Wii-kly Update – 03/09/09: Gradius ReBirth & Alex Kidd: The Lost Stars

Following in the footsteps of Mega Man 9 (sort of), the neo-retro lineup of WiiWare games continues this week with Konami’s Gradius ReBirth, available for 1,000 Wii Points.

Or, if you’d rather have some platforming action, then Alex Kidd: The Lost Stars has landed on the Master System Virtual Console for 500 Wii Points.

Personally, I’m still waiting for more of the new Adventure Island game. But for now, find out more details on the other two below.

One WiiWare Game and One Virtual Console Game Added to Wii Shop Channel

Remember when Grandma used to mark your height on the wall every so often, just to see how fast you were growing? Well, if the Wiiâ„¢ Shop Channel had its own growth chart, she’d be impressed at how the selection of great games keeps getting bigger and bigger each week. Take a look at the latest additions and you’ll discover a pair of different yet equally engaging titles: a thrilled-packed WiiWareâ„¢ shooter and a classic SEGA adventure for the Virtual Consoleâ„¢. Thanks to this steady stream of new games, your own library ought to be growing up fast, too.

Nintendo adds new and classic games to the Wii Shop Channel at 9 a.m. Pacific time every Monday. Wii owners with a high-speed Internet connection can redeem Wii Pointsâ„¢ to download the games. Wii Points can be purchased in the Wii Shop Channel or at retail outlets. This week’s new games are:

WiiWare

Gradius ReBirth (Konami, 1 player, Rated E for Everyone—Mild Fantasy Violence, 1,000 Wii Points): Blast your way through levels filled with alien spaceships and otherworldly creatures in this retro side-scrolling shooter. Pick your weapons carefully and upgrade them to create a devastating arsenal of space-aged weapons that will aid you in your challenging mission. Players can post their high scores to worldwide leader boards via Nintendo® Wi-Fi Connection and see where they rank against all the other Gradius ReBirth players. Test your skills with Gradius ReBirth and see if you have what it takes to beat this action-packed arcade shooter.

Virtual Console

Alex Kidd: The Lost Stars™ (SEGA MASTER SYSTEM, 1 player, Rated E for Everyone—Comic Mischief, Crude Humor, 500 Wii Points): In this platformer from the 1980s, help Alex Kidd in a race against time to find the 12 missing zodiac signs hidden in six challenging levels—including toyland, the robot factory and an outer-space level—all complete with crazy enemies.