Virtual Console
The Virtual Console is one of many special features of the Wii and the Nintendo 3DS. The Virtual Console allows gamers to download games that have been uploaded by their respective companies. The Wii version currently only has video games from stationary consoles, mostly Nintendo's own NES, SNES, and Nintendo 64. Nintendo will not be uploading Nintendo GameCube games to the Wii Virtual Console, due to the fact that GameCube ISOs use 1.35 GB on the hard drive (the internal memory on the Wii is only 512 MB), and the Wii is backwards-compatible with all GameCube discs and most accessories. Hudson, Sega, SNK and Commodore have provided the Wii Virtual Console with Sega Genesis/Mega Drive, Sega Master System, TurboGrafx-16, Neo Geo, MSX (Japan only), and Commodore 64 games. Also, Nintendo has provided the Virtual Console with arcade titles under the name Virtual Console Arcade. For the Nintendo 3DS, only games from portable consoles have been announced, namely Game Boy, Game Boy Color, Game Gear, TurboGrafx-16, and likely the Game Boy Advance, considering the 3DS is not backwards compatible. It's noteworthy, however, that demos from NES and SNES were shown at E3.
Points
Wii Points
Wii Virtual Console games are bought with Wii Points via the Wii Shop Channel. Wii Points Cards, which are sold at most game retailers, each come with 2,000 redeemable Points on them. However, in Japan, cards are worth either 1,000, 3,000, or 5,000 Wii Points. Wii Points can also be purchased directly through the Wii Shop Channel with a credit card in blocks of either 1,000, 2,000, 3,000, 4,000, or 5,000 Points.
Pricing
Wii
| Console | Wii Points |
|---|---|
| Nintendo Entertainment System | 500 |
| Super Nintendo Entertainment System | 800 |
| Nintendo 64 | 1000 |
| Sega Genesis/Mega Drive | 800 |
| TurboGrafx-16 | 600 |
| Neo Geo | 900 |
| MSX (Japan Only) | 800 |
| Commodore 64 | 500 |
| Virtual Console Arcade | 500* |
While this pricing is true for most games, a few select games have been priced differently. Imported games such as Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars and Mario's Super Picross in Europe and Australia and Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels outside Japan cost 100 Wii Points more than usual.
In the United States, retailers currently only sell 2,000 points cards for $20 apiece, at a price of one cent per point.
Similarly, in Australia, retailers only sell 1,000 points cards for $20 apiece, but because of the rate of exchange between Australia and the United States (one Australian dollar is the equivalent of two American dollars), there is not much of a difference.
*Note: Games released on the Virtual Console Arcade are automatically set to 500 points. However, most Virtual Console Arcade games are priced higher than 500 points.
Controllers
Wii
Various controllers can be used to play Virtual Console games.
- Wii Remote - when turned sideways, it acts as a substitute for the NES controller.
- Classic Controller - can play any game; designed to resemble an SNES controller
- Classic Controller Pro- Classic Controller with grips; is slightly wider and has the cord coming out of the top
- Nintendo GameCube controller - can play almost any game, but works best for N64 games
List of Mario Games for the Virtual Console
Wii
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Nintendo 3DS
Games on the Virtual Console of the 3DS do not have 3D capabilities, except for 3D Classics. They are sold via Nintendo eShop.
The following Mario games have been released on the Virtual Console of the 3DS:
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Nintendo 3DS Ambassador Program
Template:Infobox All of these games are available as free downloads for consumers who purchased a 3DS prior to the August 12, 2011 price drop. The NES titles were first available in North America and Japan on August 31, 2011 for these ambassadors, with the release date for the general public set for October 1, 2011. Nintendo currently has no plans to release the GBA games to the general public.
NES games
- Super Mario Bros.
- The Legend of Zelda
- Zelda II: The Adventure of Link
- NES Open Tournament Golf
- Donkey Kong Jr.
- Balloon Fight
- Ice Climber
- Yoshi
- Wrecking Crew
- Metroid
Game Boy Advance announced games
- Yoshi's Island: Super Mario Advance 3
- Mario Kart: Super Circuit
- Metroid Fusion
- WarioWare, Inc.: Minigame Mania
- Mario vs. Donkey Kong
- Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros. 3
- Kirby & the Amazing Mirror[1]
Notes
Wii
- Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels was only available in Europe and Australia from September 15, 2007 until October 1, 2007. It was then still available to freely re-download for those who purchased it while it was initially available. On August 22, 2008, it was made available again, this time without any time restrictions.
- This is also the first time that the NES version was made available outside Japan, having been remade for the SNES elsewhere. Thus, its title screen reads "Super Mario Bros. 2", its Japanese name.
- Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars was regarded by Nintendo as the 250th game to be released on the Virtual Console in North America. Its European Virtual Console release was the first official release of that game in the region.
- Timed demos of several Virtual Console games are included in Super Smash Bros. Brawl, all of which star the game's various fighters. The only default Mario title is Super Mario Bros.; Donkey Kong, Super Mario Bros. 2, and Super Mario World are the others, but they must first be unlocked.
- Despite the GameCube controller having built-in force feedback, no N64 game supports the vibration feature (originally requiring a separate peripheral). Also, Mario Kart 64 required a Controller Pak to save ghost data, which the VC version does not support.
Nintendo 3DS
- Multiplayer modes which require more than one controller/system are either not supported or require an alternation between players 1 and 2 by changing the controls. This is done by pressing simultaneously the
and 
buttons to show the control change command and pressing the 
button to make the swap.
- This feature can also be used when playing Game Boy games to change the screen color from gray to the classic green.
Changes
Although Nintendo has claimed they will keep all Virtual Console releases as true to the original as possible, they have made several changes to various games for certain reasons.
Wii
Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars
- The attack Flame Wall was recolored to avoid the risk of seizures.
- For the PAL Virtual Console release, the offensive word "bugger" (used when Croco says "You're a persistent bugger") was replaced with the word "pest".
- Moleville has a notably darker color scheme.
Super Mario 64
- During gameplay, the drop shadows located at the top and bottom of the screen have been removed and can only return if Mario loses all of his Health Points.
- Chain Chomp's mouth is purple instead of red, possibly because the game in general is made a bit darker.
Mario Kart 64
- When the Lightning item is used, the flash that appears during the use of that item has been adjusted to avoid the risk of seizures.
- The train in the Kalimari Desert course's red wheels were recolored black for unknown reasons.
Paper Mario
- The brightness of the light from the Super Block has been adjusted to avoid the risk of seizures.
See Also
- WiiWare — Applications and games that can be downloaded from the Wii Shop Channel.
- DSiWare — Applications and games that can be downloaded from the DSi Shop.
References
