VC Christmas: Super Mario, four more, no hand outs [update 1]

by Ross Miller { Dec 21st 2006 at 4:40PM }

[Update: The original post erroneously listed the price for R-Type at 600 points. More here.]

Nintendo has confirmed five titles for the Christmas Day Virtual Console update, and it's quite an impressive release. Just as we thought, Nintendo is not giving away any titles. Instead, they are uploading five major titles to increase their profit margin. The titles are:

Super Mario Bros. (NES, 500 points): Nintendo's flagship title is sure to sell like hotcakes despite already racking up 40 million in sales since its 1985 release. How many times can we repurchase the game?
Street Fighter II: The World Warrior (SNES, 800 points): Compared to the Xbox Live version, it's your choice whether you want online play or would rather pocket $2.00 in exchange rate difference (800 Nintendo points vs. 800 MS points).
Super Castlevania IV (SNES, 800 points): One of the best in the series. Easily the best Castlevania title on the SNES, though it only had one other iteration (Castlevania Dracula X) to compete against.
Toe Jam & Earl (Genesis, 800 points): Strong two-player action title, worth the price based on style alone.
R-Type (TurboGrafx16, 800 points): One of the classic space shooters.

We're excited by the list, even if our wallets aren't. Nintendo of America's Reggie Fils-Aime has talked about strategically releasing VC titles when there's a drought of first-party Wii titles. With all these delays recently announced, might we be seeing more great VC Mondays forthcoming? And when are we going to see Square Enix games or any Nintendo 64 goodies?

Keep up on: Virtual Console Mondays

Tags: mario, r type, RType, street fighter, StreetFighter, super mario, SuperMario, toe jam and earl, ToeJamAndEarl, virtual console, virtual console monday, VirtualConsole, VirtualConsoleMonday

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Stefan @ Dec 21st 2006 4:43PM

R-Type... YES!!

Bergasa @ Dec 21st 2006 4:45PM

I think that's Street Fighter II: The World WARRIOR. For shame, Joystiq. ;)

Bergasa @ Dec 22nd 2006 9:13PM

I think that's Street Fighter II: The World WARRIOR. For shame, Joystiq. ;)

devcap @ Dec 21st 2006 4:52PM

Mario is a 50 cent yard sale game ,They need to drop the prices ,Greedy bastards

silkylove @ Dec 21st 2006 4:48PM

Finally we get good games:) I'll be picking up R-Type and Castlevania.

JodyAnthony @ Dec 21st 2006 4:49PM

hahaha @ "The World Order"

zakchase @ Dec 21st 2006 4:50PM

So I've never played Super Castlevania IV. Is it up to snuff when compared to all the excellent GBA and DS Castlevanias?

Bergasa @ Dec 22nd 2006 9:13PM

I think that's Street Fighter II: The World WARRIOR. For shame, Joystiq. ;)

Ross Miller @ Dec 21st 2006 4:51PM

World Order, what kind of idiot would write that?

Oh, wait, oops.

Fixed.

Bob @ Dec 21st 2006 5:00PM

I don't understand why Nintendo doesn't release more titles. 5 a week is lame. They should have released about 25 at launch and then 10 per week. I don't understand the point of releasing them in small numbers.

Frexy @ Dec 21st 2006 5:00PM

How about Europe? ^^;

Not totally off topic, but not completely on topic either; I've seen 2000 Wii-points for €25...

I think it's outrageous... I want them for €20!
Isn't it the case that €1 = 100 points?

Why do we always have to pay more ='(
Anyone else had to pay €25 for 2000 points?

Mr. Khan @ Dec 21st 2006 4:56PM

For god's sake about the friggin' Wii delays
The delays are just a rumor, god... (In January, Nintendo shall speak, announcing online titles for Q2 and either confirming MP3 or letting it slide to Q3/4 '07)

Very happy to see Nintendo roll out the quality titles, huzzah
(Toe Jam & Earl, you shall be mine)

Darkness @ Dec 21st 2006 5:02PM

I think I'm gonna be picking up Street Fighter and Super Mario Bros. I own SMB already, but I'm a sucker for the original and it's just one more game on my Wii desktop. :D

I'm thinking about picking up Castlevania also, but that might not be until later next week. Good times ahead!!

devi8i @ Dec 21st 2006 5:11PM

This is for all teh lucky bastards who already have a Wii.

What is the load time like on the vc games once you have them downloaded. Is it near instant, just a few seconds or what?

Bergasa @ Dec 22nd 2006 9:13PM

I think that's Street Fighter II: The World WARRIOR. For shame, Joystiq. ;)

devcap @ Dec 25th 2006 11:03AM

I read somewhere that the VC is already cracked and you can take VC games from another user on an SD card and get them onto your own machine.That's a fairly quick hack.If it's true then Nintendo are going to lose a ton of money very soon.

Vandor @ Dec 21st 2006 5:14PM

@10: Yeah, I've seen this shit in Germany too. Only one store (toysrus) had them for the regular 20€. Bought my points with my credit card, 1000 points for 10€.

@12: Only bought Gunstar Heroes and in my opinion it loads nearly instantly. No long load times

Scott @ Dec 21st 2006 5:17PM

I also think these prices are ridiculous. They need to drop by $2 for each console. $5 may be worth it for the original Zelda, but it is a joke for games like Baseball and Ice Hockey.

I'm sure Nintendo's done its research, but speaking solely for myself, I would gladly spend $6 on 2 games I'm only marginally interested in but would spend $5 on a game only if I knew I wanted to play it through to the end.

Aran @ Dec 21st 2006 5:17PM

@ 10 (Frexy):

Use your credit card for payment. That way you can get 100 points = 1€. Otherwise you'll have to pay extra.

Darkness @ Dec 21st 2006 5:18PM

Devcap, I've seen people with games from other territories on an SD Card, howerver, they couldn't get them to play on their Wii. Not sure if there is a crack beyond that, but if it's goin' on it's not rampant...yet.

Miz @ Dec 21st 2006 5:21PM

devcap: What you've read is false. VC games are non-transferable.

Aran @ Dec 21st 2006 5:20PM

I know I just can't resist Super Mario Bros. It was THE game that started my gaming career almost 20 years ago so for 500 points = 5€ = SOLD!

Every Wii owner should get Super Castlevania IV. Great game!

Scott @ Dec 21st 2006 6:11PM

In Nintendo's official press release, they refer to this release as a "Christmas present."

How the hell is is a present if we're giving THEM money? Does that make freakin' sense?

"Merry Christmas! Give us money."

Nintendo is so incredibly cheap. They're better than Sony, but at least Xbox Live allows its users access to free demos.

Oh wait...it's $50 a year to access said demos. OK, fine, they're all cheap bastards.

Super fat Nintendo fanboy @ Dec 21st 2006 5:32PM

They should at least give super mario bros for free. I dont see M$ givng out any freebies wheres the outrage in the media for that!!

TravistyOJ @ Dec 21st 2006 5:41PM

Joystiq, the Press Release says R-Type will be 800 points. Not sure if it is a typo considering all the other TG-16 games are 600, but thought you might like to know.

Jared @ Dec 21st 2006 5:36PM

Actually, R-Type has been confirmed to be 800 Wii Points, not 600 as other TG-16 releases have been. See

: http://wii.vggen.com/news/news.php?id=3298

ob1gr81 @ Dec 21st 2006 5:37PM

Can anyone say Super Mario All-Stars from the SNES days? That would be the one Mario download I would not think twice about. At least that one improved on the graphics of the original Marios. Come on Reggie, show some love!

James @ Dec 21st 2006 5:53PM

I continue to be disappointed in the available VC titles. Where's our "holiday surprise" Reggie hinted at?

Aran @ Dec 21st 2006 5:57PM

James,

Would it be a holiday surprise if they announced it now?

Darkness @ Dec 21st 2006 6:06PM

I think the 800 points for R-type is a typo.

James, how can you be unimpressed with the lineup so far? Lots of good stuff there. Granted there are some duds (Tennis anyone?), but quite a few of the games are pretty awesome (Gunstar Heroes, Street Fighter II, Ecco, Zelda, Military Madness, etc.).

Jared @ Dec 21st 2006 6:16PM

@26 (Darkness):

It's most definitely not a typo, I confirmed it with a Nintendo rep myself. Nintendo always said that VC prices would "start at" the prices we're used to seeing, and R-Type is the first to step outside of that price structure. Personally, I think it's Nintendo's way of testing the waters with TG-16 releases, after the phenomenal sales others on the system have seen.

http://wii.vggen.com/news/news.php?id=3298

silkylove @ Dec 21st 2006 6:18PM

@ 5

Super Castlevania is one of the best in the series. It's top three IMO along with SotN, and Circle of the Moon. The openning levels are pretty crappy(graphics-wise), but the game gets better and better looking the futher into it you get. The soundtrack is excellent for a cart and kicks the crap out of the music for any of the portable Castlevania games. Plus it's an old school Castlevania game so you actually get to have a whip and fight dracula which has been missing from the newer games.

diskoboy @ Dec 21st 2006 6:26PM

Well - so much for me downloading SMB...

Bad move, Nintendo.

I said it yesterday - 21 years is enough. You can only milk this title for so long.

Fandel @ Dec 21st 2006 6:44PM

I find it ironic that Nintendo is charging 5 bucks for a game(Super Mario Bros) that they gave away for free twenty years ago(NES).

This is undeniable proof that some gamers are truly dumber than dirt.

nick @ Dec 21st 2006 8:15PM

ah man, i hope donkey kong country comes out really soon...

yyr @ Dec 22nd 2006 12:06AM

Super Mario All-Stars, rather than the originals? Ugh, no thanks. The physics in SMB1 and Lost Levels were different and broken and made the games unplayable IMHO. Don't remember? Pop it in, grab a mushroom, then try running forward, jumping and busting a block. Then do it on your NES version.

Original = Mario bounces off the block. Mario moves downward, plus continues moving forward at the same rate of speed he was moving before he hit the block.
All-Stars = Mario continues to rise after breaking the block. If there is another block next to it, he will touch the block, then drop straight down. Makes a few jumps in the game impossible to make without dying, unless you aren't Super.

Bob @ Dec 21st 2006 7:37PM

Yeah SMB should be a free game that comes with the Wii, there is no need to charge for it.

Revo @ Dec 21st 2006 7:49PM

"9. I don't understand why Nintendo doesn't release more titles. 5 a week is lame. They should have released about 25 at launch and then 10 per week. I don't understand the point of releasing them in small numbers."

Basically it's to maximize profits. Smaller doses over a longer period of time means more sales overall. Plus, they want to spread out VC titles throughout the Wii's lifetime. Your suggestion of 25 + 10x spread out over the course of one year comes out to 545 games. In order to keep up at that rate for following years, they would have to include all of the really crappy games along with the decent and great ones.

But there is one benefit for consumers themselves (although not a major one): this way, we may be more likely to purchase those hidden gems that we would otherwise overlook if they were surrounded by a flood of more prominent titles.

Jonesy @ Dec 21st 2006 8:07PM

@10 it's similar in the UK, some stores are selling 2000 points for £20 (around $40) but the majority are selling them for £15 (around $30).

Gamestation last I checked had them instore for the higher price yet Game they were cheaper. s'pose it's way for the shops to milk bit of extra cash out of the parents buying stuff who wouldn't know better. Especially with the madness of stock levels and that.

SonicRift @ Dec 22nd 2006 12:28AM

Since when do you need to pay $50 to download demos on XBox Live?

Leto @ Dec 22nd 2006 1:38AM

Really shitty on Nintendo's part. $5 for the original Mario that came free with the Nintendo 20 years ago? And this is supposed to be Nintendo's Christmas gift to us? Right...

Rock @ Dec 22nd 2006 2:49AM

Well I'll probably pick up R-Type and Castlevania but I already have SF2 and SMB and I still have my NES and SNES so there wouldn't be a real point to buying them again.

czechm8 @ Dec 22nd 2006 11:06AM

@37: Since when? It began when you put your credit card (or parents) number into your XBL account.

branewalker @ Dec 24th 2006 3:13AM

Let's see....I bought an NES with 10 games and two controllers for 50 bucks...that's around the same price per title...so...why is the Virtual Console any good right now?

Here's what it needs to do: release the Hard to Find gems: the one's I can't afford to purchase in original form, due to scarcity and demand. Where is Castlevania: Rondo of Blood (that was Japanese TG-16, wasn't it)? Or maybe Herzog Zwei for the Genesis. Phantasy Star, anyone? Or Shining Force?
And, while we're at it, if N64 titles are available, what about all those arcade-perfect ports on Saturn? Maybe Nights? And, serious, Nintendo needs their old Rare titles. They were the publisher, so they should still own distribution rights, I would think. We're not talking DKC and Banjo--this is all about the Jet Force Gemini.

Seriously, now. The purpose of the Virtual Console is to shake off the bonds of physical distribution, so they can sell us the awesome games that NO ONE HAS YET. Not so we can buy the games everone used to have, and now resells on Half.com for a couple bucks.