With the Nintendo 3DS and Wii U having their online store fronts closing for business in March 2023, I will be devoting some time between now and then to reviewing games released on the Virtual Console on these platforms that are not (at the time of writing) available on Nintendo Switch, or that have features not included in a Nintendo Switch release.

Virtual Console games on both platforms have a “suspend” feature to allow players to save a single session of their gameplay anywhere in the game, but generally no extra features beyond that – no rewind feature, no display options, no control options, nothing like that.

On the Nintendo 3DS, Game Boy games are priced at $3-$4 (save for mainline Pokemon games, which are priced at $10), Game Boy Color games are priced at $5-$6 (save for mainline Pokemon games, which are priced at $10), Game Gear games are priced at $5, Nintendo Entertainment System games are priced at $5. Super Nintendo Entertainment System games are priced at $8 (except Earthbound, which is $10). Super Nintendo games on the Nintendo 3DS Virtual Console require a New Nintendo 3DS to play. Original Game Boy games do not have any sort of Super Game Boy or Game Boy Color display options, even games that had enhancements built into the game, like Donkey Kong ’94.

On the Wii U, Nintendo Entertainment System games are priced at $5 (except Earthbound Beginnings, which is $7), Super Nintendo Entertainment System games are priced at $8 (except Earthbound, which is $10), Game Boy Advance games are listed at $7-$8, Nintendo 64 games are priced at $10 (except Sin and Punishment, which is $12), Nintendo DS games are priced at $10 (except Brain Age: Train Your Brain in Minutes a Day! Picross 3D, and Big Brain Academy, which are all priced at $7), and Wii games are priced at $20 (and occasionally are not listed as Virtual Console games). TurboGrafx-16 games are priced at $6-$8, and are not listed on the front page of the eShop like other platforms are.

Here’s a rundown of what I thought of the games I have reviewed here:

1. Nintendo 3DS Virtual Console Games
2. Wii U Virtual Console Games

Nintendo 3DS Virtual Console Games

Game	Original Platform	Genre	# of Players	Score
Adventure Island	Game Boy	Action-Platformer	1	C
tl;dr The Game Boy version of Adventure Island is actually a port of Adventure Island 2, which is just as well since that’s a much better game anyway. However, since you can get the actual Adventure Island 2 on Nintendo 3DS Virtual Console, there’s not really any good reason to get this game, is there?
Adventure Island 2	Nintendo Entertainment System	Action-Platformer	1	C+
tl;dr This game is a huge improvement over the first game, with better controls and a more reasonable difficulty level, as well as the fun new rideable dinosaur companions. Unfortunately, the level design is still somewhat bland, but this is still a fairly enjoyable Action-Platformer
Alleyway	Game Boy	Arcade Brick Breaker	1	C
tl;dr This is a respectable but largely unspectacular Arcade Brick Breaker
Avenging Spirit	Game Boy	Action-Platformer	1	C
tl;dr This game’s possession mechanic, allowing you to play virtually any enemy, is great. What’s not so great is this game’s repetitive, labyrinthine level design.
Balloon Kid	Game Boy	Platformer	1	D+
tl;dr A sequel to the NES game Balloon Fight, this game plays less like a Joust knockoff, and leans harder into the original game’s Balloon Trip auto-scrolling gameplay. The controls are clunky and the limited screen size makes the game more awkward and difficult than it needs to be. You have countless better options on Nintendo 3DS.
Baseball	Game Boy	Sports (Baseball)	1-2 Competitive (Local Wireless)	C-
tl;dr The original Game Boy version of Baseball is a slow-paced version of the sport, but a functional one. For only $3, and assuming you don’t mind monochrome visuals, you could do far worse when looking for a Baseball game on Nintendo 3DS. But this is far from a great version of the sport.
Bases Loaded	Nintendo Entertainment System	Sports (Baseball)	1-2 Competitive (Local Wireless)	D+
tl;dr The visuals and sound for this game are extremely impressive for an NES-era game, with the highlight being some extraordinarily good voice clips for umpire calls. However, the gameplay has not aged nearly as well – pitching, batting, and outfielding are all awkward, and the result is a Baseball game that’s just not very fun to play.
Bionic Commando	Game Boy	Action-Platformer	1	B
tl;dr This is a surprisingly competent port of the excellent grappling-arm Nintendo Entertainment System game to the monochrome Game Boy, reworking the levels slightly and replacing the top-down portions of the original with side-scrolling battles. Unfortunately the small screen size of the Game Boy really limits your view, but otherwise the gameplay is as well-crafted and enjoyable as ever. This is an inferior version of a truly great game, but sadly it’s the closest you’ll get to playing a legitimate version of that game on a handheld platform
Bionic Commando: Elite Forces	Game Boy Color	Action-Platformer	1	C+
tl;dr This sequel retains much of the great gameplay of the NES game, but while the large, well-animated characters look great, it also greatly limits your field of view, making “leaps of faith” far too common and making it too easy to miss requisite radio rooms you need to enter in each level. Given the limitations of the hardware, this wasn’t a terrible sequel, but it has aged poorly.
Blaster Master: Enemy Below	Game Boy Color	Metroidvania / Top-Down Action	1	C+
tl;dr This is a competent sequel to Master Blaster, but without a map the limited screen size and repetitive environments really makes exploration a pain. Still, fans of the original may enjoy this.
Castlevania: The Adventure	Game Boy	Action-Platformer	1	C
tl;dr This is mostly a good distillation of the Castlevania formula into the monochrome Game Boy, but the walking speed is agonizingly slow, which also makes Platforming tedious.
Catrap	Game Boy	Puzzle Platformer	1	C
tl;dr Catrap is a cute Puzzle-Platformer where your characters must figure out how to take out each level’s enemies using only their limited movement. There’s some decent puzzle design here, but overall this is a pretty disposable entry in the genre.
Columns	Game Gear	Falling Block Match-3 Puzzle	1-2 Competitive (Local Wireless)	C
tl;dr Much like the Genesis version of the game, this is a decent puzzle game, but it’s low on features and it’s lacking that addictive quality you look for in this sort of game.
Crystal Warriors	Game Gear	Turn-Based Strategy-RPG	1	C-
tl;dr This is a fairly uninteresting entry in the Strategy-RPG genre made worse by poor menus that make it harder than it should be to find the information you need.
Defenders of Oasis	Game Gear	Turn-Based JRPG	1	C-
tl;dr This would be a bog-standard and not especially noteworthy JRPG, but it’s made worse by absurdly overpowered enemies right from the start, necessitating a lot of grinding. Skip this one.
Donkey Kong	Game Boy	Puzzle-Platformer	1	A+
tl;dr Sometimes referred to as “Donkey Kong ’94”, the Game Boy version of Donkey Kong starts with the original arcade game and greatly expands on it to grow it into an absolutely incredible Puzzle-Platformer that’s truly wonderful in its own right, and was so good that it spawned its own separate franchise, the Mario Vs. Donkey Kong series. This game is so fantastic, I would have given it an A++… except this version doesn’t include the Super Game Boy enhancements this game received, which made for a much more visually-striking game. As a result, while this is still a must-own game, the Virtual Console release of this game is not the definitive version of it. For that you have to go back to the original… on a Super Nintendo with a Super Game Boy player.
Donkey Kong Land	Game Boy	Platformer	1	C
tl;dr Taking most of its graphics (but not the level design) from Donkey Kong Country, the visuals don’t quite work with the Game Boy’s 4-shade monochrome palette, looking overly-busy. The more simple level design and slower pace also make this feel like an exercise in mediocrity. These days, if you want a handheld Donkey Kong Country, you don’t have to settle for this compromised derivative game.
Donkey Kong Land 2	Game Boy	Platformer	1	B
tl;dr Not only is this derived from the best Donkey Kong Country game, it’s also a much better take on its source material. It still doesn’t hold a candle to Donkey Kong Country 2, but this is a solid game despite its derivative nature.
Donkey Kong Land 3	Game Boy	Platformer	1	C+
tl;dr It’s derived from the worst game in the series, but it’s still a better take on its source material than the first Donkey Kong Land. It’s a decent Platformer, but you have many better alternatives within the series.
Dr. Robotnik’s Mean Bean Machine	Game Gear	Match-4 Falling Block Puzzle	1-2 Competitive (Local Wireless)	B
tl;dr This is a respectable version of Puyo Puyo with a few decent game modes to choose from, and the 3DS port even supports local wireless multiplayer play (if both Nintendo 3DS systems have a copy of the game). The visuals may be a bit dated, but for the most part this game has aged surprisingly well, and the $3 price tag makes this a great choice for Puzzle fans. Note: This game has been announced for release on the Nintendo Switch via Sonic Origins Plus.
Dragon Crystal	Game Gear	Top-Down Dungeon Crawler	1	C
tl;dr This Dungeon Crawler is derived from the Sega Genesis game Fatal Labyrinth. It is a serviceable entry in the genre, but it’s also slow-paced and repetitive.
Final Fight 2	Super Nintendo	Arcade Brawler	1-2 Co-Op (Local)	C
tl;dr After multiple lackluster attempts to bring Final Fight to Super Nintendo, Capcom followed it up with a decent sequel that had series protagonist Mike Haggar joined by newcomers Maki and Carlos. The result was a game that was… well, more of the same. Not bad, but a fairly simple Arcade Brawler that got repetitive too quickly. To make things worse, this release of the game ditches the multiplayer from the original game.
Final Fight 3	Super Nintendo	Arcade Brawler	1-2 Co-Op (Local)	C+
tl;dr The third numbered entry in the Final Fight series sees the return of Mike Haggar and Guy from the first game in the franchise, along with newcomers Lucia and Dean. This entry in the series adds Street Fighter-style special moves, which is an excellent addition, though the controls to execute these moves seem finicky. However, this is overall one of the best games in the franchise. Unfortunately, this version drops the multiplayer gameplay.
Fortified Zone	Game Boy	Top-Down Action	1-2 Co-Op (Wireless)	D
tl;dr Slow movement, overly-large characters, and repetitive environments make this an awkward take on the genre that’s just not very fun.
G-LOC: Air Battle	Game Gear	Arcade / Combat Flight Sim	1	D
tl;dr The Game Gear simply did not have the power for a fast-paced faux 3D game like this, and trying to make it work was a fool’s errand that resulted in a mess of choppy visuals and poor controls. Skip it.
Game & Watch Gallery	Game Boy	Compilation / Arcade	1	C+
tl;dr This collection includes recreated versions of the Game & Watch games Manhole, Fire, Octopus, and Oil Panic, as well as new improved versions that feature Mario characters. This is not just a collection of nostalgic games, but a game that genuinely builds on those games to make something better, albeit still simple.
Game & Watch Gallery 2	Game Boy Color	Compilation / Arcade	1	C+
tl;dr This collection includes recreated versions of the Game & Watch games Parachute, Helmet, Chef, Vermin, and Donkey Kong. Donkey Kong is kinda’ a dud, but the rest of the games here are all decent, and once again the new versions with Mario characters generally improve on the originals.
Game & Watch Gallery 3	Game Boy Color	Compilation / Arcade	1	B
tl;dr This collection includes recreated versions of the Game & Watch games Egg, Green House, Turtle Bridge, Mario Bros., and Donkey Kong Jr. (with Judge, Flagman, Lion, Spitball Sparky, Donkey Kong II, and Fire all unlockable). Not only does this expand greatly on earlier games in the Game & Watch Gallery series (while still including both original and new improved versions of the included games), but in particular Donkey Kong Jr. is a huge improvement over the original Game & Watch version, expanded now to include multiple levels. This is an excellent minigame collection well worth owning. Note: This game has been announced for release on the Nintendo Switch via the Nintendo Switch Online Game Boy App.
Gargoyle’s Quest	Game Boy	Action-Platformer	1	B
tl;dr An outstanding Action-Platformer with truly excellent level design. It’s brought down a little by the way the RPG elements occasionally drag down the pacing, but even by today’s standards this is still a superb game. Note: This game has been announced for release on the Nintendo Switch via the Nintendo Switch Online Game Boy App.
Gargoyle’s Quest II: The Demon Darkness	Nintendo Entertainment System	Action-Platformer	1	B
tl;dr This is an excellent follow-up to the fantastic Game Boy game, with some really unique Action-Platforming gameplay thanks to your limited ability to glide. Once again the RPG elements mess with the game’s pacing (especially all the fetch quests early on), but overall this is an outstanding game.
Golf	Game Boy	Sports (Golf)	1	D-
tl;dr This version of Golf looks good (well, for a monochrome Game Boy game), but the game’s refusal to indicate how far your shots are projected to go makes every swing frustratingly unpredictable. There is no reason to play this game when you have multiple much better Mario Golf titles available to you.
Harvest Moon GBC	Game Boy Color	Management Simulation	1	C-
tl;dr This is technically the third game in the Harvest Moon/Story of Seasons franchise, but really it’s a Game Boy Color re-release of the second game in the franchise from the monochrome Game Boy, and it is still very similar to the Super Nintendo original. In fact, pretty much all that’s changed is that the graphics and sound have been downgraded, the town elements have been changed to a simple menu, there are no relationships, and you can now choose your gender and pet at the start. It’s extremely primitive compared to more modern entries in the genre, but still fun in its own right.
Harvest Moon 2 GBC	Game Boy Color	Management Simulation	1	C
tl;dr Technically the fifth game in the Harvest Moon franchise, Harvest Moon 2 GBC expands the scope of the franchise and adds multiple new enhancements to the GBC sub-series, including a few features brought over from Harvest Moon 64, such as fishing and… um… menu screens. The soundtrack is also much improved over the first GBC game. This game is still well behind the likes of Stardew Valley, but it’s a decent entry in the genre, considering its age.
Harvest Moon 3 GBC	Game Boy Color	Management Simulation	1	C-
tl;dr The seventh Harvest Moon game adds even more depth to the formula, with multiple towns and areas to visit, separate gameplay focuses for the boy and girl characters, with the other gender character automatically helping you with other activities. Unfortunately, this added complexity makes it more difficult to know just what to do here, making for an experience I found to ultimately be less satisfying than the simplicity of the prior game.
Kid Icarus: Of Myths and Monsters	Game Boy	Action-Platformer	1	C+
tl;dr This is a decent follow-up thas expands on the original, but it’s still dated by today’s standards. Due to the lack of color, the less-catchy soundtrack, and the iconic nature of the original game, I’d say both games are about even with each other.
Kirby’s Block Ball	Game Boy	Arcade Brick Breaker	1	B
tl;dr This is a solid Arcade-style Brick Breaker where players can use their paddle to bounce the ball, transforming it briefly into Kirby and changing its physics, which adds a subtle but welcome nuance to the gameplay.
Kirby’s Dream Land	Game Boy	Platformer	1	C+
tl;dr Kirby’s very first game, and even all the way back in 1992 on the old monochrome Game Boy, Kirby still exudes charm, with a lot of polish and an excellent soundtrack. Unfortunately, as with many Kirby games, there’s not much difficulty to speak of, and the lack of copy abilities (that would be added later in Kirby’s Adventure) detracts from the gameplay variety. This game is still enjoyable to play even today, but it has since been outclassed by its many sequels. Note: This game has been announced for release on the Nintendo Switch via the Nintendo Switch Online Game Boy App.
Kirby’s Dream Land 2	Game Boy	Platformer	1	B-
tl;dr Released after Kirby’s Adventure, the numbered sequel to Kirby’s first game adds in Adventure’s copy abilities, as well as three new animal helpers, making for a more well-rounded game than the first entry in the series. Dream Land 2 still lacks some of Adventure’s nuance (and of course its color), but it is nevertheless a solid addition to the Kirby series. Note: This game has been announced for release on the Nintendo Switch via the Nintendo Switch Online Game Boy App.
Kirby’s Pinball Land	Game Boy	Pinball	1	B+
tl;dr While it only features three tables, each table has multiple sections, is filled with its own unique personality, making for a lot of variety on top of solid (though cartoony) pinball physics. This is a classic, must-play entry in the genre.
Kirby’s Star Stacker	Game Boy	Match-2 Puzzle	1	C+
tl;dr This Puzzle game combines a Match-2 gameplay with a “surround the stars” mechanic somewhat similar to Othello/Reversi. It works well enough, but isn’t quite compelling in the way you want a really good Puzzle game to be.
Legend of the River King	Game Boy Color	Sports (Fishing) / Turn-based JRPG	1	D-
tl;dr I’m going to be perfectly honest here – I cannot figure out how the heck I’m supposed to fish in this game. The game itself doesn’t properly explain it, I’ve tried looking up guides online, nothing works and I keep end up having the fish break the line or get away. I could chalk this up to “I’m just too dumb to understand this”, but this game doesn’t even attempt to explain it, and as far as I’m concerned, that’s on the game. I’ll give this game some credit for its unique concept of combining a Fishing game with a Turn-Based JRPG, but for the most part the only ones I can see enjoying this game are those who fell in love with it when it first released. Everyone else should skip it.
Legend of the River King 2	Game Boy Color	Sports (Fishing) / Turn-based JRPG	1	D-
tl;dr Much as with the first River King, the controls here are inscrutable to me and the game doesn’t want to explain how it’s supposed to be played. Again, this game gets points for originality, but not much else. Skip it.
Lock’n Chase	Game Boy	Arcade	1	D+
tl;dr This cops and robbers take on Pac-Man involving gates you use to trap enemies seems to be inconsistent in how that mechanic works, and movement feels too slow as well. The result is a sub-par take on a well-worn formula.
Lufia: The Legend Returns	Game Boy Color	Turn-Based JRPG	1	B-
tl;dr The third game in the Lufia series (don’t worry, it starts with a quick plot refresher), Lufia: The Legend Returns has multiple clever mechanics that set it apart within the genre, including its positioning-based party system and “LP” system that allows players to guide the development of their characters. Unfortunately, the limitations of the Game Boy Color’s small screen size and lack of buttons makes for cramped menus, and the game’s localization is somewhat lacking. However, despite these flaws, this is a game well worth seeking out for fans of the genre.
Mach Rider	Nintendo Entertainment System	Racing / Action	1	D
tl;dr This Racing Action game with faux 3D visuals is overly difficult, with players needing to track enemies in front of them and in the rear view mirror. While it was visually advanced for its time, the gameplay has not aged well at all.
Mario Golf	Game Boy Color	Sports (Golf)	1	B
tl;dr It looks simple by today’s standards, but great gameplay plus solid RPG mechanics make this a winner. Its only real downside is this version’s inability to play in multiplayer.
Mario Tennis	Game Boy Color	Sports (Tennis)	1	C
tl;dr This is a very simple, bland version of the sport. Nowhere near what we’ve come to expect from the Mario Tennis series.
Mario’s Picross	Game Boy	Picross Puzzle	1	C-
tl;dr On the one hand, $4 for 256 unlockable Picross Puzzles is a great deal. On the other hand, the ugly presentation, the lack of the ability to test-mark cels, and the fact that the Nintendo 3DS has countless other Picross games with touchscreen support… these things make this game a harder sell. Mario’s Picross isn’t terrible, but you have better options on the Nintendo 3DS.
Maru’s Mission	Game Boy	Action-Platformer	1	C+
tl;dr This Action-Platformer has some really poor localization and bizarre physics, but its odd elements actually make it more endearing. Worth a look if you crave something offbeat.
Mega Man: Dr. Wily’s Revenge	Game Boy	Action-Platformer	1	C
tl;dr This Game Boy game recycles elements from Mega Man and Mega Man 2, and while the presentation is surprisingly good despite the limitations of the original black-and-white Game Boy, and the series’ great core gameplay is largely intact, the challenge level is so absurdly high that even series fans may be discouraged from enjoying this game.
Mega Man II	Game Boy	Action-Platformer	1	B
tl;dr Mega Man II on Game Boy is an amalgamation of elements from the Nintendo Entertainment System games Mega Man 2 and Mega Man 3, two of the best games in the franchise. What’s more, its challenge level is far more manageable than the first Game Boy game. You’d still never choose this game over playing either of the NES games it’s derived from, but it’s an enjoyable bite-size reinterpretation of those games, regardless.
Mega Man III	Game Boy	Action-Platformer	1	C
tl;dr Mega Man III on Game Boy is an amalgamation of elements from the Nintendo Entertainment System games Mega Man 3 and Mega Man 4, two of the best games in the franchise. Unfortunately, this game suffers from some absolutely atrocious slowdown and input lag that affects the gameplay so severely it’s hard to recommend this game.
Mega Man IV	Game Boy	Action-Platformer	1	C+
tl;dr Mega Man IV on Game Boy is an amalgamation of elements from the Nintendo Entertainment System games Mega Man 4 and Mega Man 5. Like Mega Man III, this game suffers from some pretty nasty slowdown, but thankfully it doesn’t interfere quite as much with the gameplay this time.
Mega Man V	Game Boy	Action-Platformer	1	C+
tl;dr This is the only completely original Mega Man game on the original Game Boy, not directly derived from any other games in the series. Unfortunately, it still suffers from bad slowdown problems, and Mega Man’s “upgraded” Mega Arm ability is frustratingly much worse than the Mega Buster it replaces, forcing players to wait for Mega Man’s hand to slowly return before they can fire again. While this game should be applauded for being an original entry in the series, it is unfortunately not a particularly good one.
Mega Man Xtreme	Game Boy Color	Action-Platformer	1	B-
tl;dr This is an amalgamation of elements from Mega Man X and Mega Man X2. It’s a serviceable take on the Mega Man X formula within the limitations of the Game Boy Color’s capabilities, but there’s little reason to play this game instead of Mega Man X and Mega Man X2.
Mega Man Xtreme 2	Game Boy Color	Action-Platformer	1	B
tl;dr This is an amalgamation of elements from the first three Mega Man X games. This game features a few gameplay improvements over the first Xtreme, including the ability to play as X’s ally Zero. As per usual, this isn’t likely to replace the actual Mega Man X games, but it’s a decent budget alternative.
Mighty Final Fight	Nintendo Entertainment System	Arcade Brawler	1	C+
tl;dr This scaled down take on the original Final Fight is actually a pretty good re-imagining of the game. It’s simple and a bit repetitive, but overall the quality of the gameplay shines through. Unfortunately, there’s no multiplayer to speak of.
Mole Mania	Game Boy	Top-Down Arcade / Puzzle	1	B+
tl;dr This is a really creative Top-Down Arcade-style game with Puzzle elements, with really clever gameplay and level design. Definitely a hidden gem in the OG Game Boy lineup.
Mystical Ninja Starring Goemon	Game Boy	Top-Down Action-RPG	1	D
tl;dr This game plays like Zelda, but with very limited ability to explore, enemies who don’t drop items or health, and extremely repetitive mazelike areas. Yeah, this is terrible.
Pinball: Revenge of the Gator	Game Boy	Pinball	1	C
tl;dr HAL Laboratory’s first game on the Game Boy, before they introduced the world to Kirby. This game isn’t as well-crafted as Kirby’s Pinball Land, but it’s still a decent entry in the genre.
Pokemon Blue Version	Game Boy	Turn-Based Monster Collecting JRPG	1-2 Competitive (Wireless Local), Content Sharing	B-
tl;dr $10 is a bit pricey for this game considering this release doesn’t support the game’s Game Boy Color enhancements. While the original “Generation 1” Pokemon games (Red/Blue/Yellow) may be graphically dated, the gameplay is still excellent, and the soundtrack remains one of the best, most iconic in the series. This game has aged remarkably well. If you’re not fazed by the dated visuals, this is definitely a game every Pokemon fan should play.
Pokemon Red Version	Game Boy	Turn-Based Monster Collecting JRPG	1-2 Competitive (Wireless Local), Content Sharing	B-
tl;dr $10 is a bit pricey for this game considering this release doesn’t support the game’s Game Boy Color enhancements. While the original “Generation 1” Pokemon games (Red/Blue/Yellow) may be graphically dated, the gameplay is still excellent, and the soundtrack remains one of the best, most iconic in the series. This game has aged remarkably well. If you’re not fazed by the dated visuals, this is definitely a game every Pokemon fan should play.
Pokemon Yellow Version: Special Pikachu Edition	Game Boy Color	Turn-Based Monster Collecting JRPG	1-2 Competitive (Wireless Local), Content Sharing	B-
tl;dr The first of many “x.5” enhanced versions of the games of its generation, Pokemon Yellow is a slightly-improved version of Pokemon Red and Blue incorporating elements from the anime series. For the Virtual Console release, possibly the biggest change is that this version of the game is the Game Boy Color version, so players wanting to play the first Generation of Pokemon games without doing so in black and white should aim for this release. However, for the most part, this is the same game as Red and Blue.
Pokemon Gold Version	Game Boy Color	Turn-Based Monster Collecting JRPG	1-2 Competitive (Wireless Local), Content Sharing	A-
tl;dr There’s a good argument to be made that “Generation 2” (Gold/Silver/Crystal) is still to this day the biggest, best, most ground-breaking sequel the Pokemon series ever received, adding a ton of new major gameplay features, and even including a version of the original game’s Kanto region in addition to its all-new Johto region. This game is still a joy to play to this day, and an absolute must-have for Pokemon fans… well, except your Nintendo 3DS can already play the Nintendo DS remakes of this game (Pokemon Heart Gold and Pokemon Soul Silver). Still, for a mere $10, this is an absolute steal, and still worth getting if you want to play the game in its original form.
Pokemon Silver Version	Game Boy Color	Turn-Based Monster Collecting JRPG	1-2 Competitive (Wireless Local), Content Sharing	A-
tl;dr There’s a good argument to be made that “Generation 2” (Gold/Silver/Crystal) is still to this day the biggest, best, most ground-breaking sequel the Pokemon series ever received, adding a ton of new major gameplay features, and even including a version of the original game’s Kanto region in addition to its all-new Johto region. This game is still a joy to play to this day, and an absolute must-have for Pokemon fans… well, except your Nintendo 3DS can already play the Nintendo DS remakes of this game (Pokemon Heart Gold and Pokemon Soul Silver). Still, for a mere $10, this is an absolute steal, and still worth getting if you want to play the game in its original form.
Pokemon Crystal Version	Game Boy Color	Turn-Based Monster Collecting JRPG	1-2 Competitive (Wireless Local), Content Sharing	A-
tl;dr While Generation 2 was arguably the most drastic improvement over a prior generation, this generation’s “x.5” upgrade was one of its flimsiest, adding an optional female protagonist, simple introductory animations for all the Pokemon, and some minor story changes, with most other changes being negligible. This is still a slightly-improved version of a truly great game, but it’s completely skippable if you already got Pokemon Gold or Silver, or if you got one of their Nintendo DS remakes, Heart Gold and Soul Silver, which incorporate many of this game’s upgrades. Still, at $10, it’s a good deal for what is still an excellent Pokemon game that has aged incredibly well.
Pokemon Puzzle Challenge	Game Boy Color	Match-3 Puzzle	1	B
tl;dr While this is pretty much just a Pokemon-skinned version of the classic Puzzle game Panel De Pon, it is nevertheless a good version of that Puzzle game (and I would argue a better version than the Nintendo 64 game, as you don’t have to deal with the constant, annoying voice clips). It’s a shame this version strips out the multiplayer features, but for a mere $5, this is a solid Puzzle game well worth its price tag.
Pokemon: The Trading Card Game	Game Boy Color	Collectible Card Game	1	C-
tl;dr This was an admirable effort to stuff the popular Pokemon card game into a Game Boy Color cartridge, but the limitations of the Game Boy Color’s screen resolution mean that there’s just no way for the screen to display all the information you need in any practical way. You’re probably better off just getting actual Pokemon cards instead. Note: This game has been announced for release on the Nintendo Switch via the Nintendo Switch Online Game Boy App.
Prince of Persia	Game Boy Color	Action-Platformer	1	D+
tl;dr The Game Boy Color port of Prince of Persia still features wonderful fluid animation, but the controls are frustratingly unresponsive and the gameplay is highly unforgiving. Unless you’re looking at this as a historical curio, skip it.
Qix	Game Boy	Arcade	1	B
tl;dr This classic Arcade-style game has you drawing lines to fence in a rampaging line art entity while avoiding both it and sparks patrolling the perimeter. It may lack the color of the other console counterparts, but the gameplay is just as fun.
Quarth	Game Boy	Falling Block Puzzle / Shmup	1	B
tl;dr This game has players firing blocks at incoming shapes to form rectangles and clear them before they reach you. It’s a surprisingly compelling formula, definitely worth a look.
Radar Mission	Game Boy	Compilation / Board Game / Action	1-2 Competitive (Local Wireless)	C+
tl;dr Radar Mission is a Compilation of two very different games working off of the same theme. Game A is just a version of the Board Game Battleship, but a surprisingly good version of that board game, with some unique (optional) additions to the classic formula. Game B is a terrible Action Game that’s visually interesting (for a Game Boy game), but that plays outright terrible. In other words, this game’s grade is based entirely on its excellent Game A. If you want a cheap (monochrome) version of Battleship on your Nintendo 3DS, Radar Mission is a good way to go.
Rayman	Game Boy Color	Platformer	1	C
tl;dr This game is loosely based on the console version of the original Rayman game, but it is a separate and unique game with its own level design. It’s a decent Platformer, but not an extraordinary one, and it’s made somewhat less tolerable due to its terrible sound.
Shining Force: The Sword of Hajya	Game Gear	Turn-Based Strategy-RPG	1	C
tl;dr This is the second game in the Gaiden series of Shining Force spin-off games on Game Gear, but the first to be released outside of Japan. This is a decent enough entry in the genre, but it’s also bland, lacks any interesting or unique features, and has a poorly-localized story.
Shinobi	Game Gear	Action-Platformer	1	C
tl;dr The Game Gear entry in Sega’s classic ninja game series suffers from slow movement, and the game is far too generous with enemy invincibility frames after they take a hit. If it weren’t for these issues, this would be a solid Action-Platformer. As-is, it is merely okay.
Side Pocket	Game Boy	Sports (Pool)	1-2 Competitive (Local Wireless)	D
tl;dr This is a pretty terrible version of pool. The original Game Boy simply didn’t have the visual capability of displaying a pool table with enough detail to capture the nuance of pool. Half the time you don’t even see the actual balls, but their number. And there’s no computer-controlled opponent so single-player play just amounts to taking an endless number of shots until you sink all the balls. Even when this game originally released, it was undoubtedly a poor version of the sport, and it looks even worse by modern-day standards.
Sonic the Hedgehog	Game Gear	Platformer	1	C-
tl;dr Sonic’s first outing on a handheld features decent platforming but boring level design and nasty slowdown. While it is a completely separate and original game, it feels like a pale imitation of the Sega Genesis classic. Good soundtrack, though. Note: This game has been announced for release on the Nintendo Switch via Sonic Origins Plus.
Sonic the Hedgehog 2	Game Gear	Platformer	1	C
tl;dr An improvement over the first Sonic Game Gear game, with much better level design, but the tiny size of the screen and Sonic’s relatively large size makes for lots of leaps of faith and makes it prudent to inch through the game’s levels, exactly the opposite of what you’d want in a Sonic game. Note: This game has been announced for release on the Nintendo Switch via Sonic Origins Plus.
Sonic the Hedgehog: Triple Trouble	Game Gear	Platformer	1	C+
tl;dr Moving at a surprisingly sluggish pace for a Sonic game, Sonic Triple Trouble makes up for it with generally solid gameplay adapted for the smaller screen, and the addition of Tails as a selectable character is a nice option. This is probably the best Sonic Platformer on the Game Gear, but it’s still a pale shadow of the Sega Genesis games. Note: This game has been announced for release on the Nintendo Switch via Sonic Origins Plus.
Sonic Blast	Game Gear	Platformer	1	D
tl;dr Possibly the worst Sonic game ever made (though there are a lot of contenders for that title). Ugly big “pre-rendered”-style characters with sloppy controls, poor hit detection, and an absurdly slow sense of speed. This seems more like a bad fan game than an official Sega product. Note: This game has been announced for release on the Nintendo Switch via Sonic Origins Plus.
Sonic Labyrinth	Game Gear	Isometric Action	1	D+
tl;dr Using a Top-Down Isometric View could possibly make for an interesting Sonic game, but this attempt at it is a disaster, with players either struggling to move Sonic at more than a crawl, or sending him careening out of control in ball form, all while searching boring flat levels for keys. This game gets points for trying something different, but the result is something absolutely not fun. Note: This game has been announced for release on the Nintendo Switch via Sonic Origins Plus.
Sonic Drift 2	Game Gear	Racing	1	C-
tl;dr This cross between Out Run and Mario Kart is fairly simple, and seems to have some nasty rubber-banding. It may have been adequate for the time, but players today have far better options. Note: This game has been announced for release on the Nintendo Switch via Sonic Origins Plus.
Summer Carnival ’92 RECCA	Nintendo Entertainment System	Shmup	1	C-
tl;dr This extremely fast and absurdly hard Shmup is visually impressive for an NES game, but only the most absolutely die-hard fans of the genre will be able to enjoy it.
Super Mario Bros. Deluxe	Game Boy Color	Platformer	1	C
tl;dr This Game Boy Color port of the original Super Mario Bros. (and an unlockable version of its direct Japanese sequel, often referred to as The Lost Levels) was impressive at the time it was released, even adding in elements like a challenge mode with hidden coins to find, and Game Boy Printer support. However, time has not been kind to Deluxe – with more accurate NES ports now available, it’s harder to stomach the limitations imposed by the smaller screen size of the Game Boy Color, as well as the inaccurate physics and sound. As nice as the added features in this version are, you’re better off just playing a direct port of the original game(s).
Super Mario Land	Game Boy	Platformer / Shmup	1	B
tl;dr It’s much shorter than a typical Mario game, and the physics are a bit “off”. Yet it still has a lot of charm, a memorable world, a great soundtrack, and wonderful level design. Plus it has the odd distinction of being a Mario game with Shmup levels. It’s far from the best Mario game, but it’s a classic nonetheless.
Super Mario Land 2: Six Golden Coins	Game Boy	Platformer	1	B+
tl;dr A largely successful attempt at scaling down the Super Mario Bros. 3 formula for a smaller handheld experience. It also holds the distinction of being the origin of Wario (as the primary villain). It’s slow-paced compared to other Mario games, but still a solid entry in the series and a great Platformer overall. Note: This game has been announced for release on the Nintendo Switch via the Nintendo Switch Online Game Boy App.
Sword of Hope II	Game Boy	Turn-Based RPG / First-Person Graphic Adventure	1	D+
tl;dr The combination of the two genres here is an interesting idea. Unfortunately, this game is dragged down by its extremely slow pacing and poor localization. It’s not unplayable, but it is horribly horribly dated by today’s standards.
Tails Adventure	Game Gear	Platformer	1	C-
tl;dr One of only a few games to feature Tails in a starring role, Tails Adventure is slow and plodding, and while the selectable items have a lot of potential to add variety, the terrible pace and poor level design make this game painfully unfun to play. Note: This game has been announced for release on the Nintendo Switch via Sonic Origins Plus.
Tennis	Game Boy	Sports (Tennis)	1-2 Competitive (Local Wireless)	D
tl;dr This miserable version of Tennis seems to go out of its way to try and make you fail. It’s extremely difficult not to hit a ball out of bounds, or finding it slamming into you and coming to a dead stop when you’re trying to return it, or avoid hitting it into the net. No matter what you do, how delicately you try to manage the controls, it always feels like your toughest opponent is not the guy on the other side of the net, but the game itself. Even at $3, this game is not worth the price.
The Legend of the Mystical Ninja	Super Nintendo	Action-RPG / Action-Platformer	1-2 Co-Op	B
tl;dr This odd blend of Action-RPG and Action-Platformer is a bit too tough and unforgiving for its kooky and extremely Japanesey presentation, but if you’re up for a challenge in an odd package, this is a fantastic and original game.
The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Ages	Game Boy Color	Action-RPG	1	B+
tl;dr Oracle of Ages shamelessly re-uses quite a lot of assets from Link’s Awakening DX, but it uses them to craft a completely new adventure with a focus on revisiting the same areas in different time periods to solve puzzles. Despite the lack of originality, this is still an outstanding game. It bears mention that although this game is paired with Oracle of Seasons, which was released at the same time, both games are completely different (this isn’t a Pokemon Red/Pokemon Blue sorta’ double-dip – both games are worth owning). Note: This game has been announced for release on the Nintendo Switch via the Nintendo Switch Online Game Boy App.
The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons	Game Boy Color	Action-RPG	1	B+
tl;dr Oracle of Seasons shamelessly re-uses quite a lot of assets from Link’s Awakening DX, but it uses them to craft a completely new adventure with a focus on changing the weather to different “seasons” to solve puzzles. Despite the lack of originality, this is still an outstanding game. It bears mention that although this game is paired with Oracle of Ages, which was released at the same time, both games are completely different (this isn’t a Pokemon Red/Pokemon Blue sorta’ double-dip – both games are worth owning) Note: This game has been announced for release on the Nintendo Switch via the Nintendo Switch Online Game Boy App.
The Mysterious Murasame Castle	Nintendo Entertainment System	Top-Down Action-RPG	1	C
tl;dr Originally released only in Japan, this “sister game” to The Legend of Zelda features similar gameplay, but is more linear and more action-focused, with players being constantly bombarded by enemies. It’s not without its charms, but it’s far from a must-play experience.
Tumblepop	Game Boy	Platformer / Arcade	1	C
tl;dr This Arcade-style Platformer has players jumping from platform to platform and using a vacuum to suck up enemies. It’s mostly a decent but unspectacular entry in its genre, but the slow walk speed is a tad frustrating.
Vampire: Master of Darkness	Game Gear	Action-Platformer	1	C+
tl;dr This Castlevania-alike is a bit stiff and the hit detection is a bit iffy in places, but this is otherwise a pretty decent take on the genre.
Wario Land: Super Mario Land 3	Game Boy	Platformer	1	B
tl;dr Wario’s first game in a starring role is a solid Platformer with some similarities to the Mario series. It’s a bit slow-paced, but it’s still well worth playing if you can tolerate the monochrome graphics of the Game Boy
Wario Land II	Game Boy Color	Platformer	1	B-
tl;dr A port of the second release of Wario’s second game (the original version was released on the original Game Boy, and this version is optimized for Game Boy Color), this game takes the core gameplay of the original game and adds in Wario’s inability to die and shape-shifting based on the sorts of attacks he’s subjected to. While an extremely creative take on the Platforming genre, it’s undermined by slow pacing and at times unclear goals. It’s still a fun and original Platformer, but it won’t be for everyone.
Wario Land 3	Game Boy Color	Puzzle-Platformer	1	C+
tl;dr Wario’s third Platforming adventure goes even deeper into the shape-shifting abilities introduced in the second game, so much that this is closer to a Puzzle-Platformer this time. Unfortunately, the game often leaves you wondering just what the heck you’re supposed to do. This game clearly has its fans, but I think that even more than the second game, this is an acquired taste. Note: This game has been announced for release on the Nintendo Switch via the Nintendo Switch Online Game Boy App.
Xtreme Sports	Game Boy Color	Sports (“Xtreme” / Various)	1	B-
tl;dr This is a cute side-scrolling take on Skateboarding, Surfing, In-Line Skating, Street Luge, and Skyboarding, all held together by a framing device about two characters trying to win a competition hosted by a cola company. I could have done without the framing device, which makes for a lot of slow-paced walking around an island. However, the sports themselves are mostly decent. Skateboarding controls terribly, and Street Luge feels too fast-paced to be controlled effectively, but Surfing and In-Line Skating are a lot of fun, and Skyboarding is a surprise highlight and really creative once you figure out how to play it. Overall, Xtreme Sports can’t hold a candle to the likes of Tony Hawk, but it’s still quite fun in its own right.

When it all comes down to it, the truly must-play 3DS Virtual Console games that I’ve reviewed thus far (B+ grade or better) are as follows: Donkey Kong (Game Boy), Pokemon Crystal Version, Pokemon Gold Version, Pokemon Silver Version, Kirby’s Pinball Land, Mole Mania, Super Mario Land 2: Six Golden Coins, The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of the Ages, and The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of the Seasons.

Other excellent games well worth playing (B- or B grade) are Bionic Commando, Donkey Kong Land 2, Dr. Robotnik’s Mean Bean Machine, Game & Watch Gallery 3, Gargoyle’s Quest, Gargoyle’s Quest II: The Demon Darkness, Kirby’s Block Ball, Mario Golf, Mega Man 2 (Game Boy), Mega Man Xtreme 2, Pokemon Puzzle Challenge, Qix, Quarth, Super Mario Land, The Legend of the Mystical Ninja, Wario Land: Super Mario Land 3, Kirby’s Dream Land 2, Lufia: The Legend Returns, Mega Man Xtreme, Pokemon Blue Version, Pokemon Red Version, Pokemon Yellow Version: Special Pikachu Edition, Wario Land II, and Xtreme Sports.

Those are the highlights here – there are other games in this list you might enjoy, but these games are the best of the bunch.

Or, for those wanting a Top 10 list (because those are always fun), here are my picks for top 10 Nintendo 3DS Virtual Console games not currently playable or announced on Nintendo Switch:

.10. Super Mario Land

.9. Gargoyle’s Quest II: The Demon Darkness

.8. Qix

.7. The Legend of the Mystical Ninja

.6. Wario Land: Super Mario Land 3

.5. Mario Golf

.4. Kirby’s Pinball Land

.3. Mole Mania

.2. Pokemon Gold Version/Pokemon Silver Version/Pokemon Crystal Version

.1. Donkey Kong (Game Boy)

.

Wii U Virtual Console Games

Game	Original Platform	Genre	# of Players	Score
1080° Snowboarding	Nintendo 64	Sports (“Xtreme”)	1-2 Competitive (Local Split-Screen)	B-
tl;dr It’s surprising just how well the visuals in this game have aged (as long as you can overlook the pop-in and low-poly character models), and the use of rumble here is phenomenal. On the other hand, the gameplay has aged somewhat less gracefully – 1080° Snowboarding is extremely unforgiving, and players will find themselves collapsing after anything less than the most perfect of landings. It’s still a lot of fun if you can learn how to feel out its gameplay, but less patient players will probably want to skip this one. Note: This game has been announced for release on the Nintendo Switch via the Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pack’s Nintendo 64 App.
Advance Wars: Dual Strike	Nintendo DS	Turn-Based Strategy	1-2 Competitive (Local Alternating)	A
tl;dr The first Nintendo DS entry in the Advance Wars series adds some excellent touchscreen controls and a fun but shallow real-time action gameplay mode, but mostly this is just a solid evolution of the already great Turn-Based Strategy that the Advance Wars series is known for. If you enjoy Strategy games, consider this a must-have.
Adventure Island	Nintendo Entertainment System	Action-Platformer	1	C-
tl;dr This cartoony Action-Platformer has a fair amount of charm and personality, but unfortunately the controls are not nearly as responsive as they should be. This one is probably best skipped.
Air Zonk	Turbografx-16	Shmup	1	C+
tl;dr This is a solid, cartoony Shmup with multiple selectable partners to augment your attacks. It’s not a bad Shmup, but its high difficulty runs counter to its cartoony presentation.
Alien Crush	Turbografx-16	Pinball	1	B-
tl;dr The table design in this Pinball game is such that the lanes are hard to fully capitalize on, but the gameplay is good, the music is great, and the H.R. Geiger-inspired visuals are outstanding. This is a true gem in the Turbografx-16 lineup.
Animal Crossing: Wild World	Nintendo DS	Management Simulation	1	B
tl;dr It’s missing a lot of features and improvements that have been added to the series over the years, but at its core this is still the same wonderful, relaxed experience that Animal Crossing is famous for. It is also, depressingly, the closest thing to a traditional Animal Crossing game to be released on the Wii U (unless you count backwards-compatibility with the Wii game). If you have a more recent entry in the series, this isn’t going to be worth your time, but for $10, this is an excellent game to add to your Wii U digital game library.
Axelay	Super Nintendo	Shmup	1	C-
tl;dr Axelay seems to be trying to experiment with the Shmup genre, making use of the then-new “Mode 7” graphics and starting players off with few odd weapon types. Unfortunately, these weapons aren’t satisfying to use, and the use of Mode 7 here is visually-confusing in a way that’s more trouble than it’s worth. Those who are willing to put up with this game’s odd quirks may find some fun in it, but most will likely conclude that it is a mediocre entry in the genre at best.
Baseball Simulator 1.000	Nintendo Entertainment System	Sports (Baseball)	1-2 Competitive (Local)	C+
tl;dr This is a solid, albeit no-frills version of the sport. Out of all of the Baseball games on the NES ported to modern Nintendo platforms thus far, this is the best.
Bases Loaded	Nintendo Entertainment System	Sports (Baseball)	1-2 Competitive (Local)	D+
tl;dr The visuals and sound for this game are extremely impressive for an NES-era game, with the highlight being some extraordinarily good voice clips for umpire calls. However, the gameplay has not aged nearly as well – pitching, batting, and outfielding are all awkward, and the result is a Baseball game that’s just not very fun to play.
Battle Lode Runner	Turbografx-16	Platformer / Arcade	1-5 Competitive (Local)	C-
tl;dr I’m not sure that Lode Runner really lends itself to multiplayer competitive play, and the core gameplay still has the same issues it always did. There’s sure to be a niche audience that will appreciate this game’s retro charm, but most are better off skipping it.
Big Brain Academy	Nintendo DS	Educational	1	C-
tl;dr All the thrills of flash card puzzles, with none of the pesky multiplayer that made the original release at least mildly interesting. Unless you really want to load up your Wii U with games that have the pretense of being educational, skip this one.
Blazing Lazers	Turbografx-16	Shmup	1	C+
tl;dr This Shmup does something interesting in that players much choose what type of bonus upgrade they want – they can have homing missiles or shields or an “Option” shadow ship, but only one, as well as only one type of weapon, making for some nice strategy. The challenge level seems uneven though, fluctuating from too easy to too hard far too quickly.
Bomberman ’93	Turbografx-16	Arcade / Party Game	1-5 Competitive (Local)	C+
tl;dr This is a solid take on the classic Bomberman formula of Party Games, but it lacks options and the online play of more modern releases in the series.
Bomberman ’94	Turbografx-16	Arcade / Party Game	1-5 Competitive (Local)	C+
tl;dr This game has a more creative campaign mode than Bomberman ’93, but its multiplayer menus are Japanese-language only. Otherwise, it has all the same positive and negative qualities as its predecessor.
Bomberman 64	Nintendo 64	Arcade / Party Game	1-4 Competitive (Local)	C+
tl;dr One of the first early attempts to add 3D to the Bomberman formula results in some interesting variety in level design, but also makes the level design harder to parse. It’s an interesting experiment, and the game is charming enough to be worth a look.
Bomberman Panic Bomber	Turbografx-16	Falling Block Match-3 Puzzle	1-5 Competitive (Local)	B-
tl;dr This is a pretty good Puzzle game that’s somewhere halfway between Puyo Puyo and Columns. It’s a bit odd that the bombs seem to be mostly separate from the rest of the matching gameplay, and it’s a bit disappointing that the menus are still in untranslated Japanese, but even so, this has to be one of the better Turbografx-16 games on the Wii U eShop.
Bonk’s Adventure	Turbografx-16	Platformer	1	C
tl;dr The Turbografx-16’s answer to Mario and Sonic looks great and has a lot of personality, but the gameplay is middling at best.
Bonk’s Revenge	Turbografx-16	Platformer	1	C+
tl;dr Improvements to the gameplay and level design make this sequel an improvement over Bonk’s Adventure, but this is still far from a must-play Platformer.
Bonk III: Bonk’s Big Adventure	Turbografx-16	Platformer	1-2 Co-Op (Local)	C+
tl;dr Bonk’s third outing adds new power-ups and 2-player co-op, but this is still the same decent but not great gameplay as the prior game.
Brain Age: Train Your Brain in Minutes a Day	Nintendo DS	Compilation / Puzzle (Misc.) / Educational / Sudoku Puzzle	1	B+
tl;dr The science behind this game’s core educational concepts may be highly dubious, and the writing recognition and speech recognition are both dated and frequently inaccurate, but this game is largely saved by a wonderful version of Sudoku with over 100 puzzles. That is the reason to buy this release more than any of the “brain training” exercises.
Break In	TurboGrafx-16	Sports (Pool)	1-4 Competitive (Local Alternating)	D
tl;dr While it has a good number of options, this version of Pool has odd physics, it’s difficult to line up shots, and the game just isn’t very engaging.
Car Battler Joe	Game Boy Advance	Car Combat / RPG	1	C+
tl;dr This odd blend of Pokemon and Mad Max is certainly original, but the gameplay feels fairly repetitive. Still, it’s worth a look for its novelty alone.
Chew Man Fu	Turbografx-16	Arcade	1-2 Co-Op (Local)	C+
tl;dr This odd Arcade-style game about pushing balls onto like-colored platforms while avoiding enemies is oddly compelling. It’s a tad repetitive, but it’s unique enough that it may be worth seeking out.
China Warrior	Turbografx-16	Action	1	D+
tl;dr This is an extremely simple side-scrolling Action game without much variety and with poor hit detection. Skip it.
Cybernator	Super Nintendo	Action-Platformer / Shmup	1	C-
tl;dr This game has players piloting a mech through decent but unspectacular Action-Platformer stages with occasional Shmup stages that are absolutely atrocious. You have far better options in both genres.
Detana TwinBee	Turbografx-16	Shmup	1-2 Co-Op (Local)	B
tl;dr The fifth game in this series, this Shmup has a cutesey appearance, but a high difficulty as players must juggle power-ups while fending off enemies in the air and on the ground. This is a solid entry in the TwinBee series, and in the Shmup genre overall.
Devil’s Crush	Turbografx-16	Pinball	1-2 Alternating	B
tl;dr This spiritual successor to Alien Crush trades out the H.R. Geiger-inspired imagery in favor of a look that seems like it’s trying to capture the spirit of the cover of every Metal album ever made. This is a particularly tough game of pinball, but a really rewarding one, with lots of variety in its board, a great soundtrack, and some excellent gameplay.
Digital Champ	TurboGrafx-16	Sports (Boxing)	1	D-
tl;dr This boxing game looks great and has an excellent soundtrack, but the hit detection is so atrocious you’ll constantly be whiffing shots you should have landed. Don’t throw your money away on this bum.
DK: Jungle Climber	Nintendo DS	Platformer	1	A-
tl;dr This sequel to DK: King of Swing adds improved controls and a lot of variety to the levels, vastly improving on the previous game. This game is well worth playing if you enjoy unique Platformers.
DK: King of Swing	Game Boy Advance	Platformer	1	B
tl;dr This is a unique approach to the Platformer genre that has you playing the game almost exclusively with the L and R buttons. It’s a fun and original approach to the genre, though it can get a bit repetitive, especially since the game’s levels all look like giant peg boards.
Donkey Kong 64	Nintendo 64	3D Platformer	1	C
tl;dr This 3D Platformer is bursting with personality, and it’s very creative, but it has also aged very, very poorly. A terrible camera you need to constantly fuddle with to get even a halfway-decent angle, tedious slow pacing, with even more tedium piled on by needing to constantly return to places after unlocking abilities, with even more tedium added by needing to replay areas with each of the game’s five characters. While it’s certainly not bad, it’s hard to go back to this after playing more modern games in this genre.
Donkey Kong Country Returns	Wii	Platformer	1-2 Co-Op (Local)	A-
tl;dr Donkey Kong Country Returns is a truly great Platformer, as long as you can bear its high difficulty level. The Wii version of the game has better visuals than the Nintendo 3DS port, along with an outstanding soundtrack, lots of polish, excellent level design, and overall wonderful gameplay. However, I slightly prefer the 3DS version due to the Wii’s somewhat forced and unnecessary use of motion control. Even with this being the case, this is still an outstanding game well worth owning.
Donkey Kong Jr. Math	Nintendo Entertainment System	Educational	1-2 Competitive (Local)	C-
tl;dr Loosely based on the original Arcade game Donkey Kong Jr., this game has players climbing vines and jumping across islands to get the numbers and functions to solve math problems. It’s not as bad as you might think. The single-player modes here are all dull, but the core multiplayer can be fun for a little while, once you get used to the controls. However, it’s not very deep, so don’t expect this game to last you long.
Donkey Kong Jungle Beat	Wii	Platformer	1	B-
tl;dr This is the Wii port of the GameCube game, which originally used the Donkey Konga bongos to play. As a result, this version naturally has you using the “waggle” Wii remote motion controls a lot, which gets exhausting quickly. It’s a shame too, because this Platformer is otherwise really creative, lively, and fun. There is a silver lining, though – swinging the Wii remote may be tiring, but this game gives it a really great visceral feel that almost makes it worthwhile. Almost.
Double Dungeons	TurboGrafx-16	First-Person Dungeon Crawler	1-2 Co-Op (Local Split-Screen)	D+
tl;dr This is one of those First-Person Dungeon Crawlers from the days where everything was designed as a repetitive, bland-looking maze, and where there was no in-game map meaning that players would have to bust out the graph paper. It gets bonus points for its fast pacing and its inclusion of 2-player co-op, but otherwise this is a relic of the past that can’t hold a candle to modern entries in the genre.
Drill Dozer	Game Boy Advance	Platformer	1	B
tl;dr This is a cute, creative, and original Platformer with some really clever mechanics that keep the game’s drill mech interesting and utilize its drill in different ways. Sometimes the constant drilling can get a bit tedious, but overall this is a wonderful and unique Platformer well worth playing.
Duck Hunt	Nintendo Entertainment System	Shooting Gallery Game	1-2 Competitive (Local)	C+
tl;dr Duck Hunt gets a lot of leeway due to its nostalgia value and charming presentation, but it’s still a fairly simple game with only three very repetitive game modes (two where you shoot ducks as they fly around the screen, and one where you shoot clay pigeons before they disappear into the distance). I should note that the cursor makes this game far too easy, but it’s still an enjoyable game, regardless. And yes, if you’re wondering, a second player can still control the duck using a second controller.
Dungeon Explorer	TurboGrafx-16	Top-Down Action-RPG	1-5 Co-Op (Local)	C
tl;dr This game plays a bit like the classic arcade game Gauntlet, but it’s slower-paced and more poorly-explained. Decent graphics and music, though.
ExciteBots: Trick Racing	Wii	Kart Racing	1	C+
tl;dr Excitebots gives a fantastic sense of speed, and it’s certainly unique, but its use of the Wii’s motion-sensing abilities is far too gimmicky and the game constantly feels like you’re barely in control of your vehicle. Still fun, but not a game you’re likely to stick with for long before moving on.
Necromancer	TurboGrafx-16	JRPG	1	F
tl;dr Just whose idea was it to release this Japanese-language JRPG on the eShop untranslated? Unless you can read Japanese, you won’t get much out of this game. In fact, this is so slow-paced that even if you can read Japanese, I doubt you’ll find it very engaging.
F-Zero: GP Legend	Game Boy Advance	Futuristic Racing	1	B
tl;dr As of this writing, this is the final F-Zero game to be released in the West (Japan got one more Game Boy Advance F-Zero, F-Zero Climax). This game controls better than its Game Boy Advance predecessor, has more options, sees the return of classic series characters, and has a new campaign mode based on the F-Zero anime. This campaign mode is pretty terrible (terrible story plus short linear poorly-designed tracks), but the standard championship mode is still excellent, making this a solid entry in the series.
F-Zero: Maximum Velocity	Game Boy Advance	Futuristic Racing	1	B-
tl;dr This F-Zero game lacks many of the standard elements of the franchise, like Captain Falcon and his trademark racing craft. Its high-inertia gameplay also gives it a really steep learning curve. But those who are up for a challenge will find this to be a solid Racing game nonetheless. Note: This game has been announced for release on the Nintendo Switch via the Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pack’s Game Boy Advance App.
Final Fantasy Tactics Advance	Game Boy Advance	Turn-Based Strategy-RPG	1	B+
tl;dr While a bit limited compared to more modern entries in the genre like the Disgaea series, Final Fantasy Tactics Advance still has a lot of charm, a unique story about contemporary schoolkids tossed into a fantasy world, and some unique gameplay mechanics like the Judge and Law system. Fans of Strategy-RPGs would do well to snatch this one up while they can!
Final Fight 2	Super Nintendo	Arcade Brawler	1-2 Co-Op (Local)	C+
tl;dr After multiple lackluster attempts to bring Final Fight to Super Nintendo, Capcom followed it up with a decent sequel that had series protagonist Mike Haggar joined by newcomers Maki and Carlos. The result was a game that was… well, more of the same. Not bad, but a fairly simple Arcade Brawler that got repetitive too quickly.
Final Fight 3	Super Nintendo	Arcade Brawler	1-2 Co-Op (Local)	B-
tl;dr The third numbered entry in the Final Fight series sees the return of Mike Haggar and Guy from the first game in the franchise, along with newcomers Lucia and Dean. This entry in the series adds Street Fighter-style special moves, which is an excellent addition, though the controls to execute these moves seem finicky. However, this is overall one of the best games in the franchise.
Final Soldier	Turbografx-16	Shmup	1	B-
tl;dr The third game in the Star Soldier series. This is a decent Shmup, and the soundtrack is very good, and the boss design is interesting, but beyond that there’s not too much about it that’s noteworthy. Also, it’s a bit on the easy side for a Shmup.
Fire Emblem	Game Boy Advance	Strategy-RPG	1	A-
tl;dr Released elsewhere with the subtitle “The Blazing Blade”, this is actually the seventh game in the Fire Emblem series, but the first one to be released in the West. Not everyone will appreciate this game’s linear progression and character permadeath, and fans of Three Houses may be disappointed at the lack of that game’s training and relationship dynamics, but otherwise this is an absolutely phenomenal Strategy-RPG that should be considered a must-play for fans of the genre. Note: This game has been announced for release on the Nintendo Switch via the Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pack’s Game Boy Advance App.
Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon	Nintendo DS	Strategy-RPG	1	A
tl;dr While it still has the linear progression and permadeath that not everyone will appreciate, this remake of the first game in the Fire Emblem series brings multiple improvements, including the ability to re-class units. However, possibly its biggest improvement is the way the dual screens and touchscreen streamline the gameplay and make this a much faster-paced game, making for one of the best early games in the franchise.
Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones	Game Boy Advance	Strategy-RPG	1	A-
tl;dr The eighth game in the Fire Emblem franchise adds in a few minor new elements to the series like multiple “class evolution” options. However, for the most part, this is the same sort of gameplay that was in the prior Fire Emblem game, with the same strengths and weaknesses – again, the linear progression and permadeath aren’t going to be everyone’s cup of tea, but regardless this is still an outstanding Strategy-RPG that genre fans should consider a must-have.
Flying Dragon: The Secret Scroll	Nintendo Entertainment System	Action-Platformer	1	D-
tl;dr Terrible movement, simple combat, and poor overall game design make this a game to be avoided.
Flying Warriors	Nintendo Entertainment System	Action-Platformer	1-8 Competitive (Local)	D+
tl;dr This game’s clunky controls work against its ambition to give players a complex combat system. Te result is a game that’s far more frustrating than fun.
Game & Watch Gallery 4	Game Boy Advance	Compilation / Arcade	1	B
tl;dr This collection includes recreated versions of the Game & Watch games Fire, Boxing, Rain Shower, Mario’s Cement Factory, Donkey Kong Jr., and Donkey Kong 3 (with Chef, Mario Bros., Donkey Kong, Octopus, and Fire Attack all unlockable). I’m delighted that this game revisits the already-improved games that were in prior Game & Watch Gallery titles, keeping the gameplay improvements while improving the graphics further. I should note that the quality here is more uneven than other games in this series though. Still, this is an excellent minigame collection.
Gargoyle’s Quest II: The Demon Darkness	Nintendo Entertainment System	Action-Platformer	1	B
tl;dr This is an excellent follow-up to the fantastic Game Boy game, with some really unique Action-Platforming gameplay thanks to your limited ability to glide. Some of the RPG elements mess with the game’s pacing (especially all the fetch quests early on), but overall this is an outstanding game.
Genghis Khan II: Clan of the Grey Wolf	Super Nintendo	Turn-Based Strategy	1-2 Competitive (Local Alternating)	D
tl;dr This game is so inscrutable, you will need a game guide to play it, and even then you’ll likely find it to be a slow-paced experience. You’re better off skipping it.
Golden Sun	Game Boy Advance	Turn-Based JRPG	1	C+
tl;dr I know this game is fiercely loved by a cult following of fans, but as far as I’m concerned it’s just a reasonably well-polished but otherwise unspectacular JRPG with somewhat slow pacing. Not bad, but nothing particularly special either. Note: This game has been announced for release on the Nintendo Switch via the Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pack’s Game Boy Advance App.
Golden Sun: The Lost Age	Game Boy Advance	Turn-Based JRPG	1	B-
tl;dr This is essentially Golden Sun: Part Two (this game and its predecessor were originally conceived as one game and then split into two parts), meaning that players will really want to complete the first game to understand the plot of this one (and if they do, they can use a password to transfer elements of their save file over). However, players who manage to do so will discover this game’s narrative does something clever by picking up right where the previous game left off, but telling the story from the perspective of the first game’s antagonists. It’s otherwise still a fairly standard and unspectacular JRPG, but it’s an absolute must for anyone who enjoyed the first game.
Harvest Moon	Super Nintendo	Management Simulation	1	C-
tl;dr This is the first game in both the Harvest Moon and Story of Seasons franchises due to the odd history of copyright and ownership those two franchises share. Nintendo Switch owners in Japan who subscribe to Nintendo Switch Online can play this game on the Super Nintendo App, but this is the most recent platform Western audiences can get the game on as of this writing. The core elements of what this series would become are all in place here, but everything is quite primitive – the visuals and soundtrack are unimpressive, the variety of activities and different plants you can work with are extremely limited, and the game doesn’t even have menus or item descriptions. This makes for a fascinating look back at the birth of the “Farming RPG” subgenre, but it’s woefully outdated by today’s standards.
Harvest Moon 64	Nintendo 64	Management Simulation	1	C
tl;dr This is the fourth game in the franchise, but it’s the first game since the original that truly tries to push the series forward, adding multiple new elements to the gameplay (including menus, finally!), more variety in livestock and crops, and being surprisingly closer to what we expect from modern entries in the genre. Its only real failings are its forced isometric perspective, its refusal to let players use the D-Pad instead of the analog stick, and the archaic graphics. Still, despite these flaws this game holds up okay and fans of the genre may want to give it a look.
Hogan’s Alley	Nintendo Entertainment System	Shooting Gallery Game	1	C+
tl;dr It may not have the same nostalgia value as Duck Hunt, but when it comes to early NES Zapper games, I think Hogan’s Alley may be a better one overall. All three included game types here are fairly repetitive, but they offer a decent variety between them – one where you are in a literal shooting gallery making split decisions on who to shoot, one that’s the same concept in an alley setting, and one where you’re juggling cans. It’s still not a game you’re likely to play for more than a few minutes before moving on, but it’ll be an enjoyable few minutes.
Kirby and the Amazing Mirror	Game Boy Advance	Platformer	1	C
tl;dr Kirby and the Amazing Mirror attempts to do something interesting with the formula with its interconnected world, but it fails to tie that world together in any sort of meaningful way – this feels like an attempt at a Metroidvania that has no idea how to be a Metroidvania. The core gameplay here is still decent, but the confusing level design makes progression frustrating. What’s more, the “phone your computer-controlled Kirby clones for help” mechanic feels forced and adds little to the Kirby formula. This isn’t an outright bad entry in the Kirby series, but it is definitely a misguided one. Note: This game has been announced for release on the Nintendo Switch via the Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pack’s Game Boy Advance App.
Kirby Canvas Curse	Nintendo DS	Platformer	1	A+
tl;dr While this is a Platformer, it’s very different from a typical Kirby game. Players do not directly control Kirby, who has been transformed into a ball and rolls forward automatically. Instead, they draw pathways and walls to make paths for him. It’s a refreshingly original take on the genre that really shows the sort of unique gameplay the touchscreen enables. It’s also worth noting that this game’s soundtrack is an absolute delight, with some really great remixes of classic Kirby themes, and the painterly visuals are wonderful.
Kirby Mass Attack	Nintendo DS	Platformer	1	A
tl;dr The second Kirby Platformer on the Nintendo DS that doesn’t have you controlling the pink puffball directly isn’t quite as groundbreaking as Canvas Curse, but is nevertheless still extremely creative and a delight to play. In this game, players control up to 10 mini-Kirbys using the touchscreen to either guide them, to pick them up and move them around, or to flick them at enemies and obstacles.
Kirby: Nightmare in Dream Land	Game Boy Advance	Platformer	1	A+
tl;dr This remake of Kirby’s Adventure improves the visuals, reduces the screen size, but otherwise leaves the great gameplay of the original game largely intact. Given the smaller screen, I hesitate to call this the definitive version of Kirby’s Adventure, but it is definitely an excellent take on one of the best games in the Kirby series.
Kirby: Squeak Squad	Nintendo DS	Platformer	1	B
tl;dr While Kirby featured in many games on the Nintendo DS, this was the only one that was both a traditional Platformer and a completely new entry in the series. It’s a decent entry in the series, but the new elements this game adds don’t feel like they do much to shake up the series’ formula – it’s cute seeing the contents of Kirby’s tummy and being able to combine them, but this feature is limited by the inability to store away copy abilities currently in use. And the need to fend off the titular “Squeak Squad” throughout the game to protect collected treasure seems like more of an annoyance than anything. It’s still a decent Kirby game, but it can’t compete with the better games in the series.
Kirby’s Epic Yarn	Wii	Platformer	1-2 Co-Op (Local)	B+
tl;dr Kirby’s Epic Yarn is a more traditional Platformer than many of the other experiments with the Kirby formula, but it still plays very differently from other Kirby titles – Kirby can’t endlessly float, and can’t “inhale” or copy enemies, but instead lassos enemies to throw them, and can transform into various objects. It’s an excellent well-made Platformer, and it does some really creative stuff with it’s yarn theme. But even for a Kirby game, Kirby’s Epic Yarn is particularly toothless. The only real difficulty here is for completionists. Still, this makes it an excellent Platformer for those new to the genre.
Kirby’s Return to Dream Land	Wii	Platformer	1-4 Co-Op (Local)	B
tl;dr Return to Dream Land is a safe and not particularly creative entry in the Kirby franchise. The only major additions here are a more powerful “inhale” ability you enable by shaking the Wii remote, occasional temporary powered-up “Super” abilities, and drop-in/drop-out multiplayer, only the last of which ends up feeling like anything more than a gimmick. This is still a solid game, but it seems really lackluster compared to other modern entries in the series. Note: This game has been announced for release on the Nintendo Switch in a remastered “Deluxe” version.
Klonoa: Empire of Dreams	Game Boy Advance	Platformer	1	B+
tl;dr While not as graphically impressive as the console games, Klonoa’s first handheld adventure was still bursting with charm, with solid gameplay, great level design, and a catchy soundtrack.
Klonoa 2: Dream Champ Tournament	Game Boy Advance	Platformer	1	A-
tl;dr Klonoa’s second Game Boy Advance game plays much like the first, but with better visuals, more interesting environments, and better level design, all while keeping the series’ classic charm intact.
Konami Krazy Racers	Game Boy Advance	Kart Racer	1	C+
tl;dr This is a pretty solid take on the original Super Mario Kart featuring chibi-ified versions of classic Konami characters like Dracula and Metal Gear Solid’s Grey Fox. The biggest issue with this release (besides the lack of multiplayer)? It’s on a platform with multiple Mario Kart games, all better than this. Still, if you enjoy old-school Kart Racing games, this is a decent one to add to your collection.
Kung-Fu Heroes	Nintendo Entertainment System	Action	1-2 Co-Op (Local)	D-
tl;dr This Action game suffers from absolutely atrocious hit detection on top of repetitive gameplay. Do not waste your time with this one.
Little Ninja Brothers	Nintendo Entertainment System	Action-RPG	1-2 Co-Op (Local)	C
tl;dr This sequel to Kung-Fu Heroes has a lot of potential in its fun combination of Action and RPG elements. Unfortunately, in the Action side of things, the controls are awkward and poorly-explained, and the RPG mechanics are dated and suffer from poor localization. There is some old-school fun that can be had here, but only for players willing to figure out this game’s mechanics.
Lode Runner	Game Boy Advance	Platformer / Arcade	1	C-
tl;dr This is a classic Arcade-style Platformer, but one that’s dated and isn’t especially accessible. Unless you have nostalgia for this game, skip it.
Lords of Thunder	Turbografx-16	Shmup	1	B
tl;dr The presentation in this Shmup is phenomenal, like a cross between an anime and a heavy metal album, and there’s a lot of gameplay variety and depth here too. Just be aware that this is a punishingly difficult entry in the genre.
Lost in Shadow	Wii	Platformer	1	B-
tl;dr This Platformer with Strong Puzzle-Platformer elements does some creative things with light and shadow, and has an engaging quiet, off-putting atmosphere. However, poor combat and pacing issues undercut this somewhat. Nevertheless, this is a fairly unique and worthwhile addition to your Virtual Console library.
Mach Rider	Nintendo Entertainment System	Racing / Action	1	D
tl;dr This Racing Action game with faux 3D visuals is overly difficult, with players needing to track enemies in front of them and in the rear view mirror. While it was visually advanced for its time, the gameplay has not aged well at all.
Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time	Nintendo DS	Turn-Based JRPG	1	A-
tl;dr The second game in the Mario & Luigi series adds a time traveling plot, along with two more playable characters – the Baby versions of Mario & Luigi. Otherwise, this is the same great mix of fun and unique Turn-Based JRPG gameplay mechanics and fun storytelling that was in the first game in the series.
Mario Golf: Advance Tour	Game Boy Advance	Sports (Golf)	1-4 Competitive (Local Alternating)	B+
tl;dr The Game Boy Advance entry in the Mario Golf series basically takes the great gameplay and RPG mechanics of the Game Boy Color game and adds improved graphics and a disposable “doubles” mode. Thankfully, this emulated version of the game retains the multiplayer play of the original thanks to the inclusion of a “pass & go” option, making this the ideal “old-school” Mario Golf experience.
Mario Hoops 3-on-3	Nintendo DS	Sports (Basketball)	1	B-
tl;dr Mario Hoops makes really creative use of the touchscreen to have players manage everything from dribbling to passing and shooting to item use, and its 3D visuals were surprisingly good for a Nintendo DS game (though of course extremely pixelated by today’s standards). However, what’s holding back this version of the game is the inability to play it in multiplayer. Still, for an unusual Basketball game, this is well worth playing.
Mario Kart: Super Circuit	Game Boy Advance	Kart Racing	1	B-
tl;dr For its time, this game was extremely impressive, replicating the same experience of the Super Nintendo game on a handheld platform. However, the visuals haven’t aged as well as the Super Nintendo game, the controls take some getting used to, and the lack of multiplayer in this version seriously hurts the game. It’s still a fun Racing game though, and it earns bonus points for having every map from the Super Nintendo game unlockable in addition to a full game’s worth of new courses. Note: This game has been announced for release on the Nintendo Switch via the Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pack’s Game Boy Advance App.
Mario Kart DS	Game Boy Advance	Kart Racing	1	A-
tl;dr This game’s visuals may be low-poly and low-resolution, but this is still a phenomenal Mario Kart game that still shines even today, with some of the best course design in the series, including some excellent courses that as of this writing still haven’t made it into Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, like Airship Fortress. Once again, I have to knock this version of the game for lacking multiplayer, but otherwise this is still an outstanding game even by today’s standards.
Mario Party 2	Nintendo 64	Party Game / Minigame Collection	1-4 Competitive / Team Competitive (Local)	C-
tl;dr I know the early Mario Party games are revered, but I think this may be a case of rose-tinted nostalgia goggles, because Mario Party 2 is not only ugly by today’s standards, but it’s sluggish too. You’re better off with a more modern game in the series. Note: This game has been announced for release on the Nintendo Switch via the Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pack’s Nintendo 64 App.
Mario Party Advance	Game Boy Advance	Minigame Collection	1	D+
tl;dr It kinda’ defeats the purpose to play Mario Party in a format that only allows for single-player, but Mario Party Advance is rather odd for a Mario Party game, presenting players with a campaign where they must unlock the game’s minigames. It’s not a bad concept, but it’s ruined by limiting your turns on the map and making it unclear where you need to go to complete quests. The result is something that could have been great in its own right, but just ends up being frustrating.
Mario Party DS	Nintendo DS	Minigame Collection / Compilation / Falling Block Puzzle	1	B
tl;dr Yet again, emulating a Mario Party game in a way that makes multiplayer impossible kinda’ defeats the purpose. However, Mario Party DS still shines with possibly the best theming the series has ever seen (the premise is that your heroes are shrunken down to tiny size, and all the game’s boards and minigames reflect this), as well as five various Puzzle games that are well worth playing in their own right. All taken together, I would argue that there’s plenty here to please even a solo player.
Mario Pinball Land	Game Boy Advance	Pinball	1	D+
tl;dr This game is colorful and imaginative, but the ball physics are all kinds of wrong. The ball is too heavy, too slippery, and nowhere near bouncy enough for a Pinball game, and the hit detection is pretty bad too. I really wanted to like this game, but it just kept disappointing me.
Mario Sports Mix	Wii	Compilation / Sports (Various)	1-4 Team Competitive (Local)	B+
tl;dr This is a compilation of really good, accessible versions of Basketball, Hockey, and Volleyball… as well as a not-so-great version of Dodgeball. Still, the three good sports make for plenty of fun and varied play, and there’s even more variety added through the different locations’ wacky features. This game could have used an actual campaign mode or something more though.
Mario Strikers Charged	Wii	Sports (Soccer)	1-4 Team Competitive (Local)	A-
tl;dr While not as revered as its GameCube predecessor, Mario Strikers Charged is still an absolute blast, bursting with personality and a great soundtrack. Its gameplay is fun and accessible, and while it may tend to favor the high-scoring charged “Mega Strike” shots, there’s still plenty of depth here for those looking for it. If you’re a fan of Mario Sports games, consider this a must-have.
Mario Super Sluggers	Wii	Sports (Baseball)	1-4 Team Competitive (Local)	C+
tl;dr This is mostly a decent game of baseball, but the motion control elements seem forced and don’t add anything to the game other than a lack of precision.
Mario Tennis: Power Tour	Game Boy Advance	Sports (Tennis)	1	B-
tl;dr Also known as Mario Power Tennis, the Game Boy Advance entry in the series features solid gameplay, although it is somewhat plain and unimaginative, and the pacing in the campaign is slow and plodding. Also, emulating the game in this way means there’s no multiplayer mode, removing one of the most important parts of the game. Still, if you’re looking for single-player old-school Mario Tennis, this is a good choice.
Mario Vs. Donkey Kong	Game Boy Advance	Puzzle-Platformer	1	B+
tl;dr This follow-up to the Game Boy version of Donkey Kong owes much of what’s great about it to its predecessor, but this is still a superb game with really nice well-animated pre-rendered 2D visuals, although the soundtrack is a bit lacking.
Mario Vs. Donkey Kong 2: March of the Minis	Nintendo DS	Puzzle-Platformer	1	B-
tl;dr This is the point where the gameplay of this series started to shift in focus to the “minis” wind-up toy versions of the Mario characters, playing less like a Mario or Donkey Kong game and more like Lemmings. Still good, but a different kind of good, although this game’s controls could be a bit unwieldy at times.
Medabots: Metabee	Game Boy Advance	Monster-Collecting RPG	1	D
tl;dr This had the potential to be a really interesting alternative to Pokemon, but with customizable robots. Unfortunately, it is far too easy for a lucky attack to destroy one of your parts and render you completely helpless, even in the game’s earliest battles. This horrendously bad balancing ruins any potential this game could have had.
Medabots: Rokusho	Game Boy Advance	Monster-Collecting RPG	1	D
tl;dr This had the potential to be a really interesting alternative to Pokemon, but with customizable robots. Unfortunately, it is far too easy for a lucky attack to destroy one of your parts and render you completely helpless, even in the game’s earliest battles. This horrendously bad balancing ruins any potential this game could have had.
Medabots AX: Metabee	Game Boy Advance	Action-Platformer / Fighting	1	D-
tl;dr This game seems like it’s aiming for something like a customizable Smash Bros.-style game, but it misses that mark horribly. Dull, repetitive, brainless action and poor hit detection make this a game you should absolutely avoid.
Medabots AX: Rokusho	Game Boy Advance	Action-Platformer / Fighting	1	D-
tl;dr This game seems like it’s aiming for something like a customizable Smash Bros.-style game, but it misses that mark horribly. Dull, repetitive, brainless action and poor hit detection make this a game you should absolutely avoid.
Mega Man & Bass	Game Boy Advance	Action-Platformer	1	B-
tl;dr Originally a Super Famicom game never released outside of Japan, this is a solid entry in the series, though it can be a bit overly-difficult and the cramped levels feel a bit too restrictive. On the upside, this game allows players to choose to play as either of the two titular characters.
Mega Man: Battle Chip Challenge	Game Boy Advance	RPG / Misc.	1	D+
tl;dr This spin-off of the Mega Man Battle Network series has good visuals and a great soundtrack, but they can’t make up for game design that removes almost all agency from the player once a battle starts. Just stick with the Battle Network games instead.
Metal Marines	Super Nintendo	Strategy	1-2 Competitive (Local Wireless)	C+
tl;dr This is definitely the sort of game that would have made you sorry you threw out the instruction manual. Be sure to look up a Wiki before playing this. However, once you get the hang of just how you’re meant to play this, it is a charming hybrid of Turn-Based Strategy and Real-Time Strategy, with elements of Battleship as you try to guess where your enemy’s base is and take it out before they destroy yours. If you’re a fan of Strategy games, this one is worth digging up.
Metroid: Other M	Wii	Metroidvania / Misc.	1	B+
tl;dr This Metroidvania combines 2D elements with limited 3D and First-Person elements for a really unique spin on the genre that feels almost like a halfway point between the Metroid Prime series’ First-Person take on the genre and the more traditional 2D Metroid games. The result is fun and interesting, but also flawed due to spotty auto-aiming, frequent interruptions by story sequences, and what many see as a somewhat questionable characterization of series protagonist Samus. Despite its flaws, this is still an enjoyable and unique game well worth adding to your collection.
Metroid Fusion	Game Boy Advance	Metroidvania	1	B+
tl;dr The fourth game in the mainline Metroid series, Metroid Fusion is a superb Metroidvania, and an important part of the Metroid saga leading into Metroid Dread, but in my opinion it is the weakest game in the mainline series (if we substitute Metroid Zero Mission and Metroid: Samus Returns for Metroid 1 and 2). However, it’s still a must-play if you’re a fan of the genre and especially if you’re a fan of the series. Note: This game has been announced for release on the Nintendo Switch via the Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pack’s Game Boy Advance App.
Metroid Zero Mission	Game Boy Advance	Metroidvania	1	A+
tl;dr This remake of the first Metroid game brings the gameplay closer to the series’ pinnacle, Super Metroid, and the result is one of the best games in the series, and I’d say that its biggest flaw is that it’s relatively short. If you enjoy a good Metroidvania, you absolutely need to play this game.
Metroid Prime Hunters	Nintendo DS	Metroidvania	1	B-
tl;dr This game’s touchscreen controls make for a really ingenious way to control a First-Person Shooter, and the overall quality of this game is still excellent. However, this version suffers from two issues – first, the limited screen resolution of the Nintendo DS has aged really poorly. And second, the inability to play this version in multiplayer cuts out a major component of the game. However, if you’re not terribly bothered by these flaws, this is definitely a game worth checking out.
Metroid Prime Trilogy	Wii	Compilation / First-Person Shooter / Metroidvania	1	A++
tl;dr This Compilation includes Wii versions of the first three mainline Metroid Prime games. The Wii controls in the first two games (originally released on GameCube) have benefits and drawbacks, but overall these are excellent versions of all three games, which combine First-Person Shooter elements with a 3D Metroidvania game structure in an absolutely brilliant way that made Metroid Prime one of the greatest games ever made, and its two sequels are both excellent as well. Any of these three games would easily be worth the $20 price tag of this release, but for all three that is an insanely good deal, especially since tracking down a used copy of the disc will cost you anywhere from $70 to over $100. This is one of the absolute must-have games on the Wii U Virtual Console.
Mighty Final Fight	Nintendo Entertainment System	Arcade Brawler	1	C+
tl;dr This scaled down take on the original Final Fight is actually a pretty good re-imagining of the game. It’s simple and a bit repetitive, but overall the quality of the gameplay shines through. Unfortunately, there’s no multiplayer to speak of.
Motoroader	TurboGrafx-16	Top-Down Racing	1-5 Competitive (Local)	D-
tl;dr This racing game is terrible in numerous ways – an upgrade system that doesn’t appear to have any noticeable effect, slow gameplay, and vehicles that lag too far behind are automatically tossed back into the center of the pack. Do not get this wreck of a racing game.
Mr. Driller 2	Game Boy Advance	Puzzle-Platformer	1	C
tl;dr The Game Boy Advance version of the second game in the series about digging downward through multicolored blocks without getting crushed by falling blocks or running out of air is still visually-appealing, but lacks the variety of later entries in the series, with gameplay I just don’t find especially compelling.
Namco Museum	Game Boy Advance	Compilation / Arcade	1	B-
tl;dr The Game Boy Advance version of Namco Arcade includes Dig Dug, Galaga, and Galaxian, which are all available to play on Nintendo Switch, as well as Pole Position and Ms. Pac-Man, which as of this writing are still not on the Nintendo Switch. These are pretty good versions of the included games (even with the limitations of the Game Boy Advance’s cramped screen), but if you already have some other version of the Namco Collection, there’s nothing special about this one. And if you’re a Switch owner wondering if you’re missing out on Pole Position and Ms. Pac-Man… no. Sega’s Out Run is similar to Pole Position but far less punishingly difficult, and while Ms. Pac-Man is absolutely superior to the original Pac-Man, Namco has released countless better takes on the formula since then.
Neutopia	TurboGrafx-16	Top-Down Action-RPG	1	C
tl;dr This is actually a surprisingly decent attempt at copying the formula of the original Legend of Zelda. However, it also copies the confusing lack of direction and awkward localization. Add to this the countless time-wasting rooms full of “helpful” NPCs giving you advice that’s difficult to understand and it’s easy to see why this game didn’t catch on the same way Zelda did.
Neutopia II	TurboGrafx-16	Top-Down Action-RPG	1	C+
tl;dr This sequel improves on its predecessor in just about every way – more fluid controls, better graphics, better soundtrack, and it still feels much like a Zelda game. Unfortunately, the walking speed is abysmally slow, and the pace is still slowed further by babbling NPCs. Still, despite all this, Neutopia II is a competent Zelda clone.
New Adventure Island	Turbografx-16	Action-Platformer	1	C
tl;dr This game improves on the control issues of the original Adventure Island, but still has an overly high difficulty for such a colorful and cutesy game.
New Super Mario Bros.	Nintendo DS	3D Platformer	1	B+
tl;dr Mario’s first major 2D adventure since going 3D is a fairly safe and unambitious entry in the franchise, albeit a fun and well-crafted one, with some amusing twists on the series’ formula and an entertaining selection of minigames. Not an *essential Mario game, but a very good one nonetheless.
Ninja Gaiden II: The Dark Sword of Chaos	Nintendo Entertainment System	Action-Platformer	1	B-
tl;dr On the one hand, this game is emblematic of “Nintendo Hard”, exacerbated by constantly-respawning enemies who just love to knock you into a pit and cost you a life, and there’s some spotty hit detection and a lot of nasty flicker going on here. Yet, despite these issues, this game is nevertheless a classic, with great music, fun game mechanics, and new abilities for the series like climbing up and down walls and splitting into multiple copies to attack enemies. If you don’t mind the jankiness and like your games tough, this is a must-play title.
Ninja Gaiden III: The Ancient Ship of Doom	Nintendo Entertainment System	Action-Platformer	1	B
tl;dr This game is nowhere near as iconic as the second game in the series, and it’s still very “Nintendo Hard”, but it’s a bit more fair, with better hit detection, less flickering, and less absurd recoil when an enemy hits you. The result is a better overall game.
Nobunaga’s Ambition	Super Nintendo	Turn-Based Strategy	1-8 Competitive (Local Alternating)	C-
tl;dr This game plays like a more complex version of Risk. Unfortunately, that complexity is not very well explained within the game itself – you’ll definitely want to seek out a game guide online to explain how to play this one. As such, this is going to be a pretty niche experience, but those who have the patience to learn the game systems for a game that has no interest in teaching you how it works, this game has some potential.
Ogre Battle 64: Person of Lordly Caliber	Nintendo 64	Real-Time Strategy-RPG	1	C
tl;dr There’s nothing quite like the Ogre Battle series in the modern era of videogames. This franchise eventually spun off into the game Tactics Ogre, which formed the basis of the gameplay of the breakout hit Final Fantasy Tactics. However, Ogre Battle is something different entirely. It’s overly-complicated, slow-paced, and there’s a frustrating lack of meaningful control over individual battles. It also suffers from ugly, muddy textures and a terribly dark color palette, making the game look like a real eyesore by today’s standards. However, if you’re looking for a unique approach to Strategy-RPG gameplay, this game is well worth seeking out for its novelty, if nothing else.
Onimusha Tactics	Game Boy Advance	Turn-Based Strategy-RPG	1	C
tl;dr This spin-off of the PlayStation 2 action series is a game much in the vein of Final Fantasy Tactics, but its slow pace and lack of options makes it pale in comparison to some of the better games in the genre.
Pac-Man 2	Super Nintendo	Graphic Adventure	1	C-
tl;dr This is a bizarre direction to take the Pac-Man franchise, and even more given the brazen “2” indicating this is a true sequel to the original game despite being in a wildly different genre. It’s actually a fairly creative entry in its genre though, and the inclusion of graphically-updated versions of Pac-Man and Ms. Pac-Man are nice. However, the inability to directly control Pac-Man and the way he only slowly reacts to your suggestions is extremely frustrating. This game is still very unique, but it’s hard to imagine most players having the patience for it.
Pandora’s Tower	Wii	Action-RPG	1	B
tl;dr This is a blend of Devil May Cry, resource management and crafting upgrades, time management, and combat using a chain that feels like a precursor to Astral Chain on Nintendo Switch, all packaged in a bizarre macabre story about a man venturing into a foreboding tower to hunt monsters to feed their flesh to a cursed maiden. The result is a game that won’t be for everyone, but it’s so refreshingly unique that it’s well worth getting purely for that reason. If you get this game, do yourself a favor – play using the original Wii remote controls rather than the Wii U gamepad controls, as this game was clearly made with those controls in mind, and feels far more natural with them.
Picross 3D	Nintendo DS	Picross Puzzle	1	B+
tl;dr This is an excellent re-imagining of Picross in 3D that works surprisingly well and is a lot of fun! The only problem? The barrage of unskippable tutorials at the beginning of the game really drag down the pace, and the inability to just skip to more challenging puzzles is disappointing. Still, if you have the patience to play through the easier stuff, this is a delightful and original take on a classic formula.
Pikmin	Wii	Real-Time Strategy / Action-RPG	1	B+
tl;dr The Wii version of Pikmin replaces the GameCube version’s traditional gamepad controls with Wii remote motion controls, and this actually works extraordinarily well, although it does take some getting used to. The element of this game that’s aged less well is the visuals, which mostly look very good, but can look distractingly blurry when moving. Still, despite this, Pikmin is an outstanding game even to this day, with an outstanding blend of strategy and exploration, and I believe this is currently the best version of it.
Pikmin 2	Wii	Real-Time Strategy / Action-RPG	1-2 Competitive (Local Split-Screen)	A
tl;dr As with the first Pikmin game, the Wii version of Pikmin 2 reworks the controls to make use of the Wii remote’s motion-sensing capabilities, which takes some getting used to, but is ultimately a big improvement. This game doesn’t seem to have the blurry movement issue the first game had, and this game also adds the new playable character Louie, allowing for better multitasking. This game also does away with the overbearing time limits, adds new varieties of Pikmin, adds a new 2-player competitive mode… in short, this is a phenomenal sequel, and some still argue it’s the best game in the series. In any case, it’s still an outstanding game, and I feel that this is currently the best version of it.
Pocky & Rocky With Becky	Game Boy Advance	Top-Down Action	1	C
tl;dr This is the fourth game in the Pocky & Rocky series (also known as Kiki Kaikai), and while its cutesy Japanese shrine maiden take on the genre is relatively unique, the stiff controls and overly-tough difficulty keep it from being very enjoyable.
Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of the Sky	Nintendo DS	Top-Down Dungeon Crawler	1	C
tl;dr The adorable presentation in this game is wonderful, but it’s undercut by dull, unoriginal Dungeon Crawler gameplay. Only the most dedicated Pokemon fans should bother with this one.
Pokemon Pinball: Ruby & Sapphire	Game Boy Advance	Pinball	1	A-
tl;dr This pinball game not only gets everything right about pinball, it also does a great job working Pokemon’s monster-catching gameplay into its gameplay. A must-have for Pinball fans, and strongly recommended for Pokemon fans too.
Pokemon Ranger	Nintendo DS	Top-Down Action-RPG / Arcade	1	C
tl;dr Pokemon Ranger seems like an odd, experimental title making unique use of the touchscreen to have you capture Pokemon by encircling them with lines you draw. Unfortunately, it’s a bit too shallow to be very compelling, especially since you keep having to free the Pokemon you capture (“Pokemon have to stay in their natural environment”? Since when!?). It’s a unique and interesting game, but it’s so niche that it’s not going to appeal to most players.
Pokemon Ranger: Shadows of Almia	Nintendo DS	Top-Down Action-RPG / Arcade	1	B-
tl;dr The second game in the Pokemon Ranger series is a marked improvement over the first one, with a much more forgiving circle-drawing capture mechanic, and interchangeable “partner Pokemon” you gain as the game progresses. It’s still limited by the player’s inability to keep more than a few Pokemon, which they lose whenever they use them. However, overall this game feels much more like the game the original Pokemon Ranger was trying to be.
Pokemon Ranger: Guardian Signs	Nintendo DS	Top-Down Action-RPG / Arcade	1	B-
tl;dr The third and final game in the Pokemon Ranger series adds a few more improvements, like an ability to keep up to seven Pokemon at a time, but overall it’s the same core experience (good, but flawed) as the prior game. Worth playing if you want to experience a quirky, original game within the Pokemon universe.
Pokepark Wii: Pikachu’s Adventure	Wii	3D Platformer / Minigame Collection	1	D+
tl;dr This slow-paced, juvenile 3D Platformer is already pretty mediocre, but it’s made worse by terrible controls that force players to play with the Wii remote on its side when the numchuck clearly would have been the better way to go. Add to this a focus on simple Party Game-style minigames and complete lack of multiplayer support, and it’s like they were trying to hobble this game out of the gate.
Polarium Advance	Game Boy Advance	Puzzle	1	C+
tl;dr This Puzzle game about drawing paths to flip Reversi-like tiles and create same-colored rows is an enjoyable if somewhat flavorless entry in the genre, though the expanded selection of puzzles doesn’t quite make up for the lack of the Nintendo DS version’s Challenge mode and touchscreen support. Puzzle game fans will likely still enjoy it, but it’s not going to excite anyone.
Power Golf	TurboGrafx-16	Sports (Golf)	1-3 Competitive (Local Alternating)	D-
tl;dr This is a pretty miserable Golf game. The shot meter goes far too quickly to make for accurate shots, players are given far too little information, and somehow half the time my shots seem to curve into the wind. You have tons of better options for Golf, don’t waste time or money on this one.
Punch-Out!!	Wii	Sports (Boxing)	1-2 Competitive (Local Split-Screen)	A
tl;dr While some may find the cultural stereotypes offensive, there’s not much else you can complain about in this phenomenal Wii successor to the classic cartoony boxing series. The character models are detailed and expressive, the animation here is some of the best ever to be found in a videogame, and the gameplay perfectly captures what made the original games so beloved in the first place. This is without a doubt one of the greatest Boxing videogames of all-time.
Rayman Advance	Game Boy Advance	Platformer	1	C+
tl;dr This is a decent port of a solid but unspectacular Platformer to the Game Boy Advance, but it’s marred a bit by the handheld’s smaller screen size, making it harder to see your surroundings.
Rayman 3	Game Boy Advance	Platformer	1	B
tl;dr Rather than trying to scale down the 3D Platformer that console players got, the Game Boy Advance version of Rayman 3 is an original adventure that plays like the original Rayman. However, unlike Rayman Advance, this is a game that was clearly designed with Nintendo’s handheld in mind, and as a result this game maintains all of the best qualities of the series (its charm, its colorful world, and its great animation) without feeling compromised.
Rayman Raving Rabbids	Wii	Party Game / Minigame Collection	1-4 Competitive (Local)	C+
tl;dr Those screaming rabbit-like Rabbids started here, as the antagonists in a Rayman spinoff Party Game. I know the Rabbids are a “love it or hate it” property, but regardless of how you feel, this game is absolutely exploding with creativity and personality. Unfortunately, the single-player mode is tedious and much of the multiplayer needs to be unlocked first… through the single-player mode. Also, the quality of the minigames varies wildly – some are extremely inventive uses of the Wii remote, while others boil down to “shake the Wii remote a lot”. On balance, this game’s charm may still make it worth playing for fans of Party Games, but once that grows old you’ll be left with a very uneven game.
Resident Evil 4: Wii Edition	Wii	Graphic Adventure / Horror / Third-Person Shooter	1	B
tl;dr While we all eagerly await the announced remake of this game on the latest generation of platforms, the Wii version is still considered by many to be the best version of one of the best Resident Evil games due to its motion-sensing controls using the Wii remote. The Wii remote controls take some getting used to, but once you do, you’ll find that the controls are indeed excellent here, but there’s a trade-off – the lower resolution of the Wii compared to modern platforms really makes this game an eyesore by today’s standards. On top of this, I still prefer the modern Third-Person Shooter controls of later entries in the series. Still, if you’re a fan of this entry in the Resident Evil saga, it’s worth trying out this version to experience a great, unique way to play the game.
Resident Evil: The Umbrella Chronicles	Wii	Shooting Gallery Game	1-2 Co-Op (Local)	B
tl;dr This game turns the stories of Resident Evil 0, 1, 2, and 3 into a Shooting Gallery game, and actually a surprisingly good one (though a challenging one).
Rhythm Heaven Fever	Wii	Music-Rhythm	1-2 Competitive (Local)	B-
tl;dr Much like other games in the Rhythm Heaven series, Rhythm Heaven Fever is an extremely simple take on the genre that’s nevertheless really compelling due to its endearing characters, silly scenarios, and catchy synthesized music. While this isn’t likely to be anyone’s favorite Music-Rhythm game, it is still a great entry in the genre.
Romance of the Three Kingdoms IV: Wall of Fire	Super Nintendo	Turn-Based Strategy	1-8 Competitive (Local Alternating)	D
tl;dr This game is so inscrutable, you will need a game guide to play it. This is a game that doesn’t want to give newer players any indication how it works. Good presentation, at least, but that’s not enough for me to recommend it.
Shockman	Turbografx-16	Action-Platformer	1	C
tl;dr This Action-Platformer (with occasional Shmup stages) seems to be trying to aim for a style similar to Mega Man, but lacks that series’ weapon variety and responsive controls. The soundtrack is pretty good at least, but that’s not much of a reason to seek this game out.
Sin & Punishment: Star Successor	Wii	Third-Person Shooter	1-2 Co-Op (Local)	B+
tl;dr Also known as Sin and Punishment 2. The sequel to Sin & Punishment on Nintendo 64, and one of Treasure’s last few games as an active developer, Star Successor is an outstanding on-rails character-based Action game that’s fast-paced and full of variety. The story is embarrassingly bad, but thankfully you can skip it. Action game fans should consider this a must-have!
Soldier Blade	Turbografx-16	Shmup	1	B+
tl;dr This sequel to Super Star Soldier is a huge improvement. Solid gameplay with good variety, nice visuals, and a catchy soundtrack make this one of the best old-school Shmups I’ve played. It’s a bit on the easy side, but still highly enjoyable.
Star Fox Command	Nintendo DS	3D Space Shooter / Real-Time Strategy	1 (multiplayer only available in original game)	C-
tl;dr Star Fox Command is an experimental title in multiple ways. Firstly, it remaps most of the controls of your fighter craft to the touchscreen, something that I found made for frustrating, unreliable controls. And second, fights with enemies are broken up by moving your forces on a map, making for an odd sort of Real-Time Strategy element that breaks up the action into smaller brief moments surrounded by a lot of drawing lines on maps. While these changes are interesting, I feel like they detract from the core action-focused gameplay of the Star Fox franchise, and the result is a game that has its charms, but ultimately feels far less satisfying than a more traditional entry in the Star Fox franchise.
Stinger	Nintendo Entertainment System	Shmup	1	C-
tl;dr This game is actually the second game in the TwinBee series, maintaining the series’ odd power-up system, but not really offering much beyond that. This game is not a “classic” like its predecessor (though it’s just as dated), nor does it do anything truly original enough to be noteworthy in its own right.
Street Fighter 2010: The Final Fight	Nintendo Entertainment System	Action-Platformer	1	D
tl;dr Don’t be fooled by this game’s title – it has virtually nothing to do with either the Street Fighter or Final Fight franchises. The game’s protagonist may have been sloppily reimagined as a “25 years in the future” version of Ken in Western releases, but this pathetic attempt to latch on to the Street Fighter franchise’s popularity can’t save an Action-Platformer with stiff controls, poor hit detection, and frustrating gameplay.
Style Savvy	Nintendo DS	Management Simulation / Misc.	1	C+
tl;dr Style Savvy has players recommending clothing to customers, along with some light management elements. This is a fairly niche game and it can get a bit repetitive, but there’s something oddly compelling about rifling through your digital closet to find clothes to recommend to customers. If the concept appeals to you, this may be worth a look.
Super Mario 64 DS	Nintendo DS	3D Platformer	1	A-
tl;dr This remake of Super Mario 64 for Nintendo DS was impressive when it released for the way it shrunk down the groundbreaking 3D Platformer to work on a handheld. However, what’s most noteworthy about it now is likely the many changes that were made to this version of the game, including three new playable characters and a selection of minigames. The core game is still superb, although it has aged somewhat and the lack of analog controls really hurts the fluidity of the gameplay. Still, this is a truly unique version of Super Mario 64 well worth owning in its own right.
Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros. 3	Game Boy Advance	Compilation / Platformer	1-2 Alternating (Local)	A+
tl;dr This game is primarily a port of the Super Mario All-Stars version of Super Mario Bros. 3, but that’s just the beginning. Like all Super Mario Advance games, this also includes an excellent remake of the original Mario Bros. arcade game, but the real treat here is that this version includes all of the levels that were added to this version of the game by the E-Reader peripheral. That’s nearly 50 levels, many of them only playable in this version of the game (well, unless you want to track down all the E-Reader stuff). If you’re a Mario fan, this is an absolute must-have, and even if you’re not it’s still an exceptional Platformer with a wealth of great content. Note: This game has been announced for release on the Nintendo Switch via the Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pack’s Game Boy Advance App.
Super Mario Galaxy 2	Wii	3D Platformer	1-2 Co-Op (Local)	A+
tl;dr The follow-up to Super Mario Galaxy adds some new mechanics, such as the ability to ride Mario’s dinosaur buddy Yoshi, but for the most part this game just plays like “more Super Mario Galaxy”. And it’s hard to find much fault in that – Super Mario Galaxy is one of the greatest games ever made, after all. Aside from its derivative nature, Super Mario Galaxy 2 is not far behind – this is an absolutely phenomenal 3D Platformer with incredibly well-crafted and imaginative level design, thoroughly enjoyable gameplay, and a beautiful, colorful world. An absolute must-have game.
Super Mario RPG	Turn-Based JRPG	Super Nintendo	1	A+
tl;dr Mario’s first RPG may still be his best. Wonderful characters, loads of personality, a great sense of humor, an outstanding soundtrack, a distinctive and colorful pre-rendered art style, and a creative (for the time) combat system that has players getting bonuses on their attacks by timing button presses. There’s so much to love here. If you’re an RPG fan, you should absolutely play this game.
Super Paper Mario	Wii	Platformer / 3D Platformer / RPG	1	C+
tl;dr This game’s meshing of 2D and 3D gameplay is a great idea… that’s done far better in other games. Here, it’s limited in ways that make it more frustrating than ingenious, the platforming isn’t especially great, and the pacing is tedious. The charm of the Paper Mario franchise still shines through here, but this experiment in taking most of the RPG elements out of an RPG series could have been handled better.
Super Star Soldier	Turbografx-16	Shmup	1	C+
tl;dr The second game in the Star Soldier series. This is a decent Shmup, and the soundtrack is very good, but beyond that there’s not too much about it that’s noteworthy. Also, it’s a bit on the easy side for a Shmup.
The Adventures of Bayou Billy	Nintendo Entertainment System	Arcade Brawler / Shooting Gallery Game	1	D-
tl;dr This game alternates between Arcade-style Brawler stages and Shooting Gallery stages, but you may never even reach the Shooting Gallery stages given how absurdly, unfairly difficult the Brawler stages are. This game apparently decided that hit stun for enemies was only a suggestion, meaning that landing a hit on one could easily result in them instantly hitting you back with no way to avoid it. Add to this the bizarre enemy movement patterns, and it comes off as an Arcade Brawler designed by someone who had no idea how to make an Arcade Brawler, and then slapped a low-rent Crocodile Dundee theme on top. Avoid this one.
The Legend of the Mystical Ninja	Super Nintendo	Action-RPG / Action-Platformer	1-2 Co-Op	B
tl;dr This odd blend of Action-RPG and Action-Platformer is a bit too tough and unforgiving for its kooky and extremely Japanesey presentation, but if you’re up for a challenge in an odd package, this is a fantastic and original game.
The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass	Nintendo DS	Top-Down Action-RPG	1	A-
tl;dr This Action-RPG’s touchscreen-only control method will not be for everyone, and the game’s central dungeon you need to return to multiple times throughout the game may be a bit tedious, but this is still a solid Zelda game which continues the story of Wind Waker and uses the same cartoonish visual style. What’s more, it makes some ingenious use of the touchscreen, encouraging players to make notes on the map and draw to solve puzzles, as well as using it to sail your ship and fend off enemies. While it has its flaws, this is overall an outstanding Action-RPG.
The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks	Nintendo DS	Top-Down Action-RPG	1	A-
tl;dr A direct sequel to Phantom Hourglass taking place a hundred years after the event of that game, this game uses a similar art style and gameplay control, but replaces the ship navigation of that game with controlling a locomotive on rails. This game once again finds some clever uses for the touchscreen, and the story does some fun things as well. If you liked Phantom Hourglass, you’ll likely enjoy this game, but if the prior game wasn’t to your liking, this one probably won’t change your mind.
The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap	Game Boy Advance	Top-Down Action-RPG	1	A-
tl;dr This game sticks close to the formula established by Link to the Past, but its unique characters, fun new items, and it’s “grow/shrink” gimmick differentiate it enough to make it distinct in the series, even after all these years. Note: This game has been announced for release on the Nintendo Switch via the Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pack’s Game Boy Advance App.
Trauma Team	Wii	Arcade / Simulation / Misc.	1	A-
tl;dr The fifth and as of this writing final entry in the wonderfully unique Trauma Center series that has players taking the role of doctors performing a variety of surgeries on patients, with this game making surprisingly intuitive use of the Wii remote’s motion control. This entry in the franchise has players playing as multiple doctors with different specialties, making for some good gameplay variety. The story is absolutely ridiculous and over-the-top, but if you’re craving something really unique, this is an exceptional choice.
Ufouria: The Saga	Nintendo Entertainment System	Metroidvania	1	D
tl;dr This early example of a Metroidvania has players meeting with and recruiting four characters, each with unique abilities. Unfortunately, they all seem to be inept, and this game seems to constantly be finding ways to frustrate the player. Stay far away from this one.
Uncharted Waters: New Horizons	Super Nintendo	Simulation / Strategy-RPG	1	C-
tl;dr This combination of a simplified Strategy-RPG and a trading Sim is really unique and ambitious, but the execution makes this an extremely niche game that only a small handful of players will appreciate. Apart from some decent writing, this game’s presentation is fairly dry and lifeless, and you’re expected to remember a lot of information without the game making it easy to access important info like what quests you’ve taken and the names of cities on the map. Despite its many flaws and frustrations, a select few will undoubtedly really enjoy the unique and thoughtful gameplay here, but most are better off skipping it.
Vegas Stakes	Super Nintendo	Compilation / Card Game / Casino	1-4 Competitive (Local)	C-
tl;dr This game includes versions of Blackjack, Slots, Roulette, Craps, and Poker (Seven Card Stud). There’s nothing surprising or extraordinary about these games, and there are no options settings. In fact, if you want to get different minimum bets and limits, you need to change in-game casinos. I should note that Poker is not available to play in multiplayer (obviously, sharing a screen makes it kinda’ impossible to play this with others).
Victory Run	TurboGrafx-16	Racing	1	C-
tl;dr This Out Run-style Racing game has players setting their car’s stats before starting, making for a somewhat customizable experience, and making players manage their gear shifting is a nice touch. Unfortunately, it’s overly-difficult even for a style of game that tends to be on the difficult side.
Wild Gunman	Nintendo Entertainment System	Shooting Gallery Game	1	C-
tl;dr This game about face-offs with Wild West-style gunfighters is pretty forgiving about aim, being more concerned with your timing. However, this does mean it’s a much more simple game. In addition, the game modes here play fairly similarly, meaning you’ll tire of this one more quickly.
Wario Land 4	Game Boy Advance	Platformer	1	A-
tl;dr This game abandons the shape-changing and most of the puzzle elements of Wario Land 2 and 3 to be a more traditional Platformer like the original Wario Land, while adding in a colorful, detailed, delightfully expressive presentation in line with the WarioWare series. The result is a game I would argue is one of the best in the Wario Land series, second only to Virtual Boy Wario Land. If you’re a fan of Platformers, this is absolutely a game you should want in your collection.
Wario Land: Shake It!	Wii	Platformer	1	B-
tl;dr Nearly everything this game does well, it copies from Wario Land 4. Add to that a tedious need to shake the Wii remote to do various moves, as well as awkwardly tilting it to aim throws, and it seems the only thing this game adds to the Wario Land formula is tedium. Well, and a really excellent presentation with superb animation. But I’d still rather be playing Wario Land 4.
Wario: Master of Disguise	Nintendo DS	Platformer	1	B
tl;dr This Platformer has some unique mechanics that almost make it a Puzzle-Platformer, and the use of the touchscreen and the disguise-changing mechanic make it refreshing and original, but also awkward to control and somewhat laboriously-paced. In the end this is still definitely a game worth playing, despite its flaws.
WarioWare, Inc.: Mega Microgame$!	Game Boy Advance	Arcade / Misc.	1-2 Competitive (Local)	A-
tl;dr The first game in the WarioWare franchise is still a huge breath of fresh air in the world of videogames even today, with tons of personality, variety, and extra content. The only real complaint I have is that the signature rapid-fire 5-second microgames can get repetitive a bit too quickly. Even so, this game is still an absolute blast, and still well worth getting. Note: This game has been announced for release on the Nintendo Switch via the Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pack’s Game Boy Advance App.
WarioWare: Touched!	Nintendo DS	Arcade / Misc.	1	B+
tl;dr The fourth game in the WarioWare series found all sorts of creative ways to make use of the unique features of the Nintendo DS, particularly its touchscreen. This transitions well to the Wii U, and the game’s amazing personality still shines through. However, the gameplay here is even more repetitive than Mega Microgame$, and by this point the novelty of the series wasn’t quite as impressive. Nevertheless, this is still an excellent and unique game that’s definitely worth playing.
WarioWare: Smooth Moves	Wii	Arcade / Misc.	1-4 Competitive (Local), 2-12 Competitive (Alternating)	A
tl;dr The Wii entry in the WarioWare series doesn’t suffer the same degree of repetition as the earlier games, and finds wildly inventive ways to use the Wii remote’s motion-sensing capabilities that mesh well with the series’ signature humor. This game was a great showpiece for the potential of the Wii, and even now it’s still a delightful game that’s one of the best in its series.
Wave Race 64	Nintendo 64	Watercraft Racing	1-2 Competitive (Local Split-Screen)	A-
tl;dr The visuals don’t look anywhere near as impressive as they did when this game first released, and the choppy framerates detract from the game as well. But even with the dated graphics, Wave Race 64 is still an absolute triumph of a racing game, both extremely accessible yet with plenty of nuance for players willing to dive deeper (ha) into its physics. Note: This game is now available on the Nintendo Switch via the Nintendo Switch Online Expansion Pack’s Nintendo 64 App.
World Sports Competition	TurboGrafx-16	Sports (Various)	1-5 Competitive (Local Alternating / Local Split-Screen)	D-
tl;dr This off-brand Olympic-style game looks and sounds great, but most of its various sports are just variations on button-mashing minigames. The few that aren’t are extremely simple. Don’t waste your money on this.
Yoshi Touch & Go	Nintendo DS	Arcade / Auto-Runner	1	C-
tl;dr Yoshi’s Touch & Go is a glorified tech demo for the Nintendo DS (literally – this was one of the projects that was first used to show off the Nintendo DS’s touchscreen), but as a game it is a shallow experience. Players use the touchscreen to draw lines to guide the game’s characters, tap in the direction of enemies to instruct Yoshi to throw eggs, and blow into the microphone for other functions (yes, very gimmicky). The best gameplay mechanics in this game were better utilized in Kirby Canvas Curse, and if you’re looking for a truly great touchscreen-controlled Platformer, that is a far better option. Yoshi Touch and Go is at best only a mildly interesting distraction by comparison.
Yoshi’s Island DS	Nintendo DS	Platformer	1	B
tl;dr While this game is a sequel to Yoshi’s Island, you could be forgiven for thinking it’s a port at first given how much this game takes from its SNES predecessor. While it is sorely lacking in originality, its soundtrack is terrible, and its level design is nowhere near as good as its predecessor, this game still has the strong gameplay that made the first game a classic, and the different abilities the various swappable babies add to the game is a clever idea (that’s unfortunately made tedious by levels that are clearly intended to be explored using a specific baby). Overall this is a solid entry in the series, but not an especially memorable one.
Zack & Wiki: Quest for Barbaros’ Treasure	Wii	Graphic Adventure	1	B+
tl;dr This family-friendly take on the Graphic Adventure genre features a delightfully expressive cartoony 3D art style, highly accessible gameplay, and fun use of the Wii remote’s motion-sensing capabilities. It’s likely to be too easy for seasoned fans of the genre, but this is nevertheless a delightful game well worth playing.
Zoda’s Revenge: Star Tropics II	Nintendo Entertainment System	Top-Down Action-RPG	1	B+
tl;dr This time-traveling sequel gives players more freedom of movement, but it also has some frustrating hit detection issues and is stingier when it comes to health pickups. There’s also annoying “pitfalls” you encounter on the map that slow your progress in some areas. Despite these issues, this is otherwise an excellent follow-up to a great Action-RPG with strong gameplay and level design, but it’s not as good as the original.

When it all comes down to it, the truly must-play Wii U Virtual Console games that I’ve reviewed thus far (A- grade or better) are as follows: Metroid Prime Trilogy, Kirby Canvas Curse, Kirby: Nightmare in Dream Land, Metroid Zero Mission, Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros. 3, Super Mario Galaxy 2, Super Mario RPG, Advance Wars: Dual Strike, Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon, Kirby Mass Attack, Pikmin 2, Punch-Out!! (Wii), WarioWare: Smooth Moves, DK: Jungle Climber, Donkey Kong Country Returns, Fire Emblem, Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones, Klonoa 2: Dream Champ Tournament, Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time, Kario Kart DS, Mario Strikers Charged, Pokemon Pinball: Ruby & Sapphire, Super Mario 64 DS, The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass, The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks, The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap, Taurma Team, Wario Land 4, and WarioWare, Inc.: Mega Microgame$!

Other excellent games well worth playing (B+ or B grade) are Brain Age: Train Your Brain in Minutes a Day, Final Fantasy Tactics Advance, Kirby’s Epic Yarn, Klonoa: Empire of Dreams, Mario Golf: Advance Tour, Mario Sports Mix, Mario Vs. Donkey Kong, Metroid: Other M, Metroid Fusion, New Super Mario Bros., Picross 3D, Pikmin, Sin & Punishment: Star Successor, Soldier Blade, WarioWare: Touched!, Zack & Wiki: Quest for Barbaros’ Treasure, Zoda’s Revenge: Star Tropics II, Animal Crossing: Wild World, Detana TwinBee, Devil’s Crush, DK: King of Swing, Drill Dozer, F-Zero: GP Legend, Gargoyle’s Quest II, Game & Watch Gallery 4, Kirby: Squeak Squad, Kirby’s Return to Dream Land, Lords of Thunder, Mario Party DS, Ninja Gaiden III: The Ancient Ship of Doom, Pandora’s Tower, Resident Evil 4: Wii Edition, Resident Evil: The Umbrella Chronicles, The Legend of the Mystical Ninja, Wario: Master of Disguise, and Yoshi’s Island DS

Those are the highlights here – there are other games in this list you might enjoy, but these games are the best of the bunch.

Or, for those wanting a Top 10 list (because those are always fun), here are my picks for top 10 Wii U Virtual Console games not currently playable or announced on Nintendo Switch:

.10. Trauma Team

.9. Advance Wars: Dual Strike

.8. Pikmin 2

.7. Punch-Out!! (Wii)

.6. Kirby: Nightmare in Dream Land

.5. Metroid Zero Mission

.4. Super Mario Galaxy 2

.3. Kirby Canvas Curse

.2. Super Mario RPG

.1. Metroid Prime Trilogy

.

I will continue to update both of these lists as I review more games.

tl;dr – Nintendo Switch owners are missing out on some great classic games that are currently available on the Nintendo 3DS and/or Wii U, but not on the Nintendo Switch in any form. Read above for more info!

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