Wii U players criticise Virtual Console 50Hz ports

European Wii U Virtual Console titles appear to be the 50Hz versions, which are slower than their US and Japanese counterparts.

The revelation comes with the first legacy title released for the console, Balloon Fight, which has been confirmed as running at the 50Hz frequency, compared to the 60hz version released in NTSC regions.

In the 80s and 90s, earlier games released in PAL regions suffered from black borders that reduced the play area and approximately 17.5 per cent slow down. It was particular noticeable in Sonic the Hedgehog on the Mega Drive.

Balloon Fight was Wii U’s first Virtual Console release on the system last week. The speed of the game is visibly slower than the US version, as the video below, by Nintendomination, demonstrates.

Now, the game’s Miiverse has been flooded with messages criticising Nintendo’s decision to release the 50hz version – some fans have even started a petition calling for the platform holder to release future Wii U Virtual Console games in PAL territories in 60Hz.

With the arrival of the HD era, visual display technology now means that gamers on all corners of the globe can enjoy the same level of quality.

Balloon Fight is the first in a series of Wii U celebrating the Famicon’s 30th anniversary.

The full Wii U Virtual Console services does not launch until spring, and as such the petition’s creators feel there is still time for Nintendo to switch to 60Hz releases, as it has done on 3DS.