15 Retro Games for the Wii You Must Play
- July 11, 2006 09:24 AM PST
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Shinobi III: Return of the Ninja Master (Sega/Genesis)
Originally Released in 1993
You can take your pick as to which one of the 2D Shinobi games is your favorite (some have a soft spot for Shadow Dancer: The Secret of Shinobi), but for sheer thrills, Return of the Ninja Master topped 'em all. A 2D side-scrolling action-platform title, you guide Joe Musashi through seven stages, be it on foot, horseback, or even a jet ski. An expanded repetoire of techniques (such as wall jumps), rewards, and enhanced magic attacks put Shinobi III in a league of its own.
Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (Sega/Genesis)
Originally Released in 1992
While most action-platform titles required precision jumping and careful movement, Sonic allowed almost the opposite, as your character could roll into a ball and rocket across the screen at near-blinding speed. The first Sonic was a hit, but the sequel was bigger, louder, and better...plus, it introduced a second playable character to the series' very tried-and-true play engine. Sonic has since evolved into the 3D realm, but for many, his 2D days were his best. As good as Sonic 2 is, however, Sonic CD is a little better.
Star Fox 64 (Nintendo/N64)
Originally Released in 1997
The first Star Fox was released in 1993 for the Super NES, and it turned a lot of heads with then-superior graphics powered by the much-hyped Super FX chip. Although the sequel, Star Fox 2, was never released, several ideas from that title were adopted for Star Fox 64, which is still the best game in the series. A third-person combat-shooter, you take pilot Fox McCloud and his wingmen across the galaxy through 15 different worlds. Multiple and hidden paths give the game decent replay value, and there's plenty of variety, as you do battle in the air (spaceship), on the ground (tank), and under the water (submarine). The only drawback to the game is wingman Slippy, who (after saving his butt for the umpteenth time) you'll want to blow out of the sky.
Streets of Rage 3 (Sega/Genesis)
Originally Released in 1994
Say "side-scrolling beat-em-up," and you'll most likely hear the name of this franchise uttered in response. One of the hallmarks of the now defunct genre, Streets of Rage and its sequels followed the traditional rails of games of its ilk: Move from left right, beat up enemies, repeat, and fight the end-level boss. Most fans probably prefer Streets of Rage 2, but its sequel pumped everything up, with advanced attacks, multiple grapple moves, throws, and team-up buddy techniques that went way beyond simplistic punches and kicks. Unfortunately, the U.S. version of Streets of Range 3 was altered from the Japanese original (called Bare Knuckle III), and the changes made the narrative a mess...but then who plays a beat-em-up for the story anyway?
