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VC Friday: Convergence
Up until now, Virtual Console and WiiWare games in PAL regions have played nicely, each politely waiting their turn to appear on alternate Fridays. This week, they've both appeared on the same day, scrapping it out for your love. This is what we wanted to happen from the start, but since WiiWare appeared, Nintendo has had an excuse to offer less on the VC.Anyhow, that's another rant for another post. Critter Round-Up and the totally obscure MaBoShi: The Three Shape Arcade are the latest WiiWare additions, while the Hanabi Festival continues with Bio Miracle Bokutte Upa (parts of which look like some of our dreams -- eating through miles of cake) and Dig Dug. Is Dig Dug really worthy of a Hanabi Festival release? Hasn't it already appeared on every format known to man? Bio Miracle Bokutte Upa -- NES -- 600 Wii Points Dig Dug -- NES -- 600 Wii Points MaBoShi: The Three Shape Arcade -- WiiWare -- 800 Wii Points Critter Round-Up -- WiiWare -- 1000 Wii Points Munch your way through the break, which isn't made of cake, for footage of all four.
Wii Warm Up: How about that flow?
Wow, we've been happy with WiiWare. You all have been happy with the titles, correct? Well, regardless of how you would rate the service so far, we have a tough question to ask.Do you think the steady flow of new titles will remain constant going forward? Would you expect at least one new WiiWare game each week, or do you think that the well is getting close to dried up? Sure, there's Strong Bad's Cool Game for Attractive People to look forward to, but what else? Will the flow continue?
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Wii Fanboy Review: Critter Round-Up
One of the stranger games that's currently offered on WiiWare is Critter Round-Up, or Saku Saku Animal Panic in Japan. Knowing that this was created by a relatively new developer, Epicenter Studios, I wasn't really sure what to expect. Never one to turn down the possibility of a good puzzle game, though, I bravely endeavored to corral these critters to the best of my abilities.With another costly puzzle game lurking around the corner, would Critter Round-Up turn out to be worth the download? Keep reading to find out!%Gallery-23224%
Critter Round Up and Star Soldier R hit WiiWare today
Did you think that WiiWare was done after one week? No such luck, nephew, the WiiWare is getting weekly updates, just like its older brother, the Virtual Console. Here's what's arriving this week:Star Soldier R (Hudson Entertainment, 1 player, 800 Wii Points): Think of it as Star Soldier: Championship Edition. With its two- and five-minute time attack modes, this top-down shooter is all about trying to get the highest score in the shortest time. Just be aware that that's the whole enchilada. So if time attacks don't appeal to you, don't go in expecting story mode.Critter Round-Up (Konami, 1-4 players, 1,000 points): We know how awesome the name of new WiiWare release Critter Round-Up is, but before you rush out and download it, we thought a quick look at the description might be wise. "The critters have escaped, and the barnyard is in chaos! It's up to you to quickly corral the animals in this puzzle-action challenge. You'll have to mend fences in a hurry to keep all the critters safe and satisfied. ... So roll up those sleeves and grab a friend-those critters won't catch themselves." ... We know. Doubly awesome.
VC Monday Madness: SKYKID and some WiiWare action
Well, it looks like we were wrong. Here we were, expecting Nintendo to just dish out some WiiWare games and call it a day. Instead, the Big N has gone and surprised us by offering not only the WiiWare downloads we were expecting, but also one Virtual Console game. No point in wasting time, so let's just get to the downloads.This week's Virtual Console download: SKYKID (NES, 1 - 2 players, 500 Wii Points) This week's WiiWare downloads: Star Soldier R (Hudson, 1 player, 800 Wii Points) Critter Round-Up (Konami, 1 - 4 players, 1,000 Wii Points) So who's downloading what? Also, be sure to stop back later today for our video wrap-up.%Gallery-20663%%Gallery-23224%
Expect more WiiWare this Monday
Konami and Hudson both spilled the beans on two major WiiWare titles, Critter Round-Up and Star Soldier R, informing us that they will be available for download on Monday. As you all know, we're dying to get our hands on Hudson's shmup and were disappointed to not see it at the WiiWare launch. So, what about the Virtual Console? It's possible that VC fans could get the shaft again this Monday, however in Japan Nintendo has been known to release Virtual Console games alongside WiiWare games on the same day. We'll just have to wait and see, we suppose.Who's anxious to try out Critter Round-Up and/or Star Soldier R?%Gallery-20663%
Nintendo holding back WiiWare launch list
We have a rough idea of which software is coming to WiiWare, but when it's coming is a different matter. Apparently, Nintendo doesn't want to help us find out either. Game|Life's Chris Kohler recently spoke to a company representative, who revealed that there may not be a list of WiiWare launch titles until the launch itself, on May 12th. Why? We've no idea, but it's a mighty strange way of getting consumers excited, Nintendo.A few games (including Hudson's Star Soldier R, Konami's Critter Round-Up, and Two Tribes' Toki Tori) have already been confirmed for a release on May 12th by their publishers, but we're largely in the dark here. As Nintendo of America is planning to model the WiiWare release schedule on that of the Virtual Console, does that mean we'll be getting far fewer games than we originally expected when we turn our Wiis on next Monday morning?
Konami rounding up critters for U.S. WiiWare launch
In all our excitement over the likes of My Life as a King, Dr. Mario, and Star Soldier R, we've barely found the time to discuss cutesy animal-based puzzler Saku Saku Animal Panic. That's a shame, because a Konami press release has now confirmed that the title will be released as part of the U.S. WiiWare launch line-up on May 12th (as Critter Round-Up), and it sounds like this could be more than a fun distraction.Critter Round-Up has players segregating animals into groups by laying down fences, but there are other factors involved, namely avoiding aggressive animals who might attack you, and preventing the animals from chomping each other (for example, you wouldn't want to create a crocodile-and-chicken pen). Successfully sorting the wildlife into like groups (within a time limit) is the key to victory, and there's 50 levels of fencin' and segregatin' to plow through.Also in the Konami WiiWare pipeline: a sandcastle-building sim currently known as Fresco Beach. That would take this blogger back to his childhood, if much of his childhood wasn't spent in Blackpool, next to the worst beaches in the world.
Konami bringing animals, music, and sandcastles to WiiWare
Konami has become the latest company to throw its weight behind the impending North American WiiWare launch, announcing that it has "several" WiiWare titles in development for the region, the first of which is a four-player puzzle game called Critter Round-Up.Known by the equally cute title Saku Saku Animal Panic in Japan, Critter Round-Up will have players building fences to keep animal species separated while avoiding "predators and other mischievous animals." The game is being created by fledgling developer Epicenter Studios, a company whose only other credit is the as yet unreleased Real Heroes: Firefighter for the Wii. And if corralling animals doesn't get you going (what's wrong with you?), Konami notes that future WiiWare projects include an arcade-style music game called Crescendo (working title) and a sandcastle building sim tentatively known as Fresco Beach. Excited yet?
