On the Download: July 15-21

There is a lot to enjoy in the downloadable space.  There are sales on almost every major downloadable platforms, summer downloadable game initiatives are in full swing and unlike at retail, there are a steady stream of games being released each and every week.  And it is all at a click of a button.

Nintendo's 8-Bit Summer continues this week with finally the release of Kid Icarus: Of Myths and Monsters for the 3DS Virtual Console.  Also this week sees the another 3DS Virtual Console game, Tumble Pop, released and Mario Picross go on sale for 3 dollars, but I am not here to talk about those games.  Today I am looking at the game that I have wanted on the Nintendo eShop since the release of Kid Icarus: Uprising.  Kid Icarus: Of Myth and Monsters is the sequel to the NES classic.  Angel Island is in peril once again.  This time around it is the demon Orcos and his minions who threaten Angel Island.  It is up to Pit to find the three Sacred Treasures in order to defeat Orcos.  The levels in Of Myths and Monsters allow players to freely scroll in all directions, which add more exploration elements to the game.  Also Pit is able to use his wings to slow his descent and extend his jump.  Kid Icarus: Of Myths and Monsters is available for download on the Nintendo eShop for 4 dollars.

Tony Hawk's Pro Skater, in the eyes of most gamers, is the ultimate skateboarding game in existence.  When this extreme sport was just gaining popularity, Activision and Neversoft made a game that did it justice.  Yes, it was a pure arcade-style skateboarding game more than an actual simulation of the sport, but it really did showcase how spectacular of feats these tricks can be.  Sadly when Tony Hawk's Pro Skater got really popular was when Activision decided to shove it down our throats with yearly sequels, which eventually killed the series for a bit.  Funny how Activision has not learned from those mistakes, but that is not the point.  Looking for a fresh new start to the Tony Hawk franchise, Activision and Robomodo have released Tony Hawk's Pro Skater HD, a re-release of the best levels from Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1 and 2, as part of Microsoft's Summer of Arcade.  Tony Hawk's Pro Skater HD has the same gameplay from the first two games in the series.  Robomodo is working on Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 DLC for the game that will add new levels and new tricks like the revert.  While not every skateboarder or song return from the classic Tony Hawk games, Robomodo has tried to take the best from the first two games in order to provide a nice nostalgic trip for veterans and a fresh start for new players.  Right now, you can only download Tony Hawk's Pro Skater HD on XBLA for 1200 Microsoft Points, but it will be coming to both the PSN and PC in the coming weeks.