Rumor: DSI to get VC for Gameboy and GBA games

[8th lutz]

http://kotaku.com/5181298/dsi-to-get-virtu...-game-boy-games

 

The catch is it will be limited to first party games in the beginning at least.

[Inky]

http://kotaku.com/5181298/dsi-to-get-virtu...-game-boy-games

 

The catch is it will be limited to first party games in the beginning at least.

 

Yay! Then we can be treated to thier crappy GBA ports of Marble Madness and Rampart on the Wii!

[Gregory DG]

No need. I have a flash card with a NES & GB emulator plus the GBA cart. Been playing on my old DS Phat (and now Lite) for 2 years now.

[Reaperman]

this has been talked about since nintendo started talking DSI. They removed the gba port from a system that had it...just so they could sell gba games in a new format. If it's true they're nothing but greedly little punks. They've been selling us new ports of their games for some time now, but this would just be about it for me.

[Video]

I know that.

 

I still play my GBA more than my DS (simply cause all the DS games suck, and DMG/color games rule) I got an adaptor to play DMG/color on DS, but what's the point? Their takeing out the GBAslot, and I won't be getting one of those.

[shadow460]

Doesn't the PSP have a good Game Boy emulator?

 

*runs*

 

lol, I was kidding. I will probably keep an eye on this. I have a DS Lite currently that doesn't get used. If there was a way to run original GB games on it, I'd be very interested. The lion's share of my Nintendo collection period is made up of N64 and classic Game Boy titles. I'd love to be able to play them with a good backlit screen without having to carry some extra device around besides the DS.

[mimo]

Thanks Nintendo we can now buy the same games again in a different way.

Sticking to my DSL with the GBA cart slot thanks very much

[godslabrat]

this has been talked about since nintendo started talking DSI. They removed the gba port from a system that had it...just so they could sell gba games in a new format. If it's true they're nothing but greedly little punks. They've been selling us new ports of their games for some time now, but this would just be about it for me.

 

This sucks, but it doesn't suck quite that badly. Look at it from a platform perspective: the Game Boy line was officially dissolved ~2 years ago. Prior to that, there was a serious dearth of good GBA games, most of the A-list titles were DS games. So, the GBA has been effectively moot since at least 2006. So, putting a GBA slot on the DS would only serve to allow people to play games that were 3+ years old and there is no way the slot would have any functionality for games currently on the market. That's pretty important from Nintendo's perspective. I'd say this is less about them trying to re-sell the old games and more about them wanting to cut out the cost of supporting the old GB line.

 

Either way, I disagree with their decision, but I don't think Nintendo's motives for the decision are quite that shallow.

 

Re-selling the titles via VC is a nice perk for them, but I think their primary motivation is going to be the money they save in finally mothballing the GB tech. It's interesting, seeing Nintendo drop GB support, and now Sony is rumored to be dropping UMD support. Are the days of handhelds being backwards compatible finished?

[Video]

What I"LL KILL (actually, if I had a brain, I could hack my PSP to be an emulator, instead of doing PnP with DS, but as it stands, I've got a netbook in the mail that'll do all that and more, not quiet as pocket friendly, but a LOT cooler)

 

As for the GBA, well, yeah, It's been out of the running for a while, but honestly, most the people I know of even around here are playing GBA games on their ds to this day, the reason "no good games" were made for it during the DS release, is a way to force people to migrate over to the DS, it simi worked, I got one, but used from a pawn shop for $50, not new from Nintendo for $180 (I think it was at the time) And you know what? Other than overly gimmicky with touchy feely, the awkward multi screen format, and blowing in games, the only good games on the thing could have easily been done on the GBA (or a true successor, instead of a halfasser)

 

But, that aside, how about accessories? Id still like to see some new accessories, the GH thing is cool, but I could see a way to make a new one that uses the touch screen exclusively or something, but that's not the limits, more memory, like the N64 8meg upgrade, save carts, rumble (if they did a better GBC style one instead of the shitty DS one) All that's going to be gone, and I know I'm probbaly anal, but I love accessories, if it wasn't for MMD, I would have gotten rid of it again, probably for the final time and the GBA been my last handheld (the PSP almost was there, but it wants to much to be a full console, without enough power or controlls, need the second stick, and its to stuck up to do handheld pick up and play type of games)

 

I'll probably look at it, but at the moment, Im probably lookinginto getting another DS, as a backup to min that's about worn out.

[RGB_Gamer]

I'll be keeping my GBA and DS. My DS has a DSone slot-1 flash cart with 8gb SDHC card and a Supercard Lite slot-2 GBA flashcart with 2gb SD card. For GB mono and GBC games, I have my backlit GBA system (Model AGS-101 - better quality that the older front lit systems) and two Bung 64mb flash carts.

 

If one day I want to play any DSi games, I will just get a DSi system.

[Wickeycolumbus]

Maybe it can be tricked into running GBA/GBC ROMs downloaded from the internet

[Atariboy]

So still no word?

 

I doubt its going to happen, I assume whatever GBA hardware that was in the DS for compatibility was removed for space considerations right along with the cartridge slot, and I doubt the DS has the muscle to emulate the GBA.

 

I can't imagine them maintaining the necessary GBA hardware internally just for a VC style of service and nothing else, unless its actually utilized by the DS hardware and has to be there.

 

Assuming GBA compatibility is achieved like PS2 compatibility was in the PS3, so I might be completely wrong.

Edited April 3, 2009 by Atariboy

[figgler]

If this is feasible it would be a cool implementation. I can't see myself using it as there are not many GB games that I want and don't have.

 

I have to wonder though, who is going to pay for 20 year old games that aren't even in colour? People like us might, but not Joe Average I'd think

[Video]

I don't know,　I still prefer the original Tetris and it's ass kicking music to the color and advance versions. There are tons of great games on there.

 

I agree though, the DS does NOT have the power to fully emulate the GBA, it works because there's legit GBA hardware in it, but it simply doesn't have the power to push it strictly software. I don't know if the DS uses GBA hardware in any ways, I seem to remember the GBC being pretty open to GBA stuff, so that's why it's hardware is in there, even without BCsupport.

[Warriorisabouttodie]

The hardware to play GBA carts is part of the DS architecture. Anotherwords, when you run a DS game it is using both processors, so they couldn't "take out the GBA compatibility." They just took out the GBA slot so the DSi could have a thinner form factor. I have a DS LITE and use it to run Gameboy color and Gameboy games without much of a problem thru an emulator/flash card combo. I rarely play GBA games on my DS, so I wouldn't mind losing the GBA slot. I have a GBA SP2 which I use for GBA games when I feel the need.

 

BTW I don't agree there aren't any good games on the DS. I do agree there is a lot of crap, but I have close to 100 good games for mine. There is a hell of a lot of crap titles for the GBA too if you think about it. Most DS games are well beyond what a GBA is capable of technically as well. I don't relate to what you said at all. Maybe you have had bad luck picking out DS games? I have a flashcard so I get to try them all, which helps me weed out the good from the bad.

Edited April 5, 2009 by Warriorisabouttodie

[Atariboy]

Thanks for the clarification, I wasn't sure if that was the case like the 2600's hardware being integrated and necessary for the 7800 to operate, or if it was more like PS2 compatibility in the PS3 where the chips were only needed for PS2 compatibility and weren't integrated into the PS3's functions.

[NinjaWarrior]

I hope they do Game Gear Games

[Video]

That's true, I suppose I'm just a little hard on the DS cause all the games I really like on there, could have easily been done on the GBA, it was just done on the DS as an excuse to get people to buy that system. Oh, except Brain Age, that was the shit, even if the voice recognition sucked and the handwriting screwed up on occasion. But Advance wars? The only thing GBA couldn't have done is display two screens at once (and Im still always hitting R to try to pull up the info screen even though its always up top ) Maybe the mode 7ish look of the battlefield wouldn't have been as smooth, but I prefer the non scaled GBA as I can see it better. Mario's 3D, but it could have easily been dumbed down to 2D and would have looked almost exactly the same on the GBA . I mean Super Mario Bros DS, not SM64, now that's one of the few games I'd readily say the GBA couldn't have done, with any ammout of cutting down, though it might have been interesting to see how a severly cut down for GBA SM64 would have looked (like ass probably but )

 

That would be cool, and the GGs 8 bit, so it shouldn't be to hard, though the only games I liked on htere are Sonic, and I'd probably rather play Genny or GBA versions of that...

 

Maybe they could emulate the NeoGeoPocket Color? Ton of fighting games mostly, but I loved Bustamove on there, and it had a decent sonic game,

Edited April 7, 2009 by Video

[shep]

Pokemon Red-Crystal will sell like hotcakes, again...we all know this, so no matter how often Nintendo denies it, we know it's coming. Next.

[Video]

That's true...of course, if the DS can be tricked into running any rom, then I might finely box the GBA and slam my whole collection onto a memory card for the DS, but we'll have to wait and see if the apps come out or not.

 

Me, I always waited for the "special" Pokemon games (yellow in relation to red/blue, crystal in relation to gold/silver...I think I just bought Ruby, and was dissappointed that in many ways it was a step down from crystal Oh well, haven't bought one since)

Edited April 9, 2009 by Video

[2600FunTimes]

I actually have yet to see a topic on this GB VC subject that doesn't have the word "rumor" in it

 

I agree that it would be pretty cool, and I would probably get a couple of titles for it, seeing as I'll be on the go a lot more often, and it won't be simple to just take an old-old gameboy with everything else of mine, heh.

 

..as for GBA games, probably not going to even consider getting a port of one of those, unless it's really that hard of a game to find.

 

Most people keep mentioning how "greedy" nintendo is though, but seriously, every [successful] game company has done something similar to this. Sounds like most of the angered ones though are fans of the GBA games, and that's understandable, considering the games still seem pretty fresh and new.. it hasn't been too long at all. For example, you don't see any GameCube games for download on Wii's virtual console (..yet).

 

I personally think it's an awesome idea for the old-old Gameboy games, especially if it's games that cost an arm and a leg on auction sites, or that you can never find in thrift stores.

 

..I'd like to save my "collecting" money for my Atari game finds, but thats just me

 

I hope they do Game Gear Games

 

..never even though of that. Me too. Would be nice to play on a well lit screen.

Edited April 16, 2009 by 2600FunTimes

[StoneAgeGamer]

So they remove the GBA slot and then charge you to buy the games again through the VC? Sounds pretty craptacular to me. I think the VC stuff is starting to kill backwards capability. Instead of making your systems backwards compatible lets charge everyone again for games they already own.

[2600FunTimes]

More than likely, we won't be seeing any GBA games on the VC for a very long time. The VC would more than likely feature original GB games.

 

I don't understand why people are getting so trigger happy to complain about the details of an implementation that hasn't even happened yet.. I know the game companies have seemed more greedy as of late (especially nintendo), but geeze.

[2600FunTimes]

Double-posted, my bad.

Edited April 18, 2009 by 2600FunTimes