Donkey Kong Country Trilogy Removed From Virtual Console

[BoringSupreez]

Yeah I remember when I thought the VC would be loaded with games the US never got and whatnot. Maybe Nintendo would have even done new official translations. I was so stoked for some potential.

It came true, but on PSN instead of the VC.

[equalsign]

I don't really think the members of Racketboy "should" do anything. I don't even own a SNES. It's true that Racketboy originally came together as a retro gaming community, but it's more than that now. Racketboy is a video game forum with a more mature culture. Some of us play as many modern games as older games. Many of us have been won over by the download era. It has made many older titles more affordable, and has even brought down the prices of many physical releases. It has revived genres like the 2D platformer and classic style adventure games. It has brought us visually superior rereleases of classics such as Nights into Dreams and SotC. It has brought online connectivity to older games like SF2 and VOOT.

Also, some of us do not condone piracy and respect intellectual property. I say this without a value judgement of those who feel differently.

The VC is more than a convenience in my eyes. For me it's superior to the original system and adds value to the experience. I recognize that physical carts have their advantages, but these are some pros I see with the VC experience that make it far and away better for me:

-Desirable VC games are generally available at a lower price.
-VC save data does not rely on a battery and can be backed up.
-VC N64 games look superior through the Wii's output. There is a clearer and crisper picture. Skip a few minutes in - link. Another vid - link.
-First party wireless controllers are readily available. I have pet rabbits that can bite through cords like butter.
-I don't have to hook up my old systems. I live in a small apartment with 2 other guys. We don't have much space. I'm still in college. I am very transient and prefer to keep everything I can packed.
-Most games on the service can support a limited save state. I can quit at any time. I can keep progress in games that predate save files. It can't be abused like normal save states.

Also, I can save and print my Pokemon Snap photos. That's kind of a big deal. It was cool for Sin and Punishment to get a menu translation in its western release. It wasn't too hard to figure out in the original, but it's still appreciated.

Interestingly, I just found out that the VC release messed up Star Fox 64. Apparently some of the game's audio cues took into account the system's lag, which isn't present on the VC release. Minor, but noticeable. Apparently some of the TG16 games are poorly emulated too.

[Ziggy]

I don't even own a SNES.

The VC is more than a convenience in my eyes.

Well of course, our arguments are just our opinions, but I was mostly just kidding with my last post. However, I was serious about VC being mostly a convenience. It is. It's more convenient for one to download a digital copy of a game for cheap on a system one already has than it is for one to own an additional console with that game. I'm not saying there's anything wrong with that, but it is what it is.

[equalsign]

I agree that it is convenient. Upon reflection, a couple of my answers fall into that category. However, I also have reasons for preferring the system that have nothing to with convenience. I think I should also add to my list:

-I want to keep my N64 controllers in good condition for games I can only play on the original system.

[BurningDoom]

I only download games on VC that are hard to find, or way too expensive. Or for systems I don't own. I have a few TG-16 games downloaded, because my cat broke my TG-16. But I now own one again thanks to my wonderful wife.

[Ziggy]

I want to keep my N64 controllers in good condition for games I can only play on the original system.

If you haven't already, you should take apart your joysticks and lube them up. That will prevent them from wearing out.

I only download games on VC that are hard to find, or way too expensive. Or for systems I don't own. I have a few TG-16 games downloaded, because my cat broke my TG-16. But I now own one again thanks to my wonderful wife.

Like I said earlier, the only VC games I have are purely for convenience. I own the actual carts and prefer to play them on original hardware, but my Wii and most of my retro consoles are in two different rooms.

I just remembered though, I do have one VC game that I don't own a physical copy of. I had a Neo Geo CD for a short while. The only game I had for it that I liked and couldn't get on another console (ex: Metal Slug Anthology) was Street Slam / Street Hoop / Dunk Dream or whatever it's called. That game I was very happy to find on VC. But, I still stand by what I said. I sold my Neo Geo CD because I barely used it. I could have kept it just for that one game if I really wanted to, but I decided not to.

[scarper]

If this means Donkey Kong on the Xbox... What kind of weird trend would that start in the video game industry? It could keep going from there. Kind of a scary thought.

[turtle]

Personally I think they removed them because a Donkey Kong Collection is on it's way. Similar to the Kirby/Mario ones. However Nintendo stated they are not making games for the Wii any more, and I really doubt they would release this on the WiiU so early in the life of the system. That would send a bad message to publishers on the fence of the WiiU.

Maybe they aren't 'making games' for the Wii, just porting SNES games? Semantics... Who knows...

[SirPsycho]

The only thing I could think of involves the side characters. Since Diddy, Dixie etc. were made by Rare they should own the copyright for those characters. Its obvious they don't own Donkey Kong himself, but the problem could be from all of his sidekicks being Rare characters and not the Big N's itself.

There's no way in hell Nintendo would let a game with Donkey Kong in it on any non-Nintendo system, so there may be a catch-22 between Nintendo and MS and therefore, no Donkey Kong Country or DK64 re-releases.

[AppleQueso]

^Nintendo owns DKC and all the characters Rare created for it.