More awesome ninja action!
Zoonami's hairdressing game is finally out, and it's accompanied by Sega's awesome ninja game. Oh, and some city maps.
After skipping a week, the Official Nintendo Magazine has once again revealed the Wii/DSi updates in advance. As promised a while ago, today finally sees the European release of Bonsai Barber. Accompanying it is a single Virtual Console game and two DSiWare applications which might as well be counted as one, because they pretty much do exactly the same!
Bonsai Barber was already released in North America about half a year ago, despite being a UK-developer game. Thankfully, it's now finally available in Europe! Don't be fooled by the game's cutesy look - Cutting the "hair" of various vegetables has never been as fun as this. Plus, Nintendo themselves are publishing it - If that's not proof of awesomeness, we don't know what is! You can read what we thought of the game here.
On Virtual Console, you'll be able to download the second Shinobi game - The Revenge of Shinobi. Generally considered the best game in the series, this game has almost never been rereleased, and wasn't included in any recent Sega collections because of licensing issues - The original game featured characters like Spider-Man and the Hulk as bosses! The original Mega Drive game was reissued a few times very soon after release, with each reissue replacing some of these characters, so we really wonder which version will be the one on Virtual Console! We'll review the game soon.
DSiWare gets another two applications - City Transport Map Volumes 1 & 2 - 2009 both include maps of various European cities, which have subways, trams and other transports marked on them, so you can easily find your way around. You can also attach DSi photos to spots on the map to remind yourself what exactly is located there. At 500 DSi Points each, these will really only be useful for people who travel to other countries often - We can't imagine anyone else finding much use in them. Nevertheless, we'll review them soon.
That's all for this week! All of these will be available at the usual time tonight.
1. Cheezy
06 Aug 2009, 14:33 BST
FIRST! Lol I'm interested in the Transport Maps I hope they make some for the Boston area here in the US, but why 500 points? Not an awful update for you guys. Shinobi is always a good thing ^^
2. Toad Fan 101
06 Aug 2009, 14:33 BST
Everything looks very good ! I want them all.
3. Golgo
06 Aug 2009, 14:37 BST
Can't wait for the transport map reviews, hope they're as perversely rivetting as the clock reviews were.
4. warioswoods
06 Aug 2009, 14:38 BST
@Cheezy
I agree, that could be handy for Boston or New York, if the interface is nice, particularly with the photo feature ("oh, so I saw that singing drunkard on the Red Line near Porter Square, good to remember").
5. Toad Fan 101
06 Aug 2009, 14:39 BST
I want usa maps !
6. Sean Aaron
06 Aug 2009, 14:43 BST
Well, I'll get Bonsai Barber when I get my seeds. I have Revenge/Super Shinobi; you're better off waiting for the arcade original in my not-so-humble opinion.
7. Will
06 Aug 2009, 14:49 BST
Sweeeeeeeeeeeeeeeet! Revenge of Shinobi, greatest flippin game EVER!!! Everybody buy it now!
8. Hardy83
06 Aug 2009, 14:51 BST
I am interested in the map apps, but I somehow doubt they'll make it for Canadian cities like Ottawa and Toronto.
Especially since Ottawa is having a lightrail installed, it'd be out of date in a few years... Which brings up a point.. How do these games update when the city changes something, like a bus route or add subway tracks?
9. Bass X0
06 Aug 2009, 14:57 BST
I'll be getting the next three chapters of The After Years.
10. giannis
06 Aug 2009, 15:00 BST
i get my seeds in 3 days, most rapid.i'll be waiting now a few hours to download the game.
11. Dazza
06 Aug 2009, 15:02 BST
Yay Revenge of Shinobi! It's a great game but not as good as Shinobi III or Shadow Dancer in my books. Sorry Drake!
12. Gavin Rozee
06 Aug 2009, 15:13 BST
Only Bonsai Barber for me. Got my seeds yesterday. Charlotte the Starlet. I wanted the carrot thing
13. Pawtrick
06 Aug 2009, 15:19 BST
Now we just need Revenge of Shinobi and Driift Mania to come to NA...
14. KnucklesSonic8
06 Aug 2009, 15:25 BST
Cool! Congrats on getting the map apps guys and for finally getting Bonsai Barber as promised!!
15. Hyper Luigi
06 Aug 2009, 15:49 BST
LOL, Transport Maps? Those apps actually sound useful. So you guys got Revenge of Shinobi. I hope it comes to the American VC soon.
16. Tony
06 Aug 2009, 15:59 BST
Perhaps Revenge of Shinobi will be our Sega game for the month of August
17. Croz
06 Aug 2009, 16:02 BST
Awesome Revenge of Shinobi!! now if we could get Sonic & Knuckles, and Cyborb Justice, i could box up my Mega drive.
18. Atlantis1982
06 Aug 2009, 16:05 BST
You know, I actually like the idea of city maps as DSiWare app-ware. Brilliant if you ask me, assuming I actually have a DSi and live in Europe. ;p
19. Egg miester
06 Aug 2009, 16:11 BST
not a bad week overall for eu, i love the idea of maps, if that also came with bus times then it be the best app on dsi
it would be a great idea if they would release other parts to countries for people that travel
20. DDR Paladin356
06 Aug 2009, 16:15 BST
Hurry up and come to America Revenge of Shinobi!
21. Jazzem
06 Aug 2009, 16:34 BST
I love Revenge of Shinobi
Don't know if I'll VC it, but nice to see one of my favourite MD games getting another release.
22. redflicky
06 Aug 2009, 16:42 BST
why did someone used the 999 shuriken (whatever you spell it) cheat? you can see it on the image. =/
but i'm glad europe is getting the revenge of shinobi! truly an excellent game!
23. KeeperBvK
06 Aug 2009, 16:52 BST
Could this be the first Friday with Will approving the VC releases in what seems to be forever? ^^
24. Omega
06 Aug 2009, 17:10 BST
Is Revenge of Shinobi the sequel to Shadow Dancer? Or vice versa?
25. KDR_11k
06 Aug 2009, 17:17 BST
Laaaaaaaaame. Why only two games on the Wii and only one WiiWare game? It's not like there's a lack of them. I can see a use for the transport maps provided they include a large number of cities and not just a handful of major ones. Still after a 3 WiiWare update it's extremely strange to go back to one.
26. legochesser
06 Aug 2009, 17:17 BST
sigh
Bad Friday again, when comes something @#@! MORE interesting to DSiWare....? Like MFC, M vs. DK: MMA!, Flipnote, Pop +, MyNotebook, clubhouse games (xD), braintraining: Arts, Game & Watch, Mr. Driller, 2 in 1 solitaire , 1 in 6 translator and UNO... Bit much called xD, but it is still nice that Nintendo gives us those things... Hopefulling is next Friday more interesting....
27. ejamer
06 Aug 2009, 17:19 BST
I'd buy the DS maps if visiting or living close to any of the cities provided. A real map costs just a much, but if you're already carrying your DS then why bother with extra stuff? Of course it depends on the quality of each map... but little features like the ability to snap photos and "attach" them to the map, or a quick search capability, could make this really fun.
I like seeing useful productivity apps for the DS. It's not a "must have", but it certainly is a cool (and practical) use of the system.
28. sfog
06 Aug 2009, 17:42 BST
"Is Revenge of Shinobi the sequel to Shadow Dancer? Or vice versa?"
RoS came first, then Shadow Dancer, then Shinobi III, in terms of the Gen/MD releases.
29. Objection_Blaster
06 Aug 2009, 17:48 BST
The maps should be 200 unless they were like GPS supportive, lol. But theyre still more useful than the clock/calculator apps.
30. Omega
06 Aug 2009, 17:55 BST
@sfog: Thanks, that's interesting to know.
31. Starwolf_UK
06 Aug 2009, 18:23 BST
Talk about a summer slump...
32. LEGEND MARIOID
06 Aug 2009, 19:07 BST
Nothing for me to download this week. OK update but April onwards could've been and should've been SO much better. To be fair we've had some very decent games in that time and I have plenty to be getting on with, so....
Maps app eh? I wouldn't mind one for the UK cities!
Couldn't we have got a DSiWare GAME as well as apps NoE? Aaaahh well, I look to next Friday....
33. Twilight Crow
06 Aug 2009, 19:13 BST
Peculiar update, all games are good and the apps useful
, seriously, not bad EU.
34. Ristar42
06 Aug 2009, 19:15 BST
Revenge of Shinobi - I'd get it if was not going to be 50hz like every other SEGA console game on the PAL VC. Even the great music is slowed down! If only they would fix it I'd have downloaded loads of their games...
35. Terranigma
06 Aug 2009, 19:53 BST
I have no interest in the maps or Bonsai Barber but ROS looks quite good.
36. King Elemento
06 Aug 2009, 19:59 BST
"this game has almost never been rereleased,"
"The game went through various rereleases"
Hmm...
37. Jolted85
06 Aug 2009, 20:08 BST
awesome update for the guys in EU, I have this on the 6 Pak for my Genesis, the shinobi series is awesome, wish I could find the cart by itself, oh this game is also rated for the states, so it should come out anytime now
38. Drake
06 Aug 2009, 20:20 BST
@ King Elemento: The original game went through various rereleases (All for the Mega Drive) which removed licensed characters. Since then it's only been on a Saturn and PC collection, I think.
39. Joe Diddley
06 Aug 2009, 20:25 BST
Great, the dsi app is released AFTER I get back from Athens & Beirut. Not that Beirut will be on there I guess.
Bonsai Barber for me.
40. KnucklesSonic8
06 Aug 2009, 20:35 BST
@Hardy83: I'd love to see maps for those cities.
41. WhoKnew
06 Aug 2009, 22:06 BST
Decent update I guess. Only 3 additions, but atleast they are good ones.
42. MattL
06 Aug 2009, 22:08 BST
Great week this week. Definitely downloading Bonsai Barber and may also go for Shinobi. Loved that game years ago
Ahhh memories ...
43. opeter
07 Aug 2009, 09:50 BST
Nothing for me... BTW: Shinobi is OK.
44. KDR_11k
07 Aug 2009, 13:02 BST
The city maps appear to have only 5 cities each and only capitals. Useless IMO, you won't need more than 1-2 of those maps considering the cities are so far apart. If it had all the cities of one country in a pack (and one pack per country) I'd probably buy it for Germany. As it is I can just grab a transport overview map in Berlin for free and get all the same use out of it.
45. Adamant
07 Aug 2009, 14:04 BST
@KDR_11k: The maps are aimed at tourists, not just Germans. A map over all the cities in Germany would sell to anyone not going there living there, while these packs are of use to anyone going to any of these highly popular tourist cities. Getting the most useful maps out first is the best idea.
Also, the packs are 500 points each, which is what you'd pay for a good map of one of these cities anyway - add in that these maps are interactive and searchable, and you get pretty good value for your money if you're going to one of these cities.
46. KDR_11k
07 Aug 2009, 16:28 BST
A tourist might visit another part than just Berlin. I don't need a map of my hometown because I know what's where but I'd appreciate a map of cities I might visit. I'm more likely to visit Munich than Moscow.
47. Adamant
07 Aug 2009, 22:03 BST
Of course a tourist may go other places, but when only a few cities get maps, the maps should be of places most tourists would go to. Likewise, you might rather go to München than Moscow, but most Europeans wouldn't, and as mentioned, the maps are aimed at the average European, not the average German.I'd have more use of a map of Oslo than either of the offered cities, but it's not aimed solely at me either, and I'm in a definite minority there.
48. Objection_Blaster
09 Aug 2009, 16:16 BST
Also, there's (at least in the US) a free app on iphones/itouches called Map that does what these map apps attemtp and I think it has some GPS support.
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