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[Somnid]

OH FOR FUCK'S SAKE. Here's japan's releases

Virtual Console:

* Twinbee (Famicom, 1-2 players, 500 Wii Points)
* Gakkou de Atta Kowai Hanashi (Super Famicom, 1 player, 800 Wii Points)
* Sonic the Hedgehog (Master System, 1 player, 500 Wii Points)
* Eikan no Kimi Ni: Koukou Yakyuu Zenkoku Taikai (PC Engine, 1-2 players, 800 Wii Points)
* Dragon Saber (PC Engine, 1-2 players, 600 Wii Points)

WiiWare:

* Tsuushin Taikyoku: Igo Dojo 2700-mon (1-2 players, 1,000 Wii Points)
* Silver Star Chess (1-2 players, 500 Wii Points)
* Wild West Guns (1-2 players, 1,000 Wii Points)

Yeah but you do realize 6 of those are Japanese exclusive (in fact something like 1/3 - 1/4 of all VC games are). How about Kobun ask Activision and EA were the hell the Western exclusives are? I mean Europe has C64 games, what's the word on that?

 

[JSnake]

not the point. the point is they got 8 games. that's just salt in the wounds.

 

[Somnid]

not the point. the point is they got 8 games. that's just salt in the wounds.

If the entirety of Japanese releases represents the flow of VC games (which it is seeing as western games are something like 3% of all the games released in any region), then they will simply get more. If you want equality in release scheduals you need western exclusives to offset the eastern ones and even then Japan will still win out.

 

[linkboy]

Saturday Night Slam Masters
Any of the Japan only Fire Pro's for the SNES
Super Tecmo Bowl
Take away all of the licensing shit out of the 4 Aki wrestling games

Chances any of the above releasing anytime soon? Zero. Meh.

It just wouldn't be the same without the NFL players (which would be removed due the licensing issues).

 

[Cheerilee]

I was constantly going back pages to understand what all the madness was about, but after about 6 pages with no answer, I just looked up what games were out this week. Splatterhouse 2 is a good one, so yeah.

You stopped about one or two pages short (assuming 50 posts-per-page).

SNK put out a press release saying that Samurai Showdown 2 was going to be on the VC Aug 4. Hudson updated their VC site to give Ys 1&2 a date of Aug 4. Super-insider Kagari told us that the next NES game was going to be Clu Clu Land from Nintendo first-party. Capcom posted an update on their site saying that Megaman 1 was going to be on VC Aug 4 and eventually MM2 in prep for MM9. Super-insider Kagari clarified that she really meant Clu Clu Land AND Megaman 1 for the NES on Aug 4. They might be twins, but Clu Clu will be born a few seconds earlier. Along with God-only-knows what unconfirmed games.

People actually thought Nintendo was going to deliver, and tried to hype Dragona into getting ready to change the thread title. Of course, Dragona knew better and didn't believe any of this for a minute.

Chamellion aspired to become "the next Kagari" and broke the bad news to us that Ys 1&2 was canned/delayed, despite apparent evidence to the contrary. But Megaman and Samurai showdown were a 100% lock.

Monday comes. The Master System port/remake of Sonic 1. Splatterhouse 2. Third parties fail. ¥entendo hosed them again. They want the VC to fail over here. No point letting it succeed at a time when the American dollar's bad. Instead of blowing their load at the start like some of us wanted, they waited and played teasing games, and now it's too late to make the kinds of money Nintendo expects, so they're gonna keep putting things off and delaying things even longer, and blow their load when conditions become more favorable (yeah right, they're never going to blow their load, they're just going to go back to the tease). Kagari/Chamellion banned. Thread title status moves downward instead of the expected upward.

 

[The Hermit]

OH FOR FUCK'S SAKE. Here's japan's releases

Virtual Console:

* Twinbee (Famicom, 1-2 players, 500 Wii Points)
* Gakkou de Atta Kowai Hanashi (Super Famicom, 1 player, 800 Wii Points)
* Sonic the Hedgehog (Master System, 1 player, 500 Wii Points)
* Eikan no Kimi Ni: Koukou Yakyuu Zenkoku Taikai (PC Engine, 1-2 players, 800 Wii Points)
* Dragon Saber (PC Engine, 1-2 players, 600 Wii Points)

WiiWare:

* Tsuushin Taikyoku: Igo Dojo 2700-mon (1-2 players, 1,000 Wii Points)
* Silver Star Chess (1-2 players, 500 Wii Points)
* Wild West Guns (1-2 players, 1,000 Wii Points)

And we just got ... 3

EDIT: btw, where can I see the release of each region?

 

[MrDaravon]

¥entendo

This is a new one :lol

 

[Kobun Heat]

How about Kobun ask Activision and EA were the hell the Western exclusives are?

People have asked, and the answer is that Nintendo goes to publishers and licenses their content libraries, and then determines what will be available on the service. We'll have classic American games the second Nintendo of America* decides it's cool.

*Or Nintendo Co., Ltd, or the Illuminati, or whatever mysterious shadow organization is pulling the strings behind this secret puppet show that they won't let anyone talk about. You'd think they were smuggling pandas or some shit with the multiple levels of obfuscation and smoke and mirrors that they're building up around how they pick retro games for a download service.

 

[Cheerilee]

This is a new one :lol

I can't take credit for it. It popped up in that other thread where Nintendo earned $3 billion in three months. It seemed fitting when characterizing Nintendo as being bad guys because of the exchange rate.

People have asked, and the answer is that Nintendo goes to publishers and licenses their content libraries, and then determines what will be available on the service.

Puts a new twist on the old "Licensed by Nintendo" thing.

 

[PepsimanVsJoe]

The sad part is the exchange rate argument actually makes sense. =/

Then again if you're releasing games you know nobody is going to buy, why release them at all?

 

[Somnid]

People have asked, and the answer is that Nintendo goes to publishers and licenses their content libraries, and then determines what will be available on the service. We'll have classic American games the second Nintendo of America* decides it's cool.

*Or Nintendo Co., Ltd, or the Illuminati, or whatever mysterious shadow organization is pulling the strings behind this secret puppet show that they won't let anyone talk about. You'd think they were smuggling pandas or some shit with the multiple levels of obfuscation and smoke and mirrors that they're building up around how they pick retro games for a download service.

I kinda assumed this was the case. Though it seems strange that only Factor 5 and Commodore Gaming have games up. Does that have to do with NOE being able to secure those or are the big guys just not playing ball? I can't believe Nintendo hasn't solicited these guys (EA, Activision, etc.). My thought was that they are in the some boat as Square in that perhaps they figure they can get more from these in other ways and are simply holding out. Is this wrong?

 

[FFantasyFX]

I can't believe Nintendo hasn't solicited these guys (EA, Activision, etc.).

Well, Activision games should start hitting the system this year unless Nintendo sits on them. Although I do find it telling that they're releasing the Genesis versions of their titles. . . based on the current working theory that means Sega will prep the games and then twist Nintendo's arm to release them, so Activision avoids dealing directly with Nintendo.

Edit: Whoops, that's Interplay, not Activision, isn't it? Shouldn't post when I'm sleep deprived, I guess.

 

[jaundicejuice]

People actually thought Nintendo was going to deliver, and tried to hype Dragona into getting ready to change the thread title. Of course, Dragona knew better and didn't believe any of this for a minute.

I did not hype anything about changing the thread title, merely reminded Dragona of a once uttered promise should Ys actually ever hit VC, which almost seemed likely, until, you know, Nintendo.

 

[Man God]

Man I can't wait until next week. More releases. More great games. More of these from me! :lol

 

[jaundicejuice]

You're a Bizarro World VC thread regular aren't you? It's the only way I can rationalise your posts.

 

[A Black Falcon]

Well, Activision games should start hitting the system this year unless Nintendo sits on them. Although I do find it telling that they're releasing the Genesis versions of their titles. . . based on the current working theory that means Sega will prep the games and then twist Nintendo's arm to release them, so Activision avoids dealing directly with Nintendo.

Edit: Whoops, that's Interplay, not Activision, isn't it? Shouldn't post when I'm sleep deprived, I guess.

I was going to say... Activision, what? Activision and EA aren't on VC yet.

Of course back then most of Activision's best games were on the PC, but they did have a few console ones worth looking at.

 

[crowphoenix]

You're a Bizarro World VC thread regular aren't you? It's the only way I can rationalise your posts.

He has just discovered the true joy of this thread. A discovery I am close to making as well.

 

[Iam Canadian]

You're a Bizarro World VC thread regular aren't you? It's the only way I can rationalise your posts.

You mean you're not ecstatic that Nintendo skipped boring old Mega Man for Splatterhouse II and the Master System version of Sonic? You must have a heart of stone!

 

[Scenester]

someone please PM me when Earthbound is released

and why did I not buy a Japanese wii

 

[Mamesj]

Nintendo is going to release Earthbound the day before Wii 2 comes out....then release a firmware update that kills all Wii 1s that day.

 

[Y2Kev]

I'd rather have warts.

...where would the warts be....

 

[0 HP]

earthbound in august would rule...

sonic 1 ms, ys 1&2, and earthbound = 1900 pts

all that shit for one card. pretty pretty good.

 

[EvilMario]

earthbound in august would rule...

sonic 1 ms, ys 1&2, and earthbound = 1900 pts

all that shit for one card. pretty pretty good.

People really do want to believe. You poor fools.

 

[Scenester]

I WANT TO BELIEVE

 

[crowphoenix]

Hope on, brave brothers.

I shall wait.

 

[Milabrega]

Looks like Ign (AU) is joining in on the VC hate parade. They are running a two part feature (5 games each) of the crappiest of the crap.
http://wii.ign.com/articles/897/897106p1.html

Some hate filled quotes from the lead in:

Finding bad games on Nintendo's Virtual Console service isn't hard; the damn thing's riddled with them. Looking over the selection you could be forgiven for thinking that the range is the result of a work experience kid screw up. 'Oops, Mr Miyamoto - I accidentally uploaded a completely random selection of games! Stupid Mitchell, stupid!' No attention seems to have been paid to appropriateness or quality control. It'd be funny if it wasn't so depressing.

With such a grab bag of crap we had plenty to choose from and ultimately chose ten games that haven't just aged badly, but were terrible to begin with. Ten games that are so removed from modern entertainment and such poor value for money that they left us scratching our heads in disbelief.

Here are the first five, but sadly, because the VC service doesn't have a demo system, you won't be able to share in our pain and incredulity. Under no circumstances - even as a joke - are you to buy these games. To do so would be a crime against gaming.

Let the sarcastic italics-fest begin!

The First five games:

China Warrior
Volleyball
Samurai Ghost
Urban Champion
Donkey Kong Jr. Math

 

[Ranger X]

Such a great update.

I didn't know that only America needs to have games spread out more because they could run out.

Seriously Nintendo, wtf with your updates and also your total BS reasons to justify them? I think they think we are really some stupid american people. Guess what, some have a brain!!

 

[0 HP]

just out of curiosity, how does nintendo reimburse vc games in the offshoot case your wii breaks?

 

[Gabyskra]

just out of curiosity, how does nintendo reimburse vc games in the offshoot case your wii breaks?

They don't. But the games are kept track of in your club-nintendo account, which can be linked to a replacement unit.

On topic, I'm eager to know about NoE update tonight.

 

[Christine]

just out of curiosity, how does nintendo reimburse vc games in the offshoot case your wii breaks?

If you send your broken Wii to them they will repair it or send you a replacement that's been registered with all of your purchased games so that you may download them again.

VC Games and Wii points are completely non-refundable.

 

[Agent Unknown]

Looks like Ign (AU) is joining in on the VC hate parade. They are running a two part feature (5 games each) of the crappiest of the crap.
http://wii.ign.com/articles/897/897106p1.html

Some hate filled quotes from the lead in:



The First five games:

China Warrior
Volleyball
Samurai Ghost
Urban Champion
Donkey Kong Jr. Math

Why would IGN AU speak for U.S. VC customers? "Riddled with them"? Nonsense. These titles in no way represent the overall quality of the library. This isn't about crap (well, with Wiiware right now it is). The problem isn't garbage that everyone already knows is garbage. It's NOA's insistence on a mediocre effort for the service which has taken them from ignoring their customers to outright lying and jerking around their 3rd parties (it seriously looked like a slap on the wrist for making their announcements early). We need far better than this unrelated so called editorial which reads like it was written by a 12 year old.

 

[brain_stew]

Any word on tonight's update yet?

Hoping for Sonic Master System

 

[Tyrone Slothrop]

i'm proud to say i've been paying no attention whatsoever to the vc updates. wake me up when secret of mana hits.

 

[Ranger X]

Just another page showing how irrelevant IGN can be...

 

[Tyrone Slothrop]

Just another page showing how irrelevant IGN can be...

KID ICARUS!!!

 

[Gagaman]

i'm proud to say i've been paying no attention whatsoever to the vc updates. wake me up when secret of mana hits.

You may wanna slip into a coma. Or wait for a DS remake announcement instead.

 

[Capndrake]

EU VC update:

-Samurai Shodown 2 (Neo Geo)
-Ecco Jr. (Mega Drive)
-Pitstop II (C64)

 

[brain_stew]

EU VC update:

-Samurai Shodown 2 (Neo Geo)
-Ecco Jr. (Mega Drive)
-Pitstop II (C64)

No Sonic (MS) .

 

[Gabyskra]

-Samurai Shodown 2 (Neo Geo)

Well, can't complain, but I can't justify buying it for 8€ when the Anthology with 7 versions (including SS6 Tenkaichi Kenkakuden) will hit soon. It'll probably be possible to find it for cheap too. Meh, I'll pass.

 

[Agent Unknown]

^^^^

Those willing to switch discs for a bargain, unite!

 

[Dash Kappei]

FUCK YES SS2!

Don't you guys dare complain this week

I'm off to DL

 

[mollipen]

Well, can't complain, but I can't justify buying it for 8€ when the Anthology with 7 versions (including SS6 Tenkaichi Kenkakuden) will hit soon. It'll probably be possible to find it for cheap too. Meh, I'll pass.

One could make the argument, though, that the SamSho series really don't have much worth owning past SamSho 2.

 

[speedpop]

It's NOA's insistence on a mediocre effort for the service which has taken them from ignoring their customers to outright lying and jerking around their 3rd parties (it seriously looked like a slap on the wrist for making their announcements early).

I thought NCL had total control over what releases on the VC globally?

 

[Agent Unknown]

I thought NCL had total control over what releases on the VC globally?

Some folks (me included) think that's just NOA passing the buck. Although if the "Hudson, Capcom, and SNK were disciplined for announcing early" theory would possibly hold more water in a sole NCL controlled situation. "Ha! Try to force our hand, will you Gaijin? Take THIS! Great piles of lukewarm DEEP HURTING!"

 

[Dash Kappei]

One could make the argument, though, that the SamSho series really don't have much worth owning past SamSho 2.

That's indeed my point.

 

[Mutagenic]

I recently purchased the Sonic Gems Collection. Does this make purchasing Sonic on the SMS redundant? I know about the increased field of view over the Game Gear version present in the collection, but is that the only difference?

 

[VOOK]

EU VC update:

-Samurai Shodown 2 (Neo Geo)
-Ecco Jr. (Mega Drive)
-Pitstop II (C64)

Yeah we're getting awesome updates alright.

 

[Agent Unknown]

I recently purchased the Sonic Gems Collection. Does this make purchasing Sonic on the SMS redundant? I know about the increased field of view over the Game Gear version present in the collection, but is that the only difference?

Yes that is the only real difference and yes you would be throwing away $5. edit: Assuming you also own Sonic Mega Collection which has GG Sonic 1. Gems has the lackluster GG Sonic 2 as the headliner for its respective GG titles.

edit: Gems also includes Vectorman 1 & 2 as unlockables. There's an extra $16 in your wallet not needing to be converted into points.

edit: Oh, and don't forget Mega Collection also has Ristar, Sonic Spinball, Mean Bean Machine, and Sonic 3D Blast. There's $32 saved. Like Gems, the Mega Collection can be had used easily for $13-15 dollars. Speaking of deep hurting, the Japanese Gems disc had Bonanza Bros, and more importantly SoR 1-3 as extras in addition to Vector Man 1&2! Just so they could keep the E rating in the U.S.

 

[Regulus Tera]

Everyone's favourite prophet/anti-Christ, Sean Malstrom, has a theory on why the Virtual Console releases are crappy: http://seanmalstrom.wordpress.com/2...arties-try-to-force-virtual-console-releases/

Three third parties, Capcom, Hudson, and SNK, all announced three VC games that would come out today in America: Megaman 1, Ys 1 and II, and Samarai [sic] Showdown II. Today, Nintendo announced the VC games of the week were Master System Sonic and Splatterhouse 2. How could three seperate [sic] third party companies confirm game releases only to all three be wrong?

What we know is that when a third party submits its game, it has no say of when it comes out. The makers of Gyrostarr thought their WiiWare title would be coming out fairly soon after the launch. Instead, Nintendo releases another of their games (the card game). Frustrated with how long their games are in the queue, third parties might have begun ‘announcing’ games to turn public pressure on Nintendo to release them.

From the third parties perspective, it does them no good to have sure fire selling games just sitting in the queue. They want them out there ASAP so they can reap the money for a good long time.

Nintendo has a different perspective on the Virtual Console. To them, the Virtual Console is a way to sustain Wii momentum when no games are coming out. Reggie has commented on this before. However, Nintendo has a major headache in America with supply. The constant sell outs and unpredictable economic climate has made the Wii American supply a very dangerous factor in the long term. Any day the bottom of the demand could fall out and tons of Wii systems would appear on the shelves. This would radically change the image of Wii to everyone start calling it ‘fad’ and would become seen as just a product instead of ‘hard to get thing that will make your friends jealous’. Nintendo has no interest putting up excellent games on the VC when momentum for the Wii is already sky high.

The first months of the Virtual Console were an entirely different story. Momentum was not assurred. Nintendo wasted no time putting out even its stable of classics. If the Wii was not selling so well in America, I’d imagine the VC releases would be far better.

The Wii is not performing well in Japan, according to Iwata’s expectations. The combo release of Super Smash Brothers, Mario Kart Wii, Wii Fit, and Mario Galaxy was supposed to rocket the Wii up to the craziness of the DS of 2005. Mario Kart Wii sold fine, Wii Fit sold fine, and even Smash Brothers X sold fairly well. But Mario Galaxy essentially flopped in the Japanese market considering Nintendo’s expectations of it.

Reeling from this floppage, Nintendo will likely begin multi-colored Wii systems in Japan very soon to shoot up sales. But the VC releases in Japan are still going fairly strong since the Wii is still somewhat struggling there (struggling to Iwata’s expectations).

Much of the VC fiascos don’t make sense. We know Nintendo of Japan is who controls what games are released in the other territories. But this interesting new wrinkle of why three third parties would put out release dates that didn’t come true puts up two possibilities:

1) Nintendo lied to them.

2) Third parties did it to put public pressure on Nintendo to release them.

Remember this interview with Treasure that 1up did?

"1UP: Speaking of online services, Gunstar Heroes recently released on the Virtual Console. Are we going to see more Treasure titles on there soon?

MM: There are four of our Genesis titles that are legally OK to release on the Virtual Console now, so it’s probably just a matter of time. We’re also considering putting them on Live Arcade.

1UP: So when are we going to see Sin & Punishment?

MM: Ah yes, it was on the Virtual Console list that Nintendo released a while back. They are planning to put it out on VC at some point, but it’s probably going to be a while still. It’s really up to Nintendo in terms of how they want to stagger things out - they could probably put 1,000 games on there tomorrow if they wanted, but obviously they don’t want to do that."

The interview took place on January 4, 2007. Sin and Punishment was released in September and October for America and Japan of 2007. So there is definitely a queue.

What is interesting about the announced games was that each one has reason of impatience for it to be up. Capcom wants Mega Man up because it is out in the other territories and plans on having Mega Man 2 out soon as well for the upcoming new Mega Man 9 a month away. SNK wants Samarai Showdown 2 up to get money before the Anthology version apppears. Hudson is probably getting tired of fans asking them why Ys I and II aren’t on the service yet and will want it to appear.

I don’t see Nintendo ‘punishing’ third parties for announcing their games as it is third parties impatient by a queue. With Nintendo planning a long lifecycle for the Wii, the VC releases will be forever staggered unless Wii drops suddenly in NA sales.

Nintendo made a statement.

"A number of variables can affect a game’s release date. Therefore, the Wii-kly Update is the only authority for confirmed release dates of Virtual Console games." - Nintendo of America

The key phrase here is ‘only authority’.

What about WiiWare games? Will Megaman 9 come out in September or not?

While customers have griped about digital distribution as it takes control away from the consumer, it looks like we forgot about third parties. Instead of being ‘freed’ from the retail store, the console company BECOMES the retail store which gives them more leverage.

 

[Somnid]

Yeah we're getting awesome updates alright.

Grass is always greener on the other side. But yeah, if you pay attention Europe's not in any better shape. North America and Japan have had Ecco Jr since November of last year. No favoritism in the Western territories.