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In response to the poor sales performance of the Wii U console last year, Nintendo President Satoru Iwata recently addressed the company's shareholders on future plans. One of the most interesting (and probably the most understandable) announcements was that the Wii U would be getting an interesting addition: a Nintendo DS Virtual Console.
You can probably guess the next thought that went through our minds: What would be the best DS games to put on the Virtual Console first? With that, here we are with a list of the DS games we would immediately snatch up for a download as soon as they hit the Wii U. And before you start crying about Phoenix Wright and Henry Hatsworth in the Puzzling Adventure, know that we are picking out the games that Nintendo actually owns, because there might be legal hurdles we don't know about between the Wii U/DS Virtual Console. Those third-party games will surely come eventually, but here are the games we want right NOW!
Advance Wars: Dual Strike
If we had to pick one turn-based strategy game on the DS, we would HAVE to pick Advance Wars: Dual Strike. Like other games in the series, you command armadas of soldiers, tanks, and planes then battle it out for the control of the world. The gameplay doesn't stray too far from the other games in the series (which makes it a great choice for those unfamiliar with the series), but it does have some awesome dual-screen-related features, which would totally look amazing in our livingrooms.
Imagine watching the battles spread out and unfold on both the TV screen and on the Wii U Gamepad's touch screen in your hands. It would be the ultimate way to experience the Nintendo classic. But not only that, having another chance to jam out to the amazing music tracks once again would be a treat in itself.
Super Princess Peach
Now here's a twist: Mario has been captured, and it is up to the Princess of the Mushroom Kingdom to save the poor plumber. Peach is outfitted with more than her simple floaty jumps and goomba crushing foot stomps you've see in her other appearances. In Super Princess Peach, she uses the Vibe Scepter that allows her to harness the power of her emotions, such as her Flaming Anger, and Waterfalls of Tears to solve puzzles and defeat enemies.
It didn't break any new ground when it released, and the fact that there haven't been 40 sequels means it couldn't have done that well. But if Nintendo were to decide to drop this gem into the DS library on the Wii U's Virtual console, it would be the perfect chance for us all to experience Peach's starring role once again (or for the first time).
Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Mini-Land Mayhem
This Lemmings-like puzzler reawakens the rivalry between Plumber and Kong. Donkey Kong has captured Pauline (the damsel needing saving in the original Donkey Kong arcade game), but this time it won't be Mario himself that comes to the rescue--at least not directly. Instead, little Mario robots arrive to save the day, because the red-capped hero is apparently too busy to save his old flame.
You have to guide the Marios from one end of a level to the other while avoiding spike traps and and other hazards by drawing out platforms using the touch screen. What would be a better way to play Mini-Land Mayhem than guiding your Marios on the gamepad and watching DK taunt you on the big screen?
Kirby: Canvas Curse
Kirby: Canvas Curse doesn't put you in the role of the air sucking, pink hero Kirby in the traditional sense. Instead, you guide Kirby through various levels with your stylus as the fluffy hero is curled up in a ball. As you draw rainbow lines on the screen to create ramps and barriers, Kirby barrels through the levels like a wrecking ball as he plows through enemies. And yes, we pictured Kirby as the wrecking ball in that Miley Cyrus music video when we typed that--stop judging.
Though Canvas Curse might not be the most challenging Kirby game the DS had to offer, it would be the perfect option for all of the younger, casual gamers out there. Plus, Kirby games usually don't bring too much challenge, they bring charm and whimsy--and Canvas Curse is easily the cutest Kirby adventure we ever saw on the handheld.
Mario & Luigi: Bowsers Inside Story
We've played what seems like hundreds of Super Mario titles as the plumber brothers over the years, but what makes Bowser's Inside Story great is you get to play the villain. Like, a lot. Sure, you'll play through the Mario RPG-style story as the Bros. using the traditional turn based combat system from the series and even do some platforming taken from Paper Mario, but the King of the Koopas is the real star. And that's why we want Bowser's Inside Story to come to the Wii U.
If the game were to be transferred to the Wii U VC there would need to be a few clever tweaks to some of the visual presentation--like when you play with the handheld sideways to accommodate Bowser's gigantism. With a fantastic story, the tried and true RPG gameplay, and the chance to play a Mario game from the bad guy's perspective, Bowser's Inside Story is a must to the DS library.
Elite Beat Agents
Few games made use of the touch screen as well as Elite Beat Agents did. It put you in charge of keeping the rhythm for the titular Agents as they solve all of the world's problems through the power of music, propelling this quirky rhythm game to cult status.
Why would this be the perfect VC title? Simple. It remixes some of the best classic songs of all time (which we can't wait to have blaring out of our livingroom sound system), and it's one of the best touch-screen titles to hit the DS. Plus, other than physically getting up and dancing or banging on a plastic drum set, tapping on a touch screen is unexpectedly engaging.
The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks
Obviously, we had to put at least one Zelda game on this list--seriously, we might open ourselves up for a lawsuit if we omitted them. The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks was the second series adventure to hit the DS handheld, but we would absolutely love to have this game land on the Wii U Virtual Console first. Spirit Tracks makes fantastic use of the touchscreen, and if the game were to come to the Wii U, it may just be one of the best uses of the GamePad we've seen so far.
Link ditches the boat from the first DS Zelda and becomes a conductor of his own choo choo train in Spirit Tracks, but with the change in transportation comes a more challenging Zelda adventure. This time Link isn't alone; Zelda (in spirit form) is your partner, which opens up the possibilities for all sorts of clever touch based puzzles. It may be a challenge to continue to implement the handheld's dual screen-spanning bosses on the home console, but we've a feeling Nintendo could make it work.
Meteos
Puzzle games and handhelds go together like plumbers and mushrooms, and the DS definitely had its share of great puzzle games. But which should hit the Virtual Console first? Well, there's really only one option: Meteos. In it, you are in charge of launching falling, colored blocks back into space before said blocks destroy the planet you're defending. Environmental effects such--as gravity--affects the gameplay from one planet to the next, making the gameplay even more hectic as you have to adjust your strategy on the fly.
Meteos on the Wii U may also be the best way to experience the puzzler as well. You'd do all of the puzzle solving and touch screen action on the GamePad, then you could look up at your big screen to see all of those successfully launched blocks jettison into the atmosphere.
What will you download?
There you have it. Those are our must have DS games we want to see in the initial launch of the Wii U's Virtual Console DS library. What favorites are you looking forward to adding to your digital collection? What other non-Nintendo games would you like to see show up on the list? Let us know in the comments below.
If you want more on the recent Nintendo developments, be sure to check out our 10 bold Nintendo gaming predictions for 2014 and Nintendo to use smartphones for game demos? Genius!
