Virtual Console Roundup

Bonanza Bros

• Platform: Megadrive
• Wii Points: 800

While modern stealth games are generally dreary Tom Clancy obsessed macho guff, stuffed full of neck-snapping and gravel-voiced earpiece jargon, it wasn't always this way. Take, for example, this curious arcade oddity in which two sausage shaped burglars - Robo and Mobo - are tasked with swiping loot from a series of buildings. It's a little bit Spy vs Spy, a little bit Looney Tunes, and a lot of fun.

With its split-screen two player mode, and the ability to lurk behind cover and even knock guards out by opening doors in their face, Bonanza Bros is a rare example of a game that innovates in the realms of environmental interaction rather than graphical sheen. It's also an absolute blast - especially with two players creeping around trying to steal the best booty before legging it to the roof for a blimp-assisted getaway.

What impresses most is that it still offers a solid stealth challenge, even in an age where hiding in shadows and watching for distracted guards is commonplace. A delightful combination of quirky ideas and polished execution, you could do a lot worse than download this.

8/10

Streets of Rage

• Platform: Megadrive
• Wii Points: 800

An unnamed city is overrun with criminals, led by gang boss Mr X! Three idealistic cops quit the force in order to enact their own brand of justice! Their names are Axel Stone! Blaze Fielding! And Adam Hunter! GODDAM!

Yes, we're deep in scrolling beat-em-up territory for this one, and they don't come much more typical than Streets of Rage - from the "punch-punch-kick-URK!" combo moves to the phone boxes that mysteriously contain life-giving apples rather than puddles of stale wee, it's a showcase of every genre standard you could wish for. Your enemies even have the good grace to wear denim jackets with the sleeves cut off.

There is a reasonable explanation for this cookie-cutter approach though - the game was hurriedly developed to spoil the launch of the SNES, with its big and beefy Final Fight conversion. It's clear that corners were cut along the way - the graphics seem more suited to the Master System at times - but there are also innovations. Two player co-op, a feature cut from Final Fight, was a major selling point at the time and still has the power to amuse.

It doesn't hurt that Streets of Rage also offers one of the more enjoyable fighting experiences of its era (and those still clinging to the notion that Ninja Turtles is a classic of the genre should pay close attention). While the one-button attack system is crude, the game is canny enough to include enough context sensitive modifiers to make the button mashing seem more varied than it actually is.

Melee weapons can be grabbed, then wielded or thrown, while judo flips, flying kicks, backhanded swipes, body slams, counter moves and the old fashioned knee in the nuts are all in your repertoire, despite the simplistic controls. There's even a special attack, with helpful cops launching napalm and grenades from the other end of the level.

With Final Fight also available on the VC, slap-em-up fans can't really go wrong by downloading both, but if you only want to spend your points on one then I'd say Streets of Rage offers more bang for your buck.

7/10