Here are this week's releases on WiiWare, DSiWare, and Virtual Console!

WiiWare

lilt line
Publisher: Gaijin Games
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone)
Price: 500 Wii Points; demo version available for 0 Wii Points
Description: lilt line is an award-winning rhythm racing game with a dubstep soundtrack and a visual aesthetic that will confound your senses and rock your soul. Control the silky-smooth rhythm line and do your best to stay on the track as you race to the finish, tapping the button to the beat of the catchy soundtrack by genre superstars 16bit. With 15 levels of intense musical racing, it's a game that has to be experienced to be believed.

Note: Some demo versions do not support all game features, and players cannot save their in-game progress in demo versions.

Family Games
Publisher: Icon Games Entertainment
Players: 1-4
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone)
Price: 500 Wii Points
Description: Family Games is a collection of timeless pen-and-paper games for the whole family. Games include Squares (Dots), Nine Men's Morris (Mill), Safe Cracker, Matchsticks, Noughts & Crosses (Tic-Tac-Toe), 4 In-A-Row, BattleFleet and Hangman. Numerous rule sets and game variations offer many ways to play. Up to four players can compete in Tournament mode. There are also 20 special achievements to unlock.

Violin Paradise
Publisher: KEYSTONE GAME STUDIO
Players: 1-4
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone)
Price: 700 Wii Points
Description: Violin Paradise is designed for up to four people to enjoy (additional controllers sold separately). Players can choose to be a conductor, violinist, violist or cellist as they perform some of the most beautiful classical pieces in history. The game includes a micro-orchestra, which helps players feel the enjoyment of a group performance. The game environment changes dynamically and can be enriched with more objects if you play successfully.

Virtual Console

DARIUS TWIN
Original platform: Super NES
Publisher: Taito
Players: 1-2
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone) – Mild Fantasy Violence
Price: 800 Wii Points
Description: For countless millennia, the space tyrant Belser and his cosmic marauders have terrorized this once-peaceful galaxy. No sector remains safe from these stellar mercenaries and their evil empire. The Galactic Federation has finally called on two of its ace pilots and their sleek Silver Hawk warships to do battle with Belser's malicious metal menaces and reclaim their beloved planet Darius. Climb into the pilot's seat for a solo mission against Belser's forces or engage the enemy with a fellow Federation pilot in a simultaneous two-player team attack. The future of the galaxy depends on the success of this perilous quest.

Nintendo DSiWare

Little Red Riding Hood's Zombie BBQ
Publisher: Gammick Entertainment
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: T (Teen) – Blood and Gore, Crude Humor, Fantasy Violence, Mild Suggestive Themes, Mild Language
Price: 800 Nintendo DSi Points™
Description: Can you save Fairytale Land? Or will you let its creatures live unhappily ever after? Little Red Riding Hood's Zombie BBQ is a fun shooter in which you must advance by shooting down every living (or dying) creature in your path! Use the great arsenal of weapons at your disposal to destroy hordes of savage zombies.

Jam Space: PocketStudio
Publisher: HB Studios
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone)
Price: 500 Nintendo DSi Points
Description: Jam Space: PocketStudio for the Nintendo DSi system puts the power of a recording studio in your pocket. You can compose tracks, jot down ideas and be musical no matter where you are. Choose from two modes. Quick Jam mode allows you to lay down tracks quickly and easily using natural instrument interfaces. This is a great mode if you've got a little melody you want to record and want to get it down quickly. Studio mode gives you access to a full-featured MIDI editor that lets you tweak and hone your compositions to a professional level. If you want to dig deep and really work on that masterpiece, this is the mode for you.

Just SING! Christmas Songs
Publisher: Engine Software
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone)
Price: 200 Nintendo DSi Points
Description: Get ready for a Christmas karaoke party where you are the star! Famous holiday tunes, including "Jingle Bells" and "Silent Night", are waiting for you. Dressed up as jolly Santa Claus, you enter a stage covered in snow and sing into the built-in microphone on your Nintendo DSi to create a magical Christmas mood. While singing, you'll receive feedback. Did you hit all the right notes and sing in time? Compare your high score with previous singers, or just sing to your holiday heart's content.

URL to share (right click and copy)

@Dark_sidEr

Bought it. They do indeed! Though I was hoping for a garbled speech sample.
I'm digging the music, or at least the composition. Sounds a bit tinny.
And I'm liking the colors. You guys know how much I like colors.
The stage selection screen is a nice surprise. For a shmup, I'm not so sure the game is short, there seems to be over 20 stages. And I die at the 3rd one, when bumping my lives to 8.

@canonj

I only got a perfect on the first stage of the demo, died on the 4th. I didn't replay any of the levels and bought the game if simply for the music.

The scoring system does seem a bit simplistic, but I get the feeling that keeping the beat without touching the walls will be a huge challenge before long. Controls really well, too.

Posted by

Pandareus

on: 12/14/10, 09:00

Edited:

12/14/10, 09:25

@Pandareus
Yeah, the controls are great, and I'm sure the game does get more difficult. My biggest complaint is just that each level is so short. I prefer the longer levels of the Bit.Trip games.

Posted by

canonj

on: 12/14/10, 15:51

canonj said:

@Pandareus
Yeah, the controls are great, and I'm sure the game does get more difficult. My biggest complaint is just that each level is so short. I prefer the longer levels of the Bit.Trip games.

I feel the same way, the demo didn't really compel me to pick up the game right away.

Posted by

anon_mastermind

on: 12/14/10, 17:52

@VofEscaflowne
Cool, I'll grab that, then.

Posted by

Anand

on: 12/14/10, 18:10

I've just perfected half of the levels of Lilt Line (unless there's a second page of levels hidden somewhere). The Wii board records say I've been playing for 55 minutes.

I'm sure the second half will take a bit longer to perfect than the first half, but still: not gonna end up one of the longer Wiiware games out there.

I think I'm gonna go ahead and promise a review this week-end. It's an interesting game. The Bit.Trip guys decided to port it over to Wiiware, so that right there should tell you there is something in there for Gaijin Games fans. But it's got some problems.


So that was basically a two-line review, but I'll post more later for those who need more details.

Posted by

Pandareus

on: 12/15/10, 09:05

Yeah, Darius games have branching paths. I'm not sure every level is unique, though. I also love the music and graphical style of the series. Anyone know if this version is an arcade port?

(Goes off to research for realz this time.)

Posted by

Anand

on: 12/15/10, 20:13

@Pandareus
Thanks for the impressions so far. Let us know more once you finish the game.

Posted by

canonj

on: 12/15/10, 20:18