Samurai Shodown II

Developer: SNK

Publisher: D4 Enterprise, Inc.

Price: 900 Wii Points

Originally Appeared On: Neo Geo

RECOMMENDATION:
Buy It

Back when it was first released, many considered Samurai Shodown II to be one of the best fighting games on the Neo Geo. Nearly 15 years later, a lot of people still hold that opinion. For all the praise that the game has gotten, it hasn't had much love in terms of home ports. This has suddenly changed now that Samurai Shodown II has been released on both Xbox Live Arcade and Virtual Console.

With its great cast of characters, solid gameplay and challenging difficulty level, Shodown II is one of the best fighters available on the Virtual Console. Making the game even more enjoyable is the hilarious broken English that was seemingly the result of a rushed translation.

Ys Book I & II

Developer: Nihon Falcom

Publisher: Nihon Falcom

Price: 800 Wii Points

Originally Appeared On: TurboGrafx-CD

RECOMMENDATION:
Buy It

The TurboGrafx?CD, a peripheral for the TurboGrafx-16, was the first CD-based game system released in the U.S. Ys Book I & II was one of its launch titles. The game showed the potential of the medium with anime-style cinema sequences, quality voice acting and some of the best music of the 16-bit era.

As for the gameplay, it's an action-RPG that admittedly requires a certain mindset to enjoy. Instead of a traditional combat system, you fight by ramming the game's hero, Adol Christin, into enemies. The damage done to both parties relies entirely on positioning and relative stats. The game world is also fairly small, and requires quite a bit of backtracking. Still, its simplistic nature is what gives the game its charm. The gameplay may feel dated, but the overall package is easy to get into and rather enjoyable.

Clu Clu Land

Developer: Nintendo

Publisher: Nintendo

Price: 500 Wii Points

Originally Appeared On: NES

RECOMMENDATION:
Fry It

When people think of Nintendo's early NES titles, Clu Clu Land usually isn't one of the first games that springs to mind. This somewhat obscure title feels like an old-school arcade game, and although it can be mildly amusing, there are much better uses for 500 Wii Points. You control a circular fish named Bubbles, and on each level, your goal is to uncover all of your gold bars that have been hidden away by the greedy Sea Urchins.

Maneuvering around the screen can be tricky at first, as Bubbles can only move forward. In order to make a turn, you must grab onto one of the many posts that litter each screen, swing around it, and let go once you're aiming in the right direction. This requires quick reflexes and a bit of patience to master. As you swim through the stage, invisible gold bars appear when you pass over them. Working against you are the Sea Urchins and a strict time limit. Although it's not a bad game, Clu Clu Land quickly grows repetitive.

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Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars

Developer: Square

Publisher: Nintendo

Price: 800 Wii Points

Originally Appeared On: Super NES

RECOMMENDATION:
Buy It

Super Mario RPG has been one of the most anticipated Virtual Console releases ever. It's no wonder that people have been looking forward to this title -- it was one of the best games released on the Super NES, and it still looks and plays great today.

The story begins in usual Mario tradition with our plumbing hero rescuing Princess Toadstool from Bowser's clutches. The scene quickly changes, however, when a giant sword pierces Bowser's castle. With a new villain named Smithy in town, Mario must join up with new allies (and the occasional enemy) in order to save the princess and the Mushroom Kingdom.

Developed by legendary RPG creators, Square, Super Mario RPG features gorgeous rendered graphics, a terrific score and gameplay that mixes that of a traditional RPG with the more action-oriented Mario series. If you ever wanted to play the game that spawned the Paper Mario series, now's your chance.

Cho Aniki

Developer: NCS

Publisher: Hudson

Price: 900 Wii Points

Originally Appeared On: TurboGrafx-CD

RECOMMENDATION:
Buy It

Wow, who would have thought that Cho Aniki (meaning "Super Big Brother") would ever be released in the U.S.? Over the years, this series has earned a reputation for its, um, flamboyant nature. Screenshots have appeared in multiple magazines and Web sites showing off the series' grinning, scantily-clad muscle men, bizarre man/machine hybrids, and ample phallic imagery (although this initial entry is far more tame than its sequels).

In this side-scrolling shooter, you can play as either Idaten or Benten, two warriors who fight against the emperor of Planet Builder, a man who lives for bodybuilding. Along the way, they get some assistance from Adon and Samson, the two previously mentioned grinning, scantily-clad muscle men. The duo acts like Gradius' Options, adding firepower through the gaping holes in their heads.

As shooters go, Cho Aniki may not be the best one on the Virtual Console, but it's still a solid title. What makes it worth playing, though, is its crazy sense of humor and wide range of wacked-out enemies. If you're in the mood for something different, this is your ticket.

Final Soldier

Developer: Hudson

Publisher: Hudson

Price: 700 Wii Points

Originally Appeared On: TurboGrafx-16

RECOMMENDATION:
Buy It

Along with the recent VC release, Star Parodier, Final Soldier was one of the two TG-16 entries in the Soldier series of shooters not to see a U.S. release. Considering how great the series is, it's nice to see this game finally released over here, even if it does come with that 100 Wii Point "import tax." Like the other entries in the Soldier series, Final Soldier features great graphics, tight control and a good selection of weapons with which to equip your ship. For a different kind of challenge, there are special Score Attack modes that allow you two or five minutes to rack up the most points.

Although Final Soldier is a fantastic game, it's only worth getting for the most dedicated shooter fan. All of the games in the series are pretty similar, so more casual fans will get an unpleasant sense of d?j? vu.

Mega Man 2

Developer: Capcom

Publisher: Capcom

Price: 500 Wii Points

Originally Appeared On: NES

RECOMMENDATION:
Buy It

With the release of Mega Man 9 just around the corner, Capcom's long-running series is getting some love on the Virtual Console. The Blue Bomber's original adventure came to the service a few weeks back, and now we see the release of his first sequel, often considered the best game in the series. What better reason do you need to replay this fantastic title as you gear up for MM9?

Mega Man 2 takes everything that was great about the original game and improves it exponentially. It sports better level design, brighter and more detailed graphics, outstanding music and a few boss fights that blew our minds back in the day (the Guts-Dozer and Mecha Dragon -- wow!). For 500 points, it's a bargain. This should be a no-brainer purchase.