Game-Over

The lack of third party games is frustrating but frustrating too is the fact that many of the games that are being released on Wii U VC aren't even home console type games, there for handhelds.

Nintendo seems to think that they have something for everybody with there library of games and while they can tick a lot of boxes no one company can tick them all. It's understandable that Nintendo wants to support there own product but reducing alternative choice is never a good thing.

Nintendo has many great games but the variety and just sheer choice of games that third party support brings is badly needed for the VC and eShop. The Wii U is a good console with some solid Nintendo titles but there needs to be some alternatives added it can't just be all about one brand, Wii U owners are missing out on some great games from alternative games makers that would be undoubtedly downloaded if they were made available.

With the variety and choice of games that were available on the original Wii VC it was thought (even expected) that the Wii U VC would be a retro game collectors holy grail, a one stop shop, It hasn't quite worked out that way though. If your a lover of all things Nintendo the Wii U is probably the best console ever, if ur a gamer though who likes a little bit of everything ur going to be a little bit left out this time around. While the Wii U with it's VC and eShop are good it could definitely be better, the orginal Wii VC showed us that already, all it takes is a little more choice. The Wii U should at least try to be that one stop shop, i like Nintendo but GBA on a home console is not enough, it's 2015.

Nothing particularly wrong with this weeks offerings, some cute colorful games to be had but it's becoming frustrating though that ur more likely to see a GBA game for download then a full blown arcade classic. Games like Marvel vs Capcom and Street Fighter 3 that were available for download on last gen consoles still haven't appeared on Wii U, playing GBA games is cool but the Wii U is a home console, there are so many great games that i would download if only they were made available on the VC or eShop. The Wii U VC just seems more and more to be directed at handheld gamers, why is Nintendo trying to turn the Wii U into a semi Gameboy. Nintendo already has a load of handheld systems why can't they let the Wii U be a home system. that's what it was supposed to be.

joey302, @Quorthon...Totally agree with what ur saying, i have big no issue with games like 90's arcade racer but like that it's an imitation of games that came out 15 to 20 years ago why are the original games not on the VC alredy, why is there so little variety in this genre of games and racing games as a whole on the Wii U, outside of Mario Kart there's no decent alternatives, that should not be the case at this stage. There's plenty of games that i would gladly buy but there not there to be bought.

People have been waiting quite a while now for a 90's arcade racer to be released, a game that takes inspiration from original arcade racers like Daytona USA and Ridge Racer, but why are these original games and games like them not making there way to the Wii U, wasn't that what the virtual console was supposed to be about. The original Wii had some classic arcade games for download as did the Playstation and Xbox why have Nintendo practically given up on this with the Wii U.

Nintendo systems are quality as are there games but there's arguably too much focus now on nintendo product with the Wii U, it's understandable of course but the lack of alternative choice in whats available is becoming more and more evident. That choice that was there with the original Wii is missing with the Wii U, the selection of alternative systems and games in the virtual console is gone even the virtual arcade has been all but forgotten about, Nintendo's idea of expanding on the retro virtual console experience was to discard every non nintendo console and add the GBA . Limiting the amount of choice is a bad thing and it's hurt the Wii U virtual console, over 2 years in and it's still mainly a diet of nes, snes and gba, as good as those systems and there games are it's become somewhat predictable, surely more systems need to be added, Nintendo or otherwise.

It's a decent attempt at imitating a particular genre of racer but it's not the most polished looking game. The game ls colourful and it's makes the right noises but on closer inspection it seems to lack substance but beggars can't be choosers and apart from Mario Kart there is not that many decent racing games on the Wii U. Nintendo's focus seems just to be on Nintendo made games and while that's understandable it does mean that variety is a little lacking, Mario Kart is great but surely other decent racers from the past and present could be made available. 90's racer is a well intentioned but pretty mediocre looking game, it says a lot about the selection of racers that are currently available on the Wii U that people are still waiting for it be released.

I would consider purchasing Midtown Crazy Race but i need to see more about it, it looks like Midtown Madness but does it play like Midtown Madness.

Will this controller work with old Wii VC games?

Good Article, it's true i think u have to be a child of the 80's to truly appreciate how gaming has evolved.

It would be nice to see more games returning to that kind of arty, cartoon, comic book style, i love it. Capcom in particular is a company i would love to see reverting back to a more retro style, i just can't take to the new visuals for Street Fighter, for me it's lost all it's appeal.

Good review, really nice visuals for this game and it's true next generation games don't all have to be 3D graphical marvels, old school games can still exist today. Good game play, creativity and style go a long way and never get old.

Really like the visuals for Guacamelee, hopefully it plays as well as it looks.

Good to hear this, like with the original Wii the VC is such an important part of the Wii U and updates like this are badly needed to keep things interesting. Patience has been a bit of virtue when it's come to the Wii U VC, it's good to see that it's starting to pay off. Hopefully more consoles are to follow.

Decent offerings this week for the Wii U and with another console soon to be added to the VC things are looking up.

For those new to the Wii U and the VC things are probably going well enough but i think people who had the old Wii console and have already downloaded many of the games that are on offer it can seem like Nintendo are just slowly and somewhat frustratingly going over the same ground. I don't mind downloading some of the old stuff again but it would be nice to see something new too, the introduction of the Gameboy Advance is not enough.

Nice to see a return to home consoles on the Wii U VC but aside from Super Punch Out there isn't much to get excited about, why is stuff being released so slowly. Something significant needs to happen in terms of the Wii U VC and E Shop, a new console being added would be nice or just an increase in what's being released for download every week. A little more needs to be added in terms of variety and choice.

Windy...Thanks for providing me with the answer to these burning questions, i knew something was wrong. Hopefully a crack team replaces this individual that was left in charge and puts up the games that i want to download from next week onwards, it's not much to ask.

The Wii U VC as a whole seems more Nintendo orientated this time around, theirs only Nintendo consoles in the VC and much of the game releases are from Nintendo, this is no terrible thing but their just isn't the same variety that was there with the the original Wii VC, Nintendo seem to be steering away from the other systems this time around. Variety is needed though, why haven't the N64 and Gamecube been added to the Wii U VC yet?.

Why is it that many of the systems and games that where available on the original Wii VC are not available on Wii U VC?. I was looking forward to the prospect of even more systems being added to the Wii U VC but this is looking more and more unlikely. The Wii U VC seems to be just about releasing games that are to be played on the gamepad screen which can only mean a continual focus on the release of handheld systems and games, if this is the case then were probably more likely to see Gameboy Colour titles then Gamecube ones.

KeeperBvk...Thanks for the input, obviously u see more flaws in my spelling and punctuation then the steady flow of GBA and not much else that we are currently getting for download every week. Gameboy Advance titles are great for fans of handheld games and that's fair enough it's a good option but the Wii U is a home console made for HD tv, more home consoles and games should be added.

More GBA, i thought that their would be more of a demand for more consoles and games to be added preferably home consoles. Game Boy Advance titles have become almost the main download diet, what's next Game Boy Colour and orginal Gameboy titles it would'nt surprise me at this point and it would'nt be a problem if their was plenty of other options every week for download but strangely their isn't.

The Alpha series is quite a different visually to the original street fighter series and is definitely worth a look if ur a street fighter fan. I have the SNES version on the Wii VC and like so many others would love to see the superior versions released for the Wii U VC, i'd love to see Street Fighter 3, Marvel vs Capcom and SNK vs Capcom also, great games. I much prefer the visuals for the old street fighter games, i just can't take to the new Tekken style animations for Street Fighter 4, it would be great to see Capcom return to that old style.

Obviously with Mario Kart being released everyone is happy this week even though outsIde of Mario kart it's another pretty poor week for the Wii U VC and like that Mario Kart comes with a pretty hefty download price tag. Although Mario Kart is an expensive download i do think that digital download is the way to go, it's great to have the option and instance of purchasing a new game from the comfort of ur own home

Will u be able to play old Wii Virtual Console games with this new controller.

Really glad to hear this, with no classic controllers available in the shops now for the original Wii it will be nice to have a controller that is compatible with both consoles.

Swords and Soldiers for Wii U is a cute game with nice visuals but like so many other weeks i don't see anything their that really interests me.

While i look the 8bit, 16bit style of this game it looks a little unpolished, it's throwing out a look and a sound that appeals to retro gamers but on closer inspection it has no real substance to it.

Good to see more indie titles but it is another disappointing week for the Wii U VC. Their is too much of a focus now on games that are to be played on the game pad screen, it's become a real limiting factor on what's being released. It's as though Nintendo is trying to turn the Wii U into a handheld game system wether u like it or not.

Nothing really that exciting this week for the Wii U VC but that's just my opinion, some decent enough games i suppose but none that i would instantly download. Patience really is a virtue when it comes to Wii U VC and e Shop, hopefully it will get rewarded somewhere down the line.

Just GBA for the Wii U VC, i suppose this is to be expected for the time being but how long will this trend continue? It's strange to be in possession of a next generation HD home console and to currently have only old handheld games to download. The GBA is OK but it should never be the main download diet of a next gen home console.

Don't like the visuals for this game, Spiderman is a comic book character yet their is no comic book feel to this game, it has the usual cross between the movie and Grand Theft Auto look about it.

I rarely like the visuals or the button bashing gameplay they use for super hero type games like Batman. Theirs always a tendency for a movie like adaptation of the character rather then a comic book one which is a pity when u think of all the source material that's their from the great comic book artists and writers that built the Batman character. I'd love to see a Batman game that had an authentic comic book look and feel to it.

hiptanka...Forgive my ignorance when it comes to handheld systems and games i have played on handhelds but never owned one as i've always had a preference for home consoles, thus my purcahse of a Wii U. That's really the point, the GBA on the VC is no bad thing and playing on the gamepad screen is a nice option but like that u buy a home console to play games that were made for a tv screen not a handheld one.

hiptanka...Yeah the old Wii VC games were mostly full screen i'm not seeing this with the Wii U maybe it's because it's HD or is it that's it's matching whats on the gamepad screen. To find that the gamepad screen is actually limiting what ur seeing on ur hd tv would be quite disappointing. It could be too that the gamepad screen is the the reason were not seeing certain games and consoles coming to the VC and why theirs a focus now on GBA games. I like the gamepad and the Wii U console as a whole but I bought the Wii U mainly for the VC being that the old Wii VC is so good but i'm getting the feeling that the new VC may actually be more limited then the old one. I hope i'm proven wrong.

Mostly GBA games again, is this the future of the VC?, playing handheld games on a next generation home system. The more u look at it it's hard to understand handheld games on the Wii U VC it's like a strange backward step in the sense that the magic of the handheld was really to give u slightly inferior minimized home console games that u could play mobile in the palm of ur hands, thats the selling point, that should'nt be a selling point of a next generation home console. Home console versions of games are better, the only thing that makes the hand held mobile experience advantageous is that u can take it with u like with films and music etc... but like that the Wii U is'nt a mobile device. GBA is on the VC and that's fair enough but should'nt the Wii U be more about home console releases, i don't want mobile versions of games i have a mobile phone for that, i bought a home console because i want home console versions of games.

Nice article, i never had a Sega Saturn but i did have a Dreamcast and like the Saturn it had some great 2D fighters. I'd love to see these consoles on the VC.

Love the opening visuals for this game pity that the playing visuals don't have that comic book feel, they always seem to go for a more realistic movie look in these types of games.

hcfwesker...Yeah the arrival of GBA is'nt a bad thing but like that if this is the direction that Nintendo takes with Wii U VC we may never see home consoles like the Gamecube arriving on the VC which would be a serious disappointment. With the old Wii VC releasing so many home consoles and titles it was expected that Wii U VC would naturally improve on this service but i'm not seeing this yet.

I can understand some fans enthusiasm for hand held games on the Wii U VC but do u really want the Wii U VC to become a glorified Game Boy Advance, is this what u bought a Wii U console for? would u prefer to download Gameboy Advance titles over say SNES, Megadrive or say lets if it were on option Dreamcast ones. The Wii U is a home console and i think their should be more of a demand for home console releases.

Not a home console release in sight on the Wii U, well i suppose that was to be expected this week with the hand held gamepad buzz but i'm really hoping that this is'nt going to be an ongoing trend. If i wanted an old hand held console i'd have bought one i was expecting more from the Wii U.

My only issue with handheld systems coming to VC is if Nintendo's VC releases become too gamepad and handheld focused which would severely limit the progression of the home consoles and their games on the VC. Gameboy Advance releases are OK but i would like the VC to be more about the NES, SNES, N64, Megadrive, Neo Geo, Arcade, Dreamcast, and Gamecube, that sounds a lot more interesting.

The Gamepad is definitely a useful alternative to using the tv but like that i bought the Wii U for use on the tv and not to play to handheld games. Although i'm not a big fan i can see the the logic in releasing handheld systems and games on the VC, it is a good way of using the gamepad and obviously theirs considerable interest there which is good news for Nintendo.

I think theirs a focus here on releasing games that are to be played on the Wii U controller screen, i don't know if this is a good thing. Does this mean that the controller screen is going to limit what they can do in terms of releasing games. I notice even when playing VC games on a tv ur not getting full screen this was not a problem with the original Wii. My VC games on the original Wii are actually displayed better on the big screen.

The reality is u don't buy a Wii U to play portable hand held games, the Wii U controller screen is a nice alternative but it's not a truly mobile portable device. For the most part u want to play ur games on a HD TV, whats the point in making the Wii U HD if ur releasing games that are to be played on a small screen.

antonvaltaz...A pleasent surprise if this is true because it is starting to look like the new VC is pretty much Nintendo only this time round and while thats not a terrible thing being that Nintendo have developed so many good consoles and games, it would be disappointing at the same time to realise that a lot of other consoles won't make it to the VC. That's what was great about the old VC the sheer variety of quality consoles and games.

The VC has NES and SNES and while i don't have any issue with Game Boy Advance games being added i would much rather have seen a N64 or Gamecube entry. Where has the Megadrive and Neo Geo gone? if there not there it likely means that the Dreamcast wont be coming anytime soon either, even the VC arcade is pretty much being ignored.

Will any non Nintendo consoles be added to the VC?, it does'nt look like it at the moment.