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

If you like platforming, shooting  and/or scrapping then you've come to the right place as there's sure to be something here to scratch any of those aforementioned gaming itches. Anyway enough from me and on with the games!
 
Available for download this week we have...     

Megaman 2
Sengoku 2


 
Price: GB £4.49, EU €4.50
Publisher: Capcom
Developer: Capcom
Released: 1990
System: NES

With solid foundations laid by the original Capcom then released this, the sequel which is arguably the best in the series. Taking everything from the original, making it a bit longer and slightly more forgiving in it's difficulty (the original was notorious for its characteristic challenge) is the template thats been followed and it works well.

Set after the events of the original Dr. Wily was defeated by Mega Man and imprisoned; he then escaped and created eight Robot Overlords to aid him in his bid for taking over the world. Once more it's down to Mega Man who sets off to stop the ebil doctor and his disturbed imagination hell bent on world domination.

Yeah same old plot, that aside well, it's actually more of the same the whole way through the game; new weapons are acquired from each robotic end of level boss that you defeat . As well as those you can also get three context sensitive items which can help you cross gaps and get to out of reach ledges; another item that makes things that little bit easier is the E-tank which completely restores your health.

Each of the games individual stages are as impeccably designed as the originals, bosses are still challenging but noticeably easier as you are no longer limited to only using the weapon that they are weak to as you can use your default blaster, granted it may take longer but the option does make things a lot more straightforward.

Notably the best in the series for many reasons including the improved graphics and the sumptuous accompanying score not to mention the best bosses but what really sets it apart is being the only game in the original series to include a difficulty select making it more accessible to all. Easily one of the better NES platform games coming second only really to Super Mario Bros 3 but if you want an addictive alternative then look no further.

Verdict : Megaman's most masterful mission to date.

 
Points: 900
Publisher: D4 Enterprise
Developer: SNK
Released: 1993
System: Neo Geo

If you've played the arcade classic Golden Axe before then the chances are you're a fan of the scrolling fighter genre, while SNK are more famed for their traditional fighting games they have been known the venture into other genres, so here we have Sengoku 2 which is best described as an oriental inspired version of Sega's aforementioned classic; amusingly the evil emperor even bares a passing resemblance to Death Adder plus there are dragons albeit of the Chinese variety. Of course this is the second installment in the series, so it's much more than a simple clone, indeed it takes the best elements of the first title and even improves on the slightly ropey parts just like any good sequel should, which will be a relief to anyone who has already played the first game as this title is an altogether more appealing prospect from the start.

Naturally the basics will seem rather familiar as you begin your epic journey toward the right-side of the screen, travelling further as you fell each enemy that attempt to attack you in a range of predictable patterns, fortunately things are mixed up a little bit as in addition to the standard slashes of your sword you can dodge which will become more useful as you progress remembeing to take careful note of your stance as this too is something that requires careful consideration when battling against bosses. Transformation yet again plays a rather important part as it did in the first title, you can change into a collection of characters all who have their own move-sets which can prove very useful indeed at certain moments, but you must take into consideration that these are time-limited transformations so you'll want to make the most of them.

Mechanically the refinements are clear to see as everything flows rather nicely, more than that though the controls have been resonably well refined this time around, which will definitely come as something of a relief if you've played the original game as the difference in the level of responsiveness is a much needed and very well received addition. You'll notice it more as you travel through the games varied backdrops as the further along you get the more appreciative you will likely become of the newfound level of accuracy that has been afforded, naturally it's still not perfect but considering the developer they have certainly given a fair go at it which is indeed most commendable of SNK especially consdering that this obviously isn't their favourite genre.     

Understandably it's hard to find many other titles that have the level of graphical variation that this title has received, this is due to the element of time-travel which has allowed the developer to create a spectacular range of beautiful backdrops taking you on a journey across many different times, with each one recreated with a decent amount of detail along with some nice animation on the sprites. Audio is astoundingly good this time around, featuring many excellent accompanying tracks that are well-suited to each stage, naturally the sound effects are fairly substantial too with a decent amount of weight to them, just what you want in a side-scrolling scrapper.

While fans of the genre will no doubt find a game that's decent enough to keep them playing, newcomers may want find something a bit more well-known as a starting point such as Golden Axe, but if you've literally exhausted every other available example from the VC library then you might as well give this a go. It's most definitely repetitive in the moves department but it more than makes up for it with the immense level of variation between levels, so while as a game it won't blow your mind completely, the overall experience will leave you satisfied.  

Verdict : Sengoku 2 is a satisfactory side-scrolling scrapper.

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!