The launch of the Wii console is little over a month away now, and although we've analysed every aspect of the innovative new console under the world's most powerful magnifying glass, it still conceals a few mysteries - particularly in the Virtual Console.
With the full list of launch-day Virtual Console games having been released earlier this week, we thought it the perfect time to focus on the retro download service and uncover some of those mysteries.
So we threw a barrage of questions at Nintendo and got back some interesting information - how the games are stored, how much they'll cost and more. Check it out below and, if you have any more questions of your own, throw them down in the comments section and we'll put them to Nintendo for answers.
Can games be stored on external media such as SD cards, and what happens if you run out of storage space?
Nintendo: Games that are downloaded can be stored either to the Wii's internal memory (512MB) or onto SD cards, which plug into the SD slot on the front of the Wii. In addition the console also stores a history of all of your downloads so that if you have to delete any VC games for any reason you could re-download them for free at a later date.
Will you be able to take your VC games to a mate's house, say, on an SD card?
Nintendo: No. All VC games will be locked to the console they are downloaded on so even if they are on an SD card they can't be used on other machines. You will have to take your Wii with you.
Does that mean that if your console breaks you lose your VC games forever?
Nintendo: No. Nintendo will offer support to help Wii owners with problems to recover their games.
GameCube games are played with GameCube pads. Can they be played with the Classic controller too, for those who don't actually have any GC pads?
Nintendo: Nintendo GameCube games can only be played using Nintendo GameCube controllers. The Classic Controller will not work on these games.
Can you specify which controllers it will be possible to use for each of the VC games types (NES, SNES, PC Engine, N64)?
Nintendo: All virtual console games can be played using the Classic Controller or Nintendo GameCube pads. The Wii Remote can also be turned on its side and used as a traditional controller to play NES games. However, a game will only be playable with the control mechanism it was designed for. So, for example, you will play NES games with the D-pad, not an analogue stick or motion-sensitive functionality.
When using a mixture of Wii and GameCube controllers, the Wii Remote or Classic Controller will take priority. So if you have two Classic Controllers plugged in they instantly become player one and two regardless of how many GameCube pads are inserted.
What about game manuals?
Nintendo: Each Virtual Console game downloaded will come with a digital instruction manual.
We are already aware that you won't be able to gain access to the Japanese or American VC in UK with a UK console. But if you import a US or Japanese Wii into UK, will that machine be capable of accessing the UK VC servers to download and play games made available to us Brits?
Nintendo: No. The European Virtual Console will be available only to European machines. If you import an American machine they would have to connect to the American service and use American Wii Points cards to buy content. Their warranty would also be void so this is not recommended.
Will there be a range of Wii Points cards available? How much will they cost?
Nintendo: At first, only 2000-point cards will be available. These will retail for £14.99.
Will you be able to buy VC Points via the internet through Wii using a credit card, like you can with Xbox 360's Marketplace?
Nintendo: Yes. Wii points can also be bought online via the Wii Shop using all major credit cards and will be credited to your account. A total of 10,000 points can be stored on your Wii account at any one time.
Nintendo should allow people to download any game thats available for VC regardless of where they live, if all the text is say Japanesse then they should have a warning before you download it (at least if you live outside of a Japanesse speaking area)
Nintendo should allow people to download any game thats available for VC regardless of where they live, if all the text is say Japanesse then they should have a warning before you download it (at least if you live outside of a Japanesse speaking area)
i agree. and luckly i speak and read fluent japanese. i had a number 42 last week, read it off the menu no problem, she understood me and then i fluently shoved it down my throat!!!
1- The games which were/are 2 or more players on the original consoles,will these now incorporate an option to allow the second/third/fourth player to connect over the internet to play with me,as i have played some emulators which have made this possible .
2- I am a member of a well known site called Twin Galaxies which is the Worldwide authority on player rankings,gaming statistics and Championship Tournaments.
I myself would like to know how well the VC emulates the games compared to the original consoles ,e.g slow down which was apparent in the original games will also be there in VC or illiminated all together?
Will the VC games run at a faster rate than the original pal/NTSC versions or be as they were then?
Will people be able to easily download gamesaves to the console ,which has happend to most of the other systems.
When will i be able to play super mario kart (SNES) against a friend online? Will any VC games have online mulitplayer? PC emulators can do this so there's no reason the wii can't.
Is there a gamer points system? I love be able to tell that i have completed more games than my mates. All 96 levels on mario world! I want to be able to boast about it.
Whats is it like pressing the Z button on the classic contoller when playing N64 games? I looks very out of place compared to it original position.
One question that should have been asked was if the Wii classic controller cannot be used to play Gamecube games, will Nintendo continue to sell the Gamecube controller?
I have a load of decent questions (wishful thinking those expecting online functionality)
1. How configurable will controls be. I have particular concerns to N64 games as the C buttons effectively make up 6 face buttons. The VC controllers only has 4, how will this mapping work and will users be able to adjust?
2. How much will Wii points cost when bought via the online purchase?
3. Will there be a published release schedule of VC games or will they just come out as & when?
4. I've very pleased to see that UK owners will be getting access to PC Engine games, will we also have access to MSX titles in the future?
5. How large (in storage terms) will VC games be? At present what is the average size for games on each of the formats?
6. How will save systems work, in particular for N64 games that used the controller pak?
7. How will VC games be organised on the channels page? Will each game be an individual channel or can users group say all the titles of one format (SNES) or all the titles of one series (Zelda)?
8. How will the aspect ratio of games work? I am operating a 16:9 LCD and will I have the option of streching games to fit or will they be locked into a 4:3 aspect in the centre?
I hope some of these can be answered, the VC is a feature I have a lot of intrest in.
We are already aware that you won't be able to gain access to the Japanese or American VC in UK with a UK console. But if you import a US or Japanese Wii into UK, will that machine be capable of accessing the UK VC servers to download and play games made available to us Brits?
Nintendo: No. The European Virtual Console will be available only to European machines. If you import an American machine they would have to connect to the American service and use American Wii Points cards to buy content. Their warranty would also be void so this is not recommended.
At least when I get an American machine I can still go online and download from that site. Sweet this is sounding better everyday Come on Wii
At least when I get an American machine I can still go online and download from that site. Sweet this is sounding better everyday Come on Wii
Although there may be problems with the points. A UK registered credit card may not work on the US online network. So therefore you may have to end up ordering points cards from US stores to be delivered here... which will probably be cheaper anyway.
Nintendo GameCube games can only be played using Nintendo GameCube controllers. The Classic Controller will not work on these games.
I have a Gamecube so I already have the pads, but what if I want to buy more pads? What if people who don't own a 'Cube want to buy classic GC titles after they get their Wii? Where will they get the control pads?
Gamecube hardware isn't exactly readily available these days. I hope they give the control pads another manufacturing run.
The Virtual Console sounds fantastic, but Nintendo haven't mentioned if the games look exactly like the originals, or if they've been updated and spruced up.
Thanks for the questions guys. I'll be putting them to Nintendo and, fingers crossed, we should have some juicy answers for a nice weekend feature this weekend. I can't wait to see the answers myself.
Thanks for the questions guys. I'll be putting them to Nintendo and, fingers crossed, we should have some juicy answers for a nice weekend feature this weekend. I can't wait to see the answers myself.
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