Some of the greatest games have come out on the Wii Virtual Console. Here's a way to have a look at some of the best reviewed and check them out. Also included are links to reviews that describe some of the gameplay. Right now this is for NA releases. Nominations for other great games always appreciated. I shall also keep a list of what purchases VGChartz members make if they wish to report them. So far VGChartz Members have bought:

6 - Super Mario Bros.
6 - Super Mario Bros. - The Lost Levels
5 - Super Mario Bros. 2
4 - Actraiser
4 - Gradius
4 - Kid Icarus
4 - Star Fox 64
4 - Super Mario 64
4 - Super Metroid
4 - The Legend of Zelda
3 - Kirby's Adventure
3 - Mario Kart 64
3 - Paper Mario
3 - Punch Out!!
3 - Sin & Punishment
3 - Super Castlevania IV
3 - Super Mario World
3 - Zelda 2: The Adventure of Link
2 - Contra III: The Alien Wars
2 - Donkey Kong Country
2 - Donkey Kong Country 2
2 - Kirby's Dream Course
2 - Mega Man
2 - Metroid
2 - Shining Force
2 - Sonic the Hedgehog
2 - The Legend of the Mystical Ninja
2 - The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past
1 - Adventures of Lolo
1 - Blazing Lazers
1 - Bomberman '93
1 - Bonk's Adventure
1 - Bonk's Revenge
1 - Breath of Fire II
1 - Castlevania
1 - Columns
1 - Dungeon Explorer
1 - F-Zero
1 - Gunstar Heroes
1 - Ice Climber
1 - Ice Hockey
1 - Landstalker
1 - Mario's Super Picross
1 - Neutopia
1 - Neutopia II
1 - Sim City
1 - Solomon's Key
1 - Street Fighter 2 Turbo
1 - Streets of Rage II
1 - Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
1 - The Story of Thor (Beyond Oasis)
1 - Yoshi's Story

Updated: 30 Oct 07, 09:22 UK

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time

IGN Rating: 10.0
http://wii.ign.com/articles/768/768111p1.html
http://www.vc-reviews.com/review/460/the-legend-of-zelda-ocarina-of-time.php

The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past

IGN Rating: 9.5
http://wii.ign.com/articles/757/757573p1.html
http://www.vc-reviews.com/review/320/the-legend-of-zelda-a-link-to-the-past.php

Super Metroid

IGN Rating: 9.5
http://wii.ign.com/articles/813/813952p1.html
http://www.vc-reviews.com/review/415/super-metroid.php

Kirby's Adventure

IGN Rating: 9.5
http://wii.ign.com/articles/766/766120p1.html
http://www.vc-reviews.com/review/450/kirbys-adventure.php

The Legend of Zelda

IGN Rating: 9.0
http://wii.ign.com/articles/764/764842p1.html
http://www.vc-reviews.com/review/431/the-legend-of-zelda.php

Super Mario 64

IGN Rating: 9.0
http://wii.ign.com/articles/754/754372p1.html
http://www.vc-reviews.com/review/418/super-mario-64.php

Super Mario Bros.

IGN Rating: 9.0
http://wii.ign.com/articles/770/770594p1.html
http://www.vc-reviews.com/review/453/super-mario-bros.php

Paper Mario

IGN Rating: 9.0
http://wii.ign.com/articles/807/807178p1.html
http://www.vc-reviews.com/review/529/paper-mario.php

Wave Race 64

IGN Rating: 9.0
http://wii.ign.com/articles/811/811278p1.html
http://www.vc-reviews.com/review/546/wave-race-64.php

Gunstar Heroes

IGN Rating: 9.0
http://wii.ign.com/articles/750/750397p1.html
http://www.vc-reviews.com/review/410/gunstar-heroes.php

Ninja Gaiden

IGN Rating: 9.0
http://wii.ign.com/articles/788/788152p1.html
http://www.vc-reviews.com/review/159/ninja-gaiden.php

Sin and Punishment: Successor of the Earth

IGN Rating: 9.0
http://www.vc-reviews.com/review/570/sin-and-punishment.php

Punch Out!!

IGN Rating: 9.0
http://wii.ign.com/articles/781/781723p1.html
http://www.vc-reviews.com/review/451/punch-out.php

Shinobi III: Return of the Ninja Master

http://www.vc-reviews.com/review/408/shinobi-iii-return-of-the-ninja-master.php

Neutopia II

http://www.vc-reviews.com/review/561/neutopia-ii.php

Soldier Blade

http://www.vc-reviews.com/review/469/soldier-blade.php

Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest

http://www.vc-reviews.com/review/525/donkey-kong-country-2-diddys-kong-quest.php

ActRaiser

http://www.vc-reviews.com/review/126/actraiser.php

F-Zero X

http://www.vc-reviews.com/review/523/f-zero-x.php

Super Mario World

IGN Rating: 8.5
http://wii.ign.com/articles/761/761605p1.html
http://www.vc-reviews.com/review/279/super-mario-world.php

Super Marios Bros. 2 - The Lost Levels

IGN Rating: 8.5
http://www.gamefaqs.com/console/snes/review/588737.html
http://www.vc-reviews.com/review/476/super-mario-bros-the-lost-levels.php

Donkey Kong Country

IGN Rating: 8.5
http://wii.ign.com/articles/792/792480p1.html
http://www.vc-reviews.com/review/421/donkey-kong-country.php

Star Fox 64

IGN Rating: 8.5
http://wii.ign.com/articles/779/779902p1.html
http://www.vc-reviews.com/review/459/star-fox-64.php

Sonic the Hedgehog 2

IGN Rating: 8.5
http://wii.ign.com/articles/795/795640p1.html
http://www.vc-reviews.com/review/515/sonic-the-hedgehog-2.php

Gradius III

IGN Rating: 8.5
http://wii.ign.com/articles/782/782732p1.html
http://www.vc-reviews.com/review/503/gradius-iii.php

Bomberman '93

IGN Rating: 8.5
http://wii.ign.com/articles/748/748749p1.html
http://www.vc-reviews.com/review/441/bomberman-93.php

Shining Force

IGN Rating: 8.5
http://wii.ign.com/articles/809/809575p1.html
http://www.vc-reviews.com/review/412/shining-force.php

The Legend of the Mystical Ninja

IGN Rating: 8.5
http://wii.ign.com/articles/784/784539p1.html
http://www.vc-reviews.com/review/196/the-legend-of-the-mystical-ninja.php

Streets of Rage II

IGN Rating: 8.5
http://www.vc-reviews.com/review/516/streets-of-rage-2.php

Excitebike

IGN Rating: 8.4
http://wii.ign.com/articles/774/774850p1.html
http://www.vc-reviews.com/review/446/excitebike.php

R-Type III

IGN Rating: 8.3
http://wii.ign.com/articles/766/766921p1.html
http://www.vc-reviews.com/review/479/r-type-iii.php

Metroid

IGN Rating: 8.0
http://wii.ign.com/articles/812/812613p1.html
http://www.vc-reviews.com/review/494/metroid.php

Super Ghouls N' Ghosts

IGN Rating: 8.0
http://wii.ign.com/articles/770/770447p1.html
http://www.vc-reviews.com/review/215/super-ghouls-n-ghosts.php

Breath of Fire II

IGN Rating: 8.0
http://wii.ign.com/articles/817/817485p1.html
http://www.vc-reviews.com/review/542/breath-of-fire-ii.php

Contra III: The Alien Wars

IGN Rating: 8.0
http://wii.ign.com/articles/759/759514p1.html
http://www.vc-reviews.com/review/308/contra-iii-the-alien-wars.php

Ristar

IGN Rating: 8.0
http://wii.ign.com/articles/749/749227p1.html
http://www.vc-reviews.com/review/423/ristar.php

Wario's Woods

IGN Rating: 8.0
http://wii.ign.com/articles/749/749639p1.html
http://www.vc-reviews.com/review/432/warios-woods.php

Ninja Spirit

IGN Rating: 8.0
http://wii.ign.com/articles/788/788294p1.html
http://www.vc-reviews.com/review/520/ninja-spirit.php

Adventures of Lolo

IGN Rating: 8.0
http://wii.ign.com/articles/811/811995p1.html
http://www.vc-reviews.com/review/511/adventures-of-lolo.php

Galaga 90

IGN Rating: 8.0
http://wii.ign.com/articles/810/810846p1.html
http://www.vc-reviews.com/review/555/galaga-90.php

Bonk's Adventure

IGN Rating: 8.0
http://wii.ign.com/articles/749/749638p1.html
http://www.vc-reviews.com/review/422/bonks-adventure.php

Air Zonk

IGN Rating: 8.0
http://wii.ign.com/articles/805/805674p1.html
http://www.vc-reviews.com/review/518/air-zonk.php

Blazing Lazers

IGN Rating: 8.0
http://wii.ign.com/articles/792/792490p1.html
http://www.vc-reviews.com/review/521/blazing-lazers.php

Beyond Oasis

IGN Rating: 8.0
http://wii.ign.com/articles/774/774863p1.html
http://www.vc-reviews.com/review/499/beyond-oasis.php

Super Castlevania IV

IGN Rating: 8.0
http://wii.ign.com/articles/754/754967p1.html
http://www.vc-reviews.com/review/261/super-castlevania-iv.php

Wonder Boy in Monster World

IGN Rating: 8.0
http://wii.ign.com/articles/783/783923p1.html
http://www.vc-reviews.com/review/281/wonder-boy-in-monster-world.php

Kid Icarus

http://www.vc-reviews.com/review/449/kid-icarus.php

Gradius

VC Review Rating: 4/5
http://www.vc-reviews.com/review/466/gradius.php

For reviews of the Virtual Console games I think that IGN and vc-reviews.com both have very fair and balanced reviews (for the most part) and would encourage you to check out their reviews before you purchase an unfamiliar game. Feel free to make comments on games listed here and games that you would like to see. Conversation about gameplay is much welcome as are requests for recommendations.

More to come...

I bought Occarina of time last week. I'm waiting for Kirby Super Star from the snes, one of my favorite games that I've played =P

its a good list

needs more Star Fox 64.

 Got more Star Fox 64 now, Bacon.

Nice list.

I can comfortably say that Paper Mario has been the best value per dollar of any game I have ever bought.

Nice list. 9 of the 10 vc games I have purchased are in your list.

 Cool! Was the one that wasn't one that you would recommend?

Great thread, really! I like the list.

Just one question: Paper Mario or Mario Kart 64?

I just can´t decide which one to buy... I´m not the biggest RPG fan but a lot of people say Paper Mario is great. On the other hand I really love Mario Kart, but I own Mario Kart DS, a friend of mine owns Double Dash!! (which was really bad) and I playe some Super Maro Kart with some friends of mine years ago... I´m not sure which one to buy. Lot of people say Mario Kart 64 didn´t age all too well... true or not?

 I say Paper Mario. It is really a funny game.

IMHO, Super Mario Kart ( for Snes ) is the second best game in the serie after Mario Kart DS.  So maybe you coul try the Snes game ...