[Kobun Heat]

http://blog.wired.com/games/2006/11/...rvers_go_.html

Well, with like eight hours to go before the first Wii is sold, Nintendo took their servers online this morning. Wii Shop is the only thing you can access. From there, you have three options: give them money (purchase Wii points with a prepaid card or CC), buy virtual console games, or go into the Wii Ware channel which will eventually sell you the Opera browser and original Wii software, but for now just features a whole lot of nothing.

Launch game list:

* Donkey Kong (NES)
* Legend of Zelda (NES)
* Mario Bros. (NES) -- that's not "Super"
* Soccer (NES)
* Pinball (NES)
* Wario's Woods (NES)
* Solomon's Key (NES)
* F-Zero (SNES)
* Sim City (SNES)
* Altered Beast (GEN)
* Sonic (GEN)
* Super Mario 64 (64)

No Turbo games? WTF. Actually, I take that WTF back and I apply it to the fact that when you start a virtual console game from the menu, if your TV is in 16:9 mode, it defaults to a stretched-out image. And you have to manually put it back into 4:3. WTF. Lame.

[AndoCalrissian]

They should have launched the service with more, bigger games. Looks like I'll probably pick up Zelda, Super Mario 64, F-Zero, and Sonic off the bat, and then wait and see what's in the pipeline. Hopefully stuff like Star Fox, Donkey Kong Country, and Wave Race 64 aren't too far off.

[JCX]

Seriously nintendo, I want gunstar heroes now. This launch is getting to be pretty dissapointing.

[GhostSeed]

Was the downloading quick?

[Kobun Heat]

Was the downloading quick?

Yes.

I'm putting up a video whenever YouTube gets its act together.

[whatdidyousay]

So how do the games look? Are they in 480p?

[AndoCalrissian]

No Turbo games? WTF. Actually, I take that WTF back and I apply it to the fact that when you start a virtual console game from the menu, if your TV is in 16:9 mode, it defaults to a stretched-out image. And you have to manually put it back into 4:3. WTF. Lame.

I suppose they might fix that, but I wouldn't bet on it. Seems kind of odd... if anything it should be the other way around.

[Zerodoppler]

So how do you buy stuff with a CC? Do you have to punch in the number every time, or can you store it in memory and lock it away with a pin code?

[The Main Event]

No Gunstar Heroes?!?!

[Kobun Heat]

If you have an account with Nintendo already through their web page, you can link it to your Wii account. So I assume you store your CC info behind that password, although I haven't tried buying more points yet. I'll give that a spin later.

[JonathanEx]

I bet they were just "undetermined" about the aspect-ratio thing, like they were with the controller support. :P

[brocke]

so how will the games be stored on the wii again with no harddrive?

[SovanJedi]

Apparently the Virtual Console list is updated every Monday, so check back in a few days and Gunstar Heroes might be there. With luck. :D

[Cosmonaut X]

Chris, just a couple of quick Qs:

-- Once downloaded, each game gets its own Channel, right? Can you organise these under one "SNES Channel", for example, or are you stuck with filling up the Channel grid with individual games?

-- What does the "More Details" button on each VC title listing link to?

-- Any noticeable improvements in terms of framerate, res etc., especially on SM64?

[Xzior]

Too bad the games don't cost between $1-5, that would be a fair price in my opinion.

[Cosmonaut X]

so how will the games be stored on the wii again with no harddrive?

In the 512MB of flash memory which we've known about for months now...

[Chi-Town]

so how will the games be stored on the wii again with no harddrive?

flash memory

[the year 20XX]

NES Donkey Kong again? Thanks, Nintendo.

And great to know that the only Wii games I really cared about (TG16 roms) aren't available.

[AndoCalrissian]

If you have an account with Nintendo already through their web page, you can link it to your Wii account. So I assume you store your CC info behind that password, although I haven't tried buying more points yet. I'll give that a spin later.

That's interesting. Do you just log in with your My Nintendo account then?

[monchi-kun]

yes, finally my wii can be updated...i'v been getting error codes since last night

[GaimeGuy]

so how will the games be stored on the wii again with no harddrive?

Maybe the 512 MB of flash memory the Wii has? or how about the SD cards you can put them on?

[Quartet]

that is uber stupid "launch". The whole catalog of all games should be available at launch, it's not as if retro gamming would distract folk from buying real Wii launch games.

[StopMakingSense]

Was the downloading quick?

Given the tininess of the downloads, they should be pretty instant. Since these are just the Nintendo games, I can imagine the other consoles would follow shortly behind. I mean, the system hasnt officially launched.

[Milhouse31]

Was the downloading quick?

NES games are like 15KB, SNES one 4MB max and N64 one 64MB (Conker or/and RE2) max but SM64 is like 6MB

They better be fast

[Speevy]

Half those are playable in Animal Crossing. Get more games out.

[sillymonkey321]

no Bonk's Adventure at launch = lame.

[Kobun Heat]

The whole catalog of all games should be available at launch

Agreed. They should be going off the iTunes model. Instead of... whatever you'd call this model. The Consumers Are Stupid model, I guess you'd call it.

[BorkBork]

Eww at that list.

[AntMurda]

How does Super Mario 64 look running 480p?? Do you see any visual enhancements through the emulation??

[White Man]

that is uber stupid "launch". The whole catalog of all games should be available at launch, it's not as if retro gamming would distract folk from buying real Wii launch games.

No, this is the smart thing to do for Nintendo. During the inevitably slow post-launch period, they could string people along with new VC releases. Hopefully PS3 does this as well.

[omg rite]

What? Blowing their load all at once would be pretty dumb.

Aren't they adding more every Monday?

Still destroys Live Arcade's promises.

[BuddyC]

No Bonk's Adventure is a tragic exclusion. Tragic. You can't just tease us like that Nintendo. You lied. You said it would be there. You got my hopes up. That's not nice.



I am stupidly hoping it will appear in the ~12 hours before I get my Wii.

[Diablohead]

that is uber stupid "launch". The whole catalog of all games should be available at launch, it's not as if retro gamming would distract folk from buying real Wii launch games.

Doing it this way some games get more sales then they would on an open 100+ list, its all about marketing.

[AntMurda]

Hopefully we get:

1080* Snowboarding
Wave Race 64
Excitebike 64
F-Zero X + Expansion Set

running 480p through emulation :)

Fire Emblem 4
Fire Emblem 5
Detective Club 2 '98

Translated and released through Virtual console :)

[Fuzzy]

Half those are playable in Animal Crossing. Get more games out.

It would've been nice if the Wii automatically unlocked VC games for free (or for cheaper than the current cost) for games that we already own (games in AC, Zelda CE, etc).

[Cosmonaut X]

No, this is the smart thing to do for Nintendo. During the inevitably slow post-launch period, they could string people along with new VC releases. Hopefully PS3 does this as well.

Bingo. If they can keep up their promise of new releases every week & at least ten new VC titles a month then I'm going to be happy enough with this setup.

[HyperZone<3]

What? Blowing their load all at once would be pretty dumb. Aren't they adding more every Monday? Still destroys Live Arcade's promises.

Too right. I'm still holding out hope that PS3's downloadable PS1 games will shame Nintendo into lowering their prices.

[The Main Event]

Apparently the Virtual Console list is updated every Monday, so check back in a few days and Gunstar Heroes might be there. With luck. :D

This better be added on Monday. I was expecting to download it tomorrow.

[AntMurda]

You should get Wii Points for registering games.

[Greenpanda]

This is like if Netflix launched with some random teen comedies and 2 Land Before Time movies and only added one new DVD to rent every three weeks.

[Amir0x]

yeah Gunstar not being there is pretty disappointing. Tetris Attack and Earthbound are the games I desire, but I was gonna spring for Gunstar as I waited for those games.

[jarosh]

CAN YOU ONLY USE AMERICAN CREDIT CARDS FOR THE STORE
PLEASE ANSWER KOBUN

[pCeSlAyEr]

NES games are like 15KB, SNES one 4MB max and N64 one 64MB (Conker or/and RE2) max but SM64 is like 6MB They better be fast

also im sure they will be compressed/packed inside of some container file to make them smaller..

[BorkBork]

Hopefully we get: Fire Emblem 4 Fire Emblem 5 Detective Club 2 '98 Translated and released through Virtual console :)

I wouldn't get my hopes up for that. :(

[ethelred]

What? Blowing their load all at once would be pretty dumb. Aren't they adding more every Monday? Still destroys Live Arcade's promises.

No, it really doesn't. XBLA destroys this horrifically shitty list. This is a tremendous failure to deliver on the promise of the Virtual Console, and I cannot believe Nintendo is launching like this.

I don't expect them to have the entire catalogue available at launch, but jesus christ, this is a shitty list.

Bingo. If they can keep up their promise of new releases every week & at least ten new VC titles a month then I'm going to be happy enough with this setup.

I like the setup, I'm fine with using the Virtual Console to bolster slow periods software-wise, but they really, really, really needed more games at launch. Like, 40 or so. This is a pathetic lineup.

[Oneiroscope]

CAN YOU ONLY USE AMERICAN CREDIT CARDS FOR THE STORE PLEASE ANSWER KOBUN

quoted for importance (lol, not yes as in yes.. edit)

[ThirstyFly]

Thanks for the list Kobun. Nothing I'm really interested in there but there are a few good titles. I'll probably hold off for Gunstar Heroes or Bonk's Adventure before I invest in a Classic Controller.

I'm looking forward to seeing that video you're putting together though.

[omg rite]

No, it really doesn't. XBLA destroys this horrifically shitty list. This is a tremendous failure to deliver on the promise of the Virtual Console, and I cannot believe Nintendo is launching like this. I don't expect them to have the entire catalogue available at launch, but jesus christ, this is a shitty list.

.. It's launch day, you over exaggerating silly goose.

XBLA in no way DESTROYS this list. Live Arcade has been out for a YEAR. This will be Nintendo's DAY ONE LINEUP, with more to follow every Monday apparently.

Microsoft has trouble getting out ONE game per Wednesday.

[NintendoGal]

Also with this update is the ability to put your saves onto your SD card. You can also store your virtual console games on SD too.

I love the fact when you do this, it dumps it into a folder called "private."

[Amir0x]

No, it really doesn't. XBLA destroys this horrifically shitty list. This is a tremendous failure to deliver on the promise of the Virtual Console, and I cannot believe Nintendo is launching like this. I don't expect them to have the entire catalogue available at launch, but jesus christ, this is a shitty list.

Yeah anyone who thinks this is better than XBLA - especially since it now has tons of content, 95% with additional content added to the original titles - either doesn't own or know anything about a 360, is bullshitting, or is one of those.