Topic: Japan-Only Games Possible for US Virtual Console!

[capamerica]

Quote
Japan-Only Games Possible for US Virtual Console
Nintendo is open to the possibility of putting Japan-only classic games on the US Virtual Console, says senior VP George Harrison. I just spoke to him on the phone with some questions about VC, so here you go:

We are aware that there are some very successful Japanese franchises that have a small following in the US, and that they could never be reached by putting these products out at retail. We're open to games released in Japan if we can get them translated properly.

But, Harrison adds, for the time being, Nintendo of America busy enough working through the major games that have already been released in the US.

I'm continuing to speak with company execs about digital delivery; as news breaks I'll report it here first.

- wired.com

[couchmonkey]

WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOT.  Please, Earthbound*, PLEASE.  And Sin and Punishment.

*Edit: Mother 1 and 3 are what I'm referring to, before some smart alec gets all technical on me.

[vudu]

Give. Me. Fire. Emblem. Please.



Pretty. Please.

[UltimatePartyBear]

Could you provide a direct link to the article, please?  

Edit:  Never mind.  I found it.

[ShyGuy]

When Mother doesn't come, I will laugh at Bill. Again

[Smoke39]

NOA already localized Mother.  All they have to do is change the title screen to say something other than just EarthBound, and they're good to go. D:

[Luigi Dude]

I woudn't get my hopes up for the Fire Emblem and other games with lots of text.  My guess is Nintendo will bring over games like Mario and Wario, Mario Picross, Kirby's Super Stackers and other titles that have hardly any text to be translated.  Or something like the first Mother game because they DID translate the entire game and should have the english version somewhere at NOA headquarters.

The only way I see Nintendo releasing text heavy games is by charging at LEAST $20 for them.  Of course I'd happly pay that to finally be able to play Thracia 776.  The question is though, does Nintendo feel that enough people will be willing to pay that in order to justify spending the money to give games like that full english translations?

[JonLeung]

Franchises that are now familiar to Westerners should be worth it.  Fire Emblem, Mother/EarthBound, (Advance) Wars, Custom Robo...  I don't know much about Sin & Punishment but the name's come up quite a few times, and if there isn't much work required to bring that over, then by all means!  Mario's Super Picross and Kirby's Super Star Stacker are both ideal, too.  Was Mario & Wario a Japan- and Europe-only game?  North America missed out, so bring that too.  (EDIT: Oops, didn't read Luigi Dude's post...)

When I went to this import store near the end of the Super NES's life, other than playing some Super Mario 64 early there, I rented games that were simple.  Mmmm, Super Bomberman 3-5.  Okay, they were very similar.  But they don't have much text, so bring 'em all over, Hudson!  I also rented games like "Kirby Super Deluxe" (but that soon became Kirby: Super Star and got localized), some DBZ fighting games, and a Sailor Moon fighting game.  >_>  

[Strell]

Until Mother 3 (which could be ported to SNES emulator since it looks exactly like one) and Sin and Punishment show up, Nintendo can stfu.

[Darc Requiem]

Quote
Originally posted by: vudu
Give. Me. Fire. Emblem. Please.



Pretty. Please.

I'm with Vudu on this one. (does a Roger Rabbit impressionation) Give me Fire Emblem p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-p-please!!!

[blackfootsteps]

Has anyone here actually played Sin and Punishment? What is it about the game that makes it so good? Admittedly because of the fervour this game receives here I can't help but be interested in it.

[Ian Sane]

"The only way I see Nintendo releasing text heavy games is by charging at LEAST $20 for them. Of course I'd happly pay that to finally be able to play Thracia 776. The question is though, does Nintendo feel that enough people will be willing to pay that in order to justify spending the money to give games like that full english translations?"

I would pay $20 for a VC game that was previously unavailable in North America.  After all I'm pretty much buying a brand new game then.  They could have just as easily ported it to the DS or GBA.  You're right though in that there might not be that many of us.  The whole idea is targeting a pretty niche group of gamers.  Though because there is no physical media that has to be made it's less risky than releasing such games on the DS.

Fire Emblem's popularity in North America can be determined by sales of the GBA games (not so much the Cube title) and the upcoming Wii title.  After Final Fantasy VII really took off on the Playstation localizing Final Fantasy V didn't see like that much of a risk to Square.

Earthbound VC sales will likely have an effect on any localization of the other Mother games.

[Ian Sane]

"The only way I see Nintendo releasing text heavy games is by charging at LEAST $20 for them. Of course I'd happly pay that to finally be able to play Thracia 776. The question is though, does Nintendo feel that enough people will be willing to pay that in order to justify spending the money to give games like that full english translations?"

I would pay $20 for a VC game that was previously unavailable in North America.  After all I'm pretty much buying a brand new game then.  They could have just as easily ported it to the DS or GBA.  You're right though in that there might not be that many of us.  The whole idea is targeting a pretty niche group of gamers.  Though because there is no physical media that has to be made it's less risky than releasing such games on the DS.

Fire Emblem's popularity in North America can be determined by sales of the GBA games (not so much the Cube title) and the upcoming Wii title.  After Final Fantasy VII really took off on the Playstation localizing Final Fantasy V didn't see like that much of a risk to Square.

Earthbound VC sales will likely have an effect on any localization of the other Mother games.  And Mother 3 doesn't need to be ported to the SNES.  Nintendo includes the emulator with every game.  Thus they could probably make a GBA emulator and include that with Mother 3, though I really doubt they would do that.

Edit: Double post on an EDIT??!  Weird.

[Bill Aurion]

Quote
Originally posted by: ShyGuy
When Mother doesn't come, I will laugh at Bill. Again

T_T  

[mantidor]

I thought this was confirmed long ago, wasn't it?

[jasonditz]

Indeed, I thought they'd already said Super Mario Bros. 2 (the Japanese one) was coming...

[Bill Aurion]

But that was also released here...(In Mario All-Stars under The Lost Levels)

[KDR_11k]

Yes but that was only in a bundle. You don't expect them to sell bundles through the VC, do you?

[Bill Aurion]

Well my point was that they could just rip the game from the bundle and put it on the VC...

[Nick DiMola]

I think I'd rather have the original with the blocky, non-SNES graphics to be honest.

[Infernal Monkey]

Oh so they're willing to translate Japanese games for the American VC but Australia still gets the shaft on English games just because they weren't released here good stuff Nintendo I love you so much keep the dream alive.