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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Totally trying out that Art of Balance demo. I had a mind to buy it anyway, every since Scrawnton's positive impressions when it came out. That, and one of the guys at Nintendo World Report (from the Newscast that no one listens to, not the RFN guys...) said it was one of his games of the year, and said he went back to it regularly since reviewing it.

Posted by

Pandareus

on: 01/10/11, 15:26

Two VC games... I swear they're taunting me.

Posted by

VofEscaflowne

on: 01/10/11, 15:33

@Pandareus

Yeah that art of balance sounds like Jenga Wii. I'll have to remember to get the demo.

And hey!!!! I listen to the Newscast as well as RFN! I also listen to the Radio Trivia podcast. I love the whole Nintendo world report crew.

Posted by

DrFinkelstein

on: 01/10/11, 15:33

I had thought that Ghosts 'n Goblins was already on the VC, but then I saw that THIS version is the arcade version. Interesting....

Posted by

GameDadGrant

on: 01/10/11, 16:51

@GameDadGrant

You should listen to the latest episodes of RFN, I think 224 and 225, Greg has been playing through that version of the game and he actually beat it. And when you hear him talk about what you have to do to actually beat beat the game, it's just amazing that anyone would actually stick with it.

Posted by

Pandareus

on: 01/10/11, 17:07

Nice, some 2-player arcade games.

Art of Balance demo will either lead me to buy the game, or scratch it off my wanted list. Actually, these retroactive demos haven't coerced me to drop points on a title yet. I liked Cave Story the most, but still haven't picked it up.

Posted by

anon_mastermind

on: 01/10/11, 17:44

Arcade Ghosts'n'Goblins is beastly. But I have the Capcom Arcade Collection. I'm glad Art of Balance is getting a demo. I was also interested. It looks like the companies who actually gave a shit about making a good WiiWare game are really taking advantage of this new demo service. Good for them.

Posted by

Anand

on: 01/10/11, 18:20

@Pandareus

Yeah I am NOT beating ANY of the games in that series. Super G&G still makes me want to break every single object around me.

And yet... for some reason I'm really considering getting G&G Arcade. I must be out of my friggin' mind. Or a masochist.

Posted by

roknin

on: 01/10/11, 21:33

@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?

Posted by

Pandareus

on: 01/10/11, 21:50

I have Ghosts 'N Goblins for NES on VC. I got to stage 4 or 5 I think then got my balls handed to me. Actually I got my balls handed to me much earlier than that, but I stuck at it for awhile.

I always thought it was a bit strange that the sequel to Ghost 'N Goblins was named Ghouls 'N Ghosts. That could be a bit confusing to some people maybe. How often does a sequel get a brand new name? And then Maximo came around and changed the name again.

Posted by

Zero

on: 01/10/11, 22:07

Edited:

01/10/11, 22:09

Maximo isn't technically part of the series, it's more of a spiritual successor.

I LOVE the Ghosts 'n Goblins games....so brutal, yet sooooo much fun.

Posted by

OrbitalBeard

on: 01/10/11, 23:37

Edited:

01/10/11, 23:39

Nice to see that VC games are becoming a little more prominent

Posted by

X-pert74

on: 01/11/11, 00:43

So apparently the NES version of Ghosts 'n' Goblins has been removed from the VC. They're giving out refunds for people who purchased the game. They can't delete the game if you still have it so I'm assuming this is just to cover their asses in case somebody had it downloaded, deleted it, and tried to redownload it.

Posted by

Het_Nkik

on: 01/11/11, 01:36

@Het_Nkik

Wow, really? Is this only the 2nd time they've given a refund/credit for Wii Shop stuff?

(1st, I guess, was the Internet Channel?)

Posted by

Mr_Mustache

on: 01/11/11, 01:38

@Het_Nkik

Wow... why? It's not as if they gave refunds for their SNES SF2 games when the next version came out.

So weird.

I guess they want people to invest $3 more in getting the arcade version.

Posted by

Pandareus

on: 01/11/11, 01:57

Het_Nkik said:

So apparently the NES version of Ghosts 'n' Goblins has been removed from the VC. They're giving out refunds for people who purchased the game. They can't delete the game if you still have it so I'm assuming this is just to cover their asses in case somebody had it downloaded, deleted it, and tried to redownload it.

Seriously? I don't remember this game being available(but I don't remember alot of stuff these days). So, it was available and then Nintendo took it away? Was there a reason for this? I thought once a game became available, it was there forever...

And are there more games that have been available on the VC and then taken away? Can someone elaborate on this and give reasons why this would be? Sounds kindof ignorant to make a game available and then take it away and lose out on future profits.

I just don't recall reading anywhere that once games are released on the VC that they might be taken away.

Thanks!

Posted by

gamewizard65

on: 01/11/11, 02:03

Edited:

01/11/11, 02:04

@gamewizard65

I remember thinking that Military Madness disappeared for some reason (I bought it wayyyy back when), and didn't recall seeing in on a run through. Haven't really dug with a fine-toothed comb though.

Posted by

Mr_Mustache

on: 01/11/11, 02:05

Pandareus said:

@GameDadGrant

You should listen to the latest episodes of RFN, I think 224 and 225, Greg has been playing through that version of the game and he actually beat it. And when you hear him talk about what you have to do to actually beat beat the game, it's just amazing that anyone would actually stick with it.

What are these episodes of RFN you are talking about. I don't recoginize the initials, could you spell it out for me?

And as far as beating the game, is it like Super Ghouls and Ghosts...meaning once you get to the end and you think you are finished, you have to start over from the beginning and go back through it all over again? Actually, just explain what has to be done to beat the game, I don't have time to listen to episodes of podcasts or whatever. Thanks!

Posted by

gamewizard65

on: 01/11/11, 02:17

Art Of Balance is great. I've gotten quite a few people to buy it just by showing them the game and they loved it. LOVED IT!! They even played with their families and all that.

Posted by

carlosrox

on: 01/11/11, 02:37

@carlosrox

Oh I wanted to download the demo earlier but I shut off my Wii cause I was mad at Fluidity. Seriously, that last level is so unforgiving with its checkpoints.

Posted by

VofEscaflowne

on: 01/11/11, 02:39