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Oh snap! Virtual Console games to get new Wii specific functionality? photo

Next week, underrated Nintendo 64 game Pokémon Snap will be coming to the Wii's Virtual Console in Japan. While this is not really news unto itself (unless you secretly adore the game like me), what is exciting is the fact that the game will come with some surprise Wii online functionality.

All the pictures taken in the addictive on-rails “shooter” will be able to be posted to your Wii message board and sent to any of your Address Book buddies. I don’t know any of my friends that are chomping at the bit to see a photo of Charmander hiding in a tree trunk, but at least the option is there, right? If anything, just the fact that Nintendo -- originally adamant about not wanting to change any of the Virtual Console games -- is willing to add extra features to these sometimes expensive downloads is very exciting.

Imagine the possibility of an online Goldeneye, a pointer-friendly Mario Paint, or a motion-controlled Uniracers. Little added touches to these older games would not only be completely welcome to fans, they would most likely raise their value exponentially. I know for a fact most people that are hesitant about purchasing these VC games either own them already or have no motivation to spend money on something without any new features.

What do you think? Could this potential new trend sway you to purchase more titles on the Virtual Console, or do you not care one way or the other? What retro games would you love to see get a fun Wii makeover?

[Via CVG]


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62 comments | showing # 1 to 50

ZargonX's Avatar
ZargonX at 11/30/2007 13:15
Ok, I totally loved that game, especially when it was played the way it was meant to be played: competitively. Now I'll be able to do it via the internets, and that is exciting.
Dr Milkdad's Avatar
Dr Milkdad at 11/30/2007 13:17
Motion-controlled Uniracers FTW!

I hope Nintendo adds Wii functionality for more VC games, I really do.
DeusPayne's Avatar
DeusPayne at 11/30/2007 13:18
golden mario eye paint with wii functionality.
dgenerate's Avatar
dgenerate at 11/30/2007 13:19
If it's optional, then it's a great idea.
If they force me to use an updated version of the game, this is a terrible idea.
Mxyzptlk's Avatar
Mxyzptlk at 11/30/2007 13:19
I can't wait to bonk little Japanese monsters on the head with apples so I can take their picture. And I'm not being sarcastic at all. The added functionality is nice, hopefully Nintendo will start doing it with more titles.
NihonTiger90's Avatar
NihonTiger90 at 11/30/2007 13:21
I need mores of this kind of stuff. Then we'll talk about me getting excited.
Holyetheline's Avatar
Holyetheline at 11/30/2007 13:23
Omg that's amazing. We need pokemon snap with pointer controls too! Oh and an online goldeneye would be great... or better yet, online perfect dark!
Chad Concelmo's Avatar
Chad Concelmo at 11/30/2007 13:26
@dgenerate,
I totally agree: optional is the key. Don't mess with my babies! :)
comradetrotskii's Avatar
comradetrotskii at 11/30/2007 13:28
Being from Europe I'm still unhappy at the reluctance of Nintendo to even give us proper full screen/full speed versions of games. Now that they are actually adding stuff to VC games their already pitiful excuse of retaining the original integrity of the games is complete and utter shit.

Also I've never been in this situation before but I believe some sort of gloating is de rigur: I p05t3d this in ma blog B4 U, U ur sux I R kewl!!

(Sorry)
timtheterrible's Avatar
timtheterrible at 11/30/2007 13:32
Hurray?
Hiltz's Avatar
Hiltz at 11/30/2007 13:33
Gotta snap em all! No thank you.

Even though these are small changes that some gamers may not care for, its still cool that Nintendo is willing to do stuff like this. Even some Wii ware games are expected to have some online functionality. Who knows? Something cool and worthwhile may come out of all this one day.

I still have the N64 cartridge which I got as a gift from my dad's friend which was weird because I wasn't a pokemon fan.
awa64's Avatar
awa64 at 11/30/2007 13:34
Sorry, this isn't adding new Wii-specific functionality to the game. When it was first released, convenience stores in Japan and Blockbuster in the United States had print kiosks set up where you could plug in your game and get the pictures you'd taken printed out as stickers.

There's clearly an API in existance to output the images from the game in relatively standardized image formats. The cool part is that they're taking advantage of functionality already in the game to do something for the Wii. Which is still a promising sign for the future.
cynicalllama's Avatar
cynicalllama at 11/30/2007 13:36
Forget online perfect dark, how bout some online Biofreaks! That sirs and madams is how i spell winrar. Totally agree on the option for traditional play though, I now in this day and age companies are stupid to expect us to yet again buy the same game... hell I had trouble shelling out 30 bucks for Mario 3 on the GBA. But somehow I still feel that i have gotten 80 dollars worth of play out of it and my NES copy.
JACK of No Trades's Avatar
JACK of No Trades at 11/30/2007 13:42
No thanks. I almost broke the wiimote when I was playing Twilit Princess, because I was pissed. The respones time is fucking shitty at best. I don't like shaking the nunchuk 5 times before Link does a spin attack.
MHiggy's Avatar
MHiggy at 11/30/2007 13:43
online Goldeneye = win
itrenorg's Avatar
itrenorg at 11/30/2007 13:50
Hmm this really shines some new light on the Virtual Console. It's been a while since I've bought anything from there and the idea of some new features for old games is amazing. Keep them optional, methinks, but definitely kudos to Nintendo.
Tubatic's Avatar
Tubatic at 11/30/2007 13:52
Chad.

Saying things like Wii, online and Goldeneye in the same article . . .

made me drop the phone I was working on . . .

. . . do want . . .
BlindsideDork's Avatar
BlindsideDork at 11/30/2007 13:56
Mutant Chronicles: Doom Troopers

I want it yesterday!
The-Excel's Avatar
The-Excel at 11/30/2007 13:56
The Photo Channel editor is pretty much a big throwback to Mario Paint. There is no way they are going to pass that opportunity up.
TheMuffinMan's Avatar
TheMuffinMan at 11/30/2007 13:58
JACK of No Trades: is your Wii remote synched correctly, check the Wii remote settings in the options menu, or did you check to see if you batteries were dying? I had no issues with Twilight Princess, much less having to do an action 5 times for a register...maybe you just suck at games?
bhive01's Avatar
bhive01 at 11/30/2007 14:02
About fsking time. Moar of this please. Not just pictures. But, scores and online play for VC titles.
JonDarkwood's Avatar
JonDarkwood at 11/30/2007 14:04
I'll be skeptical and pessimistic enough to say that they'll get us all talking about the possibilities, and never deliver on any of them beyond this.
Das Inchworm's Avatar
Das Inchworm at 11/30/2007 14:05
METAL COMBAT
METAL COMBAT
METAL COMBAT
BlindsideDork's Avatar
BlindsideDork at 11/30/2007 14:05
I think Goldeneye is reaching a bit much....
jaredr's Avatar
jaredr at 11/30/2007 14:07
Chad: Your icon and "Oh snap!" work far too well together.

Mmmm.. Pokemon Snap. Daddy likes.
Chad Concelmo's Avatar
Chad Concelmo at 11/30/2007 14:09
@JonDarkwood,
I fear you may be right ... :(
timmet's Avatar
timmet at 11/30/2007 14:21
It would be a cash cow. But it largely depends on whether the source code is available, and the investment needed to alter it. However, some modifications, like online multiplayer, and pointer/mouse functionality wouldn't require any modifications to the source. Many emulators for computers already support an online mode, by convincing the game it has more player inputs, and pointer navigation would just be an analogue change to the output of the wiiremote to match the input of the game if it already support mouse input.
sgspencer's Avatar
sgspencer at 11/30/2007 14:29
I'll agree with awa64 here - they're not adding to the game, they're adding to their emulator.
So adding more crap like picture-taking, or something like savegame sending in the Home button menu is nice and easy, but screwing with the game itself to add online play or entirely new features like that is significantly harder, thus they won't bother.
Getting ahold of a game's original sourcecode, retrofitting their (e.g.) SNES emulator so that the virtual SNES suddenly has network connectivity, writing a TCP/IP stack in SNES code ... no chance. An overhaul like that suddenly becomes WiiWare territory.
F Whipple's Avatar
F Whipple at 11/30/2007 14:34
Pilotwings with motion control please!!
Dexter345's Avatar
Dexter345 at 11/30/2007 14:40
A pointer-controlled Mario Paint would be awesome. It doesn't even seem like that would be too hard to do, either.

And Chad, you can send me pictures of Vileplumes and Chanseys and whatnot. Wait, do I have you on my Wii Friend list yet?
BluDesign's Avatar
BluDesign at 11/30/2007 14:43
Wii-make...

Uh...

DUCK
HUNT
Spykron's Avatar
Spykron at 11/30/2007 14:48
id really just like to see online leader boards and stat tracking like xbla does. thats my favorite.
DonWii's Avatar
DonWii at 11/30/2007 14:51
I assumed that, if the games would be altered, they would be released through WiiWare.

Essentially, I expected it to happen.
IvoryShipping's Avatar
IvoryShipping at 11/30/2007 14:57
This is an awesome idea. Making an old game fresh again is a definite reason for me to re-buy it.

Give me GoldenEye online, a higher res Banjo-Kazooie, and motion controlled Rogue Squadron!
jdub28's Avatar
jdub28 at 11/30/2007 15:03
doom troopers is one of the best contra clones ever
perri's Avatar
perri at 11/30/2007 15:05
Too bad this wasn't in affect in time for sin & punishment... Pokemon Snap is an interesting place to start too, don't know what to think about this- not sure anything will happen besides this game. But Jet Force Gemini w/ pointer would rock my socks.

Duck Hunt would have been the ultimate announcement, of course PKMN Snap was awesome, but I still have the cart and my n64 so- no buy for me...
Variable Gear's Avatar
Variable Gear at 11/30/2007 15:16
perri:

Jet Force Gemini Wii! YES!

That would be awesome!
topgeargorilla's Avatar
topgeargorilla at 11/30/2007 15:16
I want some Taco Bell right now!
mdvalenz's Avatar
mdvalenz at 11/30/2007 15:20
I would love it if they could go back over the games they have released so far and fix the slowdowns and missing features. There is no reason a game should have slowdown issues on the Wii.
Tubatic's Avatar
Tubatic at 11/30/2007 15:20
oo oooh. Maybe bring in those cool out of game tie ins. Like the letter from Star Tropics: Make that appear in your wii message inbox.

Or EarthBound. Make the 3D glasses a virtual download from WiiWare. it wont' be 3D (of course), but having downloaded that "thing", those sections that needed the glasses will be "decoded"

Possibilities abound . . .

Online Multiplayer Blades of Steel!!!
Tubatic's Avatar
Tubatic at 11/30/2007 15:21
oh yeah. and Duck Freaking Hunt
JACK of No Trades's Avatar
JACK of No Trades at 11/30/2007 15:25
@TheMuffinMan

"I had no issues with Twilight Princess, much less having to do an action 5 times for a register...maybe you just suck at games?"

Lol, get defensive much? OH OH I forgot!!!! Nintendo does no wrong. Me so sorry MuffinMan. I don't know what batteries are, and whats kalabraaaatzions? I been playing games for over 15 years. I guess thats not long enough to be good at games. It must be that I started playing on Intellivions & Ataris while you started on PS2.
Im such an old man compared your generation sunny. Sorry for talking the truth on the second console you ever owned.
Chad Concelmo's Avatar
Chad Concelmo at 11/30/2007 15:34
@Dexter,
Um ... why are "Wii" (he he) not Wii friends? E-mailing you my Wii # in 3 ... 2 ... 1 ...
verkon's Avatar
verkon at 11/30/2007 15:40
Or, what about, Online starcraft 64!
PaulMorel's Avatar
PaulMorel at 11/30/2007 15:44
"Imagine the possibility of an online Goldeneye"

That is just a mean thing to say. We all know that it will never happen, no matter how awesome it would be.
sevendash's Avatar
sevendash at 11/30/2007 15:54
OMG I am so glad to hear this, but it crushes my dream of having this compatible with the Wiimote's features. I'm still totally stoked to hear about this because it does bring up other possibilities in the future, as small and limited as they may be.

I cannot wait to hear about the release Stateside.
BFeld13's Avatar
BFeld13 at 11/30/2007 16:06
So awesome
bleep's Avatar
bleep at 11/30/2007 16:07
of course people want increased functionality, but the thing is Nintendo is already making a Killing with these VC games...33 million!! and they aren't sure if thats good or not?? haha they know what the SHOULD do but just aren't sure they NEED to it to make even MOAR money!!
Pangloss's Avatar
Pangloss at 11/30/2007 16:11
The hell is wrong with you people? Why has nobody spotted the obvious yet: online Secret of Mana!
MissHinasaki's Avatar
MissHinasaki at 11/30/2007 16:41
!!!One of my favorite games EVER!!!

I don't know why they never made another one. Personally, I think it's the best Pokemon spin-off game out there.

And again, this makes me wonder about how Fatal Frame 4 for the Wii will work out... And then that makes me hope for a possible Pokemon Snap sequel.

*overwhelmed with hope for the future of the Wii*
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