Wii Rally

Two new WiiWare games and two Virtual Console games are added to the Wii Shop including the latest installment of a very popular Internet icon.

Strong Bad Episode 4: Dangeresque 3 (Telltale Games, 1 player, Rated E10+ for Everyone 10 and Older – Alcohol and Tobacco Reference, Crude Humor, Mild Cartoon Violence, 1,000 Wii Points) - Strong Bad must stay one step ahead of a bad cop and save the girl in this fourth episode.

Target Toss Pro: Bags (Incredible Technologies, 1-16 players, Rated E for Everyone, 700 Wii Points) - Here is a game that is based on bean bag toss.

SPACE INVADERS: The Original Game (Super NES™, 1-2 players, Rated E for Everyone, 800 Wii Points) - Now here is a title that I spent many quarters playing in the arcade. Space Invaders is one of those games etched in video game history. And now it’s available for us to play again.

FORGOTTEN WORLDS (SEGA GENESIS, 1-2 players, Rated E for Everyone – Fantasy Violence, 800 Wii Points) - This is a 1-2 person side scrolling shooter from CAPCOM. This is another arcade import that keeps its roots on the Sega Genesis. Two warriors from the Forgotten World - or a little place known as Earth - are raised to take on the invaders and reclaim the land.

Cooking Mama is one of those games that seems tailor made for the Nintendo Wii. Your Wiimote is transformed into one of many cooking utensils from knives to spatulas to bowls. While Cooking Mama is a good choice for the Nintendo Wii, does it deliver a fun and wonderful game experience?

For me, the answer is no. I enjoyed Cooking Mama for the DS much better as it is way easier to control it. With the Wiimote, it is harder to carry out the tasks in the game.

The premise of the game is to make a recipe from Mama’s cookbook. You’ll do various tasks during the cooking process from peeling the vegetables to stirring the food to serving it on dishes. What was most frustrating is that these tasks were not easily carried out with the Wiimote. Maybe I was at an awkward position to the sensor bar but it just seemed like it registered my movements slowly - if at all.

If you don’t complete a task, Mama will fix it so that you can move on. Some tasks you might even do better than Mama. That’s always comforting and makes me feel that I might actually get the hang of this game one day.

There are special Wiimote kitchen tools you can buy. I’m not sure if having a spatula and other Wiimotes will improve game play. For right now, though, I think I will stick to the DS version as the controls are really solid on it. There will be another Cooking Mama title released for the Wii in the near future that hopefully will have better controls. This is a fun franchise and definitely worth a second look.

Two new WiiWare games and one Virtual Console game are now available in the Wii Shop. One WiiWare game will give your brain a workout while the other one will test your time management skills.

WiiWare

Brain Challenge™ (Gameloft, 1-4 players, Rated E for Everyone, 1,000 Wii Points) - Yes, by now we all know that our brain needs exercise just like any other part of our body. Gameloft brings Brain Challenge to WiiWare, giving those wanting to give their brain a workout another option. See who has the biggest brain in three multi-player modes.

Yummy Yummy Cooking Jam (Virtual Toys, 1-2 players, Rated E for Everyone-Animated Blood, Comic Mischief, 1,000 Wii Points) - For those Diner Dash junkies (like myself) here is a nice WiiWare game that will put to the test those time management/food serving skills. Play career mode and you might just wind up the top chef in town. You will also serve some interesting customers including vampires, ninjas, and mafia thugs.

Virtual Console

Mega Man™ 3 (NES™, 1 player, Rated E for Everyone-Mild Cartoon Violence, 500 Wii Points) - The third installment of Mega Man for the Nintendo system makes it debut on the Virtual Console. Mega Man will have to defeat evil relying on his new slide move and his canine companion Rush.

A casual PC game makes the leap to WiiWare while another classic game gets a face lift. Plus a space classic from the Sega Master System comes to the Virtual Console. It’s not a bad way to start out the month of November. Having played Home Sweet Home for the PC, this should appeal to those who love time management games. The other WiiWare game is really a classic pinball game but has been given a makeover. The Virtual Console game was an arcade smash that made the jump to the Sega Master System. Now it’s made the leap to the VC.

WiiWare

ALIEN CRUSH RETURNS™ (Hudson Entertainment, 1-4 players, Rated E for Everyone – Animated Blood, Mild Fantasy Violence, 800 Wii Points) This is the incarnation of Alien Crush for TurboGfx. Do you like pinball? Then try this one out. You can even use the Wiimote to nudge the machine.

Home Sweet Home (Big Blue Bubble Inc., 1 player, Rated E for Everyone, 1,000 Wii Points) - This casual PC game comes to WiiWare. In Home Sweet Home, you will need to not only decorate a room but keep your hired labor on time and under budget. Give them a hand when they get hurt or need help to complete a task.

Virtual Console

Space Harrier™ (Sega Master System, 1 player, Rated E for Everyone – Mild Fantasy Violence, 500 Wii Points) - Space Harrier was originally released for the arcade but later made an appearance on the Sega Master System. In Space Harrier, you must fight through the “The Land of Dragons.” At the end of each stage, you must defeat the bosses so that peace can once again rule the land.

One game that was made for the Nintendo Wii long before it was ever created was the Samba de Amigo for the Sega Dreamcast. It’s games like this one that make me sad that the Dreamcast did not take off in popularity as well as some other console systems. This classic rhythm game challenged players to shake their maracas in the direction of falling balls. The Wii version of Samba de Amgio continues to offer the classic game play and throws in a few twists of its own to deliver a fun game that makes good use of the Wiimote and Nunchuk.

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Two new WiiWare games and one Virtual Console game are now available at the Wii Shop.

WiiWare

Strong Bad Episode 3: Baddest of the Bands (Telltale Games, 1 player, Rated E10+ for Everyone 10 and Older - Alcohol Reference, Crude Humor, Mild Cartoon Violence, Mild Suggestive Themes, 1,000 Wii Points) Strapped for cash, Strongbad heads out to the “Battle Royale of the Bands.”

Art Style: ROTOHEX™ (Nintendo, 1-2 players, Rated E for Everyone, 600 Wii Points) Use triangle panels to make beautiful mosaic of stained glass. As the triangles fall, rotate them to group six of the same color together. Once the hex is formed, it’ll disappear and make room for more pieces.

Virtual Console

Earthworm Jim (Sega Genesis, 1 player, Rated E for Everyone - Animated Violence, 800 Wii Points) This classic game originally released for the Sega Genesis features Jim, an ordinary earthworm who finds a space suit that transforms him into a super-intelligent being. Or at least by earthworm standards. Jim learns of the evil plans of Psy-Crow and Queen Slug-for-a-Butt and decides to save the Princess. Run, jump, swing on hooks, and launch cows to defeat interesting characters you will meet on your journey.

Four new games are now available through the Wii Shop. Two new WiiWare games and two classic games come to the Wii through the Virtual Console.

WiiWare

Tetris Party (Tetris Online, Inc., 1-6 players, Rated E for Everyone, 1,200 Wii Points) - The hit puzzle game is back and better than ever in this party version. Tetris Party features 10 never-before-seen single and multi-player variations including Field Climber, Stage Racer, Shadow and Wii Balance Board-enabled modes.

Up to six people can play either in one living room or several since it supports WIFI. You can also see how your Tetris scores rank against the world through the global ranking system.

The Incredible Maze (Digital Leisure Inc., 1 player, Rated E for Everyone, 500 Wii Points) - Make your way through the maze using your Wiimote. You can also use the Wii Balance Board to keep your ball on the path and try to guide it to the finish without falling off.

Virtual Console

Digital Champ Battle Boxing (TurboGrafx16, 1 player, Rated E10+ for Everyone 10 and Older - Mild Violence, 700 Wii Points) - This first person boxing title will have you throwing jabs, punches, and other moves on your quest to defeat Mother Computer. You have infiltrated the enemy’s domain and now must use your boxing skills to fight Mother’s plan to take over mankind.

GRADIUS® II GOFER NO YABOU (TurboGrafx16 CD-ROM, 1 player, Rated E for Everyone - Mild Fantasy Violence, 900 Wii Points) - This shooter is the sequel to GRADIUS. It features nine stages and is the longest adventure in this series. Players pilot the latest model of the Vic Viper and can choose between Weapons Module and Shields to take on the various enemies they encounter in the varying stages.

The Nintendo Wii console topped the sale charts in September by selling 687,000 units according to the ndependent NPD Group that tracks video game sales in the United States. Coming in second was the Nintendo DS with 537,000 units sold.

Sales for September 2008 are up 37 percent from sales in September 2007. Also from August to September Wii saw its biggest jump in units sold. There were 234,000 more units sold in September than August.

Four video games for the Wii made the top 10 video games sold in September: Wii Fit, Mario Kart, Wii Play, and Star Wars: The Force Unleashed.

Four new games are now available in the Wii shop. There are two WiiWare games and 2 Virtual Console games.

World of Goo (2D Boy, 1-4 players, Rated E for Everyone—Comic Mischief, 1,500 Wii Points) is a puzzle game based on physics created entirely by 2 guys. Grab living, talking goo globs to build bridges, cannonballs, structures, and more.

Art Style: CUBELLO (Nintendo, 1 player, Rated E for Everyone, 600 Wii Points) mixes puzzle game mechanics with shooter style gaming. Each level starts with a giant cube that players must take aim at to break apart.

SECRET OF MANA (Super NES™, 1-3 players, Rated E10+ for Everyone 10 and Older—Mild Fantasy Violence, Mild Suggestive Themes, 800 Wii Points) is an adventure game that will have the player searching for the tree of mana. Players will battle monsters, find treasure chests, and more.

STREET FIGHTER II’: SPECIAL CHAMPION EDITION (Sega Genesis, 1-2 players, Rated T for Teen—Violence, 800 Wii Points) was the first Street Fighter game released for the Sega Genesis. This fighting game is a classic and still remains a very popular franchise.

Wario is back in a new adventure for the Nintendo Wii. For those expecting something similar to Smooth Moves, then prepare to be surprised. In this game rounds last longer than a few seconds as Wario sets out to save Queen Merelda - or more appropriately the Queen’s never-ending sack of coins.

Wario agrees to rescue Queen Merelda who has been captured by the Shake King. He only agrees after he learns about a magic bag that has endless coins in it that has also been stolen. Now Wario must travel through several different stages collecting coins and freeing Merfles- denizens of the Shake Kingdom.

This side-scrolling action/adventure is a far cry from Smooth Moves with its manic 3 second mini-games. You will hold the Wiimote sideways to play this game, using the control pad to move Wario through the various scenes. You use the Wiimote to shake coins out of bags along the way as well as stomp the ground and pull off other maneuvers that are covered in the first level tutorial. Once you’ve gone through a level and freed the Merfle, it’s time to race back to the start before you are detected by the Shake King’s minions.

Wario Land Shake It with it’s cell shaded graphics and whimsical music makes for fun game play. It’s rated E for Everyone and is for just one player. While the game is fun, it would be better if more players could join in. Every game for the Wii should be multi-player. Still Wario Land Shake It is a lot of fun for one player and is entertaining to watch as well.

When Boom Blox for first announced, I have to admit I was excited. Anything that Steven Spielberg comes up with is usually entertaining. But after learning that it was a puzzle game, all anticipation for it left and wrote it off as just another puzzle game. For this, I owe Steven Spielberg an apology for writing off this oh so fun game before I even played it.

After reading rave reviews about Boom Blox, I figured I had to give it a try. After all, it was just a puzzle game. How can it score so high for a genre that really hasn’t seen anything new in a long time? So, I rented it and am now hooked.

The basic idea of this game is to blow things up. You do this by throwing baseballs(even bowling balls!) to targets. Some levels have bombs on them to help you out while others have unstable liquids that when they touch go boom. You do this to regain stolen gems. The fewer throws it takes you to recover all gems on a level, the better your score will be.

There are also different modes of play. You can play through the story line or you can play through the challenges. You can also build your own levels with items you unlock along the way.

Boom Blox is definitely just not another puzzle game as it’s pretty eye catching and has fun game play. Different modes of play and even a free style level creator makes for many fun hours in front of the Wii.

Lessons learned for me is to never judge a game solely based on genre as Boom Blox delivers a very fun adventure puzzle game.

I have to admit that when I first heard about Mario Super Sluggers, I couldn’t be less excited. Great. Another.baseball.game. How exciting is that? Don’t get me wrong as I do love the game but come on. There are plenty of baseball games out there. Can Mario really bring anything new to America’s pastime?

In a word - yes. This game is much more than baseball as there are several modes of play. One mode you have to gather your team by completing baseball-related tasks. It’s a good way to learn more about how to play the game and goes further in-depth than a tutorial. There is a mini-game mode and the regular game mode where you choose your stadium and team. Play against the CPU or challenge friends. Each player has special abilities that can be very useful in the game. It might help them get on base easier after a short hit or climb the fence to snatch away the winning homerun from the other team. So get to know your players’ skills and how they can work the best for the game.

Each field has it’s own theme. Mario’s field is the only one that is plain - that is devoid of any extras on the field. Use the Wiimote and Nunchuk to pitch and swing the bat. The Nunchuk can be used to adjust where you throw the ball or swing the bat. It’s pretty easy to catch on to using it for this purpose.

So while I had written this game off a yet another baseball game, Mario Super Sluggers does have that Mario flair to it - which means fun mini-games, colorful characters, and fun game play.

Ahoy, today is Talk like a Pirate Day and what better way to celebrate than to take your doubloons and buy some Pirate-themed games for the Wii. So, break out the Wiimote and your scurvy Mii to enjoy a few pirate games on the Wii.

Pirates the Key of Dreams is available through WiiWare for 1,000 Wii points. Up to four players can play this shoot ‘em up action game set on the high seas. Invite your mateys over swashbucklin’ time.

Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End is the game based on the third Pirates of the Caribbean movie. ‘Nuff said as it’s pretty evident what this game will be about. Still those interested in reliving the movie(which was fun to watch) will enjoy this one.

Pirates vs. Ninjas Dodgeball is not released yet but should be out this winter. If you can dodge a scallywag then you can dodge a pirate? This is probably a discussion we have weekly at our house - who would win a dodgeball game, pirates or ninjas? Not buying it? Well in this game you can also face off with robots and zombies. Aye, it’s looks like a good time be had by all with this game.

Pirate Party is yet another party game but with pirates. That makes it a must have! Well, maybe not but does look kind of fun. I mean, it is pirates. Shiver me timbers! This title isn’t out yet and has no release date set.

Aye, there are some fine choices when it comes to pirate-themed games for the Wii. So pull out the Wiimote me hearty and have a good time.

First there was Wii Sports which challenged your athletic prowess. Now Wii Music looks to challenge the inner musician in you. Wii Music is set to be released October 20th and will use practically every Wii accessory that has ever been made. Well not really but it does make use of the Wiimote, Nunchuk, and Wii balance board.

So, not only will your left hand have to keep up with what your right hand is doing but both will also have to keep pace with your feet. It seems like a lot of work to play a video game but Wii Music hopes to capture some of the Guitar Hero/Rock Band fans with it’s game play. Why be limited to a guitar, bass, and drums when you can try out one of 60 different instruments? Imagine strumming on a banjo or hammering out a tune on the piano.

Players will take part in a jam session and then can play back their musical masterpiece. You can also send your jam sessions to your Wii friends and incorporate their Miis into your game. Aside from the jam session, you can pick up the baton and lead a band. You can even take a tone quiz to test your listening skills. Play a hand bell game to get the hang of swinging the Nunchuk and Wiimote controller. So there is more to do in this game that just freestyle music.

Wii Music is rated E for Everyone. One to four players can jam out at the same time. Wii Music is slated to be released October 20, 2008.

Do you remember the VHS tapes of the fireplace burning or how about the ones the featured aquariums? If either of those tapes were interesting to you, then you might enjoy the WiiWare simulation game My Aquarium.

In My Aquarium, you add fish to one of several tanks. Then you can feed them but have to feed them right food or else they won’t eat. You can also set up dates where the fish will perform a special dance just for you. Just like a real aquarium you can only put so many fish in one tank. Good thing you have several tanks to choose from and can even delete fish easily from a tank. You can also zoom in to get an up close view of each fish. Set up your aquarium and then set your music to enjoy watching your fish.

My Aquarium is 500 Wii points and is kind of fun especially if you have younger gamers in the family who enjoy playing games. It is more than a screen saver and can be entertaining at least for a little while.