Virtual Console up and running

The Wii's downloadable game service has gone live with a dozen titles and a few surprises.

While the Nintendo Wii doesn't go on sale in the US for a few more hours, Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aime confirmed for GameSpot today that the first owners of the system will be able to get online and download classic games right out of the box.

Just in time for the Wii launch, here comes the Virtual Console.

Already on the Virtual Console, users can purchase Wii Points and download games from older systems. NES games cost 500 Wii Points ($5), Super NES and Sega Genesis games are 800 Wii Points ($8), and Nintendo 64 games are 1,000 Wii Points ($10). There weren't any TurboGrafx-16 games on the service at press time, but Nintendo has said pricing for those will start at 600 Wii Points ($6).

While the games are expected to be faithful re-creations of the originals instead of the type of revamped or rearranged arcade classics that have been sold on the Xbox 360's Marketplace, GameSpot editors found at least one new trick had been added. After quitting a session of Sonic the Hedgehog back to the Wii channel menu, and then loading the game back up, the editors found that the Wii had automatically saved the editors' place in the game and resumed play right where it had left off. Also, while downloading games, users are shown a Mario-themed progress bar that shows the mascot plumber or his brother Luigi running across the screen, hitting coin blocks and collecting coins off the ground.

Mario serves as the download progress bar.

Nintendo announced last month that the following titles would be available on the Virtual Console by the end of the year. Games already confirmed to be up on the service today are italicized.

NES
Mario Bros.
The Legend of Zelda
Donkey Kong
Donkey Kong Jr.
Ice Hockey
Pinball
Soccer
Tennis
Urban Champion
Wario's Woods
Baseball
Solomon's Key

A dozen titles dating back to the '80s are already available.

SNES
F-Zero
SimCity

Nintendo 64
Super Mario 64

Sega Genesis
Sonic the Hedgehog
Altered Beast
Golden Axe
Columns
Ecco the Dolphin
Gunstar Heroes
Space Harrier II
Toe Jam & Earl
Ristar
Dr. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine

TurboGrafx-16
Bonk's Adventure
Super Star Soldier
Victory Run
Bomberman '93
Dungeon Explorer

347 Comments

  • juanfraino

    Posted Nov 18, 2006 6:15 pm PT

    I`ll be sure to download some of these games as soon as I get the wii.

  • toadster101

    Posted Nov 18, 2006 6:08 pm PT

    Awesome!!

  • UrbanMessiah

    Posted Nov 18, 2006 6:07 pm PT

    I guess this is kinda neat...When more N64 games pop up and I can play them with a decent controller like the Wii classic one, THEN I'll get more intruiged. And to those that swore up and down that these games would be free? I know its late, but I was busy so...ahem...

    "Told ya so!" -=p

  • Gex30002

    Posted Nov 18, 2006 6:06 pm PT

    Gunstar Heroes..... I just creamed my shorts.

  • Stillmatic91

    Posted Nov 18, 2006 5:51 pm PT

    cool but people gettinting a Wii at midnight means they will be playing LoZ:TP not these old games

  • SpareJesus

    Posted Nov 18, 2006 5:51 pm PT

    Here Wii go, here Wii go, here Wii go..

  • chikahiro94

    Posted Nov 18, 2006 5:35 pm PT

    And as soon as SNK starts sticking Neo Geo titles up there, I'll be happy

    @audioaxes
    "what a rip off!!!! just use a emulator they play sega/nes/snes games flawlessly"

    And illegally too. Maybe you should look at what the MPAA and RIAA have been doing in the past few years. Nintendo, Sega, and Hudson all have a financial interest in starting to aggressively pursuing warez sites hosting roms of their games.

  • undox

    Posted Nov 18, 2006 5:31 pm PT

    There is one thing that I would like with some of these games. I would like to use the Wii remote to play them without the Classic controller. Games like Space Harrier II would be great to play. You can move much faster and accurately with the remote the a standard controller because of the 3D motion. I know that they won't change an old game like that, but it is something that I would like, anyway.

  • Ultima08

    Posted Nov 18, 2006 5:25 pm PT

    Just for all your information go to wikipedia's virtual console article it has a list of confirmed VC games with the links to the sources of the info

  • mmpr7

    Posted Nov 18, 2006 5:21 pm PT

    http://www.lowestdeal.com/nintendoWII.html
    They have Wii IN STOCK but you'll have to overpay!!

  • Digital-Devil

    Posted Nov 18, 2006 5:20 pm PT

    audioaxes...go away

  • olthof

    Posted Nov 18, 2006 5:20 pm PT

    Get to Australia quicker Ninty!

  • BreeBerry

    Posted Nov 18, 2006 5:19 pm PT

    They've got to add Streets of Rage and Mortal Kombat, oh those games bring back such sweet memories....

  • living420

    Posted Nov 18, 2006 5:18 pm PT

    those aren't expensive, Go to your local game trader and try to buy any of those. Some Snes games are $100 a piece. This is wicked.

  • audioaxes

    Posted Nov 18, 2006 5:18 pm PT

    what a rip off!!!!
    just use a emulator they play sega/nes/snes games flawlessly

  • DarKnite32

    Posted Nov 18, 2006 5:18 pm PT

    thats cool in all, but it looks like they didn't put the legend of zeld ocarina of time... maybe it'll come later

  • SemiMaster

    Posted Nov 18, 2006 5:15 pm PT

    Seriously, those are pretty expensive...

  • mmpr7

    Posted Nov 18, 2006 5:14 pm PT

    Wouldn't it be cheaper to buy an old N64 or Genesis on eBay with some games? $8 for Genesis and $10 for N64 seems a little steep to me :/

  • serotonin0

    Posted Nov 18, 2006 5:13 pm PT

    If these were going for half the price I'd almost consider it.. Maybe Toe Jam and Earl is worth it...

  • funtownarcade

    Posted Nov 18, 2006 5:09 pm PT

    I can't wait for Dungeon Explorer, and I hope they let you use the wiimote to point at things in sim city

  • time-warp

    Posted Nov 18, 2006 5:08 pm PT

    I loved my N64 back in the day. Definitely gonna download Mario 64, will be nice to play it on a full screen again (been playing DS version too)...Games I'd like to see on Virtual Console... Mario Kart 64, Banjo Kazooie, Yoshi's Island. Can't wait to see a vid of Virtual Console in motion - faab. btw, Gamespot Coverage on Wii is SOOO much better than IGN! Go Gamespot! :-)

  • Agreb91

    Posted Nov 18, 2006 5:08 pm PT

    Thats cool its up already.

  • REVOLUTIONfreak

    Posted Nov 18, 2006 5:07 pm PT

    cool..... if only I had Wii points

  • shadystxxx

    Posted Nov 18, 2006 5:05 pm PT

    i have never had the pleasure to play any zelda games since the first nes zelda,my wii is pre-ordered and paid for it seems these consoles are harder to get a hold of then first thought in the uk, i had 6 pre-orders in incase one failed i had another chance with another company but since then ive had 5 emails 4 saying were sorry but we cannot get you a wii for launch bla bla bla, and 1 confiming my payment and delivery date and an email saying it will be here on the 8th it better be, my first nintendo console since the first nes, im really excited as you can tell i have completly went off from what i was going to say sorry.

    Im hoping the old zeldas come to vc like the n64 zelda i forget the name but i always wanted to play that but never got round to buying the system nd i will pick up the old gc versions.

    i have zelda tp ordered with red steel but after the poor review im thinking of cancelling that i probaly wont though as i have 3 extra remotes and nun-chucks ordered also just to play split screen red steel, reminds me of golden eye we used to play that at my friends skyving off school just to play it along with mario 64 and mario kart they were good games.
    im looking forward to some mario and other nintendo stuff will be a nice change from shooting dudes in the face on the 360.
    i might pick up truma centre and banana blitz also they scored good and tc looks interesting.

  • MountainDewHigh

    Posted Nov 18, 2006 5:03 pm PT

    they need more n64 games

  • Helghast_Merc

    Posted Nov 18, 2006 5:00 pm PT

    Some of you guys are wondering "Hey, where's (title of game) at? it's not there"
    but don't worry, they'll eventually be available as soon as possible. Remember, 10 games are being released for the VC every month. It might be possible that some of them might not make the list, but I am hoping that some titles like Earthworm Jim, Paper Mario, Etc. will make it on the list in the future.

  • viewtiful_joe99

    Posted Nov 18, 2006 4:57 pm PT

    Hopefully the games will all have added things like save features, it would give me an excuse to buy my favorites again.

  • Andy639_basic

    Posted Nov 18, 2006 4:52 pm PT

    Nintendo is [finally] on the ball with this one. Heck yes!

  • HyruleanLink

    Posted Nov 18, 2006 4:49 pm PT

    BlueBarad wrote:
    "Do you play these games with the Wii-Mote?"

    You play the VC games with the classic NES controller that you buy at the store( I think the controller is $20). That's awesome that this is up and running. The first game I'd get is Mario 64.

  • snakenamedjoe

    Posted Nov 18, 2006 4:48 pm PT

    I'm not seeing any Square/Enix games on the list. No Chronno Trigger, Final Fantasy, or Dragon Warrior games. I hope they're not having trouble getting these on there. Anyone heard anything?

  • TryMe01

    Posted Nov 18, 2006 4:47 pm PT

    omg! omg! omg! so awesomely cool!! now all i need is an Australian Wii... (in about 3 weeks...)

  • ThePatinator

    Posted Nov 18, 2006 4:46 pm PT

    Any chance of Chrono Trigger, Earthbound, Super Mario RPG or Paper Mario(64) getting on there? I've always wanted to play them

  • jyoukhana

    Posted Nov 18, 2006 4:44 pm PT

    no super smash bros on 64. That was a fun game

  • Boaandli

    Posted Nov 18, 2006 4:42 pm PT

    Just imagine play Mario bros. and gunstar heroes with friends using the classic Nintendo controller, that's fun as hell!!!

  • ConManWithGun

    Posted Nov 18, 2006 4:40 pm PT

    NO N64 ZELDA?!?!?!?!!?!?!

  • Thorpe89 Site moderator

    Posted Nov 18, 2006 4:40 pm PT

    Wow, that interface looks clean.

  • xplayhousex

    Posted Nov 18, 2006 4:39 pm PT

    OMG OMG OMG TOEJAM AND EARL!!!

  • DELTAsnake

    Posted Nov 18, 2006 4:38 pm PT

    It will be interesting to see if games like Sonic that are on both the VC and Xbox Live Arcade are the same on both consoles or if there is something in one version that the otherone dosn't have.

  • GARRYTH

    Posted Nov 18, 2006 4:38 pm PT

    were is super metroid the best game ever and not there

  • spider5000_1

    Posted Nov 18, 2006 4:36 pm PT

    Mystical Ninja starring Goemon please

  • gta11

    Posted Nov 18, 2006 4:33 pm PT

    Cool.

  • Dace67

    Posted Nov 18, 2006 4:32 pm PT

    Too bad I own all the games I've seen that I would want...

  • pagan_princess

    Posted Nov 18, 2006 4:32 pm PT

    Im just happy that owners of the Wii will be able to get online and download classic games right out of the box, eventhough game selections are slim.

  • BlueBarad

    Posted Nov 18, 2006 4:32 pm PT

    Do you play these games with the Wii-Mote?

  • KidIcarus3

    Posted Nov 18, 2006 4:30 pm PT

    Wait a minute... correct my if I'm wrong, but wasn't Bomberman '93 five player? How is that going to work? Does the Wii support more than four players?

  • Digital-Devil

    Posted Nov 18, 2006 4:29 pm PT

    Wow people already complaining about the list, guess noone noticed that they will be adding games each month

    It is a very good line-up as of now, Mario 64, and old school Zelda...hell yes

  • ksathra

    Posted Nov 18, 2006 4:27 pm PT

    What no Streets of Rage 1-3,Phantasy Star 2 and 4,Military Madness? Also I hope the Snes Starfox shows up on there (Can live without Starfox 64)

  • mdoubleok

    Posted Nov 18, 2006 4:26 pm PT

    can you play f-zero online with other people????
    if not then whats the point. I want real online service this crap is free cause you dont get bells and whistles just think how many more wii's will fly off the shelf if we could play any of the mario kart games online with other people hell even mario party

  • Phazevariance

    Posted Nov 18, 2006 4:24 pm PT

    I'm still waiting for Uniracers, and LOZ:Link to the Past, Super Punch Out, Earth Worm Jim, ...

  • quocthai

    Posted Nov 18, 2006 4:22 pm PT

    no leader board? no online mode? no updated grafix, 99% of virtua console games are not worth the price

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