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VC Monday Madness video wrap-up 7/23/07
As if last week wasn't enough pain and suffering, this week has just doubled it. Multiple times did we upload the file to YouTube, in its native AVI state, only to have a file with sound, yet no video, returned to us. Then, we decided to convert the file from AVI to WMV, but, again, we only got back a file of sound, no video. And, as we sat defeated and drained, none other than new recruit Mike Sylvester walked in and showed us how to fix it. Without him, we are lost.So, everyone thank Mike for making this week's video possible and be sure to head past the post break for the usual.
VC Monday Madness: Shining Force, Devil's Crush and Kirby's Dream Course
We told you to at least get 600 Wii Points ready for today, as you were going to need to download at least one title. And, we weren't kidding. That's exactly what you're going to have to do, so once the clock strikes 9am PDT, you better be prepared to download.Today's available VC downloads are: Shining Force (Sega Genesis, 1 player, 800 Wii Points) Devil's Crush (TurboGrafx16, 1-2 players, 600 Wii Points) Kirby's Dream Course (Super NES, 1-2 players, 800 Wii Points) Be sure to stop back later for our video wrap-up, where we promise we'll be uploading it to another video hosting service this week.
Everybody get ready to buy Devil's Crush
Get your 600 points ready now. You don't want to have any delay Monday when Devil's Crush hits. Even if you've already got Alien Crush and think you're set for Turbografx-16 pinball-- especially if you've already got Alien Crush-- you're going to want this. To put it as ridiculously as possible, Devil's Crush is by far the best vaguely-occult-themed pinball video game we've ever played. Eat that, Crüe Ball!Now in terms that mean something: Devil's Crush has an expansive three-screen-tall table, numerous bonus stages, great music, and a big face that gets progressively more evil as you smack it with a pinball-- much like any face would.
Virtually Overlooked: Pac-Land
Welcome to our weekly feature, Virtually Overlooked, wherein we talk about games that aren't on the Virtual Console yet, but should be. Call it a retro-speculative.Pac-Land may not be terribly obscure, but it is an interesting look at how Namco treated its flagship franchise in 1984. Most companies would play it safe with a hit as massive as Pac-Man, but not Namco. They branched out in increasingly odd directions. Pac-Land is still exceptionally odd today, but it was even stranger when it was originally released, and bizarrely anachronistic when it was ported to the PC Engine in 1989.
OFLC reveals more TG16 games for Australia
Australia's Office of Film and Literature Classification has looked into the company crystal ball and delivered a prophecy of new Virtual Console games. Bonk 3: Bonk's Big Adventure, Cratermaze, Dead Moon, J.J. and Jeff, and World Sports Competition are destined for the Australian Virtual Console. Do things download We don't have Bonk 3 or Cratermaze yet in the US, and it looks like Australia's going to get the VC versions first. It's only fair, we suppose, since the real HuCards were actually sold here at one point.[Via GoNintendo]
Torrent of TurboGrafx-16 titles set for Australia's Virtual Console
Making up for its delayed arrival to Australia's Virtual Console, the TurboGrafx-16 will debut in the world's smallest continent next week with eleven releases! Hudson's VC site lists that over a third of the games will be shmups -- no big surprise there -- but classics like Dungeon Explorer, Military Madness, and Bomberman '93 are also set to appear at the system's opening ceremony.The US, having been spoiled with dozens of TG-16 releases since the Wii's launch, will receive only one PC-Engine title next Monday: Dragon Spirit, an impossibly hard, vertical-scrolling shoot 'em up in which you pilot a blue dragon. Check past the post break for Hudson's planned releases across all territories this July.
See before you buy: Japan edition
We were happy when Nintendo of America finally put up some preview videos so people could at least get a look at Virtual Console games before throwing their Wii Points into a hole. Now, Nintendo of Japan has done the same! You'll be able to preview new Virtual Console games long before they come to the US. In many cases, you can just uselessly torture yourself by watching videos of games like Shin Megami Tensei and Mario's Super Picross that will never be released over here! And if there's anything we enjoy, it's uselessly torturing ourselves.[Thanks, creamsugar!]
Ordyne blasts onto VC this Monday
Monday sees the release of Ordyne onto the Virtual Console in North America. The side scrolling shooter is one of a whole bunch of Hudson titles coming to the VC in May. Based on Namco's 1988 original, the game casts you as genius scientist Yuichiro Tomari on a quest to rescue your fiancee from the evil Dr. Kubota. Ordyne will go for a wallet friendly 600 Wii points, like other TurboGrafx 16 titles. Of course, we'll give you our thoughts on Monday, as with all Virtual Console releases, in our weekly feature VC Monday Madness.[via Video Game Generation]
Hudson confirms Bonk's Revenge for Monday's VC update [update 2]
Sure, we knew the game would be coming, but we had no idea as far as what date it would arrive. Well, it turns out Hudson is kind of heart, as their Virtual Console section of their website details Bonk's Revenge as being released this Monday. Now, we've had VC updates in the past where we were only given one game, so let's hope that Bonk's second adventure isn't left all alone this Monday.Anyone interested in downloading this game?See also: Wil Wheaton loves the VC[Via digg]Update: Neglected a word in the post. All is fixed. Thanks, Dan Russell!Update 2: Wow, talk about dropping the ball. I updated the post and didn't even fix it! It has been corrected now.
Virtually Overlooked: J.J. & Jeff
Welcome to our weekly feature, Virtually Overlooked, wherein we talk about games that aren't on the Virtual Console yet, but should be. Call it a retro-speculative. Hudson's J.J. & Jeff isn't particularly obscure. But it happens to be one of our favorite Turbografx-16 games, and we really like talking about it. If Hudson really plans to release every US Turbografx-16 game, then we have to hurry up and get our longform rambles out while we can! Plus, apparently some people don't like this game, and, while they're entitled to their crazy, wrong opinions, we feel like it deserves defending.
Hudson Entertainment president talks about TG16 and Virtual Console
As you may have guessed, we're big Turbografx-16 fans here, so Brandon Sheffield's interview with Hudson USA president John Greiner, who was with the company through that system's lifetime, was an especially good read for us. The interview is long and detailed, and covers a lot of Hudson's lesser-known franchises like Tengai Makyou, as well as the fantastic Kato-chan and Ken-chan, which we got as JJ & Jeff. It also talks about how Hudson got into the Virtual Console biz.Here's the quote of the freaking millennium for us: "We're looking at...you know, eventually all Turbo Grafx games will be on the Virtual Console, because they're going to be emulations." Oh, no, wait, that's awesome, but here's the quote of the millennium: "We're going to work on the Turbo Grafx titles, but there were 600 some-odd PC Engine titles, and there were only 150 or so Turbo Grafx titles, so I think that if people tell us they want these games, absolutely." We cannot control our dancing. It is difficult to type at the moment.
Bonk takes Revenge on the Dragon's Curse, and 3 more coming to VC
Hudson Soft is giving Wii owners its second dose of Bonk with Bonk's Revenge. The Turbo-Grafx 16 platformer is due sometime next month on the Virtual Console, according to the publisher's official list. Also on the list for next month are Dragon's Curse, Bravoman, Battle Lode Runner and Shockman. Bravoman stands as only the second TurboGrafx-16 game from Namco Bandai, and only the fourth title not distributed by Hudson Soft.The first title to be released, Dragon's Curse, is scheduled for next Monday, April 2. All titles will be priced the usual 600 Wii Points for purchase. Also known for next month are three from Sega, including a 2-dimensional Virtua Fighter 2. No word on what classic titles, if any, Nintendo will release in April.
Five TG-16 games coming to VC next month
Not to be outdone by Capcom's Virtual Console plans revealed earlier this week, Hudson has announced five TurboGrafx-16 games coming to the the North American shopping channel this April: Battle Lode Runner, Bonk's Revenge, Bravoman, Dragon's Curse, and Shockman.Bonk's Revenge builds upon the original adventure's headbutting formula, adding more complex levels and tightened graphics. Battle Lode Runner gets a similar visual upgrade from its Commodore 64 trappings, and it even features multiplayer action.Dragon's Curse, or Wonder Boy III: The Dragon's Trap in Japan, should be available to purchase by next Monday. Players will be able to take on the forms and powers of five different creatures in this side-scrolling RPG, questing to regain their original human body. Bravoman and Shockman sound like Mega Man spin-offs, and you wouldn't be too far off with that assumption! They're both action-platformers overloaded with robots and larger-than-life bosses.All five of the Virtual Console games will be priced at 600 Wii points.
Excitebike, Splatterhouse, Beyond Oasis join Virtual Console line-up
Another Virtual Console Monday rears its ugly, beginning-of-the-week head, but the tiny sparkle of joy that is the Virtual Console offers some respite. Heading up the list of games this week is the NES classic Excitebike (500 Wii Points), the spiritual predecessor to Excite Truck. No motion-sensitive controls here, just daredevil racing and stunts in glorious 8-bit color. You can even design your own tracks!As promised, both Splatterhouse and Beyond Oasis are also available to download. Splatterhouse (600 Wii Points) is a side-scrolling brawler originally for the TurboGrafx16. This was the first game to ever receive a parental advisory disclaimer, though by today's standards it seems relatively meek. After the carnage is complete, the Sega Genesis action/adventure game Beyond Oasis (800 Wii Points) should cool your adrenal glands with a dose of lush 16-bit graphics.Vectorman is still on-target for a VC release this month, so expect it to head up next week's list.
In Defense of the Virtual Console's pricing
We've surveyed your irritation with the Virtual Console's rates and even had you calculate the exact amount of Wii points you've been swindled out of so far, but VGamp's Chris Sinclair argues that the game downloads aren't expensive at all. Chris listed eleven reasons to support his claim, even admitting that he would be willing to pay more for the retro titles. While he might come across as an inflexible apologist, some of his points make sense.According to Chris, you're getting a deal whenever you make a purchase on the Shopping Channel. For example, let's say that you put out the cash for Soldier Blade, a title that sometimes sells for $50+ on eBay. You're scoring a discount on a relatively rare game that's guaranteed to work decades from now, and you don't even have to pay for the TurboGrafx-16 console or the controllers to play it with. As an added bonus, many of these emulated games look better than they ever did before.Alright, so we're still not entirely convinced that Altered Beast is worth the 800 Wii points Sega is asking for, but we can see where Chris is going with this. What do you think? Does the pricing seem justified after considering his points, or do you still feel like you're being fleeced?
Virtually Overlooked: Ninja Spirit
Welcome to our weekly feature, Virtually Overlooked, wherein we talk about games that aren't on the Virtual Console yet, but should be. Call it a retro-speculative.This is the second time we've ended up following a theme from week to week in these features-- in this case, we wanted to talk about Ninja Spirit for the Turbografx-16, and didn't remember until we started researching that, like last week's Photograph Boy, Ninja Spirit was developed by IREM.The best way to describe Ninja Spirit for people familiar with Virtual Console games is "The Legend of Kage, but good." And we say that as fans of Kage.
Sonic Spinball, Tecmo Bowl & Double Dungeons hit Virtual Console
Nintendo takes a backseat this week while three third-party titles are launched for Wii's Virtual Console. Tecmo, which promised aggressive support back in August, has released its NFL license-free (and not-so-super) Tecmo Bowl ($5) for NES. The other two titles we already knew were coming: Sonic Spinball ($8) for Sega Genesis and Double Dungeons ($6) for TurboGrafx 16.Though there is no specific VC release schedule (a predicament both Nintendo and Microsoft's downloadable services unfortunately share), we do know that Splatterhouse, Vectorman, and Beyond Oasis have been promised for this month.
Splatterhouse, Double Dungeons due next month on VC
It's time to don your Terror Mask and grab a chainsaw. According to Hudson's Virtual Console list, next month will bring rise to Splatterhouse and Double Dungeons on the Nintendo Wii.Splatterhouse is a classic gorefest, full of blood and guts and severed hands that flick you off (an homage to Evil Dead II, to be sure). It's a welcome addition the Virtual Console and one of the few titles guaranteed to earn an M rating. Double Dungeon is a first-person RPG similar to Wizardry.Sega also recently announced four titles, including Vectorman and Beyond Oasis, for release soon, likely in March.
For the authentic Virtual Console experience: old Sears catalogs
Now for a reminder of what gaming looked like when the Virtual Console was a collection of actual consoles: these scans of old Sears Roebuck catalogs almost have us printing them out, circling the TurboDuo, and sending the page to our parents just in case they still need any Christmas shopping ideas for Christmas 1992.These catalogs looked cheesy to us back then too, but there's really a magic about them that is lost in game retail materials these days. Maybe it's just because the early 16-bit "system wars" were one of the most amazing periods in gaming history. Which side did you take in Genesis vs. Turbografx-16?[Via NeoGAF]
Console evolution in pictures
By Knuttz's count, it's taken 70 steps, including many retreads, to get from Odyssey to Wii. You can view each of these steps -- all 71 consoles -- in this scrolling gallery. (Note: handhelds have been omitted.)
