Virtual Console Games Will Eventually Be Playable On Wii U GamePad Alone

Can't wait to see what Nintendo does with this.
As for Ocarina of Time, I can already can play that handheld... in 3D!

Good!

Yes at least we know its coming!

Yes!I won't use it very much for the Wii virtual console thought. I'll wait for Gamecube games

I'VE BEEN IMPATIENT FROM THE START!

Awesome news!
I only hope that we don't have to buy all over again the VC games that we've already bought on Wii's VC.

i bought mariokart 64 yesterday on the wii VC via WiiU, and i can't use the gamepad to play it! i need a classic controller D: if i buy something on the wii VC, can i use the WiiU transfer to transfer it to my wiiU?

As long as it happens, and carries over purchases from the Wii VC, I'll be happy. If they add Gamecube games and a few VC titles that were never added, I'll be happier still.

That would be sweet. Wishful thinking on my part that they will make it so you can convert your unused Wii points to the eshop. I got 5300 points just wasting away.

Has Nintendo hinted if there will be Gamecube VC games or is everyone just expecting it? That would be great for me since I skipped that system.

This is great. Still hoping to be able to launch Wii games from the Wii U menu without going through the process of going through 2 menus but WiiWare and VC is a good start.

I'm very interested in this. Also, how will this work with the HD resolutions of the Wii U? Will they be improved slightly at least so the retro games don't look horrible stretched out across a widescreen TV?

This is VERY good news!!! Now i am more interested in buying a Wii U, when i have $.

Just holding off buying any VC games until this happens so we know the specifics. Good news nonetheless.

They only confirmed this about the Wii U VC. We have no idea if we'll ever be able to play original Wii VC games on the GamePad. I really hope we don't have to buy everything again.

I am still waiting to see if Wii VC will transfer into Wii U VC. I don't want to transfer everything then find out A) I still have to play it with a Wii Classic Controller and B) That I still have to hold onto my Wii to play Game Cube games.

Will they get better clarity too?

For some reason I am getting impatient.
I think part of it is how mysterious Nintendo is with things, it makes you wonder if they are even going to come through with it.

So, how does this work?

When they finally get it sorted does the VC on the part of Wii U that runs the Wii become obsolete?

Are there going to be two VC services?

Can you transfer you Wii VC games to the Wii U VC?

Or can you only play certain games on the Wii U VC, that aren't on the Wii one?

It's so convoluted and confusing.

If i'd be able to Transfer my Wii vc collection to Wii u and Stream them onto the gamepad, i'd be buying a Wii u immediatly.

@Kirk

Excellent questions. This article doesn't tell us anything we didn't already know. I'd really like to know if every VC game on the Wii VC is gonna be there day one on the Wii U's VC. And what of VC games we bought on the Wii? Will they be stuck to Wii mode?

Urm will my previous VC games stored on the Wii work ? Or do I have to buy them again to play them on tr gamepad ..

We already knew this. Iwata confirmed the Wii U Virtual Console in the last Nintendo Direct before the Wii U launched. He also made clear it was to be the "Wii U Virtual Console" - which sounds like a new library of titles, not existing Wii Virtual Console titles. He specifically said "Wii Virtual Console" titles cannot be played on the GamePad but that Nintendo was planning for the "Wii U Virtual Console" which would include Wii U functionality.

If Nintendo would have answered these questions, I may have bought a Wii U at launch.

As long as it's on the way, I can wait for Nintendo to get it right. Honestly? I'd prefer a full integration of "Wii Mode" into the Wii U console so we don't have to switch back and forth so much. I still play a lot of Wii games, Virtual Console, WiiWare, and on disc.

@cipher - if that's the case, I may pass on the Wii U altogether.

In think I'm S**t out of luck I defiantly can see nintendo wanting me to re buy all of my games ... I'll be extremely angry if they do that ....

Let's hope that we are able to shift our wiiVC towards WiiUVC! Not going to buy those games again.

I couldn't care less about gamepad functionality all I ask for is all of my 141 VC titles which I have spent well over £1000 to be playable via Wii U mode ! I should get special access for my loyalty to the VC !!

If VC on the Wii U means having to buy VC games all over again just forget it.

I'm ready to empty my wallet when this happens

@jogurt - I've got almost 100 titles myself (more if you count Wiiware) and you're right, we should get some kind of loyalty bonus haha

Nintendo knows what VC games I bought. It knows that I downloaded a Gamecube screensaver with my nintendo points 10yrs ago FFS! So they can do away with this system transfer nonsense and just let me download my old VC games again once they get it up and running on Wii U.

Or I will tie it to my pick up truck and pull the whole site down, Martin Riggs style.

Hopefully won't be too long then, good to ear though, is till don't know how GCN titles will work if they com to VC though the Wii U lacks the analog triggers.

I want to play them on the Classic Controller Pro, not the Gamepad!

More, what's it called? "Off-TV Play"? That's good. The fact that Wii emulation (and by extension Wii VC) cannot stream to the Gamepad is bad. Here's hoping they do a transfer service for Wii VC to Wii U VC.

YES, That will be amazing

I will go berserk I will be enraged if my wii titles are left in Wii mode !!

If I can transfer my Wii VC purchases to the proper Wii U interface and play on the gamepad, then that's a big plus for me and a big step towards me picking one up.

Awesome. This adds huge value to the console for me.

If Nintendo charges again for the same titles, I might just not bother with it. I have over 100 VC games on my Wii (now on my Wii U), and it would sour me greatly to not only have to pay, but to have to wait till Nintendo decides to release them again. It was maddening how long it took for some games to show up on Wii's VC service; some of which never showed up at all. If the situation on the 3DS in the US is any indication, it's going to be even worse for Wii U. Ugh! Such a simple concept, but Nintendo certainly found ways to mess it up.

My worklife is going to suffer badly once I'm able to play Star Fox 64 in bed

I don't understand the desire to play them on the Gamepad, consoles are made for your TV, want a portable? the 3DS works for that and can go more than 15 ft away.

The only thing I want is for Nintendo to finally find a way to not have to delete everything from my Wii while still putting everything I have on that onto my Wii U. Including the VC games.

This sounds worryingly like an excuse not to integrate the existing virtual console library with the Wii U eshop.

@ultraraichu
Yep, those points are annoying.

Hm, I still want SNES games on the 3DS VC.

@Rapadash6 I couldn't agree more. Nintendo really needs to get their act together. Although they seem to think it doesn't harm them, because sales of games they do release on eShop/VC are good, it does hurt them in the longrun, as it ensures people will simply go to PSN/XBLA/Steam to get their retro fix instead of buying a game they were looking forward to. That, or they simply download it illegally. With good reason.

I don't yet own a Wii U, but hearing this type of thing makes me more hesitant to get one. Having said that, it will be nice to be able to download GCN games (even though I still buy/trade for them regularly. And play them more than current gen stuff) and very cool to be able to play VC games on the GamePad.

Hopefully Nintendo will continue to make progress forward and not go backward in regards to not forcing people to re-purchase digital titles. Ease-of-use and satisfying the core gamer/Nintendo fan who spent lots of money on your last system should be TOP PRIORITY. Especially with the 720 and PS4 still to come, Nintendo needs to do everything they can not to alienate their base one iota.

FINALLY! I CAN PLAY SNES AND N64 GAMES ON THE VC!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

As soon as VC comes out I'm getting
Majora's Mask
Super Mario World
Super Mario 64

Oh gosh golly this will be AWESOME!!!!

Wouldlove to play my 100+ vc games on the wii U gamepad!

The best news I've read all day. I cannot wait.

Wow, people jumped on this one in a hurry.
The ability to play a big chunk of Nintendo's past, all from one console and its tablet controller should be a huge selling point and a huge deal. I can just picture myself enjoying Link to the Past while the wife watches whatever she wants on tv. Pure bliss, make it so.
Besides Gamecube additions, I'd like to see some Dreamcast and Saturn support as well.

This day just gets better and better.

I've been trying to be patient but the idea of this is making it difficult. Can't wait.

Now allow us to play it on the 3DS

like most posts, I hope that the virutal console games are transferable, it would be a shame to have to redownload them

@Rapadash6

Always cracks me up when people talk about how "simple" something is. I realize it's human nature to expect the worst, but let's just wait and see, huh?

You and astrotriforce will surely be missed, I'm sure, but VC should not be Nintendo's priority here. Not for a while either.

Can't wait for them to implement this. Hopefully using the VC games we already have will not be a hassle.

I can imagine that they will implement downloadable updates to each vc title in existance to enable gamepad support because every single vc game comes with its own emulator... Then we propably will have to pay for that update. Nintendo can't rip us off making buy games again at full price. Neither can Nintendo start a new wii u vc excluding their already released classics.

If that happens i will transfer my data.

Hoping that they allow existing VC purchases to be played on the gamepad. No way am I buying those games again just for the option to play them on the gamepad!

Don't make it just to the game pad alone!!! Make it an option! The whole VC deal shoulda been popped off from the start!!! Com'on Nintendo!!! Y'all had time time during development on the Wii U. VC don't need to be on the backburner!!!

As long as they work on at least getting 2 VC games up EVERY week then I will be happy

Maybe Snes games will actually look good on the gamepad, unlike an HDTV.

I KNEW IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!
/me holds off on getting a Classic Wii Controller for now :3

If I just had confirmation that any games bought on the Wii VC would transfer, I wouldn't hesitate to invest literally hundreds of pounds into it. If this doesn't happen I'll simply wait and buy whatever's released on the Wii U VC. What really needs to happen is Wii mode being scrapped entirely, no other console has ever needed to reboot into a separate mode for backwards compatibility.

If they do simply release a new Virtual Console with a fresh library, then hopefully it will launch with a good catalogue of N64 and SNES classics. One thing I know for sure is that I won't be buying any WiiWare or VC titles unless I know that I can play them on the Gamepad.

Either way, I just want them to hurry up with it ;_;

Nice!

Lol, not growing impatient. Games and entertainment things are never worth hyping over. We feel new and refreshed for about 3 days then it's same old same old.

@shake_zula 3DS and Wii did actually

@sweetiepiejonus - if Nintendo wants me to buy a Wii U they better not ask us to buy VC games we already bought again. I know other people feel the same as me.

Thats excellent news. Virtual Console titles would be perfect for the Gamepad..infact that thought alone has got me very excited. My VC games stopped looking good on my HDTV last gen but they will undoubtedly look great on the Gamepad.

that would be amazing if you could play in the gamepad! now make it happen for sure this time

Part of me wants this, but the other part of me that has bills to pay does not. Thankfully the latter of those usually loses out.

@shake_zula i agree get rid of that terrible Wii emulation shell. I want to see Wii VC purchases I've made on the main screen!

@brooks83 if they attempt to launch another VC storefront without honouring my past Wii VC purchases...I'm out.

So long as I don't have to rebuy things for Gamepad play, I'm stoked.

Cool, I can't wait for GameCube VC titles to start being released.

@Kezins it shouldn't have been a hassle to transfer VC games over to the WiiU but it was. I would've preferred a Club Nintendo to Nintendo Shop link that would've allowed for me to simply redownload purchased VC titles.

@evildevil97 having to purchase titles for the luxury of WiiU Gamepad play would be a crime.

JUST DO IT ALREADY!

@Peppy_Hare A crime? That would be heresy!

@Peppy_Hare Repurchasing titles for the luxury of playing them on the VC or 3DS VC is already a crime in progress. (I'm onto you Nintendo.) Repurchasing games to play on Wii U really wouldn't be any different. Although it would certainly make the Nintendo Network less attractive to loyal Wii owners.

@Gamesake great point. I refuse to pay for VC titles I've purchased on the Wii for my 3DS. It's ridiculous and, I believe, the harm done to consumer loyalty is greater than the benefits Nintendo receives in extra digital sales. Forcing Nintendo-philes to redownload these games only injures the brand we've known and loved throughout the years.

@dragon_rider her·e·sy
/ˈherəsē/
Noun
Belief or opinion contrary to orthodox religious (esp. Christian) doctrine.
Opinion profoundly at odds with what is generally accepted: "cutting capital gains taxes is heresy".
Synonyms
misbelief - heterodoxy

@Gamesake I agree with you regarding the 3DS. I appreciate that on my iOS devices I can redownload apps that I've paid for on other iOS devices. My PS Vita allows me to play PSX titles (such as Klonoa, Symphony of the Night and Metal Gear Solid) I've purchased years ago from the Playstation Store (titles which were originally purchased and played on my PS3). Nintendo's strict "walled-garden" approach regarding digital content frustrates the loyal fan, nickel-and-dimes already-paying consumers and drives some to hacking and emulation.

@Peppy_Hare What I'm saying is a lot of us bought many of these games the first time around when they were in retail stores. They've already made their profits. By charging us for retro digital downloads companies like Sony and Nintendo are double dipping into our wallets. It's become commonplace. A lot of you guys are potentially getting upset over something that has been going on for awhile now.

@brooks83

No that's not what I meant. I was talking about people who think emulation and backwards compatibility is "simple."

And people are already assuming that we have to buy them again. Until we're told they won't be providing a transfer tool or something you guys need to stop complaining.

I didn't have to re-purchase all my DSiware to get them on my 3DS. Did I just get lucky? Like the one millionth customer or something?

Awesome. More features... Whether this means Wii U will run Wii without Wii mode is yet to be seen... If they bring Wii VC to eShop, I'm pretty much 100% sure they won't make anyone buy their games again if you already have them. Maybe they were testing the Donkey Kong Country games and Sim City to see how they run on Wii U, hence their recent absence? All speculation...

So does that mean virtual console games won't be playable on the TV? Bummer if true but I'd definitely still buy some gamecube classics if made available.

If true that really hinders the use of the Pro Controller.

this time is it possible for nintendo to publish some old rareware game's on the new virtual console? or atleast could nintendo buy old rare IP's because M$ has no use of franchises like banjo-kazooie, conkers bad fur day, perfect dark or killer instinct and the rest of the classic's since M$ only need's them for such nonsense like kinect sports.

This is awesome news, this will be the closest to having a portable SNES as I could wish for. I am very happy

Heres what I think they will do, put the VC games into the e shop and at the worst your have to re download them so that the gmepad has the coding to to read them. I don't think Nintendo would be that stupid to charge people again for games tey have already paid for as they know they would alienate so many of there loyal followers. Nintendo can be stupid but.surely not that stupid. I'm sure they will give you the tv option a, but s well otherwise whats the point. You won't ever see normal Wii games though awouldn't work on like 85% of them as you need the wii remote, but I would like to see them get rid of the.horrible wii emulation and have everything on the same menu as it feels like I'm playing two consoles sometimes

Then the last step is to release Gamecube games on the VC so I can play Pikmin 2 and achieve perfect zen.

They really need to make all Wii download titles playable from the Wii U menu, not just VC. I also hope no re-purchase is necessary, just a migration process a la Miis from the Wii channel.

Whatever happens VC content needs to be cheaper. I cannot see paying the kind of money we were on the Wii when content providers are making entire libraries of software available with emulators for fifteen quid in the iTunes Store.

Great news.... as long as we don't have to repurchase anything.

Hope this happens, maybe then I will finally play through Majora's Mask

AWESOME!

Looks like they're combining the Wii shop with the eshop. I can't wait to play some classics off TV.

@spark_of_spirit
Why do you think that?

I agree with everyone saying that Nintendo better not charge consumers again for the same games we already got off the Wii virtual console

I just think that because the VC is a pretty big chunk of the Wii shop, that if those are playable on the U's pad, that must mean they're looking to combine them. I could be wrong, but I think that's what they're trying to do.

I also doubt they'll make users re-buy their games.

@spark- I wish they would confirm this already. My decision to buy a Wii U or not is riding on this.

@Towels get a 3DS!

Well, I now see a more significant reason to import my library of VC games once I get a Wii U. For the record, I'm one of those who doesn't want to play the game pictured above...

Wow, this will be very nice.

Sounds great - just PLEASE don't make us re-purchase them for the Wii U, if we already own them for the Wii...

awsome nintendo

I kinda always felt like it was a little half-donkey of Nintendo to do a compatability mode with Wii system menu and all just to access Wii VC and Wiiware titles, especially seeing how Dsi and 3DS apps coexist side by side in the eShop and on the 3DS home menu. Oh well, at least we didn't have to wait 3 frikking months for an eShop or transfer app like with 3DS. For right now I can live with it, but playing certain games on the Wiimote D-pad just really sucks ATM. I've got to dig the Classic Controller Pro out of the bin since the new Wii-U Pro controller won't work in Wii mode. VC games on Wii-U pad would be awesome. Mario Sunshine on Gamepad would be even better! Let my mom watch her Food Network and HGTV on the big screen.

@Yosher #48 ''The only thing I want is for Nintendo to finally find a way to not have to delete everything from my Wii while still putting everything I have on that onto my Wii U. Including the VC games.''

Find a way? I'm sure they made a conscious choise in limiting the files to one system.

That's cool. Makes me kinda want to get a Wii U now.

AWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW YEAAAAAAAA

nice one! add sega saturn and dreamcast games and you're done.

Great news!! Can't wait to play my Wii VC games on the Gamepad.

@Sun Sorry to burst your bubble, but you can't, sorry

I hope they put Animal Crossing

I think they should add Saturn and Dreamcast games to the Wii U's VC as well as newer arcade games.

I also think that all Wii downloads should be available on the Wii U eshop. I also think that you should be able to play Wii games on the same channel as Wii U games. If Nintendo do all this, then there won't be any need for a Wii mode on the Wii U.

@Raylax This!

If A happens I will be pissed. I wouldnt mind B just as long as A doesnt happen.

If both A and B happen, I wont be spending a dime on any more VC games.

I refuse to pay for VC titles I've purchased on the Wii for my 3DS. It's ridiculous and, I believe, the harm done to consumer loyalty is greater than the benefits Nintendo receives in extra digital sales. Forcing Nintendo-philes to redownload these games only injures the brand we've known and loved throughout the years.

While I'm on the subject: it shouldn't have been a hassle to transfer VC games over to the WiiU but it was. I would've preferred a Club Nintendo to Nintendo Shop link that would've allowed for me to simply redownload purchased VC titles.
I appreciate that on my iOS devices I can redownload apps that I've paid for on other iOS devices. My PS Vita allows me to play PSX titles (such as Klonoa, Symphony of the Night and Metal Gear Solid) I've purchased years ago from the Playstation Store (titles which were originally purchased and played on my PS3). Nintendo's strict "walled-garden" approach regarding digital content frustrates the loyal fan, nickel-and-dimes already-paying consumers and drives some to hacking and emulation.

Oh. And I love Nintendo.

love the system down fall no virtualsystemgames just today playing windwaker and get kicked off the tv come on nintendo think of all the money ull make on resales and plz dont forget tales of symphonia

@brooks83
agreed sept i have allready purchased one

WHEN is this going to happen???!!! I don't mind paying a small fee to play my old vc games on what is technically a different console but please just let everyone know when it is going to happen!!! 1 game a month definitely doesn't cut it..