Farewell, GameCube, the Wii U Doesn't Play You

Speaking to Kotaku earlier today, Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aime revealed that while the Wii U will still be compatible with Wii software, its predecessor's backward compatibility with the GameCube will not be making an appearance.

[LoaMcLoa]

You can't play PS1 games on PS3. Can't really say I'm surprised by this decision.

[tunaks1]

im pretty sure the fat ones can...

[EYEamNUMBER1]

your thinking of PS2 games

[solidjun5]

No, all of them can. They can't all play PS2 games though.

[GfxPipeline]

Every PS3 model can play PS1 games. PS1 emulation is completely software.

[ChronoJoe]

I thought any PS3 could play PS1 games?

[LoaMcLoa]

What? For reals?

Shoo, my mistake..

Ok, another example them x) Gamecube can't play N64 games

[WesMcLaren]

yea...they all can

[ChickeyCantor]

Downloadables games for sure.

[jerethdagryphon]

um yes you can all ps3sx have ps1 capability even from disc played acecombat 2 last night

[mrv321]

All PS3 play PS1 games.

[L6RD7BLU3]

Yes you can all ps3's play ps1, just not ps2 but who cares.

[Ducky]

... but the PS2 has/had arguably the best software lineups of all time.
=/

[TheCampfireSong]

Huh? All ps3's are capable of playing ps1 titles.

[L6RD7BLU3]

yes, try it

[stragomccloud]

All of them can. No dice on the PS2 games, though.

[cpt_kaos]

You either don't own a PS3 or do not have any PS1 games as 160 gig slim sitting here playing V-Rally.

Anyone who puts in a PS1 game for the first time on Fat or Slim models will be asked to create a PS1 internal memory card then it's all go from there.

[jacksonmichael]

I don't really mind in terms of Gamecube games... what bothers me is that I have controller adapters for almost all of the systems on the Virtual Console. If new VC games come out for Wii U but not for Wii and Wii U doesn't support my adapters (all of which use Gamecube slots), I will be filled with more rage than a Sony fanboy on any given day.

[-Alpha]

Can't you just use the Wii U controller?

[jacksonmichael]

Good question. No. That's the point. For example, I have an N64 controller (in my town, that controller is seen as the best so far) and I refuse to play N64 games with anything else. I tried with the Classic Controller... it just didn't feel right.

It's not that I don't like the new controller, though.

[GodsHand]

Don't worry about it, in 10 years you can sell that stuff for a profit, or start your own little video game museum.

[chrisgay]

If it won't upscale anyway, I don't give a shit- I'll stick to Dolphin. They missed a great opportunity to please a lot of people- the Wii U could have launched with hundreds of top games in HD that many hardcore gamers will have missed, on Wii and Gamecube.

[tigertron]

Backwards compatibility would have been one of the Wii U's key selling points for me. Shame Nintendo...

[Shok]

It is backwards compatible.....just not 2 gens back. You really can't blame a company for not supporting something from 10 years ago. Heck, I never blamed Sony for not supporting the PS2 (with the Slim models), cause to me, it's not such a big deal with home consoles. If I want to play a PS2 game I'll just bust out my PS2.

[tigertron]

Playing it upscaled would have been nice, through an HDMI cable.

[WesMcLaren]

Not a big deal, gamecubes cost less than gamecube controllers these days. just go pick one up for 10 bucks

[VampiricDragon]

the wii was bc with the gamecube

its good enough that the wii u just does wii

at least we have BC

[Samus HD]

agree - not a loose
ps3 can't even play ps2 games

[Cajun Chicken]

But...the Wii can? Seriously, not quite sure how this is a loss, really.