Nintendo Corrects Wii U Virtual Console Error Featuring Banjo-Kazooie and Blast Corps

Nintendo Clarifies Wii U Virtual Console Listing Error for Banjo-Kazooie and Blast Corps Nintendo has addressed a recent mix-up on its Japanese official website, which mistakenly listed two classic Rare titles—Banjo-Kazooie and Blast Corps—as Wii U Virtual Console releases scheduled for December 30, 2020.

The unexpected appearance of these Nintendo 64 games under the Wii U software section caused considerable excitement and speculation among retro gaming enthusiasts and longtime Nintendo fans. The incorrect listings were first noticed by observant fans and highlighted by the Twitter user @wight90297332.

The listings showed Banjo-Kazooie’s Adventure (known simply as Banjo-Kazooie in the West) and Blast Dozer (the Japanese title for Blast Corps) as available on the Nintendo eShop for Wii U from December 30, 2020.

Curiously, the publisher listed was Microsoft Japan, reflecting Rare’s status as a Microsoft-owned studio since 2002.

Neither game had previously been released for the Wii U Virtual Console, making the appearance especially noteworthy for those tracking the availability of classic titles on the platform. Industry website Gematsu confirmed that the links to both games were inactive, with attempts to access the pages resulting in a message explaining the content had been deleted, modified, or was currently unavailable.

However, the titles remained briefly visible on Nintendo’s broader release schedule page, further fueling confusion and anticipation. After fan reports began circulating and inquiries were made, Nintendo updated its official Japanese site to address the issue.

In a translated statement, the company clarified: “'Banjo-Kazooie's Adventure' and 'Blast Dozer' were listed as Wii U software available from December 30, 2020, but these will not be available for delivery.

We apologize for the correction.” This confirms that the earlier release information was posted in error and that fans should not expect these Rare classics to arrive on the Wii U eShop. Banjo-Kazooie and Blast Corps, both developed by Rare, remain beloved entries from the Nintendo 64 era.

Since the acquisition of Rare by Microsoft, their classic games have seen limited re-releases on Nintendo hardware.

While Banjo-Kazooie made its way to Nintendo Switch Online’s Expansion Pack in 2022, neither title had been available on the Wii U Virtual Console.

This error briefly reignited discussion about potential collaborations between Nintendo and Microsoft regarding legacy Rare titles, but the official correction makes clear that no such release was planned for the Wii U. Nintendo regularly updates and maintains release schedules for its hardware platforms, including the Nintendo Switch and previously the Wii U.

Accurate listings are crucial, especially for collectors and fans tracking regional availability via services like the eShop. For now, fans of classic Rare titles should continue to keep an eye on Nintendo’s official announcements and stay updated through trusted news sources as new developments in game availability are confirmed.

Nintendo Wii U Virtual Console Banjo-Kazooie Blast Corps Microsoft Japan Rare Game Release Schedule Gematsu Nintendo Life