A second season of previously unreleased titles for the West has begun on the Virtual Console! Click inside to see which titles you can now play for the first time...

Last year gamers were given the opportunity to download titles previously unreleased in the West, which had been translated and released for the first time on European shores. We're happy to report that the Hanabi Festival is back, with this week seeing the release of three more golden oldies.

First up is Turbografx title Gradius II: Gofer No Yabou, which returns you to the helm of the legendary Vic Viper to overcome a new offensive from the Bacterion Empire. This horizontally scrolling shooter challenges players to conquer the Bacterion's fleet and its new leader, Gofer. With a total of nine stages, this perfect port of the original boasts one of the longest adventures in the series and also features more trademark fast-paced music to accompany the intense action! The game is available now for 900 Wii Points.

If you'd prefer to test your brain rather than your brawn, then the mental tenacity of puzzle fans everywhere will be pushed to the limit in Columns III: Revenge of Columns. Released in the U.S. in 1994 for the Sega Mega Drive, the title offers a single-player or multi-player experience that expands upon the gameplay of the first two Columns titles by giving players extra attacks to spring on their opponents. As in the original Columns, jewels fall into a column bin where gamers have to twist and manipulate them to match three or more jewels in a vertical, horizontal or diagonal line to prevent them from stacking up and reaching the top. In this game, special magical jewels are available that influence the game in numerous ways such as raising your opponent's crush bar or lowering yours, adding an extra element of strategy to the game. It is now available for 900 Wii Points.

And finally, the third Hanabi Festival title this week is Turbografx title Final Soldier, which propels you to the 23rd century where you are Earth's last line of defence against an unknown horde of alien invaders. Part of the celebrated 'Star Soldier' series, this action-packed vertical scrolling shooter puts you at the helm of a space fighter created by the finest scientists from across the globe. Armed to the teeth with an arsenal of weaponry you rise up against the enemy overwhelming them with lasers, flamethrowers and missiles, many of which can be upgraded to cause further devastation. This Hudson Soft classic can now be yours for 700 Wii Points.

The Hanabi Festival will apparently be returning again, but until then, full reviews of these titles are on their way in the next issue of VC Weekly, written by our resident Virtual Console guru Sam Gittins. In the meantime, check out our dedicated Virtual Console index of every game available on the VC... ever!