Holy crap! Remember last week when I was pretty excited that Nintendo had released two good games at once and that this was proof that it actually wasn’t Nintendo at all but some sort of not-Nintendo? Well, I was joking then. But with this week’s releases I am now 100 percent convinced that Nintendo has been usurped by not-Nintendo. Who is this not-Nintendo (nN), you ask? They’re a shadow company working behind the scenes to impersonate Nintendo and finally release epic VC games on a regular basis and even at the same time. Epic games like Ninja Gaiden III: The Ancient Ship of Doom (NES, 1 player, Rated E for Everyone - Mild Violence, 500 Wii Points) and Phantasy Star II (Sega Genesis, 1 player, Rated E for Everyone - Mild Animated Violence, 800 Wii Points). The not-revolution has begun, free the games!

Through hard work and determination it seems that the big nN has managed to actually pump out two completely fantastic games in just one week. First they must have used the l33t ninja skills from Ninja Gaiden III to sneak into the real Nintendo’s home. Then using the skills they learned from one of the best games in the series (and my favorite of the original trilogy) they dispatched with the real Nintendo and sat down to release the glory that is Phantasy Star II upon us all. All I can say is, thank you benevolent, new Nintendo, may you not lose your way next week.

Evidently not-Nintendo runs on the same schedule as regular Nintendo and all games go live at 9 a.m. Pacific time. Hit the jump to read the press release.

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

Feb. 18, 2008

Some gamers get skeptical when Roman numerals populate the title of a game. But make no mistake - this week’s offerings are no mere sequels. They are some of the most highly regarded classic games around. So stock up on some Wii Points™ to battle the Dark Force or complete an action-packed trilogy.

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:

Ninja Gaiden™ III: The Ancient Ship of Doom: (NES®, 1 player, Rated E for Everyone - Mild Violence, 500 Wii Points): Join master ninja Ryu Hayabusa, last member of the famous Dragon Clan, in the third and final chapter of the legendary Ninja Gaiden saga. Ryu is framed for FBI agent Irene Lew’s murder, and it’s up to him to clear his name. Defeating superior life-forms created out of “life energy” called BIO-NOIDs and avoiding enemy ambushes are among the many obstacles which Ryu faces in this unpredictable adventure of mystery, deceit and destruction. Noticeable changes to the game-play mechanics include Ryu’s ability to grab on to horizontal surfaces, his reduced falling speed and altered jumping maneuvers, and visible power-ups. Help Ryu defeat the forces of evil once more and discover the real culprit behind Irene’s death as one of the most loved trilogies in video-game history comes to a close.

Phantasy Star™ II: (Sega Genesis, 1 player, Rated E for Everyone - Mild Animated Violence, 800 Wii Points): Hailed as one of the greatest games of all time by fans and media alike, Phantasy Star II is an RPG that features an epic story line and turn-based battles. Play as Rolf, Nei, Rudo or several other characters as you navigate through the Algol star system battling the evil Dark Force. Build your characters, select the right weapons and armor, and take on the forces of evil through various missions as you find the right combination of characters to complete each objective. Experience the magic once again in this great sequel.

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

(Note to not-Nintendo: The only way to not lose your way would be to release some Earthbound really, really soon.)