Konami and IIJ launch retro games section on i-revo

Source: Amusement Center

Konami and IIJ (Internet Initiative Japan) have launched a games section on i-revo (internet revolution) in which classic retro games from Konami can be obtained. The service is offered in co-operation with MSX Association and D4 Enterprise, meaning that the rumours of earlier this week are true: Konami has finally joined the MSX Revival. In time, several classic Konami games - including MSX titles - are to be re-released on this Japanese platform. Whether or not this will be followed by releases in Europe as well (e.g. in WOOMB) is not clear at the moment.

To celebrate its launch, a Gradius game is available for free on the games section at i-revo. Due to the massive attention this opening stunt has received, the i-revo games server has been hard to reach for quite a few days now already. It seems that many Japanese gaming fans have not forgotten about the great games Konami has released in the past.

Relevant link: i-revo: games section

Comments (24)

By tfh

Paladin (782)

18-03-2006, 14:49

Very Very nice But can you give bit more background info on how this works?
These aren't .ROM images I guess, so I guess it are MSX-Player embedded files for the Win32 platform?

By Google

By snout

Ambassador (13686)

18-03-2006, 16:31

Indeed, the games are offered embedded in win32 emulators. For the curious who can't reach the game.i-revo site: in the lower left corner of the main i-revo site you can see a small tidbit of the service...

By wolf_

Ambassador (9112)

18-03-2006, 17:40

I wish them all the luck, but somehow I just *can't* see the whole idea of it. Ppl know where to find .ROM games and emulators, and yes: that's pretty much warez yes. When ppl want to buy the originals (on fairs, ebay etc.) , I'd *guess* they'd do so to have the real cartridge, box, manual, e.g. something physical, something which has a value because it's old/retro (and ofcourse because it's good ). Now, if Konami were to produce new physical cartidges, with the same label, real SCC chips where required (or cheap FPGA SCC chips??), same box/manuals etc., then I can see a reason to collect them again. But a simple file, something which everyone already has, just doesn't cut it orso.. I dunno, I fail to see the motivation of the potential buyers.

comparision:

It's the same with synths. Ppl buy old vintage synths so they can 'touch' them, and because they know it's old/retro/classic/vintage (and because they look cool ^_^). 'Aural character' is also something I bump onto when I read motivations to buy old synths, but I think it's more the excuse to buy it than a real objective arguement. Many ppl simply aren't skilled sound-designers and judge synths for the wrong reasons then.
There's 3 ways ppl can play with such 'legends':
1 - buy the real thing from ebay, expact to pay a price according to the hype
2 - the company could redo the old synth
3 - use a softsynth, most probably a VST-instrument

I'd go for 2, because it has new components you can rely on. 1 is nice/retro but often it's just old junk you get in terms of keyboard-quality, there's no MIDI, it's not velocity-sensitive, when parts break down you *really* have a problem etc.
3 is a simple 'n cheap solution but somehow doesn't feel the same.

Now, take all this: superimpose it on konami cartridges:
1 buy the old carts from ebay
2 play a new cart, just the same game but completely in a box/manual/cart/scc
3a play a 'soft' version from Konami in MSXplayer
3b play a 'soft' version which you already have in your emu of choice

I think, in the current scene, 1 and 3b are popular choices, closely followed by 2, and at last 3a.

ok, enough for now.. sue me

By snout

Ambassador (13686)

18-03-2006, 18:05

With the involvement of D4 Enterprise in both, EGG/EGGPLUS! and i-revo really are not that different. For many years now, EGG has proven that there is a large enough audience that support the legal preservation of retro computer games. Don't forget that you don't have to do anything illegal (which downloading ROMs is), don't have to adjust any settings (as the game is embedded), do get a complete manual with it, support if needed and - as an added bonus - do get a decently localized version of the game (and manual) if necessary. So not only do you get quite a nice package, you also support the legal preservation of retro games and future projects that might come out of it (e.g. new activities of MSXA). To many people, that's more than reason enough to join in.

As a comparison: you can download a lot of software and music for free, that doesn't mean that software and music don't sell anymore. It also doesn't mean downloading software or music is legal either

By tfh

Paladin (782)

18-03-2006, 18:33

Well, here in The Netherlands, downloading music IS legal.
Software is a bit more complicated though

By Ivan

Scribe (8942)

18-03-2006, 19:21

I wish them all the luck, but somehow I just *can't* see the whole idea of it. Ppl know where to find .ROM games and emulators, and yes: that's pretty much warez yes.

Believe it or not, not everybody knows how to use an emulator nor where to download the games. That's why in the forums of lotsa emulation and retrocomputing sites you will always find questions like "How to use...?", "Where to find...?",... Instead you can install and run those games in your PC with few mouse clicks. And if the manuals are included (for instance in PDF format) you won't have to formulate more questions like "What is the key combination used for...?", "Why...?",...

When ppl want to buy the originals (on fairs, ebay etc.) , I'd *guess* they'd do so to have the real cartridge, box, manual, e.g. something physical, something which has a value because it's old/retro (and ofcourse because it's good ). Now, if Konami were to produce new physical cartidges, with the same label, real SCC chips where required (or cheap FPGA SCC chips??), same box/manuals etc., then I can see a reason to collect them again. But a simple file, something which everyone already has, just doesn't cut it orso.. I dunno, I fail to see the motivation of the potential buyers.

Not everybody is a collector.

By Ivan

Scribe (8942)

18-03-2006, 19:21

Thus I'm not surprised that Plus! has been a success.

By boblet

Master (150)

18-03-2006, 23:35

from the boblet "cat-among-the-pigeons-department"

so how long before we see the "KONAMI RETRO TV JOYSTICK" game? ^_^

By poke-1,170

Paragon (1605)

18-03-2006, 23:50

indeed...those people wanting the roms had plenty of chances downloading them elsewhere.
and they still have, don't think I need to say where you can get all the roms,everyone here knows.
so the difference this time is that you don't need an emulator , but games run straight from the pc?

By poke-1,170

Paragon (1605)

18-03-2006, 23:57

I do find the thing with konami releasing titles for cellphones more interesting though,
the idea of portable gaming is nice. All in all I don't think it's a bad thing konami is doing,
surely they;ll have their ideas about this.

By Ivan

Scribe (8942)

19-03-2006, 13:08

As I know, like lot of you, where to find the ROMs and how to use the emulators, that Konami rereleases are interesting to me for the manuals.

I own some original Konami games and I would like to see the users manual of the games that I don't own. They will be also useful for people who only own the cartridge/disks and don't have the need to get the original manual but want to take a look at it. Some users manuals are really hard to get because you can't find the game itself (like Konami's Game Collections and others) and if you find the manual you'll have to pay for it + shipping costs; maybe more than the price of that Konami MSX game on i-revo.

So, if the prices are not high, I'll probably buy some Konami MSX games from that site.

Btw, and what about Woomb? Will they sell Konami games with the japanese+european versions of the usres manuals?

By BiFi

Enlighted (4348)

20-03-2006, 07:29

Due to the massive attention this opening stunt has received, the i-revo games server has been hard to reach for quite a few days now already. It seems that many Japanese gaming fans have not forgotten about the great games Konami has released in the past.
Or they set up some sort of IP-filter to allow only Japanese on that site.

By mars2000you

Prophet (2642)

20-03-2006, 08:06

BiFi : I confirm your guessing. I've tried an anonymous Japanese proxy and I've succeed to reach the i-retro games section. Without this 'trick', IE6 can't find the website.

By BiFi

Enlighted (4348)

20-03-2006, 11:05

By wolf_

Ambassador (9112)

20-03-2006, 13:30

sure.. I'd put it under 2 tho, since '2' was about the creation of a new line of real physical cartridges..

By mars2000you

Prophet (2642)

20-03-2006, 17:20

Some useful precisions about the 'gratis' Gradius :

ãƒ»i-revo IDï¼ˆç„¡æ–™ï¼‰ã®ç™»éŒ²ãŒå¿…è¦ã«ãªã‚Šã¾ã™ã€‚
ãƒ»ãƒ¬ãƒ³ã‚¿ãƒ«é–‹å§‹ã‹ã‚‰30åˆ†é–“éŠã¶ã“ã¨ãŒã§ãã¾ã™ã€‚

Translation :

ï½¥Registration of i-revo ID (free of charge) is needed.
ï½¥Playing time of the demo version is limited to 30 minutes.

By mww

Supporter (8)

20-03-2006, 19:00

and the weblink: http://game.i-revo.jp/
seems to be down as well..

By snout

Ambassador (13686)

20-03-2006, 19:12

indeed, there's an IP filter on the thing. I managed to visit the site right after it was launched, but that was from a satellite internet connection.

As for WOOMB: the possibilities of offering Konami games have increased quite a lot now, but it will depend on the success of WOOMB. There won't be any Konami games between the launch titles, but who knows what might happen in the future...

By POISONIC

Paladin (1012)

20-03-2006, 21:41

wel at least i have the real gradius/nemesis

By boblet

Master (150)

21-03-2006, 09:54

the real gradius/nemesis?

you mean you have a gx400 arcade machine?

By POISONIC

Paladin (1012)

21-03-2006, 19:14