Nintendo announced overnight that as of May 20, the company will end online functionality for a host of Wii, DS, and DSi games–including high-profile titles like Mario Kart Wii and Super Smash Bros. Brawl. Of course, you can still play the games in their offline mode, but you won’t–come May 20–be able to play online or access leaderboards.
Wii Speak and the Wii Speak Channel are also affected, as they require an Internet connection.
Online play for Wii U and 3DS games is unaffected (outside of the Wii mode on Wii U and DS games played on 3DS). Other online functionality, including access to the Wii Shop Channel, the Nintendo DSi Shop, and video-on-demand services like Hulu and Netflix, is also not affected.
“We at Nintendo sincerely thank our fans for their continued support of our company’s legacy systems,” Nintendo said in a statement. “Your enthusiasm for games made for these systems speaks to their longevity, and the passion of Nintendo fans.”
Though the closure of online support for games might come as a headache for some players, sunsetting online services for aging titles is nothing new and it is not a practice conducted exclusively by Nintendo. Publishers often need to end online support for older titles so their IT staff can focus on supporting new games, which need more attention.
A full list of affected titles is below.
Nintendo DS
- 100 Classic Books
- Animal Crossing: Wild World
- Advance Wars: Days of Ruin
- Clubhouse Games
- Custom Robo Arena
- Diddy Kong Racing DS
- Dragon Quest IX: Sentinels of the Starry Skies
- Dragon Quest Monsters: Joker 2
- Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon
- Fossil Fighters: Champions
- Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass
- Mario Kart DS
- Mario vs. Donkey Kong 2: March of the Minis
- Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Mini-Land Mayhem
- Metroid Prime Hunters
- Personal Trainer: Walking
- Picross 3D
- Picross DS
- Planet Puzzle League
- Pokémon Black Version
- Pokémon Black Version 2
- Pokémon Diamond Version
- Pokémon HeartGold Version
- Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Darkness
- Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Sky
- Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Time
- Pokémon Pearl Version
- Pokémon Platinum Version
- Pokémon Ranger: Guardian Signs
- Pokémon Ranger: Shadows of Almia
- Pokémon SoulSilver Version
- Pokémon White Version
- Pokémon White Version 2
- Professor Layton and the Curious Village
- Professor Layton and the Diabolical Box
- Professor Layton and the Last Specter
- Professor Layton and the Unwound Future
- Star Fox Command
- Style Savvy
- Tenchu: Dark Secret
- Tetris DS
- WarioWare DIY
- Nintendo DSiWare
- Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Minis March Again!
- Metal Torrent
- Number Battle
Wii
- Animal Crossing: City Life
- Battalion Wars 2
- Endless Ocean
- Endless Ocean 2: Adventures of the Deep
- Excitebots: Trick Racing
- Fortune Street
- Mario Kart Wii
- Mario Sports Mix
- Mario Strikers Charged
- Pokémon Battle Revolution
- Samurai Warriors 3
- Sin & Punishment: Star Successor
- Super Smash Brothers Brawl
- Wii Music
- WiiWare
- Dr. Mario Online RX
- Excitebike: World Rally
- LONPOS
- Maboshi’s Arcade
- My Pokémon Ranch
- ThruSpace
- WarioWare DIY
Other
- Wii Speak
- Wii Speak Channel