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

After last weeks singular release it seems that NOE are making up for it by releasing three titles of variable quality. Anyway enough from me and on with the games!

Available for download this week we have...

• Burning Fight
• Pokemon Puzzle League
• Samurai Shodown

Points: 900
Publisher: SNK
Developer: SNK
Released: 1991
System: NeoGeo

Yes it's that type of game, released around that specific time when a certain scrolling scrapper known as Final Fight became a stunning example of it's genre and thus nearly everything else released around the same time attempted to replicate it's success; this is the story of yet another that tried and failed.

The Castella family from the Metro City started ruining the peaceful city of Osaka with the violent Japanese group, "Heiwa-gumi". To stop the fight, Metro police detectives dispatched two dangerous characters, Duke and Billy, to Japan. With the support of the famous Japanese detective Ryu, they decided to rush into the enemy's fortress. Ruthless violence in the neon lights of Osaka. Will there be an end to this war?

Generic storyline to fuel the games endless slew of combative action? Check, not to mention everything else that goes with the territory but enough splitting hares and dissecting the lack of originality, how does it play?

Pick a fighter from one of the three available which I won't name in case you somehow manage to get attached to them but suffice to say you have an all-rounder, the faster but weaker guy and the slower but more powerful musclebound stereotype. Then you take to the streets, and repetitively use the same basic combo's to knockout anyone who dares stand between you and the end of the level.

Theres nothing wrong with this just that it's far more limited and boring than the fantastic game it tries to emulate, the enemies are generic, the fighting is basic, visuals are bland and sound barely factors into it. It's yet another example of a developer trying to cash in on the success of a better title and the point here is, why would you play a clone when the original is infinitely available and cost less points? I rest my case.

Verdict : A limited, lackluster, lamentable clone.

Points: 1000
Publisher: Nintendo
Developer: Intelligent Systems
Released: 2001
System: N64

The game that is Pokemon Puzzle League is often one which causes intrigue, basically it's a puzzle game known as Panel de Pon with the theme of Pokemon. Due to it's relative obscurity the developers quite peculiarly dressed it up with a theme of which is arguably more mainstream.

As a combination it paid off and while a few might laugh or scoff, one play of this Puzzler thats deceptively tough will ensure that you won't be able to get enough. Basically this is how the concept goes, tiles must be matched in columns or rows, you may select through the options before, the amount to match from two, three or four; then you play more and more in an attempt to boost your score.

Upwards the tower of blocks will rise and you must prevent it from reaching the skies, using a cursor you may move two blocks at a time, which are separable instead of being stuck in a line. If you manage to get the blocks below a certain height, then that level you will smite, moving onto the next of your own accord, right to the end or until you get bored.

A plethora of modes are available, in an attempt to make the game more salable, while there are lots of different ones to be seen, they are all revolve around the main theme, and all that you really need to know, is that it features much inspiration from the Pokemon TV show. Including lots of familiar faces, mixed in with worn out places, these serve as the backdrop and skin, both of which change once you begin.

Overall it covers all the bases, and ignoring the variable music and faces, it's a classic puzzler which once played, will guarantee that you don't leave dismayed. Time attack against the clock, a Story mode with a passive plot, Marathon mode played endlessly, and profiles of characters for all to see; a two player mode is included too, and while all this may be nothing new, it prevents it from becoming the same, ensuring you'll want to play just "one more game".

Verdict : A practically perfect Pokemon themed puzzler.

Points: 900
Publisher: SNK
Developer: SNK
Released: 1993
System: NeoGeo

An undisputed classic of it's time and a most highly praised game which helped to make SNK's console such a firm favourite with it's fans; Samurai Shodown is very much as anti Street Fighter as you can get, while the majority of games at the time followed the example set by Capcom's classic combative game (even SNK themselves in their other series) this game truly went against the grain right from the word go.

Known as Samurai Spirits in Japan, this is the first game in SNK's popular series of fighting games. It was set in the late 18th century and all of its characters wielded weapons; It also features comparatively authentic music from the time period, rife with sounds of traditional Japanese instruments, such as the shakuhachi and shamisen, and a refined version of the camera zoom first found in Art of Fighting.

True to its use of bladed weapons, the game also included copious amounts of blood. Its overall aesthetic drew in the curious, and made SNK many fans. The game is widely renowned for its fast pace, focused more on quick, powerful strikes than combos.

Featuring a respectable roster of beautifully balanced characters and a style of play which rewards method rather than the madness of button mashing, it's perhaps one of the most well rounded fighting games ever made. An astounding amount attention to detail is present with such features as realistic blocking and weapons clash not to mention rather a lot of gore which is in keeping with the realistic style; upon it's original release much of this was removed from the American version but here on the Wii version you have the opportunity to play the game in it's original, uncensored and bloody format.

Due to it's undeniably different style from all the Street Fighter's out there it's quite hard to compare it to anything else out there but anyone looking for a truly original fighting game should look no further. Featuring beautiful backdrops, colourful characters and a wonderfully sense of equilibrium this is easily one of SNK's best fighting games and holds up tremendously well even fifteen years on.

Verdict : A fighting game thats as beautifully balanced as it is brutal.

Thats 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
[email protected]

Looking for reviews on other Virtual Console games? Or a full list of games available on the system? Then Check out our Virtual Console Index Page.