A good array of titles this week, with the 2D return of Sonic the Hedgehog taking top billing of course. DSiWare fans can get a pinch of Sonic creator Yuji Naka's latest platforming adventure, Ivy the Kiwi?, but there's also sports and puzzle games if platforming isn't your thing. Let's do it to it!
WiiWare
Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode One (Sega, 1500pts) – After years of waiting, Sega finally delivers a 2D Sonic the Hedgehog game in the classic style. With four zones and seven special stages we'll see if this first episode packs enough content to justify the pricetag, but whilst you're waiting for our review flick through the virtual pages of our Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode One interview.
Triple Jumping Sports (Code Monkeys, 500pts) – After the disappointing Triple Shot Sports and Triple Throwing Sports comes Triple Jumping Sports, another compendium of athletic events from the team at Code Monkeys. We'll give this one a fair shake and give the verdict soon.
DSiWare
G.G Series: Super Hero Ogre (Genterprise, 200pts) – Another slice of quickfire gaming action from the G.G Series, have a read through our First Impressions: G.G Series: Super Hero Ogre for an introduction to cyborg-punching, DSiWare-style, and come back for our review this week.
Datamine (Enjoy Gaming, 500pts) – You are the safety inspector at the largest data centre facility in the world, but something has gone terribly wrong: the entire world's data is lost. You must reclaim every piece of information across 100 levels, grabbing upgrades along the way. Datamine was released in Europe last week, and our review is currently being calculated at the world's second largest data facility due to the aforementioned accident.
Ivy the Kiwi? Mini (XSEED Games, 500pts) – A bite-sized Kiwi nugget of Prope's platforming gem Ivy the Kiwi?, this offers up a sample of the levels available in the full version. If you weren't tempted enough to spend the full whack on the DS version, this might entice you to do so. We'll review this Mini version shortly, but in the meantime have a read through our Ivy the Kiwi? (DS) review for more on Yuji Naka's latest pet project.
It's now time for the press release mambo.
NINTENDO DOWNLOAD: NINTENDO GAME SYSTEMS SUDDENLY BESET BY KIWIS AND HEDGEHOGS
Oct. 11, 2010
When the words "hedgehog" and "video game" show up in the same sentence, it's pretty clear which gaming superstar you're about to encounter. Sonic The Hedgehog™ 4 Episode I arrives on the WiiWare™ service this week, adding a fresh chapter to one of the most beloved series in all of gaming. Meanwhile, on the Nintendo DSiWare™ service, Ivy the Kiwi? Mini finds the flightless Ivy on a quest to find her mama, while Datamine and G.G. Series SUPER HERO OGRE challenge players to recover lost files and battle evil foes, respectively. Whichever games they choose to download, Wii™ and Nintendo DSi™ fans alike should prepare for elevated levels of fun.
WiiWare
Sonic The Hedgehog 4 Episode I
Publisher: SEGA
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone) - Comic Mischief
Price: 1,500 Wii Points™
Description: The sequel fans have waited 16 years to experience is finally here! Featuring enhanced game-play elements such as the classic Sonic Spin Dash and the versatile Homing Attack, Sonic 4 picks up right where Sonic and Knuckles™ left off. With Eggman finally defeated, Sonic runs off to explore new zones and uncharted lands. Dr. Eggman, furious at the destruction of the Death Egg and the failure of his plans, puts all of his most devious schemes into action. In an effort to finally rid himself of Sonic, he revisits - and improves - the very best of his creations. Get ready for the next chapter in an epic 2D saga built for old and new fans alike.
Triple Jumping Sports
Publisher: The Code Monkeys Ltd.
Players: 1-2
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone)
Price: 500 Wii Points
Description: Triple Jumping Sports is the most advanced recreational jumping game available for the WiiWare service, immersing players in the world of competitive jumping. Most events consist of activities that are traditionally derived from hunting and combat skills. Over time these practices have evolved into a variety of competitive sports that include Long Jump, High Jump and Pole Vault. As with real-life jumping events, players have full control over the speed, height, angle and distance. All of these will influence the success of the jump.Nintendo DSiWare
Ivy the Kiwi? Mini
Publisher: XSEED Games
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone) - Comic Mischief
Price: 500 Nintendo DSi Points™
Description: Ivy is on a search for her mother and she needs your help! Help guide Ivy by stretching vines and protecting her from treacherous terrain and mean animals that stand in her way. She's a bird, but she can't fly, and she's going to need all the help she can get if she's going to find her mother. Will Ivy find her mother? More than 50 stages provide loads of fun for the whole family.Datamine
Publisher: Enjoy Gaming ltd.
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone)
Price: 500 Nintendo DSi Points
Description: You are the safety inspector at the largest data storage facility in the world. Unfortunately, your laziness at work has led to the biggest cataclysm of the wireless age: the loss of all mankind's data. You have been chosen to embark on a dangerous journey to retrieve the lost data. Datamine is a great arcade-style action game where you control a robot and beam at data bubbles to split and catch them. Test your skills in 100 challenging levels. Grab equipment upgrades like speed boost, sticky shots and shields. Break encrypted data and fusion bubbles that multiply when they touch others.
G.G. Series SUPER HERO OGRE
Publisher: Genterprise, Inc.
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: E10+ (Everyone 10 and Older) - Cartoon Violence
Price: 200 Nintendo DSi Points
Description: Charge up your Superhero Attacks and be a super-cool superhero. An evil army is on the march. Confront it and save the day in this superhero action game. Each time you defeat an enemy with a Hero Attack, your Hero Gauge goes up. Then, with simple button commands, you can use the charged-up Hero Gauge to unleash powerful Superhero Attacks on your foes. Continue to land Hero Attacks to keep the Hero Gauge charged and perform a devastating chain of Superhero Attacks. After you destroy the lesser enemies, a boss will appear. Defeat it to clear the level.
Comments 76
No VC again, huh? Oh well. We got Sonic!!
I hope everybody looks past the Episode nature of Sonic the Hedgehog 4 and downloads it.
No VC again, huh?
One every two weeks. Last week and next week. You should get FF: Mystic Quest next week.
Playing a demo of Sonic 4 at Gamescom already had me sold on it. Definitely a recommendation.
Sonic Boooom! Sonic Boooom! Sonic Boooom!
Bet you can't guess what I'm downloading today.
How much is the HD versions of Sonic 4? I bet not as much.
Good week indeed.
@ Hardy83
Oh come on the Genesis cartridges of the original games cost 50 bucks.
Is 15 really all that much to ask?
I think he was comparing prices as to what he should buy it on, not complaining about the price.
Ooh, Ivy the Kiwi Mini. Might pick it up. And I'm sure I'll get Sonic 4 sometime.
NO SHANTAE?!
@zkaplan shantae came out last week.
I'm kinda disappointed that you have to pay to get a trial for Ivy the kiwi. I hoped, and thought, that it would be free.
@fishman100 No excuses!
@Hardy: Same price
@fishman: That's not really a demo. That's just a shorter version for $5
I'm happy because I get to play Sonic 4 on my day off.This is a good week this will only be my second WiiWare game.
@Hardy83 you would lose that bet the 15$ price is sega's price tag.
nothing for me this week
KIWI!
Sonic 4 I'll get at some point but I'm saving my points for FATE and don't want to get another points card atm.
But then, of course, when I do get another points card, Super Meat Boy or something could be out.......
I'll (probably) get it eventually.
LOL Zkaplan
I wonder if SEGA will have Sonic 4 on sale for Christmas this year like they had there Virtual Console Games last year?
Already got the retail Ivy, though if I knew it was only gonna be 5 bucks on DSiWare I would've saved $15. I'll have to see how DataMine and the new G.G game turn out.
@Prosody..... so when we see you again now that Sonic 4 is out?
@zkaplan..... well played my friend, funny one indeed!
Sonic 4 will more than likely be $15 on all systems, for anyone that doesn't own another home console the current standard for Downloadable Games has recently been pushed from $9.99 to $14.99. Wii owners really get shafted here without the lack of HD Graphics, Achievements,Trophies, and in the near future it will more than likely get a 50% discount on the other two markets.
I've got the points ready. My hand is hovering over the Wiimore ready to mash the Download button for Sonic 4.
slapshot82- "Wii owners really get shafted here without the lack of HD Graphics, Achievements,Trophies, and in the near future it will more than likely get a 50% discount on the other two markets."
Well said, there's no reason to get the Wii version in a case like this. Then again, I dislike Sonic, so I won't be getting it period, especially not for $15.
So I hear Japan is getting charged 500 np's more for Ivy the Kiwi? Mini!?! I'm wondering if it has just as much content though.
Oh, and we knew about all the DSiware games before they came out this week.
Not cool Ninty, gotta keep Mystery Monday going!
Bought my points card last week. Now we just have to wait for 12 o'clock. C'mon, Sonic 4!
@OB... I wouldnt say no reason. If your a fan of Sonic and only have a Wii as a home console, I still think that for $15 you are going to get your money out of it. I was only refering to gamers owning multiple home consoles as the majority do now days.
I remember paying like $60 for Sonic the Hedgehog 2 on the Genesis, so the asking price for Sonic 4 still isn't so bad. I do think it would have been more appropriate to have a $10 price tag on Wii.
500 points for a Demo of Ivy? Sad.
Anybody know how many levels were in the retail release of ivy the Kiwi?
Edit: according to the review it has a total of 50 just like this mini. If the mini version has everything besides multiplayer(dl and play included) and the time trail mode it would seem like a awesome deal.
Tempted to pick up Sonic 4 today since it's my day off and I could def have a blast playing it. However, if I am going to pay $15 for a downloaded game, I feel it would be more wise to get an HD version on a console with more hard drive space, like my PS3.
Sonic will be the first Wiiware game I'll buy in months. Finally. I've been letting Sony enjoy my money instead while Wii puts out more trash.
15$ buck For Sonic 4 is still steep
for just 4 Zones.
money is in, now just waiting.....
.....downloading!!
....playing sonic 4!!
Going to get Sonic 4 tomorrow on PSN, I can't wait! But, $15 for Sonic 4 is pretty fair considering you had to pay a lot more for the Sonic Genesis games when they were first released.
1500 is way too much for this game. If i wanted i could just wait a few months and get it on xbox for €10 when it goes on sale. But the Dpad sucks so now i'm not getting any version oh well
Well, I already vowed to buy no more DSiWare, (Shantae was my 20th) but if anything, I'll try out Sonic 4 if I get any points soon!
You guys got a good week apart from triple jumping sports and datamine. I wonder when ivy the kiwi mini will come to europe.
When I get a job, I will probably download this onto my bf's PS3. I'd love to have it on my Wii, but for the same price, it makes more sense to get the HD version.
It's cheaper to get the overpriced Wii version of the game (or a bunch of games) then to shell out the money for an Xbox/PS3 too, so for Wii only owners it'd be smarter to just do that.
I'm going to wait for a review til I buy anything, and even then it'll have to be a real good rating. $15 is still way to steep for anything less than a full game, let alone a fraction of one
Good week for NA, but not much that I would download.
I think quality episodes is a good way to go, key word being quality. It allows a developer to use the service with out having to cut production value, minus it being episodic of course to get the full experience.
@suburban_sensei: Yes, just wait one day...it hits PSN tomorrow!
For that reason, there's nothing for me on today's Nintendo download release. The PSN release tomorrow is just too awesome to compare. Alundraaaaaaa!
I'll be playing the demo on XBOX 360 when its up.
The Wii version of Sonic 4 uses some Genesis rips instead of new jingles and some MIDI-ized songs to make up for the space limit. Just warning anyone who has other consoles to play it on.
@Stuff.. so Alundra over Sonic 4?
Waitin' to get Sonic 4 on PSN, whee~
Errr... I kinda spent my points on Shantae... and I got Super Scribblenauts coming tomorrow... grrr... may take some doing to get Sonic 4, but I'll be getting it sooner rather than later.
@hardy
Good ol' Hardy trolling about Nintendo's online service again. Give it a break man. It sucks we get it.
@slapshot
I agree about the whole HD and achievement thing. I was going to wait for the XBLA version but I was just too excited. Plus I figured if I were to get the XBLA Sonic come Wednsday, I would have to spend $25 for the required points instead of $20.
@cheapogamer
For the retail version of Kiwi, there are an additional 50 "challenge" levels and a wireless multiplayer mode. Personally 500pts sounds like a steal to me, even if it's only half of the content.
Hmmm. May get Sonic 4 sometime. I have the points but saving for Super Meat Boy, if that'll ever come out soon.
I really hope that Sonic 4 will have a decent length for 1500 Points.
I want Sonic 4, but I probably will not get the WiiWare version.
@Sneaker13: From the reviews I read, prepare to be disappointed.
You've got me in your grip SEGA since you KNOW I want to play Sonic 4, so take these $15 bucks. Just hurry up and decide how many episodes you're gonna have already (as well as the price of the following episodes, etc.), and don't you dare take more than 4 episodes to tell this story if they're $15 a pop for 4 zones each. 3 Eps, $45, under $50, sold, 4 or more, forGET it, Sonic love or not, SEGA, be sensible.
Triple Jumping Sports is going up against Sonic 4? Wow, that game was sent out to die.
And of course my Xbox just broke, so I might have to get the Wii versions.
@55 Um, the interview doesn't say that. In fact, they said they have the whole story planned out, which implies that they do already know how many episodes there will be.
They just don't want to reveal the number right now until sometime later.
I'm playing this game and LOVIN' IT!
Bada-ba-ba-baaaaa!
Also, I don't see the whole HD deal. It looks fantastic on the Wii!
Super Hero Ogre and Sonic 4 = Win!
Hell yes, Sonic 4! One of my most anticipated games of the year. Super Scribblenauts, another of my most anticipated games, comes out tomorrow. This week is gonna be AWESOME!
Sonic is back in a few days coming to us also
@mjc0961: Sega's not doing this one, Dimps is. You know, the makers of the critically-acclaimed handheld titles that everyone praises to this day?
Also, $15 is nice considering the amount of levels is about the same as Sonic Advance or Sonic Rush.
...Free?
Yah cant wait to get Sonic 4, its times like this im glade ive only got a wii and DSi, no sonic 4 on PS3 or 360 for me
Gonna wait for a review to see if Ivy Mini is worth the five bucks.
But first I need to get a points card and DL Shantae!
why do I have to be broke now?!
I was curious about Ivy the Kiwi, but I already have tons of games that I am playing, so I skipped buying it. This shorter version on my DSi looks like a perfect fit.
Also . . . SONIC 4! I saw a video review of it a few days ago, and it looks amazing! I also bet in Episode 2 we get Tails, and in episode 3 or 4 we get Knuckles.
Wow, not paying $15 for another bad Sonic game. No VC, so another bad week.
Sorry, but Capcom and Konami spoiled me with their new "cost-effective" retro games they released.
Well played north america... well played indeed
I'm sick of people saying this is gonna be bad because it's Sonic. Last time I checked Dimps has never made a bad Sonic game. Sonic Rush got a 9/10 here at Nintendo Life for crying out loud! XD
...The Sonic games produced in-house at Sega are what you have to worry about. XD
Next time I get a points card, Sonic 4 is mine
@Slappy: If for some reason you have to choose only one, then HECK YEAH! But PSN is also getting Sonic 4 tomorrow, meaning that the only particularly interesting game on today's Nintendo release is already represented in superior form tomorrow, AND there's other, better games, too!
@WaveBoy: I'd rather have a game "play itself" than be too damn cheap and no fun at all, which is how Sonic started out. Besides which, Sonic Rush doesn't just "play itself" anyway...no Sonic game does, and I think saying they do is absurd. The play style is different from the Genesis games, granted, but there's definitely gameplay.
@Bass - You've been here long enough to know that once you think you find a pattern in Nintendo's VC releases, they change it up. At this point I don't think they really even have a pattern.
Its a pattern until it changes. Nintendo can change it any time but as far as we know, if something is a regular occurence, it will continue to be a regular occurence until we find out otherwise. Since September 6, every VC release has been two weeks after the previous release.
I had completely forgotten Sonic 4 was being released. I guess that shows my anticipation for it. *waits for new Kirby and Donkey Kong
Nice. I thought about Sonic 4 yesterday (when it came out) but I didn't bother to go to this site to check it out.
I still probably won't get Sonic 4 for atleast another week or so, and I'll probably end up getting the PSN version.
all you Americans do is complain you get nothing but I'm not gonna complain i didn't get anything. I'm just grateful nintendo exists.
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