Classics remade: Qix on XBLA, Rayman on DSi this week

Long before the Rabbids hijacked the company's games, Ubisoft had a different platforming mascot. Nintendo fans who are unfamiliar with the roots of the cute little mutants can discover the original Rayman, which will be coming to DSiWare with unique new features like camera compatibility, touch-screen controls, and time trials.

Rayman joins two other classic games that suffer from the common "I could have sworn these already came out on the Wii" syndrome. In this case, the games are Street Fighter Alpha 2 on the SNES (which is the seventh Street Fighter game to come to the Virtual Console) and the arcade version of Shinobi (which joins two Genesis Shinobi games). Rounding out the Wii and DSi's games for the week are four more DSi originals-- Ball Fighter, Pop Island, Army Defender, and myNotebook: Red. The WiiWare service is being updated with four new games--My Dolphin, Yullaby, Stop Stress: A Day of Fure, and Flowerworks. You can find out more about all 11 games coming to Wii and DSi downloadable services this week in the press release below.

On Xbox Live Arcade, Taito's 28 year-old arcade game Qix will be coming to the service this week with the requisite Xbox Live Arcade upgrades given to the likes of Pac-Man and Space Invaders--new techno-styled visuals, and according to Shacknews, online gameplay. According to Major Nelson, the game will be 800 Microsoft Points ($10).

NINTENDO DOWNLOAD: CLASSIC RAYMAN AND STREET FIGHTER GAMES LEAD A LUMINOUS DECEMBER LINEUP

Dec. 7, 2009

Maybe the holiday season has you grinning from ear to ear, or maybe you're already stressing out about choosing the right gifts for everyone on your list. Either way, you'd be wise to take a look at this week's new downloadable games from Nintendo. The latest Nintendo DSiWare releases include the original Rayman - perfect for prolonging your jubilant mood or providing a respite from the season's hustle and bustle. Speaking of stress relief, this week's new WiiWare games include Stop Stress: A Day of Fury, which offers a truly unusual way for players to unwind. And Virtual Console fans now have two more classic titles to liven up their game libraries: the Super NES gem Street Fighter Alpha 2 and the legendary SEGA arcade title Shinobi. All told, you'll find 11 new games added to the already stellar selection on the Wii Shop Channel and Nintendo DSi Shop. Whether you're browsing for yourself or a loved one, don't forget that you can also use the Wii Shop Channel to download five free game demos and try before you buy.

Nintendo DSiWare

Rayman

Publisher: Ubisoft

Players: 1

ESRB Rating: E (Everyone)

Price: 800 Nintendo DSi Points

Description: The legendary first Rayman adventure is now available from the Nintendo DSiWare service. Play as Rayman and try to save his amazing world from the evil Mr. Dark. Discover a charming universe with colorful landscapes and meet funny characters who'll help Rayman through his quest. Experiment with his abilities as you punch, hang or fly in the air and choose between two difficulty levels. Take advantage of new features in the Nintendo DSi version, such as the Nintendo DSi Camera, map selection on the touch screen and the ability to play against time to win bonuses.

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