It's a double WiiWare update for this Friday, PAL peeps. Oxygen's Pirates: The Key of Dreams is an unknown quantity, but appears to be some kind of piracy-themed scrolling shooter with strategic elements. If that sounds like it has potential, the footage we've seen so far (viewable, as usual, after the break) isn't filling us with bright-eyed optimism. We'll be downloading that today and giving it a whirl, so let's hope we're wrong!
SPOGS Racing, on the other hand, is very much a known quantity, and not a very great one, either -- we slapped a three out of ten on it.
Pirates: The Key of Dreams -- WiiWare -- 1000 Wii Points
This week's muscle-bound PAL Virtual Console update comes exclusively from SNK's sleek, black beast of a console.
Art of Fighting 2 makes its worldwide Virtual Console debut, though if you own a PlayStation 2, Art of Fighting Anthology is available cheaply, and should be coming to the Wii ... at some point. Also worth noting: it has some of the most brilliantly awful voice-acting ever (go past the break to see some footage). Sidescrolling duff-'em-up Ninja Combat completes this week's offerings.
It's a double WiiWare update for Europe and Australia this week as the fresh-faced download service once again blots out new old games. There is a pattern emerging here -- WiiWare one week, Virtual Console the next, and so forth -- but we're not yet sure if it's a deliberate trend or just a coincidence. Either way, it's pretty plain now that Virtual Console stuff is going to become less regular. Up for grabs this week:
Maybe "monstrous" is overdoing it, but after last week's no-show for the Virtual Console, we're back to five games for this Friday's PAL region VC update. Hurrah! These range from forgettable spin-offs (Pac-Attack -- the first SNES title we've seen in over three months, bizarrely) to a Commodore 64 fan favorite (Cybernoid) to SNK's excellent King of the Monsters, which probably hasn't beenbettered in the monsters-breaking-stuff genre since its release.
Super Fantasy Zone -- Mega Drive -- 800 Wii Points
Pac-Attack -- SNES -- 800 Wii Points
Summer Games 2 -- Commodore 64 -- 500 Wii Points
Cybernoid -- Commodore 64 -- 500 Wii Points
King of the Monsters -- Neo Geo -- 900 Wii Points
We have some videos featuring some of the above for you, but you'll have to smash the break down with your giant monster limbs to access them.
For the second time in three weeks, those rapscallions at Nintendo have decided to forgo releasing old, lovable Virtual Console games and have instead opted for WiiWare. Grr. Still, at least it means that Europe and Australia get Arkanoid-style puzzler Block Breaker Deluxe, which we deemed to be rather good, despite its cast of grinning, lifestyle pillocks. At the other end of the quality pool bobs the questionable floating object that is Cocoto Fishing Master, which we wouldn't buy for our worst enemies.
If you think we've already forgiven Nintendo for totally neglecting the PAL Virtual Console last week, you can think again, sunshine. Nope, Ninty is officially in our bad books, and no amount of sweet talk, flowers, weekends away, or singing telegrams can let the company out of the doghouse right now. Frankly, we've never felt so unwan -- eh, what's that you say? Five games? Two of which prominently feature ninjas? Oh, go on then.
Alex Kidd in Miracle World -- Master System -- 500 Wii Points
Fatal Fury 2 -- Neo Geo -- 900 Wii Points
Ninja Combat -- Neo Geo -- 900 Wii Points
Last Ninja 2: Back with a Vengeance -- Commodore 64 -- 500 Wii Points *
Nebulus -- Commodore 64 -- 500 Wii Points *
* Unavailable in Oz, we're afraid, but look at the bright side: footage of all five games is past the break! Actually, we're not sure how that's meant to console you, or how those two facts are even related. Ridiculous, really.
In the week that WiiWare launched in Japan, the Virtual Console received nothing. No problem, we thought. This was just a case of Nintendo not wanting to distract people from its shiny new download service with a shmup from the '80s or something. As long as this neglect of the Virtual Console wasn't a regular occurrence, we could cope without an update on this one-off occasion.
But now it's happened again. This week, Europe and Australia got absolutely zilch in the way of Virtual Console games, with only Actionloop Twist (Magnetica Twist in the states, or Minna de Puzzloop in Japan) on WiiWare. We're not suggesting that we dislike Actionloop Twist or anything -- our decision on that matter can wait for our review -- but this is a tad worrying. If Virtual Console updates are already being ignored just two weeks after WiiWare launched, this could easily happen again. And that kind of sucks, because we love our golden oldies.
Actionloop Twist -- WiiWare -- 1000 Wii Points
Make the jump for a Japanese trailer of Actionloop Twist, and keep an eye out for our review in the coming days.
Despite their ubiquity, the majority of Pokémon games manage to maintain a high standard, even when they abandon the more traditional Pokémans formula. Pokémon Puzzle League, for example, is one of the best examples of a Pokémon game that isn't a Pokémon game, and is comfortably worth its 1000 Wii Point price tag.
A pair of Eikichi Kawasaki-designed Neo Geo titles round off the week in Europe and Australia -- Samurai Shodown is one of the Neo Geo's best fighting games, while Burning Fight is another addition to the already oversubscribed (on the VC, at least) dude-smashinggenre.
Pokémon Puzzle League -- Nintendo 64 -- 1000 Wii Points
After the joy/expense of WiiWare's Euro and Aussie launch, Nintendo has put its feet up and given us just the one game this Friday: the Commodore 64's Paradroid. We're totally okay with that! As our credit cards have already enduredathoroughbattering this week, they could do with the break. Breathe easy again, our little plastic friends.
Not massively familiar with Paradroid myself, though its Wikipedia page makes it sound like the ideal preparation for the inevitable war between humans and robots. One thing I am aware of is that Paradroid is discussed in hushed, reverent tones by those in the know, so if any of my fellow Old People would like to enthuse about it in the comments, be my guest. The rest of you can take in some footage of the game past the break.
This current Hanabi Festival is proving a treat for shmup fans. Of the ten games released so far under the Hanabi banner, half have been shooters, including the two released today, Japan-only pair Star Parodier (in which you can use Bomberman or a giant PC Engine as a ship!) and Gley Lancer. They're joined this VC Friday by Digital Champ Battle Boxing.
Oh, and fun fact: the name Gley Lancer was (allegedly) supposed to be "Grey Lancer," but ended up as Gley Lancer due to a pronunciation error (the Japanese language can't tell the difference between the English "r" and "l" sounds). Either that, or we've just been duped into believing a rather racist joke.
Gley Lancer -- Mega Drive -- 900 Wii Points
Star Parodier -- TurboGrafx-16 -- 900 Wii Points
Digital Champ Battle Boxing -- TurboGrafx-16 -- 700 Wii Points
We were already totally pumped about getting Cho Aniki on the European and Aussie Virtual Consoles, but our faces lit up when we saw what else was lying in store for us this morning. Metal Slug is the first Neo Geo game to appear on the download service since December 14th, but what a comeback!
From a value-for-money perspective, we'd still recommend picking up Metal Slug Anthology (especially now that it's so cheap), but it's great to see SNK's classic series represented on the VC (and this version even has Classic Controller support). Puyo Puyo 2 and TurboGrafx billiards title Break In complete this week's line-up.
Cho Aniki -- TurboGrafx-16 -- 900 Wii Points
Metal Slug -- Neo Geo -- 900 Wii Points
Break In -- TurboGrafx-16 -- 700 Wii Points
Puyo Puyo 2 -- Mega Drive -- 900 Wii Points
Hop in your Slug and blast your way past the break to see all four in action!
An immensely pleasing sight greeted our bleary eyes when we inspected the PAL Virtual Console this morning -- the revival of last September's Hanabi Festival! What does that mean? Simple: for the next few weeks, the VC will feature games that were previously unreleased in Europe or Australia, which we suppose justifies the slightly higher price tags.
Best of all, we're promised that this will continue for the next few weeks. Wonder what else we'll get? Here are this week's trio:
Columns III: Revenge of Columns -- Mega Drive -- 900 Wii Points
Final Soldier -- TurboGrafx-16 -- 700 Wii Points
Gradius II Gofer no Yabou -- TurboGrafx-16 -- 900 Wii Points
As usual, make the jump for footage of all three.
[Update: There's much excitement here, as further inspection of Nintendo's press release reveals that Speedos-clad TurboGrafx-16 shooter Cho Aniki will be one of the future Hanabi Festival releases!]
A trio of games this week on the PAL Virtual Console (all of which would be dead to us if "Ninja Dragon Games" actually existed), including one we totally want, one that will probably be undeservedly overlooked in favor of the one we totally want and, um, World Games (Commodore 64), which we're entirely unfamiliar with.
The former, obviously, is Double Dragon (NES), and although we plan to download Technos' landmark game with a quickness, we feel a bit bad for The Last Ninja (Commodore 64), which deserves some attention, if only for its amazing soundtrack. Check videos of all three out after the blue words, and marvel at how barrel jumping looks ... oddly compelling.
Up on the chopping block this Friday is the red-headed step-child of early Phantasy Star games, Phantasy Star III: Generations of Doom. Considered the weak link by fans, we suppose that directly following Phantasy Star II didn't help its case.
Phantasy Star III: Generations of Doom -- Mega Drive -- 800 Wii Points
Don't forget to hop in the patented Wii Fanboy time machine and hurtle past the break for footage from the game.
"Nintendo, with this week's four Virtual Console releases you are really spoiling us!"
We feel extra special this week, because kindly old Uncle Nintendo has lavished the PAL Virtual Console (or at least the European Virtual Console) with four new titles, including another two Commodore 64 additions (both of which are cracking), and the first Master System games to reach Australia. Unusually, all four are worth a look, but Impossible Mission has a special room all of its own in this blogger's heart. As usual, there's footage of all titles past the break.
California Games -- Commodore 64 -- 500 Wii Points*
This week's muscle-bound 
Maybe "monstrous" is overdoing it, but after last week's no-show for the Virtual Console, we're back to five games for this Friday's PAL region VC update. Hurrah! These range from forgettable spin-offs (Pac-Attack -- the first SNES title we've seen in over three months, bizarrely) to a Commodore 64 fan favorite (Cybernoid) to SNK's excellent King of the Monsters, which probably 
If you think we've already forgiven Nintendo for totally neglecting the PAL Virtual Console 
After the joy/expense of WiiWare's 
An immensely pleasing sight greeted our bleary eyes when we inspected the PAL Virtual Console this morning -- the revival of last September's 
