Hang onto your hats – and your Wii Remote controllers – as we unveil a set of exciting firsts for the Wii Shop Channel this week. For starters, the new Onslaught marks the first-ever first-person shooter to be released via the WiiWare service. Using the intuitive wireless controls Wii is known for, the game puts players at the center of a pulse-pounding adventure that fans of futuristic sci-fi and multiplayer action will love.

The other big news this week is the hotly anticipated launch of Commodore 64 game titles on Virtual Console. Starting with two classic martial arts games and an awesome car racing title, we're thrilled to add yet another old-school gaming platform to the mix. Virtual Console already offers classic games that originally appeared on a variety of platforms, and with the addition of Commodore 64, Wii owners can expect even more vintage games to rediscover and enjoy. (Congratulations to those of you who deciphered our hidden hints in last week's Wii-kly Update – you'll find a key to all the clues at the end of this installment.)

Nintendo adds new and classic games to the Wii Shop Channel at 9 a.m. Pacific time every Monday. Wii owners with a high-speed Internet connection can redeem Wii Points to download the games. Wii Points can be purchased in the Wii Shop Channel or at retail outlets. This week's new games are:

WiiWare
Onslaught (Hudson Entertainment, 1-4 players, Rated T for Teen—Animated Blood, Violence, 1,000 Wii Points): Onslaught is an FPS that puts you in the middle of a futuristic war between humans and insectoid aliens. Become part of the Elite Interstellar Strike Force and fight against an overwhelming onslaught of alien life forms. Enjoy the rush of mowing down wave after wave of aliens with machine guns, grenades and more. Feel your heart pound as you battle gigantic boss aliens. Beyond the normal game, Onslaught includes additional modes that let you play with rivals from around the world using Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection. Team up with as many as three other players in Free Battle mode, or compete on special maps to see who can get the most points by killing enemies before time runs out in Ranking Battle mode. (Router and broadband access required for online play. For more info, go to www.nintendo.com.)

Virtual Console
The Last Ninja (Commodore 64, 1 player, Rated E10+ for Everyone 10 and Older—Animated Blood, Mild Violence, 500 Wii Points): The evil Shogun Kunitoki has long envied the powers of the Ninja brotherhood and would do anything to acquire their knowledge. To this end, he has sworn an oath to their total destruction. Once every decade, all Ninja must travel to the Island of Lin Fen, where they pay homage to the Shrine of the White Ninja and receive further teachings from the Koga Scrolls. Seizing the opportunity, Kunitoki summoned forth all the spirits from the depths of the Nether World and flung their full force against the amassed Ninja. None escaped the wrath of Kunitoki. Word of this unnatural disaster soon reached Armakuni, the last Ninja. Gathering all his courage, he has sworn to wreak a terrible revenge on the Shogun and all his followers. What unforeseen hazards await him?

INTERNATIONAL KARATE (Commodore 64, 1-2 players, Rated E10+ for Everyone 10 and Older—Mild Violence, 500 Wii Points): INTERNATIONAL KARATE is a simulation of a karate tournament in which one person can play against the computer or two players can compete against each other. During the game, you'll fly to various locations around the world. In all stages of the game, a wise old judge will watch over you and award you either a half-point or a full point, depending on how successful a hit has been.

Pitstop II (Commodore 64, 1-2 players, Rated E for Everyone, 500 Wii Points): Pitstop II was the first game that brought serious auto racing action to the computer screen—the thrill of battling an opponent, the excitement of fighting for the lead out on the track, and the suspense of struggling to be the first out of the pits. Third-person graphics and a split-screen display allow one or two players to experience the challenge of car racing head-to-head. Six of the world's toughest tracks are waiting, from Brands Hatch and its hairpin turns to the mile-long straight of Vallelunga. You can practice against the computer, but nothing will compare to the fun of racing against another person. Indeed, Pitstop II proves that car racing was never meant to be a solo sport.

As promised, here's a list of the Commodore 64-related clues that were embedded in last week's newsletter:

• In the second paragraph, each sentence contains exactly 64 letters and numbers (not counting spaces or punctuation).
• U.S. Route 64 runs from Arizona to North Carolina.
• The third sentence ends with a comma and the word "door," hinting at the name Commodore.
• "Brick House" was a hit for R&B group The Commodores.
• The athletic teams of Vanderbilt University are known as the Commodores.
• Pennsylvania's Route 286 passes through a town called Commodore.
• The phrases "birthday greetings" and "who could ask for more?" are found in the classic Beatles tune "When I'm 64."