See what happens when we get a few crappy VC releases in a row? I just forget all about it. Then they go and release something that actually isn’t that bad. This week’s release is California Games from the C64. Radical!

California Games
Publisher: Epyx
Developer: Epyx
Original Release Date: 1987
Cost: 500 Wii Points.

Nathan Birch: This is very much like Epyx developed Summer Games 2 already released on the VC, except it contains 100% more gnarly tubularosity. It’s the best known of the Epyx sports minigame collections (most of you probably remember the NES version of the game) and rightfully so. There’s just something oddly addictive about it. That said, you can also see all the game has to offer in the span of about 5 minutes, so whether you want to part with 500 points really depends on how much time you want to spend perfecting your footbag and flying disc prowess.

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>Alex Lucard: As Nathan said, my first experience with California Games came with the NES version. I also remember it from an Episode of Captain N. I still own the Atari Lynx version and for this column I booted that up to see how it still holds up.

After some half piping goodness and surfing madness, I’d say this is worth five bucks. Of course, Bust-A-Move Plus also came out the same day and it’s only a dollar more, so the Bub and Bob Zealot in me suggest getting that instead.

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As mentioned, BUST-A-MOVE Plus! was released on Wii Ware, along with BIT.TRIP CORE and Heracles Chariot Racing.