Minor quirks aside, NES Remix is a real treat that came out of nowhere. It always amazes me how Nintendo can keep things so secretive and, in this case, make no mention of it until the release day.
Unepic is a liar. There — I said it. Why is it a liar? Well, look at the name — the game implies that it\'s \"unepic,\" but in actuality, this is one of the most epic quests seen on the Wii U eShop. The name actually helps set the tone because, while the gameplay is for the hardcore gamer, the game manages to lighten the tone with excellent and funny dialogue.
Overall, however, The Fall was very enjoyable. For the $10 asking price, you receive a great story and solid game play in a four-hour episode. The game has a great ending that has me eagerly anticipating the next episode of the game.
By combining classic platforming with Wii U specific features like Off-TV play and beautiful graphics, Paper Monsters Recut manages to shake up the somewhat stagnant platforming scene by being just plain fun. The variety of the game is fantastic, and Mobot Studios did a great job with this title. Paper Monsters Recut deserves a spot on your Wii U hard-drive.
Besides the personal preference on the story telling comic-book style, the only real concern with the game is that there is a heavy emphasis on trial and error, which could turn those less patient off. However, those with even just a little bit of patience are advised to pick up Stealth Inc. 2: A Game of Clones. With tons of content, top-notch graphics and audio, and pin point controls, Stealth Inc. 2 is an easy consideration for one of the best eShop games of 2014. Couple that with amazing local co-op that uses the GamePad in an excellent manner, and you have possibly one of the best overall Wii U games of 2014.
Sportsball is a game for college dorm rooms, with beer flowing throughout the night, and competition at its peak. Sportsball is a game for the family to play around the Holiday season to help bring them together. As lackluster as it is as a single player experience, it's that much more fantastic as a local multiplayer experience, and that simply cannot be denied. Gather some friends, family, neighbors, or even strangers, and give Sportsball a try.
If you are a Wii U only owner, Watch Dogs is a decent buy if you want a GTA-like experience, but I'd wait for a used copy or a price drop. Although the driving hinders the game, good graphics and a decent amount of content make this a good, but uninspired game.
At the end of the day, Shantae and the Pirate’s Curse is a very enjoyable game.
Overall, Chariot is another top-tier indie game on the Wii U. A lot of love and care went into this game, and it shows in both the excellent mechanics and audio/visual package.
As much as the first hour or so of the game frustrated me, I really grew to love Majora's Mask 3D. The best way to describe the game is to think of the change between Zelda and Zelda II: both are great games, but both play very differently. Although the transition from Ocarina of Time to Majora\'s Mask isn\'t as drastic, at first it really doesn\'t feel like a traditional Zelda game. Maybe that\'s the charm of it though. It's so outside of the box that you don't expect it to flow together at first, but a couple hours in, you come to the realization that not only is this a great Zelda game, it is easily one of the best. Great dungeons, a deep and intricate story, and excellent side quests due to the 3 Day window make for a Zelda game that every 3DS owner should pick up, whether they played the original or not.
Kirby and the Rainbow Curse isn't going to be a game that is mentioned in Game of the Year conversations at the end of the year, but it is a great way to kill some time in a beautifully created world.
The Wii U version also supports Off-TV play on the fly, or will show you your sub-missions much like the touch screen does on the 3DS version of the game. While the 3DS version of OlliOlli is very solid, if I had to choose between the two, the Wii U is the clear winner. With (to me) more responsive controls, better graphics and colors, and higher audio quality, the Wii U version manages to outshine the 3DS slightly. All of the other slight frustrations from the 3DS version remain (no cross-save data, some poorly placed obstacles), but as a whole OlliOlli is a great addition to both the Wii U and 3DS library. The Wii U one is just slightly better.
Mario Party 10 isn't a bad game, but it's not a great game that it should have been for the anniversary of the series.
BOXBOY! is a solid puzzle game with touches of platforming mixed in that puzzle game fans should check out. It doesn't reinvent the wheel of the genre or leave a lasting impression, but it's a fun way to tease your brain and enjoy some clever puzzle designs. If you don't find yourself enjoying puzzle games, BOXBOY! will probably be a pass for you, but for those of us who enjoy a good challenge, BOXBOY! is a worthy addition to your 3DS eShop library.
Affordable Space Adventures is an indie title with a $20 price tag, and that may make some would-be purchasers leery of the investment. I can say with full confidence that the price tag is not only justified, but might even be too low. Big studios never took the time to flesh out the GamePad and see what it was possible of doing, but Affordable Space Adventures shows why the Wii U GamePad exists: to provide an experience that can only be done on the console. Take the plunge, spend the $20, and get lost in the world of Spectaculon to play one of the finest Wii U titles to date.
High Strangeness was a game I wanted to love, but I ended up just liking it. The fantastic score and solid visuals can't make up for the short experience and that is quite the shame because what is there is really solid. If a sequel is ever considered, I would hope the developers would consider making a longer voyage. Fans of retro RPGs and Action-RPGs will find enjoyment here, but just don't expect it to last very long.
Many fans wanted Splatoon to be Nintendo's answer to Halo or Call of Duty, and I don't know if that is fair. If you are expecting that, Splatoon might not be the game for you. Splatoon is to shooters what Mario Kart was to racers: it emphasizes pick up and play fun. It's a fun and lighthearted game with some great mechanics and focus on elements of the shooting genre that have never been looked at the same way before. The world is alive with color and paint and is a treat for the eyes. While the initial amount of maps and modes may be deterring, the sheer fun of the game manages to outshine any strong negative feelings I had. It's not a perfect game, but it's fun: plain and simple.
During the 5th and 6th generation of gaming, the 3D platformer was a viable genre that was alive and well. With tons of mascots and different games to choose from, the landscape was brimming with variety. While Kickstarter successes have brought back the appeal of the 3D platformer, it has been quite a while since we have seen 3D platformers like in the 6th generation. The Legend of Kay was a PS2 title released in 2005, and although critically well received, the game went mostly unnoticed by gamers due to stiff competition. Now that the competition has all but dried up, how does the Legend of Kay Anniversary fare on the Wii U?
Truth be told, I had some fun with FullBlast. The visuals are solid, the gameplay is good, and it could have been a stellar title with some more polish. The strange text issues show that this was a bit of a rushed game, along with the fact that the game actually crashed on me twice while looking at the leaderboards. If you are a fan of the classic days of shmup games, FullBlast is worth checking out, just don't expect anything revolutionary in the genre.
Year Walk is a game I thought I was going to love, but I just merely like it. It's not a bad game by any means, and I think some fans of both dark art and horror will enjoy this game much more than I did, but for me, I have to hark back to that abstract art analogy I used earlier. You either "get it" or you don't, and for me, Year Walk was just not the game for me.