Wii Virtual Console News
September2007
Review Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels (Virtual Console / NES)
For the first time outside of Japan – experience the original sequel to the best-selling video game of all time!
Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels is a bit of an oddity. "The Lost Levels" isn't even it's real title - This is actually the real version of Super Mario Bros. 2. Japan got this game (As SMB2), but when Nintendo realized...
News Neo Geo confirmed for US Virtual Console
NK has issued a press release to inform us that Neo Geo games will indeed appear on the American VC. They have also revealed 3 of the titles to appear, and all of them are fighters! They are Art of Fighting, Fatal Fury and World Heroes (Yes,..
NK has issued a press release to inform us that Neo Geo games will indeed appear on the American...
Review NES Play Action Football (Virtual Console / NES)
Ready! Hut hut hut…
Coming quite late in the life of the NES - 1990 to be exact - Play Action Football was Nintendo's attempt at creating a realistic gridiron game for their aging, yet still popular console. The diagonal viewpoint is 'fake 3D' which looks a little pathetic by today's standards but was pretty impressive back then. At least it looks...
Review Neutopia II (Virtual Console / TurboGrafx-16)
Some years have passed since the brave hero Jazeta destroyed Dirth, the Emperor of Darkness.
Looking very much like it predecessor, Neutopia II plays more like an expansion pack than a fully-fledged sequel. Shamelessly stealing ideas from Nintendo’s Zelda series, this action RPG trundles along quite amiably but never really reaches the heights of...
News US VC Releases - 10th September - Sonic 3
Hot on the heels of Europe's update last friday, North America gets Sonic the Hedgehog 3 today as well. The final game in the trilogy is a bit of a drop in quality from the second, but it still fun. And before you ask - No, it's not the "& Knuckles" version.
From out of nowhere comes NES Play Action Football. This is Nintendo's own...
News Sin & Punishment heads our way
A new title has just been rated by the OFLC - Yes, it's Sin & Punishment! This N64 game is not known by too much people, and for good reason - It wasn't released outside Japan originally. However, those that did play it all share the same opinion: It's one of the greatest N64 games ever made. It plays similarly to Star Fox 64, except that you can also run, jump, slash your sword, have one on one duels and more. Highly recommended when it does come out, especially if you didn't play it before!
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News EU VC Releases - 7th September - Sega week
guess you were all expecting 3 Mega Drive games this week, huh? Well, Sega surprises us all, because instead they release five of them! And what a bunch of games they are!Leading the bunch is the final game in the Mega Drive Sonic trilogy - Sonic the..
guess you were all expecting 3 Mega Drive games this week, huh? Well, Sega surprises us all,...
Review Crack Down (Virtual Console / Sega Mega Drive)
The situation is critical. The evil Doctor K has created an army of deranged replicants in order to take over the world, and only two can stop him - Andy Attacker and Ben Breaker - the top soldiers of the CIA's special Crackdown force.
No, this game is not related to the Xbox 360's Crackdown! Hardly anybody seems to know this game, despite it being...
Review ESWAT: City Under Siege (Virtual Console / Sega Mega Drive)
All is not well in Cyber City. Criminals are running amok - looting, pillaging and raping the city of all its worth.
This was one of the first games I ever loaded into my Megadrive and it still sticks in my memory as one of the best action platformers for the machine. Although it isn't a conversion of the arcade game of the same name (neither was...
Review Sonic the Hedgehog 3 (Virtual Console / Sega Mega Drive)
Sonic and Tails are back for another adventure as they again battle the evil Dr. Eggman (AKA Dr. Robotnik), who is desperately trying to collect all the Chaos Emeralds in order to rebuild his Death Egg.
After the sublime Sonic 2 Sega decided to stick with the same tried and tested formula for the sequel – a move that disappointed many fans that...
News Join VC Reviews Facebook Group
Why not?
Shamelessly jumping on the Facebook bandwagon we wanted to let you know that Virtual Console Reviews now has it's own Facebook Group! You'll be able to experience again our interview in GamesTM and watch the website's first outing on German television! If we are lucky then our new VC:A recruit Marcel (AKA Drake) might even add some cool...
News US VC Releases - 3rd September - Landstalker
Yet another great week for Americans. This week you don't get 3 games, but 4! Although it's questionable if one of them can be considered a game...
The big game of the week is Landstalker. This RPG for the Genesis is one of the finest games on the system, and one of the best isometric RPGs ever made. It's quite a big game and will keep you...
Neo Geo fans in Japan will finally get the chance to start downloading some classics over the Virtual Console system.
It's been quite a wait, but after the universal excitement that Neo Geo would be coming to VC, Nintendo have announced that the following three games will be available this month in Japan. World Heroes Magician Lord Fatal...
Review Adventure Island (Wii Virtual Console / NES)
An island of adventure
Adventure Island is somewhat of a Mario clone - you guide Master Higgins to the end of every level (8 worlds with 4 levels each, sound familiar?) dodging wildlife, boulders and fire in order to defeat the witch doctor at the end of each world (also familiar?) who has captured your beloved bride-to-be Tina. Things aren't as...
Review Landstalker (Virtual Console / Sega Mega Drive)
After hearing of the legendary treasure of King Nole, the elvish treasure hunter Nigel undertakes a quest to gather various pieces of the famed loot.
Landstalker is an action RPG released in 1993. It's got an isometric view, something which is quite rare in games, and sounds a bit dated. So does it still hold up? In the game you are Nigel, a...
Review Vegas Stakes (Wii Virtual Console / Super Nintendo)
Always bet on black
Here's an odd offering for the VC - a gambling game! In Vegas Stakes, sequel to Vegas Dream on the NES, you head to Vegas with a group of friends to try to make it rich. There are four casinos to go to, ranging from the-run-down Hideaway, which only allows small bets, to 2020, a futuristic-looking casino that allows high bets...
News Rare Confirms Banjo possibility for the Virtual Console
interesting news for those who fear that some of the jewels in the N64 crown may never get released on the VC. Our friends at RareWare have now stated "it's ultimately Nintendo's decision what gets released" on their own official website.It would appear..
interesting news for those who fear that some of the jewels in the N64 crown may never get...
August2007
News Japanese Virtual Console list - September 2007
Japan's VC schedule for September 2007 features some more surprises, including the next Nintendo 64 game - Sin & Punishment! This excellent game was only released in Japan originally, maybe we will finally get a translation for VC?
Japan's schedule for September: Famicom:-Battle City (September 4th)-Mach Rider (September 4th)-Burn! Professional...
News News explosion: Neo Geo and more!
uite a bit of news today, as Japan gets a reconfirmation that Neo Geo games are headed to their VC. And sooner than you might expect! According to the site of SNK, the company who originally created the system, the first games will be coming to Japan in..
uite a bit of news today, as Japan gets a reconfirmation that Neo Geo games are headed to their...
News EU VC Releases - 31st August - Bonk 3
t's back to two games again this week for Europe, as one of the games is a "big" title, which seems to mean that we are only deserving of one other game. Yes, it's Bonk 3, the final game in the original trilogy! The final headbonking adventure on the..
t's back to two games again this week for Europe, as one of the games is a "big" title, which...
Review Bonk 3: Bonk's Big Adventure (Virtual Console / TurboGrafx-16)
The hard-headed hero is back for more side-scrolling action in the third installment of the popular Bonk series.
Bonk 3 was the final game in the original trilogy of Bonk games. As it was the last game, Hudson seemingly decided they had to cram as much into it as they could in order to make it the best game yet - They succeeded. First off, pretty...
Review Super C (Wii Virtual Console / NES)
Super Charged
After Konami's maddeningly hard Contra/Probotector proved immensely popular, obviously it wasn't going to sit around and not make a sequel. Super C/Probotector II puts you in the role of the same heroes once again as you try to take out alien scum. This time they're possessing humans to attack you. The game's got practically the same...
News US VC Releases - 27th August - Ghouls 'n Ghosts
he second week in a row North American gamers can call themselves spoiled - Three brilliant games this week once again. Highlight of the bunch is Ghouls 'n Ghosts, the second in the incredibly difficult platformer series. This is the version..
he second week in a row North American gamers can call themselves spoiled - Three...
Review Ghouls 'n Ghosts (Virtual Console / Sega Mega Drive)
Arthur must go forth to save his beloved Princess and destroy the root of all evil!
When you look at this game today, it's hard to believe that it was one of the very first Megadrive releases. Sega did an amazing job of reprogramming the Capcom arcade original for their 16-bit console - the port isn't quite arcade perfect but you have to look...
Review Wrecking Crew (Wii Virtual Console / NES)
Wreck, not dreck
Wrecking Crew's a bit of an oddball. Despite starring Mario, it flies under many peoples' radars, partly because it launched simultaneous with the legendary Super Mario Bros. and several other titles, thus meaning it was quickly overshadowed. Wrecking Crew's genre is hard to nail down, but is essentially a mix of a platformer and...
Review Lunar Pool (Virtual Console / NES)
Unique and futuristic flair
The humble pool simulator has never made for the most exciting game, so a futuristic version of the classic pub game set on the moon is an intriguing proposition. It is worth noting that Lunar Pool is based on American pool, which is very different game from what the British play. This game is more similar to billiards in...
News EU VC Releases - 24th August - Wrecking Crew
Sorry, European gamers. No Super Metroid just yet. But instead, you get underrated NES game Wrecking Crew. This odd little game went completely under the radar when it was first released (This can be blamed on Super Mario Bros. and others releasing on the same day), even though it's actually a very fun game. This one should be checked out, don't miss out on it again just like 20 years ago!Alongside Wrecking Crew we get another NES title, Lunar Pool. It's below average, but if you're a billiards fan you might want to check it out. Don't say we didn't warn you though! The VC already has better games where you sink balls into holes (Kirby's Dream Course, etc.)!As expected, Europe also gets Neutopia. This game proves that ripoffs don't always have to be bad, as it pretty much improves on The Legend of Zelda in every way. Don't miss this one.All in all, a pretty good week for Europeans, despite no Super Metroid. Check out the reviews:Wrecking Crew - NES - 500 Wii PointsLunar Pool - NES - 500 Wii PointsNeutopia - Turbografx - 600 Wii Points
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News Hardware Focus - Super Nintendo
Though Nintendo's domination of the 8-bit era - attained through a combination of the company's business acumen in entering the market when most other were hesitant at best and the practices employed post-success to ensure the monopolistic domination of said market - had, in terms of units sold, been their most successful, the 16-bit era brought...
News US VC Releases - 20th August - Super Metroid
he moment a lot of you have been waiting for has finally come! Yes, the legendary Super Metroid is now available in North America! Ask any Metroid or Super Nintendo fan and they will gladly admit that it's one of the greatest games ever made for the..
he moment a lot of you have been waiting for has finally come! Yes, the legendary Super Metroid is...
Review Super Metroid (Wii Virtual Console / Super Nintendo)
A true classic
Metroid was very popular in the late 80s and early 90s. Despite only two games being released, players loved it for its unique atmosphere and construction: the whole game consisted of one gigantic overworld with many places to explore and items to find. On top of that, there were plenty of secrets: who can forget the fact that you get...
Review Neutopia (Virtual Console / TurboGrafx-16)
You play as a young warrior named Jazeta. The princess Aurora was kidnapped by the evil Dirth, and the king send you on a mission to rescue her.
If you've glanced over the screens and video you might've already seen - This game is extremely similar to the original The Legend of Zelda game. The overworld is similar, the gameplay is similar, what you...
News Hardware Focus - Nintendo Entertainment System
Fingerless gloves, in-ear headphones, Michael Jackson, The Cosby Show, Transformers action figures and the Back to the Future movie are just a few of the things people think of when reminiscing about the mid 80s.
Many things were fads to be forgotten forever, others live on as icons of the generation. The Nintendo Entertainment System (or NES to its...
News Europe VC Releases - 17th August - Wave Race 64
ake to the waves on your own personal watercraft and experience some of the best water effects in video game history. Yes that's right Wave Race 64 has finally made it to Europe's Virtual Console. This is one of the best racers on the system and well..
ake to the waves on your own personal watercraft and experience some of the best water effects in...
Feature The Virtual Console Archive on German TV!
It seems we are famous at last - we've made it onto TV!
Well, in Germany, at least. Yes, the country that just can't seem to get enough of The Hoff also loves the VCA. We were featured on a recent episode of GiGa's 'WiiMotion' show, which, if you couldn't have guessed from the title, is devoted to Nintendo's shiny new console. Although they only...
News US VC Releases - 13th August - Metroid on the NES
Three games that get 3/5 this week... not exactly an amazing selection, but there's something for everyone here.
Samus worshippers will be over the moon to discover that Metroid (NES, 500 points) is now available. We gave the game quite a harsh review as we feel it's totally overshadowed by Super Metroid (out in the US next week, fact fans)...
Review Cratermaze (Virtual Console / TurboGrafx-16)
Cratermaze is a comical action game set in a parallel world
Cratermaze started out life as a Doraemon game but presumably because the franchise wasn't known so well in its native Japan then Hudson thought that changing the sprites might make it make it more attractive to the American audience. So basically you play a little chubby dude who floats...
Review Shining in the Darkness (Virtual Console / Sega Mega Drive)
Dark Sol has vowed to reign over the enchanted Kingdom of Thornwood, and only you can stop him.
Anyone who has played the Atari ST classic Dungeon Master (or one of the many clones that appeared in its wake) will know full well that first person RPGs can be a hell of a lot of fun. Back when Sega first announced Shining in the Darkness (often called...
Review Breath of Fire II (Wii Virtual Console / Super Nintendo)
A breath of fresh air
Capcom’s Breath of Fire series isn’t really respected that much these days. The last instalment — the underrated Breath of Fire: Dragon Quarter for the PS2 — was a bit too different from previous games and didn’t really make the impact Capcom possibly hoped for. Compare this to the fanfare that followed the release...
Review Volleyball (Wii Virtual Console / NES)
Not volley good
Volleyball represents yet another of Nintendo’s dated sport sims. Comparing to Soccer, Baseball, Ice Hockey, Tennis on the NES this game is the worst of the bunch. Considering it was released in 1986 it is understandable that the graphics and sound are nothing to write home about. The players continually bop up and down all...
News August is the 'Month of Metroid'!
To coincide with the launch of Metroid Prime 3: Corruption on the Wii this month (if you live in North America that is!) Nintendo have also announced that Metroid on the NES will become available on the 13th of August on the Virtual Console.
European readers can now laugh as they already have it in their shop. ^_^ The real news here is that Super...
News Europe VC Releases - 10th August - Breath of Fire II
So Europe, no Wave Race 64. Still it's not all bad, let's have a look at what goodies are up for grabs this week:
One of the most popular RPG's of all time continues with the next epic quest in Breath of Fire II. Re-enter the magical life of hero Ryu, a dragon morphing warrior, as he unknowingly embarks on a vast adventure in search of his missing...
News Too Hip to be Square - A look at non-Square RPGs
Square is well known as a giant of the console role-playing game scene, with hugely popular titles like the Final Fantasy and Mana series, Chrono Trigger, and others just highlights from an impressive back catalogue. The SNES' reputation as the gaming machine of choice for rpg fans was largely down to Square's efforts. But the company's statement of support for the Virtual Console has been rather vague. Will we see these classics on the Wii? Will games unavailable in certain regions (Chrono Trigger again) be made available to all? And, with enhanced remakes on other systems, including Nintendo's own DS, do we want to see the originals on the Wii at all?
These questions have already been the subject of many a debate among Wii enthusiasts, but what has perhaps been forgotten is that the console rpg genre did not begin and end with Square. So here is a brief selection of some of the best rpgs available for the Virtual Console's emulated systems, that weren't produced by Square (or Enix, since they're the same thing nowadays). Dungeons & Dragons: Warriors of the Eternal Sun (MD/Gen)Dungeons & Dragons is the grand-daddy of the rpg genre. It's where it all began, and pretty much every console based rpg can trace its roots back to the original pen-and-paper D&D game. So it comes as no surprise that there have been numerous attempts to adapt D&D itself to an electronic format, some more successful than others. In the feature on games we hope never come to the Virtual Console, we looked at one of the worst, Heroes of the Lance, but Warriors of the Eternal Sun is one of the better efforts. The game is immediately off to a good start with its fascinating premise. Instead of the usual 'defeat the dark lord' plot, the game's story is more about exploration and survival, as the player is dumped in an alien and unfamiliar land and is tasked with finding allies, and ultimately, a way home. It's a clever twist on familiar rpg tropes, and it immediately sets the game apart from its peers. Less interesting, but still worthy of mention is the gameplay, which sees a fairly close approximation of the pen-and-paper D&D rules mixed with a smooth action-oriented interface. Not only that, but venture into a dungeon, and the game reinvents itself as a claustrophobic real-time first-person crawler that forces the player to develop a whole new set of tactics. These different modes of play mean that the game does feel slightly bitty, as if it's three games bolted together, but on the whole it works well, and it's certainly different. And that's Warriors' key strength; it's a break from the norm. It's notable for its unusual plot, and for being a rare entry by D&D into the console market, a field dominated by Japanese style rpgs, but it shouldn't be forgotten that it's a good game in its own right. Earthbound (SNES)This one is a legend. If you've got any interest in console rpgs at all, you've heard of this one, even if you've not played it. Part of its fame comes from its scarcity; this game was never released in Europe, and had a limited release in the US, coming out as it did in the pre-Final Fantasy VII days when Japanese gaming companies underestimated the audience for the rpg genre outside their homeland. It's also famous because the Earthbound series did away with so many of the features of the genre that even back then had started to become formulaic; the game is set in something resembling the modern day (albeit filtered through a 50's B-Movie sensibility), the protagonist is a young boy who wields a baseball bat rather than a broadsword, and enemies can be seen, and avoided, on the world map, years before Final Fantasy XII 'pioneered' the feature. That said, the basic mechanics of the game make it clear that Earthbound is an rpg at heart; battles are command-based, hit points and levels are present and correct, and towns are places to heal and shop for items. Earthbound's great success is in its originality; there's nothing quite like it, and moreover, the developers have really thought about how to make the game unique, rather than merely tack on some superficial differences. But Earthbound is also a strong game in its own right, with a compelling plot and a likeable cast; we can only hope that it appears on the Virtual Console one day. Ogre Battle 64: Person of Lordly Caliber (N64)For some reason, while the SNES was swimming in rpgs, the N64 barely had any (and no, Ocarina of Time doesn't count). Of those that were available, Ogre Battle 64: Person of Lordly Caliber is about the best, and we probably wouldn't even count it if there was a wider field available, as it's more of a wargame than an rpg, even more so than titles like Shining Force. Still, there is a plot of sorts, and the characters do develop in a believable and sympathetic manner, but this game is all about the fighting... and the fighting is fantastic! With such a focus on combat, the developers really needed to get things spot on, and while not quite there, the team behind OB64 did get very close indeed. There's a lot of tactical depth in the game, and individual skills and weapon statistics are very well balanced; you really have to think about your forces and their abilities in this game, and if you don't plan ahead, you'll find yourself over-extended and vulnerable. The battles look great, with sumptuous environments and well-animated characters, and the stuff in-between the fights looks good too, a huge improvement over the SNES original with its 8-bit-style world map screens. What the SNES game lacked in visuals, it made up for in tunage, and that's carried through here, with a set of rousing themes only slightly marred by their relatively short length (should have gone for the CD drive, Nintendo!). All in all, Ogre Battle 64 is a very strong game, and easily the N64's best rpg, only it's not much of an rpg at all... (and yes, technically publisher Quest is now part of the Square empire, but it wasn't when this first came out!) Phantasy Star IV (MD/Gen)The Phantasy Star series is arguably the biggest rpg franchise outside of the Square/Enix umbrella, largely due to the hugely successful online editions of recent years. However, the franchise began on Sega's 8-and-16-bit home consoles with a sequence of cracking rpgs that should not be overlooked simply because they're not as swishy as their online descendants. Our particular favourite is the first game, the Master System's killer app, and probably the finest 8-bit console RPG ever produced. That first game is rivalled in quality by its 16-bit sequel Phantasy Star IV, which is often considered to be the best of the entire series. The game benefits from superb graphics and sound, so good in fact that you'll barely believe that the game's running on a Mega Drive; in-game visuals are detailed and polished, creating an effective sense of a lived-in world rather than merely a game setting, and there are some very nifty manga-style cut-scenes scattered throughout the plot. Battles are wonderfully animated, and the sprites used for both the player characters and their opponents are bursting with lifelike detail. The gameplay also shows the signs of this close attention to detail, as well-designed environments abound, and the battle system is a masterpiece of simple design yet complex depth. In terms of plot, the scale is suitably epic, and yet the individual characters are never forgotten; by the end of the game, you'll be left with an astonishingly well-developed cast of believable personalities. It's all very well put together, but it's also very hard; random combat syndrome is very prevalent in the Phantasy Star series, and each game has a very steep learning curve. IV is no exception, and those used to the more mellow difficulty ratings of the Final Fantasy series may be in for a rude awakening. Even so, this is one of the best console rpgs ever made, and it'd be a crime if it doesn't appear on VC. Notable MentionsThe astute will note that there are no NES or PC Engine/Turbografx titles in this list. There are a number of reasons for that. The PCE was well known for its shoot-em-ups and coin-op conversions, but like the N64, it didn't get many rpg titles, certainly not in the West. The Ys series found a home on the system, but with its arcade style gameplay (there are platforming elements, and battles are more about reaction and positioning than stats), the series can't really be counted. The big rpgs on the NES came mostly from the Square and Enix stables; Japan got the Megami Tensei series of modern-day horror rpgs, which would be very welcome on the Virtual Console, but we're not holding our breath. The NES was also one of the only consoles (alongside Sega's underrated Master System) to see entries from the venerable Ultima series; a huge franchise on home computers, Ultima never really dented the console market, despite solid releases of both Ultima III and IV. The NES versions of both games had graphics and sound modified to be more similar to Japanese rpgs of the time, but the core gameplay is still there; Ultima pioneered the framework that console rpgs continue to follow to this day, including stuff like the split between overland travel and tactical battle screens, so while the early games aren't much to look at, they're certainly interesting from a historical perspective. So there you have it; a brief look at worlds of adventure beyond the realms of Square. We'd be overjoyed to...
News Wii Menu and Shopping Channel Updated
We're a bit late to the party as you may have already seen the blinking blue light from your Wii beckoning you to check your messages by now. There is a nice surprise today as the Wii firmware has an update due which when applied will add some nice few features to the shopping channel to help you buy your Virtual Console games.
These are the changes...
A few small changes have been made to the menu and the shopping channel.
There has been a small update to the Wii menu system that Nintendo will have sent you a message about this morning, as long as your Wii is online. The changes are listed below: The time is now displayed on the menu in a big LCD style. The weather channel now shows the current...
Review Wave Race 64 (Virtual Console / Nintendo 64)
Splash wave
Given that Wave Race 64 was a launch title for the N64, and that it has now been over 10 years since that launch, it is all the more baffling to play it today. Comparison with modern games tends to put the graphical and physics achievements of older titles into stark relief, but Wave Race is the exception to the rule. In the years since,...
News US VC Releases - 6th August - Wave Race 64
repare to get wet as yet another N64 classic hits the Virtual Console! Wave Race 64 was one of the first games for Nintendo's 64-bit console, and it speaks volumes for the quality of the game that it's still considered one of the finest racers available..
repare to get wet as yet another N64 classic hits the Virtual Console! Wave Race 64 was one of...
Review Galaga '90 (Virtual Console / TurboGrafx-16)
Galaga in the 90s
This game started out life as Galaga ’88 in the arcades and saw a conversion to the Japanese PC Engine under the same name. Understandably in the two years it took to get released in North America the name needed incrementing so it didn't appear too out-dated but the excellent gameplay remains intact. Sequels to classic games...
News Visit the new and exciting Virtual Console Forums!
Our associated forum, The Virtual Console Forums has undergone a bit of a transformation recently. If you have never visited why don't you check it out? We have a community of almost 400 members and there is always something going on of interest for fans of Nintendo and the Virtual Console.
For those who have already signed up, please update your...
Review Shinobi III: Return of the Ninja Master (Wii Virtual Console / Mega Drive)
The ninja master returns
Nasty Neo Zeed is back causing trouble again, and it’s up to our hero Joe Musashi to teach them a lesson they won’t forget with his supreme ninja skills. Unlike the original arcade classic, however, there are no hostages to be rescued and you now have an energy bar to spare you from one-hit kills. You have a limited...
News Europe VC Releases - 3rd August - Sega Week - Shinobi III
Its Sega week again folks! This time the big S has gone all out and given its fans some of the greats from its back catalogue. A good variety too so there's probably something for everyone here no matter what you taste is.
First in my list this week is the excellent Shinobi III. It is strange that the original Megadrive Revenge of Shinobi wasn't...
July2007
News US VC Releases - 30th July - Dynamite Headdy
he Virtual Console is like a box of chocolates: You never know which games have the tasty caramel filling and which ones are going to make you want to vomit. Of course that's why you have the Virtual Console Archive as your guide to which chocolates are..
he Virtual Console is like a box of chocolates: You never know which games have the tasty...
Review Drop Off (Virtual Console / TurboGrafx-16)
Brave five rounds of haunting, nightmarish dreams
Drop Off is a paddle and ball game like Atari’s classic, Breakout. There is nothing bad about making a game like Breakout, games like Arkanoid did an excellent job of just that. The innovations in that game made for an addictive game experience. It’s a shame that the same cannot be said of Drop...
Review Star Soldier (Wii Virtual Console / NES)
Not quite a super star
We’ve already been blessed with the sublime Super Star Soldier and Soldier Blade but now it’s the turn of the game that started it all as the NES classic Star Soldier hits the Virtual Console. Released on the NES way back in 1986, Hudson’s shooter went down a storm in Japan but failed to replicate this success in the...
Review Dynamite Headdy (Virtual Console / Sega Mega Drive)
Headdy, the central protagonist of the game, is the star of the Treasure Theatre production of Dynamite Headdy.
Treasure has already secured its place in history as a purveyor of "gamers' games", encouragingly flying in the face of the accepted practice of style over content to provide such stone-cold classics as Radiant Silvergun, Ikaruga...
Review Kirby's Avalanche (Virtual Console / Super Nintendo)
The call has gone out throughout Dream Land – the First Annual Ghost Trap Competition has begun!
This is basically Puyo Puyo given a lick of paint, but... wait a minute, isn't that exactly what Damo typed for Dr. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine? Well, it holds true for this game as well. Only this time, instead of Dr. Robotnik and various robots from...
News Europe VC Releases - 27th July - Devil's Crush
Just two games to choose from in Europe this Friday so you are hardly spoilt for choice. Still when the game is as good as Devil's Crush it is hard to complain, this devilish game sure plays a mean pinball!
A first to Europe is Kirby's Ghost Trap (Kirby's Avalanche in the USA) - it's yet another falling block puzzler in the mould of Dr Robotnik's...
News Japanese Virtual Console list - August 2007
Nintendo of Japan have updated their list of upcoming games for the Japanese Virtual Console for August 2007. There's nothing really new or exciting about this list, however we did find it interesting that Gradius is being released again on the PC Engine/TurboGrafx-16 format when the NES version is already available on the VC!
Next Week N64: Wave...
News US VC Releases - 23rd July - Shining Force
It's turned-based tomfoolery ahoy in this month's selection of US Virtual Console games - Sega's amazing Shining Force is here and whatever your viewpoint on this genre it simply begs to be downloaded. This is the original and best version of the game - ok, so the recent GBA port looked nice, but the gameplay was tinkered with in the most shameful fashion.
We also have that cute little nutsack that is Kirby! Ok, so he's the kind of mascot you'd imagine your kid sister liking, but you can't deny that 'Kirbs' has starred in some pretty dope games in his time a...
Review Devil's Crush (Virtual Console / TurboGrafx-16)
Shoot the ball onto the board with the Devil Shooter
After the wonderfully wacky Alien Crush you would have thought developers Compile would have struggled to create an even more unhinged pinball simulation - but you’d be wrong! Devil’s Crush improves on its spiritual predecessor in almost every way possible. Firstly, the ball physics –...
Review Shining Force (Virtual Console / Sega Mega Drive)
In ages long forgotten, Light fought Darkness for control of the world.
Although Shining Force takes place in the same universe as fellow Megadrive/Genesis epic Shining in the Darkness, the games themselves couldn’t really be more different. Whereas SitD is a first person dungeon crawler, Shining Force is a turn-based strategy title more akin to...
Review Metroid (Wii Virtual Console / NES)
Where it all started
More than 20 years have past since Metroid first blew away NES owners with its clever mixture of platforming, exploration and character upgrades. It went on to become spawn many sequels over the years, becoming a much-loved franchise for Nintendo fans – but nostalgia aside, is Metroid still high-quality by today’s standards?...
News Europe VC Releases - 20th July - Street Fighter II Turbo
Here's what Euro gamers get today...
Street Fighter II Turbo: Hyper Fighting will satisfy the needs of most retro gamers. This is the perfect choice for gamers in Europe (PAL) region as the game features a speed select system so you don't have to play in slow-mo like the original SNES SF2. It's an excellent game that most people will be familiar...
News US VC Releases - 16th July - Paper Mario
The latest batch of Virtual Console releases will no doubt be greeted with whoops of joy up and down the American continent - Paper Mario is here! You moaned, you whined and you begged - well Reggie has heard you and decreed that it will be so - the N64 classic is now available for download! Let the wine flow and the fine meat be consumed! Hurrah!
O...
News Game Explosion - OFLC Update
he Australian Office of Film and Classification has recently updated its site with a flood of new games, which means only one thing - they're all Virtual Console-bound! Although this is Aussie-related, the rest of the world is bound to get these titles as..
he Australian Office of Film and Classification has recently updated its site with a flood of...
Review Silent Debuggers (Virtual Console / TurboGrafx-16)
Oh bugger
'Silent Debuggers' has to rank as one of the greatest names ever for a videogame. The first few minutes might convince you that this is a great game too. The funky intro music really sets the scene with style along with some nicely drawn anime style scenes. Welcome to the world of the debuggers, a duo of fearless bounty hunters tasked...
News Papier Mazza And Zonk Hit Virtual Console
Nintendo 64 and Turbo-Grafx favourites Paper Mario and Zonk hit the European Virtual Console yesterday.
Here's the essential information you're dying to know: Launched on the Nintendo 64 in 2001, Paper Mario™ brilliantly blends the world famous plumber’s platform exploits with a hilarious quest and interesting characters. On a mission to free...
Review Paper Mario ( / Nintendo 64)
A two-dimensional adventure which is anything but thin!
Remember Super Mario RPG? It was basically the swansong of the SNES, and though sales for it were fairly poor (Since people had moved on to new consoles and all), the games managed to build up quite a fanbase, and is, nowadays, one of the most popular Mario games ever made, despite not being...
News Europe VC Releases - 13th July - Paper Mario
Another first for Europe! From today our Euro friends can download the wonderful Paper Mario for the N64. As one of the later games out on the N64 it is possible that many people missed this at the time, well now is your chance! This is basically an RPG set in the Mario universe - the twist is all the characters in this odyssey are made from paper! This comes highly recommended.
As if all that wasn't enough Air Zonk on the Turbografx is up for grabs today as well. It is a shame that this game came out today it will most likely get lost in the rumm...
News Hardware Focus - TurboGrafx-16
It's Turbo time!
The history of the TurboGrafx-16 system is basically a tale of two countries. Electronics giant NEC and game developer Hudson joined forces in 1987 to design and release the PC Engine game console to compete head to head with Nintendo and Sega's 8-bit systems. Offering a nice step up in terms of visuals and audio capabilities, the...
News Games we hope never get released on the Virtual Console
Only the churlish will argue with the assertion that the Wii's Virtual Console has been a great feature. Veteran gamers have been able to revisit their gaming pasts, while those newer to the scene can discover whole new worlds of electronic entertainment that they might otherwise have missed out on. On the Virtual Console Archive forums, I've seen delighted youngsters expressing their excitement at playing the mighty Streets of Rage 2, and even as a crusty old veteran, I've been surprised now and then, most notably by the excellent releases available for the PC Engine/Turbografx, which I never got to play the first time around.
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News US VC Releases - 9th July - Air Zonk
Today saw the release of three more Virtual Console games for the North American region, but only one of them is really worth downloading. No prizes for guessing which!
Air Zonk features the futuristic relative of our prehistoric hero Bonk and is a pretty zany side-scrolling 2D shooter. The visuals are bold and impressive - the TG-16 really could...
Review Air Zonk (Virtual Console / TurboGrafx-16)
A fun shmup
Air Zonk is a horizontally scrolling shoot-em-up with the cuteness factor cranked up to 10 in much the same way as Konami's Parodius. Hudson essentially took the Bonk character and renamed him Zonk for this one which makes the game even stranger. Perhaps they felt it wasn't appropriate for a caveman to be jetting around in the sky...
News Europe VC Releases - 6th July - Sega Megadrive day!
A bumper week for the Sega Megadrive. 3 sequels as well, very funny!
It's great to see Sonic 2 finally, a game well worth downloading, now Sonic has a spin he can charge on the spot and his buddy Tails. Ecco: The Tides of Time manages to improve on the excellent original game with 3D style levels and many cool new gameplay features. Golden Axe...
News Hardware Focus - Nintendo 64
Since the 80's Nintendo's name has been synonymous with gaming, the company's current market dominance highlighting how attuned they have become to the requirements of the market, and providing the buyers with the very things they need.
However, given the current success of the DS and Wii, it is perhaps too easy to forget that it was achieved...
Review Ecco: The Tides of Time (Virtual Console / Sega Mega Drive)
Flipper the video game
Good old Ecco the Dolphin, after saving his dolphin chums from an invading alien race you would have thought he could have just spent the rest of his life in peace spinning a ball on his nose! These plans were shattered when the queen of the Vortex took it upon herself to travel back in time to start her trouble again. An...
