Fireworks are in the air for Virtual Console users as Nintendo of Europe announced the latest batch of titles now available on the downloadable game service. Included in this week's update are several well-loved Japanese titles as well as the return of one of the most anticipated titles from the NeoGeo platform, Metal Slug. For more information, check out our full article after the jump.

Gamers who enjoy using the Japan Wii Virtual Console service are in for a treat. The list of games that will be available for next week and the entire month of May have already been revealed. To check it out for yourself, head on over to the full article.

To make up for last month's rather sparse Virtual Console selection, Nintendo Japan has released a wider variety of old-school titles for the month of April. In the forefront of the VC scene is Konami's Castlevania X (a.k.a. Castlevania: Blood of Rondo), along with several other notable titles. You can check out the entire list of previewed VC games in our full article.

If you're in Japan and you're looking for a good way to spend those leftover Wii Points, then read on as we give you the latest retro fix that Nintendo has lined up for you lucky gamers. This update heralds the arrival of the Sega Master System onto Virtual Console, as well as the arrival of what could be the MANLIEST GAME EVER. WITH EXPLODING HEADS.

Check out all the details in the full article.

Puzzle fans might be happy to know that Columns III: Revenge of Columns has already been rated by the ESRB for the U.S. Virtual Console. The game was originally released by Sega for the Mega Drive system.

In case you're not familiar with Columns III, you might want to go to the full article which has a short synopsis on the game.

Japanese gamers are set to start the New Year with a bang, now that they'll have a bunch of good classic gaming coming their way via the Wii's Virtual Console. From Yie Ar Kung Fu to Super R-TYPE, classic gaming couldn't be even sweeter.

This Virtual Console update for Europe and Australia is a bit early, but there's nothing like the present to get a sneak peek at the bounty of retro gaming Nintendo's sending our way. So, without further ado, let's get to the game list and see what titles we'll be splurging our Wii Points on this holiday season.

First up is Art of Fighting from the Neo-Geo System, going for 900 Wii Points. Soon-to-be Fatal Fury mainstays, Ryo Sakazaki and Robert Garcia, make their debut on the videogaming world as two martial artists on a mission to rescue the kidnapped Yuri Sakazaki, Ryo's sister, from the evil Mr. Big. Kick, punch and beat-the-living-crap out of your opponents in one-on-one matches that started the versus mania off to a rocketing start.

Next in the list are two titles from the Sega Mega Drive, namely Alien Soldier and Sonic 3D. Alien Soldier puts you in the shoes - or rather, taloned claws - of Epsilon Eagle, in an epic side-scrolling shoot-em-up where the stages are short and the bosses are many. Sonic 3D has the blue hedgehog being seen in another dimension, with improved graphics, a killer soundtrack and a quest to collect all the flickies you can come across. Both titles can be downloaded for 800 Wii Points each.

Last but not least is Samurai Ghost originally from the TurboGrafx. You control Tairo no Kagekiyo, a swordsman brought back to life to vanquish an encroaching demon horde once and for all. And being an undead samurai, you'll be able to use powers such as levitation and energy manipulation to make your work a little bit easier. All you need is 600 Wii Points to get on this adventure.

Definitely a great back of titles for Wii owners in Europe. Updates as we get them!

 

For those of us fortunate enough to be in the land of the rising sun, Nintendo has recently updated its Virtual Console page to reflect a huge bounty of retro games headed to the Wii Shop Channel in the region of Japan. So big, in fact, that it could probably called the motherlode of retro as we know it - and it's worth shaking our fists at Nintendo for giving it to Japan first, even if their company headquarters is situated in that territory and they have this thing about pleasing their most faithful customers. Yes, I know, it's a totally weird reason.

So, what's the choice bits of the retro smorgasbord that only Wii owners in Japan are only invited to? I'm not really glad you asked, but suffice to say they're getting their Wii Points' worth. One of the titles is Knight's King, one of Square's first games that's almost like a cross between a shoot-em-up and Final Fantasy. You control four different characters - Knight, Wizard, Thief and Godzilla Monster - across a world to save the proverbial princess-in-distress, and if you manage to do it with all four, they link up into one at the final stage. Talk about replayability!

What else is Japan getting early? Another one is Eternal Champions, the ultra-violent fighting game that gave us a taste of stage-based fatalities and other mechanics that was ahead of its time. There's also Ecco Jr., Gradius II and Panel de Pon - all quality retro titles that's sure to while away those hours in pure old school joy.

Well, they may be getting the titles early, but we know that they'll also be making their way to NA and EU shores soon enough. In the meantime, here's the complete lineup for the Virtual Shop Consoles in Japan.

Follow the full article for the list of game additions!

Here's a nice treat for all he Neo Geo fans in Europe. The first Neo Geo release for the Nintendo Wii Virtual Console will be hitting this Friday. That's right folks, Fatal Fury is coming. You'll be able to download it for 900 Wii Points.

Fatal Fury isn't the only new release for the European VC, of course. Also included are the following Sega Mega Drive titles, all of which are available on the Wii Shop Channel for 800 Wii Points each:

• Streets of Rage 3
• Golden Axe III
• Super Thunder Blade
• Landstalker Treasures of King Nole

Drafting from Japan's October Virtual Console lineup, the first batch of three games is rolling in this week. They come in the form of Esper Dream, Bare Knuckle III (Streets of Rage 3 in the US), and Gunpei Toumaden: Kannoni (Samurai Ghost), and they're to be delivered today.

Firstly, Bare Knuckle III is probably the most familiar in the bunch for those of us living in the states. Streets of Rage 3 had its moments of pure win during the Sega Mega Drive era: street brawls, hand-to-hand combat, and a mysterious criminal overlord hiding in the shadows of the city.

Gunpei Toumaden: Kannoni hails from the PC engine. It's a side-scrolling action title that some of us probably know better as "Samurai Ghost". It's a whole barrage of demons coming at you from all sides, and you get to unleash your cool powers at them.

Konami's Esper Dream is an RPG that I've personally never heard about. For one, it was never released outside of Japan and comes from back in the prehistoric age of the Famicom Disk System. The game uses Zelda's usual top-down perspective and was supposedly well-received in Japan when it originally came out.

All three titles cost 600 Wii Points each.