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Zelda On The DS, Sega on the Revolution

At the Nintendo Keynote today, Company President Iwata reiterated the same 'think differently' ideas that he espoused at last year's GDC. This time he had concrete data to back up his industry disruption message, detailing the millions in sales their 'Brain Training' line of games have racked up. Along with his message, he announced a new Zelda title on the DS, and the fact that Sega Genesis games will be on the Revolution, a part of the online library of games they're offering.

33 of 263 comments (clear)

  1. Finally! Some Zelda by nb+caffeine · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Too bad it basically rules out having OOT ported to my portable :(

    I really really wanted the highest rated game ever to be in my pocket.

    --

    "Something's wrong with you...and I hope we never do meet again." - Deftones When Girls Telephone Boys
    1. Re:Finally! Some Zelda by steveo777 · · Score: 3, Funny

      The cartriges weren't that big... geez.

      --
      This sig isn't original enough, it's time to come up with something witty...
    2. Re:Finally! Some Zelda by TomHandy · · Score: 3, Interesting

      I'm not sure why this would rule out them doing a port of OOT to the DS (like with Super Mario 64). It's actually kind of refreshing though to see them push an entirely new game rather than just a port.

  2. TurboGrafx! by Nick+of+NSTime · · Score: 3, Insightful

    I'm actually in the .1% of people who owned a TurboGrafx (and later a TurboDuo). These systems are emulated wonderfully in Magic Engine. I'm excited about the Revolution's support of Turbo games, but I hope they add in the Konami games from Japan, as most of the American games were just crappy (with some notable exceptions).

    1. Re:TurboGrafx! by SlashdotOgre · · Score: 3, Interesting

      I still own both my TurboExpress (got for about $90 when it was being sold on clearance at Toys'R'Us) and a Atari Jaguar (and a TurboGrafx16 too). You're definitely correct about the TE being a phenomenal handheld. It had arguably the best screen ever put out on a handheld up to the GameBoy Advanced SP. However it did have a few drawbacks, such as being huge and requiring 6 AA's (or was it 8?). These days I only use it with my AC adapter.

      --
      Sadly, PS/2 was yet another victim of USB, which doesn't care what you plug into it, the electrical slut.
  3. Thats it? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    There have been three GDC writeups so far, including one from the Sony keynote, and all of them fairly lengthy.

    Nintendo's keynote gets what, three sentences?

    1. Re:Thats it? by GweeDo · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Three senteces that were worth more than all the other combined :)

  4. Video Trailer by tmjr3353 · · Score: 5, Informative

    Here's a link a page where you can view the released trailer for the announced Zelda DS game. Can't wait to get my hands on this!

    1. Re:Video Trailer by drwiii · · Score: 5, Informative

      Better quality trailer over here, if you can put up with WMV.

  5. Links are wrong by (A)*(B)!0_- · · Score: 4, Informative
    1. Re:Links are wrong by WheresMyDingo · · Score: 3, Funny
      Those two links are backwards

      Link backwards? Wrong? A bit harsh I think. Sure, the little green hat is dated, but... oh, wait

  6. I loved my Genesis by OverDrive33 · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Kudos to Nintendo! I know a lot of my non-gamer friends are excited to see games from older systems (especially NES and SNES) able to be played on the next gen Nintendo system.
    Everyone knows a major factor on if game systems fail or prosper is the number of good titles they have. Sony and MS are pushing developers to make new crazy things for their new crazy system. Nintendo chooses to 'think differently' and use older - already proven good - game content for their new system - in addition to the titles that will be new to the Revolution.

    Although something about Sonic the Hedgehog being played on a Nintendo system that doesn't sit right with me. :)

  7. Re:viva la revolution? by sehryan · · Score: 3, Informative

    http://revolution.ign.com/articles/697/697733p1.ht ml

    Been on display at GDC.

    Of course, if you are talking games, Iwata implied, and possibly flat out said (can't remember right this moment) that there would be playable games at E3 this year. Which, of course, is pretty obvious if they are planning to launch later this year.

    --
    The world moves for love. It kneels before it in awe.
  8. Never thought I'd see the day by Rude+Turnip · · Score: 5, Funny

    If you told me 15 years ago that the Sega Genesis library would be available for Nintendo I'd never believe you. Not because I didn't think it was possible, but because I don't believe in time travellers.

    1. Re:Never thought I'd see the day by Mercano · · Score: 4, Interesting

      Genesis and SNES games on the same machine? Legally? /me prepares for the apocalypse. (Yeah, yeah, I know Sega and Nintendo have been on good terms for a few years now, what with Sonic Advance and Monkey Balls, but still, this is 16-bit stuff we are talking about. They were after each other with a vengence back then.)


      On the plus side, I wouldn't mind them porting Knights or whatever that game was called.

      --
      #include <signature.h>
    2. Re:Never thought I'd see the day by boarder8925 · · Score: 4, Informative
      I wouldn't mind them porting Knights or whatever that game was called.
      I believe the game you're looking for is NiGHTS into Dreams for the Saturn:
      Players take the role of either Claris or Elliot, two children living in the city of Twin Seeds. In their dreams, they enter the world of Nightopia, where all human dreams are played out. An evil creature known as Wizeman is gathering power to take control of the dream world. The children attempt to save Nightopia by teaming up with NiGHTS, a Nightmaren (nightmare-dweller) who rebelled against Wizeman.
  9. The price is right by FadedTimes · · Score: 4, Interesting

    I suspect Nintendo is going to do well in Sales and profits after releasing the Revolution and online services.
    As long as the downloadable games are cheap and the console does release as the lowest priced console this year.
    Such good news.

  10. Nerdgasm! by RyoShin · · Score: 5, Insightful

    While lacking the details some of us were hoping for, such as an official name or any extra info on the Revolution itself, this is still some damned good news.

    With all that Nintendo is bringing out this year, such as Metroid Prime: Hunters, The New Super Mario Bros, (supposedly) new Pokemon games, and now Phantom Hourglass, it makes me weep softly at my lack of funds. At least I have even more reason to wait until DS Lite hits the shores. Between all that, Twilight Princess, and the Revolution, Nintendo is most likely going to get all of my free income this year, and rightly so.

    The announcement that Genesis games will be on the Revolution is completely awesome; even though Sega has put out the classic Sonic games 18 times over, it will still be fun to play them on the Rev. Plus, you have games like Echo the Dolphin, Road Rash, and more. Even better, this could pave the way for 32X, Sega CD, and Sega Saturn games. I doubt we'd ever see Dreamcast games; while the Revolution will certainly be more powerful than the Dreamcast, would it be able to emulate the Dreamcast?

    So, while these might be more minor announcements in the face of other things coming from Nintendo, but it's Good News none the less.

    Although, we still don't have a specific state side release date for the DS Lite, do we? Dammit.

  11. Re:Regardless of Budget? by sehryan · · Score: 4, Insightful

    FYI - Dev kits for the Revolution are running about $2k, which, from what I understand, is dirt cheap compared to what N has charged in the past, and what Sony and MS are charging for theirs.

    Hopefully, N will allow indie developers to distribute directly through the online system, thus lowering the barriers for publishing a game.

    --
    The world moves for love. It kneels before it in awe.
  12. Re:Regardless of Budget? by inio · · Score: 3, Interesting
    The better part is furthur down in that article:
    The new forms of innovative software that can be created by any size developer will be made available for download via Revolution's Virtual Console service.
    (emphasis mine)

    Does that sound like homebrew to anyone else?
  13. Re:Zelda DS by scarpa · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Actually I was totally stoked to see them using cel-shading again and it was one of the first things I noticed on the trailer.

    Wind Waker's art was awesome and inspired. I can't say the same about Twilight Princess unfortunately.

  14. Re:2 questions here by The+MAZZTer · · Score: 3, Informative

    Nintendo has already used emulation lots: - Super Game Boy (SNES) - Pokemon Stadium (N64, emulates GB Pokemon Games) - Pokemon Stadium 2 (N64, emulates GB/GBC Pokemon Games) - Game Boy Player (GC) These I'm less certain, because of changes, but the memory card screens in the game as well as the disc loading screens make me pretty sure they ARE emulated: - Zelda Promotional Disc (GC, emulates Zelda, Zelda 2, Zelda OoT, and Zelda MM. Certain graphics and text have been tweaked in the final two.) - Zelda Master Quest (GC, Zelda OoT and MQ. Again, hud graphics and text referring to "Z-Targetting" has been tweaked to match the GC controller.)

  15. ROM sites by payndz · · Score: 3, Insightful

    I guess Nintendo (and Sega, and Hudson, and anyone else who gets involved) will now be setting their lawyers on all the 'abandonware' ROM sites for outdated consoles...

    --
    You must think in Russian.
  16. Re:Revolution? by PitaBred · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Seriously, why does Disney insist on using Mickey as their mascot. They should like, get with the times.
    Besides, the games are fun. That's all there really is to it. It's a somewhat familiar feel with the characters, but almost always with completely new gameplay (not just new levels, new things that happen, new stories, new interactions with the environment, all kinds of innovative things). Say what you want about the characters, but there's a REASON people tout Nintendo as being innovative. It's because they are.

  17. Re:Cheaper than Microsofts? No... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Uh, dude? Read what you just pasted.

    the rumor is that Microsoft plans on announcing Wednesday a developers kit

    Wednesday was yesterday. Unless you can find a news report about this actually having happened on wednesday, your rumor was wrong.

    At any rate of course DirectX and XNA games will continue to be available to develop dirt cheap-- they're PC games!! You can develop them for free!! But just because the XBox 360 basically runs PC games does not make a PC development environment equal to an XBox 360 or Revolution development kit.

  18. whoa! by akhomerun · · Score: 3, Insightful

    holy crap, they gamecubed the DS and TurboGrafxed the revolution!

    nintendo is pulling a whole lot of good shit out of their asses lately!

    compared to the PS3 keynote...well there was just no contest!

    Sony: "Uhh yeah the tech specs are awesome, 1080p, PSP is sweet, and there's another God of War game. Yeah. Buy Blu-Ray because it's the best LOL"

    Nintendo: "Revolution is now SEVEN FUCKING CONSOLES IN ONE"

    1. Re:whoa! by akhomerun · · Score: 5, Insightful

      not to mention sony's "in game advertisement is an important part of the PS3's future"

      haha screw that!

  19. Oh... my god... by TheNoxx · · Score: 4, Funny

    Wait... my dreams have finally come true? Sega and Nintendo together at last?

    Excuse me for a second... got something in my eye here... *sniff*

    --
    Ex nihilo nihil fit.
  20. Re:Shot Selves In Foot A Little by Knutsi · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Isn't the very fact that Nintendo will now make available it's SNES library for a charge the very same reason they where so "nazi" about people's downloading and running their stuff for free? The day SNES9x/ZSNES matured, Nintendo tried it and said "hell, our future consoles can also do this, and we can make a fortune off it!"

    Apart from this, I must say the Revolution plan is brillian:
    1. Make a controller that inspires radical game design for a wider audience
    2. Make avilable for that audience games whichh they have fuzzy feelings for from childhood.
    3. Tell the same crowd (now parents) the console is safe for kids

    Of course they won't "win the console wars", but they will win a market previously sceptical and hard for Sony and Microsoft to gain grounds in. Nintendo were allways a smart company, they actually make money!

  21. Nearly Complete Transcript by Tringard · · Score: 5, Informative

    Alice has a transcript of the keynote. Missing a couple of phrases and names, but otherwise appears complete if you want to read what Iwata actually said.

  22. Re:Benefits of 'Virtual Console' by porcupine8 · · Score: 4, Interesting
    What this shows is there is a certain level of comercial viability in 2D games (in particular formerly popular 2D games) which isn't really being capatalized upon by anyone.

    Yes, thank goodness those of us who hate 3D are going to get what we want! I was so excited to hear that a new 2D mario game is in the works. I find 3D games confusing to navigate, annoying to use weapons in, and in some cases downright nauseating to watch. I realize the companies want to show off what they can do with 3D, but it is entirely possible to make a 2D game with beautiful graphics.

    --
    Warning: Apple/Nintendo fangirl. Likes her electronics cute & cuddly. May be rabid.
  23. It's pretty much a combination of both styles by technoextreme · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Looking at the trailer it seems that the view sometimes switches depending on the scenario. The one dungeon scene almost looks exactly like it would belong in A Link to the Past except it's been fleshed out. Then there are other parts of the video that look like Wind Waker.

    --
    Ooo man the floppy drive is broken. No wait. The computer is just upside down.
  24. And that's why 2006 was amazing... by 7Prime · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Back to basics...

    "Good Night & Good Luck" anyone? Not just because it's black & white, but the movie really feels like a classic that could have been made 50 years ago... simple, elegant, with a lot of depth. Would have been picture of the year in 1959... don't know why it wasn't in 2006, but at least it got its dues.

    Same could be said of "Capote".

    But neither of these films ARE old films, they're not rehashing old techniques simply to making them feel classic, but use them in order to break new ground in ways that most modern films are not. I think the entertainment industry, as a whole, is beginning to feel the effects of over-complication in aesthetics. There seems to be a revolution afoot in the mainstream of exploring new territory with older, less technical, but more meaningful methods.

    This really is an exciting time, and possibly the beginning of the film genre's first neo-classical era, in the history of its existance. Every art/entertainment medium has a neo-classical era (or two, or three) somewhere in its lifetime after it has reached a certain point of maturity. A "back to basics" movement that explores more regimented, and traditional approaches to production. For visual arts, the 17th century looked back to greek and roman procedures for a more mathmatically "precise" approach. Music saw its neo-classical rennaisance in the first few decades of the 20th century, with a return to the more formula-based approaches of the 18th century. Both these genres have seen many similar, smaller movements, though these are two very noticable eras. Film is now at its hundreth birthday, but we may very well be seeing it's "first" neo-classical era.

    --
    Multiplayer Gaming (defined): Sitting around, discussing single-player games with my friends, at the bar.