Opinion: Nintendo Has it Backwards With Virtual Console.

I love the Virtual Console. It may not have a perfect selection, and I have to wonder why Castlevania II: Simon's Quest, and Milon's Secret Castle are available for download on all current Nintendo devices, despite the AVGN ripping into them both, but it's still a great service for enabling a new generation of gamers to play the classics.

Nintendo even has a handheld Virtual Console now, which is perfect for playing Gameboy Advance and DS games on...the Wii U?! Ok, Nintendo, I appreciate that you're trying to entice more people to buy Wii Us, and re-releasing the classics is a good start, but what about the 3DS? You know, that handheld system you have, that is outselling your console by a large margin, and is actually built for handheld gaming? Heck, the system is a continuation of the DS line, and plays physical DS games, so what do you have against bringing DS downloads to the system?

Of course, the lack of GBA games on the 3DS is nothing new. Nintendo somehow released 10 games for Ambassadors, who were early adopters of the system, at its initial price point of $250, but for some reason has refused to release those games to everyone else. I was furious when the Wii U received GBA games last year, and the 3DS didn't, despite 3DS owners waiting forever for those Ambassador games to be available for everyone.

I get that the Wii U's tablet is somehow more ideal for handheld games than a regular tv screen, but I still find it odd that the console is getting all the handheld games, and the handheld isn't. I mean, sure, the 3DS eShop has Gameboy, Gameboy Color and Gamegear games, as well as DSi games, but it has proven to be compatible with both GBA and DS games too. I'm not really sure if I would want to play handheld games on a huge tablet either, even if I owned a Wii U. I think more SNES games, like Earthbound are a far better fit for the system.

My latest theory about this odd development is that Nintendo figures they don't need to give the 3DS the same support, because it will sell anyways. I think that's a backwards way of thinking though. If something's earning them money, and something isn't, it kind of makes more sense to put more eggs into the former basket. Maybe once the ill fated console finally fizzles out, 3DS owners will get better VC support. Until then, Nintendo's only encouraging the homebrew and emulator crowds. That's little consolation for paying customers, who like to buy things legally.

What do you think? Is Nintendo making the right choice by putting these games on the Wii U? Do you wish the 3DS had better VC support? Leave your comments below.

[randomass171]

Virtual Console is definitely lacking, particularly in the United States. Europe seems to get a decent amount of updates and Japan gets the bulk of the good stuff. I'm not as bothered about the Ambassador games on 3DS as I was lucky enough to get a used unit that had them and then transferred it into a new XL later on. Having DS games on Wii U and not 3DS is definitely an odd choice, made all the more strange by the fact that Nintendo has no cross-buy system in place. It's seems wrong to ask the consumers to buy the game twice over when many Wii U accounts are linked to 3DS ones. Putting these games on the Wii U before 3DS is important however, as the Wii U is indeed in need of more games right now.

[Tross]

You might have a point there, but it's still kind of a contrived way to get more games on the Wii U, than its handheld counterpart. I do get the sense that Nintendo wants 3DS owners to want to invest in a Wii U. If I get a Wii U though, it won't be for those games. I want original content, and to be fair, Nintendo's first party strength is second to none, and they are slowly, but surely, building up an enticing library for the system.

I don't agree with Ninty's tactic of giving the 3DS the shaft with VC releases though. If you have a system that's doing well, why not try to nurture it as much as possible? The lack of cross-buy is not all that surprising, since Nintendo is taking forever to get accustomed to the digital age. It kind of feels like they felt they were forced to embrace it. That's why there's a lot that isn't quite right with their digital service at the moment. I'm sure they'll figure it out eventually.

[randomass171]

If this year's E3 taught me anything, it's that Nintendo is a lot more awesome when push comes to shove and they have no other choices. :P

[Geekman]

The 3DS is backwards compatible. It makes more sense to give people who preferred consoles a chance to play the games they missed. Same goes with GBA, but since the 3DS can't do GBA games, it makes more sense to have it on there as well.

And please stop whining. 3DS owners get luxury.

[sweetSWAGGER]

Despite the few exceptions, I don't see why it has to be one or the other with Virtual Console games.

I mean, NES, SNES, Game Boy, Game Gear, and Game Boy Advance titles shouldn't be exclusive to any one Nintendo platform, there should be only one Virtual Console service. Again, that's not including the exceptions, such as the 3D classics, but Like randomass171 said, your just making us buy the same game twice. It makes no sense.

[InTheZoneAC]

that's Nintendo. They're struggling, but they also intend on being stupid and greedy in these types of situations.

Make VC cross buy, don't limit one system to certain VC games, and dont' take forever to release VC games. Everything they wanted to release should've came out by the time the Wii stopped selling and then all that should've carried over to the Wii U/3DS.

[sweetSWAGGER]

Well, as much as I enjoy playing certain classic handheld games on my 3DS, I believe the way Nintendo are handling the 3DS Virtual Console goes beyond the problem of putting the portables on Wii u (but seriously Nintendo, are you that desperate?).

1. The pricing is just heinous. Who in their right mind would spend... what is it, 4? 5? 6 SODDING DOLLARS on virtual console games? There's just no reason, especially since most of these games are either already owned (because they've been re-released so many times) or can be played with an emulator on PC. This isn't the first time Ninty pulled this stunt either, remember the Classic NES Series on Game Boy Advance? Yeah those were twenty flipping dollars a pop so this doesn't surprise me.

2. Nintendo should've really pushed the 3D classics library. Sure, you may have already played the game, but you haven't played it in 3D. I'm not even talking about that cute "select + start" Easter egg either: any classic game that's going to be on the 3DS needs to be in 3D. Yes, that will mean more work and less games, but that will also mean less shovel-ware. It'll mean Nintendo will think about what classics people will actually buy before they make another one.

Again, I know it means more man hours, but if you expect me to get excited at seeing Super Mario Bros. for like the billionth time, Nintendo, find someone to make it 3D and then I'll gladly fork over five bloody dollars for something I already own on Game Boy Advance and can play for free on PC (that, and the kajillion free fan-made versions of it).

Let's not pretend it's impossible either. There are people who are dedicating years of their lives making fan versions of these games for absolutely nothing but the sheer passion of it. Hire an Indie studio, start a KickStarter, I don't care. Make it happen.

[Lukejrl]

i wrote a blog about that exact same thing you said my friend. my wii u is just itching for the games to be cheap and playable on my gamepad in bed, but NINTENDO over values their experience

[Tross]

What amuses me is that Sega managed to create a better emulator for GameGear games on the 3DS than Nintendo did for their handheld games, even though the 3DS is Nintendo's system. I think I still prefer a the selection of games offered on Ninty's handhelds, but the GameGear emulator has more options, is simple to use, and options can be played around with in a convenient menu, including switching in and out of a 3D screen view. Heck, there are even options for the appearance of the optional GameGear screen. I can live with Nintendo's emulators though. I just want more of their classics to be available on the 3DS.

[sweetSWAGGER]

I'll have to look into that. Perhaps they should work with SEGA on their Virtual Console emulation. They could throw in a bunch of screen-changing options like Retro City Rampage had. Who knows, with Nintendo, they're always late to the party and they're slow to warm up, but once they get going you better keep your eyes on the punch bowel.

I don't know where I was going with that analogy. It's 4 AM. I'm going to bed.

Also, for the love of all that's holy don't let "Ninty" catch on. Don't let it become a thing. kill it! kill it here in this isolated blog WHILE WE STILL CAN!!!