Winding down the WiiWare

[oldmanwinters]

--EDIT, September 29, 2017--

Users won't be able to add points to their Wii Shop accounts after March 26th, 2018, and won't be able to purchase on the channel beyond January 31st, 2019.

--Original Post--
Sorry if the thread is misleading. I have no idea when or if Nintendo plans to close the old WiiWare shop, but with the Switch now out, I can't imagine they'd keep it active for too much longer.

So with that in mind, I've got 2,600 Wii points to spend, and I'd like to spend them on titles that are currently exclusive to WiiWare or have gameplay especially suited to the platform.

Here's a couple exclusive titles that interest me, but I don't know if they'd be much fun without the now-defunct Nintendo network enhancements:
Excitebike: World Rally
Wario Ware D.I.Y. Showcase (I own the DS game, but don't know how much I would get out of the Wii companion if I can't download or share levels)

I already own Mega Man 9 & 10, the Konami Rebirth series, and Doc Louis's Punch-Out.

Some other considerations:
Wonder Boy in Monster Land (Arcade, 900 pts)
Shinobi (Arcade, 900 pts)
Castlevania Rondo of Blood (TurboGrafx 16, 900 pts)
Ninja Gaiden Arcade (600 pts)
Final Fantasy IV The After Years (800 pts)
Blaster Master Overdrive (1000 pts)
Bomberman Blast (1000 pts)
Any Sega Master System games (500 pts)?
Any Turbo Grafx 16 games games (600 pts)?

[sdp]

I didn't realize I owned or played so many Wiiware games but I guess I did as I made a huge list while scrolling through the games released in wikipedia for it. I thought it had only been a couple. Sadly most are just Wii versions of very well known franchises so while not bad games they don't offer anything that is a must have.

Excitebike World Rally is cool if you like Excitebike and want a new game.
Blaster Master Overdrive was pretty cool so if you like Blaster Master go for it, though the new Zero is better.
Bomberman Blast is Bomberman, a good version but nothing special and now no online.

I think DIY would be cool to own but who knows what it's like without online, maybe it doesn't even boot up?

Space Invaders Get Even - A very unique take on Space Invaders, a very fun game.

Castlevania The Adventure rebirth and Contra Rebirth are very good enhanced remakes.

Pokemon Ranch is a bit pointless now and the US version never got the Platinum update that Japan did but it was cool to see your Pokemon in chibi form and you could get an exclusive Pokemon.

There was a japanese sidescroller SNES game that was a lot of fun but can't remember the name sadly when they used to brag about having import titles, it was really colorful and fun...and this never came out on Wii U.


Bubble Bobble Plus! and Puzzle Bobble Plus were pretty cool, then again if you like those games, they were basically the game you expect with a few exclusive things that made them stand out.

Dr. Mario Online Rx was awesome but now there's no online so it's just Dr. Mario, a good version and you could use the wiimote but there's other ways to play Dr. Mario.

Frogger Returns, basically frogger, pretty fun but frogger.

Mr. Driller W looked fun but yeah...just another Mr. Driller.

Pokemon Rumble was fun but there's been like 5 Rumble games that have more content since.

Strong Bad game - Not really into that type of game but my friend loved it.

I always wanted to check out the enhanced port of Chronos Twins but I never did.

Phoenix Wright Trilogy with motion controls, I always wanted to check it out but owning them already and not being anything really new made me not do it.

Star Soldier R - This game looked fun but I never played it.

there used to be an exclusive Club Nintendo game, did you ever get that one? It was ok, not bad but nothing amazing but what made it special is that it was exclusive and now likely very expensive on ebay through codes.

I just learned Carmen SanDiego and Where's Waldo had some games for Wiiware, apparently they're bad and expensive but I would like to play them..

[oldmanwinters]

Thanks a bunch for all the recommendations, sdp.

[Wesley]

Tv Show King 2 (800 points): Fun trivia game, though there's no online multiplayer or dlc now.

[The Deadman]

MotoHeroz, it's by the same people that made the Trials games.

[Powder]

Max & The Magic Marker is a really fun one. It's a 2D platformer where you point the Wiimote at the screen & draw stuff to help you advance, like weights to propel you from springboards, platforms to walk across, etc.

[oldmanwinters]

Thanks for all the new suggestions! I confess I haven't heard of any of those hidden gems!

[MrPliggins]

For Turbo Grafx-16, I'd recommend Devil's Crush (pinball) and Blazing Lasers (spaceship game). The Ninja Gaiden Arcade and Solomon's Key arcade are great (nostalgic for me at least). As for WiiWare, I'd recommend World of Goo or LostWinds. I also second Contra Rebirth. I always wished they would release the original NES Contra on the Virtual Console (Super C never really did it for me), but for some reason they never have. Contra Rebirth is a decent upgrade to the original.

[oldmanwinters]

The End is Nigh!
https://www.yahoo.com/finance/news/n...192400032.html

Today, the company gave notice that users won't be able to add points to their Wii Shop accounts after March 26th, 2018, and won't be able to purchase on the channel beyond January 31st, 2019.

That includes all Wii Shop services, including the purchase of WiiWare, Virtual Console games, downloading Wii Channels and, crucially, the Wii U Transfer Tool.

[sdp]

I wonder what this means for discounted VC games on the Wii U since those discounts are technically connected to the Wii eshop I think.

I still have a few games that I haven't re-purchased with their "discount" but I just didn't want to but if that's the only way for Nintendo to know that I "own" those VC games then I'll spend the 25 bucks or so it'll take me to re-purchase those titles on the Wii U.


But it's even harder to want to do it when I don't plan on keeping my Wii U forever and the Switch shows no signs whatsoever of ever having a VC. It's been 6 months and not word, and with the arcade games not being VC and their crappy online system no one wants using the NES/SNES titles, I fear it might be over for VC as we know it so in that case why waste even more money on titles that may not even be transferrable...

[Andrew NDB]

Originally Posted by oldmanwinters

Final Fantasy IV The After Years (800 pts)

What an awesome treat. I love this game so much.

Blaster Master Overdrive (1000 pts)

Very fun. I wish I still had a Wii to beat it.

[Ninjinister]

Originally Posted by Andrew NDB

Very fun. I wish I still had a Wii to beat it.

I honestly very much preferred BM (Ha!) Zero. If you are looking for another game like Overdrive and have a 3DS or Switch, I'd recommend it.

[Prowler]

I've never actually got around to play Mega Man 9 and 10.

[Powder]

I've got 10 myself, it was really fun.

The only titles that I've yet to get which immediately come to mind as something I may want before its too late are the Adventure Island & Castlevania installments exclusive to Wiiware.

You guys recommend them?

[oldmanwinters]

Originally Posted by Ninjinister

I honestly very much preferred BM (Ha!) Zero. If you are looking for another game like Overdrive and have a 3DS or Switch, I'd recommend it.

I recently got it for the 3DS and it is a lot of fun. Nice remake of the NES game with various new features and game save. I hear Blaster Master Overdrive is more of a sequel but maybe not quite as enjoyable. What's your assessment of it?

[Ninjinister]

Originally Posted by oldmanwinters

I recently got it for the 3DS and it is a lot of fun. Nice remake of the NES game with various new features and game save. I hear Blaster Master Overdrive is more of a sequel but maybe not quite as enjoyable. What's your assessment of it?

Overdrive is still really fun, but Zero feels like a better put-together piece of software.

Plus the DLC guest characters very exciting. They're not just skins and have their own tricks.

[oldmanwinters]

Originally Posted by Ninjinister

Plus the DLC guest characters very exciting. They're not just skins and have their own tricks.

That was the direct incentive that motivated me to pick it up! Free window for downloading Shantae and Shovel Knight was quite the surprise!