Just recently Nintendo released its first DS title on the Wii U Virtual Console, offering Brain Training / Brain Age for free in Japan. Now, without any warning or announcement, it's released Brain Training: How Old is Your Brain onto the Wii U eShop for free in Europe.
The banner for the title says that it's only available until 10th July, though whether that means it's only free until that time or that it'll completely disappear is unclear. After quickly booting up the game it seems like a fairly basic emulation, even retaining options for local wireless with other DS systems in the menu — we're unsure that feature will actually work. It recreates both screens of the DS on the GamePad touch screen, in most cases with a vertical split.
At the time of writing this free download is yet to appear in the North American store, but we'll update as soon as it appears.
How many of you in Europe will give this a try?
Thanks to Graeme for the tip.
Comments 61
Being North America, we'll have to pay for it.
I think it is probably Kawashima-san!
Hooray! (Not sarcasm).
The Wii U CAN connect with DS consoles in Wii Mode, I believe. As soon as I get access to my original Brain Training cart, I'll test it.
Boooooo not in NA yet
Even though I have this I will download for research and because it is free.
Aw. I guess It's just a matter of time. Hopefully.
I have downloaded it. I don't want any DS games on the Wii U though. (Bought a DSi XL only a few weeks ago).
Why?! They still haven't released Devilish Brain Training in Europe/Australia yet!
Nintendo doesn't seem to want monies, it seems.
sweet. gonna download now
Haha, just downloaded. Playing now
Why Nintendo cant I download now via my smartphone... to have the game waiting for me when I get home from work?
Sounds like a test run...the DS like the GBA has a great library of games which could be a great asset to the wii u library. Having said that, I still don't understand why we haven't seen n64, T16, genesis, GameCube , dreamcast and other systems yet...Nintendo should be flooding the eshop to offset the lack of retail releases I would think...
It doesn't look as nice as the GBA ones.
Once again another offer that everywhere but North America gets for free...
Yeah but you have 30% off a boatload of stuff I will otherwise end up buying for more much better than a free game I don't even want.
Can't wait to not download this for free in the good ol'United States.
You have 30% off tons of games potentially saving at least 50$.
There's basically no emulation options, you can click the right stick to flip the screen, but not much else. I was hoping for a way to display the top screen in full on the TV and touch screen in full on the GamePad. Don't think you can quick save/ load either.
@Ruthven It's only 101MB, but I agree! This would be cool for bigger games.
So are all DS games on Wii U split vertically screen-wise? Because that could cause problems with certain (read:almost all) games.
By the way, Kawashima should be a boss in Super Smash Bros., along with Master Hand and Crazy Hand!
They're adding things like a digital manual in a future update. I'm guessing things like emulation options will be added too.
@yuwarite @GamerZack7 this game is presented this way because it needs to be played in this way.
@GamerZack7 lol, It feels like they are pretty much reached the end of Nintendo's ip to throw into Smash. I'm honestly surprised Kawashima hasn't become a character yet
yay
Oh, North Americans, quit complaining! We get more sales and all of our games are cheaper than all of everyone else's games, plus we can download games from Club Nintendo. When Europe gets a promotion NA doesn't, it's usually because Nintendo isn't as popular in Europe and needs the boost there.
Just a few notes about those curious about how the game is emulated...
This release seems to be a limited time promotion until Nintendo decides to officially launch DS games in the eShop…
The Miiverse subtitle for the Brain Training community reads:
"This community is open for a limited time only."
Speech recognition is bloody awful. Doesn't like my accent. Still a cool give away if only for sudoku puzzles.
Now, when are the real DS games going to come?
The E3 show instilled me with so much positive Nintendo goodwill that even as a US resident I'm not bothered by the lack of this title in our shop yet. Still, I look forward to trying it out if and when it appears.
@sillygostly
I should add that DS Download Play functionality doesn't work. The game seems to try doing local wireless stuff (all screens and buttons are working etc.), but neither my DS nor 3DS can't find anything. (UPD: And later I saw that you noticed that, sorry.)
Also, some neat bit - if you try to touch something on top screen (er... left sub-screen?), it will show you an icon about inability to touch in that area.
@C-Olimar
My copy of Geometry Wars: Galaxies works well with both Wii U's Wii Menu and DS Download Play, so yes.
Reggie please step down now...
Yooooohooooo!
I probably won't even play it, but it's free so why not?!
Cool, downloading it soon.
I love free stuff!!
Got to get this during the weekend and test it out.
Downloaded this early morning as soon as I read this article... bad bad move, I was still so sleepy my first brain's age test was a disaster >.<;;;
Bit strange.
I try anything for free so I'll download when I home.
Ugh, ok its free, thats great, but I see this the same as the GBA games on the 3DS, they will never happen and it it will be a year or two before DS games come to Wii U VC with all the bells and whistles.
No interest in DS games on the Wii U (me, at least, anyway), bring me Saturn, Dreamcast, N64 (sigh), Gamecube, along with ALL the VC from the Wii, p!ss poor service in my eyes, they are losing out on so much cash from small sales every week from people like me, just waiting for them to arrive.
Why Nintendo? Why? Whats the problem? Whats the delay? I was expecting, like most people, to hear news about the VC in some way on the Wii U at E3 this week, its what most people who have bought the Wii U since launch with game droughts since then are waiting to hear about. MK8, is great yes, but I'm kinda getting bored with it now, SSB4, no interest at all, Bayo 2 is a while away, XCX and a whole host of other games not coming till 2015?, Real bad.
Yes Ninty did great at E3 this year, the Event was brilliant! But after that, mah, got bored with little news on games, just Splatoon over and over, looks good, but, yeah we'll see.
And, wow, feck all news on the 3DS, yes I know they wanted to focus on the Wii U to make sales etc, but really, poor showing for the 3DS overall.
I cant be the only one who thinks this, can I?
As a European, I love Ninty, but sometimes, they just drive me nutz!
@BakaKnight I did exactly the same... Still at least the next score should be better. (I hope)
@readyletsgo to be honest its all down on the individual. There wasn't a big amount of stuff announced for the 3DS but the games that were I was wanting so a good show for me. Not really interested in half of the wiiu games but those I did like are pretty much split between this year and next. As far as the VC goes, I was a bit sceptical about DS on wiiu (love the GBA on the gamepad) but it works really well for this kind of game. Not sure how some of the others will work but brain training works well.
@Raptor78 haha, thanks for not jumping down my throat on me opinions, refreshing.
Yeah, there is a LOT of Wii U games that I want from E3 but a lot of them are just so far away, kinda put a dampener on it all for me. But I know they will come soon enough. As for the 3DS, yeah it has a loarge Back Cat now and they dont need to put too much focus on it anymore, but I am one of those idiots that buys the games day one and plays them to death then moves on to the next release on day one. Just seems barren now. But, thats my fault I guess.
VC just gets me really angry, so much potential being wasted each and every week.
I'm always waiting for a Arwing to fly in and shoot Kawashima's eyes.
I wonder why they waited until after E3? I thought it not happening with firmware 5.0 was them holding it back but maybe they needed to get the software rated or whatever. I guess if it launched during E3 it would draw in questions about DS VC releases or get lost in the mayhem.
@Ruthven If you opted into spotpass downloads or whatever the option is and left your Wii U in standby you might find it has downloaded itself (I know of a few people who woke up to find it on the thier Wii U menu).
Ouch..when you press the right analog stick you can rotate the image by 180 degree, but it also rotates the image on the TV lol.
This fact and that it doesn't have a Virtual Console menu of any kind make it seem like the VC trial.
someone let me know when its available in america
@readyletsgo I'm pretty much the same as you and was really hoping e3 would bring some megaton vc announcements, was hoping for gcn in particular. The thing I dont get is why cant they just release all the wii stuff?! Annoys me no end that these games are available but I want to play with the gamepad so they're no good to me at present.iwata was saying how he wants show the value of the gamepad and yet they fail to do simple things like this that would increase the uses of it.as far as im concerned, gamepad control compatibility should have been there on day1 with regards to wii vc and n64 vc.gcn would have been slightly trickier without the analogue triggers but still very doable.and like you say, its been 2 years and the wii u still has software drought issues and yet nintendo is the only company to have an extensive back catalogue spanning decades that they dont seem to be aware of.software droughts should not be in nintendo's lexicon oweing to their peerless history if only they used the vc properly.uber annoying. ..
On amore positive note, good e3 showing for the u, cant wait for most of the stuff shown and splatoon was great to see, bayo 1 packaged with 2 is awesome news for me as that was my personal game of last gen and zelda looks crazy.was surprised they didnt show a sizzle reel of ds vc games though seeing as it was announced a while back..
Well I will download it but not sure if I will bother playing it. At the very least it will be added to my account.
@heyzeus002 said "...and yet nintendo is the only company to have an extensive back catalogue spanning decades that they dont seem to be aware of. Software droughts should not be in nintendo's lexicon oweing to their peerless history if only they used the vc properly.uber annoying...."
This is it. I mean, Nintendo should NEVER have a software drought at the launch of any system going forward. Sure there is a bit of work to go into emulating the NES SNES N64, but have these simple games ready at launch for the VC on each new system, release 5 a week, minimum. Believe me, ninty fans will buy these over and over again, forever, cause, sure us Ninty fans are all mad lol.
But 2 years is way too long to be getting NES and SNES games and ONE Gamecube remake (as amazing as it was).
I bet with this Gamecube controller connection system thingy coming for SSB, Nintendo will ignore it and not release any Gamcube games on the VC for the life time of the Wii U, as, you see, that would make them a bit of money over the years, and sure, it seems they are so loaded with cash bla bla bla that new VC games are just not important at all to them.
I am fully aware that the people who buy VC games are a small minority and not a lot of cash is made from the sales of each VC game, but look after your followers and more will come an all that (did I get that saying right?).
@Ruthven I turned on my wii u & it was there already. I didnt even read this first.
Cool way for a free gift to arrive
I had already downloaded the game before I received the message but I still think it was cool when my pad lit up a played its notification tune. On a side note about the VC at e3, I really thought that when the GameCube pad adaptor was announced they would have announced GameCube VC.
@Raptor78 Im hopping that the GC VC happens so many classic GC titles
I downloaded it and playing now! thanks Nintendo!
I hope this is a sign of more DS games to come to VC
In some ways I would've liked a setting that would simply split up the 2 screens; have the "top" or left screen in the case of this game on TV and the other on the gamepad.
In fact they might have to implement a few different settings depending on potential future games.
I think this is pretty bad (Like all the emulations other than the GBA).
People even complain "Nintendo should release five VC games a week" when actually five VC games were released this week. (On Wii U, not counting 3DS)
Three new VC games and two old VC games were released on Wii U this week.
One of the new releases is free (Dr. Kawashima for DS) and the other two are on a sale (Pac-Land for NES and Pac-Man Collection for GBA).
The old releases are Super Punch-Out!! for SNES and Soccer for NES.
I grabbed the three new ones. (I downloaded the other two from the Wii Shop years ago and can play them in Wii Mode or upgrade.)
when the F*CKING HELL is this coming to america!?
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