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blueluigi
Week of February 23, 2017:

Wii U Virtual Console:

Harvest Moon 64 (N64)
$9.99


Yes, after all the years of Natsume stating they couldn't bring over the game to the Wii and Wii U Virtual Console due to technical issues (which I thought was BS as it was able to run just fine through Wii homebrew), Harvest Moon 64 finally makes its Virtual Console debut to coincide with its 20th anniversary. With the game also being released on Europe's Virtual Console, this makes it the first time that region got Harvest Moon 64. Before that, they got the enhanced Harvest Moon: Back to Nature game for the PS1. It seems that this is also released to coincide with the new Story of Seasons game... which is really Harvest Moon, but with a different name as it's handled by a different distributor. It's just too bad Natsume decided to release this on the Wii U Virtual Console a week before the Nintendo Switch comes out.

Speaking of the Nintendo Switch. It's been announced that the console will not have the Virtual Console available at launch. I kind of expected that, honestly. I predict the Switch Virtual Console will come sometime around the fall season or so, but I kind of hope it happens before that. I want to see what they do with the online multiplayer as well as what consoles will be included on the Switch Virtual Console. I'm still keeping my fingers crossed that Gamecube games will be included. As well as better looking emulation for NES games, where it could look more like how they would look on the NES Classic Edition.
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blueluigi
The Nintendo Switch is now out, and the Wii U Virtual Console games still continues. For how long, I'm not sure. I'm assuming we'll see a gap between Virtual Console releases until the Switch unravels theirs. But until then, we still have the Wii U releases to go by. This is the week of March 2, 2017:

Wii U Virtual Console:

Dungeon Explorer (TG-16)
$5.99


Neutopia (TG-16)
$5.99


I guess if there's anything to expect, is Konami releasing Turbografx-16 games right during the eve of the Switch's launch. Especially since we're NOW just getting the first Neutopia. The sequel is far superior, but who knows if we'll even be getting that at this point, especially after the Switch has been released.
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blueluigi
Even though the Nintendo Switch is out, and the Wii U is pretty much considered obsolete at this point, that doesn't stop the system from getting some (late) Virtual Console releases. This is the week of March 9, 2017.

Wii U Virtual Console:

Bomberman 64 (N64)
$9.99


Bomberman 64 makes its Virtual Console debut, probably to coincide with Super Bomberman R on the Nintendo Switch. Not sure how the Switch game compares to this N64 classic, but it still looks like a lot of fun. Of course, leave it to Konami to release this game after the Switch releases. Again, I hope the Switch will allow unity with the previous Virtual Console service.

Speaking of the Switch, the Virtual Console may not have been announced for the system as of right now... but there is something to hold us over until then. This week, SNK has released their first line of the Neo Geo Arcade Archives line. That's right, you can now download Neo Geo games on the Nintendo Switch for those who own this console (though, I have a feeling I'm the only one here who currently owns a Switch). The games released this week includes The King of Fighters 98, Metal Slug 3, Waku Waku 7, World Heroes Perfect, Shock Troopers, and NAM-1975. These games were all released on the Wii Virtual Console, but unlike those releases, the Switch Neo Geo releases uses the MVS Arcade versions as opposed to the AES console version.

I ended up getting Metal Slug 3 from the Switch eShop. I've heard that there's desync issues with those games, with no pro controller support. But that all seems to work fine when I tried it. Though, the video quality on the TV does look a little muddy, though that could just be my TV. The looks fine in the Switch's portable mode. So, those of you who want to play Neo Geo games on the go, this is a good way to do so.
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blueluigi
Week of March 16, 2017:

Wii U Virtual Console:

Picross 3D (DS)
$9.99


Well, here's a DS game that I forgot even existed. What's interesting about this game is that it was developed by HAL Laboratory... same developers who did Kirby, Mother, and Smash Bros. A game like this is not exactly the best I'd expect from the company. But I guess if you're into Picross. Me personally, I would probably stick to Pokemon Picross on the 3DS.

Meanwhile, on the ACA Neo Geo line for the Nintendo Switch, King of Fighters '94 has been released this week. Kind of odd that King of Fighters '98 came out for the Switch before '94 came to the system. Most of the previous re-releases of King of Fighters '94 on the Wii Virtual Console, SNK Arcade Classics Volume 1, King of Fighters Collection: The Orochi Saga, and NEOGEO Station used the AES home console versions. The Nintendo Switch version, on the other hand, uses the MVS Arcade version just like the rest of the games in the ACA Neo Geo lineup.

Also, on a sidenote, a patch has recently been released for the ACA Neo Geo games. Before the patch came out, the colors would look a little washed out. I noticed this when I was playing Metal Slug 3 in TV mode. Apparently, there were problems with joycon desyncing, but I didn't have that happen to me. In fact, it's been said that people were not able to use the Switch Pro Controller before the patch came out... yet, it worked fine for me this whole time. Well, either way, it's nice that this patch came out. I noticed other minor differences, such as the fact that when you switch from Level 4 and Level 2, it actually does it. The pre-update wouldn't do that.
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blueluigi
It's been a few weeks since the last Virtual Console release. Mainly because the Wii U eShop seems to be dwindling down from here now that the Switch has been released. I think soon, we will stop seeing Virtual Console releases until the Switch reveals their Virtual Console lineup... whenever that will be. But at least we have the ACA Neo Geo lineup to hold us over until then. Also, Pikmin 2 was released on the Wii U eShop last week... and was even given its own Miiverse community. Yes, folks. Now you can play all three Pikmin games on the Wii U.

But now it's time for this week's releases for April 6, 2017.

Wii U Virtual Console:

World Sports Competition (TG16)
$5.99

Super Star Soldier (TG16)
$5.99

Also, released as part of the ACA Neo Geo lineup for the Switch is Alpha Mission II. It's a sequel to a pre-Neo Geo game that was released in the arcades in 1985. Other pre-Neo Geo games that got sequels on the Neo Geo arcade lineup includes Prehistoric Isle, which is another shooter game like Alpha Mission. Also, for  those of you who have watched Nick Arcade back in the day might have seen Alpha Mission II featured as one of the games. Well, now you can see what it's all about as Alpha Mission II is available for the Switch... and you'd be getting a better experience than the NEOGEO Station on Playstation Network.
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Benjanime

let's just hope nintendo hasn't forgotten about the n64 smash bros.

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Name: Benji
Nintendo Network ID: Benjamillion
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blueluigi
Week of April 20, 2017:

Wii U Virtual Console:

Rayman Advance (GBA)
$7.99

Rayman 3 (GBA)
$7.99

I'm assuming these two games were re-released on the Wii U Virtual Console to coincide with the announcement of Rayman Legends: Definitive Edition for the Switch. Yeah... remember when that game was supposed to be a Wii U exclusive? But then Ubisoft decided to pointlessly delay it and made it a multiplatform release.

As for the GBA releases. Rayman Advance is actually a GBA port of the first Rayman game that was released for the Playstation, Saturn, and PC. The GBA version cut down on a few things. One example is that the video cutscenes has been replaced by text cutscenes due to the GBA's limitations... and then there's the good old screen crunching, which is very prominent in this game. It sounded like a nice port for being able to play the original Rayman at the time, but now, I think you're better off with either the DSiWare version of the game, or the PSone Classics version, which you can play on the PSVita.

Rayman 3 is more based off the 2D Rayman games, like the original game mentioned above, but also some elements from Hoodlum Havoc is mixed in there too. Also, with the game being on the Wii U, then don't expect to get any of the bonus stages, which required connecting the GBA game to the Gamecube version of Hoodlum Havoc.

As for other classic games that are released this week... there is, of course, the ACA Neo-Geo lineup for the Switch, with Fatal Fury: King of Fighters. A lot of people thought that game was a Street Fighter ripoff... but the reality is that Takashi Nishiyama, creator of the original Street Fighter, designed this game. And it was in development at the same time as SFII. Well, I guess the King of Fighters franchise might be a game to hold you over before Ultra Street Fighter II comes out.

Also released this week is the DotEmu remake of Wonder Boy: The Dragon's Trap. Yes, the 1989 Sega Master System classic has been given some updated visuals.

And last, The Disney Afternoon Collection is released this week, for the PS4, Xbox One, and Steam. With this being typical Capcom, they decide to ignore the Nintendo Switch as a platform to release the game on. I'm still hoping we'll see a Switch announcement for that game, but I'm not exactly holding my breath.
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blueluigi
Week of May 5, 2017:

Wii U Virtual Console:

Bonk's Revenge (TG16)
$5.99

This week's ACA Neo-Geo Switch release is Blazing Star. Released in 1998 for the NeoGeo arcade system, this one is somewhat of a sequel to Pulstar, but it's made into a game that's more than just an R-type clone. Blazing Star uses a nice blend of CG and anime cutscenes to go along with the game, which to me, adds to the appeal to the game. I think if there's any other NeoGeo game I'd want to get for the Switch, this one would be it. I already have Metal Slug 3 on the system, so I already know how the NeoGeo emulation is on the Switch.

On a bit of a sidenote, and I'm sure most of you are already aware of this, but Nintendo discontinued the NES Classic Edition. Yeah, kind of old news, and I don't remember if this was news during the last Virtual Console update. But either way, that's a really bad move to make, especially with how hard it is to get one. And if you think scalpers were already bad before, they're going to really double down on the price once the last batch has been sold out.

I imagine Nintendo discontinued the NES classic to focus on the Switch Virtual Console, because I imagine we'll see NES games on there too. But it was still really premature to kill off the NES Classic. A lot of people who were interested probably would not have gotten a Switch anyway, some of them just wanted it for the nostalgia factor. Well, at least there's rumors of an SNES Classic edition. Let's hope they don't pull the same crap they did with the NES Classic.
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Benjanime
to be fair they did say the nes mini would be limited. but i'm way ahead of them with homebrewing my wii u. again i thought it was a missed opportunity that they didn't include nes zapper games, especially since it was said that the nes mini would be compatible with the wii remote. now the snes mini is gonna get released and they'll say the same thing about it being limited.
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3DS Friend Code: 4124-6332-4341
Name: Benji
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blueluigi
Week of May 18, 2017:

Wii U Virtual Console:

Blazing Lazers (TG16)
$5.99

Also released this week as part of the ACA Neo Geo line is Galaxy Fight: Universal Warriors. It's known for sharing similarities with their later fighting game, Waku Waku 7, which Sunsoft also produced. This one came out first. Not the best fighting game, though. I think I'd probably stick to Waku Waku 7.
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