Global InformationVirtual Console information
 | This article may be confusing or unclear to readers. (August 2015) |
 | |
| Developer | Nintendo |
|---|---|
| Type | Classic video game re-release distribution |
| Launch date |
|
| Discontinued | Wii January 30, 2019 Wii U and 3DS March 27, 2023 |
| Platform(s) |
|
| Status |
|
| Website | Wii Official US website[dead link] Official UK website Official Japanese website Nintendo 3DS Official US website[dead link] Official UK website Official Japanese website Wii U Official US website[dead link] Official UK website Official Japanese website |
The Virtual Console[a] is a defunct line of downloadable video games for Nintendo's Wii and Wii U home video game consoles and the Nintendo 3DS family of systems.
The Virtual Console lineup consisted of titles originally released on past home and handheld consoles. These titles were run in their original forms through software emulation (excluding GBA titles on the 3DS and Wii on Wii U), therefore remaining mostly unaltered, and could be purchased from the Wii Shop Channel or Nintendo eShop for between 500 and 1200 Wii Points. They could also be purchased using real currency for $2.99 and $9.99 (3DS) and $4.99 and $9.99 (Wii U), depending on the system, rarity, and/or demand.[1][2] Virtual Console's library of past games consisted of titles originating from the Nintendo Entertainment System, Super Nintendo Entertainment System, Game Boy, Game Boy Color, Nintendo 64, Game Boy Advance, and Nintendo DS, as well as Sega's Master System, Genesis/Mega Drive and Game Gear, NEC's TurboGrafx-16, and SNK's Neo Geo AES. The service for the Wii also included games for platforms that were known only in select regions, such as the Commodore 64 (Europe and North America) and Microsoft's and ASCII's MSX (Japan),[3] as well as Virtual Console Arcade, which allowed players to download video arcade games. Virtual Console titles have been downloaded over ten million times.[4] The distribution of past games through the Virtual Console is one of Nintendo's reasons for opposing software piracy of old console games.[5]
On January 30, 2019, the Virtual Console service was discontinued on the Wii, following the shutdown of the Wii Shop Channel.[6]
On March 27, 2023, the Virtual Console service was discontinued on the Wii U and Nintendo 3DS.[7] Purchased titles remain playable.
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- ^ Orland, Kyle (September 14, 2006). "Nintendo Japan Conference Not so Liveblogging". Joystiq.
- ^ "Fils-Aime Talks American Launch and More". thewiire.com. September 14, 2006. Archived from the original on November 21, 2006.
- ^ "Nintendo Japan Virtual Console overview" (in Japanese). Nintendo. Retrieved February 25, 2007.
- ^ "Q&A: Nintendo's Satoru Iwata". GameSpot.
- ^ "Nintendo Anti-Piracy". Ap.nintendo.com. Archived from the original on January 11, 2019. Retrieved March 5, 2014.
- ^ Ryan Whitwam (January 30, 2019). "Nintendo Begins Phasing Out Wii Virtual Console, Making Classic Games Inaccessible". Extremetech. Retrieved August 20, 2020.
- ^ Faulkner, Cameron (July 19, 2022). "Nintendo will close the Wii U and 3DS eShops on March 27th, 2023". The Verge. Retrieved July 19, 2022.