This Week in Nintendo Downloads

Wii

by Neal Ronaghan - October 25, 2010, 11:30 am EDT
Total comments: 10 Source: (Nintendo)

The latest Bit.Trip headlines this week's slate of six games.

This week sees the release of six games, with two on WiiWare and four on DSiWare. Virtual Console has no new releases.

Bit.Trip Fate, the penultimate entry in Gaijin Games' series, is an on-rails rhythm-based shooter. You control Commander Video through different stages using power-ups to defeat the evil Mingrawn Timbletot. Compatible with the Wii Zapper, Bit.Trip Fate is 800 Wii Points ($8).

The second WiiWare game this week is My Planetarium from Hudson. This 500 Wii Point ($5) title allows players to look at constellations and celestial bodies using the Wii Remote. You can take 11 different tours in Planetarium Mode, and read the Celestial Guidebook, which details all sorts of astronomical facts.

The first title on DSiWare this week is Go! Go! Island Rescue! from Connect2Media. Taking place during the worst vacation ever for the hapless Darwins, Island Rescue puts you in the shoes of the Rescue Squad who must save the poor family from different disasters. The 500 Nintendo DSi Point game has 50 levels and promises laughs and bonus levels.

Spot the Difference is the next DSiWare game. From Enjoy Gaming, this game forces you to look for differences in identical-looking photos. Six players can play this game in a turn-based multiplayer mode. It is available for 500 Nintendo DSi Points ($5).

The next game is GO Series Defense Wars. This DSiWare title is a tower defense game from Gamebridge. Available for 200 Nintendo DSi Points ($2), you use bullets, bombs, and cannons to ward off attacking troops.

The last title of the week is Flashlight, which is a flashlight for your DSi. Published by Kaasa, this application costs your 200 Nintendo DSi Points ($2).

PRESS RELEASE

Nintendo Download: New Bit.Trip Fate Among Downloadable Treats for Nintendo Systems

Oct. 25, 2010

Wanna treat yourself to some new games? There's no trick to it. Just visit the Wii Shop Channel or Nintendo DSi Shop to browse and download hundreds of instantly enjoyable games for Wii™ and Nintendo DSi™ systems. The latest additions to the WiiWare™ service include BIT.TRIP FATE, a new entry in the acclaimed series that blends retro aesthetics with modern gaming thrills. New for the Nintendo DSiWare™ service, Go! Go! Island Rescue! invites you to endure a disaster-laden vacation, while GO Series Defense Wars challenges you to protect your base against heavily armed enemies. No matter what you plan to wear on Oct. 31, these new downloads will keep you grinning like a jack-o'-lantern.

WiiWare

BIT.TRIP FATE
Publisher: Aksys Games
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone) - Mild Fantasy Violence
Price: 800 Wii Points™
Description: BIT.TRIP FATE is an on-rails side-scrolling shoot-'em-up that finds CommanderVideo riding the vibe to discover his fate. CommanderVideo will need a little help from the friends he made in BIT.TRIP RUNNER to thwart the Mingrawn Timbletot, who has mutated the world into an ugly technological nightmare. Join forces with the Junior Melchkin, CommandgirlVideo and others to increase CommanderVideo's power and save the world. Whether you play in single-player mode or team up with a co-pilot, you'll need a steady hand to navigate the vibe and aim your blasters at the twisted souls out to destroy you.

My Planetarium™
Publisher: Hudson Entertainment
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone) - Alcohol Reference, Violent References
Price: 500 Wii Points
Description: My Planetarium is a game that allows you to observe celestial bodies from the comfort of your living room using the Wii Remote™ controller. Choose from three main modes. Observation Mode contains approximately 20,000 celestial objects up to stars of the 7th magnitude. Changeable settings include the ability to display the latitude and longitude of constellations and choose how fast time elapses. In Planetarium Mode, you can take 11 different tours that cover subjects such as stars, nebulae, constellations and other celestial objects. The Celestial Guidebook contains detailed information and mythology on celestial objects and constellations as well as a helpful glossary of astronomy terms used in observation. Enjoy a deep look into the stars and mysterious objects that fill the night sky. (Information on celestial objects is up-to-date as of June 2010.)

Nintendo DSiWare

Go! Go! Island Rescue!
Publisher: Connect2Media
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: E10+ (Everyone 10 and Older) - Comic Mischief, Tobacco Reference
Price: 500 Nintendo DSi Points™
Description: This is the worst vacation ever! The hotels are collapsing, the robot waiters are going berserk and the picturesque volcanoes are exploding. You'll be lucky to make it out alive, let alone get a suntan. It's time to scramble the Rescue Squad! Take control of a squad of brave firefighters who must save the hapless Darwins from all manner of disasters, including fire, floods and rampaging robots. To do this, you must throw the Darwins around the levels until they reach a fire exit. Luckily, some of the Darwins bounce, so don't worry too much if you drop some of them. And you can always rewind time in case of any fatal accidents. With more than 50 levels of unique, laugh-out-loud game play spread across four colorful zones, panic rooms and bonus levels, Go! Go! Island Rescue! will have you smiling for hours.

Spot the Difference
Publisher: Enjoy Gaming
Players: 1-6
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone)
Price: 500 Nintendo DSi Points
Description: Photos are displayed on both screens. You must select the areas on the bottom screen where you see a difference and find all differences in a limited amount of time. If you manage to discover the differences within the time limit, you'll be rewarded with Cups according to your performance. There are Bronze, Silver and Gold Cups to be won. The game features 160 different photos from established photographers, with more than 1,000 combinations of differences to find in the images. Choose between one-player and multiplayer modes. The multiplayer mode is a turn-based mode in which each player must spot the differences in the same image.

GO Series Defense Wars
Publisher: Gamebridge
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: E10+ (Everyone 10 and Older) - Mild Cartoon Violence
Price: 200 Nintendo DSi Points
Description: Defend your base by taking control of a mini-arsenal of weapons and fighting off wave after wave of enemy attackers. Use the stylus to fire bullets and bombs at oncoming enemies. Arm your base with guns, cannons and tanks in preparation for the onslaught, then attack with everything you've got. Your mission is to survive. Good luck!

Flashlight
Publisher: Kaasa
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: Not Rated
Price: 200 Nintendo DSi Points
Description: When it's dark, people need a simple source of light. Flashlight changes the dual screens of your Nintendo DSi system into a flashlight with added features. You can change the color and the intensity of the light. Use your Nintendo DSi system to read under a blanket or to get a serious source of light while taking night hikes. Flashlight could also be helpful in other situations, such as using the warning light when your car has broken down.

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Talkback

MegaByteAaron Kaluszka, Associate EditorOctober 25, 2010

A fucking flashlight app for $2? Really?

FZeroBoyoOctober 25, 2010

My Planetarium? We get that instead of My Aquarium 3? ;D

Yeah... A flashlight app seems pretty silly, considering that the DSi screens are already bright enough to be a flashlight.

NWR_NealNeal Ronaghan, Owner/Reviews EditorOctober 25, 2010

I have legitimately used my DSi as a flashlight. I don't need to spend $2 to activate an app for it.

broodwarsOctober 25, 2010

If Bit.Trip FATE turns out to be significantly easier/more fun than Runner, I'll pick it up. Runner just really frustrated me, even if it is one of the few games in the series I've actually beaten.

Mop it upOctober 25, 2010

I'm curious what the Flashlight app looks like. Is it just a white screen or something more? The DS is already pretty bright on the highest setting, so just find a white screen (like the startup one or menus) and it's a pretty effective torch.

nhainesOctober 26, 2010

I use the startup warning screens as flashlights all the time when I don't use my phone.

If My Planetarium is anything like Celestia or Stellarium (both excellent Free Software applications available for Windows, Mac, and Linux) then that might actually be worth it. I'll wait to see some screenshots though.

Jonnyboy117Jonathan Metts, Associate EditorOctober 26, 2010

Quote from: broodwars

If Bit.Trip FATE turns out to be significantly easier/more fun than Runner, I'll pick it up. Runner just really frustrated me, even if it is one of the few games in the series I've actually beaten.

It's easier for sure. There are 5 levels, maybe 6, and I beat the first three on my first try. The fourth level took two tries. The fifth level boss is a bastard, and there are no check-points, so you have to replay the whole level if he kills you. The entire game is slow-paced for the franchise, with really dull music and seemingly little musical interaction. Some enemies make sounds when the die, but they all take several hits to kill, so it never feels like you are interacting with the music.

I really like the curved-path movement as a way to mix up the shoot-em-up gameplay. It usually works well, and the bosses take advantage of it in some clever ways. The normal enemies don't mix as well with this kind of movement, since the game is also auto-scrolling, and there's no telling when or if you'll interact with an enemy as it flirts into view. On the later stages, enemies will sometimes shoot bullets right down the path, which means it's impossible to dodge unless you anticipate the situation and move to an entirely different section of the path before the bullet cuts you off.

Overall... it's attractive and has some cool twists on the traditional shmup, but it feels like a step backwards from Runner. The slow music isn't catchy at all, and the franchise's trademark fusing of rhythm and gameplay seems to have been forgotten. I like the power-up characters, but they are timed, not skill-based. Some make you practically invincible, and one actually makes it harder to hit most enemies. Seems three-quarters-baked.

KDR_11kOctober 26, 2010

Runner wasn't very good for music either IMO, there were some obstacles that just sounded awful.

broodwarsOctober 26, 2010

Indeed. TBH, I don't think the music in the Bit.Trip games has been all that spectacular after Core, but it's been serviceable. I'm sad to read that Fate may not be all that hot compared to previous entries in the series, though, especially when it comes to the music. I might still pick it up, but to be honest after all this Castlevania playing I'm kind of in the mood to pick up the Castlevania WiiWare game instead.

vuduOctober 26, 2010

Quote from: Jonnyboy117

The entire game is slow-paced for the franchise, with really dull music and seemingly little musical interaction. Some enemies make sounds when the die, but they all take several hits to kill, so it never feels like you are interacting with the music.

This is what I was afraid of. The trailers made it seem like there wasn't much interaction with the music--guess they were pretty accurate. :(

Quote from: KDR_11k

Runner wasn't very good for music either IMO, there were some obstacles that just sounded awful.

Shut your mouth. Runner had fantastic music and the interactions were top-notch. It's by far my favorite Bit.Trip game.

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