What are you doing New Year’s Eve? Popping open a little bubbly? How about just popping bubbles instead? The latest Virtual Console games have hit the Wii Shop Channel, headlined by none other than the original Bubble Bobble as it appeared on the NES.
Joining Bubble Bobble on the Wii Virtual Console today are Light Crusader, from the Sega Genesis, and Top Hunter, from the NeoGeo. Game descriptions and Wii Point costs are all below.
Bubble Bobble: (1-2 players, 500 Wii Points): The game’s release in 1986 introduced the new gameplay mechanics of defeating enemies by trapping them in bubbles and then popping them. Although the puzzle-action game can be beaten by clearing all 100 rounds, it also contains secret elements such as not being able to get the “true ending” in single-player mode, hidden commands that lead to secret rounds, and a ton of different items. Each round even has different air currents that are not visible, so bubbles rise in unpredictable patterns. Aspects like forcing players to understand and utilize these different patterns while playing help make this a revolutionary game that is fun to play anytime.
Light Crusader: (1 player, 800 Wii Points): Each day, more good townspeople of Green Row have been mysteriously disappearing, and beleaguered King Weeden summons the knight Sir David to investigate. Armed with his wits and his sword, Sir David must find the cause of this strange evil and save the citizens of Green Row before things get any worse. Take the role of the brave knight in this action RPG and get to the bottom of the mysteries of Green Row as you fight enemies, solve puzzles and use your best combination of brains and brawn to save the kingdom.
Top Hunter: (1-2 players, 900 Wii Points): Players can take on the role of either of two bounty hunters, Roddy or Cathy, in this side-scrolling action game set far in the future. In this future, humans have colonized space, but space pirates (the “Klaptons”) are making their way through the galaxies and wiping out peaceful settlements. Roddy and Cathy must travel through four worlds on a mission to defeat the bad dudes’ leader, Captain Klapton. Both characters have retractable arms — used to grab enemies or other objects in the scenery — that can then be thrown at others to destroy them. Also, be on the lookout for rings or levers to pull, as this might reveal special bonuses. Further adding to the mix, the game uses a unique system where the action happens on two planes, with the player switching between them at will.
