Topic: Ogre Battle 64 Headed to Virtual Console in Japan

[NWR_DrewMG]

The rare gem will be available in January.
 http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/newsArt.cfm?artid=20660

 Ogre Battle 64 has been announced for release on Virtual Console in Japan.    The game, which was originally released in Japan in 1999 and North America in 2000, is one of the rarer Nintendo 64 games.  It is also one of the most critically acclaimed games on the system.    

The game was originally developed by Quest, which acquired by Square Enix in 2002.  It was published by Nintendo in Japan, and by Atlus in North America.   Square Enix has published Atlus titles before in Europe, making a partnership between the two parties to bring the game to the North American Virtual Console is possible.    

Nothing has been announced regarding a release outside of Japan at this time, but  Nintendo World Report will be on the lookout for any updates regarding a North American release.

[broodwars]

I demand that Nintendo of America work out some sort of arrangement with Atlus and Square-Enix to get the North American version over here on our VC.  OB64 is by far the best in the series (and one of the best games on the N64, period), and it's one (with all its 2D artwork) that would benefit greatly from being able to be played on a system capable of component video.

Hopefully, Ogre Battle: March of the Black Queen sold well enough to convince all parties concerned that the cost is worth it...though I doubt it.

[Rize]

This is the first game I ever tried to write a review for.  I think I submitted it to PN2k back in the day to help get me hired.

I still own my copy and have been contemplating a replay of the original.  Perhaps I should replay this one instead.

[TJ Spyke]

It only took 3 years, but I am glad we will FINALLY be getting a third-party N64 game on VC.

brood, I am not sure Atlus would be needed since all they did was publish the North American version. Even so, Atlus has had a very good relationship with Nintendo (even publishing the North American versions of some Nintendo games like Cubivore and Polarium Advance).

[Mop it up]

Square Enix has published Atlus titles before in Europe, making a partnership between the two parties to bring the game to the North American Virtual Console is possible.  However,

However...? However what? I hope that sentence was nothing important!

I own this game, and I didn't play past the tutorial because the game didn't look very good. I have a feeling that the only reason this game got any high marks is because it appeared on a system with no traditional RPGs.

[NWR_DrewMG]

However, there was an error in editing.  Thanks for the catch, Mop. 

[broodwars]

Square Enix has published Atlus titles before in Europe, making a partnership between the two parties to bring the game to the North American Virtual Console is possible.  However,

However...? However what? I hope that sentence was nothing important!

I own this game, and I didn't play past the tutorial because the game didn't look very good. I have a feeling that the only reason this game got any high marks is because it appeared on a system with no traditional RPGs.

I recently replayed about half of the game while I was going through a phase where I was getting burned-out by gaming, and the game still holds up.  As I've said before and will again, it's not a game for everyone.  It's a game where the preparation for battle is just as important (if not more important) than the battle itself, so if you're not into some standard RPG micromanagement and tactical troop movement you won't like the game.  But if you can see beyond the need to mash a button to kill things and can appreciate a good story, Ogre Battle 64 is a fine game.  It's not well-regarded just because the lineup was weak.

[Mop it up]

If only you would give Wii games that same treatment.

Ogre Battle 64 is one of those games I'm going to give a second chance, whenever I get around to playing through my Nintendo 64 collection.

[broodwars]

If only you would give Wii games that same treatment.

*sigh*  Not to go off-topic again but...

A bit unfair, don't you think?  While I have (correctly, IMO) called out the Wii library in general to be disappointing; underwhelming; and frequently poorly-made, I have also highlighted the good games on the system.  Hell, I'm currently in the midst of playing Punch Out; RE: Darkside Chronicles; and NSMBW, while meanwhile my PS3 has been relegated to playing Shatter; a little FF 7; and episodes of the 1950s Zorro series.  So rest assured, I give the Wii a fair shake (really terrible pun not intended), but I won't treat it with kid gloves.

Now, if you wish to carry this conversation further, I suggest we take this into Private Message.  There's Ogre Battling to be done here!   

[BlackNMild2k1]

OB64 kicked my ass somewhere in the 3rd battle and I lost some key players and I chose not to continue playing anymore. That was almost 10 years ago, and the closest I have come to playing that game again was when I bought Fire Emblem for the Wii.

Same style of gameplay(iirc), but OB64 was much much harder.

[Mop it up]

A bit unfair, don't you think?  While I have (correctly, IMO) called out the Wii library in general to be disappointing; underwhelming; and frequently poorly-made, I have also highlighted the good games on the system.  Hell, I'm currently in the midst of playing Punch Out; RE: Darkside Chronicles; and NSMBW, while meanwhile my PS3 has been relegated to playing Shatter; a little FF 7; and episodes of the 1950s Zorro series.  So rest assured, I give the Wii a fair shake (really terrible pun not intended), but I won't treat it with kid gloves.

Sometimes it just seems as though you have a bit of a double-standard. If you like a game then it is worthy of its praise, but if you don't like it then it's overrated. I guess there isn't anything wrong with that, though it isn't a very objective way of thought. That's just from what I've seen though, which granted isn't all that much.

[broodwars]

OB64 kicked my ass somewhere in the 3rd battle and I lost some key players and I chose not to continue playing anymore. That was almost 10 years ago, and the closest I have come to playing that game again was when I bought Fire Emblem for the Wii.

Same style of gameplay(iirc), but OB64 was much much harder.

The unfortunate open secret about OB64 is that so long as you do some moderate micromanagement on your units and set all your troops to Attack the Leader, the game gets very easy very fast (especially if you, like me, like to use Clerics and Wizards/Sorceresses with combination magic in your units).  The moment the enemy leader goes down, you can just pummel the headless enemy units as much as you like with impunity.  I still find it a blast to play, though.  The real difficulty is managing your Chaos Frame to get the different endings and secret characters, anyway.
 

[BlackNMild2k1]

It was my first time playing that style of game on the consoles, and while it was fun, there was so much time invested in every battle that I didn't want to start it over again.

[Kairon]

So... does this pave the way for Quest 64? *hopeful*

[broodwars]

So... does this pave the way for Quest 64? *hopeful*

Aidyn Chronicles: The First Mage as well.   :

Oh, what bad comedy it would be if those two games hit the VC before OB64.

[Mop it up]

So... does this pave the way for Quest 64? *hopeful*

I can't tell if you're serious or not. Like its title would suggest, Quest 64 is a pretty generic game with a simple premise and story. The element system can be interesting, but that's all. I wouldn't say it's a bad game, as I don't think it is. It just isn't worth the time, as there are better RPGs out there (even the other handful on the N64 are better).

I actually thought that Aidyn Chronicles was better than Quest 64. It has a more in-depth battle system and quite a bit of customization of how you level up your characters. Unfortunately it has a few game-breaking glitches, or else it would be tolerable by most people. As it stands, its only worth is to anyone curios of how an RPG would have been handled on the Nintendo 64.

[Kairon]

Yeah, sorry there MopItUp. I said it half in jest and half because I really do have some nostalgia for the mediocre game that was Quest64. After so much grinding, my save was accidentally deleted partway through the game. T_T

Actually, the third party game that most immediately comes to mind as something I'd be surprised and ecstatic to have on the VC is Gauntlet Legends, but that's unlikely to happen since that game saved on memory cards. Hmm.

Wait a second... whatever happened to the gauntlet series? There's nothing like it on the Wii... except for Alien Syndrome (Which I <3) and Pokemon Rumble (Which my younger brother has tasked me to buy no matter how painful it is to scrape up 1500 Wii points after Xmas splurging).

[BlackNMild2k1]

Actually, the third party game that most immediately comes to mind as something I'd be surprised and ecstatic to have on the VC is Gauntlet Legends, but that's unlikely to happen since that game saved on memory cards. Hmm.

Is that the problem that is holding back N64 VC? memory card saves?
Nintendo really couldn't program an emulator that saves to SD cards or something?
I mean you want SD card access if your downloading N64 games anyway, so what is the real issue?

[Kairon]

I don't know if that's the issue, but have they put out anything on the N64 VC that uses the memory card slot from the N64 controllers? Nothing on the VC has rumble right? And there are no ghosts in MK64 right? So I've been just assuming that anything using the N64 controller mem card slot is nixed.

[Mop it up]

I don't know if that's the issue, but have they put out anything on the N64 VC that uses the memory card slot from the N64 controllers?

They have not, so it could be an issue. If they can manage to get around the Expansion Pak hurdle then I think it would be feasible. If not, they could always do the "save state" thing, like they do with NES games.

[broodwars]

I might point out that Ogre Battle 64 had the rather useful ability to use any inserted memory cards as backup save dumps, which I have a feeling all mention of which will be removed from the Japanese VC release.

In general, though, I'm not accepting the excuse that Nintendo is having "difficulty" emulating the memory card slot...not when Sony already cracked this issue with the PS3 and its PS1/PS2 virtual memory cards on the HDD.  I can't remember a single Nintendo-made game on the N64 that used the memory card slot for anything other than Rumble support, so I think they just figure that this is a 3rd party issue and thus not their problem.

[Kairon]

If all I had was a savestate then I wouldn't be able to save all four different versions of the archer character at level 99 like I used to! Each color archer was different and unique! The Red Archer was fiery and tempestuous! The green Archer, the elf archetype. The Blue and yellow too! I wanted them ALL!!!

...

Actually, I just found out that this was an arcade game originally. *slaps himself on head* DUH. It's Gauntlet! Maybe they could just port that to the VC...

The unfortunate open secret about OB64 is that so long as you do some moderate micromanagement on your units and set all your troops to Attack the Leader, the game gets very easy very fast (especially if you, like me, like to use Clerics and Wizards/Sorceresses with combination magic in your units).  The moment the enemy leader goes down, you can just pummel the headless enemy units as much as you like with impunity.  I still find it a blast to play, though.  The real difficulty is managing your Chaos Frame to get the different endings and secret characters, anyway.

Really? Wow, I steered away from the OB games because they really looked complicated, complex, and like they would really give someone like me borderline OCD. I mean, Harvest Moon already sends me screaming to gamefaqs because of crop and animal profit vagaries, bachelorette events, story events that need to be triggered in order, and the urge to min/max every day. I always thought that Ogre Battle 64 would give me an ulcer.

[Mop it up]

I can't remember a single Nintendo-made game on the N64 that used the memory card slot for anything other than Rumble support, so I think they just figure that this is a 3rd party issue and thus not their problem.

A few of Nintendo's own Nintendo 64 games used the Controller Pak/memory card to save secondary data, such as the aforementioned Mario Kart 64 and its ghost data, and to allow copies of saves, such as Wave Race. The only Nintendo-published title which requires the Controller Pak is NBA Courtside, but we won't be seeing that on the VC. I imagine it would take extra effort to emulate the Controller Pak and that's why Nintendo hasn't yet done it, and may not do it because it probably isn't worth it to them.

[broodwars]

Really? Wow, I steered away from the OB games because they really looked complicated, complex, and like they would really give someone like me borderline OCD. I mean, Harvest Moon already sends me screaming to gamefaqs because of crop and animal profit vagaries, bachelorette events, story events that need to be triggered in order, and the urge to min/max every day. I always thought that Ogre Battle 64 would give me an ulcer.

Oh don't worry, there's still plenty to OCD about in OB64.  There are hidden items on every map, a truckload of different character classes (many with tricky requirements like having their Alignment at certain levels with certain stats), hidden special attacks, several different endings, multiple lengthy sidequests, and many secret characters.  Oh, and much of this is governed by a stat you never see until the ending credits called the Chaos Frame, which you control by liberating and capturing strongholds.  So yeah, there's plenty to get overwhelmed by even if you don't go for micromanaging every character in every unit.

[Mop it up]

Is it possible to get all of the endings without having to start all over from the beginning? This game is way too large to play through multiple times just to get different endings.