Wii Rally

Two new games at the Wii Shop this week. A Sega classic is added to the catalog as well as a defense strategy WiiWare title.

WiiWare

CRYSTAL DEFENDERS R1 - E for Everyone - 800 Wii Points - 1 player - It is your job to protect your party’s crystals from the encroaching monsters. To do this, you can several different units you can deploy like soldiers and black mages to carry out the mission. When all of your crystals are gone, it’s game over.

Virtual Console

Wonder Boy III: Monster Lair - E for Everyone - 900 Wii Points - 1-2 players - As Leo, you are racing against the clock to save the town of Xenobia that is under attack. Use your sword and jump attach to thwart the enemy and save the day. There are also powers ups to increase your health and your time.

Two new games available at the Wii Shop this week. Another classic comes to the Wii while a swashbuckling party game makes it on WiiWare.

WiiWare

Party Fun Pirate - E for Everyone - 500 Wii Points - 1-4 players - Based on the Pop-up Pirate toy, players take turns thrusting their swords into a barrel that holds their captain. Be careful that you don’t knife your captain. If you do, then he will shoot out of the barrel. The player to stick their sword into the barrel the most times wins the game.

Virtual Console

Pitfall: The Mayan Adventure - T for Teen - 800 Wii Points - 1 player -
In this side scrolling adventure, you play Pitfall Harry, Jr. who in search of his father Pitfall Harry who has been taken captive by the warrior spirit Zakelua: Lord of Evil. Harry can only rely on his slingshot and his father’s journal as he trenches through 13 levels on his journey.

With all the release of the DSi and the first DSiWare games, it seemed the week would all be about the new handheld. But there are a couple of new games to the Wii Shop - one WiiWare and one Virtual Console.

WiiWare

EQUILIBRIO™ -Rated E -500 Wii Points - 1-4 players- Finish a level by rolling the ball to the exit using the Wiimote or the Wii balance board.

Virtual Console

Uncharted Waters: New Horizons - Rated E- 800 Wii Points - RPG -
Choose from six characters then set sail across the ocean in this simulation game that is all about making new discoveries and visiting exotic ports.

Next week is a big week for Nintendo as they are getting ready to launch the new Nintendo DSi. Do you have yours pre-ordered? Neither do we. Who needs another DS when we have a Wii? There are two new games at the Wii Shop. One is a simulation game while the other is a classic fighting game.

WiiWare

Bonsai Barber (Nintendo, 1-4 players, Rated E for Everyone-Comic Mischief, 1,000 Wii Points) - The villages want the latest styles in foliage. Each day you have five customers arrive and it’s up to you to cut, trim, and style their unique do. Customers have different temperaments so keeping everyone happy could be a challenge within itself.

Virtual Console

Super Punch-Out!! (Super NES™, 1 player, Rated E for Everyone, 800 Wii Points) - This sequel to the NES game brings back the beloved and comical fighter Little Mac. As he returns to the ring to face opponents like Super Macho Man and Bear Hugger, Little Mac is vying for the World Video Boxing Association belt. See if you can spot the fighting patterns to exploit them and help Little Mac become victorious in his quest.

New games are released each Monday to the Wii Shop. Beginning next week, there will also be released Nintendo games for the DSi available through the new Nintendo DSi shop. The DSi is an updated version of Nintendo’s DS with enhanced features like digital cameras and audio playback.

Wii points can either be bought at a local gaming store or online through the Wii Shop. 100 points equals $1. Most games range from 500 Wii points to 1500 Wii points.

One new Wiiware and two new Virtual Console games are now available at the Wii Shop.

WiiWare

Pop’Em Drop’Em SAMEGAME (Hudson Entertainment, 1-4 players, Rated E for Everyone, 500 Wii Points) SAMEGAME is a simple puzzle game where the goal is to clear all the blocks off the grid. Clear larger clusters of blocks for more points. Increase the difficulty of the game by working on a larger grid. Up to 4 players can play at one time.

Virtual Console

Bomberman®’94 (TurboGrafx16, 1-5 players, Rated E for Everyone—Comic Mischief, 700 Wii Points) Bomberman has arrived on the planet to return peace to it after it has been split into five pieces. All nine members of the Bomberman family are available for play and Rooi even shows up with special abilities to lend a helping hand.

DETANA TWIN BEE (TurboGrafx16, 1-2 players, Rated E for Everyone—Mild Cartoon Violence, 700 Wii Points) Twinbee and Winbee are on a mission to save the world from evil alien invaders. They will have to do battle through six stages featuring goofy enemies. Stock up your arsenal with powerful attacks like Big Shot, Twin Attack, and Burst Attack to save the day.

Each Monday, Nintendo releases new games to the Wii Shop. WiiWare are games that are original for the Wii. Virtual Console games are classic games previously released for other systems.

Two new games are available in the Wii Shop this week - one WiiWare and one Virtual Console game.

WiiWare

LIT (WayForward Technologies, 1 player, Rated E10+ for Everyone 10 and Older—Violence, 800 Wii Points) is an action/puzzle game where you play Jake. Try to reunite him with his girlfriend Rachel. Dark creatures have invaded your high school and now you must fight through various rooms looking for her. LIT uses both the Wiimote and Nunchuk controllers.

Virtual Console

Wolf of the Battlefield™: MERCS (SEGA GENESIS, 1 player, Rated E10+ for Everyone 10 and Older—Mild Violence, 800 Wii Points) is based on the popular MERCS arcade game that pits you as a mercenary hired by the government to fight terrorism. MERCS adds an original mode that lets you play as one of five different characters.

This week’s offerings of new games runs the gamut in genre. There is sports, puzzle, and a beloved favorite that will be available today for download.

WiiWare

Snowboard Riot™ (Hudson Entertainment, 1-4 players, Rated E for Everyone-Mild Fantasy Violence, 1,000 Wii Points) - is a snowboard racing game for up to four players. You can use the Wii Balance Board with this racer where you not only want to be first but to collect items along the way to ensure your victory. Up to four players can play and participate in various ranking modes via Nintendo WIFI Connection.

LONPOS (Nintendo, 1-4 players, Rated E for Everyone, 800 Wii Points) - LONPOS is a puzzle game where players must place all pieces onto the rectangular playing field. The higher the level, the more playing pieces you must place. Use the Nintendo WIFI Connection to see how your score compares with other players and to download new puzzle boards.

Virtual Console

Sonic Chaos™ (SEGA MASTER SYSTEM, 1 player, Rated E for Everyone, 500 Wii Points) - Play as Sonic or Tails in this classic game. Dr. Eggman(Dr. Robotnik) has stolen the Red Chaos Emerald that has caused Emerald Chaos Emeralds to transport to a parallel universe. Find the remaining Chaos Emeralds to restore the world and to save Sonic’s home from sinking into the ocean.

There are two new games available today in the Wii Shop - one WiiWare and one Virtual Console.

Niki - Rock n Roll is new for WiiWare. It is 500 points and is for 1-2 players. Roll through each world and find all the ZeLeLi pearls to liberate your village. This game is a tribute to those classic games that had simple goals - defeat all of your enemies to move forward in the game. Niki is rated E with mild comic mischief.

Wonder Boy™ in Monster Land™ - This title was originally released for the Sega Master System. It is also 500 Wii points and is for 1 player. Wonder Boy sets out on a journey to defeat an evil dragon and save Wonder Land. Playing Wonder Boy, you will defeat enemies with spells and special weapons. Wonder Boy is rated E and contains alcohol references and mild cartoon violence.

Two new WiiWare and on Virtual Console game are now available in the Wii Shop. Here’s a quick glance at what they are:

WiiWare -

SPACE INVADERS GET EVEN (Taito, 1 player, Rated E10+ for Everyone 10 and Older-Cartoon Violence, 500 Wii Points) - The classic game is back and the aliens are out to get even. Take control of the UFO and unleash the alien fury on tanks, fighter jets, and more.

Pit Crew Panic! (Hudson Entertainment, 1-4 players, Rated E for Everyone, 800 Wii Points) - Ever thought that you could handle the pressure of being part of a pit crew? Now here’s your chance. Not only will you be facing challenges like refueling, tire changes, and standard maintenance but you will also have to handle Whatsits. These repairs will test your pit crew skills for sure.

Virtual Console -

METAL SLUG 2 (NEOGEO, 1-2 players, Rated T for Teen-Blood and Gore, Violence, 900 Wii Points) - This classic side scroller puts your right in the middle of military action. Invite a friend along to stroll down video game memories with this action/adventure.

Two new WiiWare games and two Virtual Console games are added to the Wii Shop including the latest installment of a very popular Internet icon.

Strong Bad Episode 4: Dangeresque 3 (Telltale Games, 1 player, Rated E10+ for Everyone 10 and Older – Alcohol and Tobacco Reference, Crude Humor, Mild Cartoon Violence, 1,000 Wii Points) - Strong Bad must stay one step ahead of a bad cop and save the girl in this fourth episode.

Target Toss Pro: Bags (Incredible Technologies, 1-16 players, Rated E for Everyone, 700 Wii Points) - Here is a game that is based on bean bag toss.

SPACE INVADERS: The Original Game (Super NES™, 1-2 players, Rated E for Everyone, 800 Wii Points) - Now here is a title that I spent many quarters playing in the arcade. Space Invaders is one of those games etched in video game history. And now it’s available for us to play again.

FORGOTTEN WORLDS (SEGA GENESIS, 1-2 players, Rated E for Everyone – Fantasy Violence, 800 Wii Points) - This is a 1-2 person side scrolling shooter from CAPCOM. This is another arcade import that keeps its roots on the Sega Genesis. Two warriors from the Forgotten World - or a little place known as Earth - are raised to take on the invaders and reclaim the land.

A casual PC game makes the leap to WiiWare while another classic game gets a face lift. Plus a space classic from the Sega Master System comes to the Virtual Console. It’s not a bad way to start out the month of November. Having played Home Sweet Home for the PC, this should appeal to those who love time management games. The other WiiWare game is really a classic pinball game but has been given a makeover. The Virtual Console game was an arcade smash that made the jump to the Sega Master System. Now it’s made the leap to the VC.

WiiWare

ALIEN CRUSH RETURNS™ (Hudson Entertainment, 1-4 players, Rated E for Everyone – Animated Blood, Mild Fantasy Violence, 800 Wii Points) This is the incarnation of Alien Crush for TurboGfx. Do you like pinball? Then try this one out. You can even use the Wiimote to nudge the machine.

Home Sweet Home (Big Blue Bubble Inc., 1 player, Rated E for Everyone, 1,000 Wii Points) - This casual PC game comes to WiiWare. In Home Sweet Home, you will need to not only decorate a room but keep your hired labor on time and under budget. Give them a hand when they get hurt or need help to complete a task.

Virtual Console

Space Harrier™ (Sega Master System, 1 player, Rated E for Everyone – Mild Fantasy Violence, 500 Wii Points) - Space Harrier was originally released for the arcade but later made an appearance on the Sega Master System. In Space Harrier, you must fight through the “The Land of Dragons.” At the end of each stage, you must defeat the bosses so that peace can once again rule the land.

Four new games are now available through the Wii Shop. Two new WiiWare games and two classic games come to the Wii through the Virtual Console.

WiiWare

Tetris Party (Tetris Online, Inc., 1-6 players, Rated E for Everyone, 1,200 Wii Points) - The hit puzzle game is back and better than ever in this party version. Tetris Party features 10 never-before-seen single and multi-player variations including Field Climber, Stage Racer, Shadow and Wii Balance Board-enabled modes.

Up to six people can play either in one living room or several since it supports WIFI. You can also see how your Tetris scores rank against the world through the global ranking system.

The Incredible Maze (Digital Leisure Inc., 1 player, Rated E for Everyone, 500 Wii Points) - Make your way through the maze using your Wiimote. You can also use the Wii Balance Board to keep your ball on the path and try to guide it to the finish without falling off.

Virtual Console

Digital Champ Battle Boxing (TurboGrafx16, 1 player, Rated E10+ for Everyone 10 and Older - Mild Violence, 700 Wii Points) - This first person boxing title will have you throwing jabs, punches, and other moves on your quest to defeat Mother Computer. You have infiltrated the enemy’s domain and now must use your boxing skills to fight Mother’s plan to take over mankind.

GRADIUS® II GOFER NO YABOU (TurboGrafx16 CD-ROM, 1 player, Rated E for Everyone - Mild Fantasy Violence, 900 Wii Points) - This shooter is the sequel to GRADIUS. It features nine stages and is the longest adventure in this series. Players pilot the latest model of the Vic Viper and can choose between Weapons Module and Shields to take on the various enemies they encounter in the varying stages.

Four new games are now available in the Wii shop. There are two WiiWare games and 2 Virtual Console games.

World of Goo (2D Boy, 1-4 players, Rated E for Everyone—Comic Mischief, 1,500 Wii Points) is a puzzle game based on physics created entirely by 2 guys. Grab living, talking goo globs to build bridges, cannonballs, structures, and more.

Art Style: CUBELLO (Nintendo, 1 player, Rated E for Everyone, 600 Wii Points) mixes puzzle game mechanics with shooter style gaming. Each level starts with a giant cube that players must take aim at to break apart.

SECRET OF MANA (Super NES™, 1-3 players, Rated E10+ for Everyone 10 and Older—Mild Fantasy Violence, Mild Suggestive Themes, 800 Wii Points) is an adventure game that will have the player searching for the tree of mana. Players will battle monsters, find treasure chests, and more.

STREET FIGHTER II’: SPECIAL CHAMPION EDITION (Sega Genesis, 1-2 players, Rated T for Teen—Violence, 800 Wii Points) was the first Street Fighter game released for the Sega Genesis. This fighting game is a classic and still remains a very popular franchise.

The new offerings at the Wii shop feature another music-themed WiiWare game and two classics originally for the TurboGrafx16.

Groovin’ Blocks (Empty Clip Studios, 1-2 players, Rated E for Everyone, 800 Wii Points) - Groovin’ Blocks is a puzzle game that if you play to the rhythm of the music then you earn more points. You can either play cooperative or go head-to-head against friends. There are three levels of gameplay that should suit any type of gamer.

Final Solider (TurboGrafx16, 1 player, Rated E for Everyone—Mild Fantasy Violence, 700 Wii Points) - This is a vertically scrolling shooter from the popular Soldier series. There is normal game play but also a two minute and five minute options for shorter games.

Cho Aniki (TurboGrafx16 CD-ROM, 1 player, Rated E10+ for Everyone and Older—Mild Fantasy Violence, Mild Suggestive Themes, 900 Wii Points) - This shooter sets the player in the shoes of a warrior trying to take down an evil ruler of the Planet Builder.

One new WiiWare game and two new virtual console games are now available this first week of September -

WiiWare -
My Aquarium (Hudson Entertainment, 1 player, Rated E for Everyone, 500 Wii Points) - Relax as you take care of your virtual aquarium. Swaying plants and over 40 fish that you can send you Wii friends might make this one worth checking out.

Virtual Console -

Clu Clu Land™ (NES®, 1-2 players, Rated E for Everyone, 500 Wii Points) - Another underwater adventure but this one has more action. This puzzle game will have you recovering the gold bars stolen from Clu Clu Land. 20 levels of fun and it’s two player as well.

Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars (Super NES, 1 player, Rated E for Everyone, 800 Wii Points) - Mario has to save the princess yet again but this time a new villain is added to the mix. This game balances RPG with good ole Mario-style game play.