Virtual Console
Virtual Console is a feature present on the Wii, Wii U and Nintendo 3DS. It allows the console user to purchase, download, and play games from older systems on the console in question, which includes titles from the Nintendo Entertainment System up to the Wii, and even includes titles from non-Nintendo systems, such as the Sega Genesis, and the NEO GEO. The Nintendo Switch removed Virtual Console in favor of a subscription model known as Nintendo Switch Online.
An Internet connection is required to download titles, but is not required to play the game afterwards. Virtual Console games often have a save state function known as Restore Points. There are special commands that can open the game in the original resolution (and skins to emulate the original console's appearance if any). On the Nintendo 3DS system, SNES games are only available on the New Nintendo 3DS series models.
Some minor changes are made to the emulation for Virtual Console titles, meaning that some are not entirely accurate to the original state of the game. In the case of the Kirby series, one major change was made to Kirby's Dream Land 3; the Hyper Zone arena in Boss Butch mode had its colors changed from a yellow sky with red and blue clouds to a yellow sky with orange and green clouds. The change is likely due to increased epilepsy awareness, and has been kept for all subsequent releases. Additionally, an error in the Wii Virtual Console version of Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards causes Miracle Matter's boss arena to be colored black and white rather than the intended black and purple; this was fixed starting in Kirby's Dream Collection Special Edition.
List of Virtual Console Kirby titles by system[edit]
Wii[edit]
- Kirby's Adventure - NES
- Kirby's Dream Course - SNES
- Kirby's Avalanche - SNES
- Kirby Super Star - SNES
- Kirby's Dream Land 3 - SNES
- Kirby's Star Stacker - SNES (Japanese systems only)
- Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards - N64
Nintendo 3DS[edit]
- Kirby's Dream Land - GB
- Kirby's Pinball Land - GB
- Kirby's Dream Land 2 - GB
- Kirby's Block Ball - GB
- Kirby's Star Stacker - GB
- Kirby's Adventure - NES (remastered as a '3D Classic')
- Kirby's Dream Course - SNES (New Nintendo 3DS systems only)
- Kirby's Star Stacker - SNES (Japanese New Nintendo 3DS systems only)
- Kirby & The Amazing Mirror - GBA (only available to those who were part of the Ambassador program, was not released standalone)[1]
Wii U[edit]
- Kirby's Adventure - NES
- Kirby's Dream Course - SNES
- Kirby Super Star - SNES
- Kirby's Dream Land 3 - SNES
- Kirby's Star Stacker - SNES (Japanese systems only)
- Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards - N64
- Kirby: Nightmare in Dream Land - GBA
- Kirby & The Amazing Mirror - GBA
- Kirby: Canvas Curse - DS
- Kirby: Squeak Squad - DS
- Kirby Mass Attack - DS
- Kirby's Epic Yarn - Wii
- Kirby's Return to Dream Land - Wii
NES Classic Edition[edit]
- Kirby's Adventure - NES
SNES Classic Edition[edit]
- Kirby Super Star - SNES
- Kirby's Dream Course - SNES
Nintendo Switch Online[edit]
- Kirby's Adventure - NES
- Kirby's Dream Course - SNES
- Kirby's Dream Land 3 - SNES
- Kirby Super Star - SNES
- Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards - N64 (requires Expansion Pass)
- Kirby's Avalanche - SNES (International versions only)
- Kirby's Star Stacker - Super Famicom (Japanese and Chinese versions only)
- Kirby's Dream Land - GB/GBC
- Kirby's Dream Land 2 - GB/GBC
- Kirby Tilt 'n' Tumble - GBC (coming soon)
- Kirby & The Amazing Mirror - GBA (coming soon)
