, Wii U only)
• Land it Rocket (Petite Games, $2.99, PC)
• Tiny Galaxy (Arcane Pixel Games, $2.99, Wii U only, 4.5 NWR Review)
• Dragon Fantasy: The Volumes of Westeria (Choice Provisions, $9.99, 3DS/Vita/PS4, 64, 6 NWR Review)
• The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth (Nicalis, $14.99, Switch/3DS/Vita/PS4/XB1, 8 NWR Review)
• The Quiet Collection (Nostatic Software, $4.99, Vita, 64, 8 NWR Review)
• Xeodrifter (Renegade Kid/Atooi, $9.99, Switch/3DS/Vita/P4/XB1, 8 NWR Review)
• Astral Breakers (Intropy Games, $4.99, PC)
• Kung Fu FIGHT! (Nostatic Software, $4.99, 3DS/Vita, 52)
• Woah Dave! (Choice Provisions, $4.99, 3DS/Vita/PS4)
• Mortar Melon (Nitrolic Games, $5.99, App Store)
• FullBlast (EnjoyUp, $5.99, Switch/Vita/PS4/XB1, 59)
• Runbow (13AM Games, $2.99, Switch/3DS/PS4/XB1, 82 (46th), 9 NWR Review)
• Pixel Slime U (RCMADIAX, $2.99, Wii U only)
• Brave Tank Hero (Arc System Works/Natsume, $5.99, 3DS)
• Gunman Clive HD Collection (Hoberg Productions, $3.39, Switch/PS4, 86 (21st), 9 NWR Review)
• Q.U.B.E: Director's Cut (Toxic Games/Grip Digital, $9.99, PS4/XB1, 68, 8 NWR Review)
• Funky Physics (Petite Games, $1.99, Wii U only)
• Explody Bomb (Alketerios Games, $0.99, Wii U only)
• The Swindle (Dan Marshall/Curve Digital, $14.99, Switch/Vita/PS4/XB1, 72, 7 NWR Review)
• Defense Dome (HullBreach Studios, $1.49, Wii U only)
• Zombie Defense (Teyon, $7.99, PC, 75)
• Rock 'N Racing Off Road DX (EnjoyUp, $7.99, Switch/PS4/XB1)
• Extreme Exorcism (Golden Ruby Games, $5.99, PS4/XB1, 79, 8 NWR Review)
• Beat Buddy (Threaks, $8.99, XB1/App Store, 60)
• Nova-111 (Carbon/Funktronic Labs/Curve Digital, $9.99, Vita/PS4/XB1, 76, 8 NWR Review)
• Starwhal (Breakfall, $11.99, PS4/XB1, 66)
• Hold Your Fire: A Game About Responsibility (Alketerios Games, $1.99, Wii U only)
• Pumped BMX+ (Carbon/Yeah Us!/Curve Digital, $9.99, Vita/PS4/XB1)
• Freedom Planet (Galaxy Trail, $14.99, Switch/PS4, 84 (29th), 9 NWR Review)
• Toto Temple Deluxe (Juicy Beast Studios, $9.99, PS4/XB1, 74, 8.5  NWR Review)
• VoxelMaker (Nostatic Software, $4.99, 3DS/Vita, 58)
• Rakoo & Friends (Old Skull/Moving Player, $9.99, Wii U only, 54)
• Ninja Strike: Dangerous Dash (Natsume, $5.99, App Store)
• Momonga Pinball Adventures (Paladin Studios, $5.99, 57, 6.5 NWR Review)
• Fatal Frame: Maiden of Black Water (Koei Tecmo/Nintendo, $49.99, Wii U only, 67, 8.5 NWR Review)
• Ascent of Kings (Nostatic Software, $1.99, 3DS/Vita, 54)
• Human Resource Machine (Tomorrow Corporation, $9.99, Switch, 72, 8 NWR Review)
• Octodad: Deadliest Catch (Young Horses, $14.99, Switch/Vita/PS4/XB1, 76, 8.5 NWR Review)
• Electronic Super Joy (Michael Todd/Broken Rules, $7.99, Switch/PS4/XB1, 78)
• Word Party (Lightwood Studios, $19.99, Wii U only)
• Test Your Mind (XenoHorizon, $2.99, Wii U only)
• Typoman (Brainseed Factory, $9.99, Wii U only, 57, 4 NWR Review)
• Jones on Fire (Silent Future/Joindots, $2.99, App Store)
• Dinox (Engine Software, $4.99, App Store)
• Sketch Wars (Wildcard Studios, $4.99, Wii U only)
• Fast Racing NEO (Shin'en Multimedia, $14.99, Switch, 81 (52nd), 9 NWR Review)
• Devil's Third (Valhalla Games/Nintendo, $29.99, Wii U only, 43, 3.5 NWR Review)
• Island Flight Simulator (Caipirinha Games/Silent Future/Joindots, $3.99, Switch/PS4)

Highlights
Break out your shovels for the second half of 2015 as a plethora of titles are dumped into the Wii U eShop. The full list of 49 games is very long, so I only included the better reviewed games in the poll. If you recommend any of the games not in the poll, just post a comment. If you are looking to avoid spending much then you might want to get Explody Bomb for under a buck, though Runbow is on sale for just under $3. If you are curious about the most expensive title then you should check out my pick of the week. There were four indie games that scored a 9 with NWR: Runbow, Gunman Clive (21st best game on Wii U), Freedom Planet, and Fast Racing NEO, though all of these are now available on Switch. The lowest reviewed game is Devil's Third which is included in the list since the disc alone sells for around $90 in the US! If you are interested, this game is likely locked on Wii U and the $30 download is probably the way to go. The cross buy program slowly continues with Xeodrifter and Woah Dave! offering your complimentary 3DS downloads. If you interested in demos, there are only two titles to mention, the aformentioned Runbow and Mr. Bungle's pick of the week Fatal Frame: Maiden of Black Water. While the game was released on disc on other regions, in the US it was eShop only. This game makes great use of the game-pad and received an 8.5 from NWR. As stated earlier there is a demo to try it out, of course you will need to fork over $50 for the full download as the game never received a price drop. Personally, I think it is worth it as this is one of the crown jewels of the Wii U.
Comments
I welcome any corrections to the information I found when compiling the list. The information here is for the US so let me know about differences in other regions. Not sure what to comment, consider questions like:

• Will Nintendo ever make another Fatal Frame game?
• Is Freedom Planet the best Sonic game?
• How much better is Rock 'N Racing DX than Rock 'N Racing?
• What do you wear to a Word Party?

742

Nintendo Gaming / Re: Nintendo Switch 2020 Statistics!

« on: December 27, 2020, 11:35:50 AM »

I am a Getaway Traveler as I spent many hours in ACNH

Hours Played

2020: 304
2019: 401

Games Played

2020: 29
2019: 41

Most Played 2020

Animal Crossing
Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair
Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night
Breath of the Wild
Shantae and the Seven Sirens

Most Played 2019

Fire Emblem Three Houses
Yoshi's Crafted World
Super Mario Maker 2
South Park: The Fractured but Whole
Astral Chain

Gold Coins Earned: 1340

Games Starring Mario that I played: 7
If you click on "Explore Mario games" you can see the list their pulling from which is includes Link's Awakening and other games that certainly are not starring Mario.

743

Nintendo Gaming / Re: Best of the Wii U eShop (Round 5: 2015 - Part 1)

« on: December 27, 2020, 11:22:39 AM »

I think OlliOlli 2 is a little easier. I completed the game but never did quite learn how to do some of the moves.

744

Nintendo Gaming / Re: Switch SNES Online: Now You're Playing with Khushrenada!

« on: December 22, 2020, 03:25:53 PM »

I am too busy to play this week
I should be game next week.
If anyone wants to take my place this Wednesday they should hit Khushrenada up, it's a lot of fun.

745

Nintendo Gaming / Best of the Wii U eShop (Round 5: 2015 - Part 1)

« on: December 20, 2020, 12:32:32 PM »

Background
The Wii U eShop will only be open for a limited time so it is worth looking at the games there while there is still time to buy them. I will be going through the list of eShop games chronologically by release date using Nintendo's Game Store site. I will be skipping over Virtual Console releases for now, but I will cover them at the end. I am also skipping games that were released on disc, unless that disc is not available or prohibitively expensive.
The Games: Round 5 - 2015 - Part 1
This fifth set of games encompasses the first six months of 2015. The following 34 titles are up for discussion with info in the following format:
Title (Developer/Publisher, price, availability on other consoles, Metacritic score (Metacritic Rank on Wii U), NWR review score [link to review])

• Maze (TreeFall Studios, $2.99, Wii U only, 29, 3 NWR review)
• Family Tennis SP (Arc System Works/Shin'en Multimedia, $4.99, Switch, 7 NWR Review)
• Rock 'N Racing Off Road (EnjoyUp $5.99, Wii U only, 39, 4 NWR Review)
• Breezeblox (Brennan Maddox/Pugsley, $2.99, App Store, 8 NWR Review)
• Midnight (Vilmos Gyokeres/Petite Games, $1.99, PC, 60, 7 NWR Review)
• Blek (Kunabi Brother/Broken Rules, $5.99, App Store, 75, 8 NWR Review)
• GravBlocks+ (From Nothing Games, $1.00, PC)
• OlliOlli (Carbon/Roll 7/Curve Digital, $9.99, 3DS/Vita/PS4/XB1, 80, 8.5 NWR Review)
• Mario vs. Donkey Kong Tipping Stars (Nintendo $19.99, 3DS, 70, 7 )
• Trine Enchanted Edition (Frozenbyte, $14.99, Switch/PS4, 80, 7.5 NWR Review)
• My Style Studio: Notebook (Cypronia, $2.99, Wii U only, 40)
• Super Destronaut (Vilmos Gyokeres/Petite Games, $1.99, 3DS, 8 NWR Review)
• Elliot Quest (Ansimuz Games/PlayEveryWare Games, $12.99, Switch/3DSPS4/XB1, 76, 9 NWR Review)
• Pentapuzzle (RCMADIAX, $4.49, App Store)
• Bubble Gum Popper (Justin Sargent/Skunk Software, $18.98, App Store)
• Mon Premier Karaoke (RingZero, $9.99, Wii U only)
• Angry Video Game Nerd Adventures (FreakZone Games/Screw Attack Games, $9.99, 3DS, 78, 8 NWR Review)
• Affordable Space Adventures (Nifflas'/KnapNok Games, $19.99, Wii U only, 81 (55th), 8 NWR Review)
• Word Search by POWGI (Lightwood Games, $7.99, Switch/3DS/Vita/PS4, 7 NWR Review)
• Suspension Railroad Simulator (Joindots, $7.99, Wii U only, 1.5 NWR Review)
• amiibo tap: Nintendo's Greatest Hits (Nintendo, Free, Wii U only,  NWR Review)
• Nihilumbra (Beautifun Games, $9.99, Switch/Vita, 76, 8 NWR Review)
• Funk of Titans (EnjoyUp, $8.99, Vita/PS4/XB1, 44, 4.5 NWR Review)
• Ultratron (Carbon/Puppygames/Curve Digital, $9.99, Vita/PS4/XB1, 73, 8 NWR Review)
• Stone Shire (Finger Fun Games, $7.99, Wii U only)
• Swords & Soldiers II (Ronimo Games, $19.99, Switch/PS4, 75, 8.5 NWR Review)
• Journey of a Special Average Balloon (TreeFall Studios, $0.99, Wii U only)
• Don't Starve: Giant Edition (Klei Enterainment, $14.99, Vita/PS4/XB1, 75, 8 NWR Review)
• Adventures of Pip (TicToc Games, $9.99, Switch/PS4/XB1, 78, 8 NWR Review)
• The Stonecutter (Brave Rock Games $1.20, Wii U only)
• Fat City (Heavy Iron Studios, $9.99, Switch/Vita/PS4/XB1)
• Life of Pixel (Super Icon Limited, $9.99, Vita, 64)
• Art Academy: Home Studios (Headstrong Games/Nintendo, $29.99, Wii U only, 82 (47th), 8.5 NWR Review)
• Never Alone (Kisima Initchuna) (Upper One Games/E-Line Media, $14.99, PS4/XB1, 66, 7 NWR Review)

Highlights
The first half of 2015 starts with a steady stream of decent titles. Again the full list was rather long, so I only included the better reviewed games in the poll. If you recommend any of the games not in the poll, just post a comment. The cheapest option this round is amiibo tap: Nintendo's Greatest Hits, which teaches you how to name and register your amiibo in exchange for extended demos of NES games. If you are looking to spend a lot more, then you might check out Art Academy: Home Studio for $30. If you are not already a starving artist, then this purchase will get you a little closer to being one. This is also the best reviewed game of the bunch, 47th best Wii U game according to Metacritic, unless you ask Neal, who would argue that Elliot Quest is the masterpiece of the list. The lowest reviewed game is Suspension Railroad Simulator, which earned the loser score of 1.5 from NWR. If you interested in demos, there are two options this round: Trine and Word Search. In 2015 we see the first cross-buy offers as both OlliOlli and Mario vs. Donkey Kong give you a 3DS download with your Wii U purchase. Mr. Bungle's pick of the week is Affordable Space Adventures. The 55th best game on Wii U makes great use of the game-pad and offers some of the best coop game play on the system.
Comments
I welcome any corrections to the information I found when compiling the list. The information here is for the US so let me know about differences in other regions. Not sure what to comment, consider questions like:

• Did you ever pay full price for Skunk software?
• How can a balloon be special and average?
• How many amiibo did you tap?

746

Nintendo Gaming / Re: Best of the Wii U eShop (Round 4: 2014 - Part 2)

« on: December 14, 2020, 02:51:50 PM »

There's a few things on here I liked, though I think I played most of them on other platforms, with the exception of A World of Keflings, which I reviewed for the site, which Mr. Bungle must have missed when compiling this post.

Apparently I misunderstood the order the games are listed on the NWR Games page . It did seem odd that there was no review as NWR was reviewing almost every game at this point. Thanks for posting the link Insanolord!

747

Nintendo Gaming / Best of the Wii U eShop (Round 4: 2014 - Part 2)

« on: December 13, 2020, 12:44:16 PM »

Background
The Wii U e-shop will only be open for a limited time so it is worth looking at the games there while there is still time to buy them. I will be going through the list of eShop games chronologically by release date using Nintendo's Game Store site. I will be skipping over Virtual Console releases for now, but I will cover them at the end. I am also skipping games that were released on disc, unless that disc is not available or prohibitively expensive.
The Games: Round 4 - 2014 - Part 2
This fourth set of games encompasses the last six months of 2014. The following 37 titles are up for discussion with info in the following format:
Title (Developer/Publisher, price, availability on other consoles, Metacritic score (Metacritic Rank on Wii U), NWR review score [link to review])

• Guacamelee! Super Turbo Championship Edition (DrinkBox Studios, $14.99, Switch/PS4/XB1, 90 (8th), 9 NWR review)
• Internal Invasion (Any Ford/Bear Box Media, $4.99, Wii U only)
• Bombing Bastards (Sanuk Games, $6.99, Switch/Vita/PS4/XB1, 55, 5 NWR Review)
• ZaciSa's Last Stand (ZeNfa Productions, $0.99, Wii U only, 5.5 NWR Review)
• Poker Dice Solitair Future (RCMADIAX, $1.49, App Store, 55, 6 NWR Review)
• The Letter (TreeFall Studios, $1.99, PC, 14, 2 NWR Review)
• Master Reboot (Wales Interactive, $14.99, PS3, 64, 6, NWR Review)
• Super Toy Cars (Eclipse Games, $7.99, Switch/PS4/XB1, 56, 6.5 NWR Review)
• Shut the Box (RCMADIAX, $1.49, Wii U only, 46)
• Ice Cream Surfer (Dolores Entertainment, $2.50, Switch/Vita/PS4, 53, 7 NWR Review)
• Teslagrad (Rain Games, $14.99, Switch/Vita/PS4/XB1, 79 (66th), 8 NWR Review)
• Kickbeat Special Edition (Zen Studios, $9.99, Vita/PS4/XB1, 62, 5.5 NWR Review)
• Spikey Wall (RCMADIAX, $1.49, Wii U only, 3 NWR Review)
• Arrow Time U (XenoHorizon, $1.99, Wii U only, 2.5 NWR Review)
• Angry Bunnies: Colossal Carrot Crusade (Cypronia, $1.99, Switch, 33, 3.5 NWR Review)
• Darts Up (EnjoyUp, $2.49, Switch, 38, 5, NWR Review)
• Red Riding Hood (Brave Rock Games, $1.0, Wii U only)
• Art of Balance (Shin'en Multimedia, $8.99, Switch/3DS/PS4, 82 (48th), 8.5 NWR Review)
• PING 1.5+ (Nami Tentou, $4.99, PC, 8 NWR Review)
• Lone Survivor: The Director's Cut (Superflat Games/Curve Digital, $12.99, Vita/PS4, 76, 6.5 NWR Review)
• Stealth Inc 2: A Game of Clones (Curve Digital, $9.99, Vita/PS4/XB1, 82 (45th), 8.5 NWR Review)
• Rock Zombie (EnjoyUp, $6.99, XB1/App Store, 50, 5.5 NWR Review)
• SDK Paint (HullBreach Studios, $2.99, Wii U only)
• The Swapper (Curve Digital, $19.99, Vita/PS4/XB1, 83, 8 NWR Review)
• Sportsball (Just Clicks, $9.99, Wii U only, 78, 8.5 NWR Review)
• Shuttle Rush (Takusan Works, $3.99, Ouya, 7 NWR Review)
• Flapp & Zegeta (Denysoft, $1.99, Wii U only, 1 NWR Review)
• A World of Keflings (NinjaBee, $9.99, XB360, 70)
• Xavier (Prison Lab, $4.99, Wii U only)
• Alphadia Genesis (Kemco/Natsume, $14.99, Switch/PS4/XB1, 60)
• Thomas Was Alone (Curve Digital, $10.99, Vita/PS4/XB1, 79)
• Lucadian Chronicles (Dark Roast Entertainment, Free (to start?), PC)
• Plenty of Fishies (Nitrolic Games, $4.99, Wii U only)
• Toss N Go (RCMADIAX, $1.49, Wii U only, 5 NWR Review)
• Blok Drop X Twisted Fusion (RCMADIAX, $2.99, Wii U only, 6 NWR Review)
• Spy Chameleon (EnjoyUp, $4.99, Switch/Vita/PS4/XB1, 80, 8.5 NWR Review)
• Toon Tanks (Vilmos Gyokeres/Petite Games, $1.99, Wii U only)

Highlights
The second half of 2014 saw a significant increase in quantity with nearly double the games compared to the first half of the year. The list was so long I only included the better reviewed games in the poll. If you recommend any of the games not in the poll, just post a comment. The cheapest option this round is Lucadian Chronicles, which appears to be free (let me know if there are in-game purchases). If you are a big spender the you might be interested in The Swapper, which at $20 is the most expensive title in this list. The best reviewed game of the bunch is Guacamelee!, which has an 90 on Metacritic and is ranked the 8th best game on the Wii U, the highest rank of any eShop game! The lowest reviewed game appears to be Flapp & Zegeta, which carries the shame of receiving a 1 from NWR. If you interested in demos, there are three games that offer one: ZaciSa's Last Stand, Art of Balance, and SDK Paint. Of course if you have read this far then you clearly want to know Mr. Bungle's pick of the week. This round that distinguished honor goes to Sportsball, which garnered good review scores (an 8.5 from NWR) and appears to be a Wii U exclusive.
Comments
I welcome any corrections to the information I found when compiling the list. The information here is for the US so let me know about differences in other regions. Not sure what to comment, consider questions like:

• Is Lucadian Chronicles free to play or just free to start?
• Whatever happened to Flappy Bird?
• Why was Thomas alone?
• When are we going to get to the Virtual Console?

748

Nintendo Gaming / Re: Switch SNES Online: Now You're Playing with Khushrenada!

« on: December 13, 2020, 11:32:14 AM »

Khushrenada, I am not available this Friday but I could do Wednesday or Thursday evening. Do either of those days work for you?

749

General Gaming / Re: Indie-Cember is here! Play your favorite indies all month long!

« on: December 10, 2020, 07:25:46 PM »

I finished Shantae and the Seven Sirens yesterday and give it a strong recommendation if you are a fan of the series or Indievanias  . I think it is my favorite entry in the series. As I mentioned the production values are very high, but the level design/layout is what won me over. The writing is funny and has some good references to past games. The controls are tight and the abilities are fun to use. My play times was about nine hours and my item collection was at 83%.
This thread also made me reflect on all the great indie games I have played on switch. I thought about listing my top five but it would just be the usual suspects. Instead I will give a shout out to my two favorite lesser known games: Double Cross and Joggernauts. These received okay reviews so they may be acquired tastes. Still if you were on the fence about either then I say go for it.

750

Nintendo Gaming / Re: Best of the Wii U eShop (Round 3: 2014 - Part 1)

« on: December 07, 2020, 07:58:37 PM »

• Why is Cocoto Magic Circus 2 so expensive?

There's an RFN episode about one of these Cocoto games. My impression is it might be a semi-popular franchise in other language areas, like maybe France, Italy, or Brazil. A quick search turned up this eBay listing of an actual disc release with lightgun Wiimotes:

Very cool. I have been coming across quite a few games that had a disc release in other regions but were eShop only in the US. Perhaps they price matched the retail version and that only got as low as $30