Looking Ahead at the 3DS eShop's Early 2012 Lineup

Ever since its launch, we've been waiting for Nintendo's eShop on the 3DS to really become a driving force for the system, proving that the publisher has a digital strategy as compelling as its traditional cart-based one. Then came Pushmo. Developed by Intelligent Systems, the makers of Paper Mario, Fire Emblem and Advance Wars, this game has proven as addictive as anything the 3DS has offered so far. Despite only being available as a download, Pushmo is without a doubt a must-have game for the 3DS.

In the last couple days, we've had a chance to go hands-on with a number of upcoming eShop titles, ranging from games being developed by Nintendo's own teams to software in the works by third parties. Though release dates are still being determined, we're told you can expect the vast majority of them to hit the eShop in Q1 of 2012 (by the end of March, in other words). Read on for our thoughts on Mighty Switch Force, Dillon's Rolling Western, Mutant Mudds, VVVVVV, NightSky, Sakura Samurai: Art of the Sword and Colors! 3D. As always, check back when the games are released for our full reviews.

Though we're not in love with every game on this list, there's no doubt that the 3DS eShop is rapidly getting some compelling material. Headlined by Pushmo and the new versions of Find Mii and Puzzle Swap, there is a lot of 3DS entertainment to find without buying a single boxed game.

Officer Patricia Wagon is on a mission to recapture the Hooligan Sisters, inmates that have escaped and are roaming free on Planet Land. Wagon's equipment enables her to interact with various elements of the world around her, shifting blocks, enabling canons and more. By manipulating these devices, solving puzzles, saving her progress at Ugly Checkpoint Dogs, and blasting a few bad guys along the way, Wagon attempts to restore peace to her city.

If the concept of Mighty Switch Force sounds a little insane, that's because it is, but in the best way possible. The developers responsible for Aliens, Thor and Shantae: Risky's Revenge on the DS are bringing their usual sense of charm, humor and 2D expertise to a new world of puzzle-heavy action. Mighty Switch Force is certainly one of the best eShop games we've seen so far, relying on a simple premise to carry it a very long way – like any great old school game might.

Gameplay is simple – jump and shoot your way through a relatively small level while using your "Siren Helmet" to interact with the world. Though you are able to shoot some of your enemies to make progress, the bulk of your time will be spent solving obstacles, often revolving around activating or deactivating various mechanisms. You'll move blocks into the foreground and background and fire off canons, which are combined to create puzzles ranging from the obvious to mind-bending. The developers have also included target times for each level, offering an extra challenge for the more dedicated player. All in all, Mighty Switch Force is shaping up nicely, and should be well worth checking out when it's finally released.

Despite having a title that's impossible to pronounce, VVVVVV is a great throwback to a very old school era of gaming – the Commodore 64. The premise of this game is simple – as Captain Viridian, you move through different screens (there is no scrolling) attempting to rescue five of your comrades. Though platform-based, there is no jumping, and your only command outside of moving left or right is to press A to flip the screen.

VVVVVV is a very challenging game. The bulk of that challenge comes from manipulating the world to avoid traps and navigate to your allies, which is far easier said than done. The developer responsible for porting the game from its PC origins to the 3DS told us one tester died over 2,000 times trying to complete the regular game. Players wanting an easier experience will be able to activate a mode that slows down the speed of the game or another that adds invincibility. This new version adds over a dozen new maps that will come first to the 3DS, including one developed by Minecraft creator Notch. All of these creations, called "player levels," will be available immediately, so those of you familiar with VVVVVV will have new material to play right away.

Though primitive in a sense, VVVVVV is incredibly addictive, and will serve up a merciless, old school challenge for those looking for it. There's no doubt the graphics will turn off some, but if you love games like the Bit.Trip series, there's no way you should pass this up.

Not all eShop games are created equally, it seems. Despite being one of the two games developed internally by Nintendo, Dillon's Rolling Western was by far the worst eShop demo we've had a chance to test recently. The concept – a more in-depth version of tower defense – seems reasonable enough, but the execution is all over the place.


Dillon's Rolling Western attempts to achieve a streamlined tower defense experience by creating distinct segments for resource gathering, resource selling and then defending your town. The problem with all of this is the game controls poorly and lacks any sort of visual finesse. Levels are vast, plain and completely ordinary, while getting your armadillo hero to move is a chore. Movement and combat is driven through the touch pad by "pulling back" with the stylus and releasing, but in practice this only works so well. Trying to tap or hold to attack once you're moving doesn't work very well, making every activity you do an exercise in patience.

If there is a workable game in Rolling Western, I'm not seeing it. Tower defense is a well-trodden territory that rarely demonstrates innovation these days – there are simply too many versions of the same thing. Sadly, Dillon's not only walks over that familiar territory without doing anything too novel, it also does it poorly. A real shame.

Mutant Mudds, like several of the eShop games we demoed, has a very retro vibe to it. The game throws you in the shoes of a bespectacled blonde kid who, with his bubble jet pack and water gun, must stop the mutant mud creatures who have invaded his planet. Using the jet pack to float for a limited amount of time, the main hero must venture across a bunch of different areas to eradicate the mutant mud monsters that are plaguing his world.


I actually had a considerable amount of fun with Mutant Mudds. The game succeeds at capturing that old school feel, and the way you jump into the foreground and background at various jump points is both fun and a really cool use of 3D. Assuming the game goes on to offer a larger variety of enemies, and perhaps some boss fights, it should prove a solid download - especially for fans of retro gaming goodness.

Sakura Samurai: Art of the Blade is another new title set to hit the eShop care of Nintendo early next year. The basic idea is simple - you battle your way from section to section of a map, defeating all of the enemies in an area to progress to the next. The story, or what I saw of it, is silly but cute. When Princess Cherry Blossom is stolen by an evil force her land falls to ruin. Only a lone kappa still believes in her, and he waits many years for a worthy samurai to come along to claim the power of the Sakura blade and find her. That's where you come in.

The game features a distinct art style that befits the feudal Japan setting. The actual combat, which consists of dashing forward, backward and sideways to either slice or evade - with the occasional special attack thrown in - is simple but fun. I had a good time slashing and dashing my way through groups of enemies, and it left me curious as to what challenges the game holds further along in the adventure.


The one drawback I saw to what should otherwise prove a great download was the mechanic of blocking with your sword. At least in the first five or so rooms, the only ones I had a chance to play, parrying was enough to easily block any attack without trying - afterwards leaving an easy opening for attack. I didn't even have to time it if I approached an enemy with my blade up and left it there until they attacked.

The balance was supposed to be that your blade grows weak and breaks if you do this too much, but when I tested room after room of doing it repeatedly I found it actually never did break. Hopefully this was a glitch that will be ironed out, or perhaps later enemies are too strong to allow for this. In any case, I hope this hiccup is fixed in the final version, because knowing I could so effortlessly win took away some of the fun from an otherwise enjoyable experience.

NightSky is another title that's being shifted over from the PC to the 3DS. It's a unique platformer of sorts that puts players in control of a sphere, trying to roll said sphere from area to area by figuring out how to get across whatever obstacles they encounter along the way. Sometimes you control the ball, sometimes you control a weird vehicle contraption containing the ball - in any case it's a clever platforming puzzler that I enjoyed my limited time with.

The look of NightSky is dark, with most of the scenery presented in silhouette. What sets the game apart is that different areas present a different ability to challenge the player, such as inverted gravity, increased friction, or speeding up the ball and only allowing the player to press the brake (while trying not to let the sphere stop completely). The physics-based puzzles range from easy to rather clever, and if you haven't already played this game, look forward to it on the 3DS early next year.

With the continued (and unexplained) absence of Flipnote Studio on the 3DS, there's been a gaping hole in my portable gaming life that making random animations and doodles used to fill. Colors! 3D, although it doesn't allow for the creation of animated flip notes, should fill that hole nicely - especially given it offers a much more robust set of painting tools to let your creativity run wild.

I was immediately impressed by what I saw of Colors! 3D. The way it lets you easily create 3D art by drawing on different layers, the easy controls, the full set of color palettes and brushes to choose from, and the online gallery where you can view the work of others (or share your own) seemingly make this the 3DS painting app we've all been waiting for. I'll have to wait until I have some more one on one time with the application to make a final verdict, but what I've seen has me excited. Small touches like being able to rewatch the creation of your work from start to finish further add to the appeal of Colors. If you love drawing, this is one to keep your eye on.

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Which of these titles are you most excited to download? What other kinds of games would you like to see on the eShop? Sound off in the comments below and let us know!

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