Nintendo caused a minor stir earlier this year when it announced DS titles for the Wii U Virtual Console, with the accompanying concept image showing both screens side-by-side on the GamePad; it's an idea that may not suit all games released on the portable, at least not without some alternative formatting. In any case it prompted the scratching of heads and debate around what should be on the retro game service and how the GamePad should be used.
It seems that yesterday's system update paved the way for these games, as the original Brain Training / Brain Age has now been released for free in Japan — it'll come at no cost until 30th June, at which point it'll have an undetermined price. As you can see in the image above (thanks Nintendaan) it works exactly as was conceptualised at the start of the year.
If this is indeed coming to the West in the near future it'd be little surprise if it was an "available after the presentation" announcement at next week's E3 event. Brain Training was always likely to be first up, meanwhile, as it was loosely demonstrated when the concept was announced.
Are you excited about this coming to the West?
[source twitter.com, via eurogamer.net]
Comments 36
Yes! Love brain training! Before it, I had a normal sized human head!
We're still waiting for Devillish Brain Training in Australia and Europe.
More details:
*Miiverse community available for a limited time.
*Game can be flipped upside-down to support left-handed people.
*Game manual reproduced in same manner as GBA game manuals.
*Update coming soon to provide Suspend Points, as well as a Virtual Console manual.
Some games shouldn't have suspend points. This is definitely one of them.
Yeah this configuration they have right now for DS VC will only work for such a limited number of games.
@smikey The difference is DS carts are dirt cheap and still readily available.
The configuration makes sense once you realise many thought the 2DS a gaming 'tablet' - think Nintendo are just trying to get people to think about the gamepad in different ways (ie. 'hold it sideways')
@smikey
I hope not. Nintendo need to be cuter than that. The likes of Brain Training are available very cheaply and Nintendo sell hardware that can play DS cartridges. Neither of these things were the case with GBA games so the likes of Advance Wars are decent value at 6.29.
Brain Age is a horizontally-oriented game, but this does not inspire confidence. If DS games on the Wii U are not
TV=Top screen
Gamepad=Touchscreen
then don't bother, Nintendo. Makes you wonder if they can't get that configuration to work, somehow.
@Jazzer94
Keep in mind that you can grab the gamepad from the upside.
Good to hear the screen can be flipped. I though I'd have to hold the Gamepad upside down (raises left hand).
As for a DS VC. I'd love to see more experimentation with tiered pricing. If yoshi touch and go is the same cost as say, Mario Kart DS that is daft.
@sillygostly I want to kid myself that I'm Brain age 20. It only took 50 reloads of savestates, suspending to look at the miiverse screenshot I took of the word list and cherry picking the other games via the hidden selector.
As for Devilish Brain Training. Given the NOE stars list has a game called Brain Training 3D that came out on October 25th 2013 I'm guessing that was when it was supposed to come out. I'd love to knew what is going on.
How will this work for all the DS games? You'd need to change the resolution for the screens so that it matches that like Brain Age which doesn't fit well for most of the games. Sure for something like Kirby Canvas Curse or even the professor Layton series, its easy to turn it sideways and play them. But for games that require button mashing, how can it work?
@Artwark Have you played something like Star Soldier on the PSP ? (The answer is not very comfortably).
i want a free game! ^^
I guess we'll get the full story at e3.
@SuperCharlie78 I don't think you understand what I'm suggesting flipping the gamepad on its side would only work for games that only use the touch screen and it would be very awkward to hold hence I said the configuration will not work with most games.
Wow, it finally happened! Hope it reaches our shores... Free of charge too
Now, I'd pay good money for Final Fantasy IV and Chrono Trigger DS on the Wii U!
@Technosphile I don't think that would work for a lot of games.the ds had two screens but it was essentially 1 screen with a strip of plastic in between so the dual screen worked because it took into account the mechanics of the human eyes. This is why the gamepad/tv combo isn't the same and doesn't work anywhere near as well as the ds/3ds.the gamepad is excellent for a lot of reasons but dual screen gaming akin to the ds just isn't one of those reasons. Of course this could all change if humans had 2 pairs of independent eyes..
Not sure if Brain Age is a game I'd want, even for free. Not when I have Concentration Training, that is. I do hope Rhythm Heaven gets a VC release, though.
I'm not weighing in on the screen talk but I'm really looking forward to one of my favorite DS titles coming to my Wii U for free.....potentially.
Free games are good for me! Hope that's the case if and when it comes to North America.
Would it kill Nintendo to just release all Virtual Console games in all regions at the same time?
At this point, I'm thinking yes.
TWEWY in my big screen. Make it happen Nintendo!
Neat to see how versatile the Wii U is becoming. I can't really think of too many DS games that this would actually work for. Hotel Dusk and Last Window would be pretty perfect.
This is actually pretty clever from Nintendo.
Think about it: this is the kind of game people play every day. This is what Nintendo want - people going back to their consoles again and again, to convince them of their value.
I don't often say this, but good job Ninty. Release this tomorrow in the Western download updates, please.
probably should remain free. You can pick up a boxed copy for a quid in CeX...
If they bring it to the West....
I NEED TO REPLACE MY AC ADAPTER ASAP :c
@electrolite77 Though it's even more extreme for Gamecube. Take Fire Emblem Path of Radiance for example, you're extremely lucky if you can get it for £60 much likely to be higher. Having GC games on VC would prevent that as it would probably price at around £15.
So the DS now joins the Wii U Virtual Console.
Which brings us to the question - when will the 3DS see a GBA VC?!
Doesn't this beg the question- Why is this not on 3ds?! Are Nintendo blind to the screeches, shouting and general ranting from everyone? For crying out loud! It's simple emulation, and there's no excuse for lack of cross platform availability!
Maybe I'm overlooking something obvious here, but... Why don't they just release a gameboy player style add on for DS games on the wii u? Even if it was $50, it'd be worth it, IMO. This just seems like a way to make more money... I really miss the old days when I could play all the handheld games nintendo had to offer on one single console: the Gamecube.
Not so interested in the game itself outside of the Sudoku puzzles. The rest of the game was not that great.
If it's free, I'll find something I can do with it, never really dabbled in the series myself, was almost tempted in collecting on the club nintendo brain age they have for NoA for 200 coins. It didn't look that good, however.
Would rather have a good picross game, myself.
Keep giving 3DS owners the shaft, Nintendo.
I'd love to get this game for free, although Nintendo promotions tend to vary from every region cough*MarioKart8Promotion*cough.
For free? Nintendo is generous!
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