Game Stooge

Today’s Virtual Console Titles: June 11

• Scribbled on June 11th, 2007 by Devin Grimes
• Filed in Nintendo Wii, Virtual Console

We’re hot on the heels of all the biggest Nintendo Wii games hitting retail this year, and only have a few more months to wait out until things officially kick off with August’s Metroid Prime 3 Corruption, then we get to finish off the year with two other megaton titles: Super Mario Galaxy and Super Smash Bros. Brawl.

And what better way to get through the summer gaming drought than with some timeless classics from your childhood? Today’s lineup includes:

• Lode Runner (NES) - 500 Wii Points
• Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (Sega Genesis) - 800 Wii Points
• Golden Axe II (Sega Genesis) - 800 Wii Points

Click “Read more…” for our pick of the week, as well as the press release.

Many may claim Lode Runner and Golden Axe II to be the stars of today’s lineup, but it’s all about Sonic 2 to me. The sequel to the Sega Genesis’ first real answer to Nintendo’s platforming mascots, replaying Sonic the Hedgehog 2 certainly brings back the memories of not shuddering at the sheer thought of a game set in the universe. While the gameplay remained relatively the same, with the basic goal to reach the right side of the level traveling as fast as possible, a few new concepts were introduced to those of the Sega elite.

Miles “Tails” Prower was introduced to the world, opening up previously uncharted gameplay waters as a playable character, all while introducing two-player cooperative play to the series. Forget about the recent abominations, fire up the old Wii, and kick back to one of the greatest games of all time. Of course, you could always wait for the XBLA version too.

PRESS RELEASE:
WII-KLY UPDATE: THREE NEW CLASSIC GAMES ADDED TO WII SHOP CHANNEL
June 11, 2007

Seems like these days everybody’s just running around, grabbing whatever they can for themselves. Some are after gold nuggets, some want rings and some are trying to recover a stolen axe. Doesn’t anybody talk anymore? Why don’t you grab a few warm cookies, pour yourself a glass of cold milk and fire up the Wii™? We’ll play games and tell stories from simpler times.

Three new classic games go live at 9 a.m. Pacific time. Nintendo adds new games to the Wii Shop Channel every Monday. Wii owners with a high-speed Internet connection can redeem Wii Points™ to download the games. Wii Points can be purchased in the Wii Shop Channel or at retail outlets. This week’s new games are:

Lode Runner® (NES®, 1-2 players, Rated E for Everyone, 500 Wii Points): This landmark action-puzzle game has been a worldwide fixture in video games from the moment of its inception until today, producing many sequels and related products along the way. The player controls the hero, or “Runner,” who collects gold nuggets located around every stage, all the while avoiding capture by enemy robots. The action itself is simple, but the stages are designed as increasingly challenging puzzles, and none of the 50 stages is as easy as it seems. The Runner avoids enemies by digging holes in the floor to the right and left of his position—by doing this, he can clear a path to places that, at first glance, seem unreachable. Players must use their brains to collect all the gold nuggets in every puzzling stage if they want to escape to the next. In addition to normal play, this version of the game features an Edit Mode that allows players to design their own stages, adding a new level of enjoyment to the game.

Sonic the Hedgehog™ 2 (Sega Genesis, 1-2 players, Rated E for Everyone, 800 Wii Points): Dr. Eggman (aka Dr. Robotnik) is back to continue his zealous search for the Chaos Emeralds needed to fuel his new Death Egg contraption. The evil doctor secretly follows Sonic to his vacation spot, Westside Island, and launches a full-scale attack, imprisoning all the helpless animals of the island and turning them into mindless worker drones. Now Sonic must thwart the doctor’s plans at all costs. This time he isn’t alone, as a peculiar two-tailed fox named Miles Prower (aka Tails) decides to aid him in the battle. Together they must locate the Chaos Emeralds before Dr. Eggman does, and put an end to his diabolical scheme.

Golden Axe™ II (Sega Genesis, 1-2 players, Rated E10+ for Everyone 10 and Older – Fantasy Violence, 800 Wii Points): Not long after the devastating reign of the wicked Death Adder, another evil arose. Dark Guld and his minions invaded and took hold of the prized Golden Axe with plans to destroy it. Once again, as a fierce barbarian named Ax-Battler, a fearless female Amazon known as Tyris-Flare or a ferocious dwarf named Gilius Thunderhead, you will wield steely swords and powerful magic in an all-out war to recover the sword. Once you slash your way through the six side-scrolling levels, you’ll get the chance to defeat Dark Guld once and for all.

For more information about Wii, please visit wii.com.