Recent news regarding a Virtual Console service for the 3DS has caused some renewed interest and hope in the Wii’s own Virtual Console. However, seeing as how 3DS support will happen, given the announcement of Link’s Awakening: DX for the service, most developers are probably shifting their focus on porting old games over to Nintendo’s new handheld right now. Therefore, such hope and interest in Wii Virtual Console support is largely misplaced. Besides that, Wii Virtual Console support has dwindled exponentially over the past few years and has shown little sign of improving, particularly in North America.
Speaking of which, Virtual Console kicked things off wrong here on the first of November, releasing only one game: the little known Neo Geo NBA Jam clone, Street Slam. Meanwhile, Japan received four new old games, three of which are known in the West: Mario Party 2, Super Bonk, and Ghosts ‘n Goblins. Many North American gamers would love to be able to download these games to their Wii, but Nintendo of America has only seen fit to lock down bringing one of those titles over to North America for sure: Ghost ‘n Goblins. When it will arrive in the store is still an undetermined date in 2011. Meanwhile, Mario Party 2 is little more than a rumor for North American release, having no date attached to it whatsoever. Although, it is said to be coming over at some point. Perhaps it’s time for Nintendo of America to just end all Virtual Console support on this side of the Pacific rather than tease gamers what could but may never be.
