Well, there isn't really a need for this since your TV has enough pixels to display it 1:1 naturally (NES games on the 3DS are like this too, btw, it's just GB+GBC+GBA games that have a different native resolution). There probably will be an option like that for GBA games though.
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Wii U Virtual Console Details
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Well, there isn't really a need for this since your TV has enough pixels to display it 1:1 naturally (NES games on the 3DS are like this too, btw, it's just GB+GBC+GBA games that have a different native resolution). There probably will be an option like that for GBA games though.
Steam - first shown at GDC in 2002. Starts distributing third-party titles in 2005.
iTunes - Store comes out in 2003. Available on Windows in 2004.
November, 2006 - Wii Virtual Console debuts. Who could possibly think this digital storefront, advertised as a way to be a virtual collection of games from several console generations, would let you build a digital library of games that would be playable on future Nintendo platforms?
The thing is, the games are available to play on your Wii U. On Wii Mode, yes, but you don't have to pay anything for that, you just play it the same way you did as on the Wii. It's not as though Nintendo forced you to buy back your games to play on your Wii U. You pay for an upgrade on your games, not for the ability to play your games again. Apple did something similar with this with iTunes anyways with DRM-free, which isn't nearly as expansive an upgrade as the Wii U VC, with customizable controls, save states, Miiverse functionality, etc.
Version 3.0
Member
I don't see why you should have to transfer all your stuff from the Wii to the Wii U to get that "upgrade" price. I'm leaving it all on the Wii. But it's not as if they don't know it's me - my Wii has been linked to my Club Nintendo account for years, and my NNID is linked to it now. They have a list of everything I own at their disposal.
If the Wii VC and the new Wii U VC get a unified interface sometime in the future (yeah, right), I'd reconsider transferring, but the way it stands now, it's faster and easier to use my Wii. It's absurd to have "Wii mode". All those ROMs and Wii Ware games should just move over to the Wii U seamlessly.
Having said all that, though, I'm not really mad at the idea of buying something again. I'm old-school enough to think that the same game running on a new machine is okay to be a new purchase. But I'm also modern and tech-educated enough to see that the way they've structured everything is illogical and confusing when it didn't need to be.
If the Wii VC and the new Wii U VC get a unified interface sometime in the future (yeah, right), I'd reconsider transferring, but the way it stands now, it's faster and easier to use my Wii. It's absurd to have "Wii mode". All those ROMs and Wii Ware games should just move over to the Wii U seamlessly.
Having said all that, though, I'm not really mad at the idea of buying something again. I'm old-school enough to think that the same game running on a new machine is okay to be a new purchase. But I'm also modern and tech-educated enough to see that the way they've structured everything is illogical and confusing when it didn't need to be.
Version 3.0
Member
I would say: every person who's ever bought 2 Apple or Android products, I suppose. You don't buy an App for every device. You can use that App, not only on more than one device over time, but on several devices concurrently.
I'm not saying that's the "right" way to do it. There's no rule. There's no law. If Nintendo wants to sell us a game and say it's only for use on this one device, and only one at a time, they certainly can.
But to say there's no precedent is not true. I would say the vast majority of customers think the Apple model is correct, and that Nintendo's model is wrong.
Neff
Member
I can pass it up since I own a NTSC SNES and an American copy of the game despite living in the UK, but that's not the point.
The convenience of vc on Wii U and playing on the Gamepad (which I was very much looking forward to) is in no way preferable to enduring a neutered classic in favour of the original, but if Nintendo were a little more forward-thinking, we could both have what we want and be happy.
JaseMath
Member
All I'm asking for is a link to the SD card from the main WiiU menu. I'll get over the upgrade cost.
StAidan
Member
What Apple did at the time really sucked, but digital distribution has come a long way since then (except in Nintendo's world). Would it be fair for Apple to charge you a per-song transfer fee when you buy a new computer, or even worse, download a new version of iTunes? No, I'm pretty sure no one would stand for that.
The Main Event
Member
I will buy every single one of them even though I own most of them on my Wii.
30, freaking, cents.
30, freaking, cents.
There's a petition for 60Hz games on the PAl VC.
https://www.change.org/petitions/ni...m=url_share&utm_campaign=url_share_after_sign
It would be great if you could sign it and spread the word. It would be also nice if you emailed/tweeted/sent a message on Facebook to Nintendo/posted on Miiverse about the 50Hz issue. Basically, anything that might make Nintendo take notice.
https://www.change.org/petitions/ni...m=url_share&utm_campaign=url_share_after_sign
It would be great if you could sign it and spread the word. It would be also nice if you emailed/tweeted/sent a message on Facebook to Nintendo/posted on Miiverse about the 50Hz issue. Basically, anything that might make Nintendo take notice.
When I first heard this news I was outraged. After giving it some thought, though, there are some things they could do that would make the upgrade fee justifiable. For one, if those of us who bought the games on the Wii VC could have the ability to download the upgraded Wii U versions before the games become available to the rest of the world, that would be a nice little bonus. Also, I would like to see the emulation improved on some of the games (I'm looking at you SMB3 and your washed out colors). I would also like to finally see controller pak and rumble support for N64 VC games. It might sound trivial, but I really miss having the ghost data on MK64.
It's probably wishful thinking, but if Nintendo can do any or all of these things it would make the upgrade fee easier to swallow.
It's probably wishful thinking, but if Nintendo can do any or all of these things it would make the upgrade fee easier to swallow.
Waylon Drums
Member
I'm not sure who would think that after reading and/or hearing about it from nowhere.
Seems to me that people either assumed incorrectly or they're just happy to have something to bitch about. You're applying what has been done with PC's and their apps/programs (which the iOS app store is an evolution of) to the gaming industry which has always...ALWAYS been different.
Tell me, did your SNES games fit inside your N64? No? NINTERNDO IS TURRIBLE BEGUZ MAI GAMES NTO WORK!
BruiserBear
Banned
It's no longer 1996. Things have changed. Technology has changed. It makes moving these games to new consoles very easy.
Nintendo is pretty much alone in it's current policy towards digitally purchased games today.
The policy in which almost all of the original digital library of the Wii (save Lostwinds, I think) is playable on the Wii U?
Synth_floyd
Banned
Are those discount prices ($1 for Nes, $1.50 for Snes) for all games or just if you're re-buying the ones you already bought on Wii?
Pancakes R Us
Member
Oh yes, because this is exactly the same thing. It's dumb, stupid fanboyisms like this that will defend anything and everything Nintendo does that probably contributes to them keeping these shitty policies going in 2013.
Waylon Drums
Member
So you *did* think you were buying VC games for the final time and that you'd be able to play them on every new Nintendo system in the future? I realize they *can* move games to a new system, technology being what it is today, I'm just surprised that people actually thought they were buying a lifetime license for a game at $5.
Waylon Drums
Member
And it's awful, dismissive people like yourself who reject anything positive anyone has to say about Nintendo that contributes to this weird "cool to hate Nintendo" thing that permeates any discussion among "corr gamerz." It's okay to be different, dear. Think for yourself
I don't know if it was my limited game library, but I had Yoshi for the NES, and had a crap-ton of enjoyment playing head to head multiplayer with my family. I redownloaded it for the Virtual Console, and I think it's still an enjoyable game. Absolutely worth 30 cents.
That's the thing with Nintendo's pricing - I think if they dropped NES games to $1, almost every single one would go to "Absolutely buy at that price" - a more than 5 fold increase in sales to justify the price drop. But I'm just an arm chair sales age dude - presumably the Big N has some kind of market research for those prices.
Ninja Moomin
Banned
No you don't. You still have access to all your content.
Say that when you see how many of your XBL and PSN games still work on your 720 and PS4.
Ninja Moomin
Banned
oops NVM
Pancakes R Us
Member
I don't think anyone in their right might should defend the lack of a proper account based digital system. As for the 'corr' haters, I can gladly say I'm not one of them. In fact, of everything Nintendo announced yesterday, the gam eI'm most looking forward to is the new Yoshi game. I just don't defend and agree with stupid policies and decisions Nintendo makes.And it's awful, dismissive people like yourself who reject anything positive anyone has to say about Nintendo that contributes to this weird "cool to hate Nintendo" thing that permeates any discussion among "corr gamerz." It's okay to be different, dear. Think for yourself
This is ridiculous. I love Nintendo and this is nothing to defend.
Vyse The Legend
Member
It's worth noting that Nintendo is the only company to release a new console so far. Who knows what Sony and Microsoft will do. The former, especially, since the architecture of the PS3 differs greatly from the PS4 rumors. But, at least, Sony did allow you to buy a PS1 game once and play it on PSP/PS3/Vita.
Anti-fanboys, I would argue, can be just as blinded by rage. Let's work together and adopt a more moderate, neutral view.
Truthfully, given Nintendo's history, no one expected Nintendo to simply let you carry over your VC games from console to console -- especially after the 3DS proved that they had no intention of doing so and were more than comfortable charging people again.
However, this time, they came up with a happy compromise: if you want to play all your old content on the new system, you can for free. If you want the new bells and whistles--bells and whistles that, whether you want to believe it or not, cost someone time and money to implement--then pay a very small fee to do it. Sure, I would love a lifetime license to the games for all Nintendo platforms, but that's a bit unrealistic.
Also, do we know if the new versions of the Wii U VC need to be re-rated by the ESRB? If they do, that can also be part of the small. However, I'm more inclined to believe that Nintendo needs to re-certify the Wii U versions. So, to offset those costs, we're getting the bill.
App Store and Android games do not require developers/publishers to pay an upfront fee to their respective platform holders nor to the ESRB. Those two costs are baked into the $5 price point for VC games.
Sure, but that's not the consumer's problem. How can Nintendo expect the Virtual Console to succeed when people can make a value judgement of $5 Ice Climbers versus a much more modern game on their iPad?
I seem to recall that NES VC titles on the 3DS keep their original copyright/ESRB date (could someone check that?). In any case, rating a digital game on the ESRB literally takes no time and has a negligible cost (around a half hour or so if I remember reading somewhere). I wonder how they'll handle displaying GBA games on the TV though. Perhaps we'll have an option to display its original ratio with a GBA/SP border?
Current technology makes it possible to buy a NES/SNES/N64/whatever cart, dump the ROM to a file on your computer and yes, play it for lifetime on almost any system you want. I can also buy Leisure Suit Larry collection (which includes Larry 2, 3, 5 and 6) for a few bucks and then play it on almost any system I like even in 20 years or 30 years or 40 years. And none of that costs me a single cent.
So asking for 5$ for a non sellable copy of some NES game is already quite expensive, especially because it didn't have all the features that current free emulators have. Even more so if they nickle and dime you every single generation and probably indirectly force you to do so at least when the next generation starts, because I seriously doubt that they will then still support Wii virtual console just like they now dumped Gamecube support, although by using digital content there is no restriction anymore based on physical media support. They could, if they wanted to, but I guess they assume that nickle and diming their customers gets them more money.
Offering all the games on Wii U including gamepad support for free would be way better customer support. Customers would like it, buy Wii U and next generation they would buy those consoles as well. They would also buy games especially digital games without second thought, because they would know that they will be able to play that content all the time. For example I wanted to buy La-Mulana on Wii. But now I definitely won't buy it. I won't buy any digital games at all anymore on Wii, because I know that I would have to buy it again on Wii U, should I ever get one. And La-Mulana - well maybe they will offer that as well with gamepad support. But if I buy it now, I would definitely have to pay again, so why should I take the risk? Yeah yada yada don't have to buy. But if I get a Wii U, I want to use the gamepad. I now even think about getting it on PC. Seriously. Because it's a) cheaper and b) I can play it on any PC I like - no DRM attached.
DeVeAn
Member
I understand it may involve so time and work to move these to Wii U but, having to rebuy games AGAIN to have them mesh with Wii U features is kinda Bullshit. I will still probably rebuy the damn games anyway. I just like Nintendo games too much.
The 30 cents sale is fucking awesome though!
The 30 cents sale is fucking awesome though!
Interceptor
Banned
So basically the 30 cent anniversary offerings are the ambassador program for the Wii U? Right?
Super Metroid and (the best) F-Zero playable i my bed... for 30cents! Everyone needs to buy those.
Super Metroid and (the best) F-Zero playable i my bed... for 30cents! Everyone needs to buy those.
That would be the worst possible ambassador program ever. I hope you're wrong and we actually do get one, not this one game a month shit.
CosmicQueso
Member
Where in the old VC license agreements did it say your purchase on the Wii entitles you to future downloads of the same content on future systems?
At no point did Nintendo ever promise that.
Sure, they should have it. But that wasn't ever part of the agreement. Will be interesting to see how Sony/MS handles that for the next boxes.
At no point did Nintendo ever promise that.
Sure, they should have it. But that wasn't ever part of the agreement. Will be interesting to see how Sony/MS handles that for the next boxes.
I doubt they'll do an ambassador program after their announcements this week. They're more inclined to keep the pricing the same and hope people will buy Wii Us as an investment for the titles they mentioned a few days ago. I hope I'm wrong though. I'd like 20 free VC and/or eShop games.
Interceptor
Banned
One game a month applies only to the 30 cent Trials.. we don't know about anything else.
It doesn't, which is why I bought very few Virtual Console games.
Carpe Libertatem
Member
Do you know how basic economics work? Costs to the company gets passed onto the consumer. That's how things work.
People will still buy NES games at $5 a pop.
Until you realise price is what people are willing to pay for a product and there are people who are willing to pay for these NES games.
Neon_Icarus
Member
If you're European please sign this (and let them know how you feel on Miiverse too).
Seriously, the dark ages of shitty PAL conversions should have ended back in the 90s.
Zen_Arcade
Banned
I love Balloon Fight so much.
Smiles and Cries
Member
NINTENDO IS CHEATING!
you can't do that!
you can't allow a 30cent game to chart! Ballon Fight is now #4 on all time charts
cheating!
you can't do that!
you can't allow a 30cent game to chart! Ballon Fight is now #4 on all time charts
cheating!
CHROMExSKULL
Banned
dont care about some of these games but i will probably buy them all just to support this great promotion. f zero and punchout!!!!!
faceless007
Member
It's hard to come up with a truly precise analogy that matches this case. It's kind of a unique circumstance. It's not that Nintendo is charging extra to play your digital games on your new Nintendo system, it's that they're charging extra to play your digital games with new features that are exclusive to that system and (presumably) non-trivial to implement, since it's not done at the OS level.
On the one hand, I see the rationale that Nintendo wants to recoup some of the cost of implementing that functionality, which, if I'm understanding this right, has to be done to each title individually.
On the other, it does feel like a tax on BC, which feels like gouging. Rightly or wrongly, there seems to be an expectation that digital purchases should carry over to subsequent generations.
The only similar instance I can think of in recent times is how Steam owners of Oddworld: Stranger's Wrath got the HD upgrade for free when it was finally released. And sure, from a consumer standpoint, it's cool when that happens. But I'm not sure it's reasonable in general to expect publishers to add additional functionality to existing games far after they're released at no additional cost.
It's a mistake to say that Nintendo is alone in this because we don't know how Sony and MS will handle their digital purchases for next gen. They might do something similar to recoup the cost of however they add BC (if they do at all).
On the one hand, I see the rationale that Nintendo wants to recoup some of the cost of implementing that functionality, which, if I'm understanding this right, has to be done to each title individually.
On the other, it does feel like a tax on BC, which feels like gouging. Rightly or wrongly, there seems to be an expectation that digital purchases should carry over to subsequent generations.
The only similar instance I can think of in recent times is how Steam owners of Oddworld: Stranger's Wrath got the HD upgrade for free when it was finally released. And sure, from a consumer standpoint, it's cool when that happens. But I'm not sure it's reasonable in general to expect publishers to add additional functionality to existing games far after they're released at no additional cost.
It's a mistake to say that Nintendo is alone in this because we don't know how Sony and MS will handle their digital purchases for next gen. They might do something similar to recoup the cost of however they add BC (if they do at all).
I just can't believe people think off-screen play and gamepad support justifies an extra fee. That's what the Wii U does. That's its big thing. It has a screen that you use to interact with everything; why WOULDN'T it have off-screen play? I understand that those who only use Nintendo systems may not get this, but the rest of us are used to our digital games transferring to other systems and used with their respective controllers for no extra cost. That's just how it is. PS1 games on Vita are no extra cost, yet they include extra emulation options and took time to ensure compatibility (some PS1 games are still not compatible). Nobody expected them to cost extra, because it would have been crazy. Nintendo is simply continuing on archaic online standards. They are far behind the times and this just is one more bit of evidence.