Post by: Karl Castaneda #2 on June 06, 2005, 10:42:22 AM
The Internet has recently been abuzz with rumors of Nintendo's plan for the Revolution's downloadable service, which will feature full backwards compatibility with previous Nintendo consoles. Along with a recent article in the Japanese publication, Famitsu, many people seem to believe that first party games will be completely free at launch. This rumor became even more bloated when a supposed "launch list" surfaced, containing all 221 Nintendo-published games for NES through N64.
The gossip’s origin is probably this statement made by George Harrison during a Q&A session with GameSpot:
“But certainly with the next console it would be, with a couple of important changes like eliminating the access fee so there's not really a monthly subscription, and making use of first-party games, downloadable for free. That to us will be really revolutionary.”
The truth of the matter is, however, that Nintendo is still finalizing their approach with how games will be acquired and how/if gamers will be charged for them. The status of the download service was clarified in this statement from Perrin Kaplan, which PGC obtained from Nintendo of America today:
"For Revolution and accessing older games, we haven't finalized how we will structure it yet. It is possible that players will enjoy these games without a charge from Nintendo, or there may be some pay structure for accessing the actual product. We haven't finalized it yet. Our goal is to make it as easy and inexpensive as possible, which could be free."
So, in short, while it is certainly an entertaining and wishful thought, consider this rumor debunked. Neither pricing nor game availability have been finalized for the Revolution's download service.
Post by: Artimus on June 06, 2005, 11:41:42 AM
Post by: TheYoungerPlumber on June 06, 2005, 11:48:33 AM
Post by: Djunknown on June 06, 2005, 12:07:10 PM
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We're already getting free online play--charging a small price for classic games would help cover costs without becoming a real burden.
That's true for the DS, more specifically for 1st party games. If their download plan is tentative, it makes me wonder about their online play plan. Micro transactions? I believe MS talked about that first for the '360....
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Nintendo is still finalizing their approach with how games will be acquired and how/if gamers will be charged for them.
Ideas have been floating around this forum about how for some games, you'd have to complete a certain challenge to get a classic title. One that pops into my head is that you beat Metroid Prime 3 under X amount of hours, Super Metroid is yours for the taking. Any other clever ways to distribute classic content anyone?
Post by: Darkheart on June 06, 2005, 12:13:19 PM
Post by: Jonnyboy117 on June 06, 2005, 12:25:45 PM
Regardless, I think MS will abandon the "micro transactions" idea very quickly when they see public reaction to it. Then again, it works with cell phones...maybe it will work on consoles. I doubt it though.
Post by: Ian Sane on June 06, 2005, 12:28:22 PM
I wonder how many people who could beat Metroid Prime 3 within a time limit would not already have Super Metroid on the SNES. The problem with making the classic games be challenge based is that only hardcore fans are going to go through the trouble and they likely already have the classic game. A pay to download service allows people to get familiar with games they might have missed the first time around. I imagine most people who want Super Metroid are people who didn't get the game when it was current and have since wanted to try it because of all the praise it gets.
Is anyone here going to download games they already have? This isn't like the GBA where there's justification to buy a game a second time to play it on the go. You're going to be playing these downloaded games on a TV with a controller so realistically there won't be any difference between playing it on the original console or on the Rev (the NES would be an exception though since NES hardware is pretty unreliable). I'd say the ideal target demographic for this service are people who didn't own an NES, SNES or N64. This would be younger people that were too young or not alive yet when some of the older consoles were around or they owned a different console during the same generation (ie: Genesis or Playstation owners who later switched to Nintendo). So I think it should be very easy to get these old games and having an online store with reasonable prices seems like the ideal way to do it. This is something that could have mass appeal and making people compete challenges for games would limit it to only the hardcore.
Post by: Artimus on June 06, 2005, 12:42:31 PM
Post by: anubis6789 on June 06, 2005, 01:04:59 PM
I think it would also be neat if they were to translate older games like the fire emblem series orsome of the Famicom Disk System games that we never got. Maybe they could find a work around for titles that used unique controllers like the Zapper, R.O.B., Power Pad, Super Scope, SNES Mouse, ect. God Knows I would love to play the two BattleClash games again.
Post by: stevey on June 06, 2005, 01:09:24 PM
Post by: couchmonkey on June 06, 2005, 01:11:01 PM
People could still buy the games instead.I think the idea of giving away free game downloads as part of game challenges is cool, but it might have to be more general than the example given above. Give away a free download, don't make it too specific.
Anyway, I was doubtful of rumours that the downloads would be free. I bet Nintendo still has a lot of planning to do in this respectl: for example, will third parties still be on board if they have to either offer their games for free or compete with some 200 free Nintendo games?
Post by: mukanjou on June 06, 2005, 01:18:59 PM
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Is anyone here going to download games they already have?
I would repurchase my entire N64 collection if the Revolution displays them in higher resolution.
Post by: stevey on June 06, 2005, 01:30:16 PM
I am my n64 is f*cked (funny thing is that the same game that broke my n64 is the same one that broke my cube)
Post by: KnowsNothing on June 06, 2005, 01:45:16 PM
- Many of my SNES games have dead save batteries or reqiure an effort to start up.
- My N64 controllers suck and it makes it almost impossible to play games.
- It's easier to play games off of one console than having to switch wires and the such with multiple consoles.
Post by: JonLeung on June 06, 2005, 03:17:47 PM
By securing the former competition, every gamer around twenty and up is sure to feel nostalgia (unless they owned a Turbo GrafX-16 or were strictly a computer gamer). However "niche" everyone thinks Nintendo is now, gamers from at least a couple generations back are very likely to have some fond memories of a Nintendo game, but it's not like there wasn't also a fair share of Sega fans. Getting old Sega games too would essentially give Nintendo a retro-monopoly of likely 95% of the game market.
I can't think of a Sega controller before the Dreamcast that would have more buttons than the N64, so if N64 games are playable, there's certainly more than enough buttons for any Sega games. I guess the problem there is when the games refer to the I and II buttons instead of A and B buttons (but if the controller can adapt to such controller inconsistencies as C buttons to C-stick or the right migration of the Z button, then maybe it could work).
But, sticking with just the past Nintendo consoles, there's a lot keeping it from a full selection. What about games from companies that don't exist any more? Japanese games? European games? Would other-region games be censored? (Ice Climber's seals or Devil World's title, etc.) Games that rely on specific controllers or devices? Other versions of games? Do you need a "Donkey Kong Classics" when Donkey Kong and Donkey Kong Jr. are likely to be available separately? Or like the version of Super Mario All-Stars that includes Super Mario World - would you even need Super Mario All-Stars without World or World on its own? Would we not see re-releases of games anymore? (Well, there goes the need for the button-swapped Mega Man Anniversary Collection...)
(And what about downloading Game Boy and Game Boy Color games to your DS? That would open up more issues - would you be able to get the 16-bit Space Invaders game that's only unlocked through the use of a Super Game Boy? Would Shantae or the Zelda Oracle games have the extra "Advance" things you get by playing them on a DS or would they be stuck on Game Boy Color mode?)
A lot of questions. I don't think it'd be likely at all to ever have a 100% complete selection. At least it's always possible that they could add more games to the download service over time.
In fact, if they do charge for downloads, they probably WOULD release them a few at a time. >_<
"Crystalis: relive the adventure in July 2007!" o_0
I wonder if they can hype up the re-release of games that are downloads at least a fraction of what they do for new games.
I've rambled, but seeing as how people seem to like those controller-devices with emulated classic games on them, even if the Revolution's download system was just region-specific Nintendo-made games for a small fee, people would still buy (or rent?) them up like crazy. I know I would.
Post by: Jiggy37 on June 06, 2005, 03:57:27 PM
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Originally posted by: Ian Sane
Is anyone here going to download games they already have? This isn't like the GBA where there's justification to buy a game a second time to play it on the go. You're going to be playing these downloaded games on a TV with a controller so realistically there won't be any difference between playing it on the original console or on the Rev (the NES would be an exception though since NES hardware is pretty unreliable).
Kirby Super Star + Super Mario World + Super Mario World 2 + A Link to the Past + Ocarina of Time + Majora's Mask + Super Smash Bros. + Mario Kart 64 + Mario Kart + Star Fox 64 + Super Metroid + Pokemon Snap + Mario 64 + Mario Paint + Earthbound take up a fair amount of physical space, whereas flash memory (and/or an SD Card) doesn't. That's pretty much all the justification I need.
Post by: mantidor on June 06, 2005, 04:20:42 PM
Post by: Jonnyboy117 on June 06, 2005, 04:28:51 PM
Post by: Chris1001 on June 06, 2005, 06:19:40 PM
Post by: Bloodworth on June 06, 2005, 07:30:33 PM
Post by: Ian Sane on June 06, 2005, 09:20:31 PM
I've got that. Super cool. Later they released Space Invaders as a standalone SNES title so at the very least they could offer the SNES game as a download.
Post by: Dasmos on June 06, 2005, 09:44:02 PM
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Originally posted by: stevey
I am my n64 is f*cked (funny thing is that the same game that broke my n64 is the same one that broke my cube)
Well of course if you try to put a nintendo cartridge into a Gamecube is going to screw up!! Visa-Versa.......
Post by: TheYoungerPlumber on June 06, 2005, 10:40:57 PM
Post by: Dasmos on June 07, 2005, 01:18:57 AM
Post by: The Omen on June 07, 2005, 08:40:57 AM
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I'd say the ideal target demographic for this service are people who didn't own an NES, SNES or N64. This would be younger people that were too young or not alive yet when some of the older consoles were around or they owned a different console during the same generation (ie: Genesis or Playstation owners who later switched to Nintendo).
I disagree. I think the prime demographic for these old games are OLDER gamers who actually owned these consoles and know what they want, and what they missed. The people who didn't stick with Nintendo waiting for the SNES, went the Sega route...and they stayed that way all the way through Dreamcast. I don't think they'll even buy the Revolution, let alone download games. Most Sega fans went to Xbox and a smaller number went to the GC , because of that lingering Sega vs Nintendo garbage from the early to mid 90's. And younger gamers basically think of Nintendo as portable gaming. So, it's a positive move, but if Nintendo doesn't rake in those kids 15-20 like MS and Sony, it'll be the same hardcore audience with some older former Nintendo junkies returning to the fold...which admittedly could be huge.
It's a good sign to see Nintendo finally use nostalgia to they're advantage. It's one of the only advantages they alone have.
Post by: KDR_11k on June 07, 2005, 08:51:22 AM
Post by: mantidor on June 07, 2005, 09:04:32 AM
Post by: IceCold on June 07, 2005, 09:49:43 PM
Or any other multiplayer tournaments, for that matter. They could even have promotions like when you first get the Rev it asks you when your birthday is and when that time comes, it gives you a free download each time. Something like that as a perk
I would buy most of my collection of S/NES just because of the convenience if it is cheap (no SNES game more than $6 CDN). When I lived in Africa I had about 60 games for the NES, and I remember I still wanted to play some more but never got the chance. However, when I moved here the voltage is different (110V compared to 240V) so I had to sell it there. Therefore, I am looking to buy quite a few NES games to remind me.
There are also some games that I really want to play on the Super that I either lost/battery save dead/broke/borrowed from friends and I want to get them. I did, however, buy some games that I still regret purchasing, and there's no way they're wasting my flash space.
Post by: KDR_11k on June 08, 2005, 03:56:36 AM
