3DS VC

[Assault on Mind]

Are they going to make Metroid Fusion among other GBA games for download on the 3DS? Because I'm thinking of buying one, but I'd like to download some old GBA games but I want to know what I can download before I get it.

[Ezlo's Apprentice]

Fusion, and nine other GBA games are currently only available as Ambassador titles - for those who purchased the system before the massive price crunch on the system. I believe the plan is that these titles will eventually be available to all to buy, but Ambassadors can upgrade to the full versions for free.

It's mostly just classic GameBoy and Color games available at the moment, although there's a great range of new downloadable titles from the Download Software service.

[Assault on Mind]

Ambassadors only? I don't like that, I guess I'll hold off until I can confirm whether they will add those for download for non-ambassadors or not.

[Carl Jr.]

Fusion, and nine other GBA games are currently only available as Ambassador titles - for those who purchased the system before the massive price crunch on the system. I believe the plan is that these titles will eventually be available to all to buy, but Ambassadors can upgrade to the full versions for free.

It's mostly just classic GameBoy and Color games available at the moment, although there's a great range of new downloadable titles from the Download Software service.

Nintendo announced that they had *no* plans to release these games to the public.

In other news, they believe everyone will replace their Wii with a Wii-U, and they have fallen behind in profits 30% from last year. Coincidence I'm sure.

[Hyruleansoldier]

I'm pretty sure all the Ambassador games will become VC games for all to purchase at some point.  They've already done most of the work, so it would be stupid not to offer it to the general public.

As for the Wii U VC, I assume you'll be able to download game you had already paid for to have on your Wii again for free on the Wii U.  I'm holding off on purchasing some VC titles I want, assuming most of them will be available on the Wii U as well.

[Ezlo's Apprentice]

My bad. Was thinking of the NES titles. Although the official line is they "currently" have no plans to release the GBA games, and they'd be mad to miss a trick like this. They're wasting time and resources with the likes of (just) Golf and (just) Tennis.

[Hyruleansoldier]

It's a pretty good business strategy though.  Make the old, unfancy games buyable first, so people wanting _a_ tennis / sports / puzzle game will buy the inferior version.  Then later they'll make it into a 3D Classic, and release better versions (like with Tetris - that's still one of the older versions too).

Are the Ambassador games not all the full versions? What exactly is new with the more recent versions of Super Mario Bros and others who became available for everyone to download?

[Ezlo's Apprentice]

I shall answer your last two points in reverse order. Cos I can. Boom!

Are the Ambassador games not all the full versions? What exactly is new with the more recent versions of Super Mario Bros and others who became available for everyone to download?

All questions may/may not be answered here.

It's a pretty good business strategy though.  Make the old, unfancy games buyable first, so people wanting _a_ tennis / sports / puzzle game will buy the inferior version.  Then later they'll make it into a 3D Classic, and release better versions (like with Tetris - that's still one of the older versions too).

I think it's an awful strategy to keep people hanging on for the games they want for no good reason. It tests the fanbase's patience to its limits, and the 3DS has stretched that like no platform before IMO. No-one in their right mind would really consider the NES or GameBoy version of Golf a viable alternative to the Advance Tour GBA title. I only ever had a PC Rom of that game, I would love to get it on my 3DS. I wouldn't call it a business strategy, but it does start with the same two letters.

[Hyruleansoldier]

Ah yes, more complete manuals and VS mode when applicable.

I wouldn't call it a business strategy, but it does start with the same two letters.

Haha, check.

Well, not everyone knows what all is out there.  There's probably a million kids just going "ooh, a golf game, I want that" (bad example, but you know what I mean).

[hisak]

I think it's an awful strategy to keep people hanging on for the games they want for no good reason. It tests the fanbase's patience to its limits, and the 3DS has stretched that like no platform before IMO. No-one in their right mind would really consider the NES or GameBoy version of Golf a viable alternative to the Advance Tour GBA title. I only ever had a PC Rom of that game, I would love to get it on my 3DS. I wouldn't call it a business strategy, but it does start with the same two letters.

I don't pay much attention to VC releases anymore, but I can't disagree with this. It's going to be a big problem if the GBA games still aren't available by the end of the year. Maybe they'll show up around the time that retail games are made available for download.

In other news, they believe everyone will replace their Wii with a Wii-U, and they have fallen behind in profits 30% from last year. Coincidence I'm sure.

Correlation/causation. Nintendo's suffering because they've only released a handful of high-profile games in the past 17 months, not because of news that only a small fraction of their audience knows about.

[Carl Jr.]

 Nope, Nintendo said they do not plan to release these games as virtual console titles, outside of the ambassador program, at all.

 Now, there have been a few possibilities speculated as to why Nintendo would do such a thing, such as special edition rereleases in the works, enhanced remakes, 3D Classics versions, etc. I too strongly doubt that the Wii-U is literally keeping them from making smart 3DS VC decisions.

[Assault on Mind]

How Nintendo has handled the 3DS so far is just not making sense to me.

[hisak]

How Nintendo has handled the 3DS so far is just not making sense to me.

As far as releases go or as far as the eShop goes? I'm actually really pleased with the games that have come out and excited for those that haven't, but... well, I didn't exactly buy it for the virtual console (still waiting on Wario Land 2 & 3).

I'll be shocked if the GBA games aren't made available *someday*. I know what the official PR line is, but they've withheld bigger information before. It wouldn't make sense at all to go the full life of the system making certain games only available to those who puchased it in the first five months.

[Ezlo's Apprentice]

The 3DS certainly stumbled out of the starting blocks, but it has built great momentum with the physical releases (a strong Christmas, and this year alone has seen Resident Evil, Kid Icarus and Rhythm Thief with Mario Tennis around the corner) and the eShop has some really strong contenders (Pullblox/Pushmo, Rolling Western).

That being said, I think Nintendo would be silly not to confirm a range of GBA games (though not the Ambassador titles) hitting the VC at E3. It should be an option for those that want it.