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