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Virtual Console Mondays Preview

by Evan Burchfield - December 11, 2006, 10:11 am EST
Total comments: 22 Source: Sega of America

Gunstar Heroes, Dr. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine, and Alien Crush confirmed so far. Update: You can add Ice Hockey for NES to that list.

Update: Nintendo has also added Ice Hockey for NES to this week's new releases.

Both Sega and Hudson have spilled the mean beans about their contributions to tomorrow's Virtual Console update. Hudson's website lists just Alien Crush so far, but Sega's Virtual Console page not only lists Gunstar Heroes and Dr. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine as tomorrow's releases, but also details their Virtual Console schedule through the end of the year:

Space Harrier II - December 18th


Toejam and Earl - December 25th

Talkback

segagamer12December 10, 2006

can't wait for TJ and E, everythng else is on the list but not urgent.

WindyManSteven Rodriguez, Staff AlumnusDecember 10, 2006

Merry Christmas!

DAaaMan64December 10, 2006

Wooh space harrier, love it!

CalibanDecember 11, 2006

Here I am, thinking that some new games would be available by now close to noon, and nothing was new. Did they forget about the monday 9AM updates?!

Bill AurionDecember 11, 2006

It's not 9 AM PST yet... face-icon-small-smile.gif

RhoqDecember 11, 2006

Nintendo, apparently, will also be adding Icy Hockey (NES) to the VC today.

Bill AurionDecember 11, 2006

Just downloaded Gunstar Heroes! tpg.gif

CalibanDecember 11, 2006

Quote

Originally posted by: Bill Aurion
It's not 9 AM PST yet... face-icon-small-smile.gif


Oh, it's PST, thanks Bill.

CericDecember 11, 2006

Yeah. I couldn't justify Gunstar Heroes yet. The Genesis games are just to highly priced.

ThePermDecember 11, 2006

space harrier 2? the question is it a true enough arcade port? i played space harrier for nes and it sucked

i got into space harrier through shenmue!

Spak-SpangDecember 11, 2006

Gunstar Heroes from what I understand is an absolute classic. Therefore, that is on my list to buy.

I am hoping that Nintendo will get their act together closer to Christmas and give us Super Mario World, and Donkey Kong Country.

Also, Nintendo and Sega need to drop their SNES and Genesis prices to that of the TurboGrax 16 and then drop the NES games to 3 dollars.

I am still ok with the price of Nintendo 64 games.

Donutt007December 11, 2006

Toejam and Earl...what a nice Christmas present!!!

Ian SaneDecember 11, 2006

"space harrier 2? the question is it a true enough arcade port? i played space harrier for nes and it sucked"

Space Harrier 2 isn't an arcade port, it's an original Gensis sequel to Space Harrier. The Genesis version is the only one ever made so however good it is is the best you're going to get.

Nice to see Gunstar Heroes out. That pretty much makes the whole VC worthwhile right there. I also like how Sega is giving us future release dates. Why the hell are freaking SEGA doing a better job with their VC stuff than Nintendo is?

KDR_11kDecember 11, 2006

Sega tosses all their good games on there as quickly as they can while Nintendo is staging releases so every time a classic is released it gets everyone's full attention. A year later Sega has worked through their entire library while Nintendo is still releasing heavy hitters.

Bill AurionDecember 11, 2006

Quote

Originally posted by: Ceric
Yeah. I couldn't justify Gunstar Heroes yet. The Genesis games are just to highly priced.

You've got to be ****ing kidding me...Gunstar Heroes at 8 bucks is a BARGAIN! >=O

Quote

Originally posted by: Ian Sane
Why the hell are freaking SEGA doing a better job with their VC stuff than Nintendo is?

It's called Nintendo not wanting to turn third parties away from the VC because all of their huge hits are outselling every other third party title...In other words, smart business sense...

TrueNerdDecember 11, 2006

I'm just sure that the day that they finally offer the two games I want the most, (Gunstar Heroes and Ice Hockey) my stolen internet connection doesn't work. Stupid neighbors.

ShreddersDojoDecember 11, 2006

Quote

Originally posted by: Caliban
Quote

Originally posted by: Bill Aurion
It's not 9 AM PST yet... face-icon-small-smile.gif


Oh, it's PST, thanks Bill.



Don't you know not everything is ruled by PST time? Everything should be based on EST time, and NO Exceptions ! face-icon-small-smile.gif.

I got Gunstar Heroes and so far it's jawsome.

But I wanna know where are the N64 games? Good grief. For that matter, where are the good NES games that weren't already released on GBA?

Ian SaneDecember 11, 2006

"It's called Nintendo not wanting to turn third parties away from the VC because all of their huge hits are outselling every other third party title"

I think it's more likely Nintendo trying to increase sales for their own weaker titles by not having the really great titles available. No one would buy junk like Pinball or Urban Champion otherwise. I don't buy this "Nintendo is sucking on purpose to help third parties" story for a second. We've already seen this used a canned excuse for any shortcomings with the DS or Wii launches and likely all future Nintendo system launches. But then I also think the idea of third party games selling poorly because Nintendo's titles are too good is a myth itself. Funny how that scenario never seemed to occur on the NES, SNES, GBC or GBA. It seems to only occur for Nintendo systems with weak market share. I think the real problem is that the userbase is too small and has a disproportionate amount of Nintendo fans within it (in other words only Nintendo fans are willing to buy an underacheiving Nintendo console) and thus weak third party games don't sell as well as they would with a larger and more varied userbase. The solution to the problem is too attract a broader group of gamers instead of just Nintendo fans and hardcore gamers that buy every console.

"For that matter, where are the good NES games that weren't already released on GBA?"

It's easier to get people to buy something they already own if you're not also offering something better that they don't own.

SvevanEvan Burchfield, Staff AlumnusDecember 11, 2006

Quote

A year later Sega has worked through their entire library while Nintendo is still releasing heavy hitters.


Why defend this action? You're saying that it's a bad idea for Sega to get as many good games out there as possible - why? Only Nintendo would think that having less good games out at once is a bad idea. While ToeJam and Earl will continue to sell from Christmas of 06 on into the future (proportionate to the increase in Wii owners over the next few years), there will be ZERO sales on LTTP, DKC, Super Metroid, etc etc until Nintendo makes them freaking available. There's no development time, marketing, licensing issues that mandate a delay, only Nintendo's desire to stagger releases strategically. Sega, on the other hand, will get high sales for their good games and low sales for their bad games. If there are niche titles that no one understands or knows about, the key to selling it is to EDUCATE, not drop it in a desert and expect the thirsty fiends to wrestle for it. It's idiotic to support a "less games now" philosophy, if that means we won't get something amazing like Mischief Makers or Buck Bumble until 2008. I will buy these games NOW if available, and I would've bought Gunstar Heroes whether it was released on launch day or yesterday.

TJ SpykeDecember 11, 2006

Damn, Guntar Heroes or Alien Crush? I only have enough Wii Points for 1 of them. I will get the other eventually though.

IceColdDecember 11, 2006

Quote

But then I also think the idea of third party games selling poorly because Nintendo's titles are too good is a myth itself. Funny how that scenario never seemed to occur on the NES, SNES, GBC or GBA. It seems to only occur for Nintendo systems with weak market share. I think the real problem is that the userbase is too small and has a disproportionate amount of Nintendo fans within it (in other words only Nintendo fans are willing to buy an underacheiving Nintendo console) and thus weak third party games don't sell as well as they would with a larger and more varied userbase. The solution to the problem is too attract a broader group of gamers instead of just Nintendo fans and hardcore gamers that buy every console.
I find it absolutely hilarious that I just read the Top 100 DS sales chart in the Sales Thread.. The DS's userbase is about as large and varied as you can get, but it was all Nintendo's doing. Third parties who refused to believe that the DS would take off, or ones who released horrible games for the system are now stuck..

And guess how Nintendo expanded their market, and attracted a broader group instead of just Nintendo fans and hardcore gamers that buy every console? Their nongamer strategy, of course!

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