This weekās batch of newly downloadable titles for WiiWare, DSiWare and Nintendoās Virtual Console is a 16-bit paradise, as Konamiās Contra Rebirth and LucasArtsā Super Return of the Jedi overload the Wii with side-scrolling action.
Other less spritely items are also available, including the colorful arcade shooter ColorZ for WiiWare and the bite-size DSiWare offering Clubhouse Games Express: Family Favorites for the Nintendo DSi. For descriptions and pricing, read on for official details.
WiiWare
Contra Rebirth
Publisher: Konami
Players: 1-2
ESRB Rating: E10+ (Everyone 10 and Older) ā Fantasy Violence
Price: 1,000 Wii Pointsā¢
Description: Chief Salamander and his Neo-Salamander Force travel back to 1973 A.D. to invade Earth. They land in Central America and take control of the Shizuoka ruins on the Yucatan Peninsula. There, the aliens plan the destruction of all the āContraā on Earth. The Galactic President calls on Lance Bean, a member of the elite āContraā warriors, to save the day, but his sudden disappearance jeopardizes the safety of the planet. Now, Bill Rizer and samurai Genbei Yagyu are the last hope for Earth. They must pick up their weapons and defeat the evil Neo-Salamander Army before all is lost. Experience the fast-paced, action-packed, side-scrolling adventure that pioneered the run-and-gun genre.
ColorZ
Publisher: Exkee
Players: 1-3
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone) ā Comic Mischief
Price: 700 Wii Points
Description: With ColorZ, go forth in your spaceships on a mission to clean up virus-infested planets. Immerse yourself in a new gaming experience that will reveal mind-hand-eye coordination skills you never knew you had. Absorb viruses of your own color, but steer clear of the others. If necessary, you can cleverly merge your ships together to create new colors. Buzz past your enemies to keep your combo and clock up a new high score. Explore an extra dimension with the gameās multiplayer mode and share the unique experience of cooperative play between friends. Pool your forces, synchronize your movements and become a unified team of up to three players to meet the challenge together.
Wii Virtual Console
Super Return of the Jedi
Original platform: Super NESā¢
Publisher: LucasArts
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone) ā Fantasy Violence
Price: 800 Wii Points
Description: Join the Rebellion and crush the Death Star in a giant universe filled with all the action and adventure of the Star WarsĀ® finale. Take command of five different characters ā from Wicket the Ewok to Princess Leia ā and go up against the Empireās worst, from Jabba the Hutt to the Emperor himself. Youāre going to need every ounce of Force youāve got in you. Battle in actual movie locales, from Jabba the Huttās palace to the Forest of Endor and the Emperorās Tower. Cross sabers with the darkest of the dark side: Bib Fortuna, Jabba the Hutt, the rancor, Darth Vader and the Emperor.
Nintendo DSiWare
Clubhouse Games⢠Express: Family Favorites
Publisher: Nintendo
Players: 1-8
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone)
Price: 500 Nintendo DSi Points
Description: Choose from five family-friendly games in this Nintendo DSiWare version of the popular Clubhouse Games. Play classic card games like Hearts and Contract Bridge; connect bones to other bones in Dominoes; think strategically in the simple but addictive Dots and Boxes; and move your pieces towards a common goal in Ludo. Play by yourself or use DS Download Play to host as many as seven friends.