This week's additions to the Wii's online Shop Channel bring a total of four new downloadable games, plus some downloadable content for the recently released Mega Man 9.

WiiWare
• MadStone (Riverman) / 800 Wii Points ($8)
• Midnight Bowling (Gameloft) / 800 Wii Points ($8)
• Mega Man 9 (Inti Creates)
  • Proto Man Character / 200 Wii Points ($2)
  • Endless Attack Mode / 300 Wii Points ($3)
Virtual Console
• Mario Golf (Camelot, Nintendo 64) / 1000 Wii Points ($10)
• Shining Force II (Camelot, Genesis) / 800 Wii Points ($8)

The Mega Man 9 DLC will hit Xbox 360 tomorrow, and PlayStation 3 Thursday.

All the above titles and content are now available. Read on for details... Read more

Hudson's WiiWare remix of classic puzzle game Tetris will descend onto the Wii Shop Channel, inch-by-inch, this month.

Announced back in May, the game--now entitled Tetris Party--will cost 1200 Wii Points ($12) and will sport a whopping 18 modes of play, according to a Nintendo press release.

Tetris Party will also support online multiplayer for up to six players, as well as a mode controlled entirely by the Balance Board accessory. Players lean forward and backward to control the speed of the pieces and squat to rotate them.

Cave Story, a freeware 2D PC action game by Daisuke Amaya, will arrive on Wii as a downloadable WiiWare game, Nintendo has announced.

"This title is an action-adventure game with new, exclusive content and features created only for the WiiWare version," reads the relevant chunk of a Nintendo press release.

Bearing a mild resemblance to Nintendo's Metroid series, Cave Story follows hero Quote as he awakens deep in a cave with no memory of how he got there. The game has garnered worldwide praise as well as ports for Mac OS, Linux, other operating systems, and homebrew ports for the PlayStation Portable and Nintendo DS.

A release date or price--presumably not free, in a break with tradition--for the downloadable game is as yet unknown.

With the Wii's ever-growing emphasis on downloadable games and in-game content, console maker Nintendo has revealed that Wii owners will be able to download games directly to an inserted SD memory card beginning next spring.

"We have to address the console's insufficient memory storage," Nintendo president Satoru Iwata said during a press conference last night, reports Kotaku.

Though Wii users have been able to transfer content to and from an SD card since the system launched, they have been unable to directly download games to the card, with titles needing to be stored within the 512MB of internal system memory to run.

It is assumed that games will be playable directly from the SD card, as there would be little sense in downloading a game if it was not immediately playable. Vicarious Visions' Wii edition of Guitar Hero World Tour, due October 26, will let users play downloaded songs from an SD card by automatically copying the content to internal memory.

The retro revival continues this week on Nintendo's online marketplace. If anything can follow up the lauded arrival of Capcom's Mega Man 9, it's a new Bomberman game.

WiiWare
• Art Style: ORBIENT (Nintendo) / 600 Wii Points ($6)
• Bomberman Blast (Hudson Soft) / 1000 Wii Points ($10)
Virtual Console
• Super Turrican 2 (Factor 5, SNES) / 800 Wii Points ($8)

All three games are available now. The official details follow below... Read more

In addition to the promised release of Mega Man 9--also coming to PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 within the next week and a half--today's update to the Wii's online shop brings two retro downloads and a new painting puzzle game.

WiiWare
• Mega Man 9 (Inti Creates, Capcom) / 1000 Wii Points ($10)
• PLATTCHEN twist 'n' paint (Bplus) / 1000 Wii Points ($10)
Virtual Console
• Super Dodge Ball (Technos, NES) / 500 Wii Points ($5)
• Vectorman (BlueSky Software, Genesis) / 800 Wii Points ($8)

All four games will be downloadable from the Wii Shop Channel beginning today at 12 PM EDT, 9 AM PDT. The official details follow below... Read more

This week's Wii Shop Channel update throws a twist into the mix. We only get one Virtual Console release while the WiiWare shop gets two new downloadable games, but the VC release is so good it could count for two ordinary retro games.

WiiWare
• Strong Bad Episode 2: Strong Badia the Free (Telltale) / 1,000 Wii Points ($10)
• Potpourrii (Abstraction Games) / 800 Wii Points ($8)
Virtual Console
• Mega Man 2 (Capcom, NES) / 500 Wii Points ($5)

All three games are now available for download. Read on for details.... Read more

This week's Wii Shop Channel update bestows us with a puzzle game, a scrolling shooter, and Cho Aniki, the very, uh, manly side-scrolling shooter. Following what's becoming tradition, WiiWare gets one new title while the Virtual Console gets two.

WiiWare
• Groovin' Blocks (Empty Clip) / 800 Wii Points ($8)
Virtual Console
• Final Soldier (Hudson, TurboGrafx16) / 700 Wii Points ($7)
• Cho Aniki (Masaya, TurboGrafx16) / 900 Wii Points ($9)

All three games are now available for download. Read on for details.... Read more

This week's update to the Wii's online Shop Channel brings with it the seemingly traditional mix of one new WiiWare game, and two Virtual Console retro re-releases.

WiiWare
• My Aquarium (Hudson) / 500 Wii Points ($5)
Virtual Console
• Clu Clu Land (Nintendo, NES) / 500 Wii Points ($5)
• Super Mario RPG (Square, SNES) / 800 Wii Points ($8)

All three games are now up for download. Read on for more details... Read more

As some predict that digital sales and downloads of video games will soon render traditional retailers obsolete, Electronic Arts European publishing manager Jes Uwe Intat doesn't think that retailers will disappear across the next twenty years.

"I think there will still be a need for a physical distribution starter, and then services and additional content can be distributed online," he told GamesIndustry.biz.

That firm belief, Intat noted, comes from the ever-expanding size of games.

"We used to be below 1 GB, but we're now building games that have 8, 9, 10 GB--and if broadband distribution is going to allow 10 GB to be distributed in half... Read more

New entries in the multiplayer classic Bomberman and sci-fi themed pinball Alien Crush series are getting released on the WiiWare service.

Both games will receive graphical overhauls and new online multiplayer features. Bomberman Blast will feature 8-player internet multiplayer while allowing 4 players to play on the same screen. Alien Crush Returns, on the other hand, will include head-to-head online multiplayer and online scoreboards.

Developer and publisher Hudson Soft plans to offer online tournaments for both titles on its website, which will begin on the games' respective launch dates.

North American release dates or prices have not been given, but Alien Crush Returns launched today on Japan's WiiWare service for 800 Points ($8).

Per its weekly tradition, Nintendo has issued details on the new downloads that will be available later today from the online Wii Shop Channel.

Today's update includes the WiiWare debut of Ghostfire Games' motion-controlled dancing game Helix, along with retro re-releases of SNK's NeoGeo fighter Samurai Shodown and Nihon Falcom's TurboGrafx-16 CD RPG Ys Book I& II.

WiiWare
• Helix (Ghostfire Games) - 1000 Wii Points ($10)
  
  Virtual Console
• Samurai Shodown 2 (SNK / NeoGeo) - 900 Wii Points ($9)
• Ys Book I & II (Nihon Falcom / TurboGrafx-16 CD) - 800 Wii Points ($8)

All three titles will be available for download beginning today at 9 AM PDT, 12 PM EDT. Keep reading for official descriptions of each game... Read more

Nintendo has announced the latest batch of games hitting the Wii's downloadable gaming platform, with Capcom's classic platformer Mega Man finally arriving on the Virtual Console.

Meanwhile, the update also includes a new original WiiWare title, as well as another Virtual Console offering. As per Nintendo's usual release schedule, the games are available as of 12 PM EST, 9 AM PST today.

WiiWare

• Midnight Pool (Gameloft) / 800 Wii Points ($8)

Virtual Console

• Mega Man (Capcom, NES) / 500 Wii Points ($5)
• Neo Turf Masters (SNK, Neo-Geo) / 900 Wii Points ($9)

Read on for more details as provided by Nintendo... Read more

Dutch studio Ronimo Games has announced Swords & Soldiers, a side-view RTS title bound for the Nintendo Wii's WiiWare downloadable gaming platform. Alongside the announcement were a trio of screenshots showing off the game's look and feel.

The title comes by way of the original developers of de Blob, a property later purchased by publisher THQ. Ronimo co-founder Fabian Akker cited de Blob as a strong foundation for the company's formation.

"de Blob was the eye opener for us, that we can make cool games and function as a good team," Akker said in a press release. "The game definitely gave us the opportunity to start our own company. We always dreamed of designing an RTS and when WiiWare came out we immediately figured that this was our chance."

Swords & Soldiers allows players to take control of one of three factions battling it out for the powers of the gods. In addition to a single player campaign, Swords & Soldiers also supports competitive splitscreen multiplayer and several other game modes.

The game is currently scheduled to arrive on the Wii's digital storefront this fall.

The first episode of Telltale Games' Strong Bad's Cool Game for Attractive People has arrived on PC and the Wii's downloadable gaming platform WiiWare.

Entitled "Homestar Ruiner," the first episode is available on the Wii via the console's online Wii Shop Channel, priced at 1000 Wii Points ($10). The PC edition is offered at Telltale's website for $8.95, or $34.95 for a five-episode subscription. A playable demo was also released.

Nintendo listed today's additions to the Wii's Virtual Console as:

• Break In (Naxat Soft, TurboGrafx-16) / 700 Wii Points ($7)
• Star Parodier (Hudson Soft, TurboGrafx-16 CD) / 900 Wii Points ($9)

Read on for more information on the games as provided by Nintendo... Read more

The first episode of Telltale Games' downloadable point-and-click adventure series Strong Bad's Cool Game for Attractive People will see a simultaneous Wii and PC launch on August 11, the developer announced today.

The game's debut installment "Homestar Ruiner" marks the first of five planned episodes, scheduled for release as monthly installments.

The Wii version of the title will be available on the console's Wii Shop Channel at a price of 1000 Wii Points ($10). Meanwhile, the PC edition will be offered on Telltale's site for $8.95 for a single episode purchase or a $34.95 five-episode subscription.

Nintendo today issued details on several new titles coming to the Wii's downloadable gaming service, with one original WiiWare title and two Virtual Console classics arriving on the system's Wii Shop Channel.

The games are available as of 12 PM EST, 9 AM PST today.

WiiWare

• Wild West Guns (Gameloft) / 1000 Wii Points ($10)

Virtual Console

• Sonic the Hedgehog (Sega, Sega Master System) / 500 Wii Points ($5)
• Splatterhouse 2 (Namco, Sega Genesis) / 800 Wii Points ($8)

Read on for more details as provided by Nintendo... Read more

Continuing its weekly tradition, Nintendo has issued details on today's additions to the Wii's online Shop Channel, providing the specifics on its three latest downloads.

Initially announced as Beer Pong, the game was eventually renamed Pong Toss, with all in-game references to alcohol removed, following a quickly-forgotten controversy that accused the title of promoting underage drinking.

Per usual, this week's games will be available beginning at 12 PM EST, 9 AM PST.

WiiWare

• Beer Pong Toss (JV Games) / 800 Wii Points ($8)

Virtual Console

• Art of Fighting 2 (SNK, Neo-Geo) / 900 Wii Points ($9)
• Chase H.Q. (Taito, TurboGrafx-16) / 600 Wii Points ($6)

Keep reading for more details, including an amazing Pong Toss trailer... Read more

Recent updates to the Wii's online Shop Channel digital storefront includes four Virtual Console games and two original WiiWare downloadable titles.

WiiWare

• Major League Eating: The Game (Mastiff) / 1000 Wii Points ($10)
• Pirates: The Key of Dreams (Oxygen Games) / 1000 Wii Points ($10)

Virtual Console

• Donkey Kong 3 (Nintendo, NES) / 500 Wii Points ($5)
• Ninja Commando (Alpha Denshi, Neo-Geo) / 900 Wii Points ($9)
• Super Fantasy Zone (Sunsoft, Sega Genesis) / 900 Wii Points ($9)
• Gley Lancer (NCS, Sega Genesis) / 900 Wii Points ($9)

All six titles are available now. Read onward for more information... Read more

Today's update to the Wii's online Shop Channel includes one Virtual Console game and a single original WiiWare title, Nintendo has announced.

WiiWare

• SPOGS Racing (D2C Games) / 1000 Wii Points ($10)

Virtual Console

• King of the Monsters (SNK, Neo-Geo) / 900 Wii Points ($9)

Per the usual Wii Shop Channel release schedule, both games are now available on the Wii's digital storefront. More details on both games are viewable below... Read more