After not releasing any Virtual Console games for Christmas and the week after, you'd think Nintendo would've learned their lesson when they finally release one last week. But no, they're back to their old tricks again, as this week offers next to nothing all around.
The Wii only gets a single new downloadable game on WiiWare. Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney is a rather sloppily done port of the first game in everybody's favourite court series - everything has simply been blown up in size to fit on your TV (making it look rather ugly), and the bottom screen has been removed. If you never played the DS game (perhaps due to not owning a DS) then this is a decent way to play the game, but if you do own a DS or you already have the portable release, then stay far, far away from this and stick with the better-looking version. Read our review to see what we think of lazy ports. It costs 1,000 Nintendo Points and is missing the fifth episode that was added for the DS release, which will be released later as DLC.
Sadly, DSiWare suffers much the same fate this week, with two of the three new games being rereleases. Electroplankton Beatnes and Hanenbow are directly taken from the retail Electroplankton release and allow you to create music and sounds in two completely different styles. It's nice to have them available and all, but by the looks of things NoE plans to release these in sets of two, which means we're going to have four more weeks where they'll be taking up part of the DSiWare releases. North America, on the other hand, recently got them in two sets of five. Is this really necessary, Nintendo? You can read our reviews here and here. Both cost 200 Points.
But don't get your hopes up too much for the other DSiWare game this week either. Sudoku Sensei is Hudson's third Sudoku game for DSiWare and features 100 puzzles for which only the true Sudoku experts need to apply. There's not much to say really: it's just like the previous two games, just harder. You can read our thoughts here.
If you've already played Phoenix Wright and Electroplankton in their original forms, then this week essentially only gives you one new title. Have fun with it!
Comments 71
I got Zelda: Ocarina of Time earlier this week so I've been playing that a lot. I do have it on the Gamecube but my Gamecube controller broke and even before it broke I just couldn't be bothered playing Gamecube games. Anyway, no games for me from this release. Not long left to go until Tatsunoko vs. Capcom now.
Well this Update sucks....
Ouch!
We Americans will suffer this fate again in the summer most likely while NoE downloads will shine then again.
No VC game means another disapointing week.
I was aleast hopeing for something decent this week, (Not a fan of Phoenix Wright games)to help ease the wait until Tatsunoko vs. Capcom.
Nintendo of europes crap, this is the worst period i can remember.
1. no silent hill till march now
2. no shikigami 3
3. no sign of ultimate shooter coll or arcade shooter LLvelo
4. no narutu 3
5. no castlevania rebirth
6. no rondo yet
7. no excitebike
8 kof orochi saga not given a proper release.
phew!!!!!
Argh I still have those damn points I bought for Mario Kart well over a month ago! I wont be downloading anything until it's out (not through principle - just nothing I want again).
Y'know in over a month we've had ONE vc game. No Mario Kart, no Alpha 2, no Indiana Jones ... we're falling way behind
I really think you guys are being to harsh towrds PWAA on WW. Really, DS or not, if you haven't played it yet, get it here.
....D'aaauugh! For some reason, overenthusiastic misinformation actually made me buy Phoenix Wright - somehow I had gotten the idea that this would be the "lost" cases that were only released on Japanese cellphones before now... Arrgh!
Well, that's a tenner down the crapper.
Actually I've had enough - I'm just gonna go into town tomorrow and see if I can just find a second hand SNES with Mario Kart.
I bought my Wii for the VC version of it & 2 years is too long.
Well at least Indy was rated by the OFLC and it could come some time soon.
ONE new game for the Wii? We're gonna have a Friday where we nothing, aren't we. It is going to happen. This week they give us one solitary game, the next they don't give one solitary f***.
Where's Super Mario Kart? Where's ExciteBike? And while I'm asking, where's ExciteBots?
It cant get any worst right???
Don't say that or it will get wrose
What an terrible update. Unless Nintendo is planning to do an WiiWare week and VC Week following, each with at least two games, I'm not really excited.
North Americans, don't be surprise if we don't get an Virtual Console game this upcoming Monday.
@cheapogamer4life: Actually it can get a lot worse. For all we know, they could cancel the Virtual Console.
Useless update after useless update after useless update, etc, etc, etc.
At least next week we get Max and the Magic Marker.
Especially galling when you see Japan with it's 10 release weeks - granted, 50% of them are language coaches or obscure titles we'd never want to play, so why aren't creators developing games at a similar rate in the West?
No Phoenix Wright for me because it's a cynical cash in, no electroplankton, because I may very well buy the retail version if I was so inclined, and definitely no sudoku sensei for me, because I'm thick and don't play sudoku.
And to be honest, Magic Marker next week (probably along with Electroplankton 3 & 4 as our sole releases) hasn't piqued my interest - as accomplished as it looks in its trailer.
I emailed NoE yesterday enquiring about Super Mario Kart being released on the EU VC. They apparently have no plans to release it. It just gets better and better!
Owchtastic. i'll fetch the band-aids.
For once I'm not going to defend NOE. This update is terrible.
Ouch. Sucks to be Europe right now.
It's ridiculious, but I still downloading Phoenix Wright tough, I just can't control my curiousity. At least next week we get Max and the Magic Marker. Hope it's gonna be good but I look forward to that one.
Sucks worse for us in Australia - we only got one DSiWare game last week, where Europe at least got three.
That said, it is January, so slow updates are to be expected. I think things will pick up in Feb
Well at least it isn't freezing cold in Australia. My DSi has turned into DSice.
This has pissed me off. Where are all the amazing WiiWare games. Nintendo make some new games.
You guys didn't get a great update. Sorry
I won't complain if NA doesn't get a VC game on monday, as there's only one downloadable game I'm waiting for. I'm sure you can guess what it is.
This has to be the worst update ever for NOE. Wonder how bad it'll get this summer for NOA.
Damn! pretty bad week for you guys!
NoE, do you not want peoples money? If this keeps up, I just wont bother checking anymore. Rubbish update after rubbish update, games like Silent Hill delayed again, Wii shelves stocked with worthless games...
WTF?
Man, that is a really terrible update.
Boycott!
(Sorry, but all the negative comments here provoked me...
...even though I am planning something else...)
NOE should be burned at the stake for giving up on the downloadable software. For shame
I've just downloaded Ace Attorney French version and it's only 275 blocks, not 301 like the US. That's quite a mystery!
I have a feeling there's an alternation sort of thing. When Europe gets awesome updates, US gets crappy ones. And then it becomes the other way around for a couple seasons. It always alternates. Seems logical.
"And thus it becomes even harder to say anything positive about Nintendo of Europe"
Best. Tagline. Ever.
Wow. NOE sucks huh? I wonder why they do this? Sorry about that guys/gals.
Can't say I'm not suprised.
Sad. I really hope it picks up for you guys soon.
I've almost lost my faith and loyalty to Nintendo (Australia here)
Damn, PAL got burned this week... Here's to hoping you guys get a good week next Friday.
WTF is NOE thinking? Do they even want money?
@chibi_link - actually I email Nintendo regularly. They just don't want the public bombarding them with emails when they've got their hands full doing a million other things.
As disappointed as I am in this week's updates, Nintendo Australia is a small team and yes, it takes work to release games, even on download services. They're doing a good job, all things considered.
Keep in mind that it's still January, the best downloads are yet to come.
wow, this is one of the worst weeks for any region that i've ever seen.
Where is Dark Void Zero
Pheonix wright is to be downloaded. the rest is sh#te. Thanks again NoE.
I have to say that I personally am not too miffed because I've got far too large a backlog at the moment, but seriously this is galling.
If it was only 3rd party releases we were lacking on PAL WiiWare then I could see that as justified since it's kind of a pain with all the agencies to have to clear games through in Europe and Australia/New Zealand, but the Nintendo releases already out in North America really shouldn't be that hard to release here. Is the schedule that empty for the coming weeks? Are we looking at single-release weeks for the next month on the Wii?
The port of AA is very bad, but congratulations, you guys can make it even worse that it really is.
And thus NoE reveals its true nature again.
Nintendo, you are spoiling us!
@outrun2sp. Points 1-3 and 8. Why blame NOE? They're not publishing those as far as I can tell.
@dimlylitmonkey. Europe (and Japan) is never getting Excitebots. It flopped big time in America. From what I can gather they're struggling to sell off the first (and last) shipment. I'd suggest learning about Gecko OS (Wii Homebrew) and buying Excitebots from here
@Ristar42. Complain to Konami. Nintendo is not responsible for publishing it.
@oldkid. What languages is it in? It is possible the French Script is smaller than the English one. Also, there is some difference in block sizes due to various channels having common files. If you already have the common file you'll save the space.
Just wait, 2010 will be awesome....
Just wait, 2010 will be awesome....
I haven't played Ace Attorney before, and I don't want to. Where are the real titles, for goodness' sake?! I'm sick of waiting, Nintendo, get 'em out here!
I have Phoenix Wright on DS, Electroplankton on DS and I still have enough Sudoku in Dr. Kawashima 1&2 on DS. The best thing this week is Phoenix Wright for WiiWare because it's a great game. A lazy port yeah, whatever, but that wouldn't make a difference since it never was beautiful on the visual or gameplay side, the game's always been story-driven. Also, the music was great and hearing the same quality coming from non-DS-speakers, but from my sound system, the tunes are great and help the game a lot. A 5/10 for hardcore PW-fans who wanted it to shine or to having new content, but an 8/10 for all detective / puzzle / adventure fans who never played it. And well, Electroplankton, you should look for the retail version, but Hanenbow is kinda cool on it's own for only 200pts eventually worth a look.
I really hate Nintendo Europe. This makes now four fridays in a row without any Virtual Console release (Shadow Dancer wasn't released thanks to German censorship). Sad to see how Nintendo is disregarding the Virtual Console nowadays especially since this service was my main reason to buy a Wii in the first place.
I have still 3000 unused Nintendo points on my account which I uploaded before christmas (expecting "Super Mario Kart"). Since I'm not gonna support Capcom's rip-off with the lazy Phoenix Wright port the whole points will probably last a long time.
Lol at post 42. That was awesome.
@Chibi Link
APPLAUSE
Nintendo is doing their best to kill people's interest in their console... Last time I started it up was when I got Kirby's Adventure as my compensation game... And that was almost 2½ weeks ago now... And before that... I don't even remember... Seriously Nintendo, what the hell are you doing...
WTF!?!? FY!!!!!!
I'm a Nintendo fanboy, but at this rate I'm pushed into systems that have GAMES! Hmmm....That 15€ Mass Effect in Steam seems tempting now...
One of the best things about Wii, is the VC. If they quite the VC, i quite the Wii. It's just so disappointing these days. It really feels like Nintendo forgot all about it's old players and fans, and only try to cash in on casual gamers, with crappy WiiWare. If that's what they gonna do more of in the future, then Crash and Burn Nintendo. But ok, we are getting a new Zelda, Mario and Metroid game soon, and thats all fine and good. But please Nintendo.. I love the old games, and i love the VC. Keep more games coming, alright?
And everyone else here... If you love the VC, and haven't bought Shadow Dancer yet. Do it. Its a really good game, and it would make a sign, that we wan't more VC stuff.
This has to be the worst update I have ever seen. I feel bad for everyone over in Europe.
Trying hard to look on the bright side. At least 2 of the 3 Electroplankton games that I was most interested in have been released (Luminarrow is the other one). Phoenix Wright is a crappy port, but at least of a great game.
I hope people in the US are still playing Excitebike online by the time Europe gets it.
This is a little disappointing. I had my fingers crossed for Final Fight 3 to be released as the previous games in that series came to Europe shortly after they did in North America. It still might but obviously we have to wait at least another week now. It would also be nice to see Mario Kart make an appearance, I just hope Nintendo are not saving it for a milestone like 350th game or something like that, because if so we could be waiting a long time.
damn couldn't find SNES Mario Kart or even a SNES. How risky is the homebrew channel?
It's not risky... Hey, if you got an older model Wii, homebrew can even save you in case of bricking.
There are a huge number of games that NA have that we haven't,,,,massively unfair...
no its not
yay! phoenix wright!
ya phoenix wright was a choppy port im mean wow you should be able to change the screen
I'm afraid it is double sunday
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