The Virtual Console is a concept that was developed and introduced in November 2006 by Nintendo which offered a series of downloadable video games for Nintendo's Wii and Wii U home video gaming console. In addition to this, the games were also available on the handheld gaming console launched by Nintendo which was known as 3DS.
The concept provided a series of gaming titles that were initially enjoyed on previous versions of home and handheld consoles. However, the Virtual Console allowed players to take a stroll down memory lane but with high-quality hardware that facilitated a seamless gaming experience.
The Virtual Console ran these gaming titles in their original form with the help of software emulation and the gaming experiences were unchanged from what the players had experienced multiple years ago.
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How Could The Gamers Use The Virtual Console?
The interested players were provided a wide array of options that spread over hundreds of games from past generation gaming console devices. These games needed to be purchased by players.
The games were available on the Nintendo eShop and Wii Shop Channel. Each platform had different prices for the games and players of different consoles needed to check for their respective versions from the shops because not all games were available in all consoles.
In addition to this, the demand and the rarity of the game also affected the overall price at which the title could be obtained by gamers.
Covered Gaming Consoles
Gaming titles that were previously available on Nintendo Entertainment System, Gameboy Color, Nintendo 64, Nintendo DS, Game Boy Advance, And Sega Master System, among many others, were presented to gamers using the virtual console.
Availability Of Arcade Games
The virtual console arcade variant allowed players to download arcade games and Nintendo opposed software piracy of older console games.
Discontinuation of the Project
The project gained fame among a selected lot of gamers that loved to enjoy the older version of games. However, in early 2019 Nintendo discontinued the project and it is no longer in production today. However, the services are still available to gamers that want to enjoy the experiences.
Games Available To Be Played On The Virtual Console
The games available varied depending upon the Virtual Console variant. For example, the Virtual Console games available for Wii in North America included 427 titles in total.
From those titles, 94 titles belong to Nintendo Entertainment System, 74 belong to Super Nintendo Entertainment System, 21 titles were from Nintendo 64, 63 titles were available from the TurboGrafx-16 platform, and 16 games were available from the Sega Master System.
Further, 75 titles were available from Sega Genesis, 54 titles were available from Neo Geo, and in addition to all these 21 arcade titles were also available for gamers.
Major Titles Available On The Virtual Console
To name a few of the famous games available on the various platforms the following deserve special attention as players loved enjoying them on their devices. Metal Slug, Sonic The Hedgehog, Street Fighter, Bomber man, Donkey Kong, and SimCity.
Conclusion
The Virtual Console was a unique service that made use of the already developed hit games of the past and allowed players to get access to these games with ease. This service not only allowed them to relive their childhood memories but also enabled Nintendo to make significant revenue.
