Three week VC festival ahoy

Nintendo has told us a three week “Hanabi Festival”, has just begun on Virtual Console. Which means, excitingly, lots of Japanese and American titles will be playable in Europe for the very first time.

The first of these will be Super Mario Bros. sequel The Lost Levels, originally only available in Japan. It builds on the original with new levels, more difficult enemies, challenging obstacles and new secret worlds to explore. This special treat costs 600 points (GBP 4.20 / EUR 6) and is only available until the end of the celebratory period on 30th September.

Joining this is Mario's Super Picross, another Japan-only title where you have to solve silly old picture crosswords. It's a bit like Picross DS, as you might think – what with being based around the same puzzle – and has a save function and changeable music. This one carries a slightly inflated price of 900 points (~ GBP 6 / EUR 9).

Over the following two weeks we're promised Virtual Console offerings in the shape of classic US NES platformer Ninja Gaiden, and iconic shooter Gradius III. These will compliment hidden Japanese treasures Ninja JaJaMaru-Ken (NES), plus Sin and Punishment originally for the N64.

Not invited to the party but available anyway is the TurboGrafx-16 action-adventure Neutopia II. Once again you'll have to save the day from evil person, much like you did in the original – which also happens to be available on the Virtual Console. Both will cost you 600 points (GBP 4.20 / EUR 6)

That's all very nice, then, but we still want Secret of Mana!