Boxboy and some Nintendo classics hit the eShop this week

Hot on the heels of the most recent Nintendo Direct, the company has a whole bunch of new stuff posted to the eShop and ready for download. There’s a little old and a little new in this one.

Clearly, the biggest news this week are the N64 games and DS titles that have opened up shop on Nintendo’s download service du jour on the Wii U. There are some real classics to start things off too, including Super Mario 64 (which I wish was on the 3DS) and Yoshi’s Island DS.

There isn’t too much to not like about this, so if you’ve long since gotten rid of your carts (or never had ’em to begin with), you’re going to want to have a look at these oldies but goodies.

Also available this week is Boxboy. This title was shown off at the Direct the other day and is a kind of retro-inspired platformer from the creators of the Kirby series of games. Your goal is to guide the character in question through puzzle-filled levels, making your way around obstacles as you go. To see still images of the game makes it look less than appealing, but in motion, well, it’s kind of awesome.

Aside from the games hitting this week, there’s also a net little Codename S.T.E.A.M. public tourney kicking off on the 5th. This contest, called Hijinks, will give players the ability to earn “unique titles that are visible online”, as well as some personal bragging rights. Combined with the update that’s on the way for the game (which will speed up enemy turns), this is panning out to be a pretty good stretch for one of the 3DS’ biggest titles of the year.

Hers’s your list of what’s new:

• Nintendo eShop on Nintendo 3DS
  • BOXBOY! – Think outside the box in this charming black-and-white puzzle platformer from the creators of the Kirby series. Traverse tricky landscapes by creating boxes to help Qbby navigate more than 20 puzzling worlds and more than 150 challenging stages. Just watch out – tons of obstacles stand in your way. Click here to view a trailer for the game.
  • Story of Seasons – The best-selling series Bokujo Monogatari is reborn outside Japan as Story of Seasons. The farming and life-simulation game improves upon the farming and relationship building that the series is known for, while adding the theme of “Connecting,” both with other lands across the game world or with other players online. Use the game’s StreetPass feature to fill your town with visiting farmers or connect to Wi-Fi to visit your friends and farm together. Click here to view a trailer for the game.
• Virtual Console on Wii U
  • Super Mario 64 – Leap through paintings hanging from the walls of Peach’s castle as Mario enters 15 magical worlds in a quest to collect the 120 Power Stars pilfered by evil Bowser. In this timeless classic Nintendo 64 game, vast worlds teem with daunting obstacles, hidden items, puzzles, and classic Super Mario Bros. enemies.
  • Yoshi’s Island DS – Download classic Nintendo DS games on your Wii U console! In Yoshi’s Island DS, team up with the Yoshi clan to save the day from Kamek. As Yoshi crosses the lush but perilous lands of Yoshi’s Island, he will also need to depend on his baby companions and their special abilities.

Events / Activities:

• See how your Code Name: S.T.E.A.M. squad stacks up online in Nintendo’s Public Tournaments. Top players earn unique titles that are visible online and earn major bragging rights with their friends and around the world. The new “Hijinks” tournament runs through April 5. Opt in via the SpotPass feature for notifications on future tournaments. Good luck, agents!

Nintendo eShop Sales:

• Nintendo eShop on Wii U and Nintendo 3DS
  • Citizens of Earth on Wii U and Nintendo 3DS is 33 percent off each (reduced from $14.99 to $9.99) beginning at 9 a.m. PT on April 6 until 8:59 a.m. PT on April 13.
• Nintendo eShop on Wii U
  • Gravity Badgers is 50 percent off (reduced from $4.99 to $2.49) until 8:59 a.m. PT on April 29.
  • uWordsmith is 50 percent off (reduced from $1.99 to $0.99) until 8:59 a.m. PTon April 23.
  • Midnight is 25 percent off (reduced from $1.99 to $1.49) until 8:59 a.m. PT on April 16.
  • Puzzle Monkeys is 33 percent off (reduced from $2.99 to $1.99) until 8:59 a.m. PT on April 23.
• Nintendo eShop on Nintendo 3DS
  • Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor Overclocked is 50 percent off (reduced from $29.99 to $14.99) beginning at 9 a.m. PT on April 6 until 8:59 a.m. PT on April 20.
  • Hazumi, League of Heroes and other games are discounted in the GameLion/Huuuge Games Spring Sale until 8:59 a.m. PT on April 30.
  • European Conqueror 3D, The Legend of Dark Witch and Tappingo from Circle Entertainment are on sale until 8:59 a.m. PT on April 23.
  • Aqua Moto Racing 3D is 50 percent off (reduced from $7.99 to $3.99) until 8:59 a.m. PT on April 9.
  • Toys vs Monsters is 25 percent off (reduced from $3.99 to $2.99) beginning at 9 a.m. PT on April 5 until 8:59 a.m. PT on May 3.

Theme Shop on Nintendo 3DS:

• New themes this week include:
  • Animal Crossing: New Leaf: Bunny Day
  • Rottytops Theme
  • Shantae Pirate Theme

Also new this week:

• Angry Video Game Nerd Adventures (Nintendo eShop on Wii U)
• Bubble Gum Popper (Nintendo eShop on Wii U)
• Mon Premier Karaoké (Nintendo eShop on Wii U)
• psyscrolr (Nintendo eShop on Wii U)
• Underground (Nintendo eShop on Wii U)
• Excave II: Wizard of the Underworld (Nintendo eShop on Nintendo 3DS)

In addition to video games available at retail stores, Nintendo also offers a variety of content that people can download directly to their systems. Nintendo adds new games weekly to the Nintendo eShop on the Wii U console and the Nintendo 3DS family of systems, the Nintendo DSi^™ Shop for the Nintendo DSi system and the Wii^™ Shop Channel for the Wii console.

The Nintendo eShop is a cash-based service that features a wide variety of content, including new and classic games, applications and demos. Users can add money to their account balances by using a credit card or purchasing a Nintendo eShop Card at a retail store and entering the code from the card. All funds from one card must be loaded in the Nintendo eShop on either Wii U or the Nintendo 3DS family of systems, but can be used in either Nintendo eShop if the systems are linked to a single Nintendo Network account.

The Wii Shop Channel offers games and applications and uses Wii Points^™, which can be purchased via the Wii Shop Channel. The Nintendo DSi Shop offers games and applications and uses Nintendo DSi Points^™, which can be purchased in the Nintendo DSi Shop.

Remember that Wii U, Wii, Nintendo 3DS, Nintendo 3DS XL, Nintendo 2DS and Nintendo DSi feature parental controls that let adults manage some of the content their children can access. For more information about this and other features, visit http://www.nintendo.com/wiiu or http://www.nintendo.com/3ds.