Wii Rally

New games for the Wii this week includes a few sports games as well as one based on a television show. If you can’t see new episodes, then play the game.

CSI Hard Evidence - M for Mature - $39.99

Nitrobike - Everyone 10+ - $49.99

Samurai Warriors - KATANA - Teen - $49.99

Kidz Sports: Ice Hockey - E for Everyone - $19.99

Only two new offerings today on the Wii channel.

Pac-Attack (Super NES®, 1-2 players, Rated E for Everyone, 800 Wii Points)

Riot Zone (TurboGrafx16 CD-ROM, 1 player, Rated E 10+ for Everyone 10 and Older - Tobacco Reference, Violence, 800 Wii Points)

Maybe it was all the bright colors but the moment I saw Carnival Games behind the glass I knew I wanted to play it. It even made my Will holiday gift guide. So after passing it by a couple of times and then unable to find it for sale, I finally got it a few days after Christmas.

Carnival Games features 25 different mini-games that will take either luck or skill to master. Up to four people can play with either their own Wiimote or use just one Wiimote by taking turns. Games resemble those found at carnivals like the ring toss, duck shoot, or the dunking booth.

The first order of business in Carnival Games is to create your player. Once you’ve created your sim, you are read to hit the midway. In single player mode, players earn tickets when they play games. You can use these tickets to purchase items for your sim or to play specialty carnival booths like the Fortune Teller. It takes a minimum of 25 tickets to purchase anything for your sim, so it’s best to play a few games to build up some tickets. The booths that take tickets are okay but only if you have nothing else to purchase. I wasted 15 tickets on the fortune teller basically to get an answer I could have gotten from a magic 8-ball.

Carnival Games with its variety of mini-games should offer something for everyone. I have my favorite games while my husband has his. All of the games are fun while some are more challenging than others. It’s a great game to break out when friends come over or makes a fun choice for family game night.

Nyko Technologies’ wireless nunchuk for the Wii won a CNET Best of CES award. It took top honor in the gaming category at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.

Nyko debued the wireless nunchuk at the CES this week. Ever since the release of the Wii and the wired nunchuk, there has been speculation as to whether a wireless nunchuk would be released. Looks like there will be one. The wireless nunchuk should retail for $30.

There have been a few games released for the Wii this past week. So if you’re looking to spend some of those Christmas gifts cards, here are some options:

Kawasaki Quad Bikes - $19.99, E for Everyone

Rig Racer 2 - $19.99, E for Everyone

Myth Makers: Orbs of Doom - $19.99, E for Everyone

Master Trux Offroad - $19.99, E for Everyone

Kidz Sports: Basketball - $19.99, E for Everyone

Classic British Motor Racing - $19.99, E for Everyone

Yes, I’m a little late posting this week’s VC games. I blame it on the holiday. Next week everything will be back to normal. Here are the three games:

BUBBLE BOBBLE (NES�, 1-2 players, Rated E for Everyone, 500 Wii Points)

Light Crusader (Genesis, 1 player, Rated E for Everyone-Animated Violence, 800 Wii Points)

TOP HUNTER (NEOGEO, 1-2 players, Rated E10+ for Everyone 10 and older-Cartoon Violence, 900 Wii Points)

All Wiis now ship with a Wii jacket for the Wiimote. But if your Wii was purchased prior to this policy, then you can fill out a Wii jacket request form to get one of the jackets.

Who needs must see TV when you have access to You Tube? Here is one I found especially cute. It’s been uploaded for six months, which in Internet time means it’s old and everyone has seen it. Still it’s cute enough to watch again especially Wii Fit is a big hit has been released in Japan and is a success. Hopefully the U.S. release is on the horizon.

A few weeks ago, I wanted to purchase a Wii game, so I chose one that was around $30. It was Red Steel, and it was bought at Toys R Us. Well, it was almost bought.

Anyone who has ever bought a video game at Toys R Us knows that it is one of those items that you have to take the ticket up front to pay for it. Once you’ve paid, an employee will retrieve the item from a holding area. Apparently the system showed they had Red Steel in stock but they couldn’t physically find it. I chose another Wii game instead and quickly forgot about Red Steel until today. While shopping at Wal-Mart, I noticed that Red Steel is now selling for $19.97. I tossed it into the shopping cart.

One trend I have noticed is that more Wii games seem to be dropping to the $19.99 price point. There are always at least a few Wii games for under $20 available. It makes me think that maybe I should do a weekly Wii games under $20. The list is growing every week as more Wii games fall to that bargain price.

While new Wii games are so very tempting to buy, holding out a few months can save you a lot of money. Most games I can wait a few months for but there is occasionally one I will buy on its release date.

It is nice to see a price drop of Wii games even if they are some of the older Wii titles.

Nintendo’s upcoming title Endless Ocean brings to mind those fireplace VHS tapes that were all the rage a few years ago. Or how about the aquarium VHS that let people experience all the enjoyment of having fish without having to take care of them.

That’s basically what Endless Ocean for the Wii appears to be. Players can swim around in the ocean looking at the aquatic life. The point of Endless Ocean? Well, it’s to relax and enjoy the scenery. There is a log book where you can place objects that you find on your journey. So, maybe it does have a little hidden object game play to it.

Endless Ocean might be a great way to unwind after a jam session of Guitar Hero III or after Wii Boogie. Endless Ocean is due to be released January 22nd and will retail for $29.99.