Nintendo almost had everybody fooled. They only announced four games for release in this month's Hanabi Festival, and then proceeded to release all of them in two weeks, despite Hanabi Festivals usually lasting three or four weeks. But if you take a look at the Wii Shop Channel right now, you can see that they have one more game up their sleeve.
Ogre Battle 64: Person of Lordly Caliber is the sequel to the SNES game, which was released as import last year. It basically plays exactly the same as its predecessor, just with some 3D effects (The characters and most backgrounds are still 2D). It's a real treat for any strategy game fans, as it's one of the only games in the genre the N64 has to offer, and it's also one of the most highly regarded strategy games, period.
Of particular note is also that it will be published by Square Enix, making it the very first N64 VC game not to be published by Nintendo. Hope for the future, perhaps? No price point has been announced, but we're expecting it to be 1200 Wii Points, just like Sin & Punishment.
Also releasing on Virtual Console this Friday is Fatal Fury Special, which was released elsewhere some time ago. You can read our review here.
Comments 42
This is one of my favorite games of all time, on any system, of any genre.
It is in my N64 right now.
One of those games that I believed never to able to play. This was the best Hanabi fest yet for us euroland gamers for sure. 1200 points, tough...ouch.
Square Enix is publishing the game in Europe? That's awesome! Here's to hoping for more 3rd party Nintendo 64 games.
Hip hip hooray for EU's Virtual Console line up for this week.
should be fine since sin and punishment is locked in 60hz.
This actually looks pretty good, but I still need to finish the SNES game!
This compensates the wait for Cave Story for me! Nothing else could have saved my coming fridays!
Sweet! I so wanted this game back in the day. I used to remember Official Nintendo Magazine teasing me that it'll appear in the UK, same with Harvest Moon 64, but it never did... But now I can get it without paying the crazy import prices!
A developer by the name of Quest who made a midevil fantasy game for Square. It all seems fitting.
One of the best 64 bit game ever
Cool! I've wanted this for a long time.
OMFG!@#! WILL IT HIT AMERICA NEXT MONDAY!??!
Its not currently ESRB rated. If it does get rated by Monday then there's a chance.
It's also a true bargain considering the high price-point the original US cart costs on the used market.
This will almost make up for that gimped version of IronClad they gave us the other week!
I hope this hits the NA market soon! I'm not touching the 1500 points on my Wii.
I played this game 7 times over... it was THAT fun to me, and my first ever strategy RPG. This definitely helped make those dark N64 days brighter... I'm tempted that if this comes to the states I may download this. I wonder if the item duplication trick still works...? Hmm...
Nice surprise and I hope we get more 3rd party nintendo64 vc games in the future
That's nice, hope to see more N64 games.
Sweet, I guess I now have 4000 more Wii points already spoken for.
I still need to start the SNES one.
Only persons of lordly caliber should download this.
"This was the best Hanabi fest yet for us euroland gamers"
I agree.
And the real Final Fantasy 3 is a decent game also. They should not skip it.
Yeah, it's been a very good month for VC in Europe. Once you guys get this game the disparity between the western countries seems a little less glaring. I know you all are still waiting on Mario Kart but hey, look at it this way, we had to wait half a year for Smash, so it's not like the coin doesn't have two sides. I'm also willing to bet North America won't be getting OG64 right away either.
I remember reading about this in N64 Magazine waaaaay back.
I also seem to remember there being an illustration by Wil Overton, just for that article. Anybody else remember that?
Good on Nintendo for giving a pleasant surprise, rather than disappointment. Sadly I'm not a fan of turn based RPG/strategy games, so could you please squeeze in Ninja Gaiden 2 next week Mr Nintendo?
Is it real-time or turn-based strategy?
Yeah a New N64 game! You're luckies EU
We are so lucky
"Is it real-time or turn-based strategy?"
Sort of a hybrid. Units move on the stage map in real time, but so slowly that it may as well be turn based--plus you can pause to give orders at any time. Actual battles are hands off; your soldiers act independently based on where they're positioned in the unit (a character might do two melee attacks in the front row, for instance, but cast a spell from the back row) and what basic command you've given the unit (attack the leader, attack the weakest enemy, etc.).
Anyway, this is about as good as VC news can get. I only hope North America doesn't have to wait too long.
ooooooo yes third game coming to us blaster master
Not Friday though, Blaster Master's probably next week.
may be
YES!!! A new N64 game! Maybe there is still hope for getting Mario Party this year after all!
Enjoy Europe. I still own this title. One of the best N64 games out there. Love this game.
It is rated though? the original game was rated
Who would have thought this many years into the life of the Wii and Virtual Console, that this would be the first 3rd party published title for the N64? Pretty crazy, but at least it's finally happened. Hopefully it won't be the first AND last one.
I wonder if they are going to edit some of the language? Hopefully not.
@PopeReal: Why should they edit the language? I haven't played the game yet.
I know it's Hanabi but we havn't had Super Mario Kart yet, it's been 3 months...
Please Nintendo not too much longer now.
Ogre Battle 64 is not only sorta third party, Nintendo published it in Japan (both the original N64 version and the VC version).
Huh. So it is 1200 points after all. N64 games get a 200 point import tax rather than the standard 100. And the next VC release for us is NES Blaster Master. Most likely to be the lone VC release.
Wow. Holy eff. This is huge. Nintendo coaxing Square Enix to bust out one of thier (well, the Enix half at any rate) rarest games for a VC re-release. I really do have some hope for the future now. I'm not even that big of a strategy fan, but I will gladly snap this up should it hit on US shores soon...
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