Category: Old School

Nintendo put up one of my old favorite N64 games, Pokemon Snap. It was my favorite for about a week, until I snapped everything. I even had the guide to the game, which I didn’t really need, but somehow had anyway.

Nintendo has reportedly changed the game so you can share your Pokemon Snap pictures with other people and save the pictures to the Wii Message Board. That in itself is a really cool new feature.

Nintendo has also updated the Wii Shop Channel so you can now send other people games off of the Shop Channel. It’s supposed to be a way to help you buy gifts this holiday season (I kid you not, that’s basically what it said). I rather get a Wii Points Card for someone. I can see how in the future this could be a good feature, but it’s really cheesy to advertise this feature is great for the holiday season (thanks for being politically correct Nintendo).

Anyways, besides Pokemon Snap,  Ghosts’n Goblins (I am pretty sure this was released before), and the not at all popular BASEBALL STARS 2 are also available on the Wii Virtual Console.

Continue reading Pokemon Snap included in this week’s virtual console updates

Sorry for the general lateness of this post, I’ve been busy.

To skip forward here are this week’s latest titles: ZANAC, Eternal Champions? and The Dynastic Hero. All with crappy names. Yeah, Enternal Champions? is a real title. Why it has that questionmark, I have no idea. I bet it’s japanese translated.

Here are the descriptions:

ZANAC (NES, 1 player, rated E for Everyone – Mild Fantasy Violence, 500 Wii Points): ZANAC is a vertically scrolling shoot-’em-up game that was released in November 1986. Take control of the state-of-the-art fighter, ZANAC, with the objective of destroying the bases of the mechanized enemy forces. Use your full array of regular weapons as well as eight special weapons to clear the 12 intense areas of the game. Be careful, though, as the game changes the degree of difficulty in real time based on how well you play. This ensures that it feels like you’re experiencing a new game every time you play.

Eternal Champions? (Sega Genesis, 1-2 players, rated T for Teen – Animated Blood, Animated Violence, 800 Wii Points): This 2-D fighting game introduces a cast of different characters that met untimely deaths in their lives on Earth. Now they have been given a chance to compete against each other, with the winner taking on the Eternal Champion, the ultimate fighter in the universe. The reward for defeating the Eternal Champion is a return to Earth for the opportunity to avenge death and restore balance to the universe. Choose from nine unique characters with a variety of fighting styles, and bring your best moves to defeat all comers in your quest to topple the Eternal Champion.

The Dynastic Hero (TurboGrafx16 CD-ROM, 1 player, rated E for Everyone – Comic Mischief, 800 Wii Points): The Dynastic Hero is an action RPG featuring a cast of insect characters. The story begins with the invasion of their peaceful homeland of Tarron by the evil Drilkor Empire. Rushing to the insects’ aid is Dyna, the prince of Beetras. Take control of Dyna as he battles through action-filled stages. Equip weapons and items to vanquish the relentless foes, and acquire special items that enable you to brave the journey across the perilous desert or open sea. But it’s not just all action. Correctly answer multiple-choice quizzes, and play the ocarina to find the right melody to open doors. Plus, there are countless traps and other puzzles packed into this fun game to keep you entertained and ensure you continue coming back for more.

Nintendo gives us the welcome back to the few weeks before Christmas message that tells us that we should all spend a little time shopping from the safety of our couch, away from the chaos of the malls. I think Nintendo is hinting at something. I have yet to figure out what they are talking about.

Maybe they are asking us to buy stuff off the Wii Shop Channel. No wait…Why would they ask us that?

Jokes aside (however they did say that message), Nintendo gave us a few games (that I would be more than happy to push aside). This week’s Wii Virtual Console games are: DOUBLE DRIBBLE, Vegas Stakes and the lovable Ecco Jr. Awww.

To come back with the tradition, here are the descriptions of the games:

DOUBLE DRIBBLE (NES, 1-2 players, rated E for Everyone, 500 Wii Points): DOUBLE DRIBBLE, the first 5-on-5, full-court home basketball game, is pure hoops action at its finest. While still a surprisingly accurate basketball game for its time, the frantic action keeps you on your toes as your players run from one end of the court to the other. Choose from a handful of teams and multiple levels of difficulty as you take on the computer alone or challenge a friend and see who has the better skills. Take the ball and sink shots from locations all over the court, or get in your opponent’s face and do your best to block the shot. Better yet, drive the lane and rock the rim to see one of the game’s trademark slam-dunk cut scenes. He shoots, he scores!

Vegas Stakes (Super NES, 1-4 players, rated E for Everyone – Simulated Gambling, 800 Wii Points): Feel like taking a road trip to Las Vegas? Let your inner high roller go wild as you try your luck at five different games-blackjack, slots, poker, craps and roulette. Start with only $1,000 in your pocket and play your way through five casinos, each with a different theme and varying limits. But no one wants to gamble alone, right? Not a problem, as you’ll be able to choose one of four friends to tag along and offer advice when you need it. Further enhancing the experience is the fact that you’ll be presented with a slew of interactions with random casino patrons. Best be careful, though-your choices in these situations could either get you closer to the millions of dollars you’re after or cost you a pile of that hard-earned cash. Roll the dice, spin the wheel, hit or stand-do whatever it takes to stake your claim in Vegas and beat the house!

Ecco Jr. (Sega Genesis, 1 player, rated E for Everyone, 800 Wii Points): The aquatic adventures of Ecco come to life for a younger generation of gamers. Perfect for kids, Ecco Jr. finds our young hero heading out to sea with a variety of tasks he must perform in order to get there. Along with his friends Tara the baby orca and Kitnee the young Atlantic dolphin, Ecco Jr. will interact with sea lions, sea horses and other aquatic life as he makes his journey to the Big Blue. Introduce your kids to the classic series of Ecco the Dolphin titles by downloading Ecco Jr. today.

That last line of Ecco the Dolphin wasn’t needed Nintendo! Stop begging for our money by doing that “perfect gift” message again. We heard you the first time with Check Mii Out. It’s not funny.

In honor of Super Mario Galaxy coming out next week, Nintendo released the game they call “The Greatest Game Ever” to the Wii Virtual Console. And no, it’s not Duck Hunt. And in no way is it Super Smash Bros. It’s Super Mario Bros. 3. Woo… Yeah, that’s not the “greatest game ever”. Sorry Nintendo. Along with it is Alien Soldier for 900 points (it’s an import) and Power Golf.

Anyways, despite that disappointment, there is always next time. Here are Nintendo’s descriptions of the games:

Super Mario Bros. 3 (NES, 1-2 players, Rated E for Everyone, 500 Wii Points): Remember when no one had ever heard of a Tanooki Suit or knew that Bowser had a clan of Koopalings? The game that made these things common knowledge is also considered by many to be one of the best ever made. Bowser and the Koopalings are causing chaos yet again, but this time they’re going beyond the Mushroom Kingdom into the seven worlds that neighbor it. Now Mario and Luigi must battle new enemies, returning favorites and a new Koopaling in each unique and distinctive world on their way to ultimately taking on Bowser himself. Luckily for the brothers, they have more power-ups available than ever before. Fly above the action using the Super Leaf, swim faster by donning the Frog Suit or defeat enemies using the Hammer Bros. Suit. Use the brand-new overworld map to take the chance to play a minigame in hopes of gaining extra lives or to find a Toad’s House where you can pick up additional items. All this (and more) combines into one of gaming’s most well-known and beloved titles—are you ready to experience gaming bliss?

Alien Soldier (Sega Genesis, 1 player, Rated E10+ for Everyone 10 and Older –Fantasy Violence, 900 Wii Points): As Epsilon-Eagle, you are an alien soldier who has been genetically engineered to produce maximum intelligence and strength. You were once a member of the criminal organization Scarlet, but when you decided to break from the group, you were forced into a showdown with Scarlet’s new leader Xi-Tiger, who kills a hostage in his attempt to destroy you. Now it’s up to you to take revenge against the bad guys in this side-scrolling action game! Choose from six different weapons and battle the bosses of Scarlet until you reach the final confrontation with the ultimate secret weapon!

Power Golf (TurboGrafx16, 1-3 players, Rated E for Everyone, 600 Wii Points): Power Golf sports a perfect combination of simple-yet-realistic controls and beautiful graphics. Swing away on 18 lush holes in one of three different game modes: the single-player STROKE PLAY mode and the multiplayer MATCH PLAY and COMPETITION modes. Enter tournaments as one of three different characters—beginner, intermediate and advanced. Wind strength and the slope of the green add extra challenges to each hole. Compete against other players in the standard NORMAL MATCH or ante up one of your clubs in the unique CLUB MATCH. Up to three players can play in COMPETITION mode, and a handicap feature is included to help novice players pull off breathtaking shots just like their advanced rivals.