Virtual Console Arcade

[meppi]

Virtual Console Arcade

From today Nintendo will also start releasing original arcade games through it's Virtual Console download system.

In Europe and the US there are 4 games available right now:

Gaplus (Namco)

Mappy (Namco)

Star Force (Tecmo)

The Tower of Druaga (Namco)

The pricing for these games right now is 500-600 points a piece.

[KiwiArcader]

Now THAT is a good move by Nintendo. Playing the original arcade versions of games is much nicer than the console conversions. Ooeerrr .... imagine Alien the Gun using the Wiimote as a gun. That would be cool if they could do it.

[E-Day]

I think the bigger news is the system update today that lets you use up to a 32 gig DS card like a hard drive; play your VC and WiiWare games right from it.

Finally.

[Gnash]

I cried when I heard the news

Seriously I'm a happy camper.

[meppi]

Yeah, me too! Well didn't cry, but it was probably the best news I've gotten in a long time.

Can't wait to play Xevious with my NeoGeo Wii sticks!

I know, the game is out on the PSone compilation discs as well, but they were never arcade perfect.

They either have those weird scrolling problems like you see with many vertical shooters, or the black bar on the side with the score and everything in there. It just isn't 100% the same.

Not that it ever going to 100% replicate having an arcade cabinet mind, but looking at Star Force, Mappy and Gaplus have been presented it's about as close as we're ever going to get on a home system it seems.

That's one thing the Virtual Console is tremendously good at and that's replicating the games up to the smallest detail.

Sad to see that VC-Reviews scored Star Force only a 4/10 and Gaplus a meagre 5/10 though.

Both games are awesome if you like true old school shmups, especially Gaplus which is anything but just a wannabe Galaga that didn't make the cut according to that review.

I had Star Force on my Famicom before I ever played the arcade version a couple of days ago. I must say, I love the original even more!

Gaplus was a favourite of mine ever since I first played in 1984.

My 8 year old self couldn't give a monkey's behind that it wasn't Galaga, and I still don't until this day.

I'm sure that when Xevious hits the VCA it will also be slated as a shmup has been, not worthy of a purchase even for 5 bucks, as there are plenty of more up to date shooters on the VCA.

After all these years and the couple of hundreds of shmups that I have played, it still remains as one of my all time favourites.

Just like Elevator Action, I can play it all day long.

The one thing I find sad is that we don't have old magazine scans of the original arcade reviews of these games to put up or something...

[Gnash]

I didn't really cry but almost did. Not because of the arcade but because of the SDHC update that enables 32GB cards and running things out of it.

[KiwiArcader]

I have an original Star Force arcade PCB serial number 24554.

Lovely 3 layer set which alas doesn't work. Will have a better look at it when I have more time. Meppi's right though ... nothing plays better than the original ... but as they die over time it gets harder and harder to not resort to emulated versions as the difficulty in keeping the orignals working increases.

[gblock]

Got another Wii, should be fun.

(edited, srry didn't know "it" was a taboo topic, won't happen again )

[meppi]

okidoki

[gblock]

my bad, post has been edited

[meppi]

my bad, post has been edited

thank you.