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Sin and Punishment on Euro VC

Gradius III and friend follow.

This is the last week of the "Hanabi" Virtual Console festival, which has bought you games from around the world that were never released in Europe.

The headline act this week is Sin and Punishment, an on-rails shooter for the N64. Although you can't control your forward movement, you can jump, roll, and sidestep your way around obstacles, as well as fire guns at baddies.

Sin and Punishment managed to scrape a couple of positive Western reviews back near its Japanese release, but for 1200 points (GBP 8.40 / EUR 12) it may be worth waiting for our weekly Virtual Console review roundup before you buy.

Following these churchly pursuits is side-scrolling Konami classic Gradius III, originally only available on the US Super Nintendo. It is up to you to fly your Vic Viper spaceship through 10 new levels of mayhem, blasting all sorts of enemies from the skies using customisable armament set-ups and some very big guns. Gradius III will cost you 900 points (~ GBP 6 / EUR 9).

Last up is non-Hanabi TurboGrafx-16 offering Legend of Hero Tonma. This is a side-scrolling platform game where you, as hero Tommy, will have to rescue a princess. Oh, and you can throw fireballs at enemies and jump on their heads to stun them. Sounds familiar. Tonma will set you back 600 points (GBP 4.20 / EUR 6).

The Hanabi festival draws to a close at the end of the month, when you will no longer be able to download Super Mario Bros. sequel The Lost Levels - so make sure you get it before Sunday if you haven't already. The Lost Levels will cost you 600 points (GBP 4.20 / EUR 6).

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