DSiWare Titles to Survive Slim eShop Launch - News
by VGChartz Staff , posted on 03 June 2011 / 4,537 Views
With E3 right around the corner, it can be easy to forget that Nintendo is on the verge of launching the eShop, the 3DS' digital download service. But outside of free stuff, the eShop's launch is extremely slim in North America and Europe. Thankfully, like with retail titles, 3DS will be almost entirely backwards compatible with DSiWare day one. While you wouldn't think it with the weekly shovelware pushed onto the service, there are actually quite a few titles worth picking up. So until there is something on the store worth buying outside of Super Mario Land, here are some DSiWare titles to keep you busy.
X-Scape
Star Fox fans have been waiting years for a new title. And while Star Fox 64 3D is on the way, it's a remake. While not entirely the same, Star Fox fans looking for something new should turn their eyes to X-Scape. Not only does it feature both ground and aerial combat, it also features free roaming areas somewhat similar to that found in Star Fox Command. Players complete objectives in these areas before warping to the next area via on-rail tunnel sequences where they have to evade obstacles. Even the graphical style looks very similar to the original Star Fox title, going for a more simplistic polygon look. The similarities make sense though as Dylan Cuthbert of Q-Games, who also worked on the original Star Fox and the unreleased Star Fox 2, was behind the title.
Dragon Quest Wars
eShop will be launching with the strategy game, Radar Mission, on the Virtual Console. But if you look at some gameplay, it's easy to tell that half of the game is a Battleship rip-off. It may not have submarines, captains or torpedo explosions, but Dragon Quest Wars features cute and somewhat cuddly monster-based strategy RPG action. The title pits two to four players against one another with four man teams that can be composed of six different types of Dragon Quest monsters. Well balanced units each with their own strengths, weaknesses and abilities ensure this title has more depth than the simple visuals may lead you to believe. And to top it all off, the title supports online multiplayer.
Chronos Twins
At first Chronos Twins may just look like a Mega Man style platformer. But once you take a look at the second screen, you'll realize that there is so much more going on with this title. Two times more to be exact, as you will be controlling characters on both screens simultaneously. The main character exists in both the past and the present, leaving you to control him in both time periods. The title will put your multitasking skills to the test as you'll have to fend off enemy swarms on one screen as you dodge obstacles on the other.
Art Style (Series)
Okay, maybe listing the entire series is cheating a little bit. The Art Style series has so many titles on DSiWare it is hard to pick one. Originally spawning on the Game Boy Advanced as Bit Generation titles, the Art Style series is known for its simplistic yet challenging puzzle gameplay. There are seven titles in all, including the somewhat Bejeweled-like number matching game, Base 10 and the Tetris-like PiCTOBiTS. The titles would fit right into Apple's app store if it weren't for the fact that they are published by Nintendo and cost five times more than most 99 cents games on the store.
Shantae: Risky's Revenge
You knew it was going to land on this list at some point. Shantae: Risky's Revenge was a sequel eight years in the making, before it finally landed on DSiWare late last year. This old school Metroid-esque side scroller has players whipping enemies using Shantae's hair and transforming into different animals via belly dancing. Not only is Shantae 2D gaming at its finest, but it also features unique multi-layered visuals that display other areas that you can transverse in the background, complete with NPCs and enemies. The title is considered one of the best DSiWare titles out there. Some even say it's one of the best DS games flat out.
