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

A quad of quality titles to quench your gaming thirst, providing it's mostly Sega games you're after of course.

Available for download this week we have...

• Dragon Spirit
• Ecco : The Tides of Time
• Golden Axe II
• Sonic the Hedgehog 2

Points: 600
Publisher: Hudsonsoft
Developer: NBGI
Released: 1989
System: Turbografx

Here we go again, another vertical scrolling shooter; although this time with a bit of originality as you assume to role of a dragon on a quest for vengeance of sorts by flinging fire at evil forces who have been terrorising your native land. It still has the spirit of a simplistic shooting game though as you soar through the scrolling skies to an inevitable boss encounter at the end.

It's quite inferior when compared to the likes of Blazing Lazers or Super Star Soldier, visually it's not much to look at and audibly it's reasonable. So what is there to like about this title? Well it's multi-tiered as you have a range of attacks coming from both ground and air level with a decently paced learning curve which doesn't make the game easy but it certainly allows for greater playability.

With generic elemental backdrops, a tried and tested template and a small amount of levels there really isn't much to sell this title as there are far batter examples currently available for download. But if shooters are your preferred genre and you're looking for something different to play then this may appeal to you, just don't expect anything amazing or you're likely to be bitterly disappointed.

Verdict : Puts the "drag" in dragon.

Points: 800
Publisher: Sega
Developer: Novotrade
Released: 1994
System: Megadrive

When the original Ecco the Dolphin was released it was a truly original title of its time; nothing else compared to it. A game where you assume the role of a dolphin called Ecco who must swim, surface, somersault and sonar his way through savage seas across time in order to save the members of your pod, dolphin-kind and the Earth from the clutches of the Vortex Queen.

Following on where the original left off and the sequel sees the Queen of the Vortex follow Ecco back to Earth from the future as she proceeds to rebuild her hive. It's now up to the legendary dolphin to save the seas of the world once more; traversing the tides of time to find the Asterite and repair the rift in time created by the use of the time machine in the events of the original before the Earth is forever changed into a mechanical metropolis devoid of life thats controlled by the Vortex.

In this sequel almost every element from the original is embraced and enhanced; now available is a set of difficulties ranging from easy to hard which addresses the one dwindling difficulty level of the past which had unbelievably easy stages followed by one infuriatingly impossible part which would hinder progress. Also added to the fray are the new pseudo 3D sections which link the main stages together and see you swim in a fixed direction with the view centered behind Ecco avoiding and attacking enemies with dashes and sonar blasts while swimming through time rings to get to your desired destination.

Another notable addition is the ability to morph into alternative aquatic forms such as a shark, jellyfish, seabird, a school of fish and even one of the vortex drones. Visually the game retains the look of the original but with deeper colours and refined animation, the audio also follows the template of that previous to it but with darker undertones which fits in well with the overall theme of the game.

This is an excellent example of what the Megadrive was truly capable of and is a decent original title in its own right that deserves to be downloaded today. From the expansive oceanic environments that create an amazing sense of atmosphere to the subtle swimming mechanics that remain as superior now as they were back in the day; the core rewarding experience through exploration that Ecco provides hasn't aged a bit and still has a lot to offer to both fans and a new audience alike in this vibrant addition to the virtual console.

Verdict: A terrific title that transcends the test of time.

Points: 800
Publisher: Sega
Developer: Sega
Released: 1991
System: Megadrive

Another sequel to a Sega scrapper hits the VC in the form of Golden Axe II; while initially it may look to be superior to its forerunner it's actually much the same throughout. The storyline is hardly a departure from the standard evil force looming over the lands plot which is an often reoccurring theme for games of this time and beyond, the only slight difference is that you aren't up against the evil Death Adder but instead the even eviler Dark Guld who's attempting to take over the world, hardly groundbreaking.

Predictably the three warriors from the first game, Gilius Thunderhead, Ax Battler and Tyris Flare come out of retirement and so another excuse for more hacking, slashing and dragon summoning is created. With the three returning characters comes three slightly varied styles of play but unfortunately this remains almost completely unchanged with the only noticeable alteration thats been made is the ability to carry out magic attacks sparingly as opposed to one epic attack which isn't suited to all situations, it's still nothing to shout about though.

Yes so it is improved in the visual department with the nicely detailed backgrounds making a return in a slightly enhanced but still overly familiar form. Audio is a different story however with the background themes that are predominantly carried over from the original, the compositions used in the first few opening levels are of a particularly high standard but it's let down by the woefully weak sound effects which have been altered and as a result vary from passable to laughable proving that some things are best left unchanged.

Essentially this follows the format of the original but deviates in the wrong places; it's still the same scrolling slash-em-up which has a decent but basic control scheme with the action spread across six levels. Brutal bosses are initially imposing but offer little in the way of challenge and can be easily exploited with the right combination of moves pressed at the correct time.

It's a decent effort and if you are a fan of the original then you're are likely to take to it quite easily but it offers little to nothing in the way of innovation and loses part of the charm that was clearly so evident in the original. When all is said it still features a solid two-player mode which is the main attraction here if you're looking for any form of longevity; if it's a choice out of which of the two you purchase though go for the original as in this case it's far better than this simplistic sequel.

Verdict: Good but far from being a golden game.

Points: 800
Publisher: Sega
Developer: Sonic Team
Released: 1992
System: Megadrive

A title so infamous that it requires no introduction but it's so great that it deserves one anyway. Released to the world nearly fifteen years ago on Tuesday November 24th 1992 (Sonic two's-day) this superior sequel to the original system seller Sonic the Hedgehog was insanely popular back in the day and helped to sell a lot of Megadrives (including my first MD) at the time and truly put Sonic on the payroll at Sega.

Taking everything that made the original so successful and extensively adding new elements such as the now infamous "spin attack" move which opened up more ways to play as well as becoming a standard function of the series. Another addition comes in the form of Miles "Tails" Prower a new character who features a flying ability thanks to the fact that he has two tails.

Levels are increased in both size and available amount featuring more Zone's and Act's ranging from the exceptional entry level of the Emerald Hill zone to the truly masterful Metropolis zone. As if that wasn't enough Sonic 2 is also famous for its pseudo 3D scrolling special stage which not only plays well but also shows what could done from a technical standpoint for its time.

Not forgetting the aural and visual delights that this game brings with it; the sprites are bolder with greater animation and everything is visually sharper throughout and more detailed even when the blue blur is running at top speed. Outstanding compositions courtesy of composer Masato Nakamura further complements the game and greatly contributes to each zones feeling of standalone authenticity.

Bigger boss battles, an extensive ensemble of enemies and a wide selection of superbly designed stages are just a few of the many additional elements that make Sonic 2 the standout title that it always has been and still remains today. Sonic Team have tirelessly tried to better the series but have never truly succeeded; aside from Sonic Rush the series has never had anything close to this, the zenith of the 16-bit Sonic titles.

Verdict: The definitive superior Sonic sequel.

Another week comes to an end but VC Weekly will be back very soon, so until then enjoy the rest of the week and Game On!

Sam Gittins
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