Today Capcom announced that the three Phoenix Wright DS games will arrive on WiiWare next year. January will see the four-chapter “Ace Attorney” for 1000 points, plus you have the option of getting the fifth AA chapter for another 100. “Justice for All” appears in March, and “Trials and Tribulations” is scheduled for May.

We’ve talked about this on the podcast once of twice, about Phoenix Wright being an odd little beast. A tad too trial-and-errory for me; a little too nonsensical for Haygood. But at $10, you could do a whole lot worse. Given that this series is much-loved on DS (and remember that the DS releases were ports of popular Japanese GBA originals), I’d say we’re getting a pretty ripe plum for WiiWare.

CAPCOM® UNVEILS CLASSIC ACE ATTORNEY® SERIES FOR WiiWareTM

The beloved Ace Attorney series featuring the most exciting courtroom dramas of the digital decade are headed to Nintendo’s popular download service in 2010

SAN MATEO, Calif. — November 18, 2009 — Capcom® Entertainment, a leading worldwide developer and publisher of video games, today announced that three classic Ace Attorney® games are scheduled for digital release on Nintendo’s WiiWare next year beginning with the one that started it all, Phoenix Wright™: Ace Attorney® followed by Phoenix Wright™ Ace Attorney®: JUSTICE FOR ALL, and Phoenix Wright™ Ace Attorney®: TRIALS AND TRIBULATIONS. Gamers can expect the deliberations to begin January 2010. These games will cost 1,000 Wii Points, $10.00 USD.

Ace Attorney’s massive popularity and appeal in Japan has caught on in the West and the franchise has now sold well over 3.7 million units worldwide. For the first time ever, this beloved handheld series is making an appearance on a home console, giving gamers access to three of the classic Ace Attorney adventures from the comfort of their own living rooms. Fans and newcomers alike will have a chance to star as the most popular defense attorney in videogames, Phoenix Wright – a man driven by principles and his ability to separate fact from dubious fiction. Each game in the series presents twisting storylines and intriguing gameplay with comical anime stylings. Players will collect evidence, weed through inconsistent testimonies and overcome corrupt agendas to ensure that justice prevails! Present evidence with the wave of the Wii remote or press suspicious testimonies by wiggling it. These games can be played via single-player and has multiple save slots.

Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney (Episode 1 through 4) is the first release hitting in January. The story kicks off with Phoenix Wright defending his childhood friend Larry Butz from a murder charge. But this is only the beginning drama for the tenacious legal eagle as Wright faces unexpected tragedies that will test the limits of his incredible deductive prowess. In May, owners of Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney will be able to download the bonus episode that appeared in the original Nintendo DS™ version of the game. It will cost 100 Wii Points.

In March, Phoenix Wright Ace Attorney: JUSTICE FOR ALL arrives. Phoenix Wright has six months experience and five court victories under his belt. But none of that will do him any good against the ruthless new D.A. in town. Franziska von Karma wants revenge and she’s ready to take Phoenix down at any cost!

In May, Phoenix Wright Ace Attorney: TRIALS AND TRIBULATIONS arrives. Phoenix will face the toughest prosecutor yet as the mysterious hard-boiled “Godot” is gunning for him with extreme prejudice. Get ready for the most intense courtroom standoffs of Phoenix Wright’s career!

For more information, please visit http://press.capcom.com and http://capcom-unity.com

For those of you are looking for more titles to fill up your memory cards on their DSi, there are a handful of titles for you to enjoy, including a new bowling title.

Check out the jump for the full release schedule, and pricing.

Nintendo Download – Try Before You Buy: Nintendo Offers 5 Game Demos to Guide Holiday Shoppers

REDMOND, Wash.–(BUSINESS WIRE)– There’s never been a better time to check out the extraordinary lineup of downloadable games from Nintendo. This week, Wii™ owners who connect their Wii consoles to the Internet can enjoy demos of five exceptional games for the WiiWare™ downloadable game service for zero Wii Points™: BIT.TRIP BEAT, FINAL FANTASY® CRYSTAL CHRONICLES®: My Life as a Darklord™, NyxQuest: Kindred Spirits, World of Goo™ and a brand new entry in the Pokémon™ game series, Pokémon™ Rumble. To get a taste of any or all of these tremendous titles before downloading the full versions, go to the WiiWare section of the Wii Shop Channel and search for “Demo.” For more information, please visit www.nintendo.com/wii/wiiware/demo.

This week’s launch of Pokémon Rumble for WiiWare delivers more than just a fun-packed new addition to the beloved Pokémon universe. Anyone who joins Club Nintendo™ – or is already a member – will have the opportunity to unlock an exclusive Toy Pokémon character that can be used in the game. Simply connect your Wii Shop Channel account to your new or existing Club Nintendo account, use Wii Points to download Pokémon Rumble and watch for an e-mail containing a special password that lets you access the character in the game. More information about this offer can be found at us.wii.com/wiiware/pokemonrumble/register. The offer is available only through April 30, 2010.

In addition to the WiiWare demos and a new Pokémon adventure, visitors to the Wii Shop Channel this week will also find a pair of classic Virtual Console™ games – one offering irresistible action with the iconic Indiana Jones® series, the other featuring the timeless thrills of Capcom’s Street Fighter™ series. Meanwhile, Nintendo DSiWare™ users can visit the Nintendo DSi™ Shop to discover an eye-popping new Art Style™ game, a fun, arcade-style bowling title and a robot-themed logic game, all available for easy download and playable anytime, anywhere on the hand-held Nintendo DSi system.

WiiWare

Pokémon Rumble

Publisher: Nintendo

Players: 1-4

ESRB Rating: E10+ (Everyone 10 and Older) – Mild Cartoon Violence

Price: 1,500 Wii Points

Description: Available exclusively for the WiiWare service, Pokémon Rumble is an action game in which you control Toy Pokémon (referred to as “Pokémon”) and take on wave after wave of other Pokémon in a variety of stages. You can befriend some of the defeated Pokémon along the way, which lets you add them to your collection and grants you the ability to use them in battle. Switch between collected Pokémon at any time, taking advantage of the fact that the amount of damage you deal depends on the type of move used and the type of Pokémon hit. Be the last one standing to gain the right to compete in the Battle Royale and test your skills against many Pokémon at once. You can also team up with three people for some multiplayer action (additional Wii Remote controllers required), working together to take down tough Bosses and earning points that can be used toward recruiting or training Pokémon. You can even save your favorite Pokémon to your Wii Remote™ controller for exchanges with friends. Combining beautiful cel-shaded graphics and exciting game-play features, this is one rumble you won’t want to miss. Note that a demo version of Pokémon Rumble is also available for zero Wii Points.

BIT.TRIP BEAT Demo

Publisher: Aksys Games

Players: 1-4

ESRB Rating: E (Everyone)

Price: 0 Wii Points

Description: BIT.TRIP BEAT brings retro action back as you use the Wii Remote controller’s motion sensor to bounce beats in this rhythm game. Retro visuals, classic game play, four-player multiplayer and an 8-bit soundtrack will get you in the zone and rock your world. Pay attention, though: As with most classic games, the challenges are mighty. If you can stay cool as the difficulty increases, you’ll discover the beginnings of the BIT.TRIP saga.

FINAL FANTASY CRYSTAL CHRONICLES: My Life as a Darklord Demo

Publisher: SQUARE ENIX

Players: 1

ESRB Rating: E10+ (Everyone 10 and Older) – Mild Fantasy Violence, Mild Suggestive Themes

Price: 0 Wii Points

Description: Step into the royal shoes of the Darklord’s daughter as she installs traps and monsters inside her tower to fight back the endless waves of invading adventurers in this world-conquest role-playing game. Filling your demonic tower with monsters and traps called Artifacts is your only hope to keep the adventurers from destroying the Dark Crystal on the top floor. Fly your tower across the land and conquer every stage on your way to dominating the entire world.

NyxQuest: Kindred Spirits Demo

Publisher: Over The Top Games

Players: 1-2

ESRB Rating: E (Everyone) – Mild Fantasy Violence

Price: 0 Wii Points

Description: NyxQuest: Kindred Spirits is the awesome story of Nyx, an enigmatic winged girl who must descend from heaven in search of her missing friend, Icarus. Fly over the ruins of ancient Greece and avoid falling into blazing sands or perishing in the claws of cruel harpies and hydras. You’ll need the help of Zeus and other benevolent gods from Olympus to summon their powers. They will let you cast rays, modify the scenery and control winds at will. Fly, aim and shoot using the Wii Remote controller. Play with a friend and maximize your abilities: While one player controls Nyx, the other will control the powers from the gods.

World of Goo Demo

Publisher: 2D BOY

Players: 1-4

ESRB Rating: E (Everyone) – Comic Mischief

Price: 0 Wii Points

Description: World of Goo is an award-winning, physics-based puzzle/construction game made entirely by two guys. Use living, squirming, talking globs of goo to build structures, bridges, cannonballs, zeppelins and giant tongues. The millions of Goo Balls that live in the beautiful World of Goo are curious to explore, but they don’t know that they are in a game, nor that they are extremely delicious.

Virtual Console

Indiana Jones’ Greatest Adventures™

Original platform: Super NES™

Publisher: LucasArts

Players: 1

ESRB Rating: E10+ (Everyone 10 and Older) – Mild Violence

Price: 800 Wii Points

Description: Grab your trusty whip and slash your way through all three Indy classics in this no-thrills-barred adventure. If it happened in the movies, it happens here: the giant boulder from Raiders of the Lost Ark, the mine-cart chase from Temple of Doom, the three trials from Last Crusade, Rene Belloq and Colonel Vogel – it’s three times the action, all in one fully loaded game.

STREET FIGHTER II’: CHAMPION EDITION

Original platform: TurboGrafx16

Publisher: Capcom

Players: 1-2

ESRB Rating: T (Teen) – Mild Blood, Violence

Price: 700 Wii Points

Description: This is the classic PCEngine (TurboGrafx16) version of the two-player fighting game that started it all. At the time, a large capacity HuCARD was used to allow faithful recreation of the dynamic arcade game and its features, including bonus stages and sound effects. In the game, players select one of 12 characters and face opponents in a no-holds-barred battle to decide the top fighter. Master a character’s special moves and combos to defeat your rivals around the world. In “V.S. BATTLE” mode, there’s a convenient handicap feature. Using this feature to adjust a character’s performance, a novice player can be evenly matched against a seasoned player to enjoy an intense, head-to-head combat experience.

Nintendo DSiWare

Art Style™: DIGIDRIVE™

Publisher: Nintendo

Players: 1-2

ESRB Rating: E (Everyone)

Price: 500 Nintendo DSi Points™

Description: It’s traffic control with a twist as you try to direct identical cars down the same road in Art Style: DIGIDRIVE. This constantly moving puzzle game combines an easily understood playing field (an intersection) and a simple goal (create fuel), challenging you to properly guide a never-ending stream of cars. Stack similar cars five deep to create some fuel, then use that fuel to continue your progress in the game. Play in ENDLESS mode to see how long you can last, or compete against the computer or a human opponent in VS mode. Use combos to your advantage and see if your reflexes can handle the intensity of Overdrive mode. When all is said and done, you may never look at gridlock quite the same way again.

Arcade Bowling

Publisher: Skyworks Interactive

Players: 1

ESRB Rating: E (Everyone)

Price: 200 Nintendo DSi Points

Description: From Skyworks comes another addictively classic game, Arcade Bowling. It was designed by video game legend David Crane, one of the original founders of Activision and one of the most critically acclaimed game designers of all time. In the tradition of everyone’s favorite Boardwalk bowling game, use your stylus and steady aim to flick “laser” balls down the alley and up the ramp into the scoring holes. The farther away the scoring hole is, the more points you’ll get. Arcade Bowling features three futuristic sound tracks, state-of-the-art 3-D graphics and two addictive game modes, Classic and Progressive. In Classic Mode, roll up to nine balls to score as many points as you can. In Progressive Mode, enjoy multiple levels of game play with increasing score plateaus and bonus targets.

Robot Rescue

Publisher: Teyon

Players: 1

ESRB Rating: E (Everyone) – Comic Mischief

Price: 200 Nintendo DSi Points

Description: Robot Rescue is a fun logic game based on a simple but entertaining concept. Your mission is to free robots trapped in 45 evil computer labyrinths while avoiding deadly traps. Sound easy? Not so fast. Each robot shares linked controls, so when you move one, you move them all. It will take clever planning and nerves of steel to pull off this electronic escape. You’ll need to avoid many traps, such as mines or electrical circuits, and take advantage of special elements like glue stains. Choose one of three difficulty levels and get ready for a challenge.

Nintendo adds new titles to the Nintendo DSi Shop and the Wii Shop Channel at 9 a.m. Pacific time on Mondays. Users with broadband Internet access can redeem Wii Points or Nintendo DSi Points to download the games. Wii Points can be purchased in the Wii Shop Channel. Nintendo DSi Points can be purchased in the Nintendo DSi Shop. A Nintendo Points Card™ can be purchased at retail locations. All points from one Nintendo Points Card must be redeemed in either the Nintendo DSi Shop or the Wii Shop Channel. They are not transferable and cannot be divided between the two systems.

Remember that both Wii and Nintendo DSi feature parental controls that let adults manage the content their children can access. For more information about this and other features, visit Wii.com or NintendoDSi.com.

Issue #248, December 2009
featuring New Super Mario Bros Wii, Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing (Wii), Infinite Space (DS)

Nintendo announced a flurry of new games at E3 09, but only one was slotted to be this year’s big holiday title… and that’s New Super Mario Bros Wii. Nintendo Power is quick to point out the game is no watered down party minigame collection. In fact, it’s more of a watered-up version of New Super Mario Bros on DS.

As the first console-based 2D Mario title in eighteen years, NSMBW owes everything to the NES/SNES generation. The screenshots show rolling hills, card-matching minigames, an overworld map, and the usual allotment of tubes, coins and blocks. NP stresses that the game is a fully capable single-player experience, just in case you thought the levels were best enjoyed with the 4-man multiplayer.

For those of you coming into the game from the like-minded DS game, note that NSMBW lets you keep a much larger pile of collected items like fire flowers and whatnot. However, you can no longer activate a stored item in the middle of the level; you have to use it on the map screen before a level begins.

Some nitty-gritty items: NSMBW supports both Remote alone and Remote+Nunchuk control schemes. The game seems to have inherited the tilting Remote mechanic used in Warioland: Shake It. This is the first 2D Mario game in widescreen, but NP doesn’t say what happens to those of you with old, crappy 4:3 TVs. Does it center-cut the image, or do you have to play it letterboxed? Just like in Smash Bros Brawl, the camera will zoom in and out depending on how tight the players are in the level.

The Koopa Kids return from the dead to play bosses in New Super Mario Bros Wii. All ugly seven of them. With their dorky American Instruction Manual 1990 celebrity names. There’s a good reason Nintendo has done very little with this team of sops in nearly twenty years. Bowser Jr is also in NSMBW and hopefully he kicks the Koopalings around.

Nintendo is still holding on to the previously revealed playable lineup of Mario, Luigi, Toad and Toad. And no, neither of the Toads are clad in the traditional red so the game can preserve easily identifiable colors for all the players. Mario and Luigi own red and green, so the Toads must come in blue and yellow flavors. I still say Nintendo is holding Playable Peach as a hidden ace, because how can a fan-service title like this ignore the Super Mario Bros 2 cast of Mario, Luigi, Toad and Peach? We’ll see if I’m right when the game is released next week.

Have you checked out Nintendo Week? This weekly miniature TV show starting showing up on the Wii’s Nintendo Channel in September. Clean-cut hosts Gary and Alison spend each episode going over the newest releases from all over Nintendo: Wii, DS, Virtual Console, etc.

Nintendo Power introduces the duo in this issue with a brief interview. Unfortunately, it’s not a stellar showing, as the mag basically asks the same question three times, resulting in the hosts having to say the same thing (”I’m a big [Nintendo] fan!”) three times. We do learn that Gary is currently deep into Scribblenauts and Professor Layton, while Alison likes Wii Sports and Donkey Kong Country.

I’ve caught a few of their shows and they are moderately watchable. They are far too scripted and overwritten for adult tastes (they have an odd predilection for calling the DS “the Nintendo DS System”), but kids should enjoy it. They remind me of the first wave of dopey video game shows that landed on TV when I was a kid during the NES era. Of course, I think that supposedly mature shows like X-Play are far too scripted and overwritten as well. But at least with Nintendo Week you know you’re not going to get clumsy sex jokes before each commercial break.

Nintendo might actually try to leverage Nintendo Week once in a while. The episode for the week of October 26 contained the exclusive reveal of the new WiiWare title Excitebike: World Tour.

NP’s Ultimate Zelda list manages to rank thirteen Zelda games, as well as award categories like Best Weapon and Best Overworld. Here’s their order:

• #13. Zelda II (NES, 1988)
• #12 Four Swords Adventures (GameCube, 2004)
• #11 Majora’s Mask (N64, 2000)
• #10/9 Oracle of Ages/Seasons (Game Boy, 2001)
• #8 Minish Cap (GBA, 2004)
• #7 Phantom Hourglass (DS, 2007)
• #6 Wind Waker (GameCube, 2003)
• #5 Link’s Awakening (Game Boy, 1993)
• #4 Twilight Princess (Wii, 2006)
• #3 Legend of Zelda (NES, 1987)
• #2 A Link to the Past (SNES, 1992)
• #1 Ocarina of Time (N64, 1998)

Having played only eight of those, I’m hardly in a position to rank… but I’d put Wind Waker as number one.

These (NO NAME GIVEN) credits have got to stop.

I don’t know where or how Nintendo Power solicits some of their reader mail. Every issue devotes a page to multiple readers’ responses to one specific question. This issue, it’s “Which game world do you find the most compelling?” They must collect responses through a poorly-defined form on their website, because more and more NP seems obliged to publish quotes from people who do not leave their names. Not even their fakey internet names. Which leads to not-entirely-convincing missives like this one:

I suppose it is entirely possible that one fan thinks Wuhu Island from Wii Sports Resort satisfies some mad definition of the word “compelling.” But signing it with a (NO NAME GIVEN) makes me think the writer was ashamed of his pick. Just seems to unintentionally undermine the whole thing.

Download Staff Picks: Contra Rebirth (WiiWare), Tales of Monkey Island 2 (WiiWare), Phantasy Star (Sega Master System), Puzzle League Express (DSiWare)

Top scoring Wii review: Three Wii games at 7.5 this month… WWE Smackdown vs Raw 2010, Astro Boy: The Video Game, and Harvest Moon: Animal Parade. (all scores out of 10)
Top scoring DS review: An unbelievable six DS games ranked 8.0… Phantasy Star 0, Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Sky, Atelier Annie: Alchemists of Sera Island, Dragon Ball Z: Attack of the Saiyans, Drawn to Life: The Next Chapter, and Space Invaders Extreme 2. No more complaining about low-quality DS games, okay?
Lowest rated Wii review: SimAnimals Africa, 5.0
Lowest rated DS review: Fighting Fantasy: The Warlock of Firetop Mountain, 4.0

Other notable review scores this issue include DDR: Hottest Party 3 (Wii, 6.5), Nostalgia (DS, 7.0), Academy of Champions: Soccer (Wii, 6.5), Cooking Mama 3 (DS, 6.0), TMNT: Arcade Attack (DS, 4.5) and Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2 (Wii, 5.5).

Frank busts a move. – You may have heard that the US release of Wii-exclusive Tatsunoko vs Capcom: Ultimate All-Stars will feature Frank West of Dead Rising, but did you know that he can wear a Mega Buster-toting Mega Man outfit in the game?

Follow the money. – Infinite Space became a DS game because director Hifumi Kouno thought his budget was not large enough for a console release. Reasonable fellow, that Hifumi.

Don’t forget your Arceus! – Polish off your legitimately collected Pokedex in Pokemon Diamond/Pearl/Platinum with a visit to Toys R Us during the week of November 7 to 15. You’ll be downloading the last pokemon of this generation, Arceus.

The DSi-specific carts are coming. – Foto Fighter, one of a half-dozen games that I have seen claim to be “the first game made specifically for the Nintendo DSi,” lets you take pictures of household objects to spawn battling monsters. Sounds cooler than it actually is… NP makes it sound like the game is only really looking for basic shapes and colors in your pictures, and the resultant poke-ripoffs look nothing like your source photo.

And this isn’t even Sonic’s first racing game. – Sonic may have been a Brawler and an Olympic champion, but he’s not joining every Mario family game just yet. Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing will feature over twenty Sega characters in their own kart racer.

But he wanted to be an interior designer. – Composer Akira Yamaoka went from the music director for the first Silent Hillto the franchise’s producer for Silent Hill 3 and 4. For the upcoming Silent Hill: Shattered Memories, he’s back to being just the composer.

Next month in Nintendo Power… with the big first-party Wii game out of the way, NP turns to the season’s big DS game, Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks. Plus, celebrate as the DS turns five!

Focus Home Entertainment and Pendulo Studios have released a new trailer for their upcoming adventure title, Runaway: A Twist of Fate.  In this trailer, we get to see some of the action from the view of the other protagonist in the series, Gina Torres.  It appears she thinks Brian Basco is dead, and she proceeds to get herself in some trouble.

Runaway: A Twist of Fate also looks like it has moved its release date to early 2010.  As most have said, this just adds to an extended holiday purchasing season that now seems to occupy October to March.  The title will be available on the PC and the Nintendo DS.

Also, you can check out the new site for Runaway: A Twist of Fate by following the link.

Electroplankton was an obscure DS release, a music toy available only online or at the Nintendo World Store in NYC. Starting today, the non-game is available in component parts on DSiWare. Five of the planned ten releases are ready to buy at 200 DSi points apiece. What I don’t know is if they all combine like mighty Voltron to make one DSi app, or if your DSi menu is going to be forever clogged by individual Electroplankton mini-apps. At any rate, now’s your chance to explore the origins of that unplayably weird Smash Brawl stage, Hanenbow.

From the not-first-parties, there’s Frogger Returns on WiiWare for 500 points, Bomberman Blitz on DSiWare for 500 points, and the Virtual Console gets Cybernoid (C64, 500 points) and Wonder Boy III (Sega Master System, 500 points). And not to forget Dragon Master Spell Caster, because with a title like that, you’ can’t (WiiWare, 500 points).

Nintendo Download

LOAD UP ON EXCITEBIKE ACTION, MUSICAL PLANKTON AND MORE

Rev up your engines for a huge week at the Wii™ Shop Channel and Nintendo DSi™ Shop, starting with the launch of a pulse-pounding revamp for the WiiWare™ service, Excitebike™: World Rally. For the Nintendo DSiWare service, you’ll find five new titles in the mesmerizing Electroplankton™ series – available at just 200 Nintendo DSi Points™ apiece – plus the irresistible multiplayer mayhem of Bomberman Blitz. With two new classic Virtual Console™ offerings to sweeten the selection, there’s truly something for everyone to download and enjoy.

Virtual Console

Wonder Boy™ III: The Dragon’s Trap
Original platform: MASTER SYSTEM
Publisher: SEGA
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone) – Mild Cartoon Violence, Tobacco Reference
Price: 500 Wii Points
Description: Wonder Boy III: The Dragon’s Trap is widely considered to be one of the best games produced for the SEGA MASTER SYSTEM. The direct sequel to Wonder Boy in Monster Land, it starts in the final lair of the previous game. This game is the first in the series to allow Wonder Boy to roam freely by using various animal forms, but as with previous games in the series, Wonder Boy can also buy various weapons, armor and items to help him in his quest.

Cybernoid™
Original platform: Commodore 64
Publisher: Commodore Gaming
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone) – Mild Fantasy Violence
Price: 500 Wii Points
Description: Federation storage depots have been raided by pirates, who’ve taken valuable minerals, jewels, ammunition and the latest battle weaponry. You have been commissioned by the Federation to retrieve the cargo and return it to storage within a specified time limit. The pirate craft have activated all planetary defense systems, which you must negotiate along with the pirates themselves. If you fail to reach the depot within the time limit, or if the value of your retrieved cargo is insufficient, you must forfeit one of your Cybernoid ships.

WiiWare

Excitebike: World Rally
Publisher: Nintendo
Players: 1-4
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone)
Price: 1,000 Wii Points™
Description: Prepare to face daredevil jumps, crazy obstacles and other racers in the newest installment in the venerable Excitebike franchise, available exclusively on the WiiWare service. Choose from multiple camera angles as you tilt your way to smooth landings using motion-sensitive controls. Compete in races around the world in four championship circuits. Use Nintendo® Wi-Fi Connection to invite friends to a race. Or if you’re feeling brave, take on anyone else looking for a match. Feel like tackling a challenge of your own design? Use the intuitive Track Editor to choose from the available obstacles and put together your dream course, then share courses with friends to see whose creation skills reign supreme.

Frogger Returns
Publisher: Konami Digital Entertainment
Players: 1-2
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone)
Price: 500 Wii Points
Description: Frogger Returns takes the heart-pounding challenge of arcade Frogger and moves it into the next dimension. Classic top-down 2-D game play is updated with colorful 3-D graphics, a new perspective, new levels, new enemies and game-changing power-ups. A local multiplayer mode lets you race a friend.

Dragon Master Spell Caster™
Publisher: Stickmen Studios
Players: 1-2
ESRB Rating: E10+ (Everyone 10 and Older) – Mild Fantasy Violence
Price: 500 Wii Points
Description: The Dragon Lords have returned to the magical world of Nakiha, bringing ultimate power to whoever controls them. Choose your champion, then master amazing magic and fierce dragon attacks to defeat the rival Champions and their Dragon Lords. Choose from four different paths and decide the fate of the world in the fantastic story mode. Battle your friends in two-player split-screen arcade mode and tailor your tactics with different dragon and rider combinations, each with its own strengths and weaknesses. Marvel at the effects of mind-blowing spell collisions. Mix spells and unleash their ultimate power. Control your Dragon Lord and crush, bite and burn your way to victory.

Nintendo DSiWare

Bomberman Blitz
Publisher: Hudson Entertainment
Players: 1-8
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone) – Comic Mischief
Price: 500 Nintendo DSi Points
Description: Bomberman makes his downloadable debut on Nintendo DSiWare with Bomberman Blitz. Dive into a classic multiplayer Bomberman experience with eight-player local or online multiplayer using Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection. Hone your skills and learn the maps, then take the battle online. Change map and item preferences for enhanced customization. Delivering unparalleled multiplayer excitement, Bomberman Blitz lets Nintendo DSi users enjoy the addictive fun of Bomberman anytime, anywhere.

Electroplankton Trapy
Publisher: Nintendo
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone)
Price: 200 Nintendo DSi Points
Description: Trapy plankton make sounds as they swim over graceful lines made up of linked triangles. The creatures follow the lines you trace along the water. There are six types of Trapy in all, each with a unique color and sound. All Trapy plankton produce different tones depending on the direction they swim. They produce the lowest-pitched sounds when they swim to the right and produce higher-pitched sounds as their path veers to the left.

Electroplankton Hanenbow
Publisher: Nintendo
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone)
Price: 200 Nintendo DSi Points
Description: Normally aquatic creatures, Hanenbow sometimes use floating leaves to launch themselves out of the water, creating strange sounds and melodies as they bounce off the leaves. Entire schools of Hanenbow have been known to launch out of the water, one after another. As a leaf is repeatedly hit by flying Hanenbow, it gradually changes color. This also alters the sound made by bouncing Hanenbow. When all the leaves turn red, a flower will bloom. It remains unclear why the Hanenbow display this curious behavior.

Electroplankton Rec-Rec
Publisher: Nintendo
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone)
Price: 200 Nintendo DSi Points
Description: Rec-Rec are fishlike plankton that feed on sound waves. They absorb sound waves transmitted through water and use them as a form of nutrition. The sound waves that the Rec-Rec eat are then stored inside their bodies until they have been digested. Once the digestion process is complete, they play back the sounds in perfect four-second intervals. While these sounds are playfully emitted, wave patterns can be seen pulsating on their bodies. Rec-Rec always swim side by side in schools of four. When they swim at different speeds, the frequency with which they emit sounds also changes.

Electroplankton Nanocarp
Publisher: Nintendo
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone)
Price: 200 Nintendo DSi Points
Description: Nanocarp have very sensitive hearing. Using their two ears to sense vibrations coming through the water, these plankton can distinguish sound quality and frequency. They display very interesting reactions to the sound of humans clapping or breathing. Nanocarp are also excellent swimmers. They have a tendency to swim in formations of 16 and react together when they detect sounds. These plankton emit sounds on their own when they sense waves on the water’s surface. When this happens, the pitch of sounds they produce changes depending on where the Nanocarp is located.

Electroplankton Beatnes
Publisher: Nintendo
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone)
Price: 200 Nintendo DSi Points
Description: Beatnes are curious plankton with geometrically shaped heads that form vertical strands like seaweed. Their bodies are made up of eight sections, each featuring a distinctive diamond-shaped tail. The sound of a Beatnes can vary wildly depending on which segment of the body is tapped. However, all of the sounds closely resemble the short-wave and triangular-wave sound effects from a Nintendo Entertainment System™ sound chip. When Beatnes are tapped in time with a rhythm, they continue to repeat the sounds in perfect time for a short period.

Nintendo adds new titles to the Nintendo DSi™ Shop and the Wii™ Shop Channel at 9 a.m. Pacific time on Mondays. Users with broadband Internet access can redeem Wii Points or Nintendo DSi Points to download the games. Wii Points can be purchased in the Wii Shop Channel. Nintendo DSi Points can be purchased in the Nintendo DSi Shop. A Nintendo Points Card™ can be purchased at retail locations. All points from one Nintendo Points Card must be redeemed in either the Nintendo DSi Shop or the Wii Shop Channel. They are not transferable and cannot be divided between the two systems.

Remember that both Wii and Nintendo DSi feature parental controls that let adults manage the content their children can access. For more information about this and other features, visit www.Wii.com or www.NintendoDSi.com.

The rare, legendary, FINAL pokedex member is available this week at Toys R Us as a free Wonder Card download for any of the current three DS core Pokemon games. Not only do you get a level 100 monster, but you also get a little shove of interest to the next Pokemon games. Seems that Arceus, when traded forward into HeartGold or SoulSilver, will allow you to “witness the moment a legendary pokemon comes to be.”

Having Arceus on your team will allow you to catch – at level 1 – either Dialgia, Palkia or Giratina. You know, the three poster monsters for Diamond, Pearl and Platinum, respectively. Sure, pro Pokemon Trainers likely have all three of them already (legally, even.) But catching them at level 1 means you’re getting the beast in a far more malleable form. Like, you could train it to fetch sodas from the fridge or something.

What is it?

The Powermat is an electronic appliance that you set on a surface and plug into the wall, then use to charge your small electronic devices. I spent a lot of time thinking about what to compare it to, and I think I’ve got it: it’s a power strip. Imagine a power strip that doesn’t have any holes in it, but is capable of charging up to four of your devices simultaneously without using their charging cables.

That’s right, it doesn’t use the charging cables. This sucker is wireless. Well, sort of. There’s the wire that plugs it into the wall, of course. And if you don’t pick up a custom receiver for each of your devices, you’re still going to need to connect the universal receiver (called a Powercube) that comes with the Mat to your non Powermat-enabled device, using one of the many adapter tips, to the device using a wire. The reasons you’d do it this way are pretty compelling, and I’ll get to that.

Powermat sent along two of their Powermat devices and three of their dedicated receivers for me to try out, so I’m going to take you through exactly what these are and why you might consider picking them up.

Powermat Home and Office Mat

This is the flagship Powermat device. It looks like a surfboard, really. Smaller than a surfboard, though, so maybe a Smurfboard. There’s a port on the back for the power cable and a USB port that you could use to charge devices that charge using a USB cable. I guess that’s another wire. There are three connection zones on top of the Powermat, each marked with a small circle in the center.

The Powermat comes with a universal receiver called a Powercube, which is a little white square with a wire on it with a mini USB port on the end. Also provided is a selection of adapter tips, which plug into that mini USB port and allow you to connect just about anything. The only things in my home I could find that wouldn’t connect was my DualShock 3 (despite its having a connection that fit) and my Game Boy Advance SP. I don’t know why the DualShock 3 won’t charge, but it’s hard to give them a hard time for not charging my GBA SP. I mean, my Sega Game Gear won’t connect either. No, I don’t have a Game Gear.

To charge a PSP, you find the adapter tip marked “Sony” and connect it to the wire on the Powercube, then connect it to the PSP’s power connection, then place the receiver on one of the three connection zones. You need to put this together in that order, or it won’t activate, because the system “handshakes” with the receiver when the physical connection is made between the receiver and mat. When you bring the receiver near the mat, you can feel a magnetic tug which guides it into the right position. If you don’t feel the tug, you’re not in the right area. If you have your eyes open and the lights are on, it’s pretty easy to get it in the right place. It might take a few seconds if it’s 2am and you can’t see because you’ve been playing PSP for three hours straight. Why did I feel so strange saying those last few sentences?

In addition to this magnetic pull, you can get audio and visual feedback from the Powermat, or you can turn those off by pressing buttons on the back. A high-tech sounding chirp, ascending when it starts to charge and descending when it’s finished, can be set to low or high volume or off. A white light, which comes from under the mat’s forward edge, can also be enabled or disabled. When I first charged my phone using the Powermat, it kept chirping and flashing at me every couple of minutes. I found that the issue was caused by my phone, which has given me trouble with power management for months. By turning off the phone before charging, I was able to fix the problem, but if I didn’t want to do that I could have turned off the sound and lights.

The Powercube is what I use to charge my PSP and cell phone. The Samsung adapter in the kit fits my Samsung Gravity, and the Sony one fits my PSP 2000. There’s an Apple adapter for iPods and iPhones (but don’t set these directly on your magnetic Powermat, folks) as well as several other tips to cover DSi, DS Lite, LG, and Micro USB. Just about anything else should be covered by the USB port on the back, or even the MiniUSB port that’s on the Powercube when you don’t put a tip on. It’s not a bad range of compatibility. The kit even includes a little case to hold some of your tips in (though they won’t all fit, so I put the ones I didn’t need back in the original box), which looks like the Powercube, and it even clings magnetically to the surface of the Powermat, which is cute.

Now, the real advantages of the Powermat, considering that without a dedicated receiver, you are using a wire to connect everything anyway, may not be immediately clear, so let me cover a few of those. First of all, I went from a power strip with six plugs in it to a single plug going straight into the wall. I have a pile of chargers that are no longer sucking power from the wall 24 hours a day regardless of whether something’s plugged in. When the Powermat finishes charging a device, it turns off and the device stops drawing power. This makes it far more efficient than any of the cheap power adapters that came with your device. The documentation claims that there are devices that will charge faster with the Powermat because of its more efficient power management, and I believe that. Using the Samsung charger that came with my phone, I tend to find my battery nearly dead by the end of the day. The first time I charged it with the Powermat, it charged in less time and then stayed almost fully charged all day, which caught me completely by surprise. It did the same thing every day thereafter.

The rest of the advantages are completely cosmetic. There’s no arguing that a Powermat looks a hell of a lot cooler than a power strip, which makes you happy to move that task from the floor to the night stand. The Powermat for Home and Office retails for $99, and comes with the Mat, AC adapter, the Powercube with eight adapter tips and tip storage box. You can find it here.

Powermat Portable Mat

The portable model of the Powermat functions the same way the home and office model does, including all the same components, such as the Powercube universal receiver. They key difference is the form factor. Rather than being a Smurfboard, it’s built more like a chain. Broken into three segments with 180º hinges between, the portable Mat folds into a small space, and can even be used while folded up if you’re only charging one device. It comes with a carrying case, complete with magnetic clasp, which holds both the Mat and its AC adapter, which is really very cool. It’s clear these people are very fond of magnets, and who isn’t? This model doesn’t look as nice as the other, but its portability, and the fact that it comes with a case, is nothing to dismiss.

The Powermat Portable Mat comes with everything the Home and Office model does, plus the carrying case as shown, for $99. You can find it here.

I give both Powermats, the Home and Office and Portable models, a four out of five. These are really fun, cool, fascinating technology. They work very well and it’s remarkable how much attention to detail went into not only their design, but even their packaging. The manuals go into great detail, quantifying the advantages of the efficient tech, particularly to the environment. Despite all this, The Powermat by itself, without any of the receivers that are sold separately, lacks the hook that the Powermat promises on in its ads. You can’t charge devices simply by setting them on the Mat, and you won’t be able to unless the manufacturers start including the receiver tech in their devices.

Powermat Receiver Back for Nintendo DSi and DS Lite

Now, you’re probably thinking the same thing I was thinking when I saw the first Powermat commercial on TV. It’s something along the lines of, “how the heck is this thing even possible?” Well, the way it works is with magnetism. I don’t understand the nuts and bolts of the technology, but the pad and the receiver communicate, determining the proper way to charge the attached device, and then do so.

Powermat will only work with Powermat enabled devices. That means they either need to be connected to the Powercube (which would be a Powermat enabled device) or you need to buy an additional receiver that is custom made for your device. Powermat makes these receivers for four flavors of Blackberry (with more on the way), two kinds of Nintendo DS, and three options for Apple iPod and iPhone, with a 3GS on the way. The Blackberry receivers are battery doors, while the DS receivers slide unobtrusively onto the back of your DS. Your Apple choices vary as well, as there’s a dock as well as cases that fit over an iPhone or iPod Touch.

Having a dedicated receiver on your device lets the Powermat reach its full potential. Leave it on your device all the time, and all you need to do is set it down on the Powermat to charge. Your device doesn’t need to be turned on, but if you want it to be, you can do that, which is great for those of us who tend to suspend our games by closing our DS. Of course, I expect if you did this, the battery would eventually fail, because once it reaches full charge, it won’t start charging again unless you lift it up and set it back down again.

The Receiver Back for DSi is great. It’s large enough to get a solid grip on the DSi without dramatically increasing the weight. If you have a soft case with some give to it, as I do, the system will still fit inside with the receiver on it. The receiver back doesn’t get in your way while you’re playing, either. Unfortunately, the wrap-around design on both the DS Lite and DSi receivers tends to obstruct some things. On the DS Lite, it makes it hard to get at the power switch for turning on and off. The DSi’s power button in on the face, but the volume control buttons become a little bit of a challenge to get at. It’s not really a problem as much as something to get used to, but the receiver is right up against the power switch on the DS Lite, which makes operating the switch a pain.

Powermat’s Receiver Backs for DSi and DS Lite are $29 each. I’ll give the DSi and DS Lite Receiver Backs a 4.5 out of 5. Combined with a Powermat, this is really neat technology that it genuinely convenient and, perhaps as important, it looks great doing it. Unfortunately, that obstruction to the power switch on the Lite model is really bothersome. You can find the Lite model here, and the DSi model here.

Powermat Receiver Dock for iPod and iPhone

Powermat’s Dock for iPod and iPhone is a small white square with the familiar iPod connector on top and an adjustable support to keep the device standing upright. This support is necessary because iPods have come in all shapes and sizes over the years, so one size certainly wouldn’t fit all. Be aware that this won’t work with iPod Shuffle. This effectively futureproofs the dock as well, unless of course Apple suddenly decides to discard their connector style as they did years ago when they abandoned the firewire port on iPods. It’s a very simple, lightweight design. As with other receivers, you connect your device to the dock and then set the dock onto the Powermat.

Powermat’s Receiver Dock for iPod and iPhone is $39. I rate the Receiver Dock a 4 out of 5. It works well and the sliding support is a very smart idea, but the price point of $39 seems a bit high when compared to the value of the DS Receivers, which seem physically like much more solid peripherals. You can find it here.

November 3
Academy of Champions Soccer – Ubisoft’s arcade soccer + Hogwarts game is finally out. This one made an initial splash for including characters from Ubisoft’s stable like Jade and Mr. Splinter Cell.

LEGO Rock Band – The multiplatform family-focused Rock Band title arrives. I still think it’s odd that the setlist isn’t true kids music from established kids bands, because what you are getting really isn’t appreciably different from a regular Rock Band setlist. 2009 seems to be the year that Harmonix finally squanders all that goodwill they’ve built up since the initial RB release. And speaking of that, Band Hero is also out this week. Both are also on DS.

Rabbids Go Home – The evolution of the Rabbids into a genuine gaming brand is complete as they get their first non-garbage-minigames game. Actually sounds pretty funny, if you can stomach the oh-so-zany Rabbid marketing. (Also on DS)

November 9
Excitebike: World Rally – Nintendo stealth-announced this new WiiWare title on the October 26th Nintendo Week show. Looks like a fair redux of the NES original, with some very familiar track layouts just at a new 3D camera angle. And it still has a level editor!

November 10
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Reflex – Just in time for Modern Warfare 2’s release, an adaptation of the original hits the Wii. Apparently the game does not support the Wii Speak microphone, so we should have none of those problems. (Also on DS, sort of, as Modern Warfare Mobilized.)

November 15
New Super Mario Bros Wii – Nintendo’s big first-party release of the fall. I’ve been wavering on this one for quite some time, but I think I’m going to officially pass. It has the Koopa Kids in it, and I hate the Koopa Kids.

November 17
EA Sports Active – More Workouts – I think that subtitle probably explains it all.

LEGO Indiana Jones 2 – Another multiplat release. The ship has sailed on Indy Jones; did enough people really want this sequel? (Also on DS)

Resident Evil: The Darkside Chronicles – We didn’t seem to land a single decent horror game in time for Halloween, did we? They’ve all been pushed to invade other holidays.

Scene It? Bright Lights! Big Screen! – The Scene It brand escapes 360 exclusivity with two Wii releases; there’s this one and a Twilight-focused edition arriving Nov 24.

November is expected to see Part 5 of Tales of Monkey Island arrive on WiiWare, as well as the tower defender Robocalypse: Beaver Defense.

Now, on the DS:

November 3
C.O.P.: The Recruit – Watch out Chinatown Wars! C.O.P. is trying to out-GTA you with a true 3D world.

Style Savvy – A curious first-party release, Style Savvy has you running a clothing boutique eager to satisfy incoming clients. The human models in the game are extraordinarily creepy: normal-proportioned figures with oversized anime heads. Something about the look makes me think more blow-up doll and less anime design. Every time I see this game in action I think “Well, that’s somebody’s fetish.”

November 10
Phantasy Star 0 – Sega’s RPG hits the DS. This is the one with the in-game chat feature where you can draw your conversations to each other.

November 17
Assassin’s Creed II: Discovery – Nintendo Power mentioned that this one was sort of a surprise. Which kind of fits, don’t you think?

In other news, you can keep the Halloween train rollin’ with “Aha! I Got It!” Escape Game, which tells the horrifying tale of a father who locks his son in a room and forces him to find a way out. 500 points gets you this WiiWare torture porn simulator. Wait… it’s not supposed to sound scary?

The only first party offering is Sparkle Snapshots, a 500-point DSiWare app that enhances the built-in camera tools.

You’ll also find the Sega Master System version of R-Type, some intriguing DSi games about vikings and giants, and another pair of needless WiiWare releases involving carnivals and card games. All neatly available for your perusal after the jump.

Nintendo Download

THIS WEEK’S DOWNLOADABLE LINEUP TRULY SPARKLES

Why just take photos with your Nintendo DSi™ system when you can have access to a virtual photo booth? Sparkle Snapshots™, a new Nintendo DSiWare™ application, lets you customize pictures with fun extras like fancy frames and stamps. On the other hand, if you’re more of a fan of Nordic pillaging and/or dragons, you’re going to want to check out this week’s Nintendo DSiWare offerings of both Viking Invasion and Battle of Giants: Dragons – Bronze Edition.

Three fun WiiWare™ games are added to the ever-growing library, including Carnival King, which turns your TV into a carnival midway. And the Virtual Console™ delivers its usual quality classics, including Fighting Street®, a port of the original arcade version of STREET FIGHTER.

Virtual Console

Fighting Street
Original platform: TurboGrafx16 CD-ROM
Publisher: Capcom
Players: 1-2
ESRB Rating: E10+ (Everyone 10 and Older) – Mild Blood, Violence
Price: 800 Wii Points
Description: A port of the arcade version of STREET FIGHTER, the legendary fighting game that started it all. Players control RYU or KEN and battle against unique fighters from all over the world. The first fighter to knock out an opponent and win two rounds is the winner. Power up your attack to three different levels – the longer you hold a button, the stronger your attack. Input commands to perform special attacks and deal serious damage to your opponent. Combine your normal and special attacks effectively to fight your way to victory.

R-TYPE™
Original platform: SEGA Master System
Publisher: SEGA
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone) – Mild Fantasy Violence
Price: 500 Wii Points
Description: R-TYPE is a classic, side-scrolling arcade shoot-’em-up that was developed by Irem in 1987. It’s the 22nd century, and you are humanity’s last hope against the evil Bydo Empire. Your ship is called the R-9a “Arrowhead” and comes with a standard gun, but power-ups and upgrades are available in each mission. Navigate through eight challenging levels that will test even the best gamer’s reflexes. The SEGA Master System version features an exclusive secret level not found in any other release.

WiiWare

Carnival King
Publisher: Incredible Technologies
Players: 1-2
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone) – Mild Cartoon Violence
Price: 700 Wii Points™
Description: Carnival King is a fun-for-all-ages video game that brings the spirit and energy of competitive carnival games to the screen. Players compete for top scores and prizes while visiting three different amusement parks: Arcadia, Dreamland and Lagoon Park. Each park has four sets of games and a Bonus Round to test players’ speed and accuracy. For novices or sharpshooters, the games are continually challenging, and the difficulty level can be adjusted to match each player’s growing confidence.

“Aha! I Got It!” Escape Game
Publisher: Ateam Inc.
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone)
Price: 500 Wii Points
Description: Play alone or with family and friends to solve this puzzling adventure game. Today is Milo’s birthday, and he just got an amazing present from his dad: a room full of puzzles. Milo needs to solve all the puzzles to escape from the room. Shake, push and twist the Wii Remote™ controller to collect and use in-game items. There’s plenty to solve – see if you have what it takes to figure it all out.

Family Card Games
Publisher: Aksys Games
Players: 1-2
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone) – Mild Suggestive Themes
Price: 500 Wii Points
Description: Daddy, Mommy, Sarah and Billy are back for some good ol’ card game action. Try your hand at one of three card games: Daifugo, Speed or Memory. Family Card Games offers appealing cel-shaded graphics, endearing music and friendly, competitive match-ups. You can play one-player Daifugo or play against up to three other random players in an online match. You can also view your ranking and see how you match up with players around the world. Test your reflexes against another player in Speed and see who truly has the fastest hands. Memory will test your mental capacity as you try to remember where cards and their respective matches are.

Nintendo DSiWare

Sparkle Snapshots
Publisher: Nintendo
Players: 1
Price: 500 Nintendo DSi Points™
Description: Take photos and embellish them to your heart’s desire with Sparkle Snapshots. Choose from a large variety of fancy frames, backgrounds, stamps and funny outfits to decorate your photos, or use the powerful paint program functions to manipulate them in detail. Want to take a new photo and add it to your collection? Adjust the lighting conditions and lens type to match your subject and even use a shutter timer to allow yourself some extra time to get everything perfectly in place. Save your favorite snapshots in your Nintendo DSi Camera album and use Nintendo DS wireless communications to send your masterpieces to your friends. It’s all the fun of a photo booth – and more – in the palms of your hands.

Viking Invasion
Publisher: BiP Media
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone) – Mild Fantasy Violence
Price: 800 Nintendo DSi Points
Description: They come from the North, and they’re about to invade your Nintendo DSi system. Beware of Olaf the Viking and his motley crew. Even now, their drakkars are sailing up the rivers to attack your castles. It’s up to you to construct fortifications to prevent them from pillaging everything you own. The more you defend yourself, the more ferocious they’ll become. Before you know it, they’ll be invoking legions of fantastic creatures straight out of the mythical land of Asgard. Fortunately, the experience you gain will help you to build even more powerful defenses. Thwart all your assailants’ ruses and unlock new kinds of buildings: tornado-blowing windmills to repel the ships, monoliths that strengthen your fortifications or canons that shoot studded shells. Discover more than 10 levels, tons of units, a Campaign mode, a Survival mode and three difficulty levels. There’s even a little surprise at the end. Can you rise to the challenge and stop Olaf from taking your treasure home to his sweetheart Olga?

Battle of Giants: Dragons – Bronze Edition
Publisher: Ubisoft
Players: 1-4
ESRB Rating: E10+ (Everyone 10 and Older) – Mild Fantasy Violence
Price: 800 Nintendo DSi Points
Description: As last of the noble and rare Bronze Dragons, you must defeat the evil SALMU dragons and reclaim the 25 exclusive bronze gems they stole. Explore 10 maps and travel through the great jungles of Earth, the scorched grounds of Fire, the frozen wastelands of Ice and the floating islands of Wind. Customize your dragon’s appearance by changing its body, wings, tail shape and colors – even add stripes. Test your dragon’s fighting skills against your friends in head-to-head combat or four-player tournaments.

Nintendo adds new titles to the Nintendo DSi™ Shop and the Wii™ Shop Channel at 9 a.m. Pacific time on Mondays. Users with broadband Internet access can redeem Wii Points or Nintendo DSi Points to download the games. Wii Points can be purchased in the Wii Shop Channel. Nintendo DSi Points can be purchased in the Nintendo DSi Shop. A Nintendo Points Card™ can be purchased at retail locations. All points from one Nintendo Points Card must be redeemed in either the Nintendo DSi Shop or the Wii Shop Channel. They are not transferable and cannot be divided between the two systems.

Remember that both Wii and Nintendo DSi feature parental controls that let adults manage the content their children can access. For more information about this and other features, visit www.Wii.com or www.NintendoDSi.com.