If you can appreciate a game that's just downright fun, you should definitely check out Aero the Acrobat 2. It's still one of the better platformers to come out of the 16-bit era and a game that's every bit as much fun to play now as it was fifteen years ago.
Picking out retro re-releases to spend modern cash on through the Virtual Console is made much easier when the game you're thinking of buying calls out from the Wii Shop with a unique voice and individual appeal – Aero the Acrobat did that with its signature mix of a cartwheeling character and the circus setting that matched his antics, but Aero the Acrobat 2 only offers half of that successful equation.
It's still a fine game, and a decent platformer. Not the worst eight bucks you could spend on the service by far. But even with its refinements in control, graphics and the occasional cup game, IGN still prefers the original.
Nintendo Life writes: "About the time mascot games began exploding on the Super Nintendo console, Sunsoft jumped on the bandwagon with the release of their original platformer Aero the Acrobat. While the game featured many of the classic platforming elements that were showing up in the games of the time period, it was criticized for its bland play control and limited level designs. Sunsoft decided to tweak the formula for their sequel, and this bit of extra attention ultimately made for a much more varied and playable platforming experience the second time around and manages to hang with some of the better Super Nintendo platformers."
Summer’s here and the Nintendo DSi Shop and Wii Shop Channel have got a selection of scorchers on offer this week, available today, Friday 6th August. Whether you’re defending sandcastles from crafty crabs on a Sandy Beach, or flaunting your fighting technique in Aero the Acrobat 2, WiiWare and Virtual Console have got plenty to keep you occupied.
