The LoadDown - 06/16/2011

Here, in its new time slot on Thursdays, is our weekly roundup of quick-fix downloadable console gaming news from the past week (two weeks actually, but both XBLA and PS3 were very, very quiet last week so this was a good time to reschedule this feature.)

WiiWare --  One new game this week, Snail Mail, which is actually a time-trial racing game about an intergalactic mail-delivering gastropod, using a nice cel-shaded visual style.  There's also a free demo version of the addictive, retro-style BIT.TRIP FLUX.

Wii Virtual Console -- Capcom's classic Mega Man 5 for the 8-bit NES arrives today on the Virtual Console.

DSiWare -- Four new games are now available, all in well-established casual genres.  Gold Fever is yet another match-three puzzle game.  Zimo: Mahjong Fanatic is the umpteenth mahjong title on the DSi.  Hidden Photo brings more hidden-object puzzles to the DSi, with the added ability to create new puzzles using images captured with the DSi's camera.  Beach Party Craze is a time-management game set at a busy beach resort.

3DS eStore -- CORRECTION/UPDATE: The classic Game Boy title Donkey Kong arrives, but it's NOT a "3D Classic" as I mistakenly stated earlier -- the game is the original black-and-white experience, with no added visual depth for the 3DS, unlike the Excitebike 3D release last week.  I also see that the Game Boy Color title Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening DX is available for download on the 3DS, and the Game Boy Super Mario Land to boot, both in 2D.  Seems that Nintendo is launching the 3DS downloadable classics with an eye on all the company's major franchises.

XBox Live Arcade -- Two new games this week.  Magic: The Gathering - Duels of the Planeswalkers 2012 continues the successful online incarnation of the popular card game, this time with fully customizable decks, also arriving on PS3 this week.  Adventures of Shuggy is an indie-style co-op puzzle game.

PS3 on PSN -- Sony's service seems to be catching up with a backlog of titles prevented from coming out during the extended, security breach-related PSN outage.  This week, three new games arrive.  Akimi Village is a civilization-building game with funny characters, and gameplay that reminds me of the old SNES game Actraiser's simulation mode.  Magic: The Gathering - Duels of the Planeswalkers 2012 is more card-based RPG battle action, also on XBLA this week.  Outland is a gorgeous-looking retro-style platformer with an Ikaruga-style color-switching attack mechanic.
PSOne Classics -- Nothing new here this week.