Virtual Console feature hints at upgrading classics
by Ross Miller 
{ Nov 23rd 2006 at 8:30PM }
Nintendo-centric site The Wiire sifted through the Q & A in the Wii Shop Channel and discovered an interesting portion that explained the Update button, where you can download "enhancements" for a game.It is unknown what enhancements there might be. The Q&A mentions that the updates would be provided free of charge, but that doesn't rule out other charged microtransactions. Likely the update feature exists to fix glitches; however, graphical improvements and online capabilities would be a nice touch. Who wouldn't want to play Mario Kart online?
We've contacted our Nintendo rep and will let you know what we learn.
[Thanks, Sam]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
ch0rx @ Nov 23rd 2006 8:38PM
sweet!
Tim @ Nov 23rd 2006 8:40PM
I talked about this on my site. The VC idea won't reach its potential until they start adding content that differentiates it from illegal emulation.
http://www.playwii.com/?p=79
Matt @ Nov 23rd 2006 8:49PM
"We've contacted our Nintendo rep and will let you know what we learn."
Is it really YOUR Nintendo rep? How can I get one of these much sought after objects?
Steve @ Nov 23rd 2006 8:51PM
PC Emulators have supported online play for years...this is not an "update" to the game, just a feature of the emulator.
They would not change the binaries at all, FACT.
Franchise @ Nov 23rd 2006 8:51PM
Well yea I thought the whole idea at first of virtual console was to make games like mario kart online, since we played them with friends back in the day. Online multiplayer. It was a long shot in my head when i thought abotu that purpose but its like the virtual console is only as good if you make the games a better advantage to what they were before. I know it was thought of, but who knows... if not..I can always wait for the wii version of mario kart online....but shit who wouldnt want to play WCW vs NWO REVENGE ONLINE
koala @ Nov 23rd 2006 8:56PM
so i have a question aside from the article. buying a nunchuck and wiimote costs around $60.... yet wii play(releasing in january i believe)comes with both along with the game for... $50. any explanations?
crono141 @ Nov 23rd 2006 9:00PM
It only comes with the wiimote, not the nunchuk.
Earl @ Nov 23rd 2006 9:21PM
Online Mario Kart 64, AND Golden Eye??!!??!?!?
That will FORCE me to buy VC games!! That will be like holding a gun to my head, I couldn't say no...
Until then, I will stick to my XBox for classic games.
Paulcardo @ Nov 23rd 2006 9:22PM
cool!!!
JRM @ Nov 23rd 2006 9:23PM
they'd have to reprogram the games. You can't just tack-on online play to an existing game. That's why so many PSP ports only have ad-hoc.
I can see very few VC games do this, and even then, they'll be rather expensive.
Fischsticks @ Nov 23rd 2006 9:24PM
This is kind of off topic can you play mario kart double dash wirelessly with 2 wiis and gc controllers?
johannes @ Nov 23rd 2006 9:38PM
@earl: sadly "golden eye" probably won't come to the VC because of licensing problems:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rare_(video_game_company)#Absence_of_Rare_titles_for_Nintendo_Wii_Virtual_Console
Borat @ Nov 23rd 2006 9:45PM
Online play is the only reason I'll buy most of the VC games. SNES Mario Kart would be a must re-buy with online play.
CLShortFuse @ Nov 23rd 2006 9:54PM
nintendo announced before that they have no plans for changing the roms. they're not going to tack on different things for the wii mote. goldeneye (when/if it comes out) has to use the classic controller, no wii mote reprogramming. blows, yes, i know. they said this before. let me find a link
CLShortFuse @ Nov 23rd 2006 9:57PM
no offense, but do you bloggers on joystiq read the other blogs?
http://www.joystiq.com/2006/11/13/nintendo-virtual-console-games-have-not-been-changed/
"All [Virtual Console] games will be faithful recreations of the original versions in all areas, including content, movement and expressions, so they will not feature new functions like multiplayer or internet play if the original title did not."
therpham @ Nov 23rd 2006 10:27PM
That doesn't mean that in the future they won't add the possibility of doing online multiplayer. It's a huge longshot that they'd actually do it, but it's relative child's play to route button press information over the Internet and feed it to an old ROM which just sees it as the other controller.
Exidor @ Nov 23rd 2006 10:38PM
I don't care about online play...I just want the pie factory level in Donkey Kong!
Beanie @ Nov 23rd 2006 10:40PM
Seeing as Duck Hunt is coming out next year for the VC, they are going to have to do something to change that ROM to get it to play nicely with the Wiimote. If they make us use a regular controller to play that, that would suck.
PJV @ Nov 23rd 2006 11:01PM
Hey EVERYBODY... Nintendo doesnt have the rights for the Goldeneye game... Not even Rare.. I know that EA has the Licenses to make james Bond games... I'm not really sure, because I just heard this, that is Activision the one that has the Goldeneye license... allegedly Microsoft bought the game license to put it up on the XBLA... because surprisingly its lower than the 50 mgs regulation that Microsoft has over the XBLA games... Well THIS ARE NOT FACTS... this are just rumors... and the companies that I have just mentioned maybe are not really the ones... well sorry for my english... its not my first language..
Dracoirs @ Nov 23rd 2006 11:13PM
There should be no question whether or not they do this. They NEED to build up the online capabilities. They need to abstract the controllers for Virtual Console multiplayer games in order to facilitate online play. Sure, keep the 4 player split screen like you would have playing in the same room. Abstract the controllers to be received from over the internet. Do this Nintendo, science damnit, you must do this Nintendo!
Steve @ Nov 23rd 2006 11:58PM
You can tack on online play without modifying the game code.
ITS CALLED AN EMULATOR. It emulates controller ports as well, you know.
AJ @ Nov 24th 2006 6:28AM
Perfect Dark, smooth frame rate, hi-res graghics
and online battles, thank you.
Captive. @ Nov 24th 2006 12:18AM
Online play wouldn't give it that much of an advantage over PC emulation, but at least it's a start. Take note, Nintendo.
Still, the only thing that can save the VC in my eyes:
Rondo of Blood, motherfucker.
chenry @ Nov 24th 2006 12:18AM
I always giggle whenever I see The Wiire listed as the source, 'cos I'm friends with one of the guys :P He let me play Wii at his place on launch day
Eric Cranston @ Nov 24th 2006 12:30AM
You gamers just live in your own little worlds? Very few people have heard of emulators, mostly just hardcore gamers. Obviously they have little to no reason to use VC unless they like being legal. But there are an insane amount of people with fond memories of NES, SNES, Sega, blah blah games, that would love to play them again, but getting working systems is a pain, and they haven't heard of emulators, or don't know how to use the web well enough to find them.
Point being, it's doubtful we will see online play in any old games, that's a lot of work from what I understand about video game programming. And Nintendo plans to have a strong current gen library for that.
Miniboss @ Nov 24th 2006 2:03AM
@ 24.
You're about the only one here who actually gets what the VC is about.
Serious Kriss @ Nov 24th 2006 4:06AM
@24 : The point is that PC emulators are far more advanced than the VC right now (and are very much legal if you own the original games). Don't you think it's sad that Nintendo can't even offer something at least as good?
Tom @ Nov 24th 2006 4:58AM
stop begging for updates to games that they have denied will ever be updated!! if they thought they could do it, don't you thiunk they would hacve told us about it?! do you really think they employ SNES programmers anymore??!
ace @ Nov 25th 2006 12:32AM
well, i'd have to say one guy here makes a point that there will be some programming needed to make Duck Hunt a VC game. the original game used a light gun, so most likely the wiimote pointer will be incorporated. going by that theory, some extra programming will be done by nintendo. therefore i don't see it as an impossibilty of online play added or whatever features. it's just a progression. they may say they 're not changing anything right now, but things are known to change, especially through the life of the console. i wouldn't count on all VC games being absolutely faithful to the originals just yet, especially knowing about what they're going to do with duck hunt. there will be some extras eventually. off the subject a little, anyone realize that turbografx-16 will have 2 games with 5 people multiplayer for the VC? that is, bomberman 93 for now, and dungeon explorer later on. how cool is that? any combination of wiimotes and GC controllers will do.....just awesome! i wonder if in the future there may be 8 player games....its definitely a big possibility.
ibiza @ Nov 24th 2006 10:19AM
Hum, I have a question. Let's say Mario Kart WOULD be multiplayer, would it be the simple feature most emulators currently have (that is, connecting two players far away), or would it be like, a huuuge multiplayers system, where you can compete in GPs agains 7 other human players?? The latter would be awesome and would make me buy the game for sure...otherwise, simple network connection between two players is already implemented in current free emulators/roms, so no need to pay for that.
Thanks for your answers/feedback! ^^
DeShaun @ Nov 24th 2006 10:36AM
Indeed, online play for the classics would be nice, but personally, I wouldn't care for the most part. I've got my DS for a Mario Kart fix.
What I am happy about is that I'll be able to play the SNES games I never had a chance to (I was a Genesis kid).
I'll be happy when Starfox rolls around. I'll probably get F-Zero for now.
Joehaley @ Nov 24th 2006 1:31PM
Allowing online play for old games is so easy a monkey could do it. It can be done without any modification of the games, only the controller input into the games. All that needs to be sent over the net are controller movements.
Think of it like this: You're playing your game of, lets say, mario kart. Someone else is playing their game of mario kart. The buttons you press are sent to their game over the net, and their game acts as if you are playing the secont player, and vice versa.
Of course, actually modifying games for online play isn't that likely. (we can dream, tho...)