After a few fantastic weeks on Virtual Console and WiiWare, the service slows down just a bit with the release of the highly-anticipated Tetris Party and the Incredible Maze for WiiWare, and two Hudson import titles for TurboGrafx-16 and its CD successor.

The big game of the week is clearly Tetris Party. Featuring all the classic falling block gameplay, Tetris Party contains ten never-before-seen modes, ranging from the likes of Field Climber and Stage Racer to Shadow and a Wii Balance Board-compatible mode. Along with all the new modes, the game is also playable with up to six players over the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection. Tetris Party is rated E for Everyone and is 1200 Wii Points ($12).

The next WiiWare game, The Incredible Maze, is a simple tilting game from Digital Leisure in which you control a ball as it rolls around a perilous maze. While the Wii Remote is the primary controller, the game is also compatible with the Wii Balance Board. The Incredible Maze is rated E for Everyone and is 500 Wii Points ($5).

On the Virtual Console flipside we have two import titles. The first, Digital Champ Battle Boxing for TurboGrafx16, is a first-person boxing title. Set in the future, you set out to defeat the Mother Computer as you box your way through various villains. Digital Champ Battle Boxing is rated E10+ and is available now for 700 Wii Points ($7).

The final title of the week is Gradius II Gofer No Yabou for the TurboGrafx16 CD-ROM. Another import title, this official sequel to the original Gradius puts you back in the cockpit of the Vic Viper through nine stages of shoot-em-up action. Gradius II Gofer No Yabou is rated E for Everyone and is available for 900 Wii Points ($9).

WII-KLY UPDATE: TWO WIIWARE GAMES AND TWO VIRTUAL CONSOLE GAMES ADDED TO WII SHOP CHANNEL

Oct. 20, 2008

No matter how many years go by, the blocks just never stop falling. Now Tetris Party gives you the chance to show off all the block-stacking skills you have honed through the years while competing with friends in a variety of new challenges. If you're in more of a solitary mood, see how long it takes you to work your way through The Incredible Maze. The Virtual Console also sees two classic games added. Whether you like to do your fighting with an airship or a pair of boxing gloves, you're covered.

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™

Tetris Party (Tetris Online, Inc., 1-6 players, Rated E for Everyone, 1,200 Wii Points): Tetris Party is a deceptively simple, totally addictive puzzle game that is sure to keep you and all of your friends and family entertained for hours on end. The WiiWare game features 10 never-before-seen single-player and multiplayer variations of Tetris, including Field Climber, Stage Racer, Shadow and Wii Balance Board-enabled modes (Wii Balance Board™ accessory sold with Wii Fit™). Several of the modes give users the chance to take advantage of the unique point-and-shoot capabilities of the Wii Remote™ controller. The party doesn't stop there, though. Take the Tetris fun online via Nintendo® Wi-Fi Connection, where you can play multiplayer Tetris against up to five friends at a time. You can also see how your Tetris Party skills stack up against the rest of the world using the global ranking system.

The Incredible Maze (Digital Leisure Inc., 1 player, Rated E for Everyone, 500 Wii Points): Get lost in The Incredible Maze! Simply tilt your Wii Remote controller to navigate a series of exciting and twisted mazes. Entering the maze could not be easier, but finding your way out will require a keen eye and a steady hand. Obstacles and traps are around every corner, so move your ball around the maze without falling off the edge. But watch out, there are lots of surprises in store. You can hunt for gems in a timed challenge, or test your abilities in a race against the clock. The Incredible Maze is also compatible with the Wii Balance Board, so you can really put your weight into it. This is the way in, but you'll have to find your own way out.

Virtual Console

Digital Champ Battle Boxing (TurboGrafx16, 1 player, Rated E10+ for Everyone 10 and Older - Mild Violence, 700 Wii Points): Set in the near future, Digital Champ Battle Boxing is a first-person-perspective boxing title that plunges players into the raw intensity of the ring! Determined to thwart Mother Computer's plot to conquer mankind, you infiltrate the enemy's domain, using your boxing skills to vanquish your foes. Each round is three minutes, with a total of 12 rounds to a match. Advance to the next contest through either a KO or by flattening an opponent three times in a round for a TKO. Utilize an arsenal of left and right jabs, hooks, power-charged crosses and three different kinds of "Devastator" punches. Deftly block and slip your opponent's attacks, and look for your chance to lay them out. Master these techniques and take down the greatest opponent of them all, DIGITAL CHAMP!

GRADIUS® II GOFER NO YABOU (TurboGrafx16 CD-ROM, 1 player, Rated E for Everyone - Mild Fantasy Violence, 900 Wii Points): This shooter is the sequel to the seminal masterpiece, GRADIUS. Two years after its last epic battle, the GRADIUS army recommissions the VIC VIPER super-dimensional warplane to combat the invasion of a new nemesis known as GOFER. Piloting the latest model of the VIC VIPER, players can select between multiple WEAPON MODULES and SHIELDS to tackle the varying stages and enemy attack patterns they come up against. With a total of nine stages, this perfect port of the original boasts one of the longest adventures in the series and features more of its trademark fast-paced background music to accompany the intense action.

For more information about Wii, please visit wii.com.