This week in Nintendo downloads brings us seven new titles for the digital platforms.

First up on WiiWare is Muscle March, a strange Japanese game from publisher NBGI that has you posing as a muscle-man or polar bear to catch thieves, who have stolen the "all mighty protein powder". The game supports up to four players, and contains an Endless Mode for those that can't get enough. Muscle March is available on the Wii Shop Channel for 500 Wii Points ($5).

The second game on WiiWare is The Amazing Brian Train! from Wahoo Studios. Featuring a character named Professor Fizzwizzle, the game tests you on various puzzles. The train is fueled as you answer questions correctly. The Amazing Brain Train! is available on the Wii Shop Channel for 600 Wii Points ($6).

Up on DSiWare this week are four games. First up is Starship Defense from Q-Games, published by Nintendo. The game is a tower defense title set in outer space featuring 30 sectors. Using the touch screen, you can attach weapons to your ships before placing them on the screen in the place where they will have the best possible effect. Starship Defense is available on the DSi Shop for 500 Nintendo DSi Points ($5).

The next game on DSiWare this week is Dark Void Zero, a recreation of a (supposedly) long-lost Capcom game from the late 80s. The game stars Rusty, the first human born in the Void. He faces off against the Watchers, who are aiming to conquer earth. The game features three levels which feature Rusty using a rocket pack to navigate. Dark Void Zero is available on the DSi Shop for 500 Nintendo DSi Points ($5).

The third title on DSiWare is Chronos Twins from EnjoyUp Games, a digital port of the retail release from the UK in 2007. Another version of the game, Chronos Twins DX, was released on WiiWare last week. The game features a challenging dual-time setup, where you control both the present and the past. The time-shifting platformer is available on the DSi Shop for 500 Nintendo DSi Points ($5).

The last DSiWare game this week is Me and My Dogs: Friends Forever, a pet simulator that takes many cues from the successful Nintendogs franchise. Me and My Dogs: Friends Forever is available on the DSi Shop for 800 Nintendo DSi Points ($8).

The final downloadable title this week is for the Virtual Console. Sega's Shadow Dancer: The Secret of Shinobi is the first sequel to the original Shinobi game, and was released on Sega Genesis in 1991. The game plays similarly to the previous Shinobi game, but with the addition of a dog which helps you progress through each level. Shadow Dancer: The Secret of Shinobi is available on the Wii Shop Channel for 800 Wii Points ($8).

NINTENDO DOWNLOAD: NINTENDO ASKS EVERYONE TO MUSCLE MARCH IN FORMATION

Jan. 18, 2010

There's a lot to say about this week's downloadable games. You can check out the brain-training power of The Amazing Brain Train! or the cute puppies of Me And My Dogs: Friends Forever. Fans of more traditional games can protect their space fleet from waves of enemies in STARSHIP DEFENSE™ or explore the dual temporal world of Chronos Twins. Retro gamers will certainly like the ninja stylings of Shadow Dancer: The Secret of Shinobi™ on the Virtual Console™ service or the chance to try out the Nintendo DSiWare™ title Dark Void™ Zero, a mythical long-lost game from Capcom's vaults.

And then there's Muscle March.

A bunch of bodybuilders (and a polar bear) clad in bikini briefs chase after protein-powder thieves who can bash through walls at will. Strike your best bodybuilder poses to catch the thief and make the protein powder yours again. This surreal experience is best shared among friends, so start flexing!

WiiWare™

Muscle March

Publisher: NBGI

Players: 1-4

ESRB Rating: E 10+ (Everyone 10 and Older) - Comic Mischief

Price: 500 Wii Points™

Description: Muscle March is a quirky Japanese action game stuffed full of macho bodybuilders. The all mighty protein powder has been stolen, so it's up to Tony and his muscle-bound crew to catch the thieves. Choose from a variety of perfectly molded superstars and bring these terrible villains to justice. As the thieves attempt escape, they will smash through walls while making a variety of poses. You must match these poses to fit through the holes and catch up to the thieves. The protein powder will be yours again! Flex your muscles by yourself or with up to three friends in turn-based macho excitement. Posing for a few minutes not enough? Enjoy Endless Rush mode until your muscles bulge and explode! Muscle March will also be the first WiiWare title to offer a polar bear in tight swimwear!

The Amazing Brain Train!

Publisher: Wahoo Studios

Players: 1

ESRB Rating: E (Everyone)

Price: 600 Wii Points

Description: All aboard! Power up your intellect and embark on an epic quest aboard The Amazing Brain Train! Fueled by your mental energy, Professor Fizzwizzle's Brain Train will take you on a brain-boosting adventure. Put your mighty mind to the test and see how far you can go.

Nintendo DSiWare™

STARSHIP DEFENSE

Publisher: Nintendo

Players: 1

ESRB Rating: E (Everyone) - Mild Fantasy Violence

Price: 500 Nintendo DSi Points™

Description: STARSHIP DEFENSE takes the tower defense genre into outer space. Defend your space fleet from wave after wave of enemy attacks by equipping a variety of weapons and using a combination of strategic skills and resource management. Attach weapons to your ships using the touch screen, making sure to place them for maximum effect when planning your defense. If you don't, the relentless nature of your enemies could overwhelm you. Increase your chances of success by using energy collected from defeated enemies to install new and more powerful weapons, destroying particular enemies to obtain weapon upgrades, and watching for rare power crystals that unlock advanced attacks, including a devastating black hole. And if you still find yourself in trouble, select an SOS card to call on a special kind of assistance. You'll have to defend your fleet across 30 intense sectors, some with specific challenges, while advancing your rank from lowly recruit all the way to fleet admiral. Are you up to the challenge?

Dark Void Zero

Publisher: Capcom Entertainment

Players: 1

ESRB Rating: E (Everyone) - Fantasy Violence

Price: 500 Nintendo DSi Points

Description: As the '80s were drawing to a close, the developers at Capcom began work on a top-secret project that aimed to set new standards for the platformer genre. That game was called Dark Void. Alas, Capcom suspended development on Dark Void as it began to evaluate the SNES™. Before long, the game was shelved and drifted, unnoticed, into the annals of gaming history. Dark Void became a legendary "lost project" at Capcom. Now, nearly 20 years later, Dark Void is back! To commemorate the game's humble origins, Capcom has commissioned this recreation of the original 8-bit classic, now re-titled Dark Void Zero, on the Nintendo DSi™ system. You play as Rusty, the first human born in the Void, who must take on the Watchers in a quest to stop their domination of Earth. With the aid of Nikola Tesla and his state-of-the-art rocket pack, Rusty must take down the Watchers and their minions across three intense levels of action and intrigue.

Chronos Twins

Publisher: EnjoyUp Games

Players: 1

ESRB Rating: E (Everyone) - Fantasy Violence

Price: 500 Nintendo DSi Points

Description: Enter into the original world of Chronos Twins, where you'll live a fantastic adventure full of innovative ideas never seen before in any game. Thanks to its Dual Gameplay game system you'll be able to control Nec in two temporal scenarios at the same time. Chronos Twins mixes action, platforms, adventure and puzzles to challenge your intelligence and ability. If you like games with a real challenge, there's no doubt that Chronos Twins is the game you're looking for.

Me And My Dogs: Friends Forever

Publisher: Gameloft

Players: 1

ESRB Rating: E (Everyone) - Comic Mischief

Price: 800 Wii Points

Description: Have you always dreamed of having a cute dog to cuddle? Thanks to Me And My Dogs: Friends Forever, you can have up to three of the cutest pups imaginable at the same time and take them with you everywhere you go. Choose from friendly Labradors, playful Chow Chows and smart Beagles. Like real dogs, you'll have to take care of them, feed them, wash them and give them lots of love. Play with them at the park and teach them lots of tricks or train them for competitions at the stadium. You can even call them like in real life thanks to the microphone.

Virtual Console™

Shadow Dancer: The Secret of Shinobi

Original platform: Genesis

Publisher: SEGA

Players: 1

ESRB Rating: E 10+ (Everyone 10 and Older) - Fantasy Violence

Price: 800 Wii Points

Description: Easy to play, hard to master, Shadow Dancer: The Secret of Shinobi, first released in 1987, is the sequel to the original Shinobi arcade game, and is one of the only games in the Shinobi series to feature true arcade-style game play. Play as Joe Musashi, the master ninja known to his enemies only as "The Shinobi." This battle is not one you must fight alone, as this is the first game in the Shinobi series to feature your ninja attack dog, Yamoto, who will charge foes on command, leaving them open to a powerful drop kick. Use your mastery of ancient ninja technique to topple the crime syndicate - the Neo Zeed Corporation - and free the foreign dignitaries they have taken hostage in New York City. Good luck, and may the ninja spirits help guide you in your journey.

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.