Topics

26

General Gaming / PSP vs. DS ... Final Verdict (G4)

« on: March 22, 2005, 12:27:25 PM »

http://www.g4tv.com/xplay/features/51374/Verdict_Sony_PSP_vs_Nintendo_DS.html

The verdict (for those of you that are reading compared, is that the PSP wins out, though G4 admits that the comparison isn't entirely fair, because of the different markets they're aimed at.  Not unsurprisingly, the DS won in the Gameplay category only.  What was surprising is that the PSP won the VALUE category.  Why?  Because while the PSP costs more, the big-name exclusives they're getting, coupled with the inevitable price drop for the holidays makes it a really big deal.  As for the DS, while some big games are coming, the gameplay (Nintendo's hallmark) looks to be the same as what's already been done on the system ... meaning the "innovation" that the touchscreen was supposed to generate just isn't happening.

An interesting comment at the end of the article is what's pushed me to post this.  "The PSP's real competition will be the next iteration of the Game Boy, which is currently in the concept stages. And if rumors swirling around the industry are true, the PSP will have a tough fight on its hands when that day comes. But until then, the Nintendo DS is nothing more than a decent idea being used as a stop-gap to limit the sales of the Sony PSP until the next Game Boy is ready. But after people get Sony's slick machine in their hands, I question just how well the tactic will work."

What do you think about that?  Is the DS just keeping gamers busy (and attention diverted from the PSP) until the next GameBoy is released?  If it's really the third pillar, why add a GBA slot (a question Nintendo has never satisfactorily answered)?

27

General Gaming / Getting a PSP?

« on: March 20, 2005, 04:36:07 PM »

As anyone who knows me will testify to, I'm an equal opportunity gamer.  I have all three current consoles, had a GBA SP but traded it in for a DS (since I never play link-cable games), but I didn't get the DS until last month.  It's OK so far, and it'll be interesting to see what sort of innovation it drives.

I was pretty well set on avoiding the PSP at launch.  I didn't see what it could offer me, and the price was far too much.  Then I talked to a good friend of mine (who travels a great deal) who said that he uses his TiVo (with TiVo-to-Go) to record the shows he never gets to watch, transfers them to his computer, converts them to MP4 files, and watches his favorite TV shows on the plane.

I really can't see people buying movies on UMD, especially since the PSP is the only device you could play the movies on, and that the spindle in the PSP would suck the batteries dry.  Being able to buy a regular DVD, rip it and transfer it to a Memory Stick would alleviate those problems.  The only drawback there is that Memory Sticks are still fairly expensive.

Anyway, the idea of being able to take a couple movies onto a plane without having to manhandle my mammoth laptop (with failing batteries) was fairly appealing, so I went ahead and preordered one.  Not sure how it's going to turn out, but I bet that the PSP will still fetch a decent price on the aftermarket if I decide I don't like it.

In terms of opportunities, I think Sony missed the boat on a couple of points.  I think flash memory would have been a better option for games as opposed to the UMD format, because the spindle is the single most battery-draining part of the unit.  (To think that rumors suggest Sony might add a hard drive to the unit ... another spindle!)  I also think Sony should have planned to release the Value Pack over here, since most enthusiasts will probably use their own headphones and get larger memory sticks, making the pack-ins fairly worthless.  I also think that including a USB cable, and potentially using that same cable to charge the device would have been smart, again given the early-adopter set that will pick up the device at launch.

That said, it's got a lot going for it.  The initial run of games are receiving fairly high scores, the device is visually quite impressive, and it has a very high lustability factor.  However, I think part of Sony's business model focuses on the UMD movies, and I really can't see people buying movies that way.  I'll watch Spiderman 2, because it's free, but I have that movie on DVD already.  I think that Sony is in for a rude awakening unless they can move the UMD format to other devices.  I can't see a home-player being viable, because it's going to highlight the low-resolution of the video.  I hear that some albums are going to be coming in UMD format, but again, why bother when you can buy a CD, rip it, and play the audio on nearly any device?

All the drawbacks aside ... I'm getting one.  I've got some trips coming up, one that you'll hear about soon enough, and being able to watch some video on the plane, as well as playing games holds some allure.  I'll post some impressions when I get mine, and there's a large chance that it might be before the launch.

[Our resident Release Date hound turns 21 today!]

28

TalkBack / RE: Happy Birthday, Jeff!

« on: March 17, 2005, 04:28:07 AM »

Our resident Release Date hound turns 21 today!  

Big shout-out to Jeff Shirley a.k.a. Deguello, the guy who tries his damnedest to keep our release dates up-to-date and organized, who turns the big two-one today.  (I think I just ran out of hyphens.)  Jeff also volunteers to review a lot of games that no one else wants to deal with, always hoping to find that diamond in the rough (like Ninja Five-O).  Bless your heart, Deg.

[Now you can try to match screenshots and maybe win a Nintendo DS!]

29

TalkBack / Play the Wario Ware Scavenger Hunt!

« on: March 14, 2005, 06:21:11 PM »

Now you can try to match screenshots and maybe win a Nintendo DS!

Nintendo has launched a contest in conjunction with WarioWare: Touched!  Simply sign up, and you're entered to win.  Then, try to find an item linked to each WarioWare: Touched! screenshot from the list of possible games.  There's only a couple days left to play and win, so go check it out!

30

TalkBack / EDITORIAL: The Lost Innovations

« on: March 02, 2005, 06:32:20 PM »

It’s becoming well-known in the industry that we are quickly approaching a level of graphics fidelity that will put us into a negative trend which Masahiro Mori called the “uncanny valley”, a level of detail where humans look real enough that we are disturbed by the sight of them.  We’ve seen this in games already, where characters look startlingly real, except for a lack of life.  You can never quite pinpoint the exact problem, but you know instinctively that it just doesn’t feel right.  Even body scans, motion capture, and sophisticated graphics technology is incapable of creating a believable character that is indistinguishable from reality … we are able to tell the difference in mere milliseconds.

Yet with every generation, we’re employing ever-greater graphical technology in the hopes that we can sidestep this hurdle, but it simply can’t be done.  Not in a single console generation (roughly about five years apart), and possibly not even in two.  Some wise developers have already clued in to this, “The Wind Waker” being a notable example of backing away from the precipice of the uncanny valley and making characters more abstract, and thus, easier for players to anthropomorphize*, or imprint themselves upon.  (It’s worth noting that the problem with fans accepting Wind Waker’s graphic style was not with the style itself, but was a problem of customer expectations.)  In fact, the Japanese developers are keenly aware of this concept.  Have you ever noticed that many popular forms of animated Japanese entertainment (manga, movies, games, etc.) all use simple or cartoon-like characters?  Have you ever wondered why you seem to enjoy them so much?  It’s because when there is a lack of definition in a character, you can imprint some of your own personality and feelings on the character.  Beyond Good and Evil is another example of a game where the characters felt more real to us than more “mature” games employing a photorealistic graphic style.

The only way to bridge this gap (or at the very least, shorten it) is to invest in technology of a different kind, technology that will improve artificial intelligence and animation.  While there have been minor strides made in terms of motion capture, animation blending, and other techniques, a character in motion never reacts in a realistic fashion to their surroundings.  The only game in recent memory that really attempted to solve this problem was Half-Life 2, and even so, this doesn’t ring true in every case.  Carefully scripted events can give the illusion of sophisticated artificial intelligence, but if the player does the unexpected, the illusion fails.  NPC characters need to have the ability to react to their surroundings, react to the unexpected, and generally react as you would expect their personalities to react.  World Driver Championship on the Nintendo 64 had a rudimentary AI system that established rivalries with the player’s character, and seemed to challenge the player during a race.  Even just the hint of these “feelings” had players e-mailing the company with stories of how a particular driver “had it out for them”, when it was really a pre-programmed series of events.  This worked because player behavior was somewhat able to be accounted for, since there are more limited actions a player can accomplish in a driving game.  An entire generation later, Gran Turismo 4 employs no AI whatsoever, as the cars simply follow lines on the track and ignore the player entirely.

In terms of animation, a character needs to move in a more fluid fashion, which is always going to be a problem when you have a limited number of fields-per-second (or frames-per-second) to work with.  Animation blending is a small piece of the puzzle, but to reach a more believable level, characters need to have micro-movements, the subtle indicators of life that we subconsciously notice.  The way muscles move under our skin, the way our eyes react to light and to motion, the way our breathing can change under stress, these are all cues that we notice without paying particular attention to them.  To date, very few games have even attempted to tackle these problems, and with varying degrees of success.  All we’ve really seen are tech demos which are impressive in controlled situations, but still don’t fool even the casual observer.

Part of the problem is the adversity to risk that mainstream publishers have, not wanting to put money on an unproven technology or ideas.  This necessitates a need for private investment in AI and animation technology.  Sony promised advances with their “Emotion Engine” in the PS2, and they have largely been unrealized.  Having a processor capable of handling complex data is nothing more than a blank slate, but developing software algorithms and structures are a significant time and money sink, and that is something that absolutely must be encouraged and supported.  Theoretically, Sony’s Cell processor structure might make it possible to devote more resources to AI, but we would be back to the same problem that we have with the current generation.

A possible answer would be tools developed by the first parties, who have the resources and incentive to create more realistic characters, which could be licensed to developers.  Rendering engines, sound technology, and many other tools are already being licensed in order to shorten development time and cost, and this reveals a unique opportunity for first-parties to secure a compelling feature set for their console.

There is something that can be done now, however, to help alleviate the problem and work towards creating more realistic characters.  Animators need to study traditional acting techniques and human psychology, more than just kinematics and movement.  Pixar’s animated films are largely successful not just because of the story they tell, but because of the effort the animators put into acting the part and using the animated character as a proxy for that performance.  If video games are really going to become the dominant form of entertainment going into the next generation, we need to vastly improve upon the current B-movie level of acting performance and rely less on motion capture to tell the story.  The characters need to be acting all the time, constantly communicating information even when they simply exist in the game space.  What is the character thinking when not interacting with the player?  What is their motivation, not just in terms of the plot sequences, but from moment to moment?

Surely there are even more options, and perhaps backing away from photorealism as an aid to create more believable characters is a necessary step while we work on technology that will allow us to put more emotion and feeling into the games.  Most importantly, developers need to take AI and animation technology seriously as a necessary component towards creating compelling worlds and engaging stories, and even advancing the entire industry in the coming generation.


*Anthropomorphization is the act of seeing human traits (feelings, thoughts, and actions) in objects and animals not fully capable of those processes.  Commonly, people tend to do this with their pets, assuming that the animal is communicating on a much more complex level than they are truly capable.

[The Nintendo press conference has just ended, and Link is coming in realistic style!]

31

TalkBack / Realistic Zelda!

« on: May 11, 2004, 10:31:56 AM »

The Nintendo press conference has just ended, and Link is coming in realistic style!

Prepare to be blown away ...

The Legend of Zelda – Coming Soon

Graphics are like Ocarina in Style, but "1000 times better" according to our reports.  Similar to Resident Evil 4 in graphic style. It was the very last game shown.

Miyamoto walked out in a green 1-Up t-shirt, holding the Master Sword and Shield, swinging the sword around.  Miyamoto barely said anything.

Nintendo listening to the fans seems to be the theme of the show.

More to come!

[The Doctor of Thuganomics is here to give y'all a check up!]

32

TalkBack / Special Greeting from John Cena

« on: March 12, 2004, 11:39:20 AM »

The Doctor of Thuganomics is here to give y'all a check up!

At THQ's Superstar Challenge, we had a chance to catch up with John Cena.  Cena is an old-school gamer from way back, and was sporting an 8-bit NES Duck Hunt t-shirt at the event.  When we told Cena we were from PGC, Mr. "Word Life" himself just had to tell the world why he loves Planet GameCube.

John Cena Greeting for PGC

Word.

[THQ had the WWE Superstars face off in the THQ Superstar Challenge from Planet Hollywood in Times Square!]

33

TalkBack / 2nd Annual THQ SuperStar Challenge

« on: March 11, 2004, 12:29:47 PM »

THQ had the WWE Superstars face off in the THQ Superstar Challenge from Planet Hollywood in Times Square!

Update: The THQ Superstar Challenge has wrapped up, and PGC congratulates Sheldon Benjamin on his successful defense of his Superstar Challenge Championship!  Sheldon won four consecutive victories, including a rematch against John Cena after Cena was disqualified for hitting the ref.

We'll have pictures for you soon, including a special video greeting from The Doctor of Thuganomics himself, John Cena.  Word!

In just a couple short hours, we'll have the fallout, complete with pictures.  This contest (fought out over WWE Smackdown: Here Comes the Pain for the PS2, sadly) will pit the WWE Superstars against each other to see who reigns supreme in the digital squared circle.

Amongst those scheduled to appear ... Booker T, Kane, John Cena, Kurt Angle, Trish Stratus, Torrie Wilson and last year’s champion, Shelton Benjamin.

Rumor has it some top talent from the Rap music world will be making an appearance.  One name heard bandied about was Method Man, so stay tuned for pictures and updates!

 

[According to the BBC, Sony has already won the next generation console war.]

34

TalkBack / It's Already Over ...

« on: March 09, 2004, 01:27:26 PM »

According to the BBC, Sony has already won the next generation console war.  

In a story at BBCi, it's being predicted by Informa Media Group that Sony will 30 Million PS3 units by 2010.  They put Microsoft at 10M and Nintendo at 5M in that same time frame.

Nintendo currently is in third place behind Microsoft in Europe ... but ONLY in Europe.  Nintendo is in second place worldwide.

It's highly unusual for forecasts of this nature to come this early, but much of this analysis is based on the importance of Online gaming for the immediate future, in addition to Sony's dominance in this generation.

35

General Gaming / Karaoke Revolution

« on: December 10, 2003, 09:01:11 AM »

My wife and I spent FIVE HOURS playing Karaoke Revolution last night as a celebration for me finishing a tough quarter.  It was our first time playing, and we didn't expect to enjoy it quite THAT much.  Surprisingly, the game is an absolute blast, and I should have expected as much ... the folks behind Frequency and Amplitude (Harmonix) made the game.

Watch out PGC'ers!  Rick is practicing up for E3 2004!  

[Nintendo issues an early morning release touting the success of the GameCube at $99.]

36

TalkBack / GameCube outsells PS2, Xbox in US

« on: October 08, 2003, 03:07:38 AM »

Nintendo issues an early morning release touting the success of the GameCube at $99.

Nintendo sent out a media alert early this morning announcing that GameCube has become the top-selling console in America since it's drop to $99.99 on Sept. 25.

Sales data from major retailers documenting sales for the week ending Oct. 4 shows GameCube outselling Xbox by 145%, and PS2 by 20%.

Nintendo also reaffirmed that Game Boy Advance has been outselling the competing consoles since it's inception, meaning that Nintendo now has two of the leading consoles as of this moment.

[No, it's not a CSI game, but a new marketing campaign coming from NOA ...]

37

TalkBack / Who Are You?

« on: September 29, 2003, 03:59:20 AM »

No, it's not a CSI game, but a new marketing campaign coming from NOA ...

NINTENDO ASKS, 'WHO ARE YOU?'

New Multimillion-Dollar Campaign Helps Players Explore Their 'Inner Gamer'

REDMOND, Wash., Sept. 29, 2003 – "Who are you?" is a question that Nintendo of America will be asking video game players of all ages in a new multimedia campaign beginning this fall.

The campaign showcases the ability of Nintendo games to let players explore a wide range of emotions and personalities through Nintendo's stable of the most popular and diverse video game characters in the world.  Beginning today, Nintendo will introduce its new tagline, "who are you?" through various marketing channels.  More than $50 million will be invested in launching the "who are you?" campaign, part of a total marketing push of $100 million through the end of the year.  The new campaign was developed in conjunction with Leo Burnett USA in Chicago.

The "who are you?" idea will be introduced nationwide through cinema advertisements, print ads, out-of-home elements that include wall murals and 30-sheet billboards in major cities, transit ads, mall banners and dioramas, in-store merchandising and other elements.  An online component features interactive ads and a "who are you?" Web site located at www.nintendo.com/whoareyou.

"Nintendo permanently established video games as a key element of popular culture, and 'who are you?' embodies the emotional connection players have with their favorite games and characters," says George Harrison, senior vice president, marketing and corporate communications, Nintendo of America Inc.  "This campaign celebrates what makes Nintendo unique – the fact that we offer the widest range of personalities through which you can unleash your other self … your game self."

"Who are you?" is the first Nintendo campaign that ties together both the Nintendo GameCube console and hand-held Game Boy Advance products under a single theme.  Moving forward, the "who are you?" tagline will be an integral part of all Nintendo's marketing efforts, including game-specific campaigns.  

"This is not about changing who we are," says Harrison.  "Nintendo has been and always will be about making great video games for all ages.  This campaign simply enables us to speak with one unified voice."

The campaign features a cinema commercial that is one of the most ambitious commercials ever produced by Nintendo, featuring more than 500 extras and notable talent such as the stunt coordinator for Mortal Kombat: Annihilation and the editor of Amelie.  Filmed in Asia, the ad pays homage to Nintendo's heritage.  The 60-second spot will run on nearly 10,000 screens in movie theaters across the United States beginning Oct. 30, prior to movies ranging from The Matrix Revolutions to The Cat in the Hat in order to reach a diverse group of video game players.  In addition, 30- and 15-second versions of the commercial will be used on television in October to promote Super Mario® Advance 4: Super Mario Bros. ® 3, one of the most anticipated new games for Game Boy Advance.  

In the campaign's print ads, Nintendo characters will be "taped" onto well-known photographs and images, including the Mona Lisa and the Berlin Wall, among others.  The ads illustrate the point that Nintendo games allow players to take on a wide range of imaginative roles and reinforce Nintendo's position as an innovator that shapes pop culture.  Print ads will appear in nearly 20 different magazines, including Rolling Stone, Stuff, Spin and ESPN.

The worldwide leader and innovator in the creation of interactive entertainment, Nintendo Co., Ltd., of Kyoto, Japan, manufactures and markets hardware and software for its popular home and portable video game systems.  Each year, hundreds of all-new titles for the best-selling Game Boy® Advance and Nintendo GameCube™ systems extend Nintendo's vast game library and continue the tradition of delivering a rich, diverse mix of quality video games for players of all ages.  Since the release of its first home video game system in 1983, Nintendo has sold more than 1.8 billion video games globally, creating enduring industry icons such as Mario™ and Donkey Kong® and launching popular culture franchise phenomena such as Metroid™, Zelda™ and Pokémon®. A wholly owned subsidiary, Nintendo of America Inc., based in Redmond, Wash., serves as headquarters for Nintendo's operations in the Western Hemisphere.

For more information about Nintendo, visit the company's Web site, www.nintendo.com.

[Read the words regarding the price drop and plans for the holiday season from George Harrison himself.]

38

TalkBack / Nintendo Teleconference Transcript

« on: September 24, 2003, 07:15:53 PM »

Read the words regarding the price drop and plans for the holiday season from George Harrison himself.

Good morning, everyone, and thank you for joining us. Well, we have big news for you today; beginning tomorrow Nintendo GameCube will be "dressed to the nines." Four nines to be exact, a brand new manufacturer's suggested retail price of $99.99.

This announcement signals several things. First, it's an aggressive move by Nintendo, sending a message that we're as intent on succeeding in this generation of consoles as we've ever been before. Second, this is an indication that this entire generation of consoles is about to enter the true mass market.  This is the market of the casual gamer, who has always responded overwhelmingly to the ageless appeal of Nintendo.  And third, this price is the perfect counterpoint to what we feel is an unquestioned Nintendo GameCube advantage in hit software releases for the upcoming holidays.

Let me talk about the software for a minute. On November 17th, we will release Mario Kart: Double Dash!!, which we believe will become the top selling new release for the rest of this year. You're all familiar with the Mario Kart franchise ‘track' record; there simply is no other adventure that will deliver this much multi player fun for every player from six to eighty six this holiday.  

To support the launch of Mario Kart: Double Dash!! we've initiated a pre-sell offer which gives those who reserve a copy of this game a free game demo disk with game footage and actual playable segments of outstanding first, second and third party Nintendo GameCube hits launching over the next several months.

Of course, this is not the only great game on the way from our in-house development team, we will also be launching Mario Party 5, Pokémon Channel, Kirby Air Ride and 1080º: Avalanche.

But just as important are the tremendous contributions from all of our third party partners.  The line-up includes Nintendo GameCube exclusives, like Capcom's Viewtiful Joe and Lucas Arts' Star Wars: Rebel Strike. Between now and the end of the year more than 100 new Nintendo GameCube games will hit the shelves covering every popular game genre and the most popular franchises, including Harry Potter, James Bond and The Lord of the Rings, those last three of course are from Electronic Arts.

By New Year's Day, the Nintendo GameCube library will swell to 320 titles. We've also added new value to our player's choice line up. We've just lowered the price on six popular first party games to $19.99 or $29.99.

To put that in perspective, consider this.  Beginning tomorrow, consumers will have this choice. They can pay $180 for an aging PlayStation2. Or they can spend the same amount and get the more powerful Nintendo GameCube and a copy of Super Mario Sunshine and a copy of Metroid Prime and a copy of Star Fox Adventures. That's an instant package of game fun for everyone in the family. And of course, the new Nintendo GameCube price makes it a no-brainer for current owners of competing consoles looking for a second system. Quite frankly, we believe this is the best value in the history of console video games.

Next, let me expand the circle a little bit and talk about Nintendo GameCube overall.

Around the world, Nintendo GameCube continues to be the number two selling console in this generation. In Japan in the last few weeks Nintendo GameCube has matched the sales of PlayStation2 thanks to the launch of a great title called Tales of Symphonia. Here in the U.S. The trends are also strong. Let me share some numbers with you. So far in 2003, only one console has sold more units year to date than last year and that console is Nintendo GameCube, up three percent. Microsoft's Xbox units are down three percent and PlayStation2 down 14%.  

As I'm sure you know, the top selling console game this year is Madden 2004, available, of course, on all three platforms. But the number two title is console exclusive: The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker, only on Nintendo GameCube. Some people say, well sure, Nintendo can sell Nintendo games, but what about third party titles? Well as many of you know in recent weeks Namco released its widely anticipated Soul Calibur 2 for all three platforms. Of course, logic dictates that it would sell best on the console with the largest installed base. But sometimes logic doesn't hold.

Independent trsts sales data shows that to date the Nintendo GameCube version of Soul Calibur 2 featuring Link has outsold not only the Xbox version but it has also outsold the PlayStation2 version by a margin of 3 to 2. This is an amazing accomplishment when you consider the difference in installed bases between the PlayStation2 and Nintendo GameCube. This is strong evidence of the power of close collaboration with an experienced publisher and the strategic use of a key Nintendo character.

But I don't want to leave you with the impression that all our innovations are product or price-based.  We're innovating in marketing as well.

We've just finished the 25 market Nintendo Fusion Tour, marrying great Nintendo GameCube products with music concerts headlined by Evanescence, one of America's hottest bands. And we're just about to embark on a brand new mall tour that will show off the Cube in its best light, in 12 markets during October, November and December. Finally, in the very near future, we're going to launch an umbrella marketing campaign that will have game players across the country looking at Nintendo in a whole new way.  You'll get the details on that in a matter of days.

So, $99.99 is not the whole Nintendo GameCube story. Yes, the price is a great story, but it's only part of the bigger picture. For Nintendo GameCube, it's full speed ahead.

Now, before I conclude, I want to spend a minute to discuss the single biggest ongoing success story in video games: Game Boy Advance. If you're not talking about Game Boy Advance you're missing the point.  Because it is the hottest selling game system in the world! Let me repeat that the hottest seller in the world!

Here in America, counting from the day it launched in June of 2001 it has outsold PlayStation2. During this calendar year, Game Boy Advance has sold through 22% more units than PlayStation2. In the last three months the advantage is almost 50%. If there's a race between all game systems game boy advance is winning and going away.

Some people have labeled it a kid's machine and it is, absolutely!  Kids love game boy and we love that they do!  It's those same kids who have made Pokémon Ruby and Pokémon Sapphire both million sellers and made them two of the top four selling games on any system so far this year.  

Again, there's a larger story to explore. Our internal research shows that 33% of players of our original game boy advance are 18 or older. To date, early data puts the 18+ players for Game Boy Advance SP at 45%--nearly half of all owners. Those older players, not surprisingly, are buying games that appeal to them. That helps explain how the new Square Title, Final Fantasy Tactics, has moved more than one hundred fifty thousand copies in the U.S. In just two weeks.

And the game lineup for Game Boy Advance is loaded. Between now and Christmas, you'll see the world's all-time best selling game, the N-E-S classic Super Mario Brothers 3 arrive on Game Boy Advance. And a brand new title, Mario and Luigi: Superstar Saga is set to turn heads. As will Fire Emblem and Sword of Mana, two great role-playing games for the serious gamer.

And there is no let up once the holidays are over. Metroid Zero Mission and Mario Golf arrive on Game Boy shortly after the New Year. And these games, of course will be accompanied by many more great third party titles. In all, the Game Boy Advance specific library will surpass 500 titles in a matter of weeks.

So, there are two sides to the game industry coin, console and handheld, and Nintendo is the only face you'll see on both of them. Make no mistake; we're entering this holiday season playing offense with a great new price for Nintendo GameCube and a great line up of software for both systems. To repeat, Nintendo GameCube at $99.99 is the best value in the history of the industry. And Game Boy Advance SP is the break out success story of 2003.

Well thanks again for being with us today and allowing me to share Nintendo's exciting news for the holidays.

[At this morning's teleconference, Nintendo has confirmed the GameCube price cut to $99, beginning tomorrow.]

39

TalkBack / Nintendo Teleconference Tomorrow

« on: September 23, 2003, 08:08:31 PM »

At this morning's teleconference, Nintendo has confirmed the GameCube price cut to $99, beginning tomorrow.

At this morning's conference call, Nintendo of America's George Harrison (Senior Vice President of Marketing) announced that starting tomorrow, the GameCube would be "dressed to the Nines", with a suggested retail price of $99.99.

Harrison also mentioned the new GameCube titles coming for the holiday season, including Mario Kart: Double Dash, 1080 Avalanche, Mario Party 5, and more.  There will be over 100 new titles by the end of the year, with the GameCube's entire library reaching 320 by year end.

Harrison stressed that Nintendo isn't just capable of selling first-party titles, touting the success of Soul Calibur 2 on GameCube, which is outselling the Xbox and PS2 versions by a ratio of 3 to 2.

In terms of marketing, Nintendo plans on spending $100 Million for the holidays, with five million of that dedicated to advertising the new price.  Nintendo will also take to the malls, with a 12-market tour from October to December.

No Nintendo announcement would be complete without mentioning that Game Boy Advance is the hottest game system in the world, and the recently released Final Fantasy Tactics Advance has sold 150,000 copies in just two weeks.  No price cut on the Game Boy Advance SP was announced or planned, and Nintendo doesn't see a problem with the console and handheld priced the same, going as far as to mention that for the same price as a PS2 bundle, you can get both a GameCube and a Game Boy Advance SP.

When asked about any special holiday bundles, and specifically about a possible "LAN Bundle", Harrison quickly dismissed the possiblility, saying that they don't see the LAN feature as being the main selling point of those games.  As such, Nintendo will not be promoting that feature exclusively.  As such, they are not increasing shipments of the Broadband adapter, though retailers should be able to order more to meet demand.

[Evanescence, Finger Eleven, and Revis closed out the Nintendo Fusion Tour last night at Seattle's Moore Theater.]

40

TalkBack / Nintendo Fusion Tour Concludes

« on: September 21, 2003, 10:23:10 PM »

Evanescence, Finger Eleven, and Revis closed out the Nintendo Fusion Tour last night at Seattle's Moore Theater.

Sunday night at Seattle's Moore Theater, Evanescence headlined the final stop on their 26 major market tour, sponsored by Nintendo, Circuit City, Launch, and Blender.  The supporting bands last night were Finger Eleven and Revis.  Of course, Evanescence stole the show, with Amy Lee (lead vocals) thanking Seattle for being the first major city to support the band before they made it big.

The upper balcony outside the main floor was lined in GameCube consoles so the fans could try out some of the new and upcoming games.  Even while the bands were playing, the GameCubes seemed to be occupied, so it's easy to say that they were a hit.

The show itself was a blast, with many folks from Nintendo catching the show in their own backyard.  Finger Eleven opened the show, with Amy Lee joining Scott Anderson (lead vocals) for one song, to the delight of the crowd.  In between sets, Tour sponsors tossed exclusive Nintendo Fusion Tour t-shirts to the crowd.  Revis took stage next, keeping the crowd amped up for the last act.

After Revis, the roadies played a little "hair metal" while they revamped the stage for Evanescence's set.  It must have been an omen, as later on, Amy's band decided to pull a fast one when she asked for the crowd's help singing along to the next song, and played a medley of Metallica hits instead of the band's single "Bring Me To Life".  "Thanks for indulging them, Seattle", she laughed.

After the show, Nintendo hosted an after party at the Bada Lounge.  Scott Anderson of Finger Eleven took a few minutes to kick back and talk to us about his history playing video games.  He mentioned that kids today have it too easy with video games, and that they aren't as hard as they used to be, with F-Zero getting a bad rap for its old-school difficulty.  Scott is a gamer from way back, even mentioning his love of the Super Scope to one of the Nintendo employees he was chatting with.  He's got an HDTV complete with component cables ordered directly from Nintendo so he could get his F-Zero fix delivered the right way.  While on the road, he's playing a lot of Final Fantasy Tactics Advance, as he loves the turn-based combat.  I made sure to let him know to look out for Fire Emblem.

When I asked Scott about the exposure they were going to get being on the 1080 Avalanche soundtrack, he was thrilled.  "Our publicist called us and asked me if I was familiar with 'One-Zero-Eight-Zero Snowboarding'.  I said, 'Ten-Eighty?  Are you kidding me?'  It's going to be a really big deal for the band."  Cauterize will also be on the 1080 Avalanche soundtrack, but was unable to perform at the show this past Sunday.

Thanks to Colleen & Tom at GH and Jennifer at Nintendo for inviting us to the show, as well as Evanescence, Finger Eleven, and Revis for putting on a fantastic final show.

[Mario Kart was just demoed at the Gamers' Summit with 16-player cooperative play!]

41

TalkBack / Mario Kart 16 Players!

« on: September 17, 2003, 08:44:11 AM »

Mario Kart was just demoed at the Gamers' Summit with 16-player cooperative play!

The news from Europe about Mario Kart being 16 players was correct.  Nintendo has just demoed Mario Kart: Double Dash with co-operative play.  One player drives the kart, while the other controls the items and sliding (as well as attacking other players to steal items).  Eight GameCubes can be connected for LAN play, and with co-operative play, this means up to 16 people can play (there is an eight kart limit).

Co-op play is a blast, since a lot of yelling back and forth is required to coordinate attacks.  Players can switch who is driving/attacking by pressing the Z-Button simultaneously.

Another battle mode was unveiled as well, called "Shine Thief".  It's basically capture the flag, where you need to hit the guy carrying the shine.  Whoever manages to stay away for a solid minute with the shine wins.  Bob-Omb Blast was shown as well, and is still the best battle mode in the game.

PGC will have more news from the Gamers' Summit later today.  Check back with us soon!

[Nintendo makes the second Preview Disc official, as well as some changes to the Player's Choice Lineup.]

42

TalkBack / Mario Kart Preview Disc Available Immediately

« on: September 09, 2003, 06:11:12 AM »

Nintendo makes the second Preview Disc official, as well as some changes to the Player's Choice Lineup.

Update: Nintendo clarified at its recent Gamers' Summit that the despite how the news release was worded, that the Mario Kart bonus disc will be packed in with Mario Kart: Double Dash, and will not be available separately at retail.  Planet GameCube and Nintendo apologize for the confusion.

Earlier today, Nintendo announced that effective immediately, gamers that pre-order Mario Kart: Double Dash will receive a Preview Disc with game demos and movies.  This disc is likely the same demo loaded into kiosks right now, but we're waiting for confirmation on the contents.

Secondly, as many of our eagle-eyed readers have noticed, there are new additions to Nintendo's Player's Choice lineup.  What they didn't know is that the pricing for many of the other Player's Choice games have dropped to $19.99.

Metroid Prime, Animal Crossing (including memory card), and Super Mario Sunshine will all be priced at $29.99 starting September 25th.  Star Fox Adventures, Pikmin, and Luigi's Mansion will drop to $19.99 on the same date.  Nintendo also reminds gamers that Super Smash Bros. Melee is available at $29.99 as well.

We'll have more information on this new Preview Disc soon.  Stay Tuned.

[Nintendo has a little secret for the observant in the commercial for Final Fantasy Tactics Advance.]

43

TalkBack / Tiny Secret in FFTA Commercial

« on: September 03, 2003, 07:09:54 PM »

Nintendo has a little secret for the observant in the commercial for Final Fantasy Tactics Advance.

Nintendo took time during their "Ultimate Fantasy" Summit today (designed to showcase the fantastic GBA RPGs coming this year) to show us several versions of their Final Fantasy Tactics Advance commercial.

The commercial mocks some of the late-night pay telephone commercials you might see, such as the psychic hotlines, or other ... ahem, racier commercials.  The main characters from the game tease you briefly with information about themselves, and then direct you to call them to learn more.

The "secret", if you can call it that, is that the phone number displayed briefly on the screen is, in fact, a live phone number.  Gamers that have seen the commercial can dial 1 (866) PLY-2WIN, and choose one of the three characters to learn more about, along with information about the upcoming game.  And yes, that is a toll-free line.

To make sure the lines don't get overloaded and that everyone that wants to has a chance to hear the pitch for the game, Nintendo has used a sophisticated screening system that will limit the number of calls from any given location, sort of like Caller ID juiced up a bit.  Presumably, since there are three different characters, the call limit will be three.

Final Fantasy Tactics Advance ships in just five short days.  You DO know where you're getting your copy, right?

[NOA VP of Marketing and Corporate Affairs gives birth to an eight pound baby girl ... while playing Donkey Kong Country?!]

44

TalkBack / Congratulations, Perrin Kaplan!

« on: August 28, 2003, 07:47:16 PM »

NOA VP of Marketing and Corporate Affairs gives birth to an eight pound baby girl ... while playing Donkey Kong Country?!

The entire staff of Planet GameCube wishes all the best to Perrin Kaplan, Nintendo of America's Vice President of Marketing and Corporate Affairs, who gave birth Sunday to a 7lb. 15oz. baby girl at Swedish Hospital in Seattle, Washington.

In true Nintendo form, Perrin used her Game Boy Advance as her focal point, playing Donkey Kong Country while going through labor.

We hear that Beth Llewellyn is next up to deliver ... there must be something in the water in Redmond!

Thanks to "bigjimoutlaw1" for the news tip!

["I agree strongly with that point of view", says Carmack, when discussing Nintendo's plan to make games simpler.]

45

TalkBack / Games Too Complicated? Carmack Agrees.

« on: August 23, 2003, 02:10:30 PM »

"I agree strongly with that point of view", says Carmack, when discussing Nintendo's plan to make games simpler.

In an interview with CNN Money, John Carmack of id Software and the man behind the upcoming PC hit Doom 3 agrees that games, specifically PC Role-Playing games, have gotten to be so complex, "they had to have a book ship with the game."

He goes on to detail the internal debates over simplifying the controls for Doom 3, and how you sometimes need to ignore your more supportive fans in order to give them what they really want, something Nintendo is frequently accused of doing.

It's an excellent interview with the always outspoken Carmack, so make sure to head over to CNN Money and read it.

[Fresh new movies of MK:DD from the Toy Test. Captured in PGC's patented "ShakyCam GX" process!]

46

TalkBack / New Mario Kart: Double Dash Movies!

« on: August 20, 2003, 05:35:09 PM »

Fresh new movies of MK:DD from the Toy Test.  Captured in PGC's patented "ShakyCam GX" process!

Updated with two more movies from the Toy Test.  Details are below.

Fresh from the Toy Test, we've got a couple of videos from the updated version of Mario Kart: Double Dash for you.  We apologize in advance for the quality, but these were taken with a mid-range digital camera as opposed to a camcorder ... all we had on short notice.  Regardless, even at 15fps, the sense of speed should be noticeable.

Bear in mind as you're watching, these are VERY young kids playing, and sometimes they just sit there not knowing what to do.  They figure it out eventually.

You'll need the DivX 5.05 codec in order to watch these movies.  Make sure you choose the text link that says "DivX Codec only" unless you want the ad-ware supported version of their software package.

On with the show!

• Mario Kart: Double Dash - Video 1 (30 sec. 5.8MB)
• Mario Kart: Double Dash - Video 2 (1 min. 9.6MB)
• Mario Kart: Double Dash - Video 3 (1 min. 9.4MB)
• Mario Kart: Double Dash - Video 4 (30 sec. 6.3MB)

Thanks to DivX Networks for the encoding tools!

[The 11th Annual Toy Test is on, and Nintendo unleashes a few surprises for the last round!]

47

TalkBack / Today Show Toy Test 2003

« on: August 20, 2003, 01:13:45 PM »

The 11th Annual Toy Test is on, and Nintendo unleashes a few surprises for the last round!

Every year, the Today Show (NBC Mornings) holds a "Toy Test" at Seattle's Pacific Science Center (the place with the Space Needle), where kids of all ages get to test a selection of video games that are all due to be released for the holiday season.  The kids are given a game at RANDOM to play, and judge the game after limited play time.  The results are broadcast in mid-November ... just in time for the holiday shopping season.  It's like a mini-E3, but these kids have just as much power as the media, since their likes and dislikes are going to be known by every parent and grandparent buying presents this year.  

Unlike E3, most of the kids aren't aware that the games are unfinished or have any background in how the games work.  In other words, they're the average buying public, but they get to rank these games based on how much they liked them, how good the graphics were, and if they would buy the game or play it again.  Some games get very negative reactions if the kids can't figure out what to do within their 10-20 minute time limit, while very polished and fun games shine through.  Most kids seemed oblivious to games that had Japanese text, focusing instead on the gameplay.

Every few days, they swap the games around to get as many games exposed to the buying public as possible.  For Nintendo's GameCube, games like PN03, WrestleMania XIX, and Prince of Persia have been shown, but starting today, updated versions of Mario Kart: Double Dash, Pikmin 2, and 1080 Snowboarding were available for play.

Stay tuned for updated impressions from these new builds, as well as screenshots and movies!

Oh, by the way ... the Toy Test is FREE to paying Pacific Science Center visitors or members, and runs through the 24th.  Seattle area residents dying to try out some of the latest games should make a beeline.  The exhibit is open from 10AM to 6PM, with 5:30-6:00PM being a "free play" time.  

[C|Net finally figures out what we've been trying to tell people all along ...]

48

TalkBack / Games don't kill people, adrenaline does

« on: August 20, 2003, 06:52:25 AM »

C|Net finally figures out what we've been trying to tell people all along ...

C|Net's John Borland is a brilliant, brilliant man.  In his editorial covering the happenings at QuakeCon, John manages to figure out what gamers have been screaming at the top of their lungs all along ... that so-called "violent" games do not MAKE gamers violent.

Effectively, it's the adrenaline rush that violent games (or ANY medium) gives you that causes the aggressive behavior, but that for most gamers, other factors such as the social benefits of an event like QuakeCon or even two friends gaming together at a house, mitigate any psychological effects.

Rather than try to rehash it all here, we at PlanetGameCube urge you to go to C|Net and read John's editorial.

49

Announcements / Proper use of "Report to Moderator" link ...

« on: August 19, 2003, 04:47:59 PM »

We've been getting a rash of people using the "Report to Moderator" function to either tell things to the moderators, or to simply complain.

Report to Moderator should ONLY be used when a thread is very clearly in violation of the rules, and egregiously so.  For example, someone advertising, or posting inappropriate content in the Forums.  It should NOT be used to let us know you've answered a question, or just want to call attention to a thread.

Please, save us some time and use the Forums features properly.    

[Gloria Estefan was right. Eventually, the rhythm IS going to get you.]

50

TalkBack / Iwata confirms Donkey Konga

« on: August 17, 2003, 10:05:07 AM »

Gloria Estefan was right.  Eventually, the rhythm IS going to get you.

Import retailer Lik Sang is reporting today that Satoru Iwata, NCL President, has confirmed the development of Donkey Konga with the help of Namco.

The game will use a drum peripheral, similar to the one Namco used for their last Conga game, Taiko no Tatsujin.

As strange as it sounds, the idea isn't all that far fetched.  PGC has long been fans of Sega's sleeper Dreamcast hit "Samba de Amigo", and as it turns out, Shigeru Miyamoto is a huge fan as well.

Rhythm games are becoming a pretty big deal lately, with Konami's "Bemani" series of games doing great business, including their Dance Dance Revolution games.  Is a rhythm game featuring Donkey Kong going to find it's market?  Time will tell ...