Topic: Game Releases and DLC for the Week Ending February 21

[NWR_Neal]

This week features, among others games, two DS titles that have never been released in America before. There is also a handful of Wings and Nirvana songs for rhythm game fans.
 http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/newsArt.cfm?artid=17798

 After a virtual storm of hot Wii releases in the first two weeks of February, Nintendo's system has cooled down slightly this week with Battle Rage, Puzzle Challenge & More, and Solitaire & Mahjong. However, the DS brings some big RPGs in Dragon Quest V and Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon, both of which are remakes of games that have never before been released on western shores.    

Guitar Hero: World Tour gets a dose of Wings with three songs from the classic band.  Meanwhile, Rock Band 2 put out seven Nirvana songs for download.    

Note: Harmonix has still not fulfilled their promise of getting Wii Rock Band 2 DLC on the same schedule as the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 iterations.    

 

Wii Games

   

         

Battle Rage    Publisher: Destineer   Cost: $19.99   ESRB Rating: E10+   Release Date: February 20       Based on a PC game from last year, Battle Rage is a third-person shooter in which players take control of large robots doing battle in arenas. It comes with a pair of glasses so that it can be played in 3D. With eight robots and support for up to four players, Battle Rage is a cross between a shooter and a beat'em-up. There is an arcade mode and a separate storyline for each robot.

   

   

         

Puzzle Challenge & More    Publisher: Crave   Cost: $29.99   ESRB Rating:  E   Release Date: February 17       Originally appearing on PC and PlayStation 2, Crave's Puzzle Challenge & More comes with four different crosswords-related games: Crosswords, Codebreakers (you have to crack codes), Cryptic (full of enigmatic clues), and Diamonds (everything is laid out in a diamond shape). In total, there are over 1,000 different puzzles waiting to be solved.

   

   

         

Solitaire & Mahjong    Publisher: Crave   Cost: $29.99   ESRB Rating: E   Release Date: February 17       101 is the popular number in Crave's Solitaire & Mahjong. It features 101 different kinds of Solitaire and 101 unique Mahjong tile layouts. There are also detailed statistics and extra mini-games, such as Memory and Matching.

   

 

DS Games

   

         

Dragon Quest V: The Hand of the Heavenly Bride    Publisher: Square-Enix   Cost: $39.99   ESRB Rating: E10+   Release Date: February 17       Dragon Quest V: The Hand of the Heavenly Bride is a 3D remake of the 1992 Super Nintendo classic. Dragon Quest V features a story that follows the hero from birth to marriage, including everything in between (and after). This was the first game in the long-running series to introduce the idea of capturing monsters and using them as members of your party. There are also a few mini-games, such as Bruise the Ooze, T'n'T, and the Slurpodrome.

   

   

         

Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon    Publisher: Nintendo   Cost: $29.99   ESRB Rating: E10+   Release Date: February 16       A remake of the original Fire Emblem that was released on the Famicom in 1990, Shadow Dragon features updated graphics and added tutorial levels to ease in new players. Marth, of Super Smash Bros. Melee and Brawl fame, leads the charge against the evil and recently-revived Medeus and the fearsome sorcerer Gharnef. Shadow Dragon also features online multiplayer with voice chat via the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection.

   

   

         

Jake Power Fireman   Jake Power Policeman    Publisher: Ubisoft   Cost: $29.99 (each)   ESRB Rating: E   Release Date: February 17       Players take control of Jake Power as he plays the role of a firefighter in Jake Power Fireman, and a policeman in Jake Power Policeman. Both games feature Jake Power in the role of a hero as he saves people from fires and crime. Vehicles in the games can be upgraded to ensure better performance as Power "safely [speeds] through the wide streets of a big US city."

   

 

DLC

   

Guitar Hero: World Tour

   

This week's DLC offering features three songs by Wings, the classic '70s band featuring Paul McCartney. Each song is available for 200 Wii Points ($2) each.    

 
• "Hi Hi Hi" by Wings
 
• "Jet" by Wings
 
• "Junior's Farm" by Wings
 

 
   
   

Rock Band 2

   

Once again reaching into its large backlog of downloadable songs, this week Rock Band 2 has seven Nirvana songs available for Wii owners to download. They're all from their classic album Nevermind, and each song is available for 200 Wii Points ($2) each.    

 
• “Breed” by Nirvana
 
• “Lounge Act” by Nirvana
 
• “On a Plain” by Nirvana
 
• “Polly” by Nirvana
 
• “Something in the Way” by Nirvana
 
• “Stay Away” by Nirvana
 
• “Territorial Pissings” by Nirvana
 

   

For Nintendo's Virtual Console and WiiWare releases for this week, check out our weekly article.

[TheYoungerPlumber]

I wish I were itching for a Fire Emblem game right now, but I'm not. I may pick this up in a few months.

[NWR_Neal]

I am in the same exact boat, TYP.
I like the series and all, I'm just not into playing another one right now.

I am into starting to play DQV for review, though...

[Kairon]

At $20 bucks I'm tempted to pick up Battle Rage. That is, until I realize what $20 can get me on the DS and WiiWare...

[NWR_insanolord]

I went to Metacritic to read up on Battle Rage as the paragraph here plus the $20 price point intrigued me. I expected horrible reviews but I didn't get them because the game isn't even in the system. I don't know what to make of that.

[KDR_11k]

I wonder if Battle Rage can be played without the 3D mode, I have no depth perception so it'd only be annoying.

At $20 bucks I'm tempted to pick up Battle Rage. That is, until I realize what $20 can get me on the DS and WiiWare...

Wow, I never knew you'd care if you could get something better for your money.

[NWR_insanolord]

I can't believe Kairon has standards either.

[D_Average]

Unless you're an RPG fan, this is one big pile of LAME.

[Jonnyboy117]

I'm currently deep in another DS RPG of sorts -- Guadia Quest (part of Retro Game Challenge).  But as soon as I finish RGC, I'll be picking up DQV.  It's hard to believe they released it so quickly here, as DQIV only came out last August.