Another one of Rare's classic games, Banjo-Tooie has made its way onto Xbox Live Arcade this week. Like Banjo-Kazooie, which came out on XBLA earlier this year, Banjo-Tooie is an action-platforming game and is set two years after the original where Gruntilda's (baddie from the first game) sisters are trying to revive her from the boulder that buried her at the end of the game, and it's up to Banjo and Kazooie to stop them. Check it out for 1200 Microsoft points.
The other game to come out on XBLA this week was Virtual-On. Based off the arcade game, Cyber Troopers Virtual-On Oratorio Tangram is a fighting game featuring mechs. Featuring 15 mechs to choose from, you can opt to play through the game in single player, or take it online with Xbox Live and play against players from around the globe. Virtual-On is available on Xbox Live Arcade now for 1200 Microsoft points.
Sadly the PlayStation Network Store hasn't had as prosperous week. Ubisoft's Brain Challenge on PS3 and PSP has been available on the PSN for a while now, but the company has now bundled the two versions together for A$19.95. As far as game releases go on the PSN, that's it!
Highlights of the week's DLC include the two new maps for Sony's Killzone 2 and the new Cops and Robbers Mode for Burnout Paradise, which adds a new dimension to the game's online component. On top of that, there are also the weekly Rock Band and Guitar Hero World Tour releases. For a full list of DLC to come out this week, check out the list below:
Killzone 2 Steel and Titan Pack A$9.95 ($7.27)Burnout Paradise Cops and Robbers A$15.95 ($11.65)Little Big Planet Egyptian Mythology minipack A$4.95 ($3.67)Need for Speed Undercover - Boss Car bundle A$8.45 ($6.14)Need for Speed Undercover - Challenge Series freeSonic Unleashed Spanonia Adventure Pack A$6.95 ($4.71)Guitar Hero World Tour: Sappy, Very Ape, and Stay Away by Nirvana A$3.45 ($2.45)/160 Microsoft points eachGuitar Hero World Tour: Nivrana Track Pack (including the three songs mentioned above) A$9.25 ($6.75)/440 Microsoft pointsRock Band: Had a Dad, Idiots Rule, Jane Says, Ocean Size, Pig's in Zen, Standing in the Shower... Thinking, Summertime Rolls, Ted, Just Admit It..., Thank You Boys, Up the Beach all bu Jane's Addiction A$2.45 ($1.79)/160 Microsoft points eachRock Band: Nothing Shocking Album by Jane's Addiction A$17.95 ($13.11)/1280 Microsoft pointsPSP Games to purchase over the PSN: Prince of Persia: Revelations, Driver '76 titles both A$29.95($21.88 ), while Skate Park City is A$19.95 ($14.57)
Nintendo's DSiWare service takes the lead this week, with four titles landing on the DSiWare's virtual store shelves. Headlining the releases is A Little Bit of...Dr. Mario for 500 Nintendo points. Similar to the Dr. Mario game that came out on WiiWare last year, A Little Bit of...Dr. Mario plays very similar to Tetris, in that you drop different coloured pills down the screen, trying to match the colours up so that they eliminate the virus. Sadly, this version doesn't feature a multiplayer component like its WiiWare cousin, simply leaving it to the single-player mode. The second game to hit DSiWare this week was Real Football 2009 for 800 Nintendo points. Utilising similar touch controls to The Legend of Zelda: The Phantom Hour Glass, RF09 gives you the chance to take your team through fake leagues and cups in hopes of making it big. Unfortunately, like previous games in the franchise, there's no licensing in the game, just made up teams. Finally we have Masters of Illusion Express: Funny Face. There's only two mini-games ripped from the full retail release and revolves around your Nintendo DSi guessing what cards you pulled out of the deck. You can check out Masters of Illusion Express: Funny Face for a mere 200 Nintendo points.
Nintendo's other downloadable services; Virtual Console and WiiWare also saw some loving this week in the form of Galaxy Force II and Bit.Trip: Beat. Describing Galaxy Force II is a fairly simple task, imagine After Burner in space and that's pretty much it. Oh and you have to reach the level and destroy an alien base before your energy runs out. Fairly simple, but a classic and only 800 Nintendo Points. Following the precedence set down by Lumines before it, Bit.Trip: Beat brings Pong into the 21st century by adding a dance beat into the background of the game, albeit an 8-bit soundtrack. Add in a challenge mode and you've got yourself Bit.Trip: Beat. Expect to pay 600 Nintendo points for it on WiiWare.