1001 Spikes, a challenging platformer from the makers of VVVVVV, NightSky, and Cave Story, has received a North American release date of June 6.

The game, developed by Nicalis, will be released on the Nintendo eShop for both the 3DS and Wii U for $14.99. There is an added bonus for 3DS owners who have previously purchased a game from Nicalis – a $5 loyalty discount.

According to Nicalis, there are a “few issues” with the initial release, however they went on to say that “Nintendo has assured us that an update could be issued within a couple of days of release to knock out those bugs”. So we can only presume that a fix will be applied promptly after release.

1001 Spikes will be a tempting purchase for fans of challenging platformers, with 1001 Spikes claiming a high difficulty level as a key factor. You’re given 1001 lives to complete the game, and must obtain a key and make it to the exit of every level. There is both a competitive and co-operative multiplayer mode in addition to a single player mode.

Here are some of the game’s key features:

  • Tough-as-nails difficulty
  • Single and simultaneous 2-4 player co-op and vs. multiplayer
  • 8-bit inspired visuals with current gen flare
  • Soundtrack by Chiptune masters, Rushjet1 and Misoka
  • Nearly two dozen unlockable characters with different abilities, including superstars Curly Brace, Commander Video, Juni and Nyx
  • Over 100 stages to clear
  • Multiple endings

There’s no word on a European release at this stage, but stay tuned for further details. In the meantime, let us know if you’ll be likely to claim this title, and on which platform, when it hits the eShop next week.