We have been keeping a running tab on the Virtual Console releases for a few months now, watching the roller coaster of quality dip and soar as titles like Lunar Pool and Super Mario Brothers 3 are released. One constant has been a slow decline in the actual number of games, with the past few weeks having only two games (from the normal three) and this week having one game (from the semi-normal two). I’d be ready to rip out a chainsaw and lead the angry mob to Nintendo HQ if today’s Virtual Console release wasn’t so damn cool. The game 1080° SNOWBOARDING, and you should all buy it right now.

1080° is likely one of the best snowboarding games to ever come out, and being able to get it for $10 is a steal. Back in the N64 games there was nothing like it and, as of today, there still may not be. 

 

1080° SNOWBOARDING
N64
1-2 players
1,000 Wii Points

Hit the slopes for some serious shredding in one of the first truly realistic snowboarding games ever created! Start in the lodge and select from five characters, each with his/her own particular attributes and special tricks. Then take a look at the wide assortment of available boards and choose one that best suits your rider and style. Once you've got the gear, six different modes of play, including Match Race, Trick Attack, and 2-Player Versus, await. Pick a course and get ready to experience a sensation of speed that'll make you forget all about the cold—but it might just send a shiver down your spine. Throw in hidden characters and boards, varying weather and snow conditions, multiple paths through each course, and a variety of tricks to master—topped off with rock-solid play control—and you've got a recipe for winter fun that you can enjoy any time of the year. It's all the fun and excitement of the sport, without the bruises and frostbite!
 

Go to the Wii Shop channel to download these games in addition to already available classics like Super Mario 64, The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, Gunstar Heroes, Sonic The Hedgehog, Bonk's Adventure, and Super Mario Bros.! Click here for a list of games available on Virtual Console.