Wii Virtual Console A Big Hit As More Old Games Posted

an extra special treat is Mario Kart 64, one of the greatest games in the hugely popular Mario Kart series.This is available to download from the Nintendo Wii Virtual Console which can be accessed when the Wii Console is connected to the Internet.In Australia NES games will be available for 500 Wii Points (approximately $7.50), Super NES games will available for 800 Wii Points (approximately $12.00) and N64 games will be available for 1000 Wii Points, (approximately $15.00). SEGA MEGA DRIVE games will be available for 800 Wii points. Wii points required for titles available in the future may vary.

Wii Points Cards will be available to buy in retail stores and are estimated to retail at around $30.00 for 2000 Wii Points.

Bring back old games that in the past have been a big hit is set to be highly lucrative for Nintendo. For example the Mario Kart 64 game featuring tense racing action for up to four players is the ultimate trip down nostalgia lane for many old Nintendo gamers.

As if this great game wasn't reason enough to join the 1.4 million Wii users connected to the internet around the globe. Friday also sw the release of Soldier Blade from Turbografx (PC Engine), which will join over 40 classic titles already available for the Virtual Console. Since launch a staggering 1.5 million games have been downloaded worldwide from the service.

* Using the Wii's Wii Shop Channel, gamers are able to download retro games to Wii's Virtual Console. Once selected these games are saved to the Wii internal flash memory and added to the console's Wii Channel Menu allowing them to be easily accessed at any time. Wii owners can download Virtual Console games using Wii Points.

The team behind Bomberman and stacks of other classic franchises has been singing the praises of the Wii Virtual Console for giving vintage games a new lease of life.

In an interview with Game Informer, Hudson Entertainment's director of marketing, John Lee, had only glowing things to say about the fast-growing service. He explained: "Clearly, we love it. Better than sliced bread. With the number of games we already released for it, and the number we have planned for the future, we are definitely backing Nintendo up on this initiative.

"So far though, we have been pleasantly surprised at how well our games are doing and how well Nintendo's strategy with the VC is working out. They have a great system set up to make buying classic games easy and very cheap as well."

Hudson recently launched the first 3D iteration of its Bomberman series, Act: Zero, on Xbox 360 and Lee firmly believes the Virtual Console is the ideal way to bring old titles to a whole new audience, as well as diehard retro heads. He added: "We are a company that has over 100 original IPs created over the last 30 years. That's a lot of gaming goodness.

"With some of these classic brands, the VC becomes a great way to introduce them to a new generation of gamers and to appease all the old timers with some good ol' fashioned nostalgia. I do think it becomes a fascinating catalyst for brand revival."

Hudson Entertainment will provide more than 40 VC games over the next year, with initial titles including favourites like Bonk's Adventure, Super Star Soldier and Bomberman 93.

There are now 36 classic titles available to download on Wii, with new titles coming every week. Here is the latest list.

Current Virtual Console

NES        & nbsp;        Donkey Kong™
NES         ;         Mario Bros.™
NES       &nbs p;         The Legend of Zelda™
NES       &nbs p;         Wario's Woods™
SNES       &nb sp;      F-Zero™
SNES       &n bsp;      Donkey Kong Country™
N64       &n bsp;         Super Mario™ 64
MegaDr         ;   Sonic The Hedgehog™
MegaDr      &nbs p;    Altered Beast™
MegaDr       & nbsp;   Golden Axe™
MegaDr       &nb sp;   Ecco the Dolphin™
NES       &n bsp;         Pinball
NES       &nb sp;         Urban Champion™
NES       & nbsp;         Solomon's Key™
MegaDr        & nbsp; Columns™
MegaDr        ;    Gunstar Heroes™
MegaDr            Ristar™
MegaDr            Dr. Robotniks Mean Bean Machine™
NES       &n bsp;         Donkey Kong Jr.™
NES                  Tennis
NES       &nbs p;         Soccer
MegaDr       & nbsp;   Space Harrier II™
MegaDr       &nbs p;   Toe Jam & Earl™
NES         ;         Ice Hockey
NES       &nbs p;         Baseball
SNES       & nbsp;      Super Castlevania IV
SNES        & nbsp;     SimCity™
NES       &n bsp;         Super Mario Bros.™
NES       &nbs p;         Xevious™
SNES       & nbsp;      Street Fighter® II The World Warrior
SNES       &n bsp;      Super Probotector
N64        ;          Mario Kart 64™
MegaDr       &nbs p;   Bonanza Bros.™
MegaDr       & nbsp;   Gain Ground™
MegaDr            Comix Zone™
NES         ;         Gradius™