It's been over a year. Will the 3DS Ambassador games ever be for sale on the eShop?

M

Macho Madness

Member
Ever since I got my 3DS back in December 2011, I have been wondering why the 3DS Ambassador games are not on the eShop. I can understand the ambassadors receiving the games for free, and maybe early. However, it's been well over a year now since the last ambassador game was given out and we still haven't seen most of them hit the eShop.

On August 31st, 2011 these NES games were released to Ambassadors:

  • Super Mario Bros.
  • Metroid
  • The Legend of Zelda
  • Zelda II: The Adventure of Link
  • Balloon Fight
  • Ice Climber
  • NES Open Tournament Golf
  • Donkey Kong Jr.
  • Yoshi
  • Wrecking Crew

Of those, only Super Mario Bros., Metroid, Zelda, Zelda II, Donkey Kong Jr., and NES Open Tournament Golf have actually hit the eShop at some point. I'm not clamoring to play most of what's left, so the real downer is the lack of GBA games available.

On December 16th, 2011 these GBA games were released to ambassadors:

  • Metroid Fusion
  • Mario vs. Donkey Kong
  • Mario Kart: Super Circuit
  • Yoshi's Island: Super Mario Advance 3
  • WarioWare, Inc.: Mega Microgame$!
  • The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap
  • Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones
  • Wario Land 4
  • Mario vs. Donkey_Kong
  • Kirby & the Amazing Mirror

It's now been well over a year and we have yet to hear any word of any GBA games hitting the eShop especially any of these. Why wouldn't they release these? The incompetence this shows just baffles me.
 
Probably because they promised to not release them for general purchase.

To be honest, I thought they were bullshitting at first but it seems they meant it.
 
thewesker said:
It's now been well over a year and we have yet to hear any word of any GBA games hitting the eShop especially any of these. Why wouldn't they release these? The incompetence this shows just baffles me.
Click to expand...

THey already stated they don't want to release those, and seeing how they don't support the traditional Virtual Console features it is probably because their emulator isn't up to par yet.
 
I got a 3DS at the first day of the price cut, so I wasn't able to have these games... I really want Minish Cap. I hope that some day they will announce announce them. It will be a megaton.
 
Too bad they probably won't do this; I'd actually buy Metroid Fusion and Minish Cap. Those are two of my favorites on GBA.
 
*dress his ambassador jacket*

who cares?

*undress jacket*

FearMyWrench said:
Probably because they promised to not release them for general purchase.

To be honest, I thought they were bullshitting at first but it seems they meant it.
Click to expand...
Could be later rather than sooner but it's very likely Nintendo will add GBA support to its 3DS eshop.
 
Eh, I don't think they were lying about the GBA games.

I agree with you OP, it's easy cash especially since a lot of people are already or have been playing them. I actually do think they're making the ambassador program an actual ambassador exclusive thing, which is great for those of us who bought the system at $250.
 
Giving the state of virtual console releases on 3DS (currently releasing Super Mario Bros 2), it will happen in 2045.
 
They'll probably do it eventually. I wouldn't be surprised if Japan at the very least doesn't get something by 2013 or 2014.
 
More than GBA game, Nintendo has a gianormous DS library waiting for.

Maybe they wanna focus in full retail games. All the four.
 
The GBA games should never be released in the state they are.
 
Im still surprised they haven't gone back and rethought their plans. I cant imagine them not going for some easy money by selling these and other GBA games. Then again I never understand Nintendo's download store plans ever anyway.
 
The wealth of the NES, GB, GBC, GBA, SNES, and heck even N64 and DS games that they *could* be releasing on the 3DS eShop... but what do we get Super Mario Bros: The Lost Levels. Yay? Warioland II? Okay, I guess. NES Open Golf? Tumble Pop? Mole Mania... Kid Icarus (the gameboy version)... anyone had those on their wishlist? Didn't think so.

They really do not give a fuck.
 
thewesker said:
On August 31st, 2011 these NES games were released to Ambassadors:

  • Super Mario Bros.
  • Metroid
  • The Legend of Zelda
  • Zelda II: The Adventure of Link
  • Balloon Fight
  • Ice Climber
  • NES Open Tournament Golf
  • Donkey Kong Jr.
  • Yoshi
  • Wrecking Crew
Click to expand...

All of those are for sale on the Japanese 3DS eshop, FYI.
 
I have an ambassador 3DS but hadn't downloaded all the games. Now all that's available to me 'for redownload' is the games available on the eshop. Any chance I can get at the other games? Am I doing it wrong?
 
dwu8991 said:
Too bad non-ambassadors are missing out on FE Sacred Stones

What a GEM of a game !
Click to expand...

I am playing it right now and it is really a great great game. I am not too much into RPGs but I really like this type of strategy RPGs. I suck a bit, though, I always get someone killed in every battle :(

By the way, can somebody recommend more games similar to Fire Emblem for any console or PC? So far the most similar I have found is Shining Force but, although very good, it is kind of old and slow.
 
This will never happen, but maybe they'll come to the WiiU and 3DS eShop simultaneously. I don't currently have a 3DS, but would love to play these on the Gamepad.
 
OP should state that Nintendo always said they wouldn't release the GBA games but they could (and have) the NES/Famicom/FDS games.
 
@lex said:
They explicitly stated they have no plans on releasing the GBA games. Perhaps they were serious.
Click to expand...

i don't buy it, but then i just wish they'd sell other ones - original Fire Emblem, Metroid Zero Mission, so many others they're not taking my money for
 
bytesized said:
By the way, can somebody recommend more games similar to Fire Emblem for any console or PC? So far the most similar I have found is Shining Force but, although very good, it is kind of old and slow.
Click to expand...

Valkyria Chronicles is another strategy RPG that's pretty good.
 
They have always said NES games would be available, but not the GBA games. Too bad for you. /hug my 3DS XL with transferred ambassador status.
 
ranmafan said:
Then again I never understand Nintendo's download store plans ever anyway.
Click to expand...

It's not that hard to see for VC. Disney is doing similar things in making fans truly look forward to re-releases. We may not agree with it but there is a point to it.
 
You guys are that eager to play through the original super mario bros, huh?

Really, the ambassador titles weren't that great.
 
Nintendo is about 10 years behind Microsoft and Sony on the service side...

Maybe they will be in decent form with Wii U I
 
deathcobra said:
"No plans" means that they wouldn't/won't be releasing them, otherwise they would have stated "no plans at the moment" or "no current plans" or whatever.
Click to expand...

I think you're overthinking the semantics here. "No plans" means much the same as "no plans at the moment" and "no current plans". Any definite intent to do something in the future is still a plan.
 
They will release GBA games when they run out of older content to sell. They were quite clear that they were not planning to release them any time soon.
 
Nintendo generally seems to be a proponent of "you had to be there" added value.

Four Swords is totally gone from the shop now. They offered it free for a good long while and then they took it down.

Donkey Kong Arcade Edition is a limited release thing, the one where they added the missing arcade level back into the NES game. You have to do some specific things to get it, like registering Paper Mario on Club Nintendo.

Club Nintendo is a pretty good example of more of this, too. Doc Louis's Punch Out on Wiiware added a whole new character, but you could only ever get him as a Platinum member on one specific year. Grill Off With Ultra Hand has not been sold separately either to my knowledge.

Nintendo's limited releases often are actually limited releases. People are still looking for Metroid Prime Trilogy. Skyward Sword's limited edition is another one, selling for $200 on Amazon right now. Lots of games get rare and never have reprints (Tetris DS, published by Nintendo is a famous one).

Nintendo Video encapsulates this idea too, you don't get to keep these videos, you have to keep an eye on the service if you want to watch them...though recently they've just been re-airing old stuff constantly and I don't think they care to support it much anymore.

A bunch of downloadable 3DS preview videos showed up at various times during the first year, around E3 etc., and I don't think you can find those anymore.

I get the idea that Nintendo hopes people will notice this stuff and go "well geez, I better get on their platform day one so I don't miss anything!" or "I better buy that limited edition game because it's going to be quadruple the price someday!"

Ushojax said:
They will release GBA games when they run out of older content to sell. They were quite clear that they were not planning to release them any time soon.
Click to expand...

Given their history on this sort of thing, they might never.
 
I went to the trouble of finding/locating the Ambassador 3DS for my kids at Christmas 2011 and was able to get two. More and more, this is looking like a great move.
 
I personally think Nintendo's just trying to get through all the good original Game Boy games right now. They can't stick with those forever though. There aren't even really that many.
 
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