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Does the Wii U eShop contain all the WiiWare and Virtual Console games from Wii Shop Channel?

Are there any such Wii games known to be specifically not compatible with the Wii U (e.g. with regard to System Transfer)?

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  • I don't know if the Wii U shop currently contains all of the Wii shop's content, but I know that the A Link to the Past Virtual Console title only got released on the Wii U shop in late 2013.
    – Nolonar
    Commented Mar 18, 2014 at 21:24
  • I'm really not sure if we need a tag for eshop...
    – Schism
    Commented Mar 19, 2014 at 6:37
  • @Nolonar - do you mean a native Wii U version of A Link to the Past (made to work with its tablet controller), or support for the Wii Shop Channel Virtual Console backward compatibility via built-in Wii emulation?
    – acalypso
    Commented Mar 19, 2014 at 11:14
  • @acalypso I meant the native Wii U version. I can effortlessly play the game on Wii mode, and I'm kind of disappointed, that Nintendo doesn't let me download the Wii U version, even though I posess the Wii one. I asked support, but they said I have to stick with Wii mode.
    – Nolonar
    Commented Mar 19, 2014 at 15:19
  • I have answered to this added issue in the updated version of my answer to the question.
    – Bryan C.
    Commented Mar 19, 2014 at 16:32

1 Answer 1

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No, it does not.

Nintendo currently only sells a small fraction of the Virtual Console titles on the Wii U as they are converted to Wii U for controller compatibility and other reasons.

You can still purchase these games on the Wii U from within the Wii virtual machine environment via the Shop Channel and Nintendo is still distributing games for the Wii through this shop (including some of it's Club Nintendo giveaways).

It is very unlikely that many if not most of these games will ever be ported for native Wii U play due to the radical change in controller schemes. All Wii U games are required to support the tablet as the primary controller.

As for the second part of your question, the only significant game I am aware of that will not transfer to the Wii U's Wii emulator is Lost Winds. I have also found anecdotal evidence that DLC for Final Fantasy The After Years fails to transfer as well and neither can be downloaded from the Wii Shop Channel on Wii U.

One added note as this was touched on in comments. Nintendo has indicated they will re-issue an unspecified number of Virtual Console games on Wii U and if you have already purchased the Wii version and it is linked to the Nintendo account you transferred from a Wii to the Wii U, then the new release will be offered to you at a greatly discounted prices ranging between $0.50 to $1.50 in the U.S. (if you did not transfer your Wii profile to your Wii U then you are not eligible for the discount).

Correction: In April 2014, Lost Winds became transferable from the Wii to the Wii U. To transfer it you will need to have held onto your old Wii system and repeat the transfer process. Otherwise you'll need to repurchase it.

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  • Thanks for the answer! So, I understood the Wii games from Shop Channel are not natively supported by Wii U, but since Wii U has full Wii compatibility built in via emulation, including Shop Channel, I am be able to buy, download and play all Wii games from Shop Channel (including its Virtual Console department) - with Lost Winds being the only known exception. This, of course, is valid as long as Wii Shop Channel is online. Did I got it right?
    – acalypso
    Commented Mar 19, 2014 at 11:13
  • Yep. Spot on. You got it.
    – Bryan C.
    Commented Mar 19, 2014 at 16:16
  • FWIW, I did a little bit of clean up to make things clearer in the post. If this answers your question, please accept it when you have a chance. Thanks!
    – Bryan C.
    Commented Mar 19, 2014 at 16:27
  • Just to be extra clear here, can you confirm that the contradicting information on this post is incorrect? answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20130506222025AAO5sVR That is to say, any games which "are no longer available on the Wii U's Wii Mode's Shop Channel" would also be delisted from the original Wii's Shop Channel as well, correct? Before I do my Wii Transfer, I want to ensure there are no "Wii-exclusive" games I'm missing out on when I move to Wii U.
    – Jon
    Commented Dec 14, 2014 at 7:27
  • Also, can you please clarify what you mean that the Wii Shop now includes "some of it's Club Nintendo giveaways"? As far as I know there were only two -- Doc Louis' Punchout and Grill Off with Ultra Hand... are those really available for sale on the Wii U Shop Channel?
    – Jon
    Commented Dec 14, 2014 at 9:25

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