Wii: Virtual Console – Europe – Friday April 11, 2008

This friday, April 11, Europe got 4 new Virtual Console games. And two of these was Sega Master System games. Each game is 500 points.

California Games
Commodore 64 – 1987 by Commodore Gaming – sports – 1-8 players – 500 points – age 3+

Welcome to California. Home of the most radical sports in the world. Rad, bad and aggro. You’re about to hit the beaches, sparks and streets of the Golden State to go for trophies in everything from surfing to bike racing. California Games gives you the hottest sports and the wildes competition. You even have to pick your own sponsor!

So pull on those knee pads. You’re about to get into the most fun you’ve ever had since Mom hid your skateboard.. California Games is going to take you from the surf to the turf. From the pipe to the sparks. Are you gonna love it, or what?

Fantasy Zone
Master System – 1987 by Sega – action – 1-2 players – 500 points – age 7+

Take command of the spaceship Opa-Opa and blast your way through various fantastical levels as you try to take out all the enemy bases in each stage. Once you’ve destroyed the bases, you’ll have to beat the stage boss in order to move onto the next level. By using your guns and boms wisely, you’ll be able to take down your enemies and explore each of the craxy and explore each of the crazy enviroments in this side-scroller. You can also buy upgraded weapsons for your ship by accessing the shop.

Varioous Sega games over the years have referenced the Opa-Opa. Now you can play the game that started it all.

Impossible Mission
Commodore 64 – 1984 by Commodore Gaming – action – 1 player – 500 points – age 7+

During the past three days, key military computer installations of every major world power have reported security failures. In each case, someone gained access to a primary missile attack computer. Only one person is capable of computer tampering on this scale – Professor Evlin Atombender.

Using a fortune he amassed by raiding the computer systems of various financial institutions, Professor elvin Atombender constructed a vast underground stronghold packed with computer equipment. There, in seclusion, Elvin spent four years working to breach the security of military computer installations around the world. As you know, he has succeeded.

Our computer estimates that he will crack the launch codes and trigger the missile attack in exactly six hours. This is the amount of time you will have to complete your mission.

Wonder Boy
Master System – 1987 by Sega – action – 1-2 players – 500 points – age 3+

As Tom-Tom the Wonder Boy, it’s up to you to rescue your girlfriends Tanya from the vile clutches of a monster that has kidnapped her.

To do so, you must navigate through a series of worlds in a race against time to reach your goal, as you battle foes and collect friut that will add to the amount of time you have to complete your mission. You can also collect helpful power-ups from various eggs, but make sure to avaoid the “bad” eggs that sap your precious vitality.

Find the magic doll in each level that opens up the hidden areas, and make it to the very end to rescue your one true love!

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WARP ZONE : Sega Master System remembered!

Welcome to the Warp Zone, the Virtual Console’s treasure trove of retro gaming trivia! In this edition , we look at the newest arrival to Virtual Console: Sega Master System.

When Sonic the Hedgehog took his first spin on Sega Mega Drive in 1991, it become – for many people – their first Sega experience outside of the arcades. But thousands of gamers already had a head start, thanks to the Sega Master System.

Launched in 1986, the 8-bit ‘SMS’ gamered a wide range of titles in its long lifetime: from arcade-style action such as platformer Wonder Boy or quirky shoot ’em up fantasy Zone (both now on Virtual Console), to exclusives like the Alex Kidd series or a unique version of Sonic.

The system itself consisted of a ‘Power Base’ console (in trendy ’80s black and red) and a rectangular two-button control pad which also included a mini joystick attachment.

Most games wre released on ‘Mega cartridges’ but a few early titles came on credit card-sized ‘Sega Cards’ that slotted into the front of the machine. Some versions of the console even included full games built-in. The console also had its own futuristic-styled light gun, the Light Phaser, and even special glasses that produced a 3D effect in certain games.

In 1990 the game Gear handheld was launched, based on the Sega Master System’s hardware, which allowed players to take their Sega Master System games on the road via a special cartridge converter.

While it faced stiff competition from the NES in Japan and US, the Sega Master System found success in Europe and Brazil; continuing even after the launch of the more powerful 16-bit Sega Mega Drive.

Now, with the arrival of Sega Master System on Virtual Console, you can experience the first generation of Sega’s console history and many of it’ unique games.