"This week's new downloadable games include a trio of WiiWare™ titles - two built around water-themed challenges and one designed to keep your mental chops in top shape. For Virtual Console™, you'll find a memorable SEGA character making his return in a classic single-player sci-fi adventure. Rounding out the lineup is a new Nintendo DSiWare™ title that's sure to have sudoku fans reaching feverishly for the nearest stylus."

"Japan gets Final Fantasy III (no not the one with Terra, the Onion Knight one on the Famicom) as a Virtual Console game next month. For 500 Wii Points ($5) you can suffer through Garuda in glorious 8-bit.

The other two games are Super Punch Out and Shinobi for Virtual Console Arcade. July 2009 will be the first month where there are less scheduled Virtual Console games than weeks in the month. This guarantees Nintendo will release less than one game a week.

Square Enix will continue to ..."

It's Monday once again, and Nintendo's downloadable services of Virtual Console, WiiWare, and DSiWare are updated once again, with three new titles headed their way to WiiWare, and one apiece for DSiWare and the Virtual Console.

The first WiiWare title is from XSEED Games: Drill Sergeant Mindstrong, developed by HI Games. It is a party game that outs your mind through boot camp, testing your brain and mettle.

From the YUKES Company of America comes the second WiiWare title, NEVES Plus....

It's Monday once again, and it's time for the Nintendo Download update for the North American WiiWare, Virtual Console, and DSiWare services. A whopping total of six games and applications are being added to the downloadable services, going 3, 2, 1 respectively for WiiWare, DSiWare, and the Virtual Console.

The first WiiWare title is Semnat Studios' side-scrolling run-and-gun, Eduardo the Samurai Toaster. Up to four people can explore 13 locations as they shoot all sort of pastries at th...

Coming this Friday to the European Virtual Console is a well-loved classic: the original Super Smash Bros. for the Nintendo 64. The original eight of Mario, Link, Samus, Donkey Kong, Pikachu, Fox, Yoshi, and Kirby get ready to duke it out across the game's nine stages.

Other games hitting Nintendo's European downloadable services this week are Cocoto Platform Jumper for WiiWare, and Asphalt 4: Elite Racing and Sudoku 150! For Challengers for DSiWare.

It's the first week of June, and it's E3 week, so what's a better way to start off the week than some new games on the Nintendo Downloadable services. One DSiWare, two WiiWare, and one Virtual Console title are headed our way.

The DSiWare title is WayForward Technologies' Mighty Flip Champs. Players take control of Alta, and have to navigate mazes via her Magical Warp Wand, which allows her to flip the mazes with another.

The first WiiWare title is Final Fantasy IV: The After Years, f...

Happy Memorial Day for the folks in the United States, and we can look forward to five titles hitting Nintendo's downloadable services of Virtual Console, WiiWare, and DSiWare this week. Two apiece for WiiWare and DSiWare is on the docket, while again a single title for the Virtual Console, which would be release #301.

The first DSiWare title is American Popstar: Road to Celebrity from Gameloft. Take your musical career from your high school auditions to the big stage as you try to becom...

Today marks the release of the 300th Virtual Console title for the North American Virtual Console, and that distinction goes to none other than the N64 classic The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask. It is accompanied by one DSiWare and two WiiWare titles this week.

The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask is the only VC title this week, but people won't be complaining. This direct sequel to the eternal favorite Ocarina of Time has Link traveling to the world of Termina in chase of the Majora's Ma...

It's the Monday of the 113th running of the Boston Marathon, and four games reach the Nintendo downloadable services of the Virtual Console, WiiWare, and DSiWare this week in North America. Two DSiWare titles, one WiiWare title, and one Virtual Console title are in this week's wave.

The first DSiWare title this week is Dr. Mario Express from Nintendo. It's a single player version of the classic virus-busting game, with two modes available: Classic Mode, and vs. CPU mode, where players ca...

Last week with the release of the Nintendo DSi in North America, Nintendo of America's Wii-kly Update, known as the Wii Shop Channel Update here on GameGrep, was changed to the Nintendo Download, with titles for the DSi's downloadable service DSiWare becoming available now on Mondays. Thusly, we will change over from the Wii Shop Channel Update to a new moniker, the Nintendo Download Update, bringing you the latest Virtual Console, WiiWare, and now, DSiWare updates every Monday. DSiWare abb...

With Wii Firmware 4.0U also comes a new update to the Wii Shop Channel: a new platform!

Classic arcade titles will now be available for the Virtual Console, with pricing beginning at 500 points. Four titles are currently available in North America and Europe: The Tower of Druaga, Mappy, Starforce, and Gaplus (600 Points). Japan has these four games, along with Space Harrier, Return of Ishtar, Solvalou, and Emeraldia.

During Satoru Iwata's keynote at the 2009 Game Developer's Conference, the Nintendo CEO announced two new WiiWare titles: one that we already knew about, Final Fantasy IV: The After Years, and one we didn't: My Life as a Darklord: Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles, the sequel to last year's My Life as a King. Also announced by Iwata is that the Final Fantasy series will make its way to the Virtual Console.

You can view the rest of the happenings during Iwata's keynote here.

It's another Monday, and another three games will make their way to the North American Wii Shop Channel. This week we have a pair of import TurboGrafx games, and a solid puzzle game from our friends at Hudson Entertainment.

The WiiWare title is Pop'Em Drop'Em SAMEGAME, from Hudson Entertainment. Clearing your puzzle grid is the name of the game in single player, trying to shoot for the high score. Up to four players can play three different multiplayer modes, "Fame Game", which is like ...

It is the first Monday in March, and two games were added to the North American Wii Shop Channel today, in the form of one WiiWare game, and one Virtual Console game.

The WiiWare title is Family & Friends Party from Gammick Entertainment. It is an interactive board game title for up to eight players, where the goal is to be the first player to complete a series of challenges. There are two type of challenges, "Single" cooperative challenges and "Versus" competitive challenges.

The Vir...

"Early in the summer of 2007 Starmen.Net received an unsolicited message:

"EB on VC in July."


There wasn't much else to the message. We were skeptical at first -- EarthBound fans have endured more ill-fated rumors, delays, false starts, cancellations and disappointments than probably any other fanbase in gaming history, so we approach everything with a healthy skepticism. Like, 0% body fat skepticism."

It's another Monday, and another two games will be added to the North American Wii Shop Channel today. One WiiWare game and one Virtual Console game are being added to the service. Nintendo is also teasing an upcoming new surprise, which many suspect will be the release of Commodore 64 games on the North American Virtual Console.

The WiiWare game this week is Evasive Space from the Yukes Company of America. Use the Wii Remote's pointer to maneuver Konki the Stellar Guardian as he rescue...

It is another Monday, and another three games will be added to the North American Wii Shop Channel today, in the form of two WiiWare games and one Virtual Console game to kick off the month of February.

The first WiiWare title is Hudson Entertainment's Snowboard Riot. It is a snowboard racing game with items strewn about the slopes to use in attack or defense as you make your way to be first down the mountain. Compatible with the Wii Balance Board, up to four players can join in on the a...

"Oh yeah! I picked a real stinker this time. As always, this video is dedicated to anyone who’s been traumatized by this game."

Another Monday, and another two games were added to the Wii Shop Channel today, with one apiece for both WiiWare and the Virtual Console.

The WiiWare title this week is Niki - Rock 'n' Ball from Bplus, the makers of Plattchen Twist 'n' Paint. It is a return to those favorable arcade classics, where the only goal is to defeat all enemies in a level to proceed to the next one. Players control the ball-shapped Niki, whose primary actions are rolling and jumping; as the player proceeds throu...

"Is your game calendar empty between now and Street Fighter IV? The holiday game deluge didn't curb your insatiable appetite? Are you low on cash, but need a gaming fix? Do retro titles tug at your tiny gamer heart-strings? Well, that dusty Wii under your SDTV does more than waggle; it also houses the Virtual Console and a cornucopia of cheap retro classics. Ok, maybe not a cornucopia, but the Virtual Console offers a few rare gems that are worth their weight in space gold.

The following e..."

It's the second Monday of the new year, and another three games will be added to the North American Wii Shop Channel today, in the form of two WiiWare games and one Virtual Console game.

The first WiiWare game is Jungle Speed from Playful Entertainment. Based on the card game of the same name, the game supports up to eight players simultaneously, with four players using the Wii Remote while the other four uses the Nunchuk. Everybody has a set of cards that continually gets flipped in tur...

It's a new year, and Nintendo of America has started it off with two new games being added to the Wii Shop Channel to kick it off.

The WiiWare title today is Sandy Beach from Konami, where the title takes you out to beach to partake in one of the great beach pastimes: sand castle building. You can go for a relaxing build, or you can go into battle in the game's Crab Battle mode, where (not-so-giant) enemy crabs threaten to destroy your castle. In-between enemy waves you can use your meta...

It's the last Monday of 2008, and Nintendo is ending the year with a bang: three new games are being added to the North American Wii Shop Channel today, in the form of two WiiWare games and one Virtual Console game.

The first WiiWare title is Maboshi's Arcade, published by Nintendo and developed by Mindware Corp. This game is composed of three minigames, however, the catch is that they are all played simultaneously on the same screen. For up to three players, each player or the A.I. can ...

Another Monday rolls by, and another three games will be added to the North American Wii Shop Channel today. We get two WiiWare games and a Virtual Console game, each with their own fair share of goodness.

The first WiiWare game is Tiki Towers from RealArcade. From the outset is seems like a jungle-themed World of Goo clone, however you need to use your monkey friends to build your way to and defeat the invading enemy chiefs. The game will retail for 500 points.

The other WiiWare gam...

It's another Monday, and another three games were added to the North American Wii Shop Channel today, in the form of two WiiWare games and one Virtual Console game.

Highlighting the list is the final episode from Telltale's episodic point-and-click-em-up series, Strong Bad's Cool Game for Attractive People. Episode 5, titled 8-Bit is Enough, has the titular hero having to stop his most fearsome enemy yet: Trogdor the Burninator. The world of 8-Bits is leaking into Strong Bad's world, but...

It's Monday once more, and another three games were added to the North American Wii Shop Channel today, with two new WiiWare games and one Virtual Console game coming onto the service.

The first WiiWare title is Taito's Space Invaders Get Even, where you get to take control of those lovable space invaders as they get revenge on the earthlings for the atrocities committed against them years ago. Control an Invader UFO and take command of the Space Invaders as you destroy buildings and batt...

It's another Monday, and three new games were added to the North American Wii Shop Channel today. In this edition, we get two new WiiWare games plus one Virtual Console game that is sure to tickle someone's fancy.

The first WiiWare title is Brain Challenge from Gameloft. Like a mini-Brain Training, you and up to three other people can challenge your minds and work on boosting your brain and releasing some stress.

The other WiiWare title is Yummy Yummy Cooking Jam from Virtual Toys. Y...

It's a new Monday, and three more games were added to the North American Wii Shop Channel today. We have a couple of new installments into some quality series for WiiWare, and the first game in a popular Genesis series for the Virtual Console.

The first WiiWare game is Strong Bad's Cool Game for Attractive People Episode 3: Baddest of the Bands from Telltale Games. Our good cool pal Strong Bad is low on funds, so he decides to enter and dominate the "Battle Royale of the Bands". Featuri...

Exar, makers of the Wii Neo Geo Stick, have announced that they will be releasing two new arcade sticks for the Wii. One will be a regular edition for Virtual Console titles, and will be priced at 5229 yen. The other stick will be a sexy Tatsunoko vs. Capcom-branded stick, complete with images of Ryu, Chun-Li, Ken the Eagle, and Casshern, and will retail for 6279 yen.

The sticks will release on November 27th, a couple weeks ahead of the retail release of Tatsunoko vs. Capcom Cross Genera...

It's a new Monday, and there are four new games being added to the North American Wii Shop Channel today. There are two new WiiWare games ready for play, and a pair of import TurboGrafx games ready for you to try out for the first time.

The first WiiWare title is Tetris Party from Tetris Online, Inc. The classic Tetris action brings its wares to the Wii, with 10 new single-player and multiplayer modes joining the classic game. Some of these new modes will make use of the Wii remote's po...

It's another Monday, and four more games were added to the North American Wii Shop Channel this week. Its a doozy of an update that plans to put your wallet in a world of hurt: two hotly-anticipated games, one game that is another entry in a really good series, and another entry in a legendary series.

The first WiiWare title is the critically well-received World of Goo from 2D Boy. In World of Goo, you will have to create structures from various balls of goo that will lead to an exit/goa...

It's another Monday, and some more games are being added to the North American Wii Shop Channel today. There is a whopping four games up for grabs, highlighted by the SRPG Shining Force II for the Genesis. However, that's not the only good game heading the VC's way today. There are two WiiWare games and two Virtual Console games making their way to the service.

The first WiiWare game is Gameloft's Midnight Bowling. Up to four players can get it on the electric atmosphere of the nightti...

It's a new Monday, and three more games make their way to the Wii Shop Channel in North America. This week, we get word of ports are in progress of an incredibly well-done GBA series, along with more entries in popular series.

The first WiiWare game is Art Style: ORBIENT, which is brought to WiiWare by Nintendo. This is an upgraded version of bit Generations: Orbital, which was for the original GBA; it was a part of the bit Generations series, which brought great gameplay with simple con...

"The system was best known for its far superior port of Ghouls N' Ghosts compared to the Genesis port."

We all knew it was coming. Now, are you finally ready to get your retro groove on? That's right, folks: Capcom's latest game in the vaunted Mega Man series, their retro revival Mega Man 9, finally hits virtual store shelves today, with the WiiWare edition hitting the North America Wii Shop Channel today. However, this isn't the only one: it's being flanked by another WiiWare game and two Virtual Console games, giving us a rare four game update.

Leading the charge, of course, is none oth...

It's another Monday, and some more games will be added to the North American Wii Shop Channel today. Unlike previous weeks where we've seen one WiiWare game and two Virtual Consoles get uploaded, this week plays a little reversal on us, with two WiiWare games and one Virtual Console game getting added this week.

The first WiiWare game is one that we've already knew it was coming: Strong Bad's Cool Game for Attractive People Episode 2: Strong Badia the Free, from developer Telltale Games. ...

"Many will recall that Capcom has numerous classic titles from the days of the Nintendo Entertainment System and the Super Nintendo as well, yet there are specific games from that era that have still yet to make their way onto the Virtual Console retro download service. The reason behind this has now been revealed.

Unfortunately, because Capcom teamed up with Disney for many NES, SNES and Mega Drive classics, such as Duck Tales, Chip ‘N Dale, Aladdin, DarkWing Duck and TaleSpin, it means t..."

With the Hanabi Festival wrapping up over in Europe, North America gets its own little import week this week, with a pair of shoot-em-ups that never made its way to our neck of the woods until today. Accompanying the two games is an all-new WiiWare puzzle game that is sure to rock your fancy.

That WiiWare game is titled Groovin' Blocks, and is developed by newcomer developer Empty Clip Studios, and is their first title. While at its heart it is a matching-falling-block puzzle game, it ad...

Happy Labor Day everyone! Kick back on your day off work with these three hot new releases making their way to the Wii Shop Channel. We have the 250th retro game release for the Virtual Console this week, which Nintendo is celebrating with one of the most celebrated games of all time. But it's not the only game this week, as it's flanked by a relaxing new WiiWare game from the guys at Hudson, and another NES classic.

The WiiWare title this week is My Aquarium, developed by Hudson Entert...

It was a decent August for Japan, what with Rockman 2, Twinbee, and Nazo no Murasamejou coming out for the Japanese Virtual Console service, but their September just may trump what August had to offer. One of the more celebrated games for the SNES makes its way to the service this month.

Famicom:

Tantei Jinguuji Saburo: Yokohama Minato Renzoku Satsujin Jiken (September 2nd)

Wagyan Land

Super Famicom:

Seiken Densetsu 2 (Secret of Mana) [Wiki]

Space Invaders

Nintendo 64:

Mario Go...

As we approach a new month, Hudson gives us a look at the upcoming games coming out for Nintendo's Virtual Console service, updating its ware on its Virtual Console site.

For the North Americans, we will see at least these two games make its way to the Virtual Console in September: the shooter that tests your manliness, Cho Aniki and another shoot-em-up from Hudson's Star Soldier series, Final Soldier.

For those in PAL Land, on September 5th you will see the arcade police chase game Cha...

"We will be streaming a feed live on our website of us playing Mother 1,2,&3 from August 28 at 4pm till August 30 at 11 pm (55 hours straight!). We will feature chat along with video to create an interactive event. Our main goal will be to encourage phone calls to Nintendo of America (NOA) requesting Earthbound to be brought to the U.s in some way shape or form."

It's another Monday, and it's another weekly update for the North American Virtual Console. With Super Mario RPG hitting the virtual shelves of the PAL Virtual Console on Friday, one would hope that we would see that we would get it this week. Alas, this is not the case, however, we still got two pretty good Virtual Console games this week, which more than make up for the lack of Super Mario RPG.

The WiiWare title this week is Helix, developed by Ghostfire Games. It is a rhythm game, th...

When Friday rolls around, those in Europe know that they're due for their update for Virtual Console or WiiWare titles. With Nintendo of Europe choosing to alternate between each, the surprises seemed to be nil.

That is, until NoE announced that its Hanabi Festival will return once more, for a third go-around. The Hanabi Festival is NoE's showcase of import titles that will make their way onto the region's Virtual Console. Two games made their way onto the service this week.

The high...

After feeling cool and attractive last week, Nintendo serves us up a more retro feel today, featuring the debut game of Capcom's Blue Bomber. One WiiWare game and two Virtual Console games hit the links, looking for that perfect shot.

The WiiWare title this week is Midnight Pool, brought to you by Gameloft Entertainment. Aim for the top in a nationwide pool tournament that will literally have you traveling nationwide in your quest for pool fame and fortunes. There's a place for you tric...

It's another Monday, and three more games get added to the North American Wii Shop Channel, in the form of one hotly anticipated WiiWare and a cool duo of TurboGrafx imports, one of which is a highly acclaimed shoot-em-up.

The WiiWare title today is Telltale Games's Strong Bad's Cool Game for Attractive People Episode 1: Homestar Ruiner, as was announced by the developer last week. The game stars Strong Bad, of Homestar Runner fame, in a point-and-click adventure that has the star trying ...

"Now that Nintendo's WiiWare service has launched and games are starting to come out on a regular basis, some of the games that came out for the Virtual Console are being ignored for these newfangled titles with their remote waggling features and online play. Oh the foolishness of youth! Who needs stuff like that when you've got old-skool, classic punishment to be dished out - and for less cash?! Our own Darthziggy and Mike Z. have done extensive research into the retro gaming world (aka the s..."

In a surprising twist of events, the three Virtual Console games that were purportedly supposed to release today, Mega Man, Ys Book I & II, and Samurai Shodown II, we get none of them. Instead on the Virtual Console side of things, we get the 8-bit version of the Blue Blur's first adventure, and the return of Rick, who once again has to save his girlfriend Jennifer.

The WiiWare title today is Wild West Guns, developed by GameLoft. It is a Wild West-styled lightgun shooter, utilizing the ...

A controversial game hits the Wii Shop Channel's virtual shelves this week, flanked by two popular quality games. Sure, it isn't SBCG4AP like people were expecting, but there are some retro gems to be had.

The WiiWare game this week is the much maligned Pong Toss--Frat Party Games, developed by JV Games. It aims to bring the collegiate pasttime to the Wii, making use of the Wii Remote. It has received much controversy and criticism in the mainstream media, that prompted the name change....

After having some pretty good releases last month in both quality and quantity, Japan's VC fare for August seems a bit dialed back. There are some definite gems, but there's nothing really groundbreaking. Also included is Japan's update for next Tuesday, the last update of July.

Next week's releases (July 29, 2008):

Rockman (Famicom) [Wiki]

Street Fighter II: Special Champion Edition (Mega Drive)

Blood Gear (PC Engine)

Eggy (MSX)

August Release List:
Famicom:

Twinbee

Nazo no...

After having a WiiWare week last week, Europe gets its Virtual Console fix this week, with three new games added to Nintendo's retro download service. The games this week provide an arcade-type action feel, with all three games pretty much pick up and play.

The first game is International Karate + for the Commodore 64, a very popular sequel for International Karate. The game pits three different fighters in a free-for-all match; up to two are controlled by human players, with the third a...

The Wii Shop Channel has been in a very shoot-em-up mood recently. Konami recently announced Gradius Rebirth for WiiWare, and this week's three offerings for the North American Wii Shop Channel are all of the shoot-em-up variety. Get your guns and beams ready, folks, in the form of one WiiWare game and two Virtual Console games.

The WiiWare game is one that Europe just recently got, and that is Pirates: The Key of Dreams, by Oxygen Games. Players will control a pirate ship that will hav...

It's E3 week, and Nintendo of America provides us with three new offerings for the Wii Shop Channel; one for WiiWare, and two for the Virtual Console. Although not AAA gems by any stretch of the imagination, there are some good games that could be worth giving a shot.

The WiiWare title this week is Mastiff Games' Major League Eating: The Game. Featuring the world's top competitive eaters, this game will not disappoint such fans of annual hot dog eating contest and other eating competitio...

"Prepare to battle it out in the toughest fighting contest of them all, King of Fighters, as ART OF FIGHTING 2TM arrives on Virtual Console! Originally released in 1994 by SNK on NEOGEO, knuckle down for this high-octane fighting game and use a range of deadly techniques to unleash devastating attacks on your opponents to become champion! As in the previous version of the game, using a deadly technique lowers your 'rage gauge', so use them strategically to cause the maximum amount of damage an..."

It's another Monday, and two more games were added to the North American Wii Shop Channel. Today should have been a release for Plaatchen Twist and Paint, but that was later pushed back for later in the month. In it's stead, we have the meager offering of one WiiWare game and one Virtual Console game. Disappointing week to be sure.

The WiiWare title is SPOGS Racing by D2C Games, an arcade-style racer that aims to bring the experience to the home console. The game will sport pick-up-and...

It's kind of hard to compete when last month had one of the best weeks ever. But somehow, just somehow, Nintendo manages to cook up a month that is a ridiculously good follow-up to their June releases. Why can't they show this kind of love to outside Japan?

Famicom:

Dig Dug [Wiki] (July 1st)

Chack'n Pop

Donkey Kong 3 [Wiki]

Super Famicom:

Fire Emblem: Thracia 776 [Wiki]

Nintendo 64:
-Nothing

Sega Master System:

Space Harrier [Wiki]

Sega Mega Drive:

Splatterhouse 2 [Wi...

This week's North American Wii Shop Channel update isn't going to stand up to one of Japan's best weeks ever, but it's not going to come close either. While these are two great games, you can't help but think of what could have been. One WiiWare game and one Virtual Console game this week, folks.

The WiiWare game this week is Magetica Twist, already released in Japan and Europe as Minna de Puzzloop and Actionloop Twist, respectively. It is the latest evolution of the original Puzz Loop ...

"Virtual Console offers users the ultimate retro gaming experience. This week’s titles join the list of 228 classic titles already available for Virtual Console in Europe."

It's Tuesday, so it's Japan's turn to shine with the Wii Shop Channel. Can they top what North America got? Unfortunately for those in that hemisphere, Japan churns out one of its best weeks as of yet, with the dream combo that highlighted this month. That's right, folks: this is the week that we see Super Mario RPG and Phantasy Star IV.

For the uninformed, Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars is a game highly praised and has been a fan-favorite since its release for the Super Fam...

Another week, another Monday, and another three games are added to the North American Virtual Console. It's an arcade theme this week, feature arcade-style action in the neverending epic quest of good versus evil. The split this week is one WiiWare game and two Virtual Console.

The WiiWare game is the shoot-em-up Gyrostarr, developed by High Voltage Software. Developed using the company's Quantum3 game engine, Gyrostarr boasts stellar graphics with tight gameplay. Three different cont...

A brand new week, and we're back to what seems to be the defacto norm, two WiiWare games and one Virtual Console game, at the very least until the releases pent up from launch have run dry.

The first WiiWare game is Block Breaker Deluxe, developed by Gameloft, and is the company's second WiiWare game, after TV Show King. It's really nothing more than a modernized brick-breaking game, with a stylized graphical style. The game supports up to two players.

The second WiiWare game is Cocot...

"The RetroUSB NES/SNES controller adapters enable gamers to easily attain a more genuine Virtual Console experience through the ability to use original controllers. Some hackers have gone even further, building custom circuitry into old equipment. Custom Nintendo themselves have contributed the Super Famicom Classic Controller to the cause of authentic retrogaming.

Raphnet's projects include not only adapters and fully-modded SNES and NES controllers, but also N64 solutions. Raphaël Assén..."

The Virtual Console was a wasteland in Europe last week, with the region getting a grand total of zero new games. This week is looking to make that back up, with a whopping five games added to the service.

The first game is Last Ninja 2: Back with a Vengeance, the sequel to the original The Last Ninja game that was already released, for the Commodore 64. The game retains the isometric view and gameplay elements from its prequel, but this time with a more modern setting, set in New York.
...

The train just keeps on rolling.

The fan-favorite and ever-popular Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars for the SNES was rated by Australia's review and rating board, the Office of Film and Literature Classification (OFLC).

The game, at first being thought to be a pipe dream due to Square's reluctance to release its games on the Virtual Console, is one step closer to reaching North American Virtual Console shores. It is already set to release this month in Japan.

With last week's update, North America got two WiiWare games and one Virtual Console game. This week, the roles are reversed, with the added bonus of the two Virtual Console games being a pair of imports.

The WiiWare game is the long-awaited My Pokémon Ranch, developed by Nintendo. The game will allow a player to transfer Pokémon from his/her copy of Pokémon Diamond or Pearl, and then play and interact with them on-screen. The ranch will level up with the more Pokémon the player bri...

With one of today's additions already have been announced, and the virtual megaton being uncovered the other day, you would imagine that we would've seen a super stellar lineup available this week. Three new games are available today; two of which are WiiWare, and one headed to the Virtual Console.

The first WiiWare game is a shoot-em-up developed by Argentine developers Sabarasa and Digital Builders, and brought to WiiWare by Ubisoft. The game is Protothea, a redesigned version of the P...

One week removed from WiiWare Launching in Europe, the PAL region continues to get some love from Nintendo of Europe. Three games were added today to the Virtual Console, and it's a pretty diverse list too.

The first game up in this set is Samurai Shodown, the first game in SNK's fighting game series. The series is regarded as one of the top-tier fighting game franchises, with this game and its sequel, Samurai Shodown II receiving high praise from gamers and critics alike.


This week...

Nintendo has released its release list for the Virtual Console in Japan for the month of June, and there are some show-stoppers on that list. It is looking to be another great month for the Japanese VC.

Famicom:

Bio Miracle Bokutte Upa

Transformers: Convoy no Nazo [Wiki]

Nekketsu Koukou Dodge Ball Bu (Super Dodge Ball)

Yoshi's Cookie [Wiki]

Super Famicom:

Super Mario RPG [Wiki]

N64:
-Nothing

Master System:

Ashura (Secret Command in Europe, Rambo: First Blood Part II in the...

This week's update will see two new WiiWare games, along with two Virtual Console games.

The first WiiWare game is Dr. Mario Online Rx, developed by Arika and published by Nintendo. The game features a classic mode (in which you have to use vitamins to exterminate viruses), two battle modes, and an online multiplayer mode. This game was one of the WiiWare launch titles in Japan.

The other WiiWare game made available this week is Family Table Tennis. The game features four characters, f...

With WiiWare launching in North America last week, Nintendo's weekly Monday Virtual Console updates will now include WiiWare games, hence the change in the title from the usual "NA Wii Virtual Console".

This week's update will see two new WiiWare games, along with one Virtual Console game.

The first WiiWare game is Critter Round-up, developed by Epicenter Studios and Konami. The game features more than 50 levels as players try to build fences and corral the animals amidst barnyard chao...

This is the third week of Nintendo of Europe's Hanabi Festival for the European Virtual Console, where US and Japanese imports are made available to be downloaded. Whether this week will be the last for the Hanabi Festival is unknown, but there's a good chance it will be, given that WiiWare will launch in Europe next week.

After last week's release of Cho Aniki, NoE returns this week to release another three games, two of which are even more shoot-em-ups for the Virtual Console.

The fi...

With North America seeing the launch of WiiWare this past Monday, Japan gets the first real Virtual Console update this week. There are a couple gems in this update.

The first game is the Taito classic, Bubble Bobble for the Famicom. With gameplay that stands the test of time, join the two Bubble Dragons Bub and Bob through multiple levels, defeating enemies.


Next up is a game featuring Sega's top mascot before Sonic, Alex Kidd. This game is Alex Kidd in Miracle World for the Sega...

It is the second week of Nintendo of Europe's Hanabi Festival, where NoE will bring US and Japanese imports to the European Virtual Console. For this week, quite possibly one of the most quirkiest games ever will be released on the Virtual Console. It is accompanied by three additional games, making for a four game update.

That quirky title is none other than Cho Aniki for the TurboGrafx16. Featuring two of the most manly men in existence, the game is a shoot-em-up that features musclem...

"The Virtual Console is home to a lot of scrolling shooters. It seems like every week, at least one of the releases in every region is a shmup. This week, three of the four games coming out in Japan are shooters. But after years of seeing the once-prominent genre fall into obscurity, we really don't mind having a download service full of the things.

For that matter, the same goes for side-scrolling brawlers, one of which is the other Japanese release this week. The VC is a great system for ..."

"Sat, 03 May 2008 - By Dazza

Pokemon puzzle fun for all the family

So what wonderful games can you get your grubby mitts on this Monday? Prepared to be amazed as the Virtual Console is getting a new N64 game in the shape of Pokémon Puzzle League.

For those not in the know Pokémon Puzzle League uses the exact same gameplay found in the old SNES and Game Boy title Tetris Attack. You're given a Tetris-like field full of coloured blocks, which you must arrange into horizontal or vertica..."

"If you're familiar at all with the Mother series (Only the second game was released outside Japan, as EarthBound) you should know it's got an enormous cult following. In fact, EarthBound was the number one wanted VC game in the Nintendo Power poll just a few days ago! Fans have pleaded for Nintendo to release the other games in the series, Mother and Mother 3 in the West, or at least give the series some more attention, but to this day, their wishes still haven't been satisfied. That is all c..."

"It's a rather small week on the Japanese Virtual Console, and one that means virtually nothing to gamers outside of Japan. Usually, Japan's releases allow us a look ahead at what's coming for us. This week's two releases just aren't useful for that purpose.

There's extremely little chance of any of Nintendo's Famicom Tantei Club (Famicom Detective Club) games being released outside Japan, which is unfortunate, because we'd love to play these Nintendo-developed text adventures. The one rele..."

"But let’s be realistic. What could that game possibly be? Ninjas, kung-fu, twin brothers, a gang leader named Willy, girlfriends! This game could not possibly exist, it would contain too much awesome for an NES cart to hold. But wait, what does this press release say? Ninjas? Check. Kung-fu? Check. Twin brothers? Check. A gang leader named Willy? Check. Could it be? Girlfriend’s being kidnapped for blackmail? Check! Double Dragon (NES, 1-2 players, Rated Everyone 10+ — Mild Violence, 500 Wii ..."

"Famicom:

Bubble Bobble

Super Famicom:

Axelay

Ganbare Goemon 2

Front Mission Gun Hazard

Nintendo 64:
Nothing this month!

Master System:

Alex Kidd in Miracle World

Mega Drive:

Gynoug (Known in the US as Wings of Wor)

Super Fantasy Zone

PC Engine:

Star Parodier (CD)

Fire ProWrestling 2nd Bout

Break In

Martial Champion (CD)

Neo Geo:

Fatal Fury 2

Ninja Combat

Burning Fight

MSX:

Eggy

Aleste"

"It seems every two weeks we get a Commodore 64 week now - No complaints from us, especially when it means that we get The Last Ninja, an excellent action platformer/puzzler hybrid featuring an agile ninja with a whole assortment of weaponry. The game was incredibly well-received in its day, being the number one selling original creation on the Commodore 64.

Accompanying it is World Games. In a fashion similar to California Games, it features a number of sports, only this time, from around ..."

"No joke titles, no casual Cho Aniki references, no making fun of the slow release schedule, or any of the usual stuff we do in these -- today is too important, too auspicious an occasion for us to ruin by being jackasses. As of today, Akumajou Dracula X: Chi no Rondo, the PC Engine Super CD-Rom Castlevania game, which is the narrative predecessor to Symphony of the Night and also the last traditional Castlevania game, is now available on the Virtual Console in Japan.

Get here soon, please...."

"Following news that publisher Interplay was preparing to revive a number of its owned properties, the company has announced that it will soon be bringing several of its Sega Genesis titles to the Wii's Virtual Console, including Earthworm Jim and Clayfighter.

Buoyed by the $5.75 million sale of its Fallout license to Bethesda, the company said in its 2007 earnings report that in addition to its planned Fallout MMO, it intended to revisit former properties. Interplay owns the rights to a nu..."

"Helping out your friends is often as easy as a ride to the airport or a kind word of advice. But when they fall victim to dastardly kidnappers, things get a little more complicated. Step up and find out what it takes to rescue your imperiled pals in the latest additions to the Wii™ Shop Channel. Both of these classic titles feature distinctive rescue-driven storylines and villain-busting action to help bring out your inner hero. Isn't that what friends are for?

Nintendo adds new games to ..."

"After the 4-game blowout last week, some Europeans wondered if Nintendo of Europe had somehow completely turned around and would start to throw out multiple games every week from now on. This dream has been quickly shattered, because it's just one game again this week.

Apparently not considering the two Master System games last week as a true "Sega Week", Sega has now released a new Mega Drive game. Phantasy Star III: Generations of Doom is the sequel to Phantasy Star II, also available on..."

"Of all the gamers and non-gamers that the Wii is designed for, we think we've identified the audience that would be happiest with the system: people who love Wonder Boy. Specifically, people who love Wonder Boy and don't already have the games, either in their original form or the Monster World Complete Collection. If you're over-the-top crazy over Wonder Boy, the Wii is easily the best system that has ever existed. Monster Lair is just the latest Wonder Boy game to arrive in Japan.

Also u..."

"Aksys has confirmed to IGN that it is delivering three NES beat 'em ups to the Virtual Console soon. First up is the beloved River City Ransom, arriving next week. Double Dragon and Renegade will follow in each successive week.

River City Ransom features the same Kunio-Kun characters found in Renegade and Super Dodge Ball. All three games were developed by Technos in Japan.

Double Dragon follows Billy Lee, a buff vigilante who fights his way through numerous thugs and crime bosses to sa..."

"Danger may not be your middle name, but you'll find plenty of it in this week's additions to the Wii™ Shop Channel. Two classic side-scrolling action titles invite players to blast and battle their way to a thrilling climax. In a spaceship or an assault suit, it'll take all the grit and gusto you can muster to survive these perilous, heart-pumping adventures.

Nintendo adds new games to the Wii Shop Channel at 9 a.m. Pacific time every Monday. Wii™ owners with a high-speed Internet connec..."

"You might remember that Europe got the first two Commodore 64 games two weeks ago. Well, this week two more games join them. But that's not all, because the Sega Master System also arrives, and also brings two games with it!

As a new console is arguably more important, we'll list the Master System's games first - Fantasy Zone is a rather colourful shooter from Sega themselves. The game is unique in that you can fly both left and right at any time you wish, there is no autoscrolling. The ga..."

"The arrival of April means springtime fun is officially back in season. To get Wii™ Shop Channel patrons in the spirit, we're pleased to offer a pair of lively NES® favorites. One is a breezy, puzzle-busting fantasy, the other a classic baseball title to keep sports fans fired up for a new season of nine-inning excitement. Whether your tastes run toward cookies or ballpark snacks, you'll find hours of gaming enjoyment right at your fingertips.

Nintendo adds new games to the Wii Shop Chan..."

"So what’s up for grabs on the European Virtual Console update this week? Well, sadly nothing other than a rather lonely looking Yoshi’s Cookie!

It is hard to get too enthusiastic as the VC already has an abundance of Nintendo puzzlers such as Mario & Yoshi, Wario’s Woods, etc but it is not such a bad thing that this has finally come out even if it is the less attractive NES version opposed to the SNES version we might have preferred.

With Mario Kart Wii coming out on April 11th in th..."

"The Month of Awesome (as we have unofficially dubbed April for its wealth of Virtual Console releases) has kicked off rather well in Japan, with a bunch of new games available to NTSC/J Wii owners. Surprisingly, only two of these games are scrolling shooters (Sky Kid and Musha Aleste), and of those, one is an absolute classic of the genre. If you like giant robots mashed up with Japanese mythology (and why wouldn't you?) Musha Aleste is right up your alley (and shooting glowing shurikens).

..."

"If you like the number 64 you're in luck today - Not only are there three new games, they're all for the Commodore 64 and Nintendo 64! Obviously this also means there's now a new system on VC. Commodore 64 games cost 500 Wii Points each.

As the C64 is arguably bigger news than a new N64 game (It's not that great of a game anyway), its two games are our "top picks" this week. International Karate is probably the single most popular C64 game. It was ported to a variety of systems, some of th..."

It's March 25th, and thusly, Nintendo's WiiWare has launched in Japan, as a platform for developers with smaller budgets to produce quality, innovative games.

The launch titles are as follows:

Okiraku Ping Pong Wii - 500 Wii Points

Kotoba no Puzzle Mojipittan Wii - 1000 Wii Points

Saku Saku Animal Panic - 1000 Wii Points

Star Solider R - 800 Wii Points

Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: My Life as a King - 1500 Wii Points

Tenshi Solitaire - 500 Wii Points

Dr. Mario & Saikin Bokumetsu...

"It's a mad season for basketball lovers, but even the most hardcore hoops fan needs a break from the action this time of year. While they're a far cry from basketball, the latest additions to the Wii™ Shop Channel offer plenty of fast-moving fun and high-scoring thrills of their own. Check them out and get a fresh taste of gaming excitement that can last well into April and beyond.

Nintendo adds new games to the Wii Shop Channel at 9 a.m. Pacific time every Monday. Wii owners with a high-..."

"Tomorrow's Good Friday in most of Europe - Last year, Nintendo of Europe updated the VC a few hours earlier than normal because of this. Not this year though, the update was at the regular time!

Super Turrican was only added 3 weeks ago - But now you can get the game that was originally released before it: Mega Turrican! This game's a bit more similar in feel to the original duo of games on Amiga and Commodore 64 (In fact, it was released on Amiga as well, as Turrican 3), but features some..."

"This week's Japanese Virtual Console update features three games that aren't what they seem. Super Gussun Oyoyo totally looks like a platformer in screens, but it's actually a Lemmings/Pac-Man 2 style game in which you direct an uncontrollable character with falling blocks. Similarly, you might make assumptions about the genre of a game called Bomberman: Panic Bomber (possibly that it is in the Bomberman games genre) but it's also a puzzler!

Most deceptive of all is Nekketsu Kunio-kun. It'..."

"Are you afraid of the dark? If so, this is a great week to face your fears with a pair of eerie new game offerings on Nintendo's Virtual Console™. One will plunge you deep underground to navigate perilous caves, while the other puts you on the front lines of a darkly sinister space war. In either case, your frights will give way to serious fun.

Nintendo adds new games to the Wii™ Shop Channel at 9 a.m. Pacific time every Monday. Wii owners with a high-speed Internet connection can redeem..."

"Four games hit the Virtual Console this week in Japan, none of which cost more than 600 Wii Points. Some of them may even be worth those small prices! The Famicom's original 2D fighting game, Joy Mech Fight stands out; though we have no idea if the game's any good, we suddenly have an interest in Nintendo-developed fighting games. Fantasy Zone is, of course, one of the Sega Master System's best: a free-scrolling (Defender-style) shooter in a super-colorful, cute environment.

For us, howeve..."

"Got enough challenge in your daily routine? Chances are that basic everyday tasks - getting to work or school on time, walking the dog, taking out the trash - aren't enough to keep you firing on all cylinders. Luckily, Virtual Console™ is close at hand to help you test your mettle in fresh and unusual ways. Whether you're rescuing a kidnapped pal or mastering a set of mind-bending grid puzzles, this week's new arrivals, imported from Japan, offer a refreshing break from the late-winter blahs..."

In this edition of the Wii Virtual Console Wrapup, we'll review the two weeks that have gone by, and the new games that have been added to the three Virtual Consoles. For those who have been paying attention, the regular on-the-correct-day-non-late-and-actually-on-time articles will resume next week.

First of all, let's recap the last week of February, 02/25/08 - 03/02/08:
On Monday the 25th, the North American Virtual Console was updated with two new games, already previewed on GameGrep...

"This week's additions take players on a psychedelic trip down memory lane. Kirby® is back and armed with a bunch of new talents, including the option to combine abilities. Curious to find out what mixing the Burn and Cutter powers gives Kirby? We won't spoil that for you here. If the colorful landscapes in the pink sphere's world are too much for you and you're looking for straight firepower instead, then try plunging your soul into the mind of a twisted demon. We'll just see how you fare ag..."

Due to me being away for a week, there are Virtual Console updates that were not added to GameGrep. To rectify the situation, I bring you the first (and hopefully last) edition of Wii Virtual Console: Week in Review (name pending).

North America updated on Monday the 18th, with the new standard offering of two games. However, these two games aren't just mediocre low-tier stuff that you'd toss aside.

Game 1 for the NA crowd is Ninja Gaiden III: The Ancient Ship of Doom for the NES. Th...

"Since the release of the Wii many tech-savvy fans have pointed out that the two USB ports present on the console could open up a whole world of opportunities; one recent firmware update granted the ability to use USB keyboards on the machine, for example. Surely it would be a simple thing for Nintendo to allow Wii owners to hook up external hard drives for storage?"

"The two games joining the lineup this week are considered cult classics, yet they deal with topics as varied as farm management and shooting enemies to the strains of heavy-metal tunes. Just don't get the two mixed up, since most livestock don't like heavy metal and it takes more than turnips to defeat fire-spewing sea serpents.

Nintendo adds new games to the Wii™ Shop Channel at 9 a.m. Pacific time every Monday. Wii owners with a high-speed Internet connection can redeem Wii Points™ to ..."

"The third (!) week in a row with just one game! You can now download Lords of Thunder, a Turbografx-CD sequel to Gate of Thunder, which is a fantastic game.

Aside from the fact that the game was listed as costing 600 points instead of the usual 800 (which has now been fixed), there's not much else to report here. Obviously it's annoying that Nintendo are only releasing single games at the moment, when the title in question is as good as Lords of Thunder you really can't complain; this is o..."

"After last week, we thought Nintendo might be returning to form with Virtual Console releases, at least in Japan. We didn't get our hopes up, which is good, because we would be disappointed right now otherwise. Nintendo is continuing to do their best to make people forget about the Virtual Console, with another week light on releases. Not that many games for Japan means even fewer games making it out West. We don't even really care that the games aren't Goldeneye or Earthbound or whatever. We..."

"While Nintendo's 2007 success now seems like a foregone conclusion, it wasn't always so. In 2005, Electronic Entertainment Expo attendees who'd been wowed by the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 unveilings left Nintendo's press conference shaking their heads after being shown a nonfunctional mock-up of a tiny console code-named "Revolution." When that device was renamed the "Wii" in 2006, doubt became incredulity--until Nintendo showed off the console's motion-sensing remote at an E3 event that was..."

"Step into two very different types of action this week. Either battle the bad guys to save hostages and preserve freedom or bury your opponents with magical jewels. Whatever you fancy, you'll need to be ready for a challenge: strategize as a fearless hero or manipulate special jewels to raise the crush bar. How do you plan to win today?

Two new classic games go live at 9 a.m. Pacific time. Nintendo adds new games to the Wii Shop Channel every Monday. Wii™ owners with a high-speed Internet..."

"It had to happen. With SNK supporting the Virtual Console and consequently making some of its wonderful 2D fighting games available for download, it was almost inevitable that someone, somewhere would look at producing a more ‘suitable’ control method than is currently offered by the Wiimote, Cube pad and Classic Controller.

Japanese retailer Rakuten has posted information regarding a new joystick that will be fully compatible with Virtual Console games and should allow for a more ‘fait..."

"01./01. [WII] Wii Fit (Nintendo) - 89,248 / 1,283,000
02./00. [PSP] World Soccer Winning Eleven: Ubiquitous Evolution 2008 (Konami) - 76,669 / NEW
03./00. [PS2] Lucky Star: Misasagi Sakura Gakuen Sakura Fuji Festival (Kadokawa Shoten) - 71,512 / NEW
04./02. [NDS] Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Games (Nintendo) - 50,169 / 140,000
05./04. [WII] Wii Sports (Nintendo) - 25,788 / 2,714,000
06./03. [NDS] Mario Party DS (Nintendo) - 21,840 / 1,581,000
07./05. [PSP] Monster Hunter Portable 2nd ..."

"The drought on new games coming to the Virtual Console continues for yet another week as Europe gets just one game today. We’ll try our best to smile because Adventures of Lolo 2 is a great game for anyone who likes puzzlers but we can’t help feeling a little disappointed at Nintendo’s lack of support for the VC of late.

Lolo and Lala are back in this sequel to the popular puzzle game Adventures of Lolo. On their return from the Haunted Castle, the Great Devil kidnaps Lala and chall..."

"Sometimes, we can't help but compare the Japanese Virtual Console releases to the American ones. In some cases, they're about equal in quantity (which, lately, means low). Not this week. In the U.S. we got one game. Japan? Four. And one of them is Phantasy Star II. We desperately wish that we could say this marks a return to 2007-level release density, but we really can't predict that. Next Monday and Tuesday could roll around and drop one game on us again. Let's just try to be optimistic!

..."

"Awesome news for people who love 8-bit games, or just wonderful things: Sega Master System games will be offered on the Japanese Virtual Console starting in February, with other territories to follow. It looks like the base price for games will be 500 points, with the customary 100 tacked on for licenses. Sega Mark III games and even Game Gear games will be offered for download -- marking the first handheld games available through the VC, all thanks to the Game Gear and the Master System usin..."

"VC gamers in Europe only get one game tonight in what seems to be becoming a trend for recent releases on the VC. C'mon Nintendo, surely you can give us more games than this each week? Anyway, lets not look a gift horse in the mouth - when the game is as good as Super Street Fighter II on the SNES who can complain?

For somebody only wishing to buy one Street Fighter game on the VC this is probably your best bet. It has the most options, its got Cammy, Fei Long, DeeJay and T. Hawk and a num..."

"Despite both of this week's North American VC releases being quality games in their own right, we found the selection disappointing. We only got two games, one of which is only a minor upgrade over an existing release. Why did Nintendo skimp on the releases? And why have they been skimping for the last three or four weeks?

The situation is actually not that much better in Japan. This week only one new game is available: Devil World, the weirdo Famicom maze game designed by Miyamoto. With t..."

"Let's take a quick personality test. Are you the type of person who likes to solve problems by analyzing clues, collecting information and methodically reaching your goal? Or are you more the type to thrust a double-footed kick into someone's face and follow it with a few body blows? Your answers to those questions should help you decide which popular game to choose this week.

Nintendo adds new games to the Wii™ Shop Channel at 9 a.m. Pacific time every Monday. Wii owners with a high-spee..."

"Hot on the heels of Japan, who got the game on Tuesday, Europe has gotten the next N64 game - 1080 Snowboarding! This is another "realistic" racer, similar to Wave Race 64, except that you're, of course, snowboarding instead of riding jetskis. Like the other 3 N64 racers on VC, it holds up quite well and is well worth checking out.

On the other hand, stay far away from Riot Zone. This is a rather blatant clone of Final Fight and Streets of Rage, and unfortunately for us, it's not nearly as..."

"This week brings another rare (not Rare) Nintendo 64 release, and a seasonally appropriate one at that. 1080 Snowboarding is making its appearance on the Virtual Console for the first time. When it hits the American download service, we look forward to playing it and pretending it's cold outside. Until then, we can just look at screenshots and pretend we're playing it and pretending it's cold outside.

The other two releases are distant cousins. Adventure Island is a remake of Westone's ori..."

"This week you can spend your time carefully planning puzzle strategies or rescuing a damsel in distress. Help one of the most iconic characters in all of video gamedom eat some troublesome ghosts or set off to defeat an evil organization using only your furious fists. The choice is yours. What are you in the mood for?

Nintendo adds new games to the Wii™ Shop Channel at 9 a.m. Pacific time every Monday. Wii owners with a high-speed Internet connection can redeem Wii Points™ to download th..."

"Once again, Europe does not get 3 or more games this week. And once again, Nintendo seems to try and make up for it by making one of the games they do release a great one (The other is ok). Well, at least it wasn't just one game again! The great game this time is StarTropics, the first of only two games in Nintendo's (unfortunately) dead franchise of the same name. It's a lot like the original The Legend of Zelda, with some improvements, leading some to refer to it as "everything Zelda II sho..."

"After a week off, Japan's Virtual Console is slow to pick back up. Really slow. Only two games made it to the download service this time, both martial-arts related, and both not very good.

Konami's Yie Ar Kung-Fu at least deserves a bit of respect for being one of the first fighting games. Of course, that means it suffers the fate of all pre-SF2 fighters and isn't much fun. But at least it's better than Urban Champion. Yie Ar Kung-Fu is also notable for its deceptively banal title. Yie and..."

"Can't believe it's already 2008? Soothe that sense of future shock with a visit to the Wii Shop Channel, where we've just added a pair of awesome vintage games from way back in the 20th century. This week's new offerings include an unpredictable island-hopping adventure and a legendary fighting title, each guaranteed to deliver classic gaming excitement throughout the new year and beyond.

Two new classic games go live at 9 a.m. Pacific time. Nintendo adds new games to the Wii Shop Channel ..."

"After ending 2007 with a one-game week, people hoped Nintendo would start the next year with multiple games. Unfortunately, they fail to deliver, and it's one game once again!

Just like last week, it's not a complete mess, however, as it's a quality title - Harvest Moon for the SNES. This is the first game in the popular farming series, and it's usually regarded as the best one, as well. The game's notorious among collectors for being extremely hard to find, the cartridge can fetch some pr..."

"December 31, 2007 - What are you doing New Year's Eve? Thanks to the Wii™ Shop Channel, you've got some outrageous new options. This week's classic game additions offer brilliant fantasy and crackling action to help you ring in '08. So if you haven't made any New Year's resolutions yet, allow us to suggest a few: pop more bubbles, battle more medieval beasts and try to save the universe a little more often.

Three new classic games go live at 9 a.m. Pacific time. Nintendo adds new games to..."

"It's a wonderful Christmas for people in Japan who have the day off work. In fact, it's a pretty great Christmas on the VC for people who have the month off work. Japan gets a VC lineup this week that is wall-to-wall RPGs, including one of the rare VC appearances from Square Enix, foisting off another of the few games they don't feel like remaking for the DS, PSP, PS2, or cell phones.

Also appearing this week is Langrisser II, the second in Masaya's strategy-RPG series to appear on the VC,..."

"If you hear a rumbling on the roof tonight, don't assume that it's reindeer when there are gorillas on the loose. Yes, this week's merry Wii™ Shop Channel lineup includes a classic adventure title to entertain every reveler in your household, from the nicest to the naughtiest. Plus, you'll find a wicked-cool dose of ice hockey action and a thrilling secret-agent sequel to help keep spirits bright all winter long. You were expecting lumps of coal? Sorry-maybe next year.

BLADES OF STEEL™ (..."

"Our pals at Nintendo haven't exactly pushed the boat out this week with festive spirit sadly. Still it could be worse! We finally have Blades of Steel on the NES, even before North America! For those not in the know this is one of the best, if not THE best ice skating games from the 8-bit era. Very often NES games feel tired with age but the gameplay is still as much fun as ever with this one!

Another NES game in the shape of Skate or Die is also up for grabs on the VC today. It's quite a ..."

"As you've probably surmised from the hypnotic image already changing your life, more Cho Aniki is now available on the Japanese Virtual Console. Ai Cho Aniki is when the series really took off, when original, non-awesome protagonists Idaten and Benten took off and allowed the muscular Adon and Samson to take center stage.

Significantly less mantastic are this week's other games: Metal Slader Glory, a text adventure from HAL, Party Quiz Mega Q, which is ... you know, a quiz game, and anothe..."

"It's sci-fi/fantasy week on the Virtual Console™, and you know what that means. The Cybernators are deadly, the aliens are ruthless and the monsters are...cute. It's a collection of three classic action games designed to keep your blood boiling as the weather gets cooler and the days get shorter. Virtual Console: your winter security blanket.

Three new classic games go live at 9 a.m. Pacific time. Nintendo adds new games to the Wii™ Shop Channel every Monday. Wii™ owners with a high-spe..."

"After already releasing Pokemon Snap earlier in the week, some people wondered whether Nintendo would release games at the normal time as well. Thankfully they did - And they included one of the greatest NES games in the update as well! Mega Man 2 is usually called the best classic Mega Man series game ever made (With heavy competition from Mega Man 3 - Which I personally find better). It's the only Mega Man game with an easier mode (Making it perfect for series newcomers), it's got an absolu..."

"One of the most celebrated Virtual Console games of the year finally makes it to Japan this week. It's already made its way to the VC in other territories, while Japanese gamers waited patiently for the chance to download it themselves. Now the long wait is over and they can finally get their hands on Pony Canyon's Lunar Pool.

As for new releases that we don't already have, we're looking forward to IREM's Image Fight II. Sure, it's another Turbografx-16 shooter, but we liked the first one ..."

"Get ready to celebrate the arrival of a bunch of fun new features on the Wii™ Shop Channel. This week marks the debut of the first Pokémon® game for the Virtual Console: Pokémon Snap™. This Pokémon photographic adventure comes with a special Wii bonus: It now includes a special feature that allows players to post pictures they take in the game to their Wii Message Board and send them to friends with whom they've traded Friends Codes.

Later in the day on Monday, Nintendo will make you..."

"Breaking the norm again this month, Sega only releases two games instead of the usual three. No matter though when both of them are great! Rolling Thunder 2's one of Dazza's favourites. It borrows some elements from Shinobi and combined it with arcade action, as there's enemies coming at you from all sides. While somewhat short, the game just oozes quality every step you take, with great music, graphics and gameplay.

The other Mega Drive offering is Light Crusader, an isometric Action RPG ..."

"Two games this week involve things being thundery, at least in terms of title. Of course, neither Gate of Thunder nor Rolling Thunder 2 has much to do with actual thunder -- Rolling Thunder 2 is about dudes shooting guns at each other, and Gate of Thunder is about spaceships shooting space guns at each other. Pokémon Snap we've already discussed. It's really easy, but surprisingly fun for a Nintendo 64 game Pokémon spinoff game, and with added functionality that will let you bug the hell ou..."

"Sometimes the Wii-kly Updates have a nice, unifying theme. Sometimes they don't. This week we scoured the recesses of the classic games vault to come up with some interesting, if unrelated, gems. You can fight mechanized forces, battle with a bunch of fighters in the afterlife or play the role of a heroic regal bug. Like we said: Sometimes they don't.

Three new classic games go live at 9 a.m. Pacific time. Nintendo adds new games to the Wii™ Shop Channel every Monday. Wii™ owners with a ..."

"Two games again for Europe today. If you'd like to go through Wonder Boy in Monster World again with different music, or if you like baseball, you're right at home. Otherwise, tough luck! Baseball Stars 2 is one of the finest games ever made based on the sport, with over the top animations and gameplay. Characters fight each other, break their bats in frustration and more! It's presented in such a ridiculously cool style that everybody who plays it will get a smile on their face.

We're not..."

"We have a soft spot in our hearts for King's Knight. Not enough of a soft spot, we don't think, to pay 500 points for the thing, but it's still just such a weird product. It looks pretty much like Ultima in screenshots, but it's totally a vertical scrolling shooter. And the Square nostalgia crowd just has no interest in shooters -- unless they're Einhänder. Square couldn't even get the title right in the game's own title screen. Something as maligned as this, you just have to love a little...."

"Let's hope you all survived the long holiday weekend. With all the eating, traveling and family fun, isn't it time to do something just for you? So take a few minutes and do a little shopping from the comfort of your couch, away from the chaos of the malls. This week you can get into a game of hoops, do a little faux gambling or head out to sea with your favorite dolphin friend.

Three new classic games go live at 9 a.m. Pacific time. Nintendo adds new games to the Wii™ Shop Channel every ..."

"Only two games for Europe this week, but who cares? Both of them are fantastic games, each with their own cult following! First off, we have The King of Fighters '94, the first in a long, long SNK fighting series, which has yearly installments (It's still going!). The series combines characters and stages from various SNK series into one massive game, which provides tons and tons of entertainment. There's a reason it's loved by so much people!

Second this week, it's Taito's classic arcade ..."

"Wii™ celebrates its first anniversary today, and big stars from past consoles are coming out to help Nintendo celebrate. Luminaries walking the Virtual Console™ red carpet this week include Mario™ and Luigi™, Sonic The Hedgehog and Zonk. So throw on your best tuxedo or finest gown, and get ready to party with these video game A-listers.

Three new classic games go live at 9 a.m. Pacific time. Nintendo adds new games to the Wii™ Shop Channel every Monday. Wii owners with a high-speed In..."

"If you were expecting another hugely popular, great game today to coincide with the release of Super Mario Galaxy, you are, sadly, wrong. While the game (Yes, GAME) was indeed quite popular, I wouldn't quite call it good these days.

Today's ONLY new game is Double Dribble for the NES. It's another one of those games like China Warrior - The game attracted many people because of it's good graphics, but the gameplay is incredibly lackluster.

Yes, that's the only game this week! Just forge..."

"The biggest surprise for us this week is right there in the title. Balloon Fight is one of the canonical first-generation NES games. It's already out in the U.S. and Europe, and it was even remade for the DS in Japan in a Club Nintendo-exclusive Tingle version. So why has it taken so long to show up on the Virtual Console in Japan? In the time that Japanese Wii owners have been waiting for Balloon Fight, they've gotten two versions of Wonder Boy in Monster World. Similarly, today brings the s..."

"Winter vacation may be weeks away, but there's no need to wait for a fun-filled escape. The latest additions to the Wii™ Shop Channel can take you to places as familiar as a gymnasium or as fantastical as faraway planets. Fans of sports games, space-age shooters and intergalactic action will all find something to love in this week's lively lineup.

Three new classic games go live at 9 a.m. Pacific time. Nintendo adds new games to the Wii Shop Channel every Monday. Wii owners with a high-sp..."

"Thankfully, Europe didn't have to wait long to get Super Mario Bros. 3 after America got it earlier this week. This game needs no introduction. It's easily one of the best games ever made (And according to many, THE best game ever made). If you haven't ever played it, you honestly have no idea what you're missing. Shame on you!

The other two games this week aren't so hot. First up is Power Golf for the Turbografx. This is, as the title may already reveal, a golfing game. Unfortunately, Mar..."

"For the second week in a row, American gamers have gotten the red carpet in comparison to Japanese Wii owners. The Virtual Console uploads for this week are tame compared to the wish-fulfilling awesomeness of Super Mario Bros. 3 and the VISUALSHOCK! SPEEDSHOCK! SOUNDSHOCK! of Alien Soldier.

The Japanese releases are by no means bad, and, in fact, there are some games that will genuinely interest people, like the first King of Fighters and the first console Goemon game, which would lead to ..."

"WII-KLY UPDATE: GREATEST GAME EVER ANNOUNCED FOR WII SHOP CHANNEL

Eagerly awaiting the arrival of Super Mario Galaxy™ next week? Can't get Mario™ out of your head? You and everybody else! To whet your appetite for all things Mario, Nintendo is offering a special treat on the Virtual Console™ this week. It's not just any game, it's Super Mario Bros. 3™ – considered by many to be the greatest video game of all time (for at least one more week, anyway). It's a must-have title on a week t..."

"Less Sega games than normal in this month's Sega week - only two, instead of three. But one of them is fantastic, and there's two other games as well, so there's no reason to complain! Or is there?

The top pick is Treasure's awesome run 'n gun game for the Mega Drive, Alien Soldier. It's a bit like the also available Gunstar Heroes, but somewhat slower paced. Treasure delivers the goods once again!

Unfortunately, the second Mega Drive game this week isn't so great. Sonic 3D is one of th..."

"Well, we needed some time to settle down after last week's megaton. Being heartbroken about awesome games being released in other regions is hard work, you know! We're sure you all felt a bit of the agony as River City Ransom saw a release in not-here.

The highest-profile release for Japan this week is an N64 game we already have and don't care much about anyway; backing that up is a humorous NES RTS from Square Enix, which we'll probably never see, and a very early Genesis shooter/platfor..."

"This Halloween, you needn't leave your own living room to encounter spooky spirits and creepy creatures from mysterious otherworlds. The Wii Shop Channel is celebrating the year's most frightfully fun holiday by offering a mix of eerie games that'll keep players' spines tingling. Mash with monsters in a classic Castlevania sequel, tangle with supernatural samurai or battle as a powerful magician-you're bound to discover cool tricks and visual treats no matter which titles you choose. Happy Ha..."

"Wii owners will soon be able to buy games on the Wii Shop to send to a friend's Wii via a new gift feature, Nintendo has revealed.

The new Wii Shop feature will allow users to purchase a game (a Virtual Console game, for example) to send as a gift to another Wii owner. The recipient will then be notified of the gift and, once they accept, their Wii will automatically log into the Wii Shop to download the selected game.

Nintendo hopes this will get a larger portion of Wii owners to make ..."

"Instead of the third Neo Geo fighting game, Europe's in for a treat today - You can now download the great platformer action game, Magician Lord! This great game features a fantastic soundtrack, great visuals and fun gameplay, including the ability to shapeshift into different forms.

Second today is what is perhaps the first not so great Nintendo 64 game - Yoshi's Story. While Yoshi fans will no doubt like the game, it might be a bit too simplistic and easy for other people's tastes. A tip..."

"Nintendo of Japan just completely outclassed the meager offerings we got on the VC yesterday, even if we did get an import game. It was not a fair fight. Most significantly, our favorite NES game the best NES game is available for download in Japan today.

As we read the title, we tried to temper our excitement, afraid that we'd make an assumption out of the Downtown Nekketsu part and miss that it was actually Downtown Nekketsu Koshinkyoku: Soreyuke Daiundokai (otherwise known as the predec..."

"Autumn leaves aren't the only reason your October is about to get a lot more colorful. The latest additions to the Wii Shop Channel deliver a brisk, eye-pleasing mix of classic gameplay for fall. Dive into this pile of vibrant titles for a timeless dose of fun and fantasy.

Three new classic games go live at 9 a.m. Pacific time. Nintendo adds new games to the Wii Shop Channel every Monday. Wii™ owners with a high-speed Internet connection can redeem Wii Points™ to download the games. Wii ..."

"A diverse selection for Europe today, as besides a shoot 'em up and a fighter, we get the strange sequel to the original Castlevania, Castlevania II: Simon's Quest. The game is a lot different from the original game, though the influence is still very obvious. Instead of fighting your way through linear levels, you've instead got a large overworld to explore, complete with dungeons and secrets! The game's been criticized a lot over the years, and has even been called "most disappointing seque..."

"SNK is wasting no time getting all its big fighting franchises onto the VC. Even though their VC offerings are already dominated by fighters, we imagine that most Neo fans will be pleased to see the arrival of Samurai Spirits, also known as Samurai Shodown, as it heralds the release of the game in our region.

Other releases include one-time Turbo CD pack-in Ys I&II, a collection of two lovely action RPGs from Nihon Falcom; Assault Suits Valken, which you may recognize as Cybernator; and Fa..."

"This week marks the first appearance of a CD-ROM game for the TurboGrafx16 on Virtual Console™. Take control of the Hunting Dog ship and battle deadly Obbellon fighters in the classic horizontal sci-fi shooter, Gate of Thunder. If shooting's not your thing, you can go out and save the world from evil demons or a power-hungry general in this week's other offerings that bolster the Wii Shop Channel's catalog of action-adventure and real-time strategy games.

This week's new games are:

Nin..."

"VISUALSHOCK! SPEEDSHOCK! SOUNDSHOCK! NOW IS TIME TO THE 68000 HEART ON FIRE! So says the title screen in Treasure's Alien Soldier, and they're right-- given the intensity of Alien Soldier, the Mega Drive's 68000 heart seems likely to overheat. But Japanese gamers will be playing the game on Wiis this week, which, we hear, are considerably more powerful than the Sega Mega Drive.

Alien Soldier is a sort of evolution of the gameplay found in Gunstar Heroes-- more weapons and customization, mo..."

"This week, Nintendo adds another delicious category to its smorgasbord of classic titles. NEOGEO games will now be appearing in the Wii Shop Channel for download. NEOGEO becomes the sixth platform represented in the Wii Shop Channel, and it adds additional depth and breadth to the best selection of classic games available.

FATAL FURY (NEOGEO, 1-2 players, rated T for Teen - Violence, 900 Wii Points): Released in 1991 and one of the longest-running series in the fighting-game genre, this ti..."

"NeoGeo Has Arrived
SNK hits Virtual Console this Monday. Launch games inside.
by Bozon

October 5, 2007 - Ever since SNK announced VC support months ago retro fans have been not-so-patiently waiting for the system's virtual debut. With such titles as King of Fighters, Fatal Fury, Metal Slug, and countless others, NeoGeo earned its place in history as the arcade-lover's console, charging outrageous prices for a perfect arcade experience at home. For nearly one-tenth the original price, how..."

"WII-KLY UPDATE: TWO NEW CLASSIC GAMES ADDED TO WII SHOP CHANNEL

Oct. 1, 2007

This is a special week on the Wii Shop Channel. Frankly, it's a gamer's dream come true: Nintendo is launching the new Import genre with the release of two games that previously have never been available in the Western Hemisphere on their original platforms. The first will be hugely popular with Mario™ fans, who will love reliving the style of his classic games as they encounter new skills, new levels and new ..."

"Everyone believes education is important, even apes. To celebrate the back-to-school season, Donkey Kong Jr.™ Math is now available on the Wii Shop Channel. It’ll help you get those math skills back in shape after their summer slumber. After that, there’s still plenty of adventure, treasure seeking and a never-ending supply of bad guys to fight. Good thing it’s a holiday today, huh? Enjoy.

Four new classic games go live at 9 a.m. Pacific time. Nintendo adds new games to the Wii Shop Ch..."

"New games from the Neo Geo console will be making their way to the Japanese Virtual Console from September, SNK has confirmed.

The arrival of the new format on the Wii retro download service will kick off on September 11 with beat-'em-up, Fatal Fury, followed later that month by another fighter, World Heroes, and scrolling action game Magician Lord. Neo Geo games will cost 900 Wii Points"

"As for VC, it's ultimately Nintendo's decision what gets released. Beyond the DKC games we don't have anything in the pipeline at the moment, but that doesn't mean it won't happen in future."

"Ah, the three classic summer leisure activities: golf, pinball and battling hordes of evil creatures. Luckily, it’s Monday and once again Nintendo has you covered. Players can hit the crazy links with the spherical Kirby, become a pinball wizard or just enjoy an afternoon of helping good triumph over evil. So pour yourself a tall glass of lemonade and settle in for some classic gaming fun.

Three new classic games go live at 9 a.m. Pacific time. Nintendo adds new games to the Wii Shop ..."

"Nintendo of America on Monday announced three new additions to its Virtual Console download service. The titles include the critically acclaimed N64 hit Paper Mario, the NES classic Balloon Fight, and Silent Debuggers for TurboGrafx-16. Descriptions and pricing details verbatim from NOA's release below:"

"

• NES Open Tournament Golf (NES, 1-2 players, 500 Wii Points): Enjoy a long and relaxing walk with Mario, stopping occasionally to batter an innocent white ball with a large club. Tournament and Match Modes sound enjoyable enough, though you'll probably want to put on a hat for Stroke Mode.
  
• World Sports Competition (TurboGrafx-16, 1-5 players, 600 Wii Points): Comprised of 18 events, the Olympics competition sees the world's most skilled photographers competing to capture the first image of ...

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