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Wii U Does Not Play GameCube Games

You'll have to toss those tiny discs into the closet.

You'll be able to play existing (and perhaps forthcoming) Wii games on Nintendo's Wii U hardware, but if you were hoping to play more Super Mario Sunshine, there's bad news to report.

Wii U will not play GameCube games. I learned this and other details I'll share soon about Wii U during a short interview with Mark Franklin, the head of Nintendo's public relations division.

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patrickklepek

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Edited By patrickklepek

You'll be able to play existing (and perhaps forthcoming) Wii games on Nintendo's Wii U hardware, but if you were hoping to play more Super Mario Sunshine, there's bad news to report.

Wii U will not play GameCube games. I learned this and other details I'll share soon about Wii U during a short interview with Mark Franklin, the head of Nintendo's public relations division.

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Mento

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Edited By Mento

Shame.

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ckeats

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Edited By ckeats

awww damn

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bulletstorm

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Edited By bulletstorm

Hey. Time to learn to play Smash bros with a wii mote.

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hyperfludd

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Edited By hyperfludd

B-But..I love sunshine. Look at my username!

Can't wait to see more of that interview, as well as the second roundtable Nintendo has going on right now.

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MooseyMcMan

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Edited By MooseyMcMan

I am always hoping to play more Super Mario Sunshine, so I'll have to keep my Wii out as a glorified GameCube.  
 
@BulletStorm said:

Hey. Time to learn to play Smash bros with a wii mote.

OH SHIT! My interest in new Smash Bros just dropped significantly. Been playing those games with Cube controllers since '01...Man...
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endaround

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Edited By endaround

Hey how else could they sell them to you as downloads?

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hatking

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Edited By hatking

I'm very interested in this thing.  I've always liked Nintendo, but the Wii was just a no sale for me.  I'm totally willing to get back into their stuff if it is something that I can enjoy.

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Origina1Penguin

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Edited By Origina1Penguin

But can I download them?

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NickFerg

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Edited By NickFerg

Sad trombone

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MisterMouse

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Edited By MisterMouse

Well just like all things I am assuming some of that stuff will appear as a downloadable

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TechnoSyndrome

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Edited By TechnoSyndrome

Wonder if we'll be seeing HD re-releases ala the HD Collections on PS3. I'd buy the shit outta Wind Waker HD.

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Phoenix87

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Edited By Phoenix87

Lame, guess when they were talking about how its designed for "you" U, they weren't talking about me.

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CaptainScarLeg

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Edited By CaptainScarLeg

That's weird, I hope they explain why, doesn't seem like it should be difficult for the new machine to do.

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PillClinton

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Edited By PillClinton

But what am I going to do with my huge collection of great GameCube games?!

...

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ApuZ

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Edited By ApuZ

Fine, that would be like asking the original Wii to play N64 games.

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Toxin066

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Edited By Toxin066

Is the gamecube tech really that difficult to fit into the WiiU? I'm disappointed. I thought that controller would be great for replaying some GC favorites.

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Claude

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Edited By Claude

I guess I'll be keeping my Wii then.

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Shivoa

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Edited By Shivoa

I guess that's a reason to keep the Wii around. That said, it probably isn't all that important as PCs should be able to do a good job of emulating the GC with a decent list of working titles (so you only really need backwards compatibility with recent previous consoles).

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DestroJr

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Edited By DestroJr

Fortunately my Wii is sitting right next to my Gamecube... figure I'll just stack the Wii U on top the Wii and not worry too much about it. Though, shit, it sucks when the first two eventually conk out, oh well, by then Virtual Console will have Gamecube games.

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Praetor_Sean

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Edited By Praetor_Sean

It probably was not reasonable to expect the Wii U too play Gamecube games. The wii's backwards compatibility was miles better than the PS3 or 360 ended up being.

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AndrewB

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Edited By AndrewB

So do I buy a Wii U and keep my Gamecube or keep my Wii around? Gamecube, right? I've a nostalgic silver lunchbox just waiting to be freed from its box again.

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nintendoeats

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Edited By nintendoeats

I don't understand how this is even possible, given that the Wii and Gamecube are practically identical.

EDIT: ah yes, downloads. It all makes sense now.

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kosayn

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Edited By kosayn

We have homework.  Next year should be enough time to finish Eternal Darkness, Symphonia, and perhaps Crystal Chronicles, then forget the machine ever existed.

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iotanon

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Edited By iotanon

...why? I Wasn't going to get the wiiuiiuiiu anyway, but that's just weird.

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m0rdr3d

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Edited By m0rdr3d

That's because Ol' sneaky uncle Nintendo is gonna sell your fanboy ass GC games on his ol Virtual Console. 

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Battletoad

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Edited By Battletoad

Sony has made too much money off of HD Collections on PS3, and Nintendo their selves make too much re-releasing old games again, so what did anyone really expect here?
 
All those preorders of OOT3D and sales of Mario Tennis with Wii controls can take a nice chunk of the blame on this.

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Dreamfall31

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Edited By Dreamfall31

SHIT! Now how will I play MGS The Twin Snakes!!!!!!  oh wait... I still have my Gamecube :P

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coolwhip83

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Edited By coolwhip83

You can't keep chips of old consoles in it forever. Good choice imo.

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ironscimitar

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Edited By ironscimitar

Looking forward to downloading them from the eShop.

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mutha3

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Edited By mutha3
@100_Hertz said:

But what am I going to do with my huge collection of great GameCube games?!

...

don't you even
 
The GC was a goldmine for quality games.....perhaps.....a gold mine with long, long droughts....of crap.....But a goldmine nonetheless!
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Palaeomerus

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Edited By Palaeomerus

SOo,my Wii will become a Gamecube and my Wii-u will become a Wii and a Wii-U. 

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Kyreo

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Edited By Kyreo

Damnit!

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Protonguy

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Edited By Protonguy

Dam they aren't supporting a platform from 10 years ago anymore on the current platform. Shocked i am. You'd think they were like a business or something.

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sin13

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Edited By sin13

That's really sad. I find it hard to believe it isn't possible.

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myke_tuna

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Edited By myke_tuna

@DestroJr said:

Fortunately my Wii is sitting right next to my Gamecube... figure I'll just stack the Wii U on top the Wii and not worry too much about it. Though, shit, it sucks when the first two eventually conk out, oh well, by then Virtual Console will have Gamecube games.

We're heading down a dark path...

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nick_verissimo

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Edited By nick_verissimo

This is a travesty.

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FreakAche

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Edited By FreakAche

Well I'll probably still have both my Gamecube and my Wii around so I'm not too concerned.

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Hailinel

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Edited By Hailinel

@MooseyMcMan said:

I am always hoping to play more Super Mario Sunshine, so I'll have to keep my Wii out as a glorified GameCube.

@BulletStorm said:

Hey. Time to learn to play Smash bros with a wii mote.

OH SHIT! My interest in new Smash Bros just dropped significantly. Been playing those games with Cube controllers since '01...Man...

You know, you don't need to use a Wii Remote to play Smash Bros. :P

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herocide

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Edited By herocide
@ApuZ said:

Fine, that would be like asking the original Wii to play N64 games.

Except it does.
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MooseyMcMan

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Edited By MooseyMcMan
@Hailinel said:

@MooseyMcMan said:

I am always hoping to play more Super Mario Sunshine, so I'll have to keep my Wii out as a glorified GameCube.

@BulletStorm said:

Hey. Time to learn to play Smash bros with a wii mote.

OH SHIT! My interest in new Smash Bros just dropped significantly. Been playing those games with Cube controllers since '01...Man...

You know, you don't need to use a Wii Remote to play Smash Bros. :P

What, you mean use the new screen-y controller? What kind of madness is that!?  
 
I just don't like letting go of the past. I loved that Brawl let you use Cube controllers. And after so many years, it'll take a while to get used to using something new.   
 
I guess I could just buy a "classic controller" for the Wii. Ugh. 
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LordAndrew

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Edited By LordAndrew

Disappointing, but not surprising.

Bring on the Virtual Console GameCube Emulation.

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ArcBorealis

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Edited By ArcBorealis

Well, time to buy a used Gamecube.

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m0nk3y80y

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Edited By m0nk3y80y

NNOOOOOOO!!!! But my only copy of Timesplitters 2 is on Gamecube.

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MezZa

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Edited By MezZa

Darn. So if I decide to buy this I'll have to hold onto my wii so I can still play Wind Waker and Baten Kaitos.

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bobtastic715

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Edited By bobtastic715

Kinda figured this after they said backward compatible with Wii and excluded the GameCube...man now I can't get rid of my Wii.

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PrivateIronTFU

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Edited By PrivateIronTFU

If you really need to play Gamecube games, just buy a used Gamecube. I would imagine they are pretty cheap.

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UlquioKani

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Edited By UlquioKani
@BulletStorm said:

Hey. Time to learn to play Smash bros with a wii mote.

Fuck, I didn't think of that. I wonder if the classic controllers work with it
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jay_ray

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Edited By jay_ray

@BulletStorm said:

Hey. Time to learn to play Smash bros with a wii mote.

Classic controller man, classic controller