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I've often been frustrated with Nintendo's WiiWare and Virtual Console releases. I never really knew what was coming out, or if it was any good. Nintendo doesn't offer demos, and typically only a handful of screenshots are released, so it's always been frustrating when you want to learn or talk about these games.

The other day I was telling Zumi how awesome the old video game music was, and we skimmed through some MegaDrive tunes. It turns out some of the greatest game music ever made was written for shooters, for the ol' MegaDrive and arcade and Playstation, etc.

First, the history: Back when Neo Geo Freak magazine was still printing in Japan, back when the Neo Geo CD system was still seeing ports from the cartridge system, SNK advertised and later released a Saurus shooter called Ironclad: Brikin'ger. It wasn't a very good game, but the adverts looked brilliant and I tried to pick up a copy when it was first released. It saw a very very limited run, and despite having people in Japan checking gameshops and trying to order it for me, I never found a copy. I never saw a used copy, in all my years of looking. This was, without question, one of the rarest games for the Neo Geo, certainly the rarest for the Neo CD.

Aldi, a chain of discount supermarkets, is selling an LCD TV with built in games. According to the picture, at least one of these games is a Metal Slug 3 ripoff, played with a Wii controller ripoff.

Much like the other Important Game I wrote about (Miner 2049'er) Jumpman is a platform game. It didn't have the same comedy as Miner, but it made up for it with a similar kind of variety and a rock solid approach.

Every one of us is a result of the experiences and lessons of our life. The people we met, the things we did, and more importantly for some of us than others, the games we played. I learned a lot from games and the things in their orbits. The science of ergonomics, the kindness from strangers in arcades, an urge to tinker and hack: all of these things games taught me.

There's been some weird news out of the gaming press lately, some of which is baffling, nonsensical or just plain weird.

So I'm playing Torchlight, that game everyone's talking about 'cause it's just like Diablo and it's only twenty bucks. It's by some guys who worked on Diablo, which means nothing to me 'cause I never played Diablo, but everyone loved Diablo and Torchlight's just like Diablo.

Hudson, by way of Backbone Entertainment, has re-re-re-released the venerable but totally awesome Nectaris for the Xbox 360. Despite sucking at it, I have a definite soft spot for this hex strategy game. I've mentioned it before: here, with some detail for the newbs, wishing it came out on the DS, and here, with a neat little strategy guide.

XBox 360 Live Arcade Indie games are not available in Australia (or Finland apparently) so this only applies to people in countries that don't suck, or Australians who've worked out how to lie to Microsoft, and create a US Live account.

A few things have come to my attention lately and I'd like to make note of them. These things include new game releases, mostly, but also a few other things.

[quote=Ars Technica">You can't shop around for the best deal with your games, you'll never be able to sell a game, and the system is completely locked down when downloading a purchase. The controls are more cramped, and Sony has made sure you can only buy their cables. The wireless standard hasn't been upgraded, and the system is significantly more expensive than any of its competitors. When you close the system you see a big, beautiful screen you can't do anything with.

Over on ArsTechnica there's an article talking about how retailers are unsatisfied with the profit margins on the PSPgo, and it mentions a rumour that EB is refusing to stock the system in Australia. Similar stories are coming from Spain and Holland, they say.

Here's another one from the NFG book.