There's no denying the fact that this budget-priced Wii U eShop title would be much better suited to mobile platforms, perhaps even as a free-to-play app; the classic challenge of bettering your score by blasting wave after wave of reptiles is Reptilian Rebellion's single allure. So, unless you're desperately seeking a game experience inspired by retro arcade gaming with a modern touch, this might be best left to conspiracy theorists.
It's hard to say anything positive about Steel Lords simply because it is so fundamentally flawed. Overall, what is on offer feels like an early concept of a game idea and therefore is far from a complete package. How this even got a tick of approval in the first place should raise concerns about the quality of certain titles that are reaching the Nintendo eShop. If you're looking for a board game mixing the strategy and fighting genre, look elsewhere. In fact, just go and play Fire Emblem or Smash Bros. Actually, just play anything else.
Twin Robots provides an enjoyable experience primarily because of responsive controls and precise character movement. Despite the steady increase in difficulty and cruel design of certain levels, it's still a fun challenge.
Bit Dungeon+ is an absolute blast if you're in the mood for some single or cooperative dungeon crawling. The accessible modern touches makes the entire package that much more enjoyable, and much less punishing than the classic titles of this genre. If you're a fan of limitless playability and are willing to embrace what this game has to offer, you're sure to enjoy it.
Although Hurry Up! Bird Hunter functions, it's just not any good. For a 2016 Wii U eShop release, there is nothing wrong with a player expecting a better quality experience than what is provided here. The 1984 NES title Duck Hunt may have set an exceptionally high standard for the light gun genre, but after 32 years we expect a little more. Stay away from this and buy Nintendo's classic instead.
Dracula's Legacy for the Wii U eShop is a high quality hidden object game, and it feels right at home on the system thanks to the the GamePad. Ideally, this genre is still better suited on the PC platform, with the game already available on Steam for an affordable price. In saying this, Dracula's Legacy is likely to satisfy individuals who enjoy problem solving and puzzle games, regardless of the platform it is played on. For those who aren't as familiar with this genre our recommendation is naturally more tentative - the enjoyment comes if you truly sink your teeth into it.
Buddy & Me: Dream Edition is a game that does not entirely benefit from a Wii U eShop release. While it may be enough to entertain a young child and indeed fulfils the criteria of being a family friendly experience, it's hard to recommend an extended play through on the big screen or even the Wii U GamePad. In just a short period of time it becomes a rather tedious experience with little incentive for the player to continue on. Newcomers to video games may be inclined to tolerate the minor stuttering and frame rate issues, but for anyone else out there it's perhaps worth looking around for a superior endless runner.
If you're feeling daring, or perhaps enjoy breaking the law and driving on the wrong side of the road like a crazy person, Hot Rod Racer might just be the game for you. The music is so catchy that it makes the merciless nature of the title almost addictive. In all seriousness though, with such poor production values outside of the soundtrack, and archaic gameplay to boot, it's hard to recommend Hot Rod Racer to Wii U owners. For those of you fixated with speed, seek your thrills elsewhere.
3Souls - Episode 1: Nelesa has an intriguing story, character and setting, but ultimately falls short of its full potential as a puzzle platform game. There is far too much trial and error when it comes to a lot of puzzles or working out how to navigate each area. While a lot of the challenges steadily increase over time, the problem is that you can't but help feel cheated whenever you lose a life due to the amount of guesswork required. With another two episodes on the way, Red Column must find the right balance in terms of difficulty and execution of GamePad ideas. Give this a go if you are feeling patient enough for a slow paced puzzle platformer.
Dragon Skills is far from being the greatest brick break title available. It does not feel anywhere near as refined as a modern kingpin such as Peggle, and it's not half as addictive, either. The optimum level of control responsiveness one would expect from a game like this is also not quite present. In saying this, if you are craving an experience on Wii U that falls under this classic genre, Dragon Skills provides a reasonable experience.
Credit must be given to Delve Interactive for encouraging exploration in a genre that is regularly perceived as one of the most linear gaming experiences on offer. The complication of this depth is the fact the platforming and puzzle elements of Poncho become quite a test over time, and often require an excessive amount of trial and error. This title is not for faint-hearted players as a result; each puzzle and platform element can be cruel despite the infinite retry feature. There is no hand holding and there is no instantaneous sense of accomplishment or joy as you would receive from a more traditional platformer. Check out Poncho if you enjoy puzzle problem solving within a slower-paced platforming game environment, otherwise think carefully before trying it out.
Letter Quest Remaster is admittedly not going to bode well with every Wii U owner out there, but if you're seeking a title that channels the basic fun of classic tile games such as Scrabble, and at the same time has the potential to educate and entertain a wider audience, there is arguably no better game available on the eShop right now. Letter Quest is filled to the brim with content including a stack of levels, a long list of quests and achievements, and many unlocks to enjoy. By the time you complete Grimm's journey, you'll be a qualified wordsmith.
With such a concise playtime, it's hard to recommend PANDA LOVE to any hardened veteran; at best, this is a simple starter game for young children. While it has acceptable production values in the sound and visuals department, and is an affordable price, it's a game that's nevertheless over within the space of five to ten minutes. You could likely find the exact same type of game, more padded out, for free on a mobile app store or browser game website; as a result it's hard to show too much love for this one.
As a whole, Tetraminos is an average experience at best. It's easy to sit down and play because it does somewhat keep the core values of Tetris intact, though it still falls short when it comes to offering anything new or enticing. Perhaps look around for a classic Tetris experience available on the Nintendo eShop if you would rather play it safe.
TAP TAP ARCADE 2 does not seem like a package that offers enough for its grand title. Both SKEASY and VOLCANO are incredibly minimalistic in design and are likely to entertain players a for a few minutes each. There are plenty of vastly superior alternatives to these games available elsewhere.
140 seems like more of an artistic experiment testing the boundaries of games as art; like Bauhaus art, this title is definitely open to interpretation. Some individuals may view it as a deeper philosophical experience while others may just see a bunch of geometrical colourful shapes flying around on-screen. As a game, first and foremost, 140 isn't quite on par with some leading titles within this genre. Despite how well the audiovisual presentation is tied to the gameplay, the ruthless nature of this one does detract from the overall enjoyment on offer.
TOUCH SELECTIONS is another bare-bones double-pack that will keep players engaged for very little time. Both of these games could be played while watching television, or when multi-tasking in general. Like past releases, what you see here is what you get; there is no depth to either PEG SOLITAIRE or AVOIDER, nor is there any sense of progression. They are a basic and very plain pair of games, and there are many superior options available on the Wii U eShop that provide better value at their asking price.
With an additional patch or two, this title could be a lot better. If there are a few changes to hit detection, the level design and the art assets, Citadale may be able to step out of the shadow of the game series it has been inspired by. In its current state, however, Citadale mimisc the iconic long-running Castlevania series while not reaching those standards. There's nothing terribly wrong with this game, as short-lived as it may be, but the full experience doesn't quite reach its potential - it's worth consideration, nevertheless.
What hurts Rorrim the most is the lack of imagination and design ideas on the developer's behalf. A game such as this has a lot of potential, but simply creating level after level isn't always enough. It still feels like an unfinished game due to the basic presentation, and has no allure as a result. Functional - but incomplete. If more details and twists were added this game might have been a tad more likable. If you're truly desperate for a new Wii U eShop puzzle or problem-solving game, this might be for you - otherwise it's best to avoid this one.
Aenigma Os operates as one would expect a tile-matching game to, but realistically does nothing to set itself apart from the pack. There are many other games available elsewhere that offer this type of experience, and are not half as generic. While there is plenty of content on offer, it should have been condensed into a couple of modes, considering most of them are essentially the same. This isn't a game that grows on you over time, and it's hard to respect the developer's decision to not allow the game to be played on the television screen - not to mention seemingly false promotion of a multiplayer game mode.