Galaga swoops onto VC

The Nintendo Wii's Virtual Console is three titles stronger today, with offerings from the Nintendo Entertainment System, TurboGrafx-16, and Genesis. The most popular of the three hearkens back to the days of the coin-op arcade, as the NES version of Galaga is now available for 500 Wii Points ($5). Galaga sees spaceships blasting away insectoid enemies and features the risk/reward option of having a fighter captured in hopes of doubling the players' firepower.

The 1990 TurboGrafx-16 edition of Bravoman also makes its way to the VC today. For 600 Wii Points ($6), gamers can suit up as the justice-dealing Bravoman. A combination of beat-'em-up and platforming gameplay, Bravoman sees the titular hero defending the village of Nitta against Dr. Bomb. The game's 22 levels are split between above-ground action and underwater shooting.

Before there was Sonic the Hedgehog, Sega was betting on a mascot named Alex Kidd to move titles. One of the last games to feature the brown-haired boy was Alex Kidd in the Enchanted Castle for the Sega Genesis, which makes its way to the VC for 800 Wii Points ($8). Gamers play as Kidd, who will attempt to rescue his father on Planet Paperock by jumping and fighting through 11 levels.