Messages

551

Nintendo Gaming / RE:April-June quarter sales report is out

« on: August 05, 2003, 07:08:51 AM »

800,000 actually seems decent for a traditionally slow quarter for the market when Nintendo didn't have many big games released anyway.
Mario Golf, FZero GX, and Soul Calibur 2 featuring Link should give the Gamecube a notable boost in the next quarter and, of course, a ton of Gamecubes will be sold in the final quarter of the year thanks to Nintendo's own Mario (multiplied by two!), Pokemon, Kirby, and the Pikmin with some help from some third-party gems like Viewtiful Joe, Metal Gear Solid : Twin Snakes, and Rogue Squadron III.

552

Nintendo Gaming / RE:Miyamoto and Mikami interview

« on: August 04, 2003, 03:06:43 PM »

It actually would be neat if, similar to the Oracle titles on the Gameboy, there were two Zelda games in development for the Gamecube together. The first would be the internally developed and already announced Wind Waker sequel with young Link and cel-shaded graphics and the second would be a more realistic (but not TOO realistic - think Lord of the Ring movies) Zelda game from Capcom/Mikami featuring adult Link. The second would of course, be sort of a continuation of the first and aimed at the teen/adult audience while the first would be for all ages like all the previous Zelda games.
I'd actually really like to see that. I LOVED the cel-shaded style of Wind Waker and wouldn't mind (in fact, I'd prefer) if it became the standard style of Nintendo's future Zelda games but, on the other hand, it would be interesting to see a darker more mature spin of the series. It wouldn't have tons of gore or anything. It would just be A LOT more intense, violent, and scary which is why Mikami would be PERFECT for it.

There'd only be two BIG problems. Nintendo's Zelda game would be unfairly labeled the "one for kids" and, worst of all, it would APPEAR as if Nintendo was giving in to all the idiots who refused to like/play Wind Waker just because of the cel-shaded graphics. I can already hear them gloating about how "Nintendo learned from its mistake and is finally getting a clue". Bastards!
So, actually, this probably isn't a good idea and I concur that an original game with franchise potential would be better.

553

Nintendo Gaming / RE:Nintendo Licensing music?

« on: August 03, 2003, 09:27:09 AM »

Imagine if the original Super Mario Bros had, instead of the now classic Mario tunes, songs from Prince, Duran Duran, Cindy Lauper, and other artists that were popular at the time.

Not long from now, games like SSX and the Tony Hawk series will be absolutely unplayable without a mute button.

554

Nintendo Gaming / Why not a Viewtifull Joe Advance?

« on: July 25, 2003, 12:09:40 PM »

From my understanding, VJ and all the Capcom 5 except for RE4 are made by small teams with minimal development costs. So VJ won't have to sell that well to be a huge success for Capcom.
Also, Capcom knows it could be a potential franchise so even if the first game isn't a massive hit, if it sales well enough to make a nice profit and gains a fan-base (already happened!), its sequels could perform exponentially better.

555

Nintendo Gaming / Mario 128 info!

« on: July 25, 2003, 08:19:13 AM »

"actually, unless i'm mistaken, miyamoto said that mario 128 would be the true successor to mario 64."

It's the context that counts. When Miyamoto said it would be the true successor he meant it would be different than SM64 because he feels the true successor to a Mario game should be different and not just an update on the same exact formula like he feels SMS was.
When most of the anti-SMS types say it will be a true successor they mean it WILL be just an update on the same formula of Mario 64 unlike SMS which they don't believe is a true successor to it because they felt it was too different with the tropical setting, water-pack, etc...
It's confusing, I know, but Miyamoto did elaborate on the comment and make his feelings about the games VERY clear in the interview.

556

Nintendo Gaming / Mario 128 info!

« on: July 25, 2003, 07:27:32 AM »

"A 2D game though certainly doesn't sound like the "true followup to Super Mario 64" that Mario 128 is often heralded as."

The only people I've heard herald it as the true followup to SM64 (implying SMS wasn't) are people who, for whatever reason, hated SMS. Often for the most silly reasons too, like it not having a GREEN Yoshi and being too tropical. Miyamoto himself has commented that he felt SMS was too similar to SM64 and that Mario 128 will be very different. So people expecting the game to be the more traditional, straigh-forward SM64 sequel they wanted but didn't get from SMS are bound to be dissapointed again.  

557

Nintendo Gaming / Dorimaga scores

« on: July 24, 2003, 06:42:39 PM »

I think the problem is SOME reviewers aren't going to grasp the concept that this is a different kind of Final Fantasy game.
They're going to tear it apart for not having some of the elements of the main titles and fail to appreciate what it has that the main titles don't. I think it will MOSTLY get very positive reviews though. Dengeki really liked it. Two of its four reviewers gave the game a 9 out of 10 and it got a 33/40 overall. I'm betting Famitsu will like it too. Most importantly, I think the Japanese gamers will be drawn to its innovative mutliplayer mode (the GBA requirement won't be an issue since EVERYONE in Japan has one) and the game will sell a lot better than most are predicting and have many sequels down the road.

558

General Chat / Renting Games Online?

« on: July 24, 2003, 11:11:11 AM »

Renting DVDs online has actually become quite popular. Wal-Mart even jumped on the band-wagon recently. I'm not sure whether renting games online is catching on though. I've seen a few sites that offer it but I'm too chicken to try them. Especially since they often say it CAN take up to five days to ship the games depending on where you live. Between the five days for the games to arrive, the five days to send them back, and the five days for the new ones to arrive . . . well, there went half the month. I'm sure availability is an issue too. The most popular games probably spend most of their time rented out. All the games must be scratched up too. Also, you probably need a credit card to sign up for the service.  

559

Nintendo Gaming / What game I'd like to see for the Gamecube

« on: July 24, 2003, 07:18:22 AM »

"I thought it was confirmed at E3."

I think it only appeared on an unconfirmed E3 games list from before the show even began. With all these shows, there are always such lists and they always turn out to be at least partially bogus.  

560

Nintendo Gaming / What game I'd like to see for the Gamecube

« on: July 24, 2003, 06:44:49 AM »

"There is a pilot wings game being made probably for 2005 or Next System by FACTOR 5. Yes the best star wars flight game team is making an exclusive flying game for gamecube."

I've heard rumors about that but has it really been confirmed?

561

Nintendo Gaming / Gamecube on Tom Green Show

« on: July 23, 2003, 06:16:55 PM »

Nintendo will always have honor.
So if it can get Tom Green's dumb fans to like the Gamecube by slipping the alpha dummy himself some cash, I say got for it.
I agree that the Jackass guys would be better Nintendo spokespersons though. They'd be hurling Gamecubes at each others crotches and sticking Gameboys up their butts.
That's just the kind of thing Nintendo needs to win over the "mature" gamers

562

Nintendo Gaming / Final Fantasy and other games delayed and set release dates!

« on: July 23, 2003, 06:28:34 AM »

It's hard to be upset about little delays like this considering what we went through during the N64 days. If the Gamecube was like the N64, none of these games would be coming out until Fall 2004 at the earliest and we'd still be waiting for Super Mario Sunshine.

563

Nintendo Gaming / Final Fantasy and other games delayed and set release dates!

« on: July 22, 2003, 05:44:37 PM »

It's just so amazing how things have changed since the N64 days.
It used to be that there weren't enough big games and delays were torture. Now there are too many big games and they're a relief.

As for the reason behind FFCC being delayed. I don't think there's any particularly noteworthy reason for it. I don't think it was delayed because Nintendo thought it already had too many big games for the holiday nor do I think it was delayed to make any drastic last-minute changes. It was probably just delayed because they decided they couldn't get it out as soon as expected. Simple as that.

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Nintendo Gaming / Should Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles really use GBA connectivity??

« on: July 22, 2003, 05:41:51 PM »

"Also, Nintendo's goal for FF:CC sales wise, in Japan, is a mere 100,000 copies."

That's just how many will be initally shipped.
I'm sure both Nintendo and Square Enix expect the game to sell A LOT more than that.
They just want to be careful. With a game as experimental and unique as FF:CC you never know what could happen. The game could just as easily be revolted against as it could take Japan by storm. The number of copies in later shipments will be determined by how quickly those initial 100,000 go.
I'm pretty sure the game will at least hit the one million mark over there and guarantee we'll get a sequel.
It's a great game with the words "final" and "fantasy" on the box-art. That's pretty much all a game needs to be a big hit in Japan.

565

Nintendo Gaming / Should Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles really use GBA connectivity??

« on: July 22, 2003, 02:33:01 PM »

Nevermind. I just saw the IGN update. It is delayed.
I suppose it's not a big deal though. The game is mostly targetted at the Japanese audience anyway. The good news is Pokemon Channel and 1080 are coming out this year. I'm not sure about 1080 but Pokemon Channel is bound to sell some Gamecubes.  

Actually, FFCC being delayed could be a good thing. Nintendo has always had the annoying habit of releasing all the big titles during the holiday season and leaving us to suffer with a massive post-Christmas drought. That tradition was broken this year with Wind Waker and FFCC should do it next year.

566

Nintendo Gaming / Should Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles really use GBA connectivity??

« on: July 22, 2003, 02:23:39 PM »

"No one has to waste money on FFCC this year cuz it's not coming out this year. It's due Feb. 9, 2004 in N. America."

Are you sure? Last I checked (which was less than a week ago) it's supposed to come out in early November. Maybe it was just recently delayed but if it was, seems like PGC would have updated with the news.

567

Nintendo Gaming / Should Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles really use GBA connectivity??

« on: July 22, 2003, 11:22:46 AM »

"Mike that's hardly a lengthy rant. Maybe a lengthy mini-rant but as a full on rant it's quite compact. "

Well, by many standards, it's pretty bad

"You're comparing the fans of companies that are going up to one that seemingly is going down."

You have a point about that but I wish people would realize that what they say about Nintendo does have an effect on things. It reverberates a lot farther than they realize.
People who visit an XBox forum will want to buy an XBox. People who visit a Gamecube forum (not so much this one, but most others) will not only not want a Gamecube but will expect Nintendo to be out of business by the end of the year. Then of course, if someone asks them to recommend a console, they'll recommend an XBox. Then if someone asks the person who got the recommendation to recommend a console, they'll also recommend an XBox.
Nintendo fans always complain about Nintendo not being able to change people's opinion of it but they don't realize that they may be the reason it can't. How should we expect non-Nintendo fans to start liking Nintendo when Nintendo fans at least appear to not like it themselves. Sure, most people who harshly criticize Nintendo supposably to do out of love for the company but that's not always apparent to outside observers.

"Besides I don't want Nintendo fans to be nearly as fanboyish as MS fans. Literally every website dedicated exclusively to Xbox content gives nearly EVERY game great reviews and basically loves absolutely everything that MS does. Even IGN Xbox which is supposedly a "professional" site gives nearly every damn game released a Player's Choice award and a score in the 9s. I much prefer a fanbase that can admit fault with their console of choice and doesn't slobber over everything like some brainwashed idiot."

To me, it's a case of the lesser of two evils. It would be better if Nintendo fans were brainwashed idiots than over-dramatic doomsday-predicters who won't give Nintendo a break. At least the former would actually help Nintendo as a company. Of course, the best case scenario would be for them to be somewhere in between the two so maybe we should shoot for that

"Oddly enough with FF: CC I have found that there are typically more fans that support the GBA reguirement than there are those who complain about it. In this thread there is only like two people against it."

The PGC forum is different than most. My rant was more inspired by what I've seen on other forums. Just check out the n-philes forum and you'll see what I mean.

"If FF: CC truly does require the use of a GBA then I don't really have a problem with it. I've just never read any indication that suggests that the concept realistically needs it. Maybe I just haven't read the right articles."

It's probably those E3 impressions. I did read a few articles from people who assumed that just because the demo didn't require the GBAs, the entire game shouldn't have to but it's been confirmed that that's not the case. When the game is actually released and gets some real reviews, I think things will be cleared up.  

568

Nintendo Gaming / Should Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles really use GBA connectivity??

« on: July 22, 2003, 11:02:21 AM »

"I know you didnt just say that."

I realize it's a horrible thing to say but I'll stick by it.
If the game was on the XBox, MS fans would be tripping over themselves with anticipation.
Not only do most Nintendo fans seem to not care for the game but they actually actively hate it. If I had a penny for every time I've heard a Nintendo "fan" proclaim the game is a rip-off and will bomb badly, I actually could go out and buy four gameboys and four link cables along with them

"Unlike XBox of PS2 fanboys I do not automatically like everything Nintendo does just because they did it."

I'm not asking for Nintendo fans to biased towards Nintendo. Just to stop crucifying it over every little thing. Like I said, people who don't approve of the game should just not buy and, even better, not even talk about it.
This is like the Zelda thing all over again. The people who didn't like the cel-shaded graphics could have just decided against buying the game but instead they chose to raise all hell over it.

[People who don't approve of what FFCC entails should simply not buy the game and let that be the end of it]

569

Nintendo Gaming / Should Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles really use GBA connectivity??

« on: July 22, 2003, 10:42:24 AM »

"My main beef with FF: CC's GBA connectivity is that judging by everything I've read about it, the feature was not needed and was only really added because connectivity was part of Nintendo's deal with Square"

Seems like everything I've read recently suggests the exact opposite. That there's just no way the game could possibly work with just regular controllers.
Maybe you've just been reading impressions from the stripped-down E3 demo which had just about all the communication features disabled.
The connectivity feature wasn't just a stipulation in a contract. It's the entire reason the game exists. It's what inspired the developers to create it in the first place and the main selling point of the game is the innovation the feature allows. I think when people finally get to play the game, they'll realize asking for it to be multiplayer without GBAs is like asking Smash Bros to be multiplayer without multiple controllers or for a game to be online without a modem. It's crazy.

"As far as I can figure the "innovative idea" that requires the use of a GBA is that certain info (that would be available to everyone in a "normal" game) is only shown to certain people thus requiring them to "communicate"."

There's a lot more to it than that. Go read more about the game.

"This doesn't compare to something like Super Smash Bros multiplayer because the cost of three extra controllers is nowhere near the cost of four GBA's with four connection cables."

Nintendo doesn't expect everyone who buys the game to buy all those things with it.
It has this crazy idea that gamers actually have friends who have their own GBAs.
The ones who don't will just have to settle for playing it alone. As popular as the GBA is, people who don't have any friends who own one probably don't have many friends anyway so not being able to play it with multiple, standard Gamecube controllers shouldn't be that heart-breaking for them. As for the connection cables. I've heard the game is being packed with one and the rest are very inexpensive and I'm betting Nintendo will even be nice enough to drop their price soon.

"Plus people have comfirmed that the game was playable with multiplayer using controllers at E3."

Like I said, it was a stripped-down version with most everything disabled.
I suppose Nintendo could just discard the rest of the game and limit it to nothing but the tiny E3 demo but that would also be crazy.






WARNING: The following is lengthy rant. Read at your own risk.

"If Sony or Microsoft did the same thing everyone on this forum would be totally slamming them for ripping off the consumer. But since it's Nintendo it's okay."

If Sony was doing it, Sony fans would think it was the greatest idea ever. If MS was doing it, MS fans would hail it as the future of gaming.
Though, strangely, when Nintendo does it, many Nintendo fans think it's stupid and a rip-off which I think says a lot about what's wrong with many Nintendo fans. The ones who actually do think "it's okay" appear to be the minority.
Go to any XBox or PS2 forum and you'll hear people raving about how much they love their console. Go to a Gamecube forum and you'll hear "Nintendo is a stupid company that's made ANOTHER mistake", "Nintendo is ripping us off", "Nintendo is going to die soon". All from Nintendo fans, too. Nintendo fans more than anyone else are the ones calling Nintendo "kiddy" these days. And anyone who thinks all that doesn't hurt sales in this age where EVERYONE is online is fooling themselves.
Nintendo would be a lot better off and its console would be selling a lot better if its "fans" would just lighten up and not attack Nintendo over every little thing.
People who don't approve of what FFCC entails should simply not buy the game and let that be the end of it.
But instead they're relentlessly attacking it and Nintendo which, sadly, is preventing the game from getting the hype it deserves and may keep it from selling as well as it could.

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Nintendo Gaming / Games with "2 players simultaneous"

« on: July 22, 2003, 08:11:08 AM »

You should DEFINITLY get Smash Bros and Monkey Ball 1 AND 2. Mario Part 4 was really fun too but you might want to wait for Mario Part 5 which is supposed to be out this December.
Most of the best 2-4 player simultaneous games are yet to come though.

~ Mario Tennis
~ FZero
~ Soul Calibur 2 w/Link (may be too intense/serious)
~ Kirby's Air Ride
~ 1080 Snowboarding
~ Nintendo Puzzle Collection
~ Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles (the multiplayer is supposably amazing, but it requires GBAs)
~ Zelda Four Swords (also requires GBAs)

Then, of course, there's the undisputed God of multiplayer, Mario Kart, coming this Fall.

571

Nintendo Gaming / Should Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles really use GBA connectivity??

« on: July 22, 2003, 07:24:41 AM »

GBA connectivity is absolutely essential to the game's multiplayer mode. It was designed around it. Square couldn't just change things at the last moment and make it so it just uses Gamecube controllers. That would require them to completely alter the foundation of the game which would delay it a long, LONG time and it would suck 99% of the innovation out of the game too.
Anyway, the game is mostly aimed at Japan where EVERYONE owns a GBA and I've heard it's packaged with a link-cable too. So it won't be much of an issue over there. A good portion of people in the US and Europe shouldn't have a problem rounding up some friends with GBAs either (and the link-cables are cheap for just ten bucks and might even go down in price), the rest will have to settle for the 1P mode which, based on the reviews and impressions I've read, doesn't sound nearly as bad as people are assuming it is.

The game is being made because the developers were genuinely interested in the innovative things the connectivity would allow. The game isn't just something they threw together to be allowed to develope for the GBA.
 

572

Nintendo Gaming / N/A

« on: July 22, 2003, 05:31:47 AM »

N/A

573

Nintendo Gaming / N/A

« on: July 22, 2003, 04:37:55 AM »

N/A

574

Nintendo Gaming / New Super Smash Bros.

« on: July 22, 2003, 04:22:07 AM »

"Unfortunately Nintendo would have to pay for each other license they wanted. If they included Sonic they would have to pay Sega for the rights etc."

Not necessarily. Nintendo could get third-parties to agree with it using other tactics.
Nintendo could have made Namco agree to allow Pacman to appear in a Smash Bros title before they allowed it to make Starfox 2. It could have similar deals with Sega for Sonic in exchange for FZero AC/GC and Capcom for Megaman in exchange for Zelda Four Swords.
I doubt third-parties would be that reluctant over the idea. Having them appear in Smash Bros would be a great way to revitalize the popularity of their mascots. It would probably be as good for the third-parties as it would be for Nintendo.

Honestly, I think there's a real chance all this will really happen.
There's been talk of non-Nintendo mascots appearing in a Smash Bros title since before Melee was even released. Nintendo has no doubt heard all of it.
Doesn't anyone else find it strange that Nintendo has yet to announce a game of its own for the Triforce (which was developed by Nintendo along with Sega and Namco). You have to admit a Smash Bros game with Namco and Sega mascots would be PERFECT for it.

BTW, let's not forget that Nintendo has ALREADY made a Pacman game of its own and Miyamoto himself implied it was possible Sonic might be in Mario Kart. So, yeah, if Nintendo wanted a
"Smash Bros Third Party" or whatever it would be called, I definitly think it could happen.

575

Nintendo Gaming / Could it be bad if other developers handle games?

« on: July 21, 2003, 12:56:40 PM »

"Nintendo been relying way too much on their established franchises to sell systems and it obviously isn't working"

It's working. It may not be working amazingly well but it's working.
The Gamecube is selling on par with the N64 last I heard, it's still ahead of the XBox worldwide (despite MS burning money like mad trying to sell consoles - just think of how things would stand if MS wasn't willing to do so), and Nintendo is making a nice profit off of it.
The Gamecube isn't selling as well as it deserves but I think that has very little to do with the games.

"A hundred Mario spinoff games are not going to sell systems"

Where are you getting that? Of course they'll still sell systems. Mario Kart is going to be the biggest system seller the Gamecube has had since Smash Bros which actually boosted Gamecube sells exponentially in some markets.
It won't boost it to PS2 levels but, like I said, it's unlikely any game would.


I agree with most of what you're saying. The Gamecube needs more original franchises and Nintendo shouldn't rely entirely on its existing franchises but I just think you're completely wrong in dismissing the existing franchises as being powerless to sell systems and are over-estimating what orignal franchises could do for the console.

Camelot is highly rumored to already be making an RPG along with the Mario Sports titles.
It's not like it has to choose between just making Mario Sports titles and original games. It can do both. It can make games with existing franchises to sell systems NOW while creating original games that MIGHT someday be big after they get a few sequels.
Anyway, the whole point of Nintendo allowing third-party developers to use its mascots is it will allow Nintendo to free up its own resources to create original titles itself. According to Miyamoto, there are many such titles being developed now. They just haven't been revealed yet. I think they were supposed to be shown at E3 but they obviously weren't for some reason. I think maybe Nintendo was worried people would overlook the original games in favor of existing franchise games like Mario Kart, MGS, and Final Fantasy and it was probably right about that.

"Mario Golf and Mario Tennis are unneeded sequels and thus are a waste of a great developer that could be working on something new."

Maybe from your perspective but Nintendo and Camelot are companies and they mostly care about money so, if they really had to choose, of course they'd favor making games that are sure-bets to sell well and at least sell some systems instead of taking a risk that almost certainly wouldn't fare as well.
Grand Theft Auto: Vice City was sure as hell an unneeded sequel but I doubt Rockstar regrets making it.