Nintendo @ GDC: Iwata's Speech

[William C. Maune]

There are some interesting things coming out of Iwata's speech at the Game Developers Conference.

- Not only will Nintendo games be available for download on the Revolution, but also Sega and Turbographx. It's the entire 16 bit era on one console!
- New Zelda game for the DS. Subtitled "Phantom Hourglass", the style looks like a cross between Wind Waker and Link to the Past.

[Martianinvader]

Over a THOUSAND Genesis games.......DUUUUUUUDE. Now I DEFINITELY need to get wi-fi...

Guess what we DIDN'T get? The actual name for this thing.
http://www.engadget.com/media/2006/03/nintendo_go.jpg
This made the rumor rounds this morning, but now we all know it's a phony. Just look at it and dream about what could have been, instead of thirty minutes of Brain Age blather. Like that game needs any more help in Japan.

[JohnCrichton]

Detailed press release. (http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/03-23-2006/0004326058&EDATE=)

[Tak Mazé]

How would Sega games work? And TG games too for that matter. Will the Rev controller have the ABC/XYZ buttons on it? Will it be purely emulated? Or will the selected games be changed for use with the Rev's controller?

[Lord Dalek]

Hey if this makes Castlevania Dracula X: The Rondo of Blood available in the US then I'm all for it.

[Chad Bonin]

How would Sega games work? And TG games too for that matter. Will the Rev controller have the ABC/XYZ buttons on it? Will it be purely emulated? Or will the selected games be changed for use with the Rev's controller?
Once again, I believe the Freehand Shell now has to have a 3X2 (ABC/XYZ) layout, purely for Genesis and N64 gameplay.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v201/KnuxFive/RevCon.jpg

Now, realistically, my best guess for labeling it would be the use of some weird light-up technology. Like, the controller off would have no labeling, but certain modes would name the buttons certain ways.

[Strollymonster]

This is AWESOME news.

My first post-Atari console was a Sega Genesis, and I was a Sega fanboy up until the release of the N64. Getting my favorite old Sega AND Nintendo games?! And more than 1,000 Sega games at that? This is a classic gamer's ULTIMATE DREAM.

If someone had told me 10 years ago that Nintendo would make a console that let you download classic Nintendo and Sega games, I would have called them a bald-faced liar...how times change.

I didn't know that Nintendo's WiFi had grown at that great of a rate compared to "the leading online console network"...good for them.

I'm glad that "Go" was debunked, I thought it was a bad name, and the logo was pretty lame as well. It seems like the Revolution has seen a LOT more of these fake logos/interfaces than any other console I can remember...

[Juu-kuchi]

I hate to be cynical but... Phantom Hourglass? I wonder if that will involve an hourglass will turn Link into a corporeal essence that *gasp* allows him to walk through walls and become just like Danny Phantom!

[Noukon]

The Zelda trailer is up. (http://www.nintendo-europe.com/NOE/en/GB/news/article.do?elementId=5JIzKiVx5r0Gu_uNPnTPRZMbliXee JM1)

It's pretty much exactly what I figured it should be -- 3-D graphics/movement from a classic-Zelda 2-D perspective. The touchscreen-based puzzles are interesting. Looking good!

[GWOtaku]

This is sounding better all the time.

[Doopliss]

Holy crumb, that Zelda game looks so cool! :eek:

I am very happy. I also can't wait to play Sega games again.

[Demonic Raven]

I didn't think a DS Zelda game would work so well (unless they copied techniques used for the GBA games), but the 2D/3D cross works very well from the looks of things. The DS truly is a third pillar...

Nintendo's future just keeps on getting better.

[Obi]

I hate to be cynical but... Phantom Hourglass? I wonder if that will involve an hourglass will turn Link into a corporeal essence that *gasp* allows him to walk through walls and become just like Danny Phantom!

Ocarina of Time doesn't exactly roll off the tongue.


Man, I'm a sucker for cel-shaded Zelda. Count me in!

[Strollymonster]

Ah, crap. If there was any doubt that I was buying a DS when the Lite came out, it's gone now. That was excellent, particularly the touch-screen elements and the sweet steamboat Link was using.

Curse you Nintendo, stop draining my funds!

[Dark Fact]

TurboGrafx 16...support??? :eek:

NINTENDO, YOU ROCK!!! :D

[Duke]

Yes! Wind Waker-style Zelda isn't dead! Hooray!

Now I just need a DS...

[Yash]

Between the expanded catalog of old school games (to include the Genesis and the Turbografx) and Phantom Hourglass, Nintendo has me sold for 2006. Sign me up.

[straw_hat]

With the way things are shaping out with the Revolution I don't even think I care about getting any other console.

[Tash]

Curse you Nintendo, stop draining my funds!
Agreed. Well, it's better than if Sony was doing it. (because Sony likes to overprice things)

[silverwings]

I already knew I was getting a Rev, but Sega games? NICE! :D But I thought Microsoft was trying to get them on their live service? :confused:

I'm really going to have to pick up a DS, probably a lite when it comes out. It's getting really hard to resist..:p

[Noukon]

I already knew I was getting a Rev, but Sega games? NICE! :D But I thought Microsoft was trying to get them on their live service? :confused:


I wouldn't be surprised if Sega ended up having their games on both services.

[Juu-kuchi]

Ocarina of Time doesn't exactly roll off the tongue. Of course. But then again when I thought about a Phantom Hourglass as a game I then thought... Kazoo of Soup.

Now that I've seen it in action, it's something to look forward to. I like that it's a Wind Waker-style game, but I hope the difficulty isn't the same.

[Duke]

One thing I noticed during my second go around on Zelda: It looks like Navi's back. Since I'm one of the few people who didn't mind Navi, I'm happy.

[Artimus Gigan]

Zelda looks like Gauntlet style, I likey!

Downloadable Sega/TG games, definate plus, hopefully they will be incredibly cheap to purchase. Maybe we will get Phantasy Star 4, because that's the only one left out of the GBA compilation....also maybe King of The Monsters because those games were just awesome.

However I hope the Rev also gets alo of the ill-begotten Arcade games that never made it to the states or were not released in wide numbers, because the Star Wars Trilogy Arcade game would be perfect for the system as would that Mario Kart GT game. If the controller can mimic the perpetuals on the large arcade cabinets(i.e. ligh guns), then we'll be in business.

[The Falcon]

One thing I noticed during my second go around on Zelda: It looks like Navi's back. Since I'm one of the few people who didn't mind Navi, I'm happy.exactly, and over at ign, they are claiming this MAY actually be a sequel to wind waker, which begs the question of... how did navi survive the gigantic flood?

[Strollymonster]

exactly, and over at ign, they are claiming this MAY actually be a sequel to wind waker, which begs the question of... how did navi survive the gigantic flood?

Probably the same way the other fairies did...hanging out in magical springs.

If nothing else, she has wings...it's not like she couldn't just fly to higher ground.

[Mynd Hed]

My excitement over a new Zelda title is tempered by A.) the fact that this is probably going to finally make me buy a DS... I can already hear my poor bank account screaming in pain... and, B.) the fact that every time a new Zelda title comes out using the Wind Waker style, I'm forced to look at that FACE again. That horrible misproportioned face with the eyes that look like they belong on a third-grader's drawing of a cat. I love everything else about the cel-shaded Link, every other character has a good design, the water, fire, and smoke effects are breathtaking, but sweet Spider-Man's webslingers, couldn't they have done a better job on that butt-ugly FACE?

[GagaMan]

Finally, a DS Zelda title, and it looks very, very sexy indeed.

Also very happy to hear that Sega titles will be on the retro service thingy. Woo.

[Dark Fact]

I'm just waiting for ISO support so they can upload all the Ys titles for TurboDuo! :)

[Yash]

I'm just waiting for ISO support so they can upload all the Ys titles for TurboDuo! :)
Yeah, I'm hoping for Sega CD and Turbo Duo support sometime later, as well.

I also hope that the "all regions" thing will apply for the Genesis and Turbografx games (and later, the CD games if possible), as IIRC, most of the good games for the Turbografx didn't actually get ported over.

[William C. Maune]

Yeah, I'm hoping for Sega CD and Turbo Duo support sometime later, as well.

Speaking of which, considering that the Revolution will also be able to play N64 games and GameCube games (although the latter through discs), perhaps we'll see Sega 32X, Saturn and maybe even Dreamcast games as well.

[Chad Bonin]

Speaking of which, considering that the Revolution will also be able to play N64 games and GameCube games (although the latter through discs), perhaps we'll see Sega 32X, Saturn and maybe even Dreamcast games as well.
Yes. Not being able to play Kolibri on the Revolution would be a crime. Though I dunno about Saturn and DC games, due to their sheer size (Dreamcast used GIGAdiscs).

[William C. Maune]

Though I dunno about Saturn and DC games, due to their sheer size (Dreamcast used GIGAdiscs).

How much did those hold? I thought that they were the same size as a CD or DVD, yet held some amount in between the two formats. (not really sure though).

[Noukon]

How much did those hold? I thought that they were the same size as a CD or DVD, yet held some amount in between the two formats. (not really sure though).

Dreamcast GD-ROMs held about a gigabyte.

I would love to see Saturn games on the virtual console. There are a handful of wonderful ones, and it's such a pain to get one's hands on them.

[veemonjosh]

Umm... did it say we would get ALL 1,000 games? It said "Best of" from the 1,000 games.

So we may only get 20 games or so...

But since I own Mega collection and Gems Collection, what Genesis games that I don't have would be worth getting? Comix Zone is all I can think of... and maybe The Ooze.

But if the Saturn ever made it on... I'd download NiGHTS into Dreams in a heartbeat.

[Duke]

But since I own Mega collection and Gems Collection, what Genesis games that I don't have would be worth getting? Comix Zone is all I can think of... and maybe The Ooze.
Well, it's better than playing the games on the keyboard via GameTap. Controllers > Keyboard anyday.

[William C. Maune]

So we may only get 20 games or so...

It could be 20, 200, or 900. My guess is that they'll start with a smaller number and add more games over time.

[Lord Dalek]

I'm just waiting for ISO support so they can upload all the Ys titles for TurboDuo! :)Heck I'd just be happy if they translated Ys IV!

[Artimus Gigan]

If nothing else, she has wings...it's not like she couldn't just fly to higher ground.
Yes I see it now

She ditches OoT Link when the flood waters came thudnering across Hyrule


with a heartfelt "screw you" as a goodbye she left other Link and Epona to drown

[Strollymonster]

Yes I see it now

She ditches OoT Link when the flood waters came thudnering across Hyrule


with a heartfelt "screw you" as a goodbye she left other Link and Epona to drown

In her defense, she probably tried to warn him. But after so many "HEY, LISTEN!" 's, he was probably tuning her out at that point.

Nah, Epona probably evolved into the Merman that fills out your map...I always pictured Epona talking like Eric Cartman...right, guy?

It's too bad, cuz Link could have just changed his clothes and been fine...gotta love the Zora Tunic :D

[Chad Bonin]

Hudson has announced that the Revolution will support Super CD games released for the Turbografx/TurboDuo.

Naturally, this leaves hope for Sega CD and Sega Saturn support.

... now you know what'd be creepy? If Nintendo announced Atari Jaguar support...

[KuwabaraTheMan]

Nintendo should just put every non-Playstation/Xbox exclusive game ever available.

[peacebyanymeans]

I wonder if Nintendo every Flash game ever created will be playable on the Revolution? :p

[PRdude]

This all sounds like good news.

[William C. Maune]

... now you know what'd be creepy? If Nintendo announced Atari Jaguar support...

Nintendo, Do the Math!

Then there is 3DO as well, but, could they get:

the NeoGeo?

[Duke]

Then there is 3DO as well, but, could they get
You mean the 3DO had games other than Gex?

[Deadman]

awsome! i cant wait for revolution or zelda phanton hourglass!

[Dark Fact]

Hudson has announced that the Revolution will support Super CD games released for the Turbografx/TurboDuo.
The icing on the cake would be if Nintendo agrees to translate previously unreleased Super CD games and put them up on the Revolution. C'mon Nintendo, give us Rondo of Blood and Ys IV!

[Rasputin]

Considering all the games being put on the Virtual Console (of all shapes and sizes! EEE!) it might be that Nintendo is giving Sega and Hudson some degree of responsibility for the games being put on the system. In other words, Sega and Hudson give the games to Nintendo, who uploads them and takes a small percentage of each purchase (which could mean that Sega and Hudson games would be a little bit more expensive than Nintendo games, but probably not by much) while most of the revenue goes to the companies themselves.

So, if y'all want previously untranslated games, it would be up to the companies themselves, not Nintendo, to translate them.

'course, this is just speculation, but these companies wouldn't agree to this if they weren't going to get a share in the profits. It's not like Nintendo could buy the games and sell them on. After all...they're just data.

About Mega CD, Super CD, Saturn and Dreamcast...a lot depends on how much space the Revolution has. Being that N64 games were tiny in comparison to its CD-based counterparts (hideously so, Super Mario 64 was only 8MB in size) while the NES and SNES games were even smaller and the Gamecube games will be read off their original discs anyway. I suppose the Mega CD and Saturn are possibilities (considering that the Super CD has already been confirmed) but with the Dreamcast it seems more likely that the Revolution itself would just be able to read Dreamcast discs. Since that hasn't been announced, I think we'll just have to accept that the Dreamcast ain't gonna make it this time.

Still, this is incredible news. Although...what about the Atari and the Master System? They were cool too, y'know...

[Lord Dalek]

You mean the 3DO had games other than Gex?*COUGH*Policenauts*COUGH*

[Artimus Gigan]

*COUGH*Policenauts*COUGH*
Would that even hold up well?

IIRC that had anime cut scenes in it that were off dub IIRC

The game would need a big re-working if it was re-issued

However this also makes me wonder about the Revolution Harddrive if they offer alot of games with this download service, if we couple this with ordinary saves, we may need a larger harddive than the 360 or a whole lot of memory cards.

[Chad Bonin]

Would that even hold up well?

IIRC that had anime cut scenes in it that were off dub IIRC

The game would need a big re-working if it was re-issued

However this also makes me wonder about the Revolution Harddrive if they offer alot of games with this download service, if we couple this with ordinary saves, we may need a larger harddive than the 360 or a whole lot of memory cards.
The Revolution has an announced 512MB internal memory, which, at some point, was stated to be where games would be downloaded. Given the SD Card format becoming exponentially cheaper, and the fact that Super CD games have been announced, we can assume things are going to be able to save on SD card or...

... my theory could be right about the Nintendo/Apple iGame... use the iPod as an external hard drive.

[Lord Dalek]

Would that even hold up well?

IIRC that had anime cut scenes in it that were off dub IIRC

The game would need a big re-working if it was re-issued
Hey it's Kojima. Konami realizes he sells now.

[Bird Boy]

we can assume things are going to be able to save on SD card or...

I can see one of those two USB ports being used to snap in a thumb drive or something. Or as long as they save your account info on what games you have/haven't downloaded, I really don't care if the games save. It's wi-fi, they can redownload in a few seconds anyway...

-BB

[Tash]

... now you know what'd be creepy? If Nintendo announced Atari Jaguar support... That was the system with the Columns, right? Or was the the TurboGraphics-32? (My cousin had both, so I'm not sure)

Did the Jaguar have anythin that anyone would want to download?

[RAINMAN]

Now thats old school.:D

[tb4000]

See, Nintendo knows their audience. Most people that support the company are pretty much from it from the beginning, so it's kind of a thanks to all us hardcore fans. :D

[Spike Mcdougal]

Ever since hearing about the Virtual Console I've been reminded of the Sega Channel and this news is just supporting that claim even more

[Artimus Gigan]

Ever since hearing about the Virtual Console I've been reminded of the Sega Channel and this news is just supporting that claim even more
Did Sega Channel do all that well?

I remember hearing about it, but I never experianced it.

[Chad Bonin]

Did Sega Channel do all that well?

I remember hearing about it, but I never experianced it.
LOGIC DICTATION-

Because Sega Channel DIDN'T do all that well, you never experienced it, despite hearing about it.

I think it's most notable game was "Megaman: The Wily Wars".

[Artimus Gigan]

LOGIC DICTATION-

Because Sega Channel DIDN'T do all that well, you never experienced it, despite hearing about it.

I think it's most notable game was "Megaman: The Wily Wars".
How much did the SC games go for?

Were they the prices of normal videogames, or did you have to pay a feww each time you played?

[Spike Mcdougal]

How much did the SC games go for?

Were they the prices of normal videogames, or did you have to pay a feww each time you played?

You only had to pay a monthly fee and you could play as many times as you want, and every month there was a different selection. You were also allowed to try upcoming new titles for a short amount of time

[William C. Maune]

Sega Channel was awesome! When it worked... There were quite a few downtimes, but there was a pretty decent selection of games with the ability to try out new games. Considering that it was before the internet really took off, the idea was pretty revolutionary at the time.

[Mynd Hed]

Did Sega Channel do all that well?

I remember hearing about it, but I never experianced it.

I really don't know if it did well in the sense of making Sega all that much money (if I had to hazard a guess I'd say "no," just because it came at right around the era where Sega began their long slow decline), but for those who did opt for it, it was an excellent service and truly ahead of its time. Imagine having a Gamefly membership only being able to switch your game instantly from a rotating library of hundreds of titles at any given time, and shipping only took maybe two, three minutes tops.

[Agent S7]

Though most people were expecting Revolution news and details as the big "reveal" at Nintendo's keynote speech at the Game Developers Conference today, Nintendo zagged when we thought it would zig - Satoru Iwata instead used the venue to announce and show off the next Legend of Zelda game, coming to the Nintendo DS.


The demonstration faded in with a mysterious door that had a handwritten rune slowly drawn on it. But by the time the rune unlocked the door and made the familiar unlock chime melody heard in every Zelda game (http://ds.ign.com/articles/697/697930p1.html#) since the NES original, everyone knew what was coming.

After the door opened, the trailer began to reveal Link in all his Wind Waker glory, in 3D on the Nintendo (http://ds.ign.com/articles/697/697930p1.html#) DS hardware. Quick cuts of gameplay footage showed the direction the game's taking: the Wind Waker art style and, possibly, the same storyline as the GameCube game. Much of the footage showed off some of the DS-specific puzzle elements, like touch screen door unlocking where players had to touch spots in specific order, or draw a line from one spot to another. The Wind Waker link was solidified with footage showing Link sailing on the open seas and fighting with enemy ships.

http://dsmedia.ign.com/ds/image/article/697/697930/the-legend-of-zelda-phantom-hourglass-20060323004619134-000.jpg (http://media.ds.ign.com/media/694/694756/img_3481921.html)

The demo showed that the action will take place on the lower screen with the upper screen handling details like the area map. The game's camera is more of a 3D representation of the top-down 2D gameplay of the classic Legend of Zelda NES and SNES games (http://ds.ign.com/articles/697/697930p1.html#), with a bit more of a tipped-down angle to see more of the area in the distance. It seems that players will be able to bring the map down to the touch screen and doodle up notes for future reference.

The Nintendo DS hardware is handling the Wind Waker cel shading style admirably, as the game, in the trailer, seemed to run at a frame rate equal to that of the GameCube game. Of course, the visuals are scaled back a bit from the console version - the resolution was noticeably lower and the detail on the character and environments were definitely cut back.

http://dsmedia.ign.com/ds/image/article/697/697930/the-legend-of-zelda-phantom-hourglass-20060323004518307-000.jpg (http://media.ds.ign.com/media/694/694756/img_3481917.html)

No hard details were released about the game, other than its title: The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass, fading in at the end of the trailer. Saturo Iwata mentioned after the video presentation that we will see more of the game and actually play it at the Electronic Entertainment Expo this May.


http://ds.ign.com/articles/697/697930p1.html

...There is a God.

~s7

[Keiichi]

Your a little late (http://forums.toonzone.net/showthread.php?t=162897) ;)