Game Boy

Final Fantasy Adventure

Though it may carry the Final Fantasy name, Adventure actually has nothing to do with Final Fantasy at all and is actually the first game in the Mana series. The gameplay takes many cues from the original Legend of Zelda in terms of the map, exploration and the dungeons, but adds its own flourishes that are uniquely its own. Rather than a pure adventure, RPG elements are added in allowing players to increase their hit points, strength, and stamina. Spells can also be found and learned to aide in combat. Non-playable characters would occasionally join the player to help get through certain portions of the quest. Final Fantasy Adventure has a surprising amount of depth and freedom for its age and even allows players the rare ability to kill any townsperson if they so choose. Even today, few games give players that freedom. For a Zelda experience that isn’t Zelda, Final Fantasy Adventure is essential to the Virtual Console.

Kid Dracula

There’s no denying that Castlevania is one of gaming’s most legendary series, but few have played this spin-off where you step into the shoes of Dracula himself. Well, when he was a kid at least. It’s not the longest of games, but the platforming is sharp and the levels are varied. Kid Dracula may only start with a fireball attack, but as he progresses he’ll learn abilities that range from unleashing vampire bats to transforming into one himself. The game is meant to be lighthearted fun and is a different take on the gothic-inspired platformer. It isn’t perfect but it’s still well worth a Virtual Console release.

Kid Icarus: Of Myths and Monsters

What better way to get fans ready for the new Kid Icarus game than to let them try the only sequel the series ever received? Kid Icarus has always had a strong connection to Metroid and Of Myths and Monsters is no different, utilizing the same engine as Metroid II. The sequel actually makes several improvements to the original despite the limited hardware. The camera now scrolls with Pit, allowing him to backtrack, and he can use his wings to slow his descent when jumping. The game is somewhat easier than its console counterpart though it still provides plenty of challenge. Again, it’d be the best way for Nintendo to get gamers pumped for Kid Icarus: Uprising.

Metroid II: Return of Samus

Though Metroid II seems like an obvious choice, the game has been largely forgotten when compared to all the other entries in the series. But Metroid II is an essential piece of the series and introduced three of the biggest elements of the series: Samus’s redesigned suit with the massive shoulders, new abilities like the Spider Ball and Plasma Beam, and the introduction of the baby Metroid, a pivotal character in Super Metroid. The game would still be worth playing even it didn’t have those elements though. It may play somewhat differently from the original, but Metroid II is undoubtedly fun. The game focuses on Samus’s mission to eradicate the Metroids and she cannot progress further until she finds and destroys all of them in a certain area. Exploration is still encouraged, but it’s much more of a guided experience than the first game. Nintendo once considered remaking this game but ultimately passed. It’d be a shame if they failed to put it on the Virtual Console.

Pokemon Red/Blue/Yellow

Releasing Pokemon on the Virtual Console is a no brainer. Everyone loves the originals and the nostalgia would be enough for most gamers to pick up the game again despite the improvements the series has seen over the years. The reason I chose to highlight Pokemon rather than another cult classic though is because of the opportunity presented. When Nintendo ultimately releases the newest generation for the 3DS, it should absolutely be made compatible with its Virtual Console counterparts and allow players to transfer their Pokemon from Red, Blue, and Yellow onto the newest iteration. It’s such a simple idea and so perfect, especially for those gamers who just have to have them all.
 

Game Boy Color

Lufia: The Legend Returns

Precious few RPGs were ever released on the Game Boy Color, but one of the most unique was Lufia: The Legend Returns. The game does not offer much in the way of distractions when playing through its tale, but the well-told story and unique battle system more than make up for it. The player’s party can hold up to nine unique fighters and all of them take part in each battle. However, each turn only allows three of the characters to actually attack. Their placement on a 3 by 3 grid decides who attacks, how strong the attack is, and how well they’re defended lending a lot of strategy to the battle system. Players can also shift their characters around the grid between turns to better handle the twists and turns of each battle since the game will end if the front three party members are defeated. The battles become even more intriguing when other elements such as Spiritual Force and IP Techniques are added. The Game Boy Color may not have many RPGs, but Lufia is certainly one of the best.

Mega Man Xtreme

Mega Man has appeared on just about every console in one form or another and the Game Boy Color is no different. While classic Mega Man appeared on the Game Boy, X was chosen to be the Mega Man of choice for its successor. Xtreme combines many of the well-known bosses from the original X and X2 and casts them in a new story. The gameplay is much the same with X still needing to choose which boss to take on and in which order as well as tracking down improved pieces of armor but contains more replayability than is first evident. There are three difficulties to choose from: Normal, Hard, and Extreme. Rather than just changing the basic challenge of the game, each difficulty level has a different set of bosses and patterns to learn. Though Mega Man Xtreme doesn’t contain anything new beyond that, it would still be a great challenge to those who sought it.

Metal Gear Solid

Metal Gear Solid is one of the biggest essentials for the Virtual Console. Rather than being a dumbed down port of the PS1 classic, the Game Boy version tells its own unique story full of the signature plot twists the series has become known for.  The game plays more like the original Metal Gear and its sequel though several improvements were made. The camera now panned with Snake rather than using flip screens, and the game was stage-based rather than one continuous narrative. Players would receive a score based on their performance and could replay those levels to improve that score. Metal Gear Solid also included tons of bonus content in the form of Special mode that had players take on the story mode again with additional objectives as well as over a hundred VR Training missions. The game is packed with content and an absolute must for the Virtual Console.

Revelations: The Demon Slayer

The title may not be familiar, but Revelations is actually a spin-off of the Shin Megami Tensei series and designed for a more kid-friendly tone. Many of the monsters were redesigned to reflect this change. The game plays like many of the other Shin Megami Tensei games with players able to form a party and recruit monsters to their cause. The monsters can be fused together to create even more powerful ones. The story itself is unfortunately threadbare and actually based in fantasy rather than the modern day or future settings of the rest of the series. The game isn't the greatest on the Game Boy Color, but the chance to see the evolution of one of today's best JRPG series makes it a worthy of the Virtual Console.

Shantae

Anyone that’s played the recent sequel on the DSi knows what a gem this series is. It was one of the best platformers on the Game Boy Color and is one of the rarest games for the handheld. Used copies go for hundreds of dollars and it isn’t hard to see why. The game was gorgeous for its time and was the last big Game Boy Color release with the Game Boy Advance already on shelves. Its filled with levels that have plenty of secrets and incentives to back and explore. Shantae also has the ability to transform into animals in order to solve puzzles or reach hidden areas. The game is platforming at its purest and essential for the new Virtual Console.
 

Game Gear

Ax Battler: A Legend of Golden Axe

Zelda 2 has always gotten a bad rap from gamers just because of how different it is from the rest of the series. It's not bad, just different and that's what makes Ax Battler such an interesting game since it essentially took the gameplay of Zelda 2 and outright copied it. Players move their character around an open map and enemy encounters or dungeons take place in 2D. The game isn't bad as much as it is shameless, but for those who want to experience a Zelda 2-like game without it being Zelda, it's worth a look and certainly worth putting on the Virtual Console.

Phantasy Star Gaiden

Phantasy Star has always been Sega's premiere RPG series so it's somewhat strange that this entry was never released in the US. The game plays just like its console iterations though the party is limited to three rather than the usual four. The story is just as deep as any other Phantasy Star and actually takes place between the first and second game. The Wii's Virtual Console has proved that unreleased Japanese games have a market in the US, and I'm positive that Phantasy Star fans would love to give this lost iteration a try.

Shining Force Gaiden

Shining Force is another of Sega's great RPG series though it has always been more of a strategy RPG than a traditional one. Shining Force Gaiden is game that never saw a release in the US though it was part of Shining Force CD for the Sega CD. That alone should make it easy for Sega to translate and release Shining Force Gaiden on the Virtual Console especially since many of the menus are already in English. The gameplay is as classic as ever and identical to the original Shining Force. It lacks some of the gimmicks of modern strategy games, but it excels at all the basic elements.

Tails Adventure

Like Luigi, Tails gets very little respect. He's gone from the almost cool fox that can fly to an annoying side character like most of the other Sonic characters. But also like Luigi, Tails got a few games of his own, though they were limited to the Game Gear. The first, Tails Sky Patrol, was absolutely terrible but his second outing, Tails Adventure is a fun game that's very different from the typical Sonic platformer. In it, Tails fights enemies using bombs and other weapons to progress through the more puzzle-like platformer. There's also some RPG elements as Tails's abilities can be upgraded to help him progress. Tails Adventure offers a different kind of Sonic game that should absolutely appear on the Virtual Console.

Vampire: Master of Darkness

If you've played Castlevania, you know what to expect from Vampire: Master of Darkness. At the time of its release, no Castlevania had been released for a Sega console and it filled that gap nicely. It also has elements that the former game wouldn't include until much later such as the ability to change your primary weapon. The player character could use everything from knives to swords to axes and each had their own strengths and weaknesses. Secondary weapons were also provided and tended to be a bit more explosive than Castlevania's sub-weapons, taking the form of guns and bombs. The game was also quite lengthy, containing fifteen different levels. Vampire: Master of Darkness may not be as well known as Castlevania, but it'd be worthy of a place on the Virtual Console.

These fifteen games are only my choices and there are still plenty of others that could make an appearance in Nintendo's eShop. My biggest hope is that Nintendo balances the well-known with the unknown to give gamers a wide variety of options when the service finally hits. We all love revisiting the greats, but we should also be given the chance to play the games we missed.