This game will apparantly take the empire-building elements from My Life as a King and adapt them in a darker way. Players will be pitted against an onslaught of adventurers from who they must protect a tower from with an arsenal of traps and monsters.

There are two more WiiWare titles along with a DSiWare title included in this same update all of which you can read more about after the break.

WiiWare

FINAL FANTASY CRYSTAL CHRONICLES: My Life as a Darklord
Publisher: SQUARE ENIX
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: E10+ (Everyone 10 and Older) – Mild Fantasy Violence, Mild Suggestive Themes
Price: 1,000 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 RPG. Known as Artifacts, these monsters and traps are your only hope in keeping 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.

Battle Poker
Publisher: Left Field Productions
Players: 1-4
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone)
Price: 800 Wii Points
Description: Battle Poker is a family-friendly card game with up to four players battling against the clock to make the best five-card hand possible. Battles are played across multiple rounds, and points are scored for each round based on the quality of the hand. Each player uses a Wii Remote™ controller to point and click on a standard deck of cards on the screen. The first click flips the card over, at which point it can be grabbed by anyone else. You’ve got to have fast fingers and eyes to grab the cards you need before someone else snatches them.

5 Spots Party
Publisher: Cosmonaut Games
Players: 1-4
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone)
Price: 500 Wii Points
Description: Have fun with the entire family and compete in three different play modes. 5 Spots Party is a game of skill for all ages based on the popular game of finding five differences. The goal is to find the greatest number of differences in the pictures shown. In the party modes, you must compete with other players and find as many mistakes as possible. In the 1-Player mode, you must find the differences before time runs out in order to beat the game’s highest scores. How far do you think you can go?

Nintendo DSiWare

Art Style: ZENGAGE™
Publisher: Nintendo
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone)
Price: 500 Nintendo DSi Points™
Description: Do you dream of relaxing with a great puzzle game? Art Style: ZENGAGE revolves around sliding cells (squares) to match colors with cores (beads) located on the board. Clear each stage by matching all of the cores and cells. As you progress through the game’s 100-plus stages, you’ll encounter cells with special characteristics, such as immovability, which further add to the challenge. To truly master ZENGAGE, you must keep your mind sharp and employ careful strategy to complete stages in as few moves as possible. Combining wistful graphics and mesmerizing sound, ZENGAGEcreates a surreal world that should be experienced by all puzzle gaming fans.

Sony has recently made it known that classic games other than previous Playstation titles have made their way to the Japanese Playstation Network.

The classic games in question are those found on the Turbografx-16 such as Bomberman ‘94, Sengoku Mahjong, Devil’s Crush and New Adventure Island all priced at 600 yen or about $6. Furthermore, all 4 titles will be playable on both the PSP and Playstation 3.

With Nintendo’s Virtual Console service proving to be quite profitable, it’s no surprise that Sony too would hop on the bandwagon to offer such games. Let’s just hope the same services gets implemented into the American Playstation Network.

via Joystiq

Nintendo has just released details on exactly what this week’s update, spanning the DSiWare, WiiWare and Virtual Console services, includes.

Well, most importantly we have Clay Fighter for the Virtual Console which made its original debut on the Sega Genesis in 1994. This is the classic 2D fighter in which the developers photographed actual clay models and then digitized them to make for the game’s graphics.

Other than that, we have ADVENTURE ISLAND The Beginning and BUBBLE BOBBLE Plus! for WiiWare and American Popstar: Road to Celebrity and Photo Clock for DSiWare. Yeah, we weren’t kidding when we said this weeks update is unexciting.

You can read more about the update including the pricing for all above mentioned titles in the press release after the break.

NINTENDO DOWNLOAD: POP-POWERED ADVENTURES BUBBLE UP THROUGH THE CLAY

May 25, 2009

With summer just around the corner, this Monday finds an especially hot mix of downloadable game offerings for the WiiWare™ and Nintendo DSiWare™ services, as well as for the Virtual Console™. Nintendo DSi™ users can become world-famous pop stars or use a new photo application to view their pictures in interesting new ways. Wii™ owners can transform into bubble-bursting dragons or hunt for melons on a mysterious island. And be sure to check out this week’s Virtual Console debut, which features clay figures and stop-action animation to create a comedic twist to the street fighting genre.

Nintendo DSiWare

American Popstar: Road to Celebrity (Gameloft, 1-4 players, Rated E for Everyone – Comic Mischief, 800 Nintendo DSi Points™): This is your enthralling and interactive success story as a young hopeful in the music milieu. The adventure begins when you get the chance to audition at your Hollywood high school. But the road to celebrity isn’t an easy one: Your secret crush is also auditioning, and so is your evil rival. This unique mix of music-themed gaming and social adventure will let you show your talents to the world, take your best photo with the Nintendo DSi system’s built-in camera and meet lots of people who may help you build your career. You’re about to become the greatest pop star in the world. Talk, share activities and be friendly or unfriendly with numerous characters. Customize your character’s name and appearance, and develop skills and personality through your actions. Four musical mini-games include Guitar, Singing, Drums and Dance. Record your voice, take your own photos and sign autographs.

Photo Clock (Nintendo, 1 player, 200 Nintendo DSi Points): Photo Clock allows you to enjoy the photos taken with your Nintendo DSi Camera application in a new way. Watch your images appear on the top screen of your Nintendo DSi system according to your chosen display settings (specific photos or all photos; in order or randomly displayed). Select from either an analog or digital clock, using the system’s internal clock or offsetting the time however you like. Program up to three alarms – with snooze functionality for those who need it – and assign them a preset ring or use a sound created in Nintendo DSi Sound. Experience all the enjoyment of a photo album while ensuring you won’t lose track of the time.

WiiWare

BUBBLE BOBBLE Plus! (TAITO, 1-4 players, Rated E for Everyone – Comic Mischief, 600 Wii Points™): BUBBLE BOBBLE Plus! is a simple yet exhilarating action game where you control the bubble-blowing dragons Bub and Bob, trapping enemies in bubbles and then popping them. You can play all 100 of the Standard Mode rounds, which faithfully recreate the nostalgic arcade game, or try 100 new Arrange Mode rounds, which allow up to four players to play on stages with exciting new features such as new enemies and stage layouts. There are also Super Mode rounds for you to enjoy. Determine the true ending by solving puzzles hidden on each stage to defeat the final boss. In Ranking Mode, players with broadband Internet access can use the Nintendo® Wi-Fi Connection service to compete with players from around the world. Enjoy an additional 100 rounds and face off against new boss characters by purchasing “Expert Mode 1” and “Expert Mode 2” add-on content.

ADVENTURE ISLAND® The Beginning (Hudson Entertainment, 1-2 players, Rated E for Everyone – Cartoon Violence and Comic Mischief, 800 Wii Points): ADVENTURE ISLAND The Beginning comes to the Wii console with exciting new skills and elements. Learn how to use new skills while exploring Adventure Island from coast to coast. Search for Golden Melons hidden throughout the stages and mini-games. When obtaining Golden Melons, you’ll be able to purchase various items to help you on your adventure. These items can increase your attack power or enable you to reach places you couldn’t get to before. Fulfill certain requirements while playing in any of the modes to achieve a “Master Higgins Feat” and you’ll be awarded a Master Higgins costume.

Virtual Console

Clay Fighter™ (Sega Genesis, 1-2 players, Rated T for Teen – Comic Mischief and Mild Cartoon Violence, 800 Wii Points): In this zany 2-D fighter, it’s just another day for a humble traveling circus troupe when a meteor crash-lands in their camp. The otherworldly orb, made entirely out of interstellar clay, contaminates all the circus employees, turning them into bizarrely superpowered versions of themselves. Choose from among the unique clay creatures, such as Bonker, the cheerfully manic clown, or Blue Suede Goo, the mild-mannered Elvis impersonator turned violent vocalist. Master their “Claytalities,” like the operatic Helga’s deadly high note and Bad Mr. Frosty’s fists of snowball fury!

The 3-in-1 Virtual Retro Adapter will plug into the Gamecube controller port and accept inputs from the original NES, Super Nintendo and N64 Controllers. It’s compatible with both 1st and 3rd party controllers and is set to launch June of this year, with an MSRP of $19.99. It’s manufactured and designed by Komodo and distributed by Innex

With the introduction of DSiWare comes the introduction of almost useless applications – Both additions for the DSi are based around Animal Crossing and get this; they are a clock and a calculator, nothing more. Both applications are priced at 200 DSi Points and do everything you would expect a clock and calculator to do.

On the Wii side of things, it gets a bit more exciting:

WiiWare

Penguins & Friends – Hey! That’s My Fish! (Gammick Entertainment, 1-4 players, Rated E for Everyone, 800 Wii Points™): The penguins are hungry and need your help. Catch all the fish you can before someone steals them from you. Strategy is fundamental in this exciting game. Keep moving ahead of the other penguins so you don’t get trapped, and try to get to the ice floes that hold more fish. One to four players can play Penguins & Friends at the same time, provided they can handle the polar cold. The board is made up of ice blocks with a set number of fish under them. The ice blocks are hexagonal and form a structure like a beehive. The starting position of the ice blocks can change, creating different game boards.

Virtual Console

Tower Toppler™ (Commodore 64, 1 player, Rated E for Everyone, 500 Wii Points): Weird things are happening on Planet Nebulus. Someone or something has begun building huge towers on the sea floor without a construction license. Your mission is to ascend each of the eight cylindrical towers, passing various obstacles along the way, and to trigger the tower’s destruction mechanism to demolish the evil threat. Praised upon its original 1987 release for its graphical innovation, this is considered to be the most outstanding game from Hewson. Don’t miss out on this classic favorite.

Nintendo has recently released details on their weekly update for the DSi and WiiWare services, along with the Virtual Console.

This week, Mario will make his debut on the DSiWare starring in Dr. Mario Express. If you’ve played the previous Dr. Mario titles you’ll be familiar with the Tetris like gameplay. The game will hit the service for 500 Nintendo DSi points.

For everything else included in the update read on:

Nintendo DSiWare

Master of Illusion Express: Deep Psyche (Nintendo, 1 player, Rated E for Everyone, 200 Nintendo DSi Points): Master of Illusion Express titles offer mind-bending magic tricks pulled from the popular Nintendo DS™ game. Learn the illusions, practice up and amaze your friends.Master of Illusion Express: Deep Psyche asks a series of pointed questions and reveals a startling truth.

WiiWare

CRYSTAL DEFENDERS R1 (SQUARE ENIX, 1 player, Rated E for Everyone – Mild Fantasy Violence, 800 Wii Points™): In CRYSTAL DEFENDERS R1, you must deploy various units such as Soldiers and Black Mages to stop wave after wave of encroaching monsters from escaping the area with your party’s crystals. There are many different types of units to choose from, some specializing in powerful short-range attacks, some wielding far-reaching magicks, and still others equipped with bows that enable them to bring down aerial foes. Deploy units in strategic locations to take full advantage of their traits. Each time an enemy breaches your defenses and reaches a map’s exit, your party will lose crystals. When all your crystals are gone, the game is over. CRYSTAL DEFENDERS R1 comes complete with a plethora of exciting stages, each varying in layout and difficulty. Can you defend them all without losing a single crystal?

Virtual Console

Wonder Boy III: Monster Lair (Sega Genesis, 1-2 players, Rated E for Everyone – Mild Cartoon Violence, 900 Wii Points): The once-quiet town of Xenobia is under attack from fierce and gruesome monsters. As Leo, it’s up to you to save Xenobia from danger as you navigate through a series of worlds in a race against time. Use your sword and jumping abilities to battle foes. Watch for power-ups that will increase your health and add to the amount of time you have to complete your missions. Go it alone or play co-op with a friend who can take the role of Priscilla. Do you have what it takes to save the world?

It looks like we’ll have to change the name from Weekly Wii Update to Weekly Nintendo Update as Nintendo has recently announced they will being updating the DSiWare service along with the WiiWare and Virtual Console services.

Retro gamers will be happy to hear that Pitfall: The Mayan Adventure, which originally made its debut on the Sega Genesis, was added to the Virtual Console this week for 800 Wii Points. Other than that, we have puzzle and party games added for both the Wii and DSi which you can read about below:

Nintendo DSiWare™

Mixed Messages (Activision, 2-21 players, Rated E for Everyone, 500 Nintendo DSi Points): Mixed Messages is the hilarious party game of mixed-up miscommunication. Sketch a picture to capture your friends’ sentence, or try to figure out what in the world they’ve drawn. You might start with, “The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog” and end up with “A crazy surfer outruns flying sticks of dynamite while his fans cheer!” Two to 21 players take turns writing sentences and drawing pictures to pass along a message. This isn’t a game about winning and losing – it’s all about the funny miscommunications that happen along the way. You’ll laugh when you see just how wacky things can get. Get together with your friends and mix it up.

Master of Illusion™ Express: Shuffle Games (Nintendo, 1 player, Rated E for Everyone, 200 Nintendo DSi Points): Master of Illusion Express titles are mind-boggling magic tricks pulled from the popular Nintendo DS™ game. Learn the illusions, practice up and amaze your friends. Master of Illusion Express: Shuffle Games will boggle your audience members’ minds as they try to figure out how you know exactly what they’re thinking. Also included is the bonus Vanishing Card trick, which the Nintendo DSi system performs for your enjoyment.

WiiWare

Party Fun Pirate™ (TOMY Corporation, 1-4 players, Rated E for Everyone – Comic Mischief, 500 Wii Points): Based on the popular Pop-Up Pirate toy, players take turns thrusting swords into a barrel that holds your captain captive, trying to see who can insert the most swords into the barrel. Thrust a sword into the wrong hole and you’ll send your captain flying, which means it’s game over for you! Unique Wii features add to the excitement, making for a fun-filled party game. Try swapping out the captain and putting your custom Mii character in the barrel for some real laughs!

Nintendo recently announced that the N64 title, The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask, has hit the PAL Virtual Console today.

Priced at 1000 Wii Points, Majora’s Mask makes for an almost complete library of console Zelda games provided by the Virtual Console, quite impressive.

The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask was originally released in 2000 for the N64 and was met with praise from the gaming community, so now’s your chance to experience it if you never got the chance to.

Read (ThatVideoGameBlog)

Yep it was inevitable, another update from Nintendo for the Wii’s WiiWare and Virtual Console services. Hey, it is Monday after all.

This week we are greeted with the Commodore 64 tite, Summer Games II for the Virtual Console and the beat makin’ BIT.TRIP BEAT for WiiWare.

More information, straight from Nintendo, below:

WiiWare
BIT.TRIP BEAT (Aksys Games, 1-4 players, Rated E for Everyone, 600 Wii Points): BIT.TRIP BEAT is a rhythm game that brings retro action into the present, letting you use the motion-sensing Wii Remote™ controller to bounce beats. Retro visuals, classic game play, four-player multiplayer and an 8-bit soundtrack will get you in the zone and rock your world. The challenges are mighty, but if you can stay cool as the difficulty increases, you’ll discover the beginnings of the BIT.TRIP saga.

Virtual Console
Summer Games II™ (Commodore 64, 1-8 players, Rated E for Everyone, 500 Wii Points): A thousand athletes. A hundred countries. Billions watching around the world as you enter the stadium, marching confidently among your nation’s strongest, fastest and boldest young men and women. Your gaze sweeps the crowd as you realize the scope of your achievement. You are about to compete against the world’s best athletes in a 3,000-year-old competition. This is the pinnacle of athletic achievement: the Summer Games. Summer Games II challenges your competitive skills with a series of athletic contests for one to eight players. Experience the excitement and realism of eight different events: cycling, equestrian, fencing, high jump, javelin, kayaking, rowing and triple jump. Practice each event to sharpen your skills, then choose from the 18 countries you can represent in the competition.

10. Brand Loyalty.

When it comes to video game companies, Nintendo boasts an incredible amount of longevity. Their first console, the Nintendo Entertainment System almost singlehandedly made home gaming popular and they’ve been going strong ever since. People have been buying Nintendo products for years. Sony hasn’t been in the games industry for quite as long and Microsoft is a relative newcomer to the console game.

9. Huge game library.

The Wii has a whole lot of games available with a wide array of appeals and budget ranges. For the cash-heavy there’s all the newest titles with all the bells and whistles. If you’re broke you can pick up bargain basement prices on Gamecube discs that’ll still play perfectly on the Wii or buy some Virtual Console titles. The hardcore gamer has challenging titles like Mario Galaxy, Red Steel and others, with even more on the way. Casual gamers have titles like Mario Party, Wii Sports and others to entertain them. Fans of retro gaming can download classic NES and Sega Genesis titles.\

8. Hype & Word of Mouth

Whether you like it or not, you’ve heard more talk about the Wii than pretty much any other console that’s hit the market. It had the power of much discussion behind it. I’ve spoken to many people; gamers and non-gamers alike that all wanted to try it. The idea of a motion-controlled gaming system was appealing in its simplicity.

7. Intuitive Controls

Everyone remembers the first time a friend, parent or family member sat down to try out this ‘video game thing’. Many of us cut our teeth on the original Nintendo and watched a complete novice run Mario right into a bottomless pit as they frantically flapped the controller up and down, occasionally berating the pixellated plumber for not jumping. Nintendo looked at the growingly complex controllers with more buttons, analog sticks and the like and said “there must be a different way to do all this”. After a time they gave us the Wiimote. Swing it and your character swings their sword/bat/tennis racket. Simple enough for even Grandma to use.

6. Great First-Party Games

Nintendo has always relied very heavily on their stable of existing characters for success. This has been especially evident with the Wii. Seeing Mario, Link or any of the other official Nintendo characters has always been a guarantee of quality development. When the Wii launched there was a lot of griping over the poor quality of most of the titles available, but the first quality titles were all top-notch and drove the initial success of the Wii. While people were shelling out top dollar for Mario Galaxy, Mario Kart Wii and other games, developers were taking not and beginning to turn their eyes towards the console.

5. Family-Friendly Gameplay

Nintendo has generally bucked the modern trend with games. Most of the time there’s a direct correlation between the age of a game’s target audience and the overall quality of its gameplay. Adult-focused games are given much more time and polish, while games for kids are often slapped together rather hastily. With Nintendo it’s rare that you get truly adult content. There’s a certain degree of violence in some series, like the Metroid games and the Legend of Zelda games, but even then it’s usually against space aliens, creepy giant monsters or other assorted beasties. Parents are always happy to give their kids games that they’re not worried about the negative effects of.

4. Good Press

While Microsoft struggles to extricate themselves from the RROD fiasco and Sony keeps beating consumers over the head with arrogant claims of superiority despite evidence to the contrary the folks at Nintendo are keeping things pretty clean. Sure, it’s easier to be polite when you’re thumping your competition as soundly as Nintendo is, but there are probably a lot of companies who wouldn’t be able to resist some trash talking now and then. Stories cropping up about nursing homes buying Wiis for their residents and the Queen of England playing Wii tennis certainly help the console’s publicity. Ironically though, even if Nintendo executives started laying a verbal beat down on Sony and Microsoft every time someone spoke to them it might not affect them too much, since the casual gamers that are buying a lot of Wiis aren’t the type to be browsing gaming news websites.

3. Rise in Casual Gaming

Before the Wii launched casual gaming was already starting to get huge. Companies like Popcap games had been fueling the fire for quite a while with free online games, but the Wii has both influenced and benefited from the casual gaming explosion. The Wii offered up the sort of simple gameplay that casual gamers want with the huge benefit of a more social structure; playing with four people takes away the stigma of gaming being an antisocial, individualistic pass-time.

2. Wii Sports

Many hardcore gamers dropped Wii Sports quite quickly and hunted for more complicated fare, but the inclusion of this well-crafted experience was a linchpin of the success. Nintendo has known for a long time that giving people a game to play along with their console is much appreciated, especially when it’s as well executed as Wii Sports. The gameplay, although not terrible complex, was perfectly crafted and polished, simple to understand yet extremely fun. It was also a great marketing tool; I’d wager that a whole lot of people had never heard of the Wii before they went to a friends house and played a few rounds of tennis or golf, then went out and picked up their own console soon after.

1. Price

It packs less computer power than the Xbox 360 or PS3. It can’t even play regular DVDs much less fancy Blu-ray discs. The graphics of most games aren’t much better than its predecessor, the Gamecube. On paper it’s a pretty unimpressive system, with only the gimmick of motion sensing controls to give it real interest. Yet its low power and lack of bells and whistles has turned out to be one of its greatest strengths. The economics of video game consoles for a long time has been based on a model where companies sell the systems at a loss, making their profits from games and peripherals, but Nintendo went against that idea with the Wii. By keeping things simple Nintendo made the Wii incredibly profitable. The retail price is lower than both the other current-gen consoles and in spite of its bargain-basement price Nintendo actually makes a profit from each console they sell.

That price tag has been a huge seller for the holiday seasons. When parents are out shopping for their kids for birthdays and holidays, price is a HUGE factor, especially with the financial crunch people have been experiencing of late. If Jane Doe is walking through her local Best Buy looking for little Timmy’s Christmas present, she’s going to pass the Xbox 360 and PS3 aisles, noting the big price tag on the systems. Next she sees the array of games- violent looking things like Assassin’s Creed and Gears of War; so many games with gun-toting, aggressive looking characters. Then Mrs. Doe sees the Wii, with its low price and array of games featuring harmless-looking cartoon characters on the cover. I think you can guess which system little Timmy’s going to be unwrapping Christmas morning.

Nintendo has recently released information regarding their usual slew of updates for the Wii’s Virtual Console and WiiWare services.

This week, we have a glactic shooter from Konami for WiiWare and a classic platformer which originally made its debut on SEGA.

More information on both below:

WiiWare

Gradius ReBirth (Konami, 1 player, Rated E for Everyone-Mild Fantasy Violence, 1,000 Wii Points): Blast your way through levels filled with alien spaceships and otherworldly creatures in this retro side-scrolling shooter. Pick your weapons carefully and upgrade them to create a devastating arsenal of space-aged weapons that will aid you in your challenging mission. Players can post their high scores to worldwide leader boards via Nintendo® Wi-Fi Connection and see where they rank against all the other Gradius ReBirth players. Test your skills with Gradius ReBirth and see if you have what it takes to beat this action-packed arcade shooter.

Virtual Console

Alex Kidd: The Lost Stars™ (SEGA MASTER SYSTEM, 1 player, Rated E for Everyone-Comic Mischief, Crude Humor, 500 Wii Points): In this platformer from the 1980s, help Alex Kidd in a race against time to find the 12 missing zodiac signs hidden in six challenging levels-including toyland, the robot factory and an outer-space level-all complete with crazy enemies.

And no, I have no idea if the 8-bit minion in the above screen shot of Alex Kidd: The Last Stars is nude or not, you be the judge.

Read (Nintendo)

Today is Monday, you know what that means, right? New releases for both the Virtual Console and Wiiware thanks to our good friends over at Nintendo.

This week we are graced with Ogre Battle for the Super Nintendo, and Family & Friends Party, developed by Gammick Entertainment.

Sound fun? More info on both of the above mentioned games below:

WiiWare™

Family & Friends Party (Gammick Entertainment, 1-8 players, Rated E for Everyone, 1,000 Wii Points): Have fun with all your friends and family as you take on some very exciting challenges. This is an interactive board game for as many as eight players of all ages. The goal is to be the first to complete a series of challenges. During each turn, a challenge will be played by one or two players per team depending on the type of challenge you’ve been given. (Other players on your team can still help and support you). There are six different “Single” challenges that must be played cooperatively by members of the same team. Family & Friends Party can also suggest “Versus” challenges, which must be played competitively by all teams at the same time.

Virtual Console™

Ogre Battle™: The March of the Black Queen™ (Super NES™, 1 player, Rated E for Everyone, 800 Wii Points): It’s up to you to defeat the Empire. It’s been nearly a quarter of a century since the Zetegenian Empire first conquered the Kingdoms of Zenobia with a wrath of fear and bloodshed. You are the leader of a band of rebels who’ve fought to preserve the last shred of honor in this desperate time of treachery. Manage the ranks of a full-blown rebel army, complete with hundreds of characters, magic items, weapons and mystical Tarot cards. You must succeed in ousting the evil usurpers-your fate, and that of the entire population, depends on it.

Read (Nintendo)

Both the WiiWare and Virtual Console have been updated with a single game thanks to Nintendo today. On the WiiWare side is Evasive Space by Yukes Company of America which has you guiding your on screen ship through different levels using the Wiimote avoiding obstacles and collecting power-ups.

The Virtual Console gets Life Force from NES which is basically Evasive Space, except you can shoot stuff. More below:

Evasive Space™ (Yukes Company of America, 1-4 players, Rated E for Everyone – Mild Fantasy Violence, 1,000 Wii Points): Launch a one-of-a-kind mission to rescue the stars. The universe is going dark, and it’s up to you, Konki the Stellar Guardian, to set things right. Dr. Dark Matter and his roving band of space thieves have stolen many of the Constellation Stones that make up the heavens. It’s time to suit up, power up, recover the Stones and once again bring light to the night sky. Using the Wii Remote™ controller’s unique pointer capabilities, simply point and thrust Konki through 20 dangerous time- and collection-based missions in the harshest of environments. Navigate through narrow, mazelike astral caves riddled with space worms, steam pipes and mining drills. Explore vast space stations while avoiding turret fire, mines and huge crushing gears. Weave through cluttered asteroid fields and gaseous planetary rings. Evade the hazards, pick up precious items and ship upgrades, and save the Constellation Stones before the night sky is lost forever.
Life Force (NES, 1-2 players, Rated E for Everyone – Mild Fantasy Violence, 500 Wii Points): This classic shooter, originally ported to the NES in August 1988, is a spin-off of the seminal Gradius series. Pilot the Vic Viper through six stages of intense action, alternating between horizontally and vertically scrolling environments, and take on wave after wave of enemies. Destroy particular enemies throughout the game (which takes place within the body of an enormous alien) to release power-up capsules and equip your ship with your choice of more powerful weapons, extra speed and shields. Utilize the power-ups carefully, though, as a fearsome guardian lurks at the end of each stage and won’t be easily defeated. You can go it alone or bring along a friend to take on the challenge simultaneously. Do you have what it takes to save your planet?

As the beginning of another week comes to a close, let’s take a look at the new games Nintendo has introduced into their online services.

Both services, Wiiware and the Virtual Console, will only recieve one game this week, check them out below:

WiiWare
LIT (WayForward Technologies, 1 player, Rated E10+ for Everyone 10 and Older—Violence, 800 Wii Points): 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 smartly 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, which must be battled 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.

Virtual Console
Wolf of the Battlefield: MERCS (SEGA GENESIS, 1 player, Rated E10+ for Everyone 10 and Older—Mild Violence, 800 Wii Points): Following a rash of terrorism outbreaks and increasing opposition from guerilla fighters, the U.S. government has decided to hire a group of professional mercenaries to undergo secret missions, battling through enemy lines to go where no ordinary soldier would dare to go. Based on the popular arcade game, the SEGA GENESIS version of MERCS lets you play as a MERC and also adds an original mode, allowing players to choose from five different characters. Take no prisoners as you shoot, drive jeeps and tanks, and clash against huge bosses to accomplish your mission.

Read (Nintendo)

We’ve made it yet another week so you know what that means, right? Updates from Nintendo for the Virtual Console and WiiWare.

Upon skimming through the updates I noticed ‘cuddly-yet-evil monsters’ in the WiiWare update, just to give you a heads up of what to expect:

WiiWare
Niki – Rock ‘n’ Ball (Bplus, 1-2 players, Rated E for Everyone-Comic Mischief, 500 Wii Points): Are you in love with those unforgettable arcade classics where the only goal is to vanquish all opponents to reach the next stage? Niki – Rock ‘n’ Ball is a new interpretation of those games with a completely innovative and unique gaming mechanism. Roll along with Niki through fantastic worlds, find all the ZeLeLi pearls, and liberate your village from cuddly-yet-evil monsters before it’s too late. Timing is everything. Jump in the nick of time to avoid landing amid barbs. Hop across the stages thanks to the realistic gaming physics. Snap on the ZeLeLi amulet, transform yourself into Niki Rock, and force even the most obstinate monster to its knees. Explore all the stages and win valuable medals while dribbling through them, alone or with a friend. Use familiar controls in Retro style, or experience novel controls in the Wii style.

Virtual Console

Wonder Boy™ in Monster Land™ (SEGA MASTER SYSTEM, 1 player, Rated E for Everyone-Alcohol Reference, Mild Cartoon Violence, 500 Wii Points): After the defeat of the evil king, the kingdom of Wonder Land was a paradise…for a time. The peace was broken when a ferocious, fire-breathing dragon struck without warning and took over Wonder Land with a swarm of evil, monstrous henchmen, turning the once-peaceful land into the utterly chaotic Monster Land. Unable to fight, the people now look to Wonder Boy. Realizing that he is Wonder Land’s last hope, Wonder Boy sets out on an incredible journey to rid the country of the monsters and defeat the “invincible” evil dragon. Guide Wonder Boy through various environments and dungeons, and defeat enemies using Special Weapons and Spells.

Read (Nintendo)

Just a friendly reminder: Nintendo has updated the European and Australian Virtual Console with the arcade classic Donkey Kong 3. On a smaller note, Enduro Racer was also added for the Sega Master System. Both of the titles retail for the standard 500 Wii Points.

It’s the start of the week, you know what that means, right? Updates to the Virtual Console and WiiWare services.

Apparantely a slow week as both services will only be recieiving one new title, both detailed below:

WiiWare

Sandy Beach (Konami, 1-2 players, Rated E for Everyone—Comic Mischief, 500 Wii Points): Enjoy a fun day at Sandy Beach as you build elaborate sand castles. You can work peacefully on your sand castle or enter into a battle with invading crabs in Crab Battle mode. Players will strategically build their sand castle and use cannons to defend it against an army of destructive crabs. After successfully defending your sand castle, discover beach treasures and additional cannons with your metal detector to customize your castle even more.

Virtual Console

Kirby’s Dream Land 3 (Super NES™, 1-2 players, Rated E for Everyone, 800 Wii Points): Kirby, Dream Land’s resident hero (and everyone’s favorite puffball), must once again save the day when the mischievous King Dedede starts causing trouble. Kirby must travel through an assortment of levels, battling an exotic array of enemies (both new and familiar) determined to stop him from completing his mission. Always armed with his trusty ability to swallow enemies and gain special attacks, Kirby can also unite with some of his animal friends and make use of their particular talents. Featuring detailed graphics, challenging boss battles and the distinct charm of a Kirby game, it’s no wonder this title is considered a classic.

I, for one, was a huge fan of the Kirby series and might actually be putting down the WiiPoints to purchase it. Sandy Beach, on the other hand, sounds a bit too ridiculous for me.

Read (Nintendo)

Wether you just recieved a Wii as a present or you’ve had one for some time, be sure to check out the new releases on WiiWare and the Virtual Console.

New releases on the two services are as follows:

WiiWare
Maboshi’s Arcade™ (Nintendo, 1-3 players, Rated E for Everyone, 800 Wii Points): Featuring three distinct modes and simultaneous play across three game windows, the constantly changing environment of Maboshi’s Arcade creates an atmosphere unlike any other. Each of the modes is based on one of three familiar shapes (circle, stick and square) and offers the same goal: score a million points. Use the intuitive controls to bash enemies in Circle mode, weave your way through Stick mode or burn a path around obstacles in Square mode-all while dealing with power-up items and keeping watch on which effects the other game windows may have on your own. Also featuring Mii™ characters, action replays that you can send to your Wii™ Friends via WiiConnect24™, and the ability to download a version to a Nintendo DS™, you may never want to leave this arcade.

Cue Sports – Pool Revolution (Hudson Entertainment, 1-4 players, Rated E for Everyone, 500 Wii Points): Grab your Wii Remote™ controller and take a shot at this virtual billiard game. Enjoy match-ups, playing classic favorites such as 9 Ball, 8 Ball, Rotation and Snooker, as well as walk-through trick shots in Puzzle mode. Connect to Nintendo® Wi-Fi Connection (Nintendo WFC) to go head-to-head with your friends, or even hustle opponents across the world in Nintendo WFC match-ups. This game offers two types of controls, allowing you to virtually strike the cue ball with your Wii Remote controller or use the buttons to adjust the strength of your shot and then strike. Hone your skills in Practice mode, learning all the cool techniques you need to be a true hustler. Use the edit feature to create your own challenge and nail the trick shot you’ve always dreamed of sinking. Pull off an amazing shot and show everyone who’s the biggest shark in the pool.

Virtual Console

Zoda’s Revenge™: StarTropics II™ (NES™, 1 player, Rated E for Everyone-Mild Cartoon Violence, 500 Wii Points): Take on the role of Mike Jones, intrepid hero of the StarTropics universe, and once again battle the evil alien Zoda to control the fate of the Argonian people. In this journey, the island hopping of Mike’s original adventure gives way to traveling through time and visiting locations around the world. And you never know what famous historical figures may appear along the way, giving Mike helpful advice or useful items. Luckily, Mike also has a wider range of weapons and improved play control on his side, so he may yet stand a chance against Zoda. Can you help Mike stand the test of time and save the world again?

Read (Kotaku)

Today is Monday so you know what that means, new titles for the Virtual Console and WiiWare. This week, only one title was added to the VC while 2 were added to WiiWare.

Mega Man 3, the NES one, is this weeks VC release which will retail for 500 Wii Points, does anything more need to be said about this game?

On WiiWare, the first game up is Brain Challenge from Gameloft for 1,000 Wii Points. This is one of those games that you log onto everyday and do various educational problems in an attempt to “train your brain”.

Last but not least, you will see Yummy Yummy Cooking Jam from Virtual Toys for 1,000 Wii Points on WiiWare. All it is, is a Cooking Mama copycat, you cook in restaurants, move up the ranks, learn new recipies, etc etc. Mayb next week we can get some good stuff Nintendo, please?

Another week, another Virtual Console update, this time with a fan favorite, Earthworm Jim, hitting the service.

While we haven’t seen a new game from the franchise in a while, Earthworm Jim for Sega Genesis, goingfor 800 Wii Points, will definitely satisfy your needs.

But what we really want, is an all new title. Any bets on when a publisher will breath new life into the Earthworm Jim franchise?