This Week in Defunct Games - 200th Episode!!

What Is It? I did a double take when I booted up The King of Fighters '96. Only a few months we were talking about The King of Fighters '97, and now here we are looping back around to fill in the missing 1996 edition. Why run the games out of order? It's a baffling decision that leaves me completely lost for words. But don't worry, it won't take long for me to gather my thoughts and be able to talk again.

By now you know the drill, fighters from a wide assortment of SNK games (Fatal Fury, Ikari Warriors, Art of Fighting, etc.) come together in a three-on-three battle. Outside of the usual roster changes and team switches, this 1996 edition offers new techniques, a whole host of amazing backgrounds and the ability to dodge. New characters include Kasumi Todoh from Art of Fighting 3, as well as Leona, who joins the Ikari Team. Fans of SNK fighting games would have a lot to be excited about ... if The King of Fighters '97 wasn't already available on the Virtual Console.

Does It Still Hold Up? Chances are you don't need me to tell you that SNK's fighting games are stiff and occasionally chaotic, but the King of Fighters fans wouldn't have it any other way. As always, the presentation is top notch and there's an impressive roster of characters to master. Unfortunately, it's hard for The King of Fighters '96 to get out from under the already available 1997 model. Playing through this game feels like a step back, even if it's an otherwise solid fighting game.

Is It Worth The Money? The last thing we need is another King of Fighters game on the Virtual Console, let alone one that is out of order. SNK loyalists will point to the consistent production value and strong line-up of characters, but it's hard to get excited about this 1996 model when you already own The King of Fighters '97. This upload is only for the hardcore fans that collect each and every SNK release, and I'm not so sure there are a lot of those people left on the Wii.

What Is It? Pretentious name aside, World Heroes Perfect is the fourth and final game in the SNK fighting franchise. You get sixteen goofy characters, including a Ryu/Ken-style pairing, a football quarterback, Rasputin, Hulk Hogan, an M. Bison lookalike, a Viking and the obligatory Bruce Lee rip-off (named Dragon, no less). The gimmick here is that you'll be forced to travel through time and duke it out on era-specific stages. We get the Stone Age, Ice Age, Industrial Revolution and so on. Sometimes these stages will fight back, throwing ice at you and offering other obstacles. Beat the competition and you'll be whisked away to fight Zeus and Neo Dio at the Blackness Castle. Do you have what it takes to conquer both time and space? Find out in World Heroes Perfect on the Wii Virtual Console.

Does It Still Hold Up? Compared to The King of Fighters and other similar SNK games, World Heroes has always felt a little loose. The game has a penchant for goofy moves and novelty characters, something that has always been something of an acquired taste. The fighting mechanics aren't as finely tuned as Street Fighter and the graphics pale in comparison to other Neo Geo titles. It may not be SNK's best, but World Heroes Perfect is a whole lot of fun.

Is It Worth The Money? I can predict the future. Seeing as we've already talked about World Heroes and now we're talking about World Heroes Perfect, there will come a time where, just like The King of Fighters, we loop back around and fill in the missing sequels. Forget World Heroes 2 and Jet, just pick up this fun (albeit flawed) fighter and you'll be set for the future.

What Is It? HAL Laboratory knows a thing or two about making addictive pinball games on the Game Boy. Revenge of the 'Gator may have been one of HAL's earliest portable games, but it was also one of their best. Kirby Pinball Land combines the imaginative table design of 'Gator with the fun and whimsy of Kirby. The result is an intoxicating blend of platforming craziness and pinball action.

This is not the first time Kirby has taken on another genre. Not that long ago I reviewed Kirby's Block Ball, HAL's take on Breakout. On the surface this looks like a straight-forward pinball game. Oh sure, you're using Kirby as a ball, but the rules of the game remain the same. But just like Revenge of the 'Gator, many secrets await those who explore.

Does It Still Hold Up? By 1993, HAL had completely mastered the Game Boy hardware. The result is this incredible action/pinball hybrid. The table is always interesting, thanks to the enemies, warp zones and power-ups. The graphics look good on the 3DS and the controls work well. Kirby delivers yet again.

Is It Worth The Money? Kirby is ready to win over anybody who ever doubted the fun and excitement of video game pinball. This is a terrific portable game at the right price. Kirby's Pinball Land is precisely the type of game you couldn't pull off in real life; it's full of fantastical flourishes that makes this more than your typical pinball table. This is what video game pinball is supposed to be. Best of all, it fills me with hope that Nintendo will eventually re-release Revenge of the 'Gator.

What Is It? At long last, the Nintendo 3DS Virtual Console finally has a proper Japanese role-playing game. While The Legend of Zelda and Dragon Crystal scratched my action/adventure itch, there's nothing quite like a good, old-fashioned turn-based RPG. The Sword of Hope II combines Dragon Quest-style role-playing and the graphic adventure games the developer (Kemco) was renowned for (Shadowgate and The Uninvited). The writing is a little dopey and, like many 8-bit RPGs, it takes a while to get going, but The Sword of Hope II is a welcome addition to the 3DS Virtual Console.

Does It Still Hold Up? Who would have guessed that turn-based combat was the missing component in Shadowgate? Kemco outdoes themselves by not only making a compelling role-playing game, but also developing a rich graphic adventure. The ideas are ambitious and the graphics are impressive, even if they mostly consist of still images. The gameplay is simple and this is just the type of game I would want to play on the go. Maybe it's because nobody else makes games like this anymore, but The Sword of Hope II manages to hold up surprisingly well.

Is It Worth The Money? Now that you've saved Princess Zelda in a half dozen games, it's time to dig into the 3DS Virtual Console's first role-playing game. The Sword of Hope II isn't as grand and epic as its console counterparts, but it offers a strong story, quick combat mechanics and an interesting world to explore. Fans of both Shadowgate and Final Fantasy will instantly fall in love with the style, and even new gamers will get wrapped up in the storytelling. The Sword of Hope II is not to be missed.