Virtual Console
The Virtual Console is a type of special categorization of games offered for purchase and download through the digital shops of some Nintendo consoles. They consist of emulations of games from past systems, including Nintendo systems and some third party systems. The following are the different Virtual Console services:
- Wii Virtual Console (updated from 2006-2013): For the Nintendo Wii. Its library covered games from the NES, Super NES and Nintendo 64, as well as a number of third party systems including Sega's Master System and Gensis. It was discontinued completely with the Wii's online service in 2019.
- 3DS Virtual Console (launched in 2011): For the Nintendo 3DS. This library covered games from the Game Boy and Game Boy Color, as well as the Sega Game Gear and the NES. Super NES games were also made available for the New Nintendo 3DS. This was discontinued with the closure of the 3DS eshop in 2023.
- Wii U Virtual Console (2013-2018): For the Wii U. This library added games from the Game Boy Advance and Nintendo DS while also covering the Nintendo systems from the Wii Virtual Console. It was discontinued with the closure of the Wii U's eshop in 2023.
Nintendo began closing down the digital shops for both the 3DS and Wii U in 2022, and the process was completed in April 2023. With that, all iterations of the Virtual Console have been closed down, and it is only possible to re-download titles that have already been purchased by an account.
The Nintendo Switch was the first Nintendo console since the release of the Wii to not feature any Virtual Console classification. Instead, Nintendo made games from past systems available to play through the Nintendo Switch Online service and its Expansion Pack program. The systems covered included all of the Nintendo systems covered by the Virtual Console, with the exception of the DS, and the only non-Nintendo system present was the Sega Genesis as part of the Expansion Pack. Aside from that service, some other classic titles have been released through the Arcade Archives and Sega Ages series, and Nintendo has also been making classic games from their systems available to play through the Nintendo Switch Online service.