wii
Another PAL Hanabi Festival: Gradius II & Cho Aniki To Hit VC
Posted by Luke Plunkett at 3:30 PM on May 3, 2008
Last year Nintendo ran a little party for PAL customers called the "Hanabi Festival". For a month, they put a bunch of Japanese games up on the Virtual Console, games that had never been available outside of Japan. It went down well! So well they're running another one. This week, European and Australian Wii owners have been able to pick up Final Soldier, Columns III and Gradius II. In coming weeks? A lineup that includes Star Parodier, Puyo Puyo 2 and, amazingly (awesomely?), the original Cho Aniki.

Comments (AU Comments · US Comments)
There are currently no AU comments for this post.
Tigerfog
Posted 4:20 PM 3/5/08
Wow, Cho Aniki released to the market outside of Japan, who wouldn've known. I wonder how it will sell?
Tigerfog
hikergirl
Posted 4:18 PM 3/5/08
Aren't the games with the muscley guys a special genre or a genre within a genre?
hikergirl
KirbySS
Posted 4:09 PM 3/5/08
@LarryFabulous: That's what she said!
KirbySS
Witzbold
Posted 4:08 PM 3/5/08
I SO WANT CHOU ANIKI NOW! D:
I knew for quite some time it would be relesed just didnt know when.
Witzbold
LarryFabulous
Posted 4:02 PM 3/5/08
Did Cho Aniki ever release in arcades? Particularly the types of arcades that also house Mah Jong and plumber smiles? I mean, speaking of "releasing" in arcades...
LarryFabulous
Yetanotheruninspiredscreename
Posted 4:02 PM 3/5/08
@OneManFreakShow:
It's a pretty popular import game. The two tg-16 ones were actually considered pretty good shooters back in the day. The third one on the Super Famicom was considered a decent fighter.
Don't bring up the fourth game. Fifth game is considered a pretty funny PS2 game.
Yetanotheruninspiredscreename
ManjiKengo
Posted 3:57 PM 3/5/08
@ManjiKengo: who am I kidding the game is pretty bad either way.
ManjiKengo
ManjiKengo
Posted 3:56 PM 3/5/08
oh shit...cho aniki ......it's awesome when you can get around the big gay body builders.
ManjiKengo
OneManFreakShow
Posted 3:56 PM 3/5/08
Cho Aniki?
Anyone else surprised by Nintendo's decision to release this?
OneManFreakShow
Blake Ruff
Posted 3:49 PM 3/5/08
I'm not gonna lie, that is both disturbing and exciting. This is probably going to be the most hyped game of the year, behind Duke Nukem Forever and Let's PILATES!
Blake Ruff
Yetanotheruninspiredscreename
Posted 3:49 PM 3/5/08
If Cho Aniki comes to the US vc how many people will gift it to others as a gag game? This applies to Euro and Aussie vc owners.
Yetanotheruninspiredscreename
KirbySS
Posted 3:49 PM 3/5/08
Hell yes, I love homoerotic shmups.
KirbySS
TheCleaningGuy
Posted 3:46 PM 3/5/08
@Blake Ruff: Ever play a Cho Aniki game? [en.wikipedia.org]
[hg101.classicgaming.gamespy.com] (Scroll down on this one and check out the screens).
TheCleaningGuy
TheCleaningGuy
Posted 3:42 PM 3/5/08
Sure, you Europeans may not get brawl, but you have Cho Aniki!
The most amazing shooter(?) ever made! Lucky bastards.
TheCleaningGuy
Blake Ruff
Posted 3:41 PM 3/5/08
Are those diapers or 1/2 gallon milk jugs that are covering their junk? On a side note, I think they are sufferfing from Roid Rage. That's why they are so obsessed with themselves and each other. All we need is a gay orgy to complete this shenanigan.
Blake Ruff
BPMΔ
Posted 3:38 PM 3/5/08
The only annoying thing about the first "Hanabi Festival" is (from what I've heard) some games were taken down after a couple of weeks (I think Sin & Punishment and SMB2j). Which doesn't make any sense.
I'm just glad NOA doesn't do that, too... But I highly doubt we'd get Cho Aniki... So... congrats, PAL gamers!
BPMΔ
Yetanotheruninspiredscreename
Posted 3:37 PM 3/5/08
With the exception of the real Super Mario Bros 2 all of the Hanabi Festival games are still able to be bought.
Not sure why they made the real Super Mario Bros 2 able to be bought for the US vc while the Euro only got the temp offering. Oh well Euros start a petetion call Nintendo Europe tell them to put the real Super Mario Bros 2 up for sale.
The US vc got their own Hanabi Festival a few weeks later as well.
Yetanotheruninspiredscreename
Mrclumpy
Posted 4:51 PM 3/5/08
I kind of want the Big N to release Cho Aniki in the US, if only for the media coverage. Please, Nintendo. . .
Mrclumpy
Kiriphii
Posted 4:38 PM 3/5/08
Rather pleased with this announcement - got the press release earlier via email and was hoping this would become part of a growing trend of Nintendo bringing over more unreleased 'classics'.
Kiriphii
Netnavi
Posted 4:37 PM 3/5/08
Yes I don't know what the rest says but "protein" made me laugh.
Netnavi
Netnavi
Posted 4:36 PM 3/5/08
Just checked Wiki. One game is called Chō Aniki Seinaru Protein Densetsu! HAHAH
As if it wasn't suggestive enough (considering the two guys always looked like two penises flying through the air shooting semen at enemies) they had to add protein in the title.
Netnavi
Yetanotheruninspiredscreename
Posted 4:33 PM 3/5/08
@hikergirl:
Nah. They are just comedy. The first cho aniki game wasn't all that outrageous compared to the sequels.
Ai Cho Aniki is the much better of the two tg-16 cho aniki games.
Yetanotheruninspiredscreename
ShaggE
Posted 5:18 PM 3/5/08
Cho Aniki?? REALLY?? Why hasn't that series gotten it's just due in the US, anyway? I'd love to see Jack Thompson's head explode upon seeing that.
ShaggE
Billkwando
Posted 5:12 PM 3/5/08
I want Cho Aniki just to thrust upon unsuspecting friends.
Billkwando
Cactuar
Posted 5:39 PM 3/5/08
So awesome, so bad for my failing economy>_<
Cactuar
Dauragon C. Mikado
Posted 5:29 PM 3/5/08
@Billkwando: Ditto
Dauragon C. Mikado
Channing
Posted 5:59 PM 3/5/08
CHO ANIKI!!!!!!!!!
Channing
gunbu
Posted 5:49 PM 3/5/08
Man the Europeans got Tingle Rupeeland DS game and now Chou Aniki? They must be more gay friendly than the US game market...
gunbu
Captain Impulse
Posted 7:44 PM 3/5/08
@Yin: Hey, we got an uncensored version...eventually.
Captain Impulse
Yin
Posted 7:40 PM 3/5/08
Sorry guys, I don't think the country that freakin' censored Cardcaptor Sakura will get Cho Aniki for the Wii anytime soon :P
I'm loving this Hanabi-VC-thing by the way. They should keep it up.
Yin
eastx
Posted 8:16 PM 3/5/08
@Yin: Yeah, broadcast anime is often censored but uncensored DVD versions are not uncommon.
eastx
Sinfjotle
Posted 8:49 PM 3/5/08
Tears well up in my eyes whenever I hear/read aniki.
Gradius though... <3
Sinfjotle
SkutSkut
Posted 8:42 PM 3/5/08
I wonder what would happen if we combied CA and the new type of shmup with barely clothed girls.
SkutSkut
Onizuka-GTO
Posted 8:31 PM 3/5/08
dammn VC has been ramped up into Awesome overdrive lately.
Yay to 2008.
:)
Onizuka-GTO
ninjafetus
Posted 9:02 PM 3/5/08
@Yetanotheruninspiredscreename:
Blasphemy! The PS1 game, although difficult, it probably the funniest thing on the console. It's like Cho Aniki with Pit Fighter graphics; how could this go wrong?
@Netnavi:
It's basically "The Legend of Holy Protein," and you control a while blob of "protein" while Samson and Adon float around you as bodyguards.
ninjafetus
黒天使
Posted 8:58 PM 3/5/08
damn , Cho Aniki?? lol , now that's a tsunami of nostalgia
PAL VC is getting better and better , keep it up Nintendo
黒天使
WillyFourEyes
Posted 8:52 PM 3/5/08
No Cho Aniki? Where besides the Final Fantasy and God Hand and I supposed to get my weekly dose of video-game Ho!Yay now? ;_;
WillyFourEyes
Shiryu
Posted 10:33 PM 3/5/08
We want Dracula X Chi no Rondo, Nintendo! Not Cho Aniki! Anyway... Schmup heaven for the next couple of weeks, I sense...
Shiryu
Malvolio the Magician
Posted 10:09 PM 3/5/08
I'd hit it.
I'd also have sex with those men.
Malvolio the Magician
Channing
Posted 10:50 PM 3/5/08
@Shiryu:
I think you mean,
"We want Dracula X Chi no Rondo, Nintendo! Thanks for Cho Aniki, though!" but I could be wrong.
=3
Channing
Fulgurator
Posted 11:15 PM 3/5/08
Er... er... Thanks, nintendo?
I've always find funny how NOE sometimes release crazy things here in europe while ignoring or delaying some mainstream games.
I know I always say something about SSB when talking about NOE, but that Cho Aniki will come here before Super Smash Bros. is outrageous.
Fulgurator
megamario621
Posted 11:08 PM 3/5/08
Oh wow...
Cho Aniki....
I hope it never comes to the us, they'll come out of the tv and anally rape me
megamario621
extratastycrispy
Posted 11:01 PM 3/5/08
Please Nintendo. Cho Aniki must come to the U.S. It's very important.
extratastycrispy
NeoStarr
Posted 11:50 PM 3/5/08
On the one hand, PAL owners can no longer say that Nintendo systems are for kids.
On the other hand, the "Nintendo's for fags" argument that trollers often use now has some actual evidence behind it.
NeoStarr
KM91
Posted 1:17 AM 4/5/08
@Blake Ruff:O h please no, not the images!!!
KM91
Pezdispenser
Posted 2:48 AM 4/5/08
What has been seen cannot be unseen... o_0
Pezdispenser
Thorax
Posted 4:43 AM 4/5/08
So they'll release a decent homo erotic shooter on the VC, but Square is STILL hesitant to bring out Chrono Trigger and FF VI.
You fail, world.
Thorax
Gambare
Posted 5:40 AM 4/5/08
Choaniki? >< ugh.... why not parodius?
Gambare
Yetanotheruninspiredscreename
Posted 7:21 AM 4/5/08
" but Square is STILL hesitant to bring out Chrono Trigger and FF VI."
No FF games on the vc when Nintendo won't let them charge 15 bucks for the NES and SNES ones plus they can do remakes for the DS.
Yetanotheruninspiredscreename