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

Nintendo unveiled today's two additions to the Wii's online Shop Channel, which includes one Virtual Console game and a single original WiiWare downloadable game.

WiiWare

• Magnetica Twist (Mitchell Corporation) / 1000 Wii Points ($10)

Virtual Console

• Fatal Fury 2 (SNK, Neo-Geo) / 900 Wii Points ($9)

As with all Wii Shop Channel releases, the games are available via the Wii's digital storefront as of 12 PM EDT, 9 AM PDT today.

More details on both games are viewable below... Read more

Mega Man 9 is slated to appear as a downloadable title on Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 in addition to Wii, reports Ars Technica.

Last week, Capcom confirmed the sprite-based side scrolling sequel would arrive as a downloadable WiiWare title, and is being developed by Mega Man Zero and ZX veterans Inti Creates.

Ars claims that Capcom's E3 roster lists PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 editions, but curiously, does not mention the Wii. The site chalks up the Wii exclusion to Nintendo Power's recent revelation, though it is also possible that the platform text is placeholder.

When reached for comment, a Capcom representative told Shacknews that the company "has not officially announced our complete E3 lineup at this time," and added that "Mega Man 9 is one of the best, most challenging games you'll ever play!"

If the title really does come out on all three systems, Mega Man 9 will be the first game to hit all three online marketplaces. Capcom's recent PC support indicates a PC version is feasible as well, though the company has yet to make an official statement.

Scans of gaming magazine Nintendo Power have revealed that a new downloadable edition of Capcom's original Mega Man series is in the works for the Wii. The company has since confirmed the game's development to Joystiq.

Titled simply Mega Man 9, the game was unveiled in scans posted by fan site The Mega Man Community. According to the article, the WiiWare-bound game is crafted in a classic 8-bit graphical style similar to the first six Mega Man games on the NES. Music and cinematic cutscenes will be similarly stylized.

Transcriptions of the article go on to reveal that Mega Man 9 returns to the series' roots with plainly-named bosses such as Magma Man, Plug Man and Galaxy Man. Using the Wii Remote turned on its side, the title employs a basic control scheme... Read more

Nintendo has revealed today's three additions to the Wii's online Shop Channel, detailing one new original title and two downloadable Virtual Console classics.

WiiWare

• Gyrostarr (High Voltage Software) / 700 Wii Points ($7)

Virtual Console

• Alex Kidd in Miracle World (Sega, Sega Master System) / 500 Wii Points ($5)
• Burning Fight (SNK, Neo-Geo) / 900 Wii Points ($9)

Per Nintendo's usual release schedule, the games are available via the Wii Shop Channel as of 12 PM EDT, 9 AM PDT today.

Read on for more details... Read more

Nintendo is aware of consumer dissatisfaction with the Wii's data storage limitations and is actively working on a solution, Nintendo Europe marketing director Laurent Fischer said.

"We definitely detect that [consumers] are serious and we know there is an issue in this, so it's something that we're working on," Fischer told GamesIndustry. "Definitely there's no plan to issue hardware, an external hard drive, but we know that we have an issue."

The Wii is currently limited to 512MB of internal flash memory. Though expandable via SD Cards, the system can only execute downloaded code if it is stored within that internal 512MB block.

With the Virtual Console and the debut of Nintendo's downloadable gaming platform WiiWare last month, some have already exhausted the Wii's available... Read more

Nintendo has announced this week's additions to its downloadable gaming platforms, revealing two original WiiWare titles and a lone Virtual Console release.

WiiWare

• Block Breaker Deluxe (Gameloft) / 800 Wii Points ($8)
• Cocoto Fishing Master (Neko Entertainment) / 700 Wii Points ($7)

Virtual Console

• Samurai Shodown (SNK, Neo-Geo) / 900 Wii Points ($9)

As always, the games are available via the Wii Shop channel as of 12 PM EDT, 9 AM PDT today.

Read on for more details... Read more

Nintendo Europe's Laurent Fischer has apologized for his statement publicized earlier this week, in which the marketing director said that the only Wii owners that encounter problems with the console's 512MB of internal storage are "geeks and otaku."

"I have huge respect for those who, like me, share a common passion for Nintendo and want to make it clear that I would never use and I didn't use this terminology in such a context or way to cause offense," he told videogaming247.

He added, "I regret that this misunderstanding has created such offense and disappointment within the community."

Fischer's comments sparked outrage in Nintendo's consumer community, which has been long awaiting a solution to the Wii's limited 512MB of internal storage... Read more

The only Wii owners that encounter problems with the console's 512MB of internal storage are "geeks and otaku," going by Nintendo Europe marketing director Laurent Fischer.

The comment, as relayed by Edge, was meant to downplay criticism that the Wii's paltry internal storage could hamper the company's downloadable efforts.

Nintendo only recently launched WiiWare, its initiative to provide original downloadable games in addition to downloadable classics. Thus far, over 220 Virtual Console and 15 WiiWare titles have been released in North America, with more arriving every week.

Some of the newer WiiWare efforts, such as Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: My Life as a King and LostWinds, weigh in around the 32MB mark... Read more