Nintendo classics get visual makeovers

Wii News | Revolution classic game downloads to have new looks?

Nintendo president Saturo Iwata has mentioned that older Nintendo games may get a new look when you download them on the upcoming Revolution online service.

"We are doing several experiments, including working with the original Super Mario Bros., with the new technology. The game itself and the gameplay shall be identical, but the look will be different; it's possible that with Revolution, we may be able to see the old games with new looks."

The most obvious application is that NES games could get the "Super Mario All-Stars" trearment - nicer sprites and backgrounds added to the same game engine. But what about the 3D games of the Nintendo 64 promised for download? Apparently some work has gone in to making the N64 games "look sharper" when played on Revolution. Does this mean higher framerates and resolution?

Hopefully 'classic' modes will also be available on games that do get makeovers. But increasing performance on N64 games is certainly welcome - as anyone who has the Gamecube Zelda bonus disk can tell you.

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17 Comments

Jeremy

7 years ago

Looks like an excuse to raise prices ...

jmm36

7 years ago

The original Golden Eye with upgraded graphics, wireless multi-player online, and a faster frame rate?!

Chris-Leigh

7 years ago

Goldeneye won't be appearing on the Revolution at any point unfortunately. Rare are the only ones who could make that happen, and as we all know they were snaffled up by Microsoft (for an utterly ludicrous price, I might add).

ObsoletE

7 years ago

^ that, and EA owning the 007 licence...

though i guess they'd be keen to make more money...

good idea in general though... makes paying for them seem less annoying...

David

7 years ago

Chris-Leigh wrote

Goldeneye won't be appearing on the Revolution at any point unfortunately. Rare are the only ones who could make that happen, and as well know they were snaffled up by Microsoft (for an utterly ludicrous price, I might add).

Rare doesn't have to come into it with that game. Nintendo own the code, but EA now own the licence. So a deal with EA could make it happen.

Not true of PD though.

Mark

7 years ago

GoldenEye 'could' make it as a downloadable game for the Revolution, but there would have to be a few deals made here and there to make it possible.

Good news though, sharper and cleaner versions of the classics is great news.

Andronicus

7 years ago

Ooo - cool!

I like the Allstars and Super Mario Advance face-lifts to my favourite classic Super Mario platformers, so this news is cool (but it would have been nice to get the originals in their original form as well - I'm a purist...).

I can't wait to see the original Zelda and Metroid games get this sort of treatment - should be goooood!

Capoeira

7 years ago

Mr Iwata statement is a little cryptic in my opinion. "New look" doesn't necessarily mean updated graphics. And I hope that's not what it means. I've got a feeling this new look might be beyond aesthetics. Maybe 3d? Not polygon 3D, but IMAX 3D. It's possible, Sucker Punch's new Sly Raccoon game will feature a couple of 3D levels. And my first 3D card, (ASUS Geforce 2 GTS) came with a set of cool 3D glasses and could turn any D3d or OpenGL game like Unreal Tournament into an actual 3D experience. I've got to say seeing 'into' your monitor is pretty frickn cool.

The Revolutions controller is still a mystery so I guess anything is possible at the moment, and knowing Nintendo, I think (hope) they've got some cool surprises up their sleeves. Then again, it could just be updated graphics and that's fine.

Qbert

7 years ago

^^Possibly, I'd be pleased if they just upgraded the graphics though. Maybe they'll cel-shade OtT

NismoR34

7 years ago

Just wanted to say that both Goldeneye and Perfect Dark could and can be released on the Revolution as downloads. Rare did make the two games yes, and EA do hold the Bond licence now, but that doesn't matter as Nintendo has the rights to each and every game produced on their previous consoles. If Nintendo wanted to re-release Diddy Kong Racing, Blast Corps, Donkey Kong 64, hell even Mickey's Speedway USA - they could quite easily. They only have to with EA if they want to re-release the Bond games on the GCN.

Hyperworm

7 years ago

NismoR34 wrote

They have the rights to sell those games as published, but if they're going to go about modifying code or anything else within the game in order to change its appearance, I'd say they'd probably be overstepping their rights as publishers.
I'm sure Nintendo could distribute unmodified versions without permission, as the publishers, but updating Goldeneye with new graphics would require them to talk to EA and maybe Rareware too. I think.

This is quite interesting news... I'm left wondering how far this graphical transformation will go, and whether we'll have access to the games as originally produced.
Tons of potential, once again... can't wait to hear more

Googol

7 years ago

Qbert wrote

^^Possibly, I'd be pleased if they just upgraded the graphics though. Maybe they'll cel-shade OtT

You mean, like THIS?

LordPaludis

7 years ago

*screams*

Hyperworm

7 years ago

Googol wrote

Qbert wrote

^^Possibly, I'd be pleased if they just upgraded the graphics though. Maybe they'll cel-shade OtT

You mean, like THIS?
[snip]
[snip]

Hooray for texture editing

I've seen a site where they're doing that kind of stuff before...

NismoR34

7 years ago

Hyperworm wrote

NismoR34 wrote

Oh of course. If they left the games exactly how they were released on the N64 though, they wouldn't need permission of any kind to re-release the games. A lot of people still seem to think they would need permission, which I can't understand...

armageddon12

7 years ago

They can't publish GoldenEye as is because they don't hold the James Bond franchise rights. As right holders EA have a say in it, and they aren't going to say yes in a hurry. Rareware would have to be paid royalties for their use of code, something I'm sure they wouldn't mind, however its a bit complicated as they are now a Microsoft Game Studio. I don't think Microsoft would be best pleased if Rare had games published on a rivals machine (of course handhelds are a different matter as MS doesn't have its own as of yet).

Goldeneye won't be released as its just to complex. Nintendo didn't retain all rights to Rare's games, anything that includes Nintendo's characters, they do. But Blast Corps, and Mickey's Speedway USA, not only do they not have the rights to either, but I very much doubt they would want to release either.

Perfect Dark has a chance of being released, on both the 360 and Rev. But its unlikely. I think we're more likely to see a port to the PSP or the DS.

ObsoletE

7 years ago

pfft, sif EA would turn down money...

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