Author Topic: Argh, Japan is getting Mario Kart at launch too... (Read 8274 times)

Pale · « **on:** November 03, 2004, 12:33:27 PM »

Why the heck is Japan getting all these launch titles? It just doesn't make any sense.... Is it all just Nintendo trying to compete better with the PSP launch?? Even if that is the reason, we should still get the releases here too...Kind of dumb...

I can understand if they wanted to spread releases out here, but we all know that the launch needs at least one more first party title...

Bill Aurion · « **Reply #1 on:** November 03, 2004, 12:56:26 PM »

We get it in January (the 10th, I believe) so it's not that big of a deal...

Ian Sane · « **Reply #2 on:** November 03, 2004, 01:06:20 PM »

The American launch is first yet all of the Japanese first party launch titles are made in Japan. Therefore being Japanese the developers are likely aiming for the Japanese launch because to them it's a higher priority. I imagine NCL did their usual "not think about the US" routine when planning the launch date. NOA was all "hey we can't have our launch after Christmas" and thus moved their's up because realistically they had to. NCL then gave them the only title they could finish in time, the glorified port which would require the least effort to make.

If you don't like the American DS launch lineup don't buy it at launch. That's what I'm doing. And if you want to play Mario Kart DS this year you can still import it. I don't think there's any regional lockout.

Lost101 · « **Reply #3 on:** November 03, 2004, 03:17:57 PM »

Well its not a complete screw over. We are getting it first after all and Im sure its some kind of marketing thing. Maybe they thing we Americans need the system sooner and dont mind if it doesnt launch with that many great titles. Or maybe they think in Japan its very important a system has great launch titles. *shrugs*

Personally I dont think its that big a deal, so what if certain games arent available at launch? Just wait a couple of months, would you prefer if the DS was launched in January with more titles? Besides, it gives you time to breath, no way you can play so many games (let alone pay for them) right off the bat. Well I guess you can pay for them if your not a poor college student like me

Infernal Monkey · « **Reply #4 on:** November 03, 2004, 03:22:03 PM »

Quote
Is it all just Nintendo trying to compete better with the PSP launch??

Of course. PSP is launching real close to DS there. Nintendo needs a slew of really awesome games at the Japanese launch. Though the PSP has basically got crap all that's interesting launching with it, it's going to sell like hotcakes that have been reduced in price and come with a free inflatable house. PS2 all over again, baby. I still have the house that came with mine, it's where I have sexy parties.

Pale · « **Reply #5 on:** November 03, 2004, 05:02:54 PM »

I was kind of misunderstood..i'm not really upset for myself cause there are always plenty of games to play....I'm just a little paranoid lately and want nintendo to be flawless...

Mario · « **Reply #6 on:** November 03, 2004, 08:08:25 PM »

Nice, hopefully this means it will be ready for the PAL launch.

WuTangTurtle · « **Reply #7 on:** November 03, 2004, 08:19:00 PM »

IMO Nintendo is letting non japanese 3rd parties get their chance first, that way 3rd party games will sell and won't have to compete with dominating 1st party software. This will equal better 3rd party relations, something Nintendo really needs to hold onto in this handheld war.

KDR_11k · « **Reply #8 on:** November 03, 2004, 10:58:09 PM »

When was the EU launch planned, again?

Mario · « **Reply #9 on:** November 03, 2004, 11:07:34 PM »

Q1 2005, official launch details are unknown though.

Infernal Monkey · « **Reply #10 on:** November 03, 2004, 11:24:18 PM »

It better not be like the GameCube.

"Sorry, you can get it in MAY"

chain chomp · « **Reply #11 on:** November 04, 2004, 05:14:09 AM »

can someone list the jap release titles

Spak-Spang · « **Reply #12 on:** November 04, 2004, 05:43:59 AM »

I think part of it is just what games are ready. People are really hating on Nintendo, but I say don't. I still say we will get one more Nintendo game before Christmas. Yeah its not alot, but how many games do you really need at launch? Remember you are going to be busying a DS, a game or two, and Gamecube games this season. Nintendo wants to make sure you aren't completely overwhelmed.

Plus, this also allows Nintendo to release a steady stream of DS games for a couple of months and then have a burst of games at the PSP launch in US to hurt the PSP launch.

Remember, you can either buy a PSP for about $200 in March, or buy 5 DS games. I would rather buy 5 games. Specially if I already have the DS, which I will and many others will.

D-Mac Double · « **Reply #13 on:** November 04, 2004, 06:00:10 AM »

Quote
Originally posted by: chain chomp
can someone list the jap release titles

Do you mean just the Japanese launch titles, or all the titles confirmed for release there?
IGN has posted the boxart for what I believe is nearly all the Japanese launch titles.

http://ds.ign.com/articles/561/561045p1.html
The only games I think are missing are Mario Kart and Feel The Magic.

Ian Sane · « **Reply #14 on:** November 04, 2004, 06:18:46 AM »

"Yeah its not alot, but how many games do you really need at launch?"

A launch lineup is less about how many titles you're going to buy and more about what titles you're going to buy. To me Super Mario 64 DS doesn't cut it. It's a glorified port. I refused to buy any of those for the GBA and I refuse to buy any for the DS. So what's left? The American DS launch lineup is pretty slim. I don't like ports. I don't like EA games. I'm interested in Feel The Magic and Mr Driller but not enough to make me buy a whole new system. The Japanese launch has more variety so it increases the chances of one finding at least one title that makes a system purchase worthwhile.

joshnickerson · « **Reply #15 on:** November 04, 2004, 06:28:18 AM »

I'd wait. The Gamecube was the only console I've ever bought at launch. Everything else I either waited 6 - 12 months or for the first price drop. That way I paid a little bit less and had more choice in games.

Spak-Spang · « **Reply #16 on:** November 04, 2004, 06:43:54 AM »

I normally don't like ports either. They really have to offer my something I desire.

The ports I bought were:

Super Mario World 2
Link to the Past
SUper Mario Brothers 3

and now I will buy Super Mario 64 DS.

The reason I bought those? They were my favorite games ever created, and I could finally play them portable. And with SMB 3 I had not beaten that game so it was great.

Super Mario 64 was and is the greatest game ever created. period. Even by todays standards the game is leaps and bounds ahead of the competition. Its fun, its easy to pickup and play, and its FUN. Getting a portable version of that game is a great launch lineup. Add to it more than 50 minigames, multiplayer options, new characters to play as, and new levels and I don't consider it a port. I consider it the new contender for best game ever created.

So launching the DS with Super Mario 64 DS isn't a bad thing. I just wish they had one other launch title with it.

Oh well, it just means I get to buy a 3rd party game, and Spiderman 2 is looking very tempting.

Lost101 · « **Reply #17 on:** November 04, 2004, 08:39:44 AM »

Super Mario 64 was incredible for its time. Now its a great game but its not all that amazing, there has been some amazing stuff released since then (like SMS) so it may pale a little in comparison to some of the stuff were used to.

Spak-Spang · « **Reply #18 on:** November 04, 2004, 09:05:12 AM »

Lost:

You know I have played many, many 3D platformers since Mario 64. Even Mario Sunshine its successor, and none of them I believe captured the feel and the excitement and the gameplay balance Mario 64 was able to create. Super Mario Sunshine did 2 things better though. They added that slide to the wall jump to make it easier and much more enjoyable to do, and also added those challenge stages without the jetpack.

Super Mario 64 may not have as advanced and varied goals anymore like some of the 3D platforming games give you, but unlike those other games, Mario 64 somehow created a game and a world that is just fun to run around in. I don't know how Nintendo succeeded in that, and other games fail so easily, but its true.

Ian Sane · « **Reply #19 on:** November 04, 2004, 10:14:24 AM »

"Mario 64 somehow created a game and a world that is just fun to run around in. I don't know how Nintendo succeeded in that, and other games fail so easily, but its true."

I think it's because Mario doesn't have fences that go up to his knees but he can't jump over or obstacles that are his height or smaller but he can't jump onto. Most 3D games have all sorts of stupid restrictions that limit where you can go. With their 3D games Nintendo has for the most part been very good at letting you interact with whatever you can see. That's why they can make a game where's it's fun just to run around and most other devs can't.

Spak-Spang · « **Reply #20 on:** November 04, 2004, 12:22:20 PM »

Ian Sane: You know I think your right on that. Nintendo knows how to design gameplay and then wrap a world around that gameplay that just fits.

Too often you see developers do really stupid things with their games that hurt the design.

Banjo Kazooie failed because it gave you a limited amount a moves and you had to earn new moves. This allowed the design team to make you revisit levels after earning new moves and force you to play levels over and over again.

Donkey Kong 64: Too many characters to have to play through, and they weren't very different. I don't want to play each level 6 times collecting special things for me to go further. Bad design.

Also, Super Mario 64, was a collection game, but to collect each Star you had to master either a puzzle or a mini game. Others collecting was just going through the levels. Mario made each Star a special objective.

Last, Nintendo is the master of levels. Instead of foolishly designing one giant world to explore, Nintendo made its levels more objective oriented and designed them only to the size they need to be to include all the objectives. Its smart design, that didn't include wasted space, or over used elements.

Nintendo actually failed in this smart design in Super Mario Sunshine by making you collect too many items. Blue coins, red coins and regular coins to get stars. It was too much and hurt the game.

Bill Aurion · « **Reply #21 on:** November 04, 2004, 12:43:51 PM »

"Banjo Kazooie failed because it gave you a limited amount a moves and you had to earn new moves. This allowed the design team to make you revisit levels after earning new moves and force you to play levels over and over again."

What!? What's wrong with that? >=( OoT made you do the same exact thing to get all the Gold Skulltulas!

kennyb27 · « **Reply #22 on:** November 04, 2004, 01:45:22 PM »

Quote
Banjo Kazooie failed because it gave you a limited amount a moves and you had to earn new moves. This allowed the design team to make you revisit levels after earning new moves and force you to play levels over and over again.

I'd have to agree with Bill here, Spak. I loved Banjo-Kazooie. I thought it may have been one of the best games on N64 that I played. Of course, I agree with you about about SM64, though. Best game, of all time.

Ian Sane · « **Reply #23 on:** November 04, 2004, 01:57:10 PM »

I personally think that all of Rare's N64 games had the "it's fun to just run around" factor because they didn't have those annoying restrictions I mentioned. I agree that they're not as good as Super Mario 64 but I think in terms of providing the players with the freedom to interact with the enviroment they nailed it 100%.

Spak-Spang · « **Reply #24 on:** November 05, 2004, 04:08:15 AM »

Oh I hated Banjo Kazooie. It was annoying that I couldn't run up a hill because I hadn't talked to a mole yet to learn how to do that move.

Mario 64 taught you how to do the moves, but if you learned them on your own you got to use them immediately.

Zelda OoT didn't make you have to learn new moves you got new weapons, and the Gold Skulltas were a bonus side quest. You didn't have to go after them, and most of them you could get in the levels without having to go back half way through the game after getting that last weapon.

Banjoe had some cool things about it, but I think it was ultimately flawed.

Same with Donkey Kong 64. Nice graphics, and the controls were spot on, but the world was uninteresting, and having to play it with 6 characters didn't make it more interesting, but less.

Perhaps I am the only one that felt this way with those games, and if so I will be in the minority.

I will say that I like Nintendo and Miyamoto because he understands that you are still playing a game. He is smart enough to design actual levels and give you noticable visual clues to what exactly your supposed to do in the game. Sure sometimes that simplifies the game, but it also helps you progress and have fun. You in the 3D Mario games you always knew where you were supposed to go. Same with the later Zelda games, and if you forgot you could easily talk to a few key people and they would point you on your way.

Even Metroid Prime gave you hints allowing you to remember where you were supposed to be going.

Remembering that what you are creating is a game is important to the artform, and I believe you will see more and more developers forgetting that imporant task as they create bigger worlds, and giving players more freedom within those worlds.

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Author Topic: Argh, Japan is getting Mario Kart at launch too... (Read 8274 times)