At this year’s E3, Activision and Tony Hawk showcased the latest in the Tony Hawk Skateboarding franchise, Tony Hawk: RIDE. The response from show attendees wasn’t great, but it wasn’t all bad either. Most people felt the game showed a lot of promise and, being an early version of the game, didn’t judge it too harshly. Fast forward a few months to Tony Hawk: RIDE’s release date, and the response has been significantly lower across the board. Check out the full review below to see how Tony Hawk’s latest plays on the Wii.
Deck the halls with downloadable fun this week as Nintendo offers 11 new games to engage and entertain everyone in the household. Among this week’s highlights is the Virtual Console™ debut of the original Super Smash Bros.™ game, bringing the total of downloadable games for the WiiWare™ and Virtual Console services to a fabulous 500 and featuring a host of beloved characters from across the Nintendo universe. New WiiWare offerings include the Earth-conscious action game Eco Shooter: Plant 530™ and a sequel to the quiz-lovers’ favorite TV Show King. For Nintendo DSiWare™ fans, fresh arrivals include hand-held versions of the card-table classic UNO™ and the pioneering arcade game Dragon’s Lair®. For rollicking multiplayer fun, mellow single-player diversions and everything in-between, Nintendo’s got you covered for the holidays and beyond.
Virtual Console
Super Smash Bros.
Original platform: Nintendo 64™
Publisher: Nintendo
Players: 1-4
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone) – Cartoon Violence
Price: 1,000 Wii Points
Description: Choose from an all-star cast of Nintendo characters in a frantic melee to prove who will be the ultimate brawler. Utilize the easy-to-learn but hard-to-master controls and battle it out in the single-player mode, earning point bonuses and unlocking hidden characters along the way. Enter VS Mode to take on up to three other players simultaneously. Inflict damage using each character’s unique set of special moves, familiar items and power-ups, eventually winning by knocking your opponents off the screen in one of the interactive stages, each with a Nintendo theme. Need a moment to catch your breath? Polish your skills in Training Mode or destroy targets in Bonus Stages specific to each character. Are you ready to test your mettle against all comers, including the powerful Master Hand?
The first of this week’s new Virtual Console™ releases gives new meaning to the term “underground legend,” sending players down a mysterious manhole for a classic subterranean adventure. Another fine addition to the Virtual Console section of the Wii Shop Channel features the iconic hero Earthworm Jim in a fun-packed sequel from the SEGA Genesis era. For the Nintendo DSiWare™ service, a slate of five new games includes everything from the pets of LITTLEST PET SHOP™ to animated puzzles, cooking and magic tricks. For fans of the WiiWare™ service, fast-paced stunt driving and Moki-herding mayhem are among the latest arrivals. Whether you’re downloading for yourself or seeking cool, convenient gifts for everyone on your holiday list, look no further than the Wii™ Shop Channel and Nintendo DSi™ Shop for instant gratification.
Virtual Console
Blaster Master™
Original platform: NES™
Publisher: Sunsoft
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone) – Mild Fantasy Violence
Price: 500 Wii Points™
Description: The New York sewers were never like this. You’ve fallen down a hidden manhole into a world of creatures so terrifying they’d scare the rats away. You can panic and perish, or blast your way through an endless maze of tunnels in search of secret passages to your escape. Masters of the Caverns lay waiting – prehistoric creatures so powerful and gigantic they literally fill your screen. Load your arsenal and get ready for Blaster Master.
Dec. 7, 2009
Nintendo Download
Classic Rayman and Street Fighter Games Lead a Luminous December Lineup
Maybe the holiday season has you grinning from ear to ear, or maybe you’re already stressing out about choosing the right gifts for everyone on your list. Either way, you’d be wise to take a look at this week’s new downloadable games from Nintendo. The latest Nintendo DSiWare™ releases include the original Rayman® – perfect for prolonging your jubilant mood or providing a respite from the season’s hustle and bustle. Speaking of stress relief, this week’s new WiiWare™ games include Stop Stress: A Day of Fury, which offers a truly unusual way for players to unwind. And Virtual Console™ fans now have two more classic titles to liven up their game libraries: the Super NES™ gem Street Fighter® Alpha 2 and the legendary SEGA arcade title Shinobi. All told, you’ll find 11 new games added to the already stellar selection on the Wii™ Shop Channel and Nintendo DSi™ Shop. Whether you’re browsing for yourself or a loved one, don’t forget that you can also use the Wii Shop Channel to download five free game demos and try before you buy.
Whether you succumbed to a food coma, found yourself trapped at the mall or just planted yourself in front of the television, clearly you need a break from the exhausting holiday weekend. And Nintendo is here to help, with 10 downloadable games sure to provide a welcome distraction. WiiWare™ brings the latest installment in the gripping Tales of Monkey Island series, while Nintendo DSiWare™ serves up some magic along with the popular Bookworm™ and Foto Face: The Face Stealer Strikes, a game starring…you. And don’t forget to take a trip down memory lane with two Virtual Console™ classics – one from Super NES™ and one from the arcades.
For you Flipnote Studio™ fans, there’s something “dynamite” on the Nintendo Channel and the Flipnote Hatena Web site this week, so be sure to check it out. You can also watch and download Flipnotes created by renowned artists like Aardman Animations LTD. at the new Flipnote Central section.

For those of you looking for the perfect holiday gift, in the form of a new gaming console, then Toys R Us is here to help. Toys R Us is expanding their layaway options to include video game hardware. For those who don’t know what layaway is, layaway allows you to pick out an item, and Toys R Us will hold it away for you until you can pay it off.
Before placing something on Layaway, Toy R Us asks for a 20% deposit on the layaway item and a $10 service fee. All layaways must be payed off by Dec. 6. Check out the press release after the jump for more details.
REDMOND, Wash.–(BUSINESS WIRE)– There’s never been a better time to check out the extraordinary lineup of downloadable games from Nintendo. This week, Wii™ owners who connect their Wii consoles to the Internet can enjoy demos of five exceptional games for the WiiWare™ downloadable game service for zero Wii Points™: BIT.TRIP BEAT, FINAL FANTASY® CRYSTAL CHRONICLES®: My Life as a Darklord™, NyxQuest: Kindred Spirits, World of Goo™ and a brand new entry in the Pokémon™ game series, Pokémon™ Rumble. To get a taste of any or all of these tremendous titles before downloading the full versions, go to the WiiWare section of the Wii Shop Channel and search for “Demo.” For more information, please visit www.nintendo.com/wii/wiiware/demo.
This week’s launch of Pokémon Rumble for WiiWare delivers more than just a fun-packed new addition to the beloved Pokémon universe. Anyone who joins Club Nintendo™ – or is already a member – will have the opportunity to unlock an exclusive Toy Pokémon character that can be used in the game. Simply connect your Wii Shop Channel account to your new or existing Club Nintendo account, use Wii Points to download Pokémon Rumble and watch for an e-mail containing a special password that lets you access the character in the game. More information about this offer can be found at us.wii.com/wiiware/pokemonrumble/register. The offer is available only through April 30, 2010.
Ever wanted to be a DJ? Or a DJ Hero for that matter? If you had asked me those questions a couple weeks ago I might’ve said “Meh, not really” and shrugged my shoulders. There have been so many different Guitar Hero and Rock Band games over the last few years that it’s hard to really get excited for another music game. After several band-specific Guitar Hero games and the latest game, Guitar Hero 5, Activision has now ventured into a new franchise. With all the attention surrounding DJ Hero, I decided to take a look and see if this game breaks the mold of past music games, or if it’s just another excuse for Activision to sell us more plastic instruments.
Nintendo Wii
Rabbids Go Home Need for Speed: Nitro Academy of Champions: Soccer Band Hero Food Network: Cook or Be Cooked Jurassic: The Hunted Lego Rock Band
Eight is great for gamers this week as Nintendo adds eight new titles to its ever-growing library of downloadable games. First on the list is LostWinds: Winter of the Melodias, a follow-up to one of the most popular releases on the WiiWare™ service. Next, Shootanto: Evolutionary Mayhem makes survival of the fittest the law of the land. Meanwhile, Nintendo DSiWare™ welcomes Domo™, a strange creature who hatched from an egg. Also known as the popular mascot of Japan’s NHK television station, Domo stars in five separate new Nintendo DSiWare games. Topping it off is RYGAR™, a 1980s arcade gem making its Virtual Console™ debut.
WiiWare
LostWinds: Winter of the Melodias
Publisher: FRONTIER
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone) – Mild Fantasy Violence
Price: 1,000 Wii Points™
Description: LostWinds: Winter of the Melodias is a sequel to the award-winning WiiWare launch title LostWinds. Enril the Wind Spirit returns to protect and guide young Toku by powering his jumps, aiding his glides and smashing his enemies. An evil adversary binds the fate of Toku’s mother, Magdi, and the ancient Melodia civilization. To save Magdi, Toku and Enril must face new foes, enlist friends old and new, and wield incredible new powers – including the ability to switch the very seasons themselves – as they explore the diverse, richly interactive Chilling Peaks and Melodia City areas of the magical land of Mistralis. This enchanting, exhilarating, explorative game play experience is bursting with new ideas that make exceptional use of the Wii Remote™ controller. The awesome power of the Wind is back in the palm of your hand.
Guitar Hero® fans can continue to build a diverse music library with great new music and classic tracks available for download in October. New tracks playable in Guitar Hero® 5 will be available for download every Thursday in October with music from Queens of the Stone Age, Billy Squier, Wolfmother, Peter Frampton and The Misfits.
It’s that time of year again! No, not Christmas :/ It’s Guitar Hero [insert number here] release time! The latest in the Guitar Hero franchise, Guitar Hero 5, is now out and ready for the gaming masses. With new competitive gameplay modes, Roadie Battle (Wii Exclusive), and a solid track lineup, does Guitar Hero 5 sing sweetly? Or fall flat? Check out the full review below.
Nintendo Wii
North America: 1. Wii Sports Resort (Nintendo) 2. Ghostbusters: The Video Game — Slimer Edition (Atari) 3. Mario Kart Wii (Nintendo) 4. The Beatles: Rock Band (MTV Games) …
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DS
Best Buy
Nintendo Wii:
Cloudy With A Chance Of Meatballs $49.99
Mini Ninjas $39.99
Nintendo DS:
Cloudy With A Chance Of Meatballs $29.99
Club Penguin Collector’s Edition $34.99 (Available Tuesday) *
The Legendary Starfy $29.99
Mario & Luigi: Bowser’s Inside Story $34.99
Mini Ninjas $29.99
Nintendo Wii
North America: 1. Wii Sports Resort (Nintendo 2. The Beatles: Rock Band (MTV Games) 3. Mario Kart Wii (Nintendo) 4. Guinness World Records (Warner Bros.) 5. Wii Fit …
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The three-song AFI Track Pack is now available for Guitar Hero 5 for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and Wii. Joining Guitar Hero 5 on-disc favorite “Medicate,” gamers will also be …
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