As 2007 closed, the Virtual Console library approached the 200-game mark. It remains the best way for gamers to relive their Nintendo-centric early years, and one game rose above the rest to become the best Virtual Console game for a Nintendo platform.

Released only in Japan during the twilight of the Nintendo 64's lifespan, Treasure's Sin and Punishment nonetheless garnered sufficient recognition to become one of the most requested titles for Virtual Console release. Nintendo answered those pleas in the fall of 2007, giving many gamers the opportunity to experience this truly spectacular tour de force of on-rails shooting action for the first time.

Featuring an onslaught of brilliantly designed boss enemies, the game's stages are relentlessly intense and include scenarios that remain astoundingly colossal to this day. Taking on an entire armada of battleships (not to mention swarms of mutant creatures, squadrons of fighter jets, and an entire space station) by yourself has lost none of its exhilaration, and will put your reflexes to the test in a way few contemporary games can even begin to match.

A well-conceived scoring system and multiple difficulty levels (that contain additional content, no less) provide Sin and Punishment with significant replayability for those not faint of heart. For veterans of the game's cartridge release, the increased resolution, progressive scan support, and translated text make for an exquisite new presentation of an old favourite, rounding off what is Virtual Console's greatest achievement to date.

Runner-up: Super Metroid

Super Metroid was a game in dire need of a reissue. Nintendo finally release this gem on the VC just before Metroid Prime 3: Corruption hit store shelves, and there were some among us who actually spent more time with the SNES classic then with the new Wii game. Super Metroid is the pinnacle of the 2D series, combining an enormous living world with ridiculous non-linearity, incredible graphics and animation (even by today's standards), a spooky sci-fi musical score, and absolutely epic boss encounters. Super Metroid is just as mind-boggling today as it was in 1994, and it’s a game that every Wii owner should have in their collection.