Babies have never been scarier!
Get ready for Halloween with today's new download games.
Nintendo of Europe's gone all out with Halloween-themed releases - 4 of this week's 5 new downloads feature zombies, ghosts and other typical Halloween monsters. Funnily enough, the only game that doesn't fit the bill is published by Nintendo.
Zombies is probably much better known under its North American title of Zombies Ate My Neighbors, but due to Nintendo's policy it has been released with its very generic original European name. As either one or two teenagers, your goal is simple - Rescue your neighbours from the monsters out to get them before they bite the dust. In practice though, you'll find this quite hard to achieve, especially in later stages! Thankfully, you don't necessarily have to rescue every single one of them. There's over 50 stages to beat, so you'll be busy for quite a while - And since it's so incredibly addictive, you'll likely stick with it until the very end. Read our review for more.
It took forever, but LIT is now finally out in Europe. In this WiiWare game, you play as Jake as he attempts to rescue his girlfriend from a school infested with monsters. The gameplay is quite simple - Simply stay out of the darkness, making your way through the various rooms in the school by creating light sources which in turn create paths. It's quite a unique game, and puzzle fans are likely to love it, on the whole we thought it was quite good and there are some even some improvements for the PAL version. The game costs 800 Wii Points.
Ghost Mansion Party is Gameloft's latest WiiWare effort - Taking inspiration from Nintendo's Mario Party, it's a party game in which you move around a board with up to 3 others and play minigames. It seems decent, but looks can deceive - It's just too similar to other motion-controlled minigame collections on the Wii and doesn't offer anything special. But if you're feeling brave, it costs 1000 Wii Points.
Little Red Riding Hood's Zombie BBQ is a DSiWare release of a DS retail game - One which was never released in Europe. As Little Red Riding Hood or Momotaro (Yes, a character from a Japanese myth) the game doesn't consist of much more than blasting apart the hordes of enemies and bosses that come your way. Although the game had mixed opinions, we thought it was quite good, so if this DSiWare release contains all of the content from the retail game, it could be a very cheap buy at 800 points. We'll review this version soon enough and see if it's worth it.
We have no idea why Nintendo chose to release A Little Bit of... All Time Classics: Card Classics today - It has absolutely nothing to do with Halloween and has been out in North America and Japan for months. For 500 DSi Points, this package will get you five games from the retail game 42 All-Time Classics, so if you're a fan of the games included it might be nice. Otherwise, we recommend just paying a little bit more for the retail version.
Four Halloween games! Are you getting any to get in the mood for Saturday?
1. pixelman
29 Oct 2009, 23:49 GMT
NICE, you guys finally got LIT and Zombie BBQ. :3
2. JayArr
29 Oct 2009, 23:49 GMT
Wicked update. It's in the holiday spirit for sure.
3. longtimegamer
29 Oct 2009, 23:52 GMT
Wow. You guys got a crap load of halloween games.........well 4 anyways.
4. cheetahman91
29 Oct 2009, 23:52 GMT
No Cave Story or Toribash for Europe? Wonder what happened...
5. Nintendo-64
29 Oct 2009, 23:52 GMT
Why this halloween stuff?!? We are here in Europe... (
_) I want normal games but it is good that the virtual console recieve a new game.6. Zammy
29 Oct 2009, 23:52 GMT
We finally got LIT? It took us bloody long enough... Nice update for us. ouo
7. edhe
29 Oct 2009, 23:53 GMT
Is the title "Zombies ate my neighbors" too violent for us in Europe...?
I might pick it up, but God help me if I get a sudden compulsion to eat my 'neighbors'.
8. Luigi-La-Bouncy
29 Oct 2009, 23:53 GMT
Are there any differences for Zombies? I think I read somewhere the pal version was censored in some way, is that true of this release?
9. Edward J Grug III
29 Oct 2009, 23:55 GMT
We don't actually celebrate Halloween here.
10. Terranigma
29 Oct 2009, 23:55 GMT
Pretty good week, although I'm not interested in any of these games other than LIT. Now we just need MFC.
11. Bass X0
29 Oct 2009, 23:56 GMT
We in the United Kingdom take Halloween celebrations very seriously even if the rest of Europe and Australia don't. Nintendo must be doing this for us alone.
12. KnucklesSonic8
29 Oct 2009, 23:56 GMT
Congrats on getting LIT guys.
13. dangermouseuk78
30 Oct 2009, 00:03 GMT
thats news to me that we in the uk take halloween seriously i still consider it an American thing myself and will be giving lit a try hope its good
14. SKTTR
30 Oct 2009, 00:06 GMT
The only difference in the EU version of "Zombies", apart from the obvious title change, is the chainsaw-killer who turned into an axe-wielding maniac.
15. Jolted85
30 Oct 2009, 00:07 GMT
glad u guys got lit, nice halloween flavor to the download
16. Bass X0
30 Oct 2009, 00:07 GMT
well not as seriously as the americans do but you only have to walk into a shop to see how much halloween related stuff is for sale.
17. Sneaker13
30 Oct 2009, 00:07 GMT
FINALLY LiT. I've just read through the lengthy manual and I'm eager to play it. I bought a points card just for LiT because I came short 100 Wii Points. Now I have 900 left. Might just get Zombies Eat My Neibours.
18. dangermouseuk78
30 Oct 2009, 00:09 GMT
true tons of Halloween stuff about in shops dont think its a big cashcow like in the states
19. Djungelurban
30 Oct 2009, 00:11 GMT
Gotta say, LIT is really really neat. Perhaps not the game of the year but thus far I'm enjoying myself...
20. dangermouseuk78
30 Oct 2009, 00:14 GMT
lit worth gettin then ud say im thinking of buyin
21. Djungelurban
30 Oct 2009, 00:20 GMT
Yes, definitely worth getting... I don't know about these controller issues that plagued the NTSC version but after about 5-10 minutes getting used to the controls it's all been pretty intuitive ever since. So I guess they really did fix it, whatever the problem was.
22. dangermouseuk78
30 Oct 2009, 00:25 GMT
Cheers will be giving it a try, never tried Zombies ate my neighbours first time round so dunno about that but going by the review Ghosthouse looks like it should be avoided
23. The Fox
30 Oct 2009, 00:30 GMT
Sweet, you guys got ZAMN (I refuse to call to it simply "Zombies") as well!
It's too bad for the countries that never picked up on Halloween. One of the best holidays for kids OR adults.
24. Omega
30 Oct 2009, 00:33 GMT
One of the main complaints why LIT only was considered good were the "akward" controls. And according to Wayforward (and Djungleurban) they have fixed that in the european version. So, I think an update for the review would be appropriate now. Or at least a small note at the end of the review, mentioning the improvements that have been made.
25. Chibi Link
30 Oct 2009, 00:46 GMT
Little Red Riding Hood, which wasn't released as retail in Australia, has not been released as DSiWare in Australia either.
Do they not want us to play their game?
26. timp29
30 Oct 2009, 01:19 GMT
CRY Rondo of Blood will we ever see you?
27. donth8theplaya69
30 Oct 2009, 01:39 GMT
Enjoy ZAMN you guys. It's a great game.
28. MarkyVigoroth
30 Oct 2009, 01:47 GMT
I think the "A Little Bit" game is for those who prefer not to celebrate Halloween.
29. Egg miester
30 Oct 2009, 03:15 GMT
epic week for eu
30. Fuzzy
30 Oct 2009, 04:15 GMT
Great week. Another SNES game and LiT. Will buy them tonight!
31. KDR_11k
30 Oct 2009, 06:35 GMT
Hm, the Nintendo Channel claimed there'd be some Halloween greeting card software on WiiWare today, I guess they canceled that in favour of some actual GAMES. Overall quite a nice week, I'm going to grab a points card for Zombie BBQ and maybe another for Lit. Seeing the first WayForward game arrive here gives me hope for MFC and such.
32. Viral
30 Oct 2009, 07:20 GMT
Downloads Zombies and LiT instantly.
33. bboy1
30 Oct 2009, 07:34 GMT
@ Bass X0
Well it's the same in Australia and I find it really lame that people in the country celebrate it since it's not an Australian custom...it has absolutely no meaning here. I mean, I'm sure in the US Halloween is a big thing but in Australia, no one celebrates it. The only ones that do are those in the business selling all the junk in the stores.....that and little kids who come trick or treating with their parents...
It's more of an excuse for little kids to get some free lollies, although many find it intrusive which is why half the people the kids ask don't even give lollies. Plus no one actually decorates their houses or dresses up here..
But anyway, back on topic....I can finally play LiT!
34. Kelvin
30 Oct 2009, 07:55 GMT
No Cave Story? Booooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!
35. lukyhunter
30 Oct 2009, 08:06 GMT
So.......now that everyone has has LIT. Is it worth getting? I want a good scary game.
36. Tizoc
30 Oct 2009, 08:49 GMT
@KDR_11G. The Halloween Card Stuff is out now for over two weeks. But it's not worth the points
37. Gizmo
30 Oct 2009, 09:11 GMT
@ Nintendolife: Do you update the LIT review & score?
38. LEGEND MARIOID
30 Oct 2009, 09:59 GMT
May DL Zombie Barbecue. Besides that its a bad week for me. I'm not bothered about Haloween as I think its a bit silly (bah hmbug
....). Good to see Lit available for DL at last, though that's not for me either.
39. outrun2sp
30 Oct 2009, 10:08 GMT
Good that they released Zombies. Shame that its 50hz which i consider untouchable as my monitor is too advanced for that. I will stick to symphony of the night on 360.
Roll on castlevania rebirth, fighting street and a hanabi festival that gives access to rondo of blood.
40. timp29
30 Oct 2009, 10:54 GMT
Actually another hanabi festival must be on the horizon. Please confirm or deny
41. cr00mz
30 Oct 2009, 11:17 GMT
where is cave story, wasnt it supposed to be realsed in october?
42. Bass X0
30 Oct 2009, 11:27 GMT
Does the Konami logo still appear at the beginning of the game? I would assume they've removed it since Konami had no part in the release on the VC. Getting the game Monday.
43. Kevin
30 Oct 2009, 13:49 GMT
The konami logo is still there.
44. Ian Daemon
30 Oct 2009, 13:53 GMT
"Edward J Grug III Australia 29 Oct 2009, 23:55 GMT
We don't actually celebrate Halloween here."
You don't? That's where the Americans got it from! (I can see Thanksgiving being different...)
45. Timian
30 Oct 2009, 14:17 GMT
On the Nintendo UK site it says that Ghost Mansion Party is only 800 points. I haven't checked the Wii shop so I don't know if it's the same there though.
46. Gabbo
30 Oct 2009, 14:30 GMT
Considering Halloween has its origins in the UK and has been practiced there continuously since the pre-Christian era I can't imagine why anyone would think of it as a uniquely American holiday.
47. Adamant
30 Oct 2009, 17:21 GMT
Uh, All Hallow's Eve and Halloween are not really the same holiday. This update has absolutely nothing to do with All Hallow's Eve.
48. dangermouseuk78
30 Oct 2009, 18:29 GMT
Yeah halloween started off uk and America Packaged it a sold it to the masses to make money
49. Viral
30 Oct 2009, 18:54 GMT
Just curious, but is anyone wondering why the Nintendo Wii games are ridiculously cheap on Amazon.co.uk lately? I just saw that over 210 games are less than £20. Anyone know anything on that front?
50. Gabbo
30 Oct 2009, 20:20 GMT
@Adamant
Actually, they are the same. From the Oxford English Dictionary:
"The term Halloween, originally spelled Hallowe’en, is shortened from All Hallows' Even – e'en is a shortening of even, which is a shortening of evening. This is ultimately derived from the Old English Eallra Hālgena ǣfen."
51. Djungelurban
30 Oct 2009, 20:32 GMT
@Gabbo
Yeah, these days they aren't anymore. Whatever Halloween might have been in the first place, it has been twisted and corrupted into a commercialized mess, so much as it essentially is a completely separate holiday. Point in fact, here in Sweden we do actually celebrate Halloween too, to a degree atleast. But that's next weekend. This weekend is All Hallows' Eve and they are as far as anyone is concerned two completely different things that should never been mixed up.
52. Gabbo
30 Oct 2009, 21:02 GMT
Oh, I don't know about that. Compare this to another international holiday like Christmas. There is a secular Christmas and a religious Christmas. And then there's UK Christmas versus US Christmas and all the other variations around the globe. But I wouldn't call them different holidays.
If I'm sitting here on Dec. 25th thinking about Santa Claus and someone next door to me is thinking about Jesus at the same time, are we celebrating different holidays? I would argue that they're all the same holiday, regardless of what you call it or how you celebrate it (or don't). And the calendar would seem to agree with me
53. Djungelurban
30 Oct 2009, 21:40 GMT
Ok, then let me put it this way: Here in Sweden they are two COMPLETELY different things that should never be mixed up.
And in fact, I would call secular Christmas and religious Christmas to different things seeing as they celebrate different things. I couldn't give a rats ass about the made up birthday of some kind of guy that never existed, but I still celebrate Christmas. Isn't the substance in a celebration what defines the celebration? If not, then why aren't Hanukkah considered the same thing as Christmas? Halloween and All Hallows' Eve doesn't share a name anymore so that doesn't seem to be important.
And still, in the case of Christmas, the way that different Christmases are being celebrated is similar. However, All Hallows' Eve and Halloween are celebrated are completely different. The only similarties these days are the very general theme of death.
54. Adamant
31 Oct 2009, 00:32 GMT
So are you saying Yule is the same thing as Christmas, too? The Scandinavian name for Christmas is derived from that? What makes Hanukkah so different that it's considered a totally separate thing?
55. Gizmo
31 Oct 2009, 17:29 GMT
@ Nintendolife: Will you update the LIT review & score?
56. Omega
31 Oct 2009, 18:27 GMT
^ That would interest me too. I'd also appreciate an updated review.
57. Croz
31 Oct 2009, 20:49 GMT
Yeah i'd also like a updated review. please.
58. Bass X0
03 Nov 2009, 13:26 GMT
I got both Zombies and LIT. And have 600 points left over. Another 1000 points and I can get two more SNES games.
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