Wii U SD Card

[cimerians]

I wanted to ask about SD cards.

 

Since the Wii U is limited in system storage can you play VC games from an SD card? Does it have a data management menu (like the Wii) where you can transfer VC games from system memory to the SD?

 

I did a google search and cant find anything about this.

 

Also....if you buy a retail game and it wants to install data will it allow you to pick system storage or SD storage?

[Animan]

The SD Card I think is only used for Wii-related games, save data, etc. and Miis. All Wii U related games (including Wii U VC games), save data, etc. can ONLY be stored in the internal memory or an external USB hard drive with a power source (AC power or secondary USB plug).

 

I remember reading somewhere that Ninty doesn't allow Wii U data to be saved on SD cards or non-powered USB drives because they aren't fast enough. You can technically use a USB thumbdrive, but most people have reported several error messages when loading games off it (sometimes it'd load, sometimes it'd freeze, etc.). In other words, if you need more storage for Wii U content, you're stuck buying an external, powered USB hard drive.

 

However, looking at my Data Management screen, each Wii U NES Virtual Console game takes up about 15 MB, with the SNES ones about 23 MB. Even with the 8GB model you can still store a good amount of VC games on it.

Edited April 29, 2013 by Animan

[MagitekAngel]

15 Megs is still an awful lot for an NES rom. That's closer to a typical 64 rom, so I can only assume all that extra space is for the emulator, and... uhh... the icon? Hell, I don't know.

[cimerians]

Ok got it. Didnt even think about xfer rates and I forgot about the external powered drive option.

[Atariboy]

If it's of any help since it wasn't explicitly stated, the Wii side still functions the same way the real console does. You're limited with the same amount of internal memory and the only external storage supported is SD cards. So even though the Wii U side can take advantage of things like external hard drives for Wii U Virtual Console games, the Wii side strangely still can't for Wii Virtual Console and WiiWare games.

 

So if you plan to have many of those on there, you're still going to want a SD card just like on an actual Wii.

 

15 Megs is still an awful lot for an NES rom. That's closer to a typical 64 rom, so I can only assume all that extra space is for the emulator, and... uhh... the icon? Hell, I don't know.

 

It has been years since I looked, but Wii Virtual Console downloads have simplified virtual manuals. And as I recall they incorporate graphics and aren't just text.

 

So I suspect several MB's are the result of that aspect since I imagine the Wii U's Virtual Console does similarly.

Edited April 30, 2013 by Atariboy

[Animan]

If it's of any help since it wasn't explicitly stated, the Wii side still functions the same way the real console does. You're limited with the same amount of internal memory and the only external storage supported is SD cards. So even though the Wii U side can take advantage of things like external hard drives for Wii U Virtual Console games, the Wii side strangely still can't for Wii Virtual Console and WiiWare games.

 

So if you plan to have many of those on there, you're still going to want a SD card just like on an actual Wii.

 

 

 

It has been years since I looked, but Wii Virtual Console downloads have simplified virtual manuals. And as I recall they incorporate graphics and aren't just text.

 

So I suspect several MB's are the result of that aspect since I imagine the Wii U's Virtual Console does similarly.

 

There's also the menus for save states, control configurations, and all that. Then the hi-res splash screen, boot music, and the emulator itself (I recall reading somewhere that at least the N64 VC games each came with a version of the emulator tweaked to run better with that particular game, or something. I could be wrong on that, though).

 

The 3DS also has similar quirks when it comes to game storage. 3DS apps and games can only be saved onto an SD card; DSiWare games can be stored on either the SD card or internal memory, but can only be played if they're saved onto the internal memory (just like how the old DSi handled it). While the Wii could run games from both internal memory or an SD card, in order to run a game saved on the SD card, you needed enough internal memory on the system for it to be temporarily moved there and then it would run.

Edited April 30, 2013 by Animan