Wii Warm Up: The slowing of a torrent?
by Jason Wishnov 
{ Mar 27th 2007 at 9:00AM }
Nintendo has certainly been delivering the Virtual Console goods in these first few months, hitting us with wave after wave of iconic video games such as Super Mario Bros, Zelda: A Link to the Past, and Mario Kart 64. Nigh a hundred games now grace the Virtual Console, but as the Wii rolls onward, presumably for many years to come, how can they keep up the pace?Nintendo's systems obviously have a ridiculously large back catalog of games, but that list is greatly reduced by legal issues and the fact that many of these games actually, believe or not, sucked. If Nintendo continues to push out three or four quality games a week, they're going to run out of gold to mine. Perhaps this was evidenced by this week's one-game-only stance, but more and more, Nintendo is going to have to rely on original content to win the day. (Where's that channel, Nintendo?)
Can they keep it up, and if so, for how long? Should they change anything about their approach to the matter? Any other thoughts on the matter?
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Barry @ Mar 27th 2007 10:23AM
Yeahh, Nintendo will eventually run out of VC releases, but they do have those channels to fall back on in terms of original content.
It will be a while until they run out of games to push out though whether they were good games or not. They should add systems like the Sega Master System and others...that will extend the VC content a little more
Ihar `Philips` Filipau @ Mar 27th 2007 10:44AM
What about 3r party devels?
Is that not an option anymore??
Ihar `Philips` Filipau @ Mar 27th 2007 10:50AM
> What about 3r party devels?
Ooops. I meant indies. Seeing all the things people already done with WiiMote one can only wonder how much they would be able to do given blessing of big N.
Dexter Carlisle @ Mar 27th 2007 10:54AM
I realize that game size precludes release on virtual console, but if Nintendo worked out a deal with Sega to release Dreamcast games like Power Stone and Jet Set Radio, I would be first to buy. I'm not sure that the Wii would be powerful enough to run a dreamcast emu, though. Also, is there a safe way to allow third-party apps to be downloaded/run in the channel system? If so, the community would undoubtedly come up with a myriad of tools, a la firefox extensions.
Hunter @ Mar 27th 2007 10:59AM
As I recal there were some rumbleings of Same and Max coming to the Wii I think things will work out ok in the end. Maybe not OK enough for the self proclaimed hard core, but I feel safe and cosey.
John @ Mar 27th 2007 11:01AM
"Nintendo's systems obviously have a ridiculously large back catalog of games, but that list is greatly reduced by legal issues and the fact that many of these games actually, believe or not, sucked."
Uhhh...."sucked" is really a relative term. You also have to factor, all this virtual console/old game re-releasing has a huge nostalgia factor. Sure, you guys hated Sword of Vermillion, but that was the first Genesis game I ever played and the first RPG - I have tons of fond memories playing that with the kid across the street when I was little. I bought it, played it for a while, then moved back to Warcraft. I suspect lots of people buy these games for this reason.
I say, release all the games you can (legal and fiscally). If a game doesn't sell, lower the price. Don't limit our options - put the games out there and let us choose what we want and don't want. Sure, every game can't be Link to the Past and Super Mario World, but there's something to be said for those games some of us grew up on. Plus with the back log of NES, Game Boy (hello, remember that SNES Game Boy peripheral?), SNES, Genesis, Dreamcast, N64, TG16, etc. games, how long would it really take to "run out" of games to release if you did 3 or 4 a week, even minus the games that can't be rereleased due to legal issues?
Steve @ Mar 27th 2007 11:54AM
Why does it need to go on and on and on? Just get the titles out there and people will buy them if they want them. This trickle pace philosophy which was done to get people to settle for second rate games won't work anymore because the VC finally has lots of quality titles on it.
J @ Mar 27th 2007 12:51PM
I don't usually post comments, but I feel compelled to do so this time and now I notice that some of the above posters agree with my point so I would just like to reiterate that Nintendo needs to put them all on there NOW.
I was wrongly under the impression that that's what the Virtual Console was... A way to download all of the old Nintendo games which was a HUGE selling point for me. I unknowingly spread this mis-information and it sold many "casual gamers" I know on the idea of buying a Wii too. Needless to say we are all dissapointed with the current strategy of trickling out vintage titles of mostly little significance to us.
It would only help to have all possible games on there and it only hurts that they aren't.
(Oh yeah, and no GoldenEye?!!!? Get to work, Nintendo.)
Eric @ Mar 27th 2007 1:10PM
They should add Gameboy, Gameboy Color, Gameboy Advanced, and Game Gear to the mix. There are a lot of good portable games that I would buy on there.
Amp Divorax @ Mar 27th 2007 4:27PM
I'm inclined to agree that Nintendo has way too many games on these systems to justify doing only 3 games a week let alone one. Hell, I still think Sega has lost their damn minds by bringing out that Genesis version of Virtua Fighter 2 (Horrible game!) rather than focusing on getting out games that would sell.
Also, Goldeneye will never see the light of day on Virtual Console as not only Nintendo have to make a deal with Rare, they also have to make a deal with the current licenseholder for 007 games. Personally, I'm inclined to believe that this is a blessing in disguise as the game was completely overrated!
lpburk2 @ Mar 27th 2007 2:46PM
Like J, I was under the impression Nintendo was going to have most/all games from previous consoles available to download shortly after launch. Now, it appears there's a good chance some of the games I want to download may take years to get to, or never actually get released.
Ross @ Mar 27th 2007 3:23PM
They should also add Sega Saturn games.
romero/romero @ Mar 27th 2007 4:02PM
Naw, ppl are always going to love classic's so even if they do run out in the following years, ppl still will but and download there favorite game as a child. I dont really think theres too much to worry about on this issue. Online will be around at that time, New games will be coming out for the Wii. I dont think Nintendo has too much to worry about. There making a sh** load of cash right now selling classic games.
randomguy132 @ Mar 28th 2007 7:56AM
I really thought this post was going to be about when you're using BitTorrent and suddenly the download speeds slows down dramatically...
Eric @ Mar 28th 2007 5:18PM
Nintendo won't add Game Boy games for a while, because they are still selling hardware that can play the original versions. They might not be making money off of the software (since you're not likely to find Super Mario Land on a Wal Mart shelf), but they're still selling GBA SP systems that can play it, which I'm sure is encouraging someone to buy a GBA SP. When that Game Boy is finally discontinued, it'll make sense to release Game Boy/Color on Virtual Console, but not Advance, because Nintendo DS and Game Boy micro can both play those games.
Original games, both from Nintendo and other developers, could always appear on Virtual Console.