Nintendo will begin releasing reproduced versions of select Wii software, including Super Mario Galaxy 2 , Punch Out!!!, and Metroid Prime Trilogy, on the Wii U eShop starting this month.

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Super Mario Galaxy 2 is out today. Punch Out!!! will follow on Jan. 22 in North America while Europeans get Donkey Kong Country Returns, and Metroid Prime Trilogy arrives Jan. 29. These three games will be available for £17.99 / €19.99 usually but are for half-price during the first week of each release.Announced via Nintendo Direct, these games will launch directly from the Wii U menu. Nintendo President Satoru Iwata noted that previous, Wii U's backwards compatibility required switching the hardware to Wii mode. Because of this, Iwata admitted, the Japanese game maker was unable to redistribute Wii software for download on Wii U."Now that we can reproduce Wii disc software on Wii U, we can make these titles available to download," Iwata said. "Some of the Wii games that were compatible with the Wii Classic Controller can be played using only the Wii U GamePad, too."Nintendo plans to release more Wii games on the Wii U eShop during the year, including Pandora’s Tower and Kirby's Adventure Wii.A bunch of news announcements were revealed during this morning's Nintendo Direct, including a new installment in the Fire Emblem series on 3DS, and the western debut of Puzzle & Dragons double pack that includes the recently revealed Puzzle & Dragons: Super Mario Bros. Edition.

Jose Otero is an Associate Editor at IGN and host of Nintendo Voice Chat . You can follow him on Twitter