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Nintendo of Canada offers sealed NES, SNES, GameBoy titles for charity auction
Video game collectors have just been given a golden opportunity (and another thorn in their significant others' side). Nintendo of Canada is cleaning out their warehouse and is auctioning their collection of brand new, sealed retro games, with all proceeds going to United Way charity. The auctions, totaling 421 games in 24 different auctions, break down as follows: 70 NES games over 4 lots 169 SNES games over 13 lots 182 GameBoy games over 7 lots As of this writing, the highest bid in any auctions is US $1,013 for a collection of NES games that includes Mario's Time Machine, Dragon Warrior IV, The Great Waldo Search and – this is the big draw, folks – George Foreman's KO Boxing. There's some great games in the other lots, too, with Addams Family and Lost Vikings activating the most synapses in our nostalgic minds.Joystiq got in touch with Nintendo of Canada to confirm the auction is legit, so what are you waiting for? Bidding for all lots ends June 5.
Player vs. Everything: Game-hopping like a madman
Chances are good that if you read Massively, you either currently play or have played multiple MMOGs in your life. Whatever your reasons are, you're one of those players for whom "MMO" is a genre instead of a game. Not all players are like this. A lot of players get their start somewhere and then stick to that game for years, denouncing all other games as being incapable of being better than their chosen virtual playground. I used to be like that with EverQuest (can you tell?). For four years I played it pretty much exclusively, not even trying other games. But eventually, I got bored. Thus started my lengthy and storied history of game-hopping. Traveling from world to world like some sort of virtual nomad, fueled by my love of the online massively multiplayer game, I sampled much of what the genre had to offer. While I eventually found a new home and anchor in World of Warcraft, it only served as a nice place to return to every few months. I still ventured out into each new and exciting world that various companies served up to me. They all had things I liked and didn't like about them, and I honestly have yet to play a game that I couldn't find something good to say about. Every online game has its own cool quirks that are pretty neat from a design standpoint. This is why it's tough to identify an objectively "best" game -- they're all so different! I thought today I'd talk a little bit about what I've played over the years and how I ended up with the many and varied opinions on the MMOG genre that I have.
Gears, Forza 2, Viva Piata become UK Classics
In the UK, beginning May 16, gamers will be able to pick-up a trio of titles marked down and packaged as Xbox 360 Classics. Late last week Microsoft announced plans to add Gears of War, Forza Motorsport 2 and Viva Piñata to their classic line-up, the PAL region equivalent of the Platinum Hits brand in North America.As yet another push into a market where the brand is known (sorry, bad example), but not as popular as they would like, Microsoft hopes adding three fantastic titles priced to go at £19.99 will entice new gamers into the Xbox 360 camp.%Gallery-21408%
SNK bringing yet another classic compilation
Everything old is new again, especially if you're SNK, whose primary business appears to be regurgitating their classics, as opposed to making anything new. Yet another retro compilation is hitting the PSP, months after the release of the Metal Slug collection.SNK's next effort will feature 16 different titles, and will appear on both the PS2 and PSP some time during the first half of this year (but probably not tomorrow). Titled SNK Arcade Classics: Volume 1, this collection will include many forgotten fighters, such as the first World Heroes, Art of Fighting, and Samurai Shodown titles, as well as Fatal Fury, King of the Monsters, and King of Fighters '94. Action titles like Top Hunter, Last Resort, Shock Troopers, Sengoku, and Burning Fight, as well as sports entries Baseball Stars 2, Neo Turf Masters, and Super Sidekicks 3 join the random potpourri of games in this anthology. Finally, Metal Slug (available for the umpteenth time) and Magician Lord also head to the handheld.Volume 1 suggests that other compilations are planned for the future, ensuring that SNK won't really have to make anything new for a long time.
SNK revisits well, returns with 16-game compilation for PS2, PSP
We honestly believe that when it comes to SNK, they believe that nostalgia is job one. Why else would the company continue to keep one foot rooted in the past by re-releasing countless compilations of old releases in lieu of anything truly new? Not that there is anything wrong with that. The company has forgotten more about making fun games than most newcomers will ever know, polygons or not. On that note, SNK's latest trip back in time comes care of an impressive collection of 16 different SNK faves, which skirt across the surface of the company's storied history like flat stone. Set for release for both the PlayStation 2 and PSP sometime during the first half of this year, the not-so-creatively dubbed SNK Arcade Classics: Volume 1 will include a bevy of early-gen fighters, such as the first World Heroes, Art of Fighting, and Samurai Shodown titles, as well as Fatal Fury, King of the Monsters, and King of Fighters '94. Beyond fighting games, however, SNK has put together a rather eclectic mix from other genres, with action titles like Top Hunter, Last Resort, Shock Troopers, Sengoku, and Burning Fight, as well as sports entries Baseball Stars 2, Neo Turf Masters, and Super Sidekicks 3. And of course, where would any SNK tribute be without the original Metal Slug and Magician Lord? Nowhere, that's where, so it's a good thing it includes those as well. Not a bad salvo for the first volume, which has us already wondering what games should make the cut for what we hope will be a second collection soon to follow. What SNK greats would you like to see make a return?[Via press release]
Dedicated game sites to browse and enjoy
Handheld gaming has a dedicated fan base, as those that frequent our very own site can attest. When the allure of new releases wears its welcome, it can be interesting to scour the web for sites that cater to very specific game tastes. In case you missed our recommendation for these game sites earlier, Pocket Gamer reminds you of gems like Beyond Loco, which caters to everything LocoRoco, offering wallpaper, music and even themed demos. Dark Alex also brings a unique flavor of PSP homebrew for those daring enough to visit. Something new and for the slightly older crowd that welcomes a trip down memory lane, there's even the HandHeld Museum where you can revisit handheld gaming's finest. The included pictures of box art should jog a few memories, if the title alone isn't enough. We can't be the only ones to remember those Galoob titles, can we?
Wise Fwom Yor Gwave: Some classics we'd like to see resurrected on PSP
We've previously seen Afterburner and Lemmings re-tooled, to make them suitable for our favorite portable. While both of those titles are enjoyable, there is still a ton of gold to be mined from the past, then reshaped into something grand and new. With that in mind, I thought it we'd do a public service, and remind publishers of some of those titles. Here they are in no particular order: Bionic Commando Contra Lunar Streets of Rage Splatter House Bonk Strider Double Dribble Golden Axe Shinobi Out of this World Zombie Ate My Neighbors Those are a few of the titles we'd like to see. But what does our opinion matter? Let us know what games we missed, or what classics you'd like to see resurrected on the PSP.
Europe gets Punch Out, other virtual console classics first
OK, we're used to Japan getting cool stuff before us. That's OK -- they saved the game industry after Atari botched things up, so it's only fair that they get Final Fantasy and Gundam games early. But now we hear that Europe is getting Virtual Console games like Punch Out, Legend of the Mystical Ninja and Dragon Curse before us red-blooded Americans. Doesn't Nintendo know that Europe is supposed to get everything last? Maybe they can take some pointers from Sony on that score.I suppose we shouldn't be too mad about this, since all these games have been available for other systems for over a decade. But it's the principle of the thing. We declared our independence from European mastery back in 1776, and yet those old-worlders still get to lord their downloadable classics over us hundreds of years later. It's just not right!
Nintendo promises four VC games every Monday
After a bit of an inconsistent start, Nintendo has finally decided to standardize the release of classic game downloads on the Wii's Shop Channel. Starting this week, the company will make available four virtual console downloads every Monday at 9 a.m. Pacific time. The following titles will be available on Dec. 4: Donkey Kong Jr. (500 Wii points - NES*) Victory Run (600 points - TG-16) Columns (800 points - Genesis) Ristar (800 points - Genesis) While we're happy to see Nintendo add some regularity to the release of new content, we can't help but wonder why there have been so few SNES and N64 games announced for the virtual console thus far. Is Nintendo trying to hook new users with lower-priced, older games, or are they just reluctant to put out downloads that require a Gamecube pad or a somewhat-hard-to-find classic controller? Or neither. Or both. Or something else! Hooray for rhetorical questions!* - Mistakenly listed in the press release as SNES[Via Gaming Bits]
Sega teams with Planet Moon to unleash After Burner
Back in August, we revealed that Planet Moon would bring one of Sega's classics to the PSP. Well, they announced said game, and it just so happens to be After Burner: Black Falcon. "As huge fans of the original After Burner, we are delighted to re-imagine this classic arcade franchise," said Planet Moon Studios CEO Bob Stevenson. "Most importantly, it's approximately 9000% more portable than the original arcade cabinet."The game, which is due out in 2007, will feature ad-hoc versus and co-op modes and will allow feature 19 licensed fighter planes. Also, Planet Moon has gone the extra mile by throwing in a storyline into the game. Yeah, I guess those are important nowadays. Apparently it will be up to you to stop Black Falcon, group of mercs that have stolen 13 war planes.Let's hope Planet Moon can give this series the kind of loving care it deserves.
ESRB rates seven Genesis games for Wii
A recent search of the ESRB website turned up some scintillating results. Though not confirmed for launch or any specific timeframe, the names of seven Sega greats are listed on ESRB as coming to the Wii virtual console...and holy hell, can they pick 'em. Check it out: Altered Beast Columns Ecco the Dolphin Golden Axe Ristar Sonic the Hedgehog Toe Jam & Earl You might recognize these games as being utter classics, some of the very best the Genesis had to offer. Most have at least a cult following, and they're sure to add a huge boost to the VC's popularity. Oh, how we long to echo-locate once more... [via Joystiq]
ESRB shows seven Sega games for Wii
While PS2 and PSP users won't be getting the under-appreciated classic Toe Jam and Earl as part of a recently announced Genesis collection, it looks like Wii owners might get the game on their virtual consoles. The ESRB lists these seven classics when you search for Sega games for Nintendo's upcoming system: Altered Beast Columns Ecco the Dolphin Golden Axe Ristar Sonic the Hedgehog Toe Jam & Earl Each game got an E rating, with descriptors for comic mischief, animated violence and animated blood thrown in for good measure. While this isn't an official confirmation that the games are Wii-bound, it does seem to confirm that they have at least been submitted for ESRB rating, a logical first step. We can only hope that we'll be able to spend hundreds of dollars on new hardware just to relive the joy that is the Toe Jam rap.[Thanks, SuicidalMuskrat]
