Sidescroller: It’s an eShop extravaganza for Nintendo

Nintendo’s eShop has grown in leaps and bounds since it was first unveiled on the 3DS last year. It’s not quite as full-featured as the App Store, but it is getting there as surely as a Goomba has night terrors about Mario’s feet. Here are two recently released gems you can download now.

‘Crosswords Plus‘
Console: Nintendo
Where to buy: 3DS eShop/Retail
Price: $30
Grade: 4/5
Ah, the humble crossword puzzle. Fads come and go, but the allure of feeling smart is eternal. Nintendo’s take on Will Shortz’s dominion is simple, elegant and fun. “Crosswords Plus” contains more than 1,000 puzzles along with loads of bonus content, including a word search, anagram puzzles and more. The handwriting recognition system, used with the system’s stylus, is also spot-on.
The only downside to this package is the price. It seems odd, in the age of the cheap app, to pay $30 for a collection of crossword puzzles. Still, this game is filled to the brim with content and crossword fans will be kept busy for months.

‘The Denpa Men: They Came by Wave’
Console: Nintendo
Where to buy: 3DS eShop
Price: $8
Grade: 4/5
To old-school gamers, there is something genuinely comforting about the pace and rhythm of turn-based RPGs. You walk around, buy new equipment and then grind, grind, grind. What’s not to like? Still, this underrated genre has hit on hard times as of late. Not that many new titles get released, particularly in the West. JRPG nerds, take note: There is a charming new game in town.
“The Denpa Men: They Came by Wave” is the genre distilled to its very essence. The good? The game plays fast. Battles take around five seconds and there are no random encounters. This is an RPG in which grinding is a joy. The bad? There is no story to speak of. It’s all about leveling up and finding new equipment. That’s pretty much it. For some, that will be more than enough.

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