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Shantae and the Pirate's Curse is a triumph for WayForward and a treat for gamers. Very minor issues aside, this is one of the strongest titles on Nintendo's eShop and should be looked at as an example of how polished and robust a downloadable game can be. We're glad to see Shantae expand her horizons with the multiplatform Half-Genie Hero, but it's going to be hard to top this excellent Nintendo-exclusive adventure.
Lego Batman 3 may not be the greatest adventure — or even the greatest LEGO adventure — on the Wii U, but it's certainly still well worth a look for series fans. Repetitive gameplay elements and some occasionally awkward controls bring down the Dark Knight's latest, and the lack of an explorable open world feels like a step back from its predecessor, but fun writing, excellent co-op, and lots of LEGO charm are more than enough to seal the deal for DC devotees.
There's plenty to enjoy in Sonic Boom: Shattered Crystal, but it's nothing revolutionary. It's one of the better Sonic outings of recent times, but unfortunately that's not saying an awful lot. If you're a Sonic fan or you enjoy platformers, you can do an awful lot worse, and this may be one to grab should the opportunity or a bargain price arise.
If you can put up with Alphadia Genesis' liberal use of tired cliches, poor localization, and dissonant presentation, you'll find a fun little JRPG with fast-paced combat and a refreshingly simple customization system. A little more effort on the part of the writers would have gone a long way toward making the narrative and characters less insufferable, but as-is most JRPG fans should be well-versed enough in this banality to look past it and enjoy the game for what it is.
Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker is a rare case of a game that feels truly designed — from the ground up — with the Wii U in mind. The GamePad is utilised just enough to be worthwhile without being a nuisance, and the only mis-step is that the difficulty later in the game can't be eased by assistance from a friend, parent or game-savvy son or daughter. That aside, it's relentlessly charming and joyous, and is another example of Nintendo's developers flexing their creative muscles along with game-making skill. There's nothing else like this on Wii U, and it's a welcome addition to the system's growing library.
Watch Dogs is a bold, ambitious game that delivers well in some areas, though nevertheless feels like an iteration away from reaching its potential; the inevitable Watch Dogs 2 could be one to keep an eye on. It's a sizeable, enjoyable game, but one that is let down on the Wii U by poor optimisation and disappointing performance; the frame-rate is inconsistent but tolerable while on foot, but often struggles badly when driving. It's possible to play Watch Dogs and work through these bottlenecks, but that shouldn't be expected of the gamer in a big-budget, pricey retail experience.
Big Red Button spoke enthusiastically about the development process throughout the promotion of Sonic Boom: Rise of Lyric, which makes us think that the disappointing final product is a victim of being rushed out the door to accommodate the cartoon's release. As a result, Sonic Boom: Rise of Lyric is recommended only for those starved for a new adventure platformer and patient enough to sit through the poor technical performance.
For fans of local multiplayer and party games, Sportsball is a must-have.
Persona Q has something for everyone. If you're a Persona fan, you'll get a huge kick out of seeing your old Gekkoukan and Yasogami classmates in an all-new adventure, and Etrian Odyssey fans open to a change will love it — this is the story-driven experiment of Etrian Odyssey Untold taken to the next level, with a stylistic overhaul to match. And if you haven't played either of its inspirations, you're still in luck — this isn't just a great crossover, it's a fantastically fun RPG in its own right, with colourful characters, engaging gameplay, and a whole heap of style. Persona fans will undoubtedly get the most out of the fan-service, but even if you can't tell Junpei from Junes, you'll still have a blast exploring Persona Q.
Super Smash Bros. for Wii U is an expertly crafted, deep fighter that is a pure joy to play no matter your skill level.
Overall, Pokémon Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire seem very similar to Pokémon X & Y, as you might expect, but the story and the environments you encounter feel – despite the fact that they are remakes – very fresh and unique. They're not an extensive upgrade from their other 3DS counterparts, but any Poké-fan who's played one of the series remakes in the past knows that expecting an enormous upgrade is a fool's errand. These titles should be considered as games that belong alongside X & Y, rather than successors. — they've successfully surpassed X & Y, however, by building on the tremendous features available on the 3DS and pushing new ideas such as the Soar ability. Pokémon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire are a must-buy for any Poké-fan, even if you already own X or Y.
Price aside, this is definitely a game you should experience in some form or another, even if the only way for you to play it is on Nintendo's home system.
Although The Swapper was originally released on PC nearly a year and half ago, this does little to dampen its appeal on Wii U; this is a title feels fresh and unique when stacked up against some of the other download games the eShop has to offer. With its unsettling environment, intriguing storytelling and some truly mind-bending puzzles, the entire experience oozes quality.
Costume Quest 2 is an enjoyable romp through an appealing story of fun and sugary treats. The characters are all delightful and the game looks the part. Unfortunately the novelty of the combat wears thin rather quickly and some crippling performance issues can at times make the game a frustrating mess. Its simplistic gameplay is more suited to those with less gaming experience, but there's still plenty to be enjoyed by more hardcore fans looking for something a bit more relaxing or less complicated for a change; just be prepared to play for the charm and story instead of the repetitive combat sequences.
Even through mimicking XCOM's tactical gameplay and utilizing the setting of the popular TNT series as a reference point for the campaign, Falling Skies: The Game feels about ten years too late to impress. Currently, there's nothing else that delivers a tactical shooter of this kind on Wii U, which is something of a selling point. Unfortunately what it delivers is a bland, watered-down version of the genre that even hardcore fans will probably want to stay away from.
Trap Team continues the Skylanders legacy in style, serving up an excellent adventure with fun gameplay, lots of variety and top-notch production values both on-screen and off. It's kid-friendly in every sense of the word, though grown-up gamers will find plenty to enjoy here as well.
Pier Solar is a labour of love that makes its passion known right from the first scene. It's an absolutely gorgeous title with inspiration from just about every classic Japanese role-playing game released in the late 80's and early 90's. Unfortunately, it drags some artefacts from that era with it, and as a result features conspicuous problems that will get in the way of your fun. If you can ignore the slow battle system, vapid story, and abysmal dialogue, Pier Solar's efforts may win your heart. If you've got no love for this genre, steer clear — this is one for enthusiasts only.
It's a gem of an indie titles on the Wii U eShop, and any puzzle fan would be mad to miss out.
While Ultimate NES Remix is technically a sound game, it comes across as a rather modest, slightly lazy port. You're only getting about two thirds of the original content from the original Wii U eShop releases, and what was arguably one of the most fun instances of Miiverse integration is completely absent. If you don't see yourself getting a Wii U in the near future and desperately want to see what the fuss is all about, this is still a good investment, but otherwise it's probably best to just pick up the original titles or wait for the combo pack.
With its 2D visuals and seemingly flat environments, Lone Survivor might seem like a simplistic take on the horror genre. Ultimately however, it's under the limitations of this simplicity that the game really shines, leaving just enough to the imagination without seeming too bare. Through the blurred lens of it's admittedly tired pixelated graphics, environments drip with atmosphere, creatures shamble along menacingly, and the search for answers is always compelling. Though it takes some getting used to, partly due to a baffling map system, the psychological horror of Lone Survivor can extend far beyond the confines of the television screen.