Power Button Podcast
Tip JarVirtual Console Most Wanted
April 27, 2007
The Virtual Console selection on the Wii Shop Channel keeps rolling along with new retro games week after week, but there are a few games that I want to see available on the service about which we have yet to hear a peep. The world may be clamoring for Super Metroid or Super Mario RPG, but I have my own list of games from yesterday for which I'd gladly fork over a few hundred Wii points, and here they are presented in no particular order.
Mischief Makers
Developed by Treasure
Nintendo 64 (1997)
One of the few 2D platforms produced for the Nintendo 64, Mischief Makers follows the adventures of a robotic maid by the name of Marina Liteyears. While visiting Planet Clancer with her creator, the doddering old man is kidnapped by the local population. Marina must traverse a variety of wacky levels in search of the villains behind the abduction. The game's gimmick lies in Marina's attack style. She doesn't jump on foes or throw objects at them, oh no. Instead she grabs hold of them and gives them a mighty shake, causing them to drop gems or other valuable items before tossing her foe away. Few people experiences the whimsical joy of Mischief Makers when it was originally released, and although I rented it a few times I never had the chance to fully complete the game. I'd easily pay 1000 Wii points to correct that mistake.
Mega Man: The Wily Wars
Developed by Capcom
Sega Mega Drive (1994)
How many times would I buy the same game? I already own the original Nintendo Entertainment System versions of the first three Mega Man games, plus I have the Anniversary Collection released for the GameCube. Now I want the "Mega Man All-Stars" rendition of those games that was produced for the Mega Drive (that's Genesis to those of us in the USA, although since this collection was never released here, we never had the chance to buy the game). The recreations of Mega Man, Mega Man 2, and Mega Man 3 are fantastic conversions, plus the Wily Tower collection of levels offers some interesting challenges. Ardent blue bomber fans have been playing this set via emulation for years now, but it'd be nice to play it without resorting to save state hacks and other trickery to reach Wily Tower. Finally, if this game should turn up again on the Virtual Console and does well, I wouldn't say no to a similar treatment of Mega Man 4, Mega Man 5, and Mega Man 6 produced in the same style as Wily Wars.
Mother 3
Developed by Nintendo
Game Boy Advance (2006)
As much as I hate to admit it, chances are the only way that anyone outside of Japan will get to experience this sequel to Earthbound as intended would be if the game turned up on the Virtual Console. There's a die-hard Earthbound fan base that would quickly snap this one up in a heartbeat, and I'd like to believe that positive word of mouth would spread to those who have never experienced the Mother series's quirkiness. In a world where Nintendo is wowing customers with the Wii and DS, the fact that this game hasn't been localized by now is one of the company's few recent missteps. If we can't have this one I suppose I'd take a consolation prize of the original Mother originally localized yet unreleased for the NES.
Chrono Trigger
Developed by Square
Super NES (1995)
Most everyone who holds this RPG in high esteem has been hoping for another installment in the series beyond Chrono Cross for the Sony PlayStation, but at this point in time I believe that any such sequel just wouldn't live up to expectations. Instead I'd like another go-round from the original Chrono Trigger in all its side-questing and multi-ending glory. Aside from Super Mario RPG, this is the only one of Square's RPGs that I truly enjoyed and played all the way to the one of the ends back in the day. Like Mischief Makers, however, I only rented it repeatedly and never actually owned it, so for 800 Wii points I'd grab this one as soon as it hit the Shop channel. Hut, hut, Sir Magus!
Adventure Island IV
Developed by Hudson
Nintendo Famicom (1994)
Unlike the previous three Adventure Island titles from the old NES days, Adventure Island IV (which went unreleased outside of Japan due to its late release date) combined the familiar play mechanic with the style of Metroid in which the heroic Master Higgins backtracked across levels to gather new items and open new paths. Structured similarly to today's modern handheld Castlevania adventures, the game features new weapons, new enemies, large levels, and plenty of new challenges. Hudson has embraced the Virtual Console with its many TurboGrafx-16 releases, and in one case has even released a game that was once exclusive to Japan in other regions. Surely the company could localize this lost adventure and give it the availability it so richly deserves.