Topic: Getting back into gaming?

[scottcatlin@ymail.com]

Hello All. This is my first post, so if it seems a little goofy please forgive me. I was a longtime reader back in the day, but never felt the need to post on the site. However, for the past several years I haven't really had the money to buy/participate in the last generation of games. Console/PC or anything else. Recently though this could change. And my questions surround downloadable games vs the cost of buying old consoles and games. What's Nintendo's policies on transferring purchased games from old consoles? And can you still buy these games they made available on VC or eShop or Wiiware and whatnot today? I think I remember hearing about Majora's Mask?. This "old game" point is crucial for me because I want to play some of those - in particular Harvest Moon: Friends of Mineral Town. Has this been released yet? I got totally hooked at my friends house on Back to Nature and F of MT. These are huge sentimental pulls for me and could be a make or break deal on buying a new console. And I may only have money for one. Anyone have advice for me? All is appreciated, including constructive critics. Thanks.

[Oblivion]

You can transfer your old Wii VC games to your Wii U for a small fee. But you can transfer almost everything from your old Wii into the Wii Mode of the Wii U.

[ShyGuy]

Hold down B on startup to start your Wii U in Wii mode, or click the Wii icon on the Wii U desktop!

[scottcatlin@ymail.com]

To Oblivion:
Yeah, I had heard a little bit about that. People were upset you were charged and all that. I don't have a Wii or DS though so that didn't matter as much. What's your view(s) on old school gaming on 3DS vs the Wii U? cost vs old systems? To me cost factor seems pretty close. I fell in love with rpgs the first time I played Super Mario RPG. I thought that was awesome, and it opened up a new world of gaming for me. Does one console look like it will have a greater release breadth? Do any of these re-released games come with changes to the originals? I've had a lot of questions over the years. Can you buy pre-loaded wiis? Are they locked out by Nintendo?



And to ShyGuy:
Are games sold/released during Wii lifespan still for sale? Are they now optimized/reformatted or anything else that would be needed for Wii U Play? Is that how the Wii games work now? Wii U owners put it into Wii-mode and can download Wii games? How has this been working?

[scottcatlin@ymail.com]

Also (in general) Radiant Historia I think it was got so much attention I've been wanting to play it ever since I heard about it. I've been dying on the vine playing half full games on an iPhone. But my purchase sticks around after I change phones. I've been worried about what happens to paid wii games after Wii U goes out of production.

[ShyGuy]

Right now, downloaded games are tied to the hardware rather than an account. There is speculation that this will change in the future, as you can already access your Miiverse account online through other devices.

[Louieturkey]

To add other consoles since you are looking for one, the PS3 allows 2 activated consoles per digital purchase.  So purchases are tied to an account.  Sony has announced that PS4 will not be able to play any games made for the PS3 though.  So watch out there.  I believe there are five Harvest Moon games available for it.

I know 360 is also account based, but since I don't have one, I don't know much past that.  I have a feeling the next Xbox will also not be backwards compatible, though they haven't announced either way.

3DS games so far are not allowed to be played on anything but your current 3DS.  Wii/Wii U and 3DS are not cross compatible.  I believe you can go into Wii mode on the Wii U and go into the Wii Shop Channel and buy Wii games there.  A majority of them are still for sale.