Cipher

Um, I don't get it. I get that people are annoyed at the two Nintendo DSiWare applications released today (and it's my personal opinion that they shouldn't be reviewed in the same way that actual games are reviewed because of the fact that they're applications), that I get. I don't get that people think this is the end of Nintendo DSiWare and that it's not going to get any better from here on in.

These are two of the "pointless" (if you will) titles on the service, but you all know that they're two of the only ones - you know there are at least four more Art Style games due, and I can follow Drake up here by confirming that Art Style: PiCOPiCT and Art Style: SOMNIUM have also been rated by the OFLC. There are two more Brain Training titles, Arts and Sudoku, in the pipeline, and both are well worth the money. We'll also undoubtedly hear of more Nintendo DSiWare titles both through Nintendo Company Ltd and we might even hear of some at E3 2009.

I've got to agree with ejamer, the negativity here is completely uncalled for when you know there's a lot better to come in the coming weeks.

Nintendo America apparently says "hi, this is actually 500 Nintendo Points." According to their Nintendo Download press release, anyway.

Someone mentioned Art Style: PiCOPiCT - Nintendo Europe's just shown that at a media summit, so there's confirmation that it's on its way.

As a Nintendo site webmaster - whose site's system doesn't allow for an "Also Known As" section like yours - you've no idea how frustrating it is that essentially every Nintendo DSiWare game this far has had different names on both sides of the pond. I mean, why? Why, damn it?!

I wonder why the OFLC rated Azurio and D-Code then rated Aquite and Code. Last-minute changes by Nintendo, or an error on the OFLC's part?

Majora's Mask! **SQUEALS**
On the subject of Hanabi Festival 4, are we ever going to get Custom Robo V2 as an N64 import? I don't think we are, and I'd not be interested in getting it, it's just one of those thoughts I've always had.

YES!

Mario Golf for the epic win!

I don't believe Nintendo is ignoring WiiWare. As I'm sure a lot of people have already said, I believe it was set up and designed to allow smaller third-party companies to release their games without having to pay for expansive SDKs and other costs incurred with DS and Wii releases. It just so happens that, every so often, a major company such as Square Enix or Nintendo themselves decides they want to try it out for themselves.

Oh.
My.
GOD.

That said, got Brawl, won't bother with this. But damn, good choice Nintendo.

In the words of the somewhat twisted Creme Egg...

GOO!

@Stuffgamer1: What you Americans need to do is stop buying DS Lites, then.

"At least Cipher looks excited, not that I have any idea why, personally."

Because I'm very strange and nostalgic right now. =D

YES!

Yes, yes, yes! Get this into Europe ASAP, this is the same as the Game Gear version (I think) and I absolutely adored that game. Immediate purchase for me.

I reckon Secret of Mana and Mario Golf will be Christmas games, to be honest. They've been held back for long enough.

"Or they could just let us play games off the damn cards... T.T"

It was announced at Nintendo's Fall 2008 conference that Wii System Software 4.0, to be released in Spring 2009, would somehow allow us to do this. Have patience.

So gotta try out one of these. But I've only got enough for one

Question - of the three, which is the best? Even though they all got 8/10, one has to stand out, surely?

5500 Wii Points? £38.50?! Most Wii retail games are at least £5 cheaper than that!

I'm starting to get the feeling that the Art Style series is US-only for the time being, due to its original Japanese exclusivity. I just hope Nintendo don't decide to hold them off for Hanabi Festival 4, 'cos that would mean waiting until March 2009 or even May 2009.

Either that or they'll release all three once the third is out in the US.

This is why I'm thankful for the Nintendo-Europe.com website having 100, 300, 500 and 1000 point cards. If you want 1000 Nintendo Points, one for a 500-point WiiWare game and one for a 500-point DSiWare game, you'll just be able to buy two 500 Nintendo Points cards instead and register one on the Wii and one on the DSi.

I assume.

@ Waxxy and Bass X0: Just keep your fingers crossed we DO get GBC games in the DSi Shop Channel and that Mario Golf 64 can somehow be updated to recognise the DSi as a sort of Transfer Pak. It is possible, just very difficult to implement.

The Euro Nintendo Channel seemingly confirms we're getting Midnight Bowling on Friday, so at least that's something. Very much looking forward to the review.

I'm not even gonna complain. I could, because I REALLY want this game, but I'm glad you guys have it. Hopefully we'll get it next Friday.

Reckon Nintendo have got a fair few in the works though.

1000 Nintendo Points for a game of catch?

What the hell, Sega?!

Posting my comment from WiIWare World:

"...As far as I was aware, you'll be able to download games from the Wii Shop directly to the SD card, but I didn't know you'd be able to play directly from the SD card. If you can, though, that's fantastic, even if we do have to wait until Spring. Probably to coincide with the DSi launch."

As far as I understand, games will not be playable from an SD card. The Wii Shop Channel will merely give you the option to download games straight to the SD card in exactly the same fashion as the DSi Shop Channel.

Virtual Handheld NEEDS to happen. DSi can be the Transfer Pack to the Wii's N64 Virtual Console titles! ^_

Really? As far as I was aware, you'll be able to download games from the Wii Shop directly to the SD card, but I didn't know you'd be able to play directly from the SD card. If you can, though, that's fantastic, even if we do have to wait until Spring. Probably to coincide with the DSi launch.

This makes way more sense. Good move by Nintendo for overseas regions, just not so good for Europe.

I had a feeling I'd find this on Euro WiiWare tonight.

"It just feels like whenever we get something new, the U.S seem to want them when they next get wiiware, again, no offence, just curious."
And whenever there are new games out in the US, you don't get hoards of Europeans saying "cool, I really hope we get that on Friday"?

"Before anyone tells me, I know it got delayed because Nintendo didnt want the drums to be involved, but that was in June/July, they promised august when they heard that."
How do you know there haven't been issues in development? Just because they haven't said anything doesn't mean it's all been going swimmingly.

So if they're coming out here next week, are we to assume the last two Hanabi Festival titles will be released alongside WiiWare two weeks from now? And will these two titles be part of the Hanabi Festival too?

Mario Golf 64! That's made my day.

If Nintendo has announced four new titles, I'd expect two in two weeks and the other two in four weeks. They're starting Hanabi Festival 3 in August rather than September probably due to WiiWare taking up every other week, 'cos it looks like it's on a six-month rota (September/March).
(EDIT: Ignore that, it was in May - completely blanked on that.)

Space Invaders Extreme on DS was an excellent game, so let's hope this is too.

...How is this in any way related to what happened in America? Nintendo Europe didn't mention any dates, it was likely we'd get SSII anyway. And don't be hating on Reggie, 'cos you know full well it isn't his fault.

"This is garbage!!!! I bought the Wii primarily for the classic games"
That was a very, very stupid thing to do.

@whalleywhat: Hit the nail on the head.

Can I just confirm that it was the respective companies that confirmed their games would be released and not Nintendo? They clearly didn't have 100% confirmation, otherwise there would have been a very different selection of games today. Nintendo never stated that these games would be released today.

Well, none of the VC titles you mentioned in the article are out. You get Sonic The Hedgehog on Master System and Splatterhouse 2 on Genesis. (Sega Week says hi. )

"I can't afford Brawl this week. Debts came up in the last minute (not literally) so I have to wait another week."
Probably just as well, there's a chance it won't work if you've had your Wii for a while, due to it being a dual-layer game and the Wii lens possibly being a little dirty.

Help me out here, VCR. Why, when you know that WiiWare and Virtual Console alternate weeks in Europe, do you still make a post every other Friday when you know there aren't gonna be any VC releases?

Related to this week, I think we've averaged out our good weeks and bad weeks now, so this week is fairly disappointing. I can't understand why Nintendo Europe doesn't just release Virtual Console games on Friday and WiiWare on Tuesday, as with its launch. Specifically, I was hoping for My Pokémon Ranch this week.

Regardless, I'm not a hardcore VC/WiiWare person, I have actual Wii games to keep me occupied.

For weeks on end recently, we've had some of the best VC weeks since the Wii launched, what with the Hanabi Festival 2, Commodore 64 games and a fantastic WiiWare launch. The number of complaints at one poor week (which it isn't, as Actionloop Twist is certainly better than average) just shows how greedy and hypocritical some Europeans are. Nintendo Europe is at a disadvantage when it comes to downloadable releases due to translation issues, so not everything will be immediately available. Obviously you lot don't care about that in the slightest.

Unfortunately the disadvantages outweigh the advantages here. It's a good game, better than paying £30 for the DS version, but 1,000 Points is still steep. Plus, one game? And that leaves us six games behind America. If Nintendo Europe is planning to alternate the Virtual Console and WiiWare, we need to be seeing at least four or five releases every week on each format.

As far as I know, the Dr. Mario Demo includes only online multiplayer, so you can play online against someone who has the full game. Plus, it's free!

I'm seriously thinking about getting LostWinds on Tuesday. It's looking brilliant, something I'm definitely gonna need after my exams. I need to take a chance with a purchase too.

Any chance of getting Custom Robo V2, do you think?

Nintendo-Europe.com has just listed Hanabi Festival games for the rest of the month:

"Over the coming weeks, you’ll also be able to enjoy other never-before-seen greats such as Gley Lancer (SEGA MEGA DRIVE), Cho Aniki (Muscle Brothers) (Turbografx), Puyo Puyo 2 (SEGA MEGA DRIVE) and Star Parodier (Turbografx), and more."

A press release.
Tomorrow.
Yes, tomorrow.

...Remind me what day it is tomorrow?