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Official "Free" NES/GBA games for 3DS thread of Nintendo's guilt

randomkid

Member
Oh wow, transfer being confirmed for both the GBA and NES games just made me about 20% more likely to keep this 3DS I am renting from Best Buy (30-day return with receipt woohoo!).

If they announce Advance Wars and maybe 1 or 2 other games I want then odds of keeping it will skyrocket.
 

Roto13

Member
omgkitty said:
Don't believe him at all. No way in hell Nintendo would do that. It's some idiot trying to get you to come in a buy something. GUARANTEED.
Absolutely. Today's Nintendo Download press email even makes a point of saying that today is the last day to qualify for the free games. That GS guy is an asshole and should be fired.
 
Brazil said:
No Home access in-game, no restore points, and no suspend function for GBA titles?

Talk about half-assed.

Edit: NO SLEEP? Holy shit. Where's the :lol: gif?

I'm guessing these are also "priority delivery" versions, but Nintendo won't reveal that because they "have no plans to release them" to the general public yet.
Obviously they're using the DS chip's built-in support for GBA games, which have none of that. The GB/GBC/NES support is achieve via emulation, which made adding features via software possible.
 

MooMoo

Member
darkhunger said:
Obviously they're using the DS chip's built-in support for GBA games, which have none of that. The GB/GBC/NES support is achieve via emulation, which made adding features via software possible.
Pretty much this. Since they're using the old DS CPU chip or whatever, they can't retroactively add sleep support via closing the 3DS. I'm mad about it too, but thinking back the original DS and DS Lite didn't support GBA sleep features via closing the DS. You had to manually look for it in the game and activate it. I just wish they would add more to the Home suspend screen for DS games such as battery life and time.
 

Tyeforce

Member
Transferring GBA games is confirmed?! YES!! I've been stressing over that for awhile now. Good to know they're transferrable. My worries are gone.
 
darkhunger said:
Obviously they're using the DS chip's built-in support for GBA games, which have none of that. The GB/GBC/NES support is achieve via emulation, which made adding features via software possible.

They are using an OS overlay though. I'm guessing it's still possible for them to code in savestates and sleep at a future date if they wanted, it just probably has to fit in some sort of GBA-accessible memory map.
 

Roto13

Member
GBA games don't really need savestates. They were designed for the GBA so they were designed to be portable. Frequent save points, quick save, some probably with their own sleep modes that just aren't automatic.
 

Emitan

Member
Pretty sure the DS chip doesn't support GBA games. I remember the DS having a second chip for BC with the GBA which means these games are being emulated.
 
Billychu said:
Pretty sure the DS chip doesn't support GBA games. I remember the DS having a second chip for BC with the GBA which means these games are being emulated.

Wikipedia said:
CPUs: Two ARM processors, an ARM946E-S main CPU and ARM7TDMI coprocessor at clock speeds of 67 MHz and 33 MHz respectively. The ARM946E-S CPU processes gameplay mechanisms and video rendering while the ARM7TDMI processes sound output, Wi-Fi support and additionally, when in Game Boy Advance mode, processes what the other processor used to do.

Wikipedia said:
CPU: 16.8 MHz 32-bit ARM7TDMI with embedded memory

So, there you go. One of the processors in the 3DS did double-duty.
 

tuffy

Member
Billychu said:
Pretty sure the DS chip doesn't support GBA games. I remember the DS having a second chip for BC with the GBA which means these games are being emulated.
The GBA has an ARM7 as a main CPU. The DS has both an ARM9 and ARM7, for backwards-compatibility in GBA mode and as a coprocessor for DS games. Since the 3DS isn't emulating DS titles, there's likely an ARM7 tucked away in there somewhere.
 
Woohoo for transferrable games confirmation. The blue 3DS looked better in some pictures than it does to me in person.

Can't wait to go Back to Black. /Amy Winehouse
 

@MUWANdo

Banned
tuffy said:
The GBA has an ARM7 as a main CPU. The DS has both an ARM9 and ARM7, for backwards-compatibility in GBA mode and as a coprocessor for DS games. Since the 3DS isn't emulating DS titles, there's likely an ARM7 tucked away in there somewhere.

The DSi has a single ARM11 processor in place of the ARM7/9 combo, and the 3DS contains two (significantly overclocked) ARM11 processors.
 

maeda

Member
Nuclear Muffin said:
Controls are fine, but there are some problems with the port. In addition to the obvious sound downgrade and brightened up graphics that are characteristics of most SNES to GBA ports, there are some missing special effects (the famous Kamek magic effect on bosses is gone and the "touch fuzzy get dizzy" effect was botched horribly) and there's some slowdown in a few places.

Also the hidden multiplayer mode for the minigames is gone now (just single player)

The extra levels are really good though. Really well designed and just as good as the ones found in the main game.

As for the Yoshi voice added to the game, I'm fine with it. I found the Mario voices in SMA 1 and 2 to be annoying and the young OoT link voice in ALTTP GBA was ear piercingly horrible (YA, YA, YA, YA!!!), but Yoshi in SMA 3 is perfectly fine (same voices as in Yoshi's Story)
Thanks for the explanation. Funny enough I too hated Mario voices in SMA 1 and 2, an Link voice in ALTTP. I am very happy to hear that extra levels are well designed and a worthy addition. Can't wait to actually beat Yoshi's Island. I've never got past the 3rd world.
 

tsab

Member
Leonsito said:
Just got my 3DS in Spain, I have less than four hours to enter the eshop.

Console is charging atm.

No, you have less than 2 hours and 40 minutes actually. (before Midnight CET, not local time)
I suggest go to the e-shop with the charger plugged in. Buy Portable Shrine Wars on your way out:p
 

fse

Member
Wait you mean there is still time for me to get a 3ds and 20 free games?
Does the offer end @ 12am PST?
 
@MUWANdo said:
The DSi has a single ARM11 processor in place of the ARM7/9 combo, and the 3DS contains two (significantly overclocked) ARM11 processors.

Er...have a source for that? Both wikipedia and ARM itself point to the DSi having faster clocked ARM7/9 processors. This is the best comparison I could glean from some searching:

GBA: ARM7@16.7MHz
NDS: ARM7@33MHz + ARM9@67MHz
DSi: ARM7@33MHz + ARM9@133MHz
3DS: ARM11@266MHz (x2)
 

Leonsito

Member
Lord Ghirahim said:
I miss your animated avatar D:

Yeah, me too...

LionBanana.gif


Santiako said:
Then buy Risk:Factions on XBLA/PSN :D

I played a game of Risk when I was young, I think my brain is still trying to understand how to play it :(
 

Cerepol

Member
am I too late?

EDIT:

HOLY SHIT you guys scared me, but I logged in and I'm still an ambassador, waiting for that system update though was teeth clenching.
 

andthebeatgoeson

Junior Member
Just went looking but Walmart was all out. Then what's my point for buying now? I'll buy in a few months. Right now, there are some decent games and OoT that gets me excited but I'll just wait til they crank up production. Just buy Dead Space 2.
 

Magnus

Member
Lucky Number Seven Force said:
This was the message I got when going to the eShop news section:

8i6gd.jpg

I'm not sure what this means for everyone else, but I connected to the eShop once or twice when I first got my 3DS at launch, and once again just yesterday to be extra-cautious.

I popped on again now to check my News section in the e-Shop and this message (ambassador status) was there. So I'm relieved.
 

zychi

Banned
dunno where else to put this, don't see an official 3ds thread.

i bought a 3ds at launch, got excitebike for free and bought zelda dx. sold the 3ds in june, deleted the sd card. and now i have a new one i bought today. i assumed my club nintendo account would keep the info that i own these games. i logged into the same account on my new 3ds and it wont let me redownload. what do i have to do to get my two dled games back? am i sol?
 
zychi said:
dunno where else to put this, don't see an official 3ds thread.

i bought a 3ds at launch, got excitebike for free and bought zelda dx. sold the 3ds in june, deleted the sd card. and now i have a new one i bought today. i assumed my club nintendo account would keep the info that i own these games. i logged into the same account on my new 3ds and it wont let me redownload. what do i have to do to get my two dled games back? am i sol?

I'm afraid you're SOL. That stuff is tied to the system, not a Club Nintendo account.
 

Magnus

Member
Alright, I have a stupid question.

How do I actually browse the entire library of (1) Virtual Console titles, (2) DSiware titles, and (3) 3DS-ware (?) titles on the e-shop?

All I can seem to find is the 'Charts' section where I can view 'All Software' and then filter by the above there categories, but every list that it pulls for me is limited to 20 entries, and I know there's more than that.

Edit- Sorry, I know Virtual Console has its own section, but the other two don't seem to? I just have a smattering of categories like, "Girl Power Leading Ladies" or "Single-Player Games".
 

Datrio

Member
I'm in Poland - due to a very stupid predicament, I accessed eShop 20 minutes ago. If the offer was ending at CET, not CEST, then that means I was too late? :/

No message on the News section of the eShop, just for the record.
 

Javier

Member
Magnus said:
Alright, I have a stupid question.

How do I actually browse the entire library of (1) Virtual Console titles, (2) DSiware titles, and (3) 3DS-ware (?) titles on the e-shop?

All I can seem to find is the 'Charts' section where I can view 'All Software' and then filter by the above there categories, but every list that it pulls for me is limited to 20 entries, and I know there's more than that.
There's a Search feature (not the text field on the bottom, but the 5th panel from the left) that allows you to search using filters. You can use that to only show titles of certain categories such as VC and DSiWare. It's not limited to 20 entries, as the last entry is a "Next" button that shows the next 20 entries.
 

PKrockin

Member
Magnus said:
Alright, I have a stupid question.

How do I actually browse the entire library of (1) Virtual Console titles, (2) DSiware titles, and (3) 3DS-ware (?) titles on the e-shop?

All I can seem to find is the 'Charts' section where I can view 'All Software' and then filter by the above there categories, but every list that it pulls for me is limited to 20 entries, and I know there's more than that.

Edit- Sorry, I know Virtual Console has its own section, but the other two don't seem to? I just have a smattering of categories like, "Girl Power Leading Ladies" or "Single-Player Games".

The only 3DSware available at the moment is Let's Golf 3D, Nintendo Video, and Pokedex 3D (and 3D Classics Excitebike + 3D Classics Xevious if they count) btw.
 

GameE

Member
Why is everyone going crazy about the spot pass and eshop message? Maybe they dont give the message if you are in a certain country? Nintendo said that it you connect to the shop once you are fine
 

Magnus

Member
GameE said:
Why is everyone going crazy about the spot pass and eshop message? Maybe they dont give the message if you are in a certain country? Nintendo said that it you connect to the shop once you are fine

It isn't an outlandish fear. Some people are getting a message that sounds like a confirmation of being part of the Ambassador program, and some aren't, despite having connected to the shop.

Javier said:
There's a Search feature (not the text field on the bottom, but the 5th panel from the left) that allows you to search using filters. You can use that to only show titles of certain categories such as VC and DSiWare. It's not limited to 20 entries, as the last entry is a "Next" button that shows the next 20 entries.

Cool, thanks dude!

Still, awfully brutal interface if I can't just pull up a list of all available titles by category without having to go into a search mode. Oh, Nintendo.
 
That's some shit GBA emulator, ch.

Fire Emblem please.

zychi said:
dunno where else to put this, don't see an official 3ds thread.

i bought a 3ds at launch, got excitebike for free and bought zelda dx. sold the 3ds in june, deleted the sd card. and now i have a new one i bought today. i assumed my club nintendo account would keep the info that i own these games. i logged into the same account on my new 3ds and it wont let me redownload. what do i have to do to get my two dled games back? am i sol?
Welcome to Nintendo online service.
 

MicH

Member
Haven't gotten the shop one, but got the info one from spotpass (not a "you're an ambassador!" note).

From Denmark. Might be why?
 

Drkirby

Corporate Apologist
Oh right, I got this while I was banned. On the 2nd I asked Nintendo which games we would be getting, the replied with stuff that matches the press release. The next day, they sent me this. This likely burst the bubble on SMBA4:
nintendo3DS.jpg
 
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