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

I don't know who's decision it was to release Super Mario World twice in as many weeks but at least this time it's slightly different as we have three games in the Super Mario Advance series - though I would love to see the Ambassador only SMA3 released properly one day Nintendo - plus yet more portable SNES classics for anyone who owns a New 3DS/XL which can only be a good thing. Anyway enough from me and on with the games!
 
Available for download this week we have...   

Super Mario Advance
Super Mario Advance 2: Super Mario World
Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros. 3
Super Metroid
The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past  

Price: GB £6.29, EU €6.99
Publisher: Nintendo
Developer: Nintendo R&D2
Released: 2001
System: GBA

For each of its “big three” system selling series of titles Nintendo is well known for creating sequels to the originals that for whatever reasons are that little bit different, in the case of the portly plumber is Super Mario Bros 2. Originally the template for SMB2 was a completely different game by the name of Doki Doki Panic, however by the time the big N had finished with it they had made it their own; so much so that if you had never heard of the title it was based on then you could easily assume that it was a Mario title all along.

It does not play like its predecessor or any subsequent sequels though and instead a very different mechanic of play is used. As Mario you have your usual D-pad to move and the A button allows you to jump; so far everything sounds normal but go to jump on an enemy and squish them you shall not, for instead you will be standing on top of your enemy which allows you to either use them as stepping stones or using the B button, pick them up and throw them.

This different brand of gameplay doesn't end there, for you can also uproot vegetables to happily hurl at hapless heathens such as Shy-Guys which this title is responsible for introducing, another notable inclusion is the ability to take control of Luigi, Toad and Peach as well as the titular Mario; this is currently the only platform game in the series time-line that allows this. A slightly different style of play is employed depending on which character you opt to use; Luigi stays airborne the longest when jumping allowing for greater distance to be crossed albeit less accurately, Toad is both fast and strong, Peach can hover in the air for a short while and Mario is the all-rounder.

Clearly a solid effort has been made both visually and audibly as well as in the brilliant design of the games world; “Subcon” which holds a few secrets of its own in the form of doorways which appear upon breaking potions and Vases with Tardis-like proportions housing whole areas inside objects which appear smaller on the surface and often lead to secret items. SMB2 is a credit to the series thanks to its marvelous mechanics, bold boss battles and hereditary humor. A fun, quirky and completely lovable title in it's own right that can stand proudly beside it's brethren; if you've yet to play this sublime sequel or are looking for a platform game to blast through then you could do far worse than purchase this VC incarnation.

Of course though this is also the game which helped to launch the Game Boy Advance in the form of Super Mario Advance which takes the already improved visuals from the Super Mario All-Stars build, then layers it with some changes including a robotic Birdo boss instead of Mouser in stage 3, Advance coins, the Yoshi Egg Challenge; also worthy of note are that most of the voice samples in the game were created by Charles Martinet which is pretty amazing, the only exception is Birdo which is understandable. Personally this was the first time I properly played through Super Mario Bros. 2 and it was something of a revelation for me because I fully appreciated everything that the original game was in addition to the thrill of playing it on a powerful portable machine, so if anyone is yet to play this landmark title then I would gladly advise picking up this version; plus you get the nice bonus of having the original Mario Bros. arcade game thrown in as part of the deal which is pretty nice, just don't expect to be able to play the multiplayer mode for obvious reasons but as a single player title it doesn't get much better.     

Verdict : Vivaciously vicious virtual vegetable volleying.

Price: GB £6.29, EU €6.99
Publisher: Nintendo
Developer: Nintendo R&D2
Released: 2002
System: GBA

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 as 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 as 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 masterpiece's, 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. Is paying four pounds extra and having to buy the game again on your New 3DS worth it? I'll leave you to decide but personally I think you can't put a price on portability and even though there is a price barrier here, it's more than worth it.  

Here you get all of the aforementioned plus more in some ways with the second entry in the Super Mario Advance series, which includes the Yoshi/Dragon coins to collect, very different ways of playing when selecting Mario or Luigi which really alters the way you will play drastically, the colooured Yoshi's become a more common sight as you don't have to get them from that "special place" every time like in the original because instead now they appear randomly out of the eggs once you've already encountered them, also you can alter which one you get depending on your power-up status but this isn't always assured; oh and one other thing... while on Yoshi, you can no longer spit keys out while the keyhole is opening to get that elongated spit out sound effect. So while there are things which aren't quite the same, they are all valid points as well such as the general graphical and visual fidelity plus changes, this is still essentially the same game in essence with much more added; purists will surely choose the original over this incarnation but I still say that this is more than a valid option, especially if you've played the original before and want something the same but different or even if you haven't experienced this classic before, it's definitely better than not having played it at all... plus you have the added bonus of that infamous Mario Bros. arcade game!  

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

Price: GB £6.29, EU €6.99
Publisher: Nintendo
Developer: Nintendo EAD
Released: 2003
System: GBA

Widely considered to be quite simply one of the finest entires in the series to date Super Mario Bros 3 which was released after the somewhat disappointing first sequel is responsible for incorporating many new elements into super Mario's world. Not only that though but the gameplay is so much like the terrific template of the original which set the standard except it improves upon it tenfold in its exemplary design.
Bowser along with his Koopalings are causing chaos yet again, but this time they're going beyond the Mushroom Kingdom and into the seven surrounding worlds. Mario and Luigi must battle new enemies, returning favorites and a new Koopaling in each unique yet distinctive world on their way to the final fight with the ever evil King Bowser.

This time around in addition to the already established mushroom, fireflower and starman items you also have access to a plethora of power-ups which make their dynamic debut. Everything from the terrific Tanooki ability acquired by the touch of a leaf to the Frog and Hammer Bros suits are here which enable Mario to Fly, Swim and throw projectiles respectively; these abilities are amazing additions which add so much to the game as well as being something previously unseen that genuinely amazed players upon the games original release.Indeed the Power ups are a particularly prominent part of the game as you obtain them frequently within the levels or from Toad houses through a variety of simplistic but fun mini-games. The same can be said for lives which you will obtain regularly enough, yet this does not cheapen the game one bit as the level design is extremely well thought out, providing such a great challenge as you run and jump through an astonishing amount of levels which scroll both vertically and horizontally in both directions rather than being a simple “left to right” affair from start to finish.

Newly introduced is the map screen which acts as a hub of sorts as you travel through the seven splendid set-pieces which are the games worlds. Ranging from deserts, dungeons,  fire, ice and water based locations each featuring a lengthy set of levels including a sub/main castles too; oh and did I mention that you can now save your progress in addition power ups on the map screen? Yet another newly introduced innovation for this already impressive title which features some simply stunning 8-bit visuals and astounding audio considering the hardware, really it's a wonder how at the they managed to fit all this brilliance onto a single cartridge at the time.

There is so much more to this title that simply needs to be played to be believed, including extra explorable areas, exploits, shortcuts and much more is there for you the player to discover not to mention the solid two player battle mode. If you have yet to play this true Nintendo masterpiece then do yourself a favor and download what is quite possibly one of the finest platform games ever, for only less than three and a half pounds it is worth it now and would even be worth getting if it were more, a true classic now available to play by generations old and new alike complete with a thriving Miiverse community plus the option of playing on the TV screen or gamepad; pure platforming bliss even when compared with New Super Mario 3D World, never forget the greatness of the original Tanooki Suit even if the Cat one is rather cute.

What else can I say about SMB3 that I haven't already said recently about the Wii U VC and standalone 3DS incarnations? Lots as it happens... the simple charm of those visually diverse worlds created from a relatively simple palette that actually has a lot of hidden depths thanks to its simple style that succeeds in supplying a constant feeling of contentment no matter how long you play is just one thing that makes this Mario title stand out from the others. Odd things such as having a dollar symbol in place of the standard coin icon, the bouncy white music blocks which sometimes contained a power-up, the stage where you have the sun literally trying to kill you and lets not forget the music box which makes all the Hammer Bros fall asleep on the map screen; it's simple things like this which really made Super Mario Bros. 3 all the more magical.  

Perhaps the best thing about this entry though is the sheer wealth of secrets contained within including the infamous crouching upon the white block in stage 1-3 allowing Mario to run in the background then behind the level end in order to obtain one of the magic whistles, discovering the lesser-known 'white coin ship' by meeting specific conditions within a level, unlockling the 'N-Spade' card game by beating an exisiting stage score of at least eighty-thousand or even finding some deviously hidden 1-up mushrooms. Not only is there an entire world filled with fantastic water-themed levels - a staple of any platformer worth its salt - but it's also interesting to note that the map theme of the third world sounds remarkably similar to the file select/fairy fountain theme from The Legend of Zelda, just another small detail which further adds to that classic Nintendo charm which is written through the very dna of this classic.

The precise nature of control that you have over Mario is really brilliant, mechanically this was very much the pinnacle for 8-bit releases as you always feel in complete control even today due to the fantastic Nintendo d-pad remaining almost unchanged over the years, the joy of playing this classic platformer on a portable machine can't be measured and while it would have been nice to have been able to only buy the game once so that it can just be enjoyed on both platforms the price is still worth it when you consider how much you will get out of the game in portable form. Having not played this title since the Wii VC version in addition to having grown up playing the visually superior version contained on the Super Mario All Stars cartridge on the SNES you might assume that it would be harder to appreciate the original NES version, if anything though it has made me enjoy it even more and while it may be true that the GBA remake is even supeior still there is definitely an overwhelming amount of appeal that goes with playing the original version on modern portable hardware.

Graphically the simple palette used is still wonderfully diverse as each different colour is used in exactly the right consistency in order to bring together something special which very much represents a true vision right from the start, further embellishment may have been added in the subsequent re-releases but in those blocks of colour mixed with sparingly used detail lies a beautifully pure videogame that manages to make me smile every time I see those quirky overworld maps and carefully pieced together stages no matter how many times I've played this before. Naturally the soundtrack is still a masterpiece even today with every track perfectly combined with each moment that you experience, thematically flawless, effortlessly flicking between carefree to tension-heightening from one stage to the next; all melded perfectly together with those iconic sound effects, many of which are still unchanged to this day including that iconic coin collection chime, invincibility theme and of course the super mushroom... in a word 'magical'.

I could continue to go on about Super Mario Bros. 3 for an absurdly long time indeed, instead though all I will say is that if you're a genuine Nintendo fan but you've yet to play this title then there really is no excuse anymore - not there was before - not now that it's available on two current platforms for what is still peanuts even in todays uncertain economy. Of course for those of us who have already played this classic then this just serves as another excuse to play through it once again which is always a good thing, plus portability in addition to Miiverse integration should ensure that Super Mario Bros. 3 will remain in the spotlight for a good while to come yet, which is quite right too as without it we would surely not have the classic Mario games of today to which they owe this title almost everything; it acts as further proof that every Mario title in the future should continue to include the Tanooki Suit because arguably it's still one of the greatest power-ups ever conceived.  

Further to everything mentioned above from the previously released iterations of Super Mario Bros. 3 there are several notable additions in the fourth of the SMA series GBA titles, these include all of the updated character models which featured in the other titles, various challenges along with the voice acting/overhauled visuals and all of that stuff; but the best part by far is the inclusion of the Thirty-Eight stages which are newly available to all who never got to play them originally owing to them only being unlocked by the use of the extremely niche peripheral called the e-Reader which didn't even get a look in within Europe really so this is more than reason enough to buy this version without hesitation! No really... that's it, if you're still reading this and you somehow haven't downloaded it yet then please do so now so that you can enjoy these amazing stages which are worth the price of entry alone!    

Verdict : Pure portable platforming at its finest.

Price: GB £7.19, EU €7.99
Publisher: Nintendo
Developer: Nintendo R&D1
Released: 1994
System: SNES

A game so iconic that it needs no introduction and yet it's so amazing that it demands one; Super Metroid has long been considered by many to be the definitive game in the long running series. Featuring all of the elements that made the previous two installments so successful, adding a glorious colour palette, a fully functional map / inventory screen and so much more made possible by capitalising on the capabilities of one of Nintendo's most successful systems; the SNES.

Set soon after the events of Metroid II it all begins with Samus escorting a single infant Metroid (the last remaining example of its species) to an intergalactic research centre, where it was planned for it to be researched with the hope of utilising its energy storing capabilities for the benefit of humankind; upon her later return though she finds that all the crew are dead and the Metroid sample hidden away in a room at the back; it's at this point that the Dragon-like Ridley swoops in, snatches the hatchling, fleeing to the planet Zebes the home of the original Metroid. Naturally our favourite intergalactic bounty hunter doesn't stand for this, Samus suits up, boots up and takes pursuit in her gunship to the planets surface where the adventure truly begins, from this very point the true essence of Metroid is captured; alone on a planet inhabited by various vicious indigenous lifeforms you must run, jump, shoot, spin, roll,bomb and even screw-attack your way through the subsequent sub areas which the planet is composed of.

Right from the start, controlling Samus is nothing short of mesmerising, immersive and impressive; you always feel in complete control thanks to the well honed programming - by intelligent systems - which amazingly manages to incorporate an astounding array of upgrades which you accumulate during your expansive environmental exploration. You will find yourself progressing through this game in a way which just does not compare to anything else out there, at the start you will encounter ways which are inaccessible for reasons unknown, but as you traverse alternative terrain you will most likely find an upgrade or item which will then make you think “oh I get it now” and it's this element which sets the game apart from everything else in existence.

You can be wandering about nonchalantly in Norfair, reach a dead end wandering what to do next, plant a bomb in a certain place while in morphball mode and then end up in uncharted territory below, all of the distinctive varied locations have a wonderful atmosphere of their own, each is lavishly lacquered with painstaking attention to detail in both the surrounding area and the accompanying sprites; an instance of particular note is the corpse of trooper surrounded by small organisms feasting on flesh which once approached proceed to hurriedly scurry away. An accompanying soundtrack which is as much an aural achievement in its own right, as it is the masterful mood-setting melody which it's intended to be, indeed these subtle nuances are merely the candy atop a carefully crafted cake; it's the cream layer that is the beautifully balanced boss battles, frantic fire-fights, patience praying puzzles and an unrivalled feeling of isolation which makes this a truly epically enjoyable experience.

So much brilliance which encompasses much of Nintendo's true magic is contained within this brilliant behemoth sized adventure that really has to be played in order to truly appreciate it. Super Metroid is an example of the rare breed; a “true game” such is the simple satisfaction of merely playing it and the exorbitant elusive feeling of elation accumulated from the smallest bit of progression ensures that it is worthy of such a title. If you're a gamer who has yet to play this utter masterpiece then you simply must do so, indeed if you're in this minority then the many who have already experienced this classic will surely envy you as it's a title that is a complete and utter joy to play; the addition of save-states plus Miiverse integration means that Samus' greatest mission can be enjoyed by a new generation of gamers, as a long-term fan of the game though I can only hope that I never see the words 'crawl' and 'Metroid used in the same sentence again lest I feel the need to curl up into a 'Morph-Ball' and cry; there will probably never be another game quite like Super Metroid ever again so please, from my heart I ask you to enjoy it but also learn to respect its lasting legacy... thank you my fellow bounty hunters, see you next mission!           

Verdict : An exceptional unrivaled example of exploration and isolation, now available on the go!

Price: GB £7.19, EU €7.99
Publisher: Nintendo EAD
Developer: Nintendo
Released: 1992
System: SNES

None shall forget the title screen to The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past for it is as sacred as the Triforce itself. The moment you see those three golden triangles majestically move into the middle of the screen only to meld into one of the most iconic logo's in existence, resting atop such a beautiful backdrop for a title screen is certainly a joy to behold; coupled with that sound! The file select screen is amazing in itself, that Fairy Fountain theme at this very point lets you know that you're about to play a Zelda game, so simple yet effective. It's time for Link the Hero of Time to embark on a quest of unimaginable proportions, in the days of the SNES this game broke so much new ground, even now though I'm amazed that I can now play this original classic on my New 3DS!

It's late one evening in the Kingdom of Hyrule, our hero is disturbed from his rest by a voice... then the realisation that your Uncle has to leave urgently for some reason, so at his instruction, Link decides to remain inside the house... the end! Imagine if that's how the story went, it would have made for a very short game indeed, but we all know that's not how it goes at all so of course you chase after him into the stormy weather outside. The atmosphere conveyed from the very start is probably the single, greatest thing about it, as no other game since has managed to capture that sense of foreboding which leads to an uneasy feeling that urges you to press onward with the quest you have no idea you'll be embarking on at this point, or indeed the horrific events which are about to unfold right around the corner let alone later on.

Getting used to the controls is so simple that it's fairly refreshing returning to the familiarity of the d-pad, four face buttons, two shoulder buttons plus actually using Start/Select with a clear distinction between the two, hacking away with your sword using the "B" button is so satisfying while your interact button will be "A" just as it has always plus you can use it to assign key items such as the Boomerang or Lamp in addition to many more items; you also have a button which displays the Overworld map when outside which is really impressive the first time you see it in zoomed out form, seeing the world of Hyrule before you. Everything about how the game is setup from the mechanics to your very useful inventory just makes perfect sense, probably the best thing about this portable version though is that unlike the GBA remake you have plenty of buttons here so at least everything is as it should be, also in case you were wondering, you can make use of your shield by simply facing your enemy or projectile coming your way as you'll automatically deflect the attack if your shield is powerful enough so long as you aren't swinging your sword which makes combat both intuitive and fun; another thing this iteration brings to the series is the concept of having gear which gets upgraded in favour of better items over time which includes your weapons, tunics plus much more besides.      

Of all Zelda titles I would have to say that A Link to the Past has the most instantly recognisable visuals as you only need to see a single screen to know that it's Zelda from the Nineties which is an excellent thing from a nostalgic point of view, much more than that though I feel the style used throughout is timeless from the charming design of Link's house, to the distinctly different areas be they a sprawling Desert or a flowing Lake, even a treacherous Mountain; notice that I don't even need to detail the full names of these places as you already have an image formed in your mind based on your past experiences with the series, just know that they all hark back to this main title because it's responsible for shaping much of the series' visual identity. Personally my favourite place is Hyrule Castle not just for its detailed halls connected by complex corridors also sprawling with many guards, it's more for the main castle theme which has stuck with me to this very day along with the iconic Overworld theme which you don't get to properly hear for the first time until you leave the Castle which in a helpful way acts as a tutorial almost without you realising, by that point you're familiar with the sword swinging sound effects in addition to the cutting of grass which is another one of those Zelda traits which started here, oh and the jingle of the rupees you collect of course; indeed through the course of the game I would be surprised if you didn't recognise a lot of the music composed by the legendary Koji Kondo if this is your first playthrough of it because you may well have already heard them in some of the more modern entries in the series, particularly if you only own a New 3DS as we already have four retail Zelda titles including A Link Between Worlds which told a new tale within the world of the SNES classic but in my opinion just didn't have quite the same level of aesthetic appeal even though nostalgia is indeed a powerful force.     

There is one other important point which must be addressed in relation to the graphical fidelity of these New 3DS exclusive SNES Virtual Console releases, it's the "Original Resolution" feature which it turns out is wildly misleading as when you have this option set to "Off" as is the default everything looks reasonably in proportion as it once would have back in the days of the SNES with a faithful blurred edge to everything plus an unequal ratio which lends itself well to the overall natural feeling. When you turn this option "On" however what you get is a smaller, perfectly square ratio image with all of the pixels deliberately made more square where originally they were not one hundred percent perfect especially when viewed through a CRT TV which is a whole different issue when you consider the differences in screen technology, you might not have any issue with this claiming that it makes everything look "sharper" and while I grant you that on a superficial level it does improve the text, that's about it as the actual result if you have a keen eye is something of a stretched, out of proportion, manipulated mess which really shouldn't be used if you have fond memories of the original games; while the effects of it may vary between titles I would personally shy away from using it but for the purposes of this review I have taken two near-identical screens taken from my copy of the game which I posted to Miiverse so that you can observe the difference, here they are in their raw form.      

Without wishing to give away too many of the plot details in case there's anyone reading this who has yet to set off on one of the most memorable adventures in gaming history, the sheer scale of it all is simply breathtaking even in this modern age of open-world games which we live in - indeed it seems the next Zelda title will even provide its own interpretation of this trend - it's still impressive to this day as you have an already quite large area to cover, then you discover that thanks to an inventive game mechanic the world somehow seems to almost double in size. All of the dungeons are impeccably well designed featuring many tricks, traps, even puzzles which you may well find yourself getting stuck on momentarily before figuring it out as you trigger that familiar jingle which will denote your success before you eventually find the big key which will grant you access to the Boss... it's in these battles where you will prove your worth which will reward you with the right to carry on your quest plus a much needed Heart Container which of course extends your life energy by one heart. Throughout the world you will find many more Pieces of Heart hidden away which take four to form another heart but are well worth tracking down in addition to all the other helpful items which have since become staples of the Zelda universe such as empty bottles for trapping Fairies in - amongst other things - as all of these will give you the edge, of course it's entirely up to you how you play ultimately so it's nice that the game is open-ended enough that you can at least explore vast amounts of the map at any one time before having to turn back if you don't have the right key item.

Speaking volumes of the quality contained within this adventure is the fact that there's only one The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, a title which already is fondly remembered by many, testament to its worth today is the value of the original SNES release which can set you back as much as a new retail title today for just the cartridge - let alone the astronomical price of a boxed complete copy - so while I for one feel blessed that I got to experience the original version many years ago thanks to the physical copy I own to this very day; I realise this is not possible for everyone so even though these Virtual Console releases need to be purchased multiple times over if you want to experience them on a new machine, I still applaud Nintendo for making this classic available to all who own a current Nintendo platform in this modern age and I can only hope that the future of these digital classics will be secured with the iminent release of the NX whatever it may entail. Most importantly though if you do own a New 3DS and you somehow have not experienced one of the greatest 16-bit titles of all time then I must strongly suggest that you do because a game of this calibre being made available for little over seven pounds is an absolute steal, I can assure you that if you enjoy digital masterpieces then you will surely savour every moment of this timeless adventure which links together the entire timeline.    

Verdict : A strong Link in the chain of the Zelda series which every gamer must play.

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!