Today's Special Archives: November 2009

News Archives Index Monkey, Keys, and More Sudoku for Download [ Nintendo ] WiiWare Tales of Monkey Island: Chapter 4 Publisher: Telltale Games Players: 1 ESRB Rating: E 10 (Everyone 10 and Older) - Cartoon Violence, Mild Language, Suggestive Themes, Use of Alcohol Price: 1,000 Wii Points Description: Conspiracies, betrayal and shocking revelations as the Tales of Monkey Island intensity builds. Guybrush returns to Flotsam Island, but forget about a hero's welcome. Handed over to De Singe by the backstabbing Morgan LeFlay, Guybrush is seized by an angry mob and put on trial. With a silk-tongued prosecutor in his face and a hangman's noose dangling over his neck, Guybrush must figure out how to defend himself against grave accusations. Meanwhile, the determined Marquis sets his sights on a new and far more attractive test subject. How on earth will the Mighty Pirate get out of this mess? The monthly Tales of Monkey Island tension continues to mount in The Trial and Execution of Guybrush Threepwood. Brace yourself for a shocking revelation that will rock the world of Monkey Island to its core. My Zoo Publisher: Hudson Entertainment Players: 1 ESRB Rating: E (Everyone) Price: 500 Wii Points Description: My Zoo is a relaxing animal sim that puts you in the shoes of an animal breeder, raising up animals you'd normally only dream of. All it takes is a Wii Remote controller for a simple, yet fulfilling, connection with nature. There are 12 animal types in total (four sold separately as add-on content). Select your favorites and nurture them to adulthood. Feeding them, petting them and cleaning up their messes are great ways to form a lasting bond. Each animal's personality will change depending on how you take care of it. Watch them get spoiled, turn into over-eaters and more as they grow on a daily basis. Some animals will even have a baby on occasion, and once it's born, you've got another mouth to feed. Game time passes much more quickly than real time, and the different animal types are active at various hours - some during the day and some at night. Sometimes it's fun to just kick back and watch what they do. So what are you waiting for? It's time to create your own personal zoo. Copter Crisis Publisher: Digital Leisure Inc. Players: 1 ESRB Rating: E (Everyone) - Mild Violence Price: 500 Wii Points Description: Copter Crisis puts you in the pilot's seat. As a member of the elite Helicopter Rescue Squad, you'll be assigned to respond to any type of emergency anywhere at any time. As the newest member joining this team, you'll have to complete various missions with the latest in helicopter rescue technology. When you're ready, you'll be tasked with executing rescue missions all around the Black Rock Canyon. Your Wii Remote controller becomes the control stick as you guide your copter along the canyons while avoiding rocks, severe weather and even anti-aircraft fire. Rescue lost hikers, deliver supplies to remote areas, assist on scientific missions and even blast your way into underground cavern systems. Complete all of your objectives and rise through the ranks to take on the toughest rescues and unlock 10 bonus missions. Nintendo® Wi-Fi Connection Pay & Play allows you to enhance your flight experience with 10 additional copters, which can give you access to unlimited missiles, larger fuel tanks, cargo holds and even mid-air loops. Christmas Clix Publisher: JV Games Inc. Players: 1 ESRB Rating: E (Everyone) Price: 1,000 Wii Points Description: Christmas doesn't have to be all work for Santa, does it? Santa's having some fun and wants you to play along too. You can help Santa decorate the tree by removing the presents and ornaments that he stacks. When you consecutively connect packages without missing a beat, you get extra points. Collect as many candy canes as you can because when you collect enough, Santa will add a special star to the game that can greatly help you get through a level or just bring some additional fun. Nintendo DSiWare Foto Face: The Face Stealer Strikes Publisher: Electronic Arts Players: 1 ESRB Rating: E (Everyone) - Mild Cartoon Violence Price: 800 Nintendo DSi Points Description: Your face, your game, you're the hero. In Foto Face: The Face Stealer Strikes, YOU get to be in the game. Using the camera and microphone, you become the hero in your own game. Unlock a variety of hero costumes as you battle the baddies, search for stars and solve platforming puzzles. The Face Stealer has stolen your identity and is creating trouble - and everyone is blaming you. You have to track him down across 15 action-packed stages. Along the way, you'll come across many memorable creatures, both friend and foe. Use the camera and microphone to create faces and voices for every character in your game. Foto Face: The Face Stealer Strikes - a game starring YOU. Bookworm Publisher: PopCap Games, Inc. Players: 1 ESRB Rating: E (Everyone) Price: 500 Nintendo DSi Points Description: Feed your appetite for wordy fun in this download version of PopCap's hit word-puzzle game. Link letter tiles left, right, up and down to build words and feed Lex in Bookworm Classic mode. But watch out for burning letters - they could spell disaster for you and Lex. Use Reward Tiles and spell Bonus Words to boost your score and link your best words to enter the Hall of Fame. Play unlimited levels of word-puzzle fun and learn new words on the go. You'll relax and tune up your brain every time you play. Master of Illusion Express: Mind Probe Publisher: Nintendo Players: 1 ESRB Rating: E (Everyone) Price: 200 Nintendo DSi Points Description: Master of Illusion Express titles are mind-boggling magic tricks that you perform with your Nintendo DSi system. Learn the illusions, practice up and then amaze your friends. Master of Illusion Express: Mind Probe uses your Nintendo DSi system as a means of detecting information. Ask a spectator to write down a favorite (or least-favorite) item - person, food or color, for example - and then be astonished when the Nintendo DSi system sounds an alarm to indicate when that item is spoken. Use any variation of likes or dislikes to stun the crowd. Sudoku Challenge! Publisher: Digital Leisure Inc. Players: 1 ESRB Rating: E (Everyone) Price: 500 Nintendo DSi Points Description: Now's your chance to play the brain-busting puzzle game taking the world by storm. With more than 100,000,000 sudoku puzzles, you'll never see the same puzzle twice in Sudoku Challenge! You can select the classic nine-by-nine sukodu game boards as well as Grand Sudoku, which challenges you to complete five intersecting sudoku boards simultaneously. Just a beginner? Don't worry - with three difficulty options, even the most novice player can complete a sudoku with ease. But if you're a seasoned pro, challenge yourself in "Hard" mode and test your true skills. It's time to get your thinking cap on and see how many sudoku puzzles you can conquer. Virtual Console The Combatribes Original platform: Super NES Publisher: Aksys Games Players: 1-2 ESRB Rating: E 10 (Everyone 10 and Older) - Violence Price: 800 Wii Points Description: The evil gang known as "Guilty Zero" rules the city, and it's up to you as one of the members of the Combatribes to take them down. Choose one of three characters and fight your way through the city of New York. Progress through the game by tackling the goons and boss of each stage using your arsenal of kicks, punches, throws and other techniques to beat them into submission. Once your stamina bar is reduced to zero, you'll need to use a continue, but when you're out of continues, it's game over. Can you eliminate the threat of "Guilty Zero" and restore the peace in New York City!? Solomon's Key Original platform: Arcade Publisher: TECMO Players: 1-2 ESRB Rating: E (Everyone) Price: 600 Wii Points Description: Solomon's Key is an action/puzzle game that lets you control the wizard Dana, delving into a labyrinth to seek out a magical tome called Solomon's Key, an item that will help in your quest to drive away evil spirits let loose in the world. The goal of the game is to use the buttons to create and destroy blocks, and use various techniques to find keys to pass through doors. The game has appeared on a variety of platforms, but the arcade version focuses strongly on the action elements of the game, making it more challenging, and allowing players of all skill levels, from beginners to masters, to enjoy it. Settings like the number of lives and difficulty level can be adjusted. Eric Jones -- Posted on Monday, November 30 2009 10:15 AM [Top] Voids, Karts, Boys, Blobs, and Yet More Erectroprankton for Download [ Nintendo ] WiiWare BIT.TRIP VOID Publisher: Aksys Games Players: 1-4 ESRB Rating: E (Everyone) Price: 600 Wii Points Description: The third installment in the retro-arcade BIT.TRIP saga is a synesthetic exploration of rhythm and music as they pertain to our everyday lives and moods. With a control scheme that's new to the series yet wholly familiar to gamers, players have complete freedom to move about the screen wherever they desire, interacting with the music in brand new ways. The classic game-play aesthetic remains as 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. Harvest Moon: My Little Shop Publisher: Natsume, Inc. Players: 1 ESRB Rating: E (Everyone) Price: 1,200 Wii Points Description: Welcome to Clover Town, where you've just taken over your grandparents' farm and shop. The town has fallen on hard times, though. People are leaving, businesses are struggling and the magic of the Harvest Sprites is gone. Can you turn Clover Town's fortunes around and restore its missing magic? Raise crops and animals, then use what you farm at your shop. Keep your customers happy by making wild fruit juices, towering ice cream cones and extravagantly decorated eggs in a series of fun and fast-paced activities that use the Wii Remote controller to its fullest potential. Chop vegetables in midair, shake your Wii Remote controller to match your cow's moves, roll eggs through tilting mazes and more. Use your hard-earned money to buy new crops and animals or expand and decorate your shop. Along the way, you'll meet and befriend lots of new and interesting characters, as well as several familiar faces from the Harvest Moon series. Little Tournament Over Yonder Publisher: Gevo Entertainment Players: 1-2 ESRB Rating: E (Everyone) - Mild Cartoon Violence Price: 800 Wii Points Description: In the world of Little Tournament Over Yonder, play as a young Prince or Princess and lead your team through numerous battles. Plan and deploy your units to gain strategic advantages. Launch real-time battles between units and fight hard, fast and smart. Build your team, hire new units with different powers, then groom them with battle experience to gain level. With strategic planning and real-time, fast-paced fighting, this game is for the complete warrior - one who works his mind and his muscles. Go for Single-Player Tournament glory or challenge your friend in a 2-Player Versus match. Learning with the PooYoos: Episode 1 Publisher: Lexis Numérique Players: 1 ESRB Rating: EC (Early Childhood) Price: 500 Wii Points Description: Welcome to the world of the PooYoos, 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 the developmental basics: numbers, letters, lateralization, shapes, colors and more. Children get to dance with their new friends and enjoy lovely interactive rewards. There are two levels of interactivity, so children can play according to their age and level. This game has been designed for use by children who have not yet grasped reading. Virtual Console Super Mario Kart Original platform: Super NES Publisher: Nintendo Players: 1-2 ESRB Rating: E (Everyone) Price: 800 Wii Points Description: Get in, sit down, buckle up and experience frantic kart racing in the game that started it all. Select one of eight characters from the Mario series - offering a variety of driving styles - and take on three championship cups in three different kart classes. Win enough and you'll unlock a fourth circuit: the ultra-tough Special Cup. Crossing the finish line in first place isn't an easy task, though, as each track has unique obstacles to conquer. Racers can obtain special power-ups that boost them to victory. For a different kind of challenge, take on a friend in multiplayer races or go head-to-head in a Battle Mode arena, where the object is to pop your opponent's balloons before you lose your own. With more than 15 tracks to master and nearly endless replay value, Super Mario Kart is classic gaming with some banana peels thrown in for good measure. A Boy and His Blob: Trouble on Blobolonia Original platform: NES Publisher: Majesco Entertainment Players: 1 ESRB Rating: E (Everyone) Price: 500 Wii Points Description: Blob has come from the distant planet Blobolonia in search of an Earth boy to help him save his world. Join him on this fantastic adventure, searching for treasures in mysterious caverns beneath the earth, then traveling to Blobolonia to battle the evil emperor. Discover Blob's amazing appetite for jellybeans and the different transformations that occur with each flavor. Use these shapes to overcome even the most outrageous obstacles. A Boy and His Blob is a fantastic journey filled with constant surprises and humorous characters. Nintendo DSiWare Castle Of Magic Publisher: Gameloft Players: 1 ESRB Rating: E (Everyone) - Mild Cartoon Violence Price: 500 Nintendo DSi Points Description: Be prepared for anything as you try to save your friend from the clutches of the horrifying magician Nefastax. Stand up to wild monsters in environments that directly influence your movement. As you navigate this universe, the ground will make you stick, slide, sink, swim, levitate and even walk on the ceiling when gravity disappears. A never-before-seen use for the Nintendo DSi Camera application lets you transform yourself into powerful new forms. Visit an in-game Photo Cabin and search for a real-life object that matches the color of the character you want to transform into. Take a picture of a blue object with your Nintendo DSi system and…presto, you're transformed into a swordfish. You can customize game items - from coins to enemies - with pictures of your choice. Our cute hero's adventure is just too big and immersive for one screen, so he'll have to jump between the top and bottom screens of your Nintendo DSi system. Ready to dive into the adventure? myNotebook: Blue Publisher: Nnooo Players: 1 Price: 200 Nintendo DSi Points Description: myNotebook allows you to take notes wherever you are. Just pop open your Nintendo DSi system and jot down your thoughts. Make a list and cross it off or play your favorite pen and paper games (games not included). You can even personalize your notebook by drawing on the cover and changing the paper type with 18 unlockable paper styles. Use the pen or pencil to make notes or doodles, then erase the bits you don't like. With five ink colors, you'll always be able to make your notes and doodles look stylish. Electroplankton Luminarrow Publisher: Nintendo Players: 1 ESRB Rating: E (Everyone) Price: 200 Nintendo DSi Points Description: Luminarrow plankton are famous for their habit of perfectly following arrow-shaped formations. The plankton spin as they move, changing directions as soon as they come in contact with an arrow that's pointing in another direction. The pitch of the sound they make will change depending on where the arrows are positioned. There are four types of Luminarrow: red, yellow, green and blue. Each type floats at a different speed and makes a distinctive musical tone. The four types of Luminarrow drift together to create beautiful melodies. Completely alter the direction of the arrows to change their sound dramatically. Electroplankton Sun-Animalcule Publisher: Nintendo Players: 1 ESRB Rating: E (Everyone) Price: 200 Nintendo DSi Points Description: Sun-Animalcule plankton get their name from their tendency to emit light in a sphere around them. The plankton begin as eggs and gradually grow, emitting light and fascinating sounds throughout their entire life cycle. The sounds they make will change as they grow from infancy to maturity, growing very quickly until they disappear completely. Sun-Animalcule plankton only emerge in the morning, noon and evening. They lose strength as the night wears on; that's when the crescent-shaped Falcato plankton take their place. The pitch of the plankton changes depending on where they grow. Electroplankton Lumiloop Publisher: Nintendo Players: 1 ESRB Rating: E (Everyone) Price: 200 Nintendo DSi Points Description: Lumiloop plankton are curious, donut-shaped aquatic creatures. While stationary, they have the ability to spin at a very high rate of speed. As they spin, the Lumiloop emit unique sounds and a fascinating ring-shaped glow. Lumiloop plankton seem to always grow in clusters of five. They produce sounds at different pitches as they spin together, creating a beautiful harmony. This is called a pentatonic scale. Depending on where they live, Lumiloop plankton that produce several different sounds have been identified. Electroplankton Marine-Crystals Publisher: Nintendo Players: 1 ESRB Rating: E (Everyone) Price: 200 Nintendo DSi Points Description: Resembling delicate snow crystals, Marine-Crystal plankton float elegantly on the surface of the water. The plankton get their name from their distinctive snowflake shape. They grow in clusters of 35 and line up in very orderly formations. When stimulated, Marine-Crystal plankton spin and produce vibrant sounds. While the plankton do grow in size if they are repeatedly tapped, they gradually return to their original size over time. They are born in four polygonal shapes: triangle, square, pentagon and hexagon. The ends of the crystalline protrusions also take on the same shapes. The tone of the sound they make will change depending on the shape of the Marine-Crystal plankton's body. Electroplankton Varvoice Publisher: Nintendo Players: 1 ESRB Rating: E (Everyone) Price: 200 Nintendo DSi Points Description: Varvoice plankton memorize the sound of human speech and repeat it over and over. They accomplish this amazing feat by oscillating the long flagellum that extends from their heads. By resonating the vibration with their water-droplet-shaped body, the plankton produce sounds that closely resemble the human voice. The body can expand and contract at will. By changing shape, they can easily manipulate the sound of the voice. Words that the Varvoice memorize and play back in reverse have a particularly strange ring to them. Researchers refer to this phenomenon as Varvoice inversion. Eric Jones -- Posted on Monday, November 23 2009 9:46 AM [Top] Demos Debut for Download Monday, Plus Indy and Street Fighter [ Nintendo ] WiiWare Pokémon Rumble Publisher: Nintendo Players: 1-4 ESRB Rating: E10 (Everyone 10 and Older) – Mild Cartoon Violence Price: 1,500 Wii Points Description: Available exclusively for the WiiWare service, Pokémon Rumble is an action game in which you control Toy Pokémon (referred to as "Pokémon") and take on wave after wave of other Pokémon in a variety of stages. You can befriend some of the defeated Pokémon along the way, which lets you add them to your collection and grants you the ability to use them in battle. Switch between collected Pokémon at any time, taking advantage of the fact that the amount of damage you deal depends on the type of move used and the type of Pokémon hit. Be the last one standing to gain the right to compete in the Battle Royale and test your skills against many Pokémon at once. You can also team up with three people for some multiplayer action (additional Wii Remote controllers required), working together to take down tough Bosses and earning points that can be used toward recruiting or training Pokémon. You can even save your favorite Pokémon to your Wii Remote controller for exchanges with friends. Combining beautiful cel-shaded graphics and exciting game-play features, this is one rumble you won't want to miss. Note that a demo version of Pokémon Rumble is also available for zero Wii Points. BIT.TRIP BEAT Demo Publisher: Aksys Games Players: 1-4 ESRB Rating: E (Everyone) Price: 0 Wii Points Description: BIT.TRIP BEAT brings retro action back as you use the Wii Remote controller's motion sensor to bounce beats in this rhythm game. Retro visuals, classic game play, four-player multiplayer and an 8-bit soundtrack will get you in the zone and rock your world. Pay attention, though: As with most classic games, the challenges are mighty. If you can stay cool as the difficulty increases, you'll discover the beginnings of the BIT.TRIP saga. FINAL FANTASY CRYSTAL CHRONICLES: My Life as a Darklord Demo Publisher: SQUARE ENIX Players: 1 ESRB Rating: E10 (Everyone 10 and Older) – Mild Fantasy Violence, Mild Suggestive Themes Price: 0 Wii Points Description: Step into the royal shoes of the Darklord's daughter as she installs traps and monsters inside her tower to fight back the endless waves of invading adventurers in this world-conquest role-playing game. Filling your demonic tower with monsters and traps called Artifacts is your only hope to keep the adventurers from destroying the Dark Crystal on the top floor. Fly your tower across the land and conquer every stage on your way to dominating the entire world. NyxQuest: Kindred Spirits Demo Publisher: Over The Top Games Players: 1-2 ESRB Rating: E (Everyone) – Mild Fantasy Violence Price: 0 Wii Points Description: NyxQuest: Kindred Spirits is the awesome story of Nyx, an enigmatic winged girl who must descend from heaven in search of her missing friend, Icarus. Fly over the ruins of ancient Greece and avoid falling into blazing sands or perishing in the claws of cruel harpies and hydras. You'll need the help of Zeus and other benevolent gods from Olympus to summon their powers. They will let you cast rays, modify the scenery and control winds at will. Fly, aim and shoot using the Wii Remote controller. Play with a friend and maximize your abilities: While one player controls Nyx, the other will control the powers from the gods. World of Goo Demo Publisher: 2D BOY Players: 1-4 ESRB Rating: E (Everyone) – Comic Mischief Price: 0 Wii Points Description: World of Goo is an award-winning, physics-based puzzle/construction game made entirely by two guys. Use living, squirming, talking globs of goo to build structures, bridges, cannonballs, zeppelins and giant tongues. The millions of Goo Balls that live in the beautiful World of Goo are curious to explore, but they don't know that they are in a game, nor that they are extremely delicious. Virtual Console Indiana Jones' Greatest Adventures Original platform: Super NES Publisher: LucasArts Players: 1 ESRB Rating: E10 (Everyone 10 and Older) – Mild Violence Price: 800 Wii Points Description: Grab your trusty whip and slash your way through all three Indy classics in this no-thrills-barred adventure. If it happened in the movies, it happens here: the giant boulder from Raiders of the Lost Ark, the mine-cart chase from Temple of Doom, the three trials from Last Crusade, Rene Belloq and Colonel Vogel – it's three times the action, all in one fully loaded game. STREET FIGHTER II': CHAMPION EDITION Original platform: TurboGrafx16 Publisher: Capcom Players: 1-2 ESRB Rating: T (Teen) – Mild Blood, Violence Price: 700 Wii Points Description: This is the classic PCEngine (TurboGrafx16) version of the two-player fighting game that started it all. At the time, a large capacity HuCARD was used to allow faithful recreation of the dynamic arcade game and its features, including bonus stages and sound effects. In the game, players select one of 12 characters and face opponents in a no-holds-barred battle to decide the top fighter. Master a character's special moves and combos to defeat your rivals around the world. In "V.S. BATTLE" mode, there's a convenient handicap feature. Using this feature to adjust a character's performance, a novice player can be evenly matched against a seasoned player to enjoy an intense, head-to-head combat experience. Nintendo DSiWare Art Style: DIGIDRIVE Publisher: Nintendo Players: 1-2 ESRB Rating: E (Everyone) Price: 500 Nintendo DSi Points Description: It's traffic control with a twist as you try to direct identical cars down the same road in Art Style: DIGIDRIVE. This constantly moving puzzle game combines an easily understood playing field (an intersection) and a simple goal (create fuel), challenging you to properly guide a never-ending stream of cars. Stack similar cars five deep to create some fuel, then use that fuel to continue your progress in the game. Play in ENDLESS mode to see how long you can last, or compete against the computer or a human opponent in VS mode. Use combos to your advantage and see if your reflexes can handle the intensity of Overdrive mode. When all is said and done, you may never look at gridlock quite the same way again. Arcade Bowling Publisher: Skyworks Interactive Players: 1 ESRB Rating: E (Everyone) Price: 200 Nintendo DSi Points Description: From Skyworks comes another addictively classic game, Arcade Bowling. It was designed by video game legend David Crane, one of the original founders of Activision and one of the most critically acclaimed game designers of all time. In the tradition of everyone's favorite Boardwalk bowling game, use your stylus and steady aim to flick "laser" balls down the alley and up the ramp into the scoring holes. The farther away the scoring hole is, the more points you'll get. Arcade Bowling features three futuristic sound tracks, state-of-the-art 3-D graphics and two addictive game modes, Classic and Progressive. In Classic Mode, roll up to nine balls to score as many points as you can. In Progressive Mode, enjoy multiple levels of game play with increasing score plateaus and bonus targets. Robot Rescue Publisher: Teyon Players: 1 ESRB Rating: E (Everyone) – Comic Mischief Price: 200 Nintendo DSi Points Description: Robot Rescue is a fun logic game based on a simple but entertaining concept. Your mission is to free robots trapped in 45 evil computer labyrinths while avoiding deadly traps. Sound easy? Not so fast. Each robot shares linked controls, so when you move one, you move them all. It will take clever planning and nerves of steel to pull off this electronic escape. You'll need to avoid many traps, such as mines or electrical circuits, and take advantage of special elements like glue stains. Choose one of three difficulty levels and get ready for a challenge. Eric Jones -- Posted on Monday, November 16 2009 10:46 AM [Top] Excitebike, Wonder Boy, and Those Damn Erectroprankton for DL [ Nintendo ] WiiWare Excitebike: World Rally Publisher: Nintendo Players: 1-4 ESRB Rating: E (Everyone) Price: 1,000 Wii Points Description: Prepare to face daredevil jumps, crazy obstacles and other racers in the newest installment in the venerable Excitebike franchise, available exclusively on the WiiWare service. Choose from multiple camera angles as you tilt your way to smooth landings using motion-sensitive controls. Compete in races around the world in four championship circuits. Use Nintendo® Wi-Fi Connection to invite friends to a race. Or if you're feeling brave, take on anyone else looking for a match. Feel like tackling a challenge of your own design? Use the intuitive Track Editor to choose from the available obstacles and put together your dream course, then share courses with friends to see whose creation skills reign supreme. Frogger Returns Publisher: Konami Digital Entertainment Players: 1-2 ESRB Rating: E (Everyone) Price: 500 Wii Points Description: Frogger Returns takes the heart-pounding challenge of arcade Frogger and moves it into the next dimension. Classic top-down 2-D game play is updated with colorful 3-D graphics, a new perspective, new levels, new enemies and game-changing power-ups. A local multiplayer mode lets you race a friend. Dragon Master Spell Caster Publisher: Stickmen Studios Players: 1-2 ESRB Rating: E10 (Everyone 10 and Older) – Mild Fantasy Violence Price: 500 Wii Points Description: The Dragon Lords have returned to the magical world of Nakiha, bringing ultimate power to whoever controls them. Choose your champion, then master amazing magic and fierce dragon attacks to defeat the rival Champions and their Dragon Lords. Choose from four different paths and decide the fate of the world in the fantastic story mode. Battle your friends in two-player split-screen arcade mode and tailor your tactics with different dragon and rider combinations, each with its own strengths and weaknesses. Marvel at the effects of mind-blowing spell collisions. Mix spells and unleash their ultimate power. Control your Dragon Lord and crush, bite and burn your way to victory. Nintendo DSiWare Bomberman Blitz Publisher: Hudson Entertainment Players: 1-8 ESRB Rating: E (Everyone) – Comic Mischief Price: 500 Nintendo DSi Points Description: Bomberman makes his downloadable debut on Nintendo DSiWare with Bomberman Blitz. Dive into a classic multiplayer Bomberman experience with eight-player local or online multiplayer using Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection. Hone your skills and learn the maps, then take the battle online. Change map and item preferences for enhanced customization. Delivering unparalleled multiplayer excitement, Bomberman Blitz lets Nintendo DSi users enjoy the addictive fun of Bomberman anytime, anywhere. Electroplankton Trapy Publisher: Nintendo Players: 1 ESRB Rating: E (Everyone) Price: 200 Nintendo DSi Points Description: Trapy plankton make sounds as they swim over graceful lines made up of linked triangles. The creatures follow the lines you trace along the water. There are six types of Trapy in all, each with a unique color and sound. All Trapy plankton produce different tones depending on the direction they swim. They produce the lowest-pitched sounds when they swim to the right and produce higher-pitched sounds as their path veers to the left. Electroplankton Hanenbow Publisher: Nintendo Players: 1 ESRB Rating: E (Everyone) Price: 200 Nintendo DSi Points Description: Normally aquatic creatures, Hanenbow sometimes use floating leaves to launch themselves out of the water, creating strange sounds and melodies as they bounce off the leaves. Entire schools of Hanenbow have been known to launch out of the water, one after another. As a leaf is repeatedly hit by flying Hanenbow, it gradually changes color. This also alters the sound made by bouncing Hanenbow. When all the leaves turn red, a flower will bloom. It remains unclear why the Hanenbow display this curious behavior. Electroplankton Rec-Rec Publisher: Nintendo Players: 1 ESRB Rating: E (Everyone) Price: 200 Nintendo DSi Points Description: Rec-Rec are fishlike plankton that feed on sound waves. They absorb sound waves transmitted through water and use them as a form of nutrition. The sound waves that the Rec-Rec eat are then stored inside their bodies until they have been digested. Once the digestion process is complete, they play back the sounds in perfect four-second intervals. While these sounds are playfully emitted, wave patterns can be seen pulsating on their bodies. Rec-Rec always swim side by side in schools of four. When they swim at different speeds, the frequency with which they emit sounds also changes. Electroplankton Nanocarp Publisher: Nintendo Players: 1 ESRB Rating: E (Everyone) Price: 200 Nintendo DSi Points Description: Nanocarp have very sensitive hearing. Using their two ears to sense vibrations coming through the water, these plankton can distinguish sound quality and frequency. They display very interesting reactions to the sound of humans clapping or breathing. Nanocarp are also excellent swimmers. They have a tendency to swim in formations of 16 and react together when they detect sounds. These plankton emit sounds on their own when they sense waves on the water's surface. When this happens, the pitch of sounds they produce changes depending on where the Nanocarp is located. Electroplankton Beatnes Publisher: Nintendo Players: 1 ESRB Rating: E (Everyone) Price: 200 Nintendo DSi Points Description: Beatnes are curious plankton with geometrically shaped heads that form vertical strands like seaweed. Their bodies are made up of eight sections, each featuring a distinctive diamond-shaped tail. The sound of a Beatnes can vary wildly depending on which segment of the body is tapped. However, all of the sounds closely resemble the short-wave and triangular-wave sound effects from a Nintendo Entertainment System sound chip. When Beatnes are tapped in time with a rhythm, they continue to repeat the sounds in perfect time for a short period. Virtual Console Wonder Boy III: The Dragon's Trap Original platform: MASTER SYSTEM Publisher: SEGA Players: 1 ESRB Rating: E (Everyone) – Mild Cartoon Violence, Tobacco Reference Price: 500 Wii Points Description: Wonder Boy III: The Dragon's Trap is widely considered to be one of the best games produced for the SEGA MASTER SYSTEM. The direct sequel to Wonder Boy in Monster Land, it starts in the final lair of the previous game. This game is the first in the series to allow Wonder Boy to roam freely by using various animal forms, but as with previous games in the series, Wonder Boy can also buy various weapons, armor and items to help him in his quest. Cybernoid Original platform: Commodore 64 Publisher: Commodore Gaming Players: 1 ESRB Rating: E (Everyone) – Mild Fantasy Violence Price: 500 Wii Points Description: Federation storage depots have been raided by pirates, who've taken valuable minerals, jewels, ammunition and the latest battle weaponry. You have been commissioned by the Federation to retrieve the cargo and return it to storage within a specified time limit. The pirate craft have activated all planetary defense systems, which you must negotiate along with the pirates themselves. If you fail to reach the depot within the time limit, or if the value of your retrieved cargo is insufficient, you must forfeit one of your Cybernoid ships. Eric Jones -- Posted on Monday, November 9 2009 10:23 AM [Top] The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks Images and Trailer [ Nintendo ] All Aboard for an Amazing New Adventure The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks sets hero Link on a daring new adventure. The game provides players with a new story, more puzzles and even a new mode of transportation. In this game, Link voyages by train, which offers up new possibilities for problem-solving. The game has the same look and feel established in the hit Nintendo DS game The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass. FEATURES: * Link has a valuable new companion. While navigating dungeons, he's accompanied by a Phantom, a hulking suit of armor that responds to his commands. Players can tap the Phantom to take command of him, then draw a line on the touch screen to direct him where to go. The stout Phantom can walk through fire or lava, be used as a platform to carry Link above dangers, or even run interference to block Link from harm. * When Link conducts the train, players enjoy a satisfying combination of action and real-time puzzle solving as they determine which track to take and how to best manipulate their speed. When on the train, Link must plot the best route to the end of the line around ever-moving obstacles. While en route, Link might need to fire an onboard cannon at enemies who attack the train or sound the whistle to scare animals off the tracks. * Link uses a variety of new items and weapons, including the Whirlwind, which players activate by blowing into the microphone of the Nintendo DS or Nintendo DSi system. * As with The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass, players can draw notes on the in-game maps using the stylus on the touch screen. Images: The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks Boxart The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks Artwork 1 The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks Artwork 2 The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks Artwork 3 The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks Artwork 4 The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks Artwork 5 The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks Screenshot 1 The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks Screenshot 2 The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks Screenshot 3 The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks Screenshot 4 The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks Screenshot 5 The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks Screenshot 6 The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks Screenshot 7 Video: The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks Release Trailer (370 MB) Carl DeNovio -- Posted on Friday, November 6 2009 18:09 PM [Top] RE: Darkside Chronicles Launch Trailer [ Capcom ] Capcom brings the Resident Evil series back to the Nintendo Wii with the sequel to the highly successful, million-selling title, Resident Evil: The Umbrella Chronicles, Resident Evil: The Darkside Chronicles. Unlike the evil enemies you fought against in the previous story, in Resident Evil: The Darkside Chronicles, players will fight against the characters’ own inner demons. Two of the most popular characters in the series and heroes of the beloved Resident Evil 2, Leon Kennedy and Claire Redfield, will be making their return. As unconventional heroes, the two start out the game as ordinary individuals who are thrown into terrorizing situations where their own fear is their biggest enemy. Featuring a brand new storyline that will fill in missing pieces of the “Chronicles” series, Resident Evil: The Darkside Chronicles leads players into a horrific world where the lines between good and evil are blurred and the fight begins with your dark side… The game’s on-rail, arcade shooter gameplay first featured in Resident Evil: The Umbrella Chronicles, has been radically upgraded in Resident Evil: The Darkside Chronicles. One of the major additions is a sub-screen which will allow for weapon configuration and use of recovery items regardless of time progression. A horde of new features including a new system that allows players to modify the difficulty level according to their playing skills will bring accessibility and fun to both the hardcore and casual gamer. Continuing in the survival horror tradition, Resident Evil: The Darkside Chronicles will increase the thrills and chills with an enhanced two-player co-op mode where players will be able to follow their partners on the same screen. Their conversations and interactions have also been improved to create a more intense co-op experience. A more terrifying experience than ever before, Resident Evil: The Darkside Chronicles combines a shaky and realistic handheld camera experience with an eerie soundtrack and creepy sound effects utilizing state-of-the-art technology. The Darkside Chronicles launches in North America on November 17. Check out the launch trailer here: Carl DeNovio -- Posted on Friday, November 6 2009 17:40 PM [Top] Sparkling Carnivals and Fighting Aliens for Download Monday [ Nintendo ] Nintendo DSiWare Sparkle Snapshots Publisher: Nintendo Players: 1 Price: 500 Nintendo DSi Points Description: Take photos and embellish them to your heart's desire with Sparkle Snapshots. Choose from a large variety of fancy frames, backgrounds, stamps and funny outfits to decorate your photos, or use the powerful paint program functions to manipulate them in detail. Want to take a new photo and add it to your collection? Adjust the lighting conditions and lens type to match your subject and even use a shutter timer to allow yourself some extra time to get everything perfectly in place. Save your favorite snapshots in your Nintendo DSi Camera album and use Nintendo DS wireless communications to send your masterpieces to your friends. It's all the fun of a photo booth – and more – in the palms of your hands. Viking Invasion Publisher: BiP Media Players: 1 ESRB Rating: E (Everyone) – Mild Fantasy Violence Price: 800 Nintendo DSi Points Description: They come from the North, and they're about to invade your Nintendo DSi system. Beware of Olaf the Viking and his motley crew. Even now, their drakkars are sailing up the rivers to attack your castles. It's up to you to construct fortifications to prevent them from pillaging everything you own. The more you defend yourself, the more ferocious they'll become. Before you know it, they'll be invoking legions of fantastic creatures straight out of the mythical land of Asgard. Fortunately, the experience you gain will help you to build even more powerful defenses. Thwart all your assailants' ruses and unlock new kinds of buildings: tornado-blowing windmills to repel the ships, monoliths that strengthen your fortifications or canons that shoot studded shells. Discover more than 10 levels, tons of units, a Campaign mode, a Survival mode and three difficulty levels. There's even a little surprise at the end. Can you rise to the challenge and stop Olaf from taking your treasure home to his sweetheart Olga? Battle of Giants: Dragons – Bronze Edition Publisher: Ubisoft Players: 1-4 ESRB Rating: E10 (Everyone 10 and Older) – Mild Fantasy Violence Price: 800 Nintendo DSi Points Description: As last of the noble and rare Bronze Dragons, you must defeat the evil SALMU dragons and reclaim the 25 exclusive bronze gems they stole. Explore 10 maps and travel through the great jungles of Earth, the scorched grounds of Fire, the frozen wastelands of Ice and the floating islands of Wind. Customize your dragon's appearance by changing its body, wings, tail shape and colors – even add stripes. Test your dragon's fighting skills against your friends in head-to-head combat or four-player tournaments. WiiWare Carnival King Publisher: Incredible Technologies Players: 1-2 ESRB Rating: E (Everyone) – Mild Cartoon Violence Price: 700 Wii Points Description: Carnival King is a fun-for-all-ages video game that brings the spirit and energy of competitive carnival games to the screen. Players compete for top scores and prizes while visiting three different amusement parks: Arcadia, Dreamland and Lagoon Park. Each park has four sets of games and a Bonus Round to test players' speed and accuracy. For novices or sharpshooters, the games are continually challenging, and the difficulty level can be adjusted to match each player's growing confidence. "Aha! I Got It!" Escape Game Publisher: Ateam Inc. Players: 1 ESRB Rating: E (Everyone) Price: 500 Wii Points Description: Play alone or with family and friends to solve this puzzling adventure game. Today is Milo's birthday, and he just got an amazing present from his dad: a room full of puzzles. Milo needs to solve all the puzzles to escape from the room. Shake, push and twist the Wii Remote™ controller to collect and use in-game items. There's plenty to solve – see if you have what it takes to figure it all out. Family Card Games Publisher: Aksys Games Players: 1-2 ESRB Rating: E (Everyone) – Mild Suggestive Themes Price: 500 Wii Points Description: Daddy, Mommy, Sarah and Billy are back for some good ol' card game action. Try your hand at one of three card games: Daifugo, Speed or Memory. Family Card Games offers appealing cel-shaded graphics, endearing music and friendly, competitive match-ups. You can play one-player Daifugo or play against up to three other random players in an online match. You can also view your ranking and see how you match up with players around the world. Test your reflexes against another player in Speed and see who truly has the fastest hands. Memory will test your mental capacity as you try to remember where cards and their respective matches are. Virtual Console Fighting Street Original platform: TurboGrafx16 CD-ROM Publisher: Capcom Players: 1-2 ESRB Rating: E10 (Everyone 10 and Older) – Mild Blood, Violence Price: 800 Wii Points Description: A port of the arcade version of STREET FIGHTER, the legendary fighting game that started it all. Players control RYU or KEN and battle against unique fighters from all over the world. The first fighter to knock out an opponent and win two rounds is the winner. Power up your attack to three different levels – the longer you hold a button, the stronger your attack. Input commands to perform special attacks and deal serious damage to your opponent. Combine your normal and special attacks effectively to fight your way to victory. R-TYPE Original platform: SEGA Master System Publisher: SEGA Players: 1 ESRB Rating: E (Everyone) – Mild Fantasy Violence Price: 500 Wii Points Description: R-TYPE is a classic, side-scrolling arcade shoot-'em-up that was developed by Irem in 1987. It's the 22nd century, and you are humanity's last hope against the evil Bydo Empire. Your ship is called the R-9a "Arrowhead" and comes with a standard gun, but power-ups and upgrades are available in each mission. Navigate through eight challenging levels that will test even the best gamer's reflexes. The SEGA Master System version features an exclusive secret level not found in any other release. Eric Jones -- Posted on Monday, November 2 2009 11:08 AM [Top]