Super Mario Bros. Wonder might have only been out for a few days, but that hasn't stopped players from already figuring out various tricks and methods to get infinite 1-Ups.
3DS and Wii U servers officially die in 2024, but fans have already spent years building their replacements
05.10.2023 - 00:09 / gamesradar.com / Wii U
Nintendo has announced its plans to shut down servers for the Wii U and 3DS in April 2024, but fans have already been working on a massive replacement in the Pretendo Network service.
Pretendo has been in development for ages, and it aims to offer a free, open-source, alternative to the official Nintendo Network for Wii U and 3DS servers. Groups of developers are working on building servers to accommodate every single game or console feature that once relied on the Nintendo Network, from the Miiverse and console-level friends lists to a wide variety of games both big and small.
These unofficial servers support real consoles that've been hacked to run homebrew applications, and Wii U enthusiasts can use the Cemu emulator to connect to these servers on PC. The big thing to be aware of is that all these individual features are being worked on by different groups of developers, which means there's no clear ETA one when it'll all be done.
For now, Pretendo is still in closed beta, so you can only get access through selection by a development team, or through a donation to a project. However, Pretendo does often hold open betas, and a comprehensive open beta is planned for the month of December. For now, Wara Wara Plaza - the part of the Wii U menu where random Miis from online wander around - is currently open to everyone, so you can test out at least one of Pretendo's features for yourself.
We have been made aware of Nintendo's plans to shut down Nintendo Network in April. We have begun discussing our development road map internally to accommodate this https://t.co/0M6tERW6lVOctober 4, 2023
With news of the official servers shutting down, interest in Pretendo is naturally pretty high, and the devs say they're adjusting their development plans in light of the news. Part of their mission involves archiving data like leaderboard information, and the clock is ticking on how much longer leaderboard data will even be available to be archived. With that in mind, the devs are asking communities who actively make use of official leaderboards to reach out and help prioritize historic data.
You can check out the project's website if you want more information on how it works or how to get it installed. Today, as ever, I remain in awe of the dedication fans show toward keeping gaming history alive. A similar project called Insignia is also working to get the OG Xbox back online, and I hope the trend continues.
Check out the best 3DS games and the best Wii U games as you dust off your old consoles.
The website gametalkz.com is an aggregator of news from open sources. The source is indicated at the beginning and at the end of the announcement. You can send a complaint on the news if you find it unreliable.
Top Authors
Popular Topics
rockpapershotgun.com
22.10.2023 / 08:29
Final Fantasy 14’s 7.0 update isn’t out until next summer, but its director already has plans for 8.0 and 9.0
Final Fantasy 14’s 7.0 update won’t hit the MMO for almost another year, arriving alongside the game’s next expansion Dawntrail in the summer of 2024. Director Naoki Yoshida already has some plans for the next two major updates after that, though - but he’d really rather you didn’t ask about them.
techradar.com
19.10.2023 / 09:51
Servers for online shooter Second Extinction will shut down next year
Second Extinction, the online dinosaur shooter from System Reaction, will have its servers deactivated next year. The title has also been removed from every storefront to prevent any new purchases, but anyone with the game already in their library will still be able to enjoy it until the servers eventually close.
gamesradar.com
12.10.2023 / 22:29
Todd Howard wants you to play Starfield for years, but even some Bethesda superfans are already sick of it: "I've been playing Skyrim again, it just hits different"
Starfield has been out for about six weeks, and as the dust settles on the honeymoon period, some players are finding that the spacefaring RPG just doesn't have the staying power of Bethesda's previous games, most notably Skyrim.
tech.hindustantimes.com
12.10.2023 / 13:55
GTA 6 release date, trailer, gameplay, and leaks: Everything a die-hard fan should know
Ever since its official announcement in February 2022, Grand Theft Auto 6 (GTA 6) has become one of the most anticipated games of recent years. The popularity of the franchise can be assessed from the fact that GTA V was released in 2013 and it still continues to be popular. But despite the excitement, Rockstar Games, the game developer and publisher, has kept its cards close to its chest when it comes to its release date, trailer launch, gameplay, and more. But last year's leaks and subsequent information from different sources have shed some light on GTA 6. Delightful, it was!
gameranx.com
12.10.2023 / 11:13
Mario’s New Voice Actor For Super Mario Bros Wonder Might Have Already Been Datamined
Some people out there may already know who the new voice of Mario is.
gamesradar.com
11.10.2023 / 21:41
Assassin's Creed Mirage players have already pet 1.2 million cats – and frankly, those are rookie numbers
We aren't petting enough cats in Assassin's Creed Mirage. And I don't say that in a memey, superficial way; I actually have data to back up my argument.
pcgamer.com
10.10.2023 / 15:11
Activision reminds fans they'll need to get their wallets out for Modern Warfare 3, says its games won't hit Game Pass until next year at the earliest
Unless the FTC's Lina Khan runs in at the last minute to physically tackle Bobby Kotick before he can sign anything, it's looking very likely that Microsoft's acquisition of Activision Blizzard will close in the very near future. I mean very near, you understand, as in possibly this Friday, pending word from the UK market regulator. But if you think that heralds the imminent arrival of games like Modern Warfare 3 and Diablo 4 on Microsoft's Game Pass service, Activision has news for you: It doesn't.
ign.com
09.10.2023 / 12:11
Call of Duty Fans Are Already Worried About Cheating in the Modern Warfare 3 Beta
Call of Duty Modern Warfare 3 held a PlayStation-exclusive beta over the weekend, and already fans are worried about cheaters.
thegamer.com
08.10.2023 / 21:51
Assassin's Creed Fans Have Changed Their Mind About Mirage's Infamous Teleport
Now that Mirage is actually out, Assassin's Creed fans have seemingly changed their mind about Basim's infamous teleportation ability, which was originally deemed too much of a "cheese".
pcgamesn.com
08.10.2023 / 18:41
Steam Next Fest is about to return, and the demos have already begun
Your best opportunity to try out hundreds of upcoming games for free is about to return, as Steam Next Fest is coming back for a week full of videogame demos. With many more announcements of participating games incoming, now is the time to start scouring places like Twitter to see who’s getting involved and get your list of demos you want to try out ready, because I’m sure it’s going to be a long one.
thesixthaxis.com
05.10.2023 / 02:41
Nintendo is shutting down 3DS and Wii U online services in April 2024
Nintendo has announced that they will be shutting down almost all online services for the Nintendo 3DS and Nintendo Wii U in April 2024, ending all online features that include online multiplayer and co-op play, internet rankings and data and content sharing between users. A specific date will be shared closer to that point.