One of the most beloved features of the Wii U / 3DS era–the Virtual Console–allows players to purchase their favorite retro games from past consoles and play them on their current generation machine. The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap on Wii U? Absolutely. F-Zero on 3DS? No problem. The Virtual Console allows players access to past titles and helps address the backwards compatibility issue so common in the industry. But for the best selling Nintendo Switch? Not so much.
Yes, the Nintendo Online membership gives players access to NES Online and SNES Online; while these applications are stocked with classics from the 8-bit and 16-bit eras, their libraries are still limited. Even further problematic, there’s no access to anything published after the Super Nintendo. Why can gamers enjoy Nintendo 64 games on the Wii U and not on Nintendo’s flagship console? It’s mind-boggling.
Now perhaps Nintendo has a plan to revamp their online membership going forward; maybe we’ll even hear about it at the upcoming E3 Expo. More than likely though, Nintendo simply doesn’t see it as a priority; or as the past has shown, they simply prefer their scarcity based business model to drive sales. (Looking at you Super Mario 3D All-Stars). Or maybe–just maybe–Nintendo fans are never happy.
Tell us what you think? Should Nintendo bring the Virtual Console to the Switch? Share your reactions in the comments below or join the discussion on our Discord.
Image Source: Slash Gear
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