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This Week in Downloadable Games
This Monday comes without a Virtual Console release, though there are rumblings that underrated SNES platformer Aero the Acro-Bat 2 will hit the Shop Channel within the next few weeks. Meanwhile, WiiWare explores the worlds of gambling and hunting with Fantasy Slots: Adventure Slots and Games and Deer Captor. DSiWare gets two puzzle games; Match Up!, a memory game, and Hints Hunter, in which you find hidden keys by working out hints present in each level. Ubisoft’s Petz money train rolls on with Petz Dogz Family, a simulation game that allows you to feed, groom and train your own virtual puppy. Our last DSiWare release this week is the chibified spin-off to 2009 sleeper hit BlazBlue: Calamity Trigger, also known as Blayzbloo: Super Melee Action Battle Royale, its subtitle presumably inspired by every fighting game of the last 15 years. In all seriousness, Blayzbloo looks to be a fun, lite version of the original that could be enjoyed by the hardcore fans and small children alike. I just have a feeling the children will appreciate it a little bit more.
Here’s the short list of this week’s Wii Shop Channel releases:
WiiWare
- Fantasy Slots: Adventure Slots and Games (700 points)
- Deer Captor (500 points)
DSiWare
- Match Up! (200 points)
- Blayzbloo: Super Melee Action Battle Royale (500 points)
- Hints Hunter (500 points)
- Petz Dogz Family (800 points)
Source: Nintendo
Nintendo Announces First-Quarter Financial Results, Report Shows Sizeable Loss
Nintendo is happy to announce its first-quarter global financial results for the months of April-June 2010. Nintendo is unhappy to announce that it has lost copious amounts of yen. Nintendo’s net sales and operating income are down a whopping 25 and 42 percent, respectively. Surprisingly, this has nothing do with a decline in Wii hardware, as Wii sales have actually increased from last year. The same cannot be said for Wii software, though: the software attach rate reportedly on a slow decline after peaking in May. Apparently, both DS hardware and software are declining, which doesn’t come as much of a surprise as the handheld’s life slowly comes to an end. Also, Wii software and hardware numbers could definitely see an increase with the release of many big titles coming in 2010 and 2011.
Source: Nintendo
Activision Continues to Add to DJ Hero 2’s All-Star Roster
As if fan-favorites like Deadmau5, David Guetta, and DJ Qbert weren’t enough, popular DJ Tiesto will be making his video game debut this fall in DJ Hero 2. The Grammy-nominated producer has worked with the likes of Muse, Justin Timberlake, Jónsi, Flo Rida, Sean Kingston and Three 6 Mafia. He’s also currently on the biggest DJ-only tour in history, with over 150 dates across 6 continents. Simply put; he’s a pretty big deal. Here’s the promotional trailer.
Source: Activision Blizzard
Sonic Team Acknowledges Your Hatred Towards Unleashed, Promises a Different Outcome With Colors
Today’s a big day in Sonic Colors news. In an interview with Eurogamer, Sonic Team head Takashi Iizuka says that Colors is in fact a reaction to the harsh criticism of Unleashed.
“After the release of that game the team had a lot of good feedback, particularly of the daylight stages. That’s how the project initially started – focusing on the good side of the previous project”
“But now, looking back at the reviews and the critics and all the stuff from the fans, we can see that the daytime stages were better received than the night-time stages. That’s how we look back to the project, and this is how it affects the current project.”
He also speaks on motion control, and that other Sonic game.
“…the team felt the motion controllers were not the main control that should be incorporated.”
“I understand there are differences in the ways users interpret the 3D side than the fans who particularly like the 2D classic side of the game. This is why we’re releasing two different types of Sonic games this year – to please the 2D classic fans who have been playing from the Genesis [Mega Drive]. Sonic 4 is more for those fans.”
“Sonic Colours is probably more for the users who appreciate the 3D side of Sonic.”
VideoGamer.com has approached Iizuka, who was quoted as saying Colors is “definitely not going through the Sonic cycle.” He says the team is very confident that they have “nailed it.”
Here are some beautiful Wii screens that say “Hey, we’re not kidding, we actually made a good game this time.”
Sources: Flickr, VideoGamer.com, Eurogamer
Dragon Lair Trilogy Announced for Wii
Classic gamers rejoice! The 1983 arcade classic Dragon’s Lair and its two sequels, Dragon’s Lair 2: Time Warp and Space Ace is headed to Wii this fall. They don’t look to be straight ports, either. Developer Digital Leisure has revamped the three titles and optimized them specifically for Nintendo’s console. Here are some features as listed on the official press release:
- Completely arcade authentic
- Original arcade gameplay modes
- Remastered animation
- Both standard and widescreen editions
- All-new move guides for beginners
- Watch Mode – View all of the stunning animation without playing!
The game looks to be an absolute steal at $29.99; look for it later this year!
Source: Destineer Games
EA Capitalizing on the User-Generated Content Trend on Consoles, Announces Create
Aside from 2008’s LittleBigPlanet and the recent WarioWare: DIY, making games that rely heavily on the player creating their own content is a relatively untouched market. EA looks to be expanding said market with Create, a new IP from EA’s Bright Light studio. The game relies on the player’s imagination to solve level-based challenges. Players can design the environment by using “easy-to-use brushes and tools, including textures, props and animating objects that bring the scene to life.”
“Create uses families’ imaginations to develop new ways to play together that are both fun and challenging,” said Harvey Elliott, VP and General Manager at EA Bright Light. “We wanted to design a game where the entire family can explore, decorate, and solve challenges where no solution is wrong and the only limit is the imagination.”
Create is coming to Wii this November.
Source: EA
