NintendoWare Weekly: Dragon Quest Wars, Arkanoid Plus, Altered Beast
by David Hinkle 
{ Sep 28th 2009 at 11:21AM } 
If you fall into the latter group, we'd just like to thank you for waking up this early to check out what's available for download today on the Wii and DSi. It's nice of you to do so considering you don't have any obligation to be up before noon. Boy, that must be nice. So head past the break and see what's available already!
DSiWare
- Art Academy: Second Semester (Nintendo, 1 player, 800 DSi Points): In this follow-up edition of Nintendo's go anywhere art instruction application, players are given a Free Paint mode, as well as a "an even deeper understanding of colors and techniques used by famous impressionist artists."
- Dragon Quest Wars (Square Enix, 1 - 4 players, 500 DSi Points): Not to be confused with Dragon Wars, Square Enix's strategy spin-off takes the battles of the series to the grid. Players can choose from a variety of classic Dragon Quest monsters, then head online to battle or use the game's wireless play functionality to duke it out with a friend in local multiplayer.
- Arkanoid Plus! (Taito, 1 - 2 players, 600 Wii Points): This update to the arcade classic fits 61 new maps into the experience, as well as a new Vs. mode and Time mode for those that need more pressure in their lives. The game even adds in a few boss fights for good measure.
- Driift Mania (Konami, 1 - 8 players, 800 Wii Points): All we know is that the game is a top-down racer. Seriously, that's all the description says.
- Altered Beast (Sega 1 - 2 players, 1,000 Wii Points): The classic transform-em-up emerges this week, bringing all of the thrills of punching and kicking to the Virtual Console. You'll have to fight your way through waves of baddies as you seek the ultimate transformation: Golden Werewolf.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
acefondu @ Sep 28th 2009 11:24AM
I can't understand how Altered Beast is $10.
Jerk Face @ Sep 28th 2009 11:38AM
Because Nintendo hates us.
GameWorks (www.PrizeLive.us) @ Sep 28th 2009 11:39AM
Near the same for XBLA i believe
Mr. Manly ESC Mcbeefington Ferguson The Second @ Sep 28th 2009 12:27PM
Blast Processing ain't cheap.
Shmil @ Sep 28th 2009 11:25AM
Uh... I may be wrong but I could've sworn that Altered Beast has been on the VC for at least a year. It was the first vc title I bought. Back in 07.
Jerk Face @ Sep 28th 2009 11:36AM
That's what I was just thinking!
GohanGVO @ Sep 28th 2009 11:36AM
This is the arcade version. The Genesis version has been on there since 2006.
Shmil @ Sep 28th 2009 11:38AM
Well that would explain it...way to go nintendo.
Giroro @ Sep 28th 2009 11:40AM
It was already on the VC. . . and it cost less.
Warp Whistle @ Sep 28th 2009 11:42AM
But don't you want BOTH versions for DIFFERENT prices?!
Storm Eagle [Resident Capcom Megafan] @ Sep 28th 2009 11:45AM
What are the differences?Exactly?
Shmil @ Sep 28th 2009 11:49AM
The difference is 5 bucks apparently.
Apolo Imagod @ Sep 28th 2009 12:29PM
I was thinking the same thing!!! This was one of the first title I ever saw on VC... what the heck?
Roto13 @ Sep 28th 2009 2:30PM
The Arcade version is definitely the superior version. It looks and sounds better. And you can actually tell what's going on in the cutscenes.
But it's a superior version of a still awful game, so whatever.
XBL: xGeneral DEATHx PSN: Deeth82 [Planeteer | Power of General Hostility and Angst] @ Sep 28th 2009 11:27AM
RWISE FWOM YOUR GWAVE
nighttime @ Sep 28th 2009 11:42AM
hahaha! beat me to it!!!
XBL: xGeneral DEATHx PSN: Deeth82 [Planeteer | Power of General Hostility and Angst] @ Sep 28th 2009 3:01PM
That and the sound of him changing into a wolf used to scare the shit out of me as a kid.
nighttime @ Oct 2nd 2009 1:06AM
me too!
Neff's laugh used to creep me out every time!
Raftman @ Sep 28th 2009 11:29AM
Altered Beast for $10 orrrrrrrr Altered Beast + 39 other games for $30 in Sonic's Ultimate Genesis Collection on 360 and PS3. Just saying. >_>;
Solace @ Sep 28th 2009 11:31AM
dont forget trophies/achievements yo
acefondu @ Sep 28th 2009 11:35AM
I got the Genesis collection on the PSP fro $15. 25+ games with Altered Beast in it.
mr nimblewick @ Sep 28th 2009 11:52AM
The difference if I might actually play Altered Beast for a few minutes once and while if it was just on my Wii's menu, but I would never get up to change a disc just to play it.
Levi (God Hand Defense Force) @ Sep 28th 2009 4:12PM
You can install Sonic's Ultimate Genesis Collection to your hard drive, mr nimblewick. So awesome.
Storm Eagle [Resident Capcom Megafan] @ Sep 28th 2009 11:35AM
I'm so tired of seeing Altered Beast. It seems like it's re-released for a new platform once a month.
And like someone said above me, $10? SHYEAH...RIGHT! Get one of the many Genesis Collection's out there, I'm SURE it's on there, plus you get atleast 20 more games with it.
What a rip.
Kogen @ Sep 28th 2009 11:37AM
This is the arcade version, not the MD/Genseis one. That screenshot is wrong.
And yes, 10 dollars is over priced for this. I think it is worth 5 dollars.
captainprotonx @ Sep 28th 2009 11:39AM
Thaaaaaaat has to be a type. 1,000 Wii Points could only mean this is an arcade game.
Or, someone found something new to add after 20 years. Maybe a Golden Bearwolf Beast.
Sturat @ Sep 28th 2009 11:51AM
Driift Mania sounded cool, but the screenshots look pretty bad. It was pretty clearly outsourced to a western developer.
Giroro @ Sep 28th 2009 12:16PM
DAMN YOU WESTERN DEVELOPERS!
Seriously you guys ruin everything. Stop trying to cram your crappy racing games down our collective throats and just let us enjoy eating pocky and watching English dubs of old anime on Cartoon Network in peace.
Everyone knows that all good games are made in Japan dammit!
sRc @ Sep 28th 2009 12:27PM
not for much longer, Giroro. remember what Kenji said!
Sturat @ Sep 28th 2009 1:47PM
It doesn't matter whether you like western developers, I'm just saying that if you buy this because you like Konami, you're probably in for a disappointment.
Rob @ Sep 28th 2009 12:01PM
What about Dragon Wars?
I'm still waiting for a re-release of that.
Rob @ Sep 28th 2009 12:01PM
ack. Ate my link
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dragon_Wars
edgore @ Sep 28th 2009 12:20PM
Now that they have C64 games on the virtual console I would love to see that. One of the best Interplay games I ever played, and for various reasons I never got to finish it on my Apple II
uncle jesse @ Sep 28th 2009 12:07PM
Seriously... does anyone even like Altered Beast?
Shmil @ Sep 28th 2009 12:52PM
I loved it when I was a kid and never owned it. My friend had it and it was one of the few co-op experiences that I knew about at the time.But it has not aged well. I atll can't make it past the third stage.
Giroro @ Sep 28th 2009 12:18PM
So did Nintendo run out of games or something? Why are they adding another version of a game that is already there instead of, I dunno, Earthbound.
SoshiKitai @ Sep 28th 2009 6:51PM
Don't you get it?
Nintendo hates Earthbound.
Just hates it.
Mr. Fister @ Sep 29th 2009 6:36PM
Nintendo of America is scaling back on Virtual Console releases for some reason. And the only way you're gonna see a different version of Earthbound is a DS remake with the potentially-copyright-infringing music removed.
ignfan69 @ Sep 28th 2009 12:19PM
I thought this game was awesome back when my cousin had a genesis and I didn't. However, in retrospect I think the SNES was the better choice.
Arrowned @ Sep 28th 2009 12:59PM
Guess that means the claims that Cave Story would see a Q3 release were lies. :(
Darigon @ Sep 28th 2009 1:37PM
It seems nintendo doesn't like money anymore.
Warlock @ Sep 28th 2009 1:40PM
Clearly Altered Beast at $10 is some kind of cruel joke. I bet the execs at Sega are watching the download numbers and laughing at all those poor people that don't know any better :P
CH3BURASHKA @ Sep 28th 2009 5:15PM
Wise fwom youw gwave!!!
Akuma @ Sep 28th 2009 6:57PM
The arcade version of Altered Beast looks sooooo much better. That's about the only reason to enjoy it, though.
It's still the same as the Gen version. X.X
Quattro @ Sep 28th 2009 9:20PM
How come there isn't a virtual console for the DSi yet? I'd love to get some NES/SNES games on my DSi. I'm tired of the large amount of uninteresting DSi Ware.