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Paper Worlds and Infectious Rhythms Drive New Nintendo Downloads

Rules are made to be broken – or at least bent a little, right? This week, the latest downloadable games for the Wii™ and Nintendo DSi™ systems offer some fun ways to defy convention. The award-winning And Yet It Moves for the WiiWare™ service invites players to mess with the laws of physics and turn their worlds upside-down. In the imported NES™ classic UFROURIA™: THE SAGA, you’ll need to switch between characters and do whatever it takes to complete a challenging quest. On the Nintendo DSiWare™ service, Rytmik lets you create your own musical compositions, while G.G Series NINJA KARAKURI DEN lets you play by your own rules as a stealthy ninja. If there’s one rule you shouldn’t break while using Nintendo systems, it’s this one: Have a blast!

WiiWare

And Yet It Moves
Publisher: Broken Rules
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone) – Mild Violence
Price: 1,000 Wii Points™
Description: And Yet It Moves is an award-winning, physics-based platform game in which players run and jump through a world made of paper. To aid in completing its twisted, mind-bending levels, you possess the unique ability to rotate the world at will. Walls become floors, slides become platforms – but a harmless pile of rocks becomes a hazardous threat when turned upside-down. Use the Wii Remote™ controller like a magic wand to tilt the world. Explore beautifully crafted environments. Survive 20 challenging levels filled with strange creatures, traps and puzzles. Unlock bonus levels, competitive play modes and surprising modifications that change the entire game. Turn your world upside-down with And Yet It Moves!

Virtual Console™

UFOURIA: THE SAGA
Original platform: NES
Publisher: Sunsoft
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone) – Comic Mischief
Price: 600 Wii Points
Description: Join Bop Louie as he searches for three friends – Shades, Freeon Leon and Gil – to help him complete his mad scramble. It won’t be easy. Brain-boggling mazes, traps and bizarre pitfalls stand in your way on the journey back to Ufouria. You’ll rely on your friends to survive in this strange, changing world, and you’d better have the right powers for the strange worlds you’ll encounter. As you make your trek through mystical forests, deserts and oceans, you’ll need to seek out and destroy monstrous creatures every step of the way. Will you have the right powers at the right time? Don’t let the mind-zapping colors and stupefying sound effects throw you off.

Nintendo DSiWare

Rytmik
Publisher: CINEMAX
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone)
Price: 800 Nintendo DSi Points™
Description: Rytmik is an application for creating rhythmical and melodic themes and composing whole songs. It contains more than 170 carefully selected sound samples of drums, cymbals, percussion, bass and melodic instruments. With Rytmik you can quickly and easily create the basic building block: an audio clip. It consists of musical notations for up to four instruments that you may transpose, select their location in the stereo field and modify their volume, polyphony and echo. You can arbitrarily combine as many as 128 clips in four tracks to create complex pieces of music. You also have a rhythm library with a varied collection of 16 pre-made compositions that can be used to help quickly compose your own pieces. For the best musical experience, we recommend connecting headphones or a quality speaker system (not included).

G.G Series NINJA KARAKURI DEN
Publisher: Genterprise Inc.
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone) – Mild Cartoon Violence
Price: 200 Nintendo DSi Points
Description: Jump and slash as a gravity-defying ninja in this acrobatic action game. Control a jumping ninja as he fights his way through a booby-trapped mansion. When your ninja touches a platform, it will automatically disappear and he will jump, making for pretty unstable footing. But where some see obstacles, a ninja sees opportunity. You will be forced to think on your feet, push your reflexes and bend the very rules of physics to conquer your treacherous surroundings. Master the art of the dash, shuriken and sword. Be a ninja.

My Farm
Publisher: BiP media
Players: 1-2
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone)
Price: 200 Nintendo DSi Points
Description: My Farm is a livestock farming simulation game. At the beginning, all you own is an empty field, a few pennies and a single hen. If you feed the hen and take care of it, she will lay eggs that can be sold. With this money, you can buy new animals at the Farmers’ Market and purchase equipment from the shopkeeper. Little by little, as your farm builds up, you will unlock bonuses including a wind turbine, rooster, guard dog and tractor. You will be able to exchange your animals with your friends who play My Farm or My Exotic Farm. There are six kinds of animals to customize, many farm improvements to buy and bonuses to collect.

Absolute Reversi
Publisher: Tasuke
Players: 1-2
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone)
Price: 200 Nintendo DSi Points
Description: This reversi game is for all players at any level. Absolute Reversi takes the classic strategy game and updates it for the 21st century with three modes of play. Free Play mode lets you select one of eight characters with different abilities to play against. In Challenge mode, you are given missions to complete to advance in the game. With the third mode, you can play against a friend using DS Download Play. Additional features include a strategy guide, different ability levels and the “Assistance” function, which highlights all possible moves per turn.

Nintendo adds new titles to the Nintendo DSi Shop and the Wii Shop Channel at 9 a.m. Pacific time on Mondays. Users with broadband Internet access can redeem Wii Points or Nintendo DSi Points to download the games. Wii Points can be purchased in the Wii Shop Channel. Nintendo DSi Points can be purchased in the Nintendo DSi Shop. A Nintendo Points Card™ can be purchased at retail locations. All points from one Nintendo Points Card must be redeemed in either the Nintendo DSi Shop or the Wii Shop Channel. They are not transferable and cannot be divided between the two systems.

Remember that both Wii and Nintendo DSi feature parental controls that let adults manage the content their children can access. For more information about this and other features, visit http://wii.com or http://www.nintendodsi.com.

As always, Monday is an especially fun day for Wii™ and Nintendo DSi™ owners, kicking off the week with a wide variety of new downloadable games. On the WiiWare™ service, My Aquarium 2 offers a fresh selection of virtual deep-sea creatures to arrange and admire. Also, things are a bit topsy-turvy on the Nintendo DSiWare™ service as TURN: The Lost Artifact invites players to meddle with the forces of gravity in fascinating ways. A total of six new games are now available for download, giving Nintendo fans easy access to yet another slew of extraordinary gaming experiences.

WiiWare

My Aquarium 2
Publisher: Hudson Entertainment
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone)
Price: 500 Wii Points™
Description: My Aquarium 2, the sequel to the hit WiiWare title My Aquarium, is here. This time, the theme is the mysterious deep sea. With a single Wii Remote™ controller, you can raise fascinating creatures of all shapes and sizes, including deep-sea fish and glowing jellyfish. As with the original My Aquarium, you can customize your aquarium, by choosing which fish to include and where to place various decorations. You can also choose from a variety of colored lights to illuminate your aquarium. In time, your fish might breed to give you a whole new school. Create your very own aquarium for endless hours of relaxing fun and entertainment. This sequel features a larger selection of fish and objects than the original. You can also link up to the Forecast Channel to have your aquarium’s appearance reflect the actual weather, or send your aquariums to registered friends via WiiConnect24™. Additional content will be available for purchase at a later date. Dive in and see all the wonderful creatures of the deep blue sea!

Enjoy your massage!
Publisher: Microforum
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: E10+ (Everyone 10 and Older) – Mild Suggestive Themes
Price: 500 Wii Points
Description: Congratulations! You have just been hired as an apprentice masseur at Giselle’s beauty farm, one of the most famous in the city. Learn new relaxing massage combinations and use them on your stressed customers. As an apprentice, you’ll have to do your best. If your client gets angry, no one will save you from losing your job, but if you prove capable, you might even become the director of the whole beauty farm. So, what are you waiting for? Six clients are waiting for your help!

Nintendo DSiWare

TURN: The Lost Artifact
Publisher: Creative Patterns
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone) – Mild Cartoon Violence
Price: 800 Nintendo DSi Points™
Description: TURN: The Lost Artifact is an adventure puzzler with fun, intuitive game play. Kurt and Camila are explorers on a mysterious journey to find a lost artifact. You guide them through rooms filled with various dangers, from enemies to rolling boulders. Your main power is the ability to rotate the rooms 90 degrees to the left or to the right. Mastering the law of gravity is essential to your success. Everything and everyone in the room is subjected to gravity and falls when you turn the room. Watch your head! Featuring three worlds with nine levels of about 10 rooms each, the game promises a whole lot of brain-twisting fun on your Nintendo DSi system.

Rhythm Core Alpha
Publisher: SoftEgg
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone)
Price: 500 Nintendo DSi Points
Description: Make music with your Nintendo DSi system! Rhythm Core Alpha is an advanced music creation system, designed for creating and performing live music in front of an audience. Rhythm Core Alpha makes it easy to build drum and instrument loops, and then allows you to play solos over them using the stylus. It automatically detects the key and scale of the music you have created and allows you to change chords at the press of a button. All notes in the solo match the selected key and scale, so you can never hit a wrong note. Rhythm Core Alpha also includes a powerful pattern mode that allows you to set up chord changes and arrange your sequenced parts, enabling you to build a whole song or make sections that you can play back as you desire. Hundreds of adjustable drum and instrument sounds are included. You can edit while the song is playing, so you really can build the song in front of an audience.

Absolute Chess
Publisher: Tasuke
Players: 1-2
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone)
Price: 200 Nintendo DSi Points
Description: This easy-to-understand chess game explains everything from basic rules to aggressive strategies. There are two modes of play. In Free Play, you can play against a number of preset characters, ranging from a young kid to a grouchy old man. The Challenge mode gives players multiple levels and missions to complete. Player support features include a function to indicate possible moves for the player and the opponent, as well as the ability to undo your previous move. You can also enjoy matches with friends via DS Download Play.

Did It Myself ABC123
Publisher: Powerhead Games
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: EC (Early Childhood)
Price: 200 Nintendo DSi Points
Description: Did It Myself ABC123 is packed with different activities to stimulate your young child’s brain, including counting, colors, letters, drawing and music. The target age range is roughly 2 to 3, but kids aged 1 through 5 should be able to enjoy Did It Myself ABC123. There are options for parents to adjust the counting range, the amount of games to play in “shuffle” mode, and the overall game speed. “Slow” and “medium” are recommended for younger kids, while older kids may enjoy “fast” and “ridiculous.”

Nintendo adds new titles to the Nintendo DSi Shop and the Wii Shop Channel at 9 a.m. Pacific time on Mondays. Users with broadband Internet access can redeem Wii Points or Nintendo DSi Points to download the games. Wii Points can be purchased in the Wii Shop Channel. Nintendo DSi Points can be purchased in the Nintendo DSi Shop. A Nintendo Points Card™ can be purchased at retail locations. All points from one Nintendo Points Card must be redeemed in either the Nintendo DSi Shop or the Wii Shop Channel. They are not transferable and cannot be divided between the two systems.

Remember that both Wii and Nintendo DSi feature parental controls that let adults manage the content their children can access. For more information about this and other features, visit http://wii.com or http://www.nintendodsi.com.

From Casino Kicks to Canine Tricks, There’s Downloadable Fun for Everyone

Whether your tastes run to hunting, gambling, puzzles, battles or virtual pets, Nintendo has you covered with a fresh batch of downloadable games for the Wii™ and Nintendo DSi™ systems. For the WiiWare™ service, Fantasy Slots: Adventure Slots and Games invites you to chase giant jackpots, while Deer Captor challenges you to pursue big bucks of a different sort. For the Nintendo DSiWare™ service, both Match Up! and Hints Hunter offer portable puzzle fun for players of any background. Hand-held gamers can also interact with personalized pooches in Petz® Dogz® Family or brawl with fierce competitors in Blayzbloo: Super Melee Action Battle Royale. Whichever type of play you prefer, the selection of downloadable games is wider and wilder than ever.

Remember that both Wii and Nintendo DSi feature parental controls that let adults manage the content their children can access. For more information about this and other features, visit http://wii.com or http://www.nintendodsi.com.

WiiWare

Fantasy Slots: Adventure Slots and Games
Publisher: Big John Games
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: T (Teen) – Simulated Gambling
Price: 700 Wii Points™
Description: Players can bring the exciting “Slots” experience home. Choose from six adventure-themed, five-reel bonus slots, or try your luck with classic Cherries or Diamonds slots. Win big jackpots and earn access to VIP suites. Players can use their winnings to purchase vibrant merchandise to customize their suites. As players progress, they can win multiple awards and achievements. Five-reel bonus slots include Gold Rush, Power of Zeus, Pirate Cove, Wild Safari, King Arthur’s Excalibur and the Rising Sun. Classic three-reel slots are Diamonds and Cherries. Additional features include: High Roller Suites, where you can live like a VIP while customizing your own high roller suite with items such as artwork, pool tables, trophies and furniture; Bonus Games, offering six great games that can be played separately to challenge your nerves and increase your winnings; and Unlockables with achievement trophies that are tracked and awarded for exceptional play.

Deer Captor
Publisher: Aksys Games
Players: 1-4
ESRB Rating: T (Teen) – Violence
Price: 500 Wii Points
Description: Deer Captor is a shooting game that offers an immersive hunting experience. Choosing from a rifle or crossbow, players can put their marksman skills to the test as they try to capture a variety of wildlife such as deer, hares and kites in the comfort of their living rooms. Aim for a high score in Instant Mode, where the objective is to capture as many animals as possible within a set time, or test your mettle in Mission Mode, where you must complete a series of objectives to advance to the pinnacle of the hunting world. Play against your friends and family in friendly competition, or post your single-player score to online leaderboards for nationwide bragging rights. (A broadband Internet connection is required for online play.)

Nintendo DSiWare

Match Up!
Publisher: Digital Leisure
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone)
Price: 200 Nintendo DSi Points™
Description: Flip, match and…kaboom! How fast can you find the right set in Match Up!? No matter how old you may be, Match Up! will have you captivated for hours. Reveal shapes, colors and hidden bonuses with a new take on a childhood favorite. You’ll need quick hands and a sharp mind to beat the clock and disarm the explosive cards riddled throughout the game. Not quite ready for the explosive action? Start with the engaging classic concentration play and see if you can level up.

BlayzBloo: Super Melee Action Battle Royale
Publisher: Aksys Games
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: E10+ (Everyone 10 and Older) – Cartoon Violence
Price: 500 Nintendo DSi Points
Description: Blayzbloo: Super Melee Action Battle Royale pits Ragna, Rachel, Jin, Noel, Taokak and others against one another in five stages of rumble-and-tumble brawling action to see who’s the best. There’s also a Free Battle mode you can play to your heart’s content. Use items in battle to pummel your opponent into oblivion. Drive attacks and special moves may also come in handy to finish off your opponents. Do you have what it takes to become the best Blayzbloo brawler?

Hints Hunter
Publisher: CIRCLE Entertainment
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone) – Comic Mischief
Price: 500 Nintendo DSi Points
Description: Hints Hunter is an easy, casual game that you can play anytime and anywhere. The objective is simply to find hidden keys by working out the meanings of the hints in each level. You can play using only the stylus. Most of the hints are helpful and may require you to think about the time of day, game functions like clicking or dragging, or the principle of opening or closing. Be sure to observe the smallest details very carefully, including the name of a level or even a tiny flower.

Petz Dogz Family
Publisher: Ubisoft
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone) – Comic Mischief
Price: 800 Nintendo DSi Points
Description: There’s a whole family of dogs you can adopt and love! Take care of them, discover their unique personalities and teach them fun tricks. Choose from favorite breeds such as golden retrievers and Labradors. Give your dogs the best care. Feed them, groom them and discover their individual personalities – some will be funny, others will be shy. Engage in fun activities with your pups – including playing with a flying disc and running obstacle courses – to turn them into talented dogs.

Nintendo adds new titles to the Nintendo DSi Shop and the Wii Shop Channel at 9 a.m. Pacific time on Mondays. Users with broadband Internet access can redeem Wii Points or Nintendo DSi Points to download the games. Wii Points can be purchased in the Wii Shop Channel. Nintendo DSi Points can be purchased in the Nintendo DSi Shop. A Nintendo Points Card™ can be purchased at retail locations. All points from one Nintendo Points Card must be redeemed in either the Nintendo DSi Shop or the Wii Shop Channel. They are not transferable and cannot be divided between the two systems.

Nintendo Download

Should Old Acquaintance Be (Half) Forgot?

Three … two … one! Happy Half Year! Well, 2010 is just about half way behind us now (or, if you’re an optimist, half way ahead of us). Either way, why not make a half-resolution to try out some new downloadable games? This week Jett Rocket zooms onto the WiiWare™ service to thwart the plans of the awesomely named Power Plant Posse. The Nintendo 64™ classic Mario Tennis™ on the Virtual Console™ service reminds tennis fans that most matches last less than 11 hours. And Maestro! Green Groove on the Nintendo DSiWare™ service lets you become a virtuoso, as everything you do in the game becomes music.

We’ve also got new arrivals in the “Big Name Games” section of the WarioWare™: D.I.Y. series, which features downloadable microgames from some of the industry’s most talented figures. This week we have some new additions from the Treehouse, Nintendo’s game localization team. New “Big Name Games” will be added every Monday through July 26, all available to download for zero Nintendo DSi Points™ to anyone with broadband Internet access and a copy of either WarioWare: D.I.Y. for the Nintendo DS™ family of systems or WarioWare: D.I.Y. Showcase software for the WiiWare service. Visit the Nintendo Channel on your Wii™ system today to learn more about these games.

WiiWare

Jett Rocket
Publisher: Shin’en Multimedia
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone) – Mild Cartoon Violence
Price: 1,000 Wii Points™
Description: Jump and run and fly. Let Jett Rocket explore the beautiful planet of Yoroppa and find out why it has been attacked by the evil Power Plant Posse. Visit tropical islands, poisonous swamps and freezingly cold glaciers. Ride the ocean on your Jet Boat, parachute from giant cliffs, speed through arctic regions on your Jet Snowboard or skyrocket with your Jet Turbine. You will need everything you’ve got to fight back and save Yoroppa. Just be Jett Rocket in this epic futuristic full 3D action adventure.

Pong Toss Pro – Frat Party Games®
Publisher: JV Games Inc.
Players: 1-4
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone) – Alcohol Reference, Comic Mischief, Mild Language
Price: 600 Wii Points
Description: Born on college campuses, Pong Toss is the ultimate party-game favorite. Now Pong Toss Pro takes it to the next level by featuring a completely redesigned throwing system for complete accuracy and improved graphics. Also new to Pong Toss Pro is Tournament Mode. You can have a four-, eight-, or 16-team bracket play in Pong Toss & Speed Pong. Pong Toss Pro features six regulation tables and the ability to modify simple house rules. Rock it with a high-energy rock soundtrack; listen to the announcer commenting on your play. Rule the table with Fireball bonuses for consecutive shots. In Speed Pong, up to three challengers can compete at the same time. Speed and strategy are the keys to this fast-paced game. Jack up your opponents by using a slew of power-ups that will slow them down. The first one who sinks the last cup wins it all.

Robin Hood: The Return of Richard
Publisher: Nordcurrent
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: E 10+ (Everyone 10 and Older) – Violence
Price: 500 Wii Points
Description: While Richard, the true King of England, is absent from his throne, his country rages in chaos. England has been invaded, and enemies burn and destroy local towns and villages. After the house of expert archer and hunter Robin Hood was burned down, he, together with a group of free archers like himself, hides in Sherwood Forest and begins his fight for justice. The fate of the people now lies in your hands. Help Robin to defeat the villains and restore peace in this shooting game.

Features:

Complete 12 levels, defeating numerous enemies and visiting different locations in medieval England
Search for hidden objects to get bonus points
Fight with super villains, such as the Sheriff of Nottingham
Replay the game to improve your score in the High Score Table

Virtual Console

Mario Tennis
Original platform: Nintendo 64
Publisher: Nintendo
Players: 1-4
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone)
Price: 1,000 Wii Points
Description: The Mushroom Kingdom welcomes another sport to its lineup in the Nintendo 64 smash Mario Tennis. In addition to the bright graphics and intuitive, but incredibly tight, controls that all Mario™ games are known for, a cast of 16 Nintendo characters (including the first introduction of Waluigi™) is ready to take to the court. Along with the ability to unnerve an opponent by varying shots and precisely target their destination, each character has specific attributes in categories such as speed, power and control, all of which combine to offer multiple play styles to choose from. A variety of game modes ranging from a standard tournament to the crazy, item-filled Bowser Stage will keep you – and up to three of your friends – running around the court for quite some time. Whether trying to unlock all the secrets in single-player mode or challenging friends with some intense fun in multiplayer mode, this is a game that definitely holds its serve.

Nintendo DSiWare

Maestro! Green Groove
Publisher: Neko Entertainment
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone) – Animated Blood, Comic Mischief
Price: 500 Nintendo DSi Points
Description: Hello. Do you like music? Do you like platforms? Do you like pink bird-like things? Do you like the jungle? You’ll love Maestro! Green Groove edition! So jump in and enjoy this wonderful feeling of being a virtuoso using your heart, stylus and voice. Everything you do is music – EVERYTHING! Hit the spiders to play some drums, shoot the fruit to bring out the melody, pinch the strings to play the tune and so on. Challenge the mischievous Staccato the Spider in a melodious battle in which the most talented one will win. For those of you who have no fear, once you have finished the adventure, you can activate the SING/WHISTLE mode to bug everyone around you with your precious talents. And for the talented ones, there is an improvisation mode in which you’ll play the levels with the instruments and at the speed of your choice. Enjoy, Maestros from all around the world!

Date or Ditch
Publisher: Gameloft
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: T (Teen) – Mild Suggestive Themes
Price: 500 Nintendo DSi Points
Description: Think you’re a real Casanova? Let’s see how you act in real-life situations when you face a whole gamut of dates, from romantic to wild. Date or Ditch is an absorbing dating adventure for both guys and girls, testing you through an evolving scenario. Discover unique game play mixing social simulation, hilarious face-to-face conversations and fun quizzes. Randomly meet someone at a party, go to the movies together, invite your date to dinner and more. And a surprise visit from your ex may spice up your love story a bit. Enter even deeper into the game thanks to the exclusive camera feature: Add your photo within the game and change your face according to your feelings. In real life, make sure you are compatible with your date by taking the Love Test: Based on your names and appearance, are you made for each other? Love has always been a game. We just made it more fun.

Animal Color Cross
Publisher: Little Worlds Studio
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone)
Price: 500 Nintendo DSi Points
Description: Get hooked on colorful puzzles. The goal of the game is to reconstruct a mysterious animal image that lies beneath the grid. You just need to fill in each square of the grid with one of the appropriate colors available. To solve the puzzle, you can simply deduce the right color by using the numbers written around the grid. Don’t worry, a short tutorial shows you the basic rules within a minute. Puzzle-solving champs, sudoku fans or even kids can enjoy the game. You can play 72 individual grids in up to 50 hours of game play. Players can select among eight levels presented as geographical zones including Europe, Oceania, North Pole, Pacific, North America and South America to discover local fauna. Enter a new world filled with fancy colored pixel art.

Ancient Tribe
Publisher: CIRCLE Entertainment
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone) – Cartoon Violence
Price: 500 Nintendo DSi Points
Description: In the ancient world of Savage, you play the god of an ancient tribe in this real-time strategy game. Expand your village by guiding its inhabitants on the hunting grounds to find food and resources. Use them to upgrade your village and increase its population. When the primitive tribe develops to a certain level, they will build a temple to pay tribute to your mightiness. You can recruit new troops and research new classes of tribal people by upgrading the existing tribe’s equipment and technology. Besides improving your tribe you can improve your godly powers by sacrificing some of your tribesmen and resources. On the hunting ground your tribe will explore forests, deserts, volcanoes and frozen lands. They will meet various kinds of beasts such as boars, elephants and even dinosaurs. You can help trap and tame them so your tribe can ride on them as part of your army and hunting troop.

Brain Drain™
Publisher: Enjoy Gaming
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone)
Price: 500 Nintendo DSi Points
Description: Brain Drain is a funny and challenging puzzle game. You have to place the elements of a scrambled puzzle according to a given model. Select four elements at a time with the stylus and spin them to move the elements to the right positions. Some puzzles may feature malicious game effects that will slow you down during your puzzle solving. There are three game modes to choose from:

Challenge: 200 fixed puzzles with preset best times to solve and beat.
Race: A stream of puzzles and best time tables to beat in four difficulty levels.
Random: Relaxed, random puzzling that continues endlessly.
Battle of Giants™: Mutant Insects – Revenge
Publisher: Ubisoft
Players: 1-4
ESRB Rating: E 10+ (Everyone 10 and Older) – Animated Blood, Mild Fantasy Violence
Price: 800 Nintendo DSi Points
Description: After the defeat of the Mutant King, the Mutant Queen rose up from the core of the Earth and forced the remaining giant insects into submission. Now it is your job to locate and free the Scorpion Champion, the only giant insect with the ability to defeat the Mutant Queen. Complete 10 new missions, defeat your enemies and liberate the Scorpion Champion! Customize your giant insect with tribal stripes, equip it with special powers and enhance your abilities. Challenge your friends to duels of supremacy on the Nintendo DS™ system. Are you strong enough to win this Battle of Giants™?

June 14, 2010

School may be out, but there’s no shortage of interesting subjects for you to learn about: Fascinating spirits, dazzling gems and stealthy ninjas are all ready to be discovered in this week’s lineup of new game downloads for Nintendo® systems. Guide a mythical spirit through a series of puzzling trials as he attempts to make his way to the human world in A Kappa’s Trail for the Nintendo DSiWare™ service. Experience a famous puzzle game on America’s top-selling home console with Bejeweled® 2 for the WiiWare™ service. A total of nine new games are now available for download, but that’s not the only big news this week. The annual E3 Expo kicks off in Los Angeles on June 15, and Nintendo is inviting fans with broadband Internet access to watch a live video stream of its E3 Expo presentation. Go to e3.nintendo.com at 9 a.m. Pacific time on Tuesday, June 15, and watch all of Nintendo’s announcements as they happen.

You’re also invited to check out the latest addition to the “Big Name Games” section of the WarioWare™: D.I.Y. series, which features downloadable microgames from some of the industry’s most talented figures. This week, the team at EnjoyUp Games takes the spotlight with a new Chronos Twins microgame. New “Big Name Games” will be added every Monday through July 26, all available to download for zero Nintendo DSi Points™ to anyone with broadband Internet access and a copy of either WarioWare: D.I.Y. for the Nintendo DS™ family of systems or WarioWare: D.I.Y. Showcase software for the WiiWare service. Visit the Nintendo Channel on your Wii™ system today to learn more about these games.

Nintendo DSiWare

A Kappa’s Trail
Publisher: Nintendo
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone) – Comic Mischief
Price: 500 Nintendo DSi Points
Description: Step into the world of a kappa, a mythical river spirit famous in Japanese folklore, as he tries to make his way to the human world. In addition to the challenging main game, you’ll find three different minigames to further improve your kappa-related skills. You’ll start your journey in Kappa Cove, a good place to go exploring, practice getting around and munch on a few fish. The intuitive controls are all handled with the stylus (draw a trail and the kappa will follow it), but the helpful Chumfish is more than willing to teach you the basics. Once you begin your path down the Kappa Trail, you’ll encounter coins to collect, boulders to shatter and various mini-kappas that can help you in specific ways. Just be sure to avoid the Devil Hand. If you need a break, you can collect paintings or cassettes from the Chumfish Shack, count plates at a sushi restaurant or test your mettle in the treacherous Trial of Tiles. With its cute graphics and charming story, your time with the kappa will certainly be memorable. Who knows what you’ll find as you make your way through A Kappa’s Trail?

Telegraph Crosswords
Publisher: Sanuk Games
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: T (Teen) – Drug Reference, Mild Language, Mild Suggestive Themes
Price: 500 Nintendo DSi Points
Description: Play crossword puzzles from the Telegraph like you’ve never played them before. Discover 500 puzzles of multiple types. You’re in for many hours of game play. With its handy interface and intuitive controls, this game transfigures the classic pen-and-paper experience. Notable features include:
• A huge selection of quick puzzles, cryptic puzzles and general-knowledge puzzles.
• Registration of best times in the Hall of Fame.
• Interactive hints to prevent you from getting stuck.
• Auto-save function so you can stop and resume a puzzle at any time.

Flips: Silent But Deadly
Publisher: Electronic Arts
Players: 1
Price: 500 Nintendo DSi Points
Description: When Mr. Watts, the science teacher, turns up for class and tries to open his briefcase with his teeth, James, Alexander and Lenny realize he’s not quite himself. The friends investigate and uncover a plot so dangerous that the life of every pupil and teacher is at risk. How will they foil the plot and restore Mr. Watts to normal? The new Flips range brings modern classics to the Nintendo DSiWare service. Readers can collect, solve, interact and learn as they progress through various stories and challenges.

Music on: Electronic Keyboard
Publisher: Abylight
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone)
Price: 200 Nintendo DSi Points
Description: Get creative and spend relaxing moments transforming your Nintendo DSi™ system into a complete electronic keyboard with a great variety of instruments and rhythms. This is the perfect way to have fun and impress your friends with your musical creations. Whether you’re already an expert or just taking your first steps, Electronic Keyboard will help you capture your inspiration wherever you are. Features include:
• Automatic accompaniment function with chord recognition
• Up to eight user-definable chords
• Five different styles, each with four variations
• Independent drum, bass and chorus parts
• Six-octave keyboard (two visible)
• Pitch-bend function
• 16 instruments
• Integrated sequencer
• Metronome
• Recording and replay option

16 Shot! SHOOTING WATCH
Publisher: Hudson Entertainment
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone)
Price: 200 Nintendo DSi Points
Description: Back in the 8-bit glory days, Hudson’s own “Master Higgins” (a.k.a. Takahashi Meijin) made a splash in the gaming world with his astonishing trigger-finger speed of 16 shots per second. Can you break the Master’s record? A graph analysis feature breaks down your stats and indicates your weak spots. Use it effectively to improve your trigger-finger performance. If you get a high score, you can leave a customized signature using the touch screen. Get your family and friends to compete for some serious rapid-fire fun.

WiiWare

Bejeweled 2
Publisher: PopCap Games, Inc.
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone)
Price: 1,000 Wii Points™
Description: Get set to play the world’s No. 1 puzzle game, now available for the Wii console. Match sparkling gems three at a time to make them burst in showers of color and points. Match four or more to create flashy power gems that boost your score and your mood with brilliant cascades and combos. Soar to gem-matching heights in Classic mode, or speed through matches against the clock in Action mode. For even more dazzling fun, bump up your brain waves with multi-faceted Puzzles, or enter the Zen state of Endless play. Every match is high-carat fun!

Arcade Sports™
Publisher: Icon Games Entertainment
Players: 1-2
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone)
Price: 800 Wii Points
Description: Arcade Sports consists of a selection of four full-featured arcade sports games including Air Hockey, Bowling, Pool and Snooker. The following modes are available:
• PRACTICE: This mode allows you to play a practice game and brush up on your skills.
• VERSUS MATCH: Play a one-on-one “friendly” match versus any of the game opponents in any game type.
• SEASON MODE: Season Mode is a series of linked tournaments with 10 tournaments of mixed game types. The objective is to make it to the top of the rankings. Play through each event in turn. After each one, you’ll be awarded a world ranking position and achievement rewards.
• MULTIPLAYER: Arcade Sports allows up to two players to compete head-to-head in a versus match on one Wii console.

Yard Sale Hidden Treasures: Sunnyville
Publisher: Konami Digital Entertainment
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: E10+ (Everyone 10 and Older) – Alcohol and Tobacco Reference, Mild Blood, Mild Suggestive Themes
Price: 500 Wii Points
Description: Welcome to the town of Sunnyville! Search local yard sales on your mission to find hidden treasures and objects. Use your fantastic finds to decorate your dream home in a competition to win the illustrious “Superstar Homes Magazine Contest!” Beat the clock or play at your own pace, searching for hundreds of items hidden in fun locales. Enjoy nonstop challenges in this expansive seek-and-find game.

Virtual Console™

Shadow of the Ninja™
Original platform: NES™
Publisher: Natsume Inc.
Players: 1-2
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone) – Fantasy Violence
Price: 500 Wii Points
Description: Get ready for furious side-scrolling, platforming ninja action. The mad emperor, Garuda, has the city trapped in his diabolical claws. Only two brave ninja warriors dare to stand against him. They move as silently as shadows in the snow, swift and graceful as the wind, and strike with the explosive fury of razor-clawed tigers. Playing solo or cooperatively with a friend, you’ll slice, bomb and shuriken your way through Garuda’s army of vicious soldiers, agile ninjas and monstrous robots. Use your ninja skills to hang from moving platforms, leap over lethal pitfalls and dodge diabolical traps. Collect deadly power-ups to give yourself an edge against the overwhelming odds. It’ll take all of your platforming prowess to navigate the game’s 13 intense levels and bring some old-fashioned ninja justice to Garuda.

It's more watery than water!

Cave Story WiiWare is a pumped up port of Cave Story, a game that might just be the best Freeware game ever made. Cave Story is a platforming adventure with elements from Metroid, Mega Man, and Castlevania, but believe me, the game can certainly stand on it’s own merits. The gameplay, the characters, the story, the music, all made by one guy. That’s right, Cave Story was made by ONE guy: Daisuke “Pixel” Amaya. Most people can’t even fathom coming up with an idea for a game, this guy managed to make every element himself. And to top it off, this guy puts his game out on the internet for free. Needless to say, Pixel has gotten much praise for his work, and rightly so.

I find playing a game with a control of some kind is miles ahead of using a keyboard. Sorry PC gamers, I’m a slave to buttons with a directional pad on a small plastic brick. The only way to play, as far as I’m concerned, is the Classic Controller. Perhaps it is because it’s my favorite control ever made, or perhaps it’s because Pixel himself mapped the buttons. Using a directional pad makes me feel like I’m back in the Golden Days of the SNES, and the L and R buttons make shuffling through weapons a breeze. Cave Story might have started out on the PC, but it controls much better on a console.

Get em' Quote!

This version of the game is also much more polished. Characters, levels, and music has been updated, much to the chagrin of hardcore Cave Story fans. I refuse to jump on that bandwagon. I like the polished graphics. I love the remixed music. If only the soundtrack was floating about in the ether.

The game comes in three difficulties, yet another feature separating it from the original. I had quite a hard time the first time I ever played Cave Story, so naturally I went with Easy Mode. I use the word Easy very loosely. This is Cave Story after all, a game that’s as popular for it’s entertainment value as it is for its difficulty.

Yes the game offers a new look, music, and even widescreen and 480p display options, but is getting the game really worth it? Why yes, yes it is. Why you ask? For Pixel, of course. To show him that although he put his game out for free, that it was worth every penny. All 1200 WiiPoints.

The Awesome

-Port of the best freeware game ever

-Great control options

-Remixed music and Visuals

-Three Difficulty settings = endless replay value

The Not So Awesome

-Ha.

Verdict

Cave Story may not be super technical, but it’s more entertaining than many full-fledged console games. It may not be long, but the 2-4 hours you spend playing through the game will be one of the best times to be had in quite some time.

Score: 10/10

How tough do you think you are? This week’s roster of new downloadable games from Nintendo gives you several ways to prove it. Now available for the WiiWare™ service, Rage of the Gladiator puts players face-to-face with flurry of fearsome foes, enhancing the motion-control action with support for the Wii MotionPlus™ accessory. Meanwhile, Wii™ owners with a taste for classic gaming can test their mettle against bloodthirsty vampires in CASTLEVANIA RONDO OF BLOOD for the Virtual Console™ service. Other fresh releases challenge you to excel as a sharpshooter, a prehistoric beast or a criminal mastermind. Whichever setting you choose, just be prepared to step up and show your stuff.

WiiWare

Rage of the Gladiator
Publisher: Ghostfire Games
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: T (Teen) – Animated Blood, Alcohol Reference, Violence
Price: 1,000 Wii Points™
Description: Rage of the Gladiator is a fantasy-based fighting game in which you must fight for your life in the arena. One of the most gorgeous WiiWare games ever, it features amazing 3-D graphics, animation, lighting, shadows and special effects. Full voice acting means each boss has its own personality and taunts you mercilessly. Discover insane finishing moves: Summon a fiery meteor or savage tornado, or transform into a hulking colossus 10 times your normal size. Customize your character and specialize in skill trees – Offense, Defense or Magic – to gain new powers. You’ll also enjoy epic, blood-pumping music by legendary composer Sean Beeson. For added replay value, unlock Challenge Mode and encounter tougher bosses with new abilities. The game also supports the Wii MotionPlus accessory.

Triple Shot Sports
Publisher: The Code Monkeys Ltd.
Players: 1-2
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone)
Price: 500 Wii Points
Description: Triple Shot Sports is one of the most advanced recreational shooting games available for the WiiWare service, immersing players in the world of competitive target shooting. Most competitive events consist of activities that are traditionally derived from hunting and combat skills. Over time, these practices have evolved into a variety of competitive sports that include Archery, Pistol Shooting and Free Rifle. As with real-life shooting events, you will have full control over the aim of the weapon. You must also account for prevailing weather conditions and the athlete’s breathing pattern, as these factors can influence the accuracy of your shot.

Virtual Console

CASTLEVANIA RONDO OF BLOOD
Original platform: TurboGrafx16 CD-ROM
Publisher: Konami
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: T (Teen) – Animated Blood, Fantasy Violence
Price: 900 Wii Points
Description: This is the 10th action-packed installment in the ever-popular CASTLEVANIA series, which depicts the epic struggle between the Belmont clan and the dark forces of Count Dracula. An instant classic, this title is recognized far and wide for its beautifully rendered world, outstanding game balance and haunting CD-quality music. The player takes control of RICHTER, the clan’s ultimate Vampire Killer, guiding him through a total of nine stages filled with treacherous traps and hidden secrets. Using your legendary whip – passed on from generations of Belmonts – and a powerful selection of Item Crash attacks, it’s up to you to destroy Dracula and his evil horde. What’s more, rescuing MARIA at some juncture in the game allows you to use her as a playable character for even more vampire-slaying fun.

Nintendo DSiWare™

Zoo Frenzy
Publisher: Gameloft
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone) –Mild Cartoon Violence
Price: 500 Nintendo DSi Points™
Description: Create the zoo of your dreams and try to maximize your profit by managing tons of parameters. Enjoy five fun mini-games to train and support your animals: Feed them, heal them and even play soccer- or hockey-themed games with them. Your best-trained pets will go back into the wild to fight dangerous monsters and find cute new animals for your zoo. Enjoy use of the Nintendo DSi™ system’s built-in microphone and camera – wake up the hero by shouting at him, and see yourself in the game.

101 MiniGolf World
Publisher: Teyon
Players: 1-8
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone)
Price: 500 Nintendo DSi Points
Description: 101 MiniGolf World is one of the first-ever 3-D miniature golf games for the Nintendo DSiWare service. Your stylus becomes the putter for an incredibly fun mini-golf experience. Play more than 100 challenging holes solo or with up to eight players on one system. Send your ball flying through loops, pipes, arches, extreme ramps and mind-blowing obstacles. Enjoy a combination of real golf rules and wacky mini-golf fun.

Battle of Giants™: Dinosaurs – Fight For Survival
Publisher: Ubisoft
Players: 1-2
ESRB Rating: E10+ (Everyone 10 and Older) – Mild Fantasy Violence
Price: 800 Nintendo DSi Points
Description: Long before mankind stepped into the world, the Earth was a harsh environment dominated by dinosaurs. Every species of dinosaur had to fight to survive in this hostile environment. Travel through the hostile lands as one of three breeds of dinosaur while battling giant enemies to save your kind. Create and customize your own unique dinosaur. Explore four mysterious territories and discover buried fossils to complete your mission. Enhance your dinosaur’s abilities and compete against your friends in epic duels.

Car Jack Streets
Publisher: Tag Games
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: T (Teen) – Mild Language, Violence
Price: 800 Nintendo DSi Points
Description: A critically acclaimed game with high-octane action, innovative real-time game play, stunning visuals and an awesome soundtrack, Car Jack Streets will take you to the limit. The Italian mob is calling in your gambling debt of $1 million. Attempt a wide variety of criminal and legitimate jobs to earn as much cash as possible, but remember to avoid attracting attention from the cops and other gang members. Do you have what it takes to stay alive, pay your debt and rise to the top of the criminal underworld?

The number 10 can mean a lot of things: perfection, loud volume or, in the case of this week’s downloadable game lineup, the return of a true gaming icon. Fans will thrill to see the legendary blue bomber landing on their Wii™ console with the arrival of Mega Man™ 10 for the WiiWare™ service. Elsewhere, players can test their skill at tossing darts, bashing moles, conquering the tennis court or tackling exotic golf courses. Whether you’re stocking up on living room-ready titles for your Wii console or grabbing on-the-go games via the Nintendo DSiWare™ service, March is off to a truly magnificent start.

WiiWare

Mega Man 10
Publisher: Capcom Entertainment, Inc.
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone) – Mild Cartoon Violence
Price: 1,000 Wii Points™
Description: Fans of all ages can enjoy the newest entry in this historic 8-bit franchise. As a special service to new players, there’s an Easy Mode – a first for a Mega Man game. This new feature means novices and longtime fans alike can all have a shot at making it to the end of a Mega Man game. Also, you can now play as Proto Man and try Time Attack Mode from the beginning, or watch play-through videos from players all over the world.

Dart Rage
Publisher: JV Games Inc.
Players: 1-4
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone) – Alcohol Reference
Price: 600 Wii Points
Description: Grab your Wii Remote™ controller and prepare for the ultimate game of darts on your Wii console. Dart Rage features the most realistic throwing system available today. With pixel-perfect accuracy and no buttons to push, you’ll be completely immersed in the game’s realism. Dart Rage puts you in the spotlight as you compete against friends, the computer or both. With four great games to choose from – including 301-901, Cricket, Poker and American (Baseball) darts – Dart Rage has plenty of options to keep the game fresh. There’s also a VS mode in which multiple players can compete at the same time in a race to the finish. Rock out to a sizzling soundtrack as a commentator announces your every shot.

Happy Hammerin’
Publisher: GAMEBRIDGE
Players: 1-4
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone) – Mild Cartoon Violence
Price: 500 Wii Points
Description: Happy Hammerin’ is a party game suitable for friends and families. Compete against each other by bashing moles using the Wii Remote controller. Use the Wii Remote like a hammer and let off some steam as you frantically try to bash the moles popping up all over the screen. Play against the CPU or go head-to-head with up to four players. (Additional accessories are required for the multiplayer modes and are sold separately.) Players can challenge themselves in three different modes: Mole Adventure (1-2 players), Mole Marathon (1 player) and Party Battle (1-4 players). Mole Adventure consists of four stages with three difficulty types. The faster you bash, the more points you get. With broadband Internet access, register your scores online and compete against the best mole bashers from around the world.

Virtual Console™

FATAL FURY SPECIAL
Original platform: NEOGEO
Publisher: D4 Enterprise
Players: 1-2
ESRB Rating: T (Teen) – Mild Suggestive Themes, Violence
Price: 900 Wii Points
Description: Originally released in 1993, this fighting game pits 15 different fighters against each other. The cast includes the original eight characters from Fatal Fury 2, as well as three new characters (Billy, Axel and Laurence) and a new boss (Wolfgang). Also, three characters from the original Fatal Fury (Duck, Dan and Geese) have returned to the fight. Building on the appeal of the previous game with two-line battles, special moves and powerful finishers, this game is truly worthy of its “special” distinction. And if certain special conditions are met, special guest Ryuu Sakazaki will make an appearance.

Nintendo DSiWare

Let’s Golf
Publisher: Gameloft
Players: 1-2
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone)
Price: 800 Nintendo DSi Points™
Description: Grab a club, take a swing and pray for a birdie in Let’s Golf. Discover a fun-filled experience that’s accessible to anyone. Choose from four customizable characters and play 45 holes in three beautiful 3-D locations: Fiji Beach, the English Countryside and the Scottish Lochs. Enjoy easy-to-learn controls that even let you blow into the microphone to add spin to your ball. Take photos with your Nintendo DSi™ system’s built-in camera and add them to your personal profile. For the most fun, play Hot Seat Multiplayer with friends on a single Nintendo DSi system and see who’s the best.

Globulos Party
Publisher: GlobZ
Players: 1-2
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone) – Comic Mischief
Price: 500 Nintendo DSi Points
Description: Globulos Party is a collection of mini-games that are very simple to understand and fun to master. The 20 games are: 4-Square, Arena, Basket, Bomber, Bomber-King, Croquet, Darts, Darts-King, Soccer, Funky-Soccer, Ice Hockey, Monster, Pétanque, Pinball, Rally, Football, Snooker, Sumo, Tic-Tac-Toe and Volley. Enjoy more than 15 hours of solo fun and nearly unlimited game play with the three multiplayer modes.

VT Tennis
Publisher: Virtual Toys
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone)
Price: 500 Nintendo DSi Points
Description: VT Tennis is an ace of a tennis game for the Nintendo DSi system. Using the innovative stylus and touch-screen controls, train your budding tennis star to serve, lob and smash his way to victory with precision swipes in all directions. Advance your player statistics in this fast-paced tournament of game modes, featuring Quickmatch, Tennis School and World Championship. The objective is to reach No. 1 in the world rankings. To do this, players will have to unlock courts as they compete in championships all over the world. At the start of career mode, players will find themselves in last place in the rankings. From this moment on, you must battle your way up. You can play on all types of surfaces – grass, clay, hard courts and wood – and learn the best techniques for winning each tournament on the different surfaces. Seventeen tough courts, each more difficult than the last, stand between you and your final victory.

Flips: Terror in Cubicle Four
Publisher: Electronic Arts
Players: 1
Price: 500 Nintendo DSi Points
Description: There’s something strange going on with the loo in cubicle four of the girls’ toilet. It’s spewed green goo on Stacey’s shoes and almost had new boy James for lunch. Can he and his friends, Alexander and Lenny, flush out the cause of the trouble, or will the terrifying toilet plague the school with problems forever?

Nintendo adds new titles to the Nintendo DSi Shop and the WiiShop Channel at 9 a.m. Pacific time on Mondays. Users with broadband Internet access can redeem Wii Points or Nintendo DSi Points to download the games. Wii Points can be purchased in the Wii Shop Channel. Nintendo DSi Points can be purchased in the Nintendo DSi Shop. A Nintendo Points Card™ can be purchased at retail locations. All points from one Nintendo Points Card must be redeemed in either the Nintendo DSi Shop or the Wii Shop Channel. They are not transferable and cannot be divided between the two systems.