This week's Nintendo downloadables include the 3DS release of the Game Boy's Kid Icarus and Tumble Pop, a new puzzle game by Nikoli and a colorful action adventure game from Aksys, but the title I'm looking most forward to isn't a game at all.
It's a game creator.
Well, Petite Computer isn't just for creating games. It's basically a BASIC programming tool for the Nintendo DSi and 3DS, so whatever you can render in BASIC — text adventures, music sequencers, primitive database programs — can now be made on your Nintendo handheld.
Programs can be shared as well, transferred via wireless or passed along in scannable QR code format.
Let the BASIC revolution begin! 10 Print "Go!" 20 Goto 10.
Games
Kid Icarus - Of Myths and Monsters
Platform: 3DS
Price: $3.99
A lighthearted adventure with mythical challenges. The "8-bit Summer" series continues with this classic action game from 1991. Angel Land is up to its halos in woes as mythical monsters are running rampant. Pit, the original Kid Icarus, must save the realm again. Armed with his trusty bow, he'll zap the bad guys and find the Three Sacred Treasures hidden by Palutena. Only after this grueling training will he be strong enough to take on the dark forces behind Angel Land's troubles. Pit will encounter old friends and new enemies – from helpful Centurions to the dreaded Eggplant Wizard – as he journeys from the depths of the underworld to the towers of the sky palace. Find hammers to shatter special walls and reveal helpful items. Collect hearts by fighting off Pit's foes. Train hard and battle harder. Pit's challenges make the labors of Hercules look like a walk in the park.
Masyu by Nikoli
Platform: 3DS
Price: $4.99
With the Nikoli puzzle series, you can enjoy high-quality "Masyu" puzzles, created by Nikoli, who gave the world-famous puzzle its name. The Nintendo 3DS allows for the realization of simple and easy to play operability. "Masyu by Nikoli" contains 50 sudoku puzzles. "Masyu" is a puzzle in which you draw a line through the spaces according to the rules. Learn the attributes of the black and white circles and you'll be able to play in no time. The patterns through which lines can be drawn are more numerous than you can imagine, and discovering tactical moves is also fun. To ensure your long-term enjoyment, we're prepared both a "Stage Clear" mode and a "Random" mode. In "Stage Clear" mode, you progress by clearing puzzles one by one, and in "Random" mode puzzles are generated at random. Please enjoy this high-quality "Masyu" game.
Petite Computer
Platform: DSi/3DS
Price: 800 Points / $7.99
A fun and easy-to-use tool for creating your own BASIC programs. Petit Computer is an easy-to-use programming tool that lets you create everything from music, to images, to your very own original games using an adapted version of the classic BASIC programming language. Whether you have experience of BASIC, or are a complete novice, you will find that Petit Computer will give you the skills you need to create your own programs. You can select commands and run programs using the Nintendo DS Touch Screen, and you can even share your creations via Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection, allowing you to collaborate with other users. You can also create special QR codes containing your programs that other users can scan using their Nintendo DS system camera. Petit Computer is a perfect companion for anyone who has ever wanted to delve deeper into the world of computer programming.
Rabi Laby 2
Platform: DSi / 3DS
Price: 200 Points / $1.99
The Queen has ordered her faithful minions to capture Alice and Rabi and bring them to her twisted world. The two must work together to discover where they are and how to return home. The pair will face wicked traps and deadly devices, while evading the Queen's servants. Rabi Laby 2 is the next episode in this hybrid puzzle platform series. The player controls both Alice and Rabi and must use their unique skills to escape. They will encounter interesting creatures, strange places and unusual puzzles, fueling their humor and challenging their wits. The gameplay is simple and the goal for each stage is to safely navigate Alice to the exit door with Rabi's help. A ranking medal is awarding depending on how quickly you reached the exit. Collect medals to unlock additional stages!
Tumble Pop
Platform: 3DS
Price: $2.99
Save the planet by defeating all the monsters in eight spooky worlds. Thanks to pollution and other global calamities, Earth is overflowing with strange creatures. What's more, aliens from outer space have come to crash the party. It's your job to exterminate all the monsters plaguing the planet, but you'll need some real muscle to accomplish that task. Good thing you have a secret weapon: a turbo-charged vacuum cleaner. Armed with your trusty vacuum, work your way through eight monster-infested worlds. Special items, power-ups and a password system will help you on your way. Hungry for even more action? Have no fear. You can create your own custom-built stages in Construction Mode.
The Phantom Thief Stina and 30 Jewels
Platform: 3DS
Price: $4.99
Sneak pass the guards, bypass the security codes and experience the rush of stealing the jewels. The year is 2120, and humanoid robot helpers are commonplace, even among thieves. Not that the Phantom Thief Stina is a commonplace thief! This self-proclaimed artiste and her pack of burglar bots are taking on Detective Sara and her robotic security team in an epic battle of wits! Heist all 30 jewels to complete the game and unlock the detective mode. Play as detective Sara and deploy her robotic security team to protect the jewels against the Phantom Thief. Are you able to protect the jewels against the Phantom Thief? A real-time strategy and action game that allows you to play as both the hero and villain; which one will you excel at?
Video
Dinosaur Office: Sick Day (Available July 20)
Platform: 3DS
There's no cure for coworkers.
Game of the Weekend
Mario Picross
Platform: 3DS
Price: $3.99 $2.99
This challenging puzzler requires logic to reveal mysterious hidden pictures! Help Mario™ unlock the mystery of Picross. The secrets lie in the numeric codes at the top and on the left side of each window. Decipher these numbers and uncover a hidden picture in every mind-bending puzzle. It will take quick wits and a speedy pace to solve the clues before the clock runs out. Chisel away boxes strategically and reveal the hidden image in record time. Be careful – every mistake will cost you precious minutes. There are more than 250 brain-bending puzzles to solve. Different levels of difficulty provide mind-melting puzzle action for players of any skill level.