Specs For Revolution? (1 Viewer)

[DeathStar1]

Anyone heard anything, or are we going to have to wait two or so months for E3 for the conrete Details?

I'm really interested in what games are going to be available for their 'classic' downloads. I'd really like to get rid of all my old cartidges, and systems for that matter. Plus, it would be too cool to have an option to burn a CD or Cart of games for future console use, although that will probably never happen due to concerns of piracy..

 

[Paul Simmons]

Thing is, how much are you willing to pay to download a game? I remember seeing (on IGN?) a screenshot of how the interface will look like and it listed N64 games for $20us! Although prices aren't confirmed but if they go for that much, I'll just stick with my carts or find them super cheap at 2nd hand shops

 

[MarcoBiscotti]

Wait -- you'll have to PAY to access older games??


That's my whole reason for wanting a NR, to be able to play NES and SNES games exclusively. I'm not going to be paying $20 a game to download 25 year old software!! At that price it'd be cheaper to buy an old system and every single cartridge ever released!

Can somebody please explain just how these "downloads" would work? Would they be saved onto some sort of memory card or would the system itself act as a pc drive? Would you have a limit to storage? How would you than access the games that you've already downloaded for future use and would you be able to save games and pick up where you left off? How long would it take to "download" a game and would you need an internet connection or would they be stored in some sort of internal database to be "unlocked"?

Does anyone have anymore details?

 

[BrianB]

Nintendo have released precious little solid details about the download service at this time, most of the pricing rumours are from an online survey supposedly from Nintendo about such a service.

 

[ChrisMatson]

The one bit I have heard over and over is that it will NOT support hi-def.

 

[StephenP]

Most of those classic games could be downloaded in 5 seconds, but if there is a payment required surely you will be able to store the images on a memory card. Some of those N64 games probably got kinda big though, anyone know the size of the biggest carts? 8mb? 16?
Also, I think as long as the system outputs 480p 16x9 I won't miss HD at all.

 

[Kris Z.]

They've commented several times that they're not going to focus on pure power and graphics so possibly the games won't need HD since they might not look better anyway. I do want 16:9 support though. That was one of the big annoyances with the GC, that there was a total of like two games with widescreen support.

 

[Steve Y]

Downloads of old games are a fantastic idea, as long as they don't charge $20 a pop for (oh, I don't know) the NES port of Xevious or the first Bomberman... I mean, ha ha, what company would ever do something as ridiculous as that??

In all seriousness, the Revolution is the system that really intrigues me out of "the three". I love the looks of the controller, and the Nintendo DS is (IMO) the most forward-looking system on the market, console or portable (due to the games). Wait until you play the DS Lite... it's the iPOD for gamers. I predict Revolution will continue this trend.

Sony and MS can push polygons to the fragheads all they want -- but why have three systems running neck to neck with the same ol' sixteen-button franchises? It's oranges and apples and strawberries. This "war" stuff is just silly.

Development houses have confirmed that the Revolution's graphics should be comparable to that of the first XBox. Which hey, ain't so bad. About two or three times more powerful than the GC. All this is officially heresay until E3, of course.

http://revolution.ign.com/articles/673/673578p1.html

 

[Joe D]

Who knows about Nintendo. I've heard that they are going to offer EDTV support, so 480 Progressive signals. If this is the case, I'll probably purchase the unit because the component cables for Gamecube are insanely hard to find and very expensive. That is if the unit supports the 480P signals and I can find the cables for them, and I can play my Gamecube games on it.

Nintendo claims that most people don't buy HDTV cables. Well DUH, because the only place that sold them was Nintendo.com and they never had them in stock. If they would have sold them at other retailers they would have sold more.

I do think that the downloaded games option is cool, but like everyone else said, not if I have to pay money for the game. I've got the games already, why should I pay for them again. Of course, Nintendo releases tons of game for 20 bucks a pop for Gameboy and everyone buys them so I guess some people have more money then me.

I would imagine that the new Zelda game would be a release title for the system, which would make the system worthy of purchase, but again, what other titles are going to be offered?

The big problem I see again is software. If a developer develops a game for the Xbox 360 and PS3, it will be a major pain to port the game to the revolution due to the graphical and storage limits.

The controller looks cool, but other than that. What have we seen from the Revolution?

 

[Romier S]

Well, let's keep in mind that Nintendo isn't looking for the Revolution to be a machine that houses ports. The new input device begs for third parties to create new content for the system. That's a risk Nintendo is taking since it's depending on third parties to create unique "exclusive" content for the games they release on the Revolution. The point here is that anyone looking to play Ghost Recon proper would be better served by looking at another console. That's going to make it difficult for the Revolution become the primary console of choice in this next generation, but they've been in that position for the last ten years so they might as well take advantage of it and see if they can caapture that "non-gamer" market they keep talking about it.

I'm definitely excited to see what the system can do at E3.

 

[DaveF]

I'm replaying some games on my N64 -- Beetle Adventure Racing and Tetrisphere. I'm reminded that there's no going back for action games. BAR is not nearly as much fun as it was four years ago, not after playing Burnout 3 on the XBox. So my excitement over old games via the Revolution is lessened. I want to fire up Jet Force Gemini, but I'm afraid of degilding my golden memories.

But Tetrisphere is still fun, and would be greatly improved by a simple increase in the resolution. And I'm inclined to find a used copy of Wetrix -- another good puzzler that should age well.

If classic games for the Revolution are more than $10, I'll probably skip the whole system. But if they are in the $5 range, and especially if they have some simple improvements in graphics quality, that could be attractive.

But overall, having been a N guy for years, I'm finding their game options ever weaker compared to the Xbox options. I'll look at the Revolution very carefully before buying.

 

[Steve Y]

Dave, I love all the games you mentioned! (except JFG) - I still get out Tetrisphere and Beetle Adventure Racing every so often. (Wetrix is great too, but I have it on Dreamcast.) The framerates can be iffy, but those are great games. Tetrisphere is a trip. BAR contains great multiplayer competitions and the branching "themed" tracks are still awesome.

The $5-$10 range would work for me. Regardless of how well it worked out for Nintendo financially, the $20 GBA games were a bum deal for gamers, whether they knew it or not -- especially in this age of nostalgic packs of 3 or 4 (at least). Besides, if it was THAT brilliant of an idea for Nintendo, you'd still be seeing them for $20 everywhere you go. Most of them can now be found for $10 or less. It was a market test.

I (for one) am excited that Nintendo is straying further away from the whole "Ghost Recon" & "Halo" thing. Frankly all this multiplayer wargame / MMORPG stuff is getting tiresome -- at least when it becomes the only focus of console gaming. Let PS3 and XBox360 battle it out with all that testosteroney stuff. The Revolution looks to be a basic but broader, more innovative console. Why have only one flavor?

It's been whispered that Rare is not making any of their Nintendo offerings available for download on the new service... which makes sense considering their partnership with MS, but it's still a bummer -- Banjo-Kazooie is one of my favorite 3D platformers, and it would be a trip to play an updated version, perhaps with a higher resolution.

 

[DaveF]

Steve - if you've not played JFG, and enjoy older games, it's a must! (And if you just don't like it, then I just don't know what to say... )

I guess if a person owns more than one console, it could make sense for a N system to move away from the same games Xbox and PS3 have, and pursue novel, or niche, interests.

It makes sense: familiar, nostalgic, and easy-to-enter games for the casual or family gamer. Most affordable system for the budget-minded individual or parent. And cheap enough that an avid gamer can more easily buy it as a second system to complement the "hardcore" Xbox/PS3.

Of course, with an impending wife, I don't know why I even think I'll have time to game in the next year or two

 

[Ken Chui]

Very disappointing news, if it turns out to be true. I was salivating at the thought of playing Killer Instinct on the Revolution; this alone would have guaranteed a pre-order from me. I guess I can always hook up my SNES if I really need a fix....