It's Monday and that means another round of WiiWare, Virtual Console, and DSiWare updates. There's six new games available for download to your Wii or DS, including the NES urban Olympics game Crash 'N The Boys: Street Challenge and Gameloft's Texas Hold'Em Poker.
WiiWare
Texas Hold'Em Poker
Developer: Gameloft
Players: 1-5
ESRB Rating: T (Teen) - Simulated Gambling
Price: 600 Wii Points ($6)
Description: Prepare to experience the intensity of a real Texas Hold'em poker tournament! Whether you're a poker novice or veteran, you'll enjoy Tournament, Cash Game, and Heads-up mode with simple and fun Wii Remote controls. Hit the tables as one of 6 fun and charismatic characters, or import your own Mii to really put on your poker face. Take on the world's most prestigious casinos - from Monaco to New York - and challenge opponents that won't hesitate to taunt or comment on your playing style, creating a very realistic poker atmosphere! Or you can impress friends with wild poker parties thanks to an Online mode that allows you to play with up to 5 friends and create your own tournaments, in addition to joining official Gameloft tournaments. You can even challenge random online opponents of any skill level you want. Even if you've never played poker before, you can learn all the rules and strategy with the Advanced Tutorial that teaches you everything from winning hands and betting to bluffing.
Spaceball Revolution
Developer: Virtual Toys
Players: 1-2
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone) - Mild Fantasy Violence
Price: 800 Wii Points ($8)
Description: Fight your way through fifteen challenging levels in Spaceball Revolution, in which you have to reconstruct impossible shapes by shooting energy balls. It's a race against the clock to complete the pattern in time and you'll need to avoid enemy attacks while you try to do it!
You can use the walls to deflect your space balls in this futuristic puzzle game, which adds a level of strategy to the gameplay. There are numerous levels to take on, each with different obstacles to overcome and new puzzles to test your skills! There's also a multiplayer mode allowing you to challenge a friend in a tense showdown in a split-screen format.
Mart Racer
Publisher: JoJu Games
Players: 1-4
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone) - Alcohol Reference, Comic Mischief
Price: 800 Wii Points ($8)
Description: You're a sharp-elbowed shopper racing through the store to find items before your rivals do. Use your Wii Remote controller like a handlebar to control your shopping cart as you race through different types of stores. Vex your competitors by stunning them with plungers and stealing groceries out of their carts. Outrun them by using your drifting and aisle-jumping skills. Keep away from the security guards who want to stop the mall melee. The first player with a completed shopping list at the cash register wins. A simple and fun game that's suitable for all ages, Mart Racer pits you against the computer or up to four players. Play with your friends and family on a split screen or compete online via Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection. (Broadband Internet access is required for online play.)
Wii Virtual Console
Crash 'N The Boys: Street Challenge
Original platform: NES
Publisher: Aksys Games
Players: 1-2
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone) - Cartoon Violence
Price: 500 Wii Points ($5)
Description: Todd Thornley, son of the head of Thornley Industries, has had it with Crash and the Southside boys. With help from other high schools, Todd decides Hiller High will take down Crash and his Southside High cronies in an unsanctioned street challenge. Take control of one of four high school teams (with four playable characters per team) and make your way through five different sporting events. Dash and bash through the 400 meter hurdles; swing to victory in the hammer throw; swim and knock out your opponent while swimming; pole vault, jump and ride a unicycle across rooftops; and use judo to fight your opponent in a one-on-one brawl. Can you lead your high school to the top of the Street Challenge?
Nintendo DSiWare
Art Academy: First Semester
Publisher: Nintendo
Players: 1 ESRB Rating: E (Everyone)
Price: 800 DSi Points ($8)
Description: Art Academy is a portable art course that replaces the lecture-like structure of art school and the trial-and-error of working on canvas. Art Academy: First Semester can guide you through the basics of pencil and paints, using Nintendo DSi controls to draw like the real things. With your own paintbrush set and color palette, you'll learn texturing and blending techniques, plus ways to depict light and shade. There's also Free Paint mode, which allows you to select and draw from photos in your Nintendo DSi Camera Album. In just a few lessons, you'll be discovering your inner artist and creating your own masterpieces with art skills that you can apply with real-life materials.
Oscar in Toyland
Developer: Virtual Playground
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone) - Comic Mischief
Price: 800 DSi Points ($8)
Description: Meet Oscar, the new kid on the block. This fabulous jump-and-run game is easy to play, packed with hours of fun and nonstop action, hundreds of collectibles and surprises. In psychedelic worlds of candy, soda pop, amusement park rides, board games, fairy tales and more, you'll meet cool toys and animals in hidden rooms, bonus and bogus mini games. Use Wings to fly, Springy Shoes to jump, and Oscar's secret weapon, his magical Yo-Yo, to swing and zap enemies in some of the craziest platform levels you'll ever play.
