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

WiiWare

BIT.TRIP FATE
Publisher: Aksys Games
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone) - Mild Fantasy Violence
Price: 800 Wii Points™
Description: BIT.TRIP FATE is an on-rails side-scrolling shoot-'em-up that finds CommanderVideo riding the vibe to discover his fate. CommanderVideo will need a little help from the friends he made in BIT.TRIP RUNNER to thwart the Mingrawn Timbletot, who has mutated the world into an ugly technological nightmare. Join forces with the Junior Melchkin, CommandgirlVideo and others to increase CommanderVideo's power and save the world. Whether you play in single-player mode or team up with a co-pilot, you'll need a steady hand to navigate the vibe and aim your blasters at the twisted souls out to destroy you.

My Planetarium™
Publisher: Hudson Entertainment
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone) - Alcohol Reference, Violent References
Price: 500 Wii Points
Description: My Planetarium is a game that allows you to observe celestial bodies from the comfort of your living room using the Wii Remote™ controller. Choose from three main modes. Observation Mode contains approximately 20,000 celestial objects up to stars of the 7th magnitude. Changeable settings include the ability to display the latitude and longitude of constellations and choose how fast time elapses. In Planetarium Mode, you can take 11 different tours that cover subjects such as stars, nebulae, constellations and other celestial objects. The Celestial Guidebook contains detailed information and mythology on celestial objects and constellations as well as a helpful glossary of astronomy terms used in observation. Enjoy a deep look into the stars and mysterious objects that fill the night sky. (Information on celestial objects is up-to-date as of June 2010.)

Nintendo DSiWare

Go! Go! Island Rescue!
Publisher: Connect2Media
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: E10+ (Everyone 10 and Older) - Comic Mischief, Tobacco Reference
Price: 500 Nintendo DSi Points™
Description: This is the worst vacation ever! The hotels are collapsing, the robot waiters are going berserk and the picturesque volcanoes are exploding. You'll be lucky to make it out alive, let alone get a suntan. It's time to scramble the Rescue Squad! Take control of a squad of brave firefighters who must save the hapless Darwins from all manner of disasters, including fire, floods and rampaging robots. To do this, you must throw the Darwins around the levels until they reach a fire exit. Luckily, some of the Darwins bounce, so don't worry too much if you drop some of them. And you can always rewind time in case of any fatal accidents. With more than 50 levels of unique, laugh-out-loud game play spread across four colorful zones, panic rooms and bonus levels, Go! Go! Island Rescue! will have you smiling for hours.

Spot the Difference
Publisher: Enjoy Gaming
Players: 1-6
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone)
Price: 500 Nintendo DSi Points
Description: Photos are displayed on both screens. You must select the areas on the bottom screen where you see a difference and find all differences in a limited amount of time. If you manage to discover the differences within the time limit, you'll be rewarded with Cups according to your performance. There are Bronze, Silver and Gold Cups to be won. The game features 160 different photos from established photographers, with more than 1,000 combinations of differences to find in the images. Choose between one-player and multiplayer modes. The multiplayer mode is a turn-based mode in which each player must spot the differences in the same image.

GO Series Defense Wars
Publisher: Gamebridge
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: E10+ (Everyone 10 and Older) - Mild Cartoon Violence
Price: 200 Nintendo DSi Points
Description: Defend your base by taking control of a mini-arsenal of weapons and fighting off wave after wave of enemy attackers. Use the stylus to fire bullets and bombs at oncoming enemies. Arm your base with guns, cannons and tanks in preparation for the onslaught, then attack with everything you've got. Your mission is to survive. Good luck!

Flashlight
Publisher: Kaasa
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: Not Rated
Price: 200 Nintendo DSi Points
Description: When it's dark, people need a simple source of light. Flashlight changes the dual screens of your Nintendo DSi system into a flashlight with added features. You can change the color and the intensity of the light. Use your Nintendo DSi system to read under a blanket or to get a serious source of light while taking night hikes. Flashlight could also be helpful in other situations, such as using the warning light when your car has broken down.

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Wait, are they serious? Changing the DSi into... a flashlight?

SERIOUSLY?!?

Posted by

GameDadGrant

on: 10/25/10, 17:13

Yeah... night hikes. Fuck you Nintendo, letting the DSi store fill up with garbage like this isn't doing anyone any good.

Posted by

deathly_hallows

on: 10/25/10, 17:21

My DSi is already a flashlight... just turn it on. I used it last night for FREE!

Posted by

PabloXl5

on: 10/25/10, 17:28

The flashlight app is a new low.

That said, maybe it truly is the only kind of thing that sells. God knows no one has any interest in actually great games like Ivy the Kiwi?, judging by my review's (lack of) comments...

Oh, and Bit.Trip FATE, yay!

Posted by

Pandareus

on: 10/25/10, 17:48

Edited:

10/25/10, 17:48

Yup, this flashlight thing is right up my alley. I took a look at that Ivy game and thought, "Where's the flashlight? Where's the waste of money?" No thanks good sir. If it's not useless crap, I ain't getting it.

Posted by

PabloXl5

on: 10/25/10, 17:57

Edited:

10/25/10, 17:57

@Pandareus

I bought Ivy the Kiwi? - great game.

Hopefully next week the DSiWare Shop will see Cave Story.

Posted by

GameDadGrant

on: 10/25/10, 18:00

I'll likely pick up Bit.Trip Fate sometime this week, but man...Rock Band 3 drops tomorrow.

Posted by

ludist210

on: 10/25/10, 18:05

Nice, downloading BIT.TRIP FATE as soon as I get home from the lab.

Posted by

anon_mastermind

on: 10/25/10, 18:10

Railed side-scrolling. Hard to picture, kind of. Is it like Gumshoe?

Haha, I'm intrigued. And surprised that they chose the term on-rails, which has acquired a bit of a negative connotation on the Wii.

Posted by

Anand

on: 10/25/10, 18:18

@anandxxx

Maybe they're trying to change said connotation. I think they have the best shot at it, especially since, if you think about it, every other game in the series (outside of Void, possibly) is technically on-rails and they're a lot of fun.

Posted by

ludist210

on: 10/25/10, 18:21

Yeah, that's true. They're very linear and scroll-y.

I actually don't mind the whole on-rails thing. Constraints can sometimes make for a much better, more focused product.

Posted by

Anand

on: 10/25/10, 18:30

Nintendo Life gave Bit.Trip FATE a 9/10, noting that it can be every bit as engaging as Runner.

Dud confirmed, right Simba?

Edit: I don't get why everyone lists it as a one-player game, when the PR clearly states that it can be played in co-op.

Posted by

anon_mastermind

on: 10/25/10, 19:13

Edited:

10/25/10, 19:16

@Simbabbad

Oh shi- you just reminded me I need to get Rotozoa. Looks like I may be double-dipping WiiWare this week!

Posted by

anon_mastermind

on: 10/25/10, 19:19

@Pandareus

Tell that to this little boy, Bendigo Boy a Hero In Real Life

Posted by

DrFinkelstein

on: 10/26/10, 01:50

@DrFinkelstein

haha, I remember reading about that, but it only illustrates how unnecessary the flashlight app is.

Posted by

Pandareus

on: 10/26/10, 02:52

Yeah I think we all use our handhelds as flashlights (right?) but who needs a particular ap for it?! You can use anything!

Speaking of which I went on an ill-planned camping trip with a couple of my cousins a few years back and we forgot flashlights and ran out of firewood and then my one cousin broke our only lamp with a football so... my GBA SP became our only light source for the rest of the night until bedtime. Thank god for GBA SP's awesome battery life!

Posted by

Zero

on: 10/26/10, 03:20

@Pandareus

A definite point. I have a flashlight app for my Evo that I use because it flashes the LED on the front of the camera which is brighter and goes a distance, but any app that just lights up the screen is kind of redundant.

Posted by

DrFinkelstein

on: 10/26/10, 03:39

@Zero

Back in the summer of 2003, there was a major power outage in south-eastern Michigan that kept the lights off in my apartment for over a week. I also used the GBA SP as a makeshift flashlight. I'm not sure exactly why I didn't have an actual flashlight, but... whatever. Gameboy to the rescue!

Posted by

GameDadGrant

on: 10/26/10, 04:06

I think we've all busted out our portables during energy crises.

Posted by

Anand

on: 10/26/10, 04:25

@anandxxx

Yes. Yet another reason why portable systems rule. Much less reliance on power outlets.

Posted by

GameDadGrant

on: 10/27/10, 02:39