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[Jucksalbe]

And Genesis or Master System... I don't understand why the VC is so barren. The Wii launched wayyyy better with this

Yeah, I'm kinda sad Sega doesn't seem interested in the WiiU VC. I hope they'll add their systems soon, but maybe they just rather have M2 focus on something else.

 

[qq more]

But you don't own them in the sense you're clearly tying to invoke, they're digital.

I was clearly trying to invoke what? Are you seriously implying that no one can own a digital title?

Okay how about this: Some people don't like pirating. Happy now?

 

[Bony Manifesto]

I wonder what's going to happen with Advance Wars. I know it was originally released as a duel pack in Japan, but it would be a bit unfair if we have to buy the two separately.

I think the absence of an English-language AW1+2 ROM answers that question...

 

[Somnid]

If they end up looking good, I'll pick them up, no questions asked. But Nintendo doesn't do resolution bumps or fancy graphical stuff, they do straight emulation. That means 240x160 resolution, which then my TV (or the Wii U) has to upscale to 1080p. Sorry if I'm not confident that those games will look good.

This is straight misinformation right here.

 

[HUELEN10]

But you don't own them in the sense you're clearly tying to invoke, they're digital.

What? There is a difference, a clear difference, between buying a legit and official (and in the case of NIntendo most of the time, best quality) premium emulation product and not going that route. You own that, you maybe not in the same sense, but you can buy non-physical goods; people have for over a decade.

 

[friskykillface]

everyone is gonna spam the miiverse for these games wanting them on 3DS

I'll do that of course but I might get golden sun since I never played it

 

[Zeyphersan]

This is straight misinformation right here.

Alright, I'm not being sarcastic, I'm genuinely curious. Correct me if I made a mistake

 

[oatmeal]

Why the fuck are they waiting two months to start releasing these? They released most of them on the 3DS 3 years ago.

 

[JoeM86]

Why the fuck are they waiting two months to start releasing these? They released most of them on the 3DS 3 years ago.

Those weren't emulated. As I explained before, the games there were downloaded and, when run, loaded into the 3DS's memory and played in DS mode. These are completely different.

 

[qq more]

Yeah, I'm kinda sad Sega doesn't seem interested in the WiiU VC. I hope they'll add their systems soon, but maybe they just rather have M2 focus on something else.

Yeah, I own a bunch of VC Genesis games and would love to upgrade them.

Shame that not even Nintendo themselves seems all that interested in their own VC. Wii U's VC is such a joke... :/ I hope they fix this but they probably won't. I mean, even with the GBA announcement, I have a feeling the lineup after launch is gonna be slooooooow and barren.

 

[Balb]

If they end up bringing over Rhythm Heaven and/or Mother 3 then this service will be worth it to me alone. Not too interested in playing anything else since I've played pretty much every GBA game I've intended to play except Ninja Five-O.

 

[maxcriden]

This is totally shameless and OT but I am selling/trading my GBA Golden Sun if anyone wants it. Feel free to PM. *dodges tomatoes*

 

[Somnid]

Alright, I'm not being sarcastic, I'm genuinely curious. Correct me if I made a mistake

Well if Wii U did output 240x160, which I'm not sure it's capable, many TVs would get out of range errors because that's not a normal TV resolution. They have to be internally upscaled and in fact all VC games since Wii have been, infact N64 were natively rendered at 480p. Wii U outputs VC games in 1080p, it really just depends on what scaler algorithm they use.

 

[oatmeal]

Those weren't emulated. As I explained before, the games there were downloaded and, when run, loaded into the 3DS's memory and played in DS mode. These are completely different.

Okay.

Three years later, or a YEAR after first announcing GBA support, they still don't have it running.

Still fucked up.

 

[Dryk]

The reason it's coming to the Wii U over the 3DS is because the 3DS is not actually capable of emulating GBA games. It can do it the way the Ambassador games did by storing it in the console's RAM and running it in DS mode. However, all 3DS features are gone then. The 3DS itself cannot emulate GBA games itself perfectly.

People seem to forget that it's hard to get perfect software emulation. If they could do it, they would.

I did a quick Google search and these are the earliest dates I can find for portable GBA emulation

Pocket PC: 2005
iOS: 2007
Android: 2009

If the 3DS can't deal with the next logical step in one of Nintendo's flagship services and phones from 4 years earlier can, then they have fucked up.

Because not everyone wants to break the law

I want to buy their games through the proper channels but they're not making it easy. Nintendo can try to encourage people to buy them their way all they like but that's not how media markets work, there is a high demand for their games on portable devices and it will be filled one way or the other.

 

[Box of Bunnies]

The fact that there's two months between Dankey Kang coming out and these starting up is insane. The Virtual Console should be being used to pad out the empty schedule but not only do they dripfeed them out, they're dragging their feet on adding more.

 

[BGBW]

I think the absence of an English-language AW1+2 ROM answers that question...

But they could have a buy one get one half price offer or something. So no it doesn't really answer the question.

 

[Keby]

North America and Europe launch lineup:

• 
  Japan launch lineup:
  April 3:
  • Super Mario World: SMA2
  • WarioWare, Inc.
  • Kirby and the Amazing Mirror
  • Advance Wars 1+2
  • Golden Sun
  • F-Zero Mximum Velocity
  April 30:
  • Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga
  • Zelda: The Minish Cap
  • Kirby: Nightmare in Dreamland
  • Wario Land 4
  • Mario Tennis Power Tour
  • Metroid Fusion

• 
  
  SERIOUSLY?! seriously?! Man I wish we were getting that here in the US

 

[Zeyphersan]

Well if Wii U did output 240x160, which I'm not sure it's capable, many TVs would get out of range errors. They have to be internally upscaled and in fact all VC games since Wii are (infact N64 were natively rendered at 480p). It really just depends on what scaler algorithm they use.

Right, okay, that was my mistake. My TV would not do any scaling, you're right. But based on how they usually do VC games (again to my knowledge, correct me if I'm wrong) but the game itself is rendered at whatever resolution it was originally at, then upscaled by the console. So Super Mario Bros. on the Wii VC is rendered at 256x240, then upscaled to whatever the output is set at (480i or 480p, depending on if you're using composite of component). So Super Mario Bros on the Wii U VC is rendered at 256x240, then upscaled by the console to whatever your display output is (generally 1080p, I'd imagine).

I don't know all the intricate details of how they work their VC, so any new information is welcome, but that is what I had heard.

edit: and my main point, yes it depends on what scaler algorithm they use, and I hope it's great, but in my mind a 240x160 game upscaled to 1920x1080 would not look good. I'm open to being proven wrong (I'm putting off buying GBA games until I get some impressions on how the VC releases work) but my initial reaction was that.

 

[LegendofLex]

Where's the 3DS GBA VC?

Iwata confirmed in the recent investors' meeting that their future architecture will be based on the Wii U architecture. Do you really want your GBA downloads to not transfer over to their future platform(s)?

 

[Whiskeymatt]

North America and Europe launch lineup:

• Metroid Fusion
• Mario & Luigi Superstar Saga
• Yoshi's Island: SMA3

But I want to buy Golden Sun again, Nintendo. Why won't you let me?

 

[X05]

Agreed. Even if they could do it by some coding miracle, they already said GBA VC games on 3DS were exclusive and for a limited time. Why does anyone not take them seriously on this one?

Because it's a pretty bullshit excuse as they don't have to do a pure software emulator (which is the cause of the "high power" requirements of most emulators), the 3DS has hardware support, they could get it going if they really wanted to.

 

[Rlan]

The reason it's coming to the Wii U over the 3DS is because the 3DS is not actually capable of emulating GBA games. It can do it the way the Ambassador games did by storing it in the console's RAM and running it in DS mode. However, all 3DS features are gone then. The 3DS itself cannot emulate GBA games itself perfectly.

People seem to forget that it's hard to get perfect software emulation. If they could do it, they would.

Because not everyone wants to break the law

Even if it's not "capable" to "emulate" - they've had it working through the console's RAM and running it in DS mode! Even if it's not technically emulation, they've had games on the store and allowed people to download it to the 3DS! That's all anyone ACTUALLY wants!

 

[Kirlia]

(in a hollow voice) Hurray.

 

[Bony Manifesto]

But they could have a buy one get one half price offer or something. So no it doesn't really answer the question.

But why would they do that? The vast majority of people aren't going to know about the situation in Japan, and the ones that do know exactly how terrible the Virtual Console is in comparison.

Never mind the pricing. The bigger question is how long it'll take before it gets a release in the West at all.

 

[Altered Juice]

guess i still have to deal with Wii vbagx lag then

 

[Balb]

Even if it's not "capable" to "emulate" - they've had it working through the console's RAM and running it in DS mode! Even if it's not technically emulation, they've had games on the store and allowed people to download it to the 3DS! That's all anyone ACTUALLY wants!

Not me. The Ambassador GBA games were really disappointing. If you play them in original resolution, the display is the size of a postage stamp. Playing full-screen is just a stretchy mess. Despite the ambassador games list being impressive on paper, I didn't play much of them for this reason.

 

[Drago]

But I want to buy Golden Sun again, Nintendo. Why won't you let me?

Oh they'll let you, six months down the road while Japan will already have the second game and several other GBA classics that will never/take forever to release in the west

 

[HUELEN10]

Okay guys, tell me this doesn't look amazing!
Gamepad

TV

Unfortunately, seeing what goes on on 3DS and taking the NES Wii U VC into account, they might end up like this...

TV

Gamepad

Don't do this Nintendo!

Not me. The Ambassador GBA games were really disappointing. If you play them in original resolution, the display is the size of a postage stamp. Playing full-screen is just a stretchy mess. Despite the ambassador games list being impressive on paper, I didn't play much of them for this reason.

At least it maintains the aspect, and the scaling is superior than what they do to their GB/C games.

 

[Dartastic]

Making these Wii U instead of 3DS is RIDICULOUS.

Agreed. But ya know. They need to save the Wii U. Not the 3ds.

 

[Thoraxes]

I saw Golden Sun and AW1+2 on there.

Now i'm excited.

 

[Garou]

This seems to be unknown, but Japan raises taxes on April 1st from 5% to 8%, and ALL prices in the Direct today were without taxes, so the final price will be 700 Yen.

 

[HUELEN10]

This seems to be unknown, but Japan raises taxes on April 1st from 5% to 8%, and ALL prices in the Direct today were without taxes, so the final price will be 700 Yen.

So expect 6-8 USD in the states then?

 

[Rapscallion]

It's nice of them to announce 4 games, one of which is a port.


No Minish Cap, no deal Nintendo.

Spoiler

I'll probably get Fusion...

 

[Drago]

$5.99 a pop would be the best case scenario and a great price IMO. I'm expecting $6.99 or $7.99 though

 

[Jucksalbe]

No Minish Cap, no deal Nintendo.

I don't think you have to worry about Minish Cap, that's one of the most likely to come early.

 

[Anth0ny]

about fucking time.

now the one year wait for DS virtual console begins.

 

[fredrancour]

After the launch lineup we'll probably still be getting games at the same pace as always. Hard for me to get too hyped.

Til Nintendo fixes the vc release pacing I can't care too much.

 

[topplehat]

I know Nintendo gets it backwards often but the fact that these are on the Wii U and not on 3DS is really backwards. Not sure I'm eager to play my portable games stretched on a TV.

 

[Timeless]

Those weren't emulated. As I explained before, the games there were downloaded and, when run, loaded into the 3DS's memory and played in DS mode. These are completely different.

This makes perfect sense, but is it documented anywhere?

 

[HUELEN10]

I know Nintendo gets it backwards often but the fact that these are on the Wii U and not on 3DS is really backwards. Not sure I'm eager to play my portable games stretched on a TV.

Take a look at my shots from earlier then. As long as they do it well, it will look stupendous.

 

[Drago]

Interesting to me is that Japan is getting SMA2 when we already have Super Mario World on the eShop. Seems kinda redundant to me, even if SMA2 had a bunch of additions to it.

Hopefully it paves the way for SMA4 coming out, with all e-Reader bonuses included

Spoiler

will never happen

 

[Timeless]

Interesting to me is that Japan is getting SMA2 when we already have Super Mario World on the eShop. Seems kinda redundant to me, even if SMA2 had a bunch of additions to it.

Even with the very minor additions, SMA2 is the worse version of SMW. It'd be better if they just added those into the SNES version. Washed out colors in SMA2, oh boy!

 

[Zia]

Finally! I should be playing WarioWare and Advance Wars by 2017!

 

[KojiKnight]

*done up as the bad ending on Chrono Trigger*

But...
Nintendo Refused
to change.


I just want access to all of the VC in a timely manner! Put as many out as quickly as possible, feature older ones that aren't selling with some cheap deal or something if you're worried about discoverability!

 

[terrisus]

Emulators have been around for almost a decade now.

Why should anyone care?

I'm pretty sure that kind of talk isn't allowed around GAF.

 

[KojiKnight]

Emulators have been around for almost a decade now.

Why should anyone care?

A decade... wow you must be quite young. We've had SNES emus since mid 1995 (though more seriously in 96 and beyond). Even before that, there were atari 1 emus for systems in the early 90's (or late 80's).

Emulators have been around about as long as there have been PCs capable of emulating another or earlier machine.

I'm pretty sure that kind of talk isn't allowed around GAF.

It's not against the rules to discuss emulation, only piracy... and when a Wii U (with a hacked Wii mode) can emulate all of these games that Nintendo is JUST NOW starting to release on VC, and in only a few at a time increments... it's a fairly valid statement.

 

[jph139]

As long as I can finally play Minish Cap, all is well.

(Still waiting on crossbuy, though, Nintendo. I can't justify investing in the Virtual Console until you confirm that it'll be tied to my account in the future...)

 

[Riposte]

Day one on any Advance Wars game.

 

[Kriken]

But you don't own them in the sense you're clearly tying to invoke, they're digital.

What the hell are you talking about? You OWN digital games via license purchases which is what the VC and digital game purchases are in general. When you buy a game off the VC, you are given a specific license that is tied to an ID, which in turn is the proper definition of owning a game. Emulators and roms do not have licenses to purchase, so no it's not the same

A decade... wow you must be quite young. We've had SNES emus since mid 1995 (though more seriously in 96 and beyond). Even before that, there were atari 1 emus for systems in the early 90's (or late 80's).

Emulators have been around about as long as there have been PCs capable of emulating another or earlier machine.

N64 emulators to play N64 games on school computers was a great memory in middle school