Metroid: Zero Mission finally lands on the Virtual Console in North America

No more asking what's taking Nintendo so long. Now the question becomes, "What took them so long?"

Yes, as of tomorrow, Metroid: Zero Mission will be added to the Wii U eShop in North America, joining Nintendo's digital library of first-party Game Boy Advance games. As disappointment set in over the game's absence in Nintendo Download updates over the last few months, Nintendo fans have been questioning whether or not it would end up making an appearance, as it's been out in Japan and Europe since 2014 and early 2015, respectively. Much like with the Virtual Console release of 1080 Snowboarding two weeks ago, Metroid: Zero Mission comes as an unexpected surprise.

While Nintendo's efforts towards a fuller Game Boy Advance catalogue have stalled, there's been a series of third-party GBA releases over the last little while, including two Medabots releases from Natsume and a bunch of Mega Man titles from Capcom.

As we continue to wait for Game & Watch Gallery 4 and Drill Dozer to release in this region, hopefully the delay surrounding Metroid: Zero Mission won't become a new norm.