If you've got a love for games that feel like the ones you played as a kid, then this week is your week across the Nintendo digital download services. Four of the five games either have elements of classic genres or are actually old-school titles themselves. The one that isn't is a painting game, but for continuity's sake, we'll just say it borrows from Mario Paint. They have the same publisher, after all.
This week's games are as follows:
On DSiWare, we have Dragon Quest Wars (Square Enix, 1-4 players, 500 DSi Points) and Art Academy: Second Semester (Nintendo, 1 player, 800 DSi Points). Art Academy: Second Semester is the second game in Nintendo's Art Academy series, which, as you may have guessed, are all about helping to grow your artistic abilities. But if you don't feel like getting your paint on, there's Dragon Quest Wars, a grid-based strategy game set in the Dragon Quest universe. The game's probably been downloaded a million times over already in Japan because of the Dragon Quest name alone. The DSiWare line-up is lacking in strategy games, though, so this should be a welcome addition.
On WiiWare, we've got Arkanoid Plus! (Taito, 1-2 players, 600 Wii Points) and DRiiFT Mania (Konami, 1-8 players, 800 Wii Points). Arkanoid Plus! is a retro-revival of the classic game Arkanoid, featuring a few new modes built around the same core game play. DRiiFT Mania, on the other hand, it a top-down multiplayer racing game that evokes older top-down racing titles like Off-Road and Championship Sprint, but without things like nitros and such. Both titles should tickle your retro game senses a bit, and they're not too expensive, so they're both worth a shot.
On the Virtual Console this week is the arcade version of Sega's Altered Beast (1 player, 1,000 Wii Points). You're pretty much getting the same thing here that you got with the Genesis version, except with somewhat improved graphics, so I'm not sure why they're re-releasing it yet again. Once should have been more than enough, really.
Altered Beast in arcade form was released in June on the PAL and Japanese Virtual Consoles. It, along with Arkanoid Plus! and DRiiFT Mania, is available for download off the Wii Shop Channel, while Dragon Quest Wars and Art Academy: Second Semester are available for download off the DSi Shop Channel.
Check back next week for the latest round of digital releases for the Wii and DSi. Until then, happy gaming!
Article comments
1 - Ken Edwards
Aranoid Plus! is only 600 points if you do not want the extra pack of levels. If you do, they must be bough in-game for 200 points. The game is cheaper than the XBLA version, even with the DLC, and it a better version, as it is closer to the SNES version. And it is Arkanoid, the best game. Ever.