In a testament to the older generation consoles, the Virtual Console (including XLA) allows us to play games once lost to our memories.  We get a renewed sense of achievement and purpose delivered to us through downloads.  We get to play games that raised us and motivated us to continue our gaming quest.  It returns us to a simpler time, a good time, a time of fewer buttons, epic quests, and 8-bit graphics.  It allows the younger generation a chance to see what we played in our youth.  I am happy to see the return of some of the classics. However, a disturbing trend has formed with the virtual console: The Re-Review.  I find it disturbing to treat theses games as "new releases" and rate them as you would any other new release.  I know Mario is great.  He was great 20 years ago and it still hasn't changed.  Fine, good.  Its just like it was.  Grasp for all the nostalgia you need, but actually giving it a tangible rating seems a little over the top.  We rate it by different standards, but put it on the same scale as recent games.

I was shocked to see so many XLA games make it into the GameSpot lists for Games of the Year.  One even went so far as to win an award! (Best Fighting Game)

In conclusion:

Virtual Console = Good

XLA = Good

Reviewing Games that we reviewed in their prime = Bad

I suppose I just hadn't complained in awhile.  I wanted this to be meaningful, but I think it turned out poorly.  I hope I at least conveyed my point clearly.