Sin & Punishment and Super Mario Brothers: The Lost Levels arrive in North America

By Spencer . October 1, 2007 . 5:52am

Sin & Punishment and Super Mario Brothers: The Lost Levels arrive in North AmericaNintendo of America isn’t leaving North America out of the bevy of import virtual console games. Later today Super Mario Brothers: The Lost Levels and Sin & Punishment will be sold on the Virtual Console store at slightly higher prices. Sure you’re shelling out 600 Wii Points instead of the usual 500 for a NES/Famicom Disc System game. But you’re getting the real Super Mario Brothers 2 here with the intact wind gusts and harder to spot poison mushrooms.

 

For 1,200 Wii Points Sin & Punishment is worth every penny if you like on rails shmups. I downloaded it off of the Japanese store last week and I’ve been thoroughly enjoying it again. The voice acting seems terrible by today’s standards, but you’re not playing the game to experience the Evangelion-like story. You’re playing it for fast and furious ruffian shooting action, which Treasure has no problem delivering. Dust off your Gamecube controller and purchase this ASAP.

 

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 – 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.


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  • http://nonplayercharacter.blogspot.com/ NPC

    12 bucks? really? Sheesh, Nintendo really wants our money.

  • http://nonplayercharacter.blogspot.com/ NPC

    12 bucks? really? Sheesh, Nintendo really wants our money.

  • Noun

    So, like the EU/AU releases, will these only be available for a limited time?

  • Noun

    So, like the EU/AU releases, will these only be available for a limited time?

  • Noun

    So, like the EU/AU releases, will these only be available for a limited time?

  • Mr. Mee

    See that’s what I am wondering as well

  • Mr. Mee

    See that’s what I am wondering as well

  • Mr. Mee

    See that’s what I am wondering as well

  • Mr. Mee

    I’ve waited so long for this and atm, I can’t afford it. I just spent my spending money another Treasure game recently, Gradius V.

  • Mr. Mee

    I’ve waited so long for this and atm, I can’t afford it. I just spent my spending money another Treasure game recently, Gradius V.

  • Mr. Mee

    I’ve waited so long for this and atm, I can’t afford it. I just spent my spending money another Treasure game recently, Gradius V.

  • http://www.siliconera.com Spencer

    @Noun / Mr.Mee – Nintendo didn’t say they are going to be available for a limited time, so I’m betting these releases will be around for good.

  • http://www.siliconera.com Spencer

    @Noun / Mr.Mee – Nintendo didn’t say they are going to be available for a limited time, so I’m betting these releases will be around for good.

  • http://www.siliconera.com Spencer

    @Noun / Mr.Mee – Nintendo didn’t say they are going to be available for a limited time, so I’m betting these releases will be around for good.

  • http://www.endblock.com/ CRIMExTHINK

    Sweet, Lost Levels might very well be my first Virtual Console purchase. Does anyone know how much Wii Points cost for Canadians? Has the price changed now that the Canadian dollar is at par with the US dollar?

  • http://www.endblock.com/ CRIMExTHINK

    Sweet, Lost Levels might very well be my first Virtual Console purchase. Does anyone know how much Wii Points cost for Canadians? Has the price changed now that the Canadian dollar is at par with the US dollar?

  • CRIMExTHINK

    Sweet, Lost Levels might very well be my first Virtual Console purchase. Does anyone know how much Wii Points cost for Canadians? Has the price changed now that the Canadian dollar is at par with the US dollar?

  • Aoshi00

    12 bucks does sound a bit steep, at least it’s an import that never got here. I just bought it since I never played this before and I like Panzer Dragoon and Treasure (BTW, I didn’t know they charge you tax before…). Very fun game, though graphics is quite dated by today’s standard. Doesn’t the main character look like a girl but he does this husky grunt when hit?

  • Aoshi00

    12 bucks does sound a bit steep, at least it’s an import that never got here. I just bought it since I never played this before and I like Panzer Dragoon and Treasure (BTW, I didn’t know they charge you tax before…). Very fun game, though graphics is quite dated by today’s standard. Doesn’t the main character look like a girl but he does this husky grunt when hit?

  • http://danielprimed.com Daniel Primed

    I have Lost Levels on SM Allstars but It might be worth downloading anyways…I’m kinda tempted.

    The videos for Sin and Punishment looks awesome, so I’ll have to add that one to the list as well.

  • http://danielprimed.com Daniel Primed

    I have Lost Levels on SM Allstars but It might be worth downloading anyways…I’m kinda tempted.

    The videos for Sin and Punishment looks awesome, so I’ll have to add that one to the list as well.

  • http://doyoulovepuppiesido.blogspot.com/ AbleJames

    I feel like I’m the only one left that still hasn’t bought a game on the Wii because they’re so damned expensive. It just seems like a bad deal to me.

    Seriously, you can buy a used SNES copy for much cheaper than on the Wii Store for nearly every game available. You then can also sell that copy if you get sick of it. Conversely, you give up all of your rights gained with the physical copy by buying it on the Wii. While this is no kiss of death, it certainly devalues the game, arguing for a further price decrease.

    A Wii owner might argue it makes it easier because old systems can be put into storage. It seems like the best solution for those that don’t want to keep old consoles around is to buy a physical copy and then download and play the game on a PC emulator. Some people are hesitant to do this (since, technically, the copy of the game you download is a different copy than you have on the ROM chips in the cartridge you own, possibly running afoul of copyright laws), but this seems like an absurd fiction. If you hold in your hand a bit-for-bit copy you legally own and would be legally able to play on your emulator if you simply dumped your copy with a ROM dumper rather than downloaded it, I fail to see a logical difference.

    It’s Nintendo’s right to attempt to sell you these games again in a more convenient format, but it should also be your right to use reasonable means to play the copy you already own on whatever format you technically can do so–be it the original system or on a PC emulator. (Heck, if you hack the Wii and it can run an NES emulator, I think there’s a fair analysis that: you own your Wii, you own a copy of the NES game, and you should thus be able to play your NES game on your Wii using the hacked emulator if you have the technical means to do so, *even if* Nintendo is attempting to sell that same game through their Store.) And if that right exists, and people recognize it, I don’t know why the Wii Store is so successful.

    Sorry, very long, but I guess I’m still trying to understand why people buy from the Wii store. It just seems like bad economics to decide to buy, with Nintendo double dipping into nostalgic fanbases that by their very targeted nature already likely own a copy of a given game. About the only game that would get me to buy something from the store would be the Mother1-3, or new, previously untranslated content.

  • http://doyoulovepuppiesido.blogspot.com/ AbleJames

    I feel like I’m the only one left that still hasn’t bought a game on the Wii because they’re so damned expensive. It just seems like a bad deal to me.

    Seriously, you can buy a used SNES copy for much cheaper than on the Wii Store for nearly every game available. You then can also sell that copy if you get sick of it. Conversely, you give up all of your rights gained with the physical copy by buying it on the Wii. While this is no kiss of death, it certainly devalues the game, arguing for a further price decrease.

    A Wii owner might argue it makes it easier because old systems can be put into storage. It seems like the best solution for those that don’t want to keep old consoles around is to buy a physical copy and then download and play the game on a PC emulator. Some people are hesitant to do this (since, technically, the copy of the game you download is a different copy than you have on the ROM chips in the cartridge you own, possibly running afoul of copyright laws), but this seems like an absurd fiction. If you hold in your hand a bit-for-bit copy you legally own and would be legally able to play on your emulator if you simply dumped your copy with a ROM dumper rather than downloaded it, I fail to see a logical difference.

    It’s Nintendo’s right to attempt to sell you these games again in a more convenient format, but it should also be your right to use reasonable means to play the copy you already own on whatever format you technically can do so–be it the original system or on a PC emulator. (Heck, if you hack the Wii and it can run an NES emulator, I think there’s a fair analysis that: you own your Wii, you own a copy of the NES game, and you should thus be able to play your NES game on your Wii using the hacked emulator if you have the technical means to do so, *even if* Nintendo is attempting to sell that same game through their Store.) And if that right exists, and people recognize it, I don’t know why the Wii Store is so successful.

    Sorry, very long, but I guess I’m still trying to understand why people buy from the Wii store. It just seems like bad economics to decide to buy, with Nintendo double dipping into nostalgic fanbases that by their very targeted nature already likely own a copy of a given game. About the only game that would get me to buy something from the store would be the Mother1-3, or new, previously untranslated content.

  • http://doyoulovepuppiesido.blogspot.com/ AbleJames

    I feel like I’m the only one left that still hasn’t bought a game on the Wii because they’re so damned expensive. It just seems like a bad deal to me.

    Seriously, you can buy a used SNES copy for much cheaper than on the Wii Store for nearly every game available. You then can also sell that copy if you get sick of it. Conversely, you give up all of your rights gained with the physical copy by buying it on the Wii. While this is no kiss of death, it certainly devalues the game, arguing for a further price decrease.

    A Wii owner might argue it makes it easier because old systems can be put into storage. It seems like the best solution for those that don’t want to keep old consoles around is to buy a physical copy and then download and play the game on a PC emulator. Some people are hesitant to do this (since, technically, the copy of the game you download is a different copy than you have on the ROM chips in the cartridge you own, possibly running afoul of copyright laws), but this seems like an absurd fiction. If you hold in your hand a bit-for-bit copy you legally own and would be legally able to play on your emulator if you simply dumped your copy with a ROM dumper rather than downloaded it, I fail to see a logical difference.

    It’s Nintendo’s right to attempt to sell you these games again in a more convenient format, but it should also be your right to use reasonable means to play the copy you already own on whatever format you technically can do so–be it the original system or on a PC emulator. (Heck, if you hack the Wii and it can run an NES emulator, I think there’s a fair analysis that: you own your Wii, you own a copy of the NES game, and you should thus be able to play your NES game on your Wii using the hacked emulator if you have the technical means to do so, *even if* Nintendo is attempting to sell that same game through their Store.) And if that right exists, and people recognize it, I don’t know why the Wii Store is so successful.

    Sorry, very long, but I guess I’m still trying to understand why people buy from the Wii store. It just seems like bad economics to decide to buy, with Nintendo double dipping into nostalgic fanbases that by their very targeted nature already likely own a copy of a given game. About the only game that would get me to buy something from the store would be the Mother1-3, or new, previously untranslated content.

  • Aoshi00

    I agree some of the price is crazily expensive and it seems stupid to buy again games that you’ve either played or owned before, plus the VC aren’t even hard copies. But for the general public (parents who get games for their kids) it’s convenient and accessible to just buy it online for a little fee (seems little but adds up) since nobody really wants to dig out the old half working NES or SNES.

    I myself have only bought Super Mario Bros, Mario 64 and Mystical Ninja, since for the latter two I only own the Jpn copies currently. As for “Sin and Punishment”, I did some digging around, an import copy goes for about $50-60, so I thought $12 is not that bad for a game I have never played before. Otherwise yeah, for games like Castlevania SOTN, I’m not willing to buy it again for another $10 and would rather dig out my own PS copy.

  • Aoshi00

    I agree some of the price is crazily expensive and it seems stupid to buy again games that you’ve either played or owned before, plus the VC aren’t even hard copies. But for the general public (parents who get games for their kids) it’s convenient and accessible to just buy it online for a little fee (seems little but adds up) since nobody really wants to dig out the old half working NES or SNES.

    I myself have only bought Super Mario Bros, Mario 64 and Mystical Ninja, since for the latter two I only own the Jpn copies currently. As for “Sin and Punishment”, I did some digging around, an import copy goes for about $50-60, so I thought $12 is not that bad for a game I have never played before. Otherwise yeah, for games like Castlevania SOTN, I’m not willing to buy it again for another $10 and would rather dig out my own PS copy.

  • http://doyoulovepuppiesido.blogspot.com/ AbleJames

    Aoshi00, yeah, those are pretty good reasons. I can certainly dig rarer games getting more attention.

  • http://doyoulovepuppiesido.blogspot.com/ AbleJames

    Aoshi00, yeah, those are pretty good reasons. I can certainly dig rarer games getting more attention.

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