I was going to come up with a funny excuse to why Nick Chester could not do the Virtual Console release post this week (building a dolphin orphanage made the top of the short list), but there is no time to regale you with fictional tales when there is angry painting vengeance to unleash on the poor mortals of Nintendo of America.

After three weeks in a row of giving us only two games a week (as opposed to the usual, comforting three), Nintendo decides to pull yet another fast one and release only one Virtual Console game in America this morning. Luckily the game is totally rad, so all is good … for now.

Shredding onto the download service live at 9:00 a.m. PST is classic Nintendo 64 game 1080° Snowboarding (N64, 1-2 players, 1,000 Wii Points). I love this game very much, but, for the record, am not the biggest fan of (non-virtual) snowboarders. I am a skier and, yes, I am slow. But please, for the love of all that is holy, stop yelling at me every year on the slopes. I am trying to get the [insert expletive] out of your way. Jeez!

What do you think of this week’s lone offering? Worth the download? (Shameless plug: Check next week’s RetroforceGO! for my full review of the game.)

Hit the jump for the most exciting press release you will ever read.

Traverse the half-pipe from the comfort of your living room. With this classic
game, it's Winter Break all the time. Freestyle through white powder, and
school your best pal with your new trick! Did you get air?

This new classic game goes live at 9 a.m. Pacific time. Nintendo adds new
games to the Wii Shop Channel 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
game is:

1080°® SNOWBOARDING (N64®, 1-2 players, Rated E for Everyone, 1,000 Wii
Points): Hit the slopes for some serious shredding in one of the first truly
realistic snowboarding games ever created! Start in the lodge and select from
five characters, each with his/her own particular attributes and special
tricks. Then take a look at the wide assortment of available boards and choose
one that best suits your rider and style. Once you've got the gear, six
different modes of play, including Match Race, Trick Attack, and 2-Player
Versus, await. Pick a course and get ready to experience a sensation of speed
that'll make you forget all about the cold—but it might just send a shiver
down your spine. Throw in hidden characters and boards, varying weather and
snow conditions, multiple paths through each course, and a variety of tricks
to master—topped off with rock-solid play control—and you've got a recipe
for winter fun that you can enjoy any time of the year. It's all the fun and
excitement of the sport, without the bruises and frostbite!

The list of downloadable games is updated weekly on Nintendo's Online Press
Room at press.nintendo.com.