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[Ranger X]

You're right in that the Virtual Console is based more on current videogame retail trends than anything else, like iTunes for example. Frankly I'm not exactly fond of that model though, because it makes it incredibly difficult to find games a year down the road unless it's something incredibly popular like Halo or Pokemon; for the most part retailers have moved on and no longer stock it unless they still have some copies remaining from their initial shipment. Music isn't like this, and neither are movies, so I don't quite understand why it's the same way for games -- actually I do understand why, but I don't agree with the mentality. The big problem is that anything not 'current gen' is deemed obsolete, and with yearly upgrades of tons of different franchises even most games from a couple years ago aren't considered worth buying anymore by a good deal of consumers. I was kind of hoping that the Virtual Console would avoid this buying mantra, but obviously it has not.

I like looking forward to the weekly releases as much as the rest of this forum, and I agree with you that I've considered some titles more strongly than I would have normally just because they came out that week and I was looking for something to play. On the other hand, I still think I'd prefer to pick out whatever I want when I want, and I still find myself looking through the back catalog for games I may be interested in. Just the other day I picked up Battle Lode Runner and Bomberman, neither of which I had even considered buying when they were first releases to VC.

I don't agree with the mentality either. Sadly it's been since forever that devs/publishers educated people into thinking about videogames as an ephemere medium. And ephemere fun. And fact is that most people are not replaying their old games. The whole industry is riding on that. And publishers like that. People always rebuy new games and they continue to educate them in that way. Just look at those ridiculous trading ads at EBgames where the faster you trade a game the more money you get so you can buy new games or more games. This clearly describes how videogames are perceived by most people.

Personally i see videogames as something that can stay. Just like music, movies, painting, clothing, etc. The medium is young. The general perception about it is still wrong.

 

[cartman414]

I don't agree with the mentality either. Sadly it's been since forever that devs/publishers educated people into thinking about videogames as an ephemere medium. And ephemere fun. And fact is that most people are not replaying their old games. The whole industry is riding on that. And publishers like that. People always rebuy new games and they continue to educate them in that way. Just look at those ridiculous trading ads at EBgames where the faster you trade a game the more money you get so you can buy new games or more games. This clearly describes how videogames are perceived by most people.

Personally i see videogames as something that can stay. Just like music, movies, painting, clothing, etc. The medium is young. The general perception about it is still wrong.

Hear hear. Anyone else for the idea of a thread on this very topic?

 

[RurouniZel]

Is it just me, or does The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past seem to scroll a little more smoothly than it did on the SNES? Can anyone confirm this? Maybe it's just my eyes...

But analogue support for the game f***ing rules! ^^

 

[dhowerter]

PepsimanvsJoe -

So I picked up Top Hunter...

First off when you run out of continues the game asks if you want to save to your memory card. Then when you start a new game after choosing your difficulty you're asked if you want to load your previous game. If you say yes you get kicked back to whatever stage you were on when you lost your last credit. Needless to say this alleviates my only worry since basically I have unlimited continues.

Just to double check here.. this is referring to the Wii Virtual Console version of Top Hunter, correct? (not an actual AES/MVS cart)

If it is the VC version, that is the first time I've heard of a Wii VC Neo Geo game using a virtual "memory card" (the Neo Geo AES system itself had an actual memory card)

DO any other VC Neo Geo games let you save your progress like that? (to the virtual "memory card")

.

 

[Vyse The Legend]

Right. It's a lot better.

Yes, you'd be right if this was Opposite Land.

 

[ethelred]

Yes, you'd be right if this was Opposite Land.

But it's not.

 

[Vyse The Legend]

But it's not.

You! Have you played Landstalker yet?!

 

[ethelred]

You! Have you played Landstalker yet?!

I've been playing Landstalker for fifteen years.

 

[dhowerter]

speedpop / ALL-


KOF 94 Controls using a GAMECUBE controller on Wii:

King of Fighters '94 button rundown.

Control stick and the digital pad are both methods of control.
B = light punch
A = light kick
Y = heavy kick
X = heavy punch

OK, just for reference, I have heard that the buttons get mapped to a CLASSIC CONTROLLER like this:

Neo Classic Controller
---- ---------------------
A --> B
B --> A
C --> Y
D --> X

(which btw if you look at button placement on a CLassic controller, is exactly the same as a Neo Geo CD control pad

If EITHER of those mappping charts is not correct, someone let me know PLEASE


Also for reference King of Fighters 94 has the controls like this:

A --> Light punch
B --> Light kick
C --> Heavy punch
D --> Heavy kick


The odd thing tho is that on the Gamecube controller AND the Classic Controller Neo A= B and Neo B = A, but according to the above info, on a Classic controller Neo C = Y and Neo D = X while on a Gamecube controller its the other way around (Neo C = X and Neo D = Y)

So did Nintendo change the controls to be more suited to the GC controller?
(usually A=A, B=B, X=X and Y=Y when you convert from a CLassic controller to a GC controller, thats why Super Mario World's controls were perfect om a Classic controller and messed up on a GameCube controller

Or is some of the info above wrong? (Classic controller Neo VC controls and /or GC controller NEO VC controls)

SO close yet so far to understanding this fully -_-

.

 

[Bog]

More people need to check out Vegas Stakes. It's a nice and mindless (yet addictive) casino "adventure".

 

[Ranger X]

Hear hear. Anyone else for the idea of a thread on this very topic?

It's obviously a subject that interest me but i'm way too lazy to create a thread. :lol

 

[cartman414]

^^ I would, but first I would need to think of a good post to kick off the thread.

 

[Jiggy]

I'd also like to see such a thread happen. Might not have much to contribute to it myself, but I do find it a fascinating topic.

 

[PepsimanVsJoe]

Right. It's a lot better.

Well you're wrong but you have a cool avatar so I guess I lose.

 

[sfog]

DO any other VC Neo Geo games let you save your progress like that? (to the virtual "memory card")

Yes, Magician Lord lets you save like this as well.

 

[twilitesparklemotion]

I found out how to avoid VC Buyer's Remorse, at least as far as NES games go: http://www.virtualnes.com I wouldn't consider it piracy since you have to be on the website to use it and you can't save your game (unless it uses passwords), but if you guys do I'll remove the link. It recreates the entire NES library in Java.

I'm playing Star Tropics right now and it's not exactly grabbing me. Any reason it should?

EDIT: Played until I got a gameover at the first boss, and that's all I'll play so it's more like a demo and less like I'm stealing the game. I can definitely see the appeal but I'm not going to bother until I finish A Link to the Past.

 

[Mistouze]

(which btw if you look at button placement on a CLassic controller, is exactly the same as a Neo Geo CD control pad

THAT IS AWESOME.

 

[JJConrad]

I remember renting StarTropics once. Worst rental ever!

I enjoyed it until the radio, but rentals don't include the instruction booklet, so I was stuck. I'd like to see how the VC release handles this

Spoiler

747

 

[hoverboarder]

Any news on what's coming today to US? I could wait..but why?

 

[AlternativeUlster]

Any news on what's coming today to US? I could wait..but why?

Read the posts above yours, KoF '94 and StarTropics.

MY SAD STORY:

I tried to buy WiiPoints at Wal-Mart but they were sold out of all the normal cards except for the ones that came with classic controller rubber crap which was $5 more so I didn't get anything. I have to stop by Best Buy in the morning so I can play some StarTropics tomorrow. What else should I get? I was thinking about getting OoT since I never finished it or some RPG or a couple Treasure games I haven't played. All I have is Sin and Punishment and I also have 300 points so after Star Tropics, I will have enough for a SNES / GENESIS game and a N64 game or some other combos.

 

[Iam Canadian]

Read the posts above yours, KoF '94 and StarTropics.

MY SAD STORY:

I tried to buy WiiPoints at Wal-Mart but they were sold out of all the normal cards except for the ones that came with classic controller rubber crap which was $5 more so I didn't get anything. I have to stop by Best Buy in the morning so I can play some StarTropics tomorrow. What else should I get? I was thinking about getting OoT since I never finished it or some RPG or a couple Treasure games I haven't played. All I have is Sin and Punishment and I also have 300 points so after Star Tropics, I will have enough for a SNES / GENESIS game and a N64 game or some other combos.

I always say this, but Gunstar Heroes absolutely should be one of them. It's an absolutely amazing game.

To go with it? I'll assume you have access to the really obvious classics (SMB3, SMW, LttP), so I'll rattle off some lesser known and/or lesser released greats: Super Metroid, Adventures of Lolo, Ninja Gaiden I and II, Wonder Boy, Bubble Bobble, the TG16 Star Soldier titles, Gate of Thunder, and Landstalker. Okay, maybe that was a bit much. >_>

 

[DDayton]

sold out of all the normal cards except for the ones that came with classic controller rubber crap which was $5 more so I didn't get anything.

What's this Wii Points / controller rubber covering thing?

 

[cartman414]

I always say this, but Gunstar Heroes absolutely should be one of them. It's an absolutely amazing game.

To go with it? I'll assume you have access to the really obvious classics (SMB3, SMW, LttP), so I'll rattle off some lesser known and/or lesser released greats: Super Metroid, Adventures of Lolo, Ninja Gaiden I and II, Wonder Boy, Bubble Bobble, the TG16 Star Soldier titles, Gate of Thunder, and Landstalker. Okay, maybe that was a bit much. >_>

Wait, so you put Super Metroid in the latter category? SM's firmly in the top tier.

 

[Iam Canadian]

Wait, so you put Super Metroid in the latter category? SM's firmly in the top tier.

Yes, but Super Metroid hasn't seen a rerelease since the SNES original, while the Mario games and Zelda are easily available to anyone with a GBA or DS.

 

[cartman414]

Yes, but Super Metroid hasn't seen a rerelease since the SNES original, while the Mario games and Zelda are easily available to anyone with a GBA or DS.

I see. SM has still maintained a legendary status, though.

 

[Shard]

WII-KLY UPDATE: TWO NEW CLASSIC GAMES ADDED TO WII SHOP CHANNEL

Jan. 7, 2008

Can't believe it's already 2008? Soothe that sense of future shock with a visit to the Wii Shop Channel, where we've just added a pair of awesome vintage games from way back in the 20th century. This week's new offerings include an unpredictable island-hopping adventure and a legendary fighting title, each guaranteed to deliver classic gaming excitement throughout the new year and beyond.

Two new classic games go live at 9 a.m. Pacific time. Nintendo adds new games to the Wii Shop Channel 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:

Star Tropics™ (NES®, 1 player, Rated E for Everyone-Mild Fantasy Violence, 500 Wii Points): Find out just how resourceful you can be in this classic game, with its mixture of adventure and RPG elements. Step into the shoes of Mike Jones, a teenage star pitcher from Seattle who has come to the tropics to visit his famous archeologist uncle, Dr. Jones. After being told that his uncle has been abducted, Mike begins a perilous quest in order to rescue him and figure out the mysterious plot behind his disappearance. Luckily for Mike, he meets helpful villagers and finds more powerful weapons as he explores numerous locations and island-hops using his uncle's submarine. You'll never know what to expect next as the cosmic story unfolds over the course of eight action-packed chapters, ranging from Dr. Jones's lab on C-Island to an alien spacecraft. Who knew a tropical vacation could turn into a mission to save the world?

THE KING OF FIGHTERS '94 (NEOGEO, 1-2 players, Rated T for Teen-Animated Blood, Mild Language, Mild Suggestive Themes, Alcohol & Tobacco Reference, Violence, 900 Wii Points): As the first game in the long-running KING OF FIGHTERS series, THE KING OF FIGHTERS '94 brought together popular characters from other well-known franchises and pitted them against each other. Match warriors from Fatal Fury against favorites from its sister series, Art of Fighting. Or see if the casts of the Ikari Warriors and Psycho Soldier series better suit your fighting style. Plus, there's a set of brand new characters, exclusive to the KOF series, who are willing to join the fray. But there's a twist: Instead of the standard best-two- out-of-three-rounds fight setup, players choose one of eight teams, each made up of three teammates. To win, all members of the other team must be eliminated before your fighters are knocked out. Use the game's power gauge to inflict maximum damage and end the round with a devastating finishing move. It's a battle royal unlike anything else-a game whose inspiration is easily seen in the fighting games that followed it. Can your team be the last one standing?

For more information about Wii, please visit wii.com.

 

[farnham]

Startropics !!!

AND KOF 94!!!

 

[leroy hacker]

I think most people who buy Startropics based on the GAF hype will be disappointed. If it hadn't been published by Nintendo and promoted so heavily in Nintendo Power, it would be remembered, if at all, as utterly mediocre.

 

[Capndrake]

So, who's gonna get StarTropics? I'd like somebody to check how they fixed the letter thing.

 

[Like the hat?]

I just bought a boxed copy of Startropics for $5. I am still gonna buy this VC version though. I loves me some Startropics. Now theres a series that needs a return (even though Zoda's Revenge wasn't quite as good as the first)

 

[Jme]

I think most people who buy Startropics based on the GAF hype will be disappointed. If it hadn't been published by Nintendo and promoted so heavily in Nintendo Power, it would be remembered, if at all, as utterly mediocre.

What the hell? Star Tropics has one of the best stories on the NES, some great graphics, and creative gameplay. It's everything that Zelda 2 should have been.

 

[gray_fox224]

JESUS, finally we get King of Fighters. It's about fucking time.

 

[radioheadrule83]

This Fridays update in Europe better be good

 

[Samuray]

THE KING OF FIGHTERS '94 (NEOGEO, 1-2 players, Rated T for Teen-Animated Blood, Mild Language, Mild Suggestive Themes, Alcohol & Tobacco Reference, Violence, 900 Wii Points)

It's still the censored version just like in EU, of course. Right?

 

[Stumpokapow]

So, who's gonna get StarTropics? I'd like somebody to check how they fixed the letter thing.

Change letter to manual and the in-game manual will work fine.

 

[SonicMegaDrive]

If KOF is uncensored, then I'll buy it.

Hopefully somebody will confirm this shortly after it hits.

 

[Lee N]

How have they solved the issue with the code in StarTropics on VC? In the original on the NES you got a little piece of paper that you were supposed to wash under water to reveal a code that you need in the game.

I remember this particularly well because I bought the game used and didn't get this piece of paper, so I had to try every possible combination until i found the code.

 

[SonicMegaDrive]

How have they solved the issue with the code in StarTropics on VC? In the original on the NES you got a little piece of paper that you were supposed to wash under water to reveal a code that you need in the game.

I remember this particularly well because I bought the game used and didn't get this piece of paper, so I had to try every possible combination until i found the code.

I actually figured out the code through a wild lucky guess. I thought of famous 3-digit numbers.

I remembered the jet, the 747. And I got it on like, my 3rd try.

I had no idea it would work.

 

[Jme]

How have they solved the issue with the code in StarTropics on VC? In the original on the NES you got a little piece of paper that you were supposed to wash under water to reveal a code that you need in the game.

I remember this particularly well because I bought the game used and didn't get this piece of paper, so I had to try every possible combination until i found the code.

In-game virtual-instructions

 

[Lee N]

I actually figured out the code through a wild lucky guess. I thought of famous 3-digit numbers.

I remembered the jet, the 747. And I got it on like, my 3rd try.

I had no idea it would work.

I literally tried my way through them all.. 001, 002, 003, and so on. Yeah, it took a while.. various family members helped me though, we took turns

Good times.

 

[_RT_]

StarTropics was brilliant.
I wish I had more time to actually sit down and play a game because I would pick that up in a hearbeat.

 

[SonicMegaDrive]

I literally tried my way through them all.. 001, 002, 003, and so on. Yeah, it took a while.. various family members helped me though, we took turns

Good times.

Thank goodness Nintendo had the good heart not to make the code 4-digits long.

 

[CriscoDisco]

I think a Star Tropics game made with the art style of Wind Waker would be great.

 

[djtiesto]

Read the posts above yours, KoF '94 and StarTropics.

MY SAD STORY:

I tried to buy WiiPoints at Wal-Mart but they were sold out of all the normal cards except for the ones that came with classic controller rubber crap which was $5 more so I didn't get anything. I have to stop by Best Buy in the morning so I can play some StarTropics tomorrow. What else should I get? I was thinking about getting OoT since I never finished it or some RPG or a couple Treasure games I haven't played. All I have is Sin and Punishment and I also have 300 points so after Star Tropics, I will have enough for a SNES / GENESIS game and a N64 game or some other combos.

Hmmm, well for Treasure games, Gunstar Heroes and Alien Soldier are must-buys. Didn't care much for Dynamite Headdy and haven't even played my actual cart of Light Crusader so can't give you impressions. You already have the #1 game I'd recommend from the service, so...

Some games I really like are Wrecking Crew, Landstalker, Contra III, Zelda:LTTP, Super Metroid, the Mario games, Balloon Fight, Adventures of Lolo, Dragon's Curse, Streets of Rage 2, the Sonics, Ninja Gaiden 2, Shinobi III, Super Star Soldier, Soldier Blade, Blazing Lazers, Gradius III, Actraiser, and of course StarTropics. Top Hunter looks pretty cool, too, but I've never played it back in the day. Depends what you're into, I tend to enjoy most 2D games, except I'm not too big on brawlers (SOR1 and 2 being the exceptions and most of that is due to their music) or sports titles, with some exceptions.

For RPGs, the 2 best choices as of now are Shining Force (Strategy RPG) and Breath of Fire 2, but Phantasy Star 2 is to hit JP VC this month and should hopefully make the jump over here soon, and we should hopefully be seeing Ys Book 1 and 2 soon. Also there are slight rumors we might be getting Warsong, another excellent underrated SRPG.

 

[Ranger X]

2 games...

 

[Grecco]

2 Games sucks but holy jesus Star Tropics. Gotta get me a Wii pts card now. :lol

 

[Samuray]

So is KOF94 censored?

 

[Iam Canadian]

I find the unspoken assumption that Nintendo thinks Europe can tolerate one game weeks while North America won't (LttP and RotK weeks aside) rather sad. And amusing.

I think the RotK week was just done out of respect for Symphony of the Night, anyway.

 

[zmet]

So is KOF94 censored?

Yup. I wonder if the uncensored code works on the Wii version. I can't check because I don't have another classic controller

 

[EphemeralDream]

I think the (based on currently supported systems) argument of there being not too many titles left to upload seems correct but nevertheless, I don't want to see Nintendo's push of VC completely drop. I'd say it's one of the more positive directions this generation has been moving in and active support for retro gaming is something that needs to happen on all sides. Nintendo (along with Valve's Steam service) have been doing the best job in supporting this direction so for them to falter would be a major setback. I also have rather low expectations of early WiiWare so I doubt it'll do a great job of supplementing/replacing VC.

There are many grievances to be had with VC, but I think it'd be completely wrong to say that Nintendo hasn't done a great job of opening doors towards retro gaming. Who's going to remember it if the flame is barely flickering in later years?