This item may not look like much (despite the classy frame), but it's one of the most important items in the history of the American video game industry. Encased in this frame is American Technos's business license. This document allowed American Technos to localize Downtown Nekketsu Monogatari and release it in North America as River City Ransom. Nintendo published most of their other American NES releases, including Super Spike V'Ball and Nintendo World Cup, but the most important Technos game (and also Crash 'n the Boys Street Challenge) was Technos's own release.

Apparently, when Technos folded, they stopped paying for one of their storage lockers, and this was one of the items kept inside. We wonder what else was in that locker? Probably just a bunch of garbage cans and crates for throwing.

[Via GameSniped]

Nintendo of Japan just completely outclassed the meager offerings we got on the VC yesterday, even if we did get an import game. It was not a fair fight. Most significantly, our favorite NES game the best NES game is available for download in Japan today.

As we read the title, we tried to temper our excitement, afraid that we'd make an assumption out of the Downtown Nekketsu part and miss that it was actually Downtown Nekketsu Koshinkyoku: Soreyuke Daiundokai (otherwise known as the predecessor to Crash 'n the Boys Street Challenge, otherwise known as not a big deal). But we saw that the word Monogatari was in fact there, and we desperately searched for someone to high-five. It's River City Ransom! On the Virtual Console! It's only a matter of time until we're throwing garbage cans at Generic Dudes in the U.S.

Just as we were starting to catch our breath and regain feeling in our extremities, we read down the list and found Cho Aniki! Dare we even dream of such a wealth of awesome on our on VC? Probably not, but we're kind of happy just being reminded that it exists.

Japan gets wall-to-wall awesome this month on the Virtual Console. In total, twenty games are scheduled for release, including some really good ones. The first PC Engine CD games are on the list, including Ys I & II and the extraordinarily manly shooter Cho Aniki. Three Neo Geo games make their appearance, as well-- including Samurai Shodown. The classic Treasure game Alien Soldier will be available for download.

But by far the best news for October is a little Famicom game by the name of Downtown Nekketsu Monogatari, known in the U.S. as River City Ransom. Simply put, this is one of the best games ever made, and our lives are improved just by thinking about it. River City Ransom could be available on our own Virtual Console soon; what a lovely thought. What a beautiful world!

Nintendo's site lists the publisher as Arc System Works; it would appear that, since ASW is also publishing the DS Super Dodge Ball game, they now own the Kunio license.

[Via Game|Life; image from I Am 8-Bit artist Plamo]

Virtually Overlooked has taken over Wii Fanboy! All this week, members of the staff will be outlining their personal picks for future Virtual Console releases.
Everyone can guess how my childhood was spent, since I talk about old games constantly. So, instead of relating a nostalgic anecdote for you, I'm going to use this intro space to tell you about the last week or so.

When I'm not personally advancing the cause of random old games on next-generation consoles, I'm a full-time grad student at the University of North Texas, working on a master's degree in library science. From last Thursday until yesterday, I was in the midst of my capstone-- a seven-day marathon paper-writing session meant to be the final test of my suitability as a librarian. My wife and I were also preparing to move from Texas to Washington, which happened this Saturday. Add my regular coursework and job responsibilities to that, and, as you can imagine, I've been a complete wreck. My Fanboy colleagues are probably rolling their eyes right now as I complain again about my workload, but I feel like it was a pretty significant experience, one I hope never to repeat.

I am now safely ensconced in a Washingtonian apartment, and I turned in my last essay in the early hours of Thursday morning. Getting a chance to write about a bunch of old games is like a vacation. I've been looking forward to this all week.

Since this is a VO special week, I'm taking the opportunity to talk about more mainstream games than I usually cover. So there's a better chance that you guys have played this stuff, and we can all share in some retro-euphoria.