Topic: The Wii Shop Channel Is Dead. Time to get your Wads out.

[pokepal148]

Speak now or forever live your life without Muscle March.

[Khushrenada]

I like how much gameplay footage was in that trailer.

[ShyGuy]

LORDS OF THUNDER

[Luigi Dude]

I already got everything I wanted on my Wii but I've been re-downloading all the exclusive on my Wii U as well.  Basically everything that was on the Virtual Console on the Wii but didn't make it to the Wii U eShop is getting getting downloaded again so I have them on both my Wii and Wii U.  Since it's no guarantee these games will show up again in the future, this way I'll have them on two systems so if one of them dies and Nintendo is unable to get them back to me, I should hopefully have them on the other system.

Some of the big ones are the Konami Rebirth series.  Seriously people, Contra and Castevania Rebirth are both legit good installments in their series but considering the way Konami is, there's no guarantee we'll ever see these again on another service.  I'd also heavily recommend Pulseman on the Genesis side since it's a great 2D platformer/action game by Gamefreak before they made Pokemon and not something you normally see released in any other Sega collections or download services.

[GK]

Come to think of it, I should probably double check to see if I have everything downloaded or re-bought on the WiiU myself.

The Rebirths were cool but I think my fav Wiiware than never got ported over might have been Zombie Panic in Wonderland. Solid rail shooter. Plus it came out not too long after the DS game Little Red Riding Hood's Zombie BBQ so it felt like a I was playing a sequel of sorts.

[pokepal148]

Last call for Wiiware.

[Khushrenada]

For those wondering after the topic came up in Discord yesterday evening, I was able to put 11,000 points up in the Wiishop from a Visa Gift Card. I just had to register the card online to my address which was the hiccup stopping the other gift card I had from working. Never registered it to my address. Part of me wonders if I should have tried to add some more to get to an even 15,000 but I think this will be plenty to take care of the few lingering things I still want.

[King of Twitch]

Thanks for the heads up! I had a points card that had sat dormant for years. I got SMRPG and Fluidity.  What's going to happen to all those great Wii Ware titles if no one will be able to buy them anymore?

[pokepal148]

I believe this leaves PSN as the only online storefront for that generation that hasn't seen any signs of it starting to close down. Microsoft shut down it's entire 360 indie games program a while back and delisted all the games that were sold through that program while Sony, to this day, continues to provide a way to legitimately download PSP games to a PSP through the web based PSN store despite the actual PSP storefront having been mostly shut down ages ago. I wish Nintendo and Microsoft shared that level of commitment to ensuring the games they release on their online storefronts continue to be available to future generations in some form, even if they shut down the storefront.

[BranDonk Kong]

Steam?

[pokepal148]

That's a PC marketplace. I don't know if I'd count that.

[GK]

Anyone know what will happen to any points left in our accounts? Managed to zero out my points a few years back but I'm still wondering about that.

[Khushrenada]

Pretty sure Nintendo has warned any points left over will be erased at the closure of the shop and that's that.

[UncleBob]

They transferred my unused DSiWare points to the Wii Shop when it closed, but I had to call and ask.

[Mop it up]

They transferred my unused DSiWare points to the Wii Shop when it closed, but I had to call and ask.

That's interesting, I didn't know they would do that for anyone.

I have a feeling one reason they did that is because they both use points. They probably won't convert Wii Points to eShop currency, though I guess you never know.

[segagamersteph]

When I got my Wii U I called and was able to get all my Wii games transferred over, even the ones that had been delisted. I was still able to download TMNT to my Wii.

I doubt I can ever sell my Wii U now because of the hassle that was.

[Khushrenada]

So, with this service about to end, it's download time. Has there ever been a comprehensive ranking all the WiiWare and VC titles?

What should a person be looking for before this thing ends?

[Order.RSS]

So, with this service about to end, it's download time. Has there ever been a comprehensive ranking all the WiiWare and VC titles?

What should a person be looking for before this thing ends?

There's a (seemingly?) comprehensive overview of everything that will be permanently unavailable after January 20th on this page.

What to get from that will largely depend on your personal taste & amount of outstanding points of course.
Personally, some of these stand out as highlights:

Virtual Console:
-Chrono Trigger (SNES): if you don't have this on DS or PC.
-Ogre Battle: The March of the Black Queen (SNES): this had a PS1 release in NA, but I imagine that's pricey.
-The Super Star Wars games (SNES): they're all very tough, mind.
-Pokémon Puzzle League (N64): it's Pokémon + Tetris Attack. Cartridge isn't very expensive though.
-Super Smash Bros. (N64): if you don't have the pricey cart, this is the last option to get it for now.
-M.U.S.H.A. (Genesis): the cart is exceedingly expensive. This is a shmup.
-Pulseman (Genesis): developed by GameFreak. Previously only on the Sega Channel service in NA.
-Cho Aniki (TG-16 CD): ...of RFN fame...
-Gate of Thunder (TG-16 CD): unlike its sequel Lords of Thunder this isn't on Wii U eShop.
-Ys Book I&II (TG-16 CD): also has DS and PSP options though.

WiiWare:
-Alien Crush Returns: sequel to the TG-16 classic horror pinball game.
-FAST Racing League: somehow packed into under 40 MB, that usual Shin'en magic.
-Fluidity/Hydroventure: never released outside WiiWare. Did get a 3DS sequel.
-Mr. Driller W: it's a WiiWare exclusive version of Mr. Driller. I like these simple games.
-Star Soldier R: if you like shoot-em-ups.
-Konami's rebirth series (Castlevania the Adventure Rebirth, Contra Rebirth, Gradius Rebirth) is supposed to be good too.
-Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: My Life as a King & Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: My Life as a Dark Lord are respectively a town building sim & a tower defence game. These havent been ported I don't think.

[ejamer]

...
WiiWare:
...
-Fluidity/Hydroventure: never released outside WiiWare. Did get a 3DS sequel.
...

Of all the games available, Fluidity is without question the one I consider an essential buy. It's a great puzzle game with large, "open world" type levels that allow you to explore and decide what challenges to pursue each time through. The unlockable bonus challenges are also very cool mini-games you play. There was a 3DS sequel, but (for me) it lost a lot of the charm of the original. Still a fine game, but just not as appealing to me with the short self-contained stages.

Two other WiiWare games that I enjoyed a great deal:
* The LostWinds games were also awesome, especially the second one. They had a very peaceful, relaxing vibe and the pointer-based wind controls created some interesting puzzles.
* And Yet It Moves is probably best on WiiWare, as I don't think other versions allowed the partial rotation that could be done here with the Wii remote.

-Konami's rebirth series (Castlevania the Adventure Rebirth, Contra Rebirth, Gradius Rebirth) is supposed to be good too.

It's kind of shocking to me that these haven't been repackaged. You have to imagine that a retail "Rebirth Collection" would do very well, for example, or that they could sell decently on other digital platforms...


Edit: Some bonus Virtual Console suggestions that I think are totally worth buying if you can't play them elsewhere...
* Actraiser
* Castlevania: Rondo of Blood
* Monster World IV

[GK]

Gonna shout out the WiiWare version of Zombie Panic in Wonderland here. Yeah, there's a 3DS version too, but when it comes to shooting on rails, the Wii remote rocks.

edit: Aw crap. Just realized I already mentioned this months ago.

[pokepal148]

I got into Ufouria: The Saga and anyone who likes NES games needs to pick this up.

Edit: Apparently that game made the jump to Wii U though.

[ThePerm]

I'm glad I got Star Soldier R. That was one of the first VC games I got.

[Mop it up]

Fluidity is easily the best game on WiiWare, but it's also 1,200 points so it's one of the more expensive ones. A price like that may also leave you with a few extra points in the end that you can't spend.

[Khushrenada]

What's the deal with Toki Tori? On WiiWare, there is a remake of the game but then the original Game Boy Color game was released on the 3DS but there is also Toki Tori 3D which looks like the WiiWare game but with the 3D effect added and it is cheaper than the VC original. What version is worthwhile or is the game even worth playing in any form?

[ejamer]

What's the deal with Toki Tori? On WiiWare, there is a remake of the game but then the original Game Boy Color game was released on the 3DS but there is also Toki Tori 3D which looks like the WiiWare game but with the 3D effect added and it is cheaper than the VC original. What version is worthwhile or is the game even worth playing in any form?

Toki Tori is a fine action/puzzle game. There is maybe a bit too much trial and error in later stages for my preference, and sometimes solving a puzzle comes down to just trying to exhaust some of the available options. Still worth playing, but not an upper tier puzzle game in my opinion - keep your expectations reasonable.

I'd argue that Toki Tori 2 is vastly superior - it moves the puzzles from a single screen into an open world, and puts a great onus on players to observe the world around them to learn what interactions are possible and how various types of puzzles might be solved (after they've been identified - you might not even recognize a puzzle the first time you see it).

Regarding which version is best, I'd just get whatever is cheapest. The 3DS/Wii U remakes have been on deep discount multiple times and that type of sale is probably worth waiting for; I'm not sure that VC titles go on sale at all, and would suggest the larger screen you get with a remake makes that the preferred version (restricted screen space isn't a benefit here).

[Mop it up]

While I liked Toki Tori more than ejamer, I still agree with him that Toki Tori 2 is better and probably more unique. That said, the original is still worth playing and a really good puzzle game in my opinion, one that you can just relax with and focus on how to clear a level without having to worry about action or being fast most of the time.

I would not recommend getting the WiiWare version for a variety of reasons, mainly that it costs a lot more than later releases. But, the releases after the WiiWare one offer a very important feature: rewind. This helps cut down on the trial and error aspect that ejamer mentioned, as it allows you to freely experiment with your options without having to start the entire level over each time.

I'd say it's definitely one of the best games you could grab at the $2 or less price point. Between Wii U, 3DS, and Switch, just go with your preferred platform. There's no reason to get the GBC version unless you dig that retro charm, but it also has less levels.

[lolmonade]

Thanks for keeping this thread alive.  I have $20 in credit sitting there that I really need to burn through.  Need to figure out whether to get something I've never tried before (toying with the idea of getting my life as a king, given that it's not out anywhere else), or picking a few things i'm most likely to play if i'd bother booting the wii up.

[Khushrenada]

Reminder that the Shop Channel ends tomorrow and not the 31st.

In the end, I only downloaded Fluidity. It intrigued me the most and seemed to get the most praise by users here. ejamer's list of Lost Winds and Yet It Moves where titles that I had narrowed down for possible selection as well but ultimately passed. Muscle March actually got a "grumble grumble" from Nintendo Power so as much as I liked the premise, I passed on that. I did some checking on the other Nintendo offerings like Rock n Roll Climber or You, Me, and the Cubes but I didn't feel like I was going to miss out on anything but skipping them if it turns out they never do get re-released in any format. The other hardest cut was the Art Style games because they are made by skip and I like Skip's odd offerings with the Chibi-Robo series being their best. In the end, I just mainly loaded up on a whole lot more Rock Band DLC songs for Rock Band 3. I felt I would have more enjoyment from that compared to these other choices but that's just me.

[pokepal148]

I believe it's around 4 hours left before it dies completely.

[King of Twitch]

RIP. Was a great experience buying games right from my couch on a console for the first time. 

[ejamer]

... In the end, I only downloaded Fluidity. ... but I didn't feel like I was going to miss out on anything but skipping them if it turns out they never do get re-released in any format. ... I just mainly loaded up on a whole lot more Rock Band DLC songs for Rock Band 3. ...

Those seem like reasonable choices. I remember dumping a bunch of money into Beatles Rock Band DLC back in the day when trying to clean out my account (which reminds me, we should really play that game more often).

WiiWare didn't have a lot of break-out hits aside from World of Goo. There were a handful of very good choices, including some games that haven't really made the leap elsewhere, but very few that were in that "must play" category. (The Art Style games fall into that category for me; attractive and fully enjoyable, but not games that demanded attention so they were often forgotten.)

Let us know what you think of Fluidity!



Is it 4 hours left for Netflix? I was getting a message that the service was already unavailable when trying to watch a show earlier this evening.

Now that Netflix is shut down for Wii users, my nand memory has been restored to a pre-Wii U transfer state. That's not a horrible trade as it pushes a whole bunch of fun Virtual Console and WiiWare games onto the system that haven't been conveniently accessible after doing a Wii->WiiU transfer. That transfer was a bad idea; somehow I always expected them to find a way to create tiles on the Wii U menu that would launch into those games directly instead of hiding them in a second menu, but it never happened.

I'll miss watching Netflix on the Wii though - that app was better designed and more responsive than the either of the apps available through our Wii U or cable box. Oh well, c'est la vie!

[King of Twitch]

[pokepal148]

The Wii U missed out on Netflix's modern interface that pretty much every device that's capable of handling it got (likely because it wasn't worth adding in gamepad support for it, it's certainly powerful enough for it, I mean the PS3 got it.)

But yeah, PS3 lost HBO which is a real shame. The PS3 is basically the only device capable of directly competing with a Home theater PC in terms of capabilities and around 5 years from now that will no longer be the case.

The thing with the Wii U is that holding B on a Wii remote when you turn on the console causes it to boot straight into Wii Mode. I really wish there was a setting to make it so that turning the system on with a Wii remote made it go into Wii mode but overall between that and the quick start menu it's not too much of a hassle and the ability to display on the gamepad is really nice.

[Luigi Dude]

I celebrated the closing of the Virtual Console by finally beating Ninja Gaiden for NES on Switch online.  Ninja Gaiden was one of many games I bought on the Virtual Console that I always wanted to play but never had a chance to play.  Well I finally got a chance thanks to the Virtual Console.  Of course I played it during the dark time in college when I was getting less then 5 hours of sleep each night so I really sucked at it because my reflexes where terrible at the time.

So years later I went back and beat most of the other games I bought on the Virtual Console but couldn't beat at that time but I had never went back to Ninja Gaiden.  Well since my Wii is at my parents house but the Switch online recently added the game in December I thought this is the perfect time to do it.  And after 5 hours of rage and tears, I did it last night before the Virtual Console was shut down.  And this time since I wasn't on the verge of narcolepsy I beat it, and you know what, I really enjoyed it too.  Wish I would have done this years earlier since I would have bought 2 and 3 on the Virtual Console as well.  Too late now but at least those two should hit the Virtual Console in the next year, hopefully.

Anyway, stories like this are why I loved the Virtual Console so much.  As a kid I loved reading all the different videogame magazines when I went to a store and seeing all the different games available.  That was basically the internet in the early 90's to me and if a magazine was filled with games I thought looked cool I'd beg my mom to buy it.  I'd then read over the entire contents of that magazine for weeks straight.  So many games I wanted to play, but as a kid I'd get one game for my birthday, maybe two for Christmas and with my allowance maybe save up enough for 1-2 during the rest of the year.  Of course being a kid, I'd sometime choose a terrible license based game because it was based on something I liked instead of picking what years later I realize would have been the better game instead.

So thank you Virtual Console for letting me live the childhood I never had by being able to finally experience many of the NES, SNES, Genesis and Turbografix games I would spend hours drooling over.