Wii-kly Update
Two WiiWare Games and One Virtual Console Game Added to Wii Shop Channel
Today begins a new phase for the Wii-kly Update. From now on, we'll have all the information about the arrival of both WiiWare™ and Virtual Console™ games. So basically you're getting access to the best games of the past and the coolest creations of the present. With this week's releases you can blast space-based enemies with your starfighter, fly the not-always-friendly skies or even corral some cute critters in the barnyard.
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
Critter Round-Up (Konami, 1-4 players, Rated E for Everyone – Comic Mischief, 1,000 Wii Points): The critters have escaped, and the barnyard is in chaos! It's up to you to quickly corral the animals in this puzzle-action challenge. You'll have to mend fences in a hurry to keep all the critters safe and satisfied. But the fun doesn't stop with the farmland; more than 50 challenging levels take you to several exotic locations, including the outback, the icy Arctic and more. There's even a series of minigames for when the critters get you down: Snowball Soccer, Predator Rampage, Chicken Catch and Fence Trap. Up to four players can compete or cooperate as the critters run wild. So roll up those sleeves and grab a friend—those critters won't catch themselves.
Star Soldier R (Hudson Entertainment, 1 player, Rated E for Everyone – Fantasy Violence, 800 Wii Points): Star Soldier R is a new kind of shooter where players aim for the best scores within a two- or five-minute time limit. Develop various scoring strategies, and pump out those points within the breakneck time frame. Assembled in record time to counter the advance of a powerful enemy, the mysterious Brain Forces, the "Caesar" starfighter takes off to fight for the very future of mankind. Shoot down countless enemies, upgrade your ship to the max with power-ups hidden throughout the levels and wage an all-out assault against the core of the enemy fortress. Combining the excitement of shoot-'em-ups with in-depth scoring strategies, this state-of-the-art competitive shooter will keep you coming back for more. Upload your best scores with Nintendo® Wi-Fi Connection, and pit your skills against the world's best fighter pilots from the comfort of your living room. Hone your skills and show the world who's boss.
Virtual Console
SKYKID™ (NES®, 1-2 players, Rated E for Everyone – Mild Cartoon Violence, 500 Wii Points): Red Baron, from the freedom- and peace-loving nation of birds, Bird Land, faces off in the skies with his rival Blue Max in this side-scrolling shooting game. Defeat the many enemies that await you as you complete your mission, using moves like the loop-the-loop to shoot down enemies from behind. Fly low to pick up bombs placed in the stage and drop them on command posts, warships or other designated targets to destroy them. Then land safely at base to proceed to the next mission. Beware of enemy fire, though—it will cause you to crash, unless you're able to recover by rapidly pressing the buttons. You can even play with a second person and fly simultaneously, sometimes helping each other and other times competing against each other. Prepare yourself and take to the skies, but make sure that the catchy background music (which became an instant classic when this game was originally released) doesn't distract you from your goal.
STAR SOLDIER GET!
SkyKid gets my props, if only because all of the characters are birds:
SkyKid? Wow... Maybe if it were $1 I'd think about it.
sky kid is actually a lot of fun!
star soldier doesn't sit right with me, maybe i'm not competitive enuf, but it seems like, well we can make 5 minutes of gameplay and sell it for $10, if we tell them they're competing over those 5 minutes.. meh.
Star soldier will get a maybe from me
YAY STAR SOLDIER!
Seems like a very "meh" week to me.
Star Soldier R looks like Blazing Lazers attempting to be competitive.
Though its not too clear, I'm hoping its alot of different 5 minute levels, adding up to more than just 5 minutes of gameplay . . .
I'll probably pick it up next weekend . . . though if its good, maybe its worth a Friday Night Fight for Wii?
Aw, man! What a bad time for me to be broke. Star Soldier R looks pretty amazing.
I'm gonna have to pick that one up whenever I have the money.
I'm still more interested in last week's Wiiware ones.
I'm with Galagabug, I pretty muched loved every past Star Soldier game, but I need more than 5 minutes of gameplay, personally I don't care how many points I have, I just want the challenge of getting through the whole game unscathed, a challenge which seems absent in this version as the caravan mode was never very difficult complete.
@ Tubatic,
From what I understand there are only two levels total. One 2-minute challenge and one 5-minute challenge. Which, disappoints me greatly.
Wow, skykid.
Star Soldier R could have been so much more, but I can't complain considering the price.
It seems like it may be a little while before WiiWare developers get it right in terms of making small games that don't feel like demos or half finished versions of big games.
And where the blue blazes is my Dr Mario?