GBA Re-releases Launch on the Wrong Platform

Relaunching popular Gameboy Advance titles on newer Nintendo platforms was one of the best ideas Nintendo ever had. So many great, high quality titles came out on the Gameboy Advance, and since the latest 3DS and 2DS devices no longer support the GBA cartridge, launching them via virtual console is obviously the alternative to the slot. Obviously. Except Nintendo decided to approach things from a completely different angle.

[Neonridr]

I agree that the GBA games should have released on the 3DS instead.

[randomass171]

Why not both?

[Neonridr]

fair enough. I just meant if they were only going to pick one system the 3DS would have been more ideal.

That being said, I am glad I can get GBA games on my Wii U.

[donwel]

This a thousand times, a cross buy incentive would be a brilliant idea for Wii U/3DS, and building on that cross save would be pretty good too for the VC

[Benjaminkno]

Nintendo needs more incentives for WiiU purchases. If they're on 3ds too, then why purchase the console version?

[randomass171]

I actually agree with this mentality. 3DS is well off in the games department, but Wii U needs the extra incentives. I feel that's why N64 and GCN Virtual Console games are more and more crucial to Wii U.

[Chevalier]

You should also cater to your customers it makes NO sense to ignore the 45 million 3ds users as they most likely owned the previous handhelds and would like to play these games again.

Nintendo has enough fantastic 1st party games to entice people to purchase Wii U. GBA classics I don't think are enough of an incentive to drop $300 down.

This is Nintendo ignoring their customers needs and leaving a lot of money on the table. It is an extremely poor decision. Customers do not come purchase Wii U's in my store for SNES or wii shop games. They say it's nice they can play their favourites again, but, they want the new Mario Kart, Mario 3D world or Smash etc.

[Benjaminkno]

@Chevalier

WiiU needs all the help it can get. They wouldn't be doing it this way if it didn't make sense.

Maybe they want to use this software for their next handheld.

There's plenty of reasons to do it this way. Don't be a sheep.

[3-4-5]

They would have been on 3DS had the Wii U sold about 15 Million consoles already.

Also, playing on Wii U Gamepad is better than 3DS as it's a better visual quality, + the smoothing helps as well.

But yea some don't play as well as they would on a 3ds.

[Geobros]

100% Agree....

[Benjaminkno]

Why have it on WiiU when everyone already owns a 3ds?

maybe your percentage should come down a little?

[KeeseToast]

Because nobody buys a WiiU for playing GBA games.
They would earn a lot more money with GBA games on 3DS

[Benjaminkno]

@KeeseToast

We're not just talking about any GBA games.

Die-hard Metroid fans can't refuse a WiiU now. And that's just the beginning.

WiiU needs all the help it can get. Certainly you agree with that?

[DEATHxTHExKIDx]

MY feelings exactly

[MrSwankSinatra]

Honestly these games should have been release simultaneously on Wii U & 3DS. Why in the hell would you only release these games on the Wii U?

[Milesprowers]

Gameboy Player Wii U

[randomass171]

Gimme mah 3DS player on Wii U! I want Kid Icarus Uprising on the big screen.

[Milesprowers]

If you like extra large pixels

[RPGrinder]

right platform

[matgrowcott]

Why is it the right platform, as opposed to the more obvious 3DS?

[wonderfulmonkeyman]

Because the 3ds doesn't need the attention as much.
Besides, having a bigger screen to play these classics on feels great.

[Agent_hitman]

Nintendo should re-release GBA to 3ds and Wii U at the same time..

[eferreira]

should be cross buy on both the wiiu and 3ds

[TXIDarkAvenger]

Even said Megaman Battle Network 3 was coming to the Wii U VC. Nintendo pls understand, we need this for 3DS!

[InTheZoneAC]

should be cross buy, but Nintendo is slow in every regard doing the simple and quick things that'll bring in money. Virtual console would be that and they can't even get it right.

Besides not knowing wth they're doing, another reason why GBA games may not be released on the 3DS is due to vulnerabilities, that they can't fix, that may allow the handheld to be hacked through the GBA games...

I picked up Minish Cap anyway because I have the rest of them on the console, but Metroid Fusion, Golden Sun, etc those should definitely be on the 3DS as well....it's simply stupid.

Just release everything for both and obviously anything that sells is good for them. But when they limit their sales, no one to blame but themselves.

[randomass171]

What...? How on earth did you come up with the idea that GBA VC games would lead to hacking and that's why they're not doing it on 3DS? That doesn't make any sense at all.

[InTheZoneAC]

care to explain why they're not on 3ds instead of ranting?

[InTheZoneAC]

systems get hacked through certain games if they haven't found a straight forward method...I'm not understanding how you're not getting this...

[randomass171]

Who's ranting here? I'm just questioning the flawed logic in your comment that somehow Nintendo is afraid of putting games on the 3DS when it ALREADY has 3DS GBA games unrelated to the Virtual Console.

[Drithe]

The Wii U was the PERFECT platform to put it on. I love playing these games on the big screen, or the small Wii U controller screen. I find it AWESOME that I can go back and play many of the GBA games that I never got to play ON the big screen.

I have bad eyes and am getting old anyways. Heh. But, I don't like playing small handhelds anymore. So the way Nintendo is doing this is the way to go, besides, you are going to have to buy a new NINTENDO HANDHELD in a few years anyways and will have to go right back to square one again with buying all those games.

End of line.

[Artista]

I'm fine with the GBA games being on Wii U platforms. That said, I also wish i could purchase them on the 3DS. It is more than possible to do this, Nintendo is just holding it back for some reason. I suppose they are trying to compliment the gamepad, and it's off-tv gameplay feature.

The ambassador program provided some GBA games to early 3DS adopters. I think it's about time Nintendo start releasing handheld classics on their latest handheld. :/

[GoPanthers999]

Definitely agree, these were handheld games and they should have been on 3DS also. I cannot imagine wanting to play these on my a Wii U instead of my Wii U or Wii library of games. I would love to be able to play these on my 3DS, especially the Advance Wars 1 & 2, since we still have the cartridges and no GBA to play them on.

[fatneal]

this just proves that nintendo needs to hurry up and unify 3ds and wiiiU...1 account 1 name with all your money and stats and previous purchases and miiverse interaction all there

[MrSwankSinatra]

Exactly, they need a unified account system ASAP. I don't understand how nintendo didn't have this notion in mind before they even launched the 3DS. I'm sure they saw what the competition was doing yet they continued not to move forward with that idea.

[Goro]

That's like bringing PSP games to PS3/PS4 and not on Vita.

[Realplaya]

I'm sure there is a reason they have them coming out on the Wii U. Unless they come out and give a statement why not 3ds all we can do is speculate. Also 3DS has a ton of software and this is a treat for owners of the Wii U. The system is now profitable so there making money off of digital sales.

[Blues Cowboy]

Come on Nintendo: cross-buy. Cross. Buy. Simples.

[eworthington0]

I think they should be on both. I do like playing them on my tv and on tje gamepad on a bigger screen with better controls.

[Moncole]

They probably want the emulator to be perfect before they release it on 3DS and the emulator was easier to do the on the Wii U. You know Nintendo, they want stuff to be perfect.