This week's update for the Wii Virtual Console brings what many consider to be the best Pokémon title for the Nintendo 64, which is extremely odd considering it's really just Tetris Attack (Panel de Pon) with Pokémon painted over it. Pokémon Puzzle League (1,000 Wii Points) features Ash, Brock, Misty, Pikachu, and all of their adorable little friends playing Tetris Attack. It's got story modes, continuous play, timed play, animated cutscenes, and even 3D puzzles to keep the gameplay from falling flat. If puzzles and Pokémon aren't your cup of tea you can always check out this week's other release, Renegade for the NES (500 Wii Points), a beat-em up with a unique story about a guy who has to fight his way through several street gangs to rescue his kidnapped girlfriend. Girlfriends were such a liability in the late 80's.
Wii-kly Update: Two New Classic Games Added to Wii Shop ChannelWhich is more important: brains or brawn? Before you answer, check out this week's awesome additions to the Wii™ Shop Channel, which give you ample opportunity to flex both. One game features frantic puzzle action with a Pokémon® twist, while the other invites players to brawl and battle in the name of justice. If you're anxious to test your mental mettle or your action-adventure muscle, these classic titles are just the ticket.
Nintendo adds new games to the Wii Shop Channel at 9 a.m. Pacific time every Monday. Wii™ owners with a high-speed Internet connection can redeem Wii Points™ to download the games. Wii Points can be purchased in the Wii Shop Channel or at retail outlets. This week's new games are:
Pokémon Puzzle League (Nintendo 64®, 1-2 players, Rated E for Everyone, 1,000 Wii Points): Get ready for a new kind of Pokémon battle where the power and speed of your brain are just as important as the strength of your Pokémon. Join Ash, Brock, Misty and many more characters from the Pokémon animated series as they gather in Puzzle Village to compete for the title of Pokémon Puzzle Master. Just match three or more blocks of the same color in any direction. Sounds simple, right? But the actual game play is surprisingly addictive and deep (chains and combos anyone?), especially when you're facing off against a human opponent. Choose from six different modes offering a wide range of action, from story or puzzle modes to continuous play or timed play. If that's not enough, take on the challenge in 3-D and get ready for more blocks than ever before. Featuring animated cut scenes combined with bright, fun graphics, there's enough to satisfy any fan of Pokémon or puzzle games.
Renegade™ (NES®, 1-2 players, Rated E10+ for Everyone 10 and Older - Mild Violence, 500 Wii Points): Renegade follows the story of a vigilante who fights his way through countless gangs in order to bring peace back to his city. Battle your way through subways, parks, alleyways and parking lots. For added fun, there's a wild motorcycle ride to challenge you. Use your arsenal of kicks, punches (including the infamous sit-on punch) and jump kicks, as well as a variety of throws to knock your opponents into submission. Along the way, pick up items like a hamburger that restores your life, a heart that increases your lives by one, a power-up to increase your attack strength, and a speed item that gives you a speed burst while on your motorcycle. You'll need all the help you can get to take out your aggression on street punks, thugs, outlaw bikers, killer kung-fu females and an array of bosses standing in your way. Take the law into your own hands to defeat countless scumbags and take your city back like the renegade you are.










Comments
Panel de Pon is the greatest puzzle game ever since Tetris and Puyo Puyo (Puzzle Bobble, SPF2T and Magical Drop are also good, but not that much for me IMHO) but i hate the Pokemon themed shit, still an excellent option... if not, but Nintendo Puzzle Collection for Gamecube, the Panel de Pon remake is awesome (and yeah, i like the fairy thing, i was one of the few that dream to see Lip on Smash Brawl... also with Stafi)
Next purchases for Virtual Console:
Pokémon Puzzle League
Earthbound (Please Dont Make Me Wait Too Much Longer, Nintendo)
Not that I'm big into Pokemon but I thought that Stadium would have been seen as the best for pokemon game for the 64.
I would consider buying Pokémon Puzzle League it but Planet puzzle League on DS looks like a much better option.
It was very good back when Pokémon was at the height of its popularity and hence its theme, I do have the original.
holy crap, Renegade? consider it bought.
Dang I didnt know it was just like Tetris attack. I saw Pokemon and was just instantly turned away by it.
I might end up getting it just to relive my Tetris Attack addiction years.
You're not Earthbound! Oh well, maybe next week.
I might get PPL, I dunno yet.
@TalKeaton: Game Design Major: I can't stop crying. I want Earthbound.
Renegade was AWESOME back in the day! So were parachute pants.....hmmm...
Hell Yes! more 2-D sidescroling beat em ups! Renegade is a great game. The VC has been generous with the 2-d fighters these past few weeks. I hope we get Rival Turf next week.
Sweet. Now I just need the WiiWare pokemon farm/ranch.
Tetris Attack made my hair grow faster the month I was addicted to it.
Forget that, I want Pokemon Snap. The stupid, "Oh my God, I'll never play that." game that I played way too much once I got a hold of it.
They should've released Tetris Attack for SNES instead! Oh well.
Here's hoping Earthbound comes out sometime soon...
I've heard only good things and a few 'meh's about Puzzle League, so it'll probably be worth picking up.
I'm just thankful they didn't decide to release Tetrisphere instead. That game could reduce a grown man to the fetal position within seconds.
@Absent Blue: Hey bud, Pokemon Snap is already on the VC. They even updated it so you can send your pics to your friends.
Games are almost never as good as you remember them...
Someone please make an online enabled version of the Conker's BFD multiplayer game BEACH. I'd pay $15 for that alone, maybe.
@MURDERFACE: Renegade, wow that game was pianfully difficult.
@ChimDeathmonkey: see above comment.
I'm surprised they bothered to release Renegade. I thought I was the only person in the US who owned that. I think the only reason I wanted it was it looked like Double Dragon which was either A) not released on the NES yet or B) sold out everywhere.. I don't remember now.
Renegade is tempting just because it's one of the few NES games I owned that I haven't played since I was a kid... but I don't think it's even worth it for that.
@Mainman:
What? Tetrisphere was totally "boss"!
I'm was a big Pokemon fan then and now and I loved the game, but I'll be holding off for a bit because 1) I still have the original and 2) I don't have room for it on my Wii anyway.
It is odd they didn't release Tetris Attack first...
Errrr. Pokemon Snap is the best Pokemon N64 game, and that arrived on the VC back in December or so.
Pokemon Puzzle League is still good though. Is this the only Panel de Pon reboot that included a cylindrical 3D mode?
Tetris Attack was much better. Who didn't like playing with Yoshi and his friends?
Panel de Pon is my favorite puzzle game and this is my favorite version of it (and I'm pretty sure I have them all). I'd buy it in an instant if I didn't already have my N64 hooked up to my TV with this game in it.
There are issues with the Tetris name. They'd probably have to retitle Tetris Attack to release it. They really should just release Panel de Pon, but the general public probably doesn't know that that was the original TA.
But I suppose Pokemon still sells games like hot cakes so that was another factor.
I saw this day coming. The day when I'd have to delete a Virtual Console game in order to download another one.
So long, Sin and Punishment.
My caousin wich is abssessed that game, is going to sh_t himself when he finds out...
DAMNIT!!!!!!!
*pulls out credit card as he cries for his poor bank account*
I don't know why... but I liked pokemon puzzle league. MewTwo Killed me a lot, but I still liked it.
NOTE TO NINTENDO: No Poke-Meteos.
I might've gotten Pokemon Puzzle League, if I hadn't played the bejeezus out of Planet Puzzle League on the DS already. Wake me up when Tetrisphere arrives...
Another great week of VC releases, I know my sister will want to pick up PPL.
I just want to see Super Smash Bros 64 on VC. Yes, Brawl rocks, but sometimes one wouldn't mind going back to basics. Back to the days when men were men, and boys were boys, and some boys had ridiculously overpowered throw attacks...
Ahah.
Puzzle League gameplay NEVER falls flat. It's the second best puzzle game ever made.
I consider Panel de Pon/Tetris Attack and all permutations of it "the greatest game of all time" in my book, so I laugh when I see someone defend other Pokemon N64 games as "better." They clearly don't know the depths of skill and challenge available and consider it a distraction from their Pokemon series, so I can only shake my head in disappointment.
I still have several sealed copies of this because I was making sure every friend and coworker with an N64 could play it. You see, my brother, Ichinisan, is *too* good (notorious to the online players many years ago) and I needed others to play against. ;)
Nintendo Puzzle Collection added a timing glitch that made Time Trial scores not directly comparable, but it was awesome because it included the first portable version of the game with a proper playfield (less pieces in PPC required an alternate strategy w/shorter chains). Sure, it was a GBA download that would go *poof* when you turned it off, but that was all we had for years until Dr. Mario + Puzzle League on GBA.
It is the best 3-in-a-row puzzle game ever. The Multiplayer is the most addictive ever made.XD
Damn! PPL is a great game! I play it at my GF's house all the time! I'll definitely get this one. *Two thumbs up*
C'mon Midway, release Mortal Kombat on teh VC.
Renegade XD
Now you are talking!
Oh man I used to play PPL like there was no tomorrow. But I need to save up money..nooooo!
@Herodito:That game made me scared to death of huge woman. Seriously at the end when your trying to find the final boss and you go though the wrong door and TWO of them huge bitches come running at you, you will have nightmares for years.
My girlfriend and I used to play this literally for hours back in 2001. If you can get past the obnoxious Pokemon theme (the vocal samples will torture you) this is a GREAT game. And the cylindrical 3D version hasn't been seen since, not even in the DS version.
Renegade >x10>x10>x10>x10>x10 Pokemon Puzzle League
To anyone turned off by the pokemon theme: Buy it anyways. This is one of my favorite games of all time, and can easily eat away HOURS in multiplayer against a friend.
(By the way, I was just playing it for the first time in months yesterday. Creepy.)
I am tempted by Renegade but also weary after having downloaded Double Dragon and being disappointed by it -- I was on a Beat-em-up high after RCR. PPL looks like a sure thing though.
Renegade was a poor man's Double Dragon. It was horrible, and waste the $5 and you'll see how bad it was then and now
@ph15h needs a nu job: As someone who regards Meteos as the greatest puzzle game of all time, I'd LOVE a Pokemon Meteos. Firstly because it means a new Meteos game, most likely played in book-style like the Disney one but without the horizontal movement, and for the first time with online play. Secondly because the Pokemon name will massively boost sales on what would otherwise only be a niche game, ensuring continued Meteos games for years to come.
And as PPL is my second favourite puzzle game ever, I'm totally getting this.
oh my fucking god... I have pokemon puzzle league for n64 still XD ahahaha
One of the greatest video game accomplishments of my life was beating Pokemon Puzzle League (story mode) on the toughest difficulty. I was so amazed when I finally beat it that I took a picture. Now, whenever I'm having a problem at work that I can't get through, I look at that picture for inspiration.
@SAKY: Yeah it was. But I'm a sucker for 2-D fighters. And these where the game i grew up on so I'm nostalgic to games like these.
@sporkhead: Planet Puzzle League is pretty amazing, if you've played a lot of Tetris Attack, in any of its iterations, then it will feel odd at first sliding the blocks around with the stylus. But after that it is just awesome, the one thing I always wanted was online Tetris Attack and this is exactly what PPL delivers...getting destroyed by Japanese kids is a lot of fun!
Start a discussion:
Login with your username and password below. Or comment on this post via email.