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Praises be, it's another two-game week! And what a two-game week it is! Believe it or not, this week's update to the Shop Channel brings a pair of games that you might actually want to play. Incredible!

First up is Harvest Moon (SNES, 800 Points), the direct predecessor to John Deere: Harvest in the Heartland for the Nintendo DS. It's a game about growing things, talking to girls, and then settling for a quiet life of raising cows when you realize that girls are more trouble than they're worth. If you're in the mood for a less domesticated experience, you are strongly, strongly urged to check out Lords of Thunder (TurboDuo, 800 Points), an intense horizontal shooter with a soundtrack that really rocks. Other CD shooters don't even compare, and so on and so forth.

It's the kind of week that makes me wish that I had more than exactly $6.56 in my bank account right now. Guess who's eating ramen and Totino's Party Pizza until the end of the month!

WII-KLY UPDATE: TWO NEW CLASSIC GAMES ADDED TO WII SHOP CHANNEL

Feb. 11, 2008

The two games joining the lineup this week are considered cult classics, yet they deal with topics as varied as farm management and shooting enemies to the strains of heavy-metal tunes. Just don't get the two mixed up, since most livestock don't like heavy metal and it takes more than turnips to defeat fire-spewing sea serpents.

Nintendo adds new 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 Points to download the games. Wii Points can be purchased in the Wii Shop Channel or at retail outlets. This week's new games are:

Harvest Moon (Super NES, 1 player, Rated E for Everyone, 800 Wii Points): You bought the farm, so now it's time to roll up your sleeves and try living off the fat of the land. Fresh air and the beauty of the outdoors will be fulfilling, but a successful farm needs a lot of working capital as well. There are buildings on your property, but they are in need of livestock. You have a modest house, but if things get lonely in the field, it's going to take a remodel to woo a female farming companion. Your challenge is to dig in and build your life as a farmer from the ground up. How you manage will determine the outcome, but remember: You always reap what you sow.

Lords of Thunder (TurboGrafx-16 CD-ROM, 1 player, Rated E for Everyone  Fantasy Violence, 800 Wii Points): Lords of Thunder is a side-scrolling shooter that has you take on the role of a legendary warrior, blasting enemies to heavy-metal tunes. Your enemies are plotting to revive Zaggart, "The Dark One," who was sealed beneath the six continents of Mistral. It's up to Landis, descendant of the heroic Dyu, to stop them. Choose the order in which to attack the six stages. Before each stage, select one of four magic armors and use crystals you've collected during your battles to buy items. Selecting the right armor for each stage is the key to your ultimate victory. Then get ready to face awesome enemies like a fire-spewing sea serpent or a giant insect. Whether it's the fast-paced shooting or breaking into the fortress of a stage boss, you'll be blown away by the intensity of Lords of Thunder.

For more information about Wii, please visit wii.com.

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