Nintendo Download: 18th February (North America)

Bad week for the Wii U.

I'll get Fates on 3DS, of course.

Cool, a Dreamcast theme!

I guess we won't be seeing a big part of the people around here for a while while they are playing the new FE.

Good lineup this week, but this would have been a great week for NoA to catch up on titles NoE already have.

FE & Project X Zone 2 retail, Steven & FE themes and DLC map

Double Dragon 3 for me... I will get Fates when I finally get around to beating Awakening lol. Just a few more chapters. I have gotten sucked into Pokemon for the longest time that my Backlog got ignored lol

Nothing for mii.

Finally a Dreamcast theme!

@ShanaUnite Well I WOULD be playing it...but school has dictated that I shall have no free time.

Nonetheless, I've predownloaded Birthright, and I'll get the free DLC, and probably one of the Fates Home themes.

I usually hit nothing to buy but this week is very easy--Fire Emblem is a game I have been looking for since I saw it announced. I will probably pick up Ninja Gaiden and Double Dragon as well, with a few Fire Emblem themes to round out this week. I wish every week (or at least once a month) could be like this. Hopefully Intelligent Systems will get to work on a new Advance Wars game for the 3ds (or is it too much to hope for multiple versions of that game).

Super Mario RPG where art thou?

I never got into Fire Emblem, for whatever reason. I did download the Awakening demo this morning to hopefully see what the fuss is about, though.
PXZ2 looks very interesting, but only a handful of those characters really mean anything to me so I might try to grab a sale copy later on down the line.

Interesting to see Sonic Triple Trouble get a discount. I hope we get some sales on the VC over here, too.

Birthright will be my first FE game. I'm beyond excited for it!

@ShanaUnite I debated taking a week or two off work. I think I'll be okay....only because I plan on playing it at work.

Getting both Fire Emblems physical and might get the Birthright theme.

FIRE EMBLEM!

Just RPGs so definitely nothing for me

Well, that figures. The only Sonic game they put on sale is one I already own on the 3DS.

Good job Sega....

Oh well, at least I have a Dreamcast theme this week! And I can upgrade Ninja Gaiden II on the Wii U. So, this week is not a total bust.

Interested in giving Double Dragon III another try. Remember being very frustrated at this one as a kid. Bimmy is the best.

I marked Fire Emblem Fates, but won't be picking it up this week. Not a bad week, especially if you're an IS, Atlus, or Ninja Gaiden fan.

Awesome NES VC titles

The three version thing makes me hesitant to get FE:Fates, since I'm either paying 40$ for under a third of the game, or 80$ for most of the game, or over 100$ for the game + DLC... and then even more if I want the amiibos. I miss the good old days when extra features were just included with your purchase of the game...

Project X Zone 2 looks pretty good, but it's not really a must-have-now game for me so I'll probably wait for a used copy or discount.

Fire Emblem Special Edition here! Can't wait, and the glowing reviews make me even more excited. I'll look into the DLC packs too, but I'm undecided on that at the moment. I might cherry pick them like I did in Awakening.

@russellohh

Lol! Yeah, same here.

@Undead_terror Best game 10/10 IGN. Also might check on SANIC: Lost World.

I reckon this here is a great week for NA! YAHOOEY!

Nintendo is goddamm greedy with FATES; dlc pack for 17,99 (only 2$ fewer than the whole other scenario!!)
Also, why not free themes for digital pre-orders, this was kind of a standard gift.
I'll try to play strictly Conquest, it's enough

@HeroponRiki One version isn't just 1/3 of the game. It's a full fledged game on its own.

I imagine I'll get a copy of FE:Fates eventually, but with a backlog of 194 games (including FE for GBA and FE: Awakening), that's a long way off unless there's a good sale.

HEY! Forgive me if I am late to this announcement but XEODRIFTER is free this week with a 100% discount at least on the 3DS eshop.

no pokemon MD VC? No sale.

Call me when blue rescue team is on Wii U VC in NA, day 1 buy when it does, day 1 for red as well. (have red cart, but may pick up red any way, don't have blue... )

@HeroponRiki In the old days we had Riki, but now we just have Tatsu.

So any word on that Canadian Nintendo Selects deleted tweet? Will be interesting to see if the reduced prices show up as a big Day 1 banner on the Wii U eShop?

@TerrapinJess are you sure? It could just be that you own it on Wii U, so you get the 3DS version free.

I'm just here to complain about the lack of a European release date for Fire Emblem, again. 😝

I'll be getting the Dreamcast theme, that's about it. Nintendo has a lot going on right now, but it seems weird that there isn't at least an LoZ sale for the weekend.

Meanwhile in Europe...

@ThomasBW84
Might as well remove that European download link because there's nothing in it.

Another Fire Emblem game?
Pass.
It's not a bad week if you like 25 year old NES games for your Wii U.
Or one bad game (PXZ was horrible and the sequel just adds more characters) and a waifu sim.
Oh mighty Square Enix, bring Dragon Quest to save this abysmal handheld, posthaste!

Meanwhile in USA...

We don't get Bravely Second...

Definitely Fire Emblem, will look into that sonic game

How big is the second FE route digitally with a physical copy of the first game? I seem to recall reading that the entire set was gargantuan.

Bad week for the Wii U.

How is it a bad week when you get three VC games from the Ninja Gaiden and Double Dragon series?

I loved Double Dragon III as a young'n, so I'll be downloading that one for sure. I remember it being tough, but not THAT tough. Maybe I will think differently in my old age.

I am going to get a New 3DS for my birthday next month, but I don't want to wait to get Fates. My current 3DS card slot is broken, and I don't want to clutter up retail download games on my SD card. Should I download Fates anyway or wait to get it physically?

Also, why was this uploaded so late? And where's my Xenoblade?!

@Bass_X0 Agree for NA, for EU however it is very bad. Only a Lego Marvel Avengers demo...

@abbyhitter well we don't get FE

Fire Emblem! That'll be taking up 100% of my gaming time for the near future. Or at least until TP HD releases.

I was planning on just buying each of the DLC maps as they came out, but that $17.99 price point is a pretty solid deal. A lot of the DLC seems geared towards fans/players of the older entries, which is exciting.

I'm curious to see whether I can beat one or both sides of the story before Revelation comes out. Most likely not, ha.

Nothing for me this week. Fire emblem has never been a game that I got along with and I have the first Project X Zone which I have never played. That's a heck of a Deal on Shin Megami which I have beat and hold in high regard as a great storyteller. @spoony_tech it's all your fault I'm not playing Final Fantasy Explorers this week. I'm totally hooked on Resident Evil 4 since I opened the box a couple days ago. How I let that game pass my radar is beyond me. Maybe I like Horror games more than I imagined. It might be a genre a look into a bit harder in the future. Excellent game. I've put in about 6 hours in the past couple days.

Hitting Fates! Already got both digital versions (one on my 3DS, and the other on my gf's 3DS so we can pew pew each other).

Also getting Project X Zone 2 demo cause it looks iight.

all 3 wii u vc games for me. transferring the ninja gaiden games from wii to wii u.
oh just to rub it in:
wii u vc> 3ds vc

@ogo79 well at least 3ds gets 3D classics from sega which are pretty darn good

@NodesforNoids 10/10 if you're being sarcastic there. Otherwise I'm glad I don't have your taste in videogames. Can you send me over your (I presume you're from the US) "abysmal handheld" so I can play the latest 85+ Metacritic games on it pretty please? I'll send it back in time for the Dragon Quest ports and going by Square-Enix's release timeframes that could well be a loooooooooong time away

@Windy
i dont want those though. i win!

@NodesforNoids yikes. Best handheld of all time being treated with no respect like that

Where's all those great new games they promised? Still waiting!!!

@ogo79 well I knew you won before I even posted but I had to do something lol but if you think about it. The games on the sega classics Cartridge are pretty much VC games in 3D. 10 VC games in 1 pop. I'm really looking forward to them especially power Drift

those wii u virtual console games tho....

I am trying to understand how this dual game release of Fire Emblem isn't a rip off. Why not just include the hard mode and have only version of the game. Since when is Day 1 DLC ok? You know the 11 maps are ready to go right now even if they aren't being released on Day 1.

If you are a physical buyer, you will be paying almost $100 (before tax) for this game and it's first map pack. Map Pack 1 suggests there are more planned. Over $100 for a console game is bad enough but the disease has reached handheld gaming now. Why are we ok with this?

@bezerker99
rare downloadz 4 lyfe!

@LegendOfPokemon

Yeah tough call there. I won't say either way, but allow me to offer some guidance having just gone through the 3DS to new 3DS transfer process:

If you don't have a whole lot of data to transfer, then downloading one retail game won't be a big deal, and won't add too much more time. For me, I have around 25 eshop games, apps (like Netflix and Hulu Plus), various VC games and 2 digital retail games. My transfer took around 5 hours using the wifi transfer cause it was simply the easiest way for me.

Use that as a guide for your own stuff. Good luck, and Happy early Birthday!

I would love to know why Double Dragon III can't be released on the 3DS VC, so I could round out the trilogy. I know that people take issue with people who complain about the lack of content, but....isn't that why we invest in a platform? I understand that Nintendo is prioritizing the Wii U, but why would they allow their successful platform to essentially gather moss in the digital realm? Also, why wouldn't they consider the fact that this sort of action may influence the decision to pick up their next gen handheld, whenever and whatever it may be? There are still several NES games that were on the 3DS VC in Japan that have yet to be released here (Final Fantasy 1 and Shadowgate instantly come to mind).

I'm sorry to complain, but shouldn't we hold them to a higher standard than "good enough?"

@ogo79 it's good to actually see 3 VC games again released in one week. feels a bit nostalgic almost.

old games only, rare downloads 4 lyfeeee!

Still no miracle drop of Secret of Mana...

@BanjoPickles I've been thinking exactly the same thing. Why in the world would they all of sudden start supporting the Wii-U over the 3DS. I don't get it. I would think since there are so many more 3DS units out there that the VC games would be downloaded more on 3DS. Maybe it's been determined by Nintendo that Wii-U owners download more software than the 3DS owners.

I will never get why in the world they just don't release all VC games on both systems on the same day in all Regions. Such a huge misuse of VC by Nintendo. Almost like they think they can have a rare VC title or something.

Come on Nintendo! Give us a European release dat for Fire Emblem!!!!!

@bezerker99 i agree, now we need startropics 1 and 2 to transfer over to wii u.
i love saving my cart space.

@Crono1973 @HeroponRiki I've read several reviews of the game that all say paying the $40 for 1 version and playing that is getting an entire game. (30+ hours and feeling satisfied) Then if you still want more you can choose to buy it.
With Fire Emblem Awakening I never bought any of the DLC and I never felt like I was missing out I completely loved the game. I even played it through twice (both on hard mode) first time using the Casual setting and the second time using the Classic setting. Classic felt like a completely new game between the fact that I had to use an entirely different strategy and the fact that I pair up different characters the 2nd time so I got completely different side stories. Just buy 1 of them and you'll more than get your money's worth

Pitiful...when is kerbal space program coming

3 vc games?!?!? 2 weeks straight?!? Have to pick myself up off the floor!! Maybe after 3 years Nintendo can finally get the vc cooking!!!

@Windy

What makes no sense to me is that they don't have the resources to support both? Look at Sony! The Vita has bombed just as badly as the Wii U, sales wise, and it is better supported, through the occasional PS1 Classic and random dose of awesomeness (I am so psyched for the rerelease of Day of the Tentacle), than a handheld that has shifted about 60 million worldwide?

I just say that if you're going to kill it, then at least make some sort of announcement! I understand that, what, three Pokemon games are hitting, which are the first VC games in about a year....and then it'll most likely go dark again. I'm not asking for snes support, though it does seem strange to me that the PSP could support PS1 support and the 3DS can't handle the super nintendo? I would just really like to flesh out my nes collection a bit more.

Nothing for me this week.

@Crono1973 As for the Day 1 DLC maps...Personally I don't care if they are Day 1 or not I only care if they provide enough enjoyment to justify the price or not.
With Awakening I decided NOT to get the DLC maps. With Fates I'll probably do the same. However, I will probably get all 3 campaigns. From the reviews I read the levels in the different Campaigns (Birthright, Conquest, and Revelations) are not only unique from each other, they're absolutely completely different. I loved Awakening so I'm assuming after I finish the first one (I still haven't decided if I will do Birthright or Conquest) I will probably do a second one for the extra $20. Then we'll see if I ever get the 3rd one I guess it'll depend on if I'm tired of the game yet.

@DefHalan you may be right .... I bought it on 3ds and got the Wii u version free so maybe this is just something like that
... Well, I'm the elephant in the room now I guess haha... Sorry guys!

Fates for sure. Looking forward to seeing those home screen themes as well.

Ugh, just got devil survivor for $26 the other day...I knew I should have waited.

@leo13 When are gamers going to learn that the game industry is moving in the wrong direction and slope is indeed slippery. You put your ok stamp on this and next time you will get even less for even more money. How many times does the game industry have to reach a new low before gamers put their foot down and say "No more! Sell us a complete game for one price and don't tease us with the rest of the game in the form of DLC or an alternate version."

Oh well, we deserve the next new low I guess.

Feel so bad for Project X Zone 2 lol coming out the SAME day as Fates, and it being in the same genre. I had to turn down all the games I was buying since I would buy them, play for an hour or two then never play it again for months and then trade it in for $3. Dx

@Crono1973 You know, if Nintendo was making Piles of money and profit maybe I'd agree with you, but they aren't.

What's more, I'm all about making sure it's worth it to me and has value to me. If I hated these games or they were only 2 hour long games I would agree with you, but all 3 of these are FULL games. They just happened to release together.

If they released a year apart you wouldn't be complaining about it, but since they're releasing on the same day you are. That's illogical to me.

Got project x zone 2 and FE Fates SE retail. My copy of #FE came in as well so I'll be on an FE binge for a while. Sorry SFV, I'll be back later.

@Crono1973 As for the DLC maps they have for $18 no I don't think those are worth it and I don't plan on buying them

@Crono1973

"I am trying to understand how this dual game release of Fire Emblem isn't a rip off. Why not just include the hard mode and have only version of the game. Since when is Day 1 DLC ok? You know the 11 maps are ready to go right now even if they aren't being released on Day 1.
If you are a physical buyer, you will be paying almost $100 (before tax) for this game and it's first map pack. Map Pack 1 suggests there are more planned. Over $100 for a console game is bad enough but the disease has reached handheld gaming now. Why are we ok with this?"

You are just talking about physical cartridges though. The fact is that Nintendo is making the other game pretty available for only half the price. Digital only, sure, but it is readily available to those who want it. Also keep in mind that some people will be perfectly fine playing just one.

What I simply don't understand is why people are so hell-bent to adamantly complain about this decision, even after reviews say that each one is worthwhile. If you like the casual experience, then get it. If you like the hardcore experience, then get it. They took a more ambitious approach, rather than just tacking on a "hard mode." What you're paying for is the second story. It's essentially a different game, with the same overarching story. They have every right to charge more, given the time and effort that went into this. They didn't just develop one story, they developed two. Not only did they develop two, but they had to make sure the two sides of the story worked well together. This is a lot tougher than people are realizing.

For the DLC though, I agree it's expensive, so I'll give you that.

@leo13 Are they not the same game with minor changes like a hard mode?

I think the reason we let the game industry get away with this shit is because gamers actually concern themselves with the financials of a company. "I'll let Nintendo get away with this because they aren't making piles of money" is just wrong. Besides, I think Nintendo has the most cash reserve when compared to the gaming divisions of Sony and Microsoft so that argument still makes no sense.

@Windy I'm glad you gave it a chance and started it out instead of saying well I have it now, to the backlog it goes. It's worth playing all the way through to the end as well. Don't let it get frustrating for you as there is a few hard part. Stick with it as it's an awarding experience from beginning to the end.

Have you play RE Revelations for the 3ds? If not you should also like that very much. To this day it's still in the top 3 best looking 3ds games to date. Also had some killer 3d as well. You could even adjust that even further in game. I used the gyro aiming the whole way through and loved it like pointer controls.

@Crono1973 You do realize that the FE games are FULL games that only share a prologue so you won't be confused when starting right? It is a trillogy that they are releasing at once. You want versions of the same game? That would be pokemon...this is not the same approach. Also the DLC and the games have been out for months in Japan. This less day 1 and more "we finished translating this old dlc". Were you expecting it to be free just because we got the game later? Localization takes time, that doesn't mean we are owed free content.

@Crono1973 no they aren't just minor changes or a hard mode. Yes Conquest is harder than Birthright, but the story is different the maps are different, the setup is different and objectives are different. They literally made 3 separate games. I really don't understand why it bothers you.

@TerrapinJess No worries, I was just making sure lol

@leo13

What? Now it's 3 separate games and none of them share content? Well that's fine then.

I'm getting a limited FE Fates. So nothing this time.

Heads up Pokemon VC in Canada is going to be $12.49. The games are up and there are 3 different language versions of each game. So you can get say Red in French, English or Spanish and each is a different download. Same for Blue and Yellow.

@Crono1973 yes, I'm with you. If they were the same game and 1 was just harder then I'd only buy one of them, but they're different

@Crono1973 just saw your last reply. No the games take place in the same world/time period with overlapping characters but are seperate games after the prologue (first 5 chapters). After that the setting, motivation, gameplay mechanics (birthright is patterned after awakening and conquest has more of the older FE feel) diverge. They all have modes of difficulty so this is not birthright=easy and conquest=hard you can still play lunatic on birthright and normal on conquest. People are generalizing because they don't want to buy more than one game. Which you don't have to. Just like any game in a series each fates game has an ending.

@Ryu_Niiyama
Ok, separate versions aside.

Look Ryu, you just keep making excuses for the DLC. These maps could be in the games since they are ready before the game even launches. Hell, they could have been ready before the NA version even went to press. Oh and putting maps in the game itself is not putting maps in for free, the game has a price tag too.

There was a time when Day 1 DLC was controversial but the game industry kept at it and eventually gamers fell in line and are now defending it. This is how things get worse. Do you not see that they have covertly raised game prices without officially raising game prices? Do you remember when Nintendo wanted to do DLC right and now they do it just like everyone else?

Let me ask you Ryu, just what is too much for one game?

My goal this week should be to start FE: Awakening for Project X Zone 1, both are still on my wall of shame...

Good week for Wii U VC!

Can't decide if I should just predown Birthright so I can start at 9pm tonight or be patient and wait until tomorrow night after my SE has arrived.

The Before Awakening DLC was awesome, I recommend you download it ASAP when you have access to the Dragon Gate.

DREAMCAST THEME!!!

Incredible week for Wii U VC. I will definitely pick up NG 2 & 3 and DD III!

Picking up the Special Edition (or Conquest if something goes wrong with my pre-order, I hope not) of Fire Emblem Fates tomorrow, it's gonna be fun putting hundreds of hours into this game.

@Crono1973 What are you talking about? In the case of FE there was DLC ready on release date for Awakening as well. And that was in 2012/13 being one of the first DLC Nintendo ever released. So don't act as if Nintendo suddenly has a different DLC policy. I don't agree with day one DLC, but it's not something Nintendo has never done before, and it's certainly not a change of policy.

Holy crap!!! VC gets 3 good games for once. Did NOA hire someone that knows what this community wants?! These three are really challenging games so don't go throwing you'r controllers across the room if you keep dying. Good job NOA. Now keep it up!

@manu0 That it has happened before is not a defense. What I said was that Day 1 DLC used to be controversial but now it has become normal and gamers even defend it. This is how things get worse.

Nevermind though, I guess I am just too old to participate in the modern game industry. I just can't stand what it has turned into.

@Crono1973 I was referring to your question "Do you remember when Nintendo wanted to do DLC right and now they do it just like everyone else?"
That is simply not true, as I have explained: One of the first DLC Nintendo ever released was of the day one kind.

@Crono1973 I was referring to your question "Do you remember when Nintendo wanted to do DLC right and now they do it just like everyone else?"
That is simply not true, as I have explained: One of the first DLC Nintendo ever released was of the day one kind.

@Crono1973 I was referring to your question "Do you remember when Nintendo wanted to do DLC right and now they do it just like everyone else?"
That is simply not true, as I have explained: One of the first DLC Nintendo ever released was of the day one kind.

@Crono1973 I was referring to your question "Do you remember when Nintendo wanted to do DLC right and now they do it just like everyone else?"
That is simply not true, as I have explained: One of the first DLC Nintendo ever released was of the day one kind.

@Crono1973 I was referring to your question "Do you remember when Nintendo wanted to do DLC right and now they do it just like everyone else?"
That is simply not true, as I have explained: One of the first DLC Nintendo ever released was of the day one kind.

@Crono1973 I was referring to your question "Do you remember when Nintendo wanted to do DLC right and now they do it just like everyone else?"
That is simply not true, as I have explained: One of the first DLC Nintendo ever released was of the day one kind.

Sorry about all these posts, this new reply button is kinda broken o_O

@BanjoPickles That's more an issue about how far behind Nintendo's account system is and stuff like the 3DS (XL) to New 3DS (XL) system transfer and what happens if your console breaks is clear evidence for this. Crazy how we're in 2016 and Nintendo still has downloads attached to the console purchased rather than an account system, there's also no crossbuy system between 3DS and Wii U for identical games (e.g. VC).

@NodesforNoids you havent already paid for the 2 Dragon Quest 3DS games that are out this year?

@leo13 I'm not sure why other people are bothered, either. I picked up Conquest for $12, and its a 20-30 hour game on its own.

The awakening DLC was amazing, tho. One area gave you a lot of money, and one gave you a lot of EXP, which made grinding easier if you wanted to level up one of the kids near the end of the game

Two of the levels added a HUGE amount of dialog, some of which was honestly the best writing ever in a Nintendo game. Adding 2 new classes was nice, too.

A few of the DLCs were incredibly sad- basically you travel into the future where all the parents were killed, and discover some of the kids fighting to the death. In one, Robin was forced to execute Morgan from that timeline, rather than let her kill...............hmm...Sumia and Miriel's kids, i believe? Its been awhile.

@manu0
Ok manu0, you don't have to tell me 6 times. LOL

@Crono1973 the reply button was/is broken

@manu0 Yeah, I know, I posted mine twice, I deleted the extra one.

@Spoony_Tech oh yeah I do have relevations and totally agree about the 3d. Personally I think its the best looking 3d game made on 3ds. its a close call between Revelations and Kid Icarus I think. Both look awesome. I have played revelations online co-op quite a bit too. loads of fun. thanks for the recommendation. I will go to the end. right now im pretty much just playing Final Fantasy Explorers and RE4.

Of course i'm getting Conquest. I will also pick up Double Dragon 3. I never played it because I despised DD 2. That save feature is going to come in handy.

I wished they'd discount Ninja Gaiden WiiU one day...

@BanjoPickles I was really looking forward to the PCEngine/TurboGrafx VC section on 3ds. one of the reasons I bought the system. not a huge reason luckily. I do like current releases more than vc. I dont get any of it. im still positive all the vc is, is emulation whynot just flood both systems with the same titles. it couldnt cost that much and they probably make a bundle of of it anyway. My oppinion is that Sega is the only company doing it right. I wish they were in charge of all the VC.

@russellohh, but were there a decent number of levels to beat? I thought about getting it at one time, but I had no idea how much content there really was plus if I got it too early then it would be impossible to beat and if I got it too late then it was be way too easy and boring. I like a good challenge. How did you know when to buy them?

I think I'll play Birthright and Conquest in a goofy way. I'll do Birthright in Classic mode and Conquest in Casual mode (I learned with Awakening that I enjoy playing the game both ways as it makes it feel completely different) I decided this because I was worried that birthright might be too easy so doing classic would make it harder and I was worried that conquest might be too hard so doing casual would make it easier.

@Crono1973 I'm not making excuses for anything. I merely feel that a game with a domestic release and later international release doesn't mean that previously domestically released DLC should be free just because the international community got it later. Yes it would be putting it in for free since instead of charging the same for content Japan got your suggestion is that we get more content for a lower price. I'm not against when that happens (Fantasy life did that) but why would I expect it? Just because one released later? That doesn't make sense to me.

DLC at its core should be optional content that allows consumers to expand upon their initial gaming experience. I feel the map packs fit that. They aren't required to beat or understand what what is going on in the main games (which are the largest by number of possible maps than any other FE game by the way) and all they do is ADD to the experience. Day 1 dlc is a mixed bag: If it is significantly cut content or it is intrusive about letting you know its missing (Dragon Age Origins and Levi for instance) then sure it sucks and by all means vote with your wallet. However I remember when games were one and done. I remember wishing I could have more to play in that world after I beat the game. DLC (including Day 1 as it is often made AFTER a game has gone gold) gives the option for that. So while I think you should look at what is included in DLC to see if it is worth your purchase I don't find most of it to be negative.

As far as price I personally feel that the prices are reasonable and I will likely only get a few of the maps anyway since I have the SE and will have more than enough to play. However I'm happy I get more of a game I really like either way. You don't HAVE to buy all of it. If you don't want to or can't spend the money, buy the version you like and skip the dlc. Problem solved.

I feel like I have to mention this: Gaming is and has always been an expensive hobby. Currently we have more choice than ever to save money or to spend as much time in a game world than ever. At the end of the day its all optional...including your decision to play at all.

@Ryu_Niiyama im still of the oppinion myself that Videogaming is one of the cheapest hobbies you can get into. price compared to hours of enjoyment is actually staggering low priced. take a simple 40 hour RPG for instance. 1.00 dollar per hour to enjoy that game. then if it has 5.00 dollars of DLC to add say 5 to 10 hours to the game. thats well worth it.

there are a couple things that have bothered me over the years though. CDROM was going to bring us these dirt cheap releases back in the day since it was like 1 cent to put games onto a cdrom. well, that never happened prices have just gone up. still though its a great hobby and for the price well worth it in my oppinion. I also might get upset with day 1 DLC but I get over it and just enjoy the games.

I never downloaded any of the Shin Megami Tensei IV DLC and have played through and beat the game 3 times now. I am now very tempted to download that DLC. it is my favorite 3ds game made after all lol

Ryu, gaming is getting more expensive all the time. With one and done you pay your $50 and play your game. There was no trickery involved and yes, I consider raising prices via DLC and Season Passes to be trickery. Many people don't consider a game without all it's released DLC to be complete. You will never have to worry if you got the complete version of Chrono Trigger.

I often wonder how people will react when their previously complete games are no longer complete because the DLC is no longer available. For example, you bought all the DLC for Oblivion and you became used to Battlehorn Castle being your base. However, you did delete it all to make room for newer stuff and in 2020 when you want to play it again, your 360 won't connect to the Marketplace so you are stuck with whatever is on the disc. I imagine there will be people defending that too, saying "you can't expect them to keep the store live forever".

@Windy When it comes to hardware, did you notice that last gen the hardware never got cheaper? They just kept changing the size of the HDD and kept the price high. What if you wanted a 60 gb PS3 for half the price in 2011 instead a 320 gb PS3 for $300?

Nothing for me. Trying to hold off on buying stuff until my birthday for the most part, especially since I built a high end PC.

Project X Zone 2* and Fire Emblem: Fates will be waiting for me...

*That might include the first one too.

Man this was the perfect week for skyward sword to pop up on the eShop because Zelda's 30th anniversary is on the 21st but oh well LEAVE IT TO NINTENDO TO NOT TAKE ADAVANTAGE OF OPPORTUNITYS (i really wanna buy skward sword)

@Crono1973 I wonder about that all the time. sometime down the road these servers are going to shut down. I guess a good rule of thumb is to get a hardrive you could not possibly fill up. better safe than sorry. But with these clouds popping up all the time. maybe there will always be a way. at some point they are going to charge for cloud service some of them already do.

@Windy ...or stay away from digital content when you can. I know sometimes there are games only available via digital like VC games but if you can buy physical, you should and avoid DLC as much as possible.

Thank goodness for those sequel games. I hate when I see them incomplete, plus people are actually going to get them. I'm going to get the FE Before Awakening DLC. I didn't realize that was a thing....

@Crono1973 I couldnt agree more.

@Windy I do agree with you actually ... the cost spent vs the hours (years if you replay) of enjoyment you get is minimal. But most people look at the upfront cost. And If you are heavy into gaming and have all the systems it can stack a bit. I bought a second wiiu (jpn), 4 3ds systems, a ps4, a xbox one and a gtx 980 ti last year. Still worth it though.

But yeah there are more expensive interests to have...I play Taiko: even a cheap nagado drum is around 800-1000 before shipping. But its something I love so again worth the price. Don't get me started on astrophotography...

@Crono1973 Um did you game on the snes? Games were often 50-60 dollars and up (Earthbound can still go jump off a cliff for its price). Also you cite Chrono Trigger and it was around 85 bucks when it came out. One and done is great...I grew up on it...but again I also remember wishing I could do more in my favorite games...this is no different than expansions on PC games.

Again DLC is optional. So do you feel that if you don't have santa costumes in Dead or Alive you are missing out on the core fighting game experience? To keep in in Nintendo do you feel cheated if you don't get every costume or character in Smash? Granted, I get for ocd people that this is a thing... and if so that changes your argument but if not... I have no idea how you can feel optional enhancements diminish the core game experience.

@Priceless_Spork Which means you have to include the DLC in the true price of a game.

@Ryu_Niiyama I am 42 years old, I was an adult playing the SNES and I shopped at Wal Mart, never paid more than $50 for any game. I know that others shopped elsewhere and paid more but I can't help that.

Anyway, I remember PS1 games being cheaper than SNES games and PS2 games were also no more than $50. So yeah, one and done is what I prefer but I guess that time is done.

If you don't recognize that DLC and Season Passes (which is really just pre-order DLC) are artificially raising game prices, sort of under the radar because people would not go for a $60 3DS game, then we will have to agree to disagree.

@Priceless_Spork Right, it's a standalone complete game until the day the DLC is released and from that moment it is only a complete game with all the DLC.

@Windy @Crono1973 And if your SNES games were $50 in 1992 and you account for inflation then the games should cost $85. Nevermind the fact that AAA games now take more time and more people to make.

@Windy I’m also of the opinion that video games CAN be a great bargain/value. I couldn’t find a copy of Xenoblade Chronicles for the Wii so I paid $80 for it. I played about 120 hours. It cost me $0.67/hour and I LOVED every minute of it.
I took my wife to Star Wars, we bought a bucket of popcorn and between the tickets and the popcorn we spent $30 for a 2 hour movie that’s $15/hour and I really enjoyed it and didn’t regret going. Xenoblade was a better deal
On the other hand, I spent $10 on Earthbound and played about 2 hours and hated it. I paid $5/hour to torture myself.

As for DLC, I bought Super Luigi U $20 and I loved it (for me it was more fun that the original game) I played about 15 hours so about $1.33/hour and it was super fun.

I also bought 1 DLC level for New Super Mario Bros 2. It wasn’t a very fun level so I paid $2 and only played it once (about 2 min) that’s a price of $60/hour and I didn’t really like it so I never bought a second one.

@Crono1973

I'm not disagreeing that DLC has changed games in various ways, but your comparison of claiming that prices have risen since the 1990's is an unfair one, because, they of course have. You are not accounting for inflation in your argument. $50 in 1995, is equivalent to $78 in today's currency. Games now, without all the DLC and such, is $60. DLC is a way to make up some of the money that has been slowly been eaten away by inflation.

@Crono1973 " it's a standalone complete game until the day the DLC is released and from that moment it is only a complete game with all the DLC."

That's a good point. Nobody can argue that Smash wasn't a FULL AND COMPLETE game when it released. I bought Smash, but I haven't bought any of the DLC because I always use the same few characters so I don't want to spend $5 each to add all the new ones. Sometimes when I talk to people about the game and they talk about Ryu or Roy or Bayonetta I'm not able to jump in on the conversation because I don't have the complete game, and it kind of stinks so I really can't argue your point, but I don't wish they would have stopped adding new characters because I wouldn't want to rob my friends of the fun they've had with all those new characters.

However, when they did the Mario Kart DLC and added all those new tracks, not only did I buy them all, but I also was hoping for more.

@leo13

Whoops sorry about my comment above. I didn't mean to step on your grounds about inflation. I saw it after the fact.

@MoonKnight7 You're all good. It looks like we hit reply at almost the exact same time

You guys can talk inflation all you like but there is a reason that game companies do not directly raise prices and instead choose to do it via DLC. It's because they are pretty certain that consumers would not stand for it. There is a limit to how much most people will pay for a video game. It's just like anything else, you could make a $1000 Coffee Maker but very few would buy it and so you make a coffee maker for much less to meet the demands of the market. You can sell 20 $50 Coffee Makers much easier than 1 $1000 Coffee Maker.

Game companies know it's easier to get $100 per game out of you if they do it with DLC than with a $100 price tag. I am just saying that you should recognize the cost of DLC as part of the total cost of the game.

Nothing for Me this week on Wii U. Don't own a 3DS but even if I did I wouldn't purchase Fire Emblem Fates because I don't care for RPG's.

@Crono1973 In the end though, with Fire Emblem Fates, are you actually angry and/or bitter that they released it as 3 full separate games? Or are you talking other DLC instances? If you're talking about other instances then which ones? Maybe I agree with you.

@leo13 You said it was 3 separate games and not like the Pokemon dual releases so I said that was fine. My problem is with DLC in general and how it is used to raise prices in a market where they know consumers won't take a straight up price hike. Could those maps have been included, yes without a doubt. If DLC wasn't a thing, would those maps have just been put into the game in the first place? It's a genuine wonder.

@Crono1973 You're correct you did tell me that, but as this discussion continued I just wanted to make sure I hadn't misunderstood.

@HeroponRiki Actually the full experience is $80

Just in case anyone didn't know, Best Buy is having a deal starting tomorrow where if you preorder the download code for Revelations, you will also get the full $18 Map Pack 1 (which is a ripoff) as a bonus at no extra charge. $80 is still too much, it should be $60 for everything, and Revelations should be available to everyone on Day 1, instead of just those lucky enough to get a special edition card. But whatever, I'll take other peoples' advice, mod my 3DS to spoof the latest OS version, and jump on this deal while I have the chance...

@Crono1973 Oh, FE Fates is definitely price hiked. The DLC Map Pack is also overpriced, and should have come for free during the release window with a limited time download code. The arbitrary staggering of content by holding Revelations off for a month is also very dirty.

Gimme dat FE birthright!

@Crono1973

You forgot to click reply friend.

First of all, I don't think we are really far away from each other. I'm just calling out that your post about the SNES days was misleading in its wording:

"I am 42 years old, I was an adult playing the SNES and I shopped at Wal Mart, never paid more than $50 for any game. I know that others shopped elsewhere and paid more but I can't help that.
Anyway, I remember PS1 games being cheaper than SNES games and PS2 games were also no more than $50. So yeah, one and done is what I prefer but I guess that time is done.

If you don't recognize that DLC and Season Passes (which is really just pre-order DLC) are artificially raising game prices, sort of under the radar because people would not go for a $60 3DS game, then we will have to agree to disagree."

You are implying that the good ol' days had fair pricing and that today we are getting ripped off because games are being stripped down to sell DLC.

Roughly $78 is what you actually paid in 1995, to account for inflation. We pay $60 now, and pick and choose our DLC. Now, yes, some companies go overboard with DLC, but you can't fault them for trying to turn a profit when gamers don't want higher prices. That's the part you're completely right about. A perfect example is RE: Revelations on 3DS. Capcom needed more GB than what was on the cartridges at the time, so they were forced to special order cartridges with more space, therefore there was a higher overhead cost. They were going to charge $50 instead of $40, and people, including people from this very site, nearly rioted in the streets, even though it was a practical reason.

Since we agree on this, may I ask what your solution is then? You demand that DLC is stripping away content from the game, yet you recognize that gamers won't except higher prices. We all know that game development has only gotten more expensive, yet the core prices are actually cheaper than they were in the 90s. DLC is the only avenue forward then, and it's up to the developers as to how much DLC they need to sell to be profitable. Some companies take advantage of this more than others, but I'm just not sure what you want game companies to do.

That said, I agree with you that FE's map pack seems obnoxiously high.

@Darknyht yea I just remembered why! It's hard as hell!! Yikes!!

Do you kiss your mother with that mouth?

~Waluigi

@Windy except as a big Sega fan I've been very disappointed the whole time that they haven't graced the Wii u with all the classics they have on the Wii (Genesis & Master) and even taking it a step further with direct Sega arcade or dreamcast ports!! I thought when Wii u first came out that it would be possible but Sega hasn't committed to Wii u vc at all even in Japan. Maybe the poor Wii u sales to blame but just saying Sega is sitting on a mountain of classics and doing nothing with them!! Come to think of it even ps4 & xone not getting Sega classics! All this being said they've done an amazing job with the 3DS Classics! Just a little mad they left Outrun out of the upcoming retail release!! Oh well..maybe with NX they will return with the classics in a big way?? I hope!

@MoonKnight7 I replied to you above but forgot to hit reply again. It's because I typed the post in Word and then pasted it in. The post is #157.

@manu0 So I guess we're even.

Poor Tap Tap Arcade, 0%?

No Double Dragon 3 for 3DS VC....😪

@Windy: Best handheld ever? Nope. Not anymore. Get a Vita like I did. No shortage of great old school titles from the PS1 and PSP on there.

@Magrane: Nope. I doubt we will ever see anymore NES games on the 3DS VC again.

I will be picking up the Ninja Giaden and Double Dragon sequels on the VC. I might be tempted to get sonic lost world depending what discount they offer.

There are Fire Emblem Fates Home Menu themes?! SHUT UP AND TAKE MY MONEY!!

Also, free DLC for Fates?! WOO-HOO! The hype is real!! I can't wait to pick up my Special Edition at GameStop tomorrow... Err, later today.

Not a great week on the Wii U side. If you're not going physical the FE discount is a nice deal. I'll be grabbing the FE Before Awakening DLC bundle since I have the LE I'll be getting today and I want it all.

Feels like we're back in the N64 days. Long periods of drought, and then every so often, a chicken leg falls from the table.

@joey302 I will have no shame in save stating the crap out of that game. I remember well the controller throwing difficulty.

@KnightRider666 I'm sure the vita is a lot of fun but I like to just stick to 1 handheld and 1 console. I'm actually back to using a Wii and my NEW 3DS. To me the 3DS is the best handheld ever just ahead of the DS. Hope that Vita is filling that classic hole for you. I have no clue why Nintendo does what it does in regards to VC it just doesn't make any sense

@PlywoodStick I didn't know about the Best Buy Revelations deal. I just went to their website to do it, but I couldn't find anything about this deal. Do I have to do anything special to get it?
Thanks

@joey302 I'm a big sega fan too. I was hoping Sega would do Shining in the Darkness 3D. I don't think that will happen. With an auto map that game would be perfect on 3ds. Sad thing is I think sega is starting to make the move to Cellphone gaming. So I guess it's just enjoy them while you can get them. I can't wait for the cartridge with Power Drive. It's about time that one is finally coming to north america

@leo13 I think it's a good way of looking at it. It is entertainment. Xenoblade is my favorite RPG of all time. Maybe even my favorite game of all time. The new Xenoblade was more frustrating to me than anything else. I don't think it's even close to the original. I pretty much ended up trading my Wii-U for anNEW 3DS because Xenoblade was frustrating to me. It just doesn't feel as fluid nor moved the story along like the original.

I bought Project X Zone 2 from the eShop and didn't get the theme or Rare Item Pack as per above. Anyone else not get them?

@HeroponRiki That's not true. 40 bucks get you a full, more-than-usually-large game, and 80 bucks gets you another very large game.

@leo13 Sorry for late response. You may have to go into a physical store to do this, going to their Customer Service desk. The option is available at my local Best Buy, and it's advertised in-store, so I would think others have it too.

@PlywoodStick now that you say that, the small print on their website does say this sale is in store only. Thanks for the heads up

@Windy: I guess some people are happy with one handheld, and one console. Everybody is entitled to own what they wish. I'd grab a Vita at some point before it's gone if I were you though.

The fact that Fire Emblem and Double Dragon III: The Sacred Stone released the same week is hilarious.

@KnightRider666 I will actually stick with what I have. I'm back logged to my PlayStation 2 lol in fact I don't have enough years in this body to finish what I have. its all about completing the backlog and being very picky about what I buy from here on out

@Windy: Funny you mentioned the PS2. I just grabbed a mint copy of Wild Arms 3 on ebay. I too, have more games than I'll ever be able to play. I also just grabbed FEF Conquest for the 3DS.

@KnightRider666 I'm interested in a couple Wiiware titles since I got rid of the Wii-U. Final Fantasy after years and Castlevania Rebirth. But not much else. The Wii shop sure was bad lol.

@Windy: Screw the Wii-U. What a waste of money that was. Just sits there on my shelf and collects dust along with the 25 games I have for it. You could get FF the after years on the vita. It's part of the FF IV complete edition on the psp. I paid $10 and downloaded it to my vita, along with FF 1 thru 10-2. The vita has more classic games from the ps1 and psp than the 3ds has nes and gb/gbc/gba games. You're seriously missing out dude.

@KnightRider666 I'm going to stick to what I have. Thanks for the recommendations but I may not buy another console or handheld in my lifetime.