Topic: Official Virtual Console Mondays Thread

[TheBlackCat]

Something like, say, light gun games would have to be reprogrammed to function with the Wii pointer. I don't see Nintendo putting in that kind of effort.

That isn't true, the emulator just has to be programmed to support it.  In the case of the NES light gun games, the game produces a series of marks on the screen at different times and the game checks if the gun sees a mark an when.  The emulator would just need to check to see if there is a mark at the coordinates of the wii pointer and send the appropriate data at the appropriate time.  The game wouldn't have to be modified at all.  It is even easier for the Super Scope, since it was just based on the refresh rate of the screen so it can be calculated in the Wii without looking at the screen at all.  The same is true for rumble support, the Wii could intercept the data meant for the rumble pack and translate that into the data used by its own rumble motors.  It would all be done in the emulator, the game would never know the difference. 

Any specialized hardware can be handled in this way, assuming Nintendo knows how the internals of the hardware work (which they would for their own hardware).  They just need to know what the input to and/or output from the hardware is and do some sort of conversion in the emulator.  It is laziness on Nintendo's part, not any sort of major technical hurdles, that prevents this.

[NinGurl69 *huggles]

Face it, Nintendo's not gonna spend time making emulators that do more than spit the game onto the TV screen.

[TheBlackCat]

Face it, Nintendo's not gonna spend time making emulators that do more than spit the game onto the TV screen.

I don't disagree, I am just saying it wouldn't be hard to do.  And that only applies to the Wii, unless Nintendo plans on making people but the games all over again for their next console (which I doubt), I could easily see Nintendo selling "add-on packs" for the VC games to include stuff like rumble pack support, save state support, better graphics (or interpolation), and so on.

[NinGurl69 *huggles]

Might as well include "revamped" VC style games as bonuses in real games, products where they do real work.

Like awesome Sega arcade ports.

[Mop it up]

That was just my understanding from what I've heard, I don't really know much about it. My point is still the same though; games with peripherals would require extra effort and I don't see Nintendo doing that for most games. There may be exceptions for popular titles like Zelda Majora's Mask, and we might see Star Fox and Yoshi's Island at some point in the future, but I wouldn't count on obscure games like Duck Hunt.

[TheBlackCat]

That was just my understanding from what I've heard, I don't really know much about it. My point is still the same though; games with peripherals would require extra effort and I don't see Nintendo doing that for most games. There may be exceptions for popular titles like Zelda Majora's Mask, and we might see Star Fox and Yoshi's Island at some point in the future, but I wouldn't count on obscure games like Duck Hunt.

But they would only have to do it once.  Once the software is written it can be re-used on any game that uses the peripheral.  So if they wrote the software to support the rumble pack, any game with the rumble pack would be able to use it.  If the wrote the software to support the light gun or super scope six, then any game that used either of these peripherals would be able to use it.  It is not like they would have to re-write it from scratch for every game.

[Mop it up]

There are no games that require the Rumble Pak, so Nintendo isn't going to take the time to support it.
I never said it wouldn't be easy, that isn't my point. All I am saying is that any game which requires extra effort -- no matter how minimal that effort may be -- isn't going to come to the Virtual Console. At least, not before Nintendo exhausts their supply of games they can put on the service without modifying its emulators.

[broodwars]

I guess I'll do the honors today:
 
DSiWare:
 
Looksley's Line Up - 500 Points
Frogger Returns - 500 Points
A Topsy Turvy Life: Turvy Drops - 200 Points
Flips: More Bloody Horowitz - 200 Points
 
WiiWare:
 
BIT.TRIP RUNNER - 800 Points
Blood Beach - 1,000 Points
 
Virtual Console:
 
Kirby Super Star - 800 Points
 
Damn you, Nintendo...I only have 1,000 points, so of course you'd pick this week to release both potentially the best episode in the Bit.Trip series and bring Virtual Console back in a big way with the only good traditional-style Kirby game.  Ugh...guess I'll be shelling out for an extra 1,000 points tonight.  Still no sign of the final Ace Attorney case.

[Stratos]

The final Phoenix Wright game released in PAL-Land this last week so hopefully that means it will come here soon. To my understanding we got the 5th chapter of the first game last week.

[NWR_insanolord]

I know someone who will be very happy about Kirby Super Star. I'll buy it, but I'm not that excited about it; at least it means there's one less big Nintendo first party game they could release instead of Yoshi's Island.

[TJ Spyke]

The final Phoenix Wright game released in PAL-Land this last week so hopefully that means it will come here soon. To my understanding we got the 5th chapter of the first game last week.

It's the other way around. Last week North America got the final Phoenix Wright game and PAL regions got the 5th chapter of the first. North America still needs the 5th chapter and PAL regions need the final game.

[NinGurl69 *huggles]

Goof Troop had some intense block puzzles.  Zelda players would cry in defeat.

[KDR_11k]

Nice update, you even got Looksley (that head tracking 3D game).

[Stratos]

Goof Troop had some intense block puzzles.  Zelda players would cry in defeat.

I loved Goof Troop! I would play it with my dad when I was young and those puzzles stumped both of us. The final boss wasn't the hardest part of the game; it was the final puzzle. Dad caved in and called the expensive Nintendo Tip Hotline to get the answer. Even to this day I have to spend a good deal of time trying to remember how it goes when I replay it.

The puzzles were the best part of it I would say. You're right that Zelda could have taken a page from it.

The final Phoenix Wright game released in PAL-Land this last week so hopefully that means it will come here soon. To my understanding we got the 5th chapter of the first game last week.

It's the other way around. Last week North America got the final Phoenix Wright game and PAL regions got the 5th chapter of the first. North America still needs the 5th chapter and PAL regions need the final game.

Ah, you're right. Got that twisted around at some point. Probably because the 3rd game is as good as not released here for me since I refuse to get it until I d/l and beat that 5th chapter...

[vudu]

Ah, you're right. Got that twisted around at some point. Probably because the 3rd game is as good as not released here for me since I refuse to get it until I d/l and beat that 5th chapter...

The 5th chapter of the original game has absolutely nothing to do with the other two PW games.  In fact, you're probably better off playing it last since it introduces some new characters that don't appear anywhere else in the entire series (including a Maya-replacement).

And before TJ Spyke tries to correct me by informing everyone that Ema Skye appears in Apollo Justice, I'm only referring to the Phoenix Wright games, not the Ace Attorney games in general.

[Stratos]

Really? I thought it introduced some characters that played a big role in the 3rd one? Or was it really characters that returned in Apollo?

[vudu]

Really? I thought it introduced some characters that played a big role in the 3rd one? Or was it really characters that returned in Apollo?

Check my edit above--she appears in Apollo Justice.

[Mop it up]

It's nice to see Kirby Super Star was released, I wasn't sure if it would come due to it being on DS. Though that version probably isn't still available at retail. I have the original cartridge though, so it doesn't matter to me.

Obligatory comment: There's a Birdo cameo in the game, she can be seen in the crowd of the Megaton Punch minigame.

the only good traditional-style Kirby game.

Just out of curiosity, how many of them have you played, and why didn't you like them?

The final Phoenix Wright game released in PAL-Land this last week so hopefully that means it will come here soon. To my understanding we got the 5th chapter of the first game last week.

Looks like you don't remember a post you made only a few days ago:

I hope that this means AA Ch5 will be here soon.

Get some sleep, mate. It'll do you good.

[broodwars]

the only good traditional-style Kirby game.

Just out of curiosity, how many of them have you played, and why didn't you like them?

Let's see, just off the top of my head Kirby 1 &2 on the NES, Super Star on the SNES, Kirby 64 on the N64, and Canvas Curse on the DS (which I don't really count as a traditional Kirby game).  Main what I didn't like about most of them is that they are way too simple, easy, and don't have particularly interesting level design.  Super Star fixes most of those problems.

[Mop it up]

There's only one Kirby on NES, Kirby's Adventure. Kirby's Dream Land 1 and 2 are on Game Boy, and 3 is on the SNES.

The first two things you listed are reasons why I like the series, but I can definitely understand how that would turn people away. Though Kirby's Adventure has a hard mode that can be pretty challenging, but you can't save your game in the middle of it!

[broodwars]

There's only one Kirby on NES, Kirby's Adventure. Kirby's Dream Land 1 and 2 are on Game Boy, and 3 is on the SNES.

You sure?  I could have sworn that there was a Kirby 3 game on the NES that had Kirby riding animal friends or whatnot.  I guess that was on the SNES?  I definitely played Kirby's Adventure, though, and probably Dream Land 1 or 2 on my father's Game Boy when I was a kid.

[TJ Spyke]

Mop is right, Kirby's Adventure was the only NES Kirby game (and a late one at that, it came out in 1993).

[Mop it up]

You sure?  I could have sworn that there was a Kirby 3 game on the NES that had Kirby riding animal friends or whatnot.  I guess that was on the SNES?

Yes, that's Kirby's Dream Land 3 on the SNES. You ride animal friends in that one. Like Kirby's Adventure, it was also a late release on its system, in November of 1997.

[Stratos]

Maybe you are thinking of one of the GB Kirby games? I know one on there had you riding animal friends (Dream Land 2?)

[Mop it up]

I looked it up, and Kirby's Dream Land 2 does indeed have the same animal partners. It's the only mainline Kirby game I haven't played, besides any on DS, so I don't know anything about it. I should search for it sometime...