WiiWare
Bejeweled 2 (1,000 Points - PopCap) The notorious gem-swapping gameplay hits WiiWare, complete with Mii support and online leaderboards. Check out our interview with producer Ty Roberts and our First Impressions of the title too.
Arcade Sports (800 Points - Icon Games) A compilation of Air Hockey, Bowling, Pool and Snooker, Arcade Sports features a season mode that could extend its longevity beyond its arcade origins. Stay tuned for our review on this one to see if four games for 800 Points is a worthwhile spend.
Yard Sale Hidden Treasures: Sunnyville (500 Points - Konami) Another hidden object game, this time based around hunting down objects at yard sales in order to win the "Superstar Homes Magazine Contest." Let's hope it fares better than other hidden object games on WiiWare such as "Aha! I Found It!" Hidden Object Game.
DSiWare
A Kappa's Trail (500 Points - Nintendo) We previewed A Kappa's Trail in its Japanese form and were impressed with the amount of content included for the price, so we'll see how it's made the transition across to the West with a review in the near future.
Telegraph Crosswords (500 Points - Sanuk Games) It's interesting to see this one getting a T for Teen rating due to "Drug Reference, Mild Language, Mild Suggestive Themes." We reckon it's worth checking out if you want a decent crosswords game, so check out our review of Telegraph Crosswords.
Flips: Silent but Deadly (500 Points - Electronic Arts) Another in EA's series of virtual books, this is a tale of teachers, pupils and gas clouds that change shape at will. Read our Flips: Silent but Deadly review to see how this one stacks up.
Music On: Electronic Keyboard (200 Points - Abylight) A portable take on the musical keyboard, Music On: Electronic Keyboard offers a range of voices, styles and a built-in recorder. We've reviewed the European version and found it to be decent but limited: check out our Music On: Electronic Keyboard review to see why.
16 Shot! Shooting Watch (200 Points - Hudson) A digital version of a real-life tool used by Hudson's Takahashi Meijin, this little device lets you see how many times you can tap a button in a set length of time, aiming to beat Meijin's record of sixteen taps per second. With graphs and leaderboards this one could be more interesting than it sounds, so check back for our review in the coming days.
Virtual Console
Shadow of the Ninja (500 Points - Natsume) Outed by an OFLC rating a few weeks ago, this NES sidescroller attacks Virtual Console today. With two-player co-operative play across thirteen levels this should offer enough intense action to satisfy most gamers, and you can find out what we think in our upcoming review.
Here's the press release:
NINTENDO DOWNLOAD: NO MORE TEACHERS, NO MORE BOOKS - GIVE THESE GREAT NEW GAMES A LOOK
June 14, 2010
School may be out, but there's no shortage of interesting subjects for you to learn about: Fascinating spirits, dazzling gems and stealthy ninjas are all ready to be discovered in this week's lineup of new game downloads for Nintendo® systems. Guide a mythical spirit through a series of puzzling trials as he attempts to make his way to the human world in A Kappa's Trail for the Nintendo DSiWare™ service. Experience a famous puzzle game on America's top-selling home console with Bejeweled® 2 for the WiiWare™ service. A total of nine new games are now available for download, but that's not the only big news this week. The annual E3 Expo kicks off in Los Angeles on June 15, and Nintendo is inviting fans with broadband Internet access to watch a live video stream of its E3 Expo presentation. Go to e3.nintendo.com at 9 a.m. Pacific time on Tuesday, June 15, and watch all of Nintendo's announcements as they happen.
You're also invited to check out the latest addition to the "Big Name Games" section of the WarioWare™: D.I.Y. series, which features downloadable microgames from some of the industry's most talented figures. This week, the team at EnjoyUp Games takes the spotlight with a new Chronos Twins microgame. New "Big Name Games" will be added every Monday through July 26, all available to download for zero Nintendo DSi Points™ to anyone with broadband Internet access and a copy of either WarioWare: D.I.Y. for the Nintendo DS™ family of systems or WarioWare: D.I.Y. Showcase software for the WiiWare service. Visit the Nintendo Channel on your Wii™ system today to learn more about these games.
Nintendo DSiWare
A Kappa's Trail
Publisher: Nintendo
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone) – Comic Mischief
Price: 500 Nintendo DSi Points
Description: Step into the world of a kappa, a mythical river spirit famous in Japanese folklore, as he tries to make his way to the human world. In addition to the challenging main game, you'll find three different minigames to further improve your kappa-related skills. You'll start your journey in Kappa Cove, a good place to go exploring, practice getting around and munch on a few fish. The intuitive controls are all handled with the stylus (draw a trail and the kappa will follow it), but the helpful Chumfish is more than willing to teach you the basics. Once you begin your path down the Kappa Trail, you'll encounter coins to collect, boulders to shatter and various mini-kappas that can help you in specific ways. Just be sure to avoid the Devil Hand. If you need a break, you can collect paintings or cassettes from the Chumfish Shack, count plates at a sushi restaurant or test your mettle in the treacherous Trial of Tiles. With its cute graphics and charming story, your time with the kappa will certainly be memorable. Who knows what you'll find as you make your way through A Kappa's Trail?
Telegraph Crosswords
Publisher: Sanuk Games
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: T (Teen) – Drug Reference, Mild Language, Mild Suggestive Themes
Price: 500 Nintendo DSi Points
Description: Play crossword puzzles from the Telegraph like you've never played them before. Discover 500 puzzles of multiple types. You're in for many hours of game play. With its handy interface and intuitive controls, this game transfigures the classic pen-and-paper experience. Notable features include:
- A huge selection of quick puzzles, cryptic puzzles and general-knowledge puzzles.
- Registration of best times in the Hall of Fame.
- Interactive hints to prevent you from getting stuck.
- Auto-save function so you can stop and resume a puzzle at any time.
Flips: Silent But Deadly
Publisher: Electronic Arts
Players: 1
Price: 500 Nintendo DSi Points
Description: When Mr. Watts, the science teacher, turns up for class and tries to open his briefcase with his teeth, James, Alexander and Lenny realize he's not quite himself. The friends investigate and uncover a plot so dangerous that the life of every pupil and teacher is at risk. How will they foil the plot and restore Mr. Watts to normal? The new Flips range brings modern classics to the Nintendo DSiWare service. Readers can collect, solve, interact and learn as they progress through various stories and challenges.
Music on: Electronic Keyboard
Publisher: Abylight
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone)
Price: 200 Nintendo DSi Points
Description: Get creative and spend relaxing moments transforming your Nintendo DSi™ system into a complete electronic keyboard with a great variety of instruments and rhythms. This is the perfect way to have fun and impress your friends with your musical creations. Whether you're already an expert or just taking your first steps, Electronic Keyboard will help you capture your inspiration wherever you are. Features include:
- Automatic accompaniment function with chord recognition
- Up to eight user-definable chords
- Five different styles, each with four variations
- Independent drum, bass and chorus parts
- Six-octave keyboard (two visible)
- Pitch-bend function
- 16 instruments
- Integrated sequencer
- Metronome
- Recording and replay option
16 Shot! SHOOTING WATCH
Publisher: Hudson Entertainment
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone)
Price: 200 Nintendo DSi Points
Description: Back in the 8-bit glory days, Hudson's own "Master Higgins" (a.k.a. Takahashi Meijin) made a splash in the gaming world with his astonishing trigger-finger speed of 16 shots per second. Can you break the Master's record? A graph analysis feature breaks down your stats and indicates your weak spots. Use it effectively to improve your trigger-finger performance. If you get a high score, you can leave a customized signature using the touch screen. Get your family and friends to compete for some serious rapid-fire fun.
WiiWare
Bejeweled 2
Publisher: PopCap Games, Inc.
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone)
Price: 1,000 Wii Points™
Description: Get set to play the world's No. 1 puzzle game, now available for the Wii console. Match sparkling gems three at a time to make them burst in showers of color and points. Match four or more to create flashy power gems that boost your score and your mood with brilliant cascades and combos. Soar to gem-matching heights in Classic mode, or speed through matches against the clock in Action mode. For even more dazzling fun, bump up your brain waves with multi-faceted Puzzles, or enter the Zen state of Endless play. Every match is high-carat fun!Arcade Sports™
Publisher: Icon Games Entertainment
Players: 1-2
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone)
Price: 800 Wii Points
Description: Arcade Sports consists of a selection of four full-featured arcade sports games including Air Hockey, Bowling, Pool and Snooker. The following modes are available:
- PRACTICE: This mode allows you to play a practice game and brush up on your skills.
- VERSUS MATCH: Play a one-on-one "friendly" match versus any of the game opponents in any game type.
- SEASON MODE: Season Mode is a series of linked tournaments with 10 tournaments of mixed game types. The objective is to make it to the top of the rankings. Play through each event in turn. After each one, you'll be awarded a world ranking position and achievement rewards.
- MULTIPLAYER: Arcade Sports allows up to two players to compete head-to-head in a versus match on one Wii console.
Yard Sale Hidden Treasures: Sunnyville
Publisher: Konami Digital Entertainment
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: E10+ (Everyone 10 and Older) – Alcohol and Tobacco Reference, Mild Blood, Mild Suggestive Themes
Price: 500 Wii Points
Description: Welcome to the town of Sunnyville! Search local yard sales on your mission to find hidden treasures and objects. Use your fantastic finds to decorate your dream home in a competition to win the illustrious "Superstar Homes Magazine Contest!" Beat the clock or play at your own pace, searching for hundreds of items hidden in fun locales. Enjoy nonstop challenges in this expansive seek-and-find game.
Virtual Console™
Shadow of the Ninja™
Original platform: NES™
Publisher: Natsume Inc.
Players: 1-2
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone) – Fantasy Violence
Price: 500 Wii Points
Description: Get ready for furious side-scrolling, platforming ninja action. The mad emperor, Garuda, has the city trapped in his diabolical claws. Only two brave ninja warriors dare to stand against him. They move as silently as shadows in the snow, swift and graceful as the wind, and strike with the explosive fury of razor-clawed tigers. Playing solo or cooperatively with a friend, you'll slice, bomb and shuriken your way through Garuda's army of vicious soldiers, agile ninjas and monstrous robots. Use your ninja skills to hang from moving platforms, leap over lethal pitfalls and dodge diabolical traps. Collect deadly power-ups to give yourself an edge against the overwhelming odds. It'll take all of your platforming prowess to navigate the game's 13 intense levels and bring some old-fashioned ninja justice to Garuda.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 46
I hoped for some kind of unexpected gift in preparation for E3, but I suppose that's not going to happen. Not a bad week otherwise, with 2 DSiWare games that look worthwhile (crosswords & this Nintendo-published Kappa thing).
Well, you never know, we might get a repeat of last year - something major being released next week. Anything could happen tomorrow.
I would like to learn more about Natsume's Shadow of the Ninja (NES), my understanding is that it benefits from co-op, but is a bit of a tough cookie!
I will read the Nlife review of that one with interest. Good on Natsume for getting behind the Virtual Console.
I can never understand why Pop Cap never bothered with the Wii till now. It was almost a perfect platform for them. Instead of Plants vs Zombies, we get ... Bejeweled, a game that is all over the place in many forms and prices :looking at you Puzzle Quest:.
Didn't the SD Card channel for Wii update happen on a day other than a Monday? If so, there's a chance a SD card system upgrade may occur for the DSi. Hopefully
Terrible week for North America. I'd sooner cut my fingers off than pay $10 for Bejeweled, let alone actually waste time playing it. BOO!
Bejeweled 2 is tempting... but at 1000 points? I think I'll pass.
Yay!
BEJEWELED!
I see the good old people ICON are back on WiiWare ( makers of Stunt Cars lol ). Might get Shadow of the Ninja, have not bought a VC game in a while.
Or, guys, we might see something else appearing this week.
Dangit. I want Bejeweled 2 on DSi, not Wii. I would gladly pay 1000 points for it.
Hmm, interested in A Kappa's Tail, Music On, and Shooting Watch. But I can't shake the feeling that sometime we'll get Toy Story on VC because of Toy Story 3.
I love Bejeweled 2, but I think I would have been more excited about it if it had been an early WiiWare title. Peggle and Zuma should also already be there, with Plants vs. Zombies coming out today.
I really don't understand PopCap being so slow with the Nintendo platforms, as their games have the same general audience as the Wii and DS.
@Xkhaoz: Well, Toy Story DOES benefit from being a Disney Interactive title (meaning it could be self-published on VC just as easily as Lucasart's games), but I would think if that was going to happen, today would've been the smart time for its release. Not that Nintendo's got a very good reputation for smart VC release times.
Two Natsume games in a row? Are they that low on publishers now? Not that I have a problem with the games as such, but I thought Nintendo generally tried to space stuff out, and this is obviously not that happening. Shrug.
Be interesting to know how ICON did on Arcade Sports after Stunt Cars and all.
shadow of the ninja is a great game and i am pleased with natsume supporting VC now maybe we still can get hm 64
Shadow of the Ninja for me but nothing else. I really hope that Nintendo does something special for E3 like that huge sale that Microsoft is doing on a bunch of their XBLA games.
The fact that Virtual Console got a release today automatically makes this a good week. /parodic/
Actually, I really enjoyed Telegraph Sudoku/Kakuro and I love crosswords so I am going to get Telegraph Crosswords... the review is pretty good too. Kappa's Trail sounds unique, too. Everything else... ;-/ Uhm, and does anybody know what's happened to Shantae?
Bejeweled? Really?! I'm so sick of that damn game. At least I have Shadow of the Ninja to make this week not suck for the Wii. Yay, VC!
Will there's nothing for me but I'm going to wacth E3 on t.v.
Awesome VC offering! Now bring us Shatterhand!
Wow this is a great e3 week download. I really expected to see shantae release today. Oh well final fantasy 9 drops on psn tomorrow for ten bucks so I'm happy.
Well at least there was some VC. Overall, a rather nonexciting week, at least as I see it.
And again, I complain about the lack of Shantae.
I'll try out Shadow of the Ninja when I get some points though...
The best part of this weeks update was the 52 seconds of Allison's green tank/black bra combo.
Shadow of the Ninja is my purchase for the week so far. Might get another game or two depending on reviews. Anyone that bought Retro Game Challenge (not a lot it would seem since we won't get the sequel localized) should buy Shadow of the Ninja since it feels like the 3rd Ninja game on Retro Game Challenge (Haggle Man 3).
No Shantae? I'm right beside you, MasterGraveHeart.
What's Shantae?
Nothing for me.
Rytmik next
weekplease, or monthNo Shantae
A very good week for American gamers... Bejeweled, to me, is overrated, but I still enjoyed it and may pick up the second. Shadow of the Ninja looks pretty interesting, too. DSiWare, not so much. The most interesting-sounding DSiWare game this week is A Kappa's Trail, and I have a feeling that it will be crap.
@StarFox: You have internet. Look it up.
DIY games and Picross 3D Puzzle Pack for me as always.
I have no points, but something big for DSiWare will be revealed tomorrow, I know it!
@StarFox: Once again, I say we can't be friends until you learn. =P
Nintendo if you're going to make us wait every other week for VC games can you at least gives us two games per week please? Bejeweled is a nice addition to the WiiWare library. Won't be getting it but if you haven't played Bejeweled before give it a go. Its pretty addictive.
$10 for Bejewled?? Madness!
Shadow of the Ninja looks really good. Everything else looks and sounds meh.
Download Shadow of the Ninja, skip the WiiShovelWare. You can play Bejewled for free on Facebook anyway.
@EdEN: The one brief video I've seen for the game looked kinda like that. Thanks for the confirmation! Sounds pretty good, so long as it's not too hard.
Not really a bejeweled fan. It's too addicting. BTW, when talking about hidden object games, why does everyone seem to forget The Mystery of Whiterock Castle. But "Aha! I Found It!" is a huge success in Holland so I expect this one to do well too.
Bejewled... but for 1000 points.... I'll debate the issue.
Still waiting for Ninja Crusaders.
WHOOO! We get Kappa Michi! Finally! Definitely will download later this week!
Everything else, except for Shadow of the Ninja, look meh.
I really want A Kappa's Trail, after all, it was made by the same people who made Mother 3, heck, Ocho (a character from M3) makes a cameo in the game!
I'll have to wait until after Nintendos E3 presentation tomorrow before I deside if I should download anything from the DSiware shop this week. Im wondering if Hudson did a online leaderboard with their 16 shot! game though. Seems pretty strange if they would use wifi for that game and not their texas hold em game that they have in the DSiware shop.
Shadow of the Ninja looks pretty good. Not a bad update.
It feels like its been ages since our last VC game, even though its only been 2 weeks.
Tap here to load 46 comments
Leave A Comment
Hold on there, you need to login to post a comment...