Return of the North American Wii Virtual Console?

mjs256 · Mar 22, 2012

As many of you have probably noticed, from about September 2011 to about March 2012, the North American region for the Wii Virtual Console was quite uneventful. Completely uneventful in fact - there were no releases at all! Not even some garbage releases to make people still think they still cared about the VC. The big N even redesigned their website in a way that de-emphasizes the VC and it no longer shows up front the latest releases (probably because people were tired of seeing that nothing new had been released). Then a few weeks ago, the first new VC release in nearly six months arrived, and in the weeks that followed several more releases - and two of them were Neo Geo titles! As has been typical, these new VC releases of NeoGeo games are titles that have been available for some time on compilation discs, but hopefully this is a sign that more are to come. Hopefully we will get some games that were previously only available on the Japanese VC like Twinkle Star Sprites, Sengoku 2, and Last Blade.

Rade K · Mar 22, 2012

I already got teh romz...and so forth.

Continue.

jsiucho · Mar 22, 2012

The Wii LOL!

JS

marktheshark · Mar 22, 2012

Lol, Wii virtual console.

Don't be surprised if games like Last Blade or Twinkle Star Sprites don't come to the US or Euro VC's

Oh, and don't be surprised if VC gets the Super Spy instead of MOTW.

CORY · Mar 22, 2012

Well, if it wasn't for the Witual Console, we wouldn't have the MVS/AES version of Ironclad (and probably a corrected version of Metal Slug 2 with no slowdown soon, who knows, we only need someone to extract the rom just like Ironclad, thanks to Xian Xi for the info) so yeah, it's not that bad after all. I've never purchased anything virtual though because I'm an old fart and I always prefered to own the actual carts.

Spike Spiegel · Mar 22, 2012

Where the fuck is Earthbound?

HeavyMachineGoob · Mar 22, 2012

Spike Spiegel said:
Where the fuck is Earthbound?

.

Jedah Doma · Mar 22, 2012

I noticed this as well. I thought the VC was all but dead. Though a little late I'd say.

LoneSage · Mar 22, 2012

Spike Spiegel said:
Where the fuck is Earthbound?

Copyright issues.
http://earthboundcentral.com/2009/02/earthbound-legal-issues/

NeoCverA · Mar 22, 2012

lol i thought this thread was bout China kicking out Sage.
The title only says "Return of the North American...." last response was LoneSage.

rarehero · Mar 22, 2012

LoneSage said:
Copyright issues.
http://earthboundcentral.com/2009/02/earthbound-legal-issues/

just about all of those sound like dumb excuses.

LoneSage · Mar 22, 2012

rarehero said:
just about all of those sound like dumb excuses.

They are legitimate, though. Because of his popularity in Smash Bros, I'm certain Nintendo isn't averse to making money by selling the Mother games over here - even Earthbound was censored. Nintendo would take our money if they thought they could without legal repercussions.

Neo Alec · Mar 23, 2012

I don't want to hear anything about the Virtual Console unless it's unreleased games.

oldschool · Mar 25, 2012

I'm pretty sure eBay would set aflame if Earthbound were to hit the VC. I was looking up what was new Neo-wise, but was suprised to see they only released up to Metal Slug 2? What gives?

TikTekTak · Mar 25, 2012

Coryoon? said:
Well, if it wasn't for the Witual Console, we wouldn't have the MVS/AES version of Ironclad (and probably a corrected version of Metal Slug 2 with no slowdown soon, who knows, we only need someone to extract the rom just like Ironclad, thanks to Xian Xi for the info) so yeah, it's not that bad after all. I've never purchased anything virtual though because I'm an old fart and I always prefered to own the actual carts.

Word!

I hate non physical games. Especially that some of the games are only released online. *yuck*

Sherlin · Mar 25, 2012

I'm all about owning actual carts, but there's something cool about firing up your Wii and seeing Alien Soldier, Iron Clad and Super Turrican decorating the screen.

HeavyMachineGoob · Mar 25, 2012

oldschool said:
I'm pretty sure eBay would set aflame if Earthbound were to hit the VC.

Too late, the lack of EarthBound on the VC has already lit eBay on fire for years. Now if Nintendo were to take a hint, maybe even release an EarthBound trilogy on 3DS, guaranteed the eBay market bubble would pop.

Sixth · Mar 25, 2012

HeavyMachineGun said:
Too late, the lack of EarthBound on the VC has already lit eBay on fire for years. Now if Nintendo were to take a hint, maybe even release an EarthBound trilogy on 3DS, guaranteed the eBay market bubble would pop.

It can’t be re-released; the game is a legal nightmare, and the issue is well documented. If Nintendo made the effort it would mean one of two things: 1 – the cost of re-releasing the game – not that it would even be legally possible – would be so great that the profit margin could not justify the decision. 2 – the in-game dialogue and various other materials would have to be augmented, effectively pissing off the niche fanbase that actually likes the game, who are really the only people making any noise about it anyway.

Earthbound is just one of those things that could have only ever existed back in the mid 90s. The business world, as it exists now, will no longer allow games like that to surface.

LoneSage · Mar 26, 2012

Sixth said:
It can’t be re-released; the game is a legal nightmare, and the issue is well documented. If Nintendo made the effort it would mean one of two things: 1 – the cost of re-releasing the game – not that it would even be legally possible – would be so great that the profit margin could not justify the decision. 2 – the in-game dialogue and various other materials would have to be augmented, effectively pissing off the niche fanbase that actually likes the game, who are really the only people making any noise about it anyway.

Earthbound is just one of those things that could have only ever existed back in the mid 90s. The business world, as it exists now, will no longer allow games like that to surface.

People will continue to cover their ears and say NYAH NYAH I CAN'T HEAR YOU and complain about Nintendo not re-releasing Earthbound.

slangman · Mar 31, 2012

They haven't even released Waku Waku 7 or Galaxy Figh, even though those were released 2 years ago on the Japanese VC.

They even skipped KoF 96' and released KoF 97' for EU and NA. KoF 96 was also released in Japan.

Metal Slug 3 is due a release worldwide on VC, but they will skip Metal Slug X.

For those reasons,I am hesitant about the Neo Geo library on Wii VC. Nintendo must want people to download more WiiWare and 3DS games.

mjs256 · Apr 3, 2012

TikTekTak said:
Word!

I hate non physical games. Especially that some of the games are only released online. *yuck*

I agree. I *always* want physical games and I hate it when there is a game I want but it is only available by download. Nonetheless, "virtual" games are better than nothing. Since I can't afford to pay $300+ for an original copy of Ironclad on Neo Geo CD it is great that I can download the game on VC for $10.

The same goes for Twinkle Star Sprites - original copies are just too expensive which is why I keep hoping it will be released on VC.

mjs256 · Jun 4, 2012

Another Neo Geo game added to the Wii VC: Metal Slug 3! Still not one of the ones I was really hoping for, but good news all the same.

SuperGun · Jun 4, 2012

Pulstar

Neo Alec said:
I don't want to hear anything about the Virtual Console unless it's unreleased games.

I agree 100%.
However I am fairly confident that we will have Crossed Swords 2 before the end of this year, most likely in November.
And tomorrow we get Pulstar, which is pretty nice as it adds yet another third party developer to the list of possible IP's which SNK's virtual console division appears to have some control over.
So I don't care either, but I keep a close eye on it.

neoconverted · Jun 5, 2012

snk-p no longer owns the data for crossed sword 2

Black IcE · Jun 5, 2012

If I understand correctly, Nintendo semi-confirmed today at one of their press meetings that VC games will be transferrable and playable on the Wii U.

"7:21pm - Question: Will Virtual Console saves be transferable to Wii U?

7:22pm - They're readying the system to transfer "everything you've bought."

from http://kotaku.com/5916088/were-live-at-nintendos-wii-u-hardware-conference

Return of the North American Wii Virtual Console?

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