Okay, I suck at giving subtle hints. The original Super Smash Bros. for the Nintendo 64 is the 500th downloadable game for the Nintendo Wii. 1,000 Wii points scores you the grandfather of one of the biggest games released on the Wii, or the father of one of the best things going on the GameCube. Between that and the original arcade version of Ninja Gaiden (600 points), which takes place before TECMO mastered breast physics, the Virtual Console could be your best bet in this week's Nintendo Download.

That's not to say there aren't plenty of titles coming on the WiiWare front this week. You've got Nintendo's first-person shooter Eco-Shooter: Plant 530 (1,000 points), which pits you as a recycling plant worker fighting against an evil alien race that has brought Earth's empty cans to life. It's a message about recycling that even lets you recycle a useless piece of plastic - the Wii Zapper. Eco-Shooter is joined by Gameloft's TV Game-Show King 2 (800 points), Playstos' action platformer Pallurikio (1,000 points), and Happy Holidays Christmas from 505 Games (500 points), an application that lets you create Christmas cards and send them to your Wii friends. Aww.

Finally we have DSiWare, with Dragon's Lair making it's downloadable debut (800 DSi points), High Stakes: Texas Hold'Em (500 points) and Hot and Cold: A 3D Hidden Object Adventure (800 points) filling in the H category, and My Notebook Green (200 points) adding green to the colors that My Notebook comes in.

As always, check out the official descriptions below, and be sure to log into the Wii Shop Channel to wish it a happy 500th game.

Virtual Console

Super Smash Bros.
Original platform: Nintendo 64™
Publisher: Nintendo
Players: 1-4
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone) - Cartoon Violence
Price: 1,000 Wii Points
Description: Choose from an all-star cast of Nintendo characters in a frantic melee to prove who will be the ultimate brawler. Utilize the easy-to-learn but hard-to-master controls and battle it out in the single-player mode, earning point bonuses and unlocking hidden characters along the way. Enter VS Mode to take on up to three other players simultaneously. Inflict damage using each character's unique set of special moves, familiar items and power-ups, eventually winning by knocking your opponents off the screen in one of the interactive stages, each with a Nintendo theme. Need a moment to catch your breath? Polish your skills in Training Mode or destroy targets in Bonus Stages specific to each character. Are you ready to test your mettle against all comers, including the powerful Master Hand?

NINJA GAIDEN™
Original platform: Arcade
Publisher: TECMO
Players: 1-2
ESRB Rating: E10+ (Everyone 10 and Older) - Alcohol Reference, Suggestive Themes, Violence
Price: 600 Wii Points
Description: Take control of a ninja, master of the Five Ninja Fighting Arts of assassination passed down since the chaotic times of feudal Japan, and enter "Jungle," a terrifying American city, to crush waves of foes who are part of an assassination syndicate. Use three buttons to execute exciting moves like the Flying Neck Throw, the Hang Kick and the Triple Blow Combination. Each stage is based around popular Western misconceptions about ninja and Japan, making the game world a fantastic mix of ninja and American pop culture. Game settings such as the starting number of player characters and the difficulty level can also be adjusted.

WiiWare

Eco Shooter: Plant 530
Publisher: Nintendo
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: E10+ (Everyone 10 and Older) - Fantasy Violence
Price: 1,000 Wii Points™
Description: Earth's empty cans have been brought to life by the Cannoids, an alien race determined to destroy the planet. Only Mack, a technician from the recycling facility Plant 530, stands in their way as Earth's last line of defense. Step into Mack's shoes in this guided first-person shooter as he takes on the invading aliens with only his trusty recycle cannon and a can-do attitude. Blast and vacuum (yes, vacuum) your way to victory, keeping in mind that every shot counts. Your ammo also doubles as your health, and every enemy you destroy leaves behind Can Energy that you can vacuum up and use as ammo. Uncomplicated controls (including optional use of the Wii Zapper™ accessory) give everyone the chance to save the planet, while advanced tactics like consecutive hit combos and the tough Challenge mode give even the best players a run for their money. Are you ready to step up and put a dent in their cans?

TV Show King 2
Publisher: Gameloft
Players: 1-4
ESRB Rating: E10+ (Everyone 10 and Older) - Drug Reference
Price: 800 Wii Points
Description: TV Show King is back for a second round. There are 8,000 questions sorted into 12 categories on the program, including general knowledge, sports, movies, music and more. And that's without counting the questions that you can create yourself. Here's everything you need to compete with your friends, or with players all over the world thanks to Nintendo® Wi-Fi Connection.

Pallurikio™
Publisher: Playstos Entertainment
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone)
Price: 1,000 Wii Points
Description: Jump and roll with Pallurikio, a fast-paced action platformer that's easy to pick up yet challenging to master. While playing a mysterious board game he found with his friends, Rusty is sucked into a dimensional vortex and finds himself in a mystical and wondrous world where he assumes the aspect of the round and bouncing Pallurikio. Using the Wii Remote™ controller, make Pallurikio jump and roll and help him find his way through more than 50 enticing levels while surviving all kinds of pitfalls and trickeries in Bakumbala Jungle, the far reaches of Palluro Prime and many other weird settings. Featuring physics simulation, Time Attack mode, collectible cards and space rockets to boot, Pallurikio is a game you won't want to miss.

Happy Holidays Christmas
Publisher: 505 Games
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone)
Price: 500 Wii Points
Description: Planning a Christmas party and want to grab guests' attention? Or want to send greeting cards without the hassle of licking stamps? Here's the solution: Create and send fun Christmas cards with this unique WiiWare application. Happy Holidays Christmas lets you make fun Christmas-themed e-cards and send them straight to friends' Wii™ consoles. Add a tree and decorations; choose frames, stickers and music; then write a message to friends you've registered in your Wii Address Book. It might not snow this Christmas, but with this fun new software your holiday is guaranteed to be a happy one.

Nintendo DSiWare

UNO
Publisher: Gameloft
Players: 1-4
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone)
Price: 800 Nintendo DSi Points™
Description: Get ready to call out "UNO!" on your Nintendo DSi™ system. The world-famous card game has been faithfully reproduced for the Nintendo DSi system and features exciting new rules. With a multiplayer mode that can be accessed by local wireless play or with broadband Internet access and Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection, playing UNO has never been so fun and easy, so be the first to get rid of all your cards.

Dragon's Lair
Publisher: Digital Leisure Inc.
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: E10+ (Everyone 10 and Older) - Animated Blood, Fantasy Violence, Mild Suggestive Themes
Price: 800 Nintendo DSi Points
Description: You play the heroic Dirk the Daring, a valiant knight on a quest to rescue the fair princess from the clutches of an evil dragon. Control the actions of the daring adventurer and find your way through the castle of a dark wizard who has enchanted it with treacherous monsters and obstacles. In the mysterious caverns below the castle, your odyssey continues against the awesome forces that oppose your journey to the dragon's lair. Dragon's Lair is a fully animated classic arcade game from legendary animator Don Bluth.

Hot and Cold: A 3D Hidden Object Adventure
Publisher: Majesco Entertainment
Players: 1-2
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone)
Price: 800 Nintendo DSi Points
Description: You're getting warm...warmer...hot! You've found Hot and Cold: A 3D Hidden Object Adventure, the new game that puts you on the job of finding people's missing stuff. A voice in your head tells you whether you're Hot or Cold when searching for things. Investigate cases all over town using your unique ability, and discover the secret behind the mysterious voice in your head. Throw objects out of your way, maneuver your way through a 3-D world, follow your Hot and Cold meter and more in this unparalleled hidden-object adventure.

High Stakes: Texas Hold'Em
Publisher: Hudson Entertainment
Players: 1-4
ESRB Rating: T (Teen) - Simulated Gambling
Price: 500 Nintendo DSi Points
Description: Hudson proudly presents the definitive Texas Hold'Em game for Nintendo DSiWare with High Stakes Texas Hold'Em. High Stakes allows players of any level to enjoy Texas Hold'Em game play. The popular No-Limit rule set used in many tournaments is included, so anyone can play with the big boys. With the added functionality of DS Wireless Communications, players can compete with others and test their skills. It's the core Texas Hold'Em experience on your Nintendo DSi system - anytime, anywhere.

myNotebook: Green™
Publisher: Nnooo
Players: 1
Price: 200 Nintendo DSi Points
Description: myNotebook allows you to take notes wherever you are. Just pop open your Nintendo DSi system and jot down your thoughts. Make a list and cross it off, or even play your favorite pen-and-paper games (games not included). You can even personalize your notebook by drawing on the cover and changing the paper type with 18 unlockable squared and lined paper styles. Use the pen or pencil to make your notes or doodles, then erase the bits you don't like. With five ink colors, you'll always be able to make your notes and doodles look stylish.

Itagaki has kept a relatively low profile since leaving Tecmo, working with his new company Tokyo Vikings and agreeing to only to interviews here and there.

Itagaki is upbeat and opinionated as ever, talking about a range of topics and showing us pictures of missiles. And who doesn't love pictures of missiles?

While Itagaki was tight lipped about what he and his team were working on, he did express an interest in military weaponry (missiles!). Back in May 2008, he told Kotaku that he was interested in doing something "totally new, completely unrelated to anything I've done before. Not any part of any existing franchises."

As we previously reported, Itagaki said what he'd like to do is work on another action title or perhaps a war-themed game, perhaps something set in the Pacific Theater during World War II.

"I think the Pacific theater of World War II is a interesting topic," he said in 2008. "I think it would be cool to work with an American developer and do a game based on the Pacific Theater." When Kotaku asked during that interview how long he had been thinking about doing such a title, Itagaki said it was something he came up with during our short interview. "I'm interested in that period of time, for my generation, that was an event that influenced us more than anything else," he said at the time. "I think that would be an interesting topic to explore."

That was 2008, this is now, a year later. Our 2009 Tokyo Game Show interview with Itagaki below:

Kotaku: It's good to see you again, Itagaki-san.
Itagaki: You too. How have you been?
Kotaku: Pretty good, thanks. So first let me ask you what you thought of our recent news story.
Itagaki: Which story?
Kotaku: That Tecmo had been falsely editing the Team Ninja entry on Wikipedia, and it became pretty big news.
Itagaki: Editing, you say?
Kotaku: Yeah, they apparently deleted sections about you and your former team members.
Itagaki: I don't really know what the point is in doing something like that, but hey, I'm still here. Does editing Wikipedia change the world or something?
Kotaku: That's a good question.
Itagaki: We live in a convenient day and age, but trust me, nothing's that convenient. They should find better things to do with their time.
Kotaku: Curious to know what your opinion is on the current state of the Japanese game industry?
Itagaki: I think that, in time, it will end up much like the Japanese film industry, you know?
Kotaku: What do you mean that it's like the Japanese film industry?
Itagaki: I mean it will become similar in terms of its competitiveness in mass markets, its ability to raise funds, and its technological prowess. I mean, Kojima-san at Konami has been talking about the technological side of the issue for quite some time now, hasn't he?
Kotaku: So, are you saying that the Japanese game industry is heading towards a decline?
Itagaki: Whether it goes into a major decline or not will depend on the publishers and game creators here in Japan. There's no point in traveling the same path that Japan did 400 years ago, after all.
Kotaku: What do you mean by 400 years ago?
Itagaki: I'm talking about sakoku, the policy in which Japan closed its borders to the outside world. What the industry is doing right now is just a modern form of sakoku. What I'm trying to get at is that you've got to be an Earthling first, and a Japanese second.
Kotaku: Are there any Japanese films in particular that you like?
Itagaki: Yesterday I saw Departures on TV. I thought that the head of the funeral home was the main character's father, but after watching it I found out I was wrong (laughs). It was pretty interesting but I felt that the ending was lacking somewhat. But, what's a Japanese movie I like? I'm particularly fond of Brother by Takeshi Kitano — that's a great film.
Kotaku: What about games, what games have you played recently that you thought were fun or not so fun?
Itagaki: Sandy from the new Dragon Quest made me want to take the DS and snap the damn thing in half (laughs). Looks like the game is pretty popular amongst my friends, though.
Kotaku: What have you been doing since you quit Tecmo?
Itagaki: I've been taking photographs, designing games — you know, the usual. The other day I went to Mt. Fuji and took some pictures of the Japanese Army. It was a 24-hour forced march so I'm pretty tired though! (laughs)
(top photo)
This was taken at the moment a Type-90 battle tank fired its main cannon.
(bottom photo)
Here's the launching of rocket artillery.
Kotaku: Wow, these are pretty impressive.
Itagaki: Yeah, there is nothing like the real thing. This is no video game.
Kotaku: Do these have anything to do with your next games?
Itagaki: I don't spend even a second on anything that I don't have an interest in.
Kotaku: What do you think about the feature in Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2 that allows players to control characters' chest movements with the SIXAXIS?
Itagaki: What the hell...?
Kotaku: When you shake the controller forcefully, the female characters' chests bounce. What do you think of that?
Itagaki: Well, it certainly is unique... (laughs)
Kotaku: What do you mean by "unique"?
Itagaki: Are those guys doing okay at home? I mean, I know Sigma 2's producer, Hayashi, just got married recently...
Kotaku: Well, we tend to think of breast bouncing mechanics as being a registered trademark of your games, Itagaki-san, so tell us, are you doing okay at home?
Itagaki: Don't worry, my wife is no pushover — trust me! (laughs)
Kotaku: How many team members do you have at Tokyo Vikings? Are there any ex-Tecmo staff?
Itagaki: What sort of stupid general would give his enemy information on his troop strength? You'd better go back and read up on Rommel, AKA "the Desert Fox."
Kotaku: Would you like to make another fighting game at some point?
Itagaki: I believe I created one possible example of a perfected fighting game 4 years ago. If someone else wants to make one, I say they go right ahead.
Kotaku: What genre of game would you like to make then?
Itagaki: If I were to tell you that it would ruin the surprise! Be patient just a little while longer.
Kotaku: Are you considering doing something for the Wii or DS?
Itagaki: I've made one for the DS, as you know. It wasn't a typical DS game, though, that's for sure. When you get right down to it, I'm not sure that I'm suited for portable games, you know?
Kotaku: Will you be at the Tokyo Game Show? I think your fans are waiting for you to announce your next project.
Itagaki: I'm really sorry to keep them waiting, but it's just not time to announce anything quite yet. My partners and I are working on quite a few bombshells at the moment.
Kotaku: So you'll drop those bombs somewhere? Where's your target?
Itagaki: You'll know once you see the explosions.

Those three Tecmo arcade games all spawned NES ports, with Ninja Gaiden remarkably different from its arcade predecessor. While we haven't seen an announcement for those three newly rated titles, Tecmo recently brought the arcade version of Tecmo Bowl to the Virtual Console Arcade. It appears its plans don't stop there.

No word yet on when we can expect to see the arcade versions of Ninja Gaiden, Solomon's Key and Rygar available via the Wii Shop Channel, but we're just glad to see something happening on the VC Arcade front.

"I'm sure that for casual games these motion controls will be very popular, but for action games like Ninja Gaiden we need quick responses and if you're swinging your arms around like you're using a sword you will soon be tired," says Tecmo Koei honcho Kenji Matsubara.

So no Ninja Gaiden with Sony motion controls?

"Maybe we have to change the playing style and check the technology to see how quick it can be," he explains. "So, at first it will be casual games and then maybe hardcore games and we have to prepare for that and provide the games to satisfy that playing style."

Kinda hope this doesn't mean casual Ninja Gaiden with motion controls.

Ninja Gaiden Could Go Motion Controlled [NowGamer via VG247]

In honor of Father's Day, we celebrate dads in video games: from the good to the bad to the "Luke, I am your father kind," that don't fulfill any fatherly duties beyond lopping off a limb. Join us now in separating the Bill Cosbys from the Darth Vaders.

Fathers in… Role-Playing Games
Much like mothers, fathers in role-playing games often are killed early in order to inspire the hero to leave home and avenge dear daddy (and mommy) and the rest of their destroyed village. However, there are some dads who stick around. When they do, they're usually playable support characters their son or daughter's active fighting party, or they show up in flashbacks and hallucinations to offer pep talks and parental criticism. Here are a few of these fatherly figures:

Jecht, Final Fantasy X – Father of Tidus: He's an alcoholic all-star blitzball player who insults his son to toughen him up. Instead, he winds up alienating him. Only after son and father find out they're dead do they make up with a manly high-five.

Kaim, Lost Odyssey – Father of Liram: Kaim believes his daughter is dead, but when he rediscovers her as an old, sick woman, he gets around to some parental duties like making funeral arrangements and babysitting the grandkids.

Pankraz, Dragon Quest V – Father of The Hero: Pankraz travels the world with his son and eventually sacrifices himself to save The Hero from monsters. Alas, he can't save his son from being sold into slavery from beyond the grave.

Walter, Suikoden Tactics – Father of Kyril: Walter goes into exile to protect his lover and bastard son but decides to keep Mommy's identity a secret. He gets turned into a fish monster and attacks Kyril before another party member puts him out of his misery.

James, Fallout 3 – Father of You: Daddy dearest ditches you in Vault 101 and goes to find a cure for irradiated water. When you finally catch up with him, he sends you on a deadly quest and then bites it in the name of science. And, uh, saving you – that too.

Uriel Septim VII, The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion – Father of Martin: Had several legitimate sons to stock the throne with heirs, but wisely kept a child out of wedlock just in case a Daedra Lord killed all of his other kids. Instead of fostering the boy to a vassal or something noble, Septim stuck Martin in the church to keep him out of trouble.

Best Dad… Pankraz, because, while he couldn't keep his son from being sold into slavery, he didn't hesitate to take on a horde of monsters to save him.

Worst Dad… Uriel Septim VII, because, really, it was bad enough for Martin to be born a bastard – even worse to have Daedra Lords come after you because of some dude you've never even met. Thanks for nothing, Dad!

Fathers in… Fighting Games
Fighting games have a high volume of fathers. Apparently, popping out a few kids is the thing to do after winning world martial arts tournaments. But no father in any fighting game seems to have thought the decision to become a father and a world martial arts champion at the same time all the way through: Either you're abandoning the kid at a young age so they invariably follow in your footsteps just to find you. Or – worse – you actively train them in your fighting style so they can grow up, follow in your footsteps and then kick your ass.

Raphael Sorel, Soulcalibur series – Foster father of Amy: Raphael got kicked out of his own family for killing some crazy noble and found the orphaned Amy wandering the streets of some French town. He took her in, raised her, trained her and went completely crazy trying to create a perfect world for her.

Frederick Schtauffen, Soulcalibur series – Father of Siegfried: Frederick left his infant son to go fight in the Crusades. While he was gone, Siegfried fell in with a bad crowd and wound up beheading his own father in a misguided act of patriotism.

Seong Han-myeong, Soulcalibur series – Father of Mi-na and wannabe foster father to Hwang: Teaches both children how to kick some serious ass, but winds up favoring Hwang with family heirlooms. When Hwang refuses Han-myeong's offer to adopt him, he tries to marry Mi-na to Hwang. Mi-na runs away.

Cervantes de Leon, Soulcalibur series – Father of Ivy: Somehow fathered the hottest thing in the Soul series and then tried to devour her when she comes looking for his sword, Soul Edge.

Heihachi Mishima, Tekken series – Father of Kazuya: Throws his son off a cliff to toughed him up, throws him down a volcano out of spite and basically does nothing but try to destroy his son for the entire Tekken series.

Kazuya Mishima, Tekken series – Father of Jin: He may not have thrown his son off any cliffs, but Kazuya's revenge aspiration against his own father eventually turns his son against him. Also, it turns his son into a flying demon thing.

Marshall Law, Tekken series – Father of Forest: Law sees more of the insides of restaurants than he does of his own son, but he stops at nothing to pay the hospital bills when Forest wrecks his motorcycle.

Lau Chan, Virua Fighter – Father of Pai: Abandons his daughter to fight in the World Fighting Tournament and has the nerve to act surprised when she devotes her martial arts career to kicking his ass.

Bass Armstrong, Dead or Alive series – Father of Tina: Two words sum up his entire parenting technique– over and protective.

Fame Douglas, Dead or Alive series – Father of Helena: Fame knocks up a world-famous opera singer and then doesn't marry her; but he does leave his daughter his effed up company, DOATEC, after being assassinated. Thanks, Daddy!

Raidou, Dead or Alive series – Father of Ayane: Raped her mother. ‘Nuff said.

Dhalsim, Street Fighter – Father of Datta: Dhalsim serves as a father to his entire village by entering the World Warrior tournament to raise money for them.

Best Dad… Bass, because he loves his daughter too much to let her dress like a slut – unlike Cervantes.

Worst Dad… Heihachi, because he throws his son off a cliff and into a volcano; and he imprisons his grandson. Somebody call Child Protective Services!

Fathers in… Action Adventure and Survival Horror Games
It's hard to feel warm and fuzzy about fathers in these types of games because they're almost always an antagonist. Even the well-meaning Dads who just want to protect their offspring usually wind up doing the opposite by turning evil, letting work consume them or by losing the family farm to a rival rancher. But, even if they're real jerks, they're still fathers and they deserve their due on this day.

Joe Hayabusa, Ninja Gaiden – Father of Ryu: Leads an entire ninja clan and raises a badass ninja son.

William Birkin, Resident Evil 2 – Father of Sherry: The guy's got no time for parenting – he's so married to his work he becomes the last boss.

Mr. Burnside, Resident Evil: Code Veronica – Father of Steve: Not only did he raise his son to be a whiny loser, but Mr. Burnside also thought it'd be a great idea to steal from the Umbrella Corporation, thus getting his wife shot full of holes and landing him and his son on a zombie-infested prison camp island. Great going, old man.

Harry Mason, Silent Hill and Silent Hill: Shattered Memories – Adoptive father of Cheryl and possibly Alessa, depending on which ending you get: Harry probably shouldn't have picked up a strange child on the side of the road, but damned if he doesn't do his best to hang onto her – even when the monsters start showing up to kill him.

King Zora XVI, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time – Father of Princess Ruto: He loves his daughter, but is too fat and lazy to go save her when she goes missing inside a giant fish monster.

Talon, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time – Father of Malon: Talon is a narcoleptic rancher who makes a good living for himself and his daughter on Lon Lon Ranch; but unfortunately, he has poor taste in employees. Pro tip: don't hire somebody with the hots for your daughter.

Deku King, The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask – Father of Deku Princess: Overprotective doesn't quite sum it up – this is a guy who tortures small animals when his child goes missing instead of looking for her himself.

Bowser, Super Mario Bros. series – Father of Bowser Jr. and seven other Koopalings: He lets his kids run wild with pirate ships and magic zappy wands. Not exactly parent of the year material.

Donkey Kong, Donkey Kong series – Father of Donkey Kong Jr.: He'd rather hang out with his nephew, Diddy Kong, than his own son. What does that say about his fatherly reputation?

Kratos, God of War series – Father of Calliope: He's away from home a lot, fighting wars and when he does come back, he kills his kid in a God-induced rage. She goes to heaven and he tries to visit, but that would kind of break the world, so he leaves her be.

Kento Marek, The Force Unleashed – Father of Galen, aka Starkiller, aka Vader's Secret Apprentice: He escapes the Jedi purges with his wife and young son and hides out on Kashyyyk. Vader shows up, kills him and takes his son to train/raise.

Dr. Light, Mega Man series – Father of Mega Man: Okay, so he didn't provide Mega Man chromosomes; but Dr. Light built him and raised him. So he's like both father and mother to Mega Man.

Nate Harlow, Red Dead Revolver – Father of Red: If nothing else, the old man sure taught his son to shoot.

King of All Cosmos, Katamari Damacy – Father of The Prince: His binge drinking wiped out the world, and he sent his son to clean up the mess. What a role model.

The Mourning King, Prince of Persia – Father of Elika: He makes a deal with the dark god Ahriman to resurrect his daughter, sends his men to capture her and then unleashes pure evil by destroying the Tree of Life.

Best Dad… Harry Mason, because he could have adopted some other orphan, but no – he went through Silent Hill for his Cheryl. That's a dad who cares.

Worst Dad… Steve Burnside's dad, because, while Kratos might've killed his kid, too, at least his daughter went to heaven instead of a zombie-infested prison camp island.

Fathers in… Shooters
Dads are the stars of shooters. Even if they're not the main character, they very often drive the plot even from beyond the grave. This is probably because a lot of cultures have a manly mythos of the son surpassing the father and it's bled right into the manliest of video games. Even with all that testosterone, there's room for really great dads. And some really awful ones, too.

Eli Vance, Half-Life series – Father of Alyx: Eli lived the simple life of a scientist at Black Mesa Research Facility with his wife and young daughter. Then things explode as they often do in the profession and his wife dies. He eventually falls in love with another woman, but to his dying day, he never stops loving his daughter.

James McCloud, Star Fox series – Father of Fox: Clearly James did something right in parenting Fox; he inspired such filial piety that his son hallucinates him during boss fights.

Andrew Ryan, BioShock – Father of Jack: Andrew had Jack out of wedlock with stripper/dancer Jasmine Jolene and didn't get to spend any time parenting him. Mommy Dearest sold the embryo off to Andrew's enemy. Ryan Sr. might make a big fuss about a man choosing; but, the truth is, you can't choose your children.

Big Daddies, BioShock series – Father of Little Sisters: Big Daddies have no blood relation to Little Sisters and probably no soul, either. But they do what all good daddies do: protect the bejesus out of their babies with power tools.

Roy Campbell, Metal Gear Solid series – Father of Meryl: He lies to his daughter and says he's her uncle for most of her life, but then relents and calls her his "pride and joy" at the most inopportune moment. Later, he gives her away at her wedding.

Jack Raiden, Metal Gear Solid series – Father of Rose's son: To his credit, Raiden probably would have been a great dad if his wife had lied and said she miscarried the baby. But, since she did lie and tell him that, he let himself be turned into a high-tech version of a Ken doll and now his son is really going to have daddy issues despite his parents getting back together.

Big Boss, Metal Gear Solid series – Father of Liquid and Solid Snake: Daddy must be so proud of his clone sons. One of them is a chain smoker with a terminal illness and the other one keeps trying to bring about a nuclear holocaust. He probably should have spent more time raising them instead of trying to kill one or both of them.

Adam Fenix, Gears of War series – Father of Marcus: Supposedly he's some kind of genius and like James McCloud he must've done something awesome to inspire filial piety that borders on insanity. His son winds up in prison for abandoning his post to save Fenix Sr. during an alien invasion.

Sam Fisher, Splinter Cell series – Father of Sarah: Sam is so devastated by his daughter's death he spends an entire game avenging her. Drunk drivers and assassins beware a bereaved father, especially one who's a secret agent.

Best Dad… Eli Vance, because he loves his baby girl without smothering her independent spirit.

Worst Dad… Big Boss, because one lousy man-hug does not make up for the sheer number of times he tried to kill his son.

(Dis)Honorable Mentions
Shinnok, Mortal Kombat – He's only Raiden and Shao Kahn's dad in that awful movie, Annihilation, so he doesn't count as a video game dad.
Homer Simpson, Don Corleone, Darth Vader – They've all got a presence in video games, sure, but their status as good or bad fathers comes from the shows and films they're from, not from the games they appear in.
Dr. Tenma, Astro Boy – Father of Astro Boy and Tobio: Like a lot of Dads, Tenma was married to his work until the day his nine-year-old son Tobio died in a car accident. Then, he turned his work into his son, created Astro Boy as the son that would never die. Unfortunately, he wouldn't age, either – so Tenma sold him to a robot salesman.
You, Fable II, The Sims games and Harvest Moon games - Just as with moms, even if you play as an upstanding paragon of parental vigilance as a dad, you're going to be guilty of neglect at least half of the time.

That does it for dads this year. Think we missed somebody important? Drop a line in the comments. And don't forget to call your dad on Father's Day!

"Tecmo had the philosophy that the user would throw a game away if it wasn't hard enough," says former Tecmo, current Namco Bandai producer Hideo Yoshizawa. "So we made games really hard. Nowadays, a lot more people play games, so we ramp up the difficulty much more gradually. We want everybody to be able to play it and get good at it."

Thank goodness for the difficulty options! (Though, Tecmo still makes hard games.)

What Happened to the Way of the Ninja? Tecmo's Change in Philosophy [Kombo via GoNintendo]

According to the summer issue of industry publication Nikkei Corporate Information: "Tecmo and Koei are combining titles to launch a new game. The aim is to bring in fans of both."

There is no information about possible titles or a release window.

While Tecmo's most popular franchises are action game Ninja Gaiden and fighter Dead or Alive, Koei is best known for its hack-and-slash Dynasty Warriors series.

Koei does have experience with cross-branding: Back in 2007, it developed Dynasty Warriors: Gundam, which featured the Namco Bandai's popular mecha. Dynasty Warriors: Dead or Alive Xtreme Beach Volleyball, anyone?

ついに「DEAD OR ALIVE無双」誕生？コーエーテクモが両社のタイトルを合体させた作品を発売へ [Gigazine]

That's because Itagaki can now trashtalk Tekken and whatever happens next in the Dead or Alive series, given his new position at a game development start up that's comprised of more ex-Team Ninja developers than you'd expect. Itagaki and team tell 1UP that more than 22 developers jumped ship from the Ninja Gaiden team after a disagreement with Tecmo management that saw team members heading for the door.

So what's Itagaki and crew up to now? Well, he and top level staff formerly of Team Ninja—Hiroaki Matsui, Katsunori Ehara, Yoshifuru Okamoto—are already working on something under the unofficial "Tokyo Vikings" company name. That something we won't see for awhile, as Itagaki says they won't be showcasing their product at this year's E3.

But they have a lot to say. Check out the full interview for hints about what they have planned.

Tokyo Vikings: Tomonobu Itagaki and Crew Return With a New Team and Xbox 360 Game [1UP]

X-Play History [Go Nintendo]

I think it [Grand Theft Auto IV] is made extremely well and is a fun game... People always use that as an example of violence in games. But I don't think there's anyone who takes their job as seriously as the guys who make that game. You only have to look at all the detail in there.

That's a pretty high compliment right there, Rockstar!

Itagaki Talks GTAIV [CVG]

"Personally I think we were able to create the definitive 3D game in this series so I'm not planing on making any other games in the series," Itagaki said through a translator. "So I hope fans treat this as a swan song for the franchise.

"I think we were able to achieve everything we wanted with this game so anything else would be extraneous."

When asked if he plans on making a "swan song" Ninja Gaiden title for the PlayStation 3, Itagaki replied " that would be ridiculous."

Instead, the creator of the beloved franchise said he wants to make something that is "totally new, completely unrelated to anything I've done before. Not any part of any existing franchises."

Itagaki said what he'd like to do is work on another action title or perhaps a war themed game, perhaps something set in the Pacific Theater during World War II.

"I think the Pacific theater of World War II is a interesting topic," he said. "I think it would be cool to work with an American developer and do a game based on the Pacific Theater."

"I think it would be cool to do something like what Clint Eastwood is doing for that time period," he added, referencing Flags Of Our Fathers and Letters From Iwo Jima which shows both sides of the war.

When asked how long he had been thinking about doing such a title, Itagaki said it was something he came up with during our short interview.

"That's what it's like to create something; you start from nothing and you have to clear your mind and come up with new ideas," he said. "I'm interested in that period of time, for my generation, that was an event that influenced us more than anything else. I think that would be an interesting topic to explore."

If it turned out that a Japanese developed game about World War II was "too politically charged," Itagaki said he might want to explore the same issues in a game set in space.

I call it the scribble factor. On the normal setting, the player can wildly scribble across the screen, mostly back and forth between enemies, and fair pretty well. Eventually, they must learn to make distinct and correct pen strokes to progress, but by that appointment they have a move-set so exciting and large it allows for plenty of creativity. The complexity's nice for advanced gamers. The scribble factor's great for a young player, creating a sense of wonder as the game translates his simple movements into elaborate, elegant attacks.

Baby's First Sword [Hardcasual]

The question is, however, can the white knuckle action of Team Ninja's Ninja Gaiden work on a handheld? We'll tell you what we loved and hated in the review.

Loved
Everything's under control: Controlling Ryu with the stylus works like a charm. Slide it for sword slashes, tap it for throwing shuriken and firing arrows, go nuts for Ultimate Technique action. The only button pressing you'll do is for blocking attacks. The d-pad tends to work best, but you can use any button you choose. Hayabusa does what you want, when you want (most of the time).
So pretty: Thanks to some expertly pre-rendered backgrounds, Dragon Sword may be one of the best looking games on the DS. It's obviously not as graphically resplendent as the console versions, but its not as hard on the eyes as other console-to-portable translations.
Sane save points: Team Ninja was nice enough to pack levels with save points that regenerate your health and ninpo. Dying is far less common than in the Xbox and PlayStation 3 versions of Ninja Gaiden, but when you do bite the dust, you'll do little in the way of retread.
Story? What Story? The game may lean toward brief, but part of the reason is that there's very little storytelling fat tacked on. Dragon Sword keeps the pace moving at a pretty good clip, with hand drawn cut scenes reminding you why you're killing scores of lesser ninja, fiends, and demon dogs.
Stellar sound: Familiar soundtrack notes and sound effects ring true, even through the DS speakers. Headphones are recommended, though.

Hated
Weak difficulty: Ninja Gaiden: Dragon Sword is intentionally easier than its console counterparts and Head Ninja mode is certainly more challenging, but boss fights border on dull. You'll revisit a handful of familiar fights, but you'll probably breeze right through them on your first or second try.
Endless hordes: While the boss fights aren't as traditionally challenging, you'll often face a hefty dose of fiends and ninja that take more patience than skill to dispatch. Respawning bad guys in certain rooms may just make you want to find the exit rather than slash slash slash.
Spikes: Those damn spikes... Ugh.

It may not have the visual flair of Ninja Gaiden Sigma or Ninja Gaiden II, but Ninja Gaiden: Dragon Sword is a solid addition to the series, if only for what Team Ninja has been able to accomplish with stylus control. It's not the bloody, busty ninja norm, but it's still a hell of a little action game. Its faults are minor, though some may balk at the shorter experience—it took me just over six hours to beat—and the good definitely outweighs the bad.

If you're a die hard Ninja Gaiden fan, don't miss it. For on-the-go gamers who typically stick to slower paced Nintendo DS fare like RPGs or adventure titles, definitely check it out, if only for the technical accomplishments. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised. Oh, and you may be a bit more animated playing your DS than your comfortable with in public but the path of the virtual ninja isn't for the easily embarrassed.

Ninja Gaiden: Dragon Sword was developed by Team Ninja, published by Tecmo and released on March 25 on Nintendo DS. Retails for $34.99. Played to completion on Normal difficulty for review.

To be honest that was a totally different division that made that announcement, so I have no idea what's going on with that... I'm in a tough position because when I am making Dead or Alive, for instance, all the Ninja Gaiden fans say quit messing around with Dead or Alive and make a sequel to Ninja Gaiden. When I'm making a new Ninja Gaiden, all the Dead or Alive fans are like, "You have to quit that and start making Dead or Alive. And that's tough enough as it is, but I also get letters all the time for the past 10 years from Tecmo Bowl fans saying, "When are you going to resurrect that franchise?" So it's tough being in my position.

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

Feb. 18, 2008

Some gamers get skeptical when Roman numerals populate the title of a game. But make no mistake - this week's offerings are no mere sequels. They are some of the most highly regarded classic games around. So stock up on some Wii Points™ to battle the Dark Force or complete an action-packed trilogy.

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:

Ninja Gaiden™ III: The Ancient Ship of Doom: (NES®, 1 player, Rated E for Everyone - Mild Violence, 500 Wii Points): Join master ninja Ryu Hayabusa, last member of the famous Dragon Clan, in the third and final chapter of the legendary Ninja Gaiden saga. Ryu is framed for FBI agent Irene Lew's murder, and it's up to him to clear his name. Defeating superior life-forms created out of "life energy" called BIO-NOIDs and avoiding enemy ambushes are among the many obstacles which Ryu faces in this unpredictable adventure of mystery, deceit and destruction. Noticeable changes to the game-play mechanics include Ryu's ability to grab on to horizontal surfaces, his reduced falling speed and altered jumping maneuvers, and visible power-ups. Help Ryu defeat the forces of evil once more and discover the real culprit behind Irene's death as one of the most loved trilogies in video-game history comes to a close.

Phantasy Star™ II: (Sega Genesis, 1 player, Rated E for Everyone - Mild Animated Violence, 800 Wii Points): Hailed as one of the greatest games of all time by fans and media alike, Phantasy Star II is an RPG that features an epic story line and turn-based battles. Play as Rolf, Nei, Rudo or several other characters as you navigate through the Algol star system battling the evil Dark Force. Build your characters, select the right weapons and armor, and take on the forces of evil through various missions as you find the right combination of characters to complete each objective. Experience the magic once again in this great sequel.

For more information about Wii, please visit wii.com.

Sorry, Flynn, but it's not NIN-JA GAY-DUN, it's NIN-JA GUY-DEN. As in N'Gai Croal. I officially win our debate. Team Ninja's master ninja Tomonobu Itagaki—don't worry he helps with the pronunciation of that, too—provides the sound-off in the latest MTV Multiplayer pronunciation guide, even throwing in the proper way to say "Helena", something I wasn't even aware was an issue. Sorry, Canada and the UK, you know the deal with this MTV video nonsense. Ask a friend in the U.S. to give you the gory details.

How To Say 'Ninja Gaiden' The Right Way, From Itagaki-San Himself [MTV Multiplayer]

I don't believe the adage that the artist should be able to express whatever he wants is necessarily applicable in this case, because we're creating entertainment. And entertainment shouldn't include things that make people feel uncomfortable or extremely upset...[and] people out there that want to create something that is very far removed from societal norms and the moral sensibilities of the general public ... They're unfortunate, and I don't want to be grouped in with that group of people.

...from a Japanese perspective, when you decapitate someone you're killing them instantly. So from a Japanese perspective, with the sword, when you decapitate somebody you're basically giving them a very quick and easy death.