Wii, DS ads appear in VC version of Wave Race 64

by Scott Jon Siegel { Aug 6th 2007 at 10:00PM }

No, Marty and the Doc weren't messing around with the space-time continuum again, but advertisements for the Wii and DS are appearing in Wave Race 64, the 1996 Nintendo 64 racing title, which was made available on the Virtual Console this morning.

The simple ads appear as banners alongside the courses in the game, replacing the Kawasaki ads which appeared in the original title. Most likely, whatever licensing deal Nintendo made with Kawasaki in the 90s has since expired, and they needed to replace those textures with something else for legal reasons. Still, it's a little odd seeing ads for brand new systems in a two-generations-old game. It does prove, however, that Nintendo is able to swap out textures in the VC roms. Here's hoping they don't get all evil with the practice.

Tags: advertising, n64, nintendo64, virtualconsole, waverace, waverace64, wii

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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

hvnlysoldr @ Aug 6th 2007 10:07PM

De-censor games Nintendo! I wonder if they'll put up M rated games... This is nearly as weak as Punch Out Mike Tyson and Tecmo Bowl.

nintendomaniac64 @ Aug 6th 2007 10:25PM

What?

hvnlysoldr @ Aug 6th 2007 11:43PM

Before Mortal Kombat and the ESRB Nintendo had a policy of censoring games because they'd be liable. Such that MK had "sweat" instead of blood. I wish they could undo that since they will be rated this time by the ESRB.

Also this isn't the first time dealing with licensing issues on the VC. Punch Out use to feature Mike Tyson but their contract ended a couple years later when he lost his championship but before the rape allegations and biting Holyfield's ear. Kawasaki a brand of motorcycles and jet skis had ads in Wave Race 64 and the licensing on those ended. Nintendo can't re-release the game with those ads so they replaced them with 1st party DS Lite and Wii ads. That had the added benefit of being current and possibly sticking for the future. Imagine on the next new gen Wii 2 and TS having nostalgia ads of Wii and DSL.

nintendomaniac64 @ Aug 7th 2007 12:37AM

I think my comment went right over your head.

Neebs @ Aug 6th 2007 10:09PM

It's not even really ads...well they are, but it's for a product you clearly already own and a product you probably also own.

n_revolution9 @ Aug 6th 2007 10:24PM

You mean to tell me Nintendo already thought up the Wii and DS back in 1996? BTW, I'm NOT being sarcastic.

bender @ Aug 6th 2007 10:55PM

The most likely scenario is that Nintendo altered the game before they re-released it on the VC to cover up the old ads.

Moofree @ Aug 6th 2007 11:04PM

That's not just a likely scenario, that's what the article specifically said.
RTFA, n_revolution9

Imadogg @ Aug 6th 2007 11:45PM

I bet he was being sarcastic, unless he's dumb.

WhatIsThatThing @ Aug 7th 2007 9:07AM

Who actually says they're not going to be sarcastic and then follows through on that?

RoboChamp @ Aug 6th 2007 11:20PM

I think I speak for everyone when I say, where the **** are the Megaman 64 ads.

megapenguinx @ Aug 6th 2007 11:44PM

Must Buy WII!!!!
Oh wait, I already have one.......

Negativecool @ Aug 6th 2007 11:47PM

So...lets market the Wii....to people that already have it!!!

?

Ralphis @ Aug 7th 2007 4:19AM

They aren't marketing it to you, they're marketing it to the crowds in the game clearly. Don't be retarded.

GKTheGreat @ Aug 7th 2007 12:05AM

Bring on the WaveRace DS and the Smash Bros. DS already! That's what I want to see!

Jake @ Aug 7th 2007 12:16AM

Dudes, I like totally posted this 8 years ago. Old!

6million in 6 months @ Aug 7th 2007 4:02AM

They can change anything in the roms,... so why not put in some online multiplayer? It can't be THAT hard to do that.

Ralphis @ Aug 7th 2007 4:19AM

Actually, it can. Changing a simple graphic in a rom hack is considerably easily (I can do it without a second thought) compared to going back to source code from 1996 and adding internet multiplayer capabilities for a game that never had it as intended design. If you've ever programmed anything, you'd understand

6million in 6 months @ Aug 7th 2007 5:49AM

Yeah, I've never programmed. :(
Except in Basic, but that's LONG LONG ago...
But I know that there are emulators for several consoles with which you can play multiplayer modes online.
And we're talking about big companies like Nintendo here.
They should have programmers with the needed skills. Or not?

ssuk @ Aug 7th 2007 4:29AM

Lots of games have been re-released with older advertisments which deals have ended but they keep the ads there because of keeping the game 100% as original, most companies enjoy this as it's free advertising... Seems Nintendo is just thinking of the lawsuit they'll get into if the trademark owner doesn't see the 'free advertising' part of the deal. God bless America.