Volevo porre all’attenzione dei miei gentili lettori questa piccola serie in 6 episodi apparsa su Insomnia.ac dove un nostro connazionale, Francesco-Alessio Ursini (penso noto nella “scena arcade” come Randorama), parla dei suoi ricordi del magico mondo dei videogiochi arcade a partire dalla metà degli anni ‘80:

http://insomnia.ac/commentary/untold_tales/episode_1/

• Chack’n Pop
• Hyper Dine Side Arms
• Psychic 5

http://insomnia.ac/commentary/untold_tales/episode_2/

• Rolling Thunder
• Sly Spy
• Crime City
• Rolling Thunder 2
• Elevator Action Returns

http://insomnia.ac/commentary/untold_tales/episode_3/

• Darius
• Darius II
• Metal Black
• Darius Gaiden
• G Darius
• Border Down

http://insomnia.ac/commentary/untold_tales/episode_4/

• Bubble Bobble
• Raimais
• Gun Frontier

http://insomnia.ac/commentary/untold_tales/episode_5/

• RayForce
• RayStorm
• RayCrisis

http://insomnia.ac/commentary/untold_tales/episode_6/#id1

• Gradius
• Gradius II
• Salamander
• Gradius III
• Parodius
• Gradius V

Quanto sono rulloni tutti i poster Arcade! Che belliii <3 xD.

Reuppo il consiglio di leggere questi racconti di questo mondo fatato ormai perduto!

Since when did SNSD do videogames……… well they don’t but here is a new mashup using Bubble Booble with “Samyang Ramen”.

Bubble bobble is a much loved favourite from the Nes years and holds its adorable dinosaur charm in its new XBLA wrapper.

You play two cute dinosaur brothers who shoot out bubbles to trap their foes and gobble multiple food items like two strange packmen like dinosaurs, which appeals to many with its original challenging feel.

The aim of the game is to defeat waves/levels of various colourful foes by firing bubbles and then in casing your enemy, you then must pop the bubble by head butting it or jumping on it, sounds simple right? Well it is until you reach harder levels, you will then have multiple enemy’s on screen that are free and then ones you have trapped, it becomes quite a challenge to keep your little dinosaur alive but very addictive. A cute feature you will need to use to progress is, if you’re stuck you must blow bubbles to bounce off to get out of hole or to reach unreachable areas, this just helps to fight of the very repetitive feel most arcade games have.

The levels are set out just like packman but with better graphics and a few different layouts, you can fall from the bottom of the screen to the top making it easier to jump on those floating foes but be carefull for free foes! You must also gobble as much fruit and food as possible to climb up those XBLA leader boards and beat your friends! You also have various power ups to munch to help you through the waves like fire balls, bubbles containing lightning bolts and other very random powers which are a life saver in later levels. You can also stumble across munch able objects that look like potions, eat one of these and you will be given a short amount of time to collect as many bonus objects as you can, which when over kills all enemy’s and gives you a nice big point bonus and a even bigger bonus if you collect them all in one go.

There are three modes to choose from, Classic mode, Arrange mode and VS mode. Classic mode is the original arcade game itself with various levels to get through to save your princesses. Arrange mode is the same but with bigger levels as its supports four players in your sitting room, which is rare these days as most full titles don’t support other players/friends on your screen at home but you will find that most XBL Arcade titles support online play and have the option to play with friends on one console, which has always been good fun. Sadly Bubble Bobble doesn’t have online play but has four player co-op or VS; VS mode is battle royal of four different coloured dinosaurs fighting it out with bubbles and other random objects.

Overall its rather addictive with its bright colours and random madness or course keeps most of the fun feel from its Nes days, Bubble Bobble will most likely appeal to fans, girls and family’s as it involves cute dinosaurs that blow bubbles, I’m not being sexist it’s just most men/boys are not really into cute multi coloured dinosaurs that eat lolly’s…. Though it is a lot of fun and challenging in a good way 800 MSP is a little pricey for something that doesn’t have online capabilities and is, well like most arcade titles far too short. The choice is yours as always but if the price is not a problem it will make a welcome addition to your XBL Arcade collection.

Rating: 7.5 

Originally posted at www.xboxliveaddicts.co.uk

I‘ll try to keep this short and sweet. I have been looking forward to playing Bubble Bobble on my Xbox 360 for a while now. Bubble Bobble NEO, a version I have not played yet, finally came out last week. It wasn’t the original version I played on Nintendo, but who cares? It’s still Bubble Bobble, and if you have read my posts in the past, I felt this was one of the few titles that was a must for Xbox Live Arcade. I wanted this game to come out, but I didn’t actually think it was ever going to happen. And when it finally did get released to my surprise, I didn’t even need to play the trial game. I bought it immediately.

I regret that decision now. I should have looked into the details of this game further. And if you’re a fan of Bub and Bob like I am, maybe more for nostalgia than anything, then let me save you the $12.50 or 800 points.

The first feature you’ll notice lacking in this game, you unfortunately won’t be able to play online, with your friends. Yes, a brand new Xbox Live Arcade game in 2009 came out without this feature. How can such an important feature not be included? When I played the original Bubble Bobble back in the early 90’s, I played it with my best friend. So I ended up telling that same friend to buy NEO so we could play and re-live the memories. Unfortunately, the impatient person that I am and also the kind of guy that doesn’t read directions, (who needs directions anyway? Psshh.) I did not know it was only local co-op. Meaning, my buddy and I had to be in front of the same TV if we wanted to play. Are you serious? Total bummer.

Second negative you will notice is the lack of any difficulty to this game. You can breeze right past the first 50 or so levels with little to no effort. Why was is much more difficult back in the day? I couldn’t be that much better of a gamer. However, once you get to certain levels, it becomes clear something was not designed properly. For example, Level 72.

That was not my video but that of someone else going through the exact same motions I went through. I am not the type of person that goes to look for a cheat or a way to beat a level, but this was one of those certain ‘beyond frustrating’ times when it was absolutely necessary. My girlfriend and I could not figure this one out on our own. We were stuck. In between 2 walls, unable to produce any bubbles to jump our way out. And it’s not just me, I guess a lot of people had trouble with this level with some even claiming it is ‘broken’. And not just on the 360 with NEO, gamers have had this same issue in Bubble Bobble Plus for the Wii. I assume NEO is just a port of that game.

We eventually managed to pass Level 72 and move on to beat the game. So it isn’t broken after all, but definitely not designed as well as it should be. It took a few hours to beat the full game the first time playing through. Mostly because we got stuck on that damn level for so long. But playing with my best friend the next day, after we already knew what to do, we blazed right through and beat it in almost an hour exactly. Now compare that to ‘Shadow Complex’ on XBLA which provided me with an awesome experience recently for about 6 1/2 hours of total gameplay, for only 1200 points. Only 400 points more than Bubble Bobble, which only gives you an hours worth of gameplay. What happened to the quality here?

To top it all off, the controls for Bub and Bob were extremely sluggish. There were many deaths due to slow response time. It would have been nice to be able to produce bubbles at a quicker pace, and to jump when I told them to jump. By the way, how about those default controls? Press B to jump and A for bubbles? It felt so awkward as most games use the A button as the jump feature. I thought every developer was aware of this? Good thing they allow you to change this in the settings.

Look, don’t get me wrong. I loved Bubble Bobble when I was a kid, but I guess some games of my past should stay in the past. Had this game been half the cost, I might not be as disappointed as I am. But at the same time, I expected more. Especially from such an awesome Taito classic.

Do yourself a favor and skip the purchase on this one. At least until it drops down in price. You will not get much game for your buck, as there is little to no replay value. 100 levels sounds like a lot, but not when some of the levels take as little as 10 seconds to beat.

You’ll have to chalk this up to “better late than never” but last year on Dec. 11th 2008 Fukio Mitsuji passed away.  He created some very memorable arcade titles at Taito so it’s good to watch this interview and see where he got his inspiration from as well as his thoughts on game design. You probably know his work in titles like Bubble Bobble, Rainbow Islands, Volified and others. I personally enjoy Volified quite a bit and I like Bubble Bobble except for that insidious music that gets stuck in your head after you play.

RIP Mr. Mitsuji

[Discuss on the Forums]

I’ve long been obsessed with the weird progression of titles in the Rambo film series (First Blood, Rambo: First Blood Part II, Rambo III, and then simply Rambo) but the subtitles of the Bubble Bobble series games make even less sense.  To wit . . .

1986 Game #1: BUBBLE BOBBLE (arcade)

1987 Game #2: RAINBOW ISLANDS: THE STORY OF BUBBLE BOBBLE 2 (arcade)

1991 Game #3: PARASOL STARS: THE STORY OF BUBBLE BOBBLE III (TurboGrafx-16)

1993 Game #4: BUBBLE BOBBLE PART 2 (NES)

1994 Game #5: BUBBLE SYMPHONY (arcade)

1995 Game #6: BUBBLE MEMORIES: THE STORY OF BUBBLE BOBBLE III (arcade)

IKEA Catalog anno 1965

Colonel McQueen Vs Chiggy Von Richthofen

overdose

urban camping gear

lastnightsparty.com obamariots

lego bubble bobble

delete scene from The Inglorious Bastards

Meet the hot Pikachu Girl from Comic Con

unreality mag: The Endings to the 15 Toughest NES Games of All Time

extrem schräge ikea werbung

THE NEW ZEALAND STORY
original platform
arcade
developer/publisher
Taito

An overall feel similar to Taito’s Bubble Bobble and Rainbow Islands but featuring horizontally scrolling action and a flying kiwi.  How cute.

The New Zealand Story was inducted on August 23rd, 2009.

Return to the National Game Registry to view more inductees.

Holy Macaroni this is GOOD! A Lego tribute to 8-bit video games filled with wicked in-jokes; 8-Bit Trip Might Just Be One of the IS the Greatest Lego Music Video Ever Created!

1500 hoursof moving legobricks and take photos of them.

Worth every brick, Swedish duo Tomas Redigh and Daniel Larsson AKA Rymdreglage -
this is really neat!

RAINBOW ISLANDS: THE STORY OF BUBBLE BOBBLE 2
original platform
arcade
developer/publisher
Taito
key personnel
Fukio Mitsuji

The sequel to Rainbow Islands admirably heads in a completely different direction as a vertically-scrolling platformer featuring rainbow attacks and great music.

Rainbow Islands was inducted on August 17th, 2009.

Return to the National Game Registry to view more inductees.

BUBBLE BOBBLE
original platform
arcade
developer/publisher
Taito
key personnel
Fukio Mitsuji

Bubble Bobble was inducted on June 10th, 2009.

Return to the National Game Registry to view more inductees.

I‘m still trying to figure out if I’m the only one in the world stunned by this official announcement. I had just talked about how much I wanted this game to come to Xbox Live Arcade, back in March. And wouldn’t you know it? There is a video game God out there answering prayers. Who knew!?

I readily admit that I am extremely excited about this news, especially if the 4 player Co-Op is indeed true. But I am also hesitant to get too excited. Why, you ask? I’ll give you some examples.

First off, I originally played the NES version of Bubble Bobble back in the early 90’s. This is not the same game coming out on XBLA. This is Bubble Bobble Neo. Whatever that means. It’s obviously an updated version. But have you ever played a game when you were younger, only to play it again when you were older and it just wasn’t as fun as you remember? (Worms anyone?) Or what about a movie that you had memories of, maybe you thought it was funny back in the day, maybe even scary? (Killer Klowns from Outer Space anyone? Hey! Don’t judge me.) Or what about going back to visit your old childhood home you grew up in, only to find out the new homeowners have let the front yard go, the grass is dead, the basketball court you put up at Christmas is gone, and there is a decaying RV sitting in the driveway just waiting to be turned into a meth lab. Y’know what I mean? It turns out, it’s just not the same anymore. The fond memories of the past, sometimes, should just stay in the past. You don’t want to see them ruined.

That’s what I am worried about when it comes to one of my most favorite games off all time growing up, Bubble Bobble. I probably don’t have to worry about it this much, but since this will be a day one purchase for me, I really don’t want to be disappointed. I’ve scaled back my gaming time too much as it is because of the lack of decent games out now. I’m hoping my old pals Bub and Bob will be there to rescue me from Triple-A and new Arcade game mediocrity.

This article features the best console-based compilations of classic arcade games. The included collections were selected based partially on quantity of games and especially on quantity. Most of these compilations include around twenty games each but this article focuses only lists games of NGR-level quality.  Video game publishers love to milk their classic games with re-release after re-release, often spreading games from a single series across different retro collections.  The compilations buck this trend to some extent and provide the best overall value.

Capcom Classics Collection (PlayStation 2, Xbox)
There are only six NGR-worthy games in this collection but they’re of very high quality and rather lengthy by arcade standards.

1942
1943: The Battle of Midway
-1943 Kai
Final Fight
Ghosts ‘n Goblins
Ghouls ‘n Ghosts
Street Fighter II
-Street Fighter II’ Champion Edition
-Street Fighter II’ Hyper Fighting

bonus: Rounding out the Ghosts ‘n Goblins package, the collection includes a the followingg SNES release:
Super Ghouls ‘n Ghosts

Taito Legends (PlayStation 2, Xbox)
This compilation boasts a long list of games and enviable variety.

Bubble Bobble
Rainbow Islands
Rastan
New Zealand Kids
Zoo Keeper
Super Qix
Volfied
Plump Pop
Jungle Hunt
Phoenix
Space Invaders
-Space Invaders Part II
Return of the Invaders

Taito Legends 2 (PlayStation 2, Xbox)
Although not quite as strong as its predecessor, this collection features several great but relatively unknown games.

Majestic Twelve: Space Invaders Part IV
Space Invaders DX
Space Invaders ‘95
Qix
The Fairyland Story
Don Doko Don
Liquid Kids
Bonze Adventure
Bubble Symphony (Xbox only)

Atari Anthology (PlayStation 2, Xbox)
A fairly comprehensive release featuring all of the classic pre-1984 Atari games that one would expect to see.

Asteroids
-Asteroids Deluxe
-Space Duel
Centipede
Millipede
Pong
Super Breakout
Battlezone
Missile Command
Warlords

bonus: Dozens of Atari 2600 releases are also included, with ports of many of the above titles, plus the following highlights:

Adventure
Yars’ Revenge

Midway Arcade Treasures (PlayStation 2, Xbox, GameCube)
In spite of the title, all of the best games in this collection were originally released by Williams and Atari Games, companies that were later absorbed by Midway.

Defender
Stargate
Robotron 2084
Blaster
Joust
Joust 2: Survival of the Fittest
Smash TV
Marble Madness
Rampart
Klax

Namco Museum Virtual Arcade (Xbox 360)
This collection is rather comprehensive for Pac-Man and Galaga fans with the only glaring ommission being Gaplus.
Pac-Man
Ms. Pac-Man
Super Pac-Man
Pac & Pal
Pac-Mania
Galaxian
Galaga
Galaga ‘88
King & Balloon
Dig Dug
Dig Dug II
Mappy

bonus: The non-arcade content in this compilation is really impressive, including three update/sequels originally released in Namco Museum Battle for PSP as well as three sequels that debuted in Xbox Live Arcade.

Pac-Man Arrangement 2005
Dig Dug Arrangement 2005
Galaga Arrangement 2005
Pac-Man Championship Edition
Galaga Legions
Mr. Driller Online

Notes: With the exception of Atari Anthology, none of the Xbox releases are compatible with Xbox 360.

When Wii Ware was announced 2 or 3 years ago it was suggested that the service might offer brand new sequels to longtime franchises.  As of 2 weeks ago, over a year into the program, there were only 2 such games that interested me.  But a slew of releases over the last week, plus a couple of games coming very soon, seems to indicate that this potential is being fulfilled.  The best part of all this is that these games are cheap, BUT with a few unpleasant pricing surprises concerning add-ons.

MEGA MAN 9 (Capcom)
-$10
-downloadable content: endless attack stage $3, play as Proto Man $2, hard mode $1, super hard mode $1, extra time attack stage $1
-grand total if you want everything: $18

Capcom kind of got the whole retro sequels ball rolling for WiiWare with their ridiculous fanservice game, Mega Man 9, released last year.  It looks and plays just like the 6 NES Mega Man games, which I guess could be good or bad.  If you’re familiar with the old Mega Man games then there’s not much more to say about it.  The price point may have been slightly high considering the technical aspects and all those dumb extra downloads should have been included in the main release at no extra charge.  This is the only game in this article that I have downloaded as of 6/2/9.  I’ve only played it occasionally in short spurts without trying to beat the game so far.

SPACE INVADERS GET EVEN (Taito/Square Enix)
-$5
-downloadable content: level 2 $5, level 3 $5, level 4 $5
-grand total for everything: $20

So this one is a mixed package.  Unlike the other games in this article, the gameplay is actually innovative for its series while being true to its theme and roots.  This time around, you get to play as the Invaders and destroy those places we all hate, like Paris.  The graphics aren’t nostalgic; instead featuring full 3D.  That $5 price point seems very nice but that’s only for the first level.  The three additional levels have to be downloaded separately for $5 apiece, which is pretty stupid.  I may just get the first level and destroy whatever I can.

BUBBLE BOBBLE PLUS (Taito/Square Enix)
-$6
-downloadable content: 50 level super mode $2, another 50 level super mode $2
-grand total if you want everything: $10

PLUS contains an upgraded remake of the original Bubble Bobble as well as a new 100 level arrange mode that allows for 4-PLAYER Bubble Bobble action.  For all of that, $6 is quite reasonable.  The expansions seem pretty reasonable, as well, offering another 100 total levels for only $4 more.

RAINBOW ISLANDS TOWERING ADVENTURE (Taito/Square Enix)
-$6
-downloadable content: to be determined

This game doesn’t hit the US until mid-June but it’s been released everywhere else already.  Unlike Bubble Bobble Plus, it messes with the Rainbow Islands formula a bit more, adding new playing mechanics and speed challenge levels.  The character designs are pretty different from previous games in the series, as well.  And the price is nice.

FINAL FANTASY IV: THE AFTER YEARS (Square Enix)
-$8
-downloadable content: a bunch of chapters
-grand total for everything: $37!

This one troubles me a bit.  It’s a sequel to FFIV and was even written by the dude that scripted the original.  However, this episodic content release method, plus the pricing, is just stupid.  Downloading all of the chapters will run you $37 and these chapters not just add-ons; the game is incomplete without them.  Considering we’re dealing with SNES-level graphics, this is definitely a ripoff.  I should expect as much from Square, which charged a whopping $40 for their DS Chrono Trigger port (with minimal upgrades and the same old SNES graphics).  I visted a message board for this game and all the fanboys were DEFENDING the price, even saying that spreading it out made it okay.  wtf?  Give me my fucking game now – not in pieces – and don’t rip me off.  Maybe in 15 years there will be WiiWare emulators.

ADVENTURE ISLAND: THE BEGINNING (Hudson Soft/Konami)
-$8

This one snuck up on me and was a real surprise.  Unlike the other series in this post, Adventure Island has been mostly dormant (except for a Japan-only upgrade of the original installment) for 15 years.  And then BAM, a WiiWare sequel.  What I like about this game is that it seems to focus more on exploration than the earlier games.  Some of the environments look pretty nice and the price point is pretty decent.

CONTRA REBIRTH (Konami)
-$10

Oh, kewl, a new Contra game.  It just came out in Japan a couple of weeks ago and there’s no US date announced yet.  The graphics are 2D but more advanced than SNES and with, dare I say it, a slightly more cartoonish look?  The DS release Contra 4 was a little too slavish in recreating the early 90s Contra vibe so hopefully this one can change things up a bit.

KONKLUZION: The Bubble Bobble and Rainbow Islands have good prices but they seem more like remakes than sequels compared to the other games listed.  The Final Fantasy and Space Invaders games seem awesome until you stumble across the sneaky download pricing model.  So, even though they’re not super innovative, I’d say the Mega Man, Contra, and Adventure Island games appear to occupy the preferred middle ground.

New for iPhone/iPod touch! Help Berny and Blaze, the adorable
pink and green dragons, thwart the cowardly knight by incinerating
his barrage of attacks in his quest for fame, fortune, and of course a
princess.

Tilt the phone to move the dragon. Tap the screen to
shoot a fireball. Burn everything, but don’t get bonked on the head.

Game Features:
- Global online high scores
- Intuitive play control with Auto-save
- Retro graphics and Old school sound FX and music
- Free wallpapers and ringtones on www.dragonpanic.com

Details of Game:
- Rocks and Shields destroy a stepping stone in one hit.
- Swords, Spears, and Axes do less damage.
- Bombs do more damage.
- Skulls will hamper the dragons’ fireballs.
- Red potions clear the screen.
- Green potions make the dragons invincible.
- Blue potions replace a missing stone.
- Bats are worth big points.
- Game is over when Blaze or Berny gets hit.

Video Demo of Game:

Buy Dragon Panic now on iTunes for $1.99 USD

Dragon Panic is developed by Binary Square and published by
Clickgamer.com. The game reminds me of playing the old nes emulator games on my PC. Really cool graphics and sounds.

NINTENDO DOWNLOAD: POP-POWERED ADVENTURES BUBBLE UP THROUGH THE CLAY
May 25, 2009

With summer just around the corner, this Monday finds an especially hot mix of downloadable game offerings for the WiiWare™ and Nintendo DSiWare™ services, as well as for the Virtual Console™. Nintendo DSi™ users can become world-famous pop stars or use a new photo application to view their pictures in interesting new ways. Wii™ owners can transform into bubble-bursting dragons or hunt for melons on a mysterious island. And be sure to check out this week’s Virtual Console debut, which features clay figures and stop-action animation to create a comedic twist to the street fighting genre.

Nintendo DSiWare

American Popstar: Road to Celebrity (Gameloft, 1-4 players, Rated E for Everyone – Comic Mischief, 800 Nintendo DSi Points™): This is your enthralling and interactive success story as a young hopeful in the music milieu. The adventure begins when you get the chance to audition at your Hollywood high school. But the road to celebrity isn’t an easy one: Your secret crush is also auditioning, and so is your evil rival. This unique mix of music-themed gaming and social adventure will let you show your talents to the world, take your best photo with the Nintendo DSi system’s built-in camera and meet lots of people who may help you build your career. You’re about to become the greatest pop star in the world. Talk, share activities and be friendly or unfriendly with numerous characters. Customize your character’s name and appearance, and develop skills and personality through your actions. Four musical mini-games include Guitar, Singing, Drums and Dance. Record your voice, take your own photos and sign autographs.

Photo Clock (Nintendo, 1 player, 200 Nintendo DSi Points): Photo Clock allows you to enjoy the photos taken with your Nintendo DSi Camera application in a new way. Watch your images appear on the top screen of your Nintendo DSi system according to your chosen display settings (specific photos or all photos; in order or randomly displayed). Select from either an analog or digital clock, using the system’s internal clock or offsetting the time however you like. Program up to three alarms – with snooze functionality for those who need it – and assign them a preset ring or use a sound created in Nintendo DSi Sound. Experience all the enjoyment of a photo album while ensuring you won’t lose track of the time.

WiiWare

BUBBLE BOBBLE Plus! (TAITO, 1-4 players, Rated E for Everyone – Comic Mischief, 600 Wii Points™): BUBBLE BOBBLE Plus! is a simple yet exhilarating action game where you control the bubble-blowing dragons Bub and Bob, trapping enemies in bubbles and then popping them. You can play all 100 of the Standard Mode rounds, which faithfully recreate the nostalgic arcade game, or try 100 new Arrange Mode rounds, which allow up to four players to play on stages with exciting new features such as new enemies and stage layouts. There are also Super Mode rounds for you to enjoy. Determine the true ending by solving puzzles hidden on each stage to defeat the final boss. In Ranking Mode, players with broadband Internet access can use the Nintendo® Wi-Fi Connection service to compete with players from around the world. Enjoy an additional 100 rounds and face off against new boss characters by purchasing “Expert Mode 1” and “Expert Mode 2” add-on content.

ADVENTURE ISLAND® The Beginning (Hudson Entertainment, 1-2 players, Rated E for Everyone – Cartoon Violence and Comic Mischief, 800 Wii Points): ADVENTURE ISLAND The Beginning comes to the Wii console with exciting new skills and elements. Learn how to use new skills while exploring Adventure Island from coast to coast. Search for Golden Melons hidden throughout the stages and mini-games. When obtaining Golden Melons, you’ll be able to purchase various items to help you on your adventure. These items can increase your attack power or enable you to reach places you couldn’t get to before. Fulfill certain requirements while playing in any of the modes to achieve a “Master Higgins Feat” and you’ll be awarded a Master Higgins costume.

Virtual Console

Clay Fighter™ (Sega Genesis, 1-2 players, Rated T for Teen – Comic Mischief and Mild Cartoon Violence, 800 Wii Points): In this zany 2-D fighter, it’s just another day for a humble traveling circus troupe when a meteor crash-lands in their camp. The otherworldly orb, made entirely out of interstellar clay, contaminates all the circus employees, turning them into bizarrely superpowered versions of themselves. Choose from among the unique clay creatures, such as Bonker, the cheerfully manic clown, or Blue Suede Goo, the mild-mannered Elvis impersonator turned violent vocalist. Master their “Claytalities,” like the operatic Helga’s deadly high note and Bad Mr. Frosty’s fists of snowball fury!

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.