Virtual Console Hits Like An Awesome Shinobi Ninja
PLUS: Crazy detachable-head puppetry!
This week Nintendo hits us with not one, not two... OK, four titles on Virtual Console for the Wii. This quadruple offering includes Shinobi III, Dynamite Headdy, Shining Force and Drop Off.
Shinobi III first found its way to the small screen back in 1993 with a bit of help from the SEGA Mega Drive. Often regarded as the best of the action platform series, it puts players under the ninja hood of Joe (of course he's called Joe) Musashi as he takes on the recently resurrected Neo Zeed crime syndicate. It's all yours for 800 Wii Points.
Dynamite Headdy comes from Treasure Co. First released on the Mega Drive, Dynamite Headdy... actually, we're going to turn you over to Nintendo for a description: “Headdy, the star of a travelling theatre with an explosive, detachable head must fight his way past numerous evil puppets over several theatrical stages and defeat the evil puppet king, ‘Dark Demon’, and his minions, as well as attempting to defeat his life long enemy Trouble Bruin.” 800 Wii points. 'Nuff said.
Completing this week's trilogy of Mega Drive titles is Shining Force. This RPG classic would have cost you about £85 in GameStation last week, but now it's yours for a modest 800 Wii Points. A thousand years of peace comes crashing down when the kingdom of Runefaust brings war to the land of Rune. Using the creatively-named Powers of Light, players must do battle with the equally creatively-named Lord of Darkness.
Rounding out this week's Virtual Console offering is the Turbographx action-puzzler Drop Off. Princess Azumi has been placed under a sleeping spell, and it's up to Takashi to enter her dreams and wake her up. Along the way he'll have to clear paths through obstacles or, if you want it straight, solve block puzzles. It all sounds a bit creepy to SPOnG. You can get hold of Drop Off for 600 Wii Points.
Shinobi III first found its way to the small screen back in 1993 with a bit of help from the SEGA Mega Drive. Often regarded as the best of the action platform series, it puts players under the ninja hood of Joe (of course he's called Joe) Musashi as he takes on the recently resurrected Neo Zeed crime syndicate. It's all yours for 800 Wii Points.
Dynamite Headdy comes from Treasure Co. First released on the Mega Drive, Dynamite Headdy... actually, we're going to turn you over to Nintendo for a description: “Headdy, the star of a travelling theatre with an explosive, detachable head must fight his way past numerous evil puppets over several theatrical stages and defeat the evil puppet king, ‘Dark Demon’, and his minions, as well as attempting to defeat his life long enemy Trouble Bruin.” 800 Wii points. 'Nuff said.
Completing this week's trilogy of Mega Drive titles is Shining Force. This RPG classic would have cost you about £85 in GameStation last week, but now it's yours for a modest 800 Wii Points. A thousand years of peace comes crashing down when the kingdom of Runefaust brings war to the land of Rune. Using the creatively-named Powers of Light, players must do battle with the equally creatively-named Lord of Darkness.
Rounding out this week's Virtual Console offering is the Turbographx action-puzzler Drop Off. Princess Azumi has been placed under a sleeping spell, and it's up to Takashi to enter her dreams and wake her up. Along the way he'll have to clear paths through obstacles or, if you want it straight, solve block puzzles. It all sounds a bit creepy to SPOnG. You can get hold of Drop Off for 600 Wii Points.
Companies:
HudsonSoft Nintendo
Games: Drop Rock Dynamite Headdy Shining Force CD Shinobi III: Return of the Ninja Master
Games: Drop Rock Dynamite Headdy Shining Force CD Shinobi III: Return of the Ninja Master
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Comments
Joji 3 Aug 2007 10:58
1/3
That's a great line up. Shinobi 3: Return of the Ninja Master really took the series to great heights, which unfortunately they are yet to return to. One of my fave Megadrive games, up there with Street of Rage 2. I pray to god Sega rediscover the x factor that made this one so great, and have another try at Shinobi on PS3 or 360. They've got so much to learn from Ninja Gaiden now.
Dynamite Heady I remember well and it was a bit of a sleeper hit in the Megadrives last years. Classic platform gaming with the Treasure touch, reasonable difficulty and damn fun too. Think of Decap Attack, but with a puppet and you on the right track with Heady.
Shining Force: the Legacy of Great Intention, as far as I know was damn good too, but its a Shining Force game I think I missed previously. Can't go wrong with it, give it a try too.
Never had a Turbo Graphx so I can comment on Drop Off.
Dynamite Heady I remember well and it was a bit of a sleeper hit in the Megadrives last years. Classic platform gaming with the Treasure touch, reasonable difficulty and damn fun too. Think of Decap Attack, but with a puppet and you on the right track with Heady.
Shining Force: the Legacy of Great Intention, as far as I know was damn good too, but its a Shining Force game I think I missed previously. Can't go wrong with it, give it a try too.
Never had a Turbo Graphx so I can comment on Drop Off.
Dreadknux 3 Aug 2007 10:59
2/3
My word! SEGA are on form with Virtual Console. Dynamite Headdy rocks, Shinobi III was the best in the series for me, and I've been yearning for Shining Force to come on the service for the longest time. Shining Force II was my first RPG that I ever played, I love that game to bits. :]
@ Joji: The first one is pretty cool, ever played the second one? I prefer Shining Force II personally, as the first is structured into particular chapters rather than a massive free-roaming adventure, but as a game that essentially lays the foundations for a great strategy RPG it's worth 800 points.
I wonder what happened to Sonic Software Planning. >_> They became Camelot didn't they? I really want a new Shining Force that doesn't follow SEGA's recent tradition of screwing up their franchises (Shining Soul was very meh, can't comment on Shining Force for PS2 but heard it was a bit s**t). I want a SF game that goes back to what the Mega Drive/Saturn games were all about. I think the closest game that touches SF in terms of how it plays is Fire Emblem isn't it? I've not played Fire Emblem so am only going by descriptions and pictures, but would that be a good enough assumption?
@ Joji: The first one is pretty cool, ever played the second one? I prefer Shining Force II personally, as the first is structured into particular chapters rather than a massive free-roaming adventure, but as a game that essentially lays the foundations for a great strategy RPG it's worth 800 points.
I wonder what happened to Sonic Software Planning. >_> They became Camelot didn't they? I really want a new Shining Force that doesn't follow SEGA's recent tradition of screwing up their franchises (Shining Soul was very meh, can't comment on Shining Force for PS2 but heard it was a bit s**t). I want a SF game that goes back to what the Mega Drive/Saturn games were all about. I think the closest game that touches SF in terms of how it plays is Fire Emblem isn't it? I've not played Fire Emblem so am only going by descriptions and pictures, but would that be a good enough assumption?
Joji 3 Aug 2007 12:04
3/3
Yeah, I played Shining Force 2 on a friends Megadrive, it is indeed another megadrive must have. Once, when I was a young, silly fanboy, I hated anything Sega, but it was games like Shinobi 3, Streets of Rage 1 and 2 and Shining Force that broke my stupid, blind sighted Nintendo loyalty. Now, I'm a better gamer for it, and will try any game on any format.
Shining Force 2 was great, the way you could get a cart to carry extra characters, and like Fire Emblem, when they die you can't bring them back (a great tactic to make you give a damn about them, which Fire Emblem also uses), but you can find other ones. Only other good Shining Force game you can buy of late is Shining Force: Resurrection of the Dark Dragon on GBA. It's worth hunting for as you can get it dirt cheap now.
Sonic Software Planning became Camelot? Is that true? If so, I wasn't aware of that. Might explain why GBA Golden Sun 1 and 2 were so good.
Fire Emblem is worth getting too, especially both the GBA versions (i have the second cut Sacred Stones which is top class stuff). If you dig Shining Force or Advance Wars, that much, you should invest in copies of Fire Emblem. Check the GC cuts too.
With regards to Sega, I still believe that their being purchased by Sammy, has hurt them somewhat, but they are slowly recovering their former glory. Universe At War, Nights, VF6, Sega Rally all looking superb. If things go well, and more Shining games on the way, I'm sure its only a matter of time before we see the Ninja Master return again and for the better. Ninja Gaiden needs some competition, badly and Team Ninja are making Sega looks silly. A new Eswat game wouldn't go amiss either.
Shining Force 2 was great, the way you could get a cart to carry extra characters, and like Fire Emblem, when they die you can't bring them back (a great tactic to make you give a damn about them, which Fire Emblem also uses), but you can find other ones. Only other good Shining Force game you can buy of late is Shining Force: Resurrection of the Dark Dragon on GBA. It's worth hunting for as you can get it dirt cheap now.
Sonic Software Planning became Camelot? Is that true? If so, I wasn't aware of that. Might explain why GBA Golden Sun 1 and 2 were so good.
Fire Emblem is worth getting too, especially both the GBA versions (i have the second cut Sacred Stones which is top class stuff). If you dig Shining Force or Advance Wars, that much, you should invest in copies of Fire Emblem. Check the GC cuts too.
With regards to Sega, I still believe that their being purchased by Sammy, has hurt them somewhat, but they are slowly recovering their former glory. Universe At War, Nights, VF6, Sega Rally all looking superb. If things go well, and more Shining games on the way, I'm sure its only a matter of time before we see the Ninja Master return again and for the better. Ninja Gaiden needs some competition, badly and Team Ninja are making Sega looks silly. A new Eswat game wouldn't go amiss either.