Nintendo downloads this week: Have you ever wanted to be a king? Maybe the king of Los Angeles? The new Nintendo DSiWare game Gangstar 2: Kings of L.A. gives you a shot at becoming Southern California royalty. Over on the Virtual Console service, old-school gamers will, like, totally love the chance to become king of the ’80s with the gnarly original arcade version of Zaxxon available for download.
Meanwhile, Nintendo’s WarioWare: D.I.Y. “Big Name Games” series continues with new downloadable microgames created by top game designers. This week it’s the turn of Alex Neuse from Gaijin Games. Neuse is the designer behind the BIT.TRIP series, which is available exclusively on the WiiWare service. He believes meaningful experiences can be delivered through a minimalistic design approach. In his WarioWare: D.I.Y. game, Fire Bad!, you’ll get a hint at CommanderVideo’s next adventure. New “Big Name Games” will be added every Monday through July 26, for free to anyone with broadband Internet access and a copy of either WarioWare: D.I.Y. for Nintendo DS or WarioWare: D.I.Y. Showcase software for the WiiWare service.
Where available, we’ve included videos of each of today’s games. Either for nostalgia’s sake or so you can see if any new game is to your taste.
This week’s new Virtual Console games is:
Zaxxon
Original platform: Arcade
Publisher: SEGA
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone) – Mild Fantasy Violence
Price: 800 Wii Points = $8
Description: Travel back to a time when a lovable alien phoned home, gas cost a mere 90 cents a gallon and everyone was wearing high-tops, leg warmers and had big hair. This was the early ’80s, and this was when video gamers nationwide were wowed by the cutting-edge graphics and sound effects of the first three-dimensional-like intergalactic arcade shooter: Zaxxon. Touted as the first game to put video display in perspective, Zaxxon featured “looks” and “sounds” like actual aircraft flight, allowing players to command their ship just like a real fighter pilot. Dive, bank, fly left and right, and up and down – Zaxxon had it all. Fly through heavily armored space fortresses while strafing fuel tanks, dodging walls and blowing up enemy missiles and gunnery. This game is littered with explosions. Then take the fight to the enemy fighter fleet and destroy the aggressor ships with extreme prejudice. Blasting pixels has never been so fun.
This week’s new WiiWare games are:
Military Madness: Nectaris
Publisher: Hudson Entertainment
Players: 1-4
ESRB Rating: E 10+ (Everyone 10 and Older) – Mild Fantasy Violence
Price: 1,000 Wii Points = $10
Description: The Military is back for a new generation of recruits. The classic turn-based strategy series Military Madness, aka Nectaris, is exploding onto the WiiWare service. With a new graphical barrage, a new commander unit, online team and vs. multiplayer modes, and a platoon of other new features, this is the maddest game in the series yet.
This week’s new DSiWare games are:
Gangstar 2: Kings of L.A.
Publisher: Gameloft
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: T (Teen) – Suggestive Themes, Tobacco Reference, Violence
Price: 500 Nintendo DSi Points = $5
Description: Move to the West Coast and immerse yourself in Los Angeles gang life with Gangstar 2: Kings of L.A. Complete 75 different missions that combine the best of action games and driving games.
AlphaBounce
Publisher: Mad Monkey Studios
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: T (Teen) – Drug Reference, Violent References
Price: 500 Nintendo DSi Points = $5
Description: AlphaBounce combines the classical brick-breaking concept with strong RPG features, offering you the chance to explore an endless universe with millions of levels. Discover items hidden in the deepest corners of the galaxy. Use these items to modify your spaceship and improve your firepower. You have been taken prisoner by an evil intergalactic mining corporation and exiled to outer space. With the help of your spaceship, your mission is to blast your way through the bricks in order to find a way back to Earth.
7 Card Games
Publisher: cerasus.media
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: T (Teen) – Simulated Gambling
Price: 500 Nintendo DSi Points = $5
Description: Who has the best hand? Take a seat, have a drink and get started: Keep a straight face during poker while you wager the bluff of your life. Put it all on one hit in Black Jack – and take the jackpot. You choose the number of opponents. Prefer something quieter? Then try a Solitaire game like Freecell or Klondike. Whether you prefer a quick round here and there or fun for the entire evening, now you can always have your favorite card games right at your fingertips. The detailed graphics and authentic atmosphere will wow you.
AiRace
Publisher: QubicGames
Players: 1-6
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone) – Mild Fantasy Violence
Price: 800 Nintendo DSi Points = $8
Description: AiRace is a high-octane, adrenaline-fueled air, speed and stunt game for the Nintendo DSi and Nintendo DSi XL™ systems. AiRace is not your typical hand-held racing – it’s high-sky racing at its best. There are no limits to your flight with 360° movement and unique steering with the Nintendo DSi stylus. AiRace offers you a chance to control one of nine planes and compete against AI or human opponents in six exotic locations. With great physics, plane upgrades, on-the-track power-ups and unique maps, AiRace offers a little bit more than your average racing. Now it’s time to leave your cars and switch to airplanes.