Here’s a list of this weeks U.S. game releases. Hold on to your wallets cause you’re once again in for a wild ride! The most popular games are Mortal Kombat vs DC Universe on Xbox 360 & PS3, Left 4 Dead on PC & Xbox 360, Animal Crossing: City Folk on Wii, Tomb Raider: Underworld on multiple systems, Need for Speed: Undercover on multiple systems, Shaun White Snowboarding on multiple systems, Rayman Raving Rabbids TV Party on Wii & DS, Naruto: The Broken Bond on Xbox 360, Sonic Unleashed on Wii & PS2, and Metal Slug 7 on DS. On the downloadable games front we’ve got today’s Wii Shop titles Strong Bad Episode 4: Dangeresque 3, Target Toss Pro: Bags, Space Invaders: The Original Game, Forgotten Worlds, as well as American McGee’s Grimm: Cinderella on GameTap Gold (updates Thursday). No word yet on any Xbox Live Arcade games (updates Wednesday) or PlayStation Network games (updates Thursday).
Monday:
Animal Crossing: City Folk (Wii)
Cradle of Rome (DS)
EverQuest II: The Shadow Odyssey (PC)
Forgotten Worlds - $8 (Wii Shop)
Gallop and Ride (Wii)
Guitar Hero: On Tour Decades (DS)
Hello Kitty Big City Dreams (DS)
Left 4 Dead (PC, Xbox 360)
Merv Griffin’s Crosswords (Wii)
Mortal Kombat vs DC Universe (Xbox 360, PS3)
NCAA Basketball 09 (PS3, Xbox 360, PS2)
Need for Speed: Undercover (Xbox 360, PC, PS3, Wii, PSP, DS) Robocalypse (DS)
Rock Band Track Pack Volume 2 (PS3, Xbox 360, Wii, PS2)
Shaun White Snowboarding (Xbox 360, PS3, Wii, PS2, PSP, DS)
Space Invaders: The Original Game - $8 (Wii Shop)
Spore: Creepy and Cute Parts Pack (PC)
Strong Bad Episode 4: Dangeresque 3 - $10 (Wii Shop)
Target Toss Pro: Bags - $7 (Wii Shop)
Tecmo Bowl: Kickoff (DS)
The Sims 2: Mansion and Garden Stuff (PC)
Wednesday:
AMF Bowling World Lanes (Wii)
Agatha Christie: Evil Under the Sun (Wii) Alone in the Dark: Inferno (PS3)
Bolt (DS, PS2, Wii, PS3, Xbox 360)
CSI: NY: The Game (PC)
Castlevania Judgement (Wii)
Championship Foosball (Wii)
Cooking Mama World Kitchen (Wii)
Cradle of Rome (DS)
Dynasty Warrior 6 (PS2, PC)
Gothic 3: Forsaken Gods (PC)
Imagine Movie Star (DS)
Imagine: Ballet Star (DS)
Iron CHef America: Supreme Cuisine (DS) Karaoke Revolution Presents: American Idol Encore 2 (Wii, Xbox 360, PS3)
Legendary (PC)
Lips (Xbox 360)
Luminous Arc 2 (DS)
Metal Slug 7 (DS)
Monkey Mischief: Party Time (Wii)
Mortimer Beckett and the Secrets of Spooky Manor (Wii)
NPPL Championship Paintball 2009 (PS2, Xbox 360)
Naruto: The Broken Bond (Xbox 360)
Neverwinter Nights 2: Storm of Zehir (PC)
Petz Crazy Monkeyz (Wii)
Petz Monkeyz House (DS) Rayman Raving Rabbids TV Party (Wii, DS)
Rune Factory 2: A Fantasy Harvest (DS)
Skate City Heroes (Wii)
Skate It (Wii, DS)
Ski Doo: Snowmobile Challenge (PS3, Xbox 360)
Ski and Shoot (PS2)
Sonic Unleashed (Wii, PS2)
The Lord of the Rings Online: Mines of Moria (PC)
Tomb Raider: Underworld (PS3, PC, Xbox 360, Wii, DS)
Winter Sports 2: The Next Challenge (DS, PS2, Xbox 360)
You’re In The Movies (Xbox 360)
Thursday:
American McGee’s Grimm: Cinderella (GameTap Gold)
The Last Remnant (Xbox 360)
Today Nintendo adds new/classic games to the popular Wii Shop Channel. The games go live at 9AM Pacific time. 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 stores like Amazon (see Card above).
We’ve included videos of each of today’s games for nostalgia’s sake or so you can see if it’s to your tastes.
This week’s new WiiWare games are:
Strong Bad Episode 4: Dangeresque 3 (Telltale Games, 1 player, Rated E10+ for Everyone 10 and Older – Alcohol and Tobacco Reference, Crude Humor, Mild Cartoon Violence, 1,000 Wii Points = $10): Move over, generically buff action heroes. Strong Bad is here to show you how it’s done in his hand-crafted cinematic masterpiece, Dangeresque 3: The Criminal Projective. You play Dangeresque, a dirty cop in pursuit of a little action and several big sacks of cash. Can our hero stay alive long enough to defeat his arch-nemesis, save the world and get the girl? Looks like he’s gonna have to jump.
Target Toss Pro: Bags (Incredible Technologies, 1-16 players, Rated E for Everyone, 700 Wii Points = $7): Target Toss Pro: Bags is a new video game based on beanbag toss, the nation’s hottest backyard and tailgate sensation. Bags – or Cornhole, as it’s called in some parts of the country – originated in the Midwest in the 1960s and has since become a staple at outdoor social events from coast to coast. Similar to horseshoes, Bags is a deceptively simple yet extremely competitive game where players try to toss beanbags into a hole in a slightly raised platform or “box” for points. Whether at a tailgate party or a summer barbecue, the game has become a social focal point, and the unmistakable thud of bags hitting the box is now a universal party soundtrack.
This week’s new Virtual Console game is:
Space Invaders: The Original Game (Super NES, 1-2 players, Rated E for Everyone, 800 Wii Points = $8): Experience one of gaming’s iconic franchises in this perfect rendition of the arcade classic. Take aim at the field of invaders relentlessly marching toward you. Move quickly but carefully, using the barriers for protection as you avoid missiles fired by the aliens and try to destroy all of them before they reach the bottom of the screen. Further enhance the nostalgia by choosing from several modes that simulate different versions of the arcade game (such as upright cabinet or black-and-white). Or if you want to prove your superior skills to a friend, try the new VS mode and see who can stop the alien menace the quickest. All in all, it’s pure gaming at its best, now with no quarters required.
Forgotten Worlds (Sega Genesis, 1-2 players, Rated E for Everyone – Fantasy Violence, 800 Wii Points = $8): Forgotten Worlds is a one- or two-player side-scrolling shooter made by Capcom. It was one of the first games to incorporate 360-degree aiming and shooting. This Sega Genesis version provides the same impact and intensity of the classic arcade game. In the 29th century, without warning, warships broke through the sky, loaded with fiendish aliens. They rained down fire, bombs, missiles and napalm, leaving the land barren and inhospitable. Humanity was enslaved and Earth became known as the Forgotten World. In a hidden place, a group of brave humans raised two male children in secret. They brought up the young men as warriors, training them for battle. The two warriors emerged as armed machines of might, strength and super power – the Nameless Ones. Fight the hateful invaders as the powerful Nameless Ones. Collect Zenny to upgrade your weapons and satellite, and free the planet.
Today Nintendo of Europe and Australia added new classic games to the popular Wii Shop Channel. The games went live at midnight CET. 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 stores like Amazon UK (Card).
We’ve included videos of the games so you can see if it’s for you. This week’s new games are:
Mega Man 3 (NES, Platformer/Action, 1 player, 500 Wii Points = €5 / £3.75 / AU$7.50): In the year 200X, the notorious Dr. Wily, now reformed and working for the forces of good, works hand-in-hand with Dr. Light to build a new type of peacekeeping robot. When a new set of eight Robot Masters escapes the lab to wreak havoc on the world at large, only Mega Man can save the day. This time, Mega Man must rely on his new slide move and canine companion Rush to conquer the stages and vanquish evil. A new character, Proto Man, adds to the mystery and appeal of this seminal title in the famous action-game series.
Phantasy Star IV: The End of the Millennium (Sega Mega Drive, RPG, 1 player, 800 Wii Points = €8 / £6 / AU$12): The Algo star system is in troubled times… Many thousands of years ago, the Algo Star System was a peaceful system. Three planets surrounded the peaceful Algo star and were in perfect harmony: Palma, a lush green planet, where its citizens devoted their lives to arts and the sciences… Motavia, a desert planet, inhabited by humans and native Motavians, and the enigmatic Dezolis, a harsh ice planet, where the citizens were just as unknown as the planet itself. Unfortunately, the harmony and balance was not to last…Palma had exploded, and with it, 90% of the population of Algo died. Motavia had fallen into horrible conditions from the explosion, turning almost into a total wasteland. — The Darkness spread its hand over the land… Now, 1,000 years had passed. Motavia had healed somewhat, and life was beginning to return to the way it once was thousands of years ago. The Hunter’s Guild on Motavia helped to keep things steady. But now, a dark evil once thought to be long dead is beginning to stir once again, and the young Hunter, Chaz, is about to begin his ultimate adventure… and all of it started with one simple routine assignment…
PRESS RELEASE — Nyko Technologies, the premier game console peripherals manufacturer, today announced its new Wing wireless controller for the popular Nintendo Wii game console has shipped to stores. Debuting as the market’s premier wireless classic controller designed exclusively for the Wii, the Wing is the controller of choice for fans of Virtual Console games.
Engineered for comfort, utility, and style, the Wing improves on previous controllers for the Wii with smooth contours that are ergonomically designed for a comfortable fit and a better grip. The Wing’s buttons are durable, responsive, and sport a unique aesthetic color scheme. Play freely through your Virtual Console games with up to 10 feet of wireless connectivity via a small dongle fitted to the bottom of the Wii Remote. The two included AAA batteries provide up 30 hours of battery life, or gamers can opt to use their own rechargeable batteries which can be conveniently charged through the Wing’s Mini USB port using any standard Mini USB cable (not included).
“The Wing is a great example of what we at Nyko aim to do: improve the gamer’s experience with a quality made product”, said Chris Arbogast, Director of Marketing at Nyko Technologies. “There have been very few options for classic gaming control designed specifically for the Wii until now, and the Wing provides a comfortable and affordable wireless alternative that fans of Virtual Console games will enjoy using.”
Nyko’s wireless Wing classic controller is available now for the suggested retail price of $29.99. Please visit www.nyko.com for more information.
Here’s a list of this weeks U.S. game releases. Hold on to your wallets cause you’re once again in for a wild ride! The most popular games are World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King on PC, Call of Duty: World at War on multiple platforms, Mirror’s Edge on PS3 & Xbox 360, Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts and Bolts on Xbox 360, the Star Wars The Clone Wars games on Wii & DS, Pokemon Ranger: Shadows of Almia on DS, and Tales of Symphonia: Dawn of the New World on Wii. On the downloadable games front we’ve got today’s Wii Shop titles Mega Man 3, Brain Challenge, Yummy Yummy Cooking Jam, as well as Age of Booty on the PlayStation Network (updates Thursday) and American McGee’s Grimm: King Midas on GameTap Gold (updates Thursday). No word yet on any Xbox Live Arcade games (updates Wednesday).
Monday: Avatar The Last Airbender: Into the Inferno (DS)
Brain Challenge - $10 (Wii Shop)
Call of Duty: World at War - Final Fronts (PS2)
Mega Man 3 - $5 (Wii Shop)
MLB Superstars (Wii)
Pokemon Ranger: Shadows of Almia (DS)
Populous DS (DS)
The Three Stooges (PC)
Winx Club: Mission Echantrix (DS)
WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2009 (PS2, PS3, Xbox 360, Wii, DS, PSP)
Yummy Yummy Cooking Jam - $10 (Wii Shop)
Tuesday:
Amazing Adventures The Forgotten Ruins (DS)
Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts and Bolts (Xbox 360)
Big League Sports (Wii)
Block Party (Wii)
Bratz Kidz: Slumber Party (DS)
CSI: NY (PC)
Call of Duty: World at War (Xbox 360, PS3, PC, Wii)
Command & Conquer: Red Alert 3 (Xbox 360)
Eternal Poison (PS2)
FaceBreaker K.O. Party (Wii)
Fantasy Aquarium (Wii)
Guinness World Records: The Videogame (DS, Wii) Hasbro Family Game Night (Wii, PS2)
Luxor: Quest for the Afterlife (PC)
Luxor 3 (Wii)
Mirror’s Edge (Xbox 360, PS3)
Monkey Mischief: Party Time (Wii)
Mortimer Beckett and the Secrets of Spooky Manor (Wii)
My Stop Smoking Coach with Allen Carr (DS)
National Geographic Panda (DS)
Pet Pals: Animal Doctor (Wii)
Petz: Horsez Club (PC)
Pro Evolution Soccer 2009 (PS2, PS3, Xbox 360, PSP)
Rock Revolution (Wii) Sacred 2: Fallen Angel (PC)
Sally’s Salon (DS)
Secret Service (PC)
Six Flags Fun Park (DS)
Star Wars The Clone Wars - Lightsaber Duels (Wii)
Star Wars: The Clone Wars - Jedi Alliance (DS)
Tales of Symphonia: Dawn of the New World (Wii)
Tecmo Bowl: Kickoff (DS)
Testament of Sin (PC)
Zoo Vet Endangered Animals (DS)
Wednesday: Candace Kane’s Candy Factory (Wii)
Hello Kitty Daily (DS)
Top Chef The Game (PC)
TrackMania DS (DS)
FuturU: The Prep Game for SAT (DS)
Thursday:
Age of Booty - $10 (PlayStation Store)
World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King (PC)
Today Nintendo adds new/classic games to the popular Wii Shop Channel. The games go live at 9AM Pacific time. 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 stores like Amazon (see Card above).
We’ve included videos of each of today’s games for nostalgia’s sake or so you can see if it’s to your tastes.
This week’s new Virtual Console game is:
Mega Man 3 (NES, 1 player, Rated E for Everyone-Mild Cartoon Violence, 500 Wii Points = $5): In the year 200X, the notorious Dr. Wily, now reformed and working for the forces of good, works hand-in-hand with Dr. Light to build a new type of peacekeeping robot. When a new set of eight Robot Masters escapes the lab to wreak havoc on the world at large, only Mega Man can save the day. This time, Mega Man must rely on his new slide move and canine companion Rush to conquer the stages and vanquish evil. A new character, Proto Man, adds to the mystery and appeal of this seminal title in the famous action-game series.
Brain Challenge (Gameloft, 1-4 players, Rated E for Everyone, 1,000 Wii Points = $10): Just like your body, your brain needs to be exercised to stay in shape. Boost your brain and relieve stress through various minigames in a personal session to get a detailed evaluation. Challenge your friends’ brains in delirious party games to see who is the smartest. Test your brain’s abilities in Visual, Memory, Logic, Math and Focus minigames. Compare yourself with friends by challenging their brains in three multiplayer modes. Develop your resistance to stressful situations that could happen in real life. Use a customized Mii character to create personal sessions. Choose your favorite personal coach. Track your overall performance with detailed statistics and graphs. The special Kid Test and Senior Test modes will gather everyone around the game.
Yummy Yummy Cooking Jam (Virtual Toys, 1-2 players, Rated E for Everyone-Animated Blood, Comic Mischief, 1,000 Wii Points = $10): Yummy Yummy Cooking Jam is a frenetically active cooking game in which you must serve food to your customers as quickly as possible. This could be a simple task, but the customers aren’t very patient, and you’ll find a multitude of annoying insects that make the noble mission of satisfying your small gourmets’ stomachs much more difficult. In the game’s Career Mode, your goal is to become the best chef in the city. To do so, you have to prove your worth by cooking in four fantastic restaurants: the Hot Dog, Hamburger, Pizza and Mexican Restaurant. Enjoy playing Yummy Yummy with your family, serving delicious food to the most surprising characters: vampires, ninjas, extraterrestrials and mafia thugs. Put on your chef’s hat, sharpen your knives and turn up the heat.
Balloon Fight is a classic Nintendo arcade game that was later ported to the NES and released in 1985 in North America as one of Nintendo’s earliest titles for the system.
In the game you play as a unanimous “balloon rider” (later re-named “Balloon Man” with the Game & Watch version and available as a trophy in Super Smash Bros. Melee as simply “Balloon Fighter”) who must fly around a static stage and dispose of various other balloon riding enemies. The goal of the game is simply to score as many points as possible and keep play going from stage to stage as you pop the balloons of your opponents.
The game is very similar to Midway’s Joust, but has that classic Nintendo feel that you get from other arcade games of this nature like Donkey Kong, Ice Climber and Mario Bros. And like those games the control and physics in Balloon Fight are spot on and make the game feel polished.
So how does it stack up in 2008, and better yet, is it worth downloading for the Wii Virtual Console?
System: NES Also On: Arcade, Game & Watch, Game Boy Advance E-Reader, GameCube (as a playable game in Animal Crossing), Wii Virtual Console (doesn’t include Japanese releases) RELEASE DATES NES - USA June 1986 - EUR December 15, 1986 - JAP January 22, 1985 GameCube (Animal Crossing) - USA September 15, 2002 - EUR September 24, 2004 - AUS October 17, 2003 - JAP December 14, 2001 Wii Virtual Console - USA July 16, 2007 - EUR June 8, 2007 - JAP November 2007 Genre: Arcade Action Players: Two Players Save: None in the NES original. Saves high scores in Animal Crossing. Wii Point Cost: 500 Points or $5 to buy from the Wii Virtual Console. Developer: Nintendo Publisher: Nintendo Origin: Japan Rated: E for Everyone (No content descriptors)
Balloon Fight is as simplistic as can be but can also be really fun, especially if you are the type of person who loves to go for high scores, beat your own scores or compete for high scores, although you must be careful on what version you play because the original doesn’t save your high scores. The version I reviewed, unlockable in the GameCube game Animal Crossing, WILL save your high scores. I don’t know at this moment if the Wii Virtual Console version saves high scores, once I find out I will update the review.
As mentioned above, in Balloon Fight you play as a character who is suspended by two balloons, these allow him to “fly”, or rather “float”, through the air. You press the A Button to make him float and you keep pressing it to “pump” his arms and make him float up a bit. Doing this repeatedly lets you soar throughout the stage. Alternatively, you can hold the B Button to fly easier. You can think of the A Button as Manual and B Button as automatic. The A Button gives you more control but the B Button is easier and lets you fly faster.
There are three ways to play Balloon Fight. A, B, and C. A Game is the single-player portion, B Game is the two-player mode and C Game is a special mini-game called “Balloon Trip”.
In the main game, there will be several enemies floating around a stage that contains platforms you can walk on, storm clouds (that will occasionally release lightning that kills you in one hit) and occasionally other objects such as a “Flipper”, which spins and will bounce you off it if you touch it (it also replaced the “Bumper” from Super Smash Bros. 1 for N64 in the GameCube sequel Super Smash Bros. Melee) and columns that hang down from platforms to get in your way, as well as various sized platforms. Below the platforms on the floor and usually in the middle of the stage is water, this is what the enemies fall into when you stomp on them. And if you aren’t careful and get too close to the uncovered water in the middle, a big fish will pop out and eat you whole! So stay away from the dangerous waters!
Depending on the stage, you will face multiple spikey-nosed human-like enemies who float on two balloons of their own. In order to beat the stage you need to pop their balloons. You do so by hitting them from above with your feet. If you touch their sides you bounce off them, and if they touch your balloons then they will pop. If they pop both of your balloons you will lose a life. Your lives are represented as balloons in the upper-right-hand corner.
After you play a couple of levels you will reach a fun bonus stage, in which balloons will come floating out of several pipes. The color of the balloons depends on how many stages you have complete. Your bonus stage score will depend on how many balloons you pop. Pop them all to obtain a perfect score and get additional bonus points.
That’s really all there is to Balloon Fight, although what you can’t gain through reading text is just how fun, addictive and impressive Balloon Fight is. It’s fun and addictive in the same way other arcade classics like Pac-Man and Donkey Kong are, and it’s impressive simply due to how great the game controls. There is also a lot of strategy to be had depending on how you go about destroying the enemies. As you destroy them, they will fall into the water and a bubble will come floating up. Pop that bubble for extra points, but if you take longer, you risk dying because lightning will start coming out of the clouds, and if you hit it you die in one hit. The enemies also float down on a parachute after you pop their balloons, and popping them while floating down (before they hit the ground) will net you more points. If you let them hit the ground, they will reblow their balloons and be stronger and faster, but killing them will give you more points than before. There is also strategy in deciding whether you want to wait for the bubbles to come up (it takes a little while) after destroying an enemy, or to simply kill them all which will immediately take you to the next level (but you wont’ be rewarded with those extra points you would’ve gotten if you waited and destroyed the bubbles).
The control is spot-on in this game much like in Super Mario Bros. There is a fine line between learning how to press the A Button faster to make your player rise and pressing it while holding right or left to make them move in that direction. He will also raise higher or lower depending how you press or tap the button with each pump of his arms. It’s also fun and worth figuring out the differences between the A and B Buttons. The Button makes him float faster but he doesn’t pump the same as he does with the A Button. Using both buttons is recommended, depending on the situation.
It’s fun because the enemies are constantly pumping their own arms to float around the level, and they will also bounce of the sides of the environments, walk if they land on a platform (just as you can) and bump off of each other. They even can be eaten by the fish if they get too close to the water. This keeps you pumping and strategically falling like a mad-man so that you both avoid oncoming enemies (which can come from all sides, even above) and take them out if you see an opportunity to do so.
In addition, you can play a madly fun multiplayer co-op mode in the Two Player game. This game is hilariously fun with another player because while you are “supposed” to help each other out by helping to pop the enemies balloons, you can also pop each other’s balloons. If you pop the other players balloons, it will give that player points that they will keep when you move on to the next level, which will happen when all enemies are defeated, regardless of which player survives.
Finally, there is a really fun mini-game called “Balloon Trip” in the C Game. This mode is like a scrolling shooter . . . without bullets of course. The screen automatically scrolls to the left and you must avoid points of lightning which either stay static or move in various directions. What makes this mode so fun is, once again, the physics and the way you are able to float around with pin-point accuracy, allowing a good player to barely avoid close encounters of the electric kind and allowing you to slide in through small gaps. Naturally, throughout the scrolling stage there are balloons to catch which will increase your score. But watch out cause one hit from electricity and you are done for! No extra lives in this mode! In addition, there monstrous fish also inhabits the water in this mode, so don’t get too close or your fish meat! After a while of scrolling, the screen will stop to give you a brief rest, before it takes off again. The scrolling is endless, and thus this is my personal favorite mode because it’s very fun to compete with your friends for the best high score, or simply to beat your own.
All in all, Balloon Fight is an excellent example of the great fun that can be had with early NES/arcade titles. The game is fun in the same way as Pac-Man is. You want to keep trying and keep competing for the high score. But it’s even funner than Pac-Man if you have a second player, as you are bound to eventually pop each others balloons, whether on purpose or on “accident”. You must keep in mind however that the game is an arcade game. So if you are a player who doesn’t care about high scores, then you most likely will not be too keen on this game, who’s early, primitive gameplay won’t hold your attention for very long.
Naturally, there is no story, no cut-scenes, no great graphics and no elaborate soundtrack, but what’s here is great if you know what you are in for. Graphically it’s as primitive as they come, but the funny way the characters flap their arms is sure to interest the ladies, and the soundtrack is a nice collection of early Nintendo greatness. The sound effects are also interesting as there is a completely different sound for every action in the game, from the enemies blowing up their own balloons to the “crash” sound of a balloon popping.
If you want to experience classic arcade gameplay with a Nitendo touch at it’s finest, and you already own or have played Mario Bros. and Donkey Kong, then you could do no wrong with Balloon Fight.
Should I download Balloon Fight for the Wii Virtual Console?
The easiest way to get ahold of this game is to simply purchase it from the Wii Virtual Console, at a cost of 500 Points ($5 US dollars), which isn’t a lot but there are other games that are much more substantial that you could purchase for the same amount, such as Super Mario Bros. 2, Super Mario Bros. 3, The Legend of Zelda, Castlevania or Metroid. So only get Balloon Fight if you are prepared for an arcade, Pac-Man style game that is simplistic, played for high scores, and fun in short bursts but probably won’t hold your attention for hours at a time.
The game is also available via the GameCube game Animal Crossing, where it is an NES title that you will eventually be able to get. That version also saves your high scores. The NES original DOES NOT save your high scores. The Wii version may, if it doesn’t, then the Animal Crossing version is definitely the best version to get. If you already have the game in Animal Crossing, then the only reason it can be recommended is if you want to be able to play it without having to pop in your game of Animal Crossing.
There is also a version of Balloon Fight that was released for the E-Reader Game Boy Advance accessory. It was released as a five-card NES pack called Balloon Fight-e. It can be played by scanning all five cards while the e-reader is connected to your Game Boy Advance. However given the trouble you have to go through to even play the game, the fact that it doesn’t save your high scores, and the trouble it takes to actually get ahold of a copy of Balloon Fight-e, this is the least recommendable option, unless you only have a Game Boy Advance. The game is also available, naturally, as a standalone NES cartridge. But that version doesn’t save high scores and given that it’s on the NES, it’s much easier to simply download it for the Wii, where you don’t have to worry about the game freezing on you or not playing due to the NES hardware.
FUN FACTOR: 8.0
Balloon Fight is a fun game. No two ways about it. Even in this year of modern games, Balloon Fight has the arcade-style charm that you simply cannot deny. The game may not last you very long, but you’ll have a fun time popping balloons, trying to best your high score (or that of your buddies) and making your way through the awesome Balloon Trip mode. Definitely one of the best games of this type, if you ask me.
Graphics: 6.0
Do not play this game for graphics. Having said that, the characters animate well, the physics are impressive, as are the tight controls, and the game certainly has it’s own level of charm. However all the enemies look the same and the game is as simplistic as can be. But that should be expected.
Music & Sound: 7.5
The music is Pac-Man style given it’s arcade roots, but the game has some amazingly catchy tunes (which were good enough to put as remixes in the Super Smash Bros. games) and the sound effects are terrific and spot-on.
Ingenuity: 7.0
Although the game was clearly “inspired” by Joust, the game has a feel all it’s own, and the controls and “physics” of your Balloon Fighter are very impressive for the day, so much so that I imagine they had to have been copied by other games.
Replay Value: 7.0
This game has replay value in the traditional sense, beating high scores! If you don’t want to go after high scores, then don’t play this game as you’ll probably get bored within an hour or two (or less). But if you want . . . this game could go on forever, as you will always want to try to beat your high score, and in that sense, it can offer almost limitless replay value. But in all likelihood, you will play it for a few hours, and then fire it up every now and then for fun or if you have a short amount of time to get some balloon popping gaming in, or if you have friends over and are craving for some arcade classic action.
To the dismay of American Wii owners everywhere, the Commodore 64 is one game system that is lacking from the Virtual Console’s repertoire in North America. The system and it’s games are simply absent.
So why is that? How come Europe has been getting Commodore 64 games, but it hasn’t even been announced for North America? And are there any plans for release Amiga games for the Virtual Console?
vc-reviews got some answers in their interview with one of people who was instrumental in bringing the computer system to the Wii Virtual Console.
VC Reviews: How did the decision to re-release Commodore 64 games on the Virtual Console come about?
Nico Kaartinen: At the beginning it was all a crazy idea which came up with Commodore Gaming and some other friends from the gaming industry. We have all our interest in retro gaming as it all brings back the memories of how it all started and how much we time we spent playing or coding in front of the C64. At some point we involved Eidos and Alten8 into the idea and we had all pieces together to get this project started.
We decided to move forward and talk with Nintendo and present them our thoughts. The great thing was that Nintendo of Europe (NOE) was open to our idea from the beginning even though a C64 has never played a big role in Japan. It was not necessarily easy all the time but at the end we established a great relationship with the guys at NOE and are happy that we have so many titles on the Wii C64 VC.
VCR: Do you intend to make C64 games available to the Virtual Console service in Australia and North America soon? What have been the difficulties in doing this so far?
NK: I do understand that this is one of “THE” questions in regards to the Wii C64 VC as I am reading the feedback from your users and other web pages. I can not say if it comes to the regions you refer to.
VCR: Have you got any plans to bring out games from the C64’s big brother, the Amiga eventually?
NK: Did the C64 have a big brother? Seriously speaking, we are currently concentrating our efforts on the C64 releases.
Here’s a list of this weeks U.S. game releases. Hold on to your wallets cause you’re once again in for a wild ride! The most popular games are Gears of War 2 on Xbox 360, Resistance 2 on PS3, James Bond: Quantum of Solace on multiple platforms, Tom Clancy’s EndWar on multiple platforms, Naruto: Ultimate Ninja Storm on PS3, Dragon Ball Z: Infinite World on PS2, Dragon Ball: Origins on DS, and Valkyria Chronicles on PS3. On the downloadable games front we’ve got today’s Wii Shop titles Alien Crush Returns, Home Sweet Home, Space Harrier, as well as Vigilante 8: Arcade for the Xbox Live Arcade (updates Wednesday), as well as American McGee’s Grimm: The Singing Bone on GameTap Gold (updates Thursday). No word yet on any games for the PlayStation Network (updates Thursday).
Monday:
AC/DC Live: Rock Band Track Pack (Xbox 360, PS2, PS3)
Alien Crush Returns - $8 (Wii Shop)
Exit (DS)
Home Sweet Home - $10 (Wii Shop)
Pony Friends: Mini Breeds Edition (DS)
Space Harrier - $5 (Wii Shop)
Space Trader: Merchant Marine (PC)
Top Chef: The Game (PC)
Tuesday: Army Men: Soldiers of Misfortune (PS2)
Bratz Kidz: Slumber Party (Wii)
Disney THINK Fast (PS2)
Dragon Ball: Origins (DS)
Dragon Ball Z: Infinite World (PS2)
Goosebumps HorrorLand (DS)
Guitar Rock Tour (DS)
History Channel Civil War: Secret Missions (PS3, Xbox 360, PS2)
Imagine Interior Designer (DS)
Imagine Wedding Designer (DS)
James Bond: Quantum of Solace (Wii, PS2, Xbox 360, PS3, PC, DS) Korg DS-10 Synthesizer (DS)
Legendary (360, PS3, PC)
Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa (PC, DS, PS3, Wii, PS2, Xbox 360)
Monster Lab (PS2, Wii, DS)
Movie Games (Wii)
My Baby Girl (DS)
NHL 09 (PS2)
Naruto: Ultimate Ninja Storm (PS3)
Operation Mania (PC)
Petz Dogz Pack (DS)
Petz Sports: Dog Playground (PC)
PopStar Guitar: Guitar Grip Bundle (Wii)
Princess on Ice (DS) Real Soccer 2009 (DS)
Resistance 2 (PS3)
Rubik’s Puzzle World (Wii)
Secret Service (PS2, Xbox 360)
SingStar Legends (PS2)
Tom Clancy’s EndWar (Xbox 360, PS3, PSP, DS)
Valkyria Chronicles (PS3)
Winx Club: Mission Echantrix (DS)
Wednesday:
Dora The Explorer: Dora Saves the Snow Princess (DS)
Little Red Riding Hood’s Zombie BBQ (DS) Vigilante 8: Arcade - $10 (Xbox Live Arcade)
Thursday:
North America Hunting Extravaganza (Wii)
Some interstellar pinball actions, home decorating, and more space fun await the new Wii Shop Channel releases today. Alien Crush Returns and Home Sweet Home are released for WiiWare and the Sega Master System classic Space Harrier is out for the Virtual Console. Head past the break for full details. Anything here worth some space on your precious Wii system memory?
WiiWare
ALIEN CRUSH RETURNS (Hudson Entertainment, 1-4 players, Rated E for Everyone – Animated Blood, Mild Fantasy Violence, 800 Wii Points): ALIEN CRUSH RETURNS is the ultimate incarnation of the popular TurboGrafx pinball classic, Alien Crush. Boasting innovative game and control features, this is one Wii experience that you don’t want to miss. With all the ball-blazing simplicity and flipper action thrills of standard pinball, ALIEN CRUSH RETURNS has all the visual and digital elements that you’ve come to expect in a video game, including grotesque, eye-stunning playfields as well as unique Action Ball gimmicks that redefine the fun and excitement of pinball. You can even nudge the machine with your Wii Remote controller. What’s more, you can connect via Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection to enjoy a variety of features such as four-player head-to-head action, high score competitions and Extra Stage downloads.
Home Sweet Home (Big Blue Bubble Inc., 1 player, Rated E for Everyone, 1,000 Wii Points): Picture this scene… You move into your new home, and every room is perfect. Every room, except one. Here is the blank canvas for your vision, but you lack the know-how. Who do you call? The Home Sweet Home team! Home Sweet Home will give you the chance to unleash your hidden talents as an interior designer. You choose the furniture, patterns and colors to create a masterpiece that will blow your client away. With simple controls, a fun graphical style and an easy-to-use interface, Home Sweet Home allows you to nurture your creative side. Remember, a house is not a home until it is a Home Sweet Home.
Virtual Console
Space Harrier (Sega Master System, 1 player, Rated E for Everyone – Mild Fantasy Violence, 500 Wii Points): Space Harrier was originally released in the arcade in the 1980s, developed by AM2, which also developed OutRun and Afterburner. Space Harrier is widely recognizable by many arcade fans due to its distinctive, colorful art design and its fast-paced action. The SEGA Master System version is considered a solid port of the arcade game, containing 18 levels of intense fun. As the “Space Harrier,” you must fight your way through “The Land of Dragons” and defeat the bosses at the end of each level to restore peace to the land. Are you prepared? Get ready!
Here’s a list of this weeks U.S. game releases. Hold on to your wallets cause you’re once again in for a wild ride! The most popular games are Mortal Kombat vs DC Universe on Xbox 360 & PS3, Left 4 Dead on PC & Xbox 360, Animal Crossing: City Folk on Wii, Tomb Raider: Underworld on multiple systems, Need for Speed: Undercover on multiple systems, Shaun White Snowboarding on multiple systems, Rayman Raving Rabbids TV Party on Wii & DS, Naruto: The Broken Bond on Xbox 360, Sonic Unleashed on Wii & PS2, and Metal Slug 7 on DS. On the downloadable games front we’ve got today’s Wii Shop titles Strong Bad Episode 4: Dangeresque 3, Target Toss Pro: Bags, Space Invaders: The Original Game, Forgotten Worlds, as well as American McGee’s Grimm: Cinderella on GameTap Gold (updates Thursday). No word yet on any Xbox Live Arcade games (updates Wednesday) or PlayStation Network games (updates Thursday).
Monday:
Robocalypse (DS)
Alone in the Dark: Inferno (PS3)
Karaoke Revolution Presents: American Idol Encore 2 (Wii, Xbox 360, PS3)
Rayman Raving Rabbids TV Party (Wii, DS)
