Europe VC Releases - 30th March - Punch out!!

After the crushing disappointment that was Monday's US VC releases (or 'release', to be more specific), Euro gamers were quite rightly concerned about what they'd be getting this VC Friday. Thankfully things a bit brighter, as Hudson unleash an excellent game in the form of Dragon's Curse (AKA: Adventure Island, Wonderboy: The Dragon's Trap). This version was never published in Europe, although Master System owners will no doubt have enjoyed the 'Sega' version of this game. If you want to explore the convoluted history of the Wonderboy/Adventure Island series then head over to Wikipedia, because we simply don't have the space (or time) to do it here. The PC Engine/Turbo Grafx edition has a different lead character but retains the level design of the original, plus there's no sprite flicker! It's not quite the classic it was over a decade ago but it's still well worth looking into. And hey - at least it's not Romance of the Three Kingdoms, eh?

by Darren Calvert Fri 30th Mar 2007

As if that wasn't enough Europe gets the NES classic Punch-out! Whilst these days all NES games are showing their age graphically this is really just one of those games where you don't notice because the gameplay is so much fun.

Konami throw a quirky classic our way with the sublime Legend Of The Mystical Ninja. Many of the famous Konami NES games are playable within the game itself! This really is a off-the-wall classic, loads of fun for 2 players and probably the most bizarre game you will ever play!

All 3 games before the USA. All top rated games. Nintendo of Europe - what have we done to deserve this??

Read the reviews here:

Dragon's Curse - TurboGrafx-16
Punch-Out!! - NES
Legend Of The Mystical Ninja - SNES

Growing up with a ZX Spectrum and a Sega Master System and his exhaustive knowledge in the fields of SEO and digital marketing, Darren's organisational prowess helps steer Hookshot's portfolio in the right direction.

1
neuzd
Fri 30th Mar 2007

WHATTAWEEK!
I was going to download Mystical Ninja + Dragon's Curse tonight, but it seemed the games needed 0 (zero) free blocks on the wii. I decided to download them in another moment....

I heard Americans are getting Deadly Towers and the VCS version of E.T. the ExtratTerrestrial.
This will happen every monday from now on, with no other titles added.

I see a sleepless saturday night playing Ganbare Goemon until our bellies will be ripped by our own laughters.

2
__Flash
Fri 30th Mar 2007

Best week for the VC so far IMO. Right, i'm now off to kick Tyson's, opps I mean Mr. Dreams butt! Thats if I still have the lightning speed reactions necessary!

3
__DandOm5
Fri 30th Mar 2007

RE: Gauntlet,

I wonder if Nintendo have the rights to release Gauntlet - If they do - i'd love to see it released - it gives multiplayers hours of fun - all on the same screen. There are also some old PC DOS games i'd like to see, anyone remember "Space Crusade"

4
DEMON212
Fri 30th Mar 2007

Why do people love this Punch Out? Got it because of the hype, and i'm regretting it already. I don't see what's so special about it, it's just another lame boxing game.

As all boxing games seem to be.

At least Ninja rocks, hard!

So i'm happy with that.

5
reekon
Fri 30th Mar 2007

@demon212: I can't really fault you if this is your first time to play Punch-out.

The fun of punch-out comes from figuring out what are the strengths and weaknesses of each opponent and coming up with an appropriate counter-measure.

Just pressing A, B, & Start, and throwing jabs/uppercuts without any strategy, without thinking, and yet winning is of course lame. That's why the first 2-4 opponents are worthless (but of course what do you expect from fighting bottom feeders?).

Try to persevere until the higher-ladder opponents and then check out if it's still lame.

6
JNoodles
Fri 30th Mar 2007

O MY SHIZ! Europe's VC (now with A Link to the Past)> North America VC

7
__Zomeguy
Fri 30th Mar 2007

This reminds me of Frank Bruno's Boxing on my Amstrad CPC, which I liked alot. Anyone remembers that one?

8
__Viny
Fri 30th Mar 2007

Oh yes, Frank Bruno's Boxing with Ravioli Mafiosi and Peter Perfect, I wasted so many hours on this fabulous game !!

9
-K-
Fri 30th Mar 2007

You Europeans are lucky.
Hopefully we will get a good week like yours on Monday.

10
__Dahak
Fri 30th Mar 2007

Dragon's Curse was never released in Europe? Does that make this the first out of region release on the VC?

11
__Jeremy6
Sat 31st Mar 2007

Why does Nintendo hate us Americans so much?

12
JNoodles
Sat 31st Mar 2007

Chris: Yep.

13
__charliemccarthy
Sat 31st Mar 2007

You americans got most of these games first on the original consoles, but thankyou NoE for releasing punch-out I was ill this weekend and it really cheered me up.Im stuck on the second E.honda...sob

14
JNoodles
Sat 31st Mar 2007

E. Honda? Street Fighter gave a Punch-Out!! character an identity crisis.

15
Mega_X_Gundam
Sat 31st Mar 2007

Sigh* wish they would just make a month long list of games that they are releasing but that would take the hype out of it I guess. Still waiting for Super Mario RPG and Star Fox for the SNES. GRIMLOCK!

16
__mrb
Sun 1st Apr 2007

They need to release BOB on either the SNES or Megadrive. I had the Megadrive version and loved it..such a funny game!

17
__Stephen
Sun 1st Apr 2007

I wish Nintendo would hurry up and release Lylat Wars on N64. That would have to be rated in the top 5 best games on 64. That game craps on all other 64 games!

18
DEMON212
Sun 1st Apr 2007

Me Grimlock mad. Man did I love the Transformers as a kid. Yeah I want Starwing and Lylat Wars badly.

Well i'll persist with PO, hope you're right bud

And the only reasons I regret some games is because I listen to people in the forums I post in "oh, get Ice Hockey, it rocks", no it certanly don't.

21 minutes a game, you control your goalie at the same time as your players. Nope, just no.

19
__Don-Bon2
Sun 1st Apr 2007

WHAT? No fair. You got really good games. I hope USA at least gets Punch-Out or Mystical Ninja.

20
RMA
Mon 2nd Apr 2007

Nights sequel for Wii confirmed! This was confirmed before 1st April so it (hopefully) isn't an april fools joke!

21
Dazza
Mon 2nd Apr 2007

RMA: Nights 2 won't be on the VC - I think it's going to be a full Wii release.

22
Mendez
Mon 2nd Apr 2007

@Don_Bon- At least you get most great games about 5 months before us,that's what's not "fair"

I was thinking about getting Mystical Nnja, but I'm unsure, I'll see if anything comes out on Friday, if it doesn't then I'll get it.

23
RMA
Mon 2nd Apr 2007

yes I know...point taken! Can't blame a brother for being excited though!

24
Kevin
Mon 2nd Apr 2007

I can't wait until NA get punch-out!! I love this game!

25
__Don-Bon2
Tue 3rd Apr 2007

@Mendz-Yeah your right. It took forever for everyone else to get Link to the Past.

26
__Christopher
Thu 5th Apr 2007

No Punchout, or Zelda II for the USA VC. Very lame Nintendo. Is this a mark that Castlevania NES will be held to for USA release? Who comes up with the thinking at NOA? It must be some college grad that was in pre-school when these games at the time in the US made a hit. Hire some nostalgic talented people with a brain, and experience NOA.