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Portable Potential of Nintendo's Virtual Console

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Jansen Fang
FAN EDITORIALIST

This editorial isn't about RPGs per se, but hey, gaming is gaming

I recently noticed a similarity between both Sony and Nintendo's approach toward their portables. Both seem inclined to encourage connectivity between their main console (Wii, PS3) and portable (DS, PSP). Incidentally, both also wish to bring back the older games from previous consoles, and make them available once again and market them to earn a pretty penny. The difference lies in that while Sony intends to bring their old PSX games to both the PSP and (eventually) PS3, Nintendo's Virtual Console seems to be focused on only the Wii.

In my opinion, it would definitely be advantageous for Nintendo to bring the Virtual console feature over to the DS as well. Firstly, it is a technologically viable option, barring the N64 games. The GBA was already almost able to emulate the SNES (/salute Homebrew Scene), held back by number of buttons and processor speed. The DS, however, not only has a superior processor and other specs to the GBA, it also has all the buttons required for an SNES game. Direct port, anyone? I'm not even sure how Sony intends to deal with this problem regarding the lack of double L/R buttons.

Of course, then there's the issue of memory: where to store the game info? Easy: memory paks/ram carts (Nintendo DS Memory Expansion Pak). The Opera DS browser made use of this. Download the game via VC, and store into the ram carts. Considering that the DS Browser is the only product up to this point making use of the Memory Pak, I'm guessing Nintendo might already be thinking of this, without even me writing.

Furthermore, by bringing the Virtual Console onto the DS, it opens up the possibility for GB and GBC games to make a come-back. Portable Oldies, back in your hands once again!

Who here didn't think that the NES classics on GBA were a rip-off. Cheaper as they were, they can't compare to the potential that the VC and DS have, to provide us portable gaming goodness.

And after all, who doesn't want to play Chrono Trigger or Shining Force 2 on the go?