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NintendoWare Weekly: WiiWare demos, Pokemon Rumble, Indiana Jones' Greatest Adventures

by David Hinkle { Nov 16th 2009 at 11:30AM }

This week, we get our first taste of Nintendo's new WiiWare demos. Surprisingly, it didn't take Nintendo that long to flip the switch for North America, considering the company revealed the long-overdue feature -- and day-one annoyance -- only earlier this month. And on top of the free trial versions of select WiiWare titles (five total this week!), there are also two new Virtual Console titles to enjoy, as well as three new DSiWare games. Hit the break for the full list.

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NintendoWare Weekly: Overturn, Sexy Poker, Tecmo Bowl

by David Hinkle { Aug 3rd 2009 at 2:30PM }

This week is a special one for Nintendo fans. Not only do we finally see an end to the Virtual Console drought, but we also get fighting robots and a new Art Style game. Oh, and then there's Sexy Poker, Gameloft's odd strip poker game for WiiWare. We guess the company never heard of Google image search?

Gallery: Overturn

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NintendoWare Weekly: NEVES Plus brings Art Style to SimEarth

by David Hinkle { Jun 22nd 2009 at 4:00PM }

This week's star of the show is undoubtedly WiiWare, which receives the very rare "three-title-update." Playing second and third fiddle are DSiWare and the Virtual Console, which both get the usual one new title. So, without further ado, let's check out what's available to download this week across Nintendo platforms in the latest NintendoWare Weekly.

Gallery: NEVES Plus

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VC Friday: A 'sleeper' Art Style game

by JC Fletcher { May 29th 2009 at 1:05PM }

This week, another new DSiWare Art Style game appears on the PAL DSi Shop -- one that was overlooked upon its Japanese release, due mostly to the fact that it was released at the same time as the much more eye-catching PiCOPiCT. Somnium has been renamed NEMREM for Europe -- still sleep-themed, but ... weirder.

On the Wii side, the arcade version of Space Harrier is now available on Virtual Console and the "arcade" fishing game Fish 'em All has been added to WiiWare.

Virtual Console:

Space Harrier (Arcade, 1 player, 800 Wii Points)

WiiWare:

Fish 'em All (1-2 players, 800 Wii Points)

DSiWare:

Art Style: NEMREM (1 player, 500 DSi Points)

NintendoWare Weekly: Majora's Mask (and stuff that isn't Majora's Mask)

by David Hinkle { May 18th 2009 at 12:01PM }

This week, NintendoWare Weekly brings us the second-most requested title for the Virtual Console: Majora's Mask. With its arrival today, that can only mean one thing: Earthbound is next! When is "next?" Well, yeah, that might be a problem ...

Gallery: Majora's Mask

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VC/WiiWare Tuesday: Contra and more

by JC Fletcher { May 12th 2009 at 11:15AM }

Today's Virtual Console and WiiWare offerings in Japan are shockingly good. So good that if a release week like this happened outside of Japan even once every six months or so, nobody would complain about Nintendo's downloads. Even if we ignore the three WiiWare games that are already out in North America, it's wall-to-wall quality.

Well, we're kind of assuming that Contra Rebirth is quality. Even if it's terrible, we know we're in for a $10 download of an original Contra game when it shows up here. We know that the WiiWare Art Style games are fantastic, because we've been playing them since last year.

On Virtual Console, the PC Engine CD-ROM version of SimEarth and the arcade release of the brutal Tower of Druaga pale before Downtown Special, a Japan-only sequel to River City Ransom starring Kunio and friends as samurai.

Virtual Console:

Downtown Special: Kunio-kun no Jidaigeki Dayo Zenin Shuugo (Famicom, 1-2 players, 500 Wii Points)
SimEarth (PC Engine, 1 player, 800 Wii Points)
The Tower of Druaga (Arcade, 1-2 players, 800 Wii Points)

WiiWare:

Art Style: CUBELEO (1 player, 600 Wii Points)
Art Style: DIALHEX (1-2 players, 600 Wii Points)
Art Style: ORBITAL (1 player, 600 Wii Points)
Contra Rebirth (1-2 players, 1,000 Wii Points)

VC Friday: Majora's Mask, DSiWare available in Europe right now

by JC Fletcher { Apr 3rd 2009 at 12:15PM }

This is probably the best day for downloads on Nintendo consoles in years. If you got a DSi today, you've probably already begun perusing the new DSi Shop and downloading some DSiWare, including the two Art Style games available! But even if you didn't get a DSi, you'll probably be happy with the downloadable selection this week. Well, that is, if you didn't get a DSi and you have a Wii. If you've got neither, this might just irritate you.

The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask has arrived! And we don't even have to make any disclaimers about making sure you have space to download it.

The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask -- N64-- 1,000 Points
Art Style: AQUITE -- DSiWare -- 500 Points
Art Style: CODE -- DSiWare -- 500 Points
Birds & Beans -- DSiWare -- 200 Points
DSi Browser -- DSiWare -- free!
Paper Plane -- DSiWare -- 200 Points
WarioWare Snapped! -- DSiWare -- 500 Points

Nintendo reveals early DSi Shop titles

by David Hinkle { Apr 1st 2009 at 6:05PM }

With the release of the Nintendo DSi mere days away, we imagine many folks have chewed their fingernails right to the bone. Here at the office, we're mostly concerned with the DSi Shop and how we're going to spend those free 1,000 Points. Thanks to Eurogamer, we know of at least three new games that will be available in Europe and (hopefully) North America, adding to the games we already know about.

The first title is from the Art Style series of games, called Art Style: Code. The game released in Japan under Art Style: DECODE and is a puzzle game that tasks players with correctly organizing a series of numbers. Next is Pyoro (Bird and Bean), a game where you catch fruit falling from a tree with Pyoro's long tongue. The other new game is Paper Plane, where players must successfully guide a paper airplane through a series of mazes.

Sadly, a price or US release date has not been mentioned for any of these titles, but the fact that they're leaving Japan is a very good sign for the future of DSiWare in the US.

Gallery: Art Style Decode

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Australia's DSiWare launch lineup

by JC Fletcher { Apr 1st 2009 at 5:05PM }

The Nintendo DSi has officially launched in Australia, and with it, the DSiWare service! Six downloads are already available, including, of course, the free web browser. This may be a hint as to upcoming content in other regions' DSi Shops, but it's definitely a hint that awesome times have started for Australian DSi owners. We wish we could be playing WarioWare:Snapped! right now! We've linked to Nintendo of Japan's site for each game so you can see screens and video.

DSi Browser (free)
Pyoro (200 Nintendo Points)
Paper Plane (200 Nintendo Points)
WarioWare: Snapped! (500 Nintendo Points)
Art Style: Aquite (500 Nintendo Points)
Art Style: D-Code (500 Nintendo Points)

Not invited to GDC 2009? Don't worry -- we've got you covered on your DSi needs. Check out our unboxing of a Japanese system for a hands-on rundown of features, and have a look at the awesome DSiWare downloads that have come to Japan. Then torture yourself with the limited-edition FFCC: Echoes of Time DSi that probably won't make it here!

GDC09: Nintendo confirms DSiWare titles for US

by David Hinkle { Mar 25th 2009 at 5:45PM }

Tucked away in a press release that Nintendo dished out following Satoru Iwata's GDC09 keynote earlier today, was confirmation that certain Japanese DSiWare titles would be making their way out of the Land of the Rising Fun. But that's not all, as Nintendo also revealed that Japan's pricing structure will also make its way over here, with apps and games falling into the following price brackets: free, 200 points, 500 points, and 800+ points.

Art Style: Aquia and WarioWare: Snapped! are among the first titles mentioned for the US DSi Shop, along with Moving Memo (tentative titlel). A date for these titles has not been set, but we're hoping they'll be available around the launch of the DSi in North America on April 5.

Gallery: GDC09: DSi Screens

DSiWare Master of Illusion, Brain Age, Art Style rated by OFLC

by JC Fletcher { Mar 18th 2009 at 4:00PM }

While we can't be sure what the launch lineup for the DSiWare shop outside of Japan will look like, we can guess that the Australian shop will feature at least one of these games, thanks to OFLC ratings:

Master of Illusion Express: Shuffle Games
Master of Illusion Express: Funny Face
Master of Illusion Express: Deep Psyche
A Little Bit Of ... Dr. Kawashima's Brain Training: Maths Edition
D-Code (probably Art Style: Decode)

The standard ratings board disclaimer applies: we don't know when these will be out, or if this release implies other regions. But if you wanted to know if Nintendo planned to localize any of its Japanese DSiWare lineup, here is evidence that yes, it is.

Also found on the OFLC: The WiiWare version of Rainbow Islands (yay!) and Adventure Island: The Beginning. Also, Karate Phants.

Gallery: Art Style Decode

Two new Art Style games lead Japan's February DSiWare lineup

by JC Fletcher { Feb 20th 2009 at 2:00PM }

Nintendo has announced its monthly DSiWare update for February, including eight programs in all -- five of which are actually games! Fans of downloadable Nintendo games will be most excited to see the Art Style series continuing with Art Style: Nalaku and Art Style: Hacolife. But there's also unexpected innovation in one of the most mundane titles available! Not to mention the first third-party DSiWare game.

Here's the rundown on each title:

Nintendo DSi Calculator (200 Points) A simple calculator app, which is sold separately in Famicom Mario style and Animal Crossing style.
Nagameru Dake de Kashikoku Nareru! Mojipittan Shiritori Tokei (200 Points): The title translates to "You can become wiser just by looking! Shiritori Clock." Shiritori is a Japanese game about spelling a new word from the final character of a previous word. This clock app puts a constant scrolling display of words and their definitions on the top screen, along with adorable Mojipittan characters.
Art Style: Nalaku (500 Points) A puzzle game about guiding a little character around structures made of cubes, and painting the surfaces by contacting them. Sort of like Q-Bert, but with moving stages in which blocks fall out of and drop into the stage.
Art Style: Hacolife (500 Points) Literally "Box Life," this game involves taking groups of six contiguous squares from flat levels and folding them into cubes. It also manages to be super cute.
Chotto Asobi Taizen: Onajimi Table (500 Points): A selection of games from Clubhouse Games including reversi, hasami shogi, go, shogi, and hanafuda.
Chotto Bungaku Zenshu: Sekai no Bungaku 20 (500 Points): A selection of 25 books in the style of the Japanese version of the 100 Classic Book Collection. This pack includes 20 translated versions of foreign works, and five Japanese books. Reading is fundamental!
Ide Yousuke's Kenkou Mahjong (800 Points): What is in one way one of the most boring releases this month (it's a mahjong game!) is also one of the most exciting: this mahjong game features cross-platform online play with the WiiWare version of the same game.
Sakutto Hamareru Horihori Action Mr. Driller (800 Points): This downloadable version of Namco's puzzle franchise features the Mission Mode, Time Attack Mode, and Dristone mode from the DS launch title Mr. Driller: Drill Spirits.

All of these games will be available Wednesday, February 25 on the Japanese DSi Shop.

Touch Ruminations: Serious business

by David Hinkle { Feb 13th 2009 at 4:59PM }

In the latest edition of Touch Ruminations, former DS and Wii Fanboy Lead David Hinkle talks about how lousy Dead Rising: Chop Till You Drop looks and why the Wii needs to be taken more seriously. Basically, he just rants about stuff. The opinions expressed here belong to the author and don't necessarily reflect those of Joystiq, Weblogs Inc. or its affiliates.

You've seen it, right? Horrible, I know. How does something like this even happen? I don't have all of the answers, but being an individual that has worked in the Wii trenches for years now, I can tell you one thing: this isn't helping the Wii to get the respect it deserves.

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Eight new DSiWare games hit Japan this week

by JC Fletcher { Jan 26th 2009 at 3:54AM }

Silently, so as not to disturb anyone, Nintendo has added eight new DSiWare games to their Japanese website, all of which come out on the 28th! As in two days from now. The games include:

Solitaire DSi (200 Points)
Nintendo DSi Tokei, a clock app that can display photos (200 Points)
Hobonichi Rozenzu, a travel guide to Japan (500 Points)
Art Style: PiCOPiCT, a chiptunes puzzle game! (500 Points)
Art Style: SOMNIUM, a puzzle game about sliding rows of slots to match up with same-colored spheres (example screens here) (500 Points)
Chotto Panel de Pon, a mini version of Planet Puzzle League (500 Points)
Chotto Suujin Taisen, a Japanese board game (500 Points)
Chotto Asobi Taizen: Jikkuri Trump, a card game (500 Points)

If you have a Japanese DSi, we are officially totally jealous. Think of us while you're totally not appreciating Art Style: PiCOPiCT as much as we would be. It's clearly the standout of the group, featuring new arrangements of 8-bit Nintendo classics by chiptune superstars YMCK!

VC Friday: Gooey goodness

by Chris Greenhough { Dec 19th 2008 at 8:56AM }

Save the best 'til last, as ... somebody ... probably once said, and that's exactly what Nintendo has done for the PAL WiiWare service. On the last "WiiWare Friday" of 2008, World of Goo leads a pack of four games. It is quite possibly the most wizard WiiWare release of 2008, and if you wish to know why, head here. Then go and buy it, and make 2D Boy the million bucks they so richly deserve.

That's not to say you have to ignore the rest. Art Style: Orbient is an excellent little puzzler, Niki - Rock'n' Ball is an unknown quantity until somebody braver than us downloads it, and Sudoku Challenge! -- okay, you probably should ignore Sudoku Challenge!.