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The Duck Hunt begins for Wii U owners on Christmas Day
Want to know what Christmas morning was like back in (not-so) old uncle Jim's day? Well if you own a Wii U, maybe this year you can. As you wipe the sleep from your eyes on December 25th and run downstairs, you'll finally be able to take the digital wraps off Duck Hunt -- as Nintendo's just confirmed that's when it will be available via Virtual Console. Finally you can pop a cap in a few majestic mallards -- just like uncle did all those years ago -- only with a Wiimote rather than a light gun (at least Nintendo didn't mention one yet). There's no word on whether you'll need to pay up for the privilege yet, either. If you are uncle/aunt Jim/Jane/whatever (like me), then perhaps instead you can show your favourite niece/nephew, exactly how it's done -- you old dog.
Mega Man channels Cut Man to deal with Virtual Console prices
Capcom kicked off a sale on games in its Mega Man series through the Nintendo 3DS and Wii U eShops today. The sale coincides with the 27th anniversary of the iconic blue hero as well as the debut of another game on Nintendo's Virtual Console: Mega Man Zero. The Game Boy Advance classic is now available on the Wii U eShop for $7.99. The "Mega Manniversary" sale hacks 50 percent off the price of six Mega Man games until Monday, December 22 at 11:59 a.m. ET (8:59 a.m. PT). On sale are the Game Boy versions of Mega Man 2, Mega Man 3 and Mega Man 4 for 3DS, each down to $1.49. As for Wii U, players can download NES games Mega Man 5 and Mega Man 6 for $2.49 each as well as Mega Man 7 for $3.99. Of course, kids these days may have troubles with these difficult retro platformers. [Image: Capcom]
Castlevania precursor Vampire Killer coming to Wii U Virtual Console...in Japan
One of the earliest entries in Konami's long-running Castlevania series is due for resurrection via the Wii U's Virtual Console service in Japan on December 17, Nintendo revealed this week. Originally released for MSX home computers in 1986, Akumajou Dracula (aka Vampire Killer in European territories) resembles the 8-bit NES Castlevania aesthetically, but takes a more open-ended approach to its gameplay. This exploration-focused style returned in 1988's Castlevania 2: Simon's Quest, and became a defining element of later series entries like Castlevania: Symphony of the Night. Unfortunately, given that MSX games are not featured in the Virtual Console's catalog stateside, it's unlikely that Vampire Killer will see a North American eShop release. Castlevania fans will have to be content with recent Wii U Virtual Console releases like Dracula X and Aria of Sorrow instead. [Video: World of Longplays]
Duck Hunt tracking down Wii U Virtual Console
Following a trailer for the Wii U version of Super Smash Bros. that showed the infamous chuckling dog from Duck Hunt in action (seen above), today's Nintendo Direct livestream revealed that the classic lightgun game is also on the way to the Wii U Virtual Console. Given that it made its debut in 1984 on NES, Duck Hunt just celebrated its 30th anniversary. While Nintendo didn't reveal an exact date for its launch, the game will arrive "soon" on the eShop and will require a Wii Remote controller to play. [Image: Nintendo]
After Burner 2 leads Sega's second set of 3DS classics next year
Sega announced plans to re-release five games from its catalog on 3DS in 2015, the publisher announced today. The next set of "3D Classics" from Sega will reach North America and Europe next year, starting with After Burner 2 in early 2015. Sega plans to issue one game every month from that point on, each priced at $5.99 (£4.49 / €4.99) on Nintendo's 3DS eShop. Though it did not list the order in which the games will appear on the eShop, the other four games getting the 3D relaunch treatment are Fantasy Zone, Fantasy Zone 2, OutRun and Thunder Blade. The first set of 3D Classics launched in late November 2013 and included games like Sonic the Hedgehog, Altered Beast, Ecco the Dolphin and Shinobi 3. Games in the 3D Classic catalog such as Space Harrier feature additional game settings that allow players to optimize the difficulty, number of lives and other bonus functions, improving on the original games. [Image: Sega]
Demon's Crest, Gargoyle's Quest 2 invade eShop on October 30
Capcom will resurrect a pair of demonic platformers from its back catalog next week with the launch of Demon's Crest and Gargoyle's Quest 2 for the Nintendo eShop. Both games star Ghosts 'n Goblins series antagonist Firebrand, and both feature side-scrolling action bolstered by action-RPG elements. Firebrand navigates an RPG-like overworld in between difficult platforming sequences in 1992's Gargoyle's Quest 2 for the NES, while the 1994 SNES series finale Demon's Crest takes a more open-ended approach, challenging players to return to previously-explored levels as they uncover hidden items and pursue multiple endings. Capcom's upcoming eShop re-releases will premiere at a significant discount compared to their current aftermarket prices. Cartridge-only copies of Demon's Crest are hovering around $100 on eBay these days, and Gargoyle's Quest 2 is approaching $70. 3DS and Wii U owners get Gargoyle's Quest 2 for $4.99 next week, and Demon's Crest will hit the Wii U eShop exclusively for $7.99. (For the record, I sold my cartridge of Gargoyle's Quest 2 for $10 and complete-in-box (sob) copy of Demon's Crest for around $20 years ago. I regret my mistakes.) [Image: Capcom / VG Museum]
New Nintendo eShop releases: Super Smash Bros, Dracula X
It's time, once again, for Nintendo's pantheon to beat the ever-loving snot out of itself. Super Smash Bros. for 3DS headlines this week's Nintendo eShop update, arriving tomorrow with a cast of familiar favorites and eager newcomers. Smashers can currently download the game's free version 1.02 update from the Nintendo eShop in advance of tomorrow's release. Also hitting the eShop this week is a Wii U Virtual Console port of Konami's Super NES platformer Castlevania: Dracula X. Note that this isn't the version of Dracula X that many hold in high regard; the SNES version is a compromised reworking of the PC Engine classic Dracula X: Rondo of Blood. Konami has more Castlevania in store for the month of October, announcing that the Game Boy Advance series entries Castlevania: Circle of the Moon and Castlevania: Harmony of Dissonance will hit the Wii U on October 9 and October 16, respectively. Other games premiering this week include the anime-based 3DS fighting game Tenkai Knights: Brave Battle, edutainment release Red Riding Hood, and EnjoyUp's Wii U dodge-'em-up 99Seconds. A full list of this week's eShop releases is after the break. [Image: Nintendo]
New Nintendo eShop releases: Mega Man BC Challenge, Double Dragon 2
Capcom continues its quest to roll out a new Mega Man game in the eShop every week in August with Mega Man Battle Chip Challenge, a GBA-exclusive spinoff in the Battle Network subseries. Battle Chip Challenge joins the Wii U's eShop catalog this week alongside recently released series entries Mega Man 5 and Mega Man Battle Network. Retrogaming fans can also get their hands on the NES version of Double Dragon 2 via the Wii U's Virtual Console service this week. Double Dragon 2 arrives with its two-player option intact, but please be considerate if you have friendly fire enabled -- your partner probably won't be too happy if an errant whirlwind kick ends them flying off a cliff. Nintendo has more NES classics in store for the Wii U eShop by the end of the month, including Konami's Gradius follow-up Life Force and Donkey Kong Jr. Math, an early 8-bit release that commands a surprisingly high price on eBay despite its formulaic gameplay. Other Wii U eShop highlights this week include Ubiquitous Entertainment's vertically scrolling shoot'em-up Gaiabreaker and PhobosLab's twin-stick shooter XType Plus. while 3DS owners can look forward to Collavier's action-puzzler Amida's Path and a demo version of the upcoming Cooking Mama 5: Bon Appétit! A full list of this week's featured games is after the break below.
Super Mario Kart races onto North American Wii U eShop
Super Mario Kart has appeared on the Nintendo eShop for the Wii U Virtual Console. The great-great-great-great-great-grandfather to the very popular Mario Kart 8 was spotted by NeoGAF and confirmed by Joystiq earlier today. The game still features its splitscreen 2-player mode, and can be purchased for $7.99. Wii U owners, you maybe begin to rev your nostalgia-powered engines. [Image: Nintendo]
Sega's plans for Wii U Virtual Console are non-existent
The age-old rivalry between Sega and Nintendo may be all but over, but that doesn't mean the two companies are sharing everything with each other. Case in point: the distinct lack of Sega games on the Wii U Virtual Console. Case in sad point: that situation may not change anytime soon, if ever. In response to a Twitter user's question about plans to bring Sega games to the Wii U Virtual Console, Yosuke Okunari - a company producer who has worked on 3DS conversions of classics like Outrun and Space Harrier - said plainly that "there are no such plans." Not all hope was dashed however, as Okunari suggested the fan make their desires known to Sega West. So the bad news is the Wii U Virtual Console shall be sorely lacking Sega favorites like Sonic The Hedgehog, Golden Axe, Altered Beast or - let's face it, everyone's favorite - Vectorman, at least for now. The good news is you can still play most games released for the original Wii's Virtual Console by going through the Wii U's emulation software by selecting the "Wii Menu" channel on the console's start menu. You'll have to use a Wii Remote or Classic controller to play the thing, and you won't have access to that game's Miiverse or off-TV options like you would if it were native to the Wii U Virtual Console, but technically you can still play. So on the bright side, you're not actually missing out on access to some of these games, it's just time-consuming and inconvenient! Yay? [Image: Sega]
Lufia: The Legend Returns, Harvest Moon 2 to reach 3DS VC
E3 2014 wasn't just great for new games – Capcom showed Virtual Console users a little love with their upcoming release schedule, and now Natsume Inc. has done the same by announcing two new 3DS VC titles: Both Lufia: The Legend Returns and Harvest Moon 2 GBC are "coming soon" to the digital storefront. While Game Boy Color cartridges of either game are still reasonably priced, we're hoping this will lead to a debut of the SNES' pricier Lufia 2: Rise of the Sinistrals on the Wii U VC, which typically sells for $50 or higher. Hoping for the same scenario with Harvest Moon 64 might be futile, though – when a fan asked about the possibility of the N64's farm-and-relationship simulator arriving at a later date, the Natsume page responded: "Sadly, HM64 won't be appearing." [Image: Natsume]
Capcom adding 15 NES, SNES, GBA games to Virtual Console
Tired of browsing eBay listings for old Demon's Crest cartridges, hopelessly trying to find one that's less than $70? Well, close your auction tabs - Capcom Unity's Brelston shared a slate of 15 new NES, SNES and GBA games planned for the North American 3DS and Wii U Virtual Consoles. While Mega Man definitely dominates the schedule with Mega Man X3 and a re-introduction of the Megaman Battle Network series, Demon's Crest is also coming, as well as SNES RPG Breath of Fire and the the NES' Gargoyle's Quest 2, Street Fighter 2010 and Mighty Final Fight. The blog warns that Mega Man Zero 2, Mega Man Battle Network 2 and Mega Man Battle Network 3 "may not make 2014," but it's nice to know we'll see them on our TVs again without having to dig out our Game Boy Player. European fans will be catching up to the North American Mega May schedule as well, with Mega Man 2 - 5 and the Mega Man Xtreme series among the titles coming to the European 3DS and Wii U eShops. If there's a specific title you're crossing your fingers to see, there's a full list of the games and their respective platforms and regions they're launching in after the break. [Image: Capcom Unity]
Wii U plugs first DS game into Virtual Console in Japan
Puzzle-poser Brain Age is the first DS game to arrive on Wii U Virtual Console, and it's out now in Japan for free until June 30. Nintendo revealed plans in January to add the DS to Virtual Console on Wii U, but it's unknown if Brain Age is headed West or when other DS games may come to the system. When approached on the matter, a spokesperson for Nintendo UK told Joystiq, "We have nothing to announce at this time." To use its oh-so-catchy full title, Brain Age: Train Your Brain in Minutes a Day! hit Japan's store shelves back in 2005. The West didn't see it until 2006, but that didn't stop the brain-teaser going on to notch 19 million sales worldwide. It also didn't stop our love affair with Dr Kawashima's floating polygonal dome, even if he couldn't understand our thick Manchester accent. [Image: Nintendo]
Zelda: The Minish Cap coming to Wii U eShop in Europe next week
Nintendo announced that a Virtual Console version of its 2004 Game Boy Advance game The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap is due to hit the Wii U eShop in Europe next week. Developed by Capcom, The Minish Cap teams Link up with a talking hat that can shrink its wearer to the size of tiny Minish tribesmen. Gameplay pairs the Zelda series' traditional item-based progression with Link's newfound ability to grow and shrink in size, giving puzzles a unique flair. The Minish Cap resurfaces as part of Capcom's recently announced plans to port its Game Boy Advance back catalog to Nintendo's Wii U console, and was previously a featured game in Nintendo's 3DS Ambassador program. The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap will make its eShop debut in Europe on May 29. A North American release has not been announced. [Image: Nintendo]
Capcom's GameBoy Advance hits coming to Wii U
Say what you will of Nintendo's Wii U, but the Virtual Console grows increasingly intriguing with word that Capcom is working to bring its slate of GameBoy Advance games to the retro emulation service. Recently, Capcom confirmed to IGN that both Blue and White versions of Mega Man Battle Network 3 would grace the Virtual Console, before noting that the two games are not the extent of Capcom's plans for the digital distribution service. "We are working on bringing this and other GBA titles to the North American Virtual Console," Capcom said. "We'll have more information about the lineup in the coming months. For Australia and Europe, we are still in discussions about the release of Virtual Console titles for those markets." Though Capcom's impromptu reveal makes no mention of which GameBoy Advance games might land on the Virtual Console, the company has a respectable complement to choose from. Street Fighter Alpha 3 and Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney are just two of the games Capcom released for the handheld during its lifespan, and fans would be happy to see either appear on the Wii U's eShop. Capcom also developed the excellent (if largely overlooked) The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap, which would be perfectly suited for re-release given that Nintendo served as the game's original publisher. When contacted, Capcom offered us no comment on potential Virtual Console releases, but did state that more information would be coming soon. [Image: Nintendo]
Australian ratings reveal Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow, F-Zero: GP Legend for Wii U Virtual Console
A pair of ratings submissions from the Australian Classification Board revealed that Konami's Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow and Nintendo's F-Zero: GP Legend are slated to hit the Wii U's Virtual Console service alongside other Game Boy Advance titles debuting this month. Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow launched in 2003 as the third Game Boy Advance entry in Konami's long-running Castlevania series, and later saw a sequel in the early Nintendo DS release Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow. Futuristic racer F-Zero: GP Legend was originally released in 2004, and joins its 2001 GBA predecessor F-Zero: Maximum Velocity as one of the first games announced for the Wii U's Game Boy Advance lineup. Retro-focused Japanese studio M2 announced today that it developed the technology behind the Wii U's Game Boy Advance software emulation, following up on its recent work in Sega's 3D Classics series for the Nintendo 3DS. [Image: Konami / Nintendo]
Mega Man's Game Boy games arrive on 3DS in May
Mega Man's adventures on Game Boy and Game Boy Color get their 3DS re-releases in May, almost a year after they were first announced. While Capcom's not been in any Rush to get the games onto the Virtual Console, the publisher is asking fans to vote on which they want first of Mega Man 2-5 (Dr Wily's Revenge hit the 3DS back in 2011) and Mega Man Xtreme 1 and 2. The winner will be first out of the door on May 1. [Image: Capcom]
Nintendo unveils April's GBA Virtual Console games [update: NA, EU, Japan all announced]
Following yesterday's reveal of Advance Wars, we now know the other Game Boy Advance games coming to the Wii U Virtual Console in North America and Europe next month, as well as Japan. They each cost $8 with the exceptions of WarioWare Inc: Mega Microgames, Kirby and the Amazing Mirror, and F-Zero: Maximum Velocity which are all tagged at $7. We've got the full line-up of games and release dates for North America and Europe after the break, but for starters, Advance Wars is joined by Metroid Fusion and Mario & Luigi: Superstar's Saga next week on April 3. Also, praise the Golden Sun! Camelot's revered JRPG is due on April 17. As for Japan, there are a bumper six games due on April 3 including Super Mario Advance 2, the GBA version of Super Mario World, and the Japan-only compilation of Advance Wars 1 and 2. Japan also has a special offer on the GBA games, where if you buy one you can get another at 30 percent off. Update: Nintendo of America announced its line-up and it matches Europe's exactly, with the same games arriving on the same dates. We've updated the post to reflect that. Also, Super Mario Bros. 3 is coming to the Wii U and 3DS on April 17, priced $5. [Image: Nintendo]
Advance Wars coming to Wii U Virtual Console in Europe
Red and blue will spar again on Wii U, because Advance Wars is getting a Virtual Console re-release in Europe on April 3. It'l be one of the first Game Boy Advance games on Wii U in the region, but we don't yet know if it'll be one of the first in North America. Last we heard, Nintendo of America had Metroid: Fusion, Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga and Yoshi's Island: Super Mario Advance 3 pinned for sometime next month. We've reached out to Nintendo of Europe to find out if Advance Wars offers local or online multiplayer on the Wii U. Either way, we have to wonder if it's the closest we're going to get to the turn-based tactics series making a return on new Nintendo systems; Advance Wars has been missing in action since 2008 and DS entry Days of Ruin. [Image: Nintendo of Europe]
Mario Kart 8 getting a spiky blue limited edition in Europe
Nintendo of Europe announced a limited edition Mario Kart 8 is coming to the continent, and it includes a spiky blue collector's model that you probably shouldn't chuck at friends, even if you really want first place. Europeans can shell out for it when the racer launches on May 30, while Nintendo of America has yet to announce a similar edition as yet. Nintendo also announced a Mario Kart 8 promo that harks back to the series' beginnings more than two decades ago - and to what is still the best entry in the series according to people who are right. Yes, SNES classic Super Mario Kart is swerving its way onto the Wii U Virtual Console in Europe on March 27, and if you buy it before June 30 you get a £5.49/8 euros discount on the downloadable version of Mario Kart 8. Correction: Post has been amended to reflect the bundle is software-only. [Image: Nintendo]
