Driift Mania - Another potential great game by Konami?
The Virtual Console takes a break after the Hanabi Festival.
After North America did not get any VC games the last two weeks some people were rightfully worried that Europe would also not get any new ones as soon as the Hanabi Festival was over. Those worries were well warranted, because as it turns out, indeed, there's not one new VC game tonight!
Instead, there's a whopping three new WiiWare games, and, as usual, one new DSiWare game.
Driift Mania is the only completely new title of the bunch - This overhead racer by Konami seems to feature some really frantic, fast-paced action, and reminds us of certain classic racing games. It can be played with up to 8 players and will cost you 800 Wii Points. We interviewed Konami about the game just a few days ago, so go ahead and read the interview again while you wait for us to review the game!
The Three Musketeers: One For All! is an impressive port of a previously released PC platformer. With nice graphics and fun gameplay it comes recommended if you like platformers - WiiWare certainly could use any it can get! You can either read our interview with the developers to see what they think of their own creation or read our review to see what we thought. The game costs 900 Wii Points.
Thankfully, Telltale didn't make us wait long for Tales of Monkey Island Chapter 1: Launch of the Screaming Narwhal, the first episode of Guybrush Threepwood's new adventure. It's a great game and worthy of the Monkey Island name, but be warned - The WiiWare version of the game has a choppy framerate and fuzzy sound, both of which are not there in the PC version. Neither is game-breaking, but they will definitely get on your nerves! As with The Three Musketeers, you can either read our interview or our review.
Today's sole DSiWare release is Guitar Rock Tour, which is another conversion of a retail DS game by Gameloft. For only 500 DSi Points we're sure it can't be too bad, but approach it with caution until we review it - The reviews for the DS version aren't exactly too hot.
Yup, no VC this week! Will we get a second retro game-less week as well?
1. Bass X0
31 Jul 2009, 00:06 BST
A good week although nothing here I will be downloading. As I already said in the forums, Driift Mania may as well be a Virtual Console game for its retro style looks and gameplay - it really does look like a NES or SNES game with modern graphics. If I could afford to be less picky about what I download, Driift Mania may have been a purchase for me.
As for there not being a proper Virtual Console game, well it was expected for two reasons - prior to Hanabi Festival we had been getting VC games almost every other week and what with America not getting a VC game for the last two weeks, it was pretty much obvious there wouldn't be a game.
I downloaded Marvel Vs. Capcom 2 yesterday on XBox 360 so still a good week for me for downloads, I have still not downloaded Banjo-Kazooie so if there's nothing I want next week, I'll probably download that. Haven't got Kirby's Dreamland 3 yet but I'm in no hurry to do so.
2. irken004
31 Jul 2009, 00:10 BST
@Bass_XO I actually thought it was a VC game when i saw the pic lol
3. Ricardo91
31 Jul 2009, 00:10 BST
Now Europe can empathize with us!
4. WhoKnew
31 Jul 2009, 00:11 BST
How does 8 player mode in Driift work?
5. Drake
31 Jul 2009, 00:12 BST
Probably the same as 5-player TG16 games, 4 Wii remotes and 4 GC controllers.
6. shinigami tidus
31 Jul 2009, 00:15 BST
Where the hell is bit.trip:Core? >_<
7. GabeGreens
31 Jul 2009, 00:17 BST
Guitar Rock Tour? I played the retail version. Didnt expect a downloadable version, but it makes sense. The gameplay is nothing amazing, but it was fun. Probably worth a download, maybe
8. Terranigma
31 Jul 2009, 00:39 BST
The lack of VC games is disappointing but at least we get some decent WiiWare offerings. The Three Musketeers just doesn't interest me and I'd rather get the PC editions of Monkey Island but Driift Mania looks like fun. Finally, A Konami WiiWare game we don't have to wait ages for.
As for Guitar Rock Tour, I never heard of the original game until now but coming from Gameloft, I'm interested, particularly for 500 points. I wish we'd get some more WiiWare games from them more often
9. ballistikboy
31 Jul 2009, 00:47 BST
And Flipnote Studio tomorrow (Fri?) for Europe??
10. Egg miester
31 Jul 2009, 00:49 BST
i am wondering about drift mania i hope its great but it looks like a great week for eu
11. pixelman
31 Jul 2009, 00:51 BST
WOW, nice update for you guys.
12. Bass X0
31 Jul 2009, 00:52 BST
Anyone care to work out how many weeks we Europeans/Australians haven't had a VC release ourselves?
13. Hardy83
31 Jul 2009, 00:54 BST
You get see a trailer of the DSiWare version of Rock Tour on Youtube.
It unfortunately uses midi to play the sons which makes it sound a bit dated...really dated. lol but I fully understand why they did that, since there is absolutely no way they'd be able to fit all those songs on the DSiWare size limit.
14. shinigami tidus
31 Jul 2009, 01:11 BST
@Bass X0: Let me think... One week xP Last week we got Kirby's Dream Land 3 and Detana!! Twinbee as the final session of the hanabi festival. Already forgot? _
Australia is hard to say, because WWWorld doesn't write about Austria Release.
15. Relevant Latty
31 Jul 2009, 01:31 BST
Typical this was going to be. Bass is right, normally the VC takes a break after a Hanabi Festival (I fail to see a reason why).
@Bass - I fail to remember the weeks we've missed but Australia have missed 3/4 more because of us getting a C64 game at least in one of our updates (I think it was the WiiWare one). They've also missed one game a couple of times (Only Street Fighter 2: Champion Edition comes to mind). If it had to be a guess. I think we have missed 8 whilst Australia has missed 12, this is just a guess mind but I am confident it is around there
.
16. Charlie The Unicorn
31 Jul 2009, 01:37 BST
You guys got a nice week!
I hope Driift Mania is good.
BTW, If NA gets flipnote this monday, you'll probably get it next friday.
17. BJWanlund
31 Jul 2009, 01:39 BST
And I guess Nintendo is going to talk up some DSi-related stuff sooner rather than later. Let's see what Nintendo does tomorrow (20th anniversary of Game Boy). I'll be keeping pretty close tabs, since I'm a big handheld gaming fanatic, and Nintendo needs to get some Game Boy-related emulation onto the DSi (and if they were to do the Game Boy Player type of interface for GB games on Wii, I wouldn't mind too much).
BJ
18. brandonbwii
31 Jul 2009, 02:53 BST
"another potential great game by Konami?" If the game turns out good that will be really something as far as Konami and Wiiware goes. Especially with their western teams. Have we forgotten Critter Round-up and Sandy Beach already. Don't even get me started on Konami published fare like Death jr. and Brooktown High. Don't think of me as a hater as I'm hoping for the best with Driift. It's been on my radar for awhile. Just bringing in a bit of perspective.
19. brandonbwii
31 Jul 2009, 02:55 BST
@BJ
They may start bringing game & watch games to honor Game Boy.
20. Atlantis1982
31 Jul 2009, 03:39 BST
I really like to hear how Driift is going to play out. I don't care about online multiplayer, but I want to know if it is fun anyway.
21. Super Smash Bros. Fan1999
31 Jul 2009, 05:02 BST
Not surprising. Let's hope if you don't get anymore one-game week, at least every two week, you get two Virtual Console weeks. You have more chances of getting an decent week by doing that.
You're not nearly in a bad situation as North America is. Trust me, NOA might cancel the service without warning.
22. RGVEDA
31 Jul 2009, 05:19 BST
Monkey Island is only in english? No german Screentext?
23. KnucklesSonic8
31 Jul 2009, 05:53 BST
Guitar Rock Tour? Hmm, interesting fit.
Hope Driift Mania comes out here on Monday.
24. Objection_Blaster
31 Jul 2009, 06:15 BST
No VC...hmm...if neither region gets a VC next week, I think we really can start worrying.
25. NeoRausch
31 Jul 2009, 06:55 BST
and all that packed into a 40MB-Download? WHOA! That´s magic!
26. marktheshark
31 Jul 2009, 07:04 BST
No VC game this week, that was to be expected.
27. LEGEND MARIOID
31 Jul 2009, 07:23 BST
Monkey Island may be a download. I may also go for F-Zero X on the VC.
28. Adam
31 Jul 2009, 07:49 BST
Driiiift! It's official. I am going to have to move to Europe. Anyone got an extra room?
29. Sean Aaron
31 Jul 2009, 07:49 BST
I picked up Three Musketeers and Driift Mania -- I do have to review it, but after reading all the stuff in the Ops Manual I'm hopeful this one will be a nice experience.
The game doesn't support Gamecube controllers. For 8-player one player uses the Remote NES-style and the other a Classic Controller or Nunchuk. I'm not sure how that's going to work too well given there's going to be a cable coming out of the side of the Remote, but there you are! The Ops Guide notes that Multiplayer is the "main" mode of the game; new cards tracks can be unlocked via earning trophies in single-player or after a certain number of races in multiplayer (thankfully not repeating the Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Games Beijing 2008 debacle).
Concept is tried and tested (Super Sprint was ace in the arcade; home translation less so); now everything depends upon how it plays.
And given the number of months of Europe having VC and WiiWare weeks alternating and the number of titles in North America still not available here, I think Europe definitely has more to complain about in the VC department, but oddly enough you don't see that happening. Take a lesson folks!
30. calculon
31 Jul 2009, 09:24 BST
I picked up Three Musketeers and will probably get Drift Mania next week. I'm on the wall with Monkey Island - until they get off their fat lazy cheap-ass behinds and learn to program properly I won't be getting it.
I'm loving Three Musketeers by the way - I've only completed the first level but to 98%. Nice boss first boss fight and the game really does feel like Viewtiful Joe.
31. Homer Simpson
31 Jul 2009, 10:31 BST
Hmmm....Guitar Rock Tour has a 'premium' badge in the store, but it costs 500 points. Strange, maybe it was supposed to be put up for 800. I downloaded it and unfortuantely I don't think it is even worth 500....there aren't even vocals in the game!
32. legochesser
31 Jul 2009, 11:11 BST
What the.....!??!!? Where are the guys who said Flipnote Studio should come today? Grrrrr...... That one should come on 20 September I think.
33. SanderEvers
31 Jul 2009, 12:13 BST
@33: How would they put vocals in a downloadable game?
34. Amorous Badger
31 Jul 2009, 12:15 BST
IF THERE'S NO SUBSTANDARD RETRO GAME THIS WEEK I'M GOING TO WRITE A VERY STIFF LETTER TO NINTENDO ABOUT THEIR LIP SERVICE TO THE VC.
35. Giggsy
31 Jul 2009, 14:01 BST
Good selection here, not to shabby at all.
36. Hyper Luigi
31 Jul 2009, 14:25 BST
Wow, now Europe is not recieving VC games. I hope the VC is not dying.
37. Bass X0
31 Jul 2009, 16:25 BST
Wow, now Europe is not recieving VC games.
This is nothing new for us. Although its probably related to America not getting any.
38. Amorous Badger
31 Jul 2009, 17:46 BST
It's my personal view that the VC draws from a pool of finite resources, which is now running dry.
Barring a couple of iterations of mariokart and the early Final Fantasy games, there's not really much left out there now that would be of sufficent quality and/or interest to the public at large to justify watever it costs in polishing the code up to get it onto the VC is there?
39. jordanr
31 Jul 2009, 18:37 BST
I am interested in getting Driift Mania, going to wait for the review first though.
40. LEGEND MARIOID
31 Jul 2009, 21:33 BST
I'd actually be quite interested to read the Driift revw, even though it wasn't even on my radar....
41. KDR_11k
31 Jul 2009, 21:42 BST
Looks like a nice update IMO. I'll look into what games were worth getting over the last few weeks.
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