Wii U Virtual Console Will Arrive Shortly After Next Week's System Update

Kirby's Adventure should be out today on Wii U.

Update: Yep, it's there.

Finally!!! I really don't want to play another 8 or 10 bucks for a game I already have on my Wii VC though.

I wonder when the now announced North American version of Earthbound will be released? :3

@Joshers744 If you already have it on Wii mode, you can get it for $1 (NES) or $1.50 (SNES). That'll take quite a bit of the edge off for you.

If anybody was wondering - that "Subscribe Now" at the end of the video takes you to Nintendo's Youtube site. Lots of videos to watch there

I'm glad to see that this bit of information has finally been revealed.

dumb as paint

I didn't own a Wii, and I haven't had any other home console since the original NES, so I'm super excited to build up my retro collection.

@KenB Those are the trial campaign games that cost $.30. This reveal is about the real deal Virtual Console games that will be full priced. Not much of a difference, I know.

@KenB Dumb as paint. Those releases were released early with the price of $0.30 for a limited time and were taken off when the next deal came. It'll come back this update.

I wonder if people will wait until May to get Super Metroid or jump the gun?

I do hope we get the other systems re-added sooner than later. I do want my Genesis and Neo Geo games to have the same upgrades. (TG-16 and Master System are probably lost causes)

I wasn't expecting to see Kirby's Dream Course in the first batch. It looks like that will be my first upgraded Wii VC title. I hope the upgrade will be worth the $1.50.

So does this mean that although we're getting Super Metroid next week, it will still go down in price to 30 cents next month?

@WiiLovePeace: Yes,wait to buy it for .30 cents

@WiiLovePeace It will be on sale for 30 cents in May.

You might as well just wait for the sale games to go on sale.

Super Mario World!!!!!!! And Kirby GBA!!!

After buying Punch-Out on Wii VC back in 2008 only to be disappointed to see it later come out for 3DS VC with no way to transfer it over without having to buy it all over again, I hesitate to buy VC for the Wii U knowing I won't be able to take it with me everywhere like I could on 3DS. With the fee to upgrade Wii VC to Wii U VC, I also wonder if that means Nintendo will want us to pay a fee every time a new system is released or risk having to leave our VC behind for good if we don't continue to pay fees to update, because maybe on the next system they'll only allow you to transfer Wii U VC to it and not Wii VC. I feel like people that actually do the right thing and pay money to play these old games should deserve to have free reign on what system they want to play them on, and I really wish Nintendo would give us a proper account system if they expect us to invest heavily in VC.

To be honest, since I already own Super Metroid on the Wii VC, I should only pay 30 pence for the privilege of playing it on the Gamepad no matter if it's during this special promotion or not.

Although the boot up to Wii Mode makes this a bit easier to take.

I fear they are going to do exactly the same thing as the 3DS VC - announce games already available for the Wii VC. A Wii U VC exclusive, like, say a Gamecube game would go a long way to convincing me that Nintendo aren't just going to drip feed the games we already have access to (minus the ones they no longer have the rights to), but lo and behold, one of the first games we get is Mega Man...

I just want some news on when GameCube games are coming to the VC.

I need some Super Mario Sunshine back in my life!

@DBAPZ Me too. In my opinion, that sun outshines both galaxies if you know what I mean...

yes mega man and super metroid.. i have bought megaman 1 three times already . glad i dont need to buy it in full price.

But on Wii U, those old Wii VC games will have save states like the 3DS VC games.

I can't listen to the video at work, but did they say how the 'upgrade pricing' will work. Is it going to be time limited, or can I buy a Wii U in 2 years and still upgrade my Wii VC games to Wii U versions for cheap?

i have really bought everything that service has to offer, my wii u is still collecting dust. ah oh well, back to terraria

If nintendo just made it possible to get WiiU accountmoney instead WiiPoints it would be much better. Now I can buy the Wii version and pay 1 euro to upgrade it

Nice. Would like to see some GameCube titles however. I really loved that system and it was truly the first Nintendo System I ever owned (before I was strictly Sega and PlayStation). Lots of great games for that system.

Sweet sounds fun. I was hoping the virtual console would come out soon. Next week. So here is a question are all the Nintendo SNES games going to be available? Another one if you have download a game on the virtual console on wii mode are they transferable? I was just wonder since I have some Club Nintendo games like Paper Mario and Mario 64.

yes, yes, yes I'm so excited about this I'm so ready for this can not wait to see the line up.

it will be nice =)

i could spot all of the games

Maybe we'll get some nice sales on eShop games in anticipation of the upcoming competition.

I'm flooded with Wii U stuff, now that we have Lego City, Trine 2 (sale!), and Toki Tori 2 (sale sorta). Still, I'll find time to upgrade my retro games because I STILL love going back to them. Plus, Runner 2 would be pretty hard to pass up at $10...

Is it just me who is loving the retro sounding music in that video???

This is the beginning to something amazing if Nintendo can bring all if not most of the VC titles to the gamepad. I don't know why, but re-playing the games on the gamepad can make it seem like re-playing the game all over again. They will be bringing N64 titles to it as well, riiiight? And gamecube virtual console for gamepad play...the mere idea of it is too fantastic for words.

I hate you, Kirby. And your smug grin. But I just know I'm going to play you again for the MiiVerse integration. D=

I think I see Super Mario World. Is that true?!

Do good on the VC, Nintendo, and I just might get a Wii U. Earthbound is a good start.

For one of their GBA games, Nintendo should bring the first Fire Emblem game. I would love to play as Eliwood and get my second Fire Emblem game.

Yeah, this is what I'm talking about. B)

@Peach64 I'm pretty sure the upgrade prices are here to stay because they likely know there will still be late adopters.

I hope that N64 titles will also be added soon. I would love to be able to play my favorite game of all time, Super Mario 64, on my Gamepad.

Can't wait for Super Mario World! I have on my Gameboy Advance now it is time to see it on the big screen!

I'd be far from surprised if the DKC trilogy doesn't make it to the Wii U Virtual Console. But an HD remake of it will heal the woes from its removal. Not to mention Nintendo Selling Rare to Microsoft (more like Microsucks!).

@Peach64 As I understand it. Any wii vc title can be played in wii mode, however any titles that go to WiiU VC aswell, with added features such as off-tv play will give you the option to pay an 'upgrade' fee of £1/$1 if you have aleady brought the title as a Wii VC title.
I've not seen anything to suggest the £1/$1 scheme is a promotion, pretty sure its the standard perminant pricing.

@Five-seveN You can only upgrade the games after the update, not before.

Are the Wii-U VC games gonna be 60hz in europe or are we gonna be stuck with 50hz again?

@rdenton85 Baloon Fight was released as 50hz at the start of the VC trial campaign, but both F-Zero and Punch Out have been 60hz versions - and most likely because of massive feedback from the Miiverse community!! Result! However going forward I do not know what the intentions are.

How can we be excited for all these tired old games? Where is the Gamecube games?

@Joshers744

you shouldn't have to, if you own it already, it is $1 for NES game and $1.50 for SNES game.

It would be nice if owning a title on 3ds also entitled you to a cheap upgrade.

I hope nintendo releases a bunch if titles initially to boost the library before they get down to the slow trickle of software.

@Ryno @SparkOfSpirit Thanks for the confirmation. Definitely going to wait until its 30 cents

I really do hope that all of those titles will be available at launch, aside from Earthbound anyway....that is confirmed just for this year. I could very easily see them releasing only some of the games though. As long as they do a better job at releasing titles than they did on the Wii VC, I'm good.

Definitely waiting to get Super Metroid for $.30 in a month. I've never played it....because I never owned an SNES (don't hurt me). I went straight from the NES to the 64...it was glorious.

@theadza tired out games, seriously some of the games being released are considered some other of the best video games ever. You clearly didn't grow up with them.

Why gamepad only....?

One of the appealing things about the Wii virtual console for me was that it wasn't just Nintendo consoles on offer. It doesn't seem like this will be the case with the Wii U, unfortunately. My wife wants Mappy with save states.

@FineLerv Give it time. Nintendo has to cut deals with the owners of those properties.

@TheAdza "How can we be excited for all these tired old games? Where is the Gamecube games?"

What, are you 14? You certainly act like it... You're acting like its a crime that Nintendo gives their customers what they want in exchange for money... Do you think profit is evil? Are you related to Obama?

I've been waiting for this! Feels a bit over overdue but I'm very happy to be getting it.

@Reef7009 They aren't Gamepad only, you just have the option of using the gamepad.

I really hope Sega hops on board sooner than later.

I guess I'll have to transfer my wii stuff now. goodbye Lostwinds 2, you will be missed

@dragon_rider I know that. I wasn't saying you could.

What, are we just going to see re-releases of NES games already on the Wii and 3DS?

So Kirby's Adventure is once more running at 50Hz for PAL users! I thought Nintendo had taken some hints, by now.

At least people with a 3DS can stick to the 3D Classics version, which runs at 60Hz, but this is still pretty bad news.

In any case, before Nintendo manages to spread their "but it's optimized 50Hz!" bullpoopy:

What Nintendo now calls "optimized 50HZ" means a game running at 50Hz that had its music (and occasionally some elements) sped up to make them as fast as the 60Hz version.

This is not effectively the same as 60Hz, as having a similar speed with 10Hz less always means a choppier scrolling than 60Hz (sometimes also less smooth than "normal" 50Hz versions!).

In the specific case of Kirby's Adventure, the music plays at the same speed and Kirby was made faster. Only Kirby, though, so now the rest of the characters seem slower than him! For the record, the same thing was done with Ryu Hayabusa in the original PAL release of Ninja Gaiden, but at least they had the brains to release the original NTSC version worldwide, in the old Wii VC.

tl;dr: This is exactly the same that has been done in the old Wii Virtual Console, Nintendo has learnt nothing.

By the way, now the Wii U Virtual Console service is about to get started officially, I think it would be a good thing to start specifying "50Hz/60HZ" in these reviews, for European gamers.

hey everyone, let's complain about every little thing we can manage to!

Hey, let's complain about people who complain, surely that must be better!

Seriously, fixing a problem as "little" as it might seem to you would be a good thing for some people who care and a bad thing to none. Why would anybody be against such a thing?

Getting 17% slower/choppier games is never a good thing, even if some people can't tell the difference.

I've just read this informative tidbit:
Since the Wii U always outputs at 60hz, they introduce extra stuttering in all 50Hz games by repeating every 5th frame, which also explains a vague lack of responsiveness since the repeated frame doesn't check for button input.

Translated into plain English, this European version of Kirby's Adventure:
-Has slighty choppier scrolling and animations than the 60Hz version
-Has a vague lack of responsiveness not present in the 60Hz version (one chance out of 6 that tapping a button for one frame won't do a thing)
-Has slower enemies than the 60Hz version

The third point will vary from game to game, depending on the original optimizations and oversights (most games only had its music optimized).
The first two points happen due to the way the Wii U handles the 50Hz mode wether it's "optimized" or not, which is actually a step behind from the old Wii VC!

I will get Super Mario World and then set myself a challenge to find all 96 exits again!

However I have a whole load of Wii and Wii U games that I've earmarked to play, I will also download Sonic the Hedgehog too once that is available.