Hardcore Wii Update [v2.0]
Wait! Stop reading if you are visiting this story via digg and live in North America then please go here for the most up to date story regarding the Virtual console. If you don’t care please read on.
With the West coast still asleep in their beds and the East coast still rubbing the sleep from their eyes, I shout WAKE UP there’s Mario Kart to be played. That’s right Mario Kart 64 for the Wii’s virtual console will be available on the Wii Shop Channel this morning. Originally rumored to be released Monday Nintendo seems to have jumped the gun and released this defining classic early. My guess is they are trying to get people excited about the first version of the News Channel which should be available tomorrow morning. Well Mario Kart 64 is one hell of a bone. There’s a couple of other updates, a a new NEC/PC Engine a.k.a TurboGrafx 16 game is also hitting the VC today Soldier Blade joins the ranks of Moto Roader and Bonk’s Adventure.
I’ll be up bright and early tomorrow anxious to try out the news channel and will post as soon as it’s available. Say goodbye to TV forever, now your Wii can do almost everything……except play DVDs but trust me Nintendo is working on that.
Don’t miss out on the finest Mario Kart in the series, you can spare 1000 Wii points can’t you.
UPDATE[2.0]*NOTE* This is only confirmed for the UK and Europe.
Hit the jump for the press release.
Virtual Console Shifts Up A Gear With One Of Nintendo’s Best Racing Games Of All Time
26th January 2007 - Racing fans are in for an extra special treat today as Mario Kart 64, one of the greatest games in the hugely popular Mario Kart series, is available to download to Wii’s Virtual Console *. Featuring tense racing action for up to four players, Mario Kart 64 is the ultimate trip down nostalgia lane for you and your friends for the small sum of 1000 Wii Points.
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 will see the launch of the first version** of the News Channel, for free, across Europe. Once downloaded the News Channel provides instant on demand news from around the world at the press of a button.
This Friday will also see 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.
- ends –
For further information or images, please contact the Nintendo Press Office on 020 7307 3103
* 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. Wii Points can either be purchased online via the Wii Shop Channel using a credit card or users can purchase Wii Points by buying a Wii Points card in retail stores at around €20 for 2000 Wii Points. These points can then be redeemed against Virtual Console games via the Wii Shop Channel.
**Later in the year a second version of the News Channel will be available for free in Europe which will contain more extensive European news.
[v1.5] Added press release
[v2.0] Added Nintendo Europe
January 26th, 2007 at 1:47 pm
Oohh I like me some Mario Kart
January 26th, 2007 at 6:09 pm
[...] Mario Kart 64 hits the Nintendo Wii’s virtual console early.read more | digg story [...]
January 26th, 2007 at 6:16 pm
Lier it is not up I even checked Wii shop channel.
January 26th, 2007 at 7:49 pm
It would be if you lived in europe, like it says in my post
January 27th, 2007 at 1:12 pm
I didn’t know lier was spelled like that? I guess I should go back to school to learn how to write properly. I also love how Josh didn’t use any punctuation at all. He just barrels straight through with his words:
“Lier it is not up I even checked Wii shop channel.”
Is it so hard to write properly on the internet anymore? It should have looked something like this:
“Liar! It is not up. I checked the Wii Shop channel and it’s not there.”
There, I just did you a favor Josh. I hope you know how to cook burgers cause you shouldn’t work anywhere that involves any sort of intelligence.
January 27th, 2007 at 6:48 pm
Ouch BB! As they say on Xbox Live that Josh kid got OWNED!!!!!!!!
January 29th, 2007 at 3:47 am
Yea, I love those one time commenters, cause I know they can’t fight back
January 29th, 2007 at 9:51 am
[...] Do you hear that? That’s millions of Wii consoles revving up to download Mario Kart 64 this week. First the Europeans got their Mario Kart 64 love on Friday, now it’s the US’ turn. [...]
January 29th, 2007 at 10:19 am
[...] As we all know those lucky chaps in the UK and Europe got Mario Kart on Friday, all we need now is some online lovin’ from Nintendo and we’ll have a party on our hands. Shifting gears now, this past weekend I finally managed to complete Zelda: Twilight Princess. I am about 62% complete after finishing the final boss. Speaking of which did anyone else notice that during the final boss battle the music in the background keeps chanting “EVIL…..EVIL….EVIL”. I also noticed that during the ending credits, there is location shot of a grotto with snake heads on the wall. I don’t remember happening across this location while I was adventuring through Hyrule. Anybody know where it is? Posted in Virtual Console, Games Link to this Entry Email This Entry [...]
January 30th, 2007 at 9:39 am
[...] Do you hear that? That’s millions of Wii consoles revving up to download Mario Kart 64 this week. First the Europeans got their Mario Kart 64 love on Friday, now it’s the US’ turn. [...]
February 26th, 2007 at 2:09 pm
this site sux ass!!