The eShop has given some leeway for Nintendo to experiment with stranger games, and Dillon's Rolling Western is certainly unique. Rolling Western is an "action tower defense" game, combining the strategy of tower defense with components from 3D platform games and heavy stylus control.

Players play as Dillon, a silent ranger armadillo also known as "The Red Flash." Dillon is accompanied by a goofy squirrel who everyone thinks is a mouse. Particularly with Dillon's trademark spin attack, the pair is reminiscent of a Western Sonic and Tails. The two are hired by towns that need to protect their sheep-like scrogs from monstrous invaders called groks.

Dillon must protect ten towns over three day periods each. The gameplay alternates between a gathering and building phase (daytime) and a defense phase (nighttime). During the day, players travel the landscape collecting puffy plants called scruffles, mining for minerals and gems, and building and equipping defense posts with weapons. In town, the minerals can be sold for cash, which is used to fund the tower construction. Scruffles increase the number of livestock in town.

Like the rest of the game, Rolling Western's controls are unconventional. Players can move around with the Circle Pad, but the primary method of motion is a Sonic-like rolling spin dash, performed by pulling and flicking the touch screen in the opposite of the desired direction with the stylus. Holding down the stylus will charge up the dash, and the dash can be renewed by repeated flicking. The spin attack can be used to attack monsters as well as to mine rocks for gems. The key to combat is to chain attacks by repeatedly dashing to hit consecutive enemies. Tapping when hitting an enemy will have Dillon throw in a punch. The action portions require good timing and navigation.

When the sky turns red, it is almost time for the groks to attack. At this time, Dillon should get back to town to trade in his scruffles and minerals. Shortly after, during the night, the groks come out to attack the town. Equipped towers will automatically attack the enemies. There are also watchtowers, which illuminate portions of the map so that you can tell where the enemies are coming from. Dillon should attack any that make it past the defenses. When attacking, the game switches from the main map into a battle area full of enemies, all of which must be defeated in order to progress. Meanwhile, other enemies continue heading towards town. If they reach town, they will eat a number of the scrogs. If this number reaches zero, the game is over.

Later levels increase the enemy forces and make it harder to guard all possible paths that they may take to raid the town. Later levels also include quests that require gathering certain gems to gain rewards. You can also equip armor and gain other attacks, such as a burrowing attack.

Dillon's Rolling Western is a bizarre amalgamation of tower defense and action games. Players must use strategy during the day and night to place defenses well, as well as get good at flicking and chaining attacks. After about half an hour with it, I'm still not sure what to make of it. Despite being a Nintendo-developed game, it was actually one of the weakest of the games shown during Nintendo's eShop demo tour. It's not an especially complicated game, but the balance just seemed off and the control scheme questionable. While I applaud its attempt at new game ideas, I experienced less than compelling gameplay, though I need to spend more time with it.