When the Wii launched in 2006, one of its most exciting features was the Virtual Console. With the promise of virtually any NES, SNES, Sega Master System, Genesis, Nintendo 64, and TurboGrafx-16 game being made readily available for only a few bucks, gamers were happy to relive the past. After an initial line-up of classics, interest in the Virtual Console died down considerably within its first year, and by the time Nintendo added Neo-Geo and Commodore 64 to the list of systems supported, many gamers had stopped checking for updates. Even though many of you have lost interest, we haven't stopped looking, and some great games have been added since the last time you've turned on your Wii. We wanted to remind you that there are plenty of reasons to fire up the dusty system, and many of them will cost you less than ten dollars.

Here is our list of the Top Ten Virtual Console Games.



10. Final Fantasy (NES, $5)

It took almost three years, but the game that inadvertently started an RPG phenomenon (and saved Squaresoft from bankruptcy) finally made it to the Virtual Console in October 2009. The only reason this classic isn’t higher on the list is because the game was made available within the last few years for the Game Boy Advance and PSP—but never for the extremely low price of five dollars. Trust us, it’s worth every penny. It may seem a little primitive, strapped with the limitations of eight-bit graphics and unable to convey the same emotional story that later games in the series have, but that doesn’t mean it’s not fun to play from start to finish. If you haven’t yet, it’s time to see where it all began.



9. Star Fox 64 (Nintendo 64, $10)

Let’s face it: not all old games hold up. During the Nintendo 64/PSX generation, 3D was first showing its face, and its face, oftentimes, was ugly. Because of this, many titles are hard to play now thanks to extremely low-resolution textures and poor models. Star Fox 64 escapes this era unscathed, and is still an extremely entertaining adventure. The characters, story, and gameplay are still some of the best Nintendo has put out, and much better than almost anything else in the genre. The writing, albeit cheesy, is wonderfully memorable, and the game is still one of the most quoted of its time. Proof? “Do a barrel roll! Press_____!”. You can finish that.



8. Donkey Kong Country (SNES, $8)

This game was a graphical marvel when it hit the Super Nintendo in 1994. Widely regarded as one of the best SNES games ever made, Donkey Kong Country is still nice to look at—and even more fun to play. If you have spent your whole life replaying the early Super Mario Bros. games and never gave this one a try, it will be like a breath of fresh air. Nothing against the series that put Nintendo on the map, but there’s something about the unique platforming in DKC that can be a nice change of pace.



7. Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (Sega Genesis, $8)

With all of the Sonic games available on the Virtual Console, it was hard to pick just one for this list. Yes, it may not be your favorite in the series, but you have to admit it’s a great game. Sonic 2 took the fun gameplay of the first Sonic and added the hedgehog’s signature spin, as well as introducing sidekick Tails, along with two-player options. Even after all these years, it’s still fun to challenge a friend to the versus levels, especially as you try to steal each other’s coins in the bonus round.



6. Toe Jam & Earl (Sega Genesis, $8)

This game was released on the Virtual Console on December 25, 2006, as a Christmas present for gamers—and for good reason. The story of these two stranded aliens on a terrifying, bizarre planet we know as Earth is quirky and hilarious. Though a lot of the slang is horribly dated, that just gives the jammin’ game a campy, tongue-in-cheek tone that only works in its favor. Also, the two-player cooperative gameplay is a lot of fun, and I wish more games had explored the split-screen option instead of constantly forcing players to remain on the same screen at once.



5. Castlevania (NES, $5)

We're not going to make the argument that the first game in this series is also the best. We don’t believe that to be the case, but our personal favorite isn’t available on the Virtual Console and probably never will be. Still, Castlevania deserves your five dollars for starting off one of the most prolific gaming franchises ever made. Unlike some classic series, which have dropped off in quality over time (I’m looking at you, Sonic), Castlevania has, for the most part, remained constantly fantastic. The best part is, the original is still challenging to play, and the creepy environments and haunting music are good for instant nostalgia.



4. Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars (SNES, $8)

Nintendo characters in a Square-developed RPG? That should pretty much be a given. Super Mario RPG is a funny, quirky, and addictively fun role-playing game, but its appearance on the Virtual Console was more than just a memory trip for some. Until being made available for the download service, the game had never been released in Europe, meaning an entire part of the gaming world had to wait twelve years to finally play this classic. Even in North America, where the game had been released for the SNES in 1996, copies were rare and overpriced, making it hard to come by. This is the kind of game the Virtual Console was designed for, and I wish Nintendo would take those factors into consideration more often when selecting games.



3. Super Metroid (SNES, $8)

Another game holding a place for an entire series, Super Metroid is highly regarded as not only the best Metroid title, but one of the best games of all time. It exemplified Nintendo’s commitment to quality, and brought some of the most refined platforming in a generation all about refined platforming. Samus’s journey, and battle with Mother Brain, might be a series of Aliens rip-offs, but that doesn’t stop it from being something every gamer should play.



2. Super Mario World (SNES, $8)

Listen, we could sit here and argue all day about what the best Mario game is, or even what the best 2D Mario game is. But we're writing this article and you’re not, so for us, it’s unquestionably Super Mario World. The world map, secret levels, and being able to replay areas for the first time shaped the series, and even though Super Mario made the jump to 3D with the Nintendo 64, the influence of Super Mario World can be felt to this day. The game, which could take days to beat and years to master, continues to be ridiculously fun—and this coming from people who have played through the game at least a dozen times.



1. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (Nintendo 64, $10)

Of course Ocarina of Time is sitting at the top of this list, as it has topped so many “Top Ten” lists over the last decade or so. You can call it cliché, but some things are cliché for a reason. In a series where almost every game is universally regarded as a beloved classic, the fact that Ocarina of Time still stands out the most really makes it something special. The story of young Link and his journey to adulthood through the Temple of Time strikes a chord with most gamers to this very day. The game launched in 1998 to universal critical acclaim, and it was seen as being as close to perfection as games could get. If you consider yourself a gamer, you have likely already played this either on the Nintendo 64, or its Gamecube re-release. Still, while we wait patiently for a new Zelda to be released (or formally announced) for the Wii, replaying Ocarina is certainly not the worst way to spend your time.

Now that we have painstakingly decided upon our top ten choices for Virtual Console games you should buy, it’s time for you to let us know if you agree or (much more likely) disagree. What are your favorite Virtual Console classics, and what games were we dead wrong about? Time to let us have it in the comments.