At least that’s what one developer told Destructoid this week:

The eShop, I feel, has really turned things around for Nintendo on the digital side because the storefront is heavily feature-driven. Any publisher can still produce whatever it wants, similar to iOS in both regards. However, given the feature-oriented nature, the eShop is quasi-curated without being some lame PR line…

What do you think: Has the eShop exceeding your expectations of Nintendo’s foray into digital games?

Sakura Samurai: Art of the Sword is a brilliant game. In this polished and challenging adventure, there is not one bit of wasted space or a moment of B.S. time-killing. Every encounter, decision and action serves the central swordfighting gameplay–and that’s a very good thing, because the fighting system is fun beyond belief. Easy to learn, tricky to master and full of fast, on-the-fly strategy, it propels the quest forward so addictively that you probably will need to heed the innkeeper’s advice to take a break every thirty minutes. (more…)

Said Nintendo president Satoru Iwata this week about continued losses:

“The result (of lowing profit expectations) will mainly derive from the decision to mark down the price of the Nintendo 3DS and sell it below cost, sacrificing our profitability for this fiscal year, so that we can get it back on track to its originally-anticipated sales pace so as not to shrink our future business (of the Nintendo 3DS).” (via Attack of the Fanboy)

Iwata then implied that Nintendo would once and for all embrace downloadable content to further boost sales. Finally!

I’m not sure if you’re aware, but I’m a huge Zelda nut. I love my Zelda in all shapes and sizes. Handheld Zeldas, Celda Zeldas, even Smash Bros. Zeldas. This next Zelda I’m about to show you blew my mind in more ways then one. Animator Joel Furtado also likes his Zeldas, difference is he’s a lot more talented than I am, case in point the above video.

I would love to see the inevitable Wii U Zelda take an art direction similar to what was done in the video. It’s equal parts awesome and fantastic, and was obviously created by a fan who loves the series as much as the next guy, or maybe even more. I know that the video is all CGI and doesn’t contain a lick of what could be considered gameplay, but come on! Doesn’t it look fantastic? So what are you waiting for Nintendo?! Give Joel Furtado a call, like, yesterday!

If you like this post, be sure to follow me on Twitter @infendo_eugene and check out my personal blog at Nintentunes.com!

eShop just keeps getting better! I buy my share of titles from Apple’s place, but I find Nintendo’s shop currently ruling as far as delivering quality games that look great, hold my interest for longer than a bus ride, and actually–get this–control really well! On February 2, a very promising-looking action adventure arrives for your downloading consideration. (more…)