Surprise! Nintendo has just announced that Earthbound is out on the Wii U’s Virtual Console today. It will cost you $10.
Earthbound’s strategy guide is also available on the official website, and optimised for the Wii U’s GamePad.
Originally released in 1995 for the Super Nintendo, Earthbound has gained status as a cult classic over the past two decades. Although it was released for the Wii’s Virtual Console in Japan, the quirky RPG has never come back to the US in any other form, rendering original SNES cartridges quite valuable on eBay and other secondhand markets. Until now.
Back in April, Nintendo surprised fans when it said Earthbound would come to the Wii U’s Virtual Console in North America this year.
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7 responses to “Surprise! Earthbound Is Out On The Wii U Today”
That sound you can hear is hundreds of game collectors crying out in horror.
Just downloaded it.
$13 on the Aussie Virtual Console -which is a little steep but we never got an official release of it here as far as I remember. Having the strategy guide is also very handy, both online and as part of the download.
Now, if only Nintendo and Capcom can release the Breath of Fire games from the SNES on the Virtual Console soon.
I really wish Nintendo would be a little more open minded with their VC titles. There’s no reason why there shouldn’t just be one store where I can buy VC titles for my 3DS and Wii/WiiU. Why not open up the GB/GBC/GBA titles for the Wii U and the NES/SNES titles for the 3DS? Surely the 3DS could emulate a SNES game?
(This is me trying to convince myself out of buying a Wii U just to play Earthbound)
FWIW, there were emulators for DS that could play SNES games, and I have done so in the past. A 3DS could easily handle it.
Oh for sure. I have a DS and a SNES emulator that would work fine, but I like the idea of ‘owing’ the game and playing it legit. Having an emulator with 1000s of ROMs just doesn’t feel as satisfying. I’m really not sure why…
I paid through the nose for my U.S. copy of the game, but I’m happy to pay the 13 bucks to have it on WiiU. After all, Nintendo didn’t see a cent of the money I spent on a second-hand cart, and I want to support them finally localizing games like this. Plus the off-screen mode and Miiverse integration. Fun times ahead with a boy called Ness and a prince called Poo! ^_^
Welp, time to buy a Wii U.