Okay, so I had no idea anyone was working on a new Blaster Master game but hey look- there's one up on the Wii right now!
I have to confess that BM (what an unfortunate abbreviation...) was one of my all time favorite games for the NES many, many, moons ago. The game, which involved piloting a Metal Slug-like tank through an underground world while shootin' away at all manner of nasties that mqade little to no sense. More fun than it sounds. Trust me.
Anyway, the game never really birthed any kind of franchise to speak of. There was a game on the PSOne that really wasn't very good and that was it. Hopefully this one fares a little better, hey at least it's a side-scroller.
There's other stuff this week too, hit the break for all the scuttle- including Princess Tomato in Salad Kingdom. Seriously.
Deadly Viruses and Heroic Vegetables Make for a Memorable Week
From pulse-pounding action to mind-bending puzzles and beyond, this
week’s lineup of new downloadable games offers a dizzying variety to
satisfy players of all stripes. New additions for the WiiWare™
service include the sci-fi adventure of BLASTER MASTER™
OVERDRIVE and the speedy fun of Tomena Sanner, plus a pair of
family-friendly games to help parents and their kids brighten up the dog
days of winter. For the Nintendo DSiWare™ service, new
attractions include the rocket-powered puzzles of Link ‘n’
Launch™ and the tower-defending thrills of Fieldrunners.
And lest you should think cucumbers are only good for snacking, the
Virtual Console™ debut of Princess Tomato in the Salad
Kingdom lets Wii™ owners enjoy a quirky classic from the
NES™ era.
WiiWare
BLASTER MASTER OVERDRIVE
Publisher: SUNSOFT
Players:
1
ESRB Rating: E10+ (Everyone 10 and Older) – Mild Fantasy
Violence
Price: 1,000 Wii Points™
Description:
BLASTER MASTER OVERDRIVE is an action-adventure game that takes
place on an Earth infected by an aggressive, polymorphic virus. Poor,
defenseless animals worldwide have been turned into flesh-eating,
hemoglobin-swilling terrors. Fortunately, the world has Alex, who
happens to be one of the world’s foremost biologists and specializes in
viral mutation profiles and genetic manipulation. Every studious
biologist facing imminent global annihilation needs a sweet ride, and
Alex is no exception. He has S.O.P.H.I.A., a shape-shifting,
gas-guzzling, projectile-spewing paean to destruction on four wheels.
Things look grim, but with Alex and S.O.P.H.I.A. on the case, the world
just might have a chance.
Tomena Sanner
Publisher: Konami Digital
Entertainment
Players: 1-4
ESRB Rating: E
(Everyone) – Comic Mischief, Mild Cartoon Violence
Price:
500 Wii Points
Description: Businessman Hitoshi Susumu is
behind schedule and in quite a rush. In fact, once he starts running, he
won’t stop! Dashing past samurais, T-Rexes, cowboys and all manner of
wacky obstacles, Mr. Susumu must get to the goal as fast as he can for
the ultimate 2-D dance party. Tomena Sanner is a high-speed
side-scrolling action game with a unique timing-based control system
that’s as challenging as it is fun. As they fly, jump and dance over the
many zany obstacles, players need to time their moves to keep their
speed up and perform awesome tricks. Using just one button on the Wii
Remote™ controller, players of all ages and skill levels will
be able to play and help Mr. Susumu get to his goal. Four players can
compete to see who is the fastest at running through the bizarre and
comical world of Tomena Sanner.
Bloons®
Publisher:
Hands-On Mobile
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: E
(Everyone)
Price: 500 Wii Points
Description: Bloons
is an exciting puzzle game based on the simple fact that popping
balloons is fun. Pop your way through dozens of puzzling levels in this
exciting puzzle adventure. Each level will have a different arrangement
of balloons. Using the darts you’re given, try to pop as many as you
can. Look out for special balloons, blocks and darts, and have fun
discovering what they do. You can pick up and play for a few minutes or
spend hours working your way through the game’s 70 levels. As an added
bonus, there’s also a level editor that allows you to create your own
balloon puzzles.
Hubert The Teddy Bear Winter Games
Publisher:
Teyon
Players: 1-16
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone) –
Comic Mischief
Price: 500 Wii Points
Description:
Hubert The Teddy Bear is a party game in which players confront
crafty bunnies. Outsmart them in eight winter activities including snow
fight, sleigh ride, Christmas tree decoration, fishing, catching a bunny
and more. Create a teddy bear and customize it to fit your own style.
Choose its name and gender and dress it up by combining elements from
plenty of clothes and accessories. Play solo or engage your family and
friends by competing in one of the multiplayer modes. As many as 16
players can take part in one competition. Thanks to the balanced levels
of difficulty – kid, youngster and adult – everyone can enjoy the game.
This collection of casual winter sports provides a new experience for
the whole family.
Nintendo DSiWare
Oscar in Movieland
Publisher: Virtual
Playground
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone)
Price:
800 Nintendo DSi Points™
Description: Following
his Oscar in Toyland escapades, Oscar now plays the leading actor
in sensational worlds of hit movies and TV shows. From Sci-Fi to
Cartoon, Western to War, Horror to Jurassic and more, this is a game not
to be missed. Oscar in Movieland features eye-popping graphics,
parallax scrolling backgrounds and fabulous game play. This jump-and-run
game is easy to play and packed with hours of fun and nonstop action.
Use Wings to Fly, Springy Boots to Jump, and Oscar’s secret weapon – his
magical Yo-Yo – to swing on and zap enemies in some of the craziest
platform levels you’ll ever play.
Link ‘n’ Launch
Publisher: Nintendo
Players:
1
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone)
Price: 500 Nintendo
DSi Points
Description: Take your puzzle-solving skills to
new heights in Link ‘n’ Launch, a puzzle game in which you must
move tiles to create a path that connects fuel to your rocket, blasting
it through space. Complete the basic training mode to learn how to play Link
‘n’ Launch, and then buckle in for the ride through the robust
Missions and Puzzles modes. Missions mode has you propelling the rocket
through space to reach the target planet within a three-minute time
limit, while Puzzles mode challenges you to clear all fuel and pipe
tiles from the screen. In both modes, not only do you need to create a
path to keep your rocket fueled, but you’ll also have to account for
immovable tiles and special tiles that upgrade your rocket or give you
additional time to complete the level, all while keeping your rocket’s
flight path within the established boundaries. The launch countdown has
begun – are you prepared?
Fieldrunners
Publisher: Subatomic Studios
Players:
1
ESRB Rating: E10+ (Everyone 10 and Older) – Mild Cartoon
Violence
Price: 500 Nintendo DSi Points
Description:
Descend into the world of Fieldrunners, one of the most
anticipated and visually stunning games in mobile tower defense history.
Defend and control the field with a diverse selection of upgradeable
towers, using a wide array of tactics and strategies against countless
waves of unique land and air combatants. Enjoy hours of entertainment
and replayable challenges. Do you have what it takes to dominate the
fieldrunners and rise to the top as the ultimate tower defense master?
Sudoku 4Pockets
Publisher: 4Pockets.com
Players:
1
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone)
Price: 500 Nintendo
DSi Points
Description: Sudoku 4Pockets offers you
3,600 puzzles, and your assistant Kiku will be there to guide you
through each of the Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced skill levels.
The aim of sudoku is to complete a grid of nine-by-nine squares with the
numbers 1 through 9 in each square, row and column. As you play, Kiku
will guide you: She can tell you if you’ve entered an incorrect number,
offer you hints and explain the moves and terms as you play. The
simple-to-use number entry makes it easy to select numbers and add
possible number candidates to aid your thought process. Whether you’re
new to sudoku or an advanced player, you can have fun playing and
learning on your quest to become a sudoku master.
Extreme Hangman
Publisher: Gamelion
Players:
1-2
ESRB Rating: E10+ (Everyone 10 and Older) – Alcohol
Reference, Animated Blood, Mild Cartoon Violence
Price: 200
Nintendo DSi Points
Description: There’s never been a
Hangman game like this before! The world’s favorite time-killer game
takes an absurdist twist of comical proportions. Taking place in various
settings, the game challenges players to save the Hangman from his
enemies by guessing hidden words correctly. When players guess
incorrectly, he is put one step closer to being shot, strangled, erased
or hanged by his enemies. Play a single-player game or challenge your
friend to a duel. Extreme Hangman features seven different
settings with fun animations, over 2000 words in various categories, and
three difficulty levels.
Virtual Console
Princess Tomato in the Salad Kingdom
Original
platform: NES
Publisher: Hudson Entertainment
Players:
1
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone) – Mild Cartoon Violence, Tobacco
Reference
Price: 500 Wii Points
Description:
Featuring a cast of cute characters and an endearing sense of humor,
this unique title has gained a dedicated following since its release on
the original NES system. The wicked Minister Pumpkin, a nobleman in the
Salad Kingdom, has rebelled and kicked King Broccoli off the throne.
Worse yet, he has kidnapped Princess Tomato and, with the help of the
treacherous Farmies, proceeded to abolish all truth, justice, sweetness
and light from the Salad Kingdom. Players take on the role of the brave
Sir Cucumber, hero of the kingdom, and set out on a quest to rescue the
princess and topple Minister Pumpkin. Progress through multiple
locations using set commands (such as MOVE, LOOK and TALK) while winning
bouts of Finger Wars (Rock-Paper-Scissors), collecting information and
items and heeding helpful clues from your faithful companion, Percy (a
persimmon). If you fail, the entire Salad Kingdom will be tossed into
frenzy. Sir Cucumber, your princess awaits!