• Choose your dinosaur
• Select between 25 different species including ravenous predators, cunning scavengers, horned territorials, mighty tanks and peaceful herbivores.
• Challenge other dinosaurs!
• Experience an exciting and accessible combat system based on dexterity that rewards speed and accuracy, not luck, in battle.
• Fully customizable dinosaurs
• Unlock and equip your dinosaur with special attack and defense features.
• Add spikes, feathers and bones to your dinosaur and then change their color and stripe patterns!
• Three exciting game modes!
• Play solo in Adventure and Quickmatch or take on up to six of your friends in Multiplayer Tournament!
  

It was promised to be announced and it is finally here. Nintendo unveiled the next unit in the DS line, entitled Nintendo DSi, via a press conference in Japan this morning.

It will feature a three megapixel camera positioned on the back bottom left side as well as a camera centered on the front, a slimmer body, and a new interface.

Nintendo also revealed that the unit will not integrate any GameBoy Advance slot into the Nintendo DSi - a fact that should not surprise those who have fantasized about possible DS redesigns. Instead, the company will insert an SD Memory Card slot so gamers can easily bring in their videos and music, as well as a place to store their downloaded items. The company will also introduce the first DS Internet browser, which you can use to purchase items directly from the new DSi store utilizing Nintendo Points (formerly Wii Points).

The Nintendo DSi will launch in Japan on November 1 for ¥18,900 ($178) with both white and black finishes as well as 1000 free Nintendo Points until March 2010. Other releases are set for a 2009 release. Expect a more "exact" date very soon here in North America. Pictures at the jump.

Nintendo has published the weekly update for the Wii's WiiWare featuring Wild West Guns (Gameloft, 1000 Wii Points).

For the Virtual Console, Sonic The Hedgehog (Master System) and SplatterHouse 2 (Genesis) is priced at 500 and 800 Points respectively.

Hit the jump for the full list of game details.

WiiWare

Wild West Guns (Gameloft, 1-2 players, Rated T for Teen—Violence, 1,000 Wii Points): Draw your revolver to see if you're the fastest gun in the West. Adjust your speed and precision as targets or enemies appear in front of you. Point and shoot to earn more points. You can aim at anything, so be sure to explore the environment for elements that will earn you more shooting points. Identify your enemies among the characters you encounter, but don't shoot at innocent citizens. Take part in an Old West-style train attack, or challenge your skills in a variety of increasingly difficult shooting challenges in other beautiful, classic and lively Western environments. As you progress through challenges, you'll earn medals and rewards, making for nonstop, addictive action. Play in a two-player multiplayer mode where you and your partner can combine points, or play against each other to find out who's the fastest gun in the West.

Virtual Console

Sonic The Hedgehog™ (Sega Master System, 1 player, Rated E for Everyone, 500 Wii Points): Based on the original Sega Genesis version, Sonic The Hedgehog was re-created as the first Sonic game for the Sega Master System. Not just a straight port, this version includes new stages, bosses, some different zones and a level map. The most noticeable difference, however, is that the Chaos Emeralds have to be found within certain stages other than the Special Stages. Dash through six Zones (including special zones that were only available for the Sega Master System version) and face Dr. Eggman (a.k.a. Dr. Robotnik) at the end of every Zone.

SPLATTERHOUSE™ 2 (Sega Genesis, 1 player, Rated M for Mature—Blood and Gore, Violence, 800 Wii Points): SPLATTERHOUSE 2 is the sequel to SPLATTERHOUSE, released only on the Sega Genesis. A few months after escaping from the first mansion in SPLATTERHOUSE, the main character, Rick, once again encounters the Terror Mask and must use its powers to rescue his beloved Jennifer. Rick will need to punch, slash, smash and even chainsaw his way through a haunted mansion against unspeakable horrors and terrifying bosses to make it out alive.

Nintendo has published the weekly update for the Wii's WiiWare featuring Pirates: The Key of Dreams (Oxygen Games, 1000 Wii Points).

For the Virtual Console, Super Fantasy Zone and Gley Lancer (Genesis) is priced at 900 Points each.

Hit the jump for the full list of game details.

WiiWare

Pirates: The Key of Dreams (Oxygen Games, 1-4 players, Rated E for Everyone-Mild Violence, 1,000 Wii Points): Pirates: The Key of Dreams is a frantic nautical shoot-'em-up. Sail your way across the Caribbean, cannons blazing, looting booty, running blockades and ultimately battling Blackbeard himself. The player takes control of a navy captain sent deep undercover as a ruthless pirate in order to seek out and retrieve the Key of Dreams, a valuable and dangerous cursed artifact. Rescue castaways to bolster your ship's crew, gaining performance increases to your navigation, weaponry, structural integrity and cartography skills. Collect increasingly powerful weaponry including rockets, mines, chain shot, saw blades and a flamethrower to hurl destruction into the path of your enemies. Play against three of your scurvy friends or A.I. opponents in pitched multiplayer battles over 35 levels, set in seven themed environments. Choose from different ship types that reflect your play style. Play in turbo mode if you're pirate enough.

Virtual Console

Super Fantasy Zone  (Sega Genesis, 1 player, Rated E for Everyone-Mild Cartoon Violence, 900 Wii Points): The last entry in the Fantasy Zone series, this side-scrolling shooter puts you in the shoes of main character Opa-Opa, who is on a mission to avenge the death of his father. To do so, you'll have to battle a variety of Enemy Generators to clear out the various levels and finish off the Menon Guardian at the end of the level. Eliminating your enemies will let you rack up some gold, which you can use to buy even better weapons, upgrades and other equipment. Spend your gold wisely, as each different boss you need to defeat presents a unique challenge.

Gley Lancer (Sega Genesis, 1 player, Rated E10+ for Everyone 10 and Older-Mild Suggestive Themes, Mild Fantasy Violence, 900 Wii Points): In the year 2025, a war breaks out between humans and a hostile alien race, and 16-year-old Lucia and the rest of the starfighter pilots in the Earth Federation must join the battle. When Lucia's father is kidnapped by the aliens, she decides to take action and hijacks a brand new prototype starfighter, the Gley Lancer, in order to try to save him. In this side-scrolling shooter, step into the cockpit of the Gley Lancer as Lucia, rescue your father and destroy the evil aliens that are bent on destroying the human race.

"We're making Pikmin."

That's what Shigeru Miyamoto told those who attended Nintendo's developer roundtable tonight. The announcement came during a Q&A time only when veteran journalist Chris Remo pressured Miyamoto into slipping the news with a question about core gamers and whether or not games like Pikmin are coming.

This news comes after Miyamoto hinted to IGN that the Pikmin team could be making something, and it now looks like that certainly is the case. We may not know anything specific for a while, but it should be exciting to see if Nintendo divulges any details in the coming months.

However, IGN may have the answers that gamers have been searching for, as their interview with Nintendo's design genius Shigeru Miyamoto has yielded a ray of hope for the future.

When asked about the possibility of Pikmin 3, Miyamoto said that there wasn't anything that could be announced now, but that Nintendo would "probably do something with it" and that the Pikmin team would perhaps "have something to talk about before too long."

IGN then asked about a sequel to New Super Mario Bros., with Miyamoto commenting that the game's team is hard at work on something. However, he also said that Nintendo's tendency to refrain from announcing largely unfinished products prevents him from sharing information about the team's project. It may be a New Super Mario Bros. 2, but there's no way to know for now.

It should be interesting to see what comes of this information, as a new Pikmin and Mario game could easily help relieve gamers who are worried about Nintendo's dedication to their core franchises. If and when Nintendo announces these games, we'll let you know.

"We were seeking a strong global publishing partner to herald the eagerly-anticipated return of Duke Nukem," said Terry Nagy, co-founder and Chief Operating Officer of Apogee. "We have indeed found that partner in Deep Silver."

"Since we launched the Deep Silver label, we've aggressively pursued the best properties to bring to market," said Dr. Klemens Kundratitz, CEO of Koch Media. "Apogee has produced some of the greatest franchises in the history of gaming, none of them more popular than Duke Nukem."

Deep Silver is exhibiting at the 2008 E3 Media & Business Summit on July 14 - 17 at the Los Angeles Convention Center in the Showcase Pavilion, Booth #401.

Nintendo's press conference isn't until tommorow, but they've already dropped an interesting announcement regarding the Wii remote, as IGN reports that a press release revealing the existance of a new remote accessory dubbed "MotionPlus" has been issued.

MotionPlus is a plug-in device that will hopefully improve games by "more quickly and accurately reflecting motions in a 3-D space." It works in conjunction with the accelerometer and the sensor bar to allow more precise movements with the remote.

Although details are scarce and probably won't be revealed until tommorow, this sounds like it could greatly improve controls for shooters and and other games requiring a lot of pointing. Let's keep our fingers crossed.

Nintendo may soon be announcing some long-awaited titles, as Joystiq reports that European magazine NGamer is saying that Animal Crossing Wii and Punch-Out!! Wii may be revealed at E3 next week. Animal Crossing is supposedly done and will make heavy usage of Wi-fi while Punch-Out!! may allow players to use the Wii Balance Board to dodge their opponents' punches.

"I had a great time doing the voice for my own animation,” said Gordon Ramsay. "Being in a video game is a new experience for me and I'm very pleased with the results.”

After executing the three phases of an order – preparation, cooking and service – Chef Gordon Ramsay will score each meal. As they progress through the game, players will be rewarded with access to recipes from Chef Ramsay's own repertoire.

Nintendo has published the weekly update for the Wii's WiiWare featuring SPOGS Racing (D2C Games, 1000 Wii Points).

For the Virtual Console, the SNK game, King of the Monsters (NEOGEO) is priced at 900 Wii Points.

Hit the jump for the full list of game details.

Excerpt:

WiiWare

SPOGS Racing™ (D2C Games™, 1-2 players, Rated E for Everyone-Mild Cartoon Violence, 1,000 Wii Points): Coming at you full throttle is SPOGS Racing, an all-new racer from D2C Games featuring classic arcade racing, pick-up-and-play controls, all-new racing vehicles and Crash N' Grab™ instant upgrades. Jump in, gear up and modify your ride on the fly as you compete head-to-head for a totally outrageous arcade racing experience on your Wii console. Whether you're a casual gamer or hardcore racer, SPOGS Racing features fun for all and is a must-have download for your WiiWare digital game library.

Virtual Console

KING OF THE MONSTERS (NEOGEO, 1-2 players, Rated E10+ for Everyone 10 and Older-Fantasy Violence, 900 Wii Points): Released by SNK in 1991, KING OF THE MONSTERS is an action/fighting game that features city-destroying battles between huge monsters. Choose one of six monsters and travel around Japan, stopping to fight in various famous cities with the aim of becoming the ultimate winner. In addition to punches, kicks and other regular moves, each character has the ability to use more devastating maneuvers, like throwing flames and shooting laser beams, to defeat opponents. Wrestling elements are also incorporated, as you must completely exhaust your opponent and get a three-count to pin him and be victorious. Along with the player-versus-computer game, multiplayer options allow you and a friend to enjoy one-on-one matches and two-on-two tag-team matches against the computer. Take on the challenge and claim the title of King of the Monsters.

Square Enix has officially announced that Chrono Trigger is coming to the DS. The game will feature an "all new dual-screen presentation and touch screen functionality" in addition to the inclusion of a new dungeon. Chrono Trigger for the DS is set for release this holiday season.

Those that wish to visit the site can do so here.

Nintendo has published the weekly update for the Wii's WiiWare featuring Magnetica Twist (Nintendo, 1000 Wii Points).

For the Virtual Console, the SNK fighting game, Fatal Fury 2 (NEOGEO) is priced at 900 Wii Points.

Hit the jump for the full list of game details.

Excerpt:

WiiWare

Magnetica™ Twist (Nintendo, 1-4 players, Rated E for Everyone-Comic Mischief, 1,000 Wii Points): The classic puzzle game Magnetica is now available on WiiWare , putting its own unique "twist" on the puzzle-game experience. You're surrounded by marbles, marching slowly but surely down a track. Use a launcher (piloted by a Mii™ of your choice) to shoot marbles with matching colors and wipe them out before they reach the end of the track. Control couldn't be simpler, as all you need to do is twist the Wii Remote™ controller to aim and press the A button to shoot. And the game play remains as addictive and deep as you've come to expect in Nintendo's puzzle games, with five varied play modes, advanced mechanics such as the ability to lob marbles, and a never-ending supply of combos. This definitely isn't your typical game of marbles.

Virtual Console

FATAL FURY 2 (NEOGEO, 1-2 players, Rated T for Teen-Animated Blood, Violence, 900 Wii Points): Released in 1992 by SNK, FATAL FURY 2 is the second installment in the renowned fighting-game series. In addition to Terry, Andy and Joe, who appeared in the original game, another five distinctive fighters gather from around the world to compete for the championship title. Also newly added are stage-specific hazards and the ability to perform desperation attacks when a character's strength is low. These particularly deadly techniques create the chance for a come-from-behind victory achieved with a single strike. Moreover, the innovative two-line battle, which proved popular in the previous version, also has been radically enhanced. Pressing the weak-attack and strong-attack buttons simultaneously enables players to move their fighters to another line themselves, or to launch an attack that pushes opponents back to another line. This game mechanic, unique to this title in the series, allows the player to take advantage of the depth of the screen and create even more exciting bouts. Can you prove yourself the king of fighters again?

Nintendo has published the weekly update for the Wii's WiiWare featuring Gyrostarr (High Voltage Software, 700 Wii Points).

For the Virtual Console, the platformer, Alex Kidd in Miracle World (Sega Master System) and the side scrolling title, Burning Fight (NEOGEO) is priced at 500 and 900 Wii Points respectively.

Hit the jump for the full list of game details.

Excerpt:

WiiWare™

Gyrostarr™ (High Voltage Software, 1-4 players, Rated E for Everyone-Mild Fantasy Violence, 700 Wii Points): Gyrostarr challenges you and up to three additional players to pilot your ships through a series of twisting, turning technoplasma tracks while battling a variety of deadly alien foes at ever-increasing speeds. While fighting and maneuvering, you must collect enough energy to activate the ancient warpgate at the end of each track. Succeed, and you can journey to the next, even deadlier track. Fail, and the gate will slam shut, destroying your ship. Enhance your ship with weapon pickups, coordinate attacks with your friends to fire powerful combined blasts and use your grapple to snag energy and pickups in the midst of combat. Control your ship with the Wii Remote™ controller, Nunchuk™ controller or Classic Controller™, or use the "paired" control system that allows two players to use a connected Wii Remote and Nunchuk or Classic Controller at the same time. Offering 50 levels of intense action, powerful pickups, high-speed bonus levels and mayhem for up to four players, Gyrostarr is a killer arcade challenge.

Virtual Console™

Alex Kidd in Miracle World (Sega Master System, 1 player, Rated E for Everyone-Comic Mischief, 500 Wii Points): In this platformer from the 1980s, you're Alex Kidd, looking for your lost brother Egle. In order to find your brother, you'll have to contend with the evil Janken the Great, who will send his henchmen and monsters at you to thwart your progress. One aspect of this adventure is that you'll have to play the classic game of "rock, paper, scissors" against the henchmen in order to defeat them. With 16 different levels to conquer in order to save Egle, this classic is sure to test your skills and your wits at the same time.

BURNING FIGHT (NEOGEO, 1-2 players, Rated E10+ for Everyone 10 and Older-Mild Suggestive Themes, Violence, 900 Wii Points): Released in 1991 by SNK, BURNING FIGHT is a side-scrolling hand-to-hand-combat action game. In pursuit of Casterora, leader of a huge syndicate that has escaped from New York to Osaka, the protagonists are three detectives: Duke, Ryu and Billy. Each character fights using a combination of punches, kicks and jumps, plus his own particular special move, activated by simultaneously pressing the jump and attack buttons. These lethal techniques have enormous destructive force, but they also consume a great deal of energy. For this reason, players must use their special moves with skillful timing. Luckily for the detectives, new weapons and additional health can be found by breaking things like phone booths and street signs along the way. A boss, who must be defeated in order to continue the mission, awaits players at the end of each stage. You can also take on the gang with a friend, but beware-attacks by one player can damage the other, so keep an eye on where your partner is in the heat of the battle. End Casterora's reign of terror once and for all.

If you've been waiting for a chance to snag a rare, event-only Pokemon for your copy of Pokemon Diamond or Pearl, now is your chance, as GameStop is going to offer a free download of the legendary Pokemon Deoxys.

Those interested in downloading Deoxys can bring their DS with a copy of Diamond or Pearl to GameStop from June 20-22 and June 27-29.

“Tamagotchi Connection: Corner Shop 3 is a great way to teach the responsibility of running a business in a way that everyone can enjoy,” said Todd Thorson, Director of Marketing and Public Relations at NAMCO BANDAI Games America.  “Its fun mini-games, distinct art style and atmosphere will bring a smile to anyone’s face.”

Tamagotchi Connection: Corner Shop 3 is rated “E” for everyone by the ESRB and carries a suggested retail price of $29.99.

Nintendo has published the weekly update for the Wii's WiiWare featuring Block Breaker Deluxe (Gameloft, 800 Wii Points) and Cocoto Fishing Master (Neko Entertainment, 700 Points).

For the Virtual Console, the arcade fighter, Samurai Shodown (NEOGEO) is priced at 900 Wii Points.

Hit the jump for the full list of game details.

Excerpt:

WiiWare

Block Breaker Deluxe™ (Gameloft, 1-2 players, Rated E for Everyone-Mild Suggestive Themes, 800 Wii Points): Prepare for the frenzy of the coolest block-breaker game ever. Block Breaker Deluxe is a reinvention of the classic arcade brick-breaker game with a trendy graphical style, fun atmosphere and an exclusive multiplayer mode. Lively characters and amazing graphics provide distinctive settings of the jet-set nightlife, including a cool bar, dance club, casino and more. Special bricks, multiple bonuses, secret weapons, paddle size options and ball-speed variations make this fascinating game even more challenging. The Block Breaker Deluxe rage has arrived.

Cocoto Fishing Master (Neko Entertainment, 1 player, Rated E for Everyone, 700 Wii Points): Welcome to the adventures of Cocoto, Fishing Master. Get ready for a completely new experience on Wii. Play the role of Cocoto and travel the world to find five millennial fish. Only they can stop the magic cauldron from overflowing with lava and prevent the world from being destroyed. Thanks to Cocoto Fishing Master for Wii, fishing has never been such fun. Use the Wii Remote™ and Nunchuk™ controllers like a real fishing rod to catch more than 30 different fish. Discover five enchanted lakes in five different worlds from Cocoto's universe. Confront gigantic bosses to collect each fragment of the statuette that will allow you to wake the great god Geo from his slumber. Meet Cocoto's friends, sell your fish to Baggy and buy new fishing equipment from Neuro's shop.

Virtual Console

SAMURAI SHODOWN (NEOGEO, 1-2 players, Rated T for Teen-Animated Blood, Crude Humor, Violence, 900 Wii Points): This first entry in the extremely popular and revolutionary fighting-game series was released in 1993. Choose from 12 swordsmen with highly individualistic characteristics and fight furiously, ultimately confronting the evil Amakusa Shiro Tokisada. Each character wields his or her own specific weapon, but you must be careful not to lose it during the heat of battle. Some of the fighters also bring an animal companion into the fray, offering a unique aspect to the quick-paced action. Another significant feature of the game is the anger gauge, which indicates the level of anger felt by each of the combatants as they suffer repeated injuries. If the anger reaches its maximum level, the attacking ability of the character increases, leading to even more intense confrontations. Through it all, the refined camera system smoothly zooms in and out of the playing field, presenting the frenzy of the battle while showcasing the lively background (watch as the referee scores hits). Awaken the samurai spirit within and get ready for a new kind of fight.

Nintendo has published the weekly update for the Wii's WiiWare featuring Protöthea (UbiSoft, 1000 Wii Points) and Toki Tori (Two Tribes, 1000 Points).

For the Virtual Console, the side-scroller, Ninja Combat (NEOGEO) is priced at 900 Wii Points.

Hit the jump for the full list of game details.

Excerpt:

WiiWare™

Protöthea™ (UbiSoft, 1 player, Rated E for Everyone-Fantasy Violence, 1,000 Wii Points): Protöthea is a top-down scrolling shooter game with free movement that puts players in complete control of a last-generation spaceship. The mission is to destroy the asteroid called Maqno 01 and finish with the plans of The Core. UbiSoft's Protöthea introduces new concepts to a beloved, classic game style while mixing genres and utilizing the full capabilities of the Wii console, from graphics to controls. Players of all ages and experience levels will enjoy taking command of their ship, blasting through four different worlds in 10 challenging missions. Use your weapons arsenal and the special bonus items to help you accomplish your mission, and don't forget to slow down time and take an edge over the enemy.

Toki Tori (Two Tribes, 1-2 players, Rated E for Everyone, 1,000 Wii Points): Toki Tori is his name, and collecting eggs is his game. In this puzzle/platform game, players use a variety of items such as the Telewarp, InstantRock™ and Slug Sucker. Clever use and combination of these items are needed to solve all the game's levels, of which there are more than 70. Levels range from easy to brain-teasingly hard, resulting in dozens of hours of puzzle play time. Toki Tori makes the most of what Wii has to offer. It uses the Wii Remote™ for a unique control scheme, which offers players a new and more relaxing play style. A second player can help you out by drawing hints while you are playing. The game even uses the Wii Message Board in a unique way.

Virtual Console™

Ninja Combat (NEOGEO, 1-2 players, Rated E 10+ for Everyone 10 and Older-Mild Suggestive Themes, Fantasy Violence, 900 Wii Points): Released in 1990, Ninja Combat is a side-scrolling combat-action game. Take control of the ninjas Joe (one player) and Hayabusa (two players), and enter into battle against a group of evil ninjas called the Kage Ichizoku. Make your way into their home fortress, Ninja Tower, which dominates a big city of the near future. Fight using normal attacks, jumps, special movements and ninja materials that deliver damaging blows to all enemies on the screen. In addition, you'll find weapons and items to aid you along the way. Even better, as you progress in the game, reliable allies such as Musashi, Kagerow and Gembu will emerge to fight alongside you, allowing you to choose a new character in each stage. Ninja Combat also supports simultaneous play with two players, so you can grab a friend and defeat the Kage Ichizoku together.

Nintendo has published the weekly update for the Wii's WiiWare featuring Dr. Mario Online Rx (Nintendo, 1000 Wii Points) and Family Table Tennis (Aksys Games, 500 Wii Points).

For the Virtual Console, City Connection (NES) and Metal Slug (NEOGEO) is priced at 500 and 900 Wii Points respectively.

Hit the jump for the full list of game details.

Excerpt:

WiiWare™

Dr. Mario® Online Rx (Nintendo, 1-4 players, Rated E for Everyone, 1,000 Wii Points): The doctor is in! Mario™ takes a break from his adventuring ways and once again dons his stethoscope for a new generation of germ-battling mayhem. In addition to the classic mode of using vitamins to exterminate viruses, you'll find two battle modes and an online multiplayer mode where you can hone your skills against players from around the world. Feel like challenging a friend who doesn't have Dr. Mario Online Rx? Then the WiiWare-exclusive Friend Battle Demo is just what the doctor ordered. Or maybe you'd like some help taking on those nasty viruses? Try out Virus Buster, where four players can simultaneously move capsules simply by pointing at them with a Wii Remote™ controller. Any way you look at it, Dr. Mario Online Rx is a prescription for fun that everyone can enjoy.

Family Table Tennis (Aksys Games, 1-2 players, Rated E for Everyone, 500 Wii Points): It's time for some good old family fun, and what's more fun than table tennis? Just like a real family, choose your character from a cast of four, which includes Daddy, Mommy, Sarah and Billy. There are four table tennis-tastic stages where it doesn't matter if you're an indoors or outdoors table-tennis player. Pick your poison from a gymnasium, a forest park, a beach or even an amusement park. Choose from Single or Versus mode, or select a minigame to play. In Versus mode, you and a friend can play against each other to see who is the better table-tennis player. And if Single and Versus modes aren't enough, select between three minigames, which include Target Table Tennis, Thrilling Table Tennis and Matching Table Tennis. The appealing cell-shaded graphics and endearing music, on top of the super-fun game play, will have you and your family playing from morning till night. Get your paddles ready.

Virtual Console™

City Connection™ (NES®, 1-2 players, Rated E for Everyone - Comic Mischief, Tobacco Reference, 500 Wii Points): Based on the arcade hit, a young man born in California sets out to tour famous sites and cities around the world. As he drives the highways surrounding these locations, the road is painted white as proof of his visit. Only once all sections of the road have been painted will he move on to the next location in his world tour. Not surprisingly, the local police will chase the driver and do their best to stop him from completing his goal. In addition, cats roam the highways and spikes lie in wait for unsuspecting drivers. To combat these dangers, the driver's customized car can jump, fire cans of oil and collect balloons to warp to a new stage. It's the ultimate road trip.

Metal Slug (NEOGEO, 1-2 players, Rated T for Teen - Blood, Violence, 900 Wii Points): Released in 1996 by SNK, Metal Slug is a side-scrolling military-action game. Players control Marco and Tarma, both members of the special-ops force Team Peregrine Falcon (commonly known as Team PF), and battle their way through stage after stage of intense action. The goal is to try to overthrow General Morden and win back the stolen weapon, the Metal Slug. Players must blast through waves of enemies and machines (while also jumping over any obstacles in the way) to advance through the stages. It's not as hopeless as it might sound, though—weapons such as heavy machine guns, shotguns, rocket launchers and flamethrowers, as well as the Metal Slug itself (which appears frequently in the game), will make the battle easier. Take on General Morden with a friend to lighten your load and ramp up the excitement even more.

Nintendo has published the weekly update for the Wii's WiiWare featuring Critter Round-Up (Konami, 1000 Wii Points) and Star Soldier R (Hudson Entertainment, 800 Wii Points). For the Virtual Console, the NES title, Skykid, is priced at 500 Wii Points.

Hit the jump for the full list of game details.

Excerpt:

WiiWare

Critter Round-Up (Konami, 1-4 players, Rated E for Everyone - Comic Mischief, 1,000 Wii Points): The critters have escaped, and the barnyard is in chaos! It's up to you to quickly corral the animals in this puzzle-action challenge. You'll have to mend fences in a hurry to keep all the critters safe and satisfied. But the fun doesn't stop with the farmland; more than 50 challenging levels take you to several exotic locations, including the outback, the icy Arctic and more. There's even a series of minigames for when the critters get you down: Snowball Soccer, Predator Rampage, Chicken Catch and Fence Trap. Up to four players can compete or cooperate as the critters run wild. So roll up those sleeves and grab a friend-those critters won't catch themselves.

Star Soldier R (Hudson Entertainment, 1 player, Rated E for Everyone - Fantasy Violence, 800 Wii Points): Star Soldier R is a new kind of shooter where players aim for the best scores within a two- or five-minute time limit. Develop various scoring strategies, and pump out those points within the breakneck time frame. Assembled in record time to counter the advance of a powerful enemy, the mysterious Brain Forces, the "Caesar" starfighter takes off to fight for the very future of mankind. Shoot down countless enemies, upgrade your ship to the max with power-ups hidden throughout the levels and wage an all-out assault against the core of the enemy fortress. Combining the excitement of shoot-'em-ups with in-depth scoring strategies, this state-of-the-art competitive shooter will keep you coming back for more. Upload your best scores with Nintendo® Wi-Fi Connection, and pit your skills against the world's best fighter pilots from the comfort of your living room. Hone your skills and show the world who's boss.

Virtual Console

SKYKID™ (NES®, 1-2 players, Rated E for Everyone - Mild Cartoon Violence, 500 Wii Points): Red Baron, from the freedom- and peace-loving nation of birds, Bird Land, faces off in the skies with his rival Blue Max in this side-scrolling shooting game. Defeat the many enemies that await you as you complete your mission, using moves like the loop-the-loop to shoot down enemies from behind. Fly low to pick up bombs placed in the stage and drop them on command posts, warships or other designated targets to destroy them. Then land safely at base to proceed to the next mission. Beware of enemy fire, though-it will cause you to crash, unless you're able to recover by rapidly pressing the buttons. You can even play with a second person and fly simultaneously, sometimes helping each other and other times competing against each other. Prepare yourself and take to the skies, but make sure that the catchy background music (which became an instant classic when this game was originally released) doesn't distract you from your goal.

Nintendo has published the weekly update for the Wii's Virtual Console featuring Pokemon Puzzle League (N64, 1000 Wii Points) and Renegade (NES, 500 Points).

Full game details from Nintendo can be viewed at the jump.

Pokémon Puzzle League (Nintendo 64®, 1-2 players, Rated E for Everyone, 1,000 Wii Points): Get ready for a new kind of Pokémon battle where the power and speed of your brain are just as important as the strength of your Pokémon. Join Ash, Brock, Misty and many more characters from the Pokémon animated series as they gather in Puzzle Village to compete for the title of Pokémon Puzzle Master. Just match three or more blocks of the same color in any direction. Sounds simple, right? But the actual game play is surprisingly addictive and deep (chains and combos anyone?), especially when you're facing off against a human opponent. Choose from six different modes offering a wide range of action, from story or puzzle modes to continuous play or timed play. If that's not enough, take on the challenge in 3-D and get ready for more blocks than ever before. Featuring animated cut scenes combined with bright, fun graphics, there's enough to satisfy any fan of Pokémon or puzzle games.

Renegade™ (NES®, 1-2 players, Rated E10+ for Everyone 10 and Older – Mild Violence, 500 Wii Points): Renegade follows the story of a vigilante who fights his way through countless gangs in order to bring peace back to his city. Battle your way through subways, parks, alleyways and parking lots. For added fun, there's a wild motorcycle ride to challenge you. Use your arsenal of kicks, punches (including the infamous sit-on punch) and jump kicks, as well as a variety of throws to knock your opponents into submission. Along the way, pick up items like a hamburger that restores your life, a heart that increases your lives by one, a power-up to increase your attack strength, and a speed item that gives you a speed burst while on your motorcycle. You'll need all the help you can get to take out your aggression on street punks, thugs, outlaw bikers, killer kung-fu females and an array of bosses standing in your way. Take the law into your own hands to defeat countless scumbags and take your city back like the renegade you are.

Nintendo has published the weekly update for the Wii's Virtual Console featuring the classic title, Double Dragon (NES, 500 Wii Points).

Full game details from Nintendo can be viewed at the jump.

Excerpt:

Double Dragon (NES®, 1-2 players, Rated Everyone 10+ — Mild Violence, 500 Wii Points): Double Dragon begins with Billy Lee's girlfriend, Marian, being kidnapped by a group called the Black Warriors. They demand to know the secrets of Billy's martial-arts style in exchange for his girlfriend. However, Billy won't stand for these underhanded tactics and decides to rescue her himself. Help him fight through city streets, buildings, jungles, temples and various other locations in a quest to find his girl. He'll gain experience by using different fighting techniques to obtain more hearts, which will unlock more powerful techniques to use against his enemies. Keep an eye out for crates, boulders, whips, bats, knives and even dynamite along the way, as Billy can also use them to annihilate opponents. Armed with his mysterious and powerful martial arts, help Billy pummel his way through an array of goons, gang members and other Black Warrior scum to free Marian from their clutches.

What five minutes of One Piece will do to you.

One Piece: Unlimited Adventure is a Nintendo Wii exclusive action-adventure game following the exploits of the Straw Hat Pirates of the popular manga and anime series, One Piece. The overall gameplay of this lengthy journey might not be solid enough to hold its own, but fans of the manga and anime will mine a decent amount of enjoyment out of the title. Though some errant attributes keep it from being generally recommended, it plays surprisingly well for a licensed game, but that's not saying much.

Click here for an explanation of our review and scoring format.

After some misdeeds on the high seas, the Straw Hat Pirates' captain and One Piece's main character, Luffy, is forced to fish aboard their ship as penance for wasting food. He hooks a mysterious orb instead of catching a meal, and this orb causes an island to emerge from under the ship. When the crew comes to, they decide to do what any pirate gang would do and see what treasure the island has to plunder. The absurdity of the plot may only resonate with series fans, but luckily the characters themselves offer some much needed levity in the form of personality, though their at times over-animated nature might put off a few people.

Down with the Navy and its 193 men.

Unlimited Adventure is set up like a traditional action adventure game in the vein of Legend of Zelda. Exploration of the island is key, and of course you'll open up more areas to investigate as you progress. Advancing to new areas is done through the use of Luffy's orb, which for some reason needs to be fed to charge up, amounting to a lot of backtracking and hassle on your part. The barriers the game sets between you and adjacent areas are almost always rock walls that mysteriously explode, so these more traditional gaming restraints need to be taken with a tongue firmly in cheek to be accepted. Unfortunately, once you do enter a new area the game offers little in direction, so you may be wandering around for a while wondering what to do next.

While wandering around, you will run into the militant and evil Navy that surely means more to One Piece fanatics than the rest of us; otherwise they suffice as a near constant fodder for your cast. Once you team up with the rest of the characters, you can change between members at any time with a press of the minus button. There actually is some variance in each character's range of combat. Luffy has the power to make his limbs act rubbery and extend like Mr. Fantastic or Street Fighter's Dhalsim, which lends him some wide-range physical attacks. Usopp can chuck throwing stars from a distance while a little talking reindeer thing called Chopper is only capable of weak short-range melee bursts, but can eventually turn into a powerful, hulking beast. With repeated use, moves become more powerful and new ones become available. Truth be told, the combat is fairly simplistic at its core, but the variety of characters can keep it from being too tedious.

Unlimited Adventure doesn't exactly take advantage of the Wii's unique control options, offering only the traditional Wii Remote and Nunchuk setup. Control is responsive overall, though the game's jumps and attacks don't exactly push the genre's envelope. Camera controls are average, as the Z button on the Nunchuk does most of the camera work. It can lock on to a nearby enemy, set the camera behind you in exploration mode, or be held down and adjusted with the directional pad. The only controls to take advantage of the Wii Remote are the useful character specific moves that are activated with a simple waggle.

One Piece serves up a standard presentation with average graphics. The character models stay true to their 2D roots, but the environments are repetitive and bland. You can at times see an expanse of land, but there's not much to see within the expanse. The sound design may disappoint in that the music, which at best is forgettable and at worst, grating, is accompanied by merely adequate sound effects. But the true crime for some may be that there is no option for Japanese voice acting. This may pain fans, but the English audio is fairly decent and, let's face it – a story about a mishmashed team of character stereotypes with rubber arms and talking reindeer sidekicks calling themselves pirates isn't exactly the stuff of high art.

One Piece does offer a passable versus multiplayer mode where you can select a team of characters from the game, hero and villain. It's passable enough to offer a decent diversion from the main narrative, though it would only keep the interest of series fans, and even then the combat isn't deep enough for it to last for long. The main game also has a few sidequests like butterfly collecting and item creation but outside a few items whose creation is necessary to progress, only the most ardent of One Piece fans will stick through to see all of either mode.

One Piece: Unlimited Adventure isn't a bad game, but that hardly makes it good. It's adequate enough for series fans, who should be able to overlook its relative mediocrity for the chance to play a rather lengthy adventure with Luffy and crew that is somewhat solidly made. For everyone else, you'll be hoping that the adventure isn't quite unlimited.

Ahh - looks, feels, and smells like 1999. Now that's bad fish.

Sega Bass Fishing services Wii anglers with a standard variety of modes. Arcade mode naturally features arcade style stage by stage play – catch a bass of a minimum size within a certain period of time or you're out of luck. Tournament mode plays somewhat differently, requiring prolonged competition with other anglers. Nature trip mode loses the restraints of other modes and allows you to fish at your own pace. Actually catching a fish is surprisingly simple and within a minute or two in any mode you'll be able to reel in a bass, even though it might not be the big one.

The fish you're dying not to catch.

Unfortunately you'll quickly discover that catching fish is not the deepest of activities; you just cast, wait, and reel in, ad nauseam. While the audio cues of the announcer can add some unintended humor and immediate urgency to the action of reeling in a bass, the game's dated presentation with its smarmy textures and simple environments reeks of a shoddy Dreamcast port that Sega didn't feel the need to update for this Wii release. While some parts of the presentation are period turn-of-the-century Sega including the aforementioned overly joyous announcer and some rather out of place female vocals in the options music, any points gained by this quaintness are easily negated by its sloppy visuals.

Controlling the game with the Wii Remote may seem like an intuitive setup at first. The Wii Remote acts as the fishing rod, which you can flick back and forth to cast the line and tug it left or right while in the water; conversely, the Nunchuk reels in the line. The truth of the matter is that these motion controls were essentially ported over wholesale from the game's previous analog scheme, so waggling the Wii Remote or Nunchuk in any direction will have the same effect as pressing a button. That being said, the game does not control poorly, but seems gimmicky.

Some good can be said of Sega Bass Fishing, primarily its lower price-point, which may actually be $10 more than it warrants in light of its pre-twenty-first century origins. If the Wii Remote controls were incorporated more appropriately it would deserve a better recommendation, but its nostalgic Sega presentation can't hide its relative mediocrity.