Par for the course!

It's that special time of the week again! Thanks to Nintendo's consistent WiiWare Weekly service updates, it's Christmas (or respective holiday sensation) every Monday! New titles are available every week for Nintendo's Virtual Console and WiiWare downloadable services, and we'll guide you through what's hot and what's better left on the floor. But quality is key, and you can bet we love the good stuff!

There's plenty to choose from with this week's large selection of digital goodness, as both the Virtual Console and WiiWare service get two releases a piece in this week's update.  A true sports classic returns from the better days of the Nintendo64, while strategy fans get another chance to relive one of the best adventures of the 16-bit era.  WiiWare fans get even more helpings of puzzles and bowling, which may be enough to thwart off the groans of those hoping for something a bit more substantial.  Plenty to choose from, and time's a wasting!

So limber up those bowling arms and flex those strategy-loving brain muscles, because we're taking a closer look at this week's offerings.  See something you like?  Well, better get to the online shop if you know what's good for ya!

Mario Golf (Nintendo64) 1,000 Wii Points

Mario-themed sports are hardly anything new, but isn't it remarkable how everyone's favorite Italian plumber can make even the most avid non-sports fan suddenly pick up the controller and take a few swings in just about anything?  Such is Mario Golf, where the mustachioed-one takes the place of Tiger Woods and the whole Mushroom Kingdom gets in on the fun.  Press blurb for those out there who may not be in on the secret:

Mario™ takes a well-deserved break from his role as the Mushroom Kingdom’s busiest hero and returns to the links for some world-class golfing action. Since no one likes to hit the fairways alone, he’s brought along a group of friends—both familiar characters and brand new ones. Choose from 10 different modes of play and six 18-hole courses in a variety of environments for a golfing experience with endless replay value. Add in fun, colorful graphics with a Mario touch (a Boo indicates wind direction), intuitive controls, incredibly deep game play and multiplayer support (taunt your opponents), and you have a game anyone will enjoy—even if you’ve never played a round of golf. Fore!

Although its probably an unwritten rule that one can never have too much Mario in their lives, Mario Golf for the Nintendo64 holds a special place in many a gamer's heart as one of the best games of digital swings and swooshes ever committed to a game console.  Isn't it funny how in this world of officially-licensed sports games that almost none of them  have a life when their yearly number expires?  Strange indeed, and proof positive that good gameplay outlasts the best rosters out there.

Shining Force 2 (Sega Genesis) 800 Wii Points

Although the Sega Genesis may not be as fondly remembered for its various RPG entries as its abundance of action and thrillers, the few that managed to eek onto the console were often nothing short of exemplary.  When they weren't porting arcade classics and revolutionizing the very word 'attitude', Sega was quite the purveyor of a good fantasy epic.  Double that for a strategy-tactic RPG, which years before Front Mission and Final Fantasy Tactics meant Shining Force.  This week the Virtual Console gets the stunning second chapter, and press blurb below:

It’s a dark and stormy night in the kingdom of Granseal when a thief steals two jewels from the Tower of the Ancients. He sets in motion strange events that lead to the resurrection of Zeon, the Devil King. Granseal’s king falls sick, the princess is kidnapped, and a door to Arc Valley, the Devil King’s home, is opened. The young swordsman, Bowie, realizing the grave danger Granseal faces, must lead the Shining Force to find the Holy Sword and the stolen jewels, and protect Granseal against the invading armies of Zeon.

In a nutshell, if you're at all a fan of the two aforementioned strategy/RPG franchises (or in a more modern sense, Advance Wars) than you'll be all over Shining Force 2.  In its heyday the appearance of a good adventure on Sega's 16-bitter was rare, and by any yardstick this is one of the best.

MadStone (WiiWare) 800 Wii Points

Even more puzzle madness hits the WiiWare service this week, as the genre threatens to out-indulge family-themed party games for its traditional disc-delivery counterpart.  That said, those fans of epic-music laden puzzlers and more traditional multiplayer might do good to take a peek into this Riverman Media-developed stab at mental and dexterous brain-teasers.  Full blurb just below:

Time is short. Earth trembles as the forces of nature stir and grow restless. Can you turn the tide? In this dynamic puzzle game, you must clear the path for your elemental MadStones to reach the bottom of the screen. Blocks can be broken by striking them directly or by the force of falling objects. The novice tries frantically to break enough blocks, while the master sets up cascading collapses with only a handful of direct strikes. As two sides struggle for domination, titanic forces build, only to be unleashed in an earth-shaking final confrontation. Experience the mystical single-player journey, or challenge a friend in competitive two-player mode.

...yes, there's a glut of puzzlers on the WiiWare service, so naturally it's going to take quite a push to get anyone looking at becoming the next big thing.  Not quite sure if MadStone has what it takes, with its lack of online multiplayer and a host of other 'must-have' features.  Still, from what I've seen it looks like quality stuff and there's certainly no shortage of puzzle-fans out there looking for a new challenge.

Midnight Bowling (WiiWare) 800 Wii Points

The WiiWare service certainly has fans with developer Gameloft, as the developer continues to churn out software at an alarming rate, and thanks to releases like Midnight Bowling there's certainly no end in sight!  A port of their mobile game of the same name, this one comes complete with plenty of motion-controls and more than a few options.  Sound like fun?  Check out the press blurb:

Plunge directly into the trendy and electric atmosphere of Midnight Bowling. With awesome playing sensations, prepare for ultra-fun gaming thanks to a new physics engine that lets you control your throws precisely and easily with your Wii Remote™ controller and make spectacular spins that will impress your opponents. Face up to three friends in the fun party mode, where your playing abilities will be put to the test. Whatever your experience level, launch yourself into the immersive career mode, where you will play in the trendiest bowling spots on the planet against charismatic characters that will give you a run for your money.

...as with most of Gameloft's ports of mobile gaming, I'm afraid that I'm not too familiar with this one personally.  But if there's one genre the Wii has plenty of potential for, its bowling.  Still, its probably best to seek out as much info on this one as possible before plopping down any of those increasingly-rare Wii Points, especially with so many options on the table.