Wii-kly WiiWare And Virtual Console Update 12/8/2008

Nintendo seems to be going after the elusive furry audience this week with two games featuring anthropomorphic animals. Oh, and hockey. First up we have the puzzle game Bruiser and Scratch. Featuring a dog and cat duo of the same name, the game comes with 48 story puzzles and 75 additional challenge puzzles. I had never heard of the game before, but from looking at some screenshots of the game the puzzles look to be of the sliding block variety. Personally I'm not a fan of sliding block puzzles, but for those that are, Bruiser and Scratch looks like a fairly meaty package for your 1000 points. The second WiiWare game this week brings something we haven't seen much of from the download service, or the Wii in general: a sports game, in the form of Hockey Allstar Shootout. The game has you motioning the Wii remote as a hockey stick to take shots on goal, shoot targets, or knock down blocks of ice. There's also a two player mode where you and a friend can take turns between being the shooter and the goalie. Sarah Palin not included.

The Virtual Console brings us one of gaming's original furries with the Master System version of Sonic the Hedgehog 2. I never played it on the Master System, but it's the same as the Game Gear version which I have very fond memories of. The Master System version has completely different levels than the Genesis classic, introducing new elements like mine carts and hang gliders, but it's still a fun Sonic game that may help to get some of the bad taste out left by a certain werehog.

WiiWare

• Bruiser and Scratch (Steel Penny Games, Inc., 1 player, Rated E for Everyone, 1,000 Wii Points): Bruiser and Scratch are stranded in a strange world with a dark secret. Their only hope in finding a path home is to unravel the mystery of this place, one oversized puzzle at a time. Along the way, they make new friends and meet up with old adversaries, each of whom plays a role in their journey. Bruiser and Scratch offers a number of tutorial levels to bring the player up to speed gradually. The story unfolds over 48 puzzles and six landscapes. And for players who can't get enough, Challenge mode offers 75 additional puzzles that range from child's play to mind-bogglingly difficult.
• Hockey Allstar Shootout (Big Blue Bubble Inc., 1-2 players, Rated E for Everyone, 500 Wii Points): Use the Wii Remote controller as a stick and take the shot as you compete in three exciting Hockey Skills Challenges. In Head 2 Head, it's just you versus the best goalies in the world in a five-puck shootout. Race against the clock to post the most goals in the fastest time. The three difficulty levels will place you against three increasingly talented goalies, each donning the jersey of their home country. In two-player mode, each player will take a turn as shooter and as goalie, and the player who scores the most goals in five shots is the winner. In Sharp Shooter, you post a high score in one of three difficulty levels by breaking as many targets as you can. Each time a shot fails to break a target, an X will appear in the upper left corner. Three misses and the game is over. Power Shot has you take your best shot and watch the Shot-Speed Clock light up. You have three attempts to blast the fastest shot you can, and only the best speeds will grace the high score list.

Virtual Console

• Sonic The Hedgehog 2 (SEGA MASTER SYSTEM, 1 player, Rated E for Everyone, 500 Wii Points): Play the popular Sonic The Hedgehog sequel, made specifically for the SEGA MASTER SYSTEM. Sonic returns home to his island just in time to see Dr. Eggman (a.k.a. Dr. Robotnik) run off with Tails. In fact, Dr. Eggman has kidnapped all of Sonic's animal friends and placed them in robotic mind-controlling suits. He demands the six Chaos Emeralds, hidden on the island, in exchange for their safe return. Explore underground mine shafts, dash through underwater tunnels and hang glide through the clouds in Sonic's search for the Chaos Emeralds. Once Sonic's found them all, he must face off with the evil Dr. Eggman and thwart his plan for global domination.