e ShOP diSCuSSioN (Fixed the title for ye mas)

I'm still enjoying the 3DS this year, but that's thanks to Nintendo publishing some pretty decent games. I wouldn't turn on my 3DS to play an indie - that'll be for the Switch.

Big man must have been gutted to read today's news about Has Been Heroes and Wonderboy being so successful on the Switch eShop. He's properly missed out there. So have a lot of folk, mind you, albeit not as the expense of focusing all their energy on the 3DS. He's made an arse of it.

The 3DS eShop has had some quality stuff in the last couple of years - Pocket Card Jockey, Go Go Kokopolo 3D and the SEGA 3D Classics, for example - but it's heyday was years ago, arguably before even the Wii U came out.

To be fair to the chap, reading his blog, he seems aware that he's, er, made an arse of it. That the audience has moved on.

I guess that with Nintendo trying to position the Switch as the new home console, there might have been some excuse for thinking that some handheld fans would stick with the 3DS for now? But the rest of the gaming world knew that wasn't the case, so... I have some sympathy, but I feel he should have seen it coming.

I guess he may have even thought well the 3DS has a install base of 65m and Switch 5m, even if all 5m people on Switch didn't even turn on their 3DS's their still be 60m people to possibly buy my game.

Only problem as Cappa points out about Wonder Boy, install-bases don't always matter and I do think a lot of the 3DS audience is made up of casuals who'd wouldn't go near the eShop.

I appreciate that I'm about to announce a tiny demo of a PC game that may be unplayable (or may be excellent - don't get me wrong!) but that does look, as the right honourable gentleman would say, baws. I love a good retro-platformer, but... *sucks air through teeth*

Three demos landed on the eShop this week and I've had a bash on them all.

Kirby Battle Royale looks cute enough, as you would expect, but feels like a collection of minigames. As such, I am unlikely to get on it, myself. Etrian Odyssey V: Beyond The Myth had a ton of character creation tools but was too hard when it came down to the gameplay. It's the only one of the three that I've deleted. The New Style Boutique 3 - Styling Star one, however, has captured my heart and I am likely to purchase it in its finely made-up face on release day. Cuter than a Kirby who's swallowed a fluffy unicorn.

I've only just noticed eShop in written wrong in the title.

A Kirby game on a 7 year old system, can only mean one thing.

I played as demo for the first New Style Boutique when I got my first 3DS XL and it was really good, I was hoping Nintendo or whoever could make the same game but with cars.

Christmas is now complete! Picross e8 will launch before the end of the year.

As I've spectacularly had my fill of Picross games, I'm out. *passes baton to Crumpy Andy*

LAZY GITS

I've got no Picross chat, but does anybody have anything that they'd recommend me downloading in the 3DS eShop Christmas sale? Are the Azure Striker Gunvolt games up to much?

My memory of the original is of a Mega Man-like that was a bit too complex for its own good, and with a hero who filled up too much of the screen. I didn't get far. On a personal level, Cappa, I don't think you'll appreciate the anime aesthetic.

Baws to that. Thanks for the info!

The Cappuccino Kid wrote:

I've got no Picross chat, but does anybody have anything that they'd recommend me downloading in the 3DS eShop Christmas sale? Are the Azure Striker Gunvolt games up to much?

Agreed with Balla - I think you'd like the actual shooting bits but the story bits (of which there were more than there should have been) would probably turn you away from the game.

I can recommend EDGE (the game, not the magazine), Super Street Fighter IV (ridiculous price, if you've got the space) and SteamWorld Heist (though it might be worth waiting for the Ultimate Edition on the Switch).

I don't know if you guys have seen but Nintendo are starting to eShop functions in certain Latin American and Caribbean countries

In certain Latin American and Caribbean countries, limited Nintendo eShops for the Wii U system and Nintendo 3DS family of systems have provided a few basic functions, such as game code redemption. Those limited Nintendo eShops will close on July 31, 2020 and users in the affected regions will no longer be able to access them to redeem a download code, redownload software or update software, so we encourage users to take any such actions before the closure date.

Also, any software that requires the limited Nintendo eShops to operate may cease to function. (Note that Mexico and Brazil will not be affected.) We thank everyone for using the limited Nintendo eShops and for being such great fans of Nintendo.

At the moment we're fine and I know Mario Kart 8 on Wii U is still very active which uses the eShop function to operate, I guess is what that refers to in the press release for Latin American and Caribbean.

Just the longer time I goes on the closer we get to this happening in our locations, that now is maybe a good time to talk about some eShop and even VC games which I know the Wii U does have a great selection (3DS I'm less sure) and I was only looking at buying Pandora's Tower through the Wii U eShop the other day.

I haven't though as I was hoping to use a voucher from My Nintendo to get it for £11.99 (I think) but no Wii U vouchers are on My Nintendo any more, just 3DS ones.

Double Post and in relation to the last one

Nintendo has announced the discontinuation of the 3DS eShop and the Wii U eShop as of "late March" 2023.

While you'll still be able to redownload games and DLC, receive software updates and play online beyond this date, the ability to purchase games will "no longer be possible" and new content will no longer be released on these digital storefronts.

Credit cards can no longer be used to add funds as of 23rd May 2022 and Nintendo eShop card funds can no longer be added to eShop accounts as of 29th August 2022. However, download codes can still be redeemed until late March 2023.

The Wii U VC is still decent, especially with GBA that I'm tempted to go this month I'll buy Metroid Fusion as not a huge amount then following Pandoras Tower till the store closes. Can't of much on the 3DS, but can see it driving physical prices up.

Rather than rush to buy things before the closure I'd probably just look into emulation/hacking my 3ds/wii U. From what I saw on twitter earlier it's apparently easy to do as well.

Yeah could do that, personally not for me.

Did think though whilst at work the GBA Castlevania games now available in a collection, Pandoras Tower I'll likely buy on Wii physically at somepoint (prices may go up though), I own likes of Minish Cap etc

Still be some stuff but maybe not as much as I thought.

Surely any funds I’d add through my joint Nintendo account will still work on my 3DS and Wii U until late March next year?

Regardless, this isn’t unexpected news but it’ll give me the jolt to go download all that exclusive stuff that I’d been holding off on. I’ll do my research and I’ll browse the eShops myself, but right now Harvest Moon 64 (it’s only PAL release) and Super Mario Advance 4 (with the added eReader levels) are the only things springing to mind as must-downloads for me on the Wii U. I’m sure there’s loads more to unearth on 3DS, and from the soon-to-be-totally-gone DSiWare as well.

There’s plenty of Virtual Console game that are far cheaper digitally than physically, Virtual Console games that I’m not expecting we’ll see again in any form or fashion for a long time. The Wii games on Wii U is a good example of that, with stuff like A Shadow’s Tale, Kirby Adventure Wii and Beat The Beat: Rhythm Paradise. I’ll need to sniff about for more.

Yeah if you got any money on your Switch and linked to 3DS/WiiU  you can use that money till March 2023.

Those Wii games are a good shout, as I mentioned Pandoras Tower as well, I'd like to have in the collection but not sure I want to pay big bucks for a Shadow Tale.

Shadow's Tale >>>>>>>>>>>>>Pandora's Tower m8

Either way Andy both expensive Wii games to buy physical and not sure I'd want to pay the big bucks for them

Same for Prime Trilogy, Nintendo announce that remaster for like £50 on Switch.

I have a copy of Pandora's tower & I really don't know why.

Umm because not a lot else on Wii at that time?

Aye maybe but I'm usually not one to buy any old game just because there's nothing else.