Nintendo Wii Virtual Console Question?
Im thinking of buying a nintendo wii the black one that comes with new super mario bros it costs $150 new at gamestop and it does not play gamecube games. but i am wondering about the virtual console, how does it work? do you need internet connection to buy the games from there? if you do can you play the games without internet? are they accosiated with your account like psn games for ps3? I've never owned or played a wii but i just found out about the virtual console so now i want to switch to the wii
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To answer your series of questions...
1) The Virtual Console service is Nintendo's official "emulation" service where they optimize the old game code to work with the Wii.
All Virtual Console titles (excluding N64 titles) include interrupt save support, meaning that if you stop playing a game & return to the Wii Menu... you'll be able to pick back up where you left off. HOWEVER, please be aware that this is a TEMPORARY SAVE deal. That interrupt save will be immediately deleted when you return to the game (right after restoring it to the point where you stopped). Don't get pissed off if you lose your progress in a game as a result of depending on the interrupt save too much. Use the in-game save methods (passwords or in-game save points) to save your progress.
While SNES & N64 VC titles require you to have a Classic Console / Pro controller (as you need the extra buttons), the other supported consoles only require the Wiimote itself.
2) You do need to get your Wii online in order to buy & download the VC titles, as you have to access them through the Wii Shop Channel.
You will need to have either a credit card OR a 2000 NP prepaid card to fund your "Wii Wallet" to cover the purchases.
3) You do NOT NEED to be online to play the VC titles. -- Once downloaded, you can play the VC titles whenever you want as the DRM keys are saved to your Wii Shop Account.
4) DRM Keys are tied to your Wii itself & NOT to any account... This means that you can only play the VC titles you buy ONLY on that Wii. If you delete your Wii Shop account (which has to be done within the Wii Shop Channel itself, as that data is protected from full system deletions), you all the DRM keys for the VC (& WiiWare) titles.
This may change with the Wii U, where it might be possible transfer the rights from the Wii to the Wii U... but that's up to Nintendo's discretion to provide the software for it.
5) While you didn't ask about it, there's a standard pricing system for VC titles...
* NES / SMS games -- 500 NP
* TG-16 games -- 600 NP
* SNES / GEN games -- 800 NP
* Neo-Geo games -- 900 NP
* N64 games -- 1,000 NP
* VC Arcade Games -- 500 - 1000 NP
Notes:
* Import titles (noted with a Japanese Flag in the catalog) cost 100 - 200 NP extra
* NP = "Nintendo Points" (generic term to cover Wii & DSi Points)... again $1.00 US = 100 NP
Please be aware that a Classic Console Pro controller costs ~$20 & is required for SNES & N64 VC titles, as previously noted, since you need the extra buttons. Since you're getting a "Wii Minus" system, you can't utilize Gamecube controllers.
Hope this helps!
Yes you do need an internet connection to buy them, as they must be purchased directly through the Wii. However, there is no user account on the Wii; the account is for the Wii itself. You don't have to be online to play, but there is no (legitimate) way for a user to transfer the games from one Wii to another, which means if your system breaks, you either by a new Wii and lose your games, or send it in to Nintendo and pay whatever they charge (if out of warranty) to get it fixed/replaced.