N5 will have backwards compatibility

[Zubiac666]

Just thought I'd share this GREAT news with you.
Nintendo's next console "N5" will play gamecube(and maybe others too-?) games as well!

In an interview with Famitsu, the head of Nintendo Satoru Iwata has stated the N5 will have backwards compatibility.:

"It will be able to use the games already created in the previous generation. And it is something that will work. Side performances and graphics, one reached today a kind of limit with a quality which is already close to realism and it will be difficult to still much better do. The role of Nintendo is thus to study other ways in order to improve the experience of the player."

source:
http://www.cube-europe.com/news.php?nid=5916

[Querjek]

Wow... I'm shocked. I love Nintendo to pieces, but I never thought that they would be smart enough to add backward-compatibility to a home console.

[kainemaxwell]

Wonder how far "backwards" the N5 will go?

[aaron_157]

well he says it will play games from the previous generation, so that means gamecube is all.

[Sylentwulf]

IT will play all generations, you'll just have to buy them on a specially re-released disc at $35 each per NES, and SNES game, and full price for N64 and GC games.

Gameboy games will not be compatible since they are not consoles, but an adapter will be made for $75 so that you can play them on the console.

In additional news, they will be using square optical discs.

[Flack]

$35 per game? Boy, talk about milking the market. How much of a market is there for $35 vintage games? I kind of thought everyone who wanted to play, say, Super Mario Brothers, has figured out a way by now -- whether it's through vintage hardware or simple emulation.

[GaijinPunch]

Uh... I think you missed the joke.

[Flack]

I think I did too.

Blame it on a combination of marketing greediness and a lack of sleep.

[GaijinPunch]

I'd love to see some backwards compatibility or something at least. Keeping all those damn systems is just not practical for those that live in small places. I'll probaby never throw away my Xbox, just b/c it can play basically all my 8-bit and 16-bit games.

[Griking]

and suddenly Gamestop will be tripping all over themselves to start building up their N64 and earlier Nintendo inventories again.

[Bratwurst]

This backward business will probably be limited to the Gamecube and maybe Gameboy Advance. I'd be surprised if NES/SNES were included but it would suck big time because then asshole sellers would jack up prices just like they've been doing with Gameboy carts cos' they're still 'viable.'

[Flack]

One of the PS2's biggest selling points was its backward compatibility -- so much that the PS3 will be PS2 AND PS1 compatible.

It's hard enough convincing people to buy new consoles every generation, but making sure their old games still work is one way to ease the blow.

[pango]

well...when i design the best ever in the universe ultra super pirate famicom...it will be compatable with...famicom...god damn im a loser

[RetroYoungen]

At least it's backwards compatible, it shows that maybe, just maybe, they're trying to keep gamers happy instead of just trying to take us for everything we've got.

...though it seems that way still.

[IntvGene]

It's good news that Nintendo is going to be using backwards compatibilty in the next systems, but it's hardly surprising, or groundbreaking.

You know what I'd love to see a company do.. not that it is feasible, but let the next systems play the old ones and circumvent the copy protection of the old games. So, let's say.. the PS3 could play copied PS2 games..

Now that would sell systems.

[Captain Wrong]

IT will play all generations, you'll just have to buy them on a specially re-released disc at $35 each per NES, and SNES game, and full price for N64 and GC games.

Gameboy games will not be compatible since they are not consoles, but an adapter will be made for $75 so that you can play them on the console.

In additional news, they will be using square optical discs.

Classic.

[Ze_ro]

Uh... I think you missed the joke.

Sadly, Sylentwulf is probably not far off from the truth. There's no way they'll put a cartridge port on their next system (although a GB Player is always a possibility)... but I'm sure they'll keep re-releasing games on disc. After all, the Zelda Classics disc probably sold quite a few systems, games, and NP subscriptions.

I fully expect to see an F-Zero compilation disc eventually. Perhaps a Donkey Kong collection too (assuming Rare doesn't own all the rights to those games).

--Zero

[hydr0x]

Uh... I think you missed the joke.

I fully expect to see an F-Zero compilation disc eventually. Perhaps a Donkey Kong collection too (assuming Rare doesn't own all the rights to those games).

--Zero

no, Nintendos owns the Donkey Kong name rights and should also own all publishing/distribution/using rights for the old DK games

[kai123]

Great to hear. Will the Xbox 2 support backward compatibility? I haven't heard if it will or not.

On the subject of rehashes wasn't this the same board that jumps up and down when a new 2600 collection is released? Most people don't have these old games and if you do what do you care? Don't buy them. I would love to see a new 2d side scroller mario as much as the next guy. Why go with the trouble of developing a new game when you can sell another million of Mario 3? They could cut the price on them though to soften the blow.

[Sylentwulf]

Great to hear. Will the Xbox 2 support backward compatibility? I haven't heard if it will or not.

On the subject of rehashes wasn't this the same board that jumps up and down when a new 2600 collection is released? Most people don't have these old games and if you do what do you care? Don't buy them. I would love to see a new 2d side scroller mario as much as the next guy. Why go with the trouble of developing a new game when you can sell another million of Mario 3? They could cut the price on them though to soften the blow.

Because they DID sell another million mario 3, THIS YEAR, and they DIDN'T cut the price AT ALL. On the GBA, just like they sold another million mario 2, and mario 1 without cutting the price AT ALL, and a ton of other SNES ports, without cutting the price, AT ALL.