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 have access to different types of weaponry, including rockets, flamethrowers, and saws. To improve the ship's stats, pick up and recruit the crew members from the ships that are destroyed, as you quest to look for the Key of Dreams. The game features local multiplayer for up to four players to join the fray. Read more with the review over at WiiWare World.

The first Virtual Console game is the import cute-em-up Super Fantasy Zone for the Sega Genesis. Control the iconic sentient ship Opa-Opa, as he ventures to avenge the death of his father against the Dark Menon invading force. It is the final game in the Fantasy Zone series, and it retains the signature controls and setup of its predecessors. As Opa-Opa, players must shoot down Enemy Generators throughout a level to force the appearance of a Menon Guardian who must also be shot down. Collect gold from defeating enemies to upgrade your weapons, speed and defenses.


The other shoot-em-up is also from the Genesis, and that is Gley Lancer. The game stars Lucia Cabrock, who pilots the titular ship in search for her father who has gone missing in the vast stretches of space. The game's main trait is that two satellites that hover outside the Gley Lancer, that can be aimed in any direction, and also lock in that direction to be independent of movement. This allows for more depth in the gameplay, as enemies can now appear from any part of the screen.


Recap:
WiiWare:

Pirates: The Key of Dreams, Oxygen Games, 1-4 Players, 1000 Points
Virtual Console:

GEN: Super Fantasy Zone, 1 Player, 900 Points - Import

GEN: Gley Lancer, 1 Player, 900 Points - Import

As always, games go live at Noon EST, 9AM PST. Keep track of the latest VC releases with the 2008 edition of What's New on VC? in the Wii Virtual Console forum.