So I remember perusing the Wii Shop Channel a few weeks ago when I stumbled upon something that brought me a lot of joy. Ogre Battle 64: Person of Lordly Caliber was put up for download! The Nintendo 64 didn’t see too many strategy RPGs during its lifetime, and this rare instance was definitely a strong, rewarding game. I didn’t download it yet, opting to support the indie gaming industry and going for Cave Story instead (which I recently beat on my PC).
Then something came to mind: if Nintendo’s releasing Ogre Battle 64 on the Virtual Console, then maybe they should also release StarCraft 64! I know the two games have nothing in common (except for their awesomeness), but it was just an idea that came to my mind. There are a few titles that are constantly on my mind, and StarCraft is one of them, so that probably explains just why I want to see the Nintendo 64 version of StarCraft downloadable for the Wii.
Now I know what you must be wondering. Would I actually shell out 10 bucks for a game I already own? I am currently in possession of both the original PC version of StarCraft and the cartridge-based StarCraft 64. To be quite honest, I probably would. My Nintendo 64 isn’t what it used to be, so some of my games take a while to power on. Then there’s the issue with slowdown in StarCraft 64. A lot of classic titles that have gotten the Virtual Console treatment remain unchanged from their original format, but slowdown issues are usually fixed. I would absolutely love—with emphasis on the word “love”—to be able to play StarCraft 64’s split-screen cooperative multiplayer mode without having to deal with the lag and choppy frame rate that was ever so prominent and actually took away from the gaming experience.
Technical issues aside, there’s another reason why I would download StarCraft 64 from the Wii Shop Channel: support. I like to support the things I love. Why do you think I shelled out $12 for Cave Story, an indie classic that has been a free PC download for the last six years? Because I love to support great games. I would pay $10 for StarCraft 64 to show more support to Blizzard and more support to the StarCraft license.
Last and certainly not least, why do I want StarCraft 64 to make its way to the Wii Virtual Console? The people. Many gamers refuse to play PC games. Many gamers are loyal to home consoles. Many gamers would rather play the Nintendo 64 version of StarCraft than the PC version. Many gamers would just like to get that nostalgic kick and go back and play the classic StarCraft 64 like they used to when they were younger. And for these gamers, StarCraft 64 on the Virtual Console would be a great thing.
So Nintendo, please bring StarCraft 64 to the Virtual Console. The fans will be greatly appreciative.
