It may have confused some of you to see a select number of gamers fall into paralytic fits of glee over an ESRB rating for Earthbound on the Virtual Console, marking the quirky SNES RPG's first appearance in North America after almost 13 years.

Those uninitiated to the game might've wondered what the fuss was all about. "Balderdash," you exclaimed to nobody in particular. "What's the big deal about an ESRB rating? Who cares if it comes out on the Virtual Console?"

At face value, EarthBound's appearance on the Virtual Console might seem an insignificant feat. But for the fan community that has fought tooth and nail for the series in an unwelcoming territory, the rating is a nod from Nintendo that ...Read more

Following up on last week's sole Virtual Console addition, Nintendo has revealed two games that will today be added to the Wii's online Shop Channel, with the beloved Puzzle League series finally making its VC debut.

Developed by NST and Intelligent Systems, the Nintendo 64 edition of Pokemon Puzzle League contains all the addictive block-swapping, chain-dropping gameplay of Tetris Attack with a sugary coating of Pokemon flavor.

It'll cost 1000 Wii Points ($10) if you're in the mood to match up blocks of the same color, unleash massive combos, and damage, if not destroy, some social relationships.

Originally released on the NES, Renegade marks the latest side-scrolling beat 'em up from River City Ransom and Double Dragon developer Technos Japan to hit Virtual Console. To destroy gang culture and its many kung-fu females, get ready to cough up 500 Wii Points ($5).

Both titles support 2-person multiplayer and will be available for purchase and download through the Wii Shop Channel beginning today at 12 PM EDT, 9 AM PDT.

A new listing on the Entertainment Software Rating Board's website indicates that Nintendo's cult classic SNES RPG EarthBound is heading for the Wii's Virtual Console.

Originally released in North America in 1995, EarthBound was met with critical acclaim but limited commercial success. EarthBound is the second in a series known in Japan as Mother, originating as a Japan-only release on the NES in 1989.

EarthBound is one of the most requested titles for the Wii's Virtual Console, but Nintendo of America has remained historically mum on the game's fate in North America. As of this writing, the company has issued no official announcement concerning EarthBound's Virtual Console release.

While ESRB listings have confirmed the existence of a number of later officially announced titles, it is yet unclear when EarthBound will be available on the downloadable gaming service.

Representatives from Capcom have revealed that the swinging NES shooter Bionic Commando will not be released through the Wii's online Virtual Console service, owing the exclusion to unspecified problems with Nintendo.

"[The original Bionic Commando on Virtual Console] couldn't happen," Capcom producer Ben Judd recently told IGN.

"This is NOT, repeat NOT, a Capcom issue," Capcom business development VP Christian Svensson later clarified on that company's official forum. "Please remember, Nintendo calls the shots on what goes up on VC, not third parties."

An enhanced and digitally distributed remake of the first Bionic Commando, titled Bionic Commando Rearmed and developed by GRIN, is due to be released... Read more

The NES beat-em-up Double Dragon is the only addition to the Wii Virtual Console shopping channel this week, Nintendo has announced.

Developed by Technos Japan Corporation and released for the NES in 1988, Double Dragon is set in a post-apocalyptic version of New York City which brothers Billy and Jimmy Lee fight through to dismantle the Black Warriors street gang.

The game will be available for 500 Wii Points ($5) when the Virtual Console channel updates at 11AM Central/12PM Eastern.

Following the recent revelation that publisher Interplay would be reviving its classic properties, the long-dormant company has announced that four of its older titles will be released on the Wii's Virtual Console service.

The eccentric platformers Earthworm Jim, Earthworm Jim 2, Boogerman, and the clay-based fighting game Clayfighter are all expected to arrive as Wii Shop Channel downloads later this year.

In its announcement, Interplay confirmed that the Virtual Console releases will be the Sega Genesis versions. No price point was named, though most Sega Genesis games sell at 800 Wii Points ($8).

Get ready to seem some barf! Nintendo has revealed that the classic NES beat 'em up River City Ransom and the old-school Genesis RPG Phantasy Star III will today be added to the Wii's Virtual Console lineup.

Developed by the now-defunct Technos, River City Ransom was actually the third game in the studio's beloved Kunio-kun series, which saw North American releases in the form of Renegade and Super Dodge Ball, among others. Now re-released by publisher Akysys Games, River City Ransom is priced at 500 Wii Points ($5).

With a storyline that spans several generations, Sega's Phantasy Star III Generations of Doom takes players on a whirlwind tour of both new and classic Phantasy Star locations. Considered by many to be the weakest entry in the four-title Genesis RPG series, Phantasy Star III will sell for 800 Wii Points ($8).

Both titles will be available for purchase and download through the Wii's online Wii Shop Channel beginning today at 12 PM EDT, 9 AM PDT

Update: Aksys Games has retracted its confirmation of River City Ransom's appearance on the Virtual Console, citing internal miscommunication at the company.

Original Story: Publisher Aksys has confirmed to Shacknews that it will be bringing the classic NES brawler River City Ransom to Nintendo's Virtual Console next week.

One of the most beloved side-scrolling brawlers in memory, River City Ransom was originally developed by Japanese studio Technos and released in North America in 1990. Ransom was the third game in Technos' Kunio-kun series, which saw North American releases in the form of Renegade and Super Dodge Ball, among others.

A price point was not officially disclosed, but the title will likely cost 500 Wii Points ($5), similar to other NES offerings on Nintendo's Virtual Console. In accordance with the usual VC release schedule, River City Ransom will be available next Monday at 12 PM EDT, 9 AM PDT.

This week's additions to the Wii's online Virtual Console storefront are Fantasy Zone and Mega Turrican, Nintendo of America has announced.

A colorful sidescrolling spaceship shooter featuring what Nintendo claims are "fantastical levels," Fantasy Zone was developed by Sega and is the origin of the Opa-Opa references within multiple Sega title. It marks the second Sega Master System title on Virtual Console and will sell for 500 Wii Points ($5).

Developed before the recently re-released Super Turrican, Factor 5's Mega Turrican for the Sega Genesis features the series' traditional 2D alien-slaughtering gameplay. Run, jump and kill those extraterrestrials with anything you want, be it a gun or a plasma rope, for the price of 800 Wii Points ($8).

Both titles will be available for purchase and download through the Wii's online Wii Shop Channel beginning today at 12 PM EDT, 9 AM PDT.

Rectifying one of the major holes in the Virtual Console lineup, Nintendo has revealed that Jaleco and Tose's classic NES baseball title Bases Loaded will be added to the Wii's online storefront later today.

Accompanying Bases Loaded in its journey to the VC Hall of Fame is Nintendo's NES puzzler Yoshi's Cookie, which has players matching up rows and columns of same-shaped cookies.

Selling for 500 Wii Points ($5), both titles will be available for purchase and download through the Wii's online Wii Shop Channel beginning today at 12 PM EDT, 9 AM PDT.

Nintendo has announced that Wonder Boy and Cruis'n USA are this week's releases for the Wii's Virtual Console storefront, with the former marking the first offering of a Sega Master System release on the service.

Selling for 500 Wii Points ($5), Westone's action-RPG Wonder Boy is the Sega Master System rendition of Wonder Boy in Monster World, the Genesis version of which arrived on Virtual Console last April.

As with most Nintendo 64 titles, the old arcade racer Cruis'n USA is priced at 1000 Wii Points ($10).

Both titles will be available for download beginning today at 12 PM EDT, 9 AM PDT.

Nintendo has revealed that King's Knight and Powerball will be this week's two additions to the Wii's online Virtual Console library.

A top-down shooter, King's Knight was developed by the renowned RPG powerhouse Square. With five stages, multiple playable characters and a princess to save, the old NES title sells for 500 Wii Points ($5).

Described as a hybrid of rugby and football, Namco's Powerball was originally released on the Sega Genesis. It'll set you back 800 Wii Points ($8) to try what Nintendo claims is "a brand new sport."

Both titles will be available for purchase and download through the Wii's online Wii Shop Channel beginning today at 12 PM EDT, 9 AM PDT.

Nintendo has announced that Irem's Super R-Type and Micro Graphic Image's Spelunker will be this week's additions to the Wii's online Virtual Console storefront in North America.

One of many such shooters available on the service, the side scrolling SNES arcade shooter Super R-Type will sell for 800 Wii Points ($8). Spelunker, a cave-exploring NES platformer said to be infuriatingly difficult, is priced at 500 Wii Points ($5).

Both titles will be available for purchase and download through the Wii's online Wii Shop Channel beginning at 12 PM EDT, 9 AM PDT.

Two more formerly Japanese-only titles have arrived in the Wii's online Virtual Console.

Serving as the sequel to Milon's Secret Castle, Hudson's DoReMi Fantasy: Milon's DokiDoki Adventure was originally released on the Super Nintendo. As with the original, which hit Virtual Console last year, the Hudson-developed sidescroller has players trapping foes in bubbles.

Compile's Puyo Puyo 2: Tsuu continues the blob-dropping exploits found in other Puyo Puyo titles, which have been released in North America as Kirby's Avalance, Dr. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine, and Puyo Pop Fever. The Genesis sequel has players matching colors to clear lines, with chain-based combos causing garbage blocks to rain down on an opponent.

As both games had been officially localized, each sells for 900 Wii Points ($9), marking a slight premium over the normal price of Super Nintendo and Genesis titles.

Factor 5's Super Turrican marks this week's sole release Wii Virtual Console release.

Selling for 800 Wii Points ($8), the alien-destroying Super Nintendo title features 2D sidescrolling goodness interspersed with lightning whip and grappling hook hijinks.

The game is currently available for download from the online Wii Shop Channel.

In recent times, Factor 5 has spoken of reviving the franchise on current-gen consoles. "I was looking at Metroid Prime's reinventing of a franchise that had been out there for quite awhile, and we're facing the same thing with Turrican," studio president Julian Eggebrecht noted last year.

This week's Wii Virtual Console titles are Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards and Psychosis, Nintendo announced this morning.

Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards is a 1-4 player platformer, originally released for the Nintendo 64 in 2000. Take control of Kirby as he travels across six different worlds gathering all the pieces of a shattered crystal. Also includes several multiplayer mini-games. Kirby 64 will set you back 1000 Wii Points ($10).

The side-scrolling shooter Psychosis, a 1990 TurboGrafx16 release, is 600 Wii Points ($6). In the game you blast your way through five stages gathering the usual type of weapon and armor powerups as you try to regain your sanity, lost after your mind has been taken over by an evil power called "The Devil Ugar".

Both games will show up in the Wii Shop Channel at 12PM EST/11AM CST.

Nintendo of Europe today announced that classic Commodore 64 titles will be making their way to the European Wii Shop as Virtual Console titles in the near future.

While no plans for North American releases were mentioned, International Karate and Uridium were named as the first European games, with prices of 500 Wii Points ($5) each.

"The massive impact the Commodore 64 had on video gaming is still evident today with many gamers remembering the computer and its games with great fondness," said Commodore Gaming CEO Bala Keilman.

"By working with Nintendo of Europe, we are ensuring that future generations of gamers can play some of the best and most popular titles that kick-started the computer games revolution and so keep the C64 legacy in gamers' hearts."

Nintendo has announced that today's Wii Virtual Console additions are Ninja Gaiden III: The Ancient Ship of Doom and Phantasy Star II. The two games will be available in the Wii Shop Channel at 12PM EST/11AM CST.

A 1991 NES release, the action platformer Ninja Gaiden III has you playing as Ryu Hayabusa, framed for the murder of an FBI agent. For 500 Wii Points ($5) you get to fight plenty of bad guys while trying to clear your name.

For 800 Wii Points ($8) you can get your hands on the 1990 Sega Genesis release Phantasy Star II, which is regarded as one of the finest console games ever made.

Harvest Moon and Lords of Thunder are this week's new Wii Virtual Console relases. Both games can be purchased when the Wii Shop Channel updates at 12PM EST/11AM CST.

A 1996 SNES release, Natsume's farm role playing game Harvest Moon will set you back 800 Wii Points ($8). Red's TurboGrafx-16 CD-ROM fantasy side-scrolling shooter Lords of Thunder, released in 1993, will set you back the same amount.

Operation Wolf and Columns III: Revenge of Columns are this week's Virtual Console releases, Nintendo has announced. Both will be available for download from the Wii Shop Channel beginning at 12 PM EST/11 AM CST.

Following the first-person exploits of a soldier tasked with liberating a concentration camp, Operation Wolf is an on-rails light gun shooter that predates such well-known examples of the genre as Mesa Logic's Area 51 and Sega's House of the Dead. Developed by Taito, the Nintendo Entertainment System port of the arcade game will sell for 500 Wii Points ($5), though it is unlikely to allow gamers to use the Wii Remote as a light gun.

Sega's Columns III, meanwhile, continues the series' penchant for providing an unrelenting assault of jewels that fall from the sky. As with other titles in the puzzle-action franchise, the former Sega Genesis-only game involves matching three or more pieces of the same color, all for the price of 800 Wii Points ($8).