Mario! Mario! Mario! Mario! http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/vcArt.cfm?artid=14742 Remember that two-hour long
commercial movie about the Nintendo Entertainment System? Yeah, the one starring Fred Savage. It brought us memorable lines such as “Ahhh! He touched my breast!" and “I love the Power Glove, it's so bad..." Oh yeah, there was that really cool part at the end where Jimmy had to play a brand new game that no one had ever seen before. Nintendo had made a lot of different competition game cartridges for tournaments like the one in the
commercial movie, so it probably wasn't anything special.
HOLY CRAP!! IT'S SUPER MARIO BROS. 3!!!!!
If you didn't wet your pants at that moment (I know I did!), you probably weren't a fan of video games. Super Mario Bros. 3 was probably the most hyped and anticipated game in the history of the industry. Not even the Halo-heads of the current generation could have imagined how crazy a time it was when Mario rang in the '90s with a bang. His face covered the globe, for goodness sake!
Anyway, enough reminiscing. Play the 2D Super Mario Bros. 3 this week so you can get it out of the way for the 3D Super Mario Bros. 3 next week. The allure of Kuribo's Shoe is too great to ignore!
Super Mario Bros. 3 - NES
Cost: 500 Wii Points ($5)
Players: 1-2
Controllers: Wii Remote, Wii Classic, GameCube
ESRB Rating: Everyone
Released: 2/12/1990
Click here for a video preview
Words cannot describe how much I love, and have loved, this game. Super Mario Bros. 3 is the absolute pinnacle of platforming achievement, it’s just that good. In this meaty offering, Mario must save the seven kings of the Mushroom Kingdom, who have been turned into comical creatures by the Koopalings, who may or may not be Bowser’s kids. At some point, Princess Toadstool is kidnapped while Mario is away on duty, and his ultimate goal, as always, is to rescue that fair maiden. While the basic platforming premise is barely changed from the original Super Mario Bros., the sheer level of variety in SMB3 is staggering. Complex level designs, which incorporate every environment imaginable, branching paths, an overhead map screen, reserve items, mini-games, and the best power-ups to ever grace the franchise all seal SMB3 as the greatest game of all freakin’ time.
I am still discovering new paths, items, and secrets every time I play Super Mario Bros. 3, almost eighteen years after its initial release. That, and the fact that every stage of every level is overflowing with 100% pure, uncut FUN is more than reason enough to buy this game. Even if you already have Super Mario All-Stars or Super Mario Advance 4, the Virtual Console gives you a chance to experience SMB3 in its purest, original form. Buy this game, then get down on your knees and praise Miyamoto-san! - Zach Miller
Alien Soldier - Genesis
Cost: 900 Wii Points ($9)
Players: 1
Controllers: Wii Remote, Wii Classic, GameCube
ESRB Rating: Everyone 10+ (Fantasy Violence)
Released: 2/1995
Click here for a video preview
Alien Soldier is considered an import title because it was never available for purchase in the United States; it was included in Sega's doomed download service, Sega Channel, but when that service died so did access to the game. It was released as a Genesis cart in Japan and Europe, with a PS2 version available in Japan as well. Because of its semi-official status as an import game, it costs 900 points instead of the regular 800 for Genesis games.
Like many of Treasure's properties, Alien Soldier is crafted out of the same mold as the perennial classic Gunstar Heroes. The strategic, fast-shooting, side-scrolling gameplay is intact, yet here Treasure has shortened each stage and filled the game instead with boss battles. The bosses live up to Treasure's reputation. As a result, the game is a masterful distillation of everything that makes Treasure one of the world's best game developers. Alien Soldier is very much in line with Treasure's previous games, thanks to its ridiculous plot that has way too much back story, a somewhat complicated control scheme that must be mastered, bright graphics, a strange sense of humor, and a very high level of difficulty.
The game offers two difficulty options, Supereasy and Superhard. When playing on Superhard, aside from having more enemies and more difficult gameplay, the game only gives you three continues and no password option. I posit that it is impossible to beat the game this way. On Supereasy, you have unlimited continues, a password save option, and you can alter the speed of the game to make those tough bosses a bit easier. Supereasy is the only way I could manage to play the game at all, managing to get to stage 10 (of 25) after some dedicated play.
Alien Soldier is Treasure's Shadow of the Colossus. It is recommended for everyone, not in spite of its difficulty, but because of it. This is truly a video game masterpiece. - Evan Burchfield
Power Golf – TurboGrafx16
Cost: 600 Wii Points ($6)
Players: 1-3
Controllers: Wii Remote, Wii Classic, GameCube
ESRB Rating: Everyone
Released: 10/1989
Click here for a video preview
Power Golf from Hudson is the TG16's crack at a straight golfing simulator. You'll be able to choose between three different golfers and tee it up on a single 18-hole course. It's got the standard stroke and match play options, but that's about it. There's really nothing more to say about it, other than I got a 73 on my first round. With a 98 handicap. If only the course had some par-13 holes, I might have actually gotten a birdie or two...
This is a terrible, terrible, terrible golf game. It employs the standard power meter that uses timing to determine how strong your shot is and how straight it goes, but there are two fatal problems with it. First, the sweet spot on the woods and long-hitting clubs is so hard to hit, more often than not your shot will careen into the out-of-bounds areas. Secondly, different clubs have different meter scroll speeds. Just when you're close to getting the rhythm for the driver, you'll botch it horribly with the pitching wedge up close. The problems with shooting make the game almost unplayable. Do not download Power Golf, especially when there are two other great games that are worth spending your money on this week. - Steven Rodriguez
Thanks to VG Museum for the classic screenshots.
Topic: Virtual Console Mondays: November 5, 2007 (Read 11507 times)
