Wii Virtual Console - Timeline
Friday8th May 2015
News Mega Man & Bass Kickstarts "Mega May" On Wii U Virtual Console
Dr.Wily's least favourite time of year
Last month, Capcom announced that their "Mega May" event was back in full force for 2015, focused on bringing classic GBA Mega Man titles to the Wii U Virtual Console. Now that the month is here and we're already panicking about how fast time is slipping by, these weekly releases have launched into action, with...
Sunday3rd May 2015
Talking Point Nintendo's Legacy Makes The Virtual Console Essential, But It Must Modernise
Idealism should make way for realism
Technologically, the world is busier and noisier than it's ever been before. So many gadgets and screens demand our time and loyalty, from smart TVs with hundreds of channels and streaming apps, to smartphones and tablets and, of course, game systems. Those with a decent amount of spare cash that are anxious to...
Saturday2nd May 2015
Poll Is It Time For a Fresh Alternative to the Virtual Console?
Bundles, remixes, subscription services - what's next?
When the Wii launched it had plenty of exciting ideas that contributed to its extraordinary success. One service that appealed to older gamers and / or dedicated fans was the Virtual Console - while relatively niche services had offered older games for download in the past, this was a game...
Thursday16th Apr 2015
News Vote Now and Decide Which Classic Mega Man Title Will Kick Off Mega May in North America
The choice is yours
If you'll remember back to this time last year, Capcom ran an event called "Mega May" in which at least one new Mega Man title was released on the Virtual Console each week. It was primarily focused on launching the remaining Game Boy Mega Man games as well as two from the GBC, though the Wii U didn't receive as much love...
Wednesday8th Apr 2015
News Natsume Has Eight Game Boy Advance Titles Prepped For The Wii U Virtual Console
Medabots! Medabots DX! Pocky & Rocky with Becky! More!
Publisher Natsume has eight GBA titles ready for launch on the Wii U Virtual Console, according to director of operations Graham Markay. Markay dropped the news during the latest Fragments of Silicon podcast, adding that the company had been planning its Virtual Console attack for quite some...
Monday6th Apr 2015
Video Donkey Kong 64 Tumbles Onto Wii U Virtual Console
Don't even think about that rap
The avalance of Wii U Virtual Console games continues with a game that is new to the Virtual Console service, having never previously received a re-release. Rare's Donkey Kong 64 has achieved infamy thanks to THAT intro song, but is the gameplay worth talking about? As someone who missed out on the game the first...
Saturday4th Apr 2015
Video WarioWare Touched! Arrives On Wii U Virtual Console
We check out Wario DS mayhem on the Wii U
The WarioWare series is an excellent detour into the absolutely mad world of Wario and his friends, so it's great to see this DS game released on Wii U Virtual Console. We thought we'd show you how great this game is via the medium of video. Watch and enjoy! [ Like this video? Subscribe to our channel...
Friday3rd Apr 2015
Video Mario Kart DS Skids Onto Wii U Virtual Console
We dig into DS settings for Wii U and classic racing
Nintendo DS games are finally getting their full chance to shine on the Wii U Virtual Console. The first of two games to be released at launch in Europe is Mario Kart DS, an excellent entry in the long-running racing series. All of your favourite Super Mario characters take to the roads once more...
Video Super Mario 64 Leaps Onto Wii U Virtual Console
We show off the Wii U features for this classic
Nintendo brought us all a treat during the most recent Nintendo Direct, when it announced the long-awaited arrival of Nintendo 64 games to Wii U Virtual Console. Available now on your Wii U, one of the first available games is the legendary Super Mario 64. We took the time to play and capture some...
News Game Freak's GBA Title Drill Dozer Rated By The Australian Classification Board
Konami's The Adventures of Bayou Billy is also on the way
The Australian Classification Board has revealed Game Freak's GBA hit, Drill Dozer, will be arriving on the Wii U Virtual Console in the near future. The critically praised action platformer previously released in Japan in 2005 and North America in 2006 has players take control of a...
Thursday2nd Apr 2015
News Pandora's Tower And Sin And Punishment Coming To The European eShop This Month
Early bird discount applies, too
It has been confirmed during the recent European Nintendo Direct that the Wii classics Pandora's Tower and Sin and Punishment: Successor of the Skies will be coming to the Wii U eShop in Europe on the 16th and 30th April respectively. Both games will be subject to a 25 percent discount during their first week on...
Wednesday1st Apr 2015
News Nintendo DS And Nintendo 64 Games Finally Coming To The Wii U Virtual Console
Update: Four games available in Europe right now
If you feel that the Virtual Console on Wii U has been a neglected of late then today's Nintendo Direct should have put a big smile on your face. Nintendo not only reconfirmed its commitment to bringing Nintendo DS titles to the service, but also revealed that N64 games are on the way, too. DS titles...
Tuesday10th Feb 2015
News GBA Classics Sonic Advance And Mega Man & Bass Arrive On The Japanese Wii U eShop Next Week
Two welcomed additions
SEGA and Capcom continue their strong support for Nintendo’s digital eShop platform next week, with the simultaneous release of Sonic Advance and Mega Man & Bass on the Japanese Wii U Virtual Console. Priced at 702 yen each, the 2001 and 2002 Game Boy Advance titles will be unleashed on 18th February. Sonic Advance is...
Sunday18th Jan 2015
News A Keen Retro Gamer Has Produced a Handy Virtual Console Controller Compatibility Infographic
Yikes, we really do juggle a lot of control options
The Wii and Wii U have plenty of controllers and combinations on offer, even if on most occasions we can instinctively pick up our pad of choice and get on with playing. With the Wii U and Wii Virtual Consoles, though, there can be quirks that trip people up, one being the fact that the Wii U...
Thursday18th Dec 2014
News North American Release Date Confirmed for Duck Hunt on the Wii U Virtual Console
Dust off that Wii Zapper
Nintendo has officially announced that Duck Hunt will be arriving on the Wii U eShop in North America on 25th December 2014. We've known that the title was coming to the West ever since it was revealed alongside the Duck Hunt character present in Super Smash Bros. for Wii U and Nintendo 3DS, but until now we only knew the...
Friday14th Nov 2014
Review Adventures of Lolo (3DS eShop / NES)
Bubbles and puzzles and DEATH
The fine folks over at HAL Laboratory have an affinity for protagonists who could double as pretty decent basketballs, and the often-forgotten NES puzzler Adventures of Lolo features our first example of a blob hero. Unlike the platforming cuteness of the Kirby series, arguably HAL's most famous creation, Lolo has a...
Friday31st Oct 2014
Video Join Us For Nintendo Life's Haunting Halloween Night In
No Tricks here, just Treats for your Wii U and 3DS
Halloween is a wonderful time of year to watch scary movies, eat candy and play spooky video games, as opposed to being out in the cold. To help you decide on your entertainment for this ghoulish evening, we've come up with a list of games that can be played on your Wii U and 3DS, with many of these...
Monday27th Oct 2014
Nintendo Download 30th October (Europe)
Stealth Inc 2, Shin Megami Tensei IV, Rare DK treats and much more
With this coming weekend being the spookiest of the year, the latest Nintendo Download Update details for Europe show us that the big N's keen to keep us all entertained in the safety of our own homes, avoiding the ghouls outside. This week is packed with new titles on Wii U and 3DS,...
Monday6th Oct 2014
Nintendo Download 9th October (Europe)
Turtles, Sagas, Painting and MIGHTY FINAL FIGHT!
It's time to brighten our Mondays with the European Nintendo Download Update, once again, and this week serves up a lot of options across the Wii U, 3DS and even DSi. There are some new releases on both eShop platforms along with Virtual Console entries, plenty of discounts and even a DSiWare release...
Monday29th Sep 2014
Nintendo Download 2nd October (Europe)
Smash Bros., a double dose of Street Fighter and more
Another week begins, yet this time around the customary Nintendo Download news for Europe includes one of the most anticipated titles of 2014. As well as that smashing arrival we have a retro double header across the Wii U and 3DS, along with a new arrival on the home console and a couple of...
Saturday20th Sep 2014
Review Gargoyle's Quest II: The Demon Darkness (Wii U eShop / NES)
It's good to be bad
Although many people are familiar with the Red Arremers, the notoriously persistent enemies from the Ghosts 'n Goblins games, not many seem to be aware that one particular Arremer also starred in several games of his own. The first Gargoyle's Quest was released on the 3DS Virtual Console a while back, and now we've finally...
Thursday14th Aug 2014
Weirdness How to Order Earthbound-Themed Japanese Old Folks' Undergarments
Headline may be somewhat misleading
They may not be a must-have item for Lolita fashion, but the uniquely Japanese undergarment called haramaki has shed its reputation of being for grandparents only and enjoyed a resurgence of popularity among the young and fashionable in the last decade or so. A haramaki, or belly warmer, is a sweater-like garment...
Friday8th Aug 2014
News Coleco Wants to Bring Back Their Version of Donkey Kong
Might also be interested in ColecoVision on Virtual Console
Who's up for a quick history lesson? While Donkey Kong is purely Nintendo's furry, banana-breathed baby, the company originally granted Coleco rights to produce console and tabletop versions of the hit arcade game. Coleco bundled Donkey Kong with their new ColecoVision in 1982, then ported...
Thursday31st Jul 2014
News One Classic Mega Man Game Is Coming to Wii U Every Week in August
A Mega Man in every North American home
Update: The Capcom Unity blog has now confirmed the titles that will be included in this August promotion (thanks to Ryan Millar for the heads up). The release order is remaining a mystery for now, but the following four games are all coming to the Wii U eShop in the next month. Mega Man 5 (NES)
Tuesday17th Jun 2014
News Don't Worry, Nintendo Hasn't Forgotten About The Virtual Console
Lack of attention at E3 2014 doesn't mean the service is being ignored
While Nintendo's E3 was a successful one, many fans were concerned by the worrying lack of Virtual Console-related news. While expectations with some gamers were probably a little too high — the prior announcement of the GameCube controller adapter for the Wii U led to...
Friday13th Jun 2014
News Natsume Confirms Two Game Boy Color Titles Coming to 3DS Virtual Console
Harvest Moon rising
If you're the superstitious type, you might be cowering at the fact that today is both Friday the 13th and the rising of a full moon; a doubly "unlucky" coincidence. If you're a Harvest Moon or Lufia fan, however, today's news from Natsume brings much more benevolent tidings. Natsume has posted a roundup of their 3DS digital...
Wednesday11th Jun 2014
News Club Nintendo Rewards Updated for June, Led by Kirby Once Again
Electroplankton and Mario Party also available
A couple of days late, Club Nintendo has updated its rewards for June, and we've got a delicious slate of games to choose from in North America. If you missed out on 3D Classics: Kirby's Adventure on Club Nintendo last month you're in luck – take a gander: Electroplankton Rec-Rec – 150 coins...
Tuesday10th Jun 2014
News Slew of Capcom Titles Announced for North American and European Virtual Consoles
Including Demon's Crest and loads of Mega Man
Capcom lifted the floodgates on its Virtual Console lineup through its Unity blog today, announcing 18 retro titles on their way to North America and/or Europe by the end of the year. A few titles anticipated for later release were also revealed. Mega Man makes up the metal bulk of the coming games...
Saturday24th May 2014
Review Street Fighter Alpha 2 (Wii U eShop / SNES)
Akuma Matata
Street Fighter II casts an indelibly long shadow over the rest of Capcom's fighting games from the 1990s. First launched in 1991, SFII in all its Super and Turbo varieties has become synonymous with the Street Fighter franchise, a cultural touchstone the series wasn't truly able to move past until the launch of the successful Street...
Thursday10th Apr 2014
Review WarioWare, Inc.: Mega Microgame$! (Wii U eShop / GBA)
Fun incorporated
Ever since its first foray into the video game market, Nintendo has been known for the incredible amount of creativity it brings to the medium. Innovative ideas – whether they add a pleasing minor touch or groundbreaking gameplay feature – have to some degree been the company’s bread and butter for decades. It’s these...
