Donkey Kong goes ape, Streets 2 rages on Virtual Console

Each participant in the 16-bit era console wars is represented in the Virtual Console's new release section, as Nintendo is making a trio of retro games available to Wii owners today.

Representing the Super Nintendo is Rare's 1995 platformer Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy Kong's Quest. As the name implies, the game moves the focus from Donkey Kong to young Diddy, who with the help of his girlfriend Dixie Kong must play through dozens of levels in order to escape the Kremlings' island. With support for one or two players, Diddy Kong's Quest is available for 800 Wii points ($8).

Originally released in 1993, Streets of Rage 2 picks up the story of the three protagonists from the seminal Sega Genesis brawler: Adam, Axel, and Blaze. When Adam is kidnapped by the nefariously anonymous Mr. X, Axel and Blaze must save him with the help of Adam's younger brother Skate and the muscle-bound Max. As in the first game, players pummel their way through waves of street gangs, making use of a variety of weapons and techniques along the way. The one- or two-player game sells for 800 Wii points ($8).

Last but not least of the week's releases is the TurboGrafx-16 game Blazing Lazers. A vertically scrolling shooter in the same vein as Super Star Soldier or Soldier Blade, Blazing Lazers puts players in the standard shooter role of an experimental star fighter pilot who happens to be Earth's last line of defense against alien invaders. However, the gameplay goes beyond the standards of its day, with four different weapons, each with its own multitiered power-up levels, as well as support functions from floating gun turrets that follow the player to shields and more. Blazing Lazers is a single-player game and is available for 600 Wii points ($6).