Virtual Console

The Virtual Console logo.

The Virtual Console is one of many special features of the Wii. The Virtual Console allows gamers to download games that have been uploaded by their respective companies. Nintendo is the main backer of the feature, promising to fill it with their immense backlog of games from the NES, SNES, and Nintendo 64. Nintendo will not be uploading Nintendo GameCube games to the Virtual Console due to their large 1.4-gb sizes, and because the Wii is backwards-compatible with the system. Hudson, Sega, SNK and Commodore are also backing the Virtual Console with Sega Genesis/Mega Drive, Sega Master System, TurboGrafx-16, TurboGrafx-CD, SuperGrafx, Neo Geo and Commodore 64 games.

Wii Points

Virtual Console games are bought with Wii Points via the Wii Shop Channel. Wii Points Cards, which are sold at most game retailers, each come with 2,000 redeemable Points on them. However, in Japan, cards are worth either 1,000, 3,000 or 5,000 Wii Points. Wii Points can also be purchased directly through the Wii Shop Channel with a credit card in blocks of either 1,000, 2,000, 3,000, 4,000 or 5,000 Points.

Pricing

NES games: 500 Points
SNES games: 800 Points
N64 games: 1000 Points
SG games: 800 Points
TG16 games: 600 Points
Neo Geo Games: 900 Points
MSX Games (Japan only): 800 Points
C64 Games: 500 Points Virtual Console Arcade: 500 points

While this pricing is true for most games, a few select games have been priced differently. Imported games such as Super Mario RPG and Mario's Super Picross in Europe and Australia and Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels outside Japan cost 100 Wii Points more than usual.

In the United States, retailers currently only sell 2,000 points cards for $20 apiece, at a price of one cent per point.

Note: Games released on the Virtual Console Arcade are defaultly set to 500 points. However, most VCA games are priced higher than 500 points.

Controllers

Various controllers can be used to play Virtual Console games.

• Wii Remote - when turned sideways, it acts as a substitute for the NES controller.
• Classic Controller - can play any game; designed to resemble an SNES controller
• Nintendo GameCube controller- can play almost any game.

List of Mario Games for the Virtual Console

• File:Check small.png – The game has either been released or at least confirmed in that region.

• File:X mark.png – The game has not been announced in that region.

• File:Question.png – The game was announced at some point in that region, but the release date is currently unknown.

Game	NA	JP	EU	AUS	NA Release Date	JP Release Date	EU Release Date	AU Release Date
Donkey Kong (NES)	File:Check small.png	File:Check small.png	File:Check small.png	File:Check small.png	11/19/06	12/02/06	12/08/06	12/07/06
Donkey Kong 3 (NES)	File:Check small.png	File:Check small.png	File:Check small.png	File:Check small.png	07/14/08	07/23/08	01/09/09	01/09/09
Donkey Kong Country (SNES)	File:Check small.png	File:Check small.png	File:Check small.png	File:Check small.png	02/19/07	12/12/06	12/08/06	12/07/06
Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest (SNES)	File:Check small.png	File:Check small.png	File:Check small.png	File:Check small.png	05/21/07	10/23/07	05/16/07	05/18/07
Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble! (SNES)	File:Check small.png	File:Check small.png	File:Check small.png	File:Check small.png	12/24/07	10/21/08	12/25/07	12/25/07
Donkey Kong Jr. (NES)	File:Check small.png	File:Check small.png	File:Check small.png	File:Check small.png	12/04/06	12/02/06	12/22/06	12/22/06
Donkey Kong Jr. Math (NES)	File:Check small.png	File:Check small.png	File:Check small.png	File:Check small.png	09/03/07	03/27/07	04/20/07	04/20/07
Mario Bros. (NES)	File:Check small.png	File:Check small.png	File:Check small.png	File:Check small.png	11/19/06	12/02/06	12/22/06	12/22/06
Mario Golf (N64)	File:Check small.png	File:Check small.png	File:Check small.png	File:Check small.png	10/06/08	09/30/08	01/23/09	1/23/09
Mario Kart 64 (N64)	File:Check small.png	File:Check small.png	File:Check small.png	File:Check small.png	01/29/07	01/30/07	01/26/07	01/26/07
Mario's Super Picross (SNES)	File:X mark.png	File:Check small.png	File:Check small.png	File:Check small.png	N/A	12/19/06	09/14/07	09/14/07
Mario Tennis (N64)	File:Check small.png	File:Question.png	File:Check small.png	File:Question.png	06/28/10	TBA	06/18/10	TBA
NES Open Tournament Golf (NES)	File:Check small.png	File:Check small.png	File:Check small.png	File:Check small.png	06/18/07	07/24/07	05/11/07	05/11/07
Paper Mario (N64)	File:Check small.png	File:Check small.png	File:Check small.png	File:Check small.png	07/16/07	07/10/07	07/13/07	07/13/07
Super Mario 64 (N64)	File:Check small.png	File:Check small.png	File:Check small.png	File:Check small.png	11/19/06	12/02/06	12/08/06	12/07/06
Super Mario Bros. (NES)	File:Check small.png	File:Check small.png	File:Check small.png	File:Check small.png	12/25/06	12/02/06	01/05/07	01/05/07
Super Mario Bros. 2 (NES)	File:Check small.png	File:Check small.png	File:Check small.png	File:Check small.png	07/02/07	08/10/07	05/25/07	05/25/07
Super Mario Bros. 3 (NES)	File:Check small.png	File:Check small.png	File:Check small.png	File:Check small.png	11/05/07	12/11/07	11/09/07	11/09/07
Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels (NES)	File:Check small.png	File:Check small.png	File:Check small.png	File:Check small.png	10/01/07	05/01/07	09/14/07	09/14/07
Super Mario Kart (SNES)	File:Check small.png	File:Check small.png	File:Check small.png	File:Check small.png	11/23/09	06/09/09	04/02/10	04/02/10
Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars (SNES)	File:Check small.png	File:Check small.png	File:Check small.png	File:Check small.png	9/01/08	6/24/08	8/22/08	8/22/08
Super Mario World (SNES)	File:Check small.png	File:Check small.png	File:Check small.png	File:Check small.png	02/05/07	12/02/06	02/09/07	02/09/07
Super Smash Bros. (N64)	File:Check small.png	File:Check small.png	File:Check small.png	File:Check small.png	21/12/09	01/10/09	06/12/09	06/12/09
Wario's Woods (NES)	File:Check small.png	File:Check small.png	File:Check small.png	File:Check small.png	11/19/06	12/12/06	12/08/06	12/07/06
Wrecking Crew (NES)	File:Check small.png	File:Check small.png	File:Check small.png	File:Check small.png	11/19/07	2/5/08	8/24/07	8/24/07
Yoshi (NES)	File:Check small.png	File:Check small.png	File:Check small.png	File:Check small.png	07/09/07	03/06/07	05/16/07	05/18/07
Yoshi's Story (N64)	File:Check small.png	File:Check small.png	File:Check small.png	File:Check small.png	09/17/07	10/30/07	10/26/07	10/26/07
Yoshi's Cookie (NES)	File:Check small.png	File:Check small.png	File:Check small.png	File:Check small.png	04/07/08	06/10/08	04/04/08	04/04/08

Notes

• Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels was only available in Europe and Australia from September 15, 2007 until October 1, 2007. It was then still available to freely redownload for those who purchased it while it was initially available. On August 22, 2008, it was made available again, this time without any time restrictions.

• Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars was regarded by Nintendo as the 250th game to be released on the Virtual Console in North America. This is also the first time Super Mario RPG got an official European release.

• Timed demos of several Virtual Console games are included in Super Smash Bros. Brawl, all of which star the game's various fighters. The only default Mario title is Super Mario Bros.; Donkey Kong, Super Mario Bros. 2 and Super Mario World are the others, but they must first be unlocked.

• Despite being the launch title for the SNES, Super Mario World was actually released several months after the Virtual Console's launch.

See Also

• WiiWare — Applications and games that can be downloaded from the Wii Shop Channel.