Week of December 8, 2016:

Wii U Virtual Console:

Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon (DS)
$9.99


New 3DS Virtual Console:

Demon's Crest (SNES)
$7.99


Fire Emblem Shadow Dragon, for those of you who don't know, is a remake of the first Fire Emblem game for the Famicom. It was not only the first time the US got the first Fire Emblem game released, but it's also the first American-released Fire Emblem game to feature Marth. While that may sound like a good game to play, unfortunately, it has problems that sets the game back, such as the support system and weapon triangle that was used in later Fire Emblem games. This was something that did not sit well with players. These complaints were addressed in the DS remake of Mystery of the Emblem for the SNES... but unfortunately, that game never got released outside of Japan. It's a shame too. If you want to download Shadow Dragon just to experience the first Fire Emblem game, then it might be good to do so. But me personally, I think I'm going to stick with my Famicom cartridge of the first Fire Emblem game. The RetroN 5 allows me to apply a translation patch so I can play the game in (mostly) full English.

Also released as a Wii Download title is Metroid: Other M. To say that game was controversial is an understatement. The director of the game Yoshio Sakamoto made a lot of bone-headed decisions with the game by making Samus seem more of a vulnerable scared military woman. It was also because of these decisions that we never got an actual Metroid game since then. Just Federation Force... and yet, Other M actually feels closer to Metroid than the 3DS spinoff title.

Last week didn't any official Virtual Console releases. Mainly just ExciteBots as a Wii download title. But we do have something this week for the week of December 22, 2016.

Wii U Virtual Console:

Mario Party 2 (N64)
$9.99


Yes, folks, just like before with the original Wii Virtual Console, the first Mario Party game is being skipped on the Wii U Virtual Console as well. The reason for that was because the first Mario Party game was very controversial for causing blistered palms and friction burns due to minigames that required you to rotate the joystick really hard. This nearly got Nintendo in trouble, and so they sent out gloves to some of the people who were affected by this. However, I think what really caused the blistered palms to happen was due to the Nintendo 64's stiff control stick. Nintendo has since made more comfortable control sticks, from the Gamecube and up... and for that, the blistered palms probably would not be likely to happen if they played these rotating stick minigames. Nevertheless, it seems Nintendo no longer wants to take that risk, and for that, don't ever expect to see the first Mario Party game released on the Virtual Console service.

Week of 12/29/2016:

Wii U Virtual Console:

Mario Kart 64 (N64)
$9.99


New 3DS Virtual Console:

Castlevania: Dracula X (SNES)
$7.99


Nothing too exciting for this week's releases. Mainly, it's Nintendo playing catch up with Japan and Europe. I do have Mario Kart 64 on the Wii Virtual Console, so I might consider getting this on the Wii U. Super Mario Kart may have been rightfully acclaimed, and I will always respect that game for being the first game in the series. But I honestly don't think SMK has aged very well. Mario Kart 64 is what defined the series, IMO.

yeesh, and i wonder how late we'll get star fox 64, since so many people were against star fox zero and its recycled plot.

Here we are with the first week of 2017. This is the Virtual Console releases for the week of January 5, 2017.

Wii U Virtual Console:

Pokemon Snap (N64)
$9.99


Yes, after being out in Japan and Europe for so long, Pokemon Snap makes it's awaited arrival on the Wii U Virtual Console. Why they waited this long, I have no idea. This game is for sure a fan favorite, and a lot of people have been waiting for a sequel. Of course, not making a Wii U sequel of it was a bit of a missed opportunity, as this would have been the right game to test the waters of the Wii U gamepad.

i like how "catching pok'emon is a snap!" is using the same font you'd see in a meme picture.

I've been a bit preoccupied by the Nintendo Switch news this past day. To say the presentation was a bit underwhelming is an understatement. I hope the Switch doesn't fail, but I'm not liking what I'm hearing. That said, here is this week's Virtual Console release for January 12, 2017.

Wii U Virtual Console:

F-Zero X (N64)
$9.99


Hmm... I do have a $10 Nintendo eShop card. Maybe I'll use it on this. It would be one game that will tide over the last few months of the Wii U.

Also, The Nintendo Switch's online service is apparently going to allow rentals of NES and SNES games for one month with online features. Not sure how that would even work. What kind of online? Like online multiplayer? And why for only a month? You can't keep the game?