Super Dodgeball (Wii) listed on the ESRB website

I'll admit that I haven't been following the Wii Virtual console releases very much over the last few months. While I do understand the appeal that the service has for gamers who do not have a rather large backlog of classic carts or are unwilling (or unable) to emulate the titles, I haven't been incredibly satisfied with the bare bones ROM dumps that we are getting for our Wii points.

This isn't to say it is a bad system by any means. The ability to play the games in their original form would be highly tempting for me if I didn't already own most of the 8bit/16bit era games that I would want to play, but even still, when I look across the aisle with Xbox Live arcade's re-releases of 'classic games' I can't help but wonder if gamers are really going to get their dollars worth while looking at a system to system comparison.

With that said, I was browsing through the ESRB website earlier tonight and stumbled across a listing that made me smile a bit. It seems that as part of the tight relationship between Arc System Works and Aksys, some of the rights to the Technos NES era games have been worked out for Virtual Console releases. While we have already seen the fruits of this relationship with the release of River City Ransom on the Wii via Aksys, I noticed that the ESRB has also recently (I think?) put up a listing for one of my favorite NES titles - Super Dodgeball.

While I do already own the NES release of the game, I'm at least happy that the Virtual Cosnole library can finally have one of its glaring holes filled. With Super Dodgeball Brawlers coming stateside later this month, this should give gamers a chance to play the original for a nice price (since Ebay listings regularly have Super Dodgeball running for around $12-$20). It does bring up one bitter point though... The lack of online play for Super Dodgeball seems to be a crying shame.

King of Fighters '94 and Baseball Stars 2 on the way to the US Virutal Console

Despite being available for the past week or two over on the other side of the Pacific (and Atlantic), we finally have word that King of Fighters '94 is currently being planned for release on the US Virtual Console as well. King of Fighters '94 was the first King of Fighters game in SNK's popular "cross over" series. It isn't necessarily considered the best ('98 is often cited as the most critically acclaimed), and it hasn't aged that well either, but for fans of SNK or the NEO GEO this is a great addition to the Virtual Console. Plus it has Rugal and any game with Rugal can't be bad... Right?

The second game that is currently in the works for the Virtual Console from the NEO GEO archives is Baseball Stars 2. The arcade sports title was the first game that I ever owned for my NEO GEO 4 slot system and for good reason... Baseball Stars 2 is easily one of the greatest baseball games ever made (period). Sure some people will chastise its simplistic gameplay, small number of options, and timed games (which requires you to play multiple credits just to get through one match), but despite these flaws Baseball Stars 2 is just a downright blast to play and well worth it for any arcade sports fan.

Both of these games recently appeared on the ESRB website, so hopefully we should see them grace the Virtual Console in the next couple of weeks.

Nintendo of Japan dropping Hardware support for the Famicom

Itmedia is reporting that Nintendo of Japan is finally ceasing hardware support for the Famicom system (the Japanese equivalent of the NES) as of October 31st. With all the news of Sega finally ending support on the Dreamcast consoles this past year, it is amazing to think that Nintendo has carried on the Famicom system for this long. According to the report, Itmedia cites the company as stating that the necessary parts for repairs have become increasingly difficult to obtain.

Also mentioned in the report, Nintendo of Japan is also ending their support for the Super Nintendo (Super Famicom), Nintendo 64, Gameboy, and Gameboy Pocket lines.

There is a silver lining however (according to Nintendo). With the Wii Virtual Console allowing for downloadable releases of classic NES, SNES, and Nintendo 64 games, you'll be able to continue enjoying the games long after the original systems have died. Unfortunately, this doesn't take into account needing to buy the games a second time and also the fact that the library selection pales in comparison to the full libraries of the host systems, but we can't win all the battles, right?

Good night Famicom, you started a revolution and are to this day a solid workhorse that has inspired two generations of gamers.

SNK Playmore USA Officially Announces Virtual Console Support

Despite a Ben Herman interview stating that SNK Playmore USA would be bringing NEO GEO titles to Nintendo's Wii Virtual Console, the US arm of the company has been relatively silent (until today) in regards to the future releases. Earlier this morning, a press release was sent out by SNK Playmore USA that officially announced support for the US Virtual Console system. Unfortunately, no time frame has been given for any of the releases and no titles have been revealed.

This is in stark comparison to SNK Playmore Japan which has already shown off their full line-up of September's NEO GEO releases for the Virtual Console (Fatal Fury, World Heroes, and Magician Lord). It is interesting to note that the press release by SNK Playmore USA does mention Fatal Fury, World Heroes, and Art of Fighting by name, so those three games may be among the first games we will see on the US side of the downloadable service.

As an interesting side note, SNK Playmore USA will not be overseeing the releases, but rather a Japanese company, D4Enterprise, will be handling those responsibilities.

The games are set with a release cost of 900 Wii Points. The press release is below.

SNK to Release Classic NEOGEO Arcade Games on Wii™ Virtual Console™

Wall, NJ – September 12, 2007 – SNK PLAYMORE USA CORPORATION, the U.S. publishing arm of the SNK PLAYMORE CORPORATION, today announced that the Company will release several of their greatest NEOGEO arcade games via the Virtual Console™ feature on Wii™. Wii owners with a high-speed Internet connection can redeem Wii Points™ to download these classic games through the Wii Shop Channel. D4Enterprise, Inc., headquartered in Tokyo, will manage the release of the titles.

Key NEOGEO titles will include “Fatal Fury,” “World Heroes,” and “Art of Fighting.” Each title is expected to cost 900 Wii Points. More titles will follow over the coming months.

About SNK PLAYMORE USA CORPORATION
Headquartered in Osaka, Japan, SNK PLAYMORE CORPORATION (SNK) develops, publishes and distributes interactive entertainment software in Japan, North America, Europe and Asia. Founded in 1978, SNK is one of the largest privately held interactive entertainment content providers in the world. Known for such franchises as THE KING OF FIGHTERS, METAL SLUG, and SAMURAI SHODOWN SNK continues to be an industry leader by focusing on their rich arcade history.

More information on SNK PLAYMORE CORPORATION can be found at www.snkplaymore.co.jp

SNK PLAYMORE USA is a wholly owned subsidiary of SNK PLAYMORE CORPORATION with offices in Wall, NJ. It handles operations in North America including publishing, marketing, development and localization. More information on SNK PLAYMORE USA can be found at www.snkplaymoreusa.com

New Treasure DS Project

Treasure and ESP have a teaser countdown for a new DS project that's set to be revealed in 5 short days. The teaser website can be found here.

The two companies have a rather long history with one another that has included releases such as the home ports of Radiant Silvergun and Ikaruga (Dreamcast), Silhouette Mirage, Bangai-O, and Hajime No Ippo (GBA). Whether or not the game is based on an existing franchisse or an original creation is yet to be seen, but I'll be eagerly awaiting the teasers reveal in a few days. If I was a betting man, I would guess that the game is probably going to be some form of action/platformer hybrid and more than likely an original title.

In other Treasure news, Sin and Punishment was recently rated by the Australian ratings board (the OFLC). This could be a sign that Sin and Punishment may be getting prepared for a worldwide release on the Virtual Console, which would mark another rare occurance where a game is released on the VC for a territory it wasn't originally released on. The game was developed for the Nintendo 64 by Treasure and is considered to be one of the best games on Nintendo's last cartridge based console that didn't receive a release outside of Japan.

First NEO GEO Games to hit the Virtual Console in September

I opened up my e-mail this morning to a rather interesting note. SNK Playmore Japan and Nintendo have announced the first series of NEO GEO titles to be released on the Virtual Console as well as the pricing for the games. Starting September 11th, Japanese Wii owners will be able to download faithfully emulated versions of NEO GEO classic arcade games starting at 900 Wii points.

The first game set to be available for the Virtual Console service is Fatal Fury. This is a bit of an odd choice in my opinion. With the release of a collection of Fatal Fury titles in Fatal Fury Battle Archives for a budget price (only a little more than this game) on the PS2 as well as an online-enabled Fatal Fury Special for 400 Marketplace points for Xbox Live Arcade, you would think that SNK Playmore Japan and Nintendo would be jumping to offer something new to their customers. Fatal Fury is hugely popular in Japan however, and it was also one of the NEO GEO's earliest hits, so I guess in a way it makes sense.

Currently of the three titles announced, Fatal Fury is the only one with a set release date (September 11th).

The second and third titles scheduled for release are World Heroes and the greatly under appreciated Magician Lord. World Heroes is fun for some, but I personally find it a bit tedious. Like Fatal Fury, World Heroes is also going to be available in a PS2 collection being released this year. The collection is scheduled for Japan only at this time. Magician Lord on the other hand is one of the better arcade action platformers and is played in a vein similar to the Shinobi series. Out of the three games currently announced, this one is clearly the best.

World Heroes and Magician Lord both have a scheduled September release date with no further details provided.

I've e-mailed SNK Playmore USA to try to receive some more information about releases for the American Virtual Console. I haven't received word back from the company yet, but I'm hoping that sometime this afternoon I should have something to report. It should be noted that the press release provided mentioned nothing about online play with these games, so it seems that the Virtual Console will remain offline at this time.

More information as I get it.

Super C (Virtual Console) Gameplay Video

Contra holds an odd place in the history of console vs. arcade gaming. Though the series has its roots firmly in the difficult action and game play found in arcades in the late 80's, the series itself rose to greater esteem once it was finally ported to the NES. However, changes in the look, feel, and sound due to the NES's insufficient power as well as a conscious decision to "tame" the violence found in the arcade version created an experience that, while Contra in name, was only superficially related.

With Contra 4 for the Nintendo DS coming out this fall/winter, I've been finding myself wanting to play through the old Contra series to revisit one of my personal gaming roots. Contra at the arcades was one of the very first arcade games I ever played as a child, and thusly so, my opinions of the series was always based primarily on the experiences first delivered at the arcades rather than the home console versions.

Super C (the sequel to Contra and based roughly on the arcade game Super Contra) was released to little fanfare on the Virtual Console for the Nintendo Wii this past Monday. Its a bit of a shame that a game that is every bit the superior to the original Contra for the NES (and much more in line with the arcade themes) is also grossly under-appreciated by gamers of that generation. Everyone talks about Contra... Super C is like the oft mentioned little brother.

I went ahead and downloaded Super C as one of the very few Virtual Console purchases I've made. Though I actually own the arcade PCB that I picked up at a garage sale a couple of years back, I was motivated enough to see just how well the game held up after all these years.

I can say enthusiastically that it still delivers all the thrills.

A video of my playthrough is posted above. It is a 1 credit clear of the game (no continues), however it is nowhere near the level of play I was able to accomplish "back in the day". I make some dumb, stupid mistakes, and lose some lives I shouldn't have lost. It does however show just what you can expect from Super C and how well the Virtual Console performs.

In honor of Contra 4 for the Nintendo DS coming out, I'm planning on posting up 1 credit clears of all the Contra games through Neo Contra as I complete them the next couple of months. This is going to include even the much maligned Playstation Contras. Though there is one title out of the list that I haven't successfully 1cc'd yet (Contra Hard Corps), I'm intending on making sure that I can hopefully post a respectable run through of the game without making too much of a fool of myself.

I hope some people get a kick out of the video. Next one posted will more than likely be Contra or Super Contra from the arcades.


Konami Contra History (Gameplay Videos)
Contra (Arcade)
Super Contra (Arcade)
Contra (Famicom/NES)
Super C (NES)
Operation C (Gameboy)
Contra Force (NES)
Contra III: The Alien Wars (SNES)
Contra: The Alien Wars (Gameboy)
Contra Hard Corps (Genesis)
Contra Legacy of War (Playstation 1)
C: The Contra Adventure (Playstation 1)
Contra Advance The Alien Wars EX (Gameboy Advance)
Contra Shattered Soldier (Playstation 2)
NEO Contra (Playstation 2)

Fatal Fury Special and Tekken 2 Rated by the ESRB

The ESRB updated yesterday with a few new games that have been rated by the software board's rating gurus. On the list? A pleasant surprise on the part of SNK Playmore USA: Fatal Fury Special will be coming to the Xbox Live Arcade sometime in the near future.

Though it doesn't provide a relase date, once a downloadable title is rated either for the Virtual Console, Xbox Live Arcade, or Playstation Network, the game is usually made available within a couple of weeks of the initial ratings date. I haven't seen a press release yet providing a list of next week's games scheduled for the Xbox Live arcade, so I'm crossing my fingers that perhaps Fatal Fury Special will be a part of that list.

I have been clamoring for some more old school fighting action over Xbox Live since the Hyper Fighting community has been dying down a bit. This is especially true after I couldn't get a positive fix from the disappointing release of Art of Fighting Anthology.

Also rated this week by the ESRB is ActRaiser for the Virtual Console. ActRaiser is a 2D Action Platformer with World-building elements. It also marks the first US SquareEnix release on Nintendo's Virtual Console. The Playstation Network is also set to receive Tekken 2 for its downloadable service.

Blazing Lazers Confirmed for a VC Release on Monday

There's no denying the amount of PC Engine love that the Nintendo Wii is receiving on the Virtual Console. This Monday, May 21st, the Compile developed "super-shmup", Blazing Lazers will be available for digital download on Nintendo's game service. Originally release in 1989, Blazing Lazers is widely regarded as one of the best shooters available on the PC Engine. The game features 9 levels and 4 main weapons (with a full assortment of secondary items for pick up as well including shields, options, and side missiles).

Hudson already has posted it's official VC PCE page for the game. You can find it here.

Nintendo Newsletter Updates

I'm probably late to the party here, but Nintendo's latest e-mail newsletter revealed an interesting addition to the official Virtual Console site. Now available at http://wii.nintendo.com/virtualconsole.jsp, Nintendo has posted videos of all of the games currently released for the US Virtual Console. These are just straight gameplay videos used to show just a little nugget of the game you would be purchasing, but it is a great tool to use to determine which titles are worth your Virtual Console points. Each entry also contains general information about the game such as compatible controllers, original system, release dates, genre, cost, publisher, and a basic marketing blurb to encourage you to purchase the title.

The Vic Viper Launches on the Virtual Console

Weekly Virtual Console Releases from Nintendo

April 23, 2007 - Admit it. Somewhere deep inside, you’ve always wanted to go for the gold, take down Monster World, and have people call you Vic Viper. How cool would that be? Well, pay a visit to the popular Wii™ video game system’s Wii Shop Channel, and all those fantasies can now come true.

Three new classic games go live at 9 a.m. Pacific time. Nintendo adds new games to the channel every Monday. Wii owners with a high-speed Internet connection can redeem Wii Points™ to download the games. Wii Points can be purchased in the Wii Shop Channel or at retail outlets. This week’s new games are:

Gradius®III (SNES®, 1-2 players, 800 Wii Points):
Return as the pilot of the Vic Viper starfighter to battle the onslaughts of the Bacterion Empire. Blast through 10 action-packed levels in space, destroying everything in your path. Customize and power up your ship with weapons and upgrades including speed-ups, missiles, lasers, options, and shields.

Wonder Boy™ in Monster World (Genesis, 1 player, 800 Wii Points):
Monster World was a peaceful, happy place until one dark day when an army of BioMeka monsters invaded. As a young man named Shion, you’ve vowed to defeat the hostile foes and make the land peaceful again. You’ll attack enemies with swords and spears and guard against incoming projectiles with shields and armor. As you travel through the many different regions of Monster World, you’ll talk to the townspeople, collect money to buy items, and gather a large variety of weapons and magic. The further you venture, the more powerful your weapons and equipment, including suits of armor and boots, will become.

Battle Lode Runner® (TurboGrafx 16, 1-5players, 600 Wii Points):
This upgraded edition to the famous Lode Runner series includes a 5-player versus mode. Gold funds have been stolen from the Time Machine Research Center, and the group responsible used a time machine to escape and hide the gold throughout time. The center sends an elite team of “Runners” to go and retrieve the gold.

In addition to the familiar Puzzle mode, the game features Battle mode, where up to 5 players can compete, and Edit mode, where you can create your own original stages.

You can enjoy Battle mode in a number of different ways. Be the last one standing to win in Survival. Grab items from enemies and escape to win in Escape. With 4 players, you can separate into two teams to do battle in Tag Match.

Nintendo press release relayed via GoNintendo.com.

The Return of Neo Geo

My relationship with SNK is really akin to a relationship with an abusive ex-girlfriend. No matter how much grief I receive from her when I'm around her, I can't help but go back every time she calls my name. I know that SNK Playmore USA has a track record like the Hindenberg, and I know that getting my hopes up that things will be different is just a recipe for disaster. But despite this, I can't help but feel a little giddy when future plans are discussed by the company.

Especially when it comes to releasing 2D arcade games to home consoles.

Recently, Ign's Bozon sat down with SNK Playmore USA's president Ben Herman to discuss the Nintendo Wii, the Neo Geo, and the future of the company. The interview provides some great insight into SNK Playmore's plans for this generation in the North American market. However, it's also a little bitter sweet that despite having a huge number of classic NeoGeo compilations online in Japan for the PS2 since last year, there still wasn't an announcement on any US releases outside of Art of Fighting and Fatal Fury (coming later this year).

Here's some highlights from the interview:

While SNK Playmore plans to support all three consoles this generation, this interview is primarily focused on the Nintendo Wii and the Virtual Console since it was completed by IGN's Wii site. - Personal side note.

All three consoles have been tapped to receive SNK content over the next generation, mostly via digital download services.

SNK plans on providing around 2-3 games a month over the first several months for the Virtual Console starting in midsummer. Games will feature a pricepoint slightly higher than the SNES VC games.

SNK has plans to support the Nintendo Wii's online infrastructure once an appropriate project comes up.

The classic controller will be supported in future projects (this major oversight in Metal Slug Anthology seems to be a bit of a misunderstanding between SNK and Nintendo).

Punch-Out and Virtua Fighter 2 for the VC on Monday

Seeing Punch-Out!! is such a tease.

After playing Wii Boxing and seeing the new Hajime no Ippo Revolution in action, Punch-Out!!'s inclusion on the VC is just a sad reminder of Nintendo's unwillingness to provide a new Punch-Out!! game to Punch-Out!! fans. Though Wii Remote and Nunchuck controls are a bit hit and miss with some titles, the classic arcade Punch-Out!!-style seems to be a perfect match for the motion-sening capabilities of Nintendo's innovative new controller. The game basically builds itself when you think about it.

But with that said, I guess our consolation is the abilitiy to play the original NES version of Punch-Out (sans Mike Tyson), with our Wii Remote turned sideways. Perhaps one day we'll face off against a next-gen King Hippo, but until then, this will have to do...

Punch-Out!! is also joining Bonk's Revenge for the Turbo-Grafx 16 and Virtual Fighter 2 for the Sega Genesis when it comes to Virtual Console release this Monday. Bonk's Revenge is a good side scroller but lacks depth, and Virtua Fighter 2 is a sad shadow of its former self. Though you couldn't fault Sega for trying to please fans at the time by releasing VF2 on the Sega Genesis, even the system with "blast-processing" couldn't handle the game without sacrificing a ton of animations and details.

It's playable... But only if you close your eyes and pretend you are playing something else. Stick to the Saturn version if you need a copy of this game. This version isn't worth it.

Virtual Console Release for Monday
Punch-Out!! - Nintendo Entertainment System
Bonk's Revenge - Turbo-Grafx 16
Virtua Fighter 2 - Sega Genesis
*Links need to be opened in Firefox or IE7*

Galaga hits the Virtual Console (Nintendo Wii)

If there is one game that has been singly ported more places than the original Galaga arcade game, the only game that I could consider to even come close would be another Namco arcade title, Pac-Man. The original Galaga spawned an entire generation of arcade gamers, and suckered little Timmy's across the United States into plopping in one more quarter in a bizarre face off against insect hordes. Space Invaders may have been the first, but Galaga did it fiercer, quicker, and better.

With that said, one of the first home ports of Galaga was on the Nintendo Entertainment System. The game featured a near flawless arcade conversion that was dampened only by its inability to keep high scores from previous plays. Despite being ported to nearly every other console since the NES, it was only a matter of time before this port was brought over to the Wii Virtual Console for download.

As of this morning, the NES version of Galaga is now available for download for 500 Wii Points. Though you still can't save high scores, the same great Galaga gameplay is undisturbed. For some players who are used to the Halos of the world, the game may feel dated. But even then, the shining example of arcade brilliance will win you over. So what if you can't move up and down, are limited to 1 fire button, and the enemies move in patterns? As soon as the 8bit tunes and simple sound effects start up, you'll get hooked all over again.

Is it worth picking up if you already have another version of the game? Probably not. The NES version while being the first isn't necessarily the best. And considering the sheer number of collections this game has been on (including a NAMCO Museum collection for the Gamecube playable on the Wii with multiple other titles), $5 may be a bit steep. For everyone else? I would recommend it only if you cannot find the aforementioned Namco Museum Collection for the GCN. It's a good game, but other alternatives are better deal for your dollar when it comes to replaying classic Galaga.

Gametap to Feature Sega Saturn games

I've always been tempted by Gametap's promise of unlimited games for a flat fee per month. Considering the great titles offered via the service (everything from Street Fighter II to Galaga is featured), as well as the freedom to choose between multiple consoles and arcade setups, I find it hard to resist the urge to sign up for the monthly "trial" at 99 cents just to see if it is all it is cracked up to be.

Unfortunately for me, this temptation is now even stronger, as a rather cryptic title was found by Gamasutra.com today. Bug! for the Sega Saturn was uncovered as a special secret suprise in Gametap's large (851) assortment of titles.

From Gamasutra:

Turner's GameTap subscription PC 'all you can eat' gaming service has now added Sega Saturn games to its service, with the debut of platform game Bug! as a special Easter-timed Easter Egg for its service.

The game is currently filed as 'Insect?' as a 'secret' feature for gamers to discover within the service, which has 851 games currently available as part of its monthly subscription.

The range of legacy titles include games for the arcade, Atari 2600, Commodore 64, Sega Dreamcast, Game Gear, Genesis, 32-X, SG-1000 and Master System, as well as the Intellivision, DOS Windows, and Neo Geo.

However, the service is probably best known for partnering with developers for GameTap Originals, which include Telltale's Sam & Max episodic gaming series, Cyan Worlds' Myst Online: Uru Live, and the upcoming Galactic Command series from 3000AD's Derek Smart.

As for Bug!'s appearance on the service, the game's description explains that the debut is "...a hidden one-week sneak peek of planetary proportions", and continues: "Stay tuned for the launch of more games for the Sega Saturn later this year."

Specific titles to debut from the Saturn on GameTap have not yet been revealed, but all first-party Sega games could be likely candidates for an appearance on the service. Sega-published Dreamcast games currently available for play on GameTap include Chu Chu Rocket, Crazy Taxi and Toy Commander.

Source: http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=13420

Fans of Fighting games and Shooters rejoice. With the promise of future Sega Saturn titles this year, the potential library that this opens up is impressive to say the least. Considering Capcom's support for Gametap, what kind of treasures can we expect from the Saturn's back library? And with Sega's own support for the service, what first party Sega titles could be just around the corner?

Though the Wii rumors still abound about a potential Sega Saturn/Virtual Console union, it seems that Gametap is delivering what a lot of fans are clamoring for...

Big Wii Giveaway: Wii Love the 80's

Are you a child of the arcades?
Remember playing Galaga and Pac-Man for the first time?

If so, VH1 Gamebreak has a contest for you.



This week, VH1 Game Break’s got a giant Wii giveaway for you. There’s one big, grand prize package and that includes one o’ them thar Nintendo Wii systems that’s taken the country by storm. But that’s not all! We’ll include a mammoth 10,000 Wii Points which lets you buy old school games via the Wii’s Shop Channel Online. Know what? We’re not done yet. We’ll throw in a Nintendo T-shirt and cap, too.

The best part of this contest is that it’s really easy to enter and win. In the comments section, tell us your favorite anecdote about playing old school 80s games and how those great games shaped your life.

Don’t just write us one sentence. You have to write between 40 and 100 words or you’ll be disqualified. Make it funny, weird, sad, whatever. But definitely make it old school.

Click here for a little more about the contest and the rules.

Start thinking today. The contest ends on Friday, March 30. Winners will be announced next Monday morning. So what are you waiting for?

http://wii.nintendo.com