Topic: Ambassador Program Goes Live in Japan

[the_dan_x]

Gamers in Japan can download their Famicom ambassador titles a day early. 

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/news/27640

The Famicom titles for the Nintendo Ambassador program are currently available for download in Japan. Originally set to be released on September 1, the titles have made a surprise appearance on the eShop a day early.

There are ten classic Famicom titles available in Japan including the likes of Super Mario Bros., Mario Open Golf, The Legend of Zelda, Metroid, and others. The Ambassador titles are set to arrive in other regions on September 1.

[famicomplicated]

I just downloaded the games, man it took so long - not because of download speeds, just the laborious process that you have to go through for each game. Just a terrible way to do things.
I guess it was asking too much for them to be downloaded automatically via SpotPass?


For those having trouble finding the games, be sure to check Nintendo's site as they have a step-by-step explanation.

[leahsdad]

OH SNAP.

It is 4:17AM here in California.  I just opened the eshop. 

It's here!  Check it!  Downloading now.

[leahsdad]

UPDATE:

If you follow the official Nintendo instructions that are linked to in the article, you will just get a "coming soon" message.

Instead, open the eshop, scroll ALL the way to the left to get to settings, then tap "Your Downloads."  Now, if you have downloaded a whole bunch of stuff previously, then you may have to scroll all the way down and then go to the next page.  But you'll find the NES games there, with a "Redownload" button to press.  What sucks is that it takes you all the way back to the eshop homepage when you finish, which means you have to repeat these steps for every single game.

Enjoy that headgold!

[jam6212]

Yep. I can confirm that they're also live in Texas!

[leahsdad]

UPDATE:

Whoa, there is an Ambassador Certificate that you can download.  All it is is an app that plays uplifting music while telling you to set your spotpass notification to "receive" for the ambassador certificate.  I'm suspecting that this is some kind of tether so ambassadors can get spotpasses and those lowly, unwashed, plebian "non-ambassadors" can be ignored, as they should be.  :-)

Also, I've just went and tried out all 10 games for about a minute each.    There is no restore point functionality at all.  This kinda blows, but oh well, we knew that would be the case.  I also thought something cool might happen if you hold down select while you're starting the game.  Nope.   And call me crazy, but Metroid and Yoshi look slightly off, like the scaling of the resolution is a bit wrong.  Could be the stretching.

[famicomplicated]

Also remember you don't have to scroll all the way, you can touch the "menu" option in the top left of the eShop and access it through there, slightly faster.

[arro]

Yep. I can confirm that they're also live in Texas!

Yep I confirm that this confirmation is true....

[the_dan_x]

Like you mentioned, leahsdad, the way to go about getting the titles is completely ass backwards. Yeah, they're free, but are you telling me there wasn't a more efficient way to make these available to 3DS owners?

[machan1985]

Interestingly, these seem to be ports of the original ROM... Not the GBA/Animal Crossing versions.

[UltraClayton]

This is a nice surprise! Downloading now.

[Pajamas]

Downloading them all now here in South Carolina!

[ejamer]

This makes me way happier than it should...


Also, the tip to use the Menu option really speeds things up.

[KITT 10K]

You know, the more I read about the ambassador program the less optimistic I am about it. What I mean is the game list isn't all that great, (Super Mario Bro. is really the only title that appeals to me), and there not being a restoring point like with the other VC games is a drawback, (I know they didn't ON the NES, but still, come on). Personally, game would have rather gotten the value of these games in the eShop to pick what I'd like, not just the "here's your 10 games take it or leave it" deal.

[Adrock]

The entire Ambassador program seemed like a quick fix quasi-solution to a bigger problem and was likely thrown together so Nintendo had something to offer. That's perfectly fine since the alternative was "Suck it, you get nothing." Due to the rushed nature of these releases, Nintendo could patch them later with snazzy features like restore points and whatnot. I'm not a fan of patches but considering I'm not paying for the downloaded games to begin with, I'm hardly in a position to complain.

[Oblivion]

Um, why is it not live here is Washington, the home of NoA?

[leahsdad]

and there not being a restoring point like with the other VC games is a drawback, (I know they didn't ON the NES, but still, come on).

Let's not forget, while there isn't restore point functionality NOW, Nintendo have promised that we would have restore points later, and they would update our "beta" versions for free.

[fordrob]

For some reason I thought the beta versions applied to the GBA games, not NES...having trouble remembering now...
 
Also, regarding what leahsdad and The_Dan_x said about the download method, I thought it was pretty terrible at first too until I tried to think of a better method.  We need to keep in mind that Nintendo have to figure out a way to identify everyone who qualified.  Making the files appear as though they've already been purchased actually seems pretty logical to me...cumbersome, but logical.  Plus, we now see they can easily make content redownloadable simply by loading it as though it has already been downloaded once.  This could make life easier for those who sent systems in for repair, didn't get their purchased games mapped over, and then were out of luck and had to buy them again.  Clearly we now see Nintendo can do better in that regard.

[BlackNMild2k1]

UPDATE:

If you follow the official Nintendo instructions that are linked to in the article, you will just get a "coming soon" message.

Instead, open the eshop, scroll ALL the way to the left to get to settings, then tap "Your Downloads."  .........

Coo. thanx  +1 for you.

[MegaByte]

There is no restore point functionality at all.  This kinda blows, but oh well, we knew that would be the case.

I quit Super Mario Bros., played another game, and came back and was right where I was before.

[TJ Spyke]

For some reason I thought the beta versions applied to the GBA games, not NES...having trouble remembering now...

The beta versions are just for the NES games, we will get the updates when the games become available for sale to the non-ambassadors. I think the GBA games will just come as they were.

[ejamer]

"This horse you are giving me has funny looking teeth."


I'm still thrilled with the added value these free games provide, and am happy to receive them early instead of waiting for restore point feature to be added.




@MegaByte: When people talk about restore points, they mean creating a saved state that you can revert to at any time. For example, creating a restore point before a boss or tough jump so that you can simply restore and try again if you die instead of having to play through the sections leading up to that moment. Gameboy Virtual Console releases give you this option already. NES games do allow you to resume exactly where you left off after taking a break though - a nifty feature similar to what Wii offers, and something that is more useful and important for me than actual restore points.