Nintendo World Report Forums

NWR Interactive => TalkBack => Topic started by: NWR_Neal on March 27, 2009, 07:55:58 AM

Title: Game Releases and DLC from March 15 to 28
Post by: NWR_Neal on March 27, 2009, 07:55:58 AM

The past two weeks contained games from the Final Fantasy, Pokémon, and Grand Theft Auto series. Also, Guitar Hero gets some Hendrix, Queen, and more while Rock Band gets songs from the Who, James Brown, and many more.
 http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/newsArt.cfm?artid=18058

 After a week of vacation, we've got two weeks of games for you, and it was a packed two weeks.    

On Wii, there's everything from a remake of a classic adventure game (Ubisoft's Broken Swords: Shadow of the Templars) to the latest Kororinpa game. There's also a new installment of Pro Evolution Soccer, a Wii version of Rune Factory, and Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Echoes of Time, which is also on DS.    

DS has a new Pokémon, the acclaimed Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars, Scrabble, Henry Hatsworth, and a DS iteration in Square Enix's Valkyrie Profile series.    

As for downloadable content, Guitar Hero: World Tour received six Jimi Hendrix songs, three songs from European artists, three Queen songs, and a James Bond theme. Rock Band 2 adds a ton of songs, including some James Brown and a more than healthy does of the classic rock band The Who.    

 

Wii Games

   

         

Broken Sword: Shadow of the Templars: Director's Cut    Publisher: Ubisoft   Cost: $49.99   ESRB Rating: Teen   Release Date: March 24       Broken Sword: Shadow of the Templars: Director's Cut is a loose remake of a 1996 PC adventure game made by Charles Cecil. Featuring an engrossing storyline that kicks off when a rich and influential French statesman is brutally murdered, Broken Sword features puzzles and brain-teasers and an exclusive two player mode that allows a second player to help out. The director's cut features graphics and art by "Watchmen" artist Dave Gibbons and music by composer Barrington Pheloung. Check out our review of the 2002 Game Boy Advance version.

   

---

   

         

Cate West: The Vanishing Files    Publisher: Destineer   Cost: $29.99   ESRB Rating: Everyone 10+   Release Date: March 24       Based on the PC and DS game, Cate West: The Vanishing Files is a point-and-click adventure with 15 chapters. The game follows visionary and novelist Cate West as she aides the police in the Vanishing Files, a series of unexplained cases. It contains various puzzles and has three different endings.

   

---

   

         

Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Echoes of Time    Publisher: Square Enix   Cost: $39.99   ESRB Rating: Everyone 10+   Release Date: March 24       Square Enix's Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Echoes of Time promises to bring the series back to its multiplayer roots.  It features cross-platform multiplayer both locally and over the Internet between both the DS and Wii versions of the game.  Players will create a character in one of the four tribes present in the universe and set out on adventures and missions, teaming up with any number of different friends along the way.  The Wii version will actually split the TV screen up to emulate the dual screens of the DS game.

   

         

Marble Saga: Kororinpa    Publisher: Konami   Cost: $29.99   ESRB Rating: Everyone   Release Date: March 17       Marble Saga Kororinpa is a puzzle game based around moving a playing field (similar to Super Monkey Ball) in order to navigate a small marble towards the end goal. The playing field is manipulated with the Wii Remote's motion sensing abilities. Players must help an ant named Anthony save his colony and locate the Golden Sunflower Seed. Within each area there are a certain number of orange and green crystals that players must collect in order to progress to the next level. There are over 100 levels located in several different areas. Puzzle solving elements are introduced in later levels as players must learn how to interact with obstacles such as magnetism, conveyor belts, and rotating levels where the floors become the ceilings. Marble Saga Kororinpa also supports multiplayer and Mii integration as well as a level editor which allows players to share their designs online.

   

---

   

         

Monsters vs. Aliens    Publisher: Activision   Cost: $49.99   ESRB Rating: Everyone 10+   Release Date: March 24       Based on the animated movie of the same name, Monsters vs. Aliens takes the heroic monsters from the movie and puts them into an action adventure game. Each of the four characters offers a different gameplay style. The gelatinous B.O.B. can stretch and bounce along walls and seep through cracks, The half-ape half-fish Missing Link can scale walls and is the brute of the group, the gigantic Ginormica races through levels on her roller skates, and Dr. Cockroach doles out missions and supplies the monsters with gadgets. A second player can jump in as Dr. Cockroach whenever they want to as players traverse through the game's 20 levels, including game-exclusive levels.

   

---

   

         

MotoGP    Publisher: Capcom   Cost: $39.99   ESRB Rating: Everyone   Release Date: March 24       The world's premier motorcycling championship heads to Wii as Capcom brings MotoGP to the system. Featuring tracks, riders, and motorcycles from the 2008 racing season, the game consists of 18 different Grand Prix races spread out across the globe. Players can play as the world's best riders, such as World Champion Casey Stoner, or they can create their own racer.

   

---

   

         

Pro Evolution Soccer 2009    Publisher: Konami   Cost: $39.99   ESRB Rating: Everyone   Release Date: March 17       Following in the footsteps of last year's innovative controls, Pro Evolution Soccer 2009 brings improvements to the solid soccer gameplay. Featuring improved graphics and AI, PES 2009 retains all the great features of the first game in the series on Wii. It has single player and multiplayer modes, online play, updated rosters, and improved controls.

   

---

   

         

Ready 2 Rumble Revolution    Publisher: Atari   Cost: $39.99   ESRB Rating: Everyone 10+   Release Date: March 17       After a long hiatus, Ready 2 Rumble is back with 20 crazy new boxers and Wii controls. The celebrity caricature cast of characters, with names such as Fight Clubber and Hilarious D, duke it out in various single player and multiplayer modes. The game features Michael Buffer, notable for the iconic line "Let's Get Ready to Rumble," as the ring announcer.

   

---

   

         

Rune Factory: Frontier    Publisher: XSeed   Cost: $49.99   ESRB Rating: Everyone 10+   Release Date: March 17       Similar to previous titles in the series, this simulation/RPG once again allows players to develop their farm and battle through dungeons, except this time they're found on a floating island shaped like a whale. Many characters from the original DS Rune Factory titles return, including Laguna. He explains to the protagonist of Frontier that a young girl, Mist from the original, has gone missing and he requests help in finding her. Once she is found, the story begins and the protagonist sets in and begins his life in the village. Players must tend to the farm in order to set free little creatures called Rooneys who appear as both the farm and village progress. As players become more successful in their relationships and gardening skills, the village will expand and feature new shops and new villagers. As players traverse through the dungeons, they are once again able to farm within them as well as capture animals. These animals are very useful for farming, traveling, and in battle.

   

 

DS Games

   

         

Broken Sword: Shadow of the Templars: Director's Cut    Publisher: Ubisoft   Cost: $29.99   ESRB Rating: Teen   Release Date: March 24       This remake of the 1996 PC adventure game features intuitive stylus controls and a new hint system. The story follows a journalist's account of the assassination of a French statesman and the events that unfold after it. In addition, this director's cut features handdrawn illustrations from "Watchmen" artist Dave Gibbons and new story elements and settings.

   

---

   

         

Discovery Kids Dolphin Discovery   Discovery Kids Kitten Corner   Discovery Kids Pony Paradise   Discovery Kids Puppy Playtime    Publisher: 505 Games   Cost: $29.99 (each)   ESRB Rating: Everyone   Release Date: March 27       These four games all allow players to interact with different animals. In Dolphin Discovery, you can use your stylus to teach your dolphin various tricks and routines. In Kitten Corner, you can customize your cats with different fur colors and enter them in contests. In Pony Paradise, there are four different pony breeds to take care of and five different environments to play with them in. In Puppy Playtime, players take control of three different rescue dog breeds and train them to work with the fire department, police force, and lifeguards.

   

---

   

         

Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Echoes of Time    Publisher: Square Enix   Cost: $39.99   ESRB Rating: Everyone 10+   Release Date: March 24       Square Enix's Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Echoes of Time promises to bring the series back to its multiplayer roots.  It features cross-platform multiplayer both locally and over the Internet between both the DS and Wii versions of the game.  Players will create a character in one of the four tribes present in the universe and set out on adventures and missions, teaming up with any number of different friends along the way.  The DS version will utilize the two screens of the system in a similar way to how the TV and GBA screens were used in tandem in the original GameCube release.

   

---

   

         

Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars    Publisher: Rockstar Games   Cost: $34.99   ESRB Rating: Mature   Release Date: March 17       Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars is the thirteenth edition of the Grand Theft Auto series and delivers a different approach to the familiar formula of its predecessors. Instead of a ground-level view following the protagonist from behind, Chinatown Wars uses an isometric perspective. Players control Huang Lee, the wealthy son of a Hong Kong Triad boss, who must travel to Liberty City in order to deliver a sacred sword, the Yiu Jin, to his uncle after the assassination of his father. However, upon his entrance to Liberty City he is kidnapped by his father's assassins and left for dead in the trunk of their car. The touch screen is used to control the PDA, radio and GPS as well as certain weapons including grenades.  Check out our preview for more details.

   

---

   

         

Henry Hatsworth in the Puzzling Adventure    Publisher: Electronic Arts   Cost: $29.99   ESRB Rating: Everyone   Release Date: March 17       Play as the British explorer Henry Hatsworth in EA's upcoming adventure/puzzle title Henry Hatsworth in the Puzzling Adventure.  Hatsworth is on a quest to find the lost pieces of the Golden Suit, which is said to allow its wearer access to a parallel world known as the Puzzle Realm where incredible treasure can be found. Players will explore many different stages throughout five different worlds, braving areas such as jungles, lava pits, and many more. However, Henry Hatsworth is much more than an adventure title since it uses both DS screens to offer two types of gameplay. When players defeat enemies on the top screen, they fall to the bottom and become a tile within the puzzle. As the tiles rise, players must make matches of three or more identical tiles before the tiles rise to the top and become revived once again.

   

---

   

         

Jake Power Handyman    Publisher: Ubisoft   Cost: $29.99   ESRB Rating: Everyone   Release Date: March 17       Jake Power Handyman allows players to protect a city by becoming a Policeman, Firefighter or Handyman. As a policeman players can drive around a customized vehicle, chase down criminals, and protect innocent civilians. While controlling the fireman players must control their customized fire truck and douse blazing fires around the city. Finally after all of the calamity, players must take the role of the Handyman in order to rebuild the city.

   

---

   

         

Lux-Pain    Publisher: Ignition   Cost: $29.99   ESRB Rating: Teen   Release Date: March 24       Lux-Pain is an adventure game that takes place in the massive world of Kisaragi City. Players take control of Atsuki, who's parents, as well as other people from the town, were murdered by Silent, a worm born through hate and sadness. Atsuki acquires Lux-Pain in his left arm, which helps him get his revenge on the evil worms. Players use the stylus to control the power of Lux-Pain and save Kisaragi City.

   

---

   

         

Monsters vs. Aliens    Publisher: Activision   Cost: $29.99   ESRB Rating: Everyone   Release Date: March 24       Based on the animated movie of the same name, Monsters vs. Aliens takes the heroic monsters from the movie and puts them into an action adventure game. Each of the four characters offers a different gameplay style. The gelatinous B.O.B. can stretch and bounce along walls and seep through cracks, The half-ape half-fish Missing Link can scale walls and is the brute of the group, the gigantic Ginormica races through levels on her roller skates, and Dr. Cockroach doles out missions and supplies the monsters with gadgets.

   

---

   

         

Pokémon Platinum    Publisher: Nintendo   Cost: $34.99   ESRB Rating: Everyone   Release Date: March 22       The DS version of Pokemon Yellow/Crystal/Emerald dropped this week. The game adds on to Diamond/Pearl's robust online functionality with new minigames and player interactions. The solo gamer can enjoy new overworld aesthetics, a brand-new dungeon (the Distortion World), and new forms of old legendary critters.

   

---

   

         

Scrabble    Publisher: Electronic Arts   Cost: $29.99   ESRB Rating: Everyone   Release Date: March 17       Scrabble fanatics everywhere can now take their beloved game wherever they go in a portable and less cumbersome method on the DS. There are three modes featured including classic, speed, and slam mode, as well as a tutorial to ease in new players. Slam mode is actually based upon an upcoming card game by Hasbro due out this spring and available for the first time within this release. Additional features included are the official Scrabble Dictionary, and a hint system for the best words to create called Scrabble Word Finder. Scrabble for the DS will also support Wi-Fi for both single and multi-cartridge play.

   

---

   

         

Suikoden Tierkreis    Publisher: Konami   Cost: $34.99   ESRB Rating: Everyone 10+   Release Date: March 17       The popular RPG series comes to DS in the spinoff, Suikoden Tierkreis. Taking place in the Kingdom of Salsabil, one of the many worlds that exist in the Suikoden universe, players take control of an unnamed young protagonist as he sets out to combine the forces of the series-staple 108 heroes and defeat the powerful villain, The One King, who believes in determinism. The game offers both traditional controls and touch screen controls, and takes advantage of both screens by displaying gameplay on one screen and menus on the other.

   

---

   

         

Trackmania DS    Publisher: Atlus   Cost: $29.99   ESRB Rating: Everyone   Release Date: March 17       Created by the same team that brought us 2007’s Race Driver: Create & Race, Trackmania DS brings the PC racing hit to Nintendo's handheld.  Players can race through tracks to get the best time, traverse obstacle courses, or solve puzzles that incorporate the powerful track editor.  There are over one hundred pre-created tracks, three different types of cars, and unlockable car skins, tracks, and track pieces.  You can also gather up to four friends together and take part in wireless multiplayer races and challenges.  With such a robust feature set, Trackmania DS promises to provide plenty of racing action.

   

---

   

         

Valkyrie Profile: Covenant of the Plume    Publisher: Square Enix   Cost: $39.99   ESRB Rating: Teen   Release Date: March 17       Following the recent PSP enhanced port of the PlayStation original, Valkyrie Profile: Covenant of the Plume is a tactical RPG that is inspired by Norse mythology. Taking place from an isometric view, Covenant of the Plume follows the story of Wylfred, who sets out to save his father. Players can have each of their four playable characters fight for themselves, or they can use the game's Mutual Assist system, which allows characters in range to help one another.

   

 

DLC

   

Guitar Hero: World Tour

   

On March 19, there were nine songs that got released for Guitar Hero: World Tour, including the three Jimi Hendrix songs that weren't released on the Wii back in November. Along with three other Jimi Hendrix songs, there were also three songs from European artists.    

On March 26, four more songs were added to the online store, including three songs by Queen, including the anthem "We Are The Champions."    

Every song is available for 200 Wii Points ($2) each.    

 
• "Hier Kommt Alex" by Die Toten Hosen
 
• "Angel" by Jimi Hendrix
 
• "Fire (Live at Woodstock" by Jimi Hendrix
 
• "Foxy Lady (Live at Woodstock)" by Jimi Hendrix
 
• "Freedom" by Jimi Hendrix
 
• "If 6 Was 9" by Jimi Hendrix
 
• "Little Wing" by Jimi Hendrix
 
• "Carolina" by M-Clan
 
• "What Have You Done" by Within Temptation
 

   

 
• "C-lebrity" by Queen + Paul Rodgers
 
• "Fat Bottomed Girls" by Queen
 
• "We Are The Champions" by Queen
 
• "The James Bond Theme" by Richard Fortus
 

 
 

---

 
   

Rock Band 2

   

On March 17, 11 downloadable songs were released for Rock Band 2, including the Get The Funk Out Pack, which contains a song by funk legend, James Brown. There are also three live songs from The Who's Live at Leeds album, a song from the modern band Against Me!, and two songs each from Papa Roach and The New Pornographers.    

On March 24, 12 songs were released, including eight more by The Who, two songs by punk rock band The Offspring, a song from R.E.M., and a song from Richard Thompson.    

Every song is available for 200 Wii Points ($2) each.    

 
• "Thrash Unreal" by Against Me!
 
• "Pick Up the Pieces" by Average White Band
 
• "Shining Star" by Earth Wind & Fire
 
• "Get Up (I Feel Like Being a) Sex Machine - Pt 1" by James Brown
 
• "Last Resort" by Papa Roach
 
• "Lifeline" by Papa Roach
 
• "All the Things That Go to Make Heaven and Earth" by The New Pornographers
 
• "Use It" by The New Pornographers
 
• "My Generation (LIVE)" by The Who
 
• "Summertime Blues (LIVE)" by The Who
 
• "Young Man Blues (LIVE)" by The Who
 

   

 
• "All I Want" by The Offspring
 
• "The Kids Aren't Alright" by The Offspring
 
• "Losing My Religion" by R.E.M.
 
• "The Way That It Shows" by Richard Thompson
 
• "Amazing Journey" by The Who
 
• "Behind Blue Eyes" by The Who
 
• "Eminence Front" by The Who
 
• "Going Mobile" by The Who
 
• "Leaving Here" by The Who
 
• "Real Good Looking Boy" by The Who
 
• "Sea and Sand" by The Who
 
• "Who Are You" by The Who
 

   

For Nintendo's Virtual Console and WiiWare releases for the past two weeks, check out our articles: March 16, March 23, March 25 (Virtual Console Arcade)    

Thanks to Francesca DiMola, Mike Gamin, Jon Lindemann, and Zachary Miller for help in this article

Title: Re: Game Releases and DLC from March 15 to 28
Post by: vudu on March 27, 2009, 01:33:05 PM

Echos of Time is really out?  I haven't heard a peep about it anywhere.

I really want to try Henry Hatsworth.  I hope there's eventually a demo on the Nintendo Channel.

Title: Re: Game Releases and DLC from March 15 to 28
Post by: NWR_Neal on March 27, 2009, 01:58:08 PM

Quote from: vudu on March 27, 2009, 01:33:05 PM

Echos of Time is really out?  I haven't heard a peep about it anywhere.

Apparently. I know we just got our review copy in.

Quote

I really want to try Henry Hatsworth.  I hope there's eventually a demo on the Nintendo Channel.

Same here. It looks good, but there's too many other great DS games that beg my attention. A demo could sell it for me (like Rhythm Heaven's demo did).

Title: Re: Game Releases and DLC from March 15 to 28
Post by: KDR_11k on March 27, 2009, 02:41:55 PM

Quote

In Dolphin Discovery, you can use your stylus to teach your dolphin various tricks and routines.

Yeah or you could get Endless Ocean which lets you teach tricks to various cetaceans as one sidegame while also providing you with the whole diving game part.

Quote

Jake Power Handyman allows players to protect a city by becoming a Policeman, Firefighter or Handyman. As a policeman players can drive around a customized vehicle, chase down criminals, and protect innocent civilians. While controlling the fireman players must control their customized fire truck and douse blazing fires around the city. Finally after all of the calamity, players must take the role of the Handyman in order to rebuild the city.   

Weren't there separate games for these jobs before?

Quote

players take control of an unnamed young protagonist as he sets out to combine the forces of the series-staple 108 heroes and defeat the powerful villain, The One King, who believes in determinism.

Oh nice, now we get games about killing people over their favourite interpretation of quantum mechanics. And here I thought this whole idiocy about teaching evolution was bad.

Title: Re: Game Releases and DLC from March 15 to 28
Post by: NWR_pap64 on March 27, 2009, 02:47:16 PM

Damn, what a busy release week!

Its amazing how we sometimes go from endless droughts to massive floods in a matter of weeks.

Title: Re: Game Releases and DLC from March 15 to 28
Post by: TJ Spyke on March 27, 2009, 04:02:33 PM

Quote from: KDR_11k on March 27, 2009, 02:41:55 PM

Weren't there separate games for these jobs before?

Yep. Jake Power: Firefighter was released in October 2008,  Jake Power: Policeman was released in November 2008.

I have seen several trailers for Echoes of Time. It looks good, but you can tell it started as a DS game and later they decided to make a Wii version (it has the same graphics as the DS one). The Wii version doesn't even have online I think.

Title: Re: Game Releases and DLC from March 15 to 28
Post by: Mop it up on March 27, 2009, 07:09:28 PM

Quote from: TJ Spyke on March 27, 2009, 04:02:33 PM

I have seen several trailers for Echoes of Time. The Wii version doesn't even have online I think.

Did you read the article? Not only does the Wii version have online, but it is apparently compatible with the DS version. The box art also has the Wi-Fi symbol on it.

Anyways, is it just me or does the symbol on the box art for Broken Sword look like the symbol of the Umbrella Corporation from Resident Evil?

Title: Re: Game Releases and DLC from March 15 to 28
Post by: TJ Spyke on March 27, 2009, 07:40:29 PM

OK, it has online. I went back and checked, it's local multiplayer it lacks (and by that I mean not using the DS version. You can't have a friend play the Wii version with you).

Title: Re: Game Releases and DLC from March 15 to 28
Post by: NWR_pap64 on March 28, 2009, 02:12:29 AM

Quote from: TJ Spyke on March 27, 2009, 07:40:29 PM

OK, it has online. I went back and checked, it's local multiplayer it lacks (and by that I mean not using the DS version. You can't have a friend play the Wii version with you).

Actually, it DOES have local multiplayer. I read that its splitscreen multiplayer that simulates playing on the DS.

Title: Re: Game Releases and DLC from March 15 to 28
Post by: KDR_11k on March 28, 2009, 04:04:42 AM

I thought it has splitscreen singleplayer?

Title: Re: Game Releases and DLC from March 15 to 28
Post by: TJ Spyke on March 28, 2009, 04:43:07 PM

Quote from: pap64 on March 28, 2009, 02:12:29 AM

Quote from: TJ Spyke on March 27, 2009, 07:40:29 PM

OK, it has online. I went back and checked, it's local multiplayer it lacks (and by that I mean not using the DS version. You can't have a friend play the Wii version with you).

Actually, it DOES have local multiplayer. I read that its splitscreen multiplayer that simulates playing on the DS.

I think they mentioned on RFN that it doesn't. The only way to play local multiplayer is with multiple DS's. You can't do like 2 people on the Wii and 1 on DS.

Title: Re: Game Releases and DLC from March 15 to 28
Post by: DAaaMan64 on March 28, 2009, 04:55:44 PM

Quote from: KDR_11k on March 28, 2009, 04:04:42 AM

I thought it has splitscreen singleplayer?

Thats the only way to go in this day and age.  Like HD gaming.

Title: Re: Game Releases and DLC from March 15 to 28
Post by: Pale on March 29, 2009, 12:47:22 AM

The Wii version can definitely play online.

And you can connect locally to the DS version.  The way the games work are that you can invite another player into your story mode, but you can't both play the story modes at once. For example, if you invite a friend in the very beginning and beat the first boss. When that friend goes to play they will have to beat the first boss again, but you won't.

Strangely, under local wireless between Wii and DS, a DS can't "invite" a Wii but a Wii can invite a DS. This means that you have to be playing on the Wii players story.

This isn't the case when playing online though.  Right now my Fiancee's character is on the Wii version and mine is on the DS. We want to play my story mode though. To do this we literally play Online even though we are in the same room.