This week Nintendo is doing things a bit different. Instead of releasing three games on the VC this week they are releasing two games that have never been released in the US before (which will make Cyril happy). The releases are Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels (600 points) and Sin & Punishment (1,200 points). It's certainly nice to see Nintendo mixing it up a bit. Remember to check back later this week for Cyril's take on these games.
This is a special week on the Wii Shop Channel. Frankly, it’s a gamer’s dream
come true: Nintendo is launching the new Import genre with the release of two
games that previously have never been available in the Western Hemisphere on
their original platforms. The first will be hugely popular with Mario™ fans,
who will love reliving the style of his classic games as they encounter new
skills, new levels and new dangers. Nintendo® 64 enthusiasts also get a
masterpiece of the shooter genre and perhaps the best game never released
outside of Japan. Welcome to Import Week for the Wii Shop Channel!
The two new classic games go live at 9 a.m. Pacific time. Nintendo adds new
games to the Wii Shop Channel 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:
Super Mario Bros.™: The Lost Levels™ (NES®, 1 player, rated E for Everyone,
600 Wii Points): Originally released in Japan as Super Mario Bros.® 2, this
game has previously made only brief cameo appearances in the Western
Hemisphere. Now available on the Virtual Console™ in all of its original
splendor, Mario fans will appreciate the familiar look and feel of the game,
while finding that its updated game play creates an entirely new challenge. No
longer content just to wear different-colored overalls, Mario and Luigi also
possess different skill sets: Mario can stop quicker, while Luigi can jump
higher. In addition to the classic enemies already known to fans worldwide,
there are also Poison Mushrooms, backward Warp Zones, and the occasional wind
gust (which can help or hinder your progress) to take into account. And if
that’s somehow not enough, expert players can go looking for the game’s secret
worlds. So get ready to put your Mario skills to the ultimate test, and save
the Princess again. Just don’t be surprised if she’s in another castle.
Sin & Punishment™ (Nintendo 64, 1-2 players, rated T for Teen – Blood, Fantasy
Violence, Mild Language, 1,200 Wii Points): Created by the legendary
development studio Treasure, this is a game that hard-core gamers and fans of
Japanese imports recognize as one of the finest Nintendo 64 titles to have
never previously reached North American shores. Its unique combination of
English voice-overs with Japanese subtitles (preserved in this version) has
only added to the enthusiasm for its eventual release here. Experience the
frenetic pace of a classic shooter, while choosing from a variety of options
and a number of different skill levels until you are ready to take on the
full-blown challenge of Turbo Hard mode. Not to be outdone by the action,
however, the intriguing story line gives the game its soul and draws you even
further into the mix. Set in the near future, on an overpopulated Earth
starved for resources, players uncover the intriguing mystery of two teenagers
(Saki and Airan) and their battle against the Ruffians as they advance through
level after level of nonstop action. Take a deep breath, gather your energy
and prepare to see why this game is so highly praised.
