Weekly: Nintendo Downloads For Week of 5/30/2011

While most are celebrating their Memorial Day with a day out on the grill, enjoying the pure Americana of burgers, hot dogs and booze, there are some who may not have that luxury. Alas, fret not! Nintendo has you covered with the Virtual Console release of the classic 1992 SNES Hudson Soft platformer Super Adventure Island, the third game in the Adventure Island series (you may recall the previous games being for the NES). If you were of the generation who would regularly walk into or check out the flyers for Babbage’s, Electronics Boutique (not the lame current EB Games incarnation) or Software Etc, then you most likely remember this game, as it was advertised often back then.

And why not, as it is a classic platformer through and through, with protagonist Master Higgins facing off against the evil sorcerer Dark Cloak and rescuing his damsel in distress, Tina. Ahh…don’t you love the simplicity of old platformers?

One neat note to mention here is that Super Adventure Island‘s music was composed by none other than the legendary Yuzo Koshiro, who fans may recall did the soundtracks for such classics as The Revenge of Shinobi and the Streets of Rage trilogy. One need only to listen to the game for a few seconds to see his work bring the game to life:

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Super Adventure Island is available on the Virtual Console service for 800 Wii Points, and comes highly recommended, especially those who yearn to see what classic platformers are all about. You can read on below to get all the details regarding this week’s Nintendo downloads!

 

NINTENDO DOWNLOAD: FAST CARS AND A FEISTY DOCTOR DELIVER FRESH DOWNLOADABLE FUN

This week’s new downloadable games for Nintendo systems include two different ways to get behind the wheel – one futuristic, the other retro. In FAST – Racing League for the WiiWare™ service, players can fast-forward 100 years into the future to experience antigravity racing thrills. In Valet Parking 1989™ for the Nintendo DSiWare™ service, they can jump back a couple of decades to strategically handle a host of vintage ’80s automobiles. For those who prefer hospitals instead of hot rods, House M.D. – Globetrotting gives Nintendo DSi™ owners a way to immerse themselves in a rich medical drama. And for timeless console fun, the Super NES™ classic Super Adventure Island is now playable on the Wii™ system via the Virtual Console™ service. Whatever your gaming appetite demands, these great new downloads can help you kick off your summer with a smile.

WiiWare™

FAST – Racing League
Publisher: Shin’en Multimedia
Players: 1-4
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone)
Price: 1,000 Wii Points™
Description: In the year 2112, the masses are fascinated by extreme high-speed races. The latest antigravity racing technology introduced phase-shifting. Perfectly phase-matching tracks and racing machines is the key to survival. Prepare yourself for a whole new racing experience at breakneck speeds. Push your skills to the limit to win races and beat records. Challenge your friends to an all-out split-screen competition. Compete against ruthless opponents and race to the top of all leagues. Warm up your engines – the future is now.

BIT.TRIP VOID (demo version)
Publisher: Aksys Games
Players: 1-4
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone)
Price: 0 Wii Points; full version available for 600 Wii Points
Description: BIT.TRIP VOID is the third installment in the retro-arcade BIT.TRIP saga. BIT.TRIP VOID is a synesthetic exploration of rhythm and music as they pertain to our everyday lives and moods. In a control scheme that’s new to the series yet wholly familiar to gamers, players are given complete freedom to move about the screen wherever they desire and interact with the music in new ways. The classic game-play aesthetic remains – color and the absence of color are explored to the fullest. Trip out in four-player co-op and get lost in the beat with a friend. See if you can survive the onslaught of Beats and further your own BIT.TRIP.

Note: Some demo versions do not support all game features, and players cannot save their in-game progress in demo versions.

Virtual Console™

Super Adventure Island
Original platform: SNES
Publisher: Hudson Entertainment
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone) – Mild Cartoon Violence
Price: 800 Wii Points
Description: Adventure Island is a mysterious and beautiful land that has many hidden dangers. The hero of the island, Master Higgins, protects its inhabitants from many deadly creatures. He has restored peace to the uncharted island on many occasions. But something terrible has happened. While Master Higgins and Jeanie Jungle were stargazing, a dangerous entity known only as Dark Cloak turned Jeanie to stone. Master Higgins must venture toward Dark Cloak’s castle at the foot of Ice Mountain to rescue her.

Nintendo DSiWare™

House M.D. – Globetrotting
Publisher: Legacy Interactive
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: T (Teen) – Drug Reference, Sexual Themes
Price: 800 Nintendo DSi Points™
Description: Whenever a patient is dying and no one can find any answers, the elite Diagnostic Medicine department at Princeton-Plainsboro Hospital must follow all leads to uncover the truth. Patients and family members lie to protect their own peculiar secrets, and the most unlikely clues sometimes can lead to answers. Dr. Gregory House and his team race to unravel a new medical mystery. An aging TV host seems to care less about his own health than his fame and reputation. Track down the correct diagnosis by interviewing and examining the patient, running lab tests and even performing surgery. Every piece of evidence reveals part of the solution, so careful observation and analysis are key. The clock is ticking – be prepared for multiple twists and turns as you solve the case.

B Team – Episode 1: Dust & Steel
Publisher: Subdued Software
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: E10+ (Everyone 10 and Older) – Use of Tobacco, Violence
Price: 800 Nintendo DSi Points
Description: B Team – Episode 1: Dust & Steel is a humorous, action-packed squad-based shooter in which players control a small private army whose soldiers were hired from all over the world. Lead your platoon through an onslaught of commandos, voodoo warriors, dangerous guerillas… and that’s just the beginning. When the action gets too intense to manage on your own, hook up with a friend in multiplayer mode to battle your way through the bullets. While intense action is the game’s chief focus, its multiple weapons, upgradeable equipment and destructible environment further enrich the experience.

Valet Parking 1989
Publisher: Zordix AB
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: E10+ (Everyone 10 and Older) – Mild Language, Mild Violence, Suggestive Themes
Price: 500 Nintendo DSi Points
Description: Valet Parking 1989 combines fun driving with the humor and style of the late 1980s. Park and deliver cars as fast as possible in this time-management puzzle game. The setting is California, where glamorous celebrities let you park their radical sports cars and luxurious limousines. Play the movie-like story mode to unlock levels for endless play. Earn money to buy a cool car and drive it to the beach in style. Don’t let the VIP guests wait any longer. Put on your vest and push the pedal to the metal.

 

Author

Aldo Araujo

Serious tech/consumer electronics/gaming enthusiast who loves to talk about the things I am passionate about. My gaming ventures began on the Atari 2600, with my exposure going to pretty much all the consoles out there, even the not-so-memorable ones (3DO, CD-i, Jaguar, game.com...I'm looking at you!), though I would trade these memories for the world, as gaming has always been a significant part of my life. Now, I report the news and goings-on in the cast gaming industry in the hopes that you, our fellow readers, will enjoy our little quips as we go on this constantly-changing journey together!

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