Virtual Console Coming To The DS? (NintendoLife)

[R.O.B.]

Reggie speaks about the upcoming game download service on the DS

The rumours have been circulating for quite some time but the concept of downloading ‘complete’ games to your Nintendo DS is becoming a reality, if a recent interview with Reggie is anything to go by.

Nintendo’s main man spoke to the New York Times recently about the new ‘Everybody’s Nintendo’ channel and how DS owners will soon be able to download entire games to their portable machine.

Here’s a small quote:

Complete games as well as game samplers will be able to be downloaded into the Wii using its broadband connection, and then transferred wirelessly to the DS.

Although he hasn’t said as such, many people are taking these comments to mean that a Virtual Console-style service may be coming to the DS. Gameboy connectivity is the most obvious choice, and it certainly would be nice to play some of the classic Black & White GB games from way back in the day.

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[Radretrogamer]

if its similar to the game stop service, then the DL games will be temporary, deleting when the DS shuts off. im sure the demos will be free. but i wonder how the full games will be treated.

[WiiGamer24]

Originally Posted by Radretrogamer

if its similar to the game stop service, then the DL games will be temporary, deleting when the DS shuts off. im sure the demos will be free. but i wonder how the full games will be treated.

For full games and VC games (if it ever happens), Nintendo (and third party companies) could release memory card things in the form of DS cards or GBA cartriges- these will probably be able to hold quite a few Gameboy games. You download the game on the Wii, transfer it to the DS and then save the game on the memory card.

It would be fantastic to download classic Gameboy and Gameboy Colour games for the DS (the DS should of been able to play Gameboy cartridges in the first place). Why stop with just Gameboy games? Maybe we could download games from the forgotten portable systems which were crushed by the Gameboy series' dominence, such as the Game Gear, Wonderswann and Atari Lynx. Also, I wonder if it would be possible to transfer standard VC games to the DS, surely the DS can handle NES, SNES, PC Engine, MSX and Mega Drive game (N64 and Neo Geo games will probably be too big to save to the DS's memory card).

[ZueriHB]

Originally Posted by WiiGamer24

(...)
Also, I wonder if it would be possible to transfer standard VC games to the DS, surely the DS can handle NES, SNES, PC Engine, MSX and Mega Drive game (N64 and Neo Geo games will probably be too big to save to the DS's memory card).

Mega Drive is more of a problem to emulate than you think, not just because it features "blast processing" but it's not easy, especially the sound and all the additional chips. For SNES it's even worse with all those additional chips in the cartridges (Star Fox, Super Mario RPG, Star Ocean, ect).

N64 is memory wise not that of a problem, as GBA games are in the same size region. But power wise it would be hard.

[The shoemaker]

They've already made snes ports on the gba DKC, Alttp

[WiiGamer24]

Originally Posted by ZueriHB

Mega Drive is more of a problem to emulate than you think, not just because it features "blast processing" but it's not easy, especially the sound and all the additional chips. For SNES it's even worse with all those additional chips in the cartridges (Star Fox, Super Mario RPG, Star Ocean, ect).

N64 is memory wise not that of a problem, as GBA games are in the same size region. But power wise it would be hard.

Fair enough. Still, NES, MSX and PC Engine seems possible.

[ZueriHB]

Originally Posted by The shoemaker

They've already made snes ports on the gba DKC, Alttp

Do you mean in terms of VC and Emulation, then it is something completly different.

If so, a port, is when a game or software is rewritten for a new hardware or platform, where emulation takes the unaltered original code and runs it in a sandbox. So to speak.

[koolkitties]

Originally Posted by WiiGamer24

For full games and VC games (if it ever happens), Nintendo (and third party companies) could release memory card things in the form of DS cards or GBA cartriges- these will probably be able to hold quite a few Gameboy games. You download the game on the Wii, transfer it to the DS and then save the game on the memory card.

It would be fantastic to download classic Gameboy and Gameboy Colour games for the DS (the DS should of been able to play Gameboy cartridges in the first place). Why stop with just Gameboy games? Maybe we could download games from the forgotten portable systems which were crushed by the Gameboy series' dominence, such as the Game Gear, Wonderswann and Atari Lynx. Also, I wonder if it would be possible to transfer standard VC games to the DS, surely the DS can handle NES, SNES, PC Engine, MSX and Mega Drive game (N64 and Neo Geo games will probably be too big to save to the DS's memory card).

Don't forget the Neo Geo Pocket Color. IT has a funny name!

[ICEknight]

Originally Posted by WiiGamer24

surely the DS can handle NES, SNES, PC Engine, MSX and Mega Drive game (N64 and Neo Geo games will probably be too big to save to the DS's memory card).

I wouldn't be so sure that the DS can handle SNES emulation with all the effects enabled...

Originally Posted by ICEknight

"Blast processing" was something made up by SEGA's marketing department, if I remember correctly.

I knew that, but it doesn't hide the fact that the Mega Drive hat a 7 MHz Motorola, a Z80 and some other chips on board.

...Please elaborate.

I think you would find this an interesting read.

[ICEknight]

Originally Posted by ZueriHB

Mega Drive is more of a problem to emulate than you think, not just because it features "blast processing" but it's not easy,

"Blast processing" was something made up by SEGA's marketing department, if I remember correctly.

especially the sound and all the additional chips.

...Please elaborate.