Nintendo hopes you like puzzle games, because that's five of the eight games released this week across WiiWare and DSiWare. To nobody's surprise, the Virtual Console has yet again been left out on a hill to die or something. But look, puzzlers!
WiiWare
Art Style: Rotozoa (Nintendo, 600 Points) – This entry in the Art Style series emerged in Europe a few weeks ago under the guise of Penta Tentacles, and now it's arrived in North America with an infinitely less crap name. Check out our Art Style: Rotozoa review to see why it's the best thing to happen to tentacles since Dr. Octopus.
The Tales of Bearsworth Manor: Chaotic Conflicts (Square Enix, 1000 Points) – One half of a Bearsworth duo this week. The description in the press release doesn't do a whole lot of explaining as to what this is all about apart from that you'll be flinging paper bears at a storybook. We'll let you know how that works out.
The Tales of Bearsworth Manor: Puzzling Pages (Square Enix, 1000 Points) – More Bearsworth, but this one focuses on "innovative puzzles" as opposed to Chaotic Conflicts' action-oriented approach. Completing both games will reveal "an even deeper mystery," so get crackin', we suppose.
DSiWare
Spin Six (Nintendo, 500 Points) – A puzzle game in which you rotate numbered panels to line them up and make them disappear. Sounds like Bejeweled with math, a potentially terrifying experience for the Liberal Arts crowd.
Puffins: Let's Fish! (Other Ocean Interactive, 500 Points) – The Puffins are back after their roll-a-thon and apparently hungry for capelin. Hopefully this one is more majestic-catch-hooray and less sad-dolphin-caught-in-net.
Mega Words (Digital Leisure, 500 Points) – Hundreds of puzzles worth of word scrambles, anagrams and Hangman make up this package to potentially soothe those frightened by Spin Six.
Super Swap (Teyon, 500 Points) – We have to hand it to Teyon; they write the best press releases. This block-swapping match-three puzzler promises "plenty of twists and never-before-seen game play" that has "so much fast and furious puzzling fun, you'll never want to stop the swapping!" Your move, PopCap.
Legendary Wars: T-Rex Rumble (Interplay, 800 Points) – Humans vs. dinosaurs face off in this historically inaccurate real-time strategy game where you must save the fate of mankind.
Direct your angry Virtual Console fist-shakes to the full press release below.
NINTENDO DOWNLOAD: NINTENDO LETS THE FUN SHINE IN WITH EIGHT NEW GAME DOWNLOADS
June 21, 2010
This week brings the longest daylight hours of the season across North America. Whether your own neighborhood is under sunny skies or summer clouds, the weather on Nintendo's Wii™ Shop Channel and Nintendo DSi™ Shop is always inviting. New additions for the WiiWare™ service this week include an eye-popping new installment in the Art Style™ series and a pair of The Tales of Bearsworth Manor™ action-puzzle games. Hand-held gamers can choose from five new games for the Nintendo DSiWare™ service, including the puzzle fun of Spin Six™, the undersea amusement of Puffins: Let's Fish! and the prehistoric adventure of Legendary Wars: T-Rex Rumble.
We've also got new arrivals in 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's additions come from the Treehouse, Nintendo's game localization team. 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.
WiiWare
Art Style: Rotozoa™
Publisher: Nintendo
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone)
Price: 600 Wii Points™
Description: Control a circular creature-like organism known as a rotozoan and nimbly make your way through level after level of primordial ooze. Comprised of only three distinct parts (colored sides, tentacles and life force), the focus of your rotozoan life is simple: grow your tentacles. After playing a few levels and learning the basics of your microscopic world, you begin to unlock additional modes of play and the ability to choose the number of tentacles on your rotozoan. Each mode has its own specific purpose: reach a particular length with your tentacles or grow them to the greatest length possible. In either mode, growing your tentacles means absorbing enemies known as goobugs by touching them. There's just one catch: Successfully absorbing a goobug depends on matching its color to your tentacle. Also, longer tentacles can more easily come in contact with incorrectly colored goobugs (causing damage to the tentacle and decreasing your life force), and the goobugs themselves multiply and begin adapting to your movement. Luckily, objects such as the restorative heart item and special attack-enabling cyclone item can be found floating in the ooze to help your rotozoan survive. With atmospheres ranging from peaceful to intensely challenging, Art Style: Rotozoa offers a wide variety of levels. Victory can only be achieved through quick, precise movement and the ability to remain calm under pressure. Are you ready to take on the goobugs? Games in the Art Style series feature elegant design, polished graphics and pick-up-and-play controls, creating an experience focused purely on fun and engaging game play.
The Tales of Bearsworth Manor: Chaotic Conflicts™
Publisher: SQUARE ENIX
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone) - Mild Cartoon Violence
Price: 1,000 Wii Points
Description: A crumbling mansion is home to a most peculiar picture book. Gather your courage and open the door to this odd, unsettling and slightly scary tale. Turn the tide of frantic battles by using the Wii Remote™ controller to throw animated paper bears into the picture book's unusual pages. Use all the tools at your disposal to defend the shining blue jewels found within against Kina, the mysterious young boy residing in the mansion. Thirty exciting and challenging stages await you.The Tales of Bearsworth Manor: Puzzling Pages™
Publisher: SQUARE ENIX
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone) - Mild Cartoon Violence
Price: 1,000 Wii Points
Description: A crumbling mansion is home to a most peculiar picture book. Gather your courage and open the door to this odd, unsettling and slightly scary tale. Solve innovative puzzles by using the Wii Remote controller to throw animated paper bears into the picture book's unusual pages. Grab all the red candies found inside, carefully place your bears and cleverly manipulate the unique environments. Delve into the unfolding drama of Pina, the mysterious young girl residing in the mansion. Thirty exciting and challenging stages await you.
Nintendo DSiWare™
Spin Six
Publisher: Nintendo
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone) - Comic Mischief
Price: 500 Nintendo DSi Points
Description: Spin Six is a puzzle game in which you rotate numbered panels to line them up and make them disappear. The real challenge lies in your ability to create chains of uninterrupted changing or elimination of panels and to connect many chains to score big points. Puzzle mode offers nearly 200 puzzles to solve, either in the One-Turn or Chain categories, while Time Attack mode allows you to challenge yourself to see how quickly you can eliminate a set number of panels. If you're more into points, the goal of Score Attack mode is to see how many points you can score within a set time limit (make the Spinnerator appear and get into Fever Time to really maximize your score!). Chain Challenge mode is all about the number of chains you can make without interruption. Give Spin Six a whirl to discover its multiple modes and deep yet easy-to-master game play.Puffins: Let's Fish!
Publisher: Other Ocean Interactive
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone)
Price: 500 Nintendo DSi Points
Description: Dive into the deep blue sea and fill your belly with delicious fish in Puffins: Let's Fish! This action game has you swimming the beautiful ocean in search of a puffin's favorite meal: the elusive capelin. But watch out! The ocean can be a dangerous place, and you're not the only one hunting for food. Sharks, jellyfish and other fearsome predators are just waiting to take a bite out of you. It's an all-you-can-eat feast with two different and exciting modes across 18 underwater stages. Take a deep breath, jump in and come out with a full belly!
Mega Words
Publisher: Digital Leisure
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone) - Cartoon Violence
Price: 500 Nintendo DSi Points
Description: It's time to put on your thinking cap and see how many of the hundreds of puzzles you can solve in Mega Words. Three classic puzzlers are included in this puzzle pack: Word Scrambler, Anagram Hunt and Hangman. There's no need for erasers here! These portable editions feature extensive dictionaries to challenge novices and expert players alike. See how fast you can unscramble words, sharpen your vocabulary and stretch your mind with Mega Words.Super Swap
Publisher: Teyon
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone)
Price: 500 Nintendo DSi Points
Description: Can't get enough of swapping puzzle games but want something different? Swap till you drop with Super Swap, an exciting blend of arcade action and matching fun. Drag colorful blocks in one of four directions to connect three or more blocks and clear the board. As new blocks fall, you'll have to move fast to keep the stack from reaching the top. Experience plenty of twists and never-before-seen game play as you make combos, collect special power-ups and gain additional points in four different game modes. With so much fast and furious puzzling fun, you'll never want to stop the swapping!
Legendary Wars: T-Rex Rumble
Publisher: Interplay
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: E10+ (Everyone 10 and Older) - Mild Cartoon Violence
Price: 800 Nintendo DSi Points
Description: In a dark corner of prehistory, a tiny tribe of humans fights for the future of mankind. Struggling to survive, these ancestors of humanity desperately search for food and the means to defend their village. The human race teeters on the brink of extinction. Only inspired leadership can save them. Command more than 20 men to defend your village and simultaneously manage the constant search for food. Lead your warriors against hordes of dinosaurs in real-time battles. Control your tribe's actions to efficiently gather resources and boost their numbers. Gather knowledge to increase their power. Enlist the help of a powerful Shaman and direct his magic to heal your men and confound your enemies. Do all this using a new style of interface to intuitively group your men and issue orders with simple drags of your stylus. Under your leadership, the human race has a fighting chance.
Comments 55
Puzzlers...small compensation for lack of VC. If they wanted to focus on puzzlers so much, why not give us Kirby's Star Stacker while they were at it? Puzzler AND VC in one!
But no, we get this lot. Two Squenix games at $10 EACH? They've apparently never heard of making a cheaper game.
Dragon Quest Wars is only 500 points.
They do like those premium prices though and I'm sure both of those games have DLC too.
AAAAAAHHHHHHHH! NO VC!!! I was so hoping I'd be able to play Mario Tennis up until Wimbledon kicks off later today.
Nothing for me.
I only have 200 DSipoints anyway...
Blimey I thought North America would get Mario tennis today! So VC takes a week off. I've wanted to know what North America would get today all day!
No Mario Tennis!
What the hell has happened to Square? :/
@ Pj: You thought that we'd get it? Remember Smash Bros. lol
Maybe next week for Mario Tennis.
Oh great... Now everyone's going to whine how we don't have Mario Tennis yet... And no VC at all...
Decent looking stuff, will have to read up on them.
@Oregano: Granted, but it's DSiWare...there's VERY little there that costs what they usually charge on WiiWare. I'll also beat people to the punch: Yes, FFIV: The After Years is only 800 points, but the DLC necessary to finish the game makes that point completely moot.
I didn't think we'd get Mario Tennis this week either. Fact is: We got a VC game last week. As much as it sucks, I can no longer expect a release in a week after we just got one. Maybe we'll get it next week, though I wouldn't hold me breath on that one either.
where the heck is my Banjo Kazooie and DK 64?!
Judging from the video I just watched, Spin 6 looks really fun. Sounds like it has a lot of modes too, so I'll be getting that today.
Banjo-Kazooie is on the XBOX 360. Its not coming to VC.
Ugh, dull week.
I'm going to run and download Mario Tennis right away!
...when it comes out, that is.
I know you guys warned us earlier, but my exasperation remains...
...No Shantae?! ;_;
...and what is up with Virtual Console? >.>
With the advent of the 3DS and still no mention of an ability to transfer licenses, my purchases of DSiWare are pretty much over. I do have some points already on my DSi left to spend, but after that all DSiWare purchases will stop, perhaps with rare exception. Anyone else feel the same way? That's the one disappointment out of E3 - no sign of a license transfer capability. If they aren't going to have a way to do that from DSi to 3DS, I sure hope they at least have the ability to transfer licenses on the 3DS (from 3DS to 3DS, and to some future portable.) Anyway, for me, DSiWare is dead.
Mario Tennis please.
To me, DSiWare is like the impulse items at the checkout lane. Cheap and often enjoyable, but disposable in their simplicity, so I don't really mind letting them go. The titles I've 100%ed will probably NEVER be played by me again, so they would serve only as useless clutter if I were to transfer them.
@ stuff..... really 10 bucks for a dsiware game when 10 will land a full psone final fantasy that's multiple disc long and runs perfect on psp on the psn network. I'm ten hours into ff9 and that's one of the best ten bucks I've ever spent.
for some reason i really want to play Legendary Wars: T-Rex Rumble even thou i know it will suck with that said looks like the only good wii game is art style
Squeenix just can't make a complete game for a fair price, can they?
Humans vs. dinosaurs face off in this historically inaccurate real-time strategy game where you must save the fate of mankind.
Huh? Humans and dinsosaurs co-existed thousands of years ago.
I was considering getting those Bearsworth Manor games until I checked the Title Operations Guide. Both games have a ridiculous amount of DLC. If you decide to get all the bonus chapters for these games it will end up costing you more than a regular Wii title. It's outrageous and just way too expensive. These games should have just been released on a retail disc. Nice try SquareEnix but you aren't fooling me.
Everyone's so busy complaining about Square, nobody's even mentioned the excellent news: Art Style - Rotozoa is out today! It's easily one of the best ways to spend $6 on Wiiware. The game is excellent, especially when played with the dual analog sticks on the classic controller. Do yourselves a favor and pick it up; it most certainly makes up for not getting Mario Tennis.
Nothing.
No VC and 3 horrid Wiiware games. Another disappointing week indeed. Not that I was looking forward to anything anyways. I just always hope we get something of value. Oh well.
Finally! Rotazoa!! Definite download! Whats up with the Bearsworth games by Square?
I've been getting my favorite old games used, since they obviously won't be coming to the VC any time soon.
It's the economy. Used goods rise in popularity as businesses make cutbacks.
Huh? Humans and dinsosaurs co-existed thousands of years ago.
Indeed! I saw it on The Flintstones!
Um yeah he was joking right about the dinosaur thing? Anyone know if that games any good?
The week after E3 and one would think there would be something special for us but nope.
Well, so much for me wanting a points card so soon. Maybe by the second it'll come out, since I'll have the cash by then.
the other night i had a dream we got Tennis and Donkey Kong arcade.
"and now it's arrived in North America with an infinitely less crap name"
I prefer the EU name. By far!
@ Lucario1397: Sadly Banjo-Kazooie will never come out on VC cause Rare owns the rights and Rare is now a part of Microsoft so that is why its on the XBLA. As for Donkey Kong 64 that was a joint project by Rare and Nintendo. Nintendo owns the characters rights Donkey Kong King K Rool etc. but Rare owns the rights for the game code and such. So in other words Microsoft and Nintendo would have to come to an agreement to release Donkey Kong 64 on either VC or XBLA. So your best bet would be just to wait untill Donkey Kong Country Returns to come out.
So does anyone know why the lack of love from Nintendo concerning VC games???
@WolfRamHeart: DLC, too? COME ON, Squenix! They wouldn't be this mercenary on other consoles...for proof, please see Crystal Defenders.
@Tasuki: That explanation was incomplete. The problem isn't that Rare programmed the game in general, but that their classic game Jetpac was included in the game. Microsoft doesn't want to let that fly because Nintendo has no ownership in that IP and they have a remake of it up on XBLA. You can't say it's JUST because Rare developed it, or else we wouldn't have all three DKC's on VC already.
@Stuffgamer1: Ah ok thanks for the correction I never played DK 64 so I thought that was the reason but what you posted makes sense otherwise as you said none of the DKC games would be on VC. I thought it was the same reason that they wont release Killer Instinct on the VC.
Indeed! I saw it on The Flintstones!
It's called the Bible! Ever heard of it?
Not the best downloads for Dsiware, in my opinion.
"Humans vs. dinosaurs face off in this historically inaccurate real-time strategy game where you must save the fate of mankind."
I think it would've been funny had that been written as "historically accurate"
I'm guessing you guys across the pond will get Mario Tennis in time for the US open, makes more sense i guess but I could be wrong.
"It's called the Bible! Ever heard of it?"
Please tell me you're being sarcastic.
@Georgethecow: this is not the place for that kind of discussion. if you want to get argumentative over religion, take it elsewhere plz.
SPIN SIX is a delightful game, very packed with game modes and looks like more work went into it. Super Swap! I am a little disappointed with, though, seems to be a little light on content and very much like a free web game (imho) just giving u guys a heads up.
I'll be getting Rotozoa at a time, it looks great.
Coooool! Time to grab me the Art Style: Rotozoa cause it looks like flOw from the psn on ps3 and Super Swaps, looks kinda fun and reminds me of that game Planet Puzzle League in a way haha!
@ #23- ditto
@ #42- I disagree. If your a puzzle fan this would look like a pretty good week.
@ puzzle lovers- enjoy yourselfs
No VC and all failware games again. Nintendo if you;re gonna start releasing VC games every other week start giving us two a week now! These VC less weeks are really depressing.
@51. Kevin
...Pfff.
@Ricardo91 Stupid pushed support of a theory, anyway.
Nintendo you dorks! Stop with the lacking VC titles!
No more shovelware.
Puffins don't deserve to be reduced to mediocre characters!!!
@Georgethecow I agree. I feel that show is more logistics than fiction.
Anyway, why not go VC on DSi? Nintendo sometimes you make no sense.
Nintendo seems to show that Virtual Console no longer has any more games left to adopt from old systems.... WHY?! There are so so so so so so so so so so (so x 100) many more titles that have yet to come. If I had to name just ONE (1) or TWO (2) games that haven't come out for each system, I could!
Here:
VC Arcade: Pac-Man / Gauntlet
Commodore 64: Delta / Montezuma's Revenge
MSX: ANYTHING!
NES: Duck Hunt / Jaws
Master System: Ghostbusters
TurboGrafx-16: Legendary Axe
Sega Mega Drive: Battletoads / X-Men: The Clone Wars
Neo Geo: Last Blade / Neo Mr. Do
SNES: Super-Scope games / Chrono Trigger
Nintendo 64: NBA Hangtime / International Superstar Soccer 64
And that's just MY list! Everyone else in this forum have wish lists of their own, as does the rest of the world. So clearly Nintendo hasn't covered all bases yet! C'mon!
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