Got news?   tips@destructoid.com  |  Never miss a story:   RSS + Twitter + YouTube
Hey! New here? Destructoid is a gaming discussion community, updated nearly every 20 minutes. Make a quick avatar to comment and enter our contests. Take the tour!

 


Home Sega updates

This week's VC releases: These games are related, and I'll tell you how edition

8:13 AM on 12.03.2007, Nick Chester 22 comments

This week's VC releases: These games are related, and I'll tell you how edition photo
     Sega

As Nintendo puts it, "Sometimes the Wii-kly Updates have a nice, unifying them [sic]. Sometimes they don't." While they think this week does not have a unifying theme (there's a shooter, a fighter, and a platform/RPG), I beg to differ -- all of them will cost you more than $4 and less than $9. Somehow, they're also all linked to Sega. See, it depends on how you look at these things. 

The attack of the Virtual Console shmups continues this week with ZANAC (NES, 1 player, 500 Wii Points), developed by the now disbanded developer Compile, creator of the Puyo Puyo series. The latter game was slightly modified by Compile and brought to America, where it was published by Sega as Dr. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine

That same year (1993), Sega tried to break into the fighting game market, with their answer to Mortal Kombat, Eternal Champions (Sega Genesis, 1-2 players, 800 Wii Points), complete with "overkills" and fighting animals. (An owl named "Hooty"? Come on, Sega.)

In the early 90s, Sega had a bit more success by publishing more light-hearted fare, like Wonder Boy in Monster World. The platform/RPG was later re-branded as The Dynastic Hero (TurboGrafx16 CD-ROM, 1 player, 800 Wii Points), complete with palette swaps, significant character changes, and a completely new soundtrack.

All of this fancy nonsense should be going live on the Wii Shop Channel at 9 a.m. Pacific time.

Sometimes the Wii-kly Updates have a nice, unifying them. Sometimes they don't. This week we scoured the recesses of the classic games vault to come up with some interesting, if unrelated, gems. You can fight mechanized forces, battle with a bunch of fighters in the afterlife or play the role of a heroic regal bug. Like we said: Sometimes they don't.

Three new classic games go live at 9 a.m. Pacific time. Nintendo adds new games to the Wii™ Shop Channel every Monday. Wii™ owners with a high-speed Internet connection can redeem Wii Points™ to download the games. Wii Points can be purchased in the Wii Shop Channel or at retail outlets. This week's new games are:

ZANAC (NES®, 1 player, rated E for Everyone - Mild Fantasy Violence, 500 Wii Points): ZANAC is a vertically scrolling shoot-'em-up game that was released in November 1986. Take control of the state-of-the-art fighter, ZANAC, with the objective of destroying the bases of the mechanized enemy forces. Use your full array of regular weapons as well as eight special weapons to clear the 12 intense areas of the game. Be careful, though, as the game changes the degree of difficulty in real time based on how well you play. This ensures that it feels like you're experiencing a new game every time you play.

Eternal Champions™ (Sega Genesis, 1-2 players, rated T for Teen - Animated Blood, Animated Violence, 800 Wii Points): This 2-D fighting game introduces a cast of different characters that met untimely deaths in their lives on Earth. Now they have been given a chance to compete against each other, with the winner taking on the Eternal Champion, the ultimate fighter in the universe. The reward for defeating the Eternal Champion is a return to Earth for the opportunity to avenge death and restore balance to the universe. Choose from nine unique characters with a variety of fighting styles, and bring your best moves to defeat all comers in your quest to topple the Eternal Champion.

The Dynastic Hero (TurboGrafx16 CD-ROM, 1 player, rated E for Everyone - Comic Mischief, 800 Wii Points): The Dynastic Hero is an action RPG featuring a cast of insect characters. The story begins with the invasion of their peaceful homeland of Tarron by the evil Drilkor Empire. Rushing to the insects' aid is Dyna, the prince of Beetras. Take control of Dyna as he battles through action-filled stages. Equip weapons and items to vanquish the relentless foes, and acquire special items that enable you to brave the journey across the perilous desert or open sea. But it's not just all action. Correctly answer multiple-choice quizzes, and play the ocarina to find the right melody to open doors. Plus, there are countless traps and other puzzles packed into this fun game to keep you entertained and ensure you continue coming back for more.

Next page: More wii stories




Nick Chester's Avatar
Nick Chester at 12/03/2007 08:25
Seriously? You've never heard of these games? For shame! Not to say that all of them are good (they're not), but I'd say (for the most part) they have a significant place in videogame history (depending on how big of a nerd you are).
Sindicate's Avatar
Sindicate at 12/03/2007 08:32
Oh my god. I remember playing Eternal Champions as a kid damn near every day. I also may have been using this kid to play his Genesis..so I wised up and got my own and never talked to him again.

good times. good times.
Nick Chester's Avatar
Nick Chester at 12/03/2007 08:37
Seriously? You've never heard of these games? For shame! Not to say that all of them are good (they're not), but I'd say (for the most part) they have a significant place in videogame history (depending on how big of a nerd you are).
Necros's Avatar
Necros at 12/03/2007 08:50
Nevermind the fact that Wonder Boy in Monster World is already available on the Virtual Console. It would suck to buy The Dynastic Hero and not know that beforehand.
Butmac's Avatar
Butmac at 12/03/2007 08:57
Eternal Champions!!

win.
Rockvillian's Avatar
Rockvillian at 12/03/2007 08:57
Oh man, Eternal Champions?!?

Me and my friends would spend all day trying to knock each other into the "environmental hazards".
B-Radicate's Avatar
B-Radicate at 12/03/2007 09:09
Eternal Champions is AWESOME. 'Nuff said.
F Whipple's Avatar
F Whipple at 12/03/2007 09:15
meh
Variable Gear's Avatar
Variable Gear at 12/03/2007 09:19
I have the issue of EGM that has the Eternal Champions cover story.
ShawnKelfonne's Avatar
ShawnKelfonne at 12/03/2007 09:35
We need the Sega CD version of EC, just so we can play as Senator.
itemforty's Avatar
itemforty at 12/03/2007 10:02
Eternal Champions was freakin' fantastic.
van's Avatar
van at 12/03/2007 10:27
yeah, that's right. i have been playing video games for 25 years and i have never heard of these games.
king3vbo's Avatar
king3vbo at 12/03/2007 10:38
shit, shit, and shit
Dale North's Avatar
Dale North at 12/03/2007 10:45
Dude, Eternal Champions was the fucking bomb. I still have the cart somewhere...
The-Excel's Avatar
The-Excel at 12/03/2007 11:08
More shmups is always a good thing. Now when are they going to pull out the stops are come out with MUSHA?
The-Excel's Avatar
The-Excel at 12/03/2007 11:09
Also I remember how my brother could never get past Dark Eternal in the Sega CD version of Eternal Champions. And since when were CD games released on the US Virtual Console? If they could do that, I can only hope that Snatcher is released soon enough.
Fading Star's Avatar
Fading Star at 12/03/2007 12:35
Connections. Eternal Champions sounds interesting. I might check it out .
Nabopolassar's Avatar
Nabopolassar at 12/03/2007 12:40
Zanac kicks more ass than anyone can imagine. One of the best shmups ever. Wise up! Seriously though, I love that game.
Vanilla Gorilla's Avatar
Vanilla Gorilla at 12/03/2007 13:05
Wow, Zanac... I think I played that way more than I did 1942. Kinda wanna go play it now, actually...
JimmySky's Avatar
JimmySky at 12/03/2007 18:29
Heh... I agree ShawnKelfonne, the Sega CD version would be sooo much better to have. I loved playing as the chicken.
prev next

Returning Dtoiders: login now to post a comment

Destructoid is an open discussion community. You don't need to "audition" to post a comment - just Create an avatar now - it's fast and free: PLUS you also get your own gaming blog and begin posting stories and uploading videos in our open community area that may also appear on our home page. Sign up and we'll guide you through it, it's easy and 100% anonymous.




 Original Videos

 Reviews
Mad Dog McCree Gunslinger Pack
Overlord II
Yosumin Live!
Let's Tap
Ghostbusters: The Video Game (Wii)
View all Game Reviews

 Community blogs -   39721 Dtoiders!

This month's theme: Untapped Potential

New to Dtoid? Read the survival guide


 Originals

The best and worst '4th' videogames EVER!











more original Destructoid stories



 Popular now more













Destructoid is:
Nick Chester
Editor-in-Chief
Jim Sterling
Reviews Editor
Dale North
News Editor
Hamza Aziz
Community Manager
Anthony Burch
Features Editor
Rey Gutierrez
Video editor & director
Niero
Founder, publisher
Letters to the editors
tips@destructoid.com
Associate Editors
Ashley Davis Jonathan Holmes
Brad Nicholson Jonathan Ross
Brad Rice Jordan Devore
Chad Concelmo Matthew Razak
Colette Bennett Tom Fronczak
Conrad Zimmerman Topher Cantler
Dyson Samit Sarkar
Contributors
Adam Dork
Ben Perlee
Daniel Lingen
Joseph Leray
Joe Burling
Mikey
Will Maddock
Stella Wong




get involved

register or login
post a blog
post a forum
enter a contest
discuss a review
contribute a news tip
write a guest editorial
support

new member's guide
login assistance
tech support
report abuse
email our editors
read our dev blog
nuclear crisis?
keep in touch

RSS feed
Twitter
Facebook
Myspace
Flickr
Game nights
Meet-ups
seriously

about us
advertising
terms of use
privacy policy
jobs at MM
buy our crap
our network

Tomopop
Japanator




Destructoid is an independently-run publication forged by our love of video games and the gaming community's need of accountable enthusiast press
living the dream since March 16, 2006