Dr. Mario Online Rx and Metal Slug mark a resurgence: four downloadable title releases this week. http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/newsArt.cfm?artid=16021 The last time that four games were simultaneously released to Nintendo's Virtual Console download service was September 3, 2007. Now that WiiWare has joined the Virtual Console in providing downloadable offerings, Mondays may be marked by a return to a wider variety of downloadable gaming.
Probably the most significant release this week is the much-anticipated Dr. Mario Online Rx, the WiiWare version of Nintendo's pill-dropping puzzler. By dropping colored vitamins into a bottle and lining up four segments of the same color, players eliminate scores of differently colored viruses. At 1000 Wii Points, Dr. Mario Online Rx also provides: online worldwide doctor vs. doctor gameplay, a demo version you can send your friends, and a cooperative Virus Buster mode for up to four players.
The other WiiWare release this week is Family Table Tennis from Aksys Games, which at 500 Wii points promises to offer up Wii Remote-swinging ping-pong fun. It features: light cel-shaded graphics to go along with its family friendly theme, a family of four characters for players to choose from, and four different venues. It also provides three mini-games on top of its single player and versus modes.
On the Virtual Console side of things, SNK's Metal Slug finally joins the other NEOGEO offerings on the service. A classic example of the run-and-gun genre, (another example of which is Konami's Contra) Metal Slug has one or two players blasting baddies in stage after stage of action by using special weapons and jumping into the titular Metal Slug tank itself. One possible reason for this NEOGEO classic's late release is the title's wide availability on other platforms and its inclusion in Metal Slug Anthology for the Wii, which included seven Metal Slug games in total.
Rounding out the selection is the NES game City Connection. City Connection is a side-scrolling action-platform game where the player tries to race over every inch of a level in their customized car, all while avoiding road spikes, cop cars, and wayward cats. Once they've covered every last section of road with white paint, which marks their progress, the player can move onto the next city in their global road trip.
WII-KLY UPDATE: TWO WIIWARE GAMES AND TWO VIRTUAL CONSOLE GAMES ADDED TO WII SHOP CHANNEL
May 26, 2008 - This week's Wii-kly Update pretty much covers the full spectrum. Maybe you'll want to blast away with an arsenal of old-school weapons. But then again, three-day weekends are a good time to relax. So maybe you'll take a wild road trip or settle in for some table tennis. And if you overdo it, we have a physician standing by.
Nintendo adds new and classic games to the Wii Shop Channel at 9 a.m. Pacific time every Monday. Wii™ owners with a high-speed Internet connection can redeem Wii Points™ to download the games. Wii Points can be purchased in the Wii Shop Channel or at retail outlets. This week's new games are:
WiiWare™
Dr. Mario® Online Rx (Nintendo, 1-4 players, Rated E for Everyone, 1,000 Wii Points): The doctor is in! Mario™ takes a break from his adventuring ways and once again dons his stethoscope for a new generation of germ-battling mayhem. In addition to the classic mode of using vitamins to exterminate viruses, you'll find two battle modes and an online multiplayer mode where you can hone your skills against players from around the world. Feel like challenging a friend who doesn't have Dr. Mario Online Rx? Then the WiiWare-exclusive Friend Battle Demo is just what the doctor ordered. Or maybe you'd like some help taking on those nasty viruses? Try out Virus Buster, where four players can simultaneously move capsules simply by pointing at them with a Wii Remote™ controller. Any way you look at it, Dr. Mario Online Rx is a prescription for fun that everyone can enjoy.
Family Table Tennis (Aksys Games, 1-2 players, Rated E for Everyone, 500 Wii Points): It's time for some good old family fun, and what's more fun than table tennis? Just like a real family, choose your character from a cast of four, which includes Daddy, Mommy, Sarah and Billy. There are four table tennis-tastic stages where it doesn't matter if you're an indoors or outdoors table-tennis player. Pick your poison from a gymnasium, a forest park, a beach or even an amusement park. Choose from Single or Versus mode, or select a minigame to play. In Versus mode, you and a friend can play against each other to see who is the better table-tennis player. And if Single and Versus modes aren't enough, select between three minigames, which include Target Table Tennis, Thrilling Table Tennis and Matching Table Tennis. The appealing cell-shaded graphics and endearing music, on top of the super-fun game play, will have you and your family playing from morning till night. Get your paddles ready.
Virtual Console™
City Connection™ (NES®, 1-2 players, Rated E for Everyone - Comic Mischief, Tobacco Reference, 500 Wii Points): Based on the arcade hit, a young man born in California sets out to tour famous sites and cities around the world. As he drives the highways surrounding these locations, the road is painted white as proof of his visit. Only once all sections of the road have been painted will he move on to the next location in his world tour. Not surprisingly, the local police will chase the driver and do their best to stop him from completing his goal. In addition, cats roam the highways and spikes lie in wait for unsuspecting drivers. To combat these dangers, the driver's customized car can jump, fire cans of oil and collect balloons to warp to a new stage. It's the ultimate road trip.
Metal Slug (NEOGEO, 1-2 players, Rated T for Teen - Blood, Violence, 900 Wii Points): Released in 1996 by SNK, Metal Slug is a side-scrolling military-action game. Players control Marco and Tarma, both members of the special-ops force Team Peregrine Falcon (commonly known as Team PF), and battle their way through stage after stage of intense action. The goal is to try to overthrow General Morden and win back the stolen weapon, the Metal Slug. Players must blast through waves of enemies and machines (while also jumping over any obstacles in the way) to advance through the stages. It's not as hopeless as it might sound, though—weapons such as heavy machine guns, shotguns, rocket launchers and flamethrowers, as well as the Metal Slug itself (which appears frequently in the game), will make the battle easier. Take on General Morden with a friend to lighten your load and ramp up the excitement even more.
For more information about Wii, please visit wii.com.
Topic: This Week's Virtual Console and WiiWare (Read 3551 times)
