Hanabi Festival returns to Virtual Console

Retro-gaming fans are already used to revisiting classics from yesteryear via Virtual Console. But today, and for the next few weeks, we have an extra-special treat in store at the Wii Shop Channel.

We’re bringing back the Virtual Console ‘Hanabi Festival’, featuring games that were previously unreleased in Europe; this time courtesy of our friends at SEGA and Hudson Soft.

The Hanabi Festival is named after the Japanese holiday season that is famous for its firework displays, so we’re starting the event with some real blasts from the past!

Hanabi Festival – May 2nd releases:
Gradius II Gofer No Yabou – Turbografx (Japanese version)
Columns III: Revenge of Columns – SEGA MEGA DRIVE (U.S. version)
Final Soldier – Turbografx (Japanese version)

Over the coming weeks, you’ll also be able to enjoy other never-before-seen greats such as Gley Lancer (SEGA MEGA DRIVE), Cho Aniki (Muscle Brothers) (Turbografx), Puyo Puyo 2 (SEGA MEGA DRIVE) and Star Parodier (Turbografx), and more.

All games will be released in their original U.S. or Japanese versions, but we’ve chosen games without language barriers. Plus – as with all Virtual Console titles – each game will include a built-in Operations Guide.

All Hanabi Festival titles will remain on the Wii Shop Channel after the Festival is over. Titles from the previous Hanabi Festival in September 2007 (Sin And Punishment, Ninja Gaiden, Gradius III, Ninja JaJaMaru-kun, and Mario’s Super Picross) are still available, except for the limited-edition Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels.

And watch this space in the future, because the Hanabi Festival may return…