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

The Wii U Virtual Console has finally launched, with some games you will have seen before along with a few new ones, so here are some reviews from myself plus some from my predecessor Jordan Khoviteri-Zadeh founder of VC Weekly. Anyway enough from me and on with the games!
 
Available for download this week we have...     

Real Bout Fatal Fury
Mega Man IV
Super Mario World
Excitebike
Mario's Super Picross
Ice Climber
Donkey Kong Jr



 
Points: 900
Publisher: D4 Enterprise
Developer: SNK
Released: 1995
System: Neo Geo

Fatal Fury is a fighting game series that many will recognise, but what of the sub-series that SNK also created? We've already had the superior sequels but here we have the very first game Real Bout Fatal Fury presumably so that we can see how the series has evolved over time, in theory it's a good idea to have all of the titles available on the one service though this may feel like a small step back for those of you who have already bought the superior titles but let's just have a look at what exactly this title has to offer. You have a roster of sixteen varied characters, so pick one that you like and get fighting, as essentially that's all you need to know being that it uses a very streamlined fighting system, this is purely a one versus one affair with no character switching, so it's fairly basic which will please some while perhaps annoying others, it's down to personal preference but it will divide opinion.

Regardless of which character you pick, each of them has a specific set of moves so there can still be a fair amount of depth for those who wish to learn all of them, especially when you take the specials into account which will take a little bit of skill to pull them off flawlessly. Moves themselves are pulled off mainly by using three buttons; one for kick, punch plus a button for more powerful moves, this should be enough for any fighting game as it keeps things simple enough but of course there is still hidden tactical depth here as you can take advantage of the multiple plains so it's possible to jump into the foreground or background and back again making for some rather interesting battles.

Naturally you also have a power gauge to play with which when you full capacity will allow you to use some rather substantial attacks on your opponent, of course you can still perform combos, reversals etc which makes the combat all the more intricate so even though this may seem like a basic brawler, there is still a reasonable amount of depth to it. The controls are very well implemented offering a decent level of responsiveness so you'll never come unstuck with them, but they obviously aren't quite on the same level as the Real Bout sequels so just be aware of this if you're playing the titles in reverse order; if this is your first title in the series though then you probably won't notice a thing.

Visually there is clearly a decent amount on show here including some very nice looking backdrops indeed plus more than enough detail on the sprite animations, but again just don't expect things to be on the same level as this titles sequels as that would be a highly unrealistic expectation. On the audio front there are plenty of Rock tracks which play along nicely in the background suting the on-screen action perfectly at all times, nothing really noteworthy when compared to other fighting game scores but still nice all the same; the announcer is also very good managing to not be annoying, plus the sound effects overall pack a decent punch too which is sure to please fans.     

Should you buy this though? If you're an absolute fighting game addict then yes of course, Real Bout Fatal Fury will surely bring you many hours of enjoyment even if it's not quite that amazing but for any newcomers who are just looking for that one fighting title should definitely go for one of the superior sequels as they will offer you a lot more for your money. It's a little bit of a shame then that this game was released out of its chronolocial order as if it had been available say a few years back before many other greater fighting games then it will surely have done a lot better, but then this is perhaps something that can be rectified when all of the fighting greats inevitably get re-released on the Wii U Virtual Console, I do hope that it is addressed though as it will mean the world of difference in sales plus it's much better for the fans too.

Verdict : Still a fun fighting game but one that's been trumped by its future releases.



 
Price: GB £4.49, EU €5
Publisher: Capcom
Developer: Capcom
Released: 1991
System: NES

After the well founded reputation of the Megaman series followng both the second and third entries, expectations could not be higher for the imminent fourth installment; sadly it didn't quite turn out to be the superior sequel many had hoped for due to several changes that were made but nonetheless still turned out to be an enjoyable addition indeed.

The game takes place a year after the events of the third installment, this time around the villain you're up against is Russian scientist Dr. Cossack who - yes you've guesed it - has created eight robot masters to help him take over the world and it's of course up to you as Megaman to stop him. These robots are some of the most peculiar ever seen in the series including Bright Man, Dust Man, Phoraoh Man and Toad Man.

From the start you are presented with a stage select screen where you can opt to tackle any of the Robot Masters in whichever order you desire but beware because upon defeating each stage you will be awarded with the weapon of that boss which one of the other bosses is weak to; you need to work out which ones are vunerable to which weapons and the only way to do that is through trial and error, this is the basic blueprint of all Megaman games.

You have the slide from the third title at your disposal not to mention the Mega Buster which was first introduced in this very game and has been a staple inclusion since; another addition introduced here was the extra castle at the end of the game which was put in a further two sequels and then dropped thereafter presumably due to difficulty concerns as these games are notorious for being rather challenging and here is no exception to the rule so expect a challenge.

Visually everything is as you will have come to expect with a decent amount of detail applied considering the hardware, the music however isn't on par with previous efforts though it's still listenable. Overall this fourth installment of Megaman is still a decent offering which introduces elements which were then new to the series even if it doesn't quite match up to its prequels this is still well worth playing if you're a fan of the series though newcomers may wish to pick up one of the previous games instead.

Verdict : Megaman 4 manages to maintain most of its platform mastery despite its minor faults.



 
Price: GB £5.49, EU €7.99
Publisher: Nintendo
Developer: Nintendo EAD
Released: 1992
System: SNES

There have been many Mario games since the original but few have the same legacy that Super Mario World has spawned since its original release, it's almost hard to believe now that it was a launch title for the SNES as if you didn't know then you could safely assume that it was produced near the end of the console's life as it was easily one of the best platformer's of its generation but even today it still stands tall as one of the best games in existence. Mere hyperbole you say? Clearly you've yet to play this masterpiece then as everyone I know who has played the game at some stage in their lives all agree that it represents either an important game from their childhood or just an amazing achievement for Nintendo at the time for those who went back to play it years later; playing it today I can quite honestly say that this is one Mario game that not only has 'stood' the test of time but it has proven to be completely immovable and with good reason too.

Nintendo could have chosen to just follow the template set by Super Mario Bros 3 but instead they decided to go beyond that, creating something that would eclipse everything they had made before, the only real element of predictability comes from the fact that you're tasked with rescuing Princess Peach once again but everything else is a rather pleasant surprise right from the very start as being that this adventure is set in Dinosaur Land the first enemy you stomp on won't be a Goomba; indeed the enemies are extremely varied but still of classic design providing the perfect level of challenge. In its entirety there are a total of ninety-six exits spread across the sprawling map which is broken down into multiple worlds, naturally you won't be able to get to all the secrets right away but they are handily marked on the map as red dots denote alternative exits, having the ability to go back and revisit past stages is brilliant as you can return to say a very early level with the Feather power-up which will grant you the ability to fly up to higher areas which may have been out of reach before.

Of course the most significant addition to this game is Yoshi, Mario's green dinosaur companion changes the game completely, as riding on his back is not only amazing but it allows you to really experiment with everything the game has to offer, he also has several ablities including consuming enemies, spitting fireballs, carrying objects and even flying on certain levels, in fact he's so integral to the game that you won't be able to reach some of the hidden areas without him; at a certain point in the adventure if you're skilled enough then you'll be able to rescue all the multi-coloured Yoshi's which is well worth your time. Each course in the game has been designed to such a high standard that it really isn't very long at all between each genuinely amazing level, certain Mario games of today may have been very good indeed, but there's no denying that when it comes to complete mastery of the platform genre, it's defintiely Super Mario World that you'll find perched firmly at the top.

Visually there is an amazing amount of detail in those gorgeous 16-bit graphics, even at the very release of the SNES it's clear that the console was really being pushed as this title served as much more than just an example of the machine's power at the time, each pixel is a lasting testament which goes to show that Nintendo really were at the very top of their game at this very pivotal point in their history, it's impossible to not be drawn to this title's fantastic visuals even in the age of HD graphics. Naturally the music is also truly top-tier stuff featuring some of the best music ever committed to a video-game, from the cheerful opening levels, to the frantic piano playing or even the haunting theme of Bowser's Castle, everything is of such an amazing standard but then, being that the composer behind this magical score is none other than the legendary Koji Kondo, this will perhaps come as little surprise but one thing is for sure, everything that you hear in this title is nothing short of an aural delight; even losing a life, it's hard to frown when you're 'played off' so brilliantly by a piano.      

Super Mario World is such a ground-breaking title for many reasons but to put it quite simply, if you have yet to experience it for yourself then you really should buy it now and ensure that you devote a significant amount of time not just to completing it but enjoying every moment, I genuinely envy anyone experiencing this game for the very first time on the Wii U because not only do you get to enjoy one of the greatest Mario/games/of all-time - delete as applicable - but you also have the option of sharing your experience to Miiverse where a fantastic community of gamers will be waiting on your every achievement or failure, spurring you on to get past 'that one level' or simply congratulating you on finding 'the final exit' or simply just sharing a great memory; it might sound like a simple thing but it can make all the difference. Regardless of whether you choose to use Miiverse or not though, you really can't ignore one of Nintendo's finest masterpieces, even if you merely haven't played the game in a while and feel like a trip down 'Star Road' one more time, just go forth and purchase as even in today's climate a classic Mario game for just over a fiver is a bargain however you look at it.  

Verdict : The greatest Mario title that this world will ever see.



 
Price: GB £3.49, EU €4.99
Publisher: Nintendo
Developer:  Nintendo R&D1
Released: 1986
System: NES

So... Excitebike. This was a fairly inevitable release since this Friday (16th February) Excitetruck is finally hitting European shores. This arcade style motorbike racer was released in Europe back in '86, featuring a rather ingenious play style, where you could basically go fast or really fast. Using the games innovative over heating system the player can choose to go at either a normal speed or speed the bike up. This however meant that the bikes over heat metre would slowly fill and if the bike becomes too hot then it crashes to the side of the track and you have to wait for the bike to recover. Sounds complex? Well for people who played it in the past, it's really not. Aside from the games over heat system, Excitebike didn't play like the average racer of the time. The game used different kinds of ground obstacles such as mud patches, ramps and verts to try make you crash so you had to negotiate whatever you ever going to land on by controlling your bike in mid air.

The game also features two modes of play: Selection A is time trial and Selection B is a text book versus AI affair but they mostly play the same way. Both only feature 5 tracks, which are fairly short but as anyone who has played the title knows there's quite a lot of tactics and skill involved. You can make the AI crash by making them hit your back tire with their front meaning even now you hold your breath as you approach and try to overtake the AI. Excitebike is an incredibly fun title and it surprisingly still plays, looks and sounds the part even today. Its music is instantly recognisable and you'll still hum it. The emulation is also handled very well, with no kinks, bugs or slowdown.

Excitebike was originally released on the Famicom Disk System in Japan; meaning players could save and load custom tracks as well as race on premade tracks. Thankfully, Nintendo actually fixed a bug that plagued the original release. If you ever tried to save or load a track you made, the game would lock up. This was due to it being a quick port from a disk system game to a normal NES cartridge. The track editor for its day was incredibly robust and if anything shows up some modern games for not including them! Excitebike's quick style of racing is pure fun from start to finish even now and is probably better than its younger brothers Excitebike 64 and the new Excitetruck. The only downside to this title as people know is its shortness. The game doesn't have that much to offer in terms of an actual game, it's very much a play for 30 minutes or so kind of title. Should you buy it though? If you were a fan in the past or if you've never played Excitebike, then yes, as it was a staple of the NES games library and I can highly recommend it.

Verdict : Still an exciting bike game that's only shown up but its sequels.



 
Price: GB £5.49, EU €7.99
Publisher: Nintendo
Developer: Jupiter Corporation
Released: 1995
System: SNES

Sequel to the classic puzzle game Mario's Picross which debuted on the GameBoy Classic, Mario's Super Picross follows exactly the same pattern as it's precursor. You start off with a large stone slab which is divided into many squares via a grid; along both the vertical and horizontal axis are a series of numbers which as a reference point for where to an occupied square is, the aim of the game is to chisel away the filled squares and mark the ones that are vacant with a cross all within a set time limit.

Purposefully pummeling away will reveal a picture puzzle at the end if you are successful and while it might sound simple in theory, things generally tend to be more challenging in practice. Sure enough the first challenge is easy enough but things get more complicated literally from that point in as upon completing your first foray into the world of Picross you are offered a new set of puzzles by none other than Wario.

Mario and Wario's puzzles differ somewhat as Mario's have to be completed within a descending time limit with deductions for each incorrectly chiseled square and the game ending once the timer reaches zero. Wario's puzzles however you have an ascending counter which logs how long you take to complete the puzzle but absolutely no indication of whether you have gone wrong or not; basically one puzzle game with two varied ways to play.

A decent learning curve is employed with puzzles starting off on grids as small and straightforward as five by five grids which eventually escalate to slabs that tout a testing twenty five by twenty tiles. You get a somewhat staggering two hundred and eighty puzzles to play with in total which are divided equally between Mario and Wario giving the player a satisfying selection.

It may not contain the most vivid of visuals but they are clear and the audio serves mostly to move things along though some of them are catchy being that this is a loosely Mario themed title. What you pay for with Picross is the sheer wealth of engaging puzzles which are fun to play whenever; it's easily one of the best in the series and it's well worth a download, especially if you're curious about the subsequent incarnations released on the DS/3DS. Being able to post images to Miiverse this time around is also an added plus if you happen to get stuck on a particular puzzle, just don't forget to hit that 'spoiler' tag and good luck in your quest for full puzzle completion!

Verdict : Picross is the perfect pick up and play puzzler.



 
Price: GB £3.49, EU €4.99
Publisher: Nintendo
Developer: Nintendo R&D1
Released: 1985
System: NES

If you’ve ever played Wario Ware or Super Smash Bros. Melee you’ll know exactly what Ice Climber is about. You control either a female (Nana) or a male (Popo) Ice Climber and you must climb your way to the top of the level. That’s right, this is a vertical platformer and the only way to get to the top is by jumping and destroying ice blocks above you with your hammer.

But only if it was that easy! Ice Climber also includes a cast enemies and traps, including: Topis, Nitpickers, and polar bears. The enemies either come out from each side of the stage, or randomly drop on top of you like the icicles. It makes it a little more difficult, but after a few levels where only the ground patterns that you have to smash through change, it starts to tire. After you complete each stage, there is bonus stage at the top of it, where you collect anything from egg plants, carrots and corn and hit the bird at the top the level for extra points leading obviously to extra lives.

Graphically and audibly, this game never tested the NES. It uses simple sprites and backgrounds. Enemies are instantly recognisable and the colour palate used is great. The music is fantastic, you will be humming it after a couple of levels and the sound effects are basic but suit perfectly. Although this game is a nice spin on the platformer, against games such as Super Mario Bros your choice is really a no brainer.

Ice Climber, like a lot of early NES games, was seen as a 'warm up' for later more complex titles; this means it's incredibly linear. Don't let this get to you, the gameplay is timeless and it's still a great thrill to play.

Verdict : Fun, but annoyingly simple.



 
Price: GB £3.49, EU €4.99
Publisher: Nintendo
Developer: Nintendo R&D1
Released: 1987
System: NES

While it's undeniable that Donkey Kong has easily earned his place in history thanks to his original appearance, in Donkey Kong Jr roles were reversed which saw the big ape himself get captured by Mario and it's his son that comes to the rescue... it was seen as an odd move for the series. Credit to Nintendo though for creating a follow up that doesn't play exactly to expectations but instead goes in a different direction while retaining part of the charm from the
original.

Playing as our titular hero you are able to jump and climb between platforms, across vines while avoiding Birds, Crocodiles, Sparks... all sent by Mario in an attempt to take you out; if you make it to the top you can grab the key to release the adult ape, at which point the next stage starts. There are four of these in total which makes it about the same length as the original, invariably challenging but perhaps due more to the controls which feel a bit odd at times plus the ways in which you can die quite easily just from falling a certain height; it's worth persevering with even though it won't last you long.

Visuals are on-par with the original, perhaps a bit more detailed in places though the overall feel of the levels is certainly less inspiring than the originals which had something of a solid appearance to them while here they lack style. Sound effects are largely recycled from the first title which is no bad thing but it also means that there isn't a great deal to say about them; they work in the same way but are somewhat predictable if you've played the first game.

Despite its shortcomings there is still a decent amount of fun to be had here just as there is with the original, the challenge offered by it will keep some gamers playing while others will likely persevere with it for a few plays before moving on. It may not be that compelling an experience by today’s standards but it's still one that's easily enjoyable and to an extent that's all that really matters.   

Verdict : Donkey Kong Jr is an enduring classic despite seeing better days.

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!