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[Capndrake]

OFLC update:

-Paper Plane (DSiWare)
-Pyoro (DSiWare)
-Clubhouse Games Express: Classic Cards (DSiWare)
-Crystal Defenders R1 (WiiWare)
-Crystal Defenders R2 (WiiWare)
-Water Warfare (WiiWare, Hudson's next game after Adventure Island)

 

[kottila]

Seems to me you guys are setting youselves up for disappointment: only thing I know is that a couple of days ago, together with the Classic Controller Pro, Nintendo JPN presented the Official Nintendo Wii SD Card: I hope it has to do with this firmware update we're all hoping for instead of being just a cocktease and what Matt/Bozon has mistaken for the actual ability to load from SD cards.

You mean first party SD's as opposed to these?

 

[Lee N]

You mean first party SD's as opposed to these?

The 512MB one has been out since 2006, but this month they're releasing a 2GB one in Japan.

 

[Dan]

Why can't we rearrange channels on the Wii menu? I've always wondered this. If I'm forced to delete games, I end up with blank spaces, and it'd be nice to move what I'm currently playing to the first page. It seems so silly.

 

[PuppetSlave]

Why can't we rearrange channels on the Wii menu? I've always wondered this. If I'm forced to delete games, I end up with blank spaces, and it'd be nice to move what I'm currently playing to the first page. It seems so silly.

Uhh, you can rearrange channels? Drag and drop. Can't remember which buttons to hold in. A+B?

You can move them to other pages also. Just drag them to the right/left side symbol and wait for a second to change page and then drop.

 

[Fuu]

Uhh, you can rearrange channels? Drag and drop. Can't remember which buttons to hold in. A+B?

You can move them to other pages also. Just drag them to the right/left side symbol and wait for a second to change page and then drop.

I wish we could swap the channels though. You can only move a channel to an empty space, not above another one so they change places.

 

[Dan]

Uhh, you can rearrange channels? Drag and drop. Can't remember which buttons to hold in. A+B?

You can move them to other pages also. Just drag them to the right/left side symbol and wait for a second to change page and then drop.

Really? Well then I only hate that I wasn't made aware of this a year ago.

 

[VideoMan]

Amazon just added the new North American Nintendo Points Card.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B001TOQ8KC/?tag=neogaf0e-20

 

[Azure Dream]

Amazon just added the new North American Nintendo Points Card.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B001TOQ8KC/?tag=neogaf0e-20

2000 points for... $24.99?

It says the list price for the old one is $24.99 too. Are they adding a surcharge to their point cards now?

 

[poppabk]

2000 points for... $24.99?

It says the list price for the old one is $24.99 too. Are they adding a surcharge to their point cards now?

I hope this doesn't signal a change in the cost of points in NA - because
a) that would suck
and
b) that would require math on my part to figure out prices

 

[VideoMan]

2000 points for... $24.99?

It says the list price for the old one is $24.99 too. Are they adding a surcharge to their point cards now?

Amazon has always overcharged on Wii Points for some reason. Everywhere else it'll still be $1 = 100 points.

 

[Capndrake]

EU VC update of "Let's take advantage of our bi-weekly update by releasing a game which is already available on VC on another system":
-Clu Clu Land (NES)
-Wonder Boy III: Monster Lair (MD)

 

[Agent Unknown]

Seems to me you guys are setting youselves up for disappointment: only thing I know is that a couple of days ago, together with the Classic Controller Pro, Nintendo JPN presented the Official Nintendo Wii SD Card: I hope it has to do with this firmware update we're all hoping for instead of being just a cocktease and what Matt/Bozon has mistaken for the actual ability to load from SD cards.

Believe me, I'm taking it with a big grain of salt. OTOH, as Lee N pointed out, official Nintendo SD cards have been out for a long time. And it seems like it'd be a huge logic jump for anyone game journalist or not to think "Nintendo offering 2 gig cards + new classic pad = launchable games from the card." And again, in the stockholder Q&A from a month ago, Iwata repeated the plan to "fix the storage problem with SD cards" "this spring." So for now, I'm going to give Matt & Bozon the benefit of the doubt and (cautiously) assume they have a clear source on this.

 

[beje]

EU VC update of "Let's take advantage of our bi-weekly update by releasing a game which is already available on VC on another system":
-Clu Clu Land (NES)
-Wonder Boy III: Monster Lair (MD)

Confirmed: also NOE hates the shop and isn't even trying. My remaining 1000 points will stay there until they decide to move their asses, I really don't have an urge to spend them.

Oh, and this is like the 11th or 12th week in a row where we only get two games and maybe the 2nd or 3rd where said update technically only contains one new game.

 

[evilromero]

For once I'm just happy with the fact Castlevania III is on my Wii.

 

[Conrad Link]

I didn't even know the Turbo CD version of Monster Lair had come out. :lol How did I miss that?

Easily the only Wonder Boy game I have little-to-no interest in, but will still probably get it just to say I have the whole lot on one machine.

 

[Ranger X]

Thanks for the stats and dates on past FW updates, Wiirevolution1.

My ideal version of the update would be a small SD card button on the bottom of the dashboard. Clicking the button would bring up a separate dashboard representing your SD card with virtually endless channel slots limited only by how much space is on the card. Regardless of what it ends up being, they need to ditch the 48 channel limit for the card. Otherwise there'd still eventually be a need for re-shuffling content between the system and the Shop.

This would be pure awesomeness. Nintendo can't pull this off this good i'm sure.

.

 

[Nuclear Muffin]

Games played straight of the SD Card?!

YES!!!

That is all.

PS: Nintendo released updates at midnight pacific or 6PM Pacific. So always check at those times. I know I will.

Also: Since I"m bored I'll post when Nintendo usually released firmware updates for the heck of it...lol

Mondays: They usually only release firmware updates on Mondays if theres a WiiShop update to go with it (Gifts, Complete redisign)

Tuesdays: They have released FW on tuesdays but not many.

Wendsdays: This seems to be a great day for FW updates.

Thursdays: They usually never release them on Thursdays.

Fridays: About the same chance as Wendsdays.

Saturdays: Same as Thursdays.

Sundays: Same as Tuesday.

I hope that the channel icons stay on the WiiMenu and when you click it loads from the SD Card. This would mean that I could actually fill all 48 slots! AT LONG LAST!

Seems like Monday would be the day...a Monday that is.

We know that the SD Card update must come out on a Monday then, since the shop channel will be getting an update that allows you to download games straight to SD Card.

Spoiler

OMG UPDATE COMING THIS MONDAY WITH SUPER SMASH BROS AND EARTHBOUND OMG!!!

 

[Spy]

There are a couple much needed SNES Virtual Console games missing!

Earthbound
Super Mario Kart
Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island
Super Punch-Out!!

What gives Nintendo?

 

[Hobbun]

There are a couple much needed SNES Virtual Console games missing!

Earthbound
Super Mario Kart
Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island
Super Punch-Out!!

What gives Nintendo?

It's been mentioned more than once that the likelihood of Earthbound making it to the VC is pretty much nil.

Something about licensing issues in regards to music (I believe).

 

[Agent Unknown]

In regards to Spy's post, don't forget Star Fox SNES. Hopefully NCL and the emulation team are committed to giving us SFX games sometime this decade.

This would be pure awesomeness. Nintendo can't pull this off this good i'm sure.

.

Probably not. :/

But even if the interface isn't that slick, I just want to store/launch without having to reshuffle. Even if it's just a simple "click-list" of the games on my card with small, simple icons I'll be happy.

 

[Somnid]

I never really thought about the Classic Controller PRO and the new Wii SD card but those would really point to an update. Keep in mind that it's been quoted as Spring and usually that means more literal like March 20 and beyond. I don't expect it to show up until late March. Also, don't forget Iwata is doing a GDC keynote and last year GDC was the big digital distribution announcements. I can only imagine they'll be taking a stab at that once again. I'd expect the "fridge" update somewhere in that timeframe.

Since it's a big update that will likely affect the shop expect some maintaince downtime preceding it. That'll be your early warning.

There are a couple much needed SNES Virtual Console games missing!

What gives Nintendo?

Earthbound - Issues with licensing most likely
Super Mario Kart - Uses DSP-1 chip, no games supporting this are out yet
Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island - Uses Super-FX 2 chip
Super Punch-Out!! - Almost undoubtly coming before Punch-Out!! Wii

The only SNES chip that's currently VC supported seems to be the SA-1.

 

[farnham]

damn i was hoping for ogre battle this week

 

[Capndrake]

damn i was hoping for ogre battle this week

Not likely to come anytime soon, it will have to be an import, and 7 other imports are already rated. Each Hanabi Festival has exactly 6 imports, so it'll take at least two more of them for it to appear.

 

[Agent Unknown]

Regarding Sominid's post:

Well, GDC is March 23-27. Definitely a time to be keeping an eye on our Wii LEDs and possible Shop downtime. Man, the anticipation, speculation, and possible disappointment mixed with cautious optimism are killin' me. It'll be a relief when Fridgegate is finally over.

 

[VeritasVierge]

Amazon has always overcharged on Wii Points for some reason. Everywhere else it'll still be $1 = 100 points.

Not only Amazon. Toys R Us sued to charge $22.99 for them as a standard price. Nobody ever bought them so they had that sale last year to clear some out. We need another sale like that!

 

[Agent Unknown]

OK, I did some google sleuthing and found a bit of clarity. The following is from Newlevelgaming blog. It's from early October and a story concerning the SD update announcement made by Iwata. In the story is what is apparently an image of some printed press material (again apparently) from Iwata himself that was handed out at the event where he is more specific about the SD solution. I've quoted the text from the press page, the link to the blog's story on it and the image link itself are below.

Based on what's said, it sounds more like a quick copy function but it also sounds pretty good and confirms it's NOT just an update that simply let's you download from the shop to your card. I am currently without a lap top and am posting this info from my Wii Opera browser without the help of copy 'n paste after jotting down everything on a note pad. I'm now sitting on my living room floor in front of my plasma hammering out on my USB keyboard what I scribbled down. Yes, I feel kinda silly, but that's how dedicated I am to this topic. haha

edit: OK, for whatever reason I can't get the URLs to work, guess I'm a crappy typer. In any case, I need to call it a night. Just go to http://newlevelgaming.blog-city.com and type "sd update" into the search field and you'll find it, it's the Oct. 3, '08 entry.

...we are facing the challenge to comply with users who are demanding more data storage capacity beyond the existing internal memory.

Recently, SD memory cards have become inexpensive. However, how SD memory cards can be used when there is not enough room in Wii's internal memory is not convenient (no kidding, thanks for finally admitting that).

We've been listening to the customers, and we have been trying to come up with the solution that will not sacrifice the security nature of Wii but will cater to our customers' convenience. We will need more time to tackle it. But the basic direction has been decided, so I would like to update you on this today.

We will make it so that, when there is not enough room on the Wii's internal memory, you will be able to purchase and download Virtual Console and WiiWare software directly from the Shopping Channel to an SD memory card. We will also make it so that you will need to go through just one process in order to transfer Virtual Console or WiiWare software stored on an SD card to the Wii console and then be able to play it. (Whatever this is, grain 'o salt 'n all, it may not be actual launch-from-card per se, but it sounds good-decent at worst and seems to partially confirm the IGN prediction)

We would like to deal with this issue utilizing two methods. Since the updates to realize this will require significant revisions to the Wii system, and these changes need to be made by taking care of a variety of different angles (meaning tons 'o DRM and file watermarking of some sort no doubt), this method will become effective beginning next spring (pleeeaaase sometime this month). For some of you, this may be considered late (OHHHHHH-YEAH! We're talking, shoulda been broad minded enough to have had something like this available at launch or in an update the same month as the launch). But please know that we really appreciate your cooperation and understanding. We are working hard so we can begin the service as soon as possible.

 

[Jiggy]

Not only Amazon. Toys R Us used to charge $22.99 for them as a standard price. Nobody ever bought them so they had that sale last year to clear some out. We need another sale like that!

That sale was so good that six VC purchases and seven VC gifts later I still have 14,900 points remaining. <3 We really do need another one.

 

[GhostSeed]

Holy crap! I don't remember ever seeing that mentioned in this thread, or the earlier one. I completely stopped buying TG-16 games on account of the blur. One question though-are you talking about NTSC?

Yes, at least that's what my original question was about. :lol

Have anybody tried to download "old" TG16 games again just to see if they contain the updated TG16 emulator sans blur filter?

I re-downloaded Devils Crush today and it was still blur-tacular. Hopefully Hudson does go back and patch their older games with this new emulator I hate the blur.

 

[Dragona Akehi]

I think anyone thinking that Nintendo will somehow not fuck up the supposed SD implementation needs to sit down and read this (then cry).

As a specific example, let’s look at the much-discussed future ability to load Virtual Console and WiiWare titles from an SD card (seriously, what the hell were they thinking with 512MB of internal storage and no sane infrastructure to ever expand it externally?) There are three possible solutions to get this to work:

1. Add FAT filesystem code to IOS retroactively, disabling any SD access for titles that launch from SD
2. Add FAT filesystem code to IOS retroactively and push title updates for everything that uses SD, to remove the in-title FAT code and replace it with a new interface to IOS
3. Just fake it and transparently copy titles to the Wii system memory when you want to launch them, causing more Flash wear and tear and longer launching times

Chances are they’re going to go for number 3. And the only reason 1. and 2. exist is because downloadable content access is implemented through a unified “application security” subsystem, which forced them to define a sort-of-standard interface for it. They wouldn’t have done it otherwise.

 

[swerve]

I think anyone thinking that Nintendo will somehow not fuck up the supposed SD implementation needs to sit down and read this (then cry).

It's not even going to be number 3. Users will have to manage the copy-over themselves first (nothing transparent about it).

But I am optimistic because simply the ability to download straight to SD fixes the biggest problem I have. I don't care about shuffling things around, I care when the store won't let me download something I want because of space restrictions when I have a gig of SD storage plugged in.

 

[LiveFromKyoto]

What are the odds of Ys III showing up? Hudson hasn't released anything in forever.

 

[Capndrake]

Japanese update next week:

VC:
-Clu Clu Land D (FDS - Nope, Japan doesn't get the original)
-The Revenge of Shinobi (MD)

WiiWare:
-Okiraku Putter Golf (Family Minigolf, final game in the series)

 

[Jiggy]

What are the odds of Ys III showing up? Hudson hasn't released anything in forever.

If it makes you feel any better, they're planning on having other games released this month (unless Nintendo pulls the rug out from under them again like with Ys I & II and Star Parodier, of course):

http://vc-pce.com/usa/e/index.html

 

[borghe]

-The Revenge of Shinobi (MD)

excellent game.. Unfortunately it will be impossible to get nostalgic about this without Godzilla, Batman and Rambo still being in the game... likely the 1.02 version.

If it makes you feel any better, they're planning on having other games released this month (unless Nintendo pulls the rug out from under them again like with Ys I & II and Star Parodier, of course):

http://vc-pce.com/usa/e/index.html

wha wha-- what????? I thought Hudson was done with VC? KICK ASS!

 

[sfog]

ESRB update:
Silver Star Chess
Sudoku: We All Play
Battle Poker
Bubble Bobble Plus

 

[LiveFromKyoto]

wha wha-- what????? I thought Hudson was done with VC? KICK ASS!

That was a rumour put out there because they'd been so quiet, but they've publicly denied it.

 

[Agent Unknown]

As someone who has owned all three Hucards for almost ten years, I highly recommend Bomberman '94 (unless of course you already own Mega Bomberman), Parodius and Detana! Twinbee. The latter two are very colorful Shmups (hopefully the filter update will be in place for them) and fantastic conversions of their respective arcade versions. BMan '94 has by far the best multiplayer of the PCE/TG-16 series (first game to feature 'Roos).

Also, on the SD thing, as discussed in the old thread, Space Invaders Get Even by itself takes up well over 300 blocks. But if you choose to download the expansion packs & fanservice ships, it totals a jaw dropping 680 blocks. However, I read last night that Get Even's expansion data can be saved and used from SD with a disclaimer message that your expansion data is tied to your system if you choose to do so. I wonder if that and the fact both GH WT and Rock 2's being able to stream MP3's could also bode well for the possibilities of the update?

 

[Jiggy]

I forgot how long some of these Ogre Battle maps could take--it's over three hours for an individual map on occasion.* Still so addictive, though, and by far the most hours you could get out of a single-player game on Virtual Console; even the great Shining Force games have nothing on this length-wise.


*Assuming you don't take the easy and boring way out by using some kill-everything unit typically comprised of either a whole lot of high-leveled characters or a whole lot of story characters, since any of the ones not found in the first few chapters always have stats ranging from "way above average" to "what-in-the-world-this-can-carry-the-entire-unit above average."


Edit: Oh, there's also the "decoy units distract enemies and retreat repeatedly while a flying unit heads straight for the boss" method to beat stages real quick, but that's so anticlimactic I'd never use it seriously. You'd also need to give up the chance of item drops from obliterating enemy units.

 

[DDayton]

You know, I'd like to see Culture Brain release some VC stuff.

Like The Magic of Scherezade.

 

[PepsimanVsJoe]

It's all about Super Ninja Boy.
One of the few RPGs I've ever beaten off a rental.

Anyway good to see Bubble Bobble Plus on ESRB. This will be my first Wiiware purchase(bought the 360 version of Megaman 9)

 

[mclem]

Not likely to come anytime soon, it will have to be an import, and 7 other imports are already rated. Each Hanabi Festival has exactly 6 imports, so it'll take at least two more of them for it to appear.

Are we not talking of "each of the *two* Hanabi festivals has..."?

It seems like there's not all that many data points to work with.

 

[cooljeanius]

Kinda LttP here, but on Thursday I got 3000 Wii points for my birthday, so I used them to download Kid Icarus, Ocarina of Time, and LostWinds. I left 500 over for a friend's upcoming birthday. Kid Icarus is hard. I haven't managed to beat the first level yet. I heard LostWinds was short, so I'm trying to take it slowly to savor it. I've put the most time into Ocarina of Time. I never played the original, so I'm liking it a lot. Now if only it would let me put it down so I could go to bed at a reasonable time... it's making my mom worry.

 

[Jiggy]

I hope for Detana!! Twinbee but expect Super Smash Bros. (Now With Superior Controller) in eight hours. Of course, what I really want is both simultaneously, since I sure bet the only way that a previously-unknown-to-English-audiences game like Twinbee will garner any sort of attention is if it happens to be sitting right next to something so high-profile.

Kid Icarus is hard. I haven't managed to beat the first level yet.

The first level of Kid Icarus is arguably the hardest since you won't have any health or strength upgrades yet, so don't worry.

 

[Iam Canadian]

I hope for Twinbee since it's a game that I haven't played as opposed to a game that I own, even with an inferior controller. Kind of selfish, but hey, I don't think many other non-Japanese folk have played it either!

 

[Regulus Tera]

I hope for Detana!! Twinbee but expect Super Smash Bros. (Now With Superior Controller) in eight hours.

Is this hopeful thinking or...?

 

[Jiggy]

Is this hopeful thinking or...?

No, it's expectful thinking.

But seriously, I do buy into the hypothetical that some others in here have come up with that NOA wanted to push SSB back to the "anniversary" of Brawl. It's been out for months in Japan, and I can't think of any other reason they wouldn't have put it out yet.

 

[Capndrake]

Are we not talking of "each of the *two* Hanabi festivals has..."?

It seems like there's not all that many data points to work with.

There's been three. September 2007, May 2008, August/September 2008.

 

[Jiggy]

So, just within the last few minutes, I was looking for information on the TG16 library because I wanted to make some sort of appreciation/wishlist/whatever post for that system whenever Detana!! Twinbee shows up, and had figured that despite visiting however many sites and watching however many dozens of videos already, I'd probably missed some awesome-looking game or other in the process. After all, when Hudson said they'd still be supporting VC and people on various other VC-centric sites were wildly tossing together wishlists, I found five or six games that I'd missed before.

Well, guess what:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YkCVhStZPlA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZCTDh18fmwo

440 games in two seconds of footage each, and I've only seen a handful of them before. :O And among just the ones I hadn't seen, there are easily dozens that I'd love to play now--even if I ignore all the RPGs that probably remained in Japanese.

I have to say: as much as I love SNES, I'm actually starting to feel ripped off by the fact that people were so busy warring over that system and Genesis that TG16 just fell by the wayside. Looks so incredible.

 

[Iam Canadian]

Yeah, I always thought of the TG-16 as one of those "other" consoles in the 16-bit era, on par with something like the 3DO or Atari Jaguar, the consoles that nobody bought and didn't matter. Now, though, I see just how much I really missed out on. I still love the SNES and the Genesis, but the Turbografx can easily stand among those great systems in terms of quality games.

Spoiler

However, the VC has yet to provide me a reason to regret missing out on the Commodore 64. I'm sure they exist, but they're not out yet. :/ Those of you who do like the C64, what are some of the best games that I should be looking forward to?