Can Wii Play GameCube Games

You may be asking yourself: Can the Wii play GameCube games? Wouldn't it be convenient if you could combine two of Nintendo's best video game consoles into a single machine?

When the Super Nintendo was introduced to the world, it was with a tear in our eyes that we retired the first NES to the back of the closet. When the Nintendo 64 wowed us with its 3D capabilities, we cast aside the SNES to enjoy the latest games on the N64. This doesn't have to be the case. You can still play your old favorites.

That is largely the appeal of what is known as backward compatibility. While the compatibility is not complete, you are largely able to play most Xbox games on the Xbox 360. You can also play original PSone games on the PS2, with some titles from both consoles being compatible with the PlayStation 3.

Nintendo has finally recognized this appeal, bringing backward compatibility to the Nintendo Wii. It won't let you play your aging NES cartridges directly, but there is something there for you.

So, can Wii play GameCube games? The short answer is yes. The Nintendo Wii is based on much of the same architecture as the GameCube, so the "emulation" was a reasonably straightforward process for the team at Nintendo.

In this way, you don't necessarily have to invest in the newest and most expensive titles to be offered on the Nintendo Wii in order to have a lot of fun with the machine. There are lots of just fun games on the GameCube that can be easily enjoyed on the Wii.

In order to play a GameCube game on the Wii, simply insert the game disc just as you would with a Wii game. Although the disc slot on the Wii is the same size as a standard DVD player, it can also accept the smaller GameCube discs as well. The console automatically aligns the smaller disc to the right configuration upon entry.

GameCube games are not available directly through the Virtual Console, but there are still savings to be enjoyed by taking the route of the legacy discs.

From the Nintendo end of things, the Virtual Console offers games from the NES, SNES, and N64, but there are several compilation discs available on the GameCube that do the same thing. The same can be said about classics from other consoles, like the Sega Genesis.

For example, Sonic Mega Collection for the GameCube contains seven classic Sonic games. It is possible to find a used copy for very little money. By comparison, buying seven equivalent Sonic titles individually through the Virtual Console can cost a lot more.

Can the Wii play GameCube games? Yes, it can, but there are limitations. After inserting some of the hottest GameCube games into the Wii, you'll find it takes up the same "Disc Channel" as where you would find an inserted Wii title. That's straightforward enough.

However, after the GameCube game loads, the Wii Remote is rendered inoperable. You will not be able to activate the home menu or remotely turn off the console from the Wii Remote. When the Wii is in "GameCube mode," it is fully like a GameCube. In this way, you can only interact with it the same way you would with an original GameCube, playing with the GameCube controller only.

For this reason, the backward compability of the Wii to the GameCube is only valuable if you already have some spare GameCube controllers. If you use Wii accessories, like the classic controller, it will not work with GameCube games.

Some of the more popular console games from the GameCube are being transplanted to the Wii in a new series from Nintendo. Known as "Play on Wii" in Japan, the "New Play Control!" series takes classics like Pikmin and Mario Power Tennis and adds Wii controls to them. There are some other minor improvements as well.

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