14 DAY TRIAL // No need for an introduction anymore, as I'm sure everyone owning a Wii today knows that every week Nintendo throws three (and sometimes even four) classic arcade titles down the Wii Shop Channel. Generally, the games come from old platforms such as the TurboGrafx16, NES and SNES but also newer ones, if we can call the N64 a newer platform. This week, gamers have three games to choose from. Those are: Paper Mario, Balloon Fight and Silent Debuggers. Their descriptions are found below. Paper Mario (Nintendo 64, 1 player, Rated E for Everyone-Comic Mischief, 1,000 Wii Points): Paper Mario is a graphically innovative game that breaks from the confines of the RPG genre. Now slimmed down, everyone's favorite plumber flips, spins, jumps and hammers his way through scads of exotic worlds that teem with a huge and hugely entertaining supporting cast. Players control numerous old and new characters in a complex, nonlinear story that follows different scenarios depending on player choices. A dizzying collection of spells, attacks, skills and special items can be collected by players willing to thoroughly explore the lush 3-D environments.
Balloon Fight (NES, 1-2 players, Rated E for Everyone, 500 Wii Points): Control a character to pop your opponents' balloons before they pop yours. Sounds easy, doesn't it? Don't be fooled by this game's simple premise or cute exterior. Underneath you'll find a surprisingly addictive game with strategy to spare. After mastering the easy-to-learn controls, you still have to get a grip on the game's impressively realistic physics. And if that's not enough, there are the ever-increasing enemies and environmental hazards like lightning and water. Try the game's second mode, Balloon Trip, if you feel like taking a break from the action and just want to see how long you can stay aloft. And hey, who doesn't like popping balloons sometimes?
Silent Debuggers (TurboGrafx16, 1 player, Rated E for Everyone-Fantasy Violence, 600 Wii Points): Make your way through a dungeon-like space station and defeat the prowling monsters in this real-time first-person shooter. You're a member of the elite Debuggers, a group of warriors who are jacks-of-all-trades. Assigned to inspect an unmanned space station, you have exactly 100 minutes to get in, destroy the monsters lurking around each block, make your way to the lowest level and deactivate the automatic detonator placed there. With each monster that slips by you, the core block becomes harder to survive in, so speed is key in preserving the facility and each separate block. Experience the thrill of survival as the timer ticks away and you uncover the truth of the events that occurred.
The Wii Shop Channel hosts now well over 100 classic titles which everyone can enjoy and remember, so basically, there's a lot more to choose from. These three are just the service's newest additions. Have fun!