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

WiiWare

JellyCar 2
Publisher: Disney Interactive Studios
Players: 1-2
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone)
Price: 500 Wii Points™
Description: JellyCar 2, the hit driving platform game, is here and fully loaded with more than 30 levels, multiplayer action and much more. Play head-to-head or co-op in Multiplayer Flag, Gems and Tether modes. (Additional accessories are required for multiplayer modes and are sold separately.) Post high scores, best times and longest jumps in the Hall of Fame. With so much squishy goodness, you'll want to drive JellyCar 2 all around town.

Soccer Bashi
Publisher: Icon Games Entertainment
Players: 1-2
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone) – Mild Fantasy Violence
Price: 500 Wii Points
Description: Experience soccer of the future. Destroy the defender blocks and smash the ball into the goal to win, but watch for enemy defenders out to destroy you. A built-in game editor offers unlimited level design possibilities. Play through the 90 game levels over several different play modes, including Arcade and Customizable Tournaments.

Art of Balance (demo version)
Publisher: Shin'en Multimedia
Players: 1-2
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone)
Price: 0 Wii Points; full version available for 800 Wii Points
Description: Grab your Wii Remote™ controller and build a balanced stack in this physics-based puzzler. Enjoy 100 levels that challenge not only your skills but also your imagination. The game is easy to pick up and hard to put away. Play alone or invite a friend to grab a second Wii Remote (sold separately) and drop in at any time for co-op play. We even added a dedicated two-player split-screen "versus" mode for extra fun.

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

Virtual Console

GHOSTS'N GOBLINS
Publisher: Capcom
Players: 1-2
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone) – Mild Fantasy Violence
Price: 800 Wii Points
Description: GHOSTS'N GOBLINS is a classic game that packs a heavy punch (and lance). Experience the smash arcade hit from 1985 as you help Arthur defeat hordes of monsters in his attempt to rescue the princess. This is the first (and possibly only) game in which taking a hit can reduce you to your underwear.

EXED EXES™
Publisher: Capcom
Players: 1-2
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone) – Mild Fantasy Violence
Price: 800 Wii Points
Description: A retro classic from Capcom's arcade lineup from 1985, EXED EXES is a vertically scrolling shooter that's sure to bring back fond memories. Dodge bullets, collect fruit and go for high scores in one of the most furious sci-fi insectoid shoot-'em-ups ever made.

Nintendo DSiWare

Petz Catz Family
Publisher: Ubisoft
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone) – Comic Mischief
Price: 800 Nintendo DSi Points™
Description: Care for and bond with a whole family of adorable cats. Play fun games with them, give them lots of love and watch them grow. Discover their unique talents and personalities and teach them fun tricks like running through obstacle courses and walking down the runway.

Surfacer+
Publisher: Lexis Numerique
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone)
Price: 500 Nintendo DSi Points
Description: Surfacer+ is easy to pick up and has totally innovative game play that's suitable for all gamers – casual and hard-core alike. Fill the screen by producing white flowers with your stylus. Control the size of your flowers and use the bonuses at the right moment. Watch out for enemies who pounce from either side of the screen. Surfacer+ will test your skill, strategy and insight. How far will you go to cover the screen?

EJ Puzzles: Hooked
Publisher: Electron Jump
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone)
Price: 500 Nintendo DSi Points
Description: Can you catch all the fish? Take control of your fishing boat and search the waters for the freshest fish. Be careful to catch them in the right order. If you land a fish that's too big too soon, you'll break your line. The chef is waiting for your delivery, so get out there and catch all the fish you can. EJ Puzzles: Hooked is a brain teaser with a fishing theme. Search the waters with your fish scanner. If you find a fish you can't handle yet, mark its location with a marker buoy and come back later. Your goal is to catch all the fish on the map. There are many maps to play, and each map changes every time. Can you beat them all?

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@gamewizard65
I don't know the details. Got the information from NeoGAF. Seems it may have been Capcom's decision and not Nintendo's.

Posted by

Het_Nkik

on: 01/11/11, 02:40

@gamewizard65

Radio Free Nintendo! It's the name of the official podcast of NintendoWorldReport.com (formerly Planet Gamecube). So many people here listen to it and talk about it, I assumed everyone was familiar with the initials here.

Posted by

Pandareus

on: 01/11/11, 04:56

@carlosrox It's a pretty fun game, yeah. I think it would demo well too. Everyone should check it out!!!

Posted by

Zero

on: 01/11/11, 05:00

Thanks for always posting these VC updates. All I do is glance at the VC options quickly and if there isn't anything I care about then I click out and say "Oh well maybe next time." ( I just happened to post this time :P)

Posted by

NoMoreMIDI

on: 01/11/11, 05:15

Still waiting for FLUX.

Posted by

Secret_Tunnel

on: 01/11/11, 05:18

@Pandareus

Nope, not everyone. Ive actually never listened to it and I do believe I now recall a few people talking about it. But sorry to say, Ive never been to that site, probably could go as far as saying I had no idea it even existed. Im serious.

Posted by

gamewizard65

on: 01/11/11, 06:20

That's fucking terrible. Fuck Capcom.

This isn't the first time a game has been removed from the Virtual Console though. In Europe (and Australia too, possibly?), Super Mario Bros. 2 (The Lost Levels) was available for a month before it came out in North America, then right when the North American release came out, it was taken off the European Virtual Console, since it was promoted as a limited-time download. At some later point they randomly added it back again (seemingly permanently), but the fact they took it down period is bullshit.

Posted by

X-pert74

on: 01/11/11, 08:59

Why would they take away the NES version? That's stupid. I hope it's just a temporary decision.

Posted by

sirmastersephiroth

on: 01/11/11, 10:43

Pandareus said:

@Dynablade

Well, you DO get infinite continues. But is it worth it to put yourself through that when, unlike other GnG games, beating the arcade version twice is not enough?

Yup, that's exactly why I KNOW I'll never beat G&G. That is an insane requirement considering how hard the game already is even by old school standards.

Simbabbad said:

@Dynablade

It's really a game that is much more fluid than Super G&G. Super G&G is really the one I like the less in the series, my favourite being Ghouls'n Ghosts. I played a lot G&Goblins in MAME and it's really manageable.

Hmm... Now I'm curious to try it out, it's been years - maybe even a decade! - since I've played G&G Arcade.

I can't explain how or why on God's green Earth I still love Super G&G. It's a very abusive relationship: it beats the life and hope out of me, I scream in pain and torment for about 10 minutes and curse at everything in sight... then the next day I'm playing it again.

One of a very small number of games that I do that for (Ninja Gaiden NES is another, never beat it either... stupid respawn spots...).


EDIT: WHAT? They took down the NES version? I kinda' wanted to buy that one eventually, one of my childhood memories... despite it kicking my ass 10 times more than Super G&G, at least in Super I can get to the 4th level on a good day... I think I made it to the 2nd stage ONCE, when I was like 10.

Anyway, what a weird decision. To quote AVGN, "What were they thinking?!"

Posted by

roknin

on: 01/11/11, 10:57

Edited:

01/11/11, 11:01

Yeah, the arcade version is definitely better, if memory serves. Less nostalgic, perhaps.

Posted by

Anand

on: 01/11/11, 14:00

Art of Balance demo was pretty good. I didn't finish it because I know I'll get the full game. To anyone who has the game, how is the versus mode?

Posted by

anon_mastermind

on: 01/11/11, 21:38

@Simbabbad Wait... I can keep the game AND get 500 Wii points credit?!

What is better about the arcade version? Just curious. I might actually put the additional $3 in and grab it up if it's worth it.

Posted by

Zero

on: 01/11/11, 21:42

So the NES version is now back up on the VC. Guess we'll never know if it was a mistake or they just changed their minds or what.

Posted by

Het_Nkik

on: 01/12/11, 02:01

What. The. Hell.

I guess this is good news in general, because while the people were actually winning, as Simba said, because they could "trade up" their version and still keep the NES version if they had it on a card, it spelled bad news in general for anyone who's bought anything digitally off Nintendo.

Basically, you really don't own any of your games, you just rent them. If they decide to pull them off the service, and you didn't have the foresight of backing them up, you are SOL.

Not to mention, it didn't spell good news for those hoping to move the digital games that they bought on Wii to Nintendo's next console.

Posted by

Pandareus

on: 01/12/11, 05:40

Okay, I finally checked out the Art of Balance demo and, um, was Karl Casteneda talking about a different game or something? The way he explained the game, and what I just played, at completely different.

He said that the game really couldn't have been made for anything but the Wii, not even a PC mouse, because the feeling of picking up a piece and holding it pressing A+B felt really good, really tactile.

Well, the demo doesn't work that way at all. You point at the piece you want, you press A. You don't hold it, just press it. Then you use the pointer to position it on the screen, and press A again.

And you can rotate the piece, of course, so that's somewhere the Wiimote differentiates itself from a mouse: you can just rotate the piece by twisting the Wiimote a bit. Right? Well no. In the game, you rotate the pieces by increments of 45 degree angles using the D-pad.

It's so weird. I get why maybe they thought twisting the remote would be a bad idea: turning the Wiimote over completely while keeping the IR pointer pointing at the TV because you need to place that piece upside down could be both awkward and tiresome. But it's not as if they would have to have it be 1:1. They could have done as the And Yet it Moves guys did: a slight twist is all that's needed to rotate the on-screen object completely.

I gotta say, I'm pretty disappointed, it's just so far from what I imagined, and it doesn't use the Wiimote's capabilities all that well. I think I can see the appeal from the demo, but it's a disappointment.

Posted by

Pandareus

on: 01/15/11, 19:52

I was confused at first because it didn't feel like much of a "Wii" game but kept playing and you know what? It's a good game. Not the best game in the world, but a surprisingly addicting game and it has like 200+ puzzles or something insane (although you can burn through them pretty quick outside of some exceptions...)

Posted by

Zero

on: 01/15/11, 19:55

Yeah, I'm not sure what I was expecting after all the hype, but the demo wasn't it. It was still fun, but I don't think I'll be buying the full version.

Posted by

nate38

on: 01/15/11, 19:56

I know, I know, it's my disappointment talking. It was kind of cool as a game.

And Yet it Move controls the way it looks it does in the trailer... in the PC version. But indeed, they went back and tailored it for the Wiimote, it's really impressive.

Too bad about you not liking the art style, I guess it is a love it or hate it thing. But based on the strength of its design and the controls, I really, really recommend it. I was planning to write a review this week-end, actually.

Posted by

Pandareus

on: 01/15/11, 21:01

I'm alright with the art style. I'm not a huge fan of it, but I think it's nice enough. I liked the atmosphere from the demo a lot.

Posted by

X-pert74

on: 01/16/11, 01:07