GBA games alive and well in Japan

[Silktree]

Bulbanews Article

I would like to know how many of you find this unexpected. I have had numerous debates on this forum concerning the fate of the GBA games; I know that this must come as a huge surprise to a certain few members.

 

[TTEchidna]

I just hope they do the same here. I'd like to have a Deoxys, finally.

Kind of odd that they'd do it AFTER DP, though. Guess they proved that unlike RBYGSC, RSEFRLG will not be left behind. Plus, I think they might be getting that people don't want to have to cheat in DP to get everyone, so they're going for giving an actual CHANCE to catch 'em all this time. Maybe. I dunno.

Here's hoping that Nintendo of everywhere else does this too.

 

[Turtle Tamer Kammy]

I just hope they do the same here. I'd like to have a Deoxys, finally.

Kind of odd that they'd do it AFTER DP, though. Guess they proved that unlike RBYGSC, RSEFRLG will not be left behind. Plus, I think they might be getting that people don't want to have to cheat in DP to get everyone, so they're going for giving an actual CHANCE to catch 'em all this time. Maybe. I dunno.

Here's hoping that Nintendo of everywhere else does this too.

Does anyone have an opinion of the likeliness of this happening? Because I too would be mighty happy to have a Deoxys (And LUGIA!).

 

[FireEmblemPride]

Until January 5?!

ARGH. I go to Japan on January 8. ;__;

On an interesting note, sales of Pokemon Emerald as well as FireRed and LeafGreen went UP after Diamond and Pearl came out, thanks no doubt to the GBA cartridge slot compatibility with DP.

 

[Jukain]

To me, this only means they acknowledge that the hidden legends must be made available again. Nothing more.

 

[Silktree]

Kind of odd that they'd do it AFTER DP, though. Guess they proved that unlike RBYGSC, RSEFRLG will not be left behind.

Indeed. RGBY "stuck around" after Gold and Silver were released thanks to the Time Capsule, a theme which was also carried over to Stadium GS. The official league tournament of 2000 allowed use of those cartridges instead of the then-new games. However, they essentially blended into Gold and Silver, and in and of themselves they became obsolete.

GSC were replaced by Ruby and Sapphire altogether. To honor their run, Crystal's Mobile Adapter service was ended in December 2002 with an official note (in-game text) saying that while the service might be over, it would still be possible for players to communicate with each other. Anyone who wished to continue enjoy online battling, one of the aspects that did not make it to the GBA, was free to do so.

There is no doubt that the current case matches the RGBY scenario more closely. However, Pal Park and the GBA slot in general, is quite unlike the Time Capsule. The older games have not blended into Diamond and Pearl, and players are warned that by using Pal Park they are in fact removing data from the GBA game forever. That in itself is not a clear indication of the GBA series' status, but the existence of this campaign sheds light on just that--it signifies the return of a service which has long been thought to be dead.

Does anyone have an opinion of the likeliness of this happening? Because I too would be mighty happy to have a Deoxys (And LUGIA!).

There has never been a GBA service outside Japan, and to think that there could be one now is unmerited. We have to see how this develops in Japan--this Mysticticket/Eon Ticket promotion is an exact replicate of the one held two years ago, but a little over a year ago there was an Old Sea Map event for Emerald which actually involved the DS (Download Play). If they were to take that step again, as they very well should, that would automatically bring up the question of worldwide Download Play stations, not to mention WiiConnect24.

On an interesting note, sales of Pokemon Emerald as well as FireRed and LeafGreen went UP after Diamond and Pearl came out, thanks no doubt to the GBA cartridge slot compatibility with DP.

I would highly appreciate it if you could provide the statistics.

Interestingly, FireRed, LeafGreen and Emerald were reduced in price a year ago (yet Ruby and Sapphire were not). The official explanation was that there was no reason to include the Wireless Adapter when the GBA Micro had a new version of the accessory, and without it the games were worth less. Of course, outside Japan the games are sold at normal price without the Wireless Adapter (Emerald was not packaged with it from the get-go). Not only that, but we can now see that the GBA Micro and its Wireless Adapter are for all intents and purposes insignificant, as one can only bring a GBA or GBA SP for the event.

To me, this only means they acknowledge that the hidden legends must be made available again. Nothing more.

For some reason I think you would have deemed even that absurd before today.

There was a GBA promotion held in last September, mere days before Diamond and Pearl's release date, which focused on Celebi. That promotion really was about "taking care of unfinished business" in time for Diamond and Pearl - the description said as much. It was also disconnected from Mystery Gift, instead using the primitive download system (the same one employed in Journey Across America and the Mew event). Basically, it was as if the GBA had died and the funeral revolved around the heritage of its successor.

But now, Diamond and Pearl have been released and are no longer being hyped. As such, the GBA seems to be making a full-fledged return in the form of this Mysticticket (for FireRed, LeafGreen and Emerald's Mystery Gift; Wireless Adapter) and Eon Ticket (for Ruby, Sapphire and Emerald's Mystery Events; e-Reader) campaign. This is a fact.

 

[FireEmblemPride]

I would highly appreciate it if you could provide the statistics.

Interestingly, FireRed, LeafGreen and Emerald were reduced in price a year ago (yet Ruby and Sapphire were not). The official explanation was that there was no reason to include the Wireless Adapter when the GBA Micro had a new version of the accessory, and without it the games were worth less. Of course, outside Japan the games are sold at normal price without the Wireless Adapter (Emerald was not packaged with it from the get-go). Not only that, but we can now see that the GBA Micro and its Wireless Adapter are for all intents and purposes insignificant, as one can only bring a GBA or GBA SP for the event.

Pokemon Emerald, FireRed and LeafGreen had long since dropped out of Media Create's top 50, but when Diamond and Pearl came out, Emerald made it back onto the top 50 for the week. A few weeks later, Emerald was still atop the charts but FireRed came back too. No numbers were provided except for when Emerald made it to the top 30 on Famitsu's chart, when it sold a couple thousand copies.

 

[Pokemon X]

It sounded like maybe a last hurra kind of thing to me... they seem to rely on the GBA for download events and stuff but when it comes to actual Pokemon games, aren't they moving towards the DS and up? So I dunno if has that much meaning for the future of the GBA.

Plus we'll probably never see any of that in the US... *sigh*

 

[Silktree]

It sounded like maybe a last hurra kind of thing to me... they seem to rely on the GBA for download events and stuff but when it comes to actual Pokemon games, aren't they moving towards the DS and up? So I dunno if has that much meaning for the future of the GBA.

Looking at the Japanese page, there is absolutely no indication that the GBA games are on the verge of being outdated. One could easily mistake the GBA for the main series.

Needless to say, it is not. But what all of this really means is that the main series (the DS) is no longer the only relevant series.

 

[Turtle Tamer Kammy]

I like this whole keeping the GBA up there with DS. They've never done that before.

 

[Silktree]

Do you think that in the spirit of this campaign, the imminent release of Battle Revolution will surprise us by revealing that the game is, in fact, compatible with the GBA series?

In case anyone has forgotten, the very first video would have left little to no doubt on that had it not been for other circumstances. Will this colosseum be included in the final version of the game? If so, will its special rules be centered on the previous games' battle engine?

Even without the video, is it symbolic that the Dialga/Palkia vs. Groudon/Kyogre battle has been shown recurrently?

 

[Habunake]

I never considered it too be more then a battle of Ledgendary Proportions.

 

[TTEchidna]

I still hope that they do include RSEFRLG connectivity. I mean, everyone knows that Wii still supports GCN controllers, in areas like Virtual Console, simultaneously with the Wiimotes. So why not support GBA-GCN connectors simultanously with DS-Wii Bluetooth or whatever? Or maybe it just reads the GBA slot through the DS, like DP do themselves?

I don't think Nintendo's gonna be leaving out anything more from previous generations. They're keeping III and IV together. I'd think PBR might translate to Colosseum/XD/Box as Stadium 2 did to Stadium 1.