Hardcore fighting games and arcade-perfect ports. Top Games in the NTSCU Virtual Console Library

In North America, the Wii’s Virtual Console offered a massive library of . These titles spanned multiple generations and platforms, representing some of the best games ever made. Here is the breakdown of the complete collection:

In January 2019, Nintendo officially closed the Wii Shop Channel, making it impossible to buy these digital releases anymore. This closure triggered a massive push within the preservation community to safeguard the NTSC-U Virtual Console library.

In addition to these, the library also featured titles from the , Game Boy Color , Game Boy Advance , Nintendo DS , and Sega Game Gear . This staggering variety meant that no matter your gaming preference, the Virtual Console had a historic gem waiting to be rediscovered.

The complete North American Virtual Console collection spans several generations of hardware. It covers a vast timeline from early 8-bit arcade machines to 64-bit 3D pioneers.

: Frequently ranked as one of the greatest video games of all time, innovating the Z-targeting camera system.

Unbelievably fast futuristic racing with 30 cars on screen.

Since the original store has been discontinued, assembling the full 427-game library requires some effort and knowledge.

I'll need to cite the Wikipedia page for the complete list. I'll also cite the Internet Archive page. For top titles, I'll cite CNET, VideoGamer, IGN, etc. I'll also mention the "Wii NTSC-U Complete Virtual Console Collection" torrent/page.

| Ranking | Title | Original System | A Brief Reason to Play | | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | | 1 | The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time | N64 | Widely considered one of the greatest games ever made; a pivotal 3D adventure. | | 2 | Super Mario Bros. 3 | NES | The peak of 8-bit platforming, filled with creativity and iconic power-ups. | | 3 | Super Mario 64 | N64 | A revolutionary 3D platformer that defined a generation and remains a joy to play. | | 4 | Super Mario World | SNES | A massive, polished refinement of the Mario formula and a timeless classic. | | 5 | The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past | SNES | The definitive 2D Zelda experience, masterfully combining action, puzzles, and exploration. | | 6 | Mario Kart 64 | N64 | A chaotic, four-player racer that was (and still is) a cornerstone of party gaming. | | 7 | Sonic the Hedgehog 2 | Genesis | Sonic's finest 16-bit outing, with perfect speed, level design, and music. | | 8 | Street Fighter II (Any version) | SNES | The game that popularized the fighting game genre is emulated excellently here. | | 9 | Super Metroid | SNES | An atmospheric masterpiece of exploration and action; the gold standard for the genre. | | 10 | Donkey Kong Country | SNES | A graphical showpiece for the SNES era, backed by tight platforming and a fantastic soundtrack. | | 11 | Kirby's Adventure | NES | A late-cycle NES gem that pushed the hardware to its limits with vibrant colors and unique copy abilities. | | 12 | Star Fox 64 | N64 | Full of memorable dialogue and tight, branching-path 3D space combat. | | 13 | Paper Mario | N64 | A charming, story-driven RPG that blends traditional elements with fun timing-based combat. | | 14 | Harvest Moon | SNES | The progenitor of the beloved farming sim genre; a relaxing, charming experience. | | 15 | Super Mario Bros. 2 | NES | The unique "dream world" entry in the series, offering distinct character abilities and a surreal atmosphere. | | 16 | Pokémon Snap | N64 | A unique, relaxing on-rails photography game that has charmed players for decades. | | 17 | Castlevania: Rondo of Blood | TurboGrafx-CD | A previously Japan-exclusive masterpiece; a pinnacle of 16-bit action-platforming. | | 18 | Gunstar Heroes | Genesis | An over-the-top, run-and-gun masterpiece from Treasure, known for its incredible boss fights. | | 19 | ActRaiser | SNES | A brilliant genre hybrid, combining god-sim city building with action-platforming. | | 20 | Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards | N64 | A 2.5D platformer with a fun and unique power-combining mechanic. |

Beyond the all-stars, the Virtual Console was a fantastic place to discover overlooked classics for a low price. Here are a few standouts: