A 30 second video for each title, so you can finally say what you're paying for

May 7, 2007 13:34 GMT  ·  By

With all the next-gen consoles out there with fancy Internet services showing off NEO-GEO/SNK titles from the old arcade days, when we used to steal change from mom's purse to go play them, they sure make a big fuss about it. But, as it turns out, all three major console manufacturers today (Sony, Nintendo and Microsoft) do make available for download some nifty classics, worth giving a go every once in a while. The problems appear when gamers can't see what they're downloading and when they play the games it's too late to hit "back." Nintendo's finally cracked that nut too.

As WiiFanboy reports that, although the Wii's Virtual Console has remained the same, Nintendo has made available the option of actually taking a 30 second glimpse at what you're preparing to download via their Internet service for the Wii, on the official Wii website. Taking out the ESRB rating, as Joystiq points out, that leaves 25 good seconds of in-game action letting you decide whether you want the classic or not.

Microsoft's approach with downloadable content via XBLA is different. They let you play a demo. Awfully kind of them huh? Sony doesn't do much either. They let you know what's up and it's your call from then on, but that's because there's less crap to be downloaded via PS Network and that's because there's less everything to be downloaded via PSN.

However, what Nintendo is making available here requires an Internet connection right? So my question is this: if you're so determined to download a certain title via VC, yet Nintendo isn't making any video or demo for it, why in the name of the Lord don't you just search for it on YouTube? Type Castlevania and see what happens.