Welcome to VC Weekly, N-Europe's guide to the wonderful world of Nintendo's download service. Written by Sam C Gittins.

A double dose of downloadable delights as both consoles receive another addition to their respective libraries. Anyway enough from me and on with the games!

Available for download this week we have...

• King of Fighters '97
• Kirby's Block-Ball

Points: 800
Publisher: SNK Playmore
Developer: SNK
Released: 1997
System: Neo Geo

While we have had two games from this series before it seems the developer has forsaken continuity skipping the lesser '96 entry in favour of bringing us the far superior King of Fighters '97 which feels like a significant step-up from '95 in terms of both quantity and quality. The inclusion of six brand new characters bumps the roster up to a respectable total of thirty fighters while the improved visual clarity immediately apparent from when your first play coupled with the rebalanced A.I really makes this entry a lot more enjoyable from the outset.

There are two play modes available to you which includes 'Advanced' which grants you the ability to stack three super moves as you build up your gauge plus 'Extra' which has only one gauge that you simply charge up, gaining 'Max Power' when it's completely full; the choice is yours and while it might not have needed to be included it's still nice to actually have the option. As a nod to previous titles there is a secret character in the form of '94 Kyo Kusanagi which adds to the already impressive roster which includes firm favourites Iori, Kim, Kyo, Mai and Terry plus a load of new faces comprising of Chang Koehan, Chin Gentsai, Choi Bounge... they don't all begin with 'C' I promise you but it's a strong selection regardless.

Once you've picked your team of three you'll be guaranteed a good time as the refined gameplay ensures equilibrium so whether you like to go all out or play things a little more cautiously you will be well catered for. There aren't that many opponents that feel 'cheap' which is a good thing so you'll likely be able to progress at a decent rate but that's not to say the game is a cake-walk because it most certainly has some punishing oppnents who will pummel you especially if you're new to the series but stick with it because the more time you invest in this title the brighter it will shine.

Speaking of shininess everything about this entry is very well polished indeed including the characters all of which are well animated, standing out well even against the rather busy backdrops which have that essential attention to detail which the series is well-known for. There is also a decent selection of background music though certain stages seem to have more ambience coming from cheering crowds and whatnot but it always feels appropriate just as the sound effects are satisfyingly substantial.

Fans of the series will no doubt absolutely love this entry as it's easily one of the best but it's not actually a bad entry point for anyone considering the series, you would do well to invest some points in this as it's a fantastic fighter based on its own merits and is a world apart from more recognisable names in the genre such as Street Fighter but for all the right reasons. If you're looking for a fighting game that requires a significantly different approach than most modern titles then you really can't go wrong here, you can only do right as King of Fighters '97 still has a lot to offer even now fifteen years on.

Verdict : A fantastic fighting game that's still frighteningly fun to play.

Price: GB �2.70, EU �3
Publisher: Nintendo
Developer: Hal Laboratory
Released: 1995
System: GameBoy

Kirbys versatility seems to know no bounds as it seems like he has been in more spin-offs than actual platforming adventures which he originated in, the little pink puffball seems only too happy to be used as a golf ball or pinball in other games but this time around he takes on the form of a more standard spherical object so that he can be batted against a wall in true 'Breakout' fashion in this rather reasonable clone of the old classic and so much more.

Naturally it's the Kirby branding that sells it as this is more than just a simple copy of the old 'bat 'n ball' game, each stage is based on a location from Dreamland which comes complete with enemies to defeat each of which has a power to absorb which will allow you to become for instance Fire Kirby which will allow you to burn through blocks but watch out for the spike pit below the bat as if you hit those it'll cost you a life. Things get more complex when you have multiple bats to control on all sides of the screen � Up/Down moves the ones to the side while Left/Right will move the ones above and below � there are also boss battles at the end of each world which hark back to classic Kirby games and are a lot of fun.

Collectable items within the stages include 'Bombs' which will detonate destroying certain otherwise indestructible blocks plus the classic 'Warp-Star' which will take you to a bonus level of your choice which include air hockey, star throwing, card matching and cloud bouncing all of which are fun distractions fitting in well with the games structure. It may be somewhat predictable in how it plays out but we must remember that the original Break-Out had no story to speak of so all of this really just makes the game more appealing, fortunately there are plenty of new elements introduced regularly so you'll very rarely find yourself being bored over the short experience which lasts only a few hours.

Functional is the best way to describe the visuals as they are perfectly adequate for this type of game but there is of course some of the usual Kirby charm there which manages to shine through. Audio is characteristically cheerful only serving to add atmosphere to what would have been a rather basic experience without it; this is proof that Kirby truly can liven up any game experience.

With all of its charm Kirby's Block Ball is really fun to play and it's easily one of the best ways to enjoy this age-old classic bat 'n ball game which has seen so many clones over the years that have come even after this version but failed to match it. If you've yet to play Break-Out then you could do a lot worse than download this excellent version of it which is a must for die-hard Kirby fans who can't get enough of the pink blob.

Verdict : Once again Kirby's the star of the show in this excellent clone.

That's it for another installment of VC Weekly which will return again soon. So until then, enjoy the rest of the week and Game On!

Sam Gittins
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