Go you good thing go

Those who follow my blog will note I have been a champion for the Virtual Console for, if anything, providing me the opportunity to try out substantial games that I missed out on the first time around. But the thing is I've recently been disappointed with releases for the VC.

To me, there are a lot of great games available on the VC, but they share space with a lot of other games that are just rubbish - thus leaving a lot of more deserving games out in the cold. If the VC is offering gamers like myself a second chance why doesn't this prospect extend to the other side of the console? If the VC is built on the promise of gaming preservation, why have a lot of good games been overlooked?

What bothers me is that Nintendo have a lot of great games on the VC but an equal amount of crap games - that and the N64 games conspicuously the only console of it's generation available. It begs the question: If Nintendo have a wide access to games on obsolete consoles, why not take it further? I for one would like to see some of the Sega Saturn games released for the VC, namely DragonForce, Nights into Dreams and Panzer Dragoon Saga (sure demand will never end for a re-release of PDS but if it can be done, even if it is a straight up emulation, THEN DO IT). Sure the Saturn was a disaster in it's day but, as time tends to heal old wounds, maybe it is time to look at what did work with new eyes.
Granted the video game industry is driven by profit (like any other form of entertainment) but why not take some risks? Sure the original Final Fantasy can't compete on a technical level to it's successors, but the fact that it's appeared on the VC bestseller list says something. As the saying goes, fortune favors the brave. And the worst thing a gaming company can do is shut itself off from it's fanbase.

All in all, Nintendo have got something great going with the Virtual Console, in gaming preservation and offering second chances. It would be shame to have such potential squandered with decisions not being seen through out of timidness.