So, how much does a blog spend on VC games?

by David Hinkle { Nov 20th 2007 at 6:00PM }

With this week being dedicated to the first birthday of our most favorite thing on this planet, the Wii, we looked at every possible aspect of the console we wanted to discuss. All of our launch day stories, its first year when compared to the GameCube and, last but not least, Nintendo's first foray into the downloadable content arena. And, as many of you faithful readers know, we love checking out what the service has for download every Monday.

As responsible bloggers, we do our best to play the releases every week and let you know what we think. In doing this, we've run up quite the tab with Nintendo, as we've only missed a few weeks of covering the games. Considering the average weekly release of games will set you back about $21, we calculated that the amount of money we've spent on Virtual Console games is more than we could've ever imagined.

Sadly, we can't measure the full year, as we've only been downloading every game to discuss since near the end of February. So, that's about 4 months of not downloading games, which brings us to about 40 weeks of downloads. With the average cost for us to do so each week is $21 and change (as we've said above), we've spent about $840 total on Virtual Console games.

We look forward to this upcoming year, to get a full year's catalog of releases under our belt. And, what about you folks? On average, how much do you think you spend a week? How much do you think you've spent since the service's debut?

Tags: anniversary, anniversary-week, blog, sales, year-one

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

geishroy @ Nov 20th 2007 6:23PM

Zero

Jonas @ Nov 20th 2007 6:29PM

ive bought super mario world and thats all so far thinking of I have 4100 points left to spend... what to do what to do

hvnlysoldr @ Nov 20th 2007 6:46PM

Zelda, Zelda II, SMB1, SMB2, SMW, Bonk II, Sin & Punishment, Bomberman '93, Blazing Lazers, and TMNT1.

Lloyddobler @ Nov 20th 2007 7:06PM

Nintendo are geniu$e$. Just think of how many nes games you could fit onto a collection disc. $5 a game for the nes titles isn't so bad, but lets take the "Genesis Collection" for ps2. 28 games for around 19.99 or less compared to the $224.00 it would cost to buy those games on the VC. Am I the only one who has thought of this?

Ponweed @ Nov 20th 2007 7:22PM

Can't you guys get review copies from the big N?

Andre @ Nov 20th 2007 7:36PM

$25 (2000 points) total. I'd like SMB3 though, so that'll be another card in the near future.

Bobby Gonzales @ Nov 22nd 2007 12:19AM

Somebody ripped you off for that card. They're only $20.

Daniel Ferguson @ Nov 20th 2007 7:39PM

Super Mario 64 1000pts
Zelda OoT 1000pts
Mario Kart 64 1000pts
Kirby's Adventure 500pts
Super Mario Bros. 500pts
--------------------------
Total 4000pts

$40.00
Would be more... but I have bills..

Crazylink @ Nov 20th 2007 7:52PM

500 Legend of Zelda
600 Bomberman 93
800 Gunstar Heros
1000 Star Fox 64
I'm hopping to spend another 2000 on Super Metroid and Sin and Punishment.

NinKenDo @ Nov 20th 2007 8:41PM

$5 SMB3
$5 Solomon's Key
$5 Kirby's Adventure
$10 Paper Mario
$10 SM64
$8 Sonic 1
$8 Metroid 3
$6 Bomberman '93

$57 - so about the price of 1 game over the whole last year, which I figure will be the trend for me for the life of the system

accidental @ Nov 20th 2007 8:54PM

Super Mario Bros 3 - 500
Kirby's Adventure - 500
Wario's Woods - 500
Kirby's Dream Course - 800
Super Mario World - 800
DKC 2: Diddy Kong's Quest - 800
Wave Race 64 - 1000
Paper Mario - 1000
Star Fox 64 - 1000
LoZ: Ocarina of Time - 1000
Mario Kart 64 - 1000
Sin & Punishment - 1200
Bomberman '93 - 600
Crack Down - 800
Sonic 2 - 800
Sonic 3 - 800
Gunstar Heroes - 800
Dr Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine - 800
Streets of Rage - 800
Streets of Rage 2 - 800
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
TOTAL: 16300 points / $163 USD

Oh shit.

flameofdoom666 @ Nov 20th 2007 9:42PM

I have had since the day of launch 4000 points. I own practically every good game that has appeared on VC! I won't re-buy a game, but I am waiting for specific ones.

Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island,
Earthboung
Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars,
and Pilot Wings 64.

David Hinkle @ Nov 20th 2007 9:43PM

"Hi. My name is Wii Fanboy. And I'm a Virtual Console-aholic."

"HI WII FANBOY!"

Blanko4 @ Nov 20th 2007 9:53PM

Super Mario 64 - 1000 points
Paper Mario - 1000 points
Super Castlevania IV - 800 points
Blazing Lazers - 600 points
Donkey Kong Country 2 - 800

Total: 4200
Remaining points: 800
Net total: 5000 points

SoshiKitai @ Nov 20th 2007 11:11PM

...fewer than I'd like...
I wish I had more VC games... but with college books, other system games (especially), paying previous bills I wish I never got myself into, treating ourselves (gf and I) to yummy lunches, and making sure that our two dogs are happy... it's kinda' hard to get money for such a luxury...

But I agree with flameofdoom666... once those games come out, I'm definitely going to have to get a card!

... wish they'd come out with Kirby Super Star as well.... that'd be awesome...

Miranda @ Nov 20th 2007 11:11PM

I'd guess I've spent about $80 on them.

The sucky thing about VC games is that unlike buying a physical game, if the game sucks you're just stuck with it -- there's no way to trade it in or sell it. Oh well.

vidGuy @ Nov 21st 2007 12:31AM

I've spent around $70. It's been worth every penny... actually more worth the money than some of the Wii games have been.

raindog @ Nov 21st 2007 1:50AM

I've spent 10 bucks since launch (Mario 64) for a total of 19.2 cents per week. But I do have another 1000 points to spend, so I guess I'm committed.

Sensai @ Nov 21st 2007 3:31AM

I can't recall all the games I've bought by memory, meaning it's been quite a few. It's definitely over the 50 dollar range, landing close to 100 bucks.

I am a sucker for classic games...

Ghen @ Nov 21st 2007 9:09AM

I have every NES and SNES game ever made on my computer.

Rick @ Nov 21st 2007 9:55AM

Contrat 3 and zelda link to the past. still got 400points left. im waiting for BubbleBobble and a few other games... i spent more money on controllers than on games.

console 280$
rayman rabbids 1 70$
guitarhero3 100$
3 wiimotes 150$
3 nunchuks 90$
2 classic controllers 60$
3 gamecube ctrolers 100$

... damn thats a lot... never realized it !

Richard @ Nov 21st 2007 10:52AM

So thats why some stores are selling 2000 point cards for $25 when you can buy the points directly from Nintendo for $20... b/c people actually buy them. Interesting. Nintendo should stop selling points cards to those retailers.

James @ Nov 21st 2007 10:53AM

The secret, of course, is to get the cards on sale. I bought my (only) Wii Points card at TRU for a buy-one-get-one "accessory" sale, which means I effectively got half off my VC games. This is, needless to say, an awesome, awesome deal.

Pete @ Nov 21st 2007 11:33AM

NES
- SMB 1,3
- Punchout
- Excitebike
- Zelda 1

SNES
- Super Mario World

Turbo-Grafx
- Splatterhouse

Only one I've been really disappointed with so far is Splatterhouse. I also had it in mind to snag Mario 64, but I'm thinking about picking up 'Galaxy' soon so I didn't want to overload myself with Mario games for the time being.

'SMB3' is frustrating as all hell. That Level 3 flying ship (Wendy Koopa) is making my pull my hair out.

Matt @ Nov 22nd 2007 5:53PM

SMB 1: 500 Wii Points
SMB 2: 500 Wii Points
SMB TLL: 600 Wii Points
SMB 3: 500 Wii Points
SMW: 800 Wii Points
DKC 1: 800 Wii Points
DKC 2: 800 Wii Points
Wario's Woods: 500 Wii Points

So far i have spent 5,000 of my what was 6,000 Wii Points.I now have 1,000 Wii Points left.I am waiting for Super Mario Kart or Super Smash Bros. just which ever comes first.

Timerider @ Nov 28th 2007 3:51PM

I got:
SMB (even though I already have it on the NES)
SMK64
Blazing Lasers
SPM

I want Super Smash Bros.

Timerider @ Nov 28th 2007 3:53PM

I mean Paper Mario, not SPM. Though I do have that. :P

Johari @ Nov 28th 2007 4:20PM

NES
Super Mario Bros. 2 - $5
Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels - $5
SNES
Super Mario World - $8
Donkey Kong Country - $8
N64
Super Mario 64 - $10
Mario Kart 64 - $10
Paper Mario - $10
Sin & Punishment - $12
Genesis
Beyond Oasis - $8
Bonanza Bros. - $8
TurboGrafx16
Bonk's Revenge (Bonk 2) - $6
Neutopia II - $6
Neo-Geo
Magician Lord $9
________________________

Total = $105

Johari @ Nov 28th 2007 4:22PM

Was Super Mario Bros. The Lost Levels $6? Make that $106.

Sl0play @ Dec 1st 2007 6:17AM

Donkey Kong - $5
Sonic the Hedgehog - $8
Baseball - $5
The Legend of Zelda - $5
Bomberman '93 - $6
Super Mario Bros. - $5
Mario Kart 64 - $10
Excitebike - $5
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles - $5
Galaga - $5
Zelda II - The Adventure of Link - $5
Super Mario Bros. 2 - $5
Metroid - $5
Super C - $5
Super Mario Bros. 3 - $5

$85

Better than I thought.

I think I'm more addicted to filling up all the channels than actually playing the games.

Everything else adds up to about $910 pre tax.

And I still think a PS3 is a rip-off.