Newsbriefs: Wii VC Adds, Lost Planet Maps, AOL WorldWinner

Author: by Staff

[UPDATED: 3:26pm PST] Today's regularly updated newsbriefs include the latest batch of “new” games to be made available over the Wii's Virtual Console, WorldWinner and AOL launching casual game tournaments, and a pair of new Lost Planet: Extreme Condition maps released for download on the Xbox Live Marketplace. - Nintendo has released three “new” games for download over the Wii's Virtual Console. Purchasable from the Wii's online Wii Shop Channel, the games released today include the NES port of arcade classic Galaga for 500 Wii Points ($5), as well as Namco's TurboGrafx-16 action title Bravoman (pictured) for 600 Wii Points ($6) and Sega's Genesis platformer Alex Kidd in the Enchanted Castle for 800 Wii Points ($8). - Fun Technologies subsidiary WorldWinner announced the renewal of its agreement with AOL to provide skill-based cash and prizes, and other tournaments on AOL Games and Games.com. Under the terms of the agreement, WorldWinner will develop a customized, co-branded site where AOL players can compete against other players in the WorldWinner network. The site will feature all of WorldWinner's existing casual game catalog, including titles such as Bejeweled 2 and Luxor. In addition to WorldWinner skill-based cash and other prize competitions, AOL Games will also include a selection of casual games from Teagames.com, Fun Technologies' free, Flash-based casual games site. "AOL is committed to enhancing the customer experience by expanding service offerings to continue building a robust online community," said Greg Mills, AOL Games' director of casual games. "Partnering with WorldWinner is yet another step in that direction, offering superior casual games content and an unmatched player network." - Capcom has released the second downloadable collection of maps for the company's Xbox 360 exclusive Lost Planet: Extreme Condition. Available for 400 Microsoft Points, the pack contains two new multiplayer levels: “Hive Complex,” an abandoned mine with twisting tunnels and bridges set on a war-blasted mountain side, and “Trial Point,” a modern day office complex set against the backdrop of a busy city center. The game, a third-person action title that pits players against both aliens and pirates on a snowy ice-covered world, recently surpassed the million units shipped milestone in January, and has been met with generally positive reviews since its December 21 release in Japan and subsequent January 12 release in Europe and North America. The game boasts both a single player campaign, as well as multiplayer modes with support for up to 16 players via the Xbox Live. - The latest updates on Gamasutra sister alt.gaming weblog GameSetWatch include a new features editor opening at Gamasutra, an analytical break down of video game-related movie Stay Alive, and a holiday themed list covering the top 10 video game resurrections. - Also updated today: the latest Gamasutra job postings, including openings from Blockdot, Blue Heat Games, Disney Interactive Studios, Monolith Productions, Pandemic Studios Brisbane, Sierra Online, Solutions IQ, and Visual Concepts.