Virtual Console

The Virtual Console is one of many special features of the Wii. The Virtual Console allows gamers to download games that have been uploaded by their respective companies. Nintendo is the main backer of the feature, promising to fill it with their immense backlog of games from the NES, SNES, and Nintendo 64. Nintendo will not be uploading Nintendo GameCube games to the Virtual Console due to their large 1.4-gb sizes, and because the Wii is backwards-compatible with the system. Hudson, Sega, SNK and Commodore are also backing the Virtual Console with Sega Genesis/Mega Drive, Sega Master System, TurboGrafx-16, TurboGrafx-CD, SuperGrafx, Neo Geo and Commodore 64 games.

Wii Points
Virtual Console games are bought with Wii Points via the Wii Shop Channel. Wii Points Cards, which are sold at most game retailers, each come with 2,000 redeemable Points on them. However, in Japan, cards are worth either 1,000, 3,000 or 5,000 Wii Points. Wii Points can also be purchased directly through the Wii Shop Channel with a credit card in blocks of either 1,000, 2,000, 3,000, 4,000 or 5,000 Points.

Pricing
NES games: 500 Points SNES games: 800 Points N64 games: 1000 Points SG games: 800 Points TG16 games: 600 Points Neo Geo Games: 900 Points MSX Games (Japan only): 800 Points C64 Games: 500 Points Virtual Console Arcade: 500 points

While this pricing is true for most games, a few select games have been priced differently. Imported games such as Super Mario RPG and Mario's Super Picross in Europe and Australia and Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels outside Japan cost 100 Wii Points more than usual.

In the United States, retailers currently only sell 2,000 points cards for $20 apiece, at a price of one cent per point.

Note: Games released on the Virtual Console Arcade are defaultly set to 500 points. However, most VCA games are priced higher than 500 points.

Controllers
Various controllers can be used to play Virtual Console games.


 * Wii Remote - when turned sideways, it acts as a substitute for the NES controller.
 * Classic Controller - can play any game; designed to resemble an SNES controller
 * Nintendo GameCube controller- also can play any game.

List of Mario Games for the Virtual Console

 * [[Image:Check_small.png|17px]] – The game has either been released or at least confirmed in that region.


 * [[Image:X mark.png|17px]] – The game has not been announced in that region.


 * [[Image:Question.png|17px]] – The game was announced at some point in that region, but the release date is currently unknown.