The update also lays the groundwork for the imminent launch of the Wii U Virtual Console service.
We have designed Revolution to be a virtual console, enabling it to download 20 years of Nintendo content.
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Nintendo's Satoru Iwata just announced via Nintendo Direct that Virtual Console will be available on the Wii U this spring.
The prices for NES and Super NES Virtual Console games for Wii U will be the same as they were for the Virtual Console on Wii.
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The updates will introduce a wide range of functionality, such as Virtual Console capabilities and shortening the time it takes users to launch software or return to the menu screen.
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Each game in the Wii U Virtual Console library has been developed to include off-TV play on the Wii U GamePad controller, customizable controls, Miiverse community support and the ability to instantly save game progress.
The Wii U Virtual Console's official launch may still be a few months off, but based on the first game in the Famicom 30th Anniversary Virtual Console trial campaign, it's shaping up to be a strong evolution of its predecessor.
ENGADGET: Wii U Virtual Console Trial Campaign hands-on Hands-on
Save states have been a boon to 3DS owners not accustomed to the challenges of classic Nintendo games, and is a welcome addition to the full-sized Virtual Console setup -- after all, how else are we supposed to get a decent score in Balloon Trip mode?
ENGADGET: Wii U Virtual Console Trial Campaign hands-on Hands-on
Virtual Console for Wii U: A spring system update will add Virtual Console software to the Nintendo eShop for Wii U. The service will launch right after the spring update and will include a selection of NES and Super NES games, with Game Boy Advance games to be added in the future.
ENGADGET: Nintendo Wii U to get Virtual Console service this spring
Tapping the gamepad's screen or pressing the ZR button brings up the Virtual Console menu, laying bare the Wii U enhanced features Iwata told us about: restore points and controller settings. 3DS owners should be familiar with the former -- restore points allow you to save your game at any moment and restore it without penalty.
ENGADGET: Wii U Virtual Console Trial Campaign hands-on Hands-on
The Konami Code is perhaps the most famous cheat code ever, a controller sequence that unlocked extra lives and virtual goodies in console games including Contra, Gradius, and Gyruss.
And gaming is a part of the equation, especially as new tablets and smartphones are offering more console quality experiences to consumers who are using multiple screens to access virtual worlds.
But in this new virtual gold rush, a more traditional competitor has been overlooked by many: the videogame console.
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Rather, they keep talking about getting into the hardware game, teasing anything from a new console, to a redesign of the mouse and keyboard, to even a virtual reality headset which we saw them show recently.
At what point will the unthinkable occur: will the game console be distributed free with an online registration requirement, and revenues derived from apps, virtual goods sales, and downloadable content?
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And with the launch of Sony's PlayStation Home -- an online world for the games console -- this autumn, it seems the big players in the entertainment world are banking on virtual realms being part of the future, too.
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