Topic: Wii-U Virtual Console - Slowly Re-releasing All Wii Versions?

As you guys know, the Wii's Virtual Console started out great, BUT slowed down to a crawl once WiiWare hit the scene, and even got so bad that it would not release a single game for several weeks at a time. At best here lately, it seems to be dripping 1 game a week or less.

Now, here comes to the Wii-U. And I'm sure many are worried that a similar fate will happen. Will Nintendo force Virtual Console games to be in "Wii Mode", or will they update them with Save States other features like the 3DS versions? And if they do update them, will they do it one game a week or less over the next 6 years (my God I hope not)?

Does anyone have any specifics as to how they are going to handle the Wii-U's Virtual Console?

I don't expect any changes to the way Virtual Console games are "built" so to speak - i.e. I don't expect save states or anything like that - but I expect the vast majority of Wii Virtual Console games will be on Nintendo eShop from day one, if not all of them. If they weren't, it could cause problems when transferring from Wii to Wii U.

They probably wont do this but, I wish the virtual console games were in HD so they dont look so dirty and blurry.

The Wii VC actually started to slow down before Wiiware even existed, even if there was no Wiiware we'd still only be getting one game occasionally right now.

Nintendo already confirmed that Wii VC games will not take advantage of the Wii U's features so they'll be in "Wii mode", but if Gamecube VC games came to Wii U, then those would take advantage of the Wii U's features since they wouldn't be in "Wii mode" or on Wii at all.

that wouldnt work so great. you cant simply turn a game made to play in standard definition and make it play in high definition

Source please?

While "Wii" VC games obviously will not take advantage of Wii-U features, "Wii-U" VC games will. Question remains though, will Nintendo re-release their VC catalog, with Save States like 3DS, and perhaps other things, like a 1080p upscale. I mean, they are OBVIOUSLY going to continue the VC service even beyond the Wii's lifespan, and they will OBVIOUSLY continue to release un-released NES, SNES, N64, Genesis, etc games once the Wii is dead....so it would not make any sense to keep previously released VC games locked into "Wii Mode", while newer VC games will have "Wii-U Mode". Imagine Super Metroid being "Wii Mode", while Star Fox (not yet released) would be "Wii-U Mode". That would not make sense......one SNES VC game with no additional features, and the other with save states, button remapping, 1080p upscale, etc. Come on Nintendo, don't be lazy!

Whoa whoa, easy buddy, Wii games are not even going to be upscaled. Time to simmer those expectations.

I wish Nintendo would release some more details about this. Until then, all we can do is speculate. Personally, I hope the VC games won't be split up into "Wii Mode" and "Wii U Mode", but I guess we will just have to wait and see.

I really hope they make the give the old VC games the save state system. It makes retro gaming much more enjoyable for someone who's been spoiled by modern gaming.

I think people are letting their imaginations run wild based on a few quotes that weren't referring to the VC specifically. From what they've said of it Wii Mode is just a backwards compatibility mode, like loading a GC game on a Wii, which limits you to the features of the Wii. We also know from separate quotes and confirmations that most WiiWare and VC titles will be able to be transferred over to the Wii U. Then separate to that again there has been confirmation that the Wii U will continue to have the VC, which hasn't been re-branded, and that they are looking at extending support for GameCube titles.

Now what I think is most logical conclusion out of that is that they'll have a single VC on the Wii U. That most of your data from the Wii will be transferable (excluding stuff like the Wii Speak channel, Internet channel and such) and that you'll be able to use your Wii U in the same way that you used your Wii from day one. Separately from that the Wii U VC will have a pile of VC ready for launch, if you have these titles already you will be able to update them. If you have titles that aren't on the Wii U VC in updated form it'll be like the Ambassador titles on the 3DS. They won't be in the eShop at all but you'll have the option to re-download them... and they'll run in "Wii mode".

......... but I'd guess that they'd have most VC titles ready for the Wii U at launch.

This is why I created this thread, so that someone would post more details. But, apparently Nintendo has not given us any specifics, otherwise someone would have already posted links. Darn....we'll probably have to wait until our pre-ordered WiiU's arrive instead

There's probably no details because there's not much to say either way. If there is a super complicated VC system where some VC titles run in "Wii Mode" and others run in a new mode with a few extra features at a premium price then why would they point it out? If I was their PR guys I'd be pretty ashamed that they'd messed it up that much. If it works the way I'm saying it will what more can they say other than "yes, it has a VC and yes you can copy your games over"?

It's kinda like how they don't go into details about what video formats the media player software may or may not support in their promotional material. Nobody cares that much, these are not issues that will stop the early adopters grabbing a console. What the early adopters want to know is what games it will have...... for all I care there could be no VC at all and I'd still get one because it has New SMB U, Rayman Legends, AC3 and the promise of new Smash Bros, Zelda and so on......

im wondering how they will let you transfer your vc and wiiware games to the wii u

It will be the same as the Wii, week after week of being disappointed and a few good ones in between.

What? You mean that the Wii U will have the ability to possibly play Xvid, Divx, H.264, etc? Where did you hear this? Please give me the source, thanks! (this would be awesome)

I imagine that this is going to be handled in a fashion similar to the transition to the 3DS eshop.
For the handhelds, DSIware continues to see releases. 3DSware offers some virtual console games with updated features (including updated graphics). As these games with updated graphics proved more difficult to pull off than expected, their launches slowed to nothing.

So for the Wii and Wii-U, I expect that virtual console releases will mostly launch for both systems, that some wiiware will launch for both systems, but that the wii-U will both add Premium Wiiware (wiiware designed for wii-U) and Premiun VC content (gamecube and dreamcast games). If the handhelds are indicators of the consoles, then we might see a first-party title (like an HD double-dash) released to celebrate the launch of a title in the same series (Mariokart -U).

.......... read the part of my comment you quoted again