Look out, Worm coming!
Another WiiWare holiday, but a few VC games and some DSiWare makes up for it.
After last month's WiiWare windfall it shouldn't be a surprise that Japan is taking a little break from the service.
Don't feel too bad for them, because there's three VC titles to tide over Wii downloaders and a few DSiWare titles from Nintendo as well.
Virtual Console
Taikoo Risshinden (Super Famicom 800pts - Koei) -- A 16th century simulation game where you assume one of several professions and make your way through life via a series of mini-games, battles and resource management. This game was only ever released in Japan; sequels have appeared on Sega Saturn, Playstation, Playstation 2 and PC.
Earthworm Jim 2 (Mega Drive 600pts - Interplay) -- The sequel to the popular annelid platformer. It's hard to imagine this would come out in Japan first, so it could be a preview of a VC release in other territories next week.
Xevious (Arcade 800pts - Namco) -- Another week and another arcade entry from Namco, but it's a classic, being one of the first games to use 3D rendered sprites giving it a slick look when it debuted at arcades in 1982.
Tune your piano the Game & Watch way!
DSiWare
Metronome (200pts - Nintendo) -- A virtual metronome for musicians with three different visual themes: analogue needle, digital and Game & Watch. Also included is a mini-game, Donkey Metronome, where clapping in time causes Mario to jump barrels and advance through classic arcade Donkey Kong levels.
Musical Instrument Tuner (200pts - Nintendo) -- An instrument tuning aid from Nintendo; as with Metronome there are analogue, digial and Game & Watch themes. Also includes a mini-game called "Tuner Fight," which appears to be a musical game based upon Balloon Fight.
Aa Mujou Setsuna (500pts - Nintendo) -- This one is a shooter that looks to be of the "bullet hell" variety. Two different ships on offer and WiFi leaderboards.
Puzzle Iroiro Crossword House Volume 4 (500pts - Nintendo) -- The fourth in a series of Japanese crossword games from Nintendo.
1. Tails
29 Aug 2009, 09:57 BST
Game and Watch Piano Game looks awesome hope we get Game & Watch Stuff soon in the NA.
2. Syr
29 Aug 2009, 10:30 BST
AAAHHH, bullet hell DSi-Ware!!! If only it could come out over here
.The metronome and "tuning aid" look awesome as well for only 200 points each. Something to look forward to!
3. Sean Aaron
29 Aug 2009, 10:35 BST
The Game & Watch things are just skins -- not games. It's still just a tuner or a metronome; unlikely to be of interest unless you're a musician actually using it to tune a guitar or keep in time. There are mini-games included as indicated though which broadens the appeal.
4. Klapaucius
29 Aug 2009, 11:00 BST
Odd of them to release Earthworm 2 in Japan first. Do they get any kind of reverse-HANABI festival there? They must get other previously unreleased VC games.
5. LEGEND MARIOID
29 Aug 2009, 11:20 BST
Setsuna sounds interesting. But that's all imo
6. tambourine man
29 Aug 2009, 12:20 BST
The danmaku game sounds good. I love vertical shooters.
7. Dicesukeinuzuka
29 Aug 2009, 14:02 BST
Wow, I really like the DSiware Japan got today, pretty cool.
8. Cheezy
29 Aug 2009, 14:10 BST
So basically everything that was announced in Japan for future release yesterday was already released today...
9. Adam
29 Aug 2009, 14:43 BST
I hate to say this, but I could see myself getting the tuner. I always lose my tuner, but I never forget to bring my DSi if I'm playing music. Seems like a ridiculous idea for an app in general, given how few would have a use for it, but I certainly would use it.
10. Egg miester
29 Aug 2009, 15:02 BST
not a bad week for japan earthworm jim is the best game
i am wondering about koei game sounds great tobad its a japanese only
11. Blue Protoman
29 Aug 2009, 15:23 BST
I want the shooter!
12. SUPERZELDAMAN
29 Aug 2009, 16:00 BST
bullet hell game sound cool maybe we could get some good games over here NoA hint hint
13. Odnetnin
29 Aug 2009, 16:03 BST
Would that tuner work for a viola?
14. Hyper Luigi
29 Aug 2009, 16:23 BST
I would consider buying the tuner if it ever came out in North America.
15. Link977
29 Aug 2009, 16:29 BST
thats dumb, Japan's getting 4 games every week while we only get simply 1...
16. Outrunner
29 Aug 2009, 16:58 BST
Hope we get that shmup.
17. lz2009
29 Aug 2009, 16:59 BST
@Link977: We need some more developers over here making DSi games like they do in Japan. At least I think so.
18. Token Girl
29 Aug 2009, 17:24 BST
If I still played an instrument, that tuner would be really cool. And the metronome seems more fun than a regular metronome would be for those who use it. They're pretty niche market right now, but I guess Japan's service is probably a bit more fleshed out than ours is at this point, so they could release these.
These are the kind of apps that should cost money, not clocks and calculators!
19. redflicky
29 Aug 2009, 17:47 BST
I hope Europe & USA gets Earthworm Jim 2 Next.
20. Sean Aaron
29 Aug 2009, 20:23 BST
@Cheezy: Yeah more or less. There's still three more of the announced VC titles to come and no doubt oodles of Namco classics. I do wish Rygar was coming next week, but I can wait!
21. Adam
29 Aug 2009, 23:23 BST
Odnetnin, tuners are not instrument-specific. Your viola has the same notes as a piano. The screenshot shows a full range of notes, so you should be able to do any tuning you want with it.
22. Ricardo91
30 Aug 2009, 01:58 BST
A 500-point bullet-hell shooter on DSiWare? AWE-SOME.
23. Odnetnin
31 Aug 2009, 00:01 BST
"Odnetnin, tuners are not instrument-specific. Your viola has the same notes as a piano. The screenshot shows a full range of notes, so you should be able to do any tuning you want with it."
Ohoho! Thanks, Adam. I really need to play my viola more...
24. Swerd_Murd
31 Aug 2009, 00:16 BST
man I was really hoping they'd release, I dunno, like a calculator, or maybe a photo calendar. Something like that would really spice up the DSiWare catalog.
Odnetnin, are you sure you play a musical instrument?
25. deadly.by.design
31 Aug 2009, 21:34 BST
Why is EWJ2 on the Genesis? I understand that the first game had exclusive content on there, but I'd rather have the second on SNES. Then again, I still have the cartridge and working system, so it's not a big deal. (the Genesis versions sound like crap)
26. Vertigo
02 Sep 2009, 14:32 BST
Were you drunk when you wrote "Xevious ... being one of the first games to use 3D rendered sprites giving it a slick look when it debuted at arcades in 1982"?
Its sprites are no more 3D rendered than this web page.
27. Supermarioman
06 Sep 2009, 14:17 BST
The tuner and metronome actually interest me as I have a guitar that really needs tuning (I'm to lazy to take it to someone) and the metronome would be kind of useful with my drums!
28. Mickeymac
13 Sep 2009, 01:56 BST
If Aa Mujou Setsuna comes to NA's DSiware I will buy the DSi that very day.O_O I love shooters, especially bullet-hell games!
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