I’m not terribly familiar with either artist but they’ve collaborated on an upcoming EP entitled Black Pear Tree with the 8 bit-inspired closer “Thank You Mario But Our Princess Is in Another Castle”.

It’s a quiet little number that has some very pleasant yet sparse piano and drum work with silky smooth vocals. This isn’t some nerdcore stuff here, it’s actually a pretty damn nice song. Download the song over at Stereogum. Not a bad way to end your work day if you ask me!

Homoerotica, muscle men and the devouring of protein are on Nintendo’s agenda this week as Cho Aniki (TurboGrafx16 CD-ROM, 900 Wii Points) makes its way to the North American Virtual Console. I’ve been waiting for this one for a VERY long time and it will be an instant purchase when I get home tonight. In case you aren’t familiar with the series, Cho Aniki is a shoot-’em-up that features two, muscled men with a hole in the top of their head from where they shoot stuff. They eat the protein of their fallen enemies to grow stronger. Thankfully, the visuals are as outrageous as the rest of the game. Good times!

If those two oiled up muscle gods aren’t your thing, try this other TurboGrafx16 game called Final Soldier (700 Wii points). It’s another shmup that I have not had the chance to play. Can any one of you recommend it? I’ve heard of it, just never played it.

As for WiiWare, Groovin’ Blocks (800 Wii Points) is a rhythm based puzzle game of sorts. I know next to nothing about this game, so you might want to make the jump to read the description for it, as well as the others.

So, who’s buying what?
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Well, it’s a good week for most on this weeks VC update. Why you ask? Super Mario RPG (SNES, 800 Wii Points). At last, I know. They certainly took their sweet, sweet time. But now the likes of Mallow, Geno, Peach, Mario and Bowser. I’ve got a copy of the original, but that won’t keep me from screaming at you to get it if you don’t already have it.

The other flavor on the VC bar is Clu Clu Land (NES, 500 Wii Points). Don’t know much about this title other than what’s in the press release. It’s an underwater puzzle game of sorts that actually sounds pretty interesting. Might be worth a look. Make the jump to read up on it or tell us how you liked it.

Finally, WiiWare gives up some of its hawt lovin’ with My Aquarium (500 Wii Points). Initially, I imagined that Canadian Fireplace channel that Jim always watches with the eternally burning Yule log. Anyway, you can choose from a few different aquariums, 40 fish, and decorate the tank as you please. There you have it. I will now leave you with a Japanese Super Mario RPG commercial and the full details for this week’s selection of games. Enjoy!

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Something strange has been happening at Nintendo. Maybe they’re getting some humility. Maybe it’s a success hangover. Maybe they just expect their products to sell themselves. Whatever it is, it seems they’ve abandoned the art of the sell. Case in point: Mario Super Sluggers.

Super Sluggers is Nintendo’s follow-up to the GameCube’s well-received Mario Superstar Baseball. Since their introuduction a few years back, Mario Sports titles have consistently performed well. They’ve become a staple in Nintendo’s financial diet. So why is it that in the days and weeks leading up to the release of Mario Super Sluggers I didn’t hear peep one about the game? If it wasn’t for my regular Nintendo newsletter, I wouldn’t have even known the game existed.

This isn’t the sole example of this either. Nintendo’s press conference at E3 didn’t show off anything that rocked the house, yet a few big announcements that got gamers engines revving slipped out quietly on the show floor or in private interviews. Miyamoto told us that a new Pikmin was in development. Their general press package let us know Rhythm Tengoku Gold was coming out stateside. It was recently revealed that both the Mario and Zelda teams are hard at work on their next games. How was all of this left out of the presser, and why?

In the 3 1/2 years since the DS’ release, Nintendo has gone from a distant last place to a commanding first. A lot of that owes it’s debt to the right kind of marketing in the right kind of places. So why does it feel like they’ve suddenly dropped the ball? Warioland: Shake It comes out next month. Anytime you want to start dropping notes about it to get some coverage, you just let us know Nintendo.

Another Monday, another update to the Virtual Console and WiiWare catalog. Helix (1,000 Wii Points) arrives on WiiWare as a new rhythm game. I find it difficult to get a clear image in my head of what it’s like t play this game from the press release, so I’ve posted some footage of it in action after the jump. It brings DDR to mind, but a bit simpler in its presentation and the use of the Wii controls to do things.

As for the Virtual Console, Ys Book I & II (TurboGrafx16 CD-ROM, 800 Wii Points) and Samurai Showdown 2 (NEOGEO, 900 Wii Points) make a pretty attractive couple. I’ve always wanted to give Ys Book I & II a try, but didn’t always want to shell out the cash for the TG16 CD drive. At least the option to download and play it is not only easier, but a good deal cheaper, too.

For some hot fighting action, Samurai Showdown 2 will hit the spot. I’ve got it in one form or another, so downloading it on the VC would just be redundant. It’s been a long time since I’ve played, though. I kind of wonder how it holds up since the last time I played it about 3-4 years ago?

Well, that’s all I’ve got for this week’s VC update. For more information and footage of Helix, make the jump.

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SplitReason always seems to come up with some of the coolest game design shirts out there, and this light gun inspired one is no different. There’s a ton of little Nintendo nods in here. my favorite definitely being all the ammo being Bullet Bills.

It does bug me however when the bright orange version of the light gun pops up since that wasn’t the first (classic) one, but I guess an all gray handgun would just look like a handgun and the point would be lost.

As Jimmy pointed out in the comments this piece is called “NO ONE WANTS TO PLAY SEGA WITH HARRISON FORD.” and it’s from artist Brandon Bird. Here’s his description of the picture:

I made this for the 2006 I am 8-Bit show. We didn’t have Nintendo, so I had to go with what I knew.

Thanks to my wife (and Joe!) for the tip!