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Sega sets first-quarter Wii VC lineup

Publisher to bring Streets of Rage and four more Genesis games to Virtual Console in coming months.

104 Comments

Sega has been a big supporter of the Wii's Virtual Console service since the system launched last November, providing new Genesis games for the Wii Shop Channel every week through Christmas. But while the first two weekly Virtual Console updates of the new year have come and gone without a new Genesis game, Sega is pledging to continue its support of Nintendo's new system with five more titles through the first quarter of the year.

The quintet of Genesis games set for release by the end of March consists of Streets of Rage, Bio-Hazard Battle, Comix Zone, Gain Ground, and Bonanza Bros. While the popular side-scrolling brawler appeared in a number of compilations during the Genesis and Sega CD eras, Streets of Rage hasn't been rereleased in North America in several console generations.

Outside of the shoot-'em-up Bio-Hazard Battle, the rest of the lineup is populated by action games. Gain Ground is a port of an arcade action game that let players control one of 20 characters from an overhead viewpoint as they attempted to clear levels by rescuing captives or destroying enemies. Comix Zone puts a twist on the action genre by structuring its levels as living comic book pages thatthe player must fight through, while Bonanza Bros. is an early stealth action game that lets two players work together to rob buildings packed with security guards.

Sega did not announce specific release dates or prices for any of the titles, but so far every Genesis title on the Virtual Console has sold for 800 Wii Points ($8).

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TryMe01

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i wonder if sega will offer games from their other systems? id love to play other sega games fo which i have never played a sega system besides the ill fated dreamcast

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NightRain

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STREETS OF RAGE!!!! OMG!

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Gmacrusher

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Well game are always good but will they be unique??

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Cantius

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I only know Streets of Rage and Comix Zone. :(

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gamefreac

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Hell yes! Streets of Rage. Oh the memories of me and my cuz on co-op. Gonna be savin my wii points for that one! Good job nintendo.

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Kempatsu_basic

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BO-BROS IS AWESOME

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RaiKageRyu

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Streets of Rage!!!

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Berem

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Ive never heard of any of those lol.

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MACMALLEON

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Cool. Streets of Rage is a CLASSIC. Comix Zone!!!! I CANT WAIT!!!!!

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frustatedgibbon

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streets of rage! getting that as soon as its up! b xx

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Rax_Quintanilla

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Streets of Freakin' Rage!!!!!!!! Hell effing Yeah!!!!!! And Comix Zone too??? Yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeah!!!!

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grenadier53

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Sweet i am so happy!

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funsohng

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OMG i don't know any....

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aashkii

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Comix Zone sweet!

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T1Panda

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Is it Streets of Rage 1? I don't think I've ever played that one. Streets of Rage 2 was awesome... And Comix Zone? Hooray!

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lulu52

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those sound like some prety sweet games.

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Aaron_130

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meimnobody - i'd rather take quality over quantity, most of the VC games suck and are a complete ripoff, at least the XBLA games (ports) contain extra things like graphic improvements, online play and online leaderboards. was never a massive fan of SoR1, SoR2 is godly - it needs to be on XBLA with online multiplayer.

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Yomigaeru

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shadystxxx, if I remember correctly, Super Mario Bros. 3 was released on the SNES in the compilation Super Mario All-Stars. These games are great and all, but I'd have like to see some Sega Saturn emulation. From what I hear, it is difficult to emulate Saturn hardware, though. But, think of it...the original Guardian Heroes on VC...that would be money well spent.

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mariokart64fan

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i cant wait for comix zone ,and yes smb 3 was remade for snes in super mario all stars

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meimnobody

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People the vc provides perfect emulation. Not crappy ports but something that works like the carts did in the original console. They have to license the game, make sure the conversation works perfectly, set it up on the servers. That all takes time. Hell they are releasing more games in a month then xbox live does so eat that!!!

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elektrixxx

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I can't wait.

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BIGboss600

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all i want is altered beast "RISE FROM YOUR GRAVE"

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shadystxxx

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streets of rage that's what im talking about, now get super mario 3 on there, for some reason i remember playing super mario 3 on the snes but when i look for it on gs it says it was on the nes, i read somewhere it was re-released on snes with updated graphics, something must have happened because i know i played it on the snes as i remember me and my pal switching from super mario 3 and mario kart. James bond goldeneye would be nice with some online play that would be cool. sonic 2 and 3. I cant wait for sensible soccer on xbla, i would like to see cannon fodder on xbla or vc. Theres loads of games i want to play again i could list 100's. But mrs pacman is not one of them.

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Juno54

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Alright Streets of Rage (one of my favorite Genesis games).

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StarFoxCOM

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I want street fighter

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cobrax80

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pretty inteesting

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azzezino

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They better hurry it up 'cuz the VC games that we're getting suck so bad.

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heyhamburgerpim

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All of the games Sega has re-released are already available on the PS2 gretest hits compilation... when are we going to see some Wii exclusives? ESWAT? Out Run? After Burner? Shining in the Darkness? How about some licensed games, like Haunting Starring Polterguy, or The Immortal? Buck Rodgers: Countdown to Doomsday? And where are the good NES games? Kid Icarus?

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evil_tormentor

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Please....Phantasy Star IV... not that Sega actually gives a damn about me...

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Mit_Man

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What is with the less mentally gifted few of you blabbering about not giving us Nintendo games? THIS IS A SEGA PRESS RELEASE. SEGA. Sega made games for Genesis, not the NES or SNES. Nintendo games will be coming out on Virtual Console, and they'll tell us about them, in a Nintendo press release. Unless you think every other gaming company should be cut off from putting games on the VC except Nintendo, in which case, you prove your lack of intellect even further. Anyways, this a great press release. I'll be atleast picking up Streets of Rage and Biohazard Battle, which is an old favorite of mine. I may try Comix Zone as well. And I'm sure Streets of Rage 2 and 3 will follow eventually, they're just spreading out their releases and starting at the beginning of the series.

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anamnawshad

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Streets of Rage (Bare Knuckle) was one of my favorite games on Sega Mga Drive-II.

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Arley569

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VC games need to be online multiplayer

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games_pot1

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Sega's going down since the Dreamcast.

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Red-Baron234

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Give me Shining Force 2 and I will be happy forever!

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groupofus

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It's all about Streets of Rage, all they need is 2 and 3 then there will be many smiles...I really hope they remake those games.

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comthitnuong

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the list doesnt impress me too much. im still waiting for the n64 classics for it though

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JediAutobot

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Comix Zone! I am excited to see this. When I finally get my Wii, this will be my first vc game

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imbacon

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Very good!

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joestierman

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omg streets of rage. this is a good sign.

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datniccah187

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I love Sega, so this type of news excites me. Any Sega compilations or downloads available on the new consules, i'm all down for it.

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Greydawg

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Yeah, that's a good comment-------where are the NINTENDO games?! I would rather pay for many of those over almost any of these. It's confusing, isn't it? I mean, the NES games seem so much simpler, wouldn't making them available on the Wii be, well, easier/quicker?

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chikahiro94

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Neat. I'm guessing Sega doesn't want to glut the VC though, and is taking their time releasing older titles. Smart move. Maybe Herzog Zwei will come out soon-ish?

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Generic_Dude

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Enough already... give us NINTENDO games... though I'll admit Streets of Rage is alright. @Legacyoftain: Good point... funny how times change.

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FeiSlayerOGod

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Bring it on Sega! Show me why people liked you back in those days. I did not own a Genesis back then and I'm a known Nintendo Fanboy. Not to start a riot or anything but I can't seem to be able to find Genesis game that I would want on the VC. But I'm always glad to find more good stuff from the past like Gunstar Heroes!!

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OmegaGear

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Ah, the original streets of rage... where you could call in a back up squad that would drive through the screen and launch explosives. Which makes perfect sense when you're in the building stages lol. I hope Sega plans to bring over the second game, because that was the genre at its finest.

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jmangafan

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YES! Streets of Rage and Comix Zome! Sega is making me happy!

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yinyang3

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Comix Zone and Streets of Rage! (Part 2 is better though.) This is awesome!

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CheddarLimbo

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Look out for Jack Thompson, Bonanza Bro.!! You're teaching children to commit crimes like breaking and entering, and grand larceny!

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ShadowHog

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Eh, Streets of Rage 2 was better. But then, I never really DID play the first one much... mostly the second and (the Japanese version of) the third, so, maybe.

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Legacyoftain

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Wonder if Sega in 91' thought that in 07 they would be selling their games to their ultimate rival...lol

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