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

Three classics available at quite reasonable prices, particularly if you're buying all of them, also one review is a revamped Jordan Khoviteri-Zadeh classic. Anyway enough from me and on with the games!
 
Available for download this week we have...     

Donkey Kong
Kid Icarus
Metroid


 
Price: GB £3.49, EU €4.99 (£0.30/€0.30 until 12/08/13)
Publisher: Nintendo
Developer: Nintendo R&D1
Released: 1983
System: NES

One of the most important arcade games that Nintendo ever made at the time, Donkey Kong has certainly done well over the years but today it perhaps doesn't quite stack up in the way that it once did, this is definitely an example of a title that is showing its age but that doesn't make it any less fun to play. We must give it its dues though, as this was one of the titles that helped to launch the NES all those years ago so it's hard to imagine that there are many people left who have yet to play it but just in case here's a rundown of how the game works.

Everyone's favourite ape Donkey Kong has captured Pauline, taken her to the highest point possible and is generally casing trouble, it's up to you as Mario to make it to the top so that you can resue her, of course this sounds simple in essence but when you take into consideration that you'll be jumping over many barrels plus avoiding other obstacles along the way you can see how things start to become a bit more interesting. Once you get through the initial stage which is more about timing plus the climbing of ladders, the second one involves a lot more careful jumping, once you get to the third stage you must jump over eight rivets that hold the place together while avoiding fire enemies; if you can do this then DK falls off, you win and the stages start all over again only with an increased difficulty level.

There are items to collect perhaps the most memorable being the hammer as this is a power-up which allows Mario to smash up many barrels that come his way for a limited time, using this will probably be key to your success the further you progress; other items include Pauline's parasol plus bag which are purely there to boost your score but are worth picking up. As you'd expect from an early Nintendo game the controls are absolutely spot-on, they may be simple but there is an undeniable joy that comes from simply moving left, right in addition to jumping when it just feels right; watch out when jumping though as if you fall too far Mario will lose a life quite easily so you'll probably be wanting to use save-states rather regularly.

Visually you should know what to expect here as this was one of the very first NES games but when you consider that it was an arcade port, it was actually done very well indeed as it brought a much-loved title that could once only be enjoyed on a cabinet, to the home console ready to be enjoyed any time, back in the eighties the sprites on this game were very accomplished. Aurally there is quite a simple theme that plays quietly in the background of each stage, they are all looped but have a certain charm to them without getting annoying, the 'hammer theme' is nothing short of magical and the sound effects will always being a smile to your face.

It's just a shame that many gamers will possibly tire of the game quite quickly due to it being rather 'short' and repetitive but really my advice would be to play this game in short bursts as you will get a lot more out of it that way, with the addition of save states you could even go for a 'perfect run' saving when you complete each level or three, then going back to it a few days later to see if you can cope with the increased difficulty level. As aforementioned, Donkey Kong may be showing its age but it is by no means a bad game, this is a true Nintendo classic which you cannot go wrong with especially at its current low price; the Miiverse community will ensure that it exists in the hearts and minds of gamers for a very long time to come.

Verdict : Donkey Kong is an age-old classic that still manages to deliver fun for all ages.

Price: GB £3.49, EU €4.99 (£1.74/€2.49 when you buy Metroid until 25/07/13)
Publisher: Nintendo
Developer: Nintendo R&D1   
Released: 1987
System: NES

Kid Icarus can only be described as a mixture of three Nintendo games; The Legend of Zelda, Super Mario Bros and Metroid. I say this because it features platforming, item collection and RPG elements. This may sound a little weird, but actually it kind of works. You'll start the game just like the original Metroid, you're given this huge world and you have to find your way around it, meaning some young gamers might become frustrated... not to mention the game is incredibly hard and unforgiving, so you'll want to start abusing those save states straight away.

The game centres on collecting the hearts dropped by enemies, to level up the main character Pit. He can also gain weapons to increase his power and move set. Combined with some fiendish platforming and this game does become quite fun, the only downside being if you drop to the bottom of the screen, it's instant death. The game also uses a left to right structure, but the screen only scrolls vertically meaning you get 'warped' to the other side of the screen. This means that often there are two routes or more routes you can take in a level, meaning replayability is high.

Aesthetics in Icarus still have some charm, there are midi beats which will have you toe-tapping, the music also changes as you approach different enemy types such as the Grim Reaper. Visually everything is simple but still looks nice to this day as the game uses the Metroid engine to great effect. There is some slowdown, but it's very infrequent and doesn't really hinder the gameplay experience.

One thing that hardened Icarus fans might not like, however, was the removal of the so called 'Icarus Code'. It was secret code system is completely removed from the game, due to the fact that the Wii can suspend the game until you come back to it. But this means that certain cheats have been removed.

Overall, Kid Icarus is a tough but highly enjoyable game that I can highly rate for anyone who wants a challenge. It's well worth playing as it's also fascinating to see just how the fantastic series originated when you take into account how successful it has been in recent years.

Verdict : A true Nintendo classic that more people should experience.

Price: GB £3.49, EU €4.99 (£1.74/€2.49 when you buy Kid Icarus until 25/07/13)
Publisher: Nintendo
Developer: Nintendo R&D1  
Released: 1986
System: NES

Metroid, who would have thought that 20 years on the franchise would have seen several successful sequels, spin-offs and even make that fabled transition from second to third dimension. The third entry went on to become the definitive example of it's genre; but it all started here with this; the original side - scrolling mission.

You assume the role of intergalactic bounty hunter Ms Samus Aran who is dispatched by the galactic federation to retrieve a stolen life-form known only as “Metroid” by any means necessary from the clutches of the Space Pirates. Being a 'cyborg' Samus is equipped with a range of weapons which must be used to her advantage as she follows the evil beings to the planet Zebes in order to destroy Mother Brain.

When originally released this game was like nothing else before it; loosely it can be defined as a side scrolling shooter but to be correct it's more exploration than shooting which is emphasized very early on. One of the first power-ups you obtain is the Morph Ball ability which allows Samus to gain access to more of the games sprawling map in addition to use bombs later on.

As you further advance deeper into the masochistic maze that is the game world you will discover where the real challenge lies as you journey through seemingly symmetrical screens only broken up by an altered colour palette and slight changes to rock formation and enemy sequences. Obtaining the various upgrades to your arsenal ranging from missiles, elemental beams and even the odd energy tank or two will play a vital part in the progress and eventual success of your mission; perseverance is key in this challenging title.

If you have never played this original Nintendo classic which spawned the legend that is Metroid then you may wish to take the opportunity to do so now; it's visually dated but audibly strong and still offers a great challenge. For anyone who has played it though be it in original NES form or as an obtainable extra via the combination GC's Metroid Prime / GBA's Fusion or even is NES classic / Zero Mission form there's little to warrant playing through again but this VC incarnation does at least offer portability which at least makes it instantly more accessible.

Verdict : It's not super but it's still Metroid.


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!