Nintendo DLC for 8/10: Fly, Climb, Think and use the Force

I would like to write that everything this week is stellar, but that just isn't true. The two new WiiWare games boggle my mind how they believe those titles are worth the money they're charging. That is not to say these two titles were not created with the utmost care, but I have severe doubts about a rock climbing game where your limbs are mapped to the A, B, Z and C buttons. I do think the integration of the balance board into a WiiWare title is impressive, but looking at the screenshots, it has that "flash game" vibe.

After a bit of a drought on Virtual Console, Super Star Wars from the SNES is something to write about. This is one of those classic SNES titles that you remember sitting down to play. It is probable that every console had a Star Wars game on it in some fashion, but few are as engaging as Super Star Wars. How it holds up after this long, I cannot say, but it's about time to again have something decent to download from Nintendo. Not that last week's Sexy Poker wasn't an important release for all of mankind, but really, how did that game get past Nintendo for publication?

There's one word to describe the latest downloadable game offerings from Nintendo: phenomenal. For starters, Wii™ owners can dive into a space adventure for the ages as the Super NES™ classic Super Star Wars™ makes its Virtual Console™ debut. WiiWare™ devotees have two extraordinary new titles to choose from, including the high-flying NyxQuest: Kindred Spirits and the super-charged Rock N' Roll Climber™. And don't miss this week's Nintendo DSiWare™ Brain Age™ title, which will help keep your mind buzzing wherever you go.

WiiWare

NyxQuest: Kindred Spirits
Publisher:Over The Top Games
Players: 1-2
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone) - Mild Fantasy Violence
Price: 1,000 Wii Points™
Description: Experience the awesome story of Nyx, an enigmatic winged girl who must descend from heaven in search of her missing friend, Icarus. Fly over the ruins of ancient Greece and avoid falling into blazing sands or perishing in the claws of cruel harpies and hydras. You will need the help of Zeus and other benevolent gods from Olympus to summon their powers. They will let you cast rays, modify the scenery and control winds as you wish. By making your own wrist movements and pointing to the game screen, you will be able to achieve these and many other feats. Fly, aim and shoot using your Wii Remote™ controller. Play with a friend and maximize your abilities: While one controls Nyx, the other will control the powers from the gods.

Rock N' Roll Climber
Publisher: Nintendo
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone)
Price: 800 Wii Points
Description: Prepare to "rock out" like never before in Rock N' Roll Climber. Climb rocks using the innovative control scheme, which has you controlling your character's movement using the Wii Remote and Nunchuk™ controllers. If you want an even more immersive experience, optional support for the Wii Balance Board™ is also available. Make your way up an array of courses, ranging from the Pop level's indoor rock wall to the Heavy Metal level's waterfalls (watch out for those moss-covered rocks - they're slick). In addition to the sense of accomplishment you'll feel upon reaching the top, you might just be rewarded with your own guitar.

Virtual Console

Super Star Wars
Original platform: Super NES
Publisher: LucasArts
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone) - Fantasy Violence
Price: 800 Wii Points
Description: Risk your life as a Jedi Knight. Join Luke, Han and Chewbacca in their fierce war against the Evil Empire. Battle treacherous aliens. Pilot two vehicles in high-speed, first-person 3-D sequences. Rip through the desert in Luke's landspeeder. Clash with aliens in the Mos Eisley Cantina. Blast menacing boss monsters and Imperial stormtroopers. Attack TIE fighters in the trenches of the Death Star. Fight your way through the wastelands of Tatooine to the hostile streets of Mos Eisley and beyond. Grab your blaster, strap on your lightsaber and take on the fight for galactic freedom.

Nintendo DSiWare

Brain Age Express: Arts&Letters
Publisher: Nintendo
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone) - Mild Language
Price: 800 Nintendo DSi Points™
Description: This edition of the popular Brain Age series offers players a mix of new and familiar exercises, all with an artistic focus. Test your spelling in Word Attack, enjoy literary classics in Reading Aloud and tune your musical skills in Piano Player. A new Themes mode challenges you in drawing, photography and voice acting and lets you share your creativity with friends and family. And if you need a break, the always-enjoyable Virus Buster makes its return. Prepare for another round of training your brain in minutes a day.

Nintendo adds new titles to the Nintendo DSi Shop and the Wii Shop Channel at 9 a.m. Pacific time on Mondays. Users with broadband Internet access can redeem Wii Points or Nintendo DSi Points to download the games. Wii Points can be purchased in the Wii Shop Channel. Nintendo DSi Points can be purchased in the Nintendo DSi Shop. A Nintendo Points Card™ can be purchased at retail locations. All points from one Nintendo Points Card must be redeemed in either the Nintendo DSi Shop or the Wii Shop Channel. They are not transferable and cannot be divided between the two systems.

Remember that both Wii and Nintendo DSi feature parental controls that let adults manage the content their children can access. For more information about this and other features, visit Wii.com or NintendoDSi.com.