The timed mode on the GameCube version is CALLED Caravan Mode (as all of Hudson's time mode shooters have been called based on their Summer Carnival shooter tournaments) and is exactly what the Wii Ware version is directly based on. There are no random elements to it but you're insane to think that it's the exact same experience every time you play. Do you think there would be tournaments on these things if that was the case? Shooters are no longer about "beating" the game and they haven't been since 1995 when Donpachi came out and revived the stale genre. Since you still seem to think of shooters based on your memories of Gradius or Aero Fighters or whatever you obviously don't understand or care about scoring mechanics and this game would not be suitable for you, as you've already (gracefully) indicated. But the fact still stands that the comparison to Pac-Man: CE is extremely apt whether you want to believe it or not.

The bottom line is that if you want a shooter to "beat" in fifteen minutes and never touch again, the TG16 section of the Virtual Console is full of them. If you want a shooter with a little more depth in its scoring mechanics, replayability and scoreboard competition, Star Soldier R is a strong offering for cost ($8).

Essentially, you want an orange and are berating an apple for not being an orange.

Apparently there will be a demo for Dr. Mario Wii Ware (as if it needed it).

I wholeheartedly disagree. I can find hours upon hours of replayability in some of those TG-16 shooters if I play them without continuing, like they're supposed to be played. Many people seem to misunderstand shmups as being games that are really short. Most of them were made to be played with a 1-credit completion goal in mind.

No, I actually agree that a 1CC goal adds a great deal replayability to a shooter, but I tend to think somebody completely dismissing score attack play edges close to the mentality where they play these types of games with infinite continues, beat the game in the minimal time required and slap a 4.5 on it. It's certainly possible that somebody interested in 1CC won't care about score at all (likely due to the lack of Western exposure to post-Donpachi shooters), I'm just trying to explain what Star Solider is about to interested parties since I've actually played the past games.

Star Soldier R does feature leaderboards.

Today (05/26/08), we get:

- Virtual Console

City Connection (NES, 1-2 players, Rated E for Everyone - Comic Mischief, Tobacco Reference, 500 Wii Points): Based on the arcade hit, a young man born in California sets out to tour famous sites and cities around the world. As he drives the highways surrounding these locations, the road is painted white as proof of his visit. Only once all sections of the road have been painted will he move on to the next location in his world tour. Not surprisingly, the local police will chase the driver and do their best to stop him from completing his goal. In addition, cats roam the highways and spikes lie in wait for unsuspecting drivers. To combat these dangers, the driver's customized car can jump, fire cans of oil and collect balloons to warp to a new stage. It's the ultimate road trip.

Metal Slug (NEOGEO, 1-2 players, Rated T for Teen - Blood, Violence, 900 Wii Points): Released in 1996 by SNK, Metal Slug is a side-scrolling military-action game. Players control Marco and Tarma, both members of the special-ops force Team Peregrine Falcon (commonly known as Team PF), and battle their way through stage after stage of intense action. The goal is to try to overthrow General Morden and win back the stolen weapon, the Metal Slug. Players must blast through waves of enemies and machines (while also jumping over any obstacles in the way) to advance through the stages. It's not as hopeless as it might sound, though—weapons such as heavy machine guns, shotguns, rocket launchers and flamethrowers, as well as the Metal Slug itself (which appears frequently in the game), will make the battle easier. Take on General Morden with a friend to lighten your load and ramp up the excitement even more.

- WiiWare

Dr. Mario Online Rx (Nintendo, 1-4 players, Rated E for Everyone, 1,000 Wii Points): The doctor is in! Mario™ takes a break from his adventuring ways and once again dons his stethoscope for a new generation of germ-battling mayhem. In addition to the classic mode of using vitamins to exterminate viruses, you'll find two battle modes and an online multiplayer mode where you can hone your skills against players from around the world. Feel like challenging a friend who doesn't have Dr. Mario Online Rx? Then the WiiWare-exclusive Friend Battle Demo is just what the doctor ordered. Or maybe you'd like some help taking on those nasty viruses? Try out Virus Buster, where four players can simultaneously move capsules simply by pointing at them with a Wii Remote™ controller. Any way you look at it, Dr. Mario Online Rx is a prescription for fun that everyone can enjoy.

Family Table Tennis (Aksys Games, 1-2 players, Rated E for Everyone, 500 Wii Points): It's time for some good old family fun, and what's more fun than table tennis? Just like a real family, choose your character from a cast of four, which includes Daddy, Mommy, Sarah and Billy. There are four table tennis-tastic stages where it doesn't matter if you're an indoors or outdoors table-tennis player. Pick your poison from a gymnasium, a forest park, a beach or even an amusement park. Choose from Single or Versus mode, or select a minigame to play. In Versus mode, you and a friend can play against each other to see who is the better table-tennis player. And if Single and Versus modes aren't enough, select between three minigames, which include Target Table Tennis, Thrilling Table Tennis and Matching Table Tennis. The appealing cell-shaded graphics and endearing music, on top of the super-fun game play, will have you and your family playing from morning till night. Get your paddles ready.

Will be dl'ing Dr. Mario this afternoon!

Dr.Mario is awesome! I just finished playing a few stages and it said that the game auto saves. I went back to try and load my previous game and I cant find it. Does anyone know where I can find the save on Dr.Mario?

I'm LOVING Dr. Mario RX Online! I have played single player, and online. I also like Virus Buster. I don't know about the save feature, though. I know that you have to create a profile, and go back into that. I would assume that it keeps track of your progress in that save file.

Today's lone VC release: Samurai Shodown (Neo Geo) for 900 pts.

FYI, for anyone interested in this, later this year, there's gonna be a Samurai Showdown Anthology coming out for the Wii (and PS2) that will have SS 1-6 (and a 2nd version of #5) and will be $30. You're better off waiting for that than using your ever shrinking Wii-channel space, and paying double the price it would come out to on the disc.

Nice. As long as the ports are solid, that's a much better deal than $9 for just the first game. Thanks for the info!

Thanks for the heads-up.

How is the Wii classic controller for fighting games BTW? I haven't tried one on it yet. The D-pad seems a little small but pretty good for the platformers/shooters/etc I've played so far.

I recently hooked my Wii up with the component cables and now my VC NeoGeo games don't have video. I get audio but my Bravia goes to the TV's input menu. A friend suggested turning progressive scan off, that kinda sucks. Anyone else have this issue?

See if this helps you:
http://forum.beyond3d.com/showthread.php?t=45753

This disables progressive scan for just one game.

There are some games that don't play nice with progressive and some TVs. I know some 240p games have this problem on some displays. I had the same sort of problem with PS1 games via component out of a PS2 -> My Onkyo 605's scaler and my Olevia 337h both couldn't dispay. (one of the reasons I got a PS3).

This NeoGeo thing has been an issue since day one and Nintendo seems to have done nothing with the emulator to try and correct it. I play NeoGeo games output progressive on my XBMC so it has to be possible.

At least that shortcut can help disable it for the VC games having issue.

This week's games are:

Alex Kidd in Miracle World (Sega Master System) - 500 pts.

Burning Fight (Neo Geo) - 900 pts.

This info was taken from:

http://www.vc-reviews.com/news/2008/..._miracle_world

Alex Kidd is bad ass! That one is definitely getting downloaded tonight.

Zzzzzzzzzzz

Please just give us Mega Man 9 now Nintendo! When is it coming out?

And why no Yoshis Island yet???

Is MM9 going to be on the virtual console?

MM9 = WiiWare

WiiWare I believe.

Mega Man 1 (Rock Man) is hitting Japan's VC either this week or next. Shouldn't be much longer before it's here.

I wouldn't hold my breath - there are loads of games that have hit the VC in Japan and Europe a long time ago that have yet to get a US release, and vice-versa.

Regardless though, any true Mega Man fan should already have this anyways.