Cave Story spelunks to DSiWare

Leading the pack today is Nicalis' 2D platformer Cave Story (1,000 DSi points, or $10) on DSiWare. The title throws players into a cave where a race of rabbit-like critters, known as Mimiga, scamper about. Players awake with no memory in the dark cave and quickly learn that the Mimiga are in grave danger, thanks to the nefarious scheming of a maniacal scientist.

Also arriving on the portable's download space this week is Frenzic (200 DSi points, or $2). From Two Tribes, the single-player puzzle-solving title was originally released as an App for the iPhone/iPod Touch. Players will have their brains tickled through seven levels, ultimately working their way to earning the "Frenzic Master" title.

The last new DSiWare title out today is Spot It! Challenge (200 DSi points, or $2). From Big John Games, the title tasks players with racing against the clock to find hidden items scattered throughout various environments. The scenes are taken from the Spot-It book series, and the title boasts 10 levels and three difficulty levels: easy, medium, and insane.

Switching to WiiWare, Nintendo added two new titles this week, the first of which is Airport Mania: First Flight (500 Wii points, or $5). The title casts players as a pilot tasked with traveling to eight unique airports and landing the steel birds, purchasing upgrades, and avoiding delays.

The other WiiWare title out today is HB Arcade Disc Golf (1,000 Wii points, or $10). The one- to four-player title brings the popular outdoor sport into the confines of the living room. For those unfamiliar with the pastime, the goal in disc golf is to get the disc into the basket in the fewest number of tosses. In HB Arcade Disc Golf, players will have three discs available to them: a driver, a midrange disc, and a putter. Additionally, gamers can choose from three throw types: forehand, backhand, and the hammer throw.

On the nostalgic front, Nintendo unleashed one Virtual Console title today, Magical Drop II (900 Wii points, or $9). From Data East, the title was originally released in 1996 on the NeoGeo. In the game, players control a clown and must pop balloons by lining up at least three of the same color. There are special balloons with unique attributes that allow for chains and combos, as well as a versus and puzzle mode, where players can take on the computer or a human opponent.

Last week Nintendo announced it would offer demos for WiiWare titles on a weekly basis, and the company came through this week. Available to download for free today is a sampler for the WiiWare version of Cave Story, which sells for 1,200 Wii points, or $12.