Topic: Mario Appears in NBA Street V3

[StrikerObi]

The rookie plumber skips college and goes right to the pros.

EBgames.com has updated their product information page for NBA Street V3. The new profile includes the game's box art, which reveals some shocking information. Rumors have been circulating that Mario would be appearing in EA's new off the wall basketball title. It looks as if these rumors turned out to be true. In the corner of new box art for NBA Street Vol. 3 is some art depicting Mario and Luigi along with the words "All-Stars." This seems to confirm that Mario does appear in the game in some fashion, most likely as a playable character. With Luigi on there too, it would make sense that an entire Nintendo team is in the game.

PGC will have more information on this collaboration as it becomes available.

[odifiend]

Better than a game dedicated to Nintendo basketball and the zanniness is present.  Win-win if you ask me. EA BIG 4ever

[NWR_Lindy]

To quote the lovely Paris Hilton, "This is hot".

[Mario]

Awesome! Looks like I might buy this one for GC. I skipped 2 because it looked the same as 1, hopefully this is good enough to purchase. (yes, I am only considering buying this because of Mario, so what)

[Hostile Creation]

First we buy the rights to NFL games, then we use Nintendo to make people buy our stuff.  WE MAKE OF THE GOOD GAMES VIDEO

[Jonnyboy117]

I wonder if EA is in negotiations with Nintendo for exclusive rights to the Mario characters.

[Ian Sane]

It figures that mere hours after I'm given the universal justification for EA hatred that this comes out.  Good for Nintendo for doing something like this.  Though it does seems pretty weird.  I like the idea of Nintendo doing stuff like this with third parties (like Link in Soul Calibur II) but is this the right game for the right character?  I mean Mario seems a little, pardon the expression, "tiku tiku tiku! " for something like NBA Street.  The NBA is hip and cool.  Mario is not.  The two properties just seem too different.  I don't really see the NBA Street audience being interested in having Mario in the game.  Link and Soul Calibur worked well because both franchises appeal to a similar audience. It's a good idea in theory, I just think this specific match-up is odd.

[Mario]

NBA Street had a playable Yeti and a midget Alien, nothing would seem out of place.

[TheYoungerPlumber]

I've never played NBA Street 1 or 2, but from what I've read and heard (and what Teh Sexies Man says) it plays a lot like Camelot's Mario Tennis in terms of fast-paced arcade action using the sport as a base instead of its focus.

If that's the case, then including Mario makes sense from a gameplay associativity standpoint.  EA or the developers probably noticed that fans of Mario Tennis would enjoy NBA Street, and Nintendo figures it might win some "cool kids" over to Mario Tennis and Mario in general.  I wouldn't be surprised if Mario & gang are a little less happy-go-lucky, if Nintendo or EA have the time for a recording session.  Surely Wario is itching to throw some insults on the court!

I wouldn't expect Mario & Co. to add much to the gameplay, but I can only see it helping sales on the GameCube.  NBA Street has its following by now--I don't think added Nintendo characters would disuade anyone from a purchase, especially since that person would need a GameCube to even consider this version.

[Nile Boogie]

This is the begaining of the end.
On the surface this looks like good-good after school treats but under that sweet chocolate frosting...

"I don't know Linus, I just don't know."

[joshnickerson]

Interesting.... VERRRRYYYYY interesting.

And just when I vowed never to buy another EA game again. LOL

[Flames_of_chaos]

I played NBA Street 1 and I admit that its pretty fun, EA BIG is probably the only EA branch I like but Im not sure if im going to get this even if its tempting. The only other 2 EA games I want is Burnout 3 and TS: Future Perfect.

[Pale]

*and mario turns his hat around, buys overalls 5 sizes to big, and a big old gold mushroom necklace*

[Savior]

I skipped 2 because it looked the same as 1,


It wasnt. It was better. Much Better. NBA Street was arguably EAS best Sports game IMO.


This is great, It probably means it will sell Very well. Better than Xbox/PS2 possibly. It might not fit though...

[foolish03]

yeah ea does arcady basketball games better.  I think sega needs to make an exclusive deal with the nba for next five years.

[CHEN]

I still won't buy anything from EA.

[Bloodworth]

Mario doesn't fit in?  Haven't you played the Mario RPGs?  Mario is LEGENDARY for his JUMPING.  He is going to 0wn on the courts.  And what Princess Peach with that hover-jump?  It's like Michael Jordan all over again.  Word!

[BlkPaladin]

Well I guess this is a natural development in Nintendo lending its franchises to third party. I was wondering what Nintendo whould give EA, since they are the biggest third party out there, and the other good third parties have had their share. (Well except Konami, but Nintendo had SK remake MGS for them.)

[odifiend]

Quote
Originally posted by: BlkPaladin
Well I guess this is a natural development in Nintendo lending its franchises to third party. I was wondering what Nintendo whould give EA, since they are the biggest third party out there.

Gamecube sales for NBA Street V3?

[BlkPaladin]

No, but it will help EA gamesales on the Gamecube, and that is worth something, if just to keep the giant making games for their systems.

And with EA being being an indicator in the US on how well a console is doing its a good thing that Nintendo acted.

[JonLeung]

I think that this helps both EA and Nintendo.

Some companies, such as EA and Ubi Soft, seem better than others about getting their games to all three consoles (some even to the PC).  But unfortunately in North America, where the PS2s and Xboxes are all that, and EA sells bigger here, I'm guessing, getting a GameCube version to sell as well as the others isn't possible without some added oomph.

After Namco's Soul Calibur II featuring Link selling better than the PS2 and Xbox versions, I guess it doesn't hurt that EA and Nintendo would try to do this.  More EA GameCube games selling benefits both Nintendo and EA.  Which one it benefits more, I don't know, but definitely a plus for both.

I'm not so sure I would like to see this kind of thing happening too much, but with Mario characters tending to jump a lot, basketball kind of fits.

[Renny]

This really isn't a fit at all. Unless Mario will provide commentary. I've wanted to see that in sports games since Pac-Man Vs showed his genuine talent at providing vocal coverage of ingame action.

[in shrill Mario voice]

Only 30 seconds left!

He goes for three!

Oh, noooooo!

[nickmitch]

I'm confused on my hatred for EA

[Djunknown]

Who knows what's going on behind the scenes? Did Nintendo approach EA hoping to repeat its sucess lending out its characters? Did EA give an ultimadum "EA products have to sell over 100k on a Nintendo system or ELSE!"?

There were some numbers released (Though not completely reliable as of this writing) for NFSU2 for November. Both PS2/Xbox were well into the 6 digits, but the 'Cube version barely cracked 50k. Wow.

Oh well. It'll be interesting if Yoshi's in the game. 'Nuff said.

[Infernal Monkey]

Quote
Originally posted by: Renny
This really isn't a fit at all.

Oh but it is. NBA Street is the Mario Tennis of basketball games. If Mario were to make an appearence in EA's bore-a-thon NBA Live 2006/07/whatever they're up to then yeah, THAT wouldn't fit. Street's zany enough for this to work.