This is an excerpt from the Review of the Nintendo Wii Game Super Fruit Fall by Aussie-Nintendo

FruitFall, an almost-identical version, including the same audio presentation and level design, is available as a free Flash game.

Still, I can’t help but feel the game has some place on the market though, as it will definitely cater to non-gamer adults and arrives as the first puzzle game on Wii. The game’s certainly not flawed at all, but the way in which it’s sold is. Rather than totally criticise System 3, I’d instead declare that this production is absolute proof that Nintendo needs to provide developers with the opportunity to make original games available via the Virtual Console. Were this game released in this manner, or if it were available at a much, much lower price, I’d recommend it. But as a standalone Wii game at $80, I’d be doing you a disservice if I said it wasn’t the single worst title currently available on Wii in terms of value. Unless, perhaps, you’re a very hardcore puzzle fan.

Full Review 

More About: Nintendo Wii, Super Fruit Fall

This is an excerpt from the Review of the Nintendo Wii Game Gottlieb Pinball Classics by Cubed3

We weren’t quite sure what to expect when we slotted Gottlieb Pinball Classics into the system. Though it’s not always the case, as Brain Training might prove, budget titles are often unimaginative and generally look like a lack of thought has gone into them, but that isn’t what you’ve got here. Where we expected a plain and cheap looking title screen, near immediately you are shown the area in which you will be playing, a fair looking bar room with rows of pinball tables. There’s a possible explanation for it looking like it’s had some effort put into it, though: rather than being rushed just for Wii launch (as System 3’s other budget launch title, Super Fruit Fall, looks like it was), it fits into another common Wii game category - it’s a Playstation 2 port. Oh well.

The whole point of Gottlieb Pinball Classics is that it is showcasing decades of pinball machines by…Gottlieb, unsurprisingly. There are ten pinball machines in total, a couple of which are models that never actually made it into full scale production or even past the prototype stage, and on top of that there are a few other oddities that Gottlieb made as bonus extras: a love tester machine, a fortune teller (give him your star sign and an area to tell you about and he’ll ‘consult the stars’ and give you a cryptic clue back that could apply to as many different situations as your imagination likes. Just like a real fortune teller, then.) and a pinball/card game hybrid machine without flippers, where your role is simply to unleash the ball and hope that it goes into the right slots to give you a decent score.

Full Review 

More About: Review, Nintendo Wii, Gottlieb Pinball Classics

This are the Boxart and discart of the Nintendo Wii games Super Fruit Fall and Gottlieb Pinball Classics

More About: Nintendo Wii, Super Fruit Fall, Gottlieb Pinball Classics

Every Monday starting Dec. 4, Nintendo will add classic games to the popular new Wii? video game console’s Wii Shop Channel. Four games will be added at 9 a.m. Pacific time on Dec. 4. 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:

Donkey Kong Jr.? (Super NES?, 1-2 players, 500 Wii Points): Based on the popular arcade game, Donkey Kong Jr. is the sequel to the immensely successful Donkey Kong?. Players play as Donkey Kong’s son, Junior, and rescue his dad, who has been kidnapped and imprisoned in a cage by Mario?. Players use their jumping and climbing abilities to clamber up vines and chains, gather vital fruit and keys, and open the cage to free their father. Make sure to avoid the pesky birds, nasty electric sparks and creepy chompers. Four different worlds filled with numerous climbing and jumping puzzles await in this timeless classic.

Victory Run? (TurboGrafx16, 1 player, 600 Wii Points): Victory Run is a rally racing game, made up of eight different stages set in different countries from Paris to Dakar. Players can race across highways, deserts, savannahs and coastlines. In order to advance to the next stage, players must dodge traffic and cross the finish line within the time limit. Players can upgrade their race car with such parts as tires, gears, engines, suspensions and brakes. Driving on rough courses and hitting obstacles will cause damage to individual parts, so making repairs is critical. Choosing the right setup of parts may be the difference between winning and not finishing the race at all. So go out there and prove to the world that you have what it takes to take raise the gold cup in Victory Run!

Columns? (Sega Genesis, 1-2 players, 800 Wii Points): Players test their hand at the ancient Phoenician game of Columns. Multicolored gems drop from the top of the screen into a pit. It is up to players to quickly arrange the order of the jewels into lines of three or more as they fall. If gems pile up and reach the top, the game is over.

Ristar? (Sega Genesis, 1 player, 800 Wii Points): Greedy, an evil space pirate, has corrupted the kings of the Valdi System’s seven planets and enslaved the people who live there. The plea for a hero is answered by Ristar, who uses his amazing extendable arms and courage to save Valdi from Greedy.

Source: Nintendo press room

Super Monkey Ball: Banana Blitz (All 50 mini games explained)
Alien Attack - Nunchuk, 1-4, Simultaneous
Take command of your own fighter spaceship to jump, sidestep and swoop your way across the alien landscape. Aliens and UFO’s must all be destroyed without getting your ship blown up. Start firing those missiles to rid the planet of those pesky aliens!

Asteroid Crash - 1-2, Simultaneous
Red Alert! Asteroids are hurtling towards the monkey spaceship and you’ve got to stop them. Shoot the incoming targets to score. If the asteroids hit the ship you’ll lose energy — too many strikes and its game over. Let bananas reach you to restore energy, but don’t shoot them or you’ll lose points.

Banana Catch - 1-4, Simultaneous
It’s raining bananas! Move around the court and try to catch as many as you can while avoiding the bombs. Catch a bomb and you’ll drop all the bananas you’ve collected so far. Nudge the bombs towards your opponents and then steal their bananas to make sure you win!

Banana Thief - 1-4, Simultaneous
Thieves are tying to steal the bananas right off the trees! Protect them by knocking the thieves out of the way, but watch out for the rolling balls on the ground. Get caught in one of these and the thieves will have a free run!

Bugs Balance - 1-2, Simultaneous
Pile up those ladybugs on the stick. Can you get them to reach the sky? Watch out for anything that’s not a bug though, it will remove all your bugs and your game will be over. With multi player play, you’ll have to start collecting again until the time runs out.

Dangerous Route - 1-4, Simultaneous
Guide your monkey around a perilous path that has no barriers! Run around the course collecting bananas while keeping your eye on the edge. It’s you against the clock but one wrong step you’ll have to start from the beginning!

Disk Golf - 1-4, Alternating
Fling that ring and grab the bananas to win! Four players can take turns and throw the disk around the course to try and beat par. Watch out for the wind though, you don’t want to throw the disk off the island!

Fish Catcher - 1-4, Simultaneous
Let’s go spear fishing! Diving under the waves, you’ve got to catch fish by thrusting your spear at them. You’ll have to be quick, otherwise the fish will be able to avoid you and you’re up against the clock! Remember also that you must bring in exactly the color and number of fish that you’re asked to catch.

Free Throw - 1-4, Simultaneous
Step onto the court and compete to score the most baskets. There’s no backboard so you’re going to have to be accurate with power and direction. Do you have what it takes to win the game?

Frog Ball - 1-4, Simultaneous
Your monkey ball now has a pair of legs, which are made for jumping so get some height and distance to ensure you stay ahead of the game. Across the pond, up the cliff and on to your goal, there’s no stopping a monkey ball with frogs legs!

Fruit Basket - 1-4, Simultaneous
This fruit tree can’t make up its mind what fruit to drop! This is where you step in to direct the falling fruit into the right basket and save the day!

Hammer Throw - 1-4, Alternating
Round and round and round you go, but then you’ve got to let it go! Make sure you throw the hammer at the right time, there’s no safety net around this circle and each throw only counts if it goes ahead of the mark!

High Wire Act - 1-4, Simultaneous
Roll up! Roll up! Watch the death defying monkey walk from mast to mast across the wire! Can you keep your balance? The faster you go, the harder it gets, so be careful and good luck!

Home Run Derby - 1-4, Alternating
Step up to the plate, swing the bat, and try to smack that ball out of the park! Watch the fastball and hit it as far as you can. Can you beat your friends and hit the ball the furthest?

Hovercraft Battle - Nunchuk, 1-4, Simultaneous
Battle your opponents on the ice by piloting your hovercraft into the back of your opponent’s craft! Pick up items to stop everyone cold, boost your speed, or double your score. Take the crown from the leader and you’ll be victorious!

Hovercraft Race - Nunchuk, 1-4, Simultaneous
Jump in your hovercraft and doge your rivals while collecting the flags. Control your craft as it slides around on the ice and try to avoid the obstacles. Playing alone, you compete against time. Playing with others, you compete for points.

Hurdle Race - Nunchuk, 1-4, Simultaneous
On your marks. Get set. Go! Sprint to the finish line while making sure you jump the hurdles on the way. Hit a hurdle and you’ll slow down, so time those jumps and beat your opponents to the finish line.

Jigsaw Puzzle - 1-4, Simultaneous
Pick up the pieces and assemble the picture. Choose the number of pieces and then start to put everything into place!

Jump Rope - 1-4, Simultaneous
Sitting in a banana tree, how many monkeys can you see? One, two, three… how many times can you jump? Watch the rope as it swings around and time the jump so you don’t get caught. Jumping high is good but not always best!

Keepy Up - 1-2, Simultaneous
Using a bat, keep the ball bouncing up in the air for one minute. Beware, the bat is round, just like the ball. So unless you get it just right, one crazy bounce and the ball is down, losing time.

Monkey Bowling - 1-4, Alternating
The pines are all lined up and ready for a battering. Cast yourself down the alley with a little spin and aim for that strike! If any are left you’ll have to bowl again looking for that all important spare.

Monkey Boxer - Nunchuk, 1-2, Simultaneous
Ding, ding! There goes the bell, seconds out, round one! Jump in the ring and swing. The first one to hit the canvas loses! Don’t be that monkey — knock your opponent out first.

Monkey Darts -1-4, Alternating
Step up to the oche and try to hit that treble twenty! Score the most points or compete in the classic games of 301 and 501. Earn respect from your friends for hitting that bulls eye to finish!

Monkey Fencing - 1-2, Simultaneous
Touche! Thrust and parry your way to victory in a duel with the noblest of weapons. Remember, your opponent also has a sword, so keep an eye on him and you’ll avoid being beaten.

Monkey Golf - 1-4, Alternating
Choose your club, take aim, swing and try to beat that par. Careful you don’t hit it out of bounds or you’ll have to re-take your shot. Play the first nine or go the full distance of 18 holes. Can you hit a hole-in-one?

Monkey Race - 1-4, Simultaneous
Roll your ball around the track as fast as you can against seven other monkeys. Pick up items and use them to increase your changes of beating your opponents. Play a single event or compete in a Grand Prix over five races.

Monkey Snowboard - 1-4, Simultaneous
You’re at the top of the mountain and there’s only one way off of it, down! Jump on the board and speed your way down the run competing against your opponents. Play a single event or compete in a Grand Prix over three races.

Monkey Squash - Nunchuk, 1-2, Simultaneous
Take to the court in this fast-paced ball game. Take your chances and hit the ball into those hard-to-reach areas of the court to make sure you beat your opponents. First to six wins the game, so make sure every shot counts!

Monkey Target - 1-4, simultaneous
Can you pilot your ball to the center of the target? Collect those bananas while gliding toward a high score. Time the release of the Option Ball right an you could get even more points. In the multiplayer game, knock your opponent’s ball of course to ensure you’re the winner!

Monkey Wars - Nunchuk, 1-4, Simultaneous
Gladiators, are your ready? Pick up those weapons and wage war against y our opponents. Boost your life with items and increase your chance of winning by riding the vehicles for extra power. Can you keep your crown to be the winner?

Monkeysmith - 1-4, Simultaneous
Learn the art of metal working, monkey style. Swing your hammer along with the master

Number Ball - 1-4, Simultaneous
The pool table is in a mess and you’re needed to collect the balls. Make sure you pay attention, as you’re supposed to collect them according to the number of the ball that is shown.

Paper Sumo Fighter - 1-2, Simultaneous
Take control of your own paper sumo fighter and step in the ring. If you push your opponent out of the ring, you’re a winner. You can also knock him over, so start fighting!

Paraglider - Nunchuk, 1-4, Simultaneous
Take to the skies and try to land on the target. Control your parachute to glide gracefully through the air and land. If the wind changes, you’ll have to work harder to make the perfect landing! Go near the mountain and use the updraft, if you need to raise altitude.

Racing Birds - Nunchuk, 1-4, Simultaneous
Can you fly? You can in this game! Soar up to the sky and dive at the ground in an attempt to pass through as many rings as you can. It’s not that simple though as the canyon pass is narrow and if you hit the cliff walls you’ll lose valuable time.

Red Light, Green Light - Nunchuk, 1-4, Simultaneous
Can you creep up on the wolf without him spotting you moving? Race your opponents to reach the goal, but remember if he turns around and sees you moving, you’ll have to go back to the start.!

Ring Toss - 1-4, Alternating
Anyone for a hoopla? Now you can compete against your friends in a classic game of skill and accuracy. Throw the hoops over the poles and watch out for the Bonus Poles. Increase your score using different combinations.

Rock-Paper-Scissors Attack - Nunchuk, 1-2, Simultaneous
Play this classic game by choosing your weapon for each round. Win and you get to try to bash your opponent on the head with a mallet, but lose the round and you’re going to have to be quick to grab the helmet to defend your own head!

Scoop the Goldfish - 1-4, Simultaneous
Even monkeys want to keep fish as pets and to get your you’ll need to get down to the pond with your net and fish one out. Be gentle though or else your bucket will remain empty and you’ll never catch that goldfish!

Seesaw Ball - 1-4, Simultaneous
Starting at the top and using only gravity to get your monkey ball to the target at the bottom, you’ll need to tilt those seesaws just right to avoid a fall out. Too fast and you could go shooting past the next seesaw. Collect bananas along the way, and compete for the most points!

Shepherd - 1-2, Simultaneous
One monkey and his dog are in the pen and you have to get the sheep out through the gate. You’re up against the clock in this battle with the sheep, so control that sheepdog for the best results!

Simon Says - Nunchuk, 1-4, Simultaneous
Semaphore can be tricky, but with a teacher like this you’ll pick it up in no time. Raise and lower the corresponding flags according to the master’s instructions but remember to hold them in that position until he tells you to move them again.

Sling Shot - 1-4, Simultaneous
Load your catapult and attempt to knock off as many cans and balloons as you can. Watch out for the UFO’s and knock them out of the sky for big points!

Space Monkey Attack - 1-2, Simultaneous
Battle stations! Jump into your spacecraft and defeat waves of invaders by shooting them. Evade their attacks by shooting their missiles. We’re relying on you to stop them getting through.

Spaceship Landing - 1-4, Simultaneous
Monkeys, we have a problem! Can you pilot the spaceship down onto the landing pad using the retro boosters? Increase your score by using less energy. Damage the ship too much and it will explode, so bring that ship in carefully!

Treasure Submarine - 1-4, Simultaneous
Navigate the deep blue in search of buried treasure. Listen to your sonar as it will tell you when you’re near the loot. Extend the arm into the sea wall and extract the treasure to score big points.

Trombone - 1-4, Simultaneous
Make beautiful music by playing the trombone. Who ever heard of a monkey being able to play a musical instrument? Prove them wrong, hit those high notes and play your heart out to get the glory you deserve!

UFO Capture - 1-4, Simultaneous
Aliens have escaped and are running around Earth! Jump in your spaceship, hover over the aliens and activate the tractor beam to pick them up. The bigger the alien the longer you’ll need to hover over them, and time is running out!

Whack-a-Mole - 1-4, Simultaneous
Moles have invaded and are doing some suspicious construction underground. When they pop their head up above ground to look around, that’s when you strike. Hit as many moles on the head as you can with the hammer.

source: WiiNintendo

More About: Super Monkey Ball: Banana Blitz