This begins the wave of Master System games, I’m willing to bet. While I have never played Wonder Boy, I do enjoy Cruis’n, in the arcades at least. I’m a little finicky about how it will be on the Nintendo 64, but it might be worth a try. Anyway, another decent week on the Virtual Console.

“It’s a week of fun-filled firsts at the Wii™ Shop Channel. Each of the latest game offerings represents the first title in a memorable series that has influenced many subsequent titles over the years. Whether you prefer high-speed drives or side-scrolling adventures, it’s clear that these classic games have lasting appeal. What’s more, Wonder Boy is the first-ever Sega Master System title to be made available via Virtual Console.

Wonder Boy (Sega Master System, 1-2 players, Rated E for Everyone—Comic Mischief, 500 Wii Points): As Tom-Tom the Wonder Boy, it’s up to you to rescue your girlfriend Tanya from the vile clutches of the monster that has kidnapped her. To do so, you must navigate a series of worlds in a race against time to reach your goal. Along the way, you’ll battle foes and collect fruit that will add to the amount of time you have to complete your mission. You can also receive helpful power-ups from various eggs, but make sure to avoid the bad eggs and poisonous mushrooms that sap your precious vitality. Find the magic doll in each level to open up hidden areas, and make it to the very end of your journey to rescue your one true love.”

DISCUSS

VC Games List 

-Thomas 

Here is a unique title, and it’s not a shooter, yay! Judging by the description and screenshots, it seems almost like a Tetris clone. However, never judge a book game by it’s cover. I’ll end up giving this game a trial, and hopefully I won’t end up addicted. I’m looking at you, Carcassonne.

DISCUSS

XBLA Games List

-Thomas 

Fresh week, fresh games. 2 in fact. I really can’t say anything about either of them because I have never played them. However, let me thank Nintendo again for keeping their service updated frequently. Oh, and if you go to check these games out, pick up the new update, if you haven’t already.

“It’s a mad season for basketball lovers, but even the most hardcore hoops fan needs a break from the action this time of year. While they’re a far cry from basketball, the latest additions to the Wii Shop Channel offer plenty of fast-moving fun and high-scoring thrills of their own. Check them out and get a fresh taste of gaming excitement that can last well into April and beyond.

POWERBALL� (Sega Genesis, 1-2 players, Rated E for Everyone - Mild Fantasy Violence, 800 Wii Points): Eight different teams representing various nations are vying to become the POWERBALL champions, and you control one of the eight in your quest for the championship. A hybrid of games like rugby and football, POWERBALL is played on a 100-yard field. Try to score by either carrying the ball into your opponent’s end zone or kicking it into your opponent’s net for points. This one- or two-player game offers both exhibition and league play. Jump into a game of POWERBALL and try a brand new sport.”
DISCUSS

VC Games List

-Thomas 

Wait, you actually BOUGHT the Heroic map pack? Why? Bungie always releases them for free shortly after they gather some dough from you all. Regardless, if you didn’t pay for the map pack it will become free on March 25th at 2 AM pacific time. Is this a good excuse to play more Halo 3 Multiplayer?

In other news, the Legendary Map Pack, releasing April 15th, will not be free. Ever. Or that’s what they’re saying now, at least. I guess we’ll see what happens in the future.

SOURCE

DISCUSS

-Thomas 

Oh wow. This is surely an excellent week for t he Virtual Console. Two games I like, A LOT. Spelunker, being the lesser renown of the 2, is actually a fun game that has the player explore several different caves. R-Type, I’m sure you all know, so I won’t go into it much, just know this week is a great one.

“Are you afraid of the dark? If so, this is a great week to face your fears with a pair of eerie new game offerings on Nintendo’s Virtual Console�. One will plunge you deep underground to navigate perilous caves, while the other puts you on the front lines of a darkly sinister space war. In either case, your frights will give way to serious fun.

Nintendo adds new 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:

Spelunker (NES, 1 player, Rated E for Everyone, 500 Wii Points): Wander through miles of uncharted caves in search of the legendary underground pyramid and its vast treasures. To complete your adventure, you will swing from ropes and ladders, run across unstable terrain and down ravines, operate elevators, mining carts and rafts. You will collect keys, bombs, flares, jewels, sacks of gold coins and other valuable items as you navigate the hazardous terrain. But beware of the scalding steam vents, poisonous bats and the avenging spirits of dead spelunkers that lurk in every corner of this massive underground labyrinth.

SUPER R-TYPE (Super NES, 1 player, Rated E for Everyone � Mild Fantasy Violence, 800 Wii Points): A galactic battle begins. The BYDO Empire of mutant extraterrestrials is back with evil intent and awesome power. Now the evil empire is poised to launch a new attack on Earth. Only the revolutionary R-9, the planet’s most advanced form of defense, stands between these monsters and doom. Fight through seven challenging stages�picking up power-up items as you progress�on the way to each stage’s memorable boss. Is the BYDO Empire invincible You’ll need lightning reflexes, intuitive moves and a big dose of cosmic luck to hold your own. Better prepare yourself, because the mutants “R” ready for you.”

DISCUSS
VC Games List

-Thomas

With the first Bioshock selling over 2 million copies worldwide, a sequel was inevitable. Well Take-Two’s boss Strauss Zelnick has recently confirmed that Bioshock 2 is currently in development and is expected to launch during fourth quarter of Take-Two’s 2009 financial year (between Aug. 1 - Oct. 31, 09).

Surprisingly Mr. Zelnick also revealed that the original studios behind the original Bioshock, 2K Boston and 2K Australia, are not developing the sequel. Instead 2K Marin is in charge of the project while Ken Levine, Bioshock’s original frontman, will provide assistance while working on an entirely original IP of his own at 2K Boston/Australia.

I was part of the group who believed that Bioshock didn’t really need a sequel, even when it was assumed that 2K Boston/Australia would be developing the title. Now knowing that the project is the responsibility of a different studio entirely, I can’t say this news fills me with confidence. Hopefully Bioshock 2 will also contain an original story and enough atmosphere to at least match the quality of the first Bioshock. I guess we’ll find out next year.

Until then, tell us what you think in our forums.  Do you expect greatness out of this sequel, or is Take-Two just trying to milk a great IP again? 

-Mike Skiles

Thanks to MostSpartan 14 for the source!

 Well, at least they’re not shooters. 2 original games are out on the Live Arcade this week. One of them appears to be a Brain Age clone, as if we don’t have enough of those already. The other game actually seems a bit interesting. It is a puzzler that has you play as “Hoshi the Zwooph.” Supposedly, you blow clouds out of your snout to solve puzzles across 25 challenges. Crazy enough? I think so.

XBLA Games List

DISCUSS

-Thomas

A new mission has been released for Mass Effect, complete with a bonus 50 gamerscore points for completing it.

Batarian extremists have hijacked a mobile asteroid station in the Asgard system, setting it on a collision course with the nearby colony world of Terra Nova. Only you can save the human hostages on the asteroid and reroute it before it crashes into the world, killing millions of innocent civilians.

The content is worth 400 Microsoft Dollars, and is available in all Xbox Live regions.

- Chris Cesarano (Grohdinger)

It’s official, Europeans finally get a break. Each console will fall 40 GBP, except for the Premium package, which falls 50 GBP. This makes the Xbox 360 Arcade console the cheapest console in Europe. This is good news for all of our European members, as well as good news for Microsoft.

Be sure to thank kuraigu at the forums, for letting us know!

“Microsoft will officially lower the prices of all its Xbox 360 units in Europe from 14th March.The biggest saving will be made on the Premium unit, which drops by GBP 50 (EUR 80) down to GBP 199.99 (EUR 269.99).Elsewhere the Arcade model will become the cheapest new-generation model at GBP 159.99 (EUR 199.99), while the Elite will fall to GBP 259.99 (EUR 369.99). That’s GBP 40 off the current price in both instances.”Xbox 360 is now mass market in Europe,” said Chris Lewis, bigwig at Microsoft Entertainment Europe. “We have reached and surpassed several key milestones that form part of our long term strategic plan to achieve critical mass in Europe; and our portfolio now offers the kind of mainstream entertainment experiences that secure wider appeal for Xbox 360.”History shows that GBP 159.99 is the price point where a console’s audience begins to expand, and with these new ERPs in place we’re ready to bring more consumers into the Xbox 360 world.”The announcement comes after the German Financial Times reported that the platform holder would reduce the cost of its console throughout our region.”SOURCE

You’ve gotta love Nintendo for these import games. It saves us a whole lotta money to be able to purchase games on the VC as apposed to a real import. Certainly Puyo is at the least a decent title. I think its awfully nice to see another puzzle game on the Virtual Console, and Puyo was a nice choice.

“Got enough challenge in your daily routine? Chances are that basic everyday tasks - getting to work or school on time, walking the dog, taking out the trash - aren’t enough to keep you firing on all cylinders. Luckily, Virtual Console(TM) is close at hand to help you test your mettle in fresh and unusual ways. Whether you’re rescuing a kidnapped pal or mastering a set of mind-bending grid puzzles, this week’s new arrivals, imported from Japan,

Puyo Puyo 2: Tsuu (Sega Genesis, 1-2 players, Rated E for Everyone, 900 Wii Points): The object of this head-to-head puzzle game is to clear your grid of falling patterns called puyos by forming chains of four or more same-colored puyos in a straight line or one of several geometric patterns. What makes this a challenging two-player contest is the fact that when you clear a chain of puyos from your grid, it drops a random piece of filler onto your opponent’s grid. The more puyos you clear, the more you fill your opponent’s grid, and if you can clutter up his grid enough to fill it to the top, you’ve won the game. An intriguing backstory makes this an amusing experience for one or two players.”

So, if you’re not too busy playing Brawl, be sure to comment in the forums.

VC Games List 

-Thomas