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Wii Virtual Console, Launch Titles Finalized
For gamers anticipating the 19th of this month, you have a lot to look forward to. The virtual console launch titles and Wii launch window games have been finalized. A full 32 Wii games will be available within five weeks of the console's launch, and fans will be able to buy 30 classic Nintendo, Genesis, and TurboGrafx titles by the end of the year. Even with a disappointing showing for classic SNES titles (no Link to the Past outside of Japan) the virtual console list should make every gamer, Wii fan or no, smile. From the list: "NES Games (500 Wii Points) - Mario Bros., The Legend of Zelda, Donkey Kong, Donkey Kong Jr., Ice Hockey, Pinball, Soccer, Tennis, Urban Champion, Wario's Woods, Baseball, Solomon's Key." I haven't owned a NES in quite a while, so I'm really happy to see the likes of Ice Hockey making a comeback. Wow ... got in so many fights with my brother over that game.
Of the launch titles: OK, I call Twilight Princess, maybe Excitetruck, Wii Play (mainly for Duck Hunt 2 and the extra wiimote), Budokai Tenkaichi 2, Red Steel. Actually, cancel that. Just Twilight Princess. I'll look into buying another game some time around, oh... probably April.
Real Daleks don't climb stairs - they level the building.
It looks like Nintendo is taking a page right from Microsoft in their online approach, and due to their huge history of games on their past consoles they are likely to have an even higher revenue stream from 'classic' game sales.
FTFA: "Nintendo reportedly plans to make ten new games available every month, so retro fans may want to set aside a budget -- if future releases can uphold this level of quality, all those Wii games may become almost a secondary consideration."
10 Every month?? That's pretty aggressive - but then again how many games have they produced for NES, SNES, 64, etc? A few thousand im sure. I'll be waiting for some of the gems (and would even be willing to pay a premium!) such as Metroid, Kid Icarus, Ikari Warriors/Contra(Online Co-op perhaps??) and the like.
Microsoft really had an amazing strategy with their online classic game downloads, but it looks like Nintendo is going to take it to the next level - and I for one will happily shell out a wii amount of cash for their golden oldies.
Its Deluxe, son. Deluxe!
The only launch title that would make me buy a console is Duke Nukem 4Ever. Sadly, console launch and DNF seem to be mutually exclusive.
That's great, I'll be able to play Mario bros with my friends, and deal some Rampage love in the neighborhood. All these games were available on Mame, but the form factor of the Wii really makes it great for casual gamers.
If you didn't get Zelda III for the SNES, GBA or GameCube on the Collector's Disc you obviously didn't want it that badly.
I really expected the first few titles to all be super-popular titles everyone has played. Then I saw Solomon's Key. Sometimes I've wondered if I'm the only person who has ever played that game. It isn't fantastic but it's very good. I'm glad it will have the chance to get a little more much-deserved exposure. And when I saw Mario Bros I was preparing to lambaste the article post on not differentiating between Mario Bros and Super Mario Bros but the article got it right. It IS Mario Bros. That is so cool. I've always been a fan of it and its derivatives (especially Mario Clash on the Virtual Boy).
It is a shame that they're almost certainly using the NES version of Donkey Kong without all the levels and that Super Mario World and Zelda Link to the Past aren't available at launch but I'm sure they won't be far behind.
Bomberman will have to do until Tetris makes the list. I've never played the TurboGrafx 16 version, but I assume it's the same idea.
Would someone be so kind as to post the list here for those of us who trapped behind the wall of websense?
Not a single lightgun game (I have no idea if they can do lightgun emulation with that fancy Wii controler or not)
Not a single Super Mario title (with the exception of Mario 64 which happens to be the most expensive title on the entire service)
Only one N64 game (although maybe thats because thats the only N64 game that actually WORKS right now...)
Only 2 SNES games
I expect some of the omissions (metroid, smash bros, mario kart, zelda III) are omitted because Nintendo have sequals to those coming early in the life of the Wii (they probobly dont want gamers buying Zelda III with a couple bucks of Wii points instead of buying the new Zelda on the Wii for example)
I do concur with something I saw about allowing any company to make a release over the Wii virtual console with nintendo and the company splitting the cost. Nintendo gets more games for pretty much zero cost. The company that owns the game gets money for almost no effort. Win-Win.
I'm really looking forward to playing Bonk's Adventure and Super Star Soldier again, but why are they launching Bomberman '93 instead of Bomberman '94!!!
You want me to pay extra for ancient games? I'll stick with my emulators, thanks. I'm glad they are making it available though, and with 32 launch titles at least they aren't pulling a 360 (pun intended) by relying on arcade games to unfortunately keep some gamers interested in their sorry-ass overpriced system.
Promote true freedom - support standards and interoperability.
Unless it's LJN/Acclaim or Ultra Games/Konami, which made a lot of movie/TV license games. I doubt that Mirage Studios would agree to license the classic Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles games in a new edition for nothing. Likewise with Fox and The Simpsons. But then, I wouldn't even want to play Robocop.
That is a piss poor list. Where are all the Zeldas? Where are the SNES games? Where are the N64 games? This tiny list is inexcusable. Just upload them all.
Gunstar Heroes: The action/shooter/platformer/brawler that made Treasure a hardcore fave.
wii is looking really tempting. and for 250 euros!
hp
VC is a pretty cool feat, and nintedo certaily has a huge library of classic games, but since I spend so little time at home, I'd favor playing classic Ps1 games on the PSP than classic VC nintendo games at home. They have to come up with someway to use the DS to run these games, that'll be a killer app.
NES was about 48 KB per cartridge, TurboGrafx 2.5 MB, SNES & Genesis 4 MB, N64 64 MB. I know many are less, and bank switching lets it go higher, so I just used the standard max size.
Looks like I should be able to put a lot of games on a 1 GB memory module. But we're going to have problems if they start releasing CD titles for those systems that had that option.
Tetris is available for the Nintendo DS: http://www.nintendo.com/gamemini?gameid=SHMfI4-pd_ DDhbjpYkb631-LunYD1UhC
And this is an excellent version of this game - not the shitty Tetris Worlds that was released a few years ago for all the consoles.
They could always figure "Super Metroid will be purchased anyways, we'll just charge full price." But if they want to reach those casual gamers who have never played a 2D game before, it might be a nice offer.
... luckily, the Genesis/MegaDrive and T16 offerings are GOLD.
Can somone post the list? It's down...
It's not like we are entirely being deprived of Zelda 3. Just pick it up from a Best Buy for the GBA at $19.99. All of Nintendos classics are being priced like that except for a few.
Ooo man the floppy drive is broken. No wait. The computer is just upside down.
Oh, Conker's Bad Fur Day, where are you?
Your courageous and selfless spelling corrections have made me a better person.
"Sadly, launch and DNF seem to be mutually exclusive."
There, fixed it for you.
I'm quite dismayed to not see Mario Party on the Wii release list. What a perfect venue to show off the capabilities of the Wii controller, and to get family members, young and old, to play together.
I'm also sad not to see an odler version on the virtual console... a new version with minigames that fully utilize the Wii-mote will be incredible, but until they produce that they could at least offer an older version... still promotes the idea of young and old playing together.
I see this as being a way for older unappreciated games to get a second chance. I realize the top, most popular games will get added to the list first, but there are some old gems like B.O.B. and Goof Troop (SNES?) that I played for hours as a kid and never got to finish- I'd love a second crack at them.
This might also be a way for some GC titles that were REAL treasures (like Beyond Good & Evil) to have a second chance. Part of me is crossing my fingers that Ubisoft re-releases a 'Gold' edition of BG&E for the Wii. That game deserved more attention.
I think this will do even more to encourage the niche games and corner markets. If you can develop a game with the super cheap developer package and then distribute it cheaply online- I can see lots of good odd-ball stuff becoming available. *rubs hands together*
Look at the quantity of crappy games based on kids movies! This show me that despite Nintendo's efforts to branch out to "non gamers", to "everyone", and also revolutionizing games via new control methods, the third party publishers JUST DON'T GET IT. They are marketing the same kind of games as they currently put out for Game Cube. This does not bode well for Nintendo. :-(
What I'm miffed at is the delay for the new Smash Bros. It was SUPPOSED to be a launch title; and the one I was most looking forward to. I'm sure I'll still get a Wii, but it's kind of irritating.
Bush: He's Liberal in all the wrong ways.
WOOPS! That was one I was really looking forward to playing at my New Year's party! Oh well, the pre-order is still good. Just 18 more days! Any news on midnight launch parties or being able to sneak in before the 19th to finagle your Wii (uhh...) from a clueless store employee?
Regular Meta Moderators are not more likely to get mod points.
With 20+ years of games under its belt(and then some), I was hoping for a much larger virtual console launch list. Sure, 90% of the NES games are side-scrolling run & jump games, but it would have been nice to have them there. I understand there was licensing issues and such for 3rd party titles, but still. Why no Sega Master System games? heck, offer them for $1.00 for people to get a taste of the fun of virtual console.
Heck, hire a MAME developer, and license some arcade titles over too.
Sure, these "launch titles" are old games, but having a lot of them can outdo Sony's # of launch titles.
Guess I'll just have to stick to my e-Reader for that one (didn't make the GBA NES Classics series in the US either...)
"There are people who do not love their fellow human being, and I _hate_ people like that!" - Tom Lehrer
Yeah, I'd figure they're waiting on Zelda 3. Or maybe they think that if you really loved Zelda, you'd buy a GBA and Zelda 3. Me, I'll just plug in my still-working SNES and enjoy it the way it was meant to be enjoyed: Drunk. I mean with the SNES controller.
That for me is the problem with the virtual console lineup here. My SNES and NES still work, and almost all the games I'd want to play I already have -- including Solomon's Key, which I am surprised to see, but glad that a new generation will get to see the most evil puzzle game ever.
But those Sega games! I don't own a Genesis, and I think Golden Axe and Altered Beast are going to be my first Virtual Console purchases, followed shortly by Toe Jam and Earl.
I guess my point is that while every one of us could pick games that we'd like to see, this is a pretty good launch lineup for the VC, and I'm guessing that most people's wishes will be met as they continue to release games.
The enemies of Democracy are
Wii:
- Metroid Prime 3 (comes out in 2007, I know)
Virtual Console:
- Contra (NES/Famicom)
- Dragon Warrior / Dragon Quest (NES/Famicom)
- R-Type (TurboGrafx-16/PC-Engine)
- Shining Force (SEGA Genesis/Megadrive)
I'm addicted to all the trailers and movies and can't wait to Wii that.
Boo ya!
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both 2007
-- Tigger warning: This post may contain tiggers! --
They're releasing VC games at 10 a month - this gives them time to get the testing done, as well as keeping the service interesting (and profitable) for longer. Can't really complain about that, their a corporation after all.
As I'm commenting, I might as well point out that the European release lists are also out. No Excite Truck, no Metal Slug, no sale! The sole launch game that really interests me is Monkey Ball, as well as Gunstar Heroes on VC.
Still, I'll probably get one when Wario Ware comes out, or perhaps I'll even wait for Mario Galaxy. A good thing, really, I'm happier buying after a chance to try it out.
Spore is not official yet. It's EA, so a version for every console down to GBA is pretty likely, but there's no telling how gimped it'll be - ever play Sims DS for instance?
Personally speaking, with a vast and complex game like Spore, I'm thinking that the platform with the most RAM is likely to be the one to go for.
My real question is why they never put super smash on the DS? Forget the bottom screen as an input and use it as a screen because SSB requires a lot of screen. The buttons and triggers are there and you could play it with other people using Nintendo WIFI. I know if Microsoft had a hand-held it would suck and have halo (If halo wasn't on a console people would make fun of it, it's the worst pc shooter ever but the best console shooter .Generic guns, story-line and game play. Great music but I've never played a game and liked it based on music. Halo is plain.) on it. So I beg anyone who works at Nintendo and may happen to read this PUT SUPER SMASH BROTHERS on the DS.
" I think that freedom is Americas biggest export. Atleast untill China can stamp it out for 20 cents a unit."
It doesn't say how much a Wii point is worth, but is sounds like 1 cent = 1 Wii point. So if that's true then a NES game would be $5 up to an N64 game being $10. This fits closely with their pricing scheme they had before.
I'm assuming they set up Wii points so parents could get their kids gift cards, with say 3000 Wii points on it, so kids can now get the games online with out a credit card.
"To be is to do." --Socrates
"To do is to be." -- Aristotle
"Do-Be-Do-Be-Do..." --Sinatra
I'd like to see Ninja Spirit and Blazing Lasers. Also, a version of Keith Courage where you only play with the suit on - the part where you are a human or whatever in that game SUCKED.
As Nintendo did back when they released "Zelda: Collector's Edition", GameCube remains and will remain even with the Wii virtual console the only system to be able to play every notable Zelda title (which means on CDI games, thank god...). Unfortionitely, the virtual console will not support GB[C/A] games, which means no Link's Awakening [DX], Oracle of Ages, Oracle of Seasons, Four Swords, or Minish Cap. This will remain true until Phantom Hourglass gets released for DS sometime in late 2007 or in 2008, or until a real Wii Zelda gets released.
LONG LIVE GAMECUBE!!!
I don't know about Altered Beast, but I have played both versions of Golden Axe and the Genesis version is the one I'd say was much better... What with being more than twice as long. The arcade version felt like a rip-off, slightly better graphics be damned.
The enemies of Democracy are
Unfortunately, Henk made Nintendo put infinite spin into Tetris DS just like in Tetris Worlds.
Tetris is not a Nintendo title. It is a Tetris Holding title that was ported to NES by Nintendo, and a Nintendo employee has claimed that Henk Rogers and Alexey Pajitnov would likely overcharge for a Wii rerelease.
Something's not right. Nintendo and it's partners have announced something on the order 1200+ titles for the Wii's Virual Console. At a release rate of 10 titles per month it will take 10 years to release them all. Ten years? They're going to need step up the pace to stay credible.
+0 Meh
Good point. So you think that Spore on the Wii will be more like the Sims 2 on the GameCube version - far more limited?
Still, am really looking forward to Animal Crossing II on the Wii - especially being able to visit my friends villages over the Net without worrying about bad guys digging up my stuff.
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Am I the only one who feels disappointed with the initial Virtual Console offerings? Looking at the list, at least half of these titles have already been re-released and re-re-released, mainly those from Sega and Nintendo.
Don't get me wrong, I love the idea of the VC, but I can't see any game on the list right now that greatly interest me. Hopefully the next ten that come out are some of the more popular or better games, and that Nintendo can get other companies to jump on board.
"Hey, do you guys want to work for a week or two and make some easy money?"
I'm particularily hoping for FFIII (US version) and Super Mario RPG.
I also hope they lower the prices. As it stands, there are many games I want to play, but few that I can really do at $5+ a pop. Nintendo needs to realize that most, if not all, of the games being offered are available online for emulation. Not exactly legal, but far cheaper. Hell, you can get most non-popular N64 games for around $10 used at places that still carry them; this would then only be a benefit if you don't already have an N64 (which are themselves quite cheap).
A better pricing model, IMO, would be $2-$4-$6.
I'm pretty sure the point of the VC was to support pre-GC games and the Wii can play Gamecube discs directly.
IANA*
Yeah I know... I didn't think it would be on VC. Just maybe a relaunch of the actual game for GC and Wii. Sad wishful thinking, I know. ;)