Temper Your Expectations For N64 Virtual Console

NWR:
Yes, Microsoft has an advantage right now. And even once it corrects, it's still going to be close.

The release of Rare Replay on Xbox One, with a full quarter of its catalogue being N64 titles, immediately sent the internet into a frenzy over Nintendo's lack of Virtual Console N64 releases to this point. Kotaku editor-in-chief Stephen Totilo mentioned in his review of Rare Replay that there were more N64 games on Xbox One than on the Wii U.

[wheresmymonkey]

Actually, thre more N4 games on WiiU than Xone, just by pure virtue that the WiiU is 100% BC with the Wii meaning you already have access to the Wii's pretty vast collection of N64 games. But you know. lets ignore key features that WiiU has had out of the box because it completely fucks up the 'press' narrative that the WiiU has nothing goignt for it.

A handful of 360 will work on X1 OMG 'this is the greatest thing ever.' WiiU launches with 100%BC for the Wii including almost every game on the old VC and Wiiware to boot.'barely mentioned ever.'

[pivotplease]

Except they skimped on the programming and you can't just play any of these games out of the box since you need a specific Wii controller and none of the Wii U ones work. Small nitpick I guess but Nintendo has never been that great about accessory prices. Surprisingly now you can get Wii Fit U with the board and meter for 30 dollars on their official store. Crazy value when Rock Band 4 is going to be a few hundred.

[wheresmymonkey]

You can pick up a wiimote for £10-15 if youlook online, and the classic controller for about the same.

Moreover the entie point of BC for the wii was that you already owned a wii when you bought the wiiu so you would already have all the controllers. You can also use the wii functions of the machine with off tv play. Fair enough you still need a wiimote but its a cool feature all the same.

[FallenAngel1984]

After reading this article you realize how limiting the choices are for N64 games to release on VC. I wish they would offer GCN titles since there aren't nearly as many licensing and hardware issues to put those games on a digital store.

@ wheres

If you actually read the article you'd know they already mentioned the N64 available through Wii Mode. The real point of this article was to show you how realistically limiting the N64 is on VC because of licensing issues or hardware limitations. It even mentioned that the Kotaku article will soon be irrelevant.

But you know, only read the headline but not the article itself because it messes up your tirade.

[wonderfulmonkeyman]

The hardware isn't a limitation to these old games: emulation just isn't as easy a process as people want to believe.
And as to licensing issues, if someone's got a blanket solution for getting every popular N64 game than anyone has ever wanted up onto the Wii U's VC within half a year, without screwing up the games in the process of converting them due to rushing, or bankrupting Nintendo through buyouts to make it happen, then please...
Do speak up.
Because I'd loooove to hear such a grand solution to licensing issues.

And as an aside: the Wii's VC offerings are a valid point whether anyone wants to admit it or not.
The fact of the matter is, BC gives the Wii U's VC capabilities the edge.
Saying Rare Replay changed that was just a sad little media spin article that ignored native BC as a factor.
It was a straw-man article.

[pivotplease]

Double Dash, Melee, Sunshine, and Luigi's Mansion would be some cool VC additions. Already have Wind Waker HD.