Joystiq Video: Buying Zelda (NES) on the Wii's Virtual Console service

After finally getting our Wii connected to the internet (after myriad failed attempts), we immediately jumped into the Wii Shop to download one of the thirty or so games promised around launch. First in the virtual shopping cart: The Legend of Zelda. After a brief download (with Mario waiting screen), we fired up our new Zelda channel and played what appeared to be a pixel perfect replica of the 1986 NES classic. Nice touches: hot pluggable GameCube pad support (we popped in a Wavebird and it just worked) and an embedded instruction manual (just hit the Home button).

Available games and prices (remember, 100 Wii points = 100¢ in US currency and ¥100 in Japanese currency, but the conversion isn't so neat for other currencies) :

• Altered Beast (800 Wii points)

• Donkey Kong (500 Wii points)
  

• F-Zero (800 Wii points)

• Mario Bros. (500 Wii points)

• Pinball (500 Wii points)

• SimCity (800 Wii points)

• Soccer (500 Wii points)
  

• Solomon's Key (500 Wii points)
  

• Sonic the Hedgehog (800 Wii points)
  

• Super Mario 64 (1000 Wii points)

• The Legend of Zelda (500 points)

• Wario's Woods (500 points)

A video of the entire Wii Shop experience is embedded after the break.