Nintendo eShop is cookin'

Starting with the availability of DSiware classics such as Shantae: Risky's Revenge and Cave Story, the Nintendo eShop has grown into a great source of downloadable entertainment. Last week, Netflix hit the eShop. This week, the much-anticipated Nintendo Video application arrived. Both are free to download. New titles have also surfaced: chief among them is a second addition to the 3D Classics library, Xevious, an arcade shooter. The Nintendo eShop is updated every Thursday, so don't forget to check back in often!

Why 3D Classics: Excitebike makes me giddy: A Review

You'll never guess how I found out how to play this game! Go on! Guess!

Okay, okay, I'll just tell you. I found a tattered old manual for the original Excitebike in my basement. I thought it was funny.

Anyway, on with this review! First, let me explain just what "3D Classics" means. 3D Classics: Excitebike is the first in a hopefully lengthy library of old video games given the 3D treatment. The original gameplay and graphics remain intact, but now 3D depth has been added. And for a 27-year-old game, Excitebike holds up pretty well. The original was released for the NES in 1984. It was a side-scrolling racer that put players' reflexes to the test with jumps to land and obstacles to avoid. In order to excel at this game, several techniques should be mastered: landing jumps squarely, doing wheelies over certain obstacles, and using turbo effectively, to name a few.

This complex gameplay lends itself to Excitebike's longevity. Trying to pull everything together in order to get the fastest times is a stimulating challenge. Oh, and the 3D visuals aren't too shabby either. I'm dying to see which classic video game gets the 3D treatment next.