Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels and Sin & Punishment added to Virtual Console @ Gaming Target

Written by John Scalzo on October 01, 2007

News: We in America finally get a chance to play Sin & Punishment, oh happy day!

After teasing American gamers for weeks with import releases on the European Virtual Console, Nintendo has finally brought these highly anticipated games to gamers in North America.

Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels, previously only available on the Super NES collection Super Mario All-Stars, has finally been released in America in all its NES-styled glory. It has been paired with Treasure's cult N64 shooter Sin & Punishment.

Both games are priced slightly higher than typical VC releases. The Lost Levels is priced at 600 Wii Points (as opposed to the regular price of 500). Meanwhile, Sin & Punishment will set you back 1,200 Wii Points (as opposed to a regular N64 game of 1,000).

During its European release, Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels was released as a "limited time release," according to Nintendo's announcement, that doesn't seem to be the case for the American release.

If you need to be convinced to drop the money for these two titles, read on for summaries from Nintendo:

Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels (NES, 1 player, rated E for Everyone, 600 Wii Points): Originally released in Japan as Super Mario Bros. 2, this game has previously made only brief cameo appearances in the Western Hemisphere. Now available on the Virtual Console in all of its original splendor, Mario fans will appreciate the familiar look and feel of the game, while finding that its updated game play creates an entirely new challenge. No longer content just to wear different-colored overalls, Mario and Luigi also possess different skill sets: Mario can stop quicker, while Luigi can jump higher. In addition to the classic enemies already known to fans worldwide, there are also Poison Mushrooms, backward Warp Zones, and the occasional wind gust (which can help or hinder your progress) to take into account. And if that's somehow not enough, expert players can go looking for the game's secret worlds. So get ready to put your Mario skills to the ultimate test, and save the Princess again. Just don't be surprised if she's in another castle.

Sin & Punishment (Nintendo 64, 1-2 players, rated T for Teen Ц Blood, Fantasy Violence, Mild Language, 1,200 Wii Points): Created by the legendary development studio Treasure, this is a game that hard-core gamers and fans of Japanese imports recognize as one of the finest Nintendo 64 titles to have never previously reached North American shores. Its unique combination of English voice-overs with Japanese subtitles (preserved in this version) has only added to the enthusiasm for its eventual release here. Experience the frenetic pace of a classic shooter, while choosing from a variety of options and a number of different skill levels until you are ready to take on the full-blown challenge of Turbo Hard mode. Not to be outdone by the action, however, the intriguing story line gives the game its soul and draws you even further into the mix. Set in the near future, on an overpopulated Earth starved for resources, players uncover the intriguing mystery of two teenagers (Saki and Airan) and their battle against the Ruffians as they advance through level after level of nonstop action. Take a deep breath, gather your energy and prepare to see why this game is so highly praised.