Nintendo has updated the Wii Shop Channel with a new message stating that Yoshi's Cookie will be no longer available for sale as of 11th October.
The surprise announcement doesn't provide any details as to why the NES game is being removed. It was originally developed by Bullet-Proof Software, with Nintendo acting as publisher. Is it possible that some sort of agreement between the two parties has now expired?
If you haven't yet purchased Yoshi's Cookie and are wondering if you should get it before it disappears, then be sure to check out our review of the game.
Thanks to Ryan Millar for providing us with this news tip!
[source nintendoeverything.com, via twitter.com]
Comments 39
I had this on my NES back when I was a kid. It was actually pretty cool.
Dat subtitle tho...
Well this is a surprise. As a Yoshi fan of course I've already purchased this on my Wii, but it's still weird that they'd remove this from the service. Oh well. I got my cookie already anyway!
I think I already purchased it, as it was one if their deals when they started rolling out the VC games on WiiU…
Thanks for the heads up, Martin.
Oh noes! Don't take it away Nintendo, how is Yoshi going to be fed now? Not to mention Mario looks great dressed as a chef. If that's not a good reason to fight for it to stay, I don't know what is!
@Dr_Corndog The picture next to your name creeps me out every time I see it!
In a perfect world this would be because they're releasing the SNES version instead, but I doubt that's the case.
Pretty sad. Yoshi's Cookie is a fun game. Wish it'd appear on 3DS. I don't care which version it is.
Don't care for the NES version but would have preferred it be a 3DS ambassador game instead of Mario & Yoshi (Yoshi in U.S.). I think I would have downloaded the SNES version though.
This was in the original Wii U Virtual Console promo reel (although I think that was the SNES version, not the NES). So perhaps this is a pretty sudden rights issue. I was somewhat surprised this didn't hit the Wii U VC already.
Too bad, as this game is pretty fun.
...and still no word why the Donkey Kong Country trilogy was removed either
and lastly, what about this one game that is impossible to tranfer from the Wii to the Wii U due to techical reasons (Wind ...something)? Did they fix these technical reasons?
@ChessboardMan Actually, that is a different game. You're thinking of Yoshi, not Yoshi's Cookie.
@CaptainCharlie Oh… easy mistake, it was a few months ago I downloaded it…
The horror!
From what I understand reading Nintendo Power back in the day, Nintendo bought the NES source code from BPS (when the game was going to be called Hermetica), letting BPS keep the rights to the SNES version, and turned it into Yoshi's Cookie (obviously licensing the Mario content to BPS).
But the SNES version credits another company called Home Data (which I think primarily made adult mahjong arcade games).
The GameCube box (Japan-only Nintendo Puzzle Collection) credits "Intellectual Property Consultants".
So maybe if Nintendo does own the source code, they still don't have licensing rights to the game concept?
There goes any chance of seeing the Game Boy version on 3DS (which at least had a VS. CPU mode the NES version doesn't).
It's nice we got a heads up, although I already own it on VC, & I did have an Nes cart of it a few years ago. I would highly recommend it, for anyone curious about it. The other Yoshi puzzle game is called Yoshi, or Mario & Yoshi, which is also a good puzzle game, imo.
Yoshi probably isn't going anywhere because Game Freak made it, and they're second-party, aren't they?
@Cosats At this point I don't know why anyone think Nintendo would give an explanation on the removal of the Donkey Kong Country games
One advantage of digital distribution Capt. Gonru: Yoshi's Cookie NES cartridge went off sale some time in the 20th Century. Yoshi's Cookie digital version is going off sale in 2013.
I'm questioning whether I should buy this thing in the US now. I bought the SNES version but it doesn't save scores. I figured the NES version doesn't either but I could still use save states to save them on the Wii.
@KingMike Fascinating stuff. Thanks for posting this. Only scratches the surface of this mystery though. Who holds the BPS rights now anyway? I want a Spike McFang rerelease, dang it!
A lot of thanks for this info. I´m not from Europe but I will download it because i never played this game and the VC is the only way to buy it supporting the service.
NintendoLife I think you must visit the forums regularly because there is a topic Super Turrican 2 is quit from the service too and the Irem games back (not all) but you put the notice like 2 weeks later.
It's sad that games are being pulled down from the store, but weren't a few restored just recently? That's gotta give some hope.
Regardless, I already downloaded this one during the Ambassador promotion so I'll make sure to give it some lovin' at some stage.
Another one bites the dust!
@Mario_maniac The game you're talking about is Yoshi, which is different from Yoshi's Cookie. It's not on 3DS.
Noooo!!! Not Yoshi's Cookie. I loved Yoshi's cookie. Well, there goes any chance of a Wii-U release. No offence to anyone, but once you've played Yoshi's Cookie, Yoshi (the egg puzzle) just seems lame in comparison.
@StarDust True but once you play Tetris Attack, both Yoshi and Yoshi's Cookie will seem outdated in comparison too. Man if only Nintendo release that game on VC, I probably will just ignore both Yoshi and Yoshi's Cookie as Tetris Attack was the best Yoshi starred puzzle game ever.
@retro_player_22 Tetris Attack cannot be added due to the Tetris license. Pokemon Puzzle League is available, as well there is a debranded version of Tetris Attack / Puzzle League on DSiware. I've played it; great fun although I prefer the visuals of the SNES version. Tetris Attack is an awesome game as well as Yoshi's Cookie, although if I had to vote, Tetris Attack gets the upper hand. The Yoshi (egg puzzle) game just doesn't hold my interest as well as Yoshi's Cookie. I own both games on original carts, and I've got both the NES and SNES versions of Cookie.
Its only the title that we can't have Tetris Attack. Japan can still release their versions though.
Nintendo please put popful mail, ys 4 and 5 super famicom, ys 4 pce, legend of xanadu 2 pce on virtual console
Localize all the best super famicom games in english
To have a new virtual console you have also to put new games in it
@JustinH
I would guess Tetris Company because the same guy founded both companies.
But Spike McFang I believe was made by Naxat (probably best known for the Devil's Crash/Crush pinball series and Recca).
Cookies is quit from América right now. I didn't downloaded it
@Captain_Gonru Well, physical releases go out of print eventually too, especially in Europe. Like Kirby games that aren't Mass Attack or Epic Yarn for example. Can't really speak for digital releases when they're tied to consoles and not users though.
@Donjwolf Nope, I'm talking about Yoshi's Cookie. I was referring to the Wii Ambassador promotion, not the 3DS one.
@Squashy Haha. It's an album cover: In Absentia by Porcupine Tree.
@DarkEdi
what?
in amurica we never quit eating cookies, what in the hell are you talking about?
Peoples got a valid point regarding discontinued software. When digital downloads get discontinued, they are vaporware, as in there is no legal means to obtain them. When a physical release gets discontinued, it is still available to obtain one legally through secondhand sources. I bought my Yoshi's Cookie NES in 2004 for $6.95 at at EB games (before they were bought out by gamestop). I forgot what I paid for the SNES version.
Yoshi's cookie may be gone, but I've got something even more satiating for those who want their cookie fix:
As of yesterday, this game was still up in NA. Probably better get it now if you want it...
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