Betagam7

Personally i don't care to see any more NEO GEO games on the VC for two reasons.

1. The PAL conversions are uniformly horrible, unlike the 60hz versions available on the SNK compilation disks available for Wii (arcade classics, Metal Slug anthology, Samurai Shodown Anthology etc)

2. Secondly in light of the aforementioned compilation disks the price structure of Neo Geo games on VC is terrible. It would cost me hundreds of pounds to assemmble a VC collection similar to the one I got for £10.99 with Arcade Classics. A total waste of money, not to mention the VC versions are inferior slowed down bordered tat.

If you are reading this SNK please note that your PAL VC games are horrible and fix it with 60hz releases in future as you do on your disk based releases.

Until then you won't get another penny out of me for VC games.

I wonder if this is due to extra development time or whether its simply to avoid the mistakes Ubisoft has made in the past (Hello Prince of Persia: Sands of Time).

Damo, we are not talking about ordinary PAL games being released in 50hz as a replication of how they originally were. We are talking about IMPORT NTSC games being DOWNGRADED by SEGA while they charge us and extra 100 points for the privilige. THIS IS A NEW ISSUE and something that doesn't happen with any other PAL Hanabi release.

As I understand it You (i.e nintendolife) have a contact at Sega Marketing who are asking you to garner readers opinions on future releases, surely then this is the perfect time to raise this issue and get a response from them.

Dazza, it looks obvious from the comments above which direction your readers want NL to go with on the PAL 60hz issue. Time for NL to start a campaign I think, or at the very least explain why they don't want to.

Dark Machine, the reason you don't notice any difference in the games you mention is because all TG16 games ARE 60hz. The TG16 is (along with the arcade) so far the only VC console to be exclusively 60hz.

Basically there is nothing fundamentally wrong with 50hz except when a developer doesn't do anything to port the game properly for PAL. In the 16 bit era it was common not to bother and that meant games ran with ugly black borders at the top and bottom of the screen. It also meant they ran 17% slower and with squashed graphics.
Unfortunately the VC is hit and miss as to what is fixed with some SNES and N64 games fixing some of the problems but with SEGA giving us the same butchered stuff we got in the 90's.
The best example I can show you of the difference is here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b0llsb77Esc
That clip shows the difference between Sonic running on NTSC (60hz) and PAL (50hz) as you can see the difference is quite drastic.

The excuse usually used by companies is "that's how the games were then" but with hanabi titles that ISN'T how the games were then as they are, or should be 60hz IMPORTS which we PAY 100 points more for.
Sega is for some unknown reason choosing to cripple its hanabi releases to make them look the same as all its other awful PAL megadrive ports. Many people would like websites such as this one to begin asking them why.

But as the PAL version is fundamentally different (borders, 17% slower, squashed gameplay) surely a seperate review or at least comment is justified. The North American game is not the same as the version SEGA has given PAL users so this means the review is fundamentally inaccurate or should only apply to the NA market.

As Slangman says, avoid MUSHA as it'll be another butchered downgraded PAL version from Sega. Once again, why hasn't Nintendolife informed its readers of this?
What's the deal with downgrading a hanabi title that required no changes to be made to it. Sega can't even use the old "it was like that originally excuse".
Time somebody got some answers out of them over this. Come on Nintendolife, you say you have a contact at Sega's marketing department, surely they can pass comment on it.

Why not "set your sights" on lousy PAL conversions for the VC? Developers will release games regardless of what people say but a site like yours could potentially have an influence on a 60hz future if only you would make some noise about it to the right people!

Capcom's SF games suffer from this particularly. I hope you passed on people's concerns about this issue to Sega when you had the chance. This matters more to many of us than what the next game to come out will be. Imagine the credibility your site would garner if it could influence such a change.

Before Sega thinks about releasing anymore games I want it to address its horrific VC PAL releases. Every one of them (bar arcade) has been 50hz bordered, slow and squashed INCLUDING THE HANABI TITLES (which makes no sense whatsoever!). Can someone at Nintendolife get in touch with SEGA and ask them why they keep doing this and why on earth they are downgrading hanabi titles to run this way when all other hanabi titles run at 60hz?

Marcel, unfortunately your review doesn't mention the fact that despite this game being a Hanabi import title it has been downgraded for its European PAL release so that it now features borders, runs 17% slower and features squashed graphics.
I can understand why you don't mention this in an ordinary Mega Drive release which is the same as the original but the point here is that this IS NOT the same as the original. This is an important point missing from your review and indeed NL's reviews of all Hanabi Mega Drive games.

Another game for Pal users to avoid

Looks like a remake of Super Sprint not Micro Machines

Whats the point in releasing these old sports games when superior versions exist on Wii Sports/Wii play?

I wonder if MUSHA will get the usual PAL downgrade that sega likes to give its Hanabi titles. If so I hope Nintendolife mentions it in its review.

My dissapointment with the obvious censorship of the PAL original has stopped me enjoying it as much as I might have but to be honest it wasn't that great from what I've seen. The boss missions are fun but driving around a half empty "city" felt like a sub par version of the Dreamcast game Headhunter.
I might get the sequel and trade in the orginal of the sequel comes out uncut and shows improvements in the boring elements of the orginal.

Interesting that Suda is talking franchises though after allowing his first game to be comprimised to please those with Wallmart tendancies. Punks not dead huh, Suda?
In the words of John Lydon: "Ever get the feeling you've been cheated?"

Then perhaps the Edge should go back to playing in U2

Seriously, what an overrated game this was. This was Zelda by numbers and barely deserves the 8 it got here let alone a higher score.
I'm often critical of this sites reviews but in this case they did well in not getting carried away with the hype.

Anyone who's completed the first game knows the truth behind what a "Tingle" is and despite Warioswoods valid points about his sexuality it has nothing to do with being fixated on childhood.
The first game was a fantastically dark satire on greed and avarice and I have high hopes for the story of the second game.

@11 "Sigh. I was hoping this would be a good game. But it's not, leaving us with a medicoric week for the Virtual Console."

Just because one person says they don't like it doesn't mean you won't. Don't go through your life only doing what other people tell you.

For everyone slating Billy Mitchell, while there is no doubt that the guy is a rather hilariously pompous ass people should be aware of the fact that the King of Kong like so many documentaries was rather heavily biased and edited in a way that made the viewer root for Wiebe and boo Mitchell. Many of the scenes where it is implied Mitchell snubbed Wiebe are the result of careful editing, as is much of the chronology. Wiebe was shot to look like more of an underdog that he actually has been in the world of DK just as Mitchell was shot to look like more of a villain.
Its important people bear that in mind before making judgements.

Has anyone at Nintendo-life been able to determine whether the PAL version of this game will have a 60hz version and won't be a horrible bordered 50hz mess like the PAL version of Madworld was. Until I see confirmation I won't be preordering any SEGA games for Wii.

This is a quite dreadful game with terrible unfair difficulty. I've read comparisons to Metroid but they are incorrect, its totally linear and VERY short.
How this scored higher than the brilliant Uridium and only one point less than the suberb Paradroid is beyond me.
Do yourself a favour and buy either of those over this title that has aged very badly. Its only plus point is the music.

I guess, now that his son is old enough to look after himself in his toilet activities, Steve Weibe's devotion to this over all else is less worrying

I've just read that VC-Forums, initially setup as a forum for the original VC-reviews (now amalgamated into this site), are cancelling their news feed from Nintendolife due to these types of articles.
I hope somebody at Nintendolife is paying attention as if this decision is replicated elsewhere these types of articles are going to lose this site a lot of hits.

About time something like this came along. I don't have any problem playing NES or SNES games with the Wiimote or Classic controller but there is no real substitute for the real N64 pad. I wonder if Rumble paks will work.

Greyelephant. You seem to be confused about why people are complaining about articles like this. Its nothing to do with finding them offensive and everything to do with finding them dull, irrelevent and only appealing to desperate 13 year old boys, who think they don't go far enough!

Many people view these stories through an RSS feed and subscribed to Nintendolifes feed to get NEWS update. As Damo says, this isn't news so its understandable that people who subscribe to a news feed don't like being spammed by "articles" such as this one and the other mild cartoon nudity nintendolife has been posting in recent days.

Nintendolife is presumabley trying to forge a good relationship with publishers as it strives to become professional. Remind me again how posting fan made cartoon porn and articles about illegal ROM hacks is going to help it do that?

There is plenty to talk about in the world of Nintendo videogames without going down these routes

As mentioned by numerous people already, this is seriously pathetic stuff for a news site to be posting. Its the second such article in a matter of weeks after the cartoon porn that was posted recently. Please read the comments above and take note of them rather than taking offense. Your readers do not want to read this rubbish and I'd question whether you arn't jeopardising your relationship with various publishers by posting stuff like this. I'd also question how you are coming across stuff like this in the first place without googling for it.
VC-reviews had its faults but it was always clear what the focus of the site was, seeing stuff like this makes me wonder what demographic the new Nintendolife is aiming for.

"it still looks like it would be more suited to running on an NES"

Err...what? The NES couldn't produce graphics like this in its wildest dream!

Have to agree with Zork2, the graphics for this simply don't compare to SNES Contra 3. They look very flat and the enemies look too cartoony and lacking in detail. The huge explosions have been ripped from Metal Slug not Contra.
I'll wait for reviews first.

Any news on the PAL conversion of this game. After Madworld I'm worried?

yep "one of out five people" to be precise

Clay Davis is hilarious. Unfortunately his catchphrase is unrepeatable here.

I'd rather have a release date pushed back with more time to iron out flaws than have a release date pushed forward (ala madworld) and end up with a rushed, botched conversion.

Pilotwings has been rated before though. It was one of the first games to get rated and that was 3 years ago.

@Dangermouse 78

You say its not worth buying a console to get one game but how many people bought a NES to get SMB, or a SNES to play SMW or SF2, or an N64 to play Mario 64.
People buy consoles for one key game all the time. They're called system sellers. That's why bundles exist.
Bass may have bought his 360 for SFIV but I doubt thats the only game he's going to enjoy on it. I bought mine for GTAIV but I knew there'd be plenty of other good games I'd be able to play at the same time. games I knew I wouldn't be able to play on Wii. It's not like the 360 doesn't have a range of good exclusives.

The PAL version was mostly speed corrected so if Nintendo gets rid of the borders on this one I might sell my original and pick it up for Wii.

Bass X0: You are totally right. Provided you can afford it then two consoles is always the way to go. Loyalty to a multi-billion pound company is frankly daft when you are basically cutting yourself off from a great selection of games in the mistaken belief that your "loyalty" is appreciated by Nintendo.
As someone who owns both consoles I'd much rather have PD on the 360 because XBLA is genuinally interested in giving you more than just the original game, unlike Nintendo's Rom factory that often can't even be bothered to give us a decent PAL conversion.
As critical as its possible to be of Microsoft, XBLA doesn't deserve to be bashed. Not only is it great competition to keep Nintendo on their toes its to be hoped that they can aspire to make the VC more like it. Result: A better experience for all of us.
As Pixelman has said, maybe this competition will wake Nintendo up to the great games it is just sitting on and could be making money on now.

I don't get all the references to Pong in the review. yes there is a bat you can move up and down but thats as far as it goes. This game has, for me, more in common with a stripped down REZ than a souped up Pong.

Big deal. The DS is region free. There's nothing to stop people picking it up on import. Hardly the end of the world.
Perhaps publishers don't see viability in a game about a tea drinking English stereotype in a country that largely despises them as "whinging Poms".

Great for the Wii? Or just Great. Those screens look pretty average to me. I've seen much better looking Gamecube games than that (Resi 1 + 4, the Rogue Squadron titles etc). Still I'll wait for moving images before I pass total judgement.

Nice to see them finally acknowledging their blurring of the Icarus myth

Great to see Life Force arcade coming. Was put off by the 50hz PAL NES version but the arcade version sounds the perfect way to complete my VC Gradius collection

Is this the Gamecube or the N64 rom?

The levels look very similar to the Gamecube Adventure Island remake, is this very much different?

When you look at what games actually use the expansion pak its not that exciting really. I'd be more interested in Nintendo emulating the controller pak.

I'm annoyed to see yet another superior version of a game I already bought released in Ninja Gaiden. I think I'm going to make a rule about checking every game that come out from now on to see if a superior version might be available on a different console. Because the NES game was an import I can't even claim to have saved 100 points!

As for the MM emulation problems I'm with cuzinmike, I've never noticed any of these so called problems on the disc version I own and wonder if it isn't down to the quality of the disk

I had the japanese Gamecube remake of this and it was great fun. I might pick up this version and sell the GC version seeing as I can't play it on Wii thanks to Nintendo ruining freeloader!

Not many of these arcade games ring my bell (or memory) at the moment although I will probably pick up Space Harrier and maybe Rolling Thunder.

"Nintendo is firmly claiming the title of best online service."

I wouldn't say that. Yesterday's update has simply finally put it on par with XBLA but with its back catalogue it certainly has the potential to usurp it in the future.

That really is utterly tremendous news. Its not often we get the chance to say it but well done Nintendo! Now can we have 60hz please?

It's one of the better updates of recent times but when you realise that you can get GC fight night which has this game built into it for about the same price it becomes less attractive.