Post by: WindyMan on February 05, 2007, 04:46:17 PM
Welcome to another week of classic game downloads on Nintendo's Virtual Console service. The Big N is coming out of the gate again this week with another 16-bit heavyweight, while Sega finally releases the last of the three games that should have been available last month. A whimpy TG16 game rounds out the three newbies that you can nab through the Wii Shop Channel.
Here's all you need to know about this batch of games.
Super Mario World - SNES
Released 8/13/1991
1-2 Players
Cost: 800 Wii Points ($8)
Controllers: Wii Classic, GameCube
Super Mario World should need no introduction. It was the Mario title that launched with the SNES and introduced a number of things to the series. It was the first Mario game that featured Yoshi. It was the first Mario game that let you take an extra power-up item with you into a level. It was also the first game that let you play as a bona fide Super Mario, courtesy the magic cape. Nintendo took all the good things from the previous Mario games and put them into a single SNES cartridge, then added in a map with secret paths and a super-hidden set of special stages. Groovy.
Those without a Wii Classic controller should be aware that the giant gap between the B and Y Buttons on the GameCube controller will make things a little hard to handle. The SNES buttons translate directly to their GameCube counterparts, meaning that run and jump are not easily pressable at the same time. It looks like the only way to play Super Mario World on the Wii is to use a Classic controller (or an SNES RetroPort).
Super Mario World is another essential SNES game that you should own in one form or another. There's really nothing more that needs to be said about it. Now that there's a big-name Mario game from each of the three Nintendo systems available to download, we can all die happy. Well, maybe not until Super Mario Bros. 3 gets here.
Gain Ground - Genesis
Released 1/2/1991
1-2 Players
Cost: 800 Wii Points ($8)
Controllers: Wii Remote, Wii Classic, GameCube
In the 31st Century, a peaceful human race decided it would be a good idea to create a war simulator to train people to deal with a possible alien invasion. Before that happened, though, the simulation system went haywire and trapped a bunch of people inside of it. The premise of Gain Ground is to go in to the system, battle through a room full of enemies and projectiles, get to the exit and repeat until everyone is dead. Players can choose between a 20 different characters with different attributes and weapons to help clear the way. Each stage is set up in a way where there is an optimal character to use, so you'd best rescue as many as you can along the way. You'll need them all to get through the game's 50 stages.
At first, Gain Ground seems like an extremely boring rip-off of Smash T.V. However, the further into the game you progress, the more it stands out on its own. The different characters provide an interesting twist on the gauntlet-shooter genre, and the ability to mix and match abilities with two players simultaneously opens up more possibilities. Despite it being rather slow, we'll still recommend it to people who like to take on waves of enemies with their backs to the wall.
Vigilante - TurboGrafx 16
Released 10/1989
1 Player
Cost: 600 Wii Points ($6)
Controllers: Wii Remote, Wii Classic, GameCube
The bad guys have taken Madonna! (No, not that Madonna.) Playing the role of the Vigilante, you must battle through five puny levels filled mostly with enemies that go flying back with a single punch or kick. Once and a while you'll find a nunchuk on the ground (no, not that nunchuk) that you can use to make quick work of most enemies, which is especially important for the tougher baddies that have weapons of their own. The boss fights at the end of each level are pretty challenging, though.
Vigilante is too simple and too short for the price. The difficulty is there, but by the time you start to get the hang of things you will have beaten the game. It wouldn't have been much better if there were any two-player modes. Steer clear of this one.
Post by: TJ Spyke on February 05, 2007, 05:36:18 PM
I am upset about the controls though. I have no interest in the Classic Controller, and don't want to buy it just for 1 game. I wish Nintendo would bring that Classic Controller/5000 Wii Points card deal they have in Japan over here.
Post by: sycomonkey on February 05, 2007, 06:18:10 PM
Post by: Smoke39 on February 05, 2007, 06:40:42 PM
Post by: Entroper on February 05, 2007, 06:48:37 PM
Post by: KDR_11k on February 05, 2007, 06:52:49 PM
Post by: tonythekitty on February 05, 2007, 07:24:25 PM
Post by: Kairon on February 05, 2007, 07:31:49 PM
~Carmine "Cai" M. Red
Kairon@aol.com
Post by: WindyMan on February 05, 2007, 07:45:38 PM
Quote
Originally posted by: Kairon
Does Gain Ground have a food meter that counts down? I'm eyeing it, especially after that Smash TV comparison, but I can't stand time limits, nor can I stand food time limits.
~Carmine "Cai" M. Red
Kairon@aol.com
There is a time limit on each stage, and it does factor in during the harder levels.
Post by: KDR_11k on February 05, 2007, 08:37:29 PM
Post by: Ceric on February 06, 2007, 04:17:30 AM
Quote
Originally posted by: nintendogamecube86
Super Mario World is THE best 2D Mario game, period.
I am upset about the controls though. I have no interest in the Classic Controller, and don't want to buy it just for 1 game. I wish Nintendo would bring that Classic Controller/5000 Wii Points card deal they have in Japan over here.
I have to disagree. I personally think Super Mario Bros 3 is the best. Oh also on a side note. I found that I like playing a lot of the d-pad games with the analog stick on the classic controller. *shrug*
Post by: KDR_11k on February 06, 2007, 04:47:39 AM
Post by: Acefondu on February 06, 2007, 05:31:03 AM
Post by: Acefondu on February 06, 2007, 05:32:10 AM
Post by: Ian Sane on February 06, 2007, 06:36:50 AM
So is Super Mario World the only SNES game you plan on buying? For any other game that used Y to run/attack and B to jump the Cube controller just isn't going to fly.
Post by: Entroper on February 06, 2007, 11:19:33 PM
Makes me wonder if All-Stars will ever be released for the Virtual Console. It would certainly be cheaper than spending 1500 Wii Points on SMB1-3, plus it comes with The Lost Levels, and it has improved graphics and music (transparency + parallax backgrounds FTW), AND you can save your games! IMO they could charge 1000 or 1200 points for this title and it would be a steal, but I doubt it will ever be available at all.
Post by: KDR_11k on February 07, 2007, 01:19:53 AM
I'd buy SM Allstars on the VC because I have no idea where my SNES copy ended up.
Post by: Ceric on February 07, 2007, 04:10:19 AM
I also have SMW for the GBA already, because everyone ranted about it. I'll go back and spend some more time on it after Pheonix Wright, game is a lot better after that initial hump.
Post by: KDR_11k on February 07, 2007, 04:34:41 AM
Post by: Bloodworth on February 07, 2007, 06:49:48 AM
Quote
Originally posted by: Entroper
SMW is a great game, well-balanced, plenty of tricks to find, good production quality. But really, the only thing it has over SMB3 is the aspect of finding secret exits to new levels. SMB3 had more creativity and variance in its level design. I really enjoyed how each world had its own theme. If you use the warp whistles, you miss out on some of the best parts of the game. Who has honestly played through the entire game without warping? It's really a wonderful experience. World 7 feels like it takes days to complete. I'd be picking this one up on the VC if I didn't already have Super Mario All-Stars for my still-working-perfectly SNES.
Makes me wonder if All-Stars will ever be released for the Virtual Console. It would certainly be cheaper than spending 1500 Wii Points on SMB1-3, plus it comes with The Lost Levels, and it has improved graphics and music (transparency + parallax backgrounds FTW), AND you can save your games! IMO they could charge 1000 or 1200 points for this title and it would be a steal, but I doubt it will ever be available at all.
I also have All-Stars, so I don't need SMW as long as the battery lasts. However, the "improved" graphics and music for the others are not so interesting now. Thus, I'll be picking up all the NES Marios on VC.
Post by: KDR_11k on February 07, 2007, 07:19:05 AM
All Stars doesn't include SMW, are you thinking of All Stars + SMW?
Post by: TJ Spyke on February 07, 2007, 07:37:49 AM
Ian, I might get it in the future. Right now, however, the only game I would be using it for is SMW.
Post by: Ian Sane on February 07, 2007, 07:53:11 AM
Back in 1993 remaking an NES game for a new console was a pretty new idea so the resulting game was more or less the same game with better presentation. But these days they try to "improve" the game by adding all sorts of modern ideas to it. They used to try keep the gameplay in tact. I think the best way to describe it is that Super Mario All-Stars was trying to bring a classic game to a new console while Super Mario Advance is trying to make a new game for younger gamers by recycling old content. Super Mario All-Stars was made for people who played those games on the NES while the Super Mario Advance games are for younger gamers who weren't born yet when those games came out.
Post by: Bloodworth on February 07, 2007, 07:58:02 AM
Quote
Originally posted by: KDR_11k
I also have All-Stars, so I don't need SMW as long as the battery lasts.
All Stars doesn't include SMW, are you thinking of All Stars + SMW?
Yeah, that's the one I have. Sorry for the confusion.
Post by: KDR_11k on February 07, 2007, 09:41:46 PM
Or those who never owned a NES? Games weren't that much easier on the SNES than the NES except for removing some horrible design ideas that were prevalent during the NES age.
Either way, can anyone tell me if the US version of SMW has the four-colored SNES logo in the Special World (above the word Special)? The US redesign of the SNES is missing the button colors, after all.
Post by: UltimatePartyBear on February 08, 2007, 03:04:13 AM
Post by: KDR_11k on February 08, 2007, 03:18:49 AM
