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Best of 2008: 10 games you should have downloaded
Even without consulting the weekly popularity charts found on the Nintendo Channel, it's pretty simple to know whether a Virtual Console game was successful in 2008. Success on the VC was reserved for Nintendo franchises and the very biggest names in third-party releases, like Sonic, Mega Man, and Pac-Man. One delightful exception to the super-famous franchise rule: Super Dodge Ball has been in the Top 20 since release. People are clearly buying what they already love rather than exploring.WiiWare, as well, is dominated by the same titles since release: World of Goo, Tetris Party, and (yes,) My Aquarium have been at the top of the charts since release. Other games that have had long stretches of success include, uh, Target Toss Pro: Bags, Pong Toss, Sudoku Challenge, and -- oh, good -- Mega Man 9. Some less popular games take a trip up and then back down the chart upon release. But some didn't even really do that, despite being totally worthwhile. Join us as we browse through five Virtual Console games and five WiiWare games that you guys passed over for more Mario games and The Incredible Maze. To simplify things, we considered North American sales and releases only. If you're from outside North America, go ahead and assume people missed good games in your region too. NEXT >> #ninbutton { border-style: solid; border-color: #000; border-width: 2px; background-color: #BBB; color: #000; text-decoration: none; width: 100px; text-align: center; padding: 2px 2px 2px 2px; margin: 2px 2px 2px 2px; } .buttontext { color: #000; text-decoration: none; font: bold 14pt Helvetica; } #ninbutton:hover { text-decoration: none; color: #BBB; background-color: #000; }
VC Friday: Panic! hits PAL regions
Pit Crew Panic!, a bizarre minigame compilation in which you repair busted cars, trucks, medieval castles, wedding cakes, giant toilets, and whatever this is, leads the new arrivals on the PAL Wii Shop this week. It's joined by remade Nintendo puzzler Art Style: Rotohex and, as we expected, Strong Bad: Dangeresque 3: The Criminal Projective. Then there's Bang!, a puzzler that looks a bit like Bejeweled with fruit -- the gameplay video after the break is possibly the most soulless thing we've watched in years.Oh, and we can now say with some certainty that World of Goo will be out in Europe and Australia on December 19, the only "WiiWare Friday" left in 2008. Unless it's been delayed again, which doesn't bear thinking about. Strong Bad: Dangeresque 3: The Criminal Projective -- 1000 Points -- WiiWare Art Style: Rotohex -- 600 Points -- WiiWare Bang! -- 600 Points -- WiiWare Pit Crew Panic! -- 500 Points -- WiiWare Footage of all four after the break! Cookies for those who make it through the whole Bang! video.%Gallery-36617%
VC Tuesday: Space Invaders Get Overturned
Nintendo of Japan has started off December the right way: with a bunch of video games. Between Virtual Console and WiiWare, an astounding six new (or new to Wii) games are available in Japan today. Of course, one of those games is Atlantis no Nazo, which was so bad, it was almost released as a sequel to Super Pitfall. The other, Space Invaders: Fukkatsu no Hi (Day of Resurrection) contains the original Invaders along with a "Plus" mode that adds new graphics and powerups. It's also 200 points cheaper than the other version of original Space Invaders. Atlantis no Nazo (Famicom, 1 player, 500 Wii Points) Space Invaders: Fukkatsu no Hi (PC Engine, 1 player, 600 Wii Points) The WiiWare game you're most likely to care about is Overturn, the Balance Board-compatible, online robot fighting game. We like Yomikikase Asobi Wii, the interactive Momotarou storybook, but it's got pretty tough competition from online robot fighting. Overturn (1-2 players, 800 Wii Points) Pit Crew Panic! (1-4 players, 500 Wii Points) Hamaru Billiards (1-2 players, 500 Wii Points) Yomikikase Asobi Wii (1-4 players, 1,000 Wii Points) %Gallery-35205%
Dilapidated trains, castles inspire Pit Crew Panic
Before your crew gets to work, pretty much every item that arrives in Pit Crew Panic is in a shocking state of disrepair. Covered in a thick layer of dirt, dented, cracked, and in some cases marred by unfortunate cartoon-face graffiti, they inspire the Panic suggested in the title. In their filthiest states, the objects look like they use Alien Crush Returns textures.In the bizarre WiiWare title, you'll be cleaning and repairing not just cars and motorcycles, but newly-revealed things like train cars, satellites (how do satellites get so muddy?), castles, and battleships. We can't forget about the ones we'd seen before, like flowers and giant toilets, either.%Gallery-36617%
Hudson announces one for Wii, three for WiiWare in North America
Last week, Hudson announced new three new WiiWare games for download in Europe. This morning, the company sent out a press release confirming the (eventual) WiiWare release of all of those games in North America. Pool Revolution: Cue Sports is a pool game featuring online play and a puzzle mode in which players attempt to successfully sink prearranged trick shots.Snowboard Riot is a snowboard racing game "utilizing weapons such as homing bullets and invisibility!" It has 1-4 player online play and, continuing with Deca Sports' vaguely silly athletic-wear advertising, allows players to customize their avatars with Oakley sunglasses and outerwear.Pit Crew Panic is a game about all-female racing pit crews fixing what Hudson refers to as "WHATSITS" -- bridges, cakes, toilets, aircraft carriers, and all manner of non-race-car items. Pit Crew Panic also features four-player online functionality, with 2-on-2 and 3-on-1 teams.The company also confirmed a North American release of Hard Working People, the retail Wii game about taking on various part-time jobs, for summer 2009 under the title Help Wanted. It will come out in Europe in March 2009 as Job Island. Head past the break for more screens!%Gallery-36617%%Gallery-36618%
New Hudson WiiWare games feature pool, snowboarding, and team toilet repair
With Alien Crush Returns debuting in Europe today, Hudson has wasted no time announcing three new WiiWare games for the PAL Wii Shop. They range from pretty basic stuff to whaaaaat? They all sound like they could potentially be fun.On the 'basic' end of things: Snooker Vs. Billiards Cue Sports, a pool game with online play for 1-4 players. It allows for either motion- or button-based play, which is a nice touch. It'll be out (probably) at the end of this month.Slightly less normal is Snowboard Riot, due out in January, a snowboarding game with combat -- sort of like Road Rash falling down a mountain. It also supports online play for up to four players, and even allows the Balance Board.And then there's Pit Crew Panic. We'd seen the title before, but we couldn't have guessed the content of the game. Sure, it is a game about a racing pit crew fixing cars quickly, but it's also a game about a pit crew fixing cakes quickly. And toilets. And flower beds. Wow!
Alien Crush Returns to Australia
PAL regions got the first official release of the amazing pinball game Alien Crush just last year via the Virtual Console. According to the OFLC, the new WiiWare version is Australia-bound as well. Not to be too presumptuous, but this suggests a worldwide release as well. We never doubted that Hudson would make Alien Crush Returns available around the world, but it's nice to have some evidence. Also rated: Tetris Party and something called Pit Crew Panic, another Hudson Wii game. We have no idea what that is -- some kind of racing-related thing, sure, but ... could it really be a whole game about replacing tires and such? %Gallery-19346% [Via Siliconera]
