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[Wario64]

http://www.gamespot.com/news/2004/08/11/news_6104638.html

TOKYO--Nintendo revealed that it has shipped 2.7 million cumulative copies of Famicom Mini Game Boy Advance games during the past six months. Nintendo released its first lineup of Famicom Mini games (known as Classic NES Series in the US) in February. Although no additional games were planned at that time, Nintendo quickly changed its mind and launched 10 more in May.

Older gamers have made up the majority of customers purchasing the series for its nostalgia factor. However, the budget retail price of 2,000 yen ($18) has also helped attract younger generations of consumers to the games.

Nintendo released the third Famicom Mini lineup two days ago. Although the games were all ports from the Famicom's Disk System peripheral, often considered to be a niche device, retailers are already having trouble keeping up with orders. While Nintendo has previously stated that it has no immediate plans for any more Famicom Mini releases, given customer demand, it may not be long before another group of games is released.

 

[clipunderground]

damn. impressive.

 

[Tritroid]

I think this is officially the easiest cash load Nintendo has ever earned.

 

[Smiles and Cries]

woot!

 

[xsarien]

You know, people blame Nintendo all the time for milking their old games. But the truth of the matter is that the only blame to be placed should be put squarely on the shoulders of those who buy it.

Nintendo knows what sells, can you blame them for (*shock*) wanting to make some easy money?

 

[nubbe]

Just you wait... Nintendo will re-release all NES games on GBA... tee hee

 

[clipunderground]

I think selling a classics line is a great idea. I just have a problem with the price. They should be ashamed of themselves for selling that old ass software at that price. So should the fools that are buying them.

 

[ge-man]

You know, people blame Nintendo all the time for milking their old games. But the truth of the matter is that the only blame to be placed should be put squarely on the shoulders of those who buy it.

Nintendo knows what sells, can you blame them for (*shock*) wanting to make some easy money?

You can't hate Nintendo for consumer buying habits. If Midway, Activision, and Atari thought they could've sold their old games seperately rather than in the sets they have released recently, they would've done so. Don't even bother to believe they were doing gamers a favor.

 

[Blackace]

I think selling a classics line is a great idea. I just have a problem with the price. They should be ashamed of themselves for selling that old ass software at that price. So should the fools that are buying them.

how much are they selling for in the States... or outside of Japan

 

[Wario64]

$20 a game in the U.S.

 

[clipunderground]

$20 each. I think they should half that.

 

[nubbe]

Consumers apparently think the price point is right. The series certainly has the best entertainment-bang-for-your-buck value, ever

 

[Deku Tree]

I think selling a classics line is a great idea. I just have a problem with the price. They should be ashamed of themselves for selling that old ass software at that price. So should the fools that are buying them.

They are a for profit buisness. I blame the people who pay for the games, not the company who sells them.

 

[Blackace]

So 19.99$ isn't a bad price point... They sell for about that here as well...

Now wouldn't it be great if they were ten bucks.. yeah! But nobody is going to do that for us.. If anyone had a backlog of games that sold as well as Nintendo does..they do it too! I mean Nintendo basically re-sold all of their Mario games for 40 bucks... if you want to complain..complain about Mario 3 not being in the Famicom classics and re-sold for 40 bucks instead

 

[jarrod]

So 19.99$ isn't a bad price point... They sell for about that here as well...

It's the proportional differnce, not direct...

JP GBA game~ 4800 to 5800 yen
JP FCmini game~ 2000 yen

US GBA game~ $19.99 to $34.99
US Classic NES game~ $19.99


:/

 

[akascream]

I think selling a classics line is a great idea. I just have a problem with the price. They should be ashamed of themselves for selling that old ass software at that price. So should the fools that are buying them.

Isn't a game good or bad on its own merits? What does age have to do with the value of a real time simulation? Obviously, you aren't paying for amazing graphics. Is it possible the underlying mechanics of these games are still fun? Is it possible some haven't enjoyed these yet?

I guess I just don't get it.

 

[radioheadrule83]

Buying Super Mario Bros for £14 (even though I already own it on NES and Super Mario All Stars on SNES) still wasn't a stupid decision IMO. One of the best games ever in my pocket, on a more durable medium with a battery for saving what world I'm up to along with my high score... not to mention the old school cover sitting amongst my GBA games for collectability.. it's all good!

Thom

 

[Link316]

So 19.99$ isn't a bad price point... They sell for about that here as well...

nope, $20's still a bad price for these kind of games and I refuse to buy any of them, it wouldn't have been so bad if Nintendo gave them the collectable treament like they did with the Japan releases, but they didn't even bother to do that because fancier packaging would've eaten into some of their profits

 

[clipunderground]

They are a for profit buisness. I blame the people who pay for the games, not the company who sells them.

which I did infact blame at the end of my post.

 

[cvxfreak]

2.7 Million... that's an average of 900,000 for each series although Series 2 didn't seem to perform nearly as well as the first. I hope Nintendo goes for a Series 4 because there's so much more potential for this lineup, such as games like Doki Doki Panic and Rockman.

 

[Deku Tree]

It's the proportional differnce, not direct...

JP GBA game~ 4800 to 5800 yen
JP FCmini game~ 2000 yen

US GBA game~ $19.99 to $34.99
US Classic NES game~ $19.99


:/

I would have bought a bunch of them if they were $10 each. I would have loved to play them on my TV with my GBA player + Hori. As it is, I haven't bought any because I think $20 is too steep.

 

[clipunderground]

Isn't a game good or bad on its own merits? What does age have to do with the value of a real time simulation? Obviously, you aren't paying for amazing graphics. Is it possible the underlying mechanics of these games are still fun? Is it possible some haven't enjoyed these yet?

I guess I just don't get it.

Hey, I have an idea! lets jump down my throat because I think we're getting ripped off. :\

The fact of the matter is these games are old. You can buy them for $1 at a flea market. You don't think $20 is a tad steep for dated software that takes nothing to emulate?? This is why I cry for humanity.

 

[xsarien]

Hey, I have an idea! lets jump down my throat because I think we're getting ripped off. :\

The fact of the matter is these games are old. You can buy them for $1 at a flea market. You don't think $20 is a tad steep for dated software that takes nothing to emulate?? This is why I cry for humanity.

Well, no one's forcing you to buy them.

 

[MASB]

nope, $20's still a bad price for these kind of games and I refuse to buy any of them, it wouldn't have been so bad if Nintendo gave them the collectable treament like they did with the Japan releases, but they didn't even bother to do that because fancier packaging would've eaten into some of their profits

Aren't the boxes for the Japanese Famicom Mini games, basically a recreation of the original Famicom boxart for those games? The Classic NES series is a recreation of the original US boxart, so I don't see how NOA is saving money by doing what NOJ did for Japan (if I'm right about the Famicom art that is).

 

[Sp3eD]

I think the easy question to ask here is for those that bought the classic series, have you obtained $20 worth out of your games? I am willing to bet outside of Zelda and MAYBE Mario, it is a definite no.

 

[Blackace]

Castlevania!!!!

and Masb I think he is talking about the collector box set here in Japan

 

[clipunderground]

Well, no one's forcing you to buy them.

your right, and I didn't either.
I would have though if they weren't at a ripofferific price point.

 

[cvxfreak]

I think the easy question to ask here is for those that bought the classic series, have you obtained $20 worth out of your games? I am willing to bet outside of Zelda and MAYBE Mario, it is a definite no.

Definitely. I wasn't old enough to fully appreciate the NES and having the Classic NES lineup to match my Classic NES SP was a wonderful thing.

 

[akascream]

Hey, I have an idea! lets jump down my throat because I think we're getting ripped off. :\

The fact of the matter is these games are old. You can buy them for $1 at a flea market. You don't think $20 is a tad steep for dated software that takes nothing to emulate?? This is why I cry for humanity.

Sorry if you felt I jumped down your throat.. I thought it was a legitimate point to make. And I did actually have a feeling that piracy was affecting perceptions on NES game worth. I guess if enough people steal something, people feel entitled. It's still Nintendo's IP.. it's obviously in demand (2.7 million units worth to be precise).. why shouldn't Nintendo make money off thier hard work?

 

[Kiriku]

So many sales, it makes me think
buying old games, with Mario and Link
Releasing these games for the Game Boy Advance
I wonder why they're not giving a handheld NES a chance?
After all, people seem to want TEH OLD
Why not just go all out = more handhelds sold?

 

[FitzOfRage]

So many sales, it makes me think
buying old games, with Mario and Link
Releasing these games for the Game Boy Advance
I wonder why they're not giving a handheld NES a chance?
After all, people seem to want TEH OLD
Why not just go all out = more handhelds sold?

Well I don't think most people actually have a lot of their NES games still sitting around (and it wouldn't really be convenient for a handheld anyway if they did, in addition to the fact that Nintendo would make no money off those second hand games), so I don't really think there would be much of a point in an "actual" handheld NES. I mean people speculated about this idea before the DS was revealed to be what it was, but it never made sense to me. They'd have to re-release the games anyway, so they might as well just put them on the handheld tens of millions of people already own, which is obviously more than cpaable of doing the job.

 

[Mike Works]

$20 may be a bad price point for you (and for me personally, I'd buy Zelda for $10), but it obviously isn't a bad price point, given these numbers.

 

[clipunderground]

$20 may be a bad price point for you (and for me personally, I'd buy Zelda for $10), but it obviously isn't a bad price point, given these numbers.

It's a bad price point for everyone. Good for Nintendo that people are still buying the software. I've always been a fan of them and want them to do well. However, It still doesn't make it right.

Here's a good argument, CD's have been over priced for years and people still bought them. Did that make it fair and reasonable? Hell no. It's just that if we wanted a copy of our favorite bands new album, we had to cough up the cash for it.... that is until the mp3 craze started. Record companies are only now starting to come down in price out of desperation of making a profit. Greed doesn't always pay.

Let me set something straight here. I love Nintendo. I'm a pretty big Nintendo diehard and even I think the price is ridiculous! I mean come on! Nintendo's cashing in on that little place in all of our hearts that holds on to the glory days of gaming. They are feeding upon the fanboys! lol

 

[cvxfreak]

Well, it'd be hardpressed to get a game out for $10 even if they are old. The cartridge and packaging are probably already around $4 and add to that patents, publisher royalty fees (since not all games are originally from Nintendo), shipping and marketing, testing, and the actual development (yes, there is actually one). If they were $10 then Nintendo wouldn't make much. $15 is a pretty appropriate price, though...

 

[akascream]

Did that make it fair and reasonable? Hell no.

Umm, yes? It's a simple question of supply and demand. Music has value to people.

 

[andthebeatgoeson]

$20 each. I think they should half that.

Why cuz you want to buy some? I have no problem. I paid $20 for movie tickets, on a date recently. For shame, Hollywood. They should be ashamed. I'm lucky I got away with paying 5 bucks to see Spiderman 2. No movie should cost more than 5 bucks.

But, hey, I think Kid Icarus is worth it, even though I have an emulator with it. I won't pick up anymore until they release Bionic Commando. It's just the market for things.

 

[Link316]

Aren't the boxes for the Japanese Famicom Mini games, basically a recreation of the original Famicom boxart for those games? The Classic NES series is a recreation of the original US boxart, so I don't see how NOA is saving money by doing what NOJ did for Japan (if I'm right about the Famicom art that is).

Zelda's the only one I wanted until I found out the manual wasn't in color, it didn't come in a gold cart and the game label's not even laminated, the sad part of it is that even pirate GBA carts have higher production values cause the one I got stuck with from ebay has a laminated label

 

[wipeout364]

I can't believe people buy these. If any other company tried to pull this we would shit on them from head to toe. We continually bitch about compilations not including this or that yet here Nintendo goes releasing 8 games that could easily have been one compilation title. What a joke.

 

[Mike Works]

It's a bad price point for everyone.

No, it's not. If it were a bad price point for everyone, no one would buy it. These games are no where near neccessities, even in the realm of the videogame world, so while you may disagree with the price point, a couple million people don't.

 

[Mejilan]

I BOUGHT 6 OF THOSE!! 6!! WHYYYYYYYYY?

 

[Alcibiades]

It's a bad price point for everyone. Good for Nintendo that people are still buying the software. I've always been a fan of them and want them to do well. However, It still doesn't make it right.

Here's a good argument, CD's have been over priced for years and people still bought them. Did that make it fair and reasonable? Hell no. It's just that if we wanted a copy of our favorite bands new album, we had to cough up the cash for it.... that is until the mp3 craze started. Record companies are only now starting to come down in price out of desperation of making a profit. Greed doesn't always pay.

Let me set something straight here. I love Nintendo. I'm a pretty big Nintendo diehard and even I think the price is ridiculous! I mean come on! Nintendo's cashing in on that little place in all of our hearts that holds on to the glory days of gaming. They are feeding upon the fanboys! lol

I remember there was a time when at some stores, CD prices for new stuff would be like $9.99-11.99, but now even Best Buy's standard prices are around $12.99-14.99


I don't know what data you site, but just from my own experiences, CD prices haven't gone down at all cause of the MP3 craze...

 

[Blackace]

I remember there was a time when at some stores, CD prices for new stuff would be like $9.99-11.99, but now even Best Buy's standard prices are around $12.99-14.99


I don't know what data you site, but just from my own experiences, CD prices haven't gone down at all cause of the MP3 craze...

They used to be 17.99 when I bought my first CD player.... now 12.99 - 14.99 3 bucks thanks to the MP3 craze!!!!!!!!