Gaming UK and EU Virtual Console players, unite! (50Hz)

[Wanque]

I haven't seen this topic on GBAtemp yet, which I find surprising.

Nintendo of Europe has seen fit to provide for it's UK and European Virtual Console customers inferior versions of the majority of the games compared to those available to the US and Japanese regions.

Decades ago, when the games were converted for the PAL market, lazy programmers simply slowed the clock speeds from 60Hz to 50Hz, rather than re-programming timings. This resulted in many games running noticably slower, and was coupled with large, ugly borders.

It's now 2007, 99% of TVs can display games at 60Hz with no problems. And yet, we still must endure games like Sonic the Hedgehog and Street Fighter 2 running like treacle on a cold day.

This video demonstrates the difference between the two versions: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b0llsb77Esc.

There is a petition that's been set up:
http://www.petitiononline.com/wii60pal/petition.html

I'm well aware that online petitions don't tend to change anything - but I feel that we have to do something.

We pay the same amount (if not more) for our VC games as our friends across the lake, and yet we get less. It doens't matter how you look at it - that's not right.

Here's a small selection of articles about the problem from across the internet:
Wikipedia
videogamesblogger.com
pro-g.co.uk
uk.videogames.games.yahoo.com
kotaku.com

As of yet, Nintendo have kept schtum.

 

[MC DUI]

I agree something should be done, but despite all the online outcry I don't see Nintendo rushing to fix the issue.

Yet another example of Nintendo like all the other gaming corporations not giving a crap about the consumer. (And yet this site is filled with their fanboys??? Note I own many Nintendo products!)

 

[Wanque]

Oh, I agree, Nintendo has a very poor history when it comes to listening to it's European customers.
But I think we should at least try to do something. Send an email. Write them a letter. Sign the petition. Go to their European HQ (which I think is in Germany) and protest. Something.

 

[Wuschmaster]

Just stop buying European consoles and games from Nintendo.
I imported a Japanese Wii, Japanese games, and Japanese Wii points.
It costs WAY LESS, too. 170€ for the Wii, 32€ for 5000 Wii Points BUNDLED with a Classic Controller, etc. Guys, NOE rips you off.

But yeah, I agree to the 60 Hz issue.

 

[Jeda]

One has to keep in mind that this isn't true for all game, and I also hardly believe it is "the majority". I compared an NTSC Mario Rom on an emulated NTSC NES with a PAL Mario Rom on an emulated PAL Nes and they were both playing exactly the same.

If I understand things corrently this is also just an issue for the vc games, not for the "real" Wii games

 

[Darkforce]

Decades ago, when the games were converted for the PAL market, lazy programmers simply slowed the clock speeds from 60Hz to 50Hz, rather than re-programming timings. This resulted in many games running noticably slower, and was coupled with large, ugly borders.

It's now 2007, 99% of TVs can display games at 60Hz with no problems. And yet, we still must endure games like Sonic the Hedgehog and Street Fighter 2 running like treacle on a cold day.

Just a quick note... to the best of my knowledge the limitations of 50Hz are completely hardware related and not software related - There's a modulator chip inside the PAL SNES to reduce the clock speed to 50Hz. It is not an issue related to the game carts themselves - Nintendo were just too lazy to add a 50/60Hz switch.
A few developers speeded up their games so for PAL release they ran at the same speed as their NTSC counterparts, but nothing could be done about the squashed picture.

The decision for Nintendo to run VC games at 50Hz is bizarre to say the least and is almost certainly a "feature" of the emulator.

I myself have a US Wii, though don't play VC games using it so can't comment so much on the Wii side of things.
SNES > USB adaptors + PC/Xbox + Emulator + Good SNES rom set is the way to go.

 

[ih8crouch]

Get an NTSC Wii, it isnt just the fact that VC is crap on the pal machines its the fact we will have to wait for games for absolutly daft months after the americans and japanese get games as usual! Animal Crossing on the cube must hold the record i think?? unless the modchips that are on the way allow playing of imports we will have to wait for a freeloader type thing that will probably never happen!

If you own a NDS and Flash cart get your self SNEmulDS(snes emulator) and picodriveds16(Mega Drive emulator) as these came to my rescue of wanting to top myself after playing the God awful VC Pal Street Fighter I payed good money for

 

[Sick Wario]

incredible!! you poor brits have to pay the most for wii points, and you take these shite versions??! i would be pissed too. im in canada but we are part of the commonwealth so where do i sign!

 

[Wanque]

"Get a US Wii" isn't a solution. It's a way to sidestep the problem.

 

[ConraDargo]

32€ for 5000 Wii Points BUNDLED with a Classic Controller, etc. Guys, NOE rips you off.

What the hell?!

Are there any bundles like that available to US customers?