It is E3 week, but that doesn't mean the Nintendo VC updates are being phoned in. A trio of titles ranging from okay to excellent are set to grace the Wii Shop Channel's new section today, and truth be told it's a little heavy towards the excellent side this Monday. When my least favorite game of the entire VC update is a Yoshi title, you know you're in for something special. The ever growing lineup of classic games on the Wii welcomes Yoshi, Air Zonk, and Mach Rider to the fold.

Coming in at 500 points, Yoshi for the NES is a play on the falling stuff puzzle genre that sees Mario and Luigi trying to keep monsters from stacking up with the aid of the loveable titular prehistoric carnivore. Less than a year later Yoshi's Cookie would be released for the NES, kicking this game completely to the curb.

On the TurboGrafx front we have Air Zonk, Hudson's attempt at giving themselves an edgier feel by introducing a character almost exactly like the caveman Bonk, only from the future! He even has the same enemy, King Drool, heretofore known as the Ever-Living. Despite the corny concept the game really is an excellent example of the whacky side of shmuppage, well worth the 600 point price tag.

Finally we head back to the NES 500 point price range with Mach Rider, the spiritual predecessor to the F-Zero franchise. You might have heard the theme to this driving and shooting game remixed for use in the F-Zero themed stage of Super Smash Bros. Melee. The game has actually been enhanced for the Wii, as in the original title you couldn't save custom created tracks. Worth the points for that feature alone I'd say.

So there you go. While I could do without the unnecessary and self-trumped Yoshi title, the slightly improved Mach Rider and Air Zonk are definitely being downloaded and then summarily ignored as I desperately prepare myself for E3.

WII-KLY UPDATE: THREE NEW CLASSIC GAMES ADDED TO WII SHOP CHANNEL

July 9, 2007

Think you've got what it takes to be a hero? Prove it with these three heroic games, available this week on the Wii Shop Channel. Whether you're rescuing Mario's dinosaur pal from an eggshell or battling to protect the planet from evil invaders, the future is in your hands.

Three new classic games go live at 9 a.m. Pacific time. Nintendo adds new games to the Wii Shop Channel 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:

Mach Rider (NES, 1 player, Rated E for Everyone, 500 Wii Points): It's the year 2112. Earth has been invaded by the forces of evil. Battle the invaders as you race from sector to sector on your motorcycle, searching for survivors. Feel the incredible sense of speed as you zip past evil Quadrunners and zigzag between treacherous rocks, oil spills and other obstacles on the course. For a different challenge, create your own course in Design Mode, using the various twists, turns and straightaways the game has to offer. Remember, you are Earth's only hope you are Mach Rider.

Yoshi (NES, 1-2 players, Rated E for Everyone, 500 Wii Points): Yoshi is an action/puzzle game starring Mario's dinosaur buddy, Yoshi, who has been imprisoned in an egg. Now it's raining Goombas, Bloopers and Boo Buddies, and you have to help Mario stop the airborne invasion. As the critters fall, catch them on trays. Stack two of a kind and they both disappear, or capture the whole bunch in between eggshells. When the eggshells match, out hatches Yoshi and up goes your score. The action heats up as the characters fall faster and faster. To save the day, switch and shuffle, and don't let your piles get too high.

Air "Zonk" (TurboGrafx16, 1 player, Rated E for Everyone - Mild Cartoon Violence, 600 Wii Points): Air "Zonk" is a spin-off of the popular Bonk's Adventure series. This side-scrolling shooter retains the same cartoonish style of Bonk but is set in a cyberpunk future. The powered-up "Zonk" gathers his friends to form Team Cool, and they set out to stop King Drool's plan to conquer the world. Choose from three levels of difficulty and three Friend Modes. Shoot King Drool's cyber-robots and avoid their attacks while collecting the Air Bones to unleash a variety of unique attacks. Combine with a friend to create an invincible hybrid form or blast enemies with a charged attack. Air "Zonk" is filled with humor, made evident by the wacky theme song that plays when you post a huge score or when your game is over.

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