posted by Chris on January 7, 2008 9:37 AM in Games
Super Mario Galaxy was a fun game (it even made it into my Top 5 of the year), but Nintendo has felt the need to squeeze every last drop of cash out of their iconic Italian plumber like he's some sort of bizarre money-sponge creature cow thing. Where are all the original Nintendo titles that AREN'T Mario, Zelda or Metroid? Today on the Wii Virtual Console we get a glimpse into the brilliance of non-Mario Nintendo with Star Tropics. It's a classic adventure-RPG that paved the way for games like Secret of Mana and Earthbound, and was a critical success back in the day. So why haven't we seen a new Star Tropics game? The world may never know. Maybe if it becomes the best selling title on the Wii VC they will consider a new-gen sequel? Maybe? Hello?
One thing I am curious about is the fact that a puzzle in the game requires the use of an insert in the actual physical meatspace packaging. There was a sheet of paper with invisible ink on it that you had to reveal a secret code in order to progress after a certain point. How are they going to accomplish this on the Virtual Console? Are they going to expect us all just to get stuck and consult GameFAQs? My mind! It is being blown!
Star Tropics is available today for 500 Wii points. Full press release after the jump.
continue reading "Star Tropics hits Wii VC Today"
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posted by Chris on July 16, 2007 8:35 AM in Games
The wait is finally over, we got some good games goin' on the Wii Virtual Console today. Finally Nintendo brings Paper Mario for the N64 to their download service, a game I have only played once, and for about 5 minutes. Being a huge fan of Super Mario RPG and Paper Mario Thousand Year Door (Super Paper Mario wasn't all that great), I am really excited to play through this game. The Wii VC could use more RPGs. I wanna see Dragon Warrior, Earthbound, Secret of Mana, and all those classic RPGs on the Wii Shop like pronto. I really do want to spend more time with my Wii, Nintendo! As long as you keep giving me good reasons to.
Oh, they also released Balloon Fight and some other game for the Turbografx that no one will play. I really hope this is the last time we see the NES version of Balloon Fight for purchase anywhere. Nintendo keeps pumping it, and it's not a great game. As a matter of fact, it's pretty much shit and I am sure that no one remembers it as fondly as Nintendo thinks. Anyway, go download Paper Mario! We will play together like Paper Mario friends! *excited clapping*
continue reading "Wii VC Update: Paper Mario!"
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posted by Chris on May 14, 2007 6:07 AM in Podcast
This week sees Chris Furniss, The Geek and White Mage trapped in a cave somewhere in the Welsh countryside discussing such matters as the Halo 3 beta, new Crackdown content, Square Enix's new offerings and how the TSA angers us. Subscribe now or download the MP3, you will be sorry if you didn't. Seriously. Hit the jump for some show notes!
continue reading "Podcast for 05-14-07 | Halo is Overrated"
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posted by Chris on March 5, 2007 9:32 AM in Games
After posting a comment on a Joystiq article about how cool it would be to have You Don't Know Jack on the Wii, I was contacted by a Jellyvision intern who informed me that YDKJ is back! That's right, pretty much the best game of the CD-ROM golden age has brought back it's very own web version (still in beta, apparently). They inform me that the site is updated every weekday, and currently has 5 "Dis or Dat" questions every week. Also, today is the launch of the weekly 7-question game.
I love seeing this game come back. The Geek and I still talk about it to this day. What would be super uber rad would be to actually see them become successful again and create versions for the Wii and Xbox Live Arcade. The possibilities for episodic content are really expanded these days and I'd drop a cool 800 msft points on an XBLA version in less than a heartbeat.
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posted by Chris on March 5, 2007 9:17 AM in Games
One of the most difficult games ever unleashed upon civilization has been released to the Wii Virtual Console store this Monday - Super Ghouls n' Ghosts. For a mere 800 Wii points you too can experience the pain and misery (read: challenging fun) I experienced as a child. Super G+G was one of my favorite SNES games just because it was so damned impossible. From what I can remember it had great sound and graphics and incredibly frustrating play controls. Add in Elevator Action for the NES and Sword of Vermillion for the Genesis and you have a fairly lax Wii VC lineup this week. Anyone picking any of these up? Or are you saving your bucks for Worms on Xbox Live Arcade on Wednesday?
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posted by Chris on February 12, 2007 9:37 AM in Games
Finally. A Wii Virtual Console release day worthy of song and praise. Today Nintendo has deemed us worthy enough to allow the esteemed download of two great (and one so-so) titles. Kirby's Adventure (NES), Kid Icarus (NES) and Ice Climber (NES).
Kirby's Adventure is one of my all-time FAVORITE games. It was released near the end of the NES days and is not only full of great gameplay and unlockables, but is beautiful to boot. It really perfected the Kirby formula and is just ridiculous fun to play. Definitely a download there.
And for you masochists, you can grab Kid Icarus. Me, I could never get past the very first time you meet the reaper. When he sees you and starts jumping around... it just gives me the heebly-jeeblies.
Keep it up, Nintendo. This is the kind of release day we are looking for. With the lack of online play for your VC games, nothing so beautiful as Achievement points, and your high price tag, you are going to have to find a way to sway people like me. This is the way.
Full press release after the jump.
continue reading "Nintendo Drops a Load"
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posted by Chris on January 22, 2007 9:20 AM in Games
That's right, folks, Nintendo has given us ONE game this week for their weekly (or Wii-kly as Nintendo is cleverly putting it) Virtual Console update - The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past.
This is interesting, as Nintendo released this a couple years back for the Game Boy Advance (along with Four Swords, the tagged on multiplayer game). We speculated that Nintendo wouldn't release games they had released recently as GBA remakes, but apparently they really want you to buy their games at least 5 times until they are finished feasting on your hard earned rupees. Full press release after the jump.
continue reading "Link To The Past Hits Wii Shop"
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posted by Chris on January 16, 2007 10:49 AM in
We here at The Weekly Geek are a might frustrated at Nintendo's paltry Virtual Console offerings, and even though we know that they will never read this and take our advice, this week's Top Five List is a rundown of the Virtual Console games we want to see, or someone's gonna pay.
Frodo's Top Five:
5. Tricky Kick: This was an excellent Turbografx puzzle game, where you go through levels as different characters such as a fox or a schoolgirl, and you have to kick boxes toward a goal. It's seriously more fun than it sounds.
4. Goldeneye: This one is obvious. Pretty much the best FPS on any console period, Goldeneye defined the genre and revolutionized multiplayer gaming. Unfortunately this will never be released because of Nintendo and Rare's current anti-partnership. I'd love to see this online-enabled. Guess I just have to play Goldeneye Source.
3. Chrono Trigger: One of the best RPGs of all time, Chrono Trigger is a natural for the VC. We got a crappy version on the Playstation a couple of years ago, I'd like a good clean copy of this rare title to play whenever I want to, without having to sit through loading times.
2. Starfox 2: Nintendo has hinted that they may release a VC title that has a niche internet following, and I think this one is it. Starfox 2 was fully complete when Nintendo pulled out for whatever reason, so it's in the realm of possibility they'd try to get some money out of their investment.
1. Super Mario World/Mario All Stars SNES all in one cart: This was the ultimate cart, packed with so much Mario it boggles the mind. Not only did it include Super Mario World, but Super Mario All Stars, all in that teensy gray plastic box. This one most definitely won't be released, since Nintendo likes money, but a geek can dream.
Caspian's List:
5. Mutant League Football - Genesis: There's a normal sports game (i.e. Madden, NFL 2kWhatever, etc.) and then there's a game where you step out of bounds and into a black hole, you avoid being tackled only to fall into a lava pit, or you get penalized for "booger flicking." Greatest football game of all time? I THINK SO!!!
4. Super Empire Strikes Back - SNES: Until KOTOR 1 & 2, this Star Wars series was the most accurate, I think, in making you feel you were a Jedi. I very much liked the back and forth switches between movie characters and between vehicle and walking scenarios.
3. Secret of Evermore - SNES: I'm an admitted huge SNES gamer. That's what got me deep into gaming, and with the exception of Zelda and Final Fantasy, I think this RPG really captured my imagination (and a lot of my time). It'd be nice to relive some of the moments, and have it available for the new gamer generation to experience.
2. Super Mario Bros. 3 - NES: Okay- so they've released the original Super Mario Bros. That's awesome! But... the one I really miss and would really appreciate from Nintendo is Mario 3. Frog and Raccoon Mario would really bring me back to a time when my smiles knew no bounds.
1. Golden Eye - N64: It's shameful to say, but this is the only FPS console game I've ever been good at. (I mean, I could tear it up on Area 51 in the arcades, but that doesn't really count) Oh, to have a multiplayer victim walk into a masterfully placed remote mine again. That would take the cake! And please Nintendo... ONLINE multiplayer would be fantastic with this. Would it kill ya to throw that in?
The Geek's List:
5. Renegade - NES: One of those little fighty brawly games on the NES that I always just loved for some reason. Kind of like a precursor to Final Fight and such games. It's a classic I never owned myself, but I would gladly shell out the 5 bucks for it on the VC.
4. Earthbound - SNES: This is one of those games that everybody loves but I just haven't ever gotten to really sit down and play it. Over the many years it's been out, I've tried several times to play it, either at a friend's house or just borrowing their game, but something always keeps distracting me. I think if I actually owned it and it was on my Wii, I could finally play this bad mamma jamma.
3. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Tournament Figher - SNES: I had to toss this one in the list because I remember just really loving this game back in the day, as it were. It was a pretty solid fighter with good 16 bit sprites and lots of characters to choose from.
2. Shining Force I & II - Genesis: I put these two together because I didn't wanna take up two spaces with them and it's my damn list so nyah. I loved, loved, loved the first two Shining force games and I've been half-heartedly trying to score them on eBay ever since I picked up my very own Genesis from there a few years back. They are a wonderful tactical RPG and probably why I loved Final Fantasy Tactics so much. The story is fun, though I can't remember if I ever fully beat either of them.
1. Super Mario RPG - SNES: One of the best RPGs of all time, Super Mario RPG is an amazing game. Taking the mythos of the Mario universe and expanding on it enough to create a full RPG storyline with towns and items and abilities and such was nothing short of brilliant. On top of that, the game was pretty and played very solid. This is another one I had to borrow from someone else but I never got through. I think the furthest I got was up to the point of going into that other world, but I could be imagining that. I have a mighty need to own and beat this game, even if it's only on the VC.
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posted by Chris on January 4, 2007 5:20 PM in Rant
Throughout Nintendo's history as a game hardware and software manufacturer, they have shown an impressive amount of conservatism. Always cautious about their next move, for the most part it has been an effective means of bringing in profits. Or has it? With the release of technology so distruptive as the Wii, the industry is applauding Nintendo for being so daring. So then why is Nintendo still conservative when it comes to anything involving Internet connectivity? The DS had the dreaded friend code system, which has returned on the Wii. The Gamecube had the completely ignored network adaptor, even the SNES had the XBAND which went absolutely nowhere (although, granted it was not released by Nintendo themselves). Why release something if you don't put your energy behind it? What drives Nintendo to be so lackadaisical when it comes to anything online in a world where we have the excellence that is Xbox Live? Welcome to today's rant.
continue reading "Conservative Nintendo: Misjudging for Profit"
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posted by Chris on December 5, 2006 4:38 PM in Rant
Look, Nintendo. I know you want to benefit from being able to stagger the release of your Virtual Console titles for the Wii. I know that being able to advertise the week that you finally release the icy death grip you have on Super Mario RPG is going to be a big boon to your sales. But what's wrong with filling the gaps a little? The Virtual Console is free (or close to free) money. What do you have to do, have a developer look at it a little, maybe kick the tires to make sure it runs and then throw it up on your server? It's not that hard. I want to be able to purchase tons of games from your back catalog, across every system you have listed. I am very willing to spend literally hundreds of dollars on your virtual magical digital goods. Just look at my iTunes purchases, I have over 500 in that playlist alone. That's $500+ I have spent on intangible items. Just give me a hit of that sweet sweet Donkey Kong Country already, will ya?
I am all for your set release schedule, I think it's cool you want to bring us 5 (or so) new games for the Virtual Console every week. Just give us a starter kit of sorts, 50 or so titles that we can choose from to tide us over until you decide to push Super Mario Bros. 3 on us for the millionth time. I'll buy it, just as I know thousands of others will. Again. And again. And again.
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posted by Chris on June 19, 2006 5:58 PM in Podcast
On this week's Video Game Podcast, we go where no video game podcast has gone before... we talk about video games! WHOA!!!!! Actually, we discuss the ESRB's new rating campaign, pizza made without bread, Michael Jackson THE INVENTOR and Bill Gates leaving Microsoft. Here are some show notes.
Enjoy!
--Frodo
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posted by Chris on September 18, 2005 12:07 PM in Rant
Here's a thought I had regarding the Revolution (or the N5, which many people are calling it, since Revolution isn't going to be the final name).
Depending on the price and availability of NES, SNES, and N64 games for download, Nintendo could seriously undercut the used games market.
Could there be a backlash from major game store retailers such as GameStop? We all know that they make a fair chunk of money by ripping you off; buying your used games for a nickel and then selling them back to someone else for 40 bucks. If Nintendo's Virtual Console takes away from their bottom line, would they be motivated to "discourage" sales of the N5? I know that NES, SNES, and N64 games aren't the biggest part of their used game sales, but it's probably still a decent amount.
--Geek
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