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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; }
Virtually Free: Last day to be King
There aren't many entries yet in our latest edition of Virtually Free, so if you were waiting for the last day to get your name in, it's time! Get in while your odds are still good! Of course, if everyone does, then they won't be good anymore. But what really matters is that you took a shot at winning King of the Monsters from the Neo Geo. Do you want to say you passed that up? Then go enter!
Virtually Free: King of the Contests
Earlier this week, we profiled the latest Virtual Console release -- King of the Monsters (Neo Geo, 900 Wii points/9$) and declared it good, but not enough to spend money on. That makes it just perfect for this week's edition of Virtually Free, since the whole idea here is you don't have to spend money. All you have to do is leave a comment and you've got a chance to win!To enter, just leave a comment here (with a valid e-mail address!) and tell us about any other currently-available Neo Geo games you'd like to see us give away. You must be a legal resident of the United States with an American Wii (sorry, Canadians, we have to leave you out of this one; blame the gifting system and not us!) and 18 years of age or older. You may enter once per calendar day between now and Monday, July 14; the contest comes to a close that night at 11:59 PM Eastern time, and we'll select a winner in a random drawing the next day. Questions? Check out the official rules.
VC Monday Madness video wrap-up 7/7/08
This week sees the Virtual Console receiving only one game, but, thankfully, it's a good game. Never played King of the Monsters before? Well, hit up the video above for some gameplay footage, then head past the break for more.
Virtual Console crowns the King of the Monsters
Nintendo's love affair with the Neo Geo continues this week, giving players who have not yet shelled out for one of SNK's numerous other arcade collections yet another outlet to spend their hard-earned dollars, or rather, points. King of the Monsters (Neo Geo, 1-2 players, 900 Wii Points): While already available on the Wii already as part of SNK Arcade Classics Volume 1, it's good to know that despite all of the problems in the world, there are still some disagreements between a giant lizard and an overgrown beetle than can be settled as part of a midtown battle royal. SNK's arcade original King of the Monsters allows players to choose from six different giant creatures and then grapple with the others in order to decide the fate of the city, as long as that fate ends in total devastation.
VC Monday Madness: SPOGS and King of the Monsters
There's two items for download on the Wii this week, as we receive one WiiWare and one Virtual Console title in North America. This week's Virtual Console download is an old favorite, so without further delay, let's get to the goods.This week's WiiWare release is: SPOGS Racing (1-2 players, 1,000 Wii Points) This week's Virtual Console release is: King of the Monsters (NeoGeo, 1-2 players, 900 Wii Points)
VC Friday: A monstrous update
Maybe "monstrous" is overdoing it, but after last week's no-show for the Virtual Console, we're back to five games for this Friday's PAL region VC update. Hurrah! These range from forgettable spin-offs (Pac-Attack -- the first SNES title we've seen in over three months, bizarrely) to a Commodore 64 fan favorite (Cybernoid) to SNK's excellent King of the Monsters, which probably hasn't been bettered in the monsters-breaking-stuff genre since its release. Super Fantasy Zone -- Mega Drive -- 800 Wii Points Pac-Attack -- SNES -- 800 Wii Points Summer Games 2 -- Commodore 64 -- 500 Wii Points Cybernoid -- Commodore 64 -- 500 Wii Points King of the Monsters -- Neo Geo -- 900 Wii Points We have some videos featuring some of the above for you, but you'll have to smash the break down with your giant monster limbs to access them.
Plattchen, King of the Monsters rated by ESRB
Plättchen: Twist 'n' Paint was the first WiiWare game announced, back in July of last year. According to the ESRB, it's (at least eligible to be) twisting 'n' painting its way to the Wii Shop any time now, having been officially rated. Also rated: King of the Monsters, SNK's totally great Neo Geo monster fighting game, which was released on Japan's Virtual Console two weeks ago. It's impossible to predict when these games will actually show up on the VC and WiiWare, but we're hoping that King of the Monsters will appear soon. It's been too long since we controlled a rock monster throwing tanks at a giant guy. Too long.
VC Tuesday: Big and small
The latest Japanese VC updates includes one of the most beloved Neo Geo games, which makes use of the system's considerable (for the time) power to draw a bunch of stuff for kaiju to smash! SNK had better get these Neo Geo games out before they release their Arcade Classics collection, to get as much money as possible out of unsuspecting gamers.Contrasting nicely with the giant monsters is Konami's Bio Miracle Bokutte Upa, which stars a crawling baby. The juxtaposition almost makes us think that Nintendo plans these arrangements.Also there's a tennis game. Bio Miracle Bokutte Upa (Famicom, 1 player, 500 Wii Points) Ashura (Rambo) (Sega Master System, 1-2 players, 500 Wii Points) Power Tennis (PC Engine, 1-4 players, 600 Wii Points) King of the Monsters (Neo Geo, 1-2 players, 900 Wii Points) [Update: totally failed to include Rambo on the list! It's ... not a Rambo game in Japan! But hey, shirtless dudes shooting people in the jungle. Close enough!]
SNK revisits well, returns with 16-game compilation for PS2, PSP
We honestly believe that when it comes to SNK, they believe that nostalgia is job one. Why else would the company continue to keep one foot rooted in the past by re-releasing countless compilations of old releases in lieu of anything truly new? Not that there is anything wrong with that. The company has forgotten more about making fun games than most newcomers will ever know, polygons or not. On that note, SNK's latest trip back in time comes care of an impressive collection of 16 different SNK faves, which skirt across the surface of the company's storied history like flat stone. Set for release for both the PlayStation 2 and PSP sometime during the first half of this year, the not-so-creatively dubbed SNK Arcade Classics: Volume 1 will include a bevy of early-gen fighters, such as the first World Heroes, Art of Fighting, and Samurai Shodown titles, as well as Fatal Fury, King of the Monsters, and King of Fighters '94. Beyond fighting games, however, SNK has put together a rather eclectic mix from other genres, with action titles like Top Hunter, Last Resort, Shock Troopers, Sengoku, and Burning Fight, as well as sports entries Baseball Stars 2, Neo Turf Masters, and Super Sidekicks 3. And of course, where would any SNK tribute be without the original Metal Slug and Magician Lord? Nowhere, that's where, so it's a good thing it includes those as well. Not a bad salvo for the first volume, which has us already wondering what games should make the cut for what we hope will be a second collection soon to follow. What SNK greats would you like to see make a return?[Via press release]
