Even if you’re no longer a student, the back-to-school season is bringing all kinds of youthful kicks to the Wii Shop Channel and Nintendo DSi Shop. The latest Nintendo DSiWare titles feature creative art activities and an imaginative, toy-filled joyride. Three new WiiWare games invite you to play cards with friends, dodge intergalactic obstacles and compete in wild grocery cart races. A new Virtual Console release even challenges players to partake in some heated high school hijinks.
Art Academy: First Semester (Nintendo, 1 player, 800 Nintendo DSi Points) – Art Academy is a portable art course that replaces the lecture-like structure of art school and the trial-and-error of working on canvas. Art Academy: First Semester can guide you through the basics of pencil and paints, using Nintendo DSi controls to draw like the real things. With your own paintbrush set and color palette, you’ll learn texturing and blending techniques, plus ways to depict light and shade. There’s also Free Paint mode, which allows you to select and draw from photos in your Nintendo DSi Camera Album. In just a few lessons, you’ll be discovering your inner artist and creating your own masterpieces with art skills that you can apply with real-life materials.
Oscar in Toyland (Virtual Playground, 1 player, 800 Nintendo DSi Points) – Meet Oscar, the new kid on the block. This fabulous jump-and-run game is easy to play, packed with hours of fun and nonstop action, hundreds of collectibles and surprises. In psychedelic worlds of candy, soda pop, amusement park rides, board games, fairy tales and more, you’ll meet cool toys and animals in hidden rooms, bonus and bogus mini games. Use Wings to fly, Springy Shoes to jump, and Oscar’s secret weapon, his magical Yo-Yo, to swing and zap enemies in some of the craziest platform levels you’ll ever play.
Texas Hold’Em Poker (Gameloft, 1-6 players, 600 Wii Points) – Prepare to experience the intensity of a real Texas hold’em poker tournament. Whether you’re a poker novice or a veteran, you’ll enjoy Tournament, Cash Game and Heads-up modes with the simple-to-use Wii Remote controller. Hit the tables as one of six fun and charismatic characters, or import your own Mii character to really put on your poker face. Take on the world’s most prestigious casinos, from Monaco to New York, and challenge opponents who won’t hesitate to taunt or comment on your style, creating a very realistic poker atmosphere. You can also impress friends with wild poker parties, thanks to an online mode that allows you to play with up to five friends and create your own tournaments or join official Gameloft tournaments. You can even challenge random online opponents of any skill level. Even if you’ve never played poker before, you can learn all the rules and strategy with an Advanced Tutorial that teaches you everything from winning hands and betting to bluffing.
Spaceball: Revolution (Virtual Toys, 1-2 players, 800 Wii Points) – Steer your way through 15 diabolical levels in which you’ll have to reconstruct impossible figures with help from space energy balls. Race against the clock and evade obstacles to activate the correct boxes. Spaceball: Revolution will put your ability and your concentration to the test. The game also lets you compare your score with the best players around the world in various difficulty levels: Easy, Normal, Advanced and Master.
Mart Racer (JoJu Games, 1-4 players, 800 Wii Points) – You’re a sharp-elbowed shopper racing through the store to find items before your rivals do. Use your Wii Remote controller like a handlebar to control your shopping cart as you race through different types of stores. Vex your competitors by stunning them with plungers and stealing groceries out of their carts. Outrun them by using your drifting and aisle-jumping skills. Keep away from the security guards who want to stop the mall melee. The first player with a completed shopping list at the cash register wins. A simple and fun game that’s suitable for all ages, Mart Racer pits you against the computer or up to four players. Play with your friends and family on a split screen or compete online via Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection.
Crash ‘N The Boys Street Challenge
(NES, Aksys Games, 1-2 players, 500 Wii Points) – Todd Thornley, son of the head of Thornley Industries, has had it with Crash and the Southside boys. With help from other high schools, Todd decides Hiller High will take down Crash and his Southside High cronies in an unsanctioned street challenge. Take control of one of four high school teams (with four playable characters per team) and make your way through five different sporting events. Dash and bash through the 400 meter hurdles; swing to victory in the hammer throw; swim and knock out your opponent while swimming; pole vault, jump and ride a unicycle across rooftops; and use judo to fight your opponent in a one-on-one brawl. Can you lead your high school to the top of the Street Challenge?
Nintendo adds new titles to the Nintendo DSi Shop and the Wii Shop Channel at 9 a.m. Pacific time on Mondays. Users with broadband Internet access can redeem Wii Points or Nintendo DSi Points to download the games. Wii Points can be purchased in the Wii Shop Channel. Nintendo DSi Points can be purchased in the Nintendo DSi Shop. A Nintendo Points Card can be purchased at retail locations. All points from one Nintendo Points Card must be redeemed in either the Nintendo DSi Shop or the Wii Shop Channel. They are not transferable and cannot be divided between the two systems.
