Official bitching about Hudson abandoning VC support. [VC/WiiWare = lost cause]

Does anyone really care this week? I mean, if Monday afternoon you're thinking- "Jeez I sure want to play some virtual console!", I think you've got some issues.
 
Iam Canadian said:
Yeah, I'd hate to see a good game sent to die on Monday. I'd suggest that they release something that's a Masterpiece in Brawl, but all of the Masterpieces are already available on VC.

As for Earthbound's exclusion in the North American version of Brawl, I hate you, Nintendo of America. I hate you so very much for this.
What? First I've heard of this. :(

So it's in the Japanese version but not the American version? NOA officially (as if it weren't obvious already) but they officially pretty much hate EB fans! So many chances for them to extend a hand.

Wasn't the point of the masterpieces section to give a glimpse of where these fighters are coming from?

I kinda doubt we'll ever see EB as a VC game - unless it's just the very last game they can possibly release in ten years from now. Heck, they'll probably just go back and start re-releasing other titles with enhanced features and online before they give us Earthbound. :(
 
BuddhaRockstar said:
Does anyone really care this week? I mean, if Monday afternoon you're thinking- "Jeez I sure want to play some virtual console!", I think you've got some issues.
I don't know... a lot of the people that follow this topic aren't just looking for a weekly gaming fix on the cheap, we're actually interested in the growth of the service and want to know what's being added to it each update.

Besides... one great thing doesn't eliminate the possibility for other good things. If you open a birthday present and it's exactly what you wanted, you're still going to want to open the rest of your presents, aren't you?

I for one am still quite interested in seeing what they add.
 
BooJoh said:
Hopefully JSnake can pry himself from Brawl long enough to deliver the PR tonight, if it's not late again.

Actually I'm sitting here writing my Brawl impressions and waiting for the PR.
 
I don't understand why EB isn't as masterpiece in brawl
why isn't that game allowed to come out over here? I dont wanna here 'nintendo hates us'.
 
Koomaster said:
I kinda doubt we'll ever see EB as a VC game - unless it's just the very last game they can possibly release in ten years from now. Heck, they'll probably just go back and start re-releasing other titles with enhanced features and online before they give us Earthbound. :(

Actually, I'm sort of optimistic now that we'll see it sooner rather than later. Since the game was featured in the Japanese version of Brawl, I have to think it will hit the Japanese Virtual Console within the next couple of months. Once it is released there, there's no reason for Nintendo not to release it in North America, unless they plan to release it as part of a DS compilation. I say Earthbound will be available on the North American Virtual Console no later than July 28, 2008.

BooJosh said:
This makes sense, but I had really hoped WiiWare and VC would coexist separately. It would be pretty disappointing if we end up not getting any new VC games whenever a new WiiWare game hits.

I agree, but I'm afraid Nintendo will not. Of all the bad trends & omens this year, the fact that the Japanese Virtual Console is going to be reduced to one 2 game and two 1 game weeks (barring a zero game week) for the rest of the March is pretty much the most disheartening thing so far. Hopefully it's just a temporary blip to coincide with the launch of WiiWare and not a long term trend.
 
BuddhaRockstar said:
Does anyone really care this week? I mean, if Monday afternoon you're thinking- "Jeez I sure want to play some virtual console!", I think you've got some issues.
I may or may not be playing VC on Monday, but if they put up good games that I want, I'll at least download them immediately in support of those games and the service as a whole.


FFantasyX said:
Of all the bad trends & omens this year, the fact that the Japanese Virtual Console is going to be reduced to one 2 game and two 1 game weeks (barring a zero game week) for the rest of the March is pretty much the most disheartening thing so far.
Pretty much, yes. :( If even Japan is getting shafted, there's no hope for the rest of the world.

Hopefully it's just a temporary blip to coincide with the launch of WiiWare and not a long term trend.
Yeah, I keep saying this too. I'm starting to lose faith, though.
 
L.B. said:
I don't understand why EB isn't as masterpiece in brawl
why isn't that game allowed to come out over here? I dont wanna here 'nintendo hates us'.
People say "Nintendo hates us" because we can't wrap our brains around any logical reason for their treatment of EarthBound. Even if the game had abysmal sales in the US, NOA knows for a fact that EB has a rabid cult following that has grown significantly, and that many gamers are clamoring for it, yet every time there's an opportunity to bring something EB-related to the US, they don't.

Not bringing the GBA games over can be chalked up to risk assessment and them thinking it won't sell well, but with this masterpiece thing... they made a conscious decision to remove part of a feature from a game for no apparent reason. And as for VC, unless they have a port or remake in the works, I can't see any reason for them to not release EB on VC already. They've probably released quite a few games on VC that were guaranteed to perform more poorly than EB, but lo and behold, no EB.

I would LOVE to hear a viable explanation for why EB wouldn't be a masterpiece in Brawl.
 
L.B. said:
I don't understand why EB isn't as masterpiece in brawl
why isn't that game allowed to come out over here? I dont wanna here 'nintendo hates us'.
In one of those SSBB threads, someone proposed the possibility that Nintendo hasn't decided whether they want to officially rework certain elements of Earthbound, such as changing Pokey's name to Porky or the English title to Mother 2 (which would particularly make sense if they intended to ever release Mother 1 on VC, or Mother 3 on DS, etc.). All things considered, it's an interesting possibility that I can't entirely write off. Still, however, a less likely possibility than the one that Nintendo hates us. :D

(I kid, I think.)
 
I doubt Nintendo gives a crap about Pokey/Porkey or Earthbound/Mother. And even if they did, how long could it take to come to a decision about it and then change the text in the game?

Actually, I'd just like more visibility from Nintendo overall about the VC. Like how about giving us a list of games they are working on or plan to be working on and releasing - instead of waiting till a few days (or the day of) the VC game comes out.

What's the process of choosing which game gets put up - they don't seem to be going by popularity, just seems completely random. It might have to do with which game is ready first - but again, give us a list of what's being worked on. What are the friggen plans?

They could be giving statements to gaming websites, or even magazines to let their viewers know what to expect. Actually, you know, advertise the feature. Hell, even make a channel out of it on the VC - the Nintendo Projects channel, put up info about VC/Wii/DS games that are being worked on.

I think 1-game weeks could be bearable if I knew what games are being worked on and then I can look forward to something about the VC instead of lamenting the fact that 1 game got put up that I have no interest in.
 
Changing the title to Mother 2 would be a horrible idea since the game is called EarthBound everywhere but Japan. It would be like renaming Super Mario Bros. 2 because it's not what Japan calls the title. IF Nintendo were ever to bring the other Mother games outside of Japan (not likely), "Mother 3" would become "EarthBound 2" and "Mother" (even less likely) would likely be "EarthBound Zero" or "EarthBound Origins" (or something like that).

I think the simple answer is that Nintendo doesn't know if or when they will add EB to the VC, and the whole point of the Masterpieces is to just serve as a demo to entice people to buy them on the VC (and you don't advertise something when you don't know if/when you will offer it).
 
TJ Spyke said:
Changing the title to Mother 2 would be a horrible idea since the game is called EarthBound everywhere but Japan. It would be like renaming Super Mario Bros. 2 because it's not what Japan calls the title. IF Nintendo were ever to bring the other Mother games outside of Japan (not likely), "Mother 3" would become "EarthBound 2" and "Mother" (even less likely) would likely be "EarthBound Zero" or "EarthBound Origins" (or something like that).

I think the simple answer is that Nintendo doesn't know if or when they will add EB to the VC, and the whole point of the Masterpieces is to just serve as a demo to entice people to buy them on the VC (and you don't advertise something when you don't know if/when you will offer it).

If Nintendo were to ever release EB/Mother games, it'd prolly be rebranded to Mother or Earthbound: Mother. The fanbase is so rabid they know that EB = Mother and vice versa. The people who don't might be more inclined to try it out under "rebranding".

But this is all moot, since Miyamoto hates you.
 
Every game you ever played that you want to play again and isn't on Virtual Console yet... will NEVER COME OUT.

Unless it's a TurboGrafx-16/PC Engine shooter. In that case, expect it next week. :D
 
Koomaster said:
Actually, I'd just like more visibility from Nintendo overall about the VC. Like how about giving us a list of games they are working on or plan to be working on and releasing - instead of waiting till a few days (or the day of) the VC game comes out.

What's the process of choosing which game gets put up - they don't seem to be going by popularity, just seems completely random. It might have to do with which game is ready first - but again, give us a list of what's being worked on. What are the friggen plans?

They could be giving statements to gaming websites, or even magazines to let their viewers know what to expect. Actually, you know, advertise the feature. Hell, even make a channel out of it on the VC - the Nintendo Projects channel, put up info about VC/Wii/DS games that are being worked on.

I think 1-game weeks could be bearable if I knew what games are being worked on and then I can look forward to something about the VC instead of lamenting the fact that 1 game got put up that I have no interest in.
Agreed. :( Right now the only indicators are ESRB/OFLC ratings and those don't say particularly much since it can be months afterward before a game is released. (At the rate Zombies Ate My Neighbors is going, perhaps even years.)


TJ Spyke said:
IF Nintendo were ever to bring the other Mother games outside of Japan (not likely), "Mother 3" would become "EarthBound 2" and "Mother" (even less likely) would likely be "EarthBound Zero" or "EarthBound Origins" (or something like that).
Why is Mother 1 less likely than Mother 3? From what I've heard, Mother 3 has some story obstacles that would potentially prevent family-friendly Nintendo from going anywhere near it--and (also from what I've heard) Mother 1 was already translated while Mother 3 hasn't been.
 
I'm just concerned that we've moved to a permanent Monday morning-only PR. D:

B-Rad Lascelle said:
Every game you ever played that you want to play again and isn't on Virtual Console yet... will NEVER COME OUT.
That wouldn't hurt too much, as long as I still got the games that I didn't ever play but want to play for the first time. There are far more of those.
 
Jiggy37 said:
Agreed. :( Right now the only indicators are ESRB/OFLC ratings and those don't say particularly much since it can be months afterward before a game is released. (At the rate Zombies Ate My Neighbors is going, perhaps even years.)

ZAMN was removed from the ESRB some time ago, so I'm assuming if it was planned for release at one point, it's not anymore.

Plus, if Super Turrican doesn't count as a US/Europe made game due to its publisher, then we still haven't seen any fully non-Japanese games show up, and if it hasn't happened yet then I'm inclined to think there's something stopping them from coming.

Anyway, Vectorman is approaching its one year unreleased anniversary, and it even got announced in a press release and released elsewhere. (I don't know the exact date of its anniversary though, since Sega apparently went back and edited their press releases...ESWAT and Crack Down were removed as well, so don't expect those in NA any time soon either)
 
Jiggy37 said:
Why is Mother 1 less likely than Mother 3? From what I've heard, Mother 3 has some story obstacles that would potentially prevent family-friendly Nintendo from going anywhere near it--and (also from what I've heard) Mother 1 was already translated while Mother 3 hasn't been.

Mother 3 is on the GBA, so it would be easier to try and sell the game (unless you mean on the VC), and Lucas is already popular among the Smash Bros. crowd. Mother would be easier to release, but I think Mother 3 would be easier to get people to buy.

Why would Miyamoto hating people have to do with EarthBound/Moth coming out. :lol

Come on Nintendo, I just want to play EB on the VC. I wasn't aware of it when it originally came out (I didn't read video game magazines, and don't remember hearing about the game until much later), and I really want to play it without having to try and find a used copy (I heard they can be pretty expensive too).
 
I have a feeling it will be River City Ransom. Probably something else as well, but that most likely will be one of the games.
/2 cents
 
BooJoh said:
People say "Nintendo hates us" because we can't wrap our brains around any logical reason for their treatment of EarthBound. Even if the game had abysmal sales in the US, NOA knows for a fact that EB has a rabid cult following that has grown significantly, and that many gamers are clamoring for it, yet every time there's an opportunity to bring something EB-related to the US, they don't.

No, people say "Nintendo hates us" because Nintendo really truly does hate gamers.
 
JSnake said:
Still waiting, guys. Just bugged my rep again.
After last week I don't think that bugging your rep will get you very far. He now knows for sure that you're blabing about the games and your repeated use of the f-word was not very Nintendo-like.
 
JSnake said:
Still waiting, guys. Just bugged my rep again.
When they're only releasing 1 or 2 games a week, they're in no hurry to get a press release done... doesn't take long to write up a blurb for one game.

Maybe Kohler wasn't kidding. Maybe next week is Nothing for 1000 points.

Great... that means they'll follow up soon after with the sequel, Fuck All Nothing. That's where the graphics are so good, you can't even imagine them.

Eh, serves most of y'all right for not yet having downloaded Lords of Thunder and Alien Soldier.

I'm kind of getting sick of shuffling games back and forth from SD card to system memory myself. To hell with region mods and all that, someone needs to find a way to solder a few more gigs into that sucker.
 
This PR lateness worries me.

And I'm still feeling stung by Nintendo's latest snub of Earthbound. No matter how many times they do it, I never do get used to it. >_<

Also, I'm quite curious about these story issues in Mother 3 that family-friendly Nintendo would supposedly never touch. Is it possible to give an example of the nature of these issues without spoiling too much? The first two Mother games, despite the rather sharp satire, were fairly clean, except for Earthbound's final boss.
 
Iam Canadian said:
This PR lateness worries me.

And I'm still feeling stung by Nintendo's latest snub of Earthbound. No matter how many times they do it, I never do get used to it. >_<

Also, I'm quite curious about these story issues in Mother 3 that family-friendly Nintendo would supposedly never touch. Is it possible to give an example of the nature of these issues without spoiling too much? The first two Mother games, despite the rather sharp satire, were fairly clean, except for Earthbound's final boss.

I'm no expert on Earthbound/Mother, but I believe there were some direct jokes or gags about homosexuality.

Take that with a grain of salt whilst I research this further.

A little, but not great information: http://starmen.net/vote/vote.php?id=15012&stuffPageNumber=3
 
Cheesemeister said:
You just lost the game.

*Shakes fist* I think I was doing well too.

Anyway, I'm not too concerned about this weeks VC. Brawl's coming out and it doesn't look like Earthbound anytime soon, so whatever it is will be a nice surprise.
 
ethelred said:

My bad; then, now, and ever.

But yeah, I think Nintendo trying to divert everyone's attention to Smash is what's reducing VC releases. Hell, the basic logic of getting gamers to save up for Smash, WiiWare, and other games is behind both the lowered amount of VC releases and lowered quality.

I mean, Hell, if we got great one-game weeks, a-okay. As long as we get something we all love to tide us over till next week. But it's just nasty to give us a one-game week with a game nobody wants.
 
I still think an intention to renew VC promotion at and after the launch of WiiWare is the real reason behind the slowdown.

Where by "renew" I mean "start" and by "at and after" I mean "for one week only during."
 
B-Rad Lascelle said:
Every game you ever played that you want to play again and isn't on Virtual Console yet... will NEVER COME OUT.

Unless it's a TurboGrafx-16/PC Engine shooter. In that case, expect it next week. :D

Considering that the PC-Engine is only the best system ever, I don't see a problem.

EXCEPT FOR THE FUCKING LACK OF RELEASES.
 
March 10, 2008

Wii-kly Update: Two New Classic Games Added to Wii Shop Channel

Got enough challenge in your daily routine? Chances are that basic everyday tasks — getting to work or school on time, walking the dog, taking out the trash — aren’t enough to keep you firing on all cylinders. Luckily, Virtual Console™ is close at hand to help you test your mettle in fresh and unusual ways. Whether you’re rescuing a kidnapped pal or mastering a set of mind-bending grid puzzles, this week’s new arrivals, imported from Japan, offer a refreshing break from the late-winter blahs.

Nintendo adds new games to the Wii™ Shop Channel at 9 a.m. Pacific time every Monday. Wii owners with a high-speed Internet connection can redeem Wii Points™ to download the games. Wii Points can be purchased in the Wii Shop Channel or at retail outlets. This week’s new games are:

DoReMi Fantasy: Milon’s DokiDoki Adventure (Super NES®, 1 player, Rated E for Everyone – Alcohol Reference and Comic Mischief, 900 Wii Points): This is an action game where an energetic boy named Milon sets off on a great adventure in a cute fairy-tale world. Piccolo is a village in the country of Fantasia. One day, they hear from the fairy Alis that songs and music have disappeared from the forest. Suddenly, the wizard Amon appears, grabs Alis and vanishes with her. The brave Milon must now go on a journey to rescue his kidnapped friend, with his bubble shooter as his only weapon. Along the way, he’ll need to retrieve five legendary instruments and stars by defeating Amon’s minions. Get ready to enjoy the fun and comical action of this charming game.

Puyo Puyo 2: Tsuu (Sega Genesis, 1-2 players, Rated E for Everyone, 900 Wii Points): The object of this head-to-head puzzle game is to clear your grid of falling patterns called puyos by forming chains of four or more same-colored puyos in a straight line or one of several geometric patterns. What makes this a challenging two-player contest is the fact that when you clear a chain of puyos from your grid, it drops a random piece of filler onto your opponent’s grid. The more puyos you clear, the more you fill your opponent’s grid, and if you can clutter up his grid enough to fill it to the top, you’ve won the game. An intriguing backstory makes this an amusing experience for one or two players.

The list of downloadable games is updated weekly on Nintendo’s Online Press Room at press.nintendo.com. For more information about Wii, please visit wii.com or contact:

Chris Olmstead Eileen Tanner

GolinHarris GolinHarris

213-623-4200, ext. 780 509-628-1993

colmstead@golinharris.com etanner@golinharris.com

# # #

Note to editors: Nintendo press materials are available at press.nintendo.com, a password-protected site. To obtain a login, please contact Danny Beardsworth at 213-438-8835 or dbeardsworth@golinharris.com. Users can receive instant Nintendo information by subscribing to the site’s RSS feed.
 
Dragona Akehi said:
Considering that the PC-Engine is only the best system ever, I don't see a problem.

EXCEPT FOR THE FUCKING LACK OF RELEASES.
Also, greasy emulation. :(


Strangely though, I think TG16 to this point has probably had better representation than any of the Nintendo systems in terms of quality releases. Ditto for Genesis... Nintendo needs to step it up imo. Still, Hudson needs to get moving on Ys... could Falcom licensing maybe be holding things up?
 
I just got gifted Phantasy Star II. :D

Only played a few minutes so far since have some things to do before I leave for GameStop's Super Smash Bros. Bawl tournament (they are starting it at 4PM at the store i'm going to since they had so many people sign up. They better start selling the game before midnight because I do NOT want to spent 8 hours at GameStop).
 
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