Not sure what's going on here.

It's been a few months since WiiWare shooter Blaster Master: Overdrive hit the North American Wii Shop Channel, but Europeans are a patient bunch, waiting quietly for their turn to play. That wait is nearly over, as the game will be waiting for you on the Shop Channel next week, priced at 1,000 Points.

Here's the press release, complete with excellent turns of phrase such as "flesh-eating, hemoglobin-swilling terrors" and "a shape-shifting, gas-guzzling, projectile-spewing paean to destruction on four wheels." Good job, press release writer.

AICHI, JAPAN (June 11th, 2010) – Sunsoft, a division of SUN CORPORATION (JASDAQ: 6736), today announce that Blaster Master™: OVERDRIVE will be available through the WiiWare™ channel across the PAL territories from the 18th of June 2010 for 1000 Wii Points.

Released back in February for North America, Blaster Master™: OVERDRIVE is an action-shooting game that takes place on an Earth infected by an aggressive, polymorphic virus. Poor, defenseless animals worldwide infected by the virus have been turned into flesh-eating, hemoglobin-swilling terrors. Fortunately, the world has Alex. And, even more coincidentally, he happens to be one of the world’s foremost biologists - specialising in viral mutation profiles and genetic manipulation.

Every studious biologist facing imminent global annihilation needs a sweet ride, and Alex is no exception. He has S.O.P.H.I.A., a shape-shifting, gas-guzzling, projectile-spewing paean to destruction on four wheels. Things look grim, but with Alex and S.O.P.H.I.A. on the case, the world just may have a chance.

Gameplay in Blaster Master™: OVERDRIVE retains the critically acclaimed format of the original NES Blaster Master™, alternating between side-scrolling platform in S.O.P.H.I.A. and overhead-perspective blasting and exploration when controlling Alex. Upgrades for S.O.P.H.I.A. must be collected to access progressively more challenging terrain and a total of eight distinct areas. Each area features a mutant boss that must be defeated to progress.

The sublime blend of side-scrolling shooting/platform mixed with overhead perspective action/shooter areas are just as addictive now as it was in the original game.

Do you still have what it takes to come out on top?