On the PAL Wii Virtual Console today: Boulder Dash, Jumpman, Sonic the Hedgehog (SMS)

Get a Wii Points Card at Amazon UKToday Nintendo of Europe and Australia added new classic games to the popular Wii Shop Channel. The games went live at midnight CET. Wii owners with a high-speed Internet connection can redeem Wii Points to download the games. Wii Points can be purchased in the Wii Shop Channel or at stores like Amazon UK (Card).

We’ve included videos of the games so you can see if it’s for you. This week’s new games are:

Boulder Dash (Commodore 64, Puzzle/Arcade, 1-2 players, 500 Wii Points = €5): Originally released in 1984, Boulder Dash is well-known as one of the greats of the classic era of computer games. It is one of the very few computer games ever to be ported from home computers to arcades, rather than the other way around. The hero of the game is the brave prospector Rockford. His mission: to dig through caves collecting diamonds. But it’s not as easy as it might seem! Rockford must stay constantly on the lookout for various types of dangerous creatures and obstacles, like falling rocks, which threaten his underground mission. He is in constant danger of being crushed or trapped by an avalanche, or being killed by an underground explosion. — Strategy and planning are the key to mastering the “physics” of Boulder Dash. Once the indicated amount of Jewels have been collected, the door to the mysterious escape tunnel is revealed, and Rockford can pass through into another cave, filled with precious stones and dangerous traps! So what are you waiting for? The diamond rush is upon us!

Jumpman (Commodore 64, Arcade/Platformer, 1 player, 500 Wii Points = €5): The enemy has infiltrated Jupiter Headquarters! Alienators have planted bombs throughout its thirty levels and are ready to blast Headquarters to ashes at any moment. Can they be stopped? Already, Jupiter #1 is starting to crumble. Can it be saved? And can the other two command centres be secured before the Alienators overrun their defences? It’s up to you! — You, trained as the government’s top secret weapon, are the only one able to defuse the bombs and restore the communication systems. You are Jupiter Jumpman! You have the speed, skill, and seven lives necessary to outwit the Alienators. You have the ability to scale ladders, girders and ropes, and traverse mysterious mazes to quickly find the bombs. Only you know how to defuse them in the 1983 classic Jumpman!

Sonic the Hedgehog (Sega Master System, Action/Platformer, 1 player, 500 Wii Points = €5 / £3.75 / AU$7.50): Based on the original Sega Genesis version, Sonic The Hedgehog was re-created as the first Sonic game for the Sega Master System. Not just a straight port, this version includes new stages, bosses, some different zones and a level map. The most noticeable difference, however, is that the Chaos Emeralds have to be found within certain stages other than the Special Stages. Dash through six Zones (including special zones that were only available for the Sega Master System version) and face Dr. Eggman (a.k.a. Dr. Robotnik) at the end of every Zone.

Official retro trailers via VC-reviews.