The Wii U won’t play GameCube discs. But it will play the Virtual Console, Nintendo’s online shop that lets you buy games from old consoles like the Super Nintendo and N64.
We’re two generations removed from the GameCube now. That qualifies it as an old console. So when chatting with Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aime last week, I had to ask: will GameCube games ever come to the Virtual Console?
“That is a great question,” he said, smiling. “And personally I would love for that to happen, but we have nothing to announce right now.”
OK. Maybe we’ll get GameCube games on Virtual Console, then. Maybe we won’t. Either way, I’ve got 10 suggestions for GC games that could help bolster Nintendo’s library of classics.
Skies of Arcadia: Legends
The Virtual Console partially exists to fill holes in your gaming knowledge, and if you’re an RPG fan who stuck to the PS2, Skies of Arcadia might be one of those holes. This game is a classic. It stars sky pirates. Sky pirates! [clear]
Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door
Arguably a better game than the first Paper Mario, Thousand-Year Door added more colourful characters, more wacky areas, and more charming humour to the must-play series. Might be a nice VC release to help sell the new Paper Mario on 3DS.[clear]
Resident Evil 4
The best Resident Evil game in its original form. Even today, few horror survival games can compare to the awesomeness of RE4. It’d be lovely to play again on Wii U.[clear]
The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker
Maybe my second-favorite Zelda game (after Link to the Past), Wind Waker is totally replayable. It’s too bad VC games won’t be HD: Wind Waker would look fantastic with a better resolution.[clear]
Eternal Darkness
This bizarre game has turned into a bit of a cult classic over the years. For good reason. It’s fascinating. You travel through time, reliving peoples’ experiences and running into all sorts of crazy psychological terrors along the way. rumours have been circulating for years that developer Silicon Knights is interested in a sequel: if that were to happen, a VC re-release would be a nice tie-in.[clear]
Super Mario Sunshine
Not an all-time classic, but better than you remember it being. It’s Mario, after all.[clear]
Metroid Prime
The first Metroid game to go all first-person on us was also one of the best. Metroid Prime was a worthy (and refreshing) entry in the action/adventure/scifi series. And I bet it still plays great.[clear]
The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventures
Four Swords Adventures, also known as “that one Zelda you bought a friggin’ GBA adaptor for,” would be quite fitting for the Wii U’s tablet controller. If Nintendo can somehow engineer the game to use the GamePad like a Game Boy Advance, Four Swords Adventures would be a perfect VC release.[clear]
Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes
Yes, Metal Gear Solid has been re-released a lot. I really liked The Twin Snakes, though. It might be my favourite remake among the many, many remakes that game has seen over the years. Would I play it again? Sure![clear]
Super Mario Strikers
Maybe the best Mario sports game? Sorry, Mario Tennis fans. Super Mario Strikers got me to tolerate soccer. It deserves to get on the Virtual Console just for that.[clear]
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