Sega sets first-quarter Wii VC lineup

Sega has been a big supporter of the Wii's Virtual Console service since the system launched last November, providing new Genesis games for the Wii Shop Channel every week through Christmas. But while the first two weekly Virtual Console updates of the new year have come and gone without a new Genesis game, Sega is pledging to continue its support of Nintendo's new system with five more titles through the first quarter of the year.

The quintet of Genesis games set for release by the end of March consists of Streets of Rage, Bio-Hazard Battle, Comix Zone, Gain Ground, and Bonanza Bros. While the popular side-scrolling brawler appeared in a number of compilations during the Genesis and Sega CD eras, Streets of Rage hasn't been rereleased in North America in several console generations.

Outside of the shoot-'em-up Bio-Hazard Battle, the rest of the lineup is populated by action games. Gain Ground is a port of an arcade action game that let players control one of 20 characters from an overhead viewpoint as they attempted to clear levels by rescuing captives or destroying enemies. Comix Zone puts a twist on the action genre by structuring its levels as living comic book pages thatthe player must fight through, while Bonanza Bros. is an early stealth action game that lets two players work together to rob buildings packed with security guards.

Sega did not announce specific release dates or prices for any of the titles, but so far every Genesis title on the Virtual Console has sold for 800 Wii Points ($8).