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NES Remix went to Wii U because it needed more power than 3DS offers

Horsepower played a role in choosing which system to bring the remixed NES game compilations to.

128 Comments
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With NES Remix and NES Remix 2 consisting primarily of just what their titles describe--remixed versions of games for the 30-year-old Nintendo Entertainment System--system power is not what you might expect to play a role in deciding which platforms these new compilations will be made for. As it turns out, horsepower did play a role in that decision, and is part of the reason the two games are on the Wii U, and not the 3DS.

In an interview with IGN, director Koichi Hayashida explained that, after working on Super Mario 3D World for Wii U, he was already familiar with the system's architecture. That made it a natural choice for his next project. However, he also spoke about system power and how that factored into allowing Nintendo to more easily create the game it wanted.

“I think the Wii U offered that up for us pretty easily," Hayashida said, referring to the desired system power, "and it just would have been more difficult to do it for the 3DS. I think that's really the answer. It's just that the Wii U had the machine power we were looking for in order for us to build the software we envisioned from the get go."

The Wii U has long been thought of by some as lacking the necessary power to compete with the Xbox One and PlayStation 4, a perception Nintendo has been working to dispel for just as long. The 3DS is also less powerful than its primary competitor, the PlayStation Vita, but that hasn't stopped it from selling millions of units.

Featuring games like Super Mario Bros. 2 and 3, NES Remix 2 releases on Wii U this Friday, April 25.

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Avatar image for Nagisa_Shinju
Nagisa_Shinju

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Got a good chuckle out of that one. On one hand, yes, the Wii U outclasses the 3DS in terms of raw processing power. On the other...how much power do you need to play "remixed" NES era games? I'm no expert but I don't think it's much at all.


*watches video*


Oh Nintendo...That's just silly. The 3DS doesn't offer enough power to play that? You prefer straight up processor overkill, the Wii U, over the 3DS? It just sounds silly.

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stratfender89

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<< LINK REMOVED >> Weren't they able to remix their games on the SNES with the Super Mario All Stars.

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Nagisa_Shinju

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<< LINK REMOVED >><< LINK REMOVED >> Pretty much. They upped the overall quality of three full titles as well as a bonus with the Lost Levels content.


It's a pretty poor excuse that shouldn't have been said to begin with. They should have stuck with the whole "more familiar with Wii U architecture" note.

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stage4saiyan

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GameSpot gets it's news from IGN now? Wow.

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Maui_Lion

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The 3DS can't handle a collection of 'remixed' 8-bit games? Really? I highly doubt that. They just want to try saving the sinking ship that is the WiiU. Just put down the buckets and let it go, Nintendo. Or do something -besides- the usual IPs you try falling back on.

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aci808

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Here come the moronic hipsters in super tight jeans to tell us how they think the Wii U is underpowered.

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jenovaschilld

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@aci808 here is a 42 year old man typing while on the toilet who has never owned a pair of skin tight jeans, telling you the Wii u is very under powered by 8th gen standards and somewhat underpowered by even 7th gen. The wii U is nothing more then a HD wii, while i am sure it will play nintendo games just fine as well as 30 year old games, it does not justify a $300 price tag, unless you only want to play very niche games in the mario universe.

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chev9378

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<< LINK REMOVED >> Obvious troll is obvious.

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JayQproductions

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<< LINK REMOVED >> There is nothing "hipster" about saying the Wii U is underpowered, it is a fact.

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chev9378

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<< LINK REMOVED >><< LINK REMOVED >> Obvious troll is obvious.

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freedom01

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freedom01  Moderator

its fine if they want to put it up on the WiiU, its not fine when they go on out and lie about their reason

2 • 
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ahpuck

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I'm not buying that, not in a million years. If you do, I have a bridge to sell you.

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StJimmy15

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Gonna go ahead and call bullshit since I have the original Mario Bros on my system already.

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DragonessAthena

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Now they're just flat out lying.

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freedom01

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freedom01  Moderator

wait what??? if the 3DS can handle a N64 game (The Legend of Zelda Ocarina of Time) with an addition, it should be able to handle a bunch of NES remix games

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Oozyrat

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<< LINK REMOVED >> I've heard it's more powerful than the GCN and even the Wii as well. There's no way the 3DS can't run an NES game..

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Noobtastic37615

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The 3DS couldn't handle a handful of remixed NES games? Riiiiiiiiiiight...

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OhSnapitz

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Translation:


"The Wii-U is craptacular right now so we thought it was a good idea to beat that nostalgia horse one more time."


Nintendo faithful: "Hey look.. it's Link in a Mario game..." *mind blown*


..the rest of the gaming community: "Sooooo Nintendo... any chance of an FZero, or *Gasp* a new IP within the next year?"

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chev9378

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<< LINK REMOVED >> The "Gaming" community: "Hey Nintendo, how about you make something new for a change?"


The "Gaming" Community: "Last of Us for PS4? Yeah Sony!"

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NaturallyEvil

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<< LINK REMOVED >> It's extra funny since they could just play the much better Super Mario Crossover for free.

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bunchanumbers

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The Wii U is a hard beast to tame but when you do, the results are fantastic. Look at 3DW. And Mario Kart 8 will be a must have game for Wii U owners.

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Slammer612

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I guess I never realized that the 3ds had a hard time playing game segments of games that were on the original Nintendo.

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deactivated-63df62ba1a897

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I would still rather have this on 3DS. Because then I would actually play it...even with that $15 price tag.

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krystyla

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How is it you quote something that contradicts your title


it just would have been more difficult to do it for the 3DS

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delete-EasyComeEasyGo

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No shit. Gameplay is the most important over raw power in my point of view and if I want to play a game that has raw graphics, my PS4 and PC can do that for me and it all depends on the game that comes to the system. So far, Wii U can compete with PS4/Xbox One but it's the developers that have to utilize the system in order to get the best graphics.

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jenovaschilld

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<< LINK REMOVED >> there is nothing to utilize in equaling out the graphics or power of the current 8th gen systems - if you even consider the wii u 8th gen when in reality it is more 7th gen and a weak one at that.

Look, graphics are not everything, but physics, graphics engines, and of course raw graphical computing are important in the longevity and what a game console can do. I have just spent 20hrs on a pc game called Last Dream, a throwback to nes times, and loved it. But I could not justify paying $300 dollars for that experience.

The architecture is very asian and not western friendly, regardless of what dev kits, toolsets, and or programming they come up with - it simply never play new IPs of the 8th gen competently, or with physics that is needed.

I love good gameplay but i can only play minecraft for so long before i want a tomb raider, destiny, or next big IP to come.

nothing wrong in expecting more for your money.

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chev9378

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<< LINK REMOVED >><< LINK REMOVED >>And yet, you treat graphic as everything, troll.

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