Issue #268, June 2011
featuring Sonic Generations (3DS), Mega Man Legends 3 (3DS), Legend of Zelda Game Boy Era

Come on, Sega is totally trolling us. Sonic 4: Episode 1 was released as a downloadable game last October and there is still no word on what’s going on with Episode 2. Instead, Sega announced Sonic Generations, another this-one-is-your-favorite callback to Sonic’s increasingly distant memory. And then we find out that they’re not even doing a Wii version, despite the last five years of Sonic games giving a pretty damn fine showing on the Wii! But somehow, we’re getting a 3DS version of Generations, so that’s what Nintendo Power has to focus on in this issue.

All the usual chorus lines are here. How many times have you read the following in an article about a new Sonic game:

“The level design puts as much emphasis on platforming as it does on speed.”

“We’re getting a fresh dose of vintage Sonic action for the first time in more than 16 years.”

“The gameplay is slavishly faithful to the Genesis era.”

“The bosses will be culled from the Blue Blur’s past.”

“Pleasing fans both new and old might be Sonic’s biggest accomplishment yet.”

“It’s like an injection of pure nostalgia.”

Seriously.

The hook with Generations is that we’ll have levels that feature old, ugly fat Genesis Sonic, and levels that use taller, just-shy-of-Dreamcast Sonic. On the PS3 and 360 versions, this means two different styles of gameplay: old Sonic gets classically designed and controlled levels, while new Sonic has modern 3D levels. I don’t know how this is any different from the last handful of Sonic games that had both 2D side-scrolling and 3D exploration levels, but if the marketing people say THIS IS THE SONIC YOU’VE BEEN WAITING FOR, who am I to point fingers and ask questions.

On the 3DS version, however, modern Sonic will just get levels that are more like Sonic Rush, still side-scrolling but with newer abilities and designs. I always though the Rush series was the only worthwhile home for 2D Sonic gameplay in recent years, but Nintendo Power says the sub-series has “detractors” so I guess Sonic fans just can’t be happy about anything. Maybe they don’t want to be happy. Sega certainly can’t make them happy.

An interview with Sonic Team leader Takashi Iizuka gives some nicely frank answers to your burning questions. Why no Generations on Wii? Because isn’t in HD, piss off. Why does the 3DS version have double the 2D? Because all our previous handheld Sonic games have been 2D, piss off. What’s up with Sonic 4: Episode 2? We’re incorporating fan feedback, piss off. Any other characters in Generations aside from Sonic? Yes, piss off.

Look, after this article I officially f_cking hate Sonic. So there.

Here are your 10 best GBA games, as picked by NP.

#10 Advance Wars
#9 Metroid Fusion
#8 Gunstar Super Heroes
#7 Drill Dozer
#6 WarioWare Inc: Mega Microgames
#5 The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap
#4 Astro Boy: Omega Factor
#3 Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga
#2 Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow
#1 Metroid: Zero Mission

I own seven of those. How did you do?

Download Staff Picks: Mega Man X (SNES Virtual Console)

Top scoring Wii review: Wii Play: Motion, 7.5 (all scores out of 10)
Top scoring 3DS review: The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D, 9.5
Lowest rated Wii review: Kung Fu Panda 2, 2.5
Lowest rated 3DS review: Cubic Ninja, 4.0

The yellow face, it burns us! – Hideo Kojima thinks his team “lacked the necessary power and wisdom” to pull off Boktai, that odd GBA game that used a sunlight sensor to find in-game vampires. Ouch!

All for some TMNT knockoffs. – 20 years ago, the June 1991 issue of Nintendo Power printed 36 pages of info on the NES game Battletoads. Just to underline how stupid that was, the June 1991 issue also debuted the SNES. Which was probably one paragraph in the old “Pak Watch” feature.

Next month in Nintendo Power… E3 2011. I hear Nintendo might announce something huge.

And according to that screenshot, Dr. House and the Dread Pirate Westley will give Captain Kangaroo the business in the new DSiWare release House M.D. – Globetrotting. It’s 800 points, but part of your payment is skimmed right off the top for actor Hugh Laurie himself.

Speaking of House, has he upgraded to a 3DS yet? I remember seeing him play Metroid Fusion on a GBA in season 1, and I’m pretty sure he had a DS in later seasons. I’d hate to think he’s fallen off the Nintendo bandwagon.

Perhaps celebrating Takahashi Meijin’s departure from Hudson, Super Adventure Island (SNES, 800 points) is now available on the Virtual Console. Pour one out for Master Higgins, homies.

I’d point out the week’s other releases, but his BP is climbing, so I’ve got to run. I don’t even have time to talk about Valet Parking 1989, which, if it wasn’t named in Nintendo’s press release, I’d swear was a joke game title. HIS BP IS CLIMBING.

Nintendo Download

Fast Cars and a Feisty Doctor Deliver Fresh Downloadable Fun

This week’s new downloadable games for Nintendo systems include two different ways to get behind the wheel – one futuristic, the other retro. In FAST – Racing League for the WiiWare™ service, players can fast-forward 100 years into the future to experience antigravity racing thrills. In Valet Parking 1989™ for the Nintendo DSiWare™ service, they can jump back a couple of decades to strategically handle a host of vintage ’80s automobiles. For those who prefer hospitals instead of hot rods, House M.D. – Globetrotting gives Nintendo DSi™ owners a way to immerse themselves in a rich medical drama. And for timeless console fun, the Super NES™ classic Super Adventure Island is now playable on the Wii™ system via the Virtual Console™ service. Whatever your gaming appetite demands, these great new downloads can help you kick off your summer with a smile.

Virtual Console

Super Adventure Island
Original platform: SNES
Publisher: Hudson Entertainment
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone) – Mild Cartoon Violence
Price: 800 Wii Points
Description: Adventure Island is a mysterious and beautiful land that has many hidden dangers. The hero of the island, Master Higgins, protects its inhabitants from many deadly creatures. He has restored peace to the uncharted island on many occasions. But something terrible has happened. While Master Higgins and Jeanie Jungle were stargazing, a dangerous entity known only as Dark Cloak turned Jeanie to stone. Master Higgins must venture toward Dark Cloak’s castle at the foot of Ice Mountain to rescue her.

WiiWare

WiiWare™

FAST – Racing League
Publisher: Shin’en Multimedia
Players: 1-4
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone)
Price: 1,000 Wii Points™
Description: In the year 2112, the masses are fascinated by extreme high-speed races. The latest antigravity racing technology introduced phase-shifting. Perfectly phase-matching tracks and racing machines is the key to survival. Prepare yourself for a whole new racing experience at breakneck speeds. Push your skills to the limit to win races and beat records. Challenge your friends to an all-out split-screen competition. Compete against ruthless opponents and race to the top of all leagues. Warm up your engines – the future is now.

BIT.TRIP VOID (demo version)
Publisher: Aksys Games
Players: 1-4
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone)
Price: 0 Wii Points; full version available for 600 Wii Points
Description: BIT.TRIP VOID is the third installment in the retro-arcade BIT.TRIP saga. BIT.TRIP VOID is a synesthetic exploration of rhythm and music as they pertain to our everyday lives and moods. In a control scheme that’s new to the series yet wholly familiar to gamers, players are given complete freedom to move about the screen wherever they desire and interact with the music in new ways. The classic game-play aesthetic remains – color and the absence of color are explored to the fullest. Trip out in four-player co-op and get lost in the beat with a friend. See if you can survive the onslaught of Beats and further your own BIT.TRIP.

Note: Some demo versions do not support all game features, and players cannot save their in-game progress in demo versions.

Nintendo DSiWare

House M.D. – Globetrotting
Publisher: Legacy Interactive
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: T (Teen) – Drug Reference, Sexual Themes
Price: 800 Nintendo DSi Points™
Description: Whenever a patient is dying and no one can find any answers, the elite Diagnostic Medicine department at Princeton-Plainsboro Hospital must follow all leads to uncover the truth. Patients and family members lie to protect their own peculiar secrets, and the most unlikely clues sometimes can lead to answers. Dr. Gregory House and his team race to unravel a new medical mystery. An aging TV host seems to care less about his own health than his fame and reputation. Track down the correct diagnosis by interviewing and examining the patient, running lab tests and even performing surgery. Every piece of evidence reveals part of the solution, so careful observation and analysis are key. The clock is ticking – be prepared for multiple twists and turns as you solve the case.

B Team – Episode 1: Dust & Steel
Publisher: Subdued Software
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: E10+ (Everyone 10 and Older) – Use of Tobacco, Violence
Price: 800 Nintendo DSi Points
Description: B Team – Episode 1: Dust & Steel is a humorous, action-packed squad-based shooter in which players control a small private army whose soldiers were hired from all over the world. Lead your platoon through an onslaught of commandos, voodoo warriors, dangerous guerillas … and that’s just the beginning. When the action gets too intense to manage on your own, hook up with a friend in multiplayer mode to battle your way through the bullets. While intense action is the game’s chief focus, its multiple weapons, upgradeable equipment and destructible environment further enrich the experience.

Valet Parking 1989
Publisher: Zordix AB
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: E10+ (Everyone 10 and Older) – Mild Language, Mild Violence, Suggestive Themes
Price: 500 Nintendo DSi Points
Description: Valet Parking 1989 combines fun driving with the humor and style of the late 1980s. Park and deliver cars as fast as possible in this time-management puzzle game. The setting is California, where glamorous celebrities let you park their radical sports cars and luxurious limousines. Play the movie-like story mode to unlock levels for endless play. Earn money to buy a cool car and drive it to the beach in style. Don’t let the VIP guests wait any longer. Put on your vest and push the pedal to the metal.

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.

One of the most-revered RPGs for the Super Nintendo makes a long-awaited Virtual Console bow today. Chrono Trigger is now available for 800 points. Then there’s the monster-based dancing game from Natsume, Gabrielle’s Ghostly Groove: Monster Mix (500 points, WiiWare). And over on DSiWare, I was really excited when I saw the name “Hell Kids”… turns out it’s actually called Hellokids – Vol. 1: Coloring and Painting (200 points).

Nintendo Download

Get Tangled in Time or Angle for a Big Catch with the Latest Game Downloads

Ready to switch up your routine – or even your century? With the arrival of the Super NES™ favorite CHRONO TRIGGER® on the Virtual Console™ service, Wii™ owners can liven up their living rooms with a classic time-twisting adventure. For the Nintendo DSiWare™ service, Big Bass Arcade invites players to cast away boredom by casting a line in search of mighty fish, while Word Searcher 3 offers fresh puzzle-solving challenges that can be enjoyed anywhere. Gabrielle’s Ghostly Groove: Monster Mix for the WiiWare™ service sets monster-themed fun to an irresistible beat. Delightful deviation from the norm is just a download away.

Virtual Console

CHRONO TRIGGER
Original platform: Super NES
Publisher: Square Enix
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: E10+ (Everyone 10 and Older) – Mild Fantasy Violence
Price: 800 Wii Points™
Description: A young man is transported into the past, altering the course of history and the outcome of the future. He has to find his way home, but first he must travel to the outer edges of time to repair the world’s chronology. On the way, he encounters strange friends and foes, uses incredible devices and vehicles, and penetrates and neutralizes the fortresses of the past, present and future. A paradox has been created. If he does not restore the order of time, nothing will ever be the same. He is the one who will become a hero. He is Crono.

WiiWare

Gabrielle’s Ghostly Groove: Monster Mix
Publisher: Natsume Inc.
Players: 1-4
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone)
Price: 500 Wii Points
Description: Join Gabrielle and her monster friends as they dance along to a spooktacular selection of songs. Grab your Wii Remote™ controller and dance along as you shimmy, shake and spin in time to the music. There’s trouble in Monster Town: Vlad the Vampire’s loyal zombies have disappeared. Gabrielle and her monster friends will have to bust some serious moves on the dance floor in order to lure them back. Along the way, maybe they can uncover the identity of the mysterious creature that’s terrorizing Monster Town’s zombies. Up to four players can show off their best moves in the game’s multiplayer mode. (Additional accessories are required for multiplayer mode and are sold separately.) Short and full versions of songs let you dance as much as you want. Unlock tons of outrageous outfits and items.

Lead the Meerkats™ (demo version)
Publisher: Lapland Studio
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: E10+ (Everyone 10 and Older) – Animated Blood, Mild Violence
Price: 0 Wii Points; full version available for 1,000 Wii Points
Description: In Lead the Meerkats, you are a young meerkat who has a lot to accomplish. You’ve been separated from your pack, and the time has come for you to form your own meerkat pack. Are you ready for the challenge? Name your pack and its meerkats. Dig burrow networks and enlarge your territory. Forage for food and grow your pack size. Stay on guard and be ready to make quick decisions. Run to the safety of the burrows or fight your enemies. Go head-to-head with a rival meerkat pack. Lead your pack to victory and rule the savanna. Lead the Meerkats is the first game to simulate the exciting life of meerkats. Lead your pack and enjoy the company of these lively and endearing animals. Lead the Meerkats offers fun game play for animal lovers of all ages.

Note: Some demo versions do not support all game features, and players cannot save their in-game progress in demo versions.

Nintendo DSiWare

Big Bass Arcade
Publisher: Big John Games
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone)
Price: 500 Nintendo DSi Points™
Description: Big Bass Arcade is all about the action where the bass are biting and fighting. Catch a boatload of fish and take a shot at the world-record bass. The game is packed with features: seven different lakes, nine lures, three multiple-lake tournaments, 42 events, high scores for each event and the elusive world-record bass. Big John Games brings 17 years of fishing game experience to Big Bass Arcade to create incredible fish behaviors, spectacular animations and second-to-none fish AI. Putting the fun back into hand-held fishing is the name of the game. Players choose from two control options – stylus or +Control Pad – for casting, reeling and controlling the fish-fighting action. Big Bass Arcade appeals to fishing enthusiasts and gamers alike by capturing the adrenaline rush of fish-fighting in an arcade-style game.

Word Searcher 3
Publisher: Digital Leisure Inc.
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone)
Price: 500 Nintendo DSi Points
Description: You’ll need a keen eye and a quick mind to complete 100 themed word-search puzzles. Word Searcher 3 contains fun words from multiple categories including astronomy, currency and rivers. Packed with a huge assortment of subjects to choose from, there’s sure to be a puzzle anyone can enjoy. Keep your vocabulary, memory and problem-solving skills sharp with these challenging puzzles. Keep track of – and try to beat – your own play-through times again and again as words are scrambled every time you play.

Hellokids – Vol. 1: Coloring and Painting
Publisher: BiP Media
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone)
Price: 200 Nintendo DSi Points
Description: Imagine a coloring book on your Nintendo DSi™ system, add the ability to create your own drawings and to draw over photos, and you’ve got Hellokids. Color and draw using the Nintendo DSi stylus. Enjoy more than 150 drawings you can color with three difficulty levels, including a “color containment” assistant. A Freehand Drawing mode includes simple, practical tools, such as an automatic fill function, a color palette and decorations. You can also draw on a photo you’ve taken or uploaded from your Nintendo DSi album. Hellokids is a great pocket companion for all budding artists.

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.

When you want bingo, you don’t want to stop at merely 75 balls. You want the full cosmic 90 ball experience, and Bingo Party Deluxe (500 points, WiiWare) aims to deliver. The rest of this week’s offerings are after the jump… including Rival Turf for SNES Virtual Console.

Nintendo Download

Action is in Full Bloom with New Game Downloads for Nintendo Systems

Spring flowers aren’t the only new arrivals you’ll want to savor as May gets underway. The latest downloadable games for the Wii™ and Nintendo DSi™ systems include action-packed fare that’s sure to keep your adrenaline pumping. For the WiiWare™ service, a new demo version of BIT.TRIP RUNNER invites players to discover the fast-paced, retro-flavored platforming fun of the BIT.TRIP series for zero Wii Points™. On the Virtual Console™ service, RIVAL TURF! delivers classic street-fighting kicks from the Super NES™ era. And for the Nintendo DSiWare™ service, Anonymous Notes Chapter 2 – From The Abyss – plunges hand-held gamers deep in the heart of a rich dungeon-based adventure.

Virtual Console

RIVAL TURF!
Original platform: Super NES
Publisher: Jaleco
Players: 1-2
ESRB Rating: E10+ (Everyone 10 and Older) – Violence
Price: 800 Wii Points
Description: Take back the streets with RIVAL TURF!, the classic two-player action game that originally launched on the Super NES. Clean up the streets in a fast and furious display of tag-team street-fighting action. Get your licks in with a range of attacks, from body slams and leg sweeps to jabs, hooks and uppercuts. Go it alone in single-player mode, fight alongside another player, or go head-to-head and toe-to-toe in the special Versus Mode. This could be the toughest fight of your life, so you’d better start swinging.

WiiWare

BINGO PARTY Deluxe
Publisher: Ateam Inc.
Players: 1-4
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone)
Price: 500 Wii Points
Description: In BINGO PARTY Deluxe, play with up to four players in 75-Ball BINGO, 90-Ball BINGO or BINGO PARTY game modes. (Additional controllers are required for multiplayer game play and are sold separately.) The more you play, the more BINGO points you collect. Keep collecting BINGO points to unlock fun goodies such as new game modes and BINGO card patterns. All BINGO game modes can also be played with computer players, and the difficulty setting can be easily adjusted to match your skill level. The exclusive BINGO PARTY game mode adds excitement by having players compete to find and stamp BINGO numbers on multiple BINGO cards, eventually completing patterns to earn big points. Players can also enjoy the classic 75-Ball BINGO and 90-Ball BINGO game modes. There’s plenty of fun for everyone.

BIT.TRIP RUNNER (demo version)
Publisher: Aksys Games
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone)
Price: 0 Wii Points; full version available for 800 Wii Points
Description: Race across the moon, kicking down crystal walls and sliding under chomping moon-slugs. Bound through the Robotic Mines and face off against the MinerMech. Dash through the Big City on a quest to find friends and defeat the final boss. BIT.TRIP RUNNER is the fourth entry in the award-winning and critically acclaimed BIT.TRIP series. Players control CommanderVideo as he runs, jumps, slides and kicks through more than 50 levels. Chiptune supergroup Anamanaguchi makes a guest appearance. Join CommanderVideo on his most epic journey yet.

Note: Some demo versions do not support all game features, and players cannot save their in-game progress in demo versions.

Nintendo DSiWare

Anonymous Notes Chapter 2 – From The Abyss -
Publisher: Sonic Powered Co., Ltd.
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: E10+ (Everyone 10 and Older) – Mild Fantasy Violence, Mild Suggestive Themes
Price: 200 Nintendo DSi Points™
Description: Discover an action-packed RPG set inside an infinitely extending dungeon. Sweep away the monsters wriggling in many places and defeat a strong boss monster lurking in the deepest part of the dungeon. Even after the boss monster is defeated, the dungeon automatically re-creates itself, so players can try new games over and over. Using a skill called Soul Capture, the male character can take magic and other skills away from the monsters, as well as weapons and shields to power up. It’s exhilarating to strengthen your character by combining equipment and skills, and then crush the monsters in a sweep.

Ikibago
Publisher: Neko Entertainment
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone) – Alcohol Reference
Price: 500 Nintendo DSi Points
Description: Play the role of a pirate and set out to discover the lost treasure of Ikibago in this fascinating puzzle-action game. Differently colored barrels move from left to right. Your objective is to align at least three barrels of the same color in one column before they disappear from the screen. Use the stylus to switch the barrels while anticipating different traps. Bonuses are available – be sure to use them carefully to succeed in the game’s 121 missions.

Picture Perfect Pocket Stylist
Publisher: 505 Games US Inc.
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone)
Price: 500 Nintendo DSi Points
Description: Thanks to Picture Perfect Pocket Stylist, your hairdresser will always be with you. Have fun inventing new hairstyles for cartoon characters or for yourself and your friends. Take a picture of yourself and see how you look with a new haircut. When you find the right style, save it to your Nintendo DSi system’s photo album. You can also import pictures from the album and use them to create new styles. Enjoy thousands of combinations of styles and makeup.

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.

Oh duh, this isn’t Mega Man 10, this week is all about Mega Man X, the 1994 SNES game! 800 points gets you this new Virtual Console release, featuring a brand new kind of Mega Man, the X kind.

This week, WiiWare gets My Little Baby (600 points), which comes along with a description straight out of one of those Teen Mom: Too Young To Understand What It Means To Have A Baby shows… plus a demo of BIT.TRIP CORE.

And DSiWare gets Go Series Captain Sub, Music on: Learning Piano Volume 2 and DodoGo! Robo. All priced at 200 points each. Details follow; I’m going to sit here and mouth “dodogo robo” over and over again.

Nintendo Download

Mega Man X Marks the Spot for Nintendo’s Latest Downloadable Game Lineup

Originally released in 1994 for the Super NES™ console, Mega Man™ X is widely recognized as a classic of the 16-bit gaming era. Starting this week, Wii™ owners can discover – or rediscover – the game’s timeless platforming fun via the Virtual Console™ service. For a different brand of retro-styled action with a contemporary twist, players can also try out a demo version of BIT.TRIP CORE, now available for download on the WiiWare™ service for zero Wii Points™. Meanwhile, new hand-held game offerings for the Nintendo DSiWare™ service include GO Series Captain Sub, a treasure-seeking underwater adventure that can be enjoyed anytime, anywhere on the portable Nintendo DSi™ system.

Virtual Console

Mega Man X
Original platform: Super NES
Publisher: Capcom
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone) – Violence
Price: 800 Wii Points

Description: The future of Mega Man has arrived. Hundreds of years after his death, Dr. Light’s final creation is discovered. Released from his capsule by Dr. Cain, X is born into a future world where robot rebellions are a thing of the past. But when Dr. Cain tries to implement Dr. Light’s designs into a new series of Reploids, something goes horribly wrong. Now the future lies on the brink of destruction, and X must use all of his newfound powers and abilities to hunt down the maverick Reploids and their leader, Sigma, before the human race is wiped from the planet.

WiiWare

My Little Baby
Publisher: dtp young entertainment
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone)
Price: 600 Wii Points

Description: Have you always dreamed of having a cute little baby to lovingly care for? Now is your chance. Your little bundle of joy smiles at you gleefully, and you have to do everything you can to make sure it develops and grows in a healthy manner. Changing, bathing and feeding are as much a part of your duties as shopping, preparing meals, rocking your baby to sleep, playtime, dressing and teaching it to crawl and walk. But above all, what your little angel needs is your love and attention. All this, plus an enormous selection of toys, clothes and other objects, will make your little one the happiest baby in the whole wide world.

BIT.TRIP CORE (demo version)
Publisher: Aksys Games
Players: 1-2
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone)
Price: 0 Wii Points; full version available for 600 Wii Points

Description: BIT.TRIP CORE continues the BIT.TRIP saga in this retro-arcade-style game. BIT.TRIP CORE is an exciting action/rhythm game that’s best played while zoning out on the tunes and letting the visuals swallow you whole. The experience is inspired by games from the ’80s, but with a modern twist. The game play is entirely new to the series, leaving the single-axis controls of BIT.TRIP BEAT behind in favor of the ability to control two axes. If the difficulty gets you down, grab a friend and play cooperatively in two-player multiplayer mode. (Additional controllers are required for multiplayer features and are sold separately.)

Note: Some demo versions do not support all game features, and players cannot save their in-game progress in demo versions.

Nintendo DSiWare

GO Series Captain Sub
Publisher: Gamebridge
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone) – Mild Cartoon Violence
Price: 200 Nintendo DSi Points™

Description: Search the depths of the sea for lost treasure in this charming underwater adventure. Take control of a yellow submarine equipped with a mechanical arm that can grab treasure off the sea floor. Explore an underwater labyrinth of caverns and caves littered with treasures but surrounded by deadly sea creatures. Fire missiles forward to attack creatures in front and launch missiles upward to fend off dangers from above. Keep an eye out for keys that can unlock doors to deeper caverns as you gradually make your way to the hidden chamber where the giant underwater boss awaits.

DodoGo! Robo
Publisher: Neko Entertainment
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone)
Price: 200 Nintendo DSi Points

Description: Entertaining and accessible to everyone, DodoGo! Robo is a puzzle game in which you have to use your head to avoid getting broken. There’s no need to have any knowledge of previous games to explore this new installment in the DodoGo! series. Become the well-known Robo-Egg and collect the maximum number of icons scattered around new puzzle levels. Use the stylus to help your Robo progress, then click on the Play button to see the result. You can even change your route until your Robo picks up all the icons for the level you are playing.

Music on: Learning Piano Volume 2
Publisher: Abylight
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone)
Price: 200 Nintendo DSi Points

Description: The entire orchestra follows your performance of 15 great classics. By playing each day, your ability may increase. Earn the bronze, silver and gold medals for each song, completing all different levels. A simplified music score is shown on the upper screen and a full piano keyboard appears on the touch screen, guiding beginners note by note. Songs include classic compositions by Bach, Tchaikovsky and Chopin.

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.

With Bonk: Brink of Extinction cancelled, this may be as much Bonk as you’ll see on Wii. Super Bonk was the cave kid’s SNES debut in the mid-90s. It’s the usual 800 points for a VC SNES release. Thank you Hudson, for making us laugh at hydrocephaly. Again. More WiiWare and DSiWare releases await your click.

Nintendo Download

New Downloadable Lineup Features Super Bonk and Fresh Baseball Action

Showers or no showers, the onset of April brings another round of new downloadable games for Nintendo systems. The Super NES™ favorite Super Bonk is now available on the Virtual Console™ service, giving Wii™ owners a fun new way to enjoy the hard-headed fun of the classic series. And as real-world baseball comes back to life in ballparks across the nation, the Nintendo DSiWare™ service offers the hand-held excitement of Absolute Baseball, challenging players to guide their own customized teams to big-league victory. Dark dungeons, fairytale adventures and exotic fish add even greater variety to this week’s lineup.

Virtual Console

Super Bonk
Original platform: Super NES
Publisher: Hudson Entertainment
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone)
Price: 800 Wii Points™
Description: Dive headlong into the action in the first installment of the Bonk series on the Super NES. This time, Bonk has been caught in King Drool’s trap and hurled into darkness. To find his way back to prehistoric times, he must embark on an adventure through streets, caves and eventually outer space. Control Bonk as you progress through the stages, but watch out for enemies blocking your path. Eat meat to transform Bonk and perform even more powerful attacks. Many challenges lie in Bonk’s path. In addition to his spin and climb moves, you can use items such as candy, which changes Bonk’s size, to overcome these obstacles.

WiiWare

Planet Fish™
Publisher: Ludia
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone)
Price: 500 Wii Points
Description: Ready, aim…fire suction bubbles from your underwater craft to trap fish to display in your personal aquarium. Catch and collect exotic fish in colorful deep-sea environments such as the Gulf of Mexico, the Ryukyu Islands and the spectacular Great Barrier Reef. Try to avoid obstacles and dangerous species lurking in the depths. Grow your aquatic collection with beautiful marine life from around the world. Navigate through 30 unique levels of play, each with its own challenges and obstacles. Watch out for jagged surfaces, dangerous jellyfish and paralyzing algae. Win bonus collectible fish as you advance in the game. Unlock animated Trophies with each region that you successfully complete.

A Monsteca Corral: Monsters vs. Robots (demo version)
Publisher: Onteca
Players: 1-4
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone)
Price: 0 Wii Points; full version available for 500 Wii Points
Description: The planet Monsteca is no longer the harmonious world it once was. It’s been overrun by a robotic army set on ruling and conquering. Monsteca natives, known as the Stompies, have no choice but to run or be captured. Unable to defend themselves against such heavy machinery, they must rely on the strength of their herd to work together and defeat the meddling robots. Take control of the cute, not-so-bright Stompies, and help them avoid being captured by invading robots. It’s your duty to guide them successfully through each level. This fun strategy game offers 20 levels for many hours of game play.

Note: Some demo versions do not support all game features, and players cannot save their in-game progress in demo versions.

Nintendo DSiWare

Anonymous Notes Chapter 1 – From The Abyss -
Publisher: Sonic Powered Co.
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: E10+ (Everyone 10 and Older) – Mild Fantasy Violence, Mild Suggestive Themes
Price: 200 Nintendo DSi Points™
Description: Discover an exhilarating RPG set inside an infinitely extending dungeon. Sweep away the monsters wriggling in many places and defeat the strong boss monster lurking in the deepest part of the dungeon. Even after the boss monster is defeated, the dungeon automatically re-creates itself, so players can try new games over and over. Using the skill called Soul Capture, the male character can take magic and other skills away from the monsters, as well as weapons and shields to power up.

A Fairy Tale
Publisher: Lemon Games
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone) – Comic Mischief
Price: 500 Nintendo DSi Points
Description: When a giant menace threatens the village, young faeries Delfbert, Wilf and Angelica set out on a fantastic journey to save their home. Join them on their whimsical quest through 100 puzzling levels, marked by stunning graphics and magical music that will fill you with wonder. Featuring an exciting new type of puzzle game play and a humorous, lighthearted storyline, A Fairy Tale is an unforgettable journey of enchantment.

Absolute Baseball
Publisher: Tasuke
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone)
Price: 500 Nintendo DSi Points
Description: Become the manager of a baseball team and lead it to the championship. Make all the decisions for your team, from selecting the starting lineup and switching pitchers and runners to giving your players pitching, fielding and batting orders. Earn points as you play games throughout the season, and use them to increase your players’ abilities. Build them into the team that will respond to your strategy and make it to the top. In addition to regular league games, there are interleague games, playoffs and the championship series.

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.

You might want to keep your grandparents away from WiiWare this week, so they don’t pick up Arcade Essentials (500 points) instead of Galaga or Space Invaders or whatever other games Essentials is ripping off with no-name clonery.

WiiWare also now has a demo version of Dive: The Medes Islands Secret to go along with the 1000 point version. DSiWare gets Shapo and G.G Series D-Tank. And La Console de Virtuale lands another SNES game… Natsume Championship Wrestling (800 points), a 1994 release that, were it to happen today, would be packed with fan-service characters from Harvest Moon and Chulip.

Nintendo Download

New Downloads Transport You to the Wrestling Ring, the Battlefield and Beyond

Forget about tan lines and beach towels. This spring break, you can download the ingredients for a fun-filled getaway on your Wii™ or Nintendo DSi™ system. Fans of classic 16-bit action can launch themselves into the wrestling ring as Natsume Championship Wrestling™ – a brawny favorite from the Super NES™ era – makes a fresh appearance on the Virtual Console™ service. Other adventuresome offerings include G.G Series D-TANK for the Nintendo DSiWare™ service, which places players on the front lines of a fierce tank battle. Visit the Wii Shop Channel and Nintendo DSi Shop today to browse hundreds of downloadable games, no sunscreen required.

Virtual Console

Natsume Championship Wrestling
Original platform: Super NES
Publisher: Natsume Inc.
Players: 1-4
ESRB Rating: E10+ (Everyone 10 and Older) – Mild Violence
Price: 800 Wii Points™
Description: Step into the ring. Choose from 12 outrageous wrestlers and bring the pain. Wield the massive power of Asteroid, the lightning-fast strikes of Viper, the underhanded attacks of Phantom and many more madmen of the ring. With its robust grappling system and more than 50 moves to master, Natsume Championship Wrestling delivers the deepest and most realistic wrestling action of the 16-bit era. Test your might against the crafty AI, or up to four players can compete in exhibition, tag team and round-robin matches. (Additional accessories are required for multiplayer mode and are sold separately.)

WiiWare

Arcade Essentials
Publisher: Nordcurrent
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone)
Price: 500 Wii Points
Description: Arcade Essentials is a collection of five classic arcade games. All are presented in a modern reincarnation with enhanced game play, stylish graphics and sound effects. Jump right in, enjoy the nonstop game play and immerse yourself in these popular games as you did many years ago. Discover lots of levels to unlock, plus high score tables and other cool stuff to keep you entertained.

Dive: The Medes Islands Secret (demo version)
Publisher: Cosmonaut Games
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone) – Mild Violence
Price: 0 Wii Points; full version available for 1,000 Wii Points
Description: Over the past five centuries, hundreds of ships flying every ensign have succumbed to the power of the ocean. Merchant boats, pirate ships, navy vessels – all of them have ended up covered in coral at the bottom of the ocean. They all guarded secrets that remained hidden over the years, secrets that have always been a mystery…until now. In Dive: The Medes Islands Secret, you are John Sanders, a treasure hunter and experienced diver who spends months planning and documenting a major expedition to locate and recover several ships of different ensigns around the world.

Note: Some demo versions do not support all game features, and players cannot save their in-game progress in demo versions.

Nintendo DSiWare

G.G Series D-TANK
Publisher: Genterprise Inc.
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone) – Mild Cartoon Violence
Price: 200 Nintendo DSi Points™
Description: You control a tank that can respawn any number of times. The focus of this shooting game is to put your life on the line to successfully carry out a variety of defensive and offensive missions. In defensive missions, you must take out the enemy tanks targeting your base before it is destroyed. In offensive missions, you must capture the enemy’s stronghold within the time limit. The key to success in these missions is the strategic use of items such as bombs and special ammo.

Shapo™
Publisher: Tik Games, LLC.
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone)
Price: 500 Nintendo DSi Points
Description: Shapo is a challenge that will keep you on the edge. Balance the scales as you place shapes made of different materials. Play more than 150 levels in Classic or Puzzle mode to unlock the greatest wonders of the world. Stunning art brings 15 wonders of the world to life. Enjoy exciting power-ups such as the material bomb and line bomb. Each ball and shape has a different weight, so be careful when placing your pieces. In Classic mode, create lines to remove balls. Match sequential lines and watch the combo multiplier grow. In Puzzle mode, complete increasingly complicated levels by filling the grid with the given balls.

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.

While the marquee game this week might be Bomberman Hero, I can’t resist leading the update with a screen from WiiWare’s Heavy Fire: Black Arms. It’s just so not what we usually get on WiiWare. Heavy Fire is a light gun shooter that pits players against a weapons cartel in South America. 500 points cheap.

Bomberman Hero, meanwhile, is a 1000 point Virtual Console addition. Originally for the N64 in 1998, you may remember Hero as the Bomberman game that was single-player only.

One more WiiWare release (the soccer of the future!) and three DSiWare games await you after the jump.

Nintendo Download

Heavy Fire and Bomberman Downloads Make for an Explosive Week

This week’s new downloadable games for Nintendo systems invite you to “have a blast” in more ways than one. Heavy Fire: Black Arms for the WiiWare™ service puts players at the center of an explosive, action-filled adventure as they take on the role of a Special Forces recruit. On the Virtual Console™ service, Bomberman Hero lets Wii™ owners enjoy classic and combustible fun from the Nintendo 64™ era. New arrivals for the Nintendo DSiWare™ service include GO Series EARTH SAVER, which challenges players to blast apart a deadly meteorite that threatens all of humanity. And if your taste runs beyond pyrotechnics, you’ll also find soccer, gymnastics and squishy driving action in this week’s lively mix of downloads.

Virtual Console

Bomberman Hero
Original platform: Nintendo 64
Publisher: Hudson Entertainment
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone) – Mild Violence
Price: 1,000 Wii Points

Description: Bomberman returns in his own full-on action game. One day, out of nowhere, a spaceship crash-lands on Planet Bomber. Journeying to the Peace Mountains to investigate, Bomberman encounters Pibot, the dazed robot pilot. According to Pibot, the evil Garaden Empire attacked Primus Star and kidnapped Princess Millian from Pibot’s escape ship. Hearing this, Bomberman vows to save the princess, even if he has to travel the length of the galaxy to do it. Bomberman is equipped with an infinite supply of bombs and can count on a variety of upgrades to aid him in his quest. His search for the princess takes him to five exciting planets, reuniting him with his old friend Louie and uncovering new items. Fly, swim, shoot and bomb your way through the galaxy and save Princess Millian.

WiiWare

Heavy Fire: Black Arms
Publisher: Teyon
Players: 1-2
ESRB Rating: T (Teen) – Blood, Violence
Price: 500 Wii Points™

Description: Set out on a dangerous campaign in South America in a continuation of the popular shooter Heavy Fire: Special Operations. As a Special Forces recruit, you will take part in the operation to stop an illegal arms trade. Heavy Fire gives players a classic arcade light-gun experience, enhanced with stunning graphics and exciting new features. Destroy the biggest weapon cartel, Fuerza de Voluntad, which is influential all over the continent. Team up with a friend and experience an immersive co-op mode. Enjoy dynamic minute-to-minute game play in various weather conditions and settings in the heart of a jungle. Smash objects and interact with them. Perform quick events and face your enemies with new powerful weapons. With plenty of weapon types and various vehicles at your disposal, put an end to the expansion of the paramilitary organization. Take full advantage of the Wii Remote™ controller and optional Wii Zapper™ accessory (sold separately).

Soccer Bashi (demo version)
Publisher: Icon Games Entertainment
Players: 1-2
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone) – Mild Fantasy Violence
Price: 0 Wii Points; full version available for 500 Wii Points

Description: Experience soccer of the future. Destroy the defender blocks and smash the ball into the goal to win, but watch for the enemy defenders out to destroy you. A built-in game editor offers unlimited level design possibilities. Play through the 90 built-in game levels in several different play modes, including Arcade and Customizable Tournaments. Special level features include animated blocks, exploding blocks, shield blocks, invisible blocks and deadly 3D defender enemies. Face challenging end-of-zone bosses. Use the Level Editor to build your own levels – up to 100 user-created levels can be stored. Tournament Mode allows you to create your own unique tournaments using built-in game levels or your own levels. Special Power-Ups and Super Power-Ups including lasers, bombs, flaming power balls and multiple balls and bats can help (or hinder) you on your way to the goal.

Note: Some demo versions do not support all game features, and players cannot save their in-game progress in demo versions.

Nintendo DSiWare

G.G Series HORIZONTAL BAR
Publisher: Genterprise Inc.
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone)
Price: 200 Nintendo DSi Points™

Description: This is a new type of action game that will have you swinging and jumping from bar to bar, just like the parallel bars in gymnastics. The controls are simple. Grab onto a bar, add momentum to your swing by pressing left or right on the +Control Pad, then jump and spin to the next bar by pressing the A Button. Gauge the force of your swings and the timing of your jumps just right to cross the course in the fastest time possible. Do you have what it takes to be a star gymnast?

GO Series EARTH SAVER
Publisher: Gamebridge
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone) – Mild Fantasy Violence
Price: 500 Nintendo DSi Points

Description: A giant meteorite is headed straight for Earth. Land your spaceship on the meteorite and set explosives to break off small pieces so the rock breaks up in Earth’s atmosphere. Chunks of meteorite that are too big will smash into Earth, wiping out mankind. As an explosives expert, you can plant a series of bombs to create chain-reaction combos, easily blasting off chunks of rock the size of houses. You’ll also need to tackle the many strange alien life forms you encounter by either blowing them up or cunningly blasting around the piece of rock they’re standing on so they fall with the meteorite. Can you save Earth from obliteration and secure the future of mankind?

JellyCar 2
Publisher: Disney Interactive
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone)
Price: 500 Nintendo DSi Points

Description: JellyCar 2, the hit driving platform game, is here and fully loaded with three game modes and more than 30 levels. Post high scores, best times and longest jumps in the Hall of Fame. With so much squishy goodness, you’ll want to drive JellyCar 2 all around town. In Classic mode, drive your squishy car and use your special abilities to drive through squishy worlds. In Factory mode, guide the falling parts into matching chutes, tap the levers to open different pathways and guide each part down the conveyor belts. In Long Jump mode, you’re going for distance and speed – watch out for objects that can slow you down, and look for objects that can help give you a boost!

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.

“Not everyone is cut out to be a president,” begins this week’s Nintendo Download press release, but everyone deserves Butler Mode. Cozy Fire lets you stack and light logs virtually-manually… or just sit back and let the Wii butler do it. 500 points. Also debuting on WiiWare today: Jewel Keepers: Easter Island (500 points) and demo versions of Rage of the Gladiator and PooYoos Episode 1. Nintendo is seriously playing catch-up with demos, eh? You’d think we’d see more new titles show up with a demo on day one.

Nintendo Download

This Presidents Day, Make an Executive Decision to Download New Games

Not everyone is cut out to be a president, but every Wii™ and Nintendo DSi™ user must act as commander-in-chief of his or her own gaming republic. On this Presidents Day holiday, Nintendo recommends reaching across the aisle in the spirit of bipartisanship, creating harmony between new and classic titles, puzzle games and platformers, sprawling console adventures and crisp hand-held challenges. Start with the fantasy-fueled fun of Faxanadu, a memorable RPG from the NES™ era making its appearance on the Virtual Console™ service. Test your resolve even further with a demo version of the action-filled Rage of the Gladiator for the WiiWare™ service, available to download for zero Wii Points™. Most importantly, boost your diplomacy by sharing your favorite WiiWare and Nintendo DSiWare™ game recommendations with friends and spreading fun throughout the 50 states and beyond.

Virtual Console

Faxanadu
Original platform: NES
Publisher: Hudson Entertainment
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone) – Mild Fantasy Violence, Use of Tobacco
Price: 500 Wii Points
Description: You are an adventurer who has just returned to his hometown, the Elf town of Eolis, at the base of the World Tree. You find the village in peril: The Elven water supply has dried up, monsters are causing chaos and the once-proud Tree is slowly wilting. Equipped with the last of the King’s money and the trust of the people, you set out to climb the World Tree, braving obstacles, fiends and dangers to discover the source of this corruption. Wield weapons and magic, get hints from townsfolk and experience a world of new environments as you ascend to the top of the world.

WiiWare

Jewel Keepers: Easter Island
Publisher: Nordcurrent
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone)
Price: 500 Wii Points
Description: One day, world-renowned Easter Island expert Professor “H” received a strange letter from the capital city of Hanga Roa. It was a cry for help from an unknown person, saying that something bad was happening on the island. Without hesitation, the Professor, his assistant Joel and his granddaughter Ivie rushed to the island, where many puzzles, mysteries and quests awaited them. Can you help him to reveal the greatest secret of Easter Island?

Cozy Fire
Publisher: dtp young entertainment
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone)
Price: 500 Wii Points
Description: We all long for a cozy open fire, particularly during the cold season. But not everyone is able to snuggle in front of a warming blaze. The WiiWare service opens the door for a fireplace to fill the room with a magical and cozy atmosphere. Select from a variety of logs and use the Wii Remote™ controller to stack them up. Next, light the virtual match and your home will soon be snug and glowing. Choose from six available fireplaces: fire alone, campfire, rustic, classic, elegant and Zen. Poke and tend the fire to keep it going. Add more logs to keep the fire burning, just like a real fire. Want to just sit back and relax? In Butler mode, new logs will be placed on the fire automatically, and the logs never burn down in Non-stop mode.

Rage of the Gladiator (demo version)
Publisher: Ghostfire Games
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: T (Teen) – Animated Blood, Alcohol Reference, Violence
Price: 0 Wii Points; full version available for 1,000 Wii Points
Description: Rage of the Gladiator is a fantasy-based fighting game in which you must fight for your life in the arena. Prove yourself by conquering all opponents. Features include: amazing 3D graphics, animation, lighting, shadows and special effects. With full voice acting, each boss has its own personality and taunts you mercilessly. Use insane finishing moves – summon a fiery meteor or a savage tornado, or transform into a hulking colossus 10 times your size. Customize your character and specialize in skill trees – Offense, Defense or Magic – to gain new powers. Enjoy masterpieces of blood-pumping music by legendary composer Sean Beeson. Beat the game to unlock Challenge Mode, where bosses are much tougher. The game also supports the Wii MotionPlus™ accessory.

Learning with the PooYoos: Episode 1 (demo version)
Publisher: Lexis Numérique
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: EC (Early Childhood)
Price: 0 Wii Points; full version available for 500 Wii Points
Description: Welcome to the first fun, poetic brain-trainer for children aged 3 to 6. With the PooYoos, a merry band of adorable baby animals, children will have fun while learning development basics like numbers, letters, lateralization, shapes and colors. Children get to dance with their new friends and receive lovely interactive rewards. There are two levels of interactivity, so any child can play. This game has been designed for use by children who have not yet grasped reading.

Note: Some demo versions do not support all game features, and players cannot save their in-game progress in demo versions.

Nintendo DSiWare

G.G Series DRIFT CIRCUIT
Publisher: Genterprise Inc.
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone)
Price: 200 Nintendo DSi Points™
Description: Use your drifting technique to gracefully slide past the competition. Steering around corners lowers your speed, so it’s all about choosing the best course line and being able to use your drifting skills with precision. At the start of each three-lap race, conditions for winning will be displayed. After that, it’s up to you and your speed-demon prowess to drift through the Grand Prix and steal first place. Choose between EASY, NORMAL and HARD difficulty levels – perfect for beginners and advanced racers alike.

Arctic Escape
Publisher: Teyon
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone)
Price: 500 Nintendo DSi Points
Description: Take control of a bunch of penguins that are always getting into all sorts of trouble. A cunning scientist abducted them from Antarctica, and now they need your help to get back home. Lead them safely through more than 100 frosty levels by using commands such as walking, jumping and waiting. Guide them to avoid broken ice areas, falling cages, wolves and other dangerous obstacles. This special top-down-view puzzle game is easy to pick up but impossible to put down.

Remote Racers
Publisher: QubicGames
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone) – Mild Cartoon Violence
Price: 500 Nintendo DSi Points
Description: Select one of eight vehicles: Speeder, Monster, Candy, Dozer, Tank, Stunt, Mantis and Rocket. Race against AI or the clock on 15 great tracks. Jump in the garden, drift through the cellar, ride on the beach and dive in the ocean. Use power-ups and transform your vehicle to gain an advantage over your opponents. Complete 32 challenges in eight Championships.

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.

More demos for WiiWare… we’re quickly approaching the point where any WiiWare game worth a damn now has a free demo. This week, Urbanix and LIT (above) get demos. I can’t vouch for Urbanix, but LIT is pretty slick.

Then there’s S.C.A.T., an 1991 NES game from Natsume (500 points). That stands for Special Cybernetic Attack Team, duh.

Nintendo Download

Nintendo Invites Players to Download Brawny Action, Brainy Puzzles or Both

You needn’t choose between action-packed games and mind-bending puzzle fare when the Wii™ Shop Channel and Nintendo DSi™ Shop offer plenty of both. This week, you can face down monstrous mutations of high school teachers in a demo version of LIT for the WiiWare™ service, now available for zero Wii Points™. Enter an intergalactic battle in the NES™ shooter S.C.A.T.™, which has just landed on the Virtual Console™ service. Action and strategy combine in G.G Series Dark Spirits for the Nintendo DSiWare™ service, while 505 Tangram offers pure hand-held puzzle bliss.

Virtual Console

S.C.A.T.
Original platform: NES
Publisher: Natsume Inc.
Players: 1-2
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone) – Fantasy Violence
Price: 500 Wii Points
Description: It’s the year 2029 and humanity faces certain extinction. An alien force led by the Supreme Commander Vile Malmort is positioned to destroy the Earth. With little time to act, the president assembled the greatest scientists from around the globe to stop this menace. From their laboratory came mankind’s last hope: the members of the Special Cybernetic Attack Team. S.C.A.T. has one goal: complete destruction of the alien fleet. Capture and adapt multiple weapons systems. Enjoy single-player mode or two-player cooperative play. (Additional accessories are required for multiplayer mode and are sold separately.)

WiiWare

Spot the Differences!
Publisher: Sanuk Games
Players: 1-4
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone)
Price: 500 Wii Points
Description: Enjoy the ultimate spot-the-difference game for the WiiWare service with 160 scenes, three levels of difficulty and 1,600 differences to spot. Play either solo or with friends to find out who’s the best spotter. Browse odd and attractive scenes in various categories: Landscapes, Pets, Playtime and Yummy. Four game modes are available. In Arcade mode, spot five differences in randomly ordered scenes. In Time Attack mode, spot one difference in each scene for as long as the timer runs. In Select Scenes mode, play with the scenes of your choice and find five differences in each one. In Multiplayer, up to four players can play against each other. (Additional accessories are required for multiplayer mode and are sold separately.)

LIT (demo version)
Publisher: WayForward Technologies
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: E10+ (Everyone 10 and Older) – Violence
Price: 0 Wii Points; full version available for 800 Wii Points
Description: Dark creatures have taken over Jake’s high school, and it’s up to you to guide him through each classroom in order to be reunited with his girlfriend, Rachael. Existing light sources must be used wisely to create bridges of light for Jake to cross. One false step and Jake gets pulled into the darkness. Along the way he’ll encounter twisted versions of his school’s faculty, who he must battle in order to advance. LIT is a horror-puzzle game that requires the Wii Remote™ and Nunchuk™ controllers. It contains 30 levels, five boss battles, replay modes and several unlockables, including multiple endings, Dark Mode timed challenges and an unlockable character.

Urbanix (demo version)
Publisher: Nordcurrent
Players: 1-2
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone) – Comic Mischief
Price: 0 Wii Points; full version available for 500 Wii Points
Description: Welcome to Urbanix, a game inspired by classic computer games. You play as Urbanix, a tiny tractor that has to build a town on an empty field. Avoid enemies and catch and chase away house crashers – they will try to spoil your game. Play on Earth, at the North Pole or on the moon. Each location has its own game-play mechanics, so you’ll have to adapt your strategy. Be accurate, be quick and collect bonuses on your way. The enhanced game play is based on decades-old classics. Discover 150 levels plus an intense multiplayer mode.

Note: Some demo versions do not support all game features, and players cannot save their in-game progress in demo versions.

Nintendo DSiWare

G.G Series Dark Spirits
Publisher: Genterprise Inc.
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone) – Mild Fantasy Violence
Price: 200 Nintendo DSi Points™
Description: In this side-scrolling shooter, it’s up to you to destroy the enemy by making use of the four familiars that fly in formation around your vessel. Quickly switch the formation pattern of your familiars with the touch of a button. When you destroy an enemy, its soul becomes available to collect. Collect the soul with one of your familiars to upgrade its attack or switch to a different attack type. The familiar’s attack can be upgraded by collecting multiple souls of the same color in a row. The four familiars power up and change independently of each other, adding an element of strategy as you plan how to use each one effectively.

Boom Boom Squaries
Publisher: Gamelion
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone) – Comic Mischief
Price: 200 Nintendo DSi Points
Description: Furries are cute, happy, round beings that enjoy rolling around in the sun all day long. But the bad-tempered, stone-cold Squaries, who hate everything that is round and fluffy, attack the unsuspecting Furries. Now it’s up to you to create chain reactions that will pop the evil invaders. Prove your skill in four different game modes: Classic, Challenge, Time Trial and Endless. Use Squaries’ special abilities such as gravity, air blast and split to plan your blasts for maximum efficiency. When you are done with 40 levels of Classic mode and 40 Challenges, you can enjoy the never-ending fun of Endless mode and beat your high score in Time Trial.

505 Tangram
Publisher: cosmigo
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone)
Price: 500 Nintendo DSi Points
Description: Solve 505 tangram puzzles from different groups and become a Tangram Master. Numerous challenges await you. Tangram is the puzzle game for purists. Assemble seven pieces of a puzzle correctly to create a preset shape. Animals, humans or objects – can you complete them all? Statistics are available for players who love to track their wins. Save the game status at any time and continue later. The game’s style and interface have been designed for easy, intuitive operation with the stylus or the + Control Pad.

Shawn Johnson Gymnastics
Publisher: Zoo Games, Inc.
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone)
Price: 500 Nintendo DSi Points
Description: Go for the gold with Shawn Johnson as you compete in the world of competitive gymnastics. Stick your landings on vaults and nail your combinations on the beam to impress the judges. Start as an amateur and work your way up, earning awards on your way to the World Championships. Train diligently during practice and you’ll be ready for competition in no time. Earn your way through bronze, silver and gold medals as you evolve into an all-around star in the world of gymnastics. Perfect your routines and score high marks to earn a place on the podium – and in the hearts of your fans.

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.