Codejunkies just announced that their 100% unofficial, Non Warranty Voiding, Import-Playing game disc is now available to purchase for a measly £9.99 (about $19.99 or €13.18). This version will play import Wii AND Gamecube games. WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR? Get it NOW!
He’s Back…with DBZ!
He’s Back…with DBZ!
A big ‘ole WTF to that.
A big ‘ole WTF to that.
If you have a Wii (and are connected to the internet) chances are you’ve used the Virtual Console system. It seems like the service is a dream, releasing a few classic games from various platforms to be downloaded right into your living room each week. Did you ever stop to think, however, that this might be affecting retail stores? Does the fact that these classic and sometimes rare games are available instantly mean trouble for small indie game stores? You know, the kind that specializes in retro games ans systems? I did. Over the next couple of weeks I’ll be talking to a few of these said retailers to see if and how the Virtual Console is affecting their businesses.
This week I spoke to Greg, one of the owners of ‘Pink Godzilla Games’ in Seattle, WA. You may know Pink Godzilla for their wonderful collectible card game “Dev Kit” which was released last year. At it’s core, ‘Pink Godzilla’ is a store that “caterers to two distinct crowds, Casual and Hardcore” Greg says. I asked him about the Virtual Console and he replied, “The extreme convenience of the Virtual Console system is attractive”. Greg thinks that his business will be impacted by Nintendo’s distribution service but not in a bad way. “More people are able to discover these classic games which creates new collectors”. New collectors is good for business but with the release of some truly rare titles on the VC such as ‘Sin and Punishment’ I wondered if the demand for the physical copies of the game would decrease. Greg says he always tried to keep import copies of ‘Sin and Punishment’ in stock. Now when he gets copies in, the fly off the shelf because of the exposure of the game by Nintendo. But surly since these game are readily available for far less then one would pay for in a store the value of the physical game would go down, right? Greg thinks that’s probably the case. He’ll be able to sell the games but he’ll adjust his pricing now that those rare games are readily available to download. “When it comes down to it” he says, “collectors will still want the physical media”.
In the case of Pink godzilla, the impact hasn’t been very noticeable according to Greg. What about other retailers? Is the Virtual console affecting even smaller stores? Check back later this week for another interview, this time with Game World of Las Vegas.
What do you think? Check out the message board post HERE to sound off!
I got an email a while back (which I answered on the show) about R.O.B. the Robot. The person wanted to know where he was from and why he was in Brawl. I was out shopping today and came across a R.O.B. unit which was unfortunately not for sale. R.O.B. was a peripheral for the original NES which interacted with the game you were playing. Check out the video below for R.O.B. in action.
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from the Nintendo UK site:
21 Feb. 2008 – Already a firm favourite with Wii owners, Virtual Console is once again expanding its catalogue, this time with the addition of a whole new games format. Later this year, Wii owners will be able to enjoy classic titles from the best selling personal computer of all time: the Commodore 64. These titles join classic gems from the likes of Nintendo, SEGA, Turbografx and NEOGEO already available via the Wii Shop Channel.The release of the Commodore 64 in 1982 was an historic moment for the computer and video games industry. According to the Guinness Book of World Records, it remains the best selling single computer model of all time, with an estimated 22 million units sold. Its immense popularity saw an unrivalled collection of over 4,000 rich games titles released through its production lifetime (1982-1994), helping to establish the C64 as a ‘gamers favourite.’
Bala Keilman, CEO of Commodore Gaming, commented, “The massive impact the Commodore 64 had on video gaming is still evident today with many gamers remembering the computer and its games with great fondness. By working with Nintendo of Europe, we are ensuring that future generations of gamers can play some of the best and most popular titles that kick-started the computer games revolution and so keep the C64 legacy in gamers hearts.”
Laurent Fischer, Managing Director of European Marketing & PR of Nintendo Europe added, “We are extremely pleased to be working with Commodore Gaming to provide even more retro hits for Wii owners to choose from on Virtual Console. With over 184 classic titles now available to enjoy, Virtual Console on Wii is a great way for users to access a breadth of classic retro games. We hope that this great choice of games will bring nostalgia to our gaming fans, while an entirely new generation of video game players can experience a host of classic games for the very first time.”
Among the first titles from Commodore 64 which will be made available on Virtual Console are International Karate and Uridium. These great titles will be bolstered by regular updates from the Commodore 64 back catalogue.
Virtual Console games from Commodore 64 will be available from the Wii Shop Channel soon and can be downloaded for 500 Wii Points each. Currently these titles will only be available on the European Wii Shop Channel.
There’s no sign of an announcement on the US site so this looks to be Euro only at this point. Not surprising as C64 was much more popular in the UK than it was in the US.
Commodore 64 games coming to Virtual Console
