Carts vs Virtual Console

C

Celeryface

Member
Do you prefer purchasing the original carts over Virtual Console for game-playing purposes?

I've noticed that if I use my SNES and carts on an LCD (with composite cables) there is noticeable lag and ghosting. However, when I use the Wii Virtual Console to play games on the same LCD, the lag and ghosting is gone.

Does the Virtual Console emulation do extra processing to make the image look better, or is it simply due to the cabling (composite vs component)? I don't own a CRT anymore, so I've been purchasing the majority of classic games now on Wii and 3DS' digital-delivery services.

Carts are awesome for collecting, but also great if a game won't be heading to Virtual Console due to licensing issues. For players who want to own the original carts, are there any current-gen TVs that are better than others?
 
If I'm collecting with a reason to collect (rarity of the game, inability to play on VC, etc.), then I'll get the cart and/or box. If I just want an old game to play, I'll see if it's up on the VC. Simple and easy choices.

For example: Earthbound is a game I can't get on VC, and it's also getting more rare by the minute. So I ordered the cart a long time ago. But Ocarina of Time, which I missed out on? That was a VC purchase.

Same rules apply to XBLA, PSN, Steam et al.
 
I really don't go back and buy old Nintendo games other than maybe on the handhelds. VC is so much easier. But Nintendo failed me a bit on their N64 selection.
 
Funny, as I was just thinking about this today. I made the decision a few years ago to get rid of all of my old NES/SNES/N64 games and just go Virtual Console. I really appreciate not having to worry about storage and cleaning and such and just the simplicity of having everything on one console.

The only thing that's going to bug me about this decision is obviously you're not going to have the whole catalog of a system on the Virtual Console. There's always going to be something missing. They've done a pretty admirable job building up those libraries but here's a lot of awesome games missing from VC. I've been hankering to play through Soul Blazer/Illusion of Gaia/Terranigma trilogy, but the best I can do is ActRaiser.
 
Ehh...bit of a trade off. Currently, I still play on a 28" SD TV, so I have no trouble buying original carts for my classic games, but even when I get lucky with ridiculous finds like Terminator Vs. RoboCop or Battletoads Double Dragon, it still worries me when the game takes three to five resets to actually work.

That, and SSB64 will always play better on an N64 controller than GameCube for me.
 
Celeryface said:
I've noticed that if I use my SNES and carts on an LCD (with composite cables) there is noticeable lag and ghosting. However, when I use the Wii Virtual Console to play games on the same LCD, the lag and ghosting is gone.

Does the Virtual Console emulation do extra processing to make the image look better, or is it simply due to the cabling (composite vs component)? I don't own a CRT anymore, so I've been purchasing the majority of classic games now on Wii and 3DS' digital-delivery services.
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AFAIK the Virtual Console doesn't do any extra processing -- the difference you're seeing is probably a result of your TV being better at scaling a 480p signal vs. whatever lower resolution the SNES puts out.
 
The Virtual Console is so great. Nintendo really deserve a lot of credit for the quality of their emulations, every game on the service runs pretty much identically to how it perfomed on the original hardware, and has much better IQ to boot. Their emulators are more accurate than anything you can download for your PC.

Other devs, like Backbone, should be ashamed.
 
VC games being non-transferable is an inexcusable rip off.

So, carts. As long as the save batteries work.
 
Every day, at least once a day I think about getting rid of all my old consoles and their games because I can get them all in one way or another on the three current consoles.

Very very hard to let go.

But I play my old games on a CRT. Invest in a CRT.
 
Because of XBLA and Steam, I am pretty certain I am never buying another Disc/Cartridge based game unless there is no digital copy.

So yes, I greatly prefer VC versions.
 
I usually go with Virtual Console for convenience's sake, although. I do buy cartridges for games that don't really have a chance of getting a digital release (i.e. licensed titles, stuff like EarthBound, etc.)

One Virtual Console release I'm actually looking forward to is Shantae. The original cart is stupidly expensive these days, so VC is pretty much the only option I'll have in regards to playing it.
 
I used to be huge into emulation in the late 90s as NES and SNES games became harder and harder to find (the big used chains stopped carrying them) and internet auctions were still iffy.

Now I must play 8/16/32 bit games on their original consoles. Thank god I have a room dedicated just to gaming, with an SDTV exclusively for them, and the games themselves are extremely easy to get ahold of.

I've tried playing them on virtual consoles (Wii) or emulation and I just can't get used to the "new" controller, when I grew up with the original NES and SNES controllers (as well as PS1/N64). The muscle memory of the rectangular NES controller is still deeply ingrained.

All other games? PC version.
 
If I could afford them, hell yeah I'd buy Neo Geo carts.

Also, I read in NP that of all the versions of Street Fighter II on VC, the SFII SPECIAL EDITION FOR GENESIS IS PLAYABLE ONLINE

lol capcom
 
With my 3DS experience, Virtual Console all the way

The games are cheap, the games are always with you, and the emulation is perfect
 
DidntKnowJack said:
I really don't go back and buy old Nintendo games other than maybe on the handhelds. VC is so much easier. But Nintendo failed me a bit on their N64 selection.
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At least Rare picked up the slack a little bit by putting some of their games on XBLA. And with HD perks!

I've gotten into the habit of consolidating all of my old games into just the current systems that I own and it's really great! I play and own way more games than I used to so having ALL of my games from the past isn't that hard to acquire through DD. Plus I get the chance to play old games that I originally missed out on for whatever reason.
 
I like carts a lot, and I still get carts every so often. VC is great, and M2 did a great job with the emulation, but the one thing carts will always have is variable pricing. I love that I can find Donkey Kong Country for 5 bucks somewhere. Though, I suppose for most rare games, VC is nice since the prices never go over 10 bucks (unless it is an import) and the convenience of being able to buy games like Rondo of Blood and Sin and Punishment 1 without having to search for a reasonable price is what makes the VC great.

In the end, I choose on a game by game basis whether I get the cart or the VC version. Though, if the VC actually had good sales on its enormous catalog, I would probably buy more VC games.
 
kittens said:
So, carts. As long as the save batteries work.
Click to expand...

And even when they die, they're pretty easy to replace. Even if one has no prior experience with soldering, it's pretty straightforward. Despite none of my batteries having died yet, a few years ago I started replacing the batteries in my cartridge games with batteries in battery holders. And this way, whenever they need to be replaced next, it's as simple as popping the old battery out of the holder and sticking a new one in.

As far as the topic question goes, there are a couple of reasons why I prefer physical over digital. For one, with physical copies, one doesn't have to "wait for them to be released," since they're all sitting out there ready to be purchased. And, no worries about them transferring over to a new system or no longer being available or anything like that, since, once you bought it, it's sitting on your shelf and isn't going anywhere (barring a robbery or something, and that's where homeowner's insurance comes in. Plus, thieves don't seem to care too much about older stuff. When our house was robbed back in 2002, they just took my Gamecube and Dreamcast stuff, left all the older stuff).

Plus, while there certainly are cases where a Virtual Console/similar version of a game is significantly cheaper than the physical version (Neo Geo games, for instance), there are plenty of instances where that's not the case (I remember, when Columns came out on the VC, thinking, hey, I haven't gotten that, and I kind of want it. Rather than buying it on there, I just went to one of the local places that carry older games and bought it for like $2.)

But, yeah, I definitely prefer physical versions of games to digital in general. Although stuff like GoG is nice, since there can be compatibility issues with computers, and they're just executable files that one can install any time and anywhere. For console games though, definitely physical.
 
Carts only. The selection is kinda iffy on VC if you're not content to just play the most popular games on a given system, and there are tons of games that will never be released on it due to licensing issues. It doesn't help that the Wii's video output looks like complete shit, either, even over component. Playing any of the real systems using SCART makes for a much, much better experience.

If I want to go digital for say... SNES games for whatever reason, I'll just dump my carts to my computer and go the bsnes route. Don't have to rebuy anything, and I'd imagine the emulation is more accurate (though the VC is quite commendable).

Edit: And, I'm not sure I really trust Nintendo to not try and make you rebuy your VC games on the WiiU. They're not exactly on top of this digital distribution stuff.
 
Carts by far. There's nothing like pulling out a cartridge and playing it on the real hardware. It's a feeling no emulator will ever be able to capture. Plus I really like being able to browse shelves of physical media.
 
The lag you're experiencing is a result of deinterlacing the composite signal, I believe. The VC feeds it a progressive image over component. You see this with the halfassed MM9 and 10 Wiiware versions that don't support 480p. MM2? No lag, perfect response. MM9? Laggy mcgee on systems with bad deinterlacers.

Anyway, I like the VC for its perfect emulation, progressive output, and ability to use wireless pads.
 
One of the big draws for me for the Wii U is being able to play Virtual Console games on the controller's screen.

I don't believe the details have been announced for that feature but it's definitely one that would be great.

Super Metroid on the Wii U controller and screen would be an ideal experience.
 
I wouldn't really call myself a collector, but I still have some of my old consoles kicking around. I can definitely understand the appeal of collecting cartridges and playing them on real hardware. But virtual console is still a great and convenient way to replay many old classics without having to track down the real hardware.

I don't have any real preference to be honest. Most of the time emulate games are pretty identical to the real hardware, so it doesn't bother me what I use.
 
The SNES controller from Club Nintendo is one of the best Virtual Console controllers. I'm surprised it was only released in Japan and Europe.
 
Carts by far.

The feeling I get playing a VC game is more akin to an emulator compared to playing a cart from my collection.
 
Celeryface said:
One of the big draws for me for the Wii U is being able to play Virtual Console games on the controller's screen.

I don't believe the details have been announced for that feature but it's definitely one that would be great.

Super Metroid on the Wii U controller and screen would be an ideal experience.
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This is the one case where I do like virtual things (although moreso with regards to 3DS than the Wii U), is when it comes to stuff becoming handheld. In this case, it offers something that the original didn't, in being able to be portable.

Loved the Ambassador 3DS NES games, since now I have those games portable. And even with the GB, GBC, and GBA games, with handheld games there's the advantage to not having to carry around a bag of games everywhere one goes. With console games though, that really doesn't matter, since, even 750+ console games fit fine onto a couple of shelves, and really don't take up that much room.

So, I definitely am in favor of games being brought over to a portable form.
 
Carts if it isn't available on VC. Meaning, mostly N64.
I'd get gameboy carts instead of 3DS VC, but it's even harder to find these with original packaging etc. than on home consoles. Goddamn GBC Zeldas reach prices of a brandnew 3DS game if it still has packaging in a good condition.
 
Carts or discs for things that aren't on VC, and that I don't have.
I have no problem hooking up the old 8/16/32/64 bit systems to have a go at the classics, especially if they don't run perfectly on VC or other services.
 
Bought some VC titles but ended up buying the carts a bit later (usually before I even finish the game), so I stick to carts now.

I like playing on the original hardware if possible (and as long as I can afford it). I have an SDTV set up next to my HDTV, so I play on that as well.
 
Cartridges/Cards/Discs for me...unless the game is extremely over priced. And yes, there is just something about playing with the original controller and hardware. I dont know why, but playing roms/emulators never hold my attention...no matter how good the game is.

Never experienced lag though...unless it goes away when using S-Video.
 
I'm half and half. Mainly play Famicom and DS/3DS games today so with Famicom (aesthetic reasons) and DS I purchase carts. Got a load of eShop games and probably will move further into digital when Nintendo announce accounts and I decide which region Wii U to get (I have a UK and soon Jap 3DS and sold my UK Wii). I'm not 100% confident that Nintendo will get it right however.
 
Even Dreamcast games on HD look nothing close to what they would of looked like playing on a DC. They do sometimes look better but its not the same feel at all
 
Carts wins, they're durable. Especially when you have a Retrode (for SNES/GEN) you will be able to play them on emulator all your damn life!
 
Virtual Console. I live in NYC so space and storage is a real commodity. The superior IQ, save states, generally lower prices and other perks help too.

The only real issues are transferability (which accounts and Wii U should rectify) and while Wii VC's amassed an amazing library, there's still a lot of great stuff not yet offered and a lot it likely never will be either.
 
I like to collect stuff but even then I'd go VC for playing. It's just better all around. You get some visual upgrades, some playability upgrades in terms of not-so-abusable save sates and it's all around more convenient and a hell of a lot cheaper (seriously what are some of you smoking?). The emulation is also spot on and it's future-proof unlike disk-based collections. The VC collections are also broader and more the consistent than the hodge-podge that is XBLA/Steam making it great for having a more unified retro collection.

There are a few problems still. Not all games are there (though the majority of important ones are) and there's the way the licenses currently work (system tied, and not shared between systems even where they exist on 3DS and Wii). I think some of those will be ironed out with software upgrades to 3DS and the release of Wii U. But yeah I can't recommend going for a cart unless it's some licensed sports game that can be found in the $1 bin at your local retro game store. Even then you need to own the systems which can be unreliable and Famiclones are usually about $50.
 
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