This week's Nintendo download comes with a mouthful of slinky lizard as the demo for Metal Gear Solid: Snake Eater 3D hits the 3DS eShop, all stealthy-like.
Naked Snake, Big Boss Lady, Colonel Volgin, and the other members of WTWE (World Terrorist Wrestling Entertainment) won't be making their full 3DS debut until next week, but you can get a little taste of them today courtesy of the playable demo of Metal Gear Solid: Snake Eater 3D, because non-playable demos are called trailers.
It's the same great game you played on the PlayStation 2, enhanced with 3DS-only features like 3D, for instance, or gyro-sensing, which I suppose helps snake find pita sandwiches so he can stop eating all of those reptiles.
Once you're done being all sneaky and eating Greek food, hop over to the Wii Virtual Console, where the arcade version of Sega's classic Strider is up for grabs.
The rest, as they say, is a Japan-themed spot the difference game.
Virtual Console (Wii)
Strider
Publisher: Sega
Price: Good Question
The year is 2048. The Striders, ninja-like agents and the last defenders of justice on Earth, are the only hope to stop Grandmaster Meio from ruling the world. Hiryu, the youngest Strider to achieve Class A ranking, embarks on a mission to assassinate the evil Grandmaster with his plasma sword, called a Cypher. Guide Hiryu as he jumps, slides and hangs throughout the Eastern European nation of Kazafu in a battle to find the evil dictator.
This hit action Mega Drive game will transport you back to 1990 with all the action you've come to expect:
• Power-ups increase Hiryu's attack range and help him gain extra lives throughout each level by defeating enemies.
• Summon help from robotic allies to help you fight enemies.
• Explore five levels: The nation of Kazafu, the Siberian Wilderness, the Aerial Battleship Ballog, the Amazonian Jungle and the Third Moon (the Grandmaster's Lair).
DSiWare (DSi / 3DS)
i-Spot Japan
Publisher: EnjoyUp Games
Price: $1.99
iSpot Japan takes you on a journey across the land of the rising sun, explaining facts and curiosities about Japanese culture, while you play the classic "Spot the Difference" game in the country's most beautiful locations. Find 3, 4 or 5 differences in each picture, depending on the selected difficulty level, and unlock them in the gallery to learn about local cuisine, historical characters or important monuments, together with their location in the map. Ranging from southern Kyushu to northern Hokkaido, you'll get to know all of Japan through exclusive beautiful pictures carefully tricked to create visually challenging differences.
Features
• A total of 150 exclusive pictures beautifully illustrating the 4 main islands of Japan.
• Detailed explanation and map location of every picture.
• Competitive VS multiplayer and gallery mode.
• 3 difficulty levels with 3, 4 or 5 differences per location.
eShop (3DS)
Metal Gear Solid: Snake Eater 3D Demo
Publisher: Konami
Price: Free
From the critically acclaimed director, Hideo Kojima, a new 3D experience re-imagined from one of the most popular Metal Gear Solid titles from the past, comes Metal Gear Solid Snake Eater 3D.
In the aftermath of the Second World War, the world was torn in two between East and West. It was the beginning of a new era- the Cold War. October 16, 1962. The President of the United States received word that the Soviet Union had deployed nuclear missiles in Cuba. The world trembled in fear as the prospect of nuclear war loomed ever closer. After days of tense negotiations, the Soviets finally agreed on the 28th to withdraw their missiles from Cuban soil. With the resolution of this incident, later to be known as the Cuban Missile Crisis, it seemed that humanity had survived yet another threat to its existence. However, there was a secret condition in the deal that put an end to the crisis. Nokolai Stepanovich Sokolov, a Soviet scientist who had defected to the West, was to be sent back to the Soviet Union. The U.S. government agreed to this stipulation, and returned Sokolov back to his native land. Little did they know that Sokolov was to be the designer of a nightmarish weapon. Now, with Sokolov back in their hands, the Soviets are ready to resume its development. If this weapon is completed, it will mark the beginning of a new age of fear. August 1964. Realizing at last the urgency of the situation, the CIA forms a plan to recapture Sokolov. They dispatch the covert FOX unit to Sokolov's research facility, located to the south of the great Soviet fortress of Groznyj Grad. Led by former SAS member Major Zero, FOX is a next-generation special-forces unit that operates both as a specialized combat group and as a covert intelligence outfit. The FOX unit's modus operandi is to send a single agent, backed by radio support from afar, into enemy territory to carry out solo sneaking missions. August 24. A lone soldier swoops down from out of the blue. The man's code name is Naked Snake.
Features
• Experience MGS3D in 3D for the first time ever.
• Auto-stereoscopic 3D brings jungle world to life.
• ‘Photo Camo' system takes real pictures and transfers them to real in-game camo.
• Utilizing the Gyro Sensor, players will become one with Snake with tilt controls and more.