Virtual Console: Who supported it?

[The Jackal]

Lets see. Nintendo wants to sell roms that are available on the internet for more than a decade now to an audience that have already played these on homebrew emulators (excluding young gamers who want to play those oldies for curiosity, but i think that's the minority). So, what do they need to do to convince them giving money for something they already have for free? (Yes i know its pirating but that doesn't mean Nintendo doesn't need to take that in to account).

Well, adding some value would be nice. Selling them cheap. Having the best versions. Having 100% faithful emulation. Maybe some extras like box art, a nice GUI with a video preview, etc. I mean homebrew users already have things like Hyperspin, GameX etc.

But no. The roms are too expensive. If you live in Europe you get the PAL trash roms (most homebrew collectors even use utilities to GET RID OF THEM from their collections). Emulation isn't even perfect (missing textures in F-Zero X for instance). They edit the roms (they removed kawasaki stuff from Waverace for instance, so the game is not 100% identical). And no box-art, special GUI, or other extras.

So, no. I do not support it.

Repped. Exactly the point I've been trying to make.

[Guntz]

It's not about them being free on ROMS, it's more just there is no way I am paying £5 for a ROM file of Super Mario Bros 1 or something, those ROMS are worth £1 or £2 at best.

The Sega Megadrive Collection on the 360 and PS3 gives you a ton of games at a budget price, the prices Nintendo put them at are so high I just don't feel like wasting it.

I can't stand this line of thinking. Do you know what that budget MD collection means? It means Sega's old games are worthless garbage, to the average person. Sega has no brand power, their old games suffer as a result.

Sure Nintendo charges an arm and a leg for ROMs, but hey at least by doing so, their games retain some integrity and perceived value.

[Soulis]

I'd rather pay 5 or 10 bucks for a GOG release, not only there are extras (soundtracks and other goodies) and you get the latest/patched/best version, the files are also completely DRM free. You can have the game forever and play it on whatever PC you want. With VC, even if you already have paid premium for a rom on your Wii, you have to pay some extra money to transfer it to WiiU. That's bullshit.

[Guntz]

I'm just happy Nintendo is making their old games perpetually available. It's the way of the future and few companies bother to do this.

[NeoZeedeater]

It would be nice if Nintendo re-released their arcade games instead of pretending they didn't exist.

Sure Nintendo charges an arm and a leg for ROMs, but hey at least by doing so, their games retain some integrity and perceived value.

Sega has been doing much more of that lately, individual and/or small package releases on XBLA/PSN/VC (which is fine by me if they`re quality efforts like the Sonic CD revision and not just lazy rom dumps). The general public is going to ignore most Sega stuff whether it`s in compilation or individual form anyway, unfortunately.

[Da_Shocker]

I can't stand this line of thinking. Do you know what that budget MD collection means? It means Sega's old games are worthless garbage, to the average person. Sega has no brand power, their old games suffer as a result.

Sure Nintendo charges an arm and a leg for ROMs, but hey at least by doing so, their games retain some integrity and perceived value.

Hell the used game market has always been the same for the past 15 years or so. Sega games sell less than Nintendo games. I've always been able to find Sonic game cheaply for years. When it comes to a Mario game i'd might end up being 3X more than a Sonic game. And it's not like Mario games are rare.

[Hidden_Darkness]

not all sega stuff is cheap, saturn stuff has gone through the roof in prices the past couple years.

[Da_Shocker]

not all sega stuff is cheap, saturn stuff has gone through the roof in prices the past couple years.

I should've been more specific but outside of the Saturn and some 32X stuff most of the comparable Sega stuff sales extremely cheap compared to the Nintendo counterparts.

[Hidden_Darkness]

I should've been more specific but outside of the Saturn and some 32X stuff most of the comparable Sega stuff sales extremely cheap compared to the Nintendo counterparts.

thats true, I still see genesis, gamegear and dreamcast stuff fairly cheap minus the harder to find games. some of the less popular nintendo stuff is starting to rise in price when it used to be dirt cheap, specifically gamecube it used to be very cheap to buy games for.

[j_factor]

I can't stand this line of thinking. Do you know what that budget MD collection means? It means Sega's old games are worthless garbage, to the average person. Sega has no brand power, their old games suffer as a result.

Sure Nintendo charges an arm and a leg for ROMs, but hey at least by doing so, their games retain some integrity and perceived value.

Why should I care about Nintendo games' (alleged) integrity and perceived value?

[Segadream]

Yeah, im gonna pay to get something that I've had for free all along.
What they should do is continue to support their older systems and either make new virtual games or
Or actual carts/GC MDs then they would have something worth purchasing.
I would love to see them make retro wireless controllers for the wii.
Although there are lots of idiots out there who do throw their money away, cant blame ol tendo for having a good net and lots of marshmallows. Mmmm Marshmallows.

[mrbigreddog]

Bottom line...

If you never played a ROM, if these ROM sites didn't exist, if Wii Homebrew didn't exist...

You wouldn't think you were getting ripped off...

But since you (we) have been playing these ROMs for years now, for free... We feel like we're getting ripped off...


$8 for Super Mario World isn't a rip off... If I found that game at a pawn shop for $8, I'd pick it up. But Nintendo gives you guaranteed playability on VC. (as were that pawn shop cart might not work, or at least need cleaning) Nintendo gives you Save State ability (on Wii U anyways) They give you transfer ability (from Wii to Wii U) Super clean hdmi output for VC (on Wii U) and Gamepad playability. I have no problem paying $8 for that.

Why do we degrade ROMs... as if it's something so petty. (Oh.. it's just a ROM!)

One thing I wish Nintendo could figure out, is if you actually own the cartridge. Maybe give you a discount. But proving that you own a cartridge would be the difficult part.

Maybe your Wal-Mart receipt from 1992? hahaha!! Yeah right!

[TrekkiesUnite118]

I can't stand this line of thinking. Do you know what that budget MD collection means? It means Sega's old games are worthless garbage, to the average person. Sega has no brand power, their old games suffer as a result.

Sure Nintendo charges an arm and a leg for ROMs, but hey at least by doing so, their games retain some integrity and perceived value.

I wouldn't go that far. Sega sells their games individually on Virtual Console, XBLA, PSN, and Steam for roughly the same price as Nintendo charges for their games and they all still sell.

[Segadream]

Yeah because the story of your grampa getting all around town, eating, watching movies, buying candy, then back home, for 50 cents in his day should be no indication that we are getting ripped off today.

And to say yeah Ill pay you for something that's now and has been free, doesn't mean you are dumb.
Just not so smart.
I still get the pawn shop rescues, and have yet to come across even an Atari game that didn't work.
Virtual console is, and always has been, a tucked away Nintendo idea to rip you off, by reselling you something you already paid for once, twice, or three times over.
Anyone remember All Stars?
The game was well done, and worth it to me. Even though it doesn't really count as an example as they did this "right" in my eyes.
Screw Ol Tendo for trying to steal our money when there's no need to.
I know it must be hard to now, but try to see things from my "still swimming free in the sea"
To your own "already caught, processed, and in a can" view.
You can try to live in the world where there are no roms(god no!) but in the real world its quite simple : It IS a RIP OFF, And you are a FOOL who is easily parted with your money.
When there is no live(retro) hardware, or any roms, THEN its a FEASABLE venture, until then it is what it is.

[mrbigreddog]

I was trying to find a good example... And I think I found it.

My 1st job was working at McDonald's - and I use to get free food all the time. But now that I don't work there anymore, I have to pay full price.

And yes there is something in the back of my head that makes me think, damn I use to get this for free. But now I have to pay for it.

But that's just the way it is. Yeah McDonald's food sucks, and apparently crappy enough to feed their employees for free (or basically free)

But now I have to pay that premium price. Unless I hold up a McDonald's and say "GIVE ME ALL YOU BIGMACS!"

Then of course that would be stealing...

Edit: But for me bottom line (again) If I wanna play it on my Wii U gamepad... I have to pay for it.