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This Week's (Final) Virtual Console and WiiWare

by Nick DiMola - March 30, 2009, 10:05 pm EDT
Total comments: 22 Source: Press Release

Two titles from Nintendo see off the Wii-kly Update, with Nintendo Downloads on the horizon.

Two titles come to the Wii Shop Channel this week, with one for the Virtual Console and one for WiiWare, but both from Nintendo. This also marks the last of week of the Wii-kly Update, as next week kicks off the inclusion of DSiWare. The feature will now be titled Nintendo Downloads.

Bonsai Barber, a four player "first-person-groomer" game, allows players to take use of scissors, clippers, spray cans, and more in order to groom twelve local villager's gardens. Each day players will tend to five customers, and each will choose from thirty designs to test your landscaping stylistic skills. Bonsai Barber is rated E for Everyone by the ESRB and is available now through the Wii Shop Channel for 1,000 Wii Points ($10).

Super Punch-Out!! the SNES sequel to the NES Punch-Out!! pits players against an array of wacky boxers. Little Mac must work his way through the Minor, Major, and World Circuits in order to retain his World Video Boxing Association belt. Bear Hugger, Bald Bull, and Super Macho Man are among the boxers who will challenge Little Mac in his quest for boxing dominance. Super Punch-Out!! is rated E for Everyone by the ESRB and is available now through the Wii Shop Channel for 800 Wii Points ($8).

WII-KLY UPDATE: "THE FAREWELL EDITION"

March 30, 2009

In this farewell edition of the Wii-kly Update (more on that below*), we're pleased to announce a pair of excellent games based around completely opposite vocations. Newly available on the Virtual Console™ is Super Punch Out ™, the classic boxing title that pits players against tough pugilist rivals such as Bald Bull. Speaking of baldness, the unique new WiiWare™ game Bonsai Barber™ invites players to take off the gloves and work their clippers instead, giving new hairstyles to a colorful cast of fruits and vegetables. Both are yours for the downloading via the Wii™ Shop Channel.

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

Bonsai Barber (Nintendo, 1-4 players, Rated E for Everyone-Comic Mischief, 1,000 Wii Points): The village residents are hungry for the latest in foliage fashion, and it's up to you, the new barber, to fix them up. Use the tools of your trade: scissors, clippers, spray can, and more in this humorous, first-of-its-kind "first-person-groomer" game. Bonsai Barber features a colorful cast of 12 intriguing customers, including a temperamental shallot starlet (don't call her an onion), an oddball strawberry boffin, a cactus cowboy, a daredevil carrot, and a suave banana with top-secret clearance. Each day, five customers arrive to test your stylistic skill. If the customer requests a specific style, you'll plow that furrow, or you can rely on your expertise to pick from more than 30 popular fashions. Or, why not turn over a new leaf? Be creative and see how they react. They're a demanding bunch, so if you miss an appointment, you'll hear about it-on your Wii Message Board. If you do a good job, you may receive a gift or even a postcard from an exotic destination as your happy customers travel to distant lands and show off their exquisite coifs.

Virtual Console

Super Punch-Out (Super NES™, 1 player, Rated E for Everyone, 800 Wii Points): Featuring the tight game play and humor the series is known for, this sequel to the NES™ classic sees Little Mac return to the ring with the World Video Boxing Association belt once again at stake. Slug your way through the grueling, sweat-pounding matches of the Minor, Major and World Circuits as you face off against some of Little Mac's greatest rivals, such as Bear Hugger, Bald Bull and Super Macho Man. With a cast of new challengers waiting, do you have what it takes to identify their unique patterns and exploit their weaknesses? Go to your corner and come out fighting, but remember what Doc Louis would say: "It's not about brawling-it's about finesse!"

Remember that Wii features parental controls that let adults manage the content their children can access. For more information about this and other Wii features, visit Wii.com.

* - About that farewell edition stuff: Starting next week, the name of this newsletter will be changed from Wii-kly Update to Nintendo Download. Why? With the April 5 launch of the new Nintendo DSi™ portable game system comes the opening of the Nintendo DSi Shop. Like the Wii Shop Channel, the Nintendo DSi Shop will offer a growing library of downloadable games, with new titles added every week. Accordingly, we'll be using this space to tell you not only about new games for Wii but also for Nintendo DSi. Watch for the first edition of Nintendo Download on April 6.

Talkback

Super Punch-Out is really hard!

BlackNMild2k1March 31, 2009

I've never played Super Punch OUt, and I've only Beat Mike Tyson's once (after 4billion attempts and starting @ Tyson with the code). Would I have fun with SPO or would I just get frustrated?

TansunnMarch 31, 2009

You might want to change the title.  I totally freaked out and thought they weren't going to be doing any more Virtual Console releases, when it really just means they're changing it so the name is no longer Wii specific since DSi stuff will be included.

UncleBobRichard Cook, Guest ContributorMarch 31, 2009

"Nintendo Downloads"?  meh...
Nintendownloads?  Yeah!

I picked up Super Punch Out, it's one of the rare NES first party classics that I completely missed out on.

I cruised through the first circuit pretty easy, but once I got to Dragon Chan, I lost about 8 times in a row, and got fed up.  I'll probably give it another go today.

Nick DiMolaNick DiMola, Staff AlumnusMarch 31, 2009

First Circuit of SPO is a breeze, second gets quite a bit tougher. Third circuit is brutal. I think I got to the last fight and got my ass handed to me constantly as a kid.

D_AverageMarch 31, 2009

I breezed through the first 2 circuits, but that hippie in the third took me out a few times before I made it to Mach Man who completely destroyed me.

TJ SpykeMarch 31, 2009

So assume that some weeks we will get a WiiWare title and some weeks a DSiWare title? Nintendo better not start doing weeks with no Virtual Console titles, I know most people are pissed that the standard is now 1 VC release per week.

AVMarch 31, 2009

Quote from: UncleBob

"Nintendo Downloads"?  meh...
Nintendownloads?  Yeah!

i was thinking the same thing

GoldenPhoenixMarch 31, 2009

Supposedly Bonsai Barber is really fun, so I'll have to pick it up!

D_AverageMarch 31, 2009

I finally beat Super Macho Man, wahoo!  But to my disappointment, I now have to go back and beat the Major and World Circuits without losing in order to open the final circuit, doh!

KDR_11kApril 01, 2009

Quote from: GoldenPhoenix

Supposedly Bonsai Barber is really fun, so I'll have to pick it up!

8.0 from IGN, 8/10 from WWW.

Nick DiMolaNick DiMola, Staff AlumnusApril 01, 2009

Quote from: D_Average

I finally beat Super Macho Man, wahoo!  But to my disappointment, I now have to go back and beat the Major and World Circuits without losing in order to open the final circuit, doh!

Ah, you know what I do remember this now. One of my friends was able to unlock that circuit on my cart and I was never able to beat the second guy in that circuit. Man ... I really need to boot that game back up.

D_AverageApril 01, 2009

Quote from: Mr.

Quote from: D_Average

I finally beat Super Macho Man, wahoo!  But to my disappointment, I now have to go back and beat the Major and World Circuits without losing in order to open the final circuit, doh!

Ah, you know what I do remember this now. One of my friends was able to unlock that circuit on my cart and I was never able to beat the second guy in that circuit. Man ... I really need to boot that game back up.

Yeah, I think there was also some kind of cheat to open it as well.  Holding down L and R when the Nintendo logo popped up or something like that.

And yes, IMO that second guy, the old man with the cane, is definitely the hardest character in the game.  Once I knocked him off, I beat the Bruiser brothers without too much of a fight.

Nick DiMolaNick DiMola, Staff AlumnusApril 02, 2009

Busted out the cart last night ... my god did I get my shit wrecked.

Dragon Chan made me his bitch so hard so many times. Definitely gotta get back in the groove for this game.

Mop it upApril 02, 2009

Dragon Chan CHEATS. Last I checked, it isn't legal to kick people in boxing, unless it is kick boxing. Which this isn't.

Just wait until you get to the guy with the cane. I don't even think that guy ever actually throws punches.

I wonder what effect this release will have on the price of the original. I am thinking of selling mine.

D_AverageApril 02, 2009

Quote from: Mr.

Busted out the cart last night ... my god did I get my **** wrecked.

Dragon Chan made me his bitch so hard so many times. Definitely gotta get back in the groove for this game.

Yeah, just give it a few tries, then it'll all come back

Nick DiMolaNick DiMola, Staff AlumnusApril 04, 2009

Alright, starting to get back into it. Beat the Major Circuit and moved onto the World Circuit.

Beat Aran Ryan without too much trouble, Heike Kagero kicked my ass. I know I've beaten him before because I remember fighting and beating Mad Clown (but losing to Super Macho Man). Ah well, I'll keep it up and hopefully I'll eventually beat this circuit.

Beating this circuit without losing a life is going to be a bitch.

TJ SpykeApril 04, 2009

I never played Super Punch-Out!! (at least that I can remember). If I only had enough to get Punch-Out or Super Punch-Out, which would you folks recommend? I liked the original, but never beat it (I don't even know if I ever reached Mike Tyson/Mr. Dream).

D_AverageApril 05, 2009

Quote from: Mr.

Beating this circuit without losing a life is going to be a bitch.

Indeed, I can beat the first 3 in that circuit now pretty easily, but Macho Man still beats me here and there.  I'm going to wait until I can beat him pretty constantly via time trail before I try for the perfect circuit.  I find him difficult due to "exercise A, B, and C".  Its tricky to see the white text to the left in order to know what to block. 

vuduApril 05, 2009

Quote from: TJ

If I only had enough to get Punch-Out or Super Punch-Out, which would you folks recommend?

I'd recommend Super Punch-Out over the original.  Rose-tinted glasses aside, the second is a better game and far more playable today.  The original--while extremely fun--is a bit simplistic and relies entirely on pattern recognition.  You figure out when to attack, wait for an opening, hit your opponent a bunch, wash, rinse, repeat. 

D_AverageApril 05, 2009

Quote from: vudu

Quote from: TJ

If I only had enough to get Punch-Out or Super Punch-Out, which would you folks recommend?

I'd recommend Super Punch-Out over the original.  Rose-tinted glasses aside, the second is a better game and far more playable today.  The original--while extremely fun--is a bit simplistic and relies entirely on pattern recognition.  You figure out when to attack, wait for an opening, hit your opponent a bunch, wash, rinse, repeat. 

Yup.  SPO is the superior game.

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