Looks like a decent update from Nintendo of America this week with three for WiiWare (including a long-awaited card game), three for DSiWare and another LucasArts title on the Virtual Console for good measure.
WiiWare
UNO (1000pts - Gameloft) – A bit overdue perhaps, but finally you can play UNO on your Wii as the rest of the world has been able to for the past few months. We thought it was okay as an online game but hurt by poor WiiSpeak implementation and useless local multiplayer; combined with a price which is double that in PAL territories and you'll have to be a pretty big fan to plump for it.
bittos+ (800pts - MACHINE) – A new puzzle game for WiiWare. We'll let you know if this can be added to the list of quality puzzlers on Wii or if it should get swept off the table and put back in the cupboard.
"Aha! I Found It!" Hidden Object Game (500pts - Ateam Inc.) – A hidden object game with a multiplayer focus. From the same people who brought you "Aha! I Got It!" Escape Game. Our expert treasure-hunters will give this the once over to find out if it's worth your points or not.
Virtual Console
Ghoul Patrol (800pts SNES - LucasArts) – Another classic SNES title from LucasArts. Once our gaming archaeological team returns from their gaming expedition we'll advise whether this is buried treasure or not.
DSiWare
Number Battle (500pts - Nintendo) – Nintendo has stripped the original Japanese title off of this mathematical challenge released in Japan as Suujin Taisen and Sujin Taisen Number Battles in Europe. Reviewer Adam Scott Clark thought it was one of the better DSiWare releases when it came out last summer, so you should probably give it a look if you like a good puzzle game.
AiRace: Tunnel (200pts - Qubic Games) – An airplane racing game for DSiWare seems like a pretty unique proposition. We'll get our resident pilots on the wing to give this one a test spin and get back to you soon.
Escapee GO! (200pts - Gevo Entertainment) – A new action/maze game, a genre sorely underrepresented on DSiWare. Look for our review in the near future.
Any picks this week? Check out the press release for more:
You needn't be bilingual to appreciate the first of this week's fantastic downloadable game offerings. Like the classic card game upon which it's based, the new UNO™ game for the WiiWare™ service is all about inclusive, social fun that anybody can pick up and enjoy. Other fresh WiiWare fare includes the inventive puzzle title bittos+ and the hidden-object game "Aha! I Found It!" The Nintendo DSiWare™ service welcomes a trio of diverting hand-held delights this week: the strategy-based NUMBER BATTLE™, the arcade-style AiRace: Tunnel and the action-packed Escapee GO! Last but not least, Virtual Console™ fans should prepare to vanquish spooky specters with the arrival of a true Super NES™ classic, Ghoul Patrol™.
WiiWare
UNO
Publisher: Gameloft
Players: 1-6
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone)
Price: 1,000 Wii Points™
Description: Get ready to call "UNO" on your Wii™ system! The world-famous card game is faithfully reproduced for the Wii console with some exciting new rules. Thanks to a multiplayer mode (additional Wii Remote™ controllers required) that's playable on one Wii console or online via Nintendo® Wi-Fi Connection (broadband Internet access required), UNO has never been so fun and easy.
bittos+
Publisher: MACHINE
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone)
Price: 800 Wii Points
Description: The next big thing in casual gaming, bittos+ is all about rotating, moving and placing game pieces onto a game board to make squares and, more importantly, squares within squares. Playing bittos+ provides hours and hours of entertainment for the whole family, with boatloads of challenge and replay value for even the most avid gamer. With luscious environments, multiple modes to unlock, game styles to suit every mood, multiple real-time reactive control methods, in-game Awards to collect and high-score boards for the entire your household, bittos+ is a new game-play experience that will sweep you away."Aha! I Found It!" Hidden Object Game
Publisher: Ateam Inc.
Players: 1-4
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone)
Price: 500 Wii Points
Description: A hidden-object game for everyone has come to the WiiWare service. Try to find 12 particular items among a crowd of on-screen objects as fast as you can, from big fish to tiny earrings, easy-to-find items to well-hidden ones. Unlike most other hidden-object games, this one lets you play along with friends and family (additional Wii Remote controllers required) and compete to see who's best at finding the hidden objects in each stage. With 10 stages and more than 277 different items, there's plenty of searching fun to enjoy. Also, with items changing position each time you play, you can enjoy each stage again and again.
Nintendo DSiWare
Number Battle
Publisher: Nintendo
Players: 1-4
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone)
Price: 500 Nintendo DSi Points™
Description: From Japan comes NUMBER BATTLE, a board game that invokes the ancient art of feng shui while challenging players to clear the playing field. Take turns against human or computer opponents to reach a target score by placing numbered tiles on the board and linking the arms of each tile in various ways. Watch for the Winds of Change to possibly blow over the board during a battle, resulting in special squares that will score bonus points or affect game play in new ways. Items that aid you in your pursuit of points can also be found, but they'll cost you points and must be placed strategically. Go it alone in the main Story or Puzzle modes, or battle against up to three opponents from around the world via Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection (broadband Internet access required). You can even learn from your past with History mode, which shows the moves recorded during previous contests. This unique combination of puzzle and strategy elements results in an exciting battle of wits. Can you guide your Warrior to victory?AiRace: Tunnel
Publisher: QubicGames
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone)
Price: 200 Nintendo DSi Points
Description: AiRace: Tunnel is an invitation to the newly started Project Tunnel. It was created to examine the quickness and attentiveness of aviation rookies. Think you've got the skills? Put your reflexes to the test and see how swift, precise and predictive you are. Maneuver your aircraft safely through specially created tunnels that are full of traps. Be careful: Your plane will speed up with every second, making each turn and each barrier harder to navigate. It's not just a game, it's a challenge.
Escapee GO!
Publisher: Gevo Entertainment
Players: 1-4
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone) – Mild Cartoon Violence
Price: 200 Nintendo DSi Points
Description: In Escapee GO!, players take on the role of Claire, who awakens with no memory of who she is. Save for her name, all information about her has been destroyed. In its place, something within her has changed. Hunted down by an unknown enemy, she must find a way to escape her pursuers using her newfound powers. Will she be able to survive? Using her heightened senses, Claire is able to detect enemies before they come into visual range. During her daring escape, Claire will find mysterious items that can temporarily enhance her abilities, allowing her to level the playing field.Virtual Console
Ghoul Patrol
Original platform: Super NES
Publisher: LucasArts
Players: 1-2
ESRB Rating: E10+ (Everyone 10 and Older) – Mild Fantasy Violence
Price: 800 Wii Points
Description: The main attractions at the library's Goblin exhibit have come to life! As the Ghoul Patrol, you'll go back in time and de-spook an encyclopedia of zombified historic dudes. Vaporize garbage-can ghosts and ninja spirits, rescue bug-eyed librarians and wigged-out pirates, dodge flying books and adolescent-eating plants, and ultimately put the beastly spirit back in the history books.
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.
Comments 72
An okay week I suppose. Uno's not the most desired WiiWare game though compared to some others such as Monkey Island. And SNES Ghoul Patrol isn't as good as ZAMN but at least its better than Alex Kidd in Shinobi World which I thought was going to be released instead.
There's at least one person that's been desperately posting about UNO ever since the European release...bless him.
Not much this week, but doesn't really matter to me. I just ordered a bunch of games from Amazon for the GBA and DS, so I'll have plenty to play within a few days.
Looks like it may be a good week for dsiware
I wish we had such weeks in Europe. VC got one game I'm interested in and DSiWare and WiiWare even two EACH.
There seems to be a trend in the direction of 2D platformers on DSiWare lately.
UNO being twice as much as other territories is a ripoff. Will not buy.
Nothing for me today!
Meh. Just as well, my internet is down anyway.
Yeah, that UNO price difference is a bit grim. I'll update the item to reflect that.
F this, Cave Story has already been submitted for release and Nintendo is holding on it to it. Boycott WiiWare until it's released.
Wow... $10 for UNO? I would've bought the game at $5 just because of the dearth of Wii Speak-compatible games... but doubling the price pretty much kills my (already limited) interest. Oh well.
I imagine Cave Story is being held back for some specific occasion. Gotta think of what i'll get since Monkey Island didn't come, and next Monday is payday...
Now that Rondo of Blood is rated by the ESRB, I can't wait till it comes out!Rondo and MM10 are my 2 most anticpated downloads at the moment. This weeks lineup is not bad. More Lucasarts support and Bittos+ looks pretty nice as well.
A great week for me just because of Ghoul Patrol!
rofl, UNO on the PSN had to be lower because no one was buying it.
Who on their right mind would pay 10 dollars for UNO.
Number Battle all the way. It's really as much a strategy game as a puzzle game (regarding the article's explanation), but with a story mode (30 levels), puzzle mode (40 puzzles), and worldwide multiplayer it's a bargain at 500 pts.
I want UNO but..1000 pts?...now I am not so sure..
Ghoul Patrol!!! Yes!
But, where's Zombies Ate My Neighbors?
I would have thought that game would come out first since Ghoul Patrol is supposedly its sequel.
For the people asking about where's Cave Story.
In the recent Nintendo Power, they said it would come out sometime in February.
At least that's what issue it was for.
@Aronos: You're in luck! Zombies Ate My Neighbors was already released last year, so you just need to check the back-catalog of Virtual Console titles.
As for Cave Story, count me as someone excited for that game to arrive. I'm not doing something silly like boycotting great games in the meantime.... but it will be a day 1 purchase when it does show up.
Oh and if you have a 360 you can get Uno for $5. Don't buy this rip-off even if you don't have a 360.
F this, Cave Story has already been submitted for release and Nintendo is holding on it to it. Boycott WiiWare until it's released.
The cave is a lie!!!
I'll patiently wait for the Ghoul Patrol review.
Airace: Tunnel looks quite good.
Gotta have Uno
AiRace Tunnel for $2 seems to be a good deal, and Bittos+ seems to be worth the $8 for puzzle game fans
Looks like a good week for DSiware.
Uno is ridiculously priced, at twice what it is on just about every other platform I can think of, from the iphone to the DSi version to the Live version. And, y'know, the real version. With the paper.
Too bad I already have Uno on my ipod.
Meh, nothing interesting in this update. That doesn't bother me too much because Tatsunoko vs Capcom and No More Heroes 2 are both coming out this week.
Ghoul Patrol is VASTLY inferior to ZAMN.
Decent update I guess ...
Nothing for me this week. I was planning on getting UNO but 1,000 Points? Yipes. Besides I have the DSiWare Version.
Finally UNO is here but for 1,000...? Dang....
And yay for Number Battle!!
passing on this update
1000 points is too pricey.
UNO is double the price in the US. That's shocking. Does this version get extra content or something?
I'm interested in "Aha! I Found It!" Hidden Object Game, I loved "Aha! I Got It!" Escape Game, but normally I'm not that fond on Hidden Object games.
Woah, ZAMN had a sequel?! Spiffy.
GAMELOFT what are you F***ing doing?. WTF!, Why did we (E.U JNP) get it for 500 points and the Americans have to pay 1000 points. F**K you Gameloft. Just WOW. Home goal Gameloft.
I don't blame the Americans for not buying it but, You will really be missing out on a brilliant online Wiiware card game with online rankings and Wii Speak support.
Ghoul Patrol makes this a worthwhile week
At least you get SNES support... EU VC is getting really pathetic, sucks to be retro gamer here - we wont see the Data East compilation either I think, nor King of Fighters / Samurai showdown collections.
I don't get the Uno craze to begin with, regardless of price. Uno is a pretty boring card game that I only play if my kids want to play. Thankfully that doesn't happen too often. Playing Uno on the Wii or 360 or anything else as well? You've got to be kidding me!
@Alfred-Gameloft, nor any other VC/WW developer or even publisher, sets the price. It's Nintendo to blame.
The sequel to Zombies Ate My Neighbours, Ghoul Patrol, has arrived on the VC!!
I should really download both games, obviously I should start with ZAMN.
The game developers don't get to set the price for their game? Really? If so, that's pretty bizarre.
@AlfredENG yeah, gameloft can't choose the price it's set at. Oh, and cool your jets. No need to start using the F word. Besides, you don't live in the US, so why would you be so mad?
I don't have access to any other forms of online Uno, so I'm still getting it at 1000 points. I'd appreciate a price drop and a resulting partial refund, though.
Yay for Number Battles! I plan to get it in the future, with a long backlog of already-released DSiWare titles. (Due to the support of the new DS releases).
This week kinda sucks for me, and the last few as well funds are low. Another puzzle game, wow how surprising.
Sean comment 2- "There's at least one person that's been desperately posting about UNO ever since the European release...bless him."
Thanks for stating about that.
Im so prepared for the price tag for UNO, I had a feeling UNO would be 1000pts once I seen the trailer of gameloft downloading a 1000pt UNO along time ago. Awesome I have 1100 pts left, downloading UNO now.
Pretty good week for NA. Though the UNO price tag is a turn off...
A video game based on the UNO card game? Interesting.
Not the first time. There's an Uno game on the Super Famicom
How much does the actual UNO card game cost? Has to be less than 10 bucks.
slightly interested in ghoul patrol, but I have no points
How is Escapee an "action platformer"? It looks like Pac-Man in the trailer. Shouldn't a platformer be required to have platforms?
Nothing for me this week, oh well. I wouldn't say it was an awful update, though.
i guess im with ezekiel about the UNO price tag, i have been waiting for the game since i dont have any games that support wiispeak
No American is going to pay $10 for this. None of you are getting it. I was looking forward to lots new players online. Online play is dieing like all WiiWare games. You all should be angry. Nintendo are ripping you off. I payed 500 points. Sorry Gameloft i didn't know nintendo do this. Sorry for swearing. I know the majority here are young children. Sometimes i cannot control myself.
Nintendo if your reading this you have gone too far this time. I don't like what you have done to my hobby. I will never buy a Nintendo console again. Ripping off people.
@Alfred ENG i am that one american who is pulling out 10$
@Adam: Absolutely correct. I'm afraid I had no information at press and used the genre label based upon the description. I've happily updated it. I must say a maze game is far more appealing to me than a platform game. I do hope Escape GO! sees the light of day in Japan.
Hey geek-master, Don't you feel a little ripped off having to pay DOUBLE what the rest of the world has to pay?. Nintendo would still make lots of profit selling at 500 points. What's Nintendos real reason for charging DOUBLE. I feel sick.
If the the Americans don't care about this than theres noting more to be said. Enjoy the game )
Maybe bittos if the review is good.
@Alfred ENG: Didn't Japan pay 800pts for UNO?
Same here, Sean. I love platformers to death, but even though Bit Boy is the best game in existence (proven by scientists worldwide) and cannot be topped, the genre is still worth revisiting much more often than it is.
Ezekiel i don't know. Europe payed 500 points. It would be odd if this game was three different prices. 500, 800, 1000 points. Strange
Why did it take three months for you guys to get it. Three months! what were they doing?.
Why not have one price 500 points for everyone and release the game on the same day world wide. Then i would shut the up
On Xbox live we in most cases get Arcade/Indie games the same day and price. Which is very cool as you kidz may say. Thanks Mr Gates.
Well at least Rondo of Blood is ESRB rated now. Crap week if you ask me.
This is actually an decent update again.
Not a bad week, but there's nothing for me. I wanted UNO but I'm with everyone saying 1000 points is a ripoff, I mean I have the actual card game, and I learned my lesson: never buy a game solely for the online.
Ghoul patrol was never supposed to be a sequel to ZAMN. Halfway through making it, Julie and Zeke were stuck in there...I think it was to boost sales. I'll stick with ZAMN thank you.
Ezekiel is correct the Japanese price was 800pts. Looks like Europe got the bargain price for a change. I think it all works out in the end...
Nothing looks particularly good this week! Hope the EU downloads don't include Electroplankton this week!!!!
This is an ok week for me, nothing really great. Zombies Ate My Neighbors is way better than Ghoul Patrol. And wow, Uno is 1000 Wii Points! What a rip off for a card game.
Dsiwareupdate looks o.k., nothing for me this week as im still enjoying last weeks great dsi update
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