The eShop is Nintendo's digital store for their game systems. It is part of the Nintendo Network.
Nintendo has updated at least one component of the eShop almost every week since its launch in 2006. Virtual Console and original games are usually added on Thursdays, while retail games available for download can be downloaded on the same date the game is available in retail stores.
History[]
Revolution[]
The Nintendo eShop launched alongside the Revolution worldwide in late 2006. However, it only contained components of what it would eventually become. The only virtual goods on sale were Virtual Console titles, which came from past Nintendo consoles and from the TurboGrafx-16.
Bomberman Blast was one of the first original games for the Revolution's eShop.
The eShop proper opened on July 19, 2007, about eight months after the Revolution's launch. The store soon was well supported, both by Nintendo and third party games.
The first retail title available on the Nintendo eShop was New Super Mario Bros Revolution, which became available digitally the same time it was available for physical purchase on November 11, 2009.
Game Boy Nitro[]
The original Game Boy Nitro was not capable downloading and playing games. However, on November 1, 2008, Nintendo released the Game Boy Nitro Plus, which was, among other things, capable of accessing a new version of the eShop specifically designed for it. Compared to the Revolution's eShop, it was a very limited service, with no Virtual Console, no retail titles, and a strict 40 MB limit on maximum download size. Nevertheless, the Nitro's eShop became profitable for both Nintendo and many developers.
Game Boy 3DS[]
The Game Boy 3DS launched in March 2012 with a full functional eShop. In addition to being backwards compatible with the Nitro eShop, it launched with its own version of the Virtual Console that emphasized classic handheld games and its own original games, including Tetris Axis.
Stream[]
Battleblock Theater is one of the first major titles for the Stream's eShop.
As Nintendo's latest system, the Stream has both the most developed and the least extensive version of the eShop. As an extended version of the original eShop, most games and features available to the Revolution's version are also available here. New features are also abundant, including the ability to enter the eShop at any time, even in the middle of a game. However, there has been relatively little new content for the Stream's eShop. That said, new titles such as Bomberman World and Battleblock Theater have left their mark.
List of Notable eShop Games[]
The following games include original eShop titles only. Therefore, the following lists will not include retail downloads or Virtual Console titles. Also note that the list may be incomplete.
Revolution[]
- Adventure Island: The Beginning (2009)
- Alien Hominid HD (2007)
- Art Style series (2008 - 2009)
- Bit Trip series (2009 - 2010)
- Bonk: Brink of Extinction (2011)
- Bomberman Blast (2007)
- Castle Crashers (2008)
- Castlevania: The Adventure ReBirth (2009)
- Cave Story (2010)
- Goldeneye 007 HD Remix (2010)
- Mega Man 9 (2008)
- My Aquarium (2008)
- Newgrounds Rumble (2010)
- Tetris Party (2008)
- The Walking Dead (2012)
Game Boy Nitro[]
- Art Style series (2008 - 2009)
- Cave Story (2010)
- Flipnote Studio (2009)
- Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Minis March Again! (2009)
- Plants vs. Zombies (2011)
- Shantae: Risky's Revenge (2010)
- VVVVVV (2011)
- WarioWare: Snapped! (2008)
Game Boy 3DS[]
- Adventure Island Reborn (2013)
- Bomberman Dimensions (2012)
- Pushmo (2012)
- Tetris Axis (2012)
Stream[]
- Bomberman World (2012)
See Also[]
- List of Revolution eShop Games in North America
- List of Game Boy Nitro eShop Games in North America
- List of Game Boy 3DS eShop Games in North America
- List of Stream eShop Games in North America
- Virtual Console
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