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Wii VC from a Dtoider's Perspective: Nostalgia or Novelty?
B5512 | 1:26 AM on 01.17.2008 7 comments




As I happily await the impending arrival of my dutifully pre-ordered Wii from Gamestop, I have been contemplating why exactly I am excited. The copy of RE4 sitting desolately on my shelf is one, and the yet-to-be-purchased Mario Galaxy is another, but neither really has me as pumped as the iTunes Music Store of retro gaming: the Wii Virtual Console. I have even already picked out my first two downloads: Super Metroid and Starfox 64.

Stepping back from this for a moment, I realized that, not only were these hardly new games to me, but that these are some of the most extensively played games I own. Now, at first glance, that doesn't seem all that bizarre--clearly it means I enjoy them. But WHY am I so excited to repurchase them? Clearly, there is a serious nostalgia-factor at work here.

Having followed the VC releases pretty closely thanks to the RetroforceGO! team, it's not a stretch to conclude that the games generally fall into two categories: utter classics that the average Dtoider (of sufficient age, of course) probably already owns, or at least has played extensively and mediocre to outright terrible games that make Chad a sad dolphin. Presumably, the former games are lapped up in this community for that same reason: nostalgia.

This is in contrast to what I presume is one of Nintendo's primary goals (especially for it's casual audience): appealing to a sense of novelty. I don't mean this in the pejorative sense--by novelty, I refer to the intrinsic appeal that a VC title has as a game in and of itself. The kind of thing that might make someone say "Hm...Super Metroid...that sounds cool, lets try it out!"

I hope my point isn't getting too muddled here, but my reason for posting is to pose two questions to the Dtoiders out there who might be reading this sleep deprived first-time blogger's first post:

What use have you found for the VC, if any? Do you find yourself downloading games you have already experienced, or are you of the more adventurous type?

and, more generally,

Do you think the main "point" of the store is to appeal to doe-eyed, retrogoggled gamers like us, or to give these classics a second chance to win new hearts?



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7 comments | showing # 1 to 7

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Mxyzptlk's Destructoid Blog
Mostly nostalgia for me, but in a few cases I've been able to experience games I had very limited exposure to the first time around. I've checked out a few VC games based on recommendations from the nets, and have been very happy so far.
Qalamari's Destructoid Blog
Let's be cynical/honest here... the main point of the store is to make money, just like any other store. The two motives you listed are of secondary concern if anything. To push the cynicism even further, you can look at the VC as a way to get more recent gamers to get hooked on the classic franchises crusty old folks like me grew up with. (The less cynical view of this would be your second option, that they're being given a second chance.)

I may be totally off base here, but my position is a little skewed... I still have my old NES (as well as my N64 and PS2) hooked up, and about 40 games sitting under the TV in an old shoebox... if I want to play Super Mario Bros, it may take a few seconds of blowing on the cartridge and re-adjusting it, but I can still play it. I love the VC, though to be honest I haven't used it as much as I thought I would when I picked up the Wii. I look at it as a great (legal) way to play games I missed the first time around. Speaking of which, I can heartily recommend Devil's Crush as your first download.

That reminds me. If you're looking to do some homework on VC titles, 1up's Retro roundup is a great place to start.

By the way, the picture at the top of your blog is fantastic. Kinda looks like Donkey Kong's gonna kick my ass, though.
DanGale's Destructoid Blog
I think the VC is a brilliant ide, both form a consumer and company view. The company gets to sell us games we already own wrapped in nostalgia or convenience and we as conusmers buy nostalgia and convenience.We are literally buying our childhoods.

Now, like many of you, I too have games in physical media and yet I've still bought the game on VC, mainly so that whenever I take my Wii anywhere, I take this amazing collection of retro games.

Are Nintendo ripping me off? Hell, yeah! I really don't know how many times I can buy Ocarina of Time or Mario 64, but each time I buy them, I still play them.
B5512's Destructoid Blog
@Qalamari

While I concede that Nintendo's always after the next It Prints Money!, I think we are getting at the same thing: nostalgia is a great way to milk your core audience for money. Is it wrong? Maybe, but we aren't forced to buy anything, and I say more power to them.

Ill definitely look into Devil's Crush :-)
ShawnKelfonne's Destructoid Blog
I've bought games that I never got the chance to own, along with games that are just a good time all around. I may have a working NES still sitting in my room, but the Wii gives me a clearer picture than I'll ever get using an RF cable. Co-op Bubble Bobble is serious business.
shipero's Destructoid Blog
I've used the VC to mostly play games for systems I never had, like the N64 and the Neo Geo.
Guagloves's Destructoid Blog
Its Nostalgia for me since I never had a Nintendo or Super Nintendo as a child :( My neighbor had a Super Nintendo and I used to play NBA Jam for hours.


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