Two Genesis sequels, and a minor Nintendo classic, hit the Virtual Console in the US.

Get those sneakers on. (Does anyone say sneakers anymore?) Speedy hedgehog sequel Sonic The Hedgehog 2 (Sega Genesis, 1-2 players, 800 Points) sees Sonic battling the ever-irritating Dr. Robotnik again, with the same crowd-pleasing mix of running, spinning and ring-collecting. Also from the Sega Genesis is Golden Axe II (1-2 players, 800 Wii Points), the magic-and-swords aligned scrolling action title that still has clout amongst the Genesis diehards we're sure.

Rounding up the releases is the NES' Lode Runner, a multi-story platform puzzle game, in which you have to dig holes and avoid and trap nefarious robots. With over 150 levels, and some serious difficulty near the end, it's surely a gem for the anoraks. It's yours for 500 points, with 2-player available.

Stay tuned on Thursday night for the European Virtual Console releases!