There are plenty of games that Nintendo needs to get on the Virtual Console. However, these games should already be on the Virtual Console or making their way there. Unfortunately, none of these games appear on any list of games that will soon be made available. So, let us take a short journey through the top five games I believe need to be on the Virtual Console.

#5- Dr. Mario (NES)

The puzzle geek in me cannot let this issue die. Why is one of the greatest puzzle genre games featuring Mario not on the Virtual Console!? This is a greater travesty than the time they put the name “Final Fantasy” on the My Life as a King game on WiiWare (couldn’t Square Enix have published it under a different name, perhaps simply, “My Life as a King”). Moving on to the goods of the game we can see why Dr. Mario should have a reserved space on the Virtual Console line up. There is little more satisfying than overcoming the common cold by over indulging on yellow, red, and blue pills prescribed by none other than Dr. Mario. The simple yet addictive game play allows for fun for more than one person. As you advance your skills you can crank up the speed and amount of germs present in your system. You would think with all of the folks who bought the Wii for therapy would also like to play a game that fights viruses (if you go for self-efficacy effects). Not much would make me or the therapy folks happier than to see Dr. Mario as a viable download option. Come on Nintendo, don’t you want us to be happy?

#4- X-Men (Genesis)

This great 1993 release made this list for primarily two reasons. First, nostalgic tendencies seem to get the better of my memory for games that might be better suited on the Virtual Console wish list. But seriously, isn’t that why Nintendo created the Virtual Console, for nostalgic purposes? Second, it truly is a great game. You get a chance to control one of four X-Men on a mission to escape the virus-infected danger room in the X-Mansion and fight the evil menace behind it all. The replay value isn’t all that great unless you want to challenge yourself to beat it with each character. Now, I know what some Sega-geeks are saying, and probably have been since they saw what game I listed at number five, “what about the reset trick toward on Mojo’s level?” In response, this is a wish list, please don’t geek pwn me. I’d hope game developers could configure a button on the classic controller to assume this function. But, alas, I do not know if this is feasible. So, onward!

#3- Final Fantasy III (SNES)

Few who have played this game would argue that FFIII should be on the Virtual Console. But, if we would like to be proper, as most video game geeks do, this would actually be considered Final Fantasy VI. Names aside, this game belongs on Virtual Console for a few reasons. First, Virtual Console needs representation from one of the greatest RPG series created, period. Second, FFIII gives players a chance to take advantage of the free-roam system on the world map. There are few games that allow for complete control of your characters subsequent destinations. Exploration is key to video game enjoyment. Personally, the drive I have to complete all video games stems from the desire to see what the next level will hold and its layout, what vile villains I will dispatch look like, and to decipher what tasks are necessary to pass the level. The free-range system allows for hours of exploration if the usual game play gets tedious or boring, however unlikely. Finally, FFIII provides a great story line, experience based level-up system, and plenty of side-quests to make this a sweet deal if it ever graces the Virtual Console. There is plenty more that could be said about FFIII and what merits its inclusion on the Virtual Console, but there are still two more that deserve equal attention.

#2- Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars (SNES)

Here is another great RPG this time featuring the classic Nintendo icon, Mario. This game was supposed to be released early in the Virtual Console’s existence. However, Super Mario RPG fans have been forced to wait with mixed rumors about when and if the game will be released. The game provides an opportunity to control five characters as you explore seven different levels. In addition, there are plenty of side-quests and opportunities for you to build up your experience giving you more attacks to choose from. Not only does this RPG feature the usual turn based system, it also incorporates an active feature where you must perform some action to determine the severity of certain attacks. This game is good enough that I would recommend RPG fans who have never played to purchase a Super Nintendo and this game. The resale will still be what you bought it for if you don’t like it since there are many fans. I think a parsimonious solution would be for Nintendo to release it for the Virtual Console and to stop toying with our emotions!

#1- GoldenEye 007 (N64)

So here it is, number one. Now I have to remind everyone reading that this list is not meant to be in the order of which game is better, it is a list of games that I would most like to see on the Virtual Console. What better way to spend time with friends and family, than by hunting each other down and shooting one another? Awesome multiplayer abilities aside, this game offers something for everyone, or at least anyone who can tolerate a little animated violence. Whether you want to go in a guns a blazin’ or go for a more refined, reconnaissance-stealth style you can to it in 007. With four difficulty levels this game will provide plenty of challenge even to veterans of the game. The difficulty of getting this game onto the Wii stems from Microsoft. They happen to own Rare, the developers of 007. But, hopefully, we might still get a chance to enjoy this great game on the Virtual Console within the year. Only time will tell.

Rx by

Dr. M. CLK

That’s right! It’s been just over a week and Nintendo’s most anticipated game of 2008 has finally hit American store shelves. After three excruciating delays, the countless months of waiting have finally paid off. Super Smash Bros. Brawl made its way to the U.S. on March 9^th and shortly after found its way into my Wii for an all nighter of smashing and bashing with Nintendo’s greatest characters in gaming history. So the real question I’ve had to ask myself is this – has Brawl been everything that I dreamt it should be? The answer is yes! Yes it has and more…

For those of you who don’t know what the Super Smash Bros. series is all about allow me to fill you in. Super Smash Bros. is a Nintendo published fighting game in which a player selects his/ her favorite Nintendo mascot and dukes it out in a four player fighting frenzy. The object of the game is to beat up your opponent mercilessly until he/ she is capable of being knocked off the fighting field (map) without the ability to safely recover. Characters start at 0% and as the fight progresses so does their damage, and when a character passes 100% they are susceptible to being easily knocked off the stage. Of course there are several different modes and ways to play Smash Bros.; however, the basic objective of the game is to knock your opponent off the level, making sure that he/she won’t return. The series was first introduced back on the N64, but it really became a phenomenon when the follow up release, Super Smash Bros. Melee, was released on the Nintendo Gamecube as a second wave launch title.

The Evolution of the Smash series: Super Smash Bros. (left), Super Smash Bros. Melee (right) and Super Smash Bros. Brawl (bottom)

If you’re already familiar with the Smash series and were like me, staying up late checking the official Smash Dojo website every morning, then you know that Brawl is essentially an overloaded package of goodness – presenting players with more characters, levels, modes, content, design and the likes – not to mention an added and much anticipated online feature. On the surface Brawl looks like the be all to end all mother load of gaming, and trust me when I say that its beauty isn’t simply skin deep.

Besides Brawl’s online feature, which allows you to play your registered friends or complete strangers, its other big achievement over its predecessors is its all new adventure mode: The Subspace Emissary. In the SE players are treated to either a solo or a co-op adventure mode that allows them to witness Brawls distinctive story mode while simultaneously collecting the entire cast of characters (including hidden characters), new music CD’s to play, trophies and the pleasure of viewing the gorgeous cinematic cut scenes that comprise and convey the story without ever spilling one word of dialogue. However, as great as the Subspace Emissary is, everyone knows that the real jewel in Brawl is its four player battle mode. I’ve never seen a room get so heated than during an intense game of four player Smash Bros. – this game is what trash talking is all about.

Also new to the Smash series is the addition of character final smashes and assist trophies. Each character in Brawl has their own unique final smash move that allows the gameplay to grow more intense and causes the tables to turn in favor of whoever can pull off his/her final smash. The final smash ball, which is essentially a new item to Brawl along with the assist trophy, contains each character’s final smash, and in order for a character to use it, they must break open the smash ball to obtain its final smashing goodness. For example, when Mario obtains the final smash he releases a barrage of flames from his hands causing anyone caught in its radius to get scorched. Many final smashes create instant KO’s to whoever they touch, yet some simply rack up insane amounts of damage without actually killing the opponent. Assist trophies on the other hand are Nintendo’s own version of the pokeball. Everyone knows that when a character throws a pokeball it breaks open and releases a random creature from the pokemon universe that helps aid the fighter who threw it for a short period of time. Well, assist trophies are very similar to pokeballs because when a character breaks open an assist trophy it releases a famous and nostalgic character from Nintendo’s history to momentarily help aid the player in combat. My personal favorite assist trophy character is Little Mac from Punch-out on the NES. Little Mac comes raging out of the assist trophy looking to KO your opponent with a little one-two jab before topping them off with his patented super star punch.

Mario’s three steps to using his final smash (left to right):
Step 1) “Must get the Smash Ball.” Step 2) “Is it hot in here or is it just me?” 3) “Anyone need a light?”

Another huge addition to Brawl is the game’s customization features. Brawl is all about customization in order to best fit your specific style of play, and that is best seen in its control options and custom stage builder. Not only are players capable of using the Wii remote and the nunchuck, but players can also choose to use the Wii’s classic controller and even the Gamecube controller (my personal favorite). Four different methods of control all wrapped up into one game – Wow, that’s sexy! Nintendo really didn’t want to leave anyone out of the picture when it came to deciding control features, and better yet Brawl even allows players to assign specific actions to specific buttons if you don’t like the default setup for each control option. Also, for the very first time in the Smash series, players will be able to build their own unique custom stages. The game provides users with an adequate list of custom parts that they can use at their own discretion. If you want a crazy match filled with ridiculous traps and danger zones then build a stage full of spiked floors, ladders and spring boards. If you’re like me, and want to recreate stages from the past Smash games that didn’t make the cut into Brawl, then you can go about it like that as well. The possibilities are endless and with this new welcomed addition Brawl’s replay value spikes the charts even further.

Two different Assist Trophy characters – Dr. Wright from the NES classic SimCity (left) and the Excitebike riders from fellow NES classic Excitebike (right).

There are just so many new features to the game that writing a review fewer than 15 pages could pose as a possible difficulty. Aside from all the new game features and added content, the real question is how does Brawl play in comparison to its predecessors? Well, in my opinion it’s some where in between Smash 64 and Melee. If you have ever played either of Smash’s previous entries then the first thing you will notice is that the speed of Brawl has been turned down a notch. The characters in Brawl are slightly bigger than they were in Melee and their speed onscreen has also been reduced. This isn’t a bad thing by any means; however, it does take a little adjustment to get used to because Melee was a game that if you blinked you might end up dead. My guess for the decrease in game speed and larger characters is because of Nintendo’s outreach to get non-gamers involved. Nintendo has time and time again stated that the Wii was built to broaden the range of gamers by incorporating untraditional gamers like parents and even grandparents in the mix. Granted, Brawl isn’t a game that I could see my grandparents playing, but by tweaking the traditional play mechanics of the game (especially getting rid of wave dashing and other expert play maneuvers) Nintendo has opened up the doors for a larger audience to enjoy.

However, with Brawl’s slower paced (and not by much) gameplay, players also get treated to the game’s overwhelming character animations. In Brawl, every character is detailed so much that even in the midst of chaotic battle you’ll still be able to eye your character on screen as you witness the fluid motion and effects that each one possesses. From the very instant your character sets foot on screen to each individual final smash, Brawl provides beautiful eye candy that really pushes the Wii’s power to its limits. Even the levels, both new and retro have their own unique style and visual appeal. The Melee stages that have overlapped onto Brawl have undergone a slight makeover and even the flat, 2-dimensionl stages are vastly appealing. Brawl runs in 460p with widescreen support and almost never (I’ve only seen it once) drops below a silky smooth 60 frames per second. If you thought Mario Galaxy looked good, well then you need to check out Brawl. Despite the Wii averaging slightly better than last generation graphics, Brawl looks amazing, and I couldn’t picture it looking any more crisp and vibrant.

Look at the retro stage (Yoshi’s Island) and the 2-D shy guy mixed with Samus’ shiny armor suit, Donkey Kong’s grainy hair and not to mention the gorgeous smoke effect from the cracker launcher.

Aside from the graphics and the added features to the game, Brawl probably has the greatest soundtrack of any video game ever – EVER! Not only does Brawl host a nearly complete discography of classic Nintendo game theme songs, but they have been transformed into full orchestrated music pieces. You can hear everything from the original Super Mario Bros. theme song all the way up to current Wii titles’ music, including songs from Twilight Princess and Wii Sports, and better yet they’re fully orchestrated. There are so many epic songs in Brawl that the game actually has you unlock additional songs by collecting CD’s through various challenges and etc. And better yet, Brawl allows you to determine how often or how little a specific song plays on a particular level – very cool.

Super Smash Bros. Brawl features so many different modes, characters, levels and the likes that when you first pop in the Brawl disc you’ll only have half of what the game truly contains. I could tell you all about the new and secret characters, levels and items, but like I said that could take me anywhere from 15 to 20 pages. This game has so much content that it is the Wii’s first and only duel layered game disc. With over 30 characters and 40 plus levels, not to mention a rather hefty campaign mode, the Subspace Emissary (nearly eight hours of gameplay), Super Smash Bros. Brawl hasn’t disappointed me one bit. However, that’s not to say that there aren’t a few nit-picky issues about the game.

One thing that I noticed in comparison to Smash’s previous entries, and in particular to almost any Nintendo published game ever is that Brawl sports some pretty long load times. Brawl’s initial title screen takes about 20 agonizing seconds to load and some levels in multiplayer can take up to 10 seconds as well. That may not seem like much in comparison to older games on the PS2 or new generation games on the 360 or PS3 because of the HD load; however, that wait is excruciatingly long to many Nintendo fans who have never witnessed extensive load times.

I thought Mario only had one brother…????

Another factor that I could pick on about Brawl is the Subspace Emissary campaign. Yes, the new adventure mode is a welcomed addition to Brawl, and yes, it does provide a nice alternative to the multiplayer battles; however, it becomes rather repetitive even after a short period of time. Nintendo tried to spice up the adventure mode by having players hunt for music CD’s, trophies and other unlockables, but you’ll find yourself repeatedly killing the same bunches of endless henchmen, and it just gets stale. It becomes kind of aggravating playing the Subspace because all you really want to do is unlock the hidden characters by having them join your campaign, but you have to put up with the slightly boring and monotonous task of killing the same bad guys in different levels. Like I said earlier, the cinematic cut scenes are superbly done and an original story is unfolded without even a lick of dialogue. Most people have been all up in Nintendo’s grill about its policy of not allowing their major characters to talk in games, and while I agree with people’s attempt to try to change that, I found the Subspace’s lack of speech refreshing and encompassing. Despite, the fact that the Subspace adventure lags a little in the fun factor, Nintendo essentially threw it in the game as an added bonus because we all know that the Smash series is all about the multiplayer. Nintendo could have crapped in a bag and labeled it the Subspace Emissary, but that wouldn’t have stopped me and thousands of others from buying that bag for its insanely addicting multiplayer.

The last gripe about Brawl that I scrounged to come up with is also one of its biggest benefits – its online feature. In Brawl, the online mode allows players to choose to register their friend’s Brawl codes and play them, or players can choose to compete in a match with up to three complete strangers. It sounds like a pretty awesome idea on the surface, yet when you actually explore the online multiplayer there are several leaky holes. For starters, players once again have to input those dreaded friend codes into their Brawl’s save memory just to play each other. People have been griping about Wii’s friend codes ever since the Nintendo stated it would go online, and I don’t see Nintendo answering any of those pleas to cut the friend code nonsense in the near future. Another thing that really bothers me is the customization differences between friend matches and matches with anyone. In friend matches players can customize the type of Brawl – time match, live stock, team battle or coin match, as well as being able to customize short text messages on the controller that appear when a player uses their character’s taunts. Another benefit of friend matches is that multiple players can play on the same Wii. You can have up to three players on one Wii while you’re connected to your friend on his/ her own Wii. These areas of customization really help add to the fun factor of online matches, and that is exactly why it’s a shame these same areas of customization aren’t allowed via matches with anyone (strangers). You can’t customize the match type, you can’t send short text messages and you can’t even have multiple people on the same Wii playing with you in matches with anyone. Nintendo really fell short in terms of customization when playing matches with strangers. There’s no ranking system, the matches are often very laggy, unless you plan on playing at 3 in the morning and lastly, you can’t even exchange your own name or Brawl code with strangers online. So even if you finally get a good online match going with some strangers, you can’t even exchange your friend code with them to play again – you’ll simply never play them again once you disconnect. Nintendo really had a chance to shine in terms of its online content for Brawl, and although the matches with registered friends play great and are customizable, the matches with anyone simply suck. Oh, and not to mention that Nintendo once again didn’t include online voice chat via a headset for Brawl. But that’s a whole other story that I could rage and rant over for far, far too long. (Just check out my other blog “No Wii Headset, Still a Disappointment” if you want to hear my thoughts on Nintendo’s constant decision to not include online voice chat for the Wii).

Newcomers Sonic and Snake grace Brawl’s roster with their fighting skills.

Like I said, I could continue writing a review for Brawl because there is just so much content and customization in the game, yet I would probably get tired of writing it and you would probably get sick of reading it. Brawl boasts a robust roster of classic Nintendo nostalgia through its fat lineup of characters, levels, items, music, trophies and unlockable content. The bottom line is that Super Smash Bros. Brawl is definitely the Wii’s best game thus far, and probably one of the greatest games in the history of the gaming industry. If you’re a Smash veteran or if you’re a complete noob, Brawl will not let you down in any way, shape or form. This game is epic, and people will be playing it for years and years to come.

If you own Brawl and want to play some online matches sometime my friend code is: 2793-0254-4957. Give me yours and we can smash.

As always, thanks for reading.

-Dillon (D-Dub)