Virtual Console Mondays: June 11, 2007

Wii

by Steven Rodriguez - June 12, 2007, 12:33 pm
Total comments: 18

The second Sonic game, the second Golden Axe and the second Lode Runner to appear on Virtual Console. Come here for a second, won't you?

Now that we're past the century mark in VC releases, Nintendo has rolled back to the usual three-a-week plan. It must have had a hell of a party, too, because there aren't any Nintendo games this week. Instead, Sega comes with two sequels and Hudson shuns the TurboGrafx to release an NES game. Find out the games and the recommendations we give below.

Lode Runner

System	Virtual Console - Nintendo Entertainment System
Cost	500 Points
Players	2
Controllers	Wii Remote,Wii Nunchuk,GameCube
ESRB Rating	Everyone
Released	Sep 1987

Click here for a video preview

Lode Runner is one of those famous games that either evokes nostalgia or doesn't. Following a young (or old) man's quest for gold, Lode Runner is a simple action/puzzle title that has similarities to Solomon's Key, but is not as refined. Your character has the ability to dig holes and climb ladders, leaving you defenseless as robotic Muslims (or something) steal the same gold you are after. Gameplay consists of evading the robots by running away or digging a hole that they will fall in.

Digging to the left or right of your character is controlled by two different buttons, instead of simply using the direction your character is facing. This isn't the best method, but it gets the job done. Overall gameplay is repetitive, with all 50 levels accessible at any time by simply hitting the Select (or Minus) Button. Not deep enough to recommend to casual players or newcomers to NES games, Lode Runner is for experienced (jaded?) fans of action-puzzle games or those nostalgic for a lost experience.

- Evan Burchfield

Sonic the Hedgehog 2

System	Virtual Console - Genesis
Cost	800 Points
Players	2
Controllers	Wii Remote,Wii Nunchuk,GameCube
ESRB Rating
Released	Nov 24, 1992

Click here for a video preview

Sonic's back for his second game, and it's really the first game in the series where the hedgehog really gets to show what he's made of. Unlike the first game, the level design in Sonic 2 is more open, allowing you to blast through the levels quickly. This game also marks the first appearance of Sonic's flying pal Tails. He tags along with you in single player mode, collecting any stray rings or taking out enemies in your wake. You can take control of him if you play in the game's race-to-the-finish two-player mode.

If you've never played a Sonic the Hedgehog game, Sonic 2 is the best place to start. And if you did play the first game, you should get the sequel seeing as how it's better in just about every way. Since it's something you should probably get whether you have or haven't played the games before, that makes this a game we recommend for everyone. Better get it quick!

- Steven Rodriguez

Golden Axe II

System	Virtual Console - Genesis
Cost	800 Points
Players	2
Controllers	Wii Remote,Wii Nunchuk,GameCube
ESRB Rating
Released	Dec 31, 1991

Click here for a video preview

Golden Axe II is really a mess of a game. Though two player co-op has made the Golden Axe games last, they have definitely lasted longer than they should. Set in a bland medieval-fantasy world, the game is a hack-n-slash with only one button for both hacking and slashing. In other words, you can jump, swing your sword, or use magic. It isn't just repetitive, it defines repetitive; it encompasses, enfolds, encapsulates, encloses, and encircles repetitive. It sucks.

Your character either moves too fast or too slow, blocking and dodging don't even enter into the game, and it's so easy to die that you're given unlimited continues which equals zero satisfaction. Though there's the possibility that some nostalgic fan absolutely has to play this game, he or she would probably prefer to live with the memory of a good experience instead of permanently despoiling it.

- Evan Burchfield

VG Museum, we love you for having screenshots of like, every game ever. Thanks for letting us borrow some of them!

Talkback

GoldenPhoenixJune 12, 2007

Eww to Lode Runner, that is the one game I have HATED from the NES days even though it was one of the first NES games I ever played.

ArbokJune 12, 2007

I guess I'm the only one who thought Golden Axe II was almost on par with the first... it was much easier, that's for sure, but as a kid that helped make the co-op much more enjoyable when playing with those less skilled at the title. I thought the increased selection of animals to ride was nifty as well, too... *shrugs*

Ian SaneJune 12, 2007

I liked Golden Axe II at the time but it's been so long since I played it I have no idea if I would still like it. Hell my brothers and I liked Golden Axe III as well and everywhere I read the game is regarded as a disgrace against the series. About a year or two ago I downloaded Golden Axe: Revenge of Death Adder on MAME and played through it with my brothers. We were bored sh!tless after the second level or so. It was just slash-slash-slash. Even worse the enemies kept repeating. Early on we encounter these cool Mayan warrior dudes in a jungle and then later in a forest we got attacked by TREEMEN! Super cool, right? Well in the later levels they just endlessly recycle those two types of enemies. Fighting treemen in the Mushroom Forest is cool, fighting them in the market and the desert and the castle is not.

I do however still love beat-em-ups. A lot of people sh!t on them but I think they're either playing crappy ones or they're too young and have modern "not 3D, hard, can be beaten in one sitting = suck" bias or they're just following the crowd and haven't played the old games for themselves in a long time. The really good beat-em-ups like the ones Capcom made are a blast to play with your friends. Double Dragon sucks and I have a feeling Golden Axe sucks (despite my fond memories) and the SNES version of Final Fight sucks. The sad thing is one has to make a decent effort to play the best the genre has to offer. If the only 2D platformers that were in stores right now were Bubsy and Aero the Acrobat then odds are the whole genre would get crapped on, including Mario.

And co-op is far too underused these days. We need to stop associating "multiplayer" with "deathmatch".

Patchkid15Patrick Barnett, Associate EditorJune 12, 2007

i just bought Sonic 2 and is there any way to save the game. Or is that impossible

vuduJune 12, 2007

Sonic 2 doesn't have any save features. However, you can suspend play by pressing the home button on your remote and then returning to the main menu. When you return to the game, you'll pick up where you left off.

Patchkid15Patrick Barnett, Associate EditorJune 12, 2007

yea i new that way just wasnt sure if there was any other. Because i have a brother who will want to start from the beginning when i am at like the 3rd area

MashiroJune 12, 2007

Sonic 3 is the first sonic game that uses a multi-save file system I think.

Patchkid15Patrick Barnett, Associate EditorJune 12, 2007

is it as good as 2

WuTangTurtleJune 12, 2007

.....im still waiting for either battletoads & double dragons or TMNT in time for beat 'em ups. Oh and an almost unheard of game called Brawl Brothers on SNES.

TansunnJune 12, 2007

I remember playing Lode Runner on an old Mac system and having a good bit of fun with it. (Then again, I was probably 4 at the time...) Never played the NES version, though. Might be worth a shot...

MashiroJune 12, 2007