Comparing the Virtual Console launch by region

38 Comments by Ross Miller Nov 1st 2006 2:45PM
Filed under: Retro, Nintendo Wii

Now that we have the Virtual Console launch lists for the US, Europe, and Japan, it's time to compare and contrast how each region fared. To no one's surprise, Japan has every single game being released in the other regions and more, with the exception of Bomberman '93 (Japan owners get the "vastly disparate" 1994 edition).

Take note of the publishers found in the US and European regions: with the exception of Tecmo's Solomon's Keys for the NES, all games are first-party titles from Hudson, Nintendo, or Sega. International licensing troubles, perhaps?

Looking at the first-party titles, US and Europe are missing out on quite a few high-profile games: Super Mario Bros (NES), Super Mario World and Zelda: Link to the Past (SNES). In fact, the only Mario title coming to US / Europe at launch (Donkey Kong notwithstanding) is Mario Bros., otherwise known as that multiplayer minigame included in all the GBA Mario remakes.

We understand Nintendo giving the much-less-popular Fire Emblem to Japan only, but why delay Nintendo's flagship titles of the past? Does Nintendo think it's going to prove something by launching the Wii outside of Japan with as little of Mario's presence possible?

One more note: UK-based Rare's Donkey Kong Country is coming to Japan and Europe but is conspicuously absent from the US roster. With Microsoft being a US-based company and the new owners of Rare, the conspiracy theorist in us thinks there might be some funny going on. We've sent off a few questions to Nintendo and Rare and will let you know what we find out.

Continue reading for the complete list of VC launch titles, organized in a nifty little chart.

Read -- Wii launch window: 32 Wii games, 30 VC titles
Read -- Japan gets way better Virtual Console lineup (Game | Life)
Read -- Taking you back to the old school (Nintendo)

NES (500 pts)	Japan	US	Europe
Baseball (Nintendo)	X	X	X
Donkey Kong (Nintendo)	X	X	X
Donkey Kong Jr. (Nintendo)	X	X	X
Go-moku Narabe (Nintendo)	X
Gradius (Konami)	X
Ice Hockey (Nintendo)	X	X	X
Legend of Kage (Taito)	X
Legend of Zelda (Nintendo)	X	X	X
Mario Bros. (Nintendo)	X	X	X
Ninja Jajamaru-kun (Jaleco)	X
Pinball (Nintendo)	X	X	X
Soccer (Nintendo)	X	X	X
Solomon's Key (Tecmo)	X	X	X
Super Mario Bros. (Nintendo)	X
Tennis (Nintendo)	X	X	X
Urban Champion (Nintendo)	X	X	X
Wario's Woods (Nintendo)	X	X	X
Xevious (Bandai Namco)	X


SNES (800 pts)
Contra III (Konami)	X
Donkey Kong Country (Nintendo)	X		X
Fire Emblem: Monsho no Nazo (Nintendo)	X (900 pts)
F-Zero (Nintendo)	X	X	X
Mario Super Picross (Nintendo)	X
R-Type III (Irem)	X
Sim City (Nintendo)	X (900 pts)	X	X
Street Fighter II (Capcom)	X
Super Castlevania IV (Konami)	X
Super Mario World (Nintendo)	X
Zelda: Link to the Past (Nintendo)	X (900 pts)

Nintendo 64 (1000 pts)
Super Mario 64 (Nintendo)	X	X	X

Mega Drive / Sega Genesis (600 pts in Japan, 800 elsewhere)
Altered Beast (Sega)	X	X	X
Columns (Sega)	X	X	X
Ecco The Dolphin (Sega)	X	X	X
Golden Axe (Sega)	X	X	X
Gunstar Heroes (Sega)	X	X	X
Puyo Puyo (Sega)	X	*	*
Ristar (Sega)	X	X	X
Shadow Dancer (Sega)	X
Sonic the Hedgehog (Sega)	X	X	X
Space Harrier II (Sega)	X	X	X
Toejam and Earl (Sega)	X	X	X
* Known in US/Europe as Dr. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine

PC Engine / Turbo Grafx 16 (600 pts)
Battle Lode Runner (Hudson)	X
Bomberman '93 (Hudson)		X	X
Bomberman '94 (Hudson)	X
Bonk's Adventure (Hudson)	X	X	X
Dungeon Explorer (Hudson)	X	X	X
Necromancer (Hudson)	X
New Adventure Island (Hudson)	X
Super Star Soldier (Hudson)	X	X	X
Victory Run (Hudson)	X	X

Tags: virtual console, VirtualConsole

(Page 1) Reader Comments

SaxyGator: Nov 1st 2006; 2:50PM

Microsoft owning Rare hasn't kept them from porting all the DKC games to the GBA, and don't forget about Diddy Kong Racing for the DS. It shouldn't be a problem, since the Kongs and Kremlings are officially Nintendo's characters, but who knows... I thought all of this had been taken care of before the buyout was official.

unimental: Nov 1st 2006; 2:53PM

Toejam & Earl. Thank you, baby Jesus.

Please tell me online co-op is an option!

killcount: Nov 1st 2006; 2:56PM

I've heard rumors that we are missing some games because Nintendo is expecting to do a monthly update, and since we are getting our system almost a month before japan, we will get one update with a bunch of the games they are getting right as they get their launch

Aex: Nov 1st 2006; 3:06PM

US isnt getting Super Mario Bros. at launch... WTF?

mykie: Nov 1st 2006; 3:07PM

Yeah, I'd better be getting Super Mario World and Link to the Past in a more now-like fashion.

Really, it's all I ask! (not really)

Bonanza Bill: Nov 1st 2006; 3:07PM

@killcount

But what about Europe?

32_Footsteps: Nov 1st 2006; 3:07PM

Worth noting: Puyo Puyo was released on the SNES as Kirby's Avalanche. I'm a little curious as to why they decided to put the Genesis version up instead of either the original or the SNES version.

I imagine there are still some discussions with some companies' games. Like for Square Enix - which translations are they going to use? Will they get to bring out the original versions (I'd be all over Secret of Mana if they release the non-gimped version).

It doesn't have every game I'd want to download, but it's a decent start. Now if only the Japanese list was available to the other two regions.

Huzzah!!: Nov 1st 2006; 3:11PM

Japan gets everything, everywhere else gets screwed (See: Club Nintendo)

Does this mean if you import one from Japan you get more VC games??

benjamin: Nov 1st 2006; 3:15PM

On Wii launch day I can play over 50 SNES and 70+ NES games. How? I kept my old consoles.

Hey-o!

Simon: Nov 1st 2006; 3:18PM

No Zelda - Link to the Past in Europe? NOOOOOO!

Almack64: Nov 1st 2006; 3:18PM

I agree with killcount(#3) the wii launches in NA in the middle of Nov. These are only the games to be launched by years end that's only a month and a half. They said they would launch about 10 games per month so come Jan probably a lot of complaints concerning this list will be different. With that said I still wonder why they didn't include some of their biggest pushers right off the back and wait til Jan for some of the other titles on the list.

J.Goodwin: Nov 1st 2006; 3:18PM

Disparate doesn't even begin to describe it.

Bomberman '94 on the PCE is the 2nd best Bomberman game ever, behind only Saturn Bomberman.

Bomberman '93 was good, but didn't have anything remotely similar to that sort of massive world adventure experience.

Mac: Nov 1st 2006; 3:19PM

Let's not forget that Japan gets lower pricing for Genesis games!

Ridiculous that the rest of us have to pay that much.

Yakko: Nov 1st 2006; 3:21PM

Um, depends on how they check regions... they could use ips as a way to block that....

hrm.. where are you importing from? not lik-sang.com

ash: Nov 1st 2006; 3:23PM

well, on the tg-16 side, with the exception of New Adventure Island, the other games have never left japan, so no legit english version exists. it would be nice if these games that never had an enlish release were translated for the US and europe...

Yakko: Nov 1st 2006; 3:34PM

hrm....

regions locking screw us over yet again.

Yakko: Nov 1st 2006; 3:40PM

here is a thought (gasp!) there are people in NA/Europe markets that can read/comprehend japanese.

mgroves: Nov 1st 2006; 3:53PM

So, we get DKC, even though it's a Rare game.

I'll ask the question then: WHAT ABOUT GOLDENEYE?

Ross Miller: Nov 1st 2006; 3:57PM

Huzzah, I was thinking the same thing when I posted this (how can we pull off a Japanese Wii account?), but for now I am hoping that with time we'll see most of the titles come through. Square Enix titles, for example.

That there's only one Nintendo 64 title available at launch, which is half of the abysmal N64 lineup when it actually launched, is a bit peculiar. Point is, the list better be updated often.

Blast Corps. Mmm.

For those thinking, "if DKC, why not other Rare titles?" there might be an issue with that thought process. Donkey Kong Country, really, is a no-brainer since its a Nintendo license. However, Killer Instict and Goldeneye might be owned by Rare. Bit of a tricky situation, that is. Who knows if they'll end up on VC, XBLA, or anything.

playclever: Nov 1st 2006; 4:03PM

I'm excited for Toejam & Earl. Surprisingly few SNES games I thought, but I guess they've gotta hold something back :)

OtakuCODE: Nov 1st 2006; 4:07PM

Yakko: Yeah, in cases like this I am always left wondering if they even understand the concept of doing a cost/benefit analysis. It would cost them almost nothing at all to offer Japanese games to all regions. Have a setting buried somewhere deep in the options menu somewhere that lets you turn on "List Japanese-language games" so the majority of people won't accidentally end up buying a game they can't understand. Coming up with region coding and protecting it and all that jazz? Costs money. Maybe not a lot, but a whole lot more than just not bothering in the first place.

And TG-16 games? Sweet. Where are Neutopia I and II?

I really gotta read more about the Wii. Any word on the Phantasy Star games for the Genesis, you know the single player ones that don't suck donkey testicles? Are these games direct emulations, or do they have some upgrades like save-anywhere functionality, achievements, shared high score lists, etc?

Almack64: Nov 1st 2006; 4:17PM

I highly doubt Goldeneye in any case, maybe perfect dark. The problem with Goldeneye is that the license for James Bond and 007 are not held by Rare, MS, or Nintendo. That's actually the reason why we got Perfect Dark instead of another 007 game with the same engine. But this is old news.

Francois: Nov 1st 2006; 4:30PM

Many of Nintendo's "big hitters" from the NES and SNES eras have been ported to the GBA, including Super Mario World and Link's Awakening that have just been discounted to Player's Choice in North America. Even though the Game Boy is on its last legs, it looks as though Nintendo wants to ride it in another holiday period. Releasing those titles on Virtual Console before Christmas would hurt potential Game Boy sales. It may not be the reason, but it's a possible one. Those games are surely on the high priority list for the promised monthly updates.

obo: Nov 1st 2006; 4:36PM

"Releasing those titles on Virtual Console before Christmas would hurt potential Game Boy sales."

Game Boy sales > Wii sales?

Oh God, I hope you didn't inspire another economics article by Vlad.

Spike-o: Nov 1st 2006; 4:43PM

where is my super metroid nintendo?

the game was considered the best game of the last decade......you have failed to port it or renew it...I have already bought 2+ copies of the SNES version (all get lost as well ;-;)

DarkTetsuya: Nov 1st 2006; 5:04PM

First off it's Solomon's Key (singular).

As for the rest of the list, what's up with the heavy hitters (SMB, Gradius, Zelda LttP, etc.) not being US VC launch titles?

Lastly, I want Battle Lode Runner damnit!

Tomas: Nov 1st 2006; 5:19PM

seriously, Nintendo.
i'll love you with all my face if u give us some import games on the VC.

DrkMatter: Nov 1st 2006; 5:36PM

Don'T forget that you don't just release a title on the Virtual Console by pushing the original ROMs through the internet to the Wii's... I'm pretty sure they require in-depth QA of the games, to make sure whichever emulator the Wii runs support them fully.

And since the original games probably weren't bug-free int he first place, it turns into comparative QA, whihc can take a long time.

SaxyGator: Nov 1st 2006; 6:05PM

We definitely won't get Perfect Dark, Banjo, Conker, or any other uniquely Rare titles on VC, since Rare kept the rights to those. Only Rare games with Nintendo licensed characters, like the DK games. I wonder where Diddy Kong Racing fits into that, since it has both?

Mr. Khan: Nov 1st 2006; 6:12PM

I agree with the idea that Donkey Kong Country has been ported so many times over here that they felt they didn't quite NEED to give it out immediately (Its been ported to BOTH the GBC AND GBA)

America got a saturation of DKC, and they figured anyone who wanted it had it by now (although the same could be said of Mario Bros cuz of all the GBA remakes, but we get it)

Oh, and because of the fact that Nintendo PUBLISHED and owns all the rights too all the Donkey Kong characters (save Conker, but he's a gray area) means no DK360 (thank god)

Now lets all scream "EarthBound! EarthBound! EarthBound!"

socrates: Nov 1st 2006; 6:43PM

This is why I'm an emulator fan...I absolutely CANNOT wait for New Adventure Island. Have to play that NOW!

The best part of the whole Virtual Console thing is that it really reveals where people's interest lies. All this bragging Wii users have done about their great chance to rebuy a handful of mostly junky, all-outdated games...it really shows how important nostalgia can be for some. Which explains why the constant parade of awful games with Mario's face slapped around everywhere still sell. Which to me is the definition of blasphemous...it would be like buying tacky Nirvana branded candy or Wilt Chamberlin condoms. The abject commercialization of Mario in the kart/party/tennis/striker/dress-up adventure/whatever vein seems like needless pissing in the face of the greatness of the original Mario games.

Ok, that was about as random as rants come...but what the hell.

Snap: Nov 1st 2006; 7:00PM

I love that someone mentions the "Wii emulator" that is running these games. Virtual Console... what a joke.

"Dear public, please buy our old, out-dated, and used games for more than some are even worth. We'll make a lot of money and you'll get to play them for 5 minutes before getting bored. Regards, Reggie."

Come on Nintendo, gimme something new. I want to see games like fl0w or Geometry Wars. Why am I being sold old games I've already played that will hardly even work with your pack in Wii-mote thus forcing another $20 sale.

Where is the multiplayer online for these back catalog titles? Where is the graphical enhancements for 480p?

People bitch and moan about Microsoft and their XBLA, but in the end they're delivering both retro and new, unique games. They're adding multiplayer online and graphical enhancements for $5. Sony is going after new games as well like fl0w.

A vast back catalog isn't going to save Nintendo in the end.

Josh: Nov 1st 2006; 8:00PM

I just really want either (or both):

(a) All of these games in all regions, no matter what language they are in (just make it obvious) AND/OR

(b) Proper translations for all of the games that will be released in just one region so that they can be released in other regions.

Seriously, it's not hard or expensive. Just do it, Nintendo and third parties. Don't be lazy.

rockintom99: Nov 1st 2006; 8:48PM

Holy shit, gunstar heroes! Best genesis game there is. Also looking forward to Wario's Woods, which is what i spent 99% of my time in Animal Crossing playing.

Bit disappointed about the lack of super mario, world, and zelda. But they will be there soon enough... right?

CJC: Nov 1st 2006; 9:35PM

Hell yes! Gunstar heroes!

@Everybody worried about missing favorites: They'll be there... eventually. You can't just have everything awesome from the get-go. Add a few every month, people keep buying.

@32 Snap
What are you TALKING about? You've no idea of the power of nostalgia, do you?

Zach: Nov 1st 2006; 11:39PM

Bomberman '93 seals it. I'm buying a Wii at launch.

CheekyLee: Nov 2nd 2006; 5:12AM

Oh good, the UK gets shafted again. A conversion rate of 100 Wii points per £1, when that amount should be buying me 190 Wii points. And, unless I missed it, there is still no confirmation if we can play WiiVC games online or not. Bomberman online would be worth £6 ($11) to me, but I'll be pissed that I can't get it for the £3 that the Americans can get it for. Offline only = No sale. (I can already play Bomberman multiplayer on several of my consoles.)

Looks like I'll be buying less of them than I originally thought I would. BAD move, Nintendo.