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Nintendo has created a nice Virtual Console site with videos for practically all of the available titles. While it’s not exactly the downloadable demos that some people have hoped for, it will at least provide a quick glimpse and help you decide if a game is worth the asking price.
Playing Lode Runner on my C=64 was a real treat as a young gamer, so Battle Lode Runner was on my must get list. After checking out the gameplay video, Nintendo just lost a sale. It also shows the flaws within their pricing scheme; you can’t tell me that Pinball is worth the same number of points as Punch Out. I guess it’s fair to say that these games were priced the same upon their original release in the late 80’s, so you’re really just paying for nostalgia.
Since the Wii Shopping Channel is basically a web page, I’d love to see these video previews show up within the channel. Do you think these videos will help or hinder sales for the Virtual Console?
Pinball was the first VC game I bought. I enjoyed it as a kid, and got hours of fun out of it. My cousins had it, I didn’t, so it was always something of a treat for me to go to their house. As dumb as it sounds, buying it for myself was like coming full circle with my childhood.
I agree, punchout is a phenomenal game, and a must get for everyone, but I must disagree that Pinball is overpriced. It offers hours of replayability, much like Ice Hockey. Of the 15 VC games I downloaded, most haven’t been touched in weeks, whereas Pinball is one of my most played, and that to me, is worth at least $5.
I think they’ll help in some cases, and hinder in others.
Either way I think this is great. I’m glad to be able to see videos of these games before making a buying decision. It’s probably the closest we’ll get to demos.
I would also love to see these built into the store, like you said. Not sure if that will happen though, but who knows.
So has anyone checked if this site works right from the Wii browser? Surely a channel for previews can’t be far behind
its a nice idea, but i just tried it, and you can’t even see the videos with the wii opera browser. you get sound, but no video……uh, nintendo needs to do something about this.
Hinder.
Once you see a video of your long-ago-beloved game, the reality and delusion of nostalgia will hit you square in the face.
It’s like seeing one of your favorite movies from the 80’s today. You always go “WTF?? Did I seriously liked this movie once?? Now I’m embarrased…”
Invisibleman:
I think it really depends on the game. SNES games have aged pretty well (Zelda, FFIII), as have some NES games (Punch Out). I think that N64 games have aged the worst, honestly.
Anyhow, I dont’ buy a lot of game on VC, and what I would buy are games that I haven’t played before, so the video is good for me.
I don’t think video will hinder, I think just static images hinder sales more because images don’t say much, they don’t tell you if a game is fun. Seeing it in action changes things, it may actually make you buy a game if it looks like fun. Pictures generally don’t “look like fun” in contrast.