The Nintendo Thread of Jumping, Slashing, and Home Decorating
- Thread starter ZakuConvoy
- Start date
Duke Nukem is tied with Gearbox, Capcom is probably trying to get people to buy the Cloud version of Resident Evil 2 Remake (or a native Switch 2 version), WB barely acknowledges their own game library. Conkers is one I’m surprised hasn’t shown up, given how well Microsoft and Nintendo have played together.
But if you want some M-Rated N64 stuff, Nightdive has Shadowman on sale for $6.99 and the Turok Trilogy for just $15!
But if you want some M-Rated N64 stuff, Nightdive has Shadowman on sale for $6.99 and the Turok Trilogy for just $15!
The trouble with Nintendo's retro game subscription thingy... other than the fact that they never bothered to give it a proper name... is that since it's "free" with purchase of their online service, they are at best paying peanuts to any third-party companies that agree to put their games on it, which means there's not much incentive to actually allow Nintendo to do it. Not having to pay $5 for each individual game is great for the consumer on paper, especially when you get into the more obscure titles that are really only worth looking at as historical curiosities, but it does mean you're going to have to count on publishers deciding their old games are barely worth anything and that they might as well take what they can get.
And of course, since the e-Shop is also a thing now, anyone willing to put in the work of licensing an emulator to wrap their game in can just try to sell it piecemeal on their own. That didn't exist when the Wii came out.
I honestly wonder how Microsoft successfully convinces so many companies to put their games on Game Pass, where they're going to make butt compared to selling copies for full price or even sale price. I suspect there's Epic Store type shenanigans behind the scenes where they're bribing them up front and actually making a net loss on it in the hopes of selling more systems. Nintendo has no reason to do that sort of thing; the Switch is already the best-selling console or handheld of all time.
And of course, since the e-Shop is also a thing now, anyone willing to put in the work of licensing an emulator to wrap their game in can just try to sell it piecemeal on their own. That didn't exist when the Wii came out.
I honestly wonder how Microsoft successfully convinces so many companies to put their games on Game Pass, where they're going to make butt compared to selling copies for full price or even sale price. I suspect there's Epic Store type shenanigans behind the scenes where they're bribing them up front and actually making a net loss on it in the hopes of selling more systems. Nintendo has no reason to do that sort of thing; the Switch is already the best-selling console or handheld of all time.
Microsoft has mentioned recently that Game Pass is becoming a viable “thing” on its own. For a lot of smaller developers and publishers, many have cited that being on Game Pass brought their game a level of exposure that probably would not have been able to get otherwise.
But in Nintendo’s case, and the case of the “Classic Games”? The biggest problem I see is that a LOT of game companies just have relatively little appreciation (for lack of a better word) for their own legacies. I was a left a bit flabbergasted when a Sony exec (the CEO even?) remarked how the PlayStation platform was lacking in franchises…despite DOZENS of legacy franchises that could have been explored. Sega has PILES of wonderful arcade games from the mid-late 90s that have been forgotten to time because they were never ported (a big appeal of the Yakuza games IS the fact they have these old arcade games hidden within them). And most of the western game companies have become so greedy and live-service centric, most don’t even bother remembering their own back catalogs.
I fully believe there is a big market for a “retro gaming subscription service” akin to Game Pass. But I think it would require so much time and money and a LOT of leg work to get all the different companies on board that I don’t think any of the big players feel it is “worth it”. As is, what little interest there might be, each company seems to want “their own slice” rather than working together to make a bigger pie.
Even skipping Nintendo, If you could get Sega, Konami, Atari and SNK all together? You could probably get away with a solid $15 a month with a rotating catalog of titles up to the 32 bit era. Even disregarding licensed stuff, Sega’s Master System to Saturn titles, much less Dreamcast, represent a HUGE library. Not to mention the arcade flavors and the Atlus back catalog. Konami brings dozens more PLUS the Turbografx library. Atari will license out to anybody, but their 2600, 7800, Lynx, Jaguar and Intellivision libraries are nothing to scoff at. And if they managed to get EA on board? There’s some solid console gaming to be had.
Problem is that someone has to get them all together under a single banner and THAT is the hard part.
But in Nintendo’s case, and the case of the “Classic Games”? The biggest problem I see is that a LOT of game companies just have relatively little appreciation (for lack of a better word) for their own legacies. I was a left a bit flabbergasted when a Sony exec (the CEO even?) remarked how the PlayStation platform was lacking in franchises…despite DOZENS of legacy franchises that could have been explored. Sega has PILES of wonderful arcade games from the mid-late 90s that have been forgotten to time because they were never ported (a big appeal of the Yakuza games IS the fact they have these old arcade games hidden within them). And most of the western game companies have become so greedy and live-service centric, most don’t even bother remembering their own back catalogs.
I fully believe there is a big market for a “retro gaming subscription service” akin to Game Pass. But I think it would require so much time and money and a LOT of leg work to get all the different companies on board that I don’t think any of the big players feel it is “worth it”. As is, what little interest there might be, each company seems to want “their own slice” rather than working together to make a bigger pie.
Even skipping Nintendo, If you could get Sega, Konami, Atari and SNK all together? You could probably get away with a solid $15 a month with a rotating catalog of titles up to the 32 bit era. Even disregarding licensed stuff, Sega’s Master System to Saturn titles, much less Dreamcast, represent a HUGE library. Not to mention the arcade flavors and the Atlus back catalog. Konami brings dozens more PLUS the Turbografx library. Atari will license out to anybody, but their 2600, 7800, Lynx, Jaguar and Intellivision libraries are nothing to scoff at. And if they managed to get EA on board? There’s some solid console gaming to be had.
Problem is that someone has to get them all together under a single banner and THAT is the hard part.
Outside of Nintendo's first-party offerings, which they pay precisely squat for, I'm sure, most of the games on there seem to be these games that were in limbo and probably never getting anything done with them. So even peanuts being accumulated over time is more than they were probably going to see for a number of these titles.
It's also why I was worried to see some titles appear there -- I won't name names, since I don't want anyone thinking I'm trying to make this all about a certain title -- but some I had hoped to see in a certain publisher's collection releases showed up there, and unless they plan to do something extra-special for a full retail release (like colorize them the way fans have), I'm guessing that is pretty much that.
That statement did little to endear me.
...Golden Axe Warrior would be nice, too. I have it, sorta, on Sonic's Ultimate Genesis Collection... that is for my Xbox 360, which is broken, and was never made backwards compatible. DEEP SIGH.
It's also why I was worried to see some titles appear there -- I won't name names, since I don't want anyone thinking I'm trying to make this all about a certain title -- but some I had hoped to see in a certain publisher's collection releases showed up there, and unless they plan to do something extra-special for a full retail release (like colorize them the way fans have), I'm guessing that is pretty much that.
So very, sadly true. Makes things even worse for preservation.
I'm not the biggest Sony fan by any measure these days... but I used to be much more of one.
That statement did little to endear me.
Arcade, Saturn, Dreamcast, Master System... I just want another chance to play Alex Kidd in Shinobi World again without having to sail the high seas to do it. Is that so wrong?!
...Golden Axe Warrior would be nice, too. I have it, sorta, on Sonic's Ultimate Genesis Collection... that is for my Xbox 360, which is broken, and was never made backwards compatible. DEEP SIGH.
For that matter, what about the arcade sequel, Golden Axe: Revenge of Death Adder? Something that could have thrived on the 32x or Saturn (instead of The Duel), was basically left in the arcades until it got put onto the Astrocade thing Sega did some years back. But it’s still easier to pirate the game than play it legally. I was marginally excited for MyArcade’s Sega stuff…until I saw it was just going to be overpriced novelty junk with the same old Genesis ROMs that Sega has trotted out to DEATH.
I’d argue a “Retro Gaming Library” service could thrive on even offering different versions of the same game. Imagine the novelty of picking Golden Axe, then being offered the Arcade version, Mega Version, Turbo Version (PCE-CD version with new music and cut scenes), or 8-bit version. Or Final Fight, where you could select Arcade, Super, Guy version, or Mega version (Sega CD version).
I’d argue a “Retro Gaming Library” service could thrive on even offering different versions of the same game. Imagine the novelty of picking Golden Axe, then being offered the Arcade version, Mega Version, Turbo Version (PCE-CD version with new music and cut scenes), or 8-bit version. Or Final Fight, where you could select Arcade, Super, Guy version, or Mega version (Sega CD version).
Oh yeah, that, too! Always wanted to play it since getting big into SEGA.
Wouldn't mind The Duel, either.
Actually, SEGA should figure out they can do collections that aren't just "Sonic" and "Genesis." Give me a Shinobi collection, a Golden Axe collection, maybe a Phantasy Star collection (including the SEGA AGES version for Switch), among others.
Shoot, Streets of Rage, too.
And for goodness' sake, be thorough! Like, Cowabunga Collection thorough! In fact, maybe let Digital Eclipse handle them.
Or M2.
Wouldn't mind The Duel, either.
Actually, SEGA should figure out they can do collections that aren't just "Sonic" and "Genesis." Give me a Shinobi collection, a Golden Axe collection, maybe a Phantasy Star collection (including the SEGA AGES version for Switch), among others.
Shoot, Streets of Rage, too.
And for goodness' sake, be thorough! Like, Cowabunga Collection thorough! In fact, maybe let Digital Eclipse handle them.
Or M2.
...yet.
That’s the spirit.
