Amidst all of the announcements for new games during yesterday’s Nintendo Direct press event, the Big N also spared some time to discuss a few old games, specifically a set of four that are now available through the Wii U Virtual Console.
Following yesterday’s Nintendo presentation, most folks are abuzz concerning the new Fire Emblem game, new Amiibos, that DLC content for Super Smash Bros. and Mario Kart 8 and the Platinum/Gold reward tiers for the Nintendo Rewards program. Gamers with an eye for more old school fun, though, likely perked their ears up to the announcement that four new games would be made available on the Wii U’s eShop, bolstering the console’s DS lineup and introducing catalog titles for the Nintendo 64.
Much like the Wii before it, some of the Wii U’s best offerings are actually older games made available digitally at a discounted price. Starting today, players can now get their hands on Super Mario 64, Donkey Kong 64, Mario Kart DS and Wario Ware Touched.
In case the title themselves weren’t a dead giveaway, Mario 64 and Donkey Kong 64 hail from the Nintendo 64 and are some of that generation’s most beloved games. Mario 64 was one of the first 3D adventure games that pulled its mustachioed hero into the modern age. It should come as no surprise considering the series’ pedigree, but Mario’s leap to the third dimension had basically zero growing pains. Though it was one of the original games to boast a 3D environment, it was also one of the best. And then there was Donkey Kong 64, which took everything folks loved about the beloved SNES series and cranked the volume up to 10.
Given the fact that the Wii U has a touchscreen incorporated into its controller, many suspected from day one that a catalog of DS games would be added to the virtual console. It’s taken a while for Nintendo to cross that bridge but, with today’s eShop update, they’ve finally done it.
Mario Kart DS was a fantastic racer for its day and age and actually holds up quite nicely. If you’re looking for a blast from the past racing game on the cheap, you could do a heck of a lot worse.
The same goes for Wario Ware Touched, yet another great entry in the micro-game series. This game relied heavily on the touchscreen, so expect to get super hands-on with that Wii U Gamepad.
As a special added bonus, buying any four of these games will unlock the fourth one free of charge between now and April 16.
Now that the doors to the N64 and DS have been opened on the Wii U, there’s no telling what might come next. My vote goes to Golden Eye and The World Ends With You, but we’ll just have to wait and see. So, tell us, what new (old) games would you like to see added to the Wii U’s virtual console?
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