Topic: My thoughts on virtual console and Switch NSO classic games subscription

The virtual console was pretty awesome, especially the Wii U and 3DS selections that allow us to play almost all the classic franchises on one system. We got some Japan only titles that were never before released in the West like Earthbound Beginning and Sin and Punishment. I especially like the Wii U VC, it had GBA and DS ( Which allowed us to play DS games on TV for the first time). The downsides were some Wii VC games were never released again on Wii U eshop like Super Smash Bros or Final Fantasy.

The things I do not like about VC are that the games were more expensive compared to classic games on Playstation store. The downloads are not tied to account but to the console. My fear if my Wii U dies then all my games are gone (Plus the VC games transferred from my Wii VC) and the hard drive backup is also tied to the console so a replacement console would not solve the problem if Nintendo pulls the plug on the Wii U eshop.

The Nintendo Switch classic games subscription started out great but now we get almost no new games regularly for NES and Super NES. At this rate Game Boy Advance and Gamecube games will probably never come to the Switch. The slow drip feed release compared to weekly VC releases are really disappointing. I also worry that my saved files will one day vanish when Nintendo discontinues the Switch Online.

The virtual console and Switch Online classic games subscription are important to retro fans. But the fact Nintendo doesn’t tie our VC downloads to account and carry them to the next console and the starting from scratch release plan (Restarting release from NES and Super NES) for each console (Wii, Wii U, Switch) are major flaws. Let’s hope Nintendo can offer a hybrid (Download and subscription plan for retro Nintendo games) option for the next Nintendo console.