March 16, 2009

Old-school action is the main attraction at the Wii™ Shop Channel this week. With a wealth of underground buzz already surrounding it, a brand new WiiWare™ title uses vintage-looking graphics and 8-bit sounds to create a rhythm-based game that’s loaded with retro cool. Find out if you have enough skill to create order from chaos in a game that is as mesmerizing as it is challenging. Meanwhile, the latest addition to the Virtual Console™ lineup brings a Commodore 64 classic to the Wii console, proving that fans of international sports events needn’t wait until 2012 to get their track-and-field fix. Even if you’re too young to remember the original days of 8-bit gaming, these awesome titles provide timeless kicks.

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

BIT.TRIP BEAT (Aksys Games, 1-4 players, Rated E for Everyone, 600 Wii Points): BIT.TRIP BEAT is a rhythm game that brings retro action into the present, letting you use the motion-sensing Wii Remote™ controller to bounce beats. Retro visuals, classic game play, four-player multiplayer and an 8-bit soundtrack will get you in the zone and rock your world. The challenges are mighty, but if you can stay cool as the difficulty increases, you’ll discover the beginnings of the BIT.TRIP saga.

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Having been consistently ranked among the top-selling titles on Nintendo’s WiiWare™ service, Defend Your Castle™ has received recent recognition in the form of a nomination in the 2009 ELAN Awards. The game has been selected by a panel of seven judges for a shot at the Best Casual / Arcade Game category in this year’s event, the 3rd annual iteration of the Canadian awards program. Developed by a small team with big ideas, Defend Your Castle invites up to 4 players to become commanders of their kingdom and fight off relentless hordes of invading enemies through a mixture of cooperative and competitive play.

Acclaimed casual game developer, XGen Studios Inc. is pleased to receive this acknowledgement from the industry professionals involved in the ELAN evaluation panel.

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