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VC in Brief: The Combatribes (SNES), Solomon's Key (VC Arcade)

by David Hinkle { Nov 30th 2009 at 9:45PM }

This week's Virtual Console update offers two delectable titles -- Solomon's Key is a very unique action/puzzler hybrid, whereas The Combatribes features a wonderfully bad story and the demon clowns of Coney Island. Life doesn't get much better than this, folks!

Solomon's Key (VC Arcade, 1 - 2 players, 600 Wii Points)
The Combatribes (SNES, 1 - 2 players, 800 Wii Points)

Every week, we like to check out what's new on the Virtual Console. We offer these videos as a sort of taste to help you decide whether or not you would want the game in question. We also toss in our own two cents because we're pushy jerks like that.

Final Fight 3, Metal Gear headline Japanese Virtual Console lineup next month

by JC Fletcher { Nov 30th 2009 at 1:00PM }

Metal Gear kept Japanese Wii owners waiting last month, as publisher D4 Enterprises missed the game's announced November release window. The tactical espionage action progenitor has snuck into December's lineup, along with another November refugee, Yie Ar Koutei no Gyakushuu.

December will also see the arrival of Final Fight 3 for SNES, which features Guy and Haggar along with two new characters, all doing what they do best: punching people, eating garbage, and destroying lots of barrels. Of course, no Virtual Console schedule is complete without shmups, and December will see two: Ordyne, an adorable side-scroller from Namco, and Zaxxon, a classic Sega shooter with a confusing perspective. See the list after the break.

[Via Andriasang]

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NintendoWare Weekly: Tales of Monkey Island, Bookworm, The Combatribes

by David Hinkle { Nov 30th 2009 at 12:00PM }

If you thought last week's NintendoWare Weekly update was huge, well ... you'll probably think the same thing about this week's update! That's mostly because Nintendo provides quite the overweight offering this time, with a total of ten new titles available for your post-Thanksgiving download. Loosen that belt and make some room for more by heading past the break for the full list of this week's releases.

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VC in Brief: Super Mario Kart (SNES), A Boy and His Blob (NES)

by David Hinkle { Nov 23rd 2009 at 9:15PM }

This week's Virtual Console update is delicious on two different fronts. For one, it's delicious in that we wish we could have some of those jelly beans the Blob in A Boy and His Blob is snacking on -- well, except for the ketchup ones. Even we don't like those!

Secondly, it's delicious because ... uh, we may not have thought that far ahead, But, hey, Super Mario Kart! Have you been adequately distracted from our mental lapse? Check out the video above!

Super Mario Kart (SNES, 1-2 players, 800 Wii Points)
A Boy and His Blob: Trouble on Blobolonia (NES, 1 player, 500 Wii Points)

Report: Mario Kart, Pilotwings and Smash Bros. coming to Virtual Console by year's end

by Griffin McElroy { Nov 21st 2009 at 4:30PM }

Gamespot is reporting that Nintendo revealed to them that a few oft-requested classic titles will be added to the Virtual Console within the coming weeks. According to the report, the festivities will kick off this coming Monday, when Super Mario Kart (which has been available in Japan for approximately forever) will be added to the storefront for the standard price of 800 Wii Points ($8).

Later in the holiday season, Nintendo will also reportedly drop the original Pilotwings onto the platform, then shortly after that, will also toss Super Smash Bros. into the mix. No prices have been announced for these two titles, but according to the Gamespot article, both will be released by the end of the year. That's just great. It's not like we're already drowning in huge, time-draining blockbusters. Now we've got to start perfecting our drifting and shell-flinging once again. We appreciate the gesture, Nintendo -- but your timing is rotten.

VC in Brief: Street Fighter II' Champion Edition (TG16) and Indiana Jones (SNES)

by David Hinkle { Nov 16th 2009 at 7:45PM }

This week, the Virtual Console dumptruck has unloaded two new games onto Wii consoles. One is a fighting game with a superior version already on the service, while the other is a pretty good Factor 5 joint for the SNES. If you fancy yourself an Indy fan (not that kinda Indy), then you'll definitely want to check out the video above.

Actually, you should probably just watch it anyway. You know, just to be safe.

Indiana Jones' Greatest Adventures (SNES, 1 player, 800 Wii Points)
Street Fighter II' Champion Edition (TG16, 1 - 2 players, 700 Wii Points)

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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Quickdev16 cart opens up wonderful world of SNES homebrew

by Griffin McElroy { Oct 26th 2009 at 7:30PM }

Has your homebrew SNES masterpiece, Secret of Manilow, been trapped within your computer for a decade or so due to technological restraints? Time to dust off your old ROM file -- the Quickdev16 SNES developer cartridge has all you need to get your brainchild up and running on Nintendo's Super console. The cart includes an Atmel AVR ATmega644 with boot loader, a USB connection with which to upload a ROM, 16 megabits of SRAM, and an RS232 converter.

We're assuming that if you possess the technical know-how to craft custom SNES games, then you probably know what all that stuff means. We're also assuming that you'd be more inclined to pony up for the cart's $120 price tag than we are. That's just a tad too steep for an SNES cart -- or rather, an SNES cart that isn't a sealed, mint condition copy of Chrono Trigger.

[Via Engadget]

VC in Brief: Final Fight 2 (SNES)

by David Hinkle { Oct 12th 2009 at 6:30PM }

Final Fight 2 (SNES, 1 -2 players, 800 Wii Points)

This week's offering punches the Virtual Console silly, continuing the adventures of everyone's favorite wrestler-turned-politician (What, you think Jesse Ventura deserves that honor? Pfft ...) in Final Fight 2. It doesn't innovate or really add much more to the original experience -- well, except for more dudes to punch. There are plenty more thugs to beat on, that's for sure. But what it lacks in innovation, it makes up for in dudes to punch. Seriously, do you wanna punch dudes? Because that's totally what's going on here.

NintendoWare Weekly: Pinball, Gravitronix, Final Fight 2

by David Hinkle { Oct 12th 2009 at 12:00PM }

Usually, we can't fit all of the titles available for download across Nintendo platforms into the headline, but this week's NintendoWare Weekly post is an exception. Those anxious to get their hands on some digital wares will only find three games available this week -- so in the interest of keeping this train a-chuggin' along, let's get to the details.

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Euro Wii 'Ambassadors' to receive keys to the Virtual Console

by James Ransom-Wiley { Sep 16th 2009 at 11:15AM }

Eager to show its disconnected patrons that their Wiis can do more than Wii Sports -- you don't even have to eject the disc! -- Nintendo has appointed pretty much anyone in Europe savvy enough to visit Wii's Connection Settings menu an "Ambassador." Here's how the "Connection Ambassador Promotion" works: Beginning in October (as seen in Japan), if you help another Wii owner establish an online connection, you and your incompetent friend will both receive five Nintendo bucks (500 Wii Points). (Presumably, when connecting for the first time, there will be an option to credit an Ambassador.)

And if you extend your services to the maximum of twenty previously offline console owners? You're looking at a 10,000-point payout ($100 worth of old games you probably have tucked away in cart form, plus all those WiiWare options) -- not bad, eh?

But wait! There's a more tempting perk to this promotion. As Ambassador, once you connect ten users, you'll achieve "gold status" and be free to download all first-party NES titles on Virtual Console. Oh, but it gets far better: Hit your twenty connections and -- you guessed it -- you've attained "platinum status," essentially granting you the keys to Nintendo's Virtual Console catalog. That's right, all first- and third-party NES, SNES and N64 games -- for free.

Quick! Google map the twenty nearest old folks homes and get ambassadoring!

Contra vs. Duck Hunt takes fowl play to a whole new level

by David Hinkle { Sep 15th 2009 at 1:15PM }

When Contra 4 came out, we had the distinct displeasure of realizing not enough things in life had Contra in it. Thankfully, through the magic of internet technology, we can now check one thing off that list: Duck Hunt. YouTube user daneboe managed to combine the shoot-em-all gameplay of Contra with the duck genocide that is Duck Hunt, creating an entirely new experience. We do think that snickering dog should've gotten a taste of Bill Rizer's brand of justice, but hey, something's gotta be left for the sequel, right?

Head past the break to check out the video.

[Via Infendo]

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VC in Brief: Super Empire Strikes Back (SNES)

by David Hinkle { Aug 24th 2009 at 6:15PM }

Super Star Wars (LucasArts, 1 player, 800 Wii Points)
We say: You don't need a Jedi Mind Trick to tell you this is worth the scratch

After taking a week off to hook us up with some Shinobi, the Virtual Console provides us with the promised sequel to Super Star Wars: Super Empire Strikes Back. It's an improvement on the very fun Super Star Wars and ramps up the experience in almost every respect. But, be warned: as fun as it is, it's equally as punishing.

NintendoWare Weekly: Super Empire Strikes Back, Mr. Driller W.

by David Hinkle { Aug 24th 2009 at 11:10AM }

It may be slim pickings for Nintendo fans this week, but at least there's more 2D Star Wars action to enjoy. If that's not your thing, there's a new version of Mr. Driller on WiIWare and another puzzler on DSiWare to check out but, well ... that's it.

Head past the break for the complete listings.

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Could this portable SNES look any better?

by Justin McElroy { Aug 14th 2009 at 1:00PM }

So you're not in suspense, the answer the the question we've presented in the headline is "No." In fact, we'd guess that ancient, primitive cultures given a glimpse of this lovely mod would instantly build an fortified temple around it, taking breaks from worshipping it only to make more progress in ActRaiser.

So, in closing, Darthchris 13, we'll take 30. And try to have them ready by the weekend, OK?

[Via Engadget]