Japanese Import Week on VC

[Warlock]

This is a special week on the Wii Shop Channel. Frankly, it's a gamer's dream come true: Nintendo is launching the new Import genre with the release of two games that previously have never been available in the Western Hemisphere on their original platforms. The first will be hugely popular with Mario™ fans, who will love reliving the style of his classic games as they encounter new skills, new levels and new dangers. Nintendo® 64 enthusiasts also get a masterpiece of the shooter genre and perhaps the best game never released outside of Japan. Welcome to Import Week for the Wii Shop Channel!

The two new classic games go live at 9 a.m. Pacific time. Nintendo adds new games to the Wii Shop Channel every Monday. Wii™ owners with a high-speed Internet connection can redeem Wii Points™ to download the games. Wii Points can be purchased in the Wii Shop Channel or at retail outlets. This week's new games are:

Super Mario Bros.™: The Lost Levels™ (NES®, 1 player, rated E for Everyone, 600 Wii Points): Originally released in Japan as Super Mario Bros.® 2, this game has previously made only brief cameo appearances in the Western Hemisphere. Now available on the Virtual Console™ in all of its original splendor, Mario fans will appreciate the familiar look and feel of the game, while finding that its updated game play creates an entirely new challenge. No longer content just to wear different-colored overalls, Mario and Luigi also possess different skill sets: Mario can stop quicker, while Luigi can jump higher. In addition to the classic enemies already known to fans worldwide, there are also Poison Mushrooms, backward Warp Zones, and the occasional wind gust (which can help or hinder your progress) to take into account. And if that's somehow not enough, expert players can go looking for the game's secret worlds. So get ready to put your Mario skills to the ultimate test, and save the Princess again. Just don't be surprised if she's in another castle.

Sin & Punishment™ (Nintendo 64, 1-2 players, rated T for Teen – Blood, Fantasy Violence, Mild Language, 1,200 Wii Points): Created by the legendary development studio Treasure, this is a game that hard-core gamers and fans of Japanese imports recognize as one of the finest Nintendo 64 titles to have never previously reached North American shores. Its unique combination of English voice-overs with Japanese subtitles (preserved in this version) has only added to the enthusiasm for its eventual release here. Experience the frenetic pace of a classic shooter, while choosing from a variety of options and a number of different skill levels until you are ready to take on the full-blown challenge of Turbo Hard mode. Not to be outdone by the action, however, the intriguing story line gives the game its soul and draws you even further into the mix. Set in the near future, on an overpopulated Earth starved for resources, players uncover the intriguing mystery of two teenagers (Saki and Airan) and their battle against the Ruffians as they advance through level after level of nonstop action. Take a deep breath, gather your energy and prepare to see why this game is so highly praised.

Oh hell yeah. It's about time. It's a shame these are a bit more expensive, but it's worth it. Now if they could add Earthbound Zero :)

[mrz84]

Le woot. Now I just need a Wii and broadband and I'm set. :kitty:

[Linkus]

Heh, anther reason why I should buy a Wii. They're piling on too fast; one of these days I will crack and buy one off the spot, even if I don't have the money. I wouldn't be surprised if the original FE comes soon on the list, since many people like Marth in SSBM.

Also, they could use this to get a jump on games originally released on Super Famicom but were transferred to PSX between translation and localization. Tactics Ogre with the more awesome Super Famicom soundtrack, anyone? :)

[mrz84]

Tactics Ogre=awesomeness. I would buy a Wii and Broadband the minute that happens. :kitty:

[rock_nog]

FINALLY! Oh man, I've been waiting to get the Lost Levels since they first announced it would be released on the Wii. And it's the original, not the Super Nintendo version, too (I'm a purist).

[MottZilla]

Why wouldn't you want the SNES version? SM AllStars is the best mario game ever.

[Nicholas Steel]

the japanese version of lost levels has special -1 -2 and -3 levels to play on... IE: the levels are intended for the end user to accessible... but dammit im thinking of not the lost levels >.>

[MottZilla]

What? I know Lost Levels has like world 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,A,B,C,D,E,F or something like that. It's been along time since I've played it. Still, SM Allstars is one of the best games EVER released. Why you'd want the NES SMB2 I don't understand unless its a specific glitch.

[Warlock]

SMB2j just has a special charm to it. It has new environment sprites, so it's almost like a remixed SMB1. I don't know, I just have always wanted to play the original FDS version :)

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/0/0d/Smb2j1.png http://www.nesplayer.com/reviews/smb2j/smb2j1.gif http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/9/90/Smb2j_5-2_warpzone.png http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/f/f2/Super_Mario_Bros._2_Japan_ending.png

Hehe, Peach looks funny..

Edit: Haha stumbled on this:
http://artofwar.free.fr/dossiers/dossier_smb2_dokidoki.php

It's a comparison between SMB2 (USA) and Doki Doki Panic. Pretty good, but it's all in French or something. Still, neat picture comparison.

[rock_nog]

Another reason, other than that I'd never had a chance to play the original SMB2j, is just that I never liked the sound effects of Mario All-Stars. I know, I know, that's a really freakin' weird thing to complain about, but they never seemed right to me. Like stomping a goomba, I always thought should have a satisfying squish sound, but they changed it to more of a thud. Never liked it. That said, it'd be nice if they brought Mario All-Stars to the Wii, because the graphics are hella nice.

[Warlock]

They won't do that until they've at least released SMB3 (NES) on VC.

Though I wonder which version of All-Stars they would do. There is one version that also includes Super Mario World. I assume it would not be that one (especially since SMW is identical to the stand-alone release, and you can already get it on VC).

[Warlock]

Oh wow, how did I miss this before?
http://www.1up.com/do/newsStory?cId=3162876

So we've got TG-CD games coming... anyone else hoping for Dracula X? :D Granted, that would have to be part of this import program I think, and since it's Konami, who knows... but they are redoing it for PSP, why not just use those translation materials here? :)

Edit: Or am I mistaken here and it was only for regular PC Engine (TGFX16)?

[Modus Ponens]

When I first saw this, my mind screamed, "Secret of Mana 2 stateside release!!!", but that's probably not very realistic. What this really means is Terranigma. It's already translated into English, just not released in North America. My fingers are firmly crossed.

[Warlock]

When I first saw this, my mind screamed, "Secret of Mana 2 stateside release!!!", but that's probably not very realistic. What this really means is Terranigma. It's already translated into English, just not released in North America. My fingers are firmly crossed.

If they ever translate Seiken 3, it will be for a retail release at $30 minimum.... Which I would sadly pay :P They aught to port it to DS though, add some stylus action with the ring menus :) At the very least, there is no screen squishing this way, or button reconfiguring :P

[MottZilla]

Castlevania Dracula X is a PC-Engine Super CD-ROM game. However not everyone (noobs) make the distinction between the three different types of CD games for PC-Engine. There's CD-ROM, Super CD-ROM, and Arcade CD-ROM games.

They mainly differ in the amount of RAM the system has for running the game. The real problem with Dracula X would be properly emulating it (many emulators seem to fail with certain details), and then localization. But obviously with them including the original on the PSP, they've already localized the game. So I think it's very possible it may come to the VC. However I would imagine it would be a year or more away so not to compete with the sales of CV DX Chronicles on PSP.

The Virtual Console is a nice thing for some people but it has too many issues for me. Like as I last heard it still required you to store games in the small amount of FLASH on-board and no direct SD storage use. Also then there's the whole controller issues followed by me not liking to pay for ROMs you can't atleast play online.

[Warlock]

See I thought it was a CD game. I checked the wiki article and it just says "PC Engine" so I was wondering if I was wrong there.

But you're right, they would probably wait at least for the PSP version sales to die down.

The issues you mentioned I don't really have a problem with except storage. I'm almost full at this point, so yes, it's stupid. I suspect at some point Nintendo is just going to patch it to allow reading off SD cards. If they are going to start releasing VC titles as large as Neo Geo and TG-CD they would almost have to. The only problem with the controller is lack of rumble (for N64 stuff) and the cord from the bottom. Otherwise it's good. I hope someday they'll just bite the bullet and release a rumble-enabled version which is perhaps wireless :) They can of course easily patch the roms (or emulator?) to enable rumble support.

[vegeta1215]

Either that or maybe they'll release an external hard drive at some point (that's a big maybe). The internal memory is fine for game saves and a few VC games, but nothing big like what they have planned. btw, any idea what the biggest SD card the Wii can read is? Is it 1 GB?

In regards to SD3, keep dreaming. I don't think it will ever happen, just like the dream of seeing a good Mana game again... (although I haven't spent much time with Heroes of Mana, it's a little cumbersome to play)

[MasterSwordUltima]

My friend Jay told me that there were only two VC games this week, so I was like meh, I'll check 'em next monday.

But then he also asked if I got a message from Nintendo about a gay-looking Wiimote pouch thing. [which I turned off my WiiConnect24 due to my Wii heating up big time].



How come we don't have any GB games on the VC? I would love to play Mario Land 2 using the Wiimote...

[Warlock]

Either that or maybe they'll release an external hard drive at some point (that's a big maybe). The internal memory is fine for game saves and a few VC games, but nothing big like what they have planned. btw, any idea what the biggest SD card the Wii can read is? Is it 1 GB?

In regards to SD3, keep dreaming. I don't think it will ever happen, just like the dream of seeing a good Mana game again... (although I haven't spent much time with Heroes of Mana, it's a little cumbersome to play)

I have one that is 2GB that works fine. I doubt there is a limit.

[Daarkseid]

In regards to SD3, keep dreaming. I don't think it will ever happen, just like the dream of seeing a good Mana game again... (although I haven't spent much time with Heroes of Mana, it's a little cumbersome to play)

I predict Square-Enix is going to be a bunch of colossal faggots in regards to the VC, preferring to simply produce remakes of varying quality for handhelds and selling them for at least $30.

Something I wish was not going to be the case, because I'd love to see the original Dragon Quest games released, and the old NES Final Fantasy.

EDIT: No, apparently Square-Enix is a confirmed 3rd party supporter of the VC. Maybe my prediction is off. SD3 still seems like a pipe dream though.

[Modus Ponens]

I don't care how, all I want is a stateside release of Seiken 3. That it wasn't released in the first place was merely a case of bad timing or some stupid bullshit, since everyone knows it would have sold like MAD. (And I don't mean the magazine.)

On second thought...I do care how. I don't want it to be released for any platform that I don't like, and I would prefer to receive a copy tomorrow. For free.

...And it should sparkle.

[Mak-X]

Anyone else play through Super Mario Bros. 2 (JPN) to World 9? :D

http://www.adventureofhyrule.com/game/screens/supermariobros2jpnend.gif
http://www.adventureofhyrule.com/game/screens/supermariobros2jpn9-2.gif http://www.adventureofhyrule.com/game/screens/supermariobros2jpn9-3.gif

It took me forever to get through World 8. Thank goodness for the game's original continue feature and the Wii's suspend play feature. World 9 was really freaky.

[Warlock]

I've been too busy with Phantom Hourglass... I think I'm only to World 4 :(

[MottZilla]

The Wii can atleast use 2GB SD cards, however it hopefully should be compliant with the changes that enable SD cards in sizes 4GB and up. The largest cards to the current spec would be 32GB, but I've never seen them. The largest I've seen is 16GB for something between 200$ and 300$.

[MasterSwordUltima]

Edit: Haha stumbled on this:
http://artofwar.free.fr/dossiers/dossier_smb2_dokidoki.php

It's a comparison between SMB2 (USA) and Doki Doki Panic. Pretty good, but it's all in French or something. Still, neat picture comparison.

http://progressiveboink.com/archive/dokidokipanic.html

The original english site.

[MottZilla]

I don't think a pair of Famicom Disk System images burried in a very long page is anything to worry about. Just don't post links to some huge ROM site or anything.

[MasterSwordUltima]

Its not a rom site in the least. Its the same exact page Warlock posted, except in english [and not crappy translated english]. Not a rom site, the writer just decided to put a link to SMB2j and Doki Doki Panic.

Posting a link to a site that has a link to a rom isn't illegal here.

[MottZilla]

You seem to have misunderstood me. My post was just to prevent anyone from any rent-a-modding or whatever. The page is fine. Don't worry.

[vegeta1215]

Its not a rom site in the least. Its the same exact page Warlock posted, except in english [and not crappy translated english]. Not a rom site, the writer just decided to put a link to SMB2j and Doki Doki Panic.

Posting a link to a site that has a link to a rom isn't illegal here.

I understand some people may post a link to a site that they might not know has ROMs (or has a very small selection of ROMs), and we're not going to jump on people for that, but it's a little different when you advertise the fact that a site has ROMs. Either way it is against the rules.

AGN's ROM and Copyrighted Material Policy: http://www.armageddongames.net/forums/announcement.php?f=36 - to be fair, we need to make this more noticeable, as the most recent announcement is the only one you see the headline for at the top of GGD.

[MasterSwordUltima]

Alright, done and done. Post edited.