VC Downloads

[Momma Bear]

Nintendo Wii Virtual Console Download Rate Is Insane




by Gary Adamo
When the Wii Virtual Console was first announced, there were many who said it wouldn't work. The games were too expensive, the interest was minimal, yadda yadda. Obviously, they were wrong.
The big N has just come out with figures showing that Wii VC titles are being downloaded at rate of more than 1,000 games every hour since launch. 'Nuff said.


The word from Nintendo:


Nintendo is giving video game fans a way to access their favorite classic games, all without leaving the comfort of their homes. And gamers have responded en masse as the library of downloadable game classics continues to grow. The upcoming addition of Zelda II – The Adventure of Link on June 4 marks the 100th classic game available on the Wii Shop Channel. And since going online Nov. 19, owners of Nintendo's hot Wii video game system have downloaded more than 4.7 million classic games from Wii's Virtual Console, a rate of more than 1,000 games every hour since launch. The top five classic game downloads globally to date, and their original system are:


1) Super Mario Bros. (NES)
2) Super Mario 64 (N64)
3) Mario Kart 64 (N64)
4) Super Mario World (SNES)
5) The Legend of Zelda (NES)


Wii lets players visit the Wii Shop Channel to redeem Wii Points to download classic video games from the original Nintendo Entertainment System, the Super NES and the Nintendo 64, and the Sega Genesis and TurboGrafx16 consoles. These games are nostalgic totems to veteran gamers, and simultaneously, new, easy-to-play entries for younger players. These games demonstrate Nintendo's staying power across generations by letting veteran gamers relive their glory days while their children play them for the first time. The addition of Zelda II – The Adventure of Link brings a fourth Legend of Zelda game to the Wii Shop Channel from three classic Nintendo platforms, providing exciting adventures that span the decades. Additional classic games are added to the Wii Shop Channel every Monday.


"With an Internet connection rate reaching 40 percent, Wii owners have more options than ever to find the kinds of games they love to play," says George Harrison, Nintendo of America's senior vice president of marketing and corporate communications. "Beyond the Wii Shop Channel, all types of people are getting connected and checking out the information and entertainment options available on the Wii Menu. Whether voting, creating a Mii or just checking the weather, everyone has a favorite channel."


The Wii Shop Channel is one of the many entertainment and informational channels that are available via the Wii system. Others include the Forecast Channel, the News Channel, the Mii Channel, the Everybody Votes Channel, the Photo Channel and the Internet Channel. Each of these broadens the appeal of Wii to new audiences and draws in consumers who might not otherwise be interested in a video game system.


The worldwide innovator in the creation of interactive entertainment, Nintendo Co., Ltd., of Kyoto, Japan, manufactures and markets hardware and software for its Wii, Nintendo DS, Game Boy Advance and Nintendo GameCube systems. Since 1983, Nintendo has sold nearly 2.4 billion video games and more than 409 million hardware units globally, and has created industry icons like Mario, Donkey Kong, Metroid, Zelda and Pokémon. A wholly owned subsidiary, Nintendo of America Inc., based in Redmond, Wash., serves as headquarters for Nintendo's operations in the Western Hemisphere.



Or so they say

[Mommy Munch]

We enjoy the VC games as well. There are a couple more that we are going to get if we have enough money at the end of the month. The price of them are very reasonable and the choices are impressive. I can't wait to see all the other games that will be available in the future.