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Wii U Virtual Console - News and Releases

Sixfortyfive

He who pursues two rabbits gets two rabbits.
I downloaded Mega Man 6 this week and I believe I'm experiencing input lag. Gameplay feels heavier/stickier than usual and some of my commands aren't even registering. What's strange is that I also own MMX3 on Wii U, MM2 and MMX1 on Wii, and MM9 on PS3, and they all play fine. It's only Wii U's NES software that seems to be giving me input lag.
NES/SNES games have extra input lag on the Gamepad. If you have a low-lag TV, just play off of that.
 

OwlyKnees

Member
Apologies if this has been covered, had a look through the last few pages (I know it's oft-requested) - have we any news on Metroid Zero Mission making its way to EU shores?

Fusion was fine. But I need Zero Mission.
 

Jucksalbe

Banned
Apologies if this has been covered, had a look through the last few pages (I know it's oft-requested) - have we any news on Metroid Zero Mission making its way to EU shores?

No. Don't expect any news about it until the Monday before its release. Maybe a rating could pop up earlier but that wouldn't tell you much about its release date either.
 

OwlyKnees

Member
Ah, okay! Wasn't sure how it worked as I'm relatively fresh to the Virtual Console.

Cheers. Will await further news or resort to tracking down a GBA to scratch my itch.
 

NR1

Member
I can't believe the Wii U has been out for over 2 years now, and we still have no N64 or GameCube titles on the eShop... Why Nintendo?!

Plus all those missing Genesis, TurboGrafx, NeoGeo, ect... that were on the Wii eShop.
 

maxcriden

Member
I can't believe the Wii U has been out for over 2 years now, and we still have no N64 or GameCube titles on the eShop... Why Nintendo?!

Plus all those missing Genesis, TurboGrafx, NeoGeo, ect... that were on the Wii eShop.

GCN was never confirmed, unfortunately, just rumored. I feel your pain, though. N64, at this point I'm skeptical we'll ever see it. As for the rest, you'd have to ask Sega and the other companies associated with those games.
 
If Nintendo wants to run interference on the Wii U's sparse software line-up, then they need to get N64 on the VC sooner rather than later.
 

maxcriden

Member
If Nintendo wants to run interference on the Wii U's sparse software line-up, then they need to get N64 on the VC sooner rather than later.

Agreed, but, I think that'd fall on deaf ears at NOA, bro. The Wii U software lineup was far more barren in 2013 or even 2014 than it will presumably be in 2015. If they didn't make the VC happen then, I don't think it will any more so this coming year.
 

NR1

Member
I can't believe getting their first party titles over from the N64 and Cube would require much effort from a small core team of 5 or 7 people. There is no heavy development necessary; just some light recoding and QC testing. There's only around 50 Nintendo published titles on the N64 and Cube each.

If they could get out 2 titles a week (1 N64 and 1 Cube), they could have the entire 1-party catalog released within a year.
 

EBreda

Member
Wii U VC is such a joke. It's jarring that the Wii had such a better VC library 10 years ago.

Nintendo could easily shake things up.
 

Fox Mulder

Member
They don't really care apparently. Maybe they have numbers showing how poorly it does.

I doubt the VC will ever match the variety and support it had on the Wii.
 

tebunker

Banned
Wii U VC is such a joke. It's jarring that the Wii had such a better VC library 10 years ago.

Nintendo could easily shake things up.

Uh not to be a total jerk but really? really dude?

I agree that Wii had a better VC but that didn't really happen until like 2008, and you shouldn't use the hyperbole, considering WIi came out in 2006, not 2004.

Clearly Nintendo doesn't have the install base or an incentive program to make the investment in VC games worth while. Companies would rather put that stuff on mobile now.

I also clearly think that the retro market isn't as big as we all think it is.
 

X-Factor

Member
Releasing Duck Hunt in its original form was another missed opportunity by Nintendo.


A new Duck Hunt game with updated graphics could have made some headlines and drove sales if it were any good. Most people remember Duck Hunt as being an iconic game.
 

sörine

Banned
Clearly Nintendo doesn't have the install base or an incentive program to make the investment in VC games worth while. Companies would rather put that stuff on mobile now.

I also clearly think that the retro market isn't as big as we all think it is.
Reggie confirmed NA is by a wide margin the biggest VC market. So why do we have nearly half the content Japan does?
 

G0523

Member
Releasing Duck Hunt in its original form was another missed opportunity by Nintendo.


A new Duck Hunt game with updated graphics could have made some headlines and drove sales if it were any good. Most people remember Duck Hunt as being an iconic game.

There's still plenty of time to make a new one. They do have a new model for the dog and ducks now.
 

hatchx

Banned
How soon do you think we'll get Metroid Zero Mission and Super Mario Advance 4?


Why do you want Mario Advance 4 when Mario Bros. 3 is already on the eshop?


As for Metroid Zero Mission.....yes I have a frothing demand for this game. Frothing.
 

G0523

Member
Ice Climbers had new models for Smash and we didn't get a new Ice Climbers game. Same for those Earthbound characters.

Does Mother 3 count? :p

Ehh, I can see a 50/50 chance of a new Duck Hunt game. Probably in 2016 if it actually happens.

BTW, where in the FLYING HELL IS DONKEY KONG COUNTRY ALREADY?!?!?!
 

Bluth54

Member
Releasing Duck Hunt in its original form was another missed opportunity by Nintendo.


A new Duck Hunt game with updated graphics could have made some headlines and drove sales if it were any good. Most people remember Duck Hunt as being an iconic game.

I always though it was strange that Nintendo didn't make a new Duck Hunt downloadable game for the Wii.
 

Zee-Row

Banned
Why do you want Mario Advance 4 when Mario Bros. 3 is already on the eshop?


As for Metroid Zero Mission.....yes I have a frothing demand for this game. Frothing.

I want the enhancements Mario Advance 4 got , particularly the e-reader levels.
 

Gleethor

Member
You know, for all the shit Nintendo gets about the VC here, I think the GBA selection is pretty damn good for only being on the service for 8 months now. It's missing some games sure but a lot of good stuff is already out.
 

tebunker

Banned
sörine;145036252 said:
Reggie confirmed NA is by a wide margin the biggest VC market. So why do we have nearly half the content Japan does?

Honestly I wish I knew. There has to be a cost benefit there. Honestly I think the disconnect is between NCL and NOA, and their respective relationships with developers and publishers. So while NCL may get a long fine with Square Enix in Japan, perhaps that is not translating to other regions.

It is unfortunate that other companies NA branches dont see it as a potential money stream. And Honestly I wonder how much a lot of them would take in from a lot of games that would be potentially subject to the upgrade cost instead of full cost... Maybe that is the sticking point
 

Glass Joe

Member
I also clearly think that the retro market isn't as big as we all think it is.

I dunno. If you check the eShop charts on any given day, about half or more are going be VC titles. Duck Hunt is currently the #1 recent best seller overall. Freakin' Duck Hunt.

It is unfortunate that other companies NA branches dont see it as a potential money stream. And Honestly I wonder how much a lot of them would take in from a lot of games that would be potentially subject to the upgrade cost instead of full cost... Maybe that is the sticking point

I do think that upgrade program is a sticking point. The Wii U fanbase is smaller and I don't think too many didn't have the original Wii VC games in question. Though maybe, as the eShop is a lot more user friendly than the Wii days. So either Sega (Genesis) and Konami (TG16) follow the upgrade program with their respective systems for not much revenue, or they don't allow upgrades & face a backlash. So for now they're doing nothing, maybe hoping Nintendo will hop in and offer a more attractive incentive.

And despite what I said about VC games always in the eShop charts, it needs to be clarified that CERTAIN games are selling a lot but most others aren't doing squat. Usually it's the big name Nintendo stuff (or Club Nintendo rewards) that are moving units. A price structure that doesn't require Crash N The Boys Street Challenge to be the same price as Mario 3 and Zelda is sorely required.
 

JoeM86

Member
Agreed, but, I think that'd fall on deaf ears at NOA, bro. The Wii U software lineup was far more barren in 2013 or even 2014 than it will presumably be in 2015. If they didn't make the VC happen then, I don't think it will any more so this coming year.

They are running low on NES and SNES games now though, but a few more NES ones have opened up thanks to Zapper support.

They need N64 in 2015
 
They are running low on NES and SNES games now though, but a few more NES ones have opened up thanks to Zapper support.

They need N64 in 2015

Also GC games on the virtual console would be great be but I'm thinking Nintendo will probably just end up saving the best GC titles as HD remasters like they did with WW.
 

Glass Joe

Member
They are running low on NES and SNES games now though, but a few more NES ones have opened up thanks to Zapper support.

They need N64 in 2015

I like your "they have to do something" logic, then I remembered the Wii reality -- they stopped supporting it with new content way too early. I remember thinking the early arcade games were going to be the sign of something great and it just fizzled right as it started.

Also GC games on the virtual console would be great be but I'm thinking Nintendo will probably just end up saving the best GC titles as HD remasters like they did with WW.

Yep. That's probably why we're not getting N64 stuff either. Why sell Ocarina of Time, Majora's Mask, and Star Fox 64 for $10 when they're selling the remakes for $40. That reminds me, Sega has that 3DS Genesis line too. Boo-urns.
 

tebunker

Banned
I dunno. If you check the eShop charts on any given day, about half or more are going be VC titles. Duck Hunt is currently the #1 recent best seller overall. Freakin' Duck Hunt.

Sorine said:
Reggie confirmed NA is by a wide margin the biggest VC market.

Just wanted to address both of these again, because neither of them actually mean that the Retro market is actually big enough to justify the expenses of bringing old game out. Especially on such a low install base of a platform. Those people hours are better spent deployed on larger projects. At least, that's how big publishers operate.

Now I would love to see a small 2 or 3 person studio work out royalty type contracts with these pubs, take on all the overheard, but also get the majority of the benefit and crank out like 20 or 30 VC titles. The key again would be Nintendo somehow working out something on the Wii to WiiU upgrade people.

I mean, if I could have three or four programmers, that I could pay kind of low, ~60k to 80k a year and I could lock up all the licensing and contracts I might take that bet. Again I would need to really see what kind of sales those things get.

Hypothetical, say we got the contracts on some SNES VC games, all $7.99, all sell 25k units in NA, granted I think this really high.

So $199,750 in raw revenue each.

-30% for Nintendo's Eshop take -$59,925

Subtotal $139,825

Then take another ~50% for licensing and other royalty fees to the publishers and other holders. so -$99,875

leaves roughly $39,950 give or take bring home.

So 4 Software Engineers, at roughly $80k, which is kind of cheap, but better than Indie salaries on average I would wager, you would need $320,000 in total profit to pay your people. So you would need ~11 games. That is just to be able to pay your people, not including other business expenses.

Is that a feasible hypothetical? I don't know, but a lot of publishers don't see it that way. Honestly Nintendo themselves should have a porting team like this in house and they should just use their leveraging power to make deal since they could probably just operate the team off the 30% they take off eshop sales.

I will freely admit I am just taking wild guesses here, and honestly, I don't think that VC titles regularly hit the 25k mark in sales if ever.

You would probably do better to make similar deals and put the games on GOG or Steam to be honest.
 
I mean, if I could have three or four programmers, that I could pay kind of low, ~60k to 80k a year and I could lock up all the licensing and contracts I might take that bet.

What the heck are three to four programmers doing here? VC is a ROM dump, the development effort required to support it is minimal.
 

BumRush

Member
I don't understand why every single Nintendo-published game (sans ones with any kind of licensing issues, if there are any) isn't on the Wii U VC...from NES all the way up to N64
 

Kaybe

Unconfirmed Member
How would those work exactly? DLC?
Modifying the ROM or applying something that will trigger them to unlock.
They have done stuff like this with Mega Man Battle Network 2 in Japan (all link-only chips are automatically unlocked), so it's possible.
 

TheMoon

Member
I can't believe the Wii U has been out for over 2 years now, and we still have no N64 or GameCube titles on the eShop... Why Nintendo?!

Plus all those missing Genesis, TurboGrafx, NeoGeo, ect... that were on the Wii eShop.

GCN games never had an ounce of a chance to appear on Wii U.

Sigh. The fact that the top of this page is from early September is very telling...

Actually not at all. There have been a bunch of major releases since then. We're just talking about them in the Ninty Downloads thread.
 

jimi_dini

Member
What the heck are three to four programmers doing here? VC is a ROM dump, the development effort required to support it is minimal.

People expect those games to work 100% perfectly, which is why VC is not just a ROM dump. Which means you need testers/QA. And you also need developers. At least that's how a proper company would do it. Nintendo didn't have "THE" emulator on Wii, but every ROM had its own emulator, which was of course based on an emulator per console but with changes here and there. Which makes sense, because one little change somewhere could introduce some issue in another game. When you want to sell those games, you don't want the buyers feel as if they were playtesters.

No Super Mario RPG on WiiU VC is fucking ridiculous, fucking let me play that shit on my gamepad! Ugh...

Blame the legal situation for this. And Square of course.

At least you can still play it in Wii mode on Wii U.
 
Telling that the discussion is taking place in the monthly Nintendo Downloads threads instead

Meh, my point remains that there is a horrible selection of Virtual Console games. No N64 games on the VC in 2015 is completely ridiculous. I love my Wii U but the VC is just terrible.

Earthbound is cool though. Nice being able to play through that without worrying about my SNES cartridge save corrupting (which has happened too many times..)
 

tebunker

Banned
What the heck are three to four programmers doing here? VC is a ROM dump, the development effort required to support it is minimal.

but is it? I mean look at the GBA VC games, those aren't just rom dumps.

There is some effort. So let's do one or two engineers.

The point I was making is that if it is so cheap to do, and money is so easy to make, then why the hell is no one doing it?
 

jnWake

Member
Nintendo should really get more companies to support VC. I mean, we only have Capcom and Konami really supporting VC.

Square has released nothing outside of Japan, and there are many gems (Terranigma for example) that would be amazing to have.

In any case, I hope N64 and DS happen sometime. I never owned a DS so there's many games to play there!
 

jholmes

Member
but is it? I mean look at the GBA VC games, those aren't just rom dumps.

There is some effort. So let's do one or two engineers.

The point I was making is that if it is so cheap to do, and money is so easy to make, then why the hell is no one doing it?

The companies that should be doing it are more concerned with triple-A games on PS4 that they hope will sell three million copies, I guess. Low-hanging fruit just diverts attention away?
 
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