SNK USA: No online for Wii 3rd parties in '07

Xisiqomelir · Post by **Xisiqomelir** » 2007-03-04 06:54pm

SNK president talks about Neo-Geo and online games [Update 1]

Posted Mar 3rd 2007 1:00PM by JC Fletcher
Filed under: News, Virtual Console

Ben Herman, who runs SNK Playmore USA, is almost as excited about Neo-Geo games on the Virtual Console as we are. In a recent interview, he discussed SNK's VC plans and Nintendo's operation of the system in general.

According to Herman, who, of course, can't give details, SNK expects to release "a certain limited number of titles per month," which is enough to have us cheering, because that's a lot more than the N64 is getting. It's also a much brisker release schedule than the Neo-Geo ever had. The best news, in our opinion? Herman is interested in the Virtual Console as a means of releasing lesser-known and niche games.

SNK isn't sure yet whether the Neo-Geo games on the VC will be the AES home versions or the MVS arcade cartridges. We had no idea there was a difference!

Of course, there has to be bad news, and it's kind of big: Herman says that Nintendo is not letting publishers add online functionality to games, VC or retail, and probably will continue this restriction throughout 2007.

Herman goes on to talk about Nintendo's console library, saying that Nintendo has all of the code for third-party NES and SNES games and needs only permission to release them. Which means Konami officially has no excuse for the fact that we haven't played Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse on the Wii yet. Konami, you're on notice!

Qwerty 42 · Post by **Qwerty 42** » 2007-03-04 10:38pm

Now, Nintendo, I love you guys and all, but seriously? It's time to jump in, stop toeing the water. I thought last generation taught us that.

Spanky The Dolphin · Post by **Spanky The Dolphin** » 2007-03-04 11:16pm

I hope that just means that Nintendo wants to test the waters of their online service themselves with their own games before letting third parties join in...

Additionally, it's kind of a given that Virtual Console games won't ever have online capability. Really, people, it's not going to happen, so stop harping about it. Nintendo's said at the beginning that they weren't going to touch the games at all.

PS: Added button mapping to VC games isn't going to happen, either, so you can stop begging for that, too.

Post by **weemadando** » 2007-03-05 01:59am

Why the hell they didn't just license one of the fucking emulators which already has online support, button mapping and WORKING FUCKING SUPPORT FOR PAL SYSTEMS!

Sharp-kun · Post by **Sharp-kun** » 2007-03-05 04:30am

Um, why?

Stark · Post by **Stark** » 2007-03-05 08:07am

weemadando wrote:Why the hell they didn't just license one of the fucking emulators which already has online support, button mapping and WORKING FUCKING SUPPORT FOR PAL SYSTEMS!

Like Wii Sports (a bunch of interesting games with ZERO OPTIONS) the VC is neat, but the lack of features is just STUPID. It's like Red Steel and it's laughable multi configuration: it's the 21st century, and we expect to have options.

Sure, it's the Wii, hide them or whatever... but having VC 'save states'... but only one... and you HAVE TO LOAD IT... and it's gone every time...

Seriously, it's like they want to give us a TASTE of how neat it would be, but never give us anything full-featured. The PAL thing is just LAME.

Spanky The Dolphin · Post by **Spanky The Dolphin** » 2007-03-05 12:47pm

Word on the tubes seems to be that this report is bullshit.

Xisiqomelir · Post by **Xisiqomelir** » 2007-03-05 12:50pm

Spanky The Dolphin wrote:Word on the tubes seems to be that this report is bullshit.

If Blazing Angels comes out with working online, it will be decisive.

Spanky The Dolphin · Post by **Spanky The Dolphin** » 2007-03-05 03:16pm

No it won't. That game's projected release, the end of this month, is way too early. If that game was online capable, then we would have already heard that Nintendo long ago flipped the switch and would have had their own first party online playability out.

Reggie, for one, has already said that developers have been given the kits for online features. This report is really nothing more than unconfirmed rumouring bullshit by Wired and SPOnG, from the gist I've gotten over at PA.

Admiral Valdemar · Post by **Admiral Valdemar** » 2007-03-05 03:20pm

Bleh, well this is just adding to my "don't buy Wii till later" pile of reasons. I want better games and good online support, otherwise it's just a GC with shinier graphics and a gimmick controller.

DevNull · Post by **DevNull** » 2007-03-05 03:55pm

Admiral Valdemar wrote:Bleh, well this is just adding to my "don't buy Wii till later" pile of reasons. I want better games and good online support, otherwise it's just a GC with shinier graphics and a gimmick controller.

The point is the controller isn't gimmicky, it makes games more immersive. I usually play wii sports multiplayer but there are 4 or 5 very good games out and some alright ones. The games I have for it are plenty enough to keep me interested until Batallion Wars comes out, it will have online play and will rule. Later in the year you've got Metroid, Mario and SSB.

Sharp-kun · Post by **Sharp-kun** » 2007-03-05 04:02pm

DevNull wrote: it makes games more immersive.

Some yes, but not enough to really interest me. Its fun for multiplayer but when I'm in bed playing an rpg I don't really see it being much use.

DevNull wrote:Later in the year you've got Metroid, Mario and SSB.

When?

DevNull · Post by **DevNull** » 2007-03-05 04:07pm

Sharp-kun wrote:
DevNull wrote: it makes games more immersive.
Some yes, but not enough to really interest me. Its fun for multiplayer but when I'm in bed playing an rpg I don't really see it being much use.

DevNull wrote:Later in the year you've got Metroid, Mario and SSB.
When?

The dates aren't fixed yet but they'll be in the 3rd-4th quarter from what I've read.

Admiral Valdemar · Post by **Admiral Valdemar** » 2007-03-06 01:56pm

DevNull wrote:
The point is the controller isn't gimmicky, it makes games more immersive. I usually play wii sports multiplayer but there are 4 or 5 very good games out and some alright ones. The games I have for it are plenty enough to keep me interested until Batallion Wars comes out, it will have online play and will rule. Later in the year you've got Metroid, Mario and SSB.

At the moment, it is a gimmick. A few games consisting of various mini-games that emulate the sort of thing I can do with the DS stylus is hardly anything more than a cheap cash-in to show some abilities the Wiimote can do. Until they bring out decent, first- and third-party games that fully appreciate the Wiimote's function, rather than being second-rate or incredibly tacked on ports from other consoles, it won't warrant my cash. The advantage with buying my DS Lite when it launched was it had 18 months of games and support before that.

Xisiqomelir · Post by **Xisiqomelir** » 2007-03-06 03:12pm

Spanky The Dolphin wrote:No it won't. That game's projected release, the end of this month, is way too early.

What? If Blazing Angels comes out with online multiplayer, it will be a definite disproof of this story. Or did you misread me and think I was saying it lacking online multiplayer would be a positive proof?

Qwerty 42 · Post by **Qwerty 42** » 2007-03-06 04:25pm

I think he was expressing doubt that that particular game would have online at all.

Also, Wii post :p

Praxis · Post by **Praxis** » 2007-03-06 04:50pm

Xisiqomelir wrote:
Spanky The Dolphin wrote:Word on the tubes seems to be that this report is bullshit.
If Blazing Angels comes out with working online, it will be decisive.

Why would anyone expect Blazing Angels to have online? Call of Duty didn't.

There's only one online Wii game, Pokemon Battle Revolution, and its only out in Japan.

Wait for Super Mario Strikers Charged to come out here.

Vendetta · Post by **Vendetta** » 2007-03-06 07:21pm

DevNull wrote:The point is the controller isn't gimmicky, it makes games more immersive.

See, until the game library is strong in depth, the controller is still just a gimmick. It will need a wide variety of titles that really demonstrate why it is a must have feature, rather than a nice but not essential add-on.

Shinier graphics with more believable effects make a game more immersive as well.