The modern action-platforming classic arrives!

No love for the Virtual Console this week, but we hope that the retro-stylings of the long-awaited Cave Story will satisfy even the most jaded fans of Nintendo's classic gaming archive. Meanwhile on the DSiWare front we have a surprise street racing game with 4-player local multiplayer support, a space-themed tower defence game that was only released in Europe last week and standalone downloads of some of Nintendo's venerable Game & Watch titles which first appeared in the Japanese DSiWare shop last fall.

WiiWare

Cave Story (1200pts - Nicalis, Inc.) -- It's been a long wait, but at last it's here! We were well impressed with what we experienced during our time previewing the final build of the game, though sadly it looks like those of us in Europe (and other PAL territories) will have a bit longer to wait before we can get our hands on the game proper. Whilst we're sure many fans will be downloading it straight away, rest assured that we'll be giving it a full review in due time for those who may yet be sitting on the fence.

DSiWare

Drift Street International (800pts - Tantalus) -- This premium-priced street racing game promises "Unmatched speed, smoothness and draw distance," for up to four players which can be AI or friends via local wireless play. Expect a review soon from one of our veteran drifters.

Libera Wing (800pts - Pixel Federation) -- Released last week in Europe, this sci-fi themed tower defence game looks flashy and chaotic, boasting 60 levels of play in two different game modes. We'll be getting a review up soon to let you know what our top strategists think of it.

Game & Watch: Mario's Cement Factory, Game & Watch: Chef, Game & Watch: Judge (200pts - Nintendo) -- This is the first wave of several of Nintendo's original LCD-based games given new life on the DSi - a system whose design was clearly inspired by some of these early examples of electronic gaming from Nintendo. We'll be letting you know how well they stand up as budget downloads and if they were worth the wait!

Please feel free to read Nintendo's press release below:

When it first appeared on PC screens in 2004, Cave Story captivated gamers with its mysterious plotline, imaginative characters and otherworldly sense of adventure. Now, for the first time ever, fans and newcomers can experience this extraordinary game on the Wii™ system. Available for download via the WiiWare™ service, this version of Cave Story delivers all the action and intrigue of the original, plus added enhancements by creator Daisuke Amaya and a newly remastered soundtrack.

Meanwhile, the Nintendo DSiWare™ service offers five new titles for on-the-go enjoyment, including three games from the classic Game & Watch™ series, which Nintendo first began releasing in 1980. Experience a piece of Nintendo history as you master each title's two modes of play, presented in all their old-school glory. Racing enthusiasts can get their high-speed fix with Drift Street International, while fans of strategy-driven action will dig the pulse-pounding thrills of Libera Wing.

WiiWare

Cave Story
Publisher: Nicalis, Inc.
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: E10+ (Everyone 10 and Older) - Mild Cartoon Violence, Mild Language
Price: 1,200 Wii Points™
Description: Cave Story takes you into a rare world where a curious race of innocent, rabbit-like creatures called Mimiga run free. You wake up in a dark cave with no memory of who you are, where you came from or why you're in such a place. Uncovering Mimiga Village, you discover that the once-carefree Mimiga are in danger at the hands of a maniacal scientist. Their only hope rests squarely on the shoulders of a quiet, amnesiac boy who can't remember his own name. Take control, learn the origins of this world's power, stop the delusional villain and save the Mimiga.

Nintendo DSiWare

Drift Street International
Publisher: Tantalus
Players: 1-4
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone)
Price: 800 Nintendo DSi Points™
Description: Drift Street International is the ultimate high-speed, white-knuckle street racing experience, made exclusively for Nintendo DSiWare. Slide and boost your performance car around challenging city streets in high-intensity midnight races across the United States, United Kingdom and Japan. Precise, responsive controls give you total control of your car - push yourself to the edge and own your opponents. Drift sideways through corners, building your nitrous meter to let you boost past opponents on the next straightaway. Test your skills against challenging, aggressive AI drivers, or take on your friends in four-player head-to-head wireless races. Additionally, each track plays host to arcade-style checkpoint races and challenging speed trials in which you must keep the speed close to the max to avoid elimination. Unmatched speed, smoothness and draw distance are only possible by taking full advantage of the Nintendo DSi hardware.

Libera Wing
Publisher: Pixel Federation
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone) - Mild Fantasy Violence
Price: 800 Nintendo DSi Points
Description: Earth Union controls a large part of outer space. Suddenly, the connection with some of its stations is aborted and there are rumors of enemy ships approaching. Only the captain of the elite fleet Libera Wing can save the people from destruction. Become the captain of Libera Wing and save Earth Union from destruction in this tower- defense-style action-strategy game. Your objective is to combine the right strategy, item usage and abilities of your command ship. There are 36 story levels and 24 quick-play levels waiting for you.

Game & Watch: Mario's Cement Factory
Publisher: Nintendo
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone)
Price: 200 Nintendo DSi Points
Description: Conveyor belts carry tubs of cement to the mixers below. Use the elevators to move Mario to different levels of the factory, dumping cement from the top mixers to the mixers below and into the trucks. Earn points for every load of cement you drop from the mixers to the cement truck. Receive mistake icons by letting a mixer overflow with cement, trying to get on an elevator when you are not level with it, or hitting the floor or ceiling while riding an elevator. Receive three mistake icons and it's game over!

Game & Watch: Chef
Publisher: Nintendo
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone)
Price: 200 Nintendo DSi Points
Description: Move the chef to catch and flip the falling ingredients before they hit the floor. Contend with three ingredients in GAME A or four in GAME B. Earn one point for every ingredient the chef successfully flips into the air, or a mistake icon for each time you drop an ingredient. Receive three mistake icons and it's game over!

Game & Watch: Judge
Publisher: Nintendo
Players: 1-2
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone) - Comic Mischief
Price: 200 Nintendo DSi Points
Description: You have a split second to decide: whack your opponent or duck out of the way? Numbers appear on two large signs. If you think your number will be as big or bigger than your opponent's, whack him with a mallet. Dodge if you think your number will be smaller. Earn points based on correctly whacking your opponent or dodging an attack. The first player to reach 99 points wins.

Nintendo adds new titles to the Nintendo DSi Shop and the Wii Shop Channel at 9 a.m. Pacific time on Mondays. Users with broadband Internet access can redeem Wii Points or Nintendo DSi Points to download the games. Wii Points can be purchased in the Wii Shop Channel. Nintendo DSi Points can be purchased in the Nintendo DSi Shop. A Nintendo Points Card™ can be purchased at retail locations. All points from one Nintendo Points Card must be redeemed in either the Nintendo DSi Shop or the Wii Shop Channel. They are not transferable and cannot be divided between the two systems.
Remember that both Wii and Nintendo DSi feature parental controls that let adults manage the content their children can access. For more information about this and other features, visit Wii.com or NintendoDSi.com.