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[[Image:Virtual Console logo.jpg|thumb|right|300px|The Virtual Console logo.]]'''Virtual Console''' (バーチャルコンソール ''Bācharu Konsōru''), sometimes abbreviated as '''VC''', is a feature of the [[Wii]] that emulates older video game consoles and allows one to play games originally released for those consoles. This feature is supported by the [[Wikipedia:Wii Menu#Wii Shop Channel|Wii Shop Channel]]. The Virtual Console currently emulates the [[Wikipedia:Nintendo Entertainment System|Nintendo Entertainment System]], [[Wikipedia:Super Nintendo Entertainment System|Super Nintendo Entertainment System]] and [[Nintendo 64]], as well as the [[Wikipedia:Sega Mega Drive|Sega Mega Drive/Genesis]], NEC's [[Wikipedia:TurboGrafx-16|TurboGrafx-16/PC Engine]], the [[Wikipedia:MSX|MSX]] computer and the [[Wikipedia:Neo Geo (console)|Neo Geo]] home system.
[[File:Virtual Console.png|thumb|300px|The Virtual Console logo.]]The '''Virtual Console''' ({{ja|バーチャルコンソール|Bācharukonsōru}}, ''Virtual Console''), sometimes abbreviated as '''VC''', is a feature of the [[Wii]], [[Nintendo 3DS]], and [[Wii U]] that allows players to officially emulate games from older video game consoles. Supported by the {{h2|Wikipedia:Wii Menu|Wii Shop Channel}} on the Wii and the [[Nintendo eShop]] on the Wii U and Nintendo 3DS, the different consoles offered differing coverage as to what games they featured. The Virtual Console has since been retired, with the currently available [[Nintendo Switch]] offering classic games with a Nintendo Switch Online subscription. The currently supported consoles on this service are NES, SNES and Game Boy/Game Boy Color with the base package, with N64, GBA, and Sega Genesis costing extra as part of the Expansion Pack. After the shutdown of the Wii Virtual Console on January 30, 2019, and the shutdown of the 3DS and Wii U Virtual Console on March 27, 2023, it is no longer legally possible to purchase software provided by any Virtual Console service.


==In the ''Super Smash Bros.'' series==
==List of consoles on Virtual Console==
Many of the [[Masterpieces]] featured in Brawl work on the Virtual Console engine. Masterpieces are demos of existing Virtual Console games and share many of the same attributes of games on the Virtual Console.
{| class="wikitable"
! Platform !! [[Wii]]<ref name="Wii Mode">Wii U can play them in Wii Mode</ref> !! [[Wii U]] !! [[Nintendo 3DS]]
|-
| Arcade ||{{y}}||{{n}}||{{n}}
|-
| NES / Famicom ||{{y}}||{{y}}||{{y}}
|-
| SNES / Super Famicom||{{y}}||{{y}}||{{y}}<ref name="New 3DS">Only available on New Nintendo 3DS</ref>
|-
| Nintendo 64||{{y}}||{{y}}||{{n}}
|-
|Sega Master System||{{y}}||{{n}}||{{n}}
|-
| Sega Genesis ||{{y}}||{{n}}||{{n}}
|-
| Turbografx-16||{{y}}||{{y}}||{{y}}<ref name="Japan only">Only available on Japanese 3DS systems</ref>
|-
| Neo Geo||{{y}}||{{n}}||{{n}}
|-
| Game Boy ||{{n}}||{{n}}||{{y}}
|-
| Game Boy Color||{{n}}||{{n}}||{{y}}
|-
| Game Boy Advance||{{n}}||{{y}}||{{n}}<ref name="Ambassador">10 Game Boy Advance games were released for members of the [http://en-americas-support.nintendo.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/746/~/nintendo-3ds-ambassador-eligibility Nintendo 3DS Ambassador] program. They were not released otherwise.</ref>
|-
| Nintendo DS ||{{n}}||{{y}}||{{n}}
|-
| Sega Game Gear ||{{n}}||{{n}}||{{y}}
|-
| MSX<ref name="MSX">Only available in Japan.</ref>||{{y}}||{{y}}||{{n}}
|-
| Commodore 64<ref name="C64">Only available in North America and PAL regions. All games were removed from the Wii Shop Channel in August 2013.</ref>||{{y}}||{{n}}||{{n}}
|}
===Notes===
<references />


Also, it is rumored to be that Super Smash Bros. for the Nintendo 64 will also appear on the Virtual Console.
==In the ''{{B|Super Smash Bros.|series}}'' series==
===[[Masterpieces]]===
A majority of the [[Masterpieces]] featured in ''Brawl'' and {{forwiiu}} work via the Virtual Console engine. In addition, all Masterpieces are timed.
 
Unusually, ''Smash 4'' features Masterpieces of Game Boy titles, which were not supported by the Wii U's Virtual Console. As a result, players are told about how they could download the two Game Boy titles, ''Kirby's Dream Land'' and ''Dr. Mario'', on the Nintendo 3DS's Virtual Console. When the timer runs out, the player is told about how the full version could be purchased for the Virtual Console, though the prompt to take players directly to the Wii U eShop for NES and SNES titles is no longer functional.
 
===Re-release of ''[[Super Smash Bros.]]''===
''[[Super Smash Bros.]]'' was released onto the Wii Virtual Console for Japan on January 20, 2009, as to celebrate the ten years since the game's first release in Japan on January 21, 1999. It was later released to Europe and Australia on June 12, 2009, and to North America on December 21, 2009. While not officially available for the Wii U's Virtual Console, the Virtual Console re-release of ''Smash 64'' could still be purchased and played when the Wii U was running in Wii Mode. However, the discontinuation of the Wii Shop Channel on January 30, 2019 made the game legitimately unavailable.
 
Due to lack of N64 controller support and significant performance issues like frame-skipping, the Virtual Console version of ''Smash 64'' is not used for tournament play. Players use the original [[Nintendo 64]] hardware for in person tournaments or [[Project 64k]] for online events.


==External links==
==External links==
{{art-nwiki}}
*[http://wii.nintendo.com/virtualconsole.jsp Virtual Console] - Official Virtual Console site
*[http://wii.nintendo.com/virtualconsole.jsp Virtual Console] - Official Virtual Console site
[[Category:Wii]]
[[Category:Wii]]
[[Category:Nintendo 3DS]]
[[Category:Wii U]]
[[Category:Consoles]]
[[Category:Consoles]]
[[Category:Technology]]
[[Category:Emulators]]

Latest revision as of 18:02, September 17, 2024

The Virtual Console logo.

The Virtual Console (バーチャルコンソール, Virtual Console), sometimes abbreviated as VC, is a feature of the Wii, Nintendo 3DS, and Wii U that allows players to officially emulate games from older video game consoles. Supported by the Wii Shop Channel on the Wii and the Nintendo eShop on the Wii U and Nintendo 3DS, the different consoles offered differing coverage as to what games they featured. The Virtual Console has since been retired, with the currently available Nintendo Switch offering classic games with a Nintendo Switch Online subscription. The currently supported consoles on this service are NES, SNES and Game Boy/Game Boy Color with the base package, with N64, GBA, and Sega Genesis costing extra as part of the Expansion Pack. After the shutdown of the Wii Virtual Console on January 30, 2019, and the shutdown of the 3DS and Wii U Virtual Console on March 27, 2023, it is no longer legally possible to purchase software provided by any Virtual Console service.

List of consoles on Virtual Console[edit]

Platform Wii[1] Wii U Nintendo 3DS
Arcade Yes No No
NES / Famicom Yes Yes Yes
SNES / Super Famicom Yes Yes Yes[2]
Nintendo 64 Yes Yes No
Sega Master System Yes No No
Sega Genesis Yes No No
Turbografx-16 Yes Yes Yes[3]
Neo Geo Yes No No
Game Boy No No Yes
Game Boy Color No No Yes
Game Boy Advance No Yes No[4]
Nintendo DS No Yes No
Sega Game Gear No No Yes
MSX[5] Yes Yes No
Commodore 64[6] Yes No No

Notes[edit]

  1. ^ Wii U can play them in Wii Mode
  2. ^ Only available on New Nintendo 3DS
  3. ^ Only available on Japanese 3DS systems
  4. ^ 10 Game Boy Advance games were released for members of the Nintendo 3DS Ambassador program. They were not released otherwise.
  5. ^ Only available in Japan.
  6. ^ Only available in North America and PAL regions. All games were removed from the Wii Shop Channel in August 2013.

In the Super Smash Bros. series[edit]

Masterpieces[edit]

A majority of the Masterpieces featured in Brawl and Super Smash Bros. for Wii U work via the Virtual Console engine. In addition, all Masterpieces are timed.

Unusually, Smash 4 features Masterpieces of Game Boy titles, which were not supported by the Wii U's Virtual Console. As a result, players are told about how they could download the two Game Boy titles, Kirby's Dream Land and Dr. Mario, on the Nintendo 3DS's Virtual Console. When the timer runs out, the player is told about how the full version could be purchased for the Virtual Console, though the prompt to take players directly to the Wii U eShop for NES and SNES titles is no longer functional.

Re-release of Super Smash Bros.[edit]

Super Smash Bros. was released onto the Wii Virtual Console for Japan on January 20, 2009, as to celebrate the ten years since the game's first release in Japan on January 21, 1999. It was later released to Europe and Australia on June 12, 2009, and to North America on December 21, 2009. While not officially available for the Wii U's Virtual Console, the Virtual Console re-release of Smash 64 could still be purchased and played when the Wii U was running in Wii Mode. However, the discontinuation of the Wii Shop Channel on January 30, 2019 made the game legitimately unavailable.

Due to lack of N64 controller support and significant performance issues like frame-skipping, the Virtual Console version of Smash 64 is not used for tournament play. Players use the original Nintendo 64 hardware for in person tournaments or Project 64k for online events.

External links[edit]

Retrieved from "https://www.ssbwiki.com/index.php?title=Virtual_Console&oldid=1927085"