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Nintendo Downloads - June 2009 (VC / WiiWare / DSiWare)

The Genesis version was the better playing one though.

EWJ still isn't a very good game and reeks of that complete lack of identity every David Perry game ever made has but at least it plays slightly better on the Genesis...whatever that's worth.

Really now I could make up a big huge list of games I think SNES fans would be way more interested in having available on the Virtual Console over a handful of D-tier games that nobody cares about anymore.
 

Ledsen

Member
I'm not in the loop regarding VC, but are the majority of games still worthless to us PAL gamers? And by worthless I mean do they still release PAL roms with borders and 50hz (with slowdown) for some totally unexplicable reason?
 

Capndrake

Member
Ledsen said:
I'm not in the loop regarding VC, but are the majority of games still worthless to us PAL gamers? And by worthless I mean do they still release PAL roms with borders and 50hz (with slowdown) for some totally unexplicable reason?
Mega Drive games are pretty terrible, the rest are partially optimized or fully optimized (TG16 games are all 60Hz since they were originally).
 

Ledsen

Member
Capndrake said:
Mega Drive games are pretty terrible, the rest are partially optimized or fully optimized (TG16 games are all 60Hz since they were originally).

What about SNES and N64? Is there a list somewhere detailing which games have been optimized?
 
Ledsen said:
What about SNES and N64? Is there a list somewhere detailing which games have been optimized?

IIRC, Wiki covers it pretty well. SNES and N64 games are optimised, though not fully, but they're certainly all a marked improvement on the PAL originals I've got in my cart collection.
 

Ledsen

Member
Cosmonaut X said:
IIRC, Wiki covers it pretty well. SNES and N64 games are optimised, though not fully, but they're certainly all a marked improvement on the PAL originals I've got in my cart collection.

So I checked the wiki, and apparently N64 games don't have borders, but the slowdown is still there. SNES games are exactly the same as the original PAL versions with ~5 exceptions -_-

In summary, I won't ever be buying Genesis, N64 or SNES games on the VC. Nintendo, you suck beyond belief and I hate you. What possible excuse could they have for doing this?
 

Stumpokapow

listen to the mad man
Ledsen said:
So I checked the wiki, and apparently N64 games don't have borders, but the slowdown is still there. SNES games are exactly the same as the original PAL versions with ~5 exceptions -_-

In summary, I won't ever be buying Genesis, N64 or SNES games on the VC. Nintendo, you suck beyond belief and I hate you. What possible excuse could they have for doing this?

experience the games the way you originally did in your childhood!
 

Ledsen

Member
Stumpokapow said:
experience the games the way you originally did in your childhood!

:lol

I wouldn't be surprised if they'd spin it like that. I did own a NTSC Wii a couple of years ago, but I sold it since it didn't support RGB and I had to use comparatively crappy S-Video on my CRT. So I have two choices:

a) use NTSC Wii, accept lack of warranty and less accurate colors/picture quality with S-Video, or

b) use PAL Wii, accept 90's quality PAL versions of VC games. Yay, awesome!
 

donny2112

Member
TheGrayGhost said:
I was planning on picking up Mario vs. Donkey Kong March of the Minis Again!, but I'm trying to save more. I'll buy it eventually, but it seems like I'm buying more games than playing them! This game, though, seems like the best on the service so far. DSiWare. <3

It's great. Main game is fine (never played much of the original DS game), but the downloadable levels are sweet extra content. Eventually Nintendo will stop allowing uploads, but the current downloads will stay there. Even Nintendo put up four new levels on the service (They have their own download section ;) ).
 
Ledsen said:
What possible excuse could they have for doing this?
Other than the rare necessary modification like the de-Kawasakification of Wave Race 64, they don't mess around with what they've got. Having the necessary languages and legacy TV support overrides providing the improved retro experience of making available some other region's ROM.
 

sfog

Member
ESRB updates:

FINAL FANTASY CRYSTAL CHRONICLES: My Life as a Darklord

Platform: Wii

Rating: Everyone 10+

Content descriptors: Mild Fantasy Violence, Mild Suggestive Themes

Rating summary: "This is a strategy role-playing game (RPG) in which players add floors to a tower and fill it with defenses and monsters. Players' objective is to keep several waves of humanoid invaders from reaching the top of the tower. Invading units and the defending monsters engage in turn-based battle with swords, magic spells, daggers, and arrows. If the humanoid invaders inflict enough damage to a floor, the screen will shake, a red alert will sound, and the tower will explode into several pieces. During Story Mode cutscenes, characters will often engage in dialogue and sometimes attack each other with flying drop kicks and electric bolts. Some of the female characters have exaggerated-size breasts or wear clothing that exposes deep cleavage."


Military Madness

Platform: Xbox 360, Wii, PlayStation 3

Rating: Everyone 10+

Content descriptors: Mild Fantasy Violence

Rating summary: "This is a strategy game where the majority of action takes place on a hexagonal grid overlaying the moon. Players deploy futuristic soldiers, tanks, and air forces across the Moon grid and wait for a turn-based "attack animation." The overhead view then switches to a zoomed-in perspective of ground forces shooting rockets, guns, or lasers at the opposing force. When struck, enemies flash in a yellow light burst and fall to the ground."
 

GhostSeed

Member
Just a heads up both the Wii NES & SNES controller adaptors are on sale right now for $16 each.

http://www.retrousb.com/index.php?cPath=22

I've used both and they're great. Although it can sometimes be difficult to get a NES controller into it's adaptor because of how its molded. You don't have to force it in or anything it's just hard to find the sweet spot.

34s2epu.jpg
2ivmwau.jpg
 

DDayton

(more a nerd than a geek)
GhostSeed said:
Just a heads up both the Wii NES & SNES controller adaptors are on sale right now for $16 each.

http://www.retrousb.com/index.php?cPath=22/QUOTE]

That reminds me... I tried out the NES/SNES/N64 adaptor thing at e3... and I must say that Brawl was essentially unplayable with the N64 controller. Granted, that's primarily due to the mapping of the controls (which can be remapped), but the N64 controller just felt "off" as well... it looks like an interesting device, mind you, but I'm still wishing we had more NES/SNES/N64-styled Classic Controllers, instead of GameCube controller adaptors.
 

GhostSeed

Member
DavidDayton said:
That reminds me... I tried out the NES/SNES/N64 adaptor thing at e3... and I must say that Brawl was essentially unplayable with the N64 controller. Granted, that's primarily due to the mapping of the controls (which can be remapped), but the N64 controller just felt "off" as well... it looks like an interesting device, mind you, but I'm still wishing we had more NES/SNES/N64-styled Classic Controllers, instead of GameCube controller adaptors.

Who makes this? And are all 3 running through a single cable?
 
Ledsen said:
So I checked the wiki, and apparently N64 games don't have borders, but the slowdown is still there. SNES games are exactly the same as the original PAL versions with ~5 exceptions -_-

In summary, I won't ever be buying Genesis, N64 or SNES games on the VC. Nintendo, you suck beyond belief and I hate you. What possible excuse could they have for doing this?

The confusing thing is that I have read that some N64 games (SM64 and MK64) have actually been fully optimized so that they're identical to the 60hz release, but I personally haven't checked because I don't care for or have those games. It would be helpful to get some opinions on those 2 games though. I can tell you that PAL VC Majora's Mask is definitely slower than GC Collection Ocarina Of Time, so we know that isn't fully optimized.
 

Somnid

Member
Nuclear Muffin said:
Yay, finally! Here's hoping SSB doesn't take too long to come out in the US!

The reason they were waiting that I postulated back in March was that they would delay the release to better match the one-year anniversary of Smash Bros Brawl in Europe. The reason they didn't do it for the US anniversary is because the VC seems to localize European and American releases at about the same time (Japan is on a separate schedule). Therefore it is actually likely to see it show up sometime this month.
 

DDayton

(more a nerd than a geek)
GhostSeed said:
Who makes this? And are all 3 running through a single cable?

I honestly can't remember at the moment -- it's a single adaptor with 3 controller plugs on the end. The end is vaguely shaped like an N64 console.
 

GhostSeed

Member
DavidDayton said:
I honestly can't remember at the moment -- it's a single adaptor with 3 controller plugs on the end. The end is vaguely shaped like an N64 console.

Thanks, looks like it's made by Innex.


PR said:
3-IN-1 VIRTUAL RETRO ADAPTER CONNECTS OLD SCHOOL CONTROLLERS TO NINTENDO® WII™

Innex Secures Exclusive Komodo Adapter in Time for E3 Launch.
Old School is Now the New Cool.

City of Industry, Calif., (May, 2009) -- Backwards compatibility has reached a new level of cool with the launch of the 3-in-1 Virtual Retro Adaptor that allows gamers to connect NES™, SNES™, and N64™ controllers directly to the Nintendo® Wii™ video game console.

By accessing the GameCube™ port that is built in to the Wii™ system, the 3-in-1 Virtual Retro Adaptor allows gamers to enjoy older, "retro" games using the original controllers for NES™, SNES™, and N64™.

The Retro Adaptor, developed by Komodo and exclusively distributed by Innex, will be available for demonstration at E3, Innex Booth # 2547, South Hall.

Product Highlights:

Compatible with Nintendo® Wii™ Virtual Console
Connects Through GameCube™ Port
Compatible with 1st and 3rd Party Controllers
Compatible with NES™, SNES™, and N64™ Controllers
Analog Function Available for N64™ Controllers
Suggested Retail Price: $19.99
Launch Date: Mid June


"Whether you’re a young kid or middle aged gaming fanatic, the Retro Adapter is perfect for controlling all the great Nintendo titles from the last 25 years," stated Titi Ngoy, President of Innex. "The Retro Adapter allows you to step back in time and play all the classics the way they were meant to be played using the original controllers. The old school is now the new cool."



About Innex
Innex was launched in 2004 as a distributor of video game related products with a particular emphasis on video game peripherals. The company has experienced exceptional growth in just five years and is poised to become one of the leading providers of gaming accessories worldwide. In addition to its extensive global distribution capabilities, Innex also provides its business partners with the opportunity to develop their own private label brands by offering an Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) program. Simultaneously, Innex has positioned itself as a product sourcing agent, providing expert consultation to companies looking for specific video game related products that are either unavailable through other vendors, or difficult to find or manufacture.

EDIT: Found a picture of it.

2vmsx78.jpg
 

Capndrake

Member
Some PEGI WiiWare ratings still missing on the list:

-3-2-1, Rattle Battle! (Tecmo)
-5Spots Party (46 to Shinjuku Medialab)
-Bit Boy!! (Bplus)
-Icarian: Kindred Spirits (Over the Top Games)
-Karate Phants (SnapDragon Games)
-Manic Monkey Mayhem (Pinnacle Entertainment)
-Rubik's Puzzle Galaxy - Rush (K.E. Mathiasen A/S)
-Sandy Beach (Konami)
-Spaceball: Revolution (Virtual Toys)
-Squibs Arcade (Alten8)
-Texas Hold'em Poker (Gameloft)
-Water Warfare (Hudson Soft)

MUSHA (Mega Drive, Sega) and Guitar Rock Tour (DSiWare, Gameloft) are also rated.
 

Dash Kappei

Not actually that important
Ledsen said:
I'm not in the loop regarding VC, but are the majority of games still worthless to us PAL gamers? And by worthless I mean do they still release PAL roms with borders and 50hz (with slowdown) for some totally unexplicable reason?

I'm pretty anal about these things and I can tell you:

don't ever buy NES games
same for Master System
and especially GENESIS with some rare exceptions (Sonic 3 and maybe others?)
NEVER EVER buy Neo-Geo games!!! Those are unbearable. :(

All the SNES games I've bought have been PAL optimised from the original PAL release and are "just" fine, although NOT 60HZ obviously.
Generally first parties efforts are ok but also some third parties ones are fine, like Assault Suits Valken (Cybernator) to name one.
The few N64 I've got are ok too, like Starfox 64... although it really sucks they're in 576i wether the ntsc VC counterparts are all 480p (!).

Yeah, VC is pretty useless to us PAL gamers and it's one of the main selling points that pushed me to hack my Wii.
So I've bought Wonderboy Master System on VC or Samurai Showdown II Neo-Geo but I only play them with the roms emulated on the Homebrew Channel's emus -__-
 

D.Lo

Member
Ledsen said:
So I checked the wiki, and apparently N64 games don't have borders, but the slowdown is still there. SNES games are exactly the same as the original PAL versions with ~5 exceptions -_-
Then the Wiki is wrong, the SNES games have the sound the same speed as the NTSC versions (although this was true of the SNES anyway, unlike the Mega Drive), and they have signifigantly reduced borders. See here for details.

Mega Drive, NES and Neo Geo games have no optimisation at all however.
 

Ledsen

Member
D.Lo said:
Then the Wiki is wrong, the SNES games have the sound the same speed as the NTSC versions (although this was true of the SNES anyway, unlike the Mega Drive), and they have signifigantly reduced borders. See here for details.

Mega Drive, NES and Neo Geo games have no optimisation at all however.

Thanks for the link. So the wiki was wrong about the borders on the SNES games, but in all other respects the games are identical to their PAL SNES cart counterparts? That doesn't sound too bad, maybe I'll buy a couple of SNES games then.

Dash Kappei said:
I'm pretty anal about these things and I can tell you:

don't ever buy NES games
same for Master System
and especially GENESIS with some rare exceptions (Sonic 3 and maybe others?)
NEVER EVER buy Neo-Geo games!!! Those are unbearable. :(

All the SNES games I've bought have been PAL optimised from the original PAL release and are "just" fine, although NOT 60HZ obviously.
Generally first parties efforts are ok but also some third parties ones are fine, like Assault Suits Valken (Cybernator) to name one.
The few N64 I've got are ok too, like Starfox 64... although it really sucks they're in 576i wether the ntsc VC counterparts are all 480p (!).

Yeah, VC is pretty useless to us PAL gamers and it's one of the main selling points that pushed me to hack my Wii.
So I've bought Wonderboy Master System on VC or Samurai Showdown II Neo-Geo but I only play them with the roms emulated on the Homebrew Channel's emus -__-

Thanks, yeah the situation is really bad for us poor PAL gamers '-_-
 

blu

Wants the largest console games publisher to avoid Nintendo's platforms.
Mdk7 said:
I got Art Style Aquite, it's so damn good.
i was not kidding you. and pictobits is at least as good.
 
Wings of Wor arrived in the mail today and while I got only as far as stage 4 it's a swell time. The levels run a little long but there's a good bit of variety to their designs, the game seems more adept at filling the screen with bullets than trying to get "creative", and the art is nice and screwed up.

Now I think I'll buy Gleylancer and Choaniki cause NCS/Masaya makes some pretty good shooters and they deserve the dough.

Shame still no word on a possible WoW Western VC release though. Once you get over all of the quasi-offensive stuff(like the giant bleeding penis boss and the angels that shoot lightning) it's really pretty good.
 

CorwinB

Member
New EU DSiWare releases : Asphalt GT (by Gameloft) and a Sudoku game.

Asphalt GT is 800 points, huge (111 blocks), and is surprisingly good and fleshed out for a DSiWare title. It's basically a Burnout clone, and it certainly looks like it uses the enhanced CPU power of the DSi. There's a good selection of cars (customisable) and tracks in this little game.

The Sudoku has some interesting options, but IHMO still falls short of the Brain Training bonus Sudoku.
 

Hobbun

Member
GhostSeed said:
Thanks, looks like it's made by Innex.




EDIT: Found a picture of it.

2vmsx78.jpg


That looks pretty cool. The release date says "mid June" so I am guessing next Tuesday, the standard day of the week of release for games/media?
 

Capndrake

Member
The ESRB has rated Last Ninja 2 (C64, Commodore Gaming).

PEGI has rated Family Mini Golf (Aksys Games) and Let's Catch (Sega) for WiiWare.
 
D.Lo said:
Then the Wiki is wrong, the SNES games have the sound the same speed as the NTSC versions (although this was true of the SNES anyway, unlike the Mega Drive), and they have signifigantly reduced borders. See here for details.

Mega Drive, NES and Neo Geo games have no optimisation at all however.
Wow, I never knew that about the SNES. Not only does the sound have the same speed as the NTSC version, but some games also run smoother. Interesting read.
 

Echoes

Member
I just don't know why there is no official thread for Swords & Soldiers. Unless I missed it? though couldn't find it upon searching.

I just had a blast in one of the later missions in the first campaign. The action was hectic the whole 45 minutes; I literally was on the top of my toes the whole time, you just can't imagine! Exhilarating! :D

img_088290ba0.jpg
 

Yoschi

Member
CorwinB said:
New EU DSiWare releases : Asphalt GT (by Gameloft) and a Sudoku game.

Asphalt GT is 800 points, huge (111 blocks), and is surprisingly good and fleshed out for a DSiWare title. It's basically a Burnout clone, and it certainly looks like it uses the enhanced CPU power of the DSi. There's a good selection of cars (customisable) and tracks in this little game.
I bought the game after reading your post and i have to warn everybody else not buy it. The game is absolutely horrible and so are the graphics. It has choppy gameplay (seems the developers have never heard of collision detection) & poor graphics that are not even using half the power of a normal ds & has pretty horrible midi style music.
It is way worse than asphalt urban gt 2 (DS), which actually played nicely in comparison to this. Asphalt 4 for DSiWare is really just a cash-in and not polished at all. It feels like a sloppy port of a mobile phone version with some added camera stuff. I now regret so much having spend my 800points on this..
I'd rather recommend PictoBits, now that is what i call a polished game for 800 points.
 

Somnid

Member
Nintendo said:
NINTENDO DOWNLOAD: MARIO CALCULATES THE TIME NEEDED TO CATCH TOASTED RAINBOWS IN SPACE


June 15, 2009

Nintendo's downloadable content this week features the first-ever kitchen appliance with martial arts training. Throw in some rainbows and a game of catch, and you have a pretty interesting WiiWare™ lineup. But that's not all: There are Mario-themed Nintendo DSiWare™ applications and a classic arcade game for the Virtual Console™. Let's get to the details:


WiiWare

Eduardo the Samurai Toaster
Publisher: Semnat Studios
Players: 1-4
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone) - Mild Cartoon Violence
Price: 800 Wii Points™
Description: Fight your way through 13 diverse locations on your own or with up to three friends in this frenetic and stylish side-scrolling action game. Play as Eduardo and his fellow toaster buddies as you fire an assortment of pastries at all kinds of dastardly food products. Hop onto laser-mounted scooters and fly across the screen in rocket packs, and learn to cooperate with your teammates or simply annoy each other in an awesomely fun way by throwing each other around the screen. The choice is up to you.

RAINBOW ISLANDS™: TOWERING ADVENTURE!
Publisher: TAITO
Players: 1-2
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone) - Comic Mischief
Price: 800 Wii Points
Description: In Rainbow Islands: Towering Adventure!, players control the rainbow-magic-wielding Bubby or Bobby as they climb the seven seamless areas of a tower reaching the heavens while defeating enemies with their rainbow powers. Bosses controlled by the scientific genius Dr. Crescent await players at the end of every area. Race through every area within the allotted time to meet the rainbow-colored Holly's Comet. There are three game modes: Story mode, which tells the tale of Holly's Comet; Challenge mode, where players attempt to climb as high as they can; and Time Attack, where players select an area and see how fast they can climb it. Rainbow Islands: Towering Adventure! is an exhilarating action game where you use rainbows to climb into the heavens.

Let's CATCH™
Publisher: SEGA
Players: 1-4
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone) - Comic Mischief, Mild Suggestive Themes
Price: 1,000 Wii Points
Description: Play catch with friends in multiplayer party games and compete for high scores using your Mii™ character and others. Choose from six different single and multiplayer modes such as Speed Catch, which tests your ability to catch a fastball, and Bomb Catch, an elimination party game for up to four players. Select from a variety of characters or use your Mii character to play other favorite catch games. Unlock special features when you own both Let's TAP and Let's CATCH.


Nintendo DSiWare

Mario™ Calculator
Publisher: Nintendo
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: N/A
Price: 200 Nintendo DSi Points™
Description: Mario and Luigi™ take a break from their normal adventures to dedicate their heroic talents to working with numbers. Mario Calculator features the full functionality of a traditional calculator, including a Memory key and the ability to display up to 13 digits, and adds a layer of atmosphere reminiscent of the original Super Mario Bros.™ Use the Unit Converter to turn one unit of measure into another (such as length, weight, volume, age and others), or track the history of calculations you've performed with ease. Listen to the Mario-related sounds and watch the coins fly as calculations are performed. Now, back to adding up those high scores...

Mario™ Clock
Publisher: Nintendo
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone)
Price: 200 Nintendo DSi Points
Description: Turn back time and enjoy a bit of classic game play based on the original Super Mario Bros. with Mario Clock. Help Mario and Luigi collect more coins than ever (POW block anyone?) while they run through a variety of stages. Gather enough coins and you'll be treated to another scene bound to bring back fond memories for many. Mario Clock includes both analog and digital clocks that use the system's internal clock or allow you to offset the time however you like. Program up to three alarms (with snooze functionality for those that need it) and assign them a Mario-related sound or use one created in the Nintendo DSi™ Sound application. You'll find yourself thinking "Just a few more coins..." in no time!


Virtual Console

Space Harrier™
Original platform: Virtual Console Arcade
Publisher: SEGA
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: E (Everyone) - Animated Violence
Price: 800 Wii Points
Description: "Welcome to the Fantasy Zone. Get ready!" This is the greeting given to you as you start Space Harrier, but you don't have much time to take this advice. Even as the words are being spoken, your Harrier warrior is already charging into battle. Toting a huge laser gun under his arm, the Space Harrier can either run along the checkerboard ground or freely fly through the sky. Either way, he's always heading forward into the hostile 3-D world. As you progress, hordes of strange creatures and robots fly toward you. Fast reflexes are required to dodge their incoming fire. Environmental hazards can be a problem, too. Take care not to run into any trees or stone structures. If you need a bit of a morale boost, just defeat a boss, and the narrator will remind you that "you're doing great!"

Nintendo adds new titles to the Nintendo DSi Shop and the Wii Shop Channel at 9 a.m. Pacific time on Mondays. Users with broadband Internet access can redeem Wii Points or Nintendo DSi Points to download the games. Wii Points can be purchased in the Wii Shop Channel. Nintendo DSi Points can be purchased in the Nintendo DSi Shop. A Nintendo Points Card™ can be purchased at retail locations. All points from one Nintendo Points Card must be redeemed in either the Nintendo DSi Shop or the Wii Shop Channel. They are not transferable and cannot be divided between the two systems.

Remember that both Wii and Nintendo DSi feature parental controls that let adults manage the content their children can access. For more information about this and other features, visit Wii.com or NintendoDSi.com.

Wow 3 Wiiwares this week.
 
Good week for WiiWare.

Rough week for DSi. It's still so strange to see clocks and calculators released on a game system.

Ok to good week for VC depending on your love of old Genesis games.
 
Space Harrier yes! I'm glad I held out and never wasted any money on the other versions on VC.

Edit: How do credits work in VC arcade games?

Also, I think I saw a positive answer to this before, but I can't find it right now: are the graphics in VC Space Harrier upscaled properly, like the VC genesis games, unlike the TG-16?
 
Let's Catch is lovely. It was the first game I thought of when Iwata was talking about games to help you relax.

Some people will hate it, mind. But I think it will enjoy a bit of cult love.
 

Plinko

Wildcard berths that can't beat teams without a winning record should have homefield advantage
Thus ends the 2-week DSi streak it had going. Oh well...can't expect too much.
 
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