Now that I only have a Wii U, the volume of games I play, or even have access to, has dropped significantly. This is fine, as I don’t sit in front of the TV as much as I used to anyway, so it helps not to be paralysed by choice when you do get some free time. Of course, there was Mario Kart 8, Bayonetta 2, and Smash Bros. All absolutely outstanding games, and definite Game of the Year contenders. But there weren’t so many releases worth playing.Then in late December, there’s the post Christmas lull.

That’s how it usually works. That’s how it’s meant to work. The release schedule lets up, and instead you spend your money, or what’s left of it, on gym memberships and fitness magazines. Nintendo had other ideas though, and decided to drop digital re-releases of the Metroid Prime Trilogy and Mario Galaxy 2 on to the virtual console within 2 weeks of each other. At £9 each as well (for the first week), it was a stupidly good offer. Also, I think I was one of roughly 3 people to have never owned a Wii, so I had totally missed Mario Galaxy 2 and Metroid Prime 3 (as well as MP2 on the Gamecube). Obviously, now it was time to right those wrongs.

First, it was Mario Galaxy 2. I had always wanted to play this, what with the reputation of being one of the best games ever made, but for one reason or another, hadn’t bought a disc copy at any point for the Wii U. Appearing on the Virtual Console made it too easy to turn down. It opens much like any other Mario game. Princess kidnapped by big spiky lizard, and the wee capitalist killer Mario has to work his way through the levels to serve up justice to Bowser, whose only real crime is loving too much.

After playing 3D World, which was both amazing and absolutely beautiful, I wondered how this would stand up, at least in a visual sense. Well, it still looks great. It would look better on an old CRT TV, as the older games from that sort of time don’t upscale too well, but your eyes soon adjust, and then it’s down to the business of actually playing the thing. Once I did, it became apparent that it was, and is, absolutely incredible. Endlessly inventive, and perpetually playful, it’s a game where you don’t really want to get to the end, as it’s not about the destination, it’s about every step of the journey, which is where the joy lies.

It’s simply fun to play. It doesn’t need to shower you with awards or trinkets, as playing it is reward enough. Every level seems to throw something new at you as well, constantly playing with perception and perspective. Instead of the traditional Mario type levels, each ‘galaxy’ is a small collection of planets, each with their own little environment, and gravitational pull. Then there are the power ups, which if anything, are totally underused. There’s the hilarious spring suite, which is basically a very springy slinky wrapped around a small Italian plumber, which I think is used once in the entire game. Other titles would base the whole game around these concepts, but this just dangles them, then flings them over a rainbow.

It’s difficult too. Particularly the Prankster Comets, which are sort-of-secret levels which usually have a time restraint, or a troupe of shadow Marios tracing your every move. I haven’t opened the final final final level yet, as the post game content is ridiculously generous, but I will, simply because it’s fun to play. It’s fun to find every secret on every level, and that’s a bit of a rarity in modern games. Not playing for trophies or achievements, or rewards that aren’t rewarding, but just playing for the hell of it. If the last level is anything like Champions Road from 3D World, and the ending following that, I’ll be delighted.

Then there’s Metroid Prime. Or rather, the whole trilogy. At the time, the first was one of the best games I had ever played, and thankfully it still stands up today, albeit after a slightly slow start. The atmosphere and soundtrack is unmatched, and again, it’s just rewarding to play. I wasn’t sure about having to use the Wii remote set up, but it works fine. I’d rather have the option to use the pad, but it isn’t diminished by the enforced waggling.

This game just feels right. The exploration always rewards you, even if sometimes it can be with something as simple as a nice view, or a bit more expansion on the plot, which is basically optional. It’s not a bad story either, but you can easily skip it if you don’t want to wander around scanning everything. I’m still relatively close to the start of the first game of the trilogy on this, and most memories of my first play through have been lost to the mists of time so it’s almost like playing a new game. A new, amazing game. The lack of signposting is refreshing as well. There are a few gentle nudges along the way, but mostly it’s just you, on a strange planet, trying to find the next step in the adventure for yourself.

So much for getting away from the TV in the new year then. There’s a lot to be said for looking to the past for classics you might have missed, especially now, when it’s so easy with digital distribution and remasters, and it’s a perfect time for it too, with the rather underwhelming first year for the two newest consoles. For now, I’m happy just to dig around the menus of the Virtual Console, looking for the trail blazers and trend setters I missed over the years. The gym can wait.