Rejoice! Xenoblade Chronicles is out now on Wii U eShop

By Danny Cowan Updated April 29, 2016

The debut chapter in Nintendo’s Xenoblade Chronicles series is now available for download via the Wii U eShop, giving players access to a budget-priced rendition of what was once a treasured rarity among collectors.

This week also marks the eShop launch of Mini Mario & Friends: amiibo Challenge, a free-to-play puzzler for the Wii U and 3DS, powered by Nintendo’s collectible amiibo figurines.

Originally released for the Nintendo Wii in Japan in 2010, Xenoblade Chronicles is an open-world role-playing game with an emphasis on real-time combat. Though the game was praised by critics, Nintendo initially had no plans for a worldwide launch, leading to the formation of the fan-driven Operation Rainfall grassroots promotional campaign in the hopes of securing a localized release.

While a North American version of Xenoblade Chronicles surfaced in 2012, a low print run left players at the mercy of inflated aftermarket prices for years afterward. The game was subsequently reworked and re-released as the New Nintendo 3DS-exclusive Xenoblade Chronicles 3D, and a sequel, Xenoblade Chronicles X, launched for the Wii U in 2015. The Wii U eShop version of Xenoblade Chronicles is priced at $20.

Also arriving on the eShop this week is Mini Mario & Friends: amiibo Challenge, a free-to-play puzzle game for the Wii U and 3DS. Similar to the classic puzzler Lemmings, Mini Mario & Friends challenges players to guide each level’s starring character across dangerous 2D terrain by flipping switches, drawing platforms, and solving environmental puzzles.

Players can unlock additional levels and characters in Mini Mario & Friends: amiibo Challenge by placing compatible amiibo figurines atop the Wii U GamePad or New 3DS portable’s NFC sensor.

Bandai Namco’s free-to-play multiplayer action-RPG Lost Reavers also hits the Wii U eShop this week alongside Mobot Studios’ survival-oriented platformer The Deer God. 3DS eShop releases for the week include the dungeon-crawling RPG ASH and the 16-bit era retrogaming compilation Sega 3D Classics Collection.

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nintendo shuts down wiiu 3ds eshop

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After the closure, players will still be able to redownload games and DLC that they already own, use online play, and download software updates.

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Wii U Composite

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Even with games like Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker and Pikmin 3 making the jump to Switch, there’s a handful of strong Wii U games that haven’t -- and probably never will. That’s creating a generational dead zone that may leave games that dared to take advantage of the console’s bold concept forever trapped on the Wii U.

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How to revive dead companions in Baldur’s Gate 3

Withers offering services to the player in Baldur's Gate 3.

You're given a good bit of leeway during battles in Baldur's Gate 3 before you or a companion actually bites the dust for good. While in battle, if a teammate does take enough damage to drop, they aren't dead then and there. Instead, they will be downed with a chance to roll every turn to get back up. If they roll successfully three times, the battle ends, or you use another character to pick them up, they're good. If they fail that roll three times, however, they will be completely dead. That can be harsh when you've become attached to certain characters and want to further their stories, so you'll be looking for any way you can to bring them back. Thankfully you do have a few options for reviving companions in Baldur's Gate 3, but just like respeccing, they aren't so obvious.
Pay Withers to bring them back

Withers is a friendly undead you can find in a secret room in the Dank Crypt found inside the Overgrown Ruins. After finding and speaking to him in his sarcophagus, he will offer you various services, one of which is bringing back any dead companions. He won't do this out of the kindness of his heart (probably because it isn't beating) and will charge you a heavy fine of 200 gold to do so. Still, that's a small price to pay to bring back a beloved character. Once paid, that character will appear in your camp where they would normally be, so there's no need to go back to their corpse and find them.
Use a scroll of Revivfy or learn it