The LoadDown -- 09/13/2012

September is here -- back to school time, so we'd expect new game releases to slow down a little bit as publishers prepare to ramp up for the holidays.  But where packaging and shipping are of no concern, games are still being released...

WiiWare -- Nintendo just announced the price point and release date for the Wii U, so it's not surprising they're ignoring the Wii this week.


DSiWare -- One new game for the DSi -- BOOKSTORE DREAM, a simulation of running a retail bookshop, coping with demand and suppliers, although one doesn't actually get to evaluate the books available.  It's anyone's guess as to what will sell, just like in real life.

3DS eShop -- Three new games, one old and two new.  The classic is Konami's Mystical Ninja starring Goemon, a Game Boy spinoff of the SNES Legend of the Mystical Ninja, first of the Japanese Goemon series to see North American release.  Fractured Soul is a tricky, attractively presented sci-fi platformer that uses both screens, requiring the player to shift focus from one to the other.  Heavy Fire: Special Operations 3D is an old-fashioned arcade rail-shooter, with really nice graphics for a portable download game.

XBox Live Arcade --  Two new games arrive on XBLA this week: Double Dragon: Neon and Red Johnson's Chronicles -- One Against All.  See below for details.

PS3 on PSN -- Three new games hit the PS3:  Anomaly: Warzone Earth is a tower defense/escort mission game that's been popular on other platforms.  Double Dragon: Neon revives the classic co-op/versus beat-'em-up arcade game series with a new style and a positive critical reception.  Red Johnson's Chronicles -- One Against All is a gritty investigation/adventure game that looks potentially better than that sounds.

Notable on Steam -- This game has been out for a while, but I haven't had a chance to mention it: To The Moon, a retro-style adventure/RPG with music by Laura Shigihara, finally arrived on Steam this week.