For years, gamers have been clamouring for a VIrtual Console-style system for the DS, allowing them to download and play their favourite GameBoy titles. You just have to read the comments on this spoof article to know how keenly awaited the service was. Now, with the 3DS, Nintendo has answered your calls, as it's announced it's bringing a range of old school classics to the system.
Although no real specifics have been announced, it's likely the first titles released will be classic franchise outings such as Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening and Super Mario Land.
Not only will the original games be released in exactly the same way you remember them, Nintendo also announced that it would also make available classic games in 3D. What these games will be and how the 3D revamping will work, but we can't wait to find out.
Comments 98
That's excellent, I can't wait to play some of the classic B&W Gameboy games again!
It's going to be bonkers playing em with some 3D FX, now that I really can't wait to see
Can you imagine the coolness of Tetris blocks that fall both vertically downwards on screen and descend from your face? It's not a likely choice, but I think it would be amazing!
I have a huge list of games I want to see in 3D: Harvest Moon: Friends of Mineral Town is top of that list. Do it.
This is superb news, I am also excited about seeing how the classic Game Boy games will look on the 3DS's swanky screen, but it is the easy access to Game Boy Advance games that I am most looking forward to.
In time I can see a strong catalogue of titles building up, I was just tweeting about the possibility of Metroid Fusion/ Zero Mission, Gunstar Super Heroes, Gradius Advance & Ninja Five-O, it is going to be awesome.
Jet Grind Radio and The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap would also be excellent. Just imagine if Densetsu no Stafi 3 makes it over as The Legend of Starfy 3! The possibilities are what is most exciting.
Hopefully if the profile of the Virtual Console service on 3DS gets more attention, then perhaps the Wii's Virtual Console could gain more momentum and support, too.
Any Mother fan would go nuts right now.
Me, I have a list, and it's LOOOONG.
This is probably the best news of the event for me personally.
Holy sh*t!!! That's great news. There's still a lot of games I need to play, particularly from the first GB.
Great news . I'm thinking we're more likely to see certain SNES GBA ports on the 3DS VC than on the Wii VC - such as Final Fantasy V and the Super Mario Advance series. Also, perhaps the reason the Wii VC has been neglected lately is because companies have been focusing on getting games ready for the 3DS VC? I'm also thinking that resources used to get 3DS VC games on the service will cut down on resources from the same company supporting the Wii VC.
Can I just give Nintendo my money now?
Ninja Five-O, Dragonball Advanced Adventure, and Shantae please.
Please don't be a Wii VC repeat and leave out most of the rare or lesser known stuff.
I hope too for Pokémon versions !!
This is wonderful news. There is such a vast back catalogue of great games on those systems so there will be lots to look forward to. If some of the games get a 3D upgrade then that is even better. I already own quite a good number of GB/GBA games but I will be keeping my eye on this very closely.
Okay, Nintendo...you claim to be putting extra emphasis on third-party support for the 3DS. Therefore, it is absolutely imperative that you treat them well so they keep releasing games. DON'T SCREW THIS UP!!!
Sorry, a bit jaded here. My overly optimistic self from four years ago would've been all like "WOOT! TIME TO START A PARADE!" I know better now. Here's (tentatively, cautiously) hoping, though...
YEEEEESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Best handheld ever: check
As I promised, I'm now gonna buy a 3DS day 1, thanks to this announcement.
I hope that a few games may have new features like onlne, similar to XBLA.
Playing Pokemon R&B/Shining Soul 2 online would be great!!! But...I still want an Pokemon MMO(;_;)
If they put the two Metroid GBA games on there in 3D, I will [USER WAS BANNED FOR THIS POST]
The pricing for the B&W GB games will have to be really cheap considering most games can be had under $7. I'm all for access to classic games.
I was already excited about going for my Scuba medical tomorrow (I'm aiming to start my course within the next two weeks), and this tops the autostereoscopic cake! Maybe this means that we will end up seeing Pokemon Stadium (2) on the Wii VC due to some linkage between the Wii and 3DS...maybe that also means we'll see an updated version of Mario Golf as well...ooh, and games like Mario Kart 64 and Wave Race 64 could be updated too with the help of a Controller Pak program within the 3DS' memory
Guys, better update this, the GBA stuff may not have been confirmed, so I heard.
http://gonintendo.com/viewstory.php?id=137610
Already edited
Sweet! Nice save there, Pros---- I mean, James.
Awesome! They better add GBA games too!
I'm gonna feel like a kid again in March
Can't wait!
Balloon Kid please, and I know they'll be shooting themselves in the foot if they give us the GB or GBC versions of Tetris, because we won't need any other, but I'll take that too.
YESSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Props on monkey magic dazza
I can't wait to play Donkey Kong again! This is excellent news!
One word: Nice.
Put all the handheld Metroid games on the VC and I'll find some way to buy them, Nintendo, it doesn't matter that I already own them...
Whoa! Awesome news, I've been crossing my fingers since day one for this
I think I died and, like, went to Nintendo heaven...
Oh My God, I need to get a job like now so I can save up for awesomeness.
I just punched the air the moment I saw this! 3DS will be the most epic handheld ever
Better late then never
Excellent! Throw in Metroid II, the Mega Man games, Shantae, and Pokémon Blue version and we're golden.
Good thing my birthday is in March!
Yes!
DAY ONE PURCHASE!!!
It was only natural for Nintendo to do this. This means I can actually play Metroid Fusion and replay Zero Mission.
If they're revamping them to have 3d, I hope they give them graphical uplifts too. Black and white games were ok 20 years ago, but I'm not entirely sure that'll swing so well now
So happy want to cry!
I'm already seeing Kirby's Tilt 'n' Tumble on 3DS!!! DD
I hope Kirby & the Amazing Mirror is coming to 3DS to, it's one of my all-time favorite games!
@Link: What about light green and dark green games?
If they're revamping them to have 3d, I hope they give them graphical uplifts too. Black and white games were ok 20 years ago, but I'm not entirely sure that'll swing so well now
On the Super Game Boy and Game Boy Color, you can choose from various palettes to make up for the four shades for the original GB games. It'll likely be like that again.
3D Game & Watch Galleries anyone?
And to think, I delayed buying Oracle of Seasons, Oracle of Ages & Link's Awakening DX because I thought for sure the DSi would get GB releases! I just hope LA gets released as the DX version...
April Fools!
Wait, it's not April...
@Bass X0: And just like then, all the color options will probably be so horrible that I'll hit the button combo for black & white at startup.
@Alphack3r: No worries there...Sylverstone's link in post #22 references the official Nintendo site, which shows GB with Super Mario Land as an example game and GBC with Link's Awakening DX.
Finally a VC service where we won't have to be concerned about the PAL conversion!
Hell yes, this thing is never going to leave my hands.
Also, everyone get ready to complain each week. Jk
This is the best news I've heard all day, strike that, this is the best news I've heard all year.
I want the original Gameboy version of Jurassic Park just for the insanely catchy music - it's a long shot but a boy can dream.
Cool, I want all the Wario Land games and the original Pokemon Red version.
YEEEEEEEEEEESSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!! I'm most looking forward to the mario and wario land games but there are many other games that I'm looking forward to playing on this service like shantae, GB mega man series, mega man xtreme series, GB final fantasy games etc.
does an awesome dance
Win.
Now I can get away with selling my DS Lite too (kept it around to play GBA games).
I remember the April Fools' Day trick. It was before I joined the site but I'd been visiting for ages. I got so happy, then I read the comments... I will never forgive you for that.
Anyways, hooray for Nintendo, can't wait to DL these games, blah blah blah.
AWESOME!
Now we need to know the prices. I would be ok with 500 points for GB games and 800 for GBA games so they can have Free, 200, 500 and 800+ categories on 3DSware as is the case with DSi. Sure not all GB games are worth $5 but if that's how we got NES games I see no difference.
What is interesting is how "classic games on 3D" is mentioned as well. Will we get Ocarina and Starfox as 3DSware $15 games on the service or will they go for full on $34.99 retail releases?
@EdEN: From the sounds of things I think they are full retail releases.
Oh SWEET, I hope to also see Game Gear games on the service as well!
Another vote for Balloon Kid, that game was pretty awesome. I'd be very interested to see how they pull off multiplayer for that and other games, perhaps through some local wi-fi based gamelink emulation.
This VC will probably have the same limits the Wii VC has ~ no connectivity between games(ex. Mario Glf/Tennis GBC/N64).
& this is probably why the current VC system has been,...once every 2 weeks.
& the support of this, & price of games will probably not be so grand. Then again, maybe not.
I think N knows this is their best weapon in the handheld wars, as they were always considered unmatched in the handheld business. I wonder though, if each game will carry it's own (complete) emulator, just a config file to tweak the emulator to a specific game's needs, or partial emulator, w/ config file? Perhaps all these methods?
Nintendo, you have used this announcement to make me want a 3DS. While, due to price, & possibility of you upgrading it(3DS) sightly w/i a year's time, I may not get one right away. But I do want one. Nintendo, your method, well,...
It's Super Effective!
YEAH!
and now I'll be able to play moar top down Zelda.
Oh wow, that's great, but I don't need a Virtual Handheld, I've got lots of GB games.
Excellent news! Hopefully Game Gear title will be available to download!
This is propally were im going to spend most of my money. I never had a ganeboy or gameboy color so it would be nice to get to play the metriod and zelda games on there. And if they have gba games then thats just a bonus.
oh. my. gosh.
The more I hear about it the more I want a 3DS, and that GB VC is very tempting. The only thing is I bought the Wii mainly because of the VC and look now Nintendo treats the Wii VC. I dont want to get my hopes high for a GB VC on the 3DS and than be disappointed with it down the roan like I am now with the Wii VC.
Best handheld news ever. This will be the most important feature to me besides 3DS retail games of course. I hope though Nintendo will treat this Virtual Console much better than Wii's Virtual Console.
PS: I would prefer the European version of "Link's Awakening" for the original Gameboy (without Color) since it wasn't mutilated by the stupid censorship rules used by Nintendo of America in the 80/90ies. Unfortunately the "DX"-remake for Gameboy Color was censored in Europe and North America like the original North American version.
YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY!!!
sold.
Yeah, we will probably get Zero Mission and Fusion. However, this means we'll probably finally see a rerelease of Metroid 2.
Day one, goes to find camping gear.
<- happy dance
Im ...................AMAZED!
ill be the first to admit its good news.......but anther half of me thinks of the virtual console status.............vc was suppose to get 1000 great selected titles......sure the 3ds will have games at first then they wil give us the 3ds ware bull crap and u will end up with very few games when its all said and done.....in the end it will be just like the virtual console games we still wish for and saying stuff like were is links awaking...where mario land 2 and so on.....most of u inclueding me know that theses games are instant money...look at the virtual console were is contra, donkey kong 64, and super mario 2 yoshis island....im debating on geting 3ds or not......ocarina of time 3ds i know is goin to rock... and that kid icrus game looked awsome ...but as time goes we will know how it is all goin to work soon enuff.........
This is awesome news to finally have confirmed, but I bet it'll still be like the way the VC is treated. All those games like Mother 3 STILL won't be released, and then we'll have to get all the VC games and wait for SNES games to be released on the 3DS. Hopefully though, you can transfer your wii VC and play it on the 3DS. THAT would be even awesomer, like the PSN does. But hopefully they'll cut back on releasing shovel Wiiware every week (who am I kidding of course not) and perhaps start evening it out with Wii VC and 3DS VC one week, and Wiiware the next.
Oh yes, can't wait for this. So much news all at once.
I love this! I love this... I just wish I knew if Ill have the $$$.
great great great
Yea, I know most of us think so but this is totally the best news concerning 3DS for me. ;3
I hope the GBA news was true.
So Mother 1 and 2 (together) can FINALLY hit the states.
Man seriously the only fail for this system is the release date.
There's so much win for this thing it's incredible.
OH YEAAAAAAAAH
@SilverBlacktail "3D Game & Watch Galleries anyone?"
ME!!
Wasn't living during the golden age of game boy, so I'll need to get Shantae, Metroid II, and a bunch of others.
So let's see, we're probably about six, six and a half months away from the start of all the b*thcing and complaining about what's not on the 3DS virtual console.
Nice.
Happy September Fools Day...
So effin dope man. Nintendo grows to please you.
aww, i was hoping for a wii gameboy player, as i dont like handhelds, and have no DS or even 3DS
oh well, then not
Yes!
I always hated not being able to play Gunstar Super Heroes on my dsi!
And i didn't like how you couldn't play gb/gbc games on the ds.
Can you imagine the coolness of Tetris blocks that fall both vertically downwards on screen and descend from your face? It's not a likely choice, but I think it would be amazing!
I remember Welltris, and it wasn't very good.
Not a big deal for me since I play my original Game Boy games on my AGS-101 GBASP, but it's a very good idea! Clever Nintendo!
yay i hope they have lots of mario games its very exciting i just cant wait im soooooooooooooooooo excited
nintendo 3ds looks awesome im goanna buy it when ocarina of time 3d comes but is gameboy advance games confirmed coming on the eshop or just a rumour ?
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