Virtual Console

Virtual Console is a gaming platform for the Wii, Wii U, and the Nintendo 3DS. It plays retro games on the aforementioned consoles that can be downloaded from the Wii Shop Channel and the eShop.

Consoles

 * 1) Wii
 * 2) *Nintendo Entertainment System
 * 3) *Super Nintendo Entertainment System
 * 4) *Nintendo 64
 * 5) *Sega Master System
 * 6) *Sega Genesis
 * 7) *TurboGrafx-16 (including CD titles)
 * 8) *Neo Geo
 * 9) *Commodore 64 (Americas and PAL regions only)
 * 10) *MSX (Japan only)
 * 11) *Select Arcade games
 * 12) Nintendo 3DS
 * 13) *Nintendo Entertainment System
 * 14) *Super Nintendo Entertainment System (only on the "New" systems due to hardware issues with "Old" models)
 * 15) *Game Boy
 * 16) *Game Boy Color
 * 17) *Game Boy Advance (for Nintendo 3DS Ambassadors only)
 * 18) *Game Gear
 * 19) *PC Engine (TurboGrafx-16, Japan only)
 * 20) **Select NES, Arcade and Genesis games was been re-released in form of 3D Classics, either from Arika + Nintendo or M2 + Sega. Despite this, they are not considered as part of Virtual Console label.
 * 21) Wii U
 * 22) *Nintendo Entertainment System
 * 23) *Super Nintendo Entertainment System
 * 24) *Nintendo 64
 * 25) *Game Boy Advance
 * 26) *Nintendo DS
 * 27) *TurboGrafx-16 (including CD titles)
 * 28) *MSX (Japan only)
 * 29) *Wii (somewhat)
 * 30) **While is not available to run them with proper enhancements from Wii U, Sega Master System, Sega Genesis, Neo Geo, Commodore 64 and Arcade titles released for the Wii are still playable in Wii mode.

Why It Rocks

 * 1) Unlike the mh:crappygames:Nintendo Switch Online, Virtual Console lets you choose a game you want to buy & keep it forever, instead of a Netflix-like service, paying every month-year for dozens of games you don't even want to play.
 * 2) Most of the Virtual Console versions of the games were changed somewhat in a positive way. Examples include:
 * 3) *Wave Race 64 replaced some of the Kawasaki logos with the Nintendo DS & Wii logos.
 * 4) *Metroid & Kid Icarus had a password system, but removed it on the service.
 * 5) *Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros. 3 added all the e-Reader Card levels.
 * 6) *Mario Kart 64 decreased the lighting intensity of the lightning bolt to prevent seizures.
 * 7) *Several games such as Phantasy Star and EarthBound removes the Red Cross sign due to copyright.
 * 8) Each console does their version of Virtual Console well.
 * 9) *The Wii allows the user to download the games without paying with real money. The launch has a wide range of consoles to choose from, even from non-Nintendo consoles. The user can save state (except for the N64 & Neo Geo AES)
 * 10) *The 3DS allows the user to play retro games on the go (some of them from the first time)
 * 11) *The Wii U allows the user to customize their controls to their liking. Also, all consoles can save state (except Wii)
 * 12) MSX and Commodore 64 titles can be played with generic USB keyboards, which is essential for some games.
 * 13) *MSX titles on Wii U can also be used with USB keyboards as well.
 * 14) Lots of awesome games on the service, which include:
 * 15) *Super Mario Bros.
 * 16) *The Legend of Zelda
 * 17) *Metroid
 * 18) *Super Mario Bros. 2
 * 19) *Super Mario Bros. 3
 * 20) *Duck Hunt
 * 21) *Ice Climber
 * 22) *Wrecking Crew
 * 23) *Excitebike
 * 24) *Zelda II: The Adventure of Link
 * 25) *Mother
 * 26) *Super Mario World
 * 27) *F-Zero
 * 28) *Donkey Kong Country
 * 29) *Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest
 * 30) *Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble!
 * 31) *Super Metroid
 * 32) *The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past
 * 33) *Kirby Super Star
 * 34) *Super Mario Kart
 * 35) *Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars
 * 36) *Super Mario 64
 * 37) *Donkey Kong 64
 * 38) *The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
 * 39) *The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask
 * 40) *Super Smash Bros.
 * 41) *Paper Mario
 * 42) *Yoshi's Story
 * 43) *Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards
 * 44) *Mario Golf
 * 45) *Mario Tennis
 * 46) *Mario Kart 64
 * 47) *Star Fox 64
 * 48) *F-Zero X
 * 49) *Metroid Fusion
 * 50) *Golden Sun
 * 51) *Advance Wars
 * 52) *Wario Land 4
 * 53) *WarioWare, Inc.: Mega Microgames!
 * 54) *Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga
 * 55) *Mario Kart: Super Circuit
 * 56) *Mario Tennis: Power Tour
 * 57) *Kirby Mass Attack
 * 58) *Kirby: Canvas Curse
 * 59) *The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks
 * 60) *Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time
 * 61) *Mario Kart DS
 * 62) *Mario Party DS
 * 63) *Metroid Prime Hunters
 * 64) *New Super Mario Bros.
 * 65) *WarioWare: Touched!
 * 66) Even though they're not really considered Virtual Console, it was a nice inclusion to add Wii games like:
 * 67) *Super Mario Galaxy
 * 68) *Super Mario Galaxy 2
 * 69) *The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword
 * 70) *WarioWare: Smooth Moves
 * 71) *Xenoblade Chronicles
 * 72) *Rhythm Heaven Fever
 * 73) *Super Paper Mario
 * 74) *Donkey Kong Country Returns
 * 75) *Punch-Out!!
 * 76) *Kirby's Return to Dream Land
 * 77) *New Super Mario Bros. Wii (unfortunately not in North America)
 * 78) *Mario Strikers Charged
 * 79) *Mario Super Sluggers
 * 80) The 3DS & Wii U have accounts, so when your console breaks, its saved on an account so you don't have to pay for it again.
 * 81) While Super Mario Bros. wasn't one of the launch games for the service for the Wii, as a Christmas present in the same year was smart.
 * 82) Many fans consider Virtual Console to be better then Nintendo Switch Online, proving that the former is going to be a nostalgic thing in the far future.
 * 83) Without the service, Earthbound Beginnings and Earthbound wouldn't be popular as the latter flopped in the US while the former didn't even released in the west.

Bad Qualities

 * 1) There are plenty of missed opportunities or problems that can make the service way better.
 * 2) *The Wii's controls can't be mapped, so some SNES games on the GameCube controller can be a bit awkward.
 * 3) *The original versions of the 3DS/2DS don't support SNES games even before the release of the "New" models. While they are not compatible with the "Old" systems officially, one with a modded 3DS can underclock the "New" system and notice a major slowdown through the gameplay.
 * 4) *GBA games weren't available for purchase, and are only available for 3DS ambassadors.
 * 5) *Due to Microsoft buying Rare from Nintendo in 2002, there are so many games not on the service mainly from the N64 like Diddy Kong Racing, Banjo-Kazooie, Banjo-Tooie, GoldenEye 007 (this can be excusable), Perfect Dark, Jet Force Gemini, Conker's Bad Fur Day, Blast Corps, etc.
 * 6) *The Wii U has somewhat of an inferior emulator than the Wii & it doesn't have GameCube games while said consoles allow Wii games to be played both physically & digitally. What doesn't help is that people overpriced used games, also that Nintendo didn't put games like Luigi's Mansion, Super Smash Bros. Melee, Super Mario Sunshine, etc. to the system so new players can play them for the first time.
 * 7) *The GBA & DS on the Wii U doesn't support multiplayer while they can make it split-screen (DS is excluded, since the Wii U cannot support more than 1 GamePad paired to the same console).
 * 8) *Again, the Wii is not considered Virtual Console to the Wii U, but they're some games that are not in the service like Wii Sports, Wii Sports Resort, Wii Play, Wii Play Motion, Wii Party, Mario Kart Wii, Mario Party 8, Super Smash Bros. Brawl, Tatsunoko vs. Capcom: Ultimate All-Stars (this can be excusable), Ōkami, Sonic Colors, Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing, Sega Superstars Tennis, MadWorld, Fire Emblem: Radiant Dawn, Animal Crossing: City Folk'', No More Heroes, No More Heroes 2: Desperate Struggle, etc.
 * 9) *Nintendo didn't add online for the service so retro games can be played with friends all around the world. Thankfully, Nintendo added that to the Nintendo Switch with it's mh:crappygames:Nintendo Switch Online.
 * 10) *There are some bad and mediocre games on the system like mh:crappygames:Urban Champion, mh:crappygames:Mario Pinball Land, mh:crappygames:Sonic Labyrinth, Sonic Drift 2, mh:crappygames:Sonic Blast, mh:crappygames:Castlevania: The Adventure, mh:crappygames:Pac-Man 2: The New Adventures, & mh:crappygames:Mario Party Advance.
 * 11) Due to Nintendo not adding Virtual Console for the Nintendo Switch & replacing it with the mh:crappygames:Nintendo Switch Online, meaning that the Wii U was the last console to have Virtual Console & since the 3DS & Wii Us eShops are going to close in March 2023 and the Wii eShop closed in January 2019, it's not going to exist anymore.
 * 12) Complete multiplayer experience with TurboGrafx-16 games on Wii Virtual Console requires 4 Wii Remotes paired and one GameCube Controller for the 5th player. On Wii U, it requires 4 Wii U Pro Controllers / 4 Wii Remotes and 1 Wii U GamePad.
 * 13) MSX title selection is pretty lackluster, with all games being Konami titles.
 * 14) *While Aleste and Eggy was also available in Wii Virtual Console, both was delisted due to licensing reasons (Aleste series ownership was transferred to M2; D4 Enterprise bought the rights of Bothtec titles, including Eggy).
 * 15) Neo Geo games featured on Wii Virtual Console always runs in AES mode rather than MVS mode, which can be a lack of convenience for playing games limited to four continues.
 * 16) For unknown reasons, Japan had way more Virtual Console Arcade games on Wii (78) rather than Americas (21) and PAL regions (20). This is almost the quadruple of titles released compared to PAL regions.
 * 17) *Considering many of them are from Namco, one can admit that selling Arcade titles individually in other regions could hurt the sales of their own Namco Museum games on Wii.
 * 18) The Commodore 64 emulator is pretty prone to crashing during the gameplay, even with the official releases.
 * 19) Support of Virtual Console titles on Southeast Asia was pretty poor. On Wii, about 40 games was released on South Korea and all from Nintendo systems. For 3DS, 35 titles was released on South Korea (again, only for Nintendo systems) and 7 titles was released on Chinese-speaking countries (all of them being Pokémon Generation I and II titles).