Topic: The OFFICIAL Big N rumor thread *bring your own salt*

[BlackNMild2k1]

You could, but I don't see that as a likely feature on a console, especially a Nintendo console. It defeats the purpose of a console, having everyone have the same hardware configuration.

The N64 had that memory pak thing which was required for certain games. So you can't say Nintendo hasn't done it before. Plus almost every console they made since the NES had at least the capability to be upgraded via some connection thing on the bottom. If you own or ever owned an NES if you look at the bottom of it there's something that can open up which something could have theoretically plugged into to expand the NES, like a modem or something... but it was never used for anything (maybe in Japan it was, I dunno). But it seems like with the Wii they finally dropped that thing, but even the GC had it, and in the GC's case it was used for the GB player and the almost completely useless modem peripheral. But I imagine it could have been used to expand the capability of the system if Nintendo had been so inclined, which they may have been if the GC had been a serious player.

The Wii still had expansion ports.  They just standardized this time instead of going proprietary and used two USB ports and an SD card reader.

AND THE ORANGE PORT!!!! WHAT IS IT FOR!!!

[BranDonk Kong]

Buttsecks. Oh, my bad, thought this was the funhouse.

[Chozo Ghost]

You could, but I don't see that as a likely feature on a console, especially a Nintendo console. It defeats the purpose of a console, having everyone have the same hardware configuration.

The N64 had that memory pak thing which was required for certain games. So you can't say Nintendo hasn't done it before. Plus almost every console they made since the NES had at least the capability to be upgraded via some connection thing on the bottom. If you own or ever owned an NES if you look at the bottom of it there's something that can open up which something could have theoretically plugged into to expand the NES, like a modem or something... but it was never used for anything (maybe in Japan it was, I dunno). But it seems like with the Wii they finally dropped that thing, but even the GC had it, and in the GC's case it was used for the GB player and the almost completely useless modem peripheral. But I imagine it could have been used to expand the capability of the system if Nintendo had been so inclined, which they may have been if the GC had been a serious player.

The Wii still had expansion ports.  They just standardized this time instead of going proprietary and used two USB ports and an SD card reader.

But you couldn't use those ports to add more RAM or upgrade the GPU, so its really not the same thing.

[BranDonk Kong]

N64 let you add 2MB more RAM, that's what the expansion pak was. Saturn let you add 8MB RAM.

[TJ Spyke]

N64 let you add 2MB more RAM.

4MB actually, it brought the system up from 4MB to 8MB.

[Mop it up]

If you own or ever owned an NES if you look at the bottom of it there's something that can open up which something could have theoretically plugged into to expand the NES, like a modem or something... but it was never used for anything (maybe in Japan it was, I dunno).

In Japan it was used for the Famicom Disk System, which Nintendo left as a possibility to release in North America but I don't know if they ever actually planned it. There were also Japan-only add-ons for the SNES and Nintendo 64 released only in Japan that plugged into the underside port, the Satelliview and 64DD, respectively.

[UncleBob]

I thought the Satelliview was simply a cartridge... Could (probably) be wrong though...

[TJ Spyke]

The Satelliview was a modem that was actually bigger than the SNES itself and plugged into the bottom of the system (you also needed a cartridge too). Here is a pic of it:

[Retro Deckades]

For a fantastic overview of the Satellaview (and it's accompanying Zelda titles), check out this video:

http://www.clanofthegraywolf.com/16-bit-gems/20

[Mop it up]

I thought the Satellaview (and to a lesser extent the 64DD) was an interesting piece of hardware and kind of ahead of its time, which is probably one reason why it didn't sell so well. I wonder if Nintendo have copies of the games they featured on the service, so that they could release them again. Even though I'm pretty sure a lot of the stuff was modified versions of NES or SNES games, it'd still be neat to see them in that altered form.

[NWR_insanolord]

Nintendo must have copies of them. If not, they can use the pirated copies that are available on the internet.

[Kytim89]

Madworld 2 will be announced as a Wii exclusive at this year's E3 (I hope).

[BlackNMild2k1]

http://www.conceivablytech.com/6292/business/nintendo-wii-2-rumors-fueled-3ds-presales-strong

It’s not much of a secret anymore that Nintendo has to do something about its Wii console and that it gets run over by Microsoft’s Xbox and possibly even Sony’s Playstation 3, at least in the U.S. A new generation of the Wii may arrive soon and integrate HD capability, EA said in an interview.

Some statements published by Industry Gamers suggest that Nintendo may be closer to releasing information about a new game console than we think. There is no way to put a time frame around the notes, but Frank Gibeau’s quote that Nintendo “is coming back with a second act [now]” is surely an attention getter. Gibeau is president of EA Games Label.

The executive hinted that a new Wii will be an HD platform, while the current Wii is a legacy console like the PS2 is and there are different market dynamics that are capturing sales today. However, there are also notes that suggest Nintendo isn’t quite done with the concept of its next console yet: “They’re going to figure something out. They’re going to come back at it,” Gibeau said. Not surprisingly, he criticized Nintendo’s lack of third party developer support and mentioned that the company will have to do much more in the future to invite the creation of more outside games.

[Mop it up]

Not surprisingly, he criticized Nintendo’s lack of third party developer support and mentioned that the company will have to do much more in the future to invite the creation of more outside games.

[/quote]And in return, third-parties should stop creating so much utter garbage.

[Chozo Ghost]

Nintendo must have copies of them. If not, they can use the pirated copies that are available on the internet.

Were Satelliview games even pirateable?

[NWR_insanolord]

Well, there are ROMs of at least some of them on the internet, so I would say so. I've personally played the F-Zero game.

[Ian Sane]

The executive hinted that a new Wii will be an HD platform, while the current Wii is a legacy console like the PS2 is and there are different market dynamics that are capturing sales today.

Ouch!  Directly comparing the Wii to the PS2 like it literally is a last gen machine.  "Legacy console" is now my new favourite insult.
 
Everyone knows a Wii successor is inevitable.  Give us a timeframe or specifics about the hardware itself and now we've got some news.

[BlackNMild2k1]

Ubisoft has hinted a new system
EA hinted at a new system

Reggie says not until we hit 45M in the US (which should happen this year)

So many signs point to it atleast being announced at some point this year. My guess would be around TGS time and maybe mentioned at E3 with a release sometime next early year. But that's all speculation of course.

[Chozo Ghost]

The executive hinted that a new Wii will be an HD platform, while the current Wii is a legacy console like the PS2 is and there are different market dynamics that are capturing sales today.

Ouch!  Directly comparing the Wii to the PS2 like it literally is a last gen machine.

Which isn't fair seeing as how even the Gamecube was more powerful than the PS2. As for the Wii, it has to be at least as powerful as the original XBOX and arguably even moreso. Had it been launched in the 6th generation it would have been a beast in comparison.

[BranDonk Kong]

It has better processing power than the Xbox, but still can't match it graphics capabilities, which is rather sad no matter how you look at it. Xbox can output 720p and 1080i (and look absolutely amazing in games like Soul Calibur 2), and supports shaders that the Wii does not, so you can get some absolutely stunning (for a 2001 machine) graphics like you see in Half-Life 2, Doom 3, or Chronicles of Riddick.

[Guitar Smasher]

I think the point about Wii being a 'legacy' console is being missed.  It's not a direct comparison to PS2, as in it's from the same generation as PS2 (in any sense).  What it implies is that once it's successor is released, it will continue to sell well - like the PS2 did after the PS3 was released.

[Mop it up]

The problem is with how the statement is worded, as if the Wii currently is a "legacy console." Given the context that might not be what the person was saying, but it's what it was worded like.

[BlackNMild2k1]

Word on the Street has it that Monster Hunter 3DS is gonna be announced sometime soon.

Supposedly Capcom had a new game to announce at a Monster Hunter event last month that was canceled because of the earthquake in Japan, but they then said they had a new 3DS game to announce next this month. It's also been rumored that MH was making the jump to the 3DS since a few months back, so could the cancelled MH announcement from last month and the upcoming 3DS announcement for this month be the same announcement?

Could MHP3DS be the BIG 3rd Party game that the 3DS needs to jumpstart is sales again?

[Nick DiMola]

Madworld 2 will be announced as a Wii exclusive at this year's E3 (I hope).

http://www.sega.com/games/anarchy-reigns/

Not quite Madworld 2 - but kinda. Also, it's a 360/PS3 title.

[BlackNMild2k1]

Madworld 2 will be announced as a Wii exclusive at this year's E3 (I hope).

http://www.sega.com/games/anarchy-reigns/

Not quite Madworld 2 - but kinda. Also, it's a 360/PS3 title.

Wow, that is basically MadWorld HD in Color and not for Wii.