Virtual Console
Current version: | n/a |
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Active: | Yes |
OS: | Wii, 3DS, Wii U |
Authors: | Nintendo |
Official website: | eShop |
Source code: | Nintendo OSS (Partial) |
Virtual Console is a service created by Nintendo that allows users to purchase and emulate games.
Contents
Overview
Games played through Virtual Console are usually free of accuracy issues.
In terms of functionality, the Virtual Console emulator is very bare-bones compared to unofficial emulators, but the 3DS version has restore points (save states) and screenshot saving. The Wii U version has both plus controller customization (Game Gear on 3DS also has it), Off-TV Play, Pixel smoothing and scaling changing. Despite this, usually only the bare functionality is emulated: there is no way to save ghost data in Mario Kart 64 due to a lack of a Memory Pak emulated.
The different regions of Virtual Console (Japan, North America, Europe/Australia, and South Korea) have different games and update them to different schedules. At times, North America gets games that were exclusive to Japan while Europe/Australia gets games that were exclusive to the previous two regions. These imported games are priced a little higher than normal and tend to be straight ports with no translation. (Exceptions include Monster World IV and Sin & Punishment.) Other games that can be priced higher than normal are games based on externally-licensed properties, one example being the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles games.
Virtual Console games can be retired from the shop, though purchased games can be redownloaded.
Some GameBoy Advance games from the 3DS Virtual Console were available to Ambassadors only, that is, buyers of the Nintendo 3DS before Nintendo announced a price drop.
Pricing of Virtual Console games can be ludicrous. If you don't want to pay for VC ROMs on your Wii, you can just install them as .wad files through WAD Manager. You can even install .wads from other regions, though you need to watch the PAL/NTSC divide.
Supported Systems
Console | Wii | Wii U | 3DS |
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Nintendo Entertainment System (Famicom) | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Super Nintendo Entertainment System (Super Famicom) | ✓ | ✓ | ✓* |
Nintendo 64 | ✓ | ✓ | |
Sega Master System | ✓ | ||
Sega Mega Drive / Genesis | ✓ | ||
PC Engine | ✓ | ||
Neo Geo | ✓ | ||
Commodore 64 | ✓ | ||
MSX | ✓ | ||
Game Boy | ✗ | ✓ | |
Game Boy Color | ✗ | ✓ | |
Game Boy Advance | ✗ | ✓ | ✓** |
Nintendo DS | ✗ | ✓ | |
Game Gear | ✓ | ||
Arcade | ✓ |
*A *New* 3DS is necessary if you want to play SNES games through the 3DS Virtual Console. Technically, some have managed to get it to boot in normal 3DS mode, but its emulation suffers from huge slowdowns.
**Ten GBA games were released exclusively to 3DS "ambassadors", who bought the system before its price was dropped. They are unavailable to those who did not purchase the system before its price drop.
Game Injection
VC releases consist of the emulator and the included ROM image, but it's possible to replace that ROM image with another one and load it using various homebrew tools out there. Of course, compatibility isn't that high, especially for games with custom hardware, but it's a start.
Wii
- ShowMiiWads
Wii U
- DS VC: The roms are stored in regular DS ROM format, in a zip folder. There's a config file with a brightness setting, and an option to change internal 3D resolution that Nintendo didn't use for some reason. Just change the line "RenderScale": 1 to have the value 2 instead.
Compatibility List (US combined)
Nintendo Entertainment System
Appeared on the Wii, Wii U, 3DS, NES Classic and Switch (unhacked). Only a few mappers from the officially licensed are supported, in addition to the Family Disc System. Earlier, more rudimentary NES emulators exist for the GameCube (as part of Animal Crossing, and the Zelda Collector's Edition) and the GBA e-Reader (only supports mapper 0 games).
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Super Nintendo Entertainment System
Appeared on the Wii, Wii U, 3DS (new3DS models exclusively), and the SNES Classic. Some compilations on the Wii (Dragon Quest 1+2+3, Super Mario 25th Anniversary, Kirby's Special Edition) and old3DS (Jump compilation including Super Butoden, Yu Yu Hakusho, and Super Butoden, the latter also released standalone as a preorder bonus for another 3DS game even outside Japan) also included SNES emulation.
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There are much more Japanese VC releases for SFC games than on the barren US VC. Notable releases include:
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Nintendo of America has however recently rejected many submissions for third-party SNES VC releases on the Wii U, so it's unlikely there will be more such releases on the US VC at least.
The SNES Classic emulator added support for the Super FX games, unlike all other SNES Virtual Console revisions. However, it still has some problems with injecting regular games due to heavily using per-game presets. The Super-FX games included and supported are:
- Yoshi's Island
- Star Fox
- Star Fox 2 (its first official release ever)
Nintendo 64
Appeared on the Wii and Wii U. Apparently has multiple revisions, the earlier ones not compatible with Harvest Moon 64 yet, but a later revision supported it eventually for its official VC release on the Wii U.
The GameCube had another early N64 emulator on the Zelda collection originally bundled with versions of OoT, Master Quest and Majora's Mask (with 60Hz European versions exclusive to this collection), that only supported injection of seven other games.
Games on the N64 Virtual Console include:
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Sega Master System
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Sega Genesis
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TurboGrafx-16/TurboGrafx-CD
- Air Zonk
- Alien Crush
- Battle Lode Runner
- Blazing Lazers
- Bomberman '93
- Bonk 3: Bonk's Big Adventure
- Bonk's Adventure
- Bonk's Revenge
- Bravoman
- Chase H.Q.
- Chew Man Fu
- China Warrior
- Cratermaze
- Dead Moon
- Devil's Crush
- Double Dungeons
- Dragon Spirit
- Dragon's Curse
- Dungeon Explorer
- Fighting Street
- Galaga '90
- Gate of Thunder
- J.J. & Jeff
- Legend of Hero Tonma
- Lords of Thunder
- Military Madness
- Monster Lair
- Moto Roader
- Neutopia
- Neutopia II
- New Adventure Island
- Ninja Spirit
- Ordyne
- Power Golf
- Psychosis
- R-Type
- Riot Zone
- Samurai Ghost
- Shockman
- SimEarth: The Living Planet
- Soldier Blade
- Splatterhouse
- Super Air Zonk: Rockabilly-Paradise
- Super Star Soldier
- The Dynastic Hero
- Victory Run
- Vigilante
- World Class Baseball
- World Sports Competition
- Ys Book I & II
Neo Geo
- Art of Fighting
- Art of Fighting 2
- Art of Fighting 3: The Path of the Warrior
- Baseball Stars 2
- Blue's Journey
- Burning Fight
- Fatal Fury 2
- Fatal Fury 3: Road to the Final Victory
- Fatal Fury Special
- Fatal Fury: King of Fighters
- Fighter's History Dynamite
- King of the Monsters
- Magical Drop II
- Magical Drop III
- Magician Lord
- Metal Slug
- Metal Slug 2
- Metal Slug 3
- Metal Slug 4
- Metal Slug X
- NAM-1975
- Neo Turf Masters
- Ninja Combat
- Ninja Commando
- Ninja Master's
- Real Bout Fatal Fury
- Real Bout Fatal Fury 2: The Newcomers
- Real Bout Fatal Fury Special
- Samurai Shodown
- Samurai Shodown II
- Samurai Shodown III
- Samurai Shodown IV: Amakusa's Revenge
- Sengoku
- Sengoku 2
- Sengoku 3
- Shock Troopers
- Shock Troopers 2nd Squad
- Spinmaster
- Street Slam
- Super Baseball 2020
- The King of Fighters '94
- The King of Fighters '95
- The King of Fighters '96
- The King of Fighters '97
- The King of Fighters '98
- The King of Fighters '99: Millennium Battle
- The Last Blade
- The Last Blade 2
- Top Hunter: Roddy & Cathy
- World Heroes
- World Heroes 2
- World Heroes 2 Jet
- World Heroes Perfect
Arcade
- 1942
- Altered Beast
- Black Tiger
- Commando
- Exed Exes
- Gaplus
- Ghosts 'n Goblins
- Golden Axe
- Mappy
- Ninja Gaiden
- Rygar
- Shinobi
- Solomon's Key
- SonSon
- Space Harrier
- Star Force
- Super Hang-On
- Tecmo Bowl
- The Tower of Druaga
- Wonder Boy in Monster Land
- Zaxxon
Game Boy
- Adventure Island
- Alleyway
- Avenging Spirit
- Balloon Kid
- Baseball
- Bionic Commando
- BurgerTime Deluxe
- Castlevania: The Adventure
- Catrap
- Donkey Kong
- Donkey Kong Land
- Donkey Kong Land 2
- Donkey Kong Land III
- Double Dragon
- Dr. Mario
- Fortified Zone
- Game & Watch Gallery
- Gargoyle's Quest
- Golf
- Kid Icarus: Of Myths and Monsters
- Kirby's Block Ball
- Kirby's Dream Land
- Kirby's Dream Land 2
- Kirby's Pinball Land
- Kirby's Star Stacker
- Lock 'n' Chase
- Mario's Picross
- Maru's Mission
- Mega Man II
- Mega Man III
- Mega Man IV
- Mega Man V
- Mega Man: Dr. Wily's Revenge
- Metroid II: Return of Samus
- Mole Mania
- Mystical Ninja Starring Goemon (1991 GB game)
- Pac-Man
- Qix
- Quarth
- Radar Mission
- Revenge of the 'Gator[b]
- Side Pocket
- Super Mario Land
- Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins
- Tennis
- The Sword of Hope II
- Tumblepop
- Wario Land: Super Mario Land 3
The Japanese side, much like with the SNES VC, has much more releases. Notable ones include:
- Ballon Fight GB
- Card Battle
- Card Hero GB
- For the Frog the Bell Tolls
- Heracles no Eiko GB
- Ikari no Yousai 2
- Last Bible
- Picross 2
- Pri Pri Primitive Princess
- Revelations the Demon Slayer
- Twinbee-Da!
- Zoids
- ネコジャラ物語
Game Boy Color
- Bionic Commando: Elite Forces
- Blaster Master: Enemy Below
- Game & Watch Gallery 2
- Game & Watch Gallery 3
- Harvest Moon
- Harvest Moon 2
- Harvest Moon 3
- Legend of the River King
- Legend of the River King 2
- Lufia: The Legend Returns
- Mario Golf
- Mario Tennis
- Mega Man Xtreme
- Mega Man Xtreme 2
- Pokémon Puzzle Challenge
- Pokémon Trading Card Game
- Prince of Persia
- Rayman
- Shantae
- Super Mario Bros. Deluxe
- The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening DX
- The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Ages
- The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons
- Toki Tori
- Wario Land 3
- Wario Land II
- Xtreme Sports
Sega Game Gear
- Columns
- Crystal Warriors
- Defenders of Oasis
- Dr. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine
- Dragon Crystal
- G-LOC: Air Battle
- Shining Force: The Sword of Hajya
- Shinobi
- Sonic Blast
- Sonic Drift 2
- Sonic Labyrinth
- Sonic the Hedgehog
- Sonic the Hedgehog 2
- Sonic the Hedgehog: Triple Trouble
- Tails Adventure
- Vampire: Master of Darkness
Nintendo Game Boy Advance
- Advance Wars
- Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow
- Castlevania: Circle of the Moon
- Castlevania: Harmony of Dissonance
- DK: King of Swing
- F-Zero - GP Legend
- F-Zero Maximum Velocity
- Fire Emblem
- Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones
- Golden Sun
- Harvest Moon: Friends of Mineral Town
- Kirby & the Amazing Mirror
- Kirby: Nightmare in Dream Land
- Klonoa 2: Dream Champ Tournament
- Klonoa: Empire of Dreams
- Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga
- Mario Golf: Advance Tour
- Mario Kart: Super Circuit
- Mario Party Advance
- Mario Pinball Land
- Mario Tennis: Power Tour
- Mega Man & Bass
- Mega Man Battle Chip Challenge
- Mega Man Battle Network
- Mega Man Battle Network 2
- Mega Man Battle Network 3 Blue
- Mega Man Battle Network 3 White
- Mega Man Battle Network 4 Blue Moon
- Mega Man Battle Network 4 Red Sun
- Mega Man Zero
- Mega Man Zero 2
- Mega Man Zero 3
- Metroid Fusion
- Mr. Driller 2
- Namco Museum
- Pac-Man Collection
- Pokémon Pinball: Ruby & Sapphire
- Super Mario Advance
- Super Mario World: Super Mario Advance 2
- The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap
- Wario Land 4
- WarioWare, Inc.: Mega Microgames!
- Yoshi's Island: Super Mario Advance 3
Nintendo DS
- Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time
- Mario Kart DS
- New Super Mario Bros.
- Star Fox Command
- WarioWare: Touched!
- Yoshi Touch & Go
- Yoshi’s Island DS
Input Key
Virtual Console games come from many different systems and have to be mapped to those on the supported console, sometimes having to be mapped to different controllers. Even then, at times (notably emulated Nintendo 64 games), mappings may not be consistent.
Wii games in the Virtual Console support the Classic Controllers (which were made with the purpose of the Virtual Console) and GameCube controllers. Some games also support the lone Wii Remote. PC Engine/TurboGrafx-16 games that support 5-player mode require that the users connect a combination of GameCube controllers and Wii Remotes (with or without Classic Controllers attached to the Wii Remotes).
List of Wii Virtual Console button mappings