We won't dwell too long on the fact that the Virtual Console isn't part of Nintendo's plans for Switch, but the desire for retro games on the console remains as high as ever - which is why the news that a Game Boy game is coming to the system is such big news for the wears of rose-tinted specs.
However, before you get too excited, there's a considerable catch here.
The game in question is Sagaia, which is part of Taito's Darius series. As you'll know if you tuned into the site last week, Taito is releasing a Darius collection on Switch which will include titles such as Darius, Darius II and Darius Gaiden as well as a few other entries as part of the limited edition version of the game. The ports are being handled by emulation experts M2.
There's more good news for Darius fans, though. Retailer Amazon has just announced that it will be offering the Game Boy version of Sagaia as a DLC reward for those who pre-order. The offer will begin on Amazon Prime Day in Japan, which takes place on July 16th.
We still don't know if Darius Cozmic Collection is bound for the west, but if it is, we hope the same offer is rolled out here, too.
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[source japanesenintendo.com]
Comments 15
YOU wont dwell on it.
Trust me, my saltiness will remain until the Switch Online service actually delivers, or I get another... alternative.
This Darius Collection is a mess and I hate it.
@Heavyarms55 Amen to that!
@Heavyarms55 To be honest whatever happens it’s a con. Those that spent a fortune on the VC should and could have expect to use those purchase on future machines.
If you own digital copies of BC games on Xbox they work still - Xbox don’t sell you it again.
Craziest thing. Not only is it exclusive to Japan, but it's exclusive to Amazon in Japan, and only if you buy the Darius Collection, but only if you pre-order the Darius Collection.
The most exclusive of Switch exclusivities surely.
@Stocksy Not just that, but for some games, you actually get benefits even for decade+ old original Xbox games, like running on 4K on an XBX. Even though you just pop in your old disc, download the content and voila! Compared to Nintendo's approach, one could reasonably argue that Microsoft must have lost it senses to even consider doing something like this ... no less actually pulling it off. I mean, Xbox games are much harder to emulate than NES, SNES or N64 games, not to mention GB/GC/GBA or NDS games.
That you cannot even rebuy those games all over on the Switch (which would feel scammy enough) is just adding insult to injury.
@AXM Same boat; the restrictions of what games you get based on what edition and now this. My excitement has completely fizzled away. Just release a bog standard collection of all the games!
I hope we get that collection, Darius Gaiden is in my top 3 of all time shoot em ups. I still have it on Saturn, but it would be awesome to make it portable
@Stocksy I don't agree. While that would be nice, you are not entitled to have Nintendo constantly update and create software for you to run your game on future devices forever. When you buy a game for a device, it is for that device. PC is actually no different. A game is made compatiable with certain OS's and hardware boundaries. While a lot of game companies do update their content to be played on newer devices, they are under no obligation to do so.
@Stocksy I'm with @Heavyarms55 here. While BC is fairly common and Nintendo did make their GC/Wii games universally BC on the Wii/Wii U, respectively, it is by no means a feature that consumers are entitled to; it is a gift. Just like all these ports of old, discontinued games. Sure, we have to pay for them, but the alternative is to buy (or dust off) the old system in order to play it, which can get expensive or become a pain to do.
Hell, I'll go one step further and say that companies who do multiplat releases are not obligated to do cross-buy. Those companies are developing for multiple consoles (thus, spending more time and resources), so why should consumers believe they're entitled to get the game on all platforms just because they bought it once on a single console? That is not good business sense.
@Kilroy @Heavyarms55 Nintendo disagree. It’s why they have “shelved” the term Virtual Console - they know they can’t have it on another console and expect people to pay for the same content.
The term itself suggests you are paying for a console that is virtual and accessible on more than one device.
Some of these games some of us have bought in various form 7/8 times.
The goodwill has/will start to wane and they know it.
I suspect the way they will get round charging me for all the same games is by them being included in the online pass and some sort of subscription.
This will of course please short term if - I can play them without internet connection (short term) - but long term I will feel slightly disappointed.
Xbox has shown what people want, access to play generations of consoles on one machine.
Imagine that on a Nintendo.
(Impossible with discs/carts etc but still)
The original Ds with gba was a dream
So... does Amazon Japan have international shipping? I assume they accept PayPal?
Wow. Did Taito see the comment I left on the original NL article? I mentioned this exact game.
@Stocksy I agree that people want it. I even agree that some of the good will has faded, but a guarantee you, people would still buy them. Especially with the Switch flourishing and a lot of people returning to Nintendo after a lack of interest in Wii U or even Wii and Wii U.
@Heavyarms55 they would buy them yes - but Nintendo would have done far better launching a robust well supported VC. I’d have spent hundreds on my library if I thought it would last me more than one device. As it is I’ve spent barely anything. If you could play the classic games on all your newish Nintendo devices they would make far more money.
Milking a small percentage will of course work and some of us will double dip on our faves.
But I’d have 70+ bought on nes and SNES titles alone if I could use them on 3ds and switch.
I suspect I will get what I want with this online sub and it’ll be cheaper but it wont quite be what I want but that is often the case with Nintendo
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