Wii U Virtual Console Launch Lineup Is Revealed

Cool, can't wait until they announce Donkey Country 1-3, so I can play them on the Gamepad!

@Vehemont Don't count on it. They were removed from the Wii VC recently, presumably because of the Rare connection.

@Vehemont Yeah I'm not so sure that will happen. Remember they were removed from the wii shop.

Lol ninja'ed ^

Why aren't there more

@Vehemont I think you'll be waiting a very long time.

Super Mario World!

I was expecting more than this- considering four of the games were already available with the past few months. But I'll be downloading Super Mario World hopefully.

A link to the past and Majora's Mask is what I want right now.

I think I'll get Super Mario World. I played it on GBA years ago.

So are we going to have to wait like 3-4+ years for the majority of the good games to get on there like when they originally released them on Wii?

What's the point of not just releasing all the games at once? Why force people to wait?? There should be a vast library of games to choose from RIGHT NOW.

This Is pretty bad....no N64 or GBA, half the games already were 30 cents and DKJR, and Ice climbers are pretty mediocre. Excitebike is hardly something to excited about(HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHA).

Only super mario world is really anything that great here. But there isn't a single game that is new to VC here.

Pathetic.

when is super mario world coming to 3ds? or any snes games for that matter

@Evergreen people wont buy as many, just grab the ones they want. and they will miss out on some games theyve never previously heard of

@Crouteru: I played Balloon Fight and Punch-Out!! on the gamepad last night, the screen is a perfect size for playing NES games, that's for sure. Creating restore points in these tough games will be a welcome addition for newcomers, too.

Wow...that`s depressing.

They said from the get go it was only gonna start with nes and snes, with gba and n64 coming later. Yeah it'd be nice to get more but I don't think people get that they're actually working on these games to make them run as closely to the original as possible, unlike any other emulator where you have to optimize it yourself.
Plus if they were putting all their resources into the vc then new Wii U games would take even longer to come out.
If this is the worse thing in your life, then you've got a pretty good life lol.

@Evergreen: It's funny, because one reason they don't release them all at once in order to keep the service "evergreen". ie it keeps people interested, meaning more money for them.

Second reason is that they simply can't create emulators for every single game in such a short amount of time (they don't use the same emulator for all NES games, as such)

I'm disappointed that Link to the Past and Donkey Kong Country aren't in there, but at least Super Mario World is. In reality, this is only 4 games anyway, since the other 4 are already available. Hopefully they add more quickly.

This list blows. They should have launched better games like mario world 2 or mario rpg.

I'm not getting NES, SNES(Maybe Earthbound, actually) or N64 games on the Wii U's virtual console. The Wii Mode already has the games from those I wanted and I don't care enough about Gamepad support for a VC title to pay for it.

Once Gamecube or Game Boy Advance games turn up, or more that skipped the Wii like Earthbound, then I'll give Nintendo money.

Really happy about this, honestly the only wii u is pretty lacking in the eshop and this will might change that. I will definitely get Super Mario World and Kirbys adventure (cause its 30 cents) day one

Only four games that they haven't already released...?
I could forgive this if they were adding online support built into the overlay (Sega's had it figured out on the 360 for years now; Online leaderboards and multiplayer for Sonic 2), but they're just slapping ports they already own into the WiiU template they already possess. How is this even progress? I expected way more than this, and they aren't even going to release all the games in their advertisement!
No way I'm paying that much to be able to play on the Gamepad, which I still think is a feature that it should've come OUT with with Wii VC.

I just can't believe they release the same games. The VC could be amazing but Nintendo screws it again.

Holy crap.

Well they're all games we can already get on the wii vc, but at least they're something.

As long as they only charge me 1 dollar each, I will re-buy all of these.

I want Gamecube games.

Lame

I REALLY, REALLY HOPE THAT AT SOME POINT IN THE NEAR FUTURE SEGA SATURN GAMES HIT VIRTUAL CONSOLE.

MAKE IT HAPPEN NINTY !

Oh yes, release all the good games at once so that no one will buy any later. Great logic!

Not very strong lineup, but SMW is awesome, of course. Hopefully they will roll out at a couple a week after this.

this launch list is pathetic. i can understand why new consoles have bad launch titles, but these systems already came out decades ago. they know which games sold the best, they know which ones are the best. some of those games were released during the Famicom campaign, so that should be the perfect opportunity to put other games on the list, but they're still releasing them. i dont even know why. here's what they SHOULD have done;

1.) make a new list; a BETTER one, one with better games than ice climber and one with games that weren't released during the famicom campaign.

2.) this list should contain at least some games that are NOT available on the WiiShop VC Service(including but not limited to games that hav been taken off WiiShop VC service). this way people won't be able to download them on WiiShop VC service and there is a guarantee people haven't bought it yet.

3.) now people who do have the famicom campaign games have a wider variety of games to choose from. the people who didn't buy the campaign games can wait until they're put up later eventually, just like the ambassador program. or you can just make them suck it up since they had the opportunity to buy it for 30 cents. your choice, Nintendo.

I hate you because I love you, Nintendo.

The optimist side of me says it'll only get better. But my first reaction was somebody beat that lineup with an Ugly Stick and kicked it a few times with some Ugly Boots.

(Whilst no one is looking) Quickly changes his answers to Sonic 1-3 & Knuckles though the Sega Genesis (Megadrive) has not been confirmed yet. (Then goes to cry in a corner for not realizing the DKC games have been taken of the Wii VC, but hopes for the future and that they may yet be re-released to see the light of day on the superior Wii U VC as he HATES to use the Wii Mode on the Wii U!)

@0SP_ZELDAiii
You wrote it before I could. Completely agree. And Excitebike is always first and never exciting.

I'm really struggling to see the potential in the WiiU VC. As far as I can see it, there isn't going to be much expansion on what is already on the Wii VC.
Nintendo really needs to get as much 3rd party support as possible, I don't think that there is much left with what games Nintendo can dish, out other than their snes fx chip games.

Don't forget about Kirby Super Star in the Sizzle Reel!

Terrible.

Europe lineup will probably be Urban Champion and Donkey Kong JR Math.

super metroid... why snes to 3ds, wish for gba..

I was hoping they'd just release all of the ones that were on the Wii.

I agree with SkywardLink98.

I wanted them to just release all the Wii VC games... oh well.

@Evergreen
Because each game needs to be coded for off screen play as well as Miiverse features with each needing their own communities. Can you say system overload. Everyone would be back on here crying that Nintendo Network is down and/ or super slow. This stuff aint magic. It requires resources and man hours...

Even with a back catalogue going back 25+ years, Nintendo yet again drops a massive turd with the Wii-U VC launch. Simply atrocious.

Here's the lineup of Virtual Console games for the Wii from 7 years ago for those who can't remember, which were available the day the system launched.

http://www.1up.com/news/virtual-console-lineup-unveiled

Puts things even further into perspective really.

Hmm. My reaction to this will depend on how it goes from this point on. If we get this same numbers of games, like, every two weeks, then I don't see any reason to complain. But if they go too slowly, then it will be a problem.

SMW is the most downloaded game in the world so that makes sense

The lack of GCN VC is noticable. u,u
Im not saying its going to happen but still...... pretty disappointing.

I must say that with a jump off like this... Don't expect Gamecube games while Obama is still in office... LOL!

And this is why I think VC is so overrated. No one is ever pleased by it...

@LzQuacker
we can be pleased by it. put us behind the controller, we'll put good games on this list. Ole' Buddy @Gavin_Rozze was kind enough to give us the list of Wii VC to put things in perspective.

It's what I expected. I'm just happy to have the VC back.

Who the heck was expecting GameCube VC games on day 1 lol. Seeing that all of these are part of the 30 cent promotion or 3DS ambassador program games besides Super Mario World, it's the one to get.

Decent list, but I already have those games, and I have no interest in Gamepad play. Hopefully the games are released at a decent rate (at least one a week would be nice) and we see more than what's already on the Wii VC (Earthbound's a good start).

Same ole same ole , like i said put out something different for a change.. Love the games but its nothing that hasnt been out on Wii.

Most of these I already have on the Wii U via VC trial campaign or on 3DS via ambassador program or both as is the case with Balloon Fight. Only one I'd be remotely interested in is SMW, but I'm sure the lineup will get better.

That's... kind of a terrible line up. Ouch.

i'll just end up buying off of the WiiShop VC. playing on the gamepad has no significance to me and the wii VC has these and more. nothing we haven't already seen there.

Already got Punch Out and F-Zero from the Famicom 30th Anniversary VC. The rest of the titles don't get me excited and I already have the Super Famicom cart for Super Mario World. Besides, I'll be too busy with LEGO City Undercover: The Chase Begins on 3DS for the next week or so.

Announcements from Nintendo result in one of two responses:

1) Supreme pleasure because of the excellent system support and surprises. Ex: Nintendo Direct last week.

2) Utter displeasure because fans who support Nintendo feel like they just got epically pooped on. Ex: The Wii U and any announcement about it.

Maybe stick with portables, Nintendo?

Thanks for making me feel so naive, Nintendo. And I expected something interesting.

WOW!! Of all the AAA games in their vast library, they launch with ONE!!! I knew they were gonna do this crap again!! Front load all the blah NES titles and spread out the SNES hits over several years. Oh Nintendo I love you but c'mon this is a pathetic launch lineup for this service that should have launched day one. Guys in basements can port ROMS with added features in just days. This just reeks of pure laziness.

So they are going to release all those games all over again? Come on, man. Just put up the whole thing from the old Wii and voila!

I hope they release at least 4 titles a week to be able to fill the Wii U VC with everything the Wii had and more.

Take some notes, people. If Nintendo isn't putting the effort into making the VC launch stellar, they're putting effort into more important things, like improving the OS, attracting new developers to the platform and launching new 1st party software.
tl;dr They have their priorities in order.

Everybody: Let's just go play Dark Souls now.

@LzQuacker Nobody is ever pleased because the rate at which they release games is just abysmal. It took years for some of their best titles to come out on Wii's VC, now they want people to wait just as long again to have them on Wii U with the exra functionality tagged on?? That's just insane and insulting to your fan base.

drip drip drip.. lol.

Wow pretty disappointing list and nothing I will be grabbing yet.

Wow even the launch of the Wii U virtual console is lame!
Will it be a year before we see anything good?

I voted for Balloon Fight because that was the first VC game I downloaded, when it was available for 30 cents.

@Tertis You're kidding right??? I love Nintendo, God knows I do but when people defend them every time they screw up with the fan base it drives me nuts. This is a pathetic launch lineup. There's no tip toeing around it. They dropped the ball AGAIN!! Half these games are part of the 0.30 promotion. How can you defend that????

It saddens me that people can be disapointed by any list containing the best 2D platformer ever made. People need to calm down...

Lets face it -its week one of the vc on wii-u there'll likely be new stuff each week and, as on the wii, a staggered release schedule is the best way to ensure that people take a punt on more lesser-known classics.

Personally I know a lot of the early stuff I'll have already as ambassador games on 3ds or on my wii or original cart anyway so I'm not expecting it to be amazing straight away but hey-soon enough I'll probably be playing advance wars on the gamepad. What a nice reassuring happy thought eh?

@Doma NICE GIF!! My sentiments exactly!!!

I agree that the lineup could have been larger but these are not as simple as putting the games on the wii virtual console. I've read that people want ALL the games on day one and they too would complain that the weeks after launch there were no new games. I hope we get the update tomorrow and VC on Thursday but who knows. Hopefully they release a few games each week to keep us happy! We did see other games in pictures on Monday. I did see something about more maintenance on Thursday. I really hope that means update is before and maintenance is to add VC.

Nintendo, Y U NO announce an actual date?

Well of course fans can't be pleased. You have some that are demanding that ALL VC games be released day one....so that none are released later

There's this thing, if you haven't noticed already, called the Wii Shop Channel, which lets you play your VC games without the need to wait for the Wii U VC release!

The bottom of the barrel is long gone.
It's more of a used up bog roll nowadays.

@Doma

Hahahahahahahahaha!!

And so we begin the dripping once more.

It's Riiiiidge Racer!!!

[looks up briefly] Huh, what?

Oh. Nothing.

[looks back down to continue MH3U]

Getting Super Mario World

I'm looking forward to the second batch of Wii-VC releases. Hopefully they put up some good games like Tetris, Urban Champion, Wrecking Crew and NES Golf.

People AREN'T demanding ALL the games be released on day one!!! People were expecting after all this time that a better launch lineup could have been put together. That's all!! This is a terrible selection of games to launch with, there's just no bones about it. It's a pretty good slap in the face to your fans. People do no want to have to wait years like they did with the old VC. That's a valid concern. The old Wii VC was abysmal with the pace at which good games came out.

Tertis has a very good point, a VC already exists that can be accessed on the Wii U especially when they're adding the option to direct boot that section of the console. Seriously ask yourselves...is the Miiverse integration really THAT important that you couldn't just pick up the Wii VC titles?

Quite frankly, considering the number of problems with the console they have to fix already, the VC has very little importance in comparison.

May have been a better idea not to put VC on the console at all since A) they're not going to please everyone (even the ones that say they would be) and B) the VC makes very little profit for them in the first place (especially if they have to remake each game). If anything the VC is a loss leader.

@Haxonberik: Now there's some wishful thinking. This ain't 2007. We'll be lucky if we see one a week, every week for the first year.

I pretty much expected this.
People act all surprised when they won't get everything at once and right from the start. But yeah, as a long time Wii owner I'd very much like seeing the whole library available right away, plus some new games not previously on the VC.
At least the VC backlog can be accessed trough Wii Mode.

Yippee-ki-yay. Wake me up when I can buy Eternal Darkness.

Hoping it to be like it was in the first few years was basically a pipe dream. But I wish it didn't have to be one. I miss three games a week. :/

@Dreamcaster-X Actually there ARE fans who are demanding the full line up...

@LzQuacker Well that is extreme. I think Ninty could have skipped alot of criticism had they thrown at least 1 or 2 more top tier SNES titles in there.

Hey, it's not just gamepad play you are getting.. Don't forget each VC game has a separate Miiverse community!

Well I skipped the Wii VC service entirely so this time around its all to me. I hope the EU titles are better, so far from that list all I want is Super Mario World.

My most wanted VC game is ALTTP as I only played a bit and never returned to it. 3DS or Wii U either way I want it.

Typical NOA BS. This company will never learn. As hard as it is to believe but we actually want to play games on Nintendo consoles/handhelds. We didn't buy them for decoration.

@AbeVigoda

Second batch? Lol, that's a good one.

Nothing new...and just re-releasing them on the Wii U despite they're already are on the system in Wii Mode. Seems kinda pointless...I'll just wait for EarthBound.

Yeah.. not downloading anything on this list. Sorry Nintendo. Everything I would have considered, I already have on the Wii. So... no dice.

@Pikachupwnage Nintendo isn't trying to wow anyone by releasing all non-Sony&Microsoft system's games all at once. They spread out these games through the consoles lifespan, to expand interest.

@Erica_Hartmann There is the fact that there's gonna be the Miiverse community accessible for anyone. There are some really awesome people on there.

@HeatBombastic Uhh huh huh huh huh... he-he-he he-you said expand. Uhhh huh huh huh hm huh.

As much as I would love to see the entire library on the Wii U VC, I know that Nintendo have to update the manual for each game individually, which obviously takes time. It should of been a bigger launch line up but they're probably just being cautious to begin with.

Cautious? That's the word you choose to use to describe VC decisions that NOA makes, lol!

Ouch. Has Nintendo completely lost their minds? The Wii had a better VC lineup on launch day!

@Deathgaze - got any proof to back up your claim?

@Steveovig I mean with all the Wii U system problems thus far, they probably don't want to upload a mass amount of games just in case there are teething problems with the new VC.

@Dr_42o yes! Because that's exactly the most important thing, oh wait. Plus, it could be added later.

Plus, the same freakin' NES games? Really?? Not even one N64 game? Not even another great snes game? You know, it's not like there were few...

It was expected but still painful. They're doing the same s*** with the 3DS. Very few games get released, third party games are almost non-existent, no GBA games and just a couple of GBC ones. What the heck are they thinking? It's ridiculous. Every launch as of lately is pathetic. Just look at WiiU's situation or 3DS' two years ago. They know how to make great games, nothing else. It shows.

I guess Nintendo just does not want me to buy a Wii U.

Who in the heck wants to play Excitebike or Ice Climbers, who doesn't already own it?

Super Mario World is awesome, and not just because it shares my real initials! I''ll stick to my SNES, though.

I'm slightly interested in DK Jr. and Ice Climber, but not totally sold.

Simply awful......so disapointed with Nintendo lately. They are doing great things with the 3ds right now, but I don't have one, I pumped my hard earned cash into the Wii u on release day and feel so let down since. I belive in the console. But will never ever buy a Nintendo console within a year of release again......NO SUPPORT!!!!

Yeah, this is absolutely disappointing.

That's basically 4 games:
Donkey Kong Jr.
Excitebike
Ice Climber
Super Mario World

I will upgrade my Super Mario World for 1,50e, that's for sure, but those other three games are something I would only buy if they were 1-2 euros.

The only way this would be worse, is that Super Mario World would be replaced by Urban Champion.

Not only are the four other games available already on the Wii U eShop, but you can actually buy ALL of them already on your Wii U via Wii Mode's Shopping Channel. I guess most of those who have the Wii U had Wiis too so most of us have been able to buy these games already. Why would I excited for Excitebike being on launch when there is way more interesting 3D version already available on 3DS?

I am really easy going with Nintendo and understand even their more foolish actions, but this one seems to be a lost opportunity. I've been thinking that the drought of games doesn't matter much because the VC for the Wii U will arrive soon and it should alone sell the system, but with a VC launch like this Nintendo is just making people even more uninterested.

That's rather sad.

Not hearing a word about Sega's systems, Neo Geo, Turbografx, or any third party games aside from Mega Man 1 worry me more than just having NES and SNES games.

Wow, I'm a pretty big Nintendo fan, but this is abysmal. How can anyone defend this when the Wii launched with a bigger and better selection? As someone pointed out, all these games can be purchased on the Wii VC so this launch makes even less sense. Why isn't there a single new title? What's the supposed sense in spreading releases out when I can say, "screw it," and switch over to the Wii VC and download? The only reason this is happening is because Nintendo is trying to do the least amount of work possible. They are trying to see how little they can give us and get away with it. Anyone that tries to defend "this" needs to reevaluate their "inner fanboy." This is beyond pathetic and another sign that Nintendo doesn't get it.

SMW? Wow... Thanks nintendo!

My first reaction was much like everyone elses. "WTF NINTENDO???". But my inner optimist says that VC releases may be frequent. If new games are released frequently in groups, this won't be so bad. But I agree with everyone who thinks this launch selection makes Nintendo look bad.

What is going on in this thread? So, it's just a few games so far. The eShop is actually at a nice place right now. Each title gets attention. Same with MiiVerse. As a new game is released people pay attention. Would seriously be robbing many games of deserved attention if they were all out right now.

Building momentum with a continual stream of stories is necessary to keep interest in the Wii U and what is happening with it. It's also important to have repetitive information about releases to raise awareness of the eShop for Wii U owners that aren't core gamers like us. This is simple stuff.

Also, it takes TIME to get this stuff going. It's not a simple press a key and now you have a release. This is quite obvious when you see people screaming bloody murder over PAL speeds and other nitpicks. Nintendo has to get each one of these exactly right.

It seems like some people here would only be happy if the games came all at once or with ten times the number of titles. Well, that would take ten times as long or cost ten times as much. So which are you willing to do? Wait 10 times longer or pay 10 times as much?

@Deathgaze Except Nintendo OWNS the license. It said so in the copyright information

@aaronsullivan: As you said, it is a simple matter of everyone screaming bloody murder over something. Typical reaction to news they don't wanna hear...

@aaronsullivan - I invested 6 years being patient waiting for games to trickle out on the Wii VC. I'm not gonna do that again. If Nintendo doesn't have a game I want to play available, I will find another way to play it.

Er, wait a sec...looks at VC launch lineup, then remembers EarthBound's release date
...Yeah something tells me they're going to yet again re-release all of the VC games SLOOOOOWWWWLLLLY. Have fun with that guys.

@erica - You can count me out

@brooks83 But why release them all as soon as possible? Either way, we'll see the situation the Wii had. None of the suggestions here will ever change that

super mario world!! i haven't played it since i was a kid.
cannot wait. i've never actually played ice climbers so i'll probably get that as well.
still coming out this week right?

In comparison Wii had a way better VC launch. With Mega Drive, Turbografx and N64 games right from day one!!

I guess if there was just one exclusive game (that's not out on Wii VC already), like Starfox or Mario Paint there wouldn't be that many complaints.

Personally speaking I'm underwhelmed as I have all of these Wii U VC launch games on Wii VC already, every single one of them!

At least we have Earthbound and Game Boy Advance games coming so that's something to look forward to.

@Gavin_Rozee: That original Wii launch list makes this list look even worse (which I didn't even think was possible). I think that if the Wii launch list became the Wii U launch list, there wouldn't be nearly as many complaints.

Well, this is overall depressing for me - I'm only updating Super Mario World, because that's the only one I can update (not counting Kirby's Adventure - did that last week). What really sucks is that this is going to be all slow with the releases while I'm unemployed, and when I finally get a job (IF that actually happens...), the release rate is going to skyrocket. Oh well. That's life.

@Lz I would be fine with a VC launch with only 8 games if they were titles that weren't already released. The big problem is that Nintendo couldn't be bothered to launch with anything special. They couldn't be bothered to launch with their big guns. Seriously, who wants Ice Climber or Donkey Kong Jr? I'm really curious to know who thought this was an acceptable way to launch a new service.

Give the Wii U some time.
they should have more. i agree. but they don't and so patience is not only a virtue but a necessity at this point. it'll get better with time. hopefully.

@Gavin_Rozee Wow it really does put things in perspective, WiiU should have a lot more available for the system, its not like these games haven't been available before. If anything, most if not all the games from the Wii virtual console should be available by this time. If it was back when the system launched I'd be a little more forgiving

Nintendo 64 games would be great to begin with, Super Smash Bros. 64, Majora's Mask, Ocarina of Time, Mario Tennis. Excitebike? F-Zero? i mean come on, sure they are good games but i already own those on my 3DS, all of them to be exact.

I wouldn't want every game available at once, but this is a pretty weak launch. I think even having Mega Man available would have helped.

The problem was that the Wii's VC started out great for the first few years than fell apart. The Wii-U's starting off so weak inspires no confidence at all- especially with less systems and third party support.

They need to stop with the trickling and get third parties together to bring back the old VC ASAP. But they probably won't- Nintendo hasn't done anything with VC releases in recent years to inspire the confidence some of you think they deserve.

That's it? Some of these games have already been offered for 30 cents. Or most of these, actually, so where are the new titles? This is crazy. What is going on with Nintendo!!

@LzQuacker It's not so much about releasing them all as it is that they still have way more they could release than was already available.

Now not only do they have a ton of games that we didn't get the first time around that they can release but also the entire library from the Wii VC. With the VC releases being as slow as molasses already, it's looking like some people are going to have to wait a LONG time to get to play some of their favorites with the Gamepad and other features. Then they also have new releases GBA, N64(which didn't have much already), and maybe even Gamecube that they'll need to keep up with.

It probably would have been impossible to get the whole library ready in that short a time(with Miiverse, etc.), but only 8 releases? Not to mention that we already have access to half of them...

@Deathgaze: Um, last I checked, there was no given reason for the DKC trilogy to be removed. So there might be a (slim) chance of the Wii U getting them.

@Steveovig: I know, right? The only reason I have Excitebike and Ice Climbers is because I managed to get my 3DS before the eShop launched on there! I mean, they're somewhat decent once in a while, but nothing spectacular.

They should really just release those for free. Those games are so old now, might as well do everyone a fan service.
See it as way to get people who never use the eShop to open it up and test it.

They could've like...done something more with them if they're going to re-release these games again...I dunno, modify them for HDTVs. Online multiplayer. (yeah that won't work well for some of these games, just giving out examples. xD)

Yea, I thought it'd be cool if a game like F-Zero had online play. Sell it for a little more, take some more time to put it in there, and I think people would like it. It would take some effort but not nearly as much as a new game would so it should be easier to do.

What a lame list! I wish they would just release all of the games they showed on the video. Its bad enough they made us think it was going to launch today. Then they pull the rug out from under us and give us crappy VC games. Sheesh Nintendo!

This is great news. I just hope they flood some content into the VC initially before they reduce it to their standard trickle.

the ammont of anger i have for nintendo on how they have handeled the Wii/Wii U VC , i dont want to get banned again lol ... so ill put it lightly

All i have to say is that im very disappointed with the wii U VC line up ... i mean how meny more times can us nintendo fans buy the same copy of super mario bros .. :-/ atleast one new game that hasent appeared on the Wii/3DS VC and i would have been satisfied

@Yogsoggoth who thought the wii u vc line up would be acceptable ?? Iwata of course

I'll just stick to my 30 cent games and wait for Earthbound~

@AbeVigoda Viggy,viggy,viggy, my knight in shining armor ! Haha

I wish EarthBound was getting released on launch day... now THAT would've been a real kicker to launch the service!

Anyway, bleh. Super Mario World with Game Pad support and Miiverse integration is a surefire purchase from me. As for the rest, these are games I wouldn't even bother pirating.

Hope they put plenty of N64 & NGC titles up on WiiU VC, aswell as the NES/SNES titles.
Also Want a lot more NES/SNES titles that arn't on Wii VC.

If Not, it seems Nintendo listen to Miiverse,so plenty of Miiverse post telling Nintendo what we want should do the trick with any luck...
even if it does take a while.

If these games had online play like SSFII Genesis on the Wii VC I would be completely ok with this lineup

@Gavin_Rozee Wow... i cant believe this is what took them 6 months! theres no reason they couldn't have 20 games ready... something to tie fans over i mean theres no games. this is laughable.. pathetic

@brooks83 I wouldn't. Online play Ice Climbers doesn't make up for a paltry 8 games when the Wii's list completely demolishes it.

Well, it would at least spark some interest and excitement for the future potential of the VC. At this point I have none whatsoever.

That's it? Wow, VERY disappointing, Nintendo. Yet again, Nintendo fans make a big deal about something to just end up being disappointed

@Lin1876 That's all bullpoopy, Nintendo holds all the rights to the Donkey Kong Franchise.
Rare doesn't own poopiedoodles from that game, they just developed it for Nintendo.

I can't understand why Nintendo has wrecked the whole Wii U experience. The SNES came with one of the greatest games of all time and set a standard that lasts even till today. My Will U came with an hour download, horrible load times, transfer problems, few games, and no VC. I know some of this is may get fixed this week but it seems like crumbs when I thought I was getting a cake.

Those who think that you have to buy VC titles a second time if they have already brought it on Wii.
You DON'T, you pay a small upgrade fee for WiiU features or you play it in Wii mode.
If you have it on 3DS, then don't buy it for WiiU, and vice versa.

http://uk.ign.com/articles/2013/01/26/5-reasons-wii-us-virtual-console-is-totally-fair

@skjia They still use emulators, but are encoded as part of the game, so it's a combination of a ROM and emulator. Nevertheless, it has to be optimized and coded as much as possible to achieve near-perfection.

This would be like iTunes trickling out classic albums a handful at a time. Do you want money or not, Nintendo?

Wow honestly when I 1st started reading the list I kept scrolling down thinkin to myself this cant be it cuz 4 of those games were released n I got em all so im disappointed but nothing to cry over . hopefully it gets better.wii u must succeed! !!

HOW DARE NINTENDO NOT RELEASE MY FAVORITES! I HAVE A RIGHT TO PLAY THESE GAMES ON THE WII U GAMEPAD, AND NINTENDO IS JUST INSULTING ME BY NOT ALLOWING ME TO PLAY MY FAVORITE GAMES ON THE WII U GAMEPAD. I GUESS I'LL JUST HAVE TO SETTLE ON PLAYING THEM ON WII MODE... ICK. WAIT! I ALSO HATE THAT NINTENDO IS RELEASING THESE WITHOUT GIVING THEM TO ME FOR FREE! I MEAN, I BOUGHT THEM ON THE WII AND I TRANSFERED IT OVER TO MY WII U AND I COULD PLAY IT RIGHT NOW BUT I HAVE A RIGHT TO PLAY MY WII VIRTUAL CONSOLE GAMES ON MY WII U FOR FREE, WITH THE ADDED FEATURES. SCREW YOU NINTENDO, OR SHOULD I SAY NINTENDOOMED! Super Mario Sunshine 2.

@brooks83 I think that would've given me hope, too(another of your posts further up about online). It would be a little more worthwhile if we could play games like, say, Super Mario Kart, online.

That's a pretty poor lineup for a launch. I mean don't most of us own those games on the Wii, if we wanted them? They could have given us a few new ones we didn't see on Wii.

Judging by the poll, they aren't going to be seeing a lot of sales from these.

@Deathgaze, Oh, I didn't know they lost it, I guess that DKC Returns for the Wii and 3DS was published by Microsoft then.

@dragon_rider - I wish I could like that comment haha

At this point, the only eyecatching one is Super Mario World. If you've downloaded it before, you can redownload it again for $1.99 or somethin', right?

$1.50 I think it is for SNES titles(to upgrade them).

@Pikachupwnage I assume if they made such a big deal about Earthbound, that they're expecting us to wait for the bigger releases.

i'm sure most of us were hoping for a better launch lineup, but im sure nintendo wants to make a few $ from some of the lamer games before they start releasing the awesomeness of zelda and earthbound

@Kellx - Or they could make money from Earthbound NOW and please the fans at the same time. Sounds like a win win to me.

Wow. This list is crap on a stick. I'll give this list a 1/10. Awful. No sale.

Someone give me a definitive answer for what i'm about to ask, why isn't it hard for me to choose a choice? My only choices are either Super Mario World or Not Downloading These. Do I have poor taste? Am I too picky? Am I just not interested? WHY?!?

Can't believe I stopped playing Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate to read this.

guys, calm down. they will kick butt in a little while. once they release N64 games, this will be a hit.

man would it be nice for some gamecube releases. i lose my mind. think they'll come eventually?

Super Mario World is the only game that redeems this list, but I don't plan on purchasing it.

I must say the actual new releases for the Wii U VC specifically is fairly underwhelming. Even the Wii had a much stronger lineup when the VC service started on it. I'll still be upgrading all my previous purchases though, but it would have been nice to see more titles making it to the service than that.

Oh, and don't forget Gamecube in the future, Ninty. Even though I have all the greats from the system for the most part, having everything in one spot would be great.

"...However the original Wii Virtual Console lineup was prepared over a long period of time, so we cannot offer the entire lineup at the time the Wii U Virtual Console service starts. Please understand the situation" - Satoru Iwata (January 23rd 2013)

Super Mario World is the only game, not in the Trial Campaign, that I haven't already purchased and am excited for.

@Lunapplebloom @SunnyShores They still have to get through everything they have so far as well, and they barely got any N64 games out. On top of that, GBA is announced while Gamecube is not so, if we do end up getting Gamecube games, we'll probably have like 5 or so once Wii U's life is over if they can't pick up the pace this time.

@Whirlpool I don't think anyone cares about getting the entire lineup so much as they are confused as to why, after all this time, there are only 8 games in the launch, four of which we already have, too.

@Evergreen it takes time emulating things over on the Wii U. They are trying to optimize the games to work with the game pad. Don't be an impatient brat. Besides if you want to play your VC games on the Wii U get your self a classic controller, plug it in your Wii remote, and move the games over to your Wii u via SD card. I am tired of the whining and complaining when people are simply too lazy to think to do that! They put the Wii menu emulator in there for a reason morons!

Since we all got the best games already for 30 cents, I'm getting NSMW only. I'm waiting for DKC trilogy, I hope they release it again. love those games.

@Chriiis I know, just reiterating it in hopes of Ninty seeing the demand. Squeaky wheel gets the oil after all. And you have a good point, though hopefully if they are secretly working on Gamecube games, they release them in a more timely manner.

can you not still use the wii vc on the wii u? and if so whats with all the complaining?

They have to rewrite each manual individually though.

The amount of games at the VC launch doesn't bother me. I do find the list pretty lame though.

@MeddlingIdiot
It doesn't take 6 months to add gamepad compatibility and a Miiverse for these games. There's absolutely no excuse for this launch lineup.

@SirQuincealot
Because Nintendo is sitting on a gold mine and just letting it go to waste. There are people that are actually willing to pay for these games instead of downloading them illegally and Nintendo still can't get this right. The Wii U's library is minimal at the moment so they could at least offer some legit VC options to choose from

@Lin1876 I didn't know they removed the ability to purchase them... Good thing I already own them or I would be kicking myself right now! I guess this means we most likely won't see a Donkey Kong 64 remake either.

@SonataAndante @MANIAC911 Wii U is a different system, different OS, different architecture. There's no point emulating the Wii emulator, they really do need to start from scratch. It takes as much time and effort as any other port, and it doesn't happen at the click of a finger, considering how much other things Nintendo programmers have at a much higher priority than VC.
Nintendo are currently programming various console updates and many first party games, VC isn't as high on their list of priorities as yours.

I agree with people who are complaining that's it's a pretty poor list. Not even one 3rd party title! Anyway I will stick pick up SMW because that's a no brainer.

@Lunapplebloom Yeah, I know too, just trying not to get my hopes up about it; If they can pick up the pace I might feel better but that doesn't like it's going to happen judging by their current pace with VC.

@MadAdam81
I understand that its a different OS, but that still isn't a legit excuse. Not when VC was ready at launch for the Wii.
If you have a Wii U right now there's a VERY good chance that you had a Wii as well and already had access these games through VC or their monthly promotion.
This is just lazy.

Well, I don't find this lineup to be very robust OR appealing, but I'm very glad that they've at least finally gotten up the VC. I just don't see the logic in them releasing these games when they're ALREADY AVAILABLE on the Wii U. Sure it may be in Wii mode, but I expected them to release new VC games...

I think it stinks we can't pay for only what we want now. Its back to ten dollar minimum purchases of points or whatever their lame currency is.

I'd rather just play all of the Wii VC versions of these games instead although being able to play Super Mario World on the gamepad would be pretty cool.

Wow.... What a horrible start.... Nintendo this sloiw release thing needs to stop. It wasn't cute with the Wii either.

@Dpullam You can, that's what the Wii mode is for.

I will be purchasing the greatest game ever made... Super Mario World. Because you can never have too much money, or two many copies of Super Mario World =D

Does this mean the masses will come buy a Wii U now ?

My NES-game needs will then soon be covered. I am looking forward and hope for N64, GC and some hot SNES titels!

I do hope they add a cross-play/cross-buy feature between Wii U and 3DS Virtual Console games.

Even though it's not the time for holding back with releasing titles I could imagine that Nintendo doesn't just "put it all out there". Instead they might announce a schedule for continuously arriving titles for the virtual console to keep people frequently checking on the VC!?

Lame launch list is beyond lame, but I'm not surprised.

That's a really pathetic list. You just know they've done this so they can leak out 'big' VC titles to make up for the fact there's no actual games coming until August.

They don't need to be spending any time on these. The work goes into the emulator, not the roms. You get the emulator working, all the games work. That comment from Iwata is laughable too. They didn't have as much time to prepare the Wii U VC as the Wii one? Surely once the Wii was out, they knew they'd have this feature in the next console. They've had far MORE time to plan this one that the Wii version.

These comments are funny too funny. Loyal customer anger? faaahhhh

@MANIAC911 Correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't think that VC was ready upon launch of the Wii

EDIT: I just looked into it and wow, virtual console was available from launch on the Wii with something like 12 titles available. You're right, this is a pretty lacklustre effort by Nintendo in this regard...

-bows head in shame-

Are they even using an emulator? Would it have been a better idea to make the Virtual Console an Eshop like program? that allows you to pay/download and play straight from the program.

I honestly thought they were going to release starwing to get people excited for the service. Lamest list ever!!
Nintendo HQ; Wii u is not doing very well,
Don't worry I know how to fix it.....I've got the perfect list of vc games.
Nintendo fan; crys, how many times can I defend you!!

And i really thought, that the VC could pacify people...it could...but not like that. Sure, Super Mario World is one of the best of its kind, but it alone cant represent the service. All the other arcade classics are either not that good in the first place or didnt age that way. You cannot pacify someone yearning for games with Ice Climbers. Earthbound could have done it, Zelda 3 would have helped as a distraction.
Well see how long that list stays like this, or if we finally get weekly updates full of games...we could use them...

Mainly I do not trust them to not pull a "Zelda this week, nothing next week, nothing next week, Castlevania 3 for 3DS,Bomberman (NES) for Wii U,nothing,nothing..."

There are no excuses for not having 1 or 2 Virtual Console games every week on both the 3DS and Wii U.

It's pathetic, just pathetic nintendo, all of those games are on both wii and 3ds (except for the snes ones, only available on wii), and it is lame that you had to resort to kirby's adventure, since the game is available in 2 better formats: as a 3d version on the 3ds and as part of the kirby's dream collection on wii. The only 2 games acceptable are super mario world and f-zero, there is no excuse for a link to the past, super metroid and the likes not to be available at launch; I adore you nintendo, but even love doesn't blind me, this is just pathetic....

I bought Super Mario 64 for 200 coins on club Nintendo so I could have it basically for free, then pay to upgrade it, so that's pretty much the only VC game I look forward to, although it'll probably be a good while for N64 to reach the Wii U's VC service. Aside from that, I will probably get Super Metroid, and maybe even Super Mario World, but Nintendo's gonna have to add better titles if they expect to get any of my money.

Cue the Sobfest... oh nevermind, I see it's already begun. >_>

I'll wait and see what they have planned next. If they release the Wii's games at a rapid pace along with previously unreleased games, then i'll be really satisfied.

2 consoles, 8 games. By the time we are drip fed the entire VC back catalogue, the next Wii U will be out.

"Hey, why don't we give them Fire Emblem Path of Radiance and Luigi's Mansion? We'd sell tons of them thanks to the 3ds..."
"Naah, just give them what they already have..."

Stop pouring weak sauce on us Nintendo!

I must say this is uninspiring.

Looks like we are going to have to wait years (again) for old rehashed games that we can already get on the Wii.

This is why Nintendo needed to have sorted their online system out years ago, that way we would already have these games on the Wii U VC.

It feels like history is repeating itself here. Is this process going to happen every time Nintendo release a new console?

Wow! This is ridiculous. Come on Nintendo, get your act together. It's no wonder the Wii U isn't doing good. You've had several months to build up and put out a better lineup than this. I mean, this is a slap in the face.

While none of the games on that list interest me, I'm quite happy that there are 8 titles. Think about it if they release 6-8 titles a week it would only take a year to have every Wii VC title. Releasing that amount of titles every week seems unlikely and what happens with the 3rd party games, have they got to submit their titles again?

@andreoni79 That's the main problem with the wii u eshop, they are re-releasing games that were on the wii eshop as brand new instead of doing exactly that, release gamecube and gba games that would simply explode the sales the first month. Like you said, imagine they released these 8 titles at launch instead of the poor excuse they listed: fire emblem 7, 8 and 9, mother 2 and 3, luigi's mansion, tloz wind waker and eternal darkness. LITERALLY, NINTENDO WOULD BE SWIMMING IN PILES OF MONEY!, but nope, let's just release a bunch of nes games and 2 snes games, that will be a pile of money....

Why are we seeing NES versions of classic arcade games like Donkey Kong Jr.? I just don't get that...

I'm confused. Isn't the Wii Virtual Console already available in the Wii U eShop? Why bother releasing them again, or are there Wii U specific features being added like the restore points in the 3DS VC?

The NES & SNES don't really have any good games to begin with so all you will get is the same tired ones that were on the Wii over & over again... This list needs some Megadrive/Genesis love to keep the masses interested that would be the problem solver.

Sigh... yeah... that's not cool Nintendo.

The list is lackluster sure but you guys act like It's a fast and easy job to code the games for the Wii u. Just be happy we got the damn thing already.

Alright, let me bring a little happiness to this post.

As someone who never owned a Wii, this list suits me just fine. Plus, this is this week's batch of downloads. There very well might be another decent lot next week. I don't think we can really judge the situation until we've seen how Nintendo plans to release the Wii's back catalogue.

If they released the entire catalogue now, those who are new to the service wouldn't be able to get everything all in one go and would likely miss out on a lot of the good games. With Nintendo's current financial situation, I imagine that the GBA and N64 games aren't that far around the corner either.

@Vehemont why is there no option to stretch the screen, and change aspect ratio? i hate all black borders, i dont see why we cant change the settings an stretch the screen! why is it on emulators made by bedroom hackers there are much more better options, an the worlds best software company nintendo cant even make the screen stretched so its fits all of the screen, just look at the wii games when played on wii u, why couldn't they make the wii u re-render it in 1080p, and add anti aliasing, since wii games are notorious for having jaggies galore, if bedroom hackers were able to make project dolphin on pc which re-renders the games in hd,an adds anti aliasing, which makes wii games look stunning, then why has nintendo only given us a bare bones option? its the same with the virtual console, the damn thing is not even full screen, LMAO nintendo gamers need to demand more, wii-u cant even run them in full screen! oh nintendo how you fail us, why are they so behind??????

That's... kind of weak, really.

I'm a little disappointed with this line up to be honest. I own a 3DS and already have these games. how about some gamecube games??????

So are the European versions PAL or NTSC? I already own plenty of these games on the Wii and will be quite happy to transfer them over when I eventually buy a Wii-U but I doubt I'd buy them again, unless certain titles are 60hz.

Was kinda hoping they'd bust out something better... i'll pass on all of these...

A bit of double counting going on here, 4 of the titles were already confirmed as Famicom Anniversary releases.
Of the other 4 two were on the 3DS ambassador scheme, then i have Mario World on Wii's VC and Excitebike as a 3D Classic.
Slightly annoyed that Ice Climbers is on Wii-U e-shop before the 3DS e-shop as 3DS ambassaors are still waiting for the updated version...

It's gonna be out the 26th at noon here in Europe.

Didn't the 3DS' VC sucked worse but at night they came with Link's Awakening? One can only dream...

Not the best line-up to get things started, but I'm glad the VC is coming sooner instead of later. I'll probably re-download Super Mario World, because playing on the GamePad is awesome and I'm also curious to play it using my Pro Controller. Been playing Kirby's Adventure using that and it's surprisingly comfortable.

With that being said, bring on the N64 games. Considering that I'll be able to configure the controller to exactly my own play style, I can't wait to play Star Fox 64 again. I hated playing that classic with the Classic Controller, it didn't feel right at all and I kept messing up left and right.

Yes Donkey Kong Jr.

I think with there 1st party support this where Nintendo really does well VC, it'll just need time to build-up a library. I just cannot believe they didn't plan ahead with the Wii U, after seeing the PS3 launch with no games. But as a lot have been doing they've put it down to only the price point.

@siddyp00h THANKS OBAMA!

Disappointing that's for sure. Not going to be buying anything until there is something that hasn't been on there before. Like for instance, Earthbound. Also, there hasn't been any talks about Sega games appearing. They were a good supporter of the Wii VC, but they stopped supporting the 3DS pretty quickly. So little chance of seeing some Saturn and Dreamcast VC let alone MS and MD games. And of course, still no Gamecube games announced. Very underwhelming. If Earthbound was coming at the start, nearly all could be forgiven, but without it, it's a boring rehash of old tired games, save perhaps SMW.

@MANIAC911 But it takes time to update the control scheme in each manual individually. It's also been hinted that they'll be introducing a system where you only have to buy VC on Wii U or 3DS, rather than buying the same game twice, which may take time to implement.

@BulbasaurusRex Because they're trolling us big time

Wow, new record for comments NL?

I'll be upgrading Super Mario World and picking up Ice Climbers! I already have all the other ones I would otherwise get.

@dragon_rider Perhaps I should of been more descriptive. I meant that I would rather just play in Wii Mode over paying an extra dollar for gamepad support. I already knew about Wii Mode and I certainly would take advantage of it.

poor effort nintendo.

@Prof_Elvin_Gadd Far from it, two others in memory:

https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2012/06/e3_2012_nintendos_3ds_software_showcase_live

https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2013/02/rayman_legends_no_longer_a_wii_u_exclusive_delayed_to_september

I already own 1-2 versions of these games. I see absolutely no incentive here to buy a Wii U, and their approach to their new system really does not inspire me to want to own one. I think the PS4 will be the only next gen system I'll purchase at this point. As a hardcore Nintendo fan for many years, I'm very disappointed with this new system. Feels like a money grab to me, and I'm not buying into it. You really lost some fans, Nintendo.

Nintendo releasing Ice Climber and Excitebike on the Wii-U VC debut is like Netflix launching their service with a couple silent Charlie Chaplin comedy shorts and the original King Kong

@AbeVigoda

Lol, so, so true, I completely agree, I feel Nintendo have really messed up big time and it's a massive missed opportunity IMO.

I think the VC on the Wii U should have been dedicated to the N64 & GameCube, titles older than this have just been played/seen far to often now that they are becoming stale.

@BlackSpy SMW is better than every NSMB game.

@MeddlingIdiot "It's also been hinted that they'll be introducing a system where you only have to buy VC on Wii U or 3DS, rather than buying the same game twice"

What, where, etc.

Emily Rogers said it on her Twitter account a couple of days ago, apparently she's quite credible...

Here's the thread I found. http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?p=54912756#post54912756

I wish I didn't have most of these games already on my Wii or 3DS. I'd like to see them dig a little deeper into their past and put games like Pro Wrestling, RC Pro Am, Donkey Kong 3, or any other 3rd party game that isn't already available. The Wii Virtual Console started off so good, but it just fizzled out. Nintendo's past library is one of the strongest selling points, and they really should push it more. Not just one or two new games every few weeks. Flood the market, and make me pick up my Wii U again.

I hope they go through with the scheme that Wii Virtual Console titles that you've transferred from your old system can be upgraded to the new, Wii U tailored versions for just $1 a piece.

Or maybe that was something I dreamt.

I love Super Mario World and it is probably my all-time favourite game in the Mario series, but how many times does Nintendo expect us to buy it? I bought it years ago when it was ported to the GBA, and then I snapped it up again when it was released on the Wii Virtual Console because playing it on a TV screen trumps the GBA screen. Why on Earth would I buy it again? Just so I can play it on the gamepad? I don't think so.

@RetrogamerFan Ambassador should be able to get it updated now. I've got the updated Balloon Fight and Ice Climber sitting on my 3DS. I live in europe, though. Not sure if it's the same around the world if you live elsewhere.

So Super Mario World and nothing else. How exciting.

Disappointing list, most titles are old NES games so often reused. Where are the SNES and N64 great games?

Oh yes, I will download Super Mario World once again as it is the best 2D Mario ever.

Eight.
...
eight.

emulators, away!

Balloon Fight, but only because I already got it in January. super Mario World is awesome tho!

@SkywardLink98

Seriously. Nintendo should just transfert the whole WII VC to the Wii U VC and then slowly add new games that we have never seen before on any VC.
That way everyone is happy.

I hope if Earthbound proves successful that Nintendo would do what Capcom did with Megaman 9 & 10 and go back and make Earthbound 64. They've already got the story and characters down with Mother 3, so why not give us the 64 version we all waited for until it got canceled? Should be easy to remake the game in outdated tech.