Fantasy Zone

IGN (8.5 out of 10) (85%)

Paying no mind to the unlicensed Tengen port of Fantasy Zone to the NES almost 20 years ago, the arrival of the SEGA Master System version of Fantasy Zone on the Wii's Virtual Console really is Opa-Opa's Big N debut. And it's an occasion to be celebrated. This is a mascot and a series that only a select group of fans got to enjoy in their original days, and they've always deserved more attention and a wider audience. We'd recommend you become a member of that new audience – especially if you've never met Opa-Opa before.

Nintendo Life ( ) (70%)

Although it’s arguably surpassed by both the Master System sequel and the Megadrive/Genesis ‘remake’ Super Fantasy Zone, this game is nevertheless an ideal purchase for shooters addicts that fancy something a little different.

Eurogamer.net (UK) (6 out of 10) (60%)

As always, there are better choices available.

Thunderbolt Games (6 out of 10) (60%)

With that in mind, Fantasy Zone is a tough sell. Fantasy Zone fanatics and folks wanting to support the recently launched SMS section of the Virtual Console would do well to drop 500 points, but for everyone else, it's probably worth waiting. Regardless, anyone who decides to shell out for the game will find a wonderfully whimsical shmup unlike anything else seen outside of Japan. Just don't be surprised when it's bested in the upcoming months.