Video game evolution is the theme to this week's Wii Virtual Console's classic re-releases as both titles are important milestones in their respective genres. While one, Renegade, paved the way to a golden age in beat-'em-up titles, the other, Pokémon Puzzle League, pushed a classic puzzle series from 2D to 3D.

• Renegade – Original Release: 01/1988, Platform: Nintendo Entertainment System:
  Following-up last week's re-release on the Virtual Console, Double Dragon, comes its predecessor – the NES version of the arcade beat-'em-up, Renegade, both of which were designed by the great Yoshihisa Kishimoto. Although Double Dragon innovated fighting games, it was Renegade that set the pieces in motion, having players beat the tar out of every enemy they come across in multiple levels that are two screens in length, each ending in a boss battle. The NES version also features side-scrolling motorcycle combat.

• Pokémon Puzzle League – Original Release: 09/2000, Platform: Nintendo 64:
  A N64 rework of the Super Nintendo classic Tetris Attacks (aka Panel de Pon in Japan) the basic puzzle game remains the same, only now with a new graphical 3D version of the puzzles, and characters from the Pokémon animated series.

  Like many other puzzle games, PPL has the playing field filling with colored blocks that you must adjust so they chain together with the same color. Once you've got a series of chained blocks they disappear. Instead of the blocks falling from above, they fill the tubular field from below in game matches that are addictive, fun and aside from the character art, has nothing to do with Pokémon.

Packshot © Nintendo

Square Enix, the folks that created the world's most innovative series of RPG games, have announced a Nintendo DS remake of their most groundbreaking title, Final Fantasy IV. Actually they are finishing up the North American version, as this reimagining of the title which redefined RPG games already released in Japan last year.

Scheduled to ship in North America on July 22nd, 2008, Final Fantast IV DS is far leap from the original Super Nintendo classic (released in the United States as Final Fantasy II). The game now features fully rendered 3D graphics, animated cinematics complete with voice actors, a revamped gameplay system that takes full advantage of the DS touch capabilities and multiplayer mini-games which connect via the DS wireless communication.

As a special treat we have a preview screenshot gallery of Final Fantasy IV DS, which shows just how different a game remake can look while maintaining at its core the same gameplay that made it a classic.

• Final Fantasy IV For the Nintendo DS – Preview Screenshot Gallery
• Final Fantasy IV Advance – Game Boy Advance Review
• Get a peak at the next title in the classic series, Final Fantasy V Advance - Basic Facts

Final Fantasy IV Logo © SQUARE ENIX CO., LTD.

Only one new classic console game re-released on the Wii Virtual Console this week, but boy is it a doozie, an NES version of the beat-em-up game that defined the genre, Double Dragon.

• Double Dragon – Original Release: 06/1988, Platform: Nintendo Entertainment System
  In a post apocalyptic future where the world is run by rival The Warriors-esque gangs, two brothers, Billy and Jimmy Lee, are the remaining masters of the forgotten martial-art of Sōsetsuken. When Billy's great love is kidnapped by the Black Warriors, he and Jimmy take to the streets and exercise their super skills by bashing their way through a myriad of things and rival gangs. Although the NES version doesn't offer simultaneous two player co-op like the original, it has an alternate twist ending that will blow your mind.
• Double Dragon Arcade Game Profile.
• Wii Virtual Console Classic Game Database

Packaging © Midway Home Entertainment, Inc.

It's about time technology catches up with classic video games. Sure those games were made in the past, but retro computer players know that they were far ahead of the curve back in their day. Take Myst, the graphically rich adventure game. Not only was it the first to marry highly detailed graphics with an elaborate and deep narrative, but you moved through the world by touching the graphics via a point-and-click of the mouse. Imagine if you had a touch sensitive screen back in 1993.

Today with the Nintendo DS, we finally do, and soon Myst can finally be played the way it was meant to. At least that's how it felt when I played an early build of Myst DS for a hands-on preview. Instead of pointing and clicking with a mouse, you do it by directly touching the screen (preferably with the stylus).

• Myst DS – Hands-On Preview
• Myst Computer Game Profile
• Myst IV: Revelation Review

Packshot © Empire Interactive Ltd, Myst © Cyan Worlds, Inc.

You can shoot on the ground, you can shoot in the air, with this week's new Wii Virtual Console re-releases you can shoot just about anywhere…as long as it's at an alien menace.

From two of Sega's most popular consoles come the side-scrolling shooter goodness of the psychedelic Fantasy Zone and the Metroid-like Mega Turrican. Both titles let you blow lots of stuff up but while Mega Turrican features a dark and mechanical world where you go on ground patrol, zapping enemies with high tech handheld weaponry, Fantasy Zone features child-like trippy graphics and bright colors as kill your enemies from a spaceship (ain't that cute!)

• Fantasy Zone – Original Release: 1986, Platform: SEGA Master System
  The fantastical world of Fantasy Zone may look like something out of a 70s children's show, and features a space ship called the Opa-Opa, but don't let that fool you, this game means some serious business. As you command your ship while dropping bombs on enemy basses and shooting out your enemies, you'll reach several bizarre boss battles that have to be seen to believe.

• Mega Turrican – Original Release: 1994, Platform: SEGA Genesis
  The third sequel in the Turrican series of super-soldier shooters, has you as the lone survivor of the United Freedom Force, whose sworn duty is to free the enslaved galaxy from the evil rule of The Machine. Your super-suit, explosive weapons and acrobatics, make this platforming shooter highly reminiscent of Metroid, but addictive and fun nevertheless.

Tanks for the Battlezone:
A game Atari made, now on Xbox Live Arcade,
They gave it a major upgrade, but the vector graphics stayed.
How lucky we are.

And tanks for the Battlezone:
New multiplayer modes it touts, up to four players can battle it out,
You can even hook up the Xbox LIVE Vision Camera to see your buddies shout,
As you blow up their Tanks.

And tanks for the Battlezone:
Available for download, the remixed and original it holds.
It even features tank-on-tank Deathmatch modes.
And tank you so much

Okay, enough with the singing. In case you didn't figure it out, the remixed re-release of Battlezone is now available via Xbox Live Arcade.

Battlezone originally released as a coin-op arcade unit in 1980. Like the cut-hit Asteroids, it utilized green wireframe vector graphics against a black background, but took it a step further by using the lines to create dimensions, allowing for 3D gameplay. This made Battlezone an instant success, and one of the most famous of vector graphic games. This remix features the vector graphics we love as the outlines, but are filled with stylized next-gen details.

The remixed version also allows for multiplayer battles, with up to four tanks, plus it is compatible with the Xbox LIVE Vision Camera. Also, if you're not into remixed titles, but yearn to play the arcade classic, the two come packaged together.

And remember…

We tank you, so much!

Although this week's Wii Virtual Console classic re-releases are completely different style games, they do still have a lot in common. Not only did they both originate on the Nintendo Entertainment System, but they also feature some of America's favorite pastime, baseball and eating cookies!

• Yoshi's Cookie - Original Release: 1992, Platform: Nintendo Entertainment System – Classic puzzle game that features more Mario than everyone's favorite dinosaur. Help Chef Mario keep the Yoshi Cookie factory running by lining up matching up lines of matching cookies as they roll off the assembly line. Unlike Tetris, you can control if the cookie line approaches from the top or side.
• Bases Loaded - Original Release: 07/1988, Platform: Nintendo Entertainment System – The first title in the Bases Loaded series that was also the first Baseball Video Game to try and emulate the TV experience, even down to the pitcher goading the batter. Although baseball titles have become more realistic than ever before, Bases Loaded was the genres major league of its day.

In the next-gen console wars you're not considered a contender unless you have an online game download service. Not only does this allow gamers to quickly install titles onto their home systems, but they are also breathing new life into classic video games. From console, computer and arcade titles retro re-releases are topping the most popular download charts, so much so that publishers are starting to develop "remixes" of the originals.

In the past I've put together databases of the classic games for the Wii Virtual Console and Xbox Live Arcade, so now PlayStation Networks gets a turn with a list of all the classic game offerings on the PlayStation Store.

What makes the PlayStation Store so special is that it offers original PSOne that can be played on both the PlayStation 3 console and PSP handheld systems. Now there are a few other classic game offerings available besides the PSOne titles, including an exclusive of the Q-Bert arcade game.

• Classic Games on the PlayStation Network's PlayStation Store.
• More classic game downloads via Xbox Live Arcade.
• Wii Ship Channel's Wii Virtual Console Classic Game Database.

In case you didn't catch IGN's April Fool's joke, they created a phony trailer for a non-existent big-budget movie based on The Legend of Zelda. Although some folks were indeed fooled, most realized within the first minute that it was all a gag. The production value of the video was right on par with movie version of classic games, such as Dungeons & Dragons, so it does give you cause to ponder, if Hollywood does ever decide to make a movie out of Link and the rest of the Zelda gang, would it be a good thing or a bad one.

Now I may not be a movie mogul, but the trailer did inspire me to go back to my Zelda roots and revisit the original NES version The Legend of Zelda. As the latest Zelda sequels are some of the best titles out there for the Nintendo Wii and DS, you sometimes forget just how well the original holds up.

• Get inspired yourself with The Legend of Zelda gag trailer.
• The Legend of Zelda – Classic Console Profile.
• Rambo for the NES – The weirdest Zelda rip-off ever.
• Yet another Zelda trailer fan film…featuring lot of walking and reaction shots.