As some of you know, my wife recently got me a Wii for my birthday, so being the cheapskate I am, I did my research of the best games for the system that won’t set me back a bunch of money.  Now, I haven’t played all of these, but I’m going mostly on critic’s reviews and word-of-mouth from gamers with similar tastes.  I figured the $20 price point word be a place to start, so I’ll list the top picks under that mark (Prices listed are an average eBay price and lowest Amazon.com prices for US games, including shipping.)

Since retail Wii games aren’t the only thing you can play on your Wii, I’m also including some of the most critically acclaimed WiiWare titles so far and my picks for the best cheap Gamecube games that would complement a solid Wii library.  I’m not including any Virtual Console games just yet.  I’ll probably have another feature targeted towards retro games later on.
Check out the other Cheapest Games Worth Your Time articles

Best Retail Games Under $20

	Zack & Wiki: Quest for Barbaros’ Treasure: $16 Everyone that I talk to seems to have high praise for Zack & Wiki.  It’s a cool and original puzzle-filled adventure that will work your brain while you’re having fun.  The game’s relatively low-profile release has kept the prices down, but it may end up being those hidden gems that increase in value after it leaves store shelves. Shop for Zack & Wiki on eBay Shop for Zack & Wiki on Amazon.com
	Resident Evil 4 Wii Edition: $18 You could save a few extra dollars by picking up the Gamecube version of this 2005 blockbuster title, but you can still get this affordable Wii edition to have Wii-mote controller shooting and movement.  (Heavily recommended by everyone I’ve spoke to)  Regardless of which version you chose, you should be more than happy with this action-packed thrill-fest. Shop for Resident Evil 4 Wii Edition on eBay Shop for Resident Evil 4 Wii Edition on Amazon.com
	Puzzle Quest: Challenge of the Warlords: $17 I love games that mix genres effortless to create a fresh gaming experience. Puzzle Quest brought the unlikely duo of the puzzle and RPG genre together, resulting in a bit of a cult classic.  Sure, it may be cheaper on XBLA, but its still a great value on the Wii.  It’s easy to find for $20 new, but you could also save a few bucks buying a used copy online. Shop for Puzzle Quest on eBay Shop for Puzzle Quest on Amazon.com
	Geometry Wars: Galaxies: $19 This is another old-school game that showed up on XBLA first, but has had a full retail release on the Wii.  Of course, the developers added some extra goodness to the addictive shooter so it is worth the few extra dollars (plus you can also re-sell it, if needed).  And luckily, Galaxies gives you the option of using a Classic Controller instead of the Wii-mote in case you don’t enjoy wrist cramps. Shop for Geometry Wars Galaxies on eBay Shop for Geometry Wars Galaxies on Amazon.com
	Rayman Raving Rabbids: $17 RRR was one of the hottest Wii launch titles from a third party and many Wii owners are still have good fun with 70 or so mini-games and its wacky sense of humor.   It is now available on other platforms, but the Wii’s controls seems to be the most natural.  Now that the sequel as been out for a few months, you’ll see this quickly coming down in price. (and much cheaper than Wario Ware: Smooth Moves) Shop for Rayman Raving Rabbids on eBay Shop for Rayman Raving Rabbids on Amazon.com
	Elebits: $15 Elebits is one of those quirky games and unique games that has a small but strong following — kinda like Chibi Robo had at the end of the Gamecube’s lifespan.  I haven’t had the chance to play with it myself, but I’ve heard good things, so if you need to round out your Wii library on the cheap, you might want to look into it. Shop for Elebits on eBay Shop for Elebits on Amazon.com
	Sega Superstars Tennis: $15 Taking a page from Nintendo’s fan service, Sega took their Virtua Tennis formula and filled it with so much Sega goodness that any fan can’t turn down the game at a bargain price. Shop for Sega Superstars Tennis on eBay Shop for Sega Superstars Tennis on Amazon.com
	NiGHTS: Journey of Dreams: $15 After about a decade of begging Sega for a sequel to the Saturn classic, they finally delivered one for the Wii.  It didn’t blow anybody’s mind, but is a solid follow-up that stays rather true to the original. Shop for NiGHTS: Journey of Dreams on eBay Shop for NiGHTS: Journey of Dreams on Amazon.com
	Excite Truck: $18 This Wii launch title is still as fast an fun as it was on day one, but now that most Wii early-adopters have moved on, you can find this little racer dirt cheap. Shop for Excite Truck on eBay Shop for Excite Truck on Amazon.com
	Blast Works: Build, Trade, Destroy: $19 Even though there were a couple bigger-name games that were under $20, I wanted to feature Blast Works as it retails new for $20 and it a unique shooting game (better known as TUMIKI Fighters on the PC) from an indie developer.  However, unlike the original PC game, the Wii version has a good editor and online sharing capabilities that really add extra depth to the game.  Other great games from the developer, Kenta Cho, are available as unlockables as well. Shop for Blast Works on eBay Shop for Blast Works on Amazon.com

Cheap Gamecube Must-Haves For Your Wii

If you’re a Wii owner, you really shouldn’t overlook the quality titles that are in the Gamecube’s library.  There are so many solid games that still outshine many Wii titles.  However, many of them have been out for a while, so you can scoop them up for next to nothing.  I’ve limited this section quite a bit, but if you want a more detailed guide, check out the Cheapest Gamecube Games Worth Your Time.

	Metroid Prime: $7 Metroid Prime 2: Echoes: $12 The first two games in the series may not have the Wii-mote capabilities of the third installment, but if you haven’t played these yet, scoop them up while you wait for part three to come down in price Shop for Metroid Prime Series on eBay Shop for Metroid Prime Series on Amazon.com
	F-Zero GX: $9 I’m really looking forward to seeing a new F-Zero game on the Wii, but until then, I’m still quite content with the fabulous racer that was a team project between the arcade geniuses at Sega and the fine folks at Nintendo.  I do believe it holds the place of my favorite racer of all-time due to it’s insanely high speeds and  the addicting nature of trying to hit all the boosts and turns in a given track. Shop for F-Zero GX on eBay Shop for F-Zero GX on Amazon.com
	The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker: $12 Once people got over their initial disappointment that Link was featured as a cute cel-shaded character, they realized that Wind Waker deserved high praise as yet another legendary installment in the Zelda franchise. Now that Twighlight Princess is has taken the spotlights, it’s a bit easier to find Wind Waker for just over $10 Shop for Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker on eBay Shop for Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker on Amazon.com

The Best WiiWare So Far

Wiiware is still in its infancy, but there are a number of quality games for it that are at the $10 price point.   Most of them cater to specialized tastes, so make sure to read up a bit on them before plunking down your Nintendo Points.

	Dr. Mario Online Rx: $10 Some gamers I know swear by this classic puzzle game.  It’s not my personal favorite, but it’s a worthy download for fans of the genre.  (However, I’d still recommend getting Puyo Pop Fever for the Gamecube instead — see down below)
	Toki Tori: $10 If you enjoy a mix of platforming and puzzle-solving, Toki Tori should be right up your alley.  It’s a remake of a little known gem on the Gameboy Color that is filled with 70 mind-bending levels and a colorful and cheery presentation.
	Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: My Life as a King: $10 This isn’t your typical Final Fantasy game by any means.  Instead of a pur action RPG like it’s prequel, My Life as a King is actually a city-building simulation at it’s core.  It isn’t for everyone, but the general consensus has been good so far.  If you enjoy the FF games, but want something a little different, give this a try.
	LostWinds: $10 This drop-dead gorgeous platforning adventure game uses 3D graphics with a 2D perspective, but also throws in an innovative control scheme (with the Wii-mote, of course) that makes you re-learn what you know about platformers.  From what I’ve played so far, it’s kinda slow-paced and will require you to do some puzzle-solving, but nearly every review of the game has been positive.

Near The $20 Mark

Here’s a few more Wii games that you may be able to snag for less than $20 if you’re lucky, but average out to be a bit more most of the time.

• House of the Dead 2 & 3 Return: $22  - eBay / Amazon
• No More Heroes: $23  - eBay / Amazon
• Trauma Center: Second Opinion: $22  - eBay / Amazon

Other Cheap Wii Favorites

• Mercury Meltdown Revolution: $12 – eBay / Amazon
• SSX Blur: $12  - eBay / Amazon
• Ghost Squad: $17  - eBay / Amazon
• MLB Power Pros: $16  - eBay / Amazon
• Madden NFL 07: $9  - eBay / Amazon
• Madden NFL 08: $16  - eBay / Amazon
• Sonic & The Secret Rings: $15  - eBay / Amazon
• Tony Hawk’s Downhill Jam: $11  - eBay / Amazon

Other Cheap Gamecube Favorites

• Super Monkey Ball: $8  - eBay / Amazon
• Super Monkey Ball 2: $10  - eBay / Amazon
• Star Wars Rogue Squadron II: Rogue Leader: $8  - eBay / Amazon
• Viewtiful Joe: $6  - eBay / Amazon
• Viewtiful Joe 2: $7  - eBay / Amazon
• Super Mario Sunshine: $11 - eBay / Amazon
• Resident Evil: $12  - eBay / Amazon
• Resident Evil Zero: $11  - eBay / Amazon
• Eternal Darkness – $20 -  eBay / Amazon
• Pikmin: $19 – eBay / Amazon
• Star Fox Adventures: $8  - eBay / Amazon
• Pac-Man Vs. / Pac-Man World 2: $10  - eBay / Amazon
• Wave Race: Blue Storm: $9  - eBay / Amazon
• Sonic Mega Collection: $8 – eBay / Amazon
• Soul Calibur II: $9  - eBay / Amazon
• TimeSplitters 2: $9  - eBay / Amazon
• Puyo Pop Fever: $9 – eBay / Amazon.com
• Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door: $13  eBay / Amazon

presented by fastbilly1 with racketboy

The Idea In A Nutshell

Zelda Four Swords Adventure for the Gamecube is a killer party game, but who wants to play on a GBA? We fix this issue with a killer multi-Gamecube, multi-TV setup.

Nintendo Makes Legend of Zelda Multiplayer

It is a fickle slope when traditionally single player series add multiplayer elements. Sometimes it works, but more often than not it feels tacked on, rushed, or are just simply bad. However in 2002, Nintendo added a little something to their GBA port of their famous Link to the Past title, a high-quality side game called Four Swords.

Four Swords provided a random multiplayer world for those who knew one to three other people who owned copies of the game. This was a fantastic sidequest for the series but had a few problems such as the length of the game and the technical limitations of the GBA. No matter the problems, the Zelda series had finally worked in multiplayer, and it was awesome.

Flash-forward two years. Nintendo releases Four Swords Adventure for the Gamecube. This game expands the gameplay of the original and adds some rather nice features. Still using the Link to the Past inspired character and world sprites, it adds in Windwaker styled explosions, a orchestrated soundtrack inspired by Link to the Past, and a deathmatch-styled game mode. It seems like it has everything going for it, brilliant 2D gameplay, beautiful visuals, a fantastic soundtrack, but it has one dastardly hardware requirement that keeps it from being in everyone’s collection, which we will talk about later.

What Makes Four Swords Adventure Worthwhile?

In Four Swords Adventure, you still have your standard adventure, known as “The Hyrulean Adventure” , which involves eight areas; each of which has three stages and a boss fight. For those who have played a Zelda game but not a Four Swords; you work your way through the stages in typical Zelda style but with one twist. Force Gems appear on the stage and without a certain amount you cannot complete it. Whoever has the most of these crystals at the end gets a bonus on who wins the round. By “wins the round” at the end of the stage you are rated on several facets of gameplay.

So it does come down to a nasty game of co-op/counter-op as the game progresses. You also need the all of the players going one direction to change the map on the tv, so if one person is a completionist or just has to cut down every bush, then it can take awhile. This is both alleviated and compounded by the fact you can lift up other players. This most noted in three player mode when one of the Links is essentially dead space until he is put to work. The downside is that if you piss of another player they can pick you up and throw you into pits or take you places against your will. I like to view it as a needed accessory to the game, but that’s just mean spirit in me wanting to throw that prick of a blue player into a pit after he lit me on fire for the fourth time.

However my aggressions are better suited for the other multiplayer mode, “Shadow Battle”. Shadow Battle is simply deathmatch in Zelda. There are ten stages, random weapons and powerups. It is important that this mode is available because more often that not after a few stages in the adventure mode, it ends up being a fight anyway, why not add more weapons and flair? The stages are the standard set you would imagine from a multiplayer Zelda game: a Beachside Cottage, Wind Temple, Fire Temple, Hyrule Castle, etc, but they are all balanced and will provide you with hours of intense battles. Like a Bomberman title, the game is easy to learn (even none gamers should pick it up in a couple of minutes), has a fair amount of depth, and is fun.

Four Swords Adventure’s GBA-Based Weakness

To play Four Swords Adventure in multiplayer, every player needs a Gameboy Advance and a Gameboy to Gamecube cable. So to fully enjoy the game you need four GBA’s, four Gameboy to Gamecube Cables, and the usual Gamecube and TV. (see a diagram of this original setup)

Why does everyone need a GBA? Well the game is played on both the TV and the GBA screen. For example, when you enter a cave or building on the tv, you showup on the GBA. This makes for intense fights and puzzles that span both screens. Essentualy, Four Swords Adventure could not have been done any other way while maintinaing its unique gameplay and appeal.

While playing Four Swords Adventure with the GBA setup may be more affordable, it is definately not the most enjoyable experience for a number of reasons.

• Standard GBA screens are notorious for being hard to see
• GBAs aren’t as comfortable as Gamecube controllers
• All participants will get neck aches from moving their head up and down, alternating from the main TV display to their own GBA.
• When your teammates get stuck inside a dungeon or building, you can’t easily see their situation and help.
• You are limited to wired GBA-to-GC link cables

Our 5+5 Four Swords Solution

To get around the limitations of the GBA-based setup, we used Gamecubes with GBA players linked to a central Gamecube and hooked up to their own TV displays. This is the same method employed in the Pacman Vs setup from last years Momocon, I needed to scrounge up three more Gameboy Players and Gamecubes to take it to the next level.

Breakdown of the Equipment Needed

• One Gamecube or Wii running the Four Swords Adventure Disk
• 1 Large TV for primary Gamecube/Wii
• 4 Gamecubes with Gameboy Players
• 4 GBA-to-Gamecube Link Cables to connect GBA Players to primary Gamecube/Wii
• 4 Gamecube Controllers (Wavebirds are nice for wireless)
• 4 Smaller TVs for the additional Gamecubes

What This Will Cost:

• Gamecubes – $60 Retail / $30 Amazon / $25 eBay / $30 at Gamestop
• Gameboy Players – $30-$40 eBay / $30-$40 Amazon
• Gameboy to Gamecube Cable – $5 used eBay / $10 new Amazon
• Gamecube Controllers: 3rd Party about $10, Official about $15, Official Wireless about $30-$50
• TVs – You can go with new sets or look for used ones at Goodwill, garage sales, etc
• Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventure : $12-$25 (eBay / Amazon)

So that comes out a little over $350 before TVs (assuming you don’t have any of the stuff already). BUT if you break it up over time, hunting for deals or re-using older equipment you already have, you can get it all for a lot less. Heck I got a Gameboy Player for $5, and another for $15 on Craigslist.

Small Things To Keep In Mind:

• You only need one disc for the Gameboy players, once they are the loaded you can take the disc out and put it in the next one.
• Also I have been told that you can use the Japanese hardware on the US system.
• However you cannot use the Japanese disc without a freeloader, but they supposedly work with the US disc. (I have not tested this)

The basic principle behind this is that with a TV people cannot complain that they cannot see what is going on on the screen. (They also have a bigger and clearer screen for reading the menus in Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles, in case you want to play that as well). This makes the games a lot easier to explain, but it also takes up a lot of room. And I just used the cables I already owned.

The 5+5 Zelda Setup Put To The Test

This was setup at Momocon 08 on Saturday in a corner of the Retro Gaming Room, and while it did not get the play traffic we expected it to grab, it was damn impressive. It was always a little daunting for people to jump in on since it does take four people. But people would see it, disappear briefly and then pop in with others to play a few rounds. There were two teams of ambitious people who tried their best to get through the story mode without a memory card., but everyone that jumped in and out seemed to have a blast. (Most player fatigue was probably due to trying to play the whole game without saving — Having memory card space is heavily recommended — my lesson has been learned.)

Photo Gallery | Zelda Four Swords 5 + 5 VideoSadly, I had to take it down Saturday night and transport it home (I only have so much space in the car), and on Sunday there were droves of people who were asking about it and wanting to play it and how to build their own. In the end, it took a lot of planning, friends, and a bit of luck to pull this one off, but it made a good impact on the con. Now that it has been done at our con, and documented, I think I may travel to some of the other smaller cons in my neck of the woods, to spread that strange mix of joy and frustration that this game always brings so more people can light their friends on fire with the firewand.

Other Multi-Screen Gamecube Games To Try

While it never had the potential to be the must-have Gamecube game, or the game that you buy the console for, The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventure did provide an experience that no other console has duplicated. There are two other games that use a similar setup, readers of the site may know Pacman VS quite well, and Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles. If you do end up getting enough Gameboys for Four Swords, do yourself a favor and try to get the other two. All three are fantastic games and it really is a shame that they do not get the recognition that they deserve.

Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix

Platforms: XBox Live Arcade, Playstation 3 Network
Release: Q4 2007 (?)
This High-Definition remix has to be one of the most anticipated XBox Live Arcade titles since, well, the original Street Fighter 2 release and will most likely be the biggest success on the Playstation Network.

All the revised artwork (output in 1080p) is created by the team behind the official Street Fighter graphic novels, UDON Comics. The UDON team is striving to give a modern look to every element of the game while keeping its original style. This includes not only the character sprites, but the backgrounds, character portraits, and title screens.

All that Capcom has shown off thus far is individual pieces of artwork (you can see them all in this slideshow), so we haven’t yet seen this high-definition jewel in motion yet. UDON has said, however, that there will be no additional frames of animation for the character, so you will not see silky smooth movement to rival Street Fighter 3. This primarily done to keep all the established Street Fighter 2 junkies from having to re-learn their timing for killer moves. (Cutting production costs could be another motive)

The optimist in me says that with all the work they are putting into this remake, I don’t think that Capcom and UDON will let Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix be anything less than incredible. As can be expected from a high-end XBLA release, the game will have online play, training mode, voice chat, and online ranking lists and leaderboards.

Castle Crashers

Platform: XBox Live Arcade
Release: Q1 2008
In the past I have professed my love for Alien Hominid, experienced many a laugh from Dad N Me, but I have been eagerly anticipating a new multiplayer game from the indie geniuses at The Behemoth. After nearly two years of waiting, we may actually be able to experience Castle Crashers in a few more months.With Alien Hominid, The Behomoth started with strong influences from Contra and Metal Slug and blended in their own style and polished it with modern gaming gloss in order to resurect a genre that has been forgotten by the gaming masses. Castle Crashers continues in that tradition by utilizing a gameplay technique similar to the Sega Saturn classic, Guardian Heroes and NES cult favorite, River City Ransom.

Like Guardian Heroes, each of the four differently-colored characters has their own fighting style, special attacks, and abilities. In addition to the standard brawler formula, characters can level up throughout the levels in order to build up their abilities. These RPG-like elements are the characteristic that made Guardian Heroes and River City Ransom stand out in a sea of side-scrolling beatemups.

As if the standard adventure mode and game’s slick and humorous style wasn’t enough to get old-school fans excited, we now have a glimpse into the additional multiplayer modes that Castle Crashers will offer. The first competitive multiplayer mode The Behemoth showed off lets you duke it out against your friends while using your character’s specific powers. The look and control is much like the main adventure mode of the game, but the gameplay is more like an arena fighter like Power Stone 2 or Rakugaki Showtime.

After watching the slew of Castle Crashers videos availible, you can’t help but get worked up about this brawler.
Read Joystiq’s Complete Preview

Boss Video

Everyday Shooter

Platforms: PC, Playstation 3 Network
Release Date: Q4 2007
At first glance, you may think that Everyday Shooter is just another Geometry Wars clone. However, once you really look deeper into the game’s goals, you will see that there is a more creative aspect to this independant offering.

Everday Shooter’s creator, Jonathan Mak had two major game inspirations before starting development. The simple chain-reaction-based gameplay of Every Extend set the groundwork for the overall gameplay mechanic, but the dynamic nature of the modern puzzle game, Lumines was also a heavy influence in terms of design and the staging of the shooter.

In an interview with Gamasutra, Mak shared, “The thing I loved about Lumines was how each skin was like a completely different unit of the entire package. Yet each skin was very much related to one another. It’s just like a music album! But, I wanted to follow this album analogy beyond looks and sounds. I wanted to make separate games just like how an album is made of separate songs. It wasn’t hard to think of a common thread that would link each of the games. As I mentioned before, I desperately wanted to simplify, so why not take the most archetypal video game and make a bunch of those? For me, that would be the shoot-em-up.”

While Mak doesn’t mention it as an inspiration, the audio qualities of Everyday Shooter seem like they are essentially a guitar version of Rez’s techno-based audio experience. “In the game, all the sound effects are notes from the song or guitar riffs, and none of it is beat synced. Despite this, the soundscape doesn’t turn out to be some sort of random mess. This is because, much like everyday soundscapes, there is an order to the way sounds are triggered, and the order is directly correlated with the game. If you shoot one type of enemy, it plays one type of riff. If you shoot another type of enemy, it plays another riff. And if you shoot nothing, then no sound will play. So there is a lack of rigidity, which makes the soundscape more organic.”
Still want to see more? Check out these video clips to get your imagination wandering.

Omega Five

Platforms: XBox Live Arcade
Release Date: Q4 2007
Established shmup publisher, Hudson is teaming up with Natsume (the team behind Harvest Moon) to create what may be the freshest and one of the most challenging 2D shooters of recent years.

Like most modern shmups, Omega Five is stricktly 2D in terms of gameplay, but does feature 3D elements. One particular gimmick for this game is that enemies can emerge from the 3D background and not just from the top and bottom of the screen.

Omega Five is also unique in that players can choose from multiple humanoid characters, each with their own unique special attacks and upgradeable weapons, which they can shoot in 360 degrees.

In their informitive preview, IGN discusses the control scheme:”As your player hovers over the screen, like Space Harrier from a different perspective, you can navigate them with the left thumbstick. The right aims in 360 degrees giving the control a similar setup to the familiar Geometry Wars.”

IGN also discussed the power-up system in greater detail: “Orbs of three different colors will occasionally appear on screen. Each color corresponds to a specific power-up. Collect three of the same to fully charge up your weapon and unleash hellfire. Switching to another color will reset your power-up on every weapon type, so choosing which to collect is important. In addition to the gun power-ups, pink chips that explode out of downed enemies can also be collected. With enough of these, you can unleash screen clearing special attacks or hold onto them to make use of small shields they can generate.”

Like most XBLA title, Omega Five is a rather short game, but the deep gameplay mechnics, offline co-op mode, and challenging opponents (which require a heavy dose of memorization) should keep even hardcore shooter fans busy for a while.

Oboro Muramasa Youtouden

Platforms: Wii
Release Date: Unknown
If you like two-dimensional games and you haven’t yet heard of Vanillaware, I’ll fill you in….

There was once this obscure, Japanese import on the Sega Saturn by Altus, by the name of Princess Crown. It was a side-scrolling action RPG that had real-time battles that had mechanics similar to sidescrolling beatemups. It also was one of the most beautiful 2D games on the two-dimensional powerhouse console. Fast-forward about a decade… The team that worked on Princess Crown formed their own development house and eventually named themselves Vanillaware. Recently, Vanillaware has created a following because of their legacy of beautiful 2D games such as Odin Sphere (the spiritual sucessor to Princess Crown) and GrimGrimoire on the PS2.

With two stunning PS2 games under their belt, Vanillaware is moving onto a newer machine to do their two-dimensional bidding. The XBox Live Arcade might have been the most logical choice for a 2D Action RPG, but the fast growth of the Wii install base must have convinced Vanillaware to take a chance with Nintendo’s wonderbox with it’s ninja-based adventure.

For those that are wondering about how the Wii’s controls will work for a 2D action game, the game is said to have two different methods of control. One set of controls will be for casual players that will presumably involve the Wii Remote, and another set will be tailored for hardcore players who’d prefer a more precise method.

Other than all that information above and these magazine-scan screenshots, there isn’t much else we know about Oboro Muramasa Youtouden. So far, it is also a Japanese-only release, but there is definately a chance that it will come to other countries (maybe with a new title) much like its older siblings.

Söldner-X

Platforms: PC, Playstation 3 Network
Release: Q4 2007
Up until XBox Live Arcade came along, the only way you could play a wealth of modern 2D shooters was on the Sega Dreamcast. Now that the XBLA and the Playstation Network offer an easy way to effectively sell and distribute these niche games, we are seeing quite a few shmups being developed for download services.

Söldner-X: Himmelsstürmer looks to be an ultra-modern 2D shmup that has a number of fresh innovations such as weather effects, collection quests, tactical elements, and a rich weapon upgrade system. This shmup also includes 2-player co-op gameplay and six difficulty levels to keep shooter fans happy.

Online retailer, Play-Asia, is backing this game financially and will be selling the PC version, so there should be some quality behind Söldner-X’s promises. Time will tell if the game will indeed hold up to the classics like R-Type, Gradius, and Ikaruga or if it will fall into mediocrity like the Neo-Geo’s Last Hope.

Eternity’s Child

Platforms: Wii and Playstation 3 Network
Release Date: Unknown
The platformer genre seems to be one of the optimal game types to take advantage of the benefits of 2D gaming. Running and jumping is always a bit more precise in two-dimensions and the atmosphere lends itself well to hand-drawn artwork. Eternity’s Child looks to make the most of the 2D capabilities of modern consoles by giving live to an imaginative hand-drawn world featuring an orphaned, wingless angel.

This platformer was originally being developed for the XBox Live Arcade, but due to the high-resolution art and the XBLA 150MB size limit, developer Luc Bernard is moving the whole production to the Wii for a retail release. Development will have to be fundamentally restarted on the Wii, but Bernard will be staying with a traditional control scheme, shying away from Wii’s motion controls, instead opting to possibly throw some kind of functionality in here or there, in a smaller capacity.

The game has also been confirmed for the PS3’s download service, but not further details are availible at this point. I would also think that an XBLA version would also be a possibility once the file size limit is raised.

No matter what service it shows up on, the game will feature completely hand-drawn graphics and orchestral soundtrack, as well as two-player co op to give retro fans plenty of fun.

Braid

Platform: XBox Live Arcade, PC
Release Date: Q1/Q2 2008

If you prefer more puzzle-solving in your platformer than standard running and jumping, Braid may be the best fit for you. This quirky game features a little guy in a suit and revolves around manipulating the flow of time. The player journeys through a series of worlds; in each world, time behaves differently. The game takes an unconventional stance about what is fun to play, and what the player should spend his time doing.

As Joystiq stated in their hands-on preview, “the player’s time is more precious than his life. Indeed, any time your portly, suit-clad avatar dies, you can simply rewind the action a la Prince of Persia to go back to a safer portion of the level. Unlike PoP, though, there’s no limit to the length or availability of your rewinds in Braid, meaning the only thing you lose if you make a mistake is a little bit of time spent rewinding… Since there’s no real risk of death, the focus of Braid is on solving puzzles more than reflex-based action. Playing with time is the key to solving most of the brain benders, with each world putting its own unique spin on the flow of time and space. In one world, for instance, some enemies and items are immune to the time-shifting abilities, meaning you can pick up a key from the bottom of a pit and then carry it with you as you rewind back to the cliff above. Other worlds let you create clones that copy your last few moves; slow down time in a small bubble and even control time just by moving left and right.”

These puzzle-solving mechanics remind me of a cross between Viewtiful Joe and Hiro Nakamura from Heroes — two very good things in my book. I can’t wait to see how Braid turns out after futher polishing. You might want to take a look at this developer interview if you would like to learn more about this interesting game.

Schizoid

Platform: XBox Live Arcade
Release Date: Unknown
This first-ever XNA-created game may look like yet another Geometry Wars clone, but it is, in fact, “a co-op action game in which teamwork matters like never before, as gamers and their friend or AI ally protect each other from barrages of glowing enemies.” Essentially, you pick your color that determines what kind of enemy you can kill – and you depend on your partner to destroy the enemies you can’t defeat.

Of course, this mechanic seems a bit like Treasure games, Ikaruga and Silhoette Mirage, but it is interesting nonetheless. There hasn’t been much more information released just yet, but you can get a better feel for the game by watching this gameplay trailer.

Sendoku Basara / Devil Kings X

Platforms: Playstation 2, Wii
Release Date: Unknown

Capcom had our hopes up with the announcement of a fresh 2D fighter. Instead of a new Street Fighter installment, we will be offered a fresh 2D brawler developed by the team behind the Guilty Gear X series. The game will be based off the Sengoku Basara franchise, known in the USA as Devil Kings. The game already has a couple 3D hack-n-slash action titles on the PS2, but Capcom apparently thought the series would do well in this old-school genre as opposed to the crowded action/adventure arena.

So far, it looks as if SBX will include 10 playable characters plus what is known as a “Reinforcement System,” which enable you to call a companion for assistance in battle. Your companion can use reinforcements attacks, counter attack and assist attacks. Those of you familiar with the Marvel vs Capcom games will remember a similar gimmick. Time will tell if this addition will be more usefull than in Capcom’s previous efforts. Supposedly SBX will have different button commands for your ally characters in different situations/effects such as aerial attacks and guarding. The Madman Cafe Forums had a nice post t that touched on this Reinforcement System in greater detail.

To get a better feel for the game as a whole, check out these fresh gameplay videos from an arcade test location.

Other Ones To Watch

• Kiki Kai World – A sequel to the cult classic Kiki KaiKai series, known more commonly as Pocky & Rocky in North America. Kiki Kai World, like its predecessors, is a scrolling shooter and is expected to strongly resemble previous entries in the official series. It has been described as having all the trappings of arcade classic including “fast, finger twitching shooter action”. It retains the traditional hand drawn 2D animation and over the top enemies, gigantic bosses, and special attacks that are a trademark of the series. If I had more info and screens for this, I’d have it in the top 10.
• World of Goo- At this point, I assume this is only slated to be a PC game for now, but it looks so cool, I just can’t help but mention it. Seems a bit like Roco Loco in terms of style, but you need to see it for yourself. [screens and video]
• Mamonoro- Japanese shooter developer G.rev (creators of Senko no Ronde, Border Down and Under Defeat), are co-developing the game with a group called Gulti (which is based off the team behind the Raiden series). So far, it is only confirmed for the NAOMI arcade hardware (big brother of the Dreamcast), but a console port probably will follow.
• Illvelo – Teamed with previous shmup releases Radilgy and Karous, Illvelo will be the third in a series of cell-shaded shooters that have been relatively popular with Dreamcast fans.
• Two New PixelJunk Games – PixelJunk just released an interesting 2D racing games, but has just released teasers for their next projects. Not much is known about these games other than some teaser images and speculation. I’m still interested.
• Exit – This puzzle platformer was one of the few PSP games that caught my attention. After disappointing sales on Sony’s troubled handheld, Exit is making the jump to the XBox Live Arcade where it can stretch out in high definition and get more exposure.

As we draw closer to the first of April, we can’t help be feel a little uneasy when we talk about rumored sequels for cult classic games. But a number of sources have been slowly “confirming” that a new NiGHTS into Dreams game is indeed on its way for the Nintendo Wii.

Portuguese games magazine, MaxiConsolas, seems to have a the most solid evidence of the game’s impending release via a full article (with yummy screenshots) and interview with Takashi Iizuka about the NiGHTS into Dreams sequel (now known as NiGHTS: Journey of Dreams). Yes, Takashi Iizuka is back on the NiGHTS project. He worked on the original NiGHTS game with Yuji Naka and Sonic Team, but he is also the man behind the role-playing concept of Sonic Adventure and the Shadow the Hedgehog game. (I’m having mixed feelings here)

First of all, lets get to the eye-candy. There are a handful of screenshots to be seen in these magazine scans. From what I can see, it looks like the overall look and feel of the first game is maintained reasonable well. The level design and Nightmares (bosses) look very similar to what fans of the Saturn original would come to expect.

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Now lets move onto the interview and the handful of juicy details it reveals. Considering the source, the interview was obviously in Portuguese, so here is the English translation: (Portugese readers, check out the magazine scans for the original)

Q: How did the idea of creating NiGHTS for Nintendo’s new console come along?
A: I’ve been interested in making this sequel for as long as I can remember, and the moment seemed perfect to start working on it. This game is ideal to take advantage of the Wii controller’s potential.

Q: Will we get, once again, inside the dreams (and nightmares) of Claire and Elliot, or are there new human characters whose dreams we’ll be able to visit?
A: Just like the first game’s story, the new NiGHTS happens inside a dream world, and its story will follow the adventure of those children. I hope to announce further details in the coming months.

Q: Will the main character (also called NiGHTS) be alone in this mission, or are there new kinds of Nightmare-people to control?
A: I can already confirm that NiGHTS will be the main character, and that he will have new habilities which will be explained later. As for new characters, I can’t reveal anything yet. You’ll have to wait and see.

Q: Which new flight manoeuvers will this charismatic figure be able to perform?
A: NiGHTS will have a considerable number of acrobatic movements, many of them never seen before, for the player to perform easily using the Wii controller. You can count on loops, spins, and other manoeuvers which will be kept secret for now.

Q: In which ways does Nintendo’s new console attract you?
A: I am particularly enthusiastic about witnessing all of this technological advance, and about knowing that, as a programmer, I can create games in the new consoles which, a few years ago, I was only able to dream of.

Q: We’re real fans of this character. Do you think that he will still be able to be interesting to the public, after all these years?
A: Above everything, I hope that NiGHTS fans like this game as much as the First one. I’m confident that, with all the new features I’m hoping to include, it will also attract a new player base, not yet familiar with this character’s world.

Q: What can we expect, regarding game modes?
A: Besides a single player mode, familiar to everyone, there will be a two-player mode and certain special online functions.

Q: Do you intend to take the inspired NiGHTS experience to other platforms?
A: So far, this new NiGHTS game is a Wii exclusive.

Q: What other classic franchises, developed either by you or Sonic Team, would you like to bring back to life?
A: When I created NiGHTS, I didn’t see it as a classic franchise, but I always hoped I would be able to dedicate it a sequel when the right moment came. For know, this is the only game series I’d like to see people talking about once more.

Even though I have some reservations about some of Sega’s recent production and Takashi Iizuka’s recent work, I have to admit the between Iizuka’s comments and the screenshots from the magazine scans, I am encouraged that this new game might adequately carry on the legacy of the NiGHTS name.

Updated: Famitsu magazine has confirmed that the new game will be called NiGHTS: Journey of Dreams and will be released this coming Winter

Unfortunately, if you plan on using the wide selection of Gamecube games with a stock Wii, you will be required to significantly decrease the attractiveness of the Wii’s design due to memory cards and controller ports sticking out of the side/top of the system. (See this picture to see what I mean). However, with a few of these hardware hacks, you can enjoy Gamecube goodness without compromising style.

Adding Internal Wavebird Support

The wireless Wavebird controller (or 4 of them) is an essential playing traditional games without having to worry about stringing controller cables across your gaming room. However, even though the Wii supports its own wireless controllers internally, you still have to plug the ugly Wavebird receivers on the side/top to utilize them. With this modification, you can put the Wavebird receiver inside of the Wii’s body. This example only puts one receiver in the machine, but if you are willing to carve out more plastic, you can probably pull off a 4-controller setup.

Adding an Internal GC Memory Card

One of the pet peeves for Wii owners is the fact that they can’t use the Wii SD card to save their Gamecube progress. Instead you have to stick the relatively large GC memory cards out the legacy ports. This guide will show you how to permanently get a Gamecube memory card inside the Wii’s case.

Move Gamecube Controller Ports To The Front

For those of you that don’t want to mess with the internals of the Wii as much and/or want to be able to have a more aesthetically pleasing solution for plugging in the essential wired Gamecube controllers (like the DK Bongos, GBA-to-GC cable for Pac-Man vs, FF Crystal Chronicles, and Zelda Four Swords, and the Microphone for Mario Party and Odama), here is a sweet modification for having a breakout box of sorts for the Gamecube controller ports.

Design Your Own Sleek Gamecube All-In-One Add-On

While there doesn’t seem to be a guide on how to actually build this, here is an interesting mockup for a plug-in addition to the side of the Wii that allows you to have these internal modifications on a separate section that doesn’t require you to open and modify the Wii’s guts.

Gameboy Advance Player Wii Hack?

I love my Gameboy Advance Player on my Gamecube for playing a great deal of great 2D games, but it seems to be the one Gamecube thing that the Wii can’t pull off. I wonder if anybody will be able to pull off a hack for this…

As I had suspected in the past, the Neo-Geo library will soon be added to the lineup to add a bit more punch. This was confirmed just recently on Nintendo’s Japanese site. According to Nintendo, support for SNK’s 2D powerhouse will make its way to the Wii Virtual Console over the course of 2007 and beyond. So far, this is only an official announcement for Japan — commitments for other countries have not been solidified quite yet. No game titles have been announced yet either.

One of the most interesting things about having the Neo-Geo library on the Wii is that, once much of the library is available, it will be the first time many of the games will be able to be legally purchased without paying a hefty chunk of change. (However, I’m surprised the Nintendo, Microsoft, and it’s partners haven’t published more rare and expensive games on the Virtual Console and XBox Live Arcade already.)

Also, maybe after the Neo-Geo support rolls out, we will see some good wireless Arcade sticks for the Wii. Having some of SNK’s solid fighters teamed with a wireless joystick would be a killer app for me. (Capcom is free to jump on the bandwagon with arcade-perfect ports as well)

Related Posts:
The Best Undiscovered Neo-Geo Games
Fatal Fury Special Coming to XBox Live
Play Neo-Geo Games On Your Dreamcast