Here's that NES SP

[Dark Jaguar]

http://gameboy.ign.com/articles/502/502358p1.html

Looks nice, but I still would like to have one of those Famicom themed SPs more. I mean, I love my old NES and all, but those Famicom systems were classic cheese to the max, whereas NES is just classic cheese to the extreme, and extreme is 1990's, not 1980's like "to the max" is. You can see which one wins the prize.

Anyway, reading about those old straight NES ports makes me grr angry. I mean, we already have Super Mario Bros DX and Super Mario All-Stars SMB. This is basically saying "we are requiring you to get a system more powerful than the Super Nintendo just to play something the Gameboy Color is not only capable of, but already did and improved upon". One thing, they put the multiplayer alternating back in, which is what I wanted them to do with Super Mario Advance 4 (and 2 come to think of it), since alternating is nice, and especially nice when the computer remembers all the details of the two players. As IGN said, at least it's there so you know they updated the emulator software they are using to support it. I guess that bodes well for the NES/Famicom games we'll find in Animal Crossing 2. Zelda seems interesting, but after finding out they were lazy and took out the ability to instantly quit any time from the original Metroid, as opposed to simply remapping the controller 2 buttons that did that to some other button on the SP, I have a feeling I won't be able to save and quit and have to go through the entire game without saving if I want a no death game. Maybe anyway, then again maybe they did remap it for the Zelda port. Eh, who am I kidding? I'm not buying that game :D.

Really, sure the price is a LITTLE lower, but they should have just packed all those games together. Read that quote from NOA and tell me they aren't insulting our intelligence.

[big guy]

NES is good

[Dark Jaguar]

Yes...

Still, who wouldn't want to own one of these sweet looking things?

[Sacred Jellybean]

JUUUNNNEEE SEVEEENNNNTHH!!!! June 7th June 7th June 7th June 7th!!!1 I want one! *dances*

*composes himself*

Yeah, this thing looks pretty neat. And I love the idea of NES games on GBA SP... even though they'll be expensive, right? Ah well... I just earned a nice chunk of cash, so I can blow some of it on this.

[Sacred Jellybean]

Zelda will be released on this! And Excitebike! And Mario (even though Mario DX is already out and is probably a lot better)! Squeee!

[Dark Jaguar]

Mario DX IS a lot better. It's the entire Super Mario Bros game completely unaltered, except the screen isn't fully shown to fit (this one is stretched instead, loosing detail in favor of a full size screen). It also has many MANY side quests, like a red coin hunt, a yoshi egg hunt, a high score challenge (per level and overall challenges), many little tasks to do to get stamps (can you kill every Bowser with fireballs alone? yes you can, if you can make it to each one with fire power), and several special levels designed for boo racing. They even put in Lost Levels. That IS the one gripe however, as they cheapened Lost Levels by removing 5 whole worlds and making the levels easier in various ways (no wind). Still, as far as SMB alone, it's the ultimate version. Oh yes, one other thing. You can still do alternating, as you can easily select Mario or Luigi (no effect on gameplay itself mind you, even in Lost Levels, another thing they removed), but it's not actually kept track of, and you would just have to manage who gets to play next on your own.

You seem to have the money, so I won't stop you. That SP does look sweet. It even has the two shades of gray. I can just barely make out that the bottom half of the controller part of the system is darker grey. I'd still like the Famicom one, just because well, I dunno, it's so cool looking and as I said before, I'd love to have that in my memories of the past. Still, considering that I have almost all those games, and portable at that, already, I just am not interested. Granted, Ice Climbers lacks the multiplayer simultaneous in the e-card form, something I'd really like as well. Also granted, portable Zelda 1 would be great fun (so long as they managed to give you the ability to save and quit without having to die just like in the original, just remapped to "controller 1" so it would work). Also granted, the Animal Crossing games will be gone the second I turn the system off, but considering nothing is saved in those anyway, I won't loose anything.

I guess I'd be a lot more interested if they just packed them all in one cart. Too expensive on their own.

[Sacred Jellybean]

I guess I'd be a lot more interested if they just packed them all in one cart. Too expensive on their own.

So true, so true... :(

Investing hope in Nintendo is like investing hope in an expensive date who is also a cock tease.

Mario DX... excellent, I can get that cheap! It's been out for a couple years! :far-out:

[Dark Jaguar]

...nice analogy... /sarcasm

Yes, you should get Mario DX, but I don't think many stores are selling it brand new. Your best bet is a used game store.

[A Black Falcon]

Hmm NES SP vs Famicom SP. Due to nostalgia probably I like the NES more... :) That GBA SP looks awesome!

Game selection. Only eight games... several are gone... ah well. Still nice. But $20 for a NES game is a bit much. I might get Zelda (unless I manage to find a copy of that bonus disk for GC, I probably will get it), but the rest... probably not. I mean, I have Excitebike in Excitebike, Donkey Kong in DK64, Mario in Mario DX... and the first Bomberman isn't exactly the best game in the series...

[Great Rumbler]

I'll just wait a few months and buy them used.

[OB1]

Ugh, greedy Nintendo. These games should have been bundled together in one cart.

[A Black Falcon]

... but why make $30 when you can get $40, or $60, or $80, or more?

[big guy]

to make the children smile ABF, to make the children smile...

[Laser Link]

Wow, that is pretty nice. But I think I would rather get a Virtual Boy edition GBA SP
<img src="http://pocketmedia.ign.com/pocket/image/virtualboysp_1_1080777092.jpg">

It even has a special tinted screen to remind you of the good old days.
<img src="http://pocketmedia.ign.com/pocket/image/vbsp_040104_033104_001.jpg">
<img src="http://pocketmedia.ign.com/pocket/image/vbsp_040104_033104_004.jpg">
<img src="http://pocketmedia.ign.com/pocket/image/vbsp_040104_033104_002.jpg">
THey will even be re-releasing some of those classic VB games
<img src="http://pocketmedia.ign.com/pocket/image/vbsp_040104_033104_013.jpg">

Here's what a Nintendo rep said about the special edition system and games:

[The Virtual Boy] died before its time," said a Nintendo representative, who asked to remain anonymous due to the potential flogging he would receive if someone heard that he actually liked the Virtual Boy. "The system had so much to offer kids with fully developed eyesight over the age of seven. So many classics! Like....uh, Nester's Funky Bowling. And Red Alarm. Red hot sellers that broke the hundreds of copies mark back in 1995. Get it? Red hot?

Nintendo's pricing plan sounds kinda familiar too:

The apocryphal Virtual Boy Game Boy Advance will launch for $199.99. It will quickly drop in price to $99.99, then $49.99, eventually hitting clearance aisles and outlet stores for $29.99 before disappearing into obscurity six months after its release.

[Laser Link]

Sorry, forgot the source: <a href="http://gameboy.ign.com/articles/503/503361p1.html">IGN Pocket</a>

[OB1]

Haha, that was awesome.

[Dark Jaguar]

With a screw driver, a red SP, and a black SP, I could make one of those myself, without the tinted screen or the special wording :D.

That color combo actually looks pretty cool.

Hmm, I need to check and see what prank Blizzard is pulling today, and more importantly, what's Weltall up to? I swear I'm not in on anything he's planning this year. ...or AM I? No, no I'm not... or AM I?

[Laser Link]

Hehe, Blizzard had a good one again. Introducing to World of Warcraft, the Two Headed Ogre!

By selecting the Two-headed Ogre race, you are selflessly choosing to share your existence in World of Warcraft with another player. That is, you are staking claim to one half of the Ogre whole. As a Two-headed Ogre, you will have control of one head and one arm at all times. Your other half will be controlled by a second player automatically and permanently paired with you upon character creation?

[Dark Jaguar]

And what of the Gobling Tinker?

http://www.battle.net/war3/neutral/goblintinker.shtml

The Goblins are angry and they've had enough! Many inhabitants of Azeroth have been taking the Goblins for granted. Goblin Zeppelins transport thousands of passengers daily. Goblin Shredders clear acres of forests to support Horde and Alliance war efforts. Goblin Sappers give up their lives via Kaboom to serve their war commander's needs. Goblin Merchants, Laboratories, and Goblin Shipyards provide additional services and merchandise. For what reward? It's time to pay the Goblins back! The Goblin Tinker is coming for you!

Honestly, the weird thing is, just like the Pandaren prank last year, I would actually LIKE to see these two things added!

Taking the ridiculous and potentially friendship killing notion of a two headed ogre seriously, the task of walking should be delegated to just one of them, decided on every time they are logged on.

And, ya know, the Pandarens WERE added in a reduced capacity to WC3 in Frozen Throne. Sure, it was just one neutral hero and a rather wild looking standard unit, but they were there.

[big guy]

oh blizzard...maybe all the losses i've been having lately are jsut an april fools joke...

no...i just suck

[A Black Falcon]

... but I want to play as a Two-Headed Ogre... :) Or maybe not, it sounds a bit hard to play as.

And DJ the Pandarens WERE a joke. They were just such a popular joke that they couldn't help but actually put them in the game...

[Dark Jaguar]

Well that's exactly what I said you know...

That's what I hope will happen to these two fellows.

Oh, I loved their little math joke. The math system we have isn't flawless afterall is it?

[A Black Falcon]

Hey, I guess .9999... DOES equal 1 then... :)

[Smoke]

Two Headed Ogre.... It's REVOLUTIONARY!!! ;)

[Dark Jaguar]

Blizzard is still the beginning and the end when it comes to April Fool's! Behold, the REVERSE april fool's joke! They really ARE putting the Goblin Tinker into the next WC3 patch!

http://www.battle.net/war3/neutral/goblintinker.shtml

[A Black Falcon]

... isn't that the page from the April Fools thing?

[Dark Jaguar]

Ya know, I think it is. HOWEVER, check the main Blizzard page with their LATEST news update and check the newest patch for WC3. It's supposed to be a rather large one.

[A Black Falcon]

Ah. I remembered that they'd made up real pages for the April Fools stuff this year so I wasn't sure... you're right, it does look like they're adding it! No one can accuse Blizzard of not having a sense of humor... (though it's kind of a strange combo with their often very dark stories...)

[Dark Jaguar]

I wouldn't say their stories are COMPLETELY dark, but they do have a penchant for dark endings.

[A Black Falcon]

Dark endings, dark middles, and dark beginnings... with humor mixed in to make it not ALL dark. At least that was the formula in WC3 and SC... the Diablo games don't have a whole lot of that 'humor' aspect.