VC prices -- Stop being a pussy.

destro713

destro713

CAGiversary!
Feedback
1 (100%)
Virtual Console games are not overpriced. They are only overpriced when you compare them to illegal emulation, which is free of course, and any pricing scheme is too much when you compare it to free. That's like saying a $2 CD is way overpriced because you're used to paying $0 on your P2P client. It's not realistic.

What you have to compare it to is how much it would cost you to get the original game at will. Yes, you MAY be able to find any given NES game at a flea market for 1 or 2 bucks. But if I randomly pick some VC game -- say, Wario's Woods -- the likelihood that your local thrift store will have that game right now at this very instant, waiting for you to grab, is pretty damn low. Maybe you'll find it if you keep checking back there for 6 months, but VC offers instant gratification so that's what it has to be compared to.

Pretty much the only place where you can be guaranteed that any of these old games will be available to purchase right now is eBay. In my experience, most eBay sellers charge $2.50-4.50 to ship an NES game. You're getting NES games on the VC for $5 and tax, or less if you get your points the Cheap Ass way. The VC route will be the better deal 99% of the time, unless you score a super-uninteresting NES game through some 1¢ auction.

When you get into SNES and Genesis games it's even more dramatic, since the shipping figures stay about the same and many of these games are simply impossible to get for $8 shipped on eBay. Some you can't even get for twice that. Mario RPG for $8 is an absolute steal.

I just did an eBay completed items search and the lowest successful auction price that Mario 64 has gone for recently is about $12. And considering that the VC version of Mario 64 can be played with a better controller and is actually better-looking (so they say) and runs in progressive, it's really no contest.

And I know that none of you even have a TG-16.

Nintendo's VC prices are competing with, and beating, the prices on the used market. So stop it already.
 
Agreed.

Not only that but they run in progressive scan instantly making them better than the NES / SNES originals (imo). I can't even play my SNES on my HDTV since it looks like shit.

You'll get the people who say they can get rom's for free, and I have a shit ton of rom's myself but it's not the same as playing on a television with a controller.

I'm interested in both Kirby 3 and Kirby Superstar when they come out since both games are at least $20 a piece on Ebay before shipping. I'll gladly pay $8 for them.
 
Yeah, I know. The prices aren't bad, the only problem I have is just the willingness to spend $5 on an NES game or put that $5 towards a new game. It would be totally worth the price if they would just add online multiplayer to some of the more multiplayer-oriented games. In fact, I don't see a problem if they charged an extra $1-2 for the online multiplayer version or something like that, so $6 for bomberman 93 or $8 for bomberman 93 online. That would be awesome.

They do have in the manual that it's possible for "updates" to come out for the VC games. Maybe just for better emulation, but maybe if there's demand....maybe.....probably not, but we can hope...
 
I was being facetious.

Most people don't have A TG-16. I know a whole lot of gamers, and I only know one person who had one.
 
Sure. You can buy Mario 64 from Ebay for 12.00 or spend 10.00 on the VC but atleast on Ebay you actually get something physical. I'll pay half of ebay's prices for VC.
 
[quote name='Spades22']They are still overpriced. You're getting an N64 game for the price of a GC game.[/QUOTE]

Which GameCube games worth playing are $10 used even, much less new?

I can think of one or two, off the top of my head, based on gamestop/eb prices.
 
[quote name='Spades22']They are still overpriced. You're getting an N64 game for the price of a GC game.[/QUOTE]

N64 games on the VC are cleaned up and look better.

Most N64 first party games on Ebay go for $10 or so anyways, I know Mario 64 used to (and still probably does). I'd rather have a cleaned up version on the Wii for the same price.
 
[quote name='pimpinc333']Sure. You can buy Mario 64 from Ebay for 12.00 or spend 10.00 on the VC but atleast on Ebay you actually get something physical. I'll pay half of ebay's prices for VC.[/QUOTE]

Have you seen how much better Mario64 looks? Especially in HD, they've toned down on a lot of the texture filtering and stretching that made it look so blurry in many areas, and increased the resolution.

Not to mention you can now exit out of the VC emulator at any time and when you go back in it saves your state. I think the VC is worth every penny. Only concern I have is storage space, because I know I'm going to be buying a lot of VC games.
 
Not only are these fair prices (Would I like them to be 250, 500, and 750? Sure, but that doesn't make the current price range too expensive), but in addition to everything the topic poster and others pointed out, you don't have to blow on the Wii to get them to run!*

*--Yet...or if you just like doing that sort of thing, sicko.

EDIT: The whole 'overpriced' argument also breaks down when (hopefully) Nintendo starts offering the rarer games. I missed out on Super Metroid, but I'll wait for the $8.00, instantly-downloadable version, not the $20+ eBay purchase, thank you very much. And, say, Chrono Trigger? Oy vey!
 
[quote name='pimpinc333']Sure. You can buy Mario 64 from Ebay for 12.00 or spend 10.00 on the VC but atleast on Ebay you actually get something physical. I'll pay half of ebay's prices for VC.[/QUOTE]


For me, something physical = more space taken up. I don't mind paying more just so I can store it invisibly and not have to hook a whole new system and deal with a different controller.
 
It depends on the game. Certain SNES/Gen games for $8 is nuts.
Example: Altered Beast. I think that game is pretty cool. $8 cool? No way! Gunstar Heroes? Yes, $8 cool.

It's really about the quality of certain games. A game like Pinball for NES for $5??? No way!! Legend of Zelda for $5? Of course! That's the real complaint about the VC prices.

Yes, you can get some of these cheaper from eBay/flea markets. But it's played all on 1 system. You can buy 20 games in the next 2 years..and there's no clutter of games. So you can play these games with no clutter/place to put them..and it's all on 1 hook up. That right there makes it worth it.

Because of the Wii, it's a space saver. I can play GC games on it, now some NES, SNES, Gen, N64 and TG16 games...with 1 system. That's great :)
 
[quote name='lilboo']It depends on the game. Certain SNES/Gen games for $8 is nuts.
Example: Altered Beast. I think that game is pretty cool. $8 cool? No way! Gunstar Heroes? Yes, $8 cool.

It's really about the quality of certain games. A game like Pinball for NES for $5??? No way!! Legend of Zelda for $5? Of course! That's the real complaint about the VC prices.

Yes, you can get some of these cheaper from eBay/flea markets. But it's played all on 1 system. You can buy 20 games in the next 2 years..and there's no clutter of games. So you can play these games with no clutter/place to put them..and it's all on 1 hook up. That right there makes it worth it.

Because of the Wii, it's a space saver. I can play GC games on it, now some NES, SNES, Gen, N64 and TG16 games...with 1 system. That's great :)[/QUOTE]

Go on Ebay and look at completed auctions for Altered Beast... after shipping, most of them get you pretty damn close to $8, save for $1 or two. It should be cheaper, yes, but you're paying the same price if you decide to pay it through Ebay for the most part.

Same with Pinball... even if you got the game for 99 cents, shipping on Ebay is $4 (or even higher), so you're still paying $5 for a Pinball cart. The games may not be worth that much to you or me, but hell, someone somewhere is enjoying Altered Beast - more power to them.

Now people may find these games used through other avenues but for many people, myself included since I don't have good luck finding old console games here for cheap, Ebay is the only route.

I'd rather have 480p, cleaned up, save state enabled games for the same price I'll pay to just get the cart on Ebay.

And like Apossum said, games on the VC take up no space and I don't need 10 different consoles hooked up to the television.

The VC on the Wii is 75% of the reason I'm even going to buy a Wii.
 
Still 10 bucks US for a N64 game is crazy, especially when you can get something that you can actually sell afterwards. On the other hand...I do like it for the odd game such as OOT and Mario RPG for SNES. I mean I usually played MArio RPG on PC but its not the same, and I'm too lazy to hook up my SNES and go through the hassle of finding the title, since I dont use ebay. So the handyness of it is good, but I think the prices are FAR too high. Especially when I can get collections on a disc for waaaaay cheaper.

Also say your system dies...do your VC games die with it? Or are they transferred to a new system if you buy one?
 
The VC is gold - very nice OP (and title!), destro.

I'm not even going to ask for any Wii games this Christmas, just a shitload of Wii points; the VC is one of the main reasons I bought a Wii.
 
[quote name='osmosis11']thier is 27 genesis games for 19.99 in the sega genesis collection on ps2. so 8 bucks a piece on the VC is kinda expensive[/QUOTE]

Which isn't on the Wii, so it dosen't matter if you don't own a ps2 / psp.

Enjoy that collection while it lasts... I myself LOVE collections like this but I'm worried we'll see the end of them now that companies can just drop bits and pieces on the Wii.

But we'll see lots of games that never made it on a collection so it works out nicely.
 
nintendo stated somewhere that they can transfer your vc data onto another wii if yours dies. Also, kind of does away with getting warranties seeing how you will lose all your vc if you trade it into gamestop.
 
Sega Genesis Collection PS2
28 games - $20

It's nice to see how yall are happily lapping at Reggie's spoon.
 
thier is 27 genesis games for 19.99 in the sega genesis collection on ps2. so 8 bucks a piece on the VC is kinda expensive

Yeah, and I got that. And I'm not buying those games for the VC. The difference is, the Nintendo first-party games will probably never be on compilation discs, not to mention many of the third-party titles that are bound to hit the VC eventually.

To reiterate, I think the VC overall is very fair, but one still has to be smart about one's purchases on it, especially when a compilation disc like this is available.

EDIT: Enjoy that collection while it lasts... I myself LOVE collections like this but I'm worried we'll see the end of them now that companies can just drop bits and pieces on the Wii.

You're already seeing it with classic coin-op collections being replaced by $5-$10 Live Arcade individual releases. Luckily, I've got probably 80% of the games from that era I'd want to play on disc form already. I do think, however, that games like Robotron 2084 or Defender will eventually see price cuts on Live, and will ultimately be offered for as low as 100 points each, probably towards the end of the console's life cycle. I mean, if people just aren't downloading your quarter-century-old game after some point, why not?
 
That's how I feel, the PS2 version of the SGC is 28 games for $20. People have always complaigned about these microtransactions since the 360 launched, with good reason. But the thing is, with Xbox Live Arcade you are getting multiplayer, points/achievments, touched up graphics, and leaderboards. Certainly on the VC you are getting Nintendo games, 'nuff said right? Well I'm not one to happily slurp at Reggie's spoon. A very large part of the value from the VC is nostalgia, but a substancial amount of gamers who would experience this already own these games. Sure, you have to hook up the old consoles, with the VC it's all right at your fingertips. I will gobble up GoldenEye for $10 with bells on my feet, but there are not many other N64 games I'm going to spend that amount of money on.
 
Considering that n64 games are getting harder and harder to find locally (i can't even walk into a shop and see on around here anymore) the VC does offer a good way to get them without wasting all the gas looking.
 
here is the rub of it, if you think they are overpriced, dont buy it. You arent forced to purchase anything. Actually you should be happy for the VC games none the less, because it will probably lower the prices of the cartridge games.
 
[quote name='Jatsu']That's how I feel, the PS2 version of the SGC is 28 games for $20. People have always complaigned about these microtransactions since the 360 launched, with good reason. But the thing is, with Xbox Live Arcade you are getting multiplayer, points/achievments, touched up graphics, and leaderboards. Certainly on the VC you are getting Nintendo games, 'nuff said right? Well I'm not one to happily slurp at Reggie's spoon. A very large part of the value from the VC is nostalgia, but a substancial amount of gamers who would experience this already own these games.[/QUOTE]

Nintendo games have touched up graphics as well...480p support. I'm sure a ton of gamers have Mario and Zelda but I don't know many who have Kirby's Dreamland 3.

And a ton of the older games on XBLA DO NOT have touched up graphics other than 480p support.. none of the Namco ones do.
 
I can't wait to see what they put out for TG-16. Besides a couple games on the SNES, I'm most looking forward to TG-16. Too bad they aren't doing any Sega Master System games. Any rumors on that?
 
[quote name='jer7583']Which GameCube games worth playing are $10 used even, much less new?

I can think of one or two, off the top of my head, based on gamestop/eb prices.[/QUOTE]
I picked up Sonic mega collection, Metroid Prime 1 and 2, Super Mario Sunshine, Zelda, Mario Party 6 Resident Evil 4, Rouge Leader.... I think you get the point.
 
Its not that they are overpriced compared to Roms, it is that they are overpriced compared to Live Arcade (which is itself overpriced in my opinion). At the same pricepoints XBLA games have online leaderboards, online multiplay and/or co-op, and updated graphics. They are also have new games at the same price points.

If Capcom where to put Street Fighter 2 on Virtual Console you would have a choice between a SNES version for $8 or an online enabled arcade port for $5.

I hope there are soon some deals on Wii points cards where I can get points for $.50 on the Dollar(like that Best Buy Marketplace card deal) because there are games I want but right now its too much for me.
 
[quote name='SithFran']I can't wait to see what they put out for TG-16. Besides a couple games on the SNES, I'm most looking forward to TG-16. Too bad they aren't doing any Sega Master System games. Any rumors on that?[/QUOTE]

I, too, would be interested in some SMS games... They had some decent games on that console. Just so long as they don't put ALF up for sale... woof, what a dog that game was.
 
The main problem i have with the VC games is the fact that few features have been added. That's what makes them a rip-off.
If online play,etc.. were added then i would be 1st in line to buy them.

Also comparing a Physical game to a VC game is absurd.
With a physical game i have the option of reselling it & making most of my money back if i choose to. With a VC game your stuck with it.
 
[quote name='captaincold']
With a physical game i have the option of reselling it & making most of my money back if i choose to. With a VC game your stuck with it.[/QUOTE]

At least until the battery dies or the cart just up and stops working.

Both which have already started to happen to me.
 
They are overpriced. At these prices, they should have new features (leaderboards, achivements, re-skins, online multiplayer) like the Xbox Arcade titles have.
 
I have no problem with N64 prices, but Genises games at 8 bucks are rediculous, and to a lesser extent NES games could go for 3, and SNES for 7 maybe.
 
[quote name='Beer Monkey']They are overpriced. At these prices, they should have new features (leaderboards, achivements, re-skins, online multiplayer) like the Xbox Arcade titles have.[/quote]

I couldn't care less about achievements or leaderboards. I'd just like some improved graphics (which they're already doing) and online multiplayer on the few games that would be good with it.
 
I'm not sure how I really feel on the pricing yet. I'll decide on that one down the road. But really, we're paying for backwards compatability here. It's not a fair way of looking at it (mostly because of the cartridge factor) but it's true.
 
[quote name='captaincold']
With a physical game i have the option of reselling it & making most of my money back if i choose to. With a VC game your stuck with it.[/QUOTE]

Well, if anything, it'd certainly increase the value of the Wii system itself.
 
For Nintendo, VC is a great deal in that the development and maintenance costs are exceedingly low in exchange for the guaranteed money from Wii Point card sales at retailers (i.e. Nintendo gets their cash whether you decide to use those points or not).

For the customer, VC is obviously a good deal on rare titles, though the segment of customers who will see the value in the rare titles is fairly minimal. I don't know that a majority of Wii customers, including the new batch brought in through the so-called Blue Ocean strategy, would agree that the VC prices are a value. The comparison to bargain titles for other consoles is legitimate. (Why wouldn't somebody who doesn't know anything about games say, "Why should I pay $5 for some old game from 1986 when I can pay $4.92 for Chicken Little for the GC at Wal-Mart?") The sales will determine if the pricing is on target. However, Nintendo will never release the overall sales figures, so we'll never know the success of the VC at the current prices. I would imagine that the big IP titles like Zelda & Mario will sell no matter what, but the other titles are hard to call.

Anyhow, the question of VC pricing goes beyond looking at things simply as a gamer and saying, "Hey, I've already got 800 games in my collection, and since I can pay $8 via VC for a game that would cost me $35 on ebay, then VC is a hell of a deal. Quit yer bitchin'." There's still a question of "What price is a FAIR price?", which is to say what price will move games and keep both sides of the transaction happy. I don't think charging the same for Pinball as you do for SMB is necessarily fair, and I don't think they'll move many non-IP titles, but we'll see how it works out.

In the end, it's all money for jam for Nintendo. I doubt they'll budge on the price even if they don't sell much. They've made enough from repackaging old titles in new media formats that the VC can shrivel and die and Nintendo wouldn't bat an eyelash. The VC is a cash grab, it is not a pillar of their business model.
 
But the thing is, with Xbox Live Arcade you are getting multiplayer, points/achievments, touched up graphics, and leaderboards.

Not all of the coin-op Live Arcade games have multiplayer. Namely, anything from Namco, those slacking dips***s (but I stopped buying your lazy-assed offerings after Galaga, fuckers). And many of those that do have online play lose their 'community' within days of release.

At least some of the upcoming Atari arcade titles will be dual-packs (i.e. Centipede/Millipede, Asteroids/Asteroids Deluxe). It's a...start?
 
[quote name='SpazX']I couldn't care less about achievements or leaderboards. I'd just like some improved graphics (which they're already doing) and online multiplayer on the few games that would be good with it.[/QUOTE]

Leaderboards are damned cool - it is loads of fun to compete with your friends via shared scoreboards. Jeebus, look at how many forums have threads where people are posting their high scores in Wii Sports? It's nonsense to have to do that in this day and age.
 
[quote name='SMMM']Well, if anything, it'd certainly increase the value of the Wii system itself.[/QUOTE]

Funny you say that because it'll be interested to see how much a loaded Wii goes for on EBAY.
 
I think the VC games are a couple bucks overpriced across the board. I'm sure if Nintendo lowered their prices a couple bucks universally, people would be much more inclined to buy a lot more of the games and spend more in the process overall.

However, if Nintendo simply added the leaderboards as suggested above for the older games I would jump on a few of them for that price, even F-Zero which I can already play on 3 of my systems (original SNES, xbox, psp). Also, if true online play was added to a game like F-Zero or to Super Mario Kart when it comes out, I would gladly pay double at $15 just for that feature (original battle mode anytime would be awesome). The online features are a golden opportunity for Nintendo to resell the same games 10 years later to the same people who already have them and keep their fanbase extremely happy.

There is some hope that big N is already thinking about adding additional functionality if you read through the online manual on your wii for the shopping network. It says that any future "enhancements" will be free to add on to your already purchased VC games. I'm really hoping that those enhancements are the leaderboards/online play at some point in the next year. I will never bitch about the VC pricing again if that is the case.
 
[quote name='telemundus']
There is some hope that big N is already thinking about adding additional functionality if you read through the online manual on your wii for the shopping network. It says that any future "enhancements" will be free to add on to your already purchased VC games. I'm really hoping that those enhancements are the leaderboards/online play at some point in the next year. I will never bitch about the VC pricing again if that is the case.[/QUOTE]


WOW, biggest news about the Wii since launch.
Interesting......
 
I think those "enhancements" will just be the option of palette-swapping a black-and-white photo of Reggie's face onto your Mii or any in-game character.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
bread's done
Back
Top