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Nintendo Ressurecting Classic NES Games to the GBA

Posted by CmdrTaco on from the thats-what-I'm-talking-about dept.

The Pi-Guy writes "It seems contradictory to Big N's massive anti-emulation stance to introduce the GBA as an emulator itself! An official N press release states that there will be "full classic NES games for download to the GBA"." Probably not so much Duck Hunt, but it sure would be sweet to get SMB3 on my GBA. Then I could go blind!

7 of 210 comments (clear)

  1. Contra!? by dlur · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Up Up Down Down Left Right Left Right A B A B Select Start

    I can't think of any other game that wasted more of my youth other than perhaps Pac Man. I'd definately buy a GBA if I could play good old regular Contra on it.

    --
    Duris MUD - The best pkill MUD. Ever.
  2. They're not "anti-emulation" by Burgundy+Advocate · · Score: 5, Insightful

    They're anti-theft.

    Those classic NES games are their IP. Granted, they're years old and not that many people have the systems to play them on anymore, but actions like this show that they're still commercially viable.

    The problem with emulators is that of the ROM. ROMs can be distributed anywhere and everywhere, over file-sharing devices, eMail, and ftp warez sites. Due to the widespread theft of games in this manner, it's understandable that Nintendo doesn't support emulators.

    From Nintendo's standpoint (which is quite legal), emulators encourage theft. They are accessories to the piracy of their IP, and I for one support their stance.

    It's their games. They should be able to decide how to licence and distribute them.

    --
    Dragging people kicking and screaming into reality since 1996.
    1. Re:They're not "anti-emulation" by Xenex · · Score: 3, Insightful

      "If they cannot licence it and constrict the destribution of it via their licence, then who are we to whine whenever some corperation steals GPLed code and closed-sources it? It would be blatent hipocracy."

      I can see good and bad points from both sides of this argument. I am a strong supporter of Nintendo, but also like being able to get access to games that would otherwise be impossible to play (not every NES game will be ported to the GBA).

      However, I must say that your point that I have quoted deserves to be highlighted, because it's exactly right. If the way Nintendo licenses their software can just be ignored, why not ignore the all-high GNU General Public License too?

  3. the irony was lost on me i guess. by GutBomb · · Score: 5, Insightful

    it makes sense. the justification of most people using roms/abandonware is that software companies are no longer making money from those titles, and it is hard or impossible to buy them, so they pirate the rom instead. nintendo on the other hand IS still making money off of those games (just not those particularly old builds) by re-releasing them for GBA.

  4. Good Games? Or good memories? by peterdaly · · Score: 3, Insightful

    When it comes to old game ROMs, and related things like this I have to wonder...

    Were the games back then really good or not? By todays standards, will they still be entertaining for any length of time?

    I know everyone has great memories of older games, but is that because we played them when we were kids (in my case at least), or were they really decent? I remember wasting many hours playing Mike Tyson punchout on NES. By todays standards, that game was a joke. Punch left, punch right, uppercut, dodge.

    I guess it all comes down to how much will they charge per game, and is it worth it for the time you will spend in front of them now.

    -Pete

    --
    Soccer Goal Plans
  5. Thankyou Nintendo. by Sk3lt · · Score: 3, Insightful

    At least one gaming company supports classic gaming.

    While Sony and Microsoft are trying to battle against each other with their powerful graphics, Nintendo are making games that are targeted for their fans.

    Super Smash Brothers catered for all Nintendo fans and so are upcoming Metroid Prime and Mario Sunshine (which seems to be more gameplay focused then graphic focused).

    And now this... I applaud Nintendo for making such a good choice of not letting the past die.

  6. Re:Good Games? Or good memories? by handsomepete · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Well, I just managed to spend 6 straight hours playing The Legend of Zelda yesterday (and an hour trying to beat Mike Tyson the day before). I think gameplay mechanics, creativity and replay value were all *much* better/higher in the days of the Nintendo. Same holds true for the arcade games of the "old days". Going to an arcade you could find really fun games that you *wanted* to play instead of a bunch of expensive eye candy that has to lure you into playing.

    And for the record, even by today's standards the gameplay of Mike Tyson's Punch-Out is not a joke. Maybe the graphics, but video games are still all about reflexes and skill (see any good FPS), not how many buttons/moves are involved in playing the game.