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VC in Brief: California Games (C64)
California Games (C64, 1 - 5 players, 500 Wii Points)We say: Check it out! This week's release is an old favorite: California Games. Featuring an eclectic mix of sports to play (are these games all Californians know and love?), it's a game that many likely remember fondly. Well, in playing it for the first time in, oh, over 10 years, we still found it to be quite fun. Save for the roller skating game. That one is the worst. Every week, we like to check out what's new on the Virtual Console. We offer these videos as a sort of taste to help you decide whether or not you would want the game in question. We also toss in our own two cents because we're pushy jerks.
VC Friday: Let the Games Continue
European Wii owners this week are treated to something they must have known was coming sooner or later: Epyx's Winter Games. The multi-event Olympic games seem like canonical European games of the era, and Summer Games 2 is already out. Eventually, North American gamers will get to enjoy things like this! Personally, the last time this blogger played Winter Games, it was on the Atari 7800.Also available this week for PAL downloaders: last week's North American release, Wolf of the Battlefield: MERCS. It lacks the multiplayer of the arcade game, but it's a pretty okay action game on its own, full of ridiculous attitude and 16-bit bombast. Overall, it's not the greatest week, but neither is it Urban Champion. Winter Games -- Commodore 64 -- 500 Wii Points Wolf of the Battlefield: MERCS -- Mega Drive -- 800 Wii Points Videos of the Games: CLIPS after the break.
VC Friday: Impossible Mission II on PAL Wii Shop ... FOREVER
We've talked about our love of Impossible Mission in a previous VC Friday, and now the PAL Wii Shop has the sequel! That we never played! Oh, happy days. If you haven't downloaded the first game, why on earth not? Beyond the crude visuals lies a highly entertaining and surprisingly atmospheric puzzle-based platformer. The sequel sounds like more of the same but with a few new robots, which is fine with us.Meanwhile, Last Ninja 3 is the second C64 title available this week. Has it aged as poorly as the first two? Probably. It certainly looks similar in footage, though Reyn Ouwehand's soundrack still rocks our socks. Then there's Boogerman, which you really shouldn't download. Here's a video explaining why. Last Ninja 3* -- Commodore 64 -- 500 Wii Points Impossible Mission II* -- Commodore 64 -- 500 Wii Points Boogerman: A Pick and Flick Adventure -- Mega Drive -- 800 Wii Points * Europe only, obviously. As usual, make the jump for videos of all three.%Gallery-39158%
VC Friday: A blue blur
A triple whammy of 500 Wii Point games this week, starting with the Master System version of Sonic the Hedgehog, from the days when the world loved and respected Sonic the Hedgehog. With the Mega Drive/Genesis version already available on the Virtual Console for 300 Points more, we suspect the Master System edition is for either Sonic completists or cheapskates. We fit both categories.Then there are a couple of ye olde classics from the Commodore 64: Boulder Dash and Jumpman. The name "Jumpman" is coincidental, by the way, though the game is probably similar enough to Donkey Kong to warrant suspicion. Sonic the Hedgehog -- Master System -- 500 Wii Points Boulder Dash -- Commodore 64 -- 500 Wii Points* Jumpman -- Commodore 64 -- 500 Wii Points* See all three doing their thing past the break!
VC Friday: Ninja Dragon Games
A trio of games this week on the PAL Virtual Console (all of which would be dead to us if "Ninja Dragon Games" actually existed), including one we totally want, one that will probably be undeservedly overlooked in favor of the one we totally want and, um, World Games (Commodore 64), which we're entirely unfamiliar with.The former, obviously, is Double Dragon (NES), and although we plan to download Technos' landmark game with a quickness, we feel a bit bad for The Last Ninja (Commodore 64), which deserves some attention, if only for its amazing soundtrack. Check videos of all three out after the blue words, and marvel at how barrel jumping looks ... oddly compelling. Double Dragon -- NES -- 500 Wii Points World Games -- Commodore 64 -- 500 Wii Points* The Last Ninja -- Commodore 64 -- 500 Wii Points* * Only in Europe.
VC Friday: 'Stay a while ... Stay FOREVER'
"Nintendo, with this week's four Virtual Console releases you are really spoiling us!"We feel extra special this week, because kindly old Uncle Nintendo has lavished the PAL Virtual Console (or at least the European Virtual Console) with four new titles, including another two Commodore 64 additions (both of which are cracking), and the first Master System games to reach Australia. Unusually, all four are worth a look, but Impossible Mission has a special room all of its own in this blogger's heart. As usual, there's footage of all titles past the break. California Games -- Commodore 64 -- 500 Wii Points* Impossible Mission -- Commodore 64 -- 500 Wii Points* Wonder Boy -- Master System -- 500 Wii Points Fantasy Zone -- Master System -- 500 Wii Points * Europe only, for now -- sorry, Aussies!
Commodore 64 games coming to European VC later this year
We've known since late 2006 that Nintendo intended to add classic titles from the Commodore 64's library to its Virtual Console service, but Nintendo of Europe has been hesitant to reveal any concrete details until now. According to NoE, the C64 games are only planned for release in Europe so far, and they will be available to purchase for 500 Wii Points (€5, approximately $7.35) later this year. 500 Wii Points?! That's as much as an NES release on the Wii Shop Channel!Nintendo has already confirmed Uridium and International Karate as potential VC titles, both of which you can find video for after the post break. The 25-year-old console has a line-up of over 4,000 games to draw from, so it's guaranteed that we'll see regular C64 releases for years. Maybe this means that Nintendo will start putting out three to four Virtual Console games a week again.
The Empire of Sports
Playing as or battling against elves, dwarfs, monsters and aliens comprise the heart and soul of virtually every MMO on the market. So what would you say to a massive online game based around - not one, but many - sports? Being a sports fanatic, I'm sweating at the very thought of such a bold idea. A few weeks ago The Empire of Sports launched their closed beta. And what is this sporting MMO all about?Players create a fully customizable character to interact, train, compete and attend events in several different spots disciplines including football, basketball, tennis, skiing, bobsleigh, and a series of training/fitness games. Additional single and team sports will be added as the community evolves. According to the website, these are not mini-games, but full blown sports games that feature unique controls giving players a different experience each time. Players will live and train within virtual city centers (which look like Olympic villages) that include all the facilities and services a world class athlete would ever need. Once you're ready you can test your skills against thousands of other players in order to build a virtual sports star existence. Based on the screen shots EoS reminds me a lot of Epyx old Winter Games and Summer Games released during the mid-1980's. Good times. I can't wait to give this intriguing MMO concept a spin! The Empire is accepting beta applications, so if any of this sounds intriguing, shoot on over to their website and join the fun.
California Games comes to the PlayStation Network
From the ashes of Epyx, London-based System 3 will be bringing the nostalgic California Games to both the Wii and PS3 consoles. When confirming its destination for the Wii console, CEO Mark Cale dropped word that it would also make its way to the PS3. According to Mr. Cale, "you will be able to buy it online," and "as a retail product." No word on if the title will include multiplayer over the PlayStation Network or if it will be revamped for its next-gen arrival. It would be silly to waste all that space on a Blu-Ray disc, so lets keep our fingers crossed for a bunch of extras (we secretly hope it's something other than its dreadful sequel, California Games 2). At any rate, it'll be nice to hit that silly seagull with a footbag again.
Impossible Mission to stay in Wii Shop Channel... forever!
Impossible Mission is set to be the first downloadable Wii title that doesn't run on the Virtual Console. Eurogamer reports (via Nintendo Power magazine) that the remake of the Commodore 64 platformer will be made available in the online Wii Shop channel, making it the first new(ish) visitor to Nintendo's virtual aisles. Given the inescapable nature of the in-store music, we wouldn't be surprised to see the game stay awhile or indeed, stay foreeeeeverrr.For those unfamiliar with the title and the nefarious Professor Atombender, Impossible Mission will provide a retro mode in addition to the revamped adventure, much like the recent Jetpac Refuelled did on Xbox Live Arcade. Fight robots, keep atoms straight and sell an Xbox 360 in Japan this Summer when the game hits the Wii, PS2, PSP and DS.
Rumor: Impossible Mission remake going to Wii Shop?
Oh, good, another one of those vague, confusing rumors we love so well! Infendo is reporting that the latest issue of Nintendo Power reveals a downloadable Wii Shop version of the Commodore 64 classic Impossible Mission. Infendo seemed to think that the Wii Shop version would be the same as the DS remake. However, the resulting NeoGAF thread made the situation seem a lot less clear.Apparently, publisher System 3 also plans to release a retail disc of Impossible Mission. It would be kind of weird to release the same game on disc and the Wii Shop, right? But it would also be weird to release the exact same game for Wii and DS. After all, the DS is not the PSP. So, with no real information to go on, let's do some speculatin'! Here are all the possibilities we can think of: The same game is coming out for both the Wii and DS. Unlikely. The DS game will be downloadable on the Wii, and will release concurrently with a separate Wii version. The DS and Wii remakes will be separate and accompanied by a Virtual Console release of the C64 original. This seems more plausible. LIES!
More info on PSP's Impossible Mission
When we first wrote about Impossible Mission we were told it would be out in January and wouldn't be in 3D. Well, it's past January and the game isn't out yet and now we know it'll include some 3D objects. What other new info is there on Impossible Mission?
