Aero the Acrobat dives onto Virtual Console

For the first time in weeks, Nintendo today released a game from yesteryear onto its nostalgic download hub, the Virtual Console. Aero the Acrobat (800 Wii points) dives onto the download space today, bringing with it everything fans remember from its Super Nintendo Entertainment System debut in 1993. In the game, players take on the role of a bat named Aero living inside a circus. The red-colored mammal must then prevent the carnival of laughs from morphing into a carnival of carnage at the hands of the evil industrialist Edgar Ektor and his parade of henchmen.

Switching to WiiWare, Nintendo welcomes two new additions to the service today. The first is Heavy Fire: Special Operations (500 Wii points, or $5), a one- to two-player game from Teyon. The title puts players into a group of soldiers embedded in the embattled Middle East. The arcade shooter thrusts players into the heat of battle on the ground, in vehicles, and in the air.

Also arriving this week on WiiWare is Dive: The Medes Island Secret (1,000 Wii points, or $10). From Cosmonaut Games, the title submerges players deep into the maritime abyss, where they must unmask guarded secrets of capsized nautical vessels. Players will dive into the oceans around the world as John Saunders, an experienced diver and treasure hunter.

Leaping to DSiWare additions this week, Nintendo wrangled in a quintet of games from a number of genres. One of the oddest of the bunch is Face Pilot (500 DSi points, or $5) from Nintendo. In the game, players pilot gliders by using their faces as a control mechanism. Players can tilt their heads left or right, and, using the DSi's camera, the glider will move in a corresponding manner.

Also hitting DSiWare this week is Crystal Monsters (500 DSi points, or $5) from Gameloft. The title puts players in the boots of a Neo-Seed (a person who can see monsters) and tasks them with collecting, taming, and training monsters and then entering them into tournaments in an attempt to become a Master Breeder.

Other titles being released on DSiWare this week are an avian racing game called Puffins: Let's Race (500 DSi points, or $5); the latest Ubisoft Petz game, Petz Hamsterz Family (800 DSi points, or $8); and the classic brick action game Absolute BrickBuster (200 DSi points, or $2).