3DS Virtual Console

Mega Man, Rayman and blackjack with a girl

Europe gets a trio of new titles this week including a couple of but goodies. Here's what's up for you EUers this week. Virtual Console: Mega Man X2 (Super Nintendo, Capcom, 800pts) — Back in the day this made use of Capcom's new "C4" chip for fancy 3D effects and the like. Now you can buy it...

Gear up for Origins

With a Rayman Origins demo last week and Rayman on 3DS Virtual Console next week — not to mention a proper look at Rayman Legends for Wii U the week after — Ubisoft's hero is working harder than he has done in years. Rayman's Game Boy Color adventure lands in Europe next Thursday for £4.50, and is only the second VC title...

Galleries and snakes

North America gets its third Game Boy Color game today, which is nice. There's some DSiWare too and an update for an eShop favourite. 3DS Virtual Console: Game & Watch Gallery 2 (Game Boy Color, Nintendo, $3.99) — No, your eyes do not deceive you: this is two consecutive weeks of 3DS Virtual Console games in North America...

VC and vampires

After a pretty long nap 3DS Virtual Console wakes up today, and DSiWare swells with a hidden object adventure too. This is much more like it. 3DS Virtual Console: Kirby's Block Ball (Game Boy, Nintendo, $2.99, 40 blocks) — At long last, 3DS gets another Virtual Console game in the rotund form of Kirby. Check out our Kirby's Block...

Kirby and birds

Two games and a demo for 3DS owners this week, while Wii owners get a free slice of gaming too. 3DS Virtual Console: Kirby's Dream Land 2 (Game Boy, Nintendo, £3.60/€4) — Witness the debut of Kirby's helpful animal friends in this enjoyable little platformer. We've already got the first Kirby's Dream Land so we'll see if the...

£3.60 a go

Kirby's back on the 3DS Virtual Console in Europe next week as Kirby's Dream Land 2 hits home. The Game Boy sequel lands on 17th May for £3.60 and features classic Kirby characters like King Dedede, plus the first appearances of helpers Rick the Hamster, Kine the Fish and Coo the Owl. With Kirby's Dream Land already on 3DS VC and...

It's a Virtual Console explosion

As if any further proof were needed that SEGA is the greatest video game company in the whole world, this week it's bringing no fewer than three games to lucky European fans this week. Elsewhere there's a long awaited piece of 3DS download software and an out-of-nowhere DSiWare game too. To the list! 3DS Virtual...

Bumper crop

3DS Virtual Console fans can get another dose of Kirby download fun soon as Kirby's Pinball Land is heading to the service, as outed by — you guessed it — the Australian Classification Board. The Game Boy pinball game stars Kirby as the ball across three themed tables, but there's a semi-story mode to progress through: each table has...

Sucking up enemies is the main activity, honest

Despite describing it as Tumble Pop, the Australian Classification Database has now listed Tumblepop, originally a Game Boy title and now on the way to 3DS Virtual Console in PAL regions. Tumblepop was originally an arcade game and has been described as a cult classic, though it's unclear whether that...

Virtual Console Arcade returns

In an unexpected (to say the least) twist, SEGA is bringing back Virtual Console Arcade this week with a truly classic racer. Elsewhere there's brand new DSiWare and a Game Boy Color game on 3DS too. Here's what's up this week. Wii Virtual Console: Super Hang-On (Virtual Console Arcade, SEGA, 900pts) — The legendary...

Back in the swing

PEGI just rated the original Rayman for 3DS Virtual Console. Ubisoft released Rayman for Game Boy Color back in 2000, mixing the story of the original game with content from Rayman 2. There's already Rayman DSiWare on the eShop, but that's more faithful to the 32-bit original. It'll be the second Ubisoft game for 3DS Virtual...

Once more to arms

Everyone's favourite ratings board has outed Game Boy game The Sword of Hope 2 for 3DS Virtual Console. Japan's already got the first game under its Japanese title Selection, but the follow-up is coming to PAL territories. Developed by Kemco — best known for a thousand cartoon and movie Game Boy tie-ins — it's a very old-school...

Castlemania

No sooner has the Australian Classification Board tipped us off to a future appearance from Castlevania: The Adventure on 3DS Virtual Console than it's told us about Vampire: Master of Darkness (simply Master of Darkness in PAL territories) coming to VC too. Developed by SIMS Co. — who later went on to specialise in fishing games,...

Ratings board whips it out

3DS Virtual Console fans have a spooky treat to look forward to, as the Australian Classification Board has rated Castlevania: The Adventure. Well, we say 'treat', but The Adventure is generally regarded as one of the weaker entries in the series, particularly compared to follow-up Castlevania II: Belmont's Revenge. Still,...

G, Sonic

Two more for the 3DS Virtual Console in Japan: NES title Donkey Kong Jr. and Sonic Blast (aka G Sonic) for Game Gear. Neither title is the most fondly remembered in its respective canon, though Sonic Blast has the dubious distinction of being the last game commercially released for the Game Gear in Japan. Knuckles is playable too, which is...

Zelda and Super Street Fighter II

Two venerable classics come to Nintendo's various Virtual Consoles this week, but both bear a few interesting tweaks. Here's what Europe can download later on in the week. 3DS Virtual Console: The Legend of Zelda (NES, Nintendo, £4.50/€5, 54 blocks) — The original title comes to non-Ambassadors, complete with...

Prayers answered

The Australian Classification Board is a treasure trove of hints at which games are waiting in the Virtual Console wings, and it's come up trumps again today with two more Game Gear games rated for 3DS. Shining Force: Sword of Hajya and Defenders of Oasis are both approved for sale on 3DS, and should hopefully hit the service later...

Stolen treasure recovered

Japanese 3DS owners can continue their journey through Wario's wicked world next week when Wario Land II reaches the Virtual Console. While here in the West we got two versions of Wario's sophomore outing — one for Game Boy and a revamped Game Boy Color release — Japan only got the colour game, so that's the version...

Game Gear is here!

Originally we were told SEGA's Game Gear would reach Europe in mid-March, but after a minor delay the portable is coming to the continent this Thursday. The GG games aren't the only Virtual Console goodness as Wii gets a long-awaited 8-bit blaster too. 3DS Virtual Console: Sonic the Hedgehog: Triple Trouble (Game Gear, SEGA,...

The doctor is in

No Game Gear games for Europe this week sadly as we have a truly paltry selection available to download. Here's what's on offer. 3DS Virtual Console: Dr. Mario (Game Boy, Nintendo, £2.70/€3) — The monochromatic medicinal puzzler slots in to the 3DS Virtual Console line-up this week. Is it good for what ails you? Our review soon...

Black beauty

Ask any gamer of a certain age which handheld they grew up with and the overwhelming response will be "Game Boy". Long before the Pokémon explosion of the late 90s, Nintendo's portable dominated the competition — not even closest competitor SEGA could upset the balance with the release of its Game Gear in the early part of...

Having a ball

What comes after Game & Watch Gallery? If you said Game & Watch Gallery 2, you get a cookie. The Japanese Virtual Console service gets the second compilation next week, retailing for 400 Yen. The original game was released on Game Boy and later revamped for Game Boy Color in the West, but as Japan only got the black and white...

Time to get into Game Gear

The long wait for Game Gear titles on the eShop is finally over, with three releases arriving as expected. The DSi and Wii aren't entirely forgotten, while there's some anime on Nintendo Video: let's get right to it. 3DS Virtual Console: Sonic the Hedgehog: Triple Trouble (Game Gear, SEGA, $4.99) — Before Sonic and Mario...

UPDATE: Rhythm Thief & the Emperor's Treasure Demo arrives

Last week was a bumper Nintendo Download week in Europe, but this week plays catch-up with North America and has some releases that are sure to please retro fans: check out the details below. 3DS Virtual Console: Metroid (NES, Nintendo, £4.50/€5) — Samus' original NES adventure was...