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

If you're a fan of the man in blue, then we certainly have a treat for you... oh and some Sega stuff too. Anyway enough from me and on with the games!
 
Available for download this week we have...     

Mario & Yoshi
Megaman II
Megaman III
Megaman IV
Megaman VI
Columns
Sonic the Hedgehog
Dr Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine
Shining Force: The Sword of Hajya
The Path of the Warrior Art of Fighting 3


 
Price: GB £4.50, EU €5 (£0.30/€0.30 until 14/07/13)
Publisher: Nintendo
Developer: Nintendo
Released: 1992
System: NES

Puzzle games have been almost defined by the release of one infamous example of the genre involving falling quads of blocks known as “Tetriminos”. Ever since the success of that game it seems like developers have tried to create new and original concepts in a hope that they stack up against Alexy Pajitnov's masterpiece; and Nintendo are no exception.

Released not too soon after the NES version of Tetris; Mario & Yoshi is a title which tries it's hand at an original concept instead of just mapping an existing template and changing one or two variables. You are presented with four columns, at the bottom of which are plates which you are able to switch with the aid of Mario and at the top various past enemies from Mario games fall onto the plates.

The aim of the game is to clear the enemies for points before they stack right up to the top causing the game to end. Creatures can be cleared by aligning two in the same stack or by capturing them inside an item which falls in two halves, a Yoshi egg; positioning enemies on top of the lower half of an egg and then letting an upper half fall on top of the stack causes the two halves to merge, collecting the enemies inside and completing the egg which hatches, spawning a Yoshi who consumes the enemies.

And thats essentially the game in an eggshell; direct control is caused by switching the plates round either left or right which allows you to choose which stack the enemies fall on and triggering the aforementioned egg capture method is the way in which you earn the most points. While you can still clear enemies using the two-stack method, most of the game involves waiting for the egg halves to drop and the rest is merely strategic placement to avoid the game ending prematurely.One small niggle about the control method is that due to the two-button nature of the game (A & B to switch left and right) in order to move on plate from one end to the other requires multiple switching and while it doesn't have the same frantic pace as Tetris it still demands quick-switching “skills” from the player.

Mario & Yoshi is a Puzzle game that while not brilliant is still far from terrible; visually void, audibly agitating and a tame two-player mode, it's the decent concept and solid playability which will keep you playing. If you enjoy puzzle games and a looking for something a bit different, this is worth a download.

Verdict : A cracking original alternative puzzler.

Price: GB £3.49, EU €3.99
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 it's 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.  

Price: GB £3.49, EU €3.99
Publisher: Capcom
Developer: Capcom
Released: 1992
System: NES

This is a game that should need to introduction but because the third entry in the Mega Man series is so awesome it gets one anyway, by this high-point in the series Capcom clearly knew what they were doing as they barely even had to advertise at the time as it sold very well due to fans knowing exactly what they were getting plus a whole load more that they perhaps weren't expecting. Naturally it follows the age-old template of the evil Dr. Wily creating eight different robot masters in an attempt to take over the world, so it falls to Megaman who will surely defeat them all and save the day, only this time he's not alone for this is the first game to feature the blue bomber's big brother Proto Man who is essentially a more cocky version of Megaman in a red suit but who has become so much more in other entries since his debut; add to the mix more levels than ever before which all adds up to this being one of the best games ever released in the series.

Many excellent elements ensure that this game lives up to its now legendary reputation including the fact that all of the robot masters are designed fantastically well with not a dud among them, there are plenty of new upgrades which will help you make your way around the fantastically designed levels plus the general feeling that you get from playing through each stage from start to boss battle finish is amazingly rewarding. Only essential additions have been included meaning that the controls still remain responsive so you will still be running/gunning/jumping with ease but you can now slide too which is a simple case of pressing 'down' on the d-pad along with the 'A' button while you're running; it may seem like something so simple but believe me, you'll be glad that you have this extra move at your disposal as it will become crucial later on in the game.

During several points of the game you will get the chance to do battle against the aforementioned Proto Man, those of you who know your Mega Man games will know that you're able to play as him in subsequent releases but here in his first appearance he plays an important role in the story plus fighting against him allows you to progress in ways that you probably wouldn't have had to otherwise as the battles against him are definitely unlike anything else you will have experienced before in the series. Of course Mega Man's faithful robo-dog Rush is ever-present as he's more than happy to help you through the stages, to start off with you can only use his 'Coil' ability to reach higher places but later on you will obtain the 'Jet' and 'Submarine' abilities which are useful to a point but are far from the best ones in the series; unfortunately I have to mention that some of the upgrades that you obtain from certain robot masters aren't of the highest calibre either such as 'Spark Shock' which does paralyse enemies but then will force you to use it until the paralysis is gone plus the infamous 'Top Spin' which is actually glitched but aside from these small negatives everything else about the game is of a very high standard indeed.

While still looking very familiar overall the visuals are very impressive indeed, especially for a NES title as everything is very well defined featuring bold colours within rather richly detailed environments which are truly brought to life like never before, character animation seems to have taken a significant step-up as well making for a more pleasant experience even if there is the slightest bit of slowdown which is unfortunate but not game-breaking. The audio however has really raised the bar featuring some of the most intricate, expressive and just down-right amazing chip-tunes that you're ever likely to hear from a game of the same era, not just for Mega Man games either; a genuine achievement in every sense of the word, naturally the sound effects are also top-tier further immersing you in the experience.

Even though it would be slightly amiss of me to say that Mega Man 3 is the best game in the series, it's hard to deny its prowess because even today it's a firm fan favourite for many very good reasons, yes of course it has it's small amount of negatives as well but overall it is really fantasti. Regardless of you being new to the series or a true fan I cannot stress how much that this is an essential purchase, if you already have it on the Wii VC and wish to keep it that way then that is of course down to presonal preference but it's hard to deny how awesome it is to be able to play one of the greatest games in the Mega Man series on both the big and small screen, for that reason this Wii U release truly shines and will hopefully allow many more gamers to experience its brilliance.  

Verdict : One of the most masterful Mega Man titles to date despite its small shortcomings.

Price: GB £3.49, EU €3.99
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 £4.49, EU €4.99
Publisher: Capcom
Developer: Capcom
Released: 1993
System: NES

It was the early ninteties, Capcom were all geared up to release Mega Man X - we're still waiting for our EU VC release of that btw - on the SNES but they seemingly couldn't resist making just one more Mega Man game for the beloved NES, so we ended up with Mega Man 6... or rather Japan and America did as Europe never actually got this back in the day, until now that is! In very similar vein to the previous two entries, you are up against a non-Wily villain who goes by the name of Mr. X who is hosting a 'World's Strongest Robot' competition; unsurprisingly he then reprogrammes the eight most powerful robots to do his bidding - and we aren't talking about the auction variety here - so it's up to Mega Man to save the day.

Of course it's the same age-old formula which has been re-used multiple times, eight robot masters who reside within eight different stages that you must beat in any order, upon defeating one of the masters you then acquire their power which you get to use in the other stages. Each of the bosses will be weak to the power that one of the other seven possesses so obviously this means that there is a 'proper' order to completing the stages; it's just up to you to figure it out... or you could of course just 'cheat' and look up the routes but where would the fun be in that? It's a rather brilliant mechanic though, so it shouldn't come as too much of a surprise to find the sixth game of the series using the same setup once again.

Mega Man has a variety of moves at his disposal including both the slide and charge shot from previous games, but additionally you can now 'fuse' with your robotic dog named 'Rush' in order to create new armour sets; this is a pretty unique addition for the series, helping to add an extra layer of depth to the otherwise relatively familiar proceedings. Another new element which makes things a bit more interesting is the alternate paths which are contained within some of the stages, while perhaps not really offering anything truly revolutionary it's still nice as it means that each playthrough has the potential to feel at least a little bit different to the last, so at the very least it has the capacity to boost that all important replayability factor.   

For a NES game that was released relatively late on in the life-cycle of the console, this Mega Man title looks simply spectacular as it makes full use of the hardware to deliver a vivid, varied colour palette coupled with some rather nice extra touches which really bring the stages to life like never before. Audibly everything is of a decent standard featuring some nice tracks which fit in well with the stages, while the themes may not be the strongest in the series there are still a handful of them which really fall into the category of being classic tunes which you'll be sure to enjoy.

Certainly not the Blue Bomber's best entry to date but kudos to Capcom for finally making it available to Europe twenty years on, indeed within the year of Mega Man's twenty fifth anniversary it makes perfect sense; all we need now is for the game to be released on the Wii U as well in addition to Mega Man X as this will surely appease the hardcore fanbase. But as for this title, certainly it's well worth playing especially if you're a long-term fan of the series, portability it also a plus though if you're new to the series then you'd be better off playing Mega Man 3 instead as in my opinion it's a more ideal starting point; more Mega Man is always appreciated though so Thank You Capcom for finally letting us play this long lost enjoyable title.   

Verdict : Mega Man making the most of what's sure to be a memorable anniversary.

Price: GB £3.59, EU €3.99
Publisher: Sega
Developer: Sega
Released: 1990
System: Game Gear

I can remember gleefully whling away many hours on this amazingly addictive puzzle game back in the day, admittedly my first experiences with the game were with the far superior Mega CD version contained on the Sega Arcade Classics disc but regardless of this Columns is much like the almighty Tetris in the respect that it doesn't matter if you play it on a home console or a portable; the gameplay is identical so if you play it for a certain period of time it will most likely suck you in... much like a black hole. Of course portable puzzle games have more of a 'pick up and play' quality to them, so it's not hard to see why Sega has chosen to release this classic on the 3DS first even though personally a home console version being made available on the Wii U would resonate more with me personally for nostalgic reasons.

Essentially jewels drop in random 'columns' of three, when a trio or more of the same colour connect either horizontally, vertically or even diagonally they will disperse which will gain you points in addition to clearing the playing field a bit, naturally you will get more points if you cause some kind of chain reaction so sometimes it can be beneficial to tactically stack them. As you progress further things will start to gradually speed up so you'll need to be on form if you want to get in a good run, either that or you'll need to rather sneakily take full advantage of the save state feature that is present in this version, but veterans will know that true satisfaction comes from playing the 'old school' way but still... it's a nice feature to have.

The controls are simple as you might expect, you move the columns with the d-pad and rotate the order of them using any of the action buttons, you also have two main modes on offer; Original which just has you trying to survive while attempting to better your previous score plus Flash mode which gives you a load of jewels already on the board to get rid of so that you can get to the one flashing jewel at the bottom which you need to clear in order to win. If you're fortunate enough to know someone else in your immediate vicinity who also has a copy of the game then you can indulge in some multiplayer, it's rather refreshing to see these original features being updated and included from day one just like they should be even if they only prove to be momentary diversions; in this case the competitive nature of this mode does indeed extend the life of the game.

Visually there might not be a whole lot to look at in this portable version but I suppose at least the jewels are colourful, if you don't like the look of them you can change them into things like playing cards in the options, there are even a few backgrounds which while they aren't much to look at they do help in highlighting the on-screen action that little bit more. Sadly the audio takes a hit because the hardware just simply wasn't up to replicating the amazing sound of the home console versions, this is a shame because what is essentially a very game-changing component in the 16-bit version becomes just functional 'noise' in this portable iteration.

Naturally if you've never played Columns before or even if you have but simply want a portable version, then I can say that this will definitely entertain you for a short period of time and then probably a few times later down the line when you just load it up for that 'one quick go' which turns into an hour very quickly. But if you can wait then you'll probably find that the home console Mega Drive version to be a much more satisfying experience, the bigger question is will Sega release the superior wersion on the Wii U in the weeks to come or will they simply take ages? Best download this while you wait... you know, just to kill some time.          

Verdict : A portable puzzle title that doesn't quite stand up to its superior home console brethren.

Price: GB £4.49, EU €4.99
Publisher: Sega
Developer: Sega
Released: 1991
System: Game Gear

For many this is either likely to be one of their most played games from their youth or one that they have barely experienced at all pretty much boiling down to which of Sega's machines you owned at the time. Personally I fall into the latter category, while I have grown up playing Sonic Team games right from when I got a Sega Megadrive with the original Sonic the Hedgehog, this Game Gear game completely passed me by until several years down the line though I was pleasantly surprised when it actually came down to playing it.

Being based on the Megadrive version rather than being a straight port this version does include levels and elements from the original but they are mostly brand new zones; the only real familiar elements are recycled enemies from the MD incarnation and of course the boss battles with Dr Robotnik in the last act of every zone.

Visually it might not be as vivid as it's 16-bit superior or as audibly awesome but for a Game Gear game it really pushed the boundaries for its time and is still very enjoyable to look at, listen to and of course play. Controls are suitably solid but not as fine tuned, that's not to say that there's anything atrocious about them but these differences are certainly noticeable if you're familiar with the other version.

It's most definitely worth downloading whether you remember it fondly or not as it is an enjoyable classic Sonic game thats a bit more challenging than the rest in the way that you have to tackle the levels. And with the Chaos Emeralds to collect which are scattered throughout the actual zones, special stages with extra lives and continues to be had as well as the simple joy of trouncing your time of completion by a few seconds; it's well worthy of a place in your collection of classics.
 
Verdict : A simple and satisfying Sonic game.

Price: GB £2.69, EU €2.99
Publisher: Sega
Developer: Sega
Released: 1993
System: Game Gear

If anyone has played the great puzzle game known as 'Puyo Pop' then they should know exactly what to expect here, Dr. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine is essentially Puyo Pop but with enemies from the - popular during the nineties - cartoon show 'The Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog' stepping in as the replacement opponents. If you're still with me I'll explain the concept; different coloured 'beans' drop in pairs from the top of the screen, it's your job to manipulate them so that they end up connecting in groups of four or more, matching horizontally or vertically in order to boost your score.

The underlying plot is forgettable so I won't bore you with it, going straight into the main mode you will be pitted against a total of thirteen different CPU controlled characters all of which are badniks except for of course Dr. Robotnik himself who is deemed 'the ultimate challenge' to beat. There is also Puzzle mode if you find that you either get annoyed or bored of the story mode, instead this gives you objectives to go after such as clearing certain coloured beans or even just being able to get rid of a set amount of them in one simple combo; it might all sound simple but some of them might actually end up taking you a few tries.

Yes there is an endless mode but there isn't really a great deal to talk about here, it does exactly what it says on the tin, providing the player with a mode in which they just endlessly obliterate beans with the speed gradually going up until the game inevitably ends... you can then play again in order to beat your high scores which are tracked. Just like with Columns, because this is a Game Gear title you can actually indulge in a compeitive two-player game locally, which of course is always entertaining when one of you manages to dump a load of 'garbage' beans on the other player's screen winning them the game.

Very sparse in the visual department there really isn't much you can say about this aside from the obvious 'the Megadrive version is better' but as things stand, the beans are different colours which are easy enough to see for most people but might cause some players who may be visually impaired some difficulty; but at least you get to play the game on a better screen than the original Game Gear ever had! Background music is rather limited, all that could have been done with a portable game like this at the time has clearly been taken into account, by our standards today it probably seems a little weak but still, the audio is functional.

For those of you who wish to have a portable version of what is essentially Puyo Pop with a different mask over it, go and download it by all means just so long as you know exactly what you're getting, if it was me then I'd probably just wait for the superior home console version because personally I prefer to play my trusty copy of Puyo Pop on my GBA Micro when I'm in need of a portable puzzle fix. It's still a decent puzzle game which is still more than worth it for the paltry price that it costs, plus it's still miles better than most of the mediocre mobile games people tend to play on phones these days.

Verdict : Puyo Pop in portable disquise, other than that there is no surprise.

Price: GB £3.59, EU €3.99
Publisher: Sega
Developer: Sonic Software Planning
Released: 1994
System: Game Gear

While it's true that Nintendo's Fire Emblem series has gained popularity within Europe in recent years, this is still only a very recent happening when you consider the success that Sega has had with the Shining Force series since the days of the Mega Drive which has had many popular entries on it and consoles beyond. But did you know that there were also portable games released in the series? Shining Force: The Sword of Hajya is the second of the Game Gear games, which is set directly after Shining Force Gaiden; chronologically in the series it's also set twenty years after Shining Force II on the Megadrive, in this adventure you take on the role of Deanna alongside your companions as you defend Cypress while on a mission to recover the Sword of Hajya which gets stolen right at the very start.

Rather refreshingly there is no exploration element to this title, instead it's focused solely on the battles - much like Fire Emblem - meaning that you can get straight into the action at only a moments notice which is obviously well-suited to portable play; so if you're a gamer who likes your RPG's to be more traditional, you may want to look elsewhere but just consider that you'd be missing out on something new to you. Battles are rather simple, you move across the map which is on a grid then as you come into contact with the enemy you can choose to battle them with weapons or magic; taking turns is not very structured either so it's not as if you will get to move your whole team in one go, it's much more sporadic than that which actually adds to the potential excitement.

Upon defeating your enemy you will acquire experience points which you use to level up your characters, some of the battle elements seem quite random depending on your stats, fortunately if you miss an attack, the enemy you are fighting won't be able to counter which is a plus but you can sometime land a second attack which is of course always welcome. You can pick up currency plus other items from your foes too which you can use to replenish your characters HP or MP, upon leveling your characters to level ten you can upgrade via a class system which will upgrade one of your stats at random; much like in Shining Force II so it's nice to see the same system return.

Certainly this is a game that pushes the Game Gear hardware to the limits when it comes to the visuals, obviously the Megadrive games are nice looking for what they are but they were never the most detailed games on the system, so if you can imagine a Shining Force game with significantly scaled back graphics then you will have a good idea of what to expect but everything is still nicely presented. Audio is all that could really be expected from the hardware at the time, so while it's all mostly functional there are some moments where the sound shines through as some of the music tracks are really quite special.

It may not be the best entry in the series, but it's still a very good example of its genre as currently there are few tactical RPG's available on the 3DS VC, plus it's actually a very reasonable price considering how much the original cartridge goes for and naturally it's nice just to have the convenience of being able to play it from the comfort of your 3DS. Indeed it's not a bad starting point even if you're new to the series as you could use it as a testing ground to see if you actually enjoy playing the Shining Force games, veterans will definitely want to purchase this anyway but either way it's certainly a worthy purchase.

Verdict : A shining example of a portable strategy RPG that was before its time.

Points: 900
Publisher: D4 Enterprise
Developer: SNK
Released: 1996
System: Neo Geo

Another fighting game for the Neo Geo I hear you cry? Yes, even I'm getting sick of them now too - beyond the really stand-out ones of course - anyway here we go... the original Art of Fighting was noteworthy for setting the general template fora lot of fighters for the console in many respects, in particular its large sprites which have become standard in many fighting games since; let's not forget 'that Zoom system' either which has been heavily used ever since. Simplicity is the key to this series, you basically have four moves 'Kick, Punch, Super and Taunt' all of these are still present in this third entry for one reason; they work... so understandably the developers didn't want to fix what wasn't broken which turns out to be something of a double-edged sword.

Clearly this is an accessible fighter so novices can get into it without too much hassle, but that's not to say that there isn't enough depth to it because there is still stuff which will keep you coming back, a decent combo system is employed meaning you can pull off some rather simple but satisfying moves. Actually battling it out in two-player versus is great fun, especially when you take into consideration you can attack when your opponent is crouched as you simultaneously take a step-back, something that's common in fighting games today; so it won't blow you away totally but it's still very enjoyable.

There isn't really much else to get excited over though as you either play versus or the single player mode... that's basically it as there isn't really anything else to add more to the package, thankfully the controls have been tweaked so clearly they are much better than before which is a plus, but beyond that there really isn't much to say. The roster provides you with a fair selection of combatants, if you ever had any personal favourite characters from the earlier games then the chances are they will be available to you in this version, there's no real controversy here with regards to anyone significant being removed, just a larger selection as far as I can see.

Visually there are some nicely rendered backgrounds, characters are bold so they are easy to distinguish plus the level of animation seems solid enough on the whole; of course the zooming in and out really helps to showcase what's there, easily making the most of the graphics. Audio is as you'd expect with a healthy selection of synth-rock tunes to smash the night away to, the announcer is perfectly fine just as the character voices are acceptable for the most-part, just watch out for the odd few who are borderline irritating.

Fans of the series or even the genre are sure to get a kick - or two, plus a few punches - out of this, because even though it's not the best fighting game on the system, it does represent just what could be done on a technical level at the time so for that it should really be praised. Overall I'd say that the Art of Fighting 3 is still a decent fighter by todays standards, though if I was a newcomer to Neo Geo fighting games who didn't really have much time to play, I would probably just buy one of the many superior titles that are already available on the service; also as I keep mentioning... SNK would do well to re-release all these fighting games on the Wii U as they would surely gain a lot more sales over time.

Verdict : A decent fighting game which forged the way for greater examples.

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!